Chapter Twenty-Four: Plan

They were able to depart Ares in only three days after arriving in port. This was accomplished in no small part due to Noin's ruthless efficiency and Auda's connections with the merchants of the city. In short order, the Peacemillion, Hawa Kibli, and Viento del Oeste were all resupplied, outfitted for battle, and on their way to Taurus to meet up with the rest of their allies. Everyone joining them (their forces) were split between the three airships, allowing them to make time better than they had from the isle to Ares.

All were ready to face the danger that lay ahead.

And now, Quatre watched as Taurus came into view. Outside of the city proper, in great swaths of tents with all different national sigils and banners, was the army they'd march on Kushrenada with. Marching on Treize and Epyon with him. Quatre took deep breaths, one after another, in and slowly out as the Peacemillion began it's descent to the ground. It was an odd mixture of feelings brewing under his skin and they made him feel a little sick, the swift descent down exacerbating the nausea.

Assault on the Troll island aside, Quatre had never experienced battle on this scale. War on this scale. Most of the others hadn't either, save for the older Elves like Noin. The Fey had been experiencing a long period of peace for the most part, prior to Treize and Dorothy's machinations. But even if war was novel to them, they each lived different lives than Quatre—they had grown up knowing war could be something they would need to manage and lead their respective kingdoms in, Duo included.

Quatre had no such training to rely on, just instincts and theory. And the endorsement of five great women. That was apparently enough for most of their allies so far, but Quatre couldn't help feeling underqualified. Like a farmhand dropped in the middle of a ball, underdressed and inadequate.

But they had a plan. A plan to, hopefully, minimize their losses and focus on stopping the real threat, Epyon. He took another breath and began counting through their plan in his head in what was becoming an hourly ritual.

One, Wufei would do the ritual needed to access the leylines in the Colony Kingdoms ahead of time.

Quatre didn't try to understand how it would work, just took Wufei and Duo's assurances it could be done from any part of the Fey and essentially 'lie in wait' for when called. They were the ones who knew how to use magic, not Quatre, so he did his best to not worry about things he didn't understand.

Two, they would confront Treize.

Trowa understood the battle customs of Kushrenada better than the rest of them and explained a summit could be called by either side, to take place before battle, and Kushrenada traditions demanded this request for parlay be honored. Depending on how much control Epyon had, they could use that as a way to bring him out from behind his lines, to face them directly.

Three, they'd get Epyon out of Treize and in her corporeal form.

This was still more in the theory stage, as Duo saw it happen but wasn't familiar with how Father Maxwell had done it. He and Wufei were working together to try and determine what it could have been, as Wufei held more knowledge of spell work than any of them. If it was spell—Wufei wasn't positive that it had been. Regardless, they were working on it.

Four, Quatre would link them all together through his empathy.

Frankly, his job seemed the easiest of the bunch—it would be physically difficult to maintain five simultaneous connections at once, all inter-linked with each other, but Quatre had already linked them all successfully on their journey to Taurus. He passed out afterwards yes, but he'd done it—he was confident that now he knew what to expect, he'd be able to handle the strain better.

And five, together, they'd activate the energy from the leylines, like the Great Ladies had, and attack Epyon with it. This part was also more theory than solid plan and that fact made Quatre apprehensive. He hoped that in the moment they'd know what to do.

So yes, there was a plan and, if everything worked, they'd hopefully be able to end this war without significant loss of life.

If everything worked.

Quatre hoped it worked—experiencing his father's death through his empathy was something he'd barely managed before. He was stronger now, more in control of his empathy than he'd been then, but the thought of that, on a wider scale and with so many more people losing loved ones, filled him with trepidation.

"I'm losing count in how many times I've had to tell you to turn that frown upside down, Q. Starting to sound like a broken music box."

Quatre startled a little out of his thoughts and looked over at Duo, the Elf giving him a knowing smirk as he settled alongside him. Dutifully, as he so often did when Duo did remind him, he gave him a small conciliatory smile. "Sorry—just lost in my own head."

