Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

The sitting room in Sylvia's home was decorated with white lace and pink roses, in a very soft feminine style. Heero set himself next to Relena on a white sofa, as Dorothy lay across a pink chaise lounge, and Sylvia took up the magenta arm chair near the fireplace. Heero mostly remained silently in his space, this time, only passively brushing his arms and legs against Relena's from time to time. He watched her, though, very carefully. It seemed that whenever she reached for a cookie, his hand made it in front of hers, as a challenge.

The flirtatious gestures, this time, were only noticed by the princess, and completely missed by the hostess and other guest, as they drabbled on, catching each other up on the gossip of the aristocrats.

"What about you, Miss Relena?" Dorothy asked suddenly, as Relena's eyes met Heero's momentarily. "Are you sexually involved with anyone?"

Relena choked on her snack, looking away to hide her blush. "I'm sorry. What?"

"I think what she means to say," Sylvia chimed in. "Is, are you seeing anyone? Romantically."

"No," she answered in a sure voice, though she began smoothing her skirt nervously. "I'm not in a relationship to speak of. No."

Both other women pouted.

"You would be a virgin," Dorothy chided.

"Well, I still don't know if I'd tell either of you, though, if I was, though."

"Why ever not?" Dorothy snipped.

Relena chuckled. "Because you're sitting here, gossiping about everyone else. Why would I ever want you to know my situation, if you're only going to talk about it more than I do?"

Dorothy gave her a scathing expression, but Relena didn't flinch.

"Perhaps you should localize your discussions to something more productive, such as business or politics?"

Dorothy set the steaming cup of tea down, in front of her. "So, tell me, Miss Relena," she said in a whimsical tone. "What is new in the world of politics?"

"Nothing since we last talked, Miss Dorothy."

"Well, what have you been working on?"

"We've made leaps and bounds in the Terraformation project."

"Ah, yes," the taller blonde chimed. "The Terraformation project; Mars. Do tell, how is your dear brother, these days?"

"Brother?" Sylvia asked. "I thought Mister Milliardo was lost in the war? In fact, I thought Heero had killed him."

Heero's face was stern and unreadable.

Relena offered her a calm smile, glancing to her right to see him, and back, again. "He's doing well. He seems to have swept Miss Noin away, with him."

"Oh," Dorothy mumbled, sulkily. "Her."

Relena smirked with something positively malicious flashing in her soft blue orbs. "Yes, Dorothy. Her. Lucrezia is one of my best friends, you know. Heaven knows where I would be without her."

"You'd both be dead," Heero pointed out, dryly.

Relena nodded to him, in agreement. In the Eve's War, Lucrezia Noin had stepped in for Relena's older brother, Milliardo, to guide Relena through world politics, and had eventually helped build the small defense force within Relena's birthright, the Sanc Kingdom, to protect the princess and the pacifist university from Romefellar's attacks.

Dorothy, who was also enrolled in the university, was equally protected by Noin's foresight, but the opposing charges of the women's personalities were not easily swept under the rug. The women were in a constant battle for Relena's affections, the political future of the small country, the entire world and eventually the heart of Milliardo Peacecraft.

Without losing face, Dorothy continued in her musical mockery. "Yes, I do miss your dear brother, Miss Relena. There aren't many men I would follow through space."

Relena shook her head, trying to get Dorothy's insinuations out of her mind.

"Tell me, Miss Relena," she continued in a feline voice, with evil sparking behind her grin. "Isn't there anyone you would chase across the world and back?"

Heero shot Dorothy a disapproving glare.

Relena blinked, setting her drink down, and looked steadily at Dorothy.

Finally she smiled, again. "What is so interesting about my brother, anyway, Miss Dorothy?"

Dorothy settled back into her seat, closing her eyes as she refused to answer. Not to be out maneuvered, she volleyed. "Is he married to that strumpet, yet?"

Relena cleared her throat, grinning as she accepted the change. "I don't believe so, Miss Dorothy. There is still no official jurisdiction there, so the marriage would hardly hold a legal standing in the court of law," she admitted.

"So, the young prince has made her his harlot? Well played, Mister Milliardo."

Relena took a steeling breath, dropping her gaze away as Dorothy insulted her family. Dorothy looked at her over her folded hands, drumming her fingers together to the rhythm in her mind. Her sneer twisted as she claimed the victory against the kinder female.

"What is it you find so interesting about Zechs, anyway, Dorothy?" Heero finally asked, breaking his silence.

The blonde woman turned her attention on him. "Why, my dear Heero?"

Relena felt only agitation as Dorothy used a term of endearment in place of the formal title, as she spoke to Heero.

"Are you jealous?" The troublesome woman narrowed her eyes with mischief.

Heero grinned only a hint at the insult. "I'd hardly want an ignorant, uppity, two-faced prostitute, such as yourself, as interested in me as you are in him; but thank you."

Relena seemed to choke on nothing.

Dorothy pursed her lips in distaste.

"Well," Sylvia blushed. "Really, I know for myself, I just can't get my mind off of that—hair."

All three of her guests looked at her in shock, and even Heero ran a hand through his own messy locks in surprise.

"Really," she continued. "It's like fine silk."

"Oh, my God," Relena whispered.