Hey there! Yes, yes I know I left off on a cliffhanger last time! Bad! Bad, Emerald! Have to admit though, it was fun to write! A lot of talking in this chapter, but I hope its interesting to read! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: See chapters one and two!
Chapter Five: Pris Par Surprise
What was had he called it again? Oh yes, cruel serendipity.
George surveyed the royal court halls, filled with tapestries of woven gold and silver and endless red carpets, trying to keep his mind occupied with menial work that had always done the trick in the past---but now failed miserably.
He and Marie Louise had taken a step forward from where they had been, true enough. However this past week seemed like a major step back somehow. He sighed again and wished he could feel the warmth and elation he had only one week ago. Things here could move much too slow sometimes. Especially, things of late.
Marie-Louise had been occupied with her first National Conference for Neo-France this week, and had been more of an image popping in and out again rather than greet him hours at a time as she used to. George was aware she couldn't help it, but their dwindling time had been filled with more of the same---chivalrous courtesy---than it had been before.
Making matters worse, Marie-Louise always seemed so tired, her skin losing some of the healthy glow he was used to seeing in her, and her eyes losing more and more of that spark he loved so much. Stress and frustration also marked her face these past few days---making her something she normally wasn't--- irritable.
In the National Conference for Neo-France, all the colonies delegates and royalty alike came together to discuss current happenings with the leader of all space---currently Neo-Japan, and try to get as many opinions, personal attacks, and 'fair' changes made to the new governing system as possible.
George had heard the rumors, endless hours of arguing and meaningless chat all that could make or break a representative or ruler of a country, not to mention the immense pressure from advisors and a permanent black spot on your record if you did fail.
He desperately hoped Marie-Louise would make it to the end of the week---her optimistic and caring view that was loved by the people, and by him, still in tact.
"Senator Shiba, you can not expect the full disarmament of Neo-Germany with all our small and insignificant weapons from our country's barracks. By doing so, you would be asking me to hand my country over on a silver platter for whoever wants to take advantage, and believe me there are those who would take advantage. What your suggesting is almost as dooming as it would be to take away your own Gundam for the next tournament!"
"I'm not suggesting that you disarm completely, I'm suggesting that you disarm yourself of those outdated and very hazardous weapons of nuclear power. Surely none of us here consider those small and insignificant?" The Queen of Neo-India's voiced boomed form across the far-stretching conference table.
More voices joined in and soon no one was understandable anymore. The loud sounds of angered voices, grunts and high-pitched voices of outrage left a thick buzzing---growing stronger and more painful with each moment in the flaxen haired head of one Princess Marie Louise of Neo-France.
She once asked herself again why she must endure this slow torture as she grabbed her head through her thick curls try and subdue the pounding in it. It was always the same, a never-ending argument about war, gundams, and money that was never ever distributed equally.
As the fiasco grew, it gnawed away at whatever patience Marie-Louise had to begin with. She bit her lip, nearly causing the glossed up labium to bleed.
She knew their various arguments weren't going to be solved in this meeting, let alone three or four conferences from now---but why couldn't they see all this was pointless! They were all caught up in their own selfish and ignorant webs and nothing would deter them from destroying whatever sanity she had or chance anyone had to do any good for their Neo-Colonies.
That was the point of all this the first place---she thought grimly.
The volume grew louder yet and Marie-Louise was near pulling her hair out to feel anything besides the reverberating loops of spasms she felt.
She buried her head in the glossy surface of the wooden table and desperately tried not to jump up and start shouting herself---it wouldn't help.
But then she heard something directed at her father---at Neo-France---and at her heart---that made the pain move with the heat of glowing liquid metal down into her stomach---and become rage.
"WHAT OF YOUR FIGHTER NEO-FRANCE?! NOTHING MORE THAN A COWARD! A COWARD!"
The voice continued on and Marie-Louise's hands clutched tight in her satin gloves. Her green eyes looking like night had crept in and no trace of light could be found.
"HE WOULD RATHER BE A DISGRACE AND FIGHT AS HIS OWN MAN RATHER THAN FOR THE HONOR OF NEO-FRANCE! WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU LET SUCH A LOWLY COWARD SUCH AS THIS FIGHT FOR YOU?
AND YOU TELL ME MY COUNTRY'S FIGHTER SHOULD BE DISCHARGED AND GOTTEN RID OF? YOUR FIGHTER SHOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN BEEN ALLOWED TO BE KNIGHT!"
Marie-Louise stood up with more anger and speed than she had ever had in her life. The heavy meeting chair with its steel capped lining fell to the floor making a hollow and low reverberating sound that could have been the sound of Marie-Louise's own heartbeat loud and prominent in her ears.
