AN: Whoah! Completely forgot my disclaimer in the first chapter. This will serve for the first and all following chapters: I do not own Baten Kaitos or any of it's characters. They are the property of Namco and Tri crecendo.

Chapter 2: The Greatest Torture...

"Awww...how sweet."

Lyude's eyes shot open at the sound of the unfamiliar male voice. Alyssa woke with a start beside him and they found themselves looking down the barrels of three rifles.

It took a moment for Lyude to remember where they were. Alyssa was gripping his arm so tightly her knuckles were turning white, her fingernails leaving marks on his skin. Slowly, Lyude sat up raising his arms where the three strangers could see them and bringing himself to a standing position.

"This is no place for you, Minister Lyricello. What are you doing so far from the fortress?" said one of the men smiling coldly, Lyude did not like the smugness in his tone.

"Is there some problem?" asked Lyude levelly.

"None at all." grinned the man. "We were hoping we'd find you here. Such a shame you're still in one piece. I would have rather not had to bother with you."

"What do you want with my husband!" demanded Alyssa, standing and taking Lyude's arm.

"Alyssa, please!" said Lyude, fearing for his wife's safety. The last time someone he'd loved had stood up for him, they had died in the attempt.

The first man laughed. "Spirited girl you have there. Looks like she still needs to learn her place though."

"That's quite enough, Gravar." said the second man. Gravar glared at him.

Lyude placed his hand on Alyssa's shoulder. Their eyes met and Lyude shook his head. "Would you be so kind as to inform me of what this is all about?" asked Lyude, turning to the three who had confronted them. "I'm sure we can come to a peaceful solution."

"Heh. Just what I figured you'd say. All talk and no action." said Gravar.

Lyude's brow furrowed in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

The second man glared once again at Gravar. "We are not here to kill the good Minister, Gravar." he said. "You are to come with us as our prisoner." he added, turning to Lyude.

Alyssa held Lyude's arm still more tightly. "No! You can't take him!" she cried.

"What exactly are your intentions?" asked Lyude gently pulling away from his wife. "I warn you, I will not be used against my country."

Gravar smirked, "You won't have much of a choice no matter what we intend." He cocked his weapon and trained it on Lyude. "Now are you going to come peacefully, or do I have give this baby a workout?"

"How absolutely boorish, Gravar." the woman sneered. "All the same, you will be joining us one way or another, Minister. I would suggest cooperation."

Lyude stood silently, he could feel Alyssa's warm breath on his neck she was standing so close. "If I refuse?" he asked them levelly. "I have already told you that I have no intention of cooperating with terrorists. That conviction will not be altered."

The second man's face twitched. Gravar glared menacingly. "I say we should just shoot him, Urden, and get it done with."

Alyssa gasped and wrapped her arms around Lyude's torso, drawing him close and placing her head on his shoulder.

"Alyssa..." Lyude didn't know what to do. If he attempted to fight them, Alyssa could be injured or killed...but what if he went with them? What were their plans? The last time he had gone into a situation like this, he had found himself a puppet to a madman's whims. He had managed to manipulate the strings a bit himself that time, but what if this was not the case now? What repercussions would his imprisonment bring? He wasn't just a simple soldier anymore...

Gravar had his weapon trained on Lyude's chest. "That's enough, Gravar!" said the woman impatiently. "Don't make us take you by force, Minister." she said turning to Lyude.

Alyssa bit her lower lip, her husband seemed to be contemplating his options. "If you take him, you have to take me, too!" said Alyssa. "I won't leave my husband!"

"Stand aside, Alyssa." said Lyude softly. "They aren't concerned with you."

"Don't you dare, Lyude!" said Alyssa indignantly. "Don't you think for one instant that I would simply leave your side at the first sign of danger. I made a vow to you, Lyude. Until death do us part. Don't you think for a moment that I didn't mean every word!"

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Lyude said sharply. He immediately regretted it. He did not want to get in this sort of argument in front of these hostile strangers. "Alyssa...please..."

Tears sprang into Alyssa's eyes. "I won't let them have you, Lyude." she said, "I won't lose you."

"Nor I you." he whispered softly. "If I go with you, do you swear that Alyssa may go free unharmed?" he asked the three.

"Lyude!"

The man called Urden nodded. "Our only target is you. There is no need for her to accompany. We have no intention of using her as collateral if that is what you're concerned with." said Urden.

