The light that came through the large window in his office was nearly gone; a flip of a switch, and the ornate mahogany desk was illuminated with a mellow glow. The light reflected off the single piece of paper, making it incandescent against the dark green blotter. He paused a
moment, looking at the paper from above, then sat down in the desk's matching chair with the creak of leather. He could see the salutation penned across the top of the sheet, written in a neat, innocent looking hand.
...Dear Treize Khushrenada,...
He would have glanced down to the bottom of the page to learn the author's name, but the first sentence told him itself.
...I am Leia Barton. You will remember me, I'm certain. I took care of you when you were injured on X18999, several years ago....
He nodded to himself, remembering that one particular night with a bit of trepidation. Picking up the single paper, he berated himself again for being injudicious and allowing himself to become entangled with the girl.
...I am writing against the directive of my superior, Dekim Barton, to inform you of the existence of your daughter, Mariemeia....
Dear God... a gloved hand rose from its resting place on the blotter and covered the bowed, elegant face, a gesture of revelation and weariness. A daughter...
A voice issued from the shadows of his office, yet close to the oasis shed by the desk light. "Are you well, Treize-sama?"
He shook his head, and removed his hand. "No, dear Lady, but do not worry yourself. It is a matter of... personal concern."
The dark figure on the edge of his vision bowed. "I will excuse myself then, your Excellency."Ê
... She is a beautiful little girl, Treize, full of life and very intelligent. She is the light and joy of not only my days, but also those of all who she meets. My family, especially my brother, adores her totally and dotes on her every whim....
"Thank you, my Lady." The figure retreated and in due course he heard a door open and close. She had left and he was alone, like he was always alone.
... Please understand that I was forbidden to write this letter. Were you come to look for myself or Mariemeia, you could endanger both of our lives. Not to mention you would risk shedding intrigue and scandal over your career, but I don't think scandal worries you too much, Treize. You are simply too proud to let it affect you....
He smiled in spite of himself. Leia was astute, indeed.
... We are very happy and safe within the Barton Foundation; you don't need to worry yourself over us. We are well provided for, but these are perilous times, Treize. The colonies are planning something new to retaliate against the Earth Sphere Alliance. I am not asking for help in telling you this, but I do want you do to one thing for me. Say a prayer for our daughter. Pray that she will keep safe in this time of war.
Sincerely, Leia Barton...
A prayer for my daughter... He carefully laid the short letter down on the desk, then picked up a piece of his own stationary and a pen. He
began to write.
... Dear Mariemeia,...
From a dark and hidden alcove, a Lady watched as her Excellency wrote for several minutes, and then sat a moment in seeming contemplation. She watched as he took both letters and placed them in a drawer of his desk. She watched as he took a small key and locked the drawer, and placed the key under his blotter. She watched as he stood and made to walk out of the room, then paused and looked directly at her, though she knew he could not see.Ê
His face seemed to say 'Remember, Lady. Remember what you have seen.' And she would remember.
It was almost three years later, but she would remember, and under the watchful eye of the vivacious red haired girl child she unlocked the drawer of the mahogany desk. The light of full morning shown deep into the drawer and lit on the two pieces of paper contained therein. The Lady drew them out and reverently delivered them into the hands of the little girl, dwarfed by the immense leather chair where she sat.
"These were his Excellency, Treize's," the Lady said simply.
"Thank you, Une-sama," the girl said, in a voice reminiscent of another Khushrenada's. The Lady stepped away from the desk and turned to the open window as the child lifted the papers and read the first, which she recognized as her mother's. She put her mother's letter on the desk, and then turned her eyes to the second.
... Dear Mariemeia,...
... I may never have the chance to ever see you, to speak to you, to hold you in my arms and have the physical assurance that I have a daughter. I only have a single letter as proof of your existence, but I have faith in even something as small as that. From that faith I draw the strength to write down this prayer, though you will never receive it....
... I pray to God that you will grow up healthy and beautiful, that you will never be left wanting, that you will always be loved. I pray that you will find your friends and allies quickly, and that they will be steadfast all your life. I pray that you will never be left alone on the stage, tasked to hold the spotlight by yourself, but that you will always have someone to stand besides you as I have not. I pray that you will be successful in all of your endeavors, and if that cannot be, that you learn a valuable lesson from your failures. I pray that you will be happy all your life, and that is the best I can hope for....Ê
... That is the prayer I offer up for you, my Mariemeia. Live your life, for it is all that was allotted to you, but live it to its extent without being hampered by the past. Keep only this knowledge if you must: that I knew of you, and I wished with all my soul that we could know each other. With Love, your father,...
...Treize Khushrenada...
A small, delicate hand took itself from the paper and wiped at the tears that spilled down the child's cheeks. At the window, the Lady smiled and nodded once.
