Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. God, I'm getting tired of repeating that

Awright peoples, who used the blue mascara on my microprocessor?! Brown puppy eyes and blue mascara?? Are you trying glue me to this keyboard? J This one took a little more time than the others to write. I noticed by the seventh story that the specifics and description were getting a little cr*ppy, so I decided to spend a little extra time on this one. Sorry, but thanx for your patience. Read on and (of course) enjoy!

The sparkling crystal chandeliers threw graceful shadows across the room, twinkling and flashing like beautiful stars against the honeyed ceiling, blanketing everything in a comforting gold on white overlay. The tablecloth was of a rich creamy linen that felt like silk on the skin as it fell in elegant folds against the floor, like the open petals of an orchid gleaming with dew from the silver threads ran through it. Silverware gleamed with dulled shine upon the tables, each of the forks on one side of the porcelain plates ranging from the largest to the smallest, the knives on the other side doing the same as well as they were neatly laid next to the spoons.

In the middle of the chamber, an impressive display of ice-carved water nymphs played in waters, the light around them refracting again and again as it passed through their translucent bodies, dancing in its frosty surface. It's beautiful Releena thought wistfully, touching the sculpture lightly with her fingertips. They look so happy, as if they don't have a care in the world

She turned to the artist, smiling in genuine appreciation, "It's perfect, Mr. Dummont, as usual." She said, "They look so life-like, as if they might just move at any second! You've outdone yourself. This will be the center of attention."

The artist smiled in pleasure as he put away the tools, "It was nothing," He protested, "When I heard you had selected me to construct the centerpiece, I had to do my best for the woman that keeps peace amongst us, Vice-foreign minister." Releena smiled again, but sighed sadly to herself as she turned back to look at the work of art. The woman that keeps peace. The Vice-foreign minister. Never just "Releena Dorlain" or "Releena Peacecraft" even. She had a sudden wish to go back to the desert, be amongst friends who would not judge her for what she had done, only who she was and Heero was stillno. Not that again.

Berating herself mentally for that little piece of weakness, Releena bid a polite farewell to the artist before ascending the curved stairs, wishing that they weren't so damned long as her fingers trailed against the satin veneer of varnish on rosewood railing. The floor was made of marbled granite: had the gorgeous swirling pattern of a marble piece, but the strength and durability of granite.

Halfway up the stairs she met Zechs and Noin as they were starting their descent, Noin hugging her husband closely and talking in low tones, a light contralto counterpoint to his bass grumbling. When they saw Releena, they stopped, smiling at her. Or Noin was smiling, Zechs never seemed to get that grim look off his face for very long.

"Releena! You should get dressed now. It's time for your reintroduction to society," Noin teased softly, spreading her own gown in emphasis. Unlike the current style of petticoats and ruffles, hers was a simple gown of caramel cream with the straps hanging of the side of her shoulders. Her only adornments consisted of an amber choker on black satin that lay at her neck, and, of course, her wedding ring with a small star sapphire in the middle with sparkling encrusted diamonds.

Milliardo was dressed in a suit that matched Noin's, a broadcloth of white draped across one shoulder with the crest of the Peacecraft family pinned to it. Releena smiled, "You look wonderful."

"Zechs refused to wear a normal tuxedo," Noin replied as her husband opened his mouth to respond.

"No," He corrected with a slight sardonic quirk of the mouth, "I refused to look like a penguin with a red bowtie."

"You didn't have to wear the bowtie!" Noin countered and Releena hastily excused herself. Seeing them together, smiling like that made her extremely happy for her brother, but the subjects of relationships still hurt to much for her to easily bear. She slipped into her dark room, flipping on the light switch as she locked the door with a slightly depressed sigh. It seemed like everyone had a relationship except for her these days, something that was partially her fault in many ways. If I hadn't waited so longReleena shook her head, a mask of resolve turning her face into marble. Well, at least after three years, I'm free. She thought firmly, I can meet someone else. Someone who can talk to me, see me as a person. Someone not like that Perfect Soldier.

She smiled with a hint of self-confidence mending her heart a little. Yes. I'm sure there'll be many young men there tonight. There has to be someone that I can learn to love. I'll be fine without him. She caught sight of the teddy bear, still sitting on her drawer, and picked it up, looking at it's raggedy appearance born of too many tears, too many implied promises that he had never seemed to fulfill.

"Heero." She said aloud, walking to her trash bin, "You had your chance. Three years has been long enough. I'm sick of you and your responsibility. You don't own me anymore." With that, she opened her hands, letting her only link with him drop amidst a pile of tissues and papers. Her smile widened, as her spirits soared, "I'm going to find someone who loves me, and I don't need you to do it." As she walked away, the bear's eyes glinted with disconsolate sadness, slumping farther into its bed of wood by-products that refused to bear up under its weight.

***

"You look wonderful Miss Releena." Dorothy smiled a trifle hesitantly as she gathered up Releena's golden locks, twisting them into a loose chignon at the back of her head.

"I feel wonderful, Dorothy." Releena smiled back into the mirror, "Tonight, I'm only going to be me. Releena Dorlain. My brother's acting as the host this night so all I'll have to do is make a tiny speech to assure everyone of my continued health. Then I'll be able to mingle with the guests."

Dorothy's eyes widened slightly, "I beg your pardon?"

"It's quite simple, really, Dorothy. I'm tired of waiting around for Heero to come to his senses when it's obvious that he won't. I'm going to find someone that will make me happy." Releena turned in her seat to face her friend earnestly. "I realize that I've been moping around for three years, Dorothy. Three years. I," She gestured to herself with a smile, "am not going to pine after him and feel sorry for myself until I'm old and bedridden, Dorothy. I'm going to meet some new people, regain my life back."

Dorothy stared at Releena in bewilderment before breaking into a smile as she handed a garnet necklace to the other. "That is a very good decision, Miss Releena. Honestly, I'm very glad that you've decided to make yourself happy." Her eyes twinkled slightly with mischief, she added, "In fact, Miss Releena, I know for a fact that Mr. Milliardo has invited some of our old classmates to this little get together. We can meet them again if you like."

Releena nodded, "I'd like that very much, Dorothy." Dorothy straightened out her own hair and regarded Releena with approving eyes, gazing critically at straight, proud carriage of her shoulders and the genuinely confident look on her face. The sparkle had returned to Releena's eyes, as well as a faint stain of color that touched her cheekbones and lips like a kiss from some higher deity.

"You'll knock them dead, Miss Releena."

Releena laughed, "I plan to Dorothy. I really do."

Author's note: Like it? Huh? Huh? Do ya? R&r is of course, appreciated. I should be ending this series sometime in the near future. Oh, I'm also starting another series called Jaded Innocence under the General category. It's about an OZ soldier's view on the pilots. Please read it!