Misplaced Childhood

Another note to add is that I'm taking a writing liberty here with the characters' pasts. I'm afraid I don't know all that much about the pasts of some of these characters ;;^^ Bear with me, please... And, Dorothy's just a tad older than she should be.

A small hand lifted the drapes covering the window and soon a young face appeared in the panes of glass. Eyes of coffee brown blinked as bright sunlight hit the child's face and momentarily and drapery began falling back into place. Then the child adjusted to the sun and the drapes were pulled all the way back. A little girl pressed one hand against the window to feel the sun's warmth against her palm.

There came a sound of laughing and her eyes searched the grounds outside to find a group of children run by, laughing and playing about. She had been told that she wasn't allowed outside. The children caused too much trouble, the adults said, and she was too much of a lady to be around such troublemakers.

Her lips turned into a small frown and she squinted against the sun as she tried to see what game the group had set up outside. She watched their games as minutes turned to hours and the sun began to set. Slowly the other children began to leave until no one was left and there was no one to watch. Yet, she stayed at the window, staring outside at where others her age had been.

The boy had the best spot to sit and observe the other children of the nearby village. He was atop a grassy hill and looking down on a field of grass where a few ideal climbing trees were scattered on the edges. Someone had set up small goals for soccer and teams were being picked. A slight smile crossed the boy's lips as he leaned back. Such games that were for regular children did not fit his character. Yes, he would easily fit in with the children below, for he was their age, but if he acted as he wished to, he would not seem fit to be there. He acted far older than he was.

`Parents,' he mused, `can school their children to whatever they wish if they try hard enough.' Someone rode onto the field on a bicycle and began doing tricks to impress some friends nearby. There was laughing from another direction and then there were some arms peeking out from tree branches as more children scrambled to make it to the top.

It sounded so pleasant... The soundtrack of happiness, perhaps. Happiness and youth... something so easily lost. The boy's lips twitched, threatening to frown, but he fought the urge back and allowed himself to just listen to the others' enjoyment.

The little girl quieted and pressed her hands into her lap, trying not to fidget. The drive to the “friends'” home was to be a rather long one and she wasn't looking forward to such a long, silent ride. Her eyes caught sight of a passing sign and she mouthed to herself, “A.” At least it was something to do...

Maybe this place would have another child that she could play with; at least she hoped so. Only children of “friends” were appropriate for her to play with. `K!' she caught quickly, then continued with her other thoughts.

The boy hid his laughter as he mother turned, outraged, to his father and scolded him for saying such a thing. `Ah, but Dorothy is a pest. You cannot deny that.' He smiled to himself before leaving the room and descending the stairs towards the sitting room where his cousin and uncle were waiting for his parents to come down.

The small girl in question stuck her tongue out at her father and then turned to Treize, smiling sweetly. “Uh... yes...” Treize hesitated. It wasn't often that someone approached him with a friendly, conversing tone without a polite air about it.

“I have sympathy for you, my boy, but I'm sure you'll manage. I hear that you'll also be putting up with a two-year-old? My, what a handful we've brought together.”

Soon the host and hostess entered the room and directed Treize to take Dorothy into another room to wait for the other guests to arrive. Dorothy wandered about the room, tugging at the drapes, spinning the globe, digging through drawers... From experience, Treize knew not to even try and stop her. The child was a regular little monster with a high curiosity level that just couldn't be satisfied.

When the door opened some time later, his father entered with a pretty woman that directed two children into the room. The boy was older than Dorothy, but the girl was younger.

Following through on the proper greeting, the boy bowed to the woman and went through the proper procedure. As the two adults left, the children remained behind. Dorothy had already come up and started circling the siblings, her small face molded into a concentrating look.

“Don't frighten them, Dorothy,” Treize told her, moving forward to clasp the young boy's hand. “Hello. I have visited Sanq before; it's such a lovely place. You once let me see your gardens, I'll have to show you mine, here. But, that will be later.”

The toddler began tugging on her brother's sleeve, looking wide-eyed at Dorothy. The pale-haired boy turned his gaze down on his sister and rested a hand on her shoulder, “It's alright, Relena.”

“Dorothy,” Treize warned again. His cousin just grinned at him and skipped off to the other side of the room. Shaking his head in amusement, Treize looked down at Relena. “She's grown a bit. It seems she takes more after her mother with her hair...” He touched the girl's shiny, golden blond locks.

