WARNING: This fanfiction is NanoFate and it is rated M for strong and/or violent content and situations, as well as intimate scenes between two women. If this type of content is not to your liking, please do not read it.

DISCLAIMER: MSLN Characters belong to their rightful owners. All the situations and characters presented in this work are fictitious, any similarity with real, historical or present situations or individuals, it is not intentional.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES: So an early update on the week to thank the readers, reviewers, and followers. Thank you duckie and skydragon28 for your comments!

Anyways... on to the story now...

"Till the End of Times" by Aleksei Volken

Chapter 9. JUDGMENT

During the rest of the night, Nanoha found herself glancing at the direction where the attractive foreign warrior was… and almost on each occasion, she found those beautiful green eyes looking back at her.

Just as if Saber was also looking for her with her eyes even while speaking with someone else.

"Seems you've caused quite an impression on someone," a very inquisitive Hayate suddenly told her in a rather cryptic tone and Nanoha, blushing slightly, had no arguments to refute her. Her friend made no other comment and she did not want to dig into how much interest from her side had Hayate noticed.

As the night went by, the guests left one by one and the Imperial Guard invited the most reluctant ones to continue their party elsewhere as soon as Precia Testarossa excused herself, discreetly followed by Olivie.

From her standpoint with Hayate and Shamal, Nanoha watched as Fate and Signum approached Saber.

"Doesn't she look wonderful?" was Shamal's comment, dreamily looking towards the three warriors. Signum, due to her height stood out among the blondes. Fate almost matched her Captain, but Saber was at least several inches shorter, none of which made her look any less impressive.

"To which of the three are you referring to?" Hayate asked sarcastically.

Her sister shot her an irked look. "Why, Signum of course."

"I got to say these Belkan women definitely have something about them… that just makes them impossible not to notice… don't you agree, Nanoha-chan?"

Irked, Nanoha just looked at her.

After what seemed a brief exchange of words, the three women made their way towards the main doors of the Great Hall, where before following Signum out, Saber still turned briefly to look at her one last time.

And maybe because Nanoha was also looking at her, she did not notice Fate standing right next to her until she spoke to her.

"Shall we get going?"

Nanoha turned to meet those crimson eyes, harder and colder than usual, looking at her.

"I am perfectly capable of going back to my room alone," she answered to the question and without waiting for Fate to reply or for Hayate and Shamal to join her, she walked towards the side door that led to the corridor that led to their rooms.

She was expecting Fate to stop her in any given moment, but that thought did not slow her down or make her turn around; she walked straight, with confidence and determination, with fast but not rushed steps until she arrived at her door where Vita was standing guard. Without moving a bit from her guarding posture, the Belkan warrior barely lifted an eyebrow to greet her. Nanoha much preferred that, than to have her address her in such formality as she had that morning.

It had barely been forty-eight hours since the incident with Veyron, but Fate had insisted to both Vita and Zafira to be more vigilant and alert until the resolution for Veyron's punishment was determined. Cypha, the most visceral and impulsive of the Huckebeins after Veyron, was being held in the dungeons of Stier Castle and Fate doubted any of the Huckebeins would do anything stupid but she had several sources informing her they were not happy at all with the situation of their siblings and she did not want to take any chances.

Nanoha entered her room barely acknowledging Vita's gesture and was letting down her hair, undoing the hairdo Hayate and Shamal had helped her with when the door of her room opened. For a moment she thought it would be her counselors who were arriving to help her undress but her heart skipped a beat when she turned to find Fate looking intensely at her.

She quickly became defensive to hide her surprise and faced her defiantly as always.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked with a voice she was hoping would sound very angry and full with even more indignation, even though deep inside her, something twitched in her just thinking about why Fate was there in that precise moment.

Fate did not answer and with long strides, she got close to her, with a mortally serious expression.

"Get out… right now," Nanoha ordered, cursing herself for backing down one step while Fate decidedly strode towards her; not having much time to think, she extended her arm to keep her at a distance, but her wife took her by the wrist pulling her and before the red-haired had realized, she found her body fervently embraced by Fate's arms, their pelvis in close contact and one of the blonde's legs between hers while being kissed almost furiously.

The close contact, intimate and invasive, yet thunderous like waves of the rough sea, left her breathless, even so, she struggled to free herself and managed to pull aside her lips enough to blurt out to Fate in a gasp, "Are you here to finish what your friend left pending?"

