Chapter 1
2 on a hill
Four years after the Marima incident, sunlight streams gently cradled the Sanq Kindom. The citizens of this country were all in high spirits. For the weather itself had seen fit to smile upon a very important wedding taking place in the palace gardens.
On a hill overlooking this idyllic merging of live, stood a slight young man. He would appear a rather harmless fellow. Just a poor boy with a little too much on the brain and not enough in the stomach, but looks can be deceiving. This was Heero Yuy, the feared and renowned Gundam pilot 01, the "perfect soldier" with eyes of ice and a "shoot first, ask questions later" legacy.
Heero watched as the bride and groom exchanged their vows. This was the first time he had returned to the Sanq Kingdom since the Marima incident. The intermittent time had been spent as a nameless wanderer helping the only ways his waring of training and heart would allow, mainly quelling any rebel uprisings that might threaten the tentative and hard won peace the colonies and earth are enjoying. There had been far more of these than Heero would have liked to admit. At first these uprising were scattered, remote, and disorganized, easily sabotaged but in the last two years they had become far more organized and deadly, enough to make Heero uneasy and suspicious. There would seem to be someone orchestrating some greater dark plan once again. Just thinking about it made Heero unconsciously slide behind the large bolder he had been standing next to and check the slight bulge beneath his jacket.
Heero had been about to look more deeply into the rebel uprising, perhaps a long term infiltration project, when he FINALY received news of the Vice Foreign Minster Darlin-Peacecraft's engagement and up-coming wedding to Shameth, the head Representative of the colonies. When he received this news he had felt a gentle, but definitive tug on his heart, as if something was telling him that he must go. Heero had told himself that it was necessary in order to prevent attacks during the ceremony. After all, this marriage would make the bride and groom the most influential couple in the universe. It would firmly tie the bindings between earth and colonies. With that power they could, and most assuredly would, bring about a final and uniting peace between the colonies and the earth.
Yet, even as Heero looked down on the wedding below he knew the truth, he needed to be there, even if afar off, to support the girl and honor, correction the woman, who had begun to given him back his humanity; the woman he counted as a sister. He wished he could have been closer. Close enough to make sure of her safety and give her his support on this important day in her life, to give approval and perhaps a lethal warning to her new husband, but, the guards had turned him away, unsurprising considering his laid back attire and lack of official invitation. Honestly, he hadn't tried too hard. Perhaps it was for the better. From here he could protect her from the shadows as he had always done. Safe guard the great leader of hope without soiling it with his bloodstained and sinful presence.
Relena looked into the eyes of her future husband as he smiled down at her. This was by far the best day of her life. She was marring the love of her life, whom she was convinced was her soul-mate. Only one thing could have made the day any better, and that would have been if the ex- Gundam pilots, Cathryn, Lady Une, and her brother and his wife could have been in attendance. If only she could share this moment with all those dearest to her Relena was sure her heart would be filled beyond bursting. Before she could slip into a sulk, Relena felt a sharp nudge from her right; Sally Poe. Sally, Dorthy and Hilde were standing as her brides maids. Cathryn, Noin, and Lady Une were also suppose to have been brides maids but, things happen.
Trow had fallen ill, so Cathryn had stayed home with him. Lady Une, her brother and his wife, and Wufei had been called to an emergency preventions meeting over a terrorist attack on a new training ground for recruits. Duo and Hilde had only had enough money to pay for one shuttle ticket and, being the strong willed individuals they are, refused to borrow from anyone. They said Hilde had been the logical choice, though something about her triumph smirk upon her arrival told Relena that the decision hadn't been one by pure logic alone. Quatre had called only a few hours prior, to regretfully inform her that he was stuck in-between flights and wouldn't be there until the reception. As for Heero, no one had seen, much less heard from him, since his brief appearance at her speech after the Marima incident.
Relena shook her head. She was not about to let this unfortunate string of events ruin her day. She stared into her future husband's blue eyes nearly hidden under his mop of brown hair. She supposed that was how she originally had become interested in him; he looked so very much like Heero. Yet, as she got to know Shameth she had found his personality was nothing like the stoic pilot's and that it pleased her. His open heart and gentle smile spoke of his warm soul. She found herself falling in love with him. A thorough and honest search of her heart revealed to Relena that she had never loved Heero in the manner that she loved Shameth. Her love for Heero had been like that of a sister and mother mixed into one. Her young heart, so short-changed of love and support coupled with the sudden loss of her only support in that ill-fated shuttle had mistaken philia and storge for eros. He undoubtedly had a special place in her heart and she was sure that he always would, but it was not seat of passion reserved for the love of your life. Relena found this actually made her glad, for now she truly knew where she stood with Heero; closer than friends, but not lovers; he was family.