Ch. 10

Heero Yuy put on his best outfit. Changed it. Changed again. He fussed with his shirt collar and tried to do… something with his hair. Relena had invited him to eat dinner in her room alone. Just the two of them. For some reason, he wanted to look… presentable. Duo and Trowa had advised him that looking his best would be advisable. Quatre suggested that manners would be more important.

"If you want her to throw herself at ya, buddy, then you gotta look like something out of her dreams." Duo said.

"How should I know what she dreams of?"

"It's a phrase." Duo brought his hand to his forehead. "Jeeze. I forgot who I was talking to."

"Women are like flowers, Heero. You need to handle them carefully. Be delicate and patient and they will open up to you." Quatre advised.

"When you go to her tonight, dress to seduce. If you want her to want you, act like it." Trowa said.

"How do I do that?" Heero asked.

"Relax and be yourself." Quatre advised.

"Nah! Unbutton the top of your tunic, muss your hair and dress in your tightest pants." Duo said. "What? How do you think I got Hilde?" He grinned.

"Make eye contact. Try to tell her you want her with your eyes." Trowa added. "But remember to be confident, not insistent. You don't want to pressure her, but you do want her to pick up on your desire."

The advice continued for a while longer before he left the room. He would be himself as Quatre said, make eye contact like Trowa said, and dress in a way deemed attractive by most women. On many subjects, Duo was not to be consulted. The topic of women was one Heero knew Duo to be knowledgeable in. He and Trowa had quite the reputations with women before Duo married Hilde. It seemed to him that each of his friends had some knowledge that could prove useful. He unbuttoned the top of his dark green shirt and left the tunic off. His black slacks seemed an odd contrast but felt right for the occasion. Nothing could be done with his hair, but that was ok.

Taking one last look in the mirror, he left his room, chest out, breathing controlled to try and exude the confidence he wished he had. The few women he had been with in the past didn't seem to have complaints of either him, or his… performance. Then again, they had been a different kind of woman and they weren't in any position to give complaints. Dekim wouldn't have stood for it. A lady of the night, while still worthy of respect, would most likely not turn down good coin when offered regardless of the man paying. With that thought, he felt his confidence begin to wane.

'I can do this.' He reached her door, knocked and held his breath; heart beating in his chest. Why was going to his wife so much harder than facing down his enemies in battle?

"Come in." Came her soft reply from the other side. He swallowed down a nervous lump in his throat and turned the knob. As the door opened, he found her there, lying on the bed, hair down long and loose and flowing around her… and wearing nothing but a transparent robe… Heero felt his whole body respond except for his mouth which seemed unable to find words. She was breathtaking.

"Good evening, My King." She said, voice low and seductive, eyes half lidded.

"Relena…" his eyes went down from her eyes to the line of her slender neck to where the hem of the robe kissed her collarbone… and the pink and supple flesh canceled beneath by the sheer fabric.

"Thank you for coming." She said and slowly sat up. He could see an obvious blush on her face. She was trying to be seductive, but it was clear that she was uncomfortable; with him or of her behavior he could not say. He guessed it was more than likely the latter. She never appealed to him as the brazen type and he wondered just exactly how much of this was her idea, or coaching of the other ladies. Whatever the case, he had no intention of complaining. He found her nervousness endearing and offered her a small smile.

"Are you hungry?" She asked as she rose gracefully from the bed. "I had the cook prepare your favorites. They will be sent up as soon as we're ready" She tried to direct his attention to the table but he was mesmerized by the way the sheer robe moved over her curves. He could clearly see the swell of her breasts and the way her abdomen connected so smoothly with her hips… The feminine sway was hypnotic… He wanted to pull the robe off of her body and throw her back onto the bed to-

"The wine was picked by Duo. He said it's your favorite-" She did not get to finish her sentence. As if controlled by an otherworldly force, he crossed the distance between them and caught her arm with his hand at the wrist. He pulled her to him gently and as her warm, soft body pressed against his, he looked down, leaned in and locked eyes with her.

"Relena…" he said her name again. Her lips parted in a silent question, eyes wide, and cheeks pink with a maidenly blush. He brought his lips down and softly, gently, grazed hers with his.

