Lillia & Treize, Merielle's Story

by jayb

I hadn't planned on writing this one, but I couldn't leave poor Merielle alone. A simple trip turns into something else entirely different. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.

LILLIA AND TREIZE: MERIELLE'S STORY

ONE:

Sergeant Kurt Jaeger opened the door to the hut behind the seaplane hanger that had become his new station almost two years ago. The first thing he noticed was that the lights were on and secondly the heavenly smell of fresh coffee that greeted him. He breathed in deeply and smiled, then gave his normal greeting. "Good morning Lieutenant L, did you fix your tea yet?"

From the small office next to the main room Lillia's voice sounded sleepy. "Not yet, I just got here a little while ago myself and started your coffee first. I don't sleep well when Treize is away on a hunting trip."

Jaeger heard her yawn. "Thanks, Lieutenant, I'll start your water right now." He stepped over to the small shelf that served as the office food and drink station, and poured a cup of the steaming coffee. Taking a sip he closed his eyes as he relished the flavor of the properly made coffee. He sighed, then filled the empty teakettle with fresh water and placed it over the flaming burner.

Walking back to his desk he almost sat down when Lillia came out of her small office, stared bleary eyed at the not yet steaming pot and grimaced. Letting out a deep breath she went over and partially filled a mug with coffee and added milk to fill the cup. Taking a quick sip her nose wrinkled and she shook her head. "I still don't see how you can drink this all the time." She went over and sat on the top of Jaeger's desk and took another sip as she swung her legs. "Will you please sit down; you don't have to be at attention every time I come in. Is there anything important for me this morning?"

Just as her Sergeant started to shuffle through the envelopes and papers he had brought with him from the mail room the telephone rang. Lillia nodded and took another sip of her coffee so Jaeger answered. "Two sixty-second operations, Jaeger speaking." He listened for a minute and then smiled. "I think I've got it Sergeant, I'll pass the message along." He hung up the phone and looked up at Lillia. "Sergeant Krause wishes to inform you that the Princess has been repaired and is now ready for her air test." His grin widened. "Furthermore he and Lieutenant Jergen both request that the Lieutenants Benedict please refrain in the future from bringing the Princess back with bullet holes." Lillia's eyebrows rose and Jaeger's grin widened more. "They say it causes them great anxiety to see their aircraft damaged, or words to that effect."

Lillia rolled her eyes and took another sip of coffee as the teakettle started to whistle. She stood up, sighed and went over to measure out the tea into the pot. "I hope that Krause and Jergen realize that the Lieutenants Benedict are not real happy with the bullet holes either." She turned back toward Jaeger. "Besides the pure terror of the moment it does make the flight out very thrilling though." She looked thoughtful for a second. "Remind me to tell them I will possibly consider their request, but I can't make any guarantees."

Outside there was the noise of an approaching motorcycle that stopped in front of the building. A quick knock and a dispatch rider entered, saluted and reached out to hand Jaeger a sealed envelope from his messenger case. Saluting again he turned and left. A few seconds later the motorcycle roar diminished as he rode off.

Jaeger looked at the envelope with the "Secret" stamp across the front and back. "Message for you, Lieutenant; I had hoped nothing would come up while your husband is on that hunting vacation with those other officers."

Lillia frowned as she took the envelope, then setting her mug down she picked up the letter opener on Jaeger's desk and slit it open. She pulled out single sheet of paper, also stamped "Secret", and read it over and smiled. "Well, well, it looks as if you will meet my sisters-in-law today, Sergeant." Handing the letter to Jaeger she picked up her mug and sipped. Making a face she went over to the shelf and poured a mug of tea after washing out the cold coffee.

Jaeger looked over the letter and whistled. "They are coming today by ten o'clock, no honors are to be rendered, and her airplane needs to be kept out of sight." He looked back up to Lillia as she blew on the hot tea in her mug. "And exactly who are they, Lieutenant?"

She almost choked on her sip of tea. "Who are they?" Lillia blinked a couple of times and looked thoughtful. "I guess we never have told you all that extraneous information have we?" She took another sip before continuing. "Sergeant Jaeger you will be meeting with the Crown Princess Merielle Benedict of the Kingdom of Ikstova, my sister-in-law, as well as the Lady Carlotta Benedict, her sister and secretary and also, obviously, my sister-in-law." She looked down at Jaeger's wide eyes and then grinned at him. "Yes, Lieutenant Treize is Prince of Ikstova just as I am a Princess of Ikstova." She sipped her tea again.

Jaeger stared at Lillia then leaned with his elbows on the desk with his hands covering his face. Lillia sat back on the desk top and started to swing her legs again. Finally Jaeger looked up at her. "I'm sorry Lieutenant L; I never knew what country you were a Princess of. Am I supposed to bow to you now or later?"

Lillia looked down at Jaeger with the haughty look that her classmates in school would use when speaking to her. "Groveling is in order Sergeant, no bowing allowed at all." She sniffed and raised her nose into the air. "Groveling is always to be used in my exalted presence." From the corner of her eye she looked down at her Sergeant as he tried hard to not laugh out loud. She sniffed again and gave a huge sigh. "Insubordination, that's all I ever get." Then she took another sip of tea.

Jaeger shook his head. "Yes, my lady, remind me to grovel when Lieutenant Treize comes back." He looked back at the letter in his hand. "Do you have any idea why your sisters are coming with no fanfare? Do you want me to get the 'bucket' out to pick them up?"

Lillia stood up and went over to refill her mug. "I don't have a clue, but Merielle usually doesn't like to announce her travels, so that's nothing new. And there's no need for the squadron vehicle for heaven's sake, we can walk all the way to the front of the hanger."

Jaeger jumped up from his desk and stood at rigid attention. "Yes, your highness, your wishes are my command!"

Lillia looked at him. "Have you been taking lessons from my exalted husband?" Jaeger only smiled.

TWO:

The crew of seaplane handlers stood at the ready on the ramp while Lillia and Sergeant Jaeger stood near the water to one side. Sergeant Krause walked over and saluted Lillia.

"I understand that we are to store the aircraft inside the hanger Lieutenant. Is there anything special beyond that that you might know of?"

Lillia smiled at the Sergeant. "Just the normal feeding and watering is all I know about. We'll find out when she arrives what she has in mind." Krause saluted again and went back to his crew.

Just after Krause left there was the roar of a low flying aircraft. From behind the hanger a Lightning appeared, flying at what had to be full throttle as it zoomed past over the lagoon and made a climbing turn to lose speed and land. Lillia shook her head as the handlers mouths gaped open at the bright pink wings and pink lightning bolt down the fuselage of the arriving airplane. Above the lightning bolt were the markings of the Ikstova Tourist Authority.

Jaeger's eyebrows rose as he looked down at Lillia. "The Princess likes pink I take it."

With a sigh Lillia watched the plane taxi across the lagoon toward the ramp. "She has always had a pink airplane. I do hope the men remember that she and Carlotta are guests of the King." She paused a second. "That's if they know who is on the plane at all."

The pink embellished Lightning drifted up to the ground crew at the ramp and the door by the pilot's canopy opened. Carlotta climbed out on the wing and after taking off her leather helmet shook her below the shoulder length auburn hair out and then she stretched. The ground crew that could see her stopped what they were doing and stared at the tall radiant beauty with the eye-popping figure. Next Merielle opened the pilot's canopy then wormed out of her pilot seat and stood up to take her helmet off and shake loose her long black hair. Those in the crew that missed Carlotta had come over to see why the others were just staring and then stood in awe at the two visions of beauty standing on the wing. The airplane started to drift away from the ramp and Sergeant Krause ran from the hanger waving his arms and yelling. Suddenly the crewmen woke up to be about their duties as Carlotta saw Lillia and waved while shouting a greeting. "Good morning sister!" She paused for a second and looked around. "Where's brother Treize?" Carlotta went to the ladder and slid down to the pontoon then ran along it and jumped to the ramp. Running over to Lillia she grabbed her in huge hug. Stepping back from Lillia Carlotta looked up at Jaeger and smiled. "Who is he, sister? He's handsome; could I have him since I can't have brother Treize?"

Jaeger's eyes went wide and his jaw almost dropped open. Then he noticed the rank markings on the tall beautiful girl's flight jacket and snapped to attention saluting. "I'm sorry Lieutenant Benedict; I didn't see your rank, Sergeant Kurt Jaeger at your service." He didn't budge and kept his eyes straight forward while holding the salute.

Carlotta giggled and returned the salute. "Sorry Sergeant, I keep forgetting about having a rank." She smiled over at Lillia who was slowly shaking her head. "Where's brother Treize?"

Merielle stepped off the pontoon and spoke softly with Sergeant Krause before turning to Lillia and Jaeger. She noticed Sergeant Jaeger's eyes quickly go over her with a slight hesitation on seeing the Major's rank marking on the jacket sleeve. Her smile was almost predatory as she stepped close to Jaeger and spoke in a quiet voice. "Do you like what you see, Sergeant?"

Jaeger ignored the question and gave the sharpest salute he could muster. "Welcome to our base Major Benedict! I'm Sergeant Kurt Jaeger, Major." Sweat started to roll down his forehead as he waited for Merielle to return the salute. Staring straight at his face the raven haired Major saluted and he relaxed.

Merielle looked at Lillia and hugged her. "Where is my little brother, Lillia? For once I could use him and he isn't in attendance to his Crown Princess." She could hold her face straight for only a second before the three girls all giggled. Sergeant Jaeger and the ground crewmen all stared totally confounded by the actions of the officers.

Lillia calmed herself for a second. "Treize took some other officers on a hunting trip into the southern mountains." She wiped a tear from her cheek and hugged Carlotta and then Merielle. "He said that it was a 'man thing' and women weren't allowed."

Merielle shook her head and smiled. "Sounds like something dad would say. Anyway, can we go somewhere private to talk? I have a little mission of my own to discuss with you." She looked Sergeant Jaeger up and down. "And I want the Sergeant in on the discussion also. I might need him to stand in for my missing baby brother."

"Our squadron office is just behind this hanger and we can talk there." Lillia motioned for her sisters to start toward the back of the hanger. "And my Sergeant will be happy to help us, won't you Sergeant?"

Jaeger snapped to attention. "Yes, ma'am, Lieutenant L, I'll do all that I can." As he started to walk Carlotta reached over and wrapped her arms around his left arm while pushing her breast into it.

"Sister Lillia, may I have him, please?" Jaeger's eyes opened wide as he looked over at her beautiful grey eyes and smile.

Lillia and Merielle didn't break stride, but Merielle slowed to walk beside Jaeger. Leaning over she whispered in his ear with a lilt in her voice. "She's only fifteen, my dear Sergeant Jaeger." As sweat appeared on Jaeger's forehead she giggled and stepped back up beside Lillia. Carlotta only gripped her Sergeant tighter and grinned as he became more uncomfortable but was afraid to say anything.

After reaching the squadron building Jaeger managed to detach Carlotta from his arm. Standing to attention he loudly asked if the officers would like some fresh tea or coffee. Carlotta pouted and mumbled something about not being appreciated by the Sergeant.

Both Lillia and Merielle turned toward the stiffly standing sergeant, and then they started to giggle again. "Sergeant Jaeger, please stop that, you don't have to be at attention every time you want to talk to us." Lillia smiled. "I think Carlotta and Merielle both would like some tea, and you can pour some for me also, thank you. Then you can make some of your coffee for yourself."

For the first time Jaeger seemed to relax slightly and he smiled. "I'll fix myself some tea also, ma'am, I much prefer the coffee when you make it." Realizing what he had said he turned red. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, please ignore my impertinence!"

Merielle raised an eyebrow at Lillia. "I see you have him well trained, sister." She sat back against Jaeger's desk and sighed, then looked over at the Sergeant as he prepared the hot water. "Sergeant Jaeger, what we are about to discuss is not for public knowledge." She paused as the Sergeant placed the tea kettle on the burner and turned to face her again standing at attention. Merielle shook her head and crossed her arms. "Your name is Kurt, right? Well, Kurt, for this mission we all need to be on first name terms and use no ranks or other honorifics." A smile came to her face. "And that also includes you doing that military thing, so please stop being so stiff."

Jaeger blinked a couple of times, stood straight and then loudly spoke out. "Yes, ma'am, I fully understand what you are saying."

Merielle rolled her eyes and shook her head while Carlotta and Lillia giggled. "Kurt, stop that! Lillia, please may I knock some of that military out of him?" She grinned evilly at Kurt. "Kurt, I plan on treating you just like my brother so beware."

Kurt looked at Lillia and Merielle, and then relaxed. "Lieu…Sorry, Lillia, may I address your sisters in that way?"

"It sounds all right to me and they seem happy with the familiarity." Lillia smiled and motioned toward Merielle. "Kurt, I would like you to meet my sisters Merielle and Carlotta visiting from Ikstova."

Merielle sighed. "Great, now that the formalities are over this is what I have planned and why." She glanced around the room. "Do you have a map handy?"

"I have one on my office wall." Lillia led a procession into her shared office with two desks and the rest followed. "There it is, help yourself."

Merielle walked over and studied the large map of Sous-Beil, nodded and turned back to her audience and cleared her throat. "Lillia, and Kurt, I'm sure you know all about the marriage trips that I have made or that suitors have made to visit me in Ikstova." She paused and Lillia nodded. "There has been one recent proposal from the Kingdom of Theron requesting that I consider one of their sons, Prince Johan, as my prospective husband. He has not visited Ikstova yet, nor have I responded in the affirmative to the King that I would consider the Prince in marriage." She paused and smiled slightly. "And this is where my family comes in. I plan on going to Theron as a tourist and see what this Prince really is like."

Kurt tentatively raised his hand. "Uh, Merielle, why do you need to do this in secret?"

She smiled at him. "Good question, Kurt, and it has to do with information that I have heard about the good Prince Johan. Information that may not be entirely true and because it is very important I need to know for certain." She watched him nod.

"All right then, this is the plan. The four of us will fly to Regio, using Lillia's Princess, and then take the ferry to Konstant, the main port of Theron. From there we will take the train to Devoia, the capital of Theron. Our task will then be to find out all we can about Prince Johan and return back here. Any questions so far?"

Again Kurt raised his hand. "Why am I needed in this?"

Merielle grinned wider. "Originally I had planned on having my dear brother come with us. Three beautiful ladies traveling by themselves would not be a good thing. He would be our escort as well as dear sister Lillia's husband. And now you, Kurt, will fill in for Treize."

Kurt's eyes widened and he stuttered slightly. "I'm to play Lillia's husband?"

"No, no, Kurt, you are traveling with me as my fiancé, and my dearest sisters are along for our vacation trip to have fun as well as protect me from your perverted pre-marital advances."

Kurt's mouth dropped open and Carlotta punched him on the arm. "You touch my sister and you die, I don't care if you are her fiancé." She hit him again. "And that is for choosing her over me, you perverted scoundrel!" Then she grabbed his arm in a tight hold and laid her head on his shoulder. "But I'll always be here for you if she doesn't treat you right." Kurt was wide eyed and speechless.

"All right, now we'll have a briefing by my navigation officer. Carlotta, please."

