And now the time has come for our story to veer into new directions and let some of the movie be left behind. Not all of it, mind. Just some of it. You'll see.

Enjoy!

There was a knock on the door, giving Heero enough time to straighten the dark green jerkin he had found hanging beside the bed. Apparently his uniform had been replaced, and while the dark leggings were fine and expensive, and the green velvet made his eyes appear even bluer, he missed the utility of the grey tunic. Not to mention the armor and weaponry.

"Good afternoon, Heero," Zechs pushed into the room a touch cautiously, but upon seeing the soldier making a proper bow, eyes averted, he smiled indulgently. "None of that between us, now. We're to be married."

Heero straightened, but kept his eyes focused at the level of the prince's throat. He never so much as glanced across to where Treize had entered as well, closing the door behind himself. Instead, Heero rested his hands at the small of his back in relaxed military posture and said, "Until such time as we wed, it is not my place to look above the station of Captain of the Royal Guard."

Zechs tipped his head and caught Treize's eye. Heero schooled his face and his emotions into order, remembering everything Duo had told him about blocking an empath from reading his intentions. A lot of it, the pirate had explained, had to do with either believing what you said by being careful with your words or manufacturing emotions without giving away that they were false. Thus, he was focused on enveloping himself in his warrior training and discipline, locking it around himself like a cage.

Treize narrowed his eyes for a moment before nodding fractionally to Zechs. Heero meant every word of what he had said.

"I'm pleased to hear you say so," Zechs smiled. "Our last conversation was interrupted and difficult. I hope you can forgive the rough treatment of your person. But there was no way to know the truth of your loyalties in the presence of that pirate."

"Your caution was well-advised and entirely sensible," Heero replied evenly. And it was – he'd have done the same if their position were switched. He was careful to not even think about anything else.

Again, Zechs looked to Treize, who nodded, more confidently this time.

"You are being supremely reasonable about this, Heero," Zechs said, slightly more interested. "From our encounter in the forest I would have thought you would be at least in part averse to my aims."

"And in a sense, I am," Heero responded honestly. Here was his best opening – by giving the empath an unvarnished, uncautious truth to read, he could remove much of their suspicions and close scrutiny. "I do not want to fight a war. However, there is something worse than war, and that is war fought by those who are not prepared for it. I am a soldier, and my life is cheap. If war is coming to Sanc, I would rather be a part of it so that I can help ensure a decisive victory and cause the least harm to our lands. Your aim for power does not interest me. I intend to protect Sanc, and I can do that best by fighting."

"That is a very wise opinion for a soldier," Treize spoke at last, his own face breaking into a smug smile. "I believe I have been wrong about you, Heero Yuy. I believed you to be simple. Instead, you see all too clearly."

"Treize?" Zechs asked.

"He is being utterly frank with us now," Treize continued to smile. "He knows a war is inevitable, and he would rather fight than see others die needlessly. He has a stubborn streak of nobility, this one, but I think it will serve us well. I am certain he is resigned to the world we intend to create."

Heero did not move or twitch, but he relaxed fractionally; an empath who is confident is not careful, Duo had advised, and Treize's pride seemed to shut his heart as his feelings of superiority grew. While Treize began to speak at some length about the wisdom of a soldier who knows his life is but a war or something (Heero stopped listening after a few long sentences), Heero let the tiniest thought slide through his own consciousness – "War is inevitable in Sanc now, it's true – because of you. And I do intend to fight it, and I will not fail. But the outcome I will work towards may not be what you expect."

When it seemed Treize had finished his lengthy piece of war philosophy, Heero shifted marginally to regain their attention. He still did not look up but asked, "What are your orders now, Prince Zechs?"

"For now, I think it best you become acquainted with the other forces we shall bring to bear. Many of our soldiers will answer only to Treize or myself, but you should have a company of your own. You will have to choose from our men, however. The Royal Guard will not be sufficient."

"Acceptable," Heero nodded shortly. He certainly didn't want his Royal Guard involved in this.

"Come," Zechs put out an arm and Heero obediently allowed himself to be led, though he still did not look up. "I will show you where they are training and you can give me your opinion of them."

"Yes, Prince Zechs."

"I've got some other things to attend to," the count raised a hand in farewell, "but I will not go far. I shall see you both over dinner."

Heero did not relax his guard until he and Zechs were well outside the palace, where anyone following them would have been clearly visible to him. And even then, he did not let his emotions betray him, but at least he could let his thoughts roam a little more freely. He permitted himself to react naturally, which is to say with tension and relief and also suspicion, upon encountering some members of his own Guard, all of whom expressed their gladness that he had returned safely. As far as the Guard knew, nothing had changed, after all.

Zechs took him to one of the barracks nearest his wing of the palace that housed his men, and Heero remarked on their training regimen honestly, while neglecting to point out certain flaws he could see. To a man, every one of the soldiers Zechs had brought with him from his travels was a good fighter and worked superbly in formation with one another. But not a one of them had the same level of skill when in the midst of a skirmish where their ranks were broken. It was an advantage Heero knew he would be able to use, and so he simply suggested training in different formations to give variety instead of actually improving their ability to improvise.

