A/N: Okay so, I've been slacking off I admit. I've wanted to continue writing this for the longest time but I always get so lazy and uninspired so I kept putting it off. But my resolution this year is to do a lot of things that I want to do, one of them is to keep on writing and possibly finish this fiction because Athrun and Cagalli are my OTP and I couldn't possibly drop them or this fic. I watch Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny from time to time and I'm still get butterflies in my stomach and strongly feel that they're so perfect for each other.

On another note, I still collect Gundam Model Kits because hey, they make me happy. Do follow me on instagram if you want. :) IG: lianamae

Anyhow, back to the story. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/ Destiny.

Chapter 5: Junction

-o0o-

It was getting difficult for her to draw her breaths. She could feel it being constricted more and more as every second passed. The only thing she could do now was to look up and distract herself with the view of the gold chandeliers that hung at the arched ceiling of her elegant bedroom and wait for the agony to come to a quick finish. As she amused herself, she cursed at how lucky these unfeeling pieces of paraphernalia were, unable to experience this kind of torment.

Yes, she was in torture, an excessive one at that, she believed firmly. To undergo this kind of misery every single day that Haumea granted them no longer surprised her. She wondered where she acquired the strength to keep enduring. Most times, she wanted to just shut herself out whenever it would come to this, but she knew that it wasn't much of an option for her.

Another drop of sweat trickled from her forehead, contouring the outlines of her face as the affliction persisted. Initially, she had thought that she would get accustomed to it. However, the answer to that was a resounding 'no'. Every time, she would grit her teeth and bargained that it not needed be done to her.

It was something that was not of necessity, in her opinion. Nonetheless, it was a custom that was established way beyond her younger years, dating back to the period of her ancestors, that she found it always difficult to be in a place of opposition. This practice, changed or unchanged, would not affect the adversely kingdom and the people, which was why for most, with her being the exception, they were fine to keep it.

There was another tug at her behind, which took her by surprise. This was evidenced by the involuntary wince that her body made. Consequently, she was gripping the wooden edges of her bed tighter in pain.

"Lunamaria…" She managed to speak even while she struggled for air. "I think that's enough already. I cannot breathe anymore."

This very day, she was to dub Athrun Zala as her new Knight in the ceremony that was to be held in a few moments. A month had passed since he gallantly battled with a number of the great Knights that Orb was very esteemed about. He finally had turned twenty-one and it had been time to give him his rightful title. Such was the tradition of the kingdom, to hold a ritual for all the Knights. Having a very important role in the ceremony, she had to dress up to the occasion.

Her lady-in-waiting, whose hands were pulling the ribbons to tighten the dress' bodice, quickly released her hold on the garment, realizing that she had been hurting the princess. She took a few steps backward and lowered her head. "I'm so sorry Princess! I didn't mean to cause you discomfort! I really am!" She had hoped that the Princess would not be displeased with her. The usual fuss about wearing elaborate garments was a usual, but it had been the first time that the Princess had complained about not being able to breathe.

"It's fine, Lunamaria." Cagalli did not take her actions personally; she knew that Lunamaria was only following Miss Natarle's stern orders to emphasize the frame of her body when they dressed her up. "Although, could you loosen it up a bit? I really might faint in a few minutes…"

Lunamaria bolted up when she had uttered her request and rushed to undo the ribbons. "Yes! Right away!"

Though she still did not like the feeling of the itchy lace dress clinging onto her body, she got a bit of relief as her lady-in-waiting loosened the bodice. She stood up straight, letting go of the poles of her bed, and tried to practice her posture, striding in her room in the beige garment that flowed to the floor. The fabric, with the elaborate lacework, covered her arms and her neck as well, and she felt like she would be drenched in sweat if not for the cold temperature. She did not have shoes on her feet yet, which led her to grit her teeth in annoyance that she yet again that her feet would undergo discomfort.

"Princess!" Meyrin's high-pitched voice echoed in her ears. "Miss Natarle advised me that you would be wearing this? Or would you want to see the other ones that she picked out?" She held out an ornate tiara to her, to which she could not help but frown. The crown was full of glittering gems that she could not even name. She could not help but think that she was wearing a treasure chest on her head seeing the abhorring head jewelry. The number of stones that adorned the golden tiara was too much. One or two, or even none would be fine. Actually, now that she thought about it, it was better if she didn't need to wear any.

"No need, that's fine… I guess." She shrugged in defeat, but still was reluctant to allow it to decorate her head. There wasn't much that she could do anyways. Otherwise, she would get scolded if she went ahead to the ceremony without it. Miss Natarle was one uptight woman after all.

"If you don't mind, Princess, I'll be putting this on you now. Could you please take a seat?" Her tone was very cautious, so that it wouldn't come out as if she, a lady-in-waiting, was ordering the Princess around.

