The Prince and the Palace
21st July 2008
Series: The Seer
Summary: First chapter to the Africa arc; I'm sure you'll find parts of it familiar.
Warnings: Conversations and set up.

"Welcome, Lord Huatah-nou-ki," third prince Amko greeted politely with a deep bow.

Shizuka's left eyebrow gave an involuntary twitch. Beside him Jason flashed him a look and began to grin. Watanuki himself didn't seem fazed, gazing at the handsome prince with politely interested but heavy lidded eyes, ignoring the entourage.

His polite mask.

And Watanuki had dressed the part as well; his shoulder-length hair had been pulled back into a knot at the back of his head with ribbon, ink-black silk robes embroidered with silver clouds, layered underneath by under-robes of blue and pale shimmering silver. An Obi of sky blue and a final silver cord completed the attire, matching blue and black embroidered shoes on his dainty feet.

The only thing out of place with the Japanese robes were the little round spectacles perched on his nose. And in minor contrast to the semi-formal attire, he had his twin wakizashi strapped at his lower back with the silver cord, tucked into their 'formal' sheaths. The weapons, he would not change, the scabbard was all he replaced to suit his clothing.

Shizuka eyed the swords now, watched their faint glow. Watanuki had shown him that the swords, superbly crafted and magically infused, were charmed for protection of its owner –the weapons themselves formed two points of a three-point ward. Watanuki had yet to explain the third point.

He had almost growled about Watanuki not wearing his weapons the day of the shipwreck haul, but held his tongue. And again today, never mind this business which his master ran, travelling to the ends of the earth to exotic places with warding weapons, to investigate the supernatural… reeked of trouble.

This was likely part of the 'Quest' the Council in Japan had warned him about.

Now, he watched third son and Prince, Amko of the royal house of Wotangu smile intently at his master.

The Prince held jurisdiction over all court and palace personnel as well as the palace supplies and upkeep. He enjoyed a high rank along with his siblings in court, and he was not to be toyed with… according to Watanuki.

Shizuka wondered what his master meant by the choice of words but felt he would probably soon find out.

Amko himself stood tall, broad in shoulder and chest but slender of frame. He had impossibly dark skin the shade of coffee, shadowed in places around his thick corded muscles happily semi-displayed above his patterned wrap and robes. He wore a single large necklace, the symbol of his birth and right. There looped intricately carved gold bands on his upper arms and around his wrists he wore a multitude of little gold bangles. His head had been shaved bare save for a single whip of long, feather-decked braid down the left side of his face.

He appeared handsome enough by comparison to his people, which Shizuka had never seen before. The pronounced facial features of large noses and thick lips held no appeal for him.

"It is a pleasure to be here, honoured Prince Amko." Watanuki sank into an even deeper more graceful bow and stayed bowed a moment longer than the prince had. Jason followed suit, Shizuka echoed his master's example.

"We have been awaiting your visit these recent weeks," Amko said, striding closer and making more than just his own body guards nervous. He smiled warmly, "After all our correspondence, it is most wonderful to finally meet you." Standing before Watanuki, tall and tanned and—

Shizuka growled and tensed when the prince reached to touch his master.

The royal's hand froze in mid-air as he clearly recognised impending danger… as clearly as his own guards recognised the threat, tensing, hands moving toward their weapons. Amko's dark eyes slid sidelong to Shizuka and his other hand rose to gesture his men to stand down.

"I believe we are making everyone nervous, honoured prince," Watanuki said softly. He smiled, pulling Amko's gaze back to his own. "Perhaps we should behave in a more… courtly manner?"

"Nonsense," Amko dismissed with a wave but stepping back a half pace, giving the English lord a warm look. "We should behave however we like since we are… friends."

Shizuka disliked the way Amko said that word, with a presumption in his tone and arrogance in his voice the monk did not appreciate.

"Of course, we are friends," Watanuki gave a small half bow, "But I understand my place and I am here at your service. Perhaps it is best this way."

Amko did not look like he agreed. "Your English title alone puts you at my own level, my lord. And I would not like to speak to an equal in so formal a manner."

