Author's Note: Many of you seemed thrown for a loop by Ryunosuke's involvement in some still-as-of-yet unknown scheme. There are more twists and turns to come. I hope that I am able to surprise you several more times before this story reaches its conclusion. ;D It should be quite the fun ride. Enjoy! Constructive Criticism is always welcomed.

Ceteris Paribus

Chapter Four: Crime and Punishment

Swift feet whispered along the smooth marble floor. The swish of silken skirts made the barest of sounds as they moved. For her part, Kotoha hurried along the halls, anxious to get to her sister's rooms. They were the only place that she felt safe – safe to be herself and safe from all the other people who roamed inside the palace's walls. The fighting outside had only seemed to increase dramatically with time and the resultant echo had magnified the dark shadows inside.

There had always been fighting, at least as far back as Kotoha could remember. According to her sister, however, their country had once been large and in a state of relative peace for nearly two hundred years! Then the death of a King and no heir to the throne had resulted in a giant upheaval. A nephew to the deceased King and a distant cousin both waged war for the "right" to claim the throne. What had resulted was the once great kingdom being split in two straight down the center – East and West.

Both kingdoms resided in the large desert that had once been a united kingdom. However the East side, now called Pluvia, was located along fertile grasslands and rivers along its far eastern border, giving the country prosperity and health. The West side, Kotoha and Mako's kingdom of Aduro, was surrounded by impregnable mountains that stole all the rains and selfishly kept them for themselves. As a result, the sand of Aduro was bad for agriculture, leading to an ever-increasing problem for their nation that the line of Kings had yet to fix or even bother to see. Aduro's Kings were too interested in their wars against Pluvia as they tried to gain back their "stolen" territory. The civil war between the two kingdoms of Pluvia and Aduro had only grown with time. Perhaps this was in part because of the desperate need of the people from Aduro who now believed that if they could just win Pluvia for their King, the prosperity and health of the other kingdom would be shared with them as well.

But then Pluvia had requested aid in the fighting from their border nation of Caelestis Via. Now Aduro's current state was worse than ever. Outside the palace walls were terror, hunger, and desperation. The same could be found inside the palace walls as well, though the hunger was for power, the desperation for status, and the terror of being forsaken to the outside.

Kotoha couldn't remember a time when there hadn't been fighting, when there hadn't been ploys and plots surrounding her from all sides since her birth. Mako couldn't either, but as First Princess of the Court, Mako was granted more power in the women's sanctuary than her. She was given privacy and respect that suited her status. Kotoha was a daughter of a minor concubine, one whose mother had died in childbirth, giving her no protection in this place.

She had been left to the servants to raise – no one wanted to take in child that wasn't theirs, though she had been raised as the princess she was supposed to be by birthright to the best of the ability of those who had taken her in. Mako had found her when they were still children. True to her clumsy nature, Kotoha had found a way to spill her bright red fruit drink all over a woman's pure white dress, one of the higher concubine's dresses of course. The Lady's anger still terrified Kotoha to think about even now. Fortunately Mako happened to have witnessed the entire event and had stepped in, making her own irritation at the Lady's reaction well-known. It made Kotoha giggle now when she thought about it – seeing Mako at half the height of the Lady, with her small fists planted firmly on her hips and round, childish face scowling up at such an intimidating figure that had backed down with great reluctance…but back down she had.

Kotoha still had her own rooms, as was required of her status, small though they were, but she rarely spent any time there at all. Ever since Mako and Kotoha had met, the two had been inseparable as they grew up together in Mako's private rooms under Ryunosuke's watchful eye. Every now and then though, Kotoha had to venture to her rooms to search for something she might have misplaced there. Usually Mako or Ryunosuke would accompany her, but today she had insisted she could go alone. It was a quick errand, one that she didn't want to bother their time with. Her venture had been a successful one; she was already on her way back. But as her eyes darted back and forth along the corridors, what had been a warm, sunny start to her day had left a chill racing down her spine.

Eyes watched her and her progression down the hall. Kotoha kept her head down, her eyes focused on the floor, clutching her sought after object in her hands. She could feel their stares on her as she moved, too afraid to run but too scared to walk demurely as she was supposed to.

Chuckles of foreboding mirth reached her ears and Kotoha's heart began to steadily beat faster until all she could hear was its loud pounding in her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that if she could just move fast enough, she'd be safe within the confines of her sister's quarters before she knew it.

