A Reluctant Romance-Chapter 2

[BabbleFish]

(Soundtrack for the rewrite: random assortment of Cascada songs)



Hi minna! Welcome to chapter two of ?A Reluctant Romance? Because of the revisions of chapter 1, I decided to pretty much rewrite this chapter, instead of simply revising. I like this so much better than its first incarnation, because there?s much more exposition, description, and better dialogue. So yeah, I really hope you enjoy this new version of chapter 2!


Please leave a review if you?d like, it really makes my day!


As usual, Heero and company don?t belong to me (oh, I wish!), all Standard Disclaimers Apply (ASDA).



He had broken away from his traveling companions; their chattering had begun to wear on him. He wondered about the young queen Jay had betrothed him to. What would she be like? Would she be tall or short? Could he really stand being merely a Consort for the rest of his life? Prince Heero let his mind wander as his black warhorse strolled leisurely through the woods. He had heard that she was a competent and compassionate ruler, though he personally didn?t agree with the tenets of pacifism. At least they had a standing army, or ?Self Defense Force? as those of Cinq preferred to call it. He had also heard the bards tell of Queen Relena?s beauty and kindness, of her wit and intelligence. Being naturally cynical, he doubted they were true. He knew his advisers wouldn?t let him hear the end of it if they knew he was actually thinking about the woman he was to marry. Heero was not known for being overly effusive.



He had always been a rather stoic young man, his silent ways reaching back all the way into his childhood. Some said that he was the exact opposite of his older brother Duo, High King of Romanga. Where Duo was boisterous and charming, Heero was silent and withdrawn. Their parents had died when they were but small children from illness. And so their most trusted adviser raised him, a man known as Jay. The doctor trained the young princes in the arts of leadership and war. Prince Heero turned out to be a very apt pupil and had become the general of his older brother?s armies, as it was customary for second sons to do.



He became a consummate warrior, learning how to shut off the emotions that were synonymous with weakness. But his coldness didn?t put off the young ladies of his brother?s court, one lady in particular. He scowled; Sylvia of Noventa hadn?t taken the news of his betrothal very well. They had been lovers for a year, spending nights in each other?s beds when her husband was away or when Heero had been at court between campaigns. Though he took pleasure in the arrangement, he had never fancied himself in love with the woman. She had been but one in a line of forgettable females, there but for sport. This queen would be no different from the simpering, superficial ladies that had surrounded him for his whole life.



He had ended the dalliance with her after Jay and his brother had told him of their decision. At first, the prince had been furious. How dare his brother sell him off to the land of Cinq for the sake of an alliance! He had sneered in disgust, Cinq was a pacifist nation?who in their right mind would send his best general to pacifist nation!? It took about two weeks for him to calm himself to the point of being able to stand occupying the same room as his brother, but Heero had never refused the directive. After all, he was a soldier and Duo, though his brother; was still his King.



Heero shook the unruly brunet locks that wreathed his head, trying to break himself from his reverie. It wouldn?t do to spend the last hours before he met his future queen mired in thoughts best left alone.



The scream was very effective. Heero snapped to attention, his quick mind already analyzing the situation. The scream, slightly shrill, was definitely female. He kicked his Wing into a gallop and they headed off in the direction the scream had come from.



?Hey look what I caught, Orrin! What?s a pretty lady like you doin? out ?ere all alone?? the rough brogue of a peasant echoed in the still evening. Heero crept silently up to the small group of men, one of who gripped a young blonde haired woman by the shoulders. Even he could see that the man was hurting her, even though she tried to keep a brave face.



She was tall and her eyes were an unusual shade of violet, fringed by dark lashes. Her form was pleasing, even to a stoic like Heero. Her gown was simple, but richly made of a heavy green fabric; he could see that she was from a moneyed family. Or her husband was wealthy...he didn?t like that thought for some reason.



?None of your business, you cretin! Unhand me this instant you filthy piece of...? She was cut off by a vicious backhand across the left cheek, splitting her lower lip in the process. Blood slowly dripped down her porcelain chin. Heero felt himself fill with rage at the sight of the red fluid tainting the pale skin. No man of any worth would dare raise his hand to a woman. These peasants were scum...



?You?ll shut yer pretty mouth if you know what?s good for ye! Orrin, get over here!? He shouted, pressing his large hand across her mouth to muffle her. ?Ouch! Why you...!?



Heero smirked slightly; she must have bitten the assailant. Even from here he could see the spark in her unusual eyes. Prussian blue eyes narrowed as the man threw her against a tree.



?That?s a fine lookin? woman you caught, Jon! Care to share?? The man called Orrin asked, a sick grin sliding across his face. The woman paled dramatically and she struggled backwards.



Heero silently loaded an arrow into the crossbow he always kept as his side, waiting for just the right moment to step into the dangerous situation. He raised the crossbow, steadying himself in preparation for the fight that was to come.



