Hi everyone! I wanted to thank you all for your reviews. They mean the world to me. I've noticed that a great deal of people are curious about the mythical prince. I promise the secret will come out in the next chapter, and this one gives a pretty big clue. Thanks again for reviewing!

Ethereal

"The mythicals have been spotted on all sides of us, my prince. They have already managed to secure all of the surrounding kingdoms. There have been reports of a great deal of mining and construction. We believe that they are preparing for a final strike against us."

Duo sighed shaking his head. Scouts from all sides of the kingdom had verified the report, and the conclusion that the consul had come to was believable enough. Still, there was one thing out of place. One thing that Duo could not account for.

"The other kingdoms that have fallen. They all had bounded pairs too didn't they?"

Duo's question was met by eight pairs of scowling eyes. It seemed the consul was still hoping that if they ignored Duo he'd disappear and any reminder of his presence seemed to be a personal insult. "Of course they had bonded pairs," one of them spoke up. "No prince is allowed to succeed the thrown without one."

Duo crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair and looking a lot more at ease than he felt. "Well than tell me this, why would the mythicals have to prepare to take us out? They've already conquered several other kingdoms that were in much better shape than we are. I mean the mythicals know we're not at our best. They've got Zechs already so they know he's not a threat, and I'm willing to bet that they know that Treize is gone too. As For Wufei, I'm not even sure they know he exists. The point is that they know we're defenseless, so why wait?"

The same consul man as before answered his teeth clamped together and his eyes blazing. "You simple minded moron. It is our numbers they fear. We have one of the largest and best-trained armies in all the land. Even without our leader we are a force to be reckoned with."

Duo snorted, "you honestly think that these mythicals are afraid of a human army? As blind as you are it's a wonder you ever found your way out of the womb. A single mythical could take out a quarter of that army, and we'll be dealing with hundreds. No, it's something else that's stopping them. I just don't know what."

"Why you little retch. What makes you think that you can come in here and tell us how to run-"

"ENOUGH!" The consul man stopped in mid sentence, wide eyes locked on a fuming prince. Duo jumped in his seat, Heero's unexpected outburst causing his calm and cool mask to falter. His bonded never lost his temper, ever.

"Heero, you okay?"

Heero held his hand out, signaling Duo into silence. His attention was focused fully on the now sweating consul man. "Demon or not, Duo is my bonded, and he will be given the respect his position commands. Now if you can not do this than you have no place on this consul and you had better make your decision now because I do not have time for such things."

The consul man bowed his head, though the anger still echoed in his weary gaze. "Forgive me prince, I have only the kingdom's best interest at heart."

Heero settled back into his seat, his face once again emotionless, "that is one thing you and Duo have in commen. You both have the kingdom's best interest at heart."

"Of course prince," the man's voice was heavy with sarcasm.

"Now I do agree with the point Duo brings up. There is more going on with the mythicals than we know of. Otherwise they would have already attacked. All the same, this will not change our course of action. We will continue to train the men and prepare for their arrival. The only difference is the level of haste we must use. Duo, I will need you to select a handful of men to infiltrate the other kingdoms and gather as much information as possible."

"Prince why not use our spies for such a mission? They are trained for that kind of work."

Heero shook his head sending unruly strands this way and that. Duo suddenly found himself resisting the urge to reach up and run his fingers through those soft silk strands. Now was certainly not the time for that. "They are too well trained for this. Whoever is chosen will have to play the part of a slave because, according to the reports the only humans left in those kingdoms are slaves. Your spies are noble born, and would be far to obvious among a sea of peasants. I'm certain the men Duo will find will be sufficient."

Duo gulped looking into the calm face of his bonded. At least one of them was confident, but did Heero even realize how little Duo knew of humans? The demon didn't think he could tell the difference between a slave and a noble without the fine clothing and jagged chains that separated the two.

"That is all for now. It is almost dawn, and we have much to do." Heero did not wait for a reply. He rose and left the room with Duo following close behind.

Wufei's human seemed to waste no time in pursuing his angry bonded. Inu sighed grabbing the human's shirtsleeve stopping him in his pursuit. "Somehow I don't think that Wufei would take kindly to your words right now. You'd have better let me talk to him."

The king narrowed his eyes, his voice low and dangerous. "I don't know who you are exactly, but this is between myself and my bonded. I would advise you to stay out of it."

"Yeah well forgive me for not taking the advice of some egotistic, overconfident, and unfeeling slave driver but Wufei is my friend, and that makes this my business. As hard as it is to believe I do actually agree with you. We will be of much greater use if we can snuff out this problem at the source. Now if you will step aside and let someone else actually help you then perhaps we can get going before everything that we hold dear is destroyed."

With that Inu turned and trotted off after Wufei. Some diplomat he was making. He'd just thrown a slur of insults at the king he was supposed to be gaining favor with. The man simply infuriated him. So damn full of himself, and what right did he have to treat Wufei like that? The man was little better than Inu's old master, less cruel yes, but just as demeaning. Inu honestly couldn't understand why Wufei would ever accept this life. And the way that the human looked at the dragon, what the hell gave him the right?

