AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, yes I know, three chapters in one night! Don't expect this to be a regular thing as my first HSK test is next month, but for some reason I had the urge to write tonight and I did. As always, thanks for reading and to my friends whom this is dedicated to: I hope you keep enjoying reading it as much as I keep writing. Thanks!

Chapter 21

Listening to the various murmurs and the distant playing of a band, Heero stood in line as each person was announced by a crier before entering the grand hall. To his dismay, Relena's arm was hooked on his. He glanced over at his reflection in the windows, not at all pleased with the outfit that had been designed to somewhat match Relena's.

Relena wore a gown of white with a high neck in a V-shape that, were Heero attracted to her, would reveal just enough cleavage to draw attention from a potential male suitor. Around her waist was a silky ribbon that tied delicately in the back. Her gown split on her left side mid-thigh, revealing the rest of her leg as she walked. Diamond earrings with a diamond on a velvet choker were the final touches to the design.

To match, Heero had been put in silk white blouse's with its own V-neck, exposing half of his well-formed chest for the world to see. His trousers were black, a bit on the tight side, and far too uncomfortable for his tastes. He would have preferred the spandex he'd worn during the war and had briefly humoured the idea of completely embarrassing his forced-date and wearing them. The sleeves, cuffed, reminded him of the uniform he wore at the institution in Sanq in the middle of the war. The final touch was a large red garnet that laid on his chest, held by a fine gold chain.

He'd never dressed in fine clothing before with the exception of a tuxedo, but this shirt with the way it was cut made him feel more like a male fashion model than a bodyguard to a politician.

Relena tightened her grip on his arm suddenly. "We're next," she whispered.

"The Vice-Foreign Minister Relena Darlian-Peacecraft and Mister Heero Yuy of Preventer Unit Five!" the crier shouted, sounding a gong.

Voices turned, murmured as they entered the room.

Heero wanted desperately to disappear. He hadn't been seen in public like this with her since...

He'd be grateful when Quatre showed up. This was a politician and noblemens' party and Quatre had been invited, so...

"Miss Relena!"

Heero turned at the sound of a familiar voice and looked relieved to see Lucrezia Noin in a nice mauve dress walking up to join them. He'd forgotten Noin's connections with Sanq Kingdom; naturally she would have been invited also. While Heero wasn't exactly a social person, having someone else to default on was a good idea, and Noin would distract Relena if asked.

"Relena," Lucrezia Noin smiled as she made her way through the room to embrace the younger woman. "It's so good to see you!" She turned to Heero and looked him up and down quickly. "And Heero Yuy! I may see you at headquarters all the time, but it's not often I see you dressed like this."

"Hn," Heero kept his face neutral. "Don't expect it to become something regular."

Noin raised an eyebrow as a footman approached with a tray of glasses of wine. "Wasn't expecting it to." She accepted a glass of wine before turning her attention back to Relena. "Word has it had Dorothy is planning a debate of sorts tonight at the dinner table."

"A debate?" Relena asked, also accepting a glass of wine. Heero declined almost immediately.

Noin sipped her glass gently. "Between you and current President Jensen."

Relena almost choked on her glass. "She can't be serious."

"And why can't I?" a too smooth voice inquired.

All three of them turned to see Dorothy Catalonia, her hand on one hip while her other twirled wine delicately. Her velvet eyes seemed to cut through Relena's gaze, amusement on her face. "Come now, Miss Relena, surely you did not expect to merely drink wine and dance, did you?"

"Perhaps I did," Relena replied a little stiffly.

"Pity," Dorothy flicked her hair back, chuckling. "I was hoping you still had a bit of fire. Has your seat gotten too comfortable? Or perhaps you've lost your touch?"

"None of these," Relena immediately stated. "It's just that there is a time for politics and a time for leisure."

"Oh, that's so easy to say," Dorothy teased, murmuring as her lips touched the rim of the glass. "For a normal person. But for the Princess of Peace in a world of bloodthirsty nobles?" She sipped her wine.