Carlotta sighed and let go of Kurt's arm then moved to the map. She pointed to the map and became all business. "We are here; using Lillia's Princess we will fly to this point and spend the night." Her finger moved to a lake. "Tomorrow we need an early start, I calculate no later than 0730, to get us into Regio before dark and that includes one refueling stop. There is a military seaplane dock where we will safely be able to leave the Princess while we are in Theron." Her finger moved to the costal city, and she looked at the others. "If we don't get an early start we would need to land at this lake for the second night." She indicated a small lake between the first lake and Regio. "Darkness coming earlier limits us on travel." Turning back to the map she indicated the water. "We have hotel reservations in Regio and have booked passage on the ferry to Konstant." The finger traveled across the water to the port. "Again we have hotel reservations in Konstant and Devoia as well as tickets for the Konstant to Devoia Express train." Carlotta paused and looked straight at Kurt. "Any questions brother Kurt?" Seeing his quick head shake she went back over and wrapped around his arm again.

Merielle didn't move before speaking. "Carlotta and I have our travel bags already to load on the Princess. Kurt, you need to pack as a civilian. Lillia you already know what you need." She looked at her watch, then back at Kurt and Lillia. "Carlotta says we should be out of here before 1300, so both of you get ready and we'll meet at the ramp." From the front office the whistle of the tea kettle began to sound. "Just in time, Carlotta and I will have some tea while you two get ready." Kurt went to attention and saluted, Carlotta hit him on the back of his head and reluctantly let go of his arm.

Lillia leaned over her desk and started writing a list and signed it with a flourish. "Kurt, take this to Supply to be filled. You need flight gear for this trip, and I have noted that we need four blankets." She handed the list to her Sergeant. "And be in your civilian clothes when you come back."

Kurt started to go to attention then stopped and glanced to his side to see if Carlotta was there. He gave a sigh of relief and looked back at his commanding officer. "Lillia, I'm sorry but I just have trouble calling a group of royals by their first names."

Lillia smiled again. "Kurt, relax and just think of us as your sisters then treat us that way. Didn't you tell me you have some younger sisters back home?"

This time Kurt grinned. "I sure do, Lillia, but I didn't have one hanging on me like Carlotta does." He paused as a thought crossed his mind. "Guess I will have to watch I don't pull her pig-tails if she ever has any." He waved and left for the Supply office and Lillia headed to her room to change clothes.

THREE:

Kurt drove the "bucket" straight down the ramp to where the Princess was pulled up. Merielle, Carlotta and Lillia were all standing as if waiting for his arrival. He also noted that the ramp handling crew somehow required about thirty men and in the hanger he could see several officers watching the proceedings. Inwardly he cringed as Carlotta waved at him and most of the ground crew frowned as he drove past. He knew his life on base would never be the same.

Carlotta ran over to the car as Kurt pulled up and stopped. "Brother, we've been waiting for you so we can be on our way. Anything I can carry?"

Kurt climbed out and was greeted with a kiss on the cheek by Carlotta. He didn't miss a beat and acted as if that was routine in his life. "You can bring the blankets, I'll take my pack." Looking over at the waiting ground crew he saw his friend Sergeant Krause and waved. "Krause, could you have our car taken back to the office please?" Krause frowned and nodded, Kurt knew he was really going to get it from his old friend when he returned.

Carlotta had already taken the blankets over to the Princess and lifted them onto the wing before going out the pontoon and climbing up the ladder. Thirty pair of eyes followed her every movement. Merielle and Lillia were smiling broadly as Kurt came up to them and almost forgot himself by going to attention. Merielle leaned over and whispered so only he could hear. "Think she ruined your life enough today or should I kiss you too?"

Again without missing a beat or smiling he looked her straight in the eyes. "Shouldn't I expect a greeting kiss from my fiancé?"

Merielle's smile grew wider. "You brought this on yourself." Then she leaned forward and kissed him full on the lips. One of the ground crew fell in the water behind them while Lillia rolled her eyes and shook her head.

From above them on the wing Carlotta pointed at the pair and yelled. "Sister, stop that, you know he's mine!"

Lillia finally started to shoo the pair toward the plane. "Come on, if we don't get out of here Kurt will have a heart attack, and I'll have to find a complete new staff."

With gentle pushes Kurt and Merielle climbed aboard the Princess and went into the fuselage leaving Carlotta standing on the wing at the cabin door. She grinned, threw a kiss toward the ground crew then climbed inside and closed the cabin.

Inside the cabin Kurt stacked two of the blankets at the back to pad the floor then sat down and shook his head. "Is this how the entire trip is going to be?"

Merielle stood with the other two blankets in her hands. "So far it's just a normal family outing, is something wrong? And are you going to hog that spot or will you move over so I can sit?" Kurt moved his blankets over and Merielle stacked hers beside him and sat down.

Carlotta turned around in the navigator's seat. "Merielle, why don't you navigate and let me sit back there beside brother?"

"Because you are a trained navigator and I'm just an extra pilot. Besides he is supposed to play my fiancé and needs to be in character."

Lillia leaned down from the pilot's seat. "Okay, people, I'm ready to start the engine so we can begin this little mission, so please settle down. Kurt, keep your hands to yourself. Merielle the same goes for you." Merielle stuck out her tongue at Lillia and moved closer to Kurt while Lillia just rolled her eyes and sighed. The sound of the engine and water slapping against the pontoons signaled their departure for an unknown adventure.

FOUR:

The flight went smoothly and Merielle fell asleep with her head on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt was still trying to figure out if he was the luckiest man alive by taking a trip with three beautiful women, two of which were unattached, or if he was in for a trip from hell. His arm ached with Merielle leaning on it but he was scared to move it to a better position. Every so often Carlotta would look back, smile, and blow him a kiss. This trip could easily be heaven or hell and he closed his own eyes for a quick nap.

It was late afternoon when the lake appeared just as Carlotta had computed. A smooth landing was made and ended with the pontoons nudging a small beach where the travelers disembarked. Kurt and Lillia put up the tent while Merielle and Carlotta prepared the campsite with a fire, logs to sit on and extra firewood. Darkness was coming fast so dinner consisted of sandwiches from the Princess's cooler and beer with a fruit drink for Carlotta. Kurt quickly volunteered to sleep in the plane after the girls looked from the tent to him. And then everyone went to bed and quickly fell asleep after the long day.

It was still dark when Kurt woke up. He got the fire going again and heated some water to shave as well as started a pot of coffee. Noticing fish feeding in the lake he dug a fishing pole out of the pontoon storage compartment and tried his luck. Within a few minutes he had caught four nice fat fish and started to prepare them for breakfast. The sky was brightening behind the mountains when he heard a noise and saw Merielle come out of the tent in her nightgown and wearing her flight jacket and boots.

"Good morning, Merielle, did you sleep well?"

She looked groggily at him then tried to run the hairbrush that she held through her hair. "How can you be so awake this early?" She sat down on the log beside Kurt and tried to brush her hair again but it was caught in a tangle.

"Would you like some coffee, I'll have some fish ready in just a minute." Kurt looked at the royal princess beside him and started to laugh quietly.

"You better have a good reason for that mister, it's too early for me and I have a weapon." She waved the brush at him.

Kurt poured a cup of coffee and handed it Merielle, then took the brush from her. "Turn around so I can reach your hair. I used to do this for my sisters when they were small." He started to brush her hair slowly, careful to pull apart gently on any tangles. In a couple of minutes he was finished and held the brush out for her to take back. "There all done, now you don't have 'bed head' and can face the coming day with a smile."

Merielle turned back to face Kurt and took another sip of the coffee. "You are surprisingly well domesticated, thanks for the coffee and brush job." She glanced at the fire and the fish starting to smell like a good breakfast. "When do I get the next course?"

"They should be ready now; do you want a plate or just eat it as is?" He held out a split fish on a stick.

She frowned at him in the half light and taking the offered stick nibbled a small bite off. "That's good! Why would I want a plate for goodness sake, we're on a camp out."

Kurt shook his head. "Because I'm not used to having breakfast with a Crown Princess wearing her nightgown beside a campfire, that's why. I have no idea what a royal needs to eat a meal. You may require china and crystal and solid gold knives and forks for all I know." His eyes narrowed and he looked closely at her as she took another bite of the fish. "Are you sure you are a royal?"

She swallowed the bite before answering. "Yes, I'm the Crown Princess of Ikstova, and Treize is my brother and Lillia is my sister-in-law. Carlotta is my adopted sister. My mother was not raised as a royal and my dad was a Major in the Air Force. Sorry I don't meet up to your expectations." She started to get up but Kurt put his hand out to her arm and stopped her.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make it sound like that. Let's just say the past day has been different for me. Would you like some warm water to wash up with, I have a pot over there just for that purpose."

Merielle smiled and ate the last bite of fish. "Guess it has been a whirlwind of change for you hasn't it. I'll take you up on the warm water."

Just then a pair of arms went around Kurt's neck and Carlotta gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good morning my Kurt, do I get some breakfast also?"

He handed Carlotta a fish. "Here you are, my dear little sister, would you like some coffee to go with that?"

"Pooh! You're no fun; I wanted to see you squirm like you did yesterday."

"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm a little more with the program this morning." He handed her a cup of coffee. "You sure you should drink this, I've heard it could stunt your growth and put hair on your chest?"

Carlotta grinned and thrust out her chest, popping the top button of her pajama top open. "You want me smaller and hairy, brother?"

Kurt's eyes opened wide, then he reached over and pulled Carlotta's flying jacket closed. "My little sister shouldn't do such things or people will talk and have very nasty thoughts." He gently pulled her over and kissed her forehead. "No more of that, please."

Merielle watched the action and gently smiled to herself. Carlotta looked at Kurt for a few seconds then she zipped her jacket, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek again. "As you wish my brother, I would love for you to be my brother for real." Sitting close, she started to eat the fish that Kurt had handed her.

Noise from the tent announced Lillia waking up to greet the day. Her sleepy eyed face peered from the tent flap at the three people by the fire. "It's too early for all this activity." She sniffed the air. "Do I smell breakfast?" She sniffed again loudly. "I believe Kurt has made the coffee also." She stepped from the tent in her pajamas and scratched her stomach under the shirt. "Carlotta, do we really have to be up and out this early?"

"Yes, sister, we have reservations and connections to make." Carlotta grinned and looked at Merielle and Kurt. "Of course it all could be done away with if our Merielle would just marry Kurt." She gave a huge sigh and leaned over to rest her head on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt spewed his mouthful of coffee toward the campfire and started to cough.

Lillia looked thoughtful and scratched her stomach some more. "And I would get to sleep later, also." Her face brightened. "Sounds like a plan to me. But now I want breakfast since you made me get up." She walked over and sat down on Kurt's other side and stretched out her hand. "Coffee, please, my minion." Kurt handed her a steaming cup and after blowing on it she took a sip and grimaced. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this army stuff." She smiled sweetly at Kurt. "Treize would fix me tea in the morning." Her eyelashes fluttered at him. "Hint, hint."

"Sorry, I don't have any tea out." He frowned at Merielle and Lillia. "In fact I wasn't the one that packed our supplies. Did anyone bring tea?" No one spoke and he slowly shook his head. "Okay, note to Kurt, buy tea at our next stop."

"I think Kurt is coming along fine domestically. I can't wait to see what happens when there are other people around." Merielle handed her empty cup to Kurt. "I do like the 'minion' thing, too. Keep up the good work and wash the china and crystal until they are sparkling, I will be personally checking them later with my white gloves. I'm getting dressed so no attempt at peeking." She quickly walked over to the tent and closed the flap.

Lillia chewed on her fish and sipped at her cup of coffee while Kurt and Carlotta cleaned up the remains of the breakfast. She had a gentle smile as she watched them work. This was turning out like a family vacation and she was happy for Merielle being able to get away from her royal duties.

Kurt had the camp cleaned up before the girls finished getting dressed, then he and Lillia took down the tent and rolled it up to fit back in the pontoon storage. Lillia let Merielle fly the Princess out of the lake while she nestled beside Kurt and went back to sleep. At the fueling stop a change out was made again and Lillia went back to flying while Merielle took over the navigator duties. Carlotta wrapped her arms around Kurt and he never complained. Merielle was able to get a picture of them both asleep in each others arms at the rear of the cabin. Afterward she called up to Lillia to have a look at the pair and mentioned something about 'blackmail' pictures to keep Kurt in line later.

By late afternoon the Princess was flying along the coast toward Regio. The plan as outlined by Merielle was for the plane to be left at the military seaplane base that lay across the harbor from the town. Their hotel reservations were for a hotel near the ferry dock. Tomorrow evening they would be in the port city of Konstant. As they flew over the harbor they saw a large private yacht anchored off the town's public dock. All three girls voiced their preference for airplanes over yachts and it was forgotten.

FIVE:

The hotel porter opened the door to a suite of two bedrooms, common room and a bathroom between the bedrooms. Merielle and Lillia both looked at Carlotta with raised eyebrows. Carlotta smiled.

"When I made the reservation brother Treize was supposed to be coming with us." She reached over for Kurt's arm. "This shouldn't be a problem, you two can have one bedroom and brother and I will take the other." She smiled over at him. "My older brother wouldn't do anything perverted to his little sister during the night."

Merielle frowned and put her hands on her hips and looked up at her taller sister. "You will not sleep with my fiancé, be it real or not." She grinned at Carlotta and went into a stage style heroic stance. "I'll just have to sacrifice my honor and body and share the bedroom with him."

Kurt had walked over to the couch and dropped his backpack on it, then turned and crossed his arms while listening to the two girls. "Enough of that you two, I will not be sleeping with either of you." He pointed down at the couch. "This is my bed. I will be able to protect you three by being the door guardian." He plopped down on the couch and stared at the two sisters.

Lillia was almost choking with laughter at the performances. "Kurt is right, I'm sure we need a 'door guardian' and he fits the job description. Now let's get ready for dinner and afterward a good bath. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

From the couch Kurt slowly enunciated. "I am also putting you on notice that I am not available for scrubbing backs, period. So don't even think about it."

Merielle sniffed and grinned. "Okay, minion, then you will have to help me dry my luxurious hair and brush it out just as you did this morning."

Carlotta and Lillia's mouths fell open, but Carlotta spoke first. "He brushed your hair? I'm quite upset that he didn't even offer to brush mine." She looked over at the darkly frowning Kurt. "You will help me with mine also, minion, that is a big brother's job to help take care of his little sister." She ended by making a face and sticking out her tongue at him.

Kurt sighed and shook his head in resignation. "Agreed, but please don't let this get out around the base." His eyes were pleading as he looked over at Lillia, who was biting her lip trying not to laugh. "Please don't say a word, Lillia, ever."

Lillia clapped her hands like a school teacher. "All right family, let's get ready for dinner. I believe the designated minion knows his job, and I'm getting hungry. Now let's unpack." She shooed the girls out of the room with their bags then picked hers up and turned with a smile to Kurt. "I think Merielle made a good choice for this trip. I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am." She disappeared into the other bedroom and shut the door.

