Trowa walked up and down the marketplace, staring at all that was going on around him. It was wonderful and exciting, until a gang found him and chased him until he was completely surrounded.brbr

"Hey, boys! Lookee what we caught in our trap today! It's a pretty one too!"brbr

"Whaddaya reckon we do with him?"brbr

"I think we ought to give him the royal treatment." said the leader, smirking.brbr

Trowa flattened himself against the wall as the pervert reached out toward him. However, all of a sudden, the leader of the gang stumbled back, doubling over in pain.brbr

A young blonde stepped in front of the green-eyed boy. "Leave." he said calmly to the leader, who was being helped up from the ground.brbr

"Why should we, baka-brains? He's our prisoner."brbr

"What if I stole him?"brbr

"You can't beat us all," another piped up.brbr

"Ya wanna bet?" he went through as if they were punching bags. A fist in the face, a foot in the stomach, and one by one, they dribbled away, reluctuant of leaving their prize behind.brbr

"Allah be my witness," said the gang leader, glaring, "he'll be mine, and all mine!" Clutching his stomach, the leader left.br

***brbr

As soon as the gang was out of sight, Quatre help Trowa up.brbr

"Hi!" he said, brightly, "You must be new. My name is Quatre Raberba Winner. Who're you?"brbr

"I'm..." Trowa paused for a moment and replied, "I'm Duo Maxwell. Is it really that obvious?"brbr

"Well...yah. Everyone knows to stay away from this side of the marketplace. Those Snakes are perverts. They go around trying to take advantage of all the pretty ones..."brbr

"Then why're you here?"brbr

"I watch people from the roofs. I'm like a guardian, you could say. The Snakes are afraid of me. I think they ought to be Cobras. Some snakes are harmless, like garden snakes. They just scare the living daylights out of some people, that's all."brbr

"Oh."brbr

The two strolled down the street until Quatre stopped in front of a little cafe, which was wedged between two buildings.brbr

"Have you had breakfast?" the blonde asked with concern in his eyes.brbr

"No, I-" Trowa was cut off by Quatre. brbr

"Good! This place has the best food ever! Come on!" Quatre grabbed Trowa's arm and pulled him into the cafe. He navigated through the bustling cottage to a little table in a corner.brbr

"So tell me about yourself, Duo." he said. brbr

"Well..."brbr

At that exact moment, Quatre seemed to be shimmering in a blast of golden light.brbr

"I just moved her..." said Trowa, blinking from the blast of golden light.brbr

"I beg your pardon, Prince Trowa. I didn't mean to as such a rude question. I humbly beg for your forgiveness." said Quatre, kneeling on one knee, staring at the floor.brbr

Trowqa blushed a dark shade of red and pulled Quatre back up. "Shhhh! Don't do that! How'd you know I was Trowa?"brbr

Quatre looked uneasy and pale.brbr

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Trowa, alarmed.brbr

"No..." the blonde trailed off. Their breakfast arrived and the two devoured it hungrily in an uneasy silence. brbr

Immediately after the delectable meal, Quatre, as if in a trance, laid down a few copper coins and stood up. He started to walk to the door. Trowa followed closely behind, wondering what his newfound "friend" (*winkwink*) was doing. It wasn't until they had wandered half a mile in the direction of the palace that Quatre suddenly fell over. Trowa (thank God for reflexes!) caught him quickly, but noticed that something wet was running down his fingers. He looked down, and it was red. The blonde's blood gushed out of his wound onto the ground. Trowa picked up his falled friend, only to find that he was surrounded by his father's troops.brbr

"Hand over the boy, street rat."brbr

"No." Trowa help Quatre tighter and pulled off his disguise. The troops immediately bowed.brbr

"Why did you deceive us, sir?"brbr

"It doesn't matter," he replied, cooly, "what are you doing, shooting down innocent people?"brbr

"The sultan's orders, sir. We daren't disobey." the general said, grabbing Quatre out of the prince's hands. Soon they were dragging him on the ground towards the palace.brbr

"Let me bring him," demanded Trowa.brbr

"No can do, sir."brbr

"We'll see about that." said Trowa, eyes narrowing. Stealthily, he followed the traitorous group back to the palace.br

***brbr