"Still the same prince," Soubi muttered, "using everything to your advantage for what you want, and refusing to help others when you risk losing something. That's a terrible weakness for a king." Jorele rested his hand on the door frame.

"I know," he answered quietly. "I know."

Chapter 9:

Soubi slipped a long shirt over his head. Reaching for a pair of pants, his eyes met Ritsuka's. He smiled at his Sacrifice.

"I like your purple eyes," he said. "Kio's eyes don't suit you at all." Ritsuka's cheeks began to turn pink, and an irritated "Hey!" came from Kio's side of the bed. Soubi shook his hair.

"We need to visit the Academy," he told the mismatched pair. "Jorele's right; Kalel is in no condition to cast any spells. I'm sure we can find someone to reverse the spell on you." Kio folded his arms on his chest.

"What is it with you and spells, Sou-chan?" he snorted. "This isn't some video game." Ritsuka tugged lightly on Soubi's sleeve.

"Can't you reverse it?" he asked quietly. "You're a Fighter, too."

"I wish it were that simple," Soubi sighed. "The spell cant even be cast if the partners don't have the same name."

"But, Jorele's name is—"

"It was the same as Kalel's," Soubi interrupted. "Did you already forget what Kalel told you? They shared the same name until their bond was shattered by someone else." Ritsuka narrowed his eyes at Soubi.

"You were awake that whole time?"

"Of course," the blonde Fighter replied. "Why wouldn't I have been?"

Jorele chuckled to himself as he listened to Ritsuka's and Soubi's quarrel in the adjacent room. He slid his arms into the sleeves of his black leather jacket. He bent over the sleeping Kalel and kissed his forehead.

"I'll be back," he murmured. Kalel stirred in his sleep at the feeling of the prince's breath. "I love you, Kalel," the prince smiled. He ran his hand along the faint curve of Kalel's pregnant belly. "Good bye."

"You just lied in my lap!" Ritsuka snapped. "You could have stopped them!"

"Ritsuka, Ritsuka," Kio sighed, shaking his head. "Sou-chans all bandaged up. He was probably too weak to even stand."

"He didn't even talk t—" The creak of the front door silenced all three men. They heard footsteps, and the door closed.

"Did Jorele just leave?" Soubi wondered.

"He can't leave!" Ritsuka gasped. "He has to take care of Kalel. He needs to take responsibility for his family!" Kio shook his head and sighed.

"Kalel might have left, you know, Ritchan," he muttered.

"We have to bring him back," Ritsuka pleaded. "Kalel needs him." Kio slid off the mattress, and he began to dress.

"I'll go find him" he replied in an exasperated tone, "it it'll make Ritchan settle down." He threw a baggy sweater over his head. "Jorele probably went out for a smoke, or something like that." Ritsuka considered the possibility as he glanced at Soubi, who was fumbling with his lighter with a cigarette between his teeth. Ritsuka tore the cigarette from his mouth and broke it into two pieces.

"Don't smoke in here anymore," he scolded, waving the limp cigarette in front of his nose. "It's bad for Kalel."

Kio slowly opened the front door as he wrapped a thick scarf around his neck. The scarf smelled of Seven Stars, the brand of cigarettes that Soubi smoked.

This is Sou-chan's scarf? he wondered. I don't remember him getting this scarf.

He shrugged and closed the door behind him. As he started down the stair, he heard the door open again, and quick footsteps followed him.

"Kio!" Kalel gasped, trying to keep the bottom of his shirt from flying up as he ran.

"Kalel? I thought Jorele sent you back to bed. And you should be running down stairs, either."

"He did send me back," the fair-haired boy replied. "I wasn't actually sleeping. I know that he left." Kalel shoved a piece of paper into Kio's hands and gestured tot eh scribbled numbers. "This is Jorele's cell phone number." Kio stared blankly at the paper. "I cant call him," Kalel said sheepishly, "or he'll be mad that I wasn't sleeping. If you call him, you can find him easier." Kio stared at the paper a little longer before he shoved it into his pocket.

"Thanks, Kalel," he grinned. "I'm sure he would never leave you behind." He ruffled the young Fighter's hair. "Go inside," he said. "It's too cold for you to be out here just wearing a thin tunic." He watched Kalel hurry back inside the house, and he left the apartment to search for Jorele.

I should call him, Kalel thought. It'd save me a lot of time and energy. Kio pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He stared at the blank screen, slowly peeling Kalel's note out of his pocket.

"Are you going to stare at it all day?" Kio gasped and spun around. Jorele grinned and waved to him. Kio caught sight of a small, brown paper bag in the prince's hand.

"What's that?" he asked. "You seriously didn't leave just to buy cigarettes or booze, did you?" Jorele gestured for Kio to follow him.

"You'll see," he smiled. Jorele dashed up the stairs, cradling the bag inside his jacket. He opened the door and nudged Kio ahead of him. "Make sure Kalel is alone," he whispered. "This surprise is for him." Kio nodded. He watched the bedroom doors as he unwrapped the scarf from around his neck. When he spied Kalel leaving his bedroom, he hissed over his shoulder at Jorele.

"He's alone." Jorele's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Good," he grinned. "Now go to your room, Kio, and be quiet." Kio shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever." He slipped out of his jacket and threw it on the floor. "Oi, I found Jorele, guys!" he shouted. He hurried to Soubi's room before Ritsuka and his Fighter could even step past the threshold. Kalel froze in his tracks.

"Jorele," he gasped, "you came back." The prince nodded.

"I'll always come back," he purred. He placed his hand on Kalel's shoulder and steered him toward the couch. "Please, sit." The Fighter obeyed silently, waiting patiently for Jorele.

"What's up?" he asked. Jorele sat on his knees in front of Kalel on the floor. He pulled the paper bag out of his jacket and reached inside. Kalel's eyes widened as Jorele's slender hand presented him with a small black box.

"I've had this ready," the prince began, "since we graduated. You told me that you didn't want a ring, so I held on to it." He opened the box and plucked the silver band from the white felt. "I went o pick it up because you said that you want a ring now." Kalel's eyes began to well up with tears. "Kalel," Jorele pleaded, "I want to marry you. I love you, and I love our baby very much. I know that you want this, too." He slid the band on Kalel's right ring finger. "I, Jorele, the prince and heir to the throne of Alluria, declare my heart for you, Kalel Tsukino, and ask that you become my bride." Kalel sniffed back his tears and wiped his eyes.

"Idiot," he whimpered. "You already know my answer." He threw his arms around Jorele's neck. "I love you, Jorele!" He sobbed into his lover's shoulder as the prince hushed his cries.

"I'm glad," Jorele smiled. "I love you, too."

Kio, Ritsuka and Soubi anxiously watched Jorele's proposal from Soubi's bedroom doorway.

"That's very sweet," Soubi smiled. Kio glanced at him from beneath his long eyelashes and purred.

"Why don't you propose to me, Sou-chan?"

"Quiet!" Ritsuka hissed, irritated by Kio's blatant flirting. "We're not even supposed to be spying on them in the first place. You're gonna give us away!"

Kalel kissed Jorele softly on his mouth.

"I'm so happy," he murmured. "Does this mean we're going back to Alluria soon?"

"Of course," Jorele replied. "We're going home soon, Kalel. I promise."

--

A/N: I apologize for the delay on this chapter. Technical and social complications happen, I guess. I hope you enjoyed this last chapter:D

Evanescent Samurai