Mars Colony
There were worse ways to spend a morning, thought Trynity as she snuggled closer to the body keeping her warm. She lightly traced the muscles on Duo's upper body, mentally naming them and comparing them to the pictures in her medical textbooks. She used to name them out loud to Lars when he helped her study for exams. When they were first married, his muscles were as toned as Duo's were now, but the time spent taking care of the children and taken its toll on him.
"Babe, I hope you aren't thinking of Lars Nelson," grumbled Duo. "Because I'm nice and cozy right now and I think it would hurt my feelings."
She smiled and looked up at him. This was the most relaxed she'd seen Duo since his return into her life. Trynity felt peaceful herself, but that was to be expected in the aftermath of the storm that had raged between them. When he hauled her out of the house, she expected to argue, but once they came to this spot and he dropped her to her feet, exchanging heated words with him was the last thing she wanted. Some things got better with age, she thought. She just hoped he wasn't thinking of the woman he left behind.
"I'm not thinking of Lars," she lied. He didn't need to have his feelings hurt over something so petty.
"What made you marry him, Trynity? Did you do it because you thought it would get back at me?"
"I needed someone to love me," she confessed. "And I never doubted his feelings for me."
Duo hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head. "I made a very stupid mistake, but don't ever doubt me again, Trynity. I'll never do anything to hurt you."
After a moment of silence, she commented, "I don't know anything about your life." Although, Trynity had work to do at the clinic, lying around in a grassy nest in the forest with Duo Maxwell seemed to be more important at the moment. She just hoped that no one stumbled on them or she might lose any respectability she had left.
"What do you want to know?"
She really wanted to know about his relationship with Larya, but she couldn't bring herself to ask. Taeron's mother was a jealous wound inside of Trynity that she feared would never heal. "What happened after you escaped the transport?"
His soft laughter was bitter. "Where do I start? I suppose from the beginning. Newt picked me up and took me on a raid. I guess I was expecting more of what we did when Virinea was in charge on the pirate satellite. Newt had other plans. He said we were attacking a Baymani freighter carrying goods from the frontier, and since I didn't have any particular feelings for the Baymani, I went along. What choice did I have?"
"It wasn't a freighter," Trynity guessed.
He moved anxiously and she knew that to this day whatever had happened bothered him. "I didn't discover until later that it was a civilian transport carrying families from different Baymani outposts back to their planet. Newt had me wait on the fighter to scan for Baymani patrols, and while I was obliviously watching out for him and his men, they murdered men and children and raped the women that they subsequently took to the frontier to sell. All the while I thought they were securing the ship to tow it."
She knew how he must have felt to discover the truth. "When did you find out?"
"After he disposed of the ship on the frontier, we stopped at an abandoned Baymani research outpost over Varoonya, a planet near the frontier. It had become a den of some pretty disgusting people. Think of the worst sector on L2 and multiply that by a thousand and maybe then you can imagine the outpost in delta quadrant. From Newt's description of the place, I had decided to stay on the ship in port, but I got hungry and bored, so I left to check the place out. Second worst decision of my life." He glanced at her and she knew what the worst mistake had been. She wasn't going to disagree.
"It's a long story, babe, but I ended up being enslaved by a nasty individual and forced to work in the bowels of the outpost to fix their failing systems. Instead, I sabotaged it as the Baymani had intended countless centuries earlier."
"I didn't realize that their civilization had been so advanced," she commented, remembering their simpering princess.
"Yeah, well, they have fallen a long way. Good riddance. We'll probably never know exactly what they did on that side of the wormhole and maybe even on this side as well. I doubt a more arrogant race ever existed." He fell silent for a moment, probably thinking about the people that Trynity guessed from his tone he despised. "I escaped the failing outpost and Newt chased me back to the pirate satellite where I discovered that the wormhole had not reopened."
He took a deep breath, and she knew how he must have felt because she had suffered those long months, hoping in vain that the wormhole would reopen. At least the had the comfort of her friends and family, and Lars had stayed by her side, never letting her forget that he would stay there if only she would have him.
