** disclaimer: Digimon does not belong to me. Takeru Takaishi / Ishida, Hikari Kamiya, Yolei Inoue, Davis Motomiya, Ken Ichijouji and Cody Hida don't belong to me. If they did, I'd be rich. The Taelidani, the Khaydarin, Sai Auia, Razul and Locke do belong to me. So leave me alone you vultures!

** Author's notes: Really sorry for the long delay. School has been really, really crazy lately, and tonight's just about the only night I had ANY free time at all since…about a month ago. Dreamwalker and Phawx are both snowed down with work as well, so they both couldn't find the time to edit this chapter, and I had to do it myself. (not blaming you guys. On the contrary, I know EXACTLY how you feel…) Technically, I would've liked to take a couple more editing passes myself, but I really don't have time. So I'm just gonna post it and cross my fingers. (it's not a crucial chapter or anything anyway) Otherwise, this story's gonna take forever to finish. Just be prepared. This chapter might be a little rough 'round the edges.

And, if you notice the disclaimer, yes. Ken IS coming in this chapter. ^_^. And religion comes in again. BY READING ON, YOU WAIVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO CHRISTIAN CONTENT!! (it's really tiny anyway…)

Pilgrimage: Chapter Five

By: TK Takaishi

**four days later**

Sai Auia was perched right on the edge between the desert of the west, and the flatlands of the east, on the border between Ichijouji, and the unclaimed Saera desert. The western wall of the city faced outwards towards the shimmering heat-waves of the dry, sandy wasteland, and the eastern wall faced gently waving grasslands and rolling meadows. Farther east, one would begin to encounter stands of forests, and where the terrain grew more hilly, sparkling rivers and streams. And eventually, as one kept on going, one would reach the sea.

Several miles to the east of the small city, three figures waited, standing an ever-vigilant guard in spite of the burning sun. It was only mid-morning, yet the desert was already shimmering with heat waves. They had been standing there for two days now, and both days, they had gone back to their camp disappointed, with heavy hearts and just a little more worried.

Yolei glanced anxiously at the still-rising sun. Today was the sixth day. And as she glanced at Kari, who was standing beside her, a lump of anxiety and dread formed in her stomach. The more she got to know the girl, the more she doubted she could ever be a willing accomplice to treachery. And yet, orders were orders. Her hand played constantly with a small dagger hidden in a wrist sheath, drawing it out, then sliding it back in over and over again. She hadn't fidgeted with anything in over five years. Kari for her part, stood perfectly still. Her worry was betrayed only by the slight frown on her otherwise serene face. Irritated at the other girl's self-control, Yolei turned back to the horizon.

But then, she too frowned as she gazed into the distance. A moment of intense scrutiny of the desert plain was enough to confirm her suspicions, and a broad grin lit up her face.

As they watched from the top of their small hill, two riders, astride two hunting horses, galloped towards them at a burning pace. Kari shielded her eyes as she peered into the distance at the approaching travelers. She had taken her sling off, and her injured shoulder was now bound only in bandages. "It's them all right," she said softly as a relieved smile finally broke out on her worried face. "I can tell."

Beside her, Yolei nodded as she got up. A huge load lifted off her shoulders at the proclamation. "Cody," she said to the third figure. "Would you mind running back to Razul to tell him that Davis has arrived?"

Cody tore his gaze off the approaching travelers. "I'll be back before you know it." He cast a final glance at the approaching riders, then ran off to do his bidding. Razul and the rest of the Taelidani were camped right outside the city gates, refusing to enter the city until Davis had arrived.

Davis and Takeru's horses took the last rise at the same pace they had been running all day. Kari smiled as she got up to greet the two returning trackers. She could see Davis, who was in the lead, waving enthusiastically as he approached, and then finally, reigning in his horse in a cloud of dust right in front of them.

"Welcome back," Yolei said as she helped the boy dismount. Kari could hear the note of poignant relief that Yolei had almost, but not quite, managed to hide. "Had fun on your little gallivanting trip?"

Davis however, did not rise to the joke, his face uncharacteristically somber. In fact, Yolei noticed, the boy looked rather worse for wear, with a white bandage wrapped around his head, the side of which was stained with dried blood. His clothes were ragged, and he looked exhausted. "Yolei, what happened while I was gone?"

Yolei caught the grave note in the boy's voice, and her face grew serious. "Well, I led everyone here. They're camped out near the city gates right now. Everybody refused to go in and seek refuge until you had arrived."

Davis' intense gaze burned into Yolei's. "Were you attacked? Did you meet anyone?"

Yolei tilted her head in puzzlement. "No. Why?"

The other boy heaved a huge sigh of relief and some of the tension left his shoulders. "Did you alert Sai Auia about Maran?"

"Yes. They've sent a patrol to confirm our claims. The vizier didn't believe us." Then Yolei peered more closely at Davis. "What happened to your head?"

