Wasteland Palace, Calabria
Duo felt an urge to laugh at the surprised looks on everyone's faces. Trynity was standing her ground with green and yellow fire shooting from her eyes, daring anyone to contradict her. No one said anyone, but slowly, one by one, every man and woman present turned a condemning gaze on Naiya. The young woman's eyes were wide with surprise, and the color drained from her cheeks when her father turned his back on her. Without her father's support, she had become a cast off female, one without a house. She no longer had a claim to respectability.
Apolo strode to her, and reaching down to grab her discarded clothing, he then took her arm and escorted her to Trynity. "You owe Lady Trynity an apology."
Naiya stood before her, now trembling with rage, but she said nothing.
Apolo released her only long enough to slap her face, then he yanked her toward the door. "You can entertain my men before I find a suitable brothel for you."
Kandohr's men quickly left with the old chieftain, not one of them making a move to save their chieftain's daughter. Nor did Naiya's father make an attempt to protect her from Apolo's punishment as he left without a backward glance. Based on what Duo had heard from Larya about how the young woman had harassed Trynity, he expected her to be pleased by the young woman's misfortune.
But Trynity stepped away from Duo and reached out to stop Apolo. "My lord, I hold no ill will towards this young woman. She is young and foolish. Please do not punish her so harshly."
Naiya spit at Trynity. "I don't need your intercession! I'd rather spend my days servicing soldiers than have to be in your debt!"
Apolo ignored her and looked at Trynity. "I have had requests for wives. One of those men will do for her if I can talk him into having her." Without further discussion, he dragged her out.
The crowd that had gathered quickly dispersed, returning to their beds to sleep for what remained of the night. Duo could see that Quynn and Stryfe were waiting to talk to their mother, and as soon as they could get to her, they both hugged her.
"What a day for you, mom!" cried Quynn with a laugh after kissing her cheeks. "Now I know why you were staying in your room! First you are almost killed, then you end up married!"
"I can't believe it!" Stryfe grabbed Duo's hand, shook it vigorously, and then hugged him. "We are a family now!"
By the look in Trynity's eyes, the family bond would last only as long as her feet were on Calabrian ground, and he didn't know how long that would be. He knew she had no intention of staying. Well, thought Duo with an inward sigh, he would just have to work on her. She had become so hardened by her experiences that he wondered if there was any hope of softening her this time.
Seeing Taeron in the hall, Duo left Trynity with her son and daughter, and he pulled Taeron aside out of their hearing. "Did you find him?"
"I had his trail, but I lost it."
"How do you suppose he got out of the fortress?" Duo knew the answer before Taeron gave it.
"Same way he got in: he has help from inside. Do you suppose that whore Naiya helped him?"
Duo scratched his head before shaking it. "No, I think what happened here and in Trynity's room are unrelated. Naiya and her father didn't expect to be interrupted."
Taeron smiled at him. "Now you have the wife you desired."
Duo chuckled. "I'm not so sure this is a happy occasion."
"Well, at least she will be safe under your protection."
Duo glanced back at Trynity. She wasn't saying anything as Quynn and Stryfe prattled on and on about how happy they were. "Are you in agreement about the identity of her intruder?"
"I would recognize that rotting boreworm stench anywhere." Taeron hissed, "Quatre Winner."
Duo rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I was told he was dead."
"He seems to have acquired immortality."
"I should have killed him when I had the chance." Duo regretted not taking blood vengeance on the man. Next time Heero wouldn't be around to appeal for justice. The only justice Quatre Winner would receive would be the one Duo had intended for him in the first place. "Choose some men we can trust to watch over her. I don't want her out of their sights for a second. But don't let her know. She's too proud to admit she needs help."
Taeron nodded and left after one last pat on the back in way of congratulations. When Duo returned to his room, Quynn and Stryfe suddenly had no more to say, and they quickly left Duo alone with their mother.
Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, then Trynity said, "I saw you talking to Taeron. Did he find the intruder?"
He shook his head, wondering why she didn't refer to Quatre by name. For some reason, she didn't want him to know that she knew exactly who her attacker had been.
"I'm going to sleep with Quynn." She tried to go past him.
Duo prevented her from leaving by stepping in front of her. "You are not going to sleep with Quynn. I will be better able to protect you if you stay with me."
For once she did not argue, so he guessed that Trynity had chosen him as the lesser of two evils. "I suppose Quynn would be surprised if I showed up to sleep with her on my wedding night."
"She would be crushed."
Trynity had the grace to look ashamed but recovered quickly to look coolly at him. "I will be your wife beyond those doors. I assure you, I am very good at acting. But I won't play the part in here!" She walked to the bed and climbed in, snapping the covers over herself and turning on her side away from him.
Duo didn't expect anything more. He moved around to the other side of the bed, and after removing his clothes, he started to get in, but Trynity's frosty voice stopped him.
"What do you think you are doing?" She didn't even turn around.
"I'm going to sleep. I have a few hours before the sun rises and I have to leave. Don't worry, I'm not coming anywhere near you. This is a big enough bed that you won't know I'm here." He had no intention of touching the ice queen he had made his wife.
She jerked the blankets more firmly to her when he got into bed. After shutting off the light, he sighed and stared straight up into the darkness. He had no choice but to take Trynity's freedom in order to save himself from that manipulating young woman, Naiya. For a moment he had feared Trynity would not acknowledge him, and so Duo quickly mentally planned an escape from Calabria rather than remain to marry Naiya. She had been throwing herself at him for several days now, probably at the instigation of her father who hoped to marry her into an important house. Her earlier attempt to catch him in his bath had failed when Taeron accompanied him and Larya arrived to talk to him. Duo had been somewhat suspicious when her father cornered him to discuss the Camridaen fanatic when he had been on the way to his room for the night. The conversation had lasted only long enough for Naiya to get herself ready. Duo wondered if she had expected him to take her up on her so generous offer and just how Kandohr expected to find them. Either way it didn't matter anymore. Trynity was in his bed now, which was what he preferred.
