Chapter 4







Her cold fingers went over his face, finishing up what she had started. The cuts covered where they could start healing. She held a solemn face the entire time. He knew she was thinking about what had happened and perhaps deeper thoughts as well. The expression in hers eyes were blank, as if she was trying to hide something. She turned away from him and started putting everything away.


"It's not your fault." He watched her continue, no response. He moved over to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Still no response.


"Yes it is Seifer. Because of me we were captured and I would have blown the entire thing. Until Dimitri came in. I was going to tell Tanaka who I was!"


"You didn't know Makoto," he paused for a moment," how do you know Tanaka?" He watched her fingers grip the cloth in her hands, turning her knuckles white. Slowly, he turned her to face him. Pain and sadness had filled her eyes.


"How do you know him?" he repeated. He watched her hand slowly touch her neck. It reached back with her other one to pull out a golden chain with something attached to it. The chain twisted as the object slowly slide down it to fall into her awaiting palm. She turned her eyes to look at it, study it's appearance. A small golden band held a heart shaped diamond surrounded by two smaller heart stones. It sparkled in the light. Curiously, he watched her fingers pick up the ring as her eyes traveled to her wedding finger. She slide the ring onto the finger as his eyes widened.


"You're married to him?!" The outburst suddenly made her jump. He left her and started pacing.


She's married to that beast that we've been fighting all these years?But, if they're married, then why aren't they together? That doesn't make sense. Were they secretly or did her father banish him? But, she's eighteen. We've been fighting him for four years so, she must have been young when they were married. Damn it! Why does everything I want always have to turn out for the worst? I love this girl and yet, she's already taken! Through marriage as well!


He slumped down in his chair and looked at the floor while his fists tightened.


"What happened?" he asked as steady as he could. She was silent for a moment as she though of the past memories that had once held her. The ones when she was once happy. Not alone.


"He was seven years older than me. My father had us both married when I was eleven. Those were the three best years of my life until, one day, he left. He meant the world to me. He was always there for me and I was no longer alone. Two months after he left, I received a letter that he had been murdered. They were sure it was him since the description fit him. I closed myself away, knowing that I would be alone forever. My father did nothing. He proposed for me to get married again. That is when I drew the line. I was not going to get married again, afraid of being hurt, and left behind. You understand, Seifer, right? Now that I know he is alive, I want to be with him but, I need your permission---"


"What else haven't you told me? I thought you had told me everything but, I was wrong. First I find out that I have to train a woman that's not even what she was correctly ranked, then you're a princess! Now, you're married to the enemy we've been fighting with for years. What other secrets do you have? What else are you going to hide and then come out with once we're all almost dead?!"


"Seifer I thought---"


"Can't you even see that he lied to you? He faked his death, left you alone to mourn, didn't even care about you and became your enemy! He already holds Jupiter's crown and now he has you? That worthless bastard doesn't even deserve you! If you want to go crawling back to him, then leave! I'm not going to stop you Princess. You can what ever you damn well please. But, let me warn you this. Once you leave this place, don't you ever come back. You will from then forward be considered our enemy!" Silence took over the room except for Seifer pacing. He then fell back into his chair and looked at the ground. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she made her way over to him.


"That only leaves me with one choice," she said softly, sitting on the floor before him. She looked at her fingers and then up at him with the traces of tears still in her eyes.


"What?" His voice was grave, with no emotion in it.


"Use myself as a decoy." His eyes looked into hers, the sorrow still there but, a spark of hope caught his wondering mind. Her hand gently touched his.


"What are you planning Makoto?" She smiled gently at him as her fingers gently touched his cheek.


"I will get myself captured but, Tanaka will find out that he has caught the Princess that ran away. While I am inside, I will slowly start to give his uniforms to a runner each night that will take them back to your camp. Slowly, maybe a few at a time, your men will start moving into the camp. I will have everything set up. Once we have more men then his in that camp, we attack. They will not know what hit them. Then we can defeat them. Men cannot die twice you know." He looked at the sad smile she held but, tried to make it look differently.


She would be willing to kill her own husband for me? No. She's doing this for her own people. I think she saw the beast that was in him. Oh Makoto, why do you have to be so beautiful, and smart yet, a Princess?


She looked up at him for a response, hoping that that he would say something. His hand gently brushed her cheek gently, feeling the softness.


"Don't get yourself killed Makoto. I don't want the blood of a Princess on my hands." She smiled.


"I have a few things I can do to make sure of that Seifer."


"What else are you hiding?"


"It will not harm you, I am sure of that. You must not worry about it." He could see something flicker in hers eyes. Something powerful, like another person took over them for a moment. The door suddenly opened to have Tomas come in. A warn out look took over his face. He scowled at the two who were so close to each other.


"I told you not to touch her," he growled. Makoto rose to her feet.


"What brings you here?" she asked.


"Your father is on his way. He should be here by tomorrow, mid-afternoon." She smiled gently at him.


"Do not worry Tomas. Everything is going to work out fine." He looked at her like she was crazy.


"What are you talking about? You're going to get caught! What's going on here? Seifer, do you have anything to do with this?" Makoto let out a laugh.


"You need your rest Tomas. You look awfully tired."


"You're right. I should rest but, we continue this in the morning, understand?" She nodded.


"Yes." Tomas then left the room while Makoto then took a seat on the bed.


"Do you think it's going to work?"


"He wanted the princess, correct? Well, he is going to get one but, it is not going to be what he expects. I know what I am doing. Revenge is my style."


"Revenge? I thought you loved him---"


"I thought I did until...." She trailed off from her sentence.


"Until what?"


"You told me the truth. You made me realize that he lied to me but, I do not understand why though." He took a seat next to her.


"Everything will turn out fine Makoto. I promise you that. Some lousy bastards just want one thing and one thing only. To rule the crown and take over everything that they can. I won't let that happen. I promise." She let herself be draw into his arms. Feeling something she had never felt before. Safe.


"Thank-you Seifer."


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Jovian Carriage~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


"Your majesty, we will arrive by mid-afternoon. We need to rest."


"No. We need to keep going. They could have my daughter for all we know. I want to get there by tomorrow morning! You better keep this carriage going!"


"Yes sire." He leaned back into his seat and looked at the papers in his hand. It was a document of some sort. He read it over once again.


Should I even sign this? This means that once my daughter is found, she will be forced to marry this Prince from another planet. I think he's from a different dimension completely. That doesn't matter. She wouldn't care. She's been married before to man but, he was killed when she was fourteen. It's time for her to get married, give me heir, so I know that my kingdom with be perfectly fine. But, hasn't she already given me a heir? Didn't I have a grandson already? I think I do but, where is he then? Oh yes. I remember. He died from the flu at only two months. Poor dear. She was heart broken, at least I think. She has never spoken with me since then. I will make her happy once again. She will be married to a fine young man and will have a heir. Hopefully a nice little boy. That would be nice. A nice boy to turn out to be just like me! I am fooling myself, aren't I? What if she is already dead? What am I going to do? I have no heir to take over the throne and the means something is going to happen. Jupiter will fall....


"Your majesty! We're under attack!"


"What?!"


"Run! Get away---" He watched as his men all around fell. Suddenly, he was grabbed and pushed to the ground. A laugh echoed out.


"Well, so nice to see you your majesty! Your death will be victorious," laughed the voice.