"Kindly indulge me," Watanuki requested. Shizuka did not miss the way his master's temple throbbed, the little give-away of his irritation placating the monk. Disappointed but too well mannered to protest further, Prince Amko nodded and stepped back. "Allow me to present my cousin, Jason Astor."

"My lord," Jason intoned, giving a half-bow.

"Of course, my crewmen and guards," Watanuki added quietly, gesturing to each in turn, "Doumeki and Sorata, will remain with me at all times."

Prince Amko paused and nodded, flicking a hand at his men. His entourage of guards formed two neat rows on either side of the Royal docks and one of the most distinguished of them, half of the pair who guarded the Prince personally, bowed and gestured the way.

Amko stepped to walk by Watanuki's right and his own guard stood to his other side, a little behind him. Shizuka stood to Watanuki's left also slightly behind, and as they passed, the guard who had gestured took up the rear beside Sorata. In the corner of his eye, Shizuka watched Sorata tuck his arms behind his head and give the guard a big smile. The poor man remained impervious though his eyes flashed with confusion.

It also did not escape Doumeki's notice that Watanuki had specifically pointed out his guards not as an introduction –that would have been a little rude—but in tacit request that they be given special courtesy.

It was a mention of their personal importance to Watanuki.

As the party moved through the palace dock fences onto royal estate grounds, Shizuka noticed that one of Watanuki's hands had fallen to his side. It caught his attention by sheer fact that it was not a normal pose for his master, who often folded his hands or tucked them into his sleeves if he wasn't gesticulating with them. When the fingers moved, gesturing to the left, Shizuka slid his eyes to follow.

There stood a single woman in the gardens, shaded by a tree, beyond the walls made by the row of guards. Well dressed, poised elegantly and on royal ground, she was obviously no commoner, and behind her stood a guard.

And she had caught Watanuki's attention.

Using his soul connection to Watanuki, he pushed an emotion of understanding into his Master. Sure enough, Watanuki tensed very slightly in reaction to the foreign emotion but he soon relaxed and his hand lifted to tuck into his sleeve once more.

Observing carefully, Shizuka noticed the 'palace' was quite simply built, a large and single-level building of wood and other such natural materials. Stone had been used in it's foundation, visible at the base of the construction, and a kind of clay had been used to wall the exterior. Approaching, they were ushered up some side steps and onto wooden floors and here Shizuka saw the interior was richly decorated.

Artful arrangements of furs and feathers, wood sculptures and brightly coloured beads decorated the halls and hall tables. The interior walling, in sharp contrast to the dark colours on the outside of the building, had been coloured before being applied. They bore beautiful earth tone shades of ochre and reds. Mural like paintings had been applied directly to the wall making the structure itself an irreplaceable masterpiece, the figures at hunt or at worship, all telling a story.

They were ushered into a little sitting room, embroidered rugs covered the floor and sitting cushions had been set around in a large semi-circle. Amko gestured and he and Watanuki sat down together as a symbol of their equal status.

Shizuka followed the Prince's guards and remained standing, moving to a wall where he felt he could best watch the proceedings yet remain close enough should he need to act. Sorata did neither and instead sat behind and to the left of Watanuki, out of the way but close at hand.

While Amko and Watanuki exchanged pleasantries, servants bustling in and out with refreshments, Shizuka took stock. Toward the front of the room by each portal, three in total, there stood a pair of guards –six guards. By the archway leading further into the palace there stood a single, senior servant overseeing the minor servants. The Prince's guards paid this man little attention, watching their master, the surroundings and the servants. He noticed their gazes lingered particularly on one whose motions were stiff and carefully diligent –obviously new. These guards clearly missed little about their surroundings.

Extending his senses, Shizuka reached to the prince's pair of personal guards first and found they had a kind of wild magic about them, a rare and dark feel to it. Their auras were drenched in the stench of blood and the monk found it repulsive that such killers had been 'rewarded' by being selected to guard a Prince.

