Authoresses note:
Red Tail: Here we are going to eat lunch on holiday. Me with my cheese pizza and her with her spagetti. How she loves noodles, jumpin' jahoozivle! This is my happy rhymm, so have a merry late christmas and a crappy new year all the time!
Uplifted: ::Chomps Cheddar and Sour cream chips:: Thanks a crappy rhyme, sister of mine. I can do better, but this fic's been done together. Have a happy holiday season everyone, and don't pass on the deviled eggs (My speciality)!
To those of you who guessed the bodyguard's name correctly, ENJOY YOUR ICED COOKIES! We love you all!
Standing in the Shadows,
Chapter Four (by Red Tail)
Relena smiled sweetly. It had already been a year and she was ready to see the Prince of Ellis again. She brushed a long strand of hair that was hanging over her shoulder behind her and looked at the door and then at her bodyguard.
Even after a year, he seemed the same as the day she first met him. His hair was slicked back into a ponytail so his hair was longer than Heero's but not longer than Duo's. Not even Relena had longer hair than Duo Maxwell, for some reason he simply refused to cut it. Her bodyguard's style certainly hadn't changed either; he still wore the same tight fitting black shirt and some baggy white pants held up in place with a black belt. A sword, more like a katana, hung off the belt as his side. It was always present, no matter what circumstance. Well, maybe. Relena didn't quite know what went on 24/7 in her guard's life.
She had learned that the man beside her was very quite and subdued in his nature though he had a thing against women for some reason that the princess certainly didn't want to know about. She just brushed it off as thinking that it was some childhood sweetheart that had cheat on him, ghastly as it sounded. It must have been something bad because he was always ranting about "Injustices" and "weak women" and such, quite annoying. Luckily some of the more harsh words he said were in his native tongue, Chinese, so she didn't comprehend the meaning luckily.
"I dare say," She mocked him, getting his attention almost instantly as he looked at her with fiery black eyes. "Have you see how clean the castle is?"
Wufei grumbled in response and got jabbed sharply by the princess who was giving him a mock-smile. He clenched his teeth and his eye twitched as he forced it into a smile. "Yes, it is very clean indeed." He commented in a voice that Relena nearly winced at. It was as though he had just heard nails on a chalkboard.
He had to be annoyed; there was a week of preparation for the prince and Queen of Ellis. Locked away in the castle with little freedom during this time, her bodyguard though he was growing lazy without his exercise and rigid schedule of training.
'Spoil sport.' She muttered half-heartedly. "So," She put on a smiling face again as she saw servants scurrying around to make the last adjustments. "Where is my father?" She questioned her ever-knowing bodyguard.
"In the library last time I saw him. In fact, I do believe that he's coming down the hall way right now after scolding a servant." He told her, still at her side like a good guard dog—er—person. She giggled at the thought of him as a puppy dog. She lifted her hand to suppress her giggles, earning a raised eyebrow from Wufei.
"What is wrong with you?" He hissed at her as some servants walking by trying to hide the fact that they were indeed staring at the princess with questions to her behavior in their eyes. Wufei's glare quickly sent them scurrying off to the tasks that they were supposed to be doing.
"Oh, nothing at all." She giggled as her father approached from behind. Hearing his footsteps, she spun on her heel to face her slightly surprised father. "Father!" She exclaimed happily. "When will the guest's be arriving?" She questioned him with a heart-stopping smile on her face.
"Soon, daughter dear." He told her, patting her on the shoulder and then walking off to check and make sure that everything was in proper order. The last time that Heero Yuy had come was a disaster when Relena took out her paint set. Her father shuddered at the mere thought. It had taken seven weeks to get the red and other colors out of the princess's hair. Of course anyone would be livid if that happened to him or her.
Then the trumpet's sounded and the King quickly drew his thoughts to an end and walked briskly up to the giant oak doors when the guards opened them for his Excellency to leave the castle.
