A guest reviewer had a few good questions: Why was Saki treating them so nicely? How old are they, and are they the same age?

I thought I might weave the answers into the story, but if I did it wouldn't be for a while. So here are the answers now!

With Leo gone, Saki is in charge. So while Leo would probably have become King as a child, Saki decreed that Raph is going to have to wait until he gets older. Maybe. Saki might not let him get there. But right now Raph is fine with letting Saki do all the work, and in the meantime, Saki might as well treat them like the Princes they are and fulfill his promise to the King about taking care of them. And anyway, the whole kingdom is watching, so it's not like the three remaining Princes can just disappear.

As to their age, how old do you readers think they are? I'm a little curious...

Also, I've always thought of the Turtles as quadruplets, but in this story they're just really close siblings-about a year apart from each other.


CHAPTER FOUR

Leo was restless and hungry. He was used to being hungry, but he had no idea what to do about the restless part. Being confined to the cellar alone all day was turning out to be an interesting experience. He had a lot more time to think than he normally had, and even though he had spent many working hours telling himself what he would do if he had the time, he honestly didn't know what to do now that he actually had it.

Although he was hungry, Leo certainly wasn't thirsty. He could have drunk out of the wine barrels, but that would be too easily discovered. Instead he took the candle from its place again and searched around until he found a suitable container and some rope, and then he used this to pull some water from the river down below. It needed to be tested anyway. It turned out to be some of the cleanest water he'd had in years.

He then used the candle to search out all the hidden corners of the cellar and pull together in a pile anything that he thought might be useful to him. Extra cloth, albeit old and dirty, from an old cushion would be perfect for patching up his clothes. He could use those pieces of wood for cooking, and so on and so forth. He carried the pile of potentially and currently useful material into a corner that was normally too dark to see and left them there. He didn't dare risk putting anything into the empty guard room just yet, since the Princes were likely to come down to visit it.

He also used the time to practice his katas with the piece of wood. When dusk finally came around though, Leo was sitting on the last cellar step, bored out of his mind.

That was when the cellar door opened, and his uncle walked heavily down the stairs. Leo quickly stood up to face him.

"Have you learned your lesson, maggot?" He asked.

Leo slowly nodded his head.

"Good," his uncle said, "I have come up with the perfect job for you to replace the one you messed up. As soon as you are finished with all your daily chores, come see me in the dojo."

Leo nodded obediently, and correctly assumed that his uncle was telling him to leave the cellar. He ran up the stairs as quickly as he could, leaving Saki alone in the basement.

It took him longer than normal to get everything done, since much of his daily work outside required light. Thankfully some of his duties, like helping with the cooking, couldn't be done until the next day, and some of them had already been done by someone else. Unfortunately though, Leo realized that the staff would give him twice as much work to do tomorrow.

At three in the morning, he was finally done. Leo tentatively stepped into the dojo, hoping that Saki had left and yet dreading that he had, because if Saki had given up on him tonight there would be severe punishment tomorrow.

Fortunately or unfortunately, his uncle was still there, standing with his back to Leonardo.

"You are late, sloth." He said without turning around, and Leo merely kneeled in apology.

"Do you have no excuse?" His uncle asked.

"None that would be satisfactory." Leo answered without thinking, and he immediately regretted his words. He was basically inviting himself to be punished.

"You are correct," Saki said, surprising Leo with his words and turning to face him. "In some respects, child, you are wise beyond your years. Still, you are late."

Leo braced himself for punishment.

"I will let it slide just this once," his uncle said, "Because I do not have time to hand you your punishment. Let me show you to your new daily task."

Confused, Leo got up and followed Saki through the dojo. On the other side was a room which belonged to Saki and Saki alone, a room where even the Princes were not allowed. Back when their father was in charge and the boys trained in the dojo daily, the room was the King's meditation room. It had been Leo's favorite place in the whole palace.

He wasn't exactly keen on going in there now that it belonged to his uncle, but he followed him in anyway.

