AN: Whistle Down the Wind was first a book, then a movie and then an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. In it, the themes of redemption, trust and a young girl's belief in God is explored in the setting of late 1950's Louisana. It's by far one of my favourite musicals, but I'd better explain a few things. The story differs in some places in order to fit some of the characters of GW in. For example, Hilde's character is orginally called Candy and is a black girl in the real storyline. Also, you may find yourself annoyed in the way some characters are portrayed but for that I apologise. That's the way they are in the musical and I don't want to have to swerve from that.
In each chapter, I'll give a list of the songs which feature in the dialogue. Of course, in order to make the conversation no too absurd - after all, when in real life do you really speak in rhyme? - I've altered the lyrics in places. If you can get a hold of the songs, I'd adivse you listen to them. The music is really beautiful and it might enhance the story a little bit:P
Song List: "I Never Get What I Pray For", "Whistle Down The Wind"
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Whistle Down The Wind
Scene 1 - The Darlain Property
Relena felt herself free as she ran through the meadow that sat behind the fields of her father's farm. Above her, birds flew through the clear blue sky and when she spread her arms out, she felt as if she was one of them; she could fly too, wherever she wanted, as high as she wanted, even up to the very heavens themselves if the fancy took her. As the long grass dipped into the lull of the land, she lost her footing and tumbled down a small hill, laughing like the child she was but feeling silly like the woman she was about to become. At sixteen, she knew her days of running barefoot through the grass were about to be over. As her father had told her, her place would soon be with her husband and family, not playing with her younger brother and sister like she was no older than them.
Two bodies fell beside her in the grass and she looked to either side of her to find her brother and sister giggling, unaware that they were spending the last months of childhood together for in a short time, she would be searching for a husband and therefore on her way to becoming a woman. Women did not play with their siblings, not in 1959 Louisiana. No. In 1959 Louisiana women worked in the home, waiting for their husbands to return to sit down to a nice family meal. At least, that was how it had been for her mother before she had died a few months earlier. As her father worked in the fields, her mother kept the home clean, looked after her and her siblings and made sure the meal was cooked for her father's return at dinner time. When she greeted her father with a dainty kiss, Relena would watch tenderly and long for the day when she and her husband would share a bond like that, where just a simple kiss could show how much they love each other.
Blinking back a tear, she knew she would never see that sort of lover again until she found it for herself. Her mother was gone. Jesus had taken her up with him to the vaults of heaven where she would looks down upon them at all times and guide them through life. Although she knew she would face womanhood without her mother's guidance, she knew that she was still with her, in her heart and in her thoughts and so, in a way, she was still there to guide her. Only it was through Jesus and God she was doing so. When she thought of her mother, she missed her dearly. She had told her father this many times, and when she did he would smile sadly and stroke her cheek. He would tell that that she lived still, in Relena. All she would have to do would be to look in the mirror and she would see her. Relena knew what he meant. It was not unknown that she looked like her mother. She had the same long blonde hair and baby blue eyes which could bring a grown man to tears if given the right look. She though God had truly blessed her when he'd made her in her mother's reflection; both in beauty and in spirit.
"Relena?" Her sister, affectionately known as Brat to the others though she was really called Bradie. She was known as Brat for she was the youngest of the girls all and therefore the brat of the females in the famliy. Relena turned to her and murmured her name. She was too lost in thought to really listen to her. "If God's so good to us, why don't we ever get what we pray for?"
Knowing she should scold her for such blasphemous thoughts, Relena was about to tut, but then she realised she'd been thinking much the same thing. How many times had she sat up at night asking God to make things better for her but never getting it? "I always wanted to see our saviour face to face, to feel the rapture and fire of that feeling. I used to ask to be taken higher than what I am now, but I never have."
Baby – the youngest of them all at only nine years old – sat up and looked at his sisters in surprise, but at the elder more so. Brat could be forgiven for her naïve comments for she was only twelve years old, but Relena was almost a woman their father had told him. God would smite her for such words! "Relena!"
She shrugged and pushed her long blonde hair behind her ears. "Well I don't! Even if I prayed for less I still wouldn't get it. Like, that atomic bomb that everyone's building. Have you seen the horrors of it? I prayed that God would end them and has he?"
