AN: Thank you so much for all the great reviews of the last few chapters! I’m glad you guys like Damon as much as I do, he’s been fun to write. Ummm…this is an incredibly long chapter, but you guys said you didn’t mind, so here you go...
Be warned, no cuteness in this chapter, not one drop at all…although there is the occasional splash of sap…mostly just a lot of blood and destruction. Major character death. It made the Evil Chibi cry [here’s another Kleenex, sweetie]. It gave me a headache to write this, so I hope it’s good. Please let me know if I was successful. Thanks again for staying with this! I promise cuteness will return in the next installment… more chapters coming …as soon as I get some aspirin…
The Lilac Princess
Part 11: Broken...
By Lady Dante
Treize Kushrenada and his uncle, Duke Dermail left Cinq immediately following the prince’s birthday party. As their private plane retreated from Cinq air space, the boy noticed several Alliance aircraft heading the other way. Treize leaned forward to look out of the window. He knew what they were. Troop carriers and bombers…headed for Cinq.
“Uncle…”
“It is none of your concern, boy.” The old duke did not bother to look up from the papers he was reading. He knew.
Treize looked back at the approaching madness and spared a thought for the queen. He had like her, she was beautiful, kind and treated him with respect, not the condescending tolerance he knew from his uncle. Treize glanced coldly at the old man before sitting back in his seat. The boy had learned much from the aged duke over the past few days. The most important lesson was to look to the greater goal and do not be distracted by personal regrets. If a stronger world was to emerge from the impending chaos, sacrifices were necessary. Treize made a silent promise to himself and the doomed queen. One day, the Alliance would fall…
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He burst into the study with excitement, carrying his new chess set. After returning from the peace conference, Milli’s father sent him to retrieve the game so that they could have a match. The little boy eagerly complied, rushing back with anticipation. As he ran into the study, he was grabbed from behind.
Across the room, men in Alliance uniforms surrounded King Stefan. They had guns. They were pointing guns at his father. They were yelling. His father was trying to speak calmly, but that only seemed to anger the soldiers more. One used his rifle to hit the king, causing the man to fall to his knees. Milliardo struggled against his captors, trying to break free and go to his father. The boy’s efforts were met with a sharp slap across the face.
“It is all right, son.” King Stefan clutched his stomach as he spoke, his body trembling with pain.
Milliardo watched helplessly as the soldiers brutally beat his father into a bloody mess. Every attempt the boy made to go to his father was violently punished. The king wouldn’t raise a hand in his defense. The soldiers mocked him and beat him viciously, but the king refused to fight back.
“Have you made your decision yet?” It was the man Milliardo saw earlier at the orphanage. The Alliance general.
“I will make no such statement. I will not renounce my ideals,” he took deep, ragged breaths between words, “not even to save my life…”
“What about saving your son’s life?”
On the general’s order, a young soldier pulled out his service revolver and walked to the prince. He jerked the boy over to stand next to the prone king and rested the gun’s muzzle on Milli’s forehead. It was cold. Everything was cold.
“Father?” the boy whispered weakly. Milliardo looked into his father’s eyes, pleading. Don’t let them. Do something. Stop them.
“Remember who you are, Milliardo.” The king spoke majestically, straightening himself as he looked back to the general, “We are Peacecrafts.”
“May that give you comfort in the next life, your highness.”
The general spat out the words as he placed his own gun to the king’s head and pulled the trigger. Milliardo opened his mouth to scream just as the side his father’s head ruptured with the force of the bullet. The prince was standing close enough to be splattered with blood and hear the sickening passage of the bullet.
Father. He could taste his father’s blood in his mouth. Why didn’t his father do something? Why didn’t he try?
The soldier pressed his gun painfully to Milli’s skull. The prince knew they were going to hurt him now, too. Then they would kill him. His father didn’t try to save him. His father didn’t do anything.
“Now, you little brat,” the general said with depraved joy, “we wish to speak to the whore that spawned you,” the man leaned forward, his eyes filled with frigid cruelty. “Where is she?”
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Queen Katrina was in the hedge maze with her daughter when she heard sharp cracking sounds come from inside the house. Curious as to what happened, she went back to the mansion, entering through the kitchen. As she walked through the room the queen slipped in a puddle of something on the floor. “Oopsie!” Relena giggled as her mother steadied herself. Katrina adjusted the little girl on her hip and looked down to see what Cook had spilled. At first she thought it was some sort of sauce, but soon realized she was wrong. She was standing in a pool of blood.
The queen covered her daughter’s eyes and followed the horrific trail to the pantry. There she found the bodies of Cook and two other servants carelessly tossed in a pile on the floor. The queen choked out a shocked gasp and backed away, carefully shielding her child from the grotesque scene before them. She swallowed hard, willing away the sickness rising in her throat. Her babies. She had to get her babies out of the house. Milliardo…where was her son?
