The sun glares bright and hot, a cool breeze blowing to stifle the heat and allow the four riders a bit of relief. Two of them, the Prince Endymion and General Jadeite, know the trail well - when given the chance, the pair would race and explore this area of the forest for hours. The third, a simple guard, is also a common enough visitor to the trails - the Crown Prince of the Golden Kingdom is rarely without protection, unnecessary as it often was.
It is the fourth rider who was nearly a stranger to this trail, and to the horse he rode. General Kunzite, lord of Endymion's armies rarely chose to follow along on these 'frolics' as he often called them, preferring to focus on the work of running global armies.
The horse he rides belongs to Nephrite, a fact which is noticed and left unacknowledged by all members of the party, though Endymion and Jadeite both watch carefully.
Jadeite is irked that he's accompanied them - not only will the unusual change in behavior stir the rumor mill and leave him with damage to control, it could lead the Kingdom's enemies to suspect the Prince is weakened, to require two of his highest generals to accompany him on a short ride.
But Kunzite doesn't listen to his objections, which is slightly unusual, especially as the refusal comes before the guard watching mostly silently beside them. Jadeite has handpicked the guards who accompany them on their rides, but even the most loyal of people enjoy a spot of gossip at times.
There will be more than one rumor and he does not like it. But to avoid quarreling in front of the guard, who may as well be an outsider intruding upon a private moment, they continue on.
By the time they were fifteen miles into the trail Jadeite is positive that something is wrong. Kunzite hasn't spoken more than a handful of words, where he should have been busily insulting the sloppy horsemanship both Jadeite and Endymion purposely display, should have been criticizing the two of them for being so lazy as to put off their work for riding.
But instead he just quietly, obediently, rode with them. It was eery, eery and wrong but there was naught that he could do to prove it and so he would have to leave it be for now. Whatever was wrong with Kunzite, it would trip him up soon enough and then they would have him where they wanted, and he would know the problem. No illusion could fool him, no disguise good enough. This was Kunzite in body, his flesh and blood.
Coming to a log, Jadeite smirked as he watched first his Prince and then the guard jump over the obstacle. As he prepared his horse for the jump as well, still forty feet out and preparing to jump far to high for the sole sake of showing off, he caught a glance of reflected light. Instinct and training had him pulling back, his grip on the black horses' reins tightening. It reared, forelegs kicking the air as he changed direction, the sword swinging a wide arc and missing him.
Kunzite growled, the sound low and feral, and forced Nephrite's charger forward, the chestnut gelding snorting as it's bit was tugged harshly, ears flat. Jadeite gripped his mount tightly as it reared once more before charging to the side, nearly tossing him from the saddle. Across the log, twenty-feet away, Endymion and the guard watched tensely, Endymion obviously furious and urging his mount forward in an attempt to reach them.
"Stay there!" Jadeite shouted, grabbing his own sword and blocking Kunzite's next swing. The blows were raining down, but they did so without true skill or precision. "Kunzite, get a hold of yourself!"
There was no talking sense into the man however, his gray eyes glowing white as his hair and a look of cold determination carved onto his smooth fate. There would be no mercy from the leader of the Shitennou, not this day.
As the next blow swung towards him Jadeite slammed his sword up and out in a disarming gesture that shouldn't have worked near as well as it did. But more than Kunzite's mind was missing – obviously, his skill was as well. The sword flew towards the ground and Jadeite pressed his advantage, circling his steed about so that he could face the elder general. "Kunzite, stop this nonsense! Open your eyes fool, you are attacking your Master!"
The words felt clumsy and stupid leaving his mouth, because he knew Kunzite wasn't going to stop but it wasn't for his benefit. Anyone watching, whoever was commanding his leader would need to see what he wanted them too.
Endymion had disobeyed his order – expected but unfortunate – and a scowl twisted his face as he approached. "I command you -" His voice near echoed over the small grove and Jadeite hurried to interrupt.
"You will command no one Jadeite," Jadeite snapped back at him, half afraid and half impatient, "Obey me at once and halt!"
Endymion, clouded by illusion to resemble Jadeite himself, stopped with a furious glare. He was going to pay for that later, but for now? The show was most important. Nephrite's horse reared and Kunzite was thrown free, hitting the ground with a sickening crack and the Eastern General feared for his comrade's life before seeing that he was rising from the ground, groping for his blade on his hands and knees.
Jadeite grabbed his own sword and dismounted. Kunzite slashed wildly and Jadeite dodged with insulting ease, slamming the hilt of his weapon into the back of Kunzite's skull. The man dropped like a sack of flour, hair covering his face, blood spotting to show the blow had been too forceful.
"I did not think you were so skilled as to be his equal, my lord," Endymion said quietly as he finally approached some minutes later, dark anger hidden in eyes enchanted to a brighter blue.
"I'm not," Jadeite replied, answering the question both spoken and not. Now there was only the matter of what to do with him – they could not leave him here but in taking him their current condition would have to change. After a moment of consideration, he turned to Endymion and asked – commanded – him to tie up the leader of the Shitennou.
Who would have the power to command Kunzite against his will? The body that had attacked him lacked Kunzite's skill, his cunning, even his basic mannerisms. The true Kunzite would have known that whenever the two of them ventured from the palace Jadeite's illusions traded their appearance, created false guards to provide the illusion of added but unneeded security. That he had been fully taken in by the surprise indicated an outside force unfamiliar with even this most basic of Endymion's protections.
Hidden on his saddle, Jadeite made a few short hand signals, building his energy. The illusion covering him wavered for a span of time less than a blink, and then he was shielded by the appearance of the false guard, which now wore the form of Endymion. Jadeite's mare was now a dull gray gelding, a fact which clearly did not thrill the vain creature, but it would work.
Endymion, still wearing Jadeite's form, was more than quick to catch on. "Guard! Secure General Kunzite to your mount and bring him to the palace – make haste, we must depart at once."
And there was that revenge. Jadeite swore to himself as he struggled to heave Kunzite's bulk across his poor mount's back, but the job was done within a few moments, Kunzite's bound form now to the back of Jadeite's mare. It would not be a comfortable ride, but it would allow them to move quickly as they made their way back to the Palace.
Words of comfort wanted to leave his lips, wanted to pour free to reassure his Prince as he caught sight of the hidden distress in his eyes, but he held his tongue. Neither of them wanted to risk Endymion's safety, not when whoever had enchanted Kunzite could be watching. Better for Jadeite to be closer to danger than allow Kunzite near Endymion, the illusion or the true man.
"The General will surely recover my Lord, there is no doubt." Jadeite reassured him quietly.
Endymion stiffened, but there was a tiny smile playing at the corner of his mouth, the sort he made when he felt reassured but didn't want others to see.
He understood the hidden message – between the four of them, they would fix this. Kunzite would not remain lost to them.