Authors note: Well, I finally got around to continuing my story after years of not adding to it, and I find that someone has hacked into my email account. So, I have decided to start over on this story and give it a new title. I have entitled it "Milena" since she is the main focus of my story. I also had to change my pen name, but wanted to make sure it was still recognizable by my fans, so it will now be Lady Amira II. Not exactly original, but hey, it's the story that counts. I decided to come at it from a different angle as well. I will start my story at the beginning; the day the Sanc Kingdom was attacked. It will still be the same story, but in a format that is easier to understand than several chapters of flashbacks. For new readers unfamiliar with this story, I have created a character named Milena, who is Milliardo's twin sister. The storyline follows the main story of Gundam Wing, but focuses on my character. There will be disturbing content throughout the story, including torture, rape, and incest. If this offends you, DON'T READ IT! I don't want any flames about my story when I gave a perfectly clear warning of the content. It is rated M for good reason So, without further ado, here is the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Lady Amira II , formerly Lady Amira

Chapter 1

Milena was hiding behind the leather chair in her father's study. She peeked out to see if her father was coming yet. Seeing nothing, the princess frowned. She was certain he should be coming soon. It was Friday. Today was the day that the king always answered correspondence to diplomats and any family members that he kept in touch with. The clock in the corner chimed 1:00, and as if on cue, Milena heard her father's voice coming from down the hall. She grinned and ducked back behind the chair.

She looked around, and frowned again. The leather chair was one of two chairs that sat in front of the fireplace. Deciding her hiding place was too open; she quickly darted across the study and wriggled under her father's desk. Milena hated that her father had to work so hard, but such was the life of a king. She had been taught from an early age the important (and in her opinion tiresome) duties required of a royal.

She knew she would never have to worry about ruling the kingdom. She was the second born child of the royal family of the Sanc Kingdom. Her twin brother Milliardo would be the one to assume the throne, thanks to him being born three minutes before her. She would be married off when she was old enough. That had also been something that she had been taught from an early age. Milliardo was particularly fond of telling her so. He'd had a strange smile on his face when he had told her that. It had been rather smug, as if he knew something that she didn't.

Milena held her breath as she heard footsteps approaching. Moments later, she could see her father's booted feet from beneath the desk. To her surprise the king seemed to be quite angry. "I don't care about all their nonsense." He was saying to an unseen person. "I will not back down. The Sanc Kingdom has always upheld the ideals of pacifism, and I refuse to be the one to deviate from that policy. Should a war come of this, I will declare the Sanc Kingdom neutral. I will not have a part in a senseless tyranny."

"Of course not, Your Majesty." The unseen person answered. It was Percy, the king's chief advisor. "Shall I convey the message to Senator Darlain, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"Yes, please do Percy." Her father answered.

Milena heard Percy's footsteps fade away and held her breath. Any moment now the king would discover her under his desk. She wondered if she would get into trouble. Her father sighed, and she heard the clinking of crystal. It seemed he was going to have a glass of wine before he read any letters. The princess simply didn't have the patience to wait, and crawled out from under the desk. She looked over and saw her father sitting in one of the chairs by the fire.

Hearing the swish of her skirts, the king turned with a look of surprise in his face. "Milena, what were you doing?" he asked her. Milena folded her hands in front of her and looked at her feet.

Then, remembering that a princess always conducted herself with dignity, looked her father in the eye, and replied, "I was hiding under your desk Daddy. I was waiting for you."

The king smiled. That sounded like his Milena. She knew very well that wasn't behavior befitting a princess, but did it anyway. She was a bit of a tomboy too. Her dress was wrinkled from crouching under his desk, and some of her hair had come out of her braid. He knew that if he permitted it, his eldest daughter would dress like a boy a lot of the time. "Oh you were, were you? Shouldn't you be in your study learning your lessons with Margaret?"

Milena grinned. She wasn't in trouble. "Maggie gave us the afternoon off." She told her father.

The king raised his eyebrows. "Oh? What were you learning about today?" he asked Milena.

The princess wrinkled her nose. "The government." She replied.

"Milena, your lessons are very important. You are a princess and must learn all you can." Milena sighed. "If you insist Daddy." The king laughed. "Goodness child, don't sound so excited."

Milena looked at her father through the corner of her eye. "Are you angry that I was hiding under your desk Daddy?"

The king held out his arms, and Milena ran to him and jumped into his lap. He kissed her forehead and asked, "How much did you hear?"

"Nothing much. Just something about a war." Milena replied. "Daddy, is there really going to be a war?" she asked him.

The king frowned. "I don't know, dearest. I hope not, but there's nothing we can do about it if there is. I will keep the people of the Sanc Kingdom safe. That is my duty as king. Now, why don't you run along and play with your brother and sister. All this talk of war is not fit for a six year old princess" Milena stuck her tongue out. "I'm supposed to learn all I can, remember? You said so yourself Daddy."

The king laughed and gently prodded her toward the door. "Go on now, you cheeky little minx. Play with your sister and brother."

Milena pouted. "I can't Daddy. Relena's having her nap, and Milliardo went to Treize's castle in Luxemburg."

Her father frowned. "I didn't know that. I don't think it's safe for you children to be traveling while there is such unrest in the political world. Why didn't you want to go with him? Don't you want to see Treize?"

Milena made a face. "No I don't. He's 11, and very arrogant, thinking he can tell me what to do all the time. I think he needs to have an attitude adjustment." The king laughed. "Oh? You think so? Why is that my dear?" Milena raised her eyebrows in a very adult like manner. "Because I am a princess and he is a future duke, of course. I outrank him and he needs to show me the proper respect that my station demands."

