Chapter Nine

To say the carriage ride was awkward would have been an understatement. She could not help but fidget nervously as she willed herself not to meet the gaze of a certain commanding general who was no doubt scrutinizing her strange behavior. That morning she had been surprised to see Heero joining her for breakfast instead of setting off for Oz as he normally would. Today, he said, he had business to attend to later in the city and was not expected at the training grounds.

Relena had been planning to meet Natalie in the capital as well, so for the sake of convenience Heero offered to ride together with her. She had no reason to decline the offer, yet his being in the same enclosed space as her was the root of her current distress.

Over breakfast, she tried to fill the air with conversation as she normally did, but he seemed more taciturn than usual in his answers. During those intermittent quiet periods, her mind kept wandering back to the events of the previous night: how close they had been, how gently he had treated her, how strangely soft yet secure his presence was... She wanted to ask what his actions meant. But, of course, she did not dare to. Relena was sure the embarrassment was evident all over her face so she did all she could to avoid his gaze.

"What business do you have in town?" she asked in another attempt to distract herself from her thoughts.

"General Maxwell and I will be inspecting a new shipment of steel goods from the colonies."

"You go to inspect them yourself?"

"The habit carried over from when I was a lieutenant," Heero shrugged.

Relena supposed there was no other person more qualified to judge the quality of the kingdom's weaponry, after all, than someone who had spent nearly his entire life on the battlefield wielding steel weapons of all sorts. But something told her there was a bit more to his explanation than he let on. At some point when he was promoted, the task should have fallen to his successor, but it was likely that Heero insisted on carrying on with the inspections anyway.

She recalled the way he had carefully shown her his gundam in all its armored complexity. The detailed explanations he gave regarding the suit's inner workings demonstrated that he was a bit more interested in these things than necessitated by his duty. It seemed he had a liking for the intricacies and theories of design behind weaponry and machinery. Perhaps she would ask Noin later about having a workshop or a smithy built for him. As much as she appreciated how much freedom he gave her to change the manor to suit her tastes, Relena also wanted to make sure Heero would feel comfortable at the estate as well and have comforts he could enjoy. There was still so much to learn about him, and each new piece fascinated her more.

They continued to sit in silence as the carriage rocked down the road, and the noise and bustle outside grew in intensity as they approached the capital. Before long, they came to a halt near the city's central square. Heero offered her his hand as they alighted from the carriage and Relena stifled the blush threatening to tint her cheeks at the contact. What was wrong with her? She wasn't so nervous around him before-at least, not like this.

"Where shall I meet you?" she asked. She was only going to visit a few shops and have tea with Natalie, so her business would be concluded earlier than Heero's.

At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted them with a high-pitched squeal. A young woman ran excitedly towards Relena and threw her arms around her dear friend, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"Relena! There you are!"

"Hi, Natalie," Relena laughed.

"I've missed you so much!"

"But you just visited me at the estate not a week ago?"

"Yes, but I miss our outings!" Natalie pouted playfully. She then grabbed Relena's hand and was about to lead her in the direction of the main shopping district but suddenly froze in terror.

"G-General Yuy!" Natalie's tone turned meek and quiet. She bowed her head low, silently reprimanding herself for not greeting him earlier and for showing such unbecoming behavior towards his wife. He could have her head if he perceived any disrespect on her part.

Much to her relief, Heero seemed to ignore her and turned towards Relena.

"I'll meet you here again in a few hours."

Relena nodded in understanding and bade him farewell as a servant unlatched one of the carriage's horses and brought it to him. Once Heero was far enough away, Natalie sighed heavily and steadied herself against her friend. She didn't think she could ever get used to the frightfully chilling aura that Romefeller's top commanding general exuded. How on earth did Relena bear to live with him?

Although Natalie, like any other citizen in the kingdom, still feared the intimidating man, she had been slowly learning to lower her guard around him. After all, he seemed to be getting along quite well with Relena. Well, as well as one could manage for someone of his disposition. But to Natalie, Relena seemed happier. Content, even. Though she had not seen a real smile grace her friend's face since her father's death, Natalie was sure that she could slowly see the warmth returning to her countenance. Anyone who Relena trusted was someone Natalie could trust... even if it took some getting used to.