Turning, he stared at her form across the bed from him. Watching her even breathing was comforting, and soon he fell asleep. It seemed like only seconds later, he jerked awake, and for a moment he was disoriented. He felt as if he were being held down, and he almost reached for the weapon he kept close by, his thoughts immediately of Quatre Winner. But he quickly realized that soft bare limbs imprisoned him. Opening his eyes, he barely moved as he glanced down to see that Trynity had flung an arm over his chest and one of her legs was intimately nestled between his as she draped herself half over his body. Her head rested on his shoulder and he could feel her warm breath on his neck.
This was way too good a thing to put an end to. Duo might just forget about getting up at all today. Taeron would gladly lead the men into the hills, although Duo knew some of the chieftains might question his priorities if he chose to lay in bed all day with his woman. He also knew that this pleasant scene wouldn't last once Trynity awoke. So Duo decided to compromise by allowing a few more minutes to pass, enjoying the luxury of holding her in his arms. Is this how she had slept with Lars? The thought was enough to put an end to this self-indulgence. Now he was left with the daunting task of getting out of bed without waking her.
The moment he tried to move, he felt her stiffen before she stretched, then she quickly skittered away from him. "Keep your hands off me!" she cried frantically as she pulled the sheet around her.
"I must have gotten carried away while I slept," he said under his breath as he left the bed. He noticed that Trynity burrowed quickly under the blankets, but he knew she wasn't sleeping. "If you go out with Apolo again today, please use a little more caution than you did yesterday."
Her head popped out from under the pillow and she sat up. Duo paused in dressing to look at her and his lips twitched as he struggled to keep from smiling. Her hair was impossibly tangled, and she had smudged makeup under her eyes. Yet she had never looked so good to him because he knew she was his wife. He wished he could get back into bed and do his best to thaw her out.
"I thought you might forbid me from leaving the palace."
He looked away as he finished dressing. "I have no reason to do so."
"What…what about that intruder?"
She still didn't want to admit that she had known it was Quatre. Duo debated asking her and chose not to. Trynity had her reasons to keep silent, and she would tell him when she was ready. "You will be safe. But if you are worried, stay at the palace. I think it was an isolated incident." He didn't tell her that such things did not occur on Calabria. The emperor's justice was every bit as unmerciful as his father's had been. As a consequence, few people committed any crime because the penalties were severe.
She lay back against the pillow. "I will probably stay near the palace today. I don't feel up to going out again."
Duo walked around the bed to her side and sat on the edge. He saw her eyes dart for an escape, but she didn't move. Duo reached up to push some of the hair from her face and she flinched. "I'm not going to say I am sorry how things turned out."
"If I thought you were that devious I would accuse you of trapping me," she muttered.
"You saved me," he continued, "and although you are my wife now in the eyes of the people of this planet, I would not presume to hold you to it. Someday, I'd like to see you come to me of your own will, wanting to be my wife."
"I can't do that," she whispered as her chin dipped. Duo guessed she was close to tears. He wanted to tilt her face up and kiss away her sadness, but he knew that would just drive her further away.
He took his hand away from her before he did something he would regret. "For the time being, just enjoy all the perks that come with being my wife. If someone wants to kiss your backside, go ahead and let them."
To his surprise she actually smiled. "I suppose I might get something out of this arrangement."
Chuckling, he walked to the door, but he paused before leaving to look back at the bed to see that she was already snuggling under the blankets to go back to sleep. At least this morning and for many hereafter, she didn't need to go through the trouble of hiding in the shadows to watch him.
Before joining his men in the courtyard, he headed to Apolo's office where he found the Wasteland governor waiting with his own advisor, Orhan. Orhan bowed deeply upon his arrival. "I hear that congratulations are in order, my lord. Your people will be very pleased to hear that you have taken a wife."
His tone did not underscore his words. "You are not pleased, Orhan?"
The other man lowered his eyes. "Forgive me, my lord, for my presumption."
Duo narrowed his eyes as he stared at Orhan. Larya did not like the man, and he noticed that Taeron had little to say to him although Duo had told his son that he should spend more time learning all that he could from him. What was it about Orhan that they did not like? Orhan was of great assistance in keeping the government on the second moon running smoothly while Duo was absent, so he found no fault with him.
"Say what is on your mind," he ordered him.
Orhan met his eyes. "The people might feel more confident if you were to produce several heirs." He did not add that Trynity probably wouldn't be able.
Duo glanced at Apolo to see that his friend was trying to hide a smile, then turned his attention back to Orhan. "I have two sons…"
"One of those sons is hardly fit to govern the second moon!" Orhan could not stop his exclamation. "Clearly, Lord Kandohr's daughter, Naiya, would have been an excellent choice for a wife. She…"
"Based on the foul means with which Kandohr tried to marry me to his daughter, I thank we can safely assume she would not come to me as innocent as a bride should," Duo pointed out, his brows drawn together. "Stick to your duties, Orhan, and don't presume to lecture me on my personal affairs."
"Yes, my lord." He lowered his head. After a moment, he raised it again, then asked, "Do you have an itinerary for the day?"
"I didn't have much time last night to give it any thought. We will head toward the western sector. Scouts reported that shepherds have seen the man and there were campfires spotted in that vicinity last night. We'll start our search there."
Orhan nodded, bowed, then walked out.
Apolo chuckled. "If Orhan had any clue, he would realize you'll have heirs around your ankles soon enough."
