Depths of Devotion
Part 1
By: PinkDelusion
Dreams, inconsistent angel things
Horses bred with star-laced wings
But it's so hard to make them fly
These wings beat the night sky
'Bove the town'
One goes up and one goes down
And so the chariot hits the ground
April 17, 202 AC
Bella Devozione Banquet Hall
"Please don't ever try to keep something from me, Heero." She said, stern jaw set in a regal manner. Her eyes were hard ice, boring into his own midnight orbs. She was quickly becoming relentless – much too relentless for his comfort.
"Why would I keep something from you?" he countered with his own question. Put the burden of proof on her – see how she responds. Why did every conversation with her have to be a tactical diversion from the truth? Why couldn't he just tell her straight? But then what?
"We're married now, Heero. I promised to trust you and love you, but that can become exceedingly hard if you don't let me. If you don't tell me, how am I supposed to trust you?" She asked, eyes softening from their steely defiance to a compassionate azure gaze. Relena reached up to cradle his sharp features with her soft, slender hand. How could he deny her?
"Faith."
"Huh?"
"Trust me because you have faith in me – and faith in what I am doing." He replied quietly. What was he supposed to say? That he hadn't married her of his own free choice? That he was working for the people who wanted to destroy her at all costs? Why not kill her right there? It would be more merciful than all the pain he was going to put her through.
But it was the only way. The only way in which the worlds could live in peace. Peace. That's what everything bad started with. If people just admitted that there was always going to be war, they wouldn't have to go through those easily broken one month cease-fires and bloody suicide bombings.
To her government, his Cause was terroristic. To her, he produced more hurt than good. But didn't he make her feel good? Didn't he love her the way she wanted him to? Would she be able to sincerely accuse him of killing people if he made her feel so alive? She couldn't. She wouldn't.
"I desperately want to, Heero…its just…I don't know." She ended with defeat. She couldn't understand why she didn't trust him. He'd been out of that deadly business for years…so many years. It was actually a miracle that she'd found him. Just another face in the crowd…
{...}
May 5, 199 AC
25th Street, Prague
The pristine pink dress wrapped carelessly around her slim body. A spring breeze brushed silently at her honey blonde hair, sending each strand into a distressed frenzy. She was the true epitome of perfection. Her dazzling smile lit the entire street. The once hectic mainstreams of people were at once caught in a sense of awe. Relena Darlain Peacecraft.
Carrying her small briefcase, she waltzed in a vivid kaleidoscope of happiness and luster. But it was all a façade – a deep ridden lie that sunk to the very depth of her soul, so that not even she truly knew that she was miserable.
But what a beautiful sight she was to the people. Their young leader prancing about, tending to the needs of the public that adored and supported her. She was loved by millions, and yet no one. But she didn't know that – she was their pretty mascot. She represented the need for serenity in the universe. She represented a perfection that wasn't.
"Relena."
"Heero."
It felt so easy on her lips, his name. How very familiar, like a piano piece so long embedded in her memory that, even if she wanted to, she could never forget.
He was mostly unchanged, especially his physical appearance. The proverbial tatty brown hair hung limply into his dark eyes. It was almost as if he hadn't left.
But there was something noticeably different – something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but was so simply apparent. Almost as if the words were on the tip of her tongue, but they just wouldn't come out. Something had changed.
"How are you?" she asked, an uncomplicated question without liability.
"Well enough."
"That's good. What have you been up to?" she inquired, though she was actually feeling a strong need to ask why he had gone away. She wanted a real answer. One that would give his reasoning for leaving her crying at the side of his hospital bed. She needed to know why he'd left her.
{...}
April 17, 202 AC
Bella Devozione Banquet Hall
"It doesn't matter. Do you love me?" he responded, catching hold of her hand that had fallen back to its place at her side.
She looked up at him, eyes starting to tear with grief. Warm droplets cascaded gently across her pale, smooth cheeks. She'd all but given up hope in them as a couple. And then, one day, things had turned all the way around. A total 180 of the heart.
She wanted to trust him – she wanted to love him. No, that was wrong – she did love him. She had ever since that day on the beach. She'd known him in his one moment of vulnerability. Perhaps that was what had drawn him to her. He needed her help. He needed her.