Her father sighed and shook his head. "Milena, you really should learn to get along better with Lord Treize. It will benefit you in the future." Milena was confused by that statement, but shrugged. She kissed her father on the cheek, and left his study. Perhaps she would ask her nanny about that cryptic statement later. She headed to the kitchen to find a snack. Cook usually had something that she could sneak to her room. She hurried across the entry hall into a side hall that led to the kitchen and the servant's quarters; going through the last door on the left.

Milena caught sight of the cook pulling a loaf of her favorite nut bread out of the oven and grinned. "Oh Charlie, how did you know I was coming?"

Charlie, a large balding French man with a rather impressive mustache , turned at the sound of her voice. "Your Highness, it's rather silly to act surprised when I know perfectly well that you come in here nearly every afternoon to sneak some of my goodies. Though I must say it is a bit early in the afternoon for your visit."

Milena hopped onto a chair near the prep table and smiled at him. " I know, but Maggie decided to give us the afternoon off, so I thought I'd come down and see what you have today, and I'm so glad I did. Your nut bread is my favorite. Would you mind slicing me a piece please?"

The cook tried to look stern, and failed. The little princess was so charming, and he found himself grinning. " Would you like a slice for the Crown Prince or the little Princess Relena as well?"

Milena shook her head. "No thank you Charlie. Milliardo is gone and Relena is napping." The cook took a large knife from a drawer to his left, and sliced off a thick chunk of the sweet bread. He took some butter from the butter dish, and spread a generous amount on the bread.

He handed her the bread and pointed to the door. "Now, Your Highness, I would appreciate it if you could vacate my kitchen so I can begin preparations for the evening meal."

Milena jumped down from her perch and grinned at the cook. "Of course Charlie. Sorry I disturbed you." As she turned toward the door, she saw the cook roll his eyes. He always acted as though she annoyed him, but he had always treated her as if she were his own. His little girl had been born with a heart condition and had died two years before.

Milena left the kitchen, eating the delicious sweetbread as she went. Maybe she would go outside. It was such a beautiful day. She was rather bored with Milliardo gone. They almost always played together. She frowned. That reminded her of the cryptic statement her father had made to her about that pompous boy, and she decided to go ask her mother about it. Turning right as she came out of the hall, Milena headed toward the throne room. Her mother could usually be found in that general area. She and Milliardo had just had their birthday , and her mother had decided to host a ball in their honor.

Milena smiled as she thought of the beautiful new ball gown that had been made just for the occasion. She and Milliardo were six now, and her parents had decided that she and her brother had learned enough manners and etiquette to be able to attend a ball. She would also get to wear a tiara, and that made her happy. Despite the fact that she found boys clothing more comfortable, Milena enjoyed getting dressed up once in awhile.

The entire family was here for the occasion. She had many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and they had been around the palace for a few days now. Milena found her mother not in the throne room, but in the ballroom, going over plans for the party, which was to take place later in the evening. Queen Helen was a beautiful woman, with honey colored hair and eyes that were the most beautiful shade of violet. In fact, Milena herself possessed those same violet eyes; they were the only thing that she and Milliardo didn't have in common as twins. They were otherwise identical, barring gender of course.

Milena finished her bread and went to stand beside her mother, waiting patiently for her to finish talking to one of housekeepers about preparations for the ball. Milena frowned as she suddenly realized why Milliardo had went to Luxemburg; he must have wanted to personally escort his best friend to the ball. Ugh, the ball seemed less fun if that puffed up toady was going to be there.

The queen finished speaking with Lydia and turned to smile at her daughter. "All done with your lessons for today sweetheart?" she asked.

Milena hugged her mother and replied. "Yes, Mama. I was actually looking for you to ask you something."

Her mother smiled. "What is it, dear?"

"Well, I was wondering if that arrogant boy would be coming to my ball tonight."

"It's not nice to speak like that Milena. Treize and his family have always been allies and friends to us. Of course he will be coming, with his father. Your brother went to get them."

Milena sighed. "Must he come? I really don't like him very much. He is very bossy, and thinks he can tell me what to do all the time. I'm a princess; he has no right to tell me what to do."

Her mother shook her head. "That is a terrible attitude to have my dear. They will be honored guests at the ball. You need to be more respectful of the Kushrenadas; especially Treize. Now, run along and play sweetheart. I have a lot of things to do to get this ball ready." She kissed Melina's cheek and strode away, leaving Milena even more confused than before. She still hadn't gotten an answer to her question about Treize's importance.

Milena left the ballroom and headed up to the royal nursery. She found Relena playing with some toys, watched by her nurse, Sara. Milena lifted her baby sister and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. "How's my sweet Lena?" she crooned. Relena giggled and squirmed. "Down!" she exclaimed. Milena laughed and obliged her sister.

Sara smiled at her. "Princess Relena is getting too big for you to hold, Your Highness." she chided. Milena snorted. " Nonsense! She is such a tiny little thing. Have you seen Anna? I need to talk to her." Sara nodded . "Yes, Your Highness. She was in your room just a few minutes ago."

"Thank you Sara." Milena replied and headed to her room. She found her maid shaking out her new ball gown to get out any wrinkles that were in it. Anna was training her daughter to be Milena's maid. Lucy was two years older than her, and had been raised in the nursery with Milena. The two had become the best of friends. Anna bobbed a little curtsy when she saw Milena come in. "What can I do for you, Your Highness?" she asked.

