Disclaimer: I do not own G Gundam or any of its characters.
A.N.: Howdy! This is Raye's friend again, Mina! Sorry she's not here to update. The holidays were pretty rough on her. Anyway, she was meaning to post this little dealie up for y'all, but she never got to her computer, and she's been sick with the stomach flu. So here's the chappie she wrote while bedridden. She's going on a school-related trip, then off to Big Bear for a retreat, so she wanted you to have this before Valentine's Day.
Oh, and she also wanted to let you know that it looks like it's going to be a bit longer than originally anticipated. She was so tired of having nothing to do that she roughly laid out the whole rest of the story even. It's probably going to be around 20 chapters. Anyway, there's lots more to come. Hope y'all stick around, cuz she's told me bits of what's going to happen, and it's REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY good! I don't know where she gets these great ideas. You don't know what you'll miss if you don't keep reading!! Lots of twists and turns and fights and dragons and love and hate and betrayal and...I'll leave the rest to your imagination! Now enjoy!
*~*~*~*
THESE FOOLISH GAMES: Chapter 13
Warning: Rape and other sensitive issues are discussed, but nothing too graphic. (yet) Swearing also included.
*~*~*~*
Carve your heart out yourself
Hopelessness is your cell
Since you've drawn out these lines
Are you protected from trying times?
.
Man it takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she has
Lord it takes a lonely one to wish that she had never dreamt at all
Oh Lord, now, there you go with hope again
Oh, you're so sure I'll be leaving in the end
.
Dig a ditch deep enough
To keep you clear of the sun
You've been burned more than once
You don't think much of trust
.
Man it takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she has
Lord it takes a lonely one to wish that she had never dreamt at all
Oh Lord, now, there you go with hope again
But I'll be sure your secret is safe with me
Oh, you're so sure I'll be leaving in the end
Treating me like I'm already gone
.
But I'm not, I will stay where you are always
I will stay, I will stay, I will stay (all of now)
*~*~*~*
"You're a fiery nymph, aren't you?"
Angered and frustrated, Cecil managed to free her right arm and slapped the man across the face. "I demand that you unhand me!
His eyes changed from playful to infuriated. "You little wench! How dare you slap an officer of the Sauvillian regiment!"
He pinned her against the wall, using his whole body to render her helpless to move. Cecil's tearful eyes darted around the hall, attempting to make eye contact with one of the other officers, only to find them swinging their bottles of wine and laughing, arms draped over each other as they made a sore attempt at walking their rounds, heading away from them. She opened her mouth to scream to them when she saw a quick flash of silver and felt a sharp prick just under her chin.
"If you dare say anything at all, I'll slit your throat wide open."
Cecil's blue eyes widened in terror as her body panicked at his threatening words. Tears began to well up, and her heart raced madly as she tried to sort out some sort of answer to her desperate quandary. Her chest rose and fell with her rapidly increased breathing, and her hands clutched at the stone wall behind her. There had to be a way out of this, but as she tried to free herself, she realized that she could not win against his brute strength.
Wasting no time, he crushed her lips with his, and she struggled ineffectually under his rough grip in a futile attempt to free herself. The unwelcome taste of alcohol entered her mouth, and she felt his free hand slither down her side to grope at her chest. Unable to control her emotions, tears slipped down her cheeks and she whimpered helplessly. Her body began to quiver as she fought to hold back the sobs, and she clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to make him vanish.
Suddenly, he was gone. Did it work? She opened one cerulean eye, then the other, and they stared down at the officer sprawled out on the ground, now obviously unconscious. She looked around and found no one in sight. The other officers from before were all long gone from the nearby vicinity. He had simply passed out from the excess of alcohol he had consumed.
Her legs gave way from under her stressed body, and she slid down the wall. Frightened and terribly lonely, she hugged her knees to her aching chest and lowered her head, allowing the tears to fall on her apron, marking it with only more stains of anguish.
*~*~*~*
Sai Sici whistled amicably as he stirred the sizzling pan in front of him. Several young maids giggled when he winked and handed them trays of food to take to the guests in the dining hall. The tempting smell of food had quickly drawn him from his resting spot in Prince Domon's quarters. So, he tenderly pulled on his quintessential yellow tunic over his black breeches and yanked on his matching boots, fastening his belt as he rushed toward the kitchen. After he received a generous and filling meal, he volunteered to help cook in return for the courtesy they showed him. It wasn't strenuous work, and after all, he was a superb chef and loved to cook.