Cagalli then proceeded to the edge of her bed to sit as Meyrin followed suit. Carefully placing the tiara on her head, she marveled at how the Princess looked beautiful and elegant all the more. The crown suited her perfectly. It was a pity though that Princess Cagalli did not fancy these things even in the slightest bit. With a few pins, she managed to attach it to her hair so that it would not fall even with just the slightest of movements.

She was about to stand up, when she noticed that Lunamaria was handing Meyrin another box which looked like the one that where she placed all of the things she did not even want to take a look at. When she took a peek, she realized that Meyrin was pulling out a pair of gold earrings that would dangle heavy gems when worn.

"I also need to wear those earrings? Isn't this crown more than enough already? I feel like my ears will get ripped off when I put those on." Her lips formed into a pout when she said that.

"Unfortunately, yes. Miss Natarle told us that you should." Meyrin nodded, much to her added dismay. "Certainly, you will look even more charming with this!" She tried to cheer the Princess up, which was not really working.

Lunamaria got another pair of earrings from the box. It had lesser extravagance than the one her sister was holding. It was gem-studded pair, but at least it would not sway, adding that extra weight to strain her ears, as she moved. "What about this, Princess?" How did people even think of embellishing this body part with such a thing? Humans get so innovative, and it was getting out of hand.

She let out a heave of defeat before holding out her hands. "Lunamaria," In the end, she chose to wear the one that Lunamaria picked out for her. "Give them to me, I'll put it on myself."

The older lady-in-waiting was reluctant to hand it over to her, suspecting that she may throw it away given the chance, but she knew that she could not disobey the Princess orders. "Yes of course, milady." She walked towards the Princess and placed the jewelry in her hands, secretly wishing that she would not toss it far out.

Much to her relief, the Princess stood up and went to her bedside mirror and sat down. She removed the screw and started to put it on the hole on her ear. Pretty soon, she was done with both of the earrings, even when annoyed. Lunamaria and Meyrin could only wonder why she felt that way, if they were given a chance, they would want to wear these kinds of jewelry and garments that she was wearing.

They did a few more things to her hair. They tied it up, put a lot more pins and did braids here and there. She had to admit, it looked beautiful on her. They didn't put any unnecessary stones or accessories to adorn her hair, which she was grateful for. Locks of her blonde hair were gently tucked into a bun, with loose strands falling on the sides of her face.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she had to admit that, she looked presentable enough to face her new Knight. Some part of her wanted to dress up, since she was dubbing Athrun Zala, which surprised herself. Although in her opinion, she was better off without all the precious stones. Having the gown on was enough for her.

Moments later, a servant knocked on her door. "Princess, it's time."

"Yes. I'm coming out now." She stood up from her seat, with her two ladies-in-waiting trailing behind her. The doors were held open for her and she walked out of her room.

The ceremony thrilled her so much. It was the first time that she was to be part of this kind of rituals. She actually get to hold a sword, raise it and lay it on Athrun's shoulders as she proclaimed him as her Knight. Never had she thought that she would even hold a sword! He never allowed her to even lay a finger on one, even when she pleaded. "Princesses don't hold swords, that's what knights are for" he would always say.

It was not just the sword, but also because this would mean that Athrun Zala could finally become her Knight. Something about their encounter in town made her feel really secure having him in her company. He was a very charming and kind man.

She knew that she would have been severely injured, if not dead, if he didn't come to her rescue.

It had been difficult when she first told her Father, but thankfully, Athrun has proven that he was very capable. After the test, the only words that she heard from her Father was that he had to undergo a training here in the castle, which meant that he was already fine with Athrun.

Frankly, she had been thinking if it had been an impulsive action for her to suddenly pick him out as a Knight. Now that she walked towards the great hall, she then realized that maybe it wasn't all that hasty.

When he had held her when she snuck into town to save her from being stabbed with the Knife by the thief, never did she feel more secure and protected. He was brawny but his touch was light as a feather. She remembered that she even buried her face in his chest as she clung on to him tighter, something that she never imagined doing. At that time, she didn't even know who he was, a strange familiarity if she may put it.

The way he stood up for the thief who was about to be beaten up by the other squires was also admirable. With the manner he spoke to them, she was certain that he just wasn't following her orders to tell them to bring the thief to the dungeon. His tone had reflected his conviction and values that impressed her to a greatly. Even when she had not told him to, she had heard him voice his thoughts about what they were to do with the captive and she could tell that he did not agree with what the other squires planned on doing.

He was a gentleman. She had been racking her head for how she could find her way to Kisaka's house but to no avail. Just when she was running out of ideas, he came to her, asking if there was anything he could do to help her. She wanted to give him a big hug back then, if only there weren't many people around. Lucky was she to have come across him that day!

Her Father told him not to trust people too easily. But it seemed like she had forgotten his advice when she had completely entrusted herself in the company of that man she just met. How could she even have doubts with him, when he already saved her life? And it wasn't just that, she just had a gut feeling that she was in good hands.

It was not just his conviction and kind heart that impressed her, but skills as well. Why would the other squires follow him when he told him to bring the thief to the dungeon instead? If he weren't a person with skills to back it up with, then worst case was that she had to reveal who she was just so they wouldn't mercilessly hurt the poor man.