Milena rolled her eyes. Anna was always so formal about the fact that Milena was a princess. She had told her on more than one occasion that it was okay for her to drop the formalities when they were alone, but the woman was insistent. "Actually Anna, I wanted to ask you something. The maids always know what's going on in the palace, so I was wondering what's so special about Treize Kushrenada. Daddy told me it would benefit me in the future if I was nicer to him, and my mother told me almost the same thing. Whatever is so special about that boy?"

Anna averted her eyes and went into Milena's closet to find shoes to match her ball gown. "I'm sure I don't' know what you mean, Your Highness." Milena raised her eyebrows, and followed her maid into the enormous walk-in closet.

"Anna Nikolai, I demand you tell me what you know this instant."

Anna sighed and looked at her charge. "Nobody was supposed to say anything about it. If Their Majesties find out I told you, I'll likely be out of a job."

Milena rolled her eyes. " Really Anna, whatever it is, I promise not to tell Mama or Daddy, okay?" Anna sighed again. "You're not going to like it." She warned. Milena looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer. "Tonight's ball isn't just a birthday ball for you and His Royal Highness. It is also a chance for Their Majesties to announce your betrothal to Lord Treize."

Milena stared at her maid for several moments, disbelieving. Most six year old girls didn't know what that word meant, but Milena did. It had come up many times when she had been taught about her roll as a princess. She giggled. "Me, marry that pompous boy? Don't be silly Anna. I'm too little to be engaged. I'm only six."

Anna shrugged and went back to looking for the princess's shoes. If the princess didn't' want to believe her, she wasn't' going to say anything else about it. Milena would find out tonight, and Anna could tell that she wouldn't be happy about it. The king and queen were very pleased with the arrangement. The marriage would ally the Sanc Kingdom and Luxembourg. They had been friends for a long time, and in a way this marriage would seal that friendship.

Milena went to her bureau an rummaged in the bottom drawer. She pulled out a pair of soft cotton pants and a blouse and put them on her bed. "Anna, could you come here for a moment?" she called. Anna came out of her closet with a lovely pair of silver shoes studded with amethysts. They would match her ball gown perfectly. It was a beautiful piece, made of royal purple silk and silver taffeta, and it too was studded with the precious amethysts. Her parents must have paid a fortune for it.

"Yes, Your Highness?" she asked, setting the shoes on Milena's dressing table. Milena smiled. ."Would you mind undoing my dress for me?"

Anna groaned as she noticed the boy's clothes on the princess's bed. "Not again Your Highness. Whenever you go about dressed that way, you've a mind to get into mischief."

Milena grinned. "I suppose that's true…usually. However, I simply want to take Artemis out for ride. It's much more comfortable riding astride than side saddle, and I can't ride astride with a dress on."

Anna shook her head as she unbuttoned the back of Milena's gown. "Wearing boy's clothes. Honestly Your Highness, it's behavior unbecoming in a princess. I always said you should have been born a boy. There you are m'dear." The gown dropped to the floor, and Milena shimmied out of her underskirts. Wearing only her underwear and camisole, she pulled on her pants and shirt. She sat down at her dressing table, and Anna began taking out the pins that held her hair in place.

After making sure she got all of them out, Milena ran a brush through her hair and pulled it back in a ponytail. When she stood, Anna was putting her dress over her arm. "I'll get this laundered my lady. Please remember to take a guard with you on your ride, and make sure you get back in time to get ready for the ball." She curtsied and swept from the room.

Milena ran to the door and peeked out, making sure Anna was gone and no one else was coming. Seeing only her maid rounding the corner at the end of the hall and the guard posted there, Milena shut and locked her door, ran to the far left corner of her room and pushed a hidden button located under her windowsill. A hidden door swung forward to reveal a tunnel lit faintly by lamps along its wall. Milena ducked into the tunnel and swung the door shut behind her.

She was only supposed to use the secret tunnels in an emergency, but she didn't want anyone to see her leave the palace without a guard. She was going to go to her secret place in the woods where there was a small pond that was perfect for swimming. That's why the tunnels were the perfect way out. The only people who knew of them were the members of the royal family and their servants and most trusted friends. She and Milliardo had been using them for over a year without the king's knowledge. Anna knew of them, but wouldn't suspect that Milena had used them to leave the palace. She walked for fifty yards, then took a right. The tunnel forked and she took the path on the right again. It led her to some stairs and she went down them and took a left, a right, two more left turns, and one last right turn brought her to the door she sought.

Milena blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright light outside. The tunnel she had used came out about a hundred yards behind the stables. She looked around to make sure nobody had seen her and walked casually to the stables. She entered, and found her horse, Artemis in her stall, looking as though she had been waiting for her.

Milena laughed and rubbed Artemis's nose. "Hey there girl. How are you today? You want to go out for a ride?" Artemis snorted and nudged the princess in the shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes." Milena smiled and called out in Arabic, " Jamal, are you in here?"

A short man with dark skin, a beard, and a turban wrapped around his head appeared and bowed low. "Of course, my princess. How may I serve you?" Jamal was Arabic, and had served her father ever since the king had saved his life. Milena didn't know the details, but found the little man to be a very loyal servant. Arabic wasn't a common language in the Sanc Kingdom, so King William had hired a tutor to teach Jamal to speak French and English. However, the little man had proven to be an excellent teacher as well, and had taught the princess to speak his native language when she had asked him if he would. It seemed to make him happy to have someone able to speak his language in what, to him, was a foreign land.