“Let’s play a game now, precious,” she whispered to her daughter, “We are going to be very quiet, like mice, for a little while,” Rena looked at her mother with wide eyes and nodded. “Now, precious, do not speak until I say, all right? Mama needs you to be very good and do not speak. Can you do that for Mama?” Relena nodded again wrapping her arms around her mother. The child could sense some unknown trouble and buried her little face in her mama’s neck to hide from whatever was happening.
Katrina was disgusted to see that she left a trail of bloody footprints behind her, so she stopped and slipped out of her tainted shoes before proceeding. She quietly moved into the linen room and opened a hidden panel behind the shelf. The queen gently closed the door as she entered the secret passage and started for the king’s study.
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The general repeatedly asked the stunned prince where the queen was hiding. The boy stubbornly refused to speak, his eyes still trained on the mauled lump of flesh that was once the king of Cinq. His father was dead. They wanted to kill his mama and Rena, too. He couldn’t let them die, so he did not speak. Frustrated, the general backhanded the child with enough force to send his small body crashing to the floor. Still, the boy did not speak.
Maybe God wouldn’t protect him, Milliardo thought, but He would protect Rena and Mama, wouldn’t He? God had to protect them, they never did anything wrong…maybe he did something bad enough to be punished, but not his mama and his baby sister…
The general was yelling at him again but Milli wasn’t paying attention. The man jerked the boy to his feet and raised his hand to strike him yet again. Before the general had a chance to deliver the blow, Milliardo wrenched his head around and bit the man’s hand. The general let out a howl and the prince successfully ducked a furious punch. The boy darted away and dodged the grasping arms of the others, trying to sprint to the door. He almost made it when he was tackled by one of the soldiers. The prince squeezed his eyes shut and waited to die.
The next few moments seemed to move in slow motion. As Milli and the soldier hit the floor, someone burst through the door. The boy heard shouts and scuffling before he felt himself being picked up and carried away, the sounds of gunfire and shouting following them as they fled. The bewildered child kept his eyes closed and didn’t move. He was tired. He hurt. He wanted it to be over.
Some time later-- Milli wasn’t sure how long-- they stopped moving. The boy’s new captor set him on his feet and grabbed his shoulders. The stranger shook him a few times, but not hard. He was talking. Milli thought he recognized the voice, so he opened his eyes slowly and stared.
“Milli? Milli, it’s me, buddy…it’s Damon.”
Damon felt somewhat relieved as the boy slowly opened his eyes, but his moment of relief was quickly replaced with concern when Milliardo didn’t respond. The kid’s body was shaking slightly, his eyes vacant. He was in shock, physically and mentally. Damon reached up and used his sleeve to wipe away some of the blood from the child’s face.
“Milli, where are you hurt?” The kid was covered in blood but, with the exception of some rapidly swelling bruises, Milliardo didn’t seem injured. Damon’s jaw tightened with the nauseating realization that it was Stefan’s blood. Those sadistic bastards made the boy watch. The captain sucked in a painful breath and tried to calm himself. His own injuries were making it increasing difficult for Damon to focus, but he tried his best to ignore the pain and concentrate on the prince.
“Milli, pal, I need you to say something, o.k.? Let me know you’re all right kid.” The boy just stood there, staring. He was still holding his chess set, grasping it so tightly his knuckles were white. Damon reached forward and gently pried the boy’s fingers away from the box. As the captain set the game on the floor, he took the boy’s hands and rubbed them, speaking to the youngster in a low voice.
They were safe for the moment. Damon had managed to get to one of the secret passages without being seen. Hopefully he hadn’t left a trail of blood behind for them to follow. Aside from the bullet wound he received earlier, he had caught a couple in the back of the leg as he fled with Milliardo. The captain instinctively put a hand over the gunshot wound in his stomach. He could tell that Diego’s bullet had done a lot of damage, but he pushed the thought away. He had to get what was left of the royal family out of this holocaust.
“Captain Damon?”
Damon let out a heavy breath. “Yeah, kid, I’m here.”
Milli’s eyes began to focus on the man before him. “They hurt Father.”
“I know, Milli.”
“They killed him…”
Damon rubbed the boy’s head briefly then tugged him forward into a hug. “I know, kid, ” the captain whispered, his voice thick with emotion. After a moment, he pulled back, “Milli, we’ve gotta go find your Mama and Rena…you up for that, pal?” Milliardo nodded. Damon took the boy’s hand and stood slowly, attempting to breathe through his own pain as they started off through the passage.
