An Earl Mislaid

by Nix Winter

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiss Kruez, and I doubt Youji would really be caught dead in a waistcoat and cravat, but he'd be sooo cute :)

Warning: AU, big time. This is a regency romance with the Weiss boys. It's an Aya/Youji, and Aya-chan/Original. Omi and Ken will likely show up in here too.

Note: So, I'm just playing with this and struggling to get my writing wings back. It'll likely get finished with lemon as an original eventually. :)

There are certain tasks of the Crown which men of quality sometimes do tend to. Such things are not spoken of and such men often bare the secrets of their service in scars so deep in their souls that only the most intimate of those lovers may see so deeply. It is the way of the world that some people are hawks and some people are mice, but the greater problem comes when one can not them remember which one is.

The carriage came out of the mist like a great dark omen, four black horses drawing the Viscount Abyssinian towards his family home. Autumn chilled as the carriage passed,

disturbing red and gold leaves on the tree lined street which lead to main house

The house had been build in the time of Henry and Eleanor, expanded by each viscount since. It towered over the mist which clung to it, four stories of history and secrets.

It was a quiet place, more at home in England's fogs than in her summers, though that had not always been the case. The former Viscount had been a proper servant of His Majesty, just as his father had been before him. The current viscount was proper only as far as his smile, or lack there of.

His mother's Irish blood showed in his hair which was flame red and a temper that made

his hair pale. His trip to the Continent had ended early and even though the object of his

mission had been successful, the viscount was deeply dissatisfied with the end results.

On the inside carriage the viscount leaned forward to tend the small brazier which warmed the leather and velvet interior of the carriage. The Viscount was a strikingly beautiful man and just as strikingly unaware of it. A delicate face, narrow and disapproving lips, eyes the color of dawn before its dawn, when night still holds sway, a shade of violet that made a person either fall into him or avoid him all together.

The previous night had been uneasy for sleep, both for the viscount and the person tucked

up in the thick quilts opposite of him in the carriage, Ran had already had his fill of nurturing invalids. After the murder of his parents, his sister had refused to speak or move on her own for nearly two years. This was a secret he had kept from everyone, except the star chamber.

The reach of His Majesty's justice reached farther than the church. It had not been long after the death of tinier parent's that the Star Chamber had made him an offer which he could not refuse. He got revenge against the group which killed his parents, he protected his sister's precious reputation and was able to add substantially to her dowry.

Awake now, she was of age now and would have her first season soon. She would marry well and have a splendid life. His plans for her were clean and easy. She would all the beauties of life and have joy and safety, lovely children and a husband of good reputation who would care for her well.

He had plans for himself as well and they included a respectable wife of an independent bend, with good name and a maternal leaning. Someone to nurture and care for the future Viscount Abyssinian. Those plans did not include the figure tucked up into the far corner of his carriage. He told himself quite firmly that he had no interest in the soft tangle of blond curls and he most defiantly was not interested in touching the strong fingers that

lay on the thick velvet lined cover.

And then he reached over and pulled the cover over those fingers. The fever seemed lower and that was the only reason his hand had brushed those of his partner's. It was only to keep chill away, only to see about the fever. Youji Kudou, now Earl of Balinese, did not respect the rules of the world. He drank too much. He smiled too easily. He could sit a horse and take the road as if they were kin to the wind. The Balinese Earl was the most graceful and striking man Ran had ever known and Ran knew his eyes and thoughts followed this blond rakehell with an intensity that not even the most skilled French courtesan had been able to arouse. It was not acceptable than Ran's missing passion could have awoken from being near Balinese.

He had brought the injured earl home to because they were not safe in France,

Here the annoyingly disturbing earl could heal. Ran owed him this safety because the injuries had occurred while the earl was saving a viscount who had taken on just slightly too many opponents. ''We are nearly at my home, Balinese," 'Ran said. ''There will be only you and I, but I will send for the village doctor and all will be well."

