I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted onto this story. I hope you guys like this final instalment in the DiNozzo vs Investigatii 'series.' To be quite honest, the only reason I remembered this now is that I needed it to be done for my December writing challenge, which I will be posting everyday in December. I plan on doing the entire story in the 'The King's Daughter's' world.

-owl

It took her nearly an hour to get Fornell to the entrance of the tunnels. The main complication of the return journey was keeping Fornell out of sight of his army. The moon was halfway to its peak when they returned to the tunnels. Ziva had snatched a lit torch from the army camp as they left, so they were able to see in the tunnels.

Dragging Fornell behind her, Ziva made her way to the chasm. The rope was where she had left it, and she was able to pull the plank to her side. "Cross." She barked at Fornell and, with only a little persuasion by gesturing with her knife, he got across with no issues.

Once he was over, Ziva followed. The plank let out a groan as she took her last step on it. Then, looking between it and the other side and the water below, Ziva pushed it over the edge into the water. When she heard the splash, she turned to Fornell.

"Alright, King Fornell," Ziva said, sneering her words at him. "The only way you are ever going to get out of these tunnels is with my help. If you kill me, you will die down here all alone."

"I suppose I'll have to trust you, then." He muttered, but then was silent for the remainder of the journey.

It helped that Ziva knew her way around the tunnels fairly well already, but she was glad she had Abby mark the way back to the castle. To mark the turns, Abby had held the torch near the ceiling of the tunnel, making a dark scorch mark wherever Ziva would have needed to turn.

The journey through the tunnels was uneventful, Fornell had been in his own thoughts, barely reacting to Ziva pulling him around corners. Clearly he had taken what she had said to heart.

When they got to the entrance of the tunnels, Tony stood in front of a large delegation of guards, right next to Tim. They were both grinning, though it was more of an unsettling kind of smile.

"Well done, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, his grin softening into its more regular shape. "I see you caught a rat."

"How long have you been waiting?" Ziva asked.

Tim shrugged. "Maybe only a half hour. We came down here when we heard the ruckus Investigatii was making when they realized their king was gone."

"When did Abby return?"

"Before the sun set."

They then all turned to look at Fornell, who was now restrained by a few of the guards.

"What are we planning on doing with him?" Ziva asked.

Tony grinned again, that first, unsettling one. "I've had plenty of time to decide that."

So it happened the next morning, just as the sun rose above the horizon, Tony and Ziva marched King Fornell out the front gates of the city, his hands tied behind his back. The armor he had been wearing had been removed when he was thrown into the dungeon for the night. His crown had also been taken from him.

Ziva had dressed in her silver chain-mail armor, next to her Tony was wearing his typical plate armor. Neither of them wore helmets, instead they had their crowns sitting square on their heads, the jewels in them glinting in the rising sun.

"Open the gates!" Ziva commanded, shouting up towards the gatekeepers at their post at the top of the wall.

Then, slowly, the gates began to open, revealing the Investigatii army waiting with swords and spears. The first three rows began advancing immediately, but stopped when they saw their king being escorted by Tony and Ziva.

"We are being merciful," Tony called out, his voice carrying over the army. "We have not taken your king's life, but take this as a warning, leave, and do not return."

Though some of the soldiers near the front of the army had doubtful looks, enough of them started setting weapons onto the ground that the others followed suit. Once enough of the army was weaponless, Ziva sliced the ties holding Fornell and pushed him towards his army.

Turning around, Tony and Ziva closed the gates behind them and returned to their castle.