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Tapestry - Chapter 15
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Normally, flying was a pleasant experience for me, whether I was piloting or not. I loved sitting by the window, too; takeoffs and landings were my favorite parts of any flight. There were exceptions to every rule, though ...
Right now I was strapped into my seat by the window, silent and angry, surrounded by a squad of Treize's armed elite Specials. Pressing my forehead against the tempered glass, I looked out over the ocean. All I could see, in any direction, was water - in fact, the ocean stretched out forever, everywhere.
My heart sank. Unless I stole a plane or a ship - and given the fact that it was Treize's Specials, not just the regular military that guarded the vehicles on this island - I figured that the odds of my getting off the island with Wufei unnoticed were probably a million to one.
I felt the attitude of the aircraft change; now we were making our final descent. Peering through the window at an angle, I could see our destination just appearing over the far horizon. As we approached, I was able to get a better view, and it did look lovely. Crescent shaped with a natural bay in the middle, the island had several larger finger islands at either end. There were palm trees, green grass and other types of vegetation screening its undeveloped parts. A large, sprawling mansion covered much of the property in the middle of the island, with several pools, tennis courts and gardens scattered along its boundaries. Paths leading to the marina, the beaches and other buildings crisscrossed haphazardly. There were roads circling and connecting other buildings and marinas, and what looked like several small bridges connecting several smaller islands.
The helicopter banked, and my view of the island changed to a view of the sky. Moments later we touched down on the central landing pad. All the soldiers stood up, grabbed their packs, duffel bags and weapons and exited the helicopter as quickly as possible. I stayed where I was, trying to make myself as small as possible to avoid the crush of people leaving at the same time. As soon as most of the soldiers left, I bolted out of my seat and went in search of Wufei.
I found him in the forward section, still sitting in his seat, not even aware we had landed. Treize wasn't with him, though; his seat was empty. I had nothing but harsh, angry thoughts for that man; the only thing he could do was get the poor boy completely upset and confused, and then leave him alone? What a complete and total jerk.
"Wufei - Wufei, we've landed. It's time for us to go. We need to leave the helicopter now ..."
He blinked slowly at me. " ... oh," he said, his voice weak and strained. "We're back home."
"Yes," I nodded. "We're on the island." Home? I wondered, watching him with a critical eye. Does he really think of this as home? Cautiously, I patted his arm, remembering how sensitive he was to touch. "Are you ready to leave?"
He closed his eyes for a moment. "I wish I could die," he murmured softly, then stood up.
"No, Wufei," I said, thoroughly alarmed, "don't say that. I - I don't know what I would do here without you."
Blinking slowly, Wufei looked at me with wide, dark eyes.
"Please," I appealed, "please don't say that. I would be here all alone - " and I stopped, leaving the next part unsaid, biting my lip, looking at him - "and I don't know if I could bear it ..."
"I ... don't know if I can be what you need, Sally," Wufei said, looking slightly helpless. "I just don't know ..."
"Yo! Move it, willya? We have a schedule to keep here!" One of the larger soldiers muscled his way towards the cockpit, intent on dislodging both Wufei and I from our positions in front of the seats. He was actually successful in tossing me to one side; I stumbled in the aisle, glaring at him.
"Mueller!" Treize's voice carried through the command section, cutting and sharp. "Do not bark at my guests. Follow your orders, and leave them alone."
My head snapped around; I looked for Treize, but he wasn't in the command section at all. Uneasily, I peered down the aisle into the other section, but I didn't see him there, either. He was watching us, and we couldn't see him? Gads ... yet another way to feel unsettled and edgy.
"Yessir," the soldier said, snapping to attention, his entire demeanor changing in an instant.
Wufei glared at the soldier as he helped me back to my feet. "Inside," he said under his breath. "We'll discuss it inside."
I gave him a quick nod and headed for the bay doors, intent on getting out of this machine as soon as possible. Treize was just outside the doors and smiling up at me from the tarmac, the breeze ruffling his hair. Several other soldiers were there as well, unloading baggage from one of the forward compartments of the helicopter.
"Welcome to Shioyake Island, Ms. Po," he said, smiling, as he reached up and caught me around the waist. "Here, let me help you." And without another word, he smoothly and easily lifted me out of the helicopter and into the air. I clutched at his shoulders and looked down into his smiling face, realizing again just how strong he was and how broad his shoulders were.
"Thank - thank you very much," I stammered, my eyes wide and my feet dangling off the ground. I was never going to get used to being handled so much by this man; and I had the sneaking suspicion that he did it on purpose, just to get a reaction.
"You're quite welcome, Ms. Po," he murmured as he set me down gently on the tarmac, an amused twinkle in his eye.
Wufei had already hopped out of the aircraft on his own and was hurrying toward the mansion. I took a deep breath and followed him, walking away from the helicopter and toward the main house, trying to get my bearings. Military presence aside, I was amazed at how much more relaxed the atmosphere was here than it was at the other property in Luxembourg. It was warmer and brighter, much more open; and while the vegetation wasn't abundant, the palm trees moving in the breeze and the low scrub bushes certainly made it feel restful, more inviting.
I took a deep breath, and felt myself smiling a little. Actually, as much as I didn't want to, I could see why Wufei would want to think of this as home.
My smile died on my lips as I looked a little farther up the walk and saw Lady Une. She was standing to one side of the path, looking beyond me, her hair pulled to the back of her head so tightly I was sure the circulation to her brain had actually ceased. She appeared to be holding her breath, and was even holding one gloved hand at her throat.
"... sugoi...." she breathed softly, her eyes moist and large, staring at something behind me.
"Lady Une?" I asked, giving her a weird look. When she didn't answer, I turned and followed her gaze.
She was staring at Treize. Fortunately, Treize was quite unaware she was staring at him - and in Une's defense, I must say that he did look like one of those incredibly handsome Italian / Greek models, staring off into the distance with his shirt billowing against him in the soft ocean breeze, sunlight dancing in his hair. He looked absolutely magnificent - gods, the sight even made me stare. It occurred to me, too, that there was no artifice here - he wasn't posing for a photograph, or for effect, or for any other reason - he was simply looking at the opposite end of the island. This was the real Treize, inasmuch as that cold, calculating, analytical person who had carried me into my room yesterday was the real Treize. He wasn't trying to be like this; it was as natural to him as breathing.
I shook my head and looked at Une again. Now this poor woman was doing something even odder; she reached up and touched one of the tight twists in her hair, and looked sad, just so sad as she gazed at Treize for a long moment, unguarded. Then she shifted her gaze to me - and that mournful, sad, expression turned into something sharper and more pointed in an instant, something that I couldn't place right away - which then turned to hatred, an expression I definitely recognized.
"Get inside," she hissed at me. "You're keeping Lord Treize waiting."
I blinked at her and shrugged, then turned back to the path and started walking again. Une, nasty to me? Well, gee, what a surprise.
But then I thought about it in context, and frowned. Good gods ... was she ... jealous? No ... that wasn't possible. Did she think I was a threat to Treize? I almost laughed out loud; now that was ludicrous. Me - a threat to Treize? Gods, that was funny ... I was so involved with my own thoughts that I hardly noticed the scrabbling noise on the path in front of me.
That is, until I looked up and saw the huge, black attack dogs looming in front of me, blocking my way to the main house, standing shoulder to shoulder. They were a literal phalanx of canines with long, evil-looking teeth and powerful, deep chests. Their eyes gleamed and shone as they stared at me and, as one, they made low, threatening, rumbling noises in their chests.
I stopped dead.
They started growling.
I stopped breathing.
It felt as though my heart stopped beating in my chest, too. The only thing I didn't stop doing was staring. I clenched my hands into fists to keep them from shaking, too.
A loud, commanding whistle sounded behind me. Immediately, the dogs morphed into puppies and bounded past me, barking happily. I stared and panted and nearly collapsed with relief; I thought I was dead for sure. Turning slowly, I saw Treize down on one knee, surrounded by the creatures, smiling and petting them, talking to them and dipping into his pockets and giving them treats. The dogs, for their part, were acting just like small puppies, whining and barking and bounding about and licking his face, eager to please.
I, on the other hand, was ready to crawl away from there; I wasn't proud. I didn't care how I got away, just as long as I was able to escape the dogs in one piece. Backing away slowly, I had just turned and was ready to bolt for the house when his voice stopped me in mid stride.
"Sally! Come here, please. I'd like you to meet my friends."
That was not a request. Unwillingly, I turned all the way around and walked back to him as slowly as I dared, finally standing stiffly a pace or two in front of him, waiting. I tried to look patient and nonchalant, but I knew I wasn't fooling him in the least. Those dogs scared me to death.
Treize glanced at me; very gently, he reached up, took my arm above the elbow and pulled me down to kneel next to him. Now my head was next to his, and his was on the same level as the dogs'. We were looking right at the muzzle of the nearest Doberman, who had thoughtfully pulled his lips back so I could see all his teeth. Treize gave me a sideways glance, then turned his attention back to the dogs. He clearly annunciated "Friend," holding my arm still and his head close to mine.
I gave a little involuntary tug at my arm. He had a grip of steel. Neither one of us moved a centimeter.
The dogs panted and sniffed at me, curious and suspicious, their eyes an odd color I had never seen before, something like a yellow ginger brown.
"Saa ... they just need to see me with you, you see?"
Treize continued to hold me with one hand, not allowing me to draw back, while petting his dogs with his other hand. I was close enough to get a very good look at them; not only did they have long, pointed teeth, but their jaws appeared to be incredibly strong. One dog could rip a man's arm to shreds. I tried to smile a little, but I knew it came out like a grimace.
