Chapter 26

He stepped into the room and her eyes turned immediately towards him. She looked tired, unnaturally so, but there was a serene half-smile on her lips. Heero was still not sure how he should respond… When Trowa had given them the news he had not really believed him, so he had said and done nothing except make his way straight to Relena. Even now, as he saw the truth with his own eyes, he remained unsure of the truthfulness of what was right in front of him. I thought she was stronger than this. He walked up to the table where she sat by the window, his cold gaze locked with her warm one.

'Why?' he asked, not giving a single thought to protocol and completely ignoring the fact that she was his mistress and he owed her the utmost respect. It did not matter anymore. Nothing did. Not when she was dying in front of him and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. Heero could practically feel her slipping through his fingers.

'To free you and the others.'Her eyes slid to Quatre's sleeping form for a moment.

'No.' he disregarded his position completely as he replied to her, questioning the queen's superior judgement. Her eyes returned to his immediately, and Heero could see her mask of resignation crack however slightly. 'Is this what you want?' he asked, his voice stern. Relena's lips quivered as her resolution seemed to crumble around her. What had she expected? Did she think watching her die would make him happy only because it would restore his and Wing's freedom? Even Maxwell's, Scythe's, Quatre's and Sandrock's? 'Relena, do you want to die?' he demanded an answer when her eyes started moving away.

'No!' she shouted, all composure forgotten as she pushed herself up. Tears threatened to fall from her shimmering eyes, but she held them back. 'What I want… What I want is…' her whole body shook from the exertion and she had to resume her seat, her breath laboured. There were beads of sweat gathering at the back of her neck, but she was shivering cold. 'Just leave, Heero.' She begged with a painful tone, avoiding his penetrating gaze. He did not understand… How could he when all he had ever known was following orders?

She had had a kingdom, responsibilities relied on her by her father and she had failed him… The only home she had ever known now lay in shambles, her people – who had loved her and whom she had loved in return – was now homeless and starving, their hard work and livelihoods destroyed beyond repair, not to mention the relatives they had lost, loved ones that would never come back… It was all her fault. They had trusted her to protect them and she had disappointed them. Not to mention the fact that her own brother had been the perpetrator of such misery…

And what was left for her? A marriage with Treize Kushrenada? Letting him rule over all of her father's lands while she basked in the riches of Romefeller Kingdom and the people suffered on the streets? She would rather die and, if by her sacrifice she could free those few people who had actually fought for her, she would do it. The mere thought of holding their lives in her hands, of having such power, was both disgusting and horrifying. Besides, Wizard J had offered her the chance of dying slowly enough to be able to see Heero again, one last time, and she was glad… That was all she had wanted, though his anger had not been expected. It did not matter, not anymore, she had made her decision.

'Leave. It is an order.' Her voice bore the last of her strength. It sounded hard and distant, so unlike herself it almost made her cringe.

'No.' he replied and, by the resolution in his tone, Relena knew there would be no arguing, nothing she could say that would make him change his mind.

'Fine.' She retorted, turning back to the window to regain her breath. 'Stay then.'

'Is this sickness like any other?'

'What?' her eyes met his again, confused.

'Is it a simple sickness or is it a curse?'

'If it were a curse… It would not work, would it? It would be like dying by the hands of another and you would turn back to stone for allowing someone to curse me.' Relena was on the verge of panting when she finished. 'No…' she shook her head. 'It is just a common sickness.' She did not know why or how, but she knew it to be the truth.

'It's progressing fast.' Heero observed more for his sake than hers. 'I hear there's a competent physician accompanying the troops back to Romefeller.'

Her eyes widened when she realised where his thoughts had strayed. 'I forbid you.' She whispered with as much authority as she could muster given her weakened state. For some reason the prospect of surviving when she had already come to terms with her ultimate demise and having to face the uncertainties – or certainties – of her future as queen were scarier than death itself.

'Dismiss me.' He ordered, watching as her eyes widened in sheer horror. 'If you do not, I will take you to Romefeller and I will do all that is in my power to ensure your survival.'

Even if she could have spoken through her tears, Relena would not have known what to say. If she did not feel so weak, she would have wailed and laughed at the same time. She did not fight when he approached, her arms wrapping around his neck so he could lift her waning form into his arms. 'I could never dismiss you…' her whisper brushed against the skin of his neck, and she could feel him shiver.

'I know.' Was all Heero said as he carried her out of the room and into the dark corridor. The sky outside was already painted with the oranges and purples of the twilight. Weakened from her angry outburst, she dozed off in his arms and his grip on her tightened at the thought of the young queen never waking up again. He could not lose her, not now, not when he had already abandoned everything he knew and believed in for her sake. Not when he had just found her.

