KC: Wow, look at all those long reviews!

Heero: You said they could influence the story.

Quatre: It only makes sense that people would write more.

KC: Yeah, but...wow! Fortunately most of these suggestions were things I already had in mind.

Duo: Looks like some people want you to get to the important parts faster.

KC: Huh? Like what?

Wufei: Like my torture scene, apparently.

Duo: And me manifesting some kind of magickal ability.

Trowa: Isn't magic spelled without a k?

KC: No, it's spelled right. As to those scenes, don't worry, I'm getting to them, probably in the next chapter. Well, at least one of the scenes, anyway. I'm still not too sure about how to get to Wufei's...hmm...maybe like how Treize told Heero...only, he'd have to tell...Duo...now how would I get that to work?

Wufei: No need on my account.

Treize: I have an idea.

KC: Tell me while the chapter starts.

Duo: Aw, no fair, I wanna hear, too!

Heero: Go get ready for the bath scene.

*

Duo looked up from his perch on the window as the door opened again. "Hi, Heero."

Heero paused in the doorway, taking the time to look over Duo's bare body and unbound hair. "I thought you might have gone to bed after...this afternoon."

Duo grinned. "I did, but then Midii came and got my measurements, and I couldn't get back to sleep, so I started watching Zechs and Noin outside. Have you ever seen that guy's hair in the sunlight? I felt sorry for all his soldiers, they must be going blind. And then Noin, wow, I never thought she was all that strong, but she knocked a few guys over and--"

Leaving the door open, Heero came close and lay his fingertips on Duo's lips. "Hush. Are you ready for your bath?"

"Bath?" Duo blinked. "I had one this morning."

"Yes, but we slept together, and that means we both need one."

"I didn't know being a slave meant bathing so often."

Instead of wasting time arguing, Heero simply picked Duo up and cradled him. "It does." He retrieved a pair of robes from one his drawers and lay the black one over Duo's lap while the blue one went over his shoulder.

"So, what'd you do today while I was asleep?" Duo whispered as Heero took him out.

Heero's grip tightened slightly. "I killed the assassin. And I've sent an invitation to the Sank kingdom. They'll be here in a few weeks."

"Sank?" Duo asked. "That mean you're gonna have that court thing I keep hearing about?"

Heero nodded once. "You need to learn how to behave in court, Duo. You can't be nearly as open there as you are now."

Duo hugged Heero closer. "Why bother having something if it's so strict?"

"It keeps people in order, where I can see them."

Heero stopped in front of the door to the bathing room, and Duo reached out to open it for him. When they stepped in, they found Treize and Trowa already there in separate pools, their own slaves with them. They had gathered into the two closest corners so they could easily converse. Quatre looked up and waved, while the others gave them a restrained nod.

Heero tossed the robes to the side while he carried Duo into the water, squeezing him reassuringly as they moved into the deeper part. They came to the edge of the pool, and Heero helped Duo put his arms over the edge like the other two had done.

"I brought something for you," Treize said, leaning over Wufei and dropping something sparkly in Duo outstretched hand.

Duo gasped in delight. "My cross! You found it!"

"Along with my dagger," Treize nodded. "Anything else you'd like to confess to, now that you have a royal pardon?"

Duo made a show of trying to think of something when he grinned. "Um...yeah. You remember the time someone stole Zech's mask?"

Wufei suddenly found himself forced against the tile as Treize leaned forward, accidentally pushing the sorcerer down into the water. "How?" Treize asked. "He was on horseback, he was surrounded by guards."

Duo shrugged, watching as Heero picked up the cross and examined it. "Actually, I just tied a rope to one of the balconies and swung over, grabbed it, and kept going."

Trowa chuckled. "Daring."

Duo started giggling. "You should have seen his face, he looked--"

Wufei finally managed to push Treize back and break the surface again, gasping for air. He glared at Treize, who raised his hands placatingly.

"Khushrenada..."

"Now, now, little dragon..."

"--like that, actually."

Heero smirked at his captain. "I wonder what he'll turn you into this time."

Not willing to find out, Treize bent and whispered something in Wufei's ear. The sorcerer blushed, but he quietly turned and leaned against the wall again. "I'll hold you to that," he said softly.

"Of course," Treize smiled.

"So where'd you put the mask?" Quatre asked.

"Oh, he got it again," Duo said. "But he had to chase me all over the city before I tossed it back to him. And by that time, he didn't notice I'd snatched his wallet."

Wufei just shook his head. "I have a feeling the courtiers will be leaving the banquet with less money than they came in with."

