Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Rose Among the Thorns ❯ Resolution ( Chapter 4 )

August 10, 2002

AN: Ok, more Relena and Alex, but don't worry, Heero is here…somewhere. Mahalo (thank you in Hawaiian) to the reviewers again. You make my day so much brighter.

A Rose Among the Thorns

Chapter Four

Resolution

Relena was standing in the stables of the Sanc Kingdom, waiting for Alex to arrive. She had agreed to see him again on New Year's Eve which was the only day that both of them had free since the Christmas Ball. Relena still found herself thinking of that night. It had gone better than she expected, it actually went perfectly. The prince was exactly what she had dreamed about when she was a little girl- affectionate, charming, humorous, and handsome. They had danced together twice in all, which was completely against ballroom etiquette which stated that you were only permitted one dance with a single person unless you were engaged or married. They were neither, but they figured they were close enough to engaged. Likewise, the more they seemed to be together, the more people would believe their arranged marriage.

What really stuck out in her mind was the almost-kiss. The prince obviously wanted it, and she did as well. But, Heero had to ruin it. He seemed to ruin everything without even being there. She had to let him go, otherwise her relationship with Alex would never work out.

That is why she decided to go out on this date with him today. She would give him a tour of Sanc on horseback. He sounded so enthusiastic at the time, which only made her smile. The day wasn't exactly perfect since it was the middle of winter, but the sky was clear enough that the city was bathed in a healthy white glow. The trees were bare and dried looking, with branches that reminded her of fingers, reaching up towards the cloudy sky in a futile effort to escape the cold of winter. Snow had blanketed the area in a layer of white that made the city look clean and pure.

It was as cold as an ice cube outdoors, but she dressed warmly in a long-sleeved wool gown that shone the color of crimson. Over that she donned a hooded cloak that matched the color of her dress and was trimmed in white. She thought it looked like something Mrs. Claus would wear and that's why she loved it so much. Her hair was left to fall freely to help ward off some of the cold, and the frosty air had given her cheeks a rosy hue.

She picked up a carrot and gave it to her gelding, a black-colored thorough-bred. She had named her Artemis after the Greek goddess. She fed her companion and quietly sank into her thoughts. The news had gone crazy over the subject of her and Alex. The day after the ball, reporters were storming her grounds, asking her questions left and right. She hardly had a moments peace at the time. Newspapers were slapped with pictures of them on the front page; magazines had headlines reading "A Royal Couple;" radio and television broadcasts were streaming with talk of their developing relationship. She imagined it must have been just as chaotic on Alex's side as well. She knew it was going to be a frenzied time for both of them, but she expected it would calm down after a few days, and she was right. She had only had two journalists bother her today so far. It seems the world of journalism didn't slow down for anything, even a holiday like New Year's Eve.

Alex was being led to the stables by Noin. He had dressed warmly as well with a green cloak the color of his eyes which was wrapped around him. She had been speaking to him about… something. He wasn't exactly paying attention. His mind was too busy thinking about Relena. He hadn't been able to think about anything but her since the night of the ball. It was as if she had cast a spell on him that made him crazy about her. All he had to do was close his eyes and he could see her beautiful face, the face of an eternal angel come to take him to heaven. He had never felt this way before about anyone. It was scary, but he liked it.

Noin had just noticed that he wasn't paying much attention to her. He had this silly grin on his face, and that was all she needed to see to know what he was thinking. She had seen the two of them together that night. How they matched, how they both smiled, how they looked perfect together. She had seen Alex nearly kiss Relena. It was all happening so fast.

They had practically reached the stables when she stopped in her tracks. Alex halted as well, although he was unsure of what it meant.

"I just want to make one thing clear, Prince Alexander," Noin said with a stern voice. "Treat Relena with respect."

He had no idea where that came from, but he answered, "Of course I will. You have my word."

She nodded and they both proceeded to the stables where Noin quietly left them alone. Alex was at the entrance, staring at her as the horse gently nudged her, causing her to giggle in return. She was just as lovely as she was the last time he saw her, maybe even lovelier still. She wasn't adorned with gold and jewels that only hid her natural beauty. Clad in her simple dress, she looked like a snow goddess that could melt his heart with her unearthly presence.

Relena felt she was being watched. She turned to see Alex looking at her like he was daydreaming and she smiled. She would have blushed if her cheeks weren't already red from the cold. "Hello, Alex." She waited for him to respond but he didn't. "Were you going to say hello or were you going to just stand there and stare at me all day?"

He laughed and said, "Hello, Relena." He walked up to her, took her hand, and kissed it lightly. He'd rather have been kissing her lips but there would be time for that later.

"I hope you're ready for a brisk ride through the town," Relena said. She tried not to think of the tingling sensation in the skin that Alex had kissed. "You'll be riding Apollo," she said, indicating the horse in the adjacent stall, "and I'll be riding Artemis. They were both named after the twin deities, Apollo, the god of light, poetry, and music, and Artemis, the goddess of wildfire and the moon."