She gasped audibly when a rough hand latched itself onto her shoulder.

Kotoha spun to see one of the guards leering down at her.

"Hello pretty little miss," he started, his eyes roving her features. "Why the rush?"

Kotoha clamped her arms tighter around her as she tried to back away slowly lest she trip over her own two feet and go sprawling.

"Aww, come on kitten," he continued. "Don't be like that. I know you women are quite the ferocious little tiger's in bed." His grin hid none of his intent as he fixed his hand around one of her wrists, trying to tug her closer. "Why don't you start your lessons a little early with me."

Kotoha felt like she was frozen to the spot, unable to twitch a single muscle in retaliation. Her posture was so rigid that when another hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and yanked her away from the guard's touch, she would have fallen straight to the ground had not the person behind her caught her in their grip.

"Leave her alone," a masculine voice sounded from the person half-holding her up.

The guard sneered. "She was asking for it – offered her body and everything. What was I supposed to do?"

Kotoha could hear the scowl in his voice as the man behind her bit back. "I watched the entire thing pig. Try that lie again and I'll do more than just give you a verbal warning. Now I suggest you get back to your station." The authority in his voice left no room for arguments. The guard's look was black as he moved away with eyes that promised that this was far from over.

The man behind her gently settled Kotoha back onto her own two feet. "Are you okay?" he asked a little gruffly.

Kotoha turned to look at him, feeling a flush cover her cheeks as she noted his features. Honest, dark brown eyes that met hers squarely, light brown hair that was a little bit longer than her kingdom's normal style, fine facial features that balanced well with a stubborn jaw, and lips that looked as ready to crack a mischievous grin as they were to scowl. She nodded once her capacities had been returned to her. "Thank you," she said, a little breathlessly.

He looked torn between a smile and a stern face as he nodded back in acknowledgement.

"C-can I get your name?" Kotoha dared to venture, unsure if her rapidly beating heart was from her previous encounter with the guard who had held ill intent or the one who had rescued her and stood before her now.

The man before her regarded her silently for a long moment before he seemed to reach a decision. "Chiaki," he answered.

Her answering smile was swift, catching him off guard. "I'm Kotoha," she informed him. "Thank you Chiaki."

Chiaki coughed to cover his embarrassment, her smile nearly blinding him as he asked her if he could escort her to her destination.

"Please!"

He fell in step beside her and the two walked amicably along the corridors, Kotoha's fears having been completely erased while she walked beside him. When they paused in front of her destined rooms, Chiaki waited patiently beside her as she was admitted entrance. Once she was safe inside, Chiaki made to leave but was halted by Kotoha's voice as she stuttered over an explanation as to why her wrist contained an aggravated red mark. With a deep sigh, Chiaki stepped forward, just inside the rooms with a deep bow.

"She was attacked by a palace guard," he informed the room, feeling an icy hush fall over its inhabitants.

"May I ask your name?" a feminine voice, one filled with regal command reached his ears.

"Chiaki," he answered from his bowed position.

"Please, rise, Chiaki," the voice continued.

Chiaki looked up and felt his stomach lurch as he realized he was in the rooms of the First Princess of the Court.

Mako, for her part, was gingerly holding her sister's wrist, examining it thoroughly. "What happened?" she asked, her tone cool.

"I was on my way back," Kotoha began. "And then the guard – he just – I wasn't paying attention and –"

"He grabbed her, Princess," Chiaki continued when Kotoha became obviously flustered and upset. "He made his intentions clear, though she had given no sign to invite his attentions."

"And you just happened to be walking by?" Mako's brow was raised in question.

Chiaki was already shaking his head. "No. I was stationed just down the hall when I heard the commotion and went to investigate."

"This guard… Was it a rash decision?" Mako's tone was carefully neutral in her questioning.

"No Princess," Chiaki's mood soured quickly. "He was looking for trouble. I have no doubt he'd try again if given the opportunity."

"Do you think his attack was targeted towards my sister or was it simply equal opportunity for all?"

Chiaki shook his head. "I can't say for sure, but I would suggest that your sister doesn't walk about unattended again just in case."

Mako nodded, taking the information in. "Do you remember his face?"

Chiaki nodded. "Yes."

