"Prince Turandot…"
Summary: Can the courageous Princess Amy unfreeze the icy heart of the cruel Prince Sheldon Turandot? Well, she's giving it her all…In song as well as deed.
Disclaimer: What's Chuck's is Chuck's…No infringement intended…
Part X…
The Prince after offering effusive thanks for the best meal he'd had in years, had made his elusive way back to his apartments…Ping, Pang, Pong, Suzi, and Penny left to contemplate the amazing event.
"You know…He really does seem to be kinda sweet under that statuesque Princely image…" Penny noted.
"Poor guy, a prisoner of his own protocol…" Ping sighed.
"Well, it is a bit harder on his suitors…" Penny eyed him.
Uh…She cast down eyes at his look…
"No offense intended, Lord Minister…"
"No, you're right…" Ping shook his head. "I was just remember that starting tomorrow we have to be the instruments of their fates, poor kids."
"Yeah…" Pong blinked. "I'd forgotten about that…One of us is likely to have to hack off a girl or two's head or heads tomorrow."
"I think I'll call in sick…" Pang, hastily. "French food probably doesn't agree with me…"
"Oh, no, you don't…" Pong frowned. "No way are you sticking us with this job alone…If we hafta do this, we do in together…"
"Dude?" Pang blanched… "Do you get what a mess that would make, us all chopping at once. Are we ritually and ceremonially executing or hacking the poor things to bits?"
Suzi and Penny, distressed looks… Penny, particularly…
"We're not hacking anyone…" Ping insisted. "Now, listen…We're gonna do our best to persuade the ladies to turn around and go home…All it takes is a little good persuasive effort…A little creativity. After all, it's a long walk to that gong…"
"And we are very creative…" Pong nodded. "So what's your idea….Instill a little pure terror…?"
"Oooh…" Pang, beaming… "I could see us making that Hall very creepy…A real haunted house of death…"
"Well, we can try several approaches…The Prince, after all, doesn't want the girls killed or even hurt…I'm sure he'd be open to letting us try just about anything to drive them away." Ping noted. "Really, I think he chose us because he thought we'd be up to the job of saving these kids."
"Oh, Ping…" Penny beamed…
Uh… "Oh, Minister Ping, Lord and Master…" she corrected…Bowing…
"You really are a good man…" she smiled at him from the bow…
"Well, we do have a three way approach…The input of three great cultures…Judea, India, California…" Pong noted. "And we are natural philosophers by training…The cutting edge of modern Science, backed by a knowledge of all other learning. If anyone can find a way out for these girls, we can."
Suzi beaming at him, he blushed…
"There are a lot of options…" Pang nodded. "Bribery is a time-honored way to go…And you're right, Ping, the Prince will no doubt support anything we do that gets the princesses safely on their way home…"
"Well…Bribery hasn't really worked to date…That I know of…" Ping frowned.
"That's because you Californians…No offense…Are cheapsakes…" Pang shrugged. "Leave it to an Indian, son of a fabulously wealthy maharaja…I'll show you boys how it's properly done." Beam.
"Terrific…" Pong nodded. "And I'll prepare strategy two…Sheer terror…With a few engineered marvels, I'll make that hallway march the nightmare it oughta be…Their blood will run cold, their flesh will rip from their quaking bones and run off…"
"Pong…We don't wanna kill them with fright, you know…" Ping noted.
"Eh, no one dies of fright…That's only in the theater…" Pong shrugged. "But I'll get them ready to take the first caravan home."
"Great…And I'll use my own special talent…" Ping beamed.
Pang, Pong, Suzi, Penny eyeing him…
"Sweet and irrefutable reason…" he frowned. "I'll give those poor girls the finest and best reasoned arguments to give this nonsense up the world's ever heard. Socrates will be hanging it up after I'm done."
"Yeah…" Pong nodded… "Well, anyway we'll have two excellent chances and maybe the girls will appreciate your sincerity."
"Ok, then, dudes…" Pang grinned, rubbing hands… "Lets get cracking…I'll go and see what the imperial treasury has to offer in the way of priceless jewels, gold, stock options…You boys'll no doubt wanna get right down to it as well, eh?"
"Uh…" Pong, eyeing the demurely smiling Suzi in her robes, somewhat avoiding his glance… "Yeah, I'll get right to my books here…Then hit the imperial metalworks and supply stores."
"Terrific…" Pang beamed…
"Yeah…" Ping, glancing at Penny who smiled back… "I'll hit the books too…See what I have here and then maybe the Law Library for me…And my assistant, here…" smile to Penny…
"That's the spirit, fellas…" Pang nodded. "Ok, then…Lets meet here for dinner at six?"
