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Tapestry - Chapter 6
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"Wufei – do you have any shoes I could borrow?"
I stepped out of the bathroom, thankfully feeling a bit more secure than when I went in. I checked my appearance in the mirror before I came out; I was surprised to see that I looked elegant, something that didn't happen often at all. My hair, a dark blonde, was set off perfectly by that indigo silk tunic, and Wufei had been right – the ensemble fit me flawlessly, down to the small ties at my wrists and ankles.
And the razors in my pocket gave me some measure of confidence.
"Nothing that would fit you, I'm afraid. My feet are bigger than yours. It won't matter anyway, Sally – have a seat. I can give you socks."
"No need, Wufei," a voice from the window broke in pleasantly. "I will provide adequate footwear. My apologies for the inconvenience, Ms. Po."
Shocked, I whirled toward the window. Unfortunately for me, that was a mistake - the pain in my head, suppressed to a dull, bearable ache, quickly flared at the sudden movement. I grit my teeth, the muscles in my shoulders cramping, a reaction to both my physical pain and the apprehension I felt. I could just make out Khushrenada, standing in the shadows, casually leaning against the sill, dressed for dinner.
"Are you ready?" he asked, smiling. Khushrenada straightened and put his hand on Wufei's shoulder in a familiar gesture. "We are a little late."
"Yes, of course." Be well-mannered and respectful, I reminded myself. Khushrenada doesn't like rudeness, and you won't learn anything if he doesn't like you. I looked askance at the general's hand on Wufei. There was something about the older man touching Wufei that made my hackles rise and forget all about how frightened I felt, putting an unintentional edge to my voice. "It wouldn't do to be late for dinner."
"Well, it's simply a matter of politeness. My people have worked so hard. It's inconsiderate to be late – that says we don't care about them, ne?"
Wufei shrugged his hand off easily; it appeared to be something the boy was used to, a movement that had been practiced many times over. "Let's go," he snapped, marching for the door, already tired of the discussion around him.
Amused, the general watched Wufei stalk out of the room. Swinging his gaze over to me, he raised an eyebrow, gestured toward the wheelchair and asked, "Shall we?"
Oh, no, no, no, I don't think so - we're not doing that again.
"Ah … no, really… I'm feeling quite refreshed now – I can walk, thank you very much." Taking a deep breath, I ignored the pain beating inside my my head, smiled with what I hoped passed for a polite, indifferent expression and, putting my words to action, sailed past Khushrenada toward the door.
Barefoot.
Damn. He didn't give me any socks or shoes. He talked about it, but nothing materialized; honestly, though, at that point I hardly cared. I certainly wasn't going back to look for something in Wufei's drawers, and I absolutely refused to sit in that horrid chair.
Chuckling softly, the general inclined his head. "Excellent, Ms. Po – I'm so glad to hear that."
As I walked into the hallway, my heart beat a little faster. I knew Khushrenada was right behind me, right on my heels - and so was that indefinable something I'd felt earlier. Gods, whatever that thing was, it felt just as large and twice as disconcerting when the man was behind me as when he was in front of me.
Stalked - that's it, that's the feeling, I'm being stalked, I thought, forcing myself not to run, to walk at a normal pace. He's the hunter, and I'm ... not ...
Stiffening my spine, I glared straight ahead. So what? Get hold of yourself. It's ridiculously easy to stalk prey that can't run from you.
I glanced over my shoulder in time to see him close and lock the door to Wufei's bedroom, using a key he pulled from his right trouser pocket. Automatically I cataloged that information, plus the fact that he transferred the key hand to hand after he'd used it, and then put it in his left trouser pocket.
Right. As if you're going to pick his pocket to get it.
Lifting my eyebrows in feigned surprise, I asked, "Is it necessary to lock the doors in your own home?"
"It is when one's guests would rather abandon said home's sanctity," he replied, giving me a level stare. "And I would appreciate your returning at least two of the razors, Ms. Po. Wufei doesn't use them, but they DO make a lovely wall setting. I like the way they catch the light."
I swallowed, staring at him. Damn. "As you wish, General. I had none in my own bathroom." A warm tingle swept across my cheeks as I looked down, dipped my hand into my pocket, retrieved the razors and dropped them into his waiting hand.
Amused, Khushrenada pocketed the blades without inspecting them. "Of course you had none, Ms. Po. You would have attempted to use them right away. As it is, I have no idea if your word is good enough or not. I'm fairly sure you're not suicidal, or you wouldn't even have sheets."
Breathing a little faster than normal, I stared at him. "I'm sure my word is as good as yours, General."
"Indeed." He glanced at me with heavily lidded eyes. "We shall see."
Delectable smells floated down the corridor, teasing my appetite unmercifully. My stomach growled again – rather loudly, too – and I winced, cursing my body for giving off signals of its own weakness. It's bad enough I'm barefoot and trying not to limp, I thought as I followed Wufei, but I'm so hungry I feel as though I could eat a live cow. Feh.
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Wufei unerringly strode into the dining room and went directly to his seat at the small, four person table. His face partially hidden in shadow, he sat down, an unreadable expression in his eyes.
Close on his heels, I walked into the dining room and followed him over to the table. I settled into a chair next to him and glanced outside, through the large French windows, to the patio and gardens. One of the windows was slightly open; the air was cool, and becoming cooler as the sun set. Fleeting thoughts of escape were firmly pushed to the back of my mind as Khushrenada walked into the room. Oddly enough, that same feeling I had when I first saw him - the one that left me a little breathless and staring - was with me again as I watched him cross the room and settle into his chair next to the open window, waning sunlight glinting off his hair, giving it a bronze cast.
Perfect, I mused. He's ... perfect. The muscles in his neck were well defined and strained against the material of his shirt as he leaned across the table to murmur something to Wufei. I couldn't remember when I'd seen anyone who looked so flawless, so handsome. Even his hands looked strong and supple - and looking at them, I wondered how they would feel if -
Horrorstruck, I yanked my awareness back, feeling my cheeks burning yet again. What in the hell is wrong with me? Who thinks about things like that when they're held prisoner? Gods, I must have hit my head fairly hard when the shuttle went down - I never reacted to anyone like this in the past, friend or foe.
A small shiver ran down my arms, a reaction from the breeze that whispered through the open window and my admittedly bizarre thoughts. I could feel goosebumps rising on my arms, but I refused to ask to have the window closed; keeping it open while eating dinner was a small freedom that I just did not want to surrender.
I had just turned to speak to Wufei when I felt something drape across my shoulders, something large and heavy and warm. Surprised, I twisted in my chair to see Treize standing directly behind me with no jacket – in fact, I was now wearing his, and he was watching me with a speculative gleam.
"Ah … thank you." I left the jacket exactly where it was and stared at him. "I ... I was a little chilly."
"My pleasure, Ms. Po." He sat down again and faced both Wufei and me, his blue eyes sharp with interest. "I sincerely do not want you feeling ... uncomfortable... while you are here. May I serve you some of this delicious squab?"
If I didn't know better, I would have sworn he also knew what had just crossed my mind about him. Blinking, I looked over at Wufei, who was staring at his plate with a fixed, sullen expression, then back at Treize. "Why – yes, thank you," I said, hesitantly.
Lovely dishes were set about the table – Cornish game hens, done to a golden brown perfection; asparagus with a light crème sauce; several different rice casseroles; soup and salad at each place setting, and wine that had just been opened at the table. The smell of all the food together was enough to drive me wild, as I waited for him to serve Wufei and himself before devouring my own meal.
Wufei, on the other hand, paid no attention at all to the general or to the food on the table. Instead, he apparently took a very personal interest in the scenery beyond the window. Treize served him after serving me, giving him generous portions of everything available; however, Wufei's food sat there, untouched, as he continued to ignore it and gaze fixedly out the window.
"Wufei," Treize prodded gently, glancing at him with a slightly disapproving look.
Without a word, Wufei turned, picked up his knife and fork and attacked his squab with a vengeance, his expression sullen and distant.
"This is delicious, General," I said, glancing from Wufei to Treize, feeling the tension between them. "Everything is quite good."
"Thank you, Sally," Treize replied, smiling. "I shall have to thank Ross for doing such an excellent job. The hens were raised on my land, you know." He looked over at Wufei, apparently expecting him to say something in response.
Wufei, however, simply cut his chicken into small pieces and pushed those pieces around his plate, scowling.
"Really?" Some perverse instinct was surfacing, pushing me to distract the general's attention away from Wufei. "It's a gift to be so self sufficient – were the vegetables grown here, too?"
