A/N: Yoru-101, I'd love to respond to your PM, but I can't. Were you aware that you have your PM option disabled?

Chapter Seventeen: The Foolish King

Once the king set foot onto the ship he had taken to rescue his bride, he stomped angrily for his personal quarters on board, barking at the trembling old captain that no one was allowed to disturb him until his supper was ready.

The gray-haired monarch slammed the door to his small cabin, and sighed angrily as the ship rocked to and fro with the waves beneath him.

It just wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

Like a spoiled child, he tore off his scabbard and threw it into one corner of the room before collapsing on the bed in exhaustion and sorrow.

Clearly, he remembered the words of his grandfather when he was a small boy. He thought about how old and frail the man looked… until he married some young noblewoman that the current monarch could never remember the name of. After that, his grandfather had always stood proudly, one arm almost perpetually around his beautiful wife's slim waist, a gentle blush always on her pale cheeks.

"I tell you, boy; nothing can make an old man feel young again like waking up every morning with the woman you love."

The grey-haired monarch actually bit back a sob, as he thought of Haru's perfect features.

It just wasn't fair at all. He was the king, wasn't he? Wasn't he entitled to have a beautiful woman at his side, one that could reverse time and bring back his youth, as that other girl had done with his grandfather?

"Sky pirate," the old king snarled under his breath, pounding the bed he was lying across, pretending that he was in fact pounding the orange and cream cat that had stolen his happily ever after away. He knew there was no possible way that he would be able to get Haru back, but at least he would have the satisfaction of erasing her village from his kingdom's map.

"Natori-" he called out, stopping himself suddenly. That's right. Natori was dead now. Oh well; there were always aspiring fools that would do anything for the chance to personally assist the king. He should have a new advisor in no time.

He continued to grumble about the injustice of life until he had fallen asleep on the bed that swayed almost like a cradle.

ooOoo

"Your majesty!"

The king awoke with a growl, since the sailor hadn't brought any food with him as he stormed through the door. "What is it?!"

"A ship," the man blubbered, waving his hands around frantically. "There's a flying ship coming in the horizon!"

The king shot out of his bed, and grabbed the sword he had thrown aside a scant few hours ago, strapping it to his side almost painfully tight. "Is it coming toward us?!" he demanded of the shaking sailor, who nodded in terror.

The king stormed out of his cabin, and ran out onto the main deck, where there was nothing but chaos.

Again and again, his old captain bellowed for the cannons to blow the flying ship out of the air, but the ones that didn't miss entirely simply stopped in the air, and dropped like it had hit an impenetrable barrier. In return, the soaring vessel did nothing but fly closer to them, a silent menace.

The king ran up to the highest point of the deck, and made to call out to the ship, but then suddenly remembered something.

Haru had never told him what her lover's name was. He had no idea what he was supposed to call out.

The king shook the idea away, since that information didn't matter anyway. "I know you're up there!" he bellowed as loudly as he could. "Come down here and fight like a man, you coward!"

The ship was directly over him, now. It was just a shade smaller than what his own vessel was, but it obviously had the advantage over his. Over the side of the flying craft came a streak of grey and orange, which flew gracefully through the air before landing solidly on its feet, a mere five yards away from the king.

"I thought you'd never ask," the cat creature said dryly, as he lifted a sword over one shoulder, the only thing he had taken from his own ship. "Are you prepared, old man?"

"Thief!" the king howled, drawing his sword so that he could begin hacking at his feline opponent. "How dare you steal Haru from me?! She was mine!"

The giant half-cat's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he easily parried each of the old monarch's blows. "No. She is her own. Even I do not own her. Only a senile old fool such as yourself would presume to think otherwise."

"SENILE?!" the king howled as he kept trying to slash his sword through the feline.

Unfortunately for him, his furry opponent was incredibly swift, with both his body and his blade. For every mad jab that the old monarch attempted, there were five long narrow gashes somewhere upon his person, cuts that almost seemed too minimal to spurt so much blood. Within seconds, his fine royal clothes were torn in several places all over his body; both them and his long grey hair almost completely dyed dark red with his life's essence.

On the other hand, the only thing stained red about the giant feline was the edge of his simple, yet incredibly sharp blade. His face, though angry, was also calm and calculating, never losing his control or focus as his blade danced around his opponent in the sunlight.

