[A.N.] Thank you all for following this story! I hope you are still enjoying it! I am still trying to crank it out as fast as I can without rushing the story-line or ruining the flow. Any ideas on how to help it continue to flow better are welcome and you my P.M. me if you wish to convey them. As always, please enjoy!

~Serene


Relena felt the sun on her wings and embraced the feel of the wind as it coursed beneath her. The flash of dark feathers from the corner of her eye, however put a large damper on her moment of peace. Dermail had returned early and he was circling her, following her every move. If swans could groan in annoyance then she definitely would have. It was nearly sundown and she would have to land soon which meant the inevitable meeting with her captor and the same scene that played out each time he came.

Giving into her need to yield to the setting sun, she circled back to the lake and made her decent. He was waiting for her as she changed, the remnants of pain from the transformation had not finished coursing through her before he postured himself before her.

"Ah, my sweet Cygnet Princess, You look lovelier than the last time I saw you." She frowned and walked away from him, deliberately blowing off his compliment. "You never seem happy to see me."

"That proves you're not blind." She muttered.

"That one went straight to my heart." He feigned pain by raising his hand to his chest.

"You don't have a heart. If you had, I would have grown up with my parents instead of on this lake spending half of my life as a swan."

"Feistier than usual? What brought this spark of defiance on?" He inquired.

"You just will not stop, will you? No matter how often I say no you just won't quit!"

"All I want is to have you as my own."

:"Then why don't you?" She felt the familiar burn of tear pricking her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall; not in front of him. "You've taken everything else; why not force me if it's really that important?"

"I cannot."

"You mean I have found a limitation to your "amazing" power?" Relena knew she was walking a fine line, but she couldn't take it anymore. If he wanted to kill her she'd gladly welcome an end to the madness; a least Heero wouldn't be in danger anymore.

"I get the feeling you have come to resent me." Dermail said, walking up behind her. "Maybe we need to spend more time together; just you and me." She stiffened as he placed her hands on her hips and moved them slowly around to grasp in front of her stomach.

"Perhaps prolonged exposure to one another might help you realize how smart a decision it would be to agree to my terms." She felt his breath on her neck and suddenly had the urge to vomit. She felt his hands move up her sides, one staying on her abdomen as the fingers from his other hand raked through her hair and back and forth across her collar bone before stopping just below her breasts. After what seemed like a torturous eternity, he finally released her. He had never touched her before; not like that. He never dared do more than hold her hand and force a kiss on her knuckles. He was getting bolder and-perhaps-more desperate.

"I shall be returning every night from now until you decide to be mine. If for some reason I cannot be here, I shall send Dorothy as a reminder of my devotion. Someday soon you will come to accept me." He paused and looked her over once more and Relena felt his eyes undressing her as he did so. "As a reminder of who your true master is, I shall alter the spell for one week." She felt her body burn as a glow enveloped just her. "For the next week, starting tomorrow night, of course, You shall remain in the form of a swan." He paused dramatically before looking at her over his shoulder. "Just remember, the longer you resist it will only result in more and more suffering for those you hold dear." And with those words, he turned into his aviary form and flew out of sight.

Relena felt the strength drain from her legs, falling to her knees in the damp grass. She felt her chest constrict and her breathing come out in short rasps.

"Relena? Are you alright?" Sally asked; a question that was followed by being barraged by the other women with similar questions of concern.

"No…" Relena heard herself say. "I'm not…and I don't think I ever will be again."


Heero and crew entered the forest again together. It had been almost a week since they'd last snuck out and it was exhilarating to feel the freedom of the open air. Something was amiss, however. The magic that usually swirled and sparkled along the path we now almost non-existent. There was a heaviness and a stillness that sent a chill down his spine. There was something wrong with Relena. He spurred his horse forward, urging the distance between them to close.

"Heero, wait up, buddy!" Duo yelled after him, but he didn't heed the braided man's call. He could see the clearing. He barely reached the edge when he hopped off his horse and ran to the waterside. The maidens that dwelt in the forest with Relena were crowded in the same small area; a somber mood in the air.

"Where is she?" He heard himself say, his eyes frantically scanning his surroundings. The only answer he received was the movement of the women away from the single swan. Heero's heart ached: her head was tucked low into her wing, her small body shivering. "What happened here?"