Fate looked at her, breathing shakily, feeling something else besides lust burning inside her.

Holding Nanoha even tighter against her, she asked in a low voice and with deep sorrow, "Do you regret me stopping him?"

The question enraged Nanoha, who freed one of her hands and slapped her across the face with all her strength; her hand hurt so much afterwards that it was only then that she realized Fate had not made the slightest effort to stop her or to avoid the blow, even though she could easily have. Her wife had not flinched, she just held her by the waist and Nanoha's arm pushing her across the chest was the only thing helping them keep a reasonable distance between them.

"After all, he falls into the category of… anyone else… but me…" Fate continued with the same tone in her voice and looking at her with the same sadness as if she did not notice her own slap-reddened cheek.

Nanoha felt the hold on her relaxing, but she did not move, she simply could not break her gaze from Fate's. She had not realized that her hands, that moments before were pushing Fate back with all her might, now simply rested on the blonde's chest which rose and fell with the restrained force of a wounded creature. She was not aware either of her own heavy breathing, caused by the effort or by the heat radiating from each and every point of contact where their bodies touched.

The only things she could see were Fate's eyes and that look that seemed wounded and tormented in a way she had never seen before.

Inconspicuously, like the fog that descends from the mountains, which slowly and unremittingly covers everything in its way, with the same hazy inexorability, without noticing, without perceiving it, their bodies closed in until Fate's lips were almost touching hers.

And Nanoha only realized her own lips were parted when Fate's brushed hers, more than in a kiss, in a soft and warm caress that made her quiver inside.

Fate's embrace was not the inflexible grip anymore; her hands slid through Nanoha's back, down her hips, and onto her ass while her lips opened into a still soft but deeper, more intimate kiss, in a way she had never kissed her before.

Suddenly, Fate felt like half of her was being ripped apart and found herself holding the air in front of her. Several feet away, Nanoha breathing in as heavily as she was, was looking at her almost as if it was the first time in her life she ever saw her. Or as if she was terrified.

"Leave…" she barely muttered.

The request did not take Fate by surprise and yet she tried again to get closer to her wife until her next words did stop her stone-cold at once.

"Please."

Standing there, shaking, and tense, Fate realized she did not want to go.

She wanted to hold her in her arms again; she wanted to hear Nanoha moan in pleasure as she had done that terrible night that was imprinted with fire in her mind and that had been heaven and hell at the same time. She wanted her body arching against hers and for her legs to grip her around her waist.

She wanted not only to have her, she wanted for Nanoha to give herself to her with the same desire Fate felt just by looking at her.

And she did not want to see her looking at anyone else.

She wanted to make love to her until she burned the very hell in which she felt trapped in and for Nanoha to not wish to see anyone but her and to not say anyone else's name but hers.

Burdened in the haze of her own feelings, Fate rushed out of the room without looking back at Nanoha, ignoring Vita looking at her intrigued, and she did not stop until she reached her own. She leaned on the door telling herself she had to stay in this room.

And realizing she was feeling for Nanoha, things she never imagined she would ever feel for anyone.

— X —

When Fate left the room, Nanoha stepped back to rest her back against the cold surface of the stonewall and neglecting her dress, she just let herself slide and drop to the floor.

Her whole body felt on fire.

And she realized, horrified, that if Fate had tried to touch her or kiss her again… she would have reciprocated… until the last consequences.

— X —

The next morning, a still dark and cloudy sky covered the Belkan capital; it was barely the beginning of the autumn, but the weather was already chill and the days started to become shorter. In Dinsmark, located in a valley surrounded by mountains, the days were even shorter. It was still a while before the sun would rise, but a lot of people were already outside in the dark and cold that enveloped the city. It could be felt in the smell and the air that the day would be gray and gloomy. In those days, the cold and the reluctant darkness of the morning seemed to hold on to the ground until the sun was up high past the mountains; but the Belkans were already busy with the different tasks in preparation for the upcoming winter.

No one was surprised that Stier Castle was already bustling with activities at such an early hour.

However, what did cause surprise was the black unit that was related to the executions at the Tower of Dinsmark. A black carriage that was only used for such occasions and that was guarded by eight equally covered in black riders.

Everyone knew that carriage meant. Someone in the Tower would face their fate, and probably death.

It was the beginning of the third day since the unpleasant incident that had forced Fate to remain in Dinsmark despite her plans. It was the third day Veyron would spend at the Tower… and the last one. Due to being from a noble family, according to Belkan laws, he had to receive punishment or be freed by the evening of that day.