"Yes, indeed, they were," Treize nodded, carefully pouring sauce on his asparagus. "The wine, however, is from France." Without missing a beat, Treize took a small sip of wine, gracefully cut his Cornish game hen into small pieces and murmured once, "Wufei."
Sighing, the dark haired youth unwrapped his napkin and put it on his lap, glared at Treize, then continued to pick and push his food around on his plate.
"Ah," I nodded, looking at Wufei. "If you don't have the right climate, it's difficult to cultivate the grapes." I slid a narrowed gaze at Treize, continuing, "You may be able to bring the plant to you, but it may not bear the fruit you expect."
"Indeed." Treize sliced his asparagus, his eyes glittering, as he gazed at me. "Much easier, in so many ways, than rose bushes are to care for. After all – " and he paused, looking straight into my eyes, "-you must trim roses, or else they stifle under their own beauty and die." He picked up a basket close to him and handed it to me with an easy smile. "Bread?"
I stared back, feeling the subtle threat behind his words but forcing myself not to react. So ... if he doesn't behave, he's going to be trimmed, eh? "Thank you, no," I refused politely.
Treize nodded, his broad shoulders shifting as he returned the basket to its place on the table. "If you're feeling better after you eat – and I'm sure you will – you may join me in the den, Ms. Po," he said, watching me closely. "I'm sure you have questions."
"Ah – yes. I am feeling better, General – I would appreciate that."
"I'm glad to hear it – isn't that wonderful news, Wufei?"
"Yes," Wufei mumbled, not looking up.
Treize sighed. "My apologies, Ms. Po. He seems to be having a bad day."
"Understandable." As I looked at him - sitting at the table, clenching his fork with his head down, not saying anything at all - I realized I wanted him to feel that at least one person was on his side. I looked at him and gave him a questioning smile. The tension between he and Khushrenada was thick and heavy in the air; unconsciously, I turned my body a little more toward Wufei and put my hand near his on the table, giving him my unspoken support.
Wufei turned and looked at me, his eyes dark and troubled. After a moment, his expression softened; he gave me a weak smile, lowering his eyes. He turned back to his food and started poking at it again, but without as much hatred as before.
Satisfied that I had at least coaxed a smile out of Wufei, I turned back to my meal - and was completely disconcerted to find Treize gazing intently at me. Obviously aware of my discomfiture, he picked up a serving dish and handed it to me.
"More asparagus?" he asked, watching me with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Apprehension and unease darted through me as I tried to decipher his expression. It wasn't just that he was looking at me, but that he was watching me with such intensity. "Ah… no, thank you," I refused politely, shaking my head, "I believe I'm full."
Nodding, Treize dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, then glanced across the table. "Are you finished, Wufei?"
"Yes," Wufei muttered, still not looking up.
"Homework?"
A short silence greeted that question. "Not all of it," Wufei finally said.
I looked at Wufei. "Have you decided to study something during your … stay .. here, Wufei?"
Wufei immediately looked at me, eyes wide with surprise and shock. "I …," he started, then stopped, clearly not knowing what to say. "…..yes," he finally concluded, looking down at his plate.
I smiled gently at Wufei, trying to look encouraging. "But that's very good, Wufei. Study improves your mind. It keeps you sharp – keeps you keen for any opportunity. Wouldn't you agree?" I asked, giving a sidelong glance at Treize.
"Yes, in fact, I would, Ms. Po," Treize replied as he watched Wufei, a look of triumph on his face.
"I have an exam in the morning." Wufei pushed his chair away from the table and stood, his shoulders slightly hunched. "I have to finish studying."
"Ah. I see. Then good luck, Wufei."
Stiffly, Wufei nodded at me. "Thank you." He glared at Treize. "May I be excused?" he asked, his tone just shy of snarling.
"Of course you may, Wufei," Treize nodded, ignoring the boy's tone completely.
The words were scarcely out of Treize's mouth when Wufei turned on his heel and stalked quickly out of the room, visibly relieved.
"Would you care for any dessert?"
I looked after Wufei; with an effort, I pulled my attention back from the young pilot and looked at Treize, wary. "Ah … no. I don't think so, thank you. Some tea would be nice, though."
"Herbal? Or do you have another preference?" Treize asked, rising from his seat to walk to one of the arched doorways at the far side of the room. "I do have some excellent Chinese tea."
"That would be very nice, thank you," I replied, watching him. "I can't remember the last time I had real Chinese tea."
"In the den?" Treize asked, glancing at me. "It will be brought to us."
"Of course – that will be fine," I repeated. I pushed my chair away from the table and stood in one graceful motion, silk pants rustling about my legs; then caught my balance and walked over to Treize at the other side of the room, ready to follow him to the den.
"Saa … no wheelchair?" Treize walked toward me and put his arm out, concern on his face. "Are you well enough to walk?"
"Of course - I did walk here under my own power." Even though my words were strong and my tone was confident, even a little condescending, I could see I wasn't deceiving him. This is ridiculous, I thought, the throbbing in my head increasing. Somehow, this man can sense what I'm thinking and feeling. I have to hide myself better.
"Yes, but you're barefoot, and the stone floor is cold. Please, sit," he said, taking my arm and guiding me to a wheelchair tucked into a small alcove near the kitchen. "I will not forgive myself if you collapse in my house."
Strong hands steered me to the chair; as I sat down, I looked up at him in confusion and perplexity. "I don't understand you at all," I said bluntly, shaking my head.
"That's quite all right," Treize replied with a small smile, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You have time to try."
What is wrong with me? I was aghast; I never let my enemies see any weakness or confusion. Yet here I was, allowing this man, arguably the most dangerous man I knew, to affect me somehow and move me from room to room at his whim. Worse than that, I actually told him that I didn't understand what he was doing – a complete faux pas on my part, something that he could use against me. At least, I knew I would, had our positions been reversed.
Treize settled me and made sure I was comfortable, then pushed me out of the room and down the hall to the den. I thought I was used to the understated opulence of the house, but the den was yet another quiet shock. Double wooden doors opened into a medium sized room, furnished with several overstuffed leather chairs and oak side tables in front of a lovely stone fireplace. Most of the illumination and heat in the room came from the fire in the hearth; warm and bright, the fire sent glowing slivers of light against the fine woodgrain paneling and the floor to ceiling bookshelves, casting the spines of the many volumes into shadowed relief.
I tried to control my reaction to this room, as well; but libraries had always been places of refuge for me. Relaxing a bit more than normal, I accepted Treize's proffered hand and allowed him to lead me to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.
"Please, have a seat," he said with a smile, leaning slightly to look at the side of my chair. I frowned and sank into the seat, leaning to the right to see what he was looking at. Our eyes met as he straightened; and at that instant, I felt something flow from him, a force that was stronger and more insidious than any I'd ever encountered. The longer I stared at him the more powerful the attraction became, to the point where I could not look away; and then something expanded and completely filled my senses.
I blinked when I realized he was speaking to me and I had no idea what he was saying.
"Would it be amiss if I offered you a quilt? The fire is warm, but it IS chilly outside – the stone floors reflect that."
"..what? Um ... well … I ..." I stammered, looking into his eyes, feeling uncharacteristically out of control.
"I promise that I will have something more suitable for you to wear soon," he continued, never taking his gaze from mine. "My apologies for the lack of feminine garments here – it has been a long time since a woman was here with me." Laughing softly, he continued, ".. or at least .. a lady."
"… oh …" I swallowed, looking anywhere except directly at Treize, my embarrassement vivid and bright on my cheeks. " … well … "
Raising one eyebrow and waving one hand in dismissal, he declared, "I will get you a quilt – no arguing!" He turned and strode out of the room, calling to someone in the hallway.
I watched him leave, completely at a loss. That something - a presence, for lack of a better term – left with him, and mercifully I felt as though a fog lifted from my brain, allowing me to think again. I slumped back in my chair, exhausted. Gods, how surreal. I have never felt so ... vague, so confused ... with anyone before...
Trying to gather my wits before he returned, my gaze settled on a book left on the reading table next to the other overstuffed chair. Leaning over, I ran my fingers across the leather binding of the tome; it was warm, and old, and impeccably kept. Lifting it in my hands, I marveled at the balanced feel of the book – it was something that was simply made to be held, not reduced to pixels and stuck in a data stream. I opened the book to a random page and started reading. My surprise and shock became complete when I realized I was holding a compliation of poems from the Tang dynasty – and that these poems, unlike the previous book I saw Treize with, were written in Cantonese.