"Oh, sounds good…" Pong nodded. Wink to Suzi…
"That's a plan, Pang." Ping, sidelong glance to Penny…Who gave wry smile.
"I just hope the Prince hasn't gone and given the Crown Jewels away…" Pang noted, heading off…
"If he just had, our problems would be solved…" Pong grinned to Suzi…Who blushed.
"Suzi?" Ping eyed her… "Can you tell that girl, the one who Pang liked, that he'll need her assistance in the Treasury…?"
"Sure, Master Ping…" Suzi rose, smiling… "That's really sweet of you…" she beamed.
"Everyone oughta be happy…" Ping shrugged. "That's my philosophy."
"Just make it quick, Suzi…" Pong frowned at Ping… "Cause I'd like to be happy too."
"So long as…" Penny eyed him…Glance to the departing Suzi…
Uh… "…So long as you're happy too…!" he called after Suzi, taking sternly urged hint.
"You're good." Pong eyed Penny. She giving demure smile
"Isn't she?" Ping nodded. "Now as to our…'researches' in my room…"
"I think we'd best go to the Law Library, Master." Penny, curtly. "We can get a lot more… work…Done there. Lives being at stake here."
"She is good…" Pong grinned at Ping.
…
The vast halls of the Imperial Californian Library of Pasadena, famed throughout the world as a contender with Alexandria for greatest collection of manuscripts…The legal section here at least winning by a hair…
"So you say that it says here…That 'the whole Universe was in a hot, dense state…Then maybe tens or hundreds of thousands of years ago…'" Penny eyed Ping as they sat on a bench before a long table of on which a scroll had been rolled out…
Giving stare as several nobles and staff passed, eyeing the lovely girl engaged in study with the new junior Minister…
Ya want something, pal?…We're workin' here if ya don't mind, lord?... Brief look.
"Maybe millions…Though some of the priests say that's blasphemy…" Ping nodded…
"…Yeah but 'expansion started…' Wait… So the Earth 'began to cool'?...Why was it hot?"
"Well, 'hot,dense state', remember?" Ping, patiently…
"Ok, right…" Penny nodded. "Ok, the Earth began to cool…And 'autotrophs'? What the frack are they?...Sorry, what?…" at several frowning faces turned their way…
"No problem…" Ping put up a hand… "But, this is a library…We're supposed to be quiet."
"Oh. Right, sorry…Sorry…" she eyed the frowns.
"Bunch of real old fogeys' hangout…" she hissed to Ping.
"Yeah, and me one…" wry grin… "Sorry you're bored."
"No…" she insisted. "Not at all…I didn't mean that. This is very interesting. Though I'm not sure how it works about persuading the princesses to give it up, Turandot questwise."
"It's just part of the argument that the Universe is a big place, around a long time…And not getting the Prince's hand is relatively small potatoes…" he explained.
"Ah…" she nodded.
"You don't think much of the argument…" he eyed her.
"Well…I really found the history of the Universe thing interesting…And I do want to know about those autotroph things…But…" she gave an embarrassed shrug. "Maybe just a little long-winded…? I mean to young princesses not well educated in philosophy."
Hmmn… "Well, I figured they would be…" Ping sighed. "But maybe you're right…"
"Sometimes, Master Ping…" she noted solemnly… "Short and sweet, cut to the chase? …Especially considering what's the likely end result for these poor girls here…Is the best argument."
"I suppose. But they already know the 'you'll probably get your head cut off' one." He noted.
"Somewhere in between, maybe?" she suggested.
"I guess…" sigh. "You know it's nice of you to be so concerned for these princesses..." Ping smiled at the girl who gave nervous grin back. "I doubt many of them would worry about you so much."
"Well, maybe not…But some royals have been nice to me, personally…And the Prince really does seem to want to avoid killing these girls…And he seems nice."
"He does, doesn't he?" Ping nodded. "I think things will be better when he comes to take the throne as Emperor. I hope so, anyhow. Be nice to see some reform…Pang, Pong, and I even have a few ideas, if we get the Emperor's ear once he's crowned and can do what he likes."
"Oh?"
"Yeah…In fact…I know this is radical but I'd like to see slavery ended. Everybody free…Wouldn't that be great?"
Penny stared. "Everybody free to what, starve?"
"Well…" Ping blinked. "I thought of all people, you'd like to be free…With rights."
