Hi! Hmmm, it took a long time for me to write this chapter didn’t it? It’s not that exciting either, but I promise it will get better. Oh yeah, thanks to the people who reviewed this fic, you know who you are ^_- I’ll try to get the next chapter out soon.

Morning found the odd pair dueling in the court yards. Or rather, Ann was trying her best to stab Treize and not getting anywhere near him. She gritted her teeth in frustration. She was already in a foul mood getting up this early after last night, but this makes it 10 times worse. Treize moved very quickly for a man of his size, he danced around her like she was standing still. He stepped to the side as the gleaming blade slashed the air beside him. Treize has only half a mind on dodging, the other half was trying to figure out her Slayer skills. Does she only display them in anger, or fear? Maybe a reaction to his own magical powers? She seems a lot more cooperative this morning, perhaps she had thought things through and decided he was right. Ann swung wildly, a move that would have surely gotten her killed in a real duel, her patience and breath was running short. "Keep still!" She growled as he stepped nimbly out of range of the seeking blade.

To her amazement, he did as she said and stood his ground. With a triumphed grin, she lunged forward- and promptly had a the edge of Treize’s sword touch her neck. "Careless my lady, very careless. In pursuing your enemy, you must not let your own guard down." She made a move to dodge away and Treize pressed his sword a little harder to her neck, forcing her head up. "Lesson #2, don’t fight a losing battle and retreat when necessary."

She glared at him before dropping her sword. "Don’t be so upset, you learn many valuable lessons when you lose." He said as he sheathed both weapons.

"Yeah, I just don’t like them very much."

He smiled. "You are a good swordsman, you just need more experience. Come, I promised to show you around the estate today and I intend to keep my word."

The tour took all morning and all afternoon. She was impressed with the grand and luxurious mansion/castle surrounded by beautiful countryside, there was even a indoor garden complete with a small pond. But three rooms caught her interest. The first was the library. She was awed by the sheer amount of material Treize had collected over his life. The arched ceiling was painted with geometric designs. The bookshelves stretched towards the sky. Specks of dust glittered lazily in the sunlight and the thick carpeting and silk covered walls swallowed up any noise. A team of servants was permanently attached to this room to organize and the take care of the ancient volumes. Treize led the way pointing out different sections of the library, as Ann followed, she noticed a leather-bound book carelessly left on a small coffee table. She picked it up and almost dropped it when she saw the title. Quickly, she put it down again and made a note of the location, hoping she could find it again when she came back. After wandering through a few more rooms, they came upon a heavily guarded and metal-reinforced door.

"The entrance to the Luxembourg base." Treize informed her. The guards bowed and the door slid open with a hiss. The marble floor faded to granite. The walls, she observed with curiosity, were not made from metal, but some sort of black rock. "Oparon." Treize said running a finger down the cool rough surface. "A rare rock that absorbs laser fire. Metal would overheat and melt too quickly if this base comes under serious attack."

He waved a hand towards a small window. "Mobile suit training course. Complete with automatic enemy fire controlled by computers." Ann peeked at the fields outside flashing with laser fire, the mobile suits barely visible specks. He strolled down the hallway only pausing to nod to the young officers who stopped to salute him. "Now we come to the heart of my entire military force." A flash of laser beam scanned his body as he punched in the correct security code. A series of 5 doors slid open. "It is fitted with the most advanced technology available and every single piece of information I come across." He gestured with one arm dramatically.

"Welcome to Central Command, nerve center of OZ. "

"Impressive." She murmured, knowing that the word doesn’t even begin to cover it. The command chair stood on a raised platform at the center of the circular room. The walls were entirely made up of screens with a control panels beneath them. The monitors displayed the amount of resources and troops that was currently available. A holographic map of the earth and the surrounding lagrange colonies floated in front of them. The floor moved beneath them and rose to the height of the command chair.

"Everything is normally done automatically. I only come here to direct important operations or when the base comes under attack. I can command all OZ units, even those in deep space."

Everything you need to conquer the world, or everything you need to take revenge. Ann risked a glance to see if he had guessed her thoughts, but Treize didn’t look up at all. She was glad when they got out of there, the power she saw was frightening. In the wrong hands, they could be devastating.