Mako studied Kotoha's wrist intently as she spoke. "We will deal with him momentarily then," her voice was soft with firmly controlled anger. Her eyes flashed back up to Chiaki's and he barely managed to control the urge to step back though her anger was not directed at him. She saw his reaction and she calmed herself, letting her features gentle. "I thank you for protecting my sister, Chiaki." Her gaze was intense but sincere and he flushed in response, mumbling to himself when he was unable to hold her gaze. "May I ask what I can do for you, to show my gratitude?"

There was a perceptible pause in which Chiaki's face was inscrutable as he thought. Mako watched him carefully.

"I would just like to request that your sister be watched," his voice was schooled, back to that of the trained guard. "It's not…safe for her to be wandering alone." His tone gave Mako pause, wondering at his daring to voice such a thought aloud.

"Most would say that it is safer inside the palace walls than without," she answered delicately back.

"The people who say that may not have to fight each other for daily survival on the streets, but there is more than one way to remove someone than physical violence or the threat of starvation." Chiaki's eyes met Mako's firmly. "They say that what happens inside these walls is far more subtle and targeted in regard to their victims."

The two watched each other silently for a long time, the rest of the room's occupants intent on the conversation.

"Ryunosuke?" Mako's voice was casual, hinting at nothing from the discussion. "If neither Kotoha nor Chiaki has any objections, please see to it that our new guest is assigned to watch over my sister personally."

"H-Hime?" Ryunosuke's tone was one of uncertainty.

"I like his mettle," she explained. "He speaks the truth where others would choose to ignore it…or all too easily entertain the ideas themselves." Her tone was wry. "His concern for her safety seems to level with our own, and it is past time that she has someone to watch over her when we are unable to. Today has shown me that."

Mako peered into her sister's face. "Is this okay with you?" Kotoha flushed but nodded. Mako smiled gently in return. "And how about you?" She addressed Chiaki once more. "If you have any doubts or objections, now is the time to voice them."

"Do I have a choice?" Chiaki's tone was mulish.

Mako's smile widened. "There is always a choice." Her gaze flickered to Takeru's who had been sitting as silently as ever at the table, Agnitio pieces scattered about the board. "I have no intention to bind the will of another."

Chiaki had caught her look and he studied the Princess before him, her tone, her body language, her interactions with those around her. He was silent for a long time. "I accept the position," he finally answered, bowing in respect.

Mako's smile was content. "Good, then it is done." She turned. "Ryunosuke?"

"I'll go with him and make the necessary arrangements now Hime."

Mako nodded. "Thank you."

With parting bows, Ryunosuke and Chiaki left the rooms. Mako waited until the doors shut behind them before hugging Kotoha to her so tightly that the smaller girl gasped in surprise from the sudden lack of air.

"Mako?"

Mako released her sister and fluttered her hands over Kotoha's hair and shoulders, checking for any other outward signs of the morning's events. "Are you okay? Did he touch you? I should have been there with you. I'm so sorry Kotoha."

Kotoha's smile was bright as she hugged her sister in return. "I'm fine Mako, really. It's just my wrist, I promise. Chiaki stopped that guard from doing anything more."

Mako's eyes flashed darkly. "Yes, this guard… I'll deal with him as soon as the two get back."

Kotoha's eyes were wide. She'd seen Mako angry before, but her sister's tone was now dangerous. "What are you going to do?"

Mako sighed deeply, hugging her sister to her tightly and stroking her hand through her hair, calming them both. "Don't worry, Kotoha. I'm just going to see him dismissed from his current position, and ensure that his next job placement is one in which he'll be kept so occupied that he won't have the time to harass women."

"What happened to not wanting to 'bind anyone against their will'?" Kotoha's tone was curious.

Mako smiled cryptically. "It is a warning," she answered. "So that no others ever attempt such a stunt again. I may not be so lenient next time." Her tone held a promise in its depths.

Kotoha watched her sister as Mako called for someone to attend to her wrist. She knew Mako had the power to have the man destroyed or killed, if such was her whim. Mako had been more than fair, but Kotoha wondered if that man would see it the same way. She felt a chill creep up her spine at the thought and she bit her lip as she watched Mako gracefully settle back down in her seat across from her court-appointed slave and continue their silent game. Kotoha sat gingerly nearby, studying not the board game but its players, particularly the one her sister had chosen to call "Takeru."

So many new people seemed to be entering her and her sister's lives as of late. Kotoha couldn't help but wonder if this was a sign of things to come – for good or for worse.