Kage Riku 11/?

Thanks goes out to all those who keep writing to me and telling me how they love the story. Thank you all. And this is dedicated to each and everyone who wrote me. Thanks again. I wish I could list all the names, but every reply makes me happy and thanks to the support!!! But going on, I want to thank my friend for translating some things from the show for me. Thanks to my friend for translating some of series for me. . .

Notes:
"<<speech in this denotes it isn't in English>>"
//flashback//
*astral speaking*
<<lyrics>>

Special Note of thanks to Cheshire-san ([email protected]) for beta-ing and proofreading!!

Kage Riku
[The Shadowed Lands]

By: Kc-chan

Chapter 11/?

Veritas latere in Amare, Sanguis, et Mortis <1>

~~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Wufei stretched and linked his arms over Sammael and purred. Rubbing his cheek softly against the unimaginable amounts of red hair he whispered, "They won't take this easily."

Duo sighed and glanced up at his beloved. "If I remember, other than Moloch, they *never* took to you easily."

An indigent snort. "This is different. . . I betrayed you all. . ."

"Not really," Duo replied with a slight shrug.

"Yes. I *did*, Sammael! I really did. I attacked you all and sincerely put up one hell of a struggle. . . They have a right to be mad at me. . ." Vrita replied in a sturdy tone.

With a quick movement Duo's arms twisted and yanked the Chinese boy onto his lap. Taking that almond-eyed head in between his hands, he bore his violet orbs into charcoal gray ones. "I will tell you this but once, you are more than forgiven." A finger placed itself on rosebud lips before a protest formed. "You saved me, you did everything to get me back. They will and probably have forgotten and forgiven. My dear little Vrita, you are back and that is all that matters to me."

The black haired boy smiled and his eyes softened. Leaning forward, he hesitantly pressed his lips to his master's. Adjusting himself to straddle his love's lap. Kissing and tasting his wonderful Sammael in the dark office and the fairy moon sneaking through the rich curtains.

A whistle and a muffled giggle broke them apart. Yuy was whistling with Moloch gaily chuckling against his tall lover's chest. "We would hate for you to stop on our accounts. . ." Mephistopheles snickered, eyes dancing with joy.

Vrita's face blossomed with a blush. Sammael laughed and gently pulled his lover close, easing off the embarrassment his little one was radiating. "Is the Peacemillion prepared?"

Moloch grinned. "Ready and waiting! The news on the grapevine is that Dorothy is heading up already with White Fang, planning to hit the earth. . ."

A nod came from his left hand general. "Trieze has not been seen since he and Meiren teleported away. I am sure Fand is still suffering from the backlash of power, to make at least one good point. But word has it on every news station that Meiren has called an assembly and is addressing the bourgeois of the world probably as we speak"

"She's going to attack the earth from space. . . or make the colonies look like they are fighting the Earth. . . Then she can step in as Queen of the World and carefully position everything into her power. . ." Sammael replied evenly. "At least, I think that would be the safest to assume."

Something seemed off to Vrita. He turned to Heero. "You said Treize hasn't been seen since they teleported?"

Yuy nodded, sharing slightly in the concern of Apaosa's whispered tones. Then again, Apaosa loved his guilt. "Not a sign. OZ has grown restless. . .With their famed figurehead seemingly missing the ranks are restless."

Aka Manah nodded. "Why? What could he have gone after?"

Then it cleared in his mind. . . "No. . . who he went to get. . ." Vrita stated, the general in him stepping forward as if no time had pasted since their last battles.

Asmodeus quirked an eyebrow, "Who? Who do they have left?"

"We should have gotten rid of most of the players by now. . ." Dumah added in his soft tenor.

Black orbs looked into his master's violet depths. Together one name slipped past their lips, as if the thought came to them at the same moment. "Lilith. . ."

Vrita's eyes whispered an apology to Heero. "Please understand, I was not allowed to say anything. . ." his eyes pleaded. A nod from the incubus and Vrita relaxed.

