Leonardo retired to his room after filling his stomach with Rou and his brothers at the table with him. His thoughts hadn't calmed any after the argument inside of the Diplomatic Chamber.

Leonardo laid in his bed, a large bed that cushioned like a bowl to make it more comfortable to lay on his shell. He closed his eyes to try and let sleep take him when visions of the red headed criminal invaded his thoughts, he growled, anger bubbling in chest.

He couldn't believe the audacity of that red headed woman. To come into the kingdom to kill a Queen, his Queen and then flee to get drunk. Then, Rou. His Queen's trusted and coveted Thane engaging in secrecy behind his back. Rou used to tell Leonardo everything, they practically grew up together, he known the man for 15 years. How could Rou be keeping secrets from his most trusted friend? It didn't help that he was losing his temper more and more when it came to the Queen. This wasn't like him at all, the mood swings, the anger, he felt more like his brother Raphael than anything else. The thought of Augustaria getting married to man from another kingdom made him jealous beyond belief, coupled with the stress of keeping her safe was getting to be emotionally too much. Being the leader of the Knights Guard meant people sometimes forget the turtle has emotions and feelings. Even he has interests and preferences and he could love. Out of his brothers he was the only one parents told their children to stay out of his way, not out of fear but respect. The kids never hesitated to follow Donatello or Michelangelo around, they climbed on his brothers like trees. People bowed more than they needed to him, unlike Raphael whom they struck up conversations with. The stories, the stories the townspeople tell about him were the worst part. Exaggerating his heroism, rumors that he was so powerful that he could ride dragons. Leonardo Hamato desired a welcome change, just not one that threatened everything he loved. Leonardo clenched his fist, his arm across his face tensed, he desired his Queen, that should be me, He lamented. I have to know...I have to know if that should have been me.

Leonardo rolled out of bed and reached behind him to touch his shell. Slowly the shell absorbed into his body, a magic spell Augustaria had shown his brothers years ago to make life a bit easier. He liked himself this way, his armor fit better and he felt lighter. He buttoned a basic white shirt with elegantly sewn on blue silk designs and long pants, but left his blue bandana off, he settled one of his nicest swords against his hip.

He looked at a standing mirror, letting out a long breath of apprehension. He looked more human without his shell, aside from his 3 fingers and dark green skin. He raised up his head, no, I'm better than any human male. He thought to himself in an attempt to stoke his confidence. He was taller and bulkier than the human men, and he held a noble position. Protecting the Queen himself.

Leonardo finished his look with a brown leather cape that hung off his right shoulder and departed for the Queen's quarters. The guards bowed their heads as he passed by and he could smell Augustaria's scent, a smell that always reminded him of sunflowers, all the way to her library.

She wasn't in her normal Royal garb, she was in a long open silk blue robe that shown off her white night gown. This wasn't new to Leonardo, only he had ever seen her this exposed or wearing such thin clothing, but it was only recently into their adult years that he stopped seeing her as a friend and more like a woman he could court.

Augustaria was reading one of her favorites, Kindred Spirits. Her thick blonde hair was down, tresses curling on the inside of her right shoulder and her back. Her gorgeous deep icy blue eyes glued to the text. Leonardo felt his hands get clammy, for a split second his mind changed, he felt he shouldn't be there,

"Leonardo?" Leonardo inwardly startled, Augustaria's icy eyes were on him, giving him a questioning wide eyed stare. "It's late even for you isn't it?" She questioned with a small smile.

Leonardo cleared his throat, "I could say the same for you my Queen."

"We are in the company of no one... Please? Just call me Ari, okay?"

"It's getting harder to call you that when we are always surrounded by people." He approached her.

Augustaria put a feather in the page of her book and closed it. She sighed, "I keep thinking about her Leo." Augustaria leaned against a wooden desk, the look on her face was one of an insecure teenager, a look only Augustaria trusted Leo to see on her face.

Leonardo collected his Queen into his large arms and hugged her close, she wrapped her arms around his torso. He realized for the hundredth time in his life that she was tiny compared to him.

"Say the word...and I'll take care of it."

Augustaria huffed out a soft laugh, "oh my sweet knight...you would do anything for me wouldn't you?" She softly shook her head with a smile, Augustaria slipped out of Leonardo's hold and lightly touched his chest, "I've told you...don't sacrifice your humanity for me, this kingdom..."

"Relies on compassion and mercy, I know, but that woman tried to kill you Ari." Leonardo insisted.

"And you saved me. Goliathus and I are thankful for it." She smiled, Leonardo's heart jumped in his chest.

"I been meaning to talk to you about that..."

"My wedding? What's wrong?"

Leonardo twisted his fingers together and bit his lip, "Do...you really love him?" He asked her softly. Augustaria blushed, her sharp cheeks were a deep rosy shade of red, Leonardo couldn't help but smirk. "Ari...you're blushing." He was suddenly very close to her and he caught a scent from her that shocked him, she's attracted to me. Leonardo this time smiled, though the Queen didn't see it.

