Fate's Decree
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.
Slowly, he began to open his eyelids as the first few rays of the rising sun kissed him revealing a pair of luscious forest green gems. He squinted, blinded by the light that greeted him so early in the morning and began to sit up.
It took him a while to adjust his eyes to the sight around him. When his vision cleared a bit, he could make out the figures displayed on his alarm clock. It was already eight o'clock in the morning. Overslept.
It wasn't normal for someone like Athrun Zala to wake up an hour after seven. He had been raised under strict guidance by his perfectionist father and had been trained and molded by ZAFT that waking up before the sun even rises had become a habit embedded on his body clock.
That morning was, however, an exception. Who wouldn't oversleep when you just had the best evening of your life just watching the midnight blue sky with the woman you have longed for years?
Remembering the memory of last night, he felt light inside and gave a small smile. He would get her back. He hadn't forgotten his promise last night. He would show her how much she meant to him and how worthy he was for her.
With thisin mind, he began to move out of bed. Today would be day one and he will surely make a good fresh start.
-o0o-
Athrun's POV:
We have been driving for thirty minutes and all I could hear is silence. So much for a good start. I have tried engaging her in a proper conversion but all I got every time was a single-sentence reply. The atmosphere was more than awkward. It was depressing.
From the corner of my eye, I watched her as she looked out the window. It was clear that she was thinking about how to avoid my gaze or make the situation more comfortable for her. Every now and then, she would open her bag and "pretend" that she was looking for something. Honestly, she had done the same stunt three times already that it was quite obvious even to an ignorant fool that she was just making an excuse.
"So, where do we go first when we reach the city?" I started.
Slowly, she turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. Lacus said to fetch the wedding planner at ten. But it seems that the shuttle's flight was delayed so I guess we could just use the time to buy the supplies that Lacus asked us to."
"Good idea."
Her cell phone suddenly rang.
"Hello? Who is this?..."
She took a peek at me and turned her head near the window to be out of earshot as possible. She seemed to have minded my presence a lot.
"Yes. Hello dear." Dear. Who could she be calling dear? Somewhere I felt a pang of jealousy bite me. That didn't stop me from eavesdropping in their conversation. "I'm doing great. Yes. Of course. I'll drink my vitamins. Can you give the phone to Mana? Thank you."
I thought I saw her smile at me from the corner of my eye but she continued with her call anyway hiding near the window.
"Hello Mana? Yes. I'm okay. How is it there?" She paused to listen to the old nanny though I could not hear the other side's voice.
She was listening intently. I wonder if Orb was in trouble. Some seconds later, she replied, "I'm sure it will be fine Mana. I'm sorry to have left you with this…I'll be back after a month. Let's talk later, okay? Thank you. Good bye."
The other side stopped and a beep was heard to indicate that the call was over.
The blonde beside me gave a soft sigh then turned to look at my confused face.
"So was that your boyfriend?" A stupid remark. I know.
"Uhm...No." A typical answer. "It was the son of the Kuruma family. His name is Akihito. He sort of got attached to me and usually hangs around the Attha mansion."
My mind was clouded. It was obvious that she was lying. I can tell when she lies. I didn't want to listen to what she was saying. How could she find another when she just told me last night that she could not forget about me? And how is she telling this so casually to her ex-fiancé?
"I was not able to tell him that I will be gone for a month. That's why he was frantic," she continued. Why was she rubbing it on my face? I just wanted to tell her how hurt I was. "He even reminded me to take my vitamins. Such a cute child."
Out of reflex I stopped the car in a so-unlike-me-way and started a staring contest which must have lasted for twenty seconds.
"Athrun, are you all right?"
Shock must have been quite evident on my face because she started laughing out loud. Her beautiful laugh rang in my ear for a while. How long it has been since I last heard it!
When she was able to regain her composure she asked, "What were you thinking anyway? That he was really my boyfriend? I didn't know that you thought of me as a liar now Athrun Zala. Four years without seeing each other and you've perceived me to be deceiving. I am utterly hurt," she said in a mocking way.