Fire rushed through his veins and lit his soul. He pulled back, let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd held and came back in, this time pressing his lips to hers with more fervor. He was surprised when her arms wrapped around his neck. He moaned deep and low as her actions brought them closer. He could feel her breasts heaving against him with every breath. He needed to feel more. To see her and know her as only he should… but it was too soon. He broke the kiss and pulled back, reaching up to caress her cheek. She was still blushing a deep crimson.

"You did all this," he looked at the candles in the room and the wine on the table. "To seduce me." It should have been a question, but it came out as a revelation. Her blush deepened and she nodded, looking away.

"I… the girls suggested…" she paused and cleared her throat, a sheepish smile on her lips. "I just wanted to try and impress you. I wanted to show you," she rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "How serious I am…"

"Relena… I know what you are trying to do." He said, voice soft, eyes meeting hers. "And I appreciate it." And his did. The tension in his pants was evidence of that.. Seeing her like this was almost more than he could stand. "We don't have to. If you're not ready, then-"

"I am." She answered him, and he searched her eyes for any hint of hesitation.

"You're sure?" Her answer was very direct as her lips met his in a soft kiss. Heero wrapped both arms around her once more in response.

Without breaking the kiss, he easily picked her up and carried her to the bed. He received no objections. No hesitation or signs of rejection. As he laid her down, she looked up at him, eyes locking with his with a heat and intensity that took his breath away. He knew what he wanted. What he needed. Her. Only her. He caressed her cheek and she smiled up at him. Her blush deepened, but her gaze never wavered. He smiled and leaned forward, claiming her lips gently in another kiss as they finally realized their desires in the most intimate of ways.

Relena awoke tired and slightly sore but her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. The sounds of her husband's breathing and warmth of his embrace reminded her that she was not alone. Her cheeks heated at the memory of the night's activities came back to her. She was brazen and shameless and successfully seduced her husband into finally consummating their union. Of course, it hadn't taken much convincing.

He'd been tender with her; gentle and slow. The pleasure she'd received from their new connection far outweighed any incidental pain. At last, she felt like his wife instead of just his queen. She sighed and snuggled deeper into him. His breathing changed slightly and he pulled her closer. She wondered, briefly, what time it was, but decided it didn't matter. Her maids were told not to come until summoned so there would be no one to disturb them.

A growl of protest rumbled from her stomach. They were far too busy indulging in each other last night to summon supper. She blushed again at the thought. Though she did not wish to leave his side, she was quite hungry. Very careful not to wake him, she slowly wiggled free of his arm and out of the bed. She shivered at the chill of the morning air against her naked flesh. Grabbing her heavy bathrobe, she slipped it on, tying it closed before taking a piece of fruit from the bowl on the table. She was quite thankful that Abby and Amy kept such snacks around for her knowing her busy schedule and random hours.

As she ate, she glanced over at the bed and watched her husband continue to sleep. He seemed so peaceful. When he slept, the hard expressions from the walls he constantly had in place were gone. His handsome features were relaxed and the faintest signs of a satisfied smile lingered at the edges of his lips. For a moment, she thought of returning to his side, kissing him awake so she could gaze into those deep blue eyes...

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie.

"Who could that be?" She made sure her robe was tightly closed and walked to the door. She wedged it open a bit and found herself face to face with Septum and Tuberov.

"Good morning, your highness." They began.

"Good morning, my lords." She greeted them in return.

"Terribly sorry to disturb you at such an early hour, but we cannot find the king and we were wondering if he was playing bodyguard again last night." She might have blushed had it not been for the condescending tone in their voices. She smiled sweetly in response.

"If you are asking if my husband is with me, then the answer is yes." She paused and let her words sink in. "He is asleep at the moment." She watched their brows raise and eyes widen, then lower and narrow very quickly before they schooled their features back into polite neutrality. "However, if this is a matter of importance, I will wake him."

"Oh, no, princess, no need." Tuberov sputtered. His usage of the word 'princess' did not escape her notice, but it was such a small thing that she let it go.

"We were just concerned. You see, he is normally in his office by now. We feared the assassins that attacked you might have gone after him as well."

"I see." She didn't believe them, she couldn't. There was something in their tones that put her on edge. These men did not like her; that much was clear to her from the moment they met and she did not trust them. "Well, I can assure you that he is not only safe, but resting comfortably." Again, she noticed something change slightly in their demeanor. It was blatantly obvious that these men were not pleased that Heero was with her.