"Didn't you learn your lesson about the price of war eight years ago?" Heero bluntly asked.

"It's as my grandmother told you," Dorothy smiled, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "We shall see which leash humanity will take: peace or old, pesky habits."

"Your grandmother?" Noin asked.

"She mentioned she met you at the seamstress' shop," Dorothy replied. "Don't you know? Lilith Dermail de Racine was married to the late Duke Dermail. She formed Epyon de Telos after the incident with Mariemaia Khushrenada in the memory of my grandfather."

Relena thought to herself about how young Lilith de Racine must have been to marry Duke Dermail. In her teens? Had that even been legal?

"In any case, her intervening did you some good," Dorothy mused, looking Heero up and down. "You cut an interesting figure for one named after a pacifist martyr, Heero Yuy. But what less would one expect from a Gundam Pilot?"

"Ex-Gundam Pilot," Heero put in quickly.

Dorothy waved her hand dismissively. "In any case, Miss Relena, you'd better prepare your notes. Dinner shall be... interesting." She gave a mock courtesy before walking away, chuckling to herself.

"Keep an eye out on her," Noin commented softly. Heero nodded curtly in reply. Relena only stood silent, wondering just what on earth did Dorothy – and quite possibly her grandmother – have planned.

"Quatre Raberba Winner's representative and his date!" the crier suddenly shouted, sounding the gong.

"Representative?" Noin echoed, looking up before her jaw dropped. "Oh no. Oh no. It's Duo. And he brought..."

Heero turned around and his heart got lodged in his throat. Sure enough Duo arrived, dressed in a tuxedo with his hair done in its usual braid. But that wasn't what was causing Heero's heart to pound. Dressed in a beautiful, deep scarlet dress with her brown hair done up in curled ringlets and looking absolutely, positively stunning was Jaenelle Kelly.

He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Hey guys!" Duo grinned as Jaenelle smiled a little awkwardly, looking from person to person. "Miss Noin. Vice-Foreign Minister. Instructor Yuy."

"Duo," Noin half-snapped, half-sighed. "What on earth are you doing here instead of Quatre? And bringing a student on a date?"

"Right now she's not a student," Duo grinned. "She's not underage, we aren't on school property and this isn't a school activity. Une said so."

Noin sputtered. "That still doesn't answer why you're here instead of Quatre!"

"Q-man has too much to do. I figured I'd do him a favour. And I figured I'd take Jae with me." He winked at Jaenelle, causing Heero's blood to boil.

Noticing the way Heero kept looking at this girl, Relena quickly turned to Heero. "Heero," she said, promptly and stiffly, hooking her arm once again on his. "Will you dance with me?"

Heero tore his gaze from Jaenelle, his eyes looking conflicted before settling back in their normal icy stare. "As you wish," he said curtly.

Duo, in the meantime, made an almost mocking bow. "Miss Jaenelle, will you do me the honour of a dance?"

Jaenelle, laughing, courtesied. "It would be my pleasure," she replied, taking Duo's hand delicately.

Noin shook her head, wanting very badly to shake them all.

Heero was glaring daggers at Duo as Relena led him away, his heart pounding sharply in his chest, demanding that this was wrong, wrong, wrong and he shouldn't allow this. Shouldn't allow this. Why was he feeling like this? Why was this making him angry? This shouldn't make him angry.

Relena stopped when they reached the dance floor, raising her arms in the appropriate position. He responded in kind, his mind whirling, his heart pounding.

Duo led Jaenelle on the floor, who was smiling from ear to ear.

Rage filled him. Heero led Relena in the dance, unaware of anything except the other couple on the dance floor. He was dancing with the wrong person. This was not who he wanted to dance with. Why did it matter that Duo was dancing with her? Why did it matter at all? It wasn't supposed to matter. This was stupid.

He saw Duo twirl his partner, saw Jaenelle go back in his arms.