The door to the carriage opened and an older looking Queen Catherine walked out elegantly, her grace not dulled by her years. She smiled full-heartily at the King and then looked at the still open door behind her. The King blinked in surprise when he saw a fifteen year old Heero Yuy step out of the carriage lightly, grace and strength emitting from him regally.
The youth had dressed royally, as expected of him, and had certainly grown to be handsome. He couldn't wait until the prince met his daughter and got to see how much that had grown. He laughed at the thought; hopefully they would be more civilized now that they were older. 'Hopefully.' The King exhaled with a sigh.
Heero bowed slightly before the king and then took his mother's hand as she smiled at him. The King couldn't help but notice the slightly colder look in Heero's eyes, all the childhood amusement seemed to be gone. The teenager turned around slightly, as if waiting for someone or something.
"Hey, Heero!" A voice called as a braided boy stumbled out of the carriage with a fighting and biting cat in his arms. "I think your cat doesn't like me. At all." He commented as he let the cat fall to his feet after raising it over his head first. Landing on all fours, the cat hissed at the braided man and jumped over to it's owner and master. Heero smiled slightly as the cat found itself by his master's side, purring slightly.
"No, I think he does like you." Heero said with light amusement. Duo glared at him and Heero let out a slight laugh. Duo grumbled about 'evil cats from hell' and then followed behind the prince, glaring at the cat. The creature hissed. Duo hissed back. The cat's hair stood on it's small form. The orange fur looked like it increased its body mass twice or so. Duo's eye twitched and he hissed and shook his braid.
"Stop messing with my cat." Heero joked to his friend. "I think your scaring him." Duo snorted.
"Right," The braided teenager said. Words dripping with sarcasm. "I think you got it the other way around, lover-boy." Heero's eyes turned cold again as he detached himself from the slight conversation Duo was trying to make with him.
Heero let his mother lead him slightly to the castle and Duo followed behind before catching up to his friend's side. The cat hissed at him, warning him about the territory he was trespassing over into.
"Good day, Heero Yuy." A lovely voice said as Heero looked up at the princess. He held his surprise inside, his cold exterior remaining the same as always. She had grown, obviously. Her hair reached down past her shoulder blades. Her features were more cherubic and she had lightly toned skin, not covered with freckles that she had when she was eight.
She smiled and Heero looked at her quizzically. When did she become so…grown up? It was slightly startling. She was wearing a blue gown that hugged her waist before flowing out, complementing her eyes and making her hair even more elegant. It had been curled slightly in a non-natural way and the ribbons to hold it in place showed her obvious like to the color blue even more. Heero nodded in response to her greeting but didn't bother saying anything as he helped his mother towards the castle.
Though she was obviously feeling much better and the sickness gone from her body, it left her slightly frail. Over the months of her sickness Heero had trained rigorously as he needed to protect her in her weakened state.
Relena couldn't help but stare at the boy, no man, in front of her. His shoulders were wider slightly and his eyes seemed an even deeper color. When did he grow up? He and her had met every summer but she hadn't even seen him growing up in front of her. She felt an odd, almost giddy feeling inside her as she looked at him. His hair was still as unruly as ever and it fell over his eyes, obviously still untamed by a comb. His body was more muscular, having most likely been training, and a sword hung at his side now. She had heard rumors of him being in his army for a few months. The Queen couldn't have her only heir dying now could she so he was quickly retrieved, reprimanded of course for his insolence.
She blinked and realized that Heero was already in front of her, ready to make the proper greeting they were accustomed with over the many years, missing the knowing look in Heero's mother's eyes and her father's.
"Good day, princess." Heero said and she smiled in return to his formal greeting. His voice was blank but it was so lovely, much deeper and richer. She liked how it sounded compared to when he was a child. Then again, she blinked when she realized she couldn't remember how it sounded. After things come so granted…you begin to forget how special it is.
Heero grabbed her hand lightly and her hand tingled in his with warmth. He kissed it lightly and elegantly, no funny faces made to this formal requirement. He certainly had grown up that was for sure! "Prince Heero," Relena curtsied. "I hope that you ventured well on your journey over here."