The fire crackled and the wind buffeted the windows, but I heard none of it. I sat curled in the large chair by the fire, my legs drawn underneath me, hungrily reading poetry I hadn't read in years. I lost myself in the beauty of the words on the page, forgetting everything - where I was, why I was there, how I got there. It didn't matter. None of it mattered, in fact. I was unexpectedly transported back to a time before the war, a time when reading books and poetry was something I enjoyed and did all the time.
Outside, the sky turned the color of sapphires; the light was all but gone and it looked very cold. I shivered – the thin silk of my tunic was a weak barrier against the chill of the evening air. Shifting my position so that my body faced the warmth of the fire, I smiled as I read alone in silence for several minutes.
"Ah. So you have discovered my passion."
I looked up to see Treize watching me from several feet away, a smile touching his eyes and a soft, thick, quilt in his arms. The moment I looked at him he started to move toward me, shifting the comforter between his hands.
"These are – beautiful." I gestured toward the book, shifting my feet from under me. "I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed reading this poetry."
Treize only smiled, walked to my chair and bent over, slipping the quilt around my shoulders, behind my back and over my legs, very thoroughly tucking me in. His face was inches from mine; I could feel his breath on my throat, warm and soft. Immediately, every nerve ending along my neck quivered and flared - and at the same time, every muscle below my shoulders went slack, turned to liquid by an unconscious sensuality that saturated the atmosphere around me. I felt powerless, unable to do anything except stare at Treize as he wrapped his arms around me, bundling me in the quilt.
"They are quite beautiful," he murmured in my ear, giving my shoulder a final pat before pulling back and retreating to his own chair. Relaxing into his seat, Treize tilted his head and quoted from memory:
"A lonely swan from the sea flies,
To alight on puddles it does not deign.
Nesting in the poplar of pearls
It spies and questions green birds twain:
"Don't you fear the threat of slings,
Perched on top of branches so high?
Nice clothes invite pointing fingers,
High climbers God's good will defy.
Bird-hunters will crave me in vain,
For I roam the limitless sky."
Grateful for the barrier of the blanket, I listened to him, transfixed. Bit by bit, I recovered control over my body as my mind tried to assimilate the idea of Treize reciting poetry in flawless Cantonese - knowing that he read and spoke Mandarin, as well. Reading and speaking one language as a non-native was rare enough, but exhibiting such a deep understanding of both was almost unheard of.
"Ah, but you must forgive my audacity," he said as he finished with a wink, "speaking in such a way in front of one who owns the very culture."
After a moment, I rallied and said, "Not at all – I liked it very much."
Treize nodded. "Yes. I empathize with it, really," he said, back in the common language. "Now – I'm sure you have questions. Do ask before you become tired, ne?"
A beat passed. "I suppose, then, the first question is – why?" I was staring at the fire, bundled neatly in my chair. My eyes moved from watching the fire to flicker across his face, alert and watchful.
"Why?" Treize crossed his legs and looked at me with a tiny smile. "Be more specific, please – or we'll be here all night."
"Ah … yes, all right. Why have you decided to keep me and Wufei here?"
Treize's expression did not change, but something in his manner shifted and became more personal. "Ah. Let's go back, in that case, to when your ship went down. His went down at roughly the same time."
"How long ago was that?"
Treize thought for a moment. "I'd say - at least six weeks. You – and those remaining alive – were taken and put into medical care, on my orders. There was no need to endanger you further, of course."
Under normal circumstances, I was excellent at masking my emotions; but hearing that six weeks of my life had passed without my knowledge was still a huge emotional shock. "... what do you mean ... ?"
Surprised, Treize looked back at me. "You thought I would have ordered you all thrown into prison? Buried alive? Burned at the stake? There is no beauty in torturing the injured."
Color rose through my cheeks as I looked at him. "I never thought so, General."
"It is hardly an accomplishment of which one should be proud," he responded gently.
"I never noticed your organization being so solicitous before."
"Please do not judge me and my views according to my subordinates." Shrugging lightly and sighing, Treize looked regretful. "Unfortunately, I cannot control everything, ne?"
"You mean Lady Une?"
"Ah .. more than Lady Une, I'm afraid. She has enough of her own problems. I fear she's developed a multiple personality while working under me."
I stared at him, not quite believing what he had just said. His voice was low pitched and pleasant, his expression gentle and considerate – but his eyes were cold, and his manner showed all the regret one might show if one dropped a glass on a slate floor. I shuddered under the quilt and swallowed, looking at him.
"Now, then," Treize continued. "In the process of this, Wufei attempted to assassinate me for the second time." Shrugging almost apologetically, he smiled faintly and said, "He failed."
"So I see," I observed, raising an eyebrow.
Abruptly, the cold, assessing stare was replaced with a smoldering, passionate gaze. For the second time in as many minutes, I felt stunned, unable to look away.
"However. I have, Ms. Po, a great respect for strength – a great respect for honor. Honor is a rare and beautiful thing – and how many men do you know who still carry it these days? Honor is one of the facets that makes man the beautiful creature he is. I love and respect honor in any form in which I find it – and to that end, I did not have Wufei executed. He did not deserve it, and had not earned it."
"Ah, I see. He lost honorably, then?"
"He did. Then, Ms. Po, many other things happened that I probably should not bother you with in terms of details …"
"One moment," I interrupted. "Doesn't THAT kind of honor demand that the loser be executed in those 'games?' "
"It does, but - I could not do it. In spite of appearances, Ms. Po, I hate to kill."
Of course you do, I thought cynically, remembering the deaths of the Romefeller pacifists at Edwards.
"I see. You value honor in those you deal with – yet you deign to deal with them in any manner you choose."
Treize appeared to ignore my comment. He smiled to himself, lifted a porceline teapot from a service next to his chair and poured two cups. The fragrent aroma of brewed tea drifted across the room, yet something else I associated with libraries and safety. Treize lifted an eyebrow in inquiry at me and held a sugar spoon over one of the cups.
"Oh .. one, please," I said when I realized what he was asking. "And no cream, thank you."
Nodding, Treize dunked the sugar spoon into the cup once, stirred it, then handed it to me. I untangled my arms from the quilt, leaned across and accepted the cup from him, pleased that my hands were steady and the cup did not rattle against the saucer as I drew back into my chair.
Treize leaned back in his own chair, resting the saucer in one hand while raising the cup to his lips with the other, watching me over the rim of the cup. "To get back to our original topic – I decided to keep Wufei imprisoned near me because he was a gundam pilot – a very valuable prisoner. Especially since the pilots of 04 and 02 were also captured that same day."
I sipped my tea, glad for something to occupy my hands. "Go on, please."
"It seems that Lady Une was quite right about the new weapons we had released. They did end the war." Trieze smiled at me faintly and crossed his legs. "No ship or mobile suit can handle them."
Anger leaped in my eyes, replaced almost at once by mild reproof. "Certainly my medical transport ship could not handle it."
"Of course not. I was surprised that Une used them, really … it was overkill." Shaking his head as if he had been mildly disappointed, Treize continued. "Within two weeks, because of these weapons, the forces against OZ were decimated – including those within OZ that thought to overrun me."
Treize took another sip and returned his cup and saucer to the small table next to his chair, then turned back to me, relaxed and calm. "During this time, Ms. Po, I spent some time speaking with each of the captured pilots. I believe them to be amazing specimens of the human species, do you know that?"
I had become very still, watching him as closely as a mouse watches an owl in a tree. "Yes. I believe that to be true. They're all quite young, as well …impressionable, you might say."
Looking as if he was speaking of a past romance, Treize smiled faintly again. "Yes, they are young – articulate, intelligent – but actually, I would would disagree to some extent, about their 'impressionability.' I could get no information from them. And of couse, I would not allow torture."
Thank the gods for that, I thought with relief. I knew that Wufei would never give any information unless under duress. "Oh?" My tone was pleasant but distant, in synch with my noncommittal expression. "There was nothing of use you discovered?"
Shrugging, Treize allowed himself a small look at me. "Nothing. Other than having my suspicions as to their individual calibers confirmed. By this time, of course, my men had successfully tracked down most of the gentlemen responsible for starting this war. We know there are five people responsible for building the gundams – and these people, for some reason, blame my organization for the assassination of the original Heero Yuy fifteen years ago. They have worked all that time … merely for the sake of getting revenge." Treize chuckled softly at the irony. "It turns out that they weren't that interested in the safety of the colonies, after all. "
"General, I find that very difficult to believe," I replied, shaking my head.