~~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Meiren glared at the wall. They had barely escaped back into the warded halls of the Foundation. . . Never. . . *Never* had she had to run from a fight. Worst of all her "husband" had brought Sammael back from the mental depths of death and insanity. Betrayer had shown his motives yet again. She had been so sure she had him in her control. Then again, Wufei never liked being controlled.

She had come so close. . . Victory was slipping from her fingertips. . . it was like trying to catch shattering slits of glass without cutting herself on the sharp broken edges. Not easy. . . Near impossible.

What was left of her armies now? Her crazy advisor Sally was in hysterics from the funnel of power those cursed daemons displayed. Ranting and raving like some lunatic. Completely useless to her. . . Only thing keeping Fand alive was merely she had no other options with most of her other players scraping the dirt with their dead corpse fingers.

Exael was developing some form of chip on his shoulder towards her. An almighty smirk, claiming that he *always* had a back up plan. Where was it? Something he had muttered with her in the early hours after the daemons had gone.

She snorted. Dorothy was whimpering pitiful thing now. Reverting almost completely to her snobbish human host's form. The after wash of the power had effected the damned girl's soul and warped that feeble mind.

A knock on the heavy oak door pulled her from her thoughts. "Come in," she called out curtly.

Dorothy slipped her head through the crack she made upon opening the door. "Meiren-sama, are your preparations complete?"

Meiren stood up from behind her great desk in the midst of the open room. "Yes, Dorothy. Feeling better?"

A short, almost startled nod indicating that she was fine. Nervous but functioning enough not to reveal any plan to the unsuspecting Foundation.

The black-eyed goddess smiled slightly and walked past the blonde girl. "Then, shall we go? After the world won't wait for me forever. . ."

Dorothy smiled and hugged her master's arm with her first real smile of the day. "The day has finally come for you master to stand at the top of the world. Everyone will be surprised! You will be wonderful!! I'm happy, as if it were I. Oh, Meiren-sama!! Starting today you are the queen of the world and space!"

They walked down into the main halls and awaited the grand doors to open them to the reporters and streams of cameras. With one nod, Meiren gracefully slipped into the world of power she truly *knew* she deserved. And no daemon. . . not even Vrita and Sammael and all the forces of hell could stop from claiming what was rightfully *hers*.

The flashing proceeded as her heels clicked against the highly polished floors. She slowly walked towards the podium. Her throne. The pitiful humans would follow her to the ends of the earth. After all, she was their peace, their hope. . . their future.

Ascending the stairs and taking her time before addressing the world. Timing, like patience was a virtue. Well played and the world would feast upon one's every world. And she needed them to eat out of her hand. She had a few aces left. But timing and producing results were becoming very demanding. She needed to get those damned things out of her life.

Meiren took a deep breath and smiled. "To all people on the Earth and in space I, Meiren Ron-Chang, became the leader of the Romefeller Foundation. However, this was not for the benefit of the Romefeller Foundation. I feel this is the important first step on a path that we all can walk together to eliminate strife in society, and to bring about an age of peace." She paused watching the twittering of pencils and recorders living on her every word. It was time to turn the tables. She would win and he *would* lose. "This one simple message I implore of the world and the Colonies. Everyone, please throw away your weapons and stop fighting. I'm sure that we are all wishing for the same future. Won't you join me in getting to that future? Leaving behind this nation that has been the cause of so much strife, and thinking of the whole Earth as one country, I declare the establishment of a New World nation!"

Treize smiled from the top balcony, hidden from all eyes but those who would seek him there. He chuckled and raised a glass of white sherry as Meiren smiled up at him, a hidden gleam in her eyes. "The Foundation is thinking. Certainly, my darling Meiren has the ability to sway public opinion. But the Romefellers' have not considered the large risk to themselves... Meiren will win this war yet. . ." He paused to sip again and mused over this early morning events dealing with his old master. "They have moved to space by now. . . White Fang will attempt to make another move, but Meiren will see that they destroy themselves. . . And these aristocratic snobs won't even know what hit them. . ."

