A/N: Sorry this is so short, but I hadn't posted in so long, I thought I probably should at least write something and stick it on fanfiction.

Chapter Eleven

Hikaru and the others helped the Nobles up and helped them safely away, begging with them that they should trust their protectors and be sure that they would find a way out of this. When they were safely away, the two girls were completely shocked, numbed with the sudden appearance, though the pain she had inflicted was long forgotten.

"Wha…" Umi had to calm herself and start again. "What was that?"

"That was Shadow," Clef said softly, and Fuu shook her head.

"No, she was different…she had navy blue hair before…" Fuu began, but Clef stopped her.

"Her appearance changes to suit her needs. She had to get past the guard, and the only way to do that was to change her appearance to be a pretty Noble girl. Her true form would make you want to stop breathing. She is nothing human and never will be," he explained.

"Clef, Ferio, Ascot, Lantis and Eagle, I need to speak to you, now…in private," Hikaru ordered, and those she had called followed her obediently, hesitantly, but obediently. This left Umi and Fuu alone to let their minds wander.

After there was a long silence, Fuu turned to Umi and asked meekly, "What's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know," Umi shook her head, her long blue hair swinging behind her shoulders. "I really don't know."

*

"She must be stopped," Hikaru said shortly when they had all assembled in Clef's study. "No banishment, she must be destroyed."

"Hikaru-hime, that's quite impossible," Clef said softly, but Hikaru shook her head, causing her slightly crimped long red hair to flow around her arms.

"No excuses Clef, she must be destroyed, and I don't care what it takes. She will not cloak my country in her darkness. My people will not live in fear of something that they have no way to stop. I will not see them suffer and die at her hands."

"But…" Clef started, but Eagle interrupted him.

"Hikaru-hime is right, the people are suffering out there!"

"Arigato Eagle," Hikaru smiled at him, and he bowed. Lantis' eyes narrowed, and Hikaru sent him a concerned look so that he swiped the suspicion from his eyes.

"Well what do you propose we do Eagle?" Clef turned to the one who was so eager to chase after the Queen of the Shadow. All the eyes in the room turned on him so that he was the center of attention. He grinned almost evilly, and Clef and Lantis both caught it this time so that they looked at one another and exchanged a quick glance of mistrust.

"It's really easy Guru," Eagle began, "all we have to do is send the Magic Knights and the Rune Gods on her. She won't be able to stand up to them."

Those in the room were shocked speechless.

"You're supposed to be a guardian!" Ferio shouted. "Why are you so eager to send the people we l…are trying to protect, into war?!"

"I understand your worry Prince, but do you see another way?" Eagle persisted, and Ferio was silenced. There was no one in the realm stronger than the Magic Knights combined. There seemed no other way.

"Even if they were able to become victorious, they still haven't regained their memories," this time it was Ascot to protest. "And we can't force it on them no matter how much we want to. Recovering their memory could last longer than we have time."

"There is another way, a counter curse," Eagle started, but Clef shook his head.

"No Eagle, are you crazy?"

"It could work! She could do it!" he shouted, and Clef's eyes narrowed.

"Do not speak of her in my presence!" Clef's authority silenced everyone, and Hikaru's eyes were fierce when she turned to Eagle and Clef.

"What are you talking about that you wish not to share with me?"

"There is a counter-curse that can be performed by a former pillar in thanks to the Magic Knights…" Clef began, and Hikaru's face paled.

"What?"

"But there are some serious risks, and losses associated with it. To perform a counter-curse on a dark spell takes its tolls on everyone involved. Umi and Fuu would not be the same afterward, nor would you Hikaru-hime," Clef finished.

"Not be the same?" Hikaru shook her head. "How so?"

"You would forget about those that lie deepest in your hearts. You would remember their face but not your love," Eagle said quietly and bowed his head.

"What? No!" Ascot and Ferio shouted simultaneously.

"I will not allow it!" Ferio added quickly. "I will not lose her!"

"Everyone! Silence!" Hikaru held up a hand and shook her head. "There is always other ways. For now we will remain in the state we're in, biding our time for the other two to regain their memories. No measures will be taken, no matter how subtle. Maybe luck will speed our time."

"Yes Hikaru-hime," they all bowed and walked from the room.

Clef stayed behind with Lantis and watched as everyone exited. Once they were gone he cast a spell upon the door and looked at Lantis with protective eyes, "How much danger are we in with him being in the palace?"

§§§~~~

"What was going on in there?" Umi asked as everyone emerged.

"Nothing," Ferio muttered, and Umi's eyes narrowed.

"There was an awful lot of screaming going on in there for nothing," she countered.

"We were trying to decide what to do about Cephiro," Eagle grinned at her, and her eyes flared up.

"And just thought that you'd leave us out?"

"Until you've regained your memories I don't think it will be possible for you to participate in events that concern Cephiro, since you don't remember what care it requires," he answered viciously.

Umi got chills from his response, and she looked at Fuu and noticed she was rubbing her arms.

"What did you decide?" Fuu looked at Ferio, a man she had known for a very short time, but somehow she felt safe when she looked into his amber eyes. He smiled gently back at her and shook his head.

"That is for another time Hime," he bowed and walked out, and she watched him go, confused.

"He's very vexing," Umi muttered and turned to Ascot. "You all are, why can't we know anything? And why is Hikaru so suddenly in on everything?"

"It will all fall in place in time," Clef said softly, and Ascot turned and walked the other way, opposite of where Ferio had gone. Umi watched him go and shook her head. She tried to play it off, but this was all very confusing and hurtful to her. She didn't like being left in the dark, and more than that she felt as if she was alone in the dark.

"Lantis, Clef, maybe we should see to them," Hikaru said quietly, and the other two nodded and went in different directions to look after the other two. "As for you two, Eagle, why don't you take them around the palace, maybe that will spark something."

"It'd be my pleasure," Eagle smiled wanly and bowed as Hikaru smiled and went in the direction Lantis had gone to first see to Ferio before going and checking in on Ascot.

Umi and Fuu looked at each other and tried to hold back a gulp as Eagle waved a hand and urged them to follow him.