Ryoma didn't want to wake up the next morning. It was normal that he didn't want to get up, but the thought of what they had to do today was making him want to sink into the bed and never leave.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," Fuji said cheerfully, "Atobe has sent you some breakfast."

Ryoma groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Outside it was still raining. On the table there was a selection of breads, meats and cheeses.

"Can you pass them over here?"

"No," Fuji said, "you have to get up if you want to eat."

Ryoma glared at him, but got out of bed and went to get his breakfast. He felt very hungry right now and the food was delicious.

"I'll leave you to get dressed," Fuji said and left the room.

Ryoma sat down on the bed and glared at the wall. Today was the day. Finally, after days of worrying, it was all coming to a head. He hoped everything went smoothly, that as soon as they saw him they'd realise war was a terrible mistake and that he should be allowed to live safely and peacefully with Tezuka.

He doubted that it would all go so well though, there was a history between the countries that couldn't be easily solved just by him being alive.
He dressed and went downstairs to the bar where the other vampires were waiting.

"We'll be leaving in a few minutes," Atobe was telling the others as he lounged on a plush red chair. He looked up at Ryoma as he arrived, "What's your name again?" he asked.

Ryoma glowered at him. As if he'd forgotten his name! He opened his mouth to snap at him, but then realised all the people around him. All the staff and guests that could hear him revealing his identity before it was time.

"Horio Satoshi," He replied smartly. Horio had been a kitchen boy at the palace and Ryoma had always used his name when he needed to be someone else. "Sir," he added, imitating the soldiers back home as much as he could.

"Well, Horio," Atobe said, sounding annoyingly amused, "are you ready for your first day at the palace?"

"Yes Sir," Ryoma replied.

"Good," Atobe purred and Ryoma suspected he was just getting off on Ryoma calling him 'sir'. The sick bastard.

"That's the driver," Oshitari said, nodding towards the door where a man had just come in.

"And here's Shishido," Atobe said as Shishido joined them, "is everything sorted?"

"Yeah," Shishido grumbled, "you always give me the crappy jobs."

"Nonsense," Atobe replied.

The palace was huge. Ryoma had expected it to be big, but this was at least twice the size of the palace in Ensinkil. It was built in a classical style out of creamy stone and roofed with grey-blue was built in a horseshoe shape, with two long wings, covered in windows, stretching out towards them a they drove towards it. They passed through a pair of golden gates and into the inner courtyard and parked in front of the entrance.

"Stay behind me," Fuji said as they got out the cars.

Ryoma nodded and did as he was told.

A butler lead them into the grand entrance hall. It was light and airy, painted white with lots of gold gilding.

"The King is currently in a meeting with his government and the Prime Minister of Ensinkil," the butler said, "You may wait in-"

"You will take us to that meeting," Atobe said.

The butler looked thoroughly taken aback, "I'm afraid-"

"I don't care about etiquette," Atobe said, leaning forward to the small man, his fangs glinting in the light from the chandelier. "Take us there now. I will not mention that you took us."

The butler nodded and Atobe leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face, "excellent."

Ryoma stuck close to Fuji, he didn't want to get lost in this palace. He didn't mind getting lost back in Seigaku castle where all the would happen was someone might laugh at him, but here the building seemed to exude animosity.
"They're in the room at the end of this corridor," The butler said, "I will leave you to your grand entrance."

Atobe smirked "thank you very much."

As they walked past the man, Ryoma could have sworn he saw Oshitari slip a wad of cash into the man's pocket.

Atobe didn't even pause before pushing the doors open, they swung inwards, bouncing off the walls.

"Here you are," Atobe said strutting in, "we've been looking for you."
Inside the room, a lot of old people were sat around a long table. Ryoma recognised most of them, various politicians from his country and from Taranis.

"A-Atobe," The King of Taranis stuttered, "we didn't know you were here."
"Well, we did tell you that we'd be arriving today," Atobe said, "I'm wondering why you are stating the negotiations without us."

"We weren't," The Prime Minister of Ensinkil said, Ryoma smirked at the panic in his voice, "we were just talking about matters completely unrelated to war."

"Naturally," Atobe said, turning his charisma onto him, "well, since we're here now we should get started. Could you get some seats for myself and my friends?"

Silence fell on the room. No one moved or spoke as the two sides stared at each other, each challenging the other to be the first to do something.

Then, the Queen Mother spoke up.

"You come here having murdered Prince Ryoma and expect to be treated like guests?" She asked darkly, "you are monsters."

Atobe looked at her and smiled, "Officer Cadet, could you step forward please."

Hiyoshi gave Ryoma's back a small nudge and he walked forward to Atobe's side.

"Give your full name and rank, please," Atobe said, "the true one," he added under his breath.

Ryoma couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips, "Officer Cadet in the Royal Army of The Hyotei Empire, Crown Prince of Ensinkil," he could hear the intakes of breath from around the room as he took off his hat, "Echizen Ryoma," he looked up at the Queen Mother and grinned, "Mate of Lord Tezuka Kunimitsu of Seigaku."

A shocked silence fell over the people at the table, all of them had their eyes locked on him, gawping as if he were some mythical creature.

"Atobe, how dare you bring an impostor of my granddaughter's beloved fiancé?" The Queen Mother said venomously.

"How can I be her 'beloved fiancé?" Ryoma asked, whilst Atobe grinned smugly, "I haven't even met her."