"The pirates chased me to Calabria where I crashed. What happened after that is a very long story. Let's just say that Trey had a hell of a time maintaining control, and since I wasn't sure what I was going to do, I decided to stay and help him. I don't think I need to tell you how sadly lacking my skills were to survive on Calabria. I started my training with children, and I had to work twice as hard, but it helped to keep my mind off that wormhole. Trey included me in his family and made a home for me in his household. I often took care of his children." He smiled at his own memories and Trynity's heart seemed to squeeze in her chest. Duo must have given the love he could have had for their children to Trey's.
"I am surprised that his people would reject his rule," said Trynity, hoping it would divert him from talking about his personal life. She suddenly didn't want to hear about it because it made her decision not to tell him she was pregnant worse than it already was.
"You should know by now that there are always people who prefer chaos to order, and who consider justice a sign of weakness. His edicts concerning the treatment of women caused much of the discontent. Many imperial households refused to keep their women to the point of gathering armies to oppose Trey. The worst insurrection happened less than a year into his reign. Trey was in the Wastelands, and I was with Arora when his strongest rival attacked and sacked Imperia. We managed to defeat him, and his threat to Trey's rule ended on the edge of a sword. But after that, there were so many battles led by warlords who hoped to step into the vacuum left by his removal."
Although Trynity had seen him use his sword, she had a hard time imagining him fighting in primitive battles. From what she remembered of Calabria, they did not even use projectiles like arrows except for hunting. They considered it dishonorable to use anything but swords and daggers.
"After a few years of witnessing and participating in bloody conflicts, and knowing that I was probably never going to return to the terran system, I started to lose my mind. And once Trey's rule was stable, he started having trouble with the Baymani concerning the pirate satellite. So I decided to go there and fix it for him before we ended up fighting them."
Trynity cringed, knowing he was going to talk about Larya.
He turned to look at her. "You probably won't believe me, but I didn't betray you, Trynity, not in all those years on Calabria."
Taeron was proof otherwise, but she didn't say so.
"Larya is the only woman I was ever with, and I didn't intend for that to happen."
Hearing that he had only been with that woman made it worse. Would she feel better learning that he had enjoyed his separation from her with countless women? Trynity knew that she would, and she realized with startling clarity how he must have felt to discover she had spent all that time with Lars.
"You feel tense, babe."
"I should get back to the clinic." But she didn't move. Trynity didn't want to leave his embrace. She didn't even care that her father and Stryfe would know what she had been doing all morning. She felt entitled to a diversion, despite the danger they were all facing. Maybe if they stayed hidden in the tall grass like this for a few days, by the time they emerged, Quatre Winner will have been arrested.
"Would you like to hear the rest?"
Trynity didn't want to hear about Larya, didn't even want Duo thinking about her. So she rolled over and stretched out over him as she leaned down to kiss him. "Later, Lord Duo. I have a better way to spend the time right now."
"You've always used your time wisely, Trynity."
Later she was satisfied that he wouldn't be thinking about Larya, but as he dozed in the afternoon sun peeking through the trees, Trynity imagined him with the other woman. The images disturbed her, probably as much as Duo's thoughts about Lars disturbed him. Yet Larya was living, breathing, and possibly pregnant with Duo's daughter. Trynity didn't have the courage to ask him about her. She was afraid his answers would hurt, and she had suffered enough without inviting more pain.
Now she could hear their names being called in the distance. Trynity ignored them, but Duo stirred from his nap. He blinked a few times, then smiled down at her. "I thought I was dreaming."
"Let's just dream a little more." She tightened her arms around him.
"I would rather Stryfe didn't find us like this."
"He is probably still at the clinic caring for my patients." Reluctantly, she pushed herself away from Duo who sat up and started hunting for his clothing.
"Is Stryfe interested in pursuing a career in medicine?" asked Duo as he dressed.
Trynity laughed. "Not him. I don't know what he wants to do. He can decide that after he puts in his obligatory year in the Space Defense Alliance. He has always shown an interest in linguistics, so I hope he will pursue it, especially if it makes him happy."
"Quynn is half-way through her year and she still doesn't know what she wants," he remarked. "I know piloting a gundam is not at the top of her list."
