Canta Per Me
Episode Twenty: Relena's Punishment, Part Two
Disclaimer: I don't own a lot of things, and that includes Noir and Gundam Wing. ^_^
Author's Note: Ah, any guesses on how this will all end? Only CB and her roommate know. The last part was rather sad, sorry it doesn't really get happier in this episode either. I'm really getting good at writing a good death scene, but I guess I'd have too considering how many people have died in all this. I've lost count, and I'm sure so have you. It doesn't matter. We all know it's a bunch of people. I've been thinking about the next two stories that I've been considering doing for Gundam Wing. Two of them. I seem to do my stories in threes for Gundam Wing. Anyway, I've been playing around with ideas. The first idea is a comedy and the other is tragic romance. The only thing I'll say is this it's nothing that I've seen yet in Gundam Wing fanfics. I can't decide which one to start for the tragic romance each part will run based on a song (not really a song fic, but the theme for that part). So, would like more tragedy or would you like comedy? After having a dry spell for so long, I'm glad to have new ideas. ^_^
* * * * * *
"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.
The Moors, England
The other Preventers arrived at the old manor house that belonged to the Darlians after dawn the next morning. Relena wasn't really up and about during that time, but Meia woke up the next morning. The servants made sure that everyone else was happy. Finally, at around ten in the morning Relena was up, while she was sleeping, Sally and Wufei went to the coroner's office to look at Mrs. Darlian's body. Relena was in a state of quiet shock. Not a word came out of her dry lips, and she wasn't looking at anyone in particular. Everyone worried about her because it seemed like she was dead inside. She walking like a zombie. Heero was asked earlier if Relena was like this, and he said that she was like this before. It was strange as if she was numb with pain. This was the same girl who reacted so strongly to the death of her father, Mr. Darlian, and now it seemed that she had gotten used to the idea of death all together. Millardo noticed that her right hand was bandage when he made a move to examine her hand, she quickly pulled it away from him and clutched it to her chest.
"What happened to your hand, Relena? Did the person who killed Mrs. Darlian do that to you?" asked Millardo softly as if he were afraid of upsetting her an further. Relena shook her head, but give no verbal answer. Meia was the only one not present during the whole thing, and that bothered Heero more than anything. Why didn't he know that she was there earlier? He hadn't seen her when they first arrived, and he wanted to question her. However, he was tore between doing just that and making sure that Relena was fine.
"Why don't you eat something Miss Relena?" asked Quatre softly. By this time people had noticed Relena's bandaged hand. They didn't want to ask about it because of her reaction to her brother's question earlier. They all acted as if they were walking on broken glass around her. The rain had stopped during the early morning just before dawn. Relena looked just fine except for the lack of expression on her face and the bandage on her hand. She had used lots of make up that morning to conceal the dark circles underneath her eyes and the paleness on her cheeks. She looked blankly at nothing. She seemed like she was in her own world. No one could stand it for very long. Everyone wanted her to at least cry or scream. It didn't matter just as long as she proved that she was still alive underneath the horrible silence that seemed so loud to them.
'I am Noir. Why did they kill her? It was my fault. This is all my fault. I'll kill them all,' thought Relena rather coldly as she clutched her jaw ever so slight, and because she wasn't making any real movements until that time, everyone noticed right away. She clutched her hands into fist and dug in her nails causing blood to draw from the previous cuts on her palms the night before. Everyone noticed the blood seeping through the white bandage, but made no move to stop her.
The draw of blood was proof that she was still capable of feeling anything. The only thing she could feel was pain, anger, and sad. And hate.
* * *
Unknown Location
"Has it been completed?" asked Athena Angeleno.
"Yes. However, it will still take time to bring her back," answered Kurai truthfully.
"However, the process has been sped up significantly. I only hope that her darkness doesn't consume her," said Athena, "I have some news. One of the other members of the Society has decided to take this occasion to silence her. I think it was his orders. We can't have that. We need her alive. You need her alive."
"As you will it, Kind Mother," said Kurai with a bow as she left once again to assist Relena.
* * *
The Moors, England
Relena left the company of the Preventers after another hour. She tapped Meia on the shoulder to join her in the study where they locked the doors to keep the others out. For the next hour, Relena planned the funeral services, while Meia cleaned and re-bandaged the cuts on her right palm. Ironically, she was getting good at doing that. She had planned many funerals lately. However, after making calls to finish making the final arrangements for Mrs. Darlian. Relena decided to check up on business.
"We have an e-mail from someone. They say that there's going to be an attack on us during the funeral, 'The Knights of Shadows are coming.'" said Relena in a tired tone as she read the quote out loud from the message..