Duo turned around to face him. "Stop denying the truth, my friend! I don't have time to take care of both Trynity and Larya. I am not the father of Larya's child, but if you want to be pigheaded about the whole thing, then be prepared to watch me raise your son or daughter. I won't let you try to reprise the role later, and I'll take Larya into my house to protect. You'll be left with nothing."
Apolo looked away from him. "I guess I had never considered that. But how can I accept Larya after everything she has done to hurt the people I love? First Trey and Arora, and then you…"
"Trey and Arora have forgiven her. And she never hurt me, Apolo. I wronged her and her son."
"She deserved it," muttered Apolo. He shook his head. "I'm not ready to consider committing to her."
"I think you have been considering it for a long time," commented Duo.
"Enough about Larya! I want to know how you spent the night with your lovely healer." Apolo's brows were raised as he waited for Duo to give him details.
"Let's just say there are a few mountain tops on the second moon that are warmer on the darkest winter nights than my bed was last night."
Apolo smiled, then put his hand on Duo's shoulder. "You must have patience, my friend. I fear that Trynity is suffering so deeply inside that she doesn't even know the cause."
"You have touched her," pointed out Duo. "What have you seen?"
"I cannot see what she has hidden even from herself. I believe some trauma has so severely affected her that she has effectively wiped all recollection of it from her mind. And yet it drives her actions."
"You're not talking about what happened to her on Mars Colony?"
Apolo shook his head. "She is very much conscious of that episode, but something happened before that. Nor do I believe it is connected to your leaving her behind. Whatever happened to cause this has become a source of deep guilt and shame."
"I'll talk to Quynn and Stryfe to see if they know anything." Duo had assumed based on everything his children had told him to this point that Trynity's life with Lars had been idyllic. Then again, they weren't privy to the most intimate aspects of their married life and Duo didn't want to know any more than he had already guessed. Lars had taken his place in every way, and Trynity didn't seem worse for the experience. Was it possible that she felt guilty about that?
"If we can get her to remember what she has chosen to bury so deeply that even I cannot discover it, then I think we will be able to help her recover. Right now, I believe she has withdrawn into a shell to protect herself."
Duo was still thinking about it when he walked out to the courtyard where Taeron was waiting to tell him about the men that he had selected to watch over Trynity. As Taeron was talking, he noticed Amyr and Quynn standing close, the former twisting strands of her hair around his finger as he moved her imperceptibly to him, and the latter blushed as he said something to her.
Annoyed, he didn't wait for Taeron to conclude his report before he walked toward the young couple. Amyr noticed him first and tried unsuccessfully to get his hand unwrapped from her hair.
Duo grabbed Amyr's wrist and jerked it up, then swiftly pulled his dagger, which made the young man's face go completely white. But he did no more than slice through the hair to free him. Amyr didn't have a chance to savor his escape before Duo jerked him close and said through gritted teeth, "I suggest you treasure these strands of hair, because that is all you're getting from my daughter. Do I make myself clear, my lord prince?"
Amyr looked from the strands of reddish brown hair around his finger to Duo. He swallowed nervously and then nodded.
Duo released him and walked to Quynn. She looked as frightened as Amyr. "I think you should stay at the palace today."
She glanced past him to Amyr, then back to Duo. "I'm sorry, my lord father."
Her meek demeanor made him snort with laughter. "This is a momentous day! Your mother smiled at me and you have just behaved like a dutiful daughter."
"Mark it in your journal," she said with a toss of her hair. "I'm really not all that sorry, but I do realize I should behave better, at least when I'm around you Calabrian cavemen. I'm not that ignorant or selfish."
Duo knew that was the best he was going to get from his independent daughter. "Spend some time with your mother today."
Quynn smiled. "You weren't too rough on her last night, were you?"
"Don't even joke like that with her," Duo warned. "Your mother's sense of humor seems to have dried up."
"Well, the last year and a half have been pretty hard on her. Can you blame her for losing it a little?" Quynn sighed. "Well, at least I can get a little more rest. My backside is getting more than just a little sore."
"Maybe Amyr will keep his attention on what we are doing today."
Quynn gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "I don't think you need to worry about him anymore. You've made your position quite clear."
Later during the long ride out to the western foothills, Duo remembered what Quynn had said and decided to question Stryfe. He slowed his horse to ride beside him. "Quynn mentioned that your mother had a difficult time the last two years. I understand the more recent events, but I was wondering what happened before Lars was killed."
Stryfe shrugged. "I don't really know anything. Quynn and I were at the academy, and mom was on Mars Colony trying to keep her clinic running. I think her and pops were having money problems. I remember feeling a little guilty about staying in the Cinq Kingdom, but both of them refused to listen to our suggestion that we finish training in the colonies."
Money problems were too inconsequential, especially when Duo knew that Lars and Trynity had paid for Quynn and Stryfe's education and training at the academy with the annuity that was in his own name. "Did she have problems with your…with Lars?"
"Not that I know. A few months before her birthday, he took an assignment that was going to keep him away from Mars Colony for at least six months. She wasn't happy that he accepted, but they needed the money for the clinic. Pops was transporting military materials to Earth and he needed to travel at a slower speed than usual to ensure safety."
"So he left Trynity alone for six months?" Duo couldn't believe Lars had been so insensitive. He thought of how Trynity had been abandoned on L10 when her father left her alone with his prize gundam and how such isolation might have affected her.
"Pops wanted her to go with him. He thought they could use the time as a second honeymoon of sorts. After all, it would have been just them and a skeleton crew, and they wouldn't have to be bothered by all her demanding patients."
Duo knew how he would fill the time and guessed Lars had plans to do the same. "She refused to leave her patients." he guessed.
