Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A Story for Suzie

Chapter: 28

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Guilmon had been on the prowl, rejoicing in his newfound mobility and using it to great advantage. During his earlier trips out through the city with his master and his newfound companion, he noticed the subtle scent of Reapers, but nothing definite. There was the stink of a dead Horn Striker, but that was an old scent from long before he and Takato arrived. This other scent was quite recent.

Yet for some reason not a single one of them belonged to a human. All the humans went about their daily life with little thought and not a single one of them made the horse agitated. Every one of them smelled exactly as humans did.

What was going on here? The thought was not really a thought so much as it was a feeling; a primal question that needed no words to be understood. Lighting atop a roof, Guilmon tossed his head and whickered, looking around him for something…anything that could help him understand.

If only Takato were here, then perhaps he could…

Guilmon spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Craning his head he zeroed in on it, finding a rat sitting on the rooftop, being far more still than such an animal would normally be. He had almost missed it; it was like a statue, just…sitting there. Doing what?

Guilmon crept closer, his feet making next to no sound as the dragon part of him took hold, making him little more than a whisper on the wind. Guilmon took a deep breath and then his eyes widened in sudden realization. That scent!

With a loud whinny, Guilmon tore at the rat and just as soon as it realized he was approaching, stomped down with a hoof hard and sure. There was a loud squelching noise as the creature's body was crushed. Crimson liquid seeped from behind fur and broken flesh, but it quickly rose up and began to take shape. Guilmon pulled back, the pieces to the puzzle coming together. It now knew why they had been having difficulty locating Reaper Agents. They hadn't been infesting humans. They arrived here too vulnerable to do something like that so openly. Instead they began taking over the one thing most people overlooked. The one thing that followed humans no matter where they went.

The rats.

The infestation of cities had become infested.

The Reaper Agent had taken up a new form, though still somewhat limited by the mass it inhabited earlier. It now appeared as a serpent with a long, arching body that rose up, fangs bared. Guilmon snorted and at once light flared from his mouth. A red sphere of fire shot forth and struck the Reaper dead center, detonating with explosive force, setting it afire and causing it to topple over and toward the streets below. Guilmon followed after, sending another shot after it. People screamed and ran for cover, but Guilmon ignored them, focusing on destroying the Reaper with everything he had. Its broken, ruined form struggled to rise up, but Guilmon quickly crushed it back down with a hoof upon landing. The Reaper shrieked pitifully as its body snapped in two and Guilmon reared back, spitting another blast at it and ending its miserable existence forever.

Guilmon stood there for a moment, waiting for the fire of its corpse to die down to make sure that it stayed dead. Reapers died like everything else but were notoriously deceptive at times about their mortality.

Nothing but ashes remained.

Taking one last swipe with a hoof to scatter the ashes, Guilmon turned and raced toward the castle. He needed to find Ryo and the god that lay within his jewel.

###

"Why is everyone staring at me?" Takato asked as he and Rika made their way down the hall toward the Queen's chambers. Fastidiously he adjusted the blue fabric tied around his arm—something Rika gave him when they stopped off at her chambers before moving on as a sign of his service to her.

"Perhaps word of your 'sparring match' with the Millenium Prince has gotten around," Rika suggested. "You certainly made quite the impression with your display."

Takato did not like what that thought entailed. Here I am, squashed between two nations that are trying to form an alliance, and I'm causing trouble.

His bit the inside of his cheek as his gaze fell on Rika. She and Prince Ryo are supposed to be married to seal that alliance. Ryo needs the respect of the people if he's to help rule this kingdom and his empire…

Around and around his thoughts went. He just couldn't figure it out. What was the point of giving him this…what was it she called it again? Her favor? What exactly did that mean? She said it would help him, but with the way everyone's eyes were on him he got the distinct impression that all it was doing was complicating things.

A part of him thought back to stories he heard about princesses and ladies giving knights a ring or some such as a way to show sign of romantic interest.

That's ridiculous. She's already getting married and…and she hasn't known me for that long anyway. Why would she care at all about me like that?

