<center>False Engagements: Symptoms of Attraction
by Kysra</center>
?Releeeeeeeeeeeenaaaaaaa!!!? Hilde?s singing voice flooded the large study as she literally danced into the room only to stop abruptly, her eyes finding the room devoid of any Relena-like life forms.
No Relena, and the secretary had said she was in too . . . Hhhhhhmmmm . . .
Grinning, Hilde waved the rolled up newspaper in her hand, her eyes shifting around her for any clues of Relena?s whereabouts. Shelves . . . no. Closet . . . probably not. Desk . . . AHA! A movement!
She was hiding under the desk. Hilde felt a surge of pride at her own investigative skills.
?Come out, come out wherever you are!? Hilde called, deciding to play the game a little longer while approaching the paper strewn desk, the rain outside punctuating her words with a loud thunder clap which rattled the windows just behind Relena?s hiding place.
?Oh come on Relena! We?re too old to be playing hide and seek!? She planted her fists on her hips, crumpling the newspaper slightly as she did so, the large grin still adorning her face totally ruining the intimidating stance.
It seemed, Zechs? newest proclamation had Relena even more freaked than Noin had told her. Ah well, desperate times called for desperate measures. Relena wanted the spiel, Relena would get the spiel.
Hilde huffed a breath before officially conceding defeat, letting her friend know just how much she was offended at the lack of trust, ?Fine, fine. Have it your way, but really, Relena, I?m just a tad hurt that you would think I would do something so low as to come in here for someone else.?
?Just say it already!? Relena?s muffled voice cried from beneath the desk, and Hilde had to restrain herself from laughing out loud.
?I, Hilde Maxwell, do solemnly swear I was not sent by Milliardo, Joseph, John, Andrew, Kenneth, Matthew, Daniel, Mark, Billy, Zachary, Thomas, Gregory, Jamie, Ronald, Donald, Nicholas, Marvin, Jacque etc. etc., or any other person of the male gender. Oh yeah, and I?m not here on business either. This is purely a social call which has nothing to do with blind dates, marriage, or the like. Now, did I forget anything??
*Yeah, like, I?m actually here to set you up with Trowa.*
Relena rose to her knees, her head popping up into view as she climbed into her plush leather chair. ?What do you want Hilde?? she sighed wearily, running a hand through her loose hair, the strands tangled and her business suit pulled awry from her previous position beneath the large oak desk. She was acutely aware of how unprofessional she must look at the moment.
Seating herself primly in one of the two arm chairs positioned in front of Relena?s desk, Hilde frowned in mock offense, her hand tapping the newspaper against her thigh, ?Gee, no greeting for your friend??
Relena sighed again, ?I?m sorry. I just received some distressing news today.?
?So I?ve heard. Does it have anything to do with the line of men I had to walk 5 miles to avoid? In the RAIN.?
?Yes. Read.? Relena picked up one of the many documents spread across the walnut surface of the desk and handed it to the dark-haired woman, resting her head in both hands while Hilde read the letter silently.
?This is ridiculous! You have to be kidding!? Hilde?s eyes shot to Relena?s covered face, and her mouth dropped open, ?The KING of FRANCE is PROPOSING to you!!!!!?????
?Unfortunately.? Relena?s muffled voice spoke between slightly parted fingers, ?He even sent a pre-nuptial agreement for me to look over.?
Hilde stood up as if before the French king himself, her face filled with rebellion and righteous indignation for her friend, ?Who the hell does he think he is???!!!?
Lifting her face to the irate girl, Relena quirked an ironic smile, ?Who do any of them think they are??
?Good question, but this . . .? Hilde trailed off, noticing for the first time how bad Relena looked. ?Hey, are you ok? You don?t look so good . . . Milliardo isn?t pressuring you to accept, is he?? Her brows drew together as she stared at the blonde in concern.
Relena smiled reassuringly but couldn?t help the sigh that escaped her lips, ?I?m fine. What did you come all the way here for? And in this storm no less!?
Leaning back in her chair, Hilde gave Relena a speculative look. It didn?t take a rocket scientist to know the Vice Foreign Minister was trying to derail the conversation, but Hilde wasn?t one to push the issue. She knew all too well how stressful Relena?s life could be and also knew that her friend would open up in her own time. Besides, she had an agenda of her own.
