Heero-Ella

Chapter 10: Heero POV

I sat on my little bed (more of a cot, actually) with my knees drawn up to my chest and my arms wrapped around my legs. I rested my head against the top of my knees and let the tears slide down my face. Today was the day of the ball and I couldn't even tell Duo I couldn't make it. I'd have to go to my old life after all this, having to pretend I'd never met Duo because by the time I got out of here, Duo would have already chosen someone else as his bride.

I sighed. I haven't been to work and Count Merquise won't be too happy about my not showing up. I sigh and look around myself. My room is pretty clean, except for my unmade bed and the Lunchables I left on my card table. My room has no windows nor does it have a phone line. I'd have tried to run a phone line to my room if the walls weren't made of solid concrete. I was effectively trapped, my room having become little more than a prisoner holding cell that I've read about.

I only hope Duo forgives me.

"Heero?" a familiar voice calls from upstairs, it must be my imagination. I hear my door being unlocked at the top of the stairs and look up just as it's flung open, the bight light making me squint and shade my eyes with the back of my hand. "Trowa! Get down here, I've found Heero!"

My light bulb was switched on as Zechs and Trowa rushed downstairs, reaching me just as I unfolded myself and got out of bed. I looked at them, both ready for the ball, then remembered I had nothing to wear and let the tiny smile of hope I was wearing slip away. Count Merquise was wearing a navy blue military-style uniform befitting his position, complete with gold buttons down the front and a coil of white rope affixed to his shoulder. Trowa came rushing down the stairs just behind Zechs wearing a dark gray tailored suit with an emerald silk shirt and soft black leather shoes.

I sat back down on my bed as the energy left me. I couldn't go to the ball looking like I did. I didn't deserve Duo anyway.

"Heero, get your skinny ass in that shower right now," Trowa said as he shoved him into the small bathroom. "You have a ball to get to and I'll be damned if you don't hurry up and make me miss my dance with Quatre!"

"But.. I don't have anything to wear..."

"It's been taken care of, Heero. Duo's treat." Zechs smiled at me as they turned on the shower, stripped me, and shoved me in. "Hurry up with that shower, Heero, we're on a schedule and if you're not out in ten minutes, we're going after you!"

The curtain that separated my "bathroom" from my "bedroom" was drawn closed and I figured I might as well do as they said. I think I was too shocked to think on my own, so having orders always made my life just a little bit easier.

Ten minutes later, I stepped out of the shower with a ratty, thread bare towel around my hips and pushed the curtain to the side. I couldn't believe my eyes. On my bed was the very dress I had been looking at before I came home yesterday. I didn't really look at everything else that was placed on my bed and on my card table until Trowa yanked the towel out from my grasp. I shivered and tried to cover myself while yelling at Trowa for doing that.

"You need to get dressed, Heero, not gawk at a dress. I told you, you'll be sorry if you make me miss that dance with Quatre."

"You never said that..."

"Well I'm saying it now. You'll be sorry!" Trowa then flung a pair of lacy white panties at my face. "Put them on."

"What? No. I said I'd dress up as a woman but-"

"Panties are part of dressing as a woman. It's kind of like trying to wear boxer shorts with tight leather pants. It doesn't work because of all the bunching." Zechs added with a smirk.

I glared at the pair and put them on, thankful for at least that bit of covering.

"I'm so going to love doing this to you, Heero," Trowa said with a smirk as he handed me a razor then pointed at my legs. I glared at him but did as indicated telling myself this was all for my Duo.

About five minutes after shaving my legs and being forced into a pair of thigh-high stockings, I was being hugged by Trowa. No, I take that back. It was most definitely not a hug... he was acting as a human restraint to keep me still as I was manhandled into this stiff piece of material with both hook closures and heavy-duty laces in the back. Trowa was having entirely too much fun.

"This won't take long, Heero," Zechs said behind me as he started tightening the laces in the back, making me feel like a sausage.

"What the hell are you doing to me?!" I gasped as he jerked the strings, making his way up.

"We are molding your body to fit that squinted dress that you were making bug-eyes at all week!" Zechs grunted in effort as he finally finished tying the laces behind me.

They let me go momentarily and attached the clips hanging from the corset to the stockings to keep them in place. Trowa then smirked at me and pulled the material of the corset away from my chest before stuffing what looked like squishy candy dishes between my chest and the fabric.

"You're getting there, Yuy," he said, his emerald eye glistening. "In fact, I'm sure we can make you the prettiest girl in the ball!"

I grunted as I was made to sit down on my bed as Zechs attacked me with his makeup kit. Where he got a makeup kit was anyone's guess, but he seemed to know what he was doing. While Zechs put war paint on my eyelids and lips, Trowa grabbed a brush and began attacking my hair.

I tried hard not to flinch, but then he started stabbing at my scalp with god knows what. Pretty soon, I felt something heavy attached to the top of my head as he clipped more things on my hair. I wanted to look and see if they'd made me up like a clown, but they wouldn't let me see.

Finally, I was allowed to put on my dress. Trowa opened it for me and held it so that Zechs could help me step into it. They helped me shimmy into it and guided my arms through the crystal studded bodice and sleeves before zipping me up and fastening the bow at the back. Zechs then got on one knee and helped me slip on my white flats, securing them with the little strap and silver buckle. Trowa grabbed the wings that came with my outfit and helped me ease into them before clipping on small dangling earrings on each of my earlobes. I was just about to rush up the stairs to look at myself in the full- length mirror the "ladies" kept in the hall closet when Zechs stopped me to put my mask on. It was a small thing that barely covered my eyes studded with clear crystals and lined in sapphire with little elastic hoops that went around and behind my ears.

