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"Oh s**t-" Nix's eyes widened and she stood up, "Stop! Stop the fight!" she looked at Tsume, but he was already moving, breaking the wall Leo was encased it with his fist.

Leo was feeling dizzy in the heat, but the humidity was nice. he continued to focus on what he was doing when suddenly his body was covered with cold. he looked down and saw a layer of ice covering him from head to toe and lost his concentration for a moment.a shiver ran up his body and he felt faint, staggering. the huge change in temperatures was too much for his body, it already being strained by the pregnancy and using his abilities freely for the first time in years. Exhaustion washed over him, but he stubbornly pushed on, forcing himself to keep fighting. just as his vision was starting to go black he felt a rush of fresh, clean air and warm arms wrap around him, pulling him out of the heat and cold and into the wide open room. he feel against Tsume's chest, but struggled weakly against him, "let go, we weren't finished yet."

Nix frowned, "no, you are finished. you nearly blacked out in there, Leo." she said his real name without meaning to, worry making her forget to keep the secret. he knelt beside Leo and ran a hand through the damp hair, shaking her head, "you're far to stubborn. it's not good for the-" Tsume pinched her side and she fixed what she was going to say, "for your sickness."

Leo was already feeling better, "oh i'm alright. just pushed myself too hard is all." he smiled and took Elliot's hand, kissing it, "don't worry. i was being stupid, but you did amazingly well. i was struggling to keep up." he chuckled and pushed himself to a sitting position, puttinghis hand up to stop Nix and Tsume's protests. "really and truely i am alright." he looked at Martha and smiled, "what are those, dear? did you draw them?" he'd been so focused on Elliot he had forgotten about the others until now.

Nix shook her head, huffing softly, "take care of yourself, ok?" she kissed Leo's cheek before going over to Emilt and Justin, "should we get ready for bed too, or do you want to do something? Martha, what about you?"

Tsume rolled his eyes, "i told you to not strain yourself, but you never have listened to me. don't do anything strenuous for the rest of the night, ok? Prince, i'm expecting you to make sure he doesn't."

Leo stared at the drawing of the mark and swallowed, "i see. she did a very good job on it too." he gently Martha's head, "sweetie, that mark is something that others shouldn't know about, ok? could you tell your sisters to never tell anyone about it? if other found out the Prime Minister might get into trouble and we don't want that, right?" he felt a little sick, there was no way that Elliot would mistake the marking for anything but what it was. "alright, o hurry and tell Annabelle, ok? Justin, Emily, Nix? the same goes for you, and you as well Tsume. no one can know of this mark." he looked them all in the eyes before standing up with Tsume's help, "now go on and head to bed, kids. it's late and you had an eventful day."

Tsume frowned, he didn't know the mark, but he did know that Leo had instantly been sick with fear at the sight of it. "come on, kittens. i'll tell you a bedtime story from Falia. you too boyo." he dropped his hand onto Justin's shoulder and herded everyone out.

Nix couldn't help it, her curiousity won and she took a peak into Leo's mind to find out what was so bad about the mark. the answer she found was so shocking, she didn't protest as she was herded out the door. Leo had almost died before he even reached the Falian border. Ipo had almost killed him all because of that mark.

ludwig woke with a snort and looked around. the pink one was gone, but he went to the strong little two legger as they were legd out by the alpha, knowing they would lead him to her.

Leo waited until everyone was out of the room before he looked at Elliot, "now you know-" he said softly, taking Elliot's hand and gently massaging it. "i'm sorry i didn't tell you. when-when you are what we are, it's almost impossible to not tell when another is near. he didn't want you to know or i would have told you-" he looked up at Elliot, "are you angry with me?"

Tsume shrugged, "You can go back now if you want, or you can go back after the story. you're choice kid." a small hand slid into his and he looked down to see a rather pale Nix clinging to him. "Com'er baby girl," he whispered, lifting Nix into his arms and holding her close while they walked to the triplet's room. she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and just rested her head on his shoulder. he didn't know what had happened to upset her this much, but she was tough, she would be ok.

Leo smiled a little, "Elliot, if you had found out when he was trying so desperately to keep you from learning, then all of his effort was for not. don't feel bad because you didn't know, how could you have?" he moved closer and slide his arms around Elliot's middle, leaning against his love and resting his head against the other, bending down a little to do so. "even if you ever saw the mark, until we went to Falia you had no idea what it was or what it meant. the Prime Minister knows that you didn't know when you spoke to him before. he is a smart man just-damaged. but, i think it is for the best that you know now. that you understand why he is the way he is." Leo shook his head, "he was horrible abused, Elliot, even more so than me in many ways. i think what you can do from now on is keep that in mind when he's having one of his episodes. Call your father or maybe even me, we might be able to help bring him back." he didn't know what else to say, really. how else could they help the Prime Minister?

