A/N: I've been really neglecting this story. Sorry about that, but this chapter actually turned out pretty well I think. Anyway, I hope you like, and sorry again for the poor grammar, I had absolutely no time to edit it, even read through it once. I have a test in American History and I was just too excited to put it up to wait another two weeks to edit it. (Lots of homework you know?)

Chapter Sixteen

Umi ran her fingers over her ovum and said a silent prayer to the former pillar. How am I to defeat Shadow and rule when my heart is plagued with guilt and fear and regret? I need a pure heart, this has to be ended, or I'll never be able to take on Shadow.

But how was she to end it? She considered briefly going to Ascot and confessing, telling him everything, but the hurt in his emerald eyes made her cringe and scratch the idea. Then the only thing to do was to go to Clef, to tell him what they couldn't be. He had to have known. He had to know they couldn't be together, because of old laws and customs, because of her duty to Ascot. She had to put this behind her, to save them all.

She slowly rose from her bed and smoothed her long flowing blue gown. A small silver chain around her forehead with a single sapphire dangling between her eyes was the only sign of her nobility. That and the silk gown she wore. Nothing else could have symbolized her as Princess, but the ovum on her fine silk gloves was enough to show her as the Magic Knight of Water and therefore one of the Princess' of Cephiro. She passed people in the hall and they dipped curtseys and bows quickly, mumbling words of respect. Umi smiled at them and told them gently to rise, but couldn't devote all her attention toward them. Most of her attention was focused on the two looming doors in front of her and the man that was standing in front of them, speaking in hushed voices to two serving women. He looked stressed, his hair was disheveled and his eyes were clouded with worry. His smile barely reached his eyes when he saw her approach.

"What's going on?" she asked immediately, and he looked toward the two women who bowed and scurried off to do whatever he had bidden them.

"Nothing for you to worry about," he answered, and the smiled faltered when she gave him an angry glare.

"I may have been last to recover, but Cephiro is my home and my concern, everything about it. The last thing I need is for a fool man to be keeping secrets behind my back, especially such a powerful one," her sharp tone made him remember everything about her to the last curve in her face.

"Someone tried to break into the castle this morning, while everyone slept. The guards held whomever it was off, but not without casualties. There are five men dead and another three injured gravely. I have reason to believe it was Eagle," his voice was very formal, Umi guessed it was to keep the anger out.

"Tell me something I don't know," Umi muttered. "But why so obviously?"

"He was blinded by rage," Clef shook his head and looked at the ground. "He had been betrayed by Hikaru, and I have a feeling that, because you have regained your memory, he has been disowned by Shadow. She pulled away her strings, and he has no idea what he's gotten himself into. I'm not sure he wanted to get in to hurt someone, I think he may have wanted in to beg mercy."

"He won't find it here," Umi turned to see the speaker was Ferio. She was surprised by the anger in his voice. Though he had turned, Eagle and Ferio had always been friends, fellow Protectors, only fighting for the ones they loved. She couldn't believe even he would want to see Eagle punished.

The disbelief in her face must have been plain because Ferio's expressions softened, and he began to explain himself, "Guru Clef is right," he nodded to Clef who nodded back, understanding himself, "he betrayed Hikaru. He has shattered every custom, every law of Cephiro. The laws set down thousands of years ago, binding Protector to Princess. He forsook those laws and turned on not only the Princess of Fire, but the woman he loved. That cannot be forgiven," with the last sentence the edge came back into Ferio's voice, so Umi could almost see his hackles rise.

"How can we be sure that was Eagle?" Hikaru broke into the circle. Umi noticed the black rings around her eyes, and streaks stained her cheeks. Umi went to stand near to her dear friend and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Hikaru simply shrugged it off and turned blazing eyes toward Clef. "How can you authorize a hunt of any sort?" she demanded in her most regal tone.

"What?" Umi whispered, and sapphire met sapphire.

Clef's eyes were the first to lower, surprisingly, a blush creeping across his cheeks. Umi guessed it was one of anger, "He needs to be found. We cannot face two enemies. We can barely face one."

"You cannot give permission to start a manhunt on a Protector!" Hikaru was almost shrieking, the tremor in her voice extremely apparent.

"Calm yourself Hikaru-hime," Clef urged. "I did what had to be done, because none of you were in any state to do it."

"You did what you had no right to do!" Hikaru lashed back. "How can you know?" she broke down into tears again as her fists clenched into tight balls and her head sagged into her chest. "How can you know?" she whispered and didn't push Umi away this time. Instead she turned and buried her head in the girl's embrace as Umi looked over her friend to shake her head and glower softly at Clef.

"He must be found, there is no doubt about that," Clef's chin rose in defiance, and Ferio nodded his agreement.

