Truth Between the Lies
By: Sinead
Part Four
"Your first duty it to provide a heir! You simply cannot shirk that! You have no living relatives, and not even a beau to speak of! You’re the last of your line!"
I glared at the Minister of Foreign Affairs. "I’m only one week into my reign! I’m taking care of everything that I possibly can! I don’t need to be pregnant on top of all of that!"
"This country needs a royal couple! Not just a Queen!" the man roared.
"I’m not ready!"
"You’re twenty-one! The country certainly thinks so!"
There was a knock upon the door, and Cheetor stepped in. He and Rhinox worked for Human and Cybertronian Resources. Basically, relations between our country and Cybertron. Each country had a part of government that did this. They also helped keep an eye upon events, holidays, and the like. Anyway, the young Maximal looked in at me. "Rebta, may I speak with you?"
"No, you certainly may not!" the Minister snapped.
I stood, and snapped in return, "Keep your nose out of this, sir! I have given him permission to speak with me whenever he feels he should! Excuse me, sir, I may or may not return."
"Blasphemy! I will speak to the Queen Mother about this!"
"So you will, and if she comes to me about this, I will explain to her what I explained to you! Good! Afternoon!" I left the room with Cheetor, and we went to a garden, neither of us saying anything on the way there. Once there, I sighed, and reached out to touch a blossoming magnolia flower. "I’m sorry about that, Cheetor. It’s just that he wants me to marry someone, then provide a kid for my heir. They apparently don’t think that I’m gonna last nine months."
"Nine?"
I shook my head. "A human’s pregnancy period."
He was silent for a moment. I thought it was out of slight embarrassment of anything regarding sex, him being a young male of course, but I was wrong. His voice was quiet, when he spoke. "But you and Dinobot . . . you two still love each other."
I closed my eyes. "We both know that. And we both know that we can never again be together like we were in the Beast Wars. Never. And it’s breaking my heart . . . possibly his as well."
"You two didn’t . . . did you?"
I didn’t answer, and the boy sighed. "I dunno what to think, I guess, but . . . I’m not against it. All I can say, is that the Minister is an idiot to think that you’ll love someone other than Dinobot. ’Course, he doesn’t know that you love you-know-who."
I chuckled, and looked at the boy. He put an arm around my shoulders, giving me a brotherly side-hug and we walked around the gardens. He told me the problem. "Me and Rattrap have seen that prince around. You know that one, right? Itsu-something."
"Itsumoso."
"That’s the one."
"I thought that he was almost carried off of the palace grounds."
"He was, but he’s wanting to have an audience he calls it, today. None of the guards have let him in past the outer receiving room."
I sighed, and leaned against a stone pillar, which helped hold up a large, beautiful, open wooden roof. Vines and roses competed wildly for sunlight, on the far side of the gazebo. I had always planned to get married in this place . . . What the kids always called the "Pavilion." When I was a young child, I used to play with them, pretending to go to balls, dance with all the older, handsome princes, who would sweep us out of this "dreary" country, and off to some magical land. Truth was, when it was time to go in for dinner, none of us actually wanted to leave this particular garden. It was magical all in itself.
Looks like I have to scrap those wedding plans, now.
Cheetor leaned against one of the other vine-free pillars, and yawned. He had been up late, trying to figure out what they were going to do with one of the Cybertronian holidays with Rhinox. I don’t think he could have gotten more than three hours’ sleep. "I’m not telling you what to do, or nothing, but . . . what if you saw this guy? I mean. He might not be the best of Princes, but . . ."
I was shaking my head, cutting him off. "Grandmother and Dinobot didn’t want him even dancing with me at the coronation ball. I highly doubt that they’ll approve my meeting him."
"Okay, that’s understandable."
I smiled, and reached over to rub at his head. "Hey, go find Optimus and Dinobot. I have to talk to them about this kid. Tell them to meet me in Icefire’s cottage. I have to talk to her as well."
