O.K. Sorry this took so long, but this time it wasn't my fault. For some reason, I wasn't able to log in on my ffn account to upload this chapter for three days.
I dedicate the "boredom" scene to anyone who has a brother…
The Lilac Princess
Part 13
By Lady Dante
Hopes and Dreams and Reality…
"Papers."
A young Alliance officer held his hand out expectantly to the elderly woman before him. The woman complied, handing over a small stack of neatly folded documents. The story of three lives contained in a collection of brightly colored sheets of thin paper. The soldier looked over the material with an air of professional boredom. They checked thousands of documents like these every day. It was beyond routine. It was mind numbing. The officer sighed and read the vital statistics aloud to his partner who dutifully entered the information into a small laptop.
"Pallidino, Ingrid. Born AC 117, Berlin…."
The young man droned on, repeating the details of an imaginary life to his comrade. Life in the camps had not required a last name but it was mandatory for a new, permanent home. Ingrid knew she could not risk using her own last name. Her connection to the royal family of Cinq was deep and well known. So, with the aid of Milli and Luie, Ingrid invented a new identity for herself and her foster grandchildren.
Using the name 'Pallidino' had been Luie's idea. Ingrid's first reaction was to refuse. Damon Pallidino was as firmly associated with the Peacecrafts as Ingrid, so it stood to reason that his name would raise suspicions. The little girl pointed out the Captain had no family and that the name might be somewhat common in Italy, therefore less noticeable. Luie had been sitting on a cot, carefully packing her treasure box when she made the suggestion. Ingrid remembered the sadness in the young child's eyes as she gently placed her small Bible in the box and fastened the latch. Captain Damon was as close to a father as Luie could remember and Ingrid felt it might do the child good to take his name. She conceded and now they were Ingrid, Milli and Luie Pallidino.
Luie and Milli took great joy in making up the details of their new lives. Their false history was complex and colorful, to say the least. Ingrid was now the German-born widow of an Italian sculptor she met on a trip to Rome. The couple, according to the imaginative youngsters, had one tow-headed son who was also an artist and was married to a raven-haired opera singer. The children happily pretended to be brother and sister, just as they had in the refugee camps, but now with a lovely new story as a backdrop. They explained the striking difference in their appearance by claiming Luie looked like their mother and Milli looked like their father.
After entering the information, the Alliance officers waived
the group through the line and down the gangway of the passenger ship. The
family stepped off the dock and made their way into a small port city on the
coast of Italy. Several months before, Ingrid had managed to move her family
across the border into Italy and found a temporary job. She saved a little
money and, with the help of a resettlement organization, the elderly woman
found a job in Livorno as well as a new place to live. A short voyage later and
the little family finally arrived at their new home. The trio walked along the
steep streets of the city, stopping twice for directions to their small house.
Just before dusk, the newly christened Pallidino family stood before a small
stone cottage on the edge of town. To the children's delight, the ocean was within
walking distance and visible from their roof, a fact they discovered when they
climbed along the wall adjacent to their home and hopped onto the roof. They
did not have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular view for very long,
however, as Ingrid frantically called for the children to come down before they
fell and broke their necks.
As the months passed, the family settled into their new lives. The children started attending the local school, two grades ahead of the others their age, and Ingrid began her new job at a nearby factory. The work was difficult, but the hours were convenient. Ingrid was home before the children returned from school and she had Sundays off for church. They lived in modest circumstances with no money left over for extras, but they had a comfortable home and plenty to eat, unlike their life in the refugee camps.
The change was difficult at first, particularly for the children. Adjusting to school again was exceptionally hard for them both. Although Ingrid kept up their lessons, the youngsters had not attended regular classes since they were six years old. Getting used to being cooped up in a classroom for hours at a time was trying for the boisterous youths. The first few days of school ended with regular reprimands.
Ingrid also struggled to curb the children's fighting instincts. The harsh realities of the war and its aftermath had hardened both children, conditioning them to respond to everyone with suspicion. Each person they met was sized up as a potential enemy. Naturally, it did not help that the port city was the location of one of the many Alliance military schools scattered across Europe. Seeing soldiers on a daily basis reinforced the memory of destruction they were trying desperately to leave behind, but Ingrid doubted the situation would be better in another town. The Alliance had all but conquered the world at this point and there was a clear military presence everywhere.
