Rapiers and Scimitars
By: Figgy
Part Four
"You never pay attention! We should throw you out on the streets!" The
man reared back and lunged forward at the small girl. They both carried
rapiers and the girl made no move to stop the man. She merely watched the
blade come toward her and—
Another rapier sliced through, knocking the man's aside. "You cannot teach
the dead." A firm voice intoned from behind a fencing mask, blond hair
cascaded down her back, stopping at her waist. "Yet, the living can learn.
She will learn." The girl tore off her mask and blue-gray eyes tinted with
lavender flecks stared at the other girl. "Won't you?"
The girl hesitated, then nodded. "I will."
The man grunted, "You are here to learn, too, Mistress Catalonia. Your
grandfather's influence will only go so far."
Dorothy laughed, "My grandfather's influence? One day, Master Cauthon,
I will not need his influence and I shall run you through." She tilted
her head at him and smiled condescendingly, "Now, haven't you taught me
well?"
Cauthon glowered down at the two, then turned and stormed away. Dorothy
turned toward the girl. "Do not be a fool. You must learn."
"I already know some from experience." The other girl answered stubbornly,
yet mournfully. "Too much, I suppose."
"Have you a family, girl?"
Her eyes narrowed and she glared at something Dorothy could not see. "No.
I have no family."
"Well, then. I am Dorothy Catalonia. Your name?"
She hesitated then spoke slowly. "I have no name… No ties to the outside
world."
Dorothy frowned, then glanced around the room. Her eyes landed on a painting
of a collie sitting beside his master. "Let us call you Collie then. Loyal
Collie."
The girl also stared at the painting and her eyes narrowed once more, but
she did not object. "Loyal? Can a spy be loyal, Dorothy?"
"Yes." The young lady answered calmly, leaning against her rapier. "You
can be loyal to yourself. Remember that, Collie. Loyalty only to yourself.
Do not let these fools mold you, mold them. Let them think they rule you,
while you secretly add strings to their arms and dance them about as puppets."
Collie glanced sharply at the girl, then slowly nodded. "Puppets…" Her
voice hardened, "I shall be a puppet no more!"
Dorothy raised an eyebrow at the memory. She sat up in her bed and leaned
against the headboard. Strange to think of such things or is it? She said
goodbye. Does she mean it?
I shall be a puppet no more!
Are you keeping that promise, Collie? Dorothy growled and threw her covers
off and stepped out of her bed. She stepped lightly, though she did not
fear waking anyone. She was the only person in the house. Jarella and the
others did not live with her. Dorothy kept too many secrets for them to
be underfoot every minute. She made her way into the fencing room and picked
up a slender rapier. She parried and fought with an imaginary opponent.
Time passed and soon sweat poured down her brow and soaked her nightgown.
One day, Master Cauthon, I will not need his influence and I shall
run you through.
Did I ever run you through, Master Cauthon? No… Not I… Not I…
I shall be a puppet no more!
Did you smile as you ran your blade through his heart, Collie? Did you
smile as you took my revenge away? Do you smile now having left me behind?
I do not care.
"I do not care! I do not!" Dorothy slumped and fell to her knees. "I do
not care, Quatre Winner. Do you hear me?! I DO NOT CARE!"
She lunged to her feet and shoved the rapier forward, embedding it into
the soft wall. Dorothy raised an eyebrow, "Careless me."
*
"How did you talk me into this, Trowa? How?" Quatre muttered as he knocked
on the large door, waiting for Robert to open it and let them in.
"You decided to do this on your own, Quatre. I even tried to talk you out
of it. People are out to kill you and it always seems to happen when you
are in Miss Catalonia's company. Maybe you should heed Heero's warning,
it does seem more than coincidence."
"How can you two even think that? The woman has nearly died three times
because of me!"
"Another reason you should stay away." Trowa spoke calmly, trying to ignore
the pale expression on the Arabian's face. Quatre frowned, then straightened
his coat.
"You don't think… Allah, I am a fool! We should go, Trowa! My very presence
could kill her!"
"Mr. Winner." Dorothy's eyes widened a fraction as she took the two men
in. "Robert is on vacation. Christmas, you see. What do you two want?"
"It's cold, Dorothy. Do you think…" Trowa's voice trailed off as Dorothy
widened the door and motioned for them to enter.
"A pleasant surprise, Trowa. Is it safe to wander about, Mr. Winner?"