The two of them came to a halt before the doors that led to Rumiko's chambers. Takato felt as though a heavy weight had fallen across his shoulders.

After all, it's not like I have anything to offer her. I may be a knight of Hypnos, but I'm an errant and a peasant by birth. Chosen or not, I'm…nothing special. I'm nothing. In spite of Rika's words earlier, Takato felt that this much at least was true. People born low in status could offer very little to those of the nobility who protected them, and Takato was born very low in status in a land that not only barely qualified as a kingdom, but was now ruined by warfare.

That wasn't all there was either. A flash of amber and Takato pulled one hand into a tight fist. And even if I was, his mind continued, I couldn't give my heart to her.

Rika opened the doors and Takato quickly banished such thoughts. The Queen demanded his full attention now.

"Mother," Rika greeted, inclining her head while Takato bowed deeply behind her. Rumiko sat in the middle of her chambers, an orb resting on a pedestal, swirling with color. As Takato watched, the orb's swirling slowed and came to a still before darkening.

"Thank you for coming," Rumiko said, though her tone was stern and dark. She glanced at Takato's arm and narrowed her eyes at the blue cloth wrapped around it. "Although I would have preferred it if you arrived sooner."

"Seconds count, don't they?" Rika said, trading barbs. "Such as the time lost being spent here instead of looking for the Reapers, or clues as to where they came from."

Takato looked back and forth between the two women, amazed that they were so open about their hostility in front of him. Rumiko's eyes rose from Takato's arm and met his gaze.

"Good knight," she said in a falsely pleasant tone. "If you would give me a moment alone with my daughter…"

"Ah…" Takato began uncertainly. "I don't mean any disrespect, as you're the queen, but…my place is by your daughter's side…"

"That's all right, Takato," Rika said, turning toward him, ignoring Rumiko's surprise. "I'd rather you didn't see this. Please step outside."

Takato opened his mouth to protest, but closed it quickly upon seeing the sharp look in Rika's face. Nodding reluctantly, he did as he was bid, closing the door behind him, leaving the two women to turn fully toward each other now.

"You have him well trained now," Rumiko observed, getting up from her seat.

"He's a fast learner," Rika reposted. "But he has an annoying habit of putting himself down."

"As he should. He is below your station, Rika. You would do well to remember that as he does."

Rika's eyes flashed at that biting remark. "Let's drop the pretenses, mother. You don't care that he's some brush knight that I picked up in the wilderness. Father was like that when you met him. You only care about my wedding and what you get out of it. That's what this is all about. That's what the deal with Ryo challenging him was all about." She almost smirked at her mother, daring her to challenge her assertion.

To think that she's afraid people will think better of Takato than Ryo. Thanks to her, they probably will.

If Rumiko was shocked at Rika's words, she didn't show it as she turned her back to the girl and headed toward her wine cabinet.

"The line of descent is through the ruler regardless of the mate," Rumiko acknowledged pulling out a wine glass and a bottle. "That is the law here. Not so in other places. We need the alliance with the Millenium Empire." Uncorking the bottle she began to pour herself a drink. "We are in their way. We would be a useful asset to them whole, which their emperor prefers." She raised the bottle and set it down. Swirling the crimson liquid she turned back toward Rika and brought the glass up to her lips. "And allying with them would ensure that my mother's dreams would find purchase beyond our borders without useless slaughter and unrest."

She took a drink and after a moment, set the glass down.

"So yes, my daughter. That is what it's all about. How very astute of you to discover this."

"I am not a bargaining chip," Rika growled.

"The game of thrones is all about your use to some power. The fate of knights is to the throne, to fight and die at its beck and call regardless of what they want. If they cannot fulfill that service they are of no use and lose all the privileges that come with that status and become errant. The same is true of rulers. They have a duty to their subjects and woe to those who forget that. Should they, if the people don't pull them down, another force will." She approached her daughter, her expression solemn. "The Millenium Empire is one such force. With the marriage, we retain our stewardship of our territory and the people have no need to worry about who would replace us. Not all rulers care for those below them, especially on the fringes of an empire."

