Entry tags:

weiss kreuz

The Road Towards Kamakura, part IV (Weiss Kreuz, Nagi/Mamoru)
Title: The Road Towards Kamakura
Fandom: Weiss Kreuz
Pairings: Nagi/Mamoru, Crawford/Schuldig, Mamoru/OFC, Nagi/OFC
Rating: R
Summary: In exile in a distant and unimportant post for his family's crimes, Mamoru builds himself a new life.
Word Count: 61000 words.
Author's Note: Thank you so much to toscas_kiss for beta-reading, and to puddingcat, for her wonderful illustrations! This is a sequel to Sailing to Hirugashima, a science-fiction AU in a space-opera setting. Like that story, it takes its title from place names important to the founding of the Kamakura shogunate.
Sections: I; II; III; IV; V; VI; VII






The staff seemed pleased by the new family arrangements, as if Mamoru had suddenly done something more understandable than his attachment to Nagi. As the weeks passed they showed no sign of becoming jealous, or of thinking she was in an intolerable position from which they should plot to rescue her. They were even, he saw, pleased to see Claudine continue her everyday work as if she were – Mamoru laughed a little at the thought – as if she were an ordinary shopkeeper's woman, rather than an ambassador's.

"Yes?" Nagi said, seeming as suspicious as ever that he might be the one laughed at.

"I was just thinking about being a shopkeeper."

"I'm glad you had a career change," Nagi said. "You'd have needed to be a very wicked shopkeeper for me to have met you." He laid his report on Mamoru's desk. "All situations remain as previously reported; here's Mori's report – he also has no changes to tell you of."

"Good," Mamoru said. "We could take the rest of the day off, if you like?" Nagi's face brightened, and Mamoru grinned at his glee. Nagi had a recording of an Alliance war film he thought hilarious and had been longing to inflict on Mamoru, and it seemed this was to be the day. Mamoru didn't care as long as he was happy; Nagi had snapped at him the first time he had made such a suggestion, saying he didn't need to be given treats like a sulky, jealous child. He had not refused, though, and Mamoru was happy that with each further obvious sign of preferment the sulkiness grew a little less. He was happier still that Nagi had never again demanded the personal details he had the morning after Mamoru had first slept with Claudine. Honestly, he thought, what had that achieved but to make them both miserable? At least Nagi hadn't taken it out on her; while he was not a polite person, he was not rude to her. As time had passed he'd become used to things, Mamoru thought, letting Nagi go ahead to set up his terrible film.

It was, therefore, a shock to hear Nagi's most peremptory tone of voice coming from the small set of rooms that had become the women's quarters of the household. Mamoru groaned. Had Nagi found her unexpectedly at home and decided months of irritation and pretending not to care overmuch were all to be spilled out at once? Mamoru hurried in to make peace, to find Claudine kneeling before a photo of a young man, in a position that suggested she was trying to protect it, with Nagi standing over her looking annoyed.

"I didn't do anything to her," Nagi said quickly as Mamoru took in the marks of tears on her face. "I just said maybe it'd be better to stop apologizing to her dead husband for having your child and to actually tell you."

"What did you say?" Mamoru said blankly.

"I'm sorry you've been told like this, Mamoru-sama," Claudine said. "I wanted to be sure –"

"I've checked her bathroom; it's been six weeks since she used sanitary items and part of a torn-up box turned out to be from a pregnancy-testing kit," Nagi said. He looked from Claudine's expression of outrage to Mamoru's shock. "What?" he snapped.

"Nagi, you don't have to spy on family members," Mamoru said. "If you want to know something I'd tell you – Claudine-san would too, wouldn't you?" She nodded, warily.

"I wasn't spying, I was keeping an eye on things," Nagi said huffily. He looked just the tiniest bit embarrassed, though Mamoru was fairly sure that was due to being discovered. "I just didn't see why she was delaying telling you."

"I wanted to be sure," she said again. "Mamoru-sama, I'm sorry you had to find out like this." She looked like she had opinions about the situation and about Nagi that Mamoru was glad to see she was wise enough not to voice.

"I'm very pleased," Mamoru said. "We must make sure that you have all the medical attention you need." He leant close to Nagi to murmur, "You really mocked her about her dead husband?"

"I wouldn't have called it mockery," Nagi said. "Just a reasonable question. I can try to be more tactful," he said grudgingly.

"Thank you," Mamoru said, whispering more quietly, "You could also tell her you weren't abusing your position by barging in to her rooms, that you're a family member."

"No," Nagi said. He gave a brief, curt bow towards Claudine. "Congratulations," he said, and walked out.

Mamoru felt a light touch on his hair just before Nagi closed the door, and decided it was an awkward, silent apology. Poor Nagi, he thought, sorry that interactions that should be simple seemed so hard for him to manage. "I hope you weren't upset," he said, kneeling by Claudine. "I'm sure he didn't mean to."

"No, of course, Mamoru-sama," Claudine said.

"He can be a bit rude, but he has a good heart," Mamoru said helplessly, feeling he was betraying Nagi by talking behind his back, and feeling he'd equally betray Claudine by not saying something. He sat with her a while, talking about his day and wondering if agreeing to any and all suggestions she might make about the education programmes would be seen as weakness or simply as a proper and expected reward. Finally he rose mid-sentence, blurted, "Excuse me," and hurried off to find Nagi.

"Nagi!" he said, finding him in his office. He came up and put his hands carefully on Nagi's shoulders. "Look, I'm not annoyed with you, but don't you think –"

"Yes, all right," Nagi muttered, holding up a hand to stop him speaking. "Just a moment –" He was listening to something on an earpiece, Mamoru saw. "Yeah," he said now, harshly, and Mamoru saw he was not the one addressed. "Go on."

His face was pale and set, and he looked suddenly much older than nineteen. Mamoru looked into his eyes, trying to get him to acknowledge him, mouthing, What? What is it? Nagi waved him away again, looking like he was in pain. He listened in silence to whatever he was hearing, then Mamoru felt pressure on his hands, like they'd been gripped and held tight. Something was wrong, he thought, dreadfully wrong and unconnected with Nagi's behaviour earlier. Please, he thought. Please tell me.

"Copy," Nagi said, and broke the connection. He stared down at his desk, then took a deep, deep breath and looked up into Mamoru's worried face. "I love you," he said, clearly and firmly.

"Is it very bad?" Mamoru asked bleakly.

"Five hours ago the imperial ship, the Suzume Maru docked at the station –"

"It needn't mean anything," Mamoru said. "It could just want to sell us tea at a vastly inflated price, or have mail for the staff, and we've discussed ships coming here – you said we'd really have nothing much to worry about, and you can run rings round anyone --"

Nagi was just looking at him, so he fell silent to hear the rest of it.

