A/N: This was going to be twice as longer but, I decided to cut the chapter short(er) since I thought it was getting a bit too long. So, I suppose that this means it's going to be even longer than I imagined. Anyway, this is- if the first chapter is any indication- getting somewhat darker. I'd like for everyone to keep in mind that I'm doing my best to recpature what might have happened before Mytho shattered his heart to seal the raven away. So, each of the character's actions and development does have purpose. Also, the translation of the title, if anyone hasn't figured it out yet, is Latin for "Give me your heart." A very prevalent theme in season two.

Warnings: More angsty, pre-canon, and Lohengrin is more like Fakir in this one. This is where I've captured his Fakir side, I think. Or at least parts. Please excuse any typos.

Da Mihi Tuum Cordem
Chapter Two
By: Nuit Songeur

Lohengrin had his head titled to the floor, a sign of humility. He had hoped the action would help his favor so Siegfried would side in his case to marry Mistress Odette. However, once he had finished pleading his case, Lohengrin sensed a tensed air in the room, in the king's privy chamber. He stole himself a glance at the king's face and saw, to this disappointment, the hard lines that made up Siegfried's expression.

"Lohengrin," he began slowly. "You are my knight, my most trusted advisor, and a faithful friend. You know I would do anything to secure your happiness."

"My lord, I have asked nothing of you and will ask nothing else of you—" Siegfried raised a hand, and Lohengrin fell silent, oddly reminded of his conversation with the king as he tried to persuade him to marry Tutu. Now, he feared, the result would be eerily the same as he asked for Odette's hand instead.

"But, I cannot allow this. Your rank is lower than hers; I cannot disgrace her family." Suddenly, Lohengrin was enraged.

"Disgrace? You think I would disgrace the Swanheart family? They are of such high rank now because of the gifts of earldom and dukedom you bestowed upon them. Because you yourself desired Odette!" Siegfried was angry now, a silent anger that made him frightening and royal.

"You speak treason, Lohengrin," he said, face darkening like thunder. "You forget to whom you speak. I've already told you my answer now leave me before I decide to send you to the scaffold." Lohengrin was stunned. His fiery anger was instantly extinguished, replaced by a smoky tendril of helplessness.

"But the queen—" he tried once more, knowing it would end in defeat.

"The queen is my wife and does not know the ways of our court. Leave me, Lohengrin." Lohengrin did as he was bid, bowing low to the ground before departing.

News of his request to the king was out before Mass the next morning. He shouldn't be surprised. Perhaps a maid or servant girl of sorts was eavesdropping at the king's door. However it got out, it resulted in excited whispers that followed him where ever he went— the chapel, the hall when he broke his fast. It was everywhere and reminded him of the miserable fate the king had ordained him. Lohengrin pushed his plate away from him, not wanting to eat as he caught the eye of Lord Swanheart for the fifth time.

He was distracted in the form two ladies in waiting, girls of the queen. Rose and Lily, the two very last people he wanted to see.

"Oh, he's staring at us!" squealed Lily. "Perhaps if we flirt with him, he'll make one of us an offer of marriage!"

"Hush, Lily," said the more sensible of the two as they drew nearer. Lohengrin glanced briefly in their direction.

"What is it, madam?" he asked, somewhat coldly. Rose was taken slightly aback at the tone in his voice but continued with her message.

"The queen would like to see you in her rooms at once, Sir Knight," she said. Lohengrin briefly considered the girl before standing up from the table and, without a word, made haste to the queen's chambers. She wasn't on her throne. Instead, she stood by her arched window, rosary in hand. Her ladies in waiting were busy at sewing a tapestry, an altar cloth he supposed. It was delicate work that would take a long time, he knew after witnessing the previous queen sew hers with these very same young maidens.

"Over here, Sir Knight," said the queen, beckoning him to come closer. He drilled his attention away from Mistress Odette and approached Queen Odile, kneeling before her.

"You asked to see me, Your Majesty?" he asked, face to the ground.

"Yes. Get up please. Come to the window and look out the grounds with me," she said. Lohengrin did as he was told watched some nobles bowl on the lawns. "I heard about your request to my husband."

He flinched at last night's memory, so he did not say anything.

"And of his refusal," the queen pressed. "I'm a bit confused. What was his reasoning?"

"He said I would disgrace the Swanheart family," Lohengrin divulged reluctantly. He stole a glance at the queen's grim expression.

