"How did you know who I am?" Relena asked and the Giant teddy bear smiled.
"My men have eyes and ears across the many lands." As he said this, a few of the men paused and smiled at her. "That, and you are the only female I have ever seen Heero travel with willingly." She nodded, but out of the corner of her eyes she thought she saw Heero react to the Bear's words? Quatre escorted her over to one of the open spots by the fire.
"Thank you for seeing them here, my friend." Quatre smiled warmly at the clown who nodded in return.
"So, Q-man, how did you escape the RATs death army?" Duo sat down across from Quatre and next to her. Heero seemed to prefer to stand, leaning against the nearby cave wall where he could see everything. Someone wrapped a blanket around her shoulders as another person handed her a glass of hot chocolate.
"Well, I almost didn't. They turned me into a teddy bear and locked me in a cage and began to poke at me. They debated whether or not to pluck my stitches out one at a time. If it hadn't been for the Maganac Corps, who knows what might have happened."
"The Maganacs?" Duo paled and looked around. "Aren't they a band of mercenaries and hired thugs?" Quatre nodded.
"They're violent and dangerous, but they're really nice guys." A tall, muscular man with a rather large build and an intimidating beard walked up and joined them around the fire.
"Master Quatre once saved our lives when his father had us arrested. He stood up for us and gave us a way to pay our debts without it costing us our necks." He crossed his arms and smiled. "When we heard his life was in danger, we made sure to get him out of it."
"It is fortunate that you did," Relena stated.
"Rashid, may I introduce Relena Peacecraft, heir to the Sugarplum Fairy and the true ruler of Etherea."
"It is an honor, your highness." He bowed. "Excuse me, but there are matters I must attend to."
"Of course." The large man left.
"I'm still goin' to sleep with one eye open." Duo leaned over and whispered to her. She giggled.
"What about you, uh… Trowa, right? What happened to you?" Relena asked. The clown's eyes darkened and he crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall.
"I joined the resistance after the RAT's attacked the circus troupe I traveled with. My sister, Catherine and I had been with them most of our lives. When they attacked again, they caught me as I was helping the others escape." His one visible eye flashed with something unreadable. "They turned me into this doll and were going to force me to entertain them in the royal court when Quatre and his crew found me. Since then, I've been helping him in any way I can."
"That reminds me, Trowa; Catherine and Midi wanted to talk to you." The quiet harlequin nodded and took his leave. She watched as he made his way over to two women: one with curly brown hair and the other with long, wavy blonde hair.
"Actually my sisters have really been the ones managing the town as best as they can, but the RATs have been increasing their rounds ever since I disappeared." She saw Quatre's kind face lose some of the light he carried. There were few things sadder than a depressed teddy bear. He glanced down at his paws. "I can't help but think that if I had just let them kill me, the village would be better off." Relena saw the anguish in his eyes.
"Quatre, none of this is your fault." Relena reached out and grabbed one of his stuffed paws. "Besides, your sisters need you to stay strong."
"Yeah, Quatre. You surviving is a thorn in their sides! I take the victory every time they realize that I'm still here!" Duo piped in as he attempted to flex his gingerbread arm. "I can only imagine how their heads are spinnin' knowin' the Princess is alive!" He patted her shoulder and she tried not to wince. Cookies clearly had no muscle control… but cookies didn't have muscles…
She shook her head. Trying to make sense of the logic of magic was truly a waste of energy. She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around her current situation. Talking cookies? Magic crystals? Wooden soldiers coming to life? Only a few hours before, she had tucked herself in for the night at her parents' house preparing for Christmas morning. Now, she was a missing princess, in a magical land that depended on her to defeat their dictator and set them free? The whole situation seemed like something out of her strangest dreams. As she recalled everything she'd seen, her head began to swim.
'It all seems too surreal…'
This land was real. These people and their troubles were real. She saw their tears; witnessed their pain. She saw the devastation with her own eyes. It was all too real, just as her nightmares had been. The same people responsible for her nightmares were forcing these people to suffer unwarranted. They had to be stopped and if that meant putting herself in the line of danger, then so be it.
