See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.

. . . Takes the King.

There were two ways for Quatre to approach the problem Relena presented. One, he could sit back and watch to see if she got caught in the web of her own lies. Or two, he could actively bury her beneath them. What made up his mind was when Trowa came home to him after a two-day absence and told him in fury-colored mind-tones that the clan O'Daijas believed Relena's tales about Dorothy.

"Because," he explained, "they could detect no lie."

Quatre still wasn't sure what to do two days later, so he gave it some serious thought after he took Duo and Heero to the doctor for Duo's third treatment. While he waited, Trowa's head resting on his lap, he considered things.

Nothing in this galaxy could coerce him into believing Relena. And yet, he didn't exactly feel sorry for Dorothy. She'd killed her father, after all. A man undeserving of the fate brought about by her malicious play for power. A man Quatre's uncle by his late wife.

I don't know what to do about it, he thought distantly. How can I get involved without risking everything?

Then again, he had the least to lose. An hour later, the doctor came out. Quatre liked Lucrezia Noin. She was a good woman. She gave him a warm—if slightly weary—smile.

"I'm done for the day," she said, "but before you go, there's someone who wants to see you. Relena's brother, Zechs, wanted to speak with you. If you like, I can take you to him right now. It will be several hours at least before Duo's fit for travel, not to mention that great wolf of his."

Quatre's lips quirked. "All right. Has Zechs been hiding out with you this whole time?"

"Yes," she replied as she led them to her skimmer.

"Trowa, be a love and stay with Heero and Duo, all right?"

Trowa's lovely green eyes met his, and the panther gave a slight nod before turning and pacing back the way they'd come.

o8o o8o

Zechs rose when Quatre Winner strode into Lucrezia's home. The young man had only gotten lovelier with time, and Zechs found himself thinking only he could rival Duo for pure, unadulterated beauty. Unlike Duo, however, there was something keen and mysterious in Quatre's aqua eyes. A lurking darkness.

Which didn't in any way detract from his beauty when he smiled at Zechs and extended his hand. "I'm glad to see you're all right," he said in what sounded to be a sincere voice. "How did you manage to slip away unnoticed?"

Zechs wondered if Quatre meant from Relena or just from . . . people. He decided to act like the latter. "Well, Relena put herself so much in the public eye, everyone rather forgot about me," he said, shrugging slightly.

Quatre laughed lightly. "Yes, that has always been the case, hasn't it? Tell me, why haven't you been standing at her side this whole while? I thought you had vowed to see she always gets what she wants."

Well, few people in this business would have spoken of that with such candid frankness. Zechs found it at once annoying and refreshing. Quatre was at least four years his junior.

"I did vow that," he agreed after a moment, "but the girl to whom I made that promise has long since vanished."

Quatre looked a little surprised.

"Relena made her own vow," Zechs continued, sinking down onto the couch. Lucrezia came in with glasses of some cool drink. "She swore to kill me, and I very much doubt she's changed her mind in the last days."

Now Quatre looked a little lost. "Why would she want you dead?"

Zechs shrugged. "I'm a contender for the throne she covets above all else. I was willing to let her kill me, though. It was what she wanted."

After accepting a glass and taking a sip, Quatre leaned back, looking every inch the exotic prince. "What changed your mind?"

Zechs hesitated. He knew he could trust Quatre. He just didn't know if he wanted to divulge such personal information. "I met someone years ago," he began slowly, "someone that I had strong feelings for though it was inappropriate. He . . . shifted everything for me. Made my troubles seem less real." Reaching up, he rubbed the back of his neck. "I had not seen Duo in four or more years. When he suddenly came back into my life, everything changed again. I no longer desire to give Relena what she wants. Now my only desire is to keep Duo safe and happy. And, if he will have me, loved."

Quatre looked at him, hard. Zechs could practically feel every word he'd just confessed being weighed and measured. Finally the younger man stirred, unfolding his legs and leaning forward. "Zechs, there's something you should know," he said at length. "Duo is Bonded to a Telmaran."

"Yes," Zechs said, "I know."