"Disgrace them?" She scoffed. "I don't care for Odette's father." She shook her head, as if shaking away an irrelevant train of thought and fixed Lohengrin with an unwavering stare.

"Did you tell him of my thoughts on the matter?" Lohengrin broke away first, the bowling nobles having captured his attention, and drummed his pale fingers on the stone windowsill anxiously.

"Yes." It was a soft confirmation, barely audible even to him.

"And?" She was a persistent queen, he thought. Should he betray the confidence of his king for her? But then, Lohengrin decided he wasn't betraying anything.

"He said… that you are his wife and you do not know the ways of this court." Lohengrin had to relax his muscles, realizing he had braced himself for an onslaught of the queen's anger. But she was not angry. She merely nodded and returned to her throne, sitting down reverently. Lohengrin lingered at the window, unsure of whether to follow her.

"You may go, Sir Knight," she bid dismissively. He heard the firm command in her voice, so, throwing one last longing look at Mistress Odette— who appeared not to notice— left the queen's chambers.

Lohengrin wasn't sure how fast the rumor spread about his request to the king but in less than a day, he frequently ran into the hostile glances of Lord Swanheart and Odette's baron uncle. Whispers of "audacity" and "presumptuous" followed him throughout the palace. It wasn't until he noticed when Mistress Odette began avoiding him that Lohengrin realized the full gravity of the situation. He had stepped out of line, out of rank, to ask to marry a nice lady of the court. He was only a soldier with no prospects.

He didn't dance any more. The only person who he wanted to dance with wasn't even allowed to look in his direction. So Lohengrin lingered on the edges of the dinner parties, scowling at everyone before him, not paying attention to the swirling gossip of the day. He detached himself from it. So, it came as a complete surprise when he heard that the king's and queen's marriage was suffering.

It was on accident, that he heard. On his way to Mass one morning, as always, passing by Rose and Lily. Of course, the two could always be counted on.

"I saw them!" whispered Rose fervently. "He left her privy chamber in such a fury." Lohengrin froze. He had not noticed. Nor could he imagine what would cause such anger in his king. Had he detached himself from court so much that he had not been aware of the king's mood toward the queen? This couldn't possibly be a result from his request to marry Mistress Odette…

Abruptly, Lohengrin left the chapel in search for his king. He found him before the royal stables, mounting his magnificent hunter, a black steed larger than anyone else's. There was something eerily bleak about his face that Lohengrin could not name.

"My Lord does not look well this morning," he noted, drawing closer and helping the king into his saddle. Siegfried turned to him rather gravely.

"Your lord has not been well these past few days, Lohengrin," he confided wearily. The other grooms and nobles getting ready for the day's hunt did their job of appearing not to pay attention to the king's words. Lohengrin knew they were listening intently.

"My wife, the queen, is not happy about the situation regarding her lady in waiting, Mistress Swanheart." Lohengrin noticed Siegfried's eyes growing hard as diamonds as he regarded Lohengrin. Perhaps he thought he was the one to blame. "The queen thinks that she should marry anyone of her choosing. After talking to Tutu, she says that she does not wish to marry you, Lohengrin. But, I am not sure if that is the influence of her father. I am sending her to the country in order for her to clear her mind." Lohengrin felt his green eyes growing wide with surprise. And, before he knew it, the King was off with his royal party, leaving Lohengrin to stare mutely after him.

Odette did not want to marry him? Surely… truly that was the workings of her pernicious uncle. Still, the thought made him stagger with a great, unknown weight. He went, almost blindly, to the queen's rooms. Perhaps he wasn't too late…

He was barely conscious of the small gasp that the maidens in the room gave at the sight of his wild, searching face. The queen remained unperturbed, studying him indifferently. Lohengrin fidgeted with his doublet and the sword belted at his waist. The ache of longing was present within him, only slightly eclipsed with another ache, the pain of rejection.

"Yes, Sir Knight?" the queen asked calmly. "Is there something you need?"

"An audience with Mistress Swanheart, if she hasn't left yet, if you please, Your Majesty," he added on hastily. Odile nodded her consent and gestured toward Odette who was still working on the altar cloth. He noticed, with some disinterest, that they hadn't completed the blue sky. When Odette left the other ladies in waiting, he drew her next to the window so that they may have some privacy.

"What is it, Sir Lohengrin?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes not meeting his. Her countenance did nothing to quell his fears.