Trynity didn't respond as she finished buttoning her shirt. Duo and Quynn must have had some father-daughter conversations. She should be happy that they had developed some rapport, but Trynity felt a little jealous since she hadn't had time to have that discussion with her. She had been too busy with her medical practice.
Reminded of her obligations, she said, "I must have a lot of patients waiting for me." She picked through her hair to pull out twigs and grass.
Duo dug through his own hair, then slipped an arm around her waist. "Some day, babe, we won't have to go through this ritual. I enjoy our nature-loving excursions, but just once I'd like to lounge around in a bed without the fear that old man Stryfe is going to interrupt us."
"I heard that!" Dr. Stryfe walked into the clearing, then called out, "they're over here and neither of them appears to be injured." Her father snorted. "I didn't think he had it in him."
"Father!" She wasn't sure if she liked this side to him.
"I hope you realize, young man, that where ever you intend to drag my daughter, you're taking me, so don't think you're going to have it easy. I'm an old man in my waning years, and I need my daughter to take care of me."
"I have a big enough palace and enough guards to keep you out of my hair," laughed Duo.
Trynity frowned at both of them. "I don't appreciate the two of you making plans without considering my feelings!" The sight of the two grinning fools was enough to make her temper bubble up. "I am not leaving Mars Colony! The people here need me. My home is here!"
"Here we go," muttered Dr. Stryfe, rolling his eyes.
Duo's arm dropped from her waist. "But…"
"But what? Did you think what we did was going to make me follow after you like a begging puppy?" When he scratched his head and looked away, she realized he did think everything had changed. She stamped her foot angrily. "You're not that good!"
She was so furious that she couldn't say anything more, so she stomped away in the direction of the clinic. The two morons in her life could just make up a new plan or decide that they weren't going to get her to do what they wanted. Trynity was not going to leave the suffering people of this colony.
Stryfe was at the clinic with Shamara who looked as though she was trying to heal her aching head and failing. Only a few patients had visited the clinic because Quatre's men were out in force terrorizing innocent victims in place of the Calabrians they really wanted. Trynity took pity on Shamara and gave her a few painkillers, then scolded her about her behavior.
"You could have gotten yourself into a great deal of trouble," she finished.
Shamara was rubbing her temples. "Did I hear Dr. Stryfe say that my father…?"
Trynity interrupted her. "If your father were here, I am sure he would be saying the same thing."
"But…"
"No buts. I am sure he will be very displeased when he hears of your behavior." Trynity felt guilty when she saw tears gather in the young woman's eyes.
"I can't do anything right!" She threw herself against Trynity who patted her back as she sobbed. "My father is probably furious with me already for coming here with Lord Duo without his permission, and now…now I have given him a reason to be ashamed."
"I don't think your father could ever be ashamed of you, Shamara." She took a tissue and wiped Shamara's eyes. "Soon enough, you will be going back home and you will see that I am right."
"He will probably be happy when Dagan takes me off his hands," sniffed Shamara.
Trynity laughed. "Trey will probably be very sad because I know how very much he loves you. I hope that Dagan can live up to the high expectations I am sure your father has for him."
"He is a dunce," snapped Shamara. Trynity was amazed by her sudden change of spirit and decided that the pills must be doing their work. "I must constantly rescue him, and now he has gone off on another silly quest, and this time without me!"
"Men can be quite foolish."
"Do you think I should follow him and rescue him again?" asked Shamara.
Trynity shook her head. "It would be far too dangerous for you and especially for Taeron."
"Taeron is out cold. I kicked him to wake him and he did not move. Do not worry, doctor! He is fine, but I think his Calabrian half is regretting very much what he has done. I have noted that my human grandmother enjoys fermented fruit juices, but when my father drinks it, he becomes very sick. I have heard her blame his Calabrian half."
Trynity thought it more likely that Trey drank a little too much on occasions. He always did enjoy the forbidden vices. "Does your mother nurse him through his illness?" she asked curiously.
"No!" Shamara giggled. "She becomes very angry, and her scolding makes him grab his head. Then she says she won't speak to him, and she hides in her dusty private apartments until he has recovered and begs her forgiveness."
"Does this occur often?" she asked with amusement.
