Limits

still in the past

Cathi stepped towards the garden with a heavy heart. She obeyed orders, even when she did not understand said orders. The Emperor had not commanded her, he had asked as even an Emperor did of the Tenno Royal Guard. He could not explain why Elizabeth, his youngest daughter, was in trouble, but he had said it was nothing of her own doing. That she had not caused the problem.

At least, not that problem.

Being called into the Emperor's presence had been daunting to say the least, but that meant that Cathi had been away from her mistress when Elizabeth had told stalked in and told her mother that she had no desire to be a singer and would not be pushed into that role. From all accounts the conversation had gone rapidly downhill and had gotten quite loud. Part of the Guardswoman was very glad she had missed that conversation. Everyone else who had been there had been very careful about what they said around the mistress and that only happened when she was beyond angry.

Cathi liked what she had seen of Elizabeth. The kid was very young, but so bright, so cheerful, so kind and unlike most of the rest of her siblings, not arrogant or close-minded. She was young, true, but even young princesses were not immune to arrogance in Cathi's experience. Elizabeth wasn't that way. Odd, but more than a bit heartening. Cathi had seen many children come and go in the Royal Family since her induction into her mistress' ranks of loyal followers. Her mind shied away from that time. It had not been pleasant and the mistress did not like her probing her past too deeply. She knew her mistress had saved her and that was enough.

But now? Cathi had a duty.

She knew where Elizabeth was. Only an idiot or someone with a death wish assumed that the Royal Guard did not keep tight scrutiny on all of the Royal Family. It was their job. Elizabeth had managed to stymie the scanners somehow yesterday and the day before. More than one Guard had been dressed down for that lapse. She had come to no hurt and indeed, the Emperor had waved the concern aside, saying that the girl had been in less danger where she had been than anywhere else in the palace. Which made no sense, but then again, one did not question the Emperor! He had promised Cathi that Elizabeth would accept her but warned the Guardswoman that it might take a great deal of time to build trust. Cathi understood that completely. She had warded children before and-

She stilled in her Valkyr warframe as the sound of muted sobs came to her sensors. Elizabeth was crying. She stepped into the garden and paused on seeing a grove of trees that had been almost utterly destroyed. This had been a garden, she knew. Eliza's garden. Now? It was a wasteland. Burnt trees, torn up earth, the remains of flowers scattered here and there. Nothing was growing here now. She watched, silent as Elizabeth reached out with her five year old senses and what power she was allowed at her age to touch one of the trees,. The guardswoman stilled further when she realized that Elizabeth was trying to heal it! Such was well beyond the girl's ability. She would hurt herself and that was something that Cathi could not allow. Even if it wasn't her duty to her Emperor and her mistress? Elizabeth was not a bad kid. Just hurting.

"Stop!" Cathi said firmly as she stepped forward. "Princess! No! You cannot fix that with what power you have. You will hurt yourself!"

"Then I will get more power." Elizabeth growled at the warframe, not even looking at Cathi as she focused on her task. "And this time, I will protect what I make from those pricks!"

Cathi fought not to recoil at the girl's vehemence. A profanity? Here? From Elizabeth of all people? Oh, she had to be as furious as her mother was at the moment. Elizabeth was so respectful, so kindhearted that she was seen as weak by her siblings. That was silly, Cathi knew, but no one had ever called many of the inbred fools who inhabited the palace 'smart'. There was a reason the Emperor had so many wives and it had nothing to do with promiscuity. Well, not with this Emperor anyway. Past ones… That was another story, but not germane at the moment.

"I get that you are angry, Princess. I can see why and I do understand." Cathi stepped to where Elizabeth was struggling, trying to get the bark to settle right. Such was far harder than it looked, especially since parts looked as if they had been hacked with a sword. Not an ax, a sword. Such sacrilege. No Tenno did this. She knew who had and if she or any of the Guard had caught him? It would have been both humiliating and messy. "But healing that tree is beyond your ability. Start small, make big."

