Heavy Lies The Crown Chapter 9: there to hold your hand, a gundam seed fanfic

Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Nine

by Starrify

Taking over this town, they should worry, but these problems aside, I think I taught you well.
And as the world comes to an end, I'll be there to hold your hand.
'cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart.

Seven Years Ago

"I can't believe that I'm finally in Plant!" Cagalli squealed, looking at the various paintings that hung on the brick walls of the castle. For the past few years, her father had said that stepping out of Orb would be dangerous as there was a war occurring outside the borders, between the two other kingdoms, Plant and the Alliance. Her father had said that the reason they were going out was something called diplomacy—Cagalli had yet to understand what that meant, so she nodded eagerly and helped pack up for their trip. "But I didn't think it would be this cold…"

"Unlike Orb, Plant was founded on mountainous terrain," Uzumi supplied, watching his young daughter bounce around. He smiled fondly, taking her small hand in his rough ones. "Sometimes, in the later months of the year, there's snow."

The blonde princess blinked her large amber eyes at her father. "What's snow?"

The gray-haired king continued to drag his daughter along to the throne room where they were expected to be. "Small drops of ice that fall from the sky. They used to believe that it was caused by two married gods arguing in the sky, and those were the tears that came from the eyes of the goddess."

"How can that be?" Cagalli scratched the back of her head with her free hand. "But Haumea isn't married, Father."

"There are other gods beside Haumea, Cagalli." Uzumi found his daughter's innocence so endearing. She was so clueless about how the world worked. But then again, all she knew was how to be a princess. He was going to make certain that she learned more about how life really was, in the years to come. "That aside, I hope you know how to act when we meet with the king."

"Yes, I will curtsy after you introduce me and then I will stay quiet as you talk," Cagalli answered.

They stopped in front of two large wooden doors similar to what they had in their own castle, except obviously a little older. She wasn't surprised, though, as Plant was an older kingdom than Orb. She tried to imagine how the castle in the Alliance looked like. Since it was the oldest kingdom in the mainland, it probably looked ancient.

Their escort stepped aside and bowed to the two royals. "I will now be announcing your presence to King Patrick and Prince Athrun. His court is not present; thus you will be guaranteed your privacy."

"Thank you," Uzumi kindly responded as the escort entered the throne room. He gently squeezed the hand of his daughter. "The young prince is your age, Cagalli."

"Huh?" Cagalli looked up but only saw a teasing smile and a small twinkle in her father's grey eyes. Before she could ask what he had meant by that, she felt herself being pulled into a large, dreary room. The tall windows behind the giant throne weren't covered by any sort of curtains so that light could pass through. It was an empty hall, completely lifeless without the small murmurings of what should have been the King's court. Cagalli only saw an old man—King Patrick, no doubt—sitting regally on his throne. He sat the same way her father did back in Orb. Beside him stood a young boy that was her age, just as Uzumi had told her.

"Patrick," Uzumi greeted informally, nodding at the other king. Cagalli wasn't that surprised; her father had told her that he used to be friends with the patriarch of Plant when they were both still young princes. "I am sorry that we had to meet again under these circumstances."

Patrick stood up as well and walked down to Uzumi, shaking his hand as the two friends met again. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Uzumi."

Uzumi put his hand on Cagalli's back and pushed her forward. "This is my daughter and heiress, Cagalli Yula Athha."

She curtsied, pulling back the inflated skirt of her light green dress. When she looked back up, she found that King Patrick was scrutinizing her. She puffed her cheeks with indignation and scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to examine him back, not letting the old man intimidate her in any way.

But then Patrick laughed bemusedly at the little girl. "Such a strong backbone, this young princess has. No doubt she's an Athha."

"No doubt at all," Uzumi remarked smoothly, patting Cagalli on her head as though she was some pet. Then, his face became somber. "Patrick, I'm sure you know why we came all the way to Plant."

"Of course." Patrick frowned. "Lenore…"

"She was such a kind and beautiful woman," Uzumi offered, a straight line on his lips. "She was Via's friend for the longest time, and she often spoke of Lenore in great admiration."

Patrick retreated to his throne and Uzumi stepped forward to continue their conversation in a closer range. After he sat down, Patrick continued, "I hope you find no offense when I ask you how you found the will to live after Via's death. When you spoke of her before, you kept saying that she was your greatest love." He shot a glance at the young princess, and Uzumi did not miss that.

"It was because of her, Patrick. She was my greatest love, yes, but Cagalli was the last thing Via gave me and she will always be my greatest treasure." Uzumi smiled, looking at his daughter who still stood from the middle of the room. "Your Athrun here looks a lot like Lenore."

Patrick looked over his shoulder where Athrun stood. His young son was obviously nervous as his name was mentioned. The Plant Patriarch sighed; Athrun had Lenore's hair, eyes, and her kind spirit. That was the reason why he found it so difficult to face his son even though he should be ecstatic that the war was over; he had promised Lenore that he would end the war.

"Athrun," he beckoned for his son. "Why don't you keep the young lioness of Orb, some company?"

"Yes, Father." The blue-haired prince transferred his lost gaze to the blonde princess who looked like she was trying too hard to keep her back straight. "I'll give her a tour of the North gardens."

Uzumi smiled at the young prince; something Athrun had yearned for his father to do to him for so long. "Thank you, Prince Athrun."

Athrun bowed to both kings. "It will be my honor to escort the princess Cagalli."

He walked down from the side of the throne and stopped in front of the princess. He examined her and did find her cute with her short golden hair and big ochre eyes. He offered her his arm and she graciously took it, having been accustomed to other guys escorting her.

