Petite Princess Yucie Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Kisses: Arc and Yucie ❯ Not Even a Knight ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: wish_wielder 
For Theme #21 (violence; pillage/plunder; extortion).
Anime/Manga: Petite Princess Yucie Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Angst / Drama / Comedy / Shoujo | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.30.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 934 | Visits: 861 | Status: Completed
For Theme #21 (violence; pillage/plunder; extortion).
Anime/Manga: Petite Princess Yucie Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance / Angst / Drama / Comedy / Shoujo | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.30.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 934 | Visits: 861 | Status: Completed
Title: “Not Even a Knight”
Author: Wish Wielder
Pairing: Arc/Yucie
Fandom: Puchi Puri Yucie
Theme: #21 (violence)
Disclaimer: “Puchi Puri Yucie” and all respective properties are © Gainax/Yucie Committee. Meg “tN!!” D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own “Puchi Puri Yucie.”
“Not Even a Knight”
Arc was an excellent swordsman. He had been trained from a young age because his father felt it important for him to know how to defend himself. His father used to tell him that, should a war break out, he would need to fight with his soldiers. His father also used to tell him that there might come a day when he would need to protect his queen.
“The world’s a violent place, Aero,” he used to say. “You need to keep yourself and your family safe.”
Arc hadn’t really understood then, but he did now. Now that he was older, and married, he understood all too well what his father had meant. He would give his life for Yucie, as long as she remained safe - as long as she remained untouched by the violence he had seen in his travels. The only thing that mattered to him was her, and he had promised himself that he’d guard her.
Perhaps that was what made this so extremely hard.
In those few months he had been searching for the one who assembled the Eternal Tiara, he had seen a lot. Whether it came in the form of highwaymen or simple tavern fights, he had witnessed more fighting than he had ever seen before. He had seen men skewered on the tips of blades, women treated like dirt, children ripped from their parents, and numerous other things he didn’t really care to remember. When it came down to it, he had realized the world really wasn’t as safe as he had been led to believe. Life wasn’t guaranteed for anyone, regardless of social status.
Still, he had never expected this.
Yucie had left to visit her father a few days before. Gunberd had fallen ill, and Yucie had determined to watch over him while he battled his illness. She had told him not to worry and that she’d be home soon, but he had still been nervous. He had asked to accompany her, but she had told him he was just being silly. Now he wished he had listened to his gut.
The report had come in early that morning. She had been on her way home when she was ambushed by some highwaymen. Frederik, who had informed him of the attack, hadn’t told him everything. All he really said was a general overview of what it appeared happened, and he hadn’t been able to finish before Arc had raced out of the room and towards the scene.
Not even a knight would have been able to view what he was then staring at. His stomach churned, and for a moment he honestly felt he would be sick. The pressing nausea passed, though, and he was able once more to look at what had been his wife.
She lay unmoving on the side of the road. Her body was bloody and bruised, and her clothes were torn to shreds. Her face was contorted into a grimace of pain, and he knew…without even going over to her, he knew she was dead.
The guards around her, who had been cleaning up the attack scene, tried to convince him to leave. They told him he shouldn’t see this, that it wasn’t good for him. He pushed them aside and walked over to her lifeless form. He dropped to his knees beside her and reached out with a shaky hand to touch her face. A sob caught in his throat as his hand traced her cheek contour. Biting back the tears, he leaned down and placed the ghost of a kiss on her pale lips.
“I’m sorry, Yucie,” he choked out. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I’m sorry…”
“Sir,” said a guard as he placed a hand on the prince’s shoulder, “we have to finish cleaning up here.”
“I understand,” Arc said quietly, yet he couldn’t move. As much as he hated what lay before him, he couldn’t tear himself away from it - away from her. A part of his mind told him that, if he just stayed by her side a moment or so longer, she’d return to him. Even though he knew this was impossible, he couldn’t hope but wish. He couldn’t believe that she was really gone, that she had really been taken from him. He couldn’t believe that he had failed her.
Even being an excellent swordsman, he still couldn’t keep the one person who meant everything to him safe from the violence of the world.