Davis adjusted the stained bandage on his forehead self-consciously. "Some idiot whacked me on the back of the head with a quarter-staff. Shot me in the back too," he added resentfully. "Good thing it was a long-range shot. Nothing more than a deep scratch."

Yolei frowned. "I thought you two went scouting, not fighting." The worried note had crept back into her voice.

"Yeah, well things got out of hand. The other guy got the worst of it though."

It was then that Takeru finally caught up. His horse's flanks were heaving with exertion as the boy reigned it in to a canter, then to a stop. Dismounting expertly, he patted the animal's side gratefully. "Take a rest, you've earned it," he said softly.

Then he could say no more as Kari enveloped him in a crushing embrace, burying her face in his chest. "I'm so glad you're all right," she said, making no attempt to hide the relief in her voice.

Takeru hugged her back. "You know," he whispered in her ear with a slight smile. "Just before we left, you kissed me. What was that all about?"

Kari felt blood rush to her face immediately. "I…uh…I…"

Takeru brushed a lock of hair from her eyes, something which was becoming a fond habit of his. "Never mind," he said, his face visibly turning serious again. "We'll talk about it later. Davis was right. This is no joking matter."

Davis wearily pushed the bandage on his forehead back up, so as not to obscure his eyes. "Yolei, you mentioned Sai Auia sent out a patrol. Did they get back yet?"

Yolei frowned. "No, they only left three days ago. They won't be back for another day at the very least."

Davis and Takeru exchanged meaningful glances. "They're probably dead by now," Takeru said as he took his horse by the reins, and began hurriedly walking towards the Taelidani encampment, and the gates of Sai Auia. "They won't be coming back."

Kari frowned. "What exactly did you two find?"

Davis followed Takeru with his own horse. "We'll explain along the way," he said as he motioned to the girls urgently. "We don't have a moment to lose."

**********

Sai Auia was a small but prosperous city. Since it was the western-most city of the kingdom, all trade that came from the west, from crops and fabrics of the mountains, or exotic spices and treasures from the nothern desert regions, goes through Sai Auia. The city was a melange of cultures and travelers. Great, soaring temples laced with gold and topped with red, intricately tiled roofs dominated the skyline, while huge, dome-shaped white stone buildings gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, accomodating the bustling crowds. Fountains and small paths of green snaked their way through the metropolis, all seeming to run through the city at random, yet always ending up at the central palace. And everywhere, the green flag of Ichijouji dominated the skyline, fluttering proudly in the breeze. Far removed from the northern battle fronts, the city was content to live in peace. However, in the event of war, it was far from helpless. Sheltered and fortified, with thick stone walls and proud battlements surrounding the entire city, Sai Auia was impregnable.

Or so its inhabitants liked to believe.

It was an illusion that Takeru was determined to shatter as he strode purposefully down the inner streets. Davis struggled to keep up with him. He had stopped only to accept a new tunic and cloak from the Taelidani, shed his clothes and change his bandage. He could hardly go through the streets with his blood staining his back. Beside him, Kari, Yolei and Cody walked, negotating the crowds with difficulty.

For the place was busy. All along the sides, hawkers and shops were open, and people of all ages were travelling through the roads. Women bearing foodstuffs and oils in baskets on their head threaded their way through the city, and children could be seen playing games along the sides. Men with carriages loaded with goods yelled at people to get out of the way as they made their way down the streets. The scent of exotic spices filled the air, and soft music and excited conversation assaulted the group's senses.

"I can't believe there's so much people!" Kari yelled over the crowd. Even so, Takeru had to cup a hand to his ear to hear her.

"It's a city, what'd you expect?" Davis answered for him. "Excuse me," he nodded apologetically as he bumped against a pedestrian. It earned him nothing but a dirty look. "Don't tell me you've never been to a city before?"

"We're farmers, remember?" Takeru said. "The biggest place I've ever been to was the village of Broli. And that had about…oh…a thousand people all told?" He exchanged wry glances with Kari. "Yes, we Kurtal folk are generally pretty secluded."

Yolei raised her eyebrows. "Hey, we're the hermits, and even we've seen more than you have!"

"We were kind of being hunted, so it seemed like a good idea to stay out of sight," Kari answered dryly.

"But really, why are there so many people?" Cody asked in wonder as he stepped around a large carriage of goods. "I've been here before, and it's never been this busy! Is there a festival or something!"

"Why don't we ask?" Kari suggested as she stepped up her pace.

Ahead, Takeru had stopped beside a merchant. As Kari and the others caught up with him, they found him doing just that. As he spoke, the merchant waved his arms wildly, his face aglow with excitement as he spoke rapidly. After a moment or two, the blond boy stepped back, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Kari asked. "Is there something special going on in town?"