"What are we going to do?" asked Meia with outright concern because she knew that Relena wasn't up for it.
"What can we do? Defend ourselves against the Society. We have to or die. I won't die at the hands of the likes of them," vowed Relena.
Meia simply nodded. They knew that the odds were against them because the Preventers would be there, and the Society was out to get them. Meia could never be the True Noir because she wasn't designated from birth like Relena, but she was Relena's friend and the only person she could call family. She would back her up no matter what the odds were.
The Preventers were waiting for Relena to come back out. Relena emerged later on with Meia. "I've made all the plans for the funeral. It will be tomorrow. My mother will be buried next to my father who was also murdered," she said to her brother as she walked off again. Meia didn't follow her, instead she went to her room to get some sleep or so they thought. Meia was going out to practice her shooting with a silencer.
* * *
The very next day was the funeral. Relena had not come to visit her father's grave in the past few years because she felt ashamed to do so. However, she had no choice. The Preventers would be there as security, but Relena already knew that trouble was brewing as did Meia. The Society of Night had special members who were marked as soldiers who were activity during the war or at the beck and call of the head of the Society. These men were called the Knights of Shadows. Relena only her Uncle Gustave mentioned them only once before, but in a passing conversation. Meia and Relena were inside the limo with Heero and Trowa as it drove to the cemetery. None of them said a word during the entire trip over. It was the same kind of silence Relena used the day before. They were all dressed in black. Relena was dressed in a black shirt that dropped just below her knees, boots that came up to her mid calves, a black button up shirt with short sleeves, and a light black coat over it. Also, she had a pair of sunglasses that she refused to take off inside the car. Meia was also dressed in black. She wore a shirt as well with a white shirt and a black knit sweater. The silence was so palpable that it was making Heero and Trowa uncomfortable, but they didn't show it. The limo came to a halt at the near the graves along with other cars. Relena was the first one out of the limo followed by Meia, Heero, and Trowa.
Her brother was hidden because of the fact that he was still labeled deceased. The Preventers were nearby, but Relena and Meia didn't feel any safer with the impending attack approaching. What were their odds? Relena didn't even know how many Knights there were because her uncle never said. Either way, they had to be ready for them. There was quite a crowd of people for the funeral service. Old time friends and Mrs. Darlian's family gathered for the service. The priest stood at the front and gently patted Relena's shoulder. She sat down on a chair away from others, while Meia sat with Heero and Trowa. Meia looked around to see where the Knights were, but she couldn't tell. Relena wore sunglasses not to hide her tears, but to look around without being too obvious. She had shed all her tears the night that Mrs. Darlian died while she was sitting outside in the rain. Now it was a matter of survival.
"We are gathered here today to honor the memory of Patricia Darlian. A wife and a mother. A strong woman who survived the death of her husband, but in the process she only became stronger. Her greatest achievement in her life is her daughter, Relena. I am sure that our prayers are with her. Would you like to say a few words, Miss Darlian?" asked the priest; he was a kindly old man who looked at her with encouraging eyes.
Relena slowly pulled to her feet without removing the sunglasses and a very soft voice she said, "I am no longer used to speaking in public, so I'll keep this short. I learned a lot from my mother. I learned to love others through her. She gave me life even if I do not have her flesh and blood. I wish more than anything that I did, but it makes no difference. I loved her anyway. She protected me no matter what. She would give her life for me, but she is irreplaceable. She was my mother. I do not think that any of us can fight death. Nor can we fight our nature. Our darkness," Her voice was so soft that it was barely above a whisper, but it sound clear. Millardo didn't know what to think about what Relena had just said. He thought, 'What is she really saying? That she wishes she weren't my sister. That she wishes she weren't a part of the Peacecraft family.'
The funeral service went in a blur and was over quickly. Everyone went their separate ways, and Heero approached Relena to walk her back to the limo. She shook her head and said, "No, I'd like a few moments alone. Meia and I will walk back together." Heero turned to see that Meia was standing a good distance away from them, leaving Relena with some privacy. Heero nodded and walked back to the limo alone.
She stared down at her right hand. The cuts on her palm were aching, and she was right handed. She would have to use her left hand for the attack. Meia walked up to her as she threw a yellow rose down the grave that landed on the coffin. They were in a valley that the graveyard was tucked into. Relena took off her sunglasses and looked at Meia. They nodded, took out their guns with silencers, and took off running.
* * *
Kurai waited for them to take off running. The Preventers had no idea what was happening. Suddenly, everyone heard a round of gunfire. They looked at each other. "Relena," said Heero. The others looked at him. The sound of gunfire was coming from the forest near the Mrs. Darlian's grave. Heero, Duo, and Trowa took off together, while Zechs, Quatre, and Wufei went to the forest. Heero raced over to Mrs. Darlian's grave and saw that neither Relena nor Meia were there.
