Chapter 3: Royal Pains

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The next day, things were far from peaceful in Alamos, specifically in the palace. You see the prince was doing his best to woo the lovely princess, unfortunately he wasn't having the best luck.

The doors flew open and the prince started to storm by, "Sultan Rowan!" he shouted to the royal in the room. Rowan was a seemingly tall man, clad in the royal white robes of the sultan, with grey hair that was starting to grow white and a slightly think mustache and a stern expression. "I can honestly said that I've never been so insulted in my life!" he said as he stormed away.

"Prince Kenny," Rowan said, "Leaving so soon? I'm sure if you just gave it a day or two I'm sure she'll come around." Rowan said, but he could clearly see that the prince wasn't happy. His hair was spiked up and crackling with static and a good portion of his pants were ripped off reveling the silk underwear underneath.

"No, I am not spending another minute in the same building as her." Kenny said and he walked out, "I wish you the best of luck with marrying her off." He said with quite a bit of sarcasm before slamming the door behind him.

Rowan sighed, "There goes another one," he muttered while rubbing his brow, "Dawn." He said before turning around and walking towards the doors.

After walking out a few more doors Rowan was out in the Royal Garden, one of Dawn usual hang-out points, "Dawn, are you here?" Rowan asked before seeing his daughter, then he started to walk toward her, "Dawn we need to talk-" Rowan jumped back when a ferocious saber-tooth yellow Pokémon appeared in front of him, there was a piece of Kenny pants clenched between his jaws, "Oh, what am I going to do with you Raikou, give me that at once." Rowan said grabbing the cloth and started to pull, Raikou pulled just as hard and the fabric ripped in half. Rowan looked at the piece of fabric, "I guess this is why Prince Kenny stormed out." He said.

A soft giggle was heard and Raikou headed over to who the laugh belonged to, it was a girl around the age of 15, but she could've been close to turning 16. She had gorgeous dark blue hair that went down to her lower back, fair skin and blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires. She was wearing a light blue top and pants of the same color made from the finest silk, there was a blue ribbon in her hair with a large sapphire set into it signifying that she was the princess. She was sitting on the edge of the fountain with a white and blue Pokémon curled up in her lap, she was apparently sleeping.

"Oh father," she said grabbing the cloth before tossing it to the side, "Raikou was just playing with him, weren't you boy?" She said in a playful tone, "You were just having a bit of fun with that overdressed, pompous Prince Kenny." Dawn giggled and Raikou made a sound that could've been a laugh.

Rowan had an expression that wasn't amused, "And I assume the static in his hair was just you 'playing around' as well?" he asked.

"Actually no," she said, "Pachirisu was trying to sleep and he may or may not have stepped on her tail." Dawn said stroking the Pachirisu in her lap.

Rowan sighed, "Dawn, you just can't keep scaring off every suitor that comes to call." Rowan said, "You're going to turn 16 soon, and the law says-"

"That I have to be married to a prince by my 16th birthday, I know." Dawn said finishing the law she was told so many times, "Father in my opinion, the law is wrong." She said as she gently put Pachirisu on the part of the fountain next to her. She stood up and started to walk away towards her aviary.

"Dawn, please you only have three more days," Rowan said, "you're running out of time." He said walking after her.

Dawn opened her aviary and reached out a hand where a Swablu landed on her hand, "Father I'm just not comfortable being forced into this." Dawn said bringing the Swablu close to her and started to gently stroke it, "You know I'll get married one day, but I want it to be for love, not just because of some law." She said.

Rowan sighed, "Dawn, I understand what you're talking about," he said as he took the Swablu from her, "but it's not just about this law." He explained, "I'm not going to be around forever and I just want to make sure you're well taken care of, provided for." He said putting the Swablu back and closing the aviary door.

"Father, I just want much more for my life than to be married," she said sitting on the edge of the fountain, "I mean, I've never even had any real friends." Raikou looked up and made a sound as if he was insulted, "Except you Raikou." She said and Raikou laid back down looking satisfied.

"Pachi?" a small voice asked next to her, Dawn looked down and saw Pachirisu, who was now awake.

She giggled, "You too Pachirisu," she said scratching behind the EleSquirrel's ears. "I haven't even been outside the palace walls." Dawn said as Rowan walked up to her.

"But Dawn you're a princess," Rowan said as Dawn stared at her reflection in the fountain water.

Dawn scoffed, "Then maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore," she said running a hand across the water and slightly splashing Rowan.

Rowan grumbled and shook of the water, "Oh what I am going to do with you?" he said walking away. "Arceus forbid you should have any daughters." He muttered as he went back into the palace.

Dawn sighed, she couldn't stand living like this. she walked to the aviary and open the doors widely and all of the Swablu inside flew out in a small flock making happy little chirps and other sounds. Dawn watched them fly away with a slight amount of envy and jealousy. Why couldn't se leave the castle like they could? Wait a minute... what was stopping her from leaving? A plan began to form in her head.