Rika remained firm. "I know my duty, Mother. I only care that you don't bring Takato into all this. He is not of our clan or our kingdom."

"A man is a man regardless," Rumiko said, returning to her wine glass. "And don't think I haven't noticed how protective of him you are, or how bright you've become in his presence." Her hard expression faltered slightly and a sympathetic smile crossed her features. "Your father was…a bit like him. I met him in almost the same way…leaving the castle one day and stumbling across a traveler. The only difference is that your Takato is…shall we say…lost in a fog and he's hurting inside. You see the greatness in him and want to bring it out. But be careful of how close to his heart you place yourself, daughter." Her face hardened again and a golden glow surrounded her body. Reflexively, Rika did likewise and the air grew tense with roiling magic. "You want to keep him safe? You have shown him your favor. You might as well have declared your intention to marry him in front of everyone who saw him just now. If the Millenium Empire hears about that…" Unable to finish her sentence, she fixed her daughter with a black glare. "Rebellious child… Do you intend to have his child next?"

The pedestal in the center of the room shook violently by the unseen forces working around it. Finally, as if from a blast of thunder, it exploded and the orb atop it toppled to the floor, striking its surface with a heavy ringing noise. It did not roll or wobble, instead staying perfectly still as if it had never been disturbed in the first place.

Takato burst into the room with an alarmed expression, one hand on the hilt of his sword. He looked back and forth between the two women as they both turned toward him, Rumiko with a serene expression and Rika with a troubled one.

"I…I heard something and…" He saw the ruins of the pedestal and the orb lying on the floor. "Why…? What…?"

"Think nothing of it, sir knight," Rumiko eased. "It was an old thing. It would have broken sooner or later. I will have servants clean up the mess shortly. Rika, you are dismissed."

Rika was turning almost before the words had left Rumiko's mouth.

"Let's go," she hissed, brushing past Takato. Giving her a baffled look, he turned back toward Rumiko, hoping to see something that would give him a clue as to what happened. Rumiko remained unreadable. Taking that as a clue of being unwanted, he quickly followed Rika, jogging to catch up with her.

Lifting her glass, she swirled the wine before taking a sip.

Think well my dear about where you place your heart…

###

"Why do you keep looking out the window?" Ryo asked Seiko, biting into some cake the former queen had brought up to them. Seiko did not so much as turn as she replied to him.

"I am enjoying the view," she said smiling. Ryo frowned.

"You don't have to be so cloak and dagger with me," he said. "I'm on to you, you know. You've been keeping an eye out there for quite a while since we've been talking about our 'Dragon Knight'."

Seiko continued to smile, but did not so much as look away from her vantage point. "You have a good eye," she said. "It's no wonder you are a hero of legend."

"Or maybe you just don't think whatever it is you're keeping an eye out for is important enough to hide from me," Ryo supplied. Seiko chuckled.

"You're direct. Rika would have preferred that over you being the charmer you know."

"A little late to be dispensing advice isn't it?" Getting up, Ryo strolled over to the window to see what she was looking at. "It looks like the living section is over there."
"Yes," Seiko nodded. "I chose my quarters here so I could always see them. Rumiko can't stand the sight of it, but I prefer to be reminded of those who depend on me." She gave a light laugh again. "Well…depended anyway. I'm no longer their ruler as you know."

"You don't have to sit on a throne to rule others. You always slip in and out of shadows and…" Ryo scowled. Did I just see…?

Yes. There. On the roof of a dwelling was… Ryo blinked. "Is…Is that a horse jumping from rooftop to rooftop?"

"The poor dear seems rather upset," Seiko said, getting up now. Ryo stared at her in amazement. She didn't seem to be the least bit phased by the sight. In fact, dare he say it, he could almost swear that she expected it.

"My lady…" Ryo began carefully as Seiko headed for her door. "What is going on?"

Pausing as she pulled the door open, Seiko looked at Ryo. "The dragon that takes lonely children on adventures has news for us I believe."

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