Disclaimer: I thought I ought to put up another one of these stinkers just to remind people that I own nothing but my own ideas. Hey! Romance people, there's some stuff heading your way, but you won't see it till you review. Action people, and just plain good story people, that's coming too. Celena's rebellious streak is coming out and it'll lead to trouble. Review me!!!



Chapter 8: Plot Thickens

A sudden wind blew in through the open library window, scattering papers all over. Emilee shrieked and dove for the flying sheets. Allen closed the shutters and began helping her gather the language notes. She groaned as she scrambled around on the floor.

"After all the work I spent organizing..."

She stacked the notes messily on the table. Allen pulled a paper out from under a bookshelf.

"And drawing?" He asked, holding it up.

Emilee blushed and snatched it from him. "Well, you all are interesting."

"Drawings of the beast-people and of Merle I can understand, but me?" He smiled teasingly at her, leaning against the table.

Another breeze slipped under the shutter and ruffled the papers. Allen and Emilee slammed their hands down on them – Allen's landing over Emilee's. Blue eyes met aqua-green and locked. Self-consciously, she tried to pull away but his fingers curled around her hand. The teasing smile was still on his face, but something changed in his eyes.

"They're very good, Lady Emilee."

She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "Thanks, but I wasn't planning on showing them to anyone."

"But such a talent ought to be put to use."

At that Emilee pulled away and began gathering her things saying reproachfully, "I wish you'd give up being so fancy with me. I've heard that you have a talent for picking up women."

"Picking up?"

"Slang for getting them romantically interested. Hit tells me you use your talents quite well."

Slightly taken back, Allen exclaimed, "Hitomi?"

She smiled, "Yes Hitomi, who else? Anyway, I have to go. Thanks for your help."

The silence made her look back at him.

He hadn't moved an inch, but strange things were flickering behind his gaze. Worried that she had brought up some unpleasant subject, she started to apologize, and then remembered that once this man had had a 'thing' for her friend. Suddenly uncomfortable, she turned to the door.

"Lady Emilee?"

"Yes?" Her hand was on the doorknob.

"Would you permit me to show you around the palace sometime? Go - how do you say it? Seeing sights?"

Emilee smiled, "Sightseeing? Sure, if we don't end up on another different world like I did to get here. And stop calling me 'Lady'. Makes me feel old."

Allen nodded.

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Celena trailed alongside Jock, questioning him.

"How long have you known about Allen's trips? Have you seen him leave? Do you know how many times they've left? Where are they going this time?"

Jock answered casually, mostly concentrating on their rout back to the house. He frowned. Something wasn't right, he could feel life stirring when, especially tonight, no one should be out.

"Ssssst!"

Celena hushed instantly.

They reached the ally one block away from the Shizar's gardens. The darkness was moving. Jock motioned for her to stay put as he scrambled away to investigate. She waited....and waited....

A hand clamped abruptly over her mouth as her arms were locked to her sides. A muffled voice said something intelligible and she was blinded by a burst of light, full in her face.

"Ah, how convenient. Celena Shizar spares us the trouble of kidnapping her from her home."

Celena struggled to see her captors. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The man laughed. "What we want is you, or at least that's what some are paying us for. They want you back."

She stood shocked, a trickle of realization breaking through the confusion. A shape barreled into the man pinning her arms behind her.

"Run, Celena! Run!"

Jock slammed headlong into the others, kicking and punching. The light went out.

"Go Celena!"

Without thinking, she obeyed. One man grabbed her, but she bit his hand. The others cursed and closed in on the boy. Confusion her ally, Celena dashed down the ally and into her gardens.

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Allen woke to a faint clicking sound. Silently he reached between the mattress of his bed and the frame, pulling out a knife. Someone was at his door, trying to break in. For a moment he pondered whether or not to go meet him, then layback down, knife hidden under his pillow.

A faint squeak of hinges told him that the intruder had succeeded opening the door. Stealthy footsteps approached his bed. When he felt him leaning over, looking at him, he swiftly grabbed the person by the arm and yanked him over onto the bed, pinning him against the covers, knife to his throat.

"Allen!"

He blinked and immediately released a shaken and tousled Emilee Fields.

"Emilee? What are you doing here?"

She rubbed her neck as Allen lit a candle. Trembling, she pushed back unruly curls. "Don't scare me like that, Allen!"

Slightly angry and unnerved himself, he retorted, "Then don't creep into people's bedrooms in the middle of the night when you know there have been assassination attempts. I could have killed you!"

For a moment they sat there, silent in the flickering candlelight. He was suddenly conscious of his bare upper torso. Rarely did he wear a shirt to bed and he noticed Emilee averting his gaze, making him uncomfortable.

"It's Celena." She finally said.

"What's wrong?" He immediately began getting up.

"I don't know. She won't say anything."