"Believe it, Ms. Po. They were found IN the colonies – in the L2 system, I believe. Something else interesting happened after they were revealed, as well. It seems that the colonies didn't want war after all – only a small faction wanted to fight. The colonies publically decried the gundams and their actions, and quite forcefully divorced themselves from them - in fact, they stated they had nothing to do with the gundams at all. They said the colonies wanted peace – had only ever wanted peace – and that the gundams were not theirs."
I straightened, staring at him, desperately controlling myself. "What? I .. that can't be true …"
"It is, Ms. Po – believe it. The war, in a very real sense, simply stopped – because everyone realized they did not WISH to fight." Watching my reaction, Treize continued. "And now there are only two pilots unaccounted for and only one gundam. Neither the pilots nor the gundam have surfaced yet, thought I am expecting them to do so."
"Oh." I looked at him, aghast, still not believing what I heard.
"After the colonies realized they no longer wished to fight, nor be associated with the gundams, I was able to declare the war … complete. There were no winners … no losers … we simply stopped fighting. Once the masterminds were located, it was easier than one would guess."
My jaw dropped. "YOU announced the war was over …?"
Raising one eyebrow at me, Treize repeated, "Of course. The colonies had stated clearly they did not wish to fight – and in fact, were not fighting. Who was there to war against, Ms. Po?"
"But … but - who runs the colonies now?"
"They expressed a wish to work with OZ, to … how shall I put this … 'pool' our resources for the better good. Lady Une is in space at present, discussing matters with the colony leaders."
I felt slightly sick; my face turned a shade paler. "Do you mean to say … that OZ has taken over the colonies?"
Laughing softly, Treize leaned forward toward me, solicitous. "'Taken over?' This is not a hostile act, Ms. Po. The colonies rule themselves, of course. We are simply joining in a … business merger. If all concerned agree to the terms, of course.
"Now. Since you were asking about the pilots – I still had three pilots, none of whom I cared to execute, and all of whom were now … well … without purpose. Their teachers had been found; the colonies had rejected them; their gundams destroyed; there was no more war. These were children who were fighting, Ms. Po – and as you know, when the war is over, the soldiers go home. These children had nowhere to go – and nothing to do. Hence, their depression upon hearing that the colonies had rejected them and everything they had every done was rather – complete."
I was breathing faster again, trying to control myself. What a nice setup - all Khushrenada had to do was take advantage of the situation. The gundam pilots had everything taken away from them in one way or another – their masters, the people they fought for, their direction, even their beloved gundams – and had been left with nothing. It was clever in an awful way, really – with every physical and psychological motivation taken away, the pilots were now forced to look at what was left. Which, in some cases, was not much at all.
"And what did you do decide to do with these children who were suddenly orphaned on your doorstep?" I asked, clutching my teacup between my hands.
"Well, I had to decide, Ms. Po. I wasn't going to leave them to my men." A significant look passed between us; as I shuddered, Treize nodded. "Exactly. I didn't want them to die – they all have such potential, and they are SO young … so misguided." He turned his head toward the fire for a moment, watching the flames dance in the hearth, and sipped his tea silently. Firelight leaped and touched the ends of his hair with burnished gold; his profile, sharp and distinctive, stood out in clear relief against the yellowish gold of the flames.
"Quatre Raberba Winner, at least, has some family," he continued after a moment's reflection. "Duo Maxwell had none, but he had a place to go. Wufei had nothing. He originated on the colony A0206." Treize turned to look at me, his face in shadow, the fire bright behind his head. "I believe you were stationed near there, once, when you still worked for Romefeller."
I stared at Treize in shocked silence, desperately hoping my face was an expressionless blank. "….A0206?" I finally asked when I found my voice. "Yes … I … I was stationed near there." Breathe, Sally, breathe I told myself, trying to keep myself focused. Memories of the last time I had been near A0206 swam in front of my eyes –
I was on the bridge of my vessel, staring at a viewscreen, incredulously repeating my orders from Commander Septem. "You're ordering the deaths of all the inhabitants of Colony A0206?"
"That's not what I said," my commander snapped, his image slightly blurred. "That colony is ancient. It is no longer useful to us. So before we put it out of commission, we must disinfect it."
"I agree that Colony A0206's condition makes it no longer usable," I agreed smoothly. "But therefore, the inhabitants should be moved to another colony, or the system maintenance equipment should be upgraded. YO448 are germ weapons." I took a deep breath, stared at the screen and proclaimed, "As a doctor – no, as a human being – I cannot approve of such a criminal action!"
"There is a dangerous faction on Colony A0206. This action is necessary to maintain the peace of the Earth system," Commander Septem said, unperterbed.
"But—"
A hand gently dislodged my fingers from their deathgrip around my teacup. "More tea, Ms. Po?"
"Oh ... yes ..." I blinked and nodded, exhaling quickly and releasing my cup as if it burned. "Thank you."
Silently, Treize nodded, took my cup and placed it next to his own on the low table next to his chair. "Have you heard of the Dragon Clan, Ms. Po?"
Treize tilted his head, his blue eyes sharp and insightful as he poured more tea. "Rumored, of course, since they were all supposedly massacred at the end of the Tang dynasty."
"Ah," I said weakly, still shocked from the realization that Treize knew something about my life that most people didn't. "Yes, I have heard of the Dragon Clan."
"Well … it still exists," Treize replied with a wink, handing a full cup, sweetened as I preferred.
"Does it?" I asked, accepting my tea, pleased that I had calmed down again to the point where my hands were not shaking. I could not remember a time where I had been more upset
"Absolutely," he nodded.
"I'm not sure I'm following," I admitted, settling back into my chair with a sigh. In fact, I had no idea what connection the Dragon Clan had with the war, the resistance or the gundam pilots at all.
"It seems, Ms. Po, that someone attempted to massacre the dragon clan out of fear." Shaking his head in regret, Treize sighed. "Man always tries to kill that which he does not understand. However – they failed."
"Who tried to massacre them?" I asked, confused.
"The Chinese government," he replied, leaning forward and looking at me earnestly. "You see, Ms. Po … the Dragon Clan was the most advanced fighting group in the world. They had bred themselves carefully to be brilliant – deadly – honed to perfection, the perfect warriors – and their own government was terrified of them. However, it seems that some of them escaped the massacre and fled to the mountains."
"But – I don't understand," I asked again, insistant. "That's just odd. Why should the government fear them? Did they have a wish to rule?"
"Not at all. The government feared them because they were dangerous – or they COULD be." Treize raised his eyebrow at me, shifted his position slightly and gave me a gentle smile. "I am a student of history, Sally. Man often attempts to circumvent his personal disaster by acting out of turn. Fear … is a terrible motivator."
I looked at him, my face carefully expressionless. "It seems that some organizations have found fear to be quite effective, though."
"Yes," he sighed, ignoring my comment and its implications. "A terrible motivator – but quite effective. Those of the clan who had survived remained undetected until the first days of the colonization of space—"
"—so they fled to space," I guessed, staring at the fire.
"No," Treize corrected. "They were banished there. Their government was still terrified of them – and found a way, they believed, to get rid of the clan for good. They sent them to A0206, which at the time was an abandoned colony. One that, really, was decrepit – simply falling apart. I may be guessing here, Ms. Po, but I don't believe they were meant to survive."
"Probably not." I shrugged, remembering the condition of the colony when I first saw its readouts.
Treize's gaze slid over me, lingering on my face as he continued, "They stayed there until Romefeller decided it wished to kill them, as well. You must understand – the world had used these people as their assassins. All those in power knew how effective they were – and as Romefeller put forth its designs to rule everyone, their thoughts strayed to A0206 …"
He trailed off and looked at me, sipping his tea.
Finishing his thought, I said tonelessly, " …so they ordered the planet cleared. 'Disinfected,' in fact." I stared straight into the fire, not meeting Treize's gaze, my shoulders hunched forward.
"Correct. But as you know … that clearing failed. Mostly because of your efforts – for which I am grateful.." Treize was silent for a moment. "You are the type of woman OZ was supposed to have, Ms. Po."
I took a large sip of tea and continued staring at the fire, my profile to him. "Those people were innocent."
He nodded and leaned back in his chair, tiltiing his head. In the same tone of voice he used when offering me tea, Treize said softly, "Wufei is of the Dragon Clan."
Involuntarily, I turned toward Treize, my eyes wide with shock. "Excuse me?"
"Wufei was on that colony, with his young wife, when you pulled your forces away. Had you stayed, you certainly would have killed him. Doing what you did, you preserved his life."
I continued to stare at him, unable to hide my shock.
"….yes," he nodded, noting my ragged breathing and stunned expression with a small smile. "that was my reaction, too – but I am getting ahead of myself."
