Chapter Eight

Relena's fingers trailed along the remains of a banister, now brittle and charred. Ashes drifted onto the marble floor, which had been smashed to bits by scavengers who likely looted whatever remained. She was in that ruined palace again, the one she every so often dreamed about. She couldn't remember what she was doing here, or where she even came from. It was then she became aware that she was not in her normal body, but that of her eight-year-old self. Was this another dream?

As she made her way down the corridor, she came upon a pair of grand double doors, now broken from their hinges. They led into a vast courtyard that was in a similar state of disrepair.

She wasn't sure where she was going, but something compelled her to venture further beyond the courtyard towards an overgrown garden maze. Once trimmed rose hedges were now encroaching upon the walkway, their thorns scraping and ripping at the velvet of her gown.

Relena stopped and felt her heart skip a beat. There was a strange sound coming from deep within the maze. It was soft but unmistakable... a whimper? Was somebody here? Were they hurt?

She quickened her pace and came upon a clearing in the maze, not one made by design but by some violent impact.

Her eyes widened.

There, crumpled upon the gnarled hedges, was a badly damaged mobile suit. It was not as sophisticated as the ones she had seen at the Oz training grounds, but the design was unmistakable. Laying in front of it was a young boy, huddled into a ball and clutching tightly at his torso. A pool of blood was beginning to form beneath him.

Relena gasped and ran to his side, "Hello? Can you hear me? Don't move, you're bleeding!"

The young boy tensed upon realizing he was no longer alone.

With great effort, he raised himself and shakily reached for a dagger on his belt.

"Stay back!" he warned, "If you value your life, don't come any closer!"

The mask of his helmet was broken and she could see him glaring at her with his piercing, pale blue eyes. Though he couldn't have been any older than 13, his features held the hounded expression of someone far beyond his years.

Shit, this is bad, he thought. This little girl had seen his face. He needed to get out of here quickly to avoid involving her any more than necessary. Besides, he wasn't sure if he had managed to get those Oz bastards off his trail yet.

"You're hurt," she said, "Please, let me call someone to help-"

"Relena!"

"Relena, where are you?"

A pair of familiar voices called in the background. Was that mother? And father? Were they here? Just as she was about to call back to them, the boy pulled himself up and stared at her with a shocked expression.

"Your name... is Relena?"

"Yes," she replied, "I am Relena Darlian. Have we met before...?"

"Relena!"

"Relena, please come out!"

The yells were getting louder now. As she moved to reply to them, the boy suddenly leaped up and darted towards the forest. She wanted to call out to him, but she hadn't even been able to ask his name.

"There you are!"

Her father burst into the clearing and swept her into his arms.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Lady Mareen breathed a heavy sigh of relief and embraced her as well. Relena's shoulders relaxed as she felt their warmth wash over her. It had been a while since she had felt such comfort.

Lord and Lady Darlian's faces paled at the sight of the gnarled mobile suit before them. What had happened here? The air still smelled faintly of iron and gunpowder, indicating that this suit had not been abandoned for very long.

"We must get out of here," Minister Darlian hurriedly pulled his family back towards the direction of their carriage.

"Don't look, dear," Lady Mareen whispered, soothing her daughter's flaxen hair and holding her view away from the wreckage, "We're here now, you're alright."

Relena let her body relax into her embrace and her eyes drooped, exhausted from the day's events. Her mother and father's voices were so comforting, safe, and loving. She wanted to stay this way forever.

"Mama, papa..." she whispered.

She felt a cold hand rest gently upon her cheek.

Relena groggily opened her eyes and struggled to make sense of her surroundings. She was in her chambers, though these were not the chambers of her youth. So that must have been a dream after all. Lolling her head to the side, she saw the moon hanging quite high in the sky, indicating that it was quite late at night. Likely a bit past midnight. Silvery moonlight gently illuminated a figure sitting at the side of her bed.

"Heero?" Relena sat up with a fright. What was he doing here in her bedroom? Well, it wasn't as if he prohibited from entering, or anything.

He reached again toward her, the familiar cold fingertips from earlier brushing her cheek. He was the one who woke her?

"W-What are you-" she blushed hotly at the contact.

