The silence in the Great Hall was deafening as the china pot smashed into a thousand pieces. All eyes were on the weak form of Hamato Leonardo, Captain of the Royal Guard. He was in what appeared to be his under armor, but it was torn in some places from what was assumed to be a struggle. As the prince and soldier's eyes met, time stood still for a brief moment. Just as soon as the moment began, it ended, and chaos erupted in the hall.

"What is the meaning of this?!" bellowed Emperor Yoshi as he stood from his cushioned seat.

"You dare come into my court unannounced, interrupting my son's wedding rehearsal-!" roared Lái Sè as he too stood up. The court members were shouting and whispering to each other as they tried to make sense of what was happening. Raphael stared openly at the broken guard on the otherwise polished marble floor, shocked to see him in such a state. This was the guardsmen who he had seen keeping the Hachuruin guards in order ever since they had arrived all those months ago. Taking advantage of the prince? It had to be a mistake. Surely it had to be. The Tekina turned to his bride, surprised at just how shaken he appeared to be. Donatello's hands were covering his mouth as he stared at the guard, his shoulder shaking violently. His skin was at least two shades lighter than normal and he truly looked as if he had just witnessed a brutal murder instead of an accusation. The cogs began to turn in Raphael's head as he tried to make sense of the chaos.

He couldn't speak. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. He just simply existed in that space as he watched the Ningen servant begin to make a case against Leonardo to his father. A heavy, disgusting sense of dread writhed around in Donatello's stomach as a sense of foreboding filled him until there was nothing left. He scrutinized Leonardo's rather excessive injuries as his father and the man called Xever spoke. The flesh of his right eye was purpling and swelled,, already threatening to shut the eye completely. The bruising atop his head was large and concerning, as well as his split lip, which was dripping blood down his chin, staining both his torn tunic and the floor. His shoulder was exposed through the ripped fabric as well as part of his throat, were another bruise that look familiarly like a hand was beginning to form. Donatello was unsure whether to be proud or fearful that Leonardo had put up such a fight with the soldiers. He quickly looked up at the Tekina's face, their eyes meeting. He searched for some sign or indication of some kind. The usual sharp blue he usually found there had dulled to a much more somber navy. He seemed so tired, as if he had been fighting a large beast for ages and had finally succumbed to it's bloodlust. Leonardo's eyes gave a silent message of apology, as if he had simply interrupted a lesson to let Donatello know he had acquired more manuscripts from the royal library, and had not been dragged in by guards in front of the court and both the Hachurui and Maorongrong emperors.

"Even with the evidence you have to support your claims, which is not much," Emperor Yoshi said, the tone of authority in his voice enough to send weaker men to their knees, "It is not within your rights to spy on and accuse /my/ men of such crimes, Ningen." The rat made sure he put emphasis on the last word, as if expecting Xever to realize just how in the wrong he was about this course of action.

"Your highness, I was simply worried for the prince's well being, and it was obvious that no one else had noticed his odd behavior. I simply wanted to see if my suspicions were reasonable. And in this case, they were indeed." The spy waved a hand in Leonardo's direction. "When my men went to collect the captain, they could smell the prince all over his person and in his quarters. Given that and the clothing, it is quite obvious that the captain had the prince in his bed."

All eyes turned to either Leonardo or Donatello. Yoshi slowly moved toward his son. "Donatello," he said, his voice sharp with anger, "Is this true?" The Jujun's mouth opened, but no words came out. It was as if some supernatural force was forcing the air out of his lungs, making him choke and feel as if his tongue was a heavy weight in his mouth. A heavy silence filled the hall for a few moments before a shaky voice broke it.

"Xever speaks the truth," rasped out not Donatello, but Leonardo. He stared down at the floor as he opened his mouth again. "I...I've been manipulating his majesty into my bed." The silence continued, a renewed tension filling the room as the court and guard waited for the Emperor's response.