Stryfe nodded. "There were several women expecting babies within that time and she didn't want to leave them without medical attention. So she stayed and Pops left. But Pops didn't want to miss Relena's annual birthday bash for Mom, so he made arrangements for us to meet him on L3 where he released his cargo to another shipper. He was gone only about three months. We surprised her at the party. She cried and said it was the best gift she ever got. I thought she looked a little frazzled, but that was quite natural after spending so much time working alone on Mars Colony."
"So there weren't any repercussions from his having left her alone. They didn't fight?" Duo wouldn't mind hearing about marital trouble.
Stryfe chuckled. "Not in the least. They left Relena's party to find some privacy. Pops booked a suite at the best hotel on the colony. We didn't see them again until a few days later when Quynn and I were boarding the transport to return to school. They were acting like newlyweds and we thought it was funny and embarrassing."
"I wouldn't know what that is like," remarked Duo, thinking about his wedding night. "I doubt I ever will."
"You didn't exactly marry her under the best of circumstances," Stryfe reminded him. "Anyway, they boarded the transport with us and got off at L11 where I think they spent a couple of weeks at the mountain resort."
Duo envied Lars. He and Trynity had the life he would have liked to have with her. If only he could get back those seconds in that escape pod, he would change things. As it was, he had to live with the result.
"I guess that Pops getting killed less than a month later made it more difficult for Mom to take. She was downright sick with grief, but she refused to get any kind of help. She holed up on Mars Colony and didn't even see any patients for at least a month. I wish we could have helped out, but we used up most of our allotted leave already so we barely had enough left to attend Pops' funeral. Relena said she would keep an eye on Mom, but Mom shut everyone out completely."
"I'm sorry that your mother had to suffer like that." Duo didn't like the fact that she had married Lars, felt downright sick about it every time he thought of them together, but his heart ached knowing how Trynity must have suffered by losing him.
"She bounced back. Mom will bounce back again." Stryfe smiled proudly. "She's tougher than you think."
Or maybe not as tough as you think, Duo thought.
"The rest of the year you pretty much know. I hadn't even realized there was a problem with Quatre Winner until after Pops got killed and Mom accused him of arranging it. We had all gotten together so well until then. But now we know why he killed Pops. I didn't realize he was so obsessed with Mom."
There wasn't anything in what Stryfe told him to give Trynity a reason for a meltdown. "Lars didn't take any more long missions after that?" He had a suspicion about Lars and his absences from Trynity, but he wasn't going to say them aloud to the son who worshipped the man. But Lars did go from girl to girl when they were young without a care to the consequences. Lars the Faithful just didn't sound right to him.
Stryfe thought for a moment, then he said. "Not that I remember. I received a message from him about a week before his death. He told me that Mom had agreed to leave Mars Colony and that she was considering a position at the university on L2. Pops was going to accept a position as training instructor at the Cinq Kingdom Space Command there also. I guess those plans fell through."
Trynity leave Mars Colony? What magic had Lars worked on her to get her to even consider giving up that hellhole of a clinic? "It's too bad he wasn't able to get her out of there."
"Everything happens for a purpose," Stryfe commented. "I know that Mom is bitter about how things have turned out, but in the end we were united with our real father and she has been given a second chance with you. Maybe there is something in your belief in divine beings."
Duo believed so now more than ever. Last night was just another example of their workings. What were the odds that Trynity would have left her room at the moment she did? Another minute and he would be married to Naiya now and not her. Of course, in Trynity's view she would have no reason to thank the gods. But Duo was sure that given time she would realize that she did still love him as much as he did her. Whatever it was that had happened to her now worked to hold her back from him and Duo intended to find out exactly what that was.
He didn't have much more time to think about Trynity's problems because he had to turn his attention back to the fanatic. Not far into the foothills in the western sector, they did find a campsite that appeared to be fresh. Following a careless trail, they started to head higher into the hills before Taeron suggested they split up. Duo agreed with him when he voiced his opinion that this trail was conveniently obvious, so he took half the men in the opposite direction and Taeron continued to follow the marked trail. As it turned out, Taeron had been right. They came upon a gang of marauders attacking a village that was no larger than a dozen families. Fortunately for them, they were saved from the butchery of the Camridaens. When his troops arrived, most of them fled in different directions, but Stryfe managed to capture one man for questioning. The filthy, ragged wild-eyed man praised Camridaeus and managed to find out that the fanatical leader had the audacity to refer to himself as Lord Camrin. Unfortunately, they underestimated the captured man's devotion to Lord Camrin because he suddenly lunged at one of his guards, seized his dagger and ended his own life before they could take him back to the palace where Apolo would be able to read his thoughts.
By the time he returned to the palace in the late afternoon, Duo was dirty, weary, hungry and especially frustrated that the day had not yielded any useful information either about the fanatic they now had a name for or about Trynity. While he was discussing the day's progress with Apolo in his office, they received a hologram communication from Trey. As Duo gave him a report about the day's findings, Trey stood staring at him with a raised brow and Duo could almost feel his disappointment as if he were in the room with him. He really didn't like these hologram images.
He finally finished with, "I'm sorry I don't have more to report. Tomorrow might be more productive."
"This man who calls himself Lord Camrin is one step ahead of you," said Trey with a frown. "I suggest you start monitoring communications from the palace because I believe he has an ally amongst your people."
"I have already considered that." Duo glanced at Apolo.
"Tomorrow we will have a complete scan. Today we were unable to detect any transmissions leaving the palace that were directed to the hills."
"That doesn't mean your spy isn't getting through to him by some other means." Trey turned his attention back to Duo. "Do you have anything more to report?"