"I can protect myself, Miss Dorothy…" He swallowed, "Dorothy, may I speak
with you?"
Dorothy forced a smile, "Of course, Mr. Winner. Of course. But first a
bit of tea or coffee?" She ushered them into a large room that reminded
the two men of the Victorian era. They sat and Quatre watched as Dorothy
picked up a silver teapot and poured them each a cup.
Quatre opened his mouth, but was interrupted as a crash sounded from a
room nearby. The Duchess winced and quickly stood, "Excuse me."
"Does she seem nervous to you, Trowa?" Quatre watched her go with a worried
frown. "I've never seen her act so…jumpy before."
"Neither have I." The acrobat stood, "Stay here, Quatre. I'll be right
back."
"Oh, come on, Trowa. I know what you're thinking and it's impossible."
The green-eyed man glanced back at Quatre, "Let's hope you're right." He
left the room and followed the sounds of Dorothy's shoes. It didn't take
long for Trowa to reach the fencing room and watch as Dorothy picked a
rapier off the ground and rub a hand against a hole in the wall. She cursed,
then turned to place the rapier in its stand.
"Mr. Barton." She frowned at him as the blade slid into its place. "What
are you doing? I was going to come right back."
He ignored her and walked toward the hole. "A slip, I presume, but of anger
or skill?"
Dorothy bared her teeth at him, "Practice, you see. Now, please follow
me."
"Unlike Heero, I do not believe you are the killer." She paused and raised
an eyebrow at him. "However, you are hurting him as much as a bullet in
the heart. I know you care about him, why can't you admit it? You usually
go after what you want no matter whose in the way. Why is this any different?"
"You believe I care for him?" Dorothy's voice came out as a purr and Trowa
raised both eyebrows at her. "Me, care about innocent little Winner?" She
chuckled, "He is handsome, but there are better-looking men." His eyes
widened as she placed a finger on his chest, "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Barton?"
Trowa frowned and gently grabbed her shoulders; "You are not a fool, Dorothy.
Do not start acting like one."
"If anyone is a fool, it is you. I care for one thing and one thing alone;
power. Now, stop lecturing me in my own house." She moved toward the door,
but he grabbed her wrist. "Release me." Her voice came out cold, a clear
warning of ice in those words.
"Dorothy, I thought you healed."
"Healed? Healed?!" She yanked her hand back and laughed coldly. "Healed?
What a ridiculous notion, Mr. Barton. You can't heal what's a part of you."
Dorothy tossed her hair over one shoulder and smiled arrogantly up at him.
"Good day, sir. I hope you have a pleasant drive home."
"Dorothy—."
"Leave, Mr. Barton."
He shook his head and walked out of the room, her following him. Quatre
stood as they entered the room, confusion clear on his face as Trowa picked
up his gloves and motioned for Quatre to follow. "It seems we are to leave,
Quatre." The acrobat's voice was void of emotion, but anger raged behind
his eyes.
"But…" Quatre glanced back and forth between Dorothy and Trowa and sighed.
"Thank you for the tea, Miss Dorothy." He pulled his coat on and nodded
to her before following Trowa out of the house. Dorothy watched them from
the front door and chuckled.
"Mr. Barton!" Trowa stopped and turned to look at the blond Duchess. "I
must thank you for our delightful conversation. Maybe one day we will be
able to complete what we started?" She laughed as Trowa slammed his car
door shut and refrained from looking at her.
"Trowa, what did you say to her?" Quatre asked as he drove them away from
Dorothy's manor. "What was that about some conversation you two started?
What happened?"
"Quatre, that woman is impossible."
Quatre's eyes widened, but the rest of the ride back to the hotel was traveled
in silence.
*
Dorothy closed her door and snarled. How dare he speak to me like that?!
How dare he! Clown. That's all he is a measly clown and he lectures me?
She blinked as her phone rang; what was strange was that it was her old
phone, not the vid. She slowly walked toward it and lifted it from its
cradle. "Yes?"
"Dorothy, how are you?"
Her eyes narrowed, "Who is this?"
"Don't you recognize my voice? I certainly recognize yours. How could I
forget it? It was your voice that taunted me as those daggers you call
nails slashed through my skin." Michael replied from the other end and
she growled.
"How did you get this number?"
"Is that really important? I'm only calling because a mutual friend of
ours is in trouble." He chuckled coldly, "Seems I was right, Dorothy dear.
