Author's Notes: Wow, I'm actually surprised that I managed to finish this
chapter so quickly. I was expecting at least a month to pass by. But you
can give thanks to the Black Rose for the inspiration I received after
reading some of her stories, which I highly recommend, and if you haven't
read any of her, GO! READ! Hurry before your life slips through your
fingers!
Whispers of a Distant Star Chapter 4: Precarious Future
- Soaring forth, I can feel the heavens on my wings but the memory of you pulls me back. Until your persistence dies down I'm forever condemned to the earth, never to fly, never to rise.
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I don't know what frightened me the most. The fact that was I was sleeping in a Chinese silk robe without a memory of how I slipped it on, or the fact that I woke up with him sleeping next to me, our heads close enough that I could see every angle of his face. It was the first time I've seen him so...peaceful. It made him appear younger and carefree, and not the automaton that studiously protected me. I must have been gazing at him for some time when his eyes blinked open, and he returned to his normal semblance. At least I had the dignity to squash down the blush that threatened to ignite my cheeks. He quickly sat up and ran his fingers through his wild brown hair, a movement I had never seen him use. After making sure my robe was securely wrapped I sat up as well.
"Eh, um, the robe....uh.." I stammered, feeling incredibly naïve as I tried to think of a light way for asking whether he saw me naked or not. He turned away and slipped off the high European bed.
"I asked a maid to come in." He said as he walked to the bathroom.
"Oh." I said to the empty room. Why did I feel disappointed? It was at this point I smartly smacked myself in the head for thinking such misleading thoughts.
"Pack your things, we're going back." He called out.
"Why? The diplomatic talks aren't done yet." I argued as I walked towards my suitcase. "And I'm not stopping just because of an ill conceived kidnapping."
"You have been conveniently called back home due to an emergency that only you can alleviate." He ordered as he stepped back into the bedroom.
"I can't, I need these politicians' support if I want earth united towards one purpose. And I'm sure there's no more danger now, who would be stupid enough to commit a second kidnapping?" I snapped as I grabbed some clothes from my suitcase. He quickly strode over to me and grabbed my chin with strong fingers. I tried to move my face away but he jerked my chin up so we were looking at each other, eye to eye. His Prussian blue eyes stared down at me so heavily I could feel it.
"Duke Dermail asked you to come for a specific reason, one that is not tied in with pacifism. The diplomatic talks were over the second you stepped into that conference room yesterday." He said sternly, as if addressing a disobedient child. "Unless you plan on staying here and risking it all-"
I angrily slapped his hand away and took several steps back. "First off, don't try putting the blame on me when all of you kept me ignorant of the so called risk you're saying there is! Second, I don't care if the diplomatic talks were over when I came here, at least I can say that I tried instead of running away with my tail between my legs! Third, since when did you start deciding what I have to do? I'm not a little girl and I know what kind of dangers there are in my position! You think I just decided one day to become a foreign minister? I know what I'm doing and I've been able to survive this far on my own, so stop treating me like I know nothing!"
Fuming, I stomped over to the bathroom but held enough self-control to not slam the door. I couldn't believe how condescending he was, ordering my life! And I couldn't believe that my own bodyguards withheld information regarding my safety here! Why didn't they tell me? Did that mean they already knew a kidnapping was supposed to happen? How did Dermail fit into all of this? And did they think that one incident such as yesterday's would frighten me off from peace forever? And where the hell are all my bodyguards? I crossly sat down on the Turkish couch placed in the bathroom and tapped my heels together. Why there was a couch in the bathroom, I couldn't figure out but I ran my fingers over the soft material anyways.
"Breathe, Relena, breathe." I said to myself, exhaling and inhaling in regular intervals. I felt the tenseness ease just the tiniest bit away. "Argh!" I can't believe I lost my temper back there! Maybe Heero really did deserve to treat me like a kid. I just blew up in his face when all he was doing was trying to protect me. Maybe it was too dangerous for me to stay, but I need Italy's support. Am I being too stubborn for my own good? I tiredly propped my chin on my hands and vacantly stared at the wide mirror before me. Maybe I needed a vacation, despite the fact that some of what Heero said really ticked me off, the least I could have done was hear him out and behave like an adult, not a spoiled teenager.
And now there's this dilemma surrounding Duke Dermail. I wasn't comfortable around him, but he couldn't be planning some diabolical scheme, would he? If my bodyguards knew about this, then why didn't they warn me? Did they think I would cause trouble, so they decided me being ignorant was safer? Heero definitely did, Duo might have, Trowa, I don't know, and Quatre couldn't tell a lie even if he tried. An interrogation with my bodyguards was definitely in order later on, that is if I see any of them.
I slowly changed into the clothes I had grabbed, stretching time so that I wouldn't have to see Heero in the next room. After meticulously zipping up the grey knee length skirt and slipping on the cowl neck cream shirt, I poked my head out of the bathroom and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the room was unoccupied. I nearly screeched when I spotted a darkly clothed figure standing right beside me. Holding my rapidly beating chest, I closed my eyes.
"Can you please make some sort of sound indicating that you're in a room?" I asked and only received his silence. I slumped my shoulders in defeat. "Never mind. I...eh.....I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was completely out of line on some of the things I said and I acted, erm, very immature." I silently cursed myself for sounding so ridiculous, even to my own ears.
Heero only turned his back and started walking towards the door. "It doesn't matter." He said.
