So, here we have it! The final chapter at long last. My apologies for the delay in this; real life has been rather nasty to me of late and writing has been a low priority. I would like to thank my co-writers for writing with me over the last couple of years. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Goldberry and Iris and I shall miss it.

I would like to also dedicate this final chapter to the memory of my husband Ian who was killed in a motorcycle accident on 25 April 2006. He never really understood my desire to write fan-fiction, but was very supportive and encouraged me to do what I enjoyed. I will miss him forever. Kmf.

The Maids of Silva

By Happily Ever After (Goldberry, Iris Anthe, kmf)

Chapter Seventeen, by kmf

Wufei was seriously annoyed. An expert in the art of tracking, he had been alarmed at his complete inability to track his wayward wife and her kidnapper through the forest. For hours he had hunted her, quartering the woods in an effort to find even a hint of her trail, but only small tracks of wildlife rewarded his efforts.

When he found Sally he was going to lecture her long and hard on the merits of being a good and obedient wife who remained at home where she belonged, preferably with at least half a dozen children to keep her occupied. Far too long had he let her have her freedom and just look at the situation it had placed them in.

Glancing around he frowned wondering just why he had decided to abandon his methodical search to strike out in this particular direction. The compulsion to do so had been overwhelming and completely unlike his usual practice. Perhaps his woman's impulsive nature was beginning to encroach on his normally stoic persona. Wufei couldn't help but grimace at that thought.

The sudden crack of a twig breaking bought him out of his musings and he crouched behind the cover of a thick tree trunk, his hand going to the hilt of the blade he carried at his side. With instinctive warrior calm he peered into the dappled shade of the forest searching for the creature that had broken the silence.

And then he saw her.

She was pale and worn. A long scratch adorned her cheek; blood long since dried had trickled from it to stain the neckline of her dress. Her hair was half unbound from the neat braids that usually restrained it. Her hands were dirty and muddy prints on her skirt gave evidence of many falls as she had negotiated the woods.

Wufei had never seen a more beautiful sight.

He shifted silently, stepping out from his hiding place as she approached and Sally gave a startled squeak as he suddenly appeared before her. They stood staring at each other for a time, seconds merging into minutes, each drinking in the image of the other. Sally broke the spell first by throwing herself into the arms of her husband.

Wufei held her tight, fingers threading through her messy hair ignoring the twigs and moss that had somehow managed to get entangled there. He breathed in her scent, silently thanking his Gods that she was safe and back with him once more. He felt her sob in his arms and tightened his grip, physically conveying the fact that she was safe, that he would never again let her out of his sight and that she would certainly never be allowed to do anything so foolish as gallivant off on rescue missions again.

"Home, woman," he finally stated, his embrace continuing. And he smiled as he felt her head nod as it rested on his shoulder.

> >

Dorothy woke suddenly, adrenalin leaping through her chest causing her to come to her feet in a defensive crouch even before she had fully opened her eyes. She peered around, her empty fingers clenching and unclenching as the woods about her seemed to lean inwards with palatable menace, their gnarled trunks leaning over her as if they desired to crush her.

She gasped at her overwhelming desire, her need, to run away from the aged trees that surrounded her. The muscles in her legs contracted, her feet shifting in readiness to dash away without her conscious thought.

Panting, she looked around trying to make sense of where she was and what had happened. She had been ready to strike the fair haired maid Relena for daring to take the affection of Lucrezia from her. But that had been in her Manor. Just how she had come to be in the middle of a wood, her hand bereft of the dagger she had once gripped?

Again, adrenalin spiked, flooding her limbs with the need to run, but she as a Catalonia and she would rid herself of this illogical emotional fear. It was in her blood to be fierce and strong. Not some silly weak milk-sop maid was she! She had backbone, damn it, and she would prevail!

The wood seemed to be amused by her silent declaration and pressed ever closer, whispering back that she was as weak-willed as her father had been, and his father before. It would crush her and defeat her if she did not flee.

Dorothy shuddered and growled, sweat forming on her brow.

"Well, well," came a drawling voice and Dorothy stiffened as Trieze stepped out from the dappled shade of a nearby tree, his appearance, as always, perfect. "I looked for you at the Manor, dear cousin. Imagine my surprise to find it destitute of both its Mistress and its servants."

He walked closer, holding the red rose she had plucked from the cottage to his nose, inhaling the scent. Behind him Une emerged, Trieze's constant shadow. Her eyes were as bright and wicked as Dorothy's were dull.

