Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, Stargate SG-1, Reign, or anything else I reference
Chapter Seven: Shining Hearts
(Jade Arrow, Mars)
"Thank you Haz'ba." Danny said to the Jaffa prison guard as his first Earthling prisoner is secured to the table.
"I will leave you to your conversation." Haz'ba said as he left the room.
"Hello again Prince/King Francis." Danny said.
"Who have you kidnapped now?" Prince/King Francis asked.
He is referring to Raki. She had been put in a cell while Prince/King Francis was being taken out and led to the conversation room.
By the look the French prince/king was giving him the only thing preventing him from charging at him is the chains holding him to the table.
He really needed to find where it was that Setesh is hiding.
"That is a new friend I met on my journey." Danny said. "She is going to be staying for a while."
"What do you want?" Prince/King Francis asked. "To taunt me? Or have you decided to go with torture?
"I just wanted to talk to you." Danny said. "To tell you how your family is doing while you are in my care."
He had felt curious about how Prince/King Francis had been doing.
"Have you taken them hostage as well?" Prince/King Francis asked glaring at him.
He is clearly still upset about how their first meeting had gone down.
"I wanted to work together with you and your wife." Danny said to the Prince/King tapping the table. "Is it my fault that you and your wife are so stubborn?"
"We turned down your offer and so you put me in a cage." Prince/King Francis said. "I doubt we would have been able to get along."
"I never claimed to be perfect or to hold saintly patience when we met." Danny said.
"So, are you going to release me eventually?" Prince/King Francis asked.
"Yes, one day I will release you back to your family and your home but for now enjoy your stay." Danny said, "I figure some time away from the scheming and politicking of French Court should give you some peace."
He took a communication orb from his satchel.
He held it in front of the prince and started capturing the prince's image.
"What are you doing?" Prince/King Francis asked.
"This?" Danny asked, "Did you know in what you call the "New World" there is a tribe of people that believe if you capture the image of a person, you steal bits of their soul?"
"What?" Prince/King Francis asked his eyes going wide and started trying to stand up and move away from the table.
He could feel the prince/king's horror at the implication of his question.
"Don't worry. I am just messing with you." Danny said with a smile. "This is to provide your family with proof that you are still alive and being treated well. Your wife and your parents are worried about you."
He shut the orb off once he is finished and put it back in his satchel.
"You will regret messing with my family." Prince/King Francis threatened moving closer to him. "The day you are executed we will turn into a holiday for the whole of France to celebrate until the end of time."
"I do not think that is true." Danny said. "I feel like eventually we are going to be great friends. That we will sit around a real table and laugh when we look back at this time."
There is a knock at the door.
Danny activated the communication device. "Yes?"
"My King she had woken up." Haz'ba said.
"Good." Danny said standing up. "Come in and watch over him while I go and inform her of what is happening."
It seems that the werewolves did heal slower than the vampires.
"Where am I?" Raki asked saying her first words since she had been brought on board the ship.
Once she was in the cell, he had taken the stasis chip off of her.
"You are in your new room." Danny said switching to her language.
"Let me out!" Raki roared as she tried to run at him.
"You will learn that is not going to work." Danny said. "Look at your hands."
"What?" Raki asked.
"On your hands are electronic bands. That at the slightest sign of rebellion could be forced together at either pair or give off a shock that stunned the body so that it was prevented from moving." Danny said.
Those bracelets are used to control prisoners in his kingdom and had many other fun and useful effects. He had yet to use them given that Raki was so shocked by what she heard.
"This is my ship. You are going to be staying here for a bit." Danny said. "There is a lot about your people I want to know."
He wanted to study how these people transformed. The fact that these people somehow developed a way to shift to a wolf one night a month confused him.
"You will get nothing from me." Raki said as she glared at him. "I would rather die than help the man that invaded my village."
"You say that now, but we will be spending a lot of time together and hopefully you will change your mind." Danny said. "Being stubborn will not get you anything."
"Where is my tribe?" Raki asked.
