This story will be no more than 3 or 4 chapters, promise.
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away the beautiful young queen was having an affair behind her aging King's back.
With his eldest son, Prince Renkotsu.
Now, the King was completely unaware of his wife's adultery. Everyone was unaware, of course…except…
The Prince's younger brother, Prince Jakotsu, who had- upon finding out, made a deal with the pair to keep their secret.
"Find me MY Prince Charming, I will be out of your hair…erm…way and the secret will remain behind closed lips. Dad croaks it, she marries you, and you become King. I leave and become King elsewhere, and everyone is happy. Okay?"
Glimpse 1: What He Doesn't Know Won't Hurt Him
In the main room of the large, extravagant castle, the aging King was shaking his head in disproval and his wife, a beautiful woman, no older than the eldest Prince, with long thick black hair looking merely bored.
"Husband, this jester, he bores me greatly," she said softly.
The king looked at her and cracked an aged smile at his wife and looked at the guard. "Escort the boy to…the swamp," he said in a cracked, hoarse voice.
Grabbing the red-haired boy by his collar they walked out with him crying out for help. "Hey! Let me go! I am the great Shippou! How dare you!" he cried. "Someone help me!"
Just outside the castle gates and around a corner into deep, dark woods and tossed the boy into the biggest, deepest, muddiest swamp.
"AH! I can't swim! Help me!" he cried out as he sank.
Walking into the woods, humming a tune, a girl with a long black braid, an old shirt and some ripped-off-at-the-knees pants, pulled a long-handled net off her back and ran it through the swamp, catching the thrashing Shippou. "Damnit, Shippou you need to lose some weight," she said matter-of-factly as she held the net that still contained Shippou over her shoulder so he dangled precariously in the air.
"I AM NOT FAT SOUTEN!" he shouted. "Oh…thanks for fishing me out again," he added.
"Third time this week, why don't you just admit that you're not funny?" she asked as she carried him back into the little village.
"I am funny!" he cried shaking his fist.
"Only when you come back into town sopping wet and covered in goop," she added, cracking a smile.
Back at the castle Prince Renkotsu was having his own dilemma. He flipped through the JC Penny 50th Anniversary Prince Charming Catalogue trying to find someone who would like his brother.
"I really don't see why it's so hard," Tsubaki said, filing her nails casually. "Find someone who'd screw a guy and send them on their way," she said.
"Mother- shut up. You obviously don't know Jakotsu's…preferences when it comes to men," he replied.
Scanning a few more profiles, he found some Princes that would work, if only their…gender preferences had been broader.
Until…
Name: Bankotsu
Status: Prince of Ushitora
Likes: My sword, Banryuu, drinking sake, chilling out
Dislikes: Snotty princesses, annoying people
Gender Preferences: Anyone.
To Order This Prince, Call: 1-800-I-WANT-BRAID
"That'll work," he said, picking up his super-cool Medieval-cell phone and dialing the number.
"You've ordered one adorable 17 year old Prince Charming, please state the occasion to which he will he used," a robotic voice said on the other end.
"A present for a Prince Jakotsu."
"When would you like the meeting to occur?" the robotic voice asked.
"The ball, in two days time…" he said, growing impatient.
"Prince Bankotsu will be notified," said the voice as the line clicked off.
"Okay, I've found a Prince Charming for Jakotsu," he said, standing up and stretching idly. "Now I have a ball to plan," he said starting to lead the room.
Tsubaki grabbed his wrist, gestured for him to close the door and stood up. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Mother, really," he snapped loudly. Then added in a lower tone, "seriously Tsubaki you're an idiot, maybe later…"
"I'm the Queen, and I get what I want," she argued.
He raised an eyebrow. "I have some things to run by with Father, when I finish there, he'll have gone to bed, then- meet me out in the gardens," he told her, leaving the room.
Tsubaki glared at his retreating back and left to go back to her own chambers.
Preview of Glimpse 2: News of the ball spreads and the still disgruntled Shippou seeks to find his niche in life.
Okay, yah, no comment, review please?