The Lilac Princess
Part 6: The End of One Journey and Beginning of Another...
By Lady Dante
Noin allowed herself to be led along by her new friend, not really knowing where they were going. She wasn't worried, the boy seemed to know the right direction and she was content to follow. She listened to his light chatter, now and then picking out a stray word she thought she understood. It didn't matter to her what Zechs was saying really, she just enjoyed the sound of his voice. For the last five days, her time had been filled only with constant walking and the sounds of the forest. Howling wind, animal calls, her own footsteps. Occasionally there was birdsong, but she had been too tired and afraid to enjoy it. Noin liked being with her friend. Walking wasn't so tiresome now that she had someone with her.
Sometime later, they emerged from the forest into another field. This one was different, Noin noticed, it looked...neater. And there were people all around. Not real people, she realized, but people made of some sort of rock. Zechs continued to talk persistently, pointing to various things as they went. He seemed to know this place. As they passed through, he gestured to some of the stone people and spoke. Noin looked up as Zechs pointed attempting to figure out what he wanted to tell her. He was probably reciting the names of the people. He pointed to another one, a man, and grew quiet. Noin didn't like the look on his face, he looked sad and that worried her. She wanted Zechs to start talking again, so she grinned at him and began swinging their hands in rhythm with their steps. She reasoned that since his smile made her feel better, her smile might do the same for him. It seemed to do the trick, Zechs seemed happy again and continued his speech.
The children eventually stopped in front of a large hedge. Zechs was about to tell her something about it when a voice interrupted him. The voice of a big person. Zechs froze. Noin, remembering the other big people she had encountered on her journey, darted behind a stone figure and tried frantically to pull her friend with her. He didn't seem very alarmed and, instead of joining her in hiding, he turned to speak to the intruder.
As the big person and Zechs talked, Noin peeked out at them. The other person was a lady. Noin watched her friend and the lady talk for a few minutes more, carefully hiding herself lest the lady see her. The lady didn't sound angry and wasn't doing anything to harm the boy, but Noin, still wary after her earlier experiences, feared for Zechs. She wished he would come back so they could leave again, maybe find other little people. Noin didn't like big people.
Without warning, Zechs rushed back to the statue. Noin was glad he returned, now they could leave this place. To her disappointment, the Noin realized that Zechs didn't want to leave. Instead, he pulled her away from the hiding spot and towards the lady, too quickly for the little girl to protest.
The lady reached out and Noin ducked behind her friend. As the lady spoke to Zechs, she reached for the little girl again, causing Noin to recoil in terror. The lady knelt and held her arms open to Zechs who reluctantly went to her. She squeezed the boy affectionately and Noin noticed Zechs seemed to like it. He and the lady spoke for a few moments and started giggling. Noin didn't know what to think. This lady didn't act like the other big people. She wasn't afraid or angry. As a matter of fact, she looked nice. She was dressed in loose white fabric and her hair skimmed her shoulders. Her hair wasn't like Zechs', but it was pretty too, like the tall dry grasses Noin had walked through. The lady's eyes were the color of blueberries--a little like the other boy's eyes, but full of light.
Zechs unexpectedly seized Noin's hand and yanked her forward. She resisted a bit before taking one concessionary step forward. The lady smiled at her and gently took her other hand as Zechs began speaking again, rattling on about something in his light, untroubled way. Noin gradually moved closer. She eventually decided that if Zechs wasn't afraid of the lady, she shouldn't be either and didn't flinch when the lady reached out again. The Lady looked at Noin's band and spoke. "Ich heisse Frau Katrina," she said, gesturing to herself. "Wie heisst du?" She asked as she patted Noin's shoulder.
Noin's eyes grew wide with excitement. She understood what the lady said. "Frau Katrina!" the little girl exclaimed, touching the lady's shoulder. Zechs interrupted, excitedly asking questions again, but this time Noin understood everything he said. If he had paused between questions, Noin would have happily answered. Frau Katrina managed to shush the boy long enough to ask her own question. "Wie heisst du?"