I could only grab my suitcase and wordlessly follow him while contemplating in my head whether what he said was a good thing or a bad thing. I was betting on the latter...
"Hey babe." Said a familiar voice. I stopped zoning out in my thoughts to see all my bodyguards waiting right outside the door. With a cheery smile, I walked up to the men and they all looked nervously upon my approaching figure.
"Soooo," I breathed out. "How have you been these past 24 hours? Oh, don't worry about asking how I've been, my days have been just wonderful so far. Shall we get going? I believe I am scheduled to leave for home today due to an emergency only I can alleviate." I said so sarcastically that I felt all four of them wince.
"Miss Relena, we do have an explanation to our whereabouts last night during your, erm, attempted kidnapping." Quatre said gently. I felt my annoyance drain away as I remembered that I was supposed to act as an adult and not a teenager. My smile faded down to a regular half smile and the tension in the air relaxed.
"I'm sure the excuse is valid, but I'm guessing the setting isn't suitable to tell it in?" I presumed. He gave an apologetic smile and reached over to hold my suitcase but I moved it away from his hand. "It's fine, I'll carry it."
"Miss Relena." A voice boomed out. I turned around to see Duke Dermail striding down the carpeted hallway.
"Duke Dermail." I gave a nod of my head. "I must give my most sincerest apologies for this inconvenience. I had earnestly hoped to spend a few more days here but my work at home calls for me. I trust that we will be able to meet sometime again?"
"You read my mind, Miss Relena. It is my intention to taste the beauty of the Sank kingdom sometime in the near future." For some reason he looked past me and stared straight at Heero. "Dorothy and Dante both insisted yesterday on visiting you." He began to escort me down the hallway and out into the marble foyer.
"Nothing will be spared to make your stay as comfortable as possible. I hope that I'll be able to return the generosity you have shown me." I gave a bow as a black limo pulled up to the front of the house. A flash of golden hair caught my eye and I looked up at a window off to the left on the third floor. It was Dante looking down and I briefly nodded my head to signify as a farewell. He gave what appeared to be a sardonic smile and bowed deeply before me, a servant's bow to a reigning sovereign. Was he being sarcastic? I was shaken from my thoughts by Dermail's voice.
"Look for us in the next three months, Miss Relena, I'll send word of our arrival a week before." I gave him my hand and he placed a soft kiss on it. He gave a regal bow as I stepped into the limo. Once inside I gave my bodyguards a look.
"Well? Out with it." I demanded as the car began to move.
"We were checking around to see if Dermail was starting a revolution. The only way we could have been able to get within the perimeter of his house was if we were formally invited. Any other attempt would have alerted the army around him and we would lose our secrecy." Quatre admitted.
"Is he staging a revolution?" I asked anxiously.
"There wasn't enough evidence to condemn him but we did find an unusual amount of weapons and soldiers at his beck and call." Trowa added. "His computer files showed up with nothing, which means he's keeping all his private information someplace else."
"So...the diplomatic talks were for nothing?" I asked rhetorically. "Was Dermail the one who ordered my kidnapping?"
"We can't answer that right now." Heero said and I fought the urge to give a frown. Why did I feel like they were withholding information from me again? I had been getting that feeling too often lately. I only scrutinized each of my bodyguard's face and let the matter drop. If they were going to keep a secret from me, so be it. I had too much to worry about to include the anxiousness of what they were keeping from me. But it didn't stop me from thinking over every moment I had spent in Dermail's house. He had not betrayed anything in every action, not even after the kidnapping. He had appeared to be concerned about me, but then again, actors can fool anybody.
~*~*~*~*~*
"Milliardo, why do I feel like everybody's keeping something from me these days?" I paced back and forth in his office, my bodyguards waiting outside. It had been a month after my visit to Italy and the atmosphere of secrecy had thickened during that time. I could catch hidden looks being passed around me and so far I had been patient enough to keep my mouth shut. But I wasn't too fond of being left out of the circle.
"What do you mean?" He asked as he looked up from his book. He placed the book on his desk and leaned forward to rest his chin upon his fingers, giving me his full attention.
"I'm not sure. It's just, lately, I feel like there's something going on and I'm being left out it. And to make it even worse, I feel like it might have to do with me. Are you up to something?" I stopped my aggravated pacing to look at him, warily searching for any hint of deception in those ice blue eyes.
"Perhaps." He said cryptically. "You need to concentrate on your job. You have that Alliance conference in a few days, you should prep for that."
"Stop avoiding the subject. What's going on that you aren't telling me?" I walked up to his window and placed my nervous fingers in the pocket of my linen pants.
"You've been receiving threats lately and we've been trying to find out who it is." He said simply and I felt him get up from his seat and move behind me. "We didn't want you to worry about it." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "Meanwhile, I've noticed you've lost color lately. Is everything alright back at home?"
He was avoiding the subject again, and my lie detector was flashing bright warning lights. Maybe he was being honest and there really were threats, but that wasn't what was putting everybody on the edge, I received threats all the time. I merely leaned back against his long frame and continued to look blankly outside the window.
"Heero is being his normal reclusive self. I think the most we traded this whole month was whether the weather would be good or not. Milliardo, this marriage really was for nothing, wasn't it? And don't lie to me about it...please. This marriage isn't doing good for anybody. Not even the public is too aware of it, most of them still think I'm single. And I'm starting to believe the whole tie between earth and space is just a facade."