During the day of the competition, she was very much agitated. She was too nervous that she kept on pacing her room and even refused to eat breakfast. Meyrin and Lunamaria noticed this and tried to calm her down, but she just couldn't. He was to face Orb's greatest Knights, which had greater experience in combat than he has. A part of her believed fervently that he could overcome the test and emerge as the victor, but the thought that he might get hurt her so much. She didn't know how she would forgive herself if he got injured.

Countless of times, she had held her breath sharply during the match, especially when the Knights flung their weapons mercilessly at him. It was too frightening to think that he might get hit with those dangerous objects. She could not remember how many times she repeatedly wished for the battle to stop. Just seeing him being assaulted by the other Knights, she badly wanted to rush to the stadium to put it to a halt. But the only thing that she could do was to sit down and pray to Haumea that everything would go well for him.

She could not see his face during the battle, but she could tell that he was having a hard time keeping up with them. Her hands were tightly clasped together as she fidgeted in her place. Her father seemed to have noticed that since he had been occasionally turning to her to check up on her.

When she thought that it was all over since he had defeated Heine Westenfluss and Rusty Mackenzie in the battle, but she was wrong. She was then informed that he had to face another match. She had protested violently to her father, trying to reason out with him that Athrun had already proven himself, to which he countered was still not enough.

All the more did she feel dread when Athrun was battling his master. From the looks of it, his master wasn't making it easy for him, as he always was driving his apprentice to the corner as he attacked him relentlessly. The sound of the clanging blades was torture to her ears.

Just when she feared that things might go downhill, Athrun was able to get the upper hand. At that moment, she wanted to stand up and shout in zeal, but she refrained herself, knowing that her father would scold him for her conduct. But it was okay, she felt really happy that he won! She knew that he could do it! Finally, she was able to breath easy when the battle was over.

Her train of thoughts came to a halt as she realized that they have already reached the hall. The castle guards opened the door to her, to reveal that almost everyone else was just waiting for her to begin the ceremony.

-o0o-

Athrun was starting to feel the tension as he waited for the dubbing ceremony to start. He had been advised to wait inside the castle hall after the religious ritual in the church, where he was given the initial blessing. There were a lot of formalities that were done in the past few days and this was the last leg, the dubbing. There were numerous rituals in the church where he gave his prayers and vigils to Haumea.

He stood near the King's throne, with his master, La Flaga, his helmet armor in one hand, his sword on the other. He swallowed his anxiousness and tried to relax. Normally, they would have chatted about a lot of things to pass the time. But they couldn't afford it at this moment as the King and the Princess may arrive at any moment.

He looked around the hall and saw his parents, who both came to show their support, were being led to the seats that were far from the podium. He would have wanted them to be nearer but with the most of the Knights attending, as well as the royalty being here as well, that couldn't be. But that didn't make him downcast or displeased for that matter, just as long as they were here, it was enough for him.

He found it touching that his mother was in tears of joy when he had announced that he was to be the Princess' Knight. She had squeezed him so tight, that it made it hard for him to breathe at that time. His father also had ruffled his hair like he was a little boy and went to announce the good news to their neighbors. He knew how happy and proud they were with his achievement and he was elated to have them here to watch him take his oath and fulfill his dream.

The ceremony usually did not take place in the royal palace. Dearka and his other friends also would have theirs, but it would take place at the stadium of the Knights in town. For the reason that he was to be the Princess' Knight and the need was urgent, this was not the ordinary ritual to have for that role. With a swift look, he saw that Dearka and all his other friends from the order came to support him. Dearka gave him a wave but he was too anxious to wave back and could only give a nod in response. As he waited, he remembered seeing Dearka they day after his second close encounter with the Princess.

Dearka gave him a strong whack on the back as Athrun sat in the hills that overlooked the rice fields to which Athrun yelped in surprise. "Athrun, you smooth little rascal! What magic spell did you cast upon the Princess?"

He was too preoccupied in his thoughts to even notice the presence of his friend sneaking up on him. "You know I don't do witchcraft." He couldn't help but chuckle at the remark. He still felt that he was up in the clouds that he didn't even think about hitting his friend back.

"No you do not, I agree completely." Dearka grinned at him; tapping him at the back with less strength he had the moment before as he took the spot next to him. "It was your gallant effort and the time devoted for training that made this possible. Truly, I am happy for you Athrun."

"Thanks, Dearka." He smiled, appreciative of Dearka's kind words.

"You've always wanted that right? To become the Princess' knight?" He asked calmly, the gentle wind passing through the rice fields and breezing past them.

"Yes." He replied curtly. "The only reason I've decided to dedicate myself to become a knight."

"I did sense that the moment the news came that Kisaka was no longer the knight of the Princess, that you wanted to fill in that position badly."

