Princess Rescue Inc (121 page)

Ryans'
eyebrow rose as Deidra went off script. He was further amused when she hooked
his arm with hers and marched him slowly down the path from the great hall to
the chapel. He looked around then down at her. “No fair,” he stage whispered in
her ear. He noted her lips curled in a smile.

“All's
fair in love and war,” she whispered huskily back.

“You
know I don't like to be forced,” he said.

“Who's
forcing you?” she asked, smiling sweetly. Her grip tightened as her eyes
twinkled. She took in his semi-serious expression and sighed slightly. “I'll
make it up to you, I promise.”

“I'll
get you for this,” he growled softly.

“You'd
better,” she replied, eyes twinkling as her smile spread into a devilish grin.

“How
are you going to make it up to me?” he asked, genuinely curious as the assembly
turned to follow the guidance of the footmen as they fell in behind them.

“I'll,
um, I'll think about it,” she said smiling a little. “I think I'll have to
spend all my life trying,” she said.

“Yeah,”
he sighed. “You and me both,” he murmured.

Inside
the chapel Perry chuckled softly to Doc. “Talk about a shotgun wedding,” he
whispered as they took their places. Sue giggled. Ryans stammered in front of
them, totally off guard. His shock and confusion made Deidra smile a little
before he repeated his vows.

“Now
he's really stuck with it,” Sue sighed, eyes misty. She smiled. “They do make a
cute couple though,” she giggled a little. Wanda sighed in content. Perry
rolled his eyes. Wanda caught that and stepped on his toes, making Doc giggle
again, smothering it with a hand over her mouth.

“Three
stooges,” Max grumbled from behind them. “Women and weddings. Next thing the
waterworks will start up. I'm bailing if that happens.”

“You
keep out of this,” Doc said brandishing a fist. She looked startled then nodded
politely to the woman on Max's arm. “Who's your friend?” she asked, clearly
surprised. The young woman was a looker, built with broad hips and a buxom look
but she had strong hands and a delicate face and complexion.

“This
is Cecily. She's... um,” he blushed, looking at her, totally at a loss.

“We're
engaged,” Cecily said smiling up at the big mechanic. “Aren't we?” she asked
with syrupy sweet firmness.

Doc
chuckled. “Well, good for you! About time someone convinced this big lug to put
his tools away and settle down.” She smiled in approval as Max looked poleaxed.
“Guess wedding bells are ringing all over the place,” she grinned, giving Perry
a look.

“Keep
me out of it. I've got a career and a mission to complete.” Perry chuckled,
hands up in defense.

  <==={}------------>

The
royal couple made their way to the suite, giggling and running through the cold
air across the courtyard to the tower. He insisted on sweeping her off her feet
to cross the threshold, but her struggles once the door was closed behind him
and her kissing him made them fall in bed in a tangle of arms and legs. She
laughed, and then shrieked a laugh as he tickled her. “Oh you!” They play
fought, he managed to pin her once but she writhed out of his grip.

He
tried to keep it light, but he did have a bit of a plan, something to get a little
revenge for what she'd just put him through. When he pinned her the second time
he quickly kissed her belly button then blew a nice juicy raspberry on it.

He
let go and tried to dodge as she shrieked a laugh and started to pound his back
and shoulders. He clutched his arms over his head, trying to fend her off,
laughing. “I'll get you for that!” she laughed then hooked a leg around him and
knocked him to the floor.

He
ooffed, and she dropped down on top of him before he could recover. “I think
you just did,” he gasped. She kissed him then locked eyes with him. She was
smiling at him, full of love, mischief, and approval. He reached up and pulled
her down to him.

Later
that night he felt something creeping up his leg. His awareness flickered from
the depths of sleep. When it reached his rear he sighed. “What again?” he asked
opening his eyes. He saw her in the dim light. One arm was around him, the
other under her pillow.

“What?”
she sleepily asked opening her own eyes.

“Wait
if you’re not doing it...” He turned to look over the bed covers. A small hand
sized red, yellow, and purple, lizard was there. It reared up and hissed.

He
stared at it. It had the usual six limbs, but instead of a lizard's tail it had
a fat thorax like a wasp. Deidra gasped then her hand flashed out.

The
beast flew across the room and bounced off a chair. She flicked her attention
to her hand. “Guard!” she screamed. “
GUARD
!”

“What?
What the hell is that?” Ryans said sitting up frantically. The creature
recovered and scuttled under the chair. It moved toward them and then paused as
it caught sight of the dying fire in the fireplace. It paused, flicking its
head back and forth. Its tongue flashed out, tasting the air. The head bobbed
back and forth as it raised a set of legs tentatively toward the fire, then
back to them. It had six beady eyes, black eyes and sharp teeth that had him
suddenly scared.

“What
the hell is that thing?” Ryans said as Deidra got up and gathered the cover.
She tossed it down onto the beast then gathered up the ends into a bag.

“Gotcha!”
she said looking up. The bag was writhing in her hands. “GUARD!” She screamed a
third time.

Ryans
grabbed his com and touched it. “This is Ryans, situation in my quarters.
Alert. Doc stand by!” He turned and looked at his slippers as a startled voice
answered... Another of the critters was there, but it darted under the bed.

“Damn,
Deidra there is another under the bed!” he said snatching his feet up.

She
turned alarmed and then back to the door when they heard footfalls.

“What
the hell is it? Poisonous I take it?” he asked.

The
door slammed open as the guard captain came in, sword drawn. He looked around.
Others piled in behind him, one seemed reluctant.

“Yes
your majesty?”

“Took
you long enough,” Ryans growled. “We've got a problem. Some lizard things.”

Deidra
held up the impromptu bag, looking a little disheveled and very pissed as the
thing in it moved. “There is another under the bed,” she said flicking a look
to the bed.

