Warning: AU, Pseudo-Historical Romance, PG-13, Ran/Ken.

Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss.

Our Own Secret Kingdom

Chapter Nine: 2007

Ken was right about the rain. They were nearly back to the manor when the sky opened up. The small group ran for the kitchen door, making it inside before the first gale force wind blew the rain into the back of the house. They each retired to their rooms to dry off and change before coming together again to decide what else could be done. The afternoon wasn't half over and Aya was determined to keep searching for any proof that could be found. Ken turned the house over to her and she and Yohji began a methodical search of every room. Ken didn't mention that he'd already done so.

Omi retired to the study and his computer. Ken didn't ask what he was doing. After all, the law student wasn't required to assist in the solving of the mystery, he was on vacation.

Ken found himself carrying two mugs of hot tea up from the kitchen toward the library and only paused to wonder why he'd assumed Ran wanted one once he was outside the library doors. Quietly he toed one of the doors open and stepped inside.

The Earl was seated at a long table at the end of the room opposite the fireplace with a pile of small books spread out before him. The books looked old and delicate and Ran had them stacked in a neat pile with tiny scraps of paper tucked in between the pages he wanted to mark. He had one open before him and was carefully flipping the pages. When Ken came in he looked up and the Duke's Grandson felt himself caught in those amazing violet eyes once again.

"Tea?" he asked raising the mugs.

A small soft smile partially bloomed on Ran's face and he set the book aside.

"That would be lovely. Thank you," Ran said and Ken felt himself drawn to the empty chair nearest the Earl. "Where's everyone else?"

He sounded wary and Ken found himself smiling.

"They're searching the house," he answered.

"All of it?"

"I guess so."

"Hn. Well, that should keep them busy," Ran said tasting his tea. "Mmm. What is this?"

"Tea," Ken said.

"I meant what kind," Ran clarified with a chuckle.

"Oh. Umm...I didn't pay attention," Ken admitted, suddenly feeling embarrassed for absolutely no reason. "Something Mrs. Garret left in the cupboard. When she heard I was coming she bought enough supplies to last a year."

Ran chuckled again, it was a deep soothing rumble.

"It's good," he said.

"Mmmm," Ken agreed quickly taking a sip before he could say something stupid.

"So, how long have you been here?" Ran asked.

"A week," Ken answered feeling safe with simple answers.

"How do you like it?"

"Living here?" Ken considered a minute after Ran's nod. "I like it. It feels...comfortable, somehow. It's strange. I've never really thought about staying in one place before."

"But you are now?" Ran asked neutrally.

"Yeah," Ken answered meeting his eyes briefly. "A little."

"From the looks of it no one's lived here since the fifties," Ran said looking down into his tea.

"No one has," Ken volunteered, feeling compelled to share his story with the beautiful man sitting to his right. "My grandmother died when my Dad was a little kid. This was their home and my grandpa just couldn't stand it, so he moved them to Town. Then when my Dad married my Mom and I was born they were going to live here, but when I was two they were killed in a car accident."

"I'm sorry," Ran said quietly.

"Ancient history," Ken shrugged. "I don't even remember them. Grandpa took me in and that's when he started traveling and developing his entrepreneurial interests. Now that he's too old to go investigating possible investments he sends me. I have a knack for getting at anything fishy, or questionable that may be going on. Usually by accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah, like accidentally finding the room where the stolen goods are hidden while trying to find the bathroom, or tripping over what turns out to be a case full of illegal fire arms in what's supposed to be a rug weaving factory."

Ran laughed in surprise and Ken tried not to look too pleased.

"Is that true?" the Earl chuckled.

"Oh, yeah," Ken nodded, slightly embarrassed. "If there's trouble I'll find it."

"It must be nice to travel though," Ran said sounding a bit wistful. "I've spent most of my life right here trying to follow in the footsteps of my forebears, just as my father did, and his father before him. But it seems to get more and more difficult for each generation."

"Aya said you're turning the main house on your estate into a resort?" Ken prompted.

"And moving into the grounds keeper's cottage," Ran nodded. "She resents me for doing it, I know, but we have no choice. My father made me promise I wouldn't sell off any of the estate, but his poor financial management and long illness has left us with very little capitol. Even this is a risk. If the financial climate in the country changes, or people just aren't interested in staying at our resort, then we could still lose everything. Nothing is certain."

"But the publication of the journals would be a help, right?" Ken asked.

"A help, certainly, but most likely a sensation that will fade quickly," Ran said.

"Hunh?"

"Well, it seems to me that without finding actual evidence that the Duke and the Earl were lovers the whole thing could be written off as a young woman's fantasy," Ran explained. "I haven't read the journals myself, and certainly she wrote convincingly enough to impress Aya and Yohji, but I'm not as sure as they are about the public's reaction."