The weapons room was shown to her in an almost offhanded way. There were the usual over decorated guns that aristocrats seem to be so fond of, but also an extremely well kept swords collection. A silver gilded longsword immediately stood out. Perhaps it is the unique design or the faint glow it seems to throw off from it’s surface. Fascinated, she reached out to feel the intricately worked hilt. A hand grasped her wrist. "I prefer you don’t touch that." Treize said in a slightly tense voice.

"Is it that valuable?" She asked as she returned her hand to her side.

"Much more than you can imagine." The expression in his eyes prevented her from inquiring further.

Ann stared at the odd weapon, it seemed to call to her, the lights reflecting off the blade dazzling her eyes. Shaking her head to clear her vision, she vowed to come back to see it again.

The next few weeks fell into a kind of routine. Morning exercises: fencing, horse-back riding, or some hand-to-hand combat is followed by breakfast. She had her own horse, a beautiful chestnut mare she named Dune and an ivory hilted saber adorned with 5 brilliant sapphire stones. Treize certainly doesn’t need the workout, she suspected he comes for her benefit. Treize certainly isn’t stingy about his money, whatever she wanted was her’s to own, he spoiled her worse than her father. Then Treize is of to his study to keep OZ running smoothly. Ann is left to wander around as she pleases. She amused herself by talking to the servants or visiting different parts of the estate. She learned quite a bit about her new home and its master. Treize always returned by dinnertime. The meal was held in whatever room that fitted his mood that day. After dinner, came the lessons.

"I can’t neglect your education now can I." As Treize had said. Ann didn’t exactly like them, but Treize insisted. She could swear he is trying to stuff every single bit of his own knowledge into her brain. There was Latin (which she always had hated), French, and English. The first few times, she had gotten so frustrated by the confusing verb conjugations and tongue twisting pronunciations that she lost her temper. He had calmly waited for her to finish yelling before asking in a quiet voice her if they can continue the lesson. After awhile, she decided arguing was a waste of breath and gave it up. There was the usual math, science, fine arts (she was tempted to joke he was trying to turn her into a proper lady), and history. However, she found it odd that military strategy and mobile suit mechanics were also part of her lessons. She never asked partly because she found the subjects interesting, partly because she doubted he would actually give her an answer. Nights were always adventurous, never dull. She accepted him, and learned from him. Treize liked to be the dominant in bed, and she let him, at least until she could turn the tables on him. Their constant conflict was only shown in some biting remarks and sarcastic comments. Treize was willing to leave her along as long as she doesn’t act too rebellious. Ann didn’t want to provoke him, she wanted to work into his good graces, at least for now. It was partially to make her life more pleasant, partially to have him let down his guard.

She was in the garden standing by the pool examining the flowers when footsteps sounded behind her. "Why are you here? Don’t tell me we are having dinner already." She said with wry humor glancing at the high noon sun. Treize smiled, (he seemed to do that a lot) and stroked the petal of a flower gently. "Do you like roses?" He asked, waving a hand at the wide variety of roses that seem to take up most of the garden. "They are beautiful flowers," he continued, not waiting for a reply, "beautiful, but not defenseless." He broke off a single blossom and showed it to her. The had a brilliant yellow color contrasting with the deep emerald leaves and stem. Intricate petals wove together spiraling from the center. Treize opened his hand, a few drops of crimson dotted his white gloves. Only then did she see the sharp thorns imbedded beneath the leaves, hidden by the magnificent bloom. "Not everything is what they appear to be. One must always look beneath the surface." He looked at the rose critically. "I don’t think this one is for you. Roses represent many different things. They can’t be given to just anyone. Yellow is for friendship. Pink is for innocence. White," he smirked "is for true love. I don’t believe in any of them. Friendship is never lasting, innocence is too easily corrupted, true love is none existent."

"How can you say that?!" Ann cried enraged.

"Because it is true. Humans can not face the truth, vampires can. You claim to fight for truth, for justice, for love. In the end, all you fight for is power. Perhaps it is better to live a lie than face reality, it is certainly easier. Even I like to do that. But that is what makes humans weak. How can you fight an enemy you refuse to see?"

"It’s not true!"

"If truth is what you choose to believe, than you are right." He raised a hand, cutting off any retorts she could make. "But let me finish what I was saying. I named all that I don’t believe in. Now I’ll tell you what I do believe." He indicated the garden with a sweep of his arm. "Tell me what color you see."

