A/N: Hello again! This update wasn't quite as fast as the other ones, huh? Last time I was on a week long vacation, which is why I was able to update so fast hehe. Ah well, at least the holidays are coming up so hopefully I can update more then. Enjoy!
Chapter Seven
Relena sipped idly at her tea as she listened to the ladies of King Dekim's court chat about which lord's daughter's husband had lately been seen speaking to which minister's nephew's wife. Before that they had discussed what ribbons were currently all the rage and other such critical matters of female intrigue. Beside her, Dorothy sat barely concealing her contempt. Indeed it would seem she had not been wrong about the sort of domestic topics these highborn ladies liked to discuss. They had recently sent Relena an invitation to congratulate her on her recent wedding, so she felt obliged to accept.
The ladies of King Dekim's court consisted of all the female relations of the capital's most influential families: mothers, wives, and daughters to only the most noble lords and ministers. Her mother had been invited to attend on several occasions, but each time she declined respectfully. Relena could now see why. While her mother had been a very gentle woman, even she had her limits on patience.
But at the same time, Relena could not blame them. In Romefeller, there was not much a normal woman held dominion over other than her home, children, and relationships. Diplomatic matters were very much male-dominated, and few women had been as fortunate as Relena to receive education in more academic subjects.
Despite the seemingly frivolous nature of their meetings, these women held a substantial amount of influence over the lives of the capital's inhabitants. If a certain individual fell out of favor with the women, such idle gossip could have had immense impact upon one's reputation. Reputation was very important among high society – your reputation governed how others would perceive and interact with you. Reputation was the key to making favorable connections and maintaining adequate societal capital, thus it was in both Dorothy and Relena's best interests to at least attend occasionally and remain in their good will.
"So how are you getting along, Lady Yuy? Have you settled comfortably in your new home? It is a fine estate, is it not?"
"Yes, thank you. My stewardess has been of great assistance to me in that respect. I could not have asked for a more happily situated manor."
"I should think otherwise," another woman chirped, "It is quite far from the castle. Near five miles! And those large mountains at its rear, why they must block out so much light!"
Relena pursed her lips, "Yes Lady Lorraine, I'm afraid not much can be done about the mountains… but the estate was a gift from Prince Treize after all, so we would not wish to disrespect to his generosity. General Yuy and I are immensely grateful for the home."
Dorothy could scarce hide her amusement. Calling out a senior member of the club in front of everyone? Lady Yuy had a bit of a backbone, it would seem.
Lady Lorraine tensed and looked nervously at her companions, who offered no support. Relena was right, criticizing the manor was a direct insult to the prince's hospitality, and the prince was dearly beloved among their social circle. The other ladies raised inquisitive eyebrows at her. She cleared her throat nervously and shifted the topic elsewhere.
"What news of Miss Sylvia Noventa lately?" Lady Lorraine cleared her throat uneasily, "I have not seen the girl for near 2 weeks now. Is she still ill?"
"I'm afraid so," a timid young woman spoke, "But I have not the chance to ask this week… Marshal Noventa has once again been sent to the colonies, this time to Libra."
"That's rather improper," Lorraine remarked, "If his granddaughter is so sick then he should have delayed his campaign to care for her!"
"Indeed, very inconsiderate of him."
The ladies then began blabbering about family duties and feminine delicacies, to which Relena paid no heed. Her mind was busy elsewhere. Sylvia was still sick? Marshal Noventa had said it was nothing serious, but the fact that she still had not recovered after this long proved otherwise. Perhaps she would pay her a visit later today… Sylvia was Relena's childhood friend and one of her only companions aside from Natalie – and Dorothy now – so she would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to her.
Relena shook her head and tried to will such thoughts away. She had promised herself on her wedding day that she would not let such negativity invade her mind anymore.
"So, Lady Relena," the timid from before spoke again, "This is something that has long been a source of interest for all of us, so you must tell us: how was your first night with General Yuy?"
She nearly choked on her tea.
Relena was now very aware of the many pairs of eyes focused intently on her reply. Her breath caught in her throat and she struggled to form some sort of answer without embarrassing herself or Heero. Truth be told they had not yet consummated their union. Not once after that second night, when he carried her to her room, had he come to visit her chambers. He did, however, make an effort to return home by evening, presumably since he was worried she would stay up waiting for him again. She blushed slightly. Relena hadn't meant to inconvenience him... she was just unfamiliar with his schedule and wanted to make sure he was able to return to the estate safely. Still, when he was around, Relena attempted some small talk when she could, but the atmosphere was so stiff and awkward… so there was never really any opportunity to more deeply broach the subject of their marriage.