"What the Hell is going on around here? Where's Relena? Where's that other girl?" asked Duo
"They were here just a few minutes ago. They must have took off running," said Trowa. They all had their guns out just in case. A man's scream could be heard off in the distance as he fell off a higher level of ground. They didn't see who did it. Meia was the one who shot him with her gun which had its silencer on it. Heero took off for that part of the valley.
Relena was in the small woodsy area taking cover in the trees. She could see her brother with Wufei and Quatre run in along with three of the Knights. She shot the three Knights near them and quickly moved on.
"Who did that?" asked Quatre out loud when the heard the sounds of the bodies of the men.
"I did not do that," said Wufei.
"Someone did," said Zechs as his eyes moved towards the spot that Relena had occupied earlier. "Someone was here," he said. They looked around, but they didn't see anyone, instead they heard more gunshots fired followed by the sounds of people falling down to the ground.
"There are so many people being killed. We can't even see who's doing it," said Quatre.
"Let's move," said Zechs. Wufei nodded, and Quatre and he followed Zechs out of the forest.
Relena moved deeper into the forest area and took out Knight after Knight. None of their skills were a match for hers. She turned around when she heard someone behind her. The man fell to the ground with a dagger sticking out of his back. Kurai was standing a small distance away from him. Relena raised her gun.
"You were in trouble. I decided to help you," said Kurai simply.
"I swear when this is over, I'll kill you," said Relena in a cold tone.
"Is that a threat?" asked Kurai, not at all surprised by Relena's words or manner.
"No, that's a promise," said Relena as she fired her gun, shooting the man who had come up behind Kurai. Kurai didn't look the slightest bit shaken by that. They turned around, and they were surrounded by a dozen men. Kurai smile and looked at Relena. They went and attacked the men together. Relena kicked one man and took his gun after first shooting him. Armed with the two guns, Relena shot the other men despite the fact that she was reopening the wounds in her left palm again. Kurai killed two men with her daggers.
"OVER THERE! I CAN HEAR MORE GUNS!" shouted a voice that was approaching them. It was Duo's. Because Relena didn't see Heero with her brother earlier, she assumed that he had to be with Duo. She turned to find that Kurai was gone, so she took off as well for the forest. Heero, Duo, and Trowa ran towards the direction of the gunshots. They saw all the dead bodies on the ground. Each of the Knights were dressed in identical suits and none of them had any identification.
Heero looked around at the trees. While Duo and Trowa examined the bodies, there weren't just fatal shots, but daggers sticking out of the bodies. There were trails of different people all over the woods. Relena concealed herself deeper into the forest with the two guns. The pain was getting too much for her in her right hand. 'Never forget Lena, cover any wounds you have and keep moving. You will stay alive longer this way,' thought Relena. That was something that Uncle Gustave had told her. She removed the bandage from her hand and placed the gun in her right hand, wrapping the bandage around both the gun and her hand. Relena couldn't get rid of the other gun from the man she had killed earlier because it had her fingerprints on it. She kept the gun tucked into her pocket of her coat. She took that off and put it up on a tree.
One of the Knights spotted it and fired, thinking that it was Relena. Using her left hand to keep her right arm steady, she fired back killing the last of the Knights. Heero and others heard the shots and took off for the forest. Relena managed to pull her coat back down in time. She had to get out of there quickly otherwise they would spot her. She had no time to put her coat on or to take off the bandage around her hand and gun. She moved quickly, but suddenly she heard another gunshot, and then there was a stinging pain in her arm. She looked down at the left upper arm and saw that she was grazed by a bullet. It didn't matter, not right now. She had to get out, but she started to move again quietly, so that she couldn't be tracked.
"Heero!" called Duo as Trowa and he caught up with him.
Heero was staring off into the forest, and he took off running for the other person he heard. Duo and Trowa followed him. When he got to the edge, the person was gone.
* * *
Relena managed to get to Meia. Meia had killed more than a dozen men on the higher level ground, but when Heero and the others arrived, she took cover. They were the ones who returned fire to the Knights earlier, killing them off, so Meia had to do almost nothing compared to Relena. Meia looked with concern at the bleeding wounds that Relena had.
"It's nothing. Just a graze from a bullet. I'll be fine. They're all just flesh wounds. Take my gun off my hand," said Relena with a weak smile. Meia nodded and brought out a handkerchief and took off the gun from Relena, depositing it into her other coat pocket. She wrapped her hand while Relena winched slightly as she put her coat back on.
