The easy wealth of the Sanq Palace glittered around him, but he paid no notice, his mind bent on his mission. Anger had clouded his judgment back at the inn, but it had drained away, leaving him coldly furious at the turn of events. He vaguely wondered if this was how Heero normally felt, but then pushed the unimportant thoughts aside. He had to go on his instincts now, and his instincts told him that Princess Lucretzia was inside the throne room.
He could clearly hear voices inside, one male, one female, and he was hoping that the royal bastard Henry was also there. Pushing himself back into the shadow, his violet eyes flicked to where Wufei was standing just opposite him, obscured by the shadow of a statue. For a moment, the old Duo Maxwell rose within him, and he barely contained a grin as he realized Wufei was hiding under the impressive cleavage of a very naked water nymph. But the grin never made it to his face, he had death on his mind and that made it hard to concentrate on anything else.
Giving Wufei a quick signal with his hand, he slid down the hallway towards the small door that captured his attention. It was a servant's entrance to the throne room and unguarded, the perfect chance to sneak inside and see what was going on. For his part, Wufei would stand guard in the hallway to take care of any real servants that just happened to wander that way.
Reaching for the doorway, he took a breath and slipped inside, his eyes almost blinded by the abundance of light compared to the dimness of the hallway. He had emerged slightly to the left of the throne, and was immediately glad that he had, for Henry was seated on it, his attention fixed on the huddled figure in front of him to which he held a sword to. Anger threatened to overwhelm him as he realized it was Princess Lucretzia, tears in her eyes but determination in every line of her body. Gritting his teeth, he moved closer to the throne and into her field of vision.
She recognized him immediately, but she was smart enough to make no physical reaction beside the slight widening of her dark eyes. Still, Henry noticed the change and seemed to think she was breaking down.
"Are you ready to tell me what I want to know, sister?" he taunted, lifting the sword slightly so that she had to lift her head or risk cutting her jaw open. "Want to prolong your life a little longer? Or perhaps you've decided to save what life the Lightning Prince still has?"
Swallowing against the steel at her throat, she answered Henry, but Duo knew the words were for him. "You can't hurt Milliardo. He's safe in the east tower where you've kept him prisoner for almost a week, guarded by a close friend of mine. She will never allow anyone to hurt him."
Henry laughed, but Duo didn't hear his reply. He caught the princess' gaze for a split second and gave her a reassuring wink. It was all he could do for her until they had Milliardo.
Slipping backwards towards the door, he had almost made it to the hallway when a piercingly sweet voice shook his heart.
"You wouldn't dare hurt Prince Milliardo! If you did, Relena would never be yours!"
Frozen with pain, he somehow managed to turn his head, his eyes drinking in the sight of Hilde standing next to a pillar. Her hands were tied and she was sporting a huge bruise on one delicate cheekbone, strands of black hair falling into her eyes which she did not brush away. Her whole posture spoke of defiance. She was easily the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
And the realization of it was his downfall, and he knew it.
Unsheathing the short sword Heero had somehow found for him, he leveled the blade at Henry, the light flashing off bared steel. "Henry!" he shouted, freeing the cold fury he had kept so tightly reined, "Prepare to meet Death!"
* * * *
Outside the throne room, in the hallway, Wufei Chang cursed the braided writer until he had no more breath left. They had gotten what they wanted, the location of Relena's brother, but Duo had given into his intention to kill Henry, and the whole plan was going to hell.
For one, terrible, fated moment, he was caught between two conflicting desires. One, to go and help Duo murder the princely bastard, or go and save the one man who could defeat him and not be hung for doing so. In the end, his duty won, and he gave a silent salute to Duo, who would face the prince alone.
* * * *
I didn't learn the terrible choices my friends had to make until much later, and for that, I am glad. If I had known what was happening, I would have shattered into a million pieces, but because I was ignorant, I was spared the horror that took place in the Sanq palace.
Instead, I had my hands full guarding a lady that had suddenly become very important...
When the door of the room exploded inward, I was frozen with shock. Then Relena screamed and I slipped into overtime. Three royal guards came in, weapons drawn, their eyes on their prize. So much that they didn't even notice when I shattered a nearby mirror, took a razor sharp shard of glass and cut the first one's throat. He gurgled and fell, already dead, and I moved to the next. This one was ready for me and he waved to the one behind him to get Relena.
There was no way I was going to let that happen.
I sliced a gash down the soldiers cheek and ducked as he swung his dagger at my face in anger. I stabbed him in the stomach, the worst wound I could possible inflict, and he fell, his body in spasms. It would take him a long time to bleed to death.
The last one had grabbed Relena and I was struck still as he used her for a shield, sneering.
"Look's like Prince Henry's going to get what he wants after all."
That was not the right thing to say.
My mirror shard spun through the air and lodged itself with a sickening thud in the man's throat. Bright blood bubbled from the would, and Relena gave a little cry as he fell to the floor. In a second, she launched herself at me, flinging her arms around my neck and I comforted her wearily, the battle fury slipping from me as if it had never been.
