Morg: Heyo! I have tried to write this chapter about four times now.

Ikuto: Cool.

Amu: I think you should have just given up.

Morg: Between getting called away for work or distracted by my dog, I almost did give up.

Ikuto: Well, good thing you didn't.

Amu: I could really do without this.

Morg: But! I decided to stick with it and write something good for you guys!

Ikuto: We'll see at the end if it's any good.

Amu: It won't be.

Morg: Your opinion on these things doesn't matter!

~Queen's Decree~

Amu checked the door to her room and the one to her balcony one last time before she turned to where Utau and Rima sat on one of the couches. Ikuto wasn't on the balcony yet but it was only a matter of time before he settled in for the night. Utau and Rima did not need to know that he stayed there. No one did.

Shaking out her hair, Amu gathered it along her back to tie it out of her face. "It won't be very impressive but I can show you some of the things that I've learned. I promise it looks way cooler with a sparring partner."

Rima tipped her head to the side as she studied Amu shaking her arms and legs out. "Are you nervous that we'll laugh at you or something?"

"No. I'm just letting you know not to expect too much."

"Amu," Utau broke in calmly, "Whatever you do is going to be impressive to us. We've been told our entire lives that fighting is for men and that we should just cower in fear."

"The fact that you got to learn anything at all is impressive," Rima agreed.

Amu smiled at that but shook her head. "It's still a secret."

"But a good skill to have. Now show us."

"And if possible," Rima added, "Teach us something easy."

Amu wasn't certain she could do that, but she could run through her forms like she did every night before she went to bed. She usually had eyes on her while she did them, they just weren't those of her two best friends. Most nights, she enjoyed Ikuto's soft instructions and corrections. "All right. Here we go."

Amu popped herself up on her toes before rocking back down on her heels. She moved her torso in a wide swing as if she was ducking an invisible assailant. She brought her hands up to guard her face and batted away invisible strikes to her person before ducking and coming up in a new place. She bounced around the room for a bit moving her arms and focusing on protecting her face, head, and abdomen.

Then she switched to the kicks. Ikuto was always quick to praise her on how fast she could move when it came to switching between which leg she was kicking with and what type of kick she was doing. Amu found that part to be a lot like dancing, which she'd grown up taking lessons for.

Gaining momentum, Amu practically flew around the room as she moved to combine her punches and kicks. She fought invisible people and even pretended to get struck so she could practice rolling with the hit and popping back up onto her feet.

She was a whirlwind as she moved until she suddenly came to a stop in front of Rima and Utau. She stood poised, the only indication of what she'd been doing was her heavy breathing.

Rima stared at Amu with her mouth open before turning to see that Utau had the same exact look on her face. "What part of that were we not supposed to be impressed by!?"

Amu sucked in another breath as she smiled. "Someday, I might try having you watch as I actually fight against my instructor. It's more impressive when you can see the people that are attacking me."

Utau shook her head while making an impressed sound. "When did you start these lessons?"

"A while ago."

"Like," Rima said slowly as she looked Amu up and down. "Years or months?"

"Months."

Utau shook her head again. "Amu, I've seen women take dance lessons for years that couldn't move as gracefully as you just did."

Still grinning, Amu went through her stretches. She caught sight of Ikuto through her balcony door but didn't draw attention to him as he nodded once at her. "I think I'm so graceful because of my dance lessons. I think it really does help with my movement."

Rima returned the smile as Amu continued her stretches. "So what of that can you teach us?"

"I can show you some of the basics that I learned first. Like how to break out of an unwanted hold and the weakest spots of a body that we should attack first."

Utau nodded as she got to her feet. "All right. Let's do it. I want to learn."

Amu grinned as she moved to grab a quick drink of water from the pitcher on her dresser. "I'll show you and then you can practice on each other for a little while. If we didn't have the ball tomorrow, I'd stay up later to show you more stuff."

"How about you show us more after the ball before we have to leave," Rima suggested as she also got to her feet.

Amu nodded in agreement as she moved to get Rim and Utau to stand where she needed them to stand. "All right, let's begin."

XXX

Amu sighed for the eighth time as she stood behind a grand doorway. Whoever had decided that the Crown Princess should be the last to enter was an idiot. She wasn't sure who had given her mother the idea, but Amu wanted to give them a piece of her mind.

"Are you ready?"

Turning, Amu glanced over her shoulder to find Ikuto coming down the hall toward her. "Are you?"

"If you're asking me if I'm worried about being approached by unsavory characters from my past then the answer is no. I'm far more concerned about how many guests are here and how well they were searched when they were let into the castle."

"You think someone would try to assassinate me at my own birthday party?"

Ikuto lifted a brow as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Wouldn't they?"

Amu shook her head as she frowned. "I've learned that they will try to kill me no matter what I do or what day it is."

"Let them come."

Smiling softly to herself, Amu turned to look at Ikuto once more. "You look nice. Did the knights receive new livery?"

"Your mother had this commissioned for me," Ikuto said as he swept into a bow. He turned once he stood up so Amu could see all the details of his coat and the sword at his waist. "She told me that if I was going to sneak in, then I would look like I belonged."

"The guards all know who you are. No one would try to have you removed."

