Love and Pride
Disclaimer : I don't own gundam Seed or gundam Seed Destiny
AN : I am trully sorry for the slow update, busy with school and stuffs
Thank you for my beta-reader asucaga4ever
Chapter 3
It's been two days since the ball and to her excitement the Queen came to visit and invited her to ride together tomorrow morning. The Queen informed Cagalli that she could bring some friends with her. Cagalli asked Kira, Milly, and Dearka to accompany her.
After she ate her lunch with her brother Kira, she went out to town to take a walk.
"You want me to come with you Cagalli? I'm a bit worried about you walking alone on the street" Kira informed her and put on a worried face.
"That's okay, it's not too late. Don't worry about me I can manage."
To his defeat Kira agreed with her, "Okay, but don't go come home too late."
Cagalli nodded her head and went outside, she was lucky to have a brother like him, the brother who cared about her a lot, but in the same time she was tired with his overprotective feeling toward her. She couldn't blame him for that, he was the only family she had.
She went inside the shop and greeted the owner, "Good afternoon Mr. Stewart."
"Good afternoon to you Miss Cagalli, do you want to buy something, there is a new gown today?" the middle aged man replied her.
"Not now Mr. Stewart, I only wanted to take a walk today." Cagalli shook her head.
"If that what you want then take your time here."
Cagalli thanked him and she wondered around inside the shop. After a couple of minutes passed, she decided to go home. Turning her heels, she went toward the door.
On the way home she bumped into someone.
"Oh I am sorry, please excuse my haste." Cagalli lifted her chin to see a man with brown hair and eyes in front of her.
"That's ok milady." The man replied her and looked at her with astonishment.
Cagalli apologized again and went pass him, but he caught her on the wrist, "If you don't mind, would you accompany me for tea?"
Cagalli frowned and answered him, "I am sorry, but I am on my way home, my brother will worry if I came home late."
"It's not too late milady, I promise it's only a few minute. Miss?" He said to her still holding her wrist.
"Cagalli, that's the name but I'm afraid I must reject your offer."
"But don't you know who I am? I am Conrad, King's right hand. Don't you ever hear of my name?" He said arrogantly.
Cagalli was angry and she removed his hand from hers, "I don't care who you are Sir, I don't even care if you are the King himself. If you think that I will follow you after I know who you are then I must say you are so wrong. And please excuse me, you are blocking my way." She passed him and walked angrily.
Conrad saw her retreat, he should be angry if women said stuff like that to him, but in fact he was smiling in amusement. Such a beauty she is, and she will be mine, he smiled wickedly.
Kira was curious, Cagalli went home with anger on her face, "What's wrong Cagalli?"
"I've met a man that is so irritating."
"Who is he? Did he hurt you?" Kira was angry.
"No, no he didn't hurt me, he asked me to accompany him and he insisted I came with him. His name was Conrad or something." Cagalli tried to calm Kira.
Kira was amazed, "Conrad? You mean Major Conrad, he is the King's right hand you know."
"That's what he said."
"Sis, I am amazed, you could attract the two powerful men in this country" he grinned at her, "First Athrun Zala, and now Conrad. Who will you choose?"
"None, not both of them. But compared to Conrad, Zala is better than him."
"So, you are liking him now?" Kira teased her.
"I am not, I said compare to him, and he was far better. But I didn't say I am liking him." Cagalli retorted.
Kira shrugged his shoulders and went to his bedroom.
The following day, Kira, Milly and Dearka went to meet the Queen at her ranch. Cagalli frowned when she saw Athrun's presence. She knew he would come also since he was the Queen's favorite.
Athrun went toward her, he took her hand and he put his lips on her palm, he asked her gently, "Good morning milady. How are you today?"
Cagalli flushed with his sudden warmness, she removed her hand from his, and replied, "Thank you Sir, as you can see I am quite well."
"Hey Athrun long time no see," Dearka interrupted.
Athrun turned his head to Dearka, "Hey long time no see also Dearka, so…… Dearka, Lady Cagalli and Lady Milliaria are both your friends? Such a small world."
"Yeah Milly is my sweetheart and Cagalli is my friend, and she is my best friend's sister also." Dearka informed as he pointed to Kira.
