Wastelands, Calabria
As they approached, he realized with utter relief that it was not Dax and his army approaching. Her dark hair whipping around her in the wind, Maeryn waited for them approach. She had returned as she had promised, but with her she brought a small army and Trey was glad to have her on his side.
"You are still alive," she remarked as if faintly surprised when he pulled to a stop beside her horse.
Trey chuckled and would have responded, but Apolo gasped.
"By the gods! Is it really you, Lady Virineia!"
The smile faded from Trey's face and he spun to look from Apolo to the woman. She did not look away, and as their eyes locked, he was stunned to realize the truth.
The beautiful pirate chief was his mother!
"I didn't know she was still alive!" exclaimed Apolo. "Why did you not tell us, Trey?"
Maeryn/Virineia looked at Apolo. "Please leave us. I wish to speak to Trey in private." Her eyes rested briefly on Arora, then she added, "You leave us also. We have many things to discuss."
"They will stay." Trey found his voice. There were so many emotions running through him, that he felt disoriented. He did know that he did not need nor did he want this complication now. "Whatever we have to discuss will have to wait. I am anxious to return to my camp."
"If your camp is over that next ridge, it is no more," Virineia told him.
"What do you mean?" demanded Apolo.
Trey knew what she meant before she had a chance to answer. "Are they all dead?" He was afraid to have to tell Duo and Heero that Trynity and Relena had been killed. He felt sick with grief at the prospect.
She shook her head. "Several women were dead, and there were two women left behind who lay dying, but the others appear to have been captured by the imperials."
"My friends from Earth were there, Trynity and Relena." Trey didn't want to ask, but he had to. "Were they among those killed?"
Virineia shook her head. "One of the women told me that Trynity Stryfe tried to hold them off. Dax was both enraged and impressed. He took her and the Peacecraft princess prisoner."
Trey let out his breath. "They are still alive."
"Knowing Dax, you cannot count on if for long," said Arora. "He has probably already killed Trynity Stryfe for her impudence."
"There were already men at the camp, presumably your forces," said Virineia.
"I left them behind to protect the women," said Trey. He was infuriated, but not surprised, that they would abandon the women.
"I hoped as much." Virineia was judging him. Her eyes told him so. "They did not do as you ordered."
"Where are they now?"
"Back at the camp awaiting your return."
"I thought my men were better disciplined," commented Apolo ruefully.
Trey stared at him. "They are only as disciplined as you are, Apolo. In the same situation, what would you have done?" When Apolo didn't respond, he said, "I thought so! Have you learned nothing? Is it a waste of my time to remain on this barren rock? I should take Arora and Shamara and return to Earth!"
Apolo reached out to touch him. "Please, my lord prince, do not abandon Calabria."
Arora also put a trembling hand to him. "If…if you go, Trey, I…I cannot go with you."
Trey stared at her incredulously. "You would stay here? Do you think I would leave Shamara here?"
She shook her head, and there were tears in her eyes. "I would not want you to leave her."
"Shamara?" Virineia seemed to notice the bundle he carried for the first time. "Is that a child?"
Trey looked at her. "My daughter."
As if she knew they were talking about her, Shamara gave out a cry. Virineia put out her hand as if she wished to touch her, then let it drop. Trey saw the sadness in her eyes, and he knew she wanted to hold her grandchild. But he didn't know what he felt about Virineia yet. His initial feeling was anger that she had abandoned him to grow up under Zeno's thumb. Seeing what she had become he knew she did not lack in resourcefulness, and yet she left him in a hellish nightmare.
"We should return to camp," suggested Arora. "The men are tired and Shamara is hungry."
"My men have already made a camp." Virineia turned her horse back toward her troops, then looked over her shoulder to Trey. "When you need us, we will be ready."
Trey watched her return to her small army, partly glad that she was going, and partly infuriated that she continued to treat him so indifferently. Today he felt betrayed: by Maeryn, his mother, and by Apolo and Arora. He was heartbroken that Arora would not follow him if he chose to leave Calabria. Unable to leave her behind, he had no choice but to stay.
"I am sorry, Trey," she said, meeting his disappointed gaze.