Fate, who was riding the carriage along with Olivie Segbrecht, in the representation of the Hegemon and Alicia, was not willing to concede the energetic petition of the Huckebeins to free Veyron. But she also pondered about his punishment.

The three women were unusually silent in the carriage, each busy with their own thoughts. Fate had spent a terrible night after her encounter with Nanoha. She had felt haunted by demons, even without falling asleep, restless and overwhelmed by an uneasiness she could not or did not want to understand.

After spending a few hours awake at night and with her heart in her mouth she was almost tempted to find the company of any girl she would be sure would not reject her, but the burning desire within her froze like a cold winter's night just by the mere thought of holding anyone else but Nanoha in her arms.

Nanoha.

The only one she could think about was Nanoha and how she had looked at her the night before.

"Nanoha should have come with us, Fate," Olivie's voice with her eyes set on her brought Fate back from her daydreams and that reminded her that she had to focus on what was coming while her aunt continued, "Fortis and Karen will be against Veyron being judged if she is not present."

"Nanoha should be the least of the Huckebeins' worries," Fate stated looking back at her aunt. "But don't worry. I didn't want her to come with us now, but she will arrive with Signum and Zafira before noon when Veyron's judgment is passed."

"Are you really doing it?" Alicia, who had remained silent up to that moment, asked.

Since the incident they have had the day before where she had yelled at her, Fate had been quite distant to her; Alicia knew her sister had more workload readjusting her plans and tending to her duties from the Royal Guard as always. Additionally, since she was accountable for the mission to Kestrel, Precia had given her complete authority and total responsibility for Veyron's sentence. She would decide on her friend's punishment. Olivie would attend as representative and spokesperson to the Hegemon but would not intervene on any decision. Alicia knew there was more going on with Fate without her having to say it, she just had to take a look at her and know that they had never been as far apart as that moment, filling her with sadness.

"I need to speak to Fate… soon," she thought, looking at her, recriminating herself for not having done it before and having argued with her. Olivie was right. At that moment, they had to be closer than ever.

Not once during those two days, had they taken the time to talk about what would happen to Veyron or how Fate felt with the situation. Nothing, they simply organized the reception for the Warrior of Albion and Fate left all the communication to Nanoha with her as if she could not speak to her wife.

"What?" Fate asked in turn to her question, looking for the first time at her since they had started the ride. Their eyes were identical but Alicia knew how to read very well her sister's shades. An insurmountable barrier was in place for everyone even, incredibly, for her. "Punish him? Of course."

"No," she answered and a little harsher than she expected but without being able to avoid it. "Killing him."

Fate remained silent and averted her gaze. That was exactly the question she had been repeating to herself minute after minute for the past two days ever since Veyron had been taken to the Tower. Usually, the purpose to send anyone to the Tower was to be interrogated.

Garyu, the official executioner of the empire, was the one in charge of that activity. And he was damn good at it. For him, interrogation through torture was not an act of violence but an art. The craft of breaking apart and unveiling the complexities of the human soul despite its will. His dark face with chiseled hard and angular features was impenetrable and kept immutable while he repeated the same question again and again, mercilessly applying diverse techniques to obtain an answer. The answer. He was skilled, proficient, and thorough; he knew when he was being lied to conceal a truth, he knew when he was being lied to stop what he was doing and most of all, he knew when he was being told the truth of all truths because they could not resist any longer. He could recognize the exact moment in which he finally reached the medullary point, the soul of the truth that lay in the woman or man entrusted at his hands. And no one died before that moment.

If there was anything Garyu knew about, it was about truth, pain, and death. Pain was a mere vehicle for his artistry to obtain the truth, that was his reward and not the usual sanguinary procedures required to inflict the required pain to reach the truth. Pain was his path to the truth. Death, after Garyu's questioning, was, in many cases, a blessing or a liberation they eagerly awaited for, not a punishment.

And as such, Garyu provided it for them.

Fate had not wanted Garyu to interrogate Veyron.

She could understand Alicia's reservations regarding her decision.

The night before while she turned incessantly in bed without being able to sleep, two questions oppressed her heart. What was happening to her regarding her wife that made her feel a sword piercing through her chest… And if she could really sentence his friend to death.