"...You /admit/ to it?" The Hachuruin emperor's voice was quiet but strong, forcing everyone to listen closely but still recoil at the power it held. Donatello gaped at Leonardo, his eyes impossibly wide in horror. He knew the other couldn't be doing what he thought he was doing. He couldn't believe it. No, he WOULDN'T believe it.

"Yes…" The Tekina's voice was weak, defeated even. "I...forced him, the first time. A-After that, I...I threatened to tell the Maorongrongian prince if he...if he did not continue to do so… I knew that he wouldn't be able to marry Prince Raphael if he knew that I had taken him to bed…"

Raphael gaped at the turtle on his knees. He was completely and utterly bewildered. He had hidden it so well. All this time, he had assumed the captain had made himself a part of the daily rotation of royal protection detail because he wanted to make sure the prince and emperor were safe, but now… now he wondered if it was so he could keep an eye on the prince and manipulate him further. A boiling fury built up inside of him as he saw red.

The court had erupted again at Leonardo's supposed confession. And it continued to get even worse as Leonardo continued.

"I marked him the last time. It's still fresh," he said, rendering the entire room silent again in mute horror. Tsuki, who had until now been standing idly by, quietly made her way to Donatello's side. Without even asking permission, she reached out and gripped the collar of Donatello's robe, pulling it down and revealing the indention of teeth that formed two crescent shape marks. Through Donatello's dawning terror, he could have sworn he felt her hand tremble slightly before she quickly pulled the collar back up and gave a curt nod to both the emperors and Prince Raphael.

A Hachuruin guard backhanded Leonardo, causing renewed chaos as the hall filled again with accusations and cries of panic. A sneer found its way to Xever's lips as he looked up at Emperor Yoshi again. "As you can see, my concern was in fact justified."

The room was spinning and the burning feeling of nausea crawled up Donatello's throat as he remained frozen in place. Anxiety coursed through his blood as questions swam through his mind. Why would Leonardo lie? How could Xever had suspected him? Was this his fault? What was going to happen now? Would the wedding be canceled? What was going to happen to the agreement the two kingdoms had made? What was going to happen to Leonardo? Black patches filled his vision and the room tilted as his legs gave away.

"Donatello!" Raphael cried as he moved quickly, catching the Jujun's limp form and preventing him from toppling down the stairs. Tsuki moved quickly, checking his breathing and trying to stir the prince. "What's wrong with him?" Raphael quickly asked, concern in his voice.

"He's lost consciousness. He's under too much stress and he can't handle it. We need to move him to his chambers at once."

"Donatello!" Leonardo cried out, only to be struck again and sent toppling back onto the marble.

"You DARE speak directly to the prince?!" a guard snapped coldly to the Hachuruin. Three men moved quickly, helping Tsuki place Donatello on a small koshi and quickly carrying him out of the hall. The court was wild with declarations of treason and demands of justice.

Raphael could only glare down at the soldier that lay at his feet. He had allowed this man to help Donatello when he had collapsed at the festival in the village, to look over him with Raphael satisfied the villagers demand to see him. He had left him alone with his fiance. The prince grit his teeth in seething anger. Emperor Yoshi rose a hand, silencing the crowd. His eyes were cold as they glared down at Leonardo.

"Take him to the crypt below the palace. He is not to be approached until I speak to him," he hissed. "Now get him out of my sight." Without another word, the Ningen guards grabbed Leonardo by his chains and dragged him across the floor and out of the hall.

Before the sun was set, the entire palace knew what had happened in the Great Hall. Staff whispered in the halls and court members openly gossiped whenever the guards weren't around. Both Maorongrong and Hachuruin officers were brought in for questioning concerning Leonardo and his behavior. Emperor Yoshi and Lái Sè had locked themselves in the scribes room, discussing what course of action was to be taken at this point. Many court members hinted that the wedding was to be called off or postponed at the least until further investigation was taken. Others whispered about just how Leonardo was to be punished, death being the ideal sentence. A few dared to suggest that Emperor Lái Sè might even declare war against the Hachurui clan for their inability to provide a virgin bride for his son as promised. One or two would argue that there was no agreement that the bride be virgin, but they were quickly rebuttled with the implied promise the vow had held.