"Seems to be a lot of that going on," Duo commented, turning so his forearms could rest against the railing. Quatre followed suit; the ground was a lot closer now. "Suppose it can't be helped—we all got reasons to be worried."

Quatre let out an agreeing hum and turned towards Duo. He could sense through the link between them that Duo was doing better than before sharing his past history with Epyon. Duo wore easy smiles like an actor wore a mask, but his eyes were terrible at maintaining the lie—they looked less shadowed then before though. Freer, a little unburdened even. Quatre hoped Duo found some peace with the tragedy that happened, in sharing the full story with all of them.

And would continue to find more, in knowing it was because of him they knew how to defeat Epyon.

"Where's Wufei?" Quatre asked. "Still buried in Miss Noin's books?"

"A few of Solo's too, on loan," Duo quipped. "I was getting too restless for him though, so I was 'banished'. He's pretty sure he found what we need to pull Epyon out anyway—and he was unbearable smug about it not being a spell. We gotta play on her pride a bit, shouldn't be too difficult."

"That's good news," Quatre said, relief at least one theoretical part of their plan had been solved.

"Yeah, one less thing to worry about I guess," Duo said. "Where's Tro? I thought he'd been magically attached to your hip the way he's been hovering."

Quatre let out a short laugh. "Coordinating with Heero. For when we land. Figuring out who they need to bring together and what force will be in command of what front."

"Ah yes, figuring out the war council," Duo said, voice mimicking Heero's deadpan tone when he said 'war council'. It was a pretty good impression. "They can handle that, please and thank you. Bad enough we have to be part of it, bunch of people sitting around talking about fighting ad nauseum. I don't wanna deal with the headache of coordinating it."

"Mm."

"You doing good though?" Duo asked, switching gears. "Not secretly planning a way to take on everything by your lonesome?"

Quatre rolled his eyes. "We have a plan, Duo."

"Yeah, and we had one on the isle," Duo shot back. "And as I recall, you got all cleaned up and burst out of the crowd, and decided to say, 'fuck you' to that plan, without telling me or S or Nix anything."

"That was different."

"I'd love for you to tell me how."

"It was," Quatre insisted, turning to face his friend and the uncompromising look on his face. "We still didn't know how to break the curses and that was my task. Stopping Dorothy was something I had to do. This isn't the same—all of us need to be on the same page, working together, for our plan to work."

He opened up the link between them and did his best to show Duo he was being truthful. He understood Duo's concern—it was legitimate and he could admit that if their roles had been reversed that day, he'd probably have some reservations about perceived self-sacrificing tendencies. Quatre still felt if he hadn't been hurt, he wouldn't be dealing with overprotective looming from his friends—it's not like he set out to be stabbed that day.

Duo hummed, considering, weighing the emotions he could feel from Quatre, before he nodded, the smile he got honest and a little reassured. "All right, fine. No going rogue out of you."

"No going rogue," Quatre promised.

He was sure, this time, he'd be able to keep that promise.

After the airships all landed, it was a bit of whirlwind.

Quatre knew a lot happened between Noin preparing the crew for a ground landing to now, sitting next to Trowa in a large tent with thirty or so other people. He knew that he hadn't just magically appeared in his seat. It felt like it though.

There were a lot of people to greet from the moment they disembarked, and a lot of ground to cover as they made their way through the battle camps set up. First, it was a set of councilors flanking the ruling lord of Taurus, then the armies from Noventa. Sylvia was a welcome face after so many months, and she'd hugged Quatre in greeting before introducing him to her grandfather. A few other kingdoms came after, some of whom Quatre only generally heard of, more allies of the Free Elven Nations and Noventa than the Colony Kingdoms. Then came what remained of the Venti and Kushrenada forces, led by the charismatic Ralph and his new wife, Chrismarlie.

After came the familiar sights of the different Colony Kingdoms. J and Master O came forward first, welcoming back S with other representatives from both kingdoms Quatre was sure were important, but he didn't know. Relena sent Pagan ahead with Tria Colonies' forces, their lead commander Kurtz with him, who luckily had not been in the manor when Quatre triggered the curses. She also sent a whole troop of healers for Sally. Relena was asked to remain behind in Sanq to provide stability, something Quatre was glad she grudgingly agreed to in correspondence with Cathy—she was a pacifist, like his father had been. She would best serve away from something so foreign to her beliefs.