"But even a little interest will be enough to help you, right?" Ken asked.

"Yes. I suppose every little bit will help," the Earl nodded, but he didn't seem very enthusiastic.

"And you've already found him in these account books, right?" Ken continued, indicating the pile of books with the slips of paper hanging out.

"Actually, yes," Ran said, setting aside his tea and opening the book on the top of the pile. "At least, I believe so. No one bothered to sign their name to any of this. It wasn't legally binding contracts or anything."

He flipped to a certain spot and moved the book so Ken could read it. The writing looked neat and orderly.

"The interesting thing is," Ran said, and Ken sensed him warming to his subject, "the Earl's handwriting, if it is his, appears off and on throughout the time that the Duke was alive and living here. In itself that may not seem unusual, except these are the account books for the estate. Only someone intimately familiar with the running of it would have access to them let alone write in them. Usually only the owner or steward would do so, but naturally they kept separate books. A guest, even an honored one, or one of long time residency, wouldn't be helping to keep the accounts in order."

"So, he was here then," Ken said, a little awed.

"It seems as if someone was here," Ran cautioned. "I'm going to suggest we have Omi scan and print some samples that I can take and compare to things we know he wrote, and that we have at home."

"Sounds like a good idea."

Ran smiled a little again and flipped a page in the book.

"This is the Duke's handwriting," he said and Ken studied it for a minute.

"Heh. Looks as bad as mine," he said with a laugh. "Do you think it's weird?"

"What?"

"That they lived here, that they were together," Ken said glancing up into twin pools of violet, "and that we're here now looking for them...together?"

Ran went very still beside him and stared into his eyes for a moment before blinking rapidly and looking back down at the open book. He closed it slowly and put it back on top of the pile.

"It is a little strange, certainly," he said softly. "I'm afraid I'm allowing Aya's enthusiasm to distract me from what's important."

"Sometimes a little distraction is a healthy thing," Ken said and grinned at the startled expression the Earl turned on him. He collected the mugs and stood to go. "That's a good idea about scanning the writing samples. I'll tell Omi about it."

He moved to the door and checked his watch.

"It'll be dinner in an hour or so. Burgers sound good to you? I'm pretty competent when it comes to grilling things," Ken said looking back over his shoulder.

He felt a tingle when Ran smiled at him again.

"Sounds delightful," the Earl said.

Ken gave him what he hoped was a noncommittal nod, but he could feel his big silly smile and it was all he could do to keep from skipping to the study.


Ran could feel himself smiling down at the book he'd been studying after Ken left the room. Although he had no intention of becoming involved with the other man, he had to admit that it felt nice to have someone flirt with him. It had been a very long time.

As easily as the smile had come he felt it fade when his sister waltzed into the library, a knowing smirk plastered all over her face. Ran wondered how long she'd been stationed outside the door and whether Ken had known she was there or not.

"Well, weren't you two all cozy in here," she said with a giggle. "I assume it's safe for me to say 'I told you so'."

"Aya..."

"Don't try to deny it, Ran," she pressed before he could finish his objection. "Ken just practically skipped off down the hall."

She approached the table and leaned on it.

"Well? Give me all the details," she demanded happily.

"He made me a cup of tea. I showed him some handwriting samples. He asked it I'd like hamburgers for dinner. I said yes," Ran answered blandly.

Aya pouted.

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"But..."

She was cut off by their cousin's entrance.

"Here you are," Yohji said as he came into the library. He stopped just inside the room to glance around. "Aya. Look!"

At his startled exclamation Ran looked up and his sister turned. She gasped loudly and rushed back toward the other end of the room, joining Yohji who stood before the fireplace staring up at the portrait above it.

"Do you think it is?!" Aya demanded.

"Who else could it be?" Yohji asked.

"She does resemble the woman in the other portrait," Aya agreed cautiously. "But is it really possible that it'd be hanging in the same exact place?"

"Well, the room may have been designed around it," Yohji suggested.

Aya whipped around and glared at Ran.

"Why didn't you tell us this was here?!" she demanded fiercely.

"I didn't know it was important," he said. "Who is she?"

"Duke Ken's mother," Aya cried waving a hand up at the painting.

"Oh. But you already have her picture in the other room," Ran said.

"But this is the portrait mentioned in the journals," Aya stated.

"And if you'd allowed me to read them then I'd know that," Ran pointed out then returned to his study of the account books.

Aya huffed at him but he ignored her and all the fuss she and Yohji continued to make at the other end of the library. They insisted on fetching the camera equipment and photographing the portrait where it hung. By dinner time Ran was ready to strangle both of them for interrupting his solitude, but the rest of the evening passed in pleasant conversations with Ken and Omi, so his nerves were soothed.

