Ronin stared at the kneeling Boggans, his mind racing to keep up with this latest revelation. "At least they're not attacking. We don't need anymore chaos right now."

Shocked and disgusted whispers began spreading between the gathered Jinn. Behind him he could hear Nod's teeth grinding, and the small whimper Nod usually made before waking from a nightmare. Ronin tensed, he needed to either get Nod someplace quiet or get everyone else out before he had a meltdown. Looking over the crowd of Jinn, Leafman and Boggans Ronin figured there was no way he would be able to just get Nod out. "Alright then. Everybody out now!"

The frog Boggan growled back, "We will not leave without our king."

Ronin glared at the Boggan. "You can either leave this chamber and wait patiently for your king, or you can wait in one of our prison cells. But you will be leaving."

As he stepped forward to take point, he saw the various Jinn nobility that had gathered fleeing the room. Two of the leafmen moved back replacing him as Nod's guard. Taking a ready stance Ronin spoke to the Boggans again, "Now I know it may be hard, but please be reasonable and leave this room now."

The frog Boggan glared back at Ronin for a moment before his eyes scanned over the remaining Leafmen and Nod. Raising his arm he gave a signal to the Boggans behind him. Half of the Boggans rushed forward, screaming as they crashed into the defensive line.

Ronin easily knocked aside the Boggan that rushed him, frowning as the frog Boggan and the rest of his men began jumping to the walls, heading to the skylights.

"Follow them!" Ronin yelled as he finished subduing his attacker, 'Don't let them report back to the others!"

His second in command Finn nodded signaling to a few of his men and began to climb after the Boggans.

The frog Boggan shouted down them, "We will return for our king!"

Ronin bit back a groan as the fight ended as quickly as it began. The Boggans had only put up a token fight, a diversion to let their leader escape and bring back reinforcements. "Take these Boggans to the cells. We'll hold them until we can gets things settled. Also make sure everyone stays on high alert and double the patrols. Mandrake's gone but the Boggans will be back, for Nod if that frog is to be believed."

"Yes Sir!" one of the remaining Leafmen said, "What about Nod?"

"I got him." Ronin replied, "Your concern is securing those Boggans and then the palace."

The leafman nodded as he gave a salute before he and his fellows began hauling the captured Boggans away. When everyone had finally left Ronin turned back to Nod. The entire fight couldn't have lasted more than a minute, but the young man hadn't moved from his spot next to the bowl for the pod blooming. It was difficult to see his face while his helmet was still on, but Ronin could guess he was still in shock. Nod held his hands held close to his chest, his shoulders hunched as if he was trying to take up as little space as possible.

"Nod?" Ronin asked stepping closer to his godson reaching out to him. "Nod talk to me."

Nod just looked down at his hands, turning them over as he examined them in disbelief. "Ronin, I can't do this."

Ronin set his hand on Nod's shoulder, wanting to give a comforting squeeze but Nod jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" Nod half sobbed out, all but collapsing to the ground next to the bowl clutching at his helmet "I'm poisonous."

Ronin resisted rolling his eyes at Nod's fear of his own powers but glancing over at the remains of Mandrake, perhaps they weren't unwarranted. He spotted some of the fine bunting and drapery the palace Steward had ordered placed for the ceremony. As he cut down some of the drapery Ronin could almost hear the Steward complaining already, but Ronin had another need for it now. Returning to Nod's side, Ronic draped the cloth over Nod's head as he sat down next to the young man, wrapping his arms around his godson. When Nod tense to try to jerk away Ronin held tight, "Settle down Nod. I'm not touching you. We're both in armor. It's fine. You're not going to hurt me."

Nod fell quiet, trembling slightly in his arms, the young man still staring at his hands. "This has to be a mistake Ronin. W-we have to fix this somehow. M-maybe Nim can find some way. And we can restore the pod, and the life of the forest. . ."

Ronin tightened his grip, "It's not a mistake Nod. I, we everyone saw Tara's spirit in the mist before it enveloped you. You were chosen for this."

"Why me, Ronin?" Nod ask his voice shaky and unsure, "I must be the worst person to to pick for this."

"I don't know Nod." Ronin answered resting his chin on Nod's shoulder. Ronin wanted to trust in Tara, that she believed in Nod's strength, but with Nod trembling in his arms he was finding it hard. "Don't worry, I'll be here. We'll get through this."

