Morg: Heyo!

Ikuto: Oh, great.

Amu: It's you again.

Morg: Yeah?

Ikuto: Haven't you had enough?

Amu: I know we have.

Morg: What is with you two today?

Ikuto: Wouldn't you like to know?

Amu: We don't have to tell you anything.

~Queen's Decree~

Amu settled into her seat of her carriage next to the ornate window. Ran sat across from her with Miki and Dia while Su settled on the seat beside Amu. "Are you ready?"

"Why are you asking us, dear?" Su answered as she adjusted her skirts. "We're not the ones who are going to be scrutinized as you will be."

Amu sighed as she shook her head. The carriage took off with a lurch but she managed to steady herself before she fell from her seat. "I've been trained my entire life to never let anyone else know how I feel about something. I'm not worried about my acting skills."

"We're women of the court," Miki reminded her princess. "We've had to learn those skills, too."

"I wish there was a way for us to do this without any of you being in danger."

Ran snickered as she pulled her dagger from her hip and studied it. "I don't know. This is kind of exciting."

"Amu," Dia said quietly after watching Miki and Ran fall into a bit of a shoving match beside her. "You should open the curtain and wave at your people. You're leaving them for quite some time. Don't let the last thing they see of you for a month be a closed curtain."

Amu dipped her head at Dia before she readied herself. Once she was sure she'd be able to smile without losing her composure, she flipped the curtains back and shifted forward in her seat to look out the window.

Su stood for a moment in the moving carriage to help Amu slide the glass of the window out of her way so the princess could better see out of it.

"Sir Knight," Amu called to the armored figure riding directly next to her. "Please allow your horse to trail your spot by a few paces."

"Is that wise, My Princess," Ikuto's voice sounded from inside the helmet. "You would be vulnerable to an attack."

"I'm leaving my people for a short amount of time," Amu told him as she smiled and waved at a group of people who noticed her and pointed. "I would leave them with my smile."

Ikuto tipped his head to her before he tugged on his reigns to pull his horse back. He trailed his spot only enough that the people would be able to see Amu in her window, though he made sure to stay close enough that he'd be able to put himself between her and any danger that may arise.

"I thank you, Sir Knight."

While they were so close to the castle, Amu made certain to keep herself seated at the window. She smiled and waved at anyone who noticed her passing. It was heartening to see that her people loved her enough to point and wave at her in return. She saw far more smiles than she did frowns or scowls.

"Amu, dear," Su said as she guided her princess to finally sit back against her seat. "We're too far from the castle now for there to be many people out. Take a break and drink some water."

Amu took the flask from Su with her eyebrows raised. "You put water in here? I was under the impression that these were usually used for liquor."

Su blushed as she tutted. "But we don't need liquor. And I wanted to be able to bring water without having to worry about it spilling."

Amu winked at Ran and Miki as she lifted the flask to her lips.

"When we stop for lunch," Dia said quietly as they continued to bump along. "We should mingle with Utau and Rima's people but no one else."

"It'll be hard to gather information if we're not talking to the people who might have it," Ran argued.

"True," Dia conceded. "But we also don't want to seem over-eager. We need to slowly integrate our way into speaking with the other servants. We have a week before we arrive at their palace. We can not rush today."

Amu nodded when the others looked at her. "It would be best if you waited until tomorrow. Even more so if one of their servants approached you first."

Ran crossed her arms over her chest as she sank back against her seat. "I think I can make myself available to be approached without it seeming like that's what I'm doing. Especially since I'll be the one going to and from the supplies wagon to make certain we have plenty of food."

"When you ride with Utau and Rima this afternoon," Miki asked as she sat forward in her seat. "Are you going to tell them what you think might be going on?"

Amu thought about the question for a moment before she shook her head. "Not today. We can't risk one of them slipping before we're able to gather more information. I think I'll wait until the morning of the day we're due to part."

Dia nodded her head as she watched Su pull out a few snacks that she'd managed to stash away before they'd left. "That's probably for the best. The more people who know the harder the ruse will be to keep."

"I trust Utau and Rima with my life," Amu reminded her ladies. "But, as Dia said, this is a delicate situation that we have to keep secret. While the carriage is stopped, we cannot speak of this. Any information that you may learn, you'll have to keep it to yourself until we know we can speak of it safely."

"The driver can't hear us, dear?"

"No," Amu answered Su. "Ikuto and Tsukasa tested the carriage before we left. While it is in motion, the driver cannot hear what we say as long as we don't yell."

"Then you must be careful, Amu," Dia said quietly as the carriage rocked over a bump. "Because if you end up in here with someone you can't trust, no one will be able to hear you calling for help."

XXX

"I'm envious of you," Utau said with a dramatic sigh as she collapsed onto the bench opposite of Amu in the princess's fancy carriage.

"Whatever for?"

"You get to ride in here with your ladies while I'm trapped in my carriage with that king."

