Chapter 1: A Love Found

10 Years Later . . .

"Bring my daughter to me please", Christopher said one of his servants. "Yes sir, as you wish", the servant bowed his head and left.

10 Minutes later:

Christopher saw his daughter and son enter the palace.

"I'm here father". Relena said.

"Ah, yes Relena, today your brother and I will have to go to a meeting considering the peace with Earth and this colony. I know you get bored when your brother and I are here, so I have arranged for you to visit your grandmother at Colony L2, how does that sound?" Christopher asked his daughter.

"Yes it sounds excellent father". "Great, your flight leaves in about an hour, I've sent some servants to pack some bags for you".

"Father can I please for once, skip this meeting and go with Relena to visit grandmother, please father please", begged Milliardo.

"I'm sorry son you are 14 years of age and old enough to come with me to the meetings".

"But why must I come with you to these meetings?"

"Because son you will become King after I die and I must teach you how to address the people and figure situations out that is why you must come. Don't worry we will visit your grandmother soon", Christopher smiled.

"Yes father I understand", Melinardo said.

"How long will I be staying with grandmother", Relena asked

"For as long as you like".

"Okay then, I will stay with her for about a week, I really miss her," Relena replied.

Outside the palace a servant named Pagen was carrying Relena's bags and loading them into the truck of a limo. Pagen is the most trusted servant to the King. He has been there for as long as he can remember. He loves his King, prince, princess, and the queen when she was alive. He would do anything to protect his King and the children. Pagen turned and walked to the palace to inform them that it was time for Relena to leave.

"Excuse me sir, but it is time for Princess Relena to leave for her flight, we don't want her to be late now", smiled Pagen.

"Of course not, Relena you must leave now".

"Yes father I know", she kissed her father and hugged him.

"Okay brother don't miss me too much," she joked as she also kissed and gave him a hug.

"I'll try not to squirt", Milliardo said as he kissed his sister.

Relena followed Pagen outside to the limo. "Okay Pagen good-bye, I'll miss you", Relena said. "As will I", he said as he hugged her. To her Pagen was a friend to the family, someone who she could talk to and she knew that he was listening to her every word.

As the limo driver started to drive off, Relena glanced back at the palace and saw her father and brother standing outside waving good-bye, Relena did the same as well.

Christopher smiled as he saw his daughter waving and leaving for the airport. Little did he know that that would be the last time he ever saw her again.

In The Plane:

Relena pulled out a picture of her mother and looked at it. She was told by her father that her mother died 10 minutes after she was born due to blood lost from an injury that caused her to go into early labor. Relena learned from Pagen that her mother was a very nice, polite, and beautiful woman. Always smiling and cheerful. Relena carried the picture at all times and talked to her mother in her own special way.

"Hi Mother, well I'm off to visit grandmother now", she said as she traced her mother's face.

"We'll be landing in about 10 minutes Princess Relena", said the pilot over the intercom.

"Oops, gotta go mother, talk to you later", she kissed the picture and put it away carefully.

As soon as Relena stepped out of the plane she was greeted by her grandmother.

"Relena, it's so good to see you again", cried her grandmother.

"Grandmother!" cried Relena and threw her arms around her grandmother.

"Come on let's go to the house, call your father and tell him you made it here safely, settle you in, and get you some cookies and milk, how does that sound".

"GREAT!"

Arriving at the Mansion:

As soon as Relena arrived at the mansion she couldn't believe how big and beautiful it was. Of course it was smaller than the palace but not as beautiful as the mansions on Colony L5.

It was two stories high, painted white, and the rims of the windows were painted baby blue, and servants everywhere. She also noticed that her grandmother had bodyguards and that the servant were all women, she didn't know why.

"Relena go settle in and come down for dinner sweetie", her grandmother said.

"Okay grandmother", replied Relena.

A young woman about 24 years of age came down, took Relena's luggage, and lead her to her room. There she quickly unpacked and ran to eat dinner, by this time she was starving.

"Yes Christopher she made it here safely dear", she heard her grandmother say.

"Here Relena, your father would like to speak to you".

"Hi father, yea I made it here safely just us grandmother said", she told her father.

"Yes well I'm glad that you did, I need to go because I'm real busy at the moment. Your brother and I will come down in about a week, okay?"

"Yes father that's great. Say hi to brother and Pagen for me", she said.

"Of course, sleep well daring", her father said.

"Goodnight Father", she said and hung up the phone. That was the last time she ever heard from her father.

Later that Night:

"Okay Relena time to go to sleep now", her grandmother said.

"Yes grandmother, but before I do may I ask a question?", asked Relena.

"Anything dear".

"Well I was wondering why are there bodyguards here and why are all the servants women?"

"There are bodyguards here because your father assigned them here in case anything should happen to me, as for the women they are slaves."

"Slaves?" asked a shocked Relena.

" Yes, long ago on Earth all the women were turned into slaves with the exception of rich men who had daughters, mothers, cousins, nieces, aunts, wives, etc. and they were never set free. Since the Earth owns Colonies L1, L2, L3, and L4 the slaves were also brought here as well, that is why your father thinks that the peace with Earth is important form him and the people. A peace treaty was made about 40 years ago between Earth and Colony L5. The treaty was that all Colonies except L5 were to be ruled by Earth and all women to be turned into slaves", her grandmother replied.

"Where do they get all the women grandmother?"

"Well, they get these women from poor and average families who need to pay taxes or owe money and girls who are orphans. Now rest and get some sleep", her grandmother told her.

"Yes grandmother", she said.

Around 2:30 in the Morning:

Relena awoke to the screaming, begging, and the cries of women. Above all she heard her grandmother's cries.

"Please take as many slave women as you want, but I beg you do not hurt me or my granddaughter, I beg you Please", cried her grandmother.

Relena couldn't take much more of this, she jumped out of her bed and ran to her grandmother's side.

"NO, Relena you must runaway, get as far as you can".

Relena ignored her grandmother's cry. * I must try to defend my grandmother, thought Relena*

"Tell me old woman why do you have bodyguards here, are you related to the King of Colony L5 Christopher Peacecraft?" asked a solider.

Wanting to protect her son from any ransom she lied. "No of course not, I have no bodyguards those are just servants, and I only live here with my granddaughter", she replied.

Relena realized what her grandmother was doing and said "Yes it is true, I'm her 10 year old granddaughter".

"I see, well you do have a pretty 10 year granddaughter old woman and she would be of many use when she grows up", said the soldier.

Relena's grandmother knew what he meant and said " NO, you mustn't, you will have to kill me first before you take her", she said.

"Well, so then be it", he replied. He then shot her in the head.

Before Relena had a chance to scream she was hit in the back of her head and then there was nothing to see but darkness as she fell to the floor unconscious.