Dover Mobile Suit Base
She was standing above him, brandishing her sword. "You are soft, my lord prince." Despite her amusement at his expense, the fight had been long and difficult before Arora managed to catch his ankle and trip him. If Trey felt like a fool, it was because struck dumb by her beauty, even as dirty and sweaty as she was now from working under the watchful eye of their sword master.
Trey pulled himself to his feet as Arora walked away sheathing her imperial sword.
The sword master came to him. "I shall give a good accounting of your progress to the emperor. He will be pleased."
Pleased that Trey was taking steps to ending his miserable existence? Trey doubted it! Zeno mocked him and made clear that he despised the son of his human mate. One day soon Trey would stand over his bleeding, lifeless carcass, and he would spit on it.
"You need not be ashamed that Arora has beaten you." The sword master continued with a chuckle. "You are stronger than she, but she is clever. You are unlikely to have any foes in the future whose beauty diverts your attention from the fight." Trey followed his gaze to Arora who was wiping the sweat from her face. "I admit that I stopped watching your progress shortly after you began. She is a much more interesting diversion."
Trey felt anger bubble up, jealous, dark fury that subsided when he realized that he was standing beside an old man who was only appreciating her beauty. Trey laughed. "Perhaps I did get a little distracted."
The man peered at him from under shaggy white brows. "Your skill has surpassed your father's."
"Then I am ready."
"Not quite. He is stronger, and he has much experience to his credit. Your sword will have to drink the blood of many before you can hope to challenge Zeno the Butcher."
Trey watched Arora leave after a brief smile at him. He was looking forward to seeing her at supper even before she disappeared from his view. After putting away his weapon, Trey returned to his chambers expecting to find Apolo waiting for him. He should have realized Apolo would not be there. Since he had discovered the availability of the serving women at the palace, he was often seeking them to practice other skills. Apolo often teased him for not taking advantage of his position to enjoy himself with slaves from the Wastelands. Those women didn't interest Trey, but they certainly kept Apolo from his duties.
After waiting for Apolo for what seemed like hours, Trey decided to go in search of him. After looking in the usual places, he stopped in the kitchen where Apolo usually plied his charms on the females there. Trey finally heard from one of them that Apolo had followed another to the women's quarters.
Disgusted, he went in the direction the woman pointed. He had never actually been in this part of the palace before, preferring to stay in the luxurious wing of the imperial family. The walkway was filthy, the stones in the walls were crumbling, all a testament to the lack of consideration given to the females although Trey had heard that Lady Xuxa's apartments were more plush than those of the emperor himself. The women who waited on her lived in squalor at the mercy of men like Apolo who used them to satisfy their baser needs while the greedy Wasteland concubine hoarded her wealth to herself.
He took a few turns, praying that he wouldn't become lost in this dark maze of corridors, before he saw ahead of him two boys, probably a few years younger than himself, intensely interested in the wall. Quietly Trey approached and realized that a hole had been bored in the wall and the boys were peering in. So absorbed in the activity, they didn't notice Trey's arrival until he was almost upon them.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
They turned, stared at him wide-eyed, and looked back at the hole, then dashed away without even making a proper obeisance to the crowned prince.
"Come back here!" Trey took a step after them, then glanced at the hole that had so interested them. Curious, he put his eye to it and realized they were spying on the women's bathing chamber. Steam rose from a pool in which several women were already washing themselves. Trey wouldn't be a man if he didn't enjoy the sight, but he knew it was wrong to look, so he started to look away when a movement at the doorway attracted his attention.
His heart began to pound when he saw Arora walk into the chamber. She shed her outer robe as she approached a bench, then pulled off the under tunic until she was wearing only a flimsy undergarment that clung to her. As she took down her hair and combed through the long, dark strands, steam from the bath made the garment cling to her even more until it was almost transparent. Trey couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. Yet when she rose and approached the pool, reaching to take off her remaining clothing, Trey tore himself away and threw his back to the wall. He was going to faint from lack of air. He felt light-headed.