"Someone on that ship took a risk, so that Mori wouldn't be caught unawares," Nagi said. He looked away and back again, the flickering gaze that let Mamoru knew he was truly unsettled, then touched Mamoru's face like he was saying farewell to something precious and fragile.

"It's carrying Psi-Corps personnel," he said.

* * *


The embassy could be fortified if they had enough time, Mamoru thought. The compound had high surrounding walls and gates, the buildings' outer walls were thick stone. They'd withstand several direct hits from ordinary weapons, at least the kind used if attackers wanted to capture survivors. Against opponents who could do things like Nagi, he had little hope.

"We needn't give up hope," Nagi said, pacing back and forth. "They'll come here, there's no other reason for them to be on this world, but what is there for them to find? I can destroy the files relating to me joining your family, I'm good enough they won't be able to tell. Other than that, everything is exemplary. Hayashi's a weak link, of course."

"Nagi?" Mamoru said. "Are you going to kill him?"

"If necessary," Nagi said absently. "I can do it fast and painlessly, don't worry." He patted Mamoru's arm, continuing, "I know you'd prefer otherwise. I'd still consider myself part of your family, truly."

"What if they're just here on behalf of my enemies?" Mamoru said.

Nagi was quiet, then something invisible wrapped itself around Mamoru's wrist and pulled him into Nagi's embrace.

"You won't feel any pain," Nagi said brokenly into his hair. "We'll die together."

They clung on to each other till Mamoru felt Nagi's breath even out. He squeezed tight a last time and stepped back.

"What about Claudine?" he said. "The family's not destroyed if she has the baby."

"It could just be a girl," Nagi said, getting his voice under control. "You should get her out of here, and hidden in the city somewhere. If they are here to do your enemies' work they'll make her have an abortion."

"What would happen to her?" Mamoru said.

Nagi was silent a moment. "Give her a gun," he said. "Tell her to kill herself the moment she's found. If you think she can't, do it now, yourself."

Mamoru thought of his grandfather's concubines, their youth and sly humour of no help to them. He held out a steady hand. "Give me a gun."

It was heavy in his hand, getting heavier with every step he took. He came into her rooms and found her working, the pictures on her screen bright and cheerful, showing children playing. She stood up as he approached, her eyes widening as she took in the gun. It would be kinder, Mamoru thought. If they're coming to destroy us, it would be kinder.

"An imperial ship has docked," he said. "There are Psi-Corps personnel on board. Their only possible reason for coming to this world is to see the conditions here at the embassy and how I am conducting myself. We don't know yet if their orders go further than merely investigating. Naoe-san says –" he swallowed. "Nagi says that if they mean me harm you should not fall into their hands."

"Ah," she said, still looking at the gun in his grip. She folded her hands over her stomach.

Damn it, Mamoru thought, closing his eyes a moment. "Pack the very smallest of bags," he said. "They can't get here before morning, Nagi says. That damn elevator won't go faster just to please them. Hide in the city, and if I don't contact you by noon, go to the security force and claim asylum. Raise the child properly, as my heir."

"Will it come to that?" she said.

"Who can tell? I don't give a damn if you're both Alliance citizens if you're both still alive. Quick, quick. And take this –"

The gun looked odd in her hands, he thought.

"If you're in danger of being taken by them, don't hesitate," he said.

"No," she said, and ran to throw things into a bag. He gave her all the money he could find, and his cards.

"This too," he said, giving her his seal. "Come on –"

When she was gone, he ran back to Nagi to find him examining files with grim satisfaction.

"It's clean," Nagi said, gesturing at the screen.

"I've sent her to hide, and to ask for asylum if I don't get in touch," Mamoru said.

Nagi gave him a stern look. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the second part of that," he said.

"If anything happens, I may yet be avenged by my son," Mamoru said. "Or my daughter, I suppose. Nagi, send Hayashi away as well, so he can't be questioned. I'm going to trust your capabilities like before, I'm not giving up yet."

Nagi straightened up and looked more like the young man who had come that day to arrest him, hard and dangerous.

"Yeah, fuck that," he said. "Let's fight."


* * *


The staff should be told, Mamoru thought, then changed his mind. No, if they knew nothing, they couldn't be held responsible. With Hayashi and Claudine safely gone it was only Nagi and he who could be in trouble. There was nothing incriminating to be found, Nagi assured him. All they could do was wait.

They did not have to wait as long as they'd hoped. It was barely full night before the news came.

"Sir, sir!" Ito said, looking more wild-eyed than Mamoru had ever seen. "The security guard at the gate just said he admitted two men with imperial identification, but he can't think why he didn't call to check with Mori-san. Sir, they're Psi-Corps!" He looked askance at Nagi's pale face. "I can't find Hayashi-san! He's not in the embassy, he's not at home!"

"I'll go," Nagi said, standing. "Calm down, man!" he snapped at Ito. "No one here has anything to fear from us."

Ito shrank back at hearing Nagi include himself with the newcomers. Nagi pressed a button on his desk. He stared at the display, frowning as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes. "Keep watch," he muttered to Mamoru, and with no other word, stalked from the room.

Mamoru stared at the security display. Nagi, it seemed, had cameras everywhere. He flicked through the options till he came to a small, boring office in the embassy, and saw two tall, black-uniformed men looking about them with disinterest. The taller had black hair and wore an incongruous pair of glasses, as if he had always lived on some benighted world that didn't offer even the simplest of corrective surgeries for minor defects of vision. The other had messy, bright red hair that he fiddled with, as if it were an unconscious nervous habit. Someone had been present to give them coffee, he saw, as the red-head sipped at a cup and grimaced in disgust. "They're in the smaller public waiting room," he said quietly into the communicator.

Copy, Nagi said, and, I know that already. Get off this channel, damn it.

A smaller inset display showed him walking fast down the corridors that would lead him to the room. Mamoru shifted his gaze back and forth between Nagi and the men. Neither of them was imperial, though the taller might have some imperial ancestry, he thought, though the red-haired one didn't look like he had any.

Nagi, Mamoru thought, wishing Ito were not in the room and he didn't have to appear calm. Oh, Nagi.

On the screen, Nagi came to the office, and not even pausing for an instant, opened the door and entered. Mamoru clenched his fists as, on the larger display, Nagi stopped dead, staring at the other two Psi-Corps officers who looked back at him, silently.

"Hey, Nagi-kun," the red-haired one said, breaking into a sly grin. "Surprised?"

"Nagi," the taller, black-haired man said.