"You were willing to stay on Earth with me," he remarked, thinking of their discussions both on Earth and on the trip to L10. "You agreed that we could return to Earth together."
She looked down at her hands. "I knew you wouldn't go back."
"You knew that, or did you put that thought into my head?" Even though Arora looked away, he saw the tears she wanted to hide. But he couldn't feel remorse for his accusation, and he noted that she hadn't denied it.
Shamara was squirming in his arms. This was a conversation best left for another time. "We had better return to what is left of our camp."
Heero displayed no emotion when Trey informed him of the attack. After listening silently, he pointed out logically that Lady Une must be responsible otherwise Relena and Trynity would have been herded like animals to the market. They had been taken to the Edgeland Fortress, probably to be used as leverage to force them to surrender their gundams into Dax's hands. With such weapons, he would be invincible in these primitive conditions, against the pirates and possibly even against technologically superior Bayman. Trynity's expertise was also of worth to them although it probably galled Lady Une to admit it. Despite the fact that Trynity had proven herself more than capable of taking care of herself, Duo flipped out when he learned of her capture. So he was planning to part from her while she studied deep space? Duo couldn't last a day without his woman! Trey hoped Trynity was safe so that the two could resolve their differences, or at least so that Duo could realize what a moron he had become.
When they returned to the camp, Trey meted out justice to the men who had disobeyed orders. They became carrion for the creatures of the Wastelands following a brief and bloody skirmish that served to raise Trey in the estimation of Apolo's men. Although the remaining men listened to his denunciation of those executed, he doubted his declaration that the women were to be protected would be considered seriously. If anything ensured that they would put some value on the women it was the punishment the others had received. In their eyes it had been justified because the men had not followed orders. Still, not one of them would have remained to protect the women from Dax and his highly trained imperial troops. Not even Apolo.
Trey spent most of the remaining dark hours discussing a plan to rescue Relena and Trynity. He thought it ironic that less than a year ago they had gone like foolish children to the Cinq Kingdom palace to rescue Trynity from a fate worse than death – an evening with Relena Peacecraft. That escapade had been child's play compared to what they were likely going to be going against at the Edgeland imperial fortress commanded by Dax the Demon. While Calabrians fought with weapons which were primitive, they did so because of their sense of honor. They did, however, possess technology through their trading efforts with Bayman, a planet that was almost as advanced as Earth. Edgeland Fortress was guarded by sophisticated scanning equipment, and in addition to the imperial warbirds, other weapons including laser cannons were stored there as well. The fortress was heavily guarded, and was the most likely place for Relena and Trynity to have been taken. After much discussion with Duo, Heero, and Apolo they came up with a plan.
The first dawn was approaching when Trey ducked into his tent where Arora had gone several hours earlier to care for Shamara. Arora was sleeping soundly with the baby tucked against her. While he was glad that she had come to accept her daughter, Trey's feelings were in turmoil. He did not lie down next to her, but wrapped himself in his cloak a few feet away. She had hurt him by declaring she would remain on Calabria if he left. Worse, he now doubted not only his memories, but also his motivation to stay here. Was it possible that he was not really Trey? He had so many memories now, and more returned from a glimpse of something, a sound, a smell. Yet he also knew that Arora and Apolo could be responsible for everything he remembered. Every memory he had up to now could was also shared by them. They could not give him memories they did not know of themselves, and as he stared now at his jeweled sword, he felt a wave of doubt. Trey could not remember what had happened that night. His mind was blank.
Did that mean he was not Trey? Were Arora and Apolo using him? Wattan called him a pretender after offering to aid him, and Joran, whose own son perished on his sword five years ago, also called him the pretender. The old chieftain had not seemed to recognize him. Trey feared that Arora and Apolo were using him against Zeno and Dax, or that Dax was using him through Arora and Apolo against Zeno and Dilan. Even Wattan could be using him to cause dissension among the imperial guard. Trey had seen enough of Calabria through the memories given to him to realize there was a power struggle underway between Zeno and Dax. Where did he fit in the picture? Where did Arora and Apolo? Whose side were they on?