"There you are!"
Apolo's voice seemed to come from a distance.
Trey blinked and looked at him.
Apolo was grinning. "I looked everywhere for you."
"I was going to say that," he said hoarsely.
"I saved you the trouble. What's wrong with you? You look like you're burning up with fever. Should we seek a healer?" But Apolo was still grinning as if he knew what the problem was, and to prove that he did, he put his eye up to the hole Trey dared not look in again. "No, you don't need a healer. You are quite healthy, in fact, my lord prince." Apolo looked at him. "Didn't take you long to find this."
"I…I wasn't looking for it." Trey's tongue felt thick in his mouth. "I saw some boys…"
"We all find it sooner or later."
A giggle at the end of the corridor drew their attention. Two beautiful women wearing slave collars were smiling at them. Apolo rubbed his hands together. "I don't believe I know them – yet."
One with white hair gave Trey a blatant invitation with her eyes, and she shrugged her shoulder, allowing her loose gown to drop and reveal more of her.
Apolo nudged him. "Now is your chance, my lord prince. I would wager she has enough experience for the both of you."
He didn't want to, but Trey accompanied Apolo towards the women who laughed and went in different directions. Apolo chuckled, and after pushing Trey after the white-haired woman, he followed the other. Trey stumbled a moment, then stopped. What was he doing? He was going back to his chambers to wait for Apolo! He started back, took a turn, then another, before realizing he didn't know where he was.
Trey tried to retrace his steps and found himself in an unfamiliar corridor. Catching a glimpse of white hair and an impish smile, he moved forward, hoping to enlist her help in getting out of the women's quarters. But she was laughing softly as she kept disappearing around corners. Finally he knew he had her trapped, but she pushed against a door and slipped through the opening.
Throwing open the door, Trey stepped inside. Although the lights were low, he managed to see the woman standing near a fur-covered bed, hugging and caressing a bedpost carved with figures doing activities that made Trey blush. That bed was far too grand for a female slave. The bed was even more ornate than Trey's, and by the silken hangings and golden embellishments, he knew where he had stumbled even before he heard her voice.
"My lord prince!"
He turned to see a half-dressed Lady Xuxa dropping into a curtsey. Her serving women were trying to hide their knowing smiles.
"Rise, lady," he said impatiently. Trey felt as if he had wandered onto a spider's web.
She straightened slowly. "How might I serve you, my lord prince?"
Her eyes half-closed, she put her hand to her heart, drawing his attention there, and as she was barely covered, the reason for his father's interest in her was obvious. Trey resisted the urge to turn and run. She wasn't anything but a concubine, the daughter of a minor warlord in the wastelands, little better than the female slaves that waited on her. Trey had to remember that he was the crowned prince of the empire and not a little boy afraid of spiders.
"I became lost," he told her. "One of your women can escort me back." He glanced back at the woman he had followed. "Her." It was the least she could do after tricking him into coming here.
Lady Xuxa swept out her arm to indicate a table set with foods. "Rest awhile, my lord prince. Larya may serve you."
The white-haired woman – he now had a name for her – came forward. She went to the table, and Trey watched her pour dark liquid into a tall, crystal glass. Lady Xuxa smiled as Larya handed him the glass, then shrugged her shoulder again, a movement that allowed her garment to fall to her hips. A sweat broke out over Trey's forward and his mouth was suddenly dry. He forced himself to look away as he drank the liquid, concentrating on not choking.
Lady Xuxa and her women seemed to melt away in the shadows as Larya came closer to him. "How might I serve you, my lord prince?" She was almost touching him, and Trey felt his knees beginning to buckle as she reached out to take the glass from his hand. He could feel the heat of her, smell her perfume, see almost all of her. Trey knew she would do anything he asked.
He finally got control of his tongue. "I wish to be lead back to my chambers."
