Sally Po, Chief Physician to His Grace, Prince Henry, flipped a page of the book in her lap quietly, her blue eyes not really seeing the scrawled script. She was seated in a padded wooden chair across from the door, a lit candelabra casting flickering shadows on the worn pages before her. The dim light did not bother her, though, for she had chosen her seat so that she had a clear field of vision to the door.
She shifted slightly in her chair, brushing a rebel strand of wheat-colored hair behind her ear and back into the twin braids where it belonged, her gaze drifting back to the book she was supposed to be reading. Crossing her ankles beneath the white fabric of her gown, she tried to concentrate on the words, but failed, causing her to sigh quietly to herself. She had not been able to relax all night. There was a feeling in her bones, one almost like anticipation, but of what she did not know. The storm outside did not help matters, the quick lightning throwing odd shapes around the room and playing tricks with her imagination. Neither did the man who sat a little distance from her, watching the rain.
The Lightning Prince was watching his namesake arc through the sky, his ice blue eyes solemn, framed by white-blonde locks of hair. She had helped him to his seat by the window, hoping the scenery would give him something to occupy his mind, though he did not seem in need of a distraction. She was the one who felt skittish. The night was full of secrets and she knew she was at a disadvantage, for she knew nothing.
She was a doctor, a healer in Henry's service. She had grown up in the royal palace, for her talents had been evident from an early age. She held no love for her employer, but no hatred either. He paid her, gave her a roof over head. He may not have held her loyalty, but that was something she never questioned. She was answerable to no one.
Except, perhaps, to Noin.
They had been friends since childhood, engaging in wooden knife fights while pretending to be knights. Consequentially, both had become very skilled in the use of daggers, which was why Sally felt some what reassured that she could handle anything that threatened the man Noin loved.
Still, it never hurt to be cautious.
Closing the book in her lap and setting it aside, she walked slowly to the door and turned the lock, hoping the guard outside would not her the tell-tale click. Zechs glanced over from the window, his expression pointed as he watched her.
"You expect trouble tonight."
She exhaled noisily. "I don't know, but there is a feeling..."
Surprisingly, he nodded. "Games are afoot." For a moment, his fingers grazed the bandaged wound below his ribs. "Noin knows something."
"Yes," she agreed. She only wished her friend had let her know what was going it. It would have made her situation a lot easier.
"And it has something to do with my sister and Henry."
Sally did not answer.
Outside the door, there was a scuffle of movement and the door knob began to turn slowly. Sally watched, horrified as it stopped and jerked back to its original position, stopped by the lock she had just put in place. Someone banged loudly against the door.
"Open in the name of Prince Henry!"
Sally felt her fingers grip into fists. She leaned closer to the door and raised her voice. "I am Sally Po, physician to His Grace. Who is the insolent man that disturbs my patient's sleep?"
There was a low murmur of voices before one answered. "I have orders from the Prince, Doctor. Please open the door so that we may speak with you."
Behind her, Zechs shifted and she looked over her shoulder, reading his thoughts in his eyes.
To open the door would be to sentence him to death.
She didn't know how she knew, but she did. Something was wrong, and somehow Noin had known that Zech's life would be in danger. Damn her for putting me in this position. But what could she do? She had promised to look after the wounded Prince, and she would. Though it meant she would be branded a traitor and hung at the first opportunity. That, in itself, did not bother her. She worked with Death all the time. It was the reasons behind it that bothered her. What did Henry want with Zechs?
"Stay put," she told him firmly, as Zechs moved as if to rise. The Prince lowered himself back down, his eyes watching her intently, watching to see what she would do.
She released a shaky breath and crossed the room to her chair. In an instant she had shoved the thing under the doorknob, hopefully keeping the door from opening if they broke the lock. Which they wouldn't, she told herself firmly. In the tiny room Henry had designated as Zech's prison, they were effectively trapped. If she could not hold the door, they would be lost.
"I'm sorry, sirs, but Henry himself ordered me to look after this patient's well being. If you do not cease disturbing his rest at once, I will report you to His Highness."
There was some whispered conversation as they tried to figure out how orders had gotten crossed. Sally allowed herself a tiny smile. Perhaps the confusion would buy them some time. Time to do what, she didn't know.
But at least they would stay alive a little longer.
* * * *
Heero was furious.
Despite this, he closed the door to the room softly, careful of the person who lay within. He made his way down the darkened hallway to the common room where the acting troupe awaiting him, having been summoned by Trowa. Heero's eyes ran over them critically, giving mute thanks to whatever god watched over them that it was an early hour and the inn's other customers had not yet awakened. They had the room to themselves for awhile.