It was definitely different. Weapons of all kinds were placed on hooks on the walls, but the crowning achievement was the harsh suit of armor that was displayed on the wall.

"Every night," Saki told him, "You are to clean and polish each and every one of these weapons, until I can see my reflection in every one of their blades. The armor," he gestured to the imposing suit, "must be given very special attention. Should you fail in giving anything in this room its proper attention, the punishment will be severe."

He picked up a nearby gauntlet, from which protruded several sharp spikes.

"And whenever I am wearing this armor," his uncle told him, "You are to call me Master Shredder."

Leo bowed his head appropriately.

Saki stepped towards him and was about to say something else, but a knock on the door halted him.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"It is I, Miyamoto Usagi."

"You may enter," Oroku Saki said, sitting cross-legged on the ground and gesturing for Leo to kneel.

The door opened just as Leo was settled, and in walked the warrior. To Leo's surprise, Usagi looked to be about the same age as himself.

"I have come to give you information I have learned about the intruder in the Prince's room," he began, and then looked pointedly at Leonardo as if asking Saki if he should continue as long as Leo was in the room.

"Speak," Saki said, "The servant will hold his tongue."

"I have interrogated the prisoner," Usagi said, "He has not told me anything about himself or who hired him, but I was able to follow what he left unsaid. I traced the trails he left behind and discovered that he is one of a ninja clan known as the Foot."

"Is that so?" Saki asked, "I have heard tell of this clan."

"As have I," Usagi said, "Truly, Steward Osaki, this is news of an alarming nature. I do not understand why the Foot clan have their eye on the youngest prince, but I assure you that I will take great pains to ensure his safety and that of his brothers."

"See that you do." Osaki ordered, "You are dismissed, warrior."

Usagi bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"You would do well to hold your tongue about this matter, maggot." Saki told Leo, "Usagi knows how to keep matters quiet. If this news becomes common knowledge, I will know immediately that you are responsible."

"As you wish, my lord." Leo answered him.

"Good," Saki said, standing up and gesturing for Leo to do the same, "Now, begin your duties. Once you are done, I want you to immediately report for your morning chores."

Leo nodded obediently, and stood up. He managed to mask his exhaustion behind a grim exterior as he took down the first sword and grabbed a polishing rag from the corner.


By the time noon came, Leo was exhausted. If he had known that he wouldn't sleep at all, he would have tried to catch some sleep when he was alone in the cellar. But he hadn't, and now he had been busy all day. He was right when he thought that the servants would give him extra work to make up for his 'disappearance' the previous day. Whether they had known where he was or not didn't matter, what mattered was that he hadn't done his work. So here he was, grooming the horses in the stables and trying desperately not to fall asleep standing up.

"Are you stableboy as well as armor-polisher?" A voice had asked him, and Leo turned around to discover that the warrior Usagi was directly behind him.

"Sometimes," he answered, "Have you come for a horse, warrior?"

"Yes," Usagi said, picking up a brush and-to Leo's surprise-joining him in grooming the horse, "This is my loyal stead. I have been keeping her here ever since I was called to the palace. It is good to know that she is well taken care of in these stables."

"She is a good horse," Leo commented, letting Usagi take over grooming. He learned a long time ago that it was always best to let the owner take care of their own horse when you were in the same stable with them.

"I must admit that I admire your technique," Usagi said, "Her coat has rarely looked this good in all the years I have owned her. Please, show me how you groom her."

It wasn't an order. Usagi was asking him to show him something, and he genuinely wanted to hear the answer.

"Certainly, warrior." Leo responded, "Let me show you on another horse."

He chose a horse that had yet to be groomed and quickly got to work. Usagi turned out to be a fast learner, following his movements and observing how he worked. When he turned back to his own horse and finished grooming her, Leo noticed immediately that he was using the same motions that he had just taught him.

"This is an excellent method," Usagi commented, "It provides a thorough grooming in half the time. Did you come up with this technique yourself?"