"Would you mind saddling Artemis for me please?" Milena asked Jamal.

The little man bowed again. "Of course, my princess. Is anyone riding with you today?"

Milena frowned. "You've never asked me that before Jamal. No, I was planning on riding on my own today."

Jamal sighed. "I am not to let you go riding alone by order of the king." Milena groaned. Her father knew her too well. She supposed it was because of the imminent war she had heard about. She gestured to the horses.

"Then I suppose you better saddle one for yourself as well Jamal. I will have my ride today." Jamal saddled Artemis and gave Milena a boost up into the saddle. Milena nudged her horse outside and began riding toward the path that led into the woods. She knew Jamal would easily catch up. He knew where her pond was-she had told him.

Milena urged Artemis into a canter and closed her eyes-letting the wind blow through her hair. She loved riding because it made her feel free. Being a princess had its perks, but she often felt as though she were trapped in a cage; a gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless. If she really had to marry Treize someday, she would never be free. She'd also be giving up her royal title. Married to him she'd be a duchess. Milena didn't like that one bit and decided she would run away if her parents tried to force her into the marriage.

She had tried to run away once, a few months ago because her parents had told her she couldn't go to a sleepover she had been invited to by a friend of Lucy's. Milena had been so excited about going to a sleepover like a normal girl, only to have her hopes dashed by her overprotective parents. She'd had a bag of clothes packed and everything. In fact, her bag was still in the secret passageway, hidden where only she could find it. If she had to, she could grab it quickly and slip out of the palace without being noticed.

She slowed down as she entered the woods. The path to her secret pond was hard to find if you didn't know what to look for. There was a wild raspberry bush that grew next to a willow tree, and the path was to the left of the pair. Milena dismounted and tied Artemis' reins to a low branch of the willow tree. It was too dense for the horse to walk any further. She patted Artemis, who nickered and bent to graze on the grass. Milena parted the branches of the tree and entered her secret world. It was beautiful. A bit dark at first, but the trees thinned as she drew closer to her pond.

Milena smiled as she came to the clearing. The sun shone through the trees and reflected off the water. The pond itself was surrounded by moss covered rocks and wildflowers. It was one hundred yards across and about eight feet deep at its deepest point. It was her own special world where she could just be a regular girl. Milena shed her clothes and jumped into the water. She swam to the surface and let out a whoop. The water was warm, and Milena dove under and swam around for a bit.

After awhile she pulled herself up onto a flat rock on the west end of the pond. She took her hair out of her ponytail and spread it out on the rock to dry as she lay down and laid her arm over her eyes to shield them from the sun. Milena had to be careful not to spend too much time in the sun, because her skin was so fair it burned very easily. That would be a dead give away to her parents that she had been outside a lot. As far as they knew, she didn't spend a lot of time outside other than to go riding once in awhile. Daddy would have a heart attack if he knew how often she snuck out of the palace to go swimming.

Milena was dozing when she heard a tree branch snap on the far side of the clearing. She sat up abruptly, calling, "Don't come into the clearing Jamal; I'm not decent." She jumped to the shore from her rock and hurried to her pile of clothing on the opposite side of the pond.

Just as she reached for her clothes someone grabbed her from behind. She screamed and kicked at her captor. She was rewarded with a grunt of pain, but he didn't release her. "Unhand me at once! You have no idea who you are dealing with! Get your hands off me! How dare-" Her protests were cut off as her captor clamped a hand over her mouth.

Milena was very angry, which she found surprising. Her first reaction should have been terror. She was a little afraid, but knew that Jamal would be along any moment and would save her; she simply had to delay her would-be abductor. She bit down as hard as she could on the hand covering her mouth, and it was removed at once as her captor let out a stream of curses in Russian, which made her freeze.

Russian was a language spoken in the Sanc Kingdom-but it wasn't very common. Most preferred to speak English. That meant that her captor was one of her subjects. Maybe he didn't know who she was. Even so, what he was doing wasn't acceptable; kidnapping was a crime. She had heard of people who kidnapped children and sold them into slavery. Milena sincerely hoped this man wasn't one of those people.

She opened her mouth to scream again, but her captor finally spoke directly to her. "Settle down Milena, I was only messing with you."

Milena sagged in relief, then remembered that she was completely naked. She was also in the company of a family member: her cousin, Lord Nicholas , future earl of Stanton. He was sixteen years old, and she had heard some of her aunts and cousins refer to him as a 'womanizer', whatever that meant. Calling him cousin was a bit of a stretch. He was her third cousin twice removed; a very distant cousin indeed.

Three months ago, at their cousin Andrew's wedding, Nick had kissed her on the mouth. Afterwards, Nicholas had told her to keep it their little secret. She had, because she thought that having a secret was fun, even if it was a strange secret. What was so secretive about a family member giving you a kiss? Families were supposed to show love and affection toward each other. Her parents and her siblings showed their love for her all the time, through hugs and kisses.

Milena kicked at her cousin's shins again, " You should be ashamed Nick. You scared me half to death. Can you put me down please? I have to get dressed." Nicholas seemed not to hear her, or he was ignoring her. Milena wondered what her cousin was doing, why he was behaving so strangely, and where on Earth Jamal was.

