Dragon Quest VIII: Secrets

-Chapter Four: Recipe for Surprise-

When he arrived at the palace, he really wasn't expecting for everything he had been dreading for to arrive so quickly. The servants that bustled around the courtyard had paid no attention to his arrival - minds already preoccupied with something more important to them than the return of the captain of the guard. Only his men, it seemed, recognized him as he approached the castle doors but even then it had taken a moment for them to see who he was as he was dressed in the light traveling clothes that he was known for wearing.

"Captain," one of the two men guarding the doors greeted. "You are back from your trip already?"

"Yes," Ryuuichi replied a bit awkwardly. It had been months since he had been promoted to this new and demanding position but that still didn't mean he was used to the formality of being called "Captain" - even to men who were much older than him and had a lot more experience. "Some…issues arrived when I was about to reach my destination."

He quickly glanced around the courtyard, taking note of the cheerful (Trodain was always a cheerful place before the curse was set into place, but the air he felt now seemed a little bit too cheerful than normal) atmosphere surrounding it. Something was off and yet somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind feared for the worst.

"Where is Aexi's unit?" he asked as he turned back around. "They are supposed to be guarding the gates, aren't they?"

The last thing he needed right now was to reprimand Trodain's soldiers for their lack of vigilance.

The two guards shared a look. It wasn't new news to them or to the rest of the castle except for the king himself that their captain and princess were in love.

The man Ryuuichi addressed earlier replied, "King Trode summoned for their presence. Actually, you came back just in time, Captain. The wedding date for Princess Medea and the Prince Charmles of Argonia has been moved up and -"

He did not bother to hear the rest as he entered the castle and made his way up to the throne room. His mind was now swirling with questions. It had only been two weeks ago when he left to make a trip to the Dragovian Sanctuary and there had really been no indication that the date would be moved. Ryuuichi inwardly thanked his grandfather for talking him out of entering into a sure suicide attempt into the dungeon alone. If he came back like he had planned earlier…

The young captain of the guard entered the throne room without even thinking of announcing himself. Nobody had tried to stop him and he was merely going on through by pure adrenaline. He hadn't even planned on what he was going to say but it didn't matter for as soon as he stepped foot in the room, all words were lost to him.

Ryuuichi had known her since the day he was brought into the very room as an orphan all those years ago, but he could never get used to the wide, innocent ocean blue eyes that had begun his spiraling journal of falling in love. Did he really deserve to be with her?

It was only her father's voice that dragged him back to reality.

"Ichi, my boy, you're back already?" King Trode asked the young man in surprise.

Somehow his body had willed itself forward - past the royal advisors and the men whome he noticed missing upon his arrival - to stop and kneel at the steps of his king. He only dared to take his eyes away from her when he kneeled reverently to King Trode and remained staring at the velvet roll of carpet beneath him.

"Yes, your Majesty," he heard himself say. "Everything finished much more quickly than I expected."

I have something to say to you that could change your daughter's future…

He could feel the king nod happily before him, oblivious to the spinning arena of his thoughts. "Excellent timing, then. I was beginning to panic when I received King Clavius' letter the other day."

I'm part of a royal bloodline, your Majesty - of the very line in which your kingdom had promised to join ties with. I'm -

"It seems that he is anxious to get the wedding underway and so Medea's wedding has been pushed up from two weeks to two days from now."

The message felt as if a dagger stabbed straight through his heart. He immediately lifted his head and stared at the petite king with disbelief.

"…What?" King Trode met his stare with a worrying frown, scratching his head and apparently not seeing the underlying tone hidden in his voice. "Yes, I was just as surprised as you are now. I sent back a reply recently stating that it's much too soon and our kingdom has not finished the preparations. I was about to order your best men to escort the princess with Jessica, Angelo, and Yangus to Savella since there was no way to contact you, but since you have returned, I have no need to worry."

What Ryuuichi wanted to say after his king finished shattered to pieces. It would not be appropriate for him to speak the truth of his identity now, not when the pieces to his princess's fate were locked into place.

It was impossible to say it now, not when everything was finally beginning to calm down.

The young captain of the guard, half Dragovian, and lost Argonian prince gave one last secret look at his princess before he bowed his head in reverence.

"As you wish, your Majesty."

[A day later]

"You didn't tell him?? Any of them?!?" came Angelo's incredulous response when the young man finally revealed to his friends the truth of what was going on.

Ryuuichi merely nodded as he absentmindedly stared out the window of the only inn in Savella. The reflection that stared back at him did not resemble the man he was a day earlier - dressed in the official "casual" wear of Trodain's captain of the guard. Gone were the typically bright and faded colors that had allowed him to blend in with the surroundings of both commoner and wilderness, replaced by Trodain's royal colors of silver and burgundy. Even his trademark bandanna was gone, allowing all to see the unruly mop of his brown hair.

It made him wonder if this was what he was going to be like for a long time if the events of the following day proceeded as planned.

"Why di'n't you tell anybody, Guv?" Yangus asked on the bed next to him.

"So that's why this wedding is still taking place…" Jessica noted, sitting in a chair nearby. "I'm sure that there was plenty of time to tell the king and princess."

"Six months, to be precise," Angelo pointed out, eyes narrowed at the young half Dragovian with suspicion. He was originally leaning against the wall of their room but now resorted to standing. "As another prince of Argonia, you have every right to tell them, including King Clavius."

Why are you doing this to yourself, Ryuuichi? His grandfather's question the evening before he left for Savella flashed back to him.

Ryuuichi closed his eyes momentarily. "I'm no prince, Angelo."

"Then what does that ring Chen Mui gave to you mean? What did that story he told you mean?" Angelo paused in mid thought as if he finally realized that something was missing. "Wait…was that why you didn't bring him along?"

Ryuuichi finally tore his gaze away from the dark scenery outside. "He would only make matters worse if I brought him along."

His comrades stared at him in stunned silence at the tone of his voice. He took this opportunity to stand and walk across the room to leave.

He paused at the door when Jessica asked: "So you're going to let her marry Charmles when you both love each other?"

He turned his head slightly, his bangs covering his eyes. "I ask that all of you not involve yourselves in interrupting the ceremony tomorrow. If you do…I will have to take my position as captain seriously."

Without allowing himself to hear another word from them, he left.

He didn't know what possessed him to do this as he stared up at the beautifully crafted cathedral before him beyond the bushes he hid from. Security was light, but moonlight prevented him from entering the front door directly. He searched for a different entrance to slip into while keeping an eye on the routes that the few guards around the cathedral took. It wasn't very long for him to find an opening.

Clutching the ring around his neck and hidden beneath his robes, Ryuuichi made a dash to the side entrance of the cathedral and slid in quietly. He felt guilty for not letting anyone know of what he was about to do, but he did not want to involve them in his affairs as much as they were already in.

Besides, he was not going to allow himself to be outsmarted by the stumbling and greedy oaf that was his cousin.