The sun shone brightly over the streets as the young girl with blonde hair walked through the people, nodding to them and smiling. The recent rains had made the path slippery so she was careful to watch her step as she walked. Her amber eyes rose to look at the sky to see clouds rolling across it.
"Another rainy night," she muttered. As she went to look down someone rode their motorcycle through a mud puddle and splashed the disgusting gunk all over the princess.
"JERK!" she shouted to them. She flicked the mud off her hands and sighed. "Gross."
"Hey Cagalli!" a voice called. Cagalli turned to see a pink haired girl running towards her.
"Lacus?" Cagalli questioned. "What are you doing here?"
"I decided that the Plants were the wrong place for me, I needed to be neared to Kira and my friends," Lacus replied in her gentle voice. Cagalli beamed at her and then remembered the mud.
"Yuk, I have to get home and shower, see you around Lacus," Cagalli said.
"Oh… well could Kira and I come to see you soon?"
"How about now? If you go and get him now and then come to my place and I should be done in the shower." Lacus nodded and waved goodbye to Cagalli as she walked away from her friend.
------
Cagalli arrived back at the huge mansion, where she lived as the leader of Orb, and opened the door to walk in. As she did so a maid rushed towards her tutting and shaking her head.
"Now Miss Cagalli what have you been doing?" she asked.
"Walking, so now I need a shower," Cagalli replied. She pulled off her blazer and handed it to the maid before walking away casually and heading upstairs to her room. She walked through her bedroom to the bathroom and pulled off her dirty clothes and stepped into the shower. As she started up the water and let it wash the dirt and grime off her, her thoughts drifted away from where she was and the face of a blue haired, emerald eyed man entered her mind. She smiled at the thought of her love, Athrun.
They had been through some rough times but their love still remained strong. Cagalli knew that no-matter what Athrun would always love her unconditionally and she could rely on that forever. They belonged together and Cagalli hoped nothing would ever come between them.
As Cagalli turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her, the maid bustled in with a red gown.
"Miss Cagalli there is a phone call for you," Mrs Sazurri told her.
"Can you take a message?" Cagalli asked, sitting down and picking up a brush to untangle her hair.
"But Cagalli… its Master Athrun." Cagalli looked up and smiled. She stood up and walked out to her room and pressed the speaker button on the phone before sitting on her bed and continuing with her hair.
"Athrun?" she said.
"Hey Cagalli," Athrun replied. "How's it going?"
"You saw me this morning, silly."
"I know, but still, I miss you. Anyway, I want you to come to my place tonight, there's something important that I have to tell you." Cagalli tilted her head and put down her brush.
"What is it?"
"If I told you now then there'd be no point for you coming to my place and therefore I would have no excuse to hug you and kiss you some more."
"Oh you're naughty. Alright I'll come." Cagalli took the dress that Mrs Sazurri was holding out to her. She started dressing and didn't catch what Athrun said next.
"Cagalli, are you listening to me?" he sounded worried.
"Sorry, I was just dressing, you caught me just as I finished showering."
"Sorry, anyway, as I was saying, come at seven."
"But that's only three hours away."
"Please…" Athrun was using a puppy voice and Cagalli knew that if she could see him his eyes would be wide making her feel a rush of affection towards her boyfriend.
"Alright then, see you then…. I have visitors. I have to go."
"Who is taking you away from keeping me company?" Athrun demanded.
"Probably Lacus and Kira," Cagalli replied. "I'll see you soon, bye sweetie, love you."
"Ah… bugger, well bye then, love you lots." Cagalli pressed the end call button and stood up dusting off her dress.
"Mrs Sazurri, could you go and take Lacus and Kira to the garden, I'll be right down." Cagalli looked at her bedside table and picked up the ring that Athrun had given her a while ago and slipped it onto her right ring finger. She walked to the door of the room and walked out. She made her way out to the garden where Kira and Lacus were sitting and talking.
"Cagalli, how are you?" Lacus said spotting the blonde girl. Cagalli smiled and walked over to sit with them.
"I'm great," she replied.
"Oh that's good, now I need to ask you something," Kira said. "Would you and Athrun like to come to my place for dinner, Lacus and I have something we want to tell you."
"I can't, and neither can Athrun, he's invited me to his place tonight, he says that he has something important to tell me," Cagalli gushed. It was clear to her twin brother that she was very excited about this.
"Any idea what he might want to tell you?" Lacus asked smiling at Cagalli.
"Well… it isn't that I think this… I more hope… but I think he's going to ask me to marry him!" Cagalli beamed at Lacus and Kira who smiled at her.
"Oh Cagalli that would be wonderful..." Lacus replied.
"But?" Cagalli asked since she knew that one was coming.
"But, don't get your hopes up," Kira finished.