Noin looked at her wrist. Frau Katrina wanted to know her name. Noin took a breath and answered, "Lucretzia." The lady seemed surprised by her name, but continued to ask Noin questions. She asked quietly, giving the little girl time to respond. She asked questions in the same language that the angry people used, then in another language, one Noin had spoken unconsciously. She wasn't sure how she had come to know either language. The little girl didn't recollect much of anything and when she did recover a memory, it was usually accompanied by a headache. She decided that remembering wasn't good and lied when Frau Katrina asked if she recalled any other people. Noin didn't want to talk about the other people--especially not the boy--so she pretended not to remember anything.
The sun went behind the clouds and the wind picked up swiftly. Noin knew that meant rain was coming and she was glad. She had gotten thirsty again and wanted a drink of rain. Frau Katrina, deciding it was time to go, stopped asking questions and picked up Noin. The little girl timidly touched the woman's golden hair and the small purple stone on her ear. The stone reminded Noin of the purple flowers--the lilacs--from where she fell asleep. Frau Katrina smelled like flowers, too. Yes, she definitely like Frau Katrina.
The trio set out for the mansion, Zechs darting ahead now and then to pick a flower. The little girl was relieved she didn't have to walk anymore, her feet were beginning to hurt and she was tired again. While Zechs and Frau Katrina spoke, Noin looked back over the woman's shoulder at the stone people, watching them get smaller as they walked away.
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When the little group arrived at the Peacecraft manor, another lady ran out to meet them. Noin looked at her curiously. She wasn't afraid of this lady...how could she be? This lady looked soft and warm. She had white hair and little creases all over her face that made her look like she was always smiling. Frau Katrina set Noin down, leading her to Zechs and the other lady...Zechs called the other lady Ingrid. She smelled like fruit.
Zechs took off toward the house, dragging Noin with him. They took up temporary residence in the kitchen, waiting to be fed. Noin was no longer startled by the appearance of more people, they all seemed to be nice like Frau Katrina and she could understand what most of them said. If she didn't, Zechs explained.
While they waited for their food, Zechs told her all about his home. She knew now that Frau Katrina was Zechs' mother and the Ingrid lady helped to take care of him. He had a sister and there were a lot of places to play in this big house. Living here sounded fun.
Their food finally arrived and Zechs set at it ferociously. Noin sniffed everything cautiously before eating. The food was good and she ate as much as she could, not sure when-or if-she would have more. Halfway through the meal, a man entered, talking loudly. Zechs greeted him with excitement, calling the man "Captain." Noin looked from the Zechs to Frau Katrina back to the strange man. When she looked back at the Captain he blinked one eye at her and grinned. Zechs was right. The Captain was weird, but Noin liked him anyway.
After eating, Frau Katrina and Ingrid took Noin up for a bath. They filled the large tub with warm soapy water and placed the child inside. She liked the feeling of the water, the sensation of floating in warmth and the pleasant aroma of soap. She was beginning to feel safe here. Not all big people were bad.
Noin allowed the women to bath her and wash her hair. She even sat still while they cleaned her scratched legs and the sore spots on her neck and tummy. She amused herself with the frothy bubbles floating on the surface of the water, picking them up and blowing them off of her tiny fingers. The women took Noin out of the bath, dried her and dressed her in soft clothes. She ran her hand over the fabric. It was definitely better than the scratchy, smelly blanket.
They went back to the other room and found Zechs running in circles as fast as he could. He stopped abruptly, frowning. There was a short exchange between the boy and his mother that ended with her leaving the room briefly. Frau Katrina returned with a bottle of liquid that smelled like the lilacs Noin remembered from the field. To Noin's delight, Frau Katrina rubbed the liquid into the little girl's hair and the lovely smell enveloped her in a relaxing cloud.
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Milliardo was shooed away for his bath as Katrina combed and braided Noin's hair. Ingrid returned saying that it was time to tend to the scratches on Noin's legs. She sat comfortably on the elderly woman's lap as Frau Katrina prepared to medicate her legs. Noin winced and jumped as the cream applied to her wounds began to burn terribly. Ingrid hugged the girl, trying to soothe her, but it was Milli who managed to take Noin's mind off of the pain.