?Ah, I just wanted to know if you had seen today?s paper yet.?
Light blue eyes widened slightly, intrigued, ?No. Why??
Grinning triumphantly, Hilde unrolled the paper in her hand to lay it down on the littered desk, ?Read the headline.?
Relena?s eyes lazily traveled the large black print before widening in comprehension, ??Taking Out the Trash?? Joseph was beaten then deposited in a trash bin!??
?It would seem so,? Hilde replied with an amused expression. Duo had revealed all after Sally was called in to doctor his injured ankle. She knew all about Heero and Duo?s activities during the first attempt at matchmaking, which meant she also knew about the attack on Relena and the run in with Trowa.
But she couldn?t let Relena know that she knew. She also couldn?t leave without getting the scoop on what happened AFTER Relena had run into Trowa but was realistic enough to know she would probably have to wait till later. She didn?t want to add to Relena?s stress.
?So that?s what the Duke was talking about . . .? Relena mused quietly, her eyes filling with something very much like despair.
?Huh??
Shaking herself, Relena?s mouth tilted in a sad rendition of a half-smile that was no where near reaching her eyes, ?This morning I took a call from Joseph?s father. He wasn?t a very happy man. He kept saying ?it? was all my fault. You?ve just shown me what the ?it? was.? Rubbing a hand across her forehead, Relena sat back in her chair, the leather groaning at the movement. It was then, Hilde noticed how much weight the blonde had lost in the last few days.
This would not do at all.
?Hhhmmmm. Don?t think about it.?
?What? Hilde, I?m on the verge of a very large lawsuit being strapped to my ass in the midst of all this,? she waved a hand negligently around the room to symbolize all the men who wanted a piece of her, ?and you?re trying to tell me not to think about it??
Hilde shrugged then grinned, ?Yeah. You haven?t had a day off in . . . well in months, since the night of the announcement, if memory serves, and all work and no play makes Relena a crabby little Princess.?
Relena giggled slightly, her face losing some of the tension built up over the last few months, ?So what do you suggest I do to take my mind off of everything??
?Do the words ?Leo?s Karaoke Bar? have any meaning to you?? Hilde watched, feeling a bit victorious, when Relena?s face went from a waifish pallor to 20 shades of red in under one second, recognition and embarrassment averting her gaze.
?No way am I going there with you again.?
?Oh come on Relena! It?ll be fun, and I promise I won?t douse you up with alcohol this time . . . though I do admit, you were the life of the party after a few drinks, especially when you started dancing on the table. Honestly, I didn?t know you were so flexible and --?
?SHUT UP!!!! I thought you swore never to bring that up again!?
?But it WAS interesting Relena, and the men there certainly thought it was something when you -- EEP!? To say Hilde was surprised when Relena jumped on top of her desk to slap a hand over her mouth would be an understatement. Bright blue eyes filled with suppressed mirth lifted to meet ice blue eyes filled with soul-felt shame and mortification.
?Don?t you DARE say it aloud. There?s no telling who is bugging this place.?
Nodding slowly, Hilde grinned as Relena lifted her hand away from her face, fighting an inner battle with herself not to make one last wisecrack. Ah well, there would be other opportunities. She had more pressing matters on her mind.
?So, you coming with us tomorrow night??
Relena shook her head with a slight smile, this one more genuine than the last, ?I don?t want to be a third wheel.?
?As if! Besides, Catherine, her newest boy toy, Quatre, Dorothy, and Trowa are coming too. Trowa needs some company!?
Blinking, Relena?s mouth slackened into a flat line, her eyes filling with curiosity, ?Trowa?s going? What happened to Marissa??
Inwardly, Hilde cheered as she recognized the barely masked hope in Relena?s eyes. She wondered briefly if the diplomat even knew it was there. ?You didn?t hear? She broke off the engagement a little bit before Zechs did the Peacecraft Dating Service routine. I think Catherine said that Marissa said Trowa wasn?t affectionate enough for her or some such nonsense.?