"I asked if God would let me dance with Ricky Nelson at the homecoming dance," Brat declared, thinking to how she had searched the entire night for her crush but had ended up having to dance with one of the boys in her class or be left alone. "I asked him to make me sexy, beautiful and smart-"
"But there's some miracles that even He can't do!" Baby laughed.
"I want a brother you doesn't fart!" Brat retorted.
"Yeah? Well I want a sister who don't burp!"
Relena joined in the game again, knowing that if she didn't her brother and sister would soon be fighting and she'd have to split them up. "I wanted a man who could dance like Elvis."
"I asked to look like Sandra Dee, or Doris Day," Brat said.
Relena smiled and stroked her sister's brown hair which both Brat and her brother had inherited from their father. "Sending down some more angels. We could never have enough."
"Some more money so we could all buy each other stuff!"
Sighing, Baby sat up and folded his arms around his knees. "I think we should all be praying for dad. It's been so scary how he's been since mom...you know. He was crying in the kitchen this morning when he was putting out our breakfast. I got up early and when I went in I could hear him. I ran back into my bed cause there was no way I was going in when he was like that."
Looking at her brother sadly, Relena hugged him. The worst part of their mother's death for Baby John had been the way it had hit their father so hard. In front of them he had been strong and he'd comforted his children just like any father should but when he thought they weren't around his barrier melted and he gave in to his grief. Relena wished that she could comfort him instead, but his pride would never allow it.
"I just want our mother back," Relena whispered to herself, "even if its just for one night. There's things she's got to tell me and things she's got to know. God had no right to take her and she had no right to go. There's so much I didn't tell her and so much I had to say. I just want her back. Oh God, please let her come back. Even if its only for one day. " Her siblings looked at her and she smiled at them, putting her arms around both of their shoulders. She was their mother now, and they all knew it. All motherly duties would fall to her until she was a mother to her own children. "But we never get what we pray for, right? So why wish for what can't be."
"I want her back too, Relena," Brat said, who'd overheard her sister's quiet pleas. "She promised she'd make me a beautiful new dress for next years dance. Now, if Ricky Nelson does show up, the only girl he'll have eyes for will be me and not that Natasha Brown who all the boys want to hold hands with."
Despite her sadness, Relena found herself laughing at her blossoming younger sister. Brat already the start of a beautiful face but she had yet to grow into it. "Tell you what, I'll make you your dress. You can choose the colours and the ribbons and everything. It'll be so pretty that Natasha Brown will wear a bag over her head in shame."
Brat ran her fingers through her sister's silky hair. "Will I ever be as pretty as you? You're lucky to look like mom. She was beautiful. Everyone says I look like dad."
"But dad's handsome. That means when you're older you'll look like he would if he was a girl, right?"
Baby giggled. "He must make a pretty ugly girl then!"
"Baby!" Relena scolded. "Don't listen to him, Brat. You'll be beautiful one day and you won't even need to pray for it. Just you wait and see."
The three children sat in the green grass in silence, contemplating their prayers. If the adults would have heard their complaints they would have surely have been punished and not be allowed out for a week. In their small community, religion was their way of life. It was a poor, farming town but they all thought themselves rich because they had such a strong faith in the Lord. There was once a time when Relena had felt that way too, that she was one of the luckiest people in the world because the Lord was with her in everything she did but when he'd taken her mother from her without any warning her belief in Him had began to falter. In a confessional, she'd confronted her priest about this, voicing her fears of eternal damnation and in a gentle voice he was soothed them, telling her that the Lord understands her anger and indeed welcomes it if it will help relay her grief. He had told her the Lord was sorry he'd had to take her mother from her at such a young age but it was all part of His 'Great Plan'. Well, some plan, Relena thought. He should have reviewed it.
They hadn't even noticed the sky beginning to darken until Brat had suddenly asked Relena the time, knowing that if they were late their father would worry. He'd been in such a state lately that causing him anymore trouble would give them endless guilt.
Relena frowned and looked up at the sky. She had no watch to tell the time with but the sky had reddened enough to let her know. "It's late. Let's hurry on home for dinner before dad throws a fit."
Taking both their hands, the children began their walk through the fields. Relena could hear the crickets chirping their late night song and thought of what her father was going to say if they got in any later. She could hear his stern voice telling him they should have been home by then in her head and shook it away. The more she thought about the trouble the might get into then the more she was going to reluctant to return as quickly as possible. It was a catch twenty two of sorts and she knew it.
