~*~ Peacecraft Manor's Dining Hall ~*~

~*~ 10:04 PM ~*~

Calé saw his father and uncle leave the room, following a butler. He knew this was important yo the safety of his family. In the middle of his third dance with his sister, Calé tried to ditch Évangalie. Kiro sensed his cousins's unease.

"May I cut in, dear cousins?" Kiro asked.

"Of course, dear cousin," Calé said. He shifted Éva to Kiro and added in a whisper as he walked away, "Thanks Kiro, I owe you."

Kiro nodded and began waltzing with Évangalie. Calé followed Zechs and Heero to the large office down the hall.

"They should have listened to me!" Calé scolded himself in his head.

Zechs was sitting at his desk, his teeth gritted. Heero stood beside his brother-in-law, his face ever impassive. Both of them were watching the vid-screen on the desk.

"Calé," Zechs said calmly. Calé walked further into his father's office.

"I'm sorry, Father. I let you down," Calé said quietly. His head hung in shame as he awaited discipline from his father.

"No, Calé. I let the kingdom down. You knew in advance didn't you?" Zechs asked.

"Father, I tried to tell you but -," Calé started.

"Calé, now is not the time to be dwelling on past mistakes," Heero cut in.

"Son, come see this," Zechs said. He swivelled the vid screen so Calé could see. On the televison was a boy, not much older than Calé, with slicked back oily black-purple hair. His hair matched his deep purple eyes. The kid wore a grease stained wrinkled suit. Zechs bit the 'play' button on the screen, and the boy start to speak in a gritty Italian accent.

"Attention Cinq Kingdom. What was that Father? Oh. And the world. I am declaring war on the Cinq Kingdom. Oh, and any country in cahoots with them. By the way, I'm named Carmen Noin-Ciccone. Over and out."

Calé shook his head in dismay. This guy, Carmen, knew nothing about public speaking. He sighed in regret, wishing he could reconsider taking the political path. Because if he hadn't taken the job in his father's cabinet, he wouldn't have to negotiate with this little street rat.

Heero and Zechs look at each other in surprise at the mention of the speaker's name. They hadn't heard that name in nineteen years, and never thought it would reappear. Especially as a declaration of war against them.

"Did he say 'Noin'?" Zechs asked Heero. Heero frowned and nodded.

"It could be some other Noin, Zechs. He didn't say he was directly related to Lucretia Noin," Heero said.

"Uncle Heero, have the military's intelligence headquarters do a scan. Find out where the message was sent from. In the morning, I'll contact this group and discuss this whole procedure with him," Calé planned. He left the room calling behind him, "I'll tell Mother and Aunt Relena!"

Zechs shook his head and Heero smirked at the boy's vanishing form. Both adults knew Calé was mature for his age, but it was no surprise to them. Heero was the same age as Calé when Operation Meteor went into action. Zechs had already become a war hero in Oz by his age. It was only assumed that Calé matured fast to be ready to serve his family if danger ever arose. And now, danger had arose, and Calé was ready to strike it back down.

"Your highness," Heero laughed, "I do believe you have been dethroned."

"At least we know the Cinq Kingdom's in good hands. I don't even want to think about how Évangalie would handle this," Zechs said.

"That girl needs to learn some..." Heero said searching for an appropriate word.

"I know. Perhaps I should send the kids to meet these people, as diplomats."

"My son? A diplomat? He can't even speak in school without Calé's assistance."

"Calé will be there. Kiro's got to learn about diplomacy sooner or later. And Évangalie's got to learn proper public behavior."

"Sounds like Calé will have his hands full. After all he will be leading the egotiations, teaching my boy to speak outside of this mansion, and making sure his sister does not 'conspire with the enemy'," Heero laughed at that idea. Zechs shook his head and laughed too. Somehow the youngest of the Peacecraft Three always had to act like the oldest.

"Yuy, we are on the verge of war, and discussing my daughter's sex life. I say we stop this, and get back to my party," Zechs said getting up.