"As long as he doesn't get caught," Heero said.

Duo grinned. "It'll be a challenge."

*

Early the next morning, Treize sat upright on his desk. The formal atmosphere abandoned for the moment, Zechs crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of Treize's office. "We've rounded up all of the palace guards we trust. It came to about three fourths of them."

Treize sighed, folding his hands. "And of the city patrol?"

"Less than half," Noin said, standing next to her husband.

"Damn. They hid out there so they wouldn't be as noticeable."

"Heero knows?" Zechs asked. He raised one hand to push his mask to the side just a bit.

Treize nodded. "I told him immediately after I found out. We don't know much, but it's a group called Oz. I don't know how or why they're infiltrating our troops, but it's quite likely that they have something to do with the assassination attempt." His voice softened. "And we know they're cruel, worse than some of the criminals we execute."

"So what do we do?" Noin asked.

"Start questioning the soldiers," Treize said. "Some of them must know these Oz soldiers. Whatever we find out, we have to get rid of this problem before the Sank delegation arrives."

"How do we get rid of possibly dozens of enemy troops?" Zechs asked. "Unless we can strike while they're in one big group, they'll scatter and we'll miss them."

"I know," Treize sighed. "Somehow we must gather them together. But then, we have no idea how many there are."

"I'll go start the questioning," Noin said, turning to go.

Once she was gone, Zechs smiled slightly. "I'm sure that devious brain of yours can cook something up."

Treize shook his head. "It's simply amazing, Zechs. Things were just getting peaceful, and now look what's happening. Assassins, conspiracies, King J is holding on by a thread...coronations are nightmare to defend..."

"Petty thieves getting by your guard," Zechs added. "Being turned into a duck..." He laughed at Treize's surprised look. "News travels fast, sir."

Treize glared. "Go help Noin before I assign you to the latrines."

Still chuckling, Zechs disappeared after his wife.

*

"Duo, wake up."

Duo grumbled as someone shook his shoulder roughly, but he opened his eyes anyway. "Mmm?"

"I know it's late, but you need to get up." The prince put his hand out.

Duo gave Heero a sleepy smile and took the offered hand, startled at how fast Heero pulled him up. Naked, he leaned against his master before he got his balance. "Hi, Heero...why aren't you in bed yet?"

Heero stole a kiss, willingly holding Duo for the moment. "I have something for you to try on."

Smiling broadly, Duo woke up halfway. "My new outfit? The one Midii was making?" Finally he noticed that Heero had a bundle of black cloth on one arm.

Heero nodded and made him sit back down. He tossed a few things to the bed and knelt, easing the pants along Duo's legs. Once those were up, he pulled the top over Duo's head and helped him get his arms through the sleeves.

"The sleeves are too long," Duo complained mildly. The ends easily covered his hands and draped more than an inch over his fingers.

Heero shook his head. "They're just right. Watch." He pulled thin violet strings around Duo's wrists, and the cloth bunched neatly so that the tips of his fingers showed. "Besides, you won't be using your hands."

Duo heaved a sigh. "This'll be so boring if I have nothing to do."

"Court isn't supposed to be fun."

Another pair of black slippers, also embroidered with violet flowers, were slipped onto his feet, and Duo noticed that his shirt had violet trimming along with a large purple lotus on the back. He moved slightly, and in the candlelight the black cloth shimmered with a dark violet sheen.

"Midii is very skilled," Heero said. He brought up a jeweled headpiece that draped over Duo's hair, with ribbons at the end which would obviously be bound into his braid. And then Heero lifted a black scrap of cloth to his face, fastening one end to the hair ribbons, draping over the bridge of his nose, and clasping it to the other side.

"There's no violet on this," Duo whispered, unnerved by the way the veil felt.

"No need. Your eyes are enough."

Duo sighed, and the veil fluttered. "Are you coming to bed soon?"

"We need to undress you first."

Duo breathed in sharply as Heero removed the veil and brushed his lips with his own. He'd never thought a simple kiss could be so erotic, but after having his face hidden, even just for a second..."I feel like I'm being unwrapped."

Heero kissed him again, taking off the ribbons. "Of course. You're candy."

Duo smiled and helped get everything off. "I've kept the bed warm...master."

"Duo, you could easily escape from here," Heero whispered, laying next to him. "Don't call me master."

"What if I like it?" Duo challenged. He squeaked in surprise as Heero pounced, holding his hands down against the mattress. He surged up a few inches and snatched a kiss from the prince, who hadn't expected it. "What if I love you?"

Heero didn't reply, but blew out the candle.