"I remember five times, and Amyr told me about another time I missed when I was staying on the second moon…"
"Five times in your lifetime?" Trynity couldn't help but laugh. At least Trowa had settled down. Arora seemed to do a good job of keeping him in line.
"Do you think that it is possible for me to enjoy my married life with Prince Dagan?" asked Shamara suddenly.
Trynity shrugged. "He seems to like you…"
Shamara interrupted with a wave of her hand. "I didn't mean like that. I mean when we are together." Her blush warned Trynity what she was talking about.
"Have you discussed this with your mother?" Trynity had never had this conversation with Quynn, and she certainly didn't want to have it with Trey's daughter.
"My mother does not wish to discuss it. She says that my husband will guide me. My father says…"
"You asked your father?" Trynity couldn't imagine having such a personal discussion with her own. The idea of Trey discussing intimate subjects with his daughter almost made her laugh.
"He told me once that he would answer any question I might have about anything, but he always seems to have something else to do when I bring this subject up. And Lord Duo…"
"Oh my God! You didn't discuss it with him?"
"He was most informative," announced Shamara. "He talked for hours on the subject and when he was through, I realized he hadn't told me anything."
Trynity laughed. "His knowledge of women is very meager, I assure you."
"Oh!" Shamara's eyes widened. "Lord Duo does not please you?"
Trynity blushed to the roots of her hair. "I didn't say that!"
Shamara ignored her. "Lord Apolo says there are many men who do not care to please their women. According to him they should be deprived of their own source of pleasure. However, he did not explain to me precisely what he meant."
"Lord Duo doesn't need to be deprived." Trynity thought she should clear that up so that Shamara wouldn't have a low opinion of him.
"Anyway, I have only a basic understanding of what to expect after I put together anything they have all told me." She looked at Trynity and she could see that she was troubled. "I fear I will not please Dagan, and I would be very upset if he turned to other women."
Trynity did feel sorry for the princess. Unlike other women who could choose their mate based on mutual attraction, she must marry a man who was chosen for her. Her worries were genuine and Trynity wondered why her parents hadn't recognized Shamara's fears in her questions.
"I am not an expert in the field," Trynity told her. "But I think after fifteen years of marriage I can tell you a thing or two. However, I am a firm believer that you should not be intimate with a man unless you love him and you are sure he feels the same for you, even if he is your husband."
"How will I know if I love him?" Shamara seemed confused.
"I don't know!" Trynity felt a little frustrated by Shamara's innocence. "I can only tell you how I felt. Despite my common sense, I realized I was looking forward to seeing him and hearing his voice, no matter what ridiculous thing he was saying or doing. There was nothing so wonderful as his smile, and when he kissed me, I knew I was being given a glimpse of heaven. If we were apart, I felt as if part of me was missing." Trynity had felt that way for a very long time, and she still felt alone. If only Duo would listen to her and stop thinking about himself! She was beginning to think they would not be able to resolve this problem.
"Are you talking about Lord Duo?" asked Shamara as she reached out to touch Trynity.
Trynity drew back before Shamara inadvertently read her deepest thoughts. She didn't want to drag Shamara into her own troubles. "I have been fortunate to feel it more than once. I did not love my husband at first, but I grew to love him very much. Perhaps you will feel the same about Prince Dagan."
"He is far too annoying! But his kisses are quite pleasant."
"You have kissed him?" Trynity was surprised.
"Well, not really. In our trances, he has kissed me and touched me most improperly. But he has never kissed me outside of our trances." Shamara sighed unhappily. "I do not want to spend my married life in a trance."
Trynity laughed and hugged the younger woman. "I doubt you will. If I were to guess, Prince Dagan hasn't had the opportunity to kiss you or," she paused to chuckle, "touch you most improperly. He wouldn't be much of a man if he didn't want to."
"You must tell me what I should know to keep his interest," begged Shamara. "I do not want him to have concubines."
Although she was quite embarrassed to do so, Trynity told her what she could, and at times Shamara's demands for details flustered her. She wasn't surprised that Arora hadn't said anything to Shamara, not having had a mother of her own to confide in. Then again, Arora should have realized her daughter needed to know such things. When she had finished answering Shamara's last question, Trynity gave a big sigh of relief, then she wondered if she should be having this kind of discussion with her own daughter.