Kurt smiled at the closed bedroom doors as he stood up to move his pack from the couch. No one was there to hear his quiet voice. "Lillia, I don't know when I've ever had this much fun on a trip. I'm very happy Merielle asked me to come along."

SIX:

They ate a quiet dinner in an almost empty hotel dining room, afterward going back up to the room. A quick discussion and the decision was made for Kurt to be sent out for tea so the girls could walk to the bathroom without having him stare like a pervert at them. Carlotta dissented in the decision and managed to give him a kiss on the cheek as he was pushed out the door by Merielle. Directed by the hotel deskman toward a small store that might be open near the public dock he left the hotel with a smile.

The streets were empty and his footsteps echoed in the cool of the night. Finding the store closed he looked around for something to take up his time before going back to the hotel. Down the next block he saw a light from what turned out to be a small tavern and went inside. Again it was like the streets and hotel, almost empty except for a man with his head down on the table at the rear with a beer stein near his hand.

Kurt went to the bar and noticed the barkeep was watching his every move. He put both his hands on top of the bar and asked for a stein of the tavern's best beer. The barkeep drew the beer and set it down before Kurt.

"Just get in Captain? I didn't see any new arrivals in the harbor." The barkeep stared straight at Kurt and he wasn't smiling.

Kurt smiled at him as he picked up his beer and took a sip. "That's good! And no, I didn't come in on a ship. My fiancé and her sisters wanted to have a vacation and I came along as their escort." He took a bigger drink from the stein and frowned at the man. "Just wondered, but why did you call me 'captain'?"

This time the barkeep smiled back and pointed to the sleeve of Kurt's flight jacket. "I was in the air force and the only rank that was that length was Captain."

Kurt looked at the sleeve of the used jacket the supply sergeant had issued him. The outline of stitches from a rank patch and the shape darker than the rest of the sleeve was visible. He laughed. "Got me there friend, they didn't have a need for flying personnel and I was in next in line for the downsizing." He stretched out his hand. "I'm Kurt Jaeger, late of the Two Sixty Second Recon Squadron."

The barkeep smiled back and shook Kurt's hand. "Paul Donner, a long time ago I was a Corporal gunner in the Four Sixtieth Dive Bomber Squadron."

Kurt looked around the empty room. "Paul, where is everyone? I walked here from the hotel and no one was on the street, and you are the first tavern I saw and yet no one is here either."

Paul stared a Kurt several seconds before answering. "Did you see a yacht in the harbor?"

Kurt frowned slightly and nodded. "Big white one anchored away from the wharf?"

"That's the one." Paul looked around the room as if someone would overhear their talk then leaned over close to Kurt. "They're back and those that know it stay away."

Kurt's confusion was real. "They, who's 'they'?" He took another drink from his stein.

Paul breathed in deeply then nodded and leaned forward again. "Honestly, I don't know any names. But whenever that yacht is in the harbor women go missing." He sneered as he spoke. "The police can't, or won't, do anything and the talk is that the owner is a noble." He spat on the floor. "I have had too much of so called nobles. I wish they all would disappear from the face of the world!"

Kurt set the stein down on the bar and shook his head. "The police won't help because a suspect may be a noble? That's just not right. I have to admit I have met some nobles and I agree with you, they need a good hit in the head sometimes."

Just then the head of a young boy poked around the corner of the door to the back. "Mr. Donner, I've almost gotten everything cleaned up, may I leave when I'm through?"

Paul smiled at the boy. "Go ahead; I'll lock up when the customers leave." The boy disappeared again. He turned back to Kurt. "Kile is an orphan and he lives at the orphanage a few blocks from here. He's a good kid and I hope to train him how to run this place for me."

The tavern door opened and three men in jackets came in, each stood and scanned a part of the room before coming in any further. Their eyes looked Kurt and the sleeper at the rear table over closely. Kurt noticed a pistol holster under one man's jacket. They stepped aside as a well dressed, shorter, thin man came in. Kurt would have called him the stereotype of a noble. He was dark with a triangular face and thin moustache. Kurt turned back to face the bar and watched the men in the mirror.

The thin man sat at a table flanked by two of the obvious bodyguards. The third came over to the bar. "We need a beer, and we want it served by your tavern girl."

Paul looked the man over then began to pull a beer for the customer. He set it down hard on the bar. "Here's your beer, but I don't have any girls working here to serve it." He pushed the stein toward the bodyguard.

Kurt was still watching in the mirror as the thin man motioned to one of the other bodyguards. The bodyguard headed to the door going to the back room and went through. In a few seconds there was a scream and he returned carrying Kile under his arm and covering the boy's mouth with his hand. The thin man stood up, moved over to the guard and smiled as he looked the young boy over. Then he reached over and rubbed Kile's cheek and nodded. The guard started out the door still carrying the struggling boy.

Paul started to come from behind the bar. "Hey, where do you think you are going with him, he's my kitchen help."

The bodyguard at the bar grabbed Paul's arm in a crushing grip. "He was just hired to do a job with us." The guard's other hand pulled out a huge pistol and pointed it at Paul. "Do you have an objection to a poor boy getting a good job, tavern keeper?" The thin man smiled as he watched the scene at the bar.

Kurt took a final drink from his stein and set it down with a flourish. "Tell you what, Paul, I'm going to head back home and will see you tomorrow." He stood and walked toward the door.

"Hey, Kurt, you better not go out the front, I know how your wife doesn't like you coming in here so often. The back's unlocked and I'll take care of things here."

Kurt smiled and waved. "I sure am glad I have someone to watch out for me." He turned and headed to the rear door. Once outside he picked up a piece of firewood that was the right size from a pile by the door then ran toward an alley he saw a few buildings down. Taking a quick look around the corner he saw the bodyguard walking quickly down the street toward the harbor still carrying Kile.

Running back to the alley behind the tavern he turned left and headed toward the next cross street, running as quietly as he could. He prayed he could get there before the guard and was rewarded with the sound of approaching footsteps from around the corner. The young boy's cries were still being muffled by the man's hand. When the big man passed the alley that Kurt was hiding in he jumped out and swung the wood club like a sword hitting him on the head.

The body guard staggered for a second and dropped Kile to the ground and reached for his head. Kurt swung again but his weapon was blocked. Kile was sitting on the ground watching the fight. "Run, Kile, run! Get out of here!" Kile got up and ran down the street. Kurt tried to swing the club again but the man caught it and his fist made contact with Kurt's stomach. He doubled over slightly and thought he heard a noise behind him.

A voice spoke quietly from the dark alley. "Get out of here and don't look back, Sergeant."

Still holding his aching ribs and stomach Kurt followed in the direction that Kile had taken down the street. After a block and a half he turned into an alley and stopped to take a breath. Leaning against the wall of a building he tried to get his breath back from the guard's punch. He closed his eyes as the import of what had happened came to him. Someone had called him by his true rank and the noise he had heard was familiar from being with Lieutenant Treize and Lieutenant Lillia at the base firing range. It was the whisper of a silenced pistol of the type sometimes used in their missions.

He only stayed leaning against the wall a couple of minutes before beginning to walk back to the hotel taking turns, alleys and backstreets. Every so often he would stop to listen and look for someone following him but there never was anyone there. It took over forty five minutes to return to the hotel. Kurt walked up the stairway to the second floor all the time checking behind him. Finally he reached the room and tried to open the door but found it locked. For a second he fumbled the key before getting it in the lock and opening the door. Quickly slipping inside he shut it hard and locked it from the inside and breathed deeply.

"So where have you been, minion? Our hair is wet and you are supposed to be taking care of us."

Kurt turned around to be confronted by Carlotta and Merielle in their robes with towels wrapped around their heads and with hair brushes in their hands. The suddenness of the transition from fugitive to domestic helper made him start to laugh quietly.

"And just what do you find so funny, minion?" Merielle's eyes began to flash with anger. Then Kurt stepped forward and put his arms around her in a tight hug, and he kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes opened wide and she pulled back as he let go to grab Carlotta to hug and kiss her in the same way. She started to say something when she looked at Kurt's face and saw something was wrong. A quick frown crossed her face and then she reached out for Kurt's hand. "What happened, Kurt? This isn't like you."

He held to Merielle's hand like it was a lifeline saving his life, he looked over to Carlotta. "First, I need you to check all the windows in the bedrooms and shut and lock them then pull the curtains shut." Kurt looked around. "Where's Lillia?"

"She was tired and went to bed." Carlotta headed toward the bedrooms to check the windows.

Kurt was still holding to Merielle's hand. "I'll tell you when Carlotta gets back, but it has been an evening to forget." He let go of her hand and went over to pull the curtains and check the window locks. Afterward he went back to his pack and pulled out the pistol and ammunition that he was issued. Merielle stood quietly frowning as he loaded the magazines and pistol then put them in his jacket holster.

Carlotta came back into the room. "Lillia is sound asleep and all the windows are locked and curtains closed."

"Good, now both of you sit down." Kurt pointed at the couch and went to stand behind it. He unwrapped Carlotta's towel from her head and after a brisk rub took the brush from her hand and started to brush through her hair. Merielle just watched his face.

Kurt was quiet for a minute. "I was given the directions by the front desk to a store near the harbor that might be open and have your tea. There was no one on the street even this early in the evening." His hand deliberately slowed down while brushing. "When I got there it was closed so I decided to find something to do before coming back to the room." The brush cleared a tangle and he gently moved past it. "The only light I saw was a tavern down the street from the store so I went there." Carlotta's hair was dry and he handed the brush to her then moved behind Merielle. There was only one other man in the tavern and he looked asleep at a rear table." After rubbing the towel gently over Merielle's head he took her brush and pulled it through the hair. "I asked the barkeep, Paul, why no one was on the street and he told me in confidence that whenever that yacht we saw in the harbor is here people stay in." The brush slowed and he glanced at Carlotta. "Every time that boat is here women disappear." Merielle went rigid and Carlotta's eyes opened wide.

Merielle was able to speak first and she turned to look at Kurt. "Women disappear? What about the police?"

"Paul says the police are probably not looking hard because word is the yacht belongs to a Noble." He turned her head back and started brushing Merielle's hair again.

"They don't investigate because it could be a Noble behind the disappearances?"

Merielle tried to turn and face Kurt but he held her still. "That's not possible that they would allow a Sous-Beil Noble to get away with that."

"Paul doesn't say the Noble is from Sous-Beil, just that no one really knows." He started to brush again. "And I haven't finished my story. Paul has a young orphan boy helping in the kitchen." He paused and looked at Carlotta. "Kile is a boy who's about twelve years old." Her face darkened and her lips were drawn tight. "Then a man came in with three obvious bodyguards; a man that looked like he could be a Noble or a bandit leader." His hand stopped again and his voice sped up in telling the story. "One of the guards took the boy and left the building. I left by the rear entrance and intercepted them down the street. Then I hit the guard with a club and made him drop the boy. The boy ran away and I was hit and had my breath knocked out." Carlotta's hands went to her mouth and Merielle turned around to look at Kurt. He looked back unsmiling at both the girls. "And here's the strange part, I heard a silenced shot and a voice spoke from the dark. I didn't see what happened to the guard but the voice called me by my rank and told me to leave and not look back." Again he smiled at the two girls. "Then I came back here after making sure no one was following me, to be greeted by two of the new lights in my life. End of story." He smiled again.

"So you think the guard was shot and killed by someone in the alley behind you?" Kurt nodded at Merielle. "And they called you Sergeant?" Again he nodded. She looked over at Carlotta and let out a breath. "Our little trip has taken quite a turn, do you think we should go back home?"

Before Carlotta could say anything Kurt came around the couch and knelt down on one knee. "I say we continue your journey, Princess Merielle." He bowed to her and kept his head down. "I, Kurt Jaeger, hereby swear my allegiance to the Crown Princess Merielle Benedict of the Kingdom of Ikstova. I will defend her and our family with my life for the remainder of my days on this world." He was not smiling as he raised his face up to look her in the eyes. "How does the Princess respond to my vow?"

Merielle sat still for a few seconds then stood and placed her hand on Kurt's head. "The Princess Merielle Benedict of the Kingdom of Ikstova accepts the vow freely given by Kurt Jaeger. It is to be recorded by the Lady Carlotta Benedict and placed in the archives in the Capital of Ikstova, Kunst. I hereby appoint the said Kurt Jaeger Lord Protector of the Princess Merielle and her descendents." She smiled and nodded at Carlotta, who went over to the desk near the window, pulled out paper and began writing. Merielle still had her hand on Kurt's head. "Rise, Sir Kurt." He stood up at attention staring straight ahead. Merielle tiptoed up and kissed him on each cheek, then smiled at him. "I am holding you to your vow starting right now."

Kurt bowed to her. "As you command my lady." She hit him on the head and he looked at her in surprise.

"I told you to stop doing that stuff, so no bowing or addressing me by some title. I am still 'Merielle' to you, and Carlotta is still 'Carlotta' and Lillia is whoever she needs to be." With a frown she put her hands on her hips and leaned forward. "Remember that 'family' thing we talked about?"

Smiling Kurt rubbed his head. "I don't think I'll forget about it again Merielle."

Carlotta called over from the desk. "Sister, I have the document ready for your signature."

Merielle walked over, picked up the paper and read it over. With a flourish she signed her full title and name, and then turned to Kurt. "Kurt, you have to sign this also."

With no comment he went over and signed his name without reading the document first.

Merielle crossed her arms and stared at him. "You will please sign with your title, my minion. To refresh your memory it is 'Lord Protector' and with 'Sir' before your name."

Kurt smiled and leaned over to add the titles to his signature.

Merielle looked over the signature and grinned. "Carlotta put this away in your suitcase just in case Kurt tries to change his mind. Kurt, your first order is to keep guard over us tonight. Tomorrow we'll consult with Lillia and see what her thoughts are." She stepped over and pulled Kurt's head down and kissed him on the cheek. "We're going to bed, and you better not try to sneak in because we will have our pistols at the ready."

Kurt blinked then closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. He had forgotten that his three companions were military officers trained in martial arts as well as firearms.

Merielle and Carlotta disappeared into their bedroom and the door shut. Kurt walked around the room and then sat on the couch staring at the door to the outside hall, sleep wasn't coming easily.

Carlotta lay on her back looking at the ceiling. "Sister, do you think Kurt realizes he actually may have proposed to you? And what is a 'Lord Protector'?"

Merielle smiled and turned her head toward her sister. "Probably not, any more than he noticed I accepted." They both giggled. "I did like the 'our family' part instead of 'your family'." She giggled again. "We'll figure out what a Protector is supposed to be doing as we go along. Goodnight, Carlotta, I think we are going to have a busy trip ahead of us."

SEVEN:

Morning came too early for Kurt, but it started out well. He was awakened by a kiss on each cheek from Merielle and Carlotta, and then was pulled and shoved into the bathroom to take a bath. While he was soaking the doorknob rattled and he listened to Carlotta offering to scrub his back since he had helped her with her hair. After his response of "No", she mumbled something about her big brother being mean. The stress from the night before was quickly disappearing.