There was a loud clamor of noise, and Sai turned to see through the smoky kitchen that a small group of drunken soldiers had entered. He slowly reached over and gripped the handle of a large cutting knife with his right hand, his eyes never wavering from their staggering figures. Luckily, they were in a pleasant mood and appeared to be simply passing through on their rounds about the castle grounds. That was good. He wouldn't have a whole lot of energy if there was any sort of struggle.
He released his grip on the knife, and instead turned back to the frying pan. One of the maids working next to Sai stopped an officer with a worried expression on her face. "Sir, is your party not a bit small tonight? I don't see my husband among your troupe. Is he all right?"
"Ah, no need to worry, fair lady. *hic* He went off with the other half. I think a few stayed behind with some women, but *hic* no man with such a lovely wife would give another woman a second glance. Except maybe for that pretty girl with blue eyes to match her hair John went after. She was beautiful, but he'll have some trouble trying to seduce a young one like that."
The maid rolled her eyes at the crude soldier's response, and Sai mimicked the gesture. The way officers took advantage of innocent girls under their rank was disgusting. Poor things would never know what they were doing or what was happening until it was far too late. By then, they'd be alone to deal with the consequences.
"Speaking of missing people, has anyone seen Cecil lately?" a petite raven- haired maid questioned. "She's been neglecting her duties out there and I can't cover for her anymore. There are simply far too many guests. This Mersenian Princess sure is popular, everyone wanting to get a hold on her kingdom."
A muttering of no's and shaking of heads followed her question, and she sighed grumpily. It was then that it clicked. Blue hair, blue eyes, innocent maid: his precious Cecil.
"Oh Lord! I have to find her!" With a frying pan still in his hand, Sai Sici flew from the room. He had to save her, protect her from harm. What would he do if...
He raced out into the darkened courtyard, illuminated by lanterns. Desperate and anxious, he didn't know where to look. Perhaps someplace secluded. Passing by, he noticed a couple by the lake, and ran toward them.
"Cecil?! Is that you?!"
"Sai Sici? What are you doing here?" Rain got up from her spot by the willow, followed by Domon.
"It's Cecil. She's here and some of the guards told me an officer is trying to seduce her. I can't let that happen, I just can't! I have to find her."
"They'll most likely be inside if he found her while doing his rounds. That is the most probable place to look. So stop standing around here, and let's go," Domon said in his typically harsh tone as he led the trio back into the palace to begin their search.
*~*~*~*
Ulube set his elbows on the deep mahogany table and rested his chin on his folded hands. He disliked ostentatious events such as these when he wasn't the center of attention. He had dressed up that night, his outfit consisting of a high-collared dark velvet tunic lined with Celtic detailing that laced up over a simple white undershirt. While he had not worn his usual armor, he still carried his sword at his hip, secured to his side with a brown leather belt. Officers these days were so unbelievably incompetent. Years of peace had made them weak and overly confident, the same effect on all the nations. The Kings were all far too diplomatic, foolishly trusting these times of peace. All except for one, that is.
He closed his eyes behind his scintillating mask and focused on finding her distinct aura, blocking out all smells and raucous sounds. He had not seen her all evening, but she was bound to be here. They had made a bargain, after all. Tonight was when they would both start.
There. His eyes flew open. He had found her. And she was drawing near to him; that would at least save him the energy of having to weave through the crowds of people in this madness.
He turned and stood when she arrived, a smile even on his face. "Good evening, Duchess Allenby. Care to dance?"
The aqua-haired woman arched a single eyebrow amusedly as he held out his hand in a pseudo-courteous manner. She looked incredible this evening, dressed in a shimmering black gown with ornately detailed silver trim, giving off a cold, aristocratic appearance. Her tresses were curled in the popular fashion, and she wore icy diamonds at her throat and in her hair.
Without comment, she seemed to battle with the idea, then mutely extended a graceful hand from the folds of her long, silken sleeves and placed it into his. He led her to the dance floor to join the other couples. They had danced for only a short while in silence until it was broken.
"I haven't seen Prince Domon around all night. Nor that Princess Marie- Louise," she reported.
"I detected Prince Domon earlier, but he vanished after that. If only it wasn't so damnably crowded in here. This would be easier had I already met the Princess, then I could find her aura."
