Treize shivered, drawing his thick woollen army coat closer around himself. He reached for the metal can sitting next to him on the cold bench and opened it, throwing away the cap. Steam rose from the opening as he closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of hot tea. Not as nice as the one he liked to drink, but now, on this cold night, even hot water would seem a blessing.
Decommissioned due to injury. He hoped it would not affect his promotion, as without this promotion, he had no freedom. Soon, he would be eighteen, and master of his own destiny. Eighteen, and an officer. His father would have no hold on him anymore. He took a gulp of his tea and grimaced as the scalding liquid burned his tongue. Here, in this lonely park, he needed no facade.
Treize looked up at the stars. How he wished he could go in those skies...
*I wish I could go...*
A small crystalline laugh cut his thoughts short.
_ "What is a Federation soldier doing all alone in a park at night, staring at
the stars like a lovelorn school boy. Do they talk to you?"
Treize twitched, and some of the tea fell over his heavy white gloves.
The girl smiled and slipped a handkerchief in his hand, then sat down on the bench next to him. Treize took it and dabbed at the stain, then sat back, a whimsical expression on his features.
_ "And what is a pretty girl like you doing all alone in the park at night,
talking to strangers?"
_ "I'm Leia. Leia Barton. And you are not just any cadet."
_ "Treize Kushrenade. Glad to make your acquaintance, Miss Barton."
_ "Kushrenade? Why is the son of one of the noblest families in the Romefeller
Foundation, dressed as a simple cadet, sitting all alone on a bench at night?"
_ "I could ask the same of the only daughter of the powerful Barton family of
L3."
She smoothed the simple nurse's dress she was wearing under her coat.
_ "Well, she is sitting on a bench, hoping that a Federation Cadet would look
at her instead of the stars. What do you see in the stars?"
_ "Dreams. There is one star in the sky for each man's dream."
_ "And yours... Where is yours?"
_ "Mine is the morning star."
_ "What is your wish?"
Leia Barton looked straight at him. Her golden locks fell in waves to her shoulders, her bright blue eyes fixed steadily on him. She was beautiful, with a delicate rosebud mouth and a slight blush to her cheeks. She was nothing like...
_ "My wish was one that will never come true. It was foolish. I was very young."
*Not much younger than you are now*
*It's been, at most, half a year*
Treize rose and bowed deeply.
_ "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Barton."
_ "Wait. Don't go like that."
Treize stopped in mid-step and bowed again.
_ "Miss Barton?"
She pointed at the sky.
_ "I chose my star. And I made my wish. I wish to see you again, Treize
Kushrenade." With that, she curtsied low, using the lapels of her rough wool
coat as a lady would the petticoat of a ballgown.
_ "Then I will see you tomorrow."
_ "Tomorrow."
Leia curtsied again, then straightened and, half turned, let out a shrill whistle. A dog barked and ran to her, wagging his tail. She grabbed hold of his collar and led him out of the park.
Treize sat back on his bench.
The night did not seem as cold and desolate as it had.
Leia Barton. She was the daughter of a powerful family. She could be of use to
him in his ambitions.
And he had met her in the park every evening, watching as she grew closer to him, holding his hand as they walked together. She would smile and tangle her chilled fingers in his, her silvery laugh echoing when the conversation became too serious.
All he could think of was how she was not the one he wanted.
But life was not always as one wanted it, and she was the perfect opportunity.
Treize was determined not to stay a cadet forever. He had heard that the
engineers in the Romefeller Foundation, part of the secret group that was only
referred to as 'the organization' had constructed new state of the art mobile
suit prototypes. Which prompted his Father to lobby for the creation of a
military branch of the Federation army in Romefeller. To use the new mobile
suits to regain the Earth? Treize was not sure of his Father's goal, nor of
his ally Dekim's, but he was sure of one thing: that new elite force would not
feel any attachment to the Federation. And he wanted to be the one to lead it.
Which brought him back to the girl holding on to his hand. Her family had
money, and power.
All it needed, to have influence, would be blue blood. He could supply that.
Treize stopped dead on his tracks.
_ "Treize? What's wrong?"
He was becoming just like his Father. He had hated him for wanting to use his marriage as a political alliance to get him power, and there he was attempting to do the same to himself. He would not become his Father. Maybe he could explain to situation to her, make her understand, entice her to support him for his dreams.
She was beaming at him, her blue eyes limpid like the sea in the Caribbeans. Sea so clear you could see right through to the bottom and realize... there was nothing really there.
_ "I was just thinking..."
_ "You know you can tell me anything!"
Such sincerity. Such emptiness.
_ "I have come across a project in Romefeller that could help your Father and your colony build their resources. You know I should not say that to you but..."
Treize smiled. He would not lie to her, he would let her deceive herself. L3 has some active neo-titanium plants, but has been supplanted by colonies with more money to spend on mining equipment. Like L4. He was sure that the Bartons would help him in the fund-raiser in exchange for being the preferred manufacturer of neo-titanium for their future force of Mobile Suits.
_ "I'm sure your Father would be interested in what I have to propose..."
TBC
Author's note: I am aware that this chapter deviates from continuity... but it is due to my not liking the whole nurse situation. I promise the rest of the story will fit!