Canta Per Me

Canta Per Me

Episode Nineteen: Relena's Punishment, Part One

Disclaimer: ClareBear owns Meia Krane, Kurai, Athena Angeleno, and many other original new characters. Story concept belongs to Noir. Main characters belongs to Gundam Wing. I think I've covered everything.

Author's Note: As we get closer to the end, this fic will just get more intense. I've chosen to focus my efforts on this fic and finish it off. Kurai really isn't a bad person, just like Relena and Meia aren't really bad people. They're just part of a system. Think about who could be a member of the Society of Night. You've already seen a few that you probably didn't think twice about. Only members of the Society can hire Noir, and even then only a limited number of members know how to get in contact with Noir. Remember the movies Eye of the Beholder and Point of No Return? That's sort of how Noir and Canta Per Me are like. I also made up first names for the Darlians. Relena calls her biological parents (the Peacecrafts) "Mama and Papa," while she calls her adoptive parents (the Darlians) "Mommy and Daddy."

* * * * * *

"NOIR.

The word designates the name of destiny from a distant time.

The two Virgo reign over death.

May the Black hands over the green field…

Please protect the newly born peace."

- opening from the anime, Noir.

Paris, France

Only one day had past since Relena and Kurai had their formal introduction. What was going on in the Society of Night? That was the mystery that Relena was wrestling with. She was wondering what was happening. She was told by her uncle that Noir no longer required a partner. Meia wondered what going to happen next. They were on edge, but neither openly displayed it. To top that off, the Preventers had Relena under surveillance. Relena had to find a place where they couldn't follow her. She refused to talk to them since the day before yesterday. Mrs. Darlian had called Relena from London asking her if she wanted to come home to the Moors in England for a visit. She invited Relena all the time with hopes that she could come, but Relena always said that she had work to do. Relena rarely accepted an invitation from anyone, but she had come home for a few visits. Now was a good a time as any for one.

"I think we can't waste our time waiting here like sitting ducks. If the Society wants us, they'll come at us anywhere they can," said Relena.

"Do you think something strange is going on in the Society? You said that Noir was only one assassin now, but was traditionally two," said Meia thoughtfully.

"In the beginning of the Society's creation, Noir was two especially trained assassins who were born to members of the Society or to families of the Society. My mother's family were members of the Society. Some still are, but others aren't. Noir is a special assassin team. The team isn't made up of older more experience assassins to begin with. No, rather, the Society starts fresh with children," said Relena.

"So, that they will believe in their beliefs," said Meia softly.

"Exactly, over time things change, and Noir eventually became almost anything. Noir could be a man at one point or just one person. However, it seems that the Society is reverting back to its old ways. I don't know why. There is some kind of upheaval in the Society. There's a power struggle," said Relena.

Meia looked at Relena. There wasn't anymore they could say about the topic. They were going to go to Northern England to stay at the stately manor house that belonged to Relena's parents, the Darlians.

* * *

Dorothy was the only one who had a theory about Relena. She smiled deviously as she loaded a small semi-automatic gun. She wasn't going to really threaten Relena or even shot her, no she was going to talk to her. Dorothy had a feeling that Relena wasn't the pacifist she once was. She didn't think Relena was Noir, but she thought that Relena may have been working for another organization after Noir. She didn't think that Relena was Noir because Noir was known to be cold and unstoppable. True, Relena was cold, but she wasn't as heartless as Noir. She was acting more and more like her brother, so Dorothy thought that she got a new job as an agent as well. There were records that Dorothy could find, and she didn't want to present her theory to the others until she had evidence.

Relena was at the station to cross the channel to go to London and from there take the bullet train to Northern England. Dorothy spotted her at the waiting for the next transport over. She knew that Relena had informed Lady Une that she wanted to go visit her mother, and that she didn't want the Preventers there for her visit. Zechs said that would be fine because the Darlians' home in the Moors was one of the secure places that Relena could go to. Relena rolled her eyes at the idea of having protection. She didn't like the interference into her life, so it was understandable that she wanted to get away for a few days or possibly weeks.