After his bath everyone went to breakfast in the hotel dining room, although Lillia still was half asleep, then back to the room where Merielle had Kurt tell about his adventure the night before. Lillia was now fully awake and listened closely every so often nodding at what she heard. At the end of the story she stood up and paced over to the shut curtain, pulled it aside and looked outside. After a few seconds they saw her nod to herself then turn with a smile.

"If you all are willing I say we can continue with the trip." She motioned to the window. "There are lots of people out walking today. I'm going to guess the yacht has left the harbor based on what Paul told Kurt."

Carlotta looked at her watch. "The ferry leaves in three hours and we have time to take in the sights as we walk to the ferry landing." She smiled at the others. "I arranged for our luggage to be taken to the dock already, so let's do some sightseeing and shopping on the way." Her smile became a toothy grin when she looked over at Kurt. "My big, strong, brave brother can carry our treasures. Isn't that right, big brother?"

Behind Kurt Merielle had given Lillia the paper that Carlotta had written the night before. Lillia frowned as she started reading it, and then started to snicker as she handed it back to Merielle. Merielle then carefully folded it and put it in an inside pocket of her flight jacket.

Kurt sighed and shook his head. "I guess I'm obligated to do it aren't I, Merielle?" He turned around and looked for Merielle. When he saw her he smiled. "You will just buy small things right?"

Merielle walked around to the front of the couch and reached out for Kurt's hand, then pulled him off the couch when he gripped hers. "That all depends on what you are buying for us." She put her arm through his and started walking to the door.

He sighed. "Understood, but please remember I'm just a poor Sergeant."

As the group left the lobby for the street Carlotta took his other arm and walked close to him while Lillia walked to one side with a little grin. Kurt had to smile inwardly as the girls got glances from most of the men on the walk to the harbor. This part of his trip really was a good thing.

Kurt took his family group down one street to pass by Paul's tavern. There was a "closed' sign inside the window, but Kurt saw movement near the bar and knocked on the glass. A figure came closer and Kurt saw it was Paul. When Paul realized who was knocking he ran to open the front door, and grabbed Kurt in a hug after he opened the door.

"Kurt, you're alive!" Paul stepped back and started to shake Kurt's hand. "You didn't come back so I didn't know what happened to you. Come in, all of you come in!" He pushed the three girls inside the tavern, where he got a good look at them. He smiled and took Merielle's hand to kiss it. "I'm going to bet you are Kurt's fiancé, aren't you? Your future husband is a real hero."

Merielle grinned and nodded. "You guessed right, I'm Merielle and these are my sisters Lillia and Carlotta. And I also believe he is a hero after last night." She leaned forward and spoke in a stage whisper. "I think I've made a good choice for a husband."

Paul laughed loudly. "Well said Merielle, I like you." He looked at the three beauties and shook his head and sighed. "Officers always get the pretty ones, even in my day." He waved toward a table. "Please sit and talk with me. The Captain will pay for your drinks if I make him." Kurt rolled his eyes when the girls stared at him and he tried to show the dark area where the rank patch had been cut off of his sleeve.

Kurt finally was able to get Paul's attention by grabbing his shoulder. "Paul, what about Kile, did he get away safely?"

"Kile? Of course he got away thanks to you." Paul turned and shouted for Kile, and Kile came in from the back room. When he saw Kurt he ran over and hugged him then started to cry while trying to say 'thank you'.

Momentarily Kurt wasn't sure what to do but then hugged the boy back. "I sure am happy to see you're all right, Kile."

The red eyed boy sniffed and looked up at his savior. "I saw you get hit by that man and I ran faster just like you said." He sniffed again and started to cry again. "I wanted to help you but you told me to run!" Kurt held him tighter and rubbed the top of his head.

Paul watched for a few seconds longer then pulled Kile away from Kurt. "Kile this pretty lady is to be Kurt's wife, why don't you give her a hug and thank her for bringing Kurt to Regio?"

Kile grabbed Merielle and hugged her while saying a muffled 'thank you'. Merielle kissed him on the cheek and replied with a 'you're welcome'.

"Okay, Kile, you go on back and finish cleaning up while we talk." Paul gently pulled the boy from Merielle's arms and eased him toward the door.

After Kile went in the back Merielle looked up at Paul. "Kurt told us that those men came from the big yacht that was in the harbor?"

Paul nodded and went behind the counter to draw four beers. "Yes and the boat disappeared during the night." He looked over at Kurt. "Did you notice there are people out walking this morning?" Kurt nodded. "The three that were still here after you left went out without even getting that beer." He rubbed his arm where he had been grabbed. "Not that I wanted them to stay around."

Paul set the steins on the table in front of the girls and handed Kurt his. Carlotta's eyes brightened as she licked her lips and reached for her stein. It was Kurt that spoke up. "If my baby sister touches that I will take action later." He looked at Paul. "Carlotta is underage so she will have some juice if you have it."

Paul's eyes grew big as he looked at Carlotta again. "Sorry, I couldn't tell. I have just the thing for her behind the bar." He went back and came back with a bottle of juice. "Sorry again, Miss Carlotta." Carlotta smiled at Paul then looked at Kurt and drew her finger across her neck. Kurt gave an innocent smile back to her.

Merielle took a sip of beer and licked her lips. "So everyone thinks that yacht belongs to a Noble. Do they know where he might be from?"

Paul's face darkened. "Either a Noble or some sort of bandit leader. Since Theron is close and they are having some sort of troubles he could be from there."

"From Theron, what do you mean about them having troubles in Theron?" Merielle was frowning as she spoke. "We are taking the ferry to Konstant this morning." All three girls looked at their watches at the same time. "In fact we need to be getting down to the dock now."

Paul waved his hands at them. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that I have had some travelers from Theron in here and I overhear them talking about political troubles of some sort. I'm sure they wouldn't involve tourists in a political squabble."

Everyone drank the last of their steins and stood up. Paul gave each one a hug and shook Kurt's hand so hard he thought his arm would fall off. After the group walked away from the tavern Merielle put her arm in Kurt's while Carlotta took his other arm.

"Lillia, what's your take on this so called political problem in Theron?"

Lillia was looking thoughtful. "I haven't heard anything about Theron or I would have told you before we left. I don't like the way things are happening though, including this unknown yacht owner. Do you really need to go to Devoia?"

Merielle was silent for a minute then she sighed. "I promised mom and dad that I would look at the good Prince Johan's references, and I don't want to go back on my word. Otherwise I would be ready to finish our vacation somewhere else." She joggled Kurt's arm. "You are my designated protector so what are your thoughts about going to Theron."

Kurt was silent and looked straight ahead. "To be honest I had put the reason for this trip out of my mind." He shook his head and smiled down at Merielle. "Sorry, but I have been enjoying the company and really don't want to give that company up to someone else." He looked back up the street. "I say that we, just you and I, Merielle, continue on to Devoia and find out what you want. I will not willingly go against the wishes of your parents and allow you to break your promise to them, but I will protect you as I promised. However I think Carlotta and Lillia should stay here and wait for us."

Merielle smiled and looked around Kurt at her sisters. "And what do you two say?"

Carlotta stopped and turned Kurt around to face her, Merielle was surprised but still held on to Kurt's right arm. She was breathing heavily as she looked at Kurt, then she slapped him on the cheek. Lillia, Merielle and Kurt were totally taken by surprise. Carlotta finally calmed herself enough to speak and realized what she had done. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but brother you are wrong." She started to get tears in her eyes. "I know what being alone is and I don't ever want to be that way again. Lillia, Treize, Merielle and you are my family and I refuse to be set aside just because there may be danger. I will stay by your side as your sister should to share any burden or trouble." She blinked the tears away. "Don't you ever leave me alone Kurt, ever."

Kurt reached over and pulled the young girl to him and held her tight. "Okay, I got the message. You stay with us." He paused a second. "But what happens when Merielle finds the Prince she has to marry?" He barely heard the response of 'idiot brother' as he was hugged tightly.

When the group arrived at the ferry dock, with Kurt carrying a few small packages, the small number of passengers that were boarding surprised them. Maybe thirty people were on the dock for a ferry that could hold over one hundred.

Kurt slowed his pace still with Merielle holding his right arm and holding bags in his left hand. "Lillia doesn't that look odd to you?"

Lillia was frowning. "It doesn't look like very many want to visit Theron does it? I would have liked to see how many arrived."

When it was their turn to board they were confronted by three ships officers, all armed. The officer with a clipboard eyed the girls and Kurt. "Names."

Kurt answered for them. "Kurt Jaeger, Merielle Benedict, Lillia Benedict and Carlotta Benedict. The reservations will be listed under Benedict."

The officer put check marks beside names on the paper. "Business in Theron."

"Business? Sorry, but we are tourists, my fiancé wanted to see Theron for a vacation."

The officer looked at them again as if they were some type of insect. "So you have no business to be conducted while in Theron, right?"

Kurt was starting to dislike the officer. "As I said, it's just a vacation trip to see the sights."

The officer wrote something on the pad, and then he looked back up. "Where will you be staying while in Theron?"

This time it was Carlotta that spoke up. "The Hotel Marquesa in Konstant for tonight, then we take the Theron Express to Devoia. In Devoia we will stay at the Hotel Parkview." Her face was starting to show anger. "We plan to stay two days in Devoia before returning to Konstant and taking the ferry back to Regio. I hope that answers all your questions satisfactorily."

The officer looked at Carlotta as if she were an insect to be crushed, and then he added a note to the pad. "Move along, you are holding up the other passengers." He looked at the people next in line and started his questions all over again.

Kurt stopped and turned back to the officer. "Sir, where could we find our luggage, I'd like to put these in my bag?" He held up the purchases they had made on the way to the ferry.

A look of distain was on the officer's face. "Lower deck has the luggage room, now move on board."

Kurt smiled as he started up the ramp with Merielle. "Thank you for your help officer. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't get your name." He was ignored by all three officers.

When they reached the deck Kurt made a point needing to put the packages in their luggage, so they went below to find the luggage room. It took two times before a sailor sent them to the right room. Inside everyone's luggage was lined up as if on parade.

Both Kurt and Lillia looked the room over before walking to their bags.

Kurt was speaking a little louder than normal and the girls picked up on it. "Here, each of you take one of these and put it in your suitcase. I'm afraid they could be crushed if they all went in mine." As he spoke he opened his pack and carefully moved things around. "Yes, I only have room for one package." He looked at each girl and rolled his eyes down to the suitcases. "See if you can hold more than one would you?"

Lillia leaned over and whispered to Kurt. "These have been searched haven't they?"

"I noticed my things were stacked backwards from how I had them. Is anything missing from yours?" Kurt looked at Merielle and Carlotta and both shook their heads. He stood up and reached for Merielle's and Carlotta's hands to help them stand up. "Let's go up on deck and enjoy the good weather, we have how long to Konstant?"

Carlotta looked over at him still with a frown on her face. "We have an eight hour trip brother dear." She took his arm in hers and whispered toward his ear. "Eight hours that I'm not looking forward to even if I'm spending them with you."

When they reached the upper deck they went forward toward the bow and watched Regio gliding past as the ship steered out of the harbor.

Merielle put Kurt's arm around her and Carlotta clung to his other arm. Lillia leaned on the rail and looked around for anyone that could overhear her. "I'm glad we didn't try to fly the Princess directly to Devoia. I feel like they aren't happy with people traveling through their country. Probably would have shot us down."

Kurt held to Merielle and looked up at the ship's bridge. "Our luggage was searched for something." He frowned and looked over to Lillia. "Do you think whatever the political trouble they're having includes weapons being smuggled in?"

Lillia nodded and gave him a sideways glance. "Weapons and people I would suspect. I would think it would probably be mercenaries or possibly terrorists of some kind." She shook her head. "I don't understand why Treize and I weren't informed about anything happening in Theron." She looked up at Kurt. "You don't remember anything in any dispatches do you?"

Kurt just shook his head and watched the seabirds flying beside the ship.

The entire trip made them paranoid. They would catch crewmen watching their every move. Even lunch at the food service cabin was bad. All four tried to stay apart from the other passengers and they noticed all the other passengers were trying to stay separate from each other.

Near sunset the ship moved into the harbor of Konstant and Kurt was standing at the bow with Merielle in front of him. She pulled his arms around her and held on.

"Kurt, do you think I made a bad decision about coming here?"

He looked down at the top of her head and frowned. "You are doing what you promised to do, and I promised you that I will stay by your side to protect you. So far all I'm seeing is a very security conscious government and people that are scared of each other. I'll hold off on making further judgments until I get more information, and I think you should also."

Kurt's left arm was pulled from Merielle's grip. "So what is the couple talking about that requires being held?" Carlotta grinned at Kurt. "Don't I get to be held and kept warm sometime?"

Kurt grinned back at her. "Little sisters aren't to be held like you hold your fiancé, people would call that perverted."

Carlotta pouted. "If Theron allows multiple marriages I'm going to vote to stay there." She pulled his arm around her and moved closer to Kurt while nudging Merielle over to his other side.

As the ship moved closer to the ferry dock the four retrieved their bags and stood in line while the same officers that "greeted' them in Regio walked by checking their clipboards. The officer that appeared to be in charge of passenger check-in stopped beside the group and looked at his board.

"You four, when you disembark go to the building on the right." He started to pass on when Kurt reached out and grabbed his sleeve. The officer's hand automatically started to reach for his pistol, and then he stopped and looked Kurt in the eye. "Remove you hand or face arrest."

Kurt gave an innocent look back. "I'm sorry officer; I just don't understand why we have to go to that office. We're just tourists here to enjoy the sights in Theron."

The officer's eyes looked Kurt over and then glanced at the girls. Merielle held to Kurt's arm with a tight grip. "You need travel papers to enter the country. They will be issued to you in that building." He looked at his watch. "Curfew is in two and a half hours, I suggest you get the papers and go to your hotel until morning." He continued down the line of passengers.

Lillia frowned and looked at Kurt. He quickly shook his head and put his hand on Merielle's. At the foot of the ramp they were directed to the permit office by a slightly friendlier crewman. Carlotta put her hand in Kurt's left hand and he squeezed it and smiled at her.

Inside the office were a desk and several chairs, near an inside door stood an armed guard, and one man sat at the desk. He looked up at the four with a bored expression while the guard watched every movement they made. "One at a time please come to my desk. The others will be seated, and no talking. First person will step forward and face the desk."

Merielle placed her bag on the floor by a chair and went over to the desk. Her face was neutral while inside she was seething. She almost was standing at attention while she waited to be recognized by the immigration officer.

The officer shuffled a few papers then placed one in front of him. Finally he looked up at Merielle. "Be seated, all questions must be answered truthfully or you risk deportation. After your form is filled out you will proceed into the next room for your photograph to be taken. Your travel papers will be issued before you are allowed to leave the building." He stared hard at Merielle. "Do you understand these instructions?"

Merielle had not changed expression. "I understand."

The officer nodded and picked up his pen. "We'll start with your full name and country you are presently living in."

"Merielle Benedict Jaeger, I'm from Sous-Beil."

The officer's eyes looked at Merielle and then he picked up another paper. "This says that you are the fiancé of Kurt Jaeger not his wife, please explain."

