The King and I Chapter 36: Stolen From Far Away Lands

It was still a decent ride to the city, and half the day had passed before they slowed their horses to a stop then approached the last of the way on foot.

Keeping low to the ground, so as to make the most of their disguise, they crept to the back wall of Karasuno and snuck around to the side, keeping their backs pressed into the sandstone.

Most of the guards had been called to join the army as they rode out to meet Nekoma head on on the sand, so finding a way in wasn’t too hard.

The city, inside, was in a state of nervous unrest, as word had spread that the Karasuno army had left to fight in the sands- so people were going about with a more solemn mood than usual.

The pair slipped past houses and stalls, making their way slowly towards the palace, but getting inside the palace walls was going to be a more difficult task as they were very heavily guarded and the guards were on high alert.

“What now?” Kenma whispered to King Kuroo.

“We wait,” the King replied, “there will be a change of guards, and that’s when we will sneak in.”

…………………………….

“On my lead!” King Kageyama called, a few shadows earlier in that day, mounting his stallion and pulling on the reins to turn it around so that he was leading the army out. 

“Go Karasuno!” Captain Daichi yelled, his cry being backed up but the other men as pride and confidence surged through their masses.

With a loud cry from King Kageyama, they headed out of the gates and out onto the sand beyond, travelling in a collected formation, prepared to meet their foe. 

“Leaders out front!” King Kageyama shouted to squadron leader Tsukishima, sending him and his team front and centre.

“Suga!” Kageyama called back to one of his more seasoned veterans.

“Behind you, King!” Suga called, making sure to back the King and defend him should anything happen.

“Asahi! Flank!” Kageyama shouted to the scary looking fighter, who had a very serious look on his face as he bent low to his galloping horses neck.

As the King looked around, he was happy with how everyone was placed but his mind immediately went to Hinata.

“If I had my assistant with me, this would be a sure win,” he thought with a scowl but there wasn’t much time to dwell on it as when he looked ahead again, he saw the tell tale signs of the Nekoma army approaching over the rise, sand and dust being kicked up by the hooves of their horses.

“Prepare for battle!” king Kageyama cried, pulling his sword from its sheath and holding it up to rally his army’s moral.

The cries from Nekoma matched the cries from Karasuno as their front lines crashed together.

Tsukishima managed to broadside his horse and block some of the incoming Nekomites, while King Kageyama took on one of the taller Nekomites, slashing him across the middle.

As the battled raged on, King Kuroo and Kenma stayed hidden near the entrance to the palace, patiently waiting for the guards to change over.

As the sunlight shifted from a bright light to a medium glow, two new guards approached the weary ones at the gates.

“Here is our chance,” King Kuroo whispered to Kenma, nudging him to follow as he got up and crouched low, running up behind a pillar nearby.

“Now to create a diversion,” he whispered.

“How?” Kenma asked, looking towards Kuroo, but the King was already picking up a small stone to throw.

With calculated precision Kuroo threw the stone towards the opposite pillar and bounced it off the smooth surface and into the side of the head of the guard standing closest.

The guard stumbled off centre and put his hand to his temple to ease the pain in his head, that the flying stone had caused, but before any of them could ask what had happened, two sand cloaked figures ran at them and incapacitated two of them before dragging the other two to the side and knocking them unconscious then stealing their clothes and changing. 

“Easy,” King Kuroo commented as he and Kenma placed the Karasuno guard helmets on their heads then took the guard’s weapons and walked back into the palace grounds.

It was just the skeleton staff on that day, since every available person had been recruited to the army, and the pair walked calmly though the palace until they came to two other guards.

“Good even,” King Kuroo said from behind the guard helmet, “we are to relieve the guards in the Kings chamber.”

“Yes. Go ahead,” the guard nodded, jerking his head further on down the hall.

King Kuroo nodded and thanked him, then they continued on until they reached two large doors that had to be the doors to the King’s chamber. No other door in the palace looked like this door.

King Kuroo knocked and then stepped back.

The guard inside called loudly for the new arrivals to reveal themselves and Kuroo looked at Kenma.

“We are here to relieve you for the second part of the even,” he replied the guard inside.

There was silence for a second then the door opened and the guard looked at the pair outside.

Only seeing the Karasuno armor, he believed King Kuroo and gestured for the two men to enter, then, after a short exchange, the two guards inside exited the room- relieved of their duties.

King Kuroo looked around the room, his eyes settling on your figure as you remained on King Kageyama’s bed, looking out the open window.

“Beautiful woman of Nekoma,” King Kuroo greeted you while Kenma stayed by the door.

At hearing a foreign voice, you looked over, just as King Kuroo removed his helmet and revealed his face to you.

Your eyes shot wide open and you jumped up off the bed, backing towards the balcony and wondering if you should make a run for it… but where would you go?

“I am here, on a personal mission, to bring you back to your homeland to live in luxury with me,” your raven haired ex-king said as he approached you slowly.

“How did you get in?” you asked.

“It was quite easy,” King Kuroo said with a smirk, “their defense is lacking.”

“I… I will not go,” you said in a shaky voice as King Kuroo got to you and stopped before you.

“You are unwilling to return home?” he asked with one raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” you said firmly, “please leave.”

“I cannot leave such a beauty here, unattended,” King Kuroo said, slipping a hand to your side.

You roughly pushed his hand off you and stared him down.

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