"Why the Princess' Knight though?" Dearka asked him. Athrun was silent, thinking of how to answer his question. Suddenly, an entertaining thought came to the mind of the blonde. "Don't tell me you're in love with her?" He had that smug look on, and it pleased him all the more when Athrun turned red.

Athrun was taken aback by Dearka's straightforward question. He felt his face was becoming warmer, and he was stuttering when he replied. "Y-you fool! It's nothing like that!"

"Oh really now?" Dearka was amused by the redness of his friend's face; how he stumbled over his words and that he cursed at him. It was rare to see him in this state, and this was always when the topic was about the Princess, which made him want to tease him all the more. "So what is it then?"

"It's not like that." He managed to calm himself down before answering him. "It's just that, the Princess inspires a lot of people, including me. She stands up for the ideals of Orb and for her own. It's people like her that I want to support."

"That is true." Dearka agreed. "She is like a ray of light to our townsfolk. They absolutely adore her."

"And I don't know if I already told you this," Athrun started. "But when I was still a little kid, I had what we call now a chickenpox."

"Oh, chickenpox." Dearka recognized instantly what he was talking about. "The illness that people thought was black magic from evil witches at work. But no, you never told me that you had one."

"Right, so I did catch the disease for a time and eventually healed from it. But ever since then, everyone was avoiding me like I was some sort of curse. I wasn't sure why they were insisting that it was witchcraft, but because of it, I had no luck in making friends. No one really wanted to be associated with a boy who must have been cursed by a witch. So I always locked myself in our house. Those were the times that I didn't even know what I did wrong to be hated by so many people. I always felt so alone." The sad time of his childhood was still clear in Athrun's memory.

"Athrun…" Dearka was surprised by this sudden revelation. He did not know that his friend had that horrible experience back in childhood. "I feel really bad that it happened to you."

"Don't feel bad, Dearka. I'm fine." Athrun reassured him. "It's all good and dandy, trust me. If it wasn't because of that, I wouldn't have met the Princess."

Dearka urged him to continue.

"She stood up for me in front of everyone when no one else did. All those times that I thought that no one else was on my side, but there she was, telling them off and how 'mean' they were to me. In fact, now that I think about it, it was like I was the damsel in distress." He laughed at the realization. "The Princess' heart is so pure and full of kindness. Her gesture moved me so much that I wanted to be by her side so that I could protect her too. That's when I decided that I wanted to become her knight when I saw Kisaka standing by her."

"I'm glad that everything worked out for you and that you actually did it." Dearka couldn't help but commend him for where he is now.

"Thanks," He gleamed, taking in the tranquil view of the fields bathed in the hue of orange sunset rays. All looked golden and splendid.

"I wonder though," Dearka started again. "Say Kisaka never stepped down from her position as her knight. What would you do if that happened?"

Athrun thought for a moment before responding. "I've actually never thought of that…" He admitted. "I was always fixated on becoming a her knight that it never occurred to me. I'm glad that it didn't, because I never lost sight of my goal."

"That's true." Dearka nodded. "Best of luck Athrun, I hope you can still visit, I know you'll be very busy these days."

"I'll try." He smiled at his best friend.

'The Princess has arrived!" The knights at the door announced and pulled the humongous doors of the hall opened.

His train of thoughts was cut the moment Cagalli entered, it seemed that all the people in the room stopped in their tracks to admire the Princess as she strode the halls ever so elegantly in the finest of all garments.

He could feel his mouth gaping wide open, along with all the other people that did the same. There was a very different aura surrounding the Princess. Today, she looked so much sophisticated than the usual. Her gown seemed to have been made by the finest of garments by an estimable seamstress. Fancy jewelry and accessories adorned her more. Her hair was tied differently today as well. Not that all of these mattered to him to, for whatever she wore and even if she did not have gems adorning her, she would still look beautiful in his eyes. She lifted a portion of her skirt as she walked.

She was then ushered to proceed to where the King and the leader of the Knighthood were. When she had reached them, the priestess in her elegant garments opened another ceremony by giving a sermon on the importance of virtues and how the knights were to uphold them.

The King continued the ceremony with a speech. He talked about the history of the Knights in Orb. Athrun was then reminded of how the Knighthood in the country started and how it had evolved into the system that they had today. In the past century, bigger countries have been on a crusade to colonize smaller Kingdoms. To protect themselves from possible invasions, the people of Orb had to come up with defensive measures to protect themselves by adopting the Franks way of battle, which later developed into the Knighthood.

The King then went on to speak of how noble each and every Knight was and how he had been grateful for every single one of them. "Throughout the years, the Knights have continued to showcase their gallant skills to protect Orb and its citizens, and on this sunny morning, we will all be witnessing another Knight that will join the chivalry."

He then returned to his throne, so that the very head of the Order of the Orb Knights, sir La Flaga, could take his place on the podium.

As for Athrun, he was finally wearing the armor that only Knights were entitled to wear He was so used to the surcoat and undergarments that he had been wearing for years that this felt so surreal for him. He was highly strung that it felt like the iron armor was weighing him down, making him unable to move.