The king never stood a chance.

ooOoo

Baron looked at the fallen monarch, a small cold spot growing within his chest. "Please understand that I wish it hadn't needed to come to this," he said softly to the bleeding corpse before turning to the stunned crew and soldiers that had gathered on deck unnoticed to watch the duel. They shrank back from his slanted gaze, obviously wondering if they were to follow their king into death.

The tall feline sighed sadly, wondering how many of them had families they would never see again. How many of them were doomed to live through the same lonely years as he had been?

But, there was no help for it.

"Who among you wish to live?" Baron asked softly, earning a chorus of 'aye's and hands raised into the air from the sailors and soldiers on board the vessel. "Very well, then," he sighed, gesturing to the long rope ladder that Muta had tossed over the side of the flying ship, unrolling itself until it nearly touched the main deck of the king's ship.

"Before anyone boards my vessel," the giant half-feline said firmly, stopping the handful of men that had been pushing at each other to start climbing up the rope ladder. "It's only fair to warn you that none of you will ever see your loved ones again. You will be as good as dead to the world you knew, and there is a strong chance that you will be treated with suspicion in your new world for the rest of your lives, by reason of your alliance with the dispatched monarch. All of you will be under my power, so I will do what I can to ensure that you can provide a good life for yourselves. Unfortunately, I have also been commanded to kill any that do not take up my offer, so think carefully before anyone rushes into anything."

One older soldier looked at him, and then at the bleeding corpse behind the tall feline. "Do you kill people that disagree with you?" he asked flatly.

Baron shook his head with a sad chuckle. "My fiancée would have my head if I started acting like that old fool."

A great many of the soldiers sighed with relief, remembering how coldly their old monarch had slain the two brothers that had served him so faithfully. In calm single file, each of the men climbed up the long ladder to their new future.

Baron thoroughly swept through the abandoned vessel, to be sure that no living person was still on board. Satisfied, and more than a little grateful that he would not be required to shed more blood today, he climbed up the rope ladder last of all, Muta pulling it up after the feline lord was safely on board the flying vessel.

"Anything else?" the fat sailor grunted as Baron looked over the edge to the ship below.

"Just this," he replied somberly, using a small spell to make a fire spark between his gloved fingers, and send it down to light the mast on fire.

The flaming main mast collapsed over the body of the king, and within half an hour, the entire ship was flooded by flames that were slowly quenched by the icy sea water.

Haru reached out, and took Baron's hand gently as they watched the flames sink the ship, Toto moving their own vessel to the side to avoid the black smoke. She said nothing to her beloved, just squeezed his hand gently as she stepped closer, to give him comfort.

Baron sighed softly, and just wrapped the girl up in his arms as the ship below finally surrendered to the ocean, and disappeared entirely underneath the icy blue waves while Toto began steering the ship back home.

ooOoo

Haru was still locked in Baron's warm embrace a week later at his manor, the day before their wedding. But it wasn't just because the tall feline was feeling affectionate. It had a little more to do with the fact that they were in the ballroom, and that the feline lord had spelled a number of instruments to provide beautiful music as he guided his betrothed across the tiled floor.

"There," he whispered into her triangular fuzzy ear after he finished twirling her around. "Dancing isn't so terrible, now is it?"

"I guess not," she giggled, rubbing her furry cheek against his chest as he continued to dance with her. "I'll just be happy if I don't embarrass you in front of the entire court tomorrow."

"You won't," he chuckled, gazing at her new face. The change wasn't as drastic for her as it had been for him. Her hair was still long and dark brown, and her eyes still tinged with gold, but her face was now covered with light tan fur, and her slim hands were padded like his own hands. Every inch of her feline form was perfect. He hadn't seen her tail yet, but…

He blushed, and forced those thoughts about his fiancée away for now. And about the honeymoon to follow their vows.

Haru looked up at him, and grinned mischievously. "What were you thinking about?" she asked in a low suspicious tone.

"You," he answered honestly before sampling her lips again. "As usual."

She gave a contented sigh, and allowed her body to melt against his as he hugged her tightly.

After a minute of pure bliss, Baron gave a regretful sigh and pushed her away slightly. "Is it just me, or does it feel like we've been engaged for decades instead of years?"

