Chapter 22: So, you’re here to kidnap me

"Greetings demon, I my name, is Shizuka. I assume my mother has filled you in on at least some of the details" said Shizuka as she stood up.

"I guess? I was told to kidnap you, but that it was actually your plan. I'm Kat by the way" said Kat

"Well Kat, I plan to escape the castle and head for my grandmother's hideaway in some mountains. Most people think she's dead but it's actually that she's a battle junkie who got sick of running the kingdom and faked her death to get out of it. She pretended to be weak for that first decade to make sure my mother could run things in her absence and then headed off to the wilderness to fight things again" said Shizuka

"Do you have any talents that can ease our escape?"

"Not really, I seem to have a calming aura I can project over people but it's not that strong" said Kat

"Hmm, a calming aura you say, please hit me with hit. Don't hold back to much but no need for full power" said Shizuka

Kat centred herself and looked at Shizuka before allowing a wave of calm to wash out from her. Much to Kat's surprise though Shizuka collapsed like a puppet with her strings cut and Kat immediately tried to retract her aura before running to kneel next to the girl

"Hey are you alright, what happened, why did you collapse like that, my aura shouldn't be that strong" said Kat. Shizuka, started to mumble something before changing tactics and summoning a large ice cube she promptly shattered on her own head.

"There, much better. That calming aura is nothing to scoff at, I had all my defences down but still, if that's your version of not that strong I'm sure you'll be fine if pressed" said Shizuka

"No see, this isn't what I was expecting, last time I used that on someone it just calmed them down, helped them think clearly and relax. It didn't completely drop them" said Kat

"Hmm, strange. While certainly if I had my guard up it's a simple attack to deflect that wouldn't be without effort. Nonetheless, I have no complaints if you are stronger than you think, that will only aid in our efforts" said Shizuka.

"Well, with that established, I suppose I should go over the plan to actually sneak out of the castle. The plan is to wait for nightfall and the exit using the secret tunnels you arrived in my room using. Following those we can leave the castle and end up in the cities commercial district.

Now depending on how quickly we manage to get through the tunnels will decide our next move, if my disappearance has already been noticed I have a backup plan, but if not, we will simply exit the city as if nothing's wrong. I'll have a disguise on at the time and the guards rarely stop foot traffic from leaving the city.

From there we will walk to the nearest town and try to catch a carriage from there further into the country. I plan to disguise myself as a much older wizard, and you obviously will be my demonic servant. I don't know that much about demon summoning but most people will be too scared to ask, and besides, while demonic summoning isn't illegal it is highly discouraged, and you need a license for it. I already had a fake made some time ago for this so it won't be a problem." Said Shizuka

"Won't people be able to find us quite easily if they are looking for a Kitsune and her traveling demon. We'd fit the bill perfectly" said Kat

"Ah, but they are looking for a demon and a captive, with me calling the shots it won't occur to them that I'm the supposed kidnapped princess. Besides my mother has been using her illusion magic to disguise the fact that I have three tails for some time now, and while it's quite easy to hide a tail of a Kitsune it's nearly impossible to fake the aura change you undergo each time you gain an additional tail. It should divert suspicion possibly even better than the disguise" said Shizuka

"Ok well I trust your judgement, it seems like you have this planned out, when do we leave" said Kat

"Well, as I said we leave at nightfall, it's just after lunch you know?" said Shizuka. Kat's eyes went wide at this.

*Shit, I'm going to be here longer than I thought. Though it sounds like I was sticking around for the whole journey anyway I'm going to be here for at least a few hours without getting back. What am I going to do… wait system can I contact the others?*

USER KAT MAY PROJECT A MESSAGE USING D.E.M.O.N.S AT POINT OF SUMMONING VISIBLE ONLY TO SELECTED INDIVIDUALS IF USER KAT HAS INTERREACTED WITH THEM PRIOR TO SUMMONING.

Ok, um can you write "Kidnapping a Princess on her mothers' orders I'll be back as soon as I can, just stall if I'm not back yet"

USER KAT'S MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED

*Ok that's one problem sorted now I think I'll really need a place to sleep.* "Hey Shizuka is there anyway I can get some sleep before we leave? I was summoned just past midnight in my world" said Kat

"Of course, just one moment" said Shizuka as she tapped on a few crystal flowers on the walls. A soft hissing and a piece of the wall slid away to reveal a bed.

"Sorry it's a bit cramped but you can sleep here without anyone noticing you" said Shizuka

"Shizuka why do you have a secret bed in your room" said Kat

"Well, my Great Great Grandfather was actually responsible for building the whole castle and a good chunk of the surrounding town. To this day some thing he is the best earth mage to ever have lived. It was a gift to my Great Great Grandmother who said that the person who could provide the most impressive proposal gift would win her hand, Grandfather decided that he wanted to build her the greatest palace that had every been built and so he cleared the land for it, though some reports say that instead he chose a mountain and carved away the excess but our records indicate the castle was built from scratch and not carved.

Anyway the point is it has countless hidden areas around even my family doesn't know all of the little secrets, though I think we know the important ones that effect the safety of the castle like the entrances and exits but you never know" said Shizuka.

"Ok I think I understand, just um wake me up a bit before we need to go. I've always pretty well on low sleep" said Kat as she climbed into the cubby hole and pulled up the blankets

*Though now that I think about it, despite always being up Friday nights now I haven't really felt that tired. Is one of my demon powers that I need less sleep?*

"Have a nice rest Kat, and be prepared for tonight" said Shizuka as she closed the compartment

#####

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Saturday 9:00 am

Gramps, Sylvie, Vivian and a witness all stand in Gramps' office with a stack of papers in front of them. No one made a sound. All was quiet as they stared at each other waiting to make the first move. Gramps was behind his desk, working through a second stack of papers, not willing to rush the interaction. Vivian had taken up residence in one of the armchairs off to the side with Sylvie in her lap. Sylvie was enjoying snuggling against Vivian and rested patiently. The 'witness' for the signing was a nondescript man with a standard business suit and tie that appeared to be sleeping in the opposing corner to Sylvie and Vivian. Minutes past, as none of them wanted to make the first move.

After thirty minutes Gramps made the first move "Vivian, surely you must be busy, we can't wait around forever and get in the way of your work, would you happen to know when Kat is getting here"

"Actually I took the next two weeks off to so that I could spend time with Sylvie and Kat, I can stay here all day. I don't mind waiting" said Vivian

"Well, we can't hold up our witness, I'm sure he has very important work to do" said Gramps. His point however, was undercut by a soft snoring coming from that same man.

"I dunno Gramps, he seems to be enjoying himself, and I'm perfectly comfortable here" said Vivian.

Time continued to pass. Gramps filled out forms, and Vivian pulled out a board game from her handbag to play with Sylvie. Hours passed like this, until the time began to inch closer to mid-day.

"Well, I need to start getting lunch ready for the other kids, do either of you happen to know where Kat is. Anything you want to mention at all" said Gramps suspiciously.

Sylvie looked up, and gazed slightly at the witness in the corner still snoring away from their game to answer first "Why would Kat share that sort of secret with me, I'm just a nine-year-old after all, and Kat's secrets have the chance to completely rewrite world history how should I know?" said Sylvie.

Gramps sighed "Vivian, how about you"

"Why would Kat share that sort of secret with me, I'm just a twenty nine-year-old after all, and Kat's secrets have the chance to completely rewrite science and universal laws, why would I be trusted with something like that?"

Gramps just shook his head. Setting his work papers to the side he stood up and made his way to the door "Well, I guess we can just do this tomorrow then"