Mamoru held his breath as the three of them looked at each other silently. They glanced from one to another and the red-haired man made small gestures, as if carrying on a conversation no one could hear. All at once Mamoru saw the tension leave Nagi's shoulders, and the faint smile that was his public acknowledgment of pleasure was there-and-gone on his face.

"It seems I didn't try hard enough to get away from you," he said, his tone only mildly snide.

"Such thanks, after we hurried all this way to catch up on gossip," the red-haired man said.

"Hurried so much you still can't find time for a haircut, I see," Nagi shot back.

"We've had a long journey, is there possibly something better to drink than this?" the taller man said, peering into his coffee with an air of scientific interest.

"Not really," Nagi said. "We keep that crap specially for passing freaks. Drink up."

Mamoru sat back. Nagi was making jokes, he thought in blank surprise. In public. More than that, he realized, they were all putting on a show for the cameras. Are you really old friends? he thought. Or are you trying to warn me by acting so oddly? On the screen, Nagi indicated the door, and the three of them walked out of the room. Mamoru's communicator beeped.

"Yes?" he said.

Takatori no Mamoru, Nagi said, distant and official. Meet me in the blue sitting room.

"Yes," Mamoru said. "Should anyone else be present?"

No.

Mamoru stood, and made sure he looked presentable. He glanced over to meet Ito's frightened eyes.

"Sir," Ito said helplessly. He paused, then said in a rush, "You're not a bad person, Takatori-sama. I'll tell them that, we'll all tell them."

"Thank you, Ito-san," Mamoru said. He looked at Nagi's desk, wishing suddenly he still had the gun. Frowning, he picked up the letter opener. It was honed to a razor's edge. Oh, Nagi, he thought fondly, and slipped it up his sleeve. "Don't worry," he said to Ito, "I promise not to try to start a knife-fight with them."

Every step of his short walk felt like a thousand kilometers. He passed the few people still in the embassy compound without registering who they even were. They bowed as if they were saying goodbye, or simply stared as if he were a ghost. He stood at last outside the door, composing himself, then opened it and went it to face what would happen. They were all sitting down, Nagi and the taller man sitting neatly, the red-haired man sprawled casually in the most comfortable of the armchairs. He looked up, fast and avid, at Mamoru and grinned cruelly.

"The traitor himself," he said. "Ready to face justice, Takatori? Nagi's report will damn you." He laughed at Mamoru's shock as Nagi jumped up. "Oh, did you think he was your friend?"

"Shut up!" Nagi yelled.

Was Nagi ashamed? Mamoru thought. Was he just afraid? He'd said things would go harder for him than Mamoru if they were taken as traitors. Mamoru was absolutely determined, he suddenly knew, not to go back to prison and face what he'd been through before – and if he couldn't be questioned, he thought, feeling the blade against his arm, Nagi would be safer.

The thought wasn't properly formed before the dark haired man snapped something that sounded like a warning and the other was, impossibly fast, beside Mamoru, immobilizing his arm.

"Can't you take a joke?" he grumbled, pulling the blade free.

"Mamoru," Nagi said in horror, coming up and pulling him away. "No, no, you don't need to." He held on to him, whispering, "Really, it's all right. These are my friends, who helped me with your case before." He glared at them both. "Spare him your sense of humour."

The taller man stood and bowed politely. "My name is Crawford. I hold the rank of Captain," he said. "And this is Lt –"

"Schuldig," the other broke in.

"Right," Nagi muttered, as Mamoru tried to make sense of the outlandish sound. "He calls himself that, it's from an Alliance language, it's not his name. Our fourth team mate calls himself Farfarello – I think he and Schuldig picked random words from Alliance dictionaries."

"It's as much my name as the words the Corps uses on my ID," Schuldig said, something in his voice telling Mamoru this was an old argument. He held the letter opener up. "Nice knife," he said sarcastically, and flung himself back in his chair.

"We're not here to harm you," Crawford said. "We're here to see Nagi and to make sure he's satisfied in his choices." He smiled at Mamoru, polite and calm, as if used to dealing with silly childish things Nagi might do. "I decided not to take the elevator, you'd both have been far too excitable if we'd given you too much time."

"Luckily the pilot of the only shuttle on station was eager to give us a free trip," Schuldig giggled, playing with his too-long hair. "What a lot of regulations these people have about visitors. It was just too boring to endure."

"You didn't enter legally?" Mamoru asked before he could stop himself. All three of them looked at him with a mixture of pity and scorn. "We're here at these people's sufferance," he muttered petulantly.

"You might suffer to give us a bed, Ambassador," Crawford said. "We've had a very long journey; our discussion with Nagi can wait till tomorrow."

"And you have so much to quiz him about tonight," Schuldig said genially, with a thread of spite underlying his voice. He yawned, and unfolded himself from the chair like a cat stretching. "I'm tired," he said. "Find me a nice bed, Nagi."

"I'm not leaving you alone with them," Nagi said quietly, and pulled Mamoru from the room. "There are plenty of rooms now the staff have moved to live nearby," he said. "Get someone to fix one up."

"Ito-san," Mamoru said. "Just one room?" he added a moment later.

"Just one. Go on, I'll see you in a little."

Mamoru hurried back to Nagi's office. Ito was staring avidly at the security displays, and looked up guiltily as Mamoru came in. "Come on," Mamoru said. "They're staying and need a room."

Ito looked like he'd object, perhaps say that it was beneath his dignity to change sheets and plump pillows, but he followed Mamoru eagerly enough, and did not say anything about the strangeness of the situation as they picked a room and made the bed together.

Mamoru went to his own rooms to hide, wanting to contact Nagi and fearing he would still be with the others. At last the communicator beeped.

I'm about to open the door. Don't shoot me.

"I don't have a gun," Mamoru said.

The door opened and Nagi came up to him quickly, pulling him up from where he knelt and hugging him tight.

"It's all right," he said. "It's going to be all right."

"Are you sure? What if they report something bad?"

"You didn't really believe Schuldig, did you?" Nagi said. "He can be an idiot; he didn't mean it. Mamoru, they already know what I did for you, they're the friends who helped me do it. They won't do anything against you, I promise." His smile was professional. "Anyway, I know things about them. Be careful of your thoughts around Schuldig, he's a telepath. Crawford can see future events, it's how he warned Schuldig you had the blade."

"Why are they here?" Mamoru said.

"I'll talk to them. They probably want me to do something, but I'm not going anywhere. I have a lifetime assignment, Mamoru. I plan on seeing it out." He kissed Mamoru, slipping his hands inside his clothes. "You don't have to worry, they'll make a good report and no one will bother us for years. Come to bed."