"They are enjoying their rooms as well." Danny said.
Her tribe is a few floors below them. The first floor of the prison is for people that he felt is the most important and wanted to reach the quickest.
"If you hurt any of my people, I will pull out your eyes with a blade and rip your throat apart!" Raki Roared
There was a lot of fire in his new wolf. It could be fun seeing if he could tame her.
He left to go and inspect his new treasure.
"Do you need anything my king?" Ga'rel asked him after appearing on the screen.
"No but alert me when the new prisoner is finished being scanned." Danny said switching back to the Dinai language.
The walls that made up the cells served many purposes. One such purpose was a deep scan of the individuals stuck inside of them. He wanted to know how it was possible for someone to shift into a wolf on the night of a full moon.
He wanted to learn if werewolves could be useful in his army. Seto's memories showed that they were stronger and faster than baseline humanity. The vampires would follow a similar path once he found a way to control them.
"Contact Nirrti." Danny told the contact orb as he took a seat on his bed.
He wanted to tell her of his recent acquisitions. She would probably find them interesting too.
0-0-0-0-0-0
(Paris, France)
"Welcome back my king." Raios said as the castle gates rose. "I hope that your trip went well."
Igdu and Veda are waiting behind Raios with carts holding food and drink.
"It did." Danny confirmed as he walked into the courtyard. "I can't wait to show you and the others the treasures that I managed to find in Telchak's pyramid."
"Is that sword you are wielding one of them?" Raios asked interested.
"Yes, it is." Danny said.
The sword hanging by his side has the handle of a snake. Its blade is made of a golden metal and glowed when pulled from the scabbard.(1) This sword could cut through any material on this planet as if is a knife going through butter.
The sheath for the sword of Telchak is made of leather sheath that came from the skin of a cow the Jaffa had slain.
"Do you want us to contact the other Jaffa in the castle?" Raios asked.
The sword of Telchak would certainly amaze the Jaffa. The only way that the sword would look better was if the blade was made of energy.
That thought gave him an idea for his next project.
"Not right now." Danny said taking the fork and stabbing it through the piece of pineapple. "I want to understand how the treasure works before I use its power around people."
He would make his own pair of swords. He would keep the handle because it looked cool but change everything else so that it fit him better. He would keep the sword with him for now to understand the material it was made of.
"We will follow your wisdom." The three Jaffa said in unison.
"Where is King Henry?" Danny asked once he finish swallowing.
"I am sorry my king, but I do not have the information." Igdu told him.
"I do not know either." Veda admitted.
"Contact the Ha'tak and see if the B.I.R.D.S. have his location." Danny said.
"As you command." Veda said leaving her cart behind.
"Bring those and follow me." Danny said to Riaos and Igdu who lifted the chests and started moving the carts.
He would check the throne room.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Danny walked through the castle heading to the throne but as he took a turn, he ended up hearing the whispers of a private conversation.
"I have no idea what to do." An unknown female voice said.
"It will be okay sweetie." Kirche said. "True love can conquer anything."
He decided to stop walking and listen to the voices.
In Vlad's memories France was talked of in the history books of his old universe as a place of hedonism, secrecy, and murder. There was a chance of somebody being poisoned nearly almost every week.
Could he be listening in on such a plot?
He looked through the door found Kirche sitting on a bench and talking to another woman.
"My King?" Igdu asked.
Danny raised his hand to stop him from talking.
"I am going to be busy for a bit." Danny said as he used telekinesis to unlock the door from the other side. "Go see what progress Veda has made."
The two women inside turned to him as he entered.
"Hello Kirche." Danny said then turned to the other woman. "I would greet you as well but unfortunately do not know your name madame."
"Hello Danny." Kirche said standing up and fixing her dress. "I would like to introduce you to Sophie de Clermont."
She had dark brown hair and chocolate-colored eyes that would look pretty if they were not red with tears.
"I came in because I heard someone crying and wanted to make sure that they were okay." Danny said.