He opened up his senses to quickly understand the thoughts and conversations springing up around him. . .

"If this World Nation thing really happens, we'll be out of jobs. . ."

"Busier by becoming the Queen's strongest soldiers. . ."

"The next battlefield awaits us. . ." <1a>

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~~

A small voice giggled in an almost endearing charm, if it wasn't for the sound of glass shattering in its echo. "That's right. . . Tou-san. . . Aren't you a soldier? Don't you have to go with them? To space. . . To peace?"

Ice eyes turned to regard the newly entered voice. Trieze lifted an eyebrow. "Your war has ended. It ended some time ago, child."

She sighed and turned to him with large blue eyes. "You are so cruel, Tou-san!"

Exael ignored her and turned back to watching Meiren deliver her speech. "I didn't call for you."

"My country was destroyed. I have nothing left to protect. . . Tou-san. . ." a small voice replied with the cunning charm of any snake. Cold and aloft, with ringing tones of chilling glass.

"So you've lost the reason to fight again. It doesn't concern me now. Nor has it ever. Leave." He replied sternly.

The girl toddled up to the railing and peaked over the rim to watch the Queen of the World in her crowning glory. A sigh escaped her lips with the same glassy tone echoing after all her words. A child like grace and voice gleaming in front of shattering hopes of humanity. "I hope this does mean there's peace, after all it seems like an awful gusty move on her part. . .Almost seems to easy. . .Pity that humans have not grown smarter over time. . ."

Exael ruffled his feathers and continued to watch with devote attention to Meiren. "No, there's no way we could have attained peace so easily."

A snort and sarcasm dripped from her lips. "Excuse me, Commander Exael."

A curt snort and he focused his piercing eyes her way. "You've got the wrong man, my child."

She clapped her hands and giggled again. "Then is it his Excellency Trieze now, Tou-san?"

His silence annoyed her.

"And? Were the Orders not enough for you... you've come to bring revolution to Earth? Perhaps ever the Colonies?" she pressed him.

"Leave." Was all he said.

She jumped softly and floated onto the rim to sit and look up at him. "I'm impressed, Tou-san! You were always a man of power! Is my nii-chan with you or against you? I feel so neglected. . . You left all this information from me. . . I'm afraid I am being left out of the loop. . ."

"Unfortunately I have nothing to say to you. Please leave," Trieze stated again, with a little bit of annoyance for this child in his tone and mannerisms.

She continued as if he never interrupted her. "It's quite natural that you, Tou-san, don't trust him or ma-ma... After all, I hardly do. But you should trust me, Tou-san. . . I have only followed in the footsteps of your guidance..."

Fingers rubbed his temple. "What are you trying to make me do, Emma-O?"

The red haired child pouted. "Tou-san! There is no need for formality. . . I merely suggest we awaken Lilith. Mommy dearest can not do anything but obey you!"

Trieze laughed. "Already done child."

The woman pulled from the floor in a blue haze as if responding to her master and lovers call. She slowly opens her sad eyes and gazes on her child. "Mariemaia. . . Emma-O. . . Hello, child." Blue eyes of infinite sadness and a void of glassy nothingness. Nothing but a husk. . .

Little arms encircled the woman in a fake loving embrace. "Mommy! How I have missed you!" A cheeky smile that may have passed for undeniably adorable, if it hadn't have been the sharp daemonic teeth that were displayed in that grin.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~~

Vellici licked his lips in hopes of moistening them. He certainly wasn't prepared for this and found himself rather fearful of the buxom blonde before him. "Lord Dermail has put forward Queen Meiren in order to maintain his status. But that means his position will become unstable. . ."

Dorothy merely smiled and looked at him with a cold smile gracing her lips.