Relena frowned slightly at that, she had been in his home just a few nights ago, and only now was she realizing there had been no photos of the two ex-fianc?s. She had always prided herself on being observant, and this time her senses had failed her. She then wondered why she would even care. ?How did he take it??
?Mmm . . . pretty well actually. I don?t think he really cared one way or the other. Everyone?s been pressuring him to act ?normal?, I think he was just going along to get people off his back.?
Sighing, Relena tried to shut out his image from her mind . . . That hair, that face, those eyes . . . . .
Hilde?s eyes widened as Relena?s face broke out into a world class blush, then she grinned as the other girl nervously began to shuffle the papers on the desk into order, careful not to make eye contact.
So Relena was interested.
Heh. Damn was she good or was she good!
?Well?? Hilde nearly broke into song, she was feeling so euphoric.
?W -- well what?? Relena set down the neat stack of paper, only to stare at it, her hands firmly folded in her lap. The letters that spelled his name seemed to jump out at her. God, now she was NEVER going to get him out of her mind.
?Well, are you gonna come with us?? Hilde stood, grinning like a madwoman. It was pretty obvious her friend was tied into knots, and she couldn?t resist shooting one last arrow of love into her friend?s lonely heart, ?Are you gonna come keep Trowa occupied??
Relena?s face flared red, and Hilde suddenly wanted to know what was going through the blonde?s mind.
?How about I get back to you on that? What time are you guys leaving??
?Around sevenish.?
?Ok, I?ll call you at five to let you know.?
Hilde smiled, ?That?s fine.? She started to walk towards the door, ?But if you don?t come Trowa will be disappointed!?
Relena looked up, startled as the door slammed shut, ?What? Wait! Hilde!? She ran for the door.
<center>***</center>
~ The next day . . . ~
?GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!? Relena screamed to her ceiling before collapsing on her bed.
Ever since Hilde?s visit yesterday evening, Relena mind had been a jumble of incoherent thought, her memories playing and replaying that moment just outside Trowa?s bedroom when she had hugged him. She could feel the warm marble of his shoulders beneath her hands, the heat of his breath fanning her hair, the press of his chest against hers, and the brush of his legs against her own. She could smell his scent as she turned her face into the bed sheets, could imagine what it would feel like to be embraced by him.
But was that what she wanted? Why was she suddenly so interested in Trowa, a guy who she had never really been close to, never really thought of in a more-than-friendly light? Was this sudden attraction real? Did he share her confusion? Was she going out of her mind?
Sighing, she turned to her side, staring at the thick line of navy blue fabric of the dress laid out for her. Joseph?s father had called a meeting with herself and Milliardo to discuss the violence Joseph had met with directly after attacking her. She also had to meet the King of France tonight to give him her answer.
Tears of frustration rose to her eyes as her hand reached out to clutch the material. It wasn?t fair. Were there NO decent men in the world?
Her eyes widened. That was it! Trowa was decent! Trowa was sweet and kind and gentle, and he hadn?t made a pass at her once! That explained this sudden interest! She was so sick of all the dogs slobbering over her that she had latched onto the first man who didn?t thrust himself at her.
Relief washed through her. Now all she had to do was ride out the storm and let this phase pass. She also had to avoid Trowa like the plague. He wouldn?t want her anyway. No on wanted her for what she was.
Heaving a depressed sigh, Relena tried once more to banish thoughts of the man to no avail, sitting up and staring out her window.
Maybe a walk would do her some good. It was a gorgeous day outside, the sky painted a clear, bright blue, the warm air just right for a day of leisure out of doors, and the grass green and crisp. It was something out of an ideal painting . . . if you just erased the line of men standing outside her door.
Yes, a walk was just what she needed to clear her head before her dual meetings with His Majesty King Jean-Pierre and the Duke Krapper. Now if only she could figure out a way to sneak out without having Noin, Milliardo, or her guards call an alert . . . Her eyes fell on her balcony as one corner of her mouth lifted up in a sly half-grin.
First things first, she needed to call Hilde . . . Then she could try her luck at escape.
She only hoped fate wouldn?t work against her.
<center>***</center>
?She?s not coming.? Catherine announced sadly, her hands buried in the towel she was drying her damp hair with.