Rowan walked through the halls of his palace muttering to himself, he walked into his personal study where a scale model of the entire city of Alamos was resting on a table in the center of the room, "I just don't understand where this attitude is coming from," he said, "her mother was never this picky from what I remember." He said, he was so focused that he didn't hear the door open behind him.

"Milord, is something wrong?" a voice asked, it was the voice of the dark man who was trying to get into the Cave of Wonders. Murkrow was perched on his shoulder and there was an Arbok Staff clutched in his hand.

Rowan jumped slightly before turned around, "Cyrus, in all my years of you serving as my Royal Vizier you could not have come at a better time," Rowan said, "I am in need of your assistance." He said.

Cyrus bowed, "My only will is to serve the Sultan of Alamos my lord." He said in a respectful tone.

Rowan nodded, "Dawn is refusing to choose a husband no matter how many suitors I send to her, we need to find another. I am at my wit's end with that girl." He said.

Murkrow landed next to Rowan, "Krow, wit's end." He imitated.

Rowan looked at the Murkrow, "Hm, I bet you're in the mood for a nice poffin." He said pulling out a green dusty looking poffin, Murkrow was shaking his head and for the first time wanted his beak to remain shut, but Rowan was able to force it into Murkrow's mouth.

Cyrus gave an amused chuckled, "Your majesty certainly has his way with dumb Pokémon." Murkrow looked at Cyrus with an insulted look on his face, his beak filled with poffin. Cyrus began to walk forward, "I'm sure I'll be able to solve this little predicament of yours." He said.

Rowan nodded, "If anyone can do this it's you."

"But," Cyrus said, "it would require the use of a shard of the Adamant Orb," Cyrus said gesturing to the blue-white gem on Rowan hand.

"M-my ring," Rowan said, "Cyrus, this was my great grandfather's, it's been in the family for years. I can't just give it up." Rowan said, Cyrus however was expecting this.

"It is necessary the princess finds a suitor," Cyrus said before putting the Arbok staff close to Rowan's face, "Don't worry, everything will be fine." He said in a snake-like whisper as the Arbok's eyes began to glow blue as if using Hypnosis.

"Everything will be… fine," Rowan said his voice slowly losing emotion and looked close to going into a trance.

"The gem?" Cyrus asked with a sinister grin.

Rowan, now in an complete trance, slipped the ring off his finger, "Here Cyrus," he said in a near brain-dead voice, "anything you need would be fine." He said holding out the ring.

Cyrus swiped the rig away, "You are most generous my liege," he said, "now why don't you play with you little toys to relive that stress." He said directing the sultan to his model.

"Yes, that would be… very good." Rowan said and Cyrus started to walk away.

When they turned a corner, Murkrow turned around to see if the sultan was out of earshot before spitting out the poffin with a disgusted cough, "I can't take it anymore!" he screech as they came to a wall, "If I have to choke down another one of those old, molder, bitter, disgusting poffins." He said as Cyrus pulled down on a nearby lamp causing a secret door to open, "Bam! Whack!" he said swinging his wings like they were fists.

"Calm yourself Murkrow," Cyrus said closing the secret door behind them as the bird continued to mutter several despicable things that he would do to the sultan, "Soon I will be sultan and not that simple-minded geezer." He said slipping the ring into his robe.

"And then I shove the poffins down his throat." Murkrow said with a laugh and they entered a door slamming it behind them.

That night all was calm, and a certain princess was sneaking through the gardens. She was dressed in a brown dessert robe that made her look like any other commoner. On her shoulder Pachirisu sat, Dawn wasn't willing to bring her at first, but she just couldn't say no when she used her cute face.

After a few minutes of sneaking she arrived at a large tree that grew right next to the palace walls. Dawn started to climb the tree, but something grabbed her robe, she was scared that a guard had found her, but she was slightly relieved to see Raikou.

Dawn climbed down slightly, "I'm sorry Raikou, but I can't stay here and become another victim on that law." She said, Raikou rubbed his head on her and Dawn gave him a hug, "No need to worry Raikou, I'll have Pachirisu with me so I won't be totally helpless." She said as she started to climb again, this time Raikou didn't to stop her, but rather help her by giving her a bit of a boost. When Dawn was at the top she looked at Raikou for what could've been the last time, "Goodbye." She said before vanishing from view. Raikou laid down looking at the spot, he missed her already.

Pachirisu rubbed her cheek against Dawn's, "It's okay Pachirisu I'm fine, no need to worry." She said before the two of them started to walk towards the marketplace.

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And that's a wrap, be sure to review.

I have the week off of school so I'll have plenty of time to write the next chapter.

This is W. R. Winters signing off.