He couldn't help smiling as she turned red when he made to pull back the bed sheets.

"Don't worry, I'm wearing pants."

The remark made her blush even more. Regardless, he pulled on his over-robe, businesslike, and continued asking, "What is she doing?"

"She's just sitting on my bed crying. She won't say anything." Emilee said anxiously. "I don't know why she came to me and not you, but I thought I'd better come get you."

Allen picked up his sword and handed her the candle. "Thank you. It probably is the room she went to, not you. It used to be her favorite."

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The halls were dark and gloomy, the candle hardly holding back the shadows. A thunderstorm had moved in, growling over the household. Unconsciously Emilee moved closer to Allen as they silently found their way to the girl's rooms. His hand was warm and reassuring on her shoulder.

The door stood cracked. Inside a small shivering figure was curled on the bed. Celena, hugging her knees to her chest, rocked desperately back and forth on the quilt, her eyes streaming tears as she stared without seeing at the flashing lightning. Allen quickly knelt in front of her.

"Celena? What's wrong? Why are you dressed like this?"

The baggy brown pants and oversized shirt were the coarse garments of the peasantry. Splattered mud caked her legs and smeared her face, streaked by tears. The pale blue eyes half-focused on her brother.

"I can hear him." She whispered. "In the storm. He's laughing at me."

Allen felt a shiver run through him but determinedly pushed away a thought before it even formed. He gently stroked her mussed hair away from her face. "Celena, I'm here. You're safe. Tell me what's wrong."

She jerked at his touch, as if she hadn't fully realized he was there. Her face became frantic. "They took him! They took Jock!"

"Who?"

"Men,' She clutched her head, twisting her hair in her fists. "They were after me. We went out. I know you didn't want me to, but I snuck out. Jock wanted to go scare people like ghosts. We ran into some men." She looked up at Allen, eyes wide. "They knew me! They said they were going to take me back. Back where? Jock-" She choked. "Jock fought them. He told me to run. They took him 'stead of me. They took him! They took him!" She buried her face in Allen's shoulder and began sobbing. He gently gathered her up in his arms and held her close.

"Don't worry Celena," He whispered. "We'll find him."

"I hear him laughing, Allen. Why won't he leave me alone?"

Allen looked up helplessly and saw Emilee standing to the side. He thought for a moment that there were tears in her eyes, but when she knelt next to him he saw nothing.

"Celena."

The girl turned.

"We'll get Jock back. They couldn't have taken him far."

Celena smiled faintly.

Allen touched her hand in thanks

Celena woke snuggly tucked against Allen's side. Smiling softly she whispered,

"Dear brother."

Gently untangling herself from his possessive arm, which even in sleep seemed determined to hold her. Creeping back to her bedroom, she halfheartedly called, "Jock? Are you here?"

Nothing but silence answered.

Walking to the window. She opened it and looked out. Dawn had barely broken, throwing a crimson glow into the East and lighting the morning mists. The fiery light sparked something deep in her memory. Frowning, Celena cocked her head, trying to capture the thought. It slipped away, leaving a stir of anger. Jock was gone – kidnapped in her stead. Taken for being her friend, though she did not know why.

Celena picked up her brush and began arranging her shoulder length silver hair. As the strands ran through her fingers, the memory came back to tickle her awareness. For an instant, her blue eyes reflected a hint of red in the mirror. She blinked and it vanished. One certainty came to light in her mind – she had to find Jock. Allen was leaving in a day and a half. He could not help her. Unless, she set her brush down, unless he was going to Zaibach – the subject he always avoided with her. There was only one way to find out.

"Brother?"

Allen looked up from buckling his belt. He smiled gently at his delicate sister. "Celena, I'm glad to see you looking well."

Her pale pink dress whispered as she walked towards him. A strange sense of gravity surrounded her as she stood before him.

"You're leaving." She stated without question.

He met her gaze. "Yes."

"Then what about Jock?"

Cupping her face with his hand, Allen carefully answered. "I have my men searching the city. They will continue looking until I return."

Celena pulled away shaking her head. "They've already gone. They wouldn't wait to be found out." She straightened her shoulders. "Allen, I'm going with you."

Startled, he exclaimed, "You can't!"

She turned on him. " Why not, brother? Are you going to Zaibach?"

Allen's face hardened. "This is no trip for a woman. It's a diplomatic mission, though I don't know how you found out about it."

"I also know that you're taking Lady Hitomi and Lady Emilee."

Frustrated, Allen ran a hand through his hair. "Celena, I can't take you."

"Why?" She watched him closely.

"Because of the past."

It was the closest he had ever come to explaining everything. This confirmed her theory that her amnesia of the past ten years was connected with the fallen Zaibach Empire. Her resolve hardened. Looking up at her brother, she touched his face in forgiveness, smoothing his troubled frown before silently leaving.

She would go to Zaibach and find Jock.

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