AN: Thanks for your patience. To tell you the truth, I used to be posting at several chapters behind my writing, meaning that if I had just posted chapter 5 let's say, then I'd actually be working on writing chapter 7 or 8. But slowly, I've caught up to myself, so to say. And now, I post this chapter when I have just finished it. Apparently, writing takes longer than I am willing to keep my readers hanging. Now, this means that I will be writing the chapter that is next in line to be posted, so the pace will definitely slow down. And add this to the fact that college is starting in just over a week, and in between the reviewing and the dorm shopping... well, you get the idea. I'll work hard on this though. I really want to squeeze out one more chapter before I take off.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

The first thing in the black void of unconsciousness that she became aware of was the pain. The hurt stabbed at certain concentrated areas – her cheek, her abdomen, her legs, her feet – but was so intense and so absolute that it radiated outwards, coursing like molten lava through her entire body; touching every nerve; burning every cell; before finally pooling mercilessly in her brain. It swamped all thought except for the fervent prayer that she would fall through the cold, hard floor and die.

Then, that thought began to make more sense, and Relena worked to focus on it. Through sheer force of will, she beat back the worst of the pain; the effort was almost a tangible clawing on her part. But she clung to that thought; and the pain became less. And then she began to understand again. She was lying on her side on a cold, hard floor. She knew this material. Digging deep into the dredges of her memory (of a life that seemed so detached that it might have been from another past), a word took form out of the misty vagueness. Concrete. Then, she turned her senses to the air. It, too, was cold, but it was still; and stale. Where am I? Concrete; cold; still; stale... I'm locked up! But why? Thinking back to her last moments of consciousness brought the waning pain back in full force. She cried out softly and clutched her head tightly in her hands as a flood of images assaulted her. Friends, party, necklace, him!, pain, running, falling, black, white, white, white...

With a sharp gasp, she snapped open her eyes. She remembered! Everything came immediately and overwhelmingly back to her; but of all the different events that swarmed her mind, only one remained firmly at the center of her mind's eye. His eyes. Emblazoned on her mind as it is on her heart, his Prussian blue eyes regarded her so piercingly, even as a memory seared in place by heartbreak.

Suddenly, she felt a new stinging – the stinging of oncoming tears. No, Relena! You mustn't! She propped herself up on one elbow and, pushing back her bangs, cupped her forehead with her other hand. You don't even know where you are. Figure that out and figure out how to get out of here before you think about anything (or anyone) else. No one is going to save you this time. She blinked at that. Yes, he will not come. Not this time, not ever again. At that, she gave a single dry sob, as if in self-pity and dejection; but she picked herself up – slowly, agonizingly – and leaned against the wall for support. The wall was also concrete. She looked around her surroundings for the first time.

She was in a small cold, concrete cell. Where the dim, dingy light was coming from Relena did not know, but it was enough to reveal a steel door embedded in the far wall that looked to be at least several inches thick. It had no latch on this side. Other than that one feature, the prison was utterly nondescript; the surfaces of the walls, ceiling, and floor were gray, bore no scratches or other mars, and stole the heat from her touch with all the fervor of a winter blizzard. Relena found that it was frightening, this ubiquity, because it was, every inch of it, impersonal, calculated, and cold-hearted. It was a cell for the sole purpose of being a cell; whether it held a king or a pauper made absolutely no difference to it. Figuratively speaking, everyone who was ever unfortunate enough to find themselves here in this room had been reduced to ashes. And Relena knew she would be no different.

That was her last independent thought, for at that moment, any other that might have come to her was chased away by the opening of that single door. Framed by steel and concrete, the figure of a man stood silhouetted against a blinding light. And then, he stepped into the cell.

Dekedenz Cocytus.

Relena watched him silently and with all the wariness of a cornered creature as he approached at a leisurely pace. She felt her gaze drawn and held to that proud, sneering, and, yes, lecherous grin as if it were some hideous disfigurement on his visage. And indeed it was; This smile, the smile that revealed his blackened soul, marred his otherwise pleasing external features. Like a living, breathing Dorian Gray.

Seeing that she was determined to remain silent, Dekedenz spoke up in greeting.