Guilt was very much what I felt at that time but there was also this typical feeling of annoyance. I started the car once again and continued to drive.
"So, how old is he?" I changed the subject but not to another one that might seem rude.
"Hmm…" It took her a while to continue. "Three. He's already three. He's such an adorable child. I love him," she said with that genuine smile.
"I'm glad to hear that you've found quite a person."
"Well, he's grown on me. I will really miss him."
"Do you miss me?" It was a daring verbal mistake. Sometimes, I really wonder why I say things out of turn when Cagalli is present.
It took her a while to respond. "I bet Miss Nicola would kill just to have you say those words to her," the blonde joked.
Was she jealous? Could it be that Cagalli Yula Attha was jealous? It would be a lie if I say that I did not feel happy with her reaction.
"What are you talking about? I just met Miss Rochefort last night but I can't deny that she was good company." That was clearly a lie. I never enjoyed even a minute with that woman. But I did want to annoy the blonde sitting right beside me. "What you did last night…Why did you do it?"
"What did I do?"
"Well, you just snatched me away from my partner."
"Oh come on! I did not snatch you away. I was merely borrowing you," she retorted. "Besides, you were obviously trying to get away from her."
"I was not. I just had something to attend to."
At the last remark, her eyebrow went up. "Oh really? Then why did you willingly follow me?"
It struck me that she had a point. My last reply was indeed a wrong choice of words. Or was it a wrong choice of excuse? I did not know what to counter. If this had happened years ago, I would have known what to say but right now my mind is blurred and my tongue is tied and it is all because of a certain girl.
The awkward silence was broken by the same woman. "Honestly, I did that partly to annoy Nicola," she spoke with a remorseful tone. I was hurt a bit by her confession. Was I, then, just a tool for a women's catfight?
She continued after a few seconds of thinking. "But it was really great that I was able to talk to you again."
All the doubts I have been feeling were gone with that sly remark. Cagalli had always been honest. She may have those times when she tries to hide her emotions to protect those around her but her eyes were a mirror that told all truths.
I could still remember that time when I lost faith in her. It was during the second Valentine war, when she agreed to marry Yuna Roma Seiran. We had promised each other earlier that we would be together forever when she accepted my ring. But all that seem to have been overruled by her agreement to walk down the aisle for that monster.
For months, it clouded my thinking. In the outside, I was the charismatic and calm senior officer in the Minerva looked up to by my colleagues especially Shinn. But inside, there was a ranging war between my jealousy and radical thinking. It preoccupied my psyche and heart. All I did to counter the mental and emotional attack was fight and blindly follow orders from the wrong side. When I met her again, I did not believe her explanation. The memory of her honey eyes near tears haunted me. Those eyes which showed sincerity, how could I hurt it to tears? Nevertheless, I continued being Chairman Durrandal's lapdog killing off the people she had desperately wanted to protect.
It was only through Kira's words that I realized my foolishness. Cagalli had always done things for Orb even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. I should have understood that from the start. I should not have judged her so unjustly. I was selfish.
"I'm really sorry about that Athrun. I really am selfish, aren't I?"
I smirked but inside I wanted to laugh out loud. We were thinking about the same thing. "You're not selfish Cagalli. To tell you the truth, you really saved me there."
I earned the honor of a soft giggle from her. "Sly Zala. I can understand how you feel. She makes my blood boil."
We really are the same. "How did you get to know each other anyways?" I realized that it was nonsense. The woman I was talking to was the young chief representative of Orb, the highest position in one of the leading nations of the world. And we were talking about the socialite daughter of the prime minister of France. The odds of them crossing paths were like a million to a million.
She, however, shrugged it off and instead, answered me truthfully. "At a friend's birthday party. We had a common friend, Julie Chang. She was my secretary and it turns out, she was Nicola's schoolmate."
I certainly did not see that coming. I thought the two had met at a world leader's convention or in a peace advocacy dinner.
"How was she?" I asked. She laughed perhaps, just remembering Nicola amused her.