They were approaching the sewer behind the field which would lead them back to their house when they passed their father's only farm-hand. He was a traveller called Earl, who had been grateful for any job he could get after he decided to settle down in their town, no matter how little John Darlain could afford to pay him. He had his own family to worry about too: a daughter who was Relena's own age but who she saw very little of as she didn't go to school. As far as she was concerned, Hilde was as much a waster as her rebellious boyfriend: a motorcyle rider called Duo who dropped out of school so he could work in a local garage. It also didn't help Hilde that in such a religious town, anyone who was different was outcasted and ostracised, her father included though Relena had to admit she quite liked Earl's easy going nature and kind heart. He was slowly working himself into the community but it was his daughter who refused to do the same and remained the subject of the town's disapproving whispers and looks.
"Evening Relena, kids," Earl said, tipping his hat in their direction and smiling happily at them. "You'd better be going home before your father starts to worry."
"We're heading there now," Relena assured him. She gestured to the sack Earl held in his hands when she noticed the bulges inside moving. "What have you got in there?"
Earl looked at the younger children nervously and leaned forward towards Relena so they wouldn't hear him. "I've got a couple of kittens here that I've got to send back to Jesus. Sorry, Relena but orders are orders."
Relena watched in horror as Earl dropped the sack into the sewer and with an apologetic smile went on his way. She turned to her brother and sister who didn't know what had just happened. "Wait here, I'll be back in just a second."
Slowly, she descended the ladder which lead into the filthy, stinking sewer. Relena's nature would not allow creatures so innocent as kittens to die without a real cause. To her it was unfair to condemn anything to death just because they had been unfortunate to be born into a world where they couldn't survive without a mother. The kittens were mewing in the sack when she found them but she didn't waste any time checking to see if they were alright. She was already late enough and she could check on them when she hid them in the barn, which she decided would be the safest place until she thought of somewhere better. There were kids at school she knew she could ask if they wanted a pet, though school was out for the Christmas holidays and it would be another few weeks before it started back again.
"What have you got there?" Baby asked when Relena came out of the sewer with the sack which was moving ominously.
"If I tell you, you have to swear to God that you'll keep it secret. If you don't, He'll damn you to Hell like he did Lucifer."
"We swear!" Baby and Brat promised simultaneously.
"It's kittens. I'm going to hide them in the barn until I can find a home for them. But you can't tell dad cause he'll just want to get rid of them and you know what that means?" She drew a finger across her neck and they nodded fearfully. "Good. Okay, let's hurry on home!"
At a sprint, Relena, Brat and Baby ran towards the barn. Since they had stopped keeping livestock, the barn had been deserted by their father and was only visited by the children when they sought freedom from the house on a rainy day. Relena had found herself visiting there more and more often when she wanted to be by herself, to think about things she couldn't really have peace to think about when she had to look after her brother and sister. More closely to the truth, Relena came to the barn to cry. Like her father, she didn't want to see Brat and Baby catch her upset because if they did she knew they would want to know why and soon they would be upset too. It was hard, but if she truly wanted to grieve she had to do it in a place where she would be totally alone and the barn was the only place that fitted that description.
"They're so cute," Brat commented as the four kittens stumbled out of the sack and onto the hay, mewing for food and water. Relena lamented that she wouldn't be able to give them any until she'd been home for dinner.
"They are," Relena agreed. The two tabby kittens pawed at each other playfully and Brat picked up the tortoiseshell and Baby the black and white runt. "But we don't have time to play with them. Tomorrow we can give them names and what not but now we really have to get back to the house before dad hangs each and every one of us."
Dreading the dire consequences of being any later, Brat and Baby followed their elder sister out of the barn, closing the door behind them.
John Darlain looked out of the kitchen window and watched as his three children approached the house nervously. He couldn't help but smile as he watched them. They were so obedient that he couldn't ask for any better. Now that his wife had passed on, he knew just how blessed he was to have been gifted with three such wonderful children: John Jnr. with his determination to work hard whenever his father needed help in the field and John knew he was going to be strong when he was older; Bradie who was one of the most clever children her teacher had ever taught, he'd been told on parent's night; and then there was Relena. Relena was special to him because everytime he looked at her he could see the child her mother used to be. It had been around Relena's age when they had first met and he could remember it like it had been yesterday. Relena was her spitting image, in looks and in mind. Her free spirit had been passed on to her daughter as had her kindness and great beauty. It was not a secret to him that as Relena was approaching the age where she would soon be marrying there were many young boys only too eager to take her hand.