Tsuki kept her head down as she fetched fresh linens and clean rags and made her way back to Donatello's chambers. She glowered and hissed at any who dared approach her or give her more than a passing glance, her eyes becoming slits and tail whipping threateningly. She quickly entered the chambers and made her way to Donatello's bedside. Quickly soaking one of the rags, she sat down quietly as she gently pressed the cool cloth to the prince's fevered forehead. What had first been an episode of fatigue quickly became a stress-induced fever soon after Donatello had been brought here to rest. Tsuki was silent as she pieced together the events that had lead up to the prince's collapse. She had been questioned soon after the court had disbanded and punished accordingly for not keeping a closer eye on Donatello. Angry red marks from a cane slashed across her hands and back. Another servant had silently applied a save to the marks on her back and wrapped them, but not much could be done for her hands.

She winced as she squeezed excess water out of the cloth again. Injuring the hands of someone of the working class was far worse that for someone of the aristocracy. With her hands injured, her chores and other duties burned her skin with the constant reminder of her failure as a chambermaid and servant to the crown. Tsuki counted herself lucky that she had not been executed on the spot for such transgressions. A harsh gasp brought her out of her thoughts as Donatello's eyes flung open and he fought to sit up.

"Shh," she shushed him softly as he stuttered, trying to ask what had happened no doubt. "You are safe. You fainted in the Great Hall and were brought back to your chambers. You have a fever, your highness." Donatello's face contorted in slight pain as she pressed a fresh, cold compress to his forehead. "Please, try to relax. You need to rest."

"Leonardo," he mumbled weakly, "What...happened? Leonardo?" She grimaced at how concerned his sounded. She squared her shoulders and neutralized her expression before answering.

"He's been imprisoned for the time being. His Majesty Emperor Yoshi had ordered that he not be approached until he can question him about his crimes." Donatello let out a shaking breath that almost sounded like a sob as he reached up, pressing a hand to his eyes. Tsuki gently set the cloth aside in exchange for a small dish filled with cool water. "Please drink this. You need to keep drinking water," she said softly, doing what she could to hide the edge of worry in her voice. Donatello was silent for a long time. Her hands had started to tremble slightly at the effort to keep the dish outstretched to him. He gave a weak nod and shakily sat up, taking the dish from her hands and slowly sipping the cold, clear water. He placed the dish back in her outstretched palm and paused.

"Tsuki…your hands…" he said slowly, his eyes glued to the angry marks that blemished her palms. She quickly took the dish and set about clearing up the space on the small table by the bed.

"I am your chambermaid and caretaker. I failed to keep you safe from him, and was punished accordingly," she stated, being as matter-of-factly as she could be. A olive green hand stretched out and took her right hand, causing her to wince and bite her cheek at the wave of pain that shot through her. She did not protest as the Jujun examined her injuries, doing what he could to be gentle with her. As he did so, she saw his brow furrow and his frown deepen.

"Who...Who did this to you?"

"I did this to myself, majesty. I did not keep you safe as I swore I would."

"No," he said, a hint of anger in his tone, "Who gave you these marks, Tsuki?" The Jujun pressed her lips together in a thin line, weighing her options. None of them were positive, and so she saw no reason to lie.

"A Hachuruin guard-"

"WHICH guard?" She tensed again.

"Majesty, it was my fault you-"

"Tsuki," he said, more authority in his tone despite his weakened state.

"...A second class officer… A rhino…"

"They let someone that strong and large punish you?" Donatello sounded furious and Tsuki had to push down to urge to tell him to not worry. No matter how close they may be, he was still her superior and he was making it known with his behavior. "I want his name and his superior officer," he said with a tone of ice in his voice. Tsuki tried to argue, but she frowned at just how exhausted he looked to be.