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She saw the planes before she heard them. Luie looked up from watering her flowers and happened to spy the planes approaching, small dark things falling from them as they went. The first explosion she mistook for thunder, but realized that couldn’t be true. The sky was clear. With the next series of loud booming noises, the child dropped her new watering can and put her hands over her ears. She knew what was happening. Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind she had the vague memory of war. It sounded like this. She rubbed her temple as she felt a sharp pain in her head. The little girl’s heart began to pound and her tiny frame shook. “Sister Marguerite…” she whispered, breathing heavily. She ran back towards the building, her panic rising as she screamed, “SISTER! SISTER! SISTER!”
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Katrina jumped involuntarily at the sound of gunfire. She and Relena were in the secret passage close to Stefan’s study. The queen closed her eyes and held her baby a little tighter, silently praying that what she heard was not what she feared. Katrina decided to double back and take an alternate route through the house. Perhaps Damon had managed to get to Stefan and Milliardo first. Perhaps they were searching for her.
She quickly made her way around the dark passage, guiding herself with her hand to the wall. She turned into the south tunnel and continued blindly until she stumbled upon a secret staircase leading to the second level. She cautiously started up the narrow steps, listening for intruders. Katrina’s heart skipped a beat as she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She froze in her tracks. “Dear God don’t let them hurt my baby,” the queen mentally pleaded, clutching Relena. She tucked herself and her daughter inside the stairwell and waited. The footsteps were louder. Any hope the queen had of remaining unnoticed was quickly evaporating.
Katrina held her breath as the intruders drew closer. A hand reached out from the darkness and grasped her arm. She swung around to find herself looking at Damon and...
“Milli!” Katrina finally took a breath as she dropped to her knees in front of her son. She grabbed him and held him tightly, kissing the top of his head. Her eyes grew wide with horror as she saw that her little boy’s hair was matted with blood. “Dear God.” She pushed him back a few inches, checking for wounds, “Where are you hurt, dearest? Tell Mama where you are hurt…” Milliardo looked at her blankly as she quickly examined him. She could not find any serious injuries, but her son’s lack of response alarmed her. “Milli?” She put her hand to his face, trying to provoke some response. She pulled him into another protective embrace and looked over the boy’s head to Damon. The expression on the young man’s face was enough to tell Katrina everything she needed to know. The queen clung to her children, closing her eyes against the horrid news. Her beloved husband was dead and her dearest boy carried the stains of his father’s execution.
“It’s all right now, dearest. Mama has you now,” she soothed, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, “Mama has you now…”
“Take the kids upstairs, Your Highness,” Damon began with difficulty, “Go out through my office and head for the East Garden…” he paused, taking a trembling breath, “Head for the woods…they’ll have a tough time finding you in there. Some of the others are bound to have made it out…head for the old hunting lodge. Pagan should still be there…he knows the plan to get you out of the country…”
Katrina looked up at her friend as it slowly dawned on her that he was not planning to accompany them. “Damon, you must come with us, I can not…”
“Yes you can, Your Highness.” Damon took an uneasy step towards the queen and knelt with her. “You have to get your kids out of here.”
It was then that Katrina saw the blood on the captain’s torso. He was favoring one leg and his breathing was labored. “You are hurt…” Damon silenced her protest with a hand on her shoulder. He looked into her eyes then shook his head. “I’m…pretty messed up, Katrina…inside…I can feel it,” he squeezed her shoulder, “you have to go on. I’ll stay and make sure they don’t follow you…”
“Damon…” she whispered, reaching up to smooth the young man’s hair back. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, then pressed her cheek to his. “Thank you, my dear friend.”
“Goodbye, Mrs. Katrina.”
Damon watched them start up the staircase before retreating back down the passage. Few people knew of the hidden corridors and the Alliance soldiers swarming over the mansion had yet to discover them. Hopefully, Damon could lead them on a wild goose chase long enough for Katrina and the children to escape.
When he reached the passage entrance, Damon leaned heavily on the wall, taking a moment to gather his last bit of strength. He had been running on little more than adrenaline since he was shot and he felt his strength seeping away with every drop of lost blood. He put his ear to the passage wall and heard the sound of boots on marble. When the sound grew faint, Captain Damon bowed his head, crossed himself and stepped through the door.
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Marguerite and the other sisters frantically herded their young charges towards the orphanage bus. The bombs were getting dangerously close to their little home and Alliance troops were seen advancing towards the area. The sisters tried desperately to calm the panicked children and load them into the vehicle. In the turmoil, one of the babies managed to crawl away, hiding himself somewhere in the house. As the sisters tried to locate the terrified toddler, Luie took the opportunity to slip off of the bus and go back to get her treasure box. Marguerite had refused to let her go back for it, afraid that the little girl would be left behind. Luie ran back upstairs and into the large barracks-style room she shared with several other girls. She ran to her bed and retrieved her box from underneath. As she was kneeling she saw a tiny pair of feet under the next bed. She crawled over and flipped up the covers, revealing the runaway baby the sisters were anxiously hunting for.