"We'll be all right? I can tell Hayashi-san and Claudine-san that?" Mamoru said.

"Yes. Tell them to come back tomorrow and come to bed."

Mamoru fended him off long enough to send messages, relief flooding through him at the thought that they'd live, that the family would go on. He let Nagi wrap himself round him, tugging his uniform open.

"This isn't the last time?" he asked as Nagi dragged him down onto the futon.

"How would you do it if it were?" Nagi said.

"I'd have to think –" Mamoru said.

"Not too long," Nagi laughed. "The very first thing you think of, right now."

Mamoru looked into Nagi's shining, hope-filled face and thought how good it was to be alive. "I'd want you to take the lead," he said. "Will you?"

"I can do that," Nagi said. "It's my job to take care of you, after all." Mamoru closed his eyes and heard Nagi's voice turn deeply amused. "So lazy," he murmured.

It was better even than he'd been able to imagine, Nagi's terrible power lying light on his skin and Nagi's touch eager and sure. "You're so lovely," he groaned, and Nagi stopped doing anything for long, silent seconds, then Mamoru felt him kiss the back of his neck, very softly, before starting to move again, slow and careful. When they lay finally quiet in each other's arms Mamoru felt himself drifting towards sleep, the slightest movement of airy pressure over his body letting him know Nagi was still awake and wrapped up in their pleasure.

"This wasn't the last time," Nagi said, very quietly.

Mamoru clung tighter to him and slept.


* * *


"Nagi says it's safe to come back," Mamoru said, smiling as Nagi examined his reflection critically, straightening his uniform to perfection. "No, really. He says –"

The communicator twitched itself from his hand and somersaulted neatly into Nagi's grasp.

"He says there's nothing to worry about," Nagi said, his casual tone of satisfaction probably telling Claudine more than she wanted to know about their night, Mamoru reflected. "Remember, you're under my protection. Don't take that lightly." He tossed the communicator back to Mamoru. "I'm going to find our guests," he said, and strolled out.

"It really is safe," Mamoru said. "Come back." He spent some time telling Hayashi the same thing, then went in search of Nagi. He found him with Crawford and Schuldig, calmly eating breakfast and talking about people they all knew.

"Takatori-sama," Crawford said, managing to sound both polite and sarcastic. "Your kitchens do the best they can here, the cooks are to be complimented."

"They're local workers, and very skilled," Mamoru said. He refused to be stung into admitting the embassy had not had the budget to bring staff deemed non-essential. He joined them and drank coffee silently. For a man who sought to insult him through faint praise, he thought sourly, Crawford was certainly eating enough. Schuldig looked hard at him and sniggered, glancing from Crawford's face to Nagi's. Nagi shot Mamoru a slightly irritated look, while Crawford merely took another of the fresh rolls and ate it. Mamoru belatedly remembered Nagi's warning about Schuldig, and filled his mind with thoughts of breakfast. Denied further amusement, Schuldig concentrated on his own meal, leaving Mamoru in peace.

"If we might speak with Lt Naoe in private, Takatori-sama?" Crawford said, his voice still that unsettling mixture of deference and insolence.

"Please," Mamoru said, as if he really had any say in the matter. He watched them go, then went to his office, praying that there'd be something to do for once, enough to distract him. After an hour Ito told him Claudine and Hayashi had returned.

"Thank you," Mamoru said. "Tell them to keep out of sight, there's no point in attracting attention when they may both be worried about having been absent last night."

"Yes, sir," Ito said. He had no sooner left than Mamoru heard his voice raised in alarmed protest. "Please –" Mamoru heard, then the door burst open and Schuldig came in, his face angry.

"What did you do to Ito-san?" Mamoru said in horror, catching a glimpse of hopeless pain in Ito's face as the man sagged against the wall outside the door.

He blinked. Schuldig was by the door and then right by him, a hand gripping his throat.

"Who do you think you are?" Schuldig snarled. "Who the fuck do you think you are? He's not your fucking lap-dog."

"Let go," Mamoru croaked. He pulled away, reluctantly aware that he had been let do so. "Ito-san!" he called. "Are you all right?" Ito nodded weakly, though his eyes were still shadowed and frightened. He turned to face Schuldig, feeling he was turning towards a snake about to strike.

"Do you know how long you could be kept alive, how long you'd beg for death?" Schuldig said, spite in every word.

"I and all the people in this diplomatic mission are under the protection of Naoe Nagi," Mamoru said, with more conviction than he felt.

"He's not yours," Schuldig said. "Don't ever make that mistake."

"Do you think I'm not eternally aware that I have nothing?" Mamoru said, letting all the bitterness of his family's fate colour his voice. Schuldig stared at him, then swept out. Mamoru exhaled, relief that he seemed to have hidden something from Schuldig flowing over him. He ran to Ito's side, helping the man into a chair before contacting Nagi.

"Schuldig was just here," he said. "He did something to Ito-san and tried to scare me."

Did he succeed? Nagi said.

"Oh, yes. Where are you?"

On my way. He sounded a little breathless.

Mamoru heard running footsteps and looked round as Nagi ran in. He went down on one knee by Ito's side, and turned the man's face to look in his eyes. Ito flinched back, then got himself under control.

"Does your head hurt?" Nagi said.

Ito nodded miserably. "I felt like something disgusting had touched me," he said, "Or that I myself was that thing –"

"It's not real," Nagi said. "You'll be all right, but go and take something for the pain. It won't happen to you again." He watched Ito go, then turned to Mamoru. "What did he do to you?"

"Told me you weren't my lap-dog," Mamoru said. "At least I assume he was talking about you, I didn't want to get into a drawn-out discussion with him. I told him I knew I owned nothing – I think he believed me."

"Did you believe what you were saying, even if it was just while you were saying it?" Nagi said. His lips twisted into a sort-of-smile at Mamoru's nod. "Good – no, don't look like you insulted what we have. Genuine belief is a good defence against telepaths' inquisitiveness – but now that you know that you probably won't be able to do it again." He squeezed Mamoru's hands. "I said some things that irritated him; it looks like he decided you were to blame. He'll calm down, but I'll have to remind him not to damage people who are mine."

"All of us, Nagi," Mamoru said. "Please, consider we're all yours."

Nagi just looked at him, then, "Whose else would you all be? I'll deal with it, don't worry. Will you be all right?"

"Yes," Mamoru said. It was unpleasant to see Nagi go. He gave up on work and retreated back to his private rooms. Claudine wasn't there, so once he felt he could face the staff with dignity he went out to find her, heading straight for her office.

"Go home," he said with no preamble.

"I didn't think they'd come looking here, why should they care about the education of children?" she said.

