With his white gloved hand, Treize moved his black bishop one square forward. He peeked at Relena, waiting for her next move.

She was very focused on her chess pieces. He noted that she is building a strong defense.

"Don't," he stopped her before she could complete her next move, guiding her hand to move her white knight forward. "Offense is the best defense."

Relena seemed to have a plan of her own, however.

"Do you plan to win? Or end this game in a draw?" Treize asked. "If the game ends in a draw, we will have to start over again."

He read her well. It wasn't surprising given the time they've spent together. Treize stayed in the former Sanc Kingdom palace. Relena didn't know which suite he stays in, but she saw him everyday. In fact, the only time she had with herself was during her morning toilette and breakfast. After she finished eating, she was taken to Treize, where she acted as somewhat of an assistant and companion to him.

All the reports that came to him - he had her read them out loud instead of reviewing them himself. From time to time, he would reveal his emotional side. In the afternoon, they'd have lemon cake and tea together followed by a walk in the gardens.

Whether Relena liked it or not, it mattered a little. She already knew that Treize is a man who holds the world in his palms. Once, she pretended not to feel well just to have a day to herself. Within minutes, a doctor came to see her. Much to her dismay, it was the same doctor who worked under General Septum. Fortunately, he diagnosed her with stress and exhaustion and recommended her to stay in bed for one day. Relena did end up spending one day without seeing Treize, but she knew she'd never try this again.

Staring at the chessboard, she wasn't exactly paying attention to her pieces. Rather, she was avoiding his gaze. She felt like he had her surrounded the moment she sat across from him as his opponent. Regardless of her chess skills, she knew the game will end in his way as he had intended.

"If you were to defeat me, or I were to defeat you, what's next?" Relena asked. "The winner, whoever it is, has to find another opponent until there isn't any. Wouldn't it be too lonely by then?"

"If I were to defeat all chess opponents I can find, then I'll invent a new game to play," Treize said. "Humans are competitive, Relena."

"It's exhausting," she pointed out.

"It can be," Treize agreed. "But people will get over it. Wars are exhausting. People rebuild the world after a traumatic war. They'd find the economy crushed and loved ones lost. Yet, the biggest loss is themselves. They would wonder like soulless ghosts. While there's peace, people will be bored by it and a war will start again."

"It's like a waltz."

"What?" Treize was amused by her words.

"A waltz," Relena repeated. "War, rehabilitate, peace; war, rehabilitate, peace..."

Chuckling, Treize asked, "Have you ever danced with anyone, Relena?"

"Yes," she replied. "With my father."

In her mind, she thought of that dream where she danced with Heero.

"What about you?" She asked.

"I never danced with anyone," Treize answered. "At the balls, I simply watched as other guests danced. As I watched, I asked myself if I can ever find a partner who can waltz with me. Leia had loved me, but she never understood me or knew my heart."

"She was a nurse," Relena said. "She saved lives. You are a soldier."

And a killer.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Another report for Treize.

Unlike before, this time Treize read it himself and placed it in his breast pocket.

"A new Gundam is built, Relena," he said. "By me."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"What do you think?" He picked up the white queen piece. Playing with it, said, "If I were heading to a war, will you come with me?"

"Me?" Relena's eyes widened. "I don't know anything about wars."

"You do know how to use a gun," Treize reminded her. "You just don't want to be with me."

"That's not true," Relena denied. "Wars are scary. It is not a place for me."

"Look who's talking," Treize said, with a mixture of teasing and accusing. "You are the one who's scary. I have been good to you, but you are not being honest with me, Relena. You hide things from me. Do you know what's the consequences from lying to your commanding officer in the military?"

"Yet you are not my commanding officer," Relena replied. "And I'm not in the military."

She replied as if it's only a casual conversation.

Treize's face hardened. After a long, intense silence, he spoke, "No, you are not in the military. Military itself is changing, and I worry about its future. Wars are all about mobile dolls now. No one values soldiers anymore."

"Wouldn't more lives be saved?" Relena asked. "If it is only mobile dolls fighting?"

"Idiot," Treize rebuked her harshly. It was the first time he showed his dismay towards her. "Anyone who believes that mobile dolls can take over soldiers' place is an idiot. I once defeated a whole army of mobile dolls. How did I do that? I simply ordered the soldiers to press a button, and all mobile dolls were disabled."

"Do they share your view?" Relena asked, sensing that Treize is a lonely man on top. Apparently, his dreams and views were not shared or supported by the Alliance. Once, she had relied on him for protection and security. Now, it seemed that he's relying on her for emotional support.

"Have you thought about Heero?" He asked. "Do you miss him?"

"I've told you," Relena replied. "He was mean to me."

"Don't lie to yourself," Treize said. "You will see him again, soon. He does love you, don't forget that."

When Treize returned to his desk, he found another person sitting in it. A thin, blonde girl about Relena's age; she gave him a mischievous smile.

"Ah! Treize! My dear cousin!"

"Dorothy," he greeted her.

She hopped out of his seat and said, "Grandfather is worried about you, as everyone else. Why are you here? A glorious war is about to start." She then saw the portrait of Queen Katrina Peacecraft on the wall. "Oh, I see. I heard that Princess Relena Peacecraft is here. No wonder you are spending so much time here."

Her grandfather was Duke Dermail Catalonia. Treize had been his subordinate but now, it was an obvious tension between them. Duke Dermail was deeply interested in the Mobile dolls, to which Treize disagreed with. As Dorothy had said, a glorious war was to start. Yet, Treize was in no hurry to be part of it. Like in a chess game, he was patient in making his next move.

"Is she attractive?" Dorothy asked.

"You have to be blind if you don't think she is," Treize said.

"Who's more attractive? Princess Relena or her brother?" Dorothy giggled. "Does she know yet?"

"There are things she does not need to know," Treize said.

"Sooner or later she will," Dorothy said. "You can't hide things from her forever."