Juri carefully opened the letter Ruka had hidden for her to find, all the while considering what Shiori had just said to her. 'Necromantic,' she frowned, 'death magic. Who would dare use such a thing, it's always been forbidden under penalty of torture leading to death.' She quickly read some of the message, and if she had been pale before, she was almost white now. "What is it?" Shiori asked Juri worriedly. Juri refolded the letter and tucked it carefully away in her coat before saying, "I think we need to go see Utena, right now." They literally ran from the guest wing over to the suite Utena shared with the princess, passing a quite disgruntled looking Saionji as they did. They skidded to a stop, and Shiori gently tapped the closed door. "Hello?" she called out. There was a moment of pure silence. Juri gently pushed Shiori aside and hammered the door, "Utena, are you in there?" Another pause, then they heard muffled cursing. "Did you just hear somebody say, Not again?" Shiori asked Juri, who shrugged. The door was pulled open, and both stepped back from the glare Utena gave them. "What is it?" she asked dangerously. It looked like she had hastily pulled her shirt on, and the way she was shielding herself with the door, it seemed she wasn't wearing anything else. "I'm sorry," Juri said, "but it's urgent." Utena didn't answer, just slammed the door shut. Muffled conversation, and the sounds of hurried dressing reached through the door. "Did we just interrupt?" Shiori chuckled. Juri smiled, "Looks like it." Anthy opened the door to let them in, and she looked quite rumpled, as if she had just pulled on her dress. "Come in," she said, blushing faintly. "Congratulations," a smiling Shiori said to her quietly, and Anthy blushed harder, if that was at all possible. Utena came into the room, tucking her shirt into her pants. She noticed the smiling gazes that Shiori and Juri gaze her, and blushed too. "What was so urgent, then?" she asked. "I received a letter from Ruka," Juri started, then she paused, "but I think Shiori should tell you what she discovered first." Shiori gave Juri an odd look. "When we searched Ruka's rooms, we found what we think is the money he was paid with to duel Utena. I examined it mystically, and discovered strong traces of necromantic energies," she explained. Anthy looked clearly confused, so Utena quietly explained, "Necromancy is magic involving death and the dead. Most kingdoms, including this one, forbid it's use." "Where we found the money, he had also hidden this," Juri said, drawing the letter from her coat. "Some of it is personal, between him and I," she said, "but what he said about the conspiracy concerns me now." "I first met Akio Ohtori," Juri read, "not long after I had left the Guards. He hired me on as his bodyguard, believing that he needed protection from his father, and I remained with him for over a year. I came to know him fairly well during that time, and came to realize that he was utterly without conscience or scruples. I left his service when he resolved to go to the tainted lands to seek out a dark magician. We parted, and I expected never to see him alive again. You can just imagine my surprise, when a few years later I encountered him here, in this very castle. I had decided to seek you out..." Juri trailed off, then said, "It gets somewhat personal, again." She skipped ahead a bit and resumed, "The news of his exile had already reached my ears, yet Akio was able to move about the castle with astonishing ease. He compelled me to return to his service with information about my dueling activities, evidence that would destroy what was left of my reputation if it was revealed. I fought the Duels that he commanded, but I grew increasingly perplexed by his strange abilities. He seemed to be able to enter any room in the castle at will, and the powers of him and his sorceress lover, Kanae..." Anthy gasped softly, while Shiori's hands clenched into fists. "She was the one who set that trap?" Shiori exclaimed. Juri frowned, then continued "... were far greater than they could have been with so little training. I hired several discrete investigators, and eventually received a most perplexing report. It said that Akio Ohtori had died in a mountain pass, that indeed, he was buried up there. I went there myself, finally, and confirmed it with my own eyes. I know not what the being who claims to be Akio is, or what sort of bargain Kanae struck to be reunited with him. I do know that the blackest of magic is involved, and hope that you and your companions will watch over your very souls." The room was silent as Juri finished