"I want us both in one place, where Nagi can protect us," he said. "I shouldn't have told you to come back, but it might attract too much attention if you left again."

"Are we in danger?" she said in alarm.

"Not if Nagi can be with us," he said. "Don't get separated." He hurried her along the corridor to the residency, pausing only when he heard Nagi's voice behind a half-open door.

"I told you, he's worth it," Nagi said.

"It's a dangerous path to walk," Crawford's voice said. "If belonging is so important, you know there is always a place for you with us."

"No one can work all the time, not even us," Nagi said. "You're the people who taught me what it's like to have someone see you properly, see you're a person, not a mindless weapon."

"He does that for you, does he?" Schuldig's voice said. "He's worth losing your career, your place, your whole damn life? All because you've got emotions and hormones mixed up –"

"You're a fine one to talk," Nagi snapped as Crawford said warningly,

"Nagi –"

"Oh, he loves you, and you're the one who's important to him," Schuldig sneered. "Which is why he's outside with his concubine right now, and he'll fuck her later even though he told you it was only till she got pregnant."

"Go," Mamoru muttered, pushing her, and Claudine ran. He'd been a fool to assume they didn't know he was there. He waited for what would happen. Nagi came out and looked at him, then took his hand and pulled him into the room.

"My name," Nagi said defiantly, "Is Takatori no Nagi, and Mamoru has never doubted my loyalty to him. So there's no point in trying to influence me or him now." He kissed Mamoru long and hard and glared at his friends, his arm tight around Mamoru's waist.

Crawford and Schuldig looked at each other with satisfaction, as if Nagi had confirmed something they'd been expecting. Mamoru wondered if any of their traps had really been for him.


* * *


Things had changed, in some way he didn't quite understand. Crawford and Schuldig were no longer antagonistic; they went out of their way to appear harmless, though Mamoru was glad to see all the staff treated them warily. Ito, especially, was apt to vanish when Schuldig was present. Nagi was relaxed, enjoying what seemed to be becoming a social visit, and spent long hours at night drinking and talking with his friends. Mamoru was excluded from those meetings, something he heartily approved of. If he passed by and heard his name mentioned he simply shut his ears and hurried away.

Things had changed privately as well. For the first time he was truly glad to have taken Nagi's advice. It was a relief to have someone waiting for him when Nagi was sequestered with the others, and it did not seem to worry either Nagi or Claudine when he took her to bed.

"I'm sorry," he said the second night. "I shouldn't ask you to provide me with comfort."

After a pause she said, "I'm comforted too."

Mamoru put a hand out to stop her leaving for her own room. Nagi wouldn't be angry, he thought. Since the night they had realized Crawford and Schuldig were not there to arrest them he had treated Claudine with a sort of amused pity, as if he had won a contest she had never been forward enough to assume she was in. It was nothing Mamoru thought anyone could enjoy, and it was a small enough gesture to give her some sort of courtesy and kindness.

He woke to slowly lightening darkness and the realization that Nagi was kneeling by the edge of the futon.

"What is it?" Mamoru asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"They want to help us," Nagi said, exultant. He leaned over to kiss Mamoru, the smell of wine strong on his breath. "You'll be pleased. I'll tell you more later, but I knew you'd want to know. Stay," he added loftily, as Mamoru felt Claudine stealthily trying to reach her yukata beside the bed. "I'm going again, I just wanted to let you know." He bent down and kissed Mamoru swiftly and a little clumsily, then was gone.

"It's all right," Mamoru said. "He was drinking."

"Yes," Claudine whispered.

In her place, Mamoru thought, he'd be lying as still and embarrassed as she was. He pulled her closer and gave her what comfort he could.

Nagi found him the next morning and took him aside.

"Mamoru, Crawford assures me that he knows you are totally free of any crimes your family committed. He says it's obvious and only a fool would think otherwise. His word will be protection against your enemies."

"What will it do for you?" Mamoru said. "You said you had to alter your report –"

"Oh well, I'm a young fool making up for overzealous interpretation of evidence," Nagi said. He put his lips against Mamoru's ear, whispering, "If he makes a report in the right ears, you'll be unblemished in the eyes of the law."

Mamoru pulled back. "One officer's report? Would that be enough?"

Nagi looked sorry. "I'm getting ahead of myself. No. You're right. What it can do is make you look better than you do now. We can't go back, but if we're lucky this might be a real diplomatic mission in a couple of years. Are you pleased?"

Mamoru thought about it. "I'd be rehabilitated?"

"Over time, not straight away."

This is what I wanted, Mamoru thought. To do his duty, to prove he wasn't what his enemies said, to be given a chance to have his family allowed home. And to have it handed to him years earlier than he'd expected –

"What do they want?" he asked.

"Nothing," Nagi said. "Or not much," he added. "They wanted me to come back to them; they thought I was mad to have done this, and thought I'd be ready to run after being stuck out here for eighteen months." He touched Mamoru's hair, murmuring, "As if I could be tired of you. So they'll help me arrange things here, instead."

"If I were rehabilitated –" Mamoru began. He thought of the scandal he would have caused his grandfather, if he had openly had a lover from the Psi-Corps, and someone like Claudine. "What will it do to us?"

Nagi looked less sure of himself than he'd been. "I thought you'd be pleased," he said.

"We can do what we want here," Mamoru said. "I thought that was what pleased you. If – Nagi, if you'd reported me innocent how long would we have had? You'd have been assigned elsewhere, and that would have been an end to it. You've done everything to keep me alive and keep us together, and you keep doing things I want to please me – what do you want?"

"I don't want to be sent away from you," Nagi said. "I want you." He pursed his lips, then, "Crawford might be able to help more subtly – the mere rumour that you might be rehabilitated could tip balances towards you, without risking you actually be moved from here. He could –" He took a breath. "It would make us both look less of a risk for making marriage alliances."

"Yes," Mamoru said. He looked hard at Nagi. "Could you do that? I won't ask you to –"

"Of course," Nagi said. "It doesn't change much." A calculating look came into his eyes. "And just one wealthy ally would make us seem so much better to others."

"It wouldn't change anything that matters," Mamoru said, taking his arm. "I promise."

"I'll talk to Crawford," Nagi said, as if the thought had never crossed his mind. "He'll be sympathetic." Mamoru snorted at the idea of Crawford being sympathetic to anyone. Nagi smiled slyly. "He will. He's not what you think, Mamoru. He knows what it's like to be fond of someone; he's very fond of Schuldig."

"I've made no assumptions about their relationship," Mamoru said. He was very sure he was wise not to. Nagi gave him a look like he was being willfully stupid, and went about his business.





