When morning came, Trowa could sense a great shifting in the magic around the castle. Though they were deep in the dungeons, and could not see the sun, nor could they see the activity, being a beast of magical origin, he could feel the nearby humans and the frenzy of activity. At first, he worried if the people upstairs realized that their worst foe had been resting just underneath their feet, or if they sensed the danger that Quatre's presence there foretold. But then he waved away the anxiety, Quatre didn't pose a danger to the people. They were his subjects. In the time he'd gotten to know Quatre, he knew that Quatre didn't hold anything against his people; it was his uncle with whom he had a feud.

A moment later, Wufei padded silently into the cell that Trowa and Quatre shared. He regarded the younger Dragon silently for a moment before speaking. "It feels like excitement, not anxiety" Wufei clarified, reading into Trowa's thoughts easily, "Duo told us that there is to a great feast today and a banquet this evening, a coronation. There will be activity all day, but the coronation itself takes place at midnight, which marks the end of Quatre's 30 days to contest the ruling. If we miss this window, he will have no ground to stand on and this will all have been for nothing. Heero and I have been discussing the plans in our dreamscape-"

Trowa glared a moment, upset that he had not been invited, but Wufei was unapologetic, giving a pointed look at the sill-sleeping Quatre, where Trowa's attention clearly was. There was no denying the silent accusation, not with the way his arms were wrapped around Quatre. But, he wasn't embarrassed about it either.

Wufei smirked, knowing he had won the silent argument, and then continued, "We will begin getting to our positions at 11 tonight, when the giving of gifts is supposed to begin."

Right about then, Quatre seemed to stir as well, feeling the building excitement in the castle as the maids began to wake and start the preparation for the massive banquet and caring for the hundreds of guests already in attendance. He looked at Trowa first, and then turned to Wufei.

Quatre sat up, and for the first time since they had met, Wufei bowed down.

Quatre was caught off guard at first, but smiled at that; it seemed that Wufei had finally swallowed his pride. It must have taken much for Wufei to admit to himself that he'd wronged his true king, and Quatre recognized the apology for what it was, without making a fuss. He acknowledged Wufei's gesture and stood, and then called out for Duo. He had never seen this orb trick that his friend had apparently learned in Quatre's absence, but for some reason he wasn't exactly surprised. He'd known that Duo was special, thought not magically inclined; it was a surprise, to find out that Duo was not only a wielder of magic, but one this advanced! What exactly had happened while he was gone? Had Duo been able to do magic all along? Up until that day, Quatre had figured that Duo, like himself, was sensitive – but until he had been the target of a glamour, he'd had no idea that magic was very much alive and well in their time.

Why he'd never bothered to ponder the supposed magic of the castles where his sisters were kept, he didn't know. Maybe because it hadn't directly affected him. He shook his head, clearing it of the errant thoughts that had no place at the moment. He'd have ample time to ponder magic and its role, the practice of which his father had expressly forbidden in the city, later. AFTER he took his rightful place. He concentrated on his friend, he had done this, called for him like this hundreds of times before; he just had to concentrate on Duo, calling him with the center of his being and Duo would appear. He had always thought it a curious talent of Duo's, always knowing when Quatre had need of him, but it wasn't until just that moment that Quatre realized Duo's coming to him had more to do with his friend's talents, and less to do with how well they knew each other.

And this time was no exception. Within moments, Duo came into the room, in solid form, this time, with Heero in tow. Quatre made a gesture, inviting the two to join in with them, and after proper introductions, the young men sat together in the darkened room. If Quatre was being honest with himself, he would admit that perhaps he didn't know Duo as well as he'd thought. He'd been in the dark about the extent of his abilities, which unsettled him. Why did Duo never trust him with this? Had Duo been anyone else, Quatre would have started to doubt even more about his friend, but… he had a feeling that the secret was kept for a reason, and that reason had little to do with Quatre himself. He'd push his questions aside for a while, they had another task at hand. His curiosity would have to wait.

With the castle coming to life, and people coming and going, they knew they needed to keep as quiet as possible to avoid any unwanted company so with the help of Duo's magic and the Dragons' natural talents, they opened a mental link. Together, the five of them spent the next several hours conferring and came up with a plan. A month ago, Quatre would never have believed such a thing was possible, but right then, he found himself going along without even questioning the ability to communicate with his friends through magical means. It was amazing how much he was now willing to accept, with little question or hesitation, after his own run in with magic.

Amir paced in the adjacent room to his suite as the hours dripped by, and there was still no sign of Quatre's head.

As acting king, he was alerted the moment that a princess was liberated from her magical confines in castles Reed, Black, Ellis, and Grinstead. In the time since his brother's passing, three princesses had been claimed, but it was the fourth, Quatre, that had put the knot in his stomach that would simply NOT go away.

Upon hearing that Quatre had fled Castle Reed, Amir had immediately taken steps to ensure that his nephew would not return.

