Thank you to everybody who reviewed this story

_______________________________________________________________ ________________________

Code of Honor

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

- Native American aphorism -

Part 5

"Quatre thinks that you could use some exercise. He suggested that a short walk would do you good." Wufei said as he walked into the tent where the Ghentanian Colonel was being held. He noted in satisfaction that his prisoner's health seemed to be improving steadily. That meant they would be able to break camp the next day just as planned.

"Is that so?" Treize replied calmly. He was sitting on his bedstead, with his back against the tent wall. "Why didn't he come?"

"Does it matter?" Wufei asked.

The colonel shrugged. "Not really. But he is a lot more pleasant to be around than you are."

Wufei huffed in irritation and crouched down to unlock and remove the shackled from his prisoner's ankles. "Don't even think about trying anything stupid," he warned.

Treize gave a disrespectful snort as he rose and leisurely stretched his legs. "Like what; try to escape in the middle of a camp swarming with enemy soldiers? How foolish do you think I am?"

"Foolish enough not to tell us that you were wounded," Wufei snapped back.

"I didn't think I would live long enough for it to matter," Treize replied with an almost nonchalant shrug. "Why did you bother healing me anyhow? It would have been less bothersome for you to slit my throat while I was unconscious."

The commander glared at the man. "Maybe that's how Ghentanians treat their prisoners," he hissed. "We have more honor than to kill an injured man." With that he turned. "Let's go."

Treize snorted again as he was following his captor outside. His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Right! But that sense of honor doesn't seem to stop Iterians from attacking settlements and kill women and children."

Wufei jerked around. "How dare you," he spat. "How dare you to make such accusations." He stood toe to toe with his prisoner, his eyes sparkling with fury, but Treize didn't even blink.

"I dare because I have seen villages, or what was left of them after your army marched through."

"Liar! No Iterian would do such a dishonorable thing," Wufei insisted. He turned hard on his heel. "Now, keep your mouth shut, I have enough of your accusations."

"Well, forgive me for being honest." Treize fell into step next to the commander. "I suppose I should have known that you would deny everything. You would probably even deny your attack in Sank, I assume."

Wufei's yaw dropped. "Iteria had no quarrels with the kingdom, no reason to attack them. Everybody knows that Sank was attacked by your army."

"By everybody, do you mean Iterians?"

"You are despicable. - Soldier," the commander called for one of the nearby warriors. "Take him back to his tent and chain him up."

"Yes, Sir."

"Running away from the truth?" the Ghentanian snorted, as Wufei started to walk away.

I will not strike him. I will not loose my temper. The commander repeated the manta in his mind as he kept walking.

#####

A good hour later Wufei was sitting outside his tent brooding.

I can't believe his nerves; blaming Iteria on the attack on Sank, when it was really their doing. Sank broke away from Ghent and became an independent kingdom nearly 100 years ago. I'm sure they have been waiting for an opportunity to retaliate ever since. I don't think they were ever interested in a peace treaty with Iteria. It was probably all part of their plan to hit Sank and kill the royal family. The commander huffed. And he is trying to lecture me on honesty and honor.

"Why do you let him get under your skin?"

Trowa's quiet voice ripped Wufei from his thoughts. He didn't even hear his second in command approach. But he knew immediately who the captain was talking about. "How can I not," he growled. His eyes darkened, and his face turned red in fury, as he remembered the confrontation with his captive. "He is arrogant and demanding, and he seems to go out of his way to insult me. If he wasn't a prisoner and injured I would teach him to respect me. Who does he think he is?"

"A Ghentanian," Trowa shrugged nonchalantly. "What did you expect? They are known for their hauteur."

#####

"What does he want this time?" Wufei asked, as Quatre came to see him after giving the Ghentanian colonel his daily checkup. He was sitting with Trowa in his tent over a large map, planning out the route they would take to the royal palace.

The Commander was loosing his patience with his prisoner; no actually he was way beyond that. Right now he was almost ready to choke the man. He was so much easier to deal with while he was unconscious.

Quatre gave him a wry grin. "He would like to take a bath."

"A Bath?" Wufei growled. "What does he think where he is?"

