Previously in Silk Road.

Relena stood silent at Heero's side, waiting for him to make the next move. Obviously, Quatre had brought a potential "buyer" to appraise her. Heero had been in on the scheme all along. But the last hour or so of the time she spent with Heero seemed incredibly genuine, even if she spent it watching him stew within his own guilt. She had given him her first kiss. That meant something. That instinct to trust him reared its ugly head again.

"Likely one of the old Sanc families," Heero offered. "We need a healer." Quatre watched his friend wrestle with some internal struggle. Something must have happened for Heero to deviate from the plan, but if Heero was making that choice, Quatre would have to trust him. He was the most honorable of their entire group.

"Ah well why didn't you say so Quatre! So cryptic and serious for your young age," Rashid boomed. "Come, the Maganacs are here with a small party of barbers, one of us is bound to know what ails her. We're staying at the inn across the alley, I'll take you." Heero nodded. He was going to find out what these wise men could tell him about amnesia.

Chapter 12

"Amnesia, you say... " A rotund, older man mused as he eyed Relena from across the room. Quatre sat in a corner next to Rashid as the Maganac Barber walked closer, examining Relena without touching her. "You are her chaperone young man? Her husband?" He asked Heero. Relena rolled her eyes.

"I have no husband," she grumbled. "Heero is my ... guardian?" Heero shrugged his shoulders, yes the explanation would do for a conservative old coot like this physician. Relena, a noble, with a male guardian accompanying her on her travels. It wasn't that far from the truth, anyway.

"I'll have to touch your face, my lady, I need a better look at your eyes. Near the window, please," the Barber lifted his hand to guide Relena to a stool situated in front of an open window, which was pouring buttery early afternoon sunlight into the space. Relena sat where she was told to, all the while never taking her eyes off the physician's angular, black mustache that seemed to point up at the ceiling.

The Barber, Hasan, or Instructor H as Quatre called him, lifted his fingers to Relena's eyes, and with a smile, lifted both her brows one way, and pulled her bottom lids down. Leaning her head towards the window, he watched her eyes as the sunlight hit her pupils.

"What are you doing?" She said through gritted teeth.

"He's checking you for a concussion. He's seeing if your pupils react to the light," Heero grunted from her side. He was standing there to watch Instructor H like a hawk. He was her guardian after all, he had to play the part.

"That's correct young man. I'm assuming you've done the same?" H said.

"I've been watching, but I haven't noticed anything abnormal," Heero said. He'd been watching her all the time. Judging by the flush creeping up Relena's neck, she was well aware. Instructor H lifted Relena's hand by the wrist to take her pulse, lifting one of his own fingers in the air to silence the room.

"Vitals seem normal. Humors, perhaps a bit unbalanced. She's quite skinny for a noble girl. You said she's of age?" Relena's eyes narrowed, careful Heero her expression seemed to warn. Her protector bristled, he wasn't sure what the right answer would be. How much did Quatre tell the Maganacs?

Thankfully, Quatre stepped in, saving Heero from his own lies. "Like I said earlier, she had been robbed, she's been through quite the ordeal."

"Ah, well there you have it, then," H stated. "There's your cause of amnesia."

"What is the cause? What are you talking about?" Heero leaned closer.

"Stress, my boy. She's been a trauma, which can certainly unbalance and seal away the memory, especially for a delicate noble flower like yourself, my dear."

Heero and Relena locked eyes, exchanging a nod. Whatever trauma Relena had experienced had caused her to lose her memories from before she had arrived at the Abbey. Heero looked to H, eyes begging.

"If you're going to ask me for a cure, don't. It's very complex," H brought his hands up to twirl his unnatural mustache. "There are theories and experiments, but- the advice comes at a cost."

Heero felt himself go cold with anger. He was having enough of people treating Relena like a cash cow. But the defensive thought was fleeting, he instantly felt guilt for having done the same.

As if reading his mind, Quatre approached Heero like a wounded animal, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"I've got coin for you Instructor H. Tell us your advice."

The trio sat and listened as H explained ways to rattle the memory, using methods of exposure to potential triggers like scents, sounds and visuals. Heero took each to heart, nodding to Relena in promise. He'd make this right, and he would help her. While observing the pair, Quatre grew more suspicious by the second.

They were nearly back at camp when Quatre demanded answers.

"You two are hiding something from the rest of us, and I need to know what that is before we return to camp," the blonde asked.

Relena bristled from the saddle of Heero's horse. She had grown quite comfortable there before Quatre had ruined her peaceful ride. She was starting to grow annoyed with anyone and everyone.

She felt his thighs grip the horse beneath them, leaning into her and steadying her in the process.

"I haven't been entirely honest with... well, all of you, including Relena," Heero began. "This mission is over, Quatre. I'm not going through with the plan."

"Well I think that's been clear since we sat down for lunch," Quatre smirked.

"There's a lot you don't know, Quatre," Heero almost whispered. "There's a lot Relena doesn't know, either."

"And Relena seems to be aware of the fact that... she doesn't know?" His blonde comrade was growing more confused by the second. "I'm sure you have your reasons, Heero. I trust you."

"I wish I knew anything... to be frank," Relena mumbled. "I'm really getting tired of you all talking as if I'm not right in front of you." Heero sat up straight in the saddle, puffing out his chest as if to shore up his spine. Before he could apologize, he caught sight of the billowing smoke from their campsite in the woods.

Leaning his head forward, he brushed his lips against her ear, allowing his breath to linger on her skin. He could almost taste her. He felt her shiver in response, and realized how much he liked it when she reacted to him.

"I'll explain everything, Relena," he whispered. "I promise."

When they arrived at camp, Wu-Fei was waiting. The sour look on his face spoke volumes.

"I'm sure you will have an explanation at the ready?" He asked as he eyed Relena's position on the horse. Right, they were supposed to sell her. She shouldn't have returned with them. Heero cringed as he prepared for Wu's wrath.

Wu had the entire crew, and Lucretia, gathered around the fire, assembled to hear said explanation. Wu nodded at Heero like a flustered governess, demanding an explanation.

"Relena knows our plan," Heero started. "But not because I told her. Because she speaks Mandarin." He watched as Wu's eyes grew wide. "She also speaks Farsi. Japanese, Latin I'm sure ... what languages am I missing?"

"I am not going to tell you," Relena responded. Lucretia snickered. Heero nodded, she was right to keep whatever she could to herself, he was proud her survival instincts were that intact. But it was time to jar her memory a bit.

"She's known of our intentions with her all along," Heero revealed. "That we were going to sell her to the highest bidder. But what I didn't expect to discover was the true Relena Peacecraft, Princess of Sanc in our custody."

Wu twitched as he came to understand what Heero was saying. "Cut the bullshit. Explain."

"My name is Heero Yuy, bastard second son of Hiroto Ayumu Yuy, reigning Emperor of Japan."

Relena felt a flood of prickling sensations in her chest. Why did that name sound so familiar all of a sudden? She felt herself take in a sharp breath, was the air always this thin?

Lucretia stood up from her place on the ground near the fire.

"Heero. Stop," she demanded. Lucretia walked over to Relena and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Miss Relena, let's get you settled in for the night. This discussion is over."
a/n: double update, as is tradition! thank you for reading :)