She struggled to free herself from her cousin's grip, which only tightened as he hissed in her ear. "Stop moving this instant!" His harsh tone made Milena comply. He sounded angry, and that was not what she wanted . She had seen him angry before, and it had been very scary. He had kissed a maid in the palace, and when she'd refused his attentions he had slapped her across the face. Milena couldn't know at her young age that her wiggling had aroused him. Had she understood the ways of men and what it meant, she would have been terrified.

Nicholas slowly lowered her to the ground, reigning in his lust and turned her to face him. The fact that he desired his little cousin at all was baffling, and it angered him. Milena was a child; he shouldn't feel this way about her, but he couldn't seem to help it. She was, at times, mature for her age and had a fire about her that he found fascinating- like when she bit him just now. She should've been terrified and fainted like most girls would have. Then there was her beauty. Even as a child she had an uncommon and ethereal beauty about her, with her platinum blond hair, violet eyes, a full mouth, and a small upturned nose. She would be exquisite when she grew up, he was certain. She'd be the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, and he intended to have her.

Nick's great-uncle had once been king of the Sanc Kingdom. He had went mad after the death of his wife and son, and had been known as a tyrant for the remainder of his rule. It was decided upon his death that his cousin would take the throne because he died without an heir. The royal family's name had then changed to Peacecraft, and Nick's father had been given an earldom, a gift that was intended to pacify him. Instead, it had made Nick's father very angry, since he had been next in line for the throne as the king's nephew and oldest living relative. He bided his time and waited for the day that he could strike back at those who had stolen what belonged to his family.

When King Daniel ruled the Sanc Kingdom, an era of peace had come about. It seemed he and his family lived up to the name of Peacecraft. King Daniel died and his son William took the throne. The year after he became king, his queen gave birth to twins-Milliardo and Milena. As members of the royal family, Nick's family was invited to the celebration. It was then that Nick's father happened upon the idea for his revenge: he would arrange a marriage between his son Nicholas and Princess Milena. The prince could easily have a tragic "accident", leaving Milena next in line for the throne. With the marriage, his family would sit on the throne once more. It wasn't unheard of, marriage between distant cousins to keep the lineage pure. Royals had been doing it for centuries. Milena and Nicholas were very distantly related, so it wouldn't have been a problem.

King William might have been open to the idea if he hadn't already pledged his first born daughter to his best friend, the Duke of Luxembourg. Nick's father was enraged that his plan had been foiled, but he wasn't willing to give up. He was determined to have his revenge-even if he couldn't put his family back on the throne. It was now, years later, that he learned of an organization that was opting for world domination of sorts. They were trying to gain support from the countries of the Earth so they could rule over Earth and the space colonies with militaristic control. He also knew damn well that his second cousin would never support them; he would declare the Sanc Kingdom neutral. His pacifistic ways would mean the end of the Sanc Kingdom.

It was called Oz, and if they were opposed they tended to respond with violence. So the Sanc Kingdom would be destroyed and he wouldn't have to worry about who was on the throne. It had been easy to bribe one of the officers into assassinating the Peacecrafts. When he had told Nicholas of his plan his son had been angry that his father felt the need to kill Milena. He thought marrying her was a good idea, and still wanted to. He had watched his cousin as she grew into a very beautiful and unique girl. His father had been surprised, but consented. "Better to get her here sooner rather than later, my son. Oz will be making their move soon, and my associate will not discriminate. He plans on assassinating the entire royal family." Nicholas knew he should feel bad about that, but he didn't . He had grown up listening to his father's stories of how the Peacecrafts had stolen the throne from his family, and he was as angry at them as his father. He figured if he married Milena the Peacecrafts would still be ended since she would take his last name upon marriage.

So here he was, in the process of kidnapping his own cousin, and she didn't even know it. His family had received an invitation to the ball, and he had come in person to tell the king and queen that his father was ill and wouldn't make it, and to kindly decline the invitation to stay the night because he had to run the estate for his father. This was not true of course, but he needed an alibi for when he kidnapped Milena , because when they were attacked surely some of the people would escape the massacre. He had followed Milena as she exited the stables. Nobody knew his intent, so he had been able to convince the stable attendant that he would act as an escort for the princess. The man had been happy to comply since he had other duties to attend to. The only problem with this was that if he didn't return Milena's horse to the stables, the man might get suspicious and of course he would let the king and queen know who had been with their daughter at the time of her disappearance. So now he would have to get her to come back to the palace with him and kidnap her from there. Somehow.

Milena frowned as she watched her cousin, who was deep in thought about something. She had heard some of the girls in the palace giggling about how handsome he was, and looking at him now, while his face wasn't twisted in anger or rage it was easy to see that. Nick had thick black hair that he kept a bit long but somehow managed to make him look dashing, a clean shaven face, and his eyes were a lovely shade of gray. When Nicholas came out of his day dream he found Milena looking at him curiously. He shook himself and smiled at her, and leaned down to kiss her and pushed her toward her clothes. "Go on and get dressed now. The ball starts pretty soon and you have to get ready."

Milena bent to scoop up her clothes and Nicholas hissed. He was hard as a rock and it pissed him off to no end. If it could just be ten years from now when she would be old enough…Ten years was a long time to wait. He would have to carry on with Melanie for the time being. She was a maid in his father's house and she was quite pretty with her blue eyes and blond hair. She had been flattered when the master's son took an interest in her, never suspecting that he was just using her until he could have the girl he really wanted. It seemed she would have to do for quite awhile. If Milena was going to live with them it would be torture, and he would need a way to slake his lust. Nicholas shook his head to clear it, and followed Milena as she made her way to the path back to her horse.

