"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 XXI…
Ministerial (junior) apartments…Minister Ping's room…
Ping standing on low chair as Penny drapes ceremonial robes, fixing at various points with metal brooches…Stepping back occasionally to eye the effect…
Hmmn…She cocked head.
Ping raising hand ceremonially in gesture of supplication…
"And so, your Royal Highnesses…In the words…" ("Hold it…" Penny grabbed at a fold, pulling… "Ok…) "…of that famed philosopher of the Greeks, Plato… (Giggle…) "What?" ("Your guy has the same name as the Imperial mascot at the Imperial Californian Park of the Duke of Disney…?") "No…That's Pluto, the philosopher is Plato…" ("Sorry…Ok, wait…" she put up a hand, sighing. "You should have let me get the imperial hair stylist in here last night." She shook her head… "Hold still, Ping!...Ok, go on…With Philosopher Pluto…" giggle) "Plato…" miffed tone. "In the words of Plato, your Highnesses…" ("Don't lose your heads over Sheldon…" Penny, grinning…) "Hey…I've been working like crazy to get all this into one cogent argument…You could be a little more supportive…" he frowned.
"Sorry…I be good…" grin…
A tinny gong…Six clangs…
"Look at the time…" he eyed her. "And we need to get over to the manumission office by eight."
"We could do that later, it's not important…" she shrugged, peering at him… "Hold still and let me snip that thread…"
"Not important…Thanks…" As she cut the bit of thread loose… "Penny? We're talking about your freedom…"
"I can be freed any business day…" she waved a hand…
"But I could be dead by tomorrow… I want you free and set. And properly named in my will as…What?" he eyed her…
Oh…
Right…He sighed…As she began sobbing…
"Brilliant, Ping…Brillliant…" he shook his head, climbing down to her…Taking her in his arms…
"Penny…I'm sure I won't die tonight or tomorrow…I just want to be sure you'll be cared for. This is just precautionary. I don't wanna take any chances with you." He eyed her.
She staring back…
He hugged her. "I'll be fine, we'll be fine, the princesses will be fine…Turandot will be whatever he wants, being Prince Turandot…"
"The princesses…Who probably tried to have you killed last night…" she growled…
"We don't know ordered that…It might have been their advisors…They could have been mercenaries…Look." He smiled at her, pulling up to face her… "I just want to do all I can to be sure you're safe…Because I love you. Now, I just need to go coordinate with the fellas and we're off to get you freed, officially. Because in my heart…You are free, always." He beamed. "I just hope you'll choose not to fly away, free bird." He rose and started out as she stared after him…
"Shoes!" she cried…Picking them up.
"Right, right…" he halted lifting a foot at a time for her…
All I can do to keep you safe…She stared as he went out…
Everything and anything…
…
"Mom…" Turandot sighed…As the Dowager Mary eyed him, waving for the half-dozen servants attending to adjust his Royal sash and turban…
"Shelly…I want you to look your best for these ladies…They're putting their lives at risk for you, the least you can do is show a little appreciation."
"I'd appreciate it more if they'd just go home…" he sighed. "I don't want them risking their lives…I know the girl I want, she's waiting for me to find her. Mom, I can't go through another execution, even if it means offending Dad's spirit and breaking the laws."
"Sheldon Lee Turandot…" Mary frowned. "You know what Duty is? What Responsibility is?"
"I know, I know…" Turandot sighed. "But this whole trials thing is insane…These girls don't love me, they want California…Or their governments do…"
"And you think your daddy didn't know that? Now he set this up so instead of your childhood being one long war against the other powers, they'd all take their chance at winning it all peacefully…And hasn't that worked out pretty well so far for the people here and in their countries."
"A 110 girls, Mom…And by tonight, maybe two more…People think I'm a maniac…I keep getting anonymous hate mail… 'Nero' one called me…Though that's inaccurate historically…He killed his mother as well as his wives."
"Honey…" Mary sighed, waving for the servants to hold off and step out a moment… "Life is hard. Rulin' an empire is hard. The gods don't make it easy, else it wouldn't be worth doing. Shelly, I don't like to see you havin' to stand by, taking the blame, while these girls get those pretty heads chopped off…But they could go home, as you say…Some do quit…And 110 dead ambitious princesses without the good sense to take our offers of suitor protection is a heck of a lot better than a million innocent people on both sides, plus famine and plague victims…Isn't it?"
