Her eyes peeked open a little later, the stubby torches burnt out, leaving the candle's glow to light everything. With a small yawn, wondering how long she slept, she slowly rose in bed. With a scratch to the back of her scalp, she threw the covers off and went to a window. Looking for the moon was ineffective - there was only black outside.
With a small, conscious shiver, she turned away and wrapped arms around her torso. Stopping in the middle of her room, blue locked on the floor. Something didn't feel right. Something felt...wrong. Hearing nothing but silence behind the door didn't do any good for her nerves. Her ears strained for anything, to no avail. It was quiet like the dead. Her eyes locked on the robe she used earlier. It would be so easy to go downstairs and oh-so-casually ask what everyone was doing. With an almost unknown sense of determination, she donned the robe and grabbed the torch by the door.
Opening the door revealed the same blackness as what she saw out the window, save for shadows brought on by torches. Harshly swallowing against sudden nervousness, she quietly swung the door shut, feeling as though she needed to be quiet as a mouse. Now glad she was barefoot, she tiptoed a few steps into the hall. It felt as though she was the only occupant in the entire castle. A quick glance down the hall revealed only two torches lit, leaving more than enough shadows to bring a week's worth of nightmares. Gripping the torch tighter, her gaze swung away to the nearby stairs.
She hesitated to call for anyone, especially if they were asleep. The below hall was dark and quiet - possibly everyone was resting. She would've believed that, if not for the overwhelming urgency to find ANYONE and the dread that something bad happened. It was those emotions that prompted her feet to move to the stairs. She stopped at the top and found a small glow from the dining hall, along with a quiet hum of voices. Peering into black and straining to hear, she was forced to take a few steps in order to gain any clarity to the room. She ended at the bottom before she knew it.
Now farther from the safety of her room and closer to the happenings, she gave a harsh swallow. Every fiber in her body was tuned to everything, adrenaline boosting her senses to maximum. She knew if anyone came by, she would lash out with the torch before knowing who it was and that there WERE no enemies in Catalonia castle.
With that thought in mind, knowing she was among friends and safe, allowed her to shuffle into the darkness. She looked at the walls for a longer torch, one twice the size of this. Having such a dinky light did little to fend off the darkness. She could only see seven or eight foot away, though the lights in the dining hall did more to alleviate it the closer she got.
She made a beeline for the entranceway. As soon as she reached the light's edge, the talk became louder and totally discernable. Feeling like a child up past her bedtime, she hid behind the archway, face peeking past brick to see who was up so late. Dorothy, the King, all of Dorothy's handmaids, even her knight was there. All held some sort of odd, contemptuous looks over something.
Seeing that look on Hiro's face stunned her. She didn't know he could even look that way, or that her good friend could look that way. Sure she had small spats with Dorothy before and knew her friend was capable of anger, but the look in her eyes was pure hatred and scorn.
"I don't believe a word of it."
"Me either. I mean, how could something like that happen to her? What makes HER so special?"
"Right! You're MORE than a match for Princess Relena, Princess Dorothy."
"I'll say. My looks are FAR superior to hers!" Dorothy gave a flip of her hair, a smirk twisting her features. "She looks all haggard and old-looking now. Her eyes USED to be so beautiful and kind, now they just look scared and pitiful."
The voices cut to her soul. She leaned against the wall and gripped the torch as tightly as she could, the other hand fisting her robe over her heart. Some of those cruel voices were saying the things she wondered, but never told a soul. How did they know, not to mention harbor the same doubts? It was amazing that - not being here an entire day - they judged her without hearing the depths of her pain. The friendship of every person in that room, was gone.
"You don't have to tell me Princess. I had to spend two VERY long weeks with her, listening to her inane chatter about formalities. Almost makes me wonder if I should've saved such a spoiled brat."