He dropped to his beast mode, and rubbed his head against my hand. "Consider me gone, Raptor."
He shot off, and I walked leisurely towards where I knew a bungalow was, in the center of the gardens. I reached it, and tapped upon the door. It swung open, as I touched it. There was silence, as I stepped into the cottage. Something wasn’t right here . . .
I walked into the small bedroom, which, like the rest of the house, was decorated in traditional Cybertronian motifs. I looked to the floor, and my hands flew up to my mouth, to try to keep from reviewing what I had eaten for lunch.
There, on the floor, lay Icefire, her face surprised, but angry and fierce, in death.
A shadow moved.
I whirled, adrenaline fueling my timing and strength, grabbed the first sword I could reach off of the wall, and faced the shadow. The blade was the width of my hand with the fingers spread.
"Well, well, well . . . I commend your action, foolish it may be."
"Show yourself," I growled.
He walked forward, smirking.
"Itsumoso," I hissed quietly. "You killed her."
"Mm . . . necessity. She would not have approved of our marriage," he purred, walking forward.
I took up a more threatening stance. "You’re crazy."
"You’re being advised to marry. I intend to either be your royal husband, or . . . the provider of your heir. Whichever is easier for me."
I waited where I was, resisting the urge to retch. Icefire moaned. She wasn’t dead . . . ? She soon would be, I knew. I didn’t take my eyes from Itsumoso, as I said softly, lovingly, in a language that only she and other Cybertronians knew. It had been a part of my . . . programming, I guess, when I was in the Wars. I knew the language by heart. "Icefire, I thank you for your training and guidance throughout my life, when there was nobody else."
I had recited an old Cybertronian thanks, when a close comrade was dying.
"Rebta . . ." she whispered hoarsely in the same language. "This body has failed me, but my Spark is strong yet." She coughed, and I broke my glare off short from Itsumoso, to look down at her. I kneeled next to her, placing my left hand, my free hand, onto her much-larger right hand, holding it. She continued. "I know who you love, and I know why."
"How–"
"Hush, now, Little One. Tell my brother–"
The doors slammed open, and Itsumoso yelled, going for Icefire’s throat. I blocked the strike, and Dinobot’s arm whipped around the prince’s throat, cutting off his air, and knocking the weapon out of his hand at the same time. He pinned the man up against the wall, and held him there, his face a set scowl, as he growled low, deep in the back of his throat. Rhinox kneeled next to my Maximal nanny, as I stayed upon her other side. "Who is your brother, Icefire?"
Rhinox’s hand had found Icefire’s. "I am. What was it, Icefire?"
"Please . . . take my position . . . guard her and her children, when the time comes . . ." She smiled, and looked at me, even though she still spoke to her brother. I never even know who he was until today. "She’s still so young, yet she has been through so much. She has already given her heart away, to one who she knows she may never wed to . . . but you will know how to encourage her, nonetheless."
I didn’t break my gaze away, wondering how she knew that. Icefire reached up, and touched my cheek. "I’ll always love you, child. Keep the sword; I trained with it and . . . it holds memories of happier times."
I buried my face in her palm, so large and bulky, yet had always been graceful and gentle towards me, in training, when helping me stand from a awkward fall, wiping away tears caused by a mere scrape . . .
A sigh emanated from the deepest part of her soul, as she whispered, "So bright . . ."
There was nothing I could do, but sob into her now-lifeless hand. Arms encircled me, and I looked up to see Rhinox, as the one who was embracing me. I wrapped my arms around him as best as I could, and cried into his chest as he also wept at the loss of his sister. Fifteen minutes later, I shuddered, opened my eyes again, then stood, to kneel at Icefire’s head. I kissed her cheek. "May you reside within the Matrix."
I picked up the sword, kissed its pommel in tribute and honor to her memory, and walked over to Dinobot and Optimus, who held Itsumoso between them. I leveled my glare at the man. "On behalf of my country’s judicial system, under the charges of breaking and entering, assault and battery, and murder, I place you under arrest."