"I don't think it is that unreasonable of a request." Quatre tried to reason. "I got his clothes washed while he was sick, but he didn't really have a chance to clean himself since we captured him."

The commander shook his head. "I'm not sure it's a good idea. I don't want to give him any chance to escape."

"I can take him down to the lake, if it is alright with you," Trowa offered. "Trust me; he won't go anywhere while I'm watching him."

"Fine," Wufei gave in.

###

"Where are we going?" Treize asked the brunet knight who led him out of his tent. Commander Chang had called the young man Trowa, if he remembered correctly. The soldier had removed the shackles from around his ankles, but tied his hands together behind his back with solid leather straps.

"You wanted to take a bath, did you not?" Trowa answered. That explained the towel and soap he was carrying.

The colonel let his gaze wander. Barely anybody paid attention to them. Most of the soldiers were busy loading the wagons. It looked like they were preparing to leave soon. "When are you going to break camp?" he wanted to know.

"When the commander decides that it's time," the brunet replied curtly.

Treize got the feeling his companion wasn't much of a talker. They walked silently for about ten minutes and stopped at the shore of a small lake.

"Turn around," Trowa ordered, and as Treize complied he untied his wrists.

"That's it?" the colonel asked.

"That's it," the Iterian confirmed.

"You can't be serious. It's only spring. The water has to be freezing."

"It won't get warmer any time soon." Trowa shrugged. "Bath or don't, it's all the same to me, but don't waste my time."

Treize looked around. This place was totally open. "How am I supposed to do this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure how you take a bath. But we usually take off our clothes, go into the water and scrub ourselves."

Treize could have sworn that he was the lightest hint of a smirk on the young man's face. He glared at him.

"Would you at least have the decency to turn around while I undress?"

"No." the Iterian replied. "I'm here to guard you; I can't do that when I can't see you. Besides, you don't have anything I haven't seen before."

"Pervert," the colonel growled. "You're really enjoying this, don't you?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm not that desperate."

Treize clenched his teeth, but started slowly to undress, as he realized that he had no other choice. Turning his back toward the brunet he untied his tunic, slipped it over his head and dropped it on a patch of grass where the water couldn't reach it. His boots and trousers followed. Moments later he walked into the lake, nude. The water was chilly, just as he had expected, and he couldn't stifle a gasp. Despite the cold he took a few more steps, until he was immersed all the way to his hips. Only then he turned around.

"Catch!" The brunet tossed him the soap before settling down on a tree trunk near the shore.

Treize tried to ignore the man while he begun to scrub himself. The water didn't feel as cold anymore after his body had adjusted to it. The soap smelled of jasmine with a little hint of peppermint.
The colonel knew that his guard was watching his every move. The young man wasn't as laid-back as he appeared to be. He was too clever to relax around an enemy, even if the enemy was in a position as vulnerable as Treize was right now. He reminds me somehow of Zechs.

The colonel couldn't help it but feel a certain amount of respect for the Iterian. The young man was quiet and he was very intelligent. Unlike the kind-hearted Quatre, or his hot headed Commander, he didn't allow his emotions to show, which made it difficult for Treize to figure him out. He is dangerous, that much is sure. I'll have to make sure not to underestimate him.

###

"Now I understand why you volunteered for this task." Quatre's voice was soft and teasing, as he lowered himself onto the fallen tree trunk next to his lover. "He is quite a sight to behold, isn't he?'

"I had the feeling that you might say something like that." Trowa gave him the faintest smirk, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Did Wufei send you to check on us?"

"No, I decided to do that on my own." The blond leaned to the left until he could feel Trowa's body pressing against his side. "Is he behaving himself?" he asked with a gesture in Treize's direction.

"I told you he wouldn't give me any trouble, didn't I?" Towa replied without taking his eyes off the prisoner. "Still I don't trust him. I think he is sly as a fox and dangerous."

"Well I'm sure they didn't make him a Colonel on his good looks alone. So I agree; he probably is very smart; hopefully smart enough not to try anything stupid."