Sigh… "I guess so…"
"It won't have to be much longer…You're ready to rule on your own…And one day…Maybe today…One of these girls…A damned lucky and clever one…Is bound to figure out the riddles and then…The prize I've been waiting for…" she beamed…
"Grandchildren!…"
But Mom…I don't want to marry anyone…Except…If I could just find her again…"
"Sheldon…You have been going on and on about that mysterious girl you saw since you were a boy…" Mary shook her head. "She's never come in to do the Trials, we've never found her in any of the Who Who's Among Royals…Maybe she's not even a princess…"
"I wouldn't care…She could be a serving girl for all I care…" he waved a hand.
Several of the servants listening, perking up ears…
Hmmn…
"Very democratic…But this isn't Athens, honey." Mary frowned.
"Dad wasn't royal…" Sheldon noted.
"Well, it's different for men…And he more than proved his worth in battle and bloody conquest." Mary noted. "Sometimes the royalty is hidden, just waiting to be found."
"Well, maybe that's true of my beloved…" Sheldon noted.
Yes, yes…One ecstatic, perhaps overly romantic, serving girl listening outside with the others, breathed…
"And Daddy was a bit rough, Mom…" Turandot sighed. "He really hurt you at times…Not very royal behavior if you ask me."
"Your daddy had a hard life, Shelly…But deep down…Very deep down…Under the bloody conqueror…Maybe before all the betrayals and ambushes and attempted assassinations…He was a good man. And I did love him."
"And ran off with him…" Turandot smiled at her wry look… "Well, can't you let me choose my own…?"
"Honey…" Mary sighed. "I just wish I could make you understand…I'm trying to…"
Knock heard from the apartments' main door…
A servant ran in…
"Majesty, Highness…" he bowed. "Minister Gablehauser begs leave to be granted entrance…"
"Sure…Mom?" Turandot eyed her…
"Fine…" she nodded, frowning…
Gablehauser, striding in but maintaining a deferential air…
"Empress Mary…Your Highness…" he halted, bowing low…
"Minister…" Sheldon nodded.
"Gablehauser…" Mary, curtly…
"I've come to tell you the Princesses are assembling to go to the Hall for the Procession…All three…"
"Three?" Sheldon blinked… "I was told it was two…"
"A third candidate presented herself…Anonymously…Giving no state or name…" Gablehauser sighed. "Which is permissible under the terms set by your father's will…"
"Odd thing that quirky mind of Dad's…" Turandot sighed. "Why he'd go to such trouble to insure royal princesses present themselves from all over and then leave a clause that any girl who could prove herself of royal blood could do the thing anonymously, I'll never know."
"She is royal…?" Mary eyed Gablehauser…
"She bears a royal crest on her arms…" he noted… "Actually quite an unusual one…A very old own of a branch of your own house, Empress…The one which split off to form the Fowler dynasty, centuries ago."
"The Fowlers." Mary blanched, rising…
"A Fowler?" Turandot stared.
"Unlikely that she's a recent member of the House, they were all put to death by order of His Excellency, your sainted father, George I…For uh, treason…Of course." Thin smile.
"Why weren't we informed, Gablehauser?!" Mary, furious… "This woman comes to take revenge for her family and you do nothing?"
"Mom…" Turandot put up a hand…
"A thousand pardons, Empress…But the girl only arrived last evening to put her name in at the last moment…"
"She ought to be arrested…Shelly…" Mary reluctantly resumed a seath, shaking her head. "I know George may have done her family some wrong but…"
"We've no proof she is a traitor or an assassin, Empress…"Gablehauser sighed. "We must proceed legally…And she has immunity as a candidate unless she commits a clear act of treason…"
"Stupid, I call it…" Mary glared. "Waitin' for this girl to come and kill my baby…I'll speak to her…" she rose…
"Mom…She must be very brave to come all alone, anonymously…" Sheldon noted. "And she must know a Fowler descendant would be suspect…"
"Brave enough to try and kill you…" Mary turned.
"Wait, Mom…" Sheldon urged. "Minister, has she been examined by Minister Hofstadter?"
"The examination was performed as required, Highness…" Gablehauser nodded. "Minister Hofstadter ruled her sane…Relatively speaking…And eligible to participate."
"I want to see this girl…" Mary insisted. "Let her have a crack at me."
"Does she seem dangerous to you, Minister?" Turandot eyed Gablehauser…Who shrugged.
"No more than the others, Highness…Yet she is very brave and quite handy with sword from what I've been told."
"Really…" Sheldon beamed. "I like a girl who can handle a little swordplay…Even if I suck at it, generally. I'd like to see her in action."
"Shelly…" Mary pouted… "This girl probably would like nothing better than to show you the cutting edge of her sword. Gablehauser, if we can't arrest her on charges of possible endangerment, I at least want to interview her myself…"
"You do give the benediction to the candidates at the Procession's start, Empress…" Gablehauser noted. "That would be a good time to briefly meet with her…Though you mustn't show her excessive attention…The other candidates might interpret that as favoritism."
