Disclaimer: I do not own GSD, but I do own Erin, Riven, and Aetos.

It was the eve of Erin's 15th birthday. That night, Orb's palace was dressed in its finest, and so was everyone all except the celebrator herself. She had a frown on her face as her maids dressed her up in a grand golden ball gown, which complemented her eyes, back dropped by her long dark hair. Anyone would have said that her beauty surpasses any other. But the sadness in her look was much too prevailing, so much that her uncle, upon seeing her to escort to the ballroom, could not help but stall the party to ask his niece what has wronged her.

"Will my father be here?" she asked him in firm voice. Kira was somewhat surprised with her question, and felt that it was not his place to answer.

"I don't know, why don't you ask your mother?" he replied to the young girl.

"Like she'd tell me…"

"Have you tried?"

"No, but you know how mom is with that topic. Come on Uncle, you know how she banned the press from releasing anything about my father."

"That's the press, not you." Erin somehow felt that this conversation will not lead to anything good, so she put on a fake smile to satisfy her uncle and let him escort her to the ballroom.

It was full room, everyone who was anyone was there, and be they from Orb, from earth or from outer space. And there at the foot of the stairs waiting, was her mother- Lady Cagalli Eula Attha, Queen of the United Emirates of Orb, and beside her was her aunt Lacus Clyne-Yamato, the former Chairman of the PLANTS. It was awkward at first, the way that the leaders of ORB and the PLANTS were all in one family, but the public got used to it, though not the same can be said about certain politicians.

Erin was presented to the people by her mother with a speech, saying:

"There is a reason in our family why we celebrate our coming of age at fifteen. If every one of you might recall, I ran away for sometime when I was fifteen. And to tell you all the truth, I wasn't off in boarding school as everyone assumed I was. I almost died actually when I was fifteen." The crowd fell silent for a while, and Erin was certainly surprised with her mother's revelation and began to listen more intently, upon seeing her uncle's reaction. "I was in Heliopolis the day it fell. But that day was one I'd never forget, not because I almost died, but because life started for me on that day. For one, I met my brother, Kira in fact saved my life while mistaking me for a boy," everyone laughed upon recalling how brash Cagalli was in her day, "And then after that, I came to be with a rebel group and experienced battle first hand. I met and said good-bye to a lot of people during that time of war. But the most important thing that happened that year was that behind all the fighting, all the conflict, and all the death, I found love." Cagalli paused for a while, to see the look on Erin face, it was not a look of surprise, but instead was look of longing; if she hadn't been that cruel, Cagalli would have said more about him, but she knew she couldn't. "And it was that love that gave me Erin. I named you Zora, after the dawn that I loved so much. That day that the first war ended, it was the first thing your father and I saw- the dawn. Now that you are in this age, which seems to have so much meaning for us all, I hope that you would find everything that you will need to be who you want to be. So happy birthday my daughter."

Erin was certainly touched by her mother's speech, but could not help but long for more information about her father. That was all that she could think about the whole time, she was too distracted; it was not long before she found herself escaping to the gardens for a while.

"Why are you here?" a man's voiced asked from behind one of the pillars of the gazebo.

"I don't know. And who are you mister?"

"Nobody" Erin didn't really appreciate the man's reply and turned to see who she was talking to, ready to punch him in the face, but then she saw a ZAFT soldier and thought otherwise, lest she wanted to start a war.

"Who are you?" she asked instead.

"Hn, I guess it'd be rude to refuse a second time" he stepped out into the light and revealed himself to be the Chairman, Athrun Zala. "My name is Athrun Zala, it is a pleasure to finally meet you princess."

"Chairman Zala!" Erin gasped, "I'm sorry for my actions earlier, but still sir what are you doing here outside?"

"Well, I won't answer that question until you answer why you are here out side."

"Haha, very funny sir." Athrun could not help but laugh at her, making Erin turn all red in anger.

"You and your mother are so alike." He commented as he looked at her.

"Yeah, so they say." But then Erin realized something, "Chairman Zala, weren't you with my mother and my uncle during the first war?"

"Yes I was, actually in both wars."

"Can I ask you something then?"

"I'll try to answer then," Athrun felt a bit uneasy with this and prayed for the person he should be meeting to appear soon.

"During her speech, my mother said she was with my father on that ship, so could you…" but before she could finish, her mother's voice interrupted.

"Erin," she said, "why are you here outside?"

"Don't worry about it Cagalli, she was just getting a bit of fresh air." Athrun answered in her stead.

"I see, but you should return inside now, your dances are about to begin."

"Yes, mother I shall." And Erin went inside to find her Uncle waiting for her at the steps and danced with her the moment they entered the floor, leaving Cagalli and Athrun alone.

"Why are you here?" Cagalli asked him.

"Was it not you who invited me?" he replied, as he took her arm as they went for a walk.

"I didn't expect you to actually come."

"There are some habits you couldn't get out of your system can you?" Athrun said, changing their topic.

"Very funny, is that how you knew I'd be at the gardens?"

"I will not deny it."

"I see, so how are you?"