Chapter 10

Surprises

"Now isn't this a cute little scene"

Heero charged in the direction of the voice, swiping the legs out from under the speaker and flipping him over then he put a well placed knee in his back. The speaker twisted and hooked his legs around his neck and flipped him forward but he rolled into another crouch. They exchanged a number of blows, Heero catching the speaker with a clip to the chin and receiving a blow to his gut. They both sized each other up for another exchange of deadly counterattacks until Relena's voice stopped them.

"Will you boys stop it already?"

Duo grinned at her and her attempt to preserve her modesty by dunking up to her head in the water. He let his black hood fall back and reached out his hand for Heero to shake. Heero shook it though his glare did not weaken. "You know that if you are discovered here we could all be in for a battle royale." He said in irritation. Duo waved his concern away. "I haven't been spotted and we both can hear a goat take a shit ten miles away. Well, when we're not wrapped up in our women." He said not being able to resist a dig. Heero ignored that and dressed. He glared Duo down until he turned and the he gave Relena her clothes to dress as well.

"By the way Heero, you sure were looking good in your birthday suit." Duo said with a muffled laugh. Heero kicked him in the back. Duo stumbled, still laughing until they all sobered at once. "Why are you here?" Relena asked him. Duo shot Heero a look and sighed. "You didn't really think we were just gonna let you guys sit out here with no back up did you?" he said with a frown. Relena began pacing. "Yes, actually I did. I don't want to lose the precarious trust of the Chieftain Zabu. We only have ten days remaining before we will be able to share the space with them." She said. Duo shot her an incredulous look. "No matter the negotiation, Princess, they will not honor their word. These locals are not what you think they are. That's the only reason I came, to let you know that this whole arrangement is bullshit. The guy Zabu has had contact with Trieze." He reported.

Heero's mind went blank and he focused on Duo. "When?" he asked coldly. Relena put her had on his shoulder but he barely felt it. Duo gave him a sympathetic look. "It was two days in. We have been intercepting all radio transmissions from our Gundams and imagine our surprise when ole' Trieze contacted that Zabu dude. Trieze wants our Princess badly though he didn't say why. Zabu ain't no fool though, he wants our Princess himself and if he can get her to marry him before Trieze gets here, he can take good ole boys money and still keep the woman. No matter what Trieze has up his sleeve, he won't have enough resources to fight the locals on their own land." He said. Heero looked at Relena who had gone white. "Don't worry, I told you I won't let them have you." He said.

Relena turned on him with a fury he was unsure he provoked. "Me? And what about all of you? How could I live with myself if you all were killed in this stupid conflict? I want us to go home in the same condition we arrived and if I have to go back to earth to do it then I am happy to." She spat. Duo caught her arm as she made to walk away. "If you die what do you think will happen to us Princess? We will become tools of war once again and have to fight until we die anyway. You don't really understand why we risk our lives for you do you? We were not sought out for this mission, Relena. We all volunteered." He said softly.

Relena looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand. Why would you volunteer?" she asked. Duo looked at Heero who nodded and then he gave her a sheepish smile. "We all believe in you. You are the only hope we have of putting our Gundams away and finally becoming people. If you die we all lose hope in our humanity. All of us, including Trowa and Wufei, though they love to give you a hard time if they can. We are willing to risk our lives because without you as the Princess and President of Earth, we are all just weapons just like the Gundams we pilot."

Tears spilled down her cheeks and Duo gave her an awkward pat on the back. "Let us do what we need to." He said finally. Heero watched as Relena reluctantly nodded, then embraced Duo tightly before the other man could pull away. "You gave me your lives and I promise you that one day I will give you freedom." She whispered. Duo then hugged her back, his eyes shut tightly before putting her away from him. "We all have been scouting to find ways into the village without alerting the Chieftain to what we're up to. You guys just keep up the charade until one of us comes back to report any plans of infiltration." He said before slipping back into the brush and disappearing.

Relena wouldn't look at Heero just yet. "Was that true for you?" she asked in a whisper. Heero touched her cheek. "What he said is true for all of us. You are hope to the Gundam pilots. That has nothing to do and everything to do with why I love you. Relena Peacecraft, President of Earth is my symbol of hope but just Relena a woman who wants to live in peace is who I love." He said simply. She nodded and wiped her tears away. "What do we do now?" she asked. He was now talking to Relena Peacecraft. "Like Duo said, we lay low and wait for the chance to take this operation apart. I won't hand you over to another man be it Trieze or Zabu. I promise you that." He said gravely. Relena reached up on her tip toes and kissed him deeply; putting all of the years she spent loving him into it. "And I promise you when this is all said and done I will give you a home." She said.