Shamara thanked her effusively, but she still appeared to be troubled despite her new information. She stayed with Trynity for another hour helping her with patients before she returned to the house to eat. Trynity checked on the miner who was doing well and had plans to leave for L12 the following day. The man's wife and son were visiting and planned to remain the evening at the clinic to care for him. Trynity was glad because she was tired and she knew Stryfe was exhausted also. None of them were getting much sleep lately.
As she was leaving, a little boy hurried up to road to catch up to her. She recognized him, having set his broken arm a few months ago. He handed her a note and ran away before she could even properly greet him and ask him about his health. The note was from Bert and Meggie reminding her of their invitation and to not forget Lord Duo. She didn't want to spend the evening in the village with Duo, and she especially feared the walk home under the moonlight. Trynity knew him well enough to predict he would put a move on her and she knew herself well enough to predict she would melt in his hands. Before she knew it she would be on that Calabrian ship forgetting about her responsibilities.
Returning to the house, she discovered that Duo had fallen asleep when he went to check on Taeron, so she didn't bother waking him. She showered, put on a skirt and blouse, then tiptoed through the living room where her father was snoring under a rolled out scroll. She checked Stryfe's room and discovered he was missing. Trynity suspected he was visiting some girl in the village. He had plenty to chose from. She hadn't seen Shamara either, but that didn't mean the girl wasn't sitting behind the house on a lawn chair deep in a trance trying to practice what she had learned. Trynity hoped she wasn't that irresponsible.
So she set off on her own, relishing the peace and quiet of the short walk in the twilight. She even regretted not waking Duo. Maybe they could have enjoyed this together, that is if they could keep from arguing. He didn't seem to understand that she had an emotional tie to these people. She delivered their babies, set their broken limbs, sutured their cuts, counseled them, listened to their hopes and fears. How could she suddenly leave them? Trynity would feel as though she had betrayed them.
And what did he expect her to do if she did leave with him? Trynity couldn't imagine living in a palace the size Quynn described. Trynity would feel foolishly out of place, and she wondered if his people would resent the fact that she was not a Calabrian like Larya.
As she entered the village, she noticed it was unusually quiet. A few dogs barked, but there were no children playing in the last rays of the sun, no couples sitting outside on such a beautiful night. What was she doing alone?
When she rang the doorbell to Meggie and Bert's house, the latter opened it. He seemed relieved to see her, but his relief turned to panic when he saw that she was alone.
"Where is Lord Duo?"
Trynity smiled and stepped in. "Do you have a situation that needs his expertise? I'm sorry that he couldn't make it, but I'm sure I can be of assistance."
"Indeed you can."
She spun to the direction where the voice had come from and saw Quatre Winner sitting at the table, a sword lying across the table before him. "What are you doing here?"
"I was waiting for you and Lord Duo. Shame on you, Dr. Nelson, for not bringing him along, or did you tire him out today?"
She turned and headed to the door, but Bert stepped in her way. "Sorry, doctor, but I can't let you go."
"What?" Trynity turned to Meggie, who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, her hands clasped. "Are you going to let him keep me here?"
"Good question," said Quatre with a smirk. "Well, Meggie?"
Meggie straightened and looked at Trynity. "I'm sorry, Dr. Nelson, but Mr. Winner has given us a great deal of money, and with the twins being born, and Mr. Winner responsible for Bert's employment to begin with, we can't afford to refuse him."
Trynity couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I…I helped you…"
"We have enough money to pay you now," offered Bert.
Trynity wanted to slap him, to tell him the money was unimportant, but she doubted the fool would understand. "What about Lord Duo? Is this how you would show him gratitude for everything he has done to help you?"
Bert shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at his feet.
"He is an alien," said Meggie. "We don't owe him anything!"
Quatre laughed. "Very good, Meggie. I'll leave a little extra behind for that little speech." He pushed himself to his feet. "I am so very disappointed that you didn't bring Maxwell with you. I had plans for him." Picking up the sword, he ran his finger along the edge, and when the sharp blade nicked his skin, he smiled and licked his own blood.
