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CHAPTER NINE

By the time everything had been talked over and everyone was on the same page, it was already late into the night. Leo had to leave the group to complete all the evening duties which he let pile up, including his nightly job of polishing Saki's armor.

"If I'm not back by midnight," he told his brothers and Usagi, "Go to the guardhouse without me. You can fill me in on all the details later."

It seemed to take him longer to get everything done, and Saki was especially concerned about the quality of his armor that night, so by the time Leo finally got to the old guardhouse it was long after midnight.

"About time you showed up," Raph mumbled as he walked inside.

"I was just telling their Highnesses and the Warrior Usagi the tales from the village." April said as Leo sat down.

"Yeah!" Mikey said, and then because he spotted a look on Leo's face he added, "She didn't know we were princes until Usagi told her."

"Seriously though, knowing that, it all makes sense." April said, "I mean, I did think that His Highness Raphael was a little too clean today. And look!" She showed Leo something small and golden that was in her hand, "High Highness Donatello brought me a coin from the Treasure Room. This will really help my family."

Donnie blushed, but didn't say anything.

"April has agreed to help us join us in our quest to discover what happened to the King." Usagi explained.

"Think about it," April said, "If the Treasure Room is real, then so are the stories about what happened to the King. And since you three are the King's Sons, you deserve to know what happened."

"So, what happened?" Donnie asked.

"Well, I already told you about the rivalry, right?" April said.

"Right!" Raph said, "You said that Dad and Saki were rivals."

"That's the rumor," April nodded, "Anyway, the story in the village is that the King loved his brother, but for some reason he didn't trust him. When he received that distress signal from the Daimyo, he knew that he'd have to leave the Palace. But he didn't like leaving all his stuff behind, because he knew that Saki would try to take the throne. So the King hid his most prized possessions."

"I'll bet that the villagers know about this because he hired some of them to help move his treasure, instead of relying on the palace servants." Donnie added.

"Makes sense," Usagi commented, "The Steward likely had his own spies among the servants."

"So why didn't the King take his treasures with him on his journey?" Mikey asked.

"Like I told our Friend here in the passageway," April gestured to Leo, "The story is that the King knew he was going to be attacked."

"How would he know that?" asked Donnie.

"And if he knew that was gonna happen, how come he left us with Saki?" Raph asked.

"Alright, so I've got to warn you," April said, "These are just the stories. Village rumors. They may or may not be true."

"Sure looks like they're all true." Raph grumbled.

"It all has to do with a clan called the Foot and their leader, called the Shredder." April said.

They all looked at her.

"What?" Leo asked, worried.

"That is the same clan as the ninja in young Michelangelo's room," Usagi frowned, "They are not a worthy clan."

"Did you say the Shredder?" Leo asked.

"Yeah," April said, "The Foot clan has been terrorizing the country for years, much longer than I can remember. They just don't come near the palace, so I've never worried about them. Anyway, word came to the King that the Shredder was going to attack him on the road. That's why he didn't bring any of you Princes on the journey with him. And that's why he hid his treasures-it was in case he didn't make it back."

"So," Raph said, "All we need to do is find the Shredder, and ask what he did ta our dad!"

"Raph," Donnie said, "We don't know if it was actually him. Those are the village rumors; it could have been normal bandits, like we thought this whole time."

"It wasn't." Leo said.

Everyone turned to him.

"What?" April asked.

"I've been polishing Saki's armor every night," Leo explained, "And the first thing he told me was that whenever he was wearing it, he was to be addressed as Master Shredder."

"No way," Donnie said.

"What did the armor look like?" April said quickly, "Does it have a gauntlet on the left hand?"

"Yes it does," Usagi interjected, even as Leo nodded, "I once caught a glimpse of it in his private room."

"Oh my gosh," April said, "That-that is the symbol of the Shredder!"

Raph stood up. "Are you kidding me?!" He shouted.

"Wait," Mikey said, "How can our Uncle be the leader of the Foot? Isn't he from the Hamato clan, like us?"

"That doesn't matter," Raph said, "What matters is that the head o' this Kingdom is the leader o' the Foot! And he offed our Dad!"

"You don't actually know that," Leo said, "He may still be alive somewhere."

"Anyway, Lord Saki is not the head of this Kingdom." April said, looking at Raph, "You are."

"The maiden is right," Usagi said, "By all laws you are the heir to the throne, High Prince."

