Forgotten5

[lilac310]

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Mailto: Melissa
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Chapter 5 ? The First Blow of Her Misery?
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Relena dizzily opened her eyes, there?s no question that the drug they used worked wonders, leaving her a hangover. She rubbed her temples as an excruciating pain crossed along her head in curvy lines and then almost jumped off the bed as she realized that she was no longer in a basement but in the comforting confines of her room. ?What the?? Why am I here???

Just then, Pagan entered the room and greeted her good morning. ?Good morning, Miss Relena. So, how?s your sleep???

She blinked her eyes twice so as to make sure that this is not just a dream that would eventually fade away. ?Why am I here Pagan? I didn?t remember going home.? She asked as she shooed the horrifying memory of last night?s incident away while turning her head in every direction possible, still confused.?

?Oh, yes Miss. You went home last night asleep. Good thing, Mr. Cortamaga drove you over after he found you sleeping in your office. It was so gentleman of him to do such a kind deed. Don?t you think so, Miss Relena???

?No? uh, I mean, yes. He?s such a gentleman.? She lied while rubbing her sleep-dazed eyes with the back of her hands.?

?Oh, by the way, you have a call. It?s your brother.? The chauffeur informed her, handed her the portable vidcom and left the room.
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?Thank you, Pagan.? Relena took the vidcom and wondered, ?Why is my brother calling?? She shrugged the thought away and plastered a smile on her face to greet her older brother. ?Hello! Good to see you Milliard.??

?Oh no, don?t you ever put up that fake smile on me, Relena. I know you too well, so, drop off that mask right now.? Zechs reprimanded her sister in a brotherly tone.?

Relena chuckled a little at her brother?s ESP or extra sensory perception when it comes to her, ?Okay. So, what made you call me up???

?Don?t be sarcastic, Relena. We are very worried here about the issue that jerk pulled up.??

?Don?t worry, Milliard. I?m fine. Everything?s under control.??

?No, it?s not. Relena, can?t you see that if ever you won?t be able to overcome this, then you?ll die? We don?t want that to happen so we have already came up with a plan, in case things don?t go well in your trial this morning.??

?What plan? You mean you?re constructing a plan even without my knowledge or consent. ? Relena confusedly inquired.?

?Yes, we did. If all of your backup plans didn?t turn out fine, then this is our last resort. We?re planning to take you away from earth and stay for a while in colony L1 until we can find a firm evidence that will prove your innocence.??

?No, I won?t live my life as a fugitive. You don?t understand.??

?Well, if I can?t persuade you, then the next person on the line might help.? Zechs terminated their connection and hooked up Relena to the other line in colony L1.?

?Relena.?? At the sound of the young man?s voice, Relena already knew that it was him. Her heart skipped a bit at the mention of his name. ?Heero???

?Relena, we have no time for formalities. I want you to listen to me. You are coming here with me in colony L1 and you?ll stay here until Zechs and the others had already put out the flame.? Heero said in his usual monotone voice as if expecting her to obey his command at once.?

Relena saw his face in the screen and can?t help but to take in and admire everything she saw there. He was still that same young man she knew two years ago: emotionless. But she couldn?t deny the fact that she still loves him even after all these years. He still has that unruly dark brown hair and intense Prussian blue eyes. The only thing that has changed is his built, he no longer had a boyish features but a well-toned one at that. He probably had it because of constant soccer game practice. As much as Relena wanted to say yes at the mere thought of being with him, her conscience kept on nagging her to say no. She just couldn?t. First thing?s first. She has her priorities. She can?t put his future on the line for her own happiness. She had already made an arrangement with Mr. Donenfeld and she meant to keep it. ?No.? Relena said as emotionlessly as possible and placed back again that strong and stubborn mask.?

Heero flinched a bit at Relena?s impulsiveness but never showed through his firm fa?ade. He didn?t expect her to refuse and disobey him. ?It?s not a request, it?s an order.??

?You can?t order me around now Heero. I?m not that fifteen-year old love sick puppy that follows you everywhere you go and obeys every word you say.? She shouted back angrily, trying very hard to suppress the tears that were about to fall.?

?Listen, you have no choice. You?re not going to die. Now, don?t be stubborn on me because I don?t have much patience left for you.? Heero glared daggers at her through the monitor.?

Relena saw it all in his eyes. ?He hates me. He doesn?t love me and never will.? Her eyes were now brimming with tears but then she just bit her lower lip to stop it from falling and faced him with all the determination left within her. ?I don?t want him to see me cry.? ??I don?t care if you hate me, Heero. Just leave me alone and let me be. This is my problem, so I?ll solve this on my own whether you approve of it or not.??

?Relena, consider our plan first before rejecting it. You don?t know what you?re missing. Now, call your brother back, if you had already changed your decision. We?ll give you a few days to think.? He said in a bit calmer voice now while running his fingers through his tousled brown hair, hoping that he?d soon get her to cooperate.?

Relena bowed her head down and said, ?I?m sorry. I can?t.? She then terminated the connection as the long suppressed tears shed freely down her smooth cheeks.?

*****
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?Damn it!? Heero irately shouted in front of the blank screen of the vidcom. Before he could even hurl the piece of equipment into the wall, his braided friend immediately stopped him.?

?Hey, What do you think you?re doing? That cost me a lot of bucks, you know.? Duo picked up the device and placed it gently on top of his study table. ? To whom were you talking to a while ago, anyway???

?Relena.??

?Really? Then why are you mad if it?s her?? Duo asked wondering.?

?She wouldn?t want to cooperate with our plan. She said that she?d solve it on her own.? His voice was low and deadly.?

?What? Is she crazy? C?mon, let?s contact the others and call for an emergency meeting right away.??