With time and Ingrid's loving reassurance, Milli and Luie finally established a routine that bordered on a normal life. Their relationship developed into that of loving, squabbling siblings. They were as quick to argue as they were to share secrets. Daily life was the same for the two as it was for their classmates. They had school during the week, play on the weekends, and daily chores at home. In the evenings, Ingrid would tell the children stories of magic and wonder as they sat at her feet. Luie sang with the school choir while Milli finally had the opportunity to attend art classes. Church was now a weekly ritual as well, even for Milli. The traumas of the past few years seemed to fade away to be replaced by a slowly developed contentment. As happy as they were with their present situation, a troubling new development cast a small shadow across their bright new life.
Since their arrival in Italy, Luie's troubling dreams had increased. Not nightmares exactly, just strange dreams, full of odd images and incoherent voices. Some of the places they visited on the journey to Livorno had seemed familiar to the little girl. There was nothing, however, that she could point to and say she remembered with clarity. Instead of answers, all that the child had was more questions. She had more headaches, as well. A sharp pain accompanied every new image or vague memory, as though part of Luie's mind was warning her not to venture too far into the past. Unlike Milli, Luie did talk about her often-disturbing dreams, but it was tough for her to explain what she saw. It was almost impossible to explain what she felt when these memories surfaced. To Luie, it seemed as though she were watching scenes of her life through someone else's eyes, feeling someone else's emotions. The memories did not invade her brain in a frightening cacophony of noise as they once had, but they were no less disconcerting.
Not knowing who she was had always troubled Luie deeply. It set her apart, even from the other children at the orphanage. Those kids did not have families anymore, but they did once and at least they knew their names. Luie didn't. She had learned to live with it over the years, but sometimes things happened to remind her just how different she really was. When she was still living in Cinq, she talked about those things with Captain Damon. He had grown up in an orphanage too, so Luie felt comfortable talking to him, but even he didn't understand exactly how she felt. Luie didn't just lose her family, she lost herself.
As she walked home from school, the girl wondered about her
parents. Familiar questions tumbled through her mind. All of the same questions
she had struggled with since she woke up in that field so many years ago. Who
was she? Who were her parents? Did she look like her mother or her father? Did
they love her or were they glad she was gone? Did the soldiers kill them?
"Whoa! Be careful!"
"Huh?" Luie stopped short as Milli grabbed her elbow. She almost walked in front of a car. "Oh. Sorry."
"Part of the quest was that Princess Noin had to figure it out for herself…"
Luie sat in the bathtub remembering Milli's story and thinking about her life. The little girl reached up and gingerly touched a small scar behind her ear. Sporadically and for no good reason, the tiny bump hurt. She sighed and wondered if she would ever figure out anything. Sometimes Luie almost wished they hadn't come to Italy, especially at night when she woke up alone and bewildered. She and Milli had been pleased to finally have their own beds, but sometimes Luie missed snuggling up to someone when she woke from one of those perplexing dreams. She was always rather disoriented and it helped to hold on to something familiar, something tangible. She took to sleeping with Boo-Bear again, pulling the stuffed bear out of his semi-permanent resting place in her treasure box. When she woke up confused, Luie squeezed the small toy to her heart, reminding herself where she was and that the images were nothing more than dreams. She wasn't alone anymore; Nana and Milli were with her. She had a family.
She loved Nana and Milli so very much. Sometimes she lay awake at night worrying that she might lose them. She had loved Captain Damon, too, and she lost him. He was big and strong, but he still died. Nana was old and Milli was still a kid…if Captain Damon could be killed, so could they. Luie didn't talk about Captain Damon a great deal anymore because it hurt so much. When she lived at the orphanage, she used to daydream that Captain Damon was really her father. She imagined that he would rush in one day and announce that he was taking her away with him and they would go live with the Peacecrafts. Luie always knew deep down that it wasn't possible, but it was a nice daydream. Much nicer than her real memories.