"Be careful, Quatre. You might get hurt if you allow yourself to get too close to him." Trowa warned seriously. "He is an enemy and he is our prisoner. We are only taking him to the royal palace, what happens after that is out of our hands. Chances are that he will be executed."

"I realize that. But still, that doesn't mean I have to hate him."

#####

Treize had to force himself to be patient. He needed to make sure that everybody in the camp, aside from the guards, was asleep before he could make his move. He couldn't take any risk. If his plan of escape was foiled he would never get a second chance.

So, he lay in the dark, and waited. His captors seemed to realize that he had regained his strength, because tonight they not only had chained his legs together but his hands as well. A good three feet of chain connected the shackles around his wrists. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

Finally Treize decided that he had waited long enough. Lying flat on his back, with his face toward the entrance he started to groan. He sounded rather pathetic, and he could only hope that it had the effect he was hoping for.

The guard outside the tent seems to be gifted with excellent hearing. Treize didn't have to wait long before he flap at the tent entrance was moved and the soldier stuck his head through the opening. The colonel gave another groan for good measurement, and watched the man through half-lidded eyes.

"What's wrong?" the guard called out.

Treize didn't answer. He could hear a mumbled curse, and then footsteps as the man walked over to his bed.

"Are you alright?"

Treize moved his lips and whispered a few incoherent words.

"What?" The guard, who was gifted with good hearing, but obviously not with an equal amount of brain, leaned closer.

The colonel moved swiftly. He threw his hands up, wrapped loose chain around the soldier's throat and pulled it tight before the man could scream for help. His victim struggled for a few moments, then turned limp. Treize released him immediately. He only wanted to render the man unconscious, not kill him.

He quickly searched the soldier until he found the key to his restraints. After he had removed the chains from his ankles and wrists, he used them to tie up the unconscious Iterian. With a piece of cloth that he ripped from his blanket he gagged the man, before stripping him of his weapon belt.

When he was done Treize cautiously moved the canvas that was covering the entrance and peeked outside. Everything was quiet. He gave a silent sigh of relief as he slipped out of the tent into the darkness. Thanks to his little walk with the commander, and the trip to the lake and back, he'd had a chance to look around and memorize the layout of the camp.

Only one soldier was guarding the horses that were tied up beneath a group of trees. The colonel thanked his lucky star as he moved slowly closer. The soldier never knew what hit him. He was struck over the head with the hilt of Treize's sword, and was out cold before he even hit the ground.

The Ghentanian didn't bother tying the guard up. By the time the man would come to, he would be long done. He looked around. His white stallion, Keezah, was tied up next to Commander Chang's mount. Saddles, trappings and bridles were lying nearby.
Treize wasn't selective. He picked up the first bridle that he could find and slipped it over Keezah's head. The stallion snorted, as though he was annoyed about being disturbed at this time of the night. The commander patted the mount's powerful neck to calm him. There was no time to search for his saddle, but that wasn't a problem. He had learned to ride bareback when he was just a little boy.

#####

Wufei was woken from the sounds of hoofs beating and yelling. Alarmed he jumped out of his bed, pulled on his boots and reached for his sword. As he stormed out of his tent he almost collided with his second in command.

"He's escaped," Trowa explained before the commander even had to ask. "He also cut loose all the horses and chased them off before taking off. I've already ordered our men to catch them."

"Damn it," Wufei cursed and clenched his fists in fury. "He was chained up, wasn't he? How did he manage to free himself?"

"I'm not sure yet. But we know that he knocked out the man who was guarding the horses."

"Lord Wufei!" One of his soldiers run toward them and bowed.

"What is it?"

"We found the soldier who was guarding the prisoner, chained up in his tent my Lord," the soldier reported. "It looks like he had been strangled. He is alive but still unconscious."

Wufei growled as he turned to Trowa. "Have Quatre check him out. When he regains consciousness, I want to speak to him."

"Yes, Sir." Trowa nodded in acknowledgement.

The commander scowled as he watched his fried walk away. We have to find him. I can not return to the royal palace empty handed. I'll look like a fool. Damn you, Treize Khushrenada!

______________________________________________________________________ _________________

T.B.C.

Author's Note:

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