Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Complications ❯ Sir Pineapple and the Nymph ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer:

In my excitement, I forgot do one earlier. ^^;;; IB does not own Digimon.

Author's Notes:

*grins* Big thanks to everyone who reviewed! This chapter's a bit time-condensed and plot-heavy, but that'll let the next chapter be much more interesting.

Okay. The plot's changed a bit from what I originally intended. Jyou just wasn't behaving himself and only acted like a stick in the mud. So, instead of Jyoushiro, we're going to have the rare Kousuke/Daishiro pairing.

And, because so many people asked for it, or because the same people did multiple times ^^, YAMACHI! You are correct. Yamato is the King, after all. But... despite his dress-wearing, Tai's not going to act like an über-uke. For this story, guys will be acting like [cute] guys.

3. Sir Pineapple and the Nymph

"You found a letter saying what?" roared the King.

The Captain of the Guard paled, but did not take the desired step backwards. He pitched his voice only slightly louder, for he knew that the King had heard him the first time. "It's ransom note for Princess Hikari. The guards have sealed off the entire palace and word has been passed on to the city gates, but we fear that they are already gone."

"You fear? I want you to be sure!"

"Yes, sire." The captain bowed. "My men are already doing a systematic search of the entire palace. I shall have the results shortly."

"Make it soon. I want news of my daughter. And where is my son? Somebody find the prince and bring him here!" A uniformed man by the entrance quickly scurried out to do his King's bidding.

When the doors opened shortly thereafter, it was the Queen who entered, her face tight with worry. She moved quickly to her husband's side. "What has happened? The guards are creating such a stir."

The King took her hand and said gently, "Hikari's been kidnaped." Seeing the extreme shock on her face, he continued, "But don't worry. The note's been signed by King Yamato. If she has truly been taken from the castle, she should be safe enough with him."

The Queen shook her head. "That can't be, dear. Hikari is in my chambers and has been there for several hours."

A few candle-marks later, only three-quarters of the royal family had gathered. Taichi was missing.

Princess Hikari looked at her father. "Is it possible he found the note and went after me without even bothering to check and see if I was really gone? That's the sort of impetuous thing that he would do."

The King had to nod in agreement. He knew his son sometimes made rash decisions. But he could not believe that Taichi was so irresponsible as to not alert the rest of the guard to the problem. When he spoke his thoughts, his wife sorrowfully asked, "So, where is my son?"

He held her hand to comfort her. "I shall send one of my knights to speak with King Yamato. Hopefully he will know where Taichi is and this will all just be a mistake."

"Who will you send?" Hikari asked.

The doors crashed open and the family looked up to see a soldier enter, followed by a knight in haphazardly worn armor that was only slightly shining. "My Lord and Ladies, announcing Sir Koushiro of Pineapple!"

The King waited as his wisest (and shortest) knight caught his breath.

"I came as soon as I heard," the man puffed. "Please allow me the honor of returning the beautiful princess to your side."

King, Queen, and Princess gave each other odd looks.

"You may remove your helmet, Sir Koushiro," the King said.

"Princess, you're here! I am glad to see you safe, but I have a sadness in my heart that I was not able to be your rescuer."

Hikari smiled. There wasn't much else she could do. Sir Koushiro had always acted enamored of her. As a princess, it was a given that she should be universally loved, but she wanted to do nothing to encourage that emotion in the knight. Choosing not to speak directly to her would-be rescuer, she asked her father, "Papa, why didn't you tell everybody that I was okay?"

The King had grace enough to look sheepish. "With security so tight, we actually caught a few criminals that had been bothering us. I was delaying the announcement in the hopes that we might catch a few more."

Sir Koushiro was still standing near the door, his helmet held awkwardly under one arm. He shifted uncomfortably. "Well, if the Princess is safe, then I shall return."

"Wait, Sir Koushiro," the King called. "I was about to send for you. The note was in ransom for the Princess, but it is the Prince who is missing."

"Taichi?" Koushiro felt his gut clench. "I mean, Prince Taichi?" His act of loving the princess was only to cover the desire he felt for her brother. "Is there any news of him?"

"No, but we suspect that he is being held by King Yamato. We are not sure what happened, but perhaps those sent on the mission mistakenly decided to get a bigger bargaining chip for their King. But kidnaping an heir is an act of war and war is something that I want to avoid." The King stood. "Sir Koushiro, speak with King Yamato on my behalf. See if he is keeping Taichi and do what you must to get him back."

