Author's Notes: some people have asked if there is any duo/relena action, nope, none at all, I'm making duo kind of like a older brother type since he's been guarding her ever since she was young. However, I am wondering if I should throw in some trowa/relena just to spice up the hero/relena coupling.

Whispers of a Distant Star Chapter 2: Changing Adversity

~For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul- Judy Garland

~*~*~*~*~*

I drummed my fingers on the heavy cherry wood desk and leaned back against my chair, closing my eyes for a solution. I wanted to find a way out of this but I couldn't consider any other way. Every idea that I had come up with was not a path I was willing to take. And as every plan was rejected, I found myself growing closer to the only way out. I had been thinking and thinking for hours and already the sky is breaking apart to reveal a new day. Exhaustion is seeping through my every limb and yet I know I cannot leave this room till I have come to a decision.

"Are you alright, Miss Relena?" Quatre asked and I opened my eyes to smile gratefully at his genuine concern. Somehow, within the last three days, I had acquired more bodyguards for my safety. Apparently, my father's associates thought it dangerous for me to be left unguarded after the assassination. And it so I have become acquainted with Quatre Raberba Winner, an Arabian blonde with an easygoing attitude, and the ever quiet and calm Trowa Barton who seems to hide a secret within himself.

"Still thinking. And it appears I'm not getting anywhere." I admitted. "I'm sorry for keeping you awake for so long."

"No problem babe, it's our job." Duo commented from the window seat in my office. He had been peering out of the large window in contemplation, looking at the spanning sea outside as if there was a significant meaning in it.

"Have you come to your decision?" Trowa asked quietly from his post near the door.

"There appears to be only one, I just don't know if I'm fully qualified for it." I said thoughtfully and rubbed my eyes in tiredness. "But I'll have to take my chances and trust in the future."

"What will Heero think about it?" Quatre asked and my face froze for a second at the sound of the name, then relaxed.

"I don't know why he would care. He never took any interest in my affairs in politics before." I said carefully as I stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in my pleated white skirt. I had gotten at least enough time to change after we visited father's grave. That was two days ago and I hadn't home during since then.

"I-well, it's just that if you do become the vice foreign minister, you won't be home that often." Quatre said honestly and I wanted to giggle at his ignorance. Unlike the perceptive Trowa, Quatre had not yet caught on to my supposed nuptial "bliss".

"I'm sure he will be fine with it. My job won't make a difference in our relationship." Amen to that. There was too much truth behind those words and I saw Duo smirk as he caught on. "I guess I'll go tell Milliardo about my decision."

I felt reluctant as Trowa opened the door for me. It wasn't as if I had a choice in taking my father's place or not, it had been a Peacecraft position for as long as I could remember. And Milliardo always thought he was too stained to take the job. I had hopelessly spent all those hours thinking of someone else to preserve the peace but at the same time, I was aware that nobody would be able to truly fulfill my father's intentions. I was just afraid of the people's disappointment. I knocked on my brother's door and stepped inside. He was standing with his back facing me and looking out from his view of the flourishing kingdom. He had inherited the fair white blonde from my father while I took after my darker haired mother. Yet, many have said that the determination in both our eyes were one and the same.

"I've agreed." I said and there was relief in my brother's posture. "But no ceremonies and such, I just want to start working right away."

"No can do Relena," He turned around to face me with serious eyes. "Do you know how many people have relied on our family for peace? Father's death had an immense impact on the public and an opening ceremony and ball will relieve their fears. They want to be reassured that there will still be someone fighting for piece between earth and the colonies." Milliardo explained quietly.

"Then a compromise, a ball, but no ceremony." I said diplomatically.

"Deal." He walked over and suddenly gave me a hug, an act he rarely indulged in. "I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear. "First the marriage, and now this. But your marriage has considerable meaning, keep believing in that. There was a reason for it." He released me and walked back to his stance facing the window.

"A ball huh? Sounds better than a ceremony." Duo said as we walked back to my office. "I think that's the first time I've ever seen Milliardo Peacecraft hug somebody. It makes him seem more human."