"Any new developments?" Natalie mirthfully eyed her friend as she tugged her arm toward a nearby shop.

"Developments?"

"You know!" she teased, "With your dear husband!"

Relena flushed and started walking faster down the lane. She had just got done shaking the thoughts about last night from her mind, and now Natalie wanted to bring them up again!

"Oh! You dare hide something from me?"

"No, I assure you-!"

Natalie smiled mischievously.

Though by now other newlyweds would have had much to gush about, Natalie was not truly worried about the progression of her friend's marital affairs. There might not have been much to talk about at this moment, but the fact that the light had slowly been returning to Relena's eyes over these past couple of months had been enough to tell Natalie all she needed to know about her and Heero. And, dare she say, there was more pink than usual in her cheeks today.

The pair made their way down a bustling, stone path until they arrived at a store advertising textiles and other goods. A pair of guards followed not too far behind at Heero's insistence. Relena was still not used to the fact that armed escorts accompanied her whenever she went into the capital. Romefeller was a heavily guarded city to begin with, so there usually was no need for guards unless one was a particularly notable individual. Though she was Minister Darlian's daughter, she had kept a low profile and eschewed appearances at imperial functions, but now that could no longer be the case. She was connected to the most notorious figure in the entire kingdom-a person with many, many enemies. Despite how strongly guarded and safe the city normally was, its security was not perfect. Bitter memories of the night her father was assassinated threatened to take over her mind again, but she willed them not to.

As they entered the shop, a kindly old man standing at the counter greeted them. The guards stood watch at the door while Natalie excitedly tugged Relena inward.

Relena's eyes wandered over the many bolts of cloth lining every wall of the shop. There were also shelves full of spools of ribbon, lace, thread, and sundries of all sorts. If they had more time, she would have loved to stay longer and examine each cloth in more detail, but she had a certain purpose for entering this shop today.

"You must purchase this one!" Natalie's eyes glimmered with glee as she held a bolt up to the light. "Just look how it sparkles!"

"Young miss has an eye for fine things," the shopkeeper chuckled.

Relena smiled and ran a hand across the smooth velvet. It was dyed a bold, rich azure and flecked with strands that seemed to shimmer with an almost golden quality when viewed from certain angles. She couldn't deny that it was a well-crafted material, yet it was not quite what she had in mind. She needed something sturdier, more substantial, and not quite so bold.

"Might I see your collection of broadcloths? Preferably any in an earthier tone?" she asked.

"Certainly, but may I ask for what purpose you have in mind?"

Relena pondered for a moment.

"I'm hoping to have a cloak made for someone who travels frequently. I would like for it to be reasonably lightweight, not a burden to the wearer, yet strong enough to shield them from the elements."

"Indeed!" the shopkeep raised his brows in interest, "Wool would be a fine choice. We also offer a selection of furs that can be sewn in the lining or upon the shoulders for extra warmth, if you desire."

Relena nodded and the shopkeep bowed dutifully before leaving to fetch the aforementioned materials from his stores. Natalie pouted and turned to Relena with the deep blue velvet still in hand.

"Truly, will you not consider this? I think it is fine enough to suit someone of his rank. It is far finer than wool, anyway."

"It is," Relena sighed, "But its beauty would be lost on the battlefield."

"Then will you at least allow me to purchase this for you to fashion a new gown?" Natalie huffed, "You've hardly updated your wardrobe for the past three years. You have a significant status to uphold now, after all."

Relena glanced nervously down at the modest traveling gown she wore today, the hem of which was slightly scuffed from much use. There was some truth to her words. Since Lady Mareen passed, Relena had been put in charge of the Darlians' estate and finances while her father was away fulfilling his diplomatic duties to the kingdom. Though had only been 15 at the time, she had understood the weight of her responsibilities and developed a very conservative relationship with the family finances. She carried these careful habits into her new life, even though she really did not need to anymore. It was just a force of habit, she supposed.

Heero was always handsomely compensated for his victories and, combined with the salary he already earned as Romefeller's Commanding General, the amount was enough to make Relena's eyes bulge when Noin first showed her. To boot, Heero was even more frugal than she and only ever spent on basic necessities. He was not frugal out of will or greed to preserve his fortune, though. Rather, he had very few needs or desires beyond the essentials for survival. Together with her inheritance from the Darlian estate, they really were not lacking anything and could afford to spend as much as needed.

