The 10th
Escape from the Glass Coffin
m m m m
"You're not going to really force her to go are you?"
He sat there watching Relena read through the invites she was mailed two days ago in their massive master bedroom. Being he always held a soft spot for his princess she tried reasoning.
"Helena's coming."
The cold, hard stare of determination. He told himself not to tangle with a woman.
Especially this one.
"It'll bore her." Hell, it'll bore me he thought.
"Your daughter, King, will have to learn some responsible if she wants to rule after me."
"She is responsible, she eliminated a threat to the peace and the livelihood of this kingdom.
She can make it on her own. " He retorted.
Heero wished his wife would stop treating the girl like she was helpless and let her be free.
Relena thought that he should stop pushing her to fight or he would be snuggling with the couch pillows for nights to come . . . . "Would rather a charming prince enter the picture?"
The subject of boys.
He smacked himself on the head and sunk lower into his computer chair. "Please, not tonight-"
"You'll probably buy a rocking chair to sit on the front porch with a beam canon waiting on her to come home from dates. . . ." The visual itself caused her to smirk.
"Good idea . . ." He said thoughtful.
Relena looked out the corner of her blue eyes, annoyed. "See."
His tone was dark: "Any brave fool daring enough to hurt her knows his fate."
"Heero, no date-scaring Friday night ok? It was hard enough to find a proper escort."
Helena was by no means less prettier or charming or smarter than other girls: She was just-harder.
To please that is, she paid attention to other things but the male population-they annoyed her.
Lacy kept her brother in tangles with her dates and admirers and crushes.
A boy crazy niece as opposed to a tom boy daughter?
Cursing or a blessing, she didn't know how to look at it.
"And who did you bribe this time?"
"Wufei's son-one of the sons of one of your good friends."
"He's still a boy." Oh course Heero looked at Helena's disinterest as a godsend.
"You forget that's she's fifteen and not five. She's bound to be into young men."
"Yeah, and I know what young men think."
"Heero . . ." She warned.
She could only guess what the young men think.
Duo kept having this weird dream:
Katrina was decked out ballerina garb dancing, pirouetting in a music box, she couldn't move . . .
She was this doll.
A princess.
A ballerina.
A dreamy fairy tale melody played for her as she floated on her toes, dancing elegantly, her feet mastered each leap and bound and fall and rise.
There was her bow-
And then a black figure moved in and took it clean off, they decapitated her head . . .
That was the first time in a mouth he found himself dreaming.
"Dammit!" He screamed as he felt himself being jerked out of his sleep.
"I'm not dead Duo."
"What?"
Hilde's face shone in the streaming moonlight.
"I said I wasn't dead. You kept screaming that I was dead, what happened, I can see that you're shaking."
"That is so uncool1 I'm not suppose to having this dream. . . ."
She guessed it, the cat again. "Don't worry about it. It's only a dream."
"Yeah . . . I guess." He didn't even think of Kat like that anymore, so why was she haunting him?
"Go to sleep." Hilde kissed him above his soft purple orbs.
He doubted he'll get any, "Yeah, night."
The woman watched over the exhausted form of Robyn that night, she managed to sneak in while the guards were partaking of a "taste."
The ballerina's seed slept there.
Her father's eyes were gone for the moment, but Katrina knew that she would have to face the question again . . . . Of Dylan Thorton. What drew her into Dylan?
She knew what drew her to any guy, she even knew what drew her to Duo Maxwell.
But Dylan?
She didn't really know him, ok she didn't know herself, but he confused her.
He was her lover, her enemy, her upliftment, and her defeat.
All over pieces of useless computer equipment.
"I did promise to tell you that story some day didn't I . . . ? But there are no 'happy endings' I guess."
She kissed the girl on the forehead.
"I loved him, I really did. But this ballerina couldn't mourn. I had to move on, I had you. I used to be a lot of things. That's why people don't know me . . ."
She slipped out cool and quiet like she did before, Egypt was the way.
The way to freedom.
Robyn woke up.