"HE happened." Sally spoke up, anger and strain in her voice. There was only so much she was able to convey to him but what she could tell him made his blood boil. The thought of that man's hands on his Relena made him want to destroy something.

"Relena…" He started, he reached out his hand to her and touched her feathered flank. Instantly, he felt her tremors cease. "I'm sorry." She slowly raised her head to look at him, her eyes deep pools of despair. "I should have been here…" She shook her head adamantly.

"She says he would have killed you."

"You can understand her when she's in this form even if you are not?" the women nodded. "I don't know why he is doing this; causing you this pain, but from this moment on, I promise you will not have to deal with this alone." He paused, looking her in the eyes. "I will protect you." He pulled her into his lap and covered her with cloak allowing her to make herself as comfortable as she could. She was so small, so fragile, even in her human form that he instantly knew he always wanted to protect her.

"How sweet! So protective over her even when she's covered in feathers. It thrills me to see such dedication!" The voice was so sudden; malicious arsenic-laced honey; soft and feminine but dripping with danger. The woman he saw was just as deadly looking. Dressed in a black gown that hugged her curves, the neck scooped low to give a peak at her ample cleavage. Her chef-an sleeves matched the fabric that draped from her shoulders and hooked to it in the back. For all intents and purposes, and normal man would most likely throw himself at her feet. The one feature that stood out most, however, were her eyes: two silver orbs deep with mystery and topped by forked eyebrows. Altogether, she had a commanding and intimidating presence that would make any lesser man cower.

"Who are you?" he growled.

"Calm down, Prince Paranoia. I won't hurt your little birdie. Quite the contrary. I admire Miss Relena."

"You know what's going on, don't you? You know how I can set her free."

"Yes and no." She began quizzically. "I know who and why but I do not know how."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, my grandfather placed this spell on her over twelve years ago to counteract a prophesy he heard regarding his magic." She waved her hand a made a fancy seat appear, then arranged her dress before seating herself. "I, for one, think that worrying about some words uttered by a half-mad wizard centuries ago is a little ridiculous." He watched her reach up and stroke her eyebrow.

"Twelve years ago? She couldn't have been more than ten." He looked down at his feathered bundle. "What does he want?"

"He wants to marry her, of course." The matter-of-fact way she said it made him bristle. It was if she thought it should be common knowledge.

"How can I stop him?"

"It won't be as easy as that." She smiled and waved her hand, making a china tea cup appear in her hand with a small spoon. She gave it a brief stir before taking a small sip. "Oh, how rude of me. Would you like some refreshment?" Heero glared at her. "Oh, very well then, I'll tell you what I can of what you need to know and if I find out more I will tip you off accordingly."

"Why should I trust you?"

"A well deserved question, my dear Heero, and forgive me for answering a question with a question but," she paused and stroked her eyebrow, "what choice do you have?" Heero considered her words carefully. She had a point.

"Tell me what you know." He watched as her eyes lit with excitement.

"Splendid!" She clasped her hands together. The story is this: my grandfather heard of a prophesy where a girl would be born that was the embodiment of pure white magic. He waited until the day she was born and then cursed her and her whole kingdom until she agreed to marry him. I guess it must have something to do with how he can protect his own magic but I cannot be certain."

"How do I stop him? How do I break this spell?"

"That's the part I cannot tell you. Not because I want to be difficult, but rather because I truly do not know."

"So I just have to figure it out?"

"I suppose that's your only option, isn't it?" Heero paused in thought. How could he possibly hope to find the cure for the curse when he knew nothing about magic? As if sensing his thoughts, she smiled and waved her hand again. A book floated in front of him for a moment before floating slowly to the ground.

"This is one of my grandfather's spell books. It might have what you're looking for, or-at the very least-clues to lead you to where you can find your answers." She stood up then and smoothed her dress before making everything she'd magicked for herself disappear. "Now, I really must be going. I suggest you do not return for at least two weeks. She'll be a swan for the next six nights and my grandfather is bound to be back soon after. On the bright side, you will have time to search for your answers." She smirked. Before he could ask her anything else, she turned into a giant black swan and flew off above the skyline.

"Is it just me, or is that woman on the greater side of creepy?" Duo asked. He was met with silent nods of agreement. Heero looked down at the small swan in his arms; so fragile and precious. He hugged her a little tighter and lowered his face to her head.

"I will set you free." He whispered and he felt her body relax as they continued to wait for the inevitable light of sunrise to begin a new day.