"Yeah." Takeru looked doubtful. "There's a parade that's going to be coming this way in a short time, and all these people are gathered to see it. Apparently, their prince, some boy by the name of Ken Ichijouji is paying a visit to the city, and everyone is honoured. Whoever he is."

"Ken Ichijouji?" Yolei interrupted. All of a sudden, she was all but vibrating with excitement. "He's here?!"

"I don't get it," Kari said, looking around. "Who's Ken Ichijouji?"

"You don't know?" Yolei looked horrified. "Everyone's heard of Ken!"

Cody answered for the two of them. "Ken is the Crown Prince of Ichijouji. Apparently, his father died about a year after the Age of Gods ended, so he's the sole heir to the crown. I believe he's only sixteen years old, but already he's shown himself to be a worthy prince."

"And he's really cute..." Yolei said dreamily.

"What's so impressive about him anyway?" Davis muttered under his breath. "What's he got that I don't?"

Yolei looked horrified. "Why, he's smart, and handsome, and talented. Everything that you aren-"

Takeru frowned. "Sixteen? That seems kind of young."

Davis shook his head. "No, he's not 'king' yet. Under Ichijoujan law, he won't ascend the throne until he's at least eighteen, though a lot of people are looking forward to the day when he is. Right now, Ichijouji is being ruled by a Council of Elders. There's a lot of political infighting and endless debating. And honestly, it's not doing the country a whole lot of good." He gave the two of them a sidelong glance. "Geez, you two really don't know anything…"

"Stuff it Davis," Kari said wearily. "We'll see how much you know about the mountains compared to us…"

"But when Ken ascends the throne, all that will change," Yolei explained to the two mystified Kurtalians. "You see- "

At that moment, a series of loud trumpet blasts split the air, and the crowd around the group went positively wild. They were hard-pressed to stay together as everyone jostled for a better look at the prince that was apparently passing.

"I can't see a thing!" Davis complained as he was pushed back and forth. Being slightly shorter than the others (except Cody), all he could do was peer over the shoulders of everyone else. Cody chose not to comment on the obvious unfairness of it all, since he was even shorter.

For a brief moment, Takeru considered summoning his stand to get a better view, but quickly dismissed the idea. The sight of his stand might conceivably cause panic in the crowded streets, so he settled for standing on his tiptoes. The boy was not particularly tall, but he was tall enough to just barely see between people's shoulders.

An entourage of guards in resplendent dress uniforms paraded through the streets, clearing the way. Behind them, the trumpet-sounders marched, sounding their fanfare now and again. And behind them…

"That's him," Yolei whispered in Takeru's ear. "That's Ken Ichijouji."

Takeru watched as a young man about his own age rode slowly along on a white horse through the crowd. As he passed, the crowd bowed low to the ground in reverence. Dressed in a dark green Ichijouji uniform, trimmed in gold with a white cloak and sash, he cut an impressive figure. The youth might be considered handsome by some, with long, straight dark blue hair, and well-defined features, which were presently stretched into a small, strained smile as he rode through. Takeru had the distinct impression he was uncomfortable with all the attention.

Ken's eyes were startling blue, the blue of brilliant polished steel, and his piercing gaze swept the crowd alertly. For the briefest of moments, the prince locked gazes with Takeru, who suddenly realized he was possibly the only person still staring straight at the prince. Everyone around him had their heads bowed, kneeling in respect. Ken raised his eyebrows in slight amusement, and nodded to the blond boy respectfully.

Then the moment was past, and the parade rode on. Ken followed his entourage towards the castle in the center of the city. Buzzing conversation started up again as the crowd got up to follow the enigmatic prince loyally.

"Are you mad?" Davis hissed as he stood back up again. "Why didn't you bow?"

"I was supposed to bow?" Takeru looked puzzled. "I didn't know that. Besides, I'm not Ichijoujan."

"Of all the excu-"

"Well," Kari interrupted. "The people sure love him."

Cody snorted. "They don't just love him, they adore him. He has the blood, and people are loyal to the heir of the crown. Full-fledged sword-master at the age of fourteen. A lot of people believe he's Ichijouji's last, best hope for the unity that the kingdom has been yearning for since the Age ended. And there are even some rumours that he has shown the signs."

Kari raised an eyebrow. "I'm lost."

"When he ascends the throne," Davis explained, "the Council will step down, and the political infighting will cease. Even now, he's proven himself to be a capable leader. The wonder-boy has everyone's confidence that he can decisively guide the country back to its former glory." He sighed. "Some people get all the luck."

Takeru however, was concerned with something else. "He has 'shown the signs'? What signs?"