He looked at his horse, a stallion as white as the snow that covered the land. He raised a hand and patted its head. He glanced at Relena's ride, a gorgeous mare, the complete opposite from his horse, being as black as night.

"We might as well get started," Relena said as she lifted herself up into her saddle. She lifted the hood over her head to keep our as much cold as possible.

Alex followed her lead as she trotted out of the stable into the pale glow of the sun. Side by side they made their way through the fairly empty streets. Many of the citizens had stayed home being that it was an international holiday, but some lined the streets making their last-minute purchases of fireworks. Along the way, Relena pointed out her favorite shops: Gilmore's Shoe Shop, The Toy Express, and The Gold Tailor, among others. They wound their way past churches, schools, parks, landmarks, and factories as she gave details about each. Hours later, Alex listened intently as she explained how Mrs. Albright from the candy shop always gave her a lollipop whenever she went visit.

"Mrs. Albright has five children, the youngest being about our age, and twelve grandchildren, not including the one that's on his way. She is just about the nicest person you will ever meet," Relena added. She looked at him and saw that he was only smiling at her absently. "Look at me. I'm just ranting on and on."

"I love to hear you rant," Alex commented.

Relena laughed. "Well, I would much rather hear something about you."

"All right. What do you want to know?"

"Tell me about your parents. I know you lost your father at an early age and you aren't very close to your mother, but I would like to get to know them, especially your mother, who I will most likely be meeting."

Alex nodded, but his heart felt heavy thinking about them. "You are right about my father. I was only five. We went out one day to the park, just him and I, so that I could fly a kite. It accidentally got caught in a tree, so I begged my father to get it down for me. He reluctantly climbed up and untangled it, but he somehow lost his footing and fell, landing on his head. He had a major concussion and some internal bleeding. The doctors did what they could but they couldn't do enough. It was hard on everyone, especially my mother. I was still very young and I didn't fully comprehend what was going on. I can remember my father lying in bed, pale and weak-looking, and my mother right beside him, holding his hand. When she would leave his room, I could hear her crying late into the night. By the end of the week, he had fallen gravely still, and a few days later he past away. I don't remember much of the funeral, but I do remember knowing that nothing would be the same ever again. That is when I cried." By then, Alex lost the light in his eyes and he looked as if he was about to weep for the father he never knew.

Relena silently reprimanded herself in her head. He looked broken, and that was her fault. "I'm sorry," she genuinely apologized. "I shouldn't have reminded you of that painful experience."

Alex reacted as if he was snapped out of a trance at the sound of her words. He looked at her and saw that she was truly remorseful. "It's quite all right. If I hadn't told you now, I would have told you another day. You know you are the first person that I've ever been able to tell it to without falling to pieces."

All Relena did was smile. What were you supposed to say to something like that?

"As far as my mother goes, I was sent off two months later to boarding schools, a different every year as you know. My mother visited me twice in all in that time: once at Rosenburg School, and once at Morgan Academy. The first time, I was eight, and she came during winter break. She sat with me in my room and we talked about what I was doing in school and about my friends, but twenty minutes into the conversation, she broke down and started crying. Her servant came later came in to inform me that she had taken ill and would not be coming back. I thought is strange at the time, but I thought nothing more of it. The next and last visit was when I was fifteen. She came during one of my soccer practices, and she had stayed to watch. Before it was over, she suddenly lost it again and started weeping. She left before I could even say a word to her. When I returned to Altera, she avoided me like the plague. I barely see her even though we live in the same palace. It was then that I realized that she somehow resented and blamed me for his death."

"Surely you can't believe that," Relena asked.

"Of course I believe it. Why would she cry whenever she saw me? Why would she avoid me at all costs? If it wasn't for me and my stupid kite, my father would be alive today," he yelled though he didn't mean to.

Relena stopped her horse. Alex did the same a few paces ahead of her. He turned Apollo about, and facing her, returned to her side.

"I'm sorry, Relena. I didn't mean to shout at you."

Relena sighed. Alex's life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. He had his problems, and by the looks of it, they were deep personal ones.

"I don't think your mother hates you," Relena said, looking straight into his eyes. "It was an accident and she knows it. You didn't mean for him to fall. You were only a child. No, she doesn't hate you. Who could ever hate someone as wonderful as you?"

Alex smiled at her. He still thought his mother hated him, but it was heartening to hear Relena support him that way. He was close enough to smell he jasmine scent. It was enough to send him reeling. He was about to kiss her when she started off again. He went after her and noticed that they had made it to the outskirts of the city. It was breathtaking out here, the miles and miles of rolling hills covered with frozen trees and sheets of white fluff.

