Chapter 8: (is it chapter 8 already?)
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"She found him." Maroda's voice, even when she wasn't intending it to, cut the air like a knife. Parsnal's head throbbed, sore from too much ale consumed the previous night,blended with the blade of her voice.
"Good." He muttered, to hungover to care. He rolled over, taking the blanket with him.
"Your spies keep well informed Parsnal." Maroda continued as she powdered her face on the opposite side of the room. "To have found out when the first assassination attempt would be. The assassin must have been sloppy." She paused in though for a moment. "In fact, from what I have seen-I oversaw the cleaning of the hall, the opposite wall was completely disintegrated. And his Highness's room was a mess. Our Prince must have put up a fight, which leads me to believe that the assassin wasn't as good as his employer hoped. No-one gets past Planet Vegita's best assassins. We've both seen that."
Parnsal dragged himself out of the bed and sat up, his head spinning. He grunted, as an answer. Yes. We have.
"And, if I may ask, which spy was it, who informed you of this attempt?" Maroda asked, changing slowly into day time clothing. Tight, wine red leggings with an equally tight tunic. (Especially round her chest, Maroda liked drawing as much attention as possible to her 'assets'.)
"He wants his identity kept secret." Parnsal said shortly.
"Well it's a good thing you told me, so I could get Lushka there to meet His young Majesty. Hopefully, by now they shall be bonding, and if all goes according to plan, within as short a time as possible, my own daughter shall be Queen." Maroda smiled and twirled around, her long ebony hair swirling around her, and returning to hang as a dark river down her back. "We'll be able to move properly into the palace and enjoy all the riches and power I should have been born with." Her white teeth glimmered in the morning light. Sweeping half her hair up with one hand she began to brush it into place on top of her head in a twisted bun. "I shall be very gratefull to your mysterious information benefactor. And of course, Lushka's infinite charm and ability to ensnare any male. Which is, in truth, thanks to the skills she inherited from myself." Maroda was still smiling, neat plans in her eyes, she placed one hand on her breast as she said 'myself' and raised her nose into the air.
"Of course, my beauty." Said Parsnal, a little more awake at the sign of Maroda being in a good mood. Good moods lead to other types of moods, in his experience. "Let them bond. We shall send guards to find them, how long do you think we should give them? An hour? Two?"
"Half. Then fetch his Highness for some thing or another." She waved her hand dismissively, not caring what that thing was. "Lushka must stay a little out of reach, just a little, if any man is to desire her." Maroda answered, slipping out the door and closing it behind her. Parsnal winced at the sound, grunted, and went back to sleep.
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"What," said Trunks, voicing all his thoughts, "does that mean?"
A thoughtful look took Lushka's dark eyes. "I think," she said slowly, "that the writer was being sarcastic. Though, it is difficult to be sarcastic in writing."
Trunks got up, searching the room for a door. A large crate had been placed over the doorway, obscuring the bottom half of the door from view.
"Where are you going?" Lushka asked. 'We're supposed to be bonding, you're supposed to stay down here, with me.' She thought, annoyed.
"To tell the guards that if they see her, don't hurt her. And I want to search my room for clues." Trunks answered, springing up onto the crate, then reaching down to the door handle and turning. The door swung outwards. Trunks dropped into the doorway, and turned back. "Coming?" He asked.
Lushka wasn't about to say no, if it meant spending time with the Prince. She sprung herself lightly onto the crate and followed -then lead, because he did not know the way- Trunks back to his room.
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"We'll find nothing here." Lushka stated, as they looked over the hall opposite the Prince's bed chamber. The wall was squarely removed, all of it. The blood and bodies on the floor had been disposed of. There were another two guards, not standing at the door but talking in loud saiyan by the wall. Not a shard of wood was lying on the clean floor. "The inside will be the same."
It was, the guards bowed at the pair as they entered, then returned to their conversation. The room was as tidy as if prepared for a new guest. A new -un-shattered, of course- wardrobe had been delivered, and sat neatly in place of the old. Just as the mattress had been replaced. The floor was as clean as the hall, and bathed in the light of many candles held in many large lanterns.
'If we had returned faster...' Thought Trunks, disappointed. He stifled a yawn, then shook his head to clear the sleepiness from his head, and turned back to the two guards. "Excuse me." He said, allowing their scouters to do the translating, his own abandoned somewhere in the room. "Did you do this?"
"Na, yure 'ighness." Answered the guard. "Tis the work of the Krinchi, us're only watchers."
"Krinchi, higher servants." Piped up Lushka, desperate not to be forgotten. "Those that wait upon Your Majesty and on other Lords of the house." Wisely she addressed Trunks in formal tones in public, first names and title-dropping was for in private.
"Yeah." Agreed the other guard.
"Have you found any clue as to who the assassin was? Anything at all." Trunks asked, raising both his eyebrows. The guards exchanged amused glances.