He continued in a shaky voice, "At present more than half of the foundation personnel are Queen Meiren supporters. . .."

"How could they not be?" Dorothy asked with her grin growing colder as the moments drifted on.

He nodded in quick agreement. "We must have Queen Meiren truly become the leader of the World Nation." He paused and drew in the courage and looked at the girl's face. "Are you sure about this, Miss Dorothy?"

An almost sinister laughed touched her chuckled. Dark and foreboding. "Yes. History must flow in the correct direction. . . And Relena's ideals. . . the Peacecraft Ideals will be taken on by Meiren-sama." <1a>

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

"Freedom and... peace... Really, what is it with everyone?" Mariemaia sighed and watched the council hang on Meiren's every word. She never had any love for her then, and wasn't certainly going to start now. . . But she could join up with the side that would win.

"I suppose I was like that just a while back. . .ne, Tou-san? But what will my dear nii-chan think when he sees me? May I fight him, Tou-san? Onegai?" the child begged like another child would for a toy.

Dorothy walked through the door and nodded slightly to Exael, his child and Lilith. "Fand has regained some form of normality. Meiren-sama has requested we get ready to fight them in space. . ."

Emma-O frowned. "It seems unfair for them to choose the battlefield."

"One can only do what they can. It is merely an act of desperation on Sammael's behalf." Segomo sighed, a blood lust apparent in her eyes.

"Do not get cocky. Sammael is a power opponent. It would serve us better to take out his circle of generals. . . starting with the weakest to the final blow," Exael reminded them.

"Vrita is our final blow against the Prince of Daemons?" asked the red haired child.

She flicked a long strand of blonde locks over her shoulder and replied, "Aka Manah and Mephistopheles are thought to be the weakest."

"Not Moloch?" Fand asked, joining the entourage in their discussion. "I always thought him a worthless choice on Sammael's part."

Exael snorted and rolled his dark eyes. "Don't let his front and rumors dispel the truth. Sammael opened the elemental majik in the child. . . He is formidable and deadly, given the chance of course."

"Separate the lovers? Dumah against who? We are fairly limited on resources. . ." Fand coolly replied, eyeing the former angel.

"I get to challenge nii-chan!" the blue eyed doll replied. Cutely giggling and smiling with the charm of any little girl. "He knows not about me. . . Our parents are the same, which makes us equals. I will take him."

Exael nodded, agreeing. She had the same parents as his errant son. The worthless shit wouldn't be much against his little Mariemaia. . . his Emma-O. "I and Neamhan shall go after Vrita and obviously Sammael. Our combined power should hold them enough till the others are dead."

Brown curls bobbed, as Sally nodded in agreement. "That leaves myself and Segomo with Moloch, Aka Manah, and Dumah. We need help, no offense Exael. Three on two is a bit steep. . ."

"Lilith will take on Dumah and Mephistopheles. She is, after all the Mistress of Hell. Dumah will fall to her as well as Zechs." Exael purred rubbing his hand along Lilith's waist.

She replied nothing. Did nothing. Blank eyes didn't even register the motion.

"Then I shall attend to Moloch and Fand shall take Aka Manah?" Dorothy calmly pressed.

"Fulfilling your revenge, child?" Fand asked glancing over at the Goddess of War.

Rage swarmed into Dorothy's eyes and she glared at Fand. "I will kill the son of a bitch who *dared* to kill *my* Bean Si!" She managed to hiss out.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Noin sighed and leaned against the space-cooled glass of the large window on Peacemillion. Millions of diamonds twinkling behind her. God's tears shining as if already knowing the final outcome. "The Colonies have been attacked by White Fang. . . Starting with any colony with even the remotest bit of OZ strategy placed in it. They are merely mindless drones under Segomo's control. No minds. . . no will. Completely under her spells. Twelve colonies on the outer most rim were hit. Small border colonies. . . L8. . . L78. . . L36. . .L12. . . and a few others. . . Not large looses, not inhabited by many. . .But she is making White Fang know well and rather quickly."