Lately, Relena had been investing most of the finances into hiring more workers to restore and care for the estate since it had been left unused for so long. She made a note to speak with Noin about posting an ad to the local guilds to advertise for more help around the manor.

Still, it was hard to bring herself to consider something for herself like buying a new wardrobe. Was her current attire very lacking? She didn't care much as much about appearances as some of the other court ladies did since she and her mother had rarely ever made any appearances at official public functions to begin with. But Natalie was correct in the sense that Relena was someone who represented the Yuy name now as well. Appearances mattered greatly to the aristocrats of King Dekim's court. Would they disparage Heero in secret because of her?

She glanced at her reflection in a floor-length mirror nearby, and the woman looking back at her wore a simple dress that was of solid color with few adornments. It had a straight silhouette, not at all like the flowing, elegant gowns donned by the other high-ranking ladies.

Did Heero care about such things? Would he notice if she dressed more maturely?

She frowned.

"At least let me buy it for you," Natalie pouted as she watched her friend's internal struggle.

"No!" seeing as how she would not relent, Relena sighed in defeat. "Fine, at least save your coin. I shall purchase it. I suppose I am due for a new dress after all."

She reasoned that this purchase was only helping support the local shopkeep, which helped her feel a bit less guilty for spending 'unnecessarily' on herself.

Natalie clapped her hands together in glee and set about gathering ribbons and laces to match the velvet.

Shortly thereafter, the shopkeep returned with several bundles of wool and laid them out upon a display table. As requested, they were various shades of earth: warm and woodsy golds, dark and shadowy browns... but Relena's eyes landed on a deep, forest green. She could not explain why, but its hue captured her attention.

"This one, it's perfect."

"Certainly!"

As they discussed the details of the purchase, the shopkeeper dipped his pen into a nearby pot of ink and took note of her order.

"Would you like any additional adornments on the cloak?"

Relena paused for a moment to consider. After a short while, she spoke.

"A white wing," she said, "Just a small one, embroidered near the clasp."

The shopkeeper nodded.

"Where shall I send the cloak once it is complete?"

"The Yuy estate."

The man's eyes widened as the pen nearly fell from his grasp.

"O-Oh!" he hurried to bow his head low in deference. "Lady Yuy! Please forgive my lack of respect earlier, had I known-!"

"Please, raise your head," Relena blushed and waved her hands to indicate he need not prostrate himself so. Honestly, she was still getting used to being treated so differently with her new status. "You treated us with plenty of civility."

The shopkeeper was still a bit nervous but upon sensing the gentleness in her tone finally relaxed his shoulders.

The people of Romefeller had long wondered what kind of woman could win over the heart of Oz's so-called Angel of Death. They wondered if she would be as ruthless as he, but to his surprise, the young lady standing before him was polite and modest. Not a trace of arrogance or intimidation in her aura.

Perhaps with some luck, the shopkeep mused, General Yuy would start to take after his wife.


Relena let out a sigh as she settled herself against the seat and lifted the small teacup to her lips. After they concluded their business at the fabric shop, Relena had made one other stop before Natalie brought them to a few other stores and stalls. It was a wonder how that girl had as much energy as she did. Thankfully, they had decided to finally rest at a popular cafe in the center of town, and Relena was grateful for the reprieve. She noted the guards must also have been grateful for the break in Natalie's shopping frenzy.

The mint and lemon tea they ordered was cool and refreshing. As Relena was about to take another sip, a young woman striding by the cafe caught her eye.

For a second she doubted whether she had the correct person, or if she even correctly remembered her name, but Relena tentatively called out to her anyway.

"Hilde?"

The young woman halted and looked around in confusion. Her face relaxed upon recognizing a familiar sight and hurried over.

"Miss Darlian!" Hilde beamed. "What a surprise! I never thought I would see you again!"

"Likewise," Relena chuckled and gestured for her to have a seat. "And please, Relena is fine."

Hilde sat happily and stowed her heavy-looking bag beneath the table. She declined refreshments, but Relena insisted nonetheless.

"Hilde, this is my friend, Miss Natalie Chaid. Natalie, this is Hilde. We met at the last Oz celebratory banquet."