"Today we gather here to witness an important milestone in the Legion of Knights. A promising young man was able to best some of the most skillful men in the cavalry, proving to be worthy as the Princess of Orb's protector. As the head of the Order of the Knights of Orb and as your master in the many years that you've trained, I congratulate you in this feat. The progress that you have made is unbelievably impressive. The passion and the effort that you put into this profession have warranted you here, in this hall, to be dubbed as a Knight of Orb. Always commit to our Code of Chivalry and continue improving." He lowered his head quickly to show a sign of affirmation. He wanted Athrun, his squire for many years to know how proud he was of what he has become.

"Thank you Sir La Flaga." He bowed deeply with gratitude and stood firmly to take his oath. His heart was on fast rhythmic beats that he exhaled deeply first to relax himself.

"I, Athrun Zala, in the presence of our powerful and loving Haumea and all the gods, our most wise and respectable King of Orb, Uzumi Nara Athha, the compassionate and good-natured Princess of Orb, Cagalli Yula Athha, the legion of the Order of the Orb Knights, my most skilled mentor, Sir La Flaga and my ever supportive parents and friends, declare my oath."

He took another quick breath and continued.

"I solemnly swear allegiance to the kingdom of Orb, and disown any adherence to any kingdoms, body or individual that is in opposition to the values and laws that this magnificent country stands up for.

I pledge to carry my sword and fight and die for Orb to protect its values and people if needed…"

Cagalli jolted a bit at that part of the oath. It was an unspoken promise that knights would fight for their kingdoms and would die protecting it. But she could not imagine death upon her people and she wished that there needed not be an exhibition of this bloodbath.

His mother shuddered in fear. She turned to look at her husband and was surprised to see that he remained calm. She too relaxed. As his mother, of course she did not want him to be in that kind of danger. But she could only give him her unending support in what he wants to do. She also hoped that there was nothing that would put him in that situation.

"I vow to always uphold the values of the Order of the Orb Knights and live it out ceaselessly.

Most importantly, I give my word of honor, to dedicate my life to stand by the side of the Princess, to protect her in times of need and to make sure that she will always have a smile on her face as she rules the Kingdom of Orb.

I commit to live honorably as a Knight of the kingdom of Orb and may Haumea provide me guidance and strength to accomplish all these." He paused for a while before kneeling down before the King and the Princess. The words that he just said, he meant all of them.

A sword was placed on the table before the throne, and Cagalli walked over to the heavy metal weapon. She took a hold of it and lifted with both of her hands as rehearsed. She tried to lift it with one hand but almost dropped it, so with the advise of Miss Natarle, she lifted with both arms and tried to hold it still.

She strode to where Athrun was, careful of falling over and embarrassing herself in front of so many people. When she was standing in front of him, she started to speak.

"Sir Zala, will you, upon this day, pledge faithfulness to the Kindgom of Orb?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"Will you, upon this day, be the sword and shield of the Kingdom of Orb for the safety and welfare of the citizens?" She said, her confidence never wavering, although she was nervous before going into the hall to deliver those lines out loud for everyone in the hall to hear.

"Yes, your Highness."

"Will you, upon this day, be my supreme protector and pledge to never abandon this post?"

"Yes, your Highness!" He said with absolute determination.

She lifted the sword gently laid it on both of his shoulders. "With the power vested in me, I, Cagalli Yula Athha, dub thee, Sir Athrun Zala, as an honorable Knight of Orb. May Haumea be on your side and may you exercise courage and humility in treading on this stage of your life."

He stayed kneeling after the Princess drew the sword. "Arise, sir Knight." She proclaimed, to which he followed suit. Applause was heard all over the haul from the people that attended the ceremony. Athrun Zala was officially the knight of the Princess, Cagalli Yula Attha. He never felt so proud and happy of himself until know. All the years of hard work have paid off.

His gaze softened as he lay his eyes on the Princess, all this years, the thought of being by the Princess' side, supporting her in her role as the future ruler of this kingdom was something so far-fetched that he never knew that this day would come, but he still hoped anyway. With her ideals, he knew that she would be a great ruler of this kingdom, always thinking of the good of the many. He didn't doubt that ability of hers ever since she stood up for him in that crown on that sunny day.

He knew that this was just the start of things much more difficult than the ones he undergone in the past few years. This was the actual start of what he was training for the longest time and there would be undoubtedly things coming at him when he least expected it, so he should always prepare himself and be vigilant.

The Princess smiled at her promising new knight, happy for him as well.

-o0o-

"Princess?" Athrun walked around the palace, looking for her in vain. He was unable to locate where she was. She was supposed to be attending another etiquette class with Miss Natarle but she wandered off again. He, along with her two ladies-in-waiting, Lunamaria and Meyrin split ways in an effort to find her and get her back to class as soon as possible.

