Ruka closed the door to his suite and then carefully walked thought the rooms, sword ready, before he let himself relax. He sat in a comfortable chair, poured himself a drink, then with slightly shaking hands picked up a small picture nearby. The two stood there in the mage created image, guard uniforms crisp and broad smiles on their faces. There is friendship there, comrades in arms, and on one of their faces, love as well. "Juri," Ruka sighed to himself sadly, and gently put the picture of the two of them back down. He heard something and stiffened, then he relaxed a bit as he said softly, "Lord Akio, it's good to see you." "I'm glad to hear it," the shadowy figure said, his amusement obvious in his voice. "Do you still care for her, then? Even after she rejected you publicly?" Akio asked, smiling at him cruelly. "Did you have business to discuss? I don't have time for games," Ruka asked him curtly, his voice a dangerous whisper. Akio's eyes glittered with his anger. 'When I have no more need of you,' he vowed to himself silently, 'you will suffer for that.' Reigning in his temper, "This Tenjou Utena is a more serious problem than I anticipated. I want her dead, before she creates any more complications." "It won't be easy," Ruka mused, and looked up at Akio slyly as he added, "nor will it be cheap." A thump, and a heavy bag of gold landed on the table right beside him. He smiled, "A pleasure doing business with you." "Do not fail me," Akio said coldly, and then slowly and silently faded away. Utena sighed as she explained the morning's events to a sympathetic Juri. "And then she just left without saying a word," Utena concluded. Juri took a drink of her coffee thoughtfully before saying, "Apologize." Utena blinked at her in confusion. "Apologize for what?" she asked, sounding more than a bit exasperated. "I didn't do anything!" "It doesn't really matter," Juri explained to her patiently, sounding almost fatherly as she said, "it could just be that she misunderstood something you said. Whatever it was, you need to apologize to the lady." Utena sighed wearily, "I'll never understand women." She took a drink of her coffee, and her manner seemed to change, becoming more business-like as she asked, "What's the progress on the Kiryuu investigation?" Juri sat up straighter as she answered, "It gets murkier and murkier, Utena. I think he's just the tip of the sword." Utena just nodded a bit, not looking terribly surprised by that piece of news. "You already knew," Juri said softly. Utena put her cup down. "The mess the old Captain left us made me wonder," she admitted quietly. "You don't get that level of corruption without having someone close to the top, and Kiryuu was his second," she sighed. She looked across at Juri, "Was Kiryuu in charge, you think?" Juri shook her head no. "I'm sure he'd like people to think that, though," she said with a small smile. More seriously, "He wasn't lying about his money problems. Someone else must have been sponsoring him." "Akio, probably," Utena sighed. She frowned, "But check among the other nobles for anyone else who would gain from Anthy's removal." "So you think they'll be another attempt on her life?" Juri asked. "Why are we sitting around for?" Utena shook her head, "Nothing that obvious. If she dies under suspicious circumstances, whoever arranged all this would know there would be an investigation. They'll be more subtle next time." "That's why you ordered food tasters," Juri said with a slow nod. A slight flush appeared on her cheeks, "And asked Lady Shiori here." "Of which you're quite happy, I see," Utena said in more relaxed tones. "How serious are you about her?" Utena asked with a smile. Juri blushed harder, "She interests me, I must admit." She looked over at Utena thoughtfully, "I noticed that there was something going on between you. Were you once lovers?" "No," Utena said, shaking her head, "though she did try. I was a bit besotted with someone else at the time, so..." she shrugged comically. Juri nodded thoughtfully. "So you wouldn't object if I became involved with her?" she asked softly. "As long as it doesn't interfere with you work," Utena shrugged in reply. She looked up at Juri and added softly, "Shiori's not the most monogamous person I know, so be careful, please." "Thanks," Juri said, and got up from the table. "I'll see you later," she said with a wave, and was off to work. Ruka dug through the court library's books of law with a fierce frown on his face. He carelessly cast the precious books aside as he searched, looking for the one that he dimly remembered reading. He pulled out a dusty tomb and smiled to himself suddenly. He flipped a few pages and smiled happily as he found what he wanted. "I was right," he whispered, a small smile on his face. He tucked the book under his arm and left briskly for the court. He entered the hall quietly, watching Anthy sitting on her throne, taking petitions from the public. She heard disputes and requests, giving each the time and patience required to deal with them. Utena stood at her side, occasionally receiving a warm glance from the young Princess. Obviously, the stories of a fight between the two of them were untrue, or at least greatly exaggerated. Utena stood tall, her eyes watchful, and he smiled, knowing that the young woman could not expect the attack that was coming. He waited for the right moment to step forward, flinging his