"Relena." Heero gently touched her shoulder and looked into her eyes. When had he crossed over to her? She offered him a slight nod. Somehow he seemed to know how she was feeling.
"You okay, Princess?" Duo smiled, concerned.
"I'm fine." Relena looked around at her misfit group of companions.
"Geeze, I didn't even think about how you must be feelin'," Duo stated. "I mean, you find out you're a princess, your real parents are dead, you're the only one that can save your people, and you have an entire army wanting to kill you!" Heero smacked Duo upside the head. "Ow! Sorry…"
"What I think Duo was trying to say is, it must be a lot to take in," Quatre stated and offered her a reassuring smile.
"Worry not, Princess," Rashid said, kneeling in front of her. "Just as my men have sworn to protect Master Quatre, we will protect you."
"Thank you, all of you, but I'm really just fine." She stood up and gripped the blanket tighter. "What we need to do is keep moving forward." She turned to Heero, Prussian blue eyes locking with aqua in total trust. "What is our next move?"
"We have two options in front of us. The first being to contact the Five."
"Are you kidding me?" Duo whined. "Those old coots are all kinds of crazy!"
"We may not have any choice Duo." Trowa chided as he returned. "We need to explore every avenue to ensure the best advantage for the princess.
"Who are the Five?" She asked. Duo frowned.
"There the old guardians of each individual land. They taught us everything we know. You might say they're the de facto leaders of our motley resistance."
"More than that," Trowa added. "They are the only people still free that know what really happened the day your kingdom fell." Relena took in this new information. Such important men could be vital to their rebellion, but then why did Duo seem so apprehensive.
"Well, yeah, that's true," Duo shifted. "But even if we wanted to contact them, how are we gonna find them?"
"Duo! Duo Maxwell!" Relena watched as the cookie man suddenly found himself tackled by a petite, young woman with short dark hair.
"Hilde, Babe!" Duo hugged her back.
"I heard what happened at the village! I wish I would have been there to help!" Duo shook his head.
"Nah, babe. It's better you were here helpin' Q-Man with these operations. I couldn't fight if I had to worry about you."
"I can take care of myself!" Relena couldn't hold back the small giggle at the indignant expression on the feisty woman's face. "Huh?" Hilde looked at her, frowning.
"Relena, this is my girl! Hilde, this is Princess Relena! You know, the girl Heero and us others were supposed to find! "
"Oh!" Hilde's expression softened. She curtsied. "It's nice to meet you, Your highness!" Relena felt her cheeks heat. She still wasn't ready to be called 'princess' let alone be curtsied to!
"Please, just call me Relena. It's nice to meet you too, Hilde."
"I hope Duo has been too much of a bother." Hilde smiled. "I love him, but he can be a handful sometimes."
"Not at all. Actually, he saved my life." Relena smiled. If cookies could blush, she could have sworn he did.
"Did he really? That's my Duo!" Hilde hugged him again.
"Aw, shucks, ladies." Relena chuckled at the flustered cookie and was about to ask Hilde a question when a cry came from the crowd.
"Master Quatre!" One of the men ran forward and bowed before the bear. All attention drew to the new arrival.
"Abdul?" Quatre turned to him. "You have news?"
"Word from the Five, Master Quatre. It just arrived."
"Thank you, my friend." The smile Abdul offered showed great affection and respect for Quatre. Relena smiled. It was good to know these people had such allies looking out for them.
"Quatre?" Heero stepped forward, eyes serious, wooden jaw more set than usual.
"It says they are waiting at the Sugar Plum Castle. They seem to have something for us that could turn the tide of battle."
"Not sure if I should be happy or terrified. Knowing those crazy old men it could be anything." Duo added, leaning on his candy scythe. Relena watched the exchanges. What did they mean?
"It could be a trap." Wufei postulated, eyes closed, arms over his chest.
"I agree," Trowa added. "But if it isn't, then this could be just the advantage we need."
"What do you think, Heero?" Quatre asked.