"It's not just you," Haru assured him, touching his face with one hand gently. "Tomorrow can't come soon enough, as far as I'm concerned."

Suddenly, a polite coughing interrupted their little moment. The couple looked over to see one of Baron's servants, a timid doe maid.

"Please forgive me, my lord," Danielle said with a gentle curtsy. "But the package you asked me to keep an eye out for has just arrived."

"Excellent. Thank you, Danielle," Baron said happily before linking Haru's arm with his, and leading her out of the ballroom as the musical instruments floated back to their resting places.

"What's in the package?" the slim brunette asked curiously, but her beloved only shook his head at her while holding two fingers to her lips with a naughty smirk.

"Just you wait and see, love."

Eventually, they reached the main hall, where there was a long box sitting across one of the bigger tables.

Excitedly, Baron pushed her closer to the box while kissing her cheek. "Open it," he implored.

Haru, more than a little curious, hesitantly reached out and untied the cords holding the box shut before opening the wooden box.

There was another box inside it, but it was a sleek polished black that reflected sunlight beautifully. Haru lifted the heavy black box out of the wooden one, and undid the clasp on the side to open the prettier box…

Her breath caught in her throat, and her huge eyes became even wider as she shakily touched the item inside the long shiny box. "Oh…" she said softly, slowly turning to face her beloved. "Baron…?"

He smiled warmly at her. "It isn't your father's, if that's what you're wondering. I had it commissioned shortly after you met the old fool, since you obviously didn't have your father's anymore. Do you like it?" he asked shyly.

Haru couldn't speak. It was all she could do to choke out a sob as she suddenly threw herself at him, and cry into his shoulder.

Baron wrapped his arms around her, tears glistening in his own eyes as he looked at his engagement present for her.

It was a samurai's sword and sheathe, nearly identical to the one her father had been forced to sell to get medicine before his death. There was no possible way he could retrieve the original, since it had been sold for scrap, but this was the closest he could give his love.

"Besides," he said slyly. "We'll never find out if I can finally beat you unless you have your own weapon."

Haru managed a laugh through her sobs, and kissed his face fervently. "Does it matter if you can beat me now?"

"No. It never did. I've just been curious for the longest time," he said with a teasing smile, kissing her eyelids gently.

"I once heard that curiosity killed the cat," she whispered, leaning her head against his firm shoulder and rubbing one cheek against it. One of her feline ears tickled Baron's chin as she did so, making him chuckle and hold her closer.

"Not this cat, love."

ooOoo

Lots of love goes to; NinjaFoodLover, Moonlight X Luna, Dragowolf, ArtsyChick, Rini's Ghost, laurashrub, Bambi4ever, Greenhemoglobin, cwizumi, DreamingLunatic, BlackMagicWhiteMagic, CaptainBillyTheWerewolf, Chantal, LeafeKnight7, kittydemon18, fringeperson, Savannah Cullen, EtherealSympathy, MichantheNinja, NinjaoftheDarkness, Bibliophile Nincompoop, Nonimouse, Sapphire Rose E., Ceysna, AlphaSigma, GreenHarmony, Kakashi's-lil'-sis, slavetothekeyboard, fluffyzdemongirl, Lunarobi Pride, RPO, The Spiked Dragon, Bibishi Kuronecko787, DeterminedToFly, Archon Dragon, silver starlight serpant, Strawberry White Tiger, thelittlespirit, Cici-chi, EagleBlaze, Anonomous-Allstar-Fan (with Bob and Santa), Raye of the Sunshine, Lanari, Apple Juice Revolution, TimeTraveler008, HyperMint, MarkyB, GhostWulf, mizgardenia21, tashie1010, and ThePureLily for their hilarious and wonderful reviews thanks for giving me the little daily chuckles and encouragements; I'm needing them.

Okay, a preview of the next story. This one's a little different from my usual pace; not only is it the longest one I have written to date, it's also a crossover. I'm usually not a fan of them, but the idea for this one wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. I think it's one of my better ones, actually. For those that will want to do a little research, it's a crossover between The Cat Returns and Princess Tutu. There's a real plot, I promise!

And here's the synopsis;

When Haru returns to the town of her birth, she must come to terms with some demons from her family's past, and a love she can't deny.

Lots of love,

YC