Prologue: "A New Day"

A.C. 197

"Could today be any more perfect?" A stately young woman muses to no one in particular as she stretches her arms to the brightening window beside her bed, as if welcoming in the new day with open arms.

For truly it was a joyous day inside the heart of this young woman. A young woman, who, through her late father's teachings and the convictions in her own mind and soul had rightfully earned the name of "Peacecraft".

"Today peace will be declared on Earth and the Colonies as well. We've finally made it through all of those tedious long negotiations over the questions that last uprising posed." Relena closes her eyes, seeing so clearly that misguided little girl, feeling so glad inside that things turned out the way they did.

"The way God intended fate to fall," Relena whispers to the window, but upon seeing the reflection in her own eyes she sees also distinctly the image of that someone God's mighty hand had used on that day--that someone out there that neither no one could hold any power over for any length of time.

And likewise it seemed neither could she. For all her triumphs in negotiations of peace and pacifist fortitude that kept the people of the worlds wanting to keep striving to maintain that peace she so longed for, there was that one longing Relena seemed never to obtain. Even her own boundless hope had flickered in the days and months since he had left without a trace.

"I wish you could stand with me today at the peace signing accords since you played the biggest part in making this peace possible. But I know that I am here still to do what I must...alone..."

"...Heero..." She thrusts the window open wide, and reaches out her hand as if trying to grasp in the thin air something intangible to ever touch.