The guards finally ran in. I indicated Itsumoso, and they took him away instantly, not wanting to be in the room when the inspectors came to clean up. Dinobot was about to move towards me, but stopped, when there was a yell in another language, and a man a woman, both dressed in royal finery, cam into the room, just as Rhinox was cradling his sister’s shell against him. The man, vaguely resembling Itsumoso, stopped, and looked at the sight with pure sadness upon his face.
His wife didn’t bother looking at the room, instead focusing upon me alone. "Queen Rebtaliyah, what has happened? Why have you arrested my son?! Set him free immediately!"
I shook my head. "I’m sorry, Empress. We cannot. He murdered my Cybertronian nanny, in order to try to gain my hand in marriage, or have some say in this country, by forcing himself upon me, and using me to have his child. Please don’t take this personally, yet in my country, those who are over the age of seventeen, and have committed a crime, are held responsible for their actions. Foreigners included. Plus, this cottage, since it is isolated from the main gardeners’ dorm, is always monitored by camera. We’ll see if he is truly Icefire’s killer or not. He’s already admitted it, while speaking to me."
The Empress’ face fell, and she looked to Rhinox. I indicated that the two move, so that he may pass. Her gaze never left Rhinox’s retreating form, until he turned a corner. The Emperor caught her eyes, and she looked at him. "Kami . . . what can we do?"
He shook his head. "Queen Rebtaliyah, is there any way that you can detain this information from the public?"
I looked at him coldly. "Yet you let your son romp around in the pleasure quarters, and let that be known? What about his ever-growing amount of illegitimate children? Hm? Last I heard, there were almost eight of the poor things. And all in high-up nobles’ houses, as well. Well. I think that it’s time he had a taste of reality. I’ll let the guards show you out."
Without a look back, I left, the sword in hand, and out of those parts of the gardens. I walked to the north side, completely on the other side of the gardens, and sat beside a small pool, looking at my reflection. A larger reflection overshadowed mine, and Dinobot’s arms encircled me, causing me to release the sword, which clattered to the cobblestones beside me. I wept into his chest, but he said nothing, knowing this pain . . . this horrible, wrenching, heart-breaking pain that I was feeling.
Finally, when I was almost asleep, but still sobbing, I heard his voice. "Rebta, wake up."
I did, and the pain was fresh. Dinobot’s voice was calming, as he sighed, and said, "Hush, now, Raptor. Primus . . . I can’t stand to see you like this . . ."
I couldn’t answer him, but only could hold onto him tighter. When I could speak, I said, "I’m going to have to marry, Dinobot . . . I don’t want you hurt . . . you, mainly, but any of you . . . I don’t want my decisions to separate our group." I sobbed out the last sentence, unable to say it normally. "My heart’s breaking at this . . ."
He sighed, and picked me up, holding me tight against him. His voice was a whisper. "Come with me, love."
We met with Rhinox, who was staring at the sunset’s colors in a reflection pool. His gaze shifted, as we stood there, silent, to the stone formations on the other side. I walked closer, and placed my hand on his arm. He looked at me slowly. "She didn’t know that Dinobot and I had found a way. Nobody told her, I’m sure . . . but she seemed to know that we had figured it out."
"What? What is it? A way for what?" I asked quietly.
"That you and Dinobot can stay together."
I looked up at the warrior, and asked, "How? Please, tell me, but how?"
His voice was quiet as well. "I will have to get rid of my beast mode–"
"No, I’ve figured a way around that," Rhinox said, cutting him off. "But we will need to have one of the Transmetals to help us in our research."
"Of course . . . Matrix, of course."
"Dinobot?" I asked timidly. "What’s going on?"
He smiled down at me, then embraced me warmly, careful of the sword in my hands. "I can gain one more mode."
"What do you mean?"
"A human mode."
