The Blood of Peace
Third Movement, the Fifth Part: Presto
It was what one would traditionally term as a midnight raid. A group of Oz soldiers had somehow hid until nightfall within the Earthian encampment and then had attacked a sleeping camp. WuFei and Meiran were fighting side by side, fending off attackers. There weren't so many, it was obviously a suicide mission, but it pissed off WuFei to no end that these people had somehow gotten so close. So, as tired as he was, he fought viciously. Meiran, glad to have an opportunity to do something other than sit around, took part in the fighting. WuFei had to admit that she was a tremendous asset, her skills outstripping most well trained warrior's by a fair margin. But they were the only ones who were fighting from his tent.
Heero had gone off to meet Oz envoys (that idiot!) and Duo had taken off shortly thereafter to keep an eye on him. Quatre had also disappeared. Whatever his brothers were up to, they still should have been here. Soon enough, all the Oz infiltrators were dead and the servants, who had cowered only moments before, came out and began to clear away the dead and treat the wounded. With that ugly bit of business taken care of, WuFei wiped Altron clean with a towel and turned towards Meiran. She was practically preening.
"Well, boy, what do you think of my loyalties now? I could have killed you during this raid, but I helped you out instead."
"I never doubted your loyalties, girl. I just say things because your reactions amuse me."
Meiran bristled at that. Growling deep in her throat, she clenched her teeth and ground out, "What, I'm just an amusement to you? Your little jester? I am not here to make you laugh! You arrogant son of a bitch, I should have killed you!"
WuFei looked at her. She was shaking from the rage, her pixie face was contorted and streaked with blood. Even her hair seemed to be angry, the short strands sticking out in all directions from the fight. Her small frame was outlined by the moon and her sword glinted silver. This girl, she really interested him. She constantly argued with him, made him angry at times, even pulled practical jokes on him. But through it all, she watched him as he watched her now. Her flushed face, flashing dark eyes, slender body. Without thinking, WuFei reached out his hand and touched her face gently. Startled, Meiran lost her grip on the rage and sank into confusion. Taking advantage of her momentary stunned silence, WuFei moved his head towards hers and kissed her.
Meiran felt the lips move over hers and molded her own to them without hesitation. She could smell his sweat, the blood, taste the tang of his mouth. It was heady. Then her lips parted and they truly melded into the kiss. It was a kiss like no other, reflecting their contrasting relationship and the constant battle between them. It was fierce, tender, passionate and hot. Then as suddenly as it had begun, it ended.
"What did you do that for, you pervert?"
Meiran's voice came out high pitched, her words nearly swallowed up in her efforts to regain her breath. Her heart was still pounding and her head was swimming in sensations she had never felt before. WuFei wasn't doing much better. He had no idea what had come over him, but he had actually kissed her. He also realized that he had wanted to for a long time now. When had all this happened?
"I'm not a pervert, girl. You kissed me back."
"So? You assaulted me first! Give me back my innocence, you pervert!"
WuFei chuckled. He couldn't help it. Give back her innocence? What?
"Don't you laugh at me, boy! In Centaur Valley, when you kiss a girl like that, it means you are betrothed. So, either give me back my innocence or have the decency to marry me!"
Meiran nearly choked on her last words. What the hell had possessed her to say that? Marry? She felt blood suffuse her face.
WuFei was equally stunned. These choices that Meiran had given him were not even viable options! So he was very surprised to hear himself say the following.
"Then I guess I will marry you."
Heero paused at the cliff overlooking the River of the Heroes. Soon, Trowa would get here and then they could finally go back to Earthian and be five again, instead of the incomplete four. The night was waning and Heero could make out the light purples of the dawn. These purple lights infused into the dark blue skies reminded him of Duo's eyes. He would have to apologize to the idiot of course, but then they could make up in the most exciting way possible. His blood raced at the thought. After a bit of rustling, Trowa and Oz soldiers came out from the woods behind the cliff. There were about fifteen or so of the Oz soldiers, a number that he and Trowa could easily take out. As they approached, Heero and Trowa exchanged looks and then charged the Oz soldiers. As Heero had predicted, they were no match for him and Trowa. They were taken down easily, within minutes. Then Heero and Trowa faced each other.
"Trowa, it's good to see you. Are you ready to come back?"
Trowa looked at Heero steadily. Then he raised Heavyarms and got into a fighting stance.
"No, I still have much to do. Heero, I'm afraid that I will have to take you back with me. I cannot go back unless I capture you."
Heero lowered Wing slightly to the ground and stared at Trowa. If he went with him then Duo or his other brothers would surely come looking for him. Also, his disappearance would thoroughly demoralize the Earthian efforts. It was not an option.
"Trowa, you ask too much of me. You are asking me to sacrifice my duty for yours. Remember, your duty is to me, first and foremost. Come back with me. Quatre is waiting for you."
Trowa hesitated at the mention of Quatre. Heero certainly knew what to say to make a guy doubt his convictions to duty. But he had to find out what Treize planned to do after he married Relena. That was his most paramount duty to Heero. So he had to capture his prince and make him a prisoner of the enemy.
"Heero, I'm sorry. But you must be my prisoner."