Owari
a.n.: -sheepish grin- Plot bunnies are evil, I’m telling’ ya’… And somehow, I just knew my DSWD would pop up in these…
Comments and constructive criticism welcomed. Please, don’t flame. If you can’t say your CC without flaming, don’t bother. Flames will be used to fuel Az’s bonfire for the yummy s’mores.
Author: Wish Wielder
Pairing: Arc/Yucie
Fandom: Puchi Puri Yucie
Theme: #21 (violence)
Disclaimer: “Puchi Puri Yucie” and all respective properties are © Gainax/Yucie Committee. Meg “tN!!” D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own “Puchi Puri Yucie.”
“Not Even a Knight”
Arc was an excellent swordsman. He had been trained from a young age because his father felt it important for him to know how to defend himself. His father used to tell him that, should a war break out, he would need to fight with his soldiers. His father also used to tell him that there might come a day when he would need to protect his queen.
“The world’s a violent place, Aero,” he used to say. “You need to keep yourself and your family safe.”
Arc hadn’t really understood then, but he did now. Now that he was older, and married, he understood all too well what his father had meant. He would give his life for Yucie, as long as she remained safe - as long as she remained untouched by the violence he had seen in his travels. The only thing that mattered to him was her, and he had promised himself that he’d guard her.
Perhaps that was what made this so extremely hard.
In those few months he had been searching for the one who assembled the Eternal Tiara, he had seen a lot. Whether it came in the form of highwaymen or simple tavern fights, he had witnessed more fighting than he had ever seen before. He had seen men skewered on the tips of blades, women treated like dirt, children ripped from their parents, and numerous other things he didn’t really care to remember. When it came down to it, he had realized the world really wasn’t as safe as he had been led to believe. Life wasn’t guaranteed for anyone, regardless of social status.
Still, he had never expected this.
Yucie had left to visit her father a few days before. Gunberd had fallen ill, and Yucie had determined to watch over him while he battled his illness. She had told him not to worry and that she’d be home soon, but he had still been nervous. He had asked to accompany her, but she had told him he was just being silly. Now he wished he had listened to his gut.
The report had come in early that morning. She had been on her way home when she was ambushed by some highwaymen. Frederik, who had informed him of the attack, hadn’t told him everything. All he really said was a general overview of what it appeared happened, and he hadn’t been able to finish before Arc had raced out of the room and towards the scene.
Not even a knight would have been able to view what he was then staring at. His stomach churned, and for a moment he honestly felt he would be sick. The pressing nausea passed, though, and he was able once more to look at what had been his wife.
She lay unmoving on the side of the road. Her body was bloody and bruised, and her clothes were torn to shreds. Her face was contorted into a grimace of pain, and he knew…without even going over to her, he knew she was dead.
The guards around her, who had been cleaning up the attack scene, tried to convince him to leave. They told him he shouldn’t see this, that it wasn’t good for him. He pushed them aside and walked over to her lifeless form. He dropped to his knees beside her and reached out with a shaky hand to touch her face. A sob caught in his throat as his hand traced her cheek contour. Biting back the tears, he leaned down and placed the ghost of a kiss on her pale lips.
“I’m sorry, Yucie,” he choked out. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I’m sorry…”
“Sir,” said a guard as he placed a hand on the prince’s shoulder, “we have to finish cleaning up here.”
“I understand,” Arc said quietly, yet he couldn’t move. As much as he hated what lay before him, he couldn’t tear himself away from it - away from her. A part of his mind told him that, if he just stayed by her side a moment or so longer, she’d return to him. Even though he knew this was impossible, he couldn’t hope but wish. He couldn’t believe that she was really gone, that she had really been taken from him. He couldn’t believe that he had failed her.
Even being an excellent swordsman, he still couldn’t keep the one person who meant everything to him safe from the violence of the world.
Owari
a.n.: -sheepish grin- Plot bunnies are evil, I’m telling’ ya’… And somehow, I just knew my DSWD would pop up in these…
Comments and constructive criticism welcomed. Please, don’t flame. If you can’t say your CC without flaming, don’t bother. Flames will be used to fuel Az’s bonfire for the yummy s’mores.