Utopian Kingdom
Chapter 6
By Moony
"I'll get out! Quatre will save me!" Relena yelled at Heero.
"Oh you think so?" Heero mocked. He walked over to Relena and bent down as she still sat on his thrown. His face was only inches from hers. He touched her cheek gently. Relena looked deep into his eyes as he examined her face and for a second she thought she saw those cold eyes soften and show an emotion, what emotion it was, was unclear to Relena, but it still happened while he was looking at her. Then, however they turned dark and cold. "Beautiful little princess," he said coldly. "You know not what I have planned for you." Relena refused the emotions that were threatening to block her mental thinking. Relena turned her head away from Heero's eyes. They were too over powering to look at now. "Don't deny me, Princess." Relena made no move to look back at him. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. He strained himself looking deep into her eyes. Trying desperately to find something, what however Relena didn't know. He seemed disappointed and released her. He leaned up and began walking again. "Do your people like you?" Heero asked.
"I don't know how they like me," Relena replied. "Only a select few knew about me."
"Who are they?" Heero asked.
"If I told you they would be in danger," Relena replied. Heero looked back at her.
"Just answer my question," he ordered.
"I refuse," Relena answered. Heero's eyes darkened.
"Why do you choose to defy me?" he roared. "What makes you think you are equal to me?" Relena remained seated and looked away from him, giving no response. This only made Heero become even angrier. He started heading over to her when suddenly she began to dissolve.
"No!" Heero yelled. "NO!" Relena turned and looked at him, then disappeared completely.
* * * *
Quatre could see Relena coming to. She opened groggy eyes.
"Quatre," she mumbled. "You did save me." She leaned up.
"What did he do?" Quatre asked. "That you needed saving from?"
"He said I couldn't leave because of the apple, but I knew you were going to save me," Relena said.
"Well, you're safe now and from now on don't eat anything unless I've seen it, okay?" Quatre smiled. Relena nodded.
"I won't do it again I promise," Relena smiled.
"Now get up," Quatre said. "We still have a few more stops to make." Quatre got up and helped Relena up.
"Who are we going to see today?" Relena asked.
"I don't know who we'll see first. It all depends," Quatre said and threw Relena's bag to her. She caught it and threw it over her shoulder.
"Then we better get going then," Relena said and began walking. Quatre followed her.
"We're going to walk on the coast of the ocean," Quatre explained.
"Do you think we'll be able to swim?" Relena asked.
"It's possible," Quatre replied. "Also, Relena, we'll be reaching the Vampire's castle soon and I have devised a plan."
"What?" Relena asked.
"Do you remember the dress?" Quatre asked.
"How could I forget?" Relena frowned and rolled her eyes.
"Well, that's what you're going to wear when I give you to the Vampire as a peace offering," Quatre explained. Relena stopped and looked at him.
"What?" she yelled.
"Now hold on. It's just a trap," Quatre explained. "To get us in."
"And just what makes you think he'll go for that?" Relena asked.
"I want you to start pretending like he's finally got you under his spell and that you're going to him. Tell him you've deserted me and are coming to him," Quatre explained. Although Relena felt uneasy about it she nodded.
"I'll do it," Relena said and started walking again. The two talked no more.
Relena could smell the salt of the sea before they saw the ocean's horizon. And she heard the waves before she reached the edge of the cliff. She smiled and looked down at them as they crashed into the rocky mountain's skirt.
"You know," Relena said and looked back at Quatre. "I've never seen the ocean before and it's just gorgeous! Just gorgeous!" Quatre smiled at Relena's childish enthusiasm. "It looks deep… Deep enough to swim in." She gave one last quick glance back at Quatre and grinned. She then turned back quickly to the cliff and leaped off. She screamed for joy as the wind rushed through her hair and made the pants she was wearing fly up a little. She then hit the water in a huge splash.
"Relena!" Quatre cried and ran to the edge of the cliff. Then mumbled, "You're more trouble than you're worth." Relena looked up at Quatre when she surfaced from the icy water. It felt wonderful. She saw his head shaking. "Relena!" he yelled. "How are you expecting to get back up?" Relena looked around.
"I thought you could think of something," Relena called back.
"If it weren't for me you'd have been dead a long time ago!" Quatre yelled in reply.