Dinner was delicious, Ken could indeed handle a grill, and afterward Omi scanned the pages of the account books and printed out copies for the Earl to take home. After that they all settled in the staff lounge, a room off the kitchen that had been equipped with a television and VCR, probably by the Garrets. They spent the night cheering and jeering their way through "It Happened One Night" and "Dark Victory".

Ran allowed himself the slight thrill of sitting next to Ken on the small sofa and sharing his bowl of popcorn. He felt ridiculously like a teenager on his first date, but decided to enjoy the feeling since it would be all he'd allow himself to have. When the movies were over he made himself say 'goodnight' and go to bed, marking but choosing to ignore the slightly disappointed look in Ken's large brown eyes.

He woke late again the next morning. Outside he could hear that the rain that had begun the previous afternoon was still steadily falling. That didn't bode well for their proposed return to the mausoleum, but maybe that was for the best. Every day that he was away from home was a day lost, and an addition to their mounting bills. They really could not afford a delay. Since they seemed to have found everything there was to find it would be better to abandon the search and return to the duties that he'd left. When he told Aya what he was thinking she frowned fiercely at him from across the kitchen table.

"We're supposed to stay until tomorrow," she snapped irritably.

"But we've accomplished everything we can here," Ran stated firmly. "Staying any longer would be a waste of time." When Aya tisked he added, "I realize you have nothing better to do, but I have. Every day that goes by without the crews working on our house is costing us money. Money we don't have."

"I know," his sister sighed with a pout. "I just know the answer is here...somewhere. If only we knew where to look. And I'm sure Ken will be disappointed."

Ran set his jaw and didn't flinch from her searching gaze.

"Ken, I am sure, has monetary responsibilities that we are not aware of," he said. "I'm sure this has been a huge disruption to him, and to his grandfather."

Ran noticed Omi pursing his lips and suddenly examining the ceiling with great interest. He wondered whether or not Ken's grandfather, the Duke, had really been bothered at all and what Omi knew about it. Certainly he'd been bothered enough to send Ken to find the letter from the King, but now that that was found the Hidakas' interest in matters should be at an end.

"Where is Ken?" Ran asked, suddenly realizing that they were all present in the kitchen save their host.

"He went out before we got up," Aya said with a pout.

"He left a note for us though," Omi said waving a piece of paper. "Enjoy breakfast. I'll be back in a bit," he read.

"Hn," Ran snorted then began loudly eating his toast.

The slamming of a door above in the hall alerted them to someone's arrival and seconds later Ken was coming through the door at the head of the stairs. He grinned at them and waggled a large iron tube on a ring.

"What's that?" Omi asked from his seat.

"It's the key to the mausoleum," Ken said as he came down the stairs.

"Mausoleum?" Aya and Yohji said.

"Yep. That thing is a mausoleum. Built by one of the Dukes to hold him and his Duchess," Ken explained. He reached the bottom of the stairs and crossed the room to help himself to coffee. "I went over to see Mr. Garret. It's part of his responsibilities to see that the trees are kept clear of it, and that the window is kept in repair."

Ran watched Aya and Yohji share an excited glance behind Ken's back.

"Seems like whichever Duke it was had a special feeling about the place," Ken continued as he turned and moved toward the table. "Mr. Garret gave me the key and...there's a road."

"A road?" Ran asked.

"Yep. We can get to it with my jeep," Ken said with a grin and sat down.

"It must be Duke Ken!" Aya cried. "Does know which Duke is buried there?"

"Nope, but he said most of them are buried in a crypt at the back of the churchyard in the village," Ken replied.

"Ah, that one wasn't built until 1765," Omi volunteered and everyone looked at him. "The village historical society has a website," he explained. "You weren't the only ones doing research yesterday. Anyway, according to them it was sponsored by the fourth Duke, but the fifth Duke was the first Hidaka buried there."

"You see?!" Aya cried excitedly.

"Why would Duke Ken sponsor an expensive family crypt and then not used it?" Ran asked.

"Maybe he had a better idea," Yohji suggested. "The window in the mausoleum was part of the remains of a chapel that burned. His parents were married there."

"So he wanted to be buried there?" Ran pressed finding that idea slightly hard to swallow.

"Of course! It makes perfect sense!" Aya cried nodding emphatically. "That is where he lost his virginity to the Earl, and..."

Ken choked on his coffee and began coughing violently as Ran stared in disbelief at his sister. She had the good grace to blush.

"Wow," Omi said with a chuckle. "That Grand Duchess of your's was well informed."