Heero tightened his grip on whatever he was holding.

"Heero," Relena gasped. "You're hurting me."

Muttering a barely audible apology, Heero let go of Relena and stalked off the dance floor, leaving an appalled and embarrassed Relena all alone in the middle of a thousand nobles. She felt the eyes on her, could hear the whispers. Her date had stalked off without her. He'd actually left.

Frantic and distressed, Relena took off after Heero, losing him as he made his way through the crowd. She kept weaving in and out, looking desperately for Heero and was about to call out his name just as she slammed into a nobleman, spilling his glass of wine onto his shirt. "I'm so sorry!" Relena gasped with horror, throwing her hands up to her face at what she'd done. This night couldn't possibly get any worse! "Please forgive me, I was not looking where I was going."

"It's alright," the man said in his Irish accent, looking down at his fine blouse. The red wine had seeped into it, leaving a deep red on what was once cream white.

"Please, let me get a napkin for you-" Relena began, but the man laughed, still looking down at his shirt. "Why, it's made a lovely pattern! Do not worry, it is not such a bad thing. It looks like an eagle, or, as my father would rather have it, a raven."

Relena blinked in surprise. He wasn't angry?

The man looked up at her and smiled. "I think it even matches the blue markings on my face."

It was a gorgeous mouth, if one could have one. His eyes were a deep brown, his hair a red-dusted blonde. Relena sucked in her breath as she looked at him, a wave of instant attraction filling her like nothing she had ever experienced, except perhaps with the man who had just abandoned her in the middle of the dance floor. But for some reason, that actually didn't matter anymore."You are?" Relena asked, breathless.

"Bran," he smiled. "Bran O'Dagda, of the territory of Ireland. And you are the Vice Foreign Minister of the World Nation, Relena Darlian-Peacecraft."

"Yes," Relena couldn't help but blush, smiling despite herself.

"It is a beautiful name, Relena is. A lovely name for its lovely occupant. It matches the lovely stain on my shirt," Bran winked.

"Oh my gosh! Bran, I am so sorry for spilling the wine on you," Relena apologised, feeling even more embarrassed. "I'll get you a new glass of wine, buy you a new shirt-"

"If you want to repay me so badly," Bran extended his hand with a smile. "You can join me in the next dance."

Relena gazed at him, her lips trembling with feelings she couldn't identify, except for one. She thought of Heero, of the way his eyes had always been so cold even to her except for once, and how even that one time, they weren't as warm as the eyes that were gazing into hers right now. "I would love to," she smiled, breathless as she took his hand. "Lead on, Bran O'Dagda."

Heero leaned on the railing of the balcony, letting the still-warm autumn air blow through his hair, the emotions within him swirling and swirling, demanding to be acknowledged, to be known. The memories, they too flooded him, drowned him.

The last time he stood on this balcony was a time when he'd escorted Relena to one of these galas. Normally she was controlled and cordial, but that one particular time was different. She was under pressure and stress constantly and that night she'd decided to let loose a little. Perhaps too much.

He remembered all too well her leaning over the railing. He was worried she was sick. He'd put his hand on her back, asking if she needed to go home, or if she was going to throw up.

Then her arm was around his neck, her lips on his, her other hand gripping at him, sliding down, grabbing his belt-

Heero shook his head, willing the memory to go away.

In truth, she hadn't gotten far. At the first real touch, he'd pushed her away, horrified. She'd gotten angry with him for rejecting her, stood up and shoved him, told him that he'd better just take it because no one else would want to deal with such a mentally fucked up man like he was.

To this day, he still wasn't sure what was worse: what she'd done, or what she'd said.

When she'd sobered and realised what she'd done, she'd explained herself. She was angry, she said, because felt she was the only person who understood him and ever would. No one else, she had continued, would have the patience to deal with him and his past like she did, and no one else would love him like she did. She said that through her he could have a normal life.

He'd taken that letter and tore it into pieces.