?Why of course, Orrin!? The man called Jon smiled down at her before reaching for her bodice. The woman screamed again, her voice shrill with fear.



?Scream all you want, darlin?, ain?t no one going to hear yo- ? He was cut short by the arrow that sunk itself deep into his chest. Jon released her shoulders, slouching over, dead.



Sliding out from under the dead man, she made to run but the man called Orrin grabbed her by the arm and began to pull the struggling woman to him.



Another arrow buried itself in his chest and she let out a short gasp and pushed the injured man away from her.



It was then that Heero chose to reveal himself. He walked Wing out of the brush. The woman on the ground turned in surprise, her violet eyes wide and scared.



?Are you alright?? He asked, his voice deep and carefully modulated. She was beautiful up close, but Heero could see a bruise forming on her cheekbone, marring the perfection of her pale skin. She stood slowly, and he could see that she was trying in vain to stop shaking.



?I?m fine, thank you,? she said primly, wiping the blood from her chin with a long-fingered hand. He admired her fortitude. Any of the women he knew would have weeping, sniveling messes. Aside from the blood and bruised face, she looked to be a well-born lady. Her features were delicate, but he could sense the steel that lurked just beyond the surface of her countenance.



?I?ll get your horse,? he said and trotted off in the direction her horse had taken off in, leaving her standing in the middle of the clearing with the bodies of her attackers heaped at her feet.



Heero returned just in time to watch the woman sway and he leapt from Wing to catch her before she fell to the frozen ground. She fitted perfectly into his arms, and a feeling he had never felt before washed through him. He savagely quashed the warm feeling before it could get very far. The young man was already promised to the queen of Cinq, and developing feelings for a stranger he met in the wood was impractical. And if there was a feature that defined Heero, it was practicality.



He picked up a handful of snow and gently rubbed it on her smooth forehead, attempting to wake her. She groaned quietly, shifting in his arms. It was then Heero noticed that her intricate hairstyle had come undone, her long golden hair falling around her shoulders. Heero idly wondered if she would look quite so peaceful sleeping in his bed after a night of lovemaking. He shook his head violently to clear the thought from his head. He was a promised man, and there was no point in losing his hard heart to some random woman he rescued in the woods.



?Heero. There you are.? The quiet voice of Wufei, one of his advisors, broke him from his reverie. ?Quatre was wondering where you had gone.?



?I needed some time to myself,? he replied, his voice even and his eyes betrayed nothing.



?What happened here?? Quatre asked as Sandrock trotted up to them, his blue eyes widening in concern as they took in the limp form of the woman in his prince?s arms.



?Some peasants attacked this woman. I couldn?t just let them,? Heero said. ?I?m going to take her with us to the castle Cinq, there?s bound to be someone there that knows her. One is dead, the other is merely unconscious, I suggest we take him to the authorities.?



Wufei nodded as he dismounted and made his way to the unconscious bandit, on his face a sneer of disgust. How dishonorable, attacking an unarmed woman. What cowards!



Heero?s attention was drawn to her fluttering eyelashes as she began to return to the land of the living. A moment passed, and he stared down at the woman in his arms?before her fist slammed into his face. Stunned more than hurt, he growled softly and held onto her tightly so she didn?t hurt herself. She squirmed against him, and the feeling of her against him was deliciously forbidden.



?Madam, please stop your incessant wriggling! You?re in safe hands now, there is no need to resort to violence!? He glared down at her, dark brown brows knitted together in a frown.



She stopped moving, violet eyes now clear and startled. He took a moment to scrutinize her more closely. Despite the bruise, split lip, and the gown spattered in mud and blood; she really was quite lovely. Dark honey blonde hair cascaded down over his hands at her shoulders like silk and she smelled of lilacs. Heero found that he wanted nothing more than to plunge his hands into that tempting hair and drown in her scent. An odd feeling, for even though he was a man experienced in the ways of women, he hadn?t ever felt quite drawn to them as he did to this lovely stranger.

[The Angry Angel]

I love you. I love this! Don't make me wait years for the next chapter, how cruel!! Or do you like people being dysfunctional, zombie-like, and walking crooked while waiting on your lovely storytelling?? This story is the best ever! It couldn't get any better! well, if only Relena was a like a Boudica warrior queen...wonder where I can find a fic like that...ta-ha, cuz we all know I sure as hell won't write one myself...! *ich bin pathetic, I know*

Go you!

[darky]

This was so good!

Duo a king? Man, look out!

Once more you leave us in a cliffhanger. Cruel, but I can?t be mad at you, just don?t make us wait too long for the next chapter. Can?t wait to find out Heero?s reaction when he knows Relena is the queen.


Darky

[WingZero2118]

Duo a king? Man, look out!

you can say that again!

this is quite the take on the world of gundam wing. from the looks of it once heero finds out that the woman he saved is the queen to whom he is betrothed he shouldn't have much of a problem with it, esp from they way he is already attracted to her. all in all this is quite the interesting story and i cant wait for more!