"Fate," Olivie's voice called her as the carriage was approaching the large dark edification of the tower where all the Huckebein family waited for them despite the hour, to give the last battle for his brother. "What do you think is the difference between people? Why some can be kings, queens, generals, feudal lords… Hegemon… and others can't?"

Fate remained intrigued looking at her aunt who was not looking back at her anymore. Olivie fixed her sight outside across the dark veil in the window that concealed her presence to the outsiders. Her aunt sometimes sprung them those questions out of the blue since they were children. Always with the purpose of teaching them something. It was pointless to ask her why she was asking her that. If she could not figure out the reason, Olivie would never tell her.

"Because they have been born with the responsibility to do so?"

Olivie looked at her and smiled.

"It could be. In the case of hierarchs, having the good fortune of being born into that crib gives them the right but does not guarantee they will remain in that position."

Fate reflected on it. Her aunt was right. The problem they had at hands and her mother's paranoia lied precisely on that point. Someone did not want the Testarossas at the throne of the Belkan Empire.

"Be really good at making the right choices?"

Olivie laughed in a way Fate and Alicia had never heard before. It was a dark, detached, and baffling sound that did not contain a single bit of happiness, just exactly the opposite.

"The good and the right," she said, moving her head as if those two words were bitter to pronounce. "What makes the difference between those people you see outside, that only live their quiet and simple lives, and those who have rule over others...those who have the power over the lives of others is fundamental… and more than their ability to be good, assertive, fair or brave… it's their capacity for evil; without further reason but to be able to exercise it without limits whenever it is necessary and trust me Fate… in a position of power, it is always necessary."

Fate was stupefied, her aunt had never talked to her like that. Even if she had never actually said it in that way, she was the one always trying for Fate not to turn into her mother's reflection. Or that was what she had believed up to that moment.

"You refused to have Garyu interrogate Veyron. The Huckebeins have seen your weakness and as the… nobles… they are, they will sink their fangs in your neck because of it and they will not let go." At that moment Olivie was staring deeply at her. "You will have to make a choice that will decide your future as the future leader of the Belkan Empire, Fate. What will be your decision? To be good? Or to be Hegemon?"

— X —

Nanoha heard from her room the hoods of the horses leaving Stier Castle. Even though it was almost the daytime, she felt exhausted. Her night had been nearly as bad as Fate's, although she did not know that. She had not been able to sleep haunted by the emotions caused by the nightly visit of her wife and which got mixed with the confusion that she felt every time she remembered how that mysterious foreign warrior looked at her. The images of both warriors juxtaposed in her mind at different moments, leaving her disconcerted and with a feeling that was unknown to her.

"By the Gods," she thought curling in bed. "What is happening to me?"

She had never felt that way in her life before although she had to recognize she had never been married before, she had never engaged in intimate sexual relations with a woman, and never had a madman tried to rape her.

And if that was not enough, within a few hours she would have to go to the infamous Tower of Dinsmark, that place that seemed to cause shaking chills to everyone and which name was barely uttered in a reverent whisper in the best of cases and a frightened one in most of them.

The unexpected notice of the arrival of the Warrior of Albion had torn apart all the plans they had for the day before, but Alicia managed to briefly tell her that was the day of Veyron Huckebein's judgment and that her participation was compulsory.

Just at that moment, Nanoha realized how distant Alicia had been the night before. Since the incident with Veyron, her wife's sister had barely left her side. Shamal even told her that Alicia had confronted Fate because of her. Nanoha, remembering the twins' dynamics, could not imagine they fought because of her, but she had to admit that Alicia's attitude during Saber's reception had not been the usual.

She never joined the group she, Hayate, and Shamal formed and she never talked to them either. Nanoha, captivated by Saber, had not noticed that detail until that moment when still curled up in bed, she wondered why Alicia had behaved like that.

Her ramblings did not last much longer. Hayate entered her room just as the day started to shine, ready for the day, and rushing her.

"Come on, Nanoha-chan, today's going to be a special day," she said as soon as she entered, opening the curtains for the incipient morning light to enter… as well as the cold. Upon her lady's reproaching look, Hayate just shrugged. "It's to wake you up… Nanoha-chan, for your own good… come on, now."

"Why the rush?" She wanted to know. "Alicia said we had to be at the Tower by noon."

The truth was Nanoha was not particularly excited to know that place and least of all for the reasons she had to.

