Inside the library, Heero turned from his mirror to Trowa, who was looking intently into the glass. "You see?"

Watching the three slaves relax in the pool, Trowa bowed his head, admitting he'd been wrong. "My apologies...I worry too much about Quatre sometimes."

"A good habit," Heero said. "But Wufei is with them. He'll keep them safe if something bad happens, but I doubt anything will. Treize keeps this palace remarkably safe."

"Despite recent events to the contrary?" Trowa asked, smiling ever so slightly.

"And I assume your security is perfect?" Heero retorted.

"No," Trowa shook his head. "But I do feel a little better leaving him while Quatre's guard is here."

"Forty men for his body guard?" Heero said, mostly to himself. "I doubt he's that fragile."

"But he's that slippery," Trowa insisted. "I need them to watch over him and tell me where he is. In any case, that's beside the point. We need to discuss things."

Heero nodded. "I brought the papers with me. Let's get to work." He brought the small stack to the main table and spread them out. "Sally is certain King J is going to die within the week, but she can't be sure. With the amount of modifications he's had done to himself..." he suppressed a disturbed shudder.

"Does he still have that gray shriveled arm?" Trowa asked softly, trying not to visualize it.

Heero shook his head. "No...it dropped off when the magick started to fade from him."

"Good," Trowa sighed in relief. "I still have nightmares about that thing, him reaching out to touch me with it."

Heero nodded once. "Once it fell away, I had it burned." He brought up one paper specifically and lay it on top of all the rest. "When I'm in power, the alliance between our two nations will be kept, and our trade status will remain unchanged. No increased tariffs, and I've got a few ideas about eliminating the highwaymen along the routes, but that will have to wait until after the coronation, and I'll need your help with that."

"Agreed," Trowa looked over the plans and nodded. "That's all my vassals were concerned with."

"Mine as well."

Trowa pulled a chair up to the table. "Shall we get to the real work, then?"

Heero took his customary seat on the table top and let his legs dangle as he picked up a few sheets. "Here, I had scribes make a copy of each of these."

Trowa took the offered papers and scanned them. "You mentioned something about corruption?"

"I think a handful of the king's vassals are working in collusion with the Sank Kingdom to take over," Heero said. "Assassination attempts have increased, and my sorcerer has been targeted as well, meaning whoever the attacker is knows the main source of the palace's protection."

"Who do you suspect?" Trowa asked, reading through the first paper. "Duke Dermail, that's an obvious choice. Acht, Septem, Tubarov..." he looked up at him. "The Romefeller group?"

Heero tilted his head. "You know it?"

"I've noticed they've been crossing into Corazon lately," Trowa told him. "They appear to be doing business with the Barton family."

"Bartons? Have they told you anything?" Heero asked.

"No. I have a feeling they're beginning to suspect that my name is not real," Trowa sighed. "I haven't been shut out of the loop yet, but...there are rumors, whispers that Quatre hears and tells me."

"Do they suspect your true identity?"

Trowa shook his head. "I've distanced myself from Catherine, though, just in case. If they had any idea their long-lost 'heir' wasn't a Barton..." He tossed the paper back on the desk and leaned back. "This mask is getting harder to maintain, Heero. I'm still surprised they bought it in the first place."

"It's not so farfetched if you think about it," Heero said. "Once the real Trowa died, it was only logical that you take his place."

Trowa altered his gaze and shifted the subject. "In any case, they're being extremely secretive about their dealings with Romefeller. Even most of the Barton family doesn't know anything."

Heero leaned forward, placing his hands on the table for support. "I don't like this. Why would the Romefellers and Bartons collude on anything?"

"I don't know," Trowa admitted. "But...the Bartons have been in Corazon for generations. They would know about Wufei and that Treize took him here after the invasion. If he's not a familiar figure in Lagrange, our enemies must know him either from Corazon or his homeland."

"No, it can't be from his clan," Heero said. "They want nothing to do with him anymore. It must be the Bartons."

"He was Quatre's only protection. If they knew he guards this palace, they might think they can defeat him just as Treize did."

"Who else knows how Treize defeated Wufei?"

Trowa stared at him. "No one. From what Treize told me, he and Wufei were fighting alone somewhere in Quatre's palace. He's never told anyone what happened."

"Good," Heero sighed in relief. "That's one secret that must be kept. We can't afford to simply wait and react when they make their first move. We have to find out what their plans are."

"Agreed." Trowa glanced out the window out of nervous habit. "I could always dispense with them before they start any trouble."

Heero looked sharply at him. "No. Kill whoever's in your kingdom if you want, that's your concern, but leave those in my kingdom. I don't think they're intelligent enough to organize anything substantial, and I want to kill the root, not just the plant."

Trowa considered for a moment, then nodded in acquiescence. "Very well." A small smile flashed across his features for a brief second. "One would think you are king already, little brother."

"You forget your age, Triton," Heero snapped irately, deliberately using his sibling's real name.

"You forget your height," Trowa teased, standing. "I don't care if you are a day older."

"That day still comes in handy from time to time," Heero said, pushing off from the table. "I'll arrange for a banquet within the week. If they come, I can have them questioned."