"I've searched all evening, she's not in this room, so you detecting her wouldn't be of use. I've asked others, and they say they haven't seen either one after they danced together. I'm willing to wager they both went off to someplace a little more secluded and quieter than this. That's why I came to you."
Ulube growled irritably. "Damn."
"Should we start looking for them?"
"No. Wait for them to return. It would be imprudent to chase after them. They would immediately suspect something. Stay here, and keep on your guard. And alert me when they arrive."
Allenby nodded, and the pair divided to leave for their separate spots where they would sit and wait. Ulube returned to his seat, and resumed his relaxed position, once again resting his chin on his folded hands, hoping to have a few minutes alone. But that didn't last long.
He heard the chair next to him move, and the rustle of fine clothing as the figure sat down. He recognized that aura.
"General Ulube," the man stated as a greeting.
"I didn't expect that you would approach me in public. Weren't you the one who thought it too dangerous?"
"Surely in a large party such as this, two men sitting and talking aimlessly is nothing to raise suspicion?"
Ulube smirked. "Hn."
"I simply wanted an update on how things were going."
Ulube opened his eyes and looked out at the dance floor, watching the spinning figures bathed in the firelight. "Not well. It will be harder to get the Princess with Prince Domon always at her side to protect her. It seems the pair are developing mutual feelings for each other. This is greatly complicating the situation."
"Hmm...I see."
The two were quiet for a moment before Ulube spoke again. "Well, if Prince Domon gets to be too much of a problem, then I can simply eliminate it."
"You mean murder?"
"Precisely."
"Wouldn't that make matters worse for us? Why complicate things when we can work around this obstacle in a less gratuitous manner."
"I don't see how that could work. Anyway, don't you want revenge on King Kasshu as well?"
"Of course. I thought that was what we were doing when we planned this whole arrangement with the Mersenian Princess."
"Well, why not intensify our revenge? We wouldn't even have to provoke Sauvillia into battle this way. It would be perfect."
"But murdering his child. Do you have any idea what that does to a father? It would destroy him completely."
"Ah, speaking from experience, are we?"
The man cleared his throat nervously. "Erhm. But still. We can win without killing the boy. I still don't see a reason to take it to that extreme."
Ulube closed his eyes once again, fighting to hold back a growl. He should have known that he wouldn't agree to his plans. Despite his need for revenge, he was still too moral a person. But that didn't mean that Ulube couldn't have his own personal agenda.
"True. I see that it was rather foolish of me to plan something like that. You are quite right, Sire. Our plan will work out splendidly as is. No need to make matters worse." He turned to face the man beside him.
The man smiled, and held out his hand as he rose from his seat. "I knew that you would agree. People speak of these things and think them, but no one ever really goes through with them. No one is that black-hearted, eh?"
Ulube stood with him and shook his hand, returning the smile. "Of course not."
*~*~*~*
"There." Rain pointed as they spotted a blue-haired girl curled up against a wall.
"Cecil!" Sai cried out as they ran toward her. The girl hid her face and scurried away as they approached. The trio stopped, eyes wide in astonishment and disbelief at her appearance.
Large tears streaked down her cheeks, her eyes were red-rimmed, an obvious sign that she had been crying for quite some time. Her hair was disheveled, and angry bruises were already beginning to appear on her arms. The white shirt underneath her lace-up corset top had been pulled down to and indecent position, and a large scrape marked her neck.
Rain cautiously took a step forward. "Cecil?" she questioned gently. Slowly, she took one step, then another. Cecil lifted her head to watch her with frightened eyes. "Cecil, don't be afraid. It's all right now. We're here to help you."
She knelt down beside Cecil's cowering figure. "Cecil?"
Cecil let out a strangled cry, and threw herself into Rain's arms. "Oh, Rain! It was horrible!" she choked on a sob. "I thought...I thought he was going to...And he would have!! He was drunk and just grabbed me. He put a knife at my throat. I couldn't move or speak, or else he would kill me! His hands were everywhere, all over. Touching me, hurting me! I couldn't stop him, Rain. I couldn't stop him!" Her voice broke off, and she buried her face in Rain's embrace.
"Shh...I'm here. It will be all right now." Rain stroked her hair as Cecil continued to cry. Eventually, her sobs began to ease. She drew in a shaky breath, and Rain helped her sit up.
"There now." Rain placed her hands gently on either side of Cecil's face. Taking up a part of her long sleeve, Rain wiped away the tears from Cecil's eyes.