“Come on, little baby,” she reached forward and pulled the frightened baby out, helping him stand. “It’s o.k., don’t be scared.”
She tried to help him walk back to the stairs with her, but he was very afraid and started to cry. Luie put her treasure box down and carefully scooted it under the edge of a bed to keep it safe until she could come back for it. She stood and picked up the squalling child, struggling with his weight as she started downstairs. The baby instinctively clung to his tiny rescuer as he slowly calmed. The infant was too heavy for her to hold with one arm, so Luie put her back to the railing to steady herself during her descent. A sister met her at the bottom of the stair and relieved Luie of her burden. The sister grabbed the little girl’s hand, intending to put her back on the bus, but Luie jerked free and raced back upstairs for her treasure box. The little girl skidded into the room, grabbed her box and darted back to the stairs. She couldn’t be left behind. She couldn’t be alone again.
When she reached the stair hall she heard shouting. Looking over the railing, she saw several soldiers pointing guns at the sisters. It was just like before. The angry people were going to hurt the sisters. Luie backed up and ran to the back staircase leading to the kitchen. She quietly moved down the stairs and as she reached the bottom, Luie heard Sister Marguerite.
“I don’t understand…”
“It’s very simple sister, give us the kid and we let you and the rest of the brats go! Now which one is Lucretzia!?”
Luie froze. The angry people were looking for her. She peaked around the corner and saw a soldier holding Sister by the arm, yelling at her.
“ANSWER ME!”
Sister Marguerite spied Luie in the doorway just as the soldier yelled. The nun calmly replied that there was no child at the orphanage by that name, there had obviously made a mistake. Her lie was cut short by a harsh slap across the face. Luie screamed at the man to stop, she didn’t want Sister to get hurt because of her. The soldier spun around and made a grab for the child. Marguerite reached up and yanked the man down by his hair, calling out to Luie as she grappled with the soldier.
“Run, child, NOW!” Luie, dashed out the back door, heading for the woods.
The soldier scrambled to his feet and struck Marguerite before taking off after Lucretzia. The little girl ran through the flower garden she knew so well, hoping the thorny bushes would slow the soldier down. Behind her, Marguerite chased after the man, tackling him halfway to the edge of the wood. As they fought, Luie escaped to the safety of the trees.
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Katrina led her children through the dank passage, trying to feel her way in the darkness. Her hand brushed against another secret doorway and she stopped. The queen listened at the opening, but heard nothing. She crouched down with her children and spoke very quietly.
“Milli, stay here with your sister while I see where we are.” Milliardo nodded. Katrina brushed a stray lock of hair away from his haunted eyes and attempted a smile. The queen removed the locket and cross she was wearing and slipped them into the boy’s coat pocket.
“Milliardo, do you remember what I told you about these?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Good. Do not forget.” He nodded. “You take care of your sister, now and remember,” she took his face in her hands, “you are Relena’s older brother. It is your responsibility to protect her as you grow up. Regardless of what happens today, she needs you to protect her. Understand?”
“Yes, Mama.”
Katrina embraced her children again and kissed them before easing the door open. She carefully moved out of the passage and closed the door behind her. Milliardo put his arm around his sister and waited for his mother to return. The children remained in the dark passage for a very long time. Milliardo grew nervous. His mama should have returned by now. He wanted to go look for her but she told him to wait. Besides, he couldn’t leave Rena alone. After a few moments of deliberation, the boy decided to take Rena and search for their mother.
He cautiously pushed the door open, listening for soldiers before stepping through. They stepped into the East Wing corridor, not far from Damon’s office. If they went back into the tunnel and turned right at the next corner they should find Captain Damon’s secret door. He wondered why his mama hadn’t guessed that when she looked out. Milliardo knew the tunnels better than she did, but still. It was obvious where they were and he couldn’t understand what was taking her so long.
The prince gripped Relena’s hand and the pair started off down the hall away from Captain Damon’s office and towards the balcony. Maybe his mother found an easier way out. Milliardo guided his sister out onto the balcony and stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a man’s voice.
“Well, well…we were just talking about you.”
Milliardo whirled around and found an Alliance officer holding a gun to his mama’s head. The prince immediately put his arms protectively around his baby sister and held her tightly. His mother and the soldier were standing near the railing. The man’s arm was around the queen’s waist, pinning her arms to her body.
“Relena, precious, hide your eyes for mama, all right?” The little girl obediently put her tiny hands over her eyes and turned her face into her brother’s chest. Milli absent-mindedly stroked the child’s hair to keep her calm.
“Now, boy, you bring your sister over here and I’ll let your mommy go.” The soldier spoke with malicious calm. His smile was disturbing, predatory…all teeth. Milliardo tried to think of some way to help, something to get the soldier to leave his mama alone. He wanted to give himself up, half believing that the soldier would actually let his mama go, but he couldn’t leave Relena by herself, he was supposed to protect her.