As they walked out of the throne room, Cagalli look past her shoulders and saw that her father and the prince's father were still talking. When they exited the room, she faced the blue-haired prince and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

He was a bit shocked, not expecting this princess to have a lower voice than other girls he knew—like Lacus, for example. But his composure didn't show it and instead he continued to guide them through the corridors.

"The North Garden," Athrun replied, ignoring the slight glare she was giving him. "My mother personally tended the flowers there. It's mostly filled with red hibiscuses…"

"We have a garden of those, too!" Cagalli squealed informatively, her hand dropping from his arm. She stepped in front of him and was visibly excited. "They're my absolute favorite, so let's go!"

"Okay." Athrun blinked. This girl wasn't acting like a princess at all. But her sunny disposition was a good change from all the dreariness in the castle in the past few days. He gave her a small smile and took her wrist in his hand. "Let's go."

Present Time

"Where is Cagalli? Where is my sister?" Kira continued to shove him against the wall, his grip on his collar not loosening at all. They had trained together in Zaft and they were both on par when it came to their swordsmanship, but Kira was physically stronger than him. "Athrun, tell me where she is!"

"Kira…" Athrun continued to stare at his enraged best friend. He didn't know what to say, what to do; his mind was in a flurry of thoughts.

Kira knew Cagalli. Kira claimed to be Cagalli's brother. But Cagalli had told him that her brother was in the Alliance. They were both from Orb. Cagalli said her father died in the takeover and that her mother died before she knew her. Kira lived in the orphanage that his mother managed.

And then his mind had just supplied him of an old memory from seven years ago. He had met Cagalli Yula before, but she was Cagalli Yula Athha, the princess of Orb. He had taken her into the garden his mother personally tended to, and she had told him to smile more.

Nothing was adding up. Maybe he was overthinking the whole situation, but what he knew from Kira and Cagalli made no sense when he tried to imagine their lives being entangled—as siblings, no less! Nothing was making sense at all.

"I will ask you once more, Athrun." Kira's usually calm purple eyes were hazed with his anger. His tone was dipping deeper with every word; Athrun was finding it harder and harder to believe that this was the same guy he had known for almost all his life. "Where is Cagalli?"

Cagalli Yula Athha—why didn't he think of her when she told him her name? It was true what he had said, that the events that followed the death of his mother and the end of the war, was all such a blur in his mind, but still. He shouldn't have forgotten.

"Februarius, in the apothecary managed by the Hawke sisters," Athrun croaked out and Kira released him immediately. "Kira, how—?"

They stood at a distance from each other. Athrun was busy readjusting his coat while Kira continued to glare at his best friend. "I'm sorry, Athrun, but I can't tell you much right now."

Athrun was afraid to step closer to Kira, so he remained standing next to the wall. "I don't understand."

Kira smiled grimly. "Neither do I, really."

"No, no." Athrun shook his head, but he still couldn't stop thinking of Cagalli as she continued to be such an enigma to him. Now it was even more complicated now that Kira was part of the whole equation. "Cagalli, she—"

"What do you know?" Kira snapped, but looked apologetic afterward. The haze from his eyes was gone now and was replaced with obvious concern—whether it was for Cagalli or for him, Athrun couldn't tell. "Tell me, what do you know about Cagalli?"

"I…" Athrun stuttered, not knowing where to begin. He wracked his head for all the information he has gotten from her, but he really couldn't get most of his facts straight at the moment. "She's eighteen and from Orb. Her parents are dead. She's your sister. She's a princess. She, she liked red hibiscuses…"

"I see." Kira nodded, taking another step back from him. He was taking slow steps to the door, and Athrun found himself unconsciously stepping away from the wooden entrance. "Then you also know how Orb is right now."

Athrun also nodded, but warily. "Of course, I do."

"Orb is in shambles and only Cagalli can save it; only Cagalli can save all of those in Orb."

"But she's too young! She's just as old as you, as me, she can't do such a thing, even I can't—"

The side of the brunet's mouth twitched upward, though with some sort of sadness—pity, was it? Athrun also couldn't tell. "Just because you can't, doesn't mean Cagalli can't either. She's strong. Stronger than anyone else I know."

"Kira, why…" Athrun had so many possible questions to ask him, but he wasn't sure if he was going to find an answer to any of them. Why her? Why you? Why is all of this happening? Why is it that those I love have to always leave?

"I believe she can do it. I believe in Cagalli." The brunet smiled at him; Athrun was afraid that he meant to say goodbye. "I'm sorry, Athrun."

And he was off running out of the room.

"Kira!" Athrun shouted, chasing after him out the door, but he had tripped on the body of the knight that was supposed to be on guard.

"Prince Athrun, I'm sorry! The door opened so fast that I fell and this heavy armor didn't let me regain my bearings and—"

He didn't have time to listen to the knight's apologies. Instead, he stared at the disappearing figure of his best friend, the silhouette lost in the shadows of the dark corridor of the castle. Athrun clenched his fists, his body shaking with mild rage as he helped himself up.

This isn't fair.

And he could almost hear Cagalli speak to him; see her beautiful face staring at him lovingly with the sunset in her eyes.

It really isn't.

The younger children were all tucked in their beds by this time, but the older orphans were currently seated around the dining room. The dingy, barricaded windows let no moonlight in and they made do with the small candles that lit the small area.

On the table, there was the note which was printed and handed out to every household in Orb. It was a royal proclamation, meaning it came from the lips of the Queen herself.