Her gaze swept the garden from the ceramic walls to the crystal clear pool. "Red." She whispered.

"Yes, red for the fire of passion. Quick to ignite, quick to disappear. Fierce and hot, it will consume you if you are not careful whether it be the passion of war or romance. Humans desire power, but they live for passion." He picked up a single flower and handed it to her. She studied it for a moment, turning the delicate stem between her fingers. His hand came to rest on her own and his arms slowly encircled her waist as he bent down and kissed her. A soft gasped escaped her lips and she tried to pull away, but his hand cupped the back of her head in a surprisingly restrictive move as he deepened the kiss. She groaned softly as he sucked boldly upon her tongue and lips. She kissed him back, hesitantly at first, but with growing passion and strength until she was pressed up against him, fingers digging tightly in to his shoulders. Abruptly, he pushed her away. Baffled, she gaped at him in bewilderment. His eyes twinkled with amusement and his mouth was curled in a sardonic smile. "It’s dangerous to drop your guards like that, someone less than a gentleman would have taken advantage of you." Ann flushed hotly when she realized how she had reacted to him, and what she must look like now. "But I must admit the color in your cheeks make you look more charming, even though you look a lot less like a lady."

"Why you-!" Ann tried to think up a word bad enough for him.

He rested a restraining hand on her arm. "Now now, I didn’t come here to pick a fight with you. I actually came here to tell you that I am holding a ball tonight for some old associates. I wish for you to attend. Everything has already been prepared. Be dressed and down to ballroom in two hours. I have a few more things to attend to. I’ll see you there."

Bending down, he picked up one clenched fist and kissed the back politely. Ann suppressed the urge to throw a rock at his retreating back. <The nerve of that man! How can he be so nice one second, and so cruel the next? > Taking a deep breath, she replayed what Treize had just told her in her mind and frowned. <Old associates?> She didn’t like the sound of it. Who would Treize trust enough to bring to Luxembourg? If this was a political meeting, why did he ask her to go with him?

The wind produced by the carrier’s engines whipped Treize’s cape around him. Zechs Marquise descended the ramp and saluted his commander. "Zechs, I came personally to hear how your mission regarding the Gundams went." His voice carried easily over the noise of the surrounding planes. "Not as well as I hoped. We found Gundam 01 and engaged it. But we underestimated his fire power and speed. We lost 3 mobile suits." Zechs bowed his head in memory of the soldiers that he lost. If only he was better, there wouldn’t be the need for such tragic sacrifices. Pulling himself back together, he continued with his report. "We found 05 near the yellow river and followed it. But it disappeared on the heat sensors about 200 km from here."

Treize raised an eyebrow. "They are this close to base?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Tell me, how did the preliminary trials of the Tallgeese go?"

"As well as expected sir. It’s in excellent condition considering how long it’s been sitting around in storage. The speed is exceptional and firepower is tremendously strong. There are a few rough spots with the controls, but nothing I couldn’t handle."

Treize nodded. "Excellent. We will have to deal with the Gundams later. The clan Eleven will be here tonight. It’s important we meet with them." He looked Zechs over. "Go and have some rest. You look tired."

Darkness hit him again as he walked through the hallways. Zechs grimaced and bent over as waves of pain crashed over him. He no longer could tell if the torment is mental or physical. Everything blended together in to pure hell. His blood churned as his body threatened to rebel against him. Flashes of bloody battlefields, and images of his former foes dotted his vision. After what seemed like eternity, his mind cleared and his raised himself on trembling limbs. <It’s been getting worse. > He realized, admitting something he had been denying for the past few years. First, it was those horrible nightmares that plagued his dreams. Then, severe mood swings and outbursts of temper. Finally, these attacks that seem to come out of nowhere. <You are losing it Zechs. > He shook his head, pale, arched eyebrows meeting in a frown. He seemed to frown a lot these days, in fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed. <I’m just tired. All this Gundam chasing is starting to catch up to me. I will be all right after a couple day’s rest. > He thought, trying to convince himself and failing miserably. He knew the truth too well. He is not strong enough to fight back the dark side of his vampire nature. It’s slowly consuming his soul even as he drew from it’s power. He is pushing himself too far, Treize had warned him about using his vampire abilities too much. The fact that he had inherited a large proportion Treize’s powers through his blood made the risks even higher. Treize knew what would happen, he could see it in his eyes. He knew from the very beginning. But dying didn’t bother him as much as it should. His mobile suit piloting skills are off the chart. In a few weeks, operation daybreak will commence. He must have his revenge first, then he would welcome the impending darkness.