What about Maeryn? She had convinced him that he was crown prince Trey of Calabria, but she could be a liar as well. She had not been honest with him by pretending to be someone else. While he knew nothing of her past, Trey did know that Maeryn was bitterly opposed to Zeno the Butcher. Perhaps the Lady Virineia was using him to get revenge for her slain son.
Deep in thought, he was startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Arora's concerned face. "Come to bed, Trey." She reached out to touch his face, but he jerked his head back.
"Don't touch me, Arora." He didn't want her thoughts in his head.
Arora moved away quickly. "I am sorry, my lord prince." She fought tears as she watched him wrap his cloak tighter, then lay down facing away from her. After several moments, she could tell he was sleeping by the rhythm of his sighs, but she couldn't sleep. After making certain that Shamara would be warm as she slept, Arora left the tent and sought Apolo. Because there were no females remaining in the camp, he was dozing propped against a tree, his sword beside him. Arora hoped Trey didn't leave him on guard duty, because he would be furious to discover him sleeping.
Her soft footfalls awoke him, and she stopped abruptly when his sword flashed and she felt it against her ribs. "It is I," she said.
He set aside the sword, then gathered her into his arms when she came to him. "So Trey is angry," he said as she put her head on his shoulder.
"I cannot leave my home," she said. "He could never understand us, Apolo. Trey is still afraid of us, even after all we have been through together."
"Perhaps we made a mistake by forcing his memories back to him." Apolo was stroking her hair. "But we could not leave him behind on Earth. He was born to rule Calabria, not Dilan."
"I think Trey is doubting himself."
"What do you mean that you think he is? What did your Guerani sense tell you when you touched him?"
Arora burrowed closer to him. "He wouldn't let me touch him," she whispered. She felt ashamed that Trey had rejected her.
"Trey fears us, Arora, no matter how much he loves us. We are people of the sacred hills, those who served the gods and who carry them inside of us." Apolo kissed the top of her head. "Much has happened today, Arora. Remember that he is half-human, with feelings that we do not understand after living so long amongst the barbarian Calabrians. We can guess how Zeno's rejection is affecting him. The man has put a price on his head without even knowing whether the pretender is his son or not. Trey was raised as the crowned prince, and to suddenly find himself in the position of usurper has him confused. To add to his turmoil, I do not think Trey knew that woman was his mother. He would not talk about her to me, and he was careful not to touch me either."
"I thought she was dead," said Arora. "Why would she leave him behind? If she were a Calabrian woman, I would understand, but those humans value their children." She had been very young at the time, but she remembered the kindness of Lady Virineia when she cared for her cut hand. Only days later the emperor's wife had disappeared while Zeno was gone on a raid in the Wastelands. Dax forced the entire household into mourning, so that when Zeno returned it was to the wails of the women and the tears of his young son. Zeno had been so infuriated that he killed the court physician with his own hands although the man denied being at fault. But she hadn't died. She had fled Calabria without her son.
"Trey has been hurt by her too," Apolo sighed. "So much pain! Is it any wonder he would want to return to a place where he was accepted?"
"I would die without him." Arora could not imagine returning to the half-life she had been living after Trey's first disappearance.
"We are the last of our kind, you and I. Without you, I would have no reason to live either."
Arora looked up at his face. "Why don't you listen to Trey and consider females as something more than objects of be played with?"
"I don't have time to protect a woman," he replied.
"You protect me," she pointed out.
"That is different. We are bound by the blood of our mother and father."
"We don't have a father!" Arora couldn't stop the tears as she remembered Dax's last look when he left her to die. "He hates us because of what we are."
"He is afraid of us."
"I think he killed our mother. He knows that we are Guerani."
"He tried to kill me too," Apolo told her. "Except that I am sure he sent Dilan to do his dirty work. Little surprise I yet live!"
Dax was a man Arora did not understand. As she thought about her life, she realized that he had never allowed her to touch him, and she guessed the same was true of Apolo. She knew the reason; he feared their powers too, but he could not expose them without shaming his house. Zeno had further dishonored Dax by bringing her back from the Wastelands, and then again when he took Arora into his house as Trey's imperial guard.
"I do not understand why Dilan would do anything for Dax when he refused to give you to him," commented Apolo.
"Why does Dilan persist after all that has happened?" Arora had no illusions about her status. She was a disgraced woman, now the whore of the pretender to the throne.
