Authors Note: Thank you guys for the reviews! I'm keeping them in mind 3. I didn't go over this for grammar, figured I'd update, so forgive me if there are any glaring mistakes.

FlowANIntErest:yeah the name change is a little hard to keep clear, I was actually thinking of just using Cagalli and Lacus when it's Athrun's POV, since that would be easier

princess cythera: Yes there will definitely be some Y/S, D/M, also some Mwu/Murrue. I'm actually debating on putting Shinn and Stellar in, but I'm not to sure :3

cagallifangurl: thank you for your review! I'll try and update soon as possible, I've got it all mapped out except for some little things so hopefully I can keep up the pace :)

PinakaFaltizan: Thanks! I'm working on my grammar, the tenses kill me :P

celesx: The mysterious girl is definitely a secret, but Athrun and Kira I'll eventually explain in the story as to why Kira is the heir :D

First Impressions

Impressionable
Chapter 3: Face Of Beast

Cagalli was sitting in front of the mirror, staring with a look of abject horror at the image looking back at her. She was not a vain person, Cagalli was definitely not vain, but at the same time, she had never tried to impress a certain green-eyed King ever before either. Figures, the one time that she actually wants to look nice, she looks into the mirror to see a banshee queen. With a groan she picked up her brush and decided to at least try to look presentable. She had already decided not to use the unopened jars of cosmetics on her vanity. Those same jars had come with her from Orb, and had been gifts from Mana, her governess, 6 months ago. They were still sealed, and as new looking as when she had received them. Her hair snagged particularly painfully, and she winced, tears springing into her eyes. Angrily she tried to untangle it, and after failing magnificently, flung the comb as far as way as possible, a stream of expletives issuing from her mouth. Damn it. Damn it all! She was a fucking Princess for god's sake! Didn't they teach Princess's how to make themselves pretty? Oh, come on Cagalli, she thought to herself, even if they did, you gladly snuck out of those and went to sparring lessons instead. She was about to give up and fling herself onto her bed, when the door cracked open quietly, and a familiar pink head peeked in.

"Cagalli? Is everything okay?" Lacus entered looking as fresh as morning dew on a pink rose. This inexplicably irked Cagalli, who was feeling worn from a sleepless night, and stressed from the horrible nightmares that she had had. "You look awful."

"Thanks, I didn't realize that when I looked in the mirror." Cagalli replied sarcastically. She watched as Lacus carefully picked up the abandoned brush and dusted it off. With a sigh she apologized, "Look, sorry Lacus. I just can't seem to do anything with my hair."

"Here let me try." Was the only thing she said, her voice as placid as ever. Cagalli only sat on the stool, the movements of the brush soothing. They reminded her of when she was a little girl, and her nurse would tell her stories as she brushed her hair. Closing her eyes, she listened to Lacus softly humming one of her songs, one that had popular during the war. So dear, and yet so far, in the name of peace. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at Lacus, closely this time. There, barely perceptible, were dark lines under her eyes, and her skin looked paler then normal. Just as Lacus finished braiding her hair, Cagalli whirled around. "I'm sorry!"

"For what?" Lacus smiled, and Cagalli noticed the touch of sadness in it.

"You're in love with the prince, aren't you?" Cagalli watched her friend carefully, and saw her flinch slightly. She felt a pang through her heart, sorry for her friend, and she bit her lip.

"It's nothing. It's alright. He'll probably hate me when he finds out everything." Lacus said, wringing out a towel, and putting it over Cagalli's eyes. "This will help with the circles under your eyes."

Cagalli obediently left the compress on her eyes, as she listened to Lacus rifling through her wardrobe. This added a whole new complexion to things, what would happen now? Lacus had actually fallen in love with Prince Kira, that wasn't supposed to happen. It was horribly wrong, and when the truth got out, Kira would have to marry her as Lacus watched with a smile. There was nothing any of them could do, Lacus was nobility, but not equal to the Prince in anyway. Zaft would never break the engagement, and Cagalli knew she couldn't break the engagement, she knew that she would never be able to let Orb down and live with it; but was it any better living with the fact that she had let her best friend down? She wanted to scream, she wanted to pound her fists against the wall, she wanted to apologize to Lacus. This was all her fault, if it hadn't been for her stupid idea the Prince and Lacus might have never fallen in love, and she might not have started falling for the King. Wait. She what? There was no way…unless…she was. Or maybe, this would have all happened anyways, and this was Destiny's way of giving them a chance. She ripped off the cold cloth, and grabbed Lacus' hands. Looking up into her startled eyes, she fiercely promised her best friend, "I will fix this, Lacus, I promise you I'll fix this. You'll marry Kira, I'll bless you at your wedding. We'll get through this somehow Lacus, I, Cagalli Yula Attha, promise you."

