Hey there! I'm back after a bit of a break, (I have fifteen other active fics so bear with me here). I don't have much to say about this chapter so you get started right away. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Vesperia or the characters. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

Happy Reading!

Chapter Three: Hiding the Truth

Khroma was rather relieved when Duke entered the room a few days later. Yuri's condition had not improved, in fact it had only worsened.

"Duke," She exclaimed, "You've returned."

"How is the boy?"

"His condition is growing more precarious as time passes," Khroma said, "His skin is burning."

"Good, he's feverish," Duke said.

"How is that a good thing?" Khroma asked, "In his weaken state a fever could kill him."

Duke put his hand on Yuri's forehead, "His fever, while it is high, it is far from dangerous," He said, "This fever is just his body's natural defense against infection. He nearly drowned, such a fever is normal."

"But should it continue…" Khroma said, "His body will give in to the stress and it will shut down on him."

"Should his fever continue we will not have to worry about him developing an infection," Duke said, "Worry not Khroma, he will recover to full strength in due time." He glanced out the window as something caught his eye, "Khroma, I'm stepping out for a bit."

Duke walked out of the small room and into the small alleyway near the inn.

"I was wonderin' when and where you were gonna turn up."

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard a rumor that a man with long white hair wearin' odd clothing was seen in the Lower Quarter of Zaphias."

"So you came all the way to Zaphias for just that?"

"Well ya see, the other part of the Rumor was that this man was seen with a Krytian woman who was carryin' a boy who looked strikin'ly like a boy that both the knights and guilds have spent three days searchin' fer. I came here to see if that part of the rumor was true as well."

"And if it is?" Duke asked, "What will you do? Will you inform the knights and guilds that the boy is safe so he can be swarmed by visitors?"

"Well…that all depends on what you want me ta do."

"I want you to leave and tell nothing of what you know to anyone."

"Duke!" Khroma called from the doorway of Yuri's small apartment, "He's waking!"

"That shouldn't possible…" Duke muttered.

"So ya are hidin' something.' What are you up ta?"

"I do not have time for your little games Raven," Duke said as he walked towards Yuri's apartment, "There is something I must attend to."

"That somethin' would be Yuri Lowell, right?" Raven asked as he followed, "I mean, why else would you be headed towards the kid's room. I saw that dragon thing at Zaude, ya know the one that saved our asses at Cados and at Kogorh? So what made you save him this time?"

"That is none of your concern," Duke said.

"Ah so you didn't do it to save the kid," Raven said, "You did it to save the sword he was usin.' Or could it be that you see a little bit of yourself in him?"

"I said it is none of your concern." Duke walked up to the bed and knelt down, "Can you swallow?" He asked the barely conscious young man. Yuri nodded and Duke took a small medicine vial out of his pocket. He carefully propped the boy up, "Drink this."

"What…is it…" Yuri managed to mumble.

"It's medicine," Duke said, "If you want to recover you need to take this."

"Where…?" Yuri whispered, "What...happened...?"

"Don't worry about that now," Duke said as he brought the bottle up to Yuri's lips, "Just drink this." The boy nodded and Duke gently tipped the bottle so that the young man could ingest the contents.

"That was a sedative wasn't it?" Raven asked as he watched Yuri fall limp against the white haired man's chest.

"His body will recover faster if he stays asleep," Duke said as he rested the boy against the bed and stood up, "His wound will reopen if he moves too much."

"Wound?" Raven asked, "I mean he did fall from Zaude but unless he landed on a merman or somethin' the only injuries he shoulda sustained are broken bones probably a concussion as well."

"He was caught off guard and stabbed in the abdomen by the young lieutenant," Duke said.

"Young lieutenant…" Raven asked, "Ya don't mean Sodia do you?"

"Yes," Duke said.

"Heh, no wonder she was such a mess," Raven said, "Well, I'm gonna head back to Dahngrest. Don' worry I won't tell anyone what I saw here."

"Thank you Raven," Duke said, "It would be a problem if his friends were to show up here before he recovers completely."

"No," Raven said, "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Duke asked.

"Thanks for savin' the kid fer us," Raven said, "I dunno what woulda happened to him if you hadn't have saved him. Well I'll get outta your hair, take good care of him fer us."

"Duke," Khroma said after Raven left, "Is it alright that Captain Schwann knows about this boy?"

"I can trust Raven," Duke said, "I know he will not speak of what he witnessed here."

"Ba'ul and his partner, Judith, keep inquiring about this child," Khroma said, "And I am not the only one either. They have called out to Phaeroh and Krons as well as other Krytia."

"Like I have said before, tell them nothing," Duke said.

Khroma sighed as Duke headed for the door, "If you insist. Where are you going?"

"I will be back in a few days," Duke said, "The medicine will wear off in about three days. Stay here until the morning of the third day. He should have recovered enough to be left alone by then."

