Carlia stepped forward, raising the knife to strike Trowa down, but before she could complete the move, Quatre grabbed her arm. "Enough. Carlia, the only one befuddled here is you. He has not magiced me, nor drugged me, nor tricked me. He has been unfailingly polite and kind to me from the day he saved me from far worse fates. He has tolerated my foolishness and showed me there is much more to life than the narrow view of it our people have had. He has shown me that love cares not for the form but for the soul the form hides, be it male or female.
"I admit that in the early days I would have gladly fled with you, but I have realized that it would be dishonorable. My binding to him is more than Master to slave, or even Lord to subject. I love him and I think I have from the day my cell door opened and revealed him to me. I know in my heart that this is what the Great One planned for me, that this how I will lead our people to true freedom. By showing those that do not understand what we really are. And also by showing all who see us that love knows no boundaries, not even those drawn by man. Together we can bring true peace, to his people and to ours.
"But what you do is no better than what was done to us. You use tricks and dishonesty to hurt those who have done nothing to you. Who have had nothing to do with what was done to Arbiria. You took money from a dishonest man to take another man's life, just because he was angry with him. You are the one who has turned your back on the teachings of the Great One, seeking vengeance for something that was never yours to begin with."
Carlia turned to look at Quatre. "Oh, Golden One. Have they befouled you so much? How can you say such things?" A gleam entered her eyes and she nodded. "Now I understand what I must do. I will free you from this torment so that you may be clean. The Great One waits for you, beloved." And with that she lunged at him, the knife gleaming in her hand.
All Trowa could do was cry out in horror as the two figures went down.
NOOOOOOOO!!!!
Trowa struggled against the ropes that bound him to the chair, but he could not loosen them. All he could do was watch in horror as the two figures struggled for possession of the knife.
After what seemed like an eternity to Trowa the struggle ceased and the two lay still on the floor. Trowa could see the red of blood but could not tell whose blood it was. He hoped it wasn't Quatre's, that the mad girl had not succeeded in killing his golden love.
"Quatre?" he called softly. "Please, Quatre answer me. Are you all right?"
After a moment there was a soft moan and Quatre slowly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees.
"Quatre?"
Quatre slowly turned his head and looked at Trowa. Sorrow darkened his eyes. "Why?" he whispered.
Trowa lowered his own gaze from the look in Quatre's eyes. "Love makes people do strange things."
Quatre looked back at the still figure lying on the floor in front of him. "That was not love. That was obsession."
Slowly Quatre reached out and took the knife from the girl's limp hand. Carefully he wiped the blood from the blade then tucked into the belt of his pants.
Rising unsteadily to his feet he walked over to where Trowa was tied. Bowing his head he began to work on loosening the knots binding Trowa to the chair
"I am sorry, Master," he whispered.
Trowa looked down at the bowed head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing that happened was your fault."
Quatre looked up. "Wasn't it? She nearly killed all of you in her mad quest for vengeance. She cared nothing for innocent bystanders nor for the property of those bystanders. All because of me."
"No. Not because of you. Don't lay the blame for her behavior at your own feet. There are many who could be blamed for this, but not you."
Quatre sighed, but didn't argue as he continued to work at the ropes. But in his guilt and confusion he became more and more fumble fingered, causing the ropes to tighten not loosen. With an angry growl he suddenly grabbed the knife from his belt and used it to cut the last of the ropes.
Trowa sighed in relief as the tight ropes fell away. Before he could rise, though, he found his arms full of sobbing blonde. Rubbing his hand across Quatre's back he whispered soft nonsense words, trying to calm the boy down.
"I was so afraid she would kill you," Quatre whispered. "I couldn't let that happen. I…"
"It's all right little one. Everything is going to be all right."
Quatre sighed as he turned a little in Trowa's arms. He was startled to realize that he was still holding the knife that he had taken from Carlia. He frowned a little as he studied the knife. There was something familiar about it.
Trowa looked down when he realized that something had caught Quatre's attention. "Quatre?"
"This knife looks like one I've seen before."
Suddenly the girl's words came back to Trowa. A beautiful piece of work, don't you think? I'm sure he was quite loath to lose it, but he had no more need of it. I do think it sang when it drank his and his master's blood.
"Oh, god no."
Quatre looked up. "Master?"
"I think…. I think the knife is Duo's"
"Duo's? The one Heero gave him?"
Trowa nodded. "She said that…. That she was sure he was loath to lose it but he had no more use for it. That it sang when it drank his and his master's blood."
A look of horror crossed Quatre's face. "No, she wouldn't have. Oh, Great One, no. Not Duo and Heero." Tears welled up in his eyes.
Trowa looked at him grimly. "We have to get back. Now."
"But the negotiations."
"Dermal will have to accept the treaty as is or shove it. I'm through playing games with him. Get everything ready to go. I want to be leaving by afternoon at the very latest."
Quatre scrambled to his feet. "Yes, master."
Trowa stood up and looked down at Quatre. Please let them be all right.
With a determined expression on his face, Trowa led Quatre from the building. Neither man looked back at the still figure lying on the floor.