The days were busy during research. I had to entertain suitors during the morning, then talk with court officials over lunch about a few new laws I was hoping to get up off of the ground that would replace older, less-efficient laws. After lunch came the investigation and prosecution of Itsumoso. We went over the tapes time and time again. It all came down to the lab tests upon a few items. When the report came back, we found out that the knife had a poison lethal to Cybertronians upon it. Still, it took Itsumoso more than three slashes to cause Icefire to drop.
Rhinox clearly stated that he didn’t want to see the video. I didn’t want to, either, but I had to since I was the one in charge. The prosecutors argued with me about him not attending, but I had replied with an answer that posed a question. "Would any of you want to see your sister’s murder repeated over and over again? Just for me to watch it . . . it breaks my heart every time I see it. She acted like a mother to me. Anyone else want to try to get me to force him to watch his little sister’s murder?"
From three-p.m. to six-p.m., I was fitted for gowns for special occasions and the such. After six, however, it was my time with Dinobot. But the officials always thought that I was talking with Optimus about security and the such. I didn’t have to. The Maximal leader knew what needed to happen, and how it needed to come about.
Basically, my royal schedule royally sucked.
On the up hand, though, Rhinox had somehow acquired human male DNA samples from somewhere, and was constantly toying with them, to come up with an appropriate third mode for Dinobot.
A hologram popped to life from the pad upon the table.
Dinobot snorted at the scrawny character, then saw the look upon Rhinox’s face. He smirked, and shook his head. "You’re a slagging tease."
Rattrap walked in, just after the hologram turned off. "Has ’e found a match yet, Rhinox?"
"Nope. He’s being picky," I answered. "Me, well, I saw many that I liked, three that I loved, and one that was drop-dead gorgeous . . . uh . . ." I blushed. "I mean, one that would suit him perfectly. And he apparently doesn’t like my opinion."
Dinobot frowned. "I would have at least noticed. You never said anything."
"You were having a bad day."
"Oh."
I laughed, and said, "Three days ago, second one that came up."
Rhinox pulled the hologram up, and Dinobot looked it over. "I never noticed this one . . ."
"You were too busy fuming about the fact that the suitor of the day had nearly fondled me," I muttered.
Rattrap laughed, and shook his head. "Well, ’ya know how two alternate modes are connected in, even how ’ya can completely hide da human mode in subspace, so that ’is beast an’ robot modes aren’t affected." He blinked. "Dere anythin’ else?"
Rhinox shook his head. "Too much to plan accurately. He has to be of somewhat royal, own land somehow, and . . . ah, slag."
"What?" the two chorused. I had already come to the conclusion minutes before.
Rhinox looked at me, and I nodded. "Grandmother has to approve of him."
Rattrap groaned, and shook his head. "Kill da plans. Dat ain’t gonna happen."
Dinobot hit him lightly, and then looked to me. I sighed, and said, "Let me think about it. I’ll come up with something sooner or later."
Dinobot was asleep in my room, but I was out again, knocking upon my grandmother’s door. "Gramma?"
She opened the door, and asked, "Rebta? What are you doing up?"
I walked in, and she closed the door behind me. We sat. I pulled out the audio filter, and placed it upon the table. My grandmother then knew that it was important. I told her everything. I told her about how me and Dinobot met, how we got to know each other, how we began to love each other . . . but . . . I left out the part that we had made love. She wouldn’t have liked that. I didn’t regret it, but I don’t think that she’d understand.
Then, I told her of the project. Once I was done, she sighed. "You, Rebta, have every right to tell the Minister of Foreign Affairs that you will have no more suitors. No, actually, you will tell him that you will have no more suitors."
"He’ll ask why."
"Tell him that you’re considering all those who you have met so far. Then once Dinobot has his third mode installed, bring him to me, and I’ll take care of the rest."
