I've actually had this ready for a long while, but have been too lazy to upload it. You have permission to shoot me now.

READ ON!

Chapter 4: Distrust

Natalia gave a small smile as the light filtered into her room, showering her in sunlight. It was so refreshing to awake to the sun. Dressing quickly, Natalia equipped her gloves with puckered lips, letting the maids apply her lipstick. Finally finished, she swished from the room, nearly running into Jade as she opened the doorway.

"Ah! Jade!" She said with a gasp, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there."

"Good morning, Natalia," Jade said in a tone that said, "Well obviously you didn't notice me", "I'm afraid I must say goodbye."

Natalia's heart exploded, and her eyes widened. She stared at the absolutely serious face of the colonel as he turned around to leave. She stared as his boots clapped on the floor, and she suddenly reached out after him, "Jade! Wait! Don't go!"

He turned around when she grabbed his glove, "What's wrong?"

"You're… leaving?" She asked, almost like she had when her father had to leave on important missions.

"For the day. You're going to be on your own today," His normal smile widened slightly, "With the way he treated you on the beach… you shouldn't have any troubles." Natalia blushed at his statement. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and squeezed slightly, "You'll do fine. I trust you, and I haven't ever put my faith in the wrong person."

She smiled at him as he turned around and walked away, "I'll be back by tomorrow, so have fun with His Majesty. Just don't do anything you'd regret later."

Natalia blushed again, and shouted after him, "Oh Jade, I can't believe you!" The colonel stifled a laugh. She watched as he left the palace, and finally realized that breakfast sounded like a good idea.

---

Natalia thought that it was strange that Peony was not at the dining room for breakfast, and wondered if he was sick. Perhaps he had caught a cold from being too wet? The princess seemed a little bad for smirking. That sounded JUST like the emperor…

After breakfast, and without Peony, Jade or even Guy to converse with, Natalia found herself surprisingly free. It was an alien feeling for the woman, who was always zipping from place to place. She almost felt like she had to go out and DO something, but she passed by the library, and eventually decided against leaving the palace. If she was to become Malkuth's empress, it was up to her to learn what she could about its people.

"Hmm…" Kimlasca's princess thought to herself, wondering which book she should read first. None of them really caught her eye, until they landed on a book with binding that felt relatively new for something stuck in a library of ancient tomes. It seemed nice enough, though, "A Concise History of Malkuth and its Territories…?" She murmured at the book cover's name, taking it down from the shelf and flipping it open. She opened it, and blinked at it. It didn't SEEM like a history of Malkuth… She decided to read on past the novelized adventure of a young woman in the spring of her life and looking for love. Perhaps it was after all of this… Or perhaps it was the history in novelized form? What an interesting concept! Natalia continued past the part where the young woman met a strangely handsome and rich young noble…

Little did she know that if she looked under the cover of the book, the real title of the book would become apparent. The princess was reading a book titled "Normalizing the Vector".

---

Emperor Peony searched painstakingly for the princess, who had gone and got herself misplaced after breakfast. Now it was past lunch and he was getting worried about her. More than slightly, but not greatly… well… MAYBE greatly… or maybe not. The jury was still out on that one. He was about to head outside, but passed by the library. There, he saw a figure reclining on a chair, turned away from the emperor. Peony was amazed. Who ever actually sat down and READ before? Oh, it was just Natalia.

As Peony snuck in to see what she was reading, Natalia's lips moved in frantic wonder as she devoured the story, "and then…" She murmured, too engrossed in the story to realize the emperor looking over her shoulder with a smile, "Kevin removed Heather's skimpy tank top, and…" her eyes widened, jaw dropping slightly. Peony assumed that she found his secret pornographic romance novel hidden in the library.

"Oh my…" she murmured, her eyes misting over in pure adoration as she slowly closed the book and hugged it close to her, "I hope someday that I have someone who would do that for ME…!" she said only to herself. Peony smirked as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

He leaned down with a sly smirk and whispered seductively in her ear, "I would do that for you if you asked, you know…"

Natalia gave a scream and Peony laughed aloud from his joke as she leapt from the chair, turning around to face the emperor with wide eyes. She dropped the book to the floor and took a few steps backwards like a mouse caught by a rather hungry cat, "Y…Your Majesty! I…!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking!" He said, still laughing at her wide eyes. Hers was a priceless expression. She didn't relax, however, and he winked, "Unless you'd like to take me up… on the offer…?"

