The wind swirled around the trees and buildings. The wind was fierce, blowing the snowflakes of the winter storm towards the grand castle. A man with long platinum hair stood alone. His hair was in a ponytail, but it still whipped around his solitary figure. His jacket was of the finest fabric in the world. It had a deep blue hue, and a light robins blue intertwining and mixing together. The rest of the jacket was white. He was wearing the old European style of clothes. He was somewhat sheltered by the pillars and the brush that surrounded him. He was standing at the entrance of the maze. He looked out at the winter wonderland scene that was laid before him.
So beautiful...
The wind made its way toward him, it seemed to be a powerful gust, but...this gust seemed to hit his face...like...fire? He shook his head, and turned to the doorway. His eyes stung with his own tears.
Heh, tears, never thought I was capable...
He looked back up at the sky and closed his eyes.
Not capable when needed at least...
He opened his eyes and stared, stared at nothing, nothing except frozen flowers in a frozen maze. His eyes darted from figure to figure, taking in its splendor. The snow, it seemed to him, was not white, but a light tranquil blue.
Just like her eyes...how I long to see those eyes...
The blue snowflakes danced on the air, forming the shape of a dancing young woman. It wasn't detailed, but anyone could tell. He smiled; she danced and danced, swirling on the snowflakes. She moved so ever gracefully, it was like she commanded them. He stepped out of his shelter to move closer. She continued to dance, her dress swishing around her lifeless body. It seemed that when he had considered touching her, she had finally noticed him. Suddenly her faint figure vanished, and in its place, a pair of brilliant light blue eyes appeared. He took a step back.
"Noin..."
Noin, the woman who he had dreamed of for so long. He smiled.
Only in my daydreams Noin. I could never be so fortunate to have you by my side again...
He went up to put his hand through it, instantly a sharp piece of ice slashed at his face. It wasn't serious, but the ice left that part of his face red. His eyes went wide as the memories flooded to his attention.
"Just like you Noin, cold and sharp..."
::FLSHBK::
"Don't you touch me!! Are you out of your mind? That WOMAN is a leech, you know why she wants you."
"I know Noin, but listen to me. I'm not MARRYING the girl, its just dinner."
"Oh wow, just like how it was JUST dinner a week ago. I know what's going on, you're with her and you wont admit it."
"How...Yes, I cheated, but its not physical, just mandatory."
"Sure. I don't have time for this Zechs I have to go now. I have work to do."
"Yeah right, don't you mean work someone?"
Her face grew hot and red.
"You really are a prince. You know what? I don't care! Do what you will, go on and marry your Lilly. I think you two deserve each other. Good-bye Zechs."
::ENDFLSHBK::
He sighed he had been tormented by what he did. First, he drags her into war, his own personal war. Then, he challenges her love and loyalty by not showing up for a year, and now this. For the first time in his life he needed her. He never had before, he thought.
Ah, who am i kidding...I've always needed you Lu....
"You shouldn't be out here in this weather. You might get sick."
Lily stood behind him on the porch. He jerked himself out of his thoughts. There she was, Lilith Laurence. HIS Lilith Laurence, his fiancé. She was, in one word, was breathtaking. She had grown up in the kingdom and was very well known.
She was everything a man would want, well, anything a regular man would want. He stiffened, and put on his mask. His face, that angelically beautiful face, was covered, again. He fingered the detail on the mask and cursed at himself.
Forever hiding...
Yes, Zechs Marquise was hiding, behind a mask, again. Only now it was on occasion, yet still, somehow he felt comfort when he covered his face.
Anything to hide from the truth...
"Is there anything wrong Milliardo? Maybe if you come inside and warm up...."
"I'm fine.... SWEETIE."
God i feel so dirty.
"Well, shall we go then?"
He plastered on a smile.
"Lets."
They moved off of the porch to the door. It wasn't a long walk, but it took them five minutes to get there. Of course this gave Zechs some more time to loath himself more before he went in.
Why do I have to be such a wretch...All I ever do is mess things up, just like I messed up you Noin, oh what the Hell, I could never mess her up.
By the time he had thought these thoughts, Relena greeted him and Lily. Relena, like her brother, was dressed in traditional clothes. Relena knew what he was thinking about, so did Lily, but Lily didn't care. She won the war.
Oh for the love of God Milliardo, stop thinking of that trash.
"Hello Relena. How is everything? Okay I hope."
Relena, like her brother, plastered on a fake, very fake, smile.
"Everything is perfectly at ease, but things would be better if we join the party."
"Of course, I'll leave you two here while I entertain the guests."
"Skank..."
Relena said under her breath after Lily went through the door. Relena didn't like her, and she didn't bother to hide it. She smiled at her boldness.
"Shall we?"
"Yes. But of course you know I hate this."
"Yeah, well at least you have your mask."
"Yes, this damned mask. Why in this world have I've been cursed. Me, of all people!"
"Charming."
Yes brother, why you? Using that mask again. Why you hide is a mystery to me. Well, not really, when it comes to Noin...
...I never hide anything.
"My life is an endless viscous cycle. I've tried to avoid this all my life. Do we HAVE to go through this?"
It was one of the rare times Relena saw her brother whine. She laughed on the outside, but on the inside, she felt Zechs' pain. He was the only one of the two who remembered life before the massacre. It was his world.
Poor Milliardo, pulled from a life and family he loved so much...oh my poor dear brother.
"This is our path Relena. We must take it with pride. I know that you know my feelings about this and i want to thank you for understanding, this is not going to be easy for me."
Relena nodded.
"I understand. Shall we then?"
Zechs sighed.
"Yes, we shall. Mrs. Peacecraft."
"Mr. Peacecraft."
The pair walked through the gigantic doors. They both smiled this was it, another evening of hypocrites and well dressed whores. This was his life, no; THEIR life now, and there was no turning back.
"Presenting Prince Milliardo and Princess Relena. Joint rulers of our country."
They made their way to their thrones. Yes, here they were, royalty again, and unfortunately for Zechs, there were going to stay that. Lilly made her way to her fiancé'.
"Come dance with your future wife."
"Pleasure."
As the pair walked off to dance, Lilly gave Relena a dirty look. Relena, making sure no one saw her, flicked her off. Flustered, Lilly dragged Zechs to the middle of the floor.
It doesn't matter, I have what i want, I won the war.
Relena just sat back and watched.
Hm, you may have won the war, but are you ready for Armageddon?