The transport would get Meia and Relena over the Channel to get to the British Isles. The wind gently whipped around Relena. She and Meia were well aware of Dorothy's presence, so Relena decided it was time to let Dorothy know. "I'll be right back," said Relena.

"Hn," said Meia with a nod. Relena walked off and knew that Dorothy would follow her. She followed her until she got to a more desolate place where no could see or hear them, but Relena pulled the vanishing act that she had mastered years ago. Dorothy stopped in her tracks when she got to the place that Relena led her to. She was bewildered. Wasn't Relena just in front of her, maybe less than ten yards?

"Why are you following me?" asked Relena from behind her. Dorothy was startled, she quickly drew out her gun, and turned around, pointing it at Relena's face. They were standing ten feet apart from each other. Relena started to laugh softly, which only caused Dorothy further confusion, "Do you know how many times someone had drawn a gun to my face? Please, you'll have to do better than that. I've been desensitized."

"I followed you because you know more about Noir than what you're saying. Who are you really working for?" demanded Dorothy in a cold voice. Relena approached Dorothy with incredible speed that could rival any of the Gundam Pilots easily. She had right hand over the barrel of Dorothy's gun and her left hand was on Dorothy's arm under her tricep pulling Dorothy closer to her, so that she can whisper into her ear. She dug her left fingers into Dorothy's muscles causing her pain, and then an odd numbing feeling. Relena knew that she was hitting the right pressure points, and the expression on her face didn't change. "I think you are more afraid of me than I am of you," Relena said in a harsh whisper to Dorothy's ear. Dorothy lost all feeling to her fingertips holding the gun. Relena took the gun out of her numb hand. She had the gun in her hands which she took it apart in a matter of seconds and let the pieces of the gun along with the bullets fall on the ground. Relena walked passed her to get to the transport, so that she wouldn't miss it.

Dorothy sank to her knees with a shock look on her face. She just couldn't believe Relena was capable of such actions. She knew that the others wouldn't believe her without seeing it for themselves, no matter how strange Relena was acting. Who in the world would believe Dorothy the former war monger or Relena the dove of peace? Dorothy had to tell someone; she decided that her best chance was with Lady Une. Dorothy looked at the pieces of her gun and glanced at her hand. It was still numb.

* * *

The Moors, England

The Darlian Home was far away from London, and it was one of the stately homes up in the northern part of the country. Relena spent most of her early childhood up in the Moors or in the Darlian home in Normandy in France. The Darlians did so for her protection until she was old enough to be exposed to the world as their daughter. In the beginning, Mr. Darlian was still rising in politics, so Mrs. Darlian and Relena had to stay at home for the most part. While, Daddy was away, Mommy had to make sure everything was alright for little Relena. It was Mrs. Darlian who had to contend with Relena's terrible-twos temper tantrums. She was the one who had to talk to her after her nightmares during the evenings. Patricia Darlian just married Charles Darlian at the time, and she was still a young bride when her husband agreed to take in the little princess. Tricia never knew what she was getting into being thrown into motherhood so quickly with a two year old who had just lost her entire family.

"I saw Mama and Papa bleeding. Then the bad men pointed the things that made Mama and Papa bleed at me," whined Relena who was two years old and nine months.

"Mommy and Daddy are here. Nothing bad is going to happen to us. Go back to sleep, my little angel," pleaded Tricia, who was just so tired chasing after Relena during the day. Charlie said that they could have a nanny to help her, but she insisted that she could take care of Relena by herself. She was seriously re-thinking her hasty decision.

"But, I saw Mommy. Relena's not a liar!" insisted the little girl as she shook her blonde head. Tricia sighed because she had learned very early on that Relena was a stubborn child. 'I wonder if the Count and Countess Khushrenada having any trouble with her brother. She is precious little girl. My little angel,' thought Tricia as she rubbed Relena's back to get her go back to sleep, and she thought something else. "Do you want to sleep with Mommy? Daddy's not here, so it's okay," suggest Tricia.