"I'm not… I just… well alright, so I am getting my hopes up but I wonder when he will ask me, we've been together since the fight where we destroyed G.E.N.E.S.I.S, that's nearly five years!"
"I know, but-"
"I know Kira, 'don't get your hopes up'," Cagalli snapped. Kira shook his head and turned his violet eyes skywards.
"So what time?"
"Seven… why?" Cagalli's amber eyes narrowed as she looked at Kira suspiciously.
"I might head over about now and see what his "important" news is." Kira stood up and kissed Lacus on the cheek.
"I'll see you two in a bit."
"Bye Kira," Lacus and Cagalli replied. Kira walked back into the house and Lacus turned to Cagalli.
"So where is your harrow?" Cagalli asked.
"Probably bouncing around your beautiful garden somewhere," Lacus replied. She smiled at Cagalli and tilted her head. "So, you're wearing Athrun's ring?" Cagalli looked down at her hand which had been resting on the garden table. She blushed and twisted the ring around her finger.
"Oh… I take it everywhere even if I don't wear it," Cagalli replied. Lacus closed her eyes and chuckled.
"Oh, it's so sweet when love is true. I'm so very happy for you and Athrun." Cagalli smiled.
"I'm happy for you and Kira," she told Lacus. Lacus opened her eyes and frowned.
"I have a feeling that our happiness will be short lived; let us enjoy it for now."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid that maybe Kira and Athrun will be piloting Gundams again before long…" Lacus sighed and looked at Cagalli worriedly.
"If Athrun has to, then I'm going to be piloting one as well," Cagalli said quietly. Lacus nodded.
"I knew you'd say that… but I have heard rumours of a few space colonies having joined together and built a new race called the Hyroglypers, they believe themselves to be a very superior race to even the co-ordinators.
"They are planning to try and take over the Earth and the Plants… I'm afraid that the Earth forces and Zaft will have to join forces if they want to defeat this new race…"
"It's ok Lacus," Cagalli said reassuringly, she reached out and took both Lacus's hands in hers and smiled. "Orb will help out in uniting them, for we have the Princess of the Plants with us and two co-ordinators. I know that we can do this… if need be, I'll connect with the Earth Forces and convince them to join with Zaft."
"Thankyou Cagalli," Lacus sighed. "I hope it'll be enough." Cagalli smiled reassuring and Lacus turned her blue eyes towards the ground.
------
Kira stepped out of his car and looked up at Athrun's house. He couldn't see anyone through the window's on the second storey so he looked at the windows on the first storey. There was no-one moving in the rooms that he could see so Kira walked around to the gate to the garden and leant on it.
Athrun was in the backyard setting up something amongst the roses, near the fountain. He was also picking a few roses and pulling their petals off and scattering them on the table and chairs.
"What are you doing Athrun?" Kira called.
"Cagalli is coming for dinner so I'm fixing up something nice," Athrun replied without looking up. "You can come in Kira." Kira jumped the gate and walked over to his best friend.
"Very romantic," Kira commented. Athrun aimed a kick at Kira and looked up.
"Don't make fun of me. If you want to know what I'm doing then, ask." Kira didn't say anything so Athrun laughed and shook his head. "Come on inside, I'm done for now." Athrun glanced once more at the table and chairs surrounded by red roses before walking with Kira inside the house.
"She said that you told her you had something important to tell her," Kira said turning to Athrun. Athrun laughed and tapped his nose.
"I'm not telling you, it's a secret." Kira rolled his eyes and grinned at Athrun.
"Alright Ath, don't share your secret with me… but if your "important" news upsets my sister, you'll answer to me." Kira's eyes narrowed as he looked at Athrun. Athrun's eyes widened and he shook his head.
"Kira, I'm not going to upset Cagalli, I love her you-" Kira started laughing and Athrun sighed.
"I was joking buddy," Kira assured him. "I know you'd never hurt her." Athrun smiled and blushed.
"I should have known you were joking," Athrun murmured. Kira laughed and punched Athrun's shoulder playfully. "Want a drink?"
"Sure… just some juice will do," Kira replied. Athrun walked into the kitchen and Kira followed. He sat down at the table as Athrun pulled out two glasses and filled them with some crimson liquid. He sat down opposite Kira and handed him one of the glasses.
"Cagalli said that Lacus was with you, what's she doing here?"
"I don't know but she seemed pretty flustered when she contacted me, telling me that she was moving to Orb… then when she got here she told me about a couple of colonies that think they're more superior than even Co-ordinators."
"That's bad," Athrun said. "Does that mean we need to pilot those Gundams again?"
"I don't know but I really hope it doesn't," Kira replied. "If we're in them then Cagalli will insist on piloting one too." Athrun's emerald eyes darkened and he sighed.