I nodded, then leapt around the small table between us, to embrace her. She smiled, and kissed my cheek. "I had no knowing about anything about him, but he seemed to be the right Maximal for the job of keeping care of you. Now . . . Rebta, my little angel, it’s the least I can do. I saw you dancing with him at your coronation ball, and I knew that you and he were closer than you let on with the public. Even then, the two of you guarded yourselves so that it seemed you two were only pulling off a bit of obligation."
"But . . . how did you know?"
"I raised you, as I raised your father. You act like him, and you have the same way of acting around someone who you love."
There was a frenzied knock upon the door, and Grandmother leapt up, her swift movements belying her advanced age. She could still knock the stuffing out of me if she were to hold a sword against me in a duel. She opened the door, to admit Optimus and Dinobot. "Rebta’s missing."
"How horrible!" I called over jovially. Dinobot rubbed his optics, and Optimus sighed, smiling. I walked over. "Guys, I’m sorry. I just had to speak with my Grandmother privately about something."
They nodded, and Optimus left. My grandmother took Dinobot’s hand, let him to the center of the room, as I closed the door. Once we were all in the sphere-range of the audio filter, she said, "Rebta told me everything."
Dinobot blinked at me once, and through eye-contact, I told him that I’d explain what exactly I had said. He looked back at Grandmother, and she smiled. "Once you look human, I’ll set you up with one of the estates that Rebta and I used to take off to, when things got a bit hectic and she needed a break from palace life. Once you’re the head of that large estate, you’ll be nobility. You can then be accepted by the panel."
"P-panel?" I asked. "You never said anything like that."
"Your mother was accepted. And she had only a misbegotten ancestor to thank."
I stopped, then blinked. I knew exactly what estate she was talking about. It was large enough to be a duchy. She chuckled at the look upon my face, and said, "This was the backup plan, had I not found a royal ancestor for your mother."
My face broke out to a grin. "Duke Dinobot. Hmm. It has a ring."
He growled playfully, and ruffled my hair affectionately. I smiled and Grandmother smiled in return. She embraced me, and whispered, "Icefire would be proud of your choice."
As I pulled away, I replied, "She somehow knew. And before she . . . she left . . . she said that she knew who I had given my heart to. And she told her brother to encourage me."
"Rhinox and Icefire finally resolved their differences," Grandmother murmured.
I looked at Dinobot, who shrugged slightly, then looked at the clock. I sighed, noting the time. "Grandmother, I have to get to bed. Convincing the Minister will be a rough ordeal over lunch."
"I plan upon being there. Make sure that Dinobot is there as well. He can report upon some of the suitors’ behavior."
The Maximal grinned, then bowed, and we left the room. Neither of us said nothing until we reached my room. Then, once inside, and back out of the robe I had traveled to my Grandmother’s room in, I looked to Dinobot, and asked, "Well? Questions?"
"Only one, and the rest can wait until tomorrow." He took a deep breath. "Did you tell her about . . . that night?"
I smiled, and reached up to touch his lips gently. "No."
His sigh seemed to originate from his feet. His optics looked into my eyes, and he touched my cheek tenderly. "That night . . . we were married by Cybertronian standards."
"What?" I whispered. "What do you mean?"
"Our souls touched."
I smiled gently, then felt him wrap his arms around me, before picking me up, and setting me upon the bed. Gently, so gently it could have been a mere brush, our lips touched, causing longing in me for him once again, no matter what physical forms we were in. He pulled away slightly, and I realized that was the first time we had kissed since our night together. His forehead rested upon my own, and then he stood. "Rhinox is nearly done. I have to help him . . ."
I guess my gaze must have been something, since he reverted to his beast mode, and crawled back into bed beside me, curling close beside me, muttering. "Slaggit, but that can wait. I don’t want to leave you alone tonight."
The new suitor rose, and bowed to me, his movements elegant and almost poetic. His smile was bright and cheery. "Aah, so do I have you alone, Majesty?