"It's a rumour spread by wishful thinkers," Yolei admitted as she shrugged. "But some say that even at a very young age, Ken has been able to do stuff that…nobody else could. Like having an uncanny ability to sense people's emotions. Or moving stuff without touching it himself. They say it's what makes him such a great leader. Hell, the very fact that he managed to become a sword-master at fourteen is special! The kid has to be a literal genius at Kenjitsu to be able to do that! Most people don't achieve that level of skill till they're about twenty something…"

Then Yolei stopped as Kari and Takeru exchanged alarmed glances. "What? You don't actually believe all that stuff I just spewed did you?"

Cody added his own two cents. "You should know that the Ichijoujan council denies any such 'signs' vehemently. It's positively a taboo with them. And if it's not official-"

Takeru glanced around, then quickly ushered all of them to the side of the street, where they were a little out of the way and out of sight. It was slightly quieter here, so the boy lowered his voice slightly as he spoke.

"Yolei, if you want to be technical, I became a full-fledged sword-master at fourteen. A sword-master passed the title to me, along with the right to bestow said rank on others. And Kari's pretty close, and she's only fifteen."

Yolei stared. "Well, that's because you're a- " Then her eyes widened as the implications hit. "You can't be serious…"

"And why not?" Kari said softly. "Taken altogether, there are five of us stand-masters that we know of as yet. There are six crests. Who's to say Ken's not the sixth stand-master?"

Davis interrupted. "Wait a minute. Five?! Who's the fifth?"

Kari and Cody exchanged guilty glances. Davis caught their gazes, and did a double-take. "Cody?! A stand-master?!"

"Um…well," Cody said hastily. "Ms. Kari's been teaching me some of the basics. I was going to tell you but I never got the- "

"I don't believe it!"

"Believe it," Takeru said firmly. "I saw his crest myself. I'll explain later, but there's something more important we have to discuss- "

"What could be more important than this! I just discovered Cody's a friggin' stand-master! And you didn't tell me!"

"Enough!" Takeru glared at Davis. With an outraged squeak, the Taelidani leader's voice died down. "I told you, I'll explain later. There are more important things at hand."

"You're right," Kari said as she prepared to step out onto the street again. "We have to warn Sai Auia- "

"No, wait." Takeru shook his head. "Ken's convenient visit changes everything. Before we march in to talk with whoever's in charge, I want to know what we're dealing with. Check my logic on this, because it sounds crazy even to me!"

Yolei slowly leaned back against the wall. Kari stopped and turned around, giving Takeru a curious gaze. "What is it?"

"The destruction of Maran was an incredibly stupid ploy," Takeru began as his mind raced, working out the logic. "Admit it. Ichijouji of course, would have no choice but to go to war because of national outrage. But a neutral, third party like ourselves saw through it instantly as someone's attempt to start a war."

"And that someone was Khaydarin," Davis said impatiently. "We know that now. So Khaydarin was being stupid. The commander was green. It happens."

"No." Takeru was chewing his lip in thought. "Khaydarin may be many things. Khaydarin may be cruel. Khaydarin may be different. Khaydarin may throw every rule of conventional warfare out the window, but Khaydarin is not stupid."

"How would you know?" Yolei said curiously.

Takeru turned to her. "Believe it or not," he said calmly, "if you look in any military tactics book, there are more maneuvers invented by them than all the nations of Gaea put together. We learned more about warfare from them than from ourselves."

Everyone stared at him. Takeru shrugged self-consciously. "Hey, I have an interest in the stuff. Just 'cause I'm a farmer doesn't mean I can' read."

"Well...if they're not stupid...," Cody said hesitantly, "then…what does that mean?"

"All attacks have objectives," Takeru said. "An army that does not realize that is not worthy of anyone's attention. The problem is, sometimes, that objective may be hidden."

A moment of silence descended upon the group. Then…

"Ken." Yolei's voice was breathless. "They're not trying to start a war. They're after Ken!"

"Exactly." Takeru closed his eyes as all the pieces started falling into place. "Cody said it himself. Ken is the last, best hope for unity within Ichijouji. Consequently, with Ichijouji finally able to present a united front to the world, added to his influence and abilities as a developing stand-master, he is the last best hope for unity within Gaea! Khaydarin has to know that!"

"So," Davis rubbed his temple as he tried to follow the argument. "Somehow, agents of Khaydarin found out that at this particular date, Ken will be paying a visit to Sai Auia, away from the protected heartland of the kingdom. They realize that this would be the best time to try to kill him. Therefore, they lay siege to the city, burn it to the ground, kill everyone in it, and leave." He sighed. "Well, then why did they bother with Maran?"

"Someone from the village must've seen them," Kari whispered. "Some farmer must've happened to see them while they were travelling, so they had no choice but to level the village. To an army their size, a village of five hundred was nothing. The battle probably lasted less than an hour" Her voice grew stronger as she worked everything out. "The Sheid uniform was a convenience. Kill two birds with one stone. If Khaydarin manages to place blame of Ken's death on Sheid, nothing, nothing in the world is going to save Sheid from Ichijouji's wrath."

