CHRISTMAS TIME IN OZ
By: Matt Taylor.
Disclaimer: All Gundam characters are the property of Bandai/Sunrise. I
receive no payment for this.
Notes: Noin and Zechs are both 15 in this, and newly graduated from Victoria
Academy. Just to let you know this story is a lime.
**************
PART 2
"Wow!"
"Indeed." Zechs Merquise directed the small car into a parking spot in front
of the large Specials mansion. The mansion itself was located on a small hill
facing a large mountain. Noin could see a large ski-lift behind the mansion
leading to the top of the mountain, and what looked like a large number of
ski-courses. Noin had learned how to ski as a child, and wondered if she
still remembered how. Zechs, ever the gentleman, opened her door, and they
proceeded inside the mansion.
Inside the mansion, Noin saw several people in fine clothes sitting at
various tables, being served hot chocolate, wine, coffee, and other hot
drinks from various butlers. There is a roaring fire near the back of the
mansion, with several couches around it, people are sitting around it,
laughing at one thing or another.
"It looks so nice."
"My family used to own a place like this, we used to go there for vacation
during the winter." Zechs said, Noin could detect the sadness in his voice.
Of course, Zechs was actually Milliardo Peacecraft, prince of the Sanq
Kingdom, destroyed by the Alliance when Zechs was six. Noin decided to change
the subject.
"Have you ever skied, Zechs?"
"When I was six, I tried out the beginners slope, never got past it though."
"Don't worry, Maybe we can get you lessons while we're here."
"Zechs!" Came a suave, deep voice. Noin and Zechs turned around and saw a man
with light brown hair coming down the stairs. He was dressed in a blue
sweater, and jeans.
"Your excellency." Zechs said, Noin's eyes rose briefly.
"Good to see you made it." Treize shook Zech's hand.
"The snow was horrible, I'm surprised the plane made it."
"I chose to drive here, actually. I don't believe I've met your friend?"
Treize said, stepping over to Noin, and taking her hand.
"Of, course your excellency. This is Lucrezia Noin, a friend of mine from
Victoria, she is my guest here." Zechs said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Treize said, kissing her hand.
"I...It's a pleasure to meet you, your excellency." She said nervously.
"Where is your shadow?" Zechs said, casually.
"Une? I sent her out to get herself a dress, I told her she should have one
for the ball. She really should take better care of her looks." Treize said,
leading them both to a small table. A butler handed Treize a glass of wine,
and handed one to Zechs as well.
"Uh, do you have coffee?" Noin asked. The Butler nodded and went to get a
cup. Zechs felt a bit of relief at her order. He remembered the last time he
had gotten Noin to drink wine, and blushed slightly.
"In all honesty, Zechs, when you've been to as many of these things as I
have, they all look the same." Treize said, sipping the wine. "Duke Dermail
puts a lot of stock on these parties though."
"I'm surprised he didn't put up a display of Mobile suits outside like he did
for the one in London."
"You noticed that. Yes, he heard that air this cold could be bad for Mobile
Suits, if exposed to it for to long." Treize said. "Especially if they aren't
activated, and are just for show."
"Good decision."
"Duke Dermail is the commander of the Specials, so he has to make sure the
Mobile Suits are taken care of." The butler came and left Noin's coffee, she
blew on it a bit, and sipped from it.
"So, Miss Noin, you are a friend of Zechs?" Treize asked. Noin started
slightly, but looked at him.
"Um, yes, your excellency."
"I remember you now, you and Zechs have been making quite a bit of noise at
Victoria, people are saying that the two of you have made the highest scores
in the Academies history?" Treize said.
"I...it wasn't anything, your excellency, just luck."
"Don't be so humble, confidence is important for a soldier. I already hope to
have Zechs join the Specials, perhaps you would care to join as well?"
"Actually, I always wanted to become an instructor."
"Really? That doesn't mean you couldn't join us?" Treize said.
"I'll think about it, your excellency."
"Please do. Well, what say I show you around the mansion?"
"We don't wish to impose on your time, your excellency." Zechs said.
"You are not imposing at all." Treize said, draining his wine, and standing
up.