"Or imaginative," Ran muttered.

"How the Hell would she know that?!" Ken demanded, recovering from his fit. "And why would she write it down?!"

"She wasn't shy," Yohji said with a smirk. "And she was quite progressive. I believe she may have learned certain details from her husband, Grand Duke Kudou, who was with the Duke and the Earl throughout much of their first year together."

"Why'd he tell her?!" Ken demanded, turning red.

Ran quickly hid a smile behind his own mug of coffee. The Duke's grandson appeared to be completely embarrassed and flustered, and Ran had to admit he found it cute that Ken would feel affronted for his long dead ancestor.

"Anyway," Ken said shaking his head violently as if to clear it, "once we're all finished eating we can head out there. There's no electricity for your lights, but you can use your digital cameras to take your proofs."

Yohji nodded and smiled.

"That'd be wonderful," he said.


Ken was certain his disappointment had shown when Ran told him that they'd be leaving after lunch. Aya had grudgingly agreed that they'd probably found everything that they could and once the inside of the mausoleum was photographed there'd be nothing left for them to do. Ran was obviously anxious to get back to their estate, and Ken couldn't blame him. He promised to continue the search, although he wasn't sure how, and then he'd had to focus on the road through the woods. It was actually more like a trail, just wide enough for the jeep and not very well maintained.

"If I stay here I think I'll hire someone to make this more passable," he muttered after they'd bounced over the seventh deep rut.

"Mr. Garret can't use this very often," Aya commented with a moan.

"Only once or twice a year," Ken agreed. "To clear out the trees around the mausoleum. Saplings, dead branches, that sort of thing."

They all gasped and groaned at another sudden bump.

"Hey, I think I see it," Omi cried from the front passenger seat, and he pointed to the right.

"Yep. There it is," Ken nodded.

He drove a little nearer and then stopped the jeep at the edge of a large mud puddle that encompassed the entire road.

"I'm not risking driving through that," he stated.

The others agreed and they all climbed gingerly down into the long grass. It was soaking wet and above them the trees were dripping, but the hard rain had stopped, leaving everything encased in damp and cold. Ken led them through the few trees that separated them from the mausoleum.

The road had taken them around the far side of the property and come up behind the little stone building, so the view they had as they approached it was of the window, which looked dull with the dark interior behind it. They trudged around to the front where the door was and Ken hopped the fence once again, this time with key in hand.

It didn't turn easily, but he'd thought to bring along some oil for the hinges and the key holes. With a few spritzes and a little effort the key turned and he and Yohji were able to force the door inward. Everyone quickly dashed inside where they found it infinitely colder.

"How will we shut it again once we're finished?" Aya asked with a shiver.

She was answered by the door itself which closed behind them and she gave a startled squeak.

"It's on a pivot," Ken answered and indicated the handle on the back of the door.

"Look," Ran said softly and everyone turned.

Before them were two long stone coffins which took up the center of the room, and above them, glowing brightly with the light from outside, was the large round stained glass window. The exterior iron work didn't show at all on the inside, although it was clear which pieces of glass had been replaced since the color and thickness varied.

"It's beautiful," Aya breathed.

They paused a minute to take in the beauty and enjoy the tranquility inside the small tomb and then Aya and Yohji got to work taking pictures while Omi, Ran, and Ken examined the crypts themselves.

"Look," Omi said softly as he knelt by the end of the one on the left. "There's a plaque here."

Ken pulled a flashlight out of his pocket.

"Always come prepared," he said as he waggled it at Ran who smiled. "Here lies His Grace, John Kenichi Hidaka, Fourth Duke of Hidaka. 1716 to 1773."

"That's him! That's Duke Ken!" Aya whispered excitedly, abandoning her photography to join them at the foot of the coffin. "So, then this one must be the Earl's."

They turned to look at it and Ken flashed the beam of light over the foot. There was nothing there. He and Omi moved over for a closer examination.

"Something was here," Omi said. "There are bolt holes, so it must have been removed."

"Why would someone remove it?" Aya asked, clearly disappointed.

"To protect them," Ran said standing and joining Ken and Omi. "The hiding of the journals and all their personal effects, even the removal of this grave's marker, were all done to protect the Duke and his family."

"Surely no one would desecrate a grave," Omi said.

"I wouldn't hazard a guess about what religious zealots might do," Ran countered.

"Should we open it?" Aya asked quietly.

"No," Ken said, feeling slightly sick at the idea. He was starting to feel as if he knew them personally. "It might not be safe, and it's too disrespectful. Take your pictures and let's go."

Aya and Yohji finished what they wanted to do in silence and when they were done everyone quietly left the mausoleum and Ken relocked the door.