Apolo laughed and chucked under her chin. "Because you are beautiful, Arora. You are strong, intelligent, and I suspect he knows of our powers. With you at his side, he could become even more feared than Zeno."
"How could he have discovered what we are?"
"His mother, I imagine. Xuxa may have retained our mother as her handmaiden because of her powers."
"She wanted me for Dilan," Arora reminded him. "She was furious when Trey freed me the first time."
"I believe that Xuxa and Dax struggle for control of Zeno."
"Virineia must have been in the way."
"As well as Trey." Apolo forced her head to his chest. "Get some sleep. Do not worry about Trey. He loves you. When he has had some time to think about it, he will come to his senses. You may wish to have some rest when he comes begging for forgiveness."
Arora could not be as certain as her brother. She cried to sleep and awoke some time later when Apolo gently shook her. Both suns had already risen, and she turned to see Trey approaching with the baby.
"She's hungry." He dumped Shamara in her lap, jerking his hands away quickly so she could not touch him, then turned on his heel and walked to a waiting horse.
Apolo hurried to seize another unsaddled horse. "Wait, my lord prince!"
"I wait for no one," stated Trey as he leapt on the horse, then spurred it away.
Although Shamara was screaming at the top of her lungs for nourishment, Arora tucked her close and hurried to help Apolo bridle and saddle the animal. "Where is he going?"
"He is headed in the direction of Lady Virineia's camp."
"Keep him safe!" Trey was a fool to ride out without an escort. There were even men in the warlord's camp who wouldn't think twice about killing him to collect the ransom on his head whether he was the crown prince or not.
Apolo mounted the horse. "I will protect him with my life."
"I know that!" Arora watched him go, then turned her attention to the baby. She trusted her brother.
Trey raced across the sands, not caring that he had left Apolo behind. He didn't want to make this trip, but he had no choice. Only Virineia could help them to infiltrate the fortress. He had considered sending Heero or Duo to solicit her help, but he knew that was the coward's way. This was something Trey had to do.
Several minutes had passed before he saw the encampment near a much smaller oasis than that of the warlord. He saw what appeared to be massive boulders on either side of the pirate camp, but before he could draw nearer, he heard a shout, and turned to see a half dozen men on horses racing to cut him off.
"Death to the pretender!"
Trey drew his sword and managed to slay the first man to reach him. The second man slashed at his horse's hind legs, dropping it to the ground and effectively cutting off his escape. Trey jumped from the horse and rolled to stand in time to keep from being sliced in half by another attacker. By their dress, he guessed they were men from Joran's village, and he hoped this was not an indication of how Joran's meeting with his warriors had gone. He put up his sword to protect himself. Why had he left camp without Apolo?
"Shamara!" As if his thoughts could summon him, Apolo raced over the ridge crying the imperial battle cry, and leaping from his horse with his sword held like a spear, he drove it straight through one of the attacking men. Jerking it out, he did a flip so that he landed with his back to Trey's.
"Took you long enough," remarked Trey, keeping his back to Apolo as they faced at least four men.
Apolo laughed. "I am displeased that you would want to hoard this fun to yourself."
They had no more time for banter as the men attacked them. Remaining together, Trey and Apolo fought them, but despite their superior skill as imperial warriors, the attackers were strong and their determination to get their hands on the reward offered by the emperor prolonged the battle. Apolo managed to kill another while Trey wounded one. When the tide seemed to turn in their favor, a shout of triumph from one of the men made Trey look in the distance to see others were arriving.
"I didn't think I was going to die in the Wastelands," remarked Trey bitterly as a dozen men raced in to attack.
"No place is a good place to die, but I would rather die with you this day than to live a long life without you."
Trey laughed as he swung his sword. "No offense, Apolo, but I would rather live a long life than die with you in the Wastelands."
Just as the reinforcements arrived, horsemen from the pirate camp raced towards them to intercept. Trey and Apolo managed to hold off the attackers until the pirates arrived to either kill or chase off the men. Trey did not even realize he was injured until Apolo asked if his wound was serious. One of the men had slashed through his robes to draw blood over his ribs. Now that the fight was over, he felt the wound burning, and his clothing was soaking with blood. He felt dizzy, and when he swayed, Apolo caught him in his arms.