"Not when I'm through with her…" Mary glared.
"Mom…" Turandot sighed…
"And you, boy…Will not be there…" she eyed him.
"Mom…"
"Shelly…"
….
Pasadena Imperial Registry of California, Office of Manumissions…
"Well…" Pang beamed, eyeing himself in his ceremonial robes in the metal panels lining the office…Beaming to the others…A nervous Penny, a Ping trying to control his trembling, Pong and Suzi behind them, and Lilly, beside him…
"Looking good, dudes…" he grinned…
"Don't fuss…You'll ruin my stitching…" Lilly frowned at him…Licking a finger and smoothing a wrinkle…
"What a nice idea to start off our new careers with a new life…" Pang continued. "I just hope you won't run off the moment you get those papers in your gown folds, Penny…Madame Penny, of the Hofstadters, if I may be the first to use the title…"
"Thank you…Master Pang…" Penny beamed, shyly.
"No more 'Master' anybody for you kid, in just a few…" Pang grinned. "And it couldn't happen to a nicer slave girl…Except…" he grinned at the fussing Lilly…
"What do you say, Lilly…Care to have the chance to tell me to go soak my head and not lose yours?" he eyed her.
She stared, startled…
"I know you're already free…" he whispered… "But, you know…Just…"
"Master Pang?..." she shook her head. "I'm so grateful…Oh!" she embraced him…
The stitches, Lil'…he eyed her…
"I can fix 'em…And…Really…I am…Pang…" she hissed.
"And if you don't mind marrying this ugly puss, since a free girl really needs a steady income…" Pang smiled…
"Grab him…He's loaded…" Pong stage whispered. "You can always sell him somewhere later…"
"I'll keep that in mind…" Lilly beamed… "Yeah, thanks…I always liked Indian food."
"Good a reason as any…" Pang grinned, kissing her…
"I just wanna note that I did ask Penny first, last night…Technically…" Ping insisted. "I did, right?" he looked at her…
"Yeah…" she nodded, teary-eyed.
"People disposing of their property like there's no tomorrow…" Pong shook head to Suzi… "Do you believe it? Two perfectly good slaves freed while there's still plenty of mileage on them?"
"I know that won't be happening in the Wolowitz-Rostenkowski household…" Suzi shook head…
"Suzi's Polish by ancestry…" Pong explained to Ping's stare… Rosten…what?
"No problem for about 600 years yet…" Pong smiled. "So…You gonna show them the ring, honey…?"
"Didn't want to gloat till I was sure things would work out for them." She beamed…Raising hand, removing glove.
"I made it yesterday at the Metalworks…We sent out for the manumission papers and a rabbi…And a druid priest for her family…" Pong beamed. "Yeah, last night was our wedding night…"
Stunned looks…
"It was a little rushed, but…We knew…" Suzi beamed.
"And when you know…You know…" Pong nodded.
"Pong, you dawg you…!" Ping clapped him on the back…
"We didn't want to jinx things for you guys..." Pong noted. "We'll do a big ceremony after I buy Suzi's father free up in the north. Assuming he's willing to attend the wedding of his daughter to a nice Judean boy… "
"Congratulations!" Penny, eagerly… "This is so great…"
"We ought, if we live…Do a big joint ceremony tomorrow…" Pang noted, happily.
"Pang…" Ping frowned.
"Just being realistic, dude…Life is brutish, nasty, and short in these times for most…Any happiness we get offered we should grab." Pang eyed the others. "I don't mean to put a damper on things…Just to say…As Pong taught me… 'L'chaim'…To life."
The others stared…
"Yeah…" Penny, nodding… "'L'chaim', Pang!"
And anything we can do to extend it…She eyed Ping.
"Hey, you mind moving it along, folks…?" a tall, hugely-muscled fellow with slight, lovely girl in tow eyed them… "I've got my Irani here to free and we've a ship back to Egypt to catch with the tide." He beamed at his companion.
"Romans…Very pushy types…" Ping shrugged to Penny as they moved along to the bored manumissions office clerk who pushed a register for them to sign.
"Yeah…Ping?" she sighed as they walked to a corner to wait for Pang and Lilly, Pong and Suzi busily discussing today's operations off to one side...Ping eagerly smoothing out and eyeing the manumission transcript.
"Penny, look…You're free!" he beamed… "Free at last…Thank the gods almighty…"
"Yeah…Wonderful…" she nodded… "Ping? You remember last night when I asked you to trust me?" Penny eyed Ping.
"Yeah…" he looked at her earnest face…
….