"No, you do not. We can be more comfortable here." She nodded toward the bed.
Trey turned away. If she didn't help him, he would leave on his own. But he had moved no further than a few steps when he fell to his knees and he became aware of a bitter taste in his mouth. He turned to look at Larya and saw Lady Xuxa appear behind her, smiling.
"You do not look well, my lord prince. I think you should stay and rest."
Trey's eyes closed, and he was sure Lady Xuxa had poisoned him, but he awoke later, finding himself lying on the furs of the bed. Larya was lying beside him, touching him, and Lady Xuxa sat on the edge of the bed watching.
"Don't fight it, my lord prince," she murmured.
"What do you want from me?" he asked as he pushed away Larya's hands. These females made his stomach churn so violently he had to swallow back the bile.
Lady Xuxa smiled. "You have taken something of great value from me."
"Your son's right?" he asked as he pushed himself off the bed.
"That, too," laughed Lady Xuxa.
He paused en route to the door. "Then what are you talking about?"
"Arora." Lady Xuxa was no longer smiling. "She was destined to belong to my son."
"You should have informed Dax of that long ago." That female had no lack of audacity. Then again, although Trey knew Zeno sought his pleasures elsewhere, he allowed Xuxa so much power that he wondered if she feared any man.
"Dax is an idiot! His selfish greed and ambition will be the ruin of him. His wife was my handmaiden. We came to the imperial palace together from the wastelands, and we made plans to join our houses."
Trey dared not consider what she knew about Apolo and Arora.
Lady Xuxa did not betray any knowledge. "I personally spoke to Valerya after she gave birth to Arora. Because of our strong bond, she promised her daughter to me for my son."
"You are lying." Only a man could determine the disposal of a female, and what vague memory Trey had of Valerya, the beautiful, gentle Guerani woman would not have dared to make such a presumption. "She had no way of knowing Dax would spare her female child's life."
Xuxa ignored him "I hoped that Dax would honor her promise, but he chose to put her in your household because he was too stupid to raise her." Lady Xuxa took a step toward him. "I beg you, my lord prince, to reconsider giving Arora to Dilan. She can never be yours, and he would take care of her as you never would be able."
Trey put more distance between them. "And this?" His hand swept out to indicate the bed which Larya was leaving, pulling on her flimsy garments. "What did you think you could gain?"
"If you had found Larya pleasing, I was going to propose a trade." Lady Xuxa half-smiled. "I thought that if she made you a man that you might exchange Arora for the pleasures Larya could give you."
Without responding, Trey strode out of her chambers, slamming the door behind him. He was disgusted to realize he was being followed, and he turned to see Larya.
She was obviously frightened as she fell to her knees before him. "Forgive me, my lord prince!"
He could easily have her flogged for touching him as she had, but he felt pity for the beautiful slave groveling at his feet. Lady Xuxa used her like she used everyone else, and if Trey punished her, Xuxa would just discard her like trash. "Get up! Show me back to my rooms and all is forgotten."
Trey felt relief when he was finally standing before his door.
When he pushed it open and tried to step in, the impudent female grasped his hand and laid her cheek against it. "My lord prince," cried Larya breathlessly. "You are a gracious and generous lord. If I can ever serve you again, I shall do so in any way possible." She lowered her eyes and backed away.
When he was sure she wasn't going to try to seduce him again, Trey turned around and found Arora and Apolo waiting, swords in their hands. He saw by their worried expressions that they had feared for his life, but while Apolo's eyes soon twinkled with humor, Arora's worry soon faded to hurt.
Apolo put his sword aside and came to slap Trey on the back. "And I was afraid you had been overtaken by assassins. I didn't actually think you would have stalked that lovely doe and bagged her." Apolo looked at Arora. "Go order us a meal. I'm sure Trey is starving."
Arora walked away and sat cross-legged on the floor, putting the sword before her. "Get it yourself. I am not your slave."