That is a lie. He came in because when people were having emotional problems, they became available to making rash decisions. He did not know what he could use the woman for, but he is sure that he would eventually come to a decision.
"I thought that the door was locked?" Sophie asked.
"It was." Danny answered as his eyes began to glow. "Let us just say that I have gifts that the church would consider unnatural. Still my abilities are not the point. Why are you crying?"
With each second, he influenced the two of them to be more trusting of his words.
"You can tell him." Sophie said with a sniffle into a tissue.
"She is in love with a man that her mother won't allow her to be with." Kirche said.
'Isn't that just another day in French court?'
Greer is currently in love with Leith but because of their different stations they would have trouble getting together. She would end up married to Lord Castleroy. Leith would have the same issues with Claude de Valois.
"Why is her mother against the match?" Danny asked.
He had yet to meet Madame de Clermont but from what Lola had told him of the people in court he had the opinion that she is extremely ambitious.
"Her mother wants her daughter to make a match that can be useful to their house." Kirche said. "The problem is that the man she loves is a commoner. He has very little money."
"Who is the man you are in love with?" Danny asked.
"Thomas Beaumont." Sophie said.
"I have not heard of him." Danny said as he turned to Kirche.
"He is a playwright from Paris that Queen Catherine invites to the castle during the spring and summer seasons." Kirche said.
"He travels the world looking for inspiration then come back telling the stories he has learned." Sophie said.
"Last time he came to the castle his troupe performed Alibaba." Kirche said.
"I have never heard of that story before." Danny said. "Do you want to tell me of it?"
"It's a tale about how a prince from the city of Baalbad fell in love with an unfortunate slave." Sophie said.
He could see how she could relate to the story.
"Prince Alibaba and the slave girl Morgiana met while he was disguised and traveling through the market." Kirche said.
This story is starting to sound like Aladdin.
"Love at first sight?" Danny asked.
"He requested Morgaina's freedom from her evil master Jamil." Kirche said.
"Jamil said he would only comply with the request if he went into the mystical tower and retrieved the treasures inside. He surrounded the tower and waited for Prince Alibaba to come back." Sophie continued.
"What was in the tower?" Danny asked.
"The tower was full of gold and gems, but Jamil had been specific. Out of everything in there he wanted a lamp." Kirche said.
"A lamp?" Danny asked wondering if she was going where he thought she was.
"A magic lamp holding the genie Amon. The story says whoever holds Amon is granted great wealth and power." Sophie said.
Were genies a real thing now? He was not ready to disbelieve given he already had a werewolf and vampire as prisoners in his ship.
"What did Jamil want with the genie?" Danny asked.
"Jamil wanted the genie to grant him the power to control the sultan." Kirche said. "He planned on killing the prince and the slave the moment that they came outside."
"They defeated Jamil and as reward for the heroic actions Prince Alibaba and Morgiana were allowed to marry." Sophie finished.
As he listened, he planned to pay a visit to that city and look into that story later.
"I will help you." Danny said.
"You will?" Sophie asked.
"I will do all that all I can do to help you." Danny said taking her hands.
He wants to see how this story develops.
Whether the sun would shine forever? or grow dim and grow dark?
0-0-0-0-0-0
"You truly intend to help her?" Kirche asked as they walked through the castle.
"I could feel her feelings for the man. They were like a shining sun. Not burning with fire and heat but longing mixed with adoration." Danny said. "I will need you to do something to help me though."
"Yes?" Kirche asked
"All you need to do is point me out what her mother looks like." Danny said
"Since we have agreed to help each other out can you answer a question of mine?" Kirche asked.
"Sure." Danny said.
"I had been looking for you all day yesterday." Kirche said. "I heard that you left the castle?"
"Yes, I had heard that my men had found something that I had been looking for." Danny said. "I had to go and verify that it was what I wanted."
"Is it the sword you are carrying?" Kirche asked.
"That is part of it." Danny said. "When I am ready to show it off and tell the story I can promise that you will be one of the first."
"Now you are making me curious." Kirch said. "Are you sure that you could not give me a sneak peek. Pretty please."
