Wai~! Another chapter!
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks!

Pairings do include Sabrina x Morty, Giovanni x Whitney, and Karen x Will, maybe others…

Chapter 9

“You should not be here.” Sabrina whispered, as Morty emerged from the hallway with Whitney by her side, in the guise of a Musketeer. It exited no comment, as it was known that this week, the Musketeers were guarding the Palace. The Queen shook her head. “How did you manage?”

Whitney blushed. “My husband was gone, but I found a brave Musketeer to aid me. I am glad the message came through.”

“Have you sent the message to Lady Karen yet?”

“I will be leaving with that now.”

“Take care.”

Whitney nodded and slipped away again.

She hurriedly walked through the darkened streets, searching for the house address on the handkerchief. It was at this time that Red noticed her. After having spent another evening at Monsieur Lugia’s house, asking for news about Lance, Lugia had promised he would speak to the King the next morning and rescue him.

Red followed the woman quietly, wondering what she was doing out so late at night. Who was she looking for?

She turned down a familiar street and he blinked. She stopped at a familiar house and he blinked some more.

That was Will’s house!
“A-ha, I know your secret now, discreet friend.” Red said with a sly smile. It was good to know that even the priest had his folly.

He watched as Whitney rapped on the windowsill. A light peeked out from behind the shutters, and Red crept closer, expecting to see Will’s face at the window.

To his surprise, what he saw was a lady with white-blonde hair in a dark-colored dress, though he could not see her face, for she was wearing a black velvet mask over it. He watched as Whitney handed her a handkerchief, for which she gave a different one. Then the window was closed and the light turned off.

Whitney hurried away along the streets, and Red continued to follow, but she only went back to the Palace, and he assumed she had work to do there so he returned home.

Now that was interesting.

If he had been more cautious, or of the blackmailing sort, he would have asked her about Will and the woman at his house, but he decided that it was not yet his concern, so he returned home and slept well.

Two days later, Lance was freed. Lugia-sama had argued long and hard with the King, Ken, over the imprisonment of one of his brave musketeers, and there was ample proof that during the incident for which Lance was being charged for criminal activity with, he had been dining with several distinguished gentlemen, including Lugia himself, as well as Chuck and Lord Blaine.

There was nothing Ken could do but set him free.

“So, how did things turn out?” Brock asked Red.

Red shrugged. “As well as can be expected, I suppose.”

“Your landlord has still not returned.”

“Well, until he does, I’m not paying rent.”

Lance shook his head in disapproval. Prison had not been overly bad, though his skin had gone several shades paler. He refused to talk about what had happened and they chose not to pry.

“Well, what about the Madame? Is she pretty?” Brock leered.

Red frowned. “I suppose she is…”

“Did you score?”

Will whacked him. “Could you be any more blunt?”

Red blinked. “Well, I mean, she was too busy… and I had my own things to do.”

Brock’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe it! How could you miss a chance like that?”

“It was a wise thing you did.” Lance said softly, and Red glowed with pride, ignoring Brock’s rants. Will whacked him again.

“Ow! Would you stop that?”

“The priesthood is looking better and better.” Will sighed despondently.

“I must go. I’ve already stayed too long.”

“I know.” Sabrina shook her head as she watched him dress. “You do realize that the letter I sent you was false…”

“I do. I have no doubt Cardinal Oak planted it.”

“He knows of our love.”

“Until he has proof, my dear, it means nothing.”

Sabrina gave Morty a small smile. “Be careful.”

“I will. Lady Karen and I are leaving this city tonight.”

“Wait. Let me give you a token of our feelings.” Sabrina removed from her closet a small rosewood box, carved with her initials. Inside, on a bed of pale rose satin, tied with thin silk ribbons to a long sash, also rose-colored glittered eight diamond tags. Morty accepted them with a smile.

He left the room, unseen, and in the palace courtyard, still in his Musketeer disguise, blended in with the men on guard there. No comment was raised.

That was one of those benefits…

“They got away.”

Cardinal Oak looks at Green with an expression of displeasure. “Both Duke Morty and Lady Karen got away?”

“Yes.”

“And your prisoner, Whitney…”

“She’s gone as well.”

“But the Duke has the Queen’s Diamond Tags.”

“Yes, our spy, Mademoiselle Yellow, assures me that that is the case.”

“Then it may not be a complete failure, Green. Do you understand?”

“I understand, sir.”

“Good.” A pause. “Do get my message to Milady, won’t you?”

“Of course, sir.”

Giovanni shivered in his cell, his eyes blurring over before he finally surrendered to the inevitable and passed out.

Dead, almost… well, it was certainly easier to work with them that way.

Agatha materialized behind Oak, clad in a robe of royal purple, her gray hair neatly pinned with sapphire dagger-pins.

“He’s the one?”

“Yes.”

She smirked and then the man’s body shuddered, before its eyes opened and in a mechanical voice, began speaking. Oak took out a notebook and hurriedly took notes. After half an hour, Agatha cut her work and it was over.

Giovanni slept on, unaware.

“He’s proven to be useful. Let’s give him another blanket, and an extra meal tomorrow.”

The guard standing there nods, and wishes he hadn’t seen that.

End Chapter

Completed 3/28/06

Started 3/25/06

Odd, it felt a lot longer ago…