He emerged from the bathroom toweling off his hair, making it stick up all over and giving the boy a somewhat ridiculous appearance. Seeing Miss Noin wriggling in pain upset him--he knew how that nasty antiseptic cream stung. Milli decided to take his friend's mind off her pain. He crept up behind his mother and waved wildly to catch his friend's attention. When Miss Noin looked up at him, Milli stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes. Noin gave him a quizzical look, but stopped wincing. It worked. He proceeded to make funny faces behind his mother's back, making Noin and Ingrid snicker. As Katrina dabbed antiseptic on a very deep cut, Miss Noin whimpered and jumped. This called for something drastic. Milli resorted to attempting a wobbily handstand. He failed. The result, happily, worked better than his original plan. When he fell over, landing ungracefully on his rear with a thud, his audience burst into laughter.
Once Noin's legs were bandaged, Katrina kissed the children goodnight and Ingrid ushered them to bed. Soon, they were all tucked in and falling soundly asleep.
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At some point during the night, a loud crash woke Noin. She looked out the large window next to her bed and saw that it was raining again, not gently like before, but violently. There were blinding flashes and booming noises as well. She jumped at little at a sudden flash of light. Her heart was racing. Her head began to hurt.
Noin's mouth was dry, so she crept out of bed and made her way to the bathroom for a drink. Her head was beginning to fill with images again. She pushed the memories away, willing herself to forget the troubling episodes she had experienced before. She filled a glass at the sink and just as she was about to drink, another sudden booming noise startled her. The glass sailed out of her hand and shattered on the floor.
Yet another loud clap of thunder combined with the sound of breaking glass, sent the child into hysterics. She let out a blood-curdling scream and crouched down, covering her ears as she cowered by the sink. A jumble of images flooded her mind, terrifying images and she couldn't make sense of any of them. And sounds. Big people yelling, loud noises like the thunder, glass breaking around her. She remembered falling for what seemed to be forever and being surrounded by water, unable to breathe. Things breaking, popping noises, people falling and not moving. Her head hurt.
She cried as the images continued to invade her brain. Images of before. Before she came here, before she woke up in the other place. Before. Before everything. Some were images of the place where she woke up, the place with all the people who didn't move. Where the other boy was. Some were of places and big people that she knew...but didn't. The confusion was too much. 'Before' didn't seem like a good place. Her head began to throb.
Before.
She didn't want to remember Before. She liked it here, she didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay with the boy and Frau Katrina and the Ingrid lady. She wanted to stay with them and learn how to blink one eye like the Captain and learn to play. She was warm here. She had a soft place to sleep here. She had food here. She felt safe here.
And she wasn't alone anymore.
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Katrina awoke to the sound of a child's scream. She sat bolt upright, startled, and immediately looked over to her daughter's crib. Relena was safe and sound in her bed, only stirring slightly at the sound. Katrina lept out of bed and rushed to the bathroom that connected the nursery and her son's room. She found little Lucretzia curled up into a ball crying uncontrollably. The woman noted the broken glass on the floor and carefully made her way around the shards to see to the terror-stricken child. The little girl was shaking, clutching her head and mumbling to herself incoherently. Ingrid appeared and the queen waved her away, concerned that the child might be frightened further by the presence of too many people. Katrina quietly asked Ingrid to check on Relena while she tended to Lucretzia.
The queen approached the little girl cautiously. Lucretzia was rocking herself, eyes clamped shut as she continued to sob desperately. Katrina gathered the tormented child into her arms, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words. The woman's heart was breaking for the little frightened creature in her arms. She wondered what had happened to Lucretzia to cause such trauma. What had become of the world? When had it become such a horrifying place? Katrina rested her chin on the girl's head and slowly closed her eyes, a habit of hers to deal with overwhelming emotion. She certainly couldn't give in to the urge to weep now, the child needed her to be strong.
"Mama?"
Katrina looked up to see a sleepy Milliardo standing in the doorway, looking confused.
"Stay there, Milli," she said, holding up her hand, "the floor is covered with broken glass."
"Is Miss Noin cut, Mama? Does she need a doctor?" He was stayed put but leaned in as far as he could. His face wore an expression of deep concern mixed with fear. Katrina looked down at the trembling child in her arms, checking for fresh cuts. Lucretzia didn't seem to be physically harmed, only distraught.
"No, Milli, I think she had a bad dream." She tried not to let any of her own worry seep into her tone. Not wanting to upset him more, she offered him a reassuring smile and said evenly, "You go back to bed, now. I will take care of her."