"It looks like he just passed out before he could do the damage he intended." Cecil turned her head to face the voice that had spoken.
"S-Sai Sici?" she asked incredulously.
Sai looked up from where he and Domon had been examining the guard's unconscious body.
Rain smiled. "He was pretty hysterical when he heard about you. Came running out with that skillet to find and save you."
Sai glanced down at the pan in his hand. He blushed embarrassedly and scratched the back of his head, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to hide the frying pan behind his back. "Aw, I wasn't hysterical. I was clear- headed, like usual. Besides, I wasn't about to let anyone hurt you, Cecil. You know that."
Cecil smiled and got up with Rain's help. She took Sai Sici's hand in hers. "I'm glad that you came looking for me, Sai."
"Yeah?"
"Mm hm."
Rain smiled, and stood by Domon as he crouched down and pretended to be too busy investigating the officer's body to notice what was going on.
"Oh! Um. Hello."
The group turned to face the new figure. Cecil's eyes widened in surprise as she hastily adjusted her gown, and knelt down, head lowered in submission. "My Lady! I apologize for my untidy appearance."
Marie-Louise's eyes widened along with Rain's as they began to panic. "Uh. Um." She looked at Rain, who was also at a loss for what to do.
Domon looked at Rain, then Cecil, then Marie-Louise, then back to Rain. "Princess Marie-Louise, what is she talking about?"
"Uh. Well, uh... Sai Sici, why don't you take Cecil to my chambers with Rain to help her get cleaned up after this whole ordeal?"
Sai faced Cecil, who looked hesitant at having to leave her friend's side. She was confused, once again. Why was Rain calling Princess Marie-Louise, Rain?
"Don't worry, Cecil. I won't let anything happen to you. I will stay where you are, always. You can trust me."
Could she trust him? Her long time friend. If there was anyone she could trust, it would be him. He had always kept his word. He would never hurt her.
She nodded, and allowed him to help walk her to Rain's quarters with Marie- Louise following behind. Just before she turned the corner, Marie-Louise turned and sent Rain a worried look, then disappeared.
Domon took her hand and turned her toward him. "Marie-Louise, what is going on?"
Oh Lord.
*~*~*~*
TBC!!
A.N.: Howdy! This is Raye's friend again, Mina! Sorry she's not here to update. The holidays were pretty rough on her. Anyway, she was meaning to post this little dealie up for y'all, but she never got to her computer, and she's been sick with the stomach flu. So here's the chappie she wrote while bedridden. She's going on a school-related trip, then off to Big Bear for a retreat, so she wanted you to have this before Valentine's Day.
Oh, and she also wanted to let you know that it looks like it's going to be a bit longer than originally anticipated. She was so tired of having nothing to do that she roughly laid out the whole rest of the story even. It's probably going to be around 20 chapters. Anyway, there's lots more to come. Hope y'all stick around, cuz she's told me bits of what's going to happen, and it's REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY good! I don't know where she gets these great ideas. You don't know what you'll miss if you don't keep reading!! Lots of twists and turns and fights and dragons and love and hate and betrayal and...I'll leave the rest to your imagination! Now enjoy!
*~*~*~*
THESE FOOLISH GAMES: Chapter 13
Warning: Rape and other sensitive issues are discussed, but nothing too graphic. (yet) Swearing also included.
*~*~*~*
Carve your heart out yourself
Hopelessness is your cell
Since you've drawn out these lines
Are you protected from trying times?
.
Man it takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she has
Lord it takes a lonely one to wish that she had never dreamt at all
Oh Lord, now, there you go with hope again
Oh, you're so sure I'll be leaving in the end
.
Dig a ditch deep enough
To keep you clear of the sun
You've been burned more than once
You don't think much of trust
.
Man it takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she has
Lord it takes a lonely one to wish that she had never dreamt at all
Oh Lord, now, there you go with hope again
But I'll be sure your secret is safe with me
Oh, you're so sure I'll be leaving in the end
Treating me like I'm already gone
.
But I'm not, I will stay where you are always
I will stay, I will stay, I will stay (all of now)
*~*~*~*
"You're a fiery nymph, aren't you?"
Angered and frustrated, Cecil managed to free her right arm and slapped the man across the face. "I demand that you unhand me!
His eyes changed from playful to infuriated. "You little wench! How dare you slap an officer of the Sauvillian regiment!"