Heero lowered Wing completely. There was no way that he would fight Trowa. He needed to try to convince him without fighting him, but how? Then without warning, Trowa threw Heavyarms. Heero ducked just in time but felt the wake of the weapon over his head. Then Trowa was running towards him, weapon in hand. He was dead serious. Heero quickly assessed the situation. He was caught between a cliff and Trowa. He could not be captured and he would not let himself fight Trowa. Then all of a sudden, Trowa pitched forward and fell onto his knees. In his back, there was a familiar weapon embedded into his left shoulder. Sandrock.
Quatre emerged from the shadows, his right arm still holding onto one of his Sandrock sabers. He watched as Trowa staggered upright to reach behind him and yank out the scimitar. Then Trowa turned and saw his beloved walking towards him, his aqua eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Why, Trowa? Why are you attacking Heero? He's our prince! You said I could trust you."
Quatre's voice was filled with pain, but he kept on walking towards Trowa, Sandrock in his hand. Trowa said nothing. He could say nothing. He had to betray Heero to help him right now. Why couldn't Quatre see that?
"I won't let you take Heero away, Trowa. Just walk away. Go back. Don't make me kill you."
Heero heard the determination in Quatre's voice. His gentleness was gone, replaced by a steely resolve. He had to stop this.
"Quatre, it's okay. Trowa did not break our trust! Quatre, listen to me! Quatre!"
But Quatre did not hear him. Seeing Trowa attack Heero had been too much for him. All this time, he had borne the brunt of the emotional outpouring on the battlefields. His mind had just barely kept its sanity by trusting in his brothers. The fragile bonds of his mind had finally broken when he had witnessed Trowa throwing Heavyarms, a weapon given to him to protect Heero, at him. With an enraged cry mirroring his despair and betrayal, Quatre attacked Trowa. Trowa, already weakened from the shoulder injury, could not defend himself. Heero desperately tried to stop Quatre, but he was like a demon, fighting them both with equal fervor. Then, to Heero's absolute horror, Trowa lost his footing and began to topple backwards over the cliff. Heero tried to get to him, but Quatre blocked his way. Time slowed, the first rays of sunshine shone through the clouds. Trowa dropped Heavyarms as he fell slowly backwards over the cliff, into the raging waters below. Tears from his eyes flew forward, glinting in the sun. Then Trowa said, "Quatre, my love, please, don't hurt anymore. Please. I love you. Please."
That broke Quatre's insanity. He saw Trowa falling backwards into the empty air. Suddenly clear, Quatre dove towards Trowa. His hand reached out but Trowa's fingers slipped right through his. Then Trowa was falling, falling. Then he was gone in the waters below.
"TROWA!!!!!!! TROWA!!!!!!!!!!"
Quatre's pain filled voice screamed out his beloved's name over and over again, but his please only echoed off the cliffs to be swallowed by the river. He continued screaming until he had no voice, and then he still shouted. His heart shattered. He had just killed his love with his own hands.
"Trowa.. No.. Trowa.. Trowa.."
Quatre could not cry. He could only mouth his beloved's name over and over. Heero stood rooted to the ground. His hands were clenched, his knuckles white. Trowa, he was gone. And if he didn't do something, Quatre would follow Trowa. Forcing his legs to stop shaking, he walked over to Quatre and hit him over the head with Wing's pommel. Then he picked up Heavyarms, Sandrock and his broken, grieving brother. With a heavy heart and empty eyes, Heero started his walk back to the Earthian camp. The sun, just coming over the horizon, was the only witness to Heero's lone tear.
Noin tried to soothe Relena, but it was to no avail. Relena was furious at Heero.
"How dare he not tell me about that messenger? He knew I wanted to meet with Oz at the earliest possible time. How dare he go in my stead? What the hell is he thinking?"
For the past half an hour since she found out about the messenger from Oz, Relena had been pacing her tent in tight circles, fuming and raging against Heero. She had already called him many vile names, not to mention some creative ones. Where she had heard all these words was a mystery to Noin. But they were coming out of Relena's mouth in a steady stream, a true testament as to how upset she was.
"Where is Heero? I want to speak to him. Bring him to me."
"I wish I could, Relena, but Heero hasn't come back from the meeting yet."
Noin was relieved that Heero was not there. If he had been there, only the gods could have saved Heero's sorry hide from Relena's wrath.
"Fine. Noin, pack our bags. We're going to see that Oz envoy. I don't care what Heero says. I will make decisions regarding Sanque, not him. I already told him I won't marry him. He has no right to do this. Let's go Noin, we don't have all day!"
Noin quickly gathered herself and went to pack. When Relena got angry, she really laid it into whoever was nearby. Usually, it had been Milliardo. But that was the past. Sighing, Noin packed and mused. So she would meet the Lady Une, would she? Finally, she could assess the legendary ice woman.
"Noin, stop dawdling. We have to leave before Heero comes back. Gods know what he would do to delay us."
Having said that, Relena left the tent and went outside. It was a beautiful morning, but she did not notice. Soon, she would go meet this Oz envoy. Then she would demand that they take her to Treize. There, she would be reunited with Dorothy, and most importantly, Milliardo. And she would be able to pit her mind against Treize Kushrenada. She felt the political blood within her heat. It promised to be an exciting trip all around.
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