"Hello!" Natalie warmly greeted her new acquaintance. "Any friend of Relena's is also a friend of mine!"

"I hope you have been well," Relena turned to Hilde. "Did your injury heal alright?"

"Of course," Hilde smiled. "It would have taken more than that to stop me."

As they chatted, Relena was relieved to see that Hilde had been well. She always wondered what had happened to her after that night. When she had tried to inquire about her, she found that nobody had ever heard of a Hilde Schbeiker. Relena then reasoned Hilde must have been visiting through the capital on business, so she wasn't sure when she would ever see or hear from her next.

She found Hilde to be a charming and endearing individual as well as refreshingly bold and honest. She did not dance around the topic as was often the manner in which the nobility spoke and gave her opinion rather easily.

It was a rather warm day, and Hilde found that it felt nice to rest her soles and cool down with a refreshing glass of chilled tea.

"I had been worried about you after that night," Relena said to Hilde.

"Honestly, I could have said the same about you," she replied. "You stood for me against such high-ranking officials. What were you even thinking? After I left I was sure something would have happened to you."

A slight pang stabbed at Relena's heart. Well, things did happen shortly after... but none of that had been related to the incident with Hilde. Besides, she didn't need to mention that and bring down the mood of such a pleasant afternoon. Natalie noticed her hesitation and glanced worriedly at her.

"I'm alright," Relena smiled softly and set down her cup.

Hilde was not entirely oblivious to the slight change in her voice but decided it was not her place to press any further. As she thought upon what to say next, she suddenly flinched. A moment later, a certain brunette man walked up to their table.

"Good afternoon, ladies!"

"General Maxwell!" Relena blinked in surprise. "What a pleasant surprise running into you here."

"The pleasure is all mine," he knelt and planted a small kiss on the back of her hand. "We finished our business not too long ago and I took the liberty of going on ahead and letting you know he should be arriving soon."

Relena blushed hotly at Duo's teasing while Natalie giggled mirthfully. Hilde quirked a brow warily. They were friends now?

"Ah! Forgive me, I've been quite rude in forgetting to greet your companions. Miss Chaid," he turned to Natalie and knelt to kiss her hand as well. Then, as he looked over to Hilde, she looked in the other direction.

"May I ask the honor of introducing me to your friend?"

"General Maxwell, this is Miss Hilde Schbeiker. Hilde, General Duo Maxwell."

"Sir," she replied, barely acknowledging him.

Duo was undeterred, "We've met before, haven't we? Although under less than pleasant circumstances. I'm glad to see you're well now."

"I thank you for your concern."

"Apologies," he frowned, "Have I done something to offend you, miss?"

There was a brief and awkward pause before she spoke again. Relena and Natalie glanced nervously at each other.

"No, you have not done anything to offend me in the moment, general," Hilde replied after a long pause, but the unspoken words were there. Her hostility wasn't towards any specific action he had made towards her. Rather, it was towards what he and those of his rank represented to her.

Duo could only smile sadly as he acknowledged her sentiments. He could not blame her for feeling that way. For all the reverence and adoration they were showered with while inside the capital, he knew full well how those outside the city felt about him and Oz.

Relena looked anxiously between her companions and sought to diffuse the sour atmosphere. As she tried to change the topic, a sudden commotion disturbed her thoughts.

There were voices yelling and a loud crash. Out the corner of her eye, Relena saw a little girl dart out from behind a market stall and rush at their table. With a quick flick of the wrist, she yanked at the tablecloth, causing the tray of tea and refreshments to spill onto Relena and Natalie. Hilde and Duo managed to jump away in the nick of time.

"Y-You!" Natalie cried out, indignant. "Watch where you-!"

She was unable to finish her sentence as Duo's hand shot out to catch the girl by the scruff of her collar, causing her to tumble to the floor. She whimpered and struggled to free herself from his grasp.

The guards hollered and ran to their side, swords drawn.

"Tch," Duo shrugged and waved them away. "You guys reacted too slowly. Tend to Lady Yuy and her friend, and put your swords away."

They looked guiltily at each other and did as they were commanded.

"We're fine," Relena assured them. "Really, I'm sure it was an accident-"

"L-Let me go...!" the little girl cried.