Last came Rashid and his lead generals of the Maguanac forces. Auda pushed ahead and embraced Rashid and several others in greeting. And then, almost in unison, they all turned to Quatre and knelt down, heads bowed, as they welcomed him, their Prince, back. It was a spectacle, and it drew a lot of eyes, but for once, Quatre didn't care—these men were family, in a way, and the respect they gave him freely was a gift. He asked they all rise, and then without a care to the propriety of it, he hugged Rashid, thanking him and everyone else for coming.

Rashid had not hesitated in returning the embrace and when they separated, he had simply said, "Welcome home, my Prince."

And now, after more introductions and touring that Quatre honestly didn't take in all that much, they were inside the so-called 'war council' tent, being briefed on a war they were tasked with ending. Quatre was desperately trying to keep up with references to places and figures he had no reference for. Luckily, Duo and Trowa sat on either side of him and acted as his guides.

"Venti didn't last long," Ralph said, Chrismarlie next to him and looking grim. "Romefeller may not have been able to join Treize, but Quinze and his radicals did. Venti's magic users are spread so thin, the king was killed before the country could really mount a defense."

"Quinze is an Elven druid," Duo supplied lowly. "Real fanatic who thinks that the Fey should be one 'pure' Elven empire. He's a jackass and gives terrible rallying speeches but has a sizable following called White Fang."

"He tried to 'recruit' Duo after Heero ended their relationship the first time," Trowa added, his words a whisper in Quatre's ear. "Duo did not take kindly to Quinze insulting Heero and Humankind in his bid to get 'Shinigami' on his side."

"Despite the fact that Heero was an ass about everything," Duo added.

Wufei shot them a look, sitting on Trowa's other side, his stare a silent reprimand to quiet down.

"And is the king's daughter alive?" J asked, his normal and mechanical hands steepled together on the table. "Or, do we have a right of succession battle to look forward to after this?"

"Julia Venti is thought to be alive, but in hiding," Kurtz offered. "What is left of Venti's army is here, after joining with Ralph's forces."

"Yes I—" Ralph had to visibly take a breath, wetness shining in his eyes before he continued. "I accepted them after Treize and Epyon killed our father and Septum. Both armies met my call, but we've lost ground and battles with each meeting. Dekim Barton joined Treize – we couldn't handle a fight on both sides."

"Barton's lands within Kushrenada make up nearly a quarter of the country," Trowa told him, his eyes hard. "Ralph and his forces were outflanked when Dekim joined Treize, forcing them to retreat to just the border shared with the Elven Nation. The mountains along the border make the actual, passable border between the two countries narrow, more defensible, but not in a protracted attack."

"Your great-uncle's a real piece, Tro," Duo grumbled. "He took his own granddaughter hostage to rally his bannermen against Ralph! Who does that?"

"Shh!" Wufei said, glaring again. Duo held up his hands and settled back. Quatre sent a trickle of his remorse at causing another disruption Wufei's way through their link; he lost some of his stiffness and nodded back at Quatre.

"Do you think your remaining forces can hold the border until we arrive, your Majesty?" Zechs asked Ralph, his eyes examining the map set up on the table.

Ralph exchanged a look with his wife and it was Chrismarlie who ultimately answered. "We should, but I'd rather not test our forces stamina against Epyon. She, through Treize, were able to completely topple two human kingdoms in less than a moon without Romefeller's support. Their eyes are fixed on the Elven Nations next."

"Between the three airships, we can bring reinforcements to help hold the lines until the main forces arrive," Noin said. "We can get there in a day or two. The rest of our forces can get there in a week. Luckily for us, Taurus isn't that far from the border."

Ralph and Chrismarlie both looked relieved and agreed immediately as the different nation and military leaders began planning the whos and whens. At least, until Heero leaned forward, drawing eyes to him, and slowing the chatter. "The five of us need to be in the advance group on the airships."

