CHAPTER II- In which we meet the competition

Relena shifted her grip on her suitcase and yanked up the other one, which she had been dragging. Before her stood the Noventa mansion, with well-tamed gardens and a light colored gravel path that led straight to grandiose main entrance. Our blonde haired heroine heaved a sigh and looked around. There was no one to help her. Pegan had already driven off into the world of unemployment after exchanging several words of remorse and farewell.

The rest of her things would be delivered later, but for now, all of Relena's important document and a few changes of clothes had been shoved hastily into two suitcases and her purse.

Several steps into this process of 'yank, grip, and drag,' the desperate once-princess-turned-queen-turned-vice-foreign-minister halted. Yep, she decided, te high heels had definitely been a bad idea. She put down her bags and swung the purse around her neck so that the pouch came to rest at her lower back and the strap dug into her throat. It was annoying, but manageable.

She then picked up her luggage once more and began the slow trek.

Except that now she was being half-choked.

A small, cynical facet of her personality could not help but remark the irony.

About eight exhausting minutes later, Relena made it to the doorway of her new home. She heaved yet another sigh. Well, she supposed, it was her fault for not telling the Noventas she was coming. Perhaps it was her inadvertent stubbornness making one last claim to her independence.

Her cynical side was having a field day.

Relena dropped her baggage with a loud 'thump' and leaned forward to ring the doorbell.

The door flung open.

Relena stood face to face with a person that remotely resembled her.

She was, without a doubt, quite confused.

"Relena? Relena Peacecraft?"

"Darlian."

"Oh no, my name's not 'Darling,' it's Sylvia. Sylvia Noventa." She smiled cheerfully with her well-groomed features. Her eyes sparkled a merry blue, far lighter and clearer than Relena's, her hair a golden blonde color that sparkled like sunlight. Relena's hair looked like it had been dragged through mud. She felt slightly jealous, as everyone does when they meet someone who is more beautiful than they are.

"No," Relena said with a smile (her days in politics, where acting had been a necessity, had not been wasted!), "I meant I go by Relena Darlian."

"I'm sorry," she smiled and appeared confused, "Let me try again. Good afternoon, Relena-darling Peacecraft."

She cocked her head at Sylvia. No, her eyes were not dull or vacant. The beautiful girl was not stupid or slow-witted. It was obviously a misunderstanding, "Look, My name is Relena Darlian. Darlian is my last name, and it is spelled D-A-R-L-I-A-N.

"Oh."

Relena gave her a suffering sort of smile, "I'm sorry, I'm not having a good day. Where are your parents?"

"You mean 'our parents' now, don't you?" Sylvia asked cheerfully. Her beautiful golden hair glowed like a halo in the sunlight.

Relena gave her a withering look, "Whatever you say."

"They're out. Come on in, you're just in time for lunch!"

Sylvia darted back inside, leaving Relena to deal with her luggage alone. Relena glared at her suitcases, "Why does this have to happen to me of all people?"

Heero lowered his binoculars, "Subject has successfully entered the building."

A boy with a heavy long braid and a priest's collar looked up at his phlegmatic companion in what can only be described as a sarcastic manner, "What in hell's name are we doing here, Heero?"

The dark haired boy carefully put his binoculars into their case and fastened the snaps, "I am here to keep a promise."

"-and ogle at the girl of your dreams," the boy put in. Heero did not answer that. His friend scowled, "What I don't understand is why I'm here."

"Because after Hilde left you three weeks ago, she joined the security detail at the Noventa residence."

"WHAT?!"

Heero smirked smugly, "See, Duo? I told you it would be to your advantage to come."

The boy (now known as Duo) nodded cheerfully, "At last, my chance to win her back!"

Heero rolled his eyes, "Poor Hilde."

Duo elbowed him sharply from their perch on the iron-railed wall. Heero had to grab at a spiny tip to keep his balance. He laughed heartily, "That's what you get for being spiteful."

Heero rammed Duo in the ribs and watched him fall into a patch of brambles that had been creeping up the railing.

"And that's what you get for pissing me off."

It's a pleasure to have you in the family, Relena," Mrs. Noventa was spouting in fruity tones.

They were eating dinner on a broad mahogany table. The greatly overweight Mrs. Darlian on one end, the stout Mr. Darlian on another, and Sylvia and Relena on opposite sides of the middle. Dinner was an assortment of rich heavy foods that Relena really couldn't stomach. There was a particular spice that the whole family enjoyed, and therefore ever dish featured it.

Relena found that it made her feel very sick, which was why she was shoving her food around on her plate.

She used to cook a lot with Pegan at home, and neither of them were ever really good at it. She was more of a 'if it tastes okay, eat it' sort of person, who enjoyed lighter foods like sprouts or whole grain breads.

She was also a vegetarian.

Not one of them had asked, merely heaped her dish full of heavy meats and starches.

Relena believed a healthy body was the key to a healthy mind. Strangely enough, Sylvia was eating just as much as her parents, and looked just about as slim as a willow branch. Relena was very confused.

She supposed she could have complained, but that would have meant opening up to her new 'family,' and her stubborn side simply would not allow that.

Relena shoved her food around some more. She was grumpy, she was emotionally exhausted, and she was annoyed at the strangers who surrounded her.

"I'm so sorry about our absence, Relena, we're not always gone so much." Mrs. Noventa was saying arround a mouthful of venison.

"Yes you were," Sylvia cut in, "During the Eve Wars you two were gone for a whole month. I remember because Heero Yuy came-"

Mr. Noventa brought down his crystal wineglass so hard, it shattered, "Sylvia! We will not mention that name in this house!!!"

His face was as red as a beet.

Relena stared at him blankly.

Duo picked the remaining bits of vegetation from his fall earlier in the day as he and Heero sat in base camp eating out of tins. Hearing devices and miniature cameras had been planted all over the house, and they were watching the scene from their small encampment in the center of a maze made out of high hedges.

The braided boy wore a sarcastic grimace as he hissed at Mr. Noventa's hissy fit, "In-laws."