"As long as you don't go out at night, they'll treat you as my associate. I wouldn't advise running around without me after dark, however," Treize said lightly. "They're well trained."
"Oh," I breathed, "Oh ... no ... I understand ... completely ..." I trailed off, still staring at the dogs, getting very spooked.
Gently, Treize stood and pulled me to my feet with him. "In we go," he said, steering me toward the house, transferring the hand on my arm to the small of my back, waving the dogs away with his other hand.
Frankly, I was so happy to be away from the dogs that that I hardly noticed his guiding hand on my back. Now I had an image of Zechs running for his life in my head, across the manicured lawns toward the sea, followed closely by a pack of large dogs. Those animals would show no mercy, either.
I was forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths, looking at the flagstone path in front of me. In, out. In, out.
"...Ms. Po?"
I looked up, and belatedly realized Treize had been speaking to me, but that I had missed it, trying to calm myself down. "Ah - yes? I'm sorry, Treize - you were saying?"
He smiled at me, tilting his head. "We have clothing here for you - bathing suits and such. There are no sharks or jellyfish near these beaches. The water here is lovely for swimming; not too hot, nor too cold. And the temperature here is ideal."
"Ah ... well," I ventured, a little unsure. "It seems ... very nice. And I do like palm trees." That, really, was an understatement. It was a dream vacation island, and I knew it - the temperature was balmy and perfect, the sun was shining - all in all, it looked like paradise.
Well, of course, the little, mocking voice inside my head said, if you think paradise comes with large, no-necked men with guns, then this is the place for you.
"I much prefer it here myself," Treize continued. "It is not so dark, or dreary, or cold as Europe can be. And although this is my 'home away from home,' I do feel it is my home - and you are welcome here." He gave me a warm smile, looking down at me.
"Ah ... thank you very much," I said, forcing a smile back. I was trying to match his mood, but really - while he might think of this as his 'home away from home,' it certainly wasn't mine by choice. Also, my psyche was slow to recover from that little 'incident' with the dogs, especially when it seems as if there was something transacted that I knew nothing about.
"You have a computer in your room," he said as he led me up the stone walk to the main house.
Odd things you notice, too, when you're in situations not of your own making; the stone walk was lined with seashells of all different types, which I thought was rather whimsical. I was thinking about that when his words penetrated my thoughts. "A - a computer? Why ... thank you." I also had the grace to feel embarrassed; I needed to pay closer attention to what he was saying, as opposed to the flagstone path.
"Of course, Ms. Po. You have an internet connection as well, although I fear it's not very fast."
"Oh ... I'm sure it's quite adequate for anything I need to do," I said quickly, trying to make up for my previous lack of attention. My brain was spinning, as well. An internet connection? That actually brought the world to me, here, out in the middle of nowhere. Convenient, but ... why would he do that?
"I hope you'll at least continue your education - perhaps broaden it a bit," Treize said as we climbed the steps to the mansion. "I don't want you to stagnate." He reached for the door and pulled it open, looking at me. "You will be here for quite a while, as will I. I wish for you to make the best use of your time. You should consider this ... not quite a vacation. Perhaps an educational one?"
I looked at him, frowning. "What do you mea......"
Treize smiled down at me. "As in ... what some people do when they finish their doctorate. But of course, you already HAVE one of those ..."
And then it hit me - I realized exactly what he meant. I was very still as I looked at him. A breeze passed over and around me, and felt wonderful, but it didn't matter. I would be there for years, probably decades. No matter how genteelly he spoke, no matter how winning his words, reality said this was where I was going to spend a large part of the rest of my life. Not only that, I was going to be spending that time ... with him.
There were no words to describe what I felt at that moment.
"Oh. Yes. I see," I said softly, turning and looking back down the path toward the helicopter. lt was my last link with the mainland, with freedom ... with my old life. I watched as mechanics scurried around, thrusting refueling lines into it, getting it ready to fly again.
"Maa .... I don't mean to depress you, Ms. Po, please believe me. I am trying to make it more pleasant for you - as pleasant as I can. Forgive me." Treize was surprisingly gentle, and seemed to be genuinely trying. It was so hard for me to distinguish when he was actually sincere.
I sighed, still looking in the direction of the landing pad. He did get me released from prison into his custody, after all. He didn't have to do that. I was trying to look on the positive side of the situation, ignoring Wufei's plight for the moment. "I ... appreciate your efforts, Treize. I understand you are doing what you can."
"We are still going to the opera on Friday."
I looked up at him quickly. " ... we ... are?" I frowned. "But - how?"
Treize smiled at me. "By boat. Much better than helicopter - ne?"
"I - I suppose it is, yes," I said, giving him an unsure smile.
Treize pointed. "Naples is two hours in that direction, by boat."
I reacted in spite of myself. "Naples? We're going to the opera in Naples? To the Theater San Carlo, Rossini's favorite?"
Treize smiled indulgently, rather like a father giving out treats. I could have kicked myself for sounding so eager. "Yes, Ms. Po. We're going to the opera in Naples. And I ... well. I did something I hope you'll like."
I looked up at him, puzzled. Something strange was happening, for sure, because - I could hardly believe it - Treize Khushrenada was blushing? I blinked, waiting for him to continue.
"I have taken the liberty of choosing a dress for you," he said, watching me. "I hope that is all right. I think my taste is not horrendous."
That took me completely by surprise. "Oh ... no, Treize. I'm sure it will fit - er, be - perfect." Color rose in my cheeks as well as I wondered, first, how he could have possibly decided what my proportions were, then second, realized someone had already taken then. How else had underwear magically appeared for me the second day of my confinement?
"Would you like to see?" he asked, beaming as he ushered me into the house.
"Oh, yes - I would, indeed!"
I closed my eyes briefly as I walked into the house, thinking again how I sounded like an extravagant, idiot schoolgirl eager to see a dress instead of a grown woman. Control, Sally, control, I told myself, allowing Treize to take me through the large foyer and up the main staircase. Everything was lighter here, the decor was French provincial instead of the heavy European interior design of Luxembourg; there were ceiling fans everywhere, the surroundings were more open and airy. It was altogether a different feel, a totally different atmosphere.
He led me up the staircase to the second floor, to a corner bedroom that was absolutely beautiful. It had an incredible view of the sea, a long, wrapped balcony, and a breeze that moved softly through two open French doors. This room felt like a woman's room; it was much larger than my room in the other house, and was painted in soft, subtle color. And carefully laid out on the bed was a beautiful blue dress, the same color as my eyes. It was shimmering, form fitting ... and devastatingly gorgeous. I had hardly ever seen anything like it, let alone worn anything like it.
"Simple, but ... I think it works. And black is SUCH a dreary color, ne? I do hope this is acceptable."
I picked the dress up gingerly by its spaghetti straps, smiling involuntarily. "It's - beautiful," I breathed, letting the material move through my fingers like liquid, thinking it had been years since I had worn anything that remotely resembled it.
Smiling a little, I looked up to see Treize watching me - and I realized I was almost caressing the dress. "Eh ... thank you ... very much," I stammered, feeling myself blush to the roots of my hair.
Treize smiled; and I don't know how I knew it, but I realized he had stopped viewing me in dislike. What happened to cause that, I wasn't sure, but I knew that something had happened.
"You are very welcome, Ms. Po."
"Sally ... please," I said, almost inaudibly, quickly looking back at the dress, blinking.
"Of course, Sally. Whatever you wish." There was no note of triumph in his voice, which was gratifying. I stole a glance over in his direction; he was looking at his watch. He murmured, "I have a business meeting tonight. Would you do me the favor of staying with Wufei while I'm away, Sally? He is - unhappy."
I was still handling the dress and frowned slightly, remembering Wufei's upset and confusion earlier that day. "Of course, Treize. Where is his room?"
Treize smiled warmly at me, like I was a friend, a valued confidant. "You can see it from here," he said, walking onto the balcony and beckoning for me to follow him.
I followed him, laying the dress on the bed, curious and a little guarded.
"His room is on the first floor, over there," Treize said, pointing down and to the left, "and mine is there." He pointing up and to the right, indicating a large, wraparound balcony attached to a corner room.
I turned, looking at the different rooms, and then looked out at the beach, my attention drawn to Wufei. He was training, punching and slicing the air as hard and as angrily as he could, the same as he did that morning.
Treize gave a slow sigh, shaking his head slightly. "He hides too easily in that," he said, his voice soft. "And yet ... not easily enough. I do believe we have a lot of work ahead of us, Sally."
I looked over at him quickly, and then out to Wufei's solitary form, practicing again. Sighing, I silently agreed with him - but probably not for the same reasons.
Treize reached over and patted me on the back, a friendly gesture. "Please - feel free to enjoy. Wufei knows the rules of the house - he'll tell you whatever you need to know. Oh, and here - "
As I watched, he bent over the desk, took a piece of stationary and the fountain pen, and wrote down a number. "This is my personal satellite phone number," he said, folding the paper and handing it to me. "I keep it on all the time. For emergencies, you know."
"Why ... thank you, Treize," I said, accepting the paper from him. "I appreciate it." I slid my gaze around the room quickly - I didn't see a phone sitting out, but that didn't mean there wasn't a phone in the room.
"You're quite welcome, Sally," he replied, smiling. "Now - I must go. Good night, if I do not see you." He bowed slightly from the waist, formal and regal at the same time, smiling at me in a way that made my heart beat a little faster and left, closing the door softly behind him.
Insane, Sally Po. You're simply insane, I thought as I stared at the closed door.
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It was a very small island. And I mean a VERY small island.