"If I make something small, then they will step on it!" Elizabeth snapped, fury at this whole messed up situation lashing Cathi who took it and let it pass. "It is what they do!"

"It is all many of your siblings know how to do, yes. Break things and hurt people." Cathi said as he went to her knees beside the clearly furious princess and took the girl's hands in her own. She laid their joined hands on the tree as Elizabeth stared at her. "Not like that. Like this." She guided her internal energy into a pattern that eased Elizabeth's raw ability into a soothing pattern. The girl reacted as if she knew what to do. Odd. She wasn't supposed to be trained in such yet, then again, she was very bright and it wasn't that hard to figure out if one applied oneself. The tree responded, but slow as nature did it its own way. Cathi nodded and knew her smile was in her voice when she spoke. "Well done. Without a great deal more training and power, such healing will not be quick, but the tree will heal, Princess. As will you even from this violation."

Elizabeth stared at the tree and then at her hands. Then she broke down and cried. Cathi just held her hands as sadness, rage and so many other emotions poured down the girl's face in salty waves. Finally, after quite a while, Elizabeth relaxed and pulled a hand free to dash across her face.

"I… Um... Tenno Cathi, right?" Elizabeth asked as she managed to control herself. "I… Um. I assume you are here to take me to punishment?"

"No." Cathi stayed where she was even as a warning chimed across her sensors. Another was approaching. One who she had hoped would stay far away. This would not end well. "That is not my duty."

The Valkyr warframe was on her feet between Elizabeth and the newcomer before he could utter a word. He hand was not on the hilt of her Galatine sword, but it was not far away either. Prince Edward stared at the Tenno and then clearly dismissed her from his thoughts as he smirked at Elizabeth.

"Do you like what I did to the place?" The boy asked as Cathi stiffened. Provoking Elizabeth was a bad idea! Especially right now. The girl still had power in her control and she knew far more about controlling such than most had thought. Even the Guard hadn't known she was so skilled. Healing was hard. Far harder than hurting and Elizabeth had almost been managing it. If she had been able to access more power, there would have been no danger and Cathi would have let her heal the tree! The girl knew what she was doing. More than could be said for her half brother. The boy had more raw power, true, but if Elizabeth lashed out, she could hurt her brother. He didn't seem to realize that. Then again, he was an idiot. A stereotypical bully in so many ways.

"I assumed it was you or one of your cronies. Most of the others would have confiscated it, not destroyed it." Elizabeth's voice was odd. Not angry now. Not sad. A bit resigned and... Cathi stilled. No. She was ready! Elizabeth was going to fight! A five year old against a teen? Utterly unthinkable, but she was about to!As controlled as the girl was? This boy was in for a hell of a shock."You just break things, Edward."

Uh oh. Cathi felt it happen. Elizabeth knew far more about channeling power than anyone had thought. Cathi stilled further as Elizabeth started to pull power from the palace networks! She was delicate about it, so no one would notice for a time if they were not right here. Cathi knew though and knew enough to be very afraid. Little angry girl plus insane amounts of power equaled bad.

"Most of the time, yes." Edward was still clueless! "I think I will claim this place though. It will make a good sparring ground. Maybe a latrine." He smiled at the tree. "That tree will make a good piss pole."

"Over my dead body." Elizabeth's soft words were utterly unlike her. Cathi slowly shook her head. The girl had been pushed too far. And the boy still didn't realize it!

"Elizabeth, no!" Cathi begged as the power flared inside Elizabeth, but she hid it from her brother somehow. "Don't!"

"Listen to the Tenno, you little fool." Edward stepped fully into the garden surveying the area. "Get out of my space."

"Make me." Elizabeth said with a growl that was not like her at all. Why did Edward suddenly flinch? Why did his eyes widen? Too late, he realized just exactly what he had done. He realized, just a hair too slow, that Elizabeth had been pushed too far.

Then it was too late.