Duo could see that Trey was expecting something, and he knew what, but Duo didn't want to talk about Trynity with him. Instead he brought up a subject that might distract him. "I feel it necessary to tell you that your son has made some inappropriate advances to my daughter."
Apolo coughed to cover his laugh. He knew Duo was trying to divert Trey's attention.
Trey's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Amyr?"
"Don't pretend to be innocent, Trey. I know you have bailed him out of more scandals than you will ever admit to, and I don't intend for Quynn to be another of his conquests."
Trey smiled. "Amyr and Quynn. Now that has a nice ring to it! I think she is just the kind of woman he needs to settle down."
Duo had only wanted to distract Trey, not give him ideas for matrimony. "Are you suggesting that they marry?"
His friend's sly smile told Duo that Trey wasn't fooled in the least. "You and I are old and dear friends. Because she is your daughter, I would have no objections to her background…"
"I think Quynn might have some objection," pointed out Duo. "And I'm not about to make her do anything she doesn't want."
Trey seemed surprised. "Why would she reject my son?"
"I could only hazard a few guesses, such as he is a spoiled, selfish, pompous ass." Duo chuckled. "Her words, of course, and not mine. And there is the problem of his lack of constancy. He would make my daughter's life miserable. That is my prediction."
Trey chuckled. "You underestimate your daughter, Duo. I have met her and know that she is every bit her mother's daughter. Trynity Stryfe could hold her own, and I believe Quynn can too. But, since you have objections to my son, I will speak to him on the matter. I will assume that you already have."
Duo didn't tell him that he had all but threatened to cut off the crowned prince's hand that morning. "He seems to understand that I disapprove of the attention he has paid my daughter."
"Good, then that is settled. Now I have another matter to discuss with you."
"Can it wait? I am tired and hungry."
Trey laughed. "You're not getting away that easy. The news of your sudden marriage spread like an uncontrolled blaze today. Upon awaking, the first face I saw was that of Kandohr on my videocom complaining vehemently about your tricky maneuver."
"I don't think he has any complaint," interrupted Apolo. "I was there. The required testimony was made. Duo and Trynity are man and wife."
Trey raised a brow and looked directly at Duo. "Kandohr and his daughter are contesting the validity of your marriage. The girl – Naiya – claims that Trynity told her she had no objection to her relationship with you."
Duo wasn't surprised Trynity would say such a thing, but in the end she had come to his rescue. Obviously she did have an objection that she had voiced loud and clear with many witnesses to hear.
Apolo spoke for him. "Trynity is confused about her feelings."
"I know that. I took the liberty of speaking to her myself, and since she wasn't very forthcoming, I asked Shamara to get to the bottom of this sham of a marriage."
"You spoke to Shamara?" Apolo was surprised. "But I had assumed she and Dagan were in a trance."
Trey chuckled. "The only trance they have been in is the one in which they have discovered something they enjoy doing and don't want to quit. I believe we have all been in that trance at one time or another."
"So what did Shamara report to you?" asked Duo, dreading the response.
"What you might expect. Trynity was quite honest with her." Trey frowned at Duo. "I don't know what you see in that woman. She has kept secrets from you, lied to you, and now she rejects you even though she is well aware of your feelings for her."
"You don't understand," Duo started to argue, but Trey interrupted him.
"Oh, I've been told that by Arora, and she was kind enough to fill me in on details that you have not. I know about Quatre, and yet I still can't understand how that should affect her relationship with you." Trey narrowed his gaze as he stared straight at Duo. "Have you asked yourself what really happened, why she feels guilt, why she doesn't deem herself good enough for you?"
"There's a lot about Trynity I don't know," admitted Duo sadly.
"You have to face the fact that she isn't the same girl you left behind." Duo wanted to argue that he knew that girl was still inside her, but he didn't say anything. Trey's features softened and he sighed mournfully. "I've prayed to the gods to give you the life you richly deserve, Duo, that maybe your heart can rise from the ashes and you can find love, but I don't think they are listening to me. If Trynity doesn't want to share your life as a wife should, then I will put an end to that blasphemy of a marriage myself."
Trey didn't give him a chance to respond before closing the communication. Duo didn't know what he would say anyway. His friend hadn't said anything that he should have been telling himself ever since he had been reunited with Trynity. Last night he had been pleased with himself about how things had turned out, but in the light of day his decision to trap Trynity didn't look so good.
"I wouldn't want to be in your shoes," remarked Apolo before he left.
After receiving a report from the men assigned to watch her during the day, Duo went to his room. Entering, he saw Trynity lounging on the bed reading through some text she must have brought with her. She glanced at him, and without making any move to greet him commented, "I hope you are planning to bathe."
He raised a brow. "Are you offering to assist me?" When she didn't answer, he sighed. "What was I thinking?"
"I think you were actually hallucinating." She flipped a page, still not looking at him. Dressed in a Calabrian gown of some silky fabric that clung to her in all the right places, Trynity couldn't possibly be aware of the effect such a garment would have on him. Or was she trying to bait him only to reject him later?
Not wanting to get his hopes up, he set aside his sword and strode across the room to the bathing chamber without looking at her again. That would be too much temptation, and after Trey's dire warning, he didn't trust himself with her. Duo didn't know exactly how Trey would go about ending their marriage.
To his annoyance, he found Naiya's sister, Macayl waiting to serve him. His distrust waned a bit when she bowed humbly, offering him something cold to drink before turning away to add warm water to the bath. Duo had seen Macayl lurking in her sister's shadows, and by her continued presence in Apolo's palace, she must not have been a party to her sister's attempt to trap him in marriage. When all was ready for his bath, she bowed and stepped out.
He watched her go, then turned back to the bath only to find Trynity standing in the doorway to his room.