Yolei snorted. "Impossible. An army of one thousand two hundred? They'd never be able to pin the blame on someone else. Especially on a target as large as this one. That's the most ludicrous maneuver I've ever heard."

"Don't be too sure," Takeru cautioned. "Maran is fairly isolated, since it's right on the border. The closest city to Sai Auia, if I remember my geography correctly, is more than a week's journey away. The stealth cloak helps a lot. Disguises, false uniforms can also work. And it's not like they're looking at a month long siege. With hunter-seekers, the whole thing will be over in days, fast enough to get out before any reinforcements arrive. Granted, it's incredibly risky. If they only wanted to start a war, a series of raids along the border would have done the same job just as effectively."

"But when all things are said and done," Kari said, "the Sheid-Ichijouji war was an aside. They're not trying to simply sow discord. They want to kill Ken. That's why they had to stage it in the desert. That's why they're taking such illogical risks."

There was a moment of silence as everyone looked at one another, wide-eyed. The implications were not lost on them. Originally, they had planned to simply expose Khaydarin's scheme, and then wait for them to go away. If both Sheid and Ichijouji knew that Khaydarin was responsible, destroying Sai Auia would prove useless, and the attack might actually drive the kingdoms closer together in mutual outrage against a common foe. Khaydarin would have no choice but to leave.

But now, regardless of whether their plot worked or not, Khaydarin would level Sai Auia anyway. And the stakes had suddenly become much, much higher.

"We'd better go warn Ken," Takeru said.

**********

But by the time they had managed to struggle through the crowds all the way to the palace in the center of the city, the sun was already past the zenith, well into mid-afternoon. Takeru looked at the sun worriedly as time passed. Davis and he had really pushed their hunting horses trying to outrun the Khaydarin army, but it was still less than a week away. Five days by their best estimate.

Still, it would be worth it if it could buy the city even a couple days, Takeru thought to himself as he doggedly pushed his way through the crowd. The sense of urgency that had pervaded him at the beginning of the day did not fade, despite his mounting exhaustion and his burning arrow wound. If anything, it grew even more acute with the new discovery that Ken was in the city.

Unfortunately, the palace guards did not share his anxiety.

"I'm telling you," Davis said furiously, trying to stop himself from slugging the infuriating guard in the jaw. "We must see the Prince immediately! It's a matter of life or death!"

The guard did not step aside. "The Prince is busy with meetings with the Sai Auian council. He doesn't take visitors."

"But it's urgent!"

"Everybody's in a hurry, kid." The guard said coldly. "And the Prince does not have time to deal with trivial concerns at this time."

Davis gritted his teeth. Somehow, being called "kid" by a total stranger pissed him off more than he cared to admit. Especially seeing how little the guard knew, and what he was costing his country by his stubborn insistence to follow the rules.

Kari stepped in before Davis could do something rash. "I wish to speak with your commander about something very important. The safety of this city could depend on it."

The soldier yawned. "Little girl, why don't you just spare my captain some trouble, and just tell me?"

"Please understand," Cody said earnestly. "There is an army heading this way to Sai Auia. They'll be arriving in less than a week. The Prince must know of this immediately, or Sai Auia may not exist two weeks from now."

The guard smirked at her. "I assure you children, if there is a threat to the security of this city, Prince Ken knows about it already. It is hardly possible that a group of fifteen year-olds could be better informed than he is. Now," he gestured impatiently away. "Begone! Go find another victim for your fantasies!"

Furious, Davis stormed off. The rest of the group hurried after him as the guard shook his head in irritation and stepped back into position. "Hooligans…," he muttered under his breath.

"Davis, wait up!" Cody called. "What are you planning!"

"I am going to tear out that idiot's tongue," Davis gritted as he flexed his fingers, "wrap it twice around his head, and…"

"Maybe if I tried..." Takeru began.

Davis shook his head. "I know his type. They don't respect anything except power and authority above their own. He won't listen to reason because of his goddamn pride! And he most certainly won't listen to you, a simple wanderer from Kurtal."

"But you're the T'rakul of your own Taelidani tribe!" Kari interjected.

"Kari, look at me!" Davis spread his arms out wide. "I'm fifteen! Do I look like a leader?"

Takeru and Kari looked at each other. Kari gave a small smile and nodded, while Takeru merely heaved a heavy sigh.

Do I have to?

You heard Davis. They don't respect anything except power and authority...

"All right, this had better be worth it," the blond boy muttered as he took hold of his katana. "I hate attention..."

Cody gave Takeru a strange look. "Better be worth what?"

But Takeru was already striding back towards the gate. Exchanging curious glances with one another, Cody, Davis and Yolei followed him, while Kari shook her head, the same mysterious smile still on her face.