"I will," the knight vowed. "Sire, my horse is tired from its rapid journey. Might I borrow a fresh steed from the stables?"

"Of course. You may have your pick. And bring one for Taichi to ride. I want you to bring my son home."

Koushiro bowed and wasted no time in reaching the royal stables. He had already selected one horse and was trying to decide between another two, when a voice sounded from behind and below him.

"I wouldn't take either of those if you're going on a long journey," the light-tenored voice spoke.

Koushiro spun and looked around, but saw no one... not even the grooms that had been present only a short while ago.

"Who said that? Show yourself."

At his request, a figure in a green hooded cloak appeared in front of him, standing only as tall as Koushiro's shoulder.

"Who are you to say that, boy?" he questioned -- not rudely, but because he wanted to know the fault in his decisions.

The figure lowered his hood to reveal his delicately pointed ears. "I'm not a boy. I'm a nymph who knows a thing or two about horses."

Koushiro's eyes widened at the revelation that the youthful diminutive man was a nymph. Nymphs were so rarely seen these days. And they were never seen far from their tree. That gave him pause to think.

"Why are you here?" he asked suspiciously.

"I've come to offer you aid in rescuing Prince Taichi."

The answer only made Koushiro's analytical mind work harder. "What makes you think the Prince is missing?"

"I saw him being taken," the nymph admitted uncomfortably. He needed Koushiro to take him with him, but right now, the knight was still untrusting and had slightly angered when the nymph had admitted his limited involvement. "I am a peaceful creature and there was nothing I could have done at the time."

"War would not be good," Koushiro agreed cautiously, but he was still suspicious. "If you're peaceful, then how can you help me?"

"I can make sure that your path through the forest to King Yamato's castle is unhindered and I can aid you in the rescue. I want to protect the land as much as you do."

The nymph waited as the human made his decision. The stretched, tugging sensation he felt from being so far away from his tree and glen created a constant ache in his body, but he kept smiling. The pain was a necessary evil. The ceremony was more important. To that end, the love that he could sense in Koushiro for the Prince would harm the plan. That love would need to be diverted in the coming days. It was merely an added bonus that distracting the charming knight would prove to be very pleasurable.

Sighing, Koushiro finally decided, "Fine, you may accompany me there... What's your name, by the way?"

The nymph pulled up the hood to cover his wild auburn hair. "I'm called Daisuke."

The name caught Koushiro's attention. It translated to 'Great Helper.' He could tell that the nymph was up to something, but he couldn't be sure of what. The safest course of action would be do deny the nymph permission to travel with him. But the thought of being able to pick that nymph's brain along the way was very enticing. He wouldn't mind studying the nymph in the slightest.

"You may call me Koushiro."

The nymph hid his amusement from the knight. He had been watching the gentle, short man for a long time and already knew his name well. "Shall we go?"

In the end, Koushiro let the nymph pick out a horse that was suitable and they began their journey.

The travel time passed quickly, Koushiro eagerly allowing Daisuke to do most of the talking. The knight was fascinated to learn more secrets about the land that he lived in. For a brief moment during their journey, the nymph's face, that had been becoming gradually more relaxed as they moved away from the palace, suddenly tightened in pain. Daisuke admitted that they had passed his glen and that they were now traveling away from it. Koushiro offered to return the nymph to his home, but the cloaked man had refused, saying that Koushiro needed his help.

Koushiro wasn't sure how much help the nymph would be, but when they reached King Yamato's castle, it became apparent. Each time they crossed the path of a guard, Daisuke blew a bit of pink dust into the guard's face, then leaned to speak something into their ear. After the whispering was done, the guard would rush off quickly.

"What are you saying to them?" Koushiro asked.

"Trade secret." Daisuke replied truthfully. It would never do to let Koushiro know that the dust was an aphrodisiac and that he had sent each guard to their bed on the hope that the nymph would arrive shortly to warm it.

They continued moving through the palace, Daisuke halting his pattern of secret seduction only once to determine the whereabouts of King Yamato.

They quietly opened the chamber's doors to an interesting sight.

Koushiro and Daisuke stared at the people -- undoubtedly, King Yamato and Prince Taichi -- entwined on the floor. "Wh-what are they doing?" Koushiro whispered, his face flushed.

The shorter man raised an enigmatic eyebrow. His plan was working perfectly... Although the two tussling were still fully clothed, Daisuke's special insight into their hearts let him see their near future. He answered Koushiro with a smile. "I would venture to say that they're making love, not war."

TBC...