'Kaeptiv

Yay! I'm back! Sorry you guys had to endure such a long wait! I really struggled with the direction this story was taking. It could have gone two ways in this chapter, really. Not just the one plot twist I did add, but another could have been in it's place and completely changed the outcome of the story! In any case, here's the long awaited 9th!

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter Nine: Le message Continu et la Torsion d'une lame à un Coeur

"So…let me get this straight then, Bro. We're going to Neo-France in search of some dude that tried to become Neo-France's champion before by nearly killing off George, and went totally and completely insane? Not to mention that he was supposed to be, like, dead?" Sai Saishi, Neo-China's gundam fighter, looked perplexed as he ate more rice feverishly in front of the tele-screen.

"Hai…" The King of Hearts replied tiredly in his native tongue. George's message had been copied over to him at three am in the morning, though Rain had reminded him that it was probably late afternoon in Neo-America. The Frenchman rarely had asked for any favors and Domon felt the urgency in his request to pass the message on as quickly as the receiver could---which happened to be Sai.

"Bro, I mean he's dead…right? It's insane that the dude could be waltzing around Neo-France causing so much trouble." The young boy swallowed a wad of Lo-Mein before adding, "I mean, what'd Sis, say?"

"Rain? She said it would be impossible, and thought it was just someone impersonating Mirebeau to gain attention for some sort of cause." He yawned, "That's Rain, always being logical." He smiled lightly through fatigue as he thought of his newlywed wife.

"Yeah, that makes alotta sense." But Sai Saishi's expression hadn't changed from confusion. "But if it was just a dude pretending to be him, why is George so worried then?"

"I don't know, Sai." Japan's Gundam-Fighter shifted his position in his stiff chair. "But if it has George that worried, and the king of Neo-France is keeping him locked away in the palace, it makes me think that they're trying to cover their tracks." Domon didn't look as tired as the thought swirled in his mind. "Last time, from what George told me in the 13th tournament, that Neo-France's government hadn't really done much about Mirebeau and dismissed him without much thought. When Mirebeau came back to Versailles and tried to endanger the lives of the citizens, and take George's own life---they knew they had made a pretty serious mistake."

"Oh," Sai nodded as he finished the rest of his meal, "I get it, they don't want to make it seem like they aren't doing anything…like before and then have to pay for not taking the threat seriously."

The Shuffle Leader smiled, "Right, Sai, you've got it."

"So then, we get our butts down to Neo-France. A.S.A.P. and kick the conspiracy wide open, right Bro?" The young boy smiled through the sauce and rice on his face.

"Hai, send the message on to Argo, would ya Sai? Arigato." Domon began get up and reached to turn the screen off.

"Awww…he's no fun. Come on Bro…"

Domon looked tiredly at the recently turned teenager, "Sai, it's three-thirty, and I need to wake up at five, Rain'll kill me as it is for not getting enough sleep. Besides," He gave him a pointed look, "You remember how grumpy I was waking up every morning for the tournament? I doubt you'd want a call from me then."

The boy's shoulders slumped in defeat and he hung his head, "Fine, say 'Hi' to Sis for me."

"Bye, Sai."

"Bye, Bro."

George had been making his way around the palace for the last for his patrols that evening, but had told by the Princess' private vassal, Madam Bleu, that Marie Louise was suffering from extreme exhaustion, and had fainted.

With a slight lag in his step, George had followed the aged woman briskly to her Highness' quarters, fearing the worst as a million thoughts ran through his head. Mirebeau was on the loose, Marie Louise had fallen, and the dark shadow that had been prevalent the last few nights had planted a seed of gloom in everyone's hearts. It was like walking through a chocking fog.

To make matters worse, he had had no luck with his constant surveillance of Mirebeau. He could do nothing inside the Palace walls---dull as it was in appearance and spirit these days. Trapped here, he felt a darkness that pushed him down and ate at his hope and withering time.

At these foreboding prospects he had made a fatal decision. One that had him lay awake at night ever since it had come to him. Though, the very thought of it made him feel choked with lack of air, the idea kept scratching at the inside of his skull. The rationality of it all eventually wore him down, even though his heart still protested doing and saying such a cold thing to his Princess.

Marie Louise, the light of the people, had already fallen. If he were to tell her the workings of mind, it would surely plummet her in her own darkness. Hadn't he already hurt her enough? He clenched his fist, and then sighed. It would be a disabling turn for the country, and George's own heart. What would happen in this uncertain time of darkness without the light?

"I went to find our Rose Knight, as soon as I heard, Monsieur De Sand." Madame Bleu said her face appearing older as her brow creased in more worry. "My Lady has turned pale and has lost appetite. It is a cruel irony…" She stopped suddenly as the sun sank and they fell into dark twilight.

George was pulled out of his thoughts by the uneasy shiver that ran up her spine, and swallowed to quell his anxiety. "What irony, Madame Bleu?"

"She feels as cold as," She licked her worn lips, "her late majesty did so many years ago…" Her old eyes glazed eerily and her pace slowed.

"What are you insinuating, Madame Bleu?" The old vassal turned to him as she caught the ice in his voice.

She stopped fully and turned to him, "Nothing, Monsieur. Merely that I feel such a similarity is a bad omen. The lifeblood of Neo-France, her people fear the parallel. Surely, Sir Rose Knight, you have felt the cold surrounding Neo-France, even when our sun is shining? The dark shadow?" She wrung her apron through her hands as she looked at the ground. "It makes us uneasy…"

George didn't need to be told; he could sense the people's apprehension in the recent scare with Mirebeau. Now, with the beloved Princess in such a condition and as cold as her own mother in her…death---it was a frightening parallel indeed. Added to what still needed to be said to the captivating young Princess---the thought made his stomach lurch and his head to feel light.