Dinobot entered behind me, and leaned against the wall on the far side of the room, glaring at the suitor. Last night had changed something in him, and he was instantly three times as protective. I’ll have to tell him to ease off a bit. Someone might suspect something. I smiled warmly at the man. "None of my previous suitors have, so why should I give you the privilege, and not them?"
His facial color faded quickly. I smiled sweetly. "So. The others tried to convince me to marry them through bribes, bantering, and bets."
"They all failed," Dinobot snarled. "Try a new approach, would be my advice. Who the slag are you, anyway?"
He bowed formally to Dinobot, replying, "Prince Alejandro Reguez of New Spain, milord."
"Hmmph," was the only reply, as Dinobot resorted to glaring at the man.
I chuckled, and said, "Stoppit. You already know who I have to compare them to."
"They all fail by your standards?"
"There’s no competition." I looked to the dark-haired man. "So? What did you want to talk about?"
He had to swallow quite a few times, before replying.
The Minister sat, and I took a sip from my cup, before starting. "Minister. I request of you that you remain silent until I am through speaking. Will you comply?"
He looked befuddled. "I comply."
"Good. I’m not going to see any more suitors, and if you try to force more upon me, I will have you removed from your post. I have no need at the moment for them. I have also seen more men in these past three months than I care to remember. I also have more important things to worry about, than my current marital status. New laws, Itsumoso’s prosecution to see to, entertaining royal guests every other week, as well as replying to requests to visit other countries." I paused, then looked at his crimson face. "I’m through."
"Are you out of your mind?! You need a husband!"
I snorted. "Yes, just like I need a hole in my head at the moment."
"But what of the public? They–"
"They want her single," My Grandmother interrupted, pulling out a paper, and handing it to him. "This was a survey taken last week in the local newspaper. Seven out of ten people wish to see her single for a little while more. They don’t necessarily want a royal wedding. We’ve just had a coronation, and that’s cost the treasury a pretty penny."
The Secretary of the Treasury piped up, "But it was all worth it. The Queen looked wonderful, her Honor Guard were well-suited, and everyone had a wonderful time."
The High Judge was as young as the Secretary, and he whispered loudly, "He was only in it for the Duchess of Svalbard!"
I hid my smile in my cup, then regained my composure, and replied in the same tone, "As she was interested in it for him!"
The Secretary was blushing furiously, but he was managing a smile. "So you got me."
All the other officials laughed. Grandmother looked to me, and I nodded. The Svalbard Duchess would be the next to invite to stay for a while. She was a nice lady, and had gotten along well with Silverbolt. She had even asked him to a dance once, just so that she could have a good dance, without someone trying to get their hand up her gown.
I looked back the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He shook his head. "I cannot stop the suitors! They all wish to see you."
Dinobot spoke from behind the Minister, leaning against a pillar. "Yes, if only to try to compromise her. I was barely able to stop one of the suitors from slagging touching her, Minister! I do not appreciate this primitive method of matching couples together!"
"Oh, don’t you start!" the Minister roared.
"I’ll slagging start if I want to!" Dinobot replied, bellowing louder than the man, and stalking closer. "I will not tolerate the Queen being used in such a way!"
"Used?" I whispered, looking at my secret lover.
Dinobot’s glare softened slightly as he looked to me. "I didn’t want you to worry. Your Grandmother found out only this morning." He glared back at the man. "Every suitor that you’ve lined up to see her are all related to you somehow, in some way, shape, or form. You want to gain more power through them, from her, so that you may try to take over this monarchy. Yet you didn’t want anyone to know, did you? What of those suitors you turned away, saying that she had no time for them?"
I looked to Grandmother. The High Judge caught my gaze instead, and indicated the pin that he wore upon casual occasions which signified his rank. Usually, he wore a large pennant, hanging upon a chain around his neck. It was of a gavel. I blinked, then nodded slightly. The Minister would be stripped of all his ranks and achievements. He had been going against the law.
I stood, and said, "As of this moment, I advise that the Minister of Foreign Affairs steps down from his post."
"Never!" he hissed.