He pinned her against the wall, using his whole body to render her helpless to move. Cecil's tearful eyes darted around the hall, attempting to make eye contact with one of the other officers, only to find them swinging their bottles of wine and laughing, arms draped over each other as they made a sore attempt at walking their rounds, heading away from them. She opened her mouth to scream to them when she saw a quick flash of silver and felt a sharp prick just under her chin.
"If you dare say anything at all, I'll slit your throat wide open."
Cecil's blue eyes widened in terror as her body panicked at his threatening words. Tears began to well up, and her heart raced madly as she tried to sort out some sort of answer to her desperate quandary. Her chest rose and fell with her rapidly increased breathing, and her hands clutched at the stone wall behind her. There had to be a way out of this, but as she tried to free herself, she realized that she could not win against his brute strength.
Wasting no time, he crushed her lips with his, and she struggled ineffectually under his rough grip in a futile attempt to free herself. The unwelcome taste of alcohol entered her mouth, and she felt his free hand slither down her side to grope at her chest. Unable to control her emotions, tears slipped down her cheeks and she whimpered helplessly. Her body began to quiver as she fought to hold back the sobs, and she clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to make him vanish.
Suddenly, he was gone. Did it work? She opened one cerulean eye, then the other, and they stared down at the officer sprawled out on the ground, now obviously unconscious. She looked around and found no one in sight. The other officers from before were all long gone from the nearby vicinity. He had simply passed out from the excess of alcohol he had consumed.
Her legs gave way from under her stressed body, and she slid down the wall. Frightened and terribly lonely, she hugged her knees to her aching chest and lowered her head, allowing the tears to fall on her apron, marking it with only more stains of anguish.
*~*~*~*
Sai Sici whistled amicably as he stirred the sizzling pan in front of him. Several young maids giggled when he winked and handed them trays of food to take to the guests in the dining hall. The tempting smell of food had quickly drawn him from his resting spot in Prince Domon's quarters. So, he tenderly pulled on his quintessential yellow tunic over his black breeches and yanked on his matching boots, fastening his belt as he rushed toward the kitchen. After he received a generous and filling meal, he volunteered to help cook in return for the courtesy they showed him. It wasn't strenuous work, and after all, he was a superb chef and loved to cook.
There was a loud clamor of noise, and Sai turned to see through the smoky kitchen that a small group of drunken soldiers had entered. He slowly reached over and gripped the handle of a large cutting knife with his right hand, his eyes never wavering from their staggering figures. Luckily, they were in a pleasant mood and appeared to be simply passing through on their rounds about the castle grounds. That was good. He wouldn't have a whole lot of energy if there was any sort of struggle.
He released his grip on the knife, and instead turned back to the frying pan. One of the maids working next to Sai stopped an officer with a worried expression on her face. "Sir, is your party not a bit small tonight? I don't see my husband among your troupe. Is he all right?"
"Ah, no need to worry, fair lady. *hic* He went off with the other half. I think a few stayed behind with some women, but *hic* no man with such a lovely wife would give another woman a second glance. Except maybe for that pretty girl with blue eyes to match her hair John went after. She was beautiful, but he'll have some trouble trying to seduce a young one like that."
The maid rolled her eyes at the crude soldier's response, and Sai mimicked the gesture. The way officers took advantage of innocent girls under their rank was disgusting. Poor things would never know what they were doing or what was happening until it was far too late. By then, they'd be alone to deal with the consequences.
"Speaking of missing people, has anyone seen Cecil lately?" a petite raven- haired maid questioned. "She's been neglecting her duties out there and I can't cover for her anymore. There are simply far too many guests. This Mersenian Princess sure is popular, everyone wanting to get a hold on her kingdom."
A muttering of no's and shaking of heads followed her question, and she sighed grumpily. It was then that it clicked. Blue hair, blue eyes, innocent maid: his precious Cecil.
"Oh Lord! I have to find her!" With a frying pan still in his hand, Sai Sici flew from the room. He had to save her, protect her from harm. What would he do if...
He raced out into the darkened courtyard, illuminated by lanterns. Desperate and anxious, he didn't know where to look. Perhaps someplace secluded. Passing by, he noticed a couple by the lake, and ran toward them.
"Cecil?! Is that you?!"
"Sai Sici? What are you doing here?" Rain got up from her spot by the willow, followed by Domon.