cloak aside as he stepped out in front of the throne. Utena grasped her sword reflexedly, and Ruka smiled broadly, "By the laws of the High Kings, and the oaths of her forefathers, I challenge Princess Anthy's worthiness for the throne." Utena looked about in honest confusion, and Ruka smiled as he heard her ask, "What's he talking about?" Miki stepped up to her side, "By the old laws, a noble can call for a trial by combat to test the worthiness of a Royal." He sighed, "And Ruka is of noble blood." Utena straightened, and said the words that Ruka so wanted to hear, "Then in her name, I'll accept the challenge." "No," a aristocratic voice that Ruka recognized instantly said, "I will." Arisugawa Juri stepped out of the crowd to stand before Anthy. She knelt, continuing, "By your leave, Princess, let me answer this unworthy one's challenge." Anthy seemed torn, but she saw something in Juri's eyes, a fire burning, and responded quietly, "Juri will fight for me." Ruka clenched his jaw, fighting back his anger. He didn't want Juri, he wanted Utena! He looked into Juri's eyes, even as the area in front of the throne was cleared for the trial by combat. Juri looked him in the eye before quietly saying, "You can still withdrawal the challenge, you know." Ruka smiled slightly, "You know I can't. Will you step aside, and let me face Utena here, instead?" Juri smiled as she echoed his words, "You know I can't." She raised her sword to guard position, giving him a feral smile. Ruka nodded, his own sword coming up to the ready position. Miki raised his hand, intoning softly, "By the ancient laws, let the trial begin!" Their swords met in a flash of sparks, then they leapt back a moment before charging forward once again. Back and forth they went, one with the advantage, then the other, testing each other's defense. "You're a good as you ever were," Juri said with a smile. Ruka nodded, "You've learned a few new tricks." He hated admitting it, but Juri was matching him strike for strike. He remembered beating her so easily back during their days as guards together. He tried an overhead blow and she turned it aside, nearly making a successful return attack on his exposed body. He heard fabric tear, and looked down at the shallow tear across the front of his shirt. Juri grinned at him, "There's still time to throw in the towel." Ruka just growled in reply, charging her. They fought backwards and forwards, each trying to find an advantage, but they were too evenly matched. "You can't defeat me, Juri. I'll wear you down, eventually," he vowed. Juri nodded, "You might be right, Ruka." She brought them close for a moment to say to him, "You remember our old sword master? He always said you can stop a blade, if you're willing to pay the price." "What do you mean," Ruka started, thrusting forward. Juri deflected the blade just slightly upward, and it buried deeply into her shoulder. She grasped the sword's hilt with one hand even as she struck at him with the other. He felt the blade pierce his heart, even as he looked at her in shocked disbelief. Surprisingly, he smiled at her, even as he heard Juri swear softly. "Damn it, don't die," she cursed, barely catching him before he fell. He heard Miki cry as if from far away, "Victory to the Princess' champion, Lady Arisugawa Juri!" "Well struck," Ruka managed to say to her, "I'm sorry, Juri." And with that, he slumped in her arms. The healers rushed forward, and as he faded he felt some relief as Juri waved them away. "He wouldn't want you to save him," Juri said weakly to the healers, who turned to try and help her instead. She swayed, barely staying on her feet as blood trickled down her arm to drip on the floor. Utena pushed them aside as she rushed to Juri's side before she collapsed. "Were you insane?" she blurted out, easing the blade from out of Juri's shoulder. Blood gushed outward as she finally got the sword free. "An old trick," Juri managed to say faintly. She noticed that Shiori had broken through the crowd to kneel there beside her. The mage was crying softly, so Juri forced a smile as she said, "I'll do anything to impress a lady." Shiori laughed a bit, through her tears. "You're absolutely mad, aren't you?" she said, trying to manage a smile for Juri's sake. "I've been discovered," Juri tried to joke, wincing a little as Utena pressed down on her wound to slow the bleeding. But somehow, she felt a bit better, and turned to Utena to see why. The captain was shrouded in light, a glowing figure garbed as a noble prince silhouetting her form. A soft light shown about Juri's wound, and the prince smiled at her once, faintly, before softly and silently fading away. Utena lifted her hands and the bloody wound was gone, leaving only stained and torn cloth where it once was. The court was silent as the courtiers and commoners all gazed at the Utena and Juri in no little awe. There would be tales sung of this day for years to come, of Juri's victory and then her miraculous healing at Utena's hands. But for now, they all just had to make it though the remainder of the day. Keeping a cool head in a crisis, Miki quickly ordered that the chamber be cleared. Anthy had run to the fighters' side even as Utena collapsed, as limp as a rag doll. Ironically, Juri helped carry her back to the Princess' chambers, where, once Utena finally recovered, they gathered to talk.
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