It didn't take long for me to shower, dress, and grab new clothes from the already stocked drawers in my room. It was amazing, too - these drawers had clothes that were just the right size for me, as well. I decided to let my hair dry on its own - I just left it loose around my shoulders, and went out in search of Wufei. I made sure I brought my cellphone, too; just because I was in a place that felt comfortable didn't meant it wasn't dangerous.
There wasn't much security to speak of; the stray soldier here and there, a visible reminder that this was a military base, after all. I knew there were more of them around, though; they were simply too well-trained to be blatantly out in the open. I walked outside the house, into the open air, and it struck me again - this place was a virtual paradise. The temperature was balmy, the breeze was soft, and the heat from the sun, even while the sun was setting, was strong and comfortable.
I left the house, and started walking to where I last saw Wufei practicing. The sand was soft, and the beach stretched as far as I could see on either side. I realized, as I picked my way down to the sea that there was literally room for the house, the military base, a little open land and some tennis courts on the island - and that was it. Nothing else.
Nothing like being cozy and close with each other for the rest of our lives.
I topped a small rise, and saw Wufei down by the water's edge. I was close enough, now, that I could see he had worked himself into a sweat; he had sand sticking all over him. Stopping about a meter away, I called to him. "Wufei?"
He didn't respond; in fact, he didn't even acknowledge me.
"Oi, Wufei! Over here!"
Stopping for a moment, Wufei turned toward me, panting. "Yes?"
Gads, I had his attention - NOW I had to do something with it. Thinking fast, I remembered something I thought was odd when I was in the shower. "I have a question for you. About the water here."
"Artesian," he puffed out, working hard. "There used to be a land bridge here. It's still here, but -" puffing again " - under twenty feet of water." He kept punching and kicking, taking breaths as he could and speaking to me. "Freshwater. Feeds the palm trees and grass. It's the water source."
"Everything here is freshwater?"
He nodded, gasping a little. "Yes - it's a volcanic area."
"That's why there are no sharks? It's - volcanic?" I stared at him, nonplused for the second time that day. Thermal energy was a tremendous energy source.
As if he read my mind, Wufei said, panting, "He's ... using it - the volcano - for power." Waving his hand in the air vaguely, he said, as if explaining everything, "No wires. Tapped into thermal heat. Treize designed it." Now the boy was bent over, his hands on the tops of his knees, gasping slowly. I looked at him, trying to figure out if he was trying to work himself into exhaustion or not.
"It's - a - military base," he said between breaths, "..but ... it ... isn't used as much ... in peacetime. More... of an ... out of the way ... base."
I was getting worried; Wufei was trembling now, a reaction from all the exercise.
"I have to go cool off," he said, his voice rough. He straightened, turned, and walked right into the ocean, not looking left or right, finally diving under the small waves and surfacing a little farther out from shore.
Stretching, I sat down in the sand and rested back on my elbows, digging my heels in the sand, and let my mind wander a little. There really was no way off of this island, unless it was by plane or powerboat. Perhaps a minisub, but I didn't see any subs docked near us.
I watched Wufei swim for a while, concerned. He had swum out a long way, and it looked as though he was struggling to get back. I was ready to get up and help him back when I saw he was in manageable water. His gasping sounded painful as he came back on shore; now he was shaking from head to foot.
"Where did Treize go?" he asked, ignoring the large towel I offered him.
"He said he had a meeting he had to attend tonight," I said, standing, brushing sand off my legs. "He asked if you and I would have dinner together."
"... oh ..." Wufei looked disappointed as he stood in front of me, panting and dripping on the sand.
"I hope that's all right," I said, looking at him closely. "I was rather hoping it was ... since I'm pretty hungry again, and I don't know where to go to get any food."
"Whatever," he shrugged. Still panting, he started off toward the house. I stayed closed to him, letting him set the pace. He looked as though he was going to fall over. He had worked himself to the brink of exhaustion; his muscles were trembling, his eyes were dilated, and he was in no condition to talk.
Casually, I slung the large towel across his shoulders as we walked toward the house. The few soldiers we passed on the way hardly gave us a second look; apparently, he had done this before, and they didn't see any reason for concern.
We walked in silence for several more minutes, until we came to an outside door to the sunroom. "Which way, Wufei?" I asked, holding the door open for him. "Where's your room?"
"This way." He pointed a trembling hand across the room in a generally eastern direction. "If ... if you want some food now ... I have some. In my room."
I looked at him, and decided. "Ah - excellent. That would be great!" I said, smiling.
He nodded and set off diagonally across the floor, obviously forcing himself to walk evenly.
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Wufei's room had a completely different feel than mine - it was definitely masculine, and very modern Chinese. I sighed, feeling extremely comfortable, although I doubted whether Wufei was. He struck me as more of a traditionalist.
"There," he said, pointing at a large fruit basket sitting on a table on his patio. "Eat some of that." Without another word, he dove into his drawers, pulled clothing from them and walked into the attached bathroom, closing the door behind him.
I sighed and chose a large apple from the basket, then decided to wander around his room while I waited for him to finish his shower. A large, wooden trunk caught my eye - it looked like an antique, pushed into a corner of the room, very unobtrusive. I knelt down next to it and opened it - and sure enough, it was what I suspected - another weapons chest, full to the brim with weapons of every type, all neatly sorted and cataloged, no doubt. Another test from Treize, I thought sourly, I was sure. Test them once, and test them again. See if they remember.
The sounds from the shower stopped. I pulled the trunk lid closed, making sure that each piece was in its proper place, then walked back and sat down in one of the large chairs in front of the French doors, eating my apple.
Wufei came out of the bathroom, wearing clothing that belonged more to ancient China than modern China. He did look a little better - at least now he wasn't shivering.
He sighed as he automatically tossed his clothes into a hamper in his closet, then straightened as he closed the doors. "What would you like to do?" he asked, turning to me.
I gave him a rueful smile. "Leave?"
"Un," he replied with a weak smile of his own, sinking down into the chair opposite mine. He looked tired; and really, I wasn't surprised. He had worked himself nearly to the brink of exhaustion twice today. What surprised me was that he was still awake.
I sighed. "Well ... I don't know. Talk for a little while, if you're up to it."
He blinked slowly, his dark eyes fixed on mine. "... talk? About what?"
Shaking my head slightly, I looked out beyond his patio to the sea. "About ... how you've survived here for such a long time ... and still have your wits about you."
Puzzled, Wufei looked at him. "What are you talking about, Sally?"
I took a deep breath. It was now or never; and as far as I was concerned, it needed to be now. I drew my gaze back to him. "Wufei - do you remember how you felt about OZ before you were captured?"
"Yes." His brow was knit as he regarded me.
"And ... do you feel the same way now?" I looked back to the sea again. "I remember the way I felt then. I felt as if I was fighting for the rights of people everywhere - "
"Yes." Wufei nodded, agreeing, his lips tight. "We were. We are." He didn't sound convinced, though. Either something had been lost, or it had never been there.
I plowed on, heedless of that discovery. " -for their right to live and survive wherever they chose, without someone telling them what they could and could not eat for breakfast." I scowled at the sea. That was a particular sore point with me, and it showed.
"Sally - he does that to us because we're his prisoners. He won the right to do so. He does not do that to the rest of the world - they wouldn't have him if he did. They're not that stupid. He's being lighter than the Alliance ever was; he's taking control via economical means, rather than purely political means."
"Wufei." I gave him a level stare. "Controlling the money, and where it goes, and who gets it, it exactly the same. You're still playing God. You still decide who lives and who dies."
"No," he corrected, "you're playing King. It's like the emperors of old, and the people are accepting it."
"Yes, I know the people are accepting it." I was amazed and angry and despondent at the same time. "And I don't know what to do about it, Wufei."
"The people are idiots," he snorted. "I'm not doing this for them."
"Wait a minute." I grinned at him. "You just told me not two minutes ago that people weren't stupid." My enthusiasm faded with my grin. " ... but ..."
"They think they're not," Wufei responded, shaking his head. "The world thinks they are not. But I know they are."
I nodded. "It's true, too. Most people will simply follow the path of least resistance - the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, the easiest is usually not the best, nor the healthiest."
"He has fooled them into thinking that doing what they want equals freedom," Wufei muttered, his tone dark.
I stared at him. "I - I know that. And I truly don't know how to undo that."
"We can't," Wufei said flatly.
I shook my head, emphatic. "No, Wufei. I don't want to believe that. I have to believe there is a way -"
"There isn't."
I was stubborn. " -but we just haven't found it yet-"
"No. There. Is. Not." Intransigent, Wufei stared back at me. "There never would have been the need for a war if man were capable of such things, Sally. He is not now. He never will be."
"Capable ... of handling freedom?" I asked slowly, feeling my way along, wondering whose voice I was hearing.
"Capable of understanding anything," he said, weary.
"But, Wufei," I said, passionate, "we are capable of understanding. And something I think about is - what kind of world are we leaving for our children? Are we leaving them a benevolent despot who, when he dies, will finally plunge the world into chaos, because no one's become mature enough to understand freedom? Can we truly say that taking decisions out of the hands of the common people is for their own good?"
"We are leaving the world the same as when we inherited it from our parents," Wufei said, tired. "Populated by idiots, ruled by evil men. It has always been thus." His head flopped back onto the back of his chair and he closed his eyes; he reminded me strongly of the boy I met in the forest of China, defeated. At least this time, though, he was talking.
"But what right do we have to NOT fight something that we know is inherently wrong?" I asked, pressing on.
"Do we?" he wondered.
I nodded. "Yes. We do."
He looked at me for a long moment. "... you do."
I gazed back at him. "I do," I amended. "And ... you will know yourself soon enough."
