High noon Today. Execution of former soldier Arthur Kirkland. For high treason and withholding valuable information to the whereabouts of an international spy. And for playing accomplice to the murder of the queen.

Kiku couldn't believe it, the paper had drifted in with a passing wind. This was serious, otherwise fate wouldn't have handed him this clue. He had to get to Arthur somehow. Walking out and surrendering wouldn't help, that would only get them both killed. Maybe he could somehow infiltrate the castle and break Arthur out before he was sent to his death.

He grabbed a sheet and made a makeshift cloak. This would be dangerous, but he wasn't about to let Arthur die like that. Not over him, not without a fight. Slipping onto the streets he tried to keep a low profile. Luckily cloaks weren't too out of place here, as the elderly and poor seemed to wear them. He had no idea what he was doing, but he figured he'd work it out as he went along. There was no time to waste after all.

"Excuse me." Kiku froze. Someone was addressing him, a woman calling him from behind. Slowly he turned to face her.

"Um, yes?" He'd speak as little as possible as to not give away his tongue.

"Are you lost?"

"No."

"Oh… Well then, you must not be feeling well, you should go lie down." She was a lovely woman, young in appearance, but Kiku could sense an aura about her that comes with age. Her blonde hair went down to her back in curls, and her green eyes stared at him with sympathy and concern. She was no doubt a veteran mother, if not to children of her own then to someone.

"No, I-" Kiku tried to protest.

"Really, I insist, you must lay down." She took his arm in hers and began guiding him down the street. Kiku began to worry.

"I must… um…" He tried gently to pull away.

"What's the matter? You act like you're in trouble." Panicked, Kiku weighed his options. Run, raising suspicion and no doubt being caught, or going along and convincing her otherwise. He chose the later.

She led him to a fairly nice house. It wasn't high class, but she seemed to be making more than a living for herself- seeing as close inspection of the home revealed she was the only resident. The house did look however like there had been more at some point. Two others perhaps?

"Please, sit, Kiku."

Kiku's heart stopped. "Wh-Wha-"

"Oh please." The woman laughed, and though Kiku was panicked, he couldn't help but find it warm. "You stick out like an eye soar compared to Europeans. I had to pull you off the streets before you got caught."

"Huh?"

"…" Her smile faded, "You're going after Arthur aren't you…"

Kiku nodded.

"You are as he described… In his letters."

"Um…" Kiku was ready to ask more than enough questions for a life time, but the woman seemed off in her own world.

She picked up a letter. "He told me "Kiku is a wonderful princess, kind hearted and strong willed. She's got a cold outer shell, and a short fuse at times, but I must walk in her shoes. I'm new to her and you and I both know I'm an acquired taste." You are as he said."

"Ma'am?"

"You're strong willed, and a sweet heart, but you're being stubborn."

"Uh-"

"Just what were you thinking going after Arthur on your own, with no plan." Though her voice was raised it was worry, not anger, that filled the air. She sighed, "My son… He wouldn't want you to follow through with such foolishness. It would get nether of you anywhere."

It all hit him. No one understands like a "Mother… You're Arthur's mother."

She nodded, "I am."

"Wh-"

"My son is no traitor." She turned to Kiku, looking him in the eyes. Hers were filled with so much hurt, so much anger, and wisdom. It was overpowering. "He didn't do anything wrong. The prince… That rat for royalty… is wrong. I will not serve injustice. I'd sooner leave England… Leave this world than live under such insanity."

"You tell me all this." Kiku said, "And I thank you for saving me… But what are we going to do about Arthur?"

"Oh that's easy." She said it kindly, but her face was stern. "You stay here. I'll return shortly."

~

"I've come to see Arthur Kirkland."

"Under what circumstances?" The head guard spoke, glaring down at her.

She glared back, "He's my son… Was… I've come to properly disown him before he dies. As he'll go to hell, I want to clear our family's name from that history."

The guard smiled. "Alright, but I wan- have to watch you, you know, for security reasons."

"Understood. In fact, perfect, this makes it more official." She walked into the dungeon and was directed towards Arthur's cell.

"Arthur." She called to the soldier sitting in the corner of his cell.

"M-Mother?" He rushed up with surprise. "What are y-"

"I'm disowning you." She said simply.

"Wha-"

"You herd me."

"Mother I-"

"I cannot believe that you would betray England like this. You weren't even gone that long."

"Mother I didn't I was being falsely-"

"How dare you talk back to me. What ever happened to the boy I raised? The soldier your father trained."

"…."

"He must be ashamed of you, watching down on this with disgust. Making your mother go through this heart break… This betrayal. I've almost no words for it, and yet here I stand."

Arthur was near tears. His mother, the one person who'd been most understanding in his life, the one who cried the day he set off to Japan, now resented him.

The guard was laughing, his whole body shaking with amusement.

"I must go now." As she passed the laughing guard she thanked him, also slipping his keys off his desk. Quickly she left the castle, heart broken for what she'd done.

Arthur sunk to his knees.

~

Kiku sat quietly, looking around at the house. There were a few pictures of Arthur's family. A picture of his mother holding him as a baby. One of him and his father training. His father looked just like him, though his hair was brown and eyes blue. A few family photos. Kiku was almost pulled into the memories these pictures burned permanently onto the shelves.

He jumped as the front door swung open. Arthur's mother walked in holding a set of keys and looking very upset.

"What's wrong?" Kiku stood up.

"I said some awful things…" She handed Kiku the keys. "But now you can break him out."

Kiku stared at the keys, then at Arthur's mother. "He'll know the truth soon."

She nodded, smiling a little. "You should sneak in when the guards are changing shifts, no doubt it'll take those goons a few minutes to do it. My name is Roseanne, by the way. Once free, tell Arthur we're to meet at the old port. He'll know where to go."

"Roseanne… Thank you."

"Don't thank me, this is a mother's job."

"No, this is more than any mother signed up for."

She laughed, "There's nothing mothers don't sign up for. I'm happy with this work. Nothing that makes you happy is ever too much." She winked. For a moment Kiku was reminded of Nao.

And during that moment he prayed that Nao, and is parents, and Arthur's father, would watch over and guide him through the hardships to come.