Note: Don't own em'. Wish I did, but sadly I do not. Don't sue because you'll get nothing! I have no money…Oh the life of a student! Alas and alack!
The Letter
By Rowan
June 11th AC 196
Lucerzia Noin sighed wearily as she opened the door to her office. These past
months setting up the Preventer agency had been some of the busiest of her life, not counting her days at the academy. A smile threatened to cross her lips as memories of her academy days sprang to mind. However, she quickly pushed them away. "No time to think about the past, when there's a mountain of paper work on my desk." She said to herself as she strode over to her large oak desk.
It was early evening. The light that seeped in between the narrow blinds of her
window had an orange tint to it. Most of her colleagues had already gone home for the evening, however, Noin being the tremendous workaholic that she was, usually didn't leave the office until well after midnight on most nights. To those that didn't know her Noin's dedication was admirable, however her friends knew the truth. Noin had thrown herself into work to compensate for the loss of Zechs Merquise, her former comrade and the man Noin had been in love with ever since she was a cadet at Lake Victoria.
Noin settled down behind the desk. She shook her head as she gazed at the pile
before her. It was going to be a long night.
By 9:30 the pile had shrunk to a few memos and a tattered envelope. "I wonder
when that got here." Noin thought aloud as she picked the envelope up. It had clearly seen better days. The once white envelope was slightly yellowed and what appeared to be mobile suit grease stained one corner. There was no return address on it, just her name,
which was scrawled eloquently across the envelope, in a familiar hand that she couldn't quite seem to place.
Noin shrugged and picked up a letter opener. She carefully opened the envelope
and removed it's contents, a letter. Noin let out a startled gasp when she realized who it was from. "Zechs…" She whispered as she began to read.
Dec.20th AC 195
My Dearest Lucerzia,
I write these lines during a lull in the chaos that has become my life. If you are
reading this letter then something has gone wrong. I had meant to tell you these things in person. To confess my feelings face to face, but I suppose these lines will have to be my voice.
I almost destroyed you today. My beam saber was poised to strike, Epyon
screamed for me to destroy any and all who stood in my way, yet I could not bring myself to do it. I could not allow you to be harmed, so I retreated. I truly am a weak man when it comes to you. Though I suppose one would not think it so if they saw the way I've treated you these past years.
I know I've been cold. I know I've treated you as nothing more than a friend, and
not a very dear one at that. I simply could not risk anyone harming you because they knew how much you meant to me. I would not have been able to live with myself if any one had hurt you because of me.
I love you that much, though I know that one such as myself does not deserve to
love someone like you. I do not even deserve to be your friend; my soul is so tainted. Long ago a poet once said that in war "Men wash their hands in blood as best they can." that's what I've tried to do. My hands are steeped in the blood of my men, in the blood of the innocent. I am trying to do what is best for the world. I am trying to use my blood stained hands to restore peace, for my father's memory, for Relena, and for you.
If things have gone as I hoped they would, then my duty to my kingdom and my
father's memory has been served. Now my only duty is to you. To repay you for all that you have done, for all that you have suffered because of your love for me. I will repay you, and though I don't deserve it, I will work to become a man worthy of your love.
I will find my way back to you my dear Lucezia. I will work until there is no
longer breath left within my body in order to make things right between us, in order to give you the love that you deserve. I promise that we will see one another again. Nothing will stop me. I will become the wind itself if that is what it takes to return to you.
Until we are together again remember that I have and always will love you. You
are the light that shall guide my bloodied soul from the darkness. You are everything.
-Zechs
Dec. 29th AC 196
Noin finished reading the crumpled letter and placed it back in the pocket of her Preventer uniform. She always kept it close to her and she often read it whenever she felt troubled. Reading his words was like having Zechs there with her in a way. Drawing on his strength whenever she was worried, and the present situation definitely had her worried.
The Barton foundation had managed to land countless mobile suits on earth. It seemed as if war was unavoidable now, and the Gundams were still on a collision course with the sun. No one knew if Quatre would be able to reach them in time. Noin looked out into space. She had always seen space as a place for bright futures, yet now the outlook was bleak indeed.
"Fire, Hey Fire. Are you in there? Fire? Aww…screw protocol. Noin snap out of it."
Noin tore her gaze from the window to meet her partner Water's, or rather Sally's impatient eyes.
"Gods, Noin I've been calling you for five minutes. We've got a call coming in from headquarters."
"Sorry, I guess I got caught up in my thoughts for a moment there." Noin said brushing a few errant strands of black hair from her face and rising. She followed Sally into the cockpit of their shuttle, and settled into a chair in front of the monitor. A few moments later Lady Une's face appeared on the screen.
"Water and Fire our situation is critical. I have new orders for each of you, and time is of the essence. Water you are to head to the following coordinates and assist the Preventer teams in the L3 area."
Sally smiled and leaned over towards Noin. "You think Duo left some treats for me?" Noin shook her head. Sally was one of a slim few people who could joke at a time like this. It was one of the things Noin had come to admire about her partner.
"Fire, you are to take your mobile suit and proceed to Earth. You will rendezvous with your new partner at these coordinates."
Noin was shocked. Why would she be reassigned at this point in the game? Certainly there were other agents closer to Earth that could operate a mobile suit. Sally may need her help at L3.
"May I ask why I was selected for this mission?"
Noin could almost swear that she saw a hint of a smile play on Lady Une's lips.
"You were requested by the Preventer agent in charge of the mission Fire. Your new partner in fact." Noin started to say something in protest but Lady Une stopped her. "Don't try to argue. You must start for Earth right away in order to reach the rendezvous point in time."
Noin was still confused as to why she was chosen for the mission but she realized that time was slipping away. "Yes mam." She said rising.
"I'll leave immediately." She turned to walk towards the ship's cargo hold where her personal ship was docked.
"One more thing Noin." Lady Une's use of her name caused Noin to turn around. "Your partner's code name is Preventer Wind. He'll be expecting you at o-nine-hundred."
Noin's heart stopped for a moment. Could it be? She nodded to the screen and exited the cockpit.
"I will become the wind itself if that is what it takes to return to you."
As she piloted her small shuttle towards Earth Lucrezia Noin could not help but smile.
Note: Well first off, sorry if I got a few details screwed up… I've only seen the edited version of Endless Waltz, and that was only once (damn cheap housing dept. won't pay for expanded cable programming package), so that's what I had to work with.
The lines from the poem in Zechs' letter are from the work "Eighth Air Force" by Randall Jarrell, who by the way is an awesome poet. If you haven't already, you should read some of his work, its pure genius.
I know its romantic drivel but I was in the mood to write it. Don't worry I will go back to my academy series eventually… I just had to get this one out of my system. Don't forget to let me know what you think. Thanks as always for your time.