"Things changed on the way to Regio, he is now my husband." She put her hand down from her lap and held it where Kurt could hopefully see it. She extended her ring finger and wiggled it and used her thumb to point at it.

The immigration officer shuffled the papers again, then holding one in his hand he looked across the room at Kurt. "You there, are you Kurt Jaeger?"

Kurt frowned and started to stand up. "Yes, sir, I'm Kurt Jaeger, do you want me to come over there?"

"Stay seated." He pointed to Merielle. "What is this woman's relationship to you?"

"My wife of a few days, sir, is there a problem?" He smiled at Merielle. "It's been such a short time I sometimes still refer to her as my fiancé. I'm afraid I did that when we boarded the ferry."

A notation was made on the sheet in front of the officer. "No problem Mr. Jaeger."

Merielle's interview was soon finished and she went into the next room for her picture to be made. Kurt, Carlotta and Lillia all went through the same procedure. A little over thirty minutes before curfew they were each issued a small book with a green and yellow cover and their picture and information entered inside.

The guard at the door opened it for them. "You don't have much time to get to your hotel. Go straight down the street to your left for three blocks, you'll see it on the right."

Kurt looked around. "Any taxi cabs to get us there and carry our luggage?"

This time the guard smiled. "Sorry, sir, but you are on your own. Now hurry before curfew begins." He pushed them outside and shut the door.

For a second all four stared at the closed door, and then Kurt sighed. "All right ladies; let's get this show on the road." His voice dropped. "And let's not talk anywhere that we can be overheard." The girls nodded and picked up their suitcases and walked to the gate of the ferry dock. Two blocks down the road they could finally see the hotel.

Carlotta had been holding Kurt's hand the entire time. Finally she looked over at Merielle walking on his other side. "I wish I had been first to be interviewed, then I would be his wife. That was a dirty trick sister."

Merielle was still smiling as she looked back at her youngest sister. "I figured it would help us later on with fewer questions being asked."

"One day I want you to explain that thinking to me in detail." Kurt was shaking his head and sighed. "I almost couldn't figure out what your finger wiggling meant, luckily I caught a little of what you had said to him. If I answered 'fiancé' do you suppose they would deport us?"

Lillia was walking slightly behind Kurt. "I wouldn't doubt it at all. Did you notice that the room behind where we had our pictures taken was a cell?"

The doorman of the Hotel Marquesa checked their passes before allowing them inside. Next they had to show the passes to the desk clerk before registering and even then he looked them over again before giving the room key to Kurt. "Breakfast is in the dining room starting at seven o'clock and you had better be early. The train station is four blocks over and the Express runs exactly on time. You will have to carry your own bags as the bellboys have left to be home by curfew. Good night to you." He gave a little bow and turned away from the counter.

"Somehow I never pictured my honeymoon like this." Kurt looked down at Merielle. "How about you my dear sweet new wife?"

"I'll think about that later. Carlotta, how long is the train ride?"

They were almost to their room and Carlotta smiled as she answered. "Three days of watching the wonderful and beautiful countryside of Theron. On the way you will be astounded by the blue flowing rivers, tree covered hills and mountains as well as the quaint villages and towns of our home country." Her smile grew as Kurt, Merielle and Lillia all looked at her. "That's a direct quote from the travel brochure. Funny thing, but I never saw anything about travel papers or curfews listed."

Kurt turned the key in the door to their room and opened the door. He stood in the doorway frozen in place.

Merielle pushed by him and looked in the room and laughed. "Honeymoon suite indeed." The room was not as large as the common room of the hotel in Regio. Two beds were side by side with a nightstand between them and at one end of the room a door opened on a very small bathroom. "Cozy, very cozy."

Carlotta pushed Kurt into the room so she could see what was there. "I get to have Kurt in my bed, because I'm his younger sister." Kurt just looked at her and rolled his eyes while shaking his head.

Lillia went over to one bed and put her suitcase on the floor, and then she flopped down on top of the covers. "You can leave me out of this. I don't care who is in my bed in the morning. I just want to sleep and not be bothered." She closed her eyes.

Merielle took over the assignments. "Carlotta and Lillia in that bed." She pointed to the one Lillia was lying on. "Kurt and I in the other." She turned to Kurt and put her hands on her hips. "And as for you, it may say we are husband and wife but I will allow no perverted things during the night. You're on top of the bedspread and I'll be under it. Is that understood?"

Kurt looked at the wooden floor which didn't even have a rug. "Why don't I just sleep down here and that way there won't be any problems."

Merielle stood tall and pointed at him. "I will have no backtalk from my husband. You are on top of the spread and I'm under it." She leaned forward to emphasize her words. "Do you understand my minion?"

Kurt sighed and then grinned at his "wife". "Do I at least get a good night kiss?" She ignored him.

"We take baths tonight so we can get out in time for the train in the morning. Lillia first, if she is awake, then Carlotta, me and finally my 'husband'." She looked at Kurt. "You will bathe tonight if you're going to be in a bed with me."

All Kurt could say was a simple "yes, dear". He had a strong urge to be at attention and salute but he knew the consequences of that action and left it as just a passing thought.

After everyone had their baths and were somewhat settled in for the night Kurt pulled the blanket up to his chin while laying on top of the bedspread. Merielle was under the spread. He grinned in the dark. "Good night dear, do I get a goodnight kiss now?"

Merielle rolled over to where she could see his face and then leaned up and gave him a kiss and lay back down. "There, now go to sleep and leave me alone."

"Merielle, can I ask a question?"

"Hurry up so I can get some rest; what do you want to know?"

"May I choose your next nightgown? I was thinking of something a little shorter and maybe made of thinner material."

There was a giggle from the other bed. "You can get me one like that big brother."

Lillia spoke for the first time since she had finished her bath and gotten under the covers. "Merielle, I forgot to tell you that a husband becomes totally perverted after marriage no matter how they were before." She giggled also.

Merielle sat up and then smiled sweetly at Kurt. "You asked for it my newly designated husband. The next time we find a lingerie store with pretty nightgowns you will have to go in with me and choose it, and you will be embarrassed. Now go to sleep." She flopped back down and pulled the covers over her head. The others heard a quiet 'idiot husband!" muffled by the spread.

EIGHT:

Everyone was awake and had their bags packed before seven. The logistics of getting dressed was solved by pushing Kurt in the bathroom with his clothes while the girls dressed.

After breakfast they managed to find a taxi to take them to the train station. They flashed their travel papers at the driver before he would even load his cab. At the station there were two waiting areas and they found out that one was for local trains and the other for the Konstant to Devoia Express. Kurt took their reservations to the counter and presented them to the ticket master.

He frowned and looked at the four. "Your travel passes please." Kurt handed them over and the man looked each over very carefully even comparing their faces to their pictures. "They appear to be in order. How may I help you?"

Kurt blinked as if startled. "We need to get our tickets for the Express. This is the correct counter, right?"

The ticket man looked at Kurt with no expression. "We have received word that the Express has been detained further up the line. I'm sorry but we don't have any idea when it will arrive."

Kurt nodded his head at the counter man. "Okay, so what do we need to do to get to Devoia? We could use a little help since we aren't from around here."

The ticket master looked and spoke as if to he were talking to a small child. "You could take the local train that goes to Argo, that's about nine hundred kilometers away. Then transfer to another train that goes to Elose that is south of the capital. A transfer to a train for Devoia can be made there."

"So we can wait for the Express that may never arrive or go the long way. How long would the trip be using that route?"

"It shouldn't be more than a week to ten days." The ticket master hadn't smiled at Kurt yet.

Kurt stepped back and turned to Carlotta. Quietly he asked her opinion of the route laid out by the ticket master.

Carlotta smiled at the man behind the counter and turned back to Kurt and Merielle. "If the Express isn't running then the route he described is the next best plan. The brochure called that 'the scenic route' and recommended it for gaining the full flavor of the country. Sister what do you want to do?"

Merielle closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes. "I keep telling myself that I'm here at our parent's wish." She shook her head and looked at Kurt. "What do you suggest my 'husband' and designated protector?"

Kurt looked between the girls and then over to Lillia. She shrugged her shoulders at him. He looked back at Merielle. "You made a promise to your parents and I say let's keep that promise." Then he grinned. "Besides that lets me be with you several weeks more than planned." Carlotta glowered at him. "And I also have more time to be with my wonderful little sister." Carlotta smiled again.

Merielle just stared at Kurt, and then she looked at Carlotta. "Hit your brother for me, he deserves it. It looks like we go the long way to Devoia." She pulled Kurt's head down so she could whisper in his ear. "And you will stay above the covers every night, pervert." She kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

Nine hours later the local train was slowly making its way toward the town of Grimel two hundred and sixty kilometers from Konstant. The seats were wooden with thin cushions and the car was full. So far the main sights they had seen were rolling fields of crops, livestock and narrow rivers. Some of the passengers took pity on the four travelers and shared their lunches with them as the train had no dining car and no rest stops were available to find something to eat. They found their fellow riders were much friendlier than those they had met in Konstant and that helped pass the time. The train began to slow and was shunted to a side track beside the station at Grimel. Their newfound friends were busily trying to guess why they had been taken off the main line and were doubly confused by the conductor ordering the train to be emptied and the passengers were to stay on the platform until further notice.

Kurt and the girls wandered the platform and looked at the small business part of the town that they couldn't get to. He frowned and took Lillia's hand casually turning her to look at what he was seeing in the distance. "What do you think of that? It almost looks like they are being herded toward the station."

By then Merielle and Carlotta also turned and watched what must be the people of the town as they marched toward the station carrying banners. Merielle frowned. "Some kind of parade do you think?"

It was Carlotta that answered. "I saw this in Lartika; it's a demonstration of some sort. Don't those banners say something about revolution?"

Kurt reached over for Merielle's hand after letting go of Lillia. "You're right; the signs do support a revolution of some sort." He paused and pulled Merielle closer. "Blue seems to be important to the revolution, everyone appears to be wearing a blue armband and all the banners are blue. Lillia, I've seen nothing about this in the reports."

Lillia watched the demonstration moving toward the station and then scanned all the buildings and roof tops. "Kurt, there are armed men on the roofs and I see blue arm bands on them. We need to move to the outside of this crowd."

As she spoke there was the whistle of a steam train in the distance. People around them on the platform moved to the other side to see down the track. One man shouted. "It's the Express! Look, it carries the blue flag!" Others picked up on the blue flag comment and started cheering. Kurt pulled Merielle and Carlotta closer to him as the crowd on the platform began cheering.

When Kurt could see the engine of the Express his eyes widened and he gripped both girls hard. "Damn, it can't be!"

Merielle looked up at him. "What can't be? What's going on out there?"

Kurt was breathing hard when he looked down at Carlotta and Merielle. "The front of the engine has a man's picture on it. It's the man I saw in at Paul's tavern in Regio, I'm sure of it. He must be the leader of this Revolution."

The Express was slowing to a stop and armed men with blue armbands began to jump from both the passenger cars and flat cars loaded with trucks. All around them cheers and the cry of 'Revolution' was being taken up by crowd and from the demonstrators that had now joined the passengers that were on the platform.

Lillia was trying to pull the others to the outside edge of the crowd but wasn't having much success. Finally Kurt pulled her closer to him and began to force his way off the platform while protecting all three girls from the crowd. When they reached the edge of the platform he jumped down and lifted the girls to the ground, he quickly kissed Merielle on the cheek as he set her down.

Making their way through the crowd of shouting people Merielle suddenly stopped and grabbed Kurt's jacket. "Is that the man you saw in Regio?" Her finger pointed to a banner being carried by one of the townspeople.

Kurt, Carlotta and Lillia all looked over at the picture. Carlotta stiffened and drew in a breath. "Sister, it's him!"

Kurt and Lillia were both confused. "You've seen that man before? Yes, that's the one I saw that night, I'm certain it is."

Carlotta held to Kurt's sleeve and Merielle put her arm around him and looked up slightly bewildered. "Kurt, that's a picture of Prince Johan. That's the man that was proposed to be my husband!"

Kurt's face hardened. "Merielle, your trip is finished. We have fulfilled your promise and we're getting out of here." He looked at Carlotta. "Carlotta, do you remember any roads back to Konstant from those brochures? Lillia, any suggestions as to getting help from someone, I can't think of any myself, we just didn't have anything on Theron in our files."

The main crowds had moved past them as the people massed around the engine of the Express. The man's voice from beside them was a surprise.

"Why aren't you celebrating the Revolution, citizens? Do you have a problem with it?"

The foursome turned and found three rifle armed men behind them. Kurt became the spokesman. "Sorry sir, but we're from Sous-Beil and didn't know there were any political changes being made in Theron. My wife and her sisters just wanted to visit the country." He started to reach into his jacket pocket for his travel pass when two of the riflemen brought their rifles up to point at him. He stopped with his hand partially in his pocket. "Sorry again, I just was getting my travel pass out to show you." The man nodded and Kurt brought out the pass.

The man sneered at the green and yellow book and spit to the ground. "The Kingdom of Theron, the bastards!" He read over the inside of the book and compared the photo to Kurt, and then he looked at the girls. "You three let's see your papers." Again he looked at each picture closely before returning the books to them. The riflemen lowered their rifles. "You can pass, but I would suggest you leave the country as soon as possible."

Merielle quietly spoke up. "Sir, will the local train return to Konstant or can we take the Express to Konstant?"

All three men laughed at her. "The Express is taking our Blue Guards and militia to Konstant. There is no room for outsiders that don't support the Revolution. And I don't think the local train will be going that way either. I guess you will just have to walk." The three laughed again.

"Sir, the man on that banner is he your leader or something?" Lillia pointed toward a banner being held nearby.

"Gregor, of course he is our leader. He broke with the Royal family years ago and in protest has brought the government to the people." The man spit on the ground again. "Royalty is for fools and only the people will rule in Theron after this."

Kurt looked thoughtful for a second. "Sir is there someone that we need to see to get Revolutionary validated travel documents. I don't want to have any trouble traveling back to Konstant with my family."

The man looked Kurt up and down before motioning with his head toward town. "Follow me and we'll see what can be done." He looked at their hands. "What about your luggage, don't you have luggage if you are just visitors."

"We left it on board the local train when they ordered us off." Lillia half turned and pointed back at the train. "May we go get our bags; we only have one bag each?"

"After you get your permits you may get them." The man started toward the town hall, his two men took up positions slightly behind Kurt and the girls.

The Clerk at the town hall looked over their travel passes then reluctantly wrote his name across the outside of the cover authorizing them for use throughout the revolutionary held areas. Then he gave them four blue arm bands and told them to wear them at all times. Finally they were dismissed and were able to go pick up their bags. They left the train station and walked down the main street of town to an open tavern.

Merielle leaned over toward Kurt. "Gregor is Prince Johan's middle name, it is the same person." Kurt just nodded.

While waiting for their meal Kurt looked at each one, the silence was heavy. "Okay, we need to make a plan." He kicked Merielle's suitcase that was by his foot. "We have almost three hundred kilometers to cross and we won't do it with these cases. I have a pack that we can consolidate your things into, but it has to be essentials only." The girls nodded. "I don't know if we can arrange to have the bags forwarded to the base in Sous-Beil but we can try."