The High Judge looked to a few guards, who advanced. "Then, by the judicial power entrusted to me by the Queen, I place you under arrest, with no right to speak."
The man looked at the High Judge, at Grandmother, who was glaring at him, then at me and Dinobot. Something clicked behind his eyes, as he looked into my eyes, and he whispered, "You love that thing behind you."
Dinobot’s posture stiffened, I could feel. The others, as I looked around, saw it as something nearing disgust. But I knew that it was only his reaction for a truth hit upon. I said in a low, evenly-measured voice, "I love all of those who protect me. Of course I love my main bodyguard. He’s saved my life before, and I believe that he has just saved it again."
As he was being pulled away, he yelled, "Her and that Maximal are in with each other! Why else would he be sleeping in her room?!"
The Secretary of Defense looked to the Secretary of Offense, then asked, "Does Dinobot actually sleep in your room?"
"Secretary!" My grandmother rebuked the younger man.
I shook my head at her. Might as well be truthful. "Yes. I trust nobody else, other than my Grandmother, and the other Maximals who came with Dinobot, to be near me as I sleep."
"But he’s there."
"Have you ever heard about that Roman Emperor who was suffocated by his guards with a pillow?" I replied.
"Yes, of course."
"Now, listen," I replied, sitting back down, and swirling the dregs of my drink around the bottom of my cup. "Dinobot is trained to a fault. I have seen him in action, and I will tell you that not one who tries to get at me will. He and his comrades all have a keen battle sense. They are the ultimate offense-defense that you could wish for. I’m truly blessed to have them around."
"But what of Icefire’s brother? He’s immersed himself in research."
I smiled. "He is like Icefire was. I would not suggest that he show you his weapon of choice."
"You’ve seen it?"
I grinned. "Those in their right mind would pale at the sight of them."
A large green hand tapped my shoulder. I looked up at the Maximal. "Oh. Hello. We were just speaking about– Yep. Those are them."
The Secretary of Offense was immediately looking the chaingun over, muttering about strengths in the weapon. I blinked at Rhinox, and he chuckled. "I’d let you try holding it, but you’d dislocate your shoulders."
"Yes, yes . . . hmm . . ."
I laughed, and he placed the gun upon a sturdy oak table. "There. Now. Queen Mother, I have completed that research you have asked me to do."
Grandmother looked delighted, as if it were something trivial. "Wonderful! And?"
"Tonight would be best to speak to you about it."
"Of course, of course! I agree!"
I looked at Dinobot, and he sighed almost-wistfully. I nodded. "I have to get moving. Please, everyone, excuse me. I have to see to Itsumono’s case. Rhinox, I have to speak to you later. You might have to testify. High Judge, if you would accompany me?"
It was night. Finally. I looked at Grandmother, then to Rhinox. "Is there any chance that something could go wrong?"
He made a face. "Too many things could go wrong, might go wrong . . . but I hope they won’t. Dinobot’s strong, but this will drain his energy reserves."
"I’ll have Rattrap tag along with me. He’s as alert as Dinobot."
"Bull," Dinobot snorted.
I took his hand in mine, then shook my head. He growled, then fell silent again. Rhinox continued. "The recovery period will take him, if I’m assessing the amount of energy it will take to adjust to the third mode correctly, about as long as it took last time something this drastic happened to him."
Grandmother looked at me. I sighed. "Great. Here goes the valley again. Three weeks? Are you sure?"
"No. Could be more, but hopefully less."
Dinobot groaned, and let go of my hand, to lean upon the table. "And where exactly will I be recovering?"
Rhinox shrugged to me. I looked to Grandmother, and she replied, "Rebta’s room, where she can keep an eye on you as you recover. Rattrap can spread a rumor that you came down with something, and that the Queen was worried about your recovery. He knows all the best places to drop a subtle word."
I smiled wanly. "Pays to have a spy as a bodyguard."
Dinobot nodded. "Very well. Let’s get this over with."