"I didn't interrupt something, did I?" Her snide tone and raised brow gave him hope that she was jealous.
"Women on Calabria like to serve men," he told her with a shrug. "She was only doing her duty."
Trynity turned away as he undressed and slipped into the deep, sunken tub. "Was that supposed to be one of my duties as your wife?"
"You don't have any duties in particular." Except to love and honor him, but he wasn't going to hold his breath waiting for that to happen.
She didn't respond for a moment, then she said, "Do you like my gown?"
So she was teasing him! Why else would she draw attention to that almost scandalous dress? Instead of answering her, he dunked his head under the water and stayed under until he was almost out of breath. He had hoped she would have left – he could hold his breath for a considerable amount of time – but he came out of the water to find Trynity hovering over the pool precariously near the edge. She was worried about him? Duo decided to test her, so he let himself slip back into the water, but he hadn't gone completely under before he felt her hands under his arms and she pulled.
Trynity wasn't nearly as strong as she used to be, having spent the better part of the last twenty years healing people, so Duo pushed himself off the bottom to help her yank him out of the pool. She grunted with the exertion of hauling him onto the deck beside it, and he had to keep himself from so much as allowing his lips to twitch into a smile although he felt an urge to laugh.
"Duo! Duo, are you all right?" She slapped his cheek lightly. "Duo!" She sounded a little frantic, but he decided to let her stew a little longer, especially after her behavior last night and today. Duo held his breath as she laid her cheek against his chest. "Duo!" Then her hands replaced her cheek, and he heard her take a deep breath. He was expecting her to put her mouth over his and give him the breath of life, but suddenly he felt tingling warmth radiating from the point of her touch.
He sucked in his breath and sat up instantly, knocking Trynity onto her backside beside him. Before she could scramble away, he grabbed her wrists. "What…what were you doing?"
She tried to jerk her hands from him, but he was far stronger. With a frustrated cry, she gave up and glared at him instead. "You weren't in danger!" she accused.
"What were you doing?" He repeated. Duo knew exactly what she had been doing, but he wanted to hear her admit it.
"I…I have learned to heal from Apolo," she admitted.
Duo released her wrists, but grabbed her shoulders before she could get away. "Do you realize how dangerous it is? Did he bother to warn you what could happen to you?"
She seemed disconcerted at first, then she clenched her teeth. "I know what I am doing!"
"Do you? Did you know that Apolo is nearly incapable of defending himself anymore because his strength has worn away from healing? He rarely leaves the palace because he is vulnerable." Duo remembered the man who had helped to train him to be an imperial guard and how the years of healing rendered him no stronger than a little girl. Trey had first forbidden Shamara to use healing arts because of its effects, but then relented only when she promised to use them sparingly. Duo knew Trynity was not capable of tempering her need help others. She would kill herself for her patients, almost had already on Mars Colony.
"You're hurting me," she complained.
He relaxed his grip and she shoved his hands away.
"I can take care of myself," she snapped, then her eyes widened. "You…you're naked." She scurried away, but not out of the room.
Duo took his time getting up and reaching for a towel. "By the way, I do like your gown, but I will not allow you to wear it outside of our room."
Trynity hadn't taken her eyes off him and he could see the blush spreading up her neck and to her cheeks. When he wrapped the towel around himself, she seemed to snap out of the trance she had put herself in.
"I wasn't planning to wear it in public. Larya gave it to me as a gift, and after I tried it on, I realized…well…" Her blush grew deeper. "I realized what the intended purpose for wearing it was, but I liked how it felt on me…"
Duo smiled at her. "I will have to thank Larya. You are very beautiful in it."
Like a shy girl, she looked away.
Amused, Duo approached her and was glad when she didn't back off like a frightened doe. Before he could touch her, another door to the bathing chamber opened and Stryfe appeared as if on cue. Duo wondered if he had interrupted his mother's private moments with Lars Nelson with the same frequency that he interrupted theirs.
Seeing them, Stryfe stopped, scratched his head, then said, "Are you two done?"
Trynity made a sound of disgust and turning on her heel, she hurried out of the room.
Duo turned to look at Stryfe. "Have you ever been told what a pain in the ass you are?"
Stryfe laughed. "Once or twice."
Although he was annoyed, Duo also laughed. "The bath is all yours."
Stryfe looked around. "Aren't there supposed to be some pretty slave-girls around to scrub my back?"
"There are no slaves on Calabria," Duo told him with a chuckle. "You will just have to scrub your own back." As he walked to the door to his room he heard Stryfe muttering about having no one to take care of him. Like father like son.
When he entered his own room, Duo noticed immediately that Trynity had changed out of the enticing gown and into an elegant Calabrian dress that was more appropriate for dining in the hall. She turned her back after he had chosen his own clothing, so Duo knew the night was going to take a cold turn.
She stood by the window watching the first sun set as he dressed, and for several moments she didn't say anything, then she said, "I spoke to Trey today. He did not wish me well in this marriage of ours. Trey doesn't like me."
"Trey is protective of me," Duo told her. She didn't turn around, but her shoulders slumped as if she understood the merit in Trey's distrust. Duo wanted to hold her in his arms and assure her that she could always trust in his love for her.
"I know he sent Shamara to spy," she continued. "I didn't lie to her about our marriage. I told her I was going to go back as soon as I am able." She turned to look at him. "You understand that, don't you, Duo? I can't stay with you."
He sighed deeply. "We have gone over this many times, Trynity. What happened last night doesn't change anything except that I can finally call you my wife. If that is all I will ever get from you, then I will have to be satisfied with that." His gaze met hers, and he wondered if she saw the hurt that he felt. Duo certainly couldn't divine her thoughts. "I've lived with this most of my life. I can't take back the past."