What had I done?
As if she could hear my thoughts, Relena stepped back from me, her sky blue eyes large and tear-filled. "You saved my life." She tore two strips of cloth from her already ruined dress and wrapped one around each of my palms. It was only then that I realized I had cut myself using the shards.
My musician's hands, the delicate finger muscles cut through. I would probably never play the violin again.
"Quatre."
I looked up.
"I'm going to the palace."
I could only nod. I was too numb for anything else.
* * * *
"You boys sure are working hard," Catherine purred, gliding towards the guards that were guarding the main entrance to the throne room. There was four of them, and Heero had been very specific and that there could be none when they brought Milliardo down from his prison.
And he had told them to be distracting...
She loosened the ties of her cloak, revealing the smooth skin of her shoulders that were left bare by the indecent lack of clothing she had on. Dorothy had provided the costumes they were both wearing, skimpy things that Catherine remembered had been used in The Prince and the Prostitute. By the look of them, or lack of them, she was profoundly glad she had not been in that play.
Beside her, Dorothy turned smoldering eyes on two of the soldiers, even going so far as to wink at one of them. Catherine arched an eyebrow. Well, this was certainly a side of Dorothy no one had ever seen before. How....interesting...
Catherine looped an arm around a soldier who was looking at her with interest in his eyes. "Surely you would rather work hard with me, than standing here all day." She pouted. "Right?"
Of course, he never got to answer. Heero and Trowa descended from the darkness and everything became a flurry of motion. When it was done, the four guards lay unconscious, and Dorothy and Catherine began dragging their limp bodies away.
Trowa was giving Catherine a flat look, to which she just smiled secretively.
"Pretty good actress, aren't I?"
* * * *
Sally was starting to panic.
She knew it, even as she analyzed it with a calm disbelief. The guards were pounding at the door and dust shook from the ceiling with the force of their blows. She knew it would not last much longer.
She risked a glance at Zechs, who had somehow risen to his feet, his hand clenched against the wound in his side. He was pale, almost a white flame with his hair and skin color, but his eyes were blue, and burning with an inner light.
"They will break it down," she said, amazed that her voice came out so cool. Zechs nodded without speaking. She nodded in return and drew out her daggers, two perfectly honed blades that she knew would be covered in blood before the night was over. She did not regret the necessity of using them though. She had promised to protect Noin's prince, and she would, though it would probably cost her her life.
There were three distinct muffled thuds outside the door before all the pounding stopped and the air became eerily silent. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as she pondered this new development. What was going on out there?
She had no time to wonder further, for the door suddenly exploded inward, shattering with a single blow. Without hesitation, she leapt forward, daggers bared, when a hand came out of the falling dusk and stopped her in mid-stride. She found herself suddenly eye to eye with a Chinese man, his obsidian eyes boring into hers, and she thought, for a moment, she saw a flicker of amusement in them before it was gone. She struggled against his grip, which only caused him to hang on harder.
The man's gaze shifted to Milliardo.
"You are the Sanq prince?"
Zechs nodded regally. The man looked back at her.
"Then you must be Noin's friend."
She nodded, speechless, and he released her.
"There is trouble," he said shortly. "I'm a friend of Relena's and I'm to get you out of here as quickly as possible." He motioned towards Zechs. "Help him," he said to her.
A little miffed at being ordered, she glared at him but went to Zech's side, supporting his weight with her shoulder. The prince had other ideas though.
"Where is my sister? Is she safe? Is Noin with her?"
The strange man gave him a quelling look. "Your sister is safe, but your woman is buying your freedom with words. If you don't wish her to make her sacrifice meaningless, you will stop asking questions and leave this place now. "
Zechs paled, but whether with fear of fury, she could not tell. Sally felt him tense beside her. "I will not run," he said quietly, a hint of danger in his voice.
For a brief moment, she thought the Chinese would drag Zechs bodily out of the castle, but then he nodded once. "Fine." He disappeared out the door, and Sally exchanged looks with Zechs. When they did not follow right away, the man stuck his head back in the room.
"Hurry it up, woman. If the Prince wants to fight then we must get him to the battle."
He disappeared again and Sally growled under her breath. Where did Relena meet these people?
Helping Zechs, they quickly left his prison behind, following a dark shape towards what Sally hoped would be the end of this.
tbc...
* * * *
Well, this is the first non-cliffhanger in awhile, aren't you guys proud of me? tee hee. Sorry about the short chapter, but I'm just trying to wrap up some ends before the big finale. I think maybe one more chapter and then the two endings, one tragedy (my original intention), one fluff.
If any of you are interested in seeing what I'm working, or will be working one, check out my bio page. I'll try to keep in updated on what's going on. Also, if you would like to be notified when I update, leave your email address and I'll put you on the list.
Hope you liked this one!! *huggles*
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