Tapestry - Chapter 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wufei – do you have any shoes I could borrow?"
I stepped out of the bathroom, thankfully feeling a bit more secure than when I went in. I checked my appearance in the mirror before I came out; I was surprised to see that I looked elegant, something that didn't happen often at all. My hair, a dark blonde, was set off perfectly by that indigo silk tunic, and Wufei had been right – the ensemble fit me flawlessly, down to the small ties at my wrists and ankles.
And the razors in my pocket gave me some measure of confidence.
"Nothing that would fit you, I'm afraid. My feet are bigger than yours. It won't matter anyway, Sally – have a seat. I can give you socks."
"No need, Wufei," a voice from the window broke in pleasantly. "I will provide adequate footwear. My apologies for the inconvenience, Ms. Po."
Shocked, I whirled toward the window. Unfortunately for me, that was a mistake - the pain in my head, suppressed to a dull, bearable ache, quickly flared at the sudden movement. I grit my teeth, the muscles in my shoulders cramping, a reaction to both my physical pain and the apprehension I felt. I could just make out Khushrenada, standing in the shadows, casually leaning against the sill, dressed for dinner.
"Are you ready?" he asked, smiling. Khushrenada straightened and put his hand on Wufei's shoulder in a familiar gesture. "We are a little late."
"Yes, of course." Be well-mannered and respectful, I reminded myself. Khushrenada doesn't like rudeness, and you won't learn anything if he doesn't like you. I looked askance at the general's hand on Wufei. There was something about the older man touching Wufei that made my hackles rise and forget all about how frightened I felt, putting an unintentional edge to my voice. "It wouldn't do to be late for dinner."
"Well, it's simply a matter of politeness. My people have worked so hard. It's inconsiderate to be late – that says we don't care about them, ne?"
Wufei shrugged his hand off easily; it appeared to be something the boy was used to, a movement that had been practiced many times over. "Let's go," he snapped, marching for the door, already tired of the discussion around him.
Amused, the general watched Wufei stalk out of the room. Swinging his gaze over to me, he raised an eyebrow, gestured toward the wheelchair and asked, "Shall we?"
Oh, no, no, no, I don't think so - we're not doing that again.
"Ah … no, really… I'm feeling quite refreshed now – I can walk, thank you very much." Taking a deep breath, I ignored the pain beating inside my my head, smiled with what I hoped passed for a polite, indifferent expression and, putting my words to action, sailed past Khushrenada toward the door.
Barefoot.
Damn. He didn't give me any socks or shoes. He talked about it, but nothing materialized; honestly, though, at that point I hardly cared. I certainly wasn't going back to look for something in Wufei's drawers, and I absolutely refused to sit in that horrid chair.
Chuckling softly, the general inclined his head. "Excellent, Ms. Po – I'm so glad to hear that."
As I walked into the hallway, my heart beat a little faster. I knew Khushrenada was right behind me, right on my heels - and so was that indefinable something I'd felt earlier. Gods, whatever that thing was, it felt just as large and twice as disconcerting when the man was behind me as when he was in front of me.
Stalked - that's it, that's the feeling, I'm being stalked, I thought, forcing myself not to run, to walk at a normal pace. He's the hunter, and I'm ... not ...
Stiffening my spine, I glared straight ahead. So what? Get hold of yourself. It's ridiculously easy to stalk prey that can't run from you.
I glanced over my shoulder in time to see him close and lock the door to Wufei's bedroom, using a key he pulled from his right trouser pocket. Automatically I cataloged that information, plus the fact that he transferred the key hand to hand after he'd used it, and then put it in his left trouser pocket.
Right. As if you're going to pick his pocket to get it.
Lifting my eyebrows in feigned surprise, I asked, "Is it necessary to lock the doors in your own home?"
"It is when one's guests would rather abandon said home's sanctity," he replied, giving me a level stare. "And I would appreciate your returning at least two of the razors, Ms. Po. Wufei doesn't use them, but they DO make a lovely wall setting. I like the way they catch the light."
I swallowed, staring at him. Damn. "As you wish, General. I had none in my own bathroom." A warm tingle swept across my cheeks as I looked down, dipped my hand into my pocket, retrieved the razors and dropped them into his waiting hand.
Amused, Khushrenada pocketed the blades without inspecting them. "Of course you had none, Ms. Po. You would have attempted to use them right away. As it is, I have no idea if your word is good enough or not. I'm fairly sure you're not suicidal, or you wouldn't even have sheets."
Breathing a little faster than normal, I stared at him. "I'm sure my word is as good as yours, General."
"Indeed." He glanced at me with heavily lidded eyes. "We shall see."
Delectable smells floated down the corridor, teasing my appetite unmercifully. My stomach growled again – rather loudly, too – and I winced, cursing my body for giving off signals of its own weakness. It's bad enough I'm barefoot and trying not to limp, I thought as I followed Wufei, but I'm so hungry I feel as though I could eat a live cow. Feh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wufei unerringly strode into the dining room and went directly to his seat at the small, four person table. His face partially hidden in shadow, he sat down, an unreadable expression in his eyes.
Close on his heels, I walked into the dining room and followed him over to the table. I settled into a chair next to him and glanced outside, through the large French windows, to the patio and gardens. One of the windows was slightly open; the air was cool, and becoming cooler as the sun set. Fleeting thoughts of escape were firmly pushed to the back of my mind as Khushrenada walked into the room. Oddly enough, that same feeling I had when I first saw him - the one that left me a little breathless and staring - was with me again as I watched him cross the room and settle into his chair next to the open window, waning sunlight glinting off his hair, giving it a bronze cast.
Perfect, I mused. He's ... perfect. The muscles in his neck were well defined and strained against the material of his shirt as he leaned across the table to murmur something to Wufei. I couldn't remember when I'd seen anyone who looked so flawless, so handsome. Even his hands looked strong and supple - and looking at them, I wondered how they would feel if -
Horrorstruck, I yanked my awareness back, feeling my cheeks burning yet again. What in the hell is wrong with me? Who thinks about things like that when they're held prisoner? Gods, I must have hit my head fairly hard when the shuttle went down - I never reacted to anyone like this in the past, friend or foe.
A small shiver ran down my arms, a reaction from the breeze that whispered through the open window and my admittedly bizarre thoughts. I could feel goosebumps rising on my arms, but I refused to ask to have the window closed; keeping it open while eating dinner was a small freedom that I just did not want to surrender.
I had just turned to speak to Wufei when I felt something drape across my shoulders, something large and heavy and warm. Surprised, I twisted in my chair to see Treize standing directly behind me with no jacket – in fact, I was now wearing his, and he was watching me with a speculative gleam.
"Ah … thank you." I left the jacket exactly where it was and stared at him. "I ... I was a little chilly."
"My pleasure, Ms. Po." He sat down again and faced both Wufei and me, his blue eyes sharp with interest. "I sincerely do not want you feeling ... uncomfortable... while you are here. May I serve you some of this delicious squab?"
If I didn't know better, I would have sworn he also knew what had just crossed my mind about him. Blinking, I looked over at Wufei, who was staring at his plate with a fixed, sullen expression, then back at Treize. "Why – yes, thank you," I said, hesitantly.
Lovely dishes were set about the table – Cornish game hens, done to a golden brown perfection; asparagus with a light crème sauce; several different rice casseroles; soup and salad at each place setting, and wine that had just been opened at the table. The smell of all the food together was enough to drive me wild, as I waited for him to serve Wufei and himself before devouring my own meal.
Wufei, on the other hand, paid no attention at all to the general or to the food on the table. Instead, he apparently took a very personal interest in the scenery beyond the window. Treize served him after serving me, giving him generous portions of everything available; however, Wufei's food sat there, untouched, as he continued to ignore it and gaze fixedly out the window.
"Wufei," Treize prodded gently, glancing at him with a slightly disapproving look.
Without a word, Wufei turned, picked up his knife and fork and attacked his squab with a vengeance, his expression sullen and distant.
"This is delicious, General," I said, glancing from Wufei to Treize, feeling the tension between them. "Everything is quite good."
"Thank you, Sally," Treize replied, smiling. "I shall have to thank Ross for doing such an excellent job. The hens were raised on my land, you know." He looked over at Wufei, apparently expecting him to say something in response.
Wufei, however, simply cut his chicken into small pieces and pushed those pieces around his plate, scowling.
"Really?" Some perverse instinct was surfacing, pushing me to distract the general's attention away from Wufei. "It's a gift to be so self sufficient – were the vegetables grown here, too?"