?WHAT??!!? Hilde screeched.
It was at that point Catherine decided that she would definitely need to talk to Hilde about volume control.
?She?s. Not. Coming. It seems our extremely serious friend has two meetings tonight, one with Mr. Krapper?s daddy, and the other with the King of France . . . Why does she have a meeting with the King of France??
?He proposed to her,? Hilde threw over her shoulder, her attention fixed on applying her mascara correctly.
?WHAT??!!?
Hilde winced as she felt her eardrums pop. She really needed to talk to Cathy about her volume.
?You heard me. You should see the line of guys outside her mansion. Good Lord, what I wouldn?t give to have that many men after me.?
?Be careful what you wish for . . .? Cathy trailed off, trying to zip up her dress.
Hilde smirked, ?Yeah I know, especially since Relena?s pick leaves a lot to be desired . . . ?
They fell into an easy silence, both preparing for their night out and silently fuming over their postponed matchmaking attempt. Ah well, at least the first time around, though derailed from the original plan, was a success.
A few hours later saw their group: Hilde, Duo, Catherine, her boyfriend Roger, Dorothy, Quatre, and Trowa (who was noticeably less than thrilled at the idea of such an outing), walking down the street, on their way to Leo?s.
That is, they were on their way to Leo?s until . . .
?OW! Damn it Hilde, loosen the grip there!? Duo hissed, trying to break his arm out his wife?s death grip.
She ignored him, ?You guys go on ahead. I, uh, forgot something at the apartment. Cathy, you coming??
?Well, actually, I think I?ll just go on ahead with the rest and --? She was cut off by the glare Hilde shot her, and suddenly realized Hilde had something up her sleeve, ?Um . . . that is of course I?ll accompany you!?
Duo shot them both a look filled with suspicion and misgiving, ?Fine. Don?t be too long.?
?Wait a sec! You?re coming with us!? Hilde?s voice brooked no argument, and Cathy was suddenly very aware of Trowa and Quatre?s speculative gazes. They knew something was up.
Not waiting for resistance, Hilde took first Duo?s arm then Cathy?s as she made their apologies and left their friends to fend for themselves, turning in the direction of the apartment.
When they were out of earshot, Hilde turned on her heel to look her husband in the eye, ?Duo, will you do me a favor honey??
Duo grinned, leaning forward a bit to stare into her eyes seductively while Cathy groaned and made to move away, ?That depends on the favor.?
?Well, see that girl over there?? Hilde pointed across the street to the park.
Cathy gasped, ?No way! It?s Relena!?
And indeed it was the ever elusive, painfully single Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian Peacecraft, Relena to her friends, walking across the park with a very vacant look on her pretty face.
Realization dawned on Duo?s face, ?Oh no. Oh HELL naw! They ain?t interested Hilde! Trowa ain?t interested! Rel --?
?What am I not interested in??
?AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Don?t do that Trowa! You scared the living shit outta --?
?Duo!? Hilde shot the braided man a sour look before turning to Trowa who had, as usual, a bland look on his face, ?It?s nothing. We were just on our way to --?
She was interrupted by a scream.
?Oh God! Relena!? Catherine gasped as Trowa and Duo took off running.
<center>***</center>
*This is NOT how I imagined a nice, peaceful walk*, Relena mused calmly in some corner of her mind which wasn?t disturbed by the fact that someone was currently holding a knife to her throat. *This will teach me to sneak out without at least one body guard, and I didn?t even bring my purse to bribe him to let me go. Figures.*
He had come up behind her as she approached the central fountain, wanting to sit and think near the spraying water. She should have been more observant, her mind miles away missing the hurried footsteps until one arm circled her waist while the other pressed against her throat, the cold, sharp edge of the knife skimming the area just above her jugular.
?Oh God,? she choked out, eyes squeezed shut, hoping against all hope that this was just some nightmare . . . that the last few months were just a really long, drawn out nightmare. What did it take to get a GOOD day?
She could hear people screaming and running, could imagine mothers carrying their children away. They were understandably scared, but there was something inside her that rose in anger, a red blanket of rage covering the area beneath her closed eyelids. Fury at the man who held her, indignation at the King of France, frustration at the men who sought her hand, and disgust at the people who still favored violence in opposition to peaceful negotiation.