Quatre was the first to speak. Gentle, kind Quatre who had never used a weapon in his life. Little did anyone know that he would kill five times before the dawn.
"How is she?"
Heero let his gaze rest on the songwriter a moment. "She sleeping. She exhausted herself from crying." Not to mention the shock at what Henry had tried to do to her.
Fury rose up in him for a brief, dangerous moment before he managed to get his emotions under control. He could not afford to feel anything just yet.
"She's told me the whole story," he went on, "and now I'm going to tell you."
He proceed to relate to him what Relena had haltingly told him. About her brother's capture by Henry, and his agreement that he would not invade Sanq as long as he could court Relena, keeping Prince Milliardo as leverage to keep her in line. About the Count having seen the two of them in the hallway and ordering Relena to stop seeing him, or risk her brother's life. How Relena had left him and agreed to meet Henry in the tower, with the plan to seduce him. And how she hadn't been able to go through with it and Henry's horrible reaction.
And how Trowa had saved her in the nick of time.
Heero's gaze went to the musician, cold blue eyes meeting calm emerald green. The man seemed totally unaffected by the story Heero had just recited, and Heero knew why.
"You already knew all of this. I would like to know how."
Trowa shifted, crossing his arms across his chest. "I had a visit from Henry's sister. She was looking for you. I told her I would get you a message, but she said there wasn't enough time. She related the story you've just told us and asked for my help." At Heero's narrowed eyes, he went on, "There wasn't any time to tell you. I barely got there in time as it was." He paused, "She risked her life to tell me what was going on."
"Where is she now?" Heero barked.
"She returned to the palace. She thinks she can talk some sense into Henry."
Heero felt like cursing. "From what Relena says and what I have seen of the man myself, Henry is not the type to wait and see what happens. He'll have ordered Milliardo's death by now in revenge, if the Prince isn't already dead." He paused, "He'll also want me."
"Well damn him if he thinks he's going to get you." Duo spat, his violet eyes flashing with anger. The whole thing made him sick and seeing Relena covered in bruises had snapped something within him. Henry would not survive the night if Duo had anything to say about it. "All we need to do is get inside the castle and, with a little luck and a well thrown dagger..."
"Do you think we'd make it that far?" Wufei growled, "I'm sure Henry has the place crawling with guards right now. We wouldn't get ten feet inside the door."
Immediately, everyone started arguing at the same time, their voices tumbling over each other in their haste to be heard. Heero arched an eyebrow and let them go, knowing they would die out. Surprisingly, it was Catherine who silenced them, her quiet voice rising above the din.
"I think," she said smoothly, as everyone stopped to look at her, "that all we really need to do is get Milliardo out of the castle. We cannot stop Henry's army from invading Sanq, but we might be able to save this kingdom's Prince." She looked at Heero for confirmation and he nodded.
"We could stop Henry's army well enough if we killed him, " Duo muttered.
"We aren't murderers, Duo." Trowa replied, "We only need to fight the battles worth fighting."
Duo stilled looked mutinous but didn't say anything.
"With Relena's knowledge of the castle we should be able to find an alternate way into the palace." Wufei mused, "I'm sure the place has secrets."
"But even if we do get inside, we have no idea where Milliardo is being kept, " Dorothy brought up, her eyes serious. "How will we find him?"
"I think Princess Lucretzia knows where he is," Trowa said finally. "If we can find her she can lead us to Milliardo."
"All right then," Heero said, drawing all eyes to him effortlessly. "Wufei and Duo, you will locate Lucretzia and get her to take you to Milliardo. Trowa and I will take care of anything that gets in your way. Quatre, I want you to stay here with Relena."
"What about Dorothy and I?" Catherine asked, sharply. "We're not going to stay behind."
Heero gave her a quelling look. "Of course not. You two will have the most important job." He leaned forward, "I want you to be distracting.... Very distracting..."
Catching on to his idea, Dorothy grinned evilly. "We'll do our best."
"I'm sure you will," he replied, and then to the rest of them, "We'll leave as soon as I talk to Relena."
* * * *
Relena awoke to the low murmur of her name and a warm caress at her temple. She blinked foggy blue eyes until her vision resolved into the beautiful face of Heero standing over her, his hand on her cheek. When he realized she was awake, he removed the hand and she felt a lingering sense of loss. He had always been so gentle with her.
