See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.
A/N: (Sigh) What a weekend! Glad to be back and writing. Tis a great escape from the real world, if you know what I mean. Blegh. Who needs reality.
According to the Treaty of Tel'Mar
"This is bad," Rashid said, pacing in Relena's private suite.
The blonde woman watched him with half an eye, too distracted to pay him much heed. "It could be bad," she corrected absently. "Don't you think on it too much. You're not paid to think, and even if you could, you might hurt yourself."
She missed the dark look the man gave her. "As you wish, Princess," he said in a low voice, retreating.
No sooner had he left than she stood, slapping the com unit on the wall. "We're altering course a little," she announced. "I want you to land on the private Winner landing pad. I want to see the son of the richest man in the galaxy."
Upon receiving acknowledgment, Relena plumped herself down again. She could use this. Heero would undoubtedly call upon the Telmaran with news of his capture. She knew very well the Telmaran were strong telepaths. All of them. Something in their genetic makeup. And because of the Treaty of Tel'Mar, she would be in serious danger. Heero could legally kill her now, and no one would be able to do a thing about it.
Of course, he would be fearing for his and Duo's life, hence the reason he'd not acted before now. He would be biding his time. So. That left her with a few options. First and foremost, how she could twist all this to her advantage.
Suppose I tell the Telmaran that I'm acting on behalf of the empire? That my cousin sent me to do all this? That my disgrace was all an elaborate ruse? No one but her knows the truth, so it would be my word against hers. And Zechs will back me up. I could even get Maxwell on my side. Then the whole Telmaran people would be gunning for the emperor and his daughter.
She smiled. Relena Peacecraft was an adept liar. Something about her big blue eyes and lovely blonde hair just promised she could never do anything bad. She was just the victim in all this. And Heero, of course, would have no way of knowing the truth. Frankly, her word would count for more in a situation like this because she knew the emperor's daughter.
And Heero was not a politic. It would take all my skills, she mused. And it wouldn't be easy. Humans were easy to fool, because they were naturally fools. But the Telmaran were wild animals. Which meant they were naturally suspicious. She'd met several Telmaran over the course of her life. Most on Tel'Mar when she'd negotiated contracts.
It wasn't impossible. The Telmaran had reason to trust her. She'd negotiated the contract between a Telmaran and the highest ranking general in the emperor's Imperial Army, after all. Perhaps she could use that as her trump card. She smiled, drumming her fingers on the arm of her chair. It was not wise to underestimate Princess Relena Peacecraft, third in line to the Andarian throne. Her gift in the Imperial Court had been taking in things that seemed hopeless and twisting them to use to her advantage.
And I will win this one. I will not be defeated!
o8o o8o
Quatre Winner sat like a beautiful, blonde prince on his throne in the parlor, one leg crossed demurely over the other, his aqua robes matching his eyes perfectly. His chin rested in one hand, his other hand buried in the thick fur of a golden-brown panther. The creature was quite lovely, its coat darkening to brown at its face, paws, tail, and chest.
Relena knew it for what it was: Telmaran. Those incredibly green eyes were far too intelligent for a mere wildcat. They stared at her with curious intent, and something bordering on hostility. She rearranged her pink-and-gold skirts, careful to look calm and easy. She'd taken a tremendous risk in coming here; with her and Zechs out of the picture, Quatre was the now second in line for the throne after Dorothy, and the two were reportedly close.
"I'm a little surprised to see you, Relena," Quatre said after a moment of quiet study.
His voice was extremely pleasing to the ear, just as she remembered. She'd only met him once, and this Telmaran was a new addition. She wondered how long he'd had the cat. And what its name was. She put off asking just for a moment. "I hadn't planned on bothering you, since I know you're probably in Dorothy's pocket, but there's something I have to ask you."
She could see that wording bothered him. Quatre was the youngest in a long line of girls, and he despised people associating him with femininity. For all his grace and appeal, he was still quite masculine.
"I don't have to grant you any kind of audience," he reminded in a mild tone.
A barely-there threat. She smiled. "Forgive me. May I ask the name of your Bonded?"
Quatre blinked, looking down at the huge wildcat that very probably went up to his waist. Easily as big as the enormous wolf Bonded of Duo's. Perhaps bigger. The Telmaran looked up at Quatre, a question easily visible in its green eyes. After a moment Quatre smiled.
"Trowa. And I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you recognized him for what he was, seeing as you've actually been to Tel'Mar."
"That seems like a very long time ago," Relena said, sighing a little. "I actually came here to beg a favor. Are you at all in contact with Lord General Kushrenada?"
"Treize?" Quatre said, looking surprised again. "You've got me this time, Relena. What could you possibly want to see him for?"
