The Legacy of the Rose
By: Ammendiana
Chapter Eight
The music and the loud cacophony of the many voices that permeated the air in the ballroom of the Dorlian-Yuy residence pounded Milan's head like a hammer. She massaged her temples with her thumb and forefinger futilely, and wondered if it would be very rude to go hide in the library. Milan had never liked these huge gatherings, with all these people that had nothing to do with what they were celebrating and were just there to kiss Aunt Relena's ass.
She closed her eyes and indulged in a sigh of discomfort.
But Milan's head jerked up in surprise as she felt her chair moving towards the small door at the back of the ballroom. Looking up, she saw that Marcus was wheeling her out of the room. She refrained from making any comment, reasoning that she would have to yell and he probably wouldn't hear her anyway.
The silence of the hallway was nearly deafening after the noise of the ballroom. Her head felt as if a large weight had been pulled off of it, and she let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
Marcus continued, in silence, to roll her wheelchair down the hall, taking only one turn into the library, where he let it go and walked over to a couch, flopping onto it with a sigh and massaging his temples with his long, articulate fingers.
Milan rolled over to a squishy armchair, and, after a minute of complicated gymnastics, was able to push her wheelchair away and sit comfortably in the chair. With a grunt she reached over and picked up a book from the small table to the right of her chair.
Gone With the Wind, she read the title and opened it to the first page.
Marcus asked quietly, "How are you this fine evening?"
She didn't look up from the third page as she replied, "I have a headache and I'm worried about my best friend and brother. How are you?"
"Dandy like candy. You don't suppose Aunt Relena has any Ibuprofen, do you?"
"If she does, you'll have to beat me to it, and I've got wheels," She bantered as she turned the sixth page.
"I can run faster than you can roll, and you know it, too."
"Yeah. I know that just like I know that I cheat at chess, too."
"See? Isn't it easier when you don't try to hide the truth?"
"You would know, wouldn't you?" Milan turned the tenth page.
Marcus stuck his tongue out at her impudently, and she looked up and responded in kind.
The doorway to the library darkened, and a boy who was about seventeen walked in. His hair was the platinum blonde that marked him as a Noin, and his eyes were the iciest blue. He carried himself with a tiger's grace, and his aura was that of a person who commanded. It was not conscious, it was something that all of Lucrezia's and Zechs' children had in common.
Milan waved to him shortly, "Hiya, Treize. What are you doing back here?"
He gave a small smile and said, "Hiding." Milan looked up and gave him a sympathetic smile. She had often found him back here during gatherings of this sort; not only was he not very fond of the crowds, girls ran the poor boy ragged, following him all over the place like an army of stalkers. Marcus gave a nod to Treize's greeting and patted the seat of the armchair that sat horizontally to the sofa on which he reclined. Treize sat down gratefully.
Another figure darkened the door. Two figures, actually. Peace walked in with the chubby, dark haired figure of Aleonore Noin by her side, one chubby hand clutching the ears of a stuffed rabbit.
Milan smiled at Peace, who she was especially close to. Peace smiled back and walked over to an antique rocking chair, with Aleonore in her wake. She sat down softly and pulled the small girl, who was pointlessly trying to climb up her legs, into her lap.
More 'cousins' soon followed. Octavia came in, resplendent in a jade green gown that sheathed her slim body and was embroidered all over with a setting of butterflies, ivy, and flowers. Her long hair had little butterfly clips nestled within its loose curls.
Antonia followed in her gown, which she jokingly called her "Queen of the Night" ensemble.
Rick also entered, looking strangely reflective for him. When he saw Antonia, a maelstrom of emotions whirled on his face, all too confusing for Milan to understand. Rick sat down on the sofa with Marcus, who was promptly using him for a footrest.
Rick didn't seem to notice.
Milan turned the thirtieth page and asked distractedly, "I wonder where Alex and Mariemaia are."
Marcus shrugged, but Rick smiled and said mischievously, "Well, I'm not sure, but the last I saw of them Alex was screaming Mariemaia's name and she was chasing him up the staircase. Good thing Aunt Relena doesn't let press into these gatherings."
"I would think you would be upset. I thought you and Marie had something going," Milan turned the page.
"We talked and we both decided that we made huge mistakes."
"And what mistakes were those, may I ask?"
