I'm sure you've noticed, but the numbers in brackets refer to notes at the end of the chapter.

Chapter III: Rain

De la Fère woke to find his right knee throbbing with pain. Supporting himself on his cane, he hobbled to the window to confirm the joint's prediction: torrential rain poured past the glass and soaked the gardens beyond. Fortunately, the shortest route to his class was almost entirely indoors. The Frenchman ate a light breakfast and packed his lunch before changing into his black uniform. He took up his bag and limped off to class muttering sourly about the 'madwoman' who'd injured him years ago.

He saw Juri as he approached an intersection of two halls. The orange-haired captain saluted him and said, 'I thought you would be joining us at the fencing club yesterday.'

'I met an old friend who also happens to attend this school. We haven't seen each other for two years, so we spent most of the afternoon catching up. I'm afraid I won't be able to attend today's meeting, either.' De la Fère tapped his leg with his cane.

'Did you hurt yourself yesterday?'

'No; it's an old injury that pains me when it rains, that's all.' The Frenchman refused to elaborate on how the injury had occurred and the two parted ways at the next intersesction.

The rain was even harder at noon, prohibiting eating in the open. Instead, de la Fere found a sheltered spot on one of the arched hallways near his classroom. The arches opened on a small grassy quad, and a cool breeze carried the faint scent of roses. Anne found him there a few minutes after he'd sat down. As she seated herself beside him, she asked, 'How's your leg?'

'The same as it's been every rainy day for the past two years. It hurts.'

The girl coloured and tried to change the subject. Her eyes fell on the pip at Edouard's throat. 'I see you've won the Provincials for the 13-18 age group.'

'Only because you weren't competing. I would have two if my leg hadn't kept me from entering the year you left. I believe this year's tournament begins next month. No doubt some student of your school or mine will win.'

Anne turned away for a moment when her friend mentioned his injury again. 'I…I'm sorry about that. I can't believe it still hurts after all this time.'

'Don't apologize. I'm sure that what I did to you hurt just as much and just as long.'

Tear-filled green eyes closed at the memories. After a moment, the blonde said, 'It did. But you're with me now, and that helps the pain a little.'

The young man smiled sadly. 'But that pain will never be completely gone. It's the same way with my leg: the pain was much worse the winter after I broke it [1].' Edouard wrapped one arm around Anne's shoulders. She stiffened, but only for a moment before sliding her head closer to him.

'This reminds me of the time we climbed the spire of St. Croix. We'd stopped to rest in one of those arches when it started raining [2]. We stayed up there all day until the rain stopped. Do you remember the look on our parents' faces when we got home?' The two smiled at each other and Edouard commented, 'You were, what? Fourteen at the time?'

Anne nodded and he continued, 'I still can't believe we managed to get that high without falling. What do you think of climbing that bell tower some time?'

'Are you crazy? Akio Ohtori, the school's Chairman lives in that tower! Most people don't take kindly to strangers climbing their walls, you know.'

At that moment, the bell rang to signal and end to the lunch break. Edouard rose with Anne's help and said, 'I'll see you again at dinner tonight, won't I?'

'Of course. You're the only one of my friends who can cook.' Anne left him with a peck on the cheek.

'Excuse me; who's the blonde you were talking with?' asked a boy's high-pitched voice from behind de la Fère once the young woman was out of earshot. De la Fère recognized him as the lackey to another blonde he'd seen on campus. She wore a uniform similar to Anne's, but in a rather nauseous yellow.

'An old friend of mine from France. Why does your mistress wish to know who I speak to?' The Frenchman held the boy's eyes with a cold gaze that brooked no evasion.

The lackey squirmed under this interrogation and at length stammered, 'Ah…she's seen that blonde around and wondered who she was, but no one seemed to know. Then I saw you with her and thought you would know.'

De la Fère turned his back on the blonde boy and strode off to class, saying, 'Tell your mistress that if she wishes to ask anything of me, she may do so in person.'

Once the Frenchman was out of sight, a yellow-clad young woman stepped out of the shadows at the far end of the colonnade. A silver ring set with a ruby rose glinted in the light. Imperious grey eyes glared at the young boy.