"Majesty…"

"No, Tsuki. I will not allow this to go unchecked."

"No, majesty. You're exhausted. You need to sleep."

"I need that guard's name is what I need," he snapped.

"I will get it. I promise. But please, you need to sleep. You can barely keep your eyes open and as I said, you have a fever. You need to rest. Please, Donatello." It was a risk, using his name like that, as if she were family. He showed no sign of offense at the term however, simply huffing and letting go of her hand. She looked over his abnormally pale face and the hollow state of his eyes, making the dark bags more prominent. Donatello glared at a certain spot on the bed sheets before slowly looking up at Tsuki.

"I want his name and his superior officers when I wake up," he mumbled quietly. She only nodded as he slowly slid back down until his head rested against the pillow. He grumbled something that she didn't catch aside from "damn beds" and "too soft". She sighed softly and adjusted the sheets around him. "I want someone to look at those for you. And I don't want you doing any unnecessary work until they're healed." At this, she frowned.

"Your highness-"

"No arguing. And don't try to do anything while I'm asleep. I'll find out if you disobey me, Tsuki." She gave a soft huff as he closed his eyes. She picked up the damp washcloth and pressed it to his forehead again.

"Yes, your highness."

Raphael growled as he kicked the sand-filled bag sitting upright. The training room saved for high class guardsmen and royalty had been cleared at his request and he was taking out his frustrations on any equipment he could get his hands on. He had too many emotions and no idea how to resolve them or ease the frustration they caused. How the hell had he not seen what that bastard had been doing to Donatello? Why had he not done anything to stop it earlier? What could he have done? Did Donatello really not trust him enough to think he could talk to him? He had thought that they had reached an understanding after they had started all of this planned weeks ago. Had it meant nothing to him afterall? An urge to protect the Jujun, beyond even Tekina instinct filled him at the thought of someone hurting Donatello. He was like family to Raphael, a close friend that he wanted to keep.

"I thought I might find you here," a familiar said from the entrance.

"I asked for the training room to be cleared, Casey."

"Yeah, and you think I'm going to just let you brood while everyone turns the other way? Not happening." The young man stepped into the training room, slipping off his shoes before stepping onto the mats. "Want to spar? You aren't really giving that bag much of a fighting chance." Raphael frowned at him before huffing and turning to face him.

"I'm guessing you mean hand to hand since you refuse to learn how to use a weapon."

"Hey, if you're a good fighter, you don't need a weapon to defend yourself."

"You've said stupid things before, but that's probably at the top of the list," the prince huffed, a small smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, it made you smile," the human shot back with a grin. Raphael only rolled his eyes and readied his stance. Casey shed his tunic and stood at the ready. "First to knock the other out off the mats wins," he said before charging. Raphael only gave a grunt of acknowledgement before he dodged the blow and grabbed Casey by the elbow, spinning him around and kicking at the base of his back. Casey let out a grunt of pain and stumbled for a moment before regaining his footing and turning to the other.

"How did you know I was here?" Raph asked as he held up his forearms to block one of Casey's blows.

"Easy. I just listened for the sound of whining and hotheadedness and followed that." Raphael frowned and simply glowered at him. Casey's smirk sobered slightly. "...I heard a few of the stable boys talking about what happened when I came back this afternoon. Figured I owed you some time to talk since I've been gone for a bit."

"Where the hell were you again?"

"Out getting confirmations for your wedding," he said quietly, "The Emperor wanted confirmation so they could prepare. Something tells me i'm going to be making another trip soon to tell them the wedding's postponed…" Raphael snarled and took another swing at Casey.

"I don't give a damn about this wedding anymore," he growled.

"You say that like you cared about it in the first place."

"Of course I did! This was supposed to join the two kingdoms and begin the peace treaty we've been working so hard to put into motion! And now it's probably ruined because I couldn't do what a Tekina is supposed to do and protect their fucking Jujun…" Casey frowned and dodged another swing, pushing Raphael back.