"What is done is done, but many bonds are being broken this day. Come Hikaru-hime, he was my friend as well," Lantis offered his hand, and Hikaru pulled away from Umi to take it meekly, wiping away her tears.

"I need to speak with Fuu, where is she Ferio?" Umi asked sharply the minute Hikaru and Lantis had disappeared down the hall.

"I…" Ferio looked down, "we had words. I don't know where she went. She left the palace, the guards saw her leave."

"You let her go!" Umi screamed. She was to the point of ripping out her hair. "You are her Protector and you let her go! It shouldn't matter how angry you are at one another! You are her Protector, bound to risk your life for her!"

"I would have," Ferio mumbled. "I would have, but she left in the night. I didn't know of it until just now. I'm on my way out now."

"See that you find her," Umi's voice was cold.

Selece, she called in her mind, reaching out for the Dragon with her magic and her Will.

I am here, a voice more ancient than time itself answered.

Where is she Selece? Umi didn't need to guess if Selece knew who she spoke of. She knew he did.

Beyond the reaches of anyone but the Protector Magic Knight. It is futile.

What? Umi's voice was strained, even in her mind. What did he mean? Why was he speaking in code?

There are some cages only love can break, somehow she thought that wasn't meant to apply to Fuu.

Where can I find her? Umi persisted.

She not will be found by anyone less than her Protector. It is futile.

Umi sighed heavily and her shoulders slumped. Only the awareness of Clef's presence stopped her from crumpling onto the floor and weeping.

"He'll find her," Clef assured her.

"You're the second person to tell me that in five seconds," Umi muttered angrily, and Clef smiled that half smile again. She had the strongest desire to reach out and force him to smile for real. She knew she could. She shook it off and put back on her glare.

"I know I had no right, but don't you see? He needs to be brought down. He will destroy you all," Clef was a little too close to begging for Umi's taste.

"No," she interrupted sharply, "you had no right. You are still a Protector, bound to us, bound to me, even if you are the Master Mage."

"What are you going to tell him?" Clef asked mildly.

It threw her off balance, just as he'd known it would, and her temper cooled, "What?"

"Ascot," the name barely made it from his throat. Why talk about him when there was no need?

She rose her chin in an attempt to maintain dignity and spoke in a coolly casual voice, "I'll tell him what's necessary. I was not who I used to be, not who I am. We were both confused and unaware. I have regained my memories, and he is the man inside them."

Clef barely kept his head from falling. To cover it, he nodded, "Do whatever you think best Hime," he ended the formal statement with a stiff bow as she quickly dropped a curtsey. "Whatever you want," he muttered after she had seemingly glided out of sight.

"Having troubles with your Princess Guru?" his eyes widened as he spun, "Let me bring her to you."

"Can you not stop Shadow? They have all regained their memories with no ill effects. Rayearth, Windam and Celes have been awakened. Eagle will be found and punished; your inside connections are shattered. You have no chance against the Magic Knights."

"But I have one against you, which will bring the Water Knight, and I have Eagle, which will bring the Fire Knight, and sooner or later I'll have the Prince of Cephiro which will inevitably bring the Wind Knight to heel.

"I've always admired a man with power Clef. Will you not consider coming willfully? I would treat you so much better than that Dragon Master," she stepped forward and assumed the shape of the most beautiful woman Clef had ever seen. His mouth dried, and he had to let his eyes wander.

Her long dark hair fell down her back in luxurious waves, and her amethyst eyes sparkled with an unconfined lust. Her hips swiveled as she sauntered forward. The dress she wore was scandalously close to transparent, what color it had was powder blue with flesh tones. Clef knew the flesh tones weren't actually tones, but flesh. Still, thinking they were tones was a bit easier. Her many bracelets clinked as she walked, but it was to her slender white neck that his eyes were drawn. On a silver chain around her neck she wore a black opal that was sucking magic through it-his magic.

He threw his staff in front of the invisible string of magic in a vain attempt to stop her. She had already drained him to the point of death though; he was too late.

She shook a finger at him, and he fell to his knees; his staff clattered to the ground. Her grin was merciless as she towered over the fallen Mage and gripped his chin in her cold hands. Her hateful eyes no longer spoke of beauty, but of a vileness beyond recognition, beyond evil. "Aw…poor baby," she whispered and dropped her hold of his head to crouch next to him. "I told you I admired powerful men. I despise men who are too powerful though. I absolved you of that problem. Maybe if you're very good I'll keep you as my pet."

"I would rather die," Clef hissed.

"That can be arranged as well," she smirked and curved a finger while she stood. "Now come here, that's a good boy," she erupted into a mad cackle as Clef fought the magic that forced him to crawl on all fours to her.

*

"Nice to see you Guru Clef, who is your lady friend?" one of the guards smiled at the woman on Clef's arm.