There was a beat of silence to Heero's statement; only J made any noise, cackling like Heero just told a hilarious joke. Ralph exchanged a look with Sylvia and her grandfather—Sylvia shrugged and waved Ralph back to Heero. "Forgive me, your Highness, but it's been shared that the five of you have been chosen by the Great Ladies—I don't think the front is the safest course of action—"

"Yes, as I was there and have been with Quatre since the curses first activated, I'm familiar with what we've been tasked with," Heero said, voice annoyed and dry. "Which is why we need to be at the front."

"We have determined the best course of action to defeating Treize and Epyon," Wufei added. He looked offended at the suggestion they stay 'safe' and out the way. "We cannot do that from the sidelines. We will need to be able to directly confront Treize to draw Epyon out."

"But—" Noin started, the same disbelieving expression on several others around the table.

"I wouldn't bother, Noin," Sally said, a sad smile on her face. She exchanged a look with Wufei before addressing the group. "They have a plan. You're going to run out of air arguing with them before they change their minds."

"We need to trust them," Cathy chimed in from where she sat beside Kurtz. "They're the ones chosen by the Great Ladies—they're the pawns in the game and know best what needs to be done."

"Thanks, Cathy," Trowa deadpanned. Cathy shot him a smile.

"If the five of you are going in the advance party, then so shall the Maguanacs," Rashid said, his voice brooking no argument. "The Maguanacs are all experienced warriors and can help shore the lines and give Master Quatre and you all the time you need to accomplish your plan."

"Thank you, Rashid," Quatre said, breaking his self-imposed silence and looking at everyone as their eyes swung to him. Rashid nodded at him, deferential and raised his chin imposingly at the rest. "Ever since Dorothy's curses activated, all five of our paths have led us to here. We were given guidance how to move forward and defeat Epyon and this is the best way forward. I can feel it."

"I'd trust the Empath on that one," Duo added, shooting Quatre a wink before smiling wide and the gathered assembly. "So, we good to go? Or do we need to remind y'all how we already took out Romefeller by following Q's lead? No? Cool."

The pleased and self-assured feelings from the others at Duo's sledgehammer approach filtered into him from the link as their allies gently acquiesced and began planning the advance party to depart in a few days. Quatre smiled and let out a laugh as Duo raised a brow at him and said, "See? War councils, man. So dumb."

Heero actually snorted, earning him a brilliant smile from Duo.

"Do you ever think about getting hitched?" Duo asked.

It was late and they were on the Peacemillion again, on their way to their big showdown. Noin and Zechs confirmed that evening they'd get to the border where Ralph's forces were making their last stand the next day. So, of course, Duo wasted absolutely no time in dragging Heero to bed and convincing him to fuck each other senseless after that news. Heero had not been hard to convince.

He was not sure why he was asking something so heavy in the middle of the afterglow. He still felt all tingly and sore and loose-limbed from the very thorough and enthusiastic fucking. One look over at Heero's blissed out face told him his lover wasn't much better. Heero's eyes unclouded and an honest-to-gods puzzled look crossed his handsome face.

"Married?"

Oh well, in for a copper or whatever the saying was. "Yeah, married. Bonded. United in blessed wedlock."

Heero blinked at him, still so puzzled. It was adorable, made Duo want to lean over and kiss his nose. "Why?"

"Dunno," Duo shrugged. He gathered his hair, mostly out from its braid and now causing a bit of a nuisance and swept it over his shoulder ad he propped himself up on one side, his free hand going to Heero's hand and playing with his fingers. "Just popped in my head. Do you?"

Heero tilted his head back to meet his eyes. "Do you?"

"Not cool, turning my question back on me, 'Ro," Duo whined. Still, he didn't mind answering. "Maybe? It's not always a very traditional thing for Elves, you know long lives and all, but I guess I always thought it was a nice idea."

"Hn."

Duo pouted and flopped down dramatically across Heero's chest. "Nope, no monosyllabic answers in bed! Answer the question."

Heero rolled his eyes as one of his hands combed through Duo's hair, the gesture soothing. "Not really."

Duo huffed and turned his head to glare at him. "That's romantic."