"Okay," cried Relena excitedly as she tried to open the sliding hatch on her crib. Mrs. Darlian shook her head and picked her up from the crib and carried her to hers and Charlie's room. Charlie said that Tricia was spoiling Relena by allowing her to sleep in the big bed, but Tricia said it was her right to spoil Relena just a little bit if she wanted to. Besides, Tricia really want to get some sleep, and the only way Relena could sleep through the night when Charlie wasn't there was to sleep with Tricia.

Mrs. Darlian remembered how difficult it was telling Relena that all the bad dreams would go away. She had a feeling that they never did, and if they did they would only be gone for a little while and return. When she saw her daughter come home, she noticed how tired Relena looked and insisted that she get some rest. Mrs. Darlian talked with Meia while Relena got some much needed sleep.

* * *

Kurai did exactly as she was told. Her family was one of highest ranking ones within the Society of Night. Her family was intact compared to Relena's. Relena was her partner, and Kurai didn't question it. Kurai admired Relena for her compassion and mercy towards killing her targets. Relena was one of the true royals in the world, and she was a force to be reckoned with. Kurai sympathized with Relena's defiance, but she was given orders to carry out.

"I am sorry, Lena," said Kurai in a soft whisper as she prepared to punish Relena. She took out her steel chopsticks and let her shoulder length, jet-black hair cascade down. She was in England to carry out Relena's punishment, even if she didn't want to.

* * *

Paris, France

Dorothy came back to the Preventers' Headquarters to talk to Lady Une. It was pretty quiet because everyone was working on something else. Duo, Wufei, and Heero were back in London, but they left Relena to visit her mother in peace. So, Dorothy took this as an opportunity to talk to Lady Une. Her arm laid numb at her side. 'What did she really do to me?' thought Dorothy. She talked to the secretary at the front office who immediately let Dorothy see Lady Une.

"Dorothy, what's wrong?" asked Lady Une when she noticed that Dorothy looked rather shaken, and she was clutching one of her hands with the other.

"I followed Relena to the transport depot to get over the Channel. I had a theory…I don't know if I'm wrong or right anymore," said Dorothy.

"What happened?" asked Lady Une.

"She did this to me," said Dorothy simply, and she went on to describe what happened at the transport depot. At the end, she added, "I can't feel my fingers. I don't know when the feeling will come back, and I don't know what she did."

"We'll have Sally look it at. For now, let's keep this just between the two of us. We'll do a more in depth investigation on Relena, but we'll do it from a distance," said Lady Une. They had to move carefully, but they were also forming a theory about Relena that they didn't want to say out loud because they hoped that it wasn't true. Little did they know that they were right.

* * *

The Moors, England

Relena woke up after sleeping for three hours. She hated that she was so tired that she couldn't stay and talk to her mother. This was home. Home was with Mrs. Darlian. The last ounce of Relena's childhood and innocence was within the walls of the two homes in England and France. Mrs. Darlian was the keeper of these precious things. For as long as Relena had her mother, there would always be a place that she could call home, and a place where she could feel safe.

She came down the stairs to find Meia curled up at the massive library. "Happy?" asked Relena. In the London house, there wasn't much of a library, but in the house of the Moors, the collection was massive.

"Hai," said Meia with a slight smile on her face. Relena got up to go talk to her mother.

"Hello Mother," said Relena softly.

"Oh, dear, how are you? You looked so tired. I was worried," said Mrs. Darlian.

"I feel much better now that I'm home," said Relena with a smile on her lips.

"You should take better care of yourself, my angel," said Mrs. Darlian.

"I'll try, Mommy," said Relena softly as she reverted back to what she used to call Mrs. Darlian when she was younger. For some reason, it felt right. She didn't tell Mrs. Darlian about all the problems that she had. Relena knew that regardless of anything that she had done bad or good, she would be loved unconditionally by her mother.

"Tell me, what you've been doing," said Mrs. Darlian softly. Relena and her had a long conversation, but Relena said nothing about her being Noir. She refused to bring any shame to the woman who had raised her as her own or to hurt her. She didn't want her to be disappointed in her.

* * *

Kurai looked at the desolate Moors. The rain was starting to pour on the hard earth and rock. She had to finish what she was ordered to do. She looked around and found the Darlian house rather easily, and she slipped in just as easily. The servants in the kitchen were preparing the meals and making sure was everything was alright and comfortable for the special guests. Kurai heard from one of the servants that Meia was in the library looking at all the books. She had to admire the child for wanting to know all about the world. It was like being a new born baby. She had to find out Relena was.

