'I'll make him pay.' Relena thought angrily. The way the Red Knight had been so rude, having her sleep outside, of all places, not letting her in. It just made her so mad. She didn't get one wink of sleep all night. It was cold, and they couldn't light a fire for it would attract the wolves' attention. The only good thing about last night was that Relena had a tent, though she had to share it with Alyce. Every time a wolf howled Alyce would throw her arms around Relena and squeeze so tight that Relena couldn't breathe. The knights in her escort snored, and in the middle of the night it started to rain. So Relena stayed up the whole night, listening to the rain and wolves. And if that wasn't bad enough. In the morning she fell into a mud puddle that was made right in front of her tent, from the rain the night before. So she sat in the puddle thinking of ways to repay the Red Knight's hospitality. 'Oh yes,' Relena thought again, 'I'll make him pay.'
After she cleaned up and dressed in a new gown, the wedding party rode through the now open gates. Relena was one of the first ones to ride in, much to Rashid's disapproval. But Relena didn't really much care what Rashid liked or disliked right now, she was a woman in a bad mood and she was going to tell that high and mighty Red Knight just what she thought of him. But as Relena looked around her, some of her anger went away, replaced by shock. Accustomed to the busy working of her home, Relena was surprised to find the bailey nearly deserted. The castle was as empty as it looked from the outside.
Relena refused to look at Alyce, knowing what she would see. She would find Alyce with eyes shut, tears falling, white knuckled from holding the reins to tightly, and praying her heart out. Although Relena scorned the Red Knight's dark legend as nothing but nonsense and tall tales, as the gates closed behind them and Relena took a really good look around her, she wasn't so sure that they were all nonsense. The place gave her the shivers.
The doors to the grand hall opened and a man walked through. The man was about middle height with black hair, dressed all in black. 'Well,' Relena thought, 'the outfit doesn't help cheer up the place.'
"What do you want?" The man asked.
'That voice,' Relena thought, 'it! sounds familiar...'
Rashid rode up and announced them. "I am Sir Rashid Kurama, and this is Lady Relena Peacecraft. We were sent from the king. I have to talk to your Lord at once."
"My name is Sir Chang Wufei." The man said. There was a wave of gasps and whispers over the man's name. Relena thought she heard something about a Dragon Knight. "You are welcome to stay in the grand hall, while I tell my Lord who wants an audience with him."
Then Relena knew where she heard that voice. He was the guard from the night before. When her business was done with the Red Night, she was going to show that man that no one makes Relena Pacecraft sleep outside.
As the wedding party entered the grand hall Relena felt another shiver run through her. Two candles were lit on the long table, casting the whole room in shadows. The walls were black from years of smoke from the fireplace, and tapestries covered the windows so no light could shine through. Again Relena thought that maybe the Red Knight was as bad as his rumors said he was. Then Relena heard a thud, and she turned to find that Alyce had fainted dead away.
*****
When Relena walked into the Red Knight's Room, Wufei closed the door behind her. Relena felt a shiver run down her back. The room was pitch black. Not one candle was lit and just like in the great hall, the windows were covered to shut out the sunlight.
"Well, My Lady." A voice said. "I have read the edict you bring me from the king." There was a long pause before the man spoke again. "Why don't you sit, so we can talk about this."
'Is this the Red Knight?' Relena thought. 'He doesn't sound so bad. He has a nice, calm voice. Maybe he would think this was a bad idea too, and just tell the king that there will not be a wedding.' But still, that didn't make Relena any less angry, she had waited hours to have an audience with this man, not to mention the long, sleepless night. As Relena stumbled towards the voice she wondered again why they was no candles lit. Then she heard a growl. 'Was that from the man?' Relena asked herself. Then there was a loud bark. 'Now that didn't come from the man,' Relena thought. 'Did it?'
"Killer, Satan," the man said, "down!"
'Killer? Satan? What kind of names are those?? Maybe this isn't going to go the way I wanted it to...' Relena thought as she banged her toe on the foot of the table. "Well my Lord." Relena said as she found a chair and sat down. "I am glad. For we waited so long that I began to think no one in your castle could read it." His head snapped up at her insult, Relena sensed rather then saw his eyes burning into her. But Relena was beyond caring what the Red Knight thought, she just wanted to get out of there. "If you do not wish to comply, then tell us so, that we may depart. I have a long journey ahead of me, and many MORE nights to spend out in the cold before reaching my own castle."
Silence met her speech, and Relena thought what maybe he'd send her away now for insulting him and his household.