Ikuto smirked as he leaned back against the wall. "I think she meant more along the lines of if I'm going to be sticking close to you then I better look regal."

Amu sniffed as she tipped her nose up into the air. "I wouldn't be caught with someone who was not impeccably dressed."

The knight snickered at that. "From what I've seen of the guests, you are the one that doesn't fit with the fashion."

"Well," Amu said as she tried to fight back a smile. "I told the seamstresses that I refused to wear a dress so tight around my chest that I couldn't breathe. Then I reminded them that I set the trends. I do not follow them. So they made this for me instead."

Ikuto took his time taking in the sight of his princess. "You look lovely."

Amu coughed lightly as she willed herself not to blush. "Thank you. I think the night is going to be far more bearable now that I can breathe through it."

Ikuto couldn't disagree with that. "I checked before I came back here. There were three more parties to announce. It should almost be your turn."

Sighing, Amu straightened out the skirt of her gown despite the fact that it didn't need to be straightened. "Good. I'm bored just waiting here. As much as I don't really want to smile and pretend for people tonight, I'd rather just get it over with than wait any longer."

Ikuto tipped his head in acknowledgment. He knew exactly what she meant. "Would you like me to stay close to you tonight or just nearby?"

That was a loaded question. Amu turned to study Ikuto but he seemed to not realize the magnitude of the question he'd just asked her. If she said she wanted him close, he'd be near her the entire evening. People would not see her without him. They would assume he was her escort and not just a knight. Especially with how he was dressed.

But if she told him to just stay nearby, then there would be no chance for misunderstandings.

Amu bit her lip as she snuck another glance at Ikuto. He was staring at the floor with his brow furrowed. He looked like he was thinking about something important.

Clearing her throat, Amu refrained from shifting on her feet purely because she'd been trained her whole life not to show any weaknesses. "How high is the threat level?"

"There will be quite a few people in attendance that could be potentially dangerous. Or they could not be. I have no way of knowing."

"But the past shows that it's more likely than not, correct?"

"Yes."

"And do you think you could protect me from a distance?"

"Of course, I can."

Amu sighed quietly to herself. "Which would be easier for you, Ikuto? Would it be better for you to be near me or farther away?"

Ikuto shrugged as he lifted his gaze to meet Amu's eyes. "From farther away I can watch more people. By being closer to you I can stop anyone that tries to get too close."

"There are guards stationed around the room to keep an eye on people, correct?"

"Yes," Ikuto confirmed. "But I wouldn't say that they'll be diligent. Most tend to join the party after a while."

"If there are guards already stationed around the room then I'd rather you stay close to me."

Ikuto dipped into a short bow just as the doors to the ballroom finally opened for Amu.

A servant stepped out into the hall. He eyed Ikuto as the knight stood back up but turned to address the princess. "Are you ready, Your Highness?"

Straightening her spine, Amu turned to look at Ikuto one last time. "Stay close to me, Ikuto. If anyone engages you in a conversation that you don't want to partake in then please ignore them. I will handle anyone who questions your presence."

"I will protect you to the best of my ability, Your Highness. I will uphold my vows."

Amu smiled at him one last time before she turned to enter through the doorway. She stood at the top of a grand staircase and listened without emotion as the same servant that fetched her called out her titles to announce her to the room full of people.

Having everyone stare at her was not as unnerving as she'd feared it would be. But that might have had something to do with the fact that some of those eyes were trained over her left shoulder where she knew Ikuto was likely visible in the doorway.

As soon as she was finished being announced, Amu moved to the top of the staircase. She rested her palm gently against the top of the railing. "Welcome, esteemed guests. I am pleased that so many of you accepted the invitation to attend my birthday ball. Please, enjoy the night. I know that I shall."

With that, Amu held out her hand that was not on the railing and was pleasantly surprised when Ikuto stepped up to take it in his with a short bow. She'd been worried that he wouldn't know what to do. But he did his job splendidly as he walked her down the grand staircase.

"Are you putting on a show or were you worried that you'd trip and fall in front of everyone?"

Amu forced herself not to smile. Most of the people were still clapping or cheering for her as she continued her walk down the stairs. In any case, most of the attendees were still watching her and her escort. "A little bit of both."

Ikuto lightly squeezed the hand that he held in his as he stepped down onto the main floor before bowing to Amu as she joined him off the stairs. He released her hand and immediately retook his place just a step or two behind her left shoulder.

Amu tipped her head to most of the people that greeted her as she walked by. There were only a few that she returned an actual bow to as she made her way to the throne her mother was sitting on.

Midori smiled as she watched her daughter approach. She stood to bow to Amu and then leaned in to press a kiss to her cheeks once Amu returned the bow. Letting her gaze slide past Amu, Midori smiled at Ikuto. "Do you like the outfit I had made for him?"

"What are you doing, Mother?"

Smiling still, Midori returned to the throne. "I only wanted to ensure that you enjoyed the night, Amu. It is, after all, your birthday."

Amu returned her mother's smile before she turned to face the guests once more. It was going to be a long night.

.

Morg: Let's get this party started!

Ikuto: That was a lame joke.

Amu: Super bad.

Morg: Oh, come on! I'm hilarious!