"At least I can give you the credit of behaving honorably on that front." said Lyude darkly. "I do hope you realize, however, that even with me gone, the democracy will continue. My removal will afford nothing."

"Oh it'll afford something all right." said Gravar with a cruel grin. "Come on then, we haven't got all day."

Alyssa was furious with Lyude, how could he do this? Just allow them to take him where they would? She may never see him again. That thought brought the tears to flowing down her cheeks and Lyude brushed them aside gently. "Could we...have a moment?" Lyude asked.

The two men seemed anxious to go, but the woman gave a curt nod. Lyude walked Alyssa a little further down the Oasis, fully aware of the eyes on them in case he attempted to run.

Once they were a respectable distance Alyssa glared furiously at him. "What are you doing, Lyude? That man seems ready to shoot you at whim. They can't be up to anything good for the country! Why are you giving in so easily?"

"What can I do, Alyssa? If I fight, one or both of us may be killed. I would not endanger you if it was in my power to prevent it." said Lyude drawing Alyssa close. "I don't like the idea of joining them by any means, but we have a better chance to get through this if I allow myself to be taken. If not...I don't want to think about it. I can't bear to see another I love so dearly die because of me...not again. Please, Alyssa, for my sake." He said resting his forehead against hers, "Do this for me?"

"What if I never see you again?" asked Alyssa, gazing into Lyude's depth less crimson eyes. "I can't be apart from you."

"You never are." said Lyude. "We're part of each other now. No matter what happens, I'm always with you, Alyssa." He tilted her chin upward. "I promise you...I'll be careful."

Alyssa finally nodded reluctantly, realizing that nothing she said would change his mind. Another single tear slid down her cheek and Lyude kissed it away gently. "I love you." he whispered into her ebony hair.

Alyssa tilted her head upward and kissed Lyude tenderly on the lips. "Return to me." she said softly. Lyude smiled reassuringly and smoothed an ebony lock of hair from Alyssa's face. He brushed his lips against her forehead once more and the two embraced a final time before Lyude drew away and faced his captors. Alyssa walked with him to the soldiers and Lyude indicated that he was ready to go.

"That just leaves one thing then." grinned Gravar. He hefted his rifle and with startling speed, shot Alyssa down.

"Noooooo!" Lyude cried out racing towards his wife. Gravar and Urden seized him roughly and Lyude felt a deep fury rush through him as he saw Alyssa's crumpled form. Without thinking and with tremendous strength he broke free of the two men's grasp, summoning his sonic rifle and crying, "Sforzando!" Blindly he began pummeling Gravar with all of his might, his rage in full control of his actions and his eyes literally burning with the fires of the Organ of the flame.

Gravar cried out in panic while Urden watched for a short moment, he took a small gun from his belt and shot Lyude in the shoulder. It wasn't a bullet that struck him, but Lyude fell with a thud to the hard earth. Gravar stood up, bleeding in several areas and in complete awe. Not to mention severe pain. With a cry of rage, he began kicking Lyude furiously, who had gone immediately limp. Lyude had a set of cracked ribs and several bruises by the time Urden was able to intervene.

"Enough!" he shouted pulling him away.

"Did you see that freak? This is what the boss wants so much? We should kill him here and now!" roared Gravar.

"For the last time, no!" shouted Urden.

"Look what he did to me!"

"And well you deserved it!" said the woman who had been silent and was kneeling next to the still form of Lyude's wife. "I'd have done it myself. This wasn't necessary." said the woman shaking her head in disgust.

"We couldn't exactly have a witness as to where we were taking him." retorted Gravar. "Leave this to the men, Lena."

"Let's just get moving." said Lena flatly. "Now."

Urden joined Lena for a moment at Alyssa's crumpled form. He turned the Azhani girl onto her back and lifted her up. He carried her still form to the base of the palm tree she and Lyude had slept under the night before. He placed her in the shade and put a light cloth over her face. "We can do her that courtesy." Urden said. He turned and lifted Lyude's still form and began to walk toward their ship. Lena glanced back once more then made to follow. Gravar grimaced against the pain of the injuries that Lyude had inflicted. Taking a healing magnus as he went, he followed them to the desert rover they were occupying.

Crazygirl: Thanks for your review on my first chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.