"I have never known, Sally," he murmured, looking at the tabletop, his eyes half lidded thoughtfully, his eyelashes throwing small shadows across his cheeks in the waning sunlight. "I don't see why I would know now."
"It's a function of growing older, you see. Certain things that were unclear years ago become a little less ... muddy."
Now Wufei gave me an annoyed stare - which actually was good, because it meant he wasn't as depressed as he was several moments ago. "Don't assume," he said, his tone slightly acerbic. "I'm young, but I'm no child. You assume because I'm a kid that I don't know what I believe or WHY. Well, I do - I have for years. I know why I have trouble with things like 'justice,' 'right' and 'wrong,' and such."
"Ah - then I apologize. I never meant to imply that you were a child," I said, watching him, keeping my expression grave and serious.
"My reasons may seem stupid to you, but I don't care." He blasted along, his voice strained, seemingly impervious to me, not acknowledging my response at all. "You HAVE ... something that makes you believe. I don't understand that something. I ... don't have that something. I never have."
"What are you talking about? I have nothing special," I replied, frowning. I had no idea what he was talking about.
For a moment, his expression was completely open. He looked appreciative, and slightly sad; and his eyes, if I wasn't careful, seemed to be deep wells of sadness - the kind that I could fall in and drown.
"Please don't die, Sally," he said softly.
Taken aback, I didn't say anything for a long moment. "No, Wufei," I said finally, "I will do my very best not to. But - I would say the same to you. I need you, Wufei."
"You don't need me. You're stronger than I am," he said, closing his eyes as if in pain.
"Ah. That's where you're completely wrong. You may see me as strong, when in fact, that's just stubbornness." I looked at my hands, fingers interlaced in my lap. "I am strong when I have to be, but not nearly as strong as I need to be. I will not survive this ordeal if you are not with me. This is only my third day awake, Wufei, and already I can feel myself ... well ... " I looked at him directly. "I can feel that my mind has been affected by Treize. I've started to look at him as less than an enemy."
Wufei frowned at me. "He is the enemy. How can you waver on that? Nothing has changed."
"I know it." I sighed and tried again. "I know that, Wufei - but - but something happens when I'm around him for a prolonged period of time. He has this - " and I searched for the correct word, " - this charisma - that eats away at my resolve. It's not that I don't see him as the head of OZ anymore; he is, definitely. It's just -"
"I've seen that," Wufei broke in, still frowning. "It affects almost everyone. I don't know what it is."
"Well - it's affected me, and I've only been conscious for three days. You've been with him for over three weeks, closer to six - how have you been able to keep your sanity?"
Wufei blinked slowly. "I ... I don't know," he replied slowly. "I'm not sure. I see that people are affected when they're around him for periods of time, but - "and he shrugged, a small movement of his shoulders, " - but I don't feel anything, so I'm not doing anything special."
"Ah - well - that's a talent I'd like to develop - if for nothing else than to save my own sanity," I said with a mirthless chuckle. "I don't want to go Une's way - and I don't want to forget who I am, either, or what I believe."
Snorting, Wufei shook his head. "Une is madly in love with him - and you are not."
I nodded, amused by his attitude toward Une; that, at least, was a predictable 15-year-old male disdainful mindset toward 'love.' Heh - no kidding I wasn't 'madly in love' with him. That's wasn't about to happen, not by any stretch of the imagination. And I wouldn't necessarily call what Une's unreasonable, doglike devotion to Treize 'love.' It sounded a lot more like an obsession, if you asked me.
"Well - no, Wufei, I'm not. But I will tell you something. I've never met anyone like him - and if I live through this, I hope to never meet anyone like him again. I couldn't take it." I took a deep breath. "He scares me to death, Wufei. I already told you what I feel happening to me - and I feel helpless to stop it. And that's only one of the things I find frightening. I feel as if he's about five steps ahead of everyone else, no matter what's happening. And that there's always a reason for whatever he does. Always."
"There is," Wufei agreed, a dark look in his eyes. "There is always a reason for anything he does, no matter how small or trivial."
Stopping for a moment, I considered whether or not I should burden him with the next piece of information - then decided he should know. After all, he might need to contact Duo himself. And if he ever wanted to leave ...
I said softly, without any preamble, "I have a cellphone from Duo. I can call him anytime. Just so you know."
Wufei blinked at me, then opened his eyes wide.
"I've had it since I saw him yesterday."
Wufei started, badly. "You HAVE? And you're still HERE?" He looked almost betrayed.
Giving him a little shrug, I looked past his shoulder to the sea. "I told you, Wufei. They couldn't get me out of there. Trowa said that they couldn't. He also said it would be good to have someone on the inside." My voice dropped lower. "And ... really. I don't want to go without you. I couldn't leave you behind."
I realized how odd that last part sounded - most prisoners would have jumped at the chance, had they been given it. Strangely enough, I knew - and how I knew this, I don't know, but I did - that even if Treize had opened the door and thrown me out, I would have come right back. I wouldn't - no, I couldn't - leave Wufei.
Wufei looked stunned. "But - but I WANT you to be free ..."
I nodded sadly. "I want to be free, too, Wufei. But not at your expense."
He looked hurt. "I can't ... leave."
I nodded tiredly again. "I know, Wufei. I know."
We were quiet, sitting across from each other for a time, both lost in our own thoughts. I watched the sun blaze across the water as it started to set against the western horizon.
Wufei broke the silence. "I need to rest."
"I understand completely. I'm pretty tired myself," I replied, rising from the chair. I looked down at him, struck once again at how young and vulnerable he seemed.
I reached down and squeezed his arm. "See you later, Wufei. Sleep well."
He looked startled for a moment, then gave me a weak smile. I turned from him, walked out the door and closed it softly behind me.
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It was strange - I felt wiped out, but I also felt hyper-alert.
Only the random soldier was walking in the hallway now; the mansion felt deserted. The only lighting came from the setting sun, and the hallway had very little access to natural sunlight - so it was extremely dark. Those windows that did open to the sky showed storm clouds on the horizon, with gray light filtering through windows designed to catch the prisms of bright sunlight.
Irritated, I slowed my pace as I wandered from Wufei's room to the main foyer. What - I was in a mansion of the man who was supposed to be the wealthiest person on earth, and he couldn't afford to turn on the lights in the hallway?
But thinking about it another way - the gloom could be an advantage. I could explore a little, and not be noticed. Treize wasn't here - he had left for the evening. And if anyone asked, I'd simply say that it was my first night in the house, and gee, you mean I wasn't supposed to be in this room ...?
I smirked, and felt nominally better.
Now the only thing to decide was where I was going to start. I looked around - there were plenty of rooms on the first floor. I heard the occasional footstep at a distance, but nothing close to where I was.
I looked over, and decided to go into a random room on my left, behind a beautiful mahogany door. The doorknob turned easily in my hand; I pushed the door in and cautiously peered around the edge of the door.
There were books - rows and rows and rows of books. Enough to make me gasp with pleasure, forget any natural caution I may have felt previously, walk into the room and carefully close the door.
I could hardly believe my good luck. I loved the feel of books surrounding me - it was as if I was surrounded by old friends. Not only did this room have shelves of books, but it also had a fireplace and several high backed, comfortable, old fashioned leather chairs in front of a bay window with a perfect view of the sea.
What a find! There was a small fire in the grate, so someone had been in the room fairly recently; also, the low table next to one of the chairs by the window had a coaster with a water ring on it, showing that it had been used recently, too.
But whoever used it then wasn't here now, right? A vague feeling of uneasiness - the thought that I really wasn't supposed to be there pushed its way into my mind. I shoved it away just as easily, telling myself that no one explicitly told me to stay OUT of this room, so ... it must be all right.
Right.
I chose a book from the shelves, took it over to the chair in front of the window, and curled up in the chair. The chair was large enough and I was small enough that I could draw my feet up and stare out at the water, watching the sun sparkle on the waves as it set. It was definitely stormy, though; the palm trees were bending and swaying in a wind that was a lot stronger than the breeze that blew this afternoon, and there was a dark, ominous sky encroaching on the sunset.
I leaned my head against the back of the chair and closed my eyes for a few moments, letting my mind wander, idly wondering what kind of storms roamed the Mediterranean this time of year. When I looked again, the sun was just dipping below the horizon; the sky was still rather light, but was now totally gray.
It was peaceful in this room, but it felt deceptive, as well - like time out of mind, if that makes any sense at all. I had the sense of something that was solid, and firm, but was cut off from the rest of the world; exactly the same as this storm was cutting the island off from the rest of the world.
There was no mistake, either - this was a rapidly developing storm. Not a hurricane - the winds didn't seem strong enough for that - but it was a storm, and a powerful one, at that. It felt ominous, like the clouds that blanketed the sky so quickly; mysterious, because it happened so fast; and spooky, because there didn't seem to be a good explanation for it. None of the weather channels I'd heard that day had predicted a storm, let alone a storm like this. It just felt - spooky.
I had stopped being frightened by storms by the time I was eleven; we had our share of violent thunderstorms and such in Beijing, but that was the age I told myself I needed to become more grownup about the matter. My parents, too, dropped hints that most young women my age didn't believe in that supernatural foolishness, including most of my friends. I blinked, remembering. Nothing like a little peer pressure to straighten out a child's basic belief system.
The rain started lashing against the windowpanes as the palms bent nearly double in the strong wind. I watched, fascinated.
"A beautiful sight ... is it not?"
I froze at the sound of that soft voice. I turned - and saw Treize, right behind me, silhouetted in the dying firelight, his hair tinged with golden bronze highlights, his face shadowed.