Not to mention she was still trying to recover from her father's death and adjusting to a new home life, so in a way she didn't wish to address the issue any time soon.
Maybe Heero knew that and kept his distance out of respect… or maybe he just had no interest in her whatsoever…
The older woman chuckled, "I always imagined General Yuy would be the type of man to render his wife speechless. He is so passionate on the battlefield after all, I can only imagine what your wedding night was like!"
For what seemed like the umpteenth time that morning, Relena again nearly choked on her tea. Her face flushed a deep, crimson red, and Dorothy made no attempts to hide her laughter.
"Err, that's not-!"
"Look at her, such a modest girl!" another woman laughed, "Don't worry, Lady Relena. You can tell us another time. Wouldn't want to fluster you so much on your first meeting, hm?"
Well, while that was not the outcome she hoped for, she supposed that was also a suitable answer for now. At the very least now they were switching topics and she could focus on regaining her composure. Dorothy, too.
After a while, the ladies finally adjourned their meeting, mostly because the older ones had more pressing matters at home to attend to.
"You'll understand once you have children of your own," they had said to Relena, "You'll wonder how there are so few hours in the day!"
And yet they still had the time to gather and gossip, she thought.
"So? What did you think? Enthralling, was it not?" Dorothy asked her companion as they entered her carriage.
Relena refrained from rolling her eyes, "Very. I see what you mean now."
The coach lurched forward.
"Dorothy," Relena said, "Do you think we could stop by Marshal Noventa's residence? I'd like to check on Sylvia, if that's alright. She's been sick for a while and I just want to make sure she is alright."
"I suppose so," Dorothy took a moment to contemplate her schedule, "I don't believe I have anything else for rest of the day."
The duchess called to her driver and had him reroute a course to Marshal Noventa's residence. Luckily he lived very close to the castle, so it was not a long trip at all. They stopped briefly at a nearby market to purchase a basket full of goods that would be of comfort to a sickly person: herbs, medicinal salts, fruits, and all sorts of things in between.
They come upon his residence, a lofty white house that was not quite as grand as one would expect for a Field Marshal. But perhaps he also preferred to live more simply as her father did. A man had no need for such grandiose displays of wealth and power, Minister Darlian always said. It breeds envy, hatred, and other unsavory emotions.
An elderly housekeeper came to answer the door. The woman's tired, shriveled face instantly lit with joy once she realized who had come to visit.
"Lady Relena!" she embraced the girl with surprising strength for such an old woman, "Oh, my dear, it is so good to see you again. How are you getting along? Are you eating well? I was worried sick with the news of all that had happened to you recently, but I'm glad you are here. Duchess Catalonia, it is a pleasure to see you as well."
"I'm happy to be here as well," Relena beamed, "I've come to see Sylvia, is she up?"
"Yes! I'll fetch her," the housekeeper clasped her hands together excitedly, "Oh, she'd be so happy to see you. The poor girl has been so heartbroken lately…"
"Heartbroken?" Relena raised an eyebrow.
Dorothy's expression suddenly shifted in realization.
"Apparently a young man she was very fond of was unfortunately snatched from her," the housekeeper explained with a stern face, "Married to another girl. Who would be more desirable than our own dear Sylvia? The young man must be out of his wits, I tried to tell her. But she would not have it."
"How sad," Relena's tone was one of earnest concern. She didn't know that Sylvia was involved with someone! Relena wondered what kind of man would catch the young woman's eye. Someone gallant and handsome, most likely. She was always so fond of the brave, heroic types. But indeed, who would reject a girl as pretty and noble as Sylvia?
"But I am at least glad to hear she is not afflicted with a very serious illness. I brought a basket of goods, though they were meant for a sick person. Perhaps it can at least still be of some comfort to her?"
"You are so kind," the housekeeper grinned, "I will bring this to the young misstress and tell her you have come to visit."
As soon as she was gone from view, Dorothy pulled Relena aside.
"Relena, I actually think it best we depart without seeing her," the duchess muttered.