"Yes, indeed, they were," Treize nodded, carefully pouring sauce on his asparagus. "The wine, however, is from France." Without missing a beat, Treize took a small sip of wine, gracefully cut his Cornish game hen into small pieces and murmured once, "Wufei."
Sighing, the dark haired youth unwrapped his napkin and put it on his lap, glared at Treize, then continued to pick and push his food around on his plate.
"Ah," I nodded, looking at Wufei. "If you don't have the right climate, it's difficult to cultivate the grapes." I slid a narrowed gaze at Treize, continuing, "You may be able to bring the plant to you, but it may not bear the fruit you expect."
"Indeed." Treize sliced his asparagus, his eyes glittering, as he gazed at me. "Much easier, in so many ways, than rose bushes are to care for. After all – " and he paused, looking straight into my eyes, "-you must trim roses, or else they stifle under their own beauty and die." He picked up a basket close to him and handed it to me with an easy smile. "Bread?"
I stared back, feeling the subtle threat behind his words but forcing myself not to react. So ... if he doesn't behave, he's going to be trimmed, eh? "Thank you, no," I refused politely.
Treize nodded, his broad shoulders shifting as he returned the basket to its place on the table. "If you're feeling better after you eat – and I'm sure you will – you may join me in the den, Ms. Po," he said, watching me closely. "I'm sure you have questions."
"Ah – yes. I am feeling better, General – I would appreciate that."
"I'm glad to hear it – isn't that wonderful news, Wufei?"
"Yes," Wufei mumbled, not looking up.
Treize sighed. "My apologies, Ms. Po. He seems to be having a bad day."
"Understandable." As I looked at him - sitting at the table, clenching his fork with his head down, not saying anything at all - I realized I wanted him to feel that at least one person was on his side. I looked at him and gave him a questioning smile. The tension between he and Khushrenada was thick and heavy in the air; unconsciously, I turned my body a little more toward Wufei and put my hand near his on the table, giving him my unspoken support.
Wufei turned and looked at me, his eyes dark and troubled. After a moment, his expression softened; he gave me a weak smile, lowering his eyes. He turned back to his food and started poking at it again, but without as much hatred as before.
Satisfied that I had at least coaxed a smile out of Wufei, I turned back to my meal - and was completely disconcerted to find Treize gazing intently at me. Obviously aware of my discomfiture, he picked up a serving dish and handed it to me.
"More asparagus?" he asked, watching me with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Apprehension and unease darted through me as I tried to decipher his expression. It wasn't just that he was looking at me, but that he was watching me with such intensity. "Ah… no, thank you," I refused politely, shaking my head, "I believe I'm full."
Nodding, Treize dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, then glanced across the table. "Are you finished, Wufei?"
"Yes," Wufei muttered, still not looking up.
"Homework?"
A short silence greeted that question. "Not all of it," Wufei finally said.
I looked at Wufei. "Have you decided to study something during your … stay .. here, Wufei?"
Wufei immediately looked at me, eyes wide with surprise and shock. "I …," he started, then stopped, clearly not knowing what to say. "…..yes," he finally concluded, looking down at his plate.
I smiled gently at Wufei, trying to look encouraging. "But that's very good, Wufei. Study improves your mind. It keeps you sharp – keeps you keen for any opportunity. Wouldn't you agree?" I asked, giving a sidelong glance at Treize.
"Yes, in fact, I would, Ms. Po," Treize replied as he watched Wufei, a look of triumph on his face.
"I have an exam in the morning." Wufei pushed his chair away from the table and stood, his shoulders slightly hunched. "I have to finish studying."
"Ah. I see. Then good luck, Wufei."
Stiffly, Wufei nodded at me. "Thank you." He glared at Treize. "May I be excused?" he asked, his tone just shy of snarling.
"Of course you may, Wufei," Treize nodded, ignoring the boy's tone completely.
The words were scarcely out of Treize's mouth when Wufei turned on his heel and stalked quickly out of the room, visibly relieved.
"Would you care for any dessert?"
I looked after Wufei; with an effort, I pulled my attention back from the young pilot and looked at Treize, wary. "Ah … no. I don't think so, thank you. Some tea would be nice, though."
"Herbal? Or do you have another preference?" Treize asked, rising from his seat to walk to one of the arched doorways at the far side of the room. "I do have some excellent Chinese tea."
"That would be very nice, thank you," I replied, watching him. "I can't remember the last time I had real Chinese tea."
"In the den?" Treize asked, glancing at me. "It will be brought to us."
"Of course – that will be fine," I repeated. I pushed my chair away from the table and stood in one graceful motion, silk pants rustling about my legs; then caught my balance and walked over to Treize at the other side of the room, ready to follow him to the den.
"Saa … no wheelchair?" Treize walked toward me and put his arm out, concern on his face. "Are you well enough to walk?"
"Of course - I did walk here under my own power." Even though my words were strong and my tone was confident, even a little condescending, I could see I wasn't deceiving him. This is ridiculous, I thought, the throbbing in my head increasing. Somehow, this man can sense what I'm thinking and feeling. I have to hide myself better.
"Yes, but you're barefoot, and the stone floor is cold. Please, sit," he said, taking my arm and guiding me to a wheelchair tucked into a small alcove near the kitchen. "I will not forgive myself if you collapse in my house."
Strong hands steered me to the chair; as I sat down, I looked up at him in confusion and perplexity. "I don't understand you at all," I said bluntly, shaking my head.
"That's quite all right," Treize replied with a small smile, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You have time to try."
What is wrong with me? I was aghast; I never let my enemies see any weakness or confusion. Yet here I was, allowing this man, arguably the most dangerous man I knew, to affect me somehow and move me from room to room at his whim. Worse than that, I actually told him that I didn't understand what he was doing – a complete faux pas on my part, something that he could use against me. At least, I knew I would, had our positions been reversed.
Treize settled me and made sure I was comfortable, then pushed me out of the room and down the hall to the den. I thought I was used to the understated opulence of the house, but the den was yet another quiet shock. Double wooden doors opened into a medium sized room, furnished with several overstuffed leather chairs and oak side tables in front of a lovely stone fireplace. Most of the illumination and heat in the room came from the fire in the hearth; warm and bright, the fire sent glowing slivers of light against the fine woodgrain paneling and the floor to ceiling bookshelves, casting the spines of the many volumes into shadowed relief.
I tried to control my reaction to this room, as well; but libraries had always been places of refuge for me. Relaxing a bit more than normal, I accepted Treize's proffered hand and allowed him to lead me to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.
"Please, have a seat," he said with a smile, leaning slightly to look at the side of my chair. I frowned and sank into the seat, leaning to the right to see what he was looking at. Our eyes met as he straightened; and at that instant, I felt something flow from him, a force that was stronger and more insidious than any I'd ever encountered. The longer I stared at him the more powerful the attraction became, to the point where I could not look away; and then something expanded and completely filled my senses.
I blinked when I realized he was speaking to me and I had no idea what he was saying.
"Would it be amiss if I offered you a quilt? The fire is warm, but it IS chilly outside – the stone floors reflect that."
"..what? Um ... well … I ..." I stammered, looking into his eyes, feeling uncharacteristically out of control.
"I promise that I will have something more suitable for you to wear soon," he continued, never taking his gaze from mine. "My apologies for the lack of feminine garments here – it has been a long time since a woman was here with me." Laughing softly, he continued, ".. or at least .. a lady."
"… oh …" I swallowed, looking anywhere except directly at Treize, my embarrassement vivid and bright on my cheeks. " … well … "
Raising one eyebrow and waving one hand in dismissal, he declared, "I will get you a quilt – no arguing!" He turned and strode out of the room, calling to someone in the hallway.
I watched him leave, completely at a loss. That something - a presence, for lack of a better term – left with him, and mercifully I felt as though a fog lifted from my brain, allowing me to think again. I slumped back in my chair, exhausted. Gods, how surreal. I have never felt so ... vague, so confused ... with anyone before...
Trying to gather my wits before he returned, my gaze settled on a book left on the reading table next to the other overstuffed chair. Leaning over, I ran my fingers across the leather binding of the tome; it was warm, and old, and impeccably kept. Lifting it in my hands, I marveled at the balanced feel of the book – it was something that was simply made to be held, not reduced to pixels and stuck in a data stream. I opened the book to a random page and started reading. My surprise and shock became complete when I realized I was holding a compliation of poems from the Tang dynasty – and that these poems, unlike the previous book I saw Treize with, were written in Cantonese.