"So, all we need to do is ask our Uncle to step down." Mikey said, "After all, he's only supposed to be Steward until Raph is old enough to be King, right? So all we need to do is tell everyone that Raph's old enough."

"That's not so easy, Mikey." Donnie said, "Do you think Saki will just hand over the Kingdom to Raph? Especially after what he did to our Dad, his own brother, to get it?"

"And what he did ta Leo." Raph said. This time, none of his brothers argued with him. It seemed a lot more possible now that Saki would have gotten rid of the oldest Prince.

"So, what do we do?" Mikey asked.

"The Townsfolk are behind you, Raph. Well, most of them anyway." April said.

"But that is not going to put you on the throne." Usagi said, "Your uncle has an army, and we must presume that he will be able to call to arms everyone in the Kingdom."

"Then we must find another army, a bigger one." Leo said, "Usagi, what do you think about asking the Daimyo for help?"

"The Daimyo?" Donnie asked, "Wouldn't he side with our uncle?"

"Perhaps he would," Usagi said, "If he recognizes your uncle as the leader of this Kingdom. However, if we can convince him that your uncle is in fact the Shredder, his aid would be invaluable."

"So it's settled then," Donnie said, "We'll go to the Daimyo."

"So, we send him a letter explainin' everything?" Raph asked.

"No," Usagi said, "A letter from you to the Daimyo will certainly be read by your uncle. I must go and deliver the message myself."

"Wait, what?" Mikey asked, "That's like, a billion miles away or something!"

"Why you?" Donnie asked, "We could always send another messenger-"

"You do not understand," Usagi shook his head, "The message cannot be written, or Lord Saki will find a way to read it. The messenger must be one of our number. Due to my rank I can gain an audience with the Daimyo, so I must be the one to leave."

"But how will he believe you?" April asked, "You just said that you can't give him a written letter."

"You could use the Seal." Leo suggested.

"Good idea, I forgot about the Seal. Let's do that." Raph said.

"The seal?" Donnie asked.

"What seal?" Mikey said.

"The Seal is a token," Usagi explained, "It is something for the King to send to another King or Daimyo for aid, instead of using a letter. It is said that the Seal is usually hand-delivered by a messenger."

"Basically, it's a distress signal in disguise." Raph added.

"It should be enough proof for the Daimyo." Usagi said, "It is only used in times of great distress."

"April, can ya show me the way to the Library using the passage?" Raph asked, "It'll be a faster way ta get to the Seal."

"Sure thing, Highness." April said, getting up.

She walked up to the back wall of the guardhouse and pushed on one of the old lantern holders that was still bolted to the wall. Instantly a portion of the stone wall swung inwards, and there was the passageway.

"Let's go!" April said, taking a candle from Usagi, who had anticipated that she would need one.

"But what if Saki realizes that the Seal thingy is gone?" Mikey asked.

"He doesn't know what it is." Leo responded, just as the passageway door closed behind Raph and April.

"Wait, he doesn't know?" Donnie asked.

"Certainly not." Usagi said, "If everyone knew what it was, the token could be copied. It must be something recognizable to other leaders, but it must also be able to get through enemy lines in case the messenger is detained and his belongings stolen."

"Makes sense," Donnie said, "So, why does Raph have a different seal than Saki?"

"Lord Saki has no seal," Usagi said, "At least, not this kind of seal. Your uncle is a Steward, but the Seal is only used by the King, and only in extreme circumstances. And in any event, it is highly unlikely that Lord Saki would ever find the need to use it."

"But how does Raph know what the Seal is, when Uncle Saki doesn't?" Mikey frowned, "I mean, we were really little when Dad disappeared, and Leo was only four when-"

"Ask Raph yourself, Mikey." Donnie quickly interrupted, "Maybe it was hidden somewhere that only the High Prince sees."

"Perhaps." Usagi said. He looked over at Leo curiously, "I wonder, Friend. How is it that a servant such as yourself knows about the Seal?"

"Oh. Uh, I hear about a lot of things." Leo said, "Most people forget I'm in the room when I'm working."

"Hm." Usagi looked thoughtful.

The four remaining occupants of the room then fell silent, and waited. At last the hidden passageway door opened, and out stepped Raph and April.

"Got it!" Raph said, a giant grin on his face.

"What is it? Where is it?" Mikey asked, stepping practically in Raph's face to see what new thing he brought with him. Donnie was also looking more than a little curious.

"This!" Raph said, drawing a sword from its scabbard. A sword that Mikey and Don didn't realize he was even wearing.

