Red River Fan Fiction ❯ A SHINTO PRIESTESS IN THE ANCIEN HITTITE EMPIRE ❯ V1 C5 The Queen's trap ( Chapter 5 )

A SHINTO PRIESTESS IN THE ANCIEN HITTITE EMPIRE

OR

WHERE THE RED FIRE AND RED RIVER MEET

 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Miyuki Kanzaki.

 

Notes: And here we go again. My readers can be happy: I have received (at least) the sixteen volumes of the manga “Red River”. My creative juices are recharged.

 

 

Vol 1 Chap 5: The Queen's Trap.

 

 

Later in the night, Kail and Miyuki received the report from one of the priest sworn to the prince.

 

It wasn't a good news for Kail. “What!? The Queen took Miyuki's clothes away, you say!?”

 

The kneeling priest nodded. “Yes. Several other priests said they saw her.”

 

The displaced Miko's eyes narrowed and she turned to the Hittite prince. “Do you think it would be a good idea to sneak in tonight?”

 

Kail shook his head. “No. We must wait.” He pointed to the night sky. “At night, the power of dark magic gets stronger. We must not go out recklessly.”

 

The black-haired Japanese winced. It was also a full moon night. Female magic will be particularly powerful this night.

 

Kail was grim. “And of course, there's the Queen's trap.”

 

The green-eyed priestess blinked then swore internally. Of course, Nakia wouldn't have taken the trouble to take her clothes without a good reason.

 

The amber-eyed young man turned to the teenager and continued. “I'm not just some unrelated person in this matter.” He frowned. “If your head goes, the lives of the other princes and I will likely be forfeit as well. Until we can plan out a course of action, you must be patient.”

 

Miyuki frowned but acquiesced. “… Fine.” She was, however thinking something else. Since she heard about her clothes, an irrational fear lingered in her heart. `I feel bad about doing this to the Prince, but I've had enough.' She nodded to herself. `Once everyone's asleep, I'm getting my clothes.' She was very worried that the Queen might destroy her clothes to trap her in this time period.

 

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But the young girl wasn't prepared to the night accommodations.

 

“WHY!?”

 

The Japanese priestess found herself once more in Kail's bedroom. The blond prince was pouting as he held her ankle to prevent her escape of his bed when she had discovered what the prince wanted.

 

She blushed. “There are plenty of empty rooms in this palace! Why do I have to sleep with you!?”

 

“I have a reputation as the greatest lady's man in Hattusa. And I still haven't laid a hand on you.” Kail wasn't happy about this. “I don't want everyone to know that you remain...unravished.”

 

Miyuki's eyes narrowed as she continued to blush. `Insufferable macho-caveman!' “Th-Th-Th-That's…” Not counting her embarrassment, the intentions of the prince didn't help her for her plan. `If I'm with the Prince, I won't be able to sneak out!'

 

Kail looked to his reluctant bed-partner with hooded eyes. “If you're going to complain about it like that, then fine. I'll `sleep' with you.”

 

The Miko promptly fell down on her side and closed her eyes. “Good night.” `It…It's all right. If that's how it is, then I'll just wait until the Prince is asleep.' She just hoped she will stop blushing soon and that no one at home known later that she was in the same bed with a man.

 

Kail looked a moment to the young girl then embraced her in his arms as he spooned himself to her back.

 

The warm arm lightly curled around her waist surprised Miyuki. “EEK!” She tensed to the contact but managed to relax after a time.

 

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In her private sanctuary, the violet-eyed Queen Nakia snarled in frustration above her water basin. “The girl's figure! I can't find it!”

 

Her servant remained kneeling on the ground as the blonde royalty whipped the water with a wand in anger and tried to reassure her. “Prince Kail is constantly by her side, so we can't get her alone.”

 

“Yes… What a bother.” Nakia looked to the strange garments hung near the water basin. “She'll need these clothes if she wants to go back to where she came from.” She had taken the trouble to take them personally. “That's why she'll surely want to get them back. And Kail is stopping her!”

 

In rage, the powerful priestess of Teshub broke her wand. There's got to be a way to get her without luring her out of the Prince's palace!”

 

The evil Queen blinked as she perceived an aura from her scrying basin. “Hum? I'm beginning to see the girl's figure.” The face of the long black-haired priestess slowly appeared at the surface of the liquid. “How can it be?” Nakia smiled wickedly. “I see.” The girl had made an error, a mortal one. “The girl left the Prince's side on her own.”

 

She chuckled as she witnessed the sneaking manners of the displaced Miko. “She plans to come here. We should prepare a warm welcome for her, shouldn't we, Uruhi?”