Nobody was there, she thought someone was there, talking to her.
Sounding like her mother.
"Two locations down, there to go." Trowa commented, returning from a long flight to Egypt, of course Kat always had to have a babysitter. Over the view monitor the 'traveling companions' were discussing the new metal with the King of the World and the unofficial leader of his armed forces.
"So we have the new suits in our mist?" Heero asked.
"Yep." Katrina gestured to the yellow-colored mobile suits in the background:
"I like to call them 'solid gold.'" She took another sip of her cherry soda-anything but liquor.
"Injustice." Wufei snorted, "Why not just use gundamium and not this weak metal?"
"If you would've taken chemistry class like you were suppose to do, you would know the atomic structures are similar but the atomic bonds are totally different." She sneered.
"We better held back-Relena's going to want to know why were's hanging out here."
The guys were in the underground hangar, the one the Queen wasn't suppose to know about.
"I don't know-tell her it's poker night."
"Poker night. Man, you can't lie."
"I don't have to." He had right there.
"Shut up clown."
"Mr. Yuy, Mr. Yuy!" A boy ran into the hangar suddenly, breathless and shirt soaked in sweat.
"Phillip, I thought I said no interruptions."
The boy stood there heart shaking madly within his ribs trying to seem professional but felt craven.
"Mr. Yuy there-there-there's any urgent . . . . Message . . . Line one."
They're eyes shifted toward Heero who's glance shifted to theirs, maybe Relena located them and was demanding an explanation (the poker excuse could work . . . .) Or maybe his princess wanted daddy's credit card (he swears the teen's mission was to send them to the poor house.)
"I'll take it." He waved the boy away. 'And regret it for the rest of cheap life-'
"What could this be all about?"
Wufei huffed again, "Maybe it's that woman-"
"Ohmigod, what if they're looking for me?" The black woman felt panic ice her spine.
"Wouldn't be the biggest surprise." For a quiet guy, Trowa seemed to be the biggest cynic.
Katrina Nyle did 'owe' a lot of people-Heero shot them a glare to quiet them..
For five minutes the only moment the saw was a head nod and the phone slam.
Something wasn't right-there was the end to their lovely day.
Turning around he faced them: "Make that the only two. We;'ve been robbed."
"Robbed?" It came out of his mouth hollow.
"What?!?" The cat screamed followed by a string of curse words. The staff on the private jet turned to marvel at her behavior. Trowa looked into his glass of rum, shaking his head.
"Excuse me: Private conversation!" She snapped. They quickly dispersed.
"Mrs. Thorton, don't have my staff remove you."
"What happened to metals?" Trowa finally interjected.
"Someone got the last three locations, from what we known for years, there's only enough of this metal to make five suits. Losing three locations is a major blow."
"Major alright." The Latino (I figure he's Latino) remarked coolly. "Now what?"
"We do nothing."
"Nothing? NOTHING? Look Fly Boy, we've been robbed of the only way possible to save our sorry hides and YOU SAYING WE CAN'T JACK!"
Wufei mumbled something along the lines of "just once I wish I could hit that woman-"
Heero's expression didn't change from its blankness in contrast to Katrina's whose face was screwed up with anger, sorrow, and disappointment.
"What I'm doing is telling your jet to turn around, we regroup and try to find the missing metals."
"Translation: Shut up Nyle and come back." Wufei was sporting a smirk.
"Oh I got your shut up right here-" She said in a low, dangerous tone.
Trowa grabbed her hand before she did something drastic, "We'll see you in 2400 hours."
He glanced at her, "Just drink your soda and save your energy. You'll need it for those two."
Not even the padded walls had changed her drinking habits. Or fatherhood change his caution.
Odd how some things seem to stay the same he mused.
She threw her drink, narrowly missing a flight attendant, raving.
"Damnmit, couldn't be a Bloody Mary, I just had to swallow a cherry soda!"
Finally-hell. Or to her mother, the Gala Ball the world leaders threw every year.
Helena couldn't believe she had to do this-cleaning the grounds for a month sounded better.