“Get over here, boy, or I’ll blow her head off!” He ground the barrel of the gun spitefully into Katrina’s temple.
The queen looked at Milliardo with a broken heart. Her poor, dearest boy. She could see his confusion and helplessness. He wanted so much to help her but knew he couldn’t, so he just stood there, holding his sister and watching events spiral out of control. She had to get her children out of this madness.
“Go, Milli, Run!” Katrina shouted.
“Shut up, bitch!” The soldier used his gun to hit Katrina, leaving a streaming red cut on her pale skin. “Get over here, NOW!”
The soldier rammed the gun into Katrina’s neck as he shouted. She could not let this man have her children. Katrina looked up at her son once again and mouthed the words “I love you.” She smiled sadly and prayed that God would forgive her for what she was about to do. She had to protect her babies. Katrina Peacecraft drew in a deep breath as she picked her feet up and braced them against the concrete flower urn in front of her. She let out an angry growl as she pushed against the urn, using every ounce of her strength, fear, and maternal protectiveness to send herself and the soldier hurtling over the rail.
“Mama!”
Milliardo watched in horror as his mother fell backwards off of the balcony, her white dress billowing around her, seeming to bear her back up for a moment before she disappeared from view. The soldier’s scream echoed across the courtyard as Milli heard a hideous thud below. The prince squeezed his sister before grabbing her hand and running back to the passage entrance. He led Relena through the tunnel to Captain Damon’s office and carefully entered. When he was certain that the room was empty, Milli took his sister to the window and lifted her out. Captain Damon said to go to the forest and look for Pagan. They would be safe there. The weary children made their way down the stone steps and prepared to make a break for the woods.
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Luie sprinted through the trees, weaving in an out of the brush with the ease of a wild animal. She knew this forest well. The little girl ran for what seemed like hours, until she couldn’t go any further and dropped, still clutching her treasure box. She weakly crawled to a nearby tree and leaned against it. The loud booming noises were further away now and didn’t happen so often. Luie pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around herself and her treasure box. It was all she had now. Everything was gone. Luie was alone again.
Alone.
She felt the familiar panic begin to rise in her chest. Panic, pain, sorrow. That was all she could feel. Sister would have rocked her and told her everything was all right. Mrs. Katrina would have sung to her and stroked her hair. She tried to imagine their voices, remember what it felt like to be held. The little girl began rocking herself and sang quietly. Luie reached up and stroked her own hair, saying what she thought they would, “It’s all right, cara, it’s all right…God is with you…” She tried to calm herself. Sister would find her or Captain Damon. Yes, Captain Damon wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her. Captain Damon would find her and take her to a safe place with Milli and Sister and Mrs. Katrina…Captain Damon would find her and everything would be all right…
“Everything’s gonna be all right, cara…” she whimpered as she continued to rock herself.
The little girl mumbled and sang to herself until she fell into an exhausted, grief-stricken sleep.
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He failed. He had failed so miserably.
Damon had hoped to keep the Alliance soldiers busy long enough for Katrina and the children to get to the forest. Unfortunately, a few minutes after emerging from the hidden passage, he was caught. Bad enough that the Captain of the Imperial Guard was captured so quickly, but the real insult was that he found himself the prisoner of a very small teenaged girl holding a very large automatic weapon. She used a two-way radio to report to her superior and a few minutes later, soldiers surrounded the captain. Actually, to him they seemed to be a bunch of 6th graders playing dress-up. Under the direction of the adolescent lieutenant who captured him, the soldiers took turns beating the hell out of Damon, pausing now and then to ask a question. He certainly wasn’t going to tell them anything, they probably knew that, but amused themselves with the procedure anyway. They were eventually called away or grew bored with the game, Damon couldn’t tell which, and the others left. The captain was alone with the little girl holding the big gun.
“Does your Mama know where you are? Cuz I think it’s past your bedtime…”
“Screw you,” she hissed.
“You offering your services, honey?” Damon grinned through the blood and broken teeth. The girl slammed the butt of her weapon into his side. “Ah, shit…” Damon groaned. He gasped for breath and made a mental note: never piss off a lady with a rifle.
The captain groaned as he shifted his mutilated body then began laughing. It was a hollow, hopeless laugh, born in the acceptance of his fate. He would be dead in a few minutes, one way or another…beaten to death or bleeding to death. He hoped to pass out soon; at least he would go peacefully if he were unconscious.
Peace. Violence. He had known little of one and too much of the other. Maybe this was his penance for all of the atrocities he had participated in as an Alliance officer or possibly a punishment for his complete failure to protect Stefan. Damon pushed away the image of Stefan’s horribly abused body and turned his thoughts instead to his child-tormentor. He used to be her once…a long time ago, before he met Stefan and Katrina.