Relena started to speed up, bringing Artemis into a canter and then a gallop, across the empty field, her hood falling back without a thought. Alex matched her speed, his horse's hooves pounding the ground in a wild rhythm. They both leaned forward, their bodies raised out of the saddle, to catch the most momentum. They raced through the snow, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. Relena let the wind whip around her, her hair flailing here and there. She felt free. She urged her mount faster and faster until she passed Alex by with more than 20 feet between them. She stopped and dismounted at a lone house surrounded by a few streetlights, laughing at nothing at all. Alex met her and dropped to the ground.

"I guess this means I win," Relena stated with glee. She patted Artemis on the head to calm the animal down.

"This time," Alex replied with a challenging glint in his eye. "Where are we?"

"This is the borderline to the capital city. Once you pass this house, it is forty miles to the nearest town which would be Falcon Way," she indicated pointing towards the south. "This house is mine. I bought it without anyone else knowing. I often come here to be alone. Let's go inside. I'm awfully cold."

They both entered the one room house after tying the horses to a nearby tree. There was a fireplace with a pile of wood by it's side, a desk covered with papers, a small wooden table with two chairs, a small refrigerator, a couch big enough for three people (or one if you were sleeping on it), and a wood-burning stove. It was simple, but cozy.

Relena placed a few logs into the fireplace and lit the pile with a match. Within a few minutes, the room was warm enough to remove their cloaks. She showed him to a seat on the couch and took a seat next to him.

"Would you like something to drink," she asked without thinking.

"What do you have?"

"Let me check." She got up and went to the refrigerator. "Your choice. I have water, water, or water."

He sat there pretending to think about it. "I think I'll have the water."

"I think I'll have some too." She grabbed a couple of bottles and rejoined him on the couch, handing him one.

Alex took a sip of from his bottle before saying, "I've told you about my parents. It's only fair you tell me about yours."

"That's a complicated matter. I've had four parents: two biological and two adoptive. My real parents were the ruler of the Sanc Kingdom before my father was assassinated. You must know about that, everyone does." Alex nodded in agreement. "My mother was killed when the palace was overrun by rebels. I don't remember anything from that time, or maybe I just blocked it all out. Either way, they're gone. I was then adopted by the only parents I ever knew, the Darlians. They raised me to be who I am today, and I can't thank them enough for that. My mother is still alive, and I keep in touch with her. Unfortunately my father was killed before my very eyes." She fought back the tears that had unwillingly formed in her eyes.

"He was killed in front of you," Alex asked in shock. "They said that he was killed by terrorists, but there was no mention of you being there."

"I was there. I saw the person throw the bomb into his room, I watched my father die in front of me in that ambulance." Flashes of that day flared before her eyes. She had forgiven Lady Une for doing such a heinous crime, but that didn't make her pain any less bearable. Relena couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they slid carelessly down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands.

Alex took her in his arms, trying to soothe her from her sorrow. He knew he shouldn't have asked, but he wanted to know. It was horrible how she had to live through three of her parents' murders, and yet she was still a strong, confident young woman.

"Please don't cry, Relena. I'm sorry you had to live through such terrible pain, but I promise you that as long as I'm with you, I'll keep you safe."

Relena nodded against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. He rocked her until her sobs died away. She quietly slipped into a peaceful sleep, and didn't wake up until she heard the booming of fireworks in the distance. She glanced out the window and saw that it was black as coal outside. She suddenly remembered that she wasn't here alone. Sitting up, she searched the room and found Alex at the table setting up something.

He heard her stir and turned towards her. "Good morning, I mean, evening to you."

Relena smirked. "What time is it," she asked, rubbing the sleep from her weary eyes. She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep but she was thankful she got it.

"Nine o'clock."

"I slept that long?"

"It was only a few hours and you didn't miss the fireworks display yet."

"What are you doing?"

"I am setting up dinner. While you were sleeping, I snuck out and luckily found a convenience store still open, which I thought was crazy being that it was New Year's and all. But, I bought us some nice chicken and salad and a little champagne on the side. And, don't worry, I also bought some oats and carrots for the horses." He went to her side and offered his hand, saying, "So if you'll join me now, we can start."

Relena laughed and took his hand. He showed her to her place, pulling her chair out for her, and seating her. He took his seat across from her, and they began dinner. The night was filled with their chatter and laughter. By the end of the meal, they felt like they had known each other their whole lives. Alex reached for her hand and she willingly wrapped her fingers around his. She shivered involuntarily, whether from the his touch or the cold, he didn't know, but he decided he should go add some logs to the fire.

"Where do you keep the wood," Alex asked when the fire was going low and the wood had all been used.

"It's outside at the back of the house. I'll go with you."

They both put on their cloaks and went around the back where Alex started piling wood into his left hand. When it started getting too much, he asked without turning around if Relena could help him gather some more. When he got no answer he turned to find she wasn't standing behind him like he thought. He turned his head left and right, but saw no sign of her. He called out her name. No answer. He started to worry.