Biting her lower lip, Relena clenched her hands into fists, holding her tongue lest she let loose all of her bottled up emotion and attempt murder.
?Alright bitch,? hot breath licked at the skin of her jaw, ?Who messed with my brother??
Aha, Krapper?s brother. How was it she could get on the bad side of an entire family without lifting a finger?
?I don?t know.? It was a totally honest answer, one that she had reflected on quite a bit after finding out what had befallen her boorish suitor.
?Like hell you don?t,? the man holding her sneered, the knife biting into her skin, a trickle of warmth trailing down her neck. He had cut her.
Choking back a sob or scream, she didn?t know which, Relena opened her blue eyes to the sky, ?I swear I don?t,? she whispered hoarsely, ?I wasn?t even there.?
If he hadn?t been holding a knife to her neck, if he hadn?t been holding her in such a way that any movement would alert him to any attack she might attempt, she would have given him the same treatment she had given his brother, a nice heel in the foot. Of course, it would have helped more if she was wearing heels in the first place.
She felt his lips near her ear before his teeth closed down on her earlobe, drawing the flesh into his mouth as he sucked. The sensation caused a strong feeling of nausea to overwhelm her before she heard the loud crack of a gunshot.
Suddenly, she was flying, her body knocked away by something hard crashing into her, but she didn?t get to enjoy the feeling of relief since she found herself immersed in the shallow but cold waters of the fountain she had been so eager to reflect by.
This day just couldn?t get any better. Really.
?Relena! Relena, are you ok!?? Catherine took one of her hands while Hilde took the other. They were only blurred images obstructed by her hair which had come loose from its scrunchy and was now plastered over her face.
Oh no. Thin white shirt + water = . . .
?Eep!? Relena scrambled to cover her chest, pulling her hands away from Hilde and Catherine only to lose her balance and --
*SPLASH*
Well, you get the idea . . .
Meanwhile, Trowa had wrestled the attacker to the ground while Duo called the authorities via a handy, dandy cel phone.
?I don?t fucking believe this!?
Trowa glanced over his shoulder at Duo who was staring at the phone as if everything was all it?s fault, ?What??
?They put me on hold! Damned --?
A sob broke through to silence him as Relena broke down into tears, the whole ordeal catching up to her, the collar of her button down dress shirt stained pink with diluted blood. The blonde pushed her soaked hair away from her face, just sitting in the water as she cried miserably.
Slipping her shoes off, Cathy climbed into the fountain to help Relena out just as the sound of sirens met their ears. That was about the time Relena started laughing through her tears.
?I?m such a mess,? she giggled, sniffing loudly. ?What will His Majesty think?? She proceeded to collapse to the ground in a hysterical fit of laughter.
?I think she?s finally cracked,? Duo said softly.
?Duo!? Hilde whapped his arm lightly, squatting to be level with the laughing woman only to be pushed away by . . .
?I?ll bring her home.? Trowa. Hilde looked over her shoulder to see that the police had the man handcuffed and were taking him to the police car, the hand that had been holding the knife covered in blood. Didn?t they even want to take a statement? Call an ambulance for the girl?s neck? There was no telling what kind of germs or other potentially lethal agents had been living on the blade.
As if reading her mind, Trowa crouched down beside her, ?It?s ok.?
Sobered, Relena breathed in deeply and let out a huge sigh, ?Sorry. Sometimes you just have to laugh even if the situation doesn?t call for it. I mean, who would have thought I would get killed faster by a walk in the park rather than a political assassination?? She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled reassuringly at the worried faces surrounding her, ?Well, go on! You?ll miss your night out!?
?Relena . . .? Cathy started uncertainly then caught Hilde?s eyes which were bouncing between Relena and Trowa like a tennis ball, ?Aaahh, um, if you?re sure you?re ok.?
Nodding slightly, Relena bowed her head to stare at her clinging shorts. Damn it, you could see through those too.
She listened as they bid her a hasty farewell and left, but one shadow remained; and considering the vow she had made to herself about avoiding . . . him, she really wasn?t looking forward to spending yet another evening in his care.