"Alicia, Fate, and Lady Olivie left earlier for the Tower and with all the commotion yesterday neither could prepare you for the process that is coming up. Alto has a lot of things to explain to you about the Belkan justice system and I have to pray for you to not do anything stupid at the least appropriate moment. From what Signum told Shamal, Fate is going to have a very difficult situation in her hands."

Nanoha sat on the bed looking at Hayate. They knew each other since childhood and although Hayate exploited that mutual knowledge about each other better than she did, the way she looked worried her. Despite her light tone and her jesting, Hayate looked more worried that she had ever seen her in years. Not even when the threatening missive that arrived from Dinsmark forcing her to marry Fate had been received in Nihon had she seen her that concerned.

"What exactly do you mean?" she asked her friend without taking the bait for her taunts.

"Finish getting dressed and the faster you will know," Hayate replied, pulling her sheets and literally dragging her out of the bed. "Signum and Alto will be here soon and we don't have much time."

Much to Nanoha's surprise, not only Alto and Signum came by but also the Warrior of Albion. That startled and deeply disconcerted her. In a way, she was embarrassed about Saber finding out what had happened. And especially, that she would know she had been forced to marry Fate due to political reasons.

Saber, for her part, had greeted her smiling with extreme courtesy and gentleness despite the fact that she stared at her carefully and a small tension in her jawline betrayed her. Nanoha knew she had seen the cuts resulting from her confrontation with Veyron and that were still noticeable in her face; but just by looking at Saber, she could not tell if the Hegemon had told her anything and what, if so.

Her anxiety subsided when Saber talked to her in the same serene way she had done the night before and she noticed the same deepness and respect in the green eyes. It may have been the effect of the morning light, but Nanoha could swear that even Saber was looking at her with more intensity if that was possible.

As they walked together to the guard's quarters, Shamal took Nanoha by the arm to get close to her and whisper directly to her ear without anyone else listening.

"Signum told me Saber came to us as a direct instruction from the Hegemon."

Due to the red-haired puzzled look, Shamal added. "She doesn't know why either. What she told me is that Fate will not like at all seeing her arrive with us. And the worst is she can't give her a heads up. Once the trial starts, they lock themselves up until it ends. We will be allowed in, but we won't be able to come out… until everything ends."

She did not understand what the physician meant by that and judging by Shamal's expression, neither did she.

To relieve the tension a bit, she changed subjects poking around to know more about Shamal's situation with Signum. "It seems you are speaking more with the Guard's Captain."

Shamal smiled and blushed but explained. "It's been thanks to Hayate. She has given me some… ideas."

Despite everything, Nanoha also smiled looking at Signum and Saber, walking in front of them while Hayate and Alto, whispering lightly, closed in behind Shamal and her. It seemed difficult to imagine that cold, distant, and stoic Belkan warrior talking with Shamal. Although it would have been even more difficult to imagine kissing her passionately if she had not seen them with her own eyes.

And that reminded her of that other Belkan warrior that also had that habit of reaching out and kissing people without a single word in between. Nanoha made an effort to put the memories of her previous night out of her mind and focused again on the figures in front of her.

Despite the Belkan captain being considerably taller than Saber, it was obvious they were both warriors. They both walked in that upright controlled way, with their body relaxed but with latent energy that seemed ready to burst out any given moment and a hand always at the handle of their sword. Even having the sword at their belt all day made them walk in a certain way. Nanoha could not imagine walking with that piece of metal hanging from her waist all day and just taking it off to sleep.

Unlike the day before when Saber had arrived wearing her spectacular silver armor over her deep blue dress, on this day she was wearing a very plain outfit, a sober pair of black pants and shirt, with boots the same color. Her hair, done in a high bun, now flowed down simply tied with a black ribbon in a low ponytail. The thing that completed the picture, leaving Nanoha again a little mesmerized looking at her like a prince, was the impressive sword.

She knew Saber was just a warrior, or as Hayate had explained, a knight at the service of the King of Albion, but seeing her exuding gallantry even with that simple outfit, Nanoha could not help but think there was something regal on her demeanor and in her expression. Something that commanded a silent respect. And seeing that in Saber, she recognized that same quality in someone else.

Fate conveyed that same sensation but she would never admit it out loud. "Just because she has that doubtful quality does not change all the other flaws she has," she thought in her defense.

When they arrived at the Guard's quarters, Signum guided them to the room Fate used as workspace regularly and guided them to the table where the Marshal extended her maps, without further ado she said the phrase that left Nanoha chilled to her bones.