He had sent out packs of knights, mercenaries, soldiers, and anyone he could PAY to go to the Princess castles to try and find Quatre and KILL her, but none of them could seem to make it past the dragons to even be able to report if she (he, Amir mentally corrected himself) was still even alive. Sure, he could just wait until the time ran out, but he needed to eliminate the threat. He should have had Quatre killed immediately, but being the heir, and having people think him a princess, Amir would lose all favor. Yes, public opinion of Quatre had deteriorated when he'd made the common folk think that their prince was female, but he wouldn't have been able to get away with a public execution. Not when Quatre was so loved. He had had little choice but to send Quatre away. His plan had been to assassinate him quickly, but he'd underestimated how fast those Dragons could travel. By the time his assassins were deployed, it was too late; Quatre had already been taken to a castle and it was impossible to locate one on a map!

With the knowledge that Quatre was out there somewhere, and with his men trying to hunt him down, Amir could not rest. He had never intended for Quatre to live, let alone reclaim the throne, but as of that moment, there was no way to know where Quatre was. He was not about to give up.

In a month, no one had been able to confirm Quatre's whereabouts, even before he'd been made aware that Quatre had escaped. No news was not good news in this case, and so Amir decided to take his stress out once more on the reason for this trouble in the first place!

He walked through the castle and to the triple-locked doors of the Mistress' suites. The room that attached to his suite had once been opulent and beautiful, but since he had locked the Sorceress into them, she had broken anything she could get her hands on, and used her potions to burn the curtains black and stain the once-white carpets deep blood red… Just like her dress.

Amir opened the door to her suites, and called for her, "Red witch! Can you find out if Quatre is dead yet?!"

Cathy was sitting at a scorched-black desk and measuring something when he burst in like that. There was FIRE in her eyes when he disturbed her calculations, and she turned on him with hate. She had once been a FREE witch, like every other she-dragon in the kingdom. The she-dragons worked hard to keep a low profile and, despite the small folk fearing them, they were often on good terms with the villagers.

Villagers with sick animals (or children) would come by for healing potions, or they would buy foraged or grown herbs from she-dragons. During the times of festivities, it was the she-dragons that lived outside the main villages that would put on light shows using their skills in combination with volatile elements and minerals that they would stuff into paper balls. These paper balls were then flung into the night sky and explode in dazzling, colorful filled arrays that would light up the night sky for scant moments with a loud bang! Catherine had been very skilled at putting on such shows and because of her flare for creating the most vibrant red colors in the sky, along with her natural red hair, she'd taken the moniker of "Red Witch" from a very young age.

But the days of being known for her light shows were long gone. She'd attracted too much attention – specifically, the attention of the king's brother. In one fell swoop, her land, her home, her liberty, and her light shows were taken from her. She was bound to Prince Amir and she hated him with every fiber of her being.

But he was magically bound, and could not attack her Master. "I can, yes," she answered venomously, turning back to what she was doing. She took every opportunity to be willful. She was a DRAGON and bound or not, she'd be damned if she just let that pathetic excuse for a man tell her what to do without putting up a fight and making him work for everything he ever asked of her.

"Well?" Amir asked impatiently. The woman, though beautiful, was nothing if not vexing. After years of keeping her, he understood why more of these she-devils were not bound as slaves, if they were all like this Red Witch. But he needed her. She was one of the strongest witches out there, even if she did squander her talents on frivolous light shows.

"I hope he is alive and well and coming to drive a sword through your heart!" Catherine sneered, not looking up from what she was doing. There was no magical bind that could keep her from insulting him, nor from being passively resistant. He didn't order her to do anything, he'd just asked if she could find him, not to find him. She loved to exploit subtle difference in phrasing to confound the man that had taken her prisoner.

Amir lifted his wrist, and then twisted the metal bracelet he wore on his right wrist. The Dragon writing on it glowed, red, and then Cathy clasped her heart as pain seized her. Her eyes glowed with an unholy fire as she hissed, whirling to face Amir and glared at him. "Wretched MAN!" she roared, "Very well, I will cast a spell to find out if he lives or not, then!"

What Amir never realized, was that she was quite clever at giving him what he thought he wanted. She had no problem telling him if Quatre LIVED, but as long as Amir did not order her cast a locator spell to find out where he WAS, she could keep their plans a secret. Cathy had long ago figured out that if she suggested what she could do, Amir would usually take the bait, and there was less risk that he would order her to do anything she did not want to do. It was always a gamble, but she'd learned to play him well. She was a dragon, after all, and like the Dragon Guard also magically bound to follow her Master's orders. The difference was that she was much more spiteful about it and deliberately followed the letter of the order, and rarely the spirit of it.

Cathy went to scrying bowl and poured the contents of a pitcher into it. Selection one of her potions, she poured a few drops in, followed by a splash of another. Together, the liquids swirled and created a large cloud of dust in the air. The smoke let her focus better and her eyes shone as she put on a little show for Amir.