Nicholas mounted and reached down to help Milena up. The princess frowned. "Didn't you ride here?" she asked her cousin. Nicholas shook his head.

"I figured a run would be good exercise." he told her with a grin.

Milena giggled as she imagined him running through the field in his nice clothes. She didn't mind Nick when he was like this. He was quite charming. Maybe she had been wrong about him. He didn't seem so bad. After all, everyone had a bad day once in awhile. The day she had seen him so angry must have been such a day. Nick reached down and scooped Milena up, sitting her in his lap as he nudged Artemis into a canter. They rode in silence, Milena wondering why Nick sat so stiffly in the saddle. Maybe he didn't like horses. She asked him as he dismounted in the stable and Nicholas laughed as he lifted her down from the horse. He held her for a moment, looking into her eyes.

"You wouldn't understand." he murmured, gently setting her down and brushing a lock of hair from her face. Milena frowned. "Why not?" Nicholas leaned down and gently kissed her. "It's a grown-up thing." he said as he took her hand and led her out of the stable. "Now, dear cousin, how are we going to sneak you into the palace without your parents noticing? You look a fright, and they would wonder where you've been."

Milena tugged him toward the back of the palace. This way-I'll show you!" Milena wasn't sure she should show her cousin the secret tunnels, but he was family after all. Besides, she had kept his secret like he told her to, so in return he could keep her secret; it was only fair. She ducked under the overhanging branch of a huge willow tree and pushed against what appeared to be part of the palace wall. Nick jumped when the wall swung silently inward to reveal a tunnel. He looked at Milena to find her smiling shyly at him. Damn her, he was aroused again. "Focus! Think of something else." he told himself harshly. This was getting ridiculous.

He smiled back. "That's a neat trick Milena. I didn't know that was here." Milena tugged on his hand again, pulling him into the dark tunnel after her.

"It's my secret. I sneak out of the palace without anyone knowing when I want to be alone. The tunnels have been here since the palace was built, and the knowledge of them has been passed down in the royal family for a long time. Does it make you happy?"

Nick frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked her. Milena led him through a labyrinth of tunnels until she came to another door and pushed. They came out and found themselves in her bedchamber. After closing the door, she turned to him, a serious look on her face. "I want you to keep my secret like I kept yours. I would be in big trouble with Daddy if he knew I told you about the tunnels." Nick smiled and brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. "Of course I'll keep your secret, sweetheart-just as you've kept mine."

Milena sagged in relief, and peeked at him through her lashes. "Really? You promise you won't tell Mama and Daddy?" Nick patted her head. "Yes, Milena, I promise. Milena smiled brightly. "Good, now we each have a secret, and promise not to tell anyone else." Nick knelt, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Shall we seal the promise?" Milena nodded, not sure what he meant, and was very surprised when her cousin crushed her against him and kissed her. The kiss was different than any other he had given her. His kisses had always been gentle, but this was something else. When she gasped, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, and groaned. Milena began to feel scared. She couldn't breathe and he was crushing her. She whimpered and pushed at his shoulders.

With enormous effort Nicholas pulled back. He was letting his lust control him. He looked at Milena's face and found fear in her eyes. "I'm sorry Milena, I got carried away." he said softly, as he smoothed back a lock of her hair. "Will you forgive me?" Milena, her eyes luminous, nodded. She didn't know what to think. She had seen her father kiss her mother that way once, and wondered if Nick felt that way about her.

Before she could ask him, there was a knock on the door, and Milena went to answer it. It was Anna, who took one look at her charge and clucked her tongue. "My goodness, Your Highness, what have you been doing? Come along now, I'll run you a bath." She led the princess through the door to her sitting room, which led to her private bath. Milena turned to look at Nick, but he was gone.

After soaking in the tub for half an hour, Anna ordered her out. "You can't go to the ball with fingers that are wrinkled like prunes. Milena got out and Anna wrapped her in a warm towel. "Come now, Your Highness, and I will dry your hair." She led her charge to her dressing table and began combing her hair. When she had finished, Anna brought Milena's underclothes. The camisole was made of silk, the neckline lined in lace and purple ribbons, and the double underskirt was ruffled. Milena giggled as she put them on. "A bit frumpy aren't they Anna?" she asked her maid. Anna smiled as she helped the princess tie her underskirt. "Well it is a formal occasion Your Highness." she replied.

Milena shook her head as Anna sat her down at the dressing table again and began brushing her hair. She brushed it until it shone, then began curling it with a curling iron. She pulled the sides back and pinned them with silver hair combs, leaving the rest of Milena's curls to fall down her back. Anna opened a velvet box on Milena's dressing table and lifted out a delicate silver tiara studded with diamonds. It was one of three tiaras that belonged to Milena. She gently placed the tiara on the princess's head where it rested beautifully in the mass of golden curls.

Anna helped Milena into her gown and laced up the back. Finally, a necklace and matching earrings were added to the ensemble, as well as a pair of elbow length gloves. The silver taffeta and amethysts sparkled in the light. Anna stepped back to observe her handiwork and smiled. "You are a vision, Your Highness." she sighed. "Mind the train in the back. It's small, but guests could step on it if you're not careful."

Milena smiled at her and went to the full length mirror to observe her reflection. She twirled and giggled as the skirt billowed out. "It's quite lovely. I don't think I've ever worn a more beautiful gown."