"The Huckebeins will try to blame Lady Nanoha for the attack she suffered. Adultery in Dinsmark is punished with the death of both lovers, not just one. They are counting on Fate not having the strength of character to execute her wife and then if she is spared, Veyron is saved."

Signum mentioning her name and the word 'execute' in the same sentence did not help at all on her self-control.

Red up to her ears, Nanoha could not even turn towards Saber. The Belkan warriors did not speak much but when they did, it was just like everything else they did, without the minimum hint of sensitivity or decorum.

And yet, the situation was as simple as that.

And as complex.

"Nanoha-san did not consent, or has ever consented to any relation with that man," Hayate pointed out. "He attacked her, for all Gods' mercy! Can't you all see it?"

Signum and Alto nodded, they both understood the frustration the women of Nihon were feeling.

"In any case," Alto explained, "of course that would be a point to take into consideration. The problem here is that the Huckebeins are a family that belongs to the nobility… and not any noble family. The past days they had been rallying supporters, for Veyron's cause, from the other noble families. If any of this should happen to any of them, to the Huckebeins especially, then it could happen to anyone."

"Everyone admits Veyron acted badly, but no one wants to set a precedent that could then be used against them," Signum completed.

Everyone remained silent. Nanoha was still nailed in her place without saying a word. Saber's voice asking a question made her raise her head and look at her by the corner of her eye, surprised to find the warrior's face immutable.

"In that case shouldn't the Hegemon decide what is fair?"

Signum and Alto looked at each other but it was Alto who answered. Signum preferred to keep her opinion to herself on those cases.

"Yes… in fact that has complicated the situation a bit more. Since Lady Nanoha is… or rather is not Belkan, if the Hegemon rules in her favor it would be seen as an even more humiliating affront against the Belkan nobility. The Hegemon decided that since Veyron is Lady Fate's friend and Lady Nanoha is her wife and as she is the heiress to the throne, then the Marshal has to decide; but not without listening to the parts."

"By the Gods," Shamal exclaimed with distress. "What is the option then?"

"Let the bastard walk out freely and then kill him?" Hayate asked on the edge of despair. She had been talking with Alicia the days before and they had arrived at the same dead end every time, with any alternative they considered.

"The first thing is that during the judgment, Veyron will try to shift the blame to Lady Nanoha," Alto said. "Under no circumstance," she made a pause to emphasize looking dead-serious towards Nanoha. "For no reason whatsoever can you confront the Huckebeins there… or Marshal Testarossa. The Huckebeins will say awful things about you. You must ignore them all, stay calm, and just say what happened. And stand to that argument despite all they may say."

"Everyone will be able to see that," Hayate said. At that moment, under the bright light of the morning and not under the fading candlelight, and without the magic of Shamal's powders to cover the bruises, Nanoha's face still showed the effects of Veyron's attack on her.

Again, Nanoha noticed how the tension returned to Saber's expression and even noticed how her hand closed tight on her sword's handle.

For a long while, she had to endure Alto detailing everything and anything the Huckebeins might say to her and which she would have to ignore. The worst part for her was that Saber was listening to that as well.

"If you resist, it is possible that Veyron's temperament will end up giving him away," Alto finished after a while. "That is why you must not confront him or any members of his family. Their strategy would be to come after you and prove you do not have the same rights as a Belkan citizen."

"All people have the same rights," Saber stated with determination and Nanoha looked at her almost with adoration. She could not agree more with that statement.

Signum and Alto had no arguments but silence.

"It is time to go," Signum said, ending the meeting. "We will get the carriage."

Signum and Alto stepped out and, noticing the looks exchanged between Nanoha and Saber, Hayate pulled Shamal out of the room with her leaving the two of them alone.

Nanoha cursed under her breath when Hayate left but she did not dare move to walk after her any more than she did not dare look Saber to the eyes but which she could perfectly feel were staring at her.

She felt the floor opening under her feet when she heard her getting closer and a sudden shudder ran through her when she felt a slight and warm graze on her chin. Almost as light as feathers, Saber's fingers were lifting her face up to look at her.

When Nanoha's eyes met Saber's, the red-haired found there was no pity or commiseration on them; just a fierce determination.

Following the movement of her hand, Saber's fingers ran up Naoha's hairline, passing over the slight cut above her temple without brushing against it and without looking at her at any time.

"He had no right to do this," Saber said. "He will not do it again… and he will not go unpunished."

Nanoha looked at Saber deeply unsettled.