Heero's thumb wiped at the tears that she had not noticed trailing down her cheek. Had she been crying?

"You were calling out in your sleep," Heero said, "I came to see what was wrong."

"I'm sorry," Relena bowed her head slightly, "I didn't mean to disturb your sleep as well."

He shrugged off her concerns, "I wasn't asleep yet."

Still, Relena could not help but feel a bit guilty. Yet, at the same time, she was touched that he had come to check on her.

A couple of months had passed since they both found their lives unexpectedly thrust together, and though she was still adjusting to this new situation, each day she was slowly but surely growing more and more comfortable in his presence. They didn't get many chances to interact because of Heero's demanding training schedule and her duties managing the manor, however, Relena came to realize that they didn't need to. Even from afar, she was learning more and more about him each day. He was a man who spoke more through his actions than anything else.

He was not nearly as callous and frightening as many people made him out to be. Many including the house staff mistook his aloof demeanor for constant displeasure, but really he was a rather tolerant person. He trusted her completely to run the estate as she saw fit and never once complained or questioned any of her decisions. Perhaps it was because he recognized she had more experience running an estate, as she had managed the Darlian household after her mother passed, so he deferred such decisions to her. But even so, the fact that he respected her enough to trust her showed her that he was more considerate than people realized.

She could not help but wonder, did Heero think anything of her as well? If he did not, would he ever one day?

For Relena, those feelings she had felt since long ago had not changed. In fact, it felt as if they were slowly morphing into something stranger yet warmer than before. She herself wasn't quite sure how to describe the mix of emotions growing from deep within her. When she had first laid eyes on him during his appointment to general at that royal ceremony five years ago, she had been struck by the intensity of those eyes. They were mysterious yet so beautiful, like looking into the eyes of a wolf. She was drawn to him. She had wanted to know more.

Yet, she knew better than to expect this to ever develop into something akin to the closeness her parents had. This was a union arranged for convenience, after all. At the very least, Relena thought to herself, she hoped to be a someone he could truly, earnestly respect. Not because he was sworn to by duty, but because he saw her for who she truly was, as a person and a partner. There were a few reassuring signs that he was warming up to her too, in his own way.

She remembered how tense they had both been on that first carriage ride back to the estate. His posture was strict and rigid, schooled from years and years of Oz training, and he hardly cast her anything more than a sidelong glance from time to time. But now, here he was at the side of her bed. There was no stiffness to his shoulders and his eyes were unafraid to meet hers directly.

"Do you need the maids to bring you anything?" he asked.

She shook her head no.

"Thank you, I'm alright now. What about you? You said you were not yet asleep, should I call for some chamomile tea?"

"It's fine, I still have some work left to do."

She frowned, "Do you always stay up so late, Heero?"

"Recently the training schedules have become more rigorous in preparation for the mobile suit upgrades," he replied, "I was finishing administrative work that I was unable to attend to during the day."

"So even high ranking Oz officers still have to suffer through paperwork," Relena thought out loud. She swore she was the faintest of smirks tug at the corners of his lips.

"I was reviewing the plans for our next mission. We will be departing to support Marshall Noventa's efforts in Aquarius."

Relena sat up in surprise, "When will you be leaving?"

"Ten days from now."

"So soon...?"

This would be her first time truly alone without him.

"How long will you be gone?"

"A month or so. Marshall Noventa has nearly secured the area, so these will be the final reinforcements." He paused, as if hesitating, before continuing, "Prince Treize has also tasked us with interrogating the captured rebels to find more information regarding your father."

Relena flinched at the pang in her chest.

Her father's murderers. She too wanted to know why the rebels had targeted him. He had always worked hard to broker peace with the colonies, so why? Relena couldn't understand the motive at all. She wanted to know what evidence King Dekim had, and how could something like this have been allowed to happen. It just didn't fully make sense to her.

If her father's murder was really a rebel-led assassination to spark terror, why had the borders not immediately been secured? With how quickly there had been a response after the attack, the culprits would have likely still been in the capital unless they fled racing through the streets on horseback, but even then surely there would have been witnesses to such a sight. The capital of Romefeller was surrounded by walls and those passing through each of the gates had to present documentation. Surely the guards would have in their records any travelers out of the ordinary.