"You asked."

Duo huffed again and fiddled with the ends of some of his hair. He wasn't really upset, it was a weird question and an even weirder time to ask it. He would by lying if he said he wasn't a little bothered though—disappointed.

"You could ask me why."

Duo looked back up. "What?"

"I said you could ask me why."

"Fine. Why don't you think about getting bonded?"

"Didn't think," Heero corrected. And then, with that soft look he so rarely got on his face, "And I didn't used to think about it because I only ever thought about you and was convinced it was better for you to not be with me. Didn't seem to be much point thinking about marriage when I had no intention of it if it wasn't with you."

Duo's smile felt like it was dumb-looking and wide. It actually hurt a little—he didn't care. "That right?"

"I just said so."

"Well, do you think about it now?"

Heero shrugged. "I think about you."

That was a yes. Duo grinned wider and pushed up, turning around so that he could kiss Heero's stupid face. When they broke apart Duo whispered, "Me too."

"Then we both better survive tomorrow."

Duo nodded and kissed him again, lingering just a little, tugging Heero's bottom lip between his teeth until he heard that soft, needy sound he always let out when Duo did that. "You know, I think you're actually sweeter than Q, which is saying something. Just better at hiding it."

Heero glared and surged up to kiss him hard, nothing sweet about it. Duo chuckled into it and said, softly, "Don't worry, you're secret's safe with me."

The smile Heero gave in return was swallowed up as they tumbled forward, again.

The bullshit with Epyon could wait—this was a much better way to not get any sleep.

"You ready?" Sally asked from where she was resting against Wufei's bare chest. She was wearing the tunic he'd been wearing, not comfortable in accounting for the healers and medical supplies they had naked. It had seemed a bit crass at the time.

She set aside the papers she'd been reviewing and tilted her head up and back, eyes locking on her husband's face. He had on his reading glasses, but his hair was still loose on his shoulders. He was looking over something to do with leylines and magic, the notes his own from the old book resting on the desk by their door.

"Yes. As much as possible," he said absently. His hand was doing half aborted moves as he memorized the movements to the spell he needed to connect to the power in the Colony Kingdoms. "Quatre was able to link all five of us without immediately collapsing once done. And he held the connection until I told him to let go. It was a promising improvement."

She hummed. "That's good."

"Yes, we will not immediately fail."

She smiled, amused even if the joke was dark.

Wufei had explained what they were doing. She never had much of a mind for magic beyond healing, certainly not the High magic that bonded the Fey together at its seams, so most of went over her head. But she got the gist of it—follow the blueprint the Great Ladies originally laid out and blast Epyon harder than they had, hopefully putting a stop to her permanently. She also knew there was an element of 'we're winging it' to that last bit and she was doing her best not to fret as she knew it wouldn't help.

Everything had moved so fast. One second, they touched down outside of Taurus, after barely escaping two curses with their freedom and lives intact, and now only a few days later, here they were, on the precipice of a battle that would define their time. Her husband in the center of it, along with some of her closest friends and family, and if one thing went wrong, well. That didn't bear thinking about.

Sally insisted on joining the advance party and Wufei knew better than to try and convince her not too. He had even been a little relieved, that she would be there with him. She was his rock, just as surely he was hers, and neither were keen on being apart after their forced separation for months. Besides, she needed to be there to coordinate the healers Relena sent from Sanq—if Ralph's assessment of the war was any indication, their forces would need it.

"Are the others?"

Wufei let out a breath and set aside his notes, then his glasses. "I believe so. It's a better plan then I thought we'd have."

"Meaning nothing at all?"

"Yes," he spared a genuine smile for her. "For as much as I respect Heero and Trowa's skills in combat, they both tend to be impulsive. Duo even more so. It is fortunate Quatre also values strategy."

Sally hummed and took his hand in hers. "Well, some impulsiveness isn't all bad—we wouldn't have Quatre with us now if Trowa had listened to any of us."

Wufei made a neutral noise and Sally bit her lip to keep from smiling. She doubted Wufei would ever admit that Trowa hadn't been mistaken to get engaged to Quatre while cursed twice over, no matter how things turned out. The stubborn ox, she thought fondly.