Kirche stood to his side and pouted in a way that he is sure could convince many men in the castle to do whatever he wanted.
"Sorry but not yet." Danny said. "Where are the others?"
"Let's go they should still be at the salon." Kirche said taking his arm.
The moment they made contact Danny elevated her endorphins to release more dopamine and used empathy to keep her at that state. Eventually Kirche would be addicted to his presence and go through withdrawal when he was not there.
He had to go with this method given that he lacked the Nish'ta to ensure her loyalty.
He had no problems with this method.
Kirche had originally sought him out to figure if she could use him to improve her father's business deals with Florence after all.
"The next time you go on a trip you should bring us along." Kirch said.
"Of course." Danny said.
0-0-0-0-0-0
He found his "friends" and the other nobles of the castle surrounding a table.
"They are gambling." Danny said surprised.
He expected it of Guiche but he had no idea that Montmorency and Malicorn would be the type to allow him to do it.
"During times where there is no entertainment in the castle we gamble." Kirche said. "We have to keep ourselves busy."
"I know Antoine and Guiche." Danny asked Kirche as he looked at the people playing cards. "Who are the other two playing at the table?"
The table consisted of four men playing and a servant standing tossing them the cards.
"The man on the left of Guiche is the Chevalier of Lorraine and the man on the right of Antoine is the Duke of Cassel." Kirche said. "The duke has just come to the castle recently. It is said that he is to become the new minister of Justice."
"Who is winning?" Danny asked Montmorency as he stood next to her.
"I fold." Guiche said with a sigh as he placed his cards down.
'Clearly not him.' Danny thought.
"Guiche was doing well in the begging." Montmorency said as she saw his look.
"Can you top this?" The Duke of Cassel asked Antoine as he placed down his cards.
They consisted of a ten of hearts, nine of clubs, eight of diamonds, seven of spades, and a six of hearts.
"I think that I can." Antoine replied as he placed his cards down.
Antoine had an ace of hearts, diamond, clubs, and spade alongside a king of hearts.
"Do you play poker?" Malicorn asked.
"No. My people do not gamble like this." Danny said watching as the card players stared at each other.
"How do you gamble in your land?" Montmorency asked turning to him.
"When I gamble, I do it for favors and challenges." Danny said.
"That sounds interesting." Antoine said as he rose from the table and walked towards them. "Hello Lady Kirche."
Danny could feel his lust for her.
"Congratulations on your victory." Kirche said.
She felt amusement as she took his hand.
"You are very good." Guiche said.
"I am lucky." Antoine said. "My brother is the smart one."
"We found him." Veda said from behind him.
"If you will excuse me." Danny said to his "friends."
"Okay but I would like to play a game with you some time." Antoine said with a smile.
"I look forward to it." Danny said.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Veda led him to a room to talk in.
He walked in and found Raios waiting.
"My King we have found King Henry." Raios said.
"Great." Danny said.
"There is a problem though." Veda said.
"What is the matter?" Danny asked wondering if King Henry had decided to try something.
"When we found King Henry, he sounded like he was talking to someone but according to the B.I.R.D.S. he was alone." Raios said.
During the show King Henry had been poisoned and driven into madness. He responded to issues violently and started tossing women out of windows to their deaths. He had started planning invasions against England every other European kingdom. It had only ended when Prince/King Francis assassinated him.
"What are you worried about?" Danny asked.
"I am worried that he may do something foolish in this state." Veda said. "You are holding the man's son."
"I hear what you are saying and will take it under advisement" Danny said "I still want to go and talk with him."
"As you command." Raios said reluctantly. "He is in his chambers currently."
"Thank you." Danny said before he teleported to King Henry's room.
"Hello King Henry." Danny said with a smile as he saw the king turned around startled.
"You are back." King Henry said as his face turned to a scowl.
"I told you that I would not be gone for long. Anyway, I just wanted to have a simple chat with you." Danny said as he picked up a book from the table.
It was a book telling the story of Alexander the great and his conquests.