"We did," He told her politely, his mother smiling at his behavior. Duo snorted lightly at this and then smiled at the princess, bowing in a smooth motion, which almost made her giggle. "I think that my mother is weary though." Heero told Relena, glancing slightly at Duo who grinned.
"Oh!" Relena exclaimed. "Of course she is! You must all be tired from your journey!" She said as she quickly told the servants politely to get their luggage and bring them to their accommodations.
"I'm dead." Duo commented as Heero lead his mother to her room. "What about you?"
"No," Heero told him without emotion, really not tired at all since it was midday. "I think I'm going to go for a walk in the forest." He said.
Relena looked at him with a smile on her face. He didn't seem anything at all like the Heero Yuy she had known as a child. "Would you mind if I were to accompany you?" She questioned politely as ever, hoping he would allow her to come with him.
"Of course not, Princess." He told her and Duo yawned, hopping on his bed and closing his eyes as soon as he reached his room located next to Heero's.
"And this will be your room." She told him lightly as she opened up the curtains and let the sun light drift in, the view of the looming forest creating a breath taking view.
"Thank you." He told her as he looked at his luggage and took off his cape and some extra garments not needed for a walk through the forest.
The dark clothing that he wore made him seem like a dark prince. 'Dark,' Relena commented in her mind. 'But handsome too.' She added. After her thoughts came dwindling to an end, she noticed that he had already walked out the door and was waiting for her to follow.
"Sorry," She mumbled to him in apology for making him wait. He nodded, not really listening to her apology and not caring if she made him wait or not. In truth, while she was obliviously standing there, Heero got a good look at her. She was indeed just like the ugly duckling from the story that turned into a swan. A very beautiful swan at that.
The made their way out of the castle, the servants looking at them with hope shimmering greatly in their eyes with the thoughts of 'TAX BREAKS!' on their minds. They them jovially went about to complete the task of making the dinner for the two teenagers and the guests.
"It's beautiful." Heero commented as they made their way down a trail. He stopped in a clearing where a creek was trickling over the ice pieces that had broken off due t the constant motion and churning of the waters. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, letting his breath puff out in front of him. The cool air nipped at his nose like a dog would, playfully of course. He opened his eyes again and glanced at Relena, his prussian eyes sparkling with enchantment that nearly made Relena's heart leap out of her chest.
Heero turned his head as he felt someone's eyes on them, yet just blinked in surprised slightly when he saw nothing. He had gained lot of training over the short amount of time he had with his mentor, Odin Lowe. He had grown less childish when he put him mind to it. He could still remember his first day in the battlefield but he shut off that train of thought quickly.
"Heero?" Relena questioned as she looked at him. He jerked his head up and nodded at her, showing nothing was wrong at all. Relena smiled and turned back to the stream. She smiled as she bent down and took a handful of crisp snow into her hands and blew it across the stream's edge. She smiled when the tiny snowflakes flittered through the air gently.
She sat down on a rock that was dry as she looked down at the ice now beneath her feet. Turning, she motioned for Heero to come and join her. He sat down, his combat boots different from Relena's petite snow fashion display.
"I heard that you were in the army for a few months." She commented, trying to fill the silence flowing around them in a strong aura.
"Yeah," He said. "It was…different." He told her, slightly detached from her still which she obviously noticed though subtly. "Have you been well?" He questioned, changing the topic.
She smiled at him. "Oh yes," She said, splashing her shoes a little bit in the stream and hitting some detached ice pieces. "I have a garden, it's very beautiful. There's this one flower. It's been alive for over seven years now." She smiled at him with this as she noted how the flower's color was almost the same as Heero's eyes.
"Seven years?" Heero said, raising an eyebrow to this. "Isn't that quite long for a flower?"
"Yes it is." She told him with a warming smile. The wind then, rushing down into the valley's frozen forest, sweetly and softly twirled the maidens honey hair around and Heero's slightly spiked hair also. "But this flower means a lot to me." She told him as her aquamarine eyes glimmered as she turned her head up to the sky blue sky and caught a small snowflake on her tongue.