reading. Utena placed her hand on her sword hilt, a grim expression on her face. Anthy looked visibly frightened by the news, and unconsciously moved closer to where Utena stood. "How do we fight a ghost?" Anthy finally voiced the question that was now on the mind of everyone there. "We exorcise him," Shiori said softly, "drive his spirit from this physical realm. The question is, how do we do that?" "Kanae is certainly involved, along with Saionji and Touga," Utena noted. A smile teased her lips as she addressed Anthy, "Those meetings we called today might just come in handy." "What meetings?" Juri inquired. "Anthy and I spoke with Kanae this morning, and planned to see Saionji before we both got a bit... distracted," Utena blushed a bit. "They've got to be a bit off balance, and Akio might need to rally his troops," she smiled. "And to do that, he has to bring them together!" Juri grinned. "I'll have some of my more discrete guards follow Kanae and Saionji," she said eagerly. "Kanae and friends probably know most of the guards," Shiori pointed out. "What about Wakaba and the serving girls?" Anthy suggested. "I trust most of them, and I doubt that Saionji or Kanae would stoop to noticing them," she smiled. "Very nice," Utena grinned. "Then you should also agree to my being there when you all confront Akio," Anthy said to Utena serenely. "What?" Utena exclaimed. "Before the argument starts," Shiori jumped in quietly, "we're probably going to be facing more than just Akio and a few of his fellows. I need to prepare to battle Kanae, so excuse me." "I'll be coming along as well," Juri said, stopping Shiori from leaving. "I know which guards we can trust," she said to Utena and Anthy, "and I'll get them together." Utena nodded, "Understood. Be ready to go as soon as possible, though." Both Juri and Shiori left the room quietly, leaving her alone with Anthy. "We need to talk to Wakaba first," Anthy said as Utena prepared herself to argue. Utena frowned, but quickly fetched Anthy's maid, who listened to them eagerly. Wakaba smiled a quite nasty smile. "The chance to get back at dear Saionji?" she said, "I'd be happy to. They'll never even know we're there." She left with a smile on her face, but her eyes were deadly serious. Anthy locked the door, then turned to face Utena. She smiled slightly, "You look handsome, even when you're about to argue with me." A blush flamed Utena's cheeks. "Don't try to soften me up," she said, but a smile teased her lips. "It's madness to have you along when we face Akio," she said seriously. "No, it's not," Anthy sighed, "not unless you choose to define madness as duty. I must be there as Princess and heir, to prove his own claim false, or else those that supported him will forever call me a coward." "This isn't a game of politics," Utena said softly, "it's a battle of sorcery and the darkest of powers, and I don't know if I'll be able to protect you." Her expression softened, and more quietly, "I don't know if I could bear if something did happen to you." "War and battle are merely the extension of politics," Anthy paraphrased one of Utena's books. "And if Akio is a spirit," she added, "he might be able to reach me anywhere. The safest place may simply be by your side, m'love." A bit of a blush appeared on Utena's cheeks with the endearment. She stepped forward to gently take Anthy's shoulders in her hands, "I knew letting you at my books would be a bad idea, especially after you found the ribald ones." Anthy blushed in turn, "You can be a bit of a cad, Tenjou Utena." Utena drew her into a gentle embrace, "You don't know the half of it, love." She chuckled softly, "You remember when we first met, when I hung back behind you and Miki?" Anthy looked up at her curiously, and Utena continued, "I did it so I could admire you discretely." Anthy slapped her on the arm, "Utena!" She smiled wickedly, "I did you one better, though." At Utena's surprised gaze, "When you walked in on me changing, it was intentional." "I've admired you from the start," Utena said softly, "and loved you for almost as long." A lost expression on her face as she said, "But what do we do now?" "Loving you was easy," Anthy smiled, "I fell into it so fast that I was lost." She snuggled close, "There is no reason that a Princess, or a Queen, could not have a lady consort. When this is over," she started to say, and Utena silenced her with a gentle finger. "When this is over, and we've faced Akio," Utena said with a smile, "we'll speak of such things. It's unlucky, to promise before battle." And with that, they settled down to wait.
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