"If you truly believe that right now, why didn't you say anything before the wedding?" He asked.
"Do you think I had a choice?" I said angrily. "The Alliance chose me to be the representative, since father was well known in the colonies. Anything for the reassurance of the people, right?" I said bitterly. "Isn't that what the marriage was for? To ease the fears of the people? To make them believe peace really is right around the corner? A girl from earth and a boy from space marrying."
Milliardo's grip on my shoulders tightened. "Don't think that. Your marriage already has done a lot of good."
"Like what?"
"Many of the colony leaders and members of the Alliance are becoming more friendly towards the idea of unification." He tried to reassure me.
"By one marriage?" I asked sarcastically.
"Next to father, you are the second most well known figurehead for peace, did you know that? You were an ambassador at age 16 and now a year later you're the vice foreign minister. Heero is another well known figurehead in the colonies who always worked towards unifying the people. A unification with both is telling political leaders that earth and space can coexist together in peace as well." He shook me gently. "What's wrong with you lately? Are you questioning your decisions?"
"Nothing, I-it's just been a long month, that's all. I'm not questioning my decisions, I'm just...a little confused right now. Maybe I'm beginning to forget why I made the decisions in the first place." I turned around and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"For peace, always for peace. If I could, I would take your burdens for you, but I was never meant to carry the Peacecraft's ideals of pacifism." He ruffled my hair.
"Why not? You're a better diplomat than me." I looked up at him and he gave me a faintly sorrowful smile.
"You have qualities I don't possess. Now enough questions, I have meetings with some politicians today. Shoo." He pushed me towards the door. Trowa was waiting outside and we began to walk down the hallway together. No other incidents had happened lately that allowed the need for all four of my bodyguards to be around me. What the other three were doing was beyond me. All I knew was that I scarcely see all four at the same time these days. They kept an erratic schedule of guarding over me and after receiving obscure answers, I gave up. I was that tired of secrets and I was already stressing over the conference with all the major leaders in the Alliance.
"How was your weekly meeting?" Trowa asked quietly.
"Just the usual. I wish I could see him more often. It's funny how I talk about unity abroad but I rarely see my own family together." I commented as we walked to my office. "Do you think the Alliance will really give up weapons like I asked them to?"
"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." He said as I sat down on my chair and swiveled it around to look at the ocean right outside.
"I guess that's a no. And maybe I think the same too. A lot of them nodded heads, but when it really comes to the time to put down weapons, what will they treasure more? Their own fears or their desire for peace?" I stood up and placed my fingers on the glass. I was hesitant of the future, even though I should be the person to be the most hopeful. I was supposed to stand strong and shake my fist at anybody who tried to bar me from my path. But I was being pulled back.
"You've come this far, it would be a waste to give up now." He said as he stood next to me.
"No, I can't disappoint father or myself. I've wanted peace ever since I was born. A true Peacecraft from the start." I accompanied this with a giggle as I remembered a vague memory of debating with my father over ways in keeping peace. "I just hope the Alliance will pull through and take up pacifism. If not, then...I don't know." I turned my head to look at Trowa. "You know, maybe I should go on a vacation soon. I haven't gone on one since I was in middle school. May I can visit a remote Caribbean island for a week."
He nodded his head but we both knew that it wouldn't happen in the near future, nor even in the future itself. I was destined to a life of work and diplomacy, just like my father. A battle cruiser smoothly sailed by, mobile suits standing tall on its deck. They glittered a greeting and I could only sigh and return to my work.
~*~*~*~*~*
I was standing as straight as I could on the podium, the last remnants of my speech hanging in the air. Dozens of men sat around me in rows of plush leather chairs, every one of them bearing stiff uniforms with medallions of status and position decorated on every proud chest. They all turned to whisper with one another at my suggestion to them all. I had worked over my speech all night and hadn't slept at all, only staring outside my window in consternation till dawn. During all those hours, I wondered if any of them would give up their weapons. A single clap struck the air and I quickly lifted my head to see who had clapped. To my surprise, it was Dante Dermail. He was standing up and kept clapping. Gradually, others joined him. Timidly, they put their hands together but it grew louder as each member stood. Afterwards, when the last member had left to the dining room for hors d'oeuvres, I finally walked out with Duo and Quatre right behind.
"I think it might happen, I think they might accept pacifism." I wrung my hands but a content smile was stretching my lips, my first real smile in weeks. They all had pensive looks on their faces after my speech but I also noticed that many of them look thoughtful in a positive way, as if they really were considering banning weapons. Father's dream just might be a reality! I couldn't help myself and I began to girlishly skip outside the heavy oak doors of the enormous room. "Maybe I'm being too hasty, but at least the idea is in their heads!" I skidded to a stop and immediately put on my public manners when I saw Dante waiting outside.
"Ah, Mr. Dermail, I didn't see you there." Duo gave a muffled cough behind his hand and I discreetly elbowed him in the stomach.
"Too harsh babe." He whispered in my ear before standing to attention before the Duke's son.
"No worries, Miss Relena. I just wanted to privately wish you congratulations on your speech. Many members are conferring with one another on your proposition. May I say that I will be first in line to vote in favor of it?" He held out an arm and I placed my hand on top of his.
"Thank you." I said graciously while he led me towards the entrance of the Alliance building. I hope he wouldn't comment on my skipping, maybe he didn't see anything.
