They made camp before nightfall. Relena was grateful for the chance to stretch her legs even as the evening air chilled her. Middie and Sally were close by, as always, to tend to her finding comfort in the warmth of the fire's glow. As grateful as she was fir the fire, she was even more grateful for their company. Not a day's ride away and she already missed home. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared into the flames of the campfire.

Her new husband was nowhere to be seen, but perhaps he preferred it that way. She did not know exactly what to expect when she first met him, but when she first saw him, her mind went completely blank... her heart beat faster in her chest and she could barely breathe. He was the most handsome, unique man she had ever seen. His deep blue eyes held an intensity the likes of which she'd never known. His chiseled face held a proud, thin nose and pointed chin that spoke of a heritage from a distant land. He was taller than she pictured, but by no means as tall as he could be. His build was lean and well-muscled from years of battle; a truly imposing figure… and he was now her husband.

What bespelled her the most, was what she saw in his eyes at the ceremony. It took her breath away. The way he looked at her made her heart leap in her chest and her stomach flip. The raw, unadulterated awe when he looked upon her… A blush had heated her cheeks so fiercely that she was thankful for the veil. When he took her hands in his to say their vows, her whole body tingled and when their lips met, she felt something strange and new deep in her heart…

And yet he forced this union. He threatened her people and left her with little other choice. Saying goodbye to her brother and her sister in law had been the hardest thing she had ever had to do. She could still hear their voices in her mind:

"I am so proud of you, sister." His voice was strained, eyes red, but from grief or lack of sleep she could not tell. "You've grown so strong and now, our people depend on that strength."

"Milli…"

"I would give anything to save you from this."

"I know." He hugged her to him, and she returned his embrace. When their father died, her brother became as a father to her and his wife as a mother. To leave them both hurt beyond words.

"I have made sure you will have everything you need, Relena." Noin hugged her too. "How I wish there were another way."

"I will be fine." Relena pulled back and gave them her bravest smile. "I have heard King Heero is an intelligent man and clearly he is not unreasonable or he would not have agreed to this arrangement."

"Remember all that we have taught you." Noin placed the veil on her head.

"I will." Her sister in law kissed her cheek and lowered the veil to lead her to meet her fate...

"Relena." Middie touched her arm. "They say that supper is ready."

"Very well." She followed the younger blonde to one of the logs set by the fire as a makeshift bench.

"Here ya go, Princess!" A braided man with kind violet eyes smiled at her as he handed her a bowl of stew.

"I thank you, sir."

"Aw! No 'sir' necessary! The name's Duo. I'm one of the king's most trusted advisers and I'm at your service!"

"Then you must call me Relena." His smile broadened. A tall man with chestnut hair to one side of his face handed Middie a bowl and she saw Middie blush; the tiny smile at the corner of the man's lips did not escape her attention either. It made her smile to see her friend making a connection. Perhaps an additional good could come of this arrangement.

Sally and Wufei sat next to them, eating their soup quietly. It was clear to her that neither one was fully at ease. Sally, like Wufei, was a skilled fighter and had been tasked by her brother to be a last line of defense in case something should go wrong. It was the two of them that had taught her quite a bit about self defense and weaponry, though Relena hoped to never have to use it.

"So, how long do you think it will take us to reach the capital?" Relena asked. Duo scratched his head.

"Well, by my reckoning, with the addition of you and your attendants it will take four more days if the weather holds." He smiled and took a huge bite off an apple. "And I can't wait to get home! You'll love my wife! You two will be great friends!"

"I'm sure we will." She returned his smile. It was hard to see how such a kind soul could follow a man known for bloodlust and war. She had yet to see him around the camp. "Duo, do you know where the king is?"

"Uh…" Duo's smile faltered. "He's out on patrol. Heero feels the most secure when he is the one protecting the camp." His hesitation made her doubt his words. It was likely that the king did not wish to be near her...

"Is there any chance that I will see him?" Duo shrugged in response.

"I guess it's possible." Duo's tone did not sound hopeful. "I can go find him for you?" She shook her head.

"No. The security of the camp is far more important." She stared down at her stew. Why did the idea that he did not want to see her hurt so much?

"Duo, what did you say to make the Princess so sullen?" A young, blond man walked over. If Duo's eyes were kind, then this man's were pure innocence.

"I didn't say anything, Q-man!" Duo frowned on what might have been a pout.

"Forgive me, my lady." The man pressed his hand over his heart and bowed his head. "I am Quatre Reberba Winner, second adviser to the king and at your service."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Winner." She smiled at him.

"I trust the journey so far has not been too unpleasant?"

"Not at all. The carriage was quite comfortable, thank you."

"I am glad." He smiled. "Please, let me know if there is anything I can do for you."

"Thank you, Lord Winner. I shall." He nodded and then left to get his own bowl of soup. Truly, her new husband was an enigma. So many kind men worked with him, clearly loyal to the young king.

'Maybe the king is not the fearsome brute that rumors would have me believe.'

Somewhere in the camp, one of the soldiers began to play a mournful melody on a lute. It did nothing to improve her mood though the song was soothing. She felt Sally grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. She was not the only one who would miss home. Part of her regretted taking her lady's maids with her. It was going to be quite the adjusted period. Still, she was grateful for the company.