"My Lord, I warned you of a plot," Une said, her lips pulled into a cruel smile, "and here is the Lady central to it alone, unarmed and surrounded by signs of the two princes."

Trieze said nothing but continued to stare at Dorothy who looked as she had never done before; nervous and frightened.

"What ails you, cousin?" he asked gently as he lowered the rose, twirling it in his fingers.

Dorothy could not answer; instead she looked around herself furtively trying to see just what was triggering her instinct to flee. She clenched her fists and tried not to sob out loud as the woods pressed ever closer. Trieze approached her cautiously now, the rose held gently between his fingers, his sword arm poised above the hilt of his dagger. he asked in such a gentle voice that Une scowled with hatred and ill intent at Dorothy. But those ill feelings paled into insignificance against the loathing broadcast by the wood.

And then Dorothy cracked and fractured and fell apart. With a shriek of fear that she could not keep swallowed a moment more she leapt up and pushed Treize away and ran, shrill sounds of madness bleeding from her lips. As she ran, her long hair flew behind her and was snagged by twigs and branches, but she did not pause. Instead, she allowed the stray locks to be yanked and pulled from her head, the pain of this vastly less than the pain that the woods would cause her if she stayed just one moment more.

Trieze got gracefully to his feet, his hand absently brushing down his now not so pristine breeches, and he watched his cousin flee into the gloom of the forest, her wail echoing off the trees long after she had disappeared from view. Une was tense beside him looking poised to give chase, but Trieze laid a hand on her arm to restrain her.

He glanced down at the rose he still held in his other hand and saw that it had been crushed by his fall, the stem was broken and whatever magicks that had kept it fresh had left it; its petals had turned brittle and were crumbling away. Treize wrinkled his nose in disgust and dropped it.

"A pity," he said before turning on his heel to walk deeper into the forest.

Une looked from the fallen flower to the trail left by Dorothy and knew not to which he referred.

> >

Hilde tried to keep pace with Zero but he had soon become lost in the deep green canopy of the woods. The best she could do was to keep following in the general direction in which the bird had flown and hope that she would reach Relena before anything happened to harm her.

The sudden dread that had squeezed Hilde's heart only minutes ago had evaporated as fast as it had started but Hilde knew without a doubt that it had been a warning that something terrible was about to happen to her sister. And she had to stop it.

Pooh-oh ran by her side protectively refusing to go ahead as the raptor had done and Hilde felt strangely touched by his show of concern. Whilst the animal had a shocking mouth, he was brave and loyal – qualities that at this moment in time Hilde was more than grateful for.

The cat glanced up at her, calling out an encouraging (or at least, she hoped it was encouraging and not lewd like it sounded) phrase, then it gave a startled yelp and tripped over its own legs. Hilde skidded to a halt in surprise as Pooh-oh tumbled head over heel landing in an undignified heap, his tail twitching.

"Are you…?" Hilde started to question breathlessly, then words failed her as swirling motes of light encircled the cat, who gasped his own surprise before howling in discomfort.

Hilde, frightened for her animal companion, threw herself forward. Her arms surrounded the beast protectively whilst she looked about trying to see just who or what was attacking them now. The lights intensified and Hilde had to hide her face in the cat's warm fur, her eyes clenched tightly closed to protect them from blinding. She nearly sobbed as she felt the animal convulse in her arms, his howls becoming hoarse and weak as he shifted in her grip.

And then he stilled and became motionless as she continued to hold him as tightly as she could. The fur that had cushioned her cheek was no longer there; instead it felt like her face was cradled up against bare skin. Hilde kept her eyes closed, comforted by the reassuringly strong rhythm of the cat's heartbeat, scared to open them least she see the animal deformed and in pain. Worried tears crept from her eyes and she felt Pooh-oh shift and a hand gently pat her on the back.

"Well, this is nice," Pooh-oh's voice, though quiet, seemed overly loud given her proximity, "Is this the reward you promised?" A touch of laughter entered the cat's voice.

Two things suddenly struck Hilde. First, the cat wasn't talking all sorts of nonsense. Second, an arm was hugging her tightly and fingers were stroking up and down her spine in an overly familiar gesture.

Hilde's eyes sprang open and she found herself in the very close proximity of a bare chest. Shoving frantically, she discovered to her horror that Pooh-oh was no longer a cat, but instead was an extremely naked man who was grinning broadly at her. A grin that, it should be added, was swiftly replaced by a grimace as Hilde proceeded to first screech in fright then lash out with a right hook that would have impressed even Peygan in his youthful brawling days.