He didn't care if it was true or not. Yes, he had issues. Yes, he hadn't been properly socialised. And yes, he had mistaken his yearning for peace and his desire to protect peace with loving a woman. He'd loved the ideal, thought Relena had been incarnation of the ideal that would bring his dreams of living a normal life to reality. But she was a person beneath it all, not a goddess like the rest of the world – and even he- had believed. So, he'd resigned to being her friend. But she'd not gotten over her attachment, and his withdrawl had frustrated her to the point of anger. She'd never gotten over him, and now...

Now.

Now they weren't friends. Until she could get over him, he'd refuse to be her friend. He just had no idea what to do about her getting over him. That was entirely up to her.

He'd dismissed the idea of love and being involved with a woman. He'd completely dismissed it, ignored it, refused everything Duo tried. Duo had even tricked him into a few blind dates now and then, blind dates that ended with him either leaving or refusing to even answer his "date's" questions. He thought it was useless and in the back of his mind had wondered if Relena was right: that she really was the only person who would be able to handle his damned issues.

Until...

"Instructor Yuy?"

Heero turned around and felt his cold mask melt away when he saw her approach him. "Are you alright?" Jaenelle asked, looking concerned. "Instructor Maxwell told me to find you. They're going to serve dinner after this next dance."

Applause sounded in the hall as a song ended and another one began.

Heero swallowed hard. "Jaenelle."

Jaenelle tilted her head, still looking worried.

Summoning all the courage he had, Heero lifted a hand, feeling his voice grow husky and soft. "Will... you join me in this dance?"

"Interesting," Dorothy mused as she approached Relena.

"Hm?" Relena asked, turning from her conversation.

Dorothy laughed, jerking her head towards the dance floor. "Is he not in love with her, do you think?"

Relena turned and stared as Heero escorted that girl on the dance floor. Her heart pounded sharply in her chest. She couldn't believe it.

People watched as the normally cold Perfect Soldier took his student on the dance floor. His eyes were warm, a smile on his face as he danced the waltz with this girl who was neither politician nor noble, just a normal girl like anyone who would be on the street. Her movements weren't as fluid as any of the other women, and it was obvious she'd never had a ballroom dancing class in her life, but none of that was as interesting, or as moving, as the way the two of them looked at each other.

"Looks like the feeling is mutual," Dorothy chuckled. "She gazes at him as if he's the only man on Earth. Seems you've lost your knight, princess. This will certainly make headlines in the morning."

Laughing, Dorothy walked away.

Relena looked down at the ground, her heart aching with pain. Had all these years been for nothing? Just nothing? She'd loved Heero since she found him on the beach eight years ago, had worked so hard to understand him, to know him. She'd been angry and said things she didn't mean, had never been forgiven for a mistake that any human being would make and now...

"Vice-Foreign Minister?" a voice asked.

Relena turned to look over her shoulder as a smiling Bran O'Dagda approached. "They can't be the only couple on the dance floor," he murmured softly, extending his hand.

Relena stared at the offered hand, felt her heartbeat change from a sharp pain to a flutter of excitement as her cheeks heated and she felt her eyes rest on the gaze of a warm man. "No," she replied, returning his smile and taking his hand. "They can't."

As Relena and Bran O'Dagda entered the dance floor, Lilith de Racine approached Dorothy Catalonia. "It seems that Relena Darlian-Peacecraft won't be the one we'll need after all," she commented.

Dorothy looked at her step-grandmother quizzically. "You have something up your sleeve, don't you?"

"Perhaps," Lilith only smiled. "Or perhaps I'm only a messenger. Perhaps I'm a pawn on this board of chess or perhaps I am the queen. But it doesn't matter, does it?"

Dorothy didn't answer, merely crossed her arms.

Lilith raised the wine glass and gazed at Heero Yuy and Jaenelle Kelly through the glass and murmured, "Solet ed," before she tipped it back, laughing, and drank.