Really, the more she thought about it, the warier she became of the situation. Something was certainly amiss, and it made her uneasy to know Heero would be heading deeper into that territory.

"Please be careful, Heero..."

He sat up as if to reply and say she need not concern herself with his safety, but Relena continued.

"I know you can take care of yourself, and you'll have the support of your army, but still... I will worry for you. Please come back safely." He was all she had left, after all.

Judging by his change in expression, she supposed something she said had surprised or struck a chord with him. She wasn't quite sure what to make of his reaction, but he did not seem displeased by her sentiments.

Heero quirked a brow curiously at her last statement.

Come back safely.

He had heard that phrase countless times from the families of his soldiers whenever they left for battle, yet never were any of those sentiments meant for him.

"And, if you find anything regarding my father, please tell me. No matter what it is, I'd like to know."

Not a day went by that she did not think of that night. The nightmares would come and go in waves, but over time she began to have less and less. More recently she had been dreaming about that ruined palace. She wasn't sure why she thought about it so often, or what it meant, but at least in that dream during times like tonight... she could at least be reunited with her parents.

Heero saw Relena's expression darken as she clutched the sheets so tightly her knuckles began to turn white.

"Do you miss them?" he asked.

"Them?"

"Your parents. In your sleep, you called out for them."

"Yes..." she sighed, "I miss them very much."

She remembered how tightly they had embraced her. The love and warmth they carried that she could never again experience...

Oh no, the tears were beginning to well up again.

Relena struggled to hold them back and regain her composure, but she could not shake the feeling. She wanted so badly to hold them again, at least just once more. Was it possible for a person to remain in a dream forever? No matter how she tried, her mind would not let go of the feeling, the yearning, for that which she could never experience again, and suddenly her tears spilled forth. She tried desperately to wipe them away with the sleeve of her nightgown, acutely aware of a pair of Prussian blue eyes staring intently at her. She couldn't cry like this, not in front of him.

Heero's brows furrowed at her change in demeanor. He could see she was still trying to retain an air of dignified grace as expected of someone her rank, but her body betrayed her. Did she still not feel comfortable in this place? Or in front of him?

Images of their wedding ceremony flashed through his mind. He remembered the reception when Duo had come to sit with her. He had taken her hands in his and exchanged a few words that Heero could not make out over the noise of the party. He briefly wondered what had been said, as the boisterous Duo Maxwell did not normally lower his tone. Whatever it was, it mildly shocked Relena and caused her to lower her head. She had cried then as well. Just a few tears, but they were there. Heero remembered how at that moment, Duo had leaned in and used his body to shield her crying expression from the rest of the guests.

Wordlessly, Heero pulled her towards him so that her cheek came to rest upon his shoulder.

Relena glanced quizzically at him, but he had turned his head away in the other direction.

Was he... was he trying to comfort her? And tell her it was alright to cry?

Her expression softened.

Maybe just this once, she could lower her guard.

Relena wasn't sure how much time had passed before she had finally calmed again. She was slumped against Heero's chest, bleary-eyed and exhausted from the wave after wave of emotions that had just spilled forth. That was the first time she had been able to properly grieve since her father's assassination. From the far too quick wedding to immediately adjusting to her new responsibilities as Lady Yuy, there really hadn't been any proper moment for her to just sit down and let everything out.

Wearily, she looked up at Heero, who was regarding her with an unreadable expression. At first, she had been surprised when he offered her his shoulder, but she was immensely grateful for the kindness.

"Thank you," she said.

Heero didn't reply, but she understood nonetheless.

Relena settled back against her pillows, a deep sigh escaping her lips. There weren't many hours left in the night and she needed her rest. Heero readied himself to leave but looked back in surprise when he felt a gentle tug at the sleeve of his nightgown.

Relena blushed and wondered herself what had come over her. She had never been a particularly clingy sort of person before, especially not to Heero... but after that dream tonight and especially after hearing that he would be departing Romefeller for a while, something about him turning to leave had clenched at her heart.

"Heero... would you be able to stay with me for just a bit longer?" She didn't want to be alone.

A short silence passed between them, but to her surprise, Heero nodded and settled back beside her.