"Nothin' of 'is identity, 'is whereabouts." Said the first guard. " 'e disappeared, slippery bugger."
'Just how much earth-tongue did the saiyans keep on their scouters?' The though crossed Trunks's mind briefly, before it turned back to his interrogation.
"One of those Krinchi was yapping on 'bout somet'ing in the wardrobe, yure 'ighness." The first guard spoke again. "If it'd been important, I would'a known."
Trunks's eyebrow raised higher in interest. "Where can I find them?"
The second guard gave a loud snort of laughter. "Meanin' no disrespect, young Prince. But the Krinchi find you."
'That sounded almost sinister.' Thought Trunks, although he was more amused than worried.
"He means they come when called." Lushka explained, still trying to remind everyone of her existence. "Shall I summon one, Highness."
Trunks nodded. "Yes." Any clue would be welcome. Trunks was not used to letting things happen around him, or rather, he hated letting things happen around him. 'No Trunks. You're not strong enough to fight them.' His mother's voice rang in his head, speaking of the androids, of course. This only bought up thoughts of Gohan, as well as his mother, and of home.
Again, this was not the time. Trunks set his mind, but another thought crossed it. Why do I want to know? Why do I care? She tried to kill me, why do I want to know who she is?
His smaller, slightly more mature voice answered.
Because I need to know. Just like with the Rebels. And I want to. I can't do anything if I don't understand what's going on.
I thought I just wanted to go home. Trunks was confused. He didn't know what he thought.
That wasn't quite true, he knew he though sleep would be a good idea right about now.
Yes. But there's going-on's here that need to be sorted out. Then I can go home.
Trunks didn't have any reply to that, except a childish But I wanna go home NOW! Which he didn't dignify with a though-answer. He did want to home, he'd established that already. And he would, but now that there had been an attempt on his life, that felt like running away...
A young Krinchi dressed in brown and blue hurried round the corned, and bowed to Trunks, then Lushka.
"Yes, Nobles?" He asked, eyes on the ground.
"You were involved in the cleaning of the Prince's chamber." Lushka stated, taking charge as she, Trunks and the Krinchi moved off a way down the hall.
"Yes milady." He said cheerfully, seeming perfectly happy with the position he was in. "Can I be of any assistance?"
"What did you find in the wardrobe?" Trunks asked. "One of the guards said you were talking about something you found."
"Indeed Milord. He spoke the truth." The youngster dug around in his pocket. "They thought someone might ask about this, so they sent me with it." He said, pulling out a sliver chain and holding it out to Trunks. Trunks took it, looking at it in the palm of his hand. It looked like a bracelet, made of many small heavy silver rings joined together.
"It's one of the Krinchi's bracelets, Trunks." Lushka whispered in his ear. He looked at her.
"If milord is concerned about the identity of the assassin, all that is needed to be done is search the Krinchi for one who does not bear a bracelet." The young Krinchi grinned, holding up his own arm to show an identical chain.
"How long does it take to search the entire palace?" Luskha asked, hinting at Trunks.
"An hour, milady, at the longest." He looked at Trunks, waiting for the order.
"Ah, Prince Trunks." The deep voice echoes through the hall, as Parsnal strode towards the trio, Maroda behind him. "You're needed elsewhere. The Council have scheduled a training session to familiarise yourself with our Saiyan battle style."
Trunks's muscles twitched at the suggestion of a good spar, but his eyelids felt heavy, he had, after all, had very little sleep last night. He turned to the Krinchi boy. "Yes. Search the Krinchi. But when you find one of you without a bracelet, don't hurt her, just bring her to me, please."
The Krinchi bowed and ran off.
"Parsnal." Trunks admitted, after Maroda had gripped Lushka's shoulder and lead her back to their rooms. "Do I have to train now. I'm exhausted."
"That much, young Prince, is obvious. There is a training session, but not until later this evening. You have time to sleep until then." Parsnal replied.
"I owe you one." Said Trunks, letting himself into his newly-cleaned room. He was a little nervy about someone jumping out of the shadows brandishing a knife as they tried to kill him, but he was, really, just too tired to care. He collapsed in a dead sleep on the bed, without bothering to undress or even kick off his shoes.
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She ran.
Dodging everyone in her path, speeding through the streets so fast that she ran into walls more than once when the corners were too sharp. Every time her left foot collided with the ground it sent bolts of pain from her lower ribs. She hid the pain as best she could, biting her bottom lip to keep anything -be it squeaks or screams or pain- from escaping her mouth. Only she could hear the noises in her throat, only she cared.
Her wrist felt wrong without the familiar weight of the bracelet, and her mind was heavy with the images of what would be her fate should she be discovered without one. There had been two options, after she high-tailed it out of the Prince's bedchamber, leave the Palace completely -and go where? Her common sense answered her. She was the Rebel's, the freedom fighter's, main source of Palace information. She couldn't destroy her fathers plans, and leaving the Palace would do that.