Some of these vague memories were more uplifting, if just as baffling. One of the most comforting memories usually surfaced when Luie was taking a bath. It wasn't a memory in the sense that an image flashed into her mind, rather the recollection of a feeling. The calming sensation of floating in warmth, surrounded by soothing water. Safe. Luie felt completely safe when she was floating in the bathtub. It was the only time she enjoyed being alone. Usually, it frightened the child to be by herself, but in the water, she felt protected. She could let her thoughts wander into the dark corners of her mind without fear of stumbling upon some painful, incomprehensible moment from her past. The bad memories never emerged when she was floating weightless in the warm water, as she was now. Her raven hair billowed around her, encircling her body like a blanket. Safe.
This evening, Luie even let herself remember the other boy, the boy she left behind so long ago. Usually it hurt to remember him. Not just her head, but her heart as well. The memory of his cold, still face made her cry sometimes, but in her floating memory, he was just asleep. Suspended in water like Luie. His brown hair swirled around him in protective tendrils, moving weightlessly. Over the years, Luie had become convinced that the boy was her brother, but she had no clear memory to support that theory. She simply felt that they were the same. It still made her sad to think of him, so she decided to push him away again and concentrate on the safe feeling. She clung to the consolation it offered. Unfortunately, her "new" brother rudely interrupted her serenity.
"Aw, come on! When you gonna get out of there?" Milli pounded on the bathroom door for the third time in as many minutes.
"Milli, she is taking a bath. Give her a little privacy," Ingrid instructed the impatient boy.
"Well, I need to take a bath too…" Before he could finish his statement, Luie opened the door, smugly toweling her long hair.
"Nana, how come it takes girls so much time to bathe?" He directed the statement at Ingrid but kept his irritated gaze on Luie, who smiled sweetly before responding to his question.
"Because girls actually take the time to use soap."
Milli glared at her. Luie smiled back. They both stuck their tongues out at each other before the boy stepped into the bathroom and the girl went off to dry her hair. A short time later, the argument forgotten, the little family settled in for a peaceful evening. Ingrid sat by the fire, brushing Luie's knee-length hair as the little girl sang softly. Her pretty voice drifted through the snug house, spreading a gentle sense of domestic contentment throughout. Across the cozy room, Milli sat at a rickety table, immersed in his sketches. Drawing and his regular chess matches with Luie were the only two activities that could keep the boy securely in place for more than a few minutes. That night, he had been diligently working on a series of drawings for over an hour, a personal record for the lively youngster. Both Luie and Ingrid had noticed the atypical calm on the other side of the room.
"What has you so entranced, Milli?" Nana Ingrid asked affectionately.
"My art instructor gave me an extra project for tomorrow."
"Oh really? What kind of project?"
"She read that story I wrote for Composition Class and said I should draw some illustrations for it." Milli looked over at the two ladies for a moment then returned his attention to the sketch.
"You mean my fairy story?" Luie asked cheerfully.
"Yeah. Instructor Lipari liked it so much, he read it to the other teachers and my art teacher said if I draw some pictures for it, we could make it into a little book to read to the younger kids."
"That's marvelous, my dear!" Ingrid was very pleased that Milli's imagination did not seem to be weakened by the traumas in his life.
"I wanna see!" Luie jumped up and rushed over before Milli could protest. She leaned over the boy's shoulder to admire his work and promptly exclaimed, "Hey, that's me!" Milli had drawn Luie sitting much as she had been a moment before--barefoot, chin resting on her knees and her arms wrapped around her legs--only now she also sported two elaborate fairy wings.
"Come see, Nana."
Ingrid joined the children and looked over the boy's extraordinary work with pride. "Oh, my dear, these are absolutely wonderful." She stroked the boy's pale hair lovingly and continued, "I am very lucky to have such talented grandchildren." She finished with a kiss and hug for each before returning to her seat by the fire. Milli shooed Luie away, saying he wasn't finished and she had to sit back down for him to complete the sketch. She obediently returned to her earlier pose.