The blondie does know you better than me if the news is correct."
She rolled her eyes, "Michael, unless this has to do with business then
I have no reason to speak to you. Be glad I'm letting you keep your job
after that little scene at Minister Darlian's. Really, Michael, you should
learn how to control your emotions better. You acted like such an amateur,
not Romefeller quality at all."
"Listen, bitch, I'm not calling to talk about my job. I work for bigger
fish now. Your little blondie's in trouble, just thought you might wanna
know."
"Why the hell are you telling me this?"
He laughed, "Think of it as repaying you for those wonderful scars you
gifted me with. He's probably dead already and you can run and speed down
the highway, but you'll never make it in time. Funny how life can be sometimes,
huh?"
Silence.
"Stunned speechless?"
More silence.
"Dorothy?"
He cursed, "DOROTHY!"
The door slammed shut and outside a car revved to life.
*
"Move out of my way. Damn it! Move!" Dorothy ignored the angry shouts and
horns from the cars she passed and swerved around. "Hotel… Hotel… He'd
stay at the best of course and that'd be…" Her car phone rang and one hand
began to search blindly for it. "Roxford. Roxford… What?" She snapped
into the phone.
"Dorothy, don't."
"Collie?"
"Don't, Dorothy. Go away. If you run into this… It's your fault. Take my
advice and turn around and run. Fly somewhere, hide on a colony. Anywhere,
just turn around."
"Do you have something to do with this, Collie?! Do you!?" Dorothy yelled
as she took a sharp turn. "Answer me, damn it!"
"Take my advice and run, Dorothy." There was a click and the dial tone
seemed to mock the Duchess as she threw the phone across the car.
"Run, she says." The large, glitzy hotel came into view and Dorothy turned
into its parking lot as she spotted Quatre's car. She slammed on the break
pedal and…
Kept moving.
Her eyes widened as she pumped on the pedal. "No. No!" Dorothy cursed as
the car sped through the lot and toward the hotel's entrance. She shoved
open her door and jumped, wincing as her body connected with the harsh
asphalt. Dorothy rolled a couple of feet before slowly and unsteadily getting
to her feet. She watched semi-calmly as her car rammed through the glass
doors and barreled through the large hotel entrance. It came to a screeching
halt as it slammed into the wall.
A few people were screaming, some were yelling, while others tried to calm
those panicking. Dorothy didn't care about those as she moved through the
large hole her car had made and searched through the crowd of people. No
one was hurt, but there was still time… If she wasn't too late.
"Dorothy!" A familiar voice yelled and she spun around to see Quatre and
Trowa running toward her. "Dorothy, are you all right? Your car…" He motioned
toward the destruction around them and Dorothy somehow managed to smile.
"It seems someone cut my break line, Mr. Winner."
"Quatre, we don't—."
The blond heir slammed a fist down on Duo's desk, "Don't give me that crap
anymore, Duo! I want answers! They're going after people I care about now!
What about my sisters? What about my friends that aren't Preventers or
able to protect themselves?! They cut her damn break line, Duo!"
"We know." Duo slumped into his chair, "We know, Quatre." He suddenly kicked
at his desk; "We're coming up with nothing! Nothing! We've searched everywhere,
but… All we find is dead bodies, attempted murder, and more questions."
"Officer Maxwell," a voice came over his intercom and he pressed the speak
button.
"Yes?"
"There's a woman here to see you. A Ms. Catalonia."
"Send her in." Duo leaned back and frowned at his hands; "Heero is still
out searching, trying to find out anything and everything about Lanetta.
You're too kind-hearted, Quatre… That woman just showed up at your house
and asked for a job and you gave it to her."
He fidgeted, "She was nice."
"She tried to kill you."
The door opened and Dorothy walked inside. "Duo," she nodded at Quatre,
"Mr. Winner, I may have some information concerning the case."
"What sort of information?"
"This is the first time we've been able to talk since my car rammed into
Roxford… I would've told you sooner, but things came up." She frowned at
something in the distance, then continued. "A man called me before I drove
my car into that hotel. Lord Michael. He revealed that another attempt
on Mr. Winner's life was about to occur and that this was his revenge to
me. That is why I left my house so suddenly, after all I couldn't have
Michael beat me in my own game. You can check my phone records, I'm almost
positive you've had my lines bugged for the last few weeks, but since no
one questioned me I believed that you must have been too busy to have read
up on them. After all, I receive many calls concerning business, too."
