Hehehe...::smile:: In this chapter you will find out why those three men in the forest were gathering sticks. ^^" You wont find out why they had rope...heh, not yet. But you will find out about the sticks. ::broad smile:: I had fun writing this chapter. Heh, then end part of the chapter is..uhh...interesting ::evil grin:: Heh, well, enjoy! ^_^"
~Relena Peace
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CHAPTER TEN:
"Ditches, your highness?" Zechs said questioning her words. Relena nodded stiffly and thrust a leather pouch full of coins at Quatre. "Whatever for?"
"After you dig the ditches, which should be five feet deep at least, I want you to use the sticks that you gathered and cover up the ditches with them. Use brush if you must. But make it look believable. Believable as if real, as if nothing was there beforehand." She said ignoring his question. "I want two ditches to be dug. And I wish to know the locations of where you dig them so I can avoid them."
"Who, may I ask, are you trying to trap in these ditches, Princess?" Quatre asked voicing his question carefully. "And what do you want us to do with the rope?" Zechs held up the rope when it came into question.
"The rope," Relena said reaching her hand out to receive it. "will come with me. And as for whom I am trying to catch, that is none of your business. Leave that to me." Her steady eyes went from one man to the next, so as all three of them could see her seriousness. "I am paying you three handsomely. But I am not paying you to ask questions."
Picking up the front of her violet skirt she smiled at the three men and handed the rope to Ella. "I will give you three two days. After that I will want to see you so you can tell me where the ditches are dug. Make sure they are dug in an area that will be easy for someone to fall into. But keep it in the forest next to the royal garden. I have arranged for the gardeners and the guards working around that area to either be away or to keep quiet."
Ella, who was standing next to Relena smiled. "Yes," She said in knowing agreement. "Hush money sure does go a long way. And the people need the money too. So it is not as if it is a bad thing."
Relena smiled at her young friend and then turned back towards the thieves that were standing in front of her. "Meet me in two days hence, at the fountain in the far east part of the garden. It is the only place that I can think of that is closet to my chambers, that I can easily slip to during the night."
The three men nodded. "We will be quick your highness. And thank you very much for this money. It sure does beat trying to steal from those who have nothing to steal from." With that all three men walked away into the brush, stealing away quickly in the night.
"Come my Lady." Ella said. "The moon is right above us. It is very late. We must get back to the palace quickly." Taking the Princess's hand the young girl urged her master along. Relena gladly followed her young companion. The thought of sleeping sure seemed better then staying in the forest edge in the middle of the night.
"How are you going to get Prince WuFei to accompany you in a walk in the forest Princess Relena?" She asked when they were in the safety of the Princess's chambers. "From what you said about breakfast yesterday he doesn't seem too fond of you, and he knows that you are not fond at all of him."
Watching Ella hide the rope under the bed Relena frowned aggravated. "He's a man. twenty-three years of age. The fool sees me as a child, which I by far am not. He is rude, and, and," Her anger was starting to build up to where she could not think. Every time she thought of Prince WuFei her cheeks would flush and her fists would clench. He had no right to talk to her like that yesterday at breakfast. He was supposed to be a gentleman. Of course, she was supposed to be a Lady. But that was different. She did not wish to marry him. "He'll come along with me because he wants me to grow up and act less immature as he puts it. So he'll think that me inviting him on this walk will be me trying to act less 'child like'. He will go. You will see, Ella."
Ella sighed and started untying Relena's violet dress in the back. "I do not know your highness. Do you not think that maybe he'll get suspicious? It is only obvious that he knows that you are behind the chair that fell when he sat in it. Do you not think that a man would know that you only want to cause more harm?"
Relena smiled shaking her head softly. "He'll be suspicious. But even then, he won't know what is coming to him." She grinned wider as her smile reached her eyes, making them sparkle in the candle-lit night. "He will have no idea."
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"What!?!" Heero and Prince WuFei burst in outrage. "What do you mean she is having those three men dig ditches?" WuFei's voice was edgy. "Who does she think she is!?"