As Ingrid braided the little girl's hair, she considered the changes that had taken place over the past two years. From devastation and fear to a nice little house by the sea. They had come quite a long way in such a short time. Now that the children had a regular routine and a steady home life, she hoped to see a change in their hearts as well. The old familiar fear that haunted the youngsters seemed to fade further with each day. Milli's temper was still volatile, but he was able to exercise more control over his actions. If they were still involved in the occasional fistfight, at least it was not a daily occurrence as was the case in the refugee camps. Ingrid still held out hope that the youngsters could enjoy the last few years of their childhood in peace. She wanted nothing more than to give her beloved grandchildren happy memories to carry through their lives, hopefully superseding the bitterness of the war. If they could just have…
A sudden sharp pain in Ingrid's chest caused the old woman to gasp harshly. Luie whirled around at the sound and looked up at Ingrid with wide eyes. Milli heard as well and his head snapped up.
"What's wrong, nana?" Luie asked a bit fearfully. The girl knelt in front of Ingrid and took the elderly woman's hand.
Ingrid took a deep breath as the pain passed and patted the child's arm. "I'm all right now, my dear, don't fret."
"What happened?" Milli walked to Ingrid's side and surveyed her condition with a frown.
"Just a little pain, nothing to concern yourselves with." Neither child looked convinced by that statement, so she tried another tactic. "My old body just decided to make its presence known."
"If you had a pain, then something's wrong." Milli's pessimistic attitude was one of the things Ingrid had hoped would abate with time, but that did not seem likely.
"Milli, sometimes a pain is just a reminder." Ingrid took the boy's hand and patted Luie's cheek as she spoke, trying to assure the children she was all right.
"A reminder of what?"
"Pain reminds us we're alive." Milli looked at her suspiciously, but did not respond. "Off to bed with you two," Ingrid said lightly as she kissed them goodnight, "I'll come listen to your prayers in a moment." They left the room without an argument, evidence of their deep anxiety. Ingrid stayed behind a few minutes, trying to steady herself before seeing the children again. The last thing those two needed was to see their Nana in more pain.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was Sunday and the neighborhood rose early to prepare for church. All along the neat row of charming little homes, one could hear the sounds of little families eating breakfast, children complaining about their uncomfortable "good" clothes, and other noises indicative of a normal life. Everyone made their way along the cobble stone streets to the small church to enjoy the weekly services and stayed after to visit with each other. Aside from the occasional intrusion by an Alliance patrol, life on the edge of Livorno was very pleasant. Many of the residents of this section of the city enjoyed taking short strolls to the nearby seashore. Today, as they passed the small cottage at the end of the street, the melodic sound of a music box could be heard. Inside, a grandmother guided her two grandchildren through their weekly dance lesson.
Ingrid included regular etiquette and deportment lessons in the children's routine. The years spent scavenging and scrapping in the refugee camps had left the pair rather rough and wild. Their social skills were seriously lacking and Ingrid worried that the children would eventually land themselves in serious trouble unless they learned to curb their tempers. The old woman therefore required strict adherence to the rules of proper behavior, at home as well as in public. Milli and Luie were obliged to use appropriate table manners, speak politely to adults, and to treat other children with respect. Even a small detail such as carrying a clean handkerchief every day was enforced with due diligence. Ingrid disliked being stern with the children, but it was for their own good. They were both extraordinary people with the potential to make a significant contribution to the world. She could not bear the possibility that their talents might go to waste.
Of course, on days such as this, she was not certain their etiquette training was doing any good. She sighed as she watched the pair during their latest dance lesson.
"OW! Watch it!"
"You watch it!"
"All right, you two," sighed Ingrid with some exasperation. "This is a waltz, not a wrestling match." She stood up and walked to the table, closing the lid to Luie's music box. "We will start over. Remember, formal dancing requires teamwork. You work so well together when you do other things, why is this different?"
"He keeps stepping on my feet."
"I wouldn't if you would stop trying to lead."
"How come you always get to lead, anyway? I want to lead this time."
"I'm supposed to lead."
"Why?"
"Because I'm the man."
"You're not a man, you're a boy, and that's not a good reason."
"Nana!" Milli shouted his plea at Ingrid in frustration.
"I'm afraid Milli is right, my dear. The gentleman always leads."
"Yeah, well. I still think that's a stupid reason," Luie grumbled, "and since when is he a gentleman?"
"Hey! I carry a handkerchief and I hold the door open for people like Nana says I should and all that stuff. That makes me a gentleman."