Unfortunately, she could not lie to her Master, but she could withhold details that he didn't specifically ask for.

"Quatre Winner is still alive" She said, hiding fact that she saw far more than that. She had seen Quatre alright! And she'd seen TROWA too, right beside him! Quatre had been helping Trowa get into a servant's cloak to blend in, and behind them were two people Cathy did not know, as well as Duo, who had just snuck back down there and was handing out more servant's clothes. The small group looked very intent and oddly, they felt like they were closer than they should be. Like there was something binding them together. Curious – but not something Cathy could dwell upon thanks to her current audience.

Amir growled a little, disturbing her musings, "Can you see if he means to overthrow me?"

Cathy had to answer, but she didn't have to be nice about it. "You mean, does he seek to take his rightful place? Of course he does. Who in their right mind would not want to overthrow the person who imprisoned them, in order to take back what is rightfully theirs? You already knew that, so why do you ask when you already know? Would you like me to tell you what color the sky is, as well, MASTER?" She sneered, huffing and rolling her eyes at him in a way she KNEW would anger him.

And, true to form, Amir growled, and turned the bracelet much more, sending Cathy to her knees with the pain of the punishment. Then, Amir turned on his heels and moved out the room, slamming the door on his way and relocking it to keep her in there until he most needed her at his side.

Cathy smiled cruelly, "You'll get what's coming to you, Usurper," he said, cackling in both pain, delirium, and the pleasure of knowing that her master's time was growing short.

The next time Cathy heard the locks move, she knew that it would be Amir coming to collect her before the coronation banquet. She knew everyone would be in attendance, to the point that anyone who went to bed early would be roused from their beds to bear witness to the event. Given the number of people and the growing threat to his person, real or imagined, Amir would want his best protection at his side. The only thing that surprised her is why she wasn't summoned earlier.

She had an idea of what would happen; she had had a hand in orchestrating part of it by training Duo in secret, so she deliberately left behind the additional talismans and amulets that she normally carried on her person so she could not call on them. If questioned, she would claim that vanity got the better of her and that she wanted to look elegant for the coronation. Amir would notice, though, if she didn't bring her staff, so she had to keep it. Truth be told, she never went anywhere without it. It was part of her, but that evening, its power had been drained considerably, and deliberately, from having cast so many spells all day. She didn't care that she was going into what she knew would turn into a battle being as vulnerable as she was at that moment. If she was caught in the crossfire or if she was overpowered, she would be happy; she had already spent the entire day watching her dear little brother. She had not laid eyes on him since he was taken and she missed him dearly. If she would be ended that night, Catherine was content with the knowledge that her brother seemed happy and in good health at the rightful king's side.

When she was summoned, she walked out of the confines of her room, head held high, with her staff at her side, and her dress as skin-tight as ever. Some said her choice of gown was indecent, but she liked it that way. The fabric was dyed a deep crimson that shimmered in the candlelight with a vividly orange hem. The orange hem was augmented by copper and gold stitch work, dotted with rubies, which transitioned from the orange band to the crimson dress, so that it looked like fire itself was licking at her heels as she walked.

She entered the large reception room, and stood behind Amir as she was ordered. And then, she waited and watched the doors. She kept a calm and almost serene visage, all the while knowing that in a few more minutes, the plan that her brother, her king, and her apprentice would carry out with the aid of their comrades. Soon, the evening would unfold and for better or worse, there was nothing else she could do to prepare, all she could do was attempt to keep out of the way.

Wufei was the first to move into the large reception room. He was dressed in Dragon garb, pretending to be the guard of one of the dignitaries who was sitting in the room, quite bored by now. The night had been long, and the dinner had been boring.

Amir gave speeches, and toasts and more toasts until most of them were already drunk enough to be in bed, but he kept them all awake and in attendance. He would not be crowned until midnight, and they were all there to bear witness. Matters were further compounded by talk that would soon be treasonous. Amir was not very well regarded, and though tradition forbade it, many in the peerage agreed that having a female Quatre would have been preferable to having Amir as their sovereign.

As he studied his surroundings, Wufei got his first glimpse at the despot as he stealthily ducked out of the procession line of well-wishers, and his blood pumped HOT. The man was seated atop a dais at the very end of the large opulent reception hall. Around him the hall had been decorated and set up with five long tables, each still laden with the remnants of supper. He sat high above everyone else, overlooking everyone in the room, and he DARED to sit on Omar Winner's own throne! The throne that rightfully belonged to Quatre!

Behind Amir stood a beautiful sorceress — and the moment Wufei's anger piqued, she turned and looked directly at him, her vibrant purple eyes locking on to him. There was instant recognition in her gaze. She knew who he was and at that moment, Wufei knew he'd been discovered. One dragon recognized another, opposing one - and for a heartbeat, dragon energy pulsed in the room, though it was too subtle for humans to detect.