Or maybe that was, reluctantly looking forward to spending yet another evening in his care . . . Oh who the hell was she kidding . . . She wanted to spend more time with him, get to know him, figure out why he suddenly had this effect on her . . .
?You don?t have to see me home. I can take care of myself.? And she could . . . when men with knives weren?t after her throat. Lifting a delicate hand, she rubbed the spot where the blade had sunk into her skin, feeling the gummy blood there.
Trowa took her hand away to inspect the wound himself, his fingers gentle and warm again her cold, wet flesh, and she suddenly imagined his lips there. An explosion of heat erupted in her nerve endings, causing a million fiery tingles to travel from her neck to her chest and lower and her blood rose to her face. She was vaguely aware of gritting her teeth against a moan so hard a blossom of pain shot through her head, slightly masking the sensations such an innocent touch from his hand produced.
Fingers took her chin as her head was turned toward his, green eyes boring into her red face, ?Does it hurt?? It was then that she realized she was still gritting her teeth.
Smiling a forced smile and consciously degritting her teeth, Relena made an effort to at least act normal in the face of her current state of . . . whatever it was he was doing to her, ?No . . no it doesn?t hurt. Listen, if you insist on staying with me, can we go somewhere? . . . I don?t want to go home just yet. Too many reminders of --?
She paused at his nod and the feel of his arm wrapping around her back to hoist her up, his lips close to the ear her attacker had sucked upon, ?First, you need dry clothes.?
It was unreal, the shiver that ran through her body at the sound of his voice, the intensity of it drowning her senses as she nodded dumbly, the hand at the small of her back wreaking havoc on her nerves. Her body was suffused with warmth at the fire he had ignited, her mind chanting that it was just her imagination, that she was just lonely and sick of being drooled after by money-grubbers who only wanted two things from her which did NOT include her personality. Trowa was just different, and she was reacting to that difference in a way that was painfully stimulating. That was ALL!
And as she looked up at him, making their way, once more, to his home, she had a fleeting image of herself in his arms, and she knew, in that instant, that this ?phase? was going to last a very long time.
<center>***</center>
?I?m sorry . . . about Marissa.?
Trowa turned his head, startled, to the woman sitting beside him. After reaching his place, Relena had showered and donned an oversized sweater that reached her knees, virtually burying her body in the thick insulation.
And it still wasn?t enough to keep his attention from her legs. What in the hell was going on with him? He hadn?t been able to stop thinking about her since that night . . .
The heat in the small living space he called ?home? as unbearable, so he had suggested sitting outside to not only wait for their dinner to finish cooking but also to give himself suitable breathing room. Of course, he hadn?t taken into account that sitting would inevitably cause the material to ride up her thighs. He had also somehow miscalculated the dimensions of the wooden steps, meaning Relena was sitting next to him, her shoulder pressed against his forearm.
They had sat in relative silence, Relena staring up into the clear but darkening sky, while he watched her out the corner of his eye again astounded by her quiet beauty.
And then he had dropped the bombshell on him.
?Trowa? I?m sorry if I upset you . . .? she looked up at him concerned, her brows drawn over her caring blue eyes.
He shook his head and smiled gently at her, ?It doesn?t matter. She was seeing someone else.?
Relena?s eyes widened then dropped to stare at her lap, ?I?m sorry. I sorta know how you must feel.?
?I didn?t love her.? Now where the hell did that come from? ?What about Heero??
Brushing a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear, Relena raised her head to look at him again, a sad little smile softening her features, ?We decided we were better off as friends. Peace has finally settled into people?s hearts, and I didn?t need his support anymore . . . Anyway, he?s interested in someone else.? She noted the question in Trowa?s forest green eyes and knew her smile had deepened, Heero?s secret screaming to get out.
Her eyes bespoke of a thinly veiled secret amusement, her smile making his breath catch as she teased him without words.
He wasn?t going to take the bait. If there was one thing Trowa knew, it was how to bide his time.
She pouted when she realized he wasn?t going to play, then stared at him in awe for a few moments as their whole exchange was processed. It was amazing how well he could read her!
