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Code of Honor

"Live if you can, die if you must, but always fight with honor!"

- Native American aphorism -

Part 3

"I can't believe he is doing this." Zechs dropped his spoon into the stew and pushed away his bowl. "There has to be some other way. I would rather die fighting at his side."

Noin looked at him sympathetically. Her husband had told her about the colonel's deal with the Iterians. She knew how close the two men were and she could only imagine how Zechs felt right now. "Have you tried to talk to him?" she asked.

"Of course I have. He told me that the matter wasn't open for discussion. You know how stubborn he can be. Short of tying him down nothing will stop him once he has made up his mind."

"Just as stubborn as somebody else I know. The two of you really could be brothers."

"I'm not that stubborn."

Noin snorted "Says the man who ate a goose that tasted like leather just because he was too stubborn to admit that he roasted it too long."

"I didn't roast it too long," Zechs insisted. "I simply like my meat cooked thoroughly."

"Whatever you say, dear." His wife laughed. "Talking of food, are you going to finish that?" she gestured at his stew.

He shook his head. "I'm done. You can have it if you want."

"Thank you."

Zechs shook his head, as she reached for his bowl. "How do you do it, Noin? You eat for two but you don't put on a single ounce of fat."

She shrugged and grinned at him. "I suppose great minds need more food than big muscles."

Zechs gave an amused snort and smirked back at her. "Talking of great minds; perhaps we can stop Treize if we remove him from his post, for reason of insanity?"

"Don't let him hear that," Noin warned. "That's not even funny, Zechs. The one thing that the colonel does not joke about is his rank and his responsibility toward his troops."

"I know," the blond knight replied bitter. "He made that rather clear when he told me that I was to follow his orders, and if I couldn't do that he would replace me with somebody who could."

"Ouch!" Noin gave her husband a sympathetic look. "What exactly are his orders?"

"I'll be taking over command after he…leaves. We are to retreat to Crandon Borough and wait behind our borders for reinforcement and new orders."

*****

A full day after his first meeting with the Ghentanian Colonel, Wufei made the last preparations to carry out the deal he had made. He was still wary of the Colonel's intention, and his second seemed even more suspicious.

"Are you certain that you want to go through with it?" Trowa asked the commander.

Wufei nodded. "Enemy or not, he did have a point when he said that too much blood has already been spilled over this land. I don't want to see any more of my men die if it can be avoided. Besides, I'm sure the king will be pleased to hear that we have such a high-ranking prisoner. Thus far we've never been able to capture one of their leaders alive."

"That's true," Trowa agreed. "He might be able to give us some information that can shorten this war."
"I'm taking Quatre with me. I want everybody to be ready to leave when we return." Wufei ordered. "We'll move back just far enough for them to retreat without problem, then we will wait until we are absolutely sure that this isn't some kind of a trick or trap. Make it clear that I want everybody to be alert, but nobody is to act without my orders. I have every intention of holding my end of the bargain as long as he does."

Trowa nodded in acknowledgement. "Understood."

The colonel was already waiting when Wufei and Quatre approached the rendezvous point. He seemed to be unarmed, as they had agreed upon, but the commander remained cautious.

"Let me know if you sense that he is trying to deceive us," Wufei told his friend.

"I'll," the blond assured him.

"You are late," the colonel complained.

Wufei snorted. "Are you so eager to be taken prisoner?"

Treize ignored the sarcastic remark. "I was starting to think that you might have changed your mind."

"I gave you my word that we had a deal. I don't take that lightly."

"Lucky me, to come across the one Iterian who has a sense of honor," the colonel remarked sardonically.

Wufei glared at him. "You keep mocking me and I might forget that my sense of honor stops me from striking an unarmed man," he retorted. "Dismount. I want to make sure that you don't carry any hidden weapons."

Treize shrugged, as he complied. Wufei patted him down, ordered him back into the saddle, and bound his hands before they headed back to the Iterian encampment.

As they rode into the camp, the soldiers greeted the colonel with looks that ranged from curious to openly hostile. Some of them even voiced a few suggestions about what should be done with the captive.

Wufei couldn't really blame them for wanting revenge. Many of them had lost friends when they battled Treize's troops. But he wouldn't allow anybody to harm his prisoner.

The commander turned his head slightly and gazed at the man. If he was frightened, he was hiding it well.

*****

Treize was riding at the very end of the long convoy, that was made up of two hundred men and two dozen wagons. They had allowed him to keep his own mount. To prevent him from escaping they had tied his hands together with strong leather straps, and secured his stallion's reins to the wagon ahead of him. In addition, either the Commander or his second rode next to Treize to keep an eye on him.