Heero stared into her eyes with emotions he didn't recognize lumping in his throat. A home. He'd never had one of those that he could remember. Hope surged in his gut and the image of them together in a house and her body swollen with his child made his eyes burn. He touched his forehead to hers. "A home and a family." He whispered. Relena's gaze locked on his and her eyes widened. She took his hand and put it over her flat stomach. "Even now we could have started a family." She said. Heero let his touch linger on her flesh, imagining that stomach growing with his child. He pulled away. "We can't yet. It's too dangerous for you right now. And what about the…"

"The rape"

"I didn't mean…"

"I was not impregnated by him."

"You don't have to talk about it."

"No, but you need to hear that."

Heero cursed himself because she was right. If she got pregnant now, he would raise the child as his own but always wonder. Relena gave him an understanding smile and he cursed himself again. He never had and never would deserve her. He'd killed all his life for another man's cause and he'd done it without question. He should be willing to raise another man's child without question as long as that child came from Relena. But he couldn't. He couldn't fathom another man's child growing in her body and the relief that he wouldn't have to deal with that made him humble. He sat next to her, unable to speak.

"It's normal for a man not to want to raise another's child and it's also normal for a woman whose had a child as a product of rape to give that child up for adoption." She said looking down. Heero raised her chin and looked at her. "You don't have to talk about this. I mean it." He said. She shook her head and looked away. "I do." She said with a self deprecating chuckle. "I thought I was pregnant after it happened and I wanted to die. I was the President and an advocate for peace and love but I knew I could not love that baby. I could not sleep, would not eat and could not talk to anyone because I was ashamed. Ashamed that someone in my position would give up her child because I couldn't get past how the child was conceived."

Lady Une found support groups for me but there is no way to be inconspicuous about it. Instead she went on my behalf and taped the sessions for me. I found that I was not alone and that it was normal. I found out that to keep the child might have meant I could not keep the man I loved. It was a hard decision to make and the days awaiting the medical reports were endless but in the end I was lucky. I don't have to make that decision and I have the man I love. My heart breaks for those who were not as lucky as me and every day I work harder for peace to repent for how relieved I am that my first child will someday be yours if we make it out of here alive."

Heero didn't know what to say. There were no words to describe how he felt about her at that moment. He wanted the man who raped her to die slowly and in immense pain but the feeling seemed too harsh for the miracle that came from it. She wanted him. She wanted to be with him and bear his children. No one else could turn the monstrosity of his seed into something lovable and worth cherishing. Only the purity of Relena Peacecraft could wash away the demons he represented and love a child conceived of him. She took his hand and kissed the back of it. "You would make wonderful father." She said with a serene smile. He pulled her close and held her. She was crazy as hell for wanted him but he would get them through this and they would have that dream. He would bury anyone in the way.

They walked back to the village and Aryn hurried over to her with a wide smile. "Tonight we have a Kita! It is a tribal dance where the young unmarried ladies dance the dance of seduction to lure a husband to them. Come, you have been chosen to dance as well." She bubbled. Relena stared at her in horror before trying to blurt out an excuse. Aryn waved her concern away. "We know you will not be looking for a husband silly one. You just have to dance and we will show you how." She said tugging her over to a circle off prattling women. "The wives of the chieftain teach the young girls because it is this dance that caught his attention and gave us our positions. You will enjoy it, I promise. "He finished.

Heero stood in the distance occupied by watching the village guards and thankfully missed most of the practice. He hadn't thought he cared to see the gyrations of the indigenous but when Relena stepped out of the circle with a short white skirt made of an unknown skin and a simple bra like contraption on her chest, he was momentarily stunned. She was laughing and twirling in circles with the others as they celebrated having apparently gotten the dance down packed. He forced himself to focus as she followed the women off to make the next meal. This time she helped pick berries as the outfit was sacred and they wanted her to remain pure.

The rest of the day seemed to pass with him forcing himself to look away from her and do his job but that night he was mesmerized. They'd made a circle around the campfire and the drums were heavy in the air. The rhythmic beat was catchy enough and the women were excited. A harsh cry sounded and the women began to move. His eyes had not strayed from Relena once but when she began to move he couldn't if he wanted to. The light of the campfire played on her silky skin while she shook her hips in time with the rhythm. Her arms went over her head and her full breasts bounced as she moved around the campfire hopping on the balls of her feet and tips of her toes.

Her gaze locked on his for a moment and the look of rapture of her face reminded him of when her orgasm was upon her. His breathing sped up and he knew without a doubt that he was fully aroused. Her rump bounced with each undulation of her hips and her hair was a blanket of silk caressing her body like the hands of her lover. The women let out moans and cries of pleasure that mimicked what their husbands would hear but he recognized those that came from Relena and from the look she was giving him she knew he would. By the time the dance was done his were not the only eyes that could not stray from her. He collected himself as the women sat and awaited a response from the men.

The entire group of girls were chosen but two. One was a plump girl of no more than fourteen and the other was Relena. She looked to be comforting the other girl but her posture was relaxed and it was obvious she'd enjoyed the show. Then Chieftain Zabu chose that moment to speak up as to who he would next wed.

"I choose the earth queen."

To be continued.

Disclaimer: Come on, we both know I don't own it