"Orb is a free kingdom. The reign of the usurper is no more. You are all free to go on with your lives, to live, and to leave. You are all citizens of Orb and duty-bound to her, but I will take no offense if you would rather leave and find refuge in another kingdom instead of avenging Orb for what the Plant did to her in the last five years," Caridad read carefully to the blind priest and the older children. "To those who are scared of the possible bloodshed, I will try my best to negotiate with Plant for them to cover for the damages brought to our kingdom. However, if no peaceful resolution is found, I wish you do what is in the best interest of Orb. Signed by the Queen Cagalli Yula of the Royal House of Athha."

After the silence to let the message sink in their minds, Sai suggested, "Let's leave Orb."

There was another pause before Reverend Malchio replied.

"No."

"No?"

"With the announcement of the Queen, as much as the sound of leaving Orb is appealing, it will still be unsafe in other kingdoms, especially in the Kingdom of Plant."

"Reverend Malchio, please." Sai rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Then at least consider the Alliance. The children can get a chance to start anew there."

"It doesn't matter where. Everyone gets the equal opportunity to begin another life when they choose to," Malchio supplied, gripping his cane. "Sai, my dear child, have you also forgotten that our beloved Queen Cagalli also announced that she will be announcing a war against Plant? And have you also forgotten that the Alliance is heavily in debt because of their war from almost a decade ago?"

"I'm sure that if we got the chance to see her personally, Cagalli would change her mind!" Tolle cried, slamming his fists on the wooden surface. "Cagalli was our friend. She still is. We know her. She wouldn't just declare war—she hates the idea of letting anyone suffer!"

Miriallia pulled her boyfriend away from the table and he leaned back into the back of his chair. "That may be true, Tolle," Miriallia began to say. "But it's been five years. Who knows what they could have done to our Cagalli in that time. Maybe she's been manipulated into this."

Kuzzey nodded. "We were there when she made the announcement of Orb's liberation. We all felt that there was something different about her."

"She looks the same," Tolle commented. "Her hair still reaches her shoulders."

"We didn't really see enough of her to tell if there was a great difference," Sai said, replacing his glasses. They were beginning to digress and he still wasn't able to convince Reverend Malchio to transfer the children elsewhere. "Again, the children…"

Reverend Malchio looked deep in thought. "The children will stay in Orb. It is for the best."

Before Sai could protest some more, Caridad intercepted his speech. "Sai, that's enough. Reverend Malchio is correct. It wouldn't benefit anyone if the children migrated to the Alliance."

"Then what is? Staying behind a rotting kingdom, watching our old friend destroy it faster by pulling us into war?" Sai asked, clenching his fists tightly. "I don't believe in Cagalli. The real Cagalli wouldn't have any intention to begin a war. She's not the friend we used to know. I know you all agree with me."

Miriallia looked like she was ready to cry. Tolle held her in his arms as she tried to hold it in, but she agreed with Sai. Living the past five years under the military rule of the Usurper Seiran was terrifying as is. But to go through war? To lose more people, especially those she loved? She couldn't imagine the horrors she'd have to face.

"Nowhere is safe," she whispered sadly, a few tears sliding down her smooth cheeks. Tolle was there to wipe them away, so she smiled—even slightly.

"That doesn't mean we should give up," Kuzzey offered with a small smile. "There's still the slight chance that she won't really pursue Plant."

"Anyone's free to leave," Tolle pointed out. "That means it won't take long until Plant hears the news of our queen's intentions and it also won't take them long to prepare for a counter-attack."

All of them wore worrisome faces with their eyebrows furrowed, their lips in a tight line, and their eyes contemplating as their gaze shifted to and from one another.

"To hope is the only thing we can do," Reverend Malchio spoke up again, his aging face also looked troubled. "In cases like this, all we can do is hope we can win and live."

"No," Sai countered quickly, almost too aggressively. "No. There are other things we can do."

"Like what?" Miriallia asked; Tolle squeezed her hand in his.

Reverend Malchio looked even more upset, the creases on his forehead more prominent than usual.

"We can fight."

It was barely two hours after midnight. There was a loud rapping at the main door of the apothecary shop, so they were all gathered downstairs. Cagalli, Meyrin, Lunamaria, and also Shinn. They stood immobile, staring at the door as the knocking began to sound more hastened.

Shinn already had his sword out. "You girls should go upstairs. If it's any threat, then I can at least try to ward off whoever that is on the other side of the door until you escape safely."

"Isn't that jumping to conclusions?" Meyrin asked, flinching as there was another set of knocks on their door. "Maybe it's Prince Athrun and he had forgotten something!"

"Prince Athrun wouldn't bother to go out of his way and come here before the dawn breaks," Lunamaria dryly commented, throwing an incredulous look at her younger sister. "You're not even thinking, Meyrin."

The younger redhead's cheeks puffed in indignation. "I'll have you know that I—!"

"Shh," the blonde interrupted them both before a fight could break out between the two Hawke siblings. "I think I heard the other person say something."

And true enough, when they all stepped closer to the door, they heard the muffled murmurs coming from the other side. Cries, pleas—they couldn't quite tell what the other person was saying as the door was thick.

"If none of you are going to open it, then I will," Cagalli cried, exasperated with how they were all overreacting. "Maybe it's someone in desperate need of an elixir of some sort. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've had people knocking so late in the night—or in this case, so early in the morning."

"She does have a point," Shinn agreed, lowering his sword down a bit. "If that was someone on the other side that desperately needed help to save someone from dying, I wouldn't want that person's life on my hands."

Lunamaria sighed—it was true; there were rare occasions where people came knocking on their door before they opened. "But I suppose Cagalli is right." Shinn nodded and stepped forward, clutching his sword tightly with one hand while he brought up the wooden bar behind the door.