Amu hid her smile as Rima primly sat down next to Utau.

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Rima sniffed. "I was there the whole time. He was simply asking you questions about your home."

"Interrogating me is more like," Utau muttered.

Rima made a face that had Amu biting her cheeks to stop from laughing.

"Dear," Su said as she climbed into the carriage. "I was voted to ride with you three as Duchess Utau's carriage is now too full."

"That's perfectly fine, Su," Amu told her as she made certain there was room for her next to her. "I always enjoy your company."

There was a tap on Amu's window, which she opened with Su's help.

"Your Highness," Tsukasa's voice echoed from behind his visor. The knight sat upon his beautiful horse next to the carriage. "Kiseki has just commanded the caravan set off for the afternoon. Are you ready to depart?"

"Thank you, Sir Knight," Amu said with a small dip of her chin. "We are ready."

Tsukasa saluted her before he spurred his horse on to trot up the line of carriages and wagons.

"Two fully armored knights, huh?" Rima shot Amu a look as soon as the princess managed to shut the window and sit back in her seat. "I suppose I was expecting to find that you were traveling in here with the ladies and Ikuto."

"Ikuto was banished from Kiseki and Tadase's kingdom when he was a child."

Utau's eyes widened as she sat up. "What? Why?"

Amu lightly shrugged her shoulders as she listened to the calls outside the carriage. The all-clear was given. Moments later they pitched into movement. "I have no idea."

"Surely," Rima said after she managed to find her voice. "Surely, you must know something."

"I know that he's innocent of the crimes they blamed him for. I know that he's loyal to me and would do anything to keep me safe from harm."

Su patted Amu's arm as she finished storing away her things. "Yes, dear. We know he's a good man."

"You cannot be serious," Utau uttered incredulously. "You haven't been seen without him in public for years! You cannot tell me that you've left not only the castle but soon your country without him."

Amu winced before she ducked her head. "The stipulation of my traveling with them was that I was to be accompanied by two knights. My mother insisted."

"And Ikuto was only a Knight-in-Training," Rima said in understanding as she slumped back against the seat. "He didn't qualify."

"Not to mention that he was banished!" Utau pointed out.

Amu allowed Su to take her hand and squeeze it. She supposed Utau and Rima thought that her friend was comforting her while Su was actually reminding her to remain strong in her conviction to keep her secret for a few more days. "I was told that we'd be quite safe while traveling."

Utau scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Do not be surprised if on the third day a trunk opens and Ikuto rolls out."

Amu rolled her eyes as Su and Rima giggled. "Ikuto would not hide in a trunk."

"He also wouldn't let you out of his sight."

Amu resisted the urge to look out her window at the knight riding next to her on his horse. The last thing she wanted was for Utau or Rima to realize that they were right. There was not a chance that Ikuto would have let Amu travel without him.

Su squeezed her hand before she let her go once more. "Are you dears hungry or thirsty? I've got plenty of snacks that are easy to eat while we travel. I know that as women we're expected to eat less at meals, which is why I made certain to store away as much food in here as I could."

Rima grinned as she nudged Utau with her elbow. "We definitely got the right sister."

"Thank goodness for you, Su." Utau said with a groan. "I would love something more to eat."

Amu let Su distract them with snacks as she shifted in her seat to pull back her curtain. For a moment, she waited to see if any of the girls riding with her would notice that she was looking out the window instead of paying attention to them. Once she was certain that they wouldn't notice what she was doing, she sat forward enough to look at the knight rather than the woods near the road.

For a few minutes, the knight did not notice her. Then he turned his head ever so slightly and dipped it forward in a silent acknowledgment of her gaze.

Amu smiled as she let the curtain fall shut. She scooted back into her seat just in time for Su to hand her a slice of bread with meat and cheese on it. "Thank you, Su. This looks delicious."

"You're welcome, dear," Su murmured to her while putting away some of her things.

"Amu," Rima said after a moment of chewing. "I was going to ask, why are the girls all wearing daggers?"

Su grinned as she sat up after storing her back of food under her seat. She turned to show off the dagger attached to her belt. "The queen gave them to us," she bragged. "She wanted us to be able to protect ourselves while we traveled. Said to use them if any of Kiseki's servants or guards decided they wanted something we weren't willing to give."

Utau returned Su's grin as she nodded. "Her Majesty always has the best ideas."

Amu smiled when she caught Su looking at her. "Giving you the means to protect yourself is never a bad idea."

"Yes," Su agreed. "But you're not carrying a dagger."

Amu's smile turned a bit more sly as she folded her hands in her lap. "Not one that you can see."

"Amu," Rima gasped as she sat forward once more. "Show us."

Amu barely had the chance to laugh before a sharp whistle tore through the air.

.

Morg: Are you in a better mood yet?

Ikuto: No.

Amu: No.

Morg: Then I can't help you.