'She received your prayer, Treize-sama. You can rest now.'
moment, looking at the paper from above, then sat down in the desk's matching chair with the creak of leather. He could see the salutation penned across the top of the sheet, written in a neat, innocent looking hand.
...Dear Treize Khushrenada,...
He would have glanced down to the bottom of the page to learn the author's name, but the first sentence told him itself.
...I am Leia Barton. You will remember me, I'm certain. I took care of you when you were injured on X18999, several years ago....
He nodded to himself, remembering that one particular night with a bit of trepidation. Picking up the single paper, he berated himself again for being injudicious and allowing himself to become entangled with the girl.
...I am writing against the directive of my superior, Dekim Barton, to inform you of the existence of your daughter, Mariemeia....
Dear God... a gloved hand rose from its resting place on the blotter and covered the bowed, elegant face, a gesture of revelation and weariness. A daughter...
A voice issued from the shadows of his office, yet close to the oasis shed by the desk light. "Are you well, Treize-sama?"
He shook his head, and removed his hand. "No, dear Lady, but do not worry yourself. It is a matter of... personal concern."
The dark figure on the edge of his vision bowed. "I will excuse myself then, your Excellency."Ê
... She is a beautiful little girl, Treize, full of life and very intelligent. She is the light and joy of not only my days, but also those of all who she meets. My family, especially my brother, adores her totally and dotes on her every whim....
"Thank you, my Lady." The figure retreated and in due course he heard a door open and close. She had left and he was alone, like he was always alone.
... Please understand that I was forbidden to write this letter. Were you come to look for myself or Mariemeia, you could endanger both of our lives. Not to mention you would risk shedding intrigue and scandal over your career, but I don't think scandal worries you too much, Treize. You are simply too proud to let it affect you....
He smiled in spite of himself. Leia was astute, indeed.
... We are very happy and safe within the Barton Foundation; you don't need to worry yourself over us. We are well provided for, but these are perilous times, Treize. The colonies are planning something new to retaliate against the Earth Sphere Alliance. I am not asking for help in telling you this, but I do want you do to one thing for me. Say a prayer for our daughter. Pray that she will keep safe in this time of war.
Sincerely, Leia Barton...
A prayer for my daughter... He carefully laid the short letter down on the desk, then picked up a piece of his own stationary and a pen. He
began to write.
... Dear Mariemeia,...
From a dark and hidden alcove, a Lady watched as her Excellency wrote for several minutes, and then sat a moment in seeming contemplation. She watched as he took both letters and placed them in a drawer of his desk. She watched as he took a small key and locked the drawer, and placed the key under his blotter. She watched as he stood and made to walk out of the room, then paused and looked directly at her, though she knew he could not see.Ê
His face seemed to say 'Remember, Lady. Remember what you have seen.' And she would remember.
It was almost three years later, but she would remember, and under the watchful eye of the vivacious red haired girl child she unlocked the drawer of the mahogany desk. The light of full morning shown deep into the drawer and lit on the two pieces of paper contained therein. The Lady drew them out and reverently delivered them into the hands of the little girl, dwarfed by the immense leather chair where she sat.
"These were his Excellency, Treize's," the Lady said simply.
"Thank you, Une-sama," the girl said, in a voice reminiscent of another Khushrenada's. The Lady stepped away from the desk and turned to the open window as the child lifted the papers and read the first, which she recognized as her mother's. She put her mother's letter on the desk, and then turned her eyes to the second.
... Dear Mariemeia,...
... I may never have the chance to ever see you, to speak to you, to hold you in my arms and have the physical assurance that I have a daughter. I only have a single letter as proof of your existence, but I have faith in even something as small as that. From that faith I draw the strength to write down this prayer, though you will never receive it....
... I pray to God that you will grow up healthy and beautiful, that you will never be left wanting, that you will always be loved. I pray that you will find your friends and allies quickly, and that they will be steadfast all your life. I pray that you will never be left alone on the stage, tasked to hold the spotlight by yourself, but that you will always have someone to stand besides you as I have not. I pray that you will be successful in all of your endeavors, and if that cannot be, that you learn a valuable lesson from your failures. I pray that you will be happy all your life, and that is the best I can hope for....Ê
... That is the prayer I offer up for you, my Mariemeia. Live your life, for it is all that was allotted to you, but live it to its extent without being hampered by the past. Keep only this knowledge if you must: that I knew of you, and I wished with all my soul that we could know each other. With Love, your father,...
...Treize Khushrenada...
A small, delicate hand took itself from the paper and wiped at the tears that spilled down the child's cheeks. At the window, the Lady smiled and nodded once.
'She received your prayer, Treize-sama. You can rest now.'