I started, and gripped the book in both hands. I hadn't even heard him come into the room
Tapestry - Chapter 15
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Normally, flying was a pleasant experience for me, whether I was piloting or not. I loved sitting by the window, too; takeoffs and landings were my favorite parts of any flight. There were exceptions to every rule, though ...
Right now I was strapped into my seat by the window, silent and angry, surrounded by a squad of Treize's armed elite Specials. Pressing my forehead against the tempered glass, I looked out over the ocean. All I could see, in any direction, was water - in fact, the ocean stretched out forever, everywhere.
My heart sank. Unless I stole a plane or a ship - and given the fact that it was Treize's Specials, not just the regular military that guarded the vehicles on this island - I figured that the odds of my getting off the island with Wufei unnoticed were probably a million to one.
I felt the attitude of the aircraft change; now we were making our final descent. Peering through the window at an angle, I could see our destination just appearing over the far horizon. As we approached, I was able to get a better view, and it did look lovely. Crescent shaped with a natural bay in the middle, the island had several larger finger islands at either end. There were palm trees, green grass and other types of vegetation screening its undeveloped parts. A large, sprawling mansion covered much of the property in the middle of the island, with several pools, tennis courts and gardens scattered along its boundaries. Paths leading to the marina, the beaches and other buildings crisscrossed haphazardly. There were roads circling and connecting other buildings and marinas, and what looked like several small bridges connecting several smaller islands.
The helicopter banked, and my view of the island changed to a view of the sky. Moments later we touched down on the central landing pad. All the soldiers stood up, grabbed their packs, duffel bags and weapons and exited the helicopter as quickly as possible. I stayed where I was, trying to make myself as small as possible to avoid the crush of people leaving at the same time. As soon as most of the soldiers left, I bolted out of my seat and went in search of Wufei.
I found him in the forward section, still sitting in his seat, not even aware we had landed. Treize wasn't with him, though; his seat was empty. I had nothing but harsh, angry thoughts for that man; the only thing he could do was get the poor boy completely upset and confused, and then leave him alone? What a complete and total jerk.
"Wufei - Wufei, we've landed. It's time for us to go. We need to leave the helicopter now ..."
He blinked slowly at me. " ... oh," he said, his voice weak and strained. "We're back home."
"Yes," I nodded. "We're on the island." Home? I wondered, watching him with a critical eye. Does he really think of this as home? Cautiously, I patted his arm, remembering how sensitive he was to touch. "Are you ready to leave?"
He closed his eyes for a moment. "I wish I could die," he murmured softly, then stood up.
"No, Wufei," I said, thoroughly alarmed, "don't say that. I - I don't know what I would do here without you."
Blinking slowly, Wufei looked at me with wide, dark eyes.
"Please," I appealed, "please don't say that. I would be here all alone - " and I stopped, leaving the next part unsaid, biting my lip, looking at him - "and I don't know if I could bear it ..."
"I ... don't know if I can be what you need, Sally," Wufei said, looking slightly helpless. "I just don't know ..."
"Yo! Move it, willya? We have a schedule to keep here!" One of the larger soldiers muscled his way towards the cockpit, intent on dislodging both Wufei and I from our positions in front of the seats. He was actually successful in tossing me to one side; I stumbled in the aisle, glaring at him.
"Mueller!" Treize's voice carried through the command section, cutting and sharp. "Do not bark at my guests. Follow your orders, and leave them alone."
My head snapped around; I looked for Treize, but he wasn't in the command section at all. Uneasily, I peered down the aisle into the other section, but I didn't see him there, either. He was watching us, and we couldn't see him? Gads ... yet another way to feel unsettled and edgy.
"Yessir," the soldier said, snapping to attention, his entire demeanor changing in an instant.
Wufei glared at the soldier as he helped me back to my feet. "Inside," he said under his breath. "We'll discuss it inside."
I gave him a quick nod and headed for the bay doors, intent on getting out of this machine as soon as possible. Treize was just outside the doors and smiling up at me from the tarmac, the breeze ruffling his hair. Several other soldiers were there as well, unloading baggage from one of the forward compartments of the helicopter.
"Welcome to Shioyake Island, Ms. Po," he said, smiling, as he reached up and caught me around the waist. "Here, let me help you." And without another word, he smoothly and easily lifted me out of the helicopter and into the air. I clutched at his shoulders and looked down into his smiling face, realizing again just how strong he was and how broad his shoulders were.
"Thank - thank you very much," I stammered, my eyes wide and my feet dangling off the ground. I was never going to get used to being handled so much by this man; and I had the sneaking suspicion that he did it on purpose, just to get a reaction.
"You're quite welcome, Ms. Po," he murmured as he set me down gently on the tarmac, an amused twinkle in his eye.
Wufei had already hopped out of the aircraft on his own and was hurrying toward the mansion. I took a deep breath and followed him, walking away from the helicopter and toward the main house, trying to get my bearings. Military presence aside, I was amazed at how much more relaxed the atmosphere was here than it was at the other property in Luxembourg. It was warmer and brighter, much more open; and while the vegetation wasn't abundant, the palm trees moving in the breeze and the low scrub bushes certainly made it feel restful, more inviting.
I took a deep breath, and felt myself smiling a little. Actually, as much as I didn't want to, I could see why Wufei would want to think of this as home.
My smile died on my lips as I looked a little farther up the walk and saw Lady Une. She was standing to one side of the path, looking beyond me, her hair pulled to the back of her head so tightly I was sure the circulation to her brain had actually ceased. She appeared to be holding her breath, and was even holding one gloved hand at her throat.
"... sugoi...." she breathed softly, her eyes moist and large, staring at something behind me.
"Lady Une?" I asked, giving her a weird look. When she didn't answer, I turned and followed her gaze.
She was staring at Treize. Fortunately, Treize was quite unaware she was staring at him - and in Une's defense, I must say that he did look like one of those incredibly handsome Italian / Greek models, staring off into the distance with his shirt billowing against him in the soft ocean breeze, sunlight dancing in his hair. He looked absolutely magnificent - gods, the sight even made me stare. It occurred to me, too, that there was no artifice here - he wasn't posing for a photograph, or for effect, or for any other reason - he was simply looking at the opposite end of the island. This was the real Treize, inasmuch as that cold, calculating, analytical person who had carried me into my room yesterday was the real Treize. He wasn't trying to be like this; it was as natural to him as breathing.
I shook my head and looked at Une again. Now this poor woman was doing something even odder; she reached up and touched one of the tight twists in her hair, and looked sad, just so sad as she gazed at Treize for a long moment, unguarded. Then she shifted her gaze to me - and that mournful, sad, expression turned into something sharper and more pointed in an instant, something that I couldn't place right away - which then turned to hatred, an expression I definitely recognized.
"Get inside," she hissed at me. "You're keeping Lord Treize waiting."
I blinked at her and shrugged, then turned back to the path and started walking again. Une, nasty to me? Well, gee, what a surprise.
But then I thought about it in context, and frowned. Good gods ... was she ... jealous? No ... that wasn't possible. Did she think I was a threat to Treize? I almost laughed out loud; now that was ludicrous. Me - a threat to Treize? Gods, that was funny ... I was so involved with my own thoughts that I hardly noticed the scrabbling noise on the path in front of me.
That is, until I looked up and saw the huge, black attack dogs looming in front of me, blocking my way to the main house, standing shoulder to shoulder. They were a literal phalanx of canines with long, evil-looking teeth and powerful, deep chests. Their eyes gleamed and shone as they stared at me and, as one, they made low, threatening, rumbling noises in their chests.
I stopped dead.
They started growling.
I stopped breathing.
It felt as though my heart stopped beating in my chest, too. The only thing I didn't stop doing was staring. I clenched my hands into fists to keep them from shaking, too.
A loud, commanding whistle sounded behind me. Immediately, the dogs morphed into puppies and bounded past me, barking happily. I stared and panted and nearly collapsed with relief; I thought I was dead for sure. Turning slowly, I saw Treize down on one knee, surrounded by the creatures, smiling and petting them, talking to them and dipping into his pockets and giving them treats. The dogs, for their part, were acting just like small puppies, whining and barking and bounding about and licking his face, eager to please.
I, on the other hand, was ready to crawl away from there; I wasn't proud. I didn't care how I got away, just as long as I was able to escape the dogs in one piece. Backing away slowly, I had just turned and was ready to bolt for the house when his voice stopped me in mid stride.
"Sally! Come here, please. I'd like you to meet my friends."
That was not a request. Unwillingly, I turned all the way around and walked back to him as slowly as I dared, finally standing stiffly a pace or two in front of him, waiting. I tried to look patient and nonchalant, but I knew I wasn't fooling him in the least. Those dogs scared me to death.
Treize glanced at me; very gently, he reached up, took my arm above the elbow and pulled me down to kneel next to him. Now my head was next to his, and his was on the same level as the dogs'. We were looking right at the muzzle of the nearest Doberman, who had thoughtfully pulled his lips back so I could see all his teeth. Treize gave me a sideways glance, then turned his attention back to the dogs. He clearly annunciated "Friend," holding my arm still and his head close to mine.
I gave a little involuntary tug at my arm. He had a grip of steel. Neither one of us moved a centimeter.
The dogs panted and sniffed at me, curious and suspicious, their eyes an odd color I had never seen before, something like a yellow ginger brown.
"Saa ... they just need to see me with you, you see?"
Treize continued to hold me with one hand, not allowing me to draw back, while petting his dogs with his other hand. I was close enough to get a very good look at them; not only did they have long, pointed teeth, but their jaws appeared to be incredibly strong. One dog could rip a man's arm to shreds. I tried to smile a little, but I knew it came out like a grimace.