"But…" she tried to say without really finding the argument. After Signum's and Alto's explanations, it was clear they could only hope.

"He will pay," Saber continued, ignoring Nanoha's 'but'. "If for any reason he escapes punishment… He will not escape from me."

"Wait… Saber you cannot do this, you cannot get involved," Nanoha said without realizing she had taken Saber's hand, the one was caressing her face, in her own hands.

At that moment, Signum entered to let them know their carriage awaited them and stared with an arched eyebrow and an inquisitive look. Nanoha realized how they were and let go of Saber's hand.

"We are coming," Saber said without stopping looking at Nanoha.

Reluctantly, Signum told them to hurry and left, leaving them alone again.

Saber gently took Nanoha by the elbow and the redhead let herself be guided while she heard Saber's final words, terminating as a judgment.

"He will pay my Lady."

— X —

"NO!" Veyron vociferated, and his voice rattled in the high inside vestibule of the Tower of Dinsmark that served as Court of Justice. "You can murder me if that is what this whore orders you to do to me, but never, ever, not ever will I subject myself to that punishment Fate! Never! I can't believe it! Is it possible you have forgotten about all the times we have been on a battlefield together? Have you forgotten how many lives you owe me?"

Veyron was completely out of his mind.

It was about to strike noon and they were almost… almost stalemate.

The room of trials was located in the circular central lobby of the Tower of Dinsmark, this was built basically like a large entry point and as other Belkan edifications, it had extremely high ceilings, apparently unreachable. And yet, the big chunk of the tower stood, darker and more frightening, behind it.

In that circular hall, Veyron was handcuffed in the center, on the dark level leading to the tower, and behind him, Garyu just watched him. In an upper level of boxes, Fate was in front of him as the one deciding on his destiny. The Huckebeins were at Fate's right throwing their defense arguments; Nanoha alongside Signum, Hayate, Shamal, and Saber, to her left, at this moment just waiting.

Everything he had to say, he had already repeated it a thousand times.

Megane Alpine, representing the council of the nobles, along with Alicia and Olivie representing the Hegemon, were located behind Veyron, in front of Fate. That way all cardinal points were covered by all the ones that, at some points, would have to give their opinion and all would be equally valued.

Very few trials were carried out that way anymore in Dinsmark since very few had the opportunity to be tried as equals.

The Huckebeins claimed to have the support of many noble families and Megane Alpine had corroborated the affirmation, but they had not been able yet... to blame Nanoha as they had hoped. Veyron, just as Alto has predicted, the more cornered he was, the more he was losing his control.

Especially when the provocations over Nanoha had no effect on her. Fate had been worried about that detail but seeing her null success talking to her wife, she had let Alicia and Alto explain it to her. She hoped Nanoha would keep undisturbed despite the things Veyron or Fortis could say.

What she was not expecting was to see her wife appear escorted by Saber. Her face transformed from a serious but serene countenance to a rictus of anger.

And she had kept like that until that moment, in which she had announced Veyron's sentence and the pandemonium had broken loose.

Veyron and his siblings vociferated until Fortis himself shut them up and looked at Fate with a hardened face as a stone mask. He had not been able to break Fate or Nanoha despite all his subterfuge and bluffs and he did not like the looks of any of this.

"If that is the punishment for my brother, what is the punishment for your wife?"

They were back to the charge again. That was the most dangerous moment and Fate knew it.

During the session, it had been more than clear that Veyron had attacked Nanoha and had tried to possess her against her will. Veyron had admitted in a raging outburst, shooting back at an impassive Nanoha that she believed herself to be superior to the Belkans when she was just a pretentious foreign whore. He had accused Fate of favoring her wife over him. He almost argued with Fate about not being recognized with the same rights over Nanoha that she had.

Despite Fortis and Karen Huckebein's impeccable discourse, every time Veyron lost control, it became more evident who the responsible one was.

And yet, Fate could not just punish him only. Megane had made clear the council's position.

Just as Olivie had predicted, Fate was at the crossroads of only punishing Veyron and harvest the animosity from a large part of the Belkan nobility or punish them both.

Something she already knew she would never do.

The judgment had to be dictated and be irrefutable by noon and be executed before sunset. The sun ruled all the symbolic acts in Belkan life, and death was not an exception. The hall had a special opening in the ceiling that worked as an accurate sundial and marked the moment of the decision. Second by second, as the sun approached the zenith and marked the time limit for the sentence, Fate felt just like Veyron, jammed in a corner.