"Awfully bold of you," Duo clicked his tongue as he reached to grab an object from the little girl's hand.

Relena had hardly been able to process what just happened and only belatedly noticed when Duo returned the object to her. He held a velveteen pouch out to her. The young girl had apparently tried to steal Relena's coin purse and pulled the tablecloth as a distraction, but her tricks were no match for Duo.

"I... I... It w-was an accident," the little girl stammered, shuddering under their gaze.

By now, a small crowd had gathered to see what all the hubbub was about, and the wait staff rushed over to help clean the mess off of Relena and Natalie's dresses. Relena brushed aside their concern as her dress was hardly an important matter at the moment. Her heart clenched at the sight of the girl struggling fearfully in Duo's grip. Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes.

She was a young, frail-looking thing with gaunt features. Her frock was scuffed and dirty, indicating the garment had not been tended to for quite some time. Was she an orphan?

Duo grimaced and eased his hold on the back of her dress. Stealing from nobility was punishable by amputation of the hand that stole, but the girl was hungry. He had seen countless like her before... Memories of an old church flashed across his vision.

Her circumstances were by no means an excuse for what she did, but he at least understood that she must have felt pushed into a corner with no other alternative to earn her bread. She was so young, after all, and so small.

"General Maxwell, I'm alright." Relena said. "Please, the girl-"

"TANYA, RUN! I'LL DISTRACT THEM!"

A boy broke through the crowd and withdrew what looked like a makeshift shiv from his waistband. Relena's eyes widened as he barreled towards her.

"Oi!" Duo yelled and prepared to draw his sword.

The next few moments seemed to happen in a daze for Relena.

Hilde grabbed her and pushed her aside so as to be out of the way of the boy's charge, but scarce had the boy gotten to his feet had a blur flown before them. Before the boy could even draw his next breath, a heavy boot collided with his chest and knocked the wind from his lungs. The knife fell from the boy's hand to a nearby guard who seized the weapon. Cold steel pressed against the boy's throat, the tip sharp enough to draw blood. A few more guards then appeared upon the scene.

Heero stood above the boy, his gaze as icy and penetrating as the sword in his hand. As Relena watched the scene unfold, she felt her blood run cold. Where had Heero even come from? He appeared so quickly. Seeing how effortlessly he had drawn his blade against this boy who looked no older than thirteen or fourteen made her stomach churn. She knew full well Heero's reputation and that he was known to kill men, women, and children alike-any who dared to stand against or threaten him. But witnessing it in person... she hated this sight.

"P-please!" the little girl, Tanya, tried to run towards them but Duo kept her restrained, "M-my brother!"

Heero ignored her cries. He glanced over to Relena, giving her a cursory assessment to see if she had at all been injured. Once satisfied that she was alright, he turned again to the boy who tried desperately to weasel himself out from beneath Heero's boot. Fear shook his irises at the pure contempt staring back at him. The malicious aura emanating from the general was suffocating.

"Attempted murder of a noble is punishable by death," Heero growled.

A wave of nausea overcame Relena, and her skin paled. No, he couldn't be serious? Yes, the boy had threatened her, and yes that was Romefeller law... but... but-!

"Look away, miss," Hilde's jaw tightened.

Tanya screamed hysterically as Heero raised his sword. The boy could do nothing but gape wordlessly at the Angel of Death himself.

No, this was wrong... this-!

At the moment he prepared to carry out the execution, a cry interrupted his swing.

"NO!"

Heero blinked, unsure as to why he had been halted. He looked over to see Relena rushing over to the boy's side, gathering him into her arms and positioning herself so that her upper body protected him from Heero's blade. The boy gazed up at her in confusion but then buried his face in the protective embrace of her arms.

"Stop, please!" Relena begged.

Heero's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Relena," his tone was low but level, "get away from him. He may still be armed."

"Heero, look at him. He's afraid!"

"He threatened you."

"He was defending his sister!"

Heero did not reply to her. Relena took the opportunity to press on.

"I, I know what they did was wrong, but please, hear me out."

The crowd around them began to murmur but neither Relena nor Heero paid them any mind. Duo, Natalie, and Hilde could only watch in shock. What on earth was she thinking?