The guard looked annoyed as Takeru strode purposefully up to him. "You again?" Motioning at several nearby sentries, the blond boy was suddenly surrounded by Ichijouji soldiers. "Didn't I tell you to go away? You kids are not seeing Prince Ken before- "

"I request an audience with Prince Ken immediately," Takeru asked quietly, completely unfazed by the sudden company.

Behind him, Davis blinked. Takeru's voice sounded different. He couldn't recall it ever having possessed such a regal authority and commanding presence.

The soldier however, was livid. "I'm telling you, such an audience is impossi-"

"Do you know what this is?" Takeru interrupted, just as quietly. Holding up his sword, he drew the blade out several inches. Pulling the strip of cloth off the base of the blade, he exposed the crest of Ishida engraved onto the sword. The platinum-gold rising meteor gleamed like wildfire in the sunlight.

The guard frowned as he stared at the symbol, then paled. His spear dropped from his numb hands with a loud clang. Several of the sentries backed away. "Y…yes," the guard stammered.

Takeru gave the guard a dangerous grin. His voice suddenly had a razor edge of steel to it. "Do you know what that would make me?"

The guard's face was almost ghostly white by now. He looked like he had seen a ghost, which was really not that far from the truth. "I…ye…yes."

"Good." Takeru sheathed the blade, then gave the guard a cold stare. When he spoke again, his voice was positively glacial.

"I call upon the ancient alliance of the Council to make this request. Go tell Prince Ken that the Crown Prince of all Ishida wishes an audience with His Majesty. I wish to see him face to face, as one monarch to another. Now."

White-faced, the guard ran off to do Takeru's bidding. The rest of the sentries looked on nervously as Takeru turned around to motion to the others to join him.

Kari immediately padded over to his side. But Yolei, Davis and Cody remained rooted where they were, their expressions absolutely thunderstruck. Takeru raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?"

It was a long moment before any of them could speak. Then, Cody finally broke the awkward stillness.

Before either Takeru or Kari could stop him, the young boy fell on his knees and touched his forehead to the ground, bowing in reverence to the Ishidan Prince.

**********

Well..., Takeru thought in irritation half an hour later. It got us in. But whatever else Kari says, I'm still not sure it was worth it...

Whatever else, his newly revealed identity had definitely caught the guards' attention. Without further delay, him and his entire group had been ushered through the gates, and led through a maze of corridors into the heart of the palace. Apparently, the guard's superior had taken Takeru's claim seriously. No less than ten guards surrounded the five teenagers as they guided them cautiously to see Prince Ken.

That had been the good part.

The bad part was that Davis, Yolei and Cody had still not quite gotten over the shock. There had been a particularly bad moment when Cody had literally bowed to him. Takeru's face was still burning with embarrassment. It had taken quite awhile for both Kari and him to convince the three of them to treat him like they had before. As an equal. And once they had, Yolei had flown into a royal fit.

"Crown prince?!" Yolei all but screeched as she walked, not caring about the strange glances she was receiving from the surrounding soldiers. "Crown Prince?! And not just any prince of any country! You had to be Crown Prince of Ishida!!!"

"Where do you think I got my stand?" Takeru said rather feebly in his defense.

"I thought you were born with it, even though you were not of stand blood. Just like the rest of us!" Davis hissed accusingly. "You told me so!"

Takeru sighed. "I told you Kari had been born from a non-stand bloodline. I didn't say anything about myself."

"That's equivocation, and you know it."

"I thought there were no Ishidans left!" Cody said incredulously as he hurried to keep up on his shorter legs. "You're supposed to be dead!"

Kari laughed out loud. Takeru rubbed his temples as he walked. "I assure you," he said dryly. "I am very much alive."

Yolei transfixed the blond prince with such a piercing glare that it was all Takeru could do not to sink right into the floor. "I should've known! I should've at least suspected! No wonder you look like such a laesbube. No wonder you have blond hair and fair skin. You're not Kurtalian, you're Ishidan!!"

"He did grow up in Kurtal, for what it's worth," Kari chimed in, an amused grin on her face as she watched the blond boy squirm. "He just wasn't born there."

"And who are you? Royal Princess of Yagami or something?" Yolei rounded on Kari.

Kari was obviously enjoying the entire fiasco at Takeru's expense. "I wish. No, I am who I claim to be. I really am a wanderer from Kurtal, who was born with powers I still don't entirely understand."

Davis sighed. "Your Highness- "

"Don't call me that!" Takeru gritted his teeth. "Now that it's out, everyone's going to start calling me that! Don't you start!"

Davis paused, then started again. "All right then, Takeru." The Taelidani boy's brown eyes softened. "Why didn't you tell us? Was it because you thought I couldn't be trusted after what I did to Kari?"

Takeru sighed. "At first yes."

"What do you mean 'at first'?"

"It was because I wanted to avoid this!" Takeru burst out suddenly, "As Takeru Takaishi, I could slip through most places unseen and unnoticed. People confide in me, people talk to me, people treat me as one of them!