The colonel raised his hands and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He felt hot and thirsty. Treize ran his tongue over his dry lips, closed his eyes and tried to doze off. He hadn't gotten much sleep the last few nights, and he was in pain. He had been in the saddle since the early morning, and the steady bobbing was agitating the wound in his side. What he wouldn't give for a bottle of brandy right now.

Not long anymore, he told himself. The sun was going to set soon. They would set up camp as they had done the previous nights, and he would be able to rest.

His mount tripped over a rock or root and the sudden jolt sent a flash of pain through his body. Treize was barely able to suppress a moan. He pressed his teeth together and waited for the throbbing to subside.

***

Wufei tugged on his horse's reins and dropped back a few steps until he rode beside his prisoner. The tall man had spoken little since his surrender. So far he seemed subdued and had made no attempt to escape, but the commander had no plans of letting down his guard. Wufei turned his head slightly and eyed the colonel from the side. He thought that the man looked somewhat pale, but it was hard to tell, since he had a light skin color to begin with.

He removed the canteen from the side of his saddle, unscrewed the top and offered it to the prisoner. "Water?"

Treize opened his eyes and nodded. "Thank you." It was somewhat tricky to hold the bottle with his bound hands but he managed. The water was warm and a little stale, but it soothed his parched throat. He drank a few sips, waited a moment and drank some more, before handing the canteen back to Wufei.

A soldier rode toward them and reined his horse to a stop next to the commander.

"Commander Chang, Sir," he reported. "Captain Barton says that he needs to talk to you."

Wufei nodded. "Stay here and don't take your eyes of him," he ordered with a gesture toward Treize.
"Yes, Sir," the soldier replied.

Wufei spurred his mount and rode to the front of the train where Trowa and Quatre seemed to be arguing about something.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"No problem really, we are just trying to decide where to cross Silver Creek," Trowa explained. "Quatre thinks it had been dry enough to cross it near Muellville, but I'm not so sure about it. If we are wrong we have to head back and lose a full day."

Silver Creek was by no means a large stream, but it was deep, and most of the year its current was too strong to cross on foot or horseback. During the dry season, however, the creek lost a lot of its water and power and became passable at several points. One of those locations was about twenty miles to the south of them. Being able to cross the stream there would shave at least two days off their trip. But since they couldn't be sure, Trowa's concern was well founded.

"Perhaps Trowa is right," Wufei said. "We would be taking a risk. Especially with all the wagons we have. The last thing I want is for them to get stuck in the mud."

Quatre was about to reply when they heard some commotion from the back of the convoy. Moments later, one of the soldiers rushed toward them.

"Sir, you'd better come quickly."

Wufei had already turned his horse. Quatre and Trowa followed right behind him. The first thing the commander noticed was that Treize's horse was without its rider, then he saw the colonel lying on the ground.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Sir." The soldier who had been guarding the prisoner shrugged. "He suddenly collapsed and passed out."

Quatre dismounted and knelt next to Treize. He laid his hand on the man's forehead, then looked up at the commander. "He has a fever."

"Be careful," Wufei warned. "If he is ill, I don't want you to catch whatever it is that he has."

The blond knight nodded. He was about to rise when he noticed a rust colored spot on the colonel's tunic. Was he bleeding? Had he hurt himself somehow when he fell? That seemed unlikely. Quatre frowned. He removed the Treize's belt and pushed up his tunic. His frown deepened when he noticed the bloody bandages around the man's abdomen.

"It looks like he was injured during battle. He had been treated, but if the wound got infected that would explain his fever," Quatre looked up at Wufei again. "It will take some time to check him over and treat him properly."

The commander nodded. He turned to Trowa as he ordered. "There is a small lake not far from here. Have our men set up camp there. We will stay for the night. The sun will be going down soon anyway."

"Yes, Sir."

***

Wufei had helped Quatre to carry their prisoner into one of the tents. They laid him down on a makeshift bed of blankets. The colonel was still unconscious.

With nimble fingers, Quatre untied the laces at the neck of the man's tunic. "Can you lift his upper body a little?" he asked Wufei. As the commander complied, the blond carefully slipped the shirt over Treize's head.

Wufei straightened, and watched as his friend begun to remove the bloodied bandages around their prisoner's abdomen. Unconsciously he let his gaze wander over the lean body. The colonel was well-built with broad shoulders and a muscular chest. His cream colored skin was marred by several small scars; remnants of older battle wounds perhaps.

Wufei turned his head when the flap at the entrance to the tent was moved.

Trowa walked in carrying a basket with herbs and healing supplies. "Do you need anything else?" he asked Quatre.

