It was surprisingly easy to break into the keep at the very
edge of the small kingdom. The guards who were lining the walls were
vigilant, of course, but there were shadows aplenty all through the
place. Moving along expertly, almost entirely silent, the figure
stalked through the halls of the keep searching out a certain prey.
The master bedroom was opulent, decorated with the finest
cloth, paintings, and thick rugs. Those heavy rugs made it even
easier to move across the floor, muffling any footsteps. The figure
paused beside the massive bed, looking down at the brown haired
young man and the pretty maiden who was sleeping beside him.
Something, some sense of possible danger, woke the girl from
her slumber and she stared wide eyed at the shadow standing beside
the bed. Without a word she bolted from the room, leaving the man
sleeping away, helpless to avoid his fate.
'It seems that he inspires little loyalty,' the figure
mused, casually reaching down to slap at the man's face once,
forcefully.
"What in the," Lord Takoto muttered, looking around him in
confusion. The brown haired boy saw his guest then, and his face
paled, "You?!"
"Do not call your guards," Renamon cautioned him, the tall
fox-woman raising a finger, "you'll be dead as soon as you speak."
Takato gulped. Softly he asked, "What do you want?"
"You learn quickly," Renamon murmured. She smiled down at
him coldly, "Know this, m'lord. Devimon is dead, and with him the
contract on Lady Rika. I'm sure that you have contacts with the
Assassin's Guild, they will confirm what I say."
Takato swallowed nervously, the boy quickly realizing that
if she was telling him the truth, he was in a great deal of trouble.
His eyes narrowed as he took in the bandaged wound on her arm and
asked, "So why are you here?"
"You will not attempt to harm Lady Rika ever again," Renamon
ordered him quite simply, iron evident in her voice.
"Oh, no?" Takato seemed to find some courage somewhere deep
inside of him, "I will not rest until the throne is mine and she is
dead, kitsune!"
"That would be most unfortunate," Renamon seemed to be
struggling to control her temper, "for you." She smiled, or maybe
just bared her gleaming white teeth as she explained, "You see, I
have taken out a Guild contract on you, sir. If Lady Rika dies of
anything other than natural causes, the Assassins will go after you."
Takato gaped at her. "But," he finally managed to weakly
ask, "what if she dies of some injury entirely unconnected to me?"
"Then you'd best make sure that doesn't happen," Renamon
simply answered before slipping away into the night.
"oh, god," Takato muttered, then bellowed, "Guards!"
Getting out of the keep was a bit more difficult than
getting in was, if only because of Takato's nearly hysterical cries
alerting the guards outside. Still, they were running in, and she
was going out, so avoiding all the loud young men in the hallways
wasn't all that hard. She didn't even have to shape-change, just
hide occasionally.
The town was up in arms, but getting away over the rooftops
protected her from any irritable servants of Takato. Beside, she
noticed the few guards that were out there weren't looking for her
all that hard. Obviously, Takato inspired far less loyalty than he
might have thought.
Renamon's leaps seemed to eat up the turf below, allowing
her to cover ground extremely fast. The carefully tended fields of
wheat and barley soon yielded to low hills and rocky terrain,
patrolled by the occasional soldier.
From there she quickly reached the Assassin's forest, a
place achingly familiar to her. She bounded from tree to tree, eyes
open to any danger, but there was none. Indeed, there were no signs
that the assassins had been there at all, almost as if they had been
erased.
'The lieutenant listened to me,' Renamon mused, 'good.' She
had no wish to go after the Guild herself, she still had friends
there, but she knew if they lingered here she would have to take
steps. Their leaving made things much easier for them all.
Renamon slowed as she reached the edge of the forest. The
sun was just rising over the city that Rika called home, the place
that was her home, now. Once she had come here in secret, her
mission to slay the Lady of the castle, but that time was past. With
a determined stride Renamon walked towards the town, not hiding her
presence.
The guard at the gate smiled, "It's good to have you back
here, Renamon." He dropped his voice, "Lady Rika's been worried
about you."
"I'll hurry home," Renamon smiled wryly. As she walked
through the streets, the shopkeepers called out her name, passerby
gave her friendly smiles, and she returned them all. 'This really is
my home now,' Renamon mused as she reached the castle itself.
"Renamon," Lady Rika's vizier Rio met her at the gate. His
eyes narrowed, as he took in her arm, "You've been wounded."
"I was a bit slow," Renamon touched her bandaged arm.
Rio sighed, "Lady Rika will be displeased." He stepped aside
and lead her inside, "There is something I need to talk to you
about."
"Oh?' Renamon gave him a look. They had learned to work
together there past months, but they didn't like each other very
much.
"Lady Rika has made her intentions towards you clear to me,"
Rio said with a sigh. At Renamon's confused look he elaborated, "The
proposal."
"You seem to be accepting this rather calmly," Renamon
murmured as they walked up the stairs towards Rika's suite.
"I've had some time," Rio admitted. He gave her a serious
look, "I may not like you very much, but you're honorable. I'm
certain that you will treat the Lady well."
"You have my word," Renamon agreed as they separated at
Rika's door.
"Renamon!" Rika almost leapt out of the room, the smaller
redhead throwing her arms around the kitsune. Her hair was messy,
her eyes circled as she murmured, "I heard your voice..."
"I'm home," Renamon smiled, "and you're safe."
"You're hurt!" Rika touched the bandaged wound on Renamon's
arm, then she looked up at the kitsune's calm face. "What happened?"
she demanded as she all but pulled Renamon over to sit at the side
of the bed.
Renamon softly explained all of what had happened that
night, her battle with Devimon and then her meeting with Takato. As
she talked, Rika carefully unwrapped the bandage, gently cleaning
the wound before binding it once again.
"... so after that I returned here," Renamon finished.
"If I'm killed, Takato is.." Rika echoed in wonder. She
began to laugh softly, shaking her head. "You are truly wicked, my
love," she smiled, "I almost feel sorry for him."
"I don't," Renamon said softly, "I know he would have
continued on otherwise." She rose, moving in front of Rika to kneel
there formally, "Lady Rika?"
"Yes?" Rika looked at her in surprise.
"When I did this the last time, it was an impulse," Renamon
murmured softly. She took Rika's hand in hers, "Lady Rika, will you
marry me?"
"Yes," Rika smiled, placing a gentle kiss on the kneeling
kitsune's lips.
Some days later, the formal dance was held in the great hall
of the castle. Rika had broken with tradition yet again, inviting
both nobles and peasants to the dance, and many familiar faces were
in the crowd. Ladies Kari and Yolie stood together, clearly happy
with their matching rings. Rio looked rather uncomfortable in his
formal garb, a wry smile on his face. Mimi watched the crowds,
noting their reactions to spread the word later. Even the wise man
Henry was there, looking slightly scruffy in his scholarly garb.
They entered the hall together, Rika holding onto the human
Renamon's arm. Rika whispered something, and the herald paled
slightly. She repeated it, and he nodded.
"What are you doing?" Renamon murmured, but Rika just smiled.
"The Lady Rika," the herald announced loudly enough so that
the entire mob could hear, "and her consort, the kitsune Renamon!"
"You can't put the date off now," Rika smirked as they
walked inside to absolute silence.
"I guess not," Renamon agreed. Even as the crowd murmured,
more in delight than any real surprise, the two fell into the steps
of the opening dance. "I suppose being married to you will never be
dull," she whispered.
"You wouldn't have it any other way," Rika answered with a
smile.
The End.
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