"Nod? Ronin?" A girl's voice echoed through the chamber.

"M.K." Ronin eyes widen, "She's still here! She should have gone home."

"We're over here M.K." Ronin called out.

The Stomper girl who had worked so hard to protect the pod, even though it was not her world or her fight approached them slowly. Her expression disappointed and apologetic. She looked over the room slowly before focusing on them, "What happened here?"

"We won. Technically." Ronin answered, "We kept Mandrake from the pod, but it bloomed in darkness. The life of the forest went to Nod."

"And now I'm poisonous." Nod said with a shiver.

Ronin held Nod a little tighter. Even as distracted by grief and need to protect the pod as he had been he had seen the growing attraction between his godson and the Stomper girl. He had thought any potential relationship already doomed with M.K.'s intent to return home. Now she may be stuck with them, but between Nod's duties and his dangerous powers things seemed even worse.

"How are you still here?" Ronin asked, the girl should have been restored when the pod bloomed.

"Oh, I left to try and get my dad." M.K. explained as she knelt beside the pair, "He has a recording of bat sounds, and I thought it might lure the bats away. I-I wasn't able to get to him in time. I'm sorry."

"It was a good thought M.K.: Ronin said, "Thank you for trying."

"I'm sorry M.K I know how much you wanted to go home." Nod added, "Now you're stuck here, and I'm turning into a monster."

M.K. frowned and gathered some of the drapery in her hands, cupping Nod's face, peering at him intently.

"Your eyes are still the same." the Stomper declared.

"My eyes? What does that have to do with anything?" Nod asked, astonished and befuddled.

"There's an old cliche saying where I'm from. 'The eyes are the window to the soul.'" M.K. explained, reaching down to hold one of Nod's hands wrapped in cloth, "I guess to me, your eyes being the same as before just means you're still the same person."

Ronin couldn't see it, but he could guess that Nod was smiling as he finally relaxed.

"Thanks M.K." Nod said his words starting to slur a little, "That means a lot right now. And I promise that we'll find a way to get you home."

Nod then went limp against Ronin's chest, head rolling to the side. M.K.'s eyes widened in alarm, "What happened? Is he's alright?"

Ronin turned Nod in his arms, examining him as best he could, "He's fine. It's common for the heir to sleep a day or two after being chosen. It helps their bodies adjust to the new powers contained inside them. Add in the long day and adrenaline crash, I expect Nod will be out for a while."

Ronin carefully gathered Nod in his arms as he stood. "There's a room nearby set aside for the heir. Wait here while I put him to bed. Afterwards I'll find a place for you to stay and a way to contact your father. Please wait here"

Stepping into the hall Ronin was not surprised when two leafmen fell into step behind him.

"Sir, the council has called an emergency session to discuss Nod as the heir. They grabbed Captain Finn before he went after the Boggans." one of the leafmen reported.

"Understood." Ronin acknowledged, "Any word on the Boggans who fled?"

"No Sir." the leafman replied. "The men are still chasing them."

"Alright. Alert me as soon as there is word. I'll join the council meeting as soon as I'm able." Ronin said as they reached the heir's room, a waiting guard opening the door for him.

"Yes Sir." The leafman saluted as Ronin stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

Once alone with his precious burden, Ronin crossed to the large bed setting Nod down. Reaching down Ronin began peeling away Nod's leafman armor. As he pulled off Nod's helmet his eyes widen as he got a closer and clearer look at the changes the life of the forest had made. Nod's skin had lost the tan from days spent flying. and was now a pale cream with veins of rot crawling up his neck onto his face. His chestnut brown hair had darkened to an inky iridescent black. Ronin's hand fisted in the sheets for a moment recalling and drawing strength from M.K. words. "Your eyes are still the same."

Taking a deep breath Ronin continued stripping off Nod's armor, aided by far too many experience of help healers remove armor from injured leafmen. Once Nod was down to his woven shirt and pants Ronin reach over drawing a blanket over his still form. Outside the window he could see two leafmen on hummers guarding the room, the Leafmen intended to keep Nod safe. With a glance to his sleeping godson Ronin sent a silent prayer that Tara had known what she was doing.

Author's note. Well apparently fanfiction dot net strips out any link leaving out of it's domain. But I set up a tumblr for this AU and you can find it just by search Dark Prince Nod.