"Don't let me die without seeing Arora again," he murmured. Trey didn't hear Apolo's response as he drifted out of consciousness.
When he awoke later, he heard Apolo talking and a woman responding. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up but he felt the pain across his chest. "Arora?" Turning his head to seek the source of the voices, he saw Apolo standing near the woman he had known as Maeryn.
She lowered her eyes and turned away. Without speaking, she left them alone in the tent. Apolo came to his side. "You are going to live, so I didn't bother sending for my sister. I think she might be a little distressed to see how much a weakling you are."
Apolo was laughing at him.
Glancing down, Trey saw that he was bandaged. "I am not seriously injured?"
"Lady Virineia thinks you were over-exhausted. You were not even bleeding anymore." Apolo's lips were twitching with suppressed laughter.
Trey glared at him. "If you laugh, brother, and I will wipe that smirk off your face." He sat up from the comfortable bed of pillows and shoved a clean tunic over his head. Glancing around, he wasn't surprised to see the comfort and luxury in the huge, study. On the pirate satellite, Maeryn had impressed him with the grandeur of her surroundings, but now he was disgusted by what he perceived as the decadence of the emperor's wife. "Send her in," he ordered Apolo. He wanted nothing more than to conclude this business swiftly and return to Arora.
Apolo snickered as he headed to the opening where he paused to look back at him. "Don't be harsh on her, my lord prince. She did save your life!"
He ducked out before he could hear Trey swear.
A few moments later, Virineia entered the tent. Their eyes met, and Trey looked away first. The sight of her made his insides churn. She may not have outright lied to him, but she had not been completely honest. He had come to respect and to trust her on the satellite, and now he felt disgusted that he could be so completely fooled.
"Are you feeling better? Are you hungry?" Without waiting for his response, she opened the tent and issued an order for food. A moment elapsed before she took a tray from outside and brought it to where he now sat cross-legged. Trey was hungry. He took food and ate without speaking. She didn't speak either as she poured herself a drink that smelled suspiciously like wine, but alcohol did not exist on Calabria. Trey shuddered to think of how drunk Calabrians would behave.
She poured him a cup. "I have managed to cultivate my own grapes on the satellite."
So she was drinking wine! Trey enjoyed the smooth taste and drained the cup. He reached for the stoneware jug.
"Don't drink too much," she warned him with a smile. "Your Calabrian blood cannot handle it."
Trey let his hand drop. Was that why he couldn't drink more than a glass of wine on Earth before he began to get extremely disoriented. "How can I be sure that I am Calabrian?" he asked, meeting her eyes.
Virineia raised her chin. She wore a jeweled gold circlet around her forehead, and he thought to himself that she was a worthy mate for Zeno. Treacherous, cold-hearted, she had been ready to slit his throat on the satellite had he proven to be molded in the image of Zeno the Butcher although she knew he was her flesh and blood. He wondered if there was any maternal feeling in her heart of stone.
"You are my son, Trey."
"When I had no name and no memory, I became Trowa Barton. Then Apolo and Arora gave me memories and suddenly I was Trey of Calabria." He glared at her. "Why should I believe any of you?"
"I understand that you are confused. But you can trust me, Trey, when I tell you I could be no more certain that you are my son."
"Why should I trust you?" He shoved away the tray of food so that it overturned. Trey couldn't help the hurt that flowed through him as she stared at him impassively. His stomach ached from the emotion.
"You have no reason to trust me, Trey." She came to be near him. Trey closed his hands into fists, thinking how much he would enjoy hitting her. His nerves were wound so tightly he almost did lash out when she put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't claim to be your mother. That role was taken from me."
"Zeno?" He asked through gritted teeth. "Are you going to blame him?"
"Zeno, Dax, Xuxa. I know not. Does it matter now? They all share the blame, of that I am certain. Zeno because he failed to protect me, and Dax because he is a bastard of the lowest degree who would do anything to further Zeno's power. I understand Xuxa's motivations. She is the woman Zeno abandoned, left with a son to protect. You and I took everything away from her, Trey. So she used Dax to dispose of me, and Dilan to remove you." Virineia sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore, Trey. That is the past."