Viscount Abyssinian was not prone to speaking to himself, but some part of him expected the earl to wake and complain over the intrusion into his sleep. The earl did not. The Earl was the most insufferable of creatures!

Everyone had a place in life.

Everyone had responsibilities to live up to. If the Earl of Balinese wanted to be a

rakehell and patron of pleasure, that was his own concern. As soon as the earl was healthy

again, Ran would wash his hands of him!

'''It really is not healthy to sleep so much," Ran complained as the earl didn't respond. The carriage was already slowing so Ran move from his seat and brushed soft blond hair away from the earl's pale face. So very pale, too much blood loss, and Ran worried

for the earl. ''Do not worry, Youji," Ran whispered, close, so close that not even a servant could over hear, ''Do not worry. it is quiet here and I have always been able to heal here." Ran's fingers combed into those unguarded waves. "You must not do any more foolish heroic rushes into battle, Balinese. Do you understand me? I can not be relied on to

support such behavior. No more foolishness of any other kind either! And you understand of which I speak, Balinese."

Of course, the unconscious blond did not respond, though his lips did part with a deep

slow breath. The French doctor had said the reckless earl was simply sleeping, due to the

extent of his injuries. In truth, it was all a little much for the Viscount. He needed the

serene quiet of his family's estate as much as he hoped it would be healing for the earl.

And then his carriage shifted. Coals rolled in the brazier and he reached for his sword.

It was not possible that the villains which they had fought in France had followed them

to his home. If that were the case, he would slay them, and not only for the King's business. Fist tight around the hilt of his sword, Ran watched the carriage doors open. Fog rolled over the polished hard wood floor, as if they were the ghosts of the King's dead enemies.

It was the palest flash of blue linen that stayed his hand, as completely unbelievable

as that was, that his innocent and obedient little sister could be at Sable Hedge instead of staying in London, as he had told her to.

''Ran! I knew it would be you when I saw the carriage! I'm so happy to see you!" A slight girl, still a child in his mind, threw her arms around his neck and hugged him for all his she was worth! ''I am so happy to see you!

''Aya!'' Ran snapped as he backed his sister out of the carriage before she could notice his sleeping earl. "What are you doing here? Did I not tell you to stay in London?''

He had her firmly by the shoulders, looking her sternly in the eye!

"Well, yes, but you see, ''s he started, "but I thought it would be much more lovely to have Lady Manx's birthday celebration here. Where we can have a fox hunt and there is fresh cream.''

That was when Ran's heart completed stopped. ''How many people are here in my house?"

"But it is my house as well. Besides! You have brought home a guest as well! Who is your friend?"

"Aya," Ran growled, very shocked to see his sister so forward as she tried to get a glimpse of the sleeping earl hidden in his carriage. "''My guest is of no concern to

you!"

She took a step back, her decorum returning, fingers laced behind her back, violet

as eyes watching him with innocence that was no real proof of being undangerous, "Oh, so you do have a special guest then?"

The carriage creaked, and they both turned. There in the door stood a tall blond lord, velvet quilt held tightly in one fist, a tangle of hair around his long face. Color stood out brightly on his cheeks, and his eyes were so vivid, an emerald green. The white linen of his shirt's collar lay against his face, drawing attention to the slightly unshaven state of his face. His smile though caught both brother and sister, held them with it's small lift. "You have such beautiful eyes, Aya," he said, voice deep, melted chocolate warm, even with the fever that clouded his thoughts.

Aya laid a hand on her chest, pressing lacy ruffles down, wide eyes watching this unknown guest. As the guest fainted, her brother caught him, easily lifting the taller man in his arms. She tilted her head, eyes narrowing as her unemotional brother held this stranger so tenderly, tucking a blond head against his shoulder. It was all just so terribly interesting.

All Ran could think was how would he ever explain that the Earl of Balinese knew the brother by the sister's name.