"Whatever for?"
"Well, let's just say an unpleasant situation may arise if you two meet…"
Relena furrowed her brows, "What do you mean? Sylvia is a good friend of mine, I couldn't imagine why we-"
But before she could finish her sentence, the door swung wide open and hit the wall with a loud crack. The same housekeeper as before appeared in the entrance. This time, however, her face was as white as a sheet, as if she had seen a ghost. Her aura no longer held the same air of warmth and hospitality.
"U-Unfortunately," the housekeeper stammered, "Miss Sylvia does not wish to be seen… You'll have to come by another time. I'm sorry, dears."
The door was quickly shut in their faces.
Relena was absolutely taken aback. What on earth had spurred that sudden change in demeanor? She glanced over at Dorothy, who was not surprised at all.
"As I was about to say," she began again, warily, "The man she is smitten with happens to be your very own husband, Lady Yuy."
… Heero?
Relena could scarce believe her ears.
"… What?" she nearly screeched. Sweet, whimsical Sylvia Noventa had been in love with the emotionless, taciturn General Yuy? How? What in the…? She then remembered that on the night of his return from Mars, when the city had been celebrating, Sylvia had been standing alongside him.
Oh no.
So she was the source of her dear friend's heartache after all.
But then, what of Heero?
Had he been involved with Sylvia too? Had she inadvertently separated a happy relationship? Relena suddenly fell quite ill.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine," Relena willed herself to push aside the thoughts. She did not want to worry Dorothy… but unfortunately the other girl was smarter than that.
"You're not thinking you ruined their relationship, are you?" Dorothy mused, "There was never anything between Sylvia and Heero. He probably wasn't even aware she existed until nearly three weeks ago, when she asked him to dance at the ball. It was just a one-sided crush."
"But-"
"You don't believe me?" she huffed indignantly, "You can ask him yourself! Oz's training halls are within a few minutes' walk from here."
"No!" Relena's cheeks flushed a healthy shade of red, "I'd rather not, there's no reason to."
"What are you afraid of? You are still his lady wife no matter what. Even if he did have any inclination for Sylvia Noventa, you are the one he chose in the end. I can tell you are going to let this worry you and turn you insufferable, so for the sake of our friendship I must insist you see him. Was it not you who said everyone should be honest with each other?"
Relena frowned and argued that it wasn't necessary and she didn't want to disturb Heero during his training. Besides, she thought, even if Heero chose her he still had not touched her after a week of marriage. But Dorothy was having none of it. She took the girl by the wrist and marched towards the halls.
The gates to a large, formidable compound came into view. Oz had many fortresses and strongholds scattered throughout the land, but this one served as its primary base of operations. The compound was built on a rather generous plot of land on the castle's grounds and surrounded by a high stone wall. Inside were neat rows of barracks, warehouses, training halls, offices, and plenty of open area in between.
"Dorothy, please!" the honey bonde hissed and tried to pry herself free, "We don't need to do this!"
"Good afternoon," Dorothy curtsied neatly to the guards posted outside the gates, "I've come to visit with my fiancé. This is Lady Relena Yuy. She has come to visit with her husband."
"Certainly, Duchess Catalonia," the guards bowed deeply and stood aside to let them pass, "Lady Yuy, you are welcome here."
Relena's jaw could have dropped. Really? They were going to let them through just like that? She had been told that only soldiers and high-ranking officials who had business with Oz were allowed in the compound – unless it was an emergency, women and children were strictly prohibited. But the guards seemed to have recognized Dorothy, so perhaps it was her status as duchess and great-granddaughter to the first king of Romefeller that granted them entrance. Those titles certainly carried with them a great deal of influence.
Then again, Relena supposed that hers did too. She was wife to who was arguably the third most powerful and revered figure in all the land… certainly arguably the most feared in Oz. There probably wasn't a single soldier who would refuse her and risk General Yuy's wrath, not that Relena thought Heero was ever the type to get angry. Or show any emotion, really.
As they crossed the threshold, a series of loud crashes thundered throughout the compound. She heard what sounded like the clang of metal upon itself, followed by more crashes. The ground also seemed to tremble slightly.
"What is that?" Relena winced at the noises. They sounded so… violent.
