Alen sighed patting the mare's neck as he and Grenseal continued their way throughout the forest's near the Capital trying to see if they could find traces of Gremio and Mcdohl. Grenseal turned round in his saddle and gave his lover a smile.

"Cheer up, it could be worse."

"I guess, but we are supposed to be celebrating! Why did the young Lord Mcdohl have to disappear with Gremio?"

"I don't know, maybe he just wants to be a kid again?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He maybe just wants to be alone and live his life without those burdens a ruler has."

"Well if we see him I'll give him a piece of my mi-Hmm? What is it Gren?"

Alen stopped his tirade abruptly after seeing Grenseal wave him to silence. Grenseal pointed into the nearby area where just over the loud noises of the creek they heard voices…screaming. Grenseal and Alen dismounted and tied their horses to a nearby tree. They unsheathed their swords and edged closer, Suddenly Grenseal who was in the lead stopped abruptly. He held out a hand for Alen to stop and shook his head. He grabbed Alen by the hand and dragged him back to their horses.

"G, Gren? What's wrong?"

"I saw the young master and Gremio; they were…having fun let's put it that way."

Alen froze and then began to laugh. He smiled merrily at Grenseal and looked at him questioningly.

"So what now then?"

"We let them continue on. They…love each other I think and if the young master became Ruler they could not be together…let us return my love."

Alen pondered this for a minute or two and shrugged, he knew how hard secret love was. He couldn't imagine the added difficulties of being a Ruler. He sighed and nodded, remounting his horse. He smiled wistfully back at the forest and whispered to the wind…

"Good luck Young Master…"

He followed Grenseal who had remounted and set off across the plains back to the capital. They arrived at the castle a little later and reported to Lepant who was acting President of the new Republic. He looked up as they entered.

"What news?"

"We found no sign milord."

"Very well…dismissed."

The two young lovers saluted and left the room. Heading for their own bunks in the castle. Things still had not been sorted room-wise so they bunked together, not that they minded.

Alen sighed and sat on his bed, Grenseal moving to sit beside him, wrapping his arms around the younger man, cradling him softly. Alen put his head on Grenseal's chest, listening to his heartbeat for a while. He laid back pushing Grenseal with him and cuddled up next to the younger man.

"Gren?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Alen sighed happily and lay there with Grenseal, who was stroking the elder man's hair softly. Grenseal looked down at his lover nestled on chest and smiled, he thought back to the young master and chuckled softly, hoping that he would be happy with Gremio…