"Let's see. The first time I saw her, I thought she was the same as those spoiled rich girls who had nothing to think of but boys."
"And?"
"She was worse." I could not help but laugh out loud at the confession. The feisty blonde began to laugh with me.
"It started with friendly chit-chats and talks. Later on, she moved on to trying to compete with me and every time we met, it was a never ending battle of words and death glares. I just can't get her to shut up and stop the competition."
"I'm glad to have been of help to you last night," I said while curving down the road.
"Thanks for that. She would often brag about her many boyfriends…said she was really hoping to meet you someday."
"Well then, I should thank you for sparing me from her."
"Thanks accepted." She then smiled at me with her honey colored orbs twinkling.
She started looking far out the window of the fast-moving car. We were nearing the downtown area. Without warning, Cagalli opened the window. As soon as she did that, a strong and fresh breeze entered the vehicle. I heard her giggle as the wind tickled her neck.
The view was exquisite. We were driving down a mountain. I could see the look of excitement on her face as she stared at the fast passing landscape of the city framed by trees.
"Is it beautiful?" I asked.
"It is. It is breathtaking," she said once again gracing me with her genuine smile.
All through the remainder of the trip, we had our lips pursed but we knew that amidst the silence, there was a beautiful conversation only the two of us could understand.
-o0o-
"Zis wedding will be smashing!" Miss Racquel exclaimed. "I'll make zure zat notzing will be lez than what you deserve. Oh juz look at you two! You're marriage will be ze talk for years and I'll be preparing ze perfect wedding!"
They were all sitting in the Clyne mansion gardens having a friendly afternoon tea.
The ginger-haired French woman arrived from Paris at eleven o'clock that morning. Racquel Jones was a world class wedding planner about a few years older than the to-be-married couple. She and the pink-haired bride met in the aftermath of the second war and they became close friends. The optimistic wedding planner later on promised to arrange the wedding of her friend.
"Thank you very much for this Racquel. Kira and I were hoping for a simple ceremony though," Lacus explained.
"Hn? No, no, no! Zat cannot be. Impozible!" she said with a French accent. "Lacus, my dear, I zimply will not allow it. You deserve the best!"
Lacus merely smiled. She didn't want to argue further with her friend.
"Racquel-san, we really do appreciate that you will be planning the affair," Kira spoke for his fiancée. "And we do want a beautiful wedding but we wish that it be simple because we feel that to have an overly expensive wedding will be an insult to others who are experiencing poverty. Although the economy and government has been stabilized, there are still many people who have not fully recovered after the war."
"Ah Kira! Ze ever so humble Kira! I unzerstand your logic but I tell you zis, zat humility of yourz will get you later on," the ginger-haired woman said. She thought for a while. "All right. I will honor your wishes but zo not expect me to put together a mediocre event. No, no, no, no, no. Iz will be a zimple buz elegant wedding!"
The French woman began daydreaming. Her green eyes were gleaming as she explored the land of imagination thinking about the possible theme and pervading color of the event.
"We are truly grateful for this Racquel," Lacus broke her trance. "It would mean a lot to us that you yourself will be doing this job."
"Oh! Zo not worry love." She started flexing her fingers revealing long, well kept pink-colored nails. "It iz an honor my zear. Howz about you Cagalli zear? Zo I hear wedzing bellz for you?"
With this remark, the chief representative's cheeks started to flush. The friendly atmosphere soon changed and an awkward silence replaced it.
"What are you talking about Racquel-san?" she said defensively while waving her hands and showing an embarrassed face. "I cannot dally around. Orb is still coping after the war and it needs my full attention. Love is a long way ahead. I am not ready for any other commitments yet."
While Cagalli Yula Attha was busy making excuses and explaining to the ginger-haired wedding planner, the engaged couple looked at each other and turned their heads to the blue-haired Coordinator who was clearly contemplating on what his reaction should be.
"Oh! Zon't be zaying zat my dzear. Sooner or later you will need to zettle zown. I tell you zis, one day you'll realize zat you'll need a man in your life."