In that instant, Wufei thought that it was over, the plan had failed, and Amir would win. He was certain that she was going to call the guards for him, and they would lose their edge.

Instead, Wufei stood frozen, almost missing the hint when she flicked her eyes to the left, pointing out a guard that was coming near. She was warning him, he realized, and after a quick nod, Wufei continued to move towards the edge of the room, avoiding the notice of a sleepy guard along the way. Apparently the guards had been drinking wine, too! How vulgar. He found his way to the wall and slowly, he made his way along it, undetected, with his eye on the two large main doors. As soon as the others were inside, he would need to close them in order to stop reinforcements from coming in.

Their plan was had been set in motion like clockwork. He had only been in position for a few moments when Wufei spied a peddler coming into the hall with a basket of flowers, presumably to sell. He hadn't moved very far when he tripped just a little, and out from his hood swung the tell-tale braid of the Prince's friend and apprentice sorcerer. A hand from the crowd reached out to right him, before withdrawing. It belonged to a man wearing peasant clothes, seemingly escorting him; that had to have been Heero. Thankfully no one noticed the braid right away, and if they did, it was of no concern.

Wufei let out a breath, heart hammering at having nearly been discovered. He wasn't cut out for subterfuge, he decided.

Crisis averted, the dragon kept an eye on the procession of villagers, servants, and the like as they walked in and were directed to where they would be allowed to stand to watch the coronation. He was vigilant in his watch and tracked Duo's movements; he was the only one in their group that he'd had visual confirmation of, after all. It was another few moments when he realized that right behind Duo, two more figures had entered the room and were making sure to stay fairly close to him. One wore a dull brown riding cloak, and looked rather bulky. Wufei had to assume that was Trowa, the cloak to cover his deep red dragon armor. Beside him was a smaller figure; this one struggling as he attempted to hold his head covering in place amongst the crowd that kept jostling him. That's when Wufei realized that that particular head covering hid bright blonde hair under it, the rest of the figure obscured by a sand white cloak.

It was time!

Wufei moved to close the doors as soon as he realized Trowa and Quatre had passed the threshold, but just then, Amir stood up and raised his hands, halting the procession.

"It is almost midnight! Rejoice you all, for you have been granted an honor and will all bear witness to the crowning of the new King!" Amir said, his voice booming. The sound of his voice waking a few of the older courtiers who had let themselves fall asleep.

Wufei began to worry; it was not midnight yet! Amir was being hasty in his excitement (and anxiety)! It was too soon - Quatre was still in woman's form!

"Come, priest, and say the words!" Amir called out to an old man who was standing nearby, on his left side. He looked rather sullen over the whole thing, an angry look in his eyes, but resignation washed over his face as he took a few steps forward. He held the crown in his hands on a pillow. It was the crown of Amir Winner, and his job was to put it on Amir's head and bow to him.

"We are all here," the priest began, "To bear witness to the crowning of our King!"

The courtiers in attendance knew what to say. But Quatre surprised his friends when he too joined in on the chorus of "Long Live the King!"

Trowa's eyes flicked to Quatre in worry, but what he saw on the blonde's face was an expression of pure determination and focus. The sight made Trowa smirk, and he began to ready himself to fight, his hand moving oh-so-slowly to curl around the hilt of his sword.

The Priest then began to read out the line of Heraldry, "Amadar Winner; Uniter of the five kingdoms. Quartine Winner; Bringer of Commerce! Solomon Winner, the Wise!"

Quatre's heart filled with pride, hearing his ancestors, and his grandfather's name… and he stood a little straighter, getting ready.

This had not been the plan, but they would make do anyway.

"Omar Winner, Bringer of Peace!" The priest said, almost in bitter accusation as he glared at Amir, but he held up Omar's crown even as he said it.

Quatre knew the next line. It would be Amir's name, and he would be given the directive to earn a title that would bring honor to the land, but Quatre would not let the next words be spoken. He pushed through the crowd in front of him, seeking to get closer. With Trowa not far behind, they'd unconsciously made way for Quatre, but luckily, they were rather vocal about being pushed out of the way.

"And" the priest began, as Amir knelt down to one knee to receive the crown, but his next words were cut off by the stir from the crowd that had, up until a moment ago, been silent.

When Quatre noticed that the priest's attention was diverted towards him, Quatre pulled the cloak off his face, uncaring that to all those around him, he was still in female form. He broke out of the procession line, and jumped atop a table in the banquet hall, drawing two curved swords. The swords were unmistakable, wielded only by Quatre Winner himself, and he yelled, "AND QUATRE WINNER!"

He stood tall for all to see, declaring himself for who he was. Glamour spell be damned! There was a buzz among the people around him, but they all kept their distance. No one wanted to get in the way of those curved blades.

Amir jumped to his feet so fast, he knocked the crown out of the priest's hands, and he fumbled for his sword, roaring, "STOP HIM! HER! STOP HER! Get that lying WOMAN! GUARDS!"

