Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Great White Hunter: Keitaro ❯ GWH:K Welcome To Molmol ( Chapter 12 )

GWH:K

Chapter 12

Molmol Welcome

 

“Are we there yet?” asked Keitaro. He'd been catching up on sleep during the flight. It was surprising to have such a big plane just for them. Kaolla looked increasingly tense, her clenched hand waking him fully. Keitaro observed her grin was a rictus and her laugh a yelp. The good he'd done her overnight was already wearing off by the time they began their final approach at Molmol's national airport.

 

The plane landed smoothly and taxied to a large crowd of people.

 

“Aww, mom called a press conference,” Kaolla pouted, annoyed and thinking quickly. “Let the games begin.”

 

Su gripped his hand and led the way as they left the plane to stumble down the bright stairs and sweaty tropical heat. The crowd cheered. There was actual, literal, red carpet down the stairs and out onto the tarmac. A small group stood in the open waiting expectantly.

 

“Ah shoulda changed on the plane,” complained a squinting Kitsune. Motoko scanned the crowd, spotting the guards spotting her and earning mutual nods of respect. She followed Keitaro and Su down to the tarmac where an expansive man in his fifties and two ladies in traditional Molmol attire waited. Su led them to the group and stopped. She bowed to each, still holding Kei's hand.

 

“Mommas, Daddy this is Keitaro,” announced Kaolla. Kaolla also introduced each of the girls, but the eyes of her parents kept returning to him. The plural of momma didn't escape him.

 

“Hello, Keitaro,” said a breathy voice. Amalla Su glommed onto him briefly, earning a sparking glare from her sister which only softened when she released him and reintroduced Prince Su, Keitaro's spitting image. They shook hands.

 

“How's the shoulder?” asked his highness.

 

“Mostly healed. Hurts once in a while. How have you been?” asked Keitaro, turning from one to the other. Amalla blushed, then brassed it out.

 

“We can talk about that at the palace. Right mom?” she asked. The more demure of the queens nodded silently. A pair of uniformed royal guards worked on loading their combined luggage into two limousines. Shortly Keitaro found himself riding with the royal triple and their daughter.

 

The king pointed here and there and Kaolla explained about various cultural artifacts and industrial systems.

 

“Our employment is high, so much so that we have reached the point of importing some workers from overseas,” admitted the king. “This is actually going to be helpful for your case to the Council. Its pretty inevitable that eventually some workers on holiday will discover the ruins and tell someone. It would be better if Kaolla's companion were the one to make the announcement.”

 

“The school would be pleased if I can help them this way,” he admitted shyly, rubbing the back of his head. “Though I think that my mentor Seta would want to take part too. He's been searching for the ruins for years now.”

 

“Well, I'm sure he'll be along soon enough. We'll try not to shoot him down,” joked the happier of the women. The limos shortly pulled onto the grounds of their palace, which was wrapped in high mud walls, painted and turreted, highly decorated with scripts and writing which was reminiscent of Arabic but not of that particular language. Keitaro stared about him, feeling the place was very familiar.

 

“Wow. This place is amazing. These are all examples of Molmolian culture? Its almost like the Turtle Culture ruins I've excavated… How soon before I can to talk to the Council?” asked Keitaro, turning away from the wall to regard the smiling king and slightly reddened Kaolla. The others walked up, servants carrying their bags. Naru looked nervous like she'd been scolded by a twitching Motoko. Kitsune stifled a laugh at something Mutsumi whispered.

 

“The full council session will meet this evening after dinner. We have some business to attend to so our seneschal will show you to your rooms,” informed the sterner queen. They smiled and left them to the retainer. Shortly after, Keitaro was given a tour of Kaolla's chambers and gardens. The tiger was huge but fairly docile after years of being around people. The electric collar probably had something to do with it. Kaolla fairly assaulted the huge cat and it made a strangled face as she did her usual. Kaolla grinned a fully happy smile, the first in an hour since they'd left the plane. She exhaled.

 

“Ah, I've missed you,” she said and scrubbed her pet's head. He licked her face in retaliation or gratitude, Keitaro wasn't sure. Kaolla rinsed off her face and dragged Keitaro around more of the grounds before settling down.

 

“So, what's happening now?” asked Keitaro, hoping they had a little privacy. Su frowned and pulled out a small box which hissed and sputtered when she pressed a button. There was a yell on the other side of the garden wall, and another from the roof.

 

“That's better,” she said.

 

“It is? … Um, okay. So what's really going on here?” he asked finally. Kaolla measured him carefully, grin fading into sadness.

 

“I wanted you to see my home and meet my family, Keitaro. As the lover of a Princess there are certain advantages, and certain costs. While I've earned certain freedoms because of our rites of honor, I still have to be discreet about my lovers. I don't want to be, though, so I've put in a request to the council to accept you as an official member of my household, sort of a male version of a concubine. You have to present your achievements and win them over or I'll be forbidden from seeing you publicly and probably forced to move home. If you care about me enough, you'll make sure they're impressed. This is a test of your affection as well as your commitment to me and my kingdom and people. Pass the test and you'll be allowed a vote in the Grand Assembly,” she explained.