Once again the door opened and this time a young girl only a few years younger than Treize entered. Her parents weren't to be seen, but General Catalonia, Dorothy's father, entered after her. “And here is the last of your small group. May I present Une to you.” The small child seemed to clasp her hands at her sides as she looked about the room with wide, brown eyes. “My little lady, here you'll find Mirialdo and Relena Peacecraft of Sanq, my nephew, Trieze Kushrenada, and my little monster of a child, Dorothy.” Une's eyes widened in what looked a cross between amusement, horror, and shock at the last part. The general laughed and touched her shoulder lightly. “Don't worry, they'll be kind to you. Have some fun, and take care, Treize.”

“Not so stiff, young man, you're around children for once. Act your age.” General Catalonia winked before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

“Oh, well... it is rather unusual. My uncle is the only one who will say such a thing.” Treize smiled at her kindly. “It's a rather nice day out, shall we head outside?”

“She hasn't seen the sun.” Dorothy was pointing openly at Une's pale arms and was glaring at her cousin with a pout on her face. “Won't she turn bright red?” The idea made the younger girl's eyes suddenly sparkle.

The suddenness of the comment caused Treize to loose whatever he was about to say and turn to stare at the younger Peacecraft. Mirialdo hid laughter while Une looked a bit flustered.

He took the lead, directing the small group down a hallway and out glass doors that led onto a patio area. “There's a nice spot in the gardens; here, I'll show you.” They went past hedges of roses and through a variety of other types of flowers before reaching what seemed the center of the garden. A circular gazebo stood at the junction of four paths. Benches lined the rim of it and Dorothy plopped herself down right away, legs swinging back and forth as she stared intently at Mirialdo.

“I'm impressed, Treize,” Mirialdo smiled slightly at the older boy before taking his own seat. “Somehow I couldn't picture a military family holding such lovely gardens like this.”

Treize overlooked the latter part of the comment and reached out to caress the petals of a nearby flower. “Mother loves the view. I believe it has also rubbed off on me. You do not believe beauty and war can mix?”

`Two boys talking about war and beauty... but the Sanq kingdom... oh, the pacifist nation. Of course the ideals would be taught immediately.' She tuned back into the conversation and found herself entranced with the flow of Treize's speech. `He's so convincing...' she thought.

“What about you, Mirialdo... are you merely in favor of these peaceful ways because of your family? I do have my own plans for when I finish training. I know what I want to know, I have my goal already set. It does turn away, a bit, from my family's ideas, but I am not one to tell them that now.”

For a moment Mirialdo looked a bit thrown off and he blinked at Treize owlishly. In the moments of Treize's amusement, Une broke in carefully. “I want to fight. I want to be in the battle for peace.” Attention was drawn to her and she seemed to draw back momentarily. But something inside her nudged her to speak some more. “I... I'm not sure yet since I'm supposed to be a lady. But I'd rather do something worthwhile and not just sit back. I want to take some action. I hear all about the oppression that's going on, how things are being strained. Is it true war will break out in a few years? If that's so, I'll be at the right age to enlist and fight!”

In two years' time she was accepted into the Specials' Academy and began her training. The first day remained marked in her mind, however, for the moment she stepped out of the car the other trainees that were nearby began laughing at her. They pointed and began whispering to each other. She overheard some of the comments; about her pale skin and thin body. They thought her too frail. Perhaps she only was meant to be a lady.

“We meet again.” She looked up, recognizing the voice even though she could hear the changes in the voice. The tawny-haired teen smiled at her charmingly and motioned a hand behind him, towards the Academy. “Please, let me welcome you here. You've taken your first step in achieving your dream. It's a hard one, but you've made it this far. Shall I escort you to the doors?”

“Of course.” She followed after him, feeling her confidence build her. She swallowed her fear, promising herself that she would do her hardest to prove that she could do as she wished. She wanted to see that goal that Treize had spoken of two years ago on a hot, summer afternoon. A magnificent battle, followed by a peace that would last. She smiled slightly as they passed through the doors.

Pale hair was being blown into the young face and as the boy turned back to face the driver, the man was caught off-guard by seeing ice-blue eyes that looked far older than he was. “I want... no, I need to be here.” Quickly the boy grabbed his small bag and closed the door, running up the first few steps towards the large building that was towering over him.

Classes must have been out for the weekend since students of varying ages - all older than him, however - sat along the steps with textbooks open on their laps or just sitting in a clump of friends. Some stopped what they were doing and stared at him. One jeered, “Lost, little guy? Where's ya mama?”