‘Order out of chaos.’ Damon knew how seductive the Alliance party line could be, so he couldn’t hate the girl, she was as misguided as he had been all those years ago. He was once a hard-ass killing machine whose only purpose was following orders…until he found forgiveness and made peace with God.
Damon, panting for air now, rolled on to his back and looked up at the girl. The poor little toy soldier…another expendable pawn in the eternal game of war. This was war. The loss of society’s only hope, the murder of its children. Not just taking their lives but tainting their minds, corrupting their souls. She was as much a victim as anyone. That could be Luie one day…no…no, Marguerite wouldn’t let that happen. Damon told himself that Luie, at least, would be all right. He was the only one who knew her secret and it was about to die with him. Even assuming that prick Dermail actually knew about Luie, the old man couldn’t possibly find her in all of this confusion. Damon knew Marguerite would move the children immediately and little Luie would be safe. She had to be…probably become a nun one day. Sister Lucretzia. Damon smiled proudly at the mental image of Luie, all grown up, taking her vows…
“What are you staring at?” The angry little lieutenant demanded. Damon had been smiling up at the kid the whole time.
“A little girl who should be home baking cookies for her boyfriend instead of committing mass murder.”
If it was possible, his statement infuriated the girl even more. She lashed out at the man with unchecked fury, kicking him repeatedly in the side, further mangling his already broken body. She calmed after a moment and took a step back. The soldier raised her gun and pointed it carefully at the pathetic, weak man in front of her. The captain looked up at her sadly then spoke one last time.
“I forgive you, kid,” he wheezed.
After a moment of hesitation and the young officer emptied her clip into Damon’s body, reloaded her weapon and fired again.
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Milliardo raced across the lawn, dragging Relena along behind. He dared not look back as he ran for fear of seeing Alliance troops pursuing them. As they neared the forest, Milliardo and his sister took cover behind the Greek statue to catch their breath. He skidded to an abrupt stop as he stumbled upon the crouching form of an Alliance soldier. The dazed prince watched as the young soldier retched violently, his thin frame heaving with every wave of vomiting. Milli stared, completely stunned to find one of the invaders doubled over in sickness and fear.
“Oh, God…”
The soldier steadied himself and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He looked up, suddenly aware of another presence watching him. Damn. There were kids here. On top of every other atrocity the 15-year-old soldier had witnessed today, he now had to face the possibility of murdering children. A bloodied boy and a…oh hell…a baby girl…what were these children doing here? For that matter, how did he get here? They were killing people who couldn’t defend themselves. The Alliance was supposed to bring order to the world…they lied…it was all a lie.
The boy and the young soldier stared at each other for an endless moment, both too stunned to react.
“Otto!” The soldier started upon hearing his name. “Otto, damn it! Where the hell are you?” One of his fellow soldiers was standing near the steps calling to him.
“Over here,” he managed to call back weakly as he stood. He never took his eyes off of the frightened children before him.
“Have you seen anyone come this way? We got a couple of runaway rats to catch!”
Otto gazed at the bloodstained boy and replied, “No! Nobody’s come out this way!”
“Keep your eyes open! Don’t let anyone past you…shoot to kill, no exceptions!”
“Roger!”
When the other soldier left, Otto took a breath and pointed towards the woods. “Some of your people made it out that way.”
The little boy stared a moment longer, nodded and led the baby towards the woods, disappearing into the brush.
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Luie was roused from her exhausted slumber by the vague sensation of being carried. Her brain, still fuzzy with lingering sleep, suggested that Sister Marguerite was carrying Luie to her bed. She probably fell asleep reading again. She had a habit of falling asleep in strange places and waking up in her own bed…safe and warm. The little girl’s conscious mind began to clear and she remembered what had happened. The sudden realization that it was not Sister who carried her sent the child into hysterics.
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Relena stumbled along behind her brother, trying to keep up. She was tired and wanted to sleep, but Milli kept on going. The little girl tripped over a branch and landed ungracefully on the forest floor. It hurt. She wanted to cry, but Mama told her not to say anything, so Relena kept her mouth shut and looked up at her brother for help. The boy knelt by her and helped her stand, brushing the dirt off of her as he looked at the girl’s skinned knee.
Milli was covered in dirt and sticky, smelly stuff. Relena would have thought that was funny if her brother didn’t look so sad. She wanted to ask where they were going and why he looked so sad, but Mama said not to speak. Mama told her to stay quiet ‘til she said. Since she couldn’t say anything, Relena wrapped her chubby arms around her brother’s neck and hugged him instead.
Milli patted her back and picked her up. The exhausted child rested her head on her brother’s shoulder. She could sleep now. Milli would take care of her.
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It took three people to hold the terrified little girl. Eventually, Luie exhausted herself enough to stop screaming and one of the ladies in the group tried to calm the child. “We’re not going to hurt you…we’re trying to leave before the soldiers come, just like you…” The girl stopped struggling as she slowly took in the lady’s words and understood that they were not with the Alliance troops.