I lightly punched Duo in the shoulder in which he immediately held his arm in mock pain. "Stop that, Milliardo is as human as you and I. And it looks like I have a lot of work to do today."

~*~*~*~*~*

A lot doesn't cover how much paperwork I had to go over, the number of meetings I attended, the people I met, or the phone calls I received. My eyes were literally drooping as I skimmed a letter from some duke in Italy that wished to have dinner with me. With a yawn, I refolded the letter and neatly slipped it into my briefcase to answer tomorrow. Duo patted my shoulder and hoisted me up. I swayed from side to side as I made a grab at my briefcase but Quatre quickly snatched it from me.

"Come on kiddo, time to take you home." Duo said as he led me to the door. Trowa favored the bold initiative and scooped me into a cradle.

"Hey, I'm not that tired." I argued weakly as the yawns followed each other in close intervals.

"You have been on your feet for over 48 hours. For a normal human being, it exceeds their ability to maintain enough energy for regular routine." He said. "And you aren't walking in a straight line."

I was too far gone to argue and just nestled my head against the softness of his navy turtleneck. I briefly remembered being held like this some time ago but I couldn't put my finger on when, where, or even who.

"I'm not a baby." I concluded. Someone chuckled and it might have been Quatre but I drifted off into an uneasy sleep. They woke me up when the limo arrived at the front of my house and I waved off any moves of assistance. There was no way they were going to tuck me into bed. But to my alarm, they followed me to the house.

"What in the world are you doing?" I said as I struggled to open the door.

"We're suppose to guard you day and night from now on. Pagen already told us he had rooms ready for us and that if you had any objections, to bring it to him." Duo said as he clapped a hand on my back before walking inside. "Slumber party!"

I was too tired to argue and I knew Pagen always had a firm hand when it came to my safety. I only muttered that they better not be sleeping my room as I wearily climbed the stairs. I really hope the next few days won't be like my three day stint of constant work. I was putting a hand on my door handle when I saw that the door to the library was ajar and there was bright light peeking through. I poked my head in and saw Heero's unruly brown hair poking out from behind the computer. He slowly turned his head up to meet my eyes and I gave a light nod as a greeting.

"Sorry. I just wanted to say good night." I mumbled. "Sleep well."

He gave no answer and only went back to the screen. A tear prickled my eyes as I turned away and walked to my room. Funny how the marriage is already failing after Milliardo told me that it was important. And I still have no idea why the fact that Heero and I weren't even friends was affecting me so much. It shouldn't matter at all and I shouldn't be feeling down every time he ignores me, especially since the marriage is meaningless except on paper. Maybe it was desperation for love. Since I had a husband, I would never be able to set eyes on another man. My whole life would be dedicated to one man and to stray off the path would mean I was unfaithful. All the love I had inside was forced to be reserved for Heero, and he had no intent of taking it.

I slipped off my long coat and threw it over a chair, then climbed into bed without even changing into my nightclothes. I wanted to sleep so badly but the persistence of Heero prevented me. Why did I care so much? I furiously kicked off my covers and slipped on a robe before heading down to the kitchen. There was a soft step behind me and I turned around to see Trowa who was following me down.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I asked him as I switched the kitchen lights on.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" He said as he opened the refrigerator for milk. I set out a teakettle and turned on the gas flame. I leaned against the marble counter as we waited for the milk to heat up.

"Couldn't sleep. And I don't need a bodyguard 24/7. You guys are going to get exhausted if you keep up with the hours I have." I said as he poured the milk into two cups. He handed me a cup and took a sip from his own.

"It's our job to protect the peace." He looked at the baby penguin painted on his cup. "Cute cup."

"Wedding gift." I flushed. And in a comfortable silence, we drank the warm milk. But to my dismay, instead of feeling sleepy, I felt more awake when I finished. "The milk's not working." I said, thwarted. "And Pagen doesn't like keeping sleeping pills in the house." I thoughtfully tapped my empty cup with my fingers. "Maybe I'll do some more paperwork, that usually puts me to sleep. And you should go to sleep too, I'm quite sure nobody will attack me in the middle of my paperwork."

