Chapter 3

The slight bump and trot of the horse jerked Relena out from her stupor. She blinked carefully and opened her eyes, adjusting to the sight of three other couples on horseback. She looked down to the gloved arm around her waist and frowned, aghast that she allowed herself to sleep at a time like this. She remembered the man's kind eyes and relaxed but still had her guard up.

'Where are they taking me?' she wondered. Looking around she saw they were in a large clearing of trees, following a worn trail. The sweltering heat of the midday sun was blocked out by the trees above and so the temperature was comfortable. Relena felt the arm around her move away as she assumed the man sensed she had awakened. She thought about the man behind her. She admitted he was the least rambunctious out of the group and probably the most polite although she couldn't really tell for sure. She thought about the man with the long braid, her savior.

'Savior indeed,' she thought. 'I don't remember asking for his help.'

His blue eyes were jovial and his smile was generous. She judged him to be the least mature of the group yet the most outgoing. Relena assumed the girl with short dark hair, Hilde, to be his lady of some sort. She had wanted to answer the girl when she was being questioned but decided against it as she thought they would leave straight away. Relena had not expected them to go this far and actually take them with her. She then saw a couple, both with flaxen hair and remembered the girl with the strange eyebrows. She took an immediate dislike to the pushy woman.

Relena had also assumed the couple was together. She had stolen a few glances at the girl they called Dorothy and her counterpart. The blonde haired man had a soft smile and peaceful blue eyes. His whole demeanor was calm and unwavering and she didn't understand how one as obnoxious as Dorothy could fit with one so completely different.

'I suppose opposites do attract,' she thought wryly.

Relena turned her attention to the Asian couple riding alongside the two blondes. She knew the least about them since she didn't hear them speak at all when they had rejoined their friends at the lunch shed. Relena did notice the man seemed to have a permanent, stern, no-nonsense tattooed on his face. She remembered him scowling along with Dorothy and didn't find him pleasant in the least. His lady counterpart, with inky black hair tied in a short ponytail, seemed like a softer version of him; however Relena couldn't judge the girl's personality either because she too had done nothing but stand next to her lord quietly.

The men all wore the same manner of armored clothing suggesting them to be of great rank. Each however, sported a different seal on their breastplates. Supposedly to differentiate their rank, she thought. The woman wore ankle-length tunic dresses of the common medieval style with a cinched belt at the waist and tight sleeves with gilded, gold swirls as design along the forearm to wrist. They wore flat, silk slippers.

'Just who are these people?' Relena wondered again.

"We will be arriving shortly at the palace. The wait is not much longer," the man behind her called Trowa said, bringing Relena out from her musings. He urged the horse into a slightly quicker trot to keep up with the couples ahead. He had gone slowly for her sake since he knew she had fallen asleep and did not want to disturb her.

Relena thought over a plan of escape. Trustworthy or not, she did not know them and staying was out of the question. She had to find a way to sneak out of their grasp and back to her home. Remembering this, immediately brought an empty feeling to her stomach. She still could not recall the events that occurred which led her to have been sold as a slave. The memory was faint and in bits and pieces and try as she might, they refused to mend.

She though back to flames, a warm hand and running.. She clenched her fists and was determined to remember what it was she had to do, where she had to go and was determined not to be hindered by these people. It was seven against one if she decided to escape now and it was a foolish idea indeed. Relena decided to wait it out and see what would become of her.

"We have arrived," Trowa announced as the party made its way down a trail on the side of the hill.

Relena looked up from her hands and set against the backdrop of an ocean and cascade of mountainous trees, was situated the largest castle she had ever seen. Her sapphire eyes widened at the sheer grandeur of the structure. From the seemingly deep moat, to the massive drawbridge, to the towering gatehouse and the soaring cylindrical towers, the look of the castle was extremely intimidating. Various guards dressed in slightly similar clothing to the men she was with, stood situated near the sides of the arched passageways.

The group reached the barbican and soldiers allowed them to pass, bowing respectfully.. They entered through the high-arched passageway and reached the drawbridge which was let down. They then rode to the main gate and two stable boys came running up to them. Relena still could not fathom why one would need a castle so massive. She remembered her own castle home being quite large but nothing compared to this.

The women and soldiers had all dismounted by then and Trowa looked up at her expectantly, his hand extended. She took it and allowed him to help her down. Although she was perfectly capable of mounting and dismounting a horse she did not wish to be rude. Looking around her, Relena saw Duo and Quatre in conversation with two tall women wearing long, dark purple gowns. One woman had her brown/blonde hair in two wide curls framing her face and the other had brown hair also framing her face. They seemed to be older than the rest of them and Relena inched closer, curious as to what they were saying. She remained still when their eyes turned to her. The one with the curls smiled sympathetically. Relena turned around when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

The Asian girl, who was slightly shorter than Relena, looked up at her and smiled.

"If you please, miss. Follow me this way, the girls and I will see to you," Meiran said, her voice was not soft as her petite features portrayed her to be, but it was not unpleasant. Relena nodded and followed Hilde, Dorothy and Meiran into another of the high-arched passageways, up a few stone steps and into a bright candle lit stone walkway. The girls led Relena into a large, stone bathroom quite a ways into the hall. There was a deep, oval pool in the center of all the pillars and benches that surrounded it. Hilde led Relena over to stone bench.

Dorothy crossed her arms and stood at the door, unwilling to be a hand-maid to a slave.

"I will fetch you you a clean set of clothing," Meiran offered helpfully, exiting the bath.

Relena sat on the bench and gazed into the lightly, steaming bath.

"This bathhouse is always being heated by the hot springs underneath this part of the castle," Hilde explained following Relena's eyesight. "So it's never cold. You can undress and bathe now if you like."

Relena looked at Hilde, uncertainty in her eyes. She still didn't understand why they were being so generous and concerned.

"Please trust me," Hilde said, her dark blue eyes earnest. "Lord Duo wouldn't like it if all his troubles were for nothing if you don't accept our hospitality. I can't honestly say I know what you've been through but judging by what I've seen today, I know you'd welcome a little reprieve. Dorothy and I will leave you in privacy, but please do make use of what we offer. We mean you no harm."

Relena's heart warmed a little at the girl's sincerity and for the first time since they've met, Relena gave her a genuine smile. She nodded and proceeded to remove her clothing. Hilde and Dorothy left the bath, the blonde giving her a fleeting look of contempt before following the brunette out.

Relena stood up and made her way to the edge of the pool, dipping her toe lightly to test the water. It was at the perfect temperature and she proceeded to submerge herself into the comforting pool. The small scratches and nicks on her body from the rough handling of the slaves captors stung slightly as the warm water cleansed them. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the side of the pool not hearing Meiran enter quietly with the bath soaps, oils, wash towels and clean clothing. Meiran placed them near the pool and left as silently as she came, not wishing to alarm the girl.