"Apparently she really does not wish to marry you Heero." Duo said with a laugh. "She sure seems to be going out of her way. Even hiring thieves and giving hush money to servants to get rid of you."
"What else did they say tonight?" Heero asked irritated.
"Well, from what I could hear, mind you, I was hidden so I could not get all of the conversation down. She did not tell them who she was trying to catch. But I can only assume that it is you. Heh, I also got the time and place of their next meeting. That is when they are going to tell her where they have dug the ditches. I'm going to spy and find out. Personally I think you should just avoid anything to do with the forest so it would not happen. You falling in I mean."
Heero pondered thoughtfully for a moment's time. "No." He said shortly. "I think that if I am asked to, or if I just happen to go in the forest with the Princess I will. And I think I know what I will do to teach her a lesson."
Prince WuFei shook his head slowly, his eyes closed. "This Princess has to have more of a reason behind it other then her not liking you Lord Heero. After all, the chair must have been set up before our arrival. I think it is me, the Prince of Myena that she does not like. Even though she does not know that it is me and not you. Perhaps she does not wish to marry."
"Yeah, but why?" Duo said. "I mean what is there for her to lose? She should have been married two years ago. Do you think that she did to her other suitors the same as she is doing to you Heero? The other ones obviously could not have left because she isn't attractive. Look at her, she is a beauty. A diamond in a land full of worthless mountain stones. She's a wonderious beauty. I think that she has been keeping up this for a long time with all of the suitors. But why? What else would she do other then to be married, have children, and do a woman's duty? What else is there for a woman to do?"
All three men stood in silence, each thinking, trying to find a reason to the Princess's madness. Finally WuFei spoke. "Maybe that is it."
Heero looked at his cousin questionably. "What is it?"
"Maybe she doesn't want to get married, have kids, and be what is expected of her. Women's work and duty. This could just be her making a statement and saying that she wants more in life then to be something to look at." WuFei rubbed his temples as he spoke. "My sister was like that. She did not want to be one to be stuck with what was expected of her. So she went out and became a knight." He sighed, shaking his head. "May her soul rest in peace."
"So you're saying that this is her way of saying that she is just more than a piece of meat?" Duo asked bluntly. Giving Sir Duo a glance and exasperated, sigh WuFei answered "That is exactly what I'm saying."
Duo nodded in understanding. "Well, then Heero here is just going to have to make her see that she isn't just a piece of meat and that she wont be treated like that when they marry."
Just then a flicker of something flashed in Heero's eyes. It did not go unnoticed by Prince WuFei or Sir Duo. "What is it?" WuFei asked his cousin.
Swallowing hard Heero looked up wide eyed at his cousin. "I just thought of something. I should have thought of this earlier, but it never crossed my mind."
"What's that, Heero buddy?" Duo asked, stretching. He was obviously tired from the long night he had already had following around the Princess and spying on her and the spies.
"What am I going to do with Princess Relena after I marry her?" That question put all three of the men in shock. None of them, not one had thought that far ahead. They all thought that as soon as the wedding vows were set that was it. None of them thought after that.
What were they going to do? Shurly they couldn't keep her here. Her father wouldn't have it. If she was married her father would expect that she would go with her Prince to his kingdom. And that he wouldn't have to care for her any longer, except for the dowry that he would be sending with his daughter. Heero never thought about actually having a relationship with the girl. Marrying her for his kingdom, yes. But just the vows. He never thought about anything after that.
"Are we going to bring her back with us?" Duo asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fogged in. "We can't leave her here. Her father won't have it. And if we do he will shurly find out about us, and she would get so mad. She already hates you Heero, this would make her hate you more. She might even have you killed, heck, she'd have us all killed!"
Prince WuFei groaned. "We will have to take her back with us. And Heero, you will have to take her as your wife. Do not let her think of your relationship anything other then a husband and wife relationship. She will no doubt find the truth out when we get back to Myena. That we can not stop. And besides, it will be for the best. But until then, while we stay here, keep her into believing that you are, indeed, the Prince."
All three were silent. None of them had thought that this would happen, in truth they didn't pay attention to it before. Before they only wanted to just get the vows over and that's it. But this was different. This was...commitment.