"Well if that's all it takes, then I'm a gentleman…"
"Nana!"
"Luie, dear," Ingrid sighed, "could you just try for your Nana?"
"I wouldn't keep stepping on your feet if you would stop trying to lead."
"Settle down and try again." Ingrid started the music box once again and counted out the waltz for the bickering children. The lesson progressed in much the same way for a while before the children stopped and complained once again.
"Nana, why do we have to learn to dance anyway?" Luie rubbed her sore foot and glowered at her dance partner.
"Yeah. It's not like we're going to need it," Milli agreed, "I'm going to be a pilot and Luie's going to be an astronomer."
"Besides we're poor," Luie added, still rubbing her foot. "They don't invite poor people to fancy balls and stuff."
"We may be poor, but that does not excuse the two of you from learning how to behave properly." Ingrid wound the music box key and set the treasure box down. "I want you to learn to dance for the same reasons I insist on good manners. Lack of money has nothing to do with a living graceful life. Grace is important regardless of who you are or what you do with your lives. I also believe that you will both be grateful that you learned to dance once you grown up. Now try again." The old woman watched as her grandchildren made another clumsy attempt, Luie watching her feet for fear of being trampled.
"Just a moment," Ingrid said as she stopped the music, "Luie, do you trust Milli?"
Luie looked at her partner and back at her nana with some confusion. "Yeah," she responded hesitantly, clearly puzzled by the question.
"Well, when you dance, you must trust your partner to guide you in the proper direction."
Luie cocked her head as she considered that statement. "O.K. I'll try."
The result was a somewhat successful round through the small kitchen. Ingrid clapped as Milli formally bowed to his partner and Luie executed a beautiful curtsey. Their accomplishment prompted the youngsters to try once more and they glided around the room with an increasing ease.
"Hey…this is kind of fun," Luie admitted as she and Milli made the first graceful turn.
"You see? I told you it would be," Ingrid responded with a smile. "Now, both of you, stop watching your feet and look up at each other."
The children complied and tried to look serious as they continued their lovely waltz. It was not long, however, before the youngsters began to make funny faces at each other as they danced. Their charming turn was interrupted by a sudden attack of the giggles. Ingrid decided to be happy that with what they accomplished so far and ended the lesson without scolding them for their silliness. Luie flexed her toes and looked up at her partner.
"Now can I lead?"
"I thought we settled that," Milli put his hands on his hips.
"What's the matter," Luie said with a sarcastic grin, "don't you trust me?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Section 3. The first successful civilian space colony was completed in A.C. 13. The small station established the first permanent educational facility for…
Ugh. He was so bored. Milli sat at the small kitchen table and made a rather feeble attempt to study. He was having trouble concentrating on his homework, as always, and instead of simply finishing his lessons, he obsessed over his boredom. He was so very, very, bored. The boy's grades were excellent in all areas, but he had difficulty concentrating on occasion, usually when he had been cooped up for too long. Like now. He was in school all day, then in the small house he shared with Nana and Luie. He felt his restlessness increase with each passing moment, building to an unbearable level. Milli tried kicking his feet to disperse some of his excess energy, but the movement only reminded him that he was stuck there, resigned to sit at that table until his work was completed. Ingrid insisted he sit and finish his homework before playing. This was not usually a problem, he could generally sit down and knock out his lessons rather quickly, but today he just wanted to run. All he wanted to do was run as fast as he could, until he felt like he could lift off and fly. Maybe run by the shore so he could feel the salty wind blowing off the ocean. Run for miles and miles…but he couldn't. He had to do his homework. The boy tried several times already to convince Ingrid that he needed to stretch his legs. His implacable grandmother, however, refused to budge. He was not allowed to get up from the table until the odious task was completed.