"She'll win if she does argue the matter… I just hope this "new race" is all talk," Athrun said. The two friends glanced at each other and sighed, Athrun however managed a smile.
"You know, it doesn't matter whether we're going to have to fight or not. We have this time now, where everything is fine, so let's just enjoy it." Kira smiled at Athrun and drank some of his juice.
"You're right… now you have about an hour and forty-five minutes until Cagalli comes so you'd better finish getting everything ready," Kira replied. He stood up and Athrun followed suit. They walked out to the front door.
"I'll see you tomorrow, you and Cagalli are invited to my place for dinner, be there at six, no excuses," Kira told him. Athrun laughed and smiled at Kira.
"Of course, now like you said, I need to finished organising this and then send the driver I've hired to go and pick up Cagalli," Athrun told him.
"Oh my god you are such a romanticist." Kira opened the door and walked out leaving Athrun laughing.
------
At fifteen to seven there was a knock on the door and Cagalli finished putting her shoes on and walked down the stairs. She was in a plain midnight-blue skirt with a red, halter shirt and gold necklace. She was wearing blue sandals and had a blue ribbon tied into her blonde hair. The ring Athrun had given her was on her right ring-finger.
"No, no, I need to get to Athrun's; I'll have to send them away, no matter who they are," Cagalli said, feeling flustered. She opened the door and a man in a black suit bowed to her.
"Miss Yula-Attha?" the man questioned.
"Yes… who are you?" Cagalli asked staring at the man.
"Your chaperone, that Master Zala has hired for tonight," the man explained. "This way to the car." Cagalli looked back into the house and called out for Mrs Sazurri.
"Can you get my bag?" she asked. Mrs Sazurri rushed to the door with Cagalli's red bag. Cagalli took it thanking her and then followed the chaperone out to Athrun's black Ferrari. The chaperone opened the door and Cagalli climbed in and sat down.
'I can't believe that Athrun trusts someone he hired to drive his Ferrari,' she thought as the guy started up the car and drove it down the drive way and onto the road. It was fifteen minutes drive to Athrun's so she would have to sit back and relax, but she was shaking with excitement. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach and she had no idea why, she had been to Athrun's place tonnes of times.
"We'll be arriving shortly," the man said.
"Thankyou," Cagalli replied, she looked out the window, the sun was still up but it would only be an hour and a bit until it set so the sky was starting to shine with the orange colour of the sunset. The car pulled into Athrun's driveway and the driver got out and opened Cagalli's door and helped her out. Cagalli thanked him once more and made her way up to the door. She knocked and heard footsteps.
Another man opened the door and stood aside to let Cagalli in, being a princess she was used to it but this was odd, Athrun hated having maids and things around his house, he liked doing things himself so Cagalli found it odd that she had already encountered two people, and there were more people bustling around the house.
"Master Athrun, Miss Cagalli is here!" the man who opened the door for Cagalli was walking past her shouting for Athrun. Athrun came down the stairs and beamed at Cagalli. He was wearing simple jeans and a shirt but still managed to look a little formal, around his neck he was wearing the pendant that Cagalli had given him to protect him.
"You look beautiful," Athrun said taking Cagalli in his arms and kissing her gently on the lips.
"You look pretty good yourself, quite dashing," Cagalli replied. Athrun held out his arm to Cagalli who slipped her hand under his elbow elegantly. "What is going on here?"
"Just a romantic dinner for the two of us," Athrun replied with a cheeky smile.
"We've had plenty of romantic dinners before without all these extra people." Athrun led Cagalli past the kitchen and she looked at him curiously. "Where are we eating?"
"In the garden," Athrun replied. He took Cagalli to the rose bushes and led her to the table that was lit with candles. Candles were hung in the trees and in the rose bushes creating an ethereal effect. The tablecloth and cushions on the chairs were scattered with rose petals.
Cagalli let go of Athrun's arm and stared at the table.
"Oh Athrun, it's beautiful," Cagalli whispered. Athrun was watching her with a smile on his face. He pulled out Cagalli's chair for her and she sat down and smiled at him.
"It's just for you," he told her, sitting in his own chair. A couple of men came out bringing plates of food and glasses of wine. Athrun and Cagalli ate and spoke about what Lacus thought.
"It's rather disturbing but the thought of it is ruining our evening," Athrun said.
"I know, that was so good," Cagalli replied.
"Have you got room for desert?" Athrun asked, with an amused smile.
"If it's as good as that, than of course I do." Athrun nodded to the waiters and clicked his fingers. The waiters brought out plates, the candles were making the area very light which was good because the sun had nearly set and it was starting to get dark.
The waiters set down the plates and removed the lids. Cagalli stared at the cake curiously. It had icing flowers set on the top and nestled amongst them was a small, pink pillow with a ring tied to it.