'Well, what did she say?' the sharp-faced blonde demanded of her lackey, who repeated the message with great trepidation as his mistress' face darkened with every word. 'So he thinks he's too good to give you an answer. I'll teach him to treat my messenger with the respect he deserves!'

'But, Miss Nanami….' The blonde cut short the boy's protest with a sharp gesture.

'Watch them for me. There can be only one blonde at Ohtori.'

'Yes, Miss Nanami.' She strode off, humming softly to herself. The boy sat down opposite de la Fère's classroom and pulled a small black book from his pocket. 'Let's see…wake-up call at 7:15, breakfast until eight. I need to work in some time to…'

******************

Anne's firm knock resounded through Edouard's apartment as the clock struck half past six. He opened the door to admit the blonde, who bore a small box in her hands. He asked, 'Is that for me?'

In reply, she opened the box to reveal a polished wooden plaque with the title 'Le Bastion St. Gervais' branded on it [3]. 'It's for your door.'

'I'll never be free of that book, will I?'

'Not if I have anything to do with it.'

'We can put that up later. The food's getting cold.'

The two ate slowly, spicing the plain fare with reminiscences of other days. Embarrassing stories flew as the two friends tried to one-up each other. The consequences of wearing a miniskirt on a windy day gave way to those of interrupting a slumber party. Edouard admitted defeat when Anne recounted that tale. Changing the subject, he asked, 'By the way, what do you think of the fencing club here?'

She snorted. 'Half of them barely know which end of the foil to hold. They just show up to drool over the Captain. The other half are barely worth fencing against. There are a few with talent, though: Kaoru Miki and Arisugawa Juri are the best of them. Tenjou Utena shows up now and again…she's good, but she needs discipline. I usually go once or twice a week for practice. I beat a few people, then lose to Juri before leaving. Most of their meetings consist of people losing to Juri.'

'Sounds boring. Maybe we could liven it up a little.' Just how he proposed to do this was lost as the great bells pealed. A few moments later, a brilliant light flared in the window. Anne poured herself another glass of wine and commented, 'It seems another challenger for the Rose Bride has fallen to Mademoiselle Tenjou.' At her companion's inquiring glance, she elaborated, 'That's what the rumours say, at least. You've met the Student Council, haven't you? I've heard that they duel her now and then for the poor girl. Before Mademoiselle Tenjou showed up, the Rose Bride was passed around the Council every few months.'

Edouard shrugged. 'That's no affair of ours. We have our own problems to deal with.'

'Speaking of that, are you doing anything this weekend?'

'No…do you have anything in mind?'

'There's a theater a few blocks from the school with a little Chinese restaurant next door. I've eaten there a couple times-' She was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. Edouard opened it to find the young boy from earlier holding a sealed envelope addressed 'To the French Blonde.'

Anne took the letter and broke the yellow rose on the flap with her thumb. Heavily scented vine-bordered paper held the following childish scrawl:

I challenge you for the right of being the sole blonde at Ohtori Academy. Meet me at the Dueling Arena behind the school at noon tomorrow.

Kiryuu Nanami

'You wrote this for her, didn't you? That ditz couldn't have come up with two sentences this long if her life depended on it.'

The boy coloured and coughed. 'That's her own handwriting. I did help her pick the words, though.'

'Tell you mistress that I'll be in the Arena at noon. We will duel with swords.' Anne closed the door behind the boy after he bowed himself out. Turning to her companion, she asked, 'Edouard, I don't suppose you have a sword I can borrow?'

The Frenchman vanished into the bedroom without a word and returned a moment later carrying his green-hilted rapier and a plain leather baldric. 'Take this in memory of what we had and in token of what may come.' He looped the baldric over her shoulders with the sword hanging at her left hip. 'How all you lack is a plumed hat.'

'I can't take this. What will you do if you ever get into another duel?'

A thin smile graced Edouard's lips as he replied, 'I don't intend to be in a second duel. However, I have other weapons.' He accompanied this last remark with a significant swing of his cane.