They belonged on the battlefield or dead. Shizuka understood the necessity of war but he had no tolerance for people who cared little for the gift of Life. Sensing Watanuki suddenly tense, Shizuka returned his attention to the conversation;

"—minor losses are common enough, nobles and visitors often like to take a souvenir of their visit here, but we have not had any visitors when any of the items went missing," Amko was saying. "Servants are easy enough to track and usually do not take anything, given our laws for stealing from the royal family. They have also been ruled out." Amko paused, "We would not normally be so concerned if the missing items had been similar to what has gone missing in the past…"

"But the recent losses?" Watanuki prodded.

"Are of a more… odd nature," Amko returned carefully.

"Define odd, if you please," Watanuki requested.

With a gesture the room guards and the servants disappeared and thick curtains were lowered over the archways. Only the two Lords, their pair each of guards, and the unusually quiet Jason remained.

"Pardon me," Amko smiled warmly, "but I prefer to discuss this in private. Do not be concerned." Watanuki nodded and Shizuka smugly noted that the Lord had not been the least bit bothered; which certainly said something about his trust in his own safety. "The items taken are of a… how to say… powerful nature." Amko hesitated then continued, "They are artefacts which do not need to be guarded because they are considered to bring bad luck if removed from the presence of the royal family or from the estate, and with justifiable reason."

"Therefore you suspect someone in the palace," murmured Watanuki. "But it's not as simple as speaking to the people here, is it?"

"No," Amko agreed, "Because in general, there has been no offence. Especially if the person who takes them is provided for and housed by the palace."

"From your correspondence," Watanuki nodded, "I deduce you summoned me to deal with this because of that precise nature of it. It's not an offence but it worries you."

"Yes." Amko added, "And the element of the items' blessings and powers are of concern to me, as I wrote."

"You believe they could be used to harm people later?"

Amko shook his head, "The fact that no one practicing the arts took these items should be enough to make me complacent that they cannot be used. However, I do not want something to happen before we take action on it. It is possible for the items alone to do things."

"By themselves?" Watanuki prodded, displaying more of his skill at reading between the lines.

Amko gave Watanuki an odd look and asked, "How familiar are you with the magical arts? It is common enough here in Africa but I hear it is rare around the rest of the world."

"You would be surprised how in practice it is beyond your shores, honoured Prince," Watanuki smiled.

"Is that so? And are these arts used in conjunction with weaponry for purposes of combat?"

"Occasionally, yes."

Amko did not seemed pleased by Watanuki's response. His eyes slid over the noble's pair of wakizashi, Sorata and the short sword he wore at his hip, and Jason who was unarmed, before pausing lingeringly on Shizuka and the triad of blades the monk carried. "And your companions?"

"My guards practice their own arts," Watanuki replied. His tone suggested it was none of the Prince's business.

"Then perhaps you practice yourself?" Amko parried cheekily, smiling.

"One of my guards is teaching me, actually," Watanuki replied, smiling back. "I find I rather enjoy it." The little bite of information had the Prince's pair of guards looking over Sorata and Shizuka once again. They paused on Sorata –which made sense of them to assume given the priest remained closer to his master, perhaps appearing to be of a more senior rank. Watanuki then asked, "Do you practice yourself, honoured prince?"

"I do. Magic is considered a warrior's art here for only the strongest of men show any display of it." Amko leaned forward, smiling at Watanuki. "Perhaps while you are here you would indulge me in a friendly match? I would enjoy fighting someone who does not fear hurting me, who practices arts so different from my own."

"I'm afraid I would not provide any challenge at all," came the soft demur. "Perhaps you might like to spar with one of my guards instead?" Watanuki pointedly turned toward Sorata, who bowed in deference. As expected, Amko shook his head,

"I profess I am not so confident as to take on your teacher. Perhaps your other guard?"

"If it pleases," Watanuki replied without indicating whose pleasing it made a difference for, and not correcting the assumption. "But let us return to discussing the missing items."

"Of course." Amko eyed Shizuka briefly before engaging Watanuki once more.

--

"They are hiding something from us," Sorata complained, flopping over on the sitting cushions in the sitting room of their private suite. Shizuka tucked a hand into his gi and went to lean on the wall.