"Relena," he called, as he began walking back around the house. He made it past one corner. "Relena!" Still no answer. Just as he rounded the last corner, smack! A snowball right in the face. He heard Relena laughing her head off just a few feet away from him.

"So you think that's funny, huh?" The tone of his voice held a playful hint, but she knew he was going to get her back. She took off just as Alex dropped his pile of wood and packed a pile of snow into a ball. Relena ran for the nearest tree, but not fast enough. Alex threw the snowball and hit her square in the back. She screamed as she turned and hurled another ball and him, missing him by an inch. He scooped up more snow and tossed it at her. She laughed as it hit her shoulder. By then she gave up on making balls and resorted to just flinging snow at him in an attempt to keep him away. But Alex wasn't hindered by that, and he caught her three feet away from her tree. They fell onto the snow, Alex on top and Relena beneath. They were both still laughing until each of them looked into each other's eyes.

Alex saw the longing in her eyes, the same longing that was in his. She was willing and so was he. That's when Alex couldn't hold himself back any longer. He closed his eyes, leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, lightly for just a couple of seconds. He pulled back and saw that her eyes were closed, a smile on her lips. She opened them and what he saw made him go nearly mad. Lust, pure and simple. He leaned down again and captured her lips more forcefully this time, tasting her sweet honey flavor. When she didn't protest, he became bolder and traced her lips with his tongue. She opened up to him, and as their tongues met, fire- hot and scorching- raced through his veins. Alex knew he would have lost all sense of self-control if something didn't stop him. And that's when something happened.

***

Heero was hiding behind a fairly large tree, where he could see Relena and Alex, but they couldn't see him.

He had been gone for three weeks on another mission, one that kept him isolated from the outside world. He was ordered by Doctor J to infiltrate a big-time mob leader, Lazy Eye, who had enough dirty money to buy his own colony. Usually, these types of internal affairs didn't concern him, but Lazy Eye had been lending large amounts of money to an outside group. He hadn't been able to trace where the currency ended up, but it was only a matter of time.

In any case, he had not heard about any news until last night. That is when he discovered the one thing that broke his heart in two. Relena was seeing another man, and a prince, no less.

He was dying inside. He didn't know what was eating away at him more, the hurt or the hate. He had known for years that Relena could eventually find someone to build a relationship with, but he never actually imagined she would. He thought she would wait for him, but he knew that he was foolish in thinking that. She had wealth, power, and beauty. Why would she wait for him? A nobody, who had nothing to give her. It hurt, more than anything he could have imagined. It cut deeper than any knife and it went straight to his soul.

The hate was another thing entirely. He hated Relena and himself, but he hated Alex the most. Alex had everything he didn't, and that make Heero spiteful. He had everything Heero didn't, and the one person he wanted more than life itself. And, that made him furious. Relena was the cause of all his crazy emotions, ones that he wasn't supposed to be feeling. He was the Perfect Soldier, flawless in battle and successful in every mission. He wasn't supposed to feel anything, but Relena changed that. That is why he hated her. He hated himself for letting her affect him in such a way. He was trained to ignore his emotions, and destroy anything and anyone who got in his way. But, for the life of him, he couldn't do that. Instead of stealing the life from her, he wanted to make her his own. He wanted to ravish her with kisses, taste her sweet, rosy lips, feel her silky skin beneath his fingertips, and…he stopped thinking about it. He was getting feverish and uncomfortable.

He didn't even know why he felt any of this. It wasn't as if he was in love with her, or was he? He was so confused. He was lost in the dark with no way out.

And now, he was hiding behind a tree, spying on them through the window. It was madness, and he knew he shouldn't be there, but he couldn't rip his eyes away from the two of them, eating their simple meal in peace. They looked so happy together. Heero's jaw clenched tight, and his fists balled up.

He watched as they made their way outside. He ducked further behind his hiding place in the dark. He ground his teeth as Relena and Alex played around in the snow. But, what he saw next, made everything before seem like a tap on his heart.

He stared in utter shock as Alex kissed her. He felt he couldn't breathe, his whole body feeling numb. When he kissed her again, he felt the world come crashing down on him, covering him more and more as their kiss continued. He felt dead, and then he felt enraged. In a fit of raw emotion, he hit the tree with full force.

"Boom!" The ground shook and an earsplitting bang erupted into the air.

AN: Ok, I dunno if I'm spelling Sanc right. Is it Sanc or Cinq? I've seen both ways. Oh, and I'm no expert on horses. I've ridden one before (a little pony at the fair, but that's all). I had to look up this stuff, so if it's not exactly right don't mind me. It took a lot of work to look up stuff so you better review, even if you already did. The more I get, the more I write. It helps even if you don't think so.