She looked away from him. "Neither can I."
Was she talking about her decision not to tell him about her condition until they had returned to L10? Would they never be able to put that behind them? Part of Duo had already let go, but deep inside, he knew he would never be able to forgive either her or himself for missing the childhood of Stryfe and Quynn. Now he shook his head to clear it of the vision of Lars Nelson.
"I suppose we'll have to pretend for Trey's sake," she commented. She looked back him. "I can do that very well."
What did she mean by that? It wasn't the first time she had said it. "I am not going to pretend," he said without speculating further. "I am happy that you are my wife and I want everyone to know it. When you leave, I will be unhappy, and everyone will know that too. Let's just concentrate on here and now. I don't want to worry about what the future will bring."
She forced herself to smile. "I suppose you are right. Then we had better go down to eat."
"I'd rather not waste our time together by sharing you with them. I can have a meal sent to us." He could see that she was uncomfortable with spending time alone with him, but Duo didn't care. "We haven't had a chance to talk or be alone together since you came here."
Trynity sighed, then sat down on a padded chair. "If that is your wish, my lord."
Duo half-smiled. "My lord husband," he corrected her.
She rolled her eyes, and he was still chuckling about the expression on her face when he left in search of Apolo. That he found him in some heated arguments with Larya in the hall came as no surprise to Duo. When they noticed him, they stopped abruptly.
Duo spoke to Larya first. "I want to thank you for your kindness to Trynity."
"She is doing her duty," snapped Apolo.
Duo didn't need to see the tears in Larya's eyes to know that Apolo had already been unnecessarily cruel to her. Disgusted, angry, and frustrated, Duo grabbed a handful of Apolo's clothing and jerked him close until they were nose to nose. "And is it your duty to teach Trynity to heal?"
"You were not healing?" cried out Larya in dismay.
Apolo tried to shove himself away from Duo, but he was too weak. Duo knew he would be after using his powers the day before. "Let me go!"
Duo let him drop and Larya hurried to steady him so that he did not fall. "The least you could have done was to warn Trynity of the consequences."
Apolo hung his head. "I did not think that she would be able to do it."
"Well, she has, and she tried to use that power on me." Duo ran a hand through his hair and clenched his fist. "I wish you had left well enough alone."
"I warned her not to challenge the will of the gods."
"Not only does she not give a tinkers damn about the will of the gods, but she has no self-control. If she thinks she can heal someone, she will try without any regard to her own well-being."
Apolo sighed regretfully. "I can only beg your forgiveness."
Duo stared at him for a moment as he stood weakly leaning against Larya, then he said, "You should beg forgiveness of Larya. She has worked hard to earn your approval, and you are loathe to give it because of some ridiculous belief that I could possibly be the father of her child."
Apolo looked as if he wanted to argue, but a glare from Duo silenced him. "If you don't accept her and the child now, I assure you that you will regret it for the rest of your life." He turned his attention to Larya. "I would like you to arrange for our meal to be sent to my room."
Larya smiled although there were still tears glistening in her eyes. "The gods favor your marriage."
"I'm glad the gods do because Trynity does not." But Duo smiled at her. "Thank you for the blessing, Larya." He gave Apolo one last warning glare before returning to his room.
Trynity was pacing, wringing her hands, so Duo suspected she was worried that he might try to coax her into bed. That was the last thing he had in mind. When she saw him, she stopped and smoothed her hands down over her clothing. Duo wished he could have back the girl he had fallen in love with, the girl who shared everything with him. But that girl was gone.
Before he had a chance to tell her he had arranged everything, a knock at the door preceded the entrance of servants bringing trays of food. Trynity was openly relieved by the interruption. She didn't speak at all as they ate, not even to ask him what she was nervously filling her plate with. Duo was slightly amused to see her grimace a couple of times as she ate, but he didn't joke about it. He doubted she would appreciate it.
When there was little left to eat, he said, "You have quite the appetite."
She avoided looking at him. "I…I haven't eaten much lately."
Duo knew the reason and hoped she would tell him, but she didn't add anything to her response. "I was afraid you wouldn't eat much of our traditional food."
Trynity stared at her near empty plate silently for a moment, then said, "I remember when we first came to Calabria and you were so horrified to eat bugs. You've gotten used to them."
He pushed himself away from the table and held out his hand. "Will you watch the last sun set with me?"
Although she hesitated, she did take his hand and he led her onto the balcony were there was a padded bench. They sat together and silently watched as the second sun slowly sank behind the Guerani Hills. Despite the many times he had seen it, Duo still marveled at the beauty of the second sunset. For a few moments following, they were in darkness. He could hear Trynity's breathing, first slow, then faster until he heard her catch her breath on a sob. Duo didn't know what to say when he didn't know the reason for her sadness.
"I can't be a good wife," she finally said into the darkness.
Duo chuckled. "We haven't even been married a day, so don't be too hard on yourself."
"I wasn't a good wife to Lars," she whispered, then sobbed again. She sniffed, and he knew she was crying. "I am the reason he is dead. I am the reason that Dorothy is dead."
Duo was well aware what had happened. Quynn and Stryfe had told him the details of her harrowing experience on L12 with Quatre Winner. "You are not responsible for that madman's obsession."
By the first beams of light from the rising first moon, Duo saw her shake her head. "It was my fault."
"You can't blame yourself." Duo doubted he could reason with her in this state. Apolo would be better at this.
She covered her face and shook her head. "Lars was too good for me. All those years he had been so patient with me, and in the end I disappointed him."
"Stryfe told me that he adored you, Trynity. He told me about Lars returning early from a mission so that he could be with you for your birthday."