"They did not have to summon external authority to deal with such matters," Watanuki agreed, gracefully sinking down into a formal kneel. Jason tossed himself forward onto his stomach beside his cousin, making Watanuki roll his eyes, the expression tainted with fondness. "There is a reason they cannot handle this themselves."

"Politics," Shizuka muttered.

"Indeed," Watanuki agreed. "The way Prince Amko worded his letter did not give me reason to be concerned before." He shrugged, "We exist to be summoned to deal in such capacity, as a neutral perspective, for such less-than-natural problems. But thinking back on his request, it wasn't. It was almost an order. And yet he questioned our abilities; this is concerning."

"I didn't think much of his wording either," Jason agreed, propping a cheek on his palm, still on his stomach and kicking his feet in the air. "We've had more direct summons that that plenty of times." His eyes slid sidelong to his cousin, "And I thought it funny he asked so much. As though those who recommended us hadn't expressly explained this is what we do."

"Perhaps he simply knows little about how the rest of the world uses magic," Sorata shrugged. "He might not be well-travelled, or he might be and has encountered no one but people weaker than he. His challenge certainly seems to be partly friendly curiosity as much as an opportunity for him to test us."

"I don't like that he chose to challenge me," Watanuki murmured darkly. He huffed, "I don't care about customs, it's impolite." With a snort, "he should have picked one of his own men to challenge one of mine. I bet you come the next opportunity to discuss it, he will appoint someone else to face you." He glanced over at Shizuka.

"I'll face the challenge," Shizuka said calmly. Whatever.

Watanuki sighed and Sorata winked at him. Jason declared cheerfully, "That's Doumeki! Always ready to protect our master!"

"Quit calling me master!" Watanuki hissed, poking Jason with a long finger.

"Hm," Shizuka hummed. He stepped forward and knelt by his master's side, addressing Sorata in Japanese just in case there were spies sent to listen in on them, "Did you sense their magic?"

"Ahh," Sorata muttered, following the language change. "They felt… dirty, the prince's guards. They use some kind of wild magic. But it's feral and unpredictable. Imprecise."

"They stink of it," Shizuka agreed, glancing briefly over at Jason's blank expression –he didn't understand what they were discussing. "But somehow, their magic made it easy enough for me to sense their emotions. I think their magic is tied to the way they feel."

"Possibly," Sorata commented. "I had the same feeling but I couldn't sense as much as you. Maybe facing one in a fight or other high-emotion situation, it will come clearer to me. For the moment, you are the more sensitive of us." His eyes slid to Watanuki, "And you."

Watanuki nodded. "I did sense the guards as well, though vaguely. Prince Amko's emotions were too tangled in his magic, however, and it was blocking me. I could only sense him when I tried to pick apart what his magic is." He curled a thoughtful hand around his chin, "I mean to say, his presence blanketed me. I think he was trying to sense me."

"Will you be able to get past it?" Shizuka asked quietly.

"Yes, but in the meantime, Doumeki-san," Watanuki murmured, heavy-lidded and knowing eyes seeking the monk's. "Do you suppose you could… have a look around?"

A corner of Shizuka's lips twitched upward, "As you wish."

TBC

Dear Readers,

Welcome to The Prince and the Palace arc of The Seer.

I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know that I am counting on your support and input for this story's continued growth. My muses are absolutely fickle and will neither admit it nor make compensation for it, so it's up to you to feed them and make sure they come back to writing this story at every available opportunity.

In other words, you 112 people who list my story on your alerts: The muses and I know you are there because FF accounts all have a statistics page. And out of 14 chapters, if you had all only reviewed three chapters each then there ought to be 334 reviews by now… instead, there are only 225.

Thing is, I happen to know that about half a dozen people have reviewed every single chapter. Besides that, there are over a two dozen people who have reviewed half the chapters or more. So some of you (you know who you are) have either reviewed only once or not reviewed at all.

Quite a lot of you already know that I reply to about 95 percent of all reviews which means if you have a question or comment, believe me I actually read it and pay attention. So if you please, hit that "go" button and leave me some of your thoughts.

Hopefully,
Tsubaki and muses.

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