Raw golden power surged up around Elizabeth. For a moment, it outlined her entire body, making her hair seem to writhe with the same golden power. Then she threw out a hand and a bolt of pure energy slammed into the shield that Edward raised. Even bullies knew how to defend themselves. Not that it helped him much, because the bolt she hit him with was a decoy! Another bolt tore from the ground behind him and slammed into his unprotected back. He wasn't trained. He had been flushed out of military training for psychological reasons. Any Tenno or even halfway trained Orokin would know to ward from such, but the idiot hadn't had a clue. He had thought to browbeat his much smaller sister into compliance and she was done with that. Golden bolt after golden bolt after golden bolt slammed into him as he retreated, shields flaring all around him but failing as Elizabeth's wrath was given free reign at long last.

"Stop her!" Edward called out to Cathi desperately.

"Why?" Cathi demanded, more than a bit snide. She was enjoying the sight. She was not a nice person sometimes and his type brought out the worst in her. "It is not like she can kill you here." Kill a member of the Royal Family with power in the middle of the Royal Palace? Not a chance. Hurt him badly? Yes. Kill him? No. "You have earned her wrath. Frankly? I am enjoying this. You reap what you sow, bully."

"I command you to stop her!" Edward snapped and Cathi shook her head.

"I do not take orders from you." Cathi replied as Elizabeth drooped, but kept up the barrage. Then the girl straightened, drawing more and more power to strengthen herself and throw at her brother! Cathi stilled and then snarled. Elizabeth was doing far more than was safe for anyone! Even Tenno knew better than to to do such. "Idiot! You should run." She said to Edward who stared at her and then took to his heels, golden energy flaring after him as alarms belatedly started to blare. "Elizabeth, stop! He is gone! He won't hurt your garden again!"

"Yes he will." Elizabeth's voice was a horrible thing. All raspy with power and fear and anger all mixed. Five year old or no, she scared the Guardswoman. The last thing she wanted to do was kill Elizabeth, but if the girl lost control completely, Cathi might have no choice. Such vigilance was the basis of the duty of the Royal Guard. The royal medics could likely resuscitate her in the Palace, but such never did good things for young children. "It is what he does!"

"I won't let him." Cathi said as she took a slow step towards Elizabeth who was clearly fighting for control. The power flow ebbed and faded but she still held so much. Someone had finally cut her access. "Elizabeth? You have to calm down now. This is your place and I accept your claim to it. The Guard will agree with me. We won't let him."

"You… You can't stop him." Elizabeth's voice was more like herself as she slowly regained control. The power faded a little, back in her control. "I… Oh god, what have I done?"

"You defended what is yours. No more." Cathi was there to catch her as the girl collapsed. "Easy, easy." The Valkyr was very careful as she eased the trembling girl to the ground. Such power was not raised or tossed about lightly. If Elizabeth did not release it soon, bad things would happen to her. Cathi would not allow that. "Let the power go back into the network, slow and easy. Easy does it."

She was crooning, trying to calm the girl when a bark behind her threw her over top of Elizabeth. She rolled to her feet in trained reflex and spun as pain flared across her warframe. She saw Edward with a Tigris Prime shotgun in hand. He had shot her! The weapon clearly wasn't modded, since it hadn't hurt her, but it was still a hell of a shock. Even an idiot knew not to attack a Royal Guardswoman! Didn't he? She snarled as he reloaded. Such a crude weapon might work here to kill someone, if she let him. She wouldn't.

"You ignorant little shit! Get out of here!" Cathi screamed as he fired again, but this time, the pellets were caught by golden energy as Elizabeth rose from the ground, bouyed up by suddenly far stronger golden power. Edward's eyes were huge as he fired at Elizabeth this time and the pellets again did nothing but flare against her powerful shields.

"He attacked a Royal Guard." Elizabeth said in a voice that was calm, but not. He reloaded again. "He attacked me. Not with power, but with a weapon that might have worked."

