Andy was in one of the older rooms of the castle, reading through books and records. Her eyes read across a bit of information and she froze. She took a deep breath and shook her head before heading off to dinner. She was one of the last to arrive at the table, everyone else already gathering food on their plates. She looked around at them slowly, wondering who knew.
"Something wrong?" Tsukasa smiled at her.
Finally, she decided to speak up so everyone could hear her, "Who here didn't know Dakon was a Fae?"
Most everyone at the table froze.
Raj looked at her, "I thought you knew.." He vanished from sight.
The four humans exchanged shocked looks as the Fae and Yuki fidgeted uncomfortably.
Andy stared at them all, taking in their expression, "Ok, anyone who knew is on my shit list for not telling me. Except Yuki."
Yuki looked perplexed for a moment, then paled. "May I be excused?"
She sighed, "I swear I'm not mad at you, but yes, you can go."
He disappeared as fast as his legs could carry him.
The Fae exchanged glances, speaking silently among themselves. Finally Tsukasa nodded and turned to her. "We are sorry for deceiving you. We will leave as soon as we are packed."
"I'm not telling you to leave. I'm just telling you I'm mad at you," Andy took a bite of her food.
He shook his head. "It is unforgivable. It dishonors us. We are not fit to stay." The three Fae rose as one, bowed and left the dining room as Ryusei sighed. After a minute, he began to stand as well.
"Ryusei, please tell them I don't want any of you guys to leave. I'm just a bit upset. I'll get over it."
He gave her a fleeting smile. "They are right. We deceived you because we were scared. We hid the truth and you were almost killed because of it. It dishonors our bond with you and that is one thing I cannot do to you. I will miss you." He vanished in a puff of smoke as the other men stared in shock.
Andy stared at the remaining men, "Did I just massively screw up?"
Tet shook his head. "They believe they did. And they can't allow you to bear the dishonor they showed you by not being truthful."
She sighed and pushed her plate away, "I'm going to go find Yuki." She headed to his room to see if he was there. When she found he wasn't, she continued to search the castle until she finally did find him. "Baby?"
He raised worried eyes to hers. "Go ahead and yell. I deserve it."
"I'm not mad at you," she said softly. "I just wish someone would have told me." She sat down beside him, "I don't even understand why they didn't tell me in the first place. And now that they know I know, they're planning on leaving.." She put her head in her hands. "I was pissed, not at you, but at the rest of them for keeping things from me, but now all I've done is screwed things up."
"It's a sore spot with us. We don't speak of it because we feel responsible for all of Dakon's misdeeds." Yuki wrapped his arms around her. "It's why they tried so hard to kill me before I was born, why they fought so hard to defeat him every time he and his followers have raised their heads. We are honor bound to make sure he never hurts anyone ever again, directly or indirectly. Like now."
"The actions of one person don't belong to their whole race of people. What he did was his fault and no one else's."
"Mother, he was a member of the High Council. He was almost revered in our realm. Then he killed our king and tried to take over. When we resisted, he tried to destroy both us and this realm, causing massive death and destruction. When he was defeated the first time, our people swore to never speak of it again. We purged his followers, even his name from our land and retreated from the mortal realm in shame and dishonor. This alliance is the first time we've emerged in over 200 years. Now that deep shame has reemerged in the form of deceiving you. It is unforgivable in our eyes and we have to atone for it."
She shook her head, "I'm sorry baby, but all of that is ridiculous. What he did wasn't any of the other Fae's faults and I probably won't understand it no matter how you try to explain it." She sighed, "You aren't leaving me too, are you?"
He looked at her. "You still want me here?"
"Of course. I love you. And I still want Ryusei and Kenji. Tsukasa and Daiki, too. But I don't know how to convince any of them to stay."
"You should realize how hard this is for them. They are Princes, grandsons of the King Dakon killed. They feel more guilty than anyone.." He paused, his eyes darkening. "How were they when they said they were leaving? What exactly did they say?"
"They aren't fit to stay and that they'd leave when they are packed. Ryusei said they didn't tell me because they were scared and something about dishonoring their bond with me."
Yuki looked at her in alarm. "They wouldn't...We need to find them now. Do you still have that vial Daiki gave you?"
"It should be in the infirmary... why?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Those words are used before a member of the royal family commits tuydat."*
She sighed, "I'm assuming that's some kind of suicide type thing or worse?"
Yuki nodded. "It is our way of atoning great dishonor."
She took a deep breath, "Bunch of idiots..."
"You're lucky I didn't join them.."
"Let's go find them before they do something stupid," Andy pushed herself up.
He nodded, rising and following her toward the Fae's rooms. He stopped her before she could open Tsukasa's door. "Let me go first."
She nodded and let him in front of her.
He slipped in and closed the door behind him. Seconds later, he threw it open. "Help Ryusei while I get the antidote." He vanished as she entered.