'I don't think a stick will help much in a duel.' The smile only deepened. 'It may be enough against the younger Kiryuu, though. I've never heard that she ever possessed the Rose Bride. In fact, I think she duels more in imitation of her brother than anything else.' The bells struck nine, and Anne bowed to her host. 'I should get back to my room to try this sword out. Good night, Edouard.'

********************

The next day dawned clear and cloudless, though cool from the rain. Word of the challenge had somehow gotten out, albeit in a very incomplete form-de la Fère overhead more than one girl state that the two women were dueling over him. Needless to say, he quashed that rumour ruthlessly. One girl maintained that the two were dueling to determine which of them deserved the right to be the only blonde of Ohtori; no one paid her any mind.

As de la Fère took his seat, the boy in front of him turned to ask, 'Say, you're French too, aren't you? Do you know the girl that Kiryuu Nanami's dueling today?'

'She's an old friend of mine. I shall be her second today.'

'Do you know why they're dueling?' a petite redhead asked with a blush.

'The challenge said something to the effect of "Stay away from my brother!" I would assume that Monsieur Kiryuu is involved somehow.' The redhead's hand fell heavily on the desk as her breath came in quick shallow gasps.

'She'd go that far…to keep…competition away?' The rest of the class laughed boisterously; de la Fère took the redhead by the hand and whispered,

'I apologize if the jest hurt you in any way. Mademoiselle Kiryuu actually challenged my friend out of jealousy at the discovery that another blonde attends this school. She seems to have the idea that the Academy can only have one blonde female student at one time.' The redhead burst out laughing at this fresh evidence of Nanami's foolishness.

'Ahem. While I'm sure that Mr. de la Fère has a brilliant career as a comedian in his future, I know that at least some of you are interested in the college entrance exams. If you want to be prepared for them, take your seats and allow me to take roll.' Asako Genjo's caustic comment cut through the laughter and the students slowly drifted back to their proper seats.

The morning classes passed much as the last two had for de la Fère, dull and tedious except for Vampa's history class. A few minutes after the chemistry teacher had left the room, the Frenchman followed suit. He met Anne in one of the small squares scattered about campus. She greeted him warmly and said, 'According to rumour, the Dueling Arena is in the forest at the back of the school. They say that only members of the Student Council-and Tenjou Utena and Himemiya Anthy-can enter, so I'm not sure how we're supposed to get in.'

Guided by rumour, the two friends approached the shadowed wood. A stone gate bearing the ubiquitous Rose ensign barred their way about twenty paces in. Kiryuu Nanami and her blonde lackey stood waiting for them beside the gate. Neither bore a sword or any other weapon. When Anne remarked on this, the younger blonde replied haughtily, 'That will be taken care of once we're in the Arena. Follow me.'

Nanami touched her rose signet ring to the gate; the portal slid open to reveal a broad lane marching towards a steel gate. Stately oaks lined the path, concealing what lay beyond the far gate. Moist green moss yielded underfoot as the small party strode down the path. Anne halted several paces from the second gate and gaped at what seemed to be a broad platform floating amidst the clouds. A closer look revealed a slender slanting stem connecting the Arena to the earth. Nanami pulled her impatiently to the gate.

This second portal parted at the touch of Nanami's ring as had the first. A broad staircase spiraled upwards to their right, twining about the stem's open metal grillwork. Nanami laid her hand on a rose-engraved plate opposite the gate. The grille slid open to reveal what seemed to be a small elevator. None of the four gave any sign of unease over the impending duel as they rode up.

The elevator opened on a great round plaza surrounded by a low crenellated parapet. Gleaming marble paved the Arena, with a gigantic crimson rose in the center. Nanami motioned for de la Fère and de Beuil to take their places at the far side and asked, 'Do you know how we duel here?'

De la Fère bowed slightly. 'I do, and I shall instruct my friend while you prepare yourself, Mademoiselle Kiryuu.'

A low table stood at the far side of the Arena, holding a rainbow of short-stemmed roses. De la Fère set their bags down under the table and fixed a crimson rose in de Beuil's breast pocket, saying, 'Victory goes to the one who removes her opponent's rose. There's no need to kill her…unless you feel like it, of course.'

