Changing of Minds and Wills

Disclaimer: Do not own either of the series. Only the plot is mine.

Chapter One:

Duty.

Black, blacker, blackest,
And cold beyond all frozen things.
Where is between when there is naught
To life but fragile dragon wings?

Wufie silently slipped down the corridors of the Hall, towards the Harper's room. IT was nothing like he had done before all his fifteen turns. He had been forbidden by his mother, the head of the Hold to see him.

The Harper, Master Oh, had sent him an invitation that Wufie couldn't refuse. On one of the nights that he had been in the Records room of the hold, the Harper had asked Wufie to come see him for Privet lessons. It was great!

Unfortunately, his mother caught him the last two times that he had tried to sneak out. This time, he had waited until he heard his mother's snores and his sister's soft sighs before he snuck out. Wufie still had to be careful incase it was going to be one of the nights where his baby sister Meriden would be crying.

He was certain that his role as Lord Holder was assured, but he would throw all of it away if he could be a harper. He had been tilling fields since he was old enough to hold a rake. That was not the way he wanted to spend his days, minding fields, filling stores, or deciding which farmer should get what field.

He had just found his way using a dim glow from his own room, to the Harper's quarters, only to see another pair of boots that were there. They had fresh dirt on it, so they had come though the fields, and were now inside the Master's quarters. He tried to hear what the two were saying, but it seemed that the thickness of the door not only dampened the beats of the drum, but also voices from the rooms inside, if they were talking at all.

Like most holds, Chang Hold was carved out of the side of a cliff, and had more than a thousand occupants as well as some scattered fire-lizards. Chang Hold also filled some more interesting parts of the landscape, as most of its land was arable, with few cot holds in the area.

Sighing in defeat, Wufie knocked on the door, hoping to see who else was here in the hold, that he had not been there during the day.

"Come!" The master's voice sounded from the interior, and Wufie entered as he was instructed. Upon entering the room, he found himself face to face with a man with auburn hair and blue eyes. He ware Harper blue and was as tall as Master Oh, as tall as any Dragonrider.

"Ah, Wufie. I suppose that you had to sneak out and by your mother's quarters?" Master Oh said smiling slightly. His small stature was nothing compared to the sound of his voice. Those alone cold make him seem taller than most men.

Wufie nodded and lowered his head to hide the blush that was creeping up his cheeks. The man next to the master was certainly handsome and was able to put the most handsome man in his place.

"This is Journeyman Treize. He and Journeyman Milliardo will be taking over my post here as Harper," Master Oh said as he sat down heavily in a chair by the fire.

Wufie noticed the tea pot and cups, so he poured the tea for the aging master. "When will you leave?" He asked as his voice cracked slightly. He had to set the pot carefully and blink his eyes rapidly, trying to keep the stinging tears from falling. Master Oh had been more of a father to him than anyone else.

"Master oh will not be leaving until the next sevenday is up." A cultured voice said, echoing in the stone room, following Wufie's question.

Wufie looked up and saw that Treize had come closer than he liked.

"Master Oh is going to show a new boy like me around, and who does what in the hold. I hear that you are the main teacher for self defense?" Treize said with a smile.

"My father always won at the Gathers." Wufie said proudly, as his father nearly always did win the matches. He was the one that taught the young ones the art of fighting and discipline.

"Yes, I'm sure he did." Master Oh said, smiling. "I believe that Treize here is lacking in that area."

"Forgive me master, but I think I'm pretty good at self defense." Treize said as he shot Master Oh a look that could have curled the cheese in the storerooms.

"Well, Tomorrow Morning, let's see what I can put together." Wufie said sliding into teacher mode. He looked Treize up and down, seeing that he indeed have more appreciation for the harpers' lean form and body. "I'll expect you in the courtyard at three hours after dawn. Dress in work cloths."

"It'll be my pleasure," Treize said as he gave the younger man a bow.

Wufie bowed in return and exited the room with a nod to Master Oh.

"Well?" Oh said, after a few minutes of silence. "What do you think?"

"He's going to be a handful. Treize said, looking at the closed door thoughtfully.

"Yes. He's got a few girls vying for his attention, as well as men. You'll need to tread carefully to obtain his heart."

"Of course I'll b- wait what?!" A slight tanning traveled across his cheeks. "Who said I wanted to obtain his heart?"

"Come now boy. I was just observing your reaction to him," Oh laughed. "Milliardo will be here tomorrow, so you get to see him as well. This hold has no problem Tithing, nor does it have a problem with Dragonmen. What I'll need to know is how the two new fosterlings are going to handle this."

Treize was worried about them as well, but wondered why Milliardo would want to come here. After all, he had been assigned to Bendon Hold, and that was a good sevenday from Chang hold. It was with this feat that he voiced to his master.

"I suspect that he misses his partner." Oh said, having his own suspions of that errand.

"Ah. Well then, I should be getting some sleep. I have a busy day tomorrow." Treize said as he bowed to the Master and left for his own quarters. Tomorrow would be quite interesting if what the master said was true.

So how do you like it? Do I need to clarify something for those of you who do not know The Dragonriders of Pern series? Please tell me! This is my first Crossover with Pern and Gundam Wing. What should I put in? What should I take out?

Need input, input, and input!