"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 XXXVI…
Midmorning tea ended, the entrance of the Third Hall of the Suitors' Approach loomed before the three princesses and their companions…
Outside the Great Halls Complex, the crowd waited for news…
And such a desire being an opportunity…The Imperial media was, as always, rising to the occasion…
"And ladies and gentlemen we are back with our coverage of the 157th procession through the Halls of the Suitors' Approach where our three candidates for the hand and heart of our glorious young prince are now about to enter the third great hall, where if history remains true, most of those who have chosen to give up their quest have made their decision to turn back, giving this majestic hall the earned name of 'The Heart-Breaker'. And here with us now, to give us some idea of what our gallant ladies are about to face are our distinguished guests, Anicius of Tyre, architect and designer of the Halls complex… And former princess candidate, visiting California on a goodwill tour, Princess Mary of England… Your Highness, I'll start with you, if I may and please accept our deepest thanks for joining us today as well as our best wishes for a successful tour of our Empire. I'm sure all California joins us here in welcoming you back to our shores, as well as being pleased to see you safe and sound."
"Newsreader Tycho…It is a pleasure to be back again in fair California. We bring the good wishes of the peoples of all Britain and Ireland and our conquests in France." Gracious nod.
"Indeed…And may your gracious Highness know nothing but the warmth and friendliness of the Californian people. And in noting that, let me take the chance to note that this segment of the coverage of the 157th Procession of the Suitors' Approach to the Gong of Destiny is sponsored by the Imperial Californian Office of Tourism… For California, as you know, means friendship. Make your next caravan destination, California. Well, your Highness…Back again, as an observer, this time. How does it feel to be here, with the crowd, on this most noble occasion?"
"Most exciting, Master Tycho…One feels the enthusiasm of the warmhearted Californian people…" Mary smiled regally, nodding, wave to the cheering crowds. Huzzah, huzzah…
"And quite the relief not to face that rather long and intimidating march this time, I'm sure…" the newsreader beamed. "Though we all truly regret that you felt England required you more and I'm certain you would have graced our throne as Empress."
Slight woodenness in returned smile… "Yes, sadly the change of regime following my uncle's death and the need for reassurance during the succession required my deferring my own effort…But I feel sure your Prince will soon be graced with a mate he deserves…Richly." Slight gleam in eyes…
May I live to see her cut his maniacal throat…
"But you did follow the Procession through to the very last Hall and had a chance to witness the entire ceremony and naturally therefore, Highness, we're all eager to have your view of what must be happening in the third Hall right now…?"
"Well…"
Must I relive that unending nightmare?
But we're here for trade and good relations…And anything that will keep me on track to marry the French Dauphin and never be ordered to attempt this insanity again… "As I recall, things got a bit…Exciting…Just about this time, on entering the Third Hall…"
Back in the days of that lisping psychotic Kripke and his band of sadists…These bitches have it easy by comparison if those new Guardians are as sweetly wussy as they seemed.
"AnIcius? What can you tell us that makes the 'Heart-Breaker' worthy of its famed nickname?"
"Well, Newsreader Tycho, you see…This hall, which bears the official name of the Hall of the Minotaur, is a labyrinth…Modeled after the famous Grecian tale." Anicius noted. "And I'm sure the Princess here can testify to the rather exciting, even, stressful, effect that such a structure, in the middle of the Procession, accompanied by the actions of the Guardians, can have on the candidates."
"Highness?" the newsreader, eagerly beaming…
Oh, God…The horror…Mary blinked at the hideous memory…
"Yes…It was quite…Exciting…" she eyed the content Anicius.
So, at last I have a face and name to place with the inventor of that surreal nightmare.
It may not be good for diplomatic relations, the science and art of architecture, or my future as Queen of France and Britain, but I'm going to have you killed if it's the last thing I do, she smiled sweetly at Anicius.
…..
"This is most unorthodox…" Dr. Laurel, sighing at the prone form of Penny on rack…
"Most…" Dr. Hardy agreed…
"And another fine mess you've gotten me into, Laurel." He frowned at the rather hapless Laurel.
"Study of the human psyche under torture indeed…Bring more humane conditions to the science of information extraction, you said…A chance to better visualize the brain, yeah right. I had to listen to you and now here we are, implicated in this poor girl's death." Hardy shook head. "Why we shall be drummed out of the medical torture profession over this…" indignant tone. "And after 10 years, with a pristine record of prisoner survival."
"Sorry…" Laurel sighed. "Perhaps we're just not made to be medical torturers."
"I should say not…" Hardy frowned.
