Ah, romances in literature are often very tangled. However, that makes em more fun to read sometimes!
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks
Chapter 6
However, before Red could rouse himself sufficiently to go meet with his friends, he happened to glance out the window. Giovanni, following this line of sight, at once gave a gasp.
“Do you recognize that man?”
“Yes! Yes! He’s the one who abducted my wife!”
“The man who stole my letter!” Red shouted, and without further ado rushed down the stairs after him. On the steps, he almost bowled over Brock and Lance, who had come to visit him.
“Where are you running in such a hurry?”
“The man in green!”
Lance nodded. He and Brock continued on into the room, from whence Giovanni had disappeared. He had not wanted to get involved in the conflict sure to arise.
Being friends, Red had related his adventure to them, and they all had their own opinions.
Lance was of the mind that a gentleman would not steal a letter.
Brock thought that Red had interrupted a love affair between the woman in the carriage and the man in green, and that was all there was to it.
Will said that such happenings were mysterious, and the loss of his letter could have been an act of God. It had certainly led him to three friends.
Red returned in half an hour, out of breath and looking winded. He had run through half a dozen streets in pursuit of the mysterious stranger, but alas for him, the man had vanished. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air!
Was he seeing ghosts?
He returned, and related his fortune. Meanwhile, Will had also dropped in to visit and the three were seated around the table, discussing court politics. It seemed like a good time to bring the subject of what he had learned.
The other men were all ears, and it was quickly decided that they would help hunt for the missing woman. After all, there was no reason not to, and the Queen was sacred. No one was to say anything against her.
Besides, though they worked for the king, the Musketeers knew he was mostly a puppet monarch and the Cardinal ran the show.
That was why they always clashed with the Guards.
It helped vent off frustration, and was a point of pride…
“He’ll pay us well for saving his wife.” Lance said calculatingly. “The question is – is it worth risking our lives for?”
“Are you
crazy?” Red gasped. “A young woman abducted, and you don’t care? Why, she may
be tortured, simply because she is keeping secrets for a person she cares for!
How can you be so heartless?”
“You’re being quite a stickler
on this point.” Will remarked dryly. “Do you perhaps have some hidden agenda?
After all, women were created to be men’s downfall, and we should not place so
much trust in them.”
Lance’s eyes darkened at this, and he gave a curt nod.
“But I’m not really worried about her.” Red spoke out anxiously. “It’s the Queen I’m worried for. You all know that the Cardinal persecutes her because she cares for countries not our own.”
“So you’re saying,” Lance said, “That you thought the Duke of Ever Grande, Morty, was lured here, in Indigo Plateau, the heart of an enemy country, by a forged letter that is possibly written by the Cardinal Oak?”
“Yes.”
“And the woman Whitney’s abduction is connected to this?” Brock added.
“Yes!”
“So that is why, to spite the Cardinal, we save the Queen.”
“I suppose so.” Red sighed. “Will you three help me?”
Will frowned. “As a matter of fact… this ties into an odd incident that happened to me just yesterday…”
“Do tell!” Brock said, taking a sip from his glass of wine. Giovanni had sent up several bottles of wine and some biscuits earlier.
“Well,” Will said slowly, “I was at the house of a theologian I often consult for help when I write. I was just leaving when I saw his niece…”
“So he has a niece!” Brock interjected with a hearty laugh. “Do go on!”
“She’s a very respectable lady.” Will said stiffly.
There was more laughter and then Will glared, before Brock shut up.
“As I was saying, his niece often comes to visit. So I saw her about to leave as well, and decided to behave like a gentleman and conduct her to her carriage.”
“And?”
“Well, a man in a dark green doublet – he was masked, and followed by ten or so men, similarly masked and dressed– came up to me. He told me ‘Monsieur Duke’, and to the lady ‘Madame’, will you enter this carriage without making any noise or resistance?” And then he indicated a carriage not far off, with barred windows and dark curtains.
“He thought you were Duke Morty!”
“I assume so.”
“And he thought the lady was the queen!” Red gasped.
Lance gave Will a thoughtful look. “As it is, you are about the same size and height as Duke Morty. I’ve seen him in court before.”
“So have I, at the Masked Ball in Lavender.”
“I was there the day he scattered pearls in Vermillion as a show of goodwill from Houen. I got three of them and sold them for a good price.” Brock nodded.
Red coughed. “We’re getting off topic, gentlemen. But even if you were about the height of Morty, Will, didn’t he see your Musketeer’s uniform?”
“Well, I was wearing a large cloak…”
“In July?” Brock gasped.
“Yes, well… then what about your face? I daresay…”
“As a matter of fact,” Will said seriously, “I was masked as well.”
“All these precautions to study theology?” Brock asked with a leer. Lance whacked him in the back of the head.
“You are very indiscreet, Brock.” Will said severely. “And one day your loose tongue will cost you the woman you love.”
He would
have said more, but that was when Giovanni burst in the door, panicking and
gasping for air. “Save me!”
End chapter
Completed 3/24/06
If this chapter sounds stressed, which I doubt, it’s because I studied Chemistry for like 9 hours today! *Dazed*
Red: Aww… *Huggles*
Phantomness: *Sniffles*
Lance: *Smirk* At least you’re still a writer at heart!