* * *

Relena was sitting in one of the dens and looking through an old photo album. She came upon a picture of herself, the Darlians, and Uncle Gustave. She traced her finger over the faces. The picture was taken by the pond in the house in Normandy. The golden pond from Relena's childhood. The pond that she couldn't visit anymore because she had killed Uncle Gustave.

She heard a noise. The sound of someone moving quietly and swiftly down the halls of the house. Relena stood up and decided to see what it was. She had her gun with her at all times because of the Society's threat of punishment. She took off running the down the halls, and when she ran passed the library, Meia saw her. She nodded and took off after Relena.

* * *

Mrs. Darlian looked out the window and shook her head because it was starting to rain. She had hoped that the good weather that they had lately would last the duration of Relena's visit. Without warning, a hand came over her mouth. Her eyes widened in fear. The person clamped her mouth shut, and she saw a sharp pair of metallic objects. In flash, the person slit her throat and quickly allowed her to fall on the floor, avoiding getting a single drop of Mrs. Darlian's blood on her. The rain came pouring down as the sky lit up with lightning followed by the sound of thunder.

The lightning flashed showing Relena right in front of Kurai with her eye wide open and her gun raised. The lightning flashed again now Kurai was gone. Meia took off running to pursue her because Relena stood there frozen staring at Mrs. Darlian's bleeding form on the marble floor. She staggered over to her. Her mother's eyes were wide open with pain, and she wasn't dead yet. Relena gathered her up into her arms and began to rock her back and forth as the tears stung the corners of her eyes.

"It's alright. It going to be over soon," whispered Relena softly as she tried her best to comfort her. Mrs. Darlian had lost too much blood; slowly the life was draining out of her. There was nothing Relena could, but to hold her until it was over. Mrs. Darlian saw the gun near Relena; she looked at her and to open her mouth to speak. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. Mommy, I'm sorry. Please forgive me," said Relena when she followed Mrs. Darlian's gaze to her gun. Her mother shook her head with the last ounce of strength remaining in her body she gently lifted her hand and touch Relena's cheek. 'My little angel,' thought Mrs. Darlian as her vision blurred and everything went black.

Relena sat on the hard, cold marble clutching Mrs. Darlian's body all the while rocking herself and Mrs. Darlian.

* * *

Meia continued her pursue of Kurai into the Moors. It was dark and the rain was relentlessly pounding on her. She couldn't see Kurai anywhere, but she had to keep trying. She knew that Relena wasn't behind her, and that Mrs. Darlian died from Kurai's slashes on her throat. Meia heard a sound and fired, but Kurai was already gone. Near the Darlian home stood a thick, small forest. Meia took off to go look for her, being careful that she didn't slip along the way.

* * *

London, England

"We just got a call from the Darlian home up north. Something's happened. Mrs. Darlian was murdered," said Duo as he got off the line. Wufei and Heero looked surprised.

"Relena's there," said Wufei. Before Duo and Wufei could react any further, Heero had picked up his jacket and was going to the helicopter pad to fly up there. Duo and Wufei followed closely behind him.

"There's a storm. It'll be worse up there. That's rough country. Heero! Are you listening?" asked Duo.

"We have to get there. Relena could be in danger," said Heero. Wufei shook his head and looked at Duo. They all went to the helicopter pad, and when the mechanic wouldn't allow them to leave because of the storm, Heero knocked him out with a punch. Wufei took the seat next to Heero at the front of the cockpit to help just in case the weather got even worse. Duo took out his portable to contact Zechs first, and then Lady Une.

Heero landed perfectly and they got there in record time. They walked through the mud to get to the main house. The servant that greeted them at the door gave them a grateful look. She showed them to the scene of the crime. Local police were already in the area. A kind looking, portly, and older police officer from the Scotland Yard questioned Relena. She looked distraught. Heero stepped in to stop the questioning.