"As long as you don't go out at night, they'll treat you as my associate. I wouldn't advise running around without me after dark, however," Treize said lightly. "They're well trained."
"Oh," I breathed, "Oh ... no ... I understand ... completely ..." I trailed off, still staring at the dogs, getting very spooked.
Gently, Treize stood and pulled me to my feet with him. "In we go," he said, steering me toward the house, transferring the hand on my arm to the small of my back, waving the dogs away with his other hand.
Frankly, I was so happy to be away from the dogs that that I hardly noticed his guiding hand on my back. Now I had an image of Zechs running for his life in my head, across the manicured lawns toward the sea, followed closely by a pack of large dogs. Those animals would show no mercy, either.
I was forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths, looking at the flagstone path in front of me. In, out. In, out.
"...Ms. Po?"
I looked up, and belatedly realized Treize had been speaking to me, but that I had missed it, trying to calm myself down. "Ah - yes? I'm sorry, Treize - you were saying?"
He smiled at me, tilting his head. "We have clothing here for you - bathing suits and such. There are no sharks or jellyfish near these beaches. The water here is lovely for swimming; not too hot, nor too cold. And the temperature here is ideal."
"Ah ... well," I ventured, a little unsure. "It seems ... very nice. And I do like palm trees." That, really, was an understatement. It was a dream vacation island, and I knew it - the temperature was balmy and perfect, the sun was shining - all in all, it looked like paradise.
Well, of course, the little, mocking voice inside my head said, if you think paradise comes with large, no-necked men with guns, then this is the place for you.
"I much prefer it here myself," Treize continued. "It is not so dark, or dreary, or cold as Europe can be. And although this is my 'home away from home,' I do feel it is my home - and you are welcome here." He gave me a warm smile, looking down at me.
"Ah ... thank you very much," I said, forcing a smile back. I was trying to match his mood, but really - while he might think of this as his 'home away from home,' it certainly wasn't mine by choice. Also, my psyche was slow to recover from that little 'incident' with the dogs, especially when it seems as if there was something transacted that I knew nothing about.
"You have a computer in your room," he said as he led me up the stone walk to the main house.
Odd things you notice, too, when you're in situations not of your own making; the stone walk was lined with seashells of all different types, which I thought was rather whimsical. I was thinking about that when his words penetrated my thoughts. "A - a computer? Why ... thank you." I also had the grace to feel embarrassed; I needed to pay closer attention to what he was saying, as opposed to the flagstone path.
"Of course, Ms. Po. You have an internet connection as well, although I fear it's not very fast."
"Oh ... I'm sure it's quite adequate for anything I need to do," I said quickly, trying to make up for my previous lack of attention. My brain was spinning, as well. An internet connection? That actually brought the world to me, here, out in the middle of nowhere. Convenient, but ... why would he do that?
"I hope you'll at least continue your education - perhaps broaden it a bit," Treize said as we climbed the steps to the mansion. "I don't want you to stagnate." He reached for the door and pulled it open, looking at me. "You will be here for quite a while, as will I. I wish for you to make the best use of your time. You should consider this ... not quite a vacation. Perhaps an educational one?"
I looked at him, frowning. "What do you mea......"
Treize smiled down at me. "As in ... what some people do when they finish their doctorate. But of course, you already HAVE one of those ..."
And then it hit me - I realized exactly what he meant. I was very still as I looked at him. A breeze passed over and around me, and felt wonderful, but it didn't matter. I would be there for years, probably decades. No matter how genteelly he spoke, no matter how winning his words, reality said this was where I was going to spend a large part of the rest of my life. Not only that, I was going to be spending that time ... with him.
There were no words to describe what I felt at that moment.
"Oh. Yes. I see," I said softly, turning and looking back down the path toward the helicopter. lt was my last link with the mainland, with freedom ... with my old life. I watched as mechanics scurried around, thrusting refueling lines into it, getting it ready to fly again.
"Maa .... I don't mean to depress you, Ms. Po, please believe me. I am trying to make it more pleasant for you - as pleasant as I can. Forgive me." Treize was surprisingly gentle, and seemed to be genuinely trying. It was so hard for me to distinguish when he was actually sincere.
I sighed, still looking in the direction of the landing pad. He did get me released from prison into his custody, after all. He didn't have to do that. I was trying to look on the positive side of the situation, ignoring Wufei's plight for the moment. "I ... appreciate your efforts, Treize. I understand you are doing what you can."
"We are still going to the opera on Friday."
I looked up at him quickly. " ... we ... are?" I frowned. "But - how?"
Treize smiled at me. "By boat. Much better than helicopter - ne?"
"I - I suppose it is, yes," I said, giving him an unsure smile.
Treize pointed. "Naples is two hours in that direction, by boat."
I reacted in spite of myself. "Naples? We're going to the opera in Naples? To the Theater San Carlo, Rossini's favorite?"
Treize smiled indulgently, rather like a father giving out treats. I could have kicked myself for sounding so eager. "Yes, Ms. Po. We're going to the opera in Naples. And I ... well. I did something I hope you'll like."
I looked up at him, puzzled. Something strange was happening, for sure, because - I could hardly believe it - Treize Khushrenada was blushing? I blinked, waiting for him to continue.
"I have taken the liberty of choosing a dress for you," he said, watching me. "I hope that is all right. I think my taste is not horrendous."
That took me completely by surprise. "Oh ... no, Treize. I'm sure it will fit - er, be - perfect." Color rose in my cheeks as well as I wondered, first, how he could have possibly decided what my proportions were, then second, realized someone had already taken then. How else had underwear magically appeared for me the second day of my confinement?
"Would you like to see?" he asked, beaming as he ushered me into the house.
"Oh, yes - I would, indeed!"
I closed my eyes briefly as I walked into the house, thinking again how I sounded like an extravagant, idiot schoolgirl eager to see a dress instead of a grown woman. Control, Sally, control, I told myself, allowing Treize to take me through the large foyer and up the main staircase. Everything was lighter here, the decor was French provincial instead of the heavy European interior design of Luxembourg; there were ceiling fans everywhere, the surroundings were more open and airy. It was altogether a different feel, a totally different atmosphere.
He led me up the staircase to the second floor, to a corner bedroom that was absolutely beautiful. It had an incredible view of the sea, a long, wrapped balcony, and a breeze that moved softly through two open French doors. This room felt like a woman's room; it was much larger than my room in the other house, and was painted in soft, subtle color. And carefully laid out on the bed was a beautiful blue dress, the same color as my eyes. It was shimmering, form fitting ... and devastatingly gorgeous. I had hardly ever seen anything like it, let alone worn anything like it.
"Simple, but ... I think it works. And black is SUCH a dreary color, ne? I do hope this is acceptable."
I picked the dress up gingerly by its spaghetti straps, smiling involuntarily. "It's - beautiful," I breathed, letting the material move through my fingers like liquid, thinking it had been years since I had worn anything that remotely resembled it.
Smiling a little, I looked up to see Treize watching me - and I realized I was almost caressing the dress. "Eh ... thank you ... very much," I stammered, feeling myself blush to the roots of my hair.
Treize smiled; and I don't know how I knew it, but I realized he had stopped viewing me in dislike. What happened to cause that, I wasn't sure, but I knew that something had happened.
"You are very welcome, Ms. Po."
"Sally ... please," I said, almost inaudibly, quickly looking back at the dress, blinking.
"Of course, Sally. Whatever you wish." There was no note of triumph in his voice, which was gratifying. I stole a glance over in his direction; he was looking at his watch. He murmured, "I have a business meeting tonight. Would you do me the favor of staying with Wufei while I'm away, Sally? He is - unhappy."
I was still handling the dress and frowned slightly, remembering Wufei's upset and confusion earlier that day. "Of course, Treize. Where is his room?"
Treize smiled warmly at me, like I was a friend, a valued confidant. "You can see it from here," he said, walking onto the balcony and beckoning for me to follow him.
I followed him, laying the dress on the bed, curious and a little guarded.
"His room is on the first floor, over there," Treize said, pointing down and to the left, "and mine is there." He pointing up and to the right, indicating a large, wraparound balcony attached to a corner room.
I turned, looking at the different rooms, and then looked out at the beach, my attention drawn to Wufei. He was training, punching and slicing the air as hard and as angrily as he could, the same as he did that morning.
Treize gave a slow sigh, shaking his head slightly. "He hides too easily in that," he said, his voice soft. "And yet ... not easily enough. I do believe we have a lot of work ahead of us, Sally."
I looked over at him quickly, and then out to Wufei's solitary form, practicing again. Sighing, I silently agreed with him - but probably not for the same reasons.
Treize reached over and patted me on the back, a friendly gesture. "Please - feel free to enjoy. Wufei knows the rules of the house - he'll tell you whatever you need to know. Oh, and here - "
As I watched, he bent over the desk, took a piece of stationary and the fountain pen, and wrote down a number. "This is my personal satellite phone number," he said, folding the paper and handing it to me. "I keep it on all the time. For emergencies, you know."
"Why ... thank you, Treize," I said, accepting the paper from him. "I appreciate it." I slid my gaze around the room quickly - I didn't see a phone sitting out, but that didn't mean there wasn't a phone in the room.
"You're quite welcome, Sally," he replied, smiling. "Now - I must go. Good night, if I do not see you." He bowed slightly from the waist, formal and regal at the same time, smiling at me in a way that made my heart beat a little faster and left, closing the door softly behind him.
Insane, Sally Po. You're simply insane, I thought as I stared at the closed door.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
It was a very small island. And I mean a VERY small island.