He wanted to shout that it mattered to him, but he forced back his anger. Trey had not come here to demand answers. "I need your help." It was galling to admit it. "My friends and I have a plan to penetrate the imperial fortress on the Edgeland, but we need a diversion."
"That should be simple enough to arrange. Follow me."
He followed her out of the tent, and she directed his attention to the hulking shapes that he had thought were gigantic boulders. They were actually cleverly disguised, but he was surprised, then furious to recognize the outline of the gundams, both Wing and Deathscythe.
"What are they doing here?" he demanded, spinning to look at her. "I told you on the satellite that I would not use the technology of Earth to take what is rightfully mine!"
She sighed. "You are a fool, Trey, to think Zeno won't do anything – anything! – to keep his hold on the throne. He would not hesitate to use the gundams."
"I will take what is mine over his body, not on the rubble of what is left of Calabria when the gundam firepower has destroyed it!" Trey glared at her. "You should not have brought them here!"
"I had hoped that you would see that you need them. Have you formed any alliances beyond that which you have with the warlord, Apolo, son of Dax the Demon?"
Trey looked around for Apolo and did not see him. Virineia stood with her arms folded over her chest, her brows raised. "Are you suggesting Apolo may not be my ally? You do not know…"
"You do not know! You question my motives while you keep at your side a Guerani survivor who has just as much reason to manipulate you into destroying the emperor as anyone!" Her anger burst free. "This planet is a cesspool of evil and betrayal! You should go back to Earth where you can live in peace! There is nothing here but desert sands and vicious, brutal men. "
"Perhaps I am one of those vicious, brutal men!"
"If I believed that, I would have ended your life on the satellite."
"I didn't come here to argue with you or listen to your suspicions. I asked for your help. I have no intention of using the gundams. I wanted your men to attack the fortress, and while the imperials were busy chasing them off, one of us was going to sneak inside to disable the security system."
She glared at him. "Do you really think you have any chance?"
"I have to try it my way."
"If you fail, I will take your woman and child away from this place."
"Arora will not go." He thought of his sweet, infant daughter, and added, "I would rather Shamara live or die on Calabria."
Tears made Virineia's eyes shine. "Why did you save her?"
"Because I love her and I wanted her to live, but if it is not her destiny…"
"She is Guerani, Trey. If she bonded with you, she must have shown you her destiny."
He raised a brow. "How did you know…?"
"Because I knew about Valerya, and Arora must have shown Dax something to make him spare her the death in the sands when she was born. What other reason would he have?" She looked away and wiped a tear from her eye, but she said no more. "My men will attack the fortress at the setting of the second sun. Be ready then."
Trey watched her walk away, then sought Apolo who was waiting with horses. As they rode back to his own camp, Trey wondered if he had any reason not to trust Apolo. Dax was his father, but Dax had never shown Apolo any but superficial approval. He had been as abandoned in Trey's suite as Arora had been. The difference was that Apolo had earned his father's grudging approval whereas Arora never could. Trey could not distrust Apolo and he should not have let Virineia question his motives for helping him. Apolo was a pleasure-loving man whose loyalty was deep to him and to Arora, not a wizard bent on avenging the death of his people.
When they arrived back at the camp, Trey wanted nothing more than to apologize to Arora for his behavior. But he was immediately set upon by Duo. "You are not going to believe who has arrived to help us!"
Trey didn't have a chance to guess before the tent flap opened and a bright blond head emerged. "Quatre!"
Quatre hurried to him and threw his arms around him. "Trowa! Trowa I have missed you! I didn't think I would ever see you again!"
"I am sure you were hoping likewise," remarked another familiar voice, and he looked up from Quatre to see Wufei standing outside a tent with his arms folded over his chest.
Trey pushed Quatre back from him. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Testing one of Dr. Stryfe's theories," replied Wufei. "He was quite certain that the wormhole was opening to the same galaxy."
"I suppose he's worried about Trynity." In his place, Trey would be worried sick about Shamara.
Quatre giggled. "He thinks she's fine with Maxwell."
Duo frowned. "She was fine with me."