By dinnertime, Heero had gotten used to practicing the intense emotional control and thus was able to eat calmly in the presence of Prince Zechs and Count Khushrenada. Additionally, he was finally able to confirm for himself that Princess Relena was unharmed, and that did much to relieve his concern. The princess chattered at him worriedly, and when Heero was more taciturn than usual – again, something his enemies could put down to his change in loyalties – she ordered him to go to bed early that he might continue to rest after his ordeal. Grateful of the respite, Heero obeyed.

He knew Duo would return to his room in the middle of the night sometime to report on his progress, so Heero was tossing and turning quite fitfully when a cry went up throughout the palace. Without a second thought, he threw on his clothing and bolted from the room, actually going so far as to take a sword from one of the suits of armor lining the corridors that he might be prepared for anything.

The cry became a wail of sorrow and fear and Heero rounded the last corner to find a crowd outside the king's bedchamber.

"Everybody MOVE!" he bellowed. The Royal Guardsmen cleared the way in an instant, and Heero sped past them into the room.

"Father! Father! Oh, father, no!" Princess Relena was curled up on her knees on the grand bed, weeping. Behind her Zechs stood stonily, Treize at his elbow. The other servants in the room were also distraught.

The king was dead.

Heero reacted on pure instinct. "You there," he called to the two nearest Guardsmen, "go and fetch the priest at once, and send someone to wake the royal ministers. If the king has truly left this world, it must be witnessed and all the proper forms observed." They ran to obey.

"Prince Zechs," Heero raised his eyes to Zech's face, his expression granite. "Please stay here so that you too may bear witness to the declaration as is your right and duty. I will leave as many of my guards as you desire to prevent any irregularities, but for now my duty is elsewhere."

Zechs was very surprised and had just turned to Treize for analysis, but Heero ignored him. Instead, he stepped right onto the dais by the bed and put a hand on Princess Relena's shoulder. She quieted her sobbing and raised her head to him.

"Heero…"

"Princess Relena," he said, his voice low, "you do not need to be here for this. I will take you to your room. Come with me."

The flash of panic left Zech's face and he nodded. "Yes, Relena, let me handle this. Please go to where you can mourn in peace."

"All…all right," she struggled to control her face, but her grief was plain in spite of her best efforts.

"Please leave sufficient guards with us," Treize said to Heero as the soldier carefully helped the princess from the bed and, when her feet seemed unsteady, supported her weight.

"Yes, Count Khushrenada." He was practically carrying Relena, but he got her out the door fairly quickly. He barked more orders at the men standing by, orders that would positively ensure that the body, the prince, and everybody else would be well-guarded as well as watched. The king was dead – there was no such thing as too much paranoia now.

"…Heero?" Relena asked as they came within sight of her rooms.

"Yes, Princess?"

"What happens now?"

He looked into her blue eyes, wide and vivid with tears, and somehow so very young. And yet there was something in them, something of strength born of kindness, determination and will, but gentleness, that reminded him so powerfully of Quatre he bit his lip to keep from touching her hair turned golden in the torchlight. He tightened his grip, even though she no longer needed it, and opened the door to her chambers.

"Out, all of you," he ordered shortly, surprising the ladies in waiting that tended to flock around Relena. They quit the room quickly, and Heero steered the princess to a low chair. When she was seated, he dropped to one knee before her.

"Princess, do you trust me?" He met her eyes with all the intensity of his being.

"Yes, Heero," and this time there was no waver in her voice. "With my life."

"I need you to trust me with more than that," he replied. "Can you trust me with the safety of all of Sanc?"

"Y-yes," she was taken aback. "But why?"

"Things are going to happen now. Your brother is in line for the throne. I am going to help him, work with him for a time. But you must know that you cannot trust him. Your brother wants some things that will not be good for you or your people."

"I do know that," and this wasn't a childish princess answering him but the woman he had long known she could become. "I know Zechs has something he wants, and I know he doesn't want me to know about it."

"It's worse than that, but you will be safer if you don't know the details. Your father entrusted your safety into my keeping, Princess Relena, and I have not abandoned that duty, no matter what it looks like. You must believe in me."

"I do."

"Good," he nodded. "Then go on as though nothing has happened. Mourn your father. Be yourself. Don't push into Zech's business unless you have no choice. Let nothing change. I will be watching over you. And…" he leaned closely to her, making a sudden decision. "There is a man in the palace with violet eyes and very long hair in a braid. His name is Duo, and he is my friend. I owe him my life. If he comes to you, you can trust him as you would me. But no one else."

"I understand, Heero," Relena held out a hand and gripped his with only a small tremor. "I will do my best. But," and fear crept into her features, "please don't get hurt. I just lost Papa. Please don't make me cry over you too."

"Don't worry, Princess," he rose and released her hand with a real smile, "I cannot die. I have a mission now and nothing will stop me. I have something to protect."

-==OOO==-

"...The king was dead..."

"No, that's not right!"

"It's not?"

"No! It's supposed to be just a bad dream! It's not supposed to have actually happened!"

"Well, it did. Get used to it."