“Where are your parents? Did you get separated?
“I…don’t have any…I was living at the orphanage…” Luie hesitated, looking at everyone carefully before continuing, “I got left behind.”
“Poor little thing…well, you come with us now and we’ll see about finding where you belong later. ” One of the men in the group opened his mouth as though to protest, but a sharp look from the lady shut him right up. The lady took the girl’s hand and led her toward a large group of refugees making their way to the road.
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Milliardo carried his sister through the woods as though she weighed nothing. He didn’t care that he was tired and his back was beginning to hurt. Rena was his responsibility now, he had to protect her. As he trudged along, lost in his own thoughts, Milli heard voices. The voices were faint at first, but grew louder as he continued to walk. According to that boy soldier, some of the servants had made it to the forest…but the soldiers could be out here too. Milli stopped and strained to listen.
“I must go back! I will not leave the children behind! I must go to Katrina!” It was a lady’s voice.
“Calm down! You must stay here…” An older man’s voice rose above the lady’s frantic pleas.
“No!” The lady was quickly becoming hysterical.
“Ingrid! Come back here!” Ingrid? Milli’s heart leapt. Ingrid! He found them!
“Ingrid!” he called trying to run with Relena in his arms. “Ingrid! We’re here!”
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It had been hours since the other people found Luie. They were still walking, heading nowhere… just away. It had grown dark long ago and yet they still stumbled along, unwilling to stop for fear of being left behind. They were strangers for the most part, but their common fear bonded them into a single mass with one mind. They had to stay together. They had to keep walking. They couldn’t stop.
Luie was occasionally picked up by some unnamed adult and carried for a while or set on the back of a cart and allowed to ride. She had lost contact with the lady who initially found her, but it didn’t matter. They were all going in the same direction…away.
Luie gripped her treasure box and sang to herself. Some of the other refugees, hearing Luie singing, slowed their pace until they were close enough to enjoy the child’s sweet voice floating through the darkness.
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Hours after being reunited with the children, Ingrid and Pagan discussed the situation. They sat in the small abandoned hunting lodge several miles from the estate. It had been intended as the first stop in the plan to save the queen and her children. With the royal couple now dead and Cinq in enemy hands, all they could do now was try to smuggle the children across the border. The two argued quietly over what was to be done. Ingrid insisted the children be kept together and she would accompany them to whatever safe harbor could be found for them. Pagan had a different plan.
“They should be smuggled out separately, Ingrid, it’s the only way…you must see that.”
“See what? I do not see the merit in ripping those children apart…”
“Ingrid,” Pagan began calmly, “he looks too much like his father to go unnoticed. It would be safer for them, especially the princess, if they travel separately.”
Unknown to the pair, Milli was listening at the door. Ingrid had cleaned the boy and insisted that he lay down with his sister and try to rest. The prince, still haunted by recent events, could not close his eyes without seeing the image of his father’s twisted corpse. He looked back at Rena sleeping soundly and thought about what Pagan said. It would be safer for his sister if Milli left. It was his job to protect Relena, so if that meant leaving, he would. Milli didn’t want to lose his sister, but she might get hurt if they stayed together.
The boy walked back to his sister and gently shook her awake. Rubbing her eyes, the little princess sat up and looked at her brother. Milli removed the cross and locket from his pocket and sat next to Relena. He carefully put the cross around the little girl’s neck and placed the locket around his own.
“Mama wants you to keep that, Rena,” he pointed to the delicate cross. Relena looked down and touched the cross before looking back to her brother for an explanation. “You keep that and take good care of it, ok?” She nodded. “And don’t forget to say your prayers and be a good girl like Mama wants.” Milliardo fingered the locket around his neck. “I have to go away, Relena, and I won’t see you for a long time,” The little girl’s eyes grew wide with fear and her lips began to quiver, but she did not speak. “We’ll see each other again, Rena, don’t worry.” He hugged his sister and kissed the top of her head. “You go back to sleep now,” he said as he tucked her back in. “I love you, Rena,” he whispered before kissing Relena’s forehead and walking out of the room.
He stood a few feet away and listened to the adults argue over his fate. He was tired of letting grown ups decide things for him. Nobody ever asked him what he wanted. Well…he was the king of Cinq now and he had a promise to keep. They couldn’t tell him what to do anymore.
“I’m leaving.” Pagan and Ingrid, startled by the prince’s sudden appearance, stood and looked at the child.
“Your Highness,” Pagan began but was silenced by Milliardo’s raised hand, a gesture reminiscent of his father.
“I’m leaving. You’re taking Rena to the Dorlians so she’ll be safe.”
Pagan looked away briefly and then agreed, “It’s for the best, Your Highness.”