The blond took a quick inventory of the basket before he answered. "I'll need some hot water, and some cold water as well, and something to replace these bandages with."
Trowa nodded in acknowledgement. "I'll be right back."

"Thank you."

As the captain left, Quatre peeled away the last of the bandages.
Wufei winced at the sight of the wound. The flesh was dark red and swollen, and looked rather painful.

Brainless fool, why didn't he say that he was wounded?

"How bad is it?" he asked. "I'd rather not lose him before we reach the Royal Palace."

Quatre nodded, as he turned his head and looked up at the commander. "Hard to tell yet. I'm not sure how far the infection has spread. I'll do what I can."

Jus then Trowa returned. He set down the bucket he was carrying next to the makeshift bed, and handed Quatre a bowl with steaming water. "Anything else?"

"Yes, you could give me a hand. While I treat his wound you can take a piece of cloth, soak it in cold water and dab his body with it," his lover told him. "That should help to cool him down."
"Is there anything I can do?" Wufei asked. He felt utterly useless as he watched his friends tend to the ill prisoner.

The blond shook his head. "Not right now."

"Then I'll go and check on the guards. I'll see you two later."

***

As the commander left, Quatre reached for the basket. He rummaged for some dried herbs and roots, crushed them with a pestle and added some of the hot water until the mixture turned into a thick paste.
"Is this alright?" Trowa asked, as he wiped the colonel's chest with the wet cloth.

"You are doing great." Quatre smirked at him. "If I ever need a sponge bath you would be the person I would call."

The captain laughed.

Treize moaned quietly as the blond spread some of the root paste around his injury. Incoherent words broke from his dry lips.

"Is he waking up?" Trowa asked.
Quatre shook his head. "I wish he would, though. Then I could give him some tea to bring down his fever, and something to help him cope with the pain." He covered the wound and redressed it with clean bandages. "I think you can stop now," he told Trowa. "We don't want him to get too cold."

The captain nodded. He soaked the cloth one last time in the bucket, squeezed out the excess water and placed it onto the colonel's forehead.

Quatre pulled a light blanket over his patient. "I think it will be best if I stay with him for the night," Quatre said, "Just in case his condition worsens."

"I'll get us something to eat," Trowa suggested.

*****

Quatre was reading when Wufei entered the tent.

"How is he doing?" he asked gazing over at Treize.
The blond sighed, as he lowered his book. "His fever has gotten even worse. I've tried to keep him cool and somewhat comfortable. The herb ointment should fight the infection. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Why don't you go and get some sleep? I'll stay with him for the rest of the night," Wufei suggested.

"Thank you." Quatre stifled a yawn.

"Is there anything I need to do?"

"Not much. I just reapplied more of the ointment, so we won't have to do that again until the morning. Just keep the cloth on his forehead wet and cool. If he should come to, try to give him some of this tea. " Quatre rose. "And if you need me, don't hesitate to wake me."

Wufei nodded. "Very well. Good night, Quatre."

"Good night."

The blond left the tent, and Wufei settled into the chair next to the colonel. As he sat there he studied the sleeping man. His tawny hair was damp and tousled. His face slightly flushed from the fever and his breathing somewhat shallow. He looked almost peacefully relaxed, and a faint smile curved his lips.

I wonder what he is smiling about? Wufei thought. I would have never thought that one of them could look so…handsome. Shows how deceiving looks can be.

He picked up the book that Quatre had left and started to read. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when Treize stirred. The man gave a low moan. Wufei turned his head, and blushed. The blanket that covered the colonel had slipped down when he moved. Wufei hadn't expected that the man was nude, beneath it.

His cheeks were still burning, as he reached out and pulled the blanket up to Treize's belly.

Damn you, Quatre, you could have at least warned me.

His prisoner tossed his head and whispered a few broken words, too low for Wufei to understand. The commander frowned. Does he look more flushed then before? He reached out and put his hand against the colonel's cheek. As soon as the young man touched his face, Treize seemed to calm down. Wufei raised his eyebrows in surprise. He slowly pulled his hand away.

The colonel moaned in protest. "Zechs?" he whispered.

Zechs? Didn't Quatre mention that name? I think he said that the Ghentanian with the long silvery hair is called Zechs Merquise.

He doused the cloth in the bucket at his side and gently dabbed the colonel's face. The cool dampness seemed to soothe his patient. Treize stilled and his breathing became slow and even. Wufei rinsed the cloth once more before he placed it back onto the Colonel's forehead. For the rest of the night he kept a watchful eye on the man.

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T.B.C.

Author's Note:

Feedback is greatly appreciated, constructive criticism is welcome :-)