Lacus didn't reply but handed her a forest green riding habit, which Cagalli obediently changed into. She didn't complain as Lacus tied a matching ribbon around the bottom of braid, though under normal circumstances she would have ripped the damn thing off. Then Lacus handed the Cagalli's sword and sheath, Goddess and Victory. Lacus watched as Cagalli strode out, and closed the door after her, "Together Cagalli, we'll figure this out together."

Cagalli reply was a brilliant smile, like the sun coming from behind clouds, and Lacus' was just as happy. They walked arm in arm towards the stable, Haro cheerfully chirping 'fields of hope'.

"Come on slowpoke!" Athrun smiled as he saw Lady Clyne waving her hand vigorously at him, her voice thin from the distance. "Didn't you say this was a race?"

He obliged her and slapped the reins, murmuring to Aegis. His stallion shot forward, and he saw Kira cheering him on out of the corner of his eye. The brunette was happily blushing, as he listened to his lady love talking about the lands of Zaft. Kira was totally smitten with the princess, Athrun was pretty sure that if she had asked Kira to be her horse during the riding trip, he would have gladly obliged and then neighed in an effort to impress the lady. Thankfully the Princess seemed to be kind, and gentle—a perfect counterpart to Kira.

"You're just chicken aren't you? My lord." She called back mockingly. She was so far ahead of him, that she appeared to be made up of emerald green cloth rippling in the wind. At times he could see her golden hair flashing in the sunlight, though he wasn't really sure if it was her or Akatsuki, to be honest. He spurred Aegis, and bent low over the stallion's neck. The mane was whipping his face, mingling with his blue hair but he didn't care. He saw her turning back, and the gap was quickly closing between the two horses.

"Who's the chicken? My lady." He was close enough to see her eyes now, clear, bright amber, wide with surprise. He saw her grit her teeth, her eyes narrow, and then she too bent low over her horse. They focused on the path in front of them, and he let her pull out in front of him, only by a little, because he knew what was coming up. The telltale shine of water, and the slight sound of water over rocks beckoned him on. Finally he concentrated his all on winning, and slowly pulled up closer, he was even with her, and he knew that she saw the finish line too.

"Not so fast, Lady." He called, laughter in his voice. He was so sure of his impending victory that he barely realized before it was too late that a sword was flying towards him accompanied by a vicious snarl. Startled he just managed to pull his own katana, Justice, out, and defend. "You attacked me!"

That split second was all she needed. She shot forward with a whoop, and triumphantly waited by the river bank, her face smug with her victory. He could swear that she was preening, "You could have killed me!"

"Cry more, Athrun. As if. I know, and you know that you're being a sore loser." She replied, waving vigorously as Princess Attha, and Kira rode up. He was chagrined to find the Princess politely covering her smile, and Kira not even trying to hide his laughter.

"I am not a sore loser." Athrun shot back sheathing Justice and dismounting. He went to help Lady Clyne dismount, but she ignored his hand with a toss of her head and hopped down gracefully on her own. He rolled his eyes at her, and saw Kira help the Princess off her own horse.

"You are! Face it, you're too good a swordsmen to have been hurt by that little attack." She smirked. "Besides, all's fair in love and war."

Kira's laughter broke through his embarrassment, "Come on Athrun, she has you there."

"Oh shut up." He snapped at the both of them, his face a dark red.

"Lacus! Leave King Athrun alone, and help me set up the picnic." The Princess called out, and he was thankful for the interruption. He found the Princess smiling gently and knowingly at him, and he was about to go help her when Kira got a hold of him. "Oh no you don't, you're helping me with the horses, while the ladies get everything ready."

Lady Clyne overheard, and stuck her tongue out at him from behind his back, which only Athrun saw. She caught his eye, and winked boldly at him. Smothering his own laughter he wasn't sure whether to be annoyed, or impressed by her cheekiness. He decided that he was impressed, and shaking his head lead Rouge, and Aegis after Kira who was holding Strike, and Eternity.

"Cagalli, did you really have to attack him in order to win?" Lacus scolded as she set out the food from the basket. Cagalli just ignored her friend as she used a long stick of grass to tickle, Akatsuki. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were flirting with him."

"What?" Cagalli shrieked, flinging herself up, her voice traveling through several octaves. She glared at Lacus who was giggling into her hand. "Not funny, not funny at all. And how does attacking him mean I'm flirting with him? You know I was just trying to win!"