"None of your beeswax."
Marcus grunted in amusement at the term 'beeswax'. Milan smiled and shrugged. If she wanted to find out, she could always ask Mariemaia.
Two more shapes darkened the doorway. Wufei and Duo walked in, each holding a half-full glass of red wine. Needless to say, they were a bit tipsy. Milan laughed as her father nearly staggered over a chair and plopped down.
Wufei didn't bother with a chair. He dropped to the floor and moaned as his butt hit the floor hard. Duo laughed heartily as Wufei massaged his sore butt. Wufei glared at him demonically and made a scissor motion with his fore and middle fingers. Duo's face blanched, reflexively grasped his trademark plait, and quickly shut his mouth.
Heero and Zechs walked in next. They were passing a bottle of expensive champagne between them and were severely inebriated. They leaned on each other like old friends, laughing at anything the other said.
"Well, that didn't take you very long," Milan commented dryly.
Heero looked at her a said in a slurred voice, "We've been here longer than you have. Besides," He hiccupped, "I was just celebrating the birth of my brother's new uncle. Oh wait," He blinked for a second as he contemplated what he had just said. Zechs was shaking with suppressed laughter. "That's not right. His daughter. Yeah, his new daughter."
Everyone in the room was shaking with laughter, even Peace.
"You," Zechs commented drunkenly, "Are far too drunk to even speak, much less do anything else." As he spoke, his arms waved about in exaggerated, languid gestures.
"They are really drunk," Duo pointed out to Wufei, who was staring at his own empty wine glass sadly.
"I wish I were that drunk," Wufei answered as he continued to stare mournfully at his glass.
"If Aunt Relena and Aunt Lucy see you like that, you'll never ever hear the end of it," Marcus admonished.
"That's why we came in here," said Zechs. "You are only in trouble if you," hiccup, "get caught."
Quatre and Trowa strolled in perfectly sober. As soon as they saw Zechs and Heero hanging on each other like drunken apes, they quickly exited and shut the door. Milan thought she heard muffled chortles coming from the other side of the door.
They entered once again, looking completely straight faced. Milan stared at them suspiciously.
Then came Sally, who was brandishing her half-full bottle of wine like a weapon. She looked beautiful in her scarlet, Mandarin style gown, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight French twist. She saw Wufei and waved to him from five feet away.
He looked at her warily, then patted the floor beside him. She flopped down hard, and laid her head on his shoulder while pouring him a new glass of wine.
Relena, Hilde, and Catherine followed. Catherine seemed to be the only thing holding the half-drunk Hilde and totally drunk Relena up.
Hilde let go of Catherine and staggered over to Duo, sat on his lap and promptly went to sleep. Her light snores accompanied more laughter from the ensemble.
Relena was having a hard time standing upright, but finally she got it, with Heero's drunken aid. When that was accomplished, she looked him in the eye and accused, "You are a bad influence on me, you know that? Next thing you know, I'll be threatening to shoot people for no reason." Her voice was garbled and punctuated by hiccups and wild gesturing. Catherine had a long suffering look on her face, and Quatre came over sympathetically and embraced her. She buried her face in his chest and started to shake. Milan again had the sneaking suspicion she was laughing.
Noin walked in last, and, taking a quick look at the drunken Gundam pilots and their assorted wives and friends, she collapsed in riotous laughter.
The night was filled with the music of cicadas, and the moonlight cast a curtain of pale silver light over the grounds. Mariemaia strode with Alex, her arm joined with his. It seemed that all the pain that had filled her earlier had been washed away by crystal water, and the only thing left was euphoria. She clutched her father's letter in one hand as if it were a diamond. But her thoughts were on the man who strolled next to her.
She couldn't help but wonder what Alex was thinking.
"A penny for your thoughts," Alex asked quietly as they strolled through the rose garden that Relena tended so lovingly. Mariemaia replied as she looked up at him, "Actually, I was just wondering what you were thinking."
He smiled and turned away. Then Mariemaia heard a branch snap and she looked around, distressed. Alex turned back to her and handed her a beautiful, golden yellow rose. A drop of his blood dripped down his finger and onto the petals. Mariemaia found the sight oddly beautiful, and taking the rose, she kissed his bleeding finger.
Alex winced in pain, but smiled again at her. Then he spoke.