 

Uruhi's cloaked smile matched his mistress's. “Yes, my Queen.”

 

Miyuki contemplated the sleeping masculine figure as she slowly closed the bedroom's door. `I'm sorry, Prince Kail.' She gazed a moment on the soft features of the visage. `But I'll definitely get those clothes back.' She hoped he will not be too angered later. `And when I do, you'll send me back to the 20th century, won't you?' She took the precaution to left a few hairs of her with a drop of blood. The simple spell will simulate her presence near the prince for any magical scrying. As long as she didn't use her personal energy, she would remain invisible on the magical plane. She was unaware that the very presence of Kail defeated her artifice.

 

Still clad in her simple tunic, the Japanese priestess lightly stepped out in the corridor on her bare feet. A small silhouette stepped out of a column's shadow near the interior garden. “Princess Miyuki!”

 

The young girl stopped, startled, but recognized the person. “Tito!”

 

The young black-haired boy sighed. “I knew it! You're planning to go to Her Majesty's palace, aren't you?” He shook his head. “You can't do that! Prince Kail told you to wait, didn't he?”

 

Miyuki looked up to the full moon and could already feel its energy flooding into her. “Please! I have to go! No matter what, I need those clothes!”

 

“Princess Miyuki!”

 

“Tito, please! I have to go! I have a bad feeling if I didn't retrieve my clothes as soon as possible.”

 

The black-eyed boy was dismayed but he could see a fire burning into those green eyes: The same fire that he had greatly liked since her arrival. “Fine. I get it. Then I'm going too.” The pragmatic boy looked to the young girl. “First things first, Princess Miyuki. Do you even know where her majesty the Queen's palace is?”

 

“Umm… Well, I was counting on my power to sense the location of the Queen…”

 

“That's what I thought. That's why I'm going too.” The boy took a few things that he had prepared in advance for a case like this. “Here, take the sandals. And a dagger, just in case.” Tito was likely with leather sandals and a bronze dagger.

 

The Miko hesitated. “…Are you sure? We're going to risk our lives in this raid.”

 

Tito smiled. “Didn't I already say it? I'll do anything for you, Princess Miyuki.”

 

The young girl was deeply touched by the courage of the black-haired boy. “Thank you.”

 

As the two friends ran in the night, Tito took the opportunity to ask something. “But the way you talk back to Prince Kail is amazing. My older sisters say that when they see Prince Kail's face, they're at a loss for words.”

 

Miyuki blinked. “Tito, you have older sisters?”

 

“Yes, three of them.” He stopped and retrieved the ornament around his neck. “This choker.” He presented it to the Japanese student. “When I left home, my sisters gave this to me.” He pointed to the cuneiform characters on it. “Look, my name is engraved on it.”

 

Miyuki blinked as she remarked that the universal translator spell-matrix of Kail didn't cover writing. “Your sisters are nice, aren't they?”

 

Tito smiled fondly. “Yes. Over there is the Queen's palace.”

 

Miyuki gazed upon the huge edifice. “That huge palace on the hill?” She narrowed her eyes as her senses registered the almost arrogant flaunting of the aura of the Queen. This woman was so secure in her power that she made no attempt to shield her presence or avoided to let the echoes of her aura lingered around her.

 

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Meanwhile, at Kail's palace. “THAT IMPUDENT BITCH!”

 

Kikkuri winced. “Uh…” His master `seemed' peeved. “He used that word…”

 

Kail had awaken long after the warmth of Miyuki's body left him as his senses still registered her priestess aura: The paradox had been almost not enough to jerk him out of sleep. “That clever little brat made sure I was asleep then she snuck out.” He had been impressed by the simplicity of the spell she used to simulate her presence.

 

A servant knelt before him. “Your Highness! Tito is missing too!”

 

“Damn it!” Kail bit his lower lip in worry. “I won't get to visit my beautiful princesses tonight. Why the hell do I bother watching over her?!”

 

His favorite servant wasn't blind to the worry of his master. “But Prince Kail… You seem to enjoy being with Princess Miyuki more than any other princess.”

 

Kail turned to Kikkuri, incredulous and blushing a little. “What!? Me!?” The flabbergasted young man attempted to regain his countenance. “Don't…Don't say such stupid things! Gather my troops, Kikkuri!” He thought about it. The discretion showed by Miyuki was the best thing to continue. “Don't use horses. We'd wake the entire city.” Nonetheless, the young girl was running into the tiger's jaws. “Miyuki probably went to the Queen's palace. We'll bring her back before she gets caught.”

 

Kikkuri was also feeling worried for the feisty teenager. “Yes, sir!”