?Go ahead but don?t expect me to participate. If she?s that stubborn, then let her be. She will soon realize the flaws of her rushed decisions.??

?Come again?? Duo asked a little bit surprised. ?Don?t you even give a damn thing about her? Man, you must help. Her life is at stake.??

?Just shut your fucking mouth. I?ve heard enough of it.? After cursing his friend, Heero walked out of the room and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.?

?Forcing him to do something that he doesn?t want to would only make him backslide even more.? Duo shrugged his head in defeat and let the other man do what he wants. He just picked up the phone to set a meeting.?

*****
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?Crying won?t get me anywhere. I have to prepare myself now for the trial.? Relena managed to blurt out in between sobs. She wiped out the remaining tears from her eyes and instantly stood up from the chair and went inside the bathroom to get ready for the day. An hour later, Relena emerged out of the room, wearing a knee-length black skirt and a collared buttoned-up white blouse.?

?Are we to go now, Miss Relena?? Pagan asked while opening the car?s door. Relena nodded her head and positioned herself inside the car.?

Trees, buildings and light posts were mixing in a swirl of motion as the limousine drove off along the streets. She looked outside, letting her thoughts go wandering. ?Today is the day, in which the beginning of my misery comes about.??

They arrived at the court at about nine in the morning and upon entering the foyer of the said building, Relena was already swarmed by different kinds of media personnel. There were journalists, reporters and cameramen who were flocking every political figure in sight.
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?Miss Peacecraft, was it true that you are to file a not guilty plea for today?s trial???

?Do you now admit that what had Mr. Donenfeld and Mr. Cortamaga alleged on you are factual???

?Is it precise that the Preventer?s Organization was established for your own personal interest???

?Miss Peacecraft, have you already considered the idea that the prosecution team?s evidence might be just forged to ruin your reputation for the upcoming ESUN election???

Relena again and again walked past them while saying the most famous line of nearly all politicians and celebrities. ?No comment.?? She took a seat at the front row of the defense team?s assigned accommodation and took her deep long and last breath as Relena Peacecraft while the woman in front started the arraignment.?

?? Miss Relena Peacecraft against the people of the Earth and Colonies? Congregation faces a charge of treason filed by the ESUN committee last August 15, A.C. 198 ??

Relena closed her eyes upon hearing the word treason; it stung her like a death elegy sung to her in person. The resonance kept on echoing through her brain as if whacking the least sanity left within her. She was snapped back to reality after hearing the woman call her name.?

?Miss Peacecraft? Miss Peacecraft?? The woman asked impatiently while glancing at the paper and then to Relena, evidently waiting for an answer.?

?Pardon?? Relena simply asked.?

?I repeat, Miss Peacecraft, before this arraignment starts, the court wanted to discern whether you are to file a guilty or a not guilty plea.??

Her mind was in complete chaos. It?s as if, the world has frozen and the time has stopped, waiting for her reply. ?What am I going to do? There?s only one thing I believe in, I?m doing this for you, Heero because I love you.? She gathered all her courage and said, ?There?s no need for this trial to persist because I am filing a guilty plea, your honor. Do to me what is right according to the law.??

Every person in the room gasped. They themselves couldn?t believe what had happened, what they had heard and what they had seen. Although, there?s no question in the braveness and boldness that she had displayed, many were still disgusted at her. Because of the repugnance the people inside the room felt at the moment, they shouted ?Traitor? while trying to grasp Relena harshly.?

?Silence.? The judge was shocked but still remained his composure in utter apathy so as not to appear bias and adjourned the trial. ?Miss Peacecraft, what you had said a while ago in court is an evidence itself against you. So, therefore I conclude that this arraignment come to a conclusion and you are to be sentenced to death.? The judge finished off and pounded his mallet hard so as to signal that the trial had already ended.?

She tried to hide her tears in humiliation through her long honey-blonde tresses. ?What have I done to deserve this?? She kept on asking herself while Mr. Sullivan lead her out of the hot-burning shell she was in, which is the court. Just before withdrawing behind the oak wood door, Relena cast a quick look at Mr. Donenfeld?s direction and saw him looking at her with victorious eyes, which made her shudder even more.?

*****
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After the trial, Relena instantaneously asked her chauffeur to drive her home along with Mr. Sullivan. She decided not to face any camera or anyone about the matter because she can?t even explain to herself what had happened.?

?Miss Relena, what has gotten into you? I thought you are to file a not guilty plea.? The lawyer grabbed the opportunity to ask her the question that has been bugging him for the last few minutes since his client admitted something that wasn?t factual.?
When he got no response from the girl beside him, he again insisted for further explanation. ?Talk to me Miss Relena. What?s wrong? After what you did, I can?t assure you that I could still get you out of this quandary. It would be very hard for us, for you in particular. Are you insane? Don?t you know what you were doing back at the courthouse? Come in to your senses, Miss Relena!? Mr. Sullivan reprimanded her while shaking her shoulders to get her back to herself.?

The car stopped at the front entrance of the Peacecraft mansion, just in time when he finally got a reply from her but it was far from what he expected. ?Just leave me alone. Thank you but I won?t need your service any longer. Please, just claim your payment from my secretary. I want to retire for the night and to ready myself to be in prison tomorrow. Goodnight.? Relena answered in an impassive tone of voice, trying to sound casual. But her eyes deceived her; he saw something in there, which is sadness. It was all that was written in her once sparkling aquamarine eyes.?
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A/N: There you go! By the way, sorry for the wrong arraignment procedure because actually I?ve never been in to a courtroom neither into an actual trial itself. I know a little about those things. Anyway, thanks Jooles for appreciating my ficcie here and I also want to apologize to the readers for the wrong spacings, etc. Pls. send in your comments and inquiries on Issahyrp@yahoo.com