"Is that what has you so upset?" Raphael was quiet as he glared holes into the mat by his feet. "Raph, this isn't your fault. No one thinks it is."

"Yes, they do," he snapped and he kicked a rack of clubs that stood against a wall. "I see how the guards and court members have been looking at me. Like I'm too weak to perform basic instincts. Like I'm a disappointment to my family's and the throne."

"You've only known him for a few months. It takes Jujuns and Tekinas much longer to develop the kind of bond needed to pick up on that kind of stuff."

"That doesn't excuse it. As a future, I should have been observant enough to notice that something was bothering him. Instead, I've been so hung up over myself and how I'm handling this that I failed to see that someone I'm supposed to trust was manipulating him. And blackmailing him by saying he'd tell ME about it! Like I would refuse to marry him if I knew about it!"

"Well...would you have?"

"Of course not!" Raphael snapped as he whirled to glare at him.

"Raph, do you want to marry Donatello?" Raphael grit his teeth as his eyes pierced through his companion.

"...Our marriage is the push our kingdoms need to begin the process of healing."

"That's not what I asked. Raphael, do you love him?"

"...Not that way I'm expected to."

"What do you mean?"

"It's...I see him as a friend. A brother even. But no, I don't love him in a romantic way. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"I never expect to hear anything from ya, Raph. I just know that if you don't tell someone what's going on in your head, you stir on it forever until you explode. I still got the scar from the last time you blew up. Right before your Recognition Ceremony, remember?"

Raphael shrank on the spot at the unpleasant memory. He had been unbelievably stressed with all the lines and procedures he had to endure for that ceremony all those years ago. It had been an official coming out for the prince, a declaration to the world that he was not just a prince, but in fact a future emperor. He had lost his temper and lashed out at Casey while they had been training together, not too different than they were right now, only now he didn't have a pair of razor sharp sai as he did when his was thirteen. He winced at the memory of his friend's look of pain and fear and Casey noticed it immediately.

"Hey, come on. I forgave you at least a thousand times for that. If anything, I should thank you. That scar is great way to talk to impress the Jujuns," he said with the usual half grin he gave his friend. Raphael met his eyes, silently letting him know that he still felt guilty about the ordeal.

"I still don't know how you're not scared of me because of that. I almost cut your damn arm off."

"Almost being the key word," the human replied before moving towards the other. "No more being sorry, okay? We're discussing you and your problems, not mine. Stop trying to change the subject."

"You started it," the turtle insisted with a smirk, his mood improving a bit at Casey's teasing.

"Enough being mushy and sad, okay?" Casey insisted before he took another swing at him, starting another fight.

An hour passed as the two fell into concentrated silence, focusing on trying to push the other out of the ring. Casey smirked knowingly. This was good, he thought. Fighting kept Raphael's mind busy. Too busy to dwell on what had happened. He never liked to brag, but Casey was proud of just how well he knew Raphael and how his mind worked. In the end, however, Raphael succeeded in shoving Casey out of the ring, grinning in victory despite Casey's protests of his back being turned.

"I thought you were supposed to fight fair! Mannerisms and all that stuff."

"Just because I'm royalty doesn't mean I don't know how to fight dirty, Casey," the turtle chuckled and he wiped at his sweat soaked brow. He walked over to his companion and held out a hand, pulling Casey up after he took it.

"Ugh, you need a bath. You smell like you've been out here a lot longer than I have." Raphael only laughed as he slapped him on the back.

"Come on. We can use the high guards bathhouse. It's closer and I don't have to worry about Mona trying to follow me in there."

"What, you still aren't used to her helping you with that stuff?"

"Excuse me for not being totally okay with a female Jujun seeing me in nothing but my shell."

"What, you want a Tekina doing it? Or a guy?" Casey chuckled, earning him a flick to the temple.