The Everly Brothers song playing on the radio finished as the kids finally came in the door, giving him a worried look to see if they would be given a row for being late home. John was willing to let it slide tonight for he was in a good mood and knew that whatever had caused his children to be late was probably a good reason.
"We interrupt this broadcast with another news report. The escaped convict-" John was quick to turn off the radio when he heard that bulletin. It had been playing all day he had been working in the field. In one of the prisons in Louisiana some young murderer had escaped but John knew there would be no profit for him if he came to this sleepy little town. Afterall, there were no banks to rob, only one bus to the nearest city a day and they didn't even have a train station here, though there was a rail road passing around it. In other words, he was fairly certain no escapee would come here so there was no point in worrying his children about it. Not yet anyway.
"Dinner's on the table," John said and took his place at the head of the table. His children put their hands together in preparation for grace. "We thank you, God, for the food you have blessed us with. Through your kindness we do not hunger and through your goodness we eat. Amen."
"Amen," the children chorused.
They all began to eat their roast dinner in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Relena couldn't stop thinking about the kittens with guilt as she ate her fill of cooked chicken. Watching her father carefully, she slipped a few pieces onto the napkin spread across her lap which would do for the kittens dinner. There was some milk in the fridge which she could take too and was sure would not be missed.
"Kids," John said, a clear indication that there was about to be news, for it was a tradition of their fathers that all news was announces at the dinner table be it good or bad. The tone of regret in his voice told them it was the latter in this case. His three children looked up from their meals in expectation and he drew in a deep breath. "As you know, money's been tight this year, what with the stock failing at harvest and the sales not being so good, plus inflations been making everyone suffer. So this Christmas, I don't know if I can afford presents. Normally, your mother would work at Christmas to bring in extra money but..."
Relena laid a hand on his shoulder. "I could do some work at the Cafe. That Hilde girl works there so I wouldn't be the only one my age."
John took his daughter's hand and squeezed it tightly. "That's very kind of you, but I need you here to help me. Brat and Baby are too young to take up your responsibilities."
"That's okay," Brat chirped with a sly look at Relena. "We don't need money for presents. If we pray hard enough God will bring us some. I mean, its Christmas so he's got to answer our prayers this time, right?" Relena and John looked guiltily at each other but didn't answer. "I'm going to ask for new lipstick. All the girls are wearing it and I don't have any."
"I want a football!" Baby said. "What about you Relena? What do you want?"
"I just want mom here. That's what I want for Christmas. Mom."
John stopped eating and looked at his daughter. He could see the tears in her baby blue eyes that were fighting to fall but Relena didn't let them. She looked up at the ceiling and blinked to get rid of them. She was being so strong for some one so young. It was the knowledge of the responsibilties her sixteenth birthday had brought her, her becoming a woman soon and he knew it. Her mother had been the same, though her own mother had been there to guide her. Relena had no one but the memories of what she'd been like to help her and it was going to be struggle. He wished with all his heart he could help her but he knew he couldn't. The only thing he could do was repeat words his wife had said before.
He cleared his throat. "You know, if your mother were still here you know what she'd say. Don't complain. Life is tough, but you still survive day to day and the things that truly matter surround and embrace us, comforting us when we need it. The assurance that God will never forsake us so we don't really miss the things that we miss because, so long as we have each other it just doesn't get any better than this."
Baby looked at him with no amusement. "Mom would have said it better."
John laughed his agreement. "Yes, she always did have a way with words."
"I think," Relena said slowly, "what you're looking for is her lullaby. How did it go again?" She hummed the tune to herself until she thought of the words.
"Whistle down the wind, let your voices carry.
Drown out all the rain, light a patch of darkness
treacherous and scary.
"Howl at the stars,
whisper when you're sleeping.
I'll be there to hold you,
I'll be there to stop
the chills and all the weeping.
"Make it clear and strong
so the whole night long
every signal that you send
until the very end,
I will not abandon
you my precious friend.
"So try and stem the tide.
Then you'll raise a banner.
Send a flare up in the sky,
try to burn a torch and
try to build a bonfire.
Every signal that you send,
until the very end I'm there.
So whistle down the wind,
for I have always been right there."