"Where could she have run to?" He said to himself. He did notice that she looked more displeased today than the usual when she showed herself to the etiquette class. He noticed that she had no problems when it was her classes in politics, history, philosophy, theology, literature, science and math. She was enthusiastic, participative and asked a lot of good questions to her educators.

But whenever it was her etiquette class, her face had that disgruntled expression. There was one time where she was actually stomping while she was supposed to learn how to walk with grace and poise during a formal event. He tried to stifle his laughter and almost failed to do so when he saw how adorable she was in her quiet rebellion. But when she noticed that he might actually laugh, she gave him a killer glare to which made him swallow his amusement.

He later learned, that despite her elegance and finesse when she parades around in a very beautiful dress, all dolled up and adorned with the most expensive jewelry, she actually hated it. She admitted that to him, without any apprehensions. It showed a side of her that he never would have expected. But it did not change the way he thought of him in the very least. To him, it was a good that she was being honest with herself and that she wasn't taken by wealth and material things.

"I want to be able to reach out to our people. I do know that I can't do that in these killer shoes and stones all over my hair and body. They'll find me really intimidating because this is not something that everyone has." She told him one instance when she was so frustrated that she had to try on new pairs of shoes that Miss Natarle had the town shoemaker deliver that day. He smiled to himself, realizing how very down-to-earth she was.

A few weeks into this role, and Athrun had been really happy to be interacting with the Princess a lot. In the mornings he would be one of the first few people to greet her even if she was still feeling groggy and trying her best not to fall asleep. All throughout the day, he would be in proximity of where she was until nighttime where she would happily retreat back into her quarters bidding him a good night. He was learning a lot of things about her that he never would have known even with a lot of hearsays all around the town. One of those was the fact that she liked to sneak a lot whenever she felt bored or tired. As her Knight, he shouldn't let her slip away just like that the next time around.

He was now in the hallway overlooking the garden through the large windows of the castle when his eye caught a streak of blonde. He stopped his tracks, fixed his gaze to the garden and saw that the Princess was sitting in one of the branches! Her shoes were laid on on the grass at the bottom of the trunk of the tree. Clad in her pink velvet dress, she was perched on the tree, reading a book like it was the most normal thing to do given her position.

She didn't even hear her walk towards him as she was so immersed in the book she had buried herself into. It had been a long walk towards that apricot tree but she was unable to notice him still even when his boots made a sound in every step that he made.

How he admired how she looked at that moment. So serene and pure, like a fairy looking out for the forest, from the stories his mom told him when he was little. The leaves were rustling with the wind and he could hear birds chirping. The soft breeze blowing wisps of blonde hair to her face contrasting with her hazel eyes that were sparkling transfixed on the pages of the literary work. Her hands were elegantly resting at the sides of the book, a finger rubbing the edge of the pages. She looked very carefree and as if she were in another world.

He could have stood there longer but it wasn't long before he remembered that he was ordered to find her and escort her back to Miss Natarle.

It was a pity that he had to intrude this moment. But he needed to.

Very careful not to startle her, he called out to her in the gentlest voice. "Princess?"

Unfortunately it didn't go as he planned. She let out a surprised yelp upon hearing someone call her. She probably didn't expect someone to find her there and the book slipped from her hand. In her vain attempt to catch it due to impulse, she stretched both of her hands in an effort to grab it, losing her balance in the process.

She caught sight of him on her way down. "Athrun, watch out!" She yelled, a signal for him to step away. She knew she was going to fall off the tree.

"Princess!"

His eyes widened at the sight. He could feel a wave of panic run its course in his body. Seeing this scene unfold in front of his very eyes, the last thing he wanted to do was to step aside and to let her take the fall. He was her knight and the princess was falling with her face first. No way would he let her be hurt. What would his use be if he had let her be hurt?

He immediately rushed to where it looked like she would fall and held out his arms to catch her. It didn't take long before her weight was on his arms, but he couldn't keep his balance given height and the rate of the fall. The princess took a plunge and dived towards the ground. Good thing he there to break her fall, but he was the one who got most of the impact. He held her close to prevent her from landing anywhere else.

Golden streaks blurred his vision when he opened his eyes after the loud thud. "Ouch." He murmured as he lay with his back flat on the grass. He was feeling his body, and it didn't seem like he was badly hurt.

He then focused his attention on the Princess. Her head was leaning on his chest; her whole weight sprawled upon his body. She was able to regain her composure after a few seconds and lifted her head. Her eyes met with the emerald ones that her knight had. She realized that she just fell on him from the height of the apricot tree branch. Immediately crawling off him and sitting on the grass, she felt embarrassed at what just happened.

"Athrun, I'm so sorry… for falling on you and all." She lowered her head a bit to the man who was still lying on the grass, still taking in the pain from the drop.

Realizing how close they were moments ago and that she just fell over from a tree, he jolted and upright and bowed his head even lower. He was relieved that she was all right, but felt really bad because if he hadn't called her, the way he did, this wouldn't have happened. "No, I'm sorry Princess! If I didn't call out like I did, you wouldn't have lost your balance. The fault's all mine!"

