Chapter Twenty-six

"Is it noon already?" asked Relena.

Milliardo looked out the window. "I guess it is. The time sure has flown by." Both women nodded. "Why don't you join us for lunch?"

Relena smiled. "I'd love to, really I would, but I've already promised somebody else I'd have lunch with them."

"And who might that be?" inquired Noin.

"I'll give you one guess." Relena replied with a bitter look on her face.

"I'm sorry. How about another time then?"

"I look forward to it." Relena stood up as did her brother. "I must be on my way then."

"I'll walk you to the door."

"Thank you."

"It was very pleasant speaking with you today Relena," Noin said.

"It was for me too. You can call on me whenever you want okay?"

"Will do."

Walking Relena to the door, Milliardo whispered into her ear. "If he gives you any problems let me know and I'll deal with him."

"Thank you Milliardo. I shall see you later. Good afternoon."

"And to you little sister."

Relena left the room. Walking down the corridor she spotted Michael and his parents. Not wanting to be seen she darted behind a huge statue and listened to their conversation.

"So how is it going with Princess Relena?" asked Lady Bartley.

"Not quite as well as I would have liked, but don't worry, she'll come around. Just you wait."

"Good, because we really need that money to pay off our debts," replied his mother.

'So they're just trying to get father's money! I can't let that happen. I need to tell father as quickly as possible, but I have to eat lunch with Michael.' Relena retraced her steps, turned around and walked toward the small family. "Hello! Michael, I was looking for you. You haven't forgotten about our lunch plans have you?"

"How could I? I was just about to send a maid to look for you. Since I don't have to find you, why don't we be going now? Mother, Father," he acknowledged them as he took Relena's arm and slung it through his.

"Son," they nodded at his departure.

"Lord and Lady Bartley," Relena curtsied.

"Princess," they bowed and departed.

"So I hear you've been a bit busy today," Michael said.

"Yes a little bit, but what would you expect. I'm a princess with a wedding to plan," she replied through clenched teeth.

Michael led her to a small patio with a table adorned with candles, flowers, a bottle of wine, and two covered plates. He pulled out a chair and motioned for Relena to sit down, which she did and he scooted her up closer to the table.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. She shook out her napkin and placed it on her lap.

"My pleasure." He sat down and motioned for a maid to take the lids off of the plates.

"It looks delicious."

"Yes it does." Taking a bite he froze and said, "This is the best food I have ever tasted." Turning to the maid servant, he said, "You must congratulate the cook. She did superbly on this meal."

"Right away sir," she said after she finished pouring their cups with wine. She curtsied and left.

"I was thinking about our wedding and I thought that we could have your friend Quatre play the violin. You said before that he plays correct?"

"Yes, he does, along with the piano. He's a wonderful performer."

"So would you like to have him play at our wedding?"

Relena forced out a sweet smile, "I would love to have Quatre play at our wedding. I could ask him later today if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful!" The rest of the meal was pretty quiet with light conversation here and there. Relena just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Once they were finished, Relena thanked him for having lunch with her and quickly departed. She went straight to her father's chamber, hoping he was there.

"Father? Are you in here?" There was no reply. "Father? It's me Relena." Still there was no answer. She turned around and walked to the dining room.

Upon walking in, Heero stilled his talking with Duo and watched her walk up to her father. With every step she took, her dress swished back and forth around her feet.

"Heero!" Duo was saying, waving his hand in front of his friend's face.

"Huh? Did you say something Duo?" Duo chuckled which made Heero a bit annoyed. "What is it Duo?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah right. Now what is it?"

"I don't know. I guess it's just the way you stopped mid-sentence when Relena walked in the room." Heero glared at Duo which made him snicker.

"Shut up Duo. I'm warning you." Duo immediately shut up, but his eyes sparkled with amusement.

Looking over at Heero, Relena smiled. Stopping at her father's side she bent down and whispered in his ear, "I need to talk to you privately," He nodded.

"If you'll all excuse me. I'll be back shortly." Standing up, King Peacecraft led his daughter into the back, where servants and cooks were working. "What did you need to talk about?"

Looking both ways and pulling her father into a more secluded spot, she whispered, "The Bartley's are broke. They have no money and have a big debt to pay off. That's why they're pushing this wedding so much."

"What? Where did you find this out?"

"I overheard the three of them talking about it before I had lunch with Michael."

Sighing, King Peacecraft said, "I don't know what I can do to better the situation."

"Drop the wedding and let me marry who I please."

"If you are referring to Heero, then no. He's just as poor, if not poorer than they are," he said with a slight glare.

"But I love him father!"

"No. You just think you love him. I'm doing this for your own good. Someday you'll thank me."