Athrun watched her while she stared at the ring trying to figure out what to say. She made a small noise and looked at Athrun.
"Is this-" Athrun held up his hand and stood up. Cagalli turned in her seat as Athrun walked over to her. He picked up the pillow and untied the ring; kneeling on the ground he took Cagalli's left hand in his own and looked up at her.
Cagalli couldn't breathe properly, Athrun looked rather nervous himself, but he took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"Cagalli, we've been together almost five years now," he said, Cagalli realised that he had practised this quite a lot because he was thinking while he paused. "And I believe that, that is long enough now to know that we're meant to be together, I want you by my side for the rest of my life. Cagalli, will you give me your hand in marriage?" Athrun held his breathe while Cagalli tried to retrieve her voice to answer. Tears welled in her eyes and she couldn't speak so she merely nodded and spread the fingers on her hand.
"Of course," she managed to choke out. Athrun smiled and slipped the ring on her finger. It had a white pearl on it with rubies either side of it. Cagalli stood up at the same time as Athrun and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I love you," she whispered to him.
"I love you too," Athrun whispered back to her. He leant forward and kissed Cagalli softly. They broke apart and Athrun looked at the table. "Desert is just sitting there." Cagalli laughed and picked up the lid to her plate and put it over the cake. Athrun reached over the candles and did the same to his.
"It can stay there," Cagalli laughed. Athrun smiled and looked up as a droplet of water hit his face. Cagalli looked up as more droplets fell from the sky. It started raining very heavily and the two of them started laughing. The waiters ran out to them, one handed Athrun an umbrella. He put it up over himself and Cagalli with a huge smile on his face.
"Didn't expect it to rain so soon," Athrun laughed. Cagalli smiled and leant her head on his shoulder. They started walking towards the house as the waiters got all the candles and the dishes and brought them inside. Athrun put the umbrella down and he and Cagalli walked into the kitchen.
"Are we done here Master Athrun?" asked one of the men.
"Yeah, you can all go home now," Athrun replied. They all bowed low and walked out of the kitchen to the front door.
"You spoil me, you truly do," Cagalli laughed.
"I like to, it makes you smile and that makes me happy," Athrun replied handing Cagalli a glass of water. Cagalli smiled at him and looked down.
"You're really sweet," she whispered. Athrun smiled and kissed the top of her head before walking out of the kitchen. "Where are you going?"
"To get something!" Athrun called back.
"If it's a present you're dead!" Cagalli leant back in her chair and waited for Athrun to come back. He walked back into the kitchen with a cheeky smile on his face.
"Well, you'd better kill me then, but open this first," Athrun said handing Cagalli a square package wrapped in pink tissue paper. Cagalli pulled off the paper and looked at the blue box curiously. She opened it and frowned up at Athrun.
"Don't you like it?" Athrun asked worriedly.
"I love it, but this, the ring, the staff… it must have cost so much," Cagalli whispered. "You're making feel guilty."
"So you don't want some chocolate then?" Cagalli rolled her eyes and touched the pearl bracelet. She took it out and held it out to Athrun.
"Can you put it on?" Athrun smiled and took the bracelet and put it around Cagalli's right wrist. He finished and looked at the ring.
"I can't believe you still wear that," Athrun laughed.
"It means a lot to me," Cagalli replied looking at the ring. Athrun smiled at her.
"You're the sweet one." Cagalli laughed and looked at the floor out of the corner of her eye.
"Athrun…"
"Shhh." Athrun sat down on the chair beside Cagalli and took her hand in his. "You don't need to feel bad, I did this for you." Cagalli smiled at Athrun and touched his hands.
"That's why I love you so much," she whispered. Athrun smiled at her and studied her with a tender look in his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I can't get over how beautiful you are." Cagalli rolled her eyes and blushed.
"Stop saying that," she whispered. "You're embarrassing me." Athrun took Cagalli's hand and pulled her up. He put his arm around her waist and led her out of the kitchen.
"Want to watch a movie?" he asked. Cagalli nodded and leant on him. They walked upstairs and into Athrun's room. Cagalli sat on his bed while he went to the television and turned it on, he pulled out a disk and inserted it into the player and pressed the play button. He sat on the bed beside Cagalli and fiddled with her hair until she looked at him.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You seem a little down."
"I'm just worried about what Lacus said," Cagalli replied. Athrun sighed and lay back on the pillows. Cagalli looked at him and then lay down beside him. "Sorry I mentioned it again."
"No it's alright," Athrun replied. "But just forget it for the rest of the night, okay?" Cagalli nodded and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I suppose that she could be wrong," Cagalli whispered. Athrun put his arm around Cagalli's shoulders and smiled at her gently.
"She very well could be," he replied. They turned their attention to the television and tried to forget about that Lacus had said and simply enjoyed each other's company.