He took a deep breath and put a hand on Madame Bleu's shoulder, "Our Princess Marie Louise is only suffering from exhaustion, and no mater how good a similarity there is she will pull through." Seeing the color come back to the vassal's cheeks he added, "Lead the way if you please, Madame Bleu."

"Yes, Monsieur." She curtsied and led the way with heavy echoing footsteps up the stairs to Marie Louise's quarters in the darkening twilight.

George hesitated to follow; he had been avoiding meeting his Princess for quite some time now. The terrible decision he had come to was what had stopped him in his tracks, one that he knew would poison her light further---and threaten to put it out. But it had to be done…if not…he shook his head.

Walking on, he prepared a calm façade for a final greeting.

The Rose Knight felt the door shut quietly behind him as Madame Bleu exited leaving him and Marie Louise with a chance to speak. He walked with soft-footed steps over to her bedside to see she was barely awake.

"Miss Marie Louise…" He brushed a messy curl out of her face as he leaned over. What Madame Bleu had said was true, she was pale as fresh porcelain and as George briefly moved the rest of her stray curls from her face he painfully noted that she was indeed cold.

He tried to smile for her despite the sharp pain he felt in his gut, "You should be sleeping, and didn't Toubib Patrice tell you to get rest as immediately?"

Marie Louise nodded slowly, "Yes, but I wanted to wait for you, George." The smile left her lips and her vibrant green eyes grew dull, there seemed to be a shadow over her as well, George tightened his grip on her shoulder lightly.

"You shouldn't have Miss Marie Louise, really…I was only making rounds." He knelt on one knee at her beside, and took the traditional gesture of respect with his head bowed. "A Rose Knight isn't worth the health of his Princess."

Marie Louise sighed; he still couldn't open up to her could he? Would they ever stop this endless masquerade? Perhaps in time, the optimism of her mother kept telling her, but her heart had doubt…

"You haven't been by to accompany me for our lunches lately…why the sudden change? I rather miss when we could talk so freely." She smiled despite what she was implying to him.

George's heart sank, "I'm sorry Miss Marie Louise, I hadn't known that I would be so busy." He knew it to be a lie; he had purposefully avoided their luncheons of the past week. He felt his stomach twist in a knot, the courage he once had was dwindling. Could he really tell her? If he did he knew he would break her.

"No, no I believe you knew you'd be busy…" She looked away from him and out window: with a painful acceptance. She could feel George's shamed and apologetic eyes upon her, but she dare not look into his them. She knew if she did, she would be lost in the beauty of his amethyst pools---and she also knew that she would accept the comfort there and cry.

George let go of her hand, and felt cold. But he needed that cold to say what needed to be said. He felt his heart sink and his gust twist, and swallowed to quell the feelings that poured from his conscience. It was the desire of his heart to not to hurt her against the rational mind that knew what must be done.

In the end---his mind won the losing battle.

"I won't play fool, Miss Marie Louise. I know you have had knowledge for a time concerning your father's decree about myself." He saw her turn back, but remained kneeling motionless, staring at the ground and trying not to picture her innocent face as he said,

"I must leave here, I must leave you, ma plus chère Princesse…" His voice shook as he heard her try to hide a strangled whimper.

And suddenly the silence came, the darkness pursued, and the light of Neo-France burned out in the emerald eyes of it's young Princess. Frozen was she as her knight, her warmth left her while she felt hot trails of liquid salt pour down her drawn cheeks.

He closed the door. The dull click resonating in the hollowness that the Princess felt.

But she dare not move. It had to be a dream, a lie. She sat up in her bed suddenly, her head spinning. He would not…she rubbed her hands together over and over again, the continued friction making them feel raw. It wasn't possible…she couldn't feel this much pain.

Marie Louise could feel her breath coming in deep rasps, and her cold body shake out of her control. On instinct she lurched her tired body out of bed, and took a few numb steps towards her door…

"George…" Her voice sounded strangled.

She grunted as her body met the floor, and she realized that she lacked the strength to go after him. He was lost to her…son amour.

The realization was overwhelming and she let herself ease slowly into the carpet. She felt something break inside her, and the world seemed darker.

She continued lying there, unfeeling, for how long she didn't know---her dry lips repeating an ache in heart…

"Réapparaître... mon amour... j'ai besoin de vous. Pourquoi? Pourquoi? Pourquoi? George..."

"Pourquoi?"

Her soft cries remained unanswered as her limp her reamined on the ground reaching for the door.

More to come later for Kaeptiv'. Another apology goes to ShadowSorceress who waited very patiently while I battled with two possible outcomes for this story. I knew that at this distinct point I could have the story go completely in two different ways. I chose this, mainly because it's much more romantic, angsty, and it's what we want to read right? Anyway, here are your translations:

French Translations:

Le message Continu et la Torsion d'une lame à un Coeur: The Continued Message and The Twist of a Knife in a Heart

Toubib: This means doctor. Actually, in the other plot line I could have had, Doctor Patrice would have played an active role. Not that you need to know, but he's the Royal Family's chief doctor. Rather old, but still very sharp.

Ma plus chère Princesse: My dearest Princess

Son amour: Her Love

"Réapparaître... mon amour... j'ai besoin de vous. Pourquoi? Pourquoi? Pourquoi? George...":This very dramatic statement Marie Louise utters repeatedly means, "Come back…my love…I need you. Why? Why? Why? George…"

Pourquoi: (Obviously means) Why?

I'll be back no worries, now that I have this plot figured out for definites more updates will be on the way shortly.

Bye!

-----EmeraldVelvetTouch