[A.N.] Thank you so much for following this story! I'm having a real time of trying to keep true to all the elements that the story and the characters require but I'm finding it fascinating. I know Heero seems slightly OOC, but please remember he is not a perfect soldier in this universe and he had previous feelings for Relena that are becoming known after years of forced latency. That being said, I hope you enjoy this next installment and the next chapter following this should be out soon! Also, to read another story being written by myself and my dear friend, please look up Shadow_Gals and check out Missing Links and its sequel in the works called Lethal Beauty. They focus on the gaps in the series and two forgotten girls who helped shape the events of it behind the scenes. Anyway, thank you and enjoy and as always R&R as I love hearing from you!

~Serene


Heero returned again a few nights later and continued to do so as often as possible. It was hard for him to slip away, but he was adamant about uncovering the secret of the forest and all who dwelt within it. She looked forward to his visits, waiting eagerly for a chance to see him again. In truth, she should send him away; hide and discourage him from returning, but she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself that his presence there was a danger to him, she selfishly wanted to see him again.

Most nights, he would walk by her side and ask her questions while basking in the light of the moon. Sometimes she would sit while he skipped stones across the water's surface without saying anything at all. Despite his ignorance of her true identity it was good to spend time with him again. It was times like this that she saw the boy she knew from so long ago instead of the hardened prince he'd been trained to be.

"I don't really want to be king."

"You never did." She muttered, deep in thought, running her fingers across the soft blades of grass.

"What did you say?" She froze, immediately aware of her unintentional slip. Thinking fast, she stood up and turned from him, avoiding his gaze.

"You just never seemed to me the type of man that ever did. You seem more like a free spirit." He studied her closely; she could feel his gaze burning into her back.

"I see." He walked towards her, his footsteps rustling the soft grass behind her. "Am I so transparent a man?" He paused and walked his way around her. "Or is there another possibility?"

"Like what?" She asked, continuing to walk away from him.

"Well," he began, "you could be a witch that has watched me from afar for years." He continued to follow her and she prayed silently that he would stop.

"A witch?" She almost laughed. Of course-given the circumstances-she couldn't really blame him for guessing that.

"It would explain the forest." He smiled. "Perhaps you bewitched this place and all who surround you to lure me in."

"And why, Pray tell, would I go to such lengths? Casting it on myself as well as my friends?"

"You have a point," He began, studying her. "Unless, you are originally a shape-shifter."

"Now, you are being ridiculous." She laughed.

"Ridiculous?" He prodded, walking behind her. "You transform into a swan in an enchanted forest and you think my thought of you being a shape-shifter is ridiculous."

"I suppose when you say it like that, my answer must be no." She laughed again. It felt good to laugh again and even better to see him smile. "I wish it could always be like this." She said sadly.

"Can't it?" She shook her head. "You could return with me to the castle; live in comfort as a human being for once."

"Yes, I'm sure that would work famously! I could build a nest up in the tower and every now and then the maids could throw crumbs for myself and my friends." She joked back.

"I'd have to make extra sure no one decided to make down-feather comforters." He smiled. She could get lost in his eyes, especially when he smiled. "Are you sure we've never met before?" He asked again. She paused.

"Of course we have." He looked at her, surprised. "I saved your life from the traps the day you hunted Milliardo, remember?" He almost scowled.

"I'm being serious." He said. "I feel unusually drawn to you and I don't know why. It's maddening." She continued to walk ahead of him, not giving him a chance to read anything from her, afraid of what he might see if he looked into her eyes. "You seem to have bewitched me." She turned at the sound of his voice.

"Heero…?" she could no longer find the words. She wanted to tell him; wanted to run into his arms and find comfort and reassurance in her first love. Yes, she had loved him then and she remained to do so.

"Who are you, Relena? Why does this feel so familiar?"

"It's nearly dawn. You should go." She tried to redirect the subject.

"Relena." He was in front of her now, his fingers gently lifting her chin. "Tell me, please." She felt the tears pricking her eyes. She looked down, but he held her chin gently in place.

"I can't." She pulled away from him. For the sake of her love of him, and for his own safety, she ran from him then, off to the far side of the lake. His calls to her echoed on the mists as the moon changed shifts with the sun.

Dorothy watched from her perch in the old oak tree as the princess ran from her young suitor, leaving him perplexed at the water's edge. She inwardly smirked. Her grandfather would be quite steamed if he knew that the prince from the past had found his childhood friend after all the time and effort he put into hiding all traces of his intended bride to be from the world. She wondered, briefly, if she should inform her grandfather of her findings but decided against it.

She loved a good game of intrigue as much as she did one of strategy. To watch the events that might unfold from such an interesting development could prove to be quite amusing. She hated it when things were too one-sided and until now her grandfather had had the advantage. Letting these little rendezvous continue was definitely the spark of conflict the scenario needed to stay interesting. Taking to wing, she flew off into the morning light, more excited than she had been since her grandfather first began his childish game with the princess.


Heero pounded the dummy with extra force, breaking off one of the arms and sending it sailing across the training room. He couldn't get her out of his mind; so many questions and the positively maddening lack of answers. He understood that there were some things she couldn't tell him. The part that upset him was her refusal to tell him what she could. She knew something about him; something that links them together but how and why?

"Geeze, buddy, you trying to murder the dummy, or what?" Heero turned suddenly and threw a punch at Duo stopping just short of the braided man's face.

Heero walked past his friend and grabbed his towel wiping off the copious amount of sweat he'd accumulated.

"What do you want?"

"That's a fine way to greet your best friend."

"Sorry." He grunted out.

"Yeah, sure." Duo mumbled. "J wants to see you. He's pissed about how often you've been disappearing." Heero rolled his eyes and continued walking towards his room. "Look, pal, everyone is beginning to worry about you. Hunting mythical beats and running off randomly to god knows where before anyone even can realize you've left."

"Is there a point to this rant?"

"Yeah. Whatever it is you've been doing, take me with you."

"No."

"You think I enjoy covering for you all day? I'm bored outta my skull here." Duo's pleas began to morph into whines. "Come on, please!"

"Fine, if it will get you to be silent for once."

"You won't regret this, pally-boy"

"Won't regret what?" Wufei asked from the doorway.

"Hey hey there Wu-Man!"

"Can it, Maxwell. What is going on here?"

"Duo asked Heero to take him with him the next time he decides to disappear." Trowa chimed in.

"How did you…?"

"I'm not deaf, Duo and I was here before Wufei." Duo lifted his hand up behind his neck and began to laugh nervously.

"Looks like the cat's outta the bag, Heero."

"If the braided idiot is going with you, I will as well. If there is any real danger you'll need someone along who can actually help." Wufei smirked.

"Hey!" Duo protested.

"I will go as well." Quatre said as he entered the room.

"Great. Why don't we invite J too?" Heero muttered. All four men stopped and stared at him. "You're all welcome to join me but if you breathe one word of this to anyone I will kill you."

"Somehow I don't doubt that given the mood you've been in." Duo quipped which earned him Heero's patented death-glare.

"If you go, you must follow my path exactly as I take it, understand." he was met with a chorus of nods. "We leave tomorrow evening just before dinner."

"Before? But I'll be hungry!" Duo groaned.

"You don't have to come."

"I guess I could stand to miss one meal." Heero shook his head as the group made a silent decision to of mutual comradery.