"Are you hurt?" Cagalli dismissed the apology, knowing that he did nothing wrong and concern overcame her. She didn't feel any twinge of pain, thanks to her knight. But it might mean that it was because he took all of it instead.

"I'm fine Princess!" He gave her a thumbs up, a gesture that he was felt nothing of the sort. Though it was quite a fall and he landed on the floor with a loud thud, it could have been worse.

"You're not lying to me are you?" She raised her eyebrows, making sure he was telling the truth.

"I would never, your Highness!"

She took a good look at her knight and heaved out a sigh of relief when she did confirm by herself that he wasn't harmed or even scratched in any way. "That's good to hear." She smiled.

"What about you Princess?" He asked out of utmost concern.

She shook her head. "I'm not in any way feeling any ache, thanks to you! So don't be too hard on yourself." She reassured him when the worried look never left his face. After a few weeks of knowing her Knight, she was certain that he might torture himself with the thought that he wasn't doing his job properly, which wasn't the case at all. She was actually impressed that he found her quicker than her two ladies-in-waiting, considering that she had been with Lunamaria and Meyrin longer than she has with Athrun. Looks like she needed a new hiding place because Athrun had uncovered this one.

"So… Is Miss Natarle exploding in anger when she found out I escaped another lesson?" She had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh she was very frantic the moment she realized you were gone, Princess." He started to relax and smiled, remembering that Miss Natarle got worked up when she noticed that the Princess wasn't there in the room anymore. "I was scolded, along with your ladies-in-waiting, because we let you run off from our sight and then she sent us off to look for you or else she would grill us."

"Apologies for that." She chuckled. "Even though she says that, Miss Natarle's a really nice person. I admit I trouble her a lot because I keep running off when I can."

She got her book from the ground and continued. "It's not that I don't like her, I do actually. But when she gets really strict and overbearing sometimes, being my etiquette instructor, it also causes me a lot of stress at times because I can't really say no because my father wouldn't allow it."

"You know, there was one time I was forced to dance with newly bought shoes she had made for me to wear for a ball, and those had really high heels! I mean, who even wears those kind of things?" She expressed her exasperation remembering that particular instance. "After going had it for an hour or so, of course my feet had blisters afterwards and it hurt to walk even if I just went barefoot." She huffed.

"What happened during the ball then since you had to wear those, Princess?" He asked with much curiosity.

"I actually removed the shoes from my foot and walked barefoot the whole time. I admit the floor was really cold, but it was better than having them on. All the guest really thought that I was really composed and graceful that night." She laughed at the memory. "No one actually noticed and I almost got away with it, not until one of the guests tripped because I accidentally kicked the shoes off from the table! Then my father found out about it and scolded me for forgetting proper etiquette and causing one of our guests to get hurt. Now, every time we have a party or a ball, Natarle checks up on me from time to time, making sure I didn't remove anything from my attire."

She folded the tip of the page of the book she was reading and closed it, heaving a heavy sigh. "You know, sometimes it doesn't make sense to me."

"What do you mean, Princess?" Athrun looked at her intently, urging her to continue. It worried him to see her like that.

"All this lavishness and glamor associated to being a Princess. Can't I rule this Kingdom without wearing any crown on my head or dressed in anything that is uncomfortable? Or without going to any parties where I'm forced to dance or act a certain way? I'm pretty sure that my crown can build an entire house or a hospital and that I would have more fun actually having a celebration with all the townsfolk at today's fair." She confessed to him. She long had been harboring these sentiments and it was actually the first time she told this to anyone. "I'm extra upset today because I was supposed to go to the town fair, but I'm still grounded from running away last time to visit Kisaka."

He was silent the whole time, trying to understand the Princess and what distresses her. So this was why there was a frown in her face today when she ate breakfast. For sneaking out of the castle and visiting her sick Knight, she had been forbidden to leave the castle grounds for a month as punishment. At least it was just a month, but it so happened that the fair would take place while she wasn't allowed to go out of the castle.

From what he heard from her two ladies-in-waiting, she had been looking forward to going to the fair. It was one of those few things she had always been excited about and attended every year. She would participate in games and would want to win prizes, watch the circus do their stunts, or buy rare items she knew she wouldn't be able to get in the town market. She also had been going to the fair since she was young and that's where they first met.

She probably had been frustrated with the etiquette lessons for the longest time, but having been banned to go to the town fair got her all the more riled up than usual for she'd rather go to town than be stuck here in the castle to practice proper posture with a book on her head.

"Your crown, Princess, although it may seem extravagant and costly…" He began and was choosing his words very carefully. "It is a symbol of your position as the Princess and the future leader of the Kingdom of Orb, the ray light for the people in the state. The moment that the crown adorns your head as you present yourself in front of the thousands of people here in the Kingdom is the very pride and honor of our prominent goldsmiths and craftsmen. It's a joy to them to be able to give you the best of what they can offer. The crown, or any jewelry that you have for that matter, isn't done in the expense of other people's needs. I'm very certain of that."