Relena blushed. She hadn't anticipated he would actually accept, but she was nonetheless grateful for his presence. And, perhaps more surprisingly, she sensed that he wasn't uncomfortable either.

"I've been having this same dream lately," she said, filling the air with her idle thoughts, "I think it's from an old memory. When I was 8, father took us on a tour of the countryside. We visited the town where he had grown up. There weren't many left who he recognized, though... many had been lost in the war..."

Her mind begin to drift. She remembered how that was the first time her normally strong and resolute father had looked so shaken. Even though they were almost a decade removed from those events... she began to realize then how war was a terrible, terrible thing.

"... On the final day, mother had wanted to visit that great castle in the distance. I suppose now, looking back on it, that must have been the remains of the Sanc palace. Father was firmly against it, but mother also would not budge on the matter. That was one of the few times I ever saw her be so stubborn. She had wanted to visit it and see for her own eyes what had become of the place she had once spent so much time in. Father relented on condition we keep our visit short, but at some point I became separated from them as we walked through the halls. I found myself in a courtyard, and... there was a boy... he was hurt..."

Her voice became softer, wearier.

"I wonder if he ever safely returned home, or if he's even still alive... I never asked his name..."

There should not have been anyone living in that place since Romefeller had torched it 20 years ago, but perhaps that boy had been a squatter with nowhere else to go. That had also been Heero at one point, before Oz found him.

Images of a smoldering village flashed through Heero's mind. He saw a woman crying and reaching towards him.

"Heero... run!"

He winced and grit his teeth as his head throbbed with pain. He hadn't thought about that memory in so long. He had some suspicion that woman had been related to him somehow. Perhaps she had been his mother, but he could barely recall her face. All he saw was a figure being consumed by the flames.

What he did remember were the screams and wails of those around him meeting the same fate. Those whose names he no longer recalled, but he knew they had meant something to him once.

He couldn't remember much else from his past. Truthfully it was all a blur at this point. The carnage he witnessed that night just blended in with everything else he witnessed on the battlefield over the years.

"Was it important to know his name?"

"Perhaps not... but if I had gotten his name, maybe I would have been able to ask about him or send someone to check if he was alright in the end."

Relena wondered absentmindedly whether Heero ever reminisced about any significant events from his childhood as well. Come to think of it, she hadn't a clue of his life before he became well-known in Romefeller.

"Do you ever think about anything from your past, Heero?"

"Sometimes, but it's not important."

"Well, if one day you're willing to share, I'd like to hear about it one day..." her voice trailed off as she felt her tiredness creeping further at the edges of her vision. She found she could resist it no longer and slipped into a deep slumber.

Heero wondered why she cared so deeply for people she barely knew and in some cases had not even met. Sometimes over dinner, she would chat idly with him about the happenings of the day, remarking here and there about the house staff. She expressed concern for a maid's family after she had fallen ill and left the estate, and Relena had insisted that wages still be paid to her even though she could not work.

He relaxed his upper body against the headboard, turning himself slightly to study his wife. She had a calming presence as she slept. There was no sense of agitation, no guarded wariness that he was so often used to. None of the soldiers in Oz slept very well as their training had made them light sleepers. It was a trait that served them well on the battlefield, to be ready to go at a moment's notice.

But this girl was so different from all that. Different from everyone he had ever met. Whereas countless others in his life had only ever approached him with an ulterior motive, an agenda or order to give, she never asked such things from him. She was open and honest. What did she see in him?

If he ever retired from Oz, which in and of itself seemed such a strange thought to him, could he ever relearn to be as peaceful as she?

The slow rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing was soothing...

Had he ever slept like that before he joined Oz?

Heero allowed any remaining tension to leave his body as his mind focused on her slow breaths.

They were so gentle...

Calm...

Peaceful...


The young maid hummed gently to herself as she made her way down the corridor. She mentally went over the tasks of the morning, beginning with assisting the lady with getting ready for the day. The weather seemed to be a bit warm today so maybe it would be best to suggest a lighter gown. She was fond of one of the sky blue dresses as it suited her lady's lovely eyes, but perhaps the lady would look good in a more golden-colored one as well. The maid smiled excitedly as she thought of the different ways her hair could be worn to compliment the outfit.