Trowa leaned over and lightly ran his hand over my eyes so that only my eyelashes brushed against his skin. "Don't think when you try to sleep, it often distracts the mind from rest." He placed his cup in the sink and went upstairs. I blinked a few times then shook my head. Trowa would always be an enigma to me. I grabbed my briefcase that I dropped near the stairway and laid it on the dining room table. Shuffling through various packets, I picked out the letter from the duke and read it over again. Duke Dermail was requesting my presence at a private dinner party for world leaders. I stifled a small sigh and took out a sheet of fresh paper to write a reply. I was thinking of what to write when there was a scrape of a chair. I looked to my right and nearly had a heart attack when I saw Heero sitting next to me. He had slipped on his usual attire of a long white collared shirt and black plants, looking impeccably neat at the early hours of morning.

"W-what are you doing still awake?" I stammered. He had never paid a voluntary visit to me this whole month, why was he starting now? My hand floated near my pounding heart at the surprise. Reminding myself to take calm breaths, I took one of my first close looks at my husband. He stared at me with those impassive blue eyes that reminded me eerily of the sea I looked out at every day. My friends thought him handsome, but they hadn't gotten close enough to truly take a look at the cold expression that was permanently etched on his face.

"You should be asleep." He said curtly. My hand fell to my lap as I interpreted his presence. Of course, he comes not worried but annoyed.

"I'm not tired." I snapped and nearly slapped my head at my brusque tone. "I'm sorry. It's been a long two days. I'll be sure to go to sleep when I finish this letter. You should rest yourself." I said delicately. "I can take care of this myself." I bent over to start writing but he plucked the pen out of my hand.

"Go sleep, I'll write the letter." He took the letter and waited for me to leave.

"Why are you being nice?" I asked before I could even think of the question.

"You're tired, go to sleep." He dismissed me and I felt myself growing angry at his command. Not only was I already too tired of his unresponsive attitude but I had too much to deal with at work and I didn't need the additional stress at home.

"No, I won't go to sleep until you tell me. You've been acting like a cold fish for a whole month, and on top of that, you've been treating me like a disobedient child. And now you're starting to be nice? Did it take you a month to realize you're stuck with a woman like me forever?" I kept my voice low but every word came out stiff and harsh. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into his lap, holding me in a tight embrace. His head moved close to mine so that our face was mere inches apart. His scent was a strange cologne I couldn't identify but I found myself deeply breathing it in. My mind was telling me to pull away but my head arched up a little to get closer to his.

"Duo told me that you were starved for affection." He whispered and bent his head even closer.

"Starved? For affection?" I jerked away from his looming lips. I pushed hard on his chest and tumbled off of his lap, falling on to the floor. "You think that by kissing me, it will solve any problems?" My voice cracked out in shock. I stood up, practically trembling in anger and disgust. "Even if I am starved for affection, I would never accept it from someone who feels compelled to give it! You heartless jerk!" I stomped all the way to my room but was careful not to slam the door. I tore off my clothes and climbed into my bed once more, still seething at the audacity of Heero. He was forcing himself to be kind? What kind of husband does that?? And why did Duo have to tell him? I growled as I pulled the covers over my head. He's definitely being reprimanded later. I still can't believe it. Was Heero pitying me? Was that why he was being intimate with me? That heartless jerk! Sleep finally came after several long hours of raged thinking and a pitiful state of mind.

~*~*~*~*~*

The maid pinned up the last curl of my hair, leaving just a few to frame my face while the rest cascaded down from a jeweled pin in the back. She smiled into the mirror but it faded when she saw my stony expression. With a short bob of her head, she retreated the spacious dressing room and left me alone.

Duo had kept shooting me wary looks all throughout the day and I could practically see the question mark floating above his head. I couldn't blame him for wanting to improve my home life and I knew he was being sincere. Which let me happily put all the blame on Heero. Yet, in my heart, I knew that I shouldn't and I couldn't find myself staying angry with him. I only felt immensely tired whenever I tried to figure him out, and that in itself led to more frenzied thinking on how I was going to keep this marriage from failing. He was obviously planning on doing nothing, which left me to do all mediating in our nonexistent relationship. After an hour of aimless thinking, I found myself getting nowhere in making myself feel better. Meanwhile, I had the ball to think of and all the various things I would have to do in order to secure my wobbly position as vice foreign minister of the world.