Brat smiled serenely. "I remember that. She'd sing it to me when I had a nightmare and I'd always get to sleep straight after it."
"Me too," Relena said, her throat catching.
The tears were going to come and this time she wouldn't be able to stop them. She went to the fridge and mumbled something about wanting some milk and went out to the barn so her family didn't have to see her cry. In there she could be alone and grieve without feeling guilty. Her fathers concerned eyes had watched her in the kitchen but she hadn't looked at him as she left. He knew when she was in this kind of mood the best thing was to leave her alone to work it out. She had returned the favour to him many times. It was the way they worked. They had grieved as a family for the youngest children's benefit so it was now time to grieve as a daughter and a husband.
In the yard, she wasn't alone. She caught sight of Duo Maxwell in the moonlight and tried to hurry on but he called to her. Quickly she wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand and waved to him. He was on his motorcycle with his helmet under his arm and on the back of his bike he'd tied a small tree. His long braid swished as he kicked the stand out and hopped off his bike and he grinned widely at her.
"Hey, Relena. How's it going?" He asked cheerfully.
"Duo. What are you doing here?"
He shook his head in mock dismay. "Always to the point, ain't ya?" Relena raised an eyebrow and Duo shrugged it off. "Hilde's dad asked me to deliver your Christmas tree. Said its a 'thank you' for employing him this year. Say, do you like my new bike?"
Relena frowned as she looked at the beat up motorcycle he'd been riding for months. "Isn't that the same one you've always had?"
"Well...yeah. But I replaced the broken headlight and gave it a new paint job. But do you like it?"
Personally, Relena couldn't tell the difference but she knew it was important to Duo and rather than let him down she smiled. "Sure. It's neat."
He grinned even wider. "I fixed it cause you said you didn't want to ride it while it was dangerous. Remember? You said that it was too risky to join me when it didn't have a headlight. It took me a while, but I did extra shifts at the garage so I could get it fixed for you. So what do you say? Will you ride with me? I can take you to the drive in if you'd like."
Relena mentally slapped herself. She remembered her excuse that had held her for months when he'd kept asking her to take a turn on his bike with him. Rather than just say she didn't want to, to spare his feelings she'd made up an excuse that he'd buy. She just hadn't counted on him fixing it so she wouldn't have one anymore. "Won't Hilde be upset at you?"
"She's not here right now."
"Look, I can't tonight. I'm hiding some kittens in the barn and I need to feed them. Some other time when I'm not busy. You better hurry along and give the tree to my father before he tucks Brat and Baby into bed. He won't thank you for disturbing them."
Duo sighed and looked at her irritatedly. "What's it going to take Relena?"
"What do you mean?" She asked him, knowing exactly what he meant.
Without answering her, he shook his braided head and went to her house. She breathed a sigh of relief at his leave. She liked Duo and everything, but she felt sorry for Hilde when he tried to take her out instead of his actual girlfriend. She may not approve of Hilde's attitudes to things she felt strongly about, but that didn't mean the girl deserved to have her boyfriend playing the field for some one he deemed 'better'.
Pushing these thoughts from her head, she made her way to the barn. There was only one window, so there wasn't much light from the moon, but enough for her to see the four outlines of kittens sleeping on a hay bale. She sat beside them and set down the milk and chicken. The kittens mewed at the smell of chicken and she stroked ones head. It began to purr and rub against her hand as she divided up the meat for them all. She smiled at the feeling of their fluffy fur against her skin and took one up onto her lap so she could stroke it better. It arched its back against her stomach in enjoyment
There was a movement behind her and she stood up in alarm, her breath catching in her throat in fear. There was a black outline of a person's figure in the back of the barn and she froze. The figure gave no indication that it knew she was there and she slowly crept towards the wall of the barn to turn on the light.
As the barn was illuminated she cried out, "Who are you?!"
"Jesus Christ!" A man in bloodied and ragged clothing cried out in alarm. He staggered towards Relena and she found she had no where to run. His brown hair was wild but his prussian blue eyes were calm and he fell onto her and hissed, "don't tell anyone I'm here!"
"Wait!" Relena whispered as she tried to support him. "Who are you?"
The man closed his eyes and slid to the floor. "Jesus Christ," he said as the pain overwhelmed him into an exhausted sleep.
Relena's eyes widened as she saw the marks on his hands and feet and her hand flew to her mouth. Her saviour was here!
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