"Hello Athrun, I am Kira and we met occasionally at Dearka's home."
Athrun eyed him and apologized, "I am sorry I don't remember you, but I do remember that we have met two days ago at the ball, you are Miss Cagalli's brother am I right?"
Kira sighed with disappointment, "That's fine. And you are quiet right we did meet at the ball."
Once again Athrun apologized before he took Cagalli's hand.
"Let me escort you to the Queen,"
Reluctantly she picked his hand and allowed him to escort her. Queen Talia greeted them and they went riding. After the ride someone called Talia informing her that her husband wanted to see her. She apologized for the rush and she ordered Athrun to accompany them as her replacement. Disappointingly Cagalli and Milly bid her goodbye.
While the four of them talked together, Cagalli wondered around and leaned on the fence. Seeing her absence, Athrun excused himself from them and searched for Cagalli. He found her leaning on the fence. The sunlight illuminated her, made her golden hairs shone radiantly. Athrun gazed at her, she was the fairest woman that he's ever seen and he admitted she has courage, but he wouldn't let his guard down, women were the same. They would enchant men like a witch and dump them. Arrogantly he approached Cagalli and greeted her.
"So here you are, standing alone, away from your friends and brother?"
Cagalli ignored his sarcasm. He leaned beside her, "Do you mind?"
"Do as you wish?" she replied without looking at him.
"What are you staring at?" Athrun asked her.
"Sky."
"Sky? What do you see in the sky?"
"Nothing, sometimes when I look up at the sky it will give me a peaceful mind." She replied him still looking at the sky. She closed her eyes and a smile came into the corner of her mouth. She opened her eyes realizing that someone was staring at her, she looked at Athrun and frowned, "Why are you starring at me?"
Athrun replied coolly, "Why? Can't I look at your face?"
Cagalli looked at him irritatingly, "I don't like someone staring at me."
Athrun shrugged and changed the subject, "So Dearka has mistress, and I suspect that Lady Milly is his number one isn't she?"
Cagalli glanced at him disbelievingly, "Dearka doesn't have any other girl, he loves Milly and Milly loves him back. She is the only girl for him."
"Love? Do you really believe in Love?" he spoke with a mocking tone and his face hardened, "A few years ago I had a fiancée, she told me she loved me, but yet she left me with someone else. Is that what you call Love?"
So he had a bad experience with a woman before, no wonder he spoke like that, she thought. She felt pity for him but she hid it, "It's no use isn't? Whatever I will say about it you won't believe me. So what's the point?" She sighed and remembered the pretty stallion, "Tell me, the black stallion that you rode today, is that yours? She is a beauty"
Athrun's face softened and he replied amiably, "Yes, she is mine, I taught and named her since she was 4 month's old."
Cagalli glanced at him puzzlingly, his face unambiguously gentle and kind. Was he the same man she was with before? Did he have such emotion? She wondered and eyed him curiously. She caught his glance and she turned her head away from him trying to hide her embarrassment, "Your stallion, what's her name?"
Athrun replied calmly, "Charlotte, is her name."
Cagalli smiled charmingly, "That's a pretty name."
Athrun's eyes traveled from the head until his gaze landed on her cherry lips. He leaned to her and brushed his lips against hers. Cagalli stood still, she was surprised by his sudden action, and when his lips left her, he said coolly, "It seems you enjoyed my kiss."
She flushed and was upset with him, she tried to calm herself and attacked him coolly, "Do I? Sir Zala, I don't enjoy the kiss from a peasant like you. Why don't you use your skill with a woman who will reciprocate your kiss?"
Now his mask had fallen, his face-hardened and he clenched his fist. Cagalli knew she was a bit harsh on him, but she was upset at him. How dare she consider her as one of his mistress, and that was her first kiss. Turning her heels, she went to her friends' direction, leaving the upset Athrun.
"Where is Athrun?" Dearka asked her, "Did you see him?"
"Yes, I did see him, but don't worry for him. He was leaving already."
"Did he?" Kira asked her, "Surely he won't leave without reason."
Cagalli was tired, "Don't ask me any further, and let's go home, I'm tired."
Looking at her distress face, they agreed with her.
AN : Thank you for the entire reviewer from the last chapter, its mean a lot to me Please R & R