"N…no!" She cried, almost too fast. It made Peony laugh again. She was so squeamish, it was adorable! "I just! I was saying that I would like it someday, you know, when I was married."

"Hmm…" Peony murmured, rubbing a fake itch on his cheek as if thinking deeply, "And yet your wish is to be Malkuth's empress? I simply assumed…"

"I am not some floozy who will sleep with any man just because she thinks she will be wed with him!" Natalia said rather forcefully. Peony was only slightly surprised. He knew she had it in her, he just wondered when she would first release it, "I promised my father to give myself to the man I married, who is NOT you!" She said. She then stole a glance away to keep from looking in the emperor's bold stare, a hot blush rising on her cheeks, "At least… not right now it's not…"

Natalia nearly flinched when she felt him approach and take her hand, "And you're absolutely sure you don't want it…?" He whispered into her ear, making her body temperature rise exponentially. He wondered if she could last much longer.

"Y…yes!" She said, suddenly pulling away. Peony's eyes widened. It was the first time SHE pulled away from the compromising position he put her into, "I…! I can't!"

"I see…" The emperor replied, reaching down the pick up the book. He decided to leave her alone now. She was much too scared; he realized she just wasn't in the mood, "so… I guess that even though we're alone, without Jade to watch out for us, we're not going to have any fun?"

"You…!" She hissed, turning away.

"And since you're stuck in here, reading books that you obviously DON'T want to read…" He drawled, placing the book back on the shelf, "I think you're bored. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Well!" Natalia stole a glance in his direction, "It's just that…! Usually in my free time… I practice my archery…"

"Oooohhh!!" Peony proclaimed with a smile, snapping his fingers, "Then that's it! Why don't I set up a small archery range in the gardens? Then you can practice all you want!"

Natalia blinked at the emperor, "Are you… serious…? This isn't some secret plan to be able to get me to dress in some skimpy archery outfit that should never be used on the battlefield…"

"My dear…" Peony cut the woman off, taking her hand and gently leading her off to the gardens, "I wouldn't DREAM of it!"

Natalia smiled lightly and let the man lead her off. Unconsciously, she snuggled closer to the emperor, who smirked widely. He couldn't possibly imagine her being together with Jade like the soldier had thought; he knew EXACLY who the Kimlascan Princess had fallen for. Yet there was a gnawing suspicion in the back of his mind which continued to ask, "What if it was true?" It was obvious that the thought of an affair being impossible only made it seem all the more likely.

Peony hoped that Jade would return from his mission soon. He wanted to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

---

Natalia soon found herself outside in the gardens. The archery range Peony had set up for her in the hour it took for her to prepare was small, but it was nice enough for one person to practice in. Not that she NEEDED practice, the moment she pulled out an arrow, it had sailed straight into a bulls-eye. The next three did the same thing. It was almost too easy.

"Having fun?" Natalia looked up in surprise the moment she heard Peony ask his question. One of the maids who was wandering by saw an arrow imbed itself in the tree before her face. The woman passed out immediately.

"Oh…!" Natalia gasped, "I…I'm sorry!" she called out. Peony was beside himself with laughter.

"Nice shot, Natalia!" He crowed.

"It's not funny, Your Majesty! You should have told everyone about the range!" The Princess said with a hand on her hip, "What if I had hit her?"

"You didn't, so why worry?" Natalia groaned.

"Sometimes, I don't even know why I bother speaking to you," She hissed, turning away, "Could you leave me alone?" Peony stopped as she pulled another arrow from her quiver and began to fire again.

"I…'m sorry…" He muttered, deciding to stay on her good side, at least until Jade returned and he could talk to the colonel, "I didn't know you weren't feeling well." Natalia spent a moment in thought, and sighed as she struck another bulls-eye, turning to the emperor as he sat down on a bench near her.

"No, Your Majesty, I'm sorry," She replied, sitting down on the bench next to him, "I just… things have been moving so fast… I'm really not used to it… You're trying to make this work… and all I'm doing is pushing you away."

Peony chuckled, "I'm trying to make this work…?" He said, "I suppose so…"

Natalia peered at the emperor, her eyes narrowing, "Wait… don't tell me that…"

"Everything I said before? I was just teasing you," Peony murmured, almost embarrassed to say so. Kimlasca's Princess glared at him. He smiled back, "You just look so cute when you blush like that." Natalia was taken aback. CUTE? He made fun of her because she looked CUTE?