I got up from my seat and walked to the floor length window that graced the north side of the room in regular intervals. There was a long road of twinkling lights that shone the way for the dozens of limos carrying people to the ball. Many of them were father's personal friends who had strongly supported him in the past. Hopefully, they will still be supporting pacifism by the time this ball is over. Most had already arrived and only a few fashionably late sped down the driveway of the Sank kingdom palace. My father had given the palace to me in his will but I wasn't inspired to take residence in the immense palace and my mother had retreated to her villa in western France. I peered down the dizzying heights and watched with mild curiosity at the gowned and flawlessly dressed figureheads of politics. They were all waiting for me to walk down the main staircase and I had only a handful of minutes before I would be officially late. I had no official escort and I had been too flustered with Heero to ask him to be mine. And considering how childish and stupid I had been early this morning, I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing him for a long time.

I let out a wavering sigh and stood as straight as I could, my shoulders back and the neck perfectly arched, just as I had learned from my manners mistress at school. With a graceful swirl, I turned to look at the mirror just once more. A young girl looked back at me, pale skin from being overworked and blue eyes that were too bright from anxiety. The white flowing dress I had on barely flattered what little a figure I had, but at least the long skirt didn't emphasize my short stature. I looked at the clock, there was a minute left till 7 pm. It appeared that I would have to do down alone and I tried not to feel disheartened by Heero. I walked down the empty hallway and my courage almost failed me when I reached the corner of the staircase. I mentally patted myself on the back for getting this far solo and was lifting my foot to step down when a gloved hand touched my bare arm. I turned my head to see my brother. Peering through his mask of politeness, I lightly nodded my head at his apology, so Heero really wouldn't be here after all. I laid a hand on my brother's arm and we descended the stairs together. There were hundreds of diplomats, ambassadors, world leaders, and other central people of politics. Many of them showed optimistically eager faces as I came down. The orchestra struck up a tune and my brother and I danced the first dance. When other couples joined, he gave me up to Duo and laid a gentle kiss on my cheek before striding off to find his wife, Noin.

"I got this funny feeling in my gut that something might happen tonight. Trowa and Quatre are feeling uneasy too, so be on your guard." He twirled me and pulled me back. "But don't worry about a thing, between the three of us, we got you covered. Just be careful." He gave me a wink and handed me to an elderly man before scurrying off to eye potentially dangerous looking men. The orchestra was just finishing the piece when a large explosion violently rocked the room, making the glass chandeliers dangerously rock above while screams tore the air. Another explosion happened and this time all the floor length glass windows shattered with the impact. People started to panic and run away but all I could do was stand and stare at a gigantic mobile suit that was standing in front of the windows with its back turned. It was different from any other mobile doll I had seen and I was transfixed as the machine took out a long green sword from its shield and began to fight off several mobile dolls with a strange elegance. When the enemy dolls had been cut apart, it turned around and looked straight at me. The intensity of the look it gave me felt strangely familiar despite the fact that it was only a machine.

"Miss Relena! Miss Relena!" I turned around to see Quatre running over with Trowa following right behind. "We have to leave for a safer place!"

I turned back to look at the machine but it had disappeared.

"That machine..." I said intriguingly but my bodyguards dragged me out of the room. My limo was waiting outside and they hurriedly pushed me inside.

"Where's Duo?" I asked as the limo sped away from the commotion. I glanced out the window and was shocked to see dozens of mobile suits lighting up the sky. "And why are they attacking us?"

"Duo is helping out our soldiers. The enemy is a rebel group that branched off from the Alliance. From our guess, they thought that by eliminating most of your father's supporters then pacifism wouldn't be a reality." Quatre said as he restlessly watched the ongoing battle happening above.

"But...why would they fight against pacifism?" I asked, puzzled.