That evening, Mamoru found himself trapped. Schuldig was lounging against the wall, waiting for him as he came back from his office.

"Good evening," he said, stepping right into the middle of the hallway. "Won't you come and keep us company?" He pushed the first door open. It led to a small and unremarkable office, and Mamoru had never seen fit to have it used it for anything but storage. Now he found boxes arranged as if they were a desk, Crawford sitting behind them and looking like he owned the whole building. Schuldig gave Mamoru the smallest of shoves into the room and closed the door behind them. Crawford indicated a chair, and Mamoru sat, wary and silent.

"We'll be leaving here very soon, Takatori-sama," Crawford said. "Lt Naoe has made some requests of us, and I see little reason to refuse him. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

"I always listen to his advice," Mamoru said.

"He's offended you didn't say 'Lt Takatori', Brad," Schuldig said, dropping down into a chair just in Mamoru's field of peripheral vision. "He feels you insult his generous acceptance of a homeless and strange creature into his family."

Mamoru turned to look squarely at him. "You did not take that from my mind," he said evenly, ignoring the way his heart hammered. "It is merely your own desire to cause trouble and to create a split between us."

"Such a brave little bastard," Schuldig said, leaning forward. "Do you think you can prevent such a split if I really exert myself?"

"I know him," Mamoru said. "I believe him."

Crawford made a little gesture, no more than a flick of his fingers, and Schuldig sat back.

"He's scared," Schuldig said, his tone suddenly more business-like. "But he's finding he has limits to that. He sees himself and Nagi as –" He raised an eyebrow. " – as an interlocking wall. There are other people mixed in there, but Nagi's the keystone. And he's a little offended at my public familiarity with you."

"All right," Crawford said. It was directed at Schuldig, Mamoru saw, not himself. He felt a rush of annoyance at the thought Schuldig had been set to rattle him, and felt more annoyed still as Schuldig grinned at his realization. "Takatori-sama," Crawford said, "You should not imagine that you will go home and take up all your family's power and wealth. You and Nagi have reasons for wishing to stay where you are. However, I will do what I can for you – this may be very little, but you will have both our good will."

"Thank you," Mamoru said. "Why?"

"Because Nagi's decisions may not be as foolish as they first seemed," Crawford said. "We are servants of the state, Takatori-sama, and it is foolish and a dereliction of duty for such a servant to fall in love with a surveillance target."

"Then why did you help him?" Mamoru said. "Nagi's never been derelict in his duty," he added.

"I can see the future," Crawford said. He smiled thinly. "We're here now to make sure there was nothing – unforeseen."

"What does the future hold for us?" Mamoru asked. Crawford didn't answer, just rose and bowed slightly.

"I'll ask the captain of the Suzume Maru to sell you some of his supplies," he said. "No doubt you'd like to have a taste of home."

Schuldig moved to open the door, and Mamoru saw he was being dismissed. In my own damn house, he thought, not bothering to try and hide the thought. "Thank you," he said, and walked out quickly, still full of the irritation Crawford's high-handedness had caused. It was only when he was safely hidden away in his own rooms that he allowed himself to hope his annoyance had hidden the other thought he had ruthlessly squashed down. He and Nagi were being used in some greater plan of Crawford's, that much was clear.

He would trust Nagi to steer them properly, so that they would be the ones who profited from it.


* * *


Crawford and Schuldig left as illegally as they had come. Mamoru shielded himself from knowing the details, simply taking relief in the fact that Nagi didn't look worried at all. Two days after they left, the Suzume Maru departed, taking with it any messages the staff had to send home.

"What do you think the outcome of all this will be?" Mamoru asked.

Nagi pursed his lips. "It's difficult to say. Crawford didn't seem worried, and if there were to be some sort of bad outcome for me, he'd have said." He looked a little shamefaced, continuing, "Even if he doesn't really give a damn about you, he values me, and knows what I'd do if you were harmed." He stole a sip of Mamoru's tea. "Let's hope that it means nothing more than your enemies being discomfited in a way they have no redress from, and that it allows us to have some home comforts more often."

"You've had your share," Mamoru said, trying to get the cup back without spilling any. It turned into a half-shoving, half-wrestling bout that ended with the tea miraculously unspilt, and Nagi and him entwined. It was amusing except – "You're trying to distract me," Mamoru said.

Nagi sighed, and sat up. "I wish I could tell you exactly what would happen," he said. He took a deep breath. "Now they're gone, I wish they'd never come in the first place. Schuldig's good at making people forget how dangerous it is to be friends with people like him and Crawford," Nagi said ruefully. "Even me, when I am a person like them."

"Yet you think they wouldn't endanger you, and to keep you happy, wouldn't endanger me," Mamoru said.

"I'm strong, and therefore useful," Nagi said. "Emotional bonds aside, Crawford does not discard useful things or people."

It was another tantalizing hint, and one Mamoru felt he should explore. "How strong are you?" he asked, keeping the question casual.

"Strong," Nagi said. He looked sidelong at Mamoru, "Stronger than most who can do what I can. My official record doesn't say that. Like Crawford's doesn't say how much he can see of the future. Schuldig's says he's strong, but his rank is reduced due to his erratic nature." He looked innocently at Mamoru's confusion. "I held back, all through my training. It wasn't hard, a lot of it came to me only when I'd gone through puberty."

"Why would you hold back?" Mamoru asked. Nagi hated to be bested, hated to be shown up. He couldn't imagine him willingly allowing himself to be seen to be less than perfect.

"Crawford told me to," Nagi said, watching him. "He found me, you know. I was ten years old, a freakish little orphan no one wanted. I should have been handed over to the Corps years earlier, but the director of the orphanage thought it was no life for a child. Once I joined the Corps, I found I agreed with that point of view. The fact that I never lived up to my potential was put down to a lack of early training."

Mamoru sat very straight and still. The Psi-Corps were the guardians of loyalty; it was sobering to hear Crawford had been such a baneful influence on Nagi's life. "What are you involved in?" he asked at last. "What is Crawford planning?"

"You don't know what it's like, the training," Nagi said without heat. "I wasn't worth further effort, and the first chance Crawford got, he had me assigned to his team. I was supposed to finish up my training in the field, learning how to appear to be a normal person. You don't know what it was like, to be with people finally who wanted me, for my sake."

Mamoru thought of his grandfather. He couldn't pretend that he'd wanted his last, bastard grandchild for himself. Mamoru had been useful purely for his ability to provide the next generation. Nagi, however – he took Nagi's hand. "I know what it's like, to finally have someone want me," he said.