He strolled into the courtyard with purpose in every step. The others watched him wide-eyed as he made his way to his still wounded dragon. It would take them longer than usual, but they would make it. They had to. 'What are you doing?' Wufei's angry voice, filled with disbelief, reached his ears as he placed Relena carefully on Wing's back. She shared a weary smile with the dragon and nodded lightly at Heero to show that she would be okay without him for a couple of minutes. His eyes narrowed at her, as if afraid she would run away, but then he turned around and strolled back to his comrades.

'There is a physician on her way to Romefeller. She might be Relena's last chance.'

'Can you not see? She chose this.' The black haired rider remained incredulous. 'This may be your only chance of being free again. Not only yours, but Maxwell's and Winner's and their dragons' as well.'

Heero's eyes hardened as he turned to Duo. The braided man could not help squirming when the other's glare fell on him. 'I will fight you.' Heero informed.

Scythe's rider raised his hands in surrender, shaking his head to show he had no intentions of standing in the other rider's way. He then turned to Wufei. 'Why did you have to get me into this?' he hissed annoyed.

Nataku's rider ignored the reprimand, his chilly gaze still fixed on his former leader. 'What of Winner? He is not present to defend his rights.'

'Quatre would back him up.' Trowa informed calmly. 'He was horrified when he learned of his mistress' illness.'

Heero nodded, turning to leave, but Wufei's voice stopped him yet again. 'Is she really worth so much?' he asked.

'No.' Heero said without turning back to the others, his eyes fixed on Relena. 'She's worth even more.'

XXX

A couple amputated arms, a few amputated legs, a vomiting apprentice, more unavoidable deaths than she would have liked, enough broken bones to build a few spare soldiers and an enormous amount of blood spilling wounds… Sally had never worked so much and for so long without stop. She knew a good number of survivors had perished on the way back, in fact, she was not even sure how the ones that had made it all the way to Romefeller castle's infirmary had gotten that far. A significant number of them were former members of the now dismantled White Fang and – even though they still had to receive the royal pardon – she treated them just the same. It was her duty after all. She expected to lose a few more patients before dawn, but that was the way of life.

It was also the way of life to send her a brand new patient the moment she decided to take a much needed break. 'Mistress Sally…' her apprentice opened the door to the physician's personal quarters after a brief knock. 'There is a new patient… I believe you should come.'

Sally sighed, giving her very comfy looking bed a long glance. 'Are you quite sure you cannot handle it yourself?' she asked as gently as she could muster. The young woman had seen a lot those last few days, learned a lot, and the older woman believed she was ready to do a little bit of work unsupervised. Her insecurities were a hindrance to her future career as a physician, Sally had already told her as much, but the girl did not seem to have listened.

'But…' the maiden fidgeted nervously, uncomfortably. 'It's Queen Relena.' She said finally.

'Queen Relena?' the physician's eyes widened, all leadenness leaving her eye lids and the tiredness vanishing. She quickly refastened the bloody apron she had only just removed, it would have to do for now. 'Have you moved her to a private bedroom?'

'I gave her my own… All bedrooms in this aisle are occupied.'

'Very well. Let us be on our way then.'

Her apprentice's bedroom was much smaller than her own, but it would suffice. The young queen was already lying under a pile of blankets when they arrived. She turned feverish eyes towards her family's former private physician and smiled wearily. 'Sally.' Her soft voice greeted the older woman.

'My queen…' Sally approached the bed with a horrified frown. 'How have you come to be so sick? Why did you not seek me sooner?'

'I…'

'It has been progressing fast.' An unexpected voice sounded from the darkest corner of the tiny bedroom and the physician had to squint to adjust her eyes enough to be able to see the young man that stood there. One of Relena's riders…

'How fast?'

'She was fine just this morning.' Sally's expression darkened, and the dragon rider stepped forward so his impassive expression was visible in the candlelight. 'Can you save her?' he went straight to the point.

'I can try.' She answered with conviction and no small amount of determination, turning to urge her apprentice into action with no more than a look and a wave of her hand. The girl, who seemed frightened by the young man to the point of being paralyzed, immediately seized the opportunity to dash out of the room. Sally waited for the rider to follow, but when he did not even as much as blink she demanded. 'Leave.'

His eyes narrowed dangerously at her and the physician could see his grip tighten on the hilt of his sword. 'Heero…' it was Relena's weak voice that turned his attention away from her before she had been crushed under the weight of that glare. 'I won't fight her… You can trust Sally and she needs privacy to do her job… Please…'

All he did was nod, but Sally saw the way his eyes softened when he met the queen's gaze and how his tense posture slackened. 'Guard the door if you would?' she asked, knowing that was as far as he would be going. 'Do not let anyone but my apprentice in.'

'Hn.' Was all the answer she got before the door shut behind him.