When Relena realized that she had been staring out into space, she blushed demurely. It had taken her almost five minutes to answer such a simple question. Of course she loved him. Why wouldn't she?
A/N-the first chapter to my newest, most romantic story. I decided to post because I got a lot of great feedback form my beta. However, she happens to be rather tied up at the moment, so I'm looking for someone to beta the rest of the story. Just leave your e-mail address in a review, and let me know. I'd really apprectiate it! Hope you liked! ((ugh! this isn't letting me put in asterics or anything!!!)){...}
November 12, 200 AC
Office of Foreign Minister, Washington DC
"Ms. Peacecraft, a transfer has been made to your office as of today. A Mr. Lowe."
Relena sighed resignedly. Always new people – new faces. How did people expect her to keep up with the growing amount of people she saw daily? Sure, they smiled and popped into her office on the way to get their coffee, but it wasn't as if they were there because they wanted to be with her. They wanted to be with the Foreign Minister. They wanted a pay raise or a special favor. Relena was only too happy to comply, but each time, in the back of her mind, the little voice screamed with frustration.
"Where is Mr. Lowe from?" she asked, finally raising her head far enough out of her hands to speak.
"The National Security Agency."
"Great, now NSA's on my back too." She said jokingly as she smiled up at the intern. The young man didn't quite understand her comment, but smiled in return and left.
But now there were bigger problems – an agent was going to be in her office. Sure, Relena had been under military surveillance her entire life, but this was different. It was obvious that he wasn't just going to be there to watch her – he was there to work with her. Relena Darlain Peacecraft had almost never asked for help in her life. She'd always had the resources she needed to survive. This man was just going to be another new face -- in and out of her life.
"Ms. Relena, the transfer is here. Where should he go?" Another face asked her. This one happened to her Executive Secretary, but it made no difference. They were all the same.
"Has he checked in with Milliardo?"
"Mr. Peacecraft is the one who ordered the transfer," answered Lily. So her big brother was back in the game, was he? It'd been a great deal of time since Milliardo had actually decided on something. Ever since the baby, he'd pretty much remained as neutral as possible. An NSA agent certainly wasn't neutral.
"So where should he go?"
"Give him Stradlater's old office and tell him to come see me once he's settled."
"Yes, ma'am." God, she hated that phrase. She wasn't military -- she was the exact opposite. And yet, everything in this country was ruled by inane protocol. She'd much rather have her people simply call her Relena.
There was always one person that had liked to call her true name – Heero, the only one who hated her. There were certain times in their history when he'd tried to deny their familiarity and identified her with all her proper titles, but it never lasted. She knew in her heart that he always thought of her as Relena. And when he'd cried out in his sleep at the hospital…how her heart had jumped at the sound of her own name.
"Earth Senator Richter is on the telephone."
"What about?"
"The Peace Proposal that's going through the Earth Senate."
This was the way it always was. If she wasn't in a meeting or pouring over fifty page memos, she was daydreaming about him. She knew it was silly, but it was one of the only ways she relieved her stress during the day.
"Senator, you should know by now that it's already going to pass." Relena said into the telephone before even letting the man on the receiving end speak. People had always taken the liberty of pushing her around, why not return the favor?
"I know that Asia Minor is struggling. I also know that 79 percent of the people want a peaceful resolution to the conflict." She said, "And I remember a certain vow that you had to take to uphold the views of the people."
At that time, Lily entered her office again, signaling with hand motions that something was up. What exactly, she didn't know, but the conversation should be coming to an end soon.
Relena mouthed 'one minute' while simultaneously extending her pointer finger. Senator Richter could go on for hours if he wanted. And though Relena was never one to turn down a good debate, the old man was seriously pushing her patience.
"Yes, sir, I understand your predicament. How about I let Lily assign a business luncheon before the vote and we can talk about this at a more convenient time. Same to you, Senator. Good-bye."
The young woman sighed and rested her head against the desk in front of her. Today had barely started and she was already exhausted.
"Can you get me a cup of tea, please?"
"Sure." Was the answer, but it wasn't that of Lily's. It was a rough, nonchalant voice. It was the voice of Heero Yuy.
How is it? Something I should change? A suggestion perhaps? Then please send a review and let me know!