"It doesn't seem real," she said then, the thought popping into her head and out apropos of nothing. At Wufei's inquiring noise, she clarified. "Just—everything. That were free of the curses, that Quatre really is descended from the lost Quattuon royal family and travelled across the Fey to rescue us—"

"That is the least surprising part of this whole affair."

"—and now we're all wrapped up in some fated destiny." Sally shrugged and turned into Wufei's hold, resting along his side. "I half expect this to be some dream and find we're still in those cells on that island."

"Of the two options," Wufei commented, a dry lilt to his voice. "I think I prefer, how did Cathy put it, being 'pawns of destiny'? At least as a pawn, I have some agency. Pawns have even been known to win the game."

Then, his smile turned wolfish and playful. "And we can have this—and baths. Much preferred to a cell."

Sally laughed and tugged Wufei's face down to kiss him—he wasn't wrong.

And, if things did go wrong, she'd much prefer to spend what time she did have with him, like this, all things considered.

"Do you ever think that this was all meant to happen?" Quatre asked, sweat cooling on his skin and pressed in so close to Trowa's space their noses brushed.

"What was meant to happen?" Trowa asked in return.

His voice was deep and roughened, as it often was after they made love. It was soothing and combined with the gentle emotions pulled in with his empathy, felt like Quatre was wrapped up in a Trowa-blanket. He was not deterred though, no matter how much Trowa's contentment and sleepiness pulled at him.

"This," Quatre said. "Everything happening."

"Why do you think that?" Trowa posed instead of answering. Maybe understanding Quatre was looking for a sounding board in that moment more than an answer.

"I don't know it just," Quatre started, looking down and fixing his eyes on a freckle on Trowa's chest. "Just seems like it's all been a little—easy. Like it was always a puzzle meant to come together."

When he glanced up at Trowa from beneath his bangs, he was giving him one of those smiles that said he thought Quatre was being dumb. "Tell me, which part of the last six months has been easy, Quatre? Or, the last year?"

"I'm being serious," Quatre said, his lips turning in a frown at the tease.

"So am I," Trowa said. One of his had moved and brushed Quatre's too-long hair from his face. "The curses didn't make our meeting or courtship easy. What happened with your father wasn't easy. Everything you did after the curses were activated—"

"After I activated them," Quatre said, unable to allow Trowa to give him the out, even obliquely.

"Fine, after you activated them, under duress and grief that no one blames you for," Trowa allowed, his voice firm. "Your journey, everything with the Ladies, outsmarting Dorothy, none of that was easy. It only looks so in hindsight, and because you cannot be anything less than who you are."

"I didn't do—"

"Quat," Trowa interrupted with a bark of laughter. "You have a literal following in Taurus because of your scheme to get Duo there faster, defeated Dorothy with a few golden objects and prevented Romefeller from joining up with Treize, and inspired a group of oppressed former-slaves to go to war. Only you would think any of that was easily accomplished."

"No I—when you say it like that, you make it sound much more fantastic than it really was."

"No, I am simply recounting it as it's been told to me," Trowa said, his smile gentle and as warm as the love Quatre could feel from their bond. "From much more reliable sources than you, love."

Quatre flushed and ducked his face back down and into Trowa's chest. "So you really think it's all just been chance then? Meeting me, when I just so happened to be the fifth person you'd need to defeat the threat from Epyon, and everything that's happened since then?"

"Yes, I do. I don't believe in things being pre-determined," Trowa said simply, mostly into Quatre's hair. "I believe in the choices you make having an impact, for good or bad, sometimes both, and you have to do what you can with the consequences."

He leaned in close then, tilting Quatre's head up until he could kiss him. "The only thing I believe may have been fated was that I'd fall for you—I can't imagine a world where I wouldn't."

"Trowa," Quatre said, helplessly, before kissing him again.

Maybe it didn't matter—fate or chance. Maybe all that mattered was what you did with the choice between the two.

The last thought Quatre had before Trowa swept him away was that he hoped they chose correctly tomorrow.