"Too bad he won't get the chance to kill you!" She raised her chin to glare at him when he came to stand before her. "I don't know what you have planned, but…"
"Really? Now Trynity, I am surprised you could be so naïve!" He grabbed her arm, and despite her resistance, he dragged her to the door. "I've invited you to my home many times, but you never seem to have the time, so tonight I am insisting."
"Let me go!"
"That is a lovely outfit you are wearing. I always did admire your short skirts." He reached under her skirt and grabbed a handful of her backside. "I know you wanted me to do that. I think you want all men panting after you like a bitch in heat."
Trynity slapped him and tried to twist away, and failing, she leaned down to sink her teeth into his hand. Quatre released her, but only long enough to form a fist and strike her in the face. She slammed against the door and would have fallen had he not grabbed her arm again and dragged her to him.
"I hate it when women do that," he muttered in her ear. "Now behave, Dr. Nelson."
Before Quatre dragged her out of the house, she managed to look at Meggie and Bert one last time to plead silently for help, but they turned away. Trynity's heart was broken.
Once on the street, Trynity wasted no time in shouting for help. Quatre made no attempt to stop her, and she knew why when she saw people turn away from their windows and draw their shades. She refused to believe no one would help, and she continued to scream for anyone, but it was as if she was calling into a void. Finally she gave up and resisted the urge to cry.
"It's a beautiful night for a walk." He slipped his arm around her waist. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do right now but walk in the moonlight with you, Trynity. Who knows, maybe before we get back to the mansion, you might get a little carried away and we won't quite make it to my huge, comfortable bed."
"Only in my worst nightmare," she snarled at him. Suddenly she felt a prick in her arm and she looked down to see him finish emptying into her flesh the glowing green substance she recognized as the same drug Taeron had brought back to her only that morning. "What…what was that?"
"A little something my own zoologists called A5X-22, but which my men call 'the sauce.'" He tossed aside the syringe and pulled her against him. "Don't resist it, Trynity, and we'll enjoy ourselves."
She was already starting to feel light-headed, as if she had drunk a little too much champagne as she had on her wedding night. She doubted Quatre was going to let her pass out as Lars had.
"Boss! Look what we found nosing around Jeb's girl!"
It seemed as if everything were happening in slow motion as she saw two of Quatre's men holding a beaten and bleeding Stryfe between them. They tossed him at Quatre's feet and Trynity heard him groan. When she tried to go to him, Quatre shoved her back.
"Well, I don't really know who Jeb is and I am sure his girl is a whore anyway, but I do appreciate your little gift." Quatre grabbed a handful of Stryfe's hair and jerked back his head. He didn't seem to be conscious. "Roughed him up a bit, eh? Well, we will just consider him tenderized."
"Let him go," Trynity managed to say. Her voice sounded strange.
One of Quatre's men snickered. "Gonna have a little fun with the doctor whore, Boss?"
"I don't appreciate you calling Dr. Nelson a whore," said Quatre quietly.
"Everyone knows that Calabrian scum gets her when he wants. I'm the one that saw them rolling around in the weeds today. You might call her a whore if you saw what I did." The man laughed lewdly and Trynity closed her eyes tightly as if she could block out her own shame.
A gunshot made her open them as quickly as she could. Quatre was putting away a pistol, and Trynity thought her heart stopped until she realized he hadn't shot Stryfe. But there were pieces of his man's head scattered on the street.
"Don't rush for your medical bag, doctor, I think we can pronounce him dead." Quatre laughed and caught her from falling. She was sick and horrified, and completely powerless. "I think we've had as much fun as we can here. As for our dear young friend, Ivan Stryfe, I think he would benefit from a little work in the mine, don't you think, Mort?"
"Ah, my name ain't Mort, sir."
"It is now."
"Yes sir! I'll take him to meet up with Magnar."
Trynity clutched Quatre's shirt. "Please don't send Stryfe to the mine! I…I know what goes on there."
He raised his brows. "I am surprised at you, Trynity! If you know what goes on there, then why haven't you beaten down my door with your recriminations?"
"I only just found out this morning."