The person on the other side burst into the room. Shinn held his sword up and the two Hawkes stepped back, ready to run further if they needed to. Cagalli, however, was stunned.

"Kira?" Cagalli couldn't believe that Kira had found her. She hadn't stepped outside the house other than the time she went to the market for Meyrin, so her presence shouldn't have been prominent enough to be traced. She blinked, making sure that he wasn't some mere apparition caused by her missing her twin. "Kira, what are you—?"

"I'm here to take you back," he said solemnly, glancing at the other younger teenagers situated in the same room. He tried to take a step forward to his sister, but Shinn stood in his way and held his sword out. He didn't mean to sound so crass, but he was tired from arguing with his best friend and riding nonstop. "And I suggest you stand down."

The ruby-eyed boy glared back. "Who are you and what do you want with The Princess?"

The two redheads' eyes widened and they both gaped at the blonde standing in front of them.

"Princess?" Lunamaria gasped, looking—really looking at Cagalli. She did behave so regally at times with her dignified posture and her eloquent way of speaking—that was, if she wasn't swearing at the wall. Was she really of royal blood? Was she a princess due to birth in Orb or the Alliance or from another kingdom in another land, or was she a princess due to marriage? Was she really with Prince Athrun? "Cagalli, what does he mean?"

"Miss Cagalli's a princess?" Meyrin looked between her sister, Cagalli, Shinn, and the brown-haired stranger. She couldn't imagine the swearing blonde to be a dainty princess of any sort.

Kira continued to eye Shinn. "So you know, too."

"I will not ask you again." Shinn still didn't stand down. "What do you want with Cagalli?"

"Shinn, no—" Cagalli croaked, afraid for her brother and for the younger man. She was still in shock with Kira's presence, but she had snapped out of it as soon as she saw the moonlight shimmer on the sharp blade of Shinn's sword. "Please. He's my brother."

Shinn's eyes widened, too, and he looked back and forth between the blonde and the brunet. "You mean to say he's—"

"Not a prince," Kira supplied, quickly grabbing Cagalli by the wrist and dragging her to his side. "You must understand, not everything is as it seems."

"Kira…" Cagalli frowned. There was a change in her brother; she could feel that there was something off. As though he was mad at her, and she would have understood if he was. She tried to run away from the safe house and instead she ended up in Plant. She could only imagine how stressed he was over her. "Kira, couldn't you have waited till morning—"

"Every day you have wasted here was a day in which those in Orb suffered under the rule of Djibiril and Seiran. Every day you continue to spend not working on Orb's liberation is another day of despondence for them! Don't you understand, Cagalli?"

"I do!" Cagalli cried, frustrated with her brother, too. It was all coming back to her now, the reason why she had wanted to temporarily eschew her responsibilities. "But I'm human, too! I'm not some god—Haumea knows so. I can only take so much before I break down, and if I break down, then who will help Orb?"

"You're not doing it alone, we told you. We're there to support you all the way!"

"No, Kira, you don't understand! I want to protect them, to free Orb, to grant my father's last wish for his beloved kingdom! I know I have to do those because I'm the princess and that this is the country Father wanted me to save."

"Everyone has their reason as they want to help you, Cagalli—"

"But you don't understand! You didn't see him off to his death; you don't know how I feel—"

"What exactly do you expect to protect with your feelings?"

And he could have slapped her there and then, and it would've felt the same for her.

When she didn't speak, Kira brought a hand to her shoulder and she faced him, her tears gathering at the bottom of her eyes.

Kira sighed, not resisting his twin sister's crying. "Whether you want to believe it or not, we know how you feel, Cagalli, but the truth remains that there's no one we can help with our sadness. You need to learn to fight. You need to be strong. You know that."

"Do I?" Cagalli couldn't help but to shed tears—she had always acknowledged it as a sign of weakness, the vulnerability she couldn't afford to have. In the forest, she cried only on a few occasions. "Kira, I…"

The brunet watched as his sister fell to the ground, wailing and clutching her heaving chest. Her cries were so painful to hear, but he tolerated them. After all, this was her release—all those years of pent up feelings, frustration. Kira knows she will be free of her own guilt after this.

Soon enough, Cagalli did stand up, though still shaking. She breathed heavily and raised her arm to wipe her tear-stained eyes with her sleeves. Lunamaria, Meyrin, and Shinn could only watch as she walked upstairs—most likely to change and get her belongings.

"You," Kira spoke, and all three of them turned around. "With the black hair. What's your name?"

"Shinn Asuka, Sir," Shinn replied with uncertainty. He looked at Lunamaria, but she seemed just as clueless as ever. "Cagalli said your name was Kira and that you are her brother, but you said that you're not a prince. Does that make you a bastard of King Uzumi or something?"

Kira sighed. He didn't have to explain anything to anyone, but Shinn knew who Cagalli was and he had tried to protect her from him. In a way, Kira trusted him. "I suggest you don't speak ill of her father when she's under the same roof as you. She doesn't take any insult to the King, lightly."

"Then what? Who are you?"

"Neither of us are children of King Uzumi. We're twins; Queen Via was our mother."

Shinn didn't understand—and thought that maybe it was for the best that he didn't. Cagalli arrived at the apothecary with a change in clothing and her small knapsack. She was also wearing her riding cloak, looking very ready to leave.

Cagalli smiled and took the two Hawkes into a hug. "Thank you so much," she whispered and released her hold on them. Then she turned to Shinn. There were no words that could be exchanged between them, so instead she just nodded at him. He returned the gesture and she followed Kira out of the shop.