"Lately, that isn't unusual. Their plans seem to reply on mass media and hit and run strategies," Asmodeus murmured glancing at a large screen with the mapped out area and the colonies under siege.

Dumah glanced at them as well. He absently ran his fingers in blonde locks, a calming motion to him and his lover. "Completely devastating. . . What the hell possessed them to do this? Granted they are power hungry bitches. . ."

"Dorothy is merely managing to make it look as if Space is going down the wrong path... Almost brilliant, unfortunately we have even more problems to deal with. . ." Wufei sighed and hit a few buttons and loaded a small disk. "We managed to pinpoint what we were afraid Exael would be desperate enough to try. . ."

"Lilith?" Moloch asked glancing at Heero.

"Lilith. . ." Wufei confirmed. An old ruin flickered onto the screen, recent fire and energy damage crisp on its face. Holes and large gaps of earth residing everywhere.

Zechs sighed and pulled Heero closer. He just wanted to let the boy know there was support around him. "...If all of this was because of a seed Meiren has sowed... she has Earth eating out of her palm whilst she also has her claws in the Colonies and White Fang. Merely playing out the guise of a war while she truly controls all the strings and the events. . ."

Quatre nodded and agreed. "An era that is toyed by its situation is too pitiful. Humans fall too easily for the promise of absolute peace and freedom. . . Wishes are not a smart thing to believe in. . . They never seem to understand their own intentions. . . and end up wishing for all the wrong things. . . Ana laa Afham Hom." <2>

"And when someone comes with those promises they flock behind them. Meiren is merely playing her power games. . . she sees it as a walk through the garden. . . everything taken in stride. . ." Vrita growled out in a tightly controlled tone. His eyes spoke differently. . . They raged with the death that he was going to serve to her.

"Come. . . we can do nothing till the attacks come," Sammael said eyeing his nervous generals. "She will attack us. . . We chose the battle field and she will choose the time." He walked towards his lover and pulled him close.

Vrita blinked and leaned back into the embrace. His master had never been so open with their relationship before. . . Sure touches and faint kisses. . . but this was a newer sensation. . . He wished it were under better circumstances. . .

Violet eyes met Prussian blue and Heero nodded. "I understand. . .If they choose the time, we can see who they picked to attack whom. . .They will assume Apaosa is still not at his peak and Moloch isn't as powerful as he seems. . . They will under estimate Noin. . ."

Zechs nodded as well. "Let them show us their plans before we react. . . Works for me."

And with a final assent from the rest they all headed to their rooms for night. . . They needed hope and they needed sleep. Neither of those were going to come easily. But they could spend what could possibly be their last night with the ones they loved through the centuries. . . And that for now was enough. . ..

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Fingers brushed through golden locks, a glimmering mane dancing in the firelight. Old moods and the feel of completeness back again, this time to stay Dumah hoped. . . Green eyes running over the smooth white flesh exposed to him, contrasting against the furs and covers of dark browns and rich bloods and plums. Pumpkin and exotic Arab spices poured in their smokes into the stillness of the room. . .

Relaxing them for the battle to come. . . Purging their minds of anything but the here and each other.

"You look troubled love? What's wrong?" Moloch asked, his small fingers tracing exciting lines along Trowa's palm.

"Hmmm?" Trowa asked, slightly startled, his senses dazed with the scents of the room, mind clouded with whirling thoughts.

The daemon scooted upwards, pulling himself to a kneeling position between his lover's legs. Green eyes met turquoise ones and they meshed into one light. "You seem troubled. . . What is wrong? What have I done to upset you, beloved?" Quatre asked quietly.

Trowa sighed and listened with every inch of his being. He never wanted to forget the way the air moved and the soft low alto tones of his love's voice. "I. . ." he stopped and blankly caressed a thin shoulder.