"I'll take it from here," said Heero quietly. The man shrugged his shoulders and allowed Heero to talk to Relena. "We came as soon as we heard about it. I am sorry, Relena." He placed his right hand on her shoulder. Relena shook it off and her head as well. There was blood all over her arms and her white, long sleeve shirt as well. Her indigo blue jeans even had blood on them. Wufei and Duo looked at the scene of the murder; Wufei looked at the evidence, while Duo talked to the staff and other police officers. Relena walked away from Heero as if she didn't even notice anyone else was in the room. Her eyes were glazed over, and she walked like a mechanical doll.

"Relena," called Duo when he noticed that Heero wasn't stopping. He went to go after her, but Heero stopped him.

"Let her go," said Heero quietly.

Relena walked out into the garden outside letting the rain wash the blood off her hands and arms. The rain also did one thing that she wanted; it disguised the tears that were flowing freely down her cheeks. She didn't want the others to see her tears. She sat down on the wet stone seat in the garden and pulled her legs up to her chest. She folded her arms underneath her thighs and pressed her head to her knees. Letting the rain come down upon her with hopes of letting the pain wash away.

Heero, Duo, and Wufei watched from the inside the house as the rain came down on Relena. They couldn't do anything for her, but let her feel her pain because she didn't want anyone's help. They got back to work making notes and asking questions. At one point, Heero lifted the sheet that Mrs. Darlian was under and looked at her. None of the Preventers ever met Mrs. Darlian, not even Zechs. Heero didn't know why, but he thought that she was a beautiful woman. He gently touched her cheek. 'She was Relena's mother. The only mother Relena's ever really known,' he thought as he lowered the blanket back down. He looked out the window and saw that Relena was sitting outside in the cold rain.

* * *

Time passed, now Relena was inside again in another wing of the house. Heero, Duo, and Wufei chose to stay the night until Zechs and the others arrived. They didn't know whether this was an assassination attempt on Relena or not. Relena sat on the floor still wearing wet clothes; she refused to change or say anything at all. The Preventers chose to leave her alone. Some more time passed, and doors to that part of the wing opened Relena looked up to see Meia soaking wet from the rain. She had her gun in her right hand; Relena hid hers before anyone came to room that Mrs. Darlian died in. Meia looked at her and shook her head slightly. Relena looked away from her and looked at the fire in the fireplace. Meia put her gun away and came back with a blanket. Relena's clothes were still damp, and Meie gently draped the blanket on Relena, realizing that her skin was cold. Meia went to go and change her clothes and dry her hair.

Relena sat in front of the fire with an impassive look on her face. Meia went to the kitchen, and she noticed that the three Preventers were there. She walked passed them. They followed her to the kitchen because they didn't even know that she was in the house with them; they watched her make some tea for Relena. She left them to go back to the wing. They watched from the doorway as she poured some of the tea for Relena and handed it to her. Relena took the teacup and sipped some of the warm tea. They didn't really talk at all. It was as if they were communicating through a empathetic, psychic link. The Preventers really didn't understand what it was exactly. When they were satisfied they left.

Relena sat there for another hour after finishing off the cup of tea, she refused another. Meia sat down with her back against the wall. She closed her eyes wondering where Kurai had gone. Suddenly, she heard the sound of cracking ceramic, so she looked up to see that Relena was crushing the teacup by squeezing her right hand over the rim of the cup. She broke it without having an expression on her face. She didn't even feel the pain from the cuts on her fingers and palms. Finally, she stood up letting the blanket and broken cup fall on the floor. Leaving the room, she decided to go to sleep. Meia sat there looking at the blanket and broken pieces of the teacup for fifteen minutes then she stood up and cleaned up everything. She went to find the first aid kit and went to Relena who was sound asleep. Meia tenderly picked up Relena's right hand, cleaned, and dressed the cuts. Finally, she fell asleep in the bed with her like a small child with her mother.

Sometime before dawn, Relena opened her eyes. She knew that Meia was with her. Everything was now over, from this point on there was no turning back. She had reached the point of no return. She couldn't back down now. Relena closed her eyes to go back to sleep.

Next Episode, Episode Twenty: Relena's Punishment (Part Two)…