"Duchess Catalonia, Lady Yuy," another guard appeared before them and bowed, "If you would please follow me, I will take you to the viewing area. Commanding General Yuy and General Winner are currently training with their mobile suits."
Dorothy's icy-grey eyes sparkled gleefully at the news.
"Splendid!" she turned excitedly to her companion, "What a treat! This will be your first time seeing the mobile suits in action, is it not?"
Relena nodded but couldn't understand where her friend's enthusiasm stemmed from.
"They're very… loud."
"That's nothing. Wait until you see them in person."
Oh lord, they were going to get even louder?!
The guard led them up several flights of stairs and narrow corridors. As Dorothy had said, the sounds only grew in intensity and vigor. Soldiers stopped to salute the women as they passed before turning to whisper amongst themselves.
They finally came to a stop before a wide, open balcony area. Dorothy giddily rushed to the railing and craned her neck over, scanning the great expanse of a courtyard. She pulled Relena along as well, and the latter felt her breath catch in her throat.
Finely crafted armors that were easily three times the size of the average soldier stood in neat rows on the field before her. Flanks of soldier geared in regular armor wandered about the courtyard as well, which served to give her a height comparison of just how much of a behemoth these suits were.
Relena was speechless. Never before had she beheld anything so… daunting. Terrifying.
"Exhilarating," Dorothy breathed.
"They're so large," Relena said, "How do they manage to move around in them?"
"Of course, they're not just armor. They're actually made up of many complex mechanisms that allow the wearers to move as quickly and freely as they would in regular gear. The masters who created these suits are such brilliant individuals. These creations alone singlehandedly won the war for Romefeller, you know. The Sanc didn't stand a chance."
Relena frowned. So these were the things responsible for destroying her father's home so long ago, huh?
"That gundam there is your General Yuy's," Dorothy pointed at a blue and white one, "That one with the large blades that look like folded wings. Its name is Wing-One, or Wing for short. It is considered the most well-rounded of all the suits. But its strong point is its lightweight frame, which lends its wearer considerable agility and maneuverability in battle."
Relena briefly wondered if the Angel of Death moniker came from the image of Heero's suit, or if it had been fitted after the legend.
"That black one wielding a scythe is general Maxwell's," the duchess continued, "His is named the Deathscythe, specializing in stealth. See how its plates glimmer in the light? Under the right circumstances it is even able to cloak itself and form an illusion that makes it easy to miss. And that is general Barton, in the red. Heavyarms. Specializes in brute, offensive force. The one that resembles Eastern style armor is Shenlong, worn by general Chang. He prefers to call it Nataku, though. Its combat style is similar to the Wing-One's, but has more flexibility and suited for spear work than swords as General Yuy prefers. And that is Sandrock. Quatre's."
"It looks to be quite heavy."
"Sandrock was designed with defense in mind. See those heavy boots at its feet? Those are anchors that can root Sandrock to one spot and form a towering fortress that will continue to stand and fight even if all the others fall. Formidable, is it not?"
"Why are they all surrounding Heero?" she noted, "Do they mean to attack him at once?"
"Let us watch and find out."
There was a pause for some time before Shenlong lunged first, swiping its glaive at Wing. Relena had scarcely been able to follow his moves as Wing quickly drew forth a saber and successfully parried his attack. Deathscythe then appeared from behind, with Wing barely managing to defend with his shield. And while he was still preoccupied with both Shenlong and Deathscythe, Heavyarms and Sandrock took their opportunities to rush forward also. Wing managed to defend itself blow after blow; however, with all 4 generals engaging him at once it was hard to find an opening. But Heero was patient – he only needed one, and soon enough it would come.
The sounds of metal clashing upon itself boomed through the courtyard and Relena winced at how jarring each crash was. She heard Duo grunting in pain as he was smashed back against a wall, leaving a decent-sized dent in his wake.
"They're so fierce," Relena whispered, "What if someone actually gets hurt?"
"That's the point!" Dorothy clasped her hands together, "If they didn't come at each other with killing intent, how could any of them improve? You can't become better if your training partners are constantly holding back."
"Is that all you got!" Duo taunted, "Marriage making you soft, Heero?"
He gasped when Wing appeared before him. Duo deflected the saber aimed at his chest before kicking the general backward, placing space between them. Shenlong then struck again and once more the battle was engaged.