"You cannot just punish Veyron, especially with a sentence like that!" Arnage Huckebein yelled. Another of the impulsive ones that had not helped much to Veyron's cause. "You are imposing two punishments!"

"He has committed two crimes," Fate stated, unwavering on the outside but inside feeling her heart being crushed with a claw. "And both very serious. Those are the punishments for both cases."

"Punish your wife then! If Veyron is guilty, so is she!"

Fate's limit was reached with that argument. Standing up she responded almost enraged.

"My wife is not guilty of anything!"

"Prove it," Fortis said smiling wickedly. Finally, finally, Fate had fallen.

What he was not counting on was that Fate had already made up her mind.

"I will not prove it," she answered looking first at Fortis and then at Veyron. "Veyron, we have been friends all of my life. Yes, you have saved my life more times than I can count. As many as I have saved yours, probably. This time, you have gone too far. And Nanoha is not the guilty one here."

At that moment she turned to face her wife and look at her but the look in her eyes was indecipherable to Nanoha.

She turned back to Veyron and pronounced one single word that left all the Belkans thunderstruck.

"Racheakt."

Nanoha heard a gasp and turned to see Alicia standing up and looking at Fate horrified. When turning to ask Signum what was going on, the question died in her lips. Signum was pale with her jaw tightly clenched.

"Racheakt," Fate repeated even with a stronger determination. "Let the Gods decide who is telling the truth. If you are guilty, you will lose and will have to face your punishment. If you are innocent, I will lose… and you will be free."

"But Nanoha will not be punished," Fate thought. After everything she had told her before arriving, most likely her aunt Olivie would be disappointed by her decision.

"Are you willing…" Fortis was too startled that he was almost speechless, "...to give your life for hers?"

After that question, Nanoha flinched.

"I believe in my wife. And she is not guilty," Fate answered with certainty. "The laws of the Empire have to be fulfilled with justice, starting with myself."

Veyron was petrified at the lower level. He could not reject the Racheakt. It would be tacitly acknowledging he was guilty and would bring dishonor to his family. Realizing to what extent Fate preferred that foreigner over their friendship, he decided then that he would have to kill her.

"Racheakt," Veyron answered. "Let the Gods decide."

After a few seconds, Megane stood up and ratified. "Racheakt, the result is acceptable to the council. Justice has been done. The preparations for the ritual duel will start right now and it will have to be concluded by sunset."

With these words, Veyron's judgment had finished. Garyu took a crestfallen Veyron to the dungeon he had been held on for the past few days. Fate, from the distance, signaled to Signum and turned to exit her box. Nanoha observed Alicia doing the same thing but practically running.

Before Signum left, Nanoha stopped her grabbing her firmly by the arm, and demanded answers. "Signum-san, what happened? Racheakt? Ritual duel? What the hell was Megane-san meaning with that? What just happened here?"

Hayate, Shamal, and Saber were as puzzled as Nanoha.

Signum pressed her lips.

"In hindsight, it was the only option Fate had, Lady Nanoha," she explained with a somber look. "When a confrontation between nobles reaches an impasse, where both parts could be right and life and honor are at stake, Racheakt is the only solution. The Gods will decide through a duel who prevails. Fate fulfills her duty as heiress to the throne, with the honor of the Testarossa family, and has the possibility to save you from an unfair punishment while punishing the true culprit."

"But then…" the meaning of Signum's words were barely starting to make sense in Nanoha's mind.

"Life for life. Fate has put her life for yours, Lady Nanoha. There was no other way for the Huckebeins to accept Veyron's punishment, which he will have to receive if he loses."

Signum breathed in deeply and looked directly into Nanoha's eyes.

"Racheakt is a deathmatch, but in this case, Fate won't want to kill Veyron in order for him to fulfill his sentence; so she will have to physically submit him so there is no doubt about her victory. If Fate wins, Veyron will be emasculated and be offered as a sacrifice to the Tree of the Gods. He will bleed to death, tied to the Sacred Tree. He dies but does so sending a powerful message to everyone, nobles, and citizens. Fate will achieve a position of unquestionable power and respect to all Belkans."

Nanoha swallowed hard, feeling something in her chest felt heavier as Signum continued talking.

"If Veyron wins, he walks a free man and leaves unpunished… and for that, he only needs to kill Fate in the Racheakt."

— X —