Blue teared at such harsh words. She knew her knight didn't care for her, but what he said implied she was not only his duty, but also a burden. She thought they were almost friends after spending so much time together. She didn't understand how he could be so heartless, even though she witnessed a lot of it during their trip. His cruelty always had some sort of purpose. Killing that rabbit, his lack of manners during the ride, pushing them...it all had a logical reason behind it. Here, he was just being downright spiteful, though she had no clue why. She knew she was acting like a 'spoiled brat', but set about to fix that. Realizing it, she thought everything changed.
More words followed, but she dropped the torch and covered her ears. No more, she could listen no more! It was bad enough they thought her a burden and a pathetic shade of her former self, but they had to hold a council over it and exchange viewpoints! Spiteful laughter followed, getting past her palms, ringing in her ears. Her eyes screwed shut, a look of pain on her face.
Why? Why did they have to hate her, hate what happened to her? It wasn't HER fault! She'd give ANYTHING to turn back time and hide herself so the kidnapping would never occur! But time travel was only a wishful thought. She was condemned to be who she was now, and suffer the consequences for it.
When her eyes opened, she stood in the middle of everyone in the dining hall. The King was there, eyes full of scorn. Hands slowly dropped to her sides, wide eyes taking everything in. This COULDN'T be real! Where the castle was seconds ago, now was only blackness. Wherever the light came from that illuminated her friends was unknown. There was no other light, save for what radiated from every person, and her as well. "Why?" She pleaded, looking to the faces. They just sneered and kept silent, as if not hearing. "WHY? I don't UNDERSTAND!" Tears filled her eyes and poured down her cheeks. One of the handmaids started laughing at her misery, others soon joining in.
"Was THIS what you wanted to go back to, Princess?"
Every bodily function ceased, save for the heavy, fearful shiver that crept up her spine. She knew that voice, knew it and had it unwillingly imbedded in her mind since the day she was captured. The lump in her throat made it hard to breathe, but she dare not until knowing the location of that voice, so she could run in the opposite direction. Fear froze her limbs, though giving her the panicked need to run and hide. Her so-called friends' laughter started blending together, echoing after each other. It soon melted into one long, looping laugh, taunting her fear and sanity.
"Was this REALLY what you wanted to run to?" Two of the maids stepped aside and the pig king walked in, his sorcerer at his side. On his face was a compassionate smile, though it looked more like a sneer. Onyx eyes sadly looked at her persecutors. Their laughter became silent the second the king entered. His eyes locked on hers, narrowing with new anger. "You should've stayed with me. I offered you a promised, stable life."
"At the expense of me and my family!" She shot back, anger not really coming. She felt lost and scared. There was no one to protect her now. She was all alone against someone who had magic at his command.
"I gave you a chance to revel in power princess. And you threw it back in my face." He lowly answered. That tone sent another heavy shiver up her spine, giving a jolt of fright to her system. He sounded a lot more dangerous with that tone, even more so when he was angry. A sneer blossomed on his face as he stepped back. "Well then, since you want your so-called friends so much, I'll leave you to them!" With that, darkness swallowed him up.
"You will reap the problems you sow princess." The sorcerer promised. She looked into those yellow eyes, frozen. A hoof sliced the air, pointing to her. "I will come soon to take you back to your king." His eyes looked around at those encircling her. "Maybe with the help of one of them?" The sorcerer stepped back, the maids closing the circle as their laughter was heard again.
Hands shot out and grabbed her. They started moving in. Somebody shoved her and she collided with someone before being roughly pushed to someone else. They tossed her around as if she were a ball, her neck snapping like a whip. Tears squeezed from tightly shut eyes as she felt their cruel hands, knowing bruises would form on her arms and back.
"Please!" She shouted, pleaded with whoever held her. Hands gripped her shoulders. "Please leave me be! I'll leave the castle tonight and you will be rid of me!" Her eyes were unable to focus on the person who started shaking her, tears blurring her vision too much. "Just let me go, I beg you!" The laughter increased in volume, a simple reminder she was no longer wanted. Through it, a muffled voice tried to tell her something. At such a close proximity, she knew it was the one shaking her. "Please..." She sadly begged again.
~*~*~
"I said wake UP princess!" Hands shook her again. "Wake UP!"