It didn't take long for me to shower, dress, and grab new clothes from the already stocked drawers in my room. It was amazing, too - these drawers had clothes that were just the right size for me, as well. I decided to let my hair dry on its own - I just left it loose around my shoulders, and went out in search of Wufei. I made sure I brought my cellphone, too; just because I was in a place that felt comfortable didn't meant it wasn't dangerous.
There wasn't much security to speak of; the stray soldier here and there, a visible reminder that this was a military base, after all. I knew there were more of them around, though; they were simply too well-trained to be blatantly out in the open. I walked outside the house, into the open air, and it struck me again - this place was a virtual paradise. The temperature was balmy, the breeze was soft, and the heat from the sun, even while the sun was setting, was strong and comfortable.
I left the house, and started walking to where I last saw Wufei practicing. The sand was soft, and the beach stretched as far as I could see on either side. I realized, as I picked my way down to the sea that there was literally room for the house, the military base, a little open land and some tennis courts on the island - and that was it. Nothing else.
Nothing like being cozy and close with each other for the rest of our lives.
I topped a small rise, and saw Wufei down by the water's edge. I was close enough, now, that I could see he had worked himself into a sweat; he had sand sticking all over him. Stopping about a meter away, I called to him. "Wufei?"
He didn't respond; in fact, he didn't even acknowledge me.
"Oi, Wufei! Over here!"
Stopping for a moment, Wufei turned toward me, panting. "Yes?"
Gads, I had his attention - NOW I had to do something with it. Thinking fast, I remembered something I thought was odd when I was in the shower. "I have a question for you. About the water here."
"Artesian," he puffed out, working hard. "There used to be a land bridge here. It's still here, but -" puffing again " - under twenty feet of water." He kept punching and kicking, taking breaths as he could and speaking to me. "Freshwater. Feeds the palm trees and grass. It's the water source."
"Everything here is freshwater?"
He nodded, gasping a little. "Yes - it's a volcanic area."
"That's why there are no sharks? It's - volcanic?" I stared at him, nonplused for the second time that day. Thermal energy was a tremendous energy source.
As if he read my mind, Wufei said, panting, "He's ... using it - the volcano - for power." Waving his hand in the air vaguely, he said, as if explaining everything, "No wires. Tapped into thermal heat. Treize designed it." Now the boy was bent over, his hands on the tops of his knees, gasping slowly. I looked at him, trying to figure out if he was trying to work himself into exhaustion or not.
"It's - a - military base," he said between breaths, "..but ... it ... isn't used as much ... in peacetime. More... of an ... out of the way ... base."
I was getting worried; Wufei was trembling now, a reaction from all the exercise.
"I have to go cool off," he said, his voice rough. He straightened, turned, and walked right into the ocean, not looking left or right, finally diving under the small waves and surfacing a little farther out from shore.
Stretching, I sat down in the sand and rested back on my elbows, digging my heels in the sand, and let my mind wander a little. There really was no way off of this island, unless it was by plane or powerboat. Perhaps a minisub, but I didn't see any subs docked near us.
I watched Wufei swim for a while, concerned. He had swum out a long way, and it looked as though he was struggling to get back. I was ready to get up and help him back when I saw he was in manageable water. His gasping sounded painful as he came back on shore; now he was shaking from head to foot.
"Where did Treize go?" he asked, ignoring the large towel I offered him.
"He said he had a meeting he had to attend tonight," I said, standing, brushing sand off my legs. "He asked if you and I would have dinner together."
"... oh ..." Wufei looked disappointed as he stood in front of me, panting and dripping on the sand.
"I hope that's all right," I said, looking at him closely. "I was rather hoping it was ... since I'm pretty hungry again, and I don't know where to go to get any food."
"Whatever," he shrugged. Still panting, he started off toward the house. I stayed closed to him, letting him set the pace. He looked as though he was going to fall over. He had worked himself to the brink of exhaustion; his muscles were trembling, his eyes were dilated, and he was in no condition to talk.
Casually, I slung the large towel across his shoulders as we walked toward the house. The few soldiers we passed on the way hardly gave us a second look; apparently, he had done this before, and they didn't see any reason for concern.
We walked in silence for several more minutes, until we came to an outside door to the sunroom. "Which way, Wufei?" I asked, holding the door open for him. "Where's your room?"
"This way." He pointed a trembling hand across the room in a generally eastern direction. "If ... if you want some food now ... I have some. In my room."
I looked at him, and decided. "Ah - excellent. That would be great!" I said, smiling.
He nodded and set off diagonally across the floor, obviously forcing himself to walk evenly.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Wufei's room had a completely different feel than mine - it was definitely masculine, and very modern Chinese. I sighed, feeling extremely comfortable, although I doubted whether Wufei was. He struck me as more of a traditionalist.
"There," he said, pointing at a large fruit basket sitting on a table on his patio. "Eat some of that." Without another word, he dove into his drawers, pulled clothing from them and walked into the attached bathroom, closing the door behind him.
I sighed and chose a large apple from the basket, then decided to wander around his room while I waited for him to finish his shower. A large, wooden trunk caught my eye - it looked like an antique, pushed into a corner of the room, very unobtrusive. I knelt down next to it and opened it - and sure enough, it was what I suspected - another weapons chest, full to the brim with weapons of every type, all neatly sorted and cataloged, no doubt. Another test from Treize, I thought sourly, I was sure. Test them once, and test them again. See if they remember.
The sounds from the shower stopped. I pulled the trunk lid closed, making sure that each piece was in its proper place, then walked back and sat down in one of the large chairs in front of the French doors, eating my apple.
Wufei came out of the bathroom, wearing clothing that belonged more to ancient China than modern China. He did look a little better - at least now he wasn't shivering.
He sighed as he automatically tossed his clothes into a hamper in his closet, then straightened as he closed the doors. "What would you like to do?" he asked, turning to me.
I gave him a rueful smile. "Leave?"
"Un," he replied with a weak smile of his own, sinking down into the chair opposite mine. He looked tired; and really, I wasn't surprised. He had worked himself nearly to the brink of exhaustion twice today. What surprised me was that he was still awake.
I sighed. "Well ... I don't know. Talk for a little while, if you're up to it."
He blinked slowly, his dark eyes fixed on mine. "... talk? About what?"
Shaking my head slightly, I looked out beyond his patio to the sea. "About ... how you've survived here for such a long time ... and still have your wits about you."
Puzzled, Wufei looked at him. "What are you talking about, Sally?"
I took a deep breath. It was now or never; and as far as I was concerned, it needed to be now. I drew my gaze back to him. "Wufei - do you remember how you felt about OZ before you were captured?"
"Yes." His brow was knit as he regarded me.
"And ... do you feel the same way now?" I looked back to the sea again. "I remember the way I felt then. I felt as if I was fighting for the rights of people everywhere - "
"Yes." Wufei nodded, agreeing, his lips tight. "We were. We are." He didn't sound convinced, though. Either something had been lost, or it had never been there.
I plowed on, heedless of that discovery. " -for their right to live and survive wherever they chose, without someone telling them what they could and could not eat for breakfast." I scowled at the sea. That was a particular sore point with me, and it showed.
"Sally - he does that to us because we're his prisoners. He won the right to do so. He does not do that to the rest of the world - they wouldn't have him if he did. They're not that stupid. He's being lighter than the Alliance ever was; he's taking control via economical means, rather than purely political means."
"Wufei." I gave him a level stare. "Controlling the money, and where it goes, and who gets it, it exactly the same. You're still playing God. You still decide who lives and who dies."
"No," he corrected, "you're playing King. It's like the emperors of old, and the people are accepting it."
"Yes, I know the people are accepting it." I was amazed and angry and despondent at the same time. "And I don't know what to do about it, Wufei."
"The people are idiots," he snorted. "I'm not doing this for them."
"Wait a minute." I grinned at him. "You just told me not two minutes ago that people weren't stupid." My enthusiasm faded with my grin. " ... but ..."
"They think they're not," Wufei responded, shaking his head. "The world thinks they are not. But I know they are."
I nodded. "It's true, too. Most people will simply follow the path of least resistance - the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, the easiest is usually not the best, nor the healthiest."
"He has fooled them into thinking that doing what they want equals freedom," Wufei muttered, his tone dark.
I stared at him. "I - I know that. And I truly don't know how to undo that."
"We can't," Wufei said flatly.
I shook my head, emphatic. "No, Wufei. I don't want to believe that. I have to believe there is a way -"
"There isn't."
I was stubborn. " -but we just haven't found it yet-"
"No. There. Is. Not." Intransigent, Wufei stared back at me. "There never would have been the need for a war if man were capable of such things, Sally. He is not now. He never will be."
"Capable ... of handling freedom?" I asked slowly, feeling my way along, wondering whose voice I was hearing.
"Capable of understanding anything," he said, weary.
"But, Wufei," I said, passionate, "we are capable of understanding. And something I think about is - what kind of world are we leaving for our children? Are we leaving them a benevolent despot who, when he dies, will finally plunge the world into chaos, because no one's become mature enough to understand freedom? Can we truly say that taking decisions out of the hands of the common people is for their own good?"
"We are leaving the world the same as when we inherited it from our parents," Wufei said, tired. "Populated by idiots, ruled by evil men. It has always been thus." His head flopped back onto the back of his chair and he closed his eyes; he reminded me strongly of the boy I met in the forest of China, defeated. At least this time, though, he was talking.
"But what right do we have to NOT fight something that we know is inherently wrong?" I asked, pressing on.
"Do we?" he wondered.
I nodded. "Yes. We do."
He looked at me for a long moment. "... you do."
I gazed back at him. "I do," I amended. "And ... you will know yourself soon enough."
