Here you are! Almost thought I wouldn't be able to get this out to you today. Whew!
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Three days without food and water can seem like a millennium, even more so when the only person you have for company is your crazy uncle. But Leo plugged through, knowing that it would all be worth it if he could get back to his brothers safely-and if he could uncover anything in the meantime about his uncle that might put those brothers in danger.
The first day-or was it the first morning?-Leo had already spent the whole night awake polishing Saki's armor. He wasn't surprised when the news arrived at dawn that the Purple Dragons had attacked. Saki came in and out of the room all day, chaining Leo to the chair whenever he left, and Leo spent the time trying to figure out what Saki's plan was. Why was he uncle hiding his alliance with the Purple Dragons? And why hadn't he revealed his Foot army to the Palace?
That first night, as Leo was once more polishing Saki's armor, one of the Soldiers asked for entrance into Saki's antechamber. This was the small room where Leo was being held prisoner, and which led into the much larger room that was Saki's bedroom. The request from a soldier to enter Saki's antechamber was something that only occurred in extreme emergencies, so Leo was a little surprised that his uncle allowed it.
"Steward Saki," the soldier bowed, "I bring news of great turmoil within the Palace."
"What kind of turmoil?" Saki asked.
"Internal disputes." The guard said, "The Kitchen is in an uproar. Apparently a servant of theirs disappeared during the chaos of the war preparations, and now no one can find him."
"That is hardly my concern." Saki scowled.
"It is not the only case," the soldier said quickly, "The groomsmen at the stables reported a servant missing as well. So did the maids, the gardeners, the Candlemaster-practically everyone in the Castle is reporting a missing servant."
"They can't have gone far, not with the Purple Dragons surrounding the palace walls." Saki said, "Why are you bothering me with this information?"
"Well, you see," the soldier said, "There's a problem. No one knows any of the servant's names. It's as if they never existed."
"What?" Saki said.
"All we know is that they're all around the age of this boy over here," the soldier gestured to Leo.
"I see," Saki said, looking at Leo, "Well then. I want you and the other soldiers to quell these internal disputes as quickly and efficiently as possible. I don't want to have to enter a battle with a divided Castle behind me. Now, leave!"
"But my Lord," the soldier said, "What about the work these servants left behind?"
"Have everyone else divide the work among themselves." Saki said, "I have no time for non-existent servants. And next time, do not question me. Dismissed!"
The second day, Leo was starting to wonder whether Saki's punishment had been merciful or extremely cruel. He was used to being hungry, so that didn't bother him too much, but there is only so long that one can go without water, especially when that person was always polishing armor or stoking the fire.
On that day the war seemed to be going badly, at least in the morning. Saki was gone all day, but Leo didn't need to see his uncle to know what was happening. The servants and soldiers running down the halls outside Saki's antechamber were enough to tell Leo what he wanted to know. Then, at around noon something happened and the tide turned. The servants in the castle were decidedly happier, and Leo knew that whatever happened was important when his uncle returned that night. Saki, dressed as the Shredder, was mad. And he was not just mad, he was enraged.
That was when Leo knew that his brothers, and possibly Casey and April, had been behind whatever had happened. He just hoped that his uncle wouldn't figure that out.
By the third day, Leo was losing energy. He was definitely slower when it came to polishing. Thankfully, Saki was too angry to notice.
"They should have told me this days ago," his uncle was saying to the Captain of the Guard, "And the only reason I find out is because of yesterday's defeat? This is unacceptable!"
"With all due respect, Master Saki." the Captain of the Guard bowed, "They can't have gone far, not in their condition. And-"
"Their condition?" Saki interrupted, "Their health was anything but poor. Do not take me for a fool. They could not have escaped and avoided recapture for so long without being physically capable. No, we must prepare for the worst now."
"And the Purple Dragons?" The Captain prompted.
"Tell Hun to keep up the search." Saki said, "We will deal with their incompetence later. For now, I fear we need their alliance to handle what will soon be coming."
"But Master, surely we can quench this before it even begins?" The Captain asked, "He is older now, and likely unrecognizable."
"It is not so easy." Saki said, "Come, let us speak further in private."
The two of them left the antechamber and headed down the hallway, leaving Leo alone and unchained for once. Still, he knew better than to leave the room while his uncle was angry, so he continued working. Just as he was almost finished with the final piece of armor, the door opened.
