Welcome to the second installment of the Yoedian Arl trilogy. I do not know that you need read the first story. I will try to make the connections necessary so make that unnecessary.

Also, I'm very sorry. I'm about to leave you all in the lurch for a little longer in regards to Heero and his afflicted captain. But as that one is going to be by far the more complicated of the stories, I'm taking the coward's way out.

Actually, that's not it and pardon if I get a bit of a laugh from that. In actuality, the time doesn't correspond well with all stories unless I leave Heero and Duo behind just a little longer. This story will pick up from where Wufei has been added to a household as a slave. Not as much will be told about Wufei, I'm sad to say, but for what little he deems necessary to share. But as a private man with a sense of this all being some cosmic punishment for his indiscretion, he's not bound to give us much insight into why Duo did what he did. That, my dear readers, will happen later, when we look at the story, "Babe's Book."

For now, we shall follow Milliardo Peacecraft as he attempts to convince his dragon that freedom found in his arms is, perhaps, the best kind of freedom there is.

- Memme

The following story is rated PG-13 for some more mature themes and perhaps a little kissing, we can hope? It is also slash, which means gay literature, so if you are uncomfortable with this, I ask that you do not read further.

It is utilizing the characters from the Gundam Wing universe, which I do not own. However, the story idea is purely my own invention, as are the fantastical creatures and myths of the universe. Please do not use them without letting me know so I can dance happily and humbly.

Southeron Dragon

(Book ii of the Sea Folk Trilogy)
by Memme

Prologue

My dearest Quatre,

It has been only three days since I saw you last at Greater Market. It was pure chance and what fortuitous chance, that I happened upon you on Kin's Isle. I had originally been meaning to go to Piset and spend the week there with the Lady Nansi. My sister's doing, you understand of course. She has never given up hope that I would find a woman to satisfy my longings, settle my older body down, and no longer create such talk in the courts. I am the bane of my dear sibling's life. Pray, do not laugh. You and I both know you are doing that very thing, however. It is my one joy in life, that I can frustrate her and foil her every plan to mother hen me. No matter that she is my younger, she will have me wed as Mother would have wished, yet has ceased hoping for. I am to take on the family name and pass it along to my own children. She is content with her supposing that she will find another name to send her offspring to, as befits her view of the world.

Three days and I have done nothing but throw my entire household into an uproar. Otir has come as close as a mouse's whisker to leaving me. He will have none of this noise, this disdain, he says. What noise? What disdain, you ask?

You do recall, I hope, that while at Greater Market, I found my eye caught upon a Southeron slave? I had originally thought him of northern stock. I am pleased to have discovered differently.

There is, of course, the issue of no sign of his slave status, but I have hopes to discover what is the cause for the lack. Still, he stood in Greater Market and was available and so I bought him, hoping that he might be both a help mate to me with my sister, my own affairs (as I later discovered he knows to read and write), and perhaps I must admit to some fascination in his world, what I might learn from him regarding it.

You know of whom I speak. You and he were on the same ship which you found yourself upon after being shipwrecked. I have only heard the shortest of stories about your adventures from Mother. She states that it was a rather harrowing experience for you, and she does not mention my newest slave at all. But you cannot tell me you know nothing of him. His very presence in my household is felt down to the lowliest kitchen maid. He is a force just in his presence such that I can almost imagine that I know where he is at all times, felt somewhere deep within me. Is this the fabled magic of the Southeron lords which I have heard tales of from the time I was a child?

I was always so intrigued by stories of other lands. It grieved me when you left for New Hartlin in the Western Continent. I so wished I could have gone along with you. Yet, now that I know of your losses, your wife's death and your shipwrecking on your way home, I do not so envy you. But do not believe me. I would have taken such terrible experiences to have left this small world here of the Sea Folk. There is a greater world outside of our farms, our ocean, our sky.

So I listened often to the stories told by the far away sailors, telling me of the Southeron men and women, their clothing with vibrant colors, their ebony hair like a albatross wing, their skin of pale gold, eyes like olive pits. The Southeron lords have enchanters, have knowledge of magic! It enflamed the imagination of a boy and it reminds me of my innocence now, when I am a man.

But forgive me for such imaginations now. It is late in the evening, long after the household has fallen to sleep. I know he is awake, elsewhere in the manor. I know that he sleeps little, even after only three days, this being the fourth night. Perhaps he sleeps less than I do. When it is late, I fancy that I can feel him wandering the manor's rooms, trying to come to terms with his enslavement in my house.

Would you believe me if I said I do not believe he is a slave, despite his being on the slaver's block? Would you believe me if I said that I think he is descended from one of those very Southeron lords the sailors told tale of?

I grow foolish. I must get to the reason for my writing so soon.

First, I wish to say welcome home. You were missed, though not for the reasons that you were lost. We did not know you had become lost. You were missed merely because you were gone to the Western Continent for so very long. My old friend, four years was too long for you to be gone from us. I am glad you are home safe, sound, and with your family once again.

Secondly, I wish to know your tale. Mother tells me some, and I expect the Lady will write Mother, telling her all you have divulged. But because I too am a son, I know that some of your tale you will not tell yours. And because mothers delight in nothing more than speaking of the greatness of their sons, the Lady is unlikely to tell Mother of the downfalls of your journey.

Do not think it is all idle curiosity. If you could please focus almost entirely upon your dealings with my newest slave, Wufei? This I would thank you most for now. I do not pretend to want the story for the story's sake. As I have said, his very presence in my home has caused chaos as you would never have imagined. I wish to have some idea of what to expect from this newest addition.

I will tell you more of what has happened next I write. I sense you alone will understand the true impact he is having here, for you alone of all my acquaintances actually know him and have seen him in many a situation. It will be good to have someone to take into my confidence.

I am, as always, your friend,

Milliardo Peacecraft