He was afraid this would happen. The king's sorcerer got to her during her slumber. He left the party too late to efficiently scan the forest. As soon as he did, he could feel black magic choking his energy. He knew the time had come to protect her again and he rushed to her aid, nearly outrunning the torch's light. After pressing his ear to the door and hearing her babble in her sleep, even through solid oak, he knew he was too late. Irregardless, he burst into the room and rushed to her side, dropping the torch into the remnants of her bath. He didn't know what to do, besides shake her and hope to rouse her from sleep. So far, he'd been at it for a minute now.
After what seemed an eternity of praying and muddled thoughts, her eyes popped open. With a gasp and fearful wide eyes, hands grasped his forearms, trying to get out of his grip. "Calm down princess." He coaxed, trying to make his voice soothing. He knew it wouldn't be very effective, since he was better at scaring people than calming them. But with her, he had to TRY. "You had a nightmare, calm down."
"You!" She breathed, eyes so wide the whites showed in the lighting. "Let me go, PLEASE!" Frantic hands clawed at him, nails digging into his arms. She dug into the underside of his wrists, threatening to draw blood. He complied, feeling the overwhelming bout of pain. He knew he as bleeding and drew the injured skin to his mouth to keep the blood out of her sight. It would only craze her more.
Finally freeing herself, she locked eyes with him. Her surroundings changed, this time in her room. Her eyes narrowed. Why was the knight in here? What relevance did this scene have? Was he going to take her? Rape her?
True, fierce anger boiled. To take her virginity was the worst thing for a Princess. If the sorcerer was right in sending an agent for him to take her back, destroying her virtue was one of the worse ways to go. Irregardless of what happened to her, if she was unfit to be wed, her dowry might as well go to the king's cloven hands. She would be brandished a whore and outcast in her land. There would be no other place for her to go.
She quickly jumped off the bed and found a dagger sheathed under his belt. So, he intended to kill her too? Or just steal her in the night at knifepoint. Well, from what she'd seen, there would be no need for weapons! The others would WELCOME her gone from their castle. With lightening reflexes, she reached over and grabbed the knife, holding it in front of his face.
"Whoa! Come on princess, give me the dagger." He coaxed, eyes locked on it. She had taken leave of her senses! He looked at her, slowly backing away. Her eyes were still wide, almost maddeningly so. They looked unfocused, glazed over. She was under the sorcerer's spell, he realized.
"And what was THIS for?" She harshly demanded, waving the sharp tip in his face. "Did you plan on killing me? Make me leave? I know you ALL want me gone, that's no secret now."
"Please Princess, you need to calm down. Take a deep breath. Remember where you are."
"I KNOW where I am!" She almost shouted. Her eyes narrowed a little in irritation. "I'm among people who consort with my enemy! And the friend of my enemy is MY enemy. And you were WITH them." She hissed. Her legs parted as her stance lowered, ready to plunge the dagger into the knight's body. After that, she would make a mad dash for the door and flee the castle. Maybe if she could get past the inner courtyard, she could find a way around the guards and make her escape. "You LAUGHED at me."
"You were under a spell, Princess." He tried again, hands raised in submission. He kept perfectly still - any movement would set her off. She was in a precarious setting right now, trying to regain her sanity was priority. "The King's sorcerer cast a spell on you during your sleep. I was unable to protect you in time to keep it from happening."
"Protect me??" She quietly screeched. "Ha! You who pushed me amidst the circle, said I was a spoiled brat. Formalities?? You're a PRINCE! You should KNOW about formalities!" A sneer took possession, twisting her beauty. "Though I must say, with the lack of courtesy and manners you showed me earlier, I'm amazed I didn't see it sooner." A hand touched her chin. "Yes, it all makes sense now. You were only FOOLING me, trying to make me think I was saved."