Relena gave him her sweetest smile. "And spoil everything for you? Don't you want to watch my grand plot unfold without knowing what will happen?"
Quatre laughed lightly. "I would love that. Unfortunately, only you and Dorothy know the truth about what happened, so I can't help you. If you're the one who's right, then I'm sorry. But if it's her, I would be consorting with a known criminal." He gave her a very lovely smile.
Relena resisted the urge to grind her teeth. There was no way Treize would see her if he knew she was there. She had to go through someone else, because the general was loyal to his bones to the crown. It didn't matter what Relena said to him, he would believe Dorothy until she was proven wrong.
"I know you're being careful, Quatre," she began slowly. It was time to tread very carefully. "But I also know you're not a coward. And I know you must be dying to know what's really been going on."
That won a small growl from the panther. Quatre looked down at him, and something passed between them. She had no doubt they were speaking mind-to-mind, and she would have given a pretty penny to hear them at that moment. Finally the Telmaran lowered his head with a soft grunt, and Relena could swear he looked amused.
"I will set up a meeting with the Lord General," Quatre said presently, but there was a warning in his voice when he added, "Don't make me regret this, Relena." And a definite threat, this time.
In many ways, Quatre was more dangerous than Dorothy Catalonia, heir to the empire. Dorothy's influence extended to the Prime and Vice Chancellors, but Quatre's extended far beyond that. He was most likely the most popular member of the Imperial Court, making him a dangerous adversary, indeed. She would make enemies of the entire empire if she alienated him.
And that was not something she was prepared to do. Because Quatre Winner would make a powerful ally. "Don't worry," she said with another smile, "you won't."
o8o o8o
Wufei clan Chang watched his Bonded, the Lord General Treize Kushrenada, pace in his private quarters. The huge black-and-white tiger was the only son of the Chang clan O'Daija, and right now his Bonded's tension radiated from him in waves.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," he said at last, trying to mask his amusement.
And failing dismally. Treize gave him a look mixed with mirth and annoyance. "I received a troubling message," he said as though that explained everything.
Wufei's tail lashed the bed. "I know. I read it with you, remember?"
"Then please tell me how you are so calm."
The tiger shrugged, a motion that made his entire, powerful torso ripple. "I suppose since I am not so mired in politics like you are, I simply care less about them. Besides, what about going to see Trowa and his Bonded is so troubling?"
Now the annoyance slipped out of Treize's expression entirely. He just looked amused. "You and your people see everything in such simple terms," he commented. "I could wish humans were the same."
Wufei gave him a purr for that praise. "Now stop flattering me and answer my question."
Treize snorted. "Yes, bossy cat. First, Relena Peacecraft disappeared several weeks ago."
"Yes, I know."
"Second, she is wanted by the crown."
"Yes."
"Third, Quatre Winner just asked if I would attend an audience."
"With you so far."
"It's all just very convenient timing," Treize said, sinking down onto the bed in the curve of Wufei's body to stroke his fur. "Relena is devious, and she was known to turn to Quatre in times of . . . need."
"So you think the reason he asked you to come is because Relena asked him to?"
"Yes."
"I think you may be reading too much into this."
"You do, eh?" Treize murmured, resting his cheek against the tiger's head. "Contact Trowa for me. Ask him what is going on, and if it is Relena who really wants to see me. I have no desire to speak with that little conniver."
"Yes, paranoid human," Wufei teased. "You know Trowa may not answer, and even if he does I may not tell you."
Displeasure rippled through Treize's scent, but nothing more. "Yes, I know that too. But I would feel better if you talked to him anyway."
"All right. Did you know that a few days ago, the last O'Daija sent out a child to Bond with a human?"
"Indeed? That would be clan Yuy, correct?"
"Yes. A wolf. He sent Heero, his only son."
"May I ask who signed the contract?"
"You may."
Treize chuckled, absently stroking Wufei's paw. "And would you answer?"
"Probably not. I will ask him if I may disclose that. I don't know him very well. Clan Yuy is much bigger than clan Chang. And wolves are notoriously . . . wolfish."
At this Treize laughed out loud. "What an incredibly insightful comment to wolf behavior."
"I will bite you," Wufei threatened, his jaws opening around Treize's hand. But his teeth only lightly scraped the skin.
Treize rose again. "I'm going to pay a visit to the princess," he said. "Please ask Trowa what's going on. And see if you can establish contact with this Heero. Morbid curiosity on my part."
Wufei gave him a big tiger grin. "All right. You don't want me to come with you?"
"Not this time. But thank you."
"Think nothing of it," Wufei replied fondly. He watched Treize leave and closed his eyes, focusing both inward and outward at once.
He too was curious to see how Heero clan Yuy was getting along with his new Bonded.