"It was no more than that," Nagi said. "Really. Just the chance to do our work, and be with people who saw each other as more than tools or property." He snorted dryly. "Do you think the Planetary Development Council would like to hear they should forget the plight of the non-imperials, I'm the unfree person on staff?" He stood, smoothing his clothing into neat lines. "I still wish they'd let us be forgotten," he said, "But don't worry too much. They won't deliberately harm us."

As reassurances went, it was less forceful than Mamoru had hoped.


* * *


The months that followed were so quiet that Mamoru could convince himself that there had never been any other Psi-Corps officers to disturb his existence. He devoted his working hours to improving his grasp of the local language, and to diligently reading every scrap of official business he could persuade the staff to show him. His private time he divided unequally between Nagi and Claudine; he was glad Nagi still seemed to consider himself victorious, but feared setting off his jealousy once more. It was easier to give her domestic responsibilities in the household and have her sit with them to watch broadcasts or if he entertained the senior members of staff. It was more work for her, which made him uneasy, but no one could deny her status or claim he was using her for one purpose only. She should be present if he ever gave a formal dinner for the councillors, he thought. That would underline her position, let her know he didn't want to hide her away. He could invite Kaminski and his wife, he thought.

"Hmmm," Nagi said when he broached the idea. "I don't know. These people have strange ideas about how families should be. They might make fun of you both. Ask Hayashi."

Hayashi spent some moments looking as if he needed to search out the right words. "Naoe-san is right," he said. "While there is nothing to stop you, you should be careful with terminology. You might refer to her as your partner."

"That's not really –" Mamoru started.

"No, but it will be close enough," Hayashi said firmly. His expression said quite clearly, Please don't embarrass us.

Claudine herself looked regretful at the idea. "I'm not sure I'd be well enough, Mamoru-sama," she said.

Mamoru accepted defeat. The heat was not easy on her, he knew, and she had taken a lot of time off work to go to doctors. "Don't feel you have to," he said. "You must keep well."

"Mamoru-sama," she said, and paused. "The clinic keeps asking when the father will come in. They say it's their custom to keep genetic information on the parents of any child."

"Oh," Mamoru said. "When's your next appointment? I suppose I could –"

"I haven't told them it's you," she said in a rush. "I'm sorry, it's just I get the feeling – more than one of the staff there has said such information is kept in case the child is adopted and needs to know their genetics for medical reasons. It's how they say it, like they assume the child is half-imperial, and they feel I wouldn't want to have it. They also," she said, anger beginning to show, "Leave out information on abortion, that I feel they have specially worded for a foreigner to easily understand."

"They what?" Mamoru said. "Claudine-san, we won't put up with this. This is a respectable household and neither of us have anything to hide. You tell them I'm the father, tell them your position in my family. I'll go with you if you want, or if there's a real medical reason. Otherwise, you can tell them to go to hell."

It felt good to have asserted his rights until the tabloid headlines came to his attention, a few days after her next check-up. Tragic romance was the most sympathetic; Mamoru could not bring himself to look too long at those that spat prejudice.

"I want an investigation and disciplinary action taken over this breach of patient confidentiality," he said to Laurent. "And I want to sue every damn journalist and commentator who thinks they can use the term 'sex slave'." He stalked back and forth, telling himself it would not be right to ask Nagi to kill every such person.

"Yes, sir," Laurent said. "I must remind you we have limited funds for such actions, however, and our previous complaints about irresponsible stories have not met with much success."

"You think I should take this lying down?" Mamoru said. He was glad Laurent looked taken aback at the idea.

"No, Takatori-sama," he said. "I think you and Martin-san are right to be outraged. Many of their family practices would be seen as just as outlandish at home, they should never have said those things."

Mamoru felt glad for such support, a balm after Hayashi's resigned I told you so attitude earlier. He sat down and tried to think. "Should I respond to any of the requests for interviews?" he said.

"The ones saying they'll give you a chance to put your side of the story?" Laurent said dryly. "What story? At most this should rate a small column in society news once the baby is born. Ignore them, sir. Hayashi-san and I will draw up a statement on the breach of privacy. I don't think there's anything we can do about the photographers, though, as long as they stay on public ground."

"The moment any of them sets a single toe on embassy grounds I'm setting Nagi on them," Mamoru grumbled. He closed his eyes in frustration. "I'm sorry, Laurent-san, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's very understandable, if you will forgive me," Laurent said. "This will blow over, sir. Please be as patient as you can."

"Yes," Mamoru said, and went to spend time as ostentatiously as he could with Claudine to try and salve her wounded pride.

It could not blow over quick enough, Mamoru thought, finding himself the object of curiosity again as he had been on his first arrival. Cameras seemed to show up the moment he even thought of leaving the embassy, and arrived at his destination before he did. Ito spent his day writing polite refusals to divulge personal information. Nagi kept his own lists of those who were, he said, too impertinent, leaving them out meaningfully for Mamoru to find.

It came to a head late on the night of one of Claudine's appointments. She had stayed overnight before, and had this time been offered apologies and promised privacy from unwelcome intrusion. Mamoru woke from deep sleep to clumsily fumble with the insistently beeping communicator.

"What?" he said ungraciously. "Claudine-san?"

"Shut up," Nagi mumbled beside him.

"They don't know I have this," she whispered. "Mamoru, something's going on, there was a woman here before, a civil servant who kept telling me about how everyone in the Alliance is free, and how the law could take care of me. She thought I didn't know the language well – I heard her talking to her office about protective orders and the court's rights over infant citizens with foreign parents. Mamoru, don't – someone's coming."

There was only silence. As he heard again her tone as she said his name, bare of honorifics, he felt a cold anger start up in him. Something was wrong. Nagi stirred and sat up.

"What was that?" he said.

"Something's happening at the hospital," Mamoru said, climbing upright. "She's scared. I think they tried to make sure she couldn't get in touch with me. I think they want to keep her or the baby away from me."

"Are we going to go and take her away?" Nagi said. He sounded very awake, as if the possibility of violence had banished sleep.

Mamoru imagined Nagi unleashed. It was a satisfying set of images. He very much hoped someone would be foolish enough to try to stop them.

"I've put up with enough of this," he snapped. "They insult me, they insult her, now they threaten her – I want this finished. Nagi, I want you to –"

Nagi got up and took him by the shoulders. "Just a minute," he said. "Before you give me an order and feel you can't go back on it. You trust me to protect you, don't you?" he said. "And her? I told her I'd protect her."

"Yes," Mamoru said, deciding that he couldn't really wear the clothes he'd dropped on the floor earlier.

"Then trust me now. We're not going there tonight."