Relena winced as the loud noises began to make her head pound slightly. It was certainly impressive seeing the massive suits of armor in action and witnessing all the things Dorothy had described, but for some reason she could not take as much pleasure in it as her companion did. The whole situation just felt very uncomfortable, and she didn't know why. Perhaps it was a combination of the noise and smells…
"Are you alright, Lady Yuy?"
"I'm fine," she waved off the concerned soldier, "Just a momentary headache. I suppose I am not used to such things."
Although it wasn't as if she hadn't seen combat before, so it perplexed her as to what was causing this discomfort. Romefeller was a very military-centric kingdom, and she had seen many training exercises in the past, though not with mobile suits. Yet, why was this particular instance causing her trouble? Maybe it wasn't that, maybe it was something else…
Wufei cursed as he collapsed to the floor, incapacitated by Wing's previous strike. He had been engaged in a one-on-one battle with Heero and for a while it seemed as if their abilities were evenly matched. He had matched his strikes blow for blow, but then he had miscalculated Heero's future move but just a few centimeters. That proved to be his downfall as it gave the general just enough room to deal a finishing move.
"One down."
Deathscythe engaged him next, using its cloaking techniques to evade Heero's detection. He might not be as quick, but the lack of visual input would be enough to deny Heero the opportunity to anticipate Duo's next attack. The second general smirked when he landed yet another blow upon Wing, this time leaving a decently sized scratch upon its thigh area. That should have severed some of the core movement mechanisms there, thus limiting his mobility.
"Not enough."
"What?"
Duo cried out as Wing's fist collided with his gut, knocking him back and effectively out of the fight. The braided general lifted himself shakily. But how could he have moved so fast? The mechanisms in his right leg were just cut! His eyes widened when he realized Heero had purposefully forced the movement in his leg: doing so provided him with the necessary speed to bring down, but it also greatly aggravated the damage.
"Two down."
Quatre and Trowa then went at Heero together. Both generals' suits complimented each other well: Sandrock was built for defense and Heavyarms for offense, so this much Heero had anticipated. He grit his teeth as he locked blades with Sandrock, who used his weight as an advantage over the much lighter Wing. His armor was able to resist knockback much more strongly than the others, giving him the opportunity to lock Heero in place.
"Now, Trowa!"
A barrage of cannon-fire rained down upon him. Trowa held nothing back and fired upon the site, creating a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The soldiers in the courtyard cried out and fled for cover. Relena and Dorothy also stepped back from the scene, wary of any shrapnel headed their way. Was general Barton serious? Releasing a whole barrage! He really did mean to kill him!
The cloud grew larger and engulfed the entire field in a blinding haze. It was impossible to see what was going on, and Relena couldn't hear anything either.
Her shoulders began to shake. What was going on now? Was Heero actually…? The thought suddenly made a cold shudder run down her spine. She wasn't close to him at all, but he was still the only family she had at the moment. If she was going to lose another-
Several loud clangs interrupted her train of thought. In an instant, the cloud cleared, and there stood Wing over the armors of both Sandrock and Heavyarms.
"Three and Four."
The chest pieces of each suit opened and out leapt the five combatants. Duo yawned and stretched his arms high over his head. Well, another match lost, but that was alright.
Truthfully he had just wanted to get the training match over with since it was more a formality than anything. King Dekim had ordered the generals to spar daily with Heero in order to prep him for the Zero system, but Duo and the others knew it was impossible to do so within the confines of the capital. If they had actually been serious about the fight, Oz and the castle would be completely obliterated by now. So, they had to hold back, and it made for very boring, time-wasting matches that meant absolutely nothing. Admittedly he was still a bit bitter at having lost though, even if it was for a worthless match.
"Bravo!" Dorothy clapped as she entered the courtyard, "I had my doubts, General Yuy! Bravo!"
"Dorothy?" Quatre blinked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
"We just happened to be in the area visiting Sylvia Noventa and thought to pay you all a visit. It is Relena's first time visiting Oz's training grounds, after all."
It was then that he noticed the honey-blonde politely standing behind Dorothy.
"Ah, Lady Yuy!" he bowed, "Forgive me, I had not seen you there.
"Good afternoon, General Winner," she curtsied in reply. Trowa and Wufei bowed in greeting as well.