"You know what I mean. And she's married. You know how Tekinas are about their mates. It feels weird having her see me like that when someone's claimed her."

"Donatello seems okay with his chambermaid following him around."

"Actually, he's told me she can be a bit nagging sometimes. And he's a Jujun. It's different."

Casey rose a brow at that and shrugged. "Whatever you say. I guess I'll just always see her as the girl who followed you around the training room to make sure you didn't accidentally trip and fall on a sword."

"Ha ha."

Casey only grinned.

The cell was dark and damp. The stone floor was covered in a thin layer of dirt and dust, whether from lack of being cleaned or being used, Leonardo neither knew nor cared. He lay leaned against the wall, pressed his cheek against the blessedly cool stone, gaining some relief on the spot where one of his own men had backhanded him. His arms lay limp at his sides and his legs cuffed and chained to the wall opposite of the one he was on. The chain was long, more to keep him from leaving the cell than to keep him in one spot.

He hadn't been prepared in the least when Xever and three huge Ningen soldiers came crashing through his door. Xever began spitting out accusations and the three men spared no time in closing in on the turtle. They had been much more violent than necessary, even when he had been fighting back. They had torn his clothes trying to get his arms bound and finally resorted to beating until he could barely stand. Xever was in no way official as he sneered down at the captain.

"You know, I'm glad it was you, filth. I've been itching for an excuse to teach you a lesson about respect," he had said with such malice in his voice that all Leonardo had wanted to do was throttle him. But then Xever had taken out a butterfly knife and begun to sweep over the room. He opened the door to his sleeping quarters and Leonardo froze as the guards holding him shifted and their nostrils flared. Xever had entered and came out with Donatello's belt. The Tekina paled at the memory of tossing it aside so carelessly the previous night.

"That's Prince Donatello's," One of the guards, Maorongrongian from what Leo could tell, said as he pointed to it. "I saw him wearing it last week."

"This entire place reeks of him," another said the one holding Leo's arms forced him to his feet. Xever's smile was venomous as he closed in on the captain. Leonardo grit his teeth at the mere memory of what Xever had said about him, what he had whispered about Donatello as they escorted him up to the palace.

Leonardo had not been expecting them to make a detour to King Saki's quarters. His stomach turned at the reaction of the Ningen king. He had showered Xever in congratulations before turning his attention to Leonardo.

"It seems that once again, you have proven that you truly are nothing but animals," Saki had hissed. "You mutants don't even bother with things like betrothal and promises. You see what you want and you simply take it." There was so much Leonardo had wanted to say in that moment, but he did not know where to begin. And he refused to give Saki the pleasure of trying to fight back. He knew that was what he wanted, what he expected of him.

Saki had gone on for a while, spitting racial slurs that made even the mutant guards in the room wince. He took a deep breath and simply began to meditate in his head, desperate to focus on something else and not have to listen to Saki. Those next few minutes had been a blur as Xever and Saki spoke and he was dragged away.

Leonardo had lost his footing at some point and was simply dragged by his arms by two guards. His stomach lurched as Xever threw open the doors to the Great Hall where Donatello and Raphael were practicing their vows. Dread filled him along with a numbing sensation as realization hit him. Xever was going to parade him into the Great Hall, uninvited and unannounced in front of the entire royal court and the Emperor himself. He panicked and gave another fit of kicking and squirming, only to have another Ningen soldier send a powerful uppercut to his jaw, splitting his lip open on his tooth and sending blood dribbling down his chin. That shut him up quickly as he was dragged in.

As expected, the court had gasped and gone silent. Leonardo was forced to kneel before the steps that lead up to the altar, where sure enough, Raphael, Donatello, and both emperors were standing. Leonardo's heart shattered at the expression on his beloved's face. He wanted to speak, to run to him a comfort him, but he was exhausted and rendered silent. All he could do was look up at him with his good eye, giving him a look at silently sent the prince his apologies for failing in being able to escape his captors.