"They know what they did was wrong, too, but please spare them. They're starving children. Removing her hand or ending his life won't change their circumstances, or anyone's circumstances, for the better, will it?"

"..."

"The law is the law, yes, but the law also allows us to be judicious in our executions of it. Please, Heero, I implore you to spare them. Give them this opportunity to learn and right their paths. There can be no good gained from spilling their blood today."

The atmosphere grew completely silent. Nobody dared to interject. Relena and Heero continued to lock eyes. Her gaze was unwavering, but the tips of her fingers quivered ever so slightly. Heero had seen many people face his blade before with varying reactions. Many had trembled before him before, cowered, and begged, yet for some reason, he disliked when she did.

After a few more moments, Heero sheathed his sword.

The guards surrounding them could not contain their flabbergasted expressions. Commanding General Heero Yuy had never before allowed any exception to Romefeller's law. All who dared to oppose the order of the land always met their demise no matter who pleaded on their behalf. How could this be?

Duo could not believe his eyes either. His grip on the little girl relaxed completely and she ran to join her brother. As Relena rose to her feet, the two children hid behind her skirts. She held steadfastly onto their shoulders as she continued to look back at Heero. He stared at her for a while, his azure eyes darkened with indiscernible thoughts. With one last glance at her and the children, he turned to head back the way which he came. He motioned to a nearby guard that their business was concluded here and that it was time to summon the carriage.

At his orders, the guards snapped to attention again and ordered the crowd to disperse. They rushed off, still whispering in excited and perplexed tones, no doubt all in shock at what they just witnessed.

"W-What, he let them go?"

"Can you believe Lady Yuy threw herself in front of him like that! What was she thinking?!"

"Get those kids away from here! What if he changes his mind and comes back to finish the job?"

"Relena, you're crazy! You've really lost your mind!"

Natalie accosted her friend before pulling her into a hug that was equal parts relief and worry.

"How could you have put yourself in danger like that?! What if your voice had reached him just a fraction too late and he accidentally struck you? Or worse?! And to risk your life for these two?"

The children cowered but Relena brushed aside Natalie's comments.

"I'm fine. I could not just stand idly by and watch them lose their lives over a few coins."

"But-!"

"I do not wish to discuss this any further. You are frightening them. I think it best we depart now."

Natalie wrung her hands helplessly as Relena took her leave. The two children looked fearfully between each other and the remaining crowd, unsure of where to go. With no other option, they hurried after Relena. As they left, Duo scratched his head and sighed heavily as he turned to Hilde.

"I suppose this is also my signal to take my leave. I apologize for the commotion, miss."

"It was not your doing," she shrugged. In fact, Hilde was far from troubled by it. Every time she had met Relena, an interesting surprise was sure to follow.

Honestly, she had thought that most of Romefeller's nobility were disinclined to have any sympathy for the lower class. It was evident from how they treated the colonies, after all. But to see a spark of such genuine care and benevolence from such an individual was both exciting and hopeful.

But one thing she did wonder about was... didn't Duo refer to Relena as, "Lady Yuy"? Hilde's stomach churned uneasily. She hoped dearly that she heard wrong. As far as Hilde knew last time they met months ago, Relena had never even met the generals before. But given Relena's familiarity with General Maxwell and her interactions with General Yuy, Hilde could not mistake that Relena seemed intimately tied to them now.

'Please... If it's true, you must leave your situation, Relena. I don't want to become your enemy...'

"I hope I will have the opportunity to speak with you again, Miss Hilde," Duo said, bidding her farewell.

She gave a slight but empty nod as he left.

"For both of our sakes," she whispered almost imperceptibly, "I hope the opposite."


On the way back to the carriage, Relena was not at all unaware of the two frightened shadows trailing her. They kept a bit of distance, no doubt because the guards accompanying her seemed to glare contemptuously at the pair, but they did not hurt the two at Lady Yuy's insistence. She stopped to turn around and kneel towards them. The children gasped and darted immediately behind nearby lamp posts. Relena stifled a laugh at their shyness.

"Come now, I know you've been following me," she beckoned them to come out from their hiding places. "What is it that you need?"

There was a short pause before they peeked out from the posts, still nervous.

"These guards won't hurt you, nor will anyone else here. Don't worry."