'Do not mind him…' the young monarch whispered still smiling wearily. 'He's just angry at me.'

'Relena…' the older woman dropped the honorific once the two were alone. 'What did you mean you will not fight me? Why would you fight me when I am only trying to help?'

'I'm sorry, Sally.' Was all Relena would offer as she turned away, directing her unwavering smile to the ceiling.

The physician frowned. This was no longer the vivid maiden she had known and the fault did not lie solely with the fever that was clouding her mind. 'I know things may look bad right now, Relena, but they will gradually fall back into their places. You must not give up. It does not become you, and if you mean to survive this you will need all of your strength and your will to live. You cannot fight without those.'

'I know.' And with that she finally allowed her eyes to fall shut. 'Thank you, Sally.'

XXX

She had nothing left and yet, what little she still had, she was sacrificing to free him, his dragon and their teammates. Heero had known she was different, had known she cared, but to go to such lengths… What if she did not make it? He had not considered the possibility of freedom in a long time, not seriously at least. A dragon rider was what he had been raised and trained to be. It was a mission he had accomplished and even then, though his connection with Wing made him crave the bond himself, he had had masters. There had never been selfish reasons, personal goals… He had never known life without a master, not as a man and certainly not as a rider.

Relena did not want to be his mistress though, she never had. 'Friend' was the word she had used and maybe the queen's altruism which was in a way so similar to his own had been the force behind their bond. A bond so new and unique he had actually believed would break the curse, but then – even if it had – Heero would not have imagined his life without her in it. The possibility that her death might be required to set them free had crossed his mind once, for a fleeting moment, undeserving of real thought. He knew back then as he did now that never would he be able to kill her.

She had changed everything and, as aggravated as it had made him feel at times, it was exhilarating. To break the monotony of the curse, to give new meaning to ancient bonds and question everything he knew about his existence… It had changed him. That woman had changed him, given him a real reason to live and fight, and Heero could not go back now. No, he would not go back because Relena would live and once she had recovered they would find another way.

Approaching steps had him straightening his back and tightening the grip on his sword. The man who turned the corner was without a doubt King Treize, the confidence in the man's stride and the richness of his attire were unmistakable. He halted in front of the dragon rider, his own hand resting on the hilt of his long sword. 'I am here to see Queen Relena.' The king informed somewhat outraged when Heero refused to step out of his way.

'I have orders not to let anyone through.'

'Orders?' Treize arched one regal eyebrow threateningly, but his tone sounded almost amused. 'From whom, may I ask?'

'Queen Relena's physician.'

'Oh…? And do you know who you are talking to, boy?'

Heero's smirk was discreet and yet it conveyed his contempt clearly. 'I am quite aware of who you are, Treize.'

At that the king actually smirked himself. He truly was amused. 'I will also assume then that you are aware of my position and, of course, of the workings of hierarchy which determine that the orders of a king by far surpass the orders of a mere physician.'

'I answer only to my mistress.' The dragon rider drew his sword then, raising it in a battle stance in front of the man. 'And take orders only from whom I deem worthy.'

'His Majesty has every right to see his betrothed.' The strong feminine voice surrounded them as Relena's mother approached, her back straight and her arms folded over her stomach as she appraised her daughter's servant haughtily. 'In the absence of my daughter it seems only fitting that you should answer to me, dragon rider.'

Heero's eyes narrowed dangerously at her, but he did not move, his sword remaining steady between him and Treize. The tension was broken before anything else could transpire though as Sally stepped out of the room. Her weary eyes met those of her liege and former queen as she wiped her blood stained hands on her apron, her face marked by graveness. 'I have done all I can. Now it is up to Her Majesty to fight the evil that consumes her.' Her gaze hardened on Relena's unwanted visitors. 'I would suggest, my king, my lady, that you allow her to rest.'

'Very well.' The king's expression softened and he gave the physician and the young rider beside her a small smile of understanding. Heero could see Treize appreciated his loyalty to his mistress and respected his stand so he gave the man a nod, in silent truce and sheathed his sword. 'My lady…' the monarch turned to the woman beside him. 'I realise the hour is still early, but would you care to join me while I break my fast?'

The old queen's eyes hardened. 'I will see my daughter.' She informed him.

'As you wish.' Treize smiled ever amused by the interesting people around him and with one last nod to Sally disappeared down the corridor.

'Sally.' Lady Peacecraft fixed the physician with a measured look. 'Would you keep my daughter company a little longer?'

Slightly surprised by the unexpected request, Sally took a moment to answer. 'Of course, my lady.'

The matron then turned around and threw a glance at the dragon rider over her shoulder. 'Come.' She said and started walking, not bothering to wait for an answer.