"It's Cecil. She's here and some of the guards told me an officer is trying to seduce her. I can't let that happen, I just can't! I have to find her."
"They'll most likely be inside if he found her while doing his rounds. That is the most probable place to look. So stop standing around here, and let's go," Domon said in his typically harsh tone as he led the trio back into the palace to begin their search.
*~*~*~*
Ulube set his elbows on the deep mahogany table and rested his chin on his folded hands. He disliked ostentatious events such as these when he wasn't the center of attention. He had dressed up that night, his outfit consisting of a high-collared dark velvet tunic lined with Celtic detailing that laced up over a simple white undershirt. While he had not worn his usual armor, he still carried his sword at his hip, secured to his side with a brown leather belt. Officers these days were so unbelievably incompetent. Years of peace had made them weak and overly confident, the same effect on all the nations. The Kings were all far too diplomatic, foolishly trusting these times of peace. All except for one, that is.
He closed his eyes behind his scintillating mask and focused on finding her distinct aura, blocking out all smells and raucous sounds. He had not seen her all evening, but she was bound to be here. They had made a bargain, after all. Tonight was when they would both start.
There. His eyes flew open. He had found her. And she was drawing near to him; that would at least save him the energy of having to weave through the crowds of people in this madness.
He turned and stood when she arrived, a smile even on his face. "Good evening, Duchess Allenby. Care to dance?"
The aqua-haired woman arched a single eyebrow amusedly as he held out his hand in a pseudo-courteous manner. She looked incredible this evening, dressed in a shimmering black gown with ornately detailed silver trim, giving off a cold, aristocratic appearance. Her tresses were curled in the popular fashion, and she wore icy diamonds at her throat and in her hair.
Without comment, she seemed to battle with the idea, then mutely extended a graceful hand from the folds of her long, silken sleeves and placed it into his. He led her to the dance floor to join the other couples. They had danced for only a short while in silence until it was broken.
"I haven't seen Prince Domon around all night. Nor that Princess Marie- Louise," she reported.
"I detected Prince Domon earlier, but he vanished after that. If only it wasn't so damnably crowded in here. This would be easier had I already met the Princess, then I could find her aura."
"I've searched all evening, she's not in this room, so you detecting her wouldn't be of use. I've asked others, and they say they haven't seen either one after they danced together. I'm willing to wager they both went off to someplace a little more secluded and quieter than this. That's why I came to you."
Ulube growled irritably. "Damn."
"Should we start looking for them?"
"No. Wait for them to return. It would be imprudent to chase after them. They would immediately suspect something. Stay here, and keep on your guard. And alert me when they arrive."
Allenby nodded, and the pair divided to leave for their separate spots where they would sit and wait. Ulube returned to his seat, and resumed his relaxed position, once again resting his chin on his folded hands, hoping to have a few minutes alone. But that didn't last long.
He heard the chair next to him move, and the rustle of fine clothing as the figure sat down. He recognized that aura.
"General Ulube," the man stated as a greeting.
"I didn't expect that you would approach me in public. Weren't you the one who thought it too dangerous?"
"Surely in a large party such as this, two men sitting and talking aimlessly is nothing to raise suspicion?"
Ulube smirked. "Hn."
"I simply wanted an update on how things were going."
Ulube opened his eyes and looked out at the dance floor, watching the spinning figures bathed in the firelight. "Not well. It will be harder to get the Princess with Prince Domon always at her side to protect her. It seems the pair are developing mutual feelings for each other. This is greatly complicating the situation."
"Hmm...I see."
The two were quiet for a moment before Ulube spoke again. "Well, if Prince Domon gets to be too much of a problem, then I can simply eliminate it."
"You mean murder?"
"Precisely."
"Wouldn't that make matters worse for us? Why complicate things when we can work around this obstacle in a less gratuitous manner."
"I don't see how that could work. Anyway, don't you want revenge on King Kasshu as well?"
"Of course. I thought that was what we were doing when we planned this whole arrangement with the Mersenian Princess."
"Well, why not intensify our revenge? We wouldn't even have to provoke Sauvillia into battle this way. It would be perfect."
"But murdering his child. Do you have any idea what that does to a father? It would destroy him completely."
"Ah, speaking from experience, are we?"
The man cleared his throat nervously. "Erhm. But still. We can win without killing the boy. I still don't see a reason to take it to that extreme."