Laughing, Apolo walked out after winking at Trey.
Trey went to sit across from Arora on the floor, her sword between them. She wouldn't look at him. "I…I did not…"
Her brown eyes met his. "You need not explain yourself to me, my lord prince."
Trey leaned closer to her, and by the blush the spread up to her cheeks, he knew she was not unaffected by his nearness. He was sure she felt as he did. "I did nothing that needs an explanation." He reached a hand out to her. "Arora, you are the only…"
He didn't get a chance to finish because the door opened and Apolo walked in with a platter of food. Trey drew back his hand before Apolo could see him. "I think this was destined for Prince Dilan, but that sweet little angel taking it to his room was more than happy to give it to me." He set the platter down and rubbed his hands together. "Now I have plans for tomorrow while you two are hacking away at each other."
Arora stood and walked past Trey. "I am hungry, myself." She took a bite of fruit and tossed it to Trey. Their eyes met as he bit from the same place she had. Arora blushed and turned away. Trey continued to watch her as Apolo came to him with the platter.
"So," said Apolo, his voice lowered, "did that lovely slave deliver on the promise in her eyes?"
Trey looked at him with a frown. "She is Xuxa's creature. While you were proving your manhood yet again with a defenseless female who cannot refuse you, the imperial guard of the crowned prince, I was lured onto that hag's web."
The smile faded from Apolo's face. "I am sorry I was derelict in my duties to you, my lord prince. I promise it will not happen again." He raised his sword. "I will kill her myself if she dares to harm you."
"Do not make promises you cannot keep," remarked Arora as she came to sit with Apolo between her and Trey. "What did Lady Xuxa want?"
Trey did not want to tell Arora what he had learned. He feared she would wish to honor her mother's promise, and Trey couldn't bear to lose Arora. Trey couldn't live without her.
Trowa awoke to darkness and quiet, and he was disoriented for moment before he heard soft sighs and he realized Arora was sleeping beside him. He wanted to draw her closer to him, to feel her heart beating against his, but he did not want to wake her when he knew she needed some rest after everything that had happened to her. Now that he was awake, he knew that he would be unable to sleep now. After a briefing with the king, they would be blasting off shortly after noon, yet he no longer felt apprehensive about returning to space. He knew that he belonged somewhere out there. His place was with Arora no matter where that took him.
The sun would rise any minute now, and he didn't want to miss it. Careful not to wake Arora, he left her side. Searching in the dark for his clothing, his hands touched the fabric of the robes Apolo had left in his tent to change into later. There was a trick to putting it on, but Trowa managed to do it without thinking and was soon dressed. He shouldn't be surprised that he felt comfortable in garments from Calabria. By now he had accepted his past although he still had trouble remembering much of it.
He quietly left the tent and paused outside to get his bearings. The acrid odor of a doused fire was in the air, so Trowa suspected Relena's gala had the usual outcome. At least the pavilion where the tents had been set up had been spared. The sun was just beginning to appear in the east, so Trowa decided that he would watch it, something he had often done at Seaside Lab. Because Calabria and Bayman revolved around binary stars, there were two sunrises on Calabria, and only a few hours of darkness separating their respective sunrises. Yet neither could match the beauty of a sunrise on Earth. Trowa walked through the woods flanking the base until he came to the bluff overlooking the sea. The orange rays were glistening off the water, spreading as the sun slowly appeared over the horizon. When it finally appeared and bathed the land in a soft yellow glow, Trowa sighed, then realized tears has made tracks down his cheeks.
He was wiping them away when he heard Heero's voice.
"You're never coming back."
Trowa didn't look at him. "I will be back. Arora and I will make our home here."
"You're entitled to your dreams, Trowa, but you and I both know you just saw the sun rise on Earth for the last time."
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Trowa could not deny it. Deep inside he knew it was true, that despite his words and his need for them to be the truth, he had to face the past. In doing so, he would lose his identity as Trowa Barton, gundam pilot of the Cinq Kingdom.