"Very nice." Remarked Treize. He cast a languid look over the red satin gown Ann was wearing. "The color suits you well."

"If you are finished with the flattery, can we get this over with?" Ann smoothed the soft fabric nervously. For some reason, she was feeling extremely jumpy and uncomfortable. The unpleasant feeling stayed at the back of her mind refusing to go away.

"As you wish." He gallantly offered her his arm and led her into the ballroom. The uneasiness in her mind doubled as her eyes swept across the room, examining the guests. She tried to concentrate on her feelings and it hit her like a bucket of cold water. They are all vampires. The feeling she had was like the one she has around Treize, but she had been around him so much she never notices it anymore. Now, the energy (when had she been able to sense energy?) given off by all these vampires made her skin crawl. "I hope you don’t plan on leaving me in a nest of bloodsuckers." She muttered out of the side of her mouth.

"You have no need to fear, my lady. As you can see, there are many human guest here as well and they are fine. As long as you are under my protection, none of my kin would dare to hurt you."

"I am not reassured." She growled and locked her hand around his arm in a death grip.

"Relax. I’ll have Dorothy help you with the introductions. I have some business to discuss." He pointed to a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and forked eyebrows like his own. Dorothy caught his eye and walked to them. "Dorothy so glad you could come."

"Your balls are splendid as always Cousin." She leaned forward on tip toes and kissed him on one cheek. Her gestures showed good breeding. Her blue-gray eyes were surprisingly sharp and intelligent.

"This is my companion, Lady Ann Lafayette. I hope you can accompany her this evening."

Dorothy curtsied politely. "I would be delighted."

"Excellent. Zechs." Ann nearly jumped out of her skin when Zechs appeared silently beside her. She didn’t even notice he had followed them in. "Come with me."

"I’m not really his cousin if you are wondering." Dorothy said as they watched the two men melt into the crowd. "More like his great-great-great-niece."

"I suppose he favors you for a reason?"

"Of course. Lord Treize never would keep people that are useless to him. He wanted a eye and ear outside of the vampire world. Who would suspect a child? Especially a girl?" She snorted softly. "Those fools thinking they rule the world. But we are the only ones seeing true power being created in the hands of Lord Treize and Lord Zechs."

Ann was amazed. "You seem to have given this subject a lot of thought."

"We live in a war torn world. Those who don’t know their paths will be lost forever." She said airily. "Lord Treize wanted us to have fun. Let’s go and find a dancing partner."

Treize chuckled and let the curtain fall from his fingers. Zechs shifted uncomfortably behind him. Treize glanced at him. "Don’t worry, the Eleven will not catch us spying."

"It’s dangerous Master. Dangerous to anger the Eleven."

"They are nothing." Scoffed Treize. "They must respond to the will of the clan, one of the reasons I chose not to join them."

"They have the power of the clan behind them."

Treize looked amused. "We all know the true power behind the clan is the most powerful vampire. By coming here, they are just trying to keep up appearances. But I don’t want to be late. Lord Alexander might think we are hiding from him."

It was Zechs’ turn to laugh. "That man knows he is no match for you. Yet, he never gives up. He is beginning to become a real nuisance. Why not kill him?"

Treize’s eyes twinkled with amusement. "Because the first rule of being a good leader is being merciful. But more importantly, I like to toy with my victims." He said with dark humor. Chuckling quietly, the two of them exited the secret compartment and walked towards the conference room.