How could he tell Moloch about this. . .? It was critical. . . it was. . . He wondered why Moloch had never mentioned it? Never used it?

Turquoise and jade orbs darkened with thought. "Something is wrong. . . Min Fadilak . . . Tell me?" <3>

"You never mentioned you could use majik. . . it. . . Well, it took me rather by surprise that's all. . . You never mentioned it. . .and then BOOM! You're taking out the woman that for centuries made your life hell. . ." Trowa muttered.

"Ahhh. . ." Quatre whispered and looked at his hands lying on his lap. He had been wondering about when *that* question was going to come. His lover had the strangest times of bringing up questions.

"I was just curious. . . nothing much. . ." the green eyed angel whispered into those elfin ears.

"It happened before you joined Sammael. . . He. . . He saw some potential in me." A dark chuckle. "And in his own way, invited me to join him. . . He also decided to unleash any known and unknown potential my body had. . ." He paused as if giving great thought in what to say next.

After another few minutes he continued, "Seeing it had the potential of elemental powers. . . Not daemon but real elemental powers. All of them. Unfortunately, there were a few drawbacks to my power. . . If I couldn't draw from the power of my people then I had to draw from my own power. . . And even then, I am down for the count for days. Even tomorrow, I will not be able to cast many spells after my fight with her. It takes too much power to do so. . ."

"But you would have had the power back then to hurt her. . . Why didn't you?" Dumah asked.

"It was one hell of a week, beloved. . . She destroyed my people, Sammael recruited me. . . I met you and she beat me again. I dare say even I can't learn to use new powers that quickly. . ." Moloch replied with a chuckle.

Dumah sighed, "I should have figured. . . You should have seen the look on her face when you screamed at her. . ." He laughed, wrapping his arms around that tiny waist.

A chaste kiss brushed his lips and pale hands encircled his shoulders. "Feeling better?"

Only a fiercely passionate kiss and a tumble onto the sheets was his reply. . . And for a moment, it felt like the world decided to leave them alone. Let them be to bask in each other. Any thoughts of the battle on the horizon flitted away like a leaf in the wind. Now it was just them. . . and fingers and lips. . . and a hundred other ways to display their undying passion.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

Noin curled on one side of Zechs while Asmodeus was on the other. They sat leaning against the couch all staring into the fire. Zechs had been unusually quiet, which bothered both his lovers.

"Master? Are you all right?" Aka Manah asked quietly, barely lifting her face to address their lover.

Heero nodded against his shoulder; "We are worried. . . You seem distant, master. . ."

Zechs chuckled softy and hugged Noin close and stroked Asmodeus's hair. "No. . . No, I just am a bit contemplative it seems."

"About?" ventured Heero with his Prussian blue eyes full of questioning.

"Nothing. . . Just silly thoughts that keep me amused. . . Trying to keep from worrying about tomorrow. . . Things like that my little ones." He replied evenly, with an undertone of sweetness and contentment.

Both of them remained silent till Noin sighed and looked up. "We have a question, master. . .um. . . How did you fall into Sammael's armies? I mean it seems strange to ask it now. . ."

"It seems odd. . ." Asmodeus picked up continuing for her, "because it seems to be a random question. But, we are terribly curious and well, depending on the outcome tomorrow we may never know. . ."

Mephistopheles laughed and smiled, ice eyes reflecting the dance of the fire. "It happened by chance really. . . No exciting tales, no thrilling feats. . . "

Heero cocked an eyebrow in slight disbelief.

"No, really. Sammael merely asked for a child from my village to train. I was the youngest prince in my royal family, so I could be spared without any real harm. I was taught by him and went back to rule my people. The wars came and I simply aligned myself and my nations with Sammael." Zechs replied.

"Ah. . ." Noin replied.

"I am a terribly boring person to talk about." He laughed in a twisted self-mocking tone.

