Music of the Storm

Chapter 02

By Amidala

This chapter is definitely longer than the others, but don't get your hopes up too high. The
others probably won't be this long.
Enjoy!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Never again!" Makoto vowed.

She huddled in a small building near the palace. Abandoned and falling apart, the only thing she
could think about was the nervousness that came with sneaking into a ball. The building was
conveniently out of the public eye, but it was also very close to the palace, so it was the
perfect place to change into her royal clothes.
"I will never do this again. I swear someone was following me."

She looked down at the small bag in her arms and held it close.
"Mama ... " she whispered.

It had taken much planning and a lot of caution, but Makoto had finally found her mother's dress,
with her few other possessions. She was certain that no one had seen her sneaking into Saia's
room to take her possessions back, and she knew it would take Saia at least a fortnight to
realize that it was gone. Opening the package slowly, reverently, she brought out her mother's
dress, the one that Makoto remembered asking to be allowed to wear time and again.
"I'll finally be your little lady, mama," Makoto vowed.

After changing into the dress that her mother had worn for her wedding and many other special
occasions, the girl made sure she had the invitation which she had snuck out the document room
while cleaning. Since no one had been there at the time, and no one knew she could write, she
had penned her name onto one of the extra invitations. When Gabul had returned, he was greeted
by the young servant girl tidying up some papers that had been blown off his desk. He had barked
a sharp 'what are you doing?!' at her, and she had explained. Gruffly nodding and making motions
for her to back away from the desk, the old man had looked through the papers and made sure she
had not taken anything. Then he had seen the new invitation and paused suddenly, scratching his
head.
"Where did this come from? ... " he had muttered.

Deciding that the important thing was not *where* it had come from but *why* it had not been sent
out, Gabul had told Makoto to make sure it was mailed. While leaving the office, she had simply
pocketed it and brought it with her. Laughing happily, the Arabian princess twirled around a few
times, watching the pale blue skirt flare out. Pausing to elaborately do up her hair with few
pins, Makoto hummed to herself. It was not wonderful singing but then again, she had never been
taught to sing.
"Quatre ... My lord ... Perhaps tonight I shall be the lucky one you notice."

She grinned at the silly thought and cautiously left the crumbling house, ready for her debut at
the ball.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rashi stood on guard duty, checking invitations as the guests arrived in their fancy palaquins,
servants following behind on camels or foot. He sighed as yet another flighty girl giggled at
him, batting her eyelashes. The large man waved her through and inwardly sighed with relief.
Only a few more snobbish girls to go, she was third to last on the guest list.
"Presenting the Lady Relena!" shouted a voice from somewhere out of sight range.
<I wouldn't stay in sight either, if I had a job like *that*> Rashi thought with much
sympathy for the man.

When the young princess stepped out, the Maguanac had an irresistible urge to fall over
laughing. This woman would *never* win over their young Quatre, though she obviously thought
different. Relena had chosen not according to the weather as she should have, but according to
how ornamented her gown was. By the look of things, she was sweating under the glittering pink
and white abomination, and was making a considerable effort simply to move.
"My Lady, may I see your invitation?" the guard asked with as much politeness as he could
muster.

She looked down her nose at him, quite a feat since he was at least a foot taller than her
hairstyle. One of the servants who dutifully trailed behind her now stepped forward and held out
the invitation to the man.
"Aswad Naar gha' bi! Be thankful that I don't cut your hands off here and now! You move
when I tell you to, is that clear?" Relena barked at her.

The blue haired girl bowed her head in shame while the black haired girl simmered with unspoken
rage. From behind them, Rashid's excellent hearing picked up someone gasping 'Hotaru-chan!
Michiru-chan!'. He said nothing however, allowing them to enter the palace, but he *did* give
them an apologetic glance, which left the two quite confused. Not long after, another princess
arrived.
"You there, guard! Is this the palace of the King, Quatre?" she snapped.
"Yes, my lady, it is. May I see your invitation?"

Yet another poorly treated servant humbly stepped forward and presented the invitation of the
Lady Hilde. He allowed them to enter, whishing them a pleasant evening and earning a gaze that
suggested he was an alien in return.
"Annoying little twits, are they not?"

Rashid glanced to his side and grinned agreeably at Duo. The braided guard stood next to the
Maguanac to offer him silent company for the rest of the night. The large man was more than
thankful to have him there, seeing as standing about all night waiting for something suspicious
to happen was rather boring with no companion.
"I beg your pardon, good sir, but am I at the palace of your King, the Lord Quatre?"
asked a pretty young lady.
Rashid thought with a mental grin. "Indeed it is,
my lady."

He bowed to her, she returned it. He offered his hand, which she took and allowed him to kiss.
Then he straightened and once again asked his routine question of the night.
"May I see your invitation?"

The young lady turned to her young servant and smiled softly at the girl.
"Minako-chan? Will you do the honors?"

Rashid smiled as the small blond girl called Minako shuffled forward awkwardly and presented him
with the paper. Contrary to his or Duo's expectations, she was not berated for her lack of
grace.
"Shokran, Minako. Have a nice evening, Lady Une."

Une bowed towards him.
"And you, kind sir."

She and Minako entered the palace and were escorted to the ballroom by Abdul, who had been given
that duty since he had been in the palace longer than any other servant. Duo smiled in their
direction.
"She was certainly a nice woman. A bit old for our Quatre, however, I do not think it
will matter, should he choose her."

The Maguanac nodded his agreement.
"Only one to go, then we can begin our task for the night."
"Making sure the Lady Relena is not kicked out?"

Chuckling, Rashid bopped Duo lightly over the head.
"laa. Ensuring that the Lady Dorothy does not escape with any of our treasury's gold."

The guard snorted and made a sound of agreement. He looked down at the list to see who the last
guest was and saw a name he did not recognize.
"The Lady Makoto? I have never heard her name before."
"She is nearly late," Rashid replied, looking at the old advisors who was supervising the
time.

The old man was about ready to tell them to close the gates, seeing as he was standing up from
his seat against the wall, looking impatient.
"Forgive me! I am afraid I got lost among the unfamiliar streets."

Duo and Rashid both did a double take. Une, Catherine, Sally, Haruka and Usagi had all been
beautiful women, and even Relena, Hilde, and many of the other women would have been pretty had
they not covered their faces in make up, but this girl was different, a more exotic breed of
faery rather than a mortal. For while blond hair and blue eyes were rare, auburn hair and
emerald green eyes were far more hard to find.
"Do not fear, my lady. You are not late, nor do we hold it against you to get lost," Duo
said, smiling at her.

Makoto looked into his friendly violet eyes and smiled back, brushing an errant strand of hair
from her face.
"I am glad."
"May I see your invitation, my lady?" Rashid asked, trying to get back into a normal
frame of mind.
"Oh! How stupid of me to forget!" the girl laughed at herself, bringing forth from her skirt the
paper.

Rashid and Duo bowed to her, a gesture she returned perfectly, and allowed her entry. She was
escorted to the ballroom by Abdul, just as the old advisor signaled for the closing of the
gates. The two did so and looked back in Makoto's direction.
"Strange girl, she is," the braided boy said thoughtfully.
"Strange indeed," the Maguanac agreed, "But familiar somehow ... "

~Owari, chapter 3~

So, how was it? If anything is confusing, let me know. If I screwed up on the language, let me
know. If you think I'm a bitch and I should die 'cause I made Relena and Hilde bitches,
well then you can keep that opinion to yourself because: This is a Fanfiction, I can do what I
like! ::insert insane laughter::

Ja matta ne, minna-san