"Wait!" They heard Lunamaria's shout and they turned around before they could mount on Kira's steed. The three caretakers of Cagalli appeared outside the apothecary. "What are we supposed to tell Prince Athrun if he comes by?"

"Thank him for us," Kira answered, helping Cagalli up his horse. "For taking care of our queen, Orb is also in his gratitude."

Kira followed after Cagalli and sat behind her. "You ready?" he asked, gripping the reigns of his horse.

"Of course I am." Cagalli didn't know if she was or if she will ever be, but she had to be—for the sake of her kingdom. Everything she did in the past weeks was all for Orb. "Let's go."

It was barely dawn when Athrun began to wake. His body felt sore as he found himself sitting on the cold floor of his office. For a brief moment, he wondered what he was doing there instead of lying on the comfortable mattress in his room. Then he remembered the events that occurred last night.

He was with Cagalli and when he thought he knew her, Kira revealed himself to be her brother and that she wasn't who he thought she was.

And he had spent the rest of the early morning, being in denial on the floor. He groaned into his hands—really, why did he have to fall in love with her?

"I see you're awake," a familiar voice greeted him. Athrun turned his head and found his supposed fiancée seating on his chair.

He didn't want to admit it, but he had wished to see blonde hair instead of pink.

"What are you doing here?" Athrun asked groggily. He stood up and stretched his legs, not that embarrassed by having Lacus see him in such a state. "And how did you know I'd be here?"

"Well." Lacus smiled her usual radiant smile, interlocking her fingers and placing her hands on his desk. "You're either in your room or in your office. I tried your room earlier, but no one was present, so I deduced that you'd be here. I found you sleeping and you looked—no, you still look very much tired, so I didn't think of disturbing you."

Athrun pursed his lips. "That doesn't answer my first question, Lacus."

"There will be a meeting in the Supreme Council chamber later," she answered, standing up from Athrun's chair. "Father was summoned earlier, around four hours after midnight. The meeting starts in an hour, after they all have broken their fast."

"Did Councilman Clyne tell you why the King summoned the Council so early in the morning?"

"The messenger didn't tell him much, only that his presence—along with that of the other council members—was urgently needed in the chamber. But when I had parted with my father, I heard Lady Joule and Lady Canaver say it was about Orb."

At the mention of Cagalli's kingdom, Athrun was suddenly awake and attentive. "What of Orb?"

Lacus didn't miss the eager tone of his voice. "Perhaps you should make yourself look more presentable, eat something, and then enter the chamber and attend the meeting. Unless your father personally tells you to get out, you have the right to stay there and you can find out what is going on."

The blue-haired prince nodded. "Last month, when we went to the Alliance, it seemed that you knew more than I did."

"We meet different people and we learn more of the world from them," she said slowly, walking closer to Athrun. "What about you, Athrun? How much have you found out?"

Athrun blinked confusedly—he often didn't know where Lacus was getting all of the words which came from her mouth, but there was always an undeniable truth in the things she said. "It's as though I knew nothing before."

"My father always told me that that happened to him when he had met my mother. When you're young and you feel very silly." Lacus's light blue eyes glinted with a slight mischievousness that wasn't quite her. "One person in love can recognize when another person is also in love."

"Lacus…"

"Since I was very young, I had always wanted to live in this castle. Even though it is quite dreary and lifeless, it was my dream to be the Queen," Lacus told him, her eyes looking more sincere now. "Father told me that the only way for me to be so is to marry the Prince—you, Athrun, but when I met you, you were with Kira; I believe that since then, I saw no one else. Not even when your father and your mother agreed to marry you off to me because they thought I would make a good princess."

Still, he found no words to say. "Lacus…"

She smiled back, though slyly. "You always knew, didn't you? I am glad, though. Being your friend was more than enough, and you will always be a treasured friend to me. Because of that, you could at least tell me who the lucky girl is."

"It's quite complicated," Athrun sighed, scratching the back of his head. It wasn't just quite complicated. Complicated didn't even cover how he felt for her, how their relationship currently was. It was all so terribly convoluted and twisted—as entropic as it can possibly get; it was as though the gods were laughing mockingly at him for even trying to make sense of it.

"I don't believe so." Lacus turned on her feet, her heels tapping the floor lightly as she walked to the door. Athrun, though, stayed rooted to where he was. "There shouldn't be anything complicated when it comes to love."

"It's difficult to explain."

"Don't underestimate my comprehension, Sir Zala."

"She's…" Athrun stopped. How could he even begin to describe someone like Cagalli? He spent a good while racking his head for words that could possibly define her, but there was no singular expression that could epitomize her being. So he gave up and sighed once more. "She is who she is."

Lacus nodded understandingly. "And you are who you are."

Athrun frowned; talks with Lacus often didn't end well in his mind when she started to philosophize with him. Not because he didn't understand, but because her words would often resonate in his thoughts.

"Now, why should that stop you?"

"Because I'm the prince of Plant!" he exclaimed in exasperation, though not really meaning that answer. He felt agitated, what with Lacus asking her questions like that. But then he sighed tiredly, "I am bound to my kingdom."

But when he looked back up to Lacus' eyes, he saw that faint glimmer of mischief once more. Her hand reached for the handle to the door and she carefully pushed it open. With a small smile, she told him, "And to my understanding, she is the princess of her own kingdom, is that not true?"

Athrun could swear that at that moment his jaw had dropped to the floor.

She knows.

"Kira told me everything," she supplied, stepping outside of his office. "Though, not that you're in love with her—I don't think he's aware of your feelings for his sister. But I could easily guess as much. I told you to not underestimate my comprehension just because I'm a woman."

