Chapter 35: The Gloves Come Off
Sun poured in through the windows, shining on a warm spring day. Contradictory to the weather outside, the atmosphere in the castle was arctic. Even though everyone was in the throne room, no one was speaking. Minako sat in a corner of the room, holding Rei's head in her lap and absentmindedly stroking her hair. Usagi, Makoto and Ami sat close by, nervously watching over them. The men paced randomly through the room, occasionally muttering things at each other as they passed. After a while of the silence, Rei slowly sat up, moving as if she were wounded. She walked to the middle of the room, causing the men to stop pacing and looked at her expectantly.
"I'm ready."
Rei walked down the hallway at a clipped pace, her head buzzing with her mission. Next to her, Jadeite kept whispering reassurances to her. "You'll be fine, Rei. We have a maid going with you that will get a message to our mole in his camp if something goes wrong. You're just buying us time." Rei nodded her head and stopped suddenly, taking deep breaths. "I'm going to do this Jadeite. For us, for everyone." She leaned up and kissed him hard, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. "Once this is over, all you're going to worry about from now on is birthing heirs, wife." Rei grinned and slapped his shoulder lightly. "Good luck with that, love." Just then, Minako, Makoto, Ami and Usagi walked up to say good bye.
After more hugs and tears, Rei marched down the front path with purpose. She knew what her plan was, and she wished more than anything that she didn't feel any fear. Rei made it 10 steps outside the main gate of the castle before she was surrounded by several of her father's guards. Ignoring the swords pointing at her, she composed her face and in her best spoiled daughter voice, spoke to them. "What is the meaning of this?! You seriously mean to injure your Princess?" A few of the guards looked guilty, but the leader spoke instead. "You're no longer the Princess, you're a traitor." Rei addressed the man scornfully. "It's not my fault I was forced into a marriage with a traitor. Take me to my father, NOW!"
After some grumbles, the guards escorted her to her father's tent. Before she was allowed to enter, she had to be stripped of all weapons, and only then would her father let her in. He sat in a throne like chair, elevated above everyone else. Tatsuo narrowed his eyes at Rei, as if trying to read her mind to see her true intentions. "What do you want, Rei?" Mentally fortifying herself, Rei glided forward and kneeled at the dirt at her father's feet. "I've been trying to escape the castle for days, but my husband-"She spat the word like acid, "wouldn't let me." Tatsuo stood and motioned for everyone to leave.
"Now that we're alone, let me repeat myself. What do you want, Rei?!" She rose to her feet again and stared her father in the face. "I want to come home. This Kingdom is deplorable, and my husband is a weakling. I want to be on your side of this war. I'm with child." Tatsuo assessed his daughter for a moment, not speaking. Finally he walked towards her and tightly embraced her. Rei stiffened at the sudden contact, not remembering a single time that her father hugged her. "This is wonderful, Rei. If you're carrying a son, then we have a bloodline for the Fire Kingdom. I'm actually rather surprised that the Southern Kingdom whelp could even get a child onto you."
Rei ignored the jab at her husband and smiled at her father. "I hate to come in here like this, but I know I had no other choice. The thought of remaining here with that man is revolting." Tatsuo let out a laugh, delighted with the news that his daughter brought. Rei had just settled into a chair when the tent flap was flung open and a woman walked in. "Tatsuo, is what I'm hearing true? Is your daughter here?" Tatsuo motioned to where Rei was sitting and walked to the woman's side. "Rei, I'd like you to meet your new stepmother. This is Queen Homura, formally of the Eastern Kingdom." Rei stood up and dropped into a low curtsey. "It's an honor to meet you; I've heard great things about you."
Homura lifted Rei back into a standing position and hugged her. "You're too kind, Rei. I must say, the tales of your beauty do you no justice. You're gorgeous." Rei flushed uncomfortably under the praise. "Thank you." She muttered. Tatsuo smiled at Rei and turned to Homura. "Rei's escaped the palace and wants to join our side, she's with child." Homura's face lit up with either joy or greed, exclaiming loudly, "Oh, that's so wonderful! Finally, a suitable heir for the Fire Kingdom!" Rei suddenly got the feeling she had walked into a trap, but remained still.
The rest of the day was spent in her father's company, listening to him express joy at her rejoining the family. The feeling of dread never left Rei's stomach, but she managed to play along convincingly enough. As the night fell, Tatsuo directed Rei to her tent and posted a guard on it, claiming that he was afraid that there would be a rescue attempt in the dark of the night. The excuse was weak, since Rei knew that her father knew there would be nothing as foolish as that. He wanted to make sure she couldn't escape; he knew she was only pretending to come to his side. This made him a very dangerous man and Rei needed to get out before she was killed.
The night passed slowly, and Rei spent most of it pacing in the dark. After much thinking, she made a final decision, one that would either succeed or kill her. First, she needed to take out the guards. Rei was grateful that the guards only took her visible weapons, not wanting to dishonor her by touching her body. From under her dress she pulled out her trusty pair of silver daggers, and snuck out of the tent. She quickly dispatched of the guards, throwing her daggers quickly into the back of both their necks simultaneously. Once she was sure no other alarm had been raised, she sprinted silently to her father's tent. Slipping under the silk wall of the tent, she found herself staring down on his sleeping form. Just as she raised her daggers up to deliver a killing blow, his eyes snapped open.
"Coming to kill me, daughter? I wish this came as a surprise." With a swift movement, he knocked the daggers out of her hands and into his and leapt out of bed. "You've always been second best to me, I'll never understand why you thought you could slip in here and kill me." Rei growled and lunged at him, pulling another dagger out of the sleeve of her gown. Tatsuo dodged her and the two engaged in a fierce fight, both only armed with daggers. Tatsuo laughed at Rei's attempts to get under his defense. "Is that all you've got?!" Rei managed to get close enough to slice open his cheek, sending him into a blind rage. Rei fought hard against her father, who was attacking her with the most force she'd ever seen. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her side and looked to see a dagger sticking out of her.
Rei fell to her knees, her vision blurring as she bled out. "Stupid child, did you really think you could beat me?" Tatsuo kicked her in the side of the head and her world went black.
A/N: I am so, so sorry about the long break between chapters, but my head was having a hard time planning this all out! Hopefully I can get back to at least one chapter a week again!