Nix sighed softly, "i just-i wanted to know what the mark meant. why it was so bad...so i looked into Leo's mind." she shivered and clung tighter to Tsume, "it's bad. really, really bad. a killing spell, if you touch it-" she let out a tiny sob, "it would kill him in a horrible, horrible way." she lifted her head and looked at Tsume, "Leo had one too, he nearly-it almost killed him."

Tsume frowned, "i was able to find them because i sensed Leo in pain. it felt like i was being torn in half, and that was only an echo of his pain..." he shook his head, "no wonder they don't want anyone to know. if someone found out, can you imagine the power they could hold over the man? it is a dangerous thing indeed." they had reached the bedroom door and he opened it for the girls, "come, let's forget this for now. let's get ready for bed and a good story, ok?"

Leo nodded, "that is probably a good idea. remove it now before someone else finds it and uses it against him and your father." it hurt him to see Elliot so broken by this. "hey-" he cupped Elliot's cheek and made the man look at him, smiling softly. "i will find him and you two can talk, ok? it doesn't matter what you have called him or said to him, he loves you and knows that you love him. it will be ok." he kissed Elliot before stepping away, "there is time to make this right, my prince, but first we have to find the people. do you want to meet back here or in your study?"

Nix closed her eyes and nodded at Emily's words, "i just want a story too. i shouldn't have looked." she was exhausted, she knew she shouldn't have ever looked into her brother's mind. though she didn't remember what she'd seen, she remembered she'd looked into it once before and what she'd seen had made her sick. she should have learned from that, but she hadn't. "will you tell us the story of the Unicorn Lakes?" it was a happy story and one of her favorites growing up.

Tsume nodded, "of course, dear. want to get your sleep clothes or will you sleep in your room tonight?"

"I-can i sleep with you guys tonight?" she asked the girls, hoping they would be ok with it.

Leo smiled, "of course i wont, love. i know how he feels too, my prince. i would never do anything to scare him." he watched Elliot leave before he closed hsi eyes and 'found' the Prime Minister. to his relief the man wasn't in the king's bedroom or his own, but he was in the king's study with the king. he followed his sense and soon stood outside of the room. like elliot, he took a moment to gather himself before knocking. he waited for the call to enter before stepping in. he didn't smile, he kept his face calm but still.

Lewis looked at the door as Leo came in and grinned, "good evening, dear-" his voice trailed off and he frowned, standing from where he'd sat at Al's feet. "Leo, what's wrong, what has happened?" something was wrong, that was for sure. Leo was looking at him sadly, solumly and he felt something cold curl in his stomach, "is it Elliot?"

Leo couldn't help but smile, "you are sharp as ever, my lord." he bowed to the king and to the Prime Minister, "it seems Princess Annabelle noticed the mark upon your neck. she drew a picture of it and Prince Elliot saw. he recognized it from the mark i too once bore." Leo bowed lower, "he knows of your past, my Lord. he wishes for you and his majesty the king to meet with him.

Lewis felt the blood drop from his face and he was dizzy, sitting down hard, landing on Al's lap without meaning to. "he knows-" he shook his head, hands covering his face, "Al-what am i going to do? he knows!"

Tsume smiled, "i'll start to tell youw hile you get ready for bed." he looked around, frowning slightly, "where is Annabelle, didn't she come back first? don't want to tell it without her."

Lewis looked from Leo to All and slowly nodded, "ok. i just-" he looked down, "i never wanted him to know..." he shook his head and stood, but he was gripping Al's hand tightly. "let's go."

Leo nodded, "he wanted to meet in the ballroom, if that is ok with you." Lewis didn't answer, he just clung to the king's arm, his eyes on the ground, but he didn't protest so Leo took that to mean he was ok with it. "alright, if you don't mind, i shall lead the way." he smiled and held the door for the two, walking with them to the ballroom, keeping quite, but glancing back occasionally. Lewis remained slilent, holding the king's arm close to his chest, his head on the king's shoulder as they walked. Leo opened the ballroom door and waited for them to enter, not sure if Elliot would be back yet or not.