*************
'How could women go out in these things?' Une thought to herself. There where
plenty of shopping malls in, and around Aspen, but so many of there dresses
looked so tacky. The last way Lady Une wanted to look was tacky. This shops
was small, and didn't have much of an assortment, but she had to admit they
where better looking than the garbage she had seen elsewhere. Right now she
was holding a frilly, yellow thing that looked like something a misguided
teenager would wear to the prom.
Une sighed to herself, why was she acting like this? All her life she had
never bothered over what other people thought of her. She had joined the
military to get ahead, and gain victory. But then there was that day she had
been called into Duke Dermail's office at Special's HQ and was told she was
being assigned on a permanent basis to Treize Khushrenada. It was shortly
after their first meeting that she began feeling odd.
It was Treize who had suggested she get a dress to the ball, she had been
to hundreds of parties in the past, and had always wore her military uniform,
but at the mere suggestion from Treize that she get a dress, she had run out
to buy one. What was wrong with her!?
Une put aside the thoughts and went over to a rack of white dresses.
Mister Treize was expecting her to get one, and she had been taught to always
obey her superiors, yes, that was the reason, her superior had ordered her to
get one, that had to be it....
*************
"This place is so...."
"I prefer the term, extravagant." Treize said, as Noin struggled for the
right description. Right now, Treize, Zechs, and Noin were standing in the
currently empty ballroom where the party would be held three days from now on
Christmas eve.
"Yeah, extravagant." Noin said. All of her life, Lucrezia Noin had lived in
simple surroundings, from her home in Italy with her baker mother, and steel
worker father, to the barracks at Victoria. She had never lived in place as
nice as the cabin, or a place like this mansion.
"As ever, Duke Dermail waists money on places like this to impress the rest
of Romafeller." Zechs said.
"I knew you would say something like that old friend." Treize said. "But this
party is not just for the sake of Romafeller, it is also Christmas, a time to
enjoy yourselves, why not enjoy yourself in nice surroundings?"
"Perhaps." Zechs said. Noin could hear it in his voice. Places like this
reminded Zechs of his home, it reminded him of Sanq kingdom, and it's
glamorous royal palace. It reminded him of all the pain of the day Sanq was
destroyed.
"Ah, Treize, there you are." Came a distinguished voice from the doorway. All
three turned around and saw an elderly gentleman standing at the door, Zechs
and Noin both snapped to attention, while Treize walked forward.
"Ah, Duke Dermail, how can I help you?" Treize said, bowing slightly.
"At ease." Dermail said to Zechs and Noin. "Treize, I've been looking for
you. I need to speak with you about something."
"I was just showing Lieutenant Zechs, and his guest through the estate."
Treize motioned back to Zechs and Noin.
"Ah, yes, Zechs Merquise, I wondered if you were going to come." Dermail said
non-chalantly.
"Yes your excellency." Zechs replied.
"Well, then, Would you mind if I took Treize away for awhile?"
"Of course not your excellency, I'm sure whatever you have to speak about is
more important than a tour." Zechs said.
"Very well then, Treize?"
"Of course, Duke Dermail, Zechs. I'll speak with you later."
"Yes." Zechs bowed slightly, Noin copying the move. Dermail, and Treize left
the room, leaving the two soldiers alone.
"So that's Duke Dermail."
"Yes. He is one of the most influential men on the planet." Zechs said. Noin
turned away, and walked into the center of the ballroom.
"This room is so beautiful." Noin said. "Look at the ceiling!"
Above them was a huge glass dome, showing the sky above them.
"I hope the sky will be clear on Christmas, it would be nice seeing the stars
through that." Noin said.
"I really don't like parties like this." Zechs said.
"They remind you of..."Noin didn't have to finish the sentence.
".........On occasion."
"So...you don't intend to take part in the dance?" Noin asked, hoping he
couldn't hear the underlying question.
"I don't know, ever since that day, I haven't had much reason to celebrate."
Zechs said, his head down.
"Oh Zechs." Noin came up behind him, and took his hand.
"You want to go get some lunch?" She asked, deciding that to push the subject
might hurt Zechs right now. She hated seeing people down on Christmas.
"Yeah, lets."
With that the two of them walk out of the room, hand in hand.
END OF PART TWO.