The fire crackled and the wind buffeted the windows, but I heard none of it. I sat curled in the large chair by the fire, my legs drawn underneath me, hungrily reading poetry I hadn't read in years. I lost myself in the beauty of the words on the page, forgetting everything - where I was, why I was there, how I got there. It didn't matter. None of it mattered, in fact. I was unexpectedly transported back to a time before the war, a time when reading books and poetry was something I enjoyed and did all the time.
Outside, the sky turned the color of sapphires; the light was all but gone and it looked very cold. I shivered – the thin silk of my tunic was a weak barrier against the chill of the evening air. Shifting my position so that my body faced the warmth of the fire, I smiled as I read alone in silence for several minutes.
"Ah. So you have discovered my passion."
I looked up to see Treize watching me from several feet away, a smile touching his eyes and a soft, thick, quilt in his arms. The moment I looked at him he started to move toward me, shifting the comforter between his hands.
"These are – beautiful." I gestured toward the book, shifting my feet from under me. "I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed reading this poetry."
Treize only smiled, walked to my chair and bent over, slipping the quilt around my shoulders, behind my back and over my legs, very thoroughly tucking me in. His face was inches from mine; I could feel his breath on my throat, warm and soft. Immediately, every nerve ending along my neck quivered and flared - and at the same time, every muscle below my shoulders went slack, turned to liquid by an unconscious sensuality that saturated the atmosphere around me. I felt powerless, unable to do anything except stare at Treize as he wrapped his arms around me, bundling me in the quilt.
"They are quite beautiful," he murmured in my ear, giving my shoulder a final pat before pulling back and retreating to his own chair. Relaxing into his seat, Treize tilted his head and quoted from memory:
"A lonely swan from the sea flies,
To alight on puddles it does not deign.
Nesting in the poplar of pearls
It spies and questions green birds twain:
"Don't you fear the threat of slings,
Perched on top of branches so high?
Nice clothes invite pointing fingers,
High climbers God's good will defy.
Bird-hunters will crave me in vain,
For I roam the limitless sky."
Grateful for the barrier of the blanket, I listened to him, transfixed. Bit by bit, I recovered control over my body as my mind tried to assimilate the idea of Treize reciting poetry in flawless Cantonese - knowing that he read and spoke Mandarin, as well. Reading and speaking one language as a non-native was rare enough, but exhibiting such a deep understanding of both was almost unheard of.
"Ah, but you must forgive my audacity," he said as he finished with a wink, "speaking in such a way in front of one who owns the very culture."
After a moment, I rallied and said, "Not at all – I liked it very much."
Treize nodded. "Yes. I empathize with it, really," he said, back in the common language. "Now – I'm sure you have questions. Do ask before you become tired, ne?"
A beat passed. "I suppose, then, the first question is – why?" I was staring at the fire, bundled neatly in my chair. My eyes moved from watching the fire to flicker across his face, alert and watchful.
"Why?" Treize crossed his legs and looked at me with a tiny smile. "Be more specific, please – or we'll be here all night."
"Ah … yes, all right. Why have you decided to keep me and Wufei here?"
Treize's expression did not change, but something in his manner shifted and became more personal. "Ah. Let's go back, in that case, to when your ship went down. His went down at roughly the same time."
"How long ago was that?"
Treize thought for a moment. "I'd say - at least six weeks. You – and those remaining alive – were taken and put into medical care, on my orders. There was no need to endanger you further, of course."
Under normal circumstances, I was excellent at masking my emotions; but hearing that six weeks of my life had passed without my knowledge was still a huge emotional shock. "... what do you mean ... ?"
Surprised, Treize looked back at me. "You thought I would have ordered you all thrown into prison? Buried alive? Burned at the stake? There is no beauty in torturing the injured."
Color rose through my cheeks as I looked at him. "I never thought so, General."
"It is hardly an accomplishment of which one should be proud," he responded gently.
"I never noticed your organization being so solicitous before."
"Please do not judge me and my views according to my subordinates." Shrugging lightly and sighing, Treize looked regretful. "Unfortunately, I cannot control everything, ne?"
"You mean Lady Une?"
"Ah .. more than Lady Une, I'm afraid. She has enough of her own problems. I fear she's developed a multiple personality while working under me."
I stared at him, not quite believing what he had just said. His voice was low pitched and pleasant, his expression gentle and considerate – but his eyes were cold, and his manner showed all the regret one might show if one dropped a glass on a slate floor. I shuddered under the quilt and swallowed, looking at him.
"Now, then," Treize continued. "In the process of this, Wufei attempted to assassinate me for the second time." Shrugging almost apologetically, he smiled faintly and said, "He failed."
"So I see," I observed, raising an eyebrow.
Abruptly, the cold, assessing stare was replaced with a smoldering, passionate gaze. For the second time in as many minutes, I felt stunned, unable to look away.
"However. I have, Ms. Po, a great respect for strength – a great respect for honor. Honor is a rare and beautiful thing – and how many men do you know who still carry it these days? Honor is one of the facets that makes man the beautiful creature he is. I love and respect honor in any form in which I find it – and to that end, I did not have Wufei executed. He did not deserve it, and had not earned it."
"Ah, I see. He lost honorably, then?"
"He did. Then, Ms. Po, many other things happened that I probably should not bother you with in terms of details …"
"One moment," I interrupted. "Doesn't THAT kind of honor demand that the loser be executed in those 'games?' "
"It does, but - I could not do it. In spite of appearances, Ms. Po, I hate to kill."
Of course you do, I thought cynically, remembering the deaths of the Romefeller pacifists at Edwards.
"I see. You value honor in those you deal with – yet you deign to deal with them in any manner you choose."
Treize appeared to ignore my comment. He smiled to himself, lifted a porceline teapot from a service next to his chair and poured two cups. The fragrent aroma of brewed tea drifted across the room, yet something else I associated with libraries and safety. Treize lifted an eyebrow in inquiry at me and held a sugar spoon over one of the cups.
"Oh .. one, please," I said when I realized what he was asking. "And no cream, thank you."
Nodding, Treize dunked the sugar spoon into the cup once, stirred it, then handed it to me. I untangled my arms from the quilt, leaned across and accepted the cup from him, pleased that my hands were steady and the cup did not rattle against the saucer as I drew back into my chair.
Treize leaned back in his own chair, resting the saucer in one hand while raising the cup to his lips with the other, watching me over the rim of the cup. "To get back to our original topic – I decided to keep Wufei imprisoned near me because he was a gundam pilot – a very valuable prisoner. Especially since the pilots of 04 and 02 were also captured that same day."
I sipped my tea, glad for something to occupy my hands. "Go on, please."
"It seems that Lady Une was quite right about the new weapons we had released. They did end the war." Trieze smiled at me faintly and crossed his legs. "No ship or mobile suit can handle them."
Anger leaped in my eyes, replaced almost at once by mild reproof. "Certainly my medical transport ship could not handle it."
"Of course not. I was surprised that Une used them, really … it was overkill." Shaking his head as if he had been mildly disappointed, Treize continued. "Within two weeks, because of these weapons, the forces against OZ were decimated – including those within OZ that thought to overrun me."
Treize took another sip and returned his cup and saucer to the small table next to his chair, then turned back to me, relaxed and calm. "During this time, Ms. Po, I spent some time speaking with each of the captured pilots. I believe them to be amazing specimens of the human species, do you know that?"
I had become very still, watching him as closely as a mouse watches an owl in a tree. "Yes. I believe that to be true. They're all quite young, as well …impressionable, you might say."
Looking as if he was speaking of a past romance, Treize smiled faintly again. "Yes, they are young – articulate, intelligent – but actually, I would would disagree to some extent, about their 'impressionability.' I could get no information from them. And of couse, I would not allow torture."
Thank the gods for that, I thought with relief. I knew that Wufei would never give any information unless under duress. "Oh?" My tone was pleasant but distant, in synch with my noncommittal expression. "There was nothing of use you discovered?"
Shrugging, Treize allowed himself a small look at me. "Nothing. Other than having my suspicions as to their individual calibers confirmed. By this time, of course, my men had successfully tracked down most of the gentlemen responsible for starting this war. We know there are five people responsible for building the gundams – and these people, for some reason, blame my organization for the assassination of the original Heero Yuy fifteen years ago. They have worked all that time … merely for the sake of getting revenge." Treize chuckled softly at the irony. "It turns out that they weren't that interested in the safety of the colonies, after all. "
"General, I find that very difficult to believe," I replied, shaking my head.