So the second option was the one she had chosen. She had wrapped herself in a raggedy cloak, disguising the brown and blue of the Krinchi's uniform, and disappeared from the Palace. Heading for the Rebel's headquarters for this city she took the roundabout rout, taking her longer than she wanted to to reach her destination, but had anyone been following her, she was certain she had lost them.
She stopped abruptly from her run in front of a small, old house which looked exactly like the other small, old houses on either side of it, and all the way down the street. Her right arm automatically wrapped itself round her ribcage, as if it could ease the pain, and her left fist banged on the door four times, then she kicked it gently twice with her foot.
A small hole opened in the door above her eye level, and a pair of dark eyes looked her over. The door was hauled open and she was dragged in so quickly her breath hissed in between her clenched teeth as she winced. The door was closed with a thud and bolted.
"Sena? What? Wait-" The doorkeeper questioned, then ordered as he lead her into the small room lit with lanterns on thin wall shelves. "Sit." He said shortly.
"I gotta see Pasha, or Toma, or someone." Sena panted, still holding her ribs tightly. "Now." She took a seat gratefully, and caught her breath there.
"Are you ordering me?" The doorkeeper taunted.
"I'll do more than that if you don't find someone NOW!" Sena growled. "Leg it!"
He sauntered off with an air of mock hurt dignity to find Pasha, who had heard Sena's growl from the basement where she was working, and was on her way up. She nodded at the doorkeep, who smiled sleazily at her, and went back to his position.
"What are you doing here?" Pasha asked, seating herself on the other end of the worn grey couch.
Sena didn't waist time explaining everything, she held out her bare wrist. "You have more Krinchi bracelets?" She asked. "I don't have any time, I have to be back at the Palace before they realise someone's missing." For that would be as disastrous as being caught without a bracelet. The whole Palace, or at least the whole Krinchi community must know by now the Prince's assassin lost a bracelet, therefore anyone without one, or missing completely, was surely responsible.
Pasha disappeared back through the door to the basement without a word. She was familiar with the Palace and the Krinchi, and knew the time it took to search the Palace was hardly any time at all. Not if all Krinchi were searching at once, which they would be. Already she had heard of the attempt at the new Prince's life, and Pasha had a very clever mind in her pretty head, she had already put two and two together, and had an accurate answer.
The few bracelets hidden under Pasha's desk in the floorboards had been Rebel's third in command's idea. Pasha knew Palace Krinchi had access to anywhere in the Palace, and since no one could memorise all their faces, the bracelet was the key. With them, the Rebel's had found their way into the Palace, but Sena was their only full time Krinchi.
"Here." Pasha said, kicking the floorboard back in place. Sena -who had limped her way down the stairs- held out her wrist again for Pasha to fasten the bracelet. The saiyan woman didn't do so immediately. "Why'd you do it?" Pasha asked, looking Sena in the face. "Why'd you try kill him. Do you know how absurdly stupid that was? You're still just a kid, you have no idea how thick you were being, do you?"
"You would have me say no? I had to. His Jerkship was clear, do it else he gives my identity away." Sena snapped back, her night had made her edgy and uncomfortable. " 'sides, he said 'pretend, make him think you're trying to kill him. Do so and you are as dead as if you don't do this.' "
Pasha didn't understand. Why would he -yes, she knew who 'his Jerkship' was- want the Prince to think someone was trying to kill him? And how did he know Sena's identity?
"I gotta get back." Sena said, looking down.
Pasha nodded, and took Sena's wrist to fasten the bracelet.
"Make it tighter. The last one didn't break, it slipped off. Damn skinny hands." Sena said, still not having caught all her breath. "Thanks." Sena smiled up at Pasha warmly, the woman was the closest thing she'd had to a mother.
Pasha sighed. "Go on then. Be bloody careful girl." She said affectionately. Sena ran as best she could up the stairs, and out the door, without looking back. She was running full speed back to the palace before Pasha sat back down at her desk. "Be bloody careful." She repeated to the silence.
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Whoohoooo! I'm back! Had a great holiday thanks for asking, now...
Penchy-chan: Woa! You ask a lotta questions! But I'm pretty sure I can answer them all in the fic. Which is good, cos otherwise if I told you you wouldn't need to read anymore, and I wouldn't get any more of you're fabulous reviews!!! Thanks!
Assena, and Merri: Yay you found a computer! Was it hiding? huh? Huh? There you go again reminding me of everything, but trust me, i've actually got this one all planned out (theres a first) well, roughly anyway... ^_^ See you on Saturday, or Sunday!
Mabby: Hey, if you're reading this, you caught up! Yay! Thanks for the Ch 1 review
Taes: Same goes for you Taes! Thanks for the reveiw, thanks for keep reading!
PS: Pasha is a character from Bardock, Father of Goku, the movie,
PPS: cofcofreviewpleasepleasereviewcofcof
PPPS: sorry, just copying Gandalf from FoTR. The Two Towers is an awesome movie!!!
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