"Leonardo...why are you asking?" The Queen had instantly straightened herself, a looked as regal as before, but Leonardo knew a ruse in his friend and Queen, she was melting.

"I'm just asking." Leonardo put his hands up as if proclaiming his innocence,

"Of course I love him, I'm marrying him." Augustaria snapped. Leonardo gave her a doubtful look, "what?" She demanded.

"Ari," his voice dropped to a deep serious tone, he had her practically cornered against a desk, "tell me the truth...do you love him?" Leonardo bent at the waist to look into his Queen's eyes, his arms on either side of her.

"Leo...you're smothering me." She breathed.

"I can smell if you're lying to me." His mouth was very close to her neck, the scent of arousal coming to him in quiet waves. Augustaria shivered and closed her eyes. She spoke softly,

"Please Leo...I may have only known him for a short time...but I think I do love him."

Leonardo looked at her in the eye,

"Do you love me?"

Augustaria's eyes flew open, her mouth parted, "what?"

"Do you love me?" Leonardo repeated. His hand snaked up from her arm to caress her cheek, "do you love me?" He said even softer before he leaned in and kissed her.

Leonardo felt anxiety when the Queen hadn't immediately responded to the kiss, a second passed her lips began to softly move against his. His hands found her back, clutching the silky fabric covering her skin.

"Ari..." He moaned.

"Leo..." Her voice muffled against his differently shaped lips, her hands trailed the muscles on his arms and she clutched his sleeves, "Leo...please." His lips touched her neck,

"Tell me what you want..." He moaned into her skin.

"I want you to stop." Leonardo froze, his whole body unable to move. Augustaria hesitantly pulled away, her freezing spell impossible to resist. "I don't want this to end...you know that. But we need to stop before this goes too far." Leonardo felt warmth moving back into his limbs, the look of rejection on his features, "I love you...you know that. But I'm engaged to Goliathus."

"Queen's have had secret lovers before. This is an alliance between your kingdoms, you aren't marrying for love." Leonardo asserted.

"Leo," Augustaria reached up to caress his cheek, "that wouldn't be fair to you. I could never be so selfish to you both."

Leonardo pulled away from her,

"It should be me and you know it! Goliathus can't protect you like I can, Goliathus isn't half the man I am. I loved you before any man!"

"Bite your tongue Leonardo Hamato, you are still talking to your Queen."

"Ari, Is it because I'm not human? Are we just pets to you!?"

"Silence!" Augustaria shouted. Her graceful features twisting into rage and fury in a blink of an eye. Leonardo went silent immediately, instantly regretting his outbursts.

"I think I should leave." He muttered,

"That would be wise." Leonardo's heart twisted at her response. "Goodnight Leonardo Hamato." Leonardo grimaced at how hurt and angry she sounded.

Without a word, he turned around ashamed of himself and left.

XXXXXXXXXX

Faye licked her lips for the millionth time. She was so thirsty. Hanging against the wall used a lot of strength and energy. She was almost sure her arms were going to just fall off. She couldn't feel her hands anymore, and her calves were burning. Her neck had several cricks in it from her looking down at the floor all day.

To her elation the door to her cell began making noises, it was the most heavenly sound in the world to hear the deep croaking of the swollen door. Faye hissed as she threw her head up to see out of one eye who had come to visit her.

Her mind completely blanked when she realized it was one of the turtle men. When he walked into the small sliver of moonlight from the barred up window she rolled her eyes when the color blue hit her vision. He was carrying two bowls. Faye's neck couldn't take much more pressure and her head fell back into its original position to look at the wet dark stone floor.

Leonardo barely caught a look of her face but set the bowls down in front of her anyway.

He stood there for a second before the anger about the entire week started to get to him. With the near assassination of his Queen by the woman in front of him and her rejecting his love he was ready to burst.

"The Queen is probably going to spare you." He admitted to the red head, "whatever she does I'll be watching you. Every single thing you do, I'll be watching. And I'll have a specially made rope for you to hang from if you lift a finger against anyone in this kingdom, especially my brothers and the Queen."

The assassin didn't speak.

"Consider this food and water to be a welcome gift." He sneered, "I'm going to make your life hell from here on in. It's my personal punishment for what you've done. You got people killed, 20 people. You hear me?" Leonardo wanted to grab the girls hair and yell at her, he wanted to kick her, he wanted to spit at her. "20 families will never see their loved ones again! Why should you get to live?" Leonardo squatted down to her level, "you won't look at me now. But one day you will, at the end of my blade. Monsters like you always do something to get themselves put down."

Faye took the abuse with stride. It wasn't the first time someone bad mouthed her or threatened her life. But this time the threats put a special little sting into her spirit. This wasn't coming from a pissed off drunk or a jealous woman, this was coming from the knight of a kingdom she despised. Slowly, Faye raised her head, flaming brown eyes filled with a rage she never seen in a person before glared back into her green ones, she made no facial expression but spoke in a low voice,

"Monsters like me come from somewhere."