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^_^" What'd ya think?! ::smile:: Tell me what you thought! ^^" I'd really like to know! Okay, REVIEW peoples!
~Relena Peace
~Relena Peace
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CHAPTER TEN:
"Ditches, your highness?" Zechs said questioning her words. Relena nodded stiffly and thrust a leather pouch full of coins at Quatre. "Whatever for?"
"After you dig the ditches, which should be five feet deep at least, I want you to use the sticks that you gathered and cover up the ditches with them. Use brush if you must. But make it look believable. Believable as if real, as if nothing was there beforehand." She said ignoring his question. "I want two ditches to be dug. And I wish to know the locations of where you dig them so I can avoid them."
"Who, may I ask, are you trying to trap in these ditches, Princess?" Quatre asked voicing his question carefully. "And what do you want us to do with the rope?" Zechs held up the rope when it came into question.
"The rope," Relena said reaching her hand out to receive it. "will come with me. And as for whom I am trying to catch, that is none of your business. Leave that to me." Her steady eyes went from one man to the next, so as all three of them could see her seriousness. "I am paying you three handsomely. But I am not paying you to ask questions."
Picking up the front of her violet skirt she smiled at the three men and handed the rope to Ella. "I will give you three two days. After that I will want to see you so you can tell me where the ditches are dug. Make sure they are dug in an area that will be easy for someone to fall into. But keep it in the forest next to the royal garden. I have arranged for the gardeners and the guards working around that area to either be away or to keep quiet."
Ella, who was standing next to Relena smiled. "Yes," She said in knowing agreement. "Hush money sure does go a long way. And the people need the money too. So it is not as if it is a bad thing."
Relena smiled at her young friend and then turned back towards the thieves that were standing in front of her. "Meet me in two days hence, at the fountain in the far east part of the garden. It is the only place that I can think of that is closet to my chambers, that I can easily slip to during the night."
The three men nodded. "We will be quick your highness. And thank you very much for this money. It sure does beat trying to steal from those who have nothing to steal from." With that all three men walked away into the brush, stealing away quickly in the night.
"Come my Lady." Ella said. "The moon is right above us. It is very late. We must get back to the palace quickly." Taking the Princess's hand the young girl urged her master along. Relena gladly followed her young companion. The thought of sleeping sure seemed better then staying in the forest edge in the middle of the night.
"How are you going to get Prince WuFei to accompany you in a walk in the forest Princess Relena?" She asked when they were in the safety of the Princess's chambers. "From what you said about breakfast yesterday he doesn't seem too fond of you, and he knows that you are not fond at all of him."
Watching Ella hide the rope under the bed Relena frowned aggravated. "He's a man. twenty-three years of age. The fool sees me as a child, which I by far am not. He is rude, and, and," Her anger was starting to build up to where she could not think. Every time she thought of Prince WuFei her cheeks would flush and her fists would clench. He had no right to talk to her like that yesterday at breakfast. He was supposed to be a gentleman. Of course, she was supposed to be a Lady. But that was different. She did not wish to marry him. "He'll come along with me because he wants me to grow up and act less immature as he puts it. So he'll think that me inviting him on this walk will be me trying to act less 'child like'. He will go. You will see, Ella."
Ella sighed and started untying Relena's violet dress in the back. "I do not know your highness. Do you not think that maybe he'll get suspicious? It is only obvious that he knows that you are behind the chair that fell when he sat in it. Do you not think that a man would know that you only want to cause more harm?"
Relena smiled shaking her head softly. "He'll be suspicious. But even then, he won't know what is coming to him." She grinned wider as her smile reached her eyes, making them sparkle in the candle-lit night. "He will have no idea."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"What!?!" Heero and Prince WuFei burst in outrage. "What do you mean she is having those three men dig ditches?" WuFei's voice was edgy. "Who does she think she is!?"
"Apparently she really does not wish to marry you Heero." Duo said with a laugh. "She sure seems to be going out of her way. Even hiring thieves and giving hush money to servants to get rid of you."
"What else did they say tonight?" Heero asked irritated.