He cleared his throat and looked at Heero. "What happened last night? We heard the commotion. I thought we were all going to be killed."
"Commotion?" Heero laughed. "I nearly destroyed the base. I guess I've been hanging around Stryfe too much. That brandy didn't help matters any."
Trowa smiled. "I hope in all that you managed to complete your mission."
"If Nelson didn't wet himself, then he's got more balls than I gave him credit for."
"I thought he proved that when he kissed both Relena and Trynity."
Heero chuckled. "I guess so." They both laughed, and when it died away, Heero put his hands on Trowa's shoulders. "Whatever you do, Trowa, where ever you go, I hope you will remember that I am your friend."
Not waiting for a response, Heero walked away.
Trowa noticed Catherine standing with Apolo not far away. She was wringing her hands, her face sad and he knew she was close to tears. Trowa nodded to her and she came to him although Apolo remained close enough to protect in case Catherine did something irrational. Trowa knew that Apolo hid a dagger up his sleeve.
"I won't do it!"
"Do it! Are you a baby?" Trey was taunting his trembling imperial guard. His back was to a tree, and Arora was shaking as she aimed an arrow at him.
"We'll see how skilled you are, you little pest."
"I'm not a pest!"
"Stop teasing her!" Apolo seized the bow and arrow from her and tossed it aside.
Trey moved his head, and a fruit fell in his hand. He took a bite, but he was smiling at Arora as juice ran out the corners of his mouth. "Just as I suspected. You are a coward!"
"I'm not a coward!" She glared at him and stomped away to sulk sitting amongst the high weeds where she thought he couldn't see her.
Apolo crossed his arms over his chest. "Why must you do that to my sister?"
"Because I hate her." Trey took another bite of the fruit. "We could be having more fun if she weren't tagging after us."
"All you ever want to do is have fun," commented Apolo.
"I am the crowned prince. I don't need to do anything but have fun." Trey took another bite of the fruit.
"You are right, you are the crowned prince, and that means you will have to kill your father one day to take the throne."
Trey raised his chin. "I will worry about that when the day comes." Suddenly from above, he heard a hiss, and Trey looked up to see a snake hanging from the branch above his head. Before he could move, he was eye to eye with the creature, and it flicked out its tongue to taste the juice from the fruit that was on his face. This particular species wasn't poisonous, but all the same, Trey was startled.
He could hear Arora giggling.
"Get rid of it!" shouted Trey angrily as it licked him again.
Arora and Apolo were openly laughing now, but then Apolo pulled a dagger from his boot, and deftly threw it end over end toward Trey. Trey shrieked and had no time to move as the weapon flew past him and buried into the tree behind him. The snake quickly slithered back up into the branches. Arora was rolling around amongst the weeds laughing.
Trey glared, then realized how foolish he must have looked. He burst into laughter and turned to dig the dagger from the tree. "Where did you learn to do that?" he asked Apolo as he put the dagger in his friend's hand.
Apolo wiped the blade on his tunic. "While you have been playing with Arora, I have been learning useful skills."
"Playing with Arora!" Trey exploded.
Arora jumped to her feet. "I don't play with him!" she shouted angrily.
Apolo laughed and launched his dagger at the tree again.
Trey followed him to retrieve it. "You might have hit me!"
"Never, my lord prince!" Apolo smiled smugly. "My master tells me I am skilled."
Apolo was more proficient than Catherine, thought Trowa now as he looked at his imperial guard. Several times Catherine had nicked him during the circus act, but Apolo's aim had never once wavered. Now Trowa knew why he had been attracted to Catherine's act. He had watched Apolo practice many times.
"I don't know what to say," said Catherine softly. Her eyes were glistening.
"You said it all that day at school when you left," Trowa told her. "I didn't love you; I never could."
"I…I realized that last night when I saw how you looked at that woman."