"You are late, Treize Kushrenada." Admonished K’aesh, eldest of the Eleven. Treize inclined his head in polite apology even those he is feeling far from sorry. He had always given a reasonable amount of respect to K’aesh, he was one of the oldest vampires. Even though, he never show it, he posses great power learned from ancient scrolls. He is renown for his wisdom, Treize had always hoped he could learn the secrets of the Ancient Ones from him. K’aesh looked no older than 30 even though he has lived for 6 centuries. The only indication of his age is his bottomless eyes black eyes. His voice was deep and commanding and he moved with imperious dignity brought by age. The rest of the Council of Eleven, mediators of the vampire clan, sat in a semi-circle around him. They were surrounded by other vampires, influential members of their clan. The room was dark, lit only by a series of candles whose flickering light threw shadows upon pale faces, making the whole scene look surreal. As Treize and Zechs took their seat near the Eleven, K’aesh began the meeting. There were relatively few cases for the Eleven to deal with. In an unwritten agreement, vampires stayed out of each other’s territories and only met when necessary. They rarely struck conflicts with each other because fights usually ended with both parties dead. There social hierarchy was strictly defined by power and age, younger vampires will yield to more powerful ones with out a fight. Vampires are also very private creatures, the Eleven does not interfere with individuals unless their actions affect the entire clan. Treize listened patiently as each vampire stepped forward. A rogue vampire had been killing humans carelessly, not bothering to hid his tracks. A group of younger vampires were picked to track him down and kill him, endangering the clan carries a death penalty. A squabble was settled between a bunch of fledglings, a minor argument over property settled between two vampires from the Far West and so on. The entire process was completed very quietly with few words, the Eleven’s judgment was final. Treize folded his hands and waited patiently. Finally the last issue was resolved and K’aesh shifted uncomfortably in his chair, a rare show of nerves for him.

"This is ridiculous. I never though the Eleven would be afraid to face a single scoundrel."

A cold smooth voice cut through the silence. The crowd murmured and parted as a handsome vampire walked to the center. He was built slimly with long, white-blond hair and pale green eyes. He was very beautiful, even for a vampire. His grace and build made him look almost feminine and fragile. But those who faced him in combat quickly learned their mistake. He stopped in front of Treize and smiled a thin, triumphant smile. "Are you going to let the Eleven judge now Lord Treize? Or do you want me to list your crimes in front of our kinsman first?"

Treize was glacially calm. "I am not aware of any "crimes" I have committed against the clan. Perhaps you would care to enlighten me, Lord Alexander?"

Alexander De Acate turned to his audience. "This man has brought a vampire slayer into our mist!" He announced dramatically with a sweep of his hand.

There was a ripple of shock ran through the crowd, their voices increasing in volume. Alexander nodded. "I am sure you all remember the devastation of European vampires when these slayers, hunters, killers, or whatever you like to call them was at the height of their power in the 1700s. After the those Masters of the Ancient powers," he said bowing to K’aesh "destroyed them. We thought our troubles were over. But now, one of our own is nurturing a new generation of Slayers, to what end? Perhaps you want to destroy your enemies. Or perhaps rule over the clan?"

Zechs fingered the butt of his pistol as the mood turned ugly. Treize stood. He let his gaze sweep slowly across the crowd until there was absolute silence. When he spoke, his words were weighted with lead. "Do you forget where your loyalties lie? The true traitors of our clan are those who spread the seeds of rumors and discord." He cast a glance at Alexander. "It is true that I hold a Slayer in my estate. However, as her powers have not yet been awakened. None of you can feel any energy signature from her. Even if she learns to use her powers, do you think I won’t be a match for her? Have you ever considered the advantages of having a Slayer to study? We can find their weakness and plan their final destruction. If we can win her allegiance, we would have a valuable ally. Have I ever led you down the wrong path or done anything not in the best interest of the clan?"

A faint chorus of "No" echoed through out the room. Treize nodded.

"Good. I swear upon my honor that she will be no danger to the clan as long as she is with me. Are you satisfied, Lord Alexander?"

Alexander scanned the crowd for any kind of support, he got none. "Very well, I hope you are a man of your word." He growled, fighting to keep his voice even. Treize didn’t even bother to honor that last barb with a reply.

"If there is no other business, I think we should all proceed to the ballroom and enjoy the rest of the evening." The vampires stood to leave. Alexander cast him a look of cold fury before sweeping out the door. K’aesh pulled Treize aside.

"A word with you Lord Treize."

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I think you are provoking Alexander too much. He might be weaker, but he is sly. With your conquest of the Earthsphere at hand, we can’t afford to have any trouble. You need the support of the entire clan."

