12 Days

December 13, A.C. 200

Neo-London, L-6 Colony Cluster

The First Day

On the first day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

A partridge in a pair tree.

Quatre Raberba Winner slid out of his office building and into the bustling crowds of Neo-London, breathing in deeply the "fresh" air of the colony. Though he was fighting down a massive headache from having been on the phone with his sisters—particularly Iria—all morning, he could already feel himself brightening as he aimlessly wandered the streets, gazing with a smile upon the Christmas decorations adorning lightposts and street-side shops. There were the fake Santa Clauses on the street corners, and the pack of small children pressed eagerly against a toyshop window. The smell of hot cider and coffee assaulted his senses as he passed a small coffee shop. A light snow had fallen overnight, making the sidewalk sparkle and giving everything a crisp, holiday feel. He stopped for a moment before a group of carolers, moved by their beautiful singing. The whole colony seemed to be waiting in breathless anticipation for that magical day, Christmas. Quatre felt himself falling into a good deal of Christmas spirit, and decided that now was the best time to shop for Christmas presents for his many sisters and friends.

People milled all around Quatre, stopping to chat or peer into a brightly decorated window, rushing to and fro in a sort of organized chaos. Feeling as if he, too, should become part of this happy, lively scene, he wandered idly into a warm shop.

The L-6 colony cluster was relatively young, but prosperous and busy already. It was due to careful political maneuvering that Quatre and Relena had managed to set up this cluster for the subjects of England; it was a calculated move to open up new living space for the crowded yet beautiful island country. A steady flow of English subjects had soon populated the entire colony, breathing their dignified and simple life into the metal structures, until Quatre could hardly tell Neo-London from the London in England.

All around him, British accents drifted into the crisp air. They all sounded so elegant, yet warm and personal as well. And they were all excited about Christmas.

And yet, Quatre found it hard to release himself from his headache or the echoing words of his sisters. "It's time for you to consider marriage, and high time for an heir. It is important that you have an heir young. It's important you find a good wife. Get married!"

Perhaps now more than ever their insistence that Quatre settle was getting to him, and as he exited one shop to head to another, he couldn't help but notice a child and his mother, pointing and laughing and talking as they passed shops, holding hands. It was moving and beautiful, but was he truly ready for such a commitment? He couldn't help feeling that he'd never be sure unless he found the one. Shaking his head, trying in vain to tune out the sounds of his sisters' voices, he crossed the street and headed up a sidewalk. He was, however, too lost in thought to be paying much attention to anything around him, and within a few moments, he was bumped into and dropped several of the bags he'd been holding; purchases for a few of his nieces and nephews.

"Oh! Oh dear…I'm sorry," a female voice said, quickly dropping to her knees to gather his things. Quatre dropped down as well in order to help her, hardly able to feel annoyed. He was too busy looking at the golden highlights in her soft, honey-in-shadows hair.

"It's quite all right. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going," he replied, scooping up his bags. She glanced up at him, capturing him in swirling, midnight blue eyes that seemed to glint with silver.

Surprised at his own thoughts, he only smiled a little and helped her up, determined to keep his cool and not go ga-ga over a stranger.

"Well…I'm sorry. Are you all right?" she asked, glancing him over quickly, then bringing her eyes back up to meet his gaze.

"Perfectly fine," he assured her, and smiled again to prove it. In return, she gave in a smile that sent him reeling back into reveries about her eyes. After a moment, she tilted her head and gave a short sigh.

"Well, I'd better get going. Sorry again for bumping you."

"No problem," he told her.

"Merry Christmas!" she said in a singsong voice, and waved as she headed back down the street.

For a moment, Quatre simply watched her walk away, noting the subtle way her hips swayed and how small her hands were, and then an idea hit him. It was a crazy, absurd, wild idea, and he had no business even considering it…but then, he thought with a shrug, everything else about this time of year is a little crazy, so why not give it a shot. Nodding to firm his resolve, Quatre ran to catch up to the woman's retreating form.

© --©

Angel Tsuiraku was smiling to herself as she left the charming—and extremely handsome—gentleman behind, thinking repeatedly that their little encounter had probably been one of the best of her life. True, nothing was likely to come of it, but her heart could pretend for the afternoon, couldn't it?

She had only made it a ways down the charmingly decorated street when she heard a man's calls from behind her. Instinctively, she turned, and started at the sight of the man running toward her. By the time he caught up, the chill air had stolen his breath, but he had an elated, excited, and uncertain light in his bright blue eyes. Surprised, though pleased, Angel gave her bagman a perplexed smile.

"Did I accidentally take something of yours?" she asked, distracted by his wide smile and the strange look in his eyes.

"No, no," he assured her. "Everything's here…" He laughed and dragged a hand through his hair, looking like a boy who didn't know where to start.

"What is it?" she asked, chuckling a little herself at the grin on his face. He looked as if he'd just won the lotto or something along those lines. He grabbed her hands and finally met her gaze directly, cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Marry me," he said, quite calmly, as if he'd been planning their proposal for months. He watched her expression change to startled disbelief, but that was better than the outright refusal he'd been expecting.

"E…excuse me?" she asked, laughing as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. In reality, she thought she might have mistaken his words.