Milliardo nodded. “I should go now while it’s still dark…it’ll be harder to catch me…”
“I have a bag with supplies ready for us, Milli.” Ingrid, who remained silent during the earlier exchange, collected the meager provisions and stepped towards the prince. Milli looked up at the elderly woman and frowned.
“Ingrid…you gotta take care of Relena…”
“Relena will be well cared for in her new home, Milliardo,” she put her hand on the child’s head and looked at him sadly, “but you need someone to take care of you…”
“But I promised Mama…”
“So did I, Milli…I promised your mother the day you were born to always look out for you. Even you can not make me break that promise.”
That seemed to satisfy the young prince and he agreed. Milliardo changed out of his ruined Cinq uniform into some plain clothing Pagan brought in preparation for the aborted escape. Ingrid slipped on a worn coat and tied a kerchief over her head. Anyone who saw them together would assume they were an aged grandmother and her young grandson fleeing the devastation. They stepped out into the night air and made their way to the road to join the thousands of other refugees escaping Cinq’s destruction.
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They walked all night. As the gray dawn approached, Luie noticed the group she walked with was thinning out. Some people were lying by the side of the road, too exhausted to continue. The little girl felt sorry for them and wanted to help, but she couldn’t risk being left behind. She couldn’t be alone again, she just couldn’t. So, she kept walking. Sometime later, as the sun rose above the horizon, vehicles began to pass the group. A few slowed and allowed some of the weary travelers to climb aboard, others sped away, the drivers too concerned with their own welfare to spare a thought for those on foot. Some of the adults near Luie convinced the driver of a large truck to allow them passage to the boarder. One of the men picked up the little girl and handed her up to the other adults in the truck. Luie was too tired to care where she was being taken or with whom she traveled…as long as she wasn’t alone.
Luie sat with her legs dangling over the back of the truck and rested her chin on her treasure box. She ran a hand over the delicately carved lid and wondered what happened to her friends. They were probably all right, she decided. After all, they had Captain Damon to take care of them…
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Ingrid held Milli’s hand tightly as they walked, more to reassure herself he was there than to comfort the boy. Outwardly, her demeanor was stoic, accepting. The pragmatic part of her nature forced her to go on. Keep walking. Take the boy away from this place. Inwardly, the old woman grieved for her country, her friends and her beloved Katrina.
Ingrid first met Katrina shortly after the little girl lost her mother. Ingrid, newly widowed and in mourning herself, was hired as a governess for the lonely child. The older woman never had children of her own and the golden haired cherub she was hired to care for quickly filled that void in Ingrid’s heart. Sweet little Katrina, as dear to Ingrid as a child could be to a mother. Her beautiful, brilliant Katrina was dead now and the children torn apart. The old woman wanted to scream in agony, but knew she couldn’t. She had to go on. Keep walking. Take the boy away from this place.
The woman felt a tug on her hand and looked down at her young charge. Milliardo was straining to see over the heads of the people in front of him, looking towards a truck some distance ahead. He jumped up once or twice then suddenly wrenched away from Ingrid and ran. Panicked, Ingrid called to Milliardo and rushed after him. The boy had youth and speed on his side as he darted through the crowd, yelling wildly. His nanny dashed after Milli, searching for his pale hair as she made her way through the crowd. As they neared the truck, Ingrid saw why Milli was shouting. Sitting in the back, looking as ragged as the day she arrived at the Peacecraft estate, was Lucretzia.
“NOIN! NOIN!” Milliardo used his nickname for his friend, hoping it would catch her attention. She was looking down but he waved his arms wildly as he ran, trying to get her to look up and see him. He hurled himself through the crowd, calling to her as loudly as he was able. The truck was starting up and just as Milli thought he might not make it in time, Luie looked up. She finally heard her name and stood quickly, searching the crowd for the source. Milli waved again, and Luie saw him at last.
“ZECHS!” Luie started to jump off the truck and run to her friend, but one of the grownups in the truck caught her. Not understanding what the child was doing, the others kept her on the vehicle. She screamed for Milli as the truck began to move. Milli ran faster, determined not to lose his friend again. Ingrid made her way to the truck and shouted for the driver to stop as the children continued to cry out for each other. The other refugees finally handed Luie down to Ingrid when she claimed to be the girl’s grandmother. Luie and Milli clung to each other and to Ingrid with all their might, terrified that someone would try to pull them apart.
The elderly woman sat down unceremoniously in the middle of the road, hugging the youngsters to her. Her heart was pounding from the sprint and she was too out of breath to speak, so she just sat there, rocking them. Relief swept over her as she held them. Ingrid had lost almost everything, but not absolutely everything. She still had these children to care for. They needed her. She still had purpose.
+++++++++++++++++ End part 11 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer: Leave me alone… [sniff] …somebody get me a Kleenex…