"We should go back," said Relena softly with they took off running back to where all the cars were parked. Zechs, Wufei and Quatre were there and saw them.
"Are you alright Relena?" asked her brother with concern.
"Yes, it's nothing," answered Relena as she reverted back to her monotone from earlier.
"You're bleeding again," said Quatre, gesturing at her right hand that was wrapped in Meia's white handkerchief.
"I fell when we were trying to get away from the gunshots. We heard them and took off. We stayed hidden until we didn't hear anymore. Actually, we stayed until we were sure that it was safe," said Relena as she winced in pain, not from the cuts in her palm, but from the graze on her left shoulder because it wasn't dressed or cleaned and she could feel her coat sticking to the flesh because of the blood. She didn't like the thought of looking at it later.
"Relena," said Heero voice from behind her. They all swirled around.
"Let's go home," said Relena quiet as she moved without pain back to the limo. Meia helped her.
* * *
They all went back to the Darlian House, and Relena was alerted that the lawyers wanted to meet with her to discuss her inheritance. She had spent the pass few years avoiding the inheritance in her trust fund from her father, Mr. Darlian. No one really knew why, but Relena didn't really need let alone wanted the money. While she was inside the study for the meeting by herself, everyone else was doing something else. Meia retreated into the library. Before the lawyers arrived, she redressed the cut on Relena's palm and treated the graze on her shoulder. Sally wanted to look at the cut, but Relena insisted that Meia could do it for her. Sally couldn't go any further and insist because Zechs stopped her. They had no idea that Relena was also bleeding from another wound. She was now alone in the study with the head of the lawyers.
"I must say I am sorry to be meeting with you on such an unhappy occasion," said Mr. Carlisle.
"I would rather we finish this business as soon as possible," said Relena in a tired tone. The day had slowly caught up with her, and Mr. Carlisle noticed that bandage on Relena's hand and how stiffly she moved altogether.
"Yes, of course, I would like to make this as easy for as possible. You are the sole heir to the Darlian fortune and the Peacecraft's as well," said Mr. Carlisle, and Relena winced slightly at the thought of that much responsibility weighing upon her.
"I really do not want to jump into my new duties and responsibilities that quickly. Mr. Carlisle, I gave up the last part of my childhood to do so before. Mother and I talked about it after I stopped being vice minister. She understood and said that I decide my own future and what I think is best. Right now, what I think is best is to leave everything the way it is until I am ready to assume responsibility," said Relena in a commanding voice that she used to use as vice minister.
Mr. Carlisle nodded knowingly. He understood why Relena didn't want to do anything with her inheritance too soon. It was money that was dripping with fresh blood. Even then it reeked of death. Relena had no interest in any of the money because she was Noir and such material matters are nothing.
"Well, I think we should revise your will, Miss Darlian," suggested Mr. Carlisle because he didn't want to push the subject much further. The expression that was now on Relena's face told him that she approved of the change of topic.
"Yes. I would like to do that Mr. Carlisle," said Relena because she had a new idea in her head.
* * *
The Preventers were talking about what happened after the funeral. They were all gathered in one of the dens after doing a sweep for bugs. "Relena's still talking to her lawyer," said Quatre quietly.
"There was no identification for the men. The strange thing was that the Scotland Yard wouldn't allow us to go into the morgue," said Sally. Actually, the head of the Society of Night, intercepted the bodies of the Knights before they could even make it to the Scotland Yard.
"Relena seems shaken, but that is to be expected after all the things that's happened," observed Trowa. There came a knock at the door. A maid curtsied slightly, "Mr. Peacecraft, there is a call for you from a Ms. Noin," she said.
"I'll take it," said Zechs as he stood up and followed the maid to the other room to take the call.
"Those men weren't just ordinary hit men. Relena knows something about all this, but she's not talking," said Wufei.
"I think we're going too easy on her. I know that her mother just died, but Heero, can't you do something?" asked Duo. Heero was about to answer, but Zechs came back into the room. His ice blue eyes were even colder then when he left the room.
"Noin received a message for me at my office. It said that Noir is responsible for the assassination of my uncle, Gustave Reinheart," he announced. He looked like he was ready to explode at any moment. Everyone's eyes widened. "We have to find Noir. Noir is responsible for his death. I'll have Noir's head," he swore in a quiet, cold voice. No one said a word, but they were glad that they weren't Noir.
"Either way, I shot someone who wasn't one of the men today. If only I saw that person, then we'd have some real answers," said Heero. He didn't know that after all the times he threatened Relena, he had finally managed to actually shot at her without hesitating, even if he didn't know it was her.
Next Episode, Episode Twenty- One: The Shadows of
Society…