Anna smiled at the princess. "Yes, it is one of the most beautiful I have seen. Your father was quite adamant that amethysts be used because of the kingdom's colors. I thought it was an interesting idea; and appropriate, seeing as it is your betrothal ball and you represent our fair kingdom."

Milena's smile faded. She had forgotten about Treize. The ball seemed less fun when she thought of that. Frowning, she turned to Anna. "Have he and Milliardo arrived yet?" she asked.

Anna shook her head. "It seems they are having some trouble with their travel arrangements. Don't worry, they'll be here."

Milena sighed "Pity, that. Well, if they're coming they had better hurry. The ball starts in an hour."

Anna sighed. "If you don't need me, Your Highness, I will retire for a bit." Milena smiled. "Of course, Anna. Send Lucy to me; she can attend me this evening. Take the evening off." Anna curtsied. "Thank you, Your Highness. I will be around, should you need me." She picked up Milena's clothes and left the room.

Milena turned again to look in the mirror. Vanity was not a trait she possessed, but she couldn't help admiring her reflection. She had never looked prettier, and the way Anna had done her hair made her look at least two years older. A movement from the corner of her eye made her gasp. She turned, intending to scream for her guards, but stopped when she realized it was only Nicholas. "You need to stop doing that Nick." she said, clutching a hand over her racing heart. "That's two times now that you've nearly given me a heart attack."

Nicholas grinned and made a gallant bow. "My apologies, fair cousin. I shall have to make amends." he came forward and offered her his arm. "Will you allow me the honor of escorting you to the ball?"

Milena rolled her eyes at his antics, but obliged him by executing a perfect curtsy and extending her hand for a kiss. "Of course, my lord. I would be delighted."

Nicholas smiled and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as they headed toward the door. "That is a very lovely gown, Mina" He said, using the nickname Treize had given her when she was little.

Milena smiled. "Thank you Nick. You look quite dashing yourself in that suit." They made their way to the first floor of the palace, chatting quietly together. As they rounded the corner at the end of the hall leading to the ballroom, they nearly collided with Queen Helen.

The queen's face lit up with delight at the sight of Milena. "Oh, darling you look so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she leaned down to kiss Milena on the cheek.

Milena grinned. "Thank you, Mama. You're really pretty too." She said as she eyed the queen's royal purple gown and white sash pinned near her shoulder. Her hair had been braided and wrapped around her head, and her golden crown gleamed atop her head. Milena loved her mother's crown. It was elegant, yet simple, and was designed with a hole in the middle where a jewel was placed; however, the jewel was removable and interchangeable. The last time Milena had seen her wear the crown, a ruby had been in it because her dress had been red. Tonight, a large amethyst gleamed in the center. Milena wished the crown would pass to her one day, but it would go to Milliardo's queen.

Helen smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Milena could tell she was worried about something. Before she could ask her mother about it, the queen replied, "Thank you, sweetheart." She nodded at Nicholas. "You look very nice as well, Lord Nicholas."

Nick bowed and kissed the queen's hand. "Many thanks, Your Majesty, but nobody here can match the beauty of you and your daughter this evening." He glanced around the ballroom. "And where might my other cousin be? I expect he will be looking rather dashing in a suit."

The queen frowned. "William and I are getting worried. With the current political unrest William didn't' want the children to leave the palace. He's afraid someone from OZ will use them as hostages."

Nicholas carefully schooled his face into a concerned expression. This was not a subject he wanted to discuss with the queen, when he knew OZ would be here soon to make them pay for not siding with them. "Oh? I hadn't heard about that, but I'm sure he's perfectly all right. Perhaps the car had a flat tire or something of that sort. He'll walk in here any minute now, so don't you worry Your Majesty."

Helen smiled weakly. "Thank you, Nicholas. Would you stay with Milena, to protect her in case something happens? I'm a worried with everything that's going on."

Nicholas suppressed a laugh and bowed to the queen. "Of course, Your Majesty; I would be honored to escort the princess." As the queen walked away Nicholas smiled darkly. Oh, this was going much better than even he had anticipated. It would be so easy to kidnap Milena if he was expected to stay by her.

Milena was frowning as she watched her mother walk away. What in the world was going on? Her father had told her not to worry, but how could she not when her brother was missing? She looked at Nick. "Do you really think Milliardo's ok?"

Nicholas smiled at her and patted her hand. "Don't worry dearest cousin; I'm sure your brother is fine." he reassured her. Inside he was angry and worried. If Milliardo wasn't present, it was not a good thing. In order for the entire family to be wiped out, the heir to the throne needed to be dead. On the other hand, the prince was only six years old. Even if he survived, there was nothing a little boy could do about a massacre.

He tugged Milena toward the door. "Come on Milena, let's take a walk. There's no sense worrying about it. The king and queen will let you know when they here anything."

Milena nodded. "Okay Nicholas. I want to walk in the big garden."

Nicholas led her out of the ballroom, down the hall, and through the throne room, which led to the largest garden the palace boasted-it had three. This one had a few bushes and flower arrangements, a path, and a huge hedge maze that took up a majority of the garden. They took a turn around the path that wound around the various bushes.

Milena was deep in thought about her brother. She hoped he was ok. They were making a second turn around the path when Milena noticed a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She stopped walking and tugged on Nicholas's hand. "Nicholas, I just saw someone over there." she whispered.

Frowning, Nicholas turned to see what she meant and swore softly under his breath as he saw two soldiers sneaking stealthily toward the palace. OZ had come sooner than he anticipated. He grabbed Milena's hand and began pulling her away toward the maze. "Milena, we have to go; I think the person you saw must be an enemy!" he exclaimed.