"And how are you certain?" She was looking at him questioningly, waiting for him to expound on the matter, so he did.

"The King takes care of all the people here in the kingdom. If someone has a problem or having difficulty in meeting their basic necessities, he can go and approach the King. Your Highness and the council made sure that all his subjects are able to have a livelihood. He would always go around Orb to see whether everything was going well, in other times, his subjects would go to the palace."

He knew that she was already wondering how he knew these kinds of things, so he continued. "You know, it was the King who gave my father his occupation at the bank. He saw that my father could handle money and numbers well. My whole family is grateful for that and I also got the support I needed when I told them that I wanted to become a Knight."

"My father does a great job of looking after the people, I agree. That's why I look up to him very much." She concurred, her frustration piping down. Her knight had a point and he said it in a way that helped her shed some light on some matters that she always got worked up about.

"And for the parties…" Athrun continued. "It's also a way of meeting other nobles, having pacts with them and in turn will help in strengthening Orb, so I think it's necessary. Although, now that you've told me about it, I do feel bad that your feet hurt-"

"And sometimes I can't breathe in my dress as well!" She cut in, trying to emphasize that point as well. "Like that one I wore during your ceremony, you don't know how much I wanted to slice my dress with the sword I used to dub you."

He chuckled. "Now that would be very unsightly to everyone in the room…"

"It would, wouldn't it?" She was amused at the thought of everyone gaping in horror if she did.

"But you did carry yourself so elegantly, Princess. As always." He gave her his honest remark. "If it would make you feel any better about wearing that dress, I think it looked very lovely on you."

She gave him a light punch on the shoulder, which surprised him. The Princess had a tint of pink on her cheeks. "You flatter me, but thank you."

"You're very welcome." He wasn't just saying that to flatter her, he was speaking the truth.

"Also…" She started again. "Thank you."

"For what, Princess?" He had no idea why she thanked him for the second time.

"For listening to me tirade about my strong dislike for dresses, parties and etiquette. Sometimes it's hard keeping it all to yourself so it was good to finally have someone to voice out my frustrations. Aside from that, you also reasoned with me and I appreciate it a lot." When Kisaka was her Knight, she wasn't able to talk to him about these things. To her, Kisaka was like an uncle so she could never even start to tell him what he just told Athrun. Her ladies-in-waiting never dared to tell her what he just did a while ago.

He bowed his head slightly, his heart fluttering with her kind words and charming smile. Lifting his head back up, he met her eyes. "You are welcome, Princess Cagalli. Even if I am your Knight, I'll always be at your whim if you want someone to talk to about things that distress you. I take it upon myself to not only look after your physical well-being, but your emotional well-being as well."

"I'm so glad that I chose you as my Knight." Her eyes sparkling as she said those words. The wind blew and her hair gently went in the direction of the breeze. A number of leaves fell from the tree. It made her look very ethereal all the more, and Athrun knew that he would never forget that sight.

He knew that he would have a hard time sleeping tonight. That image of the Princess will be etched on his mind for the longest time.

"Thank you, Princess." His heart still madly beating, and it was a good thing that he was still very composed. He didn't know how he was able to hide it so well, but he was relieved that he could.

They stayed still for a few moments before Cagalli spoke. "Shall we head back now?" She asked, realizing that they needed to return or else Miss Natarle might actually grill him along with her ladies-in-waiting.

He almost stammered in response. "Of course." He was the one who first stood up and held a hand for the Cagalli, which she took in a heartbeat. He gave her a little pull, and she was able to stand up. He held the book she had been reading before he came as she straightened herself up. He looked at the title of the book, it read: "The Canterbury Tales". An interesting read that he never got to start on back home.

"Let's go." She asked for the book back, and he returned it to her, wondering why she just didn't let him carry the book for her.

They walked in silence in the hallway. It turned out that the Princess was once again immersed in reading, which he didn't mind. He just kept watch of her, if ever she bumped into anything in particular because she was buried in her book.

"Hopefully Princess…" He started the conversation. They were almost nearing the study.

"Hmm?" She wasn't even looking away from the book, but she was listening to what he had to say.

"Hopefully, you get to go to the next fair." He meant to say it a while ago when they were in the garden, but forgot. He knew that the townsfolk would also love to see the Princess attending the fair, she was very well loved by the people of their kingdom.

She pried her eyes away from her book to take a good look at him. "Yes I hope I don't do anything that will make my father bar me from leaving the castle grounds!" To this, he laughed lightly.

"And you're coming with me, right?" She gave him a look that she wasn't taking a 'no' for an answer.

"Of course, Princess." He did not even think twice. It would be a privilege for him to go to the fair to accompany the Princess. Unlike the first time he was with the Princess, when he was a very meek kid. Now he was very proud to say that if they do get attend the fair, he can stand by her side and protect her.

-o0o-

A/N: Till next chapter! Xoxo