> >

"Relena…." He murmured, holding her hand over his heart.

Relena felt the last of her strength leave her and her knees buckled. The raptor who was now a man continued to hold her hand to his bare chest, his eyes never leaving hers as she fell to her knees bringing them face to face.

"Relena," the man repeated and this time Relena focused on the sound of his voice.

"…Zero?" she asked, feeling dazed and confused. Her eyes traveled down towards his hand, tanned and strong, engulfing hers and then she recalled his state of undress. She blushed hotly, her eyes whipping back up to his face once more.

"Yes, and no," the man said, his mouth pulling into a slight smile that tugged at her heart, "I was Zero, but my true name is Heero," he said, "I was under a spell that has come undone with the death of the one who cast it."

Relena blinked trying to process what she had heard.

"You were the one in the woods," she said frowning slightly, "The one who helped me."

He nodded but said nothing as his thumb lazily caressed the back of her hand.

"You were under a curse," Relena said slowly, her mind still trying to accept that the raptor of whom she was so fond was, in fact, the darkly handsome man who had helped her once before.

Heero nodded once more.

Relena's eyes widened. "And the cat? Pooh-oh?"

Heero's smile became a trifle wider.

"My brother was likewise cursed," he said, a touch of evil delight in his eyes, "His real name is Duo and the curse seemed to enhance his ability to talk nonsense."

A startled shriek echoed across the woods causing them both to jump in surprise. Relena snatched her hand away from Heero and leapt to her feet, spinning around to try and locate the direction from which the cry had come.

"That was Hilde, I'm sure!" she cried, turning back to Heero only to spin around again, her eyes covered by a hand when she observed that Heero had also stood up alert for danger. Grasping at the ribbons of her cloak, she pulled off the garment before tossing it in Heero's general direction.

"She has probably discovered Duo's true form," Heero said calmly, his hand reaching for hers once more.

Relena chanced a glance to see that he had wrapped the small cloak around his waist, the cloth hugging his hips and leaving his chest bare. She blushed once more as she felt his fingers entwine with hers, pulling her closer to him protectively as she swayed slightly with exhaustion.

"Come, let us find them to put your mind at rest," he continued, his head turning to survey their surroundings in an effort to detect which direction the cry had come from.

Relena nodded, too tired and stunned from all that had happened to argue.

"I wonder where Quatre is," she mused to herself, "We were together, and then it was as if we were all pulled apart. I hope he is alright."

Heero made no comment apart from a small grunt that Relena took for agreement. He walked gracefully on the uneven forest floor even though his feet were unshod. His eyes were keen, taking in their surroundings with an almost fierce concentration but he also watched her with an intensity that made her heart beat faster.

The blueness of his eyes were the same shade that graced the raptor, and Relena could not help but think that she would miss her bird companion. She had not known Zero long, but she already missed the familiar weight on her shoulder, and the awe of watching him soar through the sky.

"Will you miss flying?" Relena asked on impulse.

Heero raised an eyebrow at the questions, tilting his head to one side in a way so reminiscent of Zero that had Relena not known of the curse she might have guessed Heero's raptor identity.

"Yes, do tell us my dear King Heero," came a voice deep and amused, "Will you miss flying?"

A man, tall and elegant slipped out from behind a tree trunk, a woman on his heels with a cold unemotional face.

"Treize," Heero breathed, his eyes narrowed as he pushed Relena protectively behind himself.

"…King?" Relena looked from the Treize to Heero and felt her world once again tilt. She blinked and felt herself fall backwards and Heero's strong arm snaked out to halt her rapid decent and guide her gently to the forest floor. He crouched over her, protective and caring as Treize strode forward.

"Did he not tell you he was once King?" he asked, brushing a leaf from his sleeve as he smiled kindly at Relena, "How very remiss of him."

"Not 'once a King'," Heero retorted, shifting slightly to ensure that his body was between Treize and Relena, "I am still King."

"Well, that is debatable," Treize smiled, "After all, I believe that I am now King, isn't that right Lady?" he addressed the woman who accompanied him, who stared towards Heero and Relena before nodding agreement.

Heero rose to his feet, hands clenched.

"You are a usurper, nothing more," he grated, "I will have my Kingdom back."

