~Well, here's Umi's chapter. I hope you'll like this one, too. ^-^

Chapter 5

A curry pot landed in the driveway for Chizeta. Two women walked out of the ship. One with blue hair. She looked around and whistled. "Tarta…um…how shall I say this…your country…"

"Don't try to say it, please," Tarta said, cross, "I know, it's cramp. Please don't remind me."

"Why don't you make the bigger territory yours?"

The princess shook her head, "That's because the place is someone else's territory. Someone named Jinkun Rikoteki. He won't even let the people here visit his country. It's as if we're a kind of lowly peasants that he shouldn't bother with."

Umi's eyes glittered with irritation. "Doesn't he know that you're country desperately needs to have more land for your people? This man is absolutely selfish!"

"It can't be helped. Come on, Umi, we have to go and find my sister," Tarta said, changing the topic.

"Hey, isn't Ascot and Caldina here, too?" Umi asked, remembering what Lantis had said.

Tarta nodded and pulled her friend towards the castle. It towered over the village, and Tarta sighed. "Aah…it's good to be home."

They entered, and servants came rushing in. "Tarta-hime! Welcome back! Tatra-hime would love to see you! Right this way!"

A slim figure came running in the halls and rushed towards Umi. The figure hugged her so tightly that Umi thought she was being attacked. "Ack! Let me go!"

"Umi! I'm so glad t' see ya, kiddo!" A familiar Osakan accent cried out. "Come on! Ya have got t' see Ascot! He's been thinkin' about ya since ya left!"

"Caldina?" Umi managed to say, as she looked at the graceful dancer. "It's really you!"

The dancer frowned. "Of course it is, I haven't changed, ya know."

A taller figure approached them, and he hesitated, turning red. Caldina pulled him over, smiling widely. "Umi, you remember Ascot? He came with me to Chizeta."

"Ascot!" Umi smiled, which rendered Ascot to blush even more, "It's been a while, ne?"

"Oh, will ya guys stop talkin' already?!" Tarta asked, annoyed. "We haven't even gotten to the throne room yet! And Tatra will be kept waitin'!"

They heard a giggle from behind, and a graceful princess glided over, wearing her usual dress. Her hair was left loose, but a crown was found at the top, signifying her rank. The princess threw her arms around Tarta and hugged her sister. "Tarta, welcome back!"

The party started to chatter, and the two princesses led Umi up to her room. Umi threw herself into her comfortable bed and sighed. Before she's going to think of anything else, she would take a small nap. Then, she thought, I could think clearly and not let my feelings cloud over rational thought. Umi mused. Now she's sounding a bit like Fuu. The smart Magic Knight's influence is definitely rubbing in. Blue eyes closed and Umi fell into slumber.

Tarta looked at her sister, worried. "Sister, you're pale. Is anything wrong? Have you got enough to eat? Are you healthy?"

The princess shook her head. "It's nothing, Tarta. The pressure as a ruler is just weighing me down for a bit. It hasn't been very long since Mother and Father passed away."

"That's not all, isn't it?"

Tatra looked down, then she raised her head and smiled. "You shouldn't bother yourself with the country anymore, sister. I'll find land somewhere…"

"Is it the country? What do you mean more land?" Tarta asked, startled, "We couldn't be very well overpopulated, are we?"

Once again, the older sister smiled. "I've just taken count in Chizeta, and we're over 10 million too many. For now, my solution is to have at least 10 people living in one home. Already, I've got many in the castle taking refuge. But I'm sure we'll find a new place soon."

Tarta frowned. "Don't talk like that, Tatra! Why can't you plead with the other overlord? I'm sure he'd at least give you one-tenth of his country."

"I've already asked him, sister," this time, Tatra's eyes were saddened. "But he gave me a condition I am unwilling to meet."

"What is it?"

Sighing, the princess looked away. "If I wanted him to give land, I'd have to marry him. For Chizeta, I will…and I have already sent my consent to his country two days ago. I am only awaiting his reply."

The younger sister jumped. "TATRA! How could you?! Marry him?! Why that power-hungry, land-thirsty, son of a—"

"Watch your language, Tarta," Tatra whispered softly, smiling her soft smile, "Cursing him won't make anything better."

"But you don't love him!" her sister complained, "I won't let you marry him!"