Anne grunted and drew her sword. 'She's irritating, but I have no desire to shed blood. It will be enough if she gives up this ridiculous idea that there can be only one blonde at this school.'

While this conference was going on, Nanami had her lackey affix a yellow rose to her jacket. When he was finished, she called out, 'When I win this duel, you will leave this school forever, pretender!'

De Beuil silently saluted her opponent and stepped away from de la Fère. Nanami bent her lackey backwards over her arm and a brilliant light flared from his chest. His mistress pulled a plain rapier from the light and stepped forward to face the Frenchwoman. The guard consisted of a simple ring and swept quillions

A great bell below tolled the first of twelve beats. Nanami charged forward, lunging for de Beuil's rose. The older woman spun aside, sword flashing in the sun. As she turned to face de Beuil, Nanami's aiguillettes parted into a series of frayed tassels at her shoulder. The older blonde stood casually on guard, seemingly indifferent to her foe's discomfiture.

De Bueil effortlessly parried a series of thrusts and flicked off one of Nanami's buttons. Infuriated at being toyed with, Nanami flew at the older woman, slashing wildly. Their blades met at the hilt and the two duelists strove to drive the other back. De Beuil proved the stronger and threw Nanami to the ground. She cut the yellow rose free with a flip of her sword.

'Miss Nanami!' The tow-headed boy ran to his mistress' side and helped her to sit up. She cried inconsolably as the consequences of her loss sank in.

The elevator door clanked open to admit Kiryuu Touga and his inseparable green-haired companion. The latter favoured de la Fère with a cold, flat stare, to which the latter returned only a polite nod of the head. 'Nanami, you know better than to use the Dueling Arena for personal reasons. I'm sorry, Miss….'

'De Beuil.' Kiryuu acknowledged the name with a smile and a deep bow

'I'm sorry about this, Miss de Beuil. My sister can be…impetuous at times. I hope you are not hurt?'

'Don't make me leave the school!' Nanami screamed.

'You don't have to leave. Just use this for a week and don't challenge me again.' De Beuil pulled a small brown bottle from her bag and threw it to the other blonde. Nanami wiped her eyes with her sleeve and read the label with no small shock.

As the elevator door closed behind them, Edouard noted, 'Monsieur Kiryuu seems quite taken with you from the way he stared.'

Anne snorted. 'I'm not interested in him. I have you, after all. Besides, Omnium mulierum vir est.'

'Etne omnium virorum mulier?[4]' Her companion cocked an eyebrow and finished the ancient slander.

'If you believe all the rumours, yes. And even if he isn't, I do not intend to share a man with anyone.'

******************

Ohtori buzzed the next day with news of a strange change in the Student Council President's sister. Though she retained her customary hauteur (except when de Beuil or de la Fère was mentioned) and yellow uniform, her hair had become the darkest raven black. Her lackey refused to comment and those who asked Nanami were rudely rebuffed with screams and blows. A few who saw some connexion between this event and her rumoured duel with Anne de Beui applied to that lady and her countryman. The two merely smiled and replied, 'It is a matter of honour; I can say no more.'

Notes:

1) I'm sure you can draw parallels between Anne's tears and the rain; and between the pain of her heart and the pain of Edouard's leg. The plain and simple fact, however, is that she was pissed about the break-up and broke his knee.

2) The cathedral in Orleans is named St. Croix. If you do a Google image search of that name, you will notice that the towers of this cathedral have a tier of arches just above roof level.

3) After a famous incident in The Three Musketeers where the four friends (along with one of their lackeys and a dozen dead men) held that bastion against an army for somewhat over an hour. It was the result of a bet with four other soldiers in the army besieging La Rochelle.

4) The Latin translates as 'He is every woman's man.' 'And every man's woman?' It's a freely mangled version of the famous tag applied to Julius Caesar. Appropriate for Touga, if you think about it.

General: For those of you keeping track, Anne has been at Ohtori for two years now. You may object that Nanami had to have noticed her at some point. I would point out that it took her quite some time to notice her metamorphosis into a cow in one episode.

If anyone has a better candidate for the person Nanami pulls her sword from, please tell me. I suppose Touga is a good choice, but I don't think he would approve of this duel.