"You have been saved Princess." He quietly denied, trying to keep his voice even. Unknown to him, a bit of pleading entered his voice. He felt an unfamiliar sense of urgency that never happened to him before. Somehow the two weeks with the Princess changed his outlook on her. Now, he saw it as more than just his duty to protect her. In the beginning, the offer he was given wasn't what he agreed to - it was recognition. He wasn't interested in her personally, it was the quest. But, as he held her those long rides, sat across from her of their fires, even kissed those lips to take back his power, he knew things changed. "I swore I'd never let ANY harm come to you. You must BELIEVE me!"
"HA!" The dagger thrust in his face again. "You expect me to believe that after all I just witnessed?" Her eyes glittered dangerously. "You're no better than those than kidnapped me." She growled. "And I've had ENOUGH of your 'pleasantries'. They don't suit such a cold person as you, so don't pretend anymore! After I kill you, opposite to what you sought out to do, I'll make my escape and go to my father. He'll end the Catalonia treaty and wage war for my suffering!"
He didn't get another word in. She lunged forward, knife poised to his chest where his heart was. He wasn't wearing his armor, just borrowed night clothes the King lent him. He easily dodged the swing, and countless that followed. The main concerns he had were the size of the room and she'd eventually pin him. She wouldn't hesitate to kill him, he knew that much. She was too far gone to save without extreme measures. But he didn't know what to do. Seeing anger in her eyes and the sneer on her lips, he wondered if there was any way to save her and return her to the kind, beautiful creature she was.
She quickly wore down from the months of exhaustion and malnutrition, but did pin him against the dresser. "This is the END sir knight." Her hand swung down in a fatal arc, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping it. She was so frail, he only required one hand. But, she surprised him with a sudden bout of strength and - after using the other hand for force - lodged the knife high in his shoulder.
He staggered to one side, feeling pain shoot down his arm and head. Some part of his mind was disappointed in himself for not being able to stop her and keep her from harm. In a way, by harming him, she harmed what kept her safe. Once she regained sanity, it was a grave possibility she would be on her own. The knife hit deep, buried nearly to the hilt and he didn't know how long he'd last if he didn't get to the medical supplies in his room. "Relena..." He choked out, feeling the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.
Hearing her name, in such a gentle, pleading manner, caught her attention. Her eyes turned cold and contempt at the blow she dealt, and she now awaited his dying words. "What?" She spat.
He bent over, one hand hovering over his skin. An odd sensation gripped his chest, a pain that had nothing to do with the fire in his body. Tears came to his eyes as he looked at her. If he was to die, then he would etch every feature into his memory, and remember her how she was. Her father showed a painted portrait of her around the same age, but the painter was unable to capture the same loveliness he saw. He knew the right words to bring her back. "Earlier...when I said you looked lovely...I was wrong. There weren't words to describe your beauty."
Her eyes widened. Something in her mind tickled and a small blush appeared. She was not used to such compliments from him. "So what?" She asked, arms crossing.
He straightened as much as possible and slowly went to her. She tensed, but held her ground. Pain riddled eyes took in her face, memorizing how much that mark struck, even though she wouldn't let it be known. "I swore on my honor and my father's kingdom...that I'd bring you home. In the beginning...I didn't feel it was anything other than my duty...but that changed. I...felt something toward you during the trip." The pain was increasing, making it hard to form words. His tongue felt heavy, as if he were slipping into unconsciousness. No! He couldn't, not until he had his say! A hand rose to her face, touching her skin. "I don't really know what it is...but that doesn't matter. What matters...is that you're safe." Seeing her eyes focus on , his lips lowered, kissing her with as much compassion and gentleness that he could muster.
She crashed back to reality. A big sense of déjà vu struck and her mind shot back to long ago, back to those odd dreams. She recalled a dream that was so vivid she swore it was real. He said it was only a dream. And now, feeling his lips again, she was certain it was real. That entire forest confrontation happened; this knight had magical powers that he used to keep her safe.
A tear fell from her eye, as if releasing all the hate she was encompassed by. She pulled back with a gasp and looked at his shoulder, feeling utterly mortified and morose that SHE did such a thing. It was like she was an entirely different person. She, Relena Peacecraft of the Sanc Kingdom, had the intent to kill something. The thought made her shudder. Never in her life had she done such a thing and the thought nearly made her want to retch.