Duo nodded and pulled out a folder from a large stack and flipped it open.
"Yes, here it is…" He skimmed the short conversation and raised both eyebrows.
"What a fine time for Heero to have been out. He'd have read this for me,
but he's investigating Lanetta Green… I was never very good at paperwork."
"And as I suspected you did not tap into my cell phone or at least could
not." She smirked as he grinned.
"Heero near had a fit when he tried for the hundredth time and still couldn't
bug the extension."
"Yes, well, I do like some privacy… While I was driving," she hesitated,
"while I was driving… An acquaintance called and warned me to turn around.
I don't know what she has to do with all of this, but I believe she could
easily be involved. She's also near impossible to find. She was trained
with me." Duo jerked at that, then slowly nodded.
"That would explain a few things… What's her name?"
"Her name, Maxwell? She has no name. I gave her one when we were younger,
but she's constantly changing it. I could describe her to you and you could
pass her right back the next minute and not even recognize her." Dorothy
leaned forward, "She was trained with me, Duo. She will know as
soon as you are on to her and she will change everything. Understand?"
He sighed, "I'll inform Heero… Maybe he'll be able to find this mystery
woman. Do you have a picture of her?"
"No. She was never very fond of cameras."
Quatre watched the two silently, then slowly stood. "Duo, I'll speak with
you later." Duo nodded and called out a goodbye as the door closed behind
the Arabian. Not long after the door opened, revealing Dorothy as she stepped
out. She smiled slightly at the sight of Quatre and Trowa. The acrobat
had been speaking with Une to see if she knew of anything helpful that
Duo or Heero might have overlooked.
"Duchess, may I speak with you?" Quatre asked, his voice clipped and business-like.
She blinked, then smirked. "I have a few minutes to spare, Mr. Winner."
He led her to a secluded corner in the building and Trowa watched them
from a distance. "What is it you wanted to speak to me about?"
"I want you to stop it, Duchess." He answered coldly, "Stop following me
around and coming here. I'd thought you'd have learned by now after what
happened yesterday. Leave me alone, Dorothy. Go back to work, but stay
the hell out of this. This doesn't concern you and I don't care if you're
bored because the war is over, I want you out of my life!"
Dorothy's mouth opened, "How—."
"No, I'm not going to listen to you anymore. How do I know you're not behind
all this any ways? I mean, come on, Dorothy. The attempts all happen while
I'm in your presence and the car incident? A perfect diversion. Well, I'm
not following for it anymore. You always did say I was too kind at times."
He chuckled coldly and sneered down at her, "You were great for a one-night
stand, but otherwise… Well, don't become clingy, Miss Dorothy."
Quatre's head flung to the right as Dorothy's hand connected with his face.
Her nails just lightly nicked the skin and he caught her wrist as her hand
moved in to repeat the action. "Do not do that again… Duchess."
Dorothy yanked her hand back and hissed, "You may want someone to look
at that. We wouldn't want it to get infected or scar. You already have
one of those." She motioned toward his side before turning away and walking
off, her hair swishing behind her. She calmed her expression by the time
she reached Trowa and smiled up at him. "It seems, Mr. Barton, you were
wrong." Dorothy walked past him and toward the elevators.
Trowa waited till she was out of sight before walking toward Quatre who
had one hand on his cheek. "It was the only way, Trowa…" The Arabian sighed
sadly, "I couldn't have her getting hurt again…"
"Do you think that didn't hurt her?"
Quatre only shrugged, "I don't know… Will you watch her for me, Trowa?
They may still try something and…" His voice trailed off. Trowa frowned,
he did not approve of what Quatre had done but slowly he nodded. Quatre
smiled, "Thank you, Trowa. Thank you."
*
Dorothy slammed her car door shut before Robert could open it for her. She'd been reduced to having him chauffeur her around after the second car's untimely demise. She walked up to the door and ignored the concern looks sent her way by Robert and Marilene. She didn't want their damn concern. She was fine.
She made her way to the fencing room and placed a hand on the hilt of a thin foil and hesitated… For the first time in her life since her visit to Relena's she thought seriously about leaving… She and Collie had trained together… Everything she'd said about the woman meant the same thing for her… She could disappear… She had the finances. She could follow Collie's advice and find a nice remote colony…
But she didn't want a nice remote colony. She liked her life. She liked her job. She liked politics… She wasn't like Collie to run once anything seemed to get too tough, Dorothy reveled in strife, in having to actually think through a situation… To leave would be to give into failure.