Trynity burst into tears, and Duo pulled her into his arms. Her memories of happier times must be painful for her, especially in light of Quatre's subsequent destruction of her life. "He was so good to me, and I ruined it all!"
Duo held her tighter. "You can't blame yourself, Trynity, for something Quatre did. You could not have known what that bastard was planning."
She continued to cry for a few more moments, and by the time she spoke again, the first moon was high and the second was starting to appear. The hour was getting late, and he was about to suggest they go to bed, that maybe if she got some sleep, she would feel better, but she began to talk, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Lars wanted me to stop him from taking that shipment to Earth, and I knew it, but I didn't. We both knew we needed the money to finish the construction on the clinic. I wanted to go with him, but I didn't do that either. I suppose I wanted him to drag me away, but he didn't. I convinced myself that six months wouldn't seem so long, but as the days and nights went on and on, I thought I would lose my mind. My days were filled with an endless stream of patients who were ungrateful for my help, and my nights were lonely, with no one to hold me."
Duo brought her head to his shoulder. "You've never told me how terrible your loneliness was on L10, but I knew, Trynity. When Stryfe told me about Lars' trip, and I knew the loneliness must have been especially hard on you."
She sighed deeply. "I talked with Relena from time to time, and then she went on vacation to L11 with Heero. I know that even if she had been there for me, things wouldn't have gone differently."
"You don't need to talk about this," Duo told her.
"I do." She set herself away from Duo and folded her hands in her lap. "I…I put this from my mind until Quatre…" She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, probably to stop herself from crying, and he reached out for her again, but Trynity pushed his hands away. "I have to talk about it so that you can understand why I am not worthy of you!"
"Nothing you can tell me will make me believe that."
She smiled sadly at him. "Lars had been gone for two months when Quatre came to the clinic with one of his men who had an accident. I was so glad to have someone to talk to that I knew, so I invited him to have supper with me. I enjoyed the evening reminiscing with him. But the next night I was even more lonely, so I called him again the next day."
"If you are trying to tell me that you are at fault for Quatre's behavior when all you wanted was some company…"
Trynity interrupted him. "Quatre was kind enough to accept, and when the evening came to an end, I just couldn't let him go. I couldn't stand the quiet of my house, my loneliness. I needed someone." Trynity paused, then added, "I think he felt more guilty than I did. I knew his marriage with Dorothy wasn't perfect, but he claimed to love her. Yet I convinced him that it didn't matter, that what we had done had nothing to do with our feelings for Dorothy or Lars. To be honest, I didn't care who I was hurting."
Duo didn't dare let her see how shocked he was by her confession, that she had seduced Quatre. But he was beginning to understand exactly how the subsequent events unfolded, and he wasn't sure how he felt about what she was telling him.
"Dorothy was busy with the charitable operations of the Winner Foundation," she continued, "And Quatre was left on Mars Colony to oversee the mining operations. I don't know when he started using the drug." Trynity sighed. "I suppose that is my fault too. I just didn't leave him alone, and he at least had the decency to feel guilty every time we were together. Finally I just wore him down, and we got together every moment we could, at my house, at the clinic, at his mansion. We even made separate reservations at L11 to have a vacation together after my birthday, and I tried to get out of Relena's birthday party so that I could be with him, but I couldn't without her becoming suspicious."
He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Are you excusing Quatre for what he did to you? To Lars? To Dorothy?"
"I don't know!" There were tears rolling down her cheeks. "You can't imagine how I felt when Lars surprised me at my birthday party! He told me that he guessed what was going on when he watched Quatre and I dance. I hid it from everyone but him. Relena never knew. Quynn and Stryfe wouldn't believe me if I told them. But Lars said it was plain as day to him."
"Yet he forgave you," said Duo, wondering himself how forgiving he would have been.
"He was very angry and felt betrayed, and he had every reason to be. I had no excuse for what I had done. Lars gave me a choice, either him or Quatre, and I realized when I thought I might lose him, just how much I really loved him." She sighed. "I thought Quatre understood that it was over. He returned to Mars Colony when Lars and I went to L11. By the time we went back to Mars Colony, his mining operation was underway, but Quatre had changed. That was when he started limiting shipments to the colony and charging exorbitant prices. Dorothy told me that she had tried to talk sense into him, but wouldn't listen to her. Shortly afterwards she died – had been killed. I realize now that Quatre must have poisoned her with the boreworm residue."
She looked at Duo. "You see, it was all my fault. After Lars was killed, I was so grief-stricken, I must have blocked the previous few months from my mind."
"Quatre made you remember," said Duo.
She looked into his eyes. "Can't you see now why I can't be with you?"
"No, I can't."
"You don't understand!" Trynity was clenching her fists and tears watered her eyes.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, his frustration mounting.
"Would you have forgiven me?" she demanded.
"You don't have the right to know the answer to that question!" It slipped out before Duo could prevent himself from saying it with all the bitterness he felt that Trynity had given the life that should have been theirs to another man because she couldn't trust him.
"Of course not! When you bailed out in that escape pod, you took that right from me!" She stormed off the balcony and into the room.
Duo sat in the dark for a long time watching the second moon slowly follow the first across the sky. He tried praying to the gods, but he felt too heartsick to do anything but stare at the sky. He couldn't get those seconds on the transport back no matter how much he wanted them. She could never understand how deep his regret was the split second he had jettisoned the pod. He was drowning in it.
When he finally went into his room, the first sun was starting to rise, so he didn't bother going to his bed. Grabbing his sword, he headed to the door, but Trynity's voice stopped him.
"I'm sorry, Duo."
He didn't turn around. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I'm sorry I can't be your wife."
Duo walked out without responding.
If only he could have those seconds back.