"Nelson requested permission from the king to allow us to enter the wormhole," continued Wufei.
"Nelson?"
Heero answered Trey's query. "Nelson has been given command of L10, just as I thought he might."
"Temporary command," amended Wufei. "Anyway, the traitor Nelson got us permission, and we went through the wormhole. The king is concerned about Relena, but he is more worried about possible war with the Calabrians."
"How did you manage to get through without damage to your craft?"
"Dr. Stryfe studied the data collected when the Calabrians left our system. He discovered that they shut off all power just as the gravitational pull trapped them in the vortex. Apparently the energy in the wormhole overloads the systems, so we did as he suggested and when we came through, we were able to power up our shuttle."
"You came on a shuttle, not your gundams?" Trey was glad there were no more gundams.
"Nelson wasn't about to let two more gundams slip away. Are the other three all right? The king wants them returned to L10 as soon as possible."
Trey felt guilty in admitting, "I'm afraid Heavyarms won't be going back. I detonated it."
Quatre and Wufei stared at him with open mouths. Wufei recovered sooner. "I'm sure you had your reasons."
Not a single good reason, Trey thought regretfully.
"Heero and Duo told us about your rescue mission." Quatre grinned at him. "You can count us in."
Trey narrowed his eyes. "No screwing around this time, Winner. This is serious."
Quatre winked. "You can count on me."
Trey knew they wanted to talk to him more, but he had something else to take care of, so he excused himself and headed to his tent. He wanted to take Arora in his arms and beg her forgiveness. But when he entered his tent, he saw that Arora was not alone. Ryana of Bayman was bouncing a whimpering Shamara on her lap as Arora sat nearby watching with a pained expression on her face.
"She'll be the most spoiled princess! Won't you, little Shamara? You will have all of Calabria and Bayman at your feet."
Trey looked from Arora to Ryana. "What are you talking about?"
Ryana quickly thrust Shamara into Arora's arms and hurried to throw herself against Trey. "Prince Trey! You have returned!" She tried to kiss him, but Trey shoved her back.
"What are you doing here?" He was afraid he knew the answer.
"I came with Wufei and Quatre. Our ships met near the pirate satellite where I was headed to find you. My father expects us to marry." She shrugged as a complacent smile curved her lips. "I know how things are on this planet. You may keep Arora as your concubine, and I think your daughter is adorable. You can keep her too."
"What makes you think I will marry you?" he demanded, keenly aware that Arora was deeply upset by Ryana's words.
The princess' smile did not fade. She was very sure of herself, but she had reason to be. "Because if you do not marry me, I will offer myself to Zeno. I don't care for Dilan; he is not a man, but if you will not take me, I will join with your father and he will become the recipient of my father's armed forces. You cannot refuse."
When had Ryana become a calculating bitch? "What makes you think you can walk out of my camp if I refuse to marry you?"
She shrugged. "You won't refuse. There is too much at stake." She glanced at Arora who was now nursing Shamara. "She knows as well as you that your insurrection is doomed to failure without the might to back it. Besides, you couldn't marry her! Why would you want a Calabrian female?" In her eyes the women of his home planet had as much worth as a dog.
Trey knew there was only one thing he could do. "What makes a marriage legitimate?" he asked as he controlled his frustrated anger. Arora was concentrating on her daughter, not even looking at him. She would make this sacrifice for him without him having to discuss it with her.
"Mutual vow before witnesses. A ceremony would be nice, but not necessary."
"It is the same on Calabria." He grabbed her arm. "I have mutual vow to make. Come with us, Arora." He dragged the laughing princess outside the tent. Arora followed although she did so reluctantly, bravely holding back the tears that made her golden eyes shine.
"I would like each and every one of you to listen to me!" He shouted to get the attention of his men. Apolo took a step forward, his concern for Arora obvious, but stopped when Trey put up his hand.
Trey released Ryana. "I have tried to make you men value your women, but I have not set a good example. I will take a woman as my wife this day. She will be my only woman, from this day forward. I will not have a concubine, nor will I ever condone such practices under my rule."