Ulube closed his eyes once again, fighting to hold back a growl. He should have known that he wouldn't agree to his plans. Despite his need for revenge, he was still too moral a person. But that didn't mean that Ulube couldn't have his own personal agenda.
"True. I see that it was rather foolish of me to plan something like that. You are quite right, Sire. Our plan will work out splendidly as is. No need to make matters worse." He turned to face the man beside him.
The man smiled, and held out his hand as he rose from his seat. "I knew that you would agree. People speak of these things and think them, but no one ever really goes through with them. No one is that black-hearted, eh?"
Ulube stood with him and shook his hand, returning the smile. "Of course not."
*~*~*~*
"There." Rain pointed as they spotted a blue-haired girl curled up against a wall.
"Cecil!" Sai cried out as they ran toward her. The girl hid her face and scurried away as they approached. The trio stopped, eyes wide in astonishment and disbelief at her appearance.
Large tears streaked down her cheeks, her eyes were red-rimmed, an obvious sign that she had been crying for quite some time. Her hair was disheveled, and angry bruises were already beginning to appear on her arms. The white shirt underneath her lace-up corset top had been pulled down to and indecent position, and a large scrape marked her neck.
Rain cautiously took a step forward. "Cecil?" she questioned gently. Slowly, she took one step, then another. Cecil lifted her head to watch her with frightened eyes. "Cecil, don't be afraid. It's all right now. We're here to help you."
She knelt down beside Cecil's cowering figure. "Cecil?"
Cecil let out a strangled cry, and threw herself into Rain's arms. "Oh, Rain! It was horrible!" she choked on a sob. "I thought...I thought he was going to...And he would have!! He was drunk and just grabbed me. He put a knife at my throat. I couldn't move or speak, or else he would kill me! His hands were everywhere, all over. Touching me, hurting me! I couldn't stop him, Rain. I couldn't stop him!" Her voice broke off, and she buried her face in Rain's embrace.
"Shh...I'm here. It will be all right now." Rain stroked her hair as Cecil continued to cry. Eventually, her sobs began to ease. She drew in a shaky breath, and Rain helped her sit up.
"There now." Rain placed her hands gently on either side of Cecil's face. Taking up a part of her long sleeve, Rain wiped away the tears from Cecil's eyes.
"It looks like he just passed out before he could do the damage he intended." Cecil turned her head to face the voice that had spoken.
"S-Sai Sici?" she asked incredulously.
Sai looked up from where he and Domon had been examining the guard's unconscious body.
Rain smiled. "He was pretty hysterical when he heard about you. Came running out with that skillet to find and save you."
Sai glanced down at the pan in his hand. He blushed embarrassedly and scratched the back of his head, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to hide the frying pan behind his back. "Aw, I wasn't hysterical. I was clear- headed, like usual. Besides, I wasn't about to let anyone hurt you, Cecil. You know that."
Cecil smiled and got up with Rain's help. She took Sai Sici's hand in hers. "I'm glad that you came looking for me, Sai."
"Yeah?"
"Mm hm."
Rain smiled, and stood by Domon as he crouched down and pretended to be too busy investigating the officer's body to notice what was going on.
"Oh! Um. Hello."
The group turned to face the new figure. Cecil's eyes widened in surprise as she hastily adjusted her gown, and knelt down, head lowered in submission. "My Lady! I apologize for my untidy appearance."
Marie-Louise's eyes widened along with Rain's as they began to panic. "Uh. Um." She looked at Rain, who was also at a loss for what to do.
Domon looked at Rain, then Cecil, then Marie-Louise, then back to Rain. "Princess Marie-Louise, what is she talking about?"
"Uh. Well, uh... Sai Sici, why don't you take Cecil to my chambers with Rain to help her get cleaned up after this whole ordeal?"
Sai faced Cecil, who looked hesitant at having to leave her friend's side. She was confused, once again. Why was Rain calling Princess Marie-Louise, Rain?
"Don't worry, Cecil. I won't let anything happen to you. I will stay where you are, always. You can trust me."
Could she trust him? Her long time friend. If there was anyone she could trust, it would be him. He had always kept his word. He would never hurt her.
She nodded, and allowed him to help walk her to Rain's quarters with Marie- Louise following behind. Just before she turned the corner, Marie-Louise turned and sent Rain a worried look, then disappeared.
Domon took her hand and turned her toward him. "Marie-Louise, what is going on?"
Oh Lord.
*~*~*~*
TBC!!