…That was such a wonderful compliment! The princess giggled lightly, "Well then, if it's not too much to ask, Your Majesty, would you please stop toying with me? While I may look cute, that doesn't mean you can play with my emotions." She smacked him roughly on the cheek with a smile and stood up to return to the range, "It's rude…"

Peony blinked, and touched his cheek; it was turning red. Was that… a slap…? The emperor smiled. He couldn't believe that she actually hit him! Peony stood up and returned to the palace, rubbing his cheek; it hurt… but in a good way…

---

Peony and Natalia sat in relative silence. They hardly ate a bit of food, despite dinner staring at them in the face. All that changed when a messenger entered and bowed low to the ground, "Ahh, Your Majesty, Colonel Jade has returned!"

"Really?" The two said in unison, looking up at the messenger. Both of them rose up and walked towards the doorway, and suddenly Peony stopped Natalia, "Mmm, Natalia…?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" She asked, curtsying slightly. She seemed intent on getting through that door to Jade, and Peony's heart nearly broke. Steeling himself, he straightened up and coughed into his hand.

"D… do you mind…? I have something important I need to speak with Jade about…"

"Oh…!" Natalia curtsied deeper and took a few steps back, "Of course, Your Majesty…" Peony could hardly look at her face like that… She seemed like… she couldn't have WANTED to meet with him because of… of THAT, could he…? Peony took a deep breath, dismissed the messenger, and left the dining room, leaving Natalia behind to wait for the men to finish their conversation. Love or not, Peony was going to make sure that Jade knew who had claim to Natalia. It certainly was NOT the colonel…!

---

Jade met with the emperor in the palace's main hall, and the colonel bowed low to the ground. Peony responded in kind by grabbing the other man's collar and dragging him to his room for a private talk. Many of the guards looked away, making sure that they told themselves they didn't see what they thought they saw. Don't ask, don't tell…

The colonel straightened himself up when Peony released Jade. He adjusted his collar and smiled happily, "I'm glad to see you again too, Your Majesty…"

"This is serious…!" Peony hissed, pacing lightly, as he usually did when he kidnapped his friend and asked him for advice, "Jade…! I need to ask you something… Can you answer it with full honesty?"

"I shall to the best of my abilities…" Jade replied. He waited patiently for Peony to compose himself, and when the emperor finally stopped his pacing and turned to Jade, he took a deep breath and spoke:

"You didn't… you aren't… Natalia…" Peony tried to find the right word to use, "You haven't… touched her, have you?"

"I most certainly have," Jade said with a glasses adjustment, smiling mischievously. Peony paled when he continued, "I touched her many times, in many places, but mostly on…"

"I don't want to hear it!" Peony shouted, clamping his hands over his ears, "Do you have any morals!?"

"…the shoulder." The emperor blinked, staring intently at his best friend, "I have touched her many times on the shoulder. I told you that I would answer with…"

Peony groaned as Jade finished his sentence, the Necromancer's smile not leaving, "I swear, Jade…" This was the first time in a while that Jade actually got the best of the emperor. The colonel blamed it on Peony's jealous rampage.

"Whatever immoral actions you think I'm doing to Lady Natalia, you are mistaken. I have not taken her, nor have I…"

Peony silenced him immediately with a glare, "So that means that… all the rumors around the palace are…?"

"Your Majesty, I am surprised at you," Jade said with faux sorrow, "To think that I would betray your trust like that! How could we ever remain friends? I feel absolutely betrayed!"

Peony smiled, "You and me both, Jade. You and me both." Silence passed for only a moment, and suddenly the doorway burst open. The two watched in light surprise and horror as six muddy rappigs flew into the room, dragging an exhausted Malkuth noble behind them.

"G…good evening… Your Majesty…!" Guy said, releasing the leashes so he could bow to the emperor (although he was only bowing to keep from keeling over), "I… they found…! A puddle to play in…! I tried to stop them, I did…!"

Jade watched as Saphir dragged himself up on the bed and Gelda shook the watery mud over the entire room. Peony simply smiled, "I suppose… another washing is in order…?"

Natalia was mortified when she heard the news.

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Hope you guys enjoyed it! I don't know why I put Guy in at the end.

I swear, worst way to end an emotionally charged scene ever.

Review please. Thanks.