I was handed a pair stretchy silky white gloves before they let me go up the stairs.

I couldn't believe that was me in the mirror. The girl in the mirror had beautiful chocolate colored hair that just reached her shoulders with a little tiara to cover where the fall had been attached. The bangs covered her eyes just slightly but the striking blue color could still be seen from behind the mask. The eyeliner Zechs had used on me really brought out my eyes, but I couldn't believe I was the same person as the girl in the mirror with stunning eyes. My body looked very feminine and delicate. I had a rounded bosom and a tiny waist. I turned, looking at myself from as many angles as I could, but the transformation was flawless. I looked like a woman.

-----------

It seemed as though the party had already started when we arrived in the white limo to the castle. Zechs politely helped me out of the car and walked me up the steps and inside. I was ushered down the hallway and toward what looked to be a massive ballroom. I was led inside and didn't notice when my escort and Trowa disappeared into the crowd. I stood there for about a minute gawking at all I saw before me, hoping that my rosy-pink lip glossed mouth wasn't hanging open.

A foot man came and offered his arm to me, leading me down the stairs to where the people were. I don't think I had a coherent thought in my brain at the time. Everyone was dressed in the most expensive finery I'd ever laid eyes on. The men were in different colored (but mostly dark) tailored designer suites while the women were dressed in gowns made of fabrics in every hue under the sun. To me, it looked like I had been thrust into a fantasy world with the lords and ladies resembling exotic birds each showing off their brightly colored plumage. The whole thing seemed to take on an eerie feel to it with all the masks and feathers and sequins and silk, like a macabre circus until I saw someone I recognized.

Making his way to me, was none other than Quatre. He was wearing a pale blue suit cut to look military like, but without all the accessories that came with it except for his family crest in his right breast. He had a plain white mask with pale blue trimming resting on top of his head, nested in his golden hair.

"My lady, may I escort you to the prince? His majesty is to dance with every lady in the room, and I do not remember him dancing with you." He gave me a little bow and extended his hand toward me, polite smile on his face.

I nodded and took his hand, fitting myself against him in a waltz stance and was danced toward where Duo was.

"I do not believe I've ever seen you before, my lady. Have you been in the kingdom long?"

I swallowed and softened my voice, "As long as I can remember"

He smiled at me, "Angels like you should not be hidden away."

I blushed, knowing full well that he flirted with me only for the fun of it. I figured it was his way of making up for having to dance with every woman in the room so that they may be passed on to Duo.

"Do you really not know who I am, Quatre?" I asked him as we neared Duo.

His large aqua eyes widened bit as he studied my features despite the mask. I saw in his expression that he had recognized me, but didn't get the chance to say anything as I was twirled and passed over to Duo.

I curtsied for Duo, "My Prince." I was then taken into his arms and danced with him, fighting my blush. For half a minute, neither said anything and I was surprised when Wufei was there ready to take me off of Duo's arms.

"You're beautiful," he whispered as he led me around the dance floor, gaining me glares from almost every woman in the room. His steps keeping him from getting close to Wufei, so he couldn't take me away.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Why haven't I seen you around before?" he asked, looking intently at me but looking guilty at the same time. I noticed his cheeks flush a little as he held me closer and smiled his smile at me. He knew who I was... didn't he? "A beautiful girl like you has to have a name..."

"Hee-chan." I said with a little smile.

Duo almost tripped over his feet when I said that. "Heero? Is that really you?" I nodded a little, my smile becoming bigger. "God! Here I was mentally kicking myself for thinking you were beautiful because I thought that you were a girl!" he whispered.

I blushed a little and was taken completely by surprise when he leaned in and kissed me solidly on the lips. "So am I up to par?"

Duo grinned at me, "Definitely." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the chain he had given me with the angel wings pendant and placed it around my neck, fastening it and giving my neck a ghost of a kiss.

I was stunned that he had it. I was so concerned about not seeing him again that I hadn't given my chain more than a passing thought. But how did he get it?

"I took it back from someone that thought she should own it." Duo said, interpreting my thoughts.

"Hee-chan... I was hoping you'd thought about what I said at the mall the other day..." Duo began and I nodded. "Well..." he got down on one knee, pulling a black velvet box from his pocket, opened it and held it out to me, "Will you marry me, Hee-chan?"

I nodded dumbly and felt him put the white gold ring on my hand, blue tinted diamond winking at me from its nest of clear diamonds and amethysts. I stared at the beautiful band in awe, my vocal cords refusing to work and then looked up at my handsome Duo with tears of happiness forming at the corners of my eyes.

I was interrupted from my daze when a loud noise reverberated through the room as Lady Une slammed a door next to the throne looking extremely peeved. She stalked through the crowd snapping at her daughters on her way out, "Relena, Hilde, gather your things, we're leaving!"

The crowd parted for her as she made her way out of the ballroom without a backwards glance. I looked at my Duo again and kissed his lips softly. "I have to go, Duo," I whispered then ran out of there after Une and her daughters, knowing they left through another exit. I ran up the stairs I had come down from and at the top, stopped to look at my ring. They weren't supposed to know I was here... I took off the ring Duo had placed on my finger and left it on the rail at the top of the steps.

I'm so sorry Duo... I hate running out on you, but I have to be home.