"Relena Peacecraft." She shivered at his mocking tone. "Please, allow me to apologize for the harshness of... my men." As he said this his eyes rested unabashedly on the pink, hand-shaped welt on her creamy cheek. Relena narrowed her eyes in anger, but made no sound and no other movement. "But that must have been quite a fight you put up, my dear, for normally my men would not dare to mar what is mine."

"Excuse me?" Relena's eyes widened in surprise. Mar what is his? He thinks I am his? Immediately her independent and self-empowered nature reared up in disgust. I am not an object to be owned!

"Ah, but you heard me quite clearly, Princess," he said lightly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You now belong to me."

"You'll never get away with this," warned Relena. "The world will find out. And the world will fight back to keep their peace. You can never destroy peace by ransoming hostages, because it is something that lives in the people's hearts."

At this, Dekedenz threw his head back and laughed loudly, unnerving Relena. "So true, Princess Relena. Which is why I have no intention of ransoming you..." Relena watched him with uncertain fear in her eyes. He chuckled some more at her naivete. "No, I will keep you and make you my own. And you will stay with me, and make it known to the entire United Earth Sphere Alliance that you belong to me, so that they will accept me and my rule like the blind sheep that they are."

There it was – the reason behind all this madness.

"Never," she spat, "I'll die first."

Dekedenz waved his hand dismissively, with an air of condescension tantamount to lecturing a five year-old for throwing a tantrum. "By all means, it won't be necessary to go so far as to kill you. No, my dear... it only takes what's enough to break you." She gaped at him in horror. "And the beauty is, 'enough' is completely within your control. Why, 'enough' could be none whatsoever, if you will accept me here and now." He paused, giving her a chance that he knew she would not take. She only glared back at him defiantly. Then, he continued with a barely audible sigh, "Or, if you decide to be 'brave' and hold out on me, then I am afraid you will be... ah, how shall I put this delicately... 'educated' until you are 'corrected.' Although," he crossed his arms on his chest, "I'd really rather you take the easy way and give yourself to me soon, if not immediately. It saves me valuable resources and even more valuable time. And besides," here his eyes swept up and down her figure in a way that made her want to retch, "it would give me much more pleasure if you were physically unblemished when I take you. Bruises, cuts, burns, and various other marks on your porcelain skin will only decrease my pleasure as I enjoy you. Your mind, though, is of no consequence," he added as an afterthought. "Broken and vapid is just fine by me."

So this is my fate! Despite all she tried to do to restrain herself, she choked on a sob and clasped both hands over her mouth as her eyes teared up.

"Yes. A most regrettable fate," he sympathized, seeing her reaction and guessing her thoughts, "but as I said, completely avoidable. There's no way out, and, like the falling night envelops you, you know you cannot hide from it. So accept it."

Relena took her hands from her mouth, and although there were still tears welling in her eyes, those light blue orbs now hardened fiercely. "Dekedenz Cocytus, I will fight you with every ounce of strength I have. I will never, never hand you mankind's hope for true peace."

He closed his eyes, nodded once, and bowed low. "As you wish, Princess. Then you shall see me tomorrow, and we shall... begin. After all, according to yourself, you do still have two days to give me your answer. And make no mistake about it – in two days' time, you will have surrendered utterly and eternally to me." He bowed again, a bow of perfect courtesy and civility, and left her cell.

When the heavy steel door lumbered into place and sealed itself with a resounding clang, Relena sank onto her knees before falling forward onto her hands. She hung her head, letting her golden tresses drape her back, her shoulders, and fall forward to envelop her.

And she wept.

AN: Thanks to all who read this and all who take the time to review this. Oh, and anonymous reviews have just been enabled. I don't know what I was thinking, letting myself miss half of the suggestions and encouragements that I could have been having. I look forward to reading all that you guys want to tell me. And I know it's probably not something people usually do, but anonymous reviewers, if it's not too much trouble, please see if you can go back and leave me some reviews for previous chapters... especially if there was something that you really liked or disliked about the storyline or about my writing techniques. I definitely want to hear if you thought what Duo did was ridiculous or if Heero seemed out of character. Every comment you guys leave gets me even more pumped to write. Keep pushing me so that I can put out chapter 13 before I go!