The three full Fae lay still on the floor, Ryusei a few feet away. Blood covered his arms as he shook from shock. His eyes were barely focused as he stuttered "S-s-sorry."
Andy went to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You're all major idiots," she said softly as she began to push purple light into him to try to help. "But I love you all anyway."
"W-we dishonored-" He began to still, his breath hitching.
"I don't care about your Fae honor, I care about you." She held him close, pushing energy in faster to try to keep him alive until Yuki returned.
He gave her a sad smile before losing consciousness.
Tears filled her eyes and she prayed Yuki would return soon.
As if summoned, he appeared in a puff of smoke. He quickly administered the antidote to all four men, his face grave.
Ryusei's breathing began to even out.
Yuki growled, extending both hands and spreading his power over the three others. "Come on you morons. Breathe!"
Andy focused on them as well, pushing her own power over them, the purple joining with Yuki's mauve.
He relaxed slowly as gasps were heard, his power receding as he tried to stay conscious. "Should I turn them into jackasses for awhile?"
Andy gave a small laugh before she stood, wrapping an arm around him to keep him upright.
"You might want to find our ghost before he tries something similar." Yuki took a deep breath as he watched the Fae.
"Sit down and keep an eye on them, okay?" She helped him into a chair before slipping out of the room.
She headed down to Raj's room and knocked on the door. Soon, he opened it slowly, peering out. "Hey."
"Hey. You aren't doing anything stupid are you?"
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"The Fae tried killing themselves because of their honor," she rolled her eyes.
He shook his head, "I thought you knew Dakon was a Fae, so I never thought to tell you. But I'm not as honor crazy as the Fae are."
Andy gave him a small smile before pulling him in for a kiss, "Good. I don't want to lose any of you, especially over something stupid."
He kissed her back before nodding, "Don't worry, you won't be losing me any time soon." He looked thoughtful, "Is it possible to kill a ghost?"
She shrugged before kissing him once more. "I'm going back to keep an eye on the idiots."
He gave a small wave before shutting his door again.
She went back down to Tsukasa's room and entered slowly, glancing at them.
He looked back at her, confusion in his eyes. "How? Why?"
"You Fae and your stupid honor..." She rolled her eyes. "Why would you ever think I'd want you to do something like that?"
"It's not stupid to us. And it's our way." He sighed. "While I understand you saving Ryusei and Kenji, why save us? We are not yours."
"You're my family though."
His eyes went wide. "Family…?"
"Yeah. You guys are important to me. Haven't you called us family before too?" She said softly. "Even if I'm not in love with you like I am with Ryu and Kenji, I do love you guys."
"I didn't know you felt the same.." He chuckled ruefully. "We are stupid aren't we?"
"Only a lot," she laughed. "It's alright though. I know I don't understand all of what is important to the Fae, and I probably never will, I still care about you guys even when you are stupid."
He gave her an embarrassed smile, then looked over the others. "Are they alright? And why is Yuki passed out sitting up?"
"He wore himself out trying to revive you guys," she moved to Yuki and ran a hand through his hair. "And they should be alright. I'm going to get Yuki to bed." She gently lifted her son and carried him out to his room, tucking him in and kissing his forehead before glancing back into Tsukasa's room.
He was sitting up now, frowning to himself as he stared out the window.
"You okay?" she asked quietly.
"He should be stronger than he is." Tsukasa shook his head and gave her a small smile. "I'm fine. I am really sorry about this whole situation. Dakon is a black mark on our history. My father is not happy at the existence of a son."
Andy nodded in understanding.
"I fear what he may ask of me. I may soon be exiled if I refuse."
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"It's alright. Nothing could make me do anything to Yuki aside from throwing him in the pool the next time he pranks me."
She chuckled softly as she watched the still unconscious men.
"Salyait?* Why are we not on the other side?" Daiki sat up with a puzzled look.
"Because Yuki and I saved you morons," Andy gave him a small smile.
Tsukasa moved to his side, giving his lips a soft kiss. "She absolved us. We're free."
Daiki's eyes went wide and he gave her a bow. "Why? We deceived you."
"You know, I don't exactly believe leaving some truth out is deceiving, it's just not telling the whole truth. And I stand behind my belief that your Fae honor is dumb," she answered before muttering out a small, "Sorry."
Daiki laughed. "You are so different from other royalty. Most of them would rather die than be dishonored in the littlest thing."
Andy shrugged, "Me being different isn't new."
Both Fae chuckled as Kenji and Ryusei opened their eyes and looked around.
Andy gave them soft smiles, "You're all stupid, my loves, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Welcome back to the living."
Ryusei turned bright red as Kenji merely raised an eyebrow at her, causing both Tsukasa and Daiki to crack up laughing.
She laughed and moved to them, giving both Ryusei and Kenji soft kisses.
They returned them with smiles.