Author's Notes: I have this fic actually finished in my handy notebook. So, the sooner you review, the sooner you get the next chapter. So my dear people, enjoy this fic while it lasts. It only has three more fics and the epilogue which finally proves my 'slightly-AU' label to this fic.

Dedication: This chapter is to Whatevergirl and Udonluver8. God, I LOVE this new stat thingy fanfiction has. I can now find out EVERYONE that has any of my fictions as favorites and such. Did you know that two of my fics are in the Final Fantasy VII Yaoi Worth Reading? Well, they are. Um… that is it lovelies.

Note: Tukeyan is the last name of Reeve and Tseng IN THIS FIC.

Chapter 9: Inverano de Vida: Winter of Life

When I awoke, my body and wings ached, protesting a night curled on a couch. Rufus stood over me, a frown upon his face, and his fingers at my neck, checking my pulse. Beside him and kneeling was Reeve, wetting a cloth and then wiping my brow. I gasped in shock, the water feeling like ice on my fevered brow.

"Rufus?" I groaned. He brought a cup to my lips to silence me, the sweet wine soothing my aching throat.

"You have a fever Reno… One that my magic won't remedy," my brother whispered.

"No," I groaned, my hands quickly moving to wrap around my neck and knock his hand away.

"He has to check! You know what a fever incurable by magic means Reno," my former lover said. Yes, I knew, but there was NO way…

With the help of a guard, Rufus succeeded in moving my hands and turning me onto my stomach. The blonde's cold hand touched the back of my neck, and I shuddered as his fingers brushed over tender skin. Please no!

"Red, but very faint," Rufus's verdict came, "Less then a week along. It isn't Reeve's, so unless you've been fooling around, you are carrying Rude's daughter."

"Yeah, the mark is there Reno…" Reeve confirmed. A mantra of 'oh shit' was running through my head.

When a Buterfluas conceives, a small circle becomes visible on the back of their neck. Red shows female, blue symbolizes male. They start as a faint outline, but the circle fills and becomes a bolder color the further along a person is. A faint color meant you were no more than a week along in the six month pregnancy. Our pregnancies were shorter than that of humans, but then again, wings do not grow in until a child is two years old.

"If they find Rude guilty, they will kill her too," I whimpered, parental instincts already consuming me.

"The pregnancy could kill you," Rufus pointed out.

"I will have this child!" I growled, pulling away from him.

"Reno, as your healer, I must advice you to…"

Reeve cut him off, "Rufus, you are very young, as he is, so you should not think that you are wise enough to know his heart when you do not totally know yours. What would you do in his place? What would your choice be if you carried our child and I was dying?"

After that, Rufus did not argue my choice anymore. And yet, I would not be still. I sat up and looked hard at Reeve. The man smiled, nodded and left the room to fetch me new clothes.

"Reno, you at least have to lie down!" Rufus protected.

"I must see father. I must help Rudelynth," I said, standing despites his further commands to lie down.

"Reno…" he said as I summoned a woman to prepare me a bath.

"Rufus… I love him and I would kill for him. Do not stop me, or I will have to hurt you."

The blonde backed up in shock, his wings tensing and taking the proper positions for a swift flight were he to need it… Pregnant Buterfluas could not fly, so he would be safe.

Rudelynth

I stood silently, dwarfing my guards but making no attempts to harm them with the extensive array of spells at my command. They were not to blame, and I would not harm them for ignorance. So I merely stood, a stone wall of defiance, of innocence, and hidden fury.

"What does he stand charged of?" the King questioned aloud, though he knew the answer already.

"He gave humans access to the sacred temple and allowed them to burn the wings of the gods. He has brainwashed the Prince Renonalte, and soiled him. He has plotted murder of the High Priest Hhojyodeymga, usurped his position, and ruined the Priesthood," a guard to my right said, "And he has hidden the fact that he is a half-blood!"

Those assembled gasped in horror or recoiled in shock. No reaction touched my features.

"And how do you plead?" the King asked, at least mimicking a proper trial.

"I am innocent of all accusations except those of my birth." That won me a few more gasps.

"Have you no evidence? These men brought me proof of your guilt many times over. Have you no proof of innocence?"

I said nothing. They would not believe me. My head lowered, I had resigned myself to my fate and prayed to Cytledorma that Reno would live a happy life. While I prayed the doors were thrust open behind me with a bang. Yet with a chain around my neck, hands and feet, I could not turn to see who entered. Still, I could hear the foot falls of five people, one practically running.

"Reno," I whispered under my breath as a guard went to stop the intruders.

"How dare you hear court like this father?" the voice of Rufus questioned angrily, "You have given the High Priest neither time nor resources to prepare his defense with."

"And you tried to keep out the two who most deserve to be here, the Prince and High Priestess of Cytledorma! I see all other priests and priestesses are present, so why not that with the most sway? Why not let the one with second sight speak? Do you fear what she will tell you?" Reeve's voice came next.

My sister, my beloved Tailye, came to my side looking tall and regal in her backless gown. Her voice took on a tone like that which she had when mother or father would prove that she was the one in the right when we were having some petty argument as children.

"Will you degrade yourselves to the levels of humans? Would you kill this man, consider him guilty before proven so? Is that not below us? Would we kill our High Priest, our Chosen One? And he IS the Chosen One, I have seen it and none doubt this fact. And now, will you deny me my place so that you might continue your prosecution of the innocent?"

"Lady Tailye, it was thought that you were in Mideyan," Hhojyodeymga offered as an excuse.

"I was. Master Reeve and Lord Rufus sent me word and I rushed here."

"Why Priestess Tailye?"

"Because I serve my High Priest, the Chosen of Cytledorma, and I protect my brother." Yet more gaps followed this revelation. Tailye ignored this and moved to her raised dais amongst the other priests and priestesses.

"He is still guilty of brainwashing my son!" the King declared.

"He has not," Tseng Tukeyan's voice came from behind me. "He was terrified of Prince Renonalte. And even now he seeks to protect the man he loved and guarded."

"And who love him back," Reno's voice was nearly a whisper at my shoulder.

It took a lot to keep my pride thanks to that statement out of my voice.

"My son, you betrothed."

"And I don't love her," Reno cut his father off. "I cannot prove anything, for you will not listen. But father, keep this in mind: I want him alive when winter comes, that he might hold and name his daughter."

Even my stoic demeanor failed under these words. "Reno?"

The King's eyes were wide, "Renonalte, explain yourself."

"I am pregnant father, and she is Rudelynth's."

The largest inhalation of breath yet came with this comment.

"Reno, I demand that you abort the child!"

Rufus came to my side, between Reno and myself, look of joy in his eyes, "To do so would kill Reno and end the unbroken line of kings… And possibly bring civil war to our kind."

The King angrily waved to the guards, "Take all of those not on the council, as well as my sons and the Tukeyan males from here." The guards nodded and led me out, my friends behind me, and Reno refusing to leave my side.