Emperor Yoshi had started to shout and soon the entire hall erupted with shouts and exclamations. None of it met his ears however. His eyes were fixed on Donatello as he mindlessly dropped an intricate looking teapot, sending it shattering into a million pieces. Those blissful moments of silence soon fell away however as Xever made his case against Leonardo. A fire burned brightly within the Tekina at the blatant lies. But then Emperor Yoshi had turned and shouted at Donatello, demanding confirmation to Xever's claims. Leonardo watched as Donatello's mouth opened and closed. His eyes widened slightly.

He recognized the hesitance. Donatello was considering telling the truth. If he did, Leonardo knew the consequences would not be any better for Donatello than they would be for himself. But the prince seemed too fearful of his lover to consider it or even remember it.

Leonardo couldn't let him do it. If this really was it for him, he was not about to allow Donatello to suffer the same.

He opened his mouth and shouted out a shaking confirmation to Xever's claims. It hurt to lie. It hurt to watch as his emperor's eyes turned colder and sharper as he spoke. He felt as if he was disregarding every real, passionate moment he had shared with Donatello. But he could not allow him to suffer as well.

And so he lied.

When the court began to murmur when he finished, he saw the looks of doubt. It wasn't enough.

They suspected.

He needed to make sure there was no doubt.

"I marked him the last time. It's still fresh."

That had done it. He was sent flying backward as one of his own men struck him. He struggled to sit up, able to catch Donatello's chambermaid checking for and confirming that the mark was there. A ringing filled his ears as Emperor Yoshi began to shout again. Fear and anxiety pulsed through him like a beating drum, holding him in a vice grip that kept him frozen on the spot. He felt his heart skip a beat as Donatello collapsed. He remembered calling out to his lover, only to be struck again. Before he had gotten his bearings again, he heard the emperor give the order to take him away and he was soon being dragged out of the hall. He tried to get one last glance at Donatello, but he was struck for a third time, this time rendering him unconscious.

He had woken up in here, three of his men spitting foul insults at him before leaving him alone in the dark. He tried to make sense of it all. It felt like a bad dream, like he was going to wake up any moment now, still in Donatello's embrace.

It felt like it had been days, but he knew it had only been a few hours at most, when the door opened and a figure silently walked into the room. He didn't turn to see who it was. No doubt another guard come to insult him or make make snide remarks about mutants in general.

"...Why did you lie?" He sat up slightly at that.

"...I don't know what you mean."

"I have come to know you well, Leonardo. You would never assault someone in such a way, especially not someone such as your prince."

"Why are you here, Yojimbo?" Leonardo asked warily as he turned to meet almond brown eyes that belonged to the Maorongrongian Tekina.

"Because I know you are innocent of assaulting the prince, at least," he said matter-of-factly. The dungeon fell silent for a few moments. "...I'm assuming this was the reason why you said no?" he finally said quietly.

"...Among others," Leonardo said softly.

"How long?"

"Yojimbo…"

"I can handle rejection, my friend. And no guard will believe you after that performance." Leonardo pressed his lips together for a moment, wincing at the cut on his lip.

"...Two years now. We...I told him we couldn't...I broke it off after his engagement feast back in the Hachurui Clan."

"Obviously you did not stay apart. If you had, you would not be in that cell."

"It was..difficult, to stay away from him," Leonardo admitted. So many alarms rung in his head, but at this point, he was too tired to care. Usagi was right; even if someone was listening, they would assume he was lying to earn back his friend's favor.

"...May I ask how it happened?"

A small smile graced the Tekina's mouth for a moment. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the stone. He really was tired. Tired of lying. Tired of hiding. He knew it was over for him. And so he decided that for now, he would allow himself to have this small moment of happiness and nostalgia. For now, it would be enough.

"I was training, still a fresh soldier back then. And coincidentally, the emperor was bringing Donatello with him while he made rounds with the then captain to discuss something that I don't even remember…"