A/N: Yay, I've finally returned to Star Ocean after a million years away. I've been randomly writing bits and pieces of this story all semester at school and at the moment, I have four complete chapters done and I'm working on writing the fifth. If I don't get too distracted by critiques and suggestions for my plot, I should actually manage to finish something for a change. I'm flaky, but it's not my fault that I have so many ideas I can't pick what to do first. Anyhow, this was partly inspired by the movie Willow….and sexy young Val Kilmer….who strangely reminded me of Albel….which is why I came back to Star Ocean. I hope there are still Star Ocean fans cause it's been forever.

Disclaimer: I wish Albel was mine…he could be my bodyguard and kill anyone who decided to be annoying. Also, girls could pay to see him and I wouldn't have to work anymore. But alas, he is not mine.

It was night in Peterny Castle but hardly anyone was sleeping. There was just too much to be done. The king had died from a sudden strange sickness only the week before. The eldest prince, who had been governing the southern region of the kingdom to prepare him to rule the country, had been hastily recalled to the castle. He had arrived mere hours ago. The castle staff was still in a flurry setting up accommodations for the prince and his female companion and preparing for the upcoming funeral of the old king and coronation of the future king.

For the moment, the prince occupied his old quarters until the king's bedchamber could be decontaminated from disease. The woman was settled into a sumptuous guest chamber close by. The prince remained awake, discussing details of the funeral and hasty coronation with his advisor. The woman was said to be the prince's future bride, but no talk of marriage was discussed. The coronation came first.

Fayt Leingod was a servant boy in the castle. He was not important enough to discuss plans with the prince, but like all the rest of the lowly servants, he would take part in the preparations. Until the details were worked out with the castle's skilled craftsmen and the servant master gave the orders, Fayt could only help with the cleaning and preparing meals for the prince and his future bride. Fayt and two other servants were tasked with temporarily assisting the cook. They retrieved meat from the smokehouse adjacent to the castle to prepare the prince's favorite meal, lamb stew. One servant was sent with a bowl of stew to the prince, another to the prince's trusted advisor, and Fayt was sent to deliver a bowl to the woman. No one knew if she liked lamb stew. Indeed, very little was known about her. She has supposedly been brought all the way from the southern regions of the kingdom. When the prince and his entourage arrived at the castle, Fayt had seen only a glimpse of a tall, slender figure shrouded in exotic dress. No one had seen her since she had taken to her room several hours ago.

Fayt held the bowl steady as he walked to the strange lady's room. He hoped she didn't have a violent temper like the late queen. Queen Isadora was known to throw dishes she didn't like back at the unlucky servant that brought them. Fayt wasn't looking forward to being scalded by hot stew.

Fayt knocked once on the outer door of the chamber. He wasn't expecting a reply because he lady was likely in the inner chamber. However, he was surprised when a guard opened the door. "The lady is awake," he said gruffly. 'Proceed into the inner chamber."

Fayt glanced questioningly at the guards seated on the rich furniture that visiting nobles used to entertain visitors privately right outside their bedchamber. He shrugged inwardly. Perhaps the lady had brought her own security force with her. He proceeded into the inner room.

"My lady, I have brought you a bowl of stew if you are hungry," he announced. He paused, glanced around briefly and saw no one.

"My lady?" He wandered further into the room and the door swung shut behind him. It was then that he saw the thin screen set up close to the door. The reclining silhouette of a tall, slim woman was visible behind it. She seemed completely dressed from the outline, but Fayt was taking no chances in case she was about to undress.

"I-I'll leave this here for you, m-my lady," Fayt said hastily, setting the bowl down on the low table in front of the screen. He turned to beat a hasty retreat when a hand shot out from behind the screen and grasped the front of Fayt's simple white shirt with a surprisingly firm grasp.

Fayt swallowed hard. He expected the lady to scream and accuse him of watching her undress and maybe throw stew at him for good measure. Instead, she released his shirt and beckoned for him to come behind the screen. Fayt did as he was told.