Maximus
waved the others away. He took a torch from a wall sconce and lit it in the
fire. “Build the fire up,” he ordered. One of the guards knelt to add wood.

Just
as he did something came flying out from under the bed toward him. The guard
captain smiled and like a pro golfer swung the torch down, slamming into the
creature. It flew back, up over the bed and into an alcove. Another soldier
raced forward and stomped on the flaming thing. After a moment he looked up and
nodded.

“Is
that all?” the captain asked. Ryans grimaced.

“Yeah,
just a pest problem,” Ryans said.

“No
I mean are there more?” the captain asked looking around. “You and you,
search.” He turned to the Queen but her eyes were on a guard looking away. The
captain came over to her. “Your majesty are you well?” he asked.

“I
will be. Here. Hold this,” she said, handing him the bag and reaching around
him to take his sword. He let it go. She spun and the tip touched the guard's
chin.

“You.
You are under arrest for treason sirrah,” she snarled. The man's eyes widened
and he gulped.

“Your
majesty...” the captain said, uncertain about what was going on.

“Save
it. She's right,” Ryans said sitting up but keeping in the bed. “She called
three times and he didn't respond.”

“He
didn't, this is true,” Maximus turned to the suspect. He glared. “Janon, what
have you say to these charges?”

“I
ah... fell asleep?” the man said, as marines came in. They looked around.
Edsfield reached out and grabbed the man's sword.

“Once,
twice... but thrice?” the Queen asked at full snarl.

“Do
we ah, know it was him that put the beasts in here?” a guard asked.

“Easy
enough to check,” Maximus said nodding to one of them. “Erin search him. Look
for a bag.”

The
man tried to step back but Edsfield pinned his arms from behind. Erin took a
brief moment to do a pat down, and then came up with a worn leather pouch. He
held it up.

It
was the guard captain's turn to snarl as he took it and looked inside. He
sniffed and then closed the bag. “Yes it was him. I can tell, they left their
droppings within,” he said. He turned on the man.

“How
many,” Ryans asked, getting up when the guard finished checking under the bed.
He used a pole to stab at the dark recesses then nodded. Ryans nodded back. He
pushed his wife's sword away gently.

“I
asked you a question,” he said coldly, locking eyes with the man. The suspect
growled but said nothing. A guard punched him hard in the solar plexus. He
gasped, but held up as he was by Edsfield he couldn't double over, as much as
his diaphragm wanted to. He gasped, and then spat.

“How.
Many. More,” Ryans asked. He took the bag from the captain. “How many?” He
shook the bag as Edsfield grabbed the hair on the back of the man's head and
pulled it up and back hard.

“No
more,” the guard rasped.

“Who
put you up to this sirrah. The lizards are rare and banned,” Deidra said
pulling a robe over her shoulders.

The
man licked his lips gasping. Spittle dribbled from his mouth. “I... do not wish
to say.”

She
glared at him. “Your life is forfeit you know. You can answer me now, or spend
a week with the torturers.”

The
man's eyes were wide. He shook his head back and forth.

“Or
we can just use Hammurabi justice and let your lizard friend convince you,”
Ryans said smiling. It wasn't a nice smile as the suspect noted, darting a
terrified glance at him.

“No,
no, you can't, you won’t,” he said, voice rising as he started to whimper.

“Oh
I will,” Ryans smiled as he held up the bag. “What do you think, just stick it
over his head?” he asked turning to the captain.

The
captain gulped darting a glance to Deidra. “Ah.”

“Well...”
Deidra said looking thoughtful. She tapped her long finger against her chin.

Scooter
and Erin were busy helping Edsfield with the now hysterical prisoner. They
pinned him to the ground as Edsfield used a zip tie on his wrists, locking them
together behind his back. The man was shouting and crying.

“Tis
a fate worse than death my liege,” Erin said getting up once the prisoner was
secured. “Please tell me you won’t. The torturers are much preferable to
that... thing.” He indicated the bag.

“Please,
a clean death, a clean death!” the man sobbed looking around.

“That
bad huh?” Ryans asked, looking at the bag.

“A
living death, one bite and you cannot move or speak but can still hear and see.
They crawl into your mouth...”

“Or
other orifice,” another guard interjected darkly. Deidra darted him a dark
look. “Sorry your majesty.”

“Or
elsewhere and then lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch they eat you from the
inside. The parent stays with them through the winter.”

“Oh
gross,” Edsfield said shaking his head. “Right out of a horror movie. Alien or
something.”

“Exactly,”
Ryans said nodding. “It hesitated though.”

“They
are attracted to heat Dominus. Most likely the fire confused it,” Maximus
explained.

“Ah.
So he slipped them under the door after the fire died down?” Ryans asked,
turning to Janon.

Maximus
nodded. “Most likely. They are usually near the winter sleeps now.”

Ryans
frowned. “Oh. So that's what you meant by rare?”

“That
bloody merchant!” Deidra snarled turning on the prisoner. “He put you up to
this sirrah?”

The
prisoner gibbered shaking his head.

“He
is new my lady. I...” The captain sighed.

“He
was my brother!” the man snarled looking up. “My brother! You punished him for
those leaves!”

“Oh.
Revenge,” Deidra nodded. Now she understood, his brother was the one who had
imported the leaves into the barracks. He had supplied the drug that had killed
that young man and he'd been caught and punished for it. She stood back and
waved her hand. “Take him away.”

“Something
tells me I'm not going to get any sleep tonight,” Ryans said shaking his head.
He turned to his wife who was shaking a little. “And from the looks of things
you aren't either huh?” he asked.  She shook her head as he gathered her
into his arms.

The
others quietly left. He sighed as they closed the door. “Okay, let's go down to
the kitchen and get some food and let the captain do a thorough search huh?”