"Again, debatable," Treize responded, his eyes narrowing, "You know, I think I preferred you as a bird. You were much less opinionated then. It is a pity that the spell broke. But I dare say J will be able to fix it again."

Heero gave a short snort of laughter.

"I think he would find that difficulty to do considering he is dead."

For the first time, Treize hesitated.

"Dead, you say?" he frowned, "Well, that does change everything." Casually, he reached to the strings that held his cloak in place and pulled them before shrugging off the cloak from his shoulders. His hand reached down to the small sharp dagger he had tucked through his belt, "I imagine the only way forward is to give you the gift of death."

Relena could not help the gasp that escaped her lips.

"But Heero is unarmed!" she cried, trying to regain her feet.

Heero, seeing her intention, moved away from her, her safety now reliant on him distancing himself from her.

Treize smiled.

"Yes, that is true," he said unsheathing his blade, "But I'm afraid I cannot afford to be sporting this time around. Too many plans have gone astray and I must act swiftly to put things to right."

Relena watched in horror as Treize advanced on Heero, his smile fading and a look of grim determination replacing it. Heero retreated a few paces before crouching to pick up a small fallen branch, short but thick. He stood up holding the branch in one hand, his body bent in a defensive position. Relena struggled to her feet, her movements catching both men's eyes.

"Do not interfere," Heero ordered whilst Treize barked out instructions at the same time.

"Une, restrain her!"

Une's mouth stretched into a smile and she nodded, striding forward to snatch up Relena's arm with cruel and bruising fingers. Relena winced and tried to pull away but Une's grip was too strong.

"If you harm her, I will see that you pay for it!" Heero warned.

Treize gave a short laugh.

"The girl will not be harmed…much. I find that I am curious about her and will take much pleasure in discovering all her secrets once you are dead!"

Relena winced as Une's fingers tightened their grip, but swallowed her cry of pain for fear that she would distract Heero.

The two men circled each other, studying each other's movements with grim concentration. Treize feinted with his knife, Heero dodged moving expertly out of the way of the blade despite the cloak he wore impeding his movement. Their deadly dance continued.

Relena frantically looked around praying that Hilde and the cat, or rather Heero's brother Duo, would come. Her mind screamed out for Quatre, her beloved guardian of old, to appear and stop the fight. But the woods remained quiet and cold, the only noises were the grunts of the two men, one attacking and one evading, and the heavy breathing of the woman who held her.

Glancing up at the tall woman, Relena saw that she was engrossed in the battle. Her lips were pulled in a cruel smile as she silently watched; her breathing was rapid and sweat dotted her brow. She looked like she was half enjoying and yet half sickened by the fight before her.

Relena's caring nature could not be restrained. Lifting her free hand she placed on Une's hand that held her arm.

"Are you alright?" she whispered, and she instantly knew that the woman was not.

There was some strange sickness here, something that Relena had not encountered before. Something was twisted almost to the point of being broken in this strange and fierce woman. And Relena could not help herself as she reached in to straighten the hurt.

Une stiffened. Her eyes swiveling down to regard the woman she held with surprise and a little fear. Relena ignored Une's startled gasp and weak efforts to pull away. She soothed the hurt, gently unraveling the twists and fractures that Une's soul had undergone; soothing, stroking and straightening until it was as it once was and always should have been.

Once more Relena's world went dim. She found herself lying on the ground, her limbs too tired to do anything but shiver slightly from a chill caused by exhaustion. Une was on her knees beside her looking at her with an expression that was tinged with awe and horror. She unclasped her cloak, laying it over the shaking Relena.

"What have you done?" Une whispered, her voice full of emotion.

Relena breathed deeply, summoning the energy to talk.

"Healed you," she murmured, "You were ill."

Une closed her eyes and shuddered.

"Broken," she said before opening her eyes to look towards the two men fighting, "Broken by the one I loved. The one I love."

Relena turned her eyes towards Heero and Treize. Heero was using the branch as a weapon, parrying the deadly thrusts that Treize made with his blade, spinning out of the way when Treize's aggressive blows came too close before trying to land heavy blows of his own to force Treize to drop his weapon.

Both men were breathing heavily, sweating from their deadly exertions. Relena whimpered as Heero's legs became entangled in the cloak he wore and he stumbled, momentarily off balance. Treize, seeing his opportunity, lunged forward.

Relena's hand reached out towards Heero in frightened entreaty. She knew instinctively that her energy was gone, that if Heero was harmed she had no magic left to her to heal the wound. And her heart broke at the thought that she might loose what she had not yet even gained.