He smiled casually back, "This is Sasha, she's a noble from afar, I've decided to show her some of the countryside.

His teeth ground as he fought with all his might to get the spell from his lips.

Stop it, Shadow hissed in his mind. You're only making this more difficult on yourself. You cannot fight even my magic, let alone mine and yours combined!

But he tried.

The guard smiled and let them pass unhindered, then gave curious glances to another sentry nearby, "I don't suppose Umi-hime will be overly pleased."

"What she doesn't know can't harm her," the other answered, and they both nodded to one another before turning to back to watch their posts.

*

Get out of my head! Eagle screamed. You've controlled me far long enough!

Eagle my sweet, I've brought home a friend for you to play with, he could see her gnash her teeth in a sick smile, even in his mind the image was granted to him. It haunted him day and night, but more than that was the image of Hikaru's red eyes. Confusion painted her beautiful, innocent face, confusion and horror as the order was passed. The first order for the death of a Protector. The order for his death.

You do think about her far too much. I always thought you'd be mine. But I've brought someone else into my life. You should worry Eagle, what if I have no need for you? Her words were like pikes through his stomach, thrusting, again and again.

I would die, he smiled blissfully. I could apologize to my Princess in death.

Well we can't have that, I suppose I'll have to keep you as well, she sighed, and his heart flared in rage.

Why? Why keep me when you have no need?! Shadow, the Magic Knights will see you dead!

I have a job for you, she laughed, and the noise rang through his head so he was silenced. He curled into a ball in the damp cell and began to shake, but it wasn't the cold. Nothing physical touched him, not here, not in this mental cage. No, it wasn't the cold.

*

"Can you ever forgive me?" Umi put a gentle hand over Ascot's, and he turned to look in her eyes. His grass colored eyes stared back at her sky colored ones, trembling with repressed tears. He was the pure look of innocence, and she wanted to weep with his eyes. "Please," she begged softly.

"I-I…" he looked away from her, knowing he could not deny her anything. "I need some time to think."

"I understand," Umi smiled weakly, holding back tears of her own and stood, curtseying before shutting his door softly behind her.

Once outside, she sighed heavily and leaned against the door. Her hands instinctively fell to her lips. His caress was so warm, so tender…Stop!

She shook her head and tried to refuse the thoughts, but they wouldn't cease. She was in love, and she knew it. He was in her head every second of the day, every minute. Every thought seemed to incorporate him in some way. She heard his name when there was no one around, and thought she saw him in servants passing by. Her heart skipped when he walked into a room, and she blushed under those sapphire eyes. The only thing that could protect her was her coldness, even her apathy. Anything to push him away, for the good of them all. Her cruelty would save them both, save all of Cephiro. She would not suffer Emeraude and Zagato's fate, she wouldn't.

*

"Fuu-chan!" Ferio's voice seemed to disappear as soon as it touched the nearest tree. Nothing carried in the Forest of Silence, but he knew this is where she would go. She hated the palace, hated to be indoors when there was such beauty outside. She would come out into nature to read or to just meditate, to be alone. She would certainly be here, but night was coming on fast, and he wasn't sure where she was in the thick forest. "Come on Fuu-chan, where are you?" he muttered and looked around him anxiously.

"Why, I'm right here Ferio," a sweet voice said from behind him, and he grinned and turned around. As soon as he saw her he bounded toward her and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"I was worried about you, please don't run off without telling anyone again. There are dangerous things about this time of night, even without Shadow. Fuu-chan, I'm sorry that I angered you. I only want what's best for you, and if that means Eagle then…"

She put a finger to his lips and then pulled it away to kiss him softly. She looked up into her eyes and shook her head, "You have no need to worry Ferio. Shadow will take care of you."

"What?" Ferio tried to unwind his arms from Fuu, but they were held there.

"What's wrong my pretty Prince? Not so fun anymore that your Fuu-chan isn't here? You got it all wrong didn't you?" she taunted as Fuu began to shape herself into a woman that was taller than Ferio with jet black hair and matching eyes, with long, twisted fingers and a too small mouth with a sour expression.

Ferio gasped and struggled to rip away, with magic and Will and strength, but it was no use, Shadow had a hold of him. Once she had what she wanted she didn't let it go without a fight. "Fuu-chan!" Ferio shouted, and the noise seemed to echo through the forest. Somehow, Shadow had managed to use magic in the Forest, and his eyes widened before he disappeared.

*

"Ferio?" Fuu looked around the clearing, brushing away tears. She could have sworn she'd heard Ferio's voice. Silly Fuu, jumping at shadows, and hearing voices, she scolded herself before realizing she had to go back, whether she was forced to face Ferio or not. It was dark and it wasn't safe to spend the night in these woods. She'd have to talk to Umi and Hikaru and hope they had better luck convincing their Protectors.