Glaring at him she hissed, "I would never thank you for doing this to me." She turned on her heel and walked out of there furious.

'Why did I just say that when I really don't want him to marry her? Reputation. Yes, I don't want her to have a bad reputation for marrying a pirate. What am I thinking? My own son is a pirate.' He sighed and walked back out to the dining room and found Heero absent.

"Relena!" Heero called. Turning around she waited for Heero to catch up. "What's wrong Relena?" he asked when he saw her eyes full of unshed tears.

Wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her head under his chin, she began to sob. "Oh Heero. I just don't know what to do anymore."

"What's wrong Relena?" he asked again, stroking her head.

"I need to get out of here for a little while." Pulling back, she grabbed his hand and fled for the entrance of the palace. Once they were outside of the palace she slowed down and led Heero over to a bench underneath a tree.

"Now will you tell me what's wrong?" she nodded.

"After I left my brother's room, I was heading over to Michael's room when I saw him talking with his parents. I was curious about what they were talking about, so I hid behind a big statue. His parents were asking Michael how it was going with me and Michael said that it wasn't going as well as he wanted, and that I'd come around. His mother said good because they really needed my father's money to pay off their debts."

"So that's why you talked to your father." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes and he still refuses to stop the wedding. My whole world has been turned upside down and I have no control over it at all." Tears began to stream down her face again.

Wiping them away, Heero pulled her into a hug. "It'll be okay. Something will turn up. We just have to be patient."

"Patient?" she said coldly while pulling away from him. "The wedding is in a week Heero!"
"I know that." He sighed deeply and looked away. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you upset."

"No I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I'm just really stressed."

"I know. So am I, but we need to stick together okay?" he asked as he wiped away the rest of her tears and brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

She nodded and hugged him. "I love you Heero."

"I love you too Relena." he kissed the top of her head then laid his on top of hers. "So, where do you want to go for our honeymoon once we're married?"

This brought a smile to Relena's face. " Spain sounds nice. What do you think?"

"Anywhere you want to go is fine with me, as long as it makes you happy. I'm fine with wherever you want to go."

"Then Spain it is." They stayed like that until nightfall. "Time sure has flown. I do believe that it is time to head back now." Standing up, she stretched and smiled at him. "Shall we go?"

"Yes we shall." He extended his arm to her which she gratefully took. "Relena?"

"Hmm?"

"I talked with your father today."

"About what?" she questioned with a puzzled look.

"You, how you reminded him of your mother and how you've changed my life." He picked up her hand that was lying on his arm and kissed it.

"I have?"

"More than you've realized."

"What else did you two talk about?"

"Well he asked me why I was a pirate, and he said that I was very bold and challenging, which he liked. That's pretty much it."

"He wasn't mean to you was he?"

"No."

"Good." She leaned up and kissed him. They walked back to the palace arm in arm.

"Relena! Oh thank goodness you're all right!" King Peacecraft yelled as soon as he saw her. He rushed up to her and pulled her into a very big hug. When he released her, he said, "Where were you? Did he force you to leave?"

"We were just outside the palace and no he didn't force me to leave. In fact I'm the one who brought him out here in the first place."

"My apologies Captain Heero, I was just very worried about my daughter."

"It's quite all right your Majesty. We meant no harm in what we did."

"Just please try not to do that again?"

"We'll try father," Relena said.

"Well now. Its dinner time and you two must be hungry. Come along now." Heero and Relena followed the King to the dining area and took their respective seats.

"Hilde!"

"Relena!" The two girls hugged each other tightly. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"I'll tell you later," Relena whispered. "Can you please pass along that I wish to speak with everyone after dinner is over?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks." Relena sat down at the right-hand side of her father. Heero sat next to her. After everyone arrived and sat down, the food was brought in. Heero, Relena, and her father all ate in silence. After dinner was over, Relena stood up, left the room, and waited for the others to come out as well. Heero was the last to leave, but once he was out the door, Relena led the group to a secluded spot in the rose garden.

"What's going on Relena?" Duo asked for everybody.

"The only reason why the Bartley's want this marriage is because they don't have any money. They're poor. All that they have left is their reputation, nothing else." Everyone was silent. No one knew what to say for awhile.

"They have no honor or integrity. They are just a spoiled, ill mannered, pampered family that has never done an ounce of work in their lives. They expect an easy way out when they need money. People like them make me sick." Wufei said in disgust. Sally slid her hand into Wufei's larger one and slightly squeezed it, giving him a half smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Wufei, looking into Sally's eyes, squeezed her hand in return and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her, resting his chin upon her head.

They stayed and talked for awhile, and Relena told Quatre the Michael wanted him to play at the wedding. Once that was settled they all went to bed.