Without really much thinking, the ever so courageous Athrun Zala stood up from his chair and dragged his ever so loyal comrade, Kira Yamato to the door.
Lacus watched the two men head to the door leading inside the mansion with a raised eyebrow and a somewhat confused expression. "Oh, Kira, Athrun. Where are you going?"
The two chatting women turned to look at the leaving men.
The blue-haired coordinator was all red but he answered the inquiry anyway. "I remembered something I have to do with Kira. I'd like to borrow him for a while, if you don't mind?"
"Not at all," Lacus replied though she might have had some hesitations.
With that said, the green eyed coordinator dragged his brunette friend out of the gardens. Kira did not understand much so he wore a confused look even when they reached the lobby of the mansion.
The blue-haired coordinator then signaled his friend to keep silent as he crouched and neared his ears to the door to eavesdrop. He motioned for his friend to join him. Kira understood what his friend meant and followed suit.
In the other side of the door, the women continued their talk.
"Perhaps," Cagalli began to calm down as she spoke. "But not now. My priority right now is Orb," she said as she smiled and took a sip from her tea cup.
"No matter dzear. When a light finally shines on you and you dezide to walk zown ze aisle, juz tell moi. I'll be happy to azist you with the preparations."
"I'm sure it won't be long now Racquel," Lacus said eyeing Cagalli then the door from which the two men disappeared to.
Racquel saw this and she wasn't some innocent lamb who has not experienced the blossom of youth. She understood Lacus' eyes very much. But she kept silent over her suspicions.
A breeze of silence befell the women. In order to ease the atmosphere, Cagalli changed the topic. "So, is Miriallia coming over to play?"
At this remark, the French woman's spirits heightened. "Oh! How marvelouz! Milly will be coming? Oh zis will be a fantaztic stay!"
Lacus and Cagalli began to giggle.
In the other side of the door, the two coordinators continued their espionage. They were concentrating too much on their monkey business that they did not notice a presence lurking behind them until…
"Bah!"
The two eavesdroppers jumped out of fright. They were catching their breath when they heard loud laughter. In front of them, they saw four figures; the three were laughing hard while the other one had an annoyed but amused expression written all over his face.
It didn't take long for the door to open with the confused faces of three ladies who obviously heard the laughter and were curious to know the story.
"What happened here?" Lacus said. Before anyone could answer, Racquel ran while squealing, "Ah! Milly my dzear! Ow nice to see you again!"
The two proceeded to hugging each other. The huge French woman was engulfing the petite Milly like she was eating the brunette whole.
"How are you? Racquel?" Milly giggled clearly happy with the reunion.
"Oh juz ecstatic!" the wedding planner replied.
Realizing that there were other people in the room, Milly calmed down and composed herself. "Racquel, you know my boyfriend, right?"
"Ah yes Dearka!" She leaned giving Dearka a kiss in both his cheeks. Dearka blushed with this gesture. If it were any other girl, Milly would have been furious but she understood the greeting of the French. It was customary and it would have been quite rude.
She remembered how shocked and frightened she was when Lacus first introduced Racquel to her. She must have seemed pretty rude to the French woman but thank goodness the ginger-haired beauty has had her share of confused and shocked foreigners before. She shrugged it off and explained everything to the completely ignorant Miriallia.
"Just what the heck are fooling around for Zala?" Everyone looked at the silver-haired coordinator who was clearly annoyed.
"It's none of your business Commander Jule," Athrun countered.
"Oh? And who might you be?" Racquel asked while raising an eyebrow.
"Ara, Racquel-san, this is Yzak Jule and his wife Shiho Jule. They are old friends of ours."
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Yzak started while extending his hand for a friendly shake but the French lady started hugging him and kissing both his cheeks just like what she did to Dearka.
After that, she proceeded to Shiho who was not the least bit surprised.
"Oh how marvelouz! New friends! Zis visit will be exziting!
-o0o-
The blue haired coordinator dropped the whole weight of his body in the bed. It had been a very long and busy day. After the introductions, they all sat for tea and had a short friendly talk.