"Why?" He questioned her, not understanding how a flower can mean a lot to a person. It made no sense to him one bit. Why keep a flower precious to you if it's just going to die?
"Because…" Relena began, slightly taken aback by the comment. "Well…" She tried again yet stopped and uttered a few incoherent words before trying to explain it again. "Hmm..." She wondered aloud. "I don't know, I guess that I have a bond with it." She told him. "I guess its kind of hard to place into words without confusing people." She sighed heavily with that said.
"Like Wing." Heero commented to himself seemingly as he stared into the frozen forest in front of him. His feet dangled above the water, not dipped in slightly like the princess's even though he knew both her and his shoes were water resistance.
"Excuse me?" She questioned, wanting to know whom this 'Wing' character was. "Wing? Who is that?"
"Wing is my cat." Heero explained to her. Relena thought for a moment, trying to remember a cat. "The one that was attacking Duo earlier, when we first arrived." He explained further, hoping he wouldn't have to go more in-depth.
"Oh, yes!" Relena commented as she giggled at the thought. "So, Wing is you cat?" Heero nodded. "A cute name." She told him getting a slight smile from him with an ever so slight nod. She smiled again, the same smile that she gave her father earlier.
She and him continued conversing, not even noticing a pair of glassy blue eyes that noted their every word and movement into the enigma's memory. The birds chirped angrily at the figure though it could only sound sweet for the singing birds sounded just the same when angry.
"Well," Heero old her after a few hours had passed. He helped Relena to her feet. "We should most likely be getting back at this time." The slightly reddened sky told them that it was about time for them to get ready for the dinner party tonight.
Relena then noticed she hadn't removed her hand from his but she just smiled, not wanting to release it. He didn't seem to mind or even notice for that matter. She sighed inwardly, slightly afraid of rejection.
Heero then lead her off towards the castle that seemed to beacon to them to hurry. The glassy blue eyes narrowed when they took everything in; the smiles, the giggles, the look on the princess's face, the hands in each other's. It made the person want to be sick. 'Then again,' A low and dark laugh crept out of the throat of the spy and the figure quickly melted back into the shadows. 'This isn't over yet…'
Back at the castle, the princess and prince were met with smiling but hurried movements as the servants rushed to perform their final duties to get ready for the Winter Festival hosted tonight.
After being whisked off to their own chambers to prepare hastily for the ball, they were placed side by side to enter the halls together. Duo Maxwell, Heero noticed, was no where to be seen. That meant that the braided boy was up to something, most likely annoying the hell out of the cooks or flirting with the female servants. Heero sighed in exasperation. Hopefully Wing didn't kill the boy already.
As the two royal figures walked into the spacious dining hall, they couldn't help but notice the eyes of the other guests that already arrived for the royal feast on themselves.
Heero looked at Relena and noticed she had a slight blush on her cheeks, and Heero was smart enough to know that the excuse she would most likely use was from the cold, yet he wouldn't buy it. He raised an eyebrow and Relena blushed even more frivolously. He rolled his eyes slightly at this. 'Women confuse me sometimes, but Relena is something else.' He thought and added to himself secretly and in little more than a mere whisper, 'Something in a good way.'
"They're staring at us…" Relena said through a smile to Heero who was still at her side. She sneaked a small look at the handsomely prince and looked away quickly when she could have sworn her father had grinned happily at her action. 'What is going on here?' She wondered.
"Yeah…" Heero said as he sat down beside Relena who was at her father's side and him at his mother's. "Do you know why?" He questioned as he leaned close to her so that their parent's wouldn't be able to hear their conversation. He grabbed the wine bottle he had reached to get and poured a little bit in his already quite full cup. 'What the hell is going on? All this attention is creeping me out…' He thought as he shifted slightly in his chair.
"I don't know." Relena told him as she leaned over to grab the wine bottle that he had taken from her when he told her the answer to her question.