Merielle looked down at the table then slowly reached over and took Kurt's hand. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess." She looked at her sisters and had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I have gotten all of you in this. I wish I had stopped in Regio and we just went back to the mountains for a good vacation."

Kurt pulled Merielle's hand up and kissed it. "Enough of that self pity, we volunteered to come with you and you had to come. Now we will get out together and save the vacation for another time." Lillia and Carlotta both nodded.

Carlotta looked around the room and leaned forward. "I think we need to find a place to spend the night and get ourselves sorted out. Tomorrow we can find something to travel in and get out of town."

Lillia nodded. "I think she's right, let's get a room and then try to find a method of travel before night. We wouldn't get far before dark or if they have a curfew."

Kurt winked and stood up. "Let me ask the barkeep for his suggestions, be right back."

The girls saw Kurt smile and shake the barkeep's hand after they were in conversation for several minutes.

Kurt waved and sat back down at the table. "We are in luck. They don't have a curfew and there is a hotel two blocks down from here. Also, farmers keep their horses and wagons at a stable on the edge of town. Jerri said we may find someone going our direction in the morning. And before you ask, gasoline powered vehicles aren't found very much around here. Horses can forage and don't need fuel. They have, or had, a bus service but Jerri thinks the buses have been commandeered by the Revolutionaries for transport."

Merielle finally smiled and looked at her sisters. "Isn't it good that I have such a resourceful husband? This may become a vacation after all." She took hold of Kurt's hand, gave him a dazzling smile and kissed him on the cheek.

While walking toward the hotel several diesel powered trucks that had come on flatcars with the Express passed by; they were now loaded with men wearing blue armbands. On the outskirts of town there was a crossroad where the main town road split into three roads and several trucks turned onto each before disappearing into the distance.

NINE:

The hotel only had one room available and it had just one bed and no attached bathroom. There was only one bathroom for the entire floor and it was located down at the end of the hall. The three girls were able to sleep in the bed while Kurt made do with the bare wood floor. In the morning everyone woke up while it was dark and managed to take over the bathroom before any other guests. Kurt had to close his eyes when the girls dressed, and endured with no comment while Carlotta described every move that Merielle made while changing out of her nightgown and what he was missing.

The evening before they found a store that sold blankets and small backpacks and canteens. They each bought a blanket and canteen and the girls bought backpacks to switch their belongings to. The suitcases were left with the desk clerk who promised to send them to the ferry office in Regio when train service started again.

The sun wasn't up completely when the group found the stables but luck was with them for once. A farmer named Michal lived about ten kilometers out of town in the right direction and would take them with him, but they would be on their own after that.

Traveling on the road that ran south of the rail line almost was as if they were in a different country. Where the railway went through few towns and fewer farms or houses were seen, the road had many small farms and was lined with trees which helped shade them. Michal explained that they would find inns and taverns along the route so they shouldn't have to sleep under the stars and food would be available while they were traveling. The girls relaxed and acted as if this was a part of their planned vacation. Kurt remained vigilant and couldn't relax. For him he was traveling in an enemy country and had three most important people to watch over, with one more important than the others.

It was late morning on the sixth day of their forced hike. Lillia and Merielle were sitting against a tree while Kurt had his head resting on Merielle's lap; Carlotta had her eyes closed with her head on Kurt while holding his arm around her. Lillia happened to look back the way they had come and suddenly saw dark smoke rise into the sky.

She stood up and shaded her eyes and frowned. "Kurt, Merielle, what do you make of that?"

Kurt quickly stood and joined Lillia. "That's a big fire; the smoke is too dense and dark." He frowned and looked at Lillia and Merielle. "I think someone is burning houses and barns behind us because that isn't smoke from brush or trees. We need to get moving and try to stay ahead of them." He reached down and pulled Carlotta up, then picked up his pack. "Let's try to stay on the road as long as we can, then move to the side and get out of their way." He pulled his pistol out and checked that it was ready, then felt for the extra magazine in his jacket. Lillia, then Merielle and Carlotta followed his actions with their pistols and gathered up their backpacks and started walking down the road.

After an hour and a half the road entered into low hills, and thirty minutes later they topped a ridge and saw a small river or creek that was held in by steep banks. The road led across a stone bridge and on the other side were two tents and three rifle armed guards with blue armbands. One guard lifted his rifle and fired, while the other two ran to take shelter behind the bridge abutment.

Lillia and Carlotta jumped into a ditch on the left of the road in front of the tree line while Kurt and Merielle slid into the right ditch. Kurt slipped off his pack and pulled his pistol out and took a fast shot at the riflemen. Merielle tried to raise her head but Kurt held her down with his hand on her head.

Kurt rose up and took a quick look at the bridge and dropped back down. "Lillia, are you and Carlotta under good cover?" He waited until Lillia nodded and saw that both girls had their pistols drawn. Merielle was looking up at him from under his hand. "You stay here and give me covering fire if I need it. I'm getting into the trees and moving closer to that bridge then I'll try to get a clear shot at the guards."

Merielle's face was darkening. "If you go, I go too. Lillia and Carlotta can cover both of us."

For the first time Kurt gave a quick smile. "Are you going to be this hardheaded the rest of my life?" He quickly looked back at the bridge. "Okay, you come too, but stay down."

Both stomach crawled into the trees and moved toward the bridge. When Kurt finally neared the bank where he could see one rifleman, quickly he rose up and fired then watched as the man dropped to the ground. Lillia and Carlotta started firing at the bridge when Merielle rose up and took a shot. Just as she fired another rifleman shot at her. His bullet missed but it hit a rock and broke fragments off; one piece hit Merielle in the forehead and she dropped to the ground with blood flowing from the wound.

Kurt fired off the remaining rounds in his pistol and laid it down, and then rolled Merielle over to look at her injury. He took off his jacket and rolled it up to place it under her neck. Then using his shirt sleeve he wiped the blood off and saw she had sustained a three centimeter cut on the left side of her forehead from a rock sliver. As he pulled his canteen around to pour water on the injury he heard rifles and then a machine gun open fire at the far side of the bridge. The remaining bridge guards tried to run but both were cut down by the gunfire.

Once he saw the guards fall Kurt was more interested in cleaning Merielle's wound using his dampened handkerchief than seeing what was going on. Her dark eyes were watching him as he did his work.

"Hey, aren't you through yet, or do you just like cleaning me up?" Merielle was smiling although she was in pain from the cut.

"I don't particularly like seeing my family being hurt, now lay still." Kurt held the cloth against her head. He heard footsteps come up beside him and a rifle barrel nudge his shoulder.

"You two, get your hands up."

Kurt looked up at a uniformed soldier. "I can't raise them while I'm taking care of my wife's wound. Do you have a medic or at least bandages?" He looked over where Lillia and Carlotta had been and saw both standing with their hands raised while being covered by two rifle armed soldiers; a fourth stood holding their horses. The noise of a motor was coming from the top of the rise and an ancient armored car with a machine gun sticking from its yellow and green striped turret rolled into view followed by a troop of cavalry. The horsemen raced across the bridge and took up defensive positions on the other side. He looked back at the soldier standing over him. "Well, are you going to help me or not?"

The man hesitated before reaching into a satchel slung over his shoulder. He tossed an aid kit to Kurt who nodded his thanks and began treating Merielle's cut. After he was finished Kurt gave Merielle a drink of water, then he stood and pulled her up beside him. That's when he realized there was a military officer standing quietly holding their pistols in his hands.

"That was a good job of first aid my friend. In fact it was an excellent job for a civilian." The man's face hardened and he pointed Merielle's pistol at the pair. "So just who are you? It's not every day I find someone taking on a guarded bridge with pistols, particularly when it's only three women and a man all dressed in civilian clothes. You do have papers, right?"

Kurt held Merielle to his side and looked the soldier over. "Do I get to find out who you are? If so, then we'll trade information with you. My travel papers are in my jacket pocket if you'll let me take them out."

The officer smiled, but still held the pistol on Kurt and Merielle. "You are starting to interest me. I'm Major Rexor, of the Royal Theron Army, presently on cleanup of Revolutionary trash in this sector. And you are?"

"I'm Kurt Jaeger, on a vacation to Theron from Sous-Beil with my wife and her sisters." He nodded at Lillia and Carlotta. "Those are my wife's sisters and they have travel papers also." He reached down and then handed Major Rexor his papers and Merielle brought out her papers as well.

Major Rexor looked through the papers and nodded. "I see these were countersigned by a Rebel in Grimel, how did you happen to be in Grimel?"

"We were traveling to Devoia and were supposed to be on the Express from Konstant. We were told the Express wasn't running and our only option was the local train. When we arrived at Grimel we were shunted to a side track. A little later a train that the other passengers identified as the Express arrived covered in blue flags and men they called Blue Guards. We were told to leave the country and that's why we're here." Kurt looked over at Lillia and Carlotta and nodded his head in their direction. "Could they lower their arms now please?"

The Major glanced at Lillia and Carlotta then nodded. His men lowered their rifles and the girls put their arms down. "Now, Kurt Jaeger, one more question. Just why do you all have military pistols with you? Are you on a mission maybe?"

Merielle answered him. "No, Major Rexor, we are a family on vacation and that's all. It just happens that we are all are, or were, in service." She nodded at Kurt. "My husband was a Sergeant in the Sous-Beil Army." She motioned at Lillia and Carlotta. "My sister Lillia is a Lieutenant in the Sous-Beil Air Force, and my other sister, Carlotta, is a Lieutenant in the Ikstova Defense Force." She looked back at the Major. "And I held the rank of Major in the Ikstova Defense Force, now my husband and I are civilians working with my father's business."

Major Rexor gave a half smile. "And that business is what?"

"He is head of the Ikstova Tourist Authority, and that is how we booked our trip." Merielle looked innocent and took Kurt's hand in hers.

The Major started to smile and finally began to laugh as he lowered the pistol that had been trained on the pair in front of him. "By the Gods, that is the best story I've heard in weeks." He held the pistols out for Kurt and Merielle. "But since you obviously aren't lovers of the Revolution it suffices."

Merielle was taken by surprise. "But it is true; we just wanted to have a nice vacation in Theron."

Kurt was watching the Major. "Major, what happened that the Royal Army is already putting the Revolution down. We haven't heard anything since we left Grimel almost a week ago."

Major Rexor shook his head and frowned. "The Revolutionaries killed the King and his oldest son, Prince Theodor, at the Royal Palace before the Army could react. That apparently was the signal to begin the Revolution and the takeover of government facilities throughout the country." He started to smile again. "What the Rebels didn't take into account was their leader, Gregor, and his chief commanders being in, oh lets call it an accident, just after the assassinations of the King and Prince. The King's second son, Prince Caspar, has taken over as Regent and the army has pledged it's loyalty to him. The destruction of the Rebels began almost immediately. I am in command of a flying column on its way to meet other units Army at Konstant. Of course I'm charged with the destruction of any Rebels that we find on the way." He smiled and looked at Kurt, then turned and walked away.

Carlotta and Lillia had picked up their packs and come over to where Kurt and Merielle were standing. Lillia quietly spoke with Kurt while Carlotta watched the mounted troops move by. "What's going on, did you two say something nice so we weren't arrested?"

"Major Rexor says the King and his oldest son were murdered at the start of the takeover. Gregor, or Prince Johan, was killed with his commanders at the same time in what he called an 'accident'. Another Prince named Caspar has taken over the government and sent the Royal Army out to clean up the country." Kurt glanced around before continuing. "Somehow I get the feeling that Caspar may be behind the whole thing. The entire timeline is too close for coincidence." He smiled slightly at Lillia. "Besides after working for you I have started to look beyond the obvious."

Lillia looked deep in thought for a few seconds. "I believe you are right. And that encounter you had in Regio must be part of the story. I'd like to know who you met in that alley."

Kurt looked at the three girls. "I'm going to leave this up to you three. Do you want to ask if we can travel with Major Rexor and his troops or keep walking until we make the coast? I think we may be safer with him. Although I get the feeling he is doing more than clearing the road of Revolutionaries." He gestured with his head back down the road. "We never saw any Blue Guards back that direction when we passed through. He may be settling old government scores or making certain Prince Caspar has the people's approval."

Merielle looked serious. "I agree with Kurt, if the Revolutionaries want to hit back we may be the first in their sights by traveling alone." Lillia and Carlotta nodded agreement. She looked over at Kurt. "Let me ask Rexor if we can stay with his troops since I am, or was for him, a Major." Everyone nodded again and Merielle walked over to where Major Rexor was standing. They saw him look in their direction then nod to Merielle after several minutes of conversation. She appeared to thank him and returned.

"Okay, we can ride in the back of the armored car, but it is at our risk if any shooting starts. They do not have a supply train following, only three armored cars towing fuel trailers and the mounted troops that are in this column. Obviously they are living off the land as they go and that may account for the smoke we saw."

Lillia asked a quick question. "What about transportation once we get to Konstant? Does he know if the ferry is still running?"

Merielle looked at her and shook her head. "I asked but he couldn't tell me anything. What passes for radio communications is very spotty and he hasn't received any useful updates since he left Grimel." She took a deep breath and sighed. "I hope the ferry wasn't confiscated by the Blue Guards to use for their purposes."

Just then a trooper ran over to them and saluted. "The major says you need to climb in that last car if you're coming with us."

Kurt and Merielle ran back to where they had dropped their packs then joined Carlotta and Lillia in the open rear storage box of the armored car, the fuel trailer had already been reattached after the bridge fight. At least they weren't walking but they soon found that the rough ride wasn't going to make the journey much easier.

TEN:

Ten days after they joined the cavalry column they were still far from Konstant. Major Rexor would advance along the road then halt at a convenient farm or village and send out scouting parties. If the scouts found rebel activity the column would divert to help clear the rebels out. Usually that meant killing all the rebels as there were no prisoners taken. The diversions seemed to be taking them further from Konstant instead of closer.

Kurt had noticed after the first day that the girls were getting more of the wrong kind of attention than he was comfortable with. He and Merielle made sure that they were always in pairs and never alone. Once Kurt had encountered two troopers trying to watch Carlotta washing herself at a creek and made certain they would not try it again.

The afternoon of the tenth day a pair of troopers came riding back to report that their squad had found a Rebel held airfield and had wiped out the defenders.

Kurt overheard the report and told the girls after he climbed back on the armored car. "Those troopers mentioned two aircraft at the field, but didn't say if they were operational." He settled beside Merielle just as the armored car moved on.

She looked at the others. "Let's hope at least one is flyable, maybe we can use it to get out of here." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Two hours later three large tents standing in a field came into view. Near one tent there was the burned out remains of an airplane, a second airplane sat to one side with visible bullet holes. All four climbed from the armored car and walked over to the strange looking craft.

Carlotta frowned as she ran her hand down the wing leading edge. "What type is this, anybody know?" She looked up at what she at first thought was an enclosed cockpit but realized it was open to the air and shook her head. Over the wing there was a door into a small passenger compartment that had only a pair of canvas fold up seats and room for cargo. She sniffed at the smell of diesel oil and checked out the single engine in the nose.