He bit back a remark, wanting to slap the boy for even saying that. `What would you think now, Father? I'm going to try and train at an actual academy. Personal trainers are too expensive and no one keeps me long enough. I need to be here...' He glanced up towards the skies, having a sinking feeling knowing that his parents would not approve with his new approach on peace.

His footsteps stopped, and his head lifted a bit higher. Although his eyes were filled with unshed tears he spun around, facing everyone that was on the steps. What could he say? What could he say to make them shut up while keeping who he was a secret? There was... nothing... Nothing he could do...

He stood there while everyone continued to joke with him and he realized that as he stood there he gave away his fear, his hurt. It wasn't something he was supposed to show... he needed to get into the building. He needed to at least make it inside.

Slowly, painfully slowly, he turned around again and began moving again towards the doors, head held up high as he ignored the jeers thrown his way. `One... Two... Three... Four... Five... I can do this. I have to. I have to...'

He stopped only a moment to reach out and pull the door open. `Remember the games with sister. It's hide and seek in a new place...' His lips twitched just slightly. It was going to be sort of like hide and seek. And right now he needed to find the enrolling office.

“I swear this place has gone mad, have you heard of some of the latest recruits? A few months ago you have some petite lady-like creature fly in and now a kid hardly out of his diapers?”

“Huh. I'll have to check that out later. But that other girl... her name's Une, I hear she's really good, looks to be one of the top academic students and the most quickly improving student for the physical training.”

One small hand rested against the window, the other holding back the curtains. Outside of the glass panes ice-blue eyes could see the training drills that students were running through. `I want to be out there. I can do it. I can.' There was some passing laughter in the hallway and he turned his head back, to see if anyone would open the door to his room. No one had, yet. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised. He was in a special guest room. The enrolling officer had turned him down, claiming him to be far too young. He was directed to stay in the guest room until someone could be found to take him in. The man was even threatening to send him to an orphanage. `No...not again...'

He moved away from the window and dropped onto the bed, pulling his knees up to his chest. He rested his face against his knees, his hair falling forward to help hid his face as tears began to trace down his cheeks. Crying was no way to prove he could be a soldier... he had to be strong. He tried to think of something to distract him, but the only thing that came to mind was the nursery song his mother once sang to him; something that comforted him.

“Hush-a-by, don't you cry... go to sleep my little baby... when you wake, you shall have... all the pretty little horses... blacks and bays... dapples and grays... all the pretty little horses... hush-a-by... don't... you... cry...” His voice trailed off softly, his tears slowing but a deep pain in his chest increasing. It hurt, knowing they weren't around anymore. It hurt so much... “Why'd you leave?” he whispered. “Why'd you leave me with sister? Why'd you leave when you know I can't take care of her?”

Seeing a familiar face tugged at him painfully and Mirialdo couldn't help it. He ran over to the older boy and clutched onto him tightly, crying. “They died and left me! Those people killed them! They're dead! They're dead!” He sobbed brokenly, finally letting loose what kept lingering in his mind.

As the young boy cried himself out, Treize held him close for comfort and closed the door so that the other would not be humiliated if any rude students passed by. As he stroked the pale locks of hair, Treize wondered over the rumors he'd heard of a young boy coming to enroll. It couldn't be possible... the heir of a pacifist nation becoming a soldier? He didn't think that to be in Mirialdo's personality. Then again, considering that Mirialdo was still considered a child and also all that he had been through...

Drawing back, and wiping his tears, the young boy straightened himself and stared up with determined eyes. “I want to become a soldier. I want to fight!” `I want my revenge on those people... I don't want this pain again... I want to protect Relena.'

`We're just children... what are we doing here?' The thought came, unbidden, to Treize as he stared at the determined young boy. Mirialdo looked more of a man, now, than a boy. A little soldier already... `It hurts to see you so drastically changed, my friend.'

On the other side of the wall, Une leaned against the door, her head bowed. It was sort of amusing to know that they were all there at the academy, striving for a goal far into the future. Was it even plausible that they all would survive? The time when she had been so withdrawn and locked away from the world seemed years ago, even when it was only a few months.

It baffled her to think in such a way... she was merely twelve, how could her life seem centuries old? `How will war change me? How much will I change?' One hand reached up to touch her face lightly before trailing to her nose and pushing up her glasses. As she lifted her head, the lens reflected the light and momentarily she was reminded of the days she gazed out the window at all the other children playing in the streets. She refused to let herself be so sheltered again.

A loud bell signaled that she needed to be on the fields for training. She picked up her pace and jogged down the halls, leaving the room with the too-young soldier behind her.