*

"C'mon, Wufei, please please please! I know these cold!"

Wufei sighed and looked down at Duo's practice sheet of letters. Aside from a few stray marks, they did indeed look fine, but he still shook his head. "Fine, you know your letters, though it's beyond me how you managed to learn them so quickly."

Duo grinned and leaned back in his seat. "Great memory."

Quatre, who sat across the table from him, laughed and played with new puzzle the sorcerer had given him that morning. "I guess it's because you had to memorize everything before, so now learning letters comes easily."

"Now can we go outside?" Duo pleaded, bouncing in his chair.

"But you must work on spelling, then," Wufei tried to insist.

Quatre snickered. These tutoring sessions had been going on all week, and Duo was getting more and more impatient by the minute.

"But it's such a pretty day!" Duo pointed out the window. "Lookit all the clouds out there!"

"Lessons first!"

The little blonde tried to hold his giggles in.

"And there's lots of flowers, and we can eat out there, and--"

"Duo!"

"But Wu--!"

Quatre couldn't help himself. He started laughing, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the irate looks the other two were giving him. "I always wondered what would happen if the immovable object met the unstoppable force."

Duo tilted his head. "Huh?"

Wufei just sighed again. "Very funny."

Quatre smiled and stared at them. "Maybe we should take a lunch break," he said. "Outside. We can talk about other things, like court etiquette and laws."

Wufei and Duo shot glared at each other.

"Too many distractions," Wufei argued.

"Too much work," Duo added.

Quatre's smile turned into a grin as he stood. "Then it's decided. Let's go." He left his puzzle on the table and grabbed his friend's hands, pulling them out the hall and through the palace.

Duo looked incredulously ate Wufei. "How did he do that?"

Wufei, who seemed just as stunned, only shrugged.

*

Trowa and Heero walked down the hallway side by side, neither looking up or around, but somehow they managed not to bump into anyone or anything. Their shoes barely tapped against the floor, making them seem more like ghosts floating past the white tile.

"So you've invited the Sank ambassadors?" Trowa asked.

"No. The queen and her attendants."

"And her entire entourage."

"Mm."

Trowa nodded. "When do they arrive?"

"Knowing how fast her delegation will move, I'd say about two weeks."

"And...we're all expecting to make an appearance at the court?"

"Mm."

Trowa didn't sigh, but to the limited few who knew him, he was obviously agitated. "Perhaps I can just send Quatre out and avoid the whole thing."

Heero smirked. "We can make a wooden manikin and dress it up like you. I'm sure no one will know the difference."

Trowa glanced sideways at him. "I'm not that quiet. Or will you have your own doll with a piglet inside?"

"A piglet?"

"To grunt out answers."

"Hn."

"Quatre, wait!"

Heero and Trowa glanced up and spotted the blonde slave eagerly yanking along Wufei and Duo from one side of the hall to the other. Behind them, trying to keep up, Nataku ran along the floor chirping angrily and nipping at everyone's ankles. Their bracelets jangled noisily as they moved and faded in the distance. The two siblings shared a look.

"He's your slave," Heero said dryly.

"Yes, and he had yours in tow."

Letting the subject drop, Heero and Trowa turned the corner and headed for the library. "So you think the Catalonia girl has something to do with this?"

"I doubt it, but she may know something. In any case, a masquerade will be arranged once they're here."

Trowa audibly groaned. "You know I hate dances."

"You will be wearing a mask. No one will want to dance with you."

"Is that an insult?"

"Won't you have your arms full with Quatre?"

"You know slaves aren't allowed to dance at court."

"Who will know? Won't he have a mask?"

Trowa halted as he thought about it. "But people will still know--"

Heero shrugged. "Does it matter? I thought you were a king now."

Trowa raised one eyebrow. "I am. And aren't you still a prince?"

"If I didn't know better, little brother, I'd think you were baiting me."

"To the armory?"

*

"That one looks like a duck."

Quatre frowned and shook his head. "No, it looks like a bunny."

"A what?"

"You know, big ears, cotton tail." Quatre glanced over at Duo. "You've seen one before, haven't you?"

"You mean a rabbit?" Duo asked. "I think so. They skin 'em and hang 'em in the market."

"Poor things," Quatre sniffled. He eased back into the grassy slope and kept scanning the clouds.

"You're both wrong," Wufei said firmly. "It's a dragon."

"Big surprise you'd say that."

*chirrup*

"You see, she agrees."

Duo just rolled his eyes. "So, what happens at court? Is there a lot of people?"

"That depends on how large the assembly is," Quatre said. "Heero said he was inviting the Sank monarchy?"