"Believe it, Ms. Po. They were found IN the colonies – in the L2 system, I believe. Something else interesting happened after they were revealed, as well. It seems that the colonies didn't want war after all – only a small faction wanted to fight. The colonies publically decried the gundams and their actions, and quite forcefully divorced themselves from them - in fact, they stated they had nothing to do with the gundams at all. They said the colonies wanted peace – had only ever wanted peace – and that the gundams were not theirs."
I straightened, staring at him, desperately controlling myself. "What? I .. that can't be true …"
"It is, Ms. Po – believe it. The war, in a very real sense, simply stopped – because everyone realized they did not WISH to fight." Watching my reaction, Treize continued. "And now there are only two pilots unaccounted for and only one gundam. Neither the pilots nor the gundam have surfaced yet, thought I am expecting them to do so."
"Oh." I looked at him, aghast, still not believing what I heard.
"After the colonies realized they no longer wished to fight, nor be associated with the gundams, I was able to declare the war … complete. There were no winners … no losers … we simply stopped fighting. Once the masterminds were located, it was easier than one would guess."
My jaw dropped. "YOU announced the war was over …?"
Raising one eyebrow at me, Treize repeated, "Of course. The colonies had stated clearly they did not wish to fight – and in fact, were not fighting. Who was there to war against, Ms. Po?"
"But … but - who runs the colonies now?"
"They expressed a wish to work with OZ, to … how shall I put this … 'pool' our resources for the better good. Lady Une is in space at present, discussing matters with the colony leaders."
I felt slightly sick; my face turned a shade paler. "Do you mean to say … that OZ has taken over the colonies?"
Laughing softly, Treize leaned forward toward me, solicitous. "'Taken over?' This is not a hostile act, Ms. Po. The colonies rule themselves, of course. We are simply joining in a … business merger. If all concerned agree to the terms, of course.
"Now. Since you were asking about the pilots – I still had three pilots, none of whom I cared to execute, and all of whom were now … well … without purpose. Their teachers had been found; the colonies had rejected them; their gundams destroyed; there was no more war. These were children who were fighting, Ms. Po – and as you know, when the war is over, the soldiers go home. These children had nowhere to go – and nothing to do. Hence, their depression upon hearing that the colonies had rejected them and everything they had every done was rather – complete."
I was breathing faster again, trying to control myself. What a nice setup - all Khushrenada had to do was take advantage of the situation. The gundam pilots had everything taken away from them in one way or another – their masters, the people they fought for, their direction, even their beloved gundams – and had been left with nothing. It was clever in an awful way, really – with every physical and psychological motivation taken away, the pilots were now forced to look at what was left. Which, in some cases, was not much at all.
"And what did you do decide to do with these children who were suddenly orphaned on your doorstep?" I asked, clutching my teacup between my hands.
"Well, I had to decide, Ms. Po. I wasn't going to leave them to my men." A significant look passed between us; as I shuddered, Treize nodded. "Exactly. I didn't want them to die – they all have such potential, and they are SO young … so misguided." He turned his head toward the fire for a moment, watching the flames dance in the hearth, and sipped his tea silently. Firelight leaped and touched the ends of his hair with burnished gold; his profile, sharp and distinctive, stood out in clear relief against the yellowish gold of the flames.
"Quatre Raberba Winner, at least, has some family," he continued after a moment's reflection. "Duo Maxwell had none, but he had a place to go. Wufei had nothing. He originated on the colony A0206." Treize turned to look at me, his face in shadow, the fire bright behind his head. "I believe you were stationed near there, once, when you still worked for Romefeller."
I stared at Treize in shocked silence, desperately hoping my face was an expressionless blank. "….A0206?" I finally asked when I found my voice. "Yes … I … I was stationed near there." Breathe, Sally, breathe I told myself, trying to keep myself focused. Memories of the last time I had been near A0206 swam in front of my eyes –
I was on the bridge of my vessel, staring at a viewscreen, incredulously repeating my orders from Commander Septem. "You're ordering the deaths of all the inhabitants of Colony A0206?"
"That's not what I said," my commander snapped, his image slightly blurred. "That colony is ancient. It is no longer useful to us. So before we put it out of commission, we must disinfect it."
"I agree that Colony A0206's condition makes it no longer usable," I agreed smoothly. "But therefore, the inhabitants should be moved to another colony, or the system maintenance equipment should be upgraded. YO448 are germ weapons." I took a deep breath, stared at the screen and proclaimed, "As a doctor – no, as a human being – I cannot approve of such a criminal action!"
"There is a dangerous faction on Colony A0206. This action is necessary to maintain the peace of the Earth system," Commander Septem said, unperterbed.
"But—"
A hand gently dislodged my fingers from their deathgrip around my teacup. "More tea, Ms. Po?"
"Oh ... yes ..." I blinked and nodded, exhaling quickly and releasing my cup as if it burned. "Thank you."
Silently, Treize nodded, took my cup and placed it next to his own on the low table next to his chair. "Have you heard of the Dragon Clan, Ms. Po?"
Treize tilted his head, his blue eyes sharp and insightful as he poured more tea. "Rumored, of course, since they were all supposedly massacred at the end of the Tang dynasty."
"Ah," I said weakly, still shocked from the realization that Treize knew something about my life that most people didn't. "Yes, I have heard of the Dragon Clan."
"Well … it still exists," Treize replied with a wink, handing a full cup, sweetened as I preferred.
"Does it?" I asked, accepting my tea, pleased that I had calmed down again to the point where my hands were not shaking. I could not remember a time where I had been more upset
"Absolutely," he nodded.
"I'm not sure I'm following," I admitted, settling back into my chair with a sigh. In fact, I had no idea what connection the Dragon Clan had with the war, the resistance or the gundam pilots at all.
"It seems, Ms. Po, that someone attempted to massacre the dragon clan out of fear." Shaking his head in regret, Treize sighed. "Man always tries to kill that which he does not understand. However – they failed."
"Who tried to massacre them?" I asked, confused.
"The Chinese government," he replied, leaning forward and looking at me earnestly. "You see, Ms. Po … the Dragon Clan was the most advanced fighting group in the world. They had bred themselves carefully to be brilliant – deadly – honed to perfection, the perfect warriors – and their own government was terrified of them. However, it seems that some of them escaped the massacre and fled to the mountains."
"But – I don't understand," I asked again, insistant. "That's just odd. Why should the government fear them? Did they have a wish to rule?"
"Not at all. The government feared them because they were dangerous – or they COULD be." Treize raised his eyebrow at me, shifted his position slightly and gave me a gentle smile. "I am a student of history, Sally. Man often attempts to circumvent his personal disaster by acting out of turn. Fear … is a terrible motivator."
I looked at him, my face carefully expressionless. "It seems that some organizations have found fear to be quite effective, though."
"Yes," he sighed, ignoring my comment and its implications. "A terrible motivator – but quite effective. Those of the clan who had survived remained undetected until the first days of the colonization of space—"
"—so they fled to space," I guessed, staring at the fire.
"No," Treize corrected. "They were banished there. Their government was still terrified of them – and found a way, they believed, to get rid of the clan for good. They sent them to A0206, which at the time was an abandoned colony. One that, really, was decrepit – simply falling apart. I may be guessing here, Ms. Po, but I don't believe they were meant to survive."
"Probably not." I shrugged, remembering the condition of the colony when I first saw its readouts.
Treize's gaze slid over me, lingering on my face as he continued, "They stayed there until Romefeller decided it wished to kill them, as well. You must understand – the world had used these people as their assassins. All those in power knew how effective they were – and as Romefeller put forth its designs to rule everyone, their thoughts strayed to A0206 …"
He trailed off and looked at me, sipping his tea.
Finishing his thought, I said tonelessly, " …so they ordered the planet cleared. 'Disinfected,' in fact." I stared straight into the fire, not meeting Treize's gaze, my shoulders hunched forward.
"Correct. But as you know … that clearing failed. Mostly because of your efforts – for which I am grateful.." Treize was silent for a moment. "You are the type of woman OZ was supposed to have, Ms. Po."
I took a large sip of tea and continued staring at the fire, my profile to him. "Those people were innocent."
He nodded and leaned back in his chair, tiltiing his head. In the same tone of voice he used when offering me tea, Treize said softly, "Wufei is of the Dragon Clan."
Involuntarily, I turned toward Treize, my eyes wide with shock. "Excuse me?"
"Wufei was on that colony, with his young wife, when you pulled your forces away. Had you stayed, you certainly would have killed him. Doing what you did, you preserved his life."
I continued to stare at him, unable to hide my shock.
"….yes," he nodded, noting my ragged breathing and stunned expression with a small smile. "that was my reaction, too – but I am getting ahead of myself."