 

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A lithe silhouette crept along the wall of the Queen's palace. With agility, she silently landed into the interior court, glided to a reinforced door and unlocked it.

 

The moonbeams revealed Miyuki silently making Tito entered. She pushed the door, making sure that it stayed unlocked. Having a way to retreat was a must in any raid.

 

The boy wasn't reassured. “…The back door. It's unguarded, huh…” However, he had been surprised by the agility of the displaced Japanese.

 

The Miko nodded. “Yeah… It isn't.” She felt faint life-forces around but not near them. They had no difficulty to enter and that worried her.

 

Tito appealed to the young girl. “Princess Miyuki… Why don't we go home?”

 

Miyuki frowned and let her passive senses scanned again the area. “No…We're going on! As they say, you can't catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's den!” She didn't sense any wards of protection or alarm so far. They were surely some of them when they would near their objective. Until now, the use of the ambient energy from the moon had been enough to mask their presence.

 

Tito was really beginning to be scared. “I've never heard that before!”

 

“Going right in… You've got some guts.” Nakia was smirking as she observed the duo. She had been surprised by the competence in spell-casting of the foreign priestess. If she hadn't surveyed them from the beginning, they could have sneaked in undetected. “You're not getting away from me this time!”

 

Crouched in the shadow of a bush, Miyuki looked to the disposition of the palace. “I wonder where the Queen put my clothes?”

 

Tito nodded. “There are several small temples in the palace… It might be in one of those.”

 

The pair carefully walked deeper in the palace. “But Princess Miyuki, her majesty the Queen controls water, so please be careful.”

 

The student nodded as she remembered how she had been brought in Hattusa. “I know. But it's still magic, after all.” A fountain gurgled near the two friends. “I just have to be careful not to activate or trip any wards or matrices…”

 

Behind the crouching children, the surface of the water raised. `What! My sixth sense!' She whirled as the water launched itself on them. “HUH!?”

 

Miyuki pushed away the young boy as she raised her hand in protection. “KYAAAAA!” A barbed javelin of water lanced through her extended palm. `The water… It pierced my body!' She forgot that water could be used to pierce through the densest matter. She managed to break her fall and cradle her injured hand. “Oww…” `Stupid! Stupid! How could I forget that water can be such a dangerous weapon!'

 

Tito's eyes widened as he remarked where was Miyuki. “Princess Miyuki! You mustn't stay there!! The drainage system is right below you!”

 

The young priestess looked under her and saw the wooden grill. “The drainage system…!?” And of course, in a drainage system, there was… “WATER!!”

 

She threw herself to Tito as lances of water erupted from under her. “EEK!”

 

Tito was alarmed. “Princess Miyuki, let's go back! We should leave this kind of things to Prince Kail…”

 

Miyuki shook her head. If those attacks had been initiated by Nakia, it was already too late. “N-No! We went to all this trouble to get here! We have to get my clothes back!”

 

Tito was dismayed. “Princess Miyuki!”

 

The Miko frowned as she carefully examined the area. “It'll be okay.” There! In cuneiform, there were small spell-matrices responsible of the attacks. “Just gotta be more careful next time… We've been lucky.” She `tasted' the spells imbedded in the stone. “Those were traps and not alarms.” The sheer arrogance of the Queen was unimaginable. She was so confident in her traps that she didn't take the precaution to put some alarms.

 

She narrowed her eyes as she considered her bleeding hand. There was something she could do right now. She prudently went to the fountain without activating the trap and let her blood fell into the water. She closed her eyes in prayer. `Teshub, Mighty of Mighty. Please, accept my blood as my freely given offering to penetrate in your sacred places.'

 

She nodded and went to continue her way when a huge shadow masked the moon. “Huh!?”

 

A hand, large enough to cover her face, grabbed her by the head. “KEEAAAAGH!” A huge bald man, covered in gold and silver jewelries lifted the young girl from the ground with one arm. `Is this guy also one of the Queen's men? Damn it! Can't breath!'

 

Tito courageously intervened. “Stop! Let go of Princess Miyuki!” A punch, able to stun an ox, caught him on the cheek. “Ugh!” The young boy was projected on the ground.

 

“Stop! Let me go!” Miyuki was in a bad position. The strength of her aggressor was immense. He was holding and carrying her as if she was a mere baby. She couldn't find enough leverage to free herself. “I said stop it!”

 

The man brought her inside a small temple and threw her on the altar. “Oww!!” As she fought wildly with the giant who was maintaining her on the stone table, she remarked her garments hung on a column. `My clothes…'

 

She felt a large hand caressing her upper arm. “Such ivory skin you have…” The ugly large face leaned to her visage. She cringed. “`tis the first time I have seen such…” He ripped open the top of her tunic.