Wufei nodded. "Treize told me. That means there might be a hundred people here, perhaps more."

"Wow," Duo breathed. "Does that mean we have to go, too?"

"Of course," the sorcerer told him.

"Poor Trowa," Quatre giggled. "He absolutely hates parties."

Duo frowned lightly. "I don't think Heero's too happy about it, either."

"He doesn't like Queen Relena," Wufei said. "She keeps sending him little toys and golden trinkets trying to win him over."

"Toys and..." Duo mused. "Did she send him a toy bird that sings if you push it right?"

"Yes, a few weeks ago," Wufei nodded. "Have you seen it?"

A dreamy smiled popped up on Duo's face while he blushed. "My first night. Yesterday Heero said if I liked it so much, I could have it. I keep it in my little box."

Quatre pouted. "I wish my master got pretty toys he'd let me have."

Wufei partially rose up on his elbows to look down at him. "Quatre! You have an entire room of golden playthings and puzzles! What are you complaining about?"

Quatre laughed again. "You're right. But I like my royal plaything best of all!"

Duo just shook his head. "You know, for something so angelic--"

"Angelic?" Wufei interrupted. "What is that?"

"You don't know what angels are?" Duo gasped.

"Would I ask if I did?"

Duo got up and turned so he could see Wufei. "Angels," he said in a solemn voice, "are servants of God who take care of things, like keeping people safe and stuff. They have wings like birds on their backs and they're very holy."

Wufei glanced at Quatre. "Like your honored servants of God?"

Quatre nodded.

Wufei quirked an eyebrow. "Male or female?"

"Um...neither. I mean, they're called guys, but they don't have the same...um...you know. Urges."

Wufei pondered this for a moment, then shook his head. "Your faith is very strange."

Duo visibly bristled. "They're real."

Wufei ignored that and lay back down. "They must be little dragons. You just haven't seen them right." A thought came to him and he looked up again. "You have seen one, yes?"

Duo's look darkened. "No...but they're still there."

"Of course."

Quatre groaned and closed his eyes. "Can we please avoid a holy war? I'm not up to a jihad at the moment."

Still miffed, Duo and Wufei lay back down and stared at the sky.

"Bunny."

"Duck."

"Dragon."

Frustrated, Quatre pointed to another cloud. "Scimitar."

"Rainbow."

"Fish scale."

"What the--?"

*

Metal clashed as two blades clanged together, then scraped as Heero and Trowa pulled back. They circled for a few seconds, trying to anticipate the next attack, and lunged again. Trowa slashed, Heero blocked. Heero tried to stab forward, Trowa dodged and responded with his own thrust, and Heero blocked again. They took a step back, neither having scored a hit.

"Someone could be trying to frame Sank," Trowa wondered.

Heero nodded curtly. "That was my thought. But who would gain from that move?"

Trowa abruptly darted forward so fast Heero only had time to get his own blade up to protect his throat as Trowa's nearly took his head off. Pushed to the wall, Heero struggled to keep the swords from his skin.

"Heero, you think too much of military moves," Trowa said. "They aren't attacking her, they're attacking you."

Grunting, Heero managed to shove Trowa back so hard the taller boy stumbled. "Straightforward moves have their place," he retorted. "But what do you mean?"

"If you believed the assassin, you'd attack Sank, thinking she had already attacked you." Trowa brought his sword up as he came closer. "Once you strike at her, you'd have a fight on one side of your kingdom."

Heero shook his head, parrying Trowa's slash. "She's a pacifist. She'd give up first, and that would save my forces from any real fighting."

"Not if someone offered to fight for her."

Heero backed away from his sibling's next thrust. "You think they'd make an offer?"

Trowa shook his head. "Not until you actually started the fight. But after you did, you would look like the aggressor, and whomever we are talking about would be in the right position to make an agreement with Relena. With her forces, she would probably fight to keep her people safe, and once you were conquered--"

"--then they take over Sank." Heero made his own slash, driving his brother back. "But Relena didn't send her pet assassin. If it had been Catalonia, then we'd know it was Sank. Since it would benefit the Romefellers and Bartons to pool their resources to steal both our kingdoms and topple Sank after, it must be them. They wouldn't be so stupid as to use such a roundabout method."

"They don't know you know."

Heero froze. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you have a habit of overestimating your enemy," Trowa said, halting his attack. "The enemy doesn't know we suspect them, or that we know your assassin was lying. They probably think you've invited Relena to a masquerade to assassinate her." Trowa suddenly smirked. "They know you're strong, Heero. But you act like a soldier. They don't know there's a bit of brain in there, too."