"Have you ever taken ballet, Miss Relena? You display a style of grace when you...walk." He was stifling a laugh under his polite tone, I could tell. My brother always did that whenever I asked him how I looked in a new dress.
"No, I'm afraid I never had the pleasure of taking ballet, as I was too short to be the swan princess." I drawled. Dante gave a laugh at my joke.
"Your short stature is hardly noticeable in comparison to your imposing nature, Miss Relena." He said smoothly. Duo gave me a light nudge and I knew the conversation had to end. I slowly lifted my hand off of his and took a step back to bow deeply, returning the one had given me in the past.
"If you'll excuse me, I have appointments to attend to, Mr. Dermail. I hope we shall have another fortuitous meeting in the future." I pivoted on my heel and walked out the entrance as quickly, yet casually, as possible.
"And I to you." He called out before the glass door swung to shut him out.
"Why do I feel as if there was more to the conversation than what I heard?" I relayed out loud as my limo pulled to the front, right on time.
"Maybe because he was flirting with you." Duo said gruffly. "I think we need to let all your future suitors know that you're still a virgin."
"Duo!! I can't believe you said that!!" I punched his shoulder as hard as I could and he gave a yowl of pain. Quatre gave a fatherly chuckle as he herded us into the car. "And I KNOW that didn't hurt, you being the hardened soldier that you are."
"You pack a mean punch these days Relena." Duo said with a horribly faked sniff from his designated corner. "Maybe I will tell all your potential boyfriends you are a-"He quickly shut his mouth and looked down at my hand. I looked down as well and the glitter of the sapphire cheerily sparkled up at me. "Sorry babe." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's alright, I forget sometimes too." I said merrily. I kept my gaze on the ring and turned my hand so that I wouldn't have to see the ring. "A lot." I added quietly to myself.
Quatre reached over and took my hand, squeezing encouragingly. Duo nervously scratched the back of his head and gave his usual half smirk. I forced myself to give a grin at my two best friends.
"Now what was that about me being a virgin?" I said threateningly while lifting my heavy suitcase for a strike. I gave a mad scientist laugh at the flash of fear on Duo's face.
"Hey now, let's not get too rash here-"
~*~
It was quiet when we stepped out of the limo, almost unnaturally so. The second I towards the house's door, I knew something was wrong. Quatre and Duo swiftly pulled me back and took out their guns while edging me slowly towards the limo. Fearfully, I threw glances all around and then noticed something strange...the mobile suits normally standing outside had disappeared. Faintly, I heard a small click in the distance and all hell broke loose as both my bodyguards threw me on the ground and dove on top of me just before a deafening explosion rocked the grounds.
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*A little shorter than my previous chapter, but hey, no complaints, at least I got chapter four out a lot earlier than I expected it to. So please leave me a nice long review to tell me your thoughts!
Spitfire Maguire: thanks! I'm glad you like the concept. I've read a few stories where heero and relena are already married, but not one where relena is reluctant to be married to heero. I hope you stick with this story and keep telling me how its going!
Kero chan: I'm more used to writing in the third person point of view but lately I've been getting into writing all first person, you get a better feel of a person's emotion that way. Its like reading relena's thoughts whenever something's happening. Thought I've noticed that some people don't really like first person point of view
Cat H: hehehe, well, I've noticed the best stories that should deserve praises are the ones that are very discreet and hard to find. But hey, treasure isn't treasure unless its hidden and then found, right? I'm glad you took the time to read this story, this is my very first gundam wing fic and I get worried sometimes that I'm not portraying the characters very well, but your praise on heero and relena's depiction really raised my spirits!
Melodi Moon: an excellent question, and one that I am still trying to properly fit together. I explained part of it in this chapter but hopefully I'll be able to pull out a better explanation as the plot thickens later on. Plus, I wanted relena is be a bit ignorant because I'm trying to make her character idealistic and for anything that will help the peace. Of course she gets wiser later on, but in the beginning, she's just a normal inexperienced human being. I'll make her superwoman later on. ^^
SonicBoom: thanks, I'm glad I answered your question. And as for the I love you, let's just say pulling secret information from heero will be easier than getting him to admit that he loves relena. ^^ but it WILL happen, don't worry
Me: really? I'm trying to make it realistic as I can, except I'm pretty much ignorant of all the detailed information on the Alliance and suchforth, I'm just making things up off the top of my head. And I don't have enough time to properly research these days, though I wish I could
Puppetmonkey5562: yeah, I agree, it always is fun to see someone suffer before the victim gets rescued. ^^ adds a lot to the romance in a story. Thanks for understanding about the getting chapters out! so few readers actually realize the time constraints that many authors have in writing a chapter with a busy schedule. I'm putting a lot of my stories on hold so I can concentrate on this. *shakes fist at select readers* I'm only human!
Aperfectsoldier87: well, I got this chapter earlier than expected, so yay! I intend to make this entirely relena's point of view, but maybe I'll make one short side chapter on heero's thoughts. And Dorothy....shudders....she's not my most fav character either and I have a nice little part for her to play which is going to make some people hate her. ^^
Mint: hehehe, thanks, my writing won't go more steamy than that, I can't write lemons whatsoever. And yes, relena is different from the series, I don't like how they portrayed her in some parts in the anime. I decided to mold the relena I had in mind, someone who's strong, determined, suchforth; good qualities, though she won't be without her fallacies either. I want to make her a bit more teenagerish in this story than in the anime so that she can grow up later on
Whispers of a Distant Star Chapter 4: Precarious Future
- Soaring forth, I can feel the heavens on my wings but the memory of you pulls me back. Until your persistence dies down I'm forever condemned to the earth, never to fly, never to rise.