"Relena!" Duo grinned, "What a pleasant surprise having a real lady visit our training grounds for once!" he knelt and kissed the back of her hand. Relena blushed and heard Dorothy protesting hotly with Quatre attempting to restrain her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Heero regarding her silently. She gulped. He always had that stoic expression… Was he displeased she was here? Indifferent?
Duo wrinkled his nose at them, "Shouldn't you two be off doing more ladylike things instead of watching a bunch of sweaty guys get beat up?"
"On the contrary," the duchess teased, "Nothing provides me more entertainment than watching you get beat."
"Hey! At least I wasn't the first to go down!"
"What are you trying to say, Maxwell?" Wufei growled
"Can't we just get along for once?" Quatre tried desperately to defuse the situation and looked at Trowa for assistance, who offered no response.
"…"
Relena smiled as Dorothy and the generals continued to bicker playfully. Looking around, she saw Heero by Wing examining the cut along its thigh. She went to join him since he was her husband after all, so it would be weird if she left without attempting at least some small talk.
"You were quite impressive out there, General Yuy."
"Heero."
Ah, that was right. Relena blushed again. It still felt so very strange to refer to him with such familiarity.
As expected, he said nothing and continued to survey the damage.
"Is it very bad?"
Heero paused but still did not turn towards her, "No, but it will take some work."
"Ah, I see."
The conversation fell into silence again, but this time Relena did not mind it. She was actually rather engrossed in watching Heero examine his suit. With part of the exterior armor cut away, she could see the complicated assembly of gears and parts underneath that she supposed controlled its movement. There looked to be many little pistons of sorts and other materials she did not recognize.
"What is this for?" she pointed to the long, smooth parts.
"Those are plates that slide against each other and allow the suit to flex and contract. It mimics the natural movement of the body."
"It's shocking to imagine people are capable of creating such things," she marveled, "These suits look so complex and yet it moves so easily when you pilot it."
"Would you like to view the suits more closely, Lady Yuy?" she heard Duo shout from across the courtyard. The group was now watching them with curiosity. She figured they were probably interested in seeing how their stony general acted around her. "I'm sure Heero wouldn't mind showing you Wing more in-depth!"
"Ah!" Relena reddened slightly, "N-No, I wouldn't want to accidentally mess anything up."
As soon as the words left her mouth she began to regret them. She was trying to be modest, but maybe if she learned more about his mobile suit then maybe she could get to know him better. Finally find a way to relate to her husband.
"Do you want to see?"
At this, Relena was taken aback. He would really let her get a closer look?
Heero studied the girl. It intrigued him that she expressed interest in learning more about the suit.
"Come," he gestured for her to approach.
Relena let out a brief squeak as he placed his hands securely upon her waist before lifting her into the seat of the armor. She was still not used to the feel of a man's touch upon her body, even though she was married to said man.
There was not much room in the seat for two people, she found. As Heero explained the mechanisms of each part, all Relena could focus on was how painfully aware she was of their proximity. She was practically breathing on his neck, the skin of which was wet and slick with sweat. Vaguely she could hear him explaining how these straps wrapped around each limb and controlled the suit somewhat like a puppet.
"Do you want to try?"
"Ah? Really, you'd let me?"
"You're gentle. I trust you."
She blushed and nodded. Though she couldn't exactly explain why, that statement felt so… comforting. Heero went to work strapping her arm in and readjusting the glove-looking mechanism to fit as tightly as possible around her hand. It involved quite a bit of steps, but he went through each swiftly and with incredible ease. It was no surprise, since he did this nearly daily after all.
"Put your arm here, like this. Now pull."
Relena found that the suit had an incredible amount of resistance. Her arm shook as she struggled against her straps. This is what Heero was moving with such ease and grace? Incredible! Sensing her difficulties, Heero placed his arm over hers and lent some of his strength. Within a few seconds, Wing's arm lifted, slowly but surely.
"It's moving!" she remarked, "I say, you're quite devious, Heero. You make it look so easy!"
"Hn."
Relena could have sworn she saw just the faintest of smirks tug at his lips.
For a little while longer they explored the suit's capabilities, going over what mechanisms were involved in creating movement then demonstrating the range of mobility it provided. She wasn't strong enough to move any one part, but Heero was patient and assisted her without complaint. It was when the sun began descending over the horizon did they decide to retire. Dorothy and the others had already gone off ahead.