"It is not my decision." He turned to her, deep blue eyes staring into hers. The intensity of his gaze made her cheeks heat. "What do you wish to do, Relena?"
"Me?"
"These are your people… this is your kingdom… the choice is yours." She considered all she had heard. She turned to Heero.
"If they are our best chance, then it may well be worth the risk." She took a deep breath.
"However, we should be cautious. If it is a trap then we should try to have all of the advantages we can." Heero eyes flashed with something… approval? Was he impressed? She felt her heart lighten in her chest.
"Very well," Quatre said. "The five of us can leave tonight with the Princess before first light."
"Then let's all get some sleep. We have a long way to go and little time to get there." At Heero's words, the group began to make preparations for the night.
Duke Dermail pinned his medal back onto his uniform and looked in the mirror. It was good to be back in Etherea. The magic that had allowed them to cross over and mask themselves as 'normal' people in the other realm had been powerful indeed. A man could get addicted to that sort of power. He and Dorothy had followed a lead and tracked down the missing princess! The operation to find and kill her had, apparently, been a failure thanks to that meddling pile of lumber!
"If only I had followed my instincts and gone myself I would have ensured that there were no survivors."
He cursed their rotten luck. He had been searching for the girl and her elder brother since their disappearance so many years ago. He scowled and turned to partake of his afternoon tea. It was highly bothersome that the girl had survived the attack, but it could very well benefit him and he had figured out exactly how.
"You sent for me, grandfather?"
Dorothy entered and he smiled at her. When her parents died during the uprising, he had taken his granddaughter and raised her as his own. She was as sharp and witty as she was cunning. He had used all his years of military training to teach her the art of concocting tactics and strategies to baffle and defeat whatever foe she faced. He couldn't be prouder of how she turned out.
"Yes, dear girl." He began and offered her a cup of tea. "I have an assignment for you; a challenge if you will."
"A challenge?" She quirked a brow, her amusement plain.
"How would you like a chance to try and win the trust of our missing princess?"
"Why, Grandfather, I would be delighted!" Dermail nodded, knowingly.
"My spies tell me she and her motley crew of followers have made their way to Toy Land. I'm certain if you hurry, you can find out exactly where they are going." He took and sip and turned to look out his window. "After all, the princess is unfamiliar with our world. It would benefit her to have a knowledgeable friend to guide her, don't you think."
Relena tried her best to sleep, but what little she seemed to acquire came plagued with visions best left forgotten. She sat up inside her tent and rubbed her eyes. Since there was no use trying to sleep, she decided to help the Maganacs with the people. Refugees continued to be brought to the safe haven that the hidden camp provided. They would need all the help they could get. She left the tent and walked over to the refugee area of the camp where she began to dish out some food and hot beverages to those needing it. She could feel Heero watching her from across the camp.
He made his way over to her, his face expressionless.
"You should be resting."
"How can I sleep when these people are suffering?"
"These people are strong. They have made it this far and they will continue to make it."
"But what of those who are still out there?" She looked down and folded her hands together.
"I feel so helpless in the mess of all of this. These people depend on me to do something but I have no idea what that something is or how to do it. What if I'm not strong enough? What if I fail?" Heero surprised her then by reaching out and lifting her chin gently.
"Relena," his eyes locked with hers. "You are stronger than you know. You will find a way to help them." He paused and she could have sworn she saw something tender in his eyes.
"Whatever happens, you won't be doing this alone. I will protect you."
"Heero…" She reached out and took his hand in hers. "Thank you." His wooden lips quirked up at the ends in the tiniest of smiles, but it reassured her.
She was in a new world, with new faces and a new enemy. She had the fate of all of her citizens riding on her shoulders. However, she really wasn't alone. She had new friends as well that would be by her side, helping her each step of the way. She felt Heero give her hand a gentle squeeze as if in response to her thoughts. She leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes feeling heavy. Being this close to him made her feel safe… at peace…
"You will succeed, Relena." He whispered, and she felt him each up and pull her blanket around her shoulders.
Yes, she could do it. She could handle anything… As long as she was with him...