Heero snaked an arm around his master's waist and yanked Aka Manah to his lip for a kiss. "Perhaps we can pass the time another way?"

"You two. . . Don't you ever tire?" Mephistopheles chuckled and tumbling and lips began to warm them faster than any fire could.

~~~~'~~@@~~'~~~~

With everyone gone to their respective quarters, Vrita looked up from his spot where he had curled against the cool glass. Black eyes watched his master, hungry with passion and lust. Yet, tinged with absolute sadness that somewhere in his youth they had acquired.

Sammael crossed the room and leaned forward to press his lips to his loves. "Will you be all right?"

Silence lingered for some moments. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything you want, little one." Duo replied and sat next to the boy, his back on the glass and his violet orbs watching and waiting to fulfill any request.

"I met you as a child. I saw it for an instant earlier today. . . Like a wash of memories that I had forgotten suddenly began to resurface. . .." Wufei muttered staring into the nothingness about the ship.

He wrapped his fingers around his braid, a habit he only recently began, "Yes, I did meet you as a child."

Another long pause then hesitant black eyes glanced up at his violet ones. "Tell me about them. . . I can't remember them. . ." Crystalline tears dangling in the corners of his eyes. "I know it sounds pitifully stupid, especially when there are more important things going on. . . Meiren and the war and Oz. . . but I. . . I. . ."

Duo placed his fingers on those quivering lips. Black eyes flickered and Vrita paused. "I understand, love." And pulled the beautiful boy onto his lap. Watching the golden boy curl into his touch with the grace and agility of any cat.

His eyes softened and glassed over with the reflection of times so long ago. . . "You were a child in the Unseelie Court. . . Siobhan, your mother was the ruler. . . a Leanan-Sidhe."

Black eyes closed and a sigh escaped from those rosebud lips. "I don't remember them. . . Only names and even then I can barely grasp them. . ."

Arms pulled the unsure boy closer. "Tell me who. . . and I can tell you what I know of them, my little one."

"Images. . . Undaunted images of blonde hair. . . a man who should have been a prince. . .Bress. . . I. . . I can only see him with blood. Blood gushing from him. . . A taller man ripping me to the ground. . . shrieks of pain. . . death. So much death. . ." Wufei murmured trapped in the spiral of traumatic childhood events.

"I wish. . . Gods, you don't know how much I wished that had never happened. Your mother warned me. . . And I tried. I had so many spies and no one ever heard a word about the attack. No one knows who had the information to lead the attack. . .Believe me, I tried. . ." Sammael muttered, shivering with the coldness that one large mistake had cost them. . . and so many others. . .His love's entire world. . .

The boy on his lap shifted and Duo looked down to see black eyes glossy with emotion, "You know what, I don't give a fuck right now. . . I have you and damn it. . . I am being pitiful and stupid. . ."

Duo shook his head, "I wouldn't think that-"

"Fuck me. . . Make love to me. I nearly lost you and I am never letting that happen again." Wufei stated and shoved his lips to his master's. Brash and completely full intense desire for the here and now.

Bronze fingers curled lovingly into those long auburn red tresses, lips taking in the taste of cinnamon, coffee, and blood. . . His master's taste. . . A heavenly aroma of death and spices. . . Spices that too often reminded him of memories long since past. . . But just the feeling of another wanting him. . . Needing him so completely. . . he knew. . . he absolutely *knew* this was love. . .

<1>Veritas latere in Amare, Sanguis, et Mortis
< truth lies in love, blood and death. . .>
<1a> taken from Relena's speeches and soliders comments in the series. final ties to the real series. salutes to gwing writers and bandai.
<2> Ana laa Afham Hom= I do not understand them. (Arabic)
<3> Min Fadilak = Please (Arabic)

To be continued. . .
Gomen it's a short part, but this is winding down, ne? Someday I'll write side stories about their pasts. . . until them. . . you'll have to wait till part 12, the battle begins. . .