"If I had money and lands, sure… Master, I don't mean to be critical, you're the kindest of men, but my parents were freeborn and they starved to death…Poor and free in Imperial California means grubbing for any work you can get and living in a hovel if you're lucky unless you have land. And usually the land gets taken by one of the powerful lords." Penny noted. "Freeborn rights don't mean diddly-squat without power to protect them. I may not love being a slave but with a good place like the imperial kitchens, I'll never starve, I can save a little tip money for my old age and perhaps to buy myself free when the time is right, and now…"
Ummn…She looked away…
"That is, if I do please you, Master Ping…?"
"What?"
"That is…If you would care to keep me as your servant…" she eyed him… "If I please you…"
"Yes…Oh, you do…Very much, yes…Please…I mean…I accept…Or whatever I should do…" Ping, eagerly.
"I am pleased that you find me worthy, Master…" she bowed head. "But just say, you've decided to request me officially…As your concubine." she hissed.
"Uh…Yeah…Ummn…I've decided to request you officially as my…Uh…concubine." Ping eyed her.
"I am humbly grateful, Master." She bowed head again. "May I…?" she came close…
Hmmn…? He stared.
"It's traditional to seal the arrangement with a kiss…" she smiled.
"I'm a big, big fan of tradition…" he noted…As she kissed him.
"Of course, if we could make you a senior Minister and persuade the Emperor Turandot to provide lands for the poor freeborn…And laws to protect them. That could make quite a difference." She noted, smiling.
"Just your devoted concubine's loving suggestion, Master…"
"And a good one…" he smiled… "I think I've made a very wise decision in taking on my new concubine."
"You are the wisest of men, sir. Now, back to work…Eh, Master?" she smiled at him.
"I see I've taken on a slave driver…" grin…
"I kept my section hummin'…" Penny smiled. Ummn… "Master? Have you ever considered one other possibility?"
"Hmmn?"
"I mean…Say, finding a girl, a princess, natch, who could actually solve the riddles?" she eyed him.
"Maybe even…If she seemed really, truly worthy…Help her a bit…?"
He blanched, staring…
"I knew this was too good to be true." He shook his head at her.
"Come on, we'd be talk outside…We're attracting attention." He rose, she following hastily…
In the courtyard, outside the Imperial Law Library, he looked round, pausing by a fountain…
No one in sight…
"Master?" anxiously. "I didn't mean to suggest…"
"Are you a spy or what?" he hissed…
"Ping…" she gasped. "Uh, Master…Ping…I…"
"It's death to 'help' any suitor with the riddles…High treason…We all swore an oath this morning." He frowned. "Were you sent to test me?"
"No…Hey…No…" she insisted.
He regarded her pleading face a long moment…
"Sorry…I don't mean to doubt you, Penny. It's just…Here at Court, I can't even trust my own mother. As Father learned the hard way when she plotted against him…And it's not just my life on the line."
"I'm so sorry, Master…Ping…Please…You can trust me, I would die for you."
He sighed… "There's been enough of that already…Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment or don't believe you, Penny but there are over 100 heads of poor young women in the Suitors' Approach testifying to a willingness to die for love. Love of country, even a few they say really did love or thought they loved, Sheldon…Penny…I'd much rather have a girl live for me." Wan smile.
Whoa…Penny stared…Knees buckling a little…
"Is it permitted to say I love you…Ping…?" she looked at him. "And I'd be very happy to live for you."
"It is permitted, Penny…And I love you, too…Penny." He kissed her.
…..
The Imperial Metalworks…
Where Pong had been joined by Suzi in his efforts to consider ways of terrorizing the suitor candidates…For their own good as well as our amusement, he'd joked to her beaming grin…
"Now…What would terrify you into giving up a shot at one of the largest empires on Earth?" he asked her as she looked over the collection of weapons, tools, house hold implements…And Pong's favorites, the mechanical devices specially created for the Prince…Clocks, mechanical automations both in human and animal form, complex calculating machines…
"Well, Master…" Suzi brushed long hair back. "I think anything that seemed likely to disfigure would have my vote."
"Really? Disfigurement over outright killing?"
"It's one thing to die nobly for your country…Since I understand quite a few of the ladies' fathers…And mothers would put them to death for failure anyway…" sigh.
"Tough job, politics…" Pong agreed…
"…But to be a royal princess and have to face life with your looks marred? Never a good candidate for matrimony…Not likely to be considered glam material for PR purposes…Hard to even inherit a throne under those conditions…" she shrugged. "And then what does a princess do? Become a spinster or a nun? Care for the royal children of the sis who now gets her throne?"
"God, I hope a girl with the opportunities of a princess could come up with better than that? Why not scholarship or writing…Memoirs and history…Some princesses have done that, you know."