"I have never known, Sally," he murmured, looking at the tabletop, his eyes half lidded thoughtfully, his eyelashes throwing small shadows across his cheeks in the waning sunlight. "I don't see why I would know now."
"It's a function of growing older, you see. Certain things that were unclear years ago become a little less ... muddy."
Now Wufei gave me an annoyed stare - which actually was good, because it meant he wasn't as depressed as he was several moments ago. "Don't assume," he said, his tone slightly acerbic. "I'm young, but I'm no child. You assume because I'm a kid that I don't know what I believe or WHY. Well, I do - I have for years. I know why I have trouble with things like 'justice,' 'right' and 'wrong,' and such."
"Ah - then I apologize. I never meant to imply that you were a child," I said, watching him, keeping my expression grave and serious.
"My reasons may seem stupid to you, but I don't care." He blasted along, his voice strained, seemingly impervious to me, not acknowledging my response at all. "You HAVE ... something that makes you believe. I don't understand that something. I ... don't have that something. I never have."
"What are you talking about? I have nothing special," I replied, frowning. I had no idea what he was talking about.
For a moment, his expression was completely open. He looked appreciative, and slightly sad; and his eyes, if I wasn't careful, seemed to be deep wells of sadness - the kind that I could fall in and drown.
"Please don't die, Sally," he said softly.
Taken aback, I didn't say anything for a long moment. "No, Wufei," I said finally, "I will do my very best not to. But - I would say the same to you. I need you, Wufei."
"You don't need me. You're stronger than I am," he said, closing his eyes as if in pain.
"Ah. That's where you're completely wrong. You may see me as strong, when in fact, that's just stubbornness." I looked at my hands, fingers interlaced in my lap. "I am strong when I have to be, but not nearly as strong as I need to be. I will not survive this ordeal if you are not with me. This is only my third day awake, Wufei, and already I can feel myself ... well ... " I looked at him directly. "I can feel that my mind has been affected by Treize. I've started to look at him as less than an enemy."
Wufei frowned at me. "He is the enemy. How can you waver on that? Nothing has changed."
"I know it." I sighed and tried again. "I know that, Wufei - but - but something happens when I'm around him for a prolonged period of time. He has this - " and I searched for the correct word, " - this charisma - that eats away at my resolve. It's not that I don't see him as the head of OZ anymore; he is, definitely. It's just -"
"I've seen that," Wufei broke in, still frowning. "It affects almost everyone. I don't know what it is."
"Well - it's affected me, and I've only been conscious for three days. You've been with him for over three weeks, closer to six - how have you been able to keep your sanity?"
Wufei blinked slowly. "I ... I don't know," he replied slowly. "I'm not sure. I see that people are affected when they're around him for periods of time, but - "and he shrugged, a small movement of his shoulders, " - but I don't feel anything, so I'm not doing anything special."
"Ah - well - that's a talent I'd like to develop - if for nothing else than to save my own sanity," I said with a mirthless chuckle. "I don't want to go Une's way - and I don't want to forget who I am, either, or what I believe."
Snorting, Wufei shook his head. "Une is madly in love with him - and you are not."
I nodded, amused by his attitude toward Une; that, at least, was a predictable 15-year-old male disdainful mindset toward 'love.' Heh - no kidding I wasn't 'madly in love' with him. That's wasn't about to happen, not by any stretch of the imagination. And I wouldn't necessarily call what Une's unreasonable, doglike devotion to Treize 'love.' It sounded a lot more like an obsession, if you asked me.
"Well - no, Wufei, I'm not. But I will tell you something. I've never met anyone like him - and if I live through this, I hope to never meet anyone like him again. I couldn't take it." I took a deep breath. "He scares me to death, Wufei. I already told you what I feel happening to me - and I feel helpless to stop it. And that's only one of the things I find frightening. I feel as if he's about five steps ahead of everyone else, no matter what's happening. And that there's always a reason for whatever he does. Always."
"There is," Wufei agreed, a dark look in his eyes. "There is always a reason for anything he does, no matter how small or trivial."
Stopping for a moment, I considered whether or not I should burden him with the next piece of information - then decided he should know. After all, he might need to contact Duo himself. And if he ever wanted to leave ...
I said softly, without any preamble, "I have a cellphone from Duo. I can call him anytime. Just so you know."
Wufei blinked at me, then opened his eyes wide.
"I've had it since I saw him yesterday."
Wufei started, badly. "You HAVE? And you're still HERE?" He looked almost betrayed.
Giving him a little shrug, I looked past his shoulder to the sea. "I told you, Wufei. They couldn't get me out of there. Trowa said that they couldn't. He also said it would be good to have someone on the inside." My voice dropped lower. "And ... really. I don't want to go without you. I couldn't leave you behind."
I realized how odd that last part sounded - most prisoners would have jumped at the chance, had they been given it. Strangely enough, I knew - and how I knew this, I don't know, but I did - that even if Treize had opened the door and thrown me out, I would have come right back. I wouldn't - no, I couldn't - leave Wufei.
Wufei looked stunned. "But - but I WANT you to be free ..."
I nodded sadly. "I want to be free, too, Wufei. But not at your expense."
He looked hurt. "I can't ... leave."
I nodded tiredly again. "I know, Wufei. I know."
We were quiet, sitting across from each other for a time, both lost in our own thoughts. I watched the sun blaze across the water as it started to set against the western horizon.
Wufei broke the silence. "I need to rest."
"I understand completely. I'm pretty tired myself," I replied, rising from the chair. I looked down at him, struck once again at how young and vulnerable he seemed.
I reached down and squeezed his arm. "See you later, Wufei. Sleep well."
He looked startled for a moment, then gave me a weak smile. I turned from him, walked out the door and closed it softly behind me.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
It was strange - I felt wiped out, but I also felt hyper-alert.
Only the random soldier was walking in the hallway now; the mansion felt deserted. The only lighting came from the setting sun, and the hallway had very little access to natural sunlight - so it was extremely dark. Those windows that did open to the sky showed storm clouds on the horizon, with gray light filtering through windows designed to catch the prisms of bright sunlight.
Irritated, I slowed my pace as I wandered from Wufei's room to the main foyer. What - I was in a mansion of the man who was supposed to be the wealthiest person on earth, and he couldn't afford to turn on the lights in the hallway?
But thinking about it another way - the gloom could be an advantage. I could explore a little, and not be noticed. Treize wasn't here - he had left for the evening. And if anyone asked, I'd simply say that it was my first night in the house, and gee, you mean I wasn't supposed to be in this room ...?
I smirked, and felt nominally better.
Now the only thing to decide was where I was going to start. I looked around - there were plenty of rooms on the first floor. I heard the occasional footstep at a distance, but nothing close to where I was.
I looked over, and decided to go into a random room on my left, behind a beautiful mahogany door. The doorknob turned easily in my hand; I pushed the door in and cautiously peered around the edge of the door.
There were books - rows and rows and rows of books. Enough to make me gasp with pleasure, forget any natural caution I may have felt previously, walk into the room and carefully close the door.
I could hardly believe my good luck. I loved the feel of books surrounding me - it was as if I was surrounded by old friends. Not only did this room have shelves of books, but it also had a fireplace and several high backed, comfortable, old fashioned leather chairs in front of a bay window with a perfect view of the sea.
What a find! There was a small fire in the grate, so someone had been in the room fairly recently; also, the low table next to one of the chairs by the window had a coaster with a water ring on it, showing that it had been used recently, too.
But whoever used it then wasn't here now, right? A vague feeling of uneasiness - the thought that I really wasn't supposed to be there pushed its way into my mind. I shoved it away just as easily, telling myself that no one explicitly told me to stay OUT of this room, so ... it must be all right.
Right.
I chose a book from the shelves, took it over to the chair in front of the window, and curled up in the chair. The chair was large enough and I was small enough that I could draw my feet up and stare out at the water, watching the sun sparkle on the waves as it set. It was definitely stormy, though; the palm trees were bending and swaying in a wind that was a lot stronger than the breeze that blew this afternoon, and there was a dark, ominous sky encroaching on the sunset.
I leaned my head against the back of the chair and closed my eyes for a few moments, letting my mind wander, idly wondering what kind of storms roamed the Mediterranean this time of year. When I looked again, the sun was just dipping below the horizon; the sky was still rather light, but was now totally gray.
It was peaceful in this room, but it felt deceptive, as well - like time out of mind, if that makes any sense at all. I had the sense of something that was solid, and firm, but was cut off from the rest of the world; exactly the same as this storm was cutting the island off from the rest of the world.
There was no mistake, either - this was a rapidly developing storm. Not a hurricane - the winds didn't seem strong enough for that - but it was a storm, and a powerful one, at that. It felt ominous, like the clouds that blanketed the sky so quickly; mysterious, because it happened so fast; and spooky, because there didn't seem to be a good explanation for it. None of the weather channels I'd heard that day had predicted a storm, let alone a storm like this. It just felt - spooky.
I had stopped being frightened by storms by the time I was eleven; we had our share of violent thunderstorms and such in Beijing, but that was the age I told myself I needed to become more grownup about the matter. My parents, too, dropped hints that most young women my age didn't believe in that supernatural foolishness, including most of my friends. I blinked, remembering. Nothing like a little peer pressure to straighten out a child's basic belief system.
The rain started lashing against the windowpanes as the palms bent nearly double in the strong wind. I watched, fascinated.
"A beautiful sight ... is it not?"
I froze at the sound of that soft voice. I turned - and saw Treize, right behind me, silhouetted in the dying firelight, his hair tinged with golden bronze highlights, his face shadowed.
I started, and gripped the book in both hands. I hadn't even heard him come into the room