"Mostly," Leo admitted, "I watched the master groomsmen and learned from them."

"My friend, you would make an excellent warrior." Usagi said, "You have a talent which many warriors take years to master."

"And what talent is that?" Leo asked, secretly pleased to be called 'friend'.

"You are quick to take note of the actions of others," Usagi said, "I suppose that is why Steward Osaki takes such an interest in you. Perhaps he will one day promote you, and you may well become a Samauri yourself one day."

"You are mistaken, Warrior Usagi." Leo said, "He is not interested in promoting me above my station. Besides," he said wryly, "The Steward is ninja, as am I."

"I do not understand how you can be so honorable, yet so set on the ways of the ninja." Usagi shook his head good-naturedly, "They are traitors and spies."

But then Usagi smiled, and Leo knew that he had found a friend.

"I must ask you to excuse me, Warrior." Leo said, bringing himself back to the present, "I must hurry and continue with the horses, and then I must go on to the rest of my duties."

"Surely you will rest first," Usagi said, "My friend, I can tell that you are tired."

"Please," Leo said, waving away his concerns, "I would feel better once my duties are complete."

Which wouldn't be until very late that night, but Leo wasn't going to tell that to Usagi.

"Very well," Usagi said, standing up and bowing-actually bowing!-to Leonardo, "It was very nice meeting you. It is not often that my horse has such a good groomsman."

"Thank you," Leo bowed back, "But her healthy condition is largely to be blamed on her owner."

"I thank you," Usagi responded, "But her present coat-"

"Usagi! Yo, Usagi! Are ya there?" Called out a voice, interrupting them, and soon the owner of that voice burst into the stables, "Whew! What's with all these flies? Usagi, I need ta speak with you!"

Leonardo and Usagi both stood at attention as Raphael ran up to them. What was happening? Leo hadn't seen or been near his brothers while they were awake in years, and now in the space of a few days he was running into them everywhere he went!

"What is your command, High Prince?" Usagi asked, bowing.

"Don't leave the palace just yet, Usagi." Raphael said, "We've got a problem."

"If you will excuse me," Leonardo spoke up. Much as he hated leaving, he realized that whatever Raph had run in there for was for Usagi's ears only.

"No no, stay," Raph ordered, "You're the servant who found out about the window, right? And the stuff in the basement. So you can hear this too."

"You are the one who alerted the Guards?" Usagi asked, looking at Leo with something that was suspiciously like admiration.

"Listen," Raph said, "Donnie and Mikey-well, they've been looking all over the house for hidden passages and stuff. They've been at it since yesterday. Anyway, today they found something in Mikey's room."

"What?" Usagi asked, "What did they find?"

"A passageway," Raph said, "And you have got to see where it leads."

"Well friend," Usagi said, turning to Leonardo, "Your chores will have to wait. The safety of the Princes is at stake."

"I'm afraid I must disagree," Leo said, "Your hands are capable, Warrior, and I must finish my work."

"Don't," Raph said, "Look kid, this is important."

Kid? Did his little brother just call him kid?

"It's about Mikey," Raph said, sounding worried, "And I don't trust the guards to know about this. That's why I came to Usagi. And the only reason I let you listen in was because I want you to come too."

"Alright," Leo said, since it was all but impossible for him to get out of this if Raph really and truly wanted him to come, "But Oroku Saki can't know that I was ever there with you."

"Why not?" Usagi asked.

"Please humor me," Leo said.

"Fine," Raph said, "Let's just hurry already!"

The three of them quickly left the stables, and Leo hoped against hope that no one saw him leave. Raph led the way around the castle until he was standing directly under Mikey's window, and then he jumped up and began climbing the vines.

"Are you slowpokes coming or what?" He asked, already halfway to the window.

"This is the method of entry which the intruder used," Usagi said as climbed, "I must remember to destroy it and all other such easy entrances into the castle."

Leonardo was a little slower to follow them, since he hadn't eaten much that day and didn't have as much energy. At last he climbed into the room.