"There is no need to worry your lordship. As I remain the most powerful of the vampires, no one will dare to speak a single word in support of Alexander. He is not a threat, only a nuisance."

K’aesh shook his head. "You wise Treize, but your wisdom has its limits. Never underestimate the force of pride. Alexander was disgraced today, he won’t rest until he brings you down."

"He won’t live long enough to do that. But I will heed your advice and keep a close eye on him."

K’aesh smiled. "I am depending on you Treize. I feel old, old and tired. I hope you can take my place in the clan some day."

"I won’t fail you. My plans of conquest are almost complete. When I succeed, no one will question my authority ever again."

An hour later…

Ann glared over the top of her wine glass. "Why does he flirt so much????"

"It’s politics my friend. You have a minister’s daughter to fall in love with you and she will help you do anything." Dorothy gave her an amused look and bit delicately into a piece of pastry.

"It’s also a man’s nature to pursue females. Even if he didn’t flaunt his charms like that, Lord Treize will still attract girls like flies, if you will excuse my bluntness."

Ann gritted her teeth and suppressed the urge to strangle the girls that were attaching themselves on to his arms. Treize laughed and complimented a lady by his side causing her to blush various degrees of red and causing the rest of the women to scowl at her as they fought for his attention. "My, you are possessive of him." Observed Dorothy. Ann noticed how tightly she was squeezing her wine glass and quickly put it down. "I am not!" She protested hotly and grimaced when she realized just made the situation worse.

"Oh really?" Dorothy raised her eyebrows, a sign of polite surprise that Treize liked to use when he knew she was lying.

Ann sighed. "OK, I do care for him, a bit. But that is normal in any kind of relationship, it doesn’t mean anything!"

Dorothy just gave her a knowing look and went back to her dessert.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Asked Noin nervously as she watched a fuming Ann who was turning interesting shades of scarlet.

Treize smiled and grasped the hand of one of his admirer who looked like she was about to faint from pure joy. "She had too much of my attention the past few weeks. I spoiled her to much. I am simply teaching her a little obedience. Jealousy is a very good teacher. I am letting her know that she isn’t that special to me."

"But she is special to you."

Treize frowned. "I don’t think this topic needs to be discussed at the moment Lt. Noin. Go find Zechs, he is probably hiding in some dark corner like he always does at social occasions. Ask him to dance with you."

It was a clear dismissal if she had ever heard one. Saluting, she wandered off to find her blond friend.

"There goes Lt. Noin. I bet she is looking for Lord Zechs." Dorothy stood up. "I think I’ll take a look at those two. Can you manage by yourself?"

"Yes, I will be fine." After Dorothy left, Ann cast around for a dancing partner. But she her mind wasn’t on the task and she finally gave up. Her eyes wandered over to Treize too often. She was studying the floor tiles to prevent herself from looking up when a pair of feet came into her vision. She looked up to a pair of sharp green eyes. "You look lonely standing here." The speaker was slim and beautiful. A slender hand touched her elbow. His voice was a light baritone and smooth as silk. "You must be Ann." Ann nodded. He leaned towards her and gently inhaled before pulling back with a faint scowl. "Treize, his scent is all over you. Why do you put up with him? Surely a beautiful young lady like yourself doesn’t need a player like him?" He said jerking his head towards where the aristocrat stood.

"I don’t have much of a choice." Ann admitted.

"Ah. But you do." He stroked his beardless chin thoughtfully. Suddenly he chuckled and bowed. "How rude of me to not introduce myself. Alexander de Acate, at your service. And please, none of the formalities." He protested as she curtsied and murmured the usual pleasantries. "I hope we can be good friends."

"Of course Lord Alexander. I would be delighted." Ann regarded him cautiously, not quite sure what to make of this man. He seems friendly enough.

"You look bored. Does formal occasions make you uncomfortable?"

"A little."

"Well I share your feelings. I rarely attend these parties myself. I only came at the insistence of some old friends." He paused for a moment. "I think we should get away from this party. Perhaps you would care to join me for a walk outside?" His smile was disarming and he was already offering her his arm. His eyes caught her own and held her captive. The deep spiraling green orbs drew her into a seemingly bottomless pit. Alarm bells started to go off, but they were too small for her to notice. She heard herself utter her agreement and she walked from the ballroom with him.
1