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After an uncomfortably silent ten minute wait, Damien arrived.

"Hey, what's going on? Some of the guys said you two had to be escorted out of the ball-room. You okay?"

Fai nodded, and when that was the only response, Damien looked at Sylvia who answered for them.

"They know."

"Oh."

"Why," Mangetsu exclaimed, "is that everyone's response to that bit of information? Did you people think we weren't smart enough to absorb it or something?"

"Noo…" He replied, not quite sure what to say.

"How could you know and not say anything?"

"I didn't mean to, it's just…What could I have done? I'm a soldier, I don't have any influence! Besides, he only wants your power, he's not gonna kill you or anything."

Mangetsu's lip drew back in a snarl.

"First off, I'd rather die than lose my power, but I'm not even gonna argue my case, 'cause I know you don't like me. But you like Fai, I can see it. Ashura doesn't just want my power anymore, he wants Fai's too!"

Damien's brow knitted.

"But that's not what he told me-"

"Yeah, it's not what he told us either, deal with it. That's not even the worst part; wanna hear what he's planning on doing with Fai when this is all over?"

"What?"

"Sell him. One of his Lords actually made him an offer of fifteen-thousand silver pieces right in front of us to keep him as a… as a mistress, really."

Damien's jaw tightened.

"Little… prick!"

"Exactly."

Damien worked his jaw out of its clench.

"So we have to get you out of here."

"Yeah, I was thinking tonight."

"Tonight? I don't know…"

"It has to be, I explained it all to Fai, even he agrees."

Damien looked at Fai expectantly.

"I-I…umm…"

His expression softened.

"Fai, if you want to, I can. I can try anyway. But if you want to, I will."

Numb, Fai nodded.

"Yeah… I think that would be best…"

"Okay, wait here," Damien turned to Fai, "I'm gonna send one of the smaller guards to bring you one of his uniforms so you don't stand out so much."

He smirked at Fai's formal attire.

"'Government's not exactly popular with the general public. You can get away with a guard's uniform though 'cause of the draft. Everyone knows someone in the army so no one really gives soldiers a hard time or makes assumptions. You," He pointed at Mangetsu, "Are going to borrow a uniform from Chloe. She's the only female soldier I know. She's on duty right now, but she told me she'd leave one in her pack. We'll grab that last."

Then he turned and left, leaving them to pace.

Fai buckled the front of his guard uniform. It was a little big, but that was to be expected; he was pounds under weight despite his constant consumption of sweets. He had bigger things to worry about though, like: What were they going to do once they left?

He could cook, Mangetsu could fight but… he didn't want to think about it. What was more troublesome was what could happen to Mangetsu. He hadn't worried in the palace because they'd been under such heavy guard, but what could happen out in the world with his curse? He didn't want to hurt her and he was sure he would. If she died, no matter what, it would be is fault.

And the journey; what would happen when he had to leave? Would she come or stay? Or would it be so far in the future that they didn't even know each other anymore?

He worried about his brother as well; what would happen if he left? Would Ashura remove the seal? Definitely, what reason did he have not to? But maybe he could find a way to use Chii to make it impossible-

"Hey," Damien pushed through the doorway, "You ready?"

"Yeah," Mangetsu took over and grabbed Fai by the arm. "Let's go."

Sylvia gave a silent nod of acknowledgment, but Mangetsu ignored her, stalking out the door. Damien put a hand on both of their shoulders before walking them down the stairs.

"We have to get outside through the back corridors to keep anyone from seeing us. It's actually only a few minutes walk."

"Great," Mangetsu pulled away, grabbing Fai's arm and taking the lead as he turned towards Damien who was trying to calm her down.

"Hold on a minute, will you? Here," He handed Fai his coat, he hadn't noticed him carrying it. "It's four below. She'll be fine, but you'll freeze. Take this too,"

He handed him his staff and Mangetsu took it instead, absorbing it they same way she did with her swords.

"I'll get it to you if you need it. I'll show you how to do it when we have time."

They turned a corner and Fai tossed an inadvertent worried glance over his shoulder at Damien.

"Hey," Damien reassured him, "You'll be fine."

He wanted to say that he wasn't worried about himself. That he couldn't care less about himself and it was Mangetsu he was worried about. But that would've required explanations, something he wasn't prepared to give. Instead, he settled for a quick nod and not bursting into tears.

They left the palace through a small servant's entrance and Mangetsu froze, staring at the sky.

"Whoa."

Fai couldn't help but smile. He could see every star in the sky reflected in her wide eyes. Damien was not as touched.

"Uh-huh, great; let me know when you develop an attention span."

"Piss off…" She whispered half-heartedly. Even when they continued moving, she continued to glance up at the sky, like she thought it might disappear.

They were headed towards a cluster of sprawling stone buildings a hundred yards away. There wasn't any snow falling, but the wind was so fierce that it was whipping it up off of the ground and making it difficult to walk. Fai was knocked forward at one point by a particularly strong gust and would have fallen on his face if Damien hadn't reached out and caught him.

"Careful," his eyes widened as he set Fai on his feet. "Shit, you're eighty pounds soaking wet! Don't you eat?"

They reached the first building and stepped inside. It wasn't much warmer, the only heat coming from the buzz of many bodies inhabiting one space.

There were cots lined up on the floor in a grid of at least two hundred, with a similar number of men, and a few women, milling around, chatting, eating and cleaning weapons around them.

Damien turned and spoke.

"Stay put, I have to get it from her pack."

They watched as he crossed the room, nodding acknowledgments before disappearing from sight.

Fai shuddered. For some reason, up until now he'd been able to control himself but now that he wasn't moving and thinking or otherwise occupied, Fai was beginning to panic. His stomach turned and he felt himself shudder again. His mind felt… fuzzy…

Suddenly, Mangetsu's face was level with his and her hands were on his shoulders. Her lips were moving but he didn't hear anything.

"Wha-?"

"ARE YOU O-KAY? You look like you're gonna puke."

From force of habit, Fai felt a smile drift onto his face. Mangetsu promptly smacked it off, and he saw that her eyes had grown darker again. Why did that keep happening...?

"Don't lie to me, you're not good at it. Tell. Me. What. Is. wrong."

Omg They're out! I've been writing a lot and I'm really far ahead of this chapter. I can't wait to edit and post them^^ Remember to review and check out my dA account if you haven't already (Kami, could I mention that anymore?)

ありがとう

ShingetsuXMangetsu