Lillia stood back and surveyed the bullet holes. "I've seen one of these when I was little. Mom called it an F-13, but it was an old airplane that wasn't used even then."

Merielle and Kurt came from around the rudder both shaking their heads. "I think it will fly if there is fuel. At least we didn't see any major damage that would keep it from flying." Merielle walked away and looked the F-13 over from a distance then called Lillia and Carlotta over. "Let me talk with Rexor before they take any diesel fuel for the armored cars. Why don't we give the Major some aerial reconnaissance in return for letting us take the plane back to Sous-Beil?"

Lillia nodded agreement. "I like the idea; you go talk with him while we take a close look at that plane."

Kurt, Lillia and Carlotta started to do a close inspection of the F-13. When Kurt heard Carlotta give a little cry he climbed up beside her to look into the cockpit. The pilot seat and instrument panel were covered with blood and there were two bullet holes through the seat back. He had Carlotta get him a rag and he began to clean the seat and controls.

Merielle was walking back to the plane with Major Rexor as they finished their inspection. Lillia went over and reported that they found no damage except to the aluminum skin, all vital controls were okay and, although old, the plane had been well cared for.

Major Rexor smiled as he looked at the four people in front of him. "So you are all pilots and want to help me look for Rebels in exchange for your use of the airplane to leave Theron, is that correct?" All four nodded back. "I will grant your request on one condition." His grin grew as he looked at Carlotta. "You, I believe you are Carlotta, will be the pilot. Furthermore I will not allow any of you to be her observer; I will have one of my officers' fly with her." His smile turned dark as he obviously expected refusal. "Do you agree to my demands?"

Carlotta grinned back, snapped a fast salute and answered before anyone else could speak. "I accept your request Major. Just make sure your officer can read a map." She turned and started toward the plane, then looked over her shoulder. "Well, Major, where's that officer, I'm ready to leave."

Major Rexor stood and blinked a second then frowned and looked over to Merielle and Kurt. "Aren't you going to stop her?"

Merielle grinned back at his confusion. "No, Major, my younger sister is an accomplished pilot and navigator. Now I suggest you get your observer over here so they can take a look around and see if the rebels have any surprises for your men." As Major Rexor walked toward his command he slowly shook his head. Merielle looked to Lillia and Kurt. "Okay, let's get this going, the quicker we help the Major the quicker we get out of the country. Kurt get fuel organized, I think there is some stored in the second tent. Lillia go over the control panel with Carlotta and see if she needs to do anything special." She grinned at Lillia. "And don't tell me all airplanes are alike." Smiling, Kurt and Lillia saluted her then ran to accomplish their assignments.

It took less than an hour to fuel and make the F-13 ready for flight. Major Rexor drove over with a young Lieutenant who didn't look very comfortable but he was carrying maps of the immediate area. Carlotta was already in the pilot seat and the Lieutenant climbed in beside her. Immediately she had to show him the use of the seat belt. Kurt supplied the muscle to turn the handle on the inertia starter, then pulled the handle from the hole and stepped back from the engine. Carlotta engaged the starter and the engine caught with a puff of black smoke from the exhaust stack. She taxied down the grassy field, turned into the wind and gunned the motor. Slowly the F-13 moved along before the tail rose and then it lifted off from the ground. The wings waggled to show all was well as the plane turned northwest and flew out of sight. Along the side of the field and among the tents the majority of troopers watched.

Over an hour and a half later the plane came back from the northeast, passed over the field, turned and made a perfect landing. Kurt, Merielle and Lillia were standing together as Carlotta taxied to them and stopped the engine. The Lieutenant wasn't visible in the cockpit.

A red faced Carlotta stood up in her seat and took several deep breaths before climbing out on the port wing. Then she looked back inside the cockpit and shouted to the unseen Lieutenant. "You can bloody well get yourself out of there, hopefully you're man enough for that!" She jumped to the ground and went over to her wide eyed group. "The idiot got airsick within five minutes of taking off! Then he threw up on the map and didn't have the decency to lean over the edge of the cockpit!" She watched with fire in her eyes as the sick soldier literally crawled off the wing to the ground. "I thought about unfastening his seatbelt and doing a slow roll but the Major might not like that."

"I don't think I would have liked that at all, the Lieutenant is an excellent cavalryman." Major Rexor was standing behind them and he tried to hide his smile as they turned toward him. "Well, did you find anything of use for me Miss Pilot?"

Carlotta performed a beautiful salute. "Major, I did find several troop movements that should be useful. If you have a clean map I'll show you what I found."

Major Rexor turned and motioned to a Captain standing behind him. The Captain gave him a map which he opened and handed to Carlotta with a smile. "This should do, I assume you know where you've been."

Carlotta's look could have killed as she took the map and spread it on the wing of the plane. "We are here." Her finger pointed to a dot near a crossroad. "We flew northwest and didn't find anything. I did fly low over bridges looking for Revolutionary guards, but didn't see any." Her finger moved out and began to sweep toward the northeast. "Here, and here, I saw Blue Guards at bridges and they waved." Her finger jabbed two river crossings. "This road had eight trucks flying blue flags and full of armed men driving in the possible direction of Konstant." She paused and looked at the Major. "I say 'possible' because I could see smoke from that direction far in the distance and that most likely would mean heavy fires and the good chance of a battle." Rexor frowned and nodded as Carlotta continued. "The good news is that here." Again her finger jabbed a road. "I found a large column of infantry and trucks that carried the yellow and green of the Royal Army. They also appear to be going toward Konstant. I wagged my wings and flew low past the column, but it looked like they were getting ready to shoot at me, so I left and flew straight back here." Carlotta looked straight at the Major. "Would you please have your men clean my cockpit out before I have to fly again, Major Rexor?"

The Major stepped back and looked Carlotta over from head to toe, and then he saluted her. "Thank you for your report, Lieutenant Benedict. Your airplane will be cleaned immediately, but I think you won't be needed until the morning. It is getting late to go now but I request that you fly toward Konstant at daylight to check the situation." He started to leave then turned back toward the girl. "I also request you take one of your group with you in place of my Lieutenant. The other two will remain here until you return."

Carlotta nodded and saluted back. "Daylight it is, Major, and thank you."

Kurt was wide eyed during the report while Merielle and Lillia stood quietly. After the Major left he slowly shook his head at Carlotta. "Little sister, you continue to amaze me. I don't know if the flying, observations or holding your own with Rexor was the most surprising."

Merielle sighed. "Did you forget that Carlotta is my very competent secretary? She is doing exactly what she does for me all the time." She grinned up at Kurt. "Of course she is used to quicker action when giving orders than the Major gave her." Kurt started to laugh.

As promised a group of soldiers came over and pushed the plane to the fuel tent and started to clean it. Kurt watched over the refueling and noted the number of liters needed to refill the tanks. By dark the F-13 was cleaner than it had ever been since new.

As usual Kurt, Merielle, Carlotta and Lillia ate separate from the rest of the soldiers. After discussion it was decided that Lillia would fly with Carlotta in the morning while Kurt and Merielle would wait for their return and hopefully the Major would let them leave tomorrow. And again, as usual, Merielle slept on one side of Kurt while Carlotta moved close on the other side and Kurt never worried about it.

Kurt woke first and found Merielle had wrapped his arm around her, while Carlotta had hers resting over his middle. Lillia was sprawled across her blanket and mostly uncovered by the top blanket. He slowly managed to disengage from the girls and stood up to stretch. The horizon was barely showing light when he started the fire to cook breakfast. Today would be long no matter what happened.

After eating Carlotta and Lillia prepared for take-off. Last night all of them had studied the map of Theron and chose a course for Konstant. Carlotta looked the map over trying to position the coast of Sous-Beil to the coast of Theron. Finally she was able to give a plan for use after they were released from duty by Major Rexor. Rather then fly to Konstant and cross the Gulf to Regio, they would cross south of the city and fly to a small town on the coast of Sous-Beil that was sixty kilometers away from Regio. The distance would be less and the fuel consumption of the F-13 wasn't really known beyond what Kurt estimated from Carlotta's flight yesterday.

The sun barely was on the horizon when the F-13 took off and flew northeast. Merielle took Kurt's hand in hers as they stood waving at the disappearing airplane.

ELEVEN:

Three hours later the F-13 came back into view and made a smooth landing. Major Rexor joined Merielle and Kurt in front of the fuel tent as the plane taxied toward them. Both Lillia and Carlotta looked tired as they climbed from the cockpit.

Major Rexor saluted them and they both returned it. "Were you successful on your mission?"

Lillia nodded and began to unfold the map on the wing as Carlotta came around the tail to join them. Lillia pointed to several roads northeast of their present location. "All of these roads have military traffic on them. If you are to believe the markings they are Royal Army units." She moved her hand toward the railroad line for the Express from Konstant to Devoia. "We found at least two breaks in the rails between Grimel and Konstant. There is wreckage about thirty kilometers from Konstant that looked like the train we saw come through Grimel." Carlotta nodded when Major Rexor glanced at her. Lillia's hand moved to Konstant. "Konstant appears to be in a major battle. We could see units of the Royal Army here, here and here, and judging by the explosions artillery is being used against some parts of the city including the harbor." She pointed at the harbor. "What looked like the ferry we came over on is sunk near the harbor entrance with just the decks above water."

Carlotta then pointed in turn at four other roads leading to Konstant. "All of these roads had trucks full of Revolutionaries on them, all moving toward the city." She looked at Rexor. "I counted at least forty-five total and all were flying the blue flag."

Major Rexor was quiet as he looked at the map on the wing. Finally he nodded and turned to the Captain that stood behind him. "Get the men ready to move out, we'll go toward Konstant and try to intercept some of these columns." He looked back at Carlotta and Lillia and smiled. "As for you two, you have my thanks for gathering the information. Go on and fill your airplane's fuel tanks then you may leave for Sous-Beil." He saluted them. "The Kingdom of Theron also thanks you for your services during this crisis. I would put your actions in my report but for some reason I don't think you would want that, would you?"

This time it was Merielle that replied. "Thank you, Major Rexor, for your help in allowing us to leave Theron. One day we may return for the remainder of our vacation trip to Devoia. Meanwhile, there really is no need to mention our having been here." All four saluted. "Thank you again."

"I hope you have a safe trip back." The Major smiled again and walked away.

Several troopers helped refuel the F-13 while others loaded the remaining fuel cans onto the armored car trailers. Some of the cavalry units already were on the road before Merielle took off with Carlotta in the navigator's seat beside her, inside the cabin Kurt sat with Lillia on the canvas fold-down seats. The trip was anti-climatic and smooth as they crossed the Gulf and thanks to Carlotta's memory for maps they found the small town with its airfield a short distance up the coast from their landfall, the fuel gauge read less than a quarter of a tank left.

After landing the four climbed out to stretch their legs and were greeted by the airfield mechanic. He came up to them with a big smile and wiping his hands on a rag. "I guess you need a load of diesel for that old girl, right? I just happen to have some in the hanger."

Lillia frowned for a second. "You actually have diesel here at the field? That's a little strange isn't it?"

His grin grew larger as he looked at the bullet holes in the fuselage but he didn't comment on them. "Usually it would be strange, but about two weeks ago I had another "F" through here." His face showed concentration for a second. "Yep, about two weeks it was. Some rich hunters were coming back from a hunting trip and we had to get diesel from a station in town brought out. Still have some left but I might have to get some more brought over to fill you up."

"Do you have enough to get us to Regio?" Lillia looked worried.

The mechanic smiled again. "I should have enough for you to half fill your tanks, which will get you to Regio and have fuel to spare."

Lillia finally smiled. "We'll take all you have then, and thanks." She started over to the airfield office behind Carlotta and Merielle.

Kurt stayed behind and watched as the mechanic brought a cart of fuel drums over and began to pump them into the F-13's wing tanks. The mechanic looked at Kurt and nodded toward the field office. "Those girls your family, they all are real pretty?"

Kurt slowly smiled back. "That's right, my wife and her two sisters. We were on vacation and need to get back home."

The mechanic somberly looked down the length of the fuselage at the bullet holes and shook his head. "I sure hope you have a quieter flight home than you did on your vacation."

Merielle came up and put her arm around Kurt's. "It's been an interesting trip anyway, hasn't it dear?"

Kurt could only roll his eyes and laugh. "I don't think 'interesting' even touches this little vacation." He covered Merielle's hand with his and looked at her.

Carlotta grabbed his arm. "Well I have enjoyed it so far, my big brother." She squeezed against him and smiled.

Lillia came up shaking her head slowly. "And we won't get home if I don't fly us out of here."

The mechanic jumped off the wing after wiping the spills around the fuel cap. Then he smiled and held his arm out like an usher at a theater. "Your chariot awaits ladies and gentleman. Have a safe flight."

Lillia and Carlotta climbed into the cockpit and Merielle sat with Kurt in the cabin. After the plane took off she reached over and held his hand all the way to Regio. The canvas seats didn't allow her to sit close to him.

By the time they arrived at the military field in Regio, identified themselves and had the faithful F-13 stored in a hanger for later pickup, it was getting too late to leave. For the first time in weeks the girls slept in a room without Kurt near. Kurt spent the night lying awake while missing having Merielle and Carlotta close to him to keep warm. Morning was a long time coming.

TWELVE:

The next morning a launch crew had the Princess in the water and at the ramp when the four came down. It wasn't but a few minutes after a pre-flight check and Lillia flew out of Regio with Carlotta navigating while Kurt and Merielle sat on their blankets in back. By mutual consent they planned to stop at a lake for the night and then fly in to Bergheim tomorrow. Before leaving Lillia had sent a message to Treize, hoping he was at their base, giving their arrival date.

Carlotta had planned a slower return flight and they flew to a different lake the first day. They would spend the night then fly to another town with a seaplane facility to refuel before flying to Bergheim with arrival in the late afternoon.

Later that first night out from Regio, Kurt had helped prepare their dinner after catching some fish, while Lillia made tea. After clean up the moon was showing over a mountain, lighting up the lake and camp site.

Kurt sat on a log near the shore drinking a cup of tea when Merielle sat down beside him wearing her nightgown and flight jacket. She reached over and took his cup, then had a sip before handing it back. Neither one said a word. Kurt put his arm around Merielle drawing her closer to him.

"So what are you thinking about that you are being so quiet?" Merielle wasn't even looking at Kurt; she just looked at the moon reflecting on the still water.

"Umm, what am I thinking about?" He paused for a second and glanced down at Merielle. "Probably my biggest thought is that tomorrow this fantasy ends and we all go back to our real lives." He smiled sadly and looked down at Merielle's surprised face. "I think fear covers most of it."

"And what exactly do you mean by 'our real lives', minion?" She pulled back and frowned at him. "Are you planning on abrogating your Lord Protector status for which I happen to have a signed written document available to hold you to?"

Kurt slowly took a sip of his tea while never letting go of Merielle. He didn't look at her when he finally answered. "I gave my vow to be your Protector and I meant every word of it. Still do stand by my vow, actually." He looked at the moon rising over the mountain. "But I will be a Sergeant with the Sous-Beil Army at Bergheim and you will be the Crown Princess in Ikstova. Unless you plan on checking out more future husbands and then I will go with you." He looked down at her and smiled. "Truth be known, it will hurt to accompany you on those trips, but I promised and I will do it."