"What? We're not leaving her –"

"No," Nagi said, shaking his head. "We're not, of course not. But we're not going to give them the ammunition they need to cast us as unstable persons the courts need to act against. We'll go tomorrow, with Laurent, and he can fight their absurd assumptions. All right? Where's that communicator? Come on, give it to me, if you talk to her again you'll just make the both of you more anxious." He plucked it from Mamoru's hand and contacted Claudine, promising they'd be there in the morning, and broke contact.

"I can't just go back to sleep," Mamoru said.

"No," Nagi said handing back the communicator. "Get hold of Laurent and start him working. We're not going in under-prepared."

The next morning saw Mamoru, Nagi, Laurent and Hayashi on their way to the hospital, all dressed in Alliance-style clothing and looking, as Hayashi said, unremarkable and unthreatening. He glanced at Nagi as he said it, but Nagi had put on his persona of a mild college student along with the dark suit, and looked as harmless as a quiet child. It was clear no one had expected their destination, and the hospital security bewilderedly kept back the few photographers who had followed them. Few people gave them more than a passing glance as they walked quickly to the room number Claudine had given them. She was alone and looked so gratefully pleased to see them that Mamoru cursed himself for not having come sooner.

"Sit, please," he said, seating her down on the edge of the bed and sitting beside her. "There's nothing to worry about, I promise." It was touching, he thought, the way she did not let go of his hands.

"She'll be back soon," Claudine said. "I told her I needed to eat first. Mamoru-sama, she said the most awful things about you -"

Mamoru squeezed her hands, and looked at the untouched breakfast. "There's no need to worry. Look, you haven't eaten anything, I should have brought you something better," he said as lightly as he could. "You can have a good meal once we're home, but you should eat something now. Is any of this edible?" It all looked unappealing to him, but he was encouraged when she took some of the sliced fruit, even though it had browned and dried out.

He looked round as the door opened and a woman with grey-streaked hair came in. She stood, looking at them in obvious surprise.

"This is Ms Chen," Claudine said.

"Ms Chen," Mamoru said politely. "I am Takatori no Mamoru." She stared at him and he could see in her face that she had the same thought more unwary people had voiced outright to him on first meeting, that despite the photos she had not expected him to be so young.

"Mr Takatori, Ms Martin and I need to continue our discussion," she said. "If we could have a few minutes?"

"Don't go," Claudine said, putting a hand on his arm. "I'm sure you would prefer to hear first hand how you are not a fit parent, how the best we can hope for is to have regular visits from persons such as Ms Chen to make sure the child is not being harmed and how I really should accept that I am a deluded fool who has suffered only abuse at your hands."

"You're not helping matters, Ms Martin," Chen said, her lips thinning.

"Please translate for me, Hayashi-san," Mamoru said. "I don't want to be misunderstood. Ms Chen, I understand that you are merely doing your job and it's commendable that you would care about the plight of a stranger to your planet. However, please consider the grounds on which you are here – social and racial prejudices Alliance citizens so frequently hold against people from the Empire. Your office has been misinformed by persons of malicious intent who have cast our relationship in a bad light. Laurent-san can explain the legal ties between Ms Martin and me --" He turned to Laurent, who stepped forward.

"Emile Laurent," he said. "I'm Ambassador Takatori and Ms Martin's legal representative. I saw there was a room next door where I could perhaps lay out documents –"

Chen allowed herself to be steered from the room, frowning. Mamoru took a deep breath, glad he had been able to hold his temper, which he had warned everyone would be possible only for a short time.

"I'm glad you're angry," he said, sitting by Claudine again. "You should be. I didn't think I could talk to that person without shouting."

"Shh," Nagi said, slipping a receiver into his ear. "Laurent's going straight on the attack, listing out every prejudicial remark the press has made since we arrived – I think she's surprised by the number."

"So was I," Mamoru said bitterly. "Hayashi-san, can we just leave now? They can't insist Claudine-san stays, can they?"

"I doubt they have legal grounds," Hayashi said. "If you are ready to go –" he said to Claudine.

"Yes," she said firmly, indicating her packed overnight bag. "Any other tests can wait."

"Chen's just said why her office were called in," Nagi said. "Claudine-san, one of the doctors reported clear signs of sexual and emotional abuse." Mamoru felt glad for the noise of fury Claudine made then, for he thought that if he tried to speak he would scream with rage. "Shh," Nagi said again. "Oh, that's interesting. She's suddenly got very cagey. Laurent sounds happy about that." He listened for a while longer. "He's explaining Claudine-san's legal position, Chen sounds like she swallowed something that disagrees with her – he's wrapping up. Chen's saying that of course Claudine-san can go home, in the Alliance people may come and go as they please." He grinned. "Now I know what to look for in the hospital records." He took out the earpiece and picked up Claudine's bag. "We're ready to go," he said.

Laurent and Chen returned, Laurent looking professionally calm, Chen looking perturbed.

"Aren't you supposed to see your doctor this morning, Ms Martin?" she said.

"I'll reschedule," Claudine said.

She walked out between Mamoru and Hayashi, Nagi leading the way still carrying her bag.

"There are photographers waiting," Hayashi said. "Might I suggest we make them work for us this time?"

"Yes," Mamoru said, taking Claudine's hand. "Let's give them something it's harder to pervert." As they stepped into the white sunlight he smiled at her and got a wide smile in return. They must look, he reflected as the photographers closed in, like a couple that had just received very good news. He put a protective arm about her and steered her through the small crowd, Nagi's power subtly clearing the way for them. It was the work of moments to get everyone into the car and to leave.

Nagi hid himself away, clearly glad to have something to do. Laurent started the business of requesting files to examine. Mamoru settled Claudine and went to wait for Nagi to tell him something they could use. It didn't take long.

"Even if they start changing their records, I have copies of the originals," Nagi said. His expression was not pleasant. "I found the report they made to Chen's office – I can tell you now she'd be crazy to try and follow up on it further. The evidence, the only evidence they've bothered to provide of the supposed sexual abuse of a woman undergoing ante-natal care is that she's pregnant by an imperial man. It's political through and through, and if Chen and her people have any sense they're working to distance themselves from it."

"Someone decided that simply because I'm an imperial and Claudine-san isn't, that I repeatedly raped her?" Mamoru said quietly. He was astonished how clear and sharp-edged everything seemed.

"Yes. I've told Laurent what he should be requesting to see."

"Nagi," Mamoru said, observing from what seemed a very great distance that his voice and hands were shaking, "I want you to kill them. Anyone who said that."

"Yes," Nagi said. "No one will trace it back to us, I promise."

"Don't tell Claudine, she's soft-hearted," Mamoru said. "Let me know when it's done."

He slept long and well that night.


* * *