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I don't know what frightened me the most. The fact that was I was sleeping in a Chinese silk robe without a memory of how I slipped it on, or the fact that I woke up with him sleeping next to me, our heads close enough that I could see every angle of his face. It was the first time I've seen him so...peaceful. It made him appear younger and carefree, and not the automaton that studiously protected me. I must have been gazing at him for some time when his eyes blinked open, and he returned to his normal semblance. At least I had the dignity to squash down the blush that threatened to ignite my cheeks. He quickly sat up and ran his fingers through his wild brown hair, a movement I had never seen him use. After making sure my robe was securely wrapped I sat up as well.
"Eh, um, the robe....uh.." I stammered, feeling incredibly naïve as I tried to think of a light way for asking whether he saw me naked or not. He turned away and slipped off the high European bed.
"I asked a maid to come in." He said as he walked to the bathroom.
"Oh." I said to the empty room. Why did I feel disappointed? It was at this point I smartly smacked myself in the head for thinking such misleading thoughts.
"Pack your things, we're going back." He called out.
"Why? The diplomatic talks aren't done yet." I argued as I walked towards my suitcase. "And I'm not stopping just because of an ill conceived kidnapping."
"You have been conveniently called back home due to an emergency that only you can alleviate." He ordered as he stepped back into the bedroom.
"I can't, I need these politicians' support if I want earth united towards one purpose. And I'm sure there's no more danger now, who would be stupid enough to commit a second kidnapping?" I snapped as I grabbed some clothes from my suitcase. He quickly strode over to me and grabbed my chin with strong fingers. I tried to move my face away but he jerked my chin up so we were looking at each other, eye to eye. His Prussian blue eyes stared down at me so heavily I could feel it.
"Duke Dermail asked you to come for a specific reason, one that is not tied in with pacifism. The diplomatic talks were over the second you stepped into that conference room yesterday." He said sternly, as if addressing a disobedient child. "Unless you plan on staying here and risking it all-"
I angrily slapped his hand away and took several steps back. "First off, don't try putting the blame on me when all of you kept me ignorant of the so called risk you're saying there is! Second, I don't care if the diplomatic talks were over when I came here, at least I can say that I tried instead of running away with my tail between my legs! Third, since when did you start deciding what I have to do? I'm not a little girl and I know what kind of dangers there are in my position! You think I just decided one day to become a foreign minister? I know what I'm doing and I've been able to survive this far on my own, so stop treating me like I know nothing!"
Fuming, I stomped over to the bathroom but held enough self-control to not slam the door. I couldn't believe how condescending he was, ordering my life! And I couldn't believe that my own bodyguards withheld information regarding my safety here! Why didn't they tell me? Did that mean they already knew a kidnapping was supposed to happen? How did Dermail fit into all of this? And did they think that one incident such as yesterday's would frighten me off from peace forever? And where the hell are all my bodyguards? I crossly sat down on the Turkish couch placed in the bathroom and tapped my heels together. Why there was a couch in the bathroom, I couldn't figure out but I ran my fingers over the soft material anyways.
"Breathe, Relena, breathe." I said to myself, exhaling and inhaling in regular intervals. I felt the tenseness ease just the tiniest bit away. "Argh!" I can't believe I lost my temper back there! Maybe Heero really did deserve to treat me like a kid. I just blew up in his face when all he was doing was trying to protect me. Maybe it was too dangerous for me to stay, but I need Italy's support. Am I being too stubborn for my own good? I tiredly propped my chin on my hands and vacantly stared at the wide mirror before me. Maybe I needed a vacation, despite the fact that some of what Heero said really ticked me off, the least I could have done was hear him out and behave like an adult, not a spoiled teenager.
And now there's this dilemma surrounding Duke Dermail. I wasn't comfortable around him, but he couldn't be planning some diabolical scheme, would he? If my bodyguards knew about this, then why didn't they warn me? Did they think I would cause trouble, so they decided me being ignorant was safer? Heero definitely did, Duo might have, Trowa, I don't know, and Quatre couldn't tell a lie even if he tried. An interrogation with my bodyguards was definitely in order later on, that is if I see any of them.
I slowly changed into the clothes I had grabbed, stretching time so that I wouldn't have to see Heero in the next room. After meticulously zipping up the grey knee length skirt and slipping on the cowl neck cream shirt, I poked my head out of the bathroom and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the room was unoccupied. I nearly screeched when I spotted a darkly clothed figure standing right beside me. Holding my rapidly beating chest, I closed my eyes.
"Can you please make some sort of sound indicating that you're in a room?" I asked and only received his silence. I slumped my shoulders in defeat. "Never mind. I...eh.....I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was completely out of line on some of the things I said and I acted, erm, very immature." I silently cursed myself for sounding so ridiculous, even to my own ears.
Heero only turned his back and started walking towards the door. "It doesn't matter." He said.
I could only grab my suitcase and wordlessly follow him while contemplating in my head whether what he said was a good thing or a bad thing. I was betting on the latter...