Heero caught her as she jumped from the chest piece and eased her to the ground. Relena was awed by how careful he was, yet underneath that gentle touch was an immense strength.
"Thank you for showing me your suit, Heero," Relena smiled as they headed to gather his belongings.
"Hn."
"When you wear the suit, do you have to think critically on your actions or does it feel instinctual at this point?"
"Instinctual. You perform better the less you have to think"
"Do you remember very much when you are on the battlefield, then?"
Relena hesitated when she noticed Heero had stopped walking. His back was to her and she guiltily wondered if she had accidentally said something inappropriate. Perhaps that territory was rather touchy, or she triggered an unsavory memory.
"I'm sorry," she said, "If I made you recall something uncomfortable…"
"… No," Heero said, "Sometimes you remember, sometimes it becomes a blur of the same things over and over."
"I would imagine for most it might be so painful," Relena whispered, "Bearing the responsibility of wearing one of these. I don't know much about you, Heero… but I'm trying my best to learn."
"…"
"I guess what I mean in asking these questions is to better understand your life. It might not ever be possible for me to ever grasp what you feel when you're out there, and perhaps you may not ever be able to properly convey it to me, but I hope someday at least… if… if the burden of wearing this armor ever becomes too painful… please, come to me. This arrangement might not have been of our design, but in the end you are still the one who gave me a home after mine was taken away… so in return I want to help support you as best I can."
Heero finally turned to look at her. Those deep blue eyes were intense, intimidating. Full of a mix of emotions that were both palpable and indescribable. Relena met his gaze with a confident one of her own. She meant those words – she really did – and she wanted him to know that.
They held eye contact for a little while longer. Heero broke away first and resumed his trek towards the main compound. Neither said anything else, but Relena did not mind the silence. He didn't need to reply, just as long as he knew she was there for him.
At the stables, Heero lifted her onto his horse, being mindful to position her sideways as to not disturb her skirt. She thanked him and he nodded before settling himself behind her.
The horse trotted at a leisurely pace, gently lolling its riders back and forth. The evening air was cool and refreshing; the road towards the manor was sparsely populated and rather peaceful.
Relena thought back to their wedding day, when she had passed out in the carriage and he had placed his coat over her. On the second day, when she had fallen asleep waiting for him, he had carried her up to her room and took care not to rouse her. He could have easily just shaken her awake and instructed her to go up herself, but he didn't. From then on, she also noticed that he now returned at sundown each day. And today, he had patiently spent several hours explaining Wing to her.
"You're gentle. I trust you."
A soft smile graced her lips. The fearsome General Yuy was actually quite a considerate man, she mused.
Sneaking a glance upward, she saw that his face held the same blank expression as always. But tonight, she swore that it was just the slightest bit softer. He was strong and fierce, yet not once did he ever force her to do anything. He always handled her carefully – even now his arms were pressed snugly against her back and stomach, making sure she did not fall.
Relena sighed and slumped back against his chest. For just a brief moment he tensed in surprise but then relaxed. His body was warm, firm. Through his shirt, she could sense his heartbeat: slow, steady, and comforting. For the first time since her father's death, she felt safe… secure…
"Heero?" she yawned.
"Hn?"
"You know…" her voice began trailing, "…You're gentle, too…"
Heero looked down perplexed, but Relena had already closed her eyes and relaxed peacefully against his chest. He could read an unspoken trust written on her face. It was then he also noticed it no longer bore the same timidity and anxiousness that frequently worried her. She looked better this way, he thought.
Admittedly he was still getting used to having her around, but he found he did not mind her presence as much as he thought he would. In fact, it was rather… nice. Her aura was vastly different from all those who he encountered yet somehow familiar. She was kind, agreeable, yet occasionally he also saw sparks of strength and confidence. He thought back to her earlier request: to come to her if he ever became too burdened by the battlefield.
Did he ever feel any pain from wearing his armor?
In the back of his mind, he saw the image of a small girl.
Smiling, laughing, reaching out with open arms.
He tightened his grip on the reins and took a few moments to compose himself. Again, he observed his sleeping wife. Yes, that was it... her aura matched that little girl's.
Peaceful.
He brushed a lock of hair away from her face.
"This time," Heero murmured, "I'll protect you for sure…"