"I must know once and for all, Mistress Swanheart," he said with a great fervor. "I do not doubt that my feelings for you aren't a secret." He wasn't sure of what to take from the slight blush of her cheeks and the sheepish glance from beneath her lashes.

"Everyone's saying how you asked the king if you could marry me," she whispered. He already knew this, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to him. But yet, the news from her lips absolutely floored him, leaving Lohengrin speechless and stammering for a moment.

"Yes, madam, I did," he said, trying to control himself. "So I must know if you hold any feelings for me at all, if you love me as I love you." Odette appeared to be utterly stunned by his request. Shyly, she turned her attention out the window and gazed softly at the grounds below. The prick of painful impatience made his fingers fidget idly with the hem of his tunic. He was consciously aware that everyone else in the room was paying close attention to their words as Odette seemed to take an unbearable amount of time in answering.

"I will not deny my affection for you Lohengrin," she said slowly. "But my duty is foremost to my king, my prince." Something in Lohengrin clenched.

"And what of the locket I gave you?" His words sounded oddly hollow to his own ears. Almost desperate. "The bracelet? The poems?" Odette sighed, though whether it was wistfully or regretfully, Lohengrin couldn't tell. There was such an awful pounding in his ears.

"Vestiges of the courtly life of flirting," she said sadly, as if it were a memorized line. She turned her face back onto him, and he saw the sincerity sparkle in them. She gripped his sleeve almost with urgency. Her next words came out in a rushed whisper.

"I love the prince, Lohengrin. And I love you, but I cannot be with you. It is forbidden. But the prince…" her voice trailed off. Lohengrin felt his eyes harden, his expression harden as he regained his bearings.

"The prince is no longer a prince. He is king and married to the Queen Odile, Mistress Swanheart," he reminded her firmly.

"He was supposed to be married to me," Odette persisted. "Uncle promised but then…" She shook her head. "I would not want to destroy the marriage of my king and queen. I only wish what is best for him. But His Majesty seems to be confused…" Lohengrin couldn't believe what he was hearing, he wasn't quite sure of what he was hearing. It made him angry. He forced himself to remain calm as he pried Odette's fingers from his sleeve.

"I must take my leave, my lady," he said coldly, giving a short bow before turning on his heel to exit the room. Odette was shocked by his suddenly callous manner. She called out to him as he disappeared into the halls.

"Lohengrin, wait!" He didn't. "Lohengrin, stop!" He still didn't. Suddenly, she was rushing after him, probably hadn't even asked permission from Odile to leave the queen's rooms. He heard her heeled shoes tap sharply against the floor as she chased him. But, Lohengrin didn't turn. He didn't know why, but his anger was boiling, he was becoming dangerous.

There was a slight tug on his shoulder, and immediately, Lohengrin whirled around to catch Odette's wrist in his tight grasp. He saw the fear cloud in her bright blue eyes, and it took a moment for Lohengrin to realize she was crying.

Crying? For my sake?

"Please, Lohengrin," she said tearfully. "I did love you, I do love you. I... I didn't explain myself properly. You must think I'm a whore, and I wouldn't blame you if you did. But, I'm not, Lohengrin. I'm not. I was a silly girl who fell in love with a man who couldn't love her. Then I fell in love with someone who I couldn't love. I'm not a man, I can't follow the whims of my nature. I have to be the obedient girl that my father and uncle want me to be."

Lohengrin considered her for a long moment, and then he realized, despite that he loved her, despite that he was angry with her choosing the king, he actually pitied her. She may have actually wanted to marry him, but her family prevented her from doing so. Her family prevented her happiness. And she was a girl, still in love with her prince but could not be loved by him in return. He, Lohengrin, was a knight of the prince. He would do his loyal duty and not fall in love with anyone. He would be forgotten, in time.

And Princess Tutu would either be glorified by Siegfried or destroyed because of her inopportune love for him.

"I pity you, Mistress Swanheart," he said finally. "And I apologize for any grief that I have caused you." With that, Lohengrin wordlessly left Odette standing there, with tears streaming down her face.

Through the days, Lohengrin felt himself growing cold, though the weather was anything but. He had no care for dancing, for flirting, for court life at all. It did more than disinterest him, it proved insufferable to him. Lohengrin even felt his patience wear thin on his way to and from the chapel. Mere contact with people irritated him, more so than usual.

Also, he did everything in his power to avoid seeing Odette again.