Milli sighed and stared back at the page in front of him, trying to focus. After exactly 15 seconds, he looked up again and propped his head up on a clenched fist. This simply would not do. He was never going to be able to concentrate like this. The boy looked over his shoulder at Luie. She was standing at the stove, idly stirring a pot of soup with one hand as she held up a copy of Little Women with the other. Luie finished her assignments ages ago and Nana put her to work helping with supper. The girl stood with one bare foot resting on a knee in a way that reminded Milli of a flamingo. This late in the day the girl was, of course, dressed in her obligatory tee-shirt and overalls. The hated school uniforms were the first things to go when the youngsters arrived at home everyday and Luie, now shoe-free and happy, pulled on her play clothes with relief. She hated the kilted skirts the parochial school required. Very impractical for a girl who loved to climb trees and play soccer. Milli stared at her back and frowned. Luie never had trouble sitting still and that sometimes annoyed the heck out of him.
The fidgety boy was at the point where he needed to get up and do something, no matter what punishment awaited him. An excuse, though, would minimize the severity of said punishment. If, for instance, he were being chased. Right. If someone were chasing him, he would have to run, wouldn't he? He decided the best way to relieve his misery was to include Luie, who was too absorbed in her book to notice any wicked plot developing behind her. The unsuspecting girl placed the wooden spoon on the stove and reached up to turn a page in her book. The boy took the opportunity and lightly poked the crease at the back of Luie's knee with his foot. Although he didn't kick her outright, the result was the same. Caught off guard, Luie lost her balance for a moment and stumbled backwards. She yelped and threw her arms in the air, sending her book flying across the room. She managed to keep herself on her feet and the instant she steadied herself, Luie let out an aggravated scream and ran after Milli, who had, by this time, leapt to his feet and dashed out the front door. Ingrid ran to the window to call after them, yelling at Luie to come back and put on her shoes. Both children were out of earshot long before the elderly woman reached the window. Ingrid turned her attention to the soup, muttering about rusty nails and tetanus shots.
The girl chased the delighted boy down the road and to the rocky shore. By the time Milli allowed Luie to catch up with him, she was no longer angry. She was having too much fun running along the edge of the sea. As the two fell into an exhausted, merry heap, Milli exclaimed breathlessly. "That was fun!"
"Yeah…but you're lucky I didn't spill the soup or ruin my book or anything." Luie panted, giving her friend a punch in the arm.
"Hey! I barely touched you!" Milli insisted, rubbing his arm, "I would never really kick you…"
"Yeah, well…I still almost fell over…"
They sat on the rocks for a time to catch their breath and
watch the waves. Luie enjoyed gazing at the sea, but it didn't calm her like
floating in the bathtub. The ocean had a completely different affect on her.
The constant advance and retreat of the frothy waves made her restless. She
rubbed her head as a voice whispered in her mind, "Il mare mi mette
inquietudine."
The little girl was finally compelled to get up and move
around, spurred on by the incessant motion of the waves. She and Milli walked
up to the ancient retaining wall than ran parallel to the road above. They
walked along the top of the wall until they reached the edge of the Fortezza
Vechia overlooking the shipyard. They sat and watched the ships leaving the
harbor, discussing where the vessels might go and what adventures the crew
might experience. Pirates entered the discussion very quickly and soon the two
were acting out an imaginary swordfight. As dusk approached, the pair started
back home. They arrived at their little house thoroughly
++++++++++++++
Uh-oh.
"Il mare mi mette inquietudine" means: "The sea makes me restless."
Sorry about the rants in the last chapter, but life will stress me like that on occasion. Thank you for all of your reviews, comments and suggestions! I know some of you had a difficult time posting a review (I had trouble posting the chapter), so I'm glad you hung in there until you could or you e-mailed your reviews. Thanks for taking the time to do that! Special thanks to Chloe Peacecraft for inspiring the location of this chapter. She sent a lovely description of Tuscany along with some phrase translations [Thanks again!] and I pulled up the old Encarta to find a city on the coast of that region. Livorno was just what I was looking for.
Disclaimer: O.K., you know what…I DO claim to own Gundam Wing and all of its fabulous characters. AND I'm making oodles of money off this. So much money that I just put a down payment on that castle I've had my eye on and I just hired a cabana boy to rub my feet everyday. Not to mention the fact that I now own a limo and have hired Jeff Gordon to drive it for me. I have also purchased a small third world country and declared my self its Benevolent Queen….so there…
Disclaimer to the Disclaimer: This is Lady Dante's
Sense of Reason. The views presented above are solely the opinions of