"Probably from that bastard imperial guard and that freak from Bayman." He caressed Trynity's cheek, but she couldn't feel anything. The drug was completely numbing her. "Perhaps you can think of a way to persuade me that Stryfe isn't cut out for work in the mine."
She grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head to hers. Although it sickened her to do it, she kissed him as deeply as she could until he finally broke it off. He was breathing heavily so she knew he had enjoyed it. "That is only the beginning," she whispered. She prayed that Stryfe was unconscious and didn't know what she was about to do to save him.
Quatre chuckled and lifted her in his arms. "My dear, the experience would be quite gratifying for the both of us, but since this is your first time with the sauce, I'm afraid all you will be able to do is lay back and enjoy what I am going to do to you. As for Stryfe, well, I can't seem to get Maxwell's Calabrian whelp and I am beginning to think I will have to take Sandrock against him. I'll just have to take out my frustrations on Maxwell's other bastard. Someone has to pay for my son's death."
"No!" cried Trynity, but she couldn't move so much as a finger to help herself or her son. She was completely paralyzed and yet she was awake and feeling nothing more than mildly drunk.
"Get him to Magnar. I want him to be the first man into the mine."
She looked around the darkened street one last time, hoping that someone would help her, but all she saw was the extinguishing of the last light remaining light.
Something awoke Duo. He didn't know what, perhaps just a bad dream, but he had a feeling of extreme danger.
"My lord!" Taeron had leapt form his mat on the floor, sword already drawn. "Do you feel it?"
Duo found his own sword lying beside him on the bed. "Where is Shamara?" There was no one in the room beside them. She must be in the living room.
"Do you hear that, my lord?"
Duo listened carefully, and in the distance he could hear the buzz of approaching motorcycles. Both he and Taeron left the room immediately, and Duo was perplexed to find only Dr. Stryfe in the house. Even before Taeron could hustle the older man out the back door, something smashed through the window of the house and burst into flames. Duo tried to put it out, but another came through and he realized the futility.
They intended to burn down Trynity's house.
Hearing shouting further away, Duo remembered the clinic and the very real possibility that Trynity was there with her patient. He dashed out the back door and sprinted to the clinic. It was already ablaze, probably having been attacked first. The shouting he had heard was from the men on their motorcycles who had trapped Taeron in a circle they formed by riding around him. Duo knew he could take care of himself, so he charged into the burning clinic. Trynity's patient was trying to rise with the help of a woman and a young boy, but he was too heavy for them, so Duo hurried to them, lifted him and rushed them all out the door. The woman cried out in terror when a bullet whizzed past them, and Duo saw that the men were shooting at Taeron and the bullets he was deflecting with his sword were flying wildly in every direction.
Annoyed, Duo shouted, "Finish up over there and help me!" He then dashed back into the clinic. He called Trynity's name, and he searched for her blindly in the smoke, but he realized she probably wasn't there. On his way out, he bumped into someone and quickly realized it was Taeron.
"We need to get some water to put out this fire!" They managed to find buckets outside the clinic and quickly filled them at the stream. Although they worked as fast as they could, the clinic burned uncontrollably, but Duo didn't give up trying to save the building.
Dr. Stryfe finally caught his arm as he was returning from the stream with another bucket of water. "Give up! You can't save that building! What is the use of trying?"
Duo shook off his arm. "I have to try!"
"Why? If the damn place is burned to the ground, she'll have to go with you."
Duo was amazed at her father's insensitivity. "She can always build another one, but I can't rebuild her hope if she loses it now."
The old man seemed to understand him because he started to help as well as the woman and her son. Still the fire raged, and Duo was about to give up when he dropped his bucket on the ground and raised his hands to the sky. The gods couldn't desert him now!
A streak of lightening shot across the sky followed by a clap of thunder that shook the ground. Duo fell to his knees as rain poured down from the sky.
"A miracle!" cried the crippled miner.
Tears of gratitude streamed down Duo's face as the rains extinguished the blaze. Taeron put his hands on his shoulders, and Duo was glad his son understood his intense emotion. Duo couldn't bear to see Trynity crushed by the loss. Perhaps she could salvage something from the clinic yet, although her home was completely destroyed.