That was when Wufei moved, pushing the heavy door on the left closed with the speed and strength only a Dragon possessed. He had already closed the one on the right, while the crowd had been distracted by Amir's speech, getting both doors closed, and then threw down the bar to stop any interference.

The three human castle guards near the door moved in on him, drawing their swords, but they were no threat. Wufei let out a ROAR that shuddered through the whole castle, shaking the very stones, and he charged at the men. His sword was drawn and at the ready with magic flowing around him that looked like huge white WINGS of a dragon streaming behind him as he cut down one after another with precise, though non-lethal blows. "You will heed YOUR KING!" he bellowed, the air around him crackling, making the magical dragon wings shimmer.

Quatre grinned, and he took off running along the top of the long table towards Amir, his cape billowing behind him as he dashed, going right for his uncle, the usurper!

Amir looked to Cathy, and screamed, "KILL HER!"

Cathy just GRINNED, and stood there examining her nails for any trace of dirt, "There's no 'her' for me TO kill, Master!"

"KILL HIM! KILL QUATRE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, "KILL HIM! I ORDER YOU!"

The courtiers heard. Some gasped. There was no mistaking what had been said. Amir, the regent, had just ordered the death of Quatre, the heir.

The damage could not be undone, however. The magic in the armband he wore that bound all Dragons to their masters was already starting to compel her to take her staff out and move towards the Prince.

Duo and Heero threw their own capes off, discarding them quickly. Heero snarled like a beast, and LAUNCHED himself at the nearest guard, using fists first to avoid the worst of the bloodshed.

Duo was focused on his best friend, though, and he saw the Red Witch suddenly compelled to move for her staff.

Now that he understood, Duo could feel the magic that compelled her.

It made sense now. He suddenly understood why she needed to teach him how to stop her. She couldn't disobey her Master. He had ordered her to kill Quatre, and the only one who stood a chance at stopping her was Duo himself. Duo grinned. He would be able to use his magic openly, for the first time in his life!

The red witch threw a bolt of magic at the Prince, sending him staggering back, but the shot was half-hearted at best. She was struggling to fight the compulsion and aiming to miss was not going to work! She had been ordered to kill, and if her magic was low, she couldn't do it from this far away. She began to stalk closer, like a cobra, mesmerizing her prey.

That's when a huge black mass of magic came BARELLING into her from the side, throwing Cathy off the path to Quatre and slamming her into a wall. Duo's eyes blazed indigo as he pushed against her, channeling more and more black energy against her to keep her at bay. He did not intend to harm her, but he did intend to contain her. At least until the Usurper could be eliminated.

Heero quickly moved in to take point protecting his lov – over Duo. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted! Duo was the only sorcerer they had on their side and he needed protection from the guards that began to descend on Quatre and anyone allied with him. Heero would not let anything happen to Duo. HIS Duo.

It only took a few moments before Quatre regained his footing, and took his stance again, glaring at Amir as he flipped one curved sword around in his hand to get a better grip. He was quite adept with his scimitars, and was known for his use of them.

And then, he was shoved back down again, this time from the behind, as an arrow flew past him. He was laying on the table, having managed not to fall off, with a heavy burden on his back. The weight came off as Trowa stood and it was then that Quatre was able to look back at the place on the table where he had stood only a moment ago and saw an arrow buried deeply into the grain of the wood. He realized, with a sickening lurch of his stomach, that it would have pierced right through his heart! If his uncle meant to kill him, so be it. There was a fitting punishment for that.

With a ROAR of shrieking FURY, Trowa's energy around him began to pulse as he moved from where he'd yanked the man he loved down. The chandelier and every water glass in the room EXPLODED from the force of his power as he let out his anger that someone would try and hurt HIS man! The fact that Quatre had het to reciprocate his declaration of love had little baring. Trowa stood, helping Quatre back to his feet, allowing Quatre to regain his balance for a second time that night.

Trowa unsheathed his sword and dagger, and pulsing red, spindly-looking wings of magical energy that looked very familiar to the red witch branched out from behind him and expanded until his power wrapped completely around his lover in protection.

Quatre felt Trowa's magic engulf him, and the next arrow that flew towards him was bounced off and was left, scorched uselessly, on the ground. Any sword that moved towards him rebounded with double the force it had been wielded with, sending men flying back and splayed out for Heero and Wufei to take care of, if they dared try to stand again.

"That is MY throne!" Quatre bellowed, moving with confidence now across the table with Trowa following behind him like a shadow. He had recovered his scimitars after having been barreled over. Anyone who had stood between him and the dais began to move away, giving Quatre and his company a wide berth.

Amir finally managed to unsheathe his own sword, and stood, ready to defend "You are not FIT! You are a woman!" he yelled.