"Hey babe." Said a familiar voice. I stopped zoning out in my thoughts to see all my bodyguards waiting right outside the door. With a cheery smile, I walked up to the men and they all looked nervously upon my approaching figure.
"Soooo," I breathed out. "How have you been these past 24 hours? Oh, don't worry about asking how I've been, my days have been just wonderful so far. Shall we get going? I believe I am scheduled to leave for home today due to an emergency only I can alleviate." I said so sarcastically that I felt all four of them wince.
"Miss Relena, we do have an explanation to our whereabouts last night during your, erm, attempted kidnapping." Quatre said gently. I felt my annoyance drain away as I remembered that I was supposed to act as an adult and not a teenager. My smile faded down to a regular half smile and the tension in the air relaxed.
"I'm sure the excuse is valid, but I'm guessing the setting isn't suitable to tell it in?" I presumed. He gave an apologetic smile and reached over to hold my suitcase but I moved it away from his hand. "It's fine, I'll carry it."
"Miss Relena." A voice boomed out. I turned around to see Duke Dermail striding down the carpeted hallway.
"Duke Dermail." I gave a nod of my head. "I must give my most sincerest apologies for this inconvenience. I had earnestly hoped to spend a few more days here but my work at home calls for me. I trust that we will be able to meet sometime again?"
"You read my mind, Miss Relena. It is my intention to taste the beauty of the Sank kingdom sometime in the near future." For some reason he looked past me and stared straight at Heero. "Dorothy and Dante both insisted yesterday on visiting you." He began to escort me down the hallway and out into the marble foyer.
"Nothing will be spared to make your stay as comfortable as possible. I hope that I'll be able to return the generosity you have shown me." I gave a bow as a black limo pulled up to the front of the house. A flash of golden hair caught my eye and I looked up at a window off to the left on the third floor. It was Dante looking down and I briefly nodded my head to signify as a farewell. He gave what appeared to be a sardonic smile and bowed deeply before me, a servant's bow to a reigning sovereign. Was he being sarcastic? I was shaken from my thoughts by Dermail's voice.
"Look for us in the next three months, Miss Relena, I'll send word of our arrival a week before." I gave him my hand and he placed a soft kiss on it. He gave a regal bow as I stepped into the limo. Once inside I gave my bodyguards a look.
"Well? Out with it." I demanded as the car began to move.
"We were checking around to see if Dermail was starting a revolution. The only way we could have been able to get within the perimeter of his house was if we were formally invited. Any other attempt would have alerted the army around him and we would lose our secrecy." Quatre admitted.
"Is he staging a revolution?" I asked anxiously.
"There wasn't enough evidence to condemn him but we did find an unusual amount of weapons and soldiers at his beck and call." Trowa added. "His computer files showed up with nothing, which means he's keeping all his private information someplace else."
"So...the diplomatic talks were for nothing?" I asked rhetorically. "Was Dermail the one who ordered my kidnapping?"
"We can't answer that right now." Heero said and I fought the urge to give a frown. Why did I feel like they were withholding information from me again? I had been getting that feeling too often lately. I only scrutinized each of my bodyguard's face and let the matter drop. If they were going to keep a secret from me, so be it. I had too much to worry about to include the anxiousness of what they were keeping from me. But it didn't stop me from thinking over every moment I had spent in Dermail's house. He had not betrayed anything in every action, not even after the kidnapping. He had appeared to be concerned about me, but then again, actors can fool anybody.
~*~*~*~*~*
"Milliardo, why do I feel like everybody's keeping something from me these days?" I paced back and forth in his office, my bodyguards waiting outside. It had been a month after my visit to Italy and the atmosphere of secrecy had thickened during that time. I could catch hidden looks being passed around me and so far I had been patient enough to keep my mouth shut. But I wasn't too fond of being left out of the circle.
"What do you mean?" He asked as he looked up from his book. He placed the book on his desk and leaned forward to rest his chin upon his fingers, giving me his full attention.
"I'm not sure. It's just, lately, I feel like there's something going on and I'm being left out it. And to make it even worse, I feel like it might have to do with me. Are you up to something?" I stopped my aggravated pacing to look at him, warily searching for any hint of deception in those ice blue eyes.
"Perhaps." He said cryptically. "You need to concentrate on your job. You have that Alliance conference in a few days, you should prep for that."
"Stop avoiding the subject. What's going on that you aren't telling me?" I walked up to his window and placed my nervous fingers in the pocket of my linen pants.
"You've been receiving threats lately and we've been trying to find out who it is." He said simply and I felt him get up from his seat and move behind me. "We didn't want you to worry about it." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "Meanwhile, I've noticed you've lost color lately. Is everything alright back at home?"
He was avoiding the subject again, and my lie detector was flashing bright warning lights. Maybe he was being honest and there really were threats, but that wasn't what was putting everybody on the edge, I received threats all the time. I merely leaned back against his long frame and continued to look blankly outside the window.
"Heero is being his normal reclusive self. I think the most we traded this whole month was whether the weather would be good or not. Milliardo, this marriage really was for nothing, wasn't it? And don't lie to me about it...please. This marriage isn't doing good for anybody. Not even the public is too aware of it, most of them still think I'm single. And I'm starting to believe the whole tie between earth and space is just a facade."
"If you truly believe that right now, why didn't you say anything before the wedding?" He asked.