"But as Takeru Ishida...hell. I bet that if I went out onto the streets right now, I'd draw an even bigger crowd than Ken did. I don't want your damned respect. I want your friendship!"

Then they all fell into a troubled silence as walked. Nobody could think of a reply to that. Then presently, they arrived at a large, heavy oak door guarded by two sentries. Several soldiers surrounded the group as the sentries opened the door, and allowed them to pass. The guards were not to protect him, Takeru realized. They were to protect others from him.

And once inside, his breath caught in his throat.

The room was huge, with elegant, tall windows letting the afternoon sunlight in, and walls richly decorated with portraits and tapestries. An immense, long mahogany table stood in the center, and arranged around the table were important-looking ministers and officials, apparently waiting for him.

"May I present," the sentry said awkwardly. "The Crown Prince of all Ishida."

The entire meeting room instantly went silent at the sudden entrance. Suddenly, Kari was aware of every single eye in the room staring at them. Ministers, each of them at least forty years old, wearing satin and velvet robes leveled appraising glares at them. Feeling naked, the girl rearranged her threadbare cloak, and stood taller. Out of the corner of her eye, she was Takeru doing the same.

Silence reigned, until one minister snorted. "So that's the little boy that claimed to be Ishida's heir? Crown Prince? I don't believe it."

An old man with a shock of white hair interrupted him. "Dinar, I personally would keep a civil tongue when speaking to- "

"I will speak however I want to a common peasant, Micah," Dinar spat. "The Royal Family of Ishida is dead. Our own forces, when they arrived, saw the remains of Palas with their very eyes. This…boy is nothing but a liar." He turned to look at the other ministers. "And what's this about a Khaydarin army about to invade our borders? I have heard of no such army, none of our forces have seen it. How can it exist?"

"They have a cloak that renders them invisible to the naked eye," Takeru filled in.

The minister sneered at him. "Convenient isn't it?" he said. "Make us draw our forces from the battlefronts to defend a worthless position, so you can press the attack. Tell me the truth, which kingdom are you truly from? Hun? Arei?"

"I side with neither," Takeru said.

"Then what is this poppycock about Khaydarin coming back again? We banished them five centuries ago!!"

Another minister nodded in agreement. "Boy," he said as he turned to Takeru. His tone was carefully neutral. "You do know what you are claiming to be, right? You cannot be Ishidan. The dead cannot come back to life."

"I know full well what I am saying," Takeru said.

"The stand-masters were the servants of God," the old man named Micah cut in. "Do you love him? Do you follow him?"

Takeru smiled and recited, " 'The Lord God is my King. He guideth me through the shadow, and exalteth me in the light. And though death claimeth my mortal body, it shall have no dominion over my soul. For my soul is for God alone. I am the servant, and He is my master.' "

Micah cocked his head. His expression was unreadable. "You are bold to use Adun's own words, boy." His gaze seemed to see right through the blond boy. "You must either be a blasphemous lunatic, or…the real Prince."

Beside him, Takeru felt Davis bristle. He held out a hand to stop the Taelidani from saying anything in his defense, but he didn't say anything himself either. Instead, the sentry squirmed awkwardly. "Sir…he had the Royal Sword of Ishida. I recognized the crest."

Dinar shook his head scornfully. "That sword too, has been lost. You guards can't tell a forgery from the real thing."

"I have it here," Takeru interrupted. "You are free to examine it." With one hand, he unbuckled the sword, and offered it to the nearest guard. He was careful to hold onto the sheath, and present the hilt to the guard.

"Bring it here."

The quiet authoritative voice cut through the babble easily, and silence dropped like a rock. Several ministers turned, and it was only then that Takeru noticed the figure sitting at the head of the table, obscured as he was by the taller ministers.

Sitting easily on the large wooden chair was Ken Ichijouji, the sunlight from the window gleaming off his features, and casting half of his face into shadow. The prince's piercing eyes, which on closer examination contained a hint of indigo, sought out Takeru's, and a strange expression of recognition dawned in them.

"Now I know why you didn't bow to me back at the parade," he said with a small smile.

Cody stared from one prince to the next with a lump in his throat. His tongue suddenly felt like someone had tied it in knots. Unsure of whether to bow or not, or worse yet, to bow to which prince, he simply stood there. His gaze settled on the Ichijoujan prince.

Ken was still wearing his green and gold uniform. Resplendent in his white cloak and platinum-trimmed sash, he looked every inch the royal prince. Next to the plainly clothed Takeru, with his simple, brown traveler's cloak and light tunic, the blond boy seemed like a common peasant.

Or did he?

Cody gave Takeru a second glance. The boy looked different. In the few short moments which he had been in the room, his bearing had changed. He stood taller, prouder. His chin lifted higher, and his blue eyes were suddenly alight with a mysterious fire and presence. The entire way in which the boy carried himself had changed from a simple rurouni, to one of a royal Prince.