They learned that Racquel was a coordinator who lived her whole life hiding in France. It was a good thing that she was not an obvious coordinator. Though her genes have been tampered with, her modifications were not visible. Her hair was an orange brown shade—a normal color any normal person could have. Her eyes were the same—green like the natural Irish people. She possessed coordinator abilities of course, but it was easier for a coordinator to fail an exam than for a natural to pass it.
Throughout the war, she saw the horror of her kind being killed off one by one with her as an exception. She started to cry when she reached this point of her story but she later on regained her ground and said, "It iz okay dearie. It iz all in za past. It iz time to move on in zis new world."
After the tea, the women agreed to go shopping in the city. They, however, refused to allow the men to join.
"Listen, has it ever occurred to you that my wife is seven months pregnant and my child is three months due?" Yzak pointed out clearly annoyed at the insistence of his wife to go with the girls alone.
"Don't treat me like I'm an imbecile Jule. I may be pregnant but I am still a red coat," his wife glared at him.
"Ack! Whatever woman! You do what you want with your life and don't you dare come running to me if you're in trouble!" The commander was now mad. He didn't like it that his wife was controlling everything. It was a fact though.
In the end they had to secretly sneak around the city following the women like bodyguards. It delighted them to see their silver-haired friend freak out when his happy go lucky wife would jump for joy. There was an instance when a group of idiots who were obviously clueless about who they were talking to started flirting with the girls. They were clearly drunk. One even started putting his arms on Shiho.
Yzak's wife may have been growing bigger because of her condition but she was still very beautiful. Of course Yzak started sporting his murderous state and sure enough the man was about to beat the hell out of them when Shiho flung one of the hooligans into the air and punched another person's face. She gave them her death glares which sent them running. Yzak realized he was not needed but insisted on continuing on following his wife.
The whole afternoon was spent stalking the five women as they strolled through streets and entered and exited shops bringing out with them every time another new paper bag.
Athrun grinned while reminiscing their crazy afternoon.
It was truly tiring. When they had dinner the women were all lively and energetic while talking about their afternoon.
Athrun, Kira, Yzak and Dearka had all their life drained from them especially the silver-haired paranoia who couldn't help but freak out at every move his wife makes. If Yzak were still a bachelor not having Shiho as a wife he would not have looked this stressed out. Marriage can change a man in different ways.
Athrun stood up from the bed and headed to the veranda. It always soothes him to feel the warm and yet cool breeze touch his skin. His thoughts wondered to a certain blonde woman just a few doors from his own.
The Orb representative said during dinner that she had some papers to attend to. Athrun was amused by her determination. Even he had not looked at the files Meyrin sent him through emails and fax ever since the other night. But he was thinking about Cagalli Yula Attha of Orb, someone who wouldn't mind killing herself for her beloved country.
He suddenly had the urge to go down. Midnight snack? It couldn't have been. He went down anyway.
He started to walk down the lobby when he heard a familiar voice from a certain room. The lights were still on and he could see the shadow of the familiar blonde from the space between the door and the floor.
Putting his army training to good use, he pushed his ears closer to the door to hear her muffled talk. She was talking to the phone. He didn't hear much because she ended the call as soon as he started listening. He was able to hear her last words to the caller and it broke his heart.
"Goodbye sweetie. I love you, Ciel."
-oo0oo-
Okay….I know. It has been like six months since I last wrote. To tell you the truth, I was thinking of dropping the story. It started with writer's block then there were the ever so demanding studies and finally my waning fandom. It was only recently that I returned to ASUCAGA and GS mania.
I would not have continued this fic if I had not read your reviews esp. iamarocketeer's. They were really a boost to my wavering soul. Thank you. I should also give credit to my friends in ASUCAGA FOREVER and my crazy friend yssakae_101 for inspiring me to continue.
So, here is the next chap. I hope to continue this till the end. As usual, I hope my return chap gives a good impression but if not, feel free to review. Comments are highly appreciated.:)
More power to ASUCAGA and to you my dear reader.
Love,
-maiatong