The usual ponytail was replaced with an elaborate set of pin curls that raised her locks high, her dress was a cream-colored floor-length gown that hung off the shoulders and the high heels to match.
(Not too much skin Relena warned the dressmaker). The make-up was to a minimal since she kept running away from Lacy, the hair spray was there to choke her, the jewelry weighted her down. Everything seemed too bright and pretty.
"Just box me up and call me a Barbie." She mused grimly, looking at her fine clothes.
"Box me up and call me Ken." Her dad's tone was low enough for her ears only, she smirked.
Course, he dare never to tell the Queen that. The vested tux made him feel that way.
"Have a good time princess, go on and mingle with your little friends."
"What friends?"
Relena chose to ignore that one, straighten her pearls with her gloved fingers.
"Remember you're meeting Han here, he's a nice young man."
"Yeah, a nice stuck-up, self-centered sexist pig that thinks God put HIM here to rule women-"
"What was that?" She insisted as they entered the vast hall halting to a stop.
Dad to the recuse time, Heero gently took his wife by the arm, "Come on Relena let's meet some of the other guests. Our dearest daughter is in good hands, just like you were saying last night . . ."
"But-" Her voice faded into the background with the music and chatter.
The princess sighed in relief, free . . . Well, not quite, she had to be with the pig . . . She scanned the room . . . . So much for an escort, she didn't want one, that was just another way to hold her down she thought . . . . Someone caught her eye . . . She recognized the hair . . .
But wait a minute . . . .
Han defiantly did NOT look like a pig.
The three-piece tux and the matching ebony flames of his glasses made him appear suave and refined, even the dyed blonde spikes had an urbane look to them, his bronze eyes would be shining . . .
'Should I be drooling?' Her head asked her heart.
The Answer: 'What a dumb question.'
"Helena, if you stare at Han any longer you're gonna burn a hole into him."
Damn. Her cousin cut through her thoughts-not that they were clean ones.
"Hello Lacy." She growled back, hoping her beet-colored face couldn't be seen.
"Ooh, so you're not so boring after all." The purple-hair girl grinned evilly.
"Hey-has anybody seen my boy-crazy twin?" Michael walked up behind the two girls.
"I heard that!" She snapped at her brother as she spotted a victim-eh date across the dance floor.
"Ooh, fine little Lawrence of Arabia, here I come!"
He groaned loudly as she swept to the other side. He then saw Helena.
"Cousin." The 'barbie' simply said, gaze never on him.
"Princess." He regarded Helena who was trying to not pay attention to Han across the room.
"Is the night pleasant?"
"Like a root canal."
"Ouch." He winced with his glass of punch.
"Sorry. This is my punishment for fighting without mother dear's consent."
"Ah, no wonder you're so down."
"Plus I have to be escorted by the one person in the world I can't get along with."
"I thought you two fought well together in battle."
His eyebrows raised, she was transparent: She liked him but was too proud to admit it.
"On field. Off field we battle each other."
'Man, they deserve each other.' Michael knew that like he knew the sky was blue, but his best friend only did it because that was the only way he could act around her without feeling stupid. This mini-spy mission to find out if she felt the same didn't turn up much, verbally that is.
He decided to make a getaway seeing Han's 'signal' for him to leave.
"I bid you good morrow dear cousin. Besides, I better get to Lacy before she gets to Lawrence."
"Wait a minute, I wanted to ask you something about Ha-oh. It's you."
Han stood there, looking imposing but feeling dumb.
"If it isn't the daughter of the Perfect Soldier wearing a dress."
Speaking of the devil who was speaking to her!
"Bite me."
"And that's a bad thing?" He joked under his breath then swallowed the rest of the statement.
She gave him her version of her dad's death glare.
"Remember this is nothing but a punishment, my punishment."
"The Queen asked me to escort you so here I am, woman."
"With financial gain, yeah, yeah. You know I could doing better things right now . . ."
"Like reading?" He mocked, a well know fact: She had no life.
