Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Fade ❯ Fade ( Chapter 1 )

Fade

 

He was little more than a shadow among the pillars; his brilliant cerulean eyes the only indicator of the predator within. Across the room, ebony sparkles barely hide the dragon. Above, hiding among the catwalks and wires, emeralds glint almost feline-like; watching and waiting for trouble. On the dance floor, hidden in plain sight, aqua-marine flames keep watch.

 

Relena moved through the crowd, a hummingbird in her jewel colored gown. The perfect vision of a Sanq Princess; she always smiled, laughed when appropriate. Her delicately gloved hand greeted with a gentle touch, head tipped in an elegant nod. The center of their golden world, they never see the emptiness in her eyes.

 

Only a select few could see past her mask. Beyond the elegant dress she felt plain, an awkward girl playing a part. Behind the poised Princess hid the little girl trembling, wishing for all the world to be just Relena. Dancing with all the right partners, she was light as a butterfly and twice as beautiful yet heart weary; flirting, conversing, a smiled lie.

 

Violet eyes narrowed as the guests started to leave her; the golden palace tarnished by their grubby hands and greedier souls. Most are barely over the threshold before the daggers are out. Forked tongues and glinting steel leaving a round of bloody backs but none as bloody as hers. Physical wounds could be no worse than what they already give her.

 

She begins to wilt as the last of the guests leaves; the sparkling façade cracking around her, despite her best efforts to keep it together. The shards of her crystalline mask shredding what's left of her; naught but shredded wings and a broken heart.

 

Angelic in appearance with his aqua-marine flames banked, Quatre approached with a hand to his heart. Tears threatening to reawaken the flames, “Relena…” it's no more than a whisper but twice as deadly.

 

She wraps her arms around herself, pulling tattered wings close to hide the pain. Blue blue eyes betray as the first tear falls drawing her guardians close. The dragon darts forward, his angry hissing unusually silent as he gathers her up.

 

“I'm so tired,” her tears turn to sobs.

 

Violet eyed demon, master of masks, wraps his lithe arms around his Heero and smiles sadly. “We know.”

 

The revelation is heart wrenching as the sobs engulf her, threatening to tear her apart. Three years weigh heavily on her, a crushing force against no resistance. She can do nothing more than muffle her sobs against her Dragon's shoulder.

 

Forest eyes glitter as Trowa wraps his arms around his angel. “If you're ready, Relena, we can fade.”