The men were staring at him in confusion and disbelief. Ryana was smiling smugly, awaiting his announcement. "I am not a full-blooded Calabrian," he continued. "I am half-human, with human feelings. My love has made me stronger, not weak." He turned and held out his hand to Arora. "I want you to be my wife, Arora, daughter of Dax."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "But Trey…"
"Take my hand, Arora, and remain at my side for the remainder of our days. I want no other; I could not live without you."
"But…" She looked at Ryana who was staring incredulously at them. Her big brown eyes came back to him. "What of Bayman?"
"What of Bayman? I have no need of them. I have need of you, Arora. I love you. I could not bear life without you at my side."
With a trembling hand she reached out to him, and he drew her to him.
"She is such a stupid little pest! Why do you force me to keep her at my side? I hate her!"
"You are young and foolish!" Zeno glared down at him and Trey trembled. "She is our destiny, Trey!"
"What do you mean?" Trey demanded. "How can a female be my destiny?"
"Some day you will understand! For now, keep her safe!"
Trey could tell from the shadows in the tent that the sun was beginning to set. Arora was sleeping, her arms around him, her head in his shoulder, and he was reluctant to leave her, but he had made plans to attack the fortress. He leaned down to kiss Arora's parted lips and she opened her eyes, then smiled sleepily as she stretched. "Are you leaving?"
"I hope to be back by morning with Relena and Trynity. The camp needs to be moved, so I have already given orders to that effect. I don't think the men will disobey." He kissed her again. "They would not dare let any harm befall my wife."
"I still cannot believe we have done this. I am not worthy of you, my lord prince."
Trey was laughing as he left their bed to search out his clothing. "I am not worthy of you, Arora. Let's leave it at that or I'll start to wonder what it means that we are not worth of each other." When he was finished dressing, he reached for his sword, but when he raised it, he realized it was not his, but the sword Arora carried.
A sweat broke out over his forehead as he held his father's sword in his hand. The room was spinning around him. "Trey!" he heard Arora call as he fell to his knees.
"Are you here to challenge me over a woman?" Zeno tossed aside his cup. Xuxa pulled her gaping robe together and stepped back.
Trey was trembling as he raised his sword. "If I must kill you to make Arora mine, then I will."
Zeno threw back his head in mocking laughter. "You are a weak fool, Trey!"
"Did you not kill your father to have my mother?"
"I thought there was value in your mother!" Zeno curled his lip in scorn. "What value can you get from Dax's female?"
"I love her!" Trey felt tears prick his eyes. He shouldn't do this! He couldn't do this! But he would dare anything for her.
Zeno stepped closer to his own sword. "Love? Ah, yes, that wondrous human emotion! Virineia claimed to love me, but she rejected me when I proved myself unworthy of her love. You don't love Arora! You want to take her as your woman. I won't fight you because you want to mate with your imperial guard. Do it and leave me out of it. There isn't a man in the palace who doesn't believe she is already your whore."
"You filthy bastard!" Once he swung his sword at his father, there was no going back. The metal of his own connected with Zeno's imperial blade.
"It has begun," cried Xuxa excitedly as her son seemed to appear from no where to stand at her side.
"He cannot defeat Zeno," said Dilan. "Tomorrow what was his will be mine!"
Dax stood in the shadows watching with his arms folded. His dark eyes chilled Trey to his very soul.
The sword dropped from Trey's hand, and when he looked at Arora, startled by his memory, he saw that she was concerned.
"I…I fought my father!"
"That is not possible! You could not have challenged Zeno and yet still live, not if he does as well. Do you remember anything else?"
"Xuxa and Dilan were there. Dax…Dax was there." Trey shuddered as he remembered.
"What happened?" She reached out for his hands, but he did not allow her to touch him. This was a memory he wanted to find on his own.
"I don't know." He picked up the sword again, but he felt nothing but cold steel. He saw no more.
Disappointed, he tossed it aside. "I have to go, Arora." Pulling her into his arms, he held her close. "I love you, Arora." He would do anything for her. What had he done in the past?
"She is our destiny, Trey."
As he held her in his arms, he wondered how she could be Zeno's destiny. His eyes fell on the sword. Why did she carry his sword?
Only Zeno knew the answer to that question.
But Trey felt joy in his heart because for the first time in many years, he was sure of who he was.