"Just because they haven't met does not mean that they are not in love!" The Queen Mother snapped indignantly, drawing herself up to her full, unimpressive height. She was a short, squat woman with a face like a toad.

Ryoma ignored her and turned to his Prime Minister. He was tall and a lot thinner than Ryoma remembered him being, his face was looking as worried as usual. "Ask me something only I would know."

"Or how about," Atobe cut in, draping an arm around Ryoma's shoulders. His hand was cold and not in the same, almost comforting way Tezuka's was. "Ryoma shows you something that you're missing. You know he took it, right? You must have him on a security tape."

"What is he talking about, Tokunaga?" The King asked. So his Prime Minister was called Tokunaga, Ryoma was glad that the king had said the otherwise he'd be calling him 'The Prime Minister' for the whole trip.

Tokunaga's eyes darted to Ryoma, who put his hand into his pocket, closing it around the diamond.

"The Star Diamond was stolen just before Prince Ryoma left," Tokunaga said, "it is the diamond that takes pride of place in the crown jewels." He turned to Atobe and Ryoma, "if he did have the jewel it would prove that he is real."

Ryoma took his hand out of his pocket and held it out, the diamond resting innocently in the palm of his hand.

"That's it," Tokunaga said, "welcome back, my Prince."

Ryoma smirked, "I'm surprised you're glad to see me. I thought the whole point of you sending me here was so that you never had to see me again."

"How do you know it's not a fake?" The Queen Mother insisted.

Tokunaga sighed, "It's Prince Ryoma, an imposter wouldn't be this rude."
Ryoma smirked, he was glad his Prime Minister knew him so well. Everyone in the room was staring at him as if he'd just come back from the dead, which, to them, he had.

"If you were alive, why didn't you come back to us?" Tokunaga asked Ryoma.

"To protect him from assassins," Atobe replied for him.

"And because you forced me out of my home," Ryoma jumped in and Atobe rolled his eyes, "you made sure I knew I wasn't welcome back, so I found myself a new home."

"But you were always welcome here," The Queen Mother simpered, "your fiancée is here after all."

"I also fell in love," Ryoma continued, it was bit of a lie. He couldn't quite say that he was 'in love' with Tezuka, but he was very sure of his next statement, "and I'm not leaving him."

"Well then," Atobe said, "Now that that's sorted, we should talk about matters of war."

"Ryoma, dear," The Queen Mother said and Ryoma felt his skin crawl, "would you like to go for a walk around the gardens?"

"Not really," Ryoma replied, "I'd rather stay here."

"I wouldn't mind a walk," Fuji said brightly, "Come on, Echizen," he grabbed Echizen's arm and pulled him forcibly from the room.

"What the hell?!" Ryoma asked as Fuji pulled him along the corridor.

"Do you really want to be in the all day listening to Atobe grandstanding?" Fuji replied, "it'll be very boring."

"I want to know what's going on!"

"A lot of fighting," Fuji said, "nothing will get decided for days yet. Taranis is very set on war whether you're in the room or not."

"This is really pissing me off," Ryoma said.

"Same," Fuji agreed, "I'm sure Atobe will call on you at some point to tell your story, either way, he won't make you marry the princess to stop the war. He likes Tezuka too much for that."

Not at all reassured, Ryoma relented and let Fuji take him out to the gardens.

"I wish I'd brought my camera," Fuji said as they walked through the bare hedges and empty flowerbeds, "don't you think it all looks beautiful?"

"Maybe it does in the summer," Ryoma replied, kicking at some dead leaves under his feet. He didn't find gardens particularly interesting when they were in full bloom, let alone when the only things with leaves on were the evergreens.

"I love how bleak it all looks," Fuji continued and Ryoma rolled his eyes. Of course Fuji loved it, he'd probably love it even more if the garden was growing out of a dilapidated palace.

The gardens were indeed bleak, especially around the front of the palace where the ornamental gardens were empty apart from a couple of leafless bushes. Beyond the ornamental gardens were pathways crisscrossing through hedges that lead to little secluded spots with seats and fountains. It would be romantic if he were with Tezuka and not Fuji.

"In Ensinkil, we have a big fish pond in the garden," Ryoma said, "it's full of carp. Karupin once caught one of them and dragged it through the palace to give it to me. It's the only time he's ever killed anything."

"I bet he was very popular," Fuji laughed.

"He was, especially when he got fish guts on the eight hundred year old carpet. It stank of fish for months!"

Fuji chuckled and looked into the pond they were walking past, "there's no fish in here."

"Karupin came here in the night and ate them all." Ryoma looked up at the sky, "do those clouds look dark to you?"

"We should probably head back inside," Fuji agreed, "It's a shame, I was hoping to see the parkland."

"You said we'll be here for days," Ryoma reminded him, "if I'm not allowed in the peace negotiations tomorrow I'll explore them with you."

It started raining as they got back to the ornamental just a light shower, a full, sudden downpour. Ryoma was soaked to the skin as he and Fuji ran through the door, his woollen coat seemed to have soaked up all the water that had fallen from the sky. He shrugged it off his shoulders quickly and let it fall to the floor with a squelch.

"Your shirt's wet as well," Fuji said helpfully.

It was also see-through.

Ryoma groaned and quickly took it off as well.

"Here," Fuji said, grabbing a towel off a butler who had just run into the room with them and starting to dry Ryoma off.

"How are you not as wet as me?" Ryoma asked.

"I run faster than you."

Ryoma was about to retort, but a shriek from the door stopped him in his tracks.