A bit reassured by her words, the boy was first to step up and speak.

"We just don't know where else to go, miss," he fidgeted nervously with the hem of his ragged shirt. "Everyone was looking at us..."

Relena smiled sadly at them. They were orphans after all, huh?

"What did you two say your names were again?"

"I'm Viktor, miss. That's my little sister, Tanya."

The little girl shyly gave as best a clumsy curtsy as she could.

"And where are you both from?"

"From up north, miss, in the mountains. We helped mum till the fields, but she got sick and told us to come here and find our father before she... she... Well, we did, we came here, but dad was already... and mum..."

His voice trailed off but Relena understood the implication well enough. Her chest ached for them. She remembered full well the pain of losing her parents, but for the two of them to do so at such a young age seemed too cruel. Relena thought for a moment.

"Viktor, you and your sister used to help your mother with your farm, did you?"

He shook his head vigorously yes.

"You know," she tapped a finger against her chin, "We have a lot of land in much need of help and many craftspeople in need of apprentices. How would you like to come see if you can learn a thing or two from them?"

His eyes lit up for the first time with something other than fear and trepidation. It warmed Relena's heart.

"Can we? And Tanya...?"

"Tanya too, of course."

The children brightened significantly and Relena motioned that it was alright to approach her. The guards still stared cautiously at the children as they neared, but Relena urged them to pay them no heed and to simply follow her.

A few minutes later they arrived at the place where the carriage was waiting for them, along with the rest of the guards and...

"A-Ah...!"

Viktor and Tanya trembled and clutched Relena's skirts. Relena raised her chin high and gave a slight bow to greet the man glaring at them.

"Heero," she began, carefully, "Don't be alarmed. These children have nowhere else to go. I've offered them shelter on our land."

He stood at the carriage with obvious annoyance written on his face. His expression only grew dourer at the sight of the children following her. Even after Relena explained the situation, his mood did not improve, and she gulped nervously. But she would not back down. She had promised these children a place to stay, and she did not intend to go back on her word. How could she in good faith let them return to a city that would no doubt ostracize them further after the incident today?

"I know you're wary of them, but they won't hurt us."

"..."

"Give them a chance, for my sake."

Heero's frown tightened further, and the children trembled harder with fear. Relena reassuringly held their shoulders but never once looked away from Heero. After what seemed like an eternity of tension, the general finally turned away.

"... Do as you wish."

Relena sighed with immense relief. As Heero went to ensure the carriage was ready for their departure, Relena knelt down and patted the children to make sure they were alright. They seemed dazed, probably overcome with the emotional intensity of all they faced just now, especially coming face to face with General Yuy twice in one day.

"I told you it would be okay, didn't I?" she winked at them. "Come along, let's head inside now. We should get back before sunset."

The children nodded emphatically and clamored up onto the seats, taking a moment to stare at the steeds in front of the carriage with awe. This was probably their first time seeing a grand carriage up close.

As Relena went to step into the carriage, she sensed Heero staring at her. She looked over and saw him: those intense, Prussian blue eyes that always seemed determined to bore into her very soul were scowling at her. But this time, she could have sworn they were just ever so slightly softer. They were not annoyed-they carried a different quality to them... concern? No, it couldn't be. He took a couple strides towards her until they were standing face to face, him towering over her. She could have sworn there was the slightest hint of consternation in his expression as he studied her face.

"Heero...?"

He said nothing as a strange miasma of emotions swirled behind his eyes. What was he thinking now? One of his hands reached out to once again lightly brush his fingertips against her golden locks in a strangely timid gesture, as if they coveted something fragile.

Confusion briefly flitted across Relena's expression, but before she could ask him what he was doing, she heard him murmur something.

"Don't run in front of my sword again..."

Ah... he was concerned. Relena lowered her head guiltily and nodded.

Heero let his fingers linger on her hair for just a moment longer before ushering her into the carriage. Relena sat with the children who curled up against her lap while Heero sat across from them, gazing out the window at capital disappearing in the distance.

Relena acknowledged she had been reckless today. She was glad she was able to spare these children from a far worse fate, but her life had almost ended in the blink of an eye. She needed to be more careful in the future.

At the very least, she also wished she would never have to face Heero's blade again.