"I am, as well," Quatre continued, "but what you do not know is this. Duo will never be able to love you as you want, Zechs. Whether it happens tomorrow, a year, or has happened already, he will fall in love with Heero. They will eventually become lovers. It is inevitable between a Bonded pair. The level of intimacy they share in their thoughts cannot be matched anywhere else in this galaxy. I am fairly certain it has already begun to happen."

With those words, Zechs felt the last of his lingering hopes snuffed out. He was surprised by his own feelings at this knowledge. He'd thought he would feel jealous, bitter, maybe even angry. Instead he just felt sad. A kind of acceptance because Heero was strong and fully capable of protecting Duo where Zechs could not. Heero also happened to be beautiful, they made a striking pair.

So he just nodded, feeling resigned and yet still determined. Because more than he wanted Duo, he wanted Duo to be happy. A very large part of him regretted that he would never be able to feel that silken smooth skin naked beneath his hands, nor hear that lilting voice breathing his name in passionate tones. But . . .

"As long as he's happy, that's all I really want."

To his surprise, Quatre's eyes filled with inexplicable emotion. Kindness, understanding, sympathy, and compassion. "You're a good man, Zechs. In a way, I understand how you feel. Before I Bonded Trowa, I was in love with Duo, too. I was his first kiss, you know." He laughed softly. "I'm afraid I took shameless advantage of his blindness."

Zechs blinked. "I remember hearing rumors that you two were lovers. Were they true, after all?"

"No," Quatre admitted, shaking his head ruefully. "Much as I would have liked that, Duo's father kept him too isolated on Hedara. We never spent a lot of time together. But now we both have the perfect solution. And I'm extremely gratified to hear your love for him is genuine and not merely superficial lust."

In that, at least, Zechs had always been different from Relena. "I feel I can trust you," he said, standing. "So getting rid of Relena and Dorothy will be the last thing I do for Duo. I know you've met Rashid, the man she hired to do her dirty work. I spoke with him regarding you, and he's willing to tell you everything he's seen, heard, done, and knows."

o8o o8o

Quatre asked Trowa to stay with Duo so he could take Heero to Tel'Mar. He knew the trip wouldn't be easy on either of them, but hopefully they wouldn't be gone too long. Duo wasn't in any condition for space travel, no matter how short the journey. Heero didn't want to leave his Bonded, but Quatre insisted.

Wufei accompanied them, providing Heero with much-needed support when they entered the Hall of Treaties. Heero perked up considerably, instantly growling when he saw both Relena and Dorothy sitting facing a half-circle of Telmaran. The three clan O'Daijas were gathered, of course, and Heero's father rose to lick his son's face, tucking the young wolf against his side where Heero stayed with a listless sigh.

Quatre was here to act as mediator. The Telmaran had requested either him or Treize, but Treize could not be spared at the moment. The empire was in something of an uproar over the unexpected death of the emperor. Taking the seat between the pair, Quatre waited until Wufei had settled gracefully at his feet to begin.

"Dorothy Catalonia," he began, "you have been accused of breaking the highest laws of the Treaty of Tel'Mar. By Relena's words, you could be sentenced to death right here. In summary, you had Heero clan Yuy captured along with his Bonded, Duo Maxwell, and held against their will for a number of days. Further, you had Duo tortured—thus, Heero as well—in an effort to use the Telmaran people against the Andarian Empire and seize power for yourself. These are the things of which you have been accused, and the Telmaran have found no untruth in her words. What have you to say in your own defense?"

Dorothy leveled her cousin with a look comprised of scorn, anger, and lust. An interesting combination. "I should have known better than to trust you, Relena," she said after a moment. "No matter my personal feelings toward you, you only ever cared about power."

Relena said nothing, but her expression was far from guilty.

Dorothy looked at Quatre. "She's lying, of course."

"Dorothy isn't lying," Wufei put in, his black eyes locked on the princess and heir-apparent.

Which put Quatre in another interesting position. If neither of them was lying, what was truly going on here? Time to switch tactics. "Dorothy, why would Relena lie about this?"

Dorothy shrugged gracefully. "Ever since I disgraced and exiled her, Relena has been looking for a way to get back at me."

"More truth, that," Wufei mused.

"Maybe if you would tell them why you exiled me," Relena said archly.

A mental and audible ripple went through the gathered Telmaran. Even Heero raised his head a little, curiosity brightening his eyes.