Trowa reached out to touch her cheek. "There is a place in my heart for you, Cathy. You were there when I needed someone."
She put her hand over his. "I will never forget you."
He took his hand away. "Good-bye, Catherine."
Catherine smiled one last time before turning to walk away.
Apolo didn't follow her, but stood staring at Trowa for several awkward moments before he spoke. "Of all the beautiful women on this forsaken planet, you still chose my sister."
Trowa looked at his hands to see the faint scars that had forever tied him to Apolo and Arora. "I don't think I ever had a choice," he whispered.
Apolo came to him. Trowa expected anger, but he saw sadness in his guard's eyes. "You realize that what you have done is to dishonor my sister. So that you could have little fun with her, she will suffer my father's wrath."
Without thinking, Trowa slapped his face. "How dare you say such a thing! I was not toying with her! I love her! "
Apolo put his hand to his cheek, his eyes filled with shame. Trowa felt regret as he realized that one of the worst insults to a man was to strike him with a hand. Such blows were reserved for beasts and slaves. Before Trowa could find the words to apologize, Apolo spoke. "You say now that you love her, but you know that you can never have her, that she can never have you. She is a dishonored female."
"We are not on Calabria," Trowa reminded him. "She can be mine. She is mine."
"You cannot have her, Trey. You fool yourself into believing that what you have learned from these people can be applied on our planet. Your mother tried and failed, and so will you."
Before he could respond, he saw Duo approaching. Apolo was wrong! He knew in his heart that he could change Calabria and he would, starting with Arora. Wasn't it destiny that the intractable Dax had spared her life so that she could one day stand at his side as his equal?
"Hey, Trowa, did you forget that you're supposed to get your own gundam on the transport? Heavyarms is the only one left in the hanger." Duo scratched his head as he looked Trowa from head to toe, noting his Calabrian clothing. "Did I sleep through something? Should I bow or kneel or kiss your hand?"
Trowa laughed. "No need, Duo. I'll take care of Heavyarms now." His space flight suit was on the transport, so he decided to change there. He would leave Arora sleeping until she absolutely needed to get ready for blast off.
Arora awoke to find Trowa gone. She touched the place beside her and found it cold and wondered why he hadn't awakened her. Sighing, she pulled on her clothing and was combing through her hair when the tent flap opened. She expected to see Trowa and smiled shyly, but it was Apolo. Arora lowered her eyes, then bowed her head. She didn't want to feel shame, and yet she did. What she had allowed to happen with Trey brought dishonor to her family.
"He did not hurt you too badly, did he?" asked Apolo. There was no anger in his voice, only concern.
She did not look up as she shook her head.
"Look at me, Arora."
She did and saw sadness in his eyes.
Apolo sighed. "You fought valiantly, sister, but you were destined to lose the battle against his human passions."
"He wants me to stay with him, here on Earth."
"You know that is impossible!" Apolo picked up her sword which was lying carelessly near the door. He drove it into the ground before her. "When are you going to tell him about this?" He fell to his knees and grabbed her hands, opening them palm up. There were tears in her eyes as she looked at the healing red line that matched the old faint scar on the other. "And this? Did he see this? Did you tell him of your oath to Dilan?"
Arora shook her head and jerked her hands away to wipe her tears.
Apolo took her shoulders and gently shook her. "Don't give him false hope, Arora! You will shatter him!" Her brother drew her into his arms and put her head on his shoulder. "It is best that he stay here among people who will not harm him for who he is and who he would become."
"I know that!" She sobbed. "But I have loved him so long!"
"When we leave, he will be dead to you again," he reminded her gently. Arora held her brother tightly as he said, "Despite all our powers we can never bring Trey back. He is gone to us, has been so since the moment he left us behind."
"I still have my memories," she whispered.
Apolo stroked her hair and she felt comforted. "And now you have memories of a man who calls himself Trowa Barton."