"And if they don't?" Trowa asked.

"Then we know they're up to something." Heero brought a book down from one of the shelves. "In that case, then I'll execute them myself."

"Only the king has that authority," Trowa pointed out.

"By then, I should be." Heero opened the book to a particular marked page and showed it to his brother. "Wufei told me about some of the things J had done to himself. Increased intellectual capability, improved sight, that damn arm...but whoever placed the spells on him didn't mention the side effects."

"Side effects?" Trowa asked, taking the book.

"Those spells are fueled by the person's life force," Heero answered.

"You mean--"

"They shortened his life span."

"But if that sorcerer knew...?" Trowa whispered. "It was a long-term assassination."

"I believe so. Someone has been planning this for quite a long time. However, Wufei mentioned something that the other sorcerer probably didn't know. You remember all those hours J spent in the lower levels of the dungeon?"

Trowa nodded.

"Until he fell ill, he was working down there on something mixing magick with science." Heero pointed at the book's diagram of a human body. "You see the central life force pictured there? He's been spending that on his projects..."

"In other words, he's dying sooner than expected," Trowa whispered. "He's dying ahead of their schedule. That would explain the sudden rush of meetings between Romefeller and Barton."

"If they're doing something," Heero said. "I don't know what they were waiting for, but if J hadn't done anymore work like that, he'd have lived for at least six more years."

"I wonder what they're waiting for," Trowa mused. He looked up as a thought hit him. "How did Wufei know about this?"

Heero sighed exasperatedly. "J had him helping with the spells on these projects."

"Then Wufei knows what's down there?" Trowa asked.

Heero nodded. "Yes, but he can't tell me. J made Wufei place a command geis on himself so he can't say anything until J dies. J only allowed him to mention it recently, and he still won't let Wufei tell me anything until he dies."

"And how soon will that be?"

"Soon," Heero replied. His voice softened to a whisper. "Every day I expect to wake up as king."

"Poor Duo," Trowa suddenly chuckled. "Not here a week and he's about to be thrust into the court."

"That's part of why I wanted Quatre to spend time with him," Heero said. "He can start Duo's education, at least until I can find a suitable tutor."

"Again, poor Duo," Trowa smiled. "I don't think he's the type to enjoy studying so much. And speaking of our slaves, are they still in the bath?"

They walked back to the mirror and gazed into it as the image started to melt and shift.

"He must disappear often for you to be so anxious," Heero smirked.

"Not often," Trowa shook his head. "More like all the time."

The image of the baths came up, but the boys were nowhere to be seen. Heero frowned and ordered the mirror to seek out Duo and Quatre. A moment later, they could see the two close up from beneath them. They both seemed absorbed in conversation, and Quatre was busily tucking a small flower into Duo's wet braid. A loose petal fell off and seemed to float in midair before them.

"What mirror are you using?" Trowa asked.

"It must be the reflection in the garden pond," Heero answered, and immediately after a tiny goldfish darted across their view. "Yes, it is."

"That means Wufei must be with them somewhere."

Heero shrugged. "Perhaps. With recent events, he's been forced to neglect the garden, and it needs some work...but then, Treize is also off duty about this time of day. And he's still worn from that burst, no matter how much he tries to hide it."

"What did he do that I keep hearing so much about?" Trowa asked. "From the way people talk, I'd think he started a lightning storm."

"He did," Heero told him. "I finally found out from Treize. Wufei not only redid every single ward on the castle, but he also added to them, increased the energy output when they're tripped, and sent a shockwave back to whoever created the challenge through the spell's energy itself. It's no wonder he passed out after all that. He's probably fallen asleep somewhere right now."

"In any case, our companions are probably alone," Trowa said. "Albeit surrounded by guards."

Heero found that he couldn't take his eyes off of Duo, who seemed to have suddenly brought up a new fascinating point. What on earth are they talking about that's so interesting? Heero wondered. Peaked by curiosity, he waved his hand over the mirror, and they could now hear the conversation.

"Really?" Quatre asked. "Through mirrors?"

Duo nodded with a broad grin. "I found out about it yesterday. He can watch anybody, he could even be watching us right now!"

Quatre blushed and put his hand over his mouth. "I wouldn't doubt it. Trowa's always so worried about me. I wish I could know for certain, though. Can he hear people?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Duo tossed another petal into the pond. "I hope he is watching right now, though."

"Why?"

A mischievous glint sparkled in Duo's eyes. "So he can see how good I'm being right now. I haven't stolen anything off anyone, and heaven knows it would've been soooo easy!"

"Duo!" Quatre gasped, trying to give him a stern look and giggling too much.

Heero rolled his eyes and let the reflection fade away until they were just staring at themselves again.

"Duo's quite a break from your usual slave," Trowa said. "Especially after you took such care to make sure the rest were completely obedient and submissive."

"He is obedient and submissive," Heero argued. "But...there's something else about him...something I don't think I could reproduce through any kind of training." He gave a short, ironic laugh. "After years of searching for the perfect slave, Duo is practically dropped into my lap."

*****

Notes:

1. Lagrange is Heero's kingdom.

2. Questions raised in this will be explained in later chapters.

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