"I love you Quatre!" Relena giggled back.
"Relena!" Quatre said suddenly. "Swim, swim now! There's a shark!" Relena turned in the water and saw a fin barely above the surface of the water coming right at her. She gasped, turned, and began swimming as hard as she could to anywhere but near the shark.
Quatre watched in fear, racking his brain on what he could do to stop this. It was too far down for him to freeze anything and get her out of there and he didn't have the time to think of any other ideas.
Relena looked back at the fin as it came closer and closer. She screamed and swam harder. She suddenly hit the cliff rock. She rested her back on it and turned around to see the shark come out of the water. Its mouth open. Relena screamed as loudly as she could.
Her mouth and nose filled with salt water. She kept her eyes closed. She shut her mouth with the water still in it. It tasted horrible. She blew bubbles out of her nose to get the water out, but without success. She began to struggle. Thinking that it was the shark that had a hold of her leg. As Relena struggled the need for oxygen became increasingly vital. Relena could soon no longer concentrate on fighting. She was becoming dizzy, then blacked out.
Quatre screamed Relena's name when he saw her go under the water. He became even more frantic when she didn't return to the surface. The shark circled for a minute then left. Quatre had a little hope because he saw no blood in the water, but if she had drowned what was the difference? The shark had long disappeared when a head surfaced in the water. She looked up at him. She had long brown hair and a calm look on her face.
"Are you the keeper of the maiden?" She called up to him.
"Yes," Quatre cried. "Where is she?"
"My lover has her," she replied. "I will take you to her. Come into the water." Quatre hesitated for a moment then threw off his bags and packages. He looked down at the water, the closed his eyes. He dived in. After resurfacing and taking, a deep breath of much needed air he opened his eyes to come face to face with the woman. "Come," she said and offered her hand to Quatre.
"Are you a mermaid?" Quatre asked, he had been suspicious.
"Of course," she replied softly. "Now take my hand. I will take you to the maiden." Quatre put his hand in hers and she pulled him underwater. Quatre kept his eyes closed and just kicked. Just when he felt like his air supply was out; they resurfaced in a cave. Quatre looked around and saw Relena lying on a rock near by with a merman beside her. He had broad shoulders and a proud feature about him. His chestnut hair and blue eyes made him seem even more regal.
"This is the keeper of the maiden," the woman explained to him. He nodded.
"I am Treize Khushrenada ruler of the ocean world," he said.
"Your majesty," Quatre said. "I am Quatre Raberba Winner a born wizard of the Sank kingdom. That is Princess Relena. We are in much debt to you."
"Ah, I knew I recognized those features. I knew her mother," Treize explained. "That is Lady Une who brought you down to me."
"Again I thank you so much. I had been planning to search for you. I need something from you," Quatre explained.
"What is this?" Treize asked.
"I need one of your scales from you tail. We are fighting the Vampire and it is one the things needed for the poison I am planning for him," Quatre said.
"We will be glad to give you one for such a noble cause," Lady Une said and flipped her tail up to where she could reach it and plucked one of scales off, then handed it to Quatre. He took it and swam to the rock Relena was on. He lifted himself onto it beside her. Quatre then put the scale in a safe pocket. He leaned down to Relena and took her hand. She opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Did the shark get me?" she asked. Quatre smiled and shook his head.
"Thanks to the mer-people you are safe and sound and we must continue on our mission," Quatre explained and helped Relena up. She looked down at Treize.
"Thank you so much," she said cordially. "I am much in your debt."
"Kill the Vampire as you plan and we will be even," Treize smiled.
"That we will do," Quatre affirmed. Relena gave a weak smile. "Now we must be on our way. We only have a little time left."
"We understand. Lady Une will show you the way out. You do not mind swimming do you?" Treize asked. Quatre laughed a little.
"Not at all, your majesty. Thank you," Relena said. She slipped into the water, followed by Quatre.
"Come this way," Une motioned and dipped under the water. Relena and Quatre followed her. After swimming a way they resurfaced at the shore. Relena and Quatre thanked Lady Une and promised when they destroyed the Vampire a messenger would be sent to give them the long awaited news. Une thanked them and once again Quatre and Relena moved forward on their crusade.