It was just as bright and polished as the last time Leo had seen it, so very long ago.

"It's a sword?" Mikey asked, frowning at it.

"Yup!" Raph said, and he held it out to Usagi, who immediately took it. "A good warrior is always holding onto his sword, right? So no matter what happens, the warrior carrying this Seal won't lose it."

"I certainly won't," Usagi said, eyeing the sword as if it were made of solid gold, "This is quite a marvel, Highness."

"Look at the craftsmanship on that thing!" Donnie said, eyes wide, "This must be over a hundred years old."

"And look!" Mikey said, "It's got the turtle symbol on the blade!"

"Right!" Raph said, "See, that's the important part. That's how the Daimyo will know it's the real deal. That, and the words on the other side."

Usagi turned over the sword, and on the other side of the blade was an inscription in another language.

"What does it say, Prince Donnie?" April asked, looking at Donatello expectantly.

"Oh! Um, I uh...I don't know every language, April," Donnie said nervously, "Um, let's see here..."

"It asks fer help," Raph said, "And it says that if whoever gets the sword doesn't give any, he's gonna be cursed and lose his crown."

Everyone in the room looked at him like he had two heads.

"What?" Raph asked, "I didn't make it up. That's what it says."

"How do you know that?" April asked.

"Leo told me, a long time ago." Raph said, "He probably heard it from Dad. See, Leo was always doing stuff like that-talking his head off about whatever Dad told him."

Standing behind Usagi, Leo smirked.

"But how would you remember that?" Donnie asked, "You were only three years old!"

"Come on, Don, think about it." Raph said, "This thing is the Seal. It's supposed ta be this big secret thing, something only the Kings are supposed ta know. Leo made me swear not to tell anyone that this was it, unless there was an emergency. 'Sides, I've always had a good memory."

"That's a really good memory." Donnie mumbled.

"So," April said, "That's all we need to convince the Daimyo, right?"

"Correct," Usagi said, taking one of his own swords out of its scabbard and sheathing the Seal in its place, "I will leave first thing in the morning."

"But how are you going to leave?" Leo asked, taking Usagi's now scabbard-less sword from him in an act that might be called a servant reflex, "Won't the Steward get suspicious?"

"Do not worry, my Friend." Usagi said, "I will tell him that I am on an errand which involves uncovering the Foot clan, the same clan whose members have been sneaking into Prince Michelangelo's room. And that is the truth, is it not?"

"Yeah," Raph nodded.

"But if you leave," April said, "Who will watch over the safety of the Princes?"

"That is a good question." Usagi said, looking everyone in the eye, "The soldiers cannot be trusted to hold your best intentions over those of your uncle. I would advise you not to do anything to provoke the Steward while I am gone."

"But what if Saki finds out that you went to the Daimyo?" Donnie asked, "What do we do then?"

"In that event," Usagi said, "You must deny any involvement in my actions. It is imperative that you stay in your uncle's good graces while I get help."

"But," Mikey said, "What happens if-"

"Prince Michelangelo," Usagi said, placing a hand on the young Prince's shoulder, "I promise you that I will be back within this castle long before the army I bring reaches the borders of your land. I will make sure that you and your brothers are brought to safety, my young Lord."

And Mikey nodded.


Early the next morning, Leo was already at work in the stables when Usagi came in.

"You are an early riser, I see." Usagi noted with a smile, "I did not ask you to saddle my horse, good Friend."

"Good luck on your journey, Warrior Usagi." Leo responded.

With a nod, Usagi mounted his stead. The scabbard that held the Seal seemed just a little brighter than the one that did not.

"I have noticed that you are often overworked." Usagi said.

Leo stopped shoveling manure. "It is nothing I can't handle," he said quickly, before returning to his work.

"Be that as it may," Usagi said, "I would like to ask of you an additional favor."

"Anything." Leo said, turning to face Usagi.

"Are we alone?"

"Yes." Leo said, "No one else comes out here until after daybreak."

"Then I will dare to speak freely." Usagi said, "Watch over the Princes. If their uncle even so much as considers them a threat to himself, they are as good as dead. If you learn that they are in danger, I ask that you take them out of the palace and bring them to the Daimyo's realm. They will be safe there."

"You don't even have to ask." Leo said, "I will protect them with my life."

"Good." Usagi concluded, "Now, I must depart. Thank you, my Friend."

Leo opened the stable doors, and within seconds Usagi and his horse disappeared into the morning darkness.