"So you would have everyone believe," Quatre said with a deadly sort of calm in his voice, bolstered by the sheer amount of magic in the room. "And if I was, I am still the CROWNED HEIR until midnight tonight." Quatre took his stance, holding his swords in front of him and finally close enough to move off the table—but instead of hopping off, Trowa's magic kept him walking straight over air, and across to the dais that Amir presided on.

Just then… the first bell of the large clock let out a loud, resounding CHIME.

Amir grinned, "It's midnight."

CHIME. Quatre moved towards him anyway, but he suddenly doubled over in pain. It was then that he realized he was ensnared. He caught a glimpse of Duo trying to hold the red witch back, but the command that she'd been given was too compelling for her to fight. Her own magic was drained, but it was then that Quatre realized her staff was glowing and linked to the protective orb that Trowa had placed upon him. The snare was new, but as the chimes resounded, the magic that bound him, the glamour that had fooled everyone, began to shift.

CHIME. Amir let out a hearty laugh, and moved to find the crown that had fallen to the ground. He was confident that Quatre would no longer be his problem!

CHIME. Quatre let out a scream that started high pitched to those who heard it, but then the pitch dropped down to a low tenor as the glamour faded, little by little. The magic that ensnared him had been intended to protect him, and now he could do nothing against the burning on his skin.

CHIME. Amir saw the crown, and he scrambled towards it.

CHIME. Quatre felt to one knee as the magic robbed him of his breath. To the spectators, they only saw a shimmer around Quatre, his body changing before their eyes. Meanwhile, invisible flames racked his body, making his skin to crawl even as he futilely tried to get away. That was when Trowa realized that his magic was not his own, and that it was HIS magic, his protective sphere that was now being used to burn his charge. Helplessly, Trowa turned and spied Cathy, holding Duo's magic at bay with one hand and the red amber jewel at the top of her staff pressing against the magical barrier that Trowa had erected. In that moment, his eyes met with his sister's, the sister he hadn't seen in nearly a decade, and he knew that she couldn't be blamed. She had been ordered to kill Quatre and there was nothing SHE could do about it. But Trowa could.

CHIME. Amir found the crown! He reached forward and grasped it with his right hand, and stood up tall, "The crown is MINE!" He stood up, and moved to put the crown on his own head if need be!

CHIME. Trowa moved from behind Quatre, his sword drawn, and he gripped the hilt as he SLASHED upwards, splitting bone and blood and flesh.

CHIME. Amir screamed in pain as his hand was severed, retreating into himself and cradling the bleeding limb as the crown clanked to the ground.

CHIME. The bracelet that bound Cathy to her Master clanked helplessly to the floor. The sorceress felt her own magic SWELL to her, now under her own control. She withdrew her staff from Trowa's protective barrier, instantly freeing Quatre, who knelt on the floor, panting, trying to regain his bearings. His head swam and his vision was blurred, but his skin no longer felt like it was on fire. Cathy pushed away from Duo's Magic and instead turned her skills onto any remaining guards who dared challenge the rightful king!

CHIME. Quatre stood, scimitars at the ready. He didn't have time to feel pain, he didn't have TIME to feel weak. He continued up the dais, every nerve on fire, and with blades poised, he stood victorious overtop of his cowering uncle. He drew his sword, and pointed it right at his throat, DARING him to try anything else now. He pressed his advantage and his blade against the sweaty skin, drawing a drop of blood from the tip of his Uncle's Adam's apple, and he smirked at the irony of it as he said, "Will you now claim that you were defeated by a woman?"

Then, the final CHIME rang, and the last of the glamour magic evaporated from around Quatre, showing everyone in the room that he was fully and always had been male. Quatre bent down to retrieve his father's crown from the dead fingers of his uncle, and he looked at it for a moment, considering its importance. It's heritage. It's ancestry. It was rightfully his. But, this, with all the bloodshed, without the blessing of the ceremony, it was simply not the way.

Quatre turned around, and walked to the Priest, who had watched the whole thing. Quatre stood in front of him, holding the crown delicately, "This is to be granted only to the rightful heir of the Winner house, and it is to be done in a ceremony that reflects that honor and tradition. He then passed the crown over to him with a warm smile, "I leave the tradition of crowning a king in your capable hands, Master Priest" and he let go of the crown to turn and face the room.

He still held the blades in his hands, but the fighting had been dying down as more and more people were stopping in their tracks to look at the spectacle on the dais.

"Guards. Servants. Courtiers. Priests. Sorcerers. And Dragons," Quatre called out, holding everyone's attention as all eyes in the room fell to him where he stood, obstructing the view of his pitiful uncle. "A little over thirty days ago, a great man left our kingdom and passed into the next world. But instead of honoring such a great king, his legacy was denied and a usurper made a grasp for power that he did not deserve. My father suffered a great wrong on the eve of his death, but tonight, that wrong has been righted." Quatre spoke with a new found confidence in his voice. He stood taller, and continued, "Now, it time for us all to mourn, to honor his memory, and heal." Quatre paused and looked to Wufei, who bowed in respect, "We shall rebuild what was broken in his memory and we shall have a proper coronation when it is deemed correct by the court and there are no further objections!"