"Marry me," he said again, eyes glowing. "I know it sounds crazy, but I think this is right. I think that you and I are…perfect."

Angel blinked at him, then gazed down at their linked hands. "I…I don't know…I mean, I don't even know your name and—"

"Quatre."

"What?"

"My name is Quatre. Listen, that doesn't matter. All that matters is finding out if you feel this connection too. Do you?"

Angel stared at him for a moment more, then slowly nodded.

"Then marry me!"

"We…can't just get married, can we?"

He smiled. "All right…I'll court you until Christmas morning, then. If you decide you don't want to marry me, I'll leave you alone and never bother you again…but if you think it might work, we'll get engaged."

Angel looked into his eyes, held her breath for a moment, and then slowly nodded. His grin nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Come on, I'll buy you a drink," he said, and, hand-in-hand, they walked down the street to a quaint little coffee shop.

© --©

"Quatre-sama, you're grinning," Rasid Kurama commented as the young man entered the room, singing cheerfully. "And your sisters just called, wondering where you were."

At just over six foot two, Rasid was an intimidating man even when he was lounging on a couch in Quatre's entryway. The man had become almost a father to Quatre, and often visited when he wasn't needed in the Sahara desert on Earth. It was apparent that Rasid enjoyed his sisters' calls almost as much as he himself did.

He was too happy, however, to let a few phone calls by his twenty-nine sisters get him down. He had just had the most perfect afternoon of his life with the most perfect woman he'd ever met, and—he was sure Duo would be proud—had gotten her phone number, email address, and home address all at once. He was more determined than ever to court her silly.

"Rasid, I think I'm going to be getting married pretty soon," Quatre stated, plopping down into a recliner. Rasid regarded the young man with interest.

"I see…and what makes you think that?"

"I'm courting a woman I met on the street. In fact, her first gift should be arriving…" he glanced at his watch and smiled in satisfaction; "now."

"You…met her on the street?" Rasid echoed, his tone a bit disapproving. "Quatre-sama—"

"Rasid, she's absolutely perfect for me. Beyond perfect." And, judging by the dreamy look in Quatre's eyes, Rasid believed that this was true. He sighed, recognizing the same stubborn resolve as the one in the boy's own deceased father, and let the matter drop. Quatre nearly danced himself up to his room, waiting for the phone call he knew would be coming.

Rasid wandered around downstairs, contemplating. Who was this girl that Quatre-sama had met on the street? Did she recognize his name? And would she try to use him?

He would just have to trust in Quatre=sama's good judgement…

© --©

Angel got home shortly after her drink with Quatre, still floating on cloud nine. She was even humming as she shut the door to her flat, and twirled into the room. How was it that over a cup of tea, Quatre could make her melt? He was so romantic…

Of course…the whole idea was crazy. She stopped twirling and stood still for a moment, considering. It was rather insane of her agree to this whole thing, but he had said that if she didn't want to marry him at the end of it, she could call it off.

Still humming, she continued into the kitchen, and was just starting to fix a late dinner when the doorbell rang. She answered it, but to her surprise, there was no one there. On the floor in the hallway in front of her flat was a velvet case and a card. Picking up both, she slipped back into her flat.

She opened the card, already quite sure that she knew who it was from. And he didn't disappoint, either. It read:

In your eyes I see a universe

Beautiful and free

And yet nothing can compare

With the beauty that is thee.

If I could but drown in your eyes

Just once more would do

And If you would be mine

All your dreams would come true.

~Truly yours,

Quatre

Angel sucked in a steadying breath and opened the delicate velvet case with shaking fingers. Was this how Quatre was starting their courtship? The poem was absolutely adorable, and it brought back all the feelings she'd had when she looked into those depthless blue eyes of his.

Nothing prepared her, however, for the shock of seeing the beautiful sapphire necklace, nestled in soft, crushed velvet and silk, and shining with a deep, true blue that she had never seen in the sapphires in any fine jewelry store. Trembling, she delicately picked up the necklace and walked to her mirror. She almost couldn't bring herself to put it on, but finally, she closed the clasp around the back of her neck and stared at the huge, glittering stones that adorned her throat.

There was no way she could accept it—it obviously cost more than her flat, all of its furnishings, and her car combined—but for a moment she gazed at the sapphires and imagined, as she had in her youth, that she was a princess on a throne. All she needed was her prince charming.

And he, Angel thought, a smile tugging at her lips, wasn't far away at all.

© --©

Quatre smiled to himself as he set the phone back in its cradle after speaking to Angel. She had told him straight out that she simply couldn't take the necklace—predictable but sincere—but the poem was gorgeous and the whole thing very thoughtful. His smile widened, thinking that she had no idea that a sapphire necklace was just the start. After all, he had eleven more days to sweep her off her feet, and the means with which to do it.

This year, Christmas truly would be a magical event, and hopefully one where he found himself engaged.

© --©

Rasid shook his head, smiling as he felt the familiar fatherly pride rush over him. It was a wonderful thing to be a father, and even better with the perfect child he had, and the one he was going to inherit. Still smiling, the man lumbered toward his guest bedroom and wondered what Quatre-sama's next move was going to be in his obviously calculated courtship.

Life couldn't be any better, he decided happily, and sank down into his bed and slept fitfully for the first time in months.