"I understand," Khroma said.

Sodia sighed as she lay the bed in her quarters. She felt absolutely awful. Flynn had trusted her to help protect Yuri and she…she had led him to his death.

"Sodia," Witcher called from the other side of her door, "Commander Flynn wants to see us."

"Tell him I'm not feeling well," Sodia muttered as she pulled her blankets over her head.

"May I come in?" Witcher called.

"Yeah," Sodia said as the mage entered the room.

"Sodia," Witcher asked as Sodia sat up, "What's wrong?"

"Yuri Lowell's disappearance…" She mumbled, "It's my fault…I…I stabbed him…and then…he just fell…"

"Wait…what!" Witcher exclaimed, "You stabbed Yuri Lowell?"

"Please," Sodia muttered, "Please don't tell Flynn…it'll kill him…I'll tell him when I'm ready to…but for now…keep it a secret."

"Alright," Witcher said, "I'll tell Commander Flynn that you're not feeling well."

"Thank you…" Sodia mumbled as Witcher left the room. She then flopped down on her bed and cried.

Flynn sighed as he made his way to Sodia's quarters. His Lieutenant had been acting odd since they left Zaude and he was nearly as worried about her as he was worried about Yuri.

"Sodia," He called as he knocked at the door, "May I come in?"

"Captain…" Sodia called, "Come in."

"Sodia, are you alright?" Flynn asked as he entered the room, "Witcher told me you were feeling ill, is it true?"

Sodia nodded, "I'm not feeling well at all…"

Flynn sighed, "Do you need some time off?" He asked.

"Captain!"

"I don't want you to make yourself sicker," Flynn said, "Do you need to take some time off?" He sighed when Sodia didn't respond, "I'm going to grant you a week of leave."

"Captain!" Sodia exclaimed, "You don't have to do that!"

"Yes I do," Flynn said, "Take a week off. Go back to your hometown and rest a bit," He smiled lightly, "I don't want you to get hurt fighting if you're not feeling well."

"C-Captain Flynn…" Sodia gasped, "Thank you…"

"Lady Estellise already said that she would take over for you if she needed to." Flynn said, "She seemed to notice that you weren't feeling well."

"But should she be fighting?" Sodia asked, "She is a princess after all."

"Lady Estellise can hold her ground in battle," Flynn said, "So far, she's been the only person to cause Yuri to completely collapse from exhaustion after a battle. Although I think the high density of aer also played a part in that…I should have kept a better watch on him, I knew something like this was bound to happen someday…if only I had been up on that platform…I could have protected him better…he would be alright…"

Sodia sighed, "You really care for him don't you?" She asked.

"Yuri was my first friend," Flynn said, "All the other boys my age didn't like me very much…Yuri was the only person who didn't mind getting beaten at everything time after time. He may have gotten on the wrong side of the law but he really is a good person."

"Flynn…" Sodia muttered. She just couldn't keep the truth from Flynn any longer. She knew that there was a good chance that Flynn would strip her of her rank then arrest her but she couldn't keep the fact that she had led Yuri to his death from her captain any longer, "There's something you should know…regarding Yuri…"

"What is it Sodia?" Flynn asked.

"He…Yuri was…He…"

"Flynn," A soft voice called from the doorway, "I'm sorry am I interrupting?"

"No," Sodia said, "Come in Lady Estellise."

"Thank you," Estellise said, "Although I would prefer if you called me Estelle…everyone else does."

Estelle…" Sodia said, "That's what Lowell calls you isn't it?"

"It is," Estellise said, "I like it."

"What is it Lady Estellise?" Flynn asked.

"The Schwann brigade has finished making preparations for the search mission," She said, "They're ready when you are."

"Alright," Flynn said, "Tell them I'll be right there."

"Flynn," Estellise said, "Would it be alright if I come along too? I'm worried about you…you haven't been sleeping very much and you've been working around the clock. I want to come in case something happens to you…" She lowered her voice, "You won't be able to search for Yuri if you make yourself sick…"

"I'll be alright Lady Estellise," Flynn said, "And yes, you may come along. I'll need you to fill in for Sodia for a few days."

"Okay," Estellise said, "Thank you Flynn. I hope you feel better Sodia."

"Thank you E-Estelle…" Sodia said as the pink-haired princess left the room.

"What did you want to tell me?" Flynn asked.

"Never mind…" Sodia mumbled.

"Alright," Flynn said, "I hope you feel better soon Sodia."

"Thank you," Sodia mumbled cursing her own weakness, "Please, be careful."

Oh Raven, what are we gonna do with you? (I honestly think that Raven knew that Yuri was alright based on his reaction but whatever) And Sodia tried to tell Flynn what really happened but Estelle interrupted probably for the better too. So what's gonna happen next? The next chapter should be up really, really soon so just hang tight. 'Til next time!

Ex-Shark-V-005