"I've learned my lesson to not underestimate women." He shook his head, his mind bringing up thoughts of Cagalli again. "We are both the sole heirs to our respective kingdoms. She would not give up her throne for anything, I'm sure."

Lacus smiled once more. "Shall we go now, My Prince? I expect the meeting to be starting quite soon. I think you'd want to hear whatever news there is of Orb."

Absolutely nothing was making sense.

"What in Haumea's name are you doing here?"

Kisaka was more than relieved to know that Cagalli was alive and well—but he had expected her to be alive and well all the way back in Orb. Instead, he had seen Kira on his steed with Cagalli right behind him, through the window while he was having breakfast with the rest of the people. He ran down the steps of the safe house and helped the young princess as she dismounted the horse.

"Do you mean here physically or do you mean what am I doing on this world?" Cagalli answered back, obviously irritated. She marched past him and entered the house by herself, kicking the door open when it almost closed on her. She continued to trudge her way up the stairs and into the familiar corridor she left around two weeks ago. Had it already been half a month? Did she waste that much time?

But, she reasoned with herself. That might as well have been my last chance of living normally.

She opened the door which led to the room which was supposedly hers. Surprisingly—or maybe, not really surprisingly—it was very much vacant. Everything was gone—the brush Erica used to comb through her wild hair, the few blouses folded neatly in one drawer; even the sheet that was supposed to cover the mattress was no longer there. The whole room was bare, save for the obviously new weapon that rested on her bed.

She stared, admiring the quality of the bow and the red leather which covered the quiver. Her feet led her to the side of her bed and she reached out and took one arrow out, inspecting the sharpness of the blade attached to the point.

"Sahib got this from a merchant when they were on their way back from searching for you last week." Kisaka was now standing at her doorway, his big arms crossed. "He said that Ahmed kept telling him of how you were excellent at archery, so he thought of giving you this for when you returned."

Cagalli picked up the bow, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. "I need to do something."

"Why are you here?"

"You tell me." She felt particularly defiant, though she didn't know where all this apprehension was coming from. Cagalli didn't intend to offend anyone—especially not Kisaka. "What am I doing here when Orb needs me?"

Kisaka shook his head and looked as though her presence was giving him a major headache. He grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her by the arm—everyone was just dragging her around lately—and they both went downstairs, to the small dining quarters where around ten other people were standing and looking at her, wide-eyed with shock.

"Cagalli…" Erica muttered under her breath. She also had the same flabbergasted face as everyone else did. Cagalli didn't know why they were all looking at her like she had suddenly grown two heads overnight, but she didn't like it.

"I know I sort of ran away without your permission and I will understand if you guys are pissed with me, but you have to stop looking at me like that!" She stomped her foot, getting more irritated when she saw that even Mu wasn't just kidding with his expression.

"This can't be possible," Murrue cried; Mu instantly faced his fiancée and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "The Queen should be in Orb, but Cagalli, you're—"

She stopped speaking when Kisaka stepped forward from behind Cagalli, effectively blocking her from their view.

"I know nothing is making sense right now. Cagalli will answer to us—and from now on we all will have to be very careful with whom we place our trust in." He turned around, and Cagalli was almost frightened by his massive figure looming over her. "Especially you, Princess."

For the first time, she was too intimidated by his tone to speak out.

That's easy, I don't trust anyone.

But then again, she can't deny that the whirlwind events of the last few months had changed her more than she'd like to admit. She trusted Kisaka with her life. She trusted the people in the safe house, Kira, and the Hawkes and Shinn.

She trusted Athrun, too.

"What is going on?" she demanded, putting both hands on her squared hips. "Why are you all looking at me like that? Where is everyone else?"

"In Orb," Kisaka answered; Cagalli felt her heart stop.

"How could that be?" she screeched, her eyes also widening. "Orb—is free?"

There was a long pause as everyone else in the room tried to make their facts straight. Yes, everyone else knew that Orb was liberated, but their heads were still reeling from the fact that Cagalli was there with them presently, unaware of what happened to Orb during her absence.

Kisaka put his hand on the bewildered blonde's shoulder. "We had received a message from Todaka saying that the Queen Cagalli Yula Athha has declared Orb a free kingdom once more and that people may leave and enter as they wish. Everyone in the safe house was eager to return to the families they left there, so they took a carriage as soon as we received the letter."

"That wasn't me," Cagalli whispered, her free-flowing tears falling on her shoes. Her large ocher eyes looked up to Kisaka and they could all only feel pity for the confused princess. "I wasn't in Orb, I was—"

"In Februarius," Kira finished, uncrossing his arms and standing up straight.

"What in Haumea's good name were you doing all the way in Plant?" Erica asked, just as lost as everyone else.

Cagalli took another deep breath and steadied herself. She couldn't understand anything, grasp the concept of Orb being liberated without her—worse, having someone else steal her identity! As happy as she was that Orb was now free, she was distraught by the fact that it wasn't on her terms. She felt as though all her dreams and those of her father, too, were shattered.

"We need to get to Orb." Cagalli's resolve was back. She had to right everything. She believed that it was her burden to carry. "This isn't right. I need to do something."

"There is another person in Orb who goes by Cagalli Yula Athha, and to have deceived the kingdom meant that she has the appearance to impersonate you," Kisaka pointed out, shaking his head. "If you attempt to enter Orb, they might recognize you and have you taken away."

After a few moments of thinking, Murrue snapped her fingers in enlightenment. "Aisha gave me a powder dye! You put it on your hair, wash it, and it supposedly lasts for a few days until it completely fades."