"Darling," Queen Catherine scolded slightly at her son. "You really shouldn't drink so much. It can't be good for your health at such a tender age." With the word tender she looked at the King at Relena's side who smiled as if in tune with her thoughts.
"Mother," Heero said, talking to his mother in hushed tones as the festival went on all around him. People were dressed in elegant gowns, though none matched the beauty of the Princess at his side. "What is going on?" He questioned, refraining from using vulgar words at a party or in the presence of his mother.
"Huh?" His mother questioned back with a false innocent look in her eyes. "Whatever do you mean?" She asked him back but before Heero could comment back, she had already placed herself in a conversation with the Duke of Amor. He glared slightly, knowing now more then ever that something was up. His mother just didn't dodge things like that unless she was plotting something big and drastic.
"Heero," Relena laid a hand lightly on his upper arm, trying to get his attention back from creeping the Duke out with his death glare. "Are you all right?" She questioned kindly.
He looked back at her and nodded, looking at the blue dress she had changed into after they arrived shortly. He was wearing dark colors again, deep blues that brought out his eyes, and black to bring out the dark color of his hair. Sometimes he wore white and gold, but he didn't feel the need to at this banquet. "Just a little bored is all." He told her as he sipped some wine as the music floated over to him in waves. The violin was performing a solo currently that flowed like wine off the strings.
"Well, if you're so bored," Relena told him. "Then would you care to dance?" She questioned with a smile that Heero couldn't say 'no' to at all.
"Of course," He teased back slightly. "My lady." He joked, getting up from his seat with a slight bow to her and gaining the eyes of Relena's parent and his own as they both smiled knowingly at one another past the two teenagers.
"But of course, my lord." She said, now standing with a slight curtsy before taking the hand of Heero's in her own petite one.
They both walked off to the dance floor as another slow song started and they swayed to the sweet melody in perfect harmony unlike some poor women and men who were going to have major toe aches the next day.
"Isn't that Prince Heero?" A woman sighed in response to that with a small nod of her head. "Lucky, isn't that princess."
"Well of course they would be together!" Another exclaimed almost harshly. "Princesses always marry princes." She snorted. "What do you expect?"
The other women didn't say anything but soon decided to gossip on other matters. A pair of violet eyes glimmered in the darkness as the person stepped out of the shadows, grinning like a mad man. Of course, a hissing cat came behind, claws extended and ready, understanding soon as to what the cat's enemy was gazing at; her master and friend.
The person walked over to the table where the Queen was as he grinned to her, waving slightly as took a seat that was Relena's who wasn't occupying it at the moment. The cat slid silently onto the spot next to the boy, recognizing the scent of Heero on the chair it was sitting on and snuggling into the plush cotton.
Duo looked at the cat and relaxed slightly wincing as he looked at the many scratches covering his arms. He looked at his feet and debated with himself whether or not to put them on the table. He knew better than that to do something like that at a big party such as the Festival of Holidays. He sighed and grinned as he put his feet on the table. Okay, so he didn't know any better.
The Queen shot Duo a dirty look which made him look at her sheepishly as he pulled his feet from the table and got a hiss from the cat at his actions. He glared and stuck his tongue back out before looking at the figures on the dancing floor.
He smiled and noted how Relena and Heero made a good couple, despite their rocky past with one another. He grinned when he remembered all the snowballs they had gotten her with.
He sighed at the memory before digging into as much food he could possibly eat tonight without throwing up. What was the point of eating food if it just came back up the other way? He always wondered himself about that but looked at Relena and Heero again as he bit off a chunk of meat from a turkey leg. The cat hissed at him, half asking for a bite and half threatening pain if not given. Of course Duo ignored this all together. Then the cat bit him, again. He glared and threw a piece of meat at the cat who happily mewed and then started eating it's dinner until his master fed him.
Sighing, Duo turned away. 'Well, what do you know... Dinner and a show.' Duo grinned as he watched the prince and princess twirl to the music in perfect sync.
TBC
Enjoyed the long chapter? Reviews are much appreciated!