A flurry of motion beside her lifted her hair, and Relena gasped as Une darted forward interposing herself between Treize's blade and Heero's body. Treize grunted in surprise, his eyes widening as he was unable to stop the forward motion of his knife. It sunk deeply into Une's chest, blood welling up and staining his fingers as his other arm wound around her waist to hold her closely to him.

Une smiled at him, a shaky hand rising to stroke his cheek as her eyes dulled in pain. Treize started at her first in horror, and then acceptance as she lighted caressed his face. He smiled gently down at the mortally wounded woman before dropping to his knees, still holding her limp body close to his.

"Magnificent," he breathed, kissing her gently as the light in her eyes glazed then died, and her hand dropped limply away from his face.

Stroking Une's hair one last time, Treize grimaced with pain and fell forward, his body entwined with Une's. Relena held a hand to her mouth, her eyes overflowing with tears, as she saw a small blade, Une's dagger, embedded in Treize's right side. Crimson blood stained the vivid white of his shirt.

Relena crawled forward towards the mortally injured lovers, her kind nature ignoring the fact that one had tried to kill Heero, intent only on the need to help them. But before she had moved forward more than a foot or two, Heero appeared at her side and restrained her. He scooped her up into his arms and, holding her tightly, turned away from the now dead couple.

She gazed up at Heero attempting to protest but he ignored her, his face revealing his grim concern over her weakness. As he tucked her head beneath his chin she heard him murmur her name once more before exhaustion and darkness claimed her.

Epilogue

Relena and Hilde had been married and blissfully happy for six or so months before Quatre and Lucrezia visited them once more. The sisters had often tried to find their immortal guardian in their beloved woods after Heero's and Duo's curse had been broken, but winter had seemed to finally reach the magical woods. Leaves had fallen, snow had settled where it have never before lain and Relena and Hilde knew that whatever spell had protected the sacred place had crumbled and broken leaving it a sad and lonely place.

Their hearts still held hope that Quatre would return to them for whilst all else succumbed to bitter winter, the white and red roses that entwined their cottage remained in full bloom. But he did not appear to give his blessing when Relena wed Heero, nor when Hilde wed Duo. Nor did he appear when Peygan succumbed to old age and died with a smile upon his lips as he finally caught up with his beloved wife, leaving his adopted girls bereft.

But then, when winter had turned to spring and spring to summer, one balmy night whilst both girls were dreaming, Quatre returned.

They dreamed of long summer days, bathing in dappled sunshine, resting upon soft banks of moss under ancient trees. They dreamed of dancing in meadows filled with wild flowers, the air full of heady scents and bird song, their voices entwining with each other as they sang of carefree days and happiness and magical winters full of light.

And there was Quatre, his voice joining with theirs as they celebrated the full circle of life. He held their hands and danced laughing with the joy of being together once more.

Then, in a bright sparkle of light and a bubble of laughter, Lucrezia appeared before them. Her scars of imprisonment had faded, her hair longer than it once was and curling around her ears, her face serene and blissful.

She joined their dance of joy and laughter, reaching for their hands and sending such thoughts of love and blessings that made Relena and Hilde weep with joy and wish that this moment would never end. But end, it did, as all dreams must.

Lucrezia held a hand over both girls' stomach, a secret smile coming to her lips. And then, with one last kiss on flushed cheeks, she spun away and disappeared leaving the dream meadow oddly diminished.

Then Quatre gathered them both in his arms.

"All things must end," he whispered, the merry smile upon his lips at odds with the sad message he was imparting, "The door between your world and mine has closed and we shall not meet again in this lifetime."

Relena's eyes filled with tears and she clutched Quatre's arm tightly, silencing wishing that this dream would not end. Quatre stroked her hair.

"You must return to those who love you, and live long lives filled with both joy and trials, happiness and sad times. For this is the wonder of the circle of life. You cannot have one without the other."

He hugged the sisters tightly, and then slipped from their grasp, floating away from their outstretched hands, gently fading in the bright summer light.

"Quatre!" Relena called out, her sadness at their final parting overwhelming her, choking out her ability to thank their kind guardian. "I will miss you forever! Quatre!" she sobbed, and opened her eyes to find herself cradled in her husband's arms, his face concerned, his lips kissing her tears away.

And Relena found her comfort there, and she and her sister went of to live long lives blessed with children, love and good times.

They, it could be said, lived happily ever after.

The End.