"When I came to the academy, I never, ever even speculated I would meet a girl there. I always figured I'd be single for my whole life. But." he lifted her fingers to his lips, and kissed each of them lightly. Mariemaia breathed deeply. "Sometimes we need to expect the unexpected."
"I know exactly what you mean," she withdrew her hand from his and walked ahead on the path, facing him. "I would never in my life have imagined that I would walking through on a romantic evening in a rose garden with the son of a Gundam pilot." She twirled girlishly on the path.
"I always thought that I would end up like my mother; alone in a huge mansion left to her by the love of her life. But here I am, walking contently with the love of my life, Alexander Maxwell." She laughed heartily, "Who would have thought, huh?"
Alex ran up to her and grasped her arms at the shoulder, resting his forehead on hers. They looked each other in the eyes for a seemingly endless moment and he whispered, "Am I really the love of your life, Mariemaia?"
She ran her hand up his arm and grasped the back of his neck gently, interlacing some of her fingers in his hair. Then she replied, equally hushed, but violently "Alexander, I will never love any man the way I love you, ever!"
Then she drew his face down to hers and kissed him deeply. His arms encircled her and they stood there in the moonlight and kissed to the music of the cicadas.
Rick retreated from the room after only an hour. He couldn't stand to be around Antonia any more than that. Every time he turned around it seemed as if he could smell her; it was like a lavender breath every time she walked by.
And it was torture.
She pretended not to notice, but every once in a while he would catch her casting furtive glances in his direction. He had puzzled over what she was thinking.
Antonia had given him another odd look as he fled from the library, and his mother had looked confused. Rick couldn't take it. He wished fervently that he had stayed in America instead of coming back here to the Academy.
Mariemaia had been too understanding. Even if she was in love with Alex, she still should have been scandalized. But apparently she was as eager to be with Alex as he was to be with Antonia again.
It had been so great when they were together. Antonia had been the one girl in his entire life that he didn't get tired of. Every moment with her had been familiar and yet new at the same time.
And with a few words, he had destroyed it all.
I think I need some space, Tony. Can we just be friends? He recalled the moment and laughed at himself with bitter irony. He had regretted it as soon as the words left his lips. But it had been too late to take it back. He saw her heart shatter and her tears stream down her face.
He wondered idly if it was still too late. If she could forgive him.
He also wondered if he even deserved it.
"Rick!" A voice called from behind him. He didn't bother to turn, or even acknowledge her. He knew who it was.
He continued down the path as her footsteps approached implacably. Dread filled him, and he thought seriously about drowning himself in the coy pond.
"Richard!" The voice shouted sharply.
He stopped, but didn't turn.
"What do you want, Antonia?" He inquired tiredly.
"I want to know why you just up and walked out of our little family gathering!" Antonia snapped irritably.
Rick turned on his heel sharply. Angrily he reacted, "Did it ever occur to you I might want some fresh air!"
"Oh, please! I know you way better than that. Something's bothering you and I want to know what!" Antonia's hair had been unbraided and fell in unbound waves down her back and over her shoulders like a light gold waterfall. Rick gulped as he took in how beautiful she looked in the silver moonlight.
"It's none of your business!" said Rick hoarsely.
"You're damn wrong if you think it isn't! Now, TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG!" Antonia yelled loud enough to echo.
"YOU'RE WHAT'S WRONG!" He yelled in retort.
"AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME, I WONDER!"
"I STILL--," he fell silent.
"You still what?" She inquired bad-temperedly. She was still quite loud.
Rick swallowed hard and replied, "I still love you."
Antonia's face paled and her lips turned white.
"You...what?" Her question was quiet and weak.
He walked closer to her and looked her in the eyes. They were of a height, and he remembered how good she felt in his embrace.
"I still love you."
Antonia sank to the ground in shock. She stared stupidly at the stones of the walk as she repeatedly murmured, "He still loves me," disbelievingly.
"Say it again and again won't make it go away," Rick commented, wry in his hurt. Somewhere down deep he had hoped that she would return his feelings.
Antonia looked up at him. Her cheeks were flushed and a bright smile lit her face.
"I don't want it to go away." She lifted her arms out to him, "I want it to get its ass over here and give me a kiss."
Rick nearly flung himself into them. They embraced and kissed each other like it was the first time.
