Random Attack...

[windandwater]

"What do you hope to accomplish by holding me here?" Relena Peacecraft asked defiantly. Her head was held up proudly and her stance was regal, even if she was clad only in travel-worn clothing and tied with rough rope. Even forced into a kneeling position on the floor, Relena's entire bearing screamed of a certain type of pride and royalty.

Her captor smiled cruelly. Yes, even under imprisonment by strangers, the blonde girl would not capitulate. This is what drew people to her. The man tugged on the sleeve of his OZ uniform absently, the red handkerchief tied around his upper arm declaring him to be a member of the Pro-Trieze movement. "I don't 'hope' to accomplish anything, Princess. I *know* what is going to happen."

"And what would that be?"

"You're the Princess of Cinq Kingdom. People rally around you. They believe in you. You're nothing but a puppet for forces like Romafeller."

"And by kidnapping me you are freeing me from a fate worse than death? You are so kind."

The soldier snarled, raising his hand, ready to use the butt of his gun to send the girl into unconsciousness. Relena flinched automatically, though she tried to stop it. Then the man laughed and ran his hand across Relena's cheek instead.

"Oh no, Princess. It wouldn't do for you to appear imperfect to your adoring public. You should be thanking me. You... you have something. Something important that people would *die* for. You're like Trieze-sama. And once you two are shown united in purpose, no one will ever listen to Romafeller again! If both of you are dead, everything will be PERFECT."

"You're insane!" Relena exclaimed. "Trieze Khushrenada left Romafeller of his own free will! You would be using both of us as puppets and it will cause nothing but more war! Do you know how many people will die?!"

The soldier laughed again, almost hysterical. The gun in his hand waved back and forth madly, and Relena cringed, hoping it would not go off. "No! No! You don't *SEE* it! You can't see the future! Everyone in the WORLD would rally behind the image of you and Trieze-sama! You will be MARTYRS! This will bring PEACE!"

He leveled his gun at her.

Relena screamed and closed her eyes, shuddering to herself.

This was not because of the inherent madness in this rebel soldier's words, but because of the blossom of blood that had bloomed between his eyes. A field of red sprayed across the room, splattering walls and Relena's ruined uniform. The soldier's body seemed to fall in slow motion, slumping to the ground with a quiet thump. Relena struggled to control her breathing, to not become hysterical at the sight of the dead man before her.

The madman was going to kill her.

Someone had saved her.

Someone had saved her life.

Heero.

Relena's cornflower eyes looked up through the darkness of the room to the rectangle of light coming from the far wall. A male figure was sweeping in, checking the corners to make sure no other soldiers were around. Relena could feel her eyes filling with tears of joy. She closed them to contain her happiness.

"Heero..." she murmured as a warm arm slipped under her knees and shoulders, picking her up from the stained floor. Suddenly the chafing of ropes around her wrists and legs was forgotten.

"You don't have to call me your hero, ojou-san."

Relena blinked and looked at her savior. Instead of unruly brown hair and cold Prussian eyes, she was faced with a long chestnut braid and mischievious violet eyes. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. But before she could say anything, the boy beat her to it.

"Man, everyone was going nuts when they had found out you'd been kidnapped. No one knew who did it. Romafeller blamed OZ, OZ blamed the Colonies, hell, even Cinq Kingdom said that anyone who touched you would be their enemy. Quite a lot of fuss for one Princess, ne?"

"I... I know you from somewhere."

"Glad you remember me," was the saucy answer, followed by a wink. Then the boy looked carefully around a corner before breaking into a near-sprint, still carrying Relena in his arms. She was surprised that he was so strong.

"I'm Duo Maxwell. I'm here to protect you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Writer: [pounding head against desk] NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

Duo: [bolts from the room, with one hand clapped over his mouth] 'M gonna hurl!

Writer: [there is a bunny attached to her right hand, and she is frantically waving her arms, trying to dislodge it] I'm not writing a 2xR! No! NO! NO!!! EEEwwwww! Ick! Ick! Ick!

Duo: [sounds of retching and a toilet flushing]

Writer: [whimpering in a fetal position on her desk, bunny now attached to a leg] ... make it go away... make it go away... make it go away...