'But why? Given the terms of the arrangement I would think his advisers would be pleased…?'

"Perhaps you could leave the message with me?"

"I am afraid not, princess. It is far too important." There it was again. They called her 'princess' again. She did not know why that bothered her so. Perhaps it was his tone; a hint of condescension. Maybe it was a slip of the tongue? She took a silent breath.

"Well, then, gentlemen, when he wakes, I will be sure to tell Heero that you wish to speak with him."

"But princess-" there it was again. This time their tone was haughty. It was deliberate. A sign of utter disrespect. She realized she needed to stop this now.

"Queen."

"Pardon?"

"That is thrice now that you have called me 'princess', gentlemen." She declared. "I am your queen. Please, remember that in the future." The two men's faces flushed, eyes going wide before their normal, sour expressions returned.

"Of course… my queen." Tuberov said, though neither man seemed the least bit repentant.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I am suddenly very tired myself. Good day." And with that, she closed the door. She sighed and pressed her back against the door.

"Relena?" She glanced toward the bed to see Heero sitting up, covered by the sheet from the waist down.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you?" He shook his head, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes. Not only had they woke him, but he had heard everything. "Should I ring for breakfast?" Again, he shook his head. She walked to the table but still heard the rustling of sheets behind her. "We have fruit on the table if you-" strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Relena." He rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"They offended you." He stated. "They are my advisers." He tightened his hold on her. "You are my queen. And you will be respected by them. I promise."

"Heero…" She turned around and pressed herself against his very naked body. No blush tainted her skin this time. She leaned up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his. He responded in kind, pulling her closer and deepening the contact. The ferocious growls of both their stomachs caused her to giggle and break the kiss.

"I think I should ring for breakfast." Relena smiled.

"Hn."

"But perhaps you should put some clothes on first. My maids will be quite distressed to see you… like this." He smirked and walked over to his discarded breeches, pulling them on before pulling his shirt over his head.

By the time the food arrived, both had cleaned up and dressed to the point of being semi-presentable. The whole time, the sickly feeling nagging in the back of her mind about the advisers simply would not go away. Even when Abby and Anna gave them their happiest smiles, she still could not shake it. Heero was studying her. She looked up and tried to offer him her most reassuring smile.

"What's wrong?" He finally asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing. I must still be tired." He raised a brow, unconvinced.

"Relena, something is bothering you." He leaned closer. "Did I do something?"

"No!" She didn't mean to raise her voice but she didn't want him thinking that she was upset with him. She sighed in defeat. It was better he knew. "It isn't you." She put her hand on top of his. "When Septum and Tuberov came this morning, they seemed… upset… that you were here." His brow raised again. "In fact, I doubt their disrespect of me was accidental."

"What do you mean?"

"Your advisers don't seem to like me. At all." Heero's eyes narrowed slightly. "And I believe their disrespect of me this morning was a direct result of that."

"I see." He leaned back and seemed to be in thought. "You should know, they were against our marriage alliance. They wanted to destroy Sanc Kingdom." That made sense, given their apparent disdain for her. That would mean...

"They were out-voted by the other three." He nodded.

"There's something else." He paused as if considering how to tell her. "It was Septum and Tuberov that put in the clause about… about the baby."

"I see." The baby. She still had to bear him a child in the first two years. It had already been four months, but at least they had finally-

"Do you want me to speak with them?"

"No," she shook her head. "Please, don't. I already corrected them. If you do so as well then it may make things worse."

"Hn." Again, he appeared to be thinking about something. She wished he would tell her. "I want you to stay in the castle today. I have my men investigating the attempt on your life. I want you close by until we discover something."

"But I'm needed out there." He took one last bite of his food and stood up.

"That man, Howard, seems to be doing okay. He can handle it for now."

"But-" he walked forward, took her in his arms and tilted her chin up.

"I need to know that you're safe." The look in his eyes was one she had only seen once when they finished making love. It was tender. Intense. It begged for her understanding and trust. "We will find out who attacked you. I will protect you. Believe in me." She smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"I do believe in you." He smiled his usual, small smile and leaned in and down, pressing his lips to hers.

"I won't see you until dinner. Only trust those you know you can."

"Okay." He kissed her again before taking his leave. "I suppose I should ring for Abby and Anna. I may not be able to leave the castle, but there is still work to be done."