The Priest moved then, up to the Dias, regarding Quatre silently. Quatre didn't move, but let himself be studied. The priest stood there, holding the crown on the pillow, and nodded a little in approval.

"I, as Priest of the castle, vouch for this person. HE is Prince Quatre Raberba Winner, whom I have taught from childhood! All, Come and see for yourself!" He called.

A few courtiers from around the room moved forward, to take a closer look. One even had the gall to ask to look down his shirt, which Quatre allowed ONCE before Trowa moved in and threatened to deck anyone else who dared. Once several courtiers had gotten a closer look, people began to move back, respectfully.

The priest smiled, and called out again, "Will anyone present vouch for Prince Quatre's identity?"

"I!" called out one voice, loud and strong. "I!" another chimed in, "And I!", "And I!" chorused out through the room until there begun a slow, rhythmic chant, "Quat. Ra. Quat. Ra. Quat. Ra!"

Heero moved over towards Duo, and wrapped his arms around his best friend's middle in a hug, looking up at the dais, and they chimed in, stomping and calling out "QUAT RA! QUAT RA!"

"QUAT RA!" Cathy said around a grin, clapping along… concentrating her magic so it would crawl up the sides of the walls, and EXPLODE in light and color across the room in bright fizzing spectacles of light and flash, "QUAT RA!"

Quatre stood on the dais, overwhelmed with support. He felt a warmth in his chest, a power pulsing through him that made him giddy. With a bright smile on his face, he turned behind him and glimpsed a figure just over his shoulder. Trowa stood there, always close, as if ready for when he would be needed. Watching him, supporting him, and loving him in whatever Quatre would do, Trowa was loyal to a fault. And, giving him a smirk, he clapped with the cheer, speaking in time, "Quatre! Quatre!"

The priest didn't try to hush the commotion! He was just so proud to have the rightful heir back where he should be, standing in front of his people and doing what they needed him to do. The priest moved forward, and touched Quatre's shoulder.

Knowing what to do, Quatre moved down to bended knee, panting a little at the realness of it all. The Priest began to say the words long practiced and Quatre, having learned what to do by heart since he was a child, played his part, as he always knew he would. When the last name of his ancestor given, Omar Winner, Quatre heard the Priest say "May you, Quatre Winner, wear this crown and earn your own name for your value to this kingdom!"

The crown felt disarmingly light against his head. It fit atop his head at a bit of a tilt, but sat there snugly, as if that was where it had been meant to be all along.

Quatre stood up, and looked out as he people.

And they all screamed out, "LONG LIVE THE KING!"

Duo walked into Quatre's study and dropped himself on the chair like a sack of potatoes, happy that no one could tell him not to, now that he was the official royal manservant. And, almost like a shadow, Heero calmly filed in behind him, and stood just to his left. The man was nothing if not constant and dedicated; a silent watch dog to the antics of his braided friend.

"SO, King-Quat!" Duo sang.

Quatre groaned at that. Not ANOTHER nickname!

Duo laughed at his own joke, and then smacked Heero, telling him to lighten up and laugh too, hut Heero replied with a grunt, "Hn," and otherwise ignored him. Duo rolled his eyes, noticed that food had been set up on a table in the corner of the room and decided to go investigate.

The exchange, however, did get a laugh from Wufei, who filed into the office followed closely by Cathy. Wufei bowed to the king, and then began his report, "We have now been to all of the Winner controlled castles, and have released all remaining princesses within. The Dragons that were bound to their castle have been given the option to stay at their castles and become part of the Winner army, or to go and make their own lives in the kingdom with your blessing as soon as their charges are delivered home safely."

Quatre smiled at that and thanked Wufei. It had been less than a week since his coronation, and there had been many things that Quatre had need to address. The first order of business was to do something about the enslaved dragons he'd come to respect – and his sisters.

That afternoon, Quatre had asked for a light lunch to be served while he received his friends in his study; he'd been neglecting them in the last few days, and Quatre had made it known that he would make time to listen to just them – no other courtiers or petitioners in that hour.

Cathy, meanwhile, made herself at home, taking the time to collect a plate and pile on some finger sandwiches as well as some slices of fruit while she waited for Wufei to finish his report. Once he was done and Quatre had given him a nod, a signal to help himself to whatever was on the trays that had been set up, she decided to speak up, "Your Majesty… I have noticed that there is a far more suitable workspace for my skills in the North tower that I wish to clean up and take over, if it please you. While the mistress' suites attached to your room are nice and all, I have ill feelings towards them. You understand, I hope? I would much prefer to be able to work peace, and have my own door to come and go as I please, so I ask that you grant me permission to move."