"Lady Yuy, it's Miriam," she knocked gently with a sing-song voice, "Good morning, it's time to.. O-Oh!"

She gasped and dropped the sheets she had been carrying. Realizing her lapse in etiquette, the maid quickly tried to compose herself but it was of no use as a certain general stirred from the bed and glanced at her.

"M-My lord, f-forgive the intrusion," she shuddered under his scowl. Even first thing in the morning his look could be so frightening. Was he going to punish her? Her blood ran cold at the thought of losing her head.

Heero saw the maid cowering and waved off her concerns. Looking over at Relena, he saw she was still sound asleep. One of her hands still held onto the fabric of his shirt.

The maid flushed a deep crimson. She hadn't meant to interrupt them during such an intimate moment, though admittedly she should have been more careful upon entering. Normally, Lord Yuy arose and departed much earlier than Lady Yuy, so the idea that she would encounter such a scenario had never even crossed the maid's mind. From her knowledge, the lord had never even visited the lady's chambers before. My, did she have much to tell the other maids later today!

Heero carefully slipped out of the bed and pulled the covers back over Relena.

He gave a small nod to the maid as he exited, which she understood as him saying she could continue her duties as usual. After the door closed behind him, the maid let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She nearly fell to the floor again from nervousness. She had been serving this estate for several months now but she still could not get used to Lord Yuy's fearsome presence.

She blushed as she thought again of how he had been so comfortably settled next to the lady. He was laying on his side, one arm under his head and the other resting upon the lady, who had been snuggled against his chest.

The general was always so cold and callous, the maid always felt like she had to be on guard around him. But this morning, she noted there had been no callousness to his expression as he slept. In fact, he even looked, dare she say, approachable. She never knew he could make such an expression, and honestly, it quite suited him.

Lady Yuy was quite a formidable person as well since she was able to sleep so soundly next to such a fearsome general. The maid thought if it were her, she would have worried constantly that her next move would displease him and cost her life.

While Lord Yuy was gruff and rarely engaged with any of his staff, Lady Yuy was the complete opposite. She was kind and amiable, and all of the house staff were happy to be approached by her. Miriam too had grown exceptionally fond of her.

In the midst of her ruminations, Relena began to shift under the covers.

"Lady Yuy," she bowed, "Good morning."

"Miriam?" Relena blinked in recognition, "Good morning, what time is it?"

"Almost 9, my lady. Lord Yuy roused not too long ago and just left your chambers."

Relena nearly fell out of her bed in surprise.

Left her chambers?

"Lord Yuy was here when you entered?" her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Forgive me, I hadn't meant to intrude on your time together," Miriam lowered her head nervously, "He was careful not to disturb you as he left."

Heero had spent the night next to her? In the same bed?

"Oh, Lady Yuy! You look quite red, is it a fever?"

"I-I'm fine," she muttered.

She remembered last night, how he had come after she cried out during the night. When he wiped her tears and offered his shoulder for comfort. Absentmindedly, she had asked if he could keep her company but she didn't anticipate that he too would fall asleep and stay the rest of the night beside her. That was all they did last night, right?

She shook her head and tried not to think too much of it lest she crumple further with embarrassment. There were other things she had to attend to today. Miriam helped Relena finish her morning routine without incident, and as they left her room Heero was making his way down the hall. He had also just finished getting ready to head to Oz.

"Good morning," Relena curtsied, hoping he did not see the faint pink tinting her cheeks.

Heero nodded in greeting.

As she bowed, her hair fell forward. She looked up in surprise when she felt him reaching for a few of the strands, watching as the silken locks slipped through his fingers.

She glanced upward and saw him regarding her with a strange expression. Was it curiosity? Concern?

"Heero...?"

At the sound of her voice, he froze and caught himself. Heero looked at his hand and furrowed his brow. What was he doing? Relena grew uneasy beneath his darkening gaze.

Wordlessly, he suddenly continued down the hall leaving a stunned Relena to watch his retreating backside. Just when she thought she was beginning to understand him...

"Erm, my lady," Miriam began nervously, "What just happened?"

Relena slumped against the door.

"Honestly Miriam, I have no idea."