"Yes . . . That's it . . . Reading." She scolded herself inwardly, he was making her mind hazy.
"I came to offer a dance. Care to?" He asked cooly, but he was sweating in that hot, itchy suit.
That was the last time he would borrow expensive but old clothing from Michael.
The princess considered dropping the karate student with a round house but decided against it.
Couldn't get any worse could it?
"Whatever." The corners of his blank face turned into something truly scary: A smile.
And with her tiny hand, they swept across the room . . .
And off each other's feet . . .
Trio Maxwell was knocking on Robyn Thorton's window again.
"You again!" The boy was sitting on a tree limb, three stories high.
"Shouldn't you be singing? Birdie still in her cage?"
"Yeah-a jail bird."
He chucked under his breath nearly falling in the process. She sat there in the window seal watching arms folded, eyeing him suspiciously, what did he want?
"Trio, it's late, shouldn't you be at some party?"
"Ohhhhhh yeahhhhh, the ball with the old guys. Nope, pops said I can chill here."
"In a room? With a girl? Alone?"
His smile was sheepish. "Wellllllll, I kinda said I was hanging out with the guys at the mall but they're gone to ball to suffer so I''m all alone."
"Not a bad thing for me."A satisfied smile spread across her face then realizing what came out she covered her mistake quicky, "That is if you want to hang out."
He exclaimed, landing softly beside her. "Why you think I would break my neck getting here!"
"You should break it, maybe you'll learn not to take such stupid risk."
"Ooh," He faked a cringe, "Your words are darts in my heart, away, away, thy madness!"
After a long pause she wondered: "Have you been stealing my pain killers or something?"
He felt his eyes roll, "Noooooo, do you want me too?"
"Trio, Trio, Trio." She scolded lightly, he was too cute to get mad at!
"Robyn, Robyn, Robyn."
"Stop mocking me!" She demanded but in a joking, coy manner.
"What! What did I do?" He smiled a sun smile, a sweet smile, the same from two nights ago.
'Laughing makes you look pretty . . .'
"You're just like your dad." She told him, remembering how funny he was, who was worse she couldn't tell . . . . Funny, she thought, she recalled him being funny . . . . She didn't even know him.
The dark look that crossed her face scared him.
What did he say to make her look so? He had to ask: "What's up? Why are you looking like that?" He touched her hand. This time she didn't jerk back.
"Trio." She breathed, growing serious. "I just called your dad funny, a guy I just meet days ago.
Why do I remember your name? Why do I remember to call Helena princess?"
"Cause chick, you used to know us-you still know us-"
"How come I can't see my mom's face again? I see all you, every last one of you, but she?
She's absent, I don't see her . . . . I can even see daddie, pictures yeah, but I see him."
The boy's eyes met hers, he could see every bit of the woman that was Katrina etched into her face.
"They say I'm her. They say I'm my mother."
A minute passed. "I'm like my dad: Braid, humor, and all." Finally came out, no other words there.
"Like and are, two very different things. I hear them saying I'm following the same path."
A venom-filled tongue was what he met up with, taking her by the shoulders he had to make her see.
"Look Biride-Robyn, whatever mistakes you made can be forgiven. Maybe all of this is blocking her face. Maybe you can't see it cause you're being punished in someway for your life.
It's not too late to change." Those green-grays met his deep violets.
"I want to change." Her confession came out like a sigh.
He pulled her into his quiet embrace, "I believe in you-" 'Cause I love you' filled his head . . . .
"What was that?" Damn, he scolded in his mind, the wrong words came out.
To the blue-black moonless sky they lifted their eyes . . . . "A-A shooting star I believe."
She peered closer.
And closer.
And closer.
Stars never had arms. Her eyes widen.
"Trio, shooting starts aren't that big."
A pang hit him suddenly. "An attack."
The sound of a gun clicking sounded, "That's right Mr. Maxwell, one that she caused."
A security guard aimed at the girl's head. Panic raced through her, what if they found out . . . ?
"You see miss Robyn Thorton-that is your real name-you're jail bait. Peace sleeps no longer."