"Uncle Saki? Sorry to bother you, but I had a new idea about the Castle defenses I'd like you to try-"
Leo quickly stood up, surprised, at an equally surprised-looking Donnie.
"Saki's not here right now," Leo said, "He left to speak with the Captain of the Guard."
"You," Donnie said, closing the door behind him, "What-what's going on here?"
"What do you mean?" Leo asked.
"We thought you'd left, or been kidnapped or something." Donnie said, "Raph thinks you ran away because you were mad at him, and Mikey's been pretty upset. And then there's all those other servants we hear about who disappeared-"
Leo smiled. "Don't worry, I've been here the whole time." He said, "Saki's orders."
"Why?" Donnie asked.
"Um, it's complicated." Leo said, "But listen, you really shouldn't be here. Not when I'm here, anyway. It'll get us both into trouble."
"How so?" Donnie asked.
"Just trust me," Leo said, "Listen, I should be back out in the Castle tonight or tomorrow. I'll meet up with you guys then, alright?"
"Alright," Donnie said, taking a step towards the closed door.
But then he stopped, and started walking towards Leo instead.
"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, "You don't look too good. Have you been getting enough to eat?"
"Donnie," Leo said, "I'm fine. Now get out of here, quickly! If Saki comes back-"
Suddenly he heard it.
Footsteps.
"Oh no," Leo said.
"What?"
"He's back." Leo said, "Quick, hide!"
"Hide? Hide where?" Donnie asked, confused.
"I don't know, anywhere! Just hide!"
The door burst open, and even though he was surprised Donnie managed to step behind a window curtain just in time.
"Maggot!" Saki said, walking alone into the room, "Are you finished polishing my armor?"
"Yes Lord Saki," Leo said, giving the piece he was polishing one last swipe of the cloth, "This is the last piece."
"Good," Saki said, examining the work, "I was beginning to think of letting you go another day without food or water. Have you learned your lesson sufficiently, filthy one?"
"Yes my Lord," Leo answered.
"Very well." Saki said, "As I have no further need for you today, you may leave. Once you have replenished yourself, I expect you to return to your duties around the Palace. I have grown weary of all the servants in the Castle complaining because you aren't there to fulfill your obligations."
Leo bowed.
"Now leave!" Saki said, striding through the antechamber to his bedroom, "I have too much work to do to be bothered by you any longer."
Leo bowed again, and waited until Saki's bedroom door had closed completely. After he was certain that it was shut tight, he sprinted to the window and grabbed Donnie from behind the curtain. Without waiting to see if the movement had attracted any attention from his uncle, Leo fled with his brother out the antechamber door into the corridor.
The two of them raced down the hallway, up flights of steps and across multiple landings, not daring to stop long enough to see if they were even being followed. At last Leo yanked Donnie into a never-used bedroom, locking the door behind them.
It took a moment for the both of them to catch their breath.
"What-" Donnie began, looking at Leo with fear in his eyes, "What on earth was that? Uncle Saki-I knew he was the Shredder, but...how long have you been going without any food or water? What was he even punishing you for, anyway?"
"Sorry," Leo said, "It's just that-well, he's forbidden me to speak to any of you Princes. He caught me on near Raph's bedroom three days ago, so he must have thought I spoke with you."
"Hang on, let me think." Donnie said, "That's around the time all the servants started disappearing, right? So when he did that, no one noticed you were gone."
"That's not exactly it, Don." Leo smiled, "There's only ever been one missing servant. I guess I do a lot around the Castle."
Donnie looked at him thoughtfully.
"Yeah," he said, "Yeah, I guess you do. I've never noticed that before."
Suddenly Leo realized his mistake. He was revealing too much, and all at once. Donnie was pretty smart, he might even put all the clues together and realize that Leo was his brother.
But if he realized that, it would make Donnie a much bigger target for Saki.
"Oh," Donnie said sadly, looking around, "Huh."
"What? What is it?" Leo asked.
"Nothing," Donnie said a little too quickly, "It's just-I don't think I've been in here since I was a kid."
And now Leo realized his second mistake. He had just handed Donnie a clue. After all, what were the odds that after their frantic race through the Palace they would end up in the High Prince Leonardo's old bedroom?