 

“What's that?” he asked, not having heard.

 

“Its kinda like the Diet or House of Lords in England, only everyone in the Assembly are heros who have faced life threatening events and overcome them by acts of bravery. You're twice proven, or will be soon.”

 

“Aww, shucks. It's too bad I don't have that lion skin and the bear,” he admitted.

 

“Don't worry about that… besides the lion was international news. They've all seen the reports. Momma heads the royal guard,” said Kaolla. “It's our own secret police and spy agency.” Keitaro nodded, nervously. He wondered just how much they knew about him, and his activities of the last two months. A big sweat drop rolled down the side of his head. Kaolla laughed and patted his head.

 

“Silly. I could kiss you but there's a dozen cameras watching us right now. You have to impress them tonight.”

 

“Whatever happens, Kaolla, please remember that I love you,” he said, and gulped.

 

“I would feel better if you hadn't said that to all the girls of Hinata Sou,” she sighed. “You noticed I have two mom's right?” Keitaro nodded.

 

“My mother is the quiet one. Everybody thinks if the happy one, but she's had no children. Papa is allowed two wives under Molmolian law. With the complications of our traditions for manhood, for voting rights… male mortality in high in our nation. When my parents found out that you are immortal they couldn't wait for me to grow up and seduce you. Then you got injured and so their ardor has cooled. Now they know that we've taken our relationship to the next step and I'm anxious to make it officially approved.”

 

“Assuming I can impress them, what happens then?” he asked.

 

“Well we get married and I get pregnant right away, twice, so if something happens the royal family has an heir and a spare,” she joked, eyeing his panicked reaction.

 

“I..I..I… WHAT?!” Keitaro stammered. She held the pose a moment longer before cackling into a peal of genuine laughter.

 

“You didn't think having your way with a princess would come without consequences, did you?” she said seriously once more. Keitaro stared. She held the serious look. Exactly one minute later she broke into laughter once again.

 

“Gotcha!!”

 

“What have I gotten myself into?” he asked of the heavens. There was no answer. Keitaro melted into the stone bench.

 

 

 

“Wow. I knew you could eat, Kaolla-chan, but now I know why. That was some feast. Does everyone in Molmol eat that well?” he asked. She rolled her eyes. They had just finished the huge state dinner, leaving the political people to brandy. Naru had been the victim of social taunts for her opinions, doubly teased by Kitsune who kept dragging her away from the snarky men and their more sarcastic wives sipping brandy and aperitifs.

 

“Of course not. This was a welcome feast at the royal palace. It has to be big and showy to impress our allies and enemies. It's the conversations and veiled promises and threats which matter. The feast is just an excuse to mask the politics. I hate that kind of thing,” she sighed. Her thoughts went to the predatory looks of the diplomats sneering at Keitaro's manners, and the expected damage control. She wondered if her mom were up to more doublethink exposing the naturally kind and goofy kanrinrin to THEM just to throw blood into the water, maybe flush out the biggest shark. Its was the sort of thing mom did, after all.

 

“Is that part of the reason you live with us in Japan? No politics to deal with?” he asked, unaware of the line of thought of his young lover.

 

“Among other things. There is nothing to worry about in Japan. I can be myself there. Be a simpler me with fewer responsibilities. Here I have to play The Game,” she said, clearly emphasizing the words. Keitaro wrapped an arm around her narrow shoulder and tugged her against him with a thoughtless grace at which he excelled. Kaolla started at the contact.

 

“Oops! Sorry Princess!” sputtered Keitaro, jumping back and looking every which way. The armed guards pretended not to see anything. She sighed.

 

“Even after all this, you still don't trust yourself, Keitaro-kun? Hold me,” she commanded. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest, feeling her breath tickle.

 

“Come to my chamber,” she begged.

 

“Is that alright?” he asked quietly. She nodded, taking his hand.

 

When the door shut they stripped out of their finery quickly and the fire burned hotter than he'd ever experienced with any of them, even Mutsumi for whom passion went to her very soul. Keitaro lost himself in her body, his exertions finally spending themselves into Kaolla's depths. He wanted to sleep, he was so exhausted, but she and her handmaidens dressed them both in special robes and he slowly followed them through many corridors before arriving through various armed doorways at a chamber hewn from rough stone, lined with alcoves and people wearing similar robes to his own.

 

“Step forward, applicant!” demanded a loud but familiar voice. Kaolla nudged him. Keitaro walked to a lit circle in the center of the chamber. He tugged down the hood. There were some gasps from the hooded figures.

 

“Do you wish to speak before this Council?” demanded the voice once more.

 

“I petition the council for the right,” he affirmed, remembering the words Kaolla had taught him that afternoon.