"Well, from what I could hear, mind you, I was hidden so I could not get all of the conversation down. She did not tell them who she was trying to catch. But I can only assume that it is you. Heh, I also got the time and place of their next meeting. That is when they are going to tell her where they have dug the ditches. I'm going to spy and find out. Personally I think you should just avoid anything to do with the forest so it would not happen. You falling in I mean."
Heero pondered thoughtfully for a moment's time. "No." He said shortly. "I think that if I am asked to, or if I just happen to go in the forest with the Princess I will. And I think I know what I will do to teach her a lesson."
Prince WuFei shook his head slowly, his eyes closed. "This Princess has to have more of a reason behind it other then her not liking you Lord Heero. After all, the chair must have been set up before our arrival. I think it is me, the Prince of Myena that she does not like. Even though she does not know that it is me and not you. Perhaps she does not wish to marry."
"Yeah, but why?" Duo said. "I mean what is there for her to lose? She should have been married two years ago. Do you think that she did to her other suitors the same as she is doing to you Heero? The other ones obviously could not have left because she isn't attractive. Look at her, she is a beauty. A diamond in a land full of worthless mountain stones. She's a wonderious beauty. I think that she has been keeping up this for a long time with all of the suitors. But why? What else would she do other then to be married, have children, and do a woman's duty? What else is there for a woman to do?"
All three men stood in silence, each thinking, trying to find a reason to the Princess's madness. Finally WuFei spoke. "Maybe that is it."
Heero looked at his cousin questionably. "What is it?"
"Maybe she doesn't want to get married, have kids, and be what is expected of her. Women's work and duty. This could just be her making a statement and saying that she wants more in life then to be something to look at." WuFei rubbed his temples as he spoke. "My sister was like that. She did not want to be one to be stuck with what was expected of her. So she went out and became a knight." He sighed, shaking his head. "May her soul rest in peace."
"So you're saying that this is her way of saying that she is just more than a piece of meat?" Duo asked bluntly. Giving Sir Duo a glance and exasperated, sigh WuFei answered "That is exactly what I'm saying."
Duo nodded in understanding. "Well, then Heero here is just going to have to make her see that she isn't just a piece of meat and that she wont be treated like that when they marry."
Just then a flicker of something flashed in Heero's eyes. It did not go unnoticed by Prince WuFei or Sir Duo. "What is it?" WuFei asked his cousin.
Swallowing hard Heero looked up wide eyed at his cousin. "I just thought of something. I should have thought of this earlier, but it never crossed my mind."
"What's that, Heero buddy?" Duo asked, stretching. He was obviously tired from the long night he had already had following around the Princess and spying on her and the spies.
"What am I going to do with Princess Relena after I marry her?" That question put all three of the men in shock. None of them, not one had thought that far ahead. They all thought that as soon as the wedding vows were set that was it. None of them thought after that.
What were they going to do? Shurly they couldn't keep her here. Her father wouldn't have it. If she was married her father would expect that she would go with her Prince to his kingdom. And that he wouldn't have to care for her any longer, except for the dowry that he would be sending with his daughter. Heero never thought about actually having a relationship with the girl. Marrying her for his kingdom, yes. But just the vows. He never thought about anything after that.
"Are we going to bring her back with us?" Duo asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fogged in. "We can't leave her here. Her father won't have it. And if we do he will shurly find out about us, and she would get so mad. She already hates you Heero, this would make her hate you more. She might even have you killed, heck, she'd have us all killed!"
Prince WuFei groaned. "We will have to take her back with us. And Heero, you will have to take her as your wife. Do not let her think of your relationship anything other then a husband and wife relationship. She will no doubt find the truth out when we get back to Myena. That we can not stop. And besides, it will be for the best. But until then, while we stay here, keep her into believing that you are, indeed, the Prince."
All three were silent. None of them had thought that this would happen, in truth they didn't pay attention to it before. Before they only wanted to just get the vows over and that's it. But this was different. This was...commitment.
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^_^" What'd ya think?! ::smile:: Tell me what you thought! ^^" I'd really like to know! Okay, REVIEW peoples!
~Relena Peace