"They believe that human nature could never accept pacifism." Trowa said quietly as he, too, watched the battle outside. "And they are partially right."

"That's not true, every human wants peace." I argued.

"Let's save this debate for later, right now we have more important things to think about." Quatre cut in as he pointed at the empty sky. "Like tightening security. I didn't think they would send such a large group of soldiers." He gave a sigh. "I guess it just goes to show how desperate they are in abolishing pacifism."

First father's assassination and now an attack toward father's supporters, what could happen next? An assassination towards me? I was planning on fulfilling peace between earth and the colonies. It looks like I'll have to be more cautious with people after my life.

"I guess that means I'm not officially the vice foreign minister yet." I weakly joked as the limo arrived at my house. To my intense dislike, there were already mobile suits standing in a tight formation around my once peaceful house. "Is this absolutely necessary? It makes me feel like a hypocrite towards my beliefs when I have soldiers standing around to kill anybody who dissents."

"Miss Relena, you are probably the only one who can finish your father's job of creating a world peace. At this point, the Alliance will do anything to protect that." Quatre said as we walked into the house. Milliardo was sitting in an armchair in the sitting room adjacent to the entrance hall. When he saw me come in, he stood up.

"Good, you're safe. And I know you're frowning at the mobile suits out there but they are indispensable right now in consideration to your safety. And stop glaring at me. I'm having more soldiers posted around the house and you'll be doing your work as the vice foreign minister here instead of at the Alliance building." He ordered, expecting no objection.

"I understand, but am I going to be sheltered here for the rest of my days? I can't do my work barricaded from the world, I still have to go around and advocate peace to the other countries." I said firmly as I took a seat near him, nervously smoothing my dress's soft material. I was startled when he took my hands into his.

"It looks like I won't be able to stop you, huh? Then how about another compromise? You will have four bodyguards with you at all times along with soldier escorts wherever you go. Or you can work here with mobile suits all around." He said.

"Four? I already have three." I pointed out.

"Heero will be your fourth." He said quietly. "And don't argue against it, he has the qualities to be able to protect you. It's one of the reasons why we chose him."

"Are you joking? We can't be in the same room without-"

Milliardo grabbed my chin and looked down at me with serious blue eyes. I sighed and turned my eyes off to the side. He nodded his head at my submission and sat back in his seat.

"I know it's hard to be around him but bear with it if you want to finish father's duties."

"Well, thanks for bringing that up." I said a little rudely and stood up. "I'm going up to change and I refuse to have bodyguards in my room."

"I'm afraid that's one thing I can't compromise."

I stopped in my tracks and swiftly whirled around with wide eyes. "You wouldn't." I said curtly.

"I have to, especially with the risks at hand. This rebel group is serious; we suspect they might have been behind father's assassination. And they already tried to kill father's supporters, including you. With the failure tonight, they'll be more desperate. And this is one thing you will not argue with me." He said sternly. I glumly said nothing and only turned around to go back upstairs. When I opened my suite's door, my face fell at the sight of Heero standing before my favorite window. We stood like that for a long stretch of time till he turned from his view outside to face me. I was the one who broke the silence first.

"I know how little you think of me, but can we work out a small degree of cordiality towards each other? At least until the death threat is gone?"

"Are you willing?" He asked.

"I've been willing this past month, regardless of your indifference to me." I said, slightly annoyed. "I'm just wondering if you can manage to be at least somewhat civil while we have to sleep in the same room together."

"I'm willing."

"Thank you." And now it was time for the big question. "What side of the bed do you want?"

________________________________________________________________________

Author's Notes: I hope you guys enjoyed it and will leave me a long review on what you think, please!!!!!!

Wing: yeah, that's what I was going for. You don't see a lot of stories where relena and hero haven't met and they just got married. I figured it would be a unique idea to use, but there will definitely be some relena/hero action going. I did put some in this chapter, but nothing too serious. But I'm planning on making it difficult for them to get together. I'm glad you like this story!

Sweetangel4: very true, I've read some hero and relena marriage stories, but it usually seems to be that they already know each other and he gets jealous. I'm hoping my idea is unique