 

“Wh-What are you doing!?”

 

An imperious and cold voice sounded. “Stop that!! She is not yours to prey upon.” Two cloaked figures entered the room. The leading one carried a staff decorated by a stag and rings of metal.

 

“The…The Queen!? Even if you hide your face like that, I can still feel you're the Queen because of your aura!”

 

Nakia chuckled. This girl was very competent. “You need not worry yourself over such trivial matters. You've made me go to such trouble… This time you'll lose your head for sure.” Miyuki gulped as she sweated.

 

The huge man smirked. “Give me this girl's body after you've slit her throat!”

 

The student's eyes widened as she perceived the envy in the voice.

 

As she waved her staff to bless her offering of blood, Nakia raised an eyebrow. “What would you do with it? She has none of the gold and silver you desire so greatly.”

 

“This skin…” The giant palmed the denuded flesh. “I want this ivory skin, pure like a newborn baby's.” The man exhibited his patched leather vest. “My clothes are all handmade from the skins of the people I've killed. The black is Nubian. The brown is Egyptian. I want to add this girl's skin in too. Let me tear her skin off!” He slowly drew a piece of sharp obsidian on the unblemished milky skin of Miyuki without breaking the surface...yet.

 

The Miko's eyes widened in horror as she finally remarked the nature of ALL the clothes of the huge…monster. `Human…skin!?'

 

The Queen shrugged. “I'll have no use for her body once I've cut her neck and drained her blood. Do as you like.”

 

“Let's cut her quickly then.”

 

The obsidian shone a wicked gleam under the eyes of Miyuki.

 

“Gyahahaha! This skin will be mine!” The giant licked slowly the denuded collarbone.

 

“EEEE…” Miyuki was shuddering of disgust. She attempted to refocus. “This…This will not work! I will never allow my blood to be used for death-cursing the princes!”

 

Nakia smirked. She could see by the fire in her eyes why Teshub had chosen this wisp of a girl as a worthy sacrifice for her wish. “Those princes will die in great agony. It's a shame I won't be able to show you their agonizing deaths.”

 

Sure of her victory, the Queen began the final phase of her ritual. “O Teshub, God of Storms! Now receive this girl's blood!”

 

The huge man captured both ankles and wrists of Miyuki and lifted her with one hand, exposing her vulnerable throat. The Japanese almost panicked when she saw the huge bronze sword he drew. “NOOOOO!”

 

`This isn't possible! I'm supposed to be going home! I don't want to die like this…!' Miyuki spasmed, trying to break the hold.

 

Nakia continued, unperturbed by the attempts of the younger priestess. “My God!”

 

`I want to see Papa and Mama again and Emi and Kaneda!'

 

“Grant my heart's desire in return for this blood!”

 

`And also the Circle and Er…'

 

“Make this girl's head fall!”

 

The sword fell to exposed throat. “NOOOOooooo!” Miyuki drew every last once of strength in her in do something, anything. In her focus, a smiling face imposed itself to her mind. `Prince Kail…!'

 

She then felt it. The consecrated small flames of the oil lamps around the holy altar resonated with the Red Flame of her soul. With a cry of dismay, the giant let her go as her skin heated under his hand.

 

Free at last, her blazing eyes focused on the only power focus present in the small temple and she unleashed her energy. A tendril of red flame leapt from her and fell into the basin of Nakia. The water abruptly became steam, obscuring the entire room.

 

The Queen was dismayed by the loss of her only mean of weaving her magic within the room. “My water basin!”

 

Groaning like a beast, the giant captured her arms again and lift his sword for a killing strike. A recently arrived Tito leapt then into the melee and buried his dagger into the shoulder of the giant. His charge knocked-down the huge man who let go of Miyuki.

 

As she tried to get up, the teenager couldn't but asked herself what was she thinking about? `Wh…Why!? Why didn't I call out for Eric but instantly think of Prince Kail instead!?'

 

The courageous boy was containing the furious strokes of sword of his adversary, helped by the still present steam. “Princess Miyuki, hurry up and run!”

 

`Th…That's right! I don't have the time to care about the Prince now! I'm returning to my family, and to Eric!! So my clothes…' With a mighty effort, the Japanese priestess stood up and run to the columns.

 

Tito cringed as the strikes of the sword gained in strength and precision. “Princess Miyuki!”

 

The Miko seized the bundle of clothes as Tito managed to push the huge basin on the giant.

