Two teenage girls could be heard singing along with the radio; their hair flying in the wind as the car sped down the deserted streets of the elegant neighborhood. They moved with the music as well as they could in the car’s restraints. The blonde in the passenger seat turned around and kissed the almost life-size stuffed lion sitting in the back of the car; they both giggled.
“No pretty girl should go home without a prize,” the driver said trying to mimic the boy’s nearly unintelligible dialect, “Let me win for you.”
They both laughed at the recollection of the man who offered to win the prize; his emerald eyes held a flirtatious sparkle and his black curly hair bounced when he laughed. He escorted the two girls through the carnival, giving each equal attention. The strange young man then carried two large stuffed animals to their car, he kissed them both on the hand in parting and said “I have never meet two such charming women, Good night.”
“It’s so nice to have someone treat you like that and not expect something in return,” she sighed.
“Yes, Miss Vice Foreign Minister Darlian,” the violet-eyed girl responded accenting each word in the formal title.
The car pulled into the driveway and all fun seemed to stop, the dark house loomed ominously in the foreground.
They stepped out of the car; Relena shut her door and the sound echoed in the night. She walked around to the back of the car where her friend was opening the back door.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in with you?”
“It’s okay, Hilde,” she looked toward the house.
Hilde looked to the only lit window and grimaced as she saw the figure pacing, “You sure?”
Relena nodded silently.
“I could tell him it was my fault,” Hilde offered, “I stormed into your office and kidnapped you. You didn’t want anything to do with it but I was too strong for you.” She finished her dramatic tale laughing but Relena refused her assistance.
Relena took a few steps back to steady her balance when the lion gave and finally freed itself from the car. They laughed again at the huge toy and the day’s amazing turn of events; they hugged leaning over the lion and said their final words of parting. The golden-haired princess opened the door to her home and waved her good-byes. Hilde watched the door close behind her friend; Relena needed more days like this, days when she could be a person and not an object. She backed the car and wished her friend luck.
The former Queen of the World managed to lug the stuffed creature into the house and far enough past the door to shut it. Its yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. She looked down the hall toward the only room with a light on; she was all too familiar with the glow of the lamp on the hard wood floor. Her cerulean eyes glanced up the stairs to her room; she wanted nothing more than to make it there and close the door before he could hear her. She tread carefully on the first step leaving the toy behind and wondering if her chances were better if she ran.
A tall platinum blond man came to the doorway, he was out of her line of vision but she knew he was there. Without looking she could read the expression on his face. She turned to look at her dear brother, the young man who was dead to the entire world except her, the Preventers, and his devoted wife. His brows knit, deep furrows marring the smooth skin of his forehead.
Relena sighed, her chest rising with the inhalation of the deep breath and falling back again as she exhaled, she let her shoulders drop back into a more relaxed position. She turned around and stared at her brother wondering if he could see how trapped she felt, the responsibilities of her job taking over every aspect of her life. Everyone she meets taking advantage of her, using her to climb the social ladder. Would he understand the desires of her heart?
He turned and walked back into the lit room, thinking about the danger she put herself in. Didn’t she see the value of her life; though no longer formally the queen her role in the peace of the United Earth’s Sphere was just as vital. Her older brother grew tiered of giving the lectures about her safty.
Relena rubbed the head of her new feline friend, “You understand don’t you?”
His eyes reflected the light in response to her question.
She playfully hugged the creature and whispered, “I knew you thought I was more then an object.”
She met him in the other room, the dim light form the television flashing and casting shadows on the walls. Noin was siting on the couch an open book lying across the cushion next to her; she looked at her husband with pleading eyes. Her sister-in-law smiled, vaguely understanding what the princess’ young heart needed.
The same look adorned his face as before; this was the second time in a week Relena had disappeared. Her position as Vice Foreign Minister still held danger, she was supposed to be with a bodyguard at all times. When she walked through the door her face held a luster that had been absent for months and a true grin of pure happiness that made her cerulean eyes glow with life. He looked at his sister not knowing exactly what to say, not knowing how her features had so quickly reverted from the seemingly happy teenager to the worn and tired diplomat.
She observed everything in the room nothing escaping her eyes. Relena valued her brother’s protection; she respected his opinion but she needed to live her own life. Noin left the room, whispering something to her husband and giving him a kiss as she exited.
They stood facing each other in silence. Brother and sister, each watching the other, so many things sailing through their minds, so many things that needed to be said. Relena straitened her form ready for the onslaught of words, waiting for him to say something. His questions would all be the same, her responses never satisfying his curiosity. Why couldn’t he see the way she was suffering? She turned her back to him, her long hair swirling around her petite waist.
“Why do you do this?” he asked. “It’s not safe for you to go out alone.”
“I wasn’t alone,” Relena answered her back still facing him.
“You weren’t with your guards, they are assigned to protect you.” Another long pause followed.
Relena had become an expert at escaping her bodyguards, she made frequent unexpected visits to the theater just to get away and sit in the darkness. In the past months they had become wiser to her tricks. She enlisted Hilde for this outing to the carnival and it proved two heads are better than one; they spent the entire day without being found.
“If that is all you have to say I will be leaving now.” She spun around again; she made a slight bow and stormed out of the room.
The next night her limo pulled into the circle of the embassy, she slid out and smiled for the flashing cameras. When she entered the ballroom Relena glanced at her form in the mirror. The dress was elegant and made her look more beautiful than she could imagine. She looked at the diplomats and politicians standing around the room. A slight moan escaped from her lips, she straightened her back, pasted on her smile and walked into the crowd.
‘These fools can’t they see what they’re doing,’ she thought, ‘Do any of them have any real feelings, any desires?’ Her pasted grin turned into a real smile as her thoughts sailed into a fantasy of yesterday.
The representative from the L5 colonies approached her; she tried to runaway, to escape through the open doors of the balcony, they were only inches away. Of all the fortune hunting, fame seeking, womanizing creeps he was the worst.
He kissed her cheek and said, “My, Miss Relena, you’re looking more beautiful than a rose this evening.”
“A rose has thorns that will prick you,” she said, “I will do much worse,” and she hastily walked away.
The princess stepped out onto the balcony, a silent form keeping his vigil. He watched knowing how she felt. The pale moonlight played on her face; he needed her and she needed him but he found himself unable to approach his goddess.
Another man came out to see if anything was wrong. Relena wanted to scream yes, to tell everyone it was becoming too much: the job, the people, the meetings, having to carefully examine every person who approached you, they were all becoming too stressful.
‘Can I resign now,’ she thought, smiling as politely as she could manage, ‘Is there another person out there who will take my place?’
The party was finally over; Hilde called to get the story. She jokingly asked if there were any cute guys. Relena opened her window letting the cool night air blow her hair; the door to her room blew open slamming into the wall with a loud crash that made her jump.
“What happened?” Hilde asked, very concerned about her friend.
“The door must not have been latched,” she walked into the hall and looked around.
She quietly closed the door, her hand lingering on the knob before she turned back into the room. Something was lying on her bed; she paused then carefully walked up to it.
“Relena?” Hilde asked, “Relena are you there? Hello.”
“Sorry,” she said and blushed as she rushed to the window dropping the phone on the bed.
She stuck her head out into the night but he was gone, she walked back to the bed and picked up the flowers. Relena read the note out loud, “Lilies—No thorns.”
“Hello, Relena,” Hilde continued to ask over the phone, beginning to really worry, “Where are you? Is there anyone there?”
^_~
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