He pulled back a little more with a tender smile, brushing his thumb over her lips. "Welcome back...Relena..." He harshly swallowed against the pain, trying to keep his face even. He encountered harsher things before, this wasn't so bad... But the fact that it came from such a delicate flower was emotionally wounding as it was physically. She WANTED to hurt him. Perhaps...death didn't seem so harsh now... "I'm...glad it worked."
"You...your shoulder...did I??" She sputtered, eyes unable to remove themselves from the knife's hilt. Her hand felt empty, lighter. She was the one that plunged such a device into the one that kept her safe. She turned beseeching eyes to his, finding them pain riddled, but soft.
He didn't hate her!? After all she said and did, he didn't hate her?? Hands flew to her mouth in another realization. The blood that covered his nightshirt was growing; he would die soon, that was certain. Tears flowed in a steady stream. She NEVER wanted to hurt someone, ANYONE. But, she just had, and now she had to live with it.
He forced his eyes to look away. The tears tore at him, even more so than the knife did. If he wanted to save his life, he had to leave and get to the packs in his room. "Now that you're safe Relena...I'll leave you." He slowly stepped back, almost falling due to the inability to function with his normal grace. He managed to get out of the room and with a small burst of energy, jogged down the hall in his hurry.
She stood alone, aghast at the sudden transgressions. Her eyes looked to ruffled sheets, the pillow lying on the floor next to the bed. Every bit that he said she heard, but her mindset was different. Her eyes closed. He said there weren't words to describe her beauty?? Another blush lit her face, more so than it had the first time. Then, he really DID care more than he let on...
She whirled to the door, torn at what to do. Should she go and help? She was no nurse or doctor, she didn't even know how to make a simple splint or to properly remove a knife from something. How could she help, when she initially made things the way they were? Eyes dropped to the floor, feeling guilty tears form. No, there was no time for tears, not NOW. She HAD to know how he was doing, if he was still alive. But she had no clue where to look! Her back straightened, eyes set on the black doorway. 'I have to FIND him.'
It didn't take long, mostly since she somehow sensed his pain. It was as if the closer she got, the more her shoulder burned. She didn't understand it, but went with whatever strange instinct was guiding her. She found him in his room, lying on his back, bandages spread around. He must've passed out before he could fully tend to the wound. The knife was gone now, a hole in its place. The blood seemed to have stopped, but he was very pale, and didn't even look to be breathing.
She shut the door and rushed to his side, looking down. Even like this, she found him handsome. She dumbly blinked and stared, amazed at the thought. But, it was true... A hand tentatively reached down and brushed his hair, as if trying to comfort him, trying to find a way to make up for her attack. He stirred, his head turning to her palm. A teary smile made its way on her face as she kneeled. Even though he passed out from lack of blood, he was still aware she was around.
As she gazed into his face, a strange sense of peace filled her. She wondered if she was detaching, finding a way to get over him and continue on. A serene smile tipped her lips. He had stopped bleeding entirely, his head nearly resting on her hand now. She felt good to know that he needed her touch, even like this. Her eyes closed as a tear slipped past. 'I only wish there was MORE I could do for you Hiro.'
As her head rested against the mattress, her hand started to feel warmer. Her eyes slowly opened, wondering if his skin went cold from death. When she looked up, eyes shot open to the point of popping from her head. Her hand was GLOWING! It was a radiant yellow, a yellow that continued up her forearm and vanished under the robe. She dumbly stared at this strange, twisted event.
"May I see?"
"You are able to. But you must step inside the circle to do so. You are able to see due to your own skill. Concentrate your mind on the path we took. It will lead you back to the castle and you will be able to see what I have."
She wondered what he meant to the point where she passed out that night. What kind of power did she have? What 'skill' was this??
Experimentally, her hand touched him again, running through his hair. After a tense moment, his head minutely stirred.