It wasn't a particularly difficult task; she had been moved to the country as planned. Though, there were shouts from the streets that she was truly the king's beloved. She was hailed as Princess Tutu again. Though, Lohengrin supposed it was the threat of an outbreak of war that made people suddenly favorable to the king's childhood sweetheart.

Queen Odile was in a precarious situation. Despite her marriage to Siegfried, the alliance with the Raven country was still volatile. Odile's father had received word through a network of spies of Princess Tutu's prominence in court. He thought Siegfried to be unfaithful to his daughter, though Odile never betrayed any sign of jealousy or resentment whenever she spoke of Odette. Lohengrin was surprised at how well she held up beneath the pressure and the imminent threat of her father's attacking armies.

Perhaps she did not know that if her father did attack, she would be disgraced, almost at the rank of traitor.

Despite everything that happened, Lohengrin felt a small reverence for his queen. She had helped with his courting of Odette many times. She had approved of the match, and she even confronted her husband on the matter. She did everything in her power that she could do for him, and Lohengrin was eternally grateful. Unfortunately, he did not serve her, and when the time came, Lohengrin was forced to turn his back onto her.

The king was weary when Lohengrin was summoned to his privy chambers. Stress had marked new creasing lines on his young, beautiful face, giving him an almost haggard appearance.

"What would you have me do, Lohengrin?" he asked desperately. "This marriage seems to have caused me more trouble than anything. I am married to a woman who is the daughter of my enemy. And Tutu? Everyone thinks…" Siegfried shook his head at the thought.

"Your majesty?"

"Tutu was my first love, Lohengrin. I will not lie to you about that. But nothing ever happened. You know of my honor and how it leaves nothing to speculation. I've assured this to Odile, but she seems to think that the reason I did not let you marry Tutu is because of my own personal feelings for her."

Siegfried slumped into a chair, the picture of exhaustion.

"And now because of it, I am facing quite a probable chance of war," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"The queen, she said this?" Lohengrin asked carefully. Siegfried gestured to some papers on his desk.

"The Baron of Goblets intercepted some letters Odile was sending to her father. They were written in some kind of code by he easily cracked it." Lohengrin paused and strolled over to the desk, pushing one paper aside to read the letter beneath it.

My dear father, as I have already confided with you, I had long since learned of the previous intimacy between my husband and lady in waiting, the one they call Princess Tutu. I believed him when he insisted that there were no improper intimacies. Perhaps I was mistaken in being so naïve, for now he refuses to let Tutu marry someone else. Needless to say, my suspicions grew again, especially after I confronted him and he insisted that I knew nothing of the way his court worked and that he had previous engagements to Tutu's father! This prince, initially so humble and kind, has astounded me with his sudden cruelty towards me. I am afraid, Father, that he does not love me as he says. I fear that he prefers this Tutu. I do not let my jealousy show through. I am a queen, so I behave like one.

"She believes I want Tutu for my mistress," Siegfried said when Lohengrin finished reading.

"These letters," said Lohengrin, "are very dangerous. A secret correspondence with her father in code? They could convict her of treason!" Siegfried nodded.

"That's what the baron said, and that's what he wants. I'm hesitant to convict the queen of anything. Her father will not pause to declare war on us. I thought that by sending Tutu out to the country, I would eliminate this problem. However, it appears that the people share the opinion of the Baron of Goblets. I have made a grave mistake, Lohengrin."

There was a painful pang in his chest to see his prince in such a state. He may have respected the queen but Siegfried was his lord. Lohengrin got down on one knee and peered into the face of his king.

"I do not doubt that any decision that my king makes will be the best one. And, if the king of the Raven country decides to proclaim war, I will make haste and fight that war for you, single-handedly." Lohengrin wavered slightly before continuing. "I apologize for my recent diversions from my duty. I am foremost your servant and protector and should not let the idle feelings for one girl stand in that way. It was wrong of me to request a marriage with Mistress Swanheart. When Your Majesty decides it is time for me to marry, I will gladly comply with whatever match you set up for me." Siegfried smiled gravely, sadness lining his beautiful face. He gave a comforting squeeze to Lohengrin's shoulder.

"Do not lose your heart so readily, my knight," he said grimly. "That fate is mine alone."

Yes, the last line is significant. Also, kudos if anyone notices one line that was unintentionally taken directly from a Princess Tutu episode. And, if you don't remember, the Baron of Goblets is Odette's uncle. I hope you enjoyed! Please reveiw!

-NuitSongeur