Merielle took the cup from him and had another sip, mostly to hide her smile. "Well, I think you need to take the Ikstovan Oath of the Lord Protector before we go any further with this conversation. She turned and saw Carlotta near the fire with the teapot and a cup in her hands. "Little sister, I could use your help please, and bring that teapot with you; Kurt's tea is getting cold."

Carlotta walked over and sat on Kurt's right side, then poured tea into the cup that Merielle held in front of him. Merielle sipped quickly and handed the cup back to Kurt. He took a sip of the hot tea, while Carlotta grinned at Merielle and shook her head behind his back.

Merielle cleared her throat quietly. "Sister, my minion needs to take the ancient Ikstova Oath of the Lord Protector and we could use your help." Carlotta's eyes opened wide and she raised her eyebrows. Merielle grinned at her and nodded. "Yes, I do mean that oath that has been long used to bind the Protector forever."

Carlotta tried to look innocent as she answered. "I will help in any way I can big sister." She took Kurt's arm and moved closer. "Brother, this is what you must say to the person being protected and you must say it with meaning."

Kurt looked over at Carlotta. "I am ready to take any oath you want."

Carlotta smiled at Kurt. "I must verify that you are not taking this oath lightly or that you are under any coercion in taking it."

Kurt frowned at her. "I said I would take any oath you want me to take, but for the record I am not being coerced to take it, and I take it willingly. Does that meet with your legal requirements?"

"Oh, yes, big brother, it most certainly does." Carlotta stood up and put his left hand in Merielle's right hand and cleared her throat. Finally she placed her hand on top of Kurt's head. "You must now give your oath to the Crown Princess of Ikstova, Merielle Benedict. Look at her and not me, big brother." Kurt looked at Merielle smiling at him and smiled himself. "Now you must say the following oath exactly as I tell you." Kurt nodded without looking at Carlotta. "All right, now say 'I, Kurt Jaeger, do hereby swear to always protect and stand by the side of Merielle Benedict for the remainder of our lives.'" She paused while Kurt repeated the oath. "Now say 'let the Lord be with us evermore." Kurt gave the final words and Carlotta smiled and looked over at Merielle. "It's your turn now, big sister."

Merielle was still smiling at Kurt. "I, Merielle Benedict, accept the oath given by Kurt Jaeger, and promise to stand by his side for the rest of our lives." Her smile got bigger. "And it is my wish to have the Goddess of Love always to watch over us."

Carlotta leaned toward Kurt. "You have to kiss the Princess to make it official."

Kurt frowned for a second then leaned over and kissed Merielle on the cheek. She grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him hard on the lips. His eyes widened then he kissed her back.

Carlotta tapped Kurt on the head. "Okay, okay, let's not get carried away. I'll go back and let you two go over the requirements of a Protector." She turned and walked back to the fire where Lillia was sitting drinking her tea and slowly shaking her head at the little theatrical production she had just witnessed.

Merielle leaned against Kurt and took his cup for another drink of lukewarm tea. "Well, any questions my Lord Protector?"

Kurt put his arm around her again. "At the moment I can't think of any." She heard him chuckle to himself. "Of course tomorrow there'll be lots of questions from lots of people. You know the usual kind of things like what were you doing the past month, why are you so close to those beautiful girls, why does a certain Princess have papers identifying her as your wife? And, of course, the one about how did you become a Lord Protector to the Royal House of Ikstova?" He chuckled again. "Yeah, just the normal questions after a vacation."

Merielle smiled gently. "And all you have to do is tell them the truth. Lillia and Carlotta are your new sisters and I'm under your personal protection. It sounds simple to me."

"Well I hope it sounds simple to your parents that you have to take me along on any marriage proposal trips so I can glower and intimidate any Princes that you have to check out."

She pulled back and looked at Kurt. "Did I say anything about any marriage proposal trips, my minion? Maybe I will no longer go on those trips." She pulled away and stood up while holding his hand. "It has been a long day and I'm going to bed." Leaning over she kissed Kurt again. "You had better remember this evening for the rest of your life my protector. And don't wake me when you come in the tent."

Kurt frowned as he looked up at her smiling face. "Why would I even try to come into the tent, I'll sleep in the Princess like last time."

Merielle thumped him on top of his head. "Because my idiot minion, this is the last night we four will be together like this on this trip. Besides, Carlotta and I missed having you keep us warm last night. I think we got used to having you there next to us." This time she put her finger on the end of Kurt's nose. "Now, don't wake either of us when you come to bed, and bring your own blanket because I want mine." She stepped over the log and disappeared into the tent on the far side of the fire. Kurt's eyes were wide as he stared after her.

THIRTEEN:

Kurt woke in the dim light of morning with Merielle snuggled up on his right side and Carlotta on his left side with her arm around him. Lillia had one of her legs thrown over everybody on top of the blankets. Looking at Merielle's pretty face beside him he wanted to kiss her but a small voice in his head kept saying that he was just her Protector and not her fiancé and that would be a very bad thing to do. Slowly he disentangled himself from the sleeping girls and went outside the tent to start the morning breakfast routine. Stretching himself outside the tent he looked around at the surroundings so he would remember them at the end of this fairy tale trip. Behind him there was a noise from the tent and he turned to look as a disheveled Merielle stepped out with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Where's my breakfast and morning tea, minion, I'm hungry?" She moved over and sat on the log near the extinguished fire.

Kurt shook his head and went over to rub the top of her head. "You are supposed to be asleep still while I get things together. Why don't you go back inside until I'm ready?"

Merielle gave him a bleary eyed look in the near darkness, reached over to grab his shirt and pull him down to her level, and then she gave him a kiss. "Good morning dear, I'll just wait here while you get my breakfast, thank you very much."

Kurt quickly stood up and looked at her with a frown. "Are you sure you should do that to me? I could get used to it and you won't be around. Or in the future your husband might object to my getting kissed by his wife."

With a half smile Merielle looked up at Kurt. "Then my husband will get a punch if he objects to my giving kisses."

Kurt laughed and shook his head as he started the fire for a pot of water for tea and a pot of washing up water. Afterward he caught fish for breakfast, to the accompaniment of Merielle's clapping, which after grilling he served to all the girls with a waiter's flourish.

Cleaning up the camp site and packing away the tent and other stores took longer than it had coming out. Kurt and Merielle pushed the Princess away from the beach and climbed aboard. Lillia piloted with Carlotta navigating while Merielle sat beside Kurt, just as they had weeks ago on the flight out. They flew around some storms and landed once to refuel, but the flight was unexciting otherwise.

As they came into radio range of Bergheim Carlotta radioed the base of their approach. A few minutes later the radio crackled and Carlotta listened quietly then began to smile. She turned away from Kurt and Merielle to speak into the microphone then switched over to intercom to talk with Lillia. Neither person at the back of the cabin noticed.

When the Princess made its approach to land in the seaplane lagoon Lillia called down to Merielle to take a look out their window. On the ramp there were at least fifty ground crewmen waiting for their arrival, and to one side stood a figure that was obviously Treize. Merielle's pink Lightning sat in the water pulled up at the left side of the ramp. Lillia landed and taxied to the ramp's right side where many willing hands helped hold the plane steady.

Treize walked down to the water's edge and stood with his hands on his hips as Carlotta opened the cabin door and stepped out waving at the ground crewmen. Then with a cry she slid down the ladder and ran along the pontoon and leaped out to grab Treize in a hug. Meanwhile Lillia climbed out onto the wing and waved to her husband, closely followed by Merielle and Kurt. The ground crew had closely watched the movement of Merielle and Carlotta as they climbed onto the ramp with smiles. Kurt watched all fifty of the men frown at him as he stepped ashore, so he bowed deeply to them.

After kissing Lillia and disengaging Carlotta, Treize leaned forward and kissed his sister on the cheek. "I understand you four have been busy the past month my dear sister. You and Lillia will have to tell me every detail before you fly out this evening."

Merielle smiled at him. "Why this evening, dear brother? I really did have other plans for this evening."

Treize leaned over to speak quietly in her ear. "Mom and dad want you back home immediately." He looked around before continuing. "Seems Prince Johan has had some political problems in his life and the offer of marriage has been withdrawn by the Royal family." He looked at her as she started to grin. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

Merielle looked innocent as she shook her head. "I don't know a thing about that my dear little brother."

Treize had taken her elbow and they were walking up the ramp followed by Lillia, with Carlotta and his Sergeant following at the rear. He tried not to laugh. "And I hear you now have a signed and sealed Lord Protector in your retinue." He sighed. "Now Lillia and I have to find a new man, train him, and teach him the wily ways of my family. Does poor Sergeant Jaeger have any idea what he has volunteered for?"

Merielle rolled her eyes and looked back at Kurt. "Apparently he has no clue that he's my real live husband. Last I heard he's afraid any husband of mine will be unhappy to have him following me around as my Protector. I may tell him before we leave for home. By the way, congratulations are in order on my marriage."

Treize shook his head and sighed. "Congratulations my beautiful sister, you have made an excellent choice. Of course you know he has to stay here while you calm mom and dad down, not to mention the rest of the Royal Court. And we need to get him released from the Sous-Beil Army, but I'm sure Matilda will help with that. Oh, that reminds me." He turned around to Kurt. "Sergeant, you need to get my sisters things from the Princess and put them in Merielle's airplane."

Sergeant Jaeger stood at attention and gave a loud "yes sir!" before turning back to the ramp followed by Carlotta.

Merielle watched Kurt climb into the Princess and sighed. "Do you know how hard it was to make him stop that kind of military thing? And now I have to leave him with you for awhile and I'll have to train him all over again."

Treize shook his head and sighed again. "I don't think he will lose his new training that fast. Now I want you and Carlotta to go with Lillia to our rooms and change back to your uniforms." He watched as Kurt lifted a bag to Carlotta who was kneeling on the wing of Merielle's plane. "Sergeant Jaeger will also have to change into his uniform and get back into the Army mode." Sighing again Treize turned back to Merielle. "And you need to remember that you are the Princess Royal of Ikstova and both of you are officers in the Defense Force so you and Carlotta have to act like it in front of the ramp crew." From the corner of his eye he saw Kurt lift Carlotta down from the wing and give her a hug while she kissed him on the cheek. "Our poor Sergeant won't live long enough to be your husband doing that." He shook his head again.

Merielle stuck her tongue out at her little brother while Lillia giggled at them.

Forty-five minutes later they all gathered in the squadron office. Carlotta held Kurt's arm and Merielle held his other hand in hers. Treize pinched his nose with his fingers and shook his head while Lillia prepared some tea.

Treize finally looked at his sister. "Look, mom and dad want you and Carlotta to come home the fastest way possible, and this message says you have to leave now." He turned a piece of paper around toward Merielle.

"But mom and dad don't know what's happened during the trip. Now I want to stay at least one more night here." Her eyes flashed in anger.

Treize gave back everything she was giving him. "Major Benedict, may I remind you that army regulations do not allow for officers and enlisted men to fraternize." He looked at her holding Kurt's hand. "And that is fraternizing. Same goes for you Carlotta, both of you let go of Sergeant Jaeger." Treize stressed the rank. Jaeger straightened up and reluctantly let go of Merielle and loosened Carlotta from his arm.

Giving a huge sigh Treize leaned back against his desk. "Look, I know you want to stay an extra night, and I know you have had a long day, but the moon is full and a front is supposed to be coming through tomorrow that could delay you for days." He smiled and looked at Merielle. "Which, of course, I know you would love to have happen to you." He stood up and walked over to Merielle and walked her out of Kurt's hearing into the outer office. "And this base doesn't have rooms available for husbands and wives to share, and definitely not for officers and enlisted men to share. So please go on home and get things settled down so Kurt can come to you." His eyes were pleading with her.

Merielle looked at her younger brother and finally started to relax. "Okay, okay, I hear you, and mom, and dad, and the great council. We'll fly out now so this isn't drawn out any further." She poked Treize in the chest. "But you had better take care of Kurt and send him to me when I can clear it with everyone."

Treize nodded. "It will be done, sister." He started to grin at her. "And are you planning on letting poor Kurt know he is actually your husband before you leave?"

Merielle smiled and walked toward the inner office. "Maybe or maybe I'll just surprise him later in Kunst."

Treize just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

It was already dark when the five walked down to the ramp and only a few lights were lit so the pilots would have night vision. Only eight launch ramp crewmen were on hand to help with Merielle's Lightning.

Merielle motioned with her head for Carlotta to climb on board. Carlotta quickly hugged Lillia and then kissed Kurt and Treize before climbing up to the wing and opened the cabin door.

Treize, Lillia and Kurt stood in a line at the water's edge waiting while Merielle stood quietly for a second. Then she kissed her brother and sister on the cheek quietly saying 'good-bye' before moving in front of Kurt.

Merielle started to smile and then put her hands behind her like a schoolgirl. "So, my Protector, you will come when I call for you, right?"

Kurt was standing at rigid attention and was looking straight ahead. "Yes, Major Benedict, I will be available when you call." Kurt could see the eight launch crewmen were watching their every move and Carlotta was standing at the open cabin door smiling.

"Excellent, that's excellent, my Protector." Merielle leaned a little closer to Kurt. "But I'm afraid you have my name wrong."

Kurt frowned and looked down at Merielle. "Wrong? I'm sorry Major, but how can your name be wrong?"

Merielle glanced at Lillia and Treize, then pulled the Theron travel pass out of her jacket and slowly waved it in front of her. "Well, my Protector, it says right here that my last name is Jaeger."

Kurt blinked in confusion, and then looked at the proximity of the nearest crewman before whispering back. "Merielle, you and I know that you had that done in Konstant on the spur of the moment."

Lillia started to make snorting sounds trying not to giggle and Carlotta covered her mouth to hide her smile.

Merielle waved the pass again and put it back into her inner jacket pocket. "Kurt, dear Kurt, you might need to know that the oath you took last night was a little more than the oath of a 'Lord Protector'." Kurt frowned at her and she giggled. "You gave the oath of a woman's ultimate protector and I accepted the vow."

Kurt blinked again in confusion. "Ultimate protector?" He looked at the crewmen who were silently leaning toward them trying to hear what was being said, before whispering to Merielle. "I give up, what's the 'ultimate protector'?"

Merielle tiptoed up to Kurt's ear to whisper back. "Those were marriage vows we exchanged; you are now my husband and ultimate protector."

When Kurt's mouth dropped open and his eyes almost popped out, Lillia bent over and started to laugh out loud. From the wing Carlotta shouted out. "She got you that time big brother!"

"Now you wait until I call for you to come to Ikstova." Merielle gave him a good kiss before running out on the pontoon and up to the wing of her plane, and then she shouted out for the benefit of the crewmen just as she pulled the cabin door closed. "Now you be good while you're waiting, my wonderful and brave husband!"

Kurt was frozen in place as the pink airplane was pushed into the lagoon and its engine started. From the open cockpit canopy Merielle waved at him and blew a kiss before she taxied out and took off.

END