'Besides, they volunteered with such iron clad determination that telling them no wouldn't have worked.' She smiled at her companions.

"Relena," Middie began, "it is late, and you should get your rest for tomorrow." Relena looked at her friend and nodded. She stood and made her way to the tent that the advisers so kindly set up for her.

"My lord, welcome back to the camp." The voice of one of the guards made her turn. He had returned.

He took off a quiver from around his shoulders and handed it and his bow to his own attendant. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. She couldn't breathe, or even think. His gaze seemed to pierce her, looking deeper than any ever had before… But he looked away just as quickly. It seemed as though the intensity was just an illusion of wishful thinking.

He had been avoiding her.

The thought made her heart sink and her eyes sting. She turned, lifted the tent entrance, and made her way to the pallet that would serve as her bed. She did not bother readying for sleep; there wouldn't be much if she was any judge. She was far too exhausted and disheartened. She sat down and stared blankly at the tent walls. Between the homesickness and the blatant rejection from the man whom she was supposed to share her life with, she could barely keep her head up anyway.

"Relena… are you alright?" Middie's familiar voice was a bit of a comfort.

"In truth? I do not know." Middie say next to her, sympathy in her eyes.

"I know this arrangement isn't… ideal. But what you did saved the entire kingdom. We will get through this."

"I know." Relena smiled at her friend. "I am just tired, Middie. A good night's rest and I will be fine." The younger girl's brow crinkled in disbelief, the corners of her mouth pursed in a bit.

"You're either lying to me or to yourself, but for now, I will pretend to believe you." Middie smiled. "Now, lie down and get some rest. Things always look better in the morning."

"What would I do without you, my friend?"

"Probably be a complete mess. Lord knows, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached."

"Alright, alright." In spite of it all, Relena let out a small laugh. "Thank you, Middie. For cheering me up… and for coming with me."

"That's what friends do." She smiled. "Besides, I find that our new company we are keeping can be quite pleasant as well."

"Like that green-eyed man you were staring at all evening?" This time, Middie blushed.

"I have no idea what you are referring to!"

"Of course not." Relena laughed.

"Oh! Go to sleep, your highness!" Relena continued to laugh as she laid down. She closed her eyes, feeling slightly better about their coming journey and the future that lay ahead.

For the first time in a long while, Heero Yuy was at a loss. He paced the floor of his tent and ran a nervous hand through his hair. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was a warrior. He looked death in the eyes a thousand or more times and laughed in its face. He'd conquered kingdoms without blinking; faced down armies without flinching. And yet, one look from her made his mind go blank and his body forget to move.

It was infuriating. And strange. She was a conundrum that he could not seem to figure out. And he wanted to… but he couldn't. On the one hand, he could just go in and take her, but that wasn't his way. Whatever his reputation on the battlefield, he wasn't a brute. In addition, he forced this on her. Theirs was not a marriage; not in the traditional sense of the word. It was a business transaction. He had to keep seeing it that way. She was his wife and queen but only so far as their arrangement allowed. He had no right to expect more from her and she, most likely, neither wanted nor expected anything more from him… but the terms set forward by the agreement were damning.

"Hey, pally!" Duo entered. "What are you doing in here alone?" He smirked. "Don't you have a new bride waiting for you"

"You really think a cold tent on a chilly evening is the right place for that?" Heero growled. It was hard enough to not imagine her with him in such a way. To have Duo openly insinuate what he could be doing…

"Yeah, I guess you're right. A lady like her deserves a warm bed in the castle." Heero closed his eyes and tried not to picture how her golden hair would look splayed out around her on the pillow as the dim lighting highlighted her naked skin…

"Is there something you needed to report?" Heero growled again.

"Huh? Oh. Uh. Nope. Just came to make small talk."

"If you have time for small talk then you have time for guard duty."

"What?" The braided main lifted a hand to the back of his head. "Sheesh! You are in a bad mood."

"You. Patrol duty. Now." Duo frowned and turned to leave.

"Fine, fine. I'm goin'." Duo turned one last time. "You know, I don't know your new wife very well, but I think you hurt her feelings when you didn't even try to see her. You might try to do better tomorrow." He left without another word.

Duo was right. He should have checked on her. He should have, at the very least, found out how her journey was. Other things came first. The camp needed to be set up. Watch posts needed marked. Guard positions assigned… but he knew it was more than that. The resentment he'd seen in her eyes haunted him. She didn't want to be there. Her journey would be far from pleasant because of that very fact. He had no right to inquire about her state of mind. She was miserable and he was the cause of it.

Heero swore under his breath as he removed his sword and laid down on his cot. There were so many unknowns ahead. He didn't like unknowns. He closed his eyes and the memory of their kiss claimed his mind. It was maddening! He never felt this way! He was a battle-hardened killer! Emotions were for the weak and yet since he met her, he felt his walls beginning to crack. Maybe, just maybe he was wrong. Maybe she wasn't as displeased with this arrangement as he thought. Maybe she could grow to love him and maybe, just maybe, he could allow himself the undeserved pleasure of a moment of peace in her company.