 

“Have you performed acts of bravery?” asked the leader. Attendants brought forward bundles and unrolled the skins of the bear and the lion he'd killed.

 

“Have we witnesses of these events?” asked the leader.

 

“Yes, and additional evidence as well,” said Seta's voice, stepping forward. “I witnessed the lion and the spear gripped in his own hands. I also witnessed the first parts of his recovery.”

 

“I witnessed the remainder,” said Motoko. “He recovered from his wounds well, as a warrior should. Observe.” She stepped forward and shouted out the Zanmaken attack, shredding his robes and undergarments. Keitaro was too stunned to cover himself.

 

“The council agrees these are true scars of bravery. And the other beast killed in defense of our princess?” asked the leader once more.

 

“Only the man and the princess were there, however evidence points to it being an attacking beast, not a slaughter,” said Haruka's voice. Pictures of the bear, of the location from overhead, of the berry bushes. He hadn't realized she'd photographed everything, he'd been so focussed on the aftermath of adrenaline shock, and Su shivering in the water. “He was all that stood between Princess Kaolla and certain death.”

 

“These are noble acts, worthy of a warrior's rank in our people. Yet you come to the council bathed in our Princess's virtue. How dare you to presume?!” demanded the leader. Keitaro looked up at that. Su looked both afraid and resigned, and somewhat guilty.

 

“WHAT??!!” shouted the most terrifying voice of his short life, Naru.

 

“You PERVERT!!” shouted Motoko from his other side. “Rock Splitting Sword!!”

 

The hackles on his neck rose. The double blasts ripped the floor and he sailed across the room, pin-balling off the walls of the chamber, demolishing a solid stone altar to one of their gods. Keitaro shook his head, recognizing he wasn't dead. He moved his arms and legs. He wasn't hurt. He was immortal again. Keitaro smiled, feeling what should have been fatal wounds heal immediately. He stood up.

 

“Dammit Naru. You and your temper. I've slept with ALL of the Hinata's girls!” he pointed out bluntly.

 

“No you HAVEN'T!” she shouted, running into his face, and jabbing his chest painfully. Her face contorted back to her sad self. “You haven't slept with me.”

 

Keitaro's expression fell. “I'm sorry. Is that what you want?” he asked. Her hopeful look was quickly smothered with outrage and she nailed him again, knocking a huge crater in the ceiling before he fell down with a large pile of rubble.

 

“Um, sorry Naru,” he apologized, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. The council stood aghast.

 

“Wow. You said he was immortal but I thought you were exaggerating. How does he do with missiles and bullets and flame throwers?”

 

“Momentary pain, almost instant healing. We're still not sure why he was even harmed by that Lion. Normally he's quite invulnerable, like this,” explained Kaolla. “In four years he'd taken enough abuse to kill an entire division of our Shock Troops.”

 

“Well that does change things. Princess, the council approves his application as your official Consort. The ceremony will be performed tomorrow at noon. And we do expect the usual outcome, Princess,” advised the head of the council.

 

“Pity we can't get the two of THEM to mate. Their children would be unstoppable,” noted a female council member quietly as she trailed out of the dusty chamber.

 

“Wait, what does that mean?” asked Keitaro, more than a little confused.

 

“Meeting adjourned,” said the leader. Most of the members filed out the back behind the chair. Keitaro was left sitting on the broken rubble.

 

“Hey, wait! What about the ruins? Ceremony? What usual outcome? What's a consort? Hello?” asked Keitaro, some of the robed figures from the visitor's gallery shaking their heads in despair. Naru looked shocked, mostly at herself.

 

“I'm sorry, Keitaro. I… I don't know why I did that,” said Naru. All sound came to a halt at that admission.

 

“NARU??” shouted Kitsune, rushing forward. The others crowded around.

 

“What?” she snapped.

 

“Naru, you apologized,” said Kitsune, eyes opened in shock. They were all flabbergasted.

 

“Has she been poisoned? Hit on the head?” asked Motoko, examining her eyes and tongue. Kaolla cackled, pulling out some kind of toxin testing gizmo while Keitaro's jaw remained dropped in shock.

 

“So, she can change after all,” he said to himself. Determination seized him then and he slipped between his girls and seized her powerfully, dipped her backwards and kissed her with as much passion as he could manage. The girls were shocked, but then cheered. He finally raised her back upright, love in his eyes he released her. Naru fainted, caught by Motoko and Kitsune beside her. Keitaro nodded decisively.

 

“I want that next,” announced Mutsumi.

 

“No, me next!” chirped Shinobu.

 

“What a MAN,” breathed Kitsune, eyes sparkling. Motoko wasn't much better off.

 

Then Keitaro's danger sense snapped him out of it. He yelped in terror and ran for it, the girls chasing in a cloud of dust, leaving Naru to cough herself awake.

 

“Keitaro?” she asked to the empty stone room. The only answer was the echo of her own voice.