"No . . ." He told them, pushing him behind her, mind going as fast as his heartbeat.
"I didn't do it . . ." The spy whispered, gaze desperate to seek his.
"She's a traitor young sir-how dare she win the favor of the young queen only to use it against her. The Neo Blaques are gone. Now just let her go and leave this be. We'll take care of her."
No, he kept telling himself, Robyn wouldn't betray them-would she?
"Trio-" She breathed, fear coursed her veins, they weren't just going to take her away.
She'll be killed-and Trio knew it. He was going to do something stupid she felt.
"You want her . . ." His eyebrows knitted, "Then come get her . . ."
Off into the night they disappeared. Together.
"Oh Hellllllleeeeeeeennnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaa!"
"Oh no."
"What's wrong?"
"Ooh!"
"Han should have come with a spoon, cause girl you would eat him up?!?"
"Damn!"
"Helena! Wait! Come back!"
"Don't run off, you're leaving your prince behind!"
The spell had been broken . . . .
Seeing her cousin plotting blackmail cause her to run off, leaving a stun Han standing stiff on the dance floor. She cringed at that sick comment . . . sick yet so true . . . .
In the coatroom her purse laid there untouched when something inside started beeping. Her ice blue pager had one new message.
Helena dropped it on the floor: The words were clear.
9:15 P.m. Robyn Thorton had lived too long. Escaped Blaques, Trio's ran off.
Return soon. Security break. Advancing attack. She had to be destroyed.
On the other side of the room . . .
"A what!?!"
"A security break."
"The Neo Blaques have disappeared."
"How did they get out?"
"Someone knew the security codes, found the key pad and released then changed the old code to suit their tastes."
"To put it bluntly-screwed: That's what we are?"
"Yes." The servant bowed, "Forgive me, my queen, we can try to locate them with the tracking system."
"I guess anything's better than nothing."
The girl was rushing out of the ballroom in a flurry of skirts, poor Han was trying to keep up with her, not even white pumps could slow her down. Relena stepped in front of her, the girl came to a halt. "Helena, where are you going?"
She couldn't say "I'm going to fight a battle," a lie was in order.
"To powder my nose Mother." The cool metal of the .45 rested against her leg . . .
On a motorcycle the princess zipped back to Peacecraft Manor.
"How did they out!?!"
"Someone on the inside let them out!"
The enclose space amplified their voices, a lover's quarrel some would say.
"No, that toy cops that your trusting did it! How in the hell did he know I was there with you?"
"He could've followed me, or he knows where your room was."
"See! They knew it, they told him everything, even where the disks where. . . ."
Robyn couldn't swallowed her last words.
He turned to face he, eying he fiercely, isn't deja-vu weird?
"How did they know?"
Nothing.
"Robyn." He restated through clenched teeth, "How did they know?"
"I told them the disk were somewhere in the house." She admitted quietly.
He gave this look that she prayed she'll never see again: Disappointment.
"I never said where! I'm sorry, I-I never should have said it."
His arms flew up, "Aw hell Robyn, maybe you should have took them to the room they were in."
"Don't you get smart with me Trio Maxwell!" She growled in defense.
"Maybe I should-" His voice dropped darkly.
"I didn't do it!" She continued to whine, grabbing his arm.
"Robyn, I trusted you." He pulled away. "You're my friend stupid, sometimes I wish for more-"
"Trio, get down!" She suddenly pushed him out of the way shielding his body.
A bullet narrowed missed them in the hangar.
"You made a fatal mistake when you threaten my peace."
The stare of a cold-eyed girl in white spoke.
"Helena, this isn't what it looks like."
"I know what it looks like, you killed Trio to save your pretty head."
"Killed!?! I pushed him out the way! You were aiming at me-!"
"That's right. You must die."
The crossroads had been reached, it's her or me they each believed.
She backed up slowly-The Blaques were coming, "So be it-"
The second bullet missed. Helena never missed.
Robyn had to jump into the suit before the angry princess found her.