Lets not oversell, gentlemen…Scholar Caspar eyed Hardy, then the weepy Laurel…
"Yes, a great pity…" he nodded. The other scholars nodding in agreement… "But shall we proceed with the…Autopsy? We should remove to the morgue."
"By all means…" Hardy nodded.
Hmmn…Autopsy…Laurel, a bit perturbed, eyeing Penny…
"We shall…" Caspar turned to a remaining attendant of Lilly's who was clearly not eager to attend the festivities… "Complete our examination and furnish the agent, your mistress, with a full report by later this afternoon. Unless you would care to personally observe and report back?" he suggested.
"Right…Er, no. That should be fine. I'll be back unless the agent wishes to come herself." The attendant nodded hastily.
Hardy eyeing Caspar…Just how much time does whatever it was you gave her…? Caspar giving careful stare back as the attendant stepped away from the rack and made quickly for the door.
"Yes…Perhaps best not to know too much about the details of this particular interrogation…" Caspar nodded to the attendant gravely. The other scholars including Rosalind nodding…
Perhaps best…
"More…" Caspar hissed as the attendant hurried eagerly off down the hall.
"About fifteen more minutes…" Scholar More nodded.
"All right then, lets get the young miss to the morgue…" Caspar nodded. "Just keep ears and eyes open, everyone."
"Thank you, Hardy…Laurel…" Rosalind beamed at the doctors.
"Glad to be of service to the poor thing…" Hardy bowed slightly. "Though we're not quite out of the woods yet, I'd say." Laurel cut in.
"Yes, quite." Caspar nodded. "So lets hurry along before anyone or thing else pops out of those woods."
….
Sealed carriage of Minister Gablehauser…
Especially sealed on this particular occasion…Charlotte having insisting on accompanying him back to the scene of the potential crime…
After all, someone must around to properly mourn…Though if the current plan worked, Amy's death would likely not be quite as sympathetically viewed as failure at the Trials would've been.
I mean no one likes a cheat…
Particularly one who stoops to murdering their competitors.
"Child…" Gablehauser eyed Charlotte in her getup as serving girl. "This is most foolhardly of us. If you were ever spotted..."
"Amy came out of the woodwork…And I'll have to eventually, Father…" she shrugged. "No one is looking for me…No one ever did but you…" she smiled at him. "But even if someone recognized me as another Fowler princess, it's no problem, I simply recite a heroine's tale of years of suffering in the shadows."
"As you have, my dearest…" he patted her. "And I will do all I can to see your suffering is vindicated."
"Speaking of which…Are your agents in position?" she eyed him.
"They've been with the Guardians since they were appointed…They're just awaiting my orders."
"We could just wound one of the princesses, I suppose…" Charlotte noted, a bit of a troubled look. "That would be as effective, perhaps even more so?...A sympathetic living victim of Amy's duplicity?"
"That may be difficult…The chance to implicate Amy may be fleeting..." he hesitated at her stare. "But I will give the order to try…"
"All I ask. Thank you, Father." She smiled, kissing his hand. "Of course there can be no such mercy where Amy is concerned…" she looked up at him.
"I do hope I might be able to see her one last time, though…Perhaps at or just after her execution? When I've won Sheldon's heart and am confirmed as future Empress? It would look good if I made a tearful goodbye to the fiendish sister I never knew…Not before, of course." She noted. "Sheldon is so kind, he'd no doubt pardon her for my sake and that would never do."
….
"Ok, boys and girls…Stay well clear once we get going!" Pong, in heavily padded, wet-down jacket and leggings…Suzi beside him, likewise attired… Faced the other Guardians and his own team of technicians... "Our guests are coming. Lets get our show on the road!" he led Suzi and the Metalworker team back into the dark hall…
"Lilly!" Pang eagerly greeted the returned Lilly who eyed him a moment, glum look.
"Anything wrong?" he worriedly scanned her face, she shaking head. Ping hurrying to them.
"Did you see Penny? Is she coming?" Ping, anxiously. "Why didn't she come with you?"
"She…" Lilly paused… "She'll be here soon, she's just got to track down something she thought was useful. She'll been here shortly." Pasting smile.
"Ok…Good…" Ping nodded, a bit uncertain… "Great. Well, we'd better get out of Pong's way…He's ready to start."
"Yeah…" Lilly nodded. Pang eyeing her as Ping trudged off, his aides following, gathering their scrolls and tablets.
"Lilly?" Pang, intent stare…
"Don't ask…Please, darling…" she looked at him, desperately. "Just don't…"