"Glady!" Quatre said, smiling warmly at her and then his eyes flicked to Wufei. He wondered if he would need to be changing Wufei's dwelling rooms pretty soon as well, since he seemed to have taken to staying quite close to the Dragon sorceress lately, but then decided take the decision out of his hands. "Wufei, I would like you to find a suitable room in the North Tower as well. I can't very well let our new sorceress unguarded and I would entrust her safety to no one before you."

Duo grinned, and flopped back down onto the chair he'd recently vacated, "Well then, on that note, Heero is moving into my rooms with me."

"He already was" Quatre replied, lifting a brow and rolling his eyes.

Duo painted on a huge grin, "I know, I just wanted to rub it in some more." He stuffed a meat pie in his mouth and then he stood up, taking Heero's hands, "Come on, let's go help Cathy move! You're strong and stuff, and I don't mind the smell of charcoal, I think we're perfect for the job!"

"Duo, don't eat with your mouth full," Quatre reminded him, laughing when Duo choked.

Heero slapped him on the back a couple of times until Duo recovered and continued on about moving, dragging Heero out with him. Cathy took her plate with her, following behind the pair, intent on nibbling while she watched the three strong young men work.

Wufei let out a huff, muttering something about them 'breaking' something, and followed out after them all, and closed the door behind them. Quatre found it amusing that he had not objected.

Quatre was quiet for a minute, but oh so slowly he let a smile begin to blossom on his face.

Quatre turned around in his chair, and looked behind him and just to the left, where Trowa stood silent and ever-present, though partially hidden in shadow, as usual. Trowa didn't seem to be interested in the spread that had been set out for them for the midday meal.

Quatre locked eyes with him and he stood, forgetting about lunch too. He walked over to his most loyal guard and reached out gently, touching Trowa's shoulder as he got near.

Trowa's expression began to melt, moving closer to touch Quatre's hip and gently tug him closer.

The first few days had been chaotic – and all the while, Quatre knew that Trowa was waiting for him patiently. He didn't know how this would work, but now, he had the luxury of being a little bit selfish. Trowa had not left his side since they'd left Castle Reed, and though their nights had been spent in each other's company, neither had dared to speak of what lay between them.

Quatre had intended to spend this time with his friends, whom he'd seen little of since his coronation, but they apparently had other plans. Not that Quatre minded. He now had Trowa's undivided attention, and he needed to address this... but where to start?

Quatre looked up at his loyal dragon for another heartbeat, hand still on his shoulder, the other now resting on Trowa's firm bicep. His breath sped up and there could be no mistaking the look of pure affection and adoration that he was giving his handsome protector. Moving in slightly, the king closed his eyes, and Trowa leaned in, bringing their lips together in a searing, hungry kiss.

Trowa groaned when they broke apart, but instead of pulling away, Quatre leaned comfortably against him. He moved his arms to wrap around the slender waist as he whispered, "When she is gone, I was hoping that, well… You would do me the honor of moving in to the mistress' suite. It would be nice. It would give you a place of your own to train and keep your things, a place to work… "

Trowa laughed gently, pulling Quatre tighter against him, "Quat… you know that the only thing that I want is you." He tilted Quatre's face up and gave him a disarming smile, which made Quatre melt.

Quatre flushed just a little, but nodded, "I know. And when I get the locks that Amir put in removed, at any time, you can walk right into my room. They're adjoining. You can sleep in my bed or you stay in your own, and no one would be the wiser. What do you say? Will you take the Mistresses' suites?"

Trowa couldn't help but smile softly, and he leaned down, pressing one more soft, heartbreaking kiss against his lips, before he breathed, "Fine Quat. I'll do whatever you'd like. Forever. And Always. I love you, and I'm yours." Trowa hummed.

"My Dragon" Quatre replied, melting further into his embrace. They had been close in the days following his coronation, as in, Trowa was always one step behind Quatre, but it wasn't until right then that Quatre had let his guard down and had invited Trowa to get closer. He felt a pang in his heart. He knew how the dragon had felt about him – had known since that night he'd escaped from the enchanted castle. He'd used this dragon's heart, and his affection to take back his kingdom, and now it was time to reward him.

Quatre reached up to the dragon band that Trowa still wore and touched it. The metal glowed under his fingertips and fell to the ground, but instead of happiness, Quatre saw panic in those green eyes that had seen Quatre through so much.

"I free you, Trowa, but I want you to remain here and willingly be MY Dragon," he whispered. Trowa was the last one of his kind to have been freed, and though he felt badly for that, he knew that this was not something Trowa would take lightly. He kept his arms wrapped around Trowa's waist and waited. "Will you stay with me, even though you're free to go?" he asked.

Trowa's arms moved around Quatre again too, and he pulled him in so that Quatre's head was tucked just under Trowa's. He dropped an affection-filled kiss to the blonde's hair, and smiled softly, "I will. You are my Protected. My Beloved, My Princess."

"I love you too," Quatre whispered for the first time. The very first time of many, many more to come.

~~ And together, they lived Happily Ever After~~~