"You could sing to her. That always helps me with my bad dreams." He was now leaning so far into the bathroom, he had to hold onto the doorframe to keep from falling. Katrina smiled up at him.
"You are right. Excellent idea, dearest. Why don't you go turn the covers down for her and we will be there in a moment."
"Yes, ma'am!" He darted away, happy he could do something to help.
Lucretzia's crying subsided, giving way to the occasional soft hiccup. She was still clutching her head, eyes tightly closed. Katrina tried to get the child to speak or open her eyes, but the little girl didn't respond. The queen continued to sooth Lucretzia as she picked her up and carried her to Milliardo's room.
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Noin felt herself being lifted and carried out of the bathroom. She kept her eyes closed, afraid that the bad thoughts would start again if she opened them. As she stopped crying, Noin realized that Frau Katrina was holding her, telling her that everything was all right now. The little girl wasn't sure whether to believe that yet, so she kept her eyes shut.
The child became aware of the fact that Frau Katrina was humming. Noin listened carefully to the tune. It sounded familiar. At first she resisted the new memory, she couldn't take anymore of those horrible images, but none came. Her head didn't begin to hurt either. Maybe this was a nice memory. She opened her eyes and watched Frau Katrina as she continued to hum softly. Noin knew the song had words. She listened for a moment longer before quietly joining in,
"Stella, stellina
La notte s'avvicina."
Katrina stopped humming and looked down at Lucretzia. The little girl was staring at her intently. For a moment, she was unsure whether the child had actually said anything, but Lucretzia repeated the lyrics once more, as though prompting Katrina to continue. The queen carried on humming the tune as the girl supplied the lyrics.
"La fiamma traballa,
La mucca e' nella stalla."
Noin paused, smiling up at Frau Katrina. The lady had a nice voice. Noin understood why Zechs liked her so much. Katrina smiled and the two began to sing together.
"La mucca, il vitello,
La pecora e l'agnello.
La chioccia e il pulcino,
Ognuno ha il suo bambino."
The little girl's voice faded out as she began to drift off to sleep. Katrina finished softly,
"Ognuno ha la sua mamma,
E tutti fan la nanna."
Katrina kissed Lucretzia's forehead lightly and settled the girl on the bed. Looking up she noticed a sleepy-eyed Milliardo, head propped up on his fists, leaning on the bed.
"Miss Noin gonna be all right now, Mama?" He still looked worried, but yawned in spite of himself.
"Yes, dearest." She leaned over and kissed his nose. "Back to bed now."
"Maybe I should get a stuffed animal for her to sleep with, that works with Rena."
Katrina smoothed Milli's hair out of his eyes and said, "I have a better idea." She pulled the covers back and patted the bed. "You sleep here tonight. If Lucretzia wakes up again, she will not be alone." Milli scrambled into bed, yawning. His mother pulled the covers up over the two children and hummed the lullaby softly. She watched them both fall deeply asleep, one fair head resting against one dark head.
The queen sat there for a long time, watching over the children as they slept. She wondered what the world would be like for them when they were grown, if they would be able to overcome these troubled times. There was no way of knowing what the future would bring, but Katrina hoped that the world would always be safe for them. She bowed her head and silently prayed for these children to grow up wise, brave and caring. Most of all, that they just be allowed to grow up.
**********end part six**********
Chloe Peacecraft very generously provided the song that Katrina and Noin sang. Isn't it beautiful? The translation is below, I thought it fit PERFECTLY!
"Star, little star
the night is drawing near
the flame is quivering,
the cattle in the barn.
The cow and the calf
the nanny and the kid
the hen and the chick
everyone has its baby
everyone has its mom,
and all drift off to sleep."
I thought Zechs should have some of his mother's traits. He always seems to be compared to his father, especially the obvious physical resemblance. So, I decided that Zechs' habit of closing his eyes should come from Katrina. OK, I know he doesn't do that a lot in the series, but there were key moments (two in particular) that he did it and I have always associated that with an attempt to keep his emotions in check.
That(bleep)ing disclaimer thing again: I do not own Gundam Wing...blah,blah,blah...[yawn]...blah,blah,blah...[rolls eyes]...lawyers.
P.S. If you read this far, put the word "zoinks" at the end of your review. Don't ask, just do. Thanks.