?Trowa, can we do this again sometime? Just sit and talk or be silent?? Her voice was filled with hope, and he desired more time with her as well.
He nodded, his mouth dipping in a soft smile as she smiled back, her face turning back to the stars and their celestial light. ?Sometimes, words aren?t needed,? he said softly, his words carried off by the wind before they met her ears. Turning his head, he looked up at the stars, and they were silent.
<center>***</center>
A few hours later, after Relena?s clothes had dried and they had eaten dinner, long after Relena was due back at the mansion, Trowa walked the young politician up her front steps and watched her unlock the door with shaking fingers.
They stepped into the large foyer, Trowa first, his hand closed around hers firmly, when . . .
?WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN??!!? Milliardo stormed down the stairs in full dress uniform, two older men falling into step behind him while Noin followed at a sedate pace, her face bespeaking her intrigue.
?It?s alright Milliardo, Trowa was with me,? Relena tried to placate her brother. He wasn?t in a placating mood and neither was the younger of the two older men who looked upon Relena with disapproval and Trowa with a sneer of disgust.
?The Princess associates with peasants??
Relena narrowed her eyes at the man, her mouth open to rebuke him when Trowa squeezed the hand he still held, turning toward her to whisper something in her ear before edging out the door.
Milliardo used that time to take control of the argument, ?If you will be so kind, Your Highness, I think I know how to take care of my own sister.?
?Fat lot of good you?ve done Merquise,? the other man remarked.
?Relena, I don?t think you?ve had the honor of meeting His Royal Highness Jean-Pierre IV of France or the Duke Richard Krapper III Esquire, Joseph?s father,? Noin?s voice broke into the fray.
The King stepped forward, his business suit pressed to perfection, to bend over her hand, his cold lips skimming over the skin warm from Trowa?s previous hold. She suppressed a shiver.
?You are every bit as lovely as Milliardo said you were and more.?
Relena?s narrowed eyes bore into her brother?s form, his face turned away so that he wouldn?t have to meet her gaze.
Noin shouldered herself between them, hugging Relena around the shoulders before pushing her toward the stairs, babbling the whole while, ?Yes, yes isn?t she though? I think she takes after her mother. Anyway, it?s been a long day and night for our prestigious young Minister, and I think it would be prudent to continue all of this later, as in tomorrow, after everyone?s had a good night?s rest. Wouldn?t that be lovely? Yes, I thought you would all agree! Good night, gentlemen! Say goodnight to the gentlemen Relena.?
?Wait! I want to know what happened to my son!? the Duke?s voice called as they neared the top of the stairs.
*SLAM!*
Noin shut the door to Relena?s room then leaned against the hard oak, exhaling a deep breath.
There was a moment of silence before Noin opened one eye to study her young sister-in-law.
?Well, do I have to ask or will you just tell me??
Relena was suddenly very interested in her nails, ?Tell you what??
?Don?t give me that Relena,? Noin shoved off the door to sit upon Relena?s bed, watching the young girl beside her with interest. She was the only one who knew all about Relena?s encounter with Joseph, the only one who had been told about the run in with Trowa, the only soul who Relena had confided her confusion.
Relena stood, shoving her hands in her pockets, her face reflecting her deep concentration, the same look she usually had when trying to find the most risk-free way of expressing her thoughts.
?What?s this?? Noin observed the puzzled look on the younger girl?s face, watching a slender hand pull out a slip of blue paper from the right pocket. Relena?s face went up in flames.
Blinking, curious, the dark-haired woman stood and walked up to Relena, looking over the shorter girl?s shoulder. In Relena?s hands was a ticket to the circus on L4, the slip of paper dated a month in advance, and written on the back in a neat, precise handwriting was a note:
~Be there. Trowa.~
?W -- what does this mean?? Relena stammered, her cheeks flushed pink. It was pretty clear that the blonde knew EXACTLY what it meant.
Noin grinned, ?Why, I think that would be quite obvious. He?s asking you on a date.?
To be continued . . .
Author's Note: Even though it will take me several chapters before I deal with it, I'm well aware that Krapper's brother and Krapper himself should face charges. Don't worry, they will both get their just desserts