Heero considered, bringing his blade up to warn his brother that the fight was back on. "Devious." He ducked under Trowa's cut and tried to slash upward, but Trowa vaulted into the air, narrowly missing the slice. He spun a few times near the ceiling, then landed next to the opposite wall, immediately crouching into a defensive stance.

Heero just chuckled humorlessly. "Treize is right about you."

"Oh?"

"You are a human jumping spider."

"Come over here and say that."

"On my way."

*

Quatre rolled onto his stomach and propped himself up on his arms. "So, when the court comes together, we'll come in last."

Duo mimicked his motions. "How do we come in?"

"Heero and Trowa will go into the banquet hall and take their places, and then we come out from the doors behind them. You have to go out slightly in front of me, since this is Heero's kingdom and you're his. We don't say anything but walk straight up to them and sit down at their side, on the floor. It's best to put your head in his lap and stretch out, too."

"Whatever you do," Wufei added, "don't trip."

"And what then?"

Quatre considered. "Well, try not to look anyone in the eye. Some of them try to use us to get our master's favor, and that's never a good position to be in. If you spot something really weird going on, don't hesitate to tell Heero, but try not to let anyone see you. Best to just squeeze his hand and get his attention quietly."

"This is gonna be in the banquet hall?"

Wufei nodded. "You remember that large room we passed when we all had dinner?"

"Oh, I remember now. Do we get to eat, too?"

"If Heero feeds you."

Duo balked. "Feeds me?"

Wufei chuckled, as did the dragon at his side. "Don't worry, I'm sure Heero will give you lunch beforehand."

Quatre smiled, staring into the distance. "It's the only good part of court. He'll lift your veil just so that he can see you and give you little pieces of fruit with his fingers..."

"Veil?" Duo thought about the outfits Midii had only recently brought up to Heero for inspection. "Oh, yeah...hey, Wufei, are you gonna be there?"

Wufei nodded. "But as the court sorcerer. I need only wear Treize's signet showing I belong to him, and that I have taken a geis to obey his every word. That way I don't have to drape myself over him."

"He'll be standing nearby," Quatre assured him. "Treize'll be there, too, since he's the captain."

Duo gave Wufei an odd look. "You put your own geis on yourself? That's like putting on the chain willingly."

"Look who's talking," Wufei shot back. "You practically gave yourself to Heero!"

Duo smiled. "Yeah...but still..."

Wufei smiled slightly. "Remember, I did word my own spell. I left a few...commands out...so I wouldn't be completely under his thumb."

Duo smirked. "From the moaning I heard last night, I thought you liked being under him."

Wufei blushed furiously and looked away. "I didn't think we were that loud..." he muttered.

"So, when's the masquerade?" Quatre asked, changing the subject.

"I think Heero said it's in a couple of weeks," Duo answered. "Can we dance there?"

Quatre sighed sadly. "No, I'm afraid we're not allowed. But we can watch."

*

The door to the prince's bedchambers very slowly pushed in, squeaking only a little. Someone snapped their fingers, but no lights came on to boost the fading sun. Except for the noise from the window, the room was silent.

"They're not here."

"What do you mean, they're not here? They've been here every day for the past week!"

"Well, they're not here now."

"Damn...that would've made this easy."

"Troibeque, let's just wait for the big party, okay? We can nail the prince if we use a crossbow."

"Fine. This obviously isn't working. But you better be there."

"I will."

"I mean it, Freirs. Not like the last time, when you bailed."

"Like the little thief gave you a problem."

"You took off once you had him first!"

"I'll be there, all right? Lay off."

The door shut again.

*****

KC: And another chapter down...

Duo: Huh? What the heck was that last bit?

KC: You'll see...at the party...real soon...

Heero: And what kind of names were those? You sure that's not vodka in your water bottle?"

KC: I wish. Nope, they names are part of a little joke I'll let y'all in on once that pair is unmasked.

Zechs: They're wearing masks, too?

Quatre: Hey, no fair. It's just us main characters in here!

Zechs: Oh, sorry.

Treize: You skipped some time in this one.

KC: Yup, I didn't want to get bogged down in Duo tutoring--

Duo: Hooray!

KC:--and dinners--

Wufei:--and boring chapters...

KC: Watch it. I still have your torture scene to do.

Wufei: Real torture?

KC: Well, not intentional torture, but it's bad all the same.

Treize: When?

KC: um...soon. sometime. in the near future.

Trowa: She doesn't have a clue.

KC: Shhh!

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