Mu smiled lovingly at his fiancée. "You're brilliant."

"Shut it; now is not the time." Murrue rolled her eyes at her adoring fiancé. Then, she looked at the young girl. "Well, we can color your hair to temporarily disguise your identity—if you don't mind that."

If Cagalli was crying earlier, it was not obvious now. She stood tall and dignified, calm despite all the distressing revelations she had just heard. She tightly gripped the red bow in her hand, molding her fingers around the somewhat heavy frame.

She wanted peace, and yet she was out for vengeance.

"I'll do anything for Orb."

The Council was silent as their King was obviously outraged. That was the reason they were called upon so early in the morning—and perhaps for a good reason to.

Siegel Clyne coughed as he began his own speech; no one else was brave enough to speak.

"Then this just proves that our kingdom should not bother with Orb right now. They have a young girl—a girl just as old as your own son—on the throne, trying to fix the damage from internal conflict in the last five years." Siegel frowned; his words didn't seem to fully reach the ears of his friend. "Patrick, we are your advisers. If you don't heed our counsel, there is no discussion to be done."

"No." The deep, stern voice of the King they all knew well echoed in the room as he stood from his high chair and looked at Siegel. "I don't believe that they are simply recuperating. All of our intelligence would have been for naught."

Ezalia Joule shifted in her seat. "Then, Your Highness, you must believe that Orb harbors the man named Djibiril."

"Indeed I do." Patrick nodded. "If he is truly there, then he would want nothing but to destroy our kingdom."

Soft murmurs resounded in the room as the council members began to discuss among themselves. All of them knew the true cause of The Great War between the Alliance and Plant and so they knew that if there was a follower of the late King Muruta Azrael's cult, with the supposed power to control the army of Orb, then it was something that they should all be very concerned about.

"However," the King continued, sitting back down on his chair. "The letter which the messenger from Orb brought does bear the seal of Athha. I do not doubt the so-called freedom of Orb, but Djibiril is a threat to our safety and must be disposed of."

"So are you telling us to go ahead and war with Orb?" Yuri Amalfi questioned.

"This circumstances have changed." Patrick shook his head. "Queen Cagalli Yula Athha...I had met her before, seven years ago. She's very much Uzumi's daughter and she wouldn't bring any sort of dishonor to the name of her house, I'm sure. But she's too young—and with youth comes naivety."

"Let us first get our facts straight," Ezalia cut in. "Djibiril has some hold on Orb through the Seirans. At least, he did have some power. Now, we're not entirely sure if he is still in Orb as the Athha girl took back the throne. We don't know where his exact whereabouts are, but our best bet is that he's hiding somewhere in Orb."

Patrick continued to frown. "Or we can assume that he's still in the castle, controlling the young Athha as a puppet ruler."

Siegel furrowed his thick brows. He didn't like conflict—that, everyone else in the council knew. "That's a big assumption to make. And if acted upon, could have dire consequences for our kingdom."

"I will not forcefully scour Orb, Siegel." Patrick said with obvious disdain in his voice. "What we need is confirmation of Djibiril's whereabouts. If he is truly being harbored by the princess, then we will resort to whatever is necessary in order to avoid further conflict." He looked at each member in the eye with a certain graveness they were all accustomed to. "Any member of Blue Cosmos cannot be taken lightly; Djibiril is no exception."

"So are we to involve the Alliance in this?"

"The Treaty of Junius says that King George Allster will handle the efforts involving the elimination of Blue Cosmos in the Alliance; outside of the boundaries of his kingdom is our problem."

"And yet he had allowed Djibiril to be part of his court for some time?"

"He was loyal to King Azrael, but no one had physical evidence that he was involved with Blue Cosmos," Ezalia spoke as the tension grew between Patrick and Siegel. "As is, it is quite difficult to track members of the cult. As far as I know, King Allster does not support forced inquisitions."

Siegel breathed out, obviously stressed. "King Patrick, my dear old friend, what exactly are you planning to do?"

There were three loud knocks from the massive doors and when they swung open, a knight-guard came into view.

"Announcing the presence of Lady Lacus Clyne, daughter of Sir Siegel Clyne, and the presence of Prince Athrun Zala!"

The supposed couple entered the room, Lacus holding onto Athrun's arm. To everyone in the room, they looked as though they were truly engaged. And they smiled, thinking of how persistent love can be in times of turmoil.

Except Athrun and Lacus weren't in love.

Lacus curtsied; Athrun nodded as every council member stood to regard their presence. He looked around as they all sat back down in their chairs. Eventually, his wandering eyes came to his father and the two Zalas stared at one another, the patriarch of the royal house smirking ever so slightly.

"Athrun, you arrived just in time." Patrick reclined in his seat and held his chin higher than before. "You haven't heard the news of Orb yet, though, have you?"

"No, Your Excellency," Athrun replied coolly, trying not to be wholly intimidated by his own father. Still, with the mention of Orb, he felt his heart go up to his throat. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath till his father spoke again. "But I would like to be made aware of them, if you will allow it."

"Orb's state will be made public soon, I assure you," Patrick continued to address his son while the rest of the council and Lacus watched as the strained relationship between the King and the Prince showed itself with their interaction. "But Orb is now free, as declared by their new queen, the daughter of Uzumi Nara Athha, Cagalli Yula Athha."

Again, Athrun felt the air being sucked out of his lungs.

"But we have reason to believe that Djibiril, a member of Blue Cosmos, is still in Orb and is possibly manipulating the young queen. We're not even sure if the Seirans have been truly disposed of. For all we know, they might also be conspiring with Djibiril and Athha. Our knowledge is too little, and because of that, we need someone to go to Orb and meet with their queen."