 

“I got my clothes back!” The teenager pressed on her chest the precious bundle. `With this, I can return to the 20th century!'

 

The Hittite boy caught the elbow of the young girl. “Princess Miyuki, this way!”

 

“Tito!” Without hesitation, Miyuki followed her young friend out of the room.

 

Nakia swore as she assessed the damage to the basin. “I can't control the water if my basin is empty!” She turned to the groggy huge man. “Chase after her!!” She had been so near of her goal. “You must catch her!!”

 

The giant rushed to the pursuit like a furious bull.

 

As the pair ran to the backdoor of the palace, Miyuki was positively gliding. “I'm so happy! With this I can finally go back home! I'm so happy!”

 

Holding her boots, Tito smiled to her. “That's great, Princess Miyuki!” He sighed a little. “But to tell you the truth, I want you to stay here…because there's no one like you in this country.”

 

Miyuki remarked the sadness of the boy: A sadness she shared. “Oh, Tito…”

 

“If you go back, Prince Kail will miss you too.”

 

The displaced teenager blushed as she thought about the handsome Prince. “…The…The Prince wouldn't miss me at all.” She tried to convince herself. `That's right… If I go home, he'll definitely be glad. He'll go back to all his beautiful concubines…'

 

The Miko smirked a little as they passed the wooden grill of the drainage system with the now deactivated trap. Unfortunately, it wasn't a magical trap that was hidden there at that moment.

 

The huge man burst through the grill and caught her by the ankles. “KYAAAAAH!!”

 

He licked the skin of her calf. “I'm not letting you get away, little girl!”

 

“What?” `What the hell is this man!? Jason the living-dead or what?' “L…Let go!” She viciously kicked him in the nose. Tito helped by stabbing his hand.

 

“GYAA…” Pure hatred now shone in the cruel eyes.

 

Tito helped the exhausted girl on her feet and pointed to the open backdoor. “Princess Miyuki! Hurry and get outside! Once you get outside the palace, even her majesty the Queen can't cause such a huge disturbance!”

 

Miyuki nodded and let herself guided by the young boy. Her organism was now feeling the backlash of the unleashing of the Red Flame. “O…Okay…”

 

As they neared the exit, Miyuki, once again felt a huge hand grabbing he shoulder. “AAIIIEE!!”

 

But the courageous Tito interposed himself selflessly. “Princess Miyuki! Hurry up and get out!”

 

With dread and dismay, the faltering Japanese saw a child facing an adult that towered over him and was armed with a large dagger. “Tito!”

 

The giant was through with everything. “You little runt! You've interfered too many times!” He grappled with the young boy. “I'll tear your skin off!”

 

Sensing the precarious situation, the young Hittite turned to the one who had saved his life and smiled. “Princess Miyuki. Thank you so much for saving my life. You were very kind to me.”

 

`WHAT IS HE DOING!?' “Tito!?”

 

Tito shoved Miyuki through the backdoor. “Aaaah!” Drilled endlessly by her friend Lina, Miyuki managed to break her fall.

 

Seeing his friend outside, Tito kicked closed the door. “Princess Miyuki, good luck!”

 

The huge man snarled as one of his prey escaped him. “You brat!”

 

Miyuki's eyes widened as she understood the sacrifice of the young boy. “TITO!”

 

The giant faced the young boy and smiled wickedly as the moon reflected on his dagger. “You… Do you really want your skin ripped off!?”

 

Tito gulped as he felt the closed door in his back and understood what he was seeing in this monster's eyes.

 

“Tito!!” Mad with dread and worry, Miyuki hammered the closed door, unheeding of her wounded and bleeding hand. “Open up! Open the door!” She was openly crying. `I saved YOUR life? I never did anything but bringing you trouble… But you saved me again and again!'

 

A worried but familiar and welcomed voice sounded behind her. “MIYUKI!”

 

Escorted by Kikkuri and a few soldiers, holding a naked blade in his hand, the one who saved her at the beginning of her ordeal appeared, haloed by the full moon. “PRINCE KAIL!”

 

She didn't care what it looked like but she rushed into the protection of his arms. “Help! Please save Tito!”

 

The young man attempted to calm the nearly hysteric young girl. “What?!”

 

“Tito's inside!!”

 

Kail's eyes widened in horror and dismay. “Tito was captured by the Queen!?”

 

Miyuki sobbed in the chest of the young man. “Please save him! He's going to be killed!” `It's all my fault! I got Tito involved in this!' “Tito's going to be killed!”

 

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Notes: At last. I have finished the first volume of “Red River”. Phew… Now, courage, we're attacking the second.

 

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Please and thank you.