Astra: New chapter!
Shizuko: Weee!
Chapter Eighteen
Relena pushed the food on her plate in a circle with her fork.
"Aren't you hungry?" asked Noin, with a look of motherly concern.
"I feel like I've forgotten something," said Relena. Then it hit her. "Oh! I was told to deliver a message." She paused. For His Lordship… That must be my brother; he was a prince. "Zechs," she started.
"Hm?" He picked up his glass for a sip.
"You, uh, you have to take care of your daughter yourself now—" She broke off as her brother choked and spluttered. Noin looked seriously shocked. Treize became suddenly very interested in his napkin. "And…um…her protector is lost…" She bit her lip, looking around. "Did I say something wrong?"
"What daughter??" demanded Noin.
"Wait, hold on," choked a flustered Zechs.
Treize, unnoticed, quietly rose and left the table while the others attempted to untangle what Relena had just said.
"I don't think that message was for me," Zechs was saying, putting tremendous effort into remaining calm. "I don't have a daughter!"
"But the message was for 'His Lordship.' Who else would that be?"
Treize smiled slightly to himself as he strode out into the garden, the night breezes making his cloak ripple slightly. A moment later, the soft sound of running feet approached. He turned to see Relena. "Can I help you?"
She turned a little red. "Zechs said the message might have been meant for you instead. I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have…"
He smiled thoughtfully. "Lady Une sent you, didn't she?"
Relena nodded slowly. "But don't you mean Commander Une?"
He turned away to examine a flourishing rose bush nearby. "I suppose she's Commander Une now. I knew her as a lady, though."
"You knew her?"
"Quite well," replied Treize. Relena could tell by the look in his eyes that she wasn't about to get any more information from him, so she went inside to help Noin with the dishes. He didn't even really notice that she had gone, but stood quietly gazing at the star-studded canopy of sky above him.
It started out rather muddled: a memory of oppressive heat and a feeling that the world wasn't quite real. Then came the voices, far off and distant, that only became clear once he focused on them.
Flashback
"Master Treize taken down by a mere fever? I have to see this."
The voice was assertive, but not unwelcome. It rang out above the murmur of servants and the haze of sickness that blocked the young noble's senses. A blurred face framed in light brown hair entered his line of vision and then moved out again.
"You're right. He does look pretty out of it."
"Thank you for that observation, dear lady," groaned Treize, pulling a pillow over his head. "And it's not as if I've never been sick before."
"True," she conceded. "But it's so rare. And you managed to put such dignity into being ill…it's quite an improvement from the time you were five and tried sliding down the baniste—"
"Don't go into that now! This is bad enough as it is," broke in Treize, an annoyed edge in his usually calm voice.
She allowed herself a smile and then sat down on a cushioned chair nearby. "So do you think you'll be well enough to receive the delegates from the next province…"
"I'll be fine soon enough," he assured her.
She nodded. "From what I've seen in the past, I believe it. You don't let anything get in your way."
"Nothing."
Lady Une looked up as the door opened. "Besides, I think you're in good hands." She gave a nod to the blond servant girl, who had just entered with a bowl of soup, before leaving. "I'll drop by again next time father let's me out of the manor."
The servant gave her a respectful curtsey as she left, and then brought the tray over to the incapacitated noble. Treize moved to sit up.
The girl gave a soft smile, "Please keep still. Moving too much will make you feel worse."
She placed the tray on the nightstand next to his bed and helped him sit up. Once again she reached for the tray and placed it on his lap.
"Can you feed yourself?"
"I'm sure I'll manage."
"Probably even if it kills you."
Treize looked up at the girl. Color filled her cheeks, "Your stubbornness is famous throughout your father's lands."
"I suppose there are worse things I could be famous – or infamous – for."
She smiled again and turned to leave.
"Don't go, I'd like to talk to someone…what's your name?"
She turned and smiled once again, "Leia Barton."
*
Treize flung the sheets off and stood up.
Enough! I will not stay in this room one moment LONGER!
He grabbed an outfit out of his closet and pulled it on. When the last cuff was buttoned he walked out the door…
…and ran straight into Leia.
"Master Treize!"
"I told you to call me Treize…no master…"
"Of course, but shouldn't Treize be in bed?"
He looked down at to see her small face looking up at him expectantly. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "No…Treize should be out making sure everything hasn't fallen apart while he's been absent." He turned to leave and was startled to hear a small snort from behind him. He looked back at Leia. She smirked and said, "Go ahead. I'm sure we've all been lost without your excellent care for two days."
Did she just say what I thought she did?
He paused a moment and then grinned himself.
"Fine then. Since I'm not needed I'll just go for a ride instead."
Leia folded her arms and stared at him, "Absolutely not! As your nurse I forbid you from…"
"As my nurse you should accompany me and make sure I don't hurt myself."
Treize lightly took her arm and guided her out to the stables.
"Ride? A horse?"
Shizuko: TO BE CONTINUED!
Astra: hehe!