Heero stared at the former queen's retreating back for a moment before deciding to follow. Sally had not sounded optimistic and he had obviously not been the only one to realise that fact. He was still suspicious of Relena's mother, but the knot he could feel twisting in his gut had him following her in the hopes that she would provide him with a distraction, give him a purpose however brief it might be. If he were to simply stand by as the young queen died, he was not sure he would be able to bear it.

It did not take long for them to reach the wide front doors leading out into the patio. The first sunrays were creeping up, tinting the skies in light purples and greyish blues and the entire castle seemed to be empty in the afterglow of the final battle, for which the two unlikely companions were both secretly grateful.

Lady Peacecraft halted at the great stone archways that marked the entrance to the castle grounds, almost at the edge of the bridge that had remained lowered throughout the night. They could see, past the moat, the long winding road leading downwards and into the city, but it was not the small cabins and huts beneath them that the woman's eyes sought, it was the never ending vastness of land beyond the walls of Romefeller Kingdom. It was there, past the forests, that rested what remained of her home, the capital of Sanc Kingdom.

'Somewhere in one of the many great kingdoms between here and the Land of the Rising Sun, there once lived a witch named Siofra…' She started in the hard tones of a queen that had lived through much and witnessed the deaths of many. 'Are you aware of the treatment received by magic wielders in those kingdoms?'

'Yes. Ever since the foundation of the church, all those whose gifts come from nature and therefore are a living breathing testament to her divinity and power are persecuted, tortured and killed.' His knowledge seemed to surprise the old queen and, as she turned to him, it felt like she was truly seeing him for the first time.

'I forget you are much older than you appear to be.'

'Hn.'

'Yes, that is the way of things in those lands and that is why Siofra decided to leave her home land behind and journey west. She was a peasant with little means of survival, travelling on foot through plain and mountain, forest and desert, aiding villagers in exchange for both bread and coin. Siofra was an enhancer. She could not augment her own power, but she could connect with the life force of ordinary beings and the powers of magical ones and use their energies as her source. Despite her great power however, the witch chose to be a healer, strengthening the life forces of the sick and dying to speed their healing process and cure them of their illnesses. It was a gift of nature, a blessing that always skipped one generation.

'During the long journey, the witch had a son. Raised in the country roads and taught in the ways of the old religion, the young man was already seventeen when he finally made it to Sanc Kingdom. His mother had perished during their peregrination and he had been left all alone. He visited King Peacecraft's throne room, offering his meagre services and yet, despite the harshness of his situation, he never begged. No, the young man was way too proud. The king, recognising his value, offered him not a job, but a chance at fighting on the tourney that would be taking place on the first of spring. A tourney for whose victor the prize would be the princess' hand in marriage.

'The young man, seeing that as not only a chance of obtaining power and prestige, but also as a chance of keeping his future offspring safe and passing on his mother's blessing, accepted the king's offer and, against all odds, he came out victorious. As the years passed the witch's son proved himself to be not only worthy of being a true Peacecraft, but also worthy of being king… and so he became. He had two children, a young prince and a young princess. The king meant to explain the nature of their magic once their powers started manifesting, but as long as he waited he saw no proof, no indication that his children had been blessed and he died believing his mother's gift to have been lost forever.'

She made a pause then, her eyes never straying away from the fields beyond and the waning stars above them. Heero was not clueless enough not to see where she was going with this, but he did not wish to rush her. It was not his place. He waited in silence then until the woman was ready to continue.

'You, more than anyone, are aware of Relena's power. It sustains yours and your dragon's lives even though it draws from your own power to do so. The gift is there, but a source of power is needed, and I fear it is only her power that may save her now.' The former queen finally met the dragon rider's eyes and, though she still displayed no real appreciation for him, there was something softer in her eyes as she pleaded – without doing so – for her daughter's life. 'I meant to tell her this story once the war was over… She should have been the first to know, but circumstances determined that the first to know should be you. It is your obligation, now that you have the knowledge, to lend her your power so she may fight her illness.'

His eyes hardened and, not wishing to waste a single more second, he turned to leave. The former queen's words stopped him though. 'The bigots' domains grow by the day… It is only a matter of time before they reach our lands. Relena needs to see this marriage through so she will be safe.'

Without turning around or giving any sign of acknowledgement, Heero dashed out of the patio and back into the castle. For now, he would focus on saving the young monarch. There would be enough time to resolve all other matters later, if she survived. Being hopeful was not in his nature, he was practical and realistic when it came to addressing troublesome situations. Logic was of essence in such cases, he believed, but it demanded emotional detachment which was something he seemed unable to achieve when it came to Relena. He saw, therefore, no point in attempting to apply logic to the situation, not this time, and so it was that he found himself holding onto something he had not even known he had… Faith.