King Henry probably imagined he would enact something similar when he would go on to conquer England.
"What do you want?" King Henry asked.
Danny sensed that the King was trying to hide the fact that his head was hurting. Trying to keep any sign of weakness from showing.
"I want to know how you have done with the search." Danny said.
"What search?" King Henry asked him.
Danny could feel the man getting angrier at him with each passing second. For ordering him around like this. For what he was doing to doing to his family. For every day that he spent in this castle.
Looks like Raios and Veda's concern are legitimate. King Henry felt like a shaking blender of anger and paranoia.
He really needed to find Setesh because eventually King Henry emotions were going to surpass his sense of reason.
It was only a matter of time.
"The search for a witch." Danny said. "The one I gave you before I left for Honduras."
"We are working on it." King Henry said. "It is going to take time."
"Yes. I have accepted that" Danny said. "Still, I would like to know how you have started the search."
"We are sending men to search the prisons for women accused of witchcraft." King Henry said. "Then when they are found you can go to the prisons and talk to them yourself."
"King Henry we both know that I am not going to run myself through the country to visit different prisons." Danny said. "You can bring them here to me."
"Very well." King Hery said through gritted teeth. "Is there anything else I can do for you."
"Yes." Danny said.
0-0-0-0-0-0
His contact orb activated.
"My king your guests are here." Iok said.
"Let them in." Danny said.
The doors opened and Queen Catherine, Queen Mary, and her ladies-in-waiting entered.
"Hello." Danny said. "Take a seat."
He gestured to the two chairs on the other side of his table for the queens.
"You called for us." Queen Catherine said rather than questioned. "What demand do you have for us now?"
"I have heard that you have a playwright that visit the castle during the summer months." Danny said. "I want to know if you know where he is at this moment."
"You mean Tomas Beaumont?" Queen Catherine asked. "What use could he be to you?"
"You do not need to worry about that." Danny said. "I just want to ask him some questions."
He wanted to know more about that story that Sophie and Kirche were talking about. Whether it truly is based on actual events.
"I will tell you what you wish to know if you will return my son to me." Queen Catherine said.
"That type of deal is not balanced." Danny laughed. "Giving up a royal for a playwright is like giving a jewel for a feather."
He felt her rage increase.
"How are you surprised at her request?" Queen Mary asked next to her. "Her son was supposed to be home two weeks ago."
"I know how long I have been in the castle Queen Mary." Danny said. "I also told you that he is perfectly fine."
He had planned to give her the communication orb when he returned from Honduras but as the week passed by, he figured she would appreciate it more if she got it as a reward for her services.
"We cannot just take you at your word." Queen Catherine said. "I need proof. Bring him to the castle for a night."
He could feel the queen's emotions. There is something else that she didn't want him to learn about.
He was going to look in her mind and see when his communication orb activated again.
"Yes?" Danny asked.
"Sorry to interrupt my king but Raios has something that he wishes to inform you of." Iok said.
Danny looked through the door to see Raios standing before Iok and Na'du with a data pad in his hands.
"It seems that one of my warriors has something to discuss with me." Danny said.
"Very well." Queen Catherine said as she stood up. "We can finish this discussion later."
"Yes Raios?" Danny asked.
"My king we believe that we have found the temple that houses the god Osiris and goddess Isis." Kada said.
This is a very good find.
The two of them had been imprisoned for thousands of years for plotting against Ra. Setesh had betrayed them back when the Goa'uld ruled the Earth.
Normally he would have left them buried in their prison, however he wanted to study the canopic jars that kept them imprisoned. It was near impossible to find one as only Ra could give the order for a Goa'uld to be imprisoned in the device and he only did that for those that really annoyed him.
The technology was hidden, and he did not want the Goa'uld to get paranoid because of his desire for the technology.
"How?" Danny asked.
"The records that were taken from the pyramid of Telchak." Raios said.
That adventure is the gift that just kept giving.
(1) The sword of Telchak looks like the sword of Ek Chuaj from Ben 10