"Miss, there's a young man at the door asking for you."
Dorothy stepped away from the foil and turned to face Marilene. "It's almost noon, you should be at home, Marilene. You and Robert and Jarella."
"But after that—."
"No buts, I want you three home. I can take care of myself." She frowned, "Any ways, I'm no longer involved in that… mess." She moved past the maid, "Home, Marilene. Now." Dorothy moved toward the foyer and stopped in surprise. "Mr. Barton?"
Trowa removed his coat and gloves and handed them to Robert. Dorothy glared at the butler and he swallowed. "I'm leaving, Duchess. I am."
"Now, Robert. Christmas is in two days. I planned on having the house to myself this week. Now get moving." Dorothy glowered until the butler was out of sight, then turned on Trowa. "Mr. Barton, what a pleasant surprise." Her tone was nearly simpering, but her eyes were hard orbs of ice.
"I came to see how you were doing, Dorothy… After the incident—."
"Incident?" She raised one elegant eyebrow and scoffed, "You call that an incident, Trowa? That was nothing, but Mr. Winner showing that he isn't the perfect saint everyone has made him out to be. I have worked for years to get that sort of reaction out of him and have finally succeeded. I win. He loses. He has proved that like any he is human and can hate people. I feel honored to have proven that fact. Honored, Mr. Trowa." Dorothy nodded politely at him, "Now, I was just about to do a bit of packing." She didn't know where that had come from, but it seemed like the right thing to say with him staring at her as if she'd just sprouted horns. Oh, she liked surprising people but today… Well, Dorothy did not enjoy being surprised herself and Quatre's speech and Trowa's sudden arrival had both caught her off-guard.
"Packing?"
"Packing, miss?" Marilene winced as Dorothy turned cold eyes toward her, but the maid continued on. "You are visiting a friend? Oh, good! I'll see to your bags now." The woman fairly danced out of the room. Dorothy frowned after her, then turned and walked into the sitting room with Trowa following.
"They do seem to care for you." He spoke as he sat down across from her. She jerked and stared at him in surprise.
"Who?"
"Robert and Marilene and Jarella." Trowa smiled, "Quatre told me their names. They seem to worry more about you than being home for the holidays. Not many would find such fierce loyalty in their help."
"Jarella's family has worked for mine generations and Marilene is her daughter. Robert worked for my father loyally and seems to think that at my father's demise he should try to play father to me." She chuckled bitterly, "Things did not work as he planned for I was taken in by my grandfather and didn't see him or Jarella but for brief intervals. I am the last of my line except for a few relatives on my father's side, but Jarella's family has always served the nobles of my mother's side and I am the last of her line and…" She paused and stared at him with open confusion. "How is it I always seem to speak so around you, Trowa? On Libra…"
"Have you learned to cry, Dorothy?" He asked gently and she smiled coldly.
"Tears are of no use to me." Yet, she did not answer the question.
Trowa frowned then sadly shook his head. "Who are you going to visit?"
Dorothy didn't even hesitate, after all she was a trained liar. "Relena. Do you celebrate Christmas, Trowa?" The question seemed to surprise him and she watched him intently.
"Cathie wishes for me too."
She laughed softly; "I didn't mean the tree and stockings."
"I know what you meant." He raised fierce green eyes and answered clearly, "I spent too much of my life as a soldier to find the path easily, but Catherine is helping and one day…" His voice lowered to a soothing whisper, "One day I hope to celebrate Christmas completely and truly with my heart."
"Miss, your bags are ready. Should I tell Robert before he leaves?"
Dorothy stood and nodded to Marilene. "See, Mr. Trowa. It is time I leave and so must you." She walked him back to the door, "It seems you always leave soon after arriving, Trowa. We will have to remedy that."
"Do you celebrate Christmas, Dorothy?" He asked as he accepted his coat and gloves, those green eyes watched her as intensely as her own had watched him.
"I used to." She answered calmly, but her eyes were turned inward toward a hazy memory. "But I lost the reason to continue celebrating…"
He pulled his gloves on and nodded to her, "I hope you find the reason to start again, Dorothy." She watched as he climbed into his car and drove away.
*
Hola!! Okie dokie, woo! I'm having
fun with this story! Dawn and Moon Wars next chapter should be up soon!!
Till then ciao and please review! *^_^*