"My Lady...." Trowa paused as if he could not remember her name, Relena gripped the arms of her chair, gritting her teeth at the insult. "Lady Peacecaft," he said. "I'm a little confused. You were bidden to select any knight in the land to wed and you chose me." He spoke in a dry tone that indicated he could see right through her ruse. "Why?" He asked.
Relena was shocked by the direct question. She had expected Trowa Barton to just send her away, maybe with a rude scolding, but not ask bold questions. By now her eyes had grown used to the darkness, and she could barely see.
When she hesitated, he called for Wufei. The door opened, not letting any light in.
"Yes, Sir." Wufei said.
"Bring Sir Rashid in here."
"Yes, Sir." Wufei left, closing the door again.
"So, Lady Peacecaft, how old are you?" Trowa asked.
Surprised, Relena answered without thinking. "Eighteen."
"So I'm marrying an old maid."
Angry, Relena stood up and was about to shout how rude he was. Then the door opened and Rashid walked in.
"Sit down, my lady." Trowa said calmly. "Sir Rashid," Trowa said as Relena sat down. "Is lady Relena such a shrew that no one at court would have her?"
Relena drew in her breath, her cheeks flaming, while Rashid choked back a laugh. "She is known to be willful, My Lord, but many a man would gladly marry her." Rashid answered.
"Yes, for she has great wealth, does she not?" Trowa said softly.
'How dare him!' Relena thought, 'to say that only my holdings make me attractive as a wife?' She bit her lip to keep from shouting to the beast across the table.
"Think you that she is comely?" Trowa asked suddenly.
Relena blushed as Rashid turned to her, his eyes sweeping over her. "Yes, my lord. Her figure is well shaped, but a little on the thin side, her hair is a light brown ... No it's blond, and her eyes..... Her eyes are a light blue. She's short. Her looks would turn any man's head. But she has a temper that would turn them all away. She's impatient, willful, and she's on the bratty side too." Rashid seemed to catch himself, and he quickly turned back to the Red Knight. "But Lady Relena's beauty is well known," he concluded.
Relena was very surprised with what Rashid said. 'How dare he call me a brat....'
"With her temper, I would assume." Trowa said wryly.
Rashid had the grace not to answer, but Relena knew he was smiling. Relena clenched her fists, angry that they were discussing her like a prized goose about to be roasted for their feast.
"And so, My Lady, you picked me..." Trowa said slowly, in a threatening way that made Relena shiver, despite her anger. "Perhaps the fine gentlemen at court were too weak for your taste and you thought the Red Knight was suitable to the task of taming you?"
Rashid chuckled and Relena stiffened. "No man or beast is going to tame me! And I can see now the error in my way of choosing you, my Lord," she spat mockingly, "it was a mistake!"
"Yes, it was a mistake. A mistake you made and have to live with." Trowa turned to Rashid, "Tell the preacher to get ready. We wed on the hour."
"Wait," Relena cried. "Please, My Lord, may we talk alone?"
"Yes."
Relena turned to Rashid and said in a low murmur, "you may return to the hall."
Rashid nodded and left without delay, happy that his job was almost done. As Rashid walked out the door, Relena stood up and started to walk towards the Red Knight. One of the dogs growled low in its throat. "Stay back, my lady." Trowa said. Confused, Relena stopped, then took one more step. The dogs growled again, louder now and more deep in their throats. "If you want to die, then take another step. If you don't, then stay!" Trowa said angrily. He pointed back to the chair she was in before. "Sit," he added more gently.
Relena want back to the chair and sat, like an obedient child.
"My Lord, I assure you, this is all a mistake." She began, her hands bunched tightly into fists in the folds of her gown.
"Yes, it is." Trowa said with no emotion in his voice. "And you made it. Think you, I would simply defy the king's order?"
When Relena didn't answer, Trowa laughed bitterly. "So you did."
"Your reputation is great, my lord." Relena said softly.
"I see. Perhaps you thought that with a wave of my hand I could make the edict disappear, like a sorcerer?" Relena didn't say anything. She could swear she saw the flash of white teeth. He continued, "Well, my willful Lady Peacecraft, your plan has gone wrong. For no matter what you might think of me, I do not defy my king. I owe King Treize much, and if this be his wish, then I will obey. Now," Trowa said, voice rising, "you made your bed now sleep in it." Relena gaped at the man's comment on beds. "Wufei!" Trowa yelled. The door opened again. 'Does he just stay out there all day?' Relena thought.
"Take Lady Peacecraft to her room. We will wed on the hour."
Relena stormed out of the room.