She had had quite enough.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Her voice was shrill and pierced the shouting conference attendee's own ears with slight chill running down their spines. She certainly had their attention now---the air was pregnant with silence.
"WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS WRONG WITH YOU? HAVE YOU NO SELF-RESPECT? HAVE YOU NO COMMON SENSE? HAS THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF BEING A RULER OF YOUR NEO-COLONY COMPLETELY CLOUDED YOUR MINDS?" She pounded her hands hard on the meeting table all while never taking her accusing eyes off of them.
In turn, they were all a little too shocked to move. The young Princess of Neo-France---who of late had not said anything---was now making eye-popping accusations at the most prominent and for the most part respected leaders in all of space.
And that Princess continued on with the same fervor as before.
"THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT THE WELFARE OF YOUR COLONIES, OR OF YOUR LOYAL AND HARDWORKING PEOPLE, WEAPONS, OR MONEY, BUT ABOUT YOUR OWN PEORSONAL BATTELS BETWEEN EACHOTHER.
YOU CONSTANTLY BACKSTAB AND MAR EACHOTHERS IMAGES AND REPUATATIONS FOR A MADDENING PERSONAL GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE! THAT, IN TURN, HAS LEFT A GOAL OF SICKENING REVENGE RATHER THAN THE GOOD THAT THIS CONFRENCE WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED FOR!"
Marie-Louise was shaking in anger, and took deep breaths to ease her voice which now becoming sore and hoarse. She would no longer yell at them, but her words were just as piercing if not colder than before.
"And you speak of your Gundam Fighters as if they were no better than the soiled napkins full of grease you use to wipe your mouths with! They are the blood, sweat, and heart of your colonies! They put their lives on the line in a tournament that you created to try and bring you closer to glory and preserve and place the names of their countries as honored rulers of all space. It was through their fists that you now sit in your velvet-covered chairs and dictate as you please. Your colonies exist because they fight for them!"
Again, no one said a word. Though most took on an air of nonchalance, their body language trying to convey what contradicted the emotion their eyes. A mix of outrage and shame that let Marie-Louise know she was getting through to them.
She stood up straight, showing all the strength and power her heart possessed and her green eyes were luminous and sharp---it was as if she could see right through them.
"From this, I can only conclude that you no longer care. Your people, your Gundam fighters, your colonies are not as important as yourselves, and I truly do fear the day when all of space knows it."
She let her head hang and her curls seemed to unwind themselves---the built up tension flowed out of her neck. Her fingers felt sore when she finally allowed them to stretch out of their clutched position and she could feel the crescent shaped imprints in her palms.
She gave them one last look and turned slowly away walking out of the conference room and only stopped to close the wide glass doors without a noise.
"My dear I'm very proud of you." The King of Neo-France looked with admiration and his Grey-blue eyes spoke in endless waves pride.
The fact that the conference was finally over calmed Marie-Louise a little but could not erase the fatigue she had held in for the entire week. She did not hear her father father's kind words as she sat behind his desk tracing circles across of his manila folders.
Her father smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I mean every word of it Marie-Louise." He paused and said, "You were just like at your mother at her first conference. Brave and with a heart full of a passion for justice."
Marie-Louise took hold of her father's arm and hugged him, "Thank you pere." She smiled though her eyes were glassy.
He pulled back slowly from her and ran a hand through her hair of angel's thread and his eyes looked wistful. "And just as beautiful."
"Pere..." Marie-Louise's eyes glittered and she and smiled though a stray tear escaped from her eye.
Without a word the King of Neo-France wiped a gloved hand across her cheek---the fabric of the accessory quickly erasing any trace of sadness from her face.
"I'll leave you to rest a while Marie-Louise, tomorrow promises to be a full day as well." He smiled one last time---bringing wrinkles to his face and letting his age show through before closing the door and heading to his personal quarters.
Marie-Louise sighed and leaned back in the layered leather chair only wanting to rest for a moment, however a violent wind of fate would not let her rest yet.
The cool wind blew in from the window and scattered the papers in the pale folder across the floor the shuffling noise bringing Marie-Louis to her feet.
She nearly collapsed onto the floor and started meticulously picking up each document with heavy fingers.
Her eyes winded when she ran across on very unpleasantly familiar name.
Mireabeu...
Her heart started to pound harshly and her blood ran cold. She only had one thought on her mind as she let adrenaline take over and push her off the floor and running out the door...
George!
Whew! That's all for this chapter folks! Hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it!
French Translation:
Pris Par surprise: taken by surprise
Pere: father or papa
Till next time!
Emerald-Velvet-Touch