The guard walked quickly over to Ken, then offered him Takeru's sword with both hands. Ken took it, and unsheathed the blade carefully, turning it over in his hands. His blue eyes narrowed as he saw the engraved, golden symbol of Ishida.

"The Royal Sword Ichibou of Ishida," he said at length. "Some kingdoms have signet rings as proof of royal blood. Some have scepters. Most have crowns. And Ishida," he paused as he looked up at Takeru, "has this sword.

No one spoke.

"One hundred and fifteen centimeters long," Ken continued, "four centimeters wide. Set into the hilt with a depth of ten centimeters. Made of an unknown alloy, and believed to be forged more than five hundred years ago, during the first Aeon of Strife. Carried only by members of the Royal Family of Ishida." Ken smiled as he sheathed the sword again.

"This is genuine. I do not believe I have handled a finer sword in my life."

Dinar stood slack-jawed. "That's…that's impossible."

Ken turned to look at him mildly. "You doubt my word?"

The minister backed off immediately, shaking his head vigorously. "No, no my Prince. I was simply implying that this…immature boy," and here he glared at Takeru, "stole the article, and claimed it for his own. He obviously has no idea what he's done. But I know this. He has no royal blood in his veins. The Ishidan line is dead."

"That 'little boy' is the same age as me," Ken said, just as mildly as before. "Am I therefore 'immature' as well?"

But Micah was staring hard at Takeru, ignoring the sputtering Dinar as he rested his chin on his hands. "Excuse my directness, but how old are you?"

Behind Takeru's back, Davis, Yolei and Cody exchanged glances. Takeru looked startled. "Sir? I am fifteen years old."

The old man frowned at that, and he lapsed back into silence, muttering under his breath. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his face as he apparently struggled to remember something.

"There is a simple way to solve this," Ken said. He gave Takeru a hard stare. "Show me your stand."

Dinar laughed. "Now, there's no way you can steal that, can you?" he sneered at Takeru. "Now, the truth comes out."

Beside Takeru, Davis flexed his hand, and clenched it into a fist. Kari noticed, and put a warning hand on his shoulder. "Don't…," she whispered. "This is up to Takeru now."

Takeru remained motionless for a moment. Then he sighed and closed his eyes. For an instant, nothing happened. Then a small wind began whistling through the room, whipping the satin curtains around. Uneasily, the ministers glanced at one another, and several guards reached for their weapons.

Suddenly, alarmed shouts broke out across the entire hall as Takeru's angel-stand flashed into view for a brief second, superimposed upon the slim boy's own frame. Guards rushed to surround the boy as for a fleeting moment, Takeru looked like he was wreathed with golden light, with six brilliant white wings sprouting from his back, and a shimmering golden staff mysteriously appeared in his right hand. Instead of a brown traveler's cloak, the boy was suddenly clothed in a royal blue sash and golden armour. The crest of Ishida shone proudly on top of his heart.

Then the moment was over, and Takeru was standing there, looking just as he had a second ago. But all the minister's faces had gone pale, and all the guards in the room were standing between him and Ken, their weapons drawn.

But Ken had stood up abruptly. Walking forward quickly, he pushed through the guards despite their startled protests, dropped the sword at Takeru's feet, and without hesitation, embraced the blond boy warmly, with complete disregard for his dignity.

An infernal din erupted as ministers stood up in protest, and guards stood by with their weapons drawn, looking about uncertainly, but Ken took no heed of them. The startled Takeru could hear the Prince laughing joyously as tears stained the blond boy's shoulder. Hesitantly, the rurouni Prince embraced Ken back. "At long last," Takeru could hear the Prince murmur in his ear. "Now I know I am not alone."

Then Ken backed off slightly, but still held onto Takeru's shoulders. "Any servant of the Lord," the Prince said firmly, "is my brother."

Takeru smiled. Sweeping out his hand, he indicated Davis, Yolei, Cody and Kari. "Then 'brother'," he said.

"Allow me to introduce you…to your family."

** Author's notes: Feel free to review with your thoughts, objections, whatever. Like I said, I always like feedback. Even though review alerts no longer exist for non-support members, trust me, I WILL get your review. I check newly posted review pages regularly, so you can be sure that whatever you write down, I will read. ^_^

Chapters six to nine are all written, but I'll do some editing before I post it. Hopefully, I'll have at least a little time to do that.

Preview of next chap: The fight begins between the forces of Ichijouji (Sai Auia) and Khaydarin!! Lots of revelations about the exact nature of the DD's destinies, Takeru in particular. And finally, this chapter ends with a bit of a surprise ending.

Who can guess what I'm about to do? Trust me, if you look hard enough, I'll bet you at least ONE person will be able to guess what I'm gonna do. I've dropped enough hints over the course of this story. ^_^