"Do you think I had a choice?" I said angrily. "The Alliance chose me to be the representative, since father was well known in the colonies. Anything for the reassurance of the people, right?" I said bitterly. "Isn't that what the marriage was for? To ease the fears of the people? To make them believe peace really is right around the corner? A girl from earth and a boy from space marrying."
Milliardo's grip on my shoulders tightened. "Don't think that. Your marriage already has done a lot of good."
"Like what?"
"Many of the colony leaders and members of the Alliance are becoming more friendly towards the idea of unification." He tried to reassure me.
"By one marriage?" I asked sarcastically.
"Next to father, you are the second most well known figurehead for peace, did you know that? You were an ambassador at age 16 and now a year later you're the vice foreign minister. Heero is another well known figurehead in the colonies who always worked towards unifying the people. A unification with both is telling political leaders that earth and space can coexist together in peace as well." He shook me gently. "What's wrong with you lately? Are you questioning your decisions?"
"Nothing, I-it's just been a long month, that's all. I'm not questioning my decisions, I'm just...a little confused right now. Maybe I'm beginning to forget why I made the decisions in the first place." I turned around and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"For peace, always for peace. If I could, I would take your burdens for you, but I was never meant to carry the Peacecraft's ideals of pacifism." He ruffled my hair.
"Why not? You're a better diplomat than me." I looked up at him and he gave me a faintly sorrowful smile.
"You have qualities I don't possess. Now enough questions, I have meetings with some politicians today. Shoo." He pushed me towards the door. Trowa was waiting outside and we began to walk down the hallway together. No other incidents had happened lately that allowed the need for all four of my bodyguards to be around me. What the other three were doing was beyond me. All I knew was that I scarcely see all four at the same time these days. They kept an erratic schedule of guarding over me and after receiving obscure answers, I gave up. I was that tired of secrets and I was already stressing over the conference with all the major leaders in the Alliance.
"How was your weekly meeting?" Trowa asked quietly.
"Just the usual. I wish I could see him more often. It's funny how I talk about unity abroad but I rarely see my own family together." I commented as we walked to my office. "Do you think the Alliance will really give up weapons like I asked them to?"
"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." He said as I sat down on my chair and swiveled it around to look at the ocean right outside.
"I guess that's a no. And maybe I think the same too. A lot of them nodded heads, but when it really comes to the time to put down weapons, what will they treasure more? Their own fears or their desire for peace?" I stood up and placed my fingers on the glass. I was hesitant of the future, even though I should be the person to be the most hopeful. I was supposed to stand strong and shake my fist at anybody who tried to bar me from my path. But I was being pulled back.
"You've come this far, it would be a waste to give up now." He said as he stood next to me.
"No, I can't disappoint father or myself. I've wanted peace ever since I was born. A true Peacecraft from the start." I accompanied this with a giggle as I remembered a vague memory of debating with my father over ways in keeping peace. "I just hope the Alliance will pull through and take up pacifism. If not, then...I don't know." I turned my head to look at Trowa. "You know, maybe I should go on a vacation soon. I haven't gone on one since I was in middle school. May I can visit a remote Caribbean island for a week."
He nodded his head but we both knew that it wouldn't happen in the near future, nor even in the future itself. I was destined to a life of work and diplomacy, just like my father. A battle cruiser smoothly sailed by, mobile suits standing tall on its deck. They glittered a greeting and I could only sigh and return to my work.
~*~*~*~*~*
I was standing as straight as I could on the podium, the last remnants of my speech hanging in the air. Dozens of men sat around me in rows of plush leather chairs, every one of them bearing stiff uniforms with medallions of status and position decorated on every proud chest. They all turned to whisper with one another at my suggestion to them all. I had worked over my speech all night and hadn't slept at all, only staring outside my window in consternation till dawn. During all those hours, I wondered if any of them would give up their weapons. A single clap struck the air and I quickly lifted my head to see who had clapped. To my surprise, it was Dante Dermail. He was standing up and kept clapping. Gradually, others joined him. Timidly, they put their hands together but it grew louder as each member stood. Afterwards, when the last member had left to the dining room for hors d'oeuvres, I finally walked out with Duo and Quatre right behind.
"I think it might happen, I think they might accept pacifism." I wrung my hands but a content smile was stretching my lips, my first real smile in weeks. They all had pensive looks on their faces after my speech but I also noticed that many of them look thoughtful in a positive way, as if they really were considering banning weapons. Father's dream just might be a reality! I couldn't help myself and I began to girlishly skip outside the heavy oak doors of the enormous room. "Maybe I'm being too hasty, but at least the idea is in their heads!" I skidded to a stop and immediately put on my public manners when I saw Dante waiting outside.
"Ah, Mr. Dermail, I didn't see you there." Duo gave a muffled cough behind his hand and I discreetly elbowed him in the stomach.
"Too harsh babe." He whispered in my ear before standing to attention before the Duke's son.
"No worries, Miss Relena. I just wanted to privately wish you congratulations on your speech. Many members are conferring with one another on your proposition. May I say that I will be first in line to vote in favor of it?" He held out an arm and I placed my hand on top of his.
"Thank you." I said graciously while he led me towards the entrance of the Alliance building. I hope he wouldn't comment on my skipping, maybe he didn't see anything.
"Have you ever taken ballet, Miss Relena? You display a style of grace when you...walk." He was stifling a laugh under his polite tone, I could tell. My brother always did that whenever I asked him how I looked in a new dress.