Lacus looked at Athrun and while he gave the appearance of being impassive, she knew that deep inside he felt very confused and wanted nothing but to confine himself to think some more.

"I will have a messenger go to Orb and tell them to expect your presence. You will be there as a diplomat, offering aid from our kingdom even though Orb will claim to be independent." As Patrick continued to speak, the Council listened intently, paying full attention to the King's words. "The Queen will be hospitable, of course, and will house you in their castle. That will be your chance to infiltrate the rooms and see if they do indeed harbor Djibiril."

No, I will not do it, Athrun wanted to say, because this was Cagalli's kingdom they were talking about. Literally hers, because apparently she was now the Queen—but it didn't add up; wasn't it only yesterday that they were together? How could she have gone back to Orb and coronated in a few hours? He couldn't say no to his father, though, because he knew that he was ultimately under the command of his father, the patriarch of his house and King of Plant. He nodded silently. "The messenger will leave at midday and should be back in a few days. In between that time, you will pack whatever belongings of yours which you wish to bring with you. You will leave promptly with at least four escorts of your choosing. They will assist you in your mission."

Patrick stood, and the Council members soon followed.

"If there are any clarifications or objections, say them now before this meeting is adjourned."

Siegel was the only one to speak. "And what exactly will they do if they find Djibiril in Orb?"

"Athrun knows what the cult of Blue Cosmos did and can do." Patrick cleared his throat and stepped down with slow and heavy steps as he looked over to his son. No matter what he did, the circumstances of his beloved wife's death could not escape his thoughts. "Let us put some trust in the Prince's judgement. Soon, he will have to decide for Plant in my place." He looked around and when he saw that Siegel had stepped back, he let out a loud sigh. "If that is all, then you are all dismissed."

Slowly, the members of the Supreme Council exited the room, carrying the discussion King stopped in front of his son and put his hand on Athrun's shoulders. "I wish you will do what is in the best interest of Plant."

Athrun thought of Cagalli. She would have done the same for her own kingdom. She would have done so much more.

And this was his chance to see her again, to ask for the answer to the question that was her.

"I will."

Two figures loomed over the young blonde girl as she slept on a settee. She had looked so guileless in her slumber, especially when she shifted and mumbled random words unconsciously.

Yuna knew his place now. He was no longer a prince—not when his father was a damned fool to have claimed himself to be a king when he was a mere usurper to the throne. He turned to face the man standing to his right. Djibiril had thrown the older Seiran into the dungeons, and Yuna was smart enough not to put himself on the bad side of the white-haired man. Not when he had control of a good portion of the militia in Orb.

Yuna would not risk his own death; he still had his own schemes to carry out.

"You will be King," Djibiril spoke softly yet menacingly, careful not to wake the young girl. "She is the key to power here in Orb. By marrying her, you can attain that."

"I have no need for that power," Yuna responded honestly. "And Orb will not take lightly if a union was made between their beloved princess cum queen and the son of the usurper."

Djibiril's perpetual sneer looked more sinister than usual in the dim lighting of the room. "You are not your father. If you prove that to the people, then you will have their approval." He stepped back and walked towards the door, motioning for the younger man to follow after him. They closed the door to the room and walked past various corridors, went down cold steps, and ended at the cells where prisoners of the throne were kept.

The last time Yuna was here was three years ago, to remind himself that his own plans will come to fruition eventually. But he had waited patiently and endured his father's fatuity and Djibiril's presence. Now, seeing the dirty walls of the dungeon, he wondered how the servants that came and fed the different captives could stand the smell of rotting flesh—though they had probably removed any corpse, the squalid stench still remained.

"Yuna?" He turned and saw his father was lying in one of the cells. The injuries he sustained weren't patched up and he could see the infection on his arm getting worse. He scrunched his nose in disgust. Unato had reached a different kind of low in his mind, and it was impossible for Yuna to see him as a father figure—not when he looked so pitiful. "Yuna, my son, you came for me!"

"He didn't come for you." When Djibiril stepped into Unato's line of sight, he let out a piggish squeal and cowered behind the bars. "No one will ever come for you here."

Djibiril continued to walk the dreary corridor. Yuna gave one last fleeting glance at Unato who kept calling for his son to set him free. He paid no heed to the desperate shouts of his father. With the infection spreading on his body, Unato was as good as dead anyway.

"Here we are." Djibiril let out a low whistle when they stopped in front of a cell which was cleaner than the rest they had passed. Inside was a man with long, uncut gray hair and a scruffy beard. Unlike the other prisoners, he looked better; thin and weak with age, but still well-fed compared to the almost lifeless people in other cells. "You look as though you are holding up well."

Tired gray eyes looked up to see foreboding blue ones. "Cagalli..."

"She's not here," Djibiril whispered mockingly as he knelt down to face the prisoner. He pursed his pale lips and let out a crazed laugh, continuing to deride the man in the cell. "But we'll be expecting your daughter to come home soon enough."

The white-haired man stood back on his feet. "And when she arrives, I will see to it that your head is the first one she sees when she enters the castle."

Soon. Djibiril prided himself with his patience. Soon, his plans were to be fully realized. He was to avenge the whole of Blue Cosmos and the death of King Azrael. He was to make certain events happen which will ultimately lead to the destruction of Plant. He was to do everything for the preservation of their blue and pure world, the world which King Azrael had envisioned.

"Soon," he mumbled again under his breath. Soon, everything will go according to his plan.

End of Chapter Nine

Song of the Chapter: King and Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men