Quatre regained control. "All right, Dorothy. Here's your chance to defend yourself. Relena was cleared according to human law. Now it's time to see if she deserves to be cleared according to Telmaran law."

"And I think you will find our laws are not so forgiving," Lady Une said abruptly, changing from her pure-white form into human.

Dorothy didn't miss a beat, and she didn't sound very worried. "I found out Relena was conspiring against my father," she said. "She and her foul brother were trying to end his life—and probably my own as well. I had to take action."

That was the opening Quatre had been waiting for. "Then why didn't you do it the legal way so she couldn't appeal?"

For a split second, he watched Dorothy flounder. Then she smiled charmingly. "You of all people should understand the danger in trying to take down a popular opponent, Quatre. In all likelihood I would have disgraced myself."

"And is your pride worth more than your father's life?" Quatre countered, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not," Dorothy said smoothly, "but I will be the next empress. My people have to have faith in me."

That was a good cover. "So are you implying now that your father's sudden death is due to her?"

Dorothy's expression iced over. "Yes. She poisoned my father."

"Interesting," Wufei said. "She's not lying."

Quatre's grin caught in his teeth. So that device of Relena's was actually working to cover Dorothy, too. Perhaps it affected nearby Telmaran rather than Relena. However, Quatre relied on other senses to detect lies. He read her body language, and Dorothy was uncomfortable. She knew she was playing with a dangerous, double-edged knife.

Reaching into his pocket, Quatre held up a flat little device with a red button on the top. "I want you to say that again," he said, depressing the button.

Dorothy sat up a little straighter. "Relena poisoned my father."

To a one the Telmaran sat up. "That was a lie," Wufei said into Quatre's mind.

This time, Quatre didn't try to stop his grin. "They sense your lie, Dorothy. Your turn, Relena. Did you really do everything you did at Dorothy's behest, under threat of harm?"

"Yes," Relena said, still looking confident.

"Lie!" Wufei snapped.

Heero suddenly came upright. His body was trembling, but whether from weakness or anger Quatre couldn't say. His cobalt eyes were locked on Relena, and something terrible and awful lurked in their depths. In fact, every Telmaran gathered sat up, looking at once shaken and angry themselves.

"I thought so," Quatre said softly. "You two should have collaborated on your efforts. It might have made it easier to pull off this charade. But it's over. Relena, Rashid told me about your device that confuses a Telmaran's senses. I figured out a way to counteract its effects."

Relena looked stricken, but Dorothy rose from her chair with a start, so hard it clattered to the floor. "You bitch!" she snarled. "I should have known better than to trust you! This is all your fault!"

And she leaped at her cousin and former lover. Quatre watched in amusement as the pair went down like wild animals, scratching and clawing, shrieking and wailing. Dorothy might have willingly killed Relena, Quatre was sure she had it in her. But the two predator clan O'Daijas leaped into action then, grabbing the pair and separating them.

"Dorothy Catalonia," Lady Une intoned, "you will return with Quatre Winner to your homeland to be tried as the humans see fit. You have committed no actual crime against the Telmaran people, so we care not what becomes of you."

She turned to Relena, and her eyes were shards of ice. "You, however, Relena Peacecraft," she intoned in an unbelievably cold voice, "have broken not one, but several contingencies of the Treaty of Tel'Mar. You are hereby sentenced to death at the hand of one of our own."

Relena's face blanched to the color of milk. Sour milk.

Lady Une looked at Heero, who was still trembling, his head a little low. But anger burned in his eyes.

"Heero," she said in a much gentler voice, "it seems we owe you an apology. It is true waiting has rooted out the source of great evil, but in the end you had the right thinking. I leave it to you to end her life, since it is you and your Bonded she has wronged the greatest."

There was no gratitude in Heero's eyes as he stalked forward just like a predator stalking his prey. He didn't look gleeful or even triumphant. In fact he looked nothing at all as he approached her like a demon out of nightmare. Quatre didn't avert his eyes, not even when Relena began screaming. He watched as Heero held on to her through her jerky, erratic death throes, fangs buried in her slender neck as blood formed a wide scarlet pool beneath her white gown. It looked starkly brilliant as her life simply flowed away.

Only then did Quatre look away, and he knew his own satisfaction was plain to see.