Fayt could see why the prince chose the lady as his future queen. She looked like royalty. She was an exotic beauty with pale, creamy skin and long, delicate limbs. Each slender finger was tipped with a jeweled nail and sported a ring or two. Her slim wrists were wrapped in gold bangles. She reclined on a low couch hidden behind the privacy of the screen, completely comfortable with the royal lifestyle.

She beckoned for Fayt to sit on a nearby stool and he complied quickly, trying hard not to stare at her silken purple gown and her long dark hair pooling around her body. The lower half of her face was hidden behind a purple veil except for her eyes, two glittering rubies twinkling with amusement. She was probably used to such stares.

"My lady," Fayt said softly. "I-I hesitate to speak out of turn but I do not know what my lady wants from me."

She tipped her head to one side and seemed to be considering. With a luxurious stretch, she rose to a seated position and with a jeweled finger beckoned for Fayt to lean in closer. Fayt, ever the good servant, leaned forward intently.

"Call me 'my lady' one more time and you're dead," a masculine voice threatened.

Fayt jerked backwards and stared in shock. He was trying desperately to reconcile the two images in his mind. "Y-you're a-a-"

"A man, yes." The "lady" had dropped the seductive female act and was sitting with arms crossed over his chest and an irritated glint in his eyes.

"H-how did you come to be dressed as an exotic lady?"

"Prince Vox's fault. A pox on him!" The man spat vehemently. "May his reign be short and filled with pestilence."

Fayt blinked. "Prince Vox ordered you adorned like a woman?"

"Yes he did. Bah! My name is Albel. I'm a warrior of the Glyphian people of the south. We live in neutral lands and we swear allegiance to no one. Your prince, may a wild beast piss in his tent, rode into our village with a bunch of soldiers. They were on their way to some disputed territory and they demanded I cook them food and draw them water. I refused. I told that miserable curr that I am not a woman and I will not be ordered around like one. He saw fit to drag me from my home, force me into woman's clothes, and try and make me into his woman."

Fayt gaped at Albel, awed by his courage in standing up to royalty and sympathizing with his position. He retrieved the bowl of soup and held it out reverently.

Albel clawed off the veil and devoured the stew, cursing his jewelry when it interfered. "Bah, I don't understand how women can eat a bit with their fingers unable to bend when weighted down with so many rings."

Fayt shrugged, studying Albel's face. Albel had pale, perfect skin and small, almost delicate features but he was definitely male. Fayt watched Albel's eyes flash with rage and he had no doubt that he was a fierce warrior. Despite his thin build, Fayt had no doubt that Albel had put up a fight when he had been taken.

"Prince Vox knows you are a man?"

Albel sneered. "Don't be a fool. Without all these bloody clothes, there's no way you would mistake me for a woman." He shoveled another bite of stew into his mouth and chewed angrily.

"Perhaps he only saw your long hair and slim figure and assumed?"

Albel rolled his eyes. "I don't usually wear my hair so long. When that vulture arrived, my hair was only to my shoulders. But after many months as a captive, it's grown long. Besides, even if he was blind as well as brainless and mistook me for a woman, I do not have the voice of one. He knows."

"I suppose so," Fayt agreed. "But Prince Vox really intends to marry you, knowing that you are not a woman?"

"I won't let it come to that," Albel snarled. "I'm going to get free from this cursed place and head back to my home. I'll summon my tribe and we'll massacre the royal maggot and his men. Even I can't kill them all although Apris knows how badly I wish I could. They're lucky they caught me without my sword or some would be dead already."

"But how are you going to summon your people when you're trapped here?"

"I'll escape, obviously. And for that, I'll need your help."

"M-me?" Fayt protested. "I'm just a lowly servant."

"Bah! If you're willing to help, that's good enough. I've waited long enough for a chance of rescue. All of the servants at the southern palace reported me to Vox and he convinced them I was a traitor, forced into women's clothing as punishment. You, however, stuck around to hear my story instead of running off to tell the prince his lovely queen was an imposter. So, you're not a complete idiot. Look, I already have a plan. I just need some assistance to carry it out."

Fayt nodded eagerly, leaning in close to listen to Albel's plan.