Milena resisted. "No Nicholas, I have to find Mama and Daddy! They could get hurt and I have to warn them." Nicholas swore as she tugged her hand from his and dashed toward the stables. He tore after her, determined not to lose her. He rounded the corner and saw her disappear into the secret tunnel and followed. When he got inside he couldn't see her anywhere. Remembering the way to her room, he retraced their earlier steps.

Milena had meanwhile taken a different path-one that led to her father's study. If he had been waiting for word from Milliardo, that's where he would go. She was about to open the secret door when the sound of a gunshot rang out. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a scream. She came out only when she heard the door to the room close. Milena found her father on the floor in a pool of blood. Sobbing, she ran to him. "Daddy, please! Please be okay."

The king was gasping for breath and tried to focus on his daughter. "You must leave, Milena. It isn't safe for you here. Find Anna and get out of here as fast as you can. They won't spare you just because you're a child."

Milena's tears were blurring her vision, and she wiped them. "I can't just leave you here. We have to get you to a doctor."

The king smiled weakly at her. "Please don't defy me, dearest. Just this once do as your father tells you. I can't be saved now."

Milena began crying in earnest. "Don't say that Daddy. How will I grow up without you and Mama?"

William cupped her cheek and gently brushed her tears away. "Don't be sad honey, I will always be with you, in your heart. Now promise me you'll get somewhere safe. Someday when you're grown up, you will be queen. Hide for awhile, okay? When you feel it's safe, make your way to Luxembourg. Treize and his family will protect you."

Milena nodded. "Okay Daddy. I promise." The king coughed and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Milena dabbed at it with her handkerchief.

William smiled. "That's my good girl."

Suddenly Milena smelled smoke. "Daddy, I think they started the palace on fire!"

The king gripped her hand. "You must go now! You'll be fine, honey. You are my big, brave girl."

Milena began crying again. "Daddy I'm scared." He squeezed her hand. "I know you are, honey, but I promise you'll be fine if you get somewhere safe."

Milena nodded and hugged her father tightly. The king put an arm around her. "Remember that I love you Milena, and I will always be with you." Milena whispered, " I love you too, Daddy."

A moment later, the king's arm fell limply to the floor. Milena pulled back to find her father's eyes had closed. He was no longer breathing, and she knew he was dead. She kissed his cheek and made her way back to the secret door. She would have to get her bag of clothes from the tunnel. It was hard to see with her tears blurring her vision, but she managed to find her way to the spot where she had hidden her bag of clothes.

When she entered her room, she was pulled into Anna's arms. Her maid was crying hysterically. "Oh thank God you're okay! I worried that you had perished in the fire like…oh never mind. We must go quickly!" Milena nodded and ran to her jewelry box to get her diamond encrusted locket her parents had given her for her birthday. Inside was a picture of her family.

Nicholas suddenly burst into the room from the secret door. Seeing Milena, he grabbed her arm and shook her, angrily shouting, "Where the hell have you been? I was worried sick!"

Anna grabbed his arm. "Lord Nicholas, unhand her. That is no way to treat a child."

Milena had tears in her eyes as she looked at her cousin. "If you would have let me go sooner, Daddy might not be dead. It's all your fault!"

Nicholas knelt and put his arms around her. "It's nobody's fault Milena. Those soldiers were out to destroy everything and everyone. There was nothing anyone could have done."

Smoke began creeping into the room from under the door and Anna pushed Nicholas and Milena toward the secret tunnels. "We can talk about this later. We have to get out of here before any of them realize that the princess is still alive." She turned her attention across the room where her daughter Lucy was huddled in a corner. "Come along, sweetheart, we're going now." Lucy nodded without saying a word and joined them.

Milena gasped as she saw that Lucy's dress was splattered with blood. "Lucy, what happened? Are you alright?" The older girl just looked at her with a blank expression. Milena looked to Anna. "What's wrong with her? Why isn't she talking?"

Anna gently prodded the girls into the tunnel after Nicholas. "She's okay, Your Highness. She's just in shock. When the enemies stormed the palace, one of the royal guards was trying to protect her and was killed. They must have assumed that Lucy was killed as well. Come now, we need to get out of here!"

Milena nodded and entered the secret passage after her friend. Nicholas led the way through the tunnels until they came out on the west side of palace. Artemis and one other horse from the royal stables were tethered to a tree there. Nicholas caught Anna's eye and gestured to the other horse as he mounted Artemis. Anna nodded and mounted the horse, pulling Lucy up behind her.

Milena took the hand Nicholas offered her and he pulled her up into his lap. "Thank you for saving me, Nicholas."

Nicholas nudged Artemis into a canter, heading for the trees. "You can stay with me. Nobody will suspect that you're there."

Milena shook her head. "No, I have to go to the Duke of Luxemburg. I promised Daddy I would go to him. It was his dying wish."

"Don't be ridiculous Mina. Everyone knows that your family and theirs are close friends. That would be the first place your enemies would look for you."

Milena sighed. "You're right. We'll stay with you for awhile. Just until it's safe for me to return home. Thank you, Nicholas."

"Of course, dear cousin. That's what family is for." He smiled darkly. His pretty little cousin had no idea she would never be returning home, or that it would never be safe for her as long as she was with him. Things were going exactly as he planned...

So that's the end of chapter one. Please read and review. I hope to get the next chapter up soon.

Lady Amira