*****
As Relena sat staring at the mirror in her room, Alice was pacing, making a hole in the floor. "So it's going to happen?" Alice asked with tears in her eyes.
"Yes, it is. The Red Knight wouldn't listen to me." Relena said without emotion.
"So this is our new home?" Alice asked with a tear falling down her face.
"Not if I have anything to do with it. I can't stop this wedding but I will not live in this dark place. If it takes the last breath in my body, we will get out of this!"
"Oh, Lady Relena, really?" Alice asked with hands clasped in front of her, with an admiring look in her eyes.
"Yes. Now get me ready for this devil's wedding, before someone comes to get us."
*****
When Wufei did knock on the door, Relena was all dressed and ready to go. She was dressed in her Mother's old wedding gown. She wasn't going to bring the lovely gown but Alyce had gone behind Relena's back and brought it with them. While Alyce opened the door, Relena looked at herself one more time in the mirror. Her Mother's old grown fit perfectly on her. It was a white dress with a white bodice. The bodice had gold roses embroidered in it, and gold trim around the bodice and dress. Alyce had put Relena's hair up with gold ribbon twisted in it.
"It's time to go." Wufei said, nodding at Relena.
She walked down the hallway, with Wufei on one side of her holding a candle to show the way, and Alyce on the other side gripping Relena's arm. When they walked in to the Great Hall, the king's knights took their time to look Relena over before standing up to bow to her.
When Alyce let out a scream, she found herself with a hundred eyes on her, looking at her like she went mad. She pointed at a wall. When Relena looked, a man walked out of the shadows. He was wearing all black, just like Wufei. He was walking straight for them. He stopped a foot in front of Relena and bowed to her, and then to Alyce.
"I'm sorry my lady, I didn't mean to scare you." He said to Alyce. Then he turned back to Relena. "Lady Relena Peacecraft," he said with another bow. "My name is Quatre Rababer Winner."
There was a wave of whispers from the king's knights. This time, Relena heard some of what they said. "The Angel of Death." "Did you see? He can walk through walls." "This place is cursed." "O god help us its The Angel of Death." Relena looked at the man in front of her. She could see why they called him an Angel. He had blond hair and bright blue eyes, he was very handsome and he had a very friendly smile. But she didn't get the Death part. 'Was he a knight too? Did he kill for a living?'
"I will be walking you down the aisle, if you don't mine." The handsome youth said.
"Yes, that will be fine." Relena said, not taking her eyes off Quatre's face, still wondering about the nickname.
"And what might your name be?" Quatre asked Alyce.
Relena shook herself awake. "Her name is Alyce Benson, she is my ward."
"'Tis a pleasure to meet you, my lady." Quatre took Alyce's hand, giving it a kiss. Alyce took her hand back, blushing all the time.
Then there was the ring of church bells, but there was no happy sound to it, the bells sounded more made for the death ring at a funereal, than for a wedding.
"It's time to go." Wufei said. "Follow me," he said to everyone in the room.
"Wait," Relena said. "Where is the Red Knight?"
"He is already in the church." Quatre said, taking her hand and leading her to the church.
When they got there, Relena took a deep breath. The church was worse than the hall, for the church was bigger, and the shadows were far more. There were only two candles lit; one where the guests were to sit and another on the far right of the altar, so that half the altar was lit. The other half was dark.
"Where's the Red Knight?" Relena asked Quatre.
"He is over there, my Lady." Quatre said pointing to the dark side of the alter.
'Why,' Relena thought, 'is he over there?' Then the music started to play. And with Quatre leading her, Relena walked down the aisle.
As she walked, Relena wanted to run away, back to her castle. But she told herself; she is a Peacecraft, she will not run away. But as she stopped at the alter and The Red Knight gripped her hands, she had second thoughts. The priest was talking, but Relena didn't listen. The Red Knight said his vows, and then it was her turn. Relena said them quickly and quietly, just to get them over with. Then the Red Knight put a ring on her finger and the priest said, "you are Lord and Lady, you may kiss your Lady."
'Kiss?' Relena thought, she forgot about the Kiss! Then the Red Knight's grip on her hand tightened. He pulled her into the dark and give her a very deep, very passionate kiss that made her weak in the knees. Then it was done. The Red Knight stepped back, saying there was a big feast in the hall. Then he was gone.
Stunned, Relena just stood there. She put her fingertips to her lips. He had kissed her, and she liked it! Only three men had kissed her in her life: a stable boy, Christopher Anderson, and now the Red Knight... her husband... 'O my god,' Relena thought, She was married now! She married the Red Knight! 'Lord help me...'