Ascot came through the doorway, his green eyes filled with curiosity, "I…er…managed to overhear…um…Tatra-hime…"

Tatra giggled. "That's okay, Ascot. Tarta's yells would lead anyone to come running in here. It is fortunate that you heard it, and not some court nobles or other residents here. But is there anything wrong for you to come in here?"

The summoner nodded, "A messenger came in carrying a letter addressed to Tatra-hime. I thought I would just come over and hand it to you."

The two princesses stared at the letter, and Tarta made a grab for it. She ripped open the letter and read its contents. Then she scoffed and was prepared to rip it in two when Tatra took it from her. She also perused the writing and sighed. "Well, it seems that he'll be coming here to arrange the marriage. What a timing you and Umi have for coming here! I suppose you're going to tell her about my marriage?"

"I still object to it, sister," Tarta said crossly, "He can't force you to marry him. Just for his land, even! There must be a better way of supporting the people of Chizeta."

Ascot nodded, "Maybe they could immigrate to Cephiro?"

Tarta shook her head, "There are troubles in your country at this time, Ascot. This was why Umi and I came here. She needs to be at the power source of our country. And that's the…"

"…Stadium," Tatra whispered, "So, I will bring you two there tomorrow, and then your mission here will be accomplished. But for now, I have heard that Umi is asleep right now, and Tarta, you're going to need some sleep, too."

"But, sister…"

"Ascot, please show her to her room."

"Best come with me, Tarta-hime," Ascot said, then whispered to the princess, "Maybe I should go and tell Umi…?"

Tarta nodded and followed the summoner out of the room. Tatra looked on sadly and sighed. She looked out a window and smiled. Chizeta was a beautiful country. It would be even more beautiful if they had more land and the people were happy. She hoped that her marriage would bring the country back into its luster, and she hoped that the man she gave her hand to should not be as bad as he was thought to be.

Umi's eyes widened after she's heard of the news. "Tatra? I always thought she had a strong will."

"Yes, but the facts that her country is too little and the people have nowhere else to go are weakening that power. Caldina and I have noticed her behavior days ago, but we weren't sure what was saddening her. Now, it's a bit too late."

"Ascot, what do you mean?" Umi asked, blue eyes pleading, "Has she already been married?"

The summoner shook his head. "She has agreed to the marriage, and Jinkun-sama will be coming to the country in a matter of days."

The Magic Knight shook her head, infuriated, "This should not be tolerated! What kind of man is holding Tatra to his wishes? It's as if…"

"What, Umi?" Ascot asked.

Umi shook her head, sighing, "Never mind. Ascot, thank you for telling me this. You are such a good friend."

Ascot shook his head, smiling, "It's nothing, Umi. I just thought you needed to know. Um…can you tell me something?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"How…" at this Ascot blushed, "How are Clef and Cephiro?"

The summoner noticed the glow of Umi's eyes darken, and she looked down, her lip quivering. He placed his hand on her shoulder, comfortingly, "You don't have to answer me. Tarta told me that things weren't doing as well as we thought it would be in Cephiro."

"Ascot, you deserve to know. You live there," Umi answered, "And your friends live there. Cephiro is back to its normal state before Emeraude was killed. Evil beings roam the area, and it's worsening every day."

"Yes, but you haven't answered my first question, the one about the Master Mage…"

Umi smiled weakly, "Clef is doing fine. He's asked us to come here and…and work this problem out. If our mission is successful, then all will be well. I just hope it isn't too late…"

Green eyes looked with concern at the frail figure in front of him, "Is the Master Mage okay? I mean, with his power, it shouldn't be a problem…but I wonder…he did use a lot of his power during that fight…and that left him vulnerable to anything…"

"He…he's caught Eagle's disease, Ascot," Umi said, a small teardrop falling to her sleeve. "If we don't do anything quickly, he'll…"

Ascot hugged her, "Shh…it'll be okay, Umi-san. I'm sure Clef will be fine. I think I have disturbed you enough. You need time to rest. I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I need to go now."

He quietly left the distraught Umi, and closed the door. Blue eyes filled with tears, but she quickly dried them, not wanting to cause a ruckus. She didn't want anyone to share her pain right now, and wondered how her two friends were doing. Closing her eyes again, she went back to sleep.

~Note: I am undecisive when it comes to Ascot and Umi or Clef and Umi pairings, since I love Clef and somewhat like Ascot. So, I don't know where her romance is going, since it is not definite. But I did add in some Asmi moments, for the Asmi fans (don't worry Clumi fans, all hope is not lost yet ^-*)