He was still alive! She stood up and quickly sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over his frail body. "Hiro...can you hear me? Answer me Hiro, PLEASE." She pleaded. Her palm rested over his body with the intent to shake him, but forced herself to stop due to his injury. Jarring him would only start the bleeding again. Waiting for a sign, her hand started feeling warm again. She looked down...and found the knife wound slowly shrinking. Her eyes widened, but her mind processed what kind of power this was.
She was a healer; it all made sense. All the Peacecrafts, the royal family, servants, and the peasants all decreed there be no violence unless it a life or death matter. She had gone out of her way to treat everything with the utmost care, never harming anything unless it was for basic, essential needs.
She didn't know what she was doing, only knew that the realization gave her a clarity beyond her comprehension. Her hand lowered to his wound, not even flinching when she felt the tissue repair itself at a fast pace. After it was done, she studied it, finding it good as new. But he wasn't moving, barely breathing. He lost too much blood, and she hadn't been able to heal that. She was a healer, not a replacer of what was lost.
There HAD to be a way to heal his unconscious state so he could tell her what to do, how to proceed. She felt the glow throughout every nerve fiber, every pore. It intensified until her eyes blurred gold, though she was not scared as she had been with his power. She didn't know with his, and she still didn't. But being able to feel what this power did, brought a clearness all its own.
She also knew what to do with it, too. If Hiro was able to give her his gift, then she would somehow give him hers. Let him heal himself - she would intervene more later. With a small smile, knowing this would make it number three, her lips gently touched his. The transaction was almost immediate and soon, she felt him slowly return her kiss. Her eyes peeked open to find his body glowing with a dim hue and she strengthened the intensity of the kiss, pressing with such a need that astounded her. But she didn't turn away. She fully embraced this bewitching, magical turn of events.
His eyes slowly opened and found her in a glow, very much like his powers did to him. It was just the effect they gave off, a harmless side effect. It did nothing more than give her an ethereal look, and he momentarily wondered where her wings were. "Am I dead?" He rasped.
"No Hiro, you are still very much alive." She answered, not amazed at the change to her voice. The soft soprano rose a few octaves, giving her an even more musical voice.
A wisp of a smile touched his face. "You tapped into it." He tiredly muttered.
"Yes, though how YOU know is a mystery to me."
"I knew you had a power deep within you - I have ever since I first laid eyes on you at the courtyard. I didn't know what it was exactly, but I grew to when my power touched yours. That you were able to so effectively use it is amazing."
She gave another serene smile, one hand going over his glowing cheek. "I'm happy to be able to rectify my mistakes." She whispered, a gold tear falling from her eye.
He tried to move his head to tell her that what she did wasn't the real her, but his body wouldn't move. Despite the fact that she healed the knife wound, he was still weak. "That was the sorcerer's influence. I just regret not being able to get to you in time."
"Everything we do has a price, has a place. If I hadn't...hurt you, would my power still surface?"
"In time, yes. But it wouldn't have come as quickly with your urgency to help."
She sheepishly smiled and looked at a part of his room. "I only wish there was more I could do to help."
He knew of one way to help. It wouldn't ease his pain, but it would mend a different kind of tear...one closer to his heart. "There is something you can do for me."
"Yes?"
"Kiss me again."
She dumbly blinked, feeling her face flush. It didn't show through the yellow, but it was there. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire! "Will the power leave you? I think that's helping you right now and I don't want to take it back."
"Not unless you will it back." He answered. "Gifts like ours take a lot of mind control. I don't know how well you've been able to grasp yours, but you can only give it a try and see."
With a wry grin, she complied to his wish, knowing she also wanted to kiss him again. As their lips met, this time for sheer pleasure, she felt a surge of energy. She didn't know if it was from him or her, but didn't break the kiss. That surge helped him, because she could sense he was more alive, also by the way his hand rested behind her hair.
The longer they kissed, and with so much bottled up passion, the more she became aware that he was almost fully healed, and that burst of energy was his own. He was giving her his power so she could mingle it with hers and give it back to him and make him stronger. How they were doing this, she didn't know. She was only focused on the kiss, and the odd swirling of emotions that threatened to overtake her. Emotions that had NOTHING to do with her healing powers.