"This is a sign from the gods," he said aloud.
Dr. Stryfe snorted. "And how do you interpret that sign, Maxwell? First the clinic burns – in my opinion a very good sign from the gods that they favored its destruction – and now the rains save it. I hope you know what the hell they want, because I'm getting mixed signals."
"What the gods want will become clear in time," stated Taeron.
Duo couldn't have a more loyal son. "Right now I wonder where Trynity and Shamara are."
"I don't know about the princess, but I seem to recall something about a dinner invitation from that bone-headed Bert," said Dr. Stryfe.
Duo smacked his own forehead with the back of his hand. "I completely forgot! She must have gone into the village."
"It is very strange, my lord, that she did not see or hear of the fire," spoke up Taeron.
The likelihood that Trynity was in trouble was very high. If she knew there was a fire at her clinic, she wouldn't waste any time getting back. "What are we going to do about Shamara?"
"I fear she may have gone after Prince Dagan," said Taeron. "I am ashamed that I am not there to protect her."
"You bear no blame. That girl's actions are very ridiculous. Now we must trust in the powers that the gods have given her and the imperial training she has received. She's just going to have to take care of herself." Duo started to leave, but Taeron stopped him.
"My lord, I would be honored if you allow me to accompany you."
Duo was about to tell him it would be better if he stayed there in case more of Quatre's thugs came to finish the job, but he glanced at the men already laying dead. Taeron might be safer with him because Quatre would probably send an army this time instead of gang of incompetent buffoons.
They decided to take the miner and his family to his home on the outskirts of the village where they also left Dr. Stryfe, then they went to Meggie and Bert's home. Duo rang the doorbell several times, then rapped on the door with his fist. He could hear movement inside, but for some reason they were not answering. Duo noticed that other people in the neighborhood were peeking out their windows like frightened mice.
"Allow me, my lord." Taeron kicked down the door with such force that it came off at the hinges and the doorframe fell with the door.
"I could have picked the lock," commented Duo as he stepped on the door.
"My method was faster."
"Mine was neater," Duo could hear the babies crying, so he headed toward the sound. Suddenly Bert launched from a side room and fell at his feet whining.
"Please forgive us, Lord Duo! We were afraid of what he would do if we didn't help him."
Meggie appeared in the hall with one of the screaming infants in her arms. There were tears running down her cheeks. "My…my baby is sick! She has a fever! We need the doctor!"
Duo looked down at Bert. "Where is she?"
"Mr. Winner took her with him!"
Taeron drew his sword. "Shall I kill him, my lord?" When Duo shook his head, Taeron still put the point of his sword to Bert's throat although Meggie was wailing so loudly that Duo couldn't hear the screaming infant any more. "You are a dishonorable man. After all that the healer has done for you, you have repaid her with treachery. You deserve to die, but my father has chosen to spare your life." His blue eyes took in Meggie and Bert. "I would not be so forgiving."
They left the house without another word. When they were on the street, a window opened on the second story of a house nearby. "Are you the Calabrians?"
Duo approached the house warily. "If we are?"
The young woman seemed worried. "I saw what they did with the doctor," she said in a low voice. "My parents would be angry if they knew I was speaking to you."
"Go on." Duo guessed that Quatre had terrorized the neighborhood into silence.
"Mr. Winner gave Dr. Nelson some of the sauce, and she couldn't move. My mother closed my shade and wouldn't let me look, but I heard him say something about taking Stryfe to the mine."
"By the gods, I heard Prince Dagan's story!" exclaimed Taeron. "I know what becomes of men in the mines. I must prevent my brother from such a fate!"
The young woman leaned out her window further. "My friend knows one of Magnar's men and she overheard him say they were traveling north. I think there is a mine not so far from here."
"I am grateful for your help," said Taeron. He looked at Duo. "May the gods protect you."
"And you, my son. I suspect you are going to find Shamara and Dagan as well. Try not to kill any innocent people."
Taeron's eyes narrowed. "There are no innocent people on this planet." With that said, he disappeared into the night.
"Mr. Winner took the doctor to his mansion," said the young woman. She added, "I hope she's all right."
Duo had similar hopes.