Abruptly tears came to her eyes as she remembered what had almost happened in the dark tower, and Heero wrapped his arms around her in a sweet embrace. She buried her face into his shirt, smelling the fragrance of wind, sweat and something that was uniquely Heero. After a moment, she regained herself and looked up at him with a teary smile.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, "its just that..."
"You don't have to apologize," he answered quietly, his voice deep and reassuring. His thumb wiped the last of the tears from her face. "Relena, I need to ask you something important."
She blinked and nodded, wondering what was on his mind.
"I need to know of any secret entrances to the palace."
Her mind froze. "What?"
He didn't answer, but then, she already knew what he was thinking. She had been raised around politicians and she knew how to think quickly and use her wits. She just couldn't believe he was going to do this.
"I forbid it," she said at once, the princess in her turning her voice into a royal command. Heero didn't react to this new side of her, only gazed at her with those bottomless blue eyes and she felt her strength falter. "You can't, Heero. If the Prince sees you..."
"He won't," Heero answered shortly.
She smiled faintly. "I remember you saying something like this before and it didn't work then, either."
He touched her hair, his fingers brushing her cheek. "Believe in me."
She gave the answer she had given once before. "You know I do." And then she proceeded to tell him the information that would surely lead to his death.
* * * *
Noin burst into the Sanq Palace at a run, pushing past guards that tried to halt her headlong flight. She spared little attention to them, only enough to call out who she was.
"Let me pass! I must see my brother! Let me pass!"
They did, reluctantly, she noticed. Some even had sneers on their faces as they took in her rumpled appearance and wind blown hair. She didn't care. The only thing she could concentrate on was getting to her brother and stopping whatever madness he had already put in place.
Please, Sally, protect Zechs with your life.
Outside the throne room, she stopped only a moment to catch her breath, before striding through the doors, her face stern and proud. Like a princess.
"Henry, you must..." The words died in her throat as she took in the sight of two regal figures, both covered in various bruises from rough handling. Hilde leaned against a pillar for support, her hands bound in front of her with rope that cut into the flesh of her wrists. She wore a determined expression but her eyes reflected her fear. More disturbing was the second figure.
The Count of Sanq was in chains, blood running from a knife cut on his forehead and dripping into his eyes. He looked old and tired, much more so than his fifty odd years. He had aged in the space of an hour.
Henry laughed at her horrified expression, delighting in his ability to upset her. "Nice to see you, sister dear. I see you are appalled at the condition of my visitors. I had Odin bring them to me and I guess he was a little...enthusiastic...about carrying out my orders." He smirked.
Noin took a numb step forward, her gaze looking around for the Captain of the Guards and found him nowhere in the room. "Henry, what are you doing? This is madness! Release them!"
He laughed, actually laughed, and Noin felt herself stiffen.
"What makes you think I take orders from you, princess? Guards!," he barked, and two came forward to grab her roughly by the arms. She struggled uncomprehendingly but they drug her up to stand before the throne, throwing her to her knees when she got there.
"I've had some interesting news, sister, " he said, vaguely, his eyes on a polished sword in his lap. He lifted the blade in one hand. "It seems you've been consorting with peasants."
Suddenly the bright blade was under her jaw, tilting her head up so she had to meet her brother's gaze, the point of the sword nicking the skin of her throat.
"You've snuck behind my back for the last time, sister. Now you're going to tell me everything you know about those damned actors before I cut your throat and that of the little wounded princeling you love so much." The blade moved under her jaw. "Tell me. Now."
Helpless tears trickled down her cheeks, dropping onto the steel next to her throat, glittering like stars against the shining metal.
Please, Sally, just protect him.
tbc...
* * * *
*ducks various vegetables and the daggers Sable is enthusiastically throwing* Please! Mercy! I didn't mean to make this a cliffhanger, it just turned out that way, honest!!!!
At least I updated right? I'm trying to get these chapters out fast so that the story will be done before christmas. Oh, and sorry I didn't warn you about the attempted rape in the last chapter. I changed the rating to reflect that.
And I'm inclined to remind you all that this is suppose to be a tragedy, which certainly means there is going to be some death. Now, as to if it will actually turn out that way, who knows? I mostly a sap person myself so I think it will be hard for me to actually kill any of these characters, except Henry of course, but I just want to warn you that this is an angst fic and it's not going to be all light and happy. But, to those of you who are tearing your hair out at this announcement, I've been playing with the idea of having two endings. One being the original tragedy ending I had in mind at the beginning, the other a less angsty ending with some sap. If you think this is a good idea let me know.
Thanks for reading! *huggles*
please review...