"I wish to be left alone fox." The deadly warning came from just beyond a line of trees. So Wufei had heard him coming. Inu walked forward, pushing his way through the foliage and emerging to find himself at the edge of a shear cliff. The fox yipped his arms going into helicopter movements as he staggered on the edge desperately trying the regain his balance. The fox fell backward reaching out for whatever he could grab. He ended up hanging over the cliff clinging to a tree limb for dear life.

A laugh near by caused the fox to look over and find Wufei sitting with his legs dangled over the edge. "Baka, I would think a fox of all creatures should be more aware of his surroundings."

Inu threw Wufei a pouting glare as he pulled himself back up, "I was distracted okay. Some friend you are. I bet you would have just sat there as I went plummeting off the edge you winged bastard."

Wufei crossed his arms giving to other a quizzical look, "I did tell you to leave me alone."

"Yeah well for some reason that didn't translate to 'watch out there's a shear drop right in front of you." The fox inched a little closer to the dragon, "and besides, I know you don't really want to be alone. You're just mad at your human, and I can't say I blame you. I don't know how you stand it, the way he treats you."

Wufei hung his head, his reply so quite that Inu had to strain his sensitive ears to hear. "He does have some good qualities, though he doesn't seem to be showing them right now. He can be honorable, and kind. He's also quite intelligent. I just wish that prideful buffoon would realize the mistake he's making."

"Yes well humans rarely do think before they act. Still, I can't help but wonder if he has a point. I mean what good could we do if we went back to my kingdom? There's at least a hundred mythicals there, and only two of us. Granted we don't have much hope if we go to their main base either, but at least we'll be attacking the route of the problem."

Wufei's eyes flashed, "and what of your king and his bonded? Are you so willing to sacrifice them in order to fullfill your cowardly need for safety."

"Safety? We're talking about heading straight for the enemies stronghold! I trust Trowa and Quatre, they can take care of themselves. Wufei we will do them more good if we ourselves stay alive. Going there will not stop the mythicals, in fact at the very most it would delay them."

"And exactly what do you think we could do at their main base? We don't even know what numbers we face."

"True, but we can guess their leader is there, and so is your king's other mythical right? Look I've seen both Heero and Duo in action. They might not be able to stop the mythicals but I know they can hold them off. I'm certain that they will need our assistance, and we will need as many allies on our side as possible. I don't know about you, but I would rather know my enemy."

Wufei sighed shaking his head. "You don't understand, fox. I do know them, and I can not see them as an enemy. I care about what happens to the humans I have fought alongside, but I can not allow the mythicals to suffer as well."

Inu moved a little closer, his hand resting lightly on the dragon's lowered shoulder. "You put too much pressure on yourself, you know. I don't know how this is going to turn out, but let's just take it as it comes. I mean, if you stick to that code of honor you hold so dear you won't do anything you regret right? Anyways sitting here and rebelling against that human, no matter how much that asshole may deserve it, isn't going to help either side."

"This is a bad idea, I just know it is. Still I suppose I don't truly have a choice in the matter."

"Well, I could just off the jerk for you. Than you could do what you want."

Wufei shook his head as he climbed to his feet, "you know I would have to defend him weather I wanted to or not. In all honesty, I do not want him harmed. I just wish he wouldn't make such rash judgements."

Inu climbed to his feet using Wufei's shoulder as an anchor. He did not particularly enjoy teetering on the edge of a cliff. "My friend, I would not think that anyone was rasher than you."

"Hump, then that just shows how little you know me. Come on fox, we're wasting time." Wufei brushed the hand from his shoulder and than started off back towards his camp. Inu shook his head as he watched the dragon disappear from sight. This was to be an interesting trip indeed.

The Lady had been waiting for this day to come for years now. Soon that agonizing wait would be over, and she would at last see her dear brother again. She had lost hope the first time that he had been stolen her. Taken by some backstabbing murderous human. She had truly believed that she would never see her bother again. Then, less than one year ago there had been a report of a raid against a dragon clan where her brother had once again been spotted. He had been forced to turn on his own people and work for that disgusting human king. The Lady had vowed than and there that she would save her brother no matter what the cost.

"Lady Relena, our fighters are ready, they await your orders."

The Lady Relena turned to find a young male kneeling beside her, his eyes glassed over with the spell of longing that filled all men that came close to her. She was a harpy, and completely irresistible to the opposite sex. A quality that made it a great deal simpler to rally the solitary mythicals together.

Relena nodded gesturing for the male to lead the way. The mythical sprang to his feet and then eagerly led her out onto a podium that overlooked hundreds of waiting fighters. The harpy scanned over the masses, taking in the mixed group and knowing full well that many of the mythicals here were natural enemies. Still, she was confident that their hatred for humans would cause even the greatest foes to work together.

"My people, the time has come for us to rally together and take back what is rightfully ours. No longer shall we live in fear, hiding in dark frigid forests to escape the ones who would wish to harm us. We shall surge forward against the humans and reclaim our brothers and sisters, our freedom, and our dignity. Our prince will soon be returned to us, and the vial human that stole him away will parish. Now let us march forward to meet this culprit and reclaim our prince, and then our land. Let us join our brothers and sisters that have already reached the front line and give the humans a battle they will never forget. Justice will be fulfilled!"

Relena's words were met by eager cheers as the massive army began to move out through the snowy mountain pass and descend towards the human lands below. 'Soon, dear brother, very soon.'