"I think you're overreacting to a little statement." Lacus replied, the mischievous glint in her eye the only difference in her face. Cagalli was about to say something when she heard a rustle of leaves. Turning to greet the boys, she was startled o hear a hair raising yowl from Akatsuki, and everything happened in a flash. Throwing herself towards Lacus, she barely managed to roll the two out of the way when she heard the sound of arrows impacting the cloth where she had just been sitting. Haro was flying around frantically trying to figure out where the arrow came from, and Akatsuki's hair was standing on end. The two raced into the foliage determined to find the culprit, while Cagalli whirled around, her sword in hand. Careful to keep Lacus behind her she carefully looked around, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Silence was all that answered them, then a warning from Haro this time, and Lacus dove out of the way. Cagalli raised her sword just in time. She heard Lacus hurriedly whispering to Haro, "Quick, get help."

The surprise attack had caught Cagalli off guard. Stuck defending against the stranger's blows, she tried desperately to get the upper hand. She refused to be beaten by someone's hired assassin! Guarding repeatedly against the strike's, she at last saw her opening. As the stranger raised the sword for a blow from above, she shot out her foot and sent the person to the ground. As expected they managed to spring out of the way, but now she was on offensive. She was forcing him closer and closer to the trees, she couldn't let this person escape. Then she felt a root in her way, and with a horrified look on her face tripped and fell to the ground Goddess clattering to the ground. She could hear Lacus' voice, shrieking, "Cagalli! No!"

She hit the ground, and felt pain in her wrist as she slammed it down in hopes of breaking her fall. With a whimper she felt it crumple under her weight, and she rolled just in time to avoid a sword from slicing down into her shoulder. Fuck. This was bad, really, really bad. She tried to roll closer to Goddess, but she saw the assassin kicking it out of range. She got killed because she tripped over a root, how fucking glorious. Cursing she tried to find an opening, when she heard a low growl. She saw the assassin's sword swinging down, and she screamed, "Akatsuki!"

Akatsuki leapt forward with a roar, and she sprang back as he leapt over her head. Reaching out she swept up Goddess, and glanced to see if Lacus was alright. She could hear the terrified scream of the assassin, and turning back she saw Akatsuki had mangled the man's shoulder. He didn't blame the guy for screaming like a baby, she would have too if a massive golden lion had attacked her. She helped Lacus up, and they both walked towards the man, Lacus with pity in her eyes, Cagalli with fierce anger. "Why'd you wait so long to step in?"

You looked like you had everything under control. Akatsuki replied. Cagalli rolled her eyes at the typical reply, and was about to say more when she heard two people crashing through the brush. Whirling around she raised Goddess again, just in case, but was relieved to see the two boys instead their sword's out, Haro flying frantically in front of them. "Took you guy's long enough."

Athrun surveyed the scene of him coolly ignoring Lady Clyne's snide remark, keeping his face neutral at the strange tableau before him. He heard Kira sheath Strike, and hurry to the Princess to make sure she was alright. Athrun sheathed Justice, and just stared. Before him in the clearing stood a giant golden lion, radiant in the sunlight, almost translucent. It was standing proudly by Lady Clyne, letting her absently stroke its fur. It's mouth was covered in blood, human blood, and when he realized that he throttled the bile rising in his throat. He walked forward, if a little bit cautiously, and then noticed the lion's distinct amber eyes, and something he had read in his one of his old history books came back into mind. Orb's warriors are famous for their fighting skills, and dangerous to take on alone. Each warrior is accompanied by an animal, a revenant that fights fiercely on their side. He remembered being amused by the Lady Clyne's cat, and had scoffed at it's ability to fight in battle, but now, if this was it's true form, he would think twice about going to battle against an Orb warrior. Lady Clyne didn't seem to notice his hesitation and just gestured for him to join her, "This guy is out. We can interrogate him later, Akatsuki didn't do anything but take out his shoulder. He should still be able to speak, the bastard."

Akatsuki, so the lion was that little cat, he made a mental note not to aggravate the cat ever again. Lady Clyne looked over and saw his pale face, with a sigh she looked to Akatsuki. If he didn't know better he saw the lion nod gravely at her, and roll his eyes at Athrun. Then standing in its spot was a little golden cat. So, Athrun thought to himself, those are the mysterious revenants. Shaking off his momentary paralysis she joined Lady Clyne who was tying the man up. He glanced over the body for any markings, and found a single patch on his shoulder. His face turned grim as his eyes recognized the patch. Calling Kira over they both looked at it, there was no doubt about it. This was the doing of Rau Le Crueze, commander of the Zaft Elite Reds. He watched as Cagalli peered at the body, then when she knelt down and rolled up the assassin's sleeve she hissed. Lacus came over then, and together they looked at, what appeared to be a tattoo on his shoulder. She said something so quietly that he almost didn't catch it, "Onogoro…Flay, what are you planning?"

Sorry about the short chapter, but it felt right to end it there! Read and Review, it makes me update faster! Also! Let me know if you think it'd be easier just to refer to Cagalli and Lacus, as Cagalli and Lacus during the Athrun POV moments. I'll just change it if that's easier 3