"If they can get published. You keep Dad or Mom from annexing California, you aren't likely to be published." She eyed Pong.
"True enough…"
"It's hard enough even for an anonymous writer to break into the market these days…A princess or top level noblewoman…Please…" Suzi shook head. "Though writing is a great creative act." Shy smile…
"Oh, ho…" Pong grinned. "Dare I suspect my friend is a budding writer…?"
"A little poetry…Some fairy tales and short stories…On my off time…" Suzi shrugged.
"Published?"
"Just a couple of my better poems…In the court annals…Anonymously…"
Well, when can I see?" he urged. "I'd love to have a gander, if you'd allow."
"If you command…Master…" she bowed.
"I don't command, I ask…If you want to…" smile.
"That would be nice…" she nodded. Hmmn…She looked over the pile…Eyeing him…
"Perhaps, Master…?"
"Right…" he sighed… Looking over the mechanical instruments… "Disfigurement, eh?"
"I'd say it's a winner…That and sheer surprise…" she beamed.
"I just hope we can pull this off…" he sighed. "I don't want to start hacking girls' heads off…"
"You're a good man, Master Pong…" she patted him. "I'm honored you chose me to accompany you today. I'm sure you're going to be a great minister and have a long career at court."
"Thanks… But I'm not sure I'm sure I'm really cut out for the Ministerial thing…I'm more a hands-on type, I like to work with things…Not so good with people, to be frank."
"Nonsence, Pong…Er, Master Pong…" she corrected hastily. "You have something most of the ministers here at Court lack…You care about people, which is why you're trying to save these poor women. Sir…I believe in you…"
Suzi: ("I believe in you")
"Yes, there's that face…" beam…
"That face that somehow I trust.
It may embarrass you to hear me say it,
But say it I must, say it I must:
You have the cool, clear
Eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth;
Yet there's that up-turned chin
And that grin of impetuous youth.
Oh, I believe in you.
I believe in you.
I hear the sound of good, solid judgment
Whenever you proclaim;
Yet there's the bold, brave spring of the tiger
That quickens your frame.
Oh, I believe in you.
I believe in you.
And when my faith in my fellow man
All but falls apart,
I've but to imagine your hand grasping mine
And I take heart; I take heart…"
Pong: "You do?"
She takes Pong's hand with confident grip…As he stares…She pulling him along in dance…
"To see the cool, clear
Eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth;
Yet, with the slam-bang tang
Reminiscent of gin and vermouth." Beam…
"Oh, I believe in you.
I believe in you."
She paused…
"We can do this, Master Minister Pong…" calmly confident stare…
"I almost think…" Pong paused. "Suzi…You're wonderful…I believe we can, too."
Pong:
"I hear the sound of good, solid judgment
Whenever you proclaim;
Yet there's the bold, brave spring of the lovely tiger
That quickens your frame."
Suzi, shy beam…
"Oh, I believe in you.
I believe in you."
"Minister? You want something?" the foreman of the metalworks had come over…
"You bet he does!" Suzi, triumphant. "Every man and woman you got, on the factory floor in ten!"
"What my new concubine says!" Pong agreed.
"That is, if you…?" he eyed her…
Chorus: Pong and Suzi:
"To see the cool, clear
Eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth;
Yet, with the slam-bang tang
Reminiscent of gin and vermouth." Beam…
"Oh, I believe in you.
I believe in you."
…..
The courtyard by the Imperial Law Library…
"I'm sorry, I really wasn't thinking…" Penny gave sheepish look.
"You were thinking of those poor girls…" Ping nodded. "And you're right, we've got to find a way…Back to the books…"
"Yes…" she nodded…Hesitant… "But…"
"What?"
"Even if we drive them off tomorrow, there's sure to be more the next day and the next…They keep coming no matter what, Ping…Master Ping…"
"I like it just Ping…That's a command, concubine Penny." Smile.
"Ping…" she said, delicately… "I like that too…" wan smile… "But, unless we find a once and for all way to end this…"
"I know…" Ping sighed. "The thought has occurred to me…"
"If only there were a girl…A princess out there, meant for Turandot…One who could solve the riddles and win his heart…Maybe one who's already won it…" she eyed him.
"He mentioned someone, at lunch…" she noted.
"Someone he saw once…Hasn't seen in years and barely remembers…Maybe a dream…" Ping shrugged.
"All I had was a dream before I saw you…" Penny smiled. He returning smile…
"But suppose there was someone…And somehow, without knowing it, he's loved her…And loved her…Enough…" she eyed him.
"You mean…Enough to break his own father's laws?" he returned stare.
"That would be true love, right?" She noted with roguish smile.