"No, I'm afraid I never had the pleasure of taking ballet, as I was too short to be the swan princess." I drawled. Dante gave a laugh at my joke.
"Your short stature is hardly noticeable in comparison to your imposing nature, Miss Relena." He said smoothly. Duo gave me a light nudge and I knew the conversation had to end. I slowly lifted my hand off of his and took a step back to bow deeply, returning the one had given me in the past.
"If you'll excuse me, I have appointments to attend to, Mr. Dermail. I hope we shall have another fortuitous meeting in the future." I pivoted on my heel and walked out the entrance as quickly, yet casually, as possible.
"And I to you." He called out before the glass door swung to shut him out.
"Why do I feel as if there was more to the conversation than what I heard?" I relayed out loud as my limo pulled to the front, right on time.
"Maybe because he was flirting with you." Duo said gruffly. "I think we need to let all your future suitors know that you're still a virgin."
"Duo!! I can't believe you said that!!" I punched his shoulder as hard as I could and he gave a yowl of pain. Quatre gave a fatherly chuckle as he herded us into the car. "And I KNOW that didn't hurt, you being the hardened soldier that you are."
"You pack a mean punch these days Relena." Duo said with a horribly faked sniff from his designated corner. "Maybe I will tell all your potential boyfriends you are a-"He quickly shut his mouth and looked down at my hand. I looked down as well and the glitter of the sapphire cheerily sparkled up at me. "Sorry babe." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's alright, I forget sometimes too." I said merrily. I kept my gaze on the ring and turned my hand so that I wouldn't have to see the ring. "A lot." I added quietly to myself.
Quatre reached over and took my hand, squeezing encouragingly. Duo nervously scratched the back of his head and gave his usual half smirk. I forced myself to give a grin at my two best friends.
"Now what was that about me being a virgin?" I said threateningly while lifting my heavy suitcase for a strike. I gave a mad scientist laugh at the flash of fear on Duo's face.
"Hey now, let's not get too rash here-"
~*~
It was quiet when we stepped out of the limo, almost unnaturally so. The second I towards the house's door, I knew something was wrong. Quatre and Duo swiftly pulled me back and took out their guns while edging me slowly towards the limo. Fearfully, I threw glances all around and then noticed something strange...the mobile suits normally standing outside had disappeared. Faintly, I heard a small click in the distance and all hell broke loose as both my bodyguards threw me on the ground and dove on top of me just before a deafening explosion rocked the grounds.
________________________________________________________________________
*A little shorter than my previous chapter, but hey, no complaints, at least I got chapter four out a lot earlier than I expected it to. So please leave me a nice long review to tell me your thoughts!
Spitfire Maguire: thanks! I'm glad you like the concept. I've read a few stories where heero and relena are already married, but not one where relena is reluctant to be married to heero. I hope you stick with this story and keep telling me how its going!
Kero chan: I'm more used to writing in the third person point of view but lately I've been getting into writing all first person, you get a better feel of a person's emotion that way. Its like reading relena's thoughts whenever something's happening. Thought I've noticed that some people don't really like first person point of view
Cat H: hehehe, well, I've noticed the best stories that should deserve praises are the ones that are very discreet and hard to find. But hey, treasure isn't treasure unless its hidden and then found, right? I'm glad you took the time to read this story, this is my very first gundam wing fic and I get worried sometimes that I'm not portraying the characters very well, but your praise on heero and relena's depiction really raised my spirits!
Melodi Moon: an excellent question, and one that I am still trying to properly fit together. I explained part of it in this chapter but hopefully I'll be able to pull out a better explanation as the plot thickens later on. Plus, I wanted relena is be a bit ignorant because I'm trying to make her character idealistic and for anything that will help the peace. Of course she gets wiser later on, but in the beginning, she's just a normal inexperienced human being. I'll make her superwoman later on. ^^
SonicBoom: thanks, I'm glad I answered your question. And as for the I love you, let's just say pulling secret information from heero will be easier than getting him to admit that he loves relena. ^^ but it WILL happen, don't worry
Me: really? I'm trying to make it realistic as I can, except I'm pretty much ignorant of all the detailed information on the Alliance and suchforth, I'm just making things up off the top of my head. And I don't have enough time to properly research these days, though I wish I could
Puppetmonkey5562: yeah, I agree, it always is fun to see someone suffer before the victim gets rescued. ^^ adds a lot to the romance in a story. Thanks for understanding about the getting chapters out! so few readers actually realize the time constraints that many authors have in writing a chapter with a busy schedule. I'm putting a lot of my stories on hold so I can concentrate on this. *shakes fist at select readers* I'm only human!
Aperfectsoldier87: well, I got this chapter earlier than expected, so yay! I intend to make this entirely relena's point of view, but maybe I'll make one short side chapter on heero's thoughts. And Dorothy....shudders....she's not my most fav character either and I have a nice little part for her to play which is going to make some people hate her. ^^
Mint: hehehe, thanks, my writing won't go more steamy than that, I can't write lemons whatsoever. And yes, relena is different from the series, I don't like how they portrayed her in some parts in the anime. I decided to mold the relena I had in mind, someone who's strong, determined, suchforth; good qualities, though she won't be without her fallacies either. I want to make her a bit more teenagerish in this story than in the anime so that she can grow up later on