"This place is mine now! Get out of my space, you ignorant little brat!" Edward snapped as he aimed, then screamed as Elizabeth's eyes flashed with golden power and his golden shotgun exploded!

"You call me ignorant?" Elizabeth said very softly as Edward waved his hands, trying to clear the burning fragments off his gloves. "Guardswoman Cathi? This man has attempted murder of a Royal Guard and murder of a Royal Daughter. Do your duty."

"Yes, Princess." Cathi stepped between the two, although it took every ounce of her willpower to turn her back on the incredibly powerful and volatile little girl. Every hair she had was on end as power flared behind her again and again. Elizabeth was in trouble, but if this idiot tried again, so was he and maybe everyone in the area if Elizabeth lost control of as much power she now held! Edward drew a Sicarus Prime pistol from somewhere and Cathi shook her head. "Don't be even more of a fool, Prince Edward. You have no chance against me. Stand down or get hurt. Your choice. You will face your Father for this."

The cold scorn in her voice had the boy recoiling, but like any bully, he reacted as all of them did when thwarted. He aimed, not at her, but at Elizabeth! Cathi had seen enough. A crack and her Ripline sliced out to grab his pistol from his hand. It flew to hers. She unloaded it carefully and then glared at the now ashen faced boy.

"Stand down! Now!" Cathi snarled and the boy recoiled further. "If you draw another weapon, I will hurt you and I will enjoy it." She took a step towards him and he all but stumbled away from her. "What is the matter, bully? Not so easy to scare someone who isn't half your size, is it? Please give me an excuse to hurt you! Please!"

The door that led out out of the garden and into the Palace hissed open and half a dozen golden warframes surged into view, Royal Guard answering the alarm. Cathi sent a data burst to them, explaining the situation before the boy could open his mouth. All of them radiated shock and rage as soon as they read her data. He opened his mouth, but she beat him to speech.

"Prince Edward, you are under arrest for attempted theft and committed vandalism of Royal property as well as attempted murder of a Royal Guardswoman and Princess Elizabeth." Cathi said into sudden utter silence. The last two were capital crimes even for members of the Royal Family. "Get him out of here before Elizabeth gives in to her anger! Let me try to calm her down, then I can give a statement." She said sadly as she looked at where Elizabeth stood, still glowing golden. "Elizabeth..." She pleaded as she stepped towards the girl. "Let it go, girl. Let it go. He is in custody." Indeed, she could hear a scuffle behind her as Edward was dragged from the garden. She had no doubt that the Royal Guard would be utterly professional. That did not mean they had to be gentle. "No matter who birthed him, the Emperor cannot overlook this. Not with so many official witnesses."

"I..." Elizabeth shook her head. "I... I don't know how to let this much go safely."

"I do." Cathi stepped up to the radiating Princess and slowly, carefully laid a hand on Elizabeth's arm. It hurt, but she was no stranger to pain. "Let me help. My duty is to protect you now and I will do my duty."

"What?" Elizabeth asked, confused as the power that was flaring in her faded under Cathi's ministrations. "What do you mean?"

"I was sent to protect you and I am glad I was here." Cathi said gently as Elizabeth's power faded further. "I shudder to think what that murderous fool would have done if you had thwarted him without an official witness here."

"You are my mother's guard." Elizabeth said weakly. "Not mine."

"The Emperor ordered me to protect you." Cathi said quietly. "I obey my orders. Like I say, I am glad I was here."

"What? No." Elizabeth shook her head. "I..."

Then she screamed. That was the only warning Cathi had before raw golden power flew around her again, drawn back by her emotions, but uncontrolled. There was only one thing to do as the portal that yawned in back of her gaped wide and pulled her towards it despite her frantic struggles. Cathi grabbed Elizabeth and held her tight as they were both pulled into it. Then Cathi screamed as the girl lashed out at her, clearly thinking herself under attack. Then the Guardswoman was falling.

So…

Slowly…

Was it her imagination that more than one voice screamed with her? Not all were human voices, if so.

Then she knew no more.