Disclaimier: I do not own Gundam wing, it belongs to its rightful owners.
The Warriors of Gundania: Part 3: Enchanted Love
The celebration had just started. Quatre sat next to Trowa as they talked about their lives. Quatre was heating his tea with his hand and Trowa was petting a lion. Trowa's sister brought Trowa a drink.
"Thank you, Catherina," Trowa said, taking the glass, "I'm glad you came to see me."
"I didn't want to stay at home throwing daggers while I was worrying about by kid brother!" Catherina laughed, "not only I, but the animals missed you!" she laughed, "Well, good luck!" She smiled and kissed his cheek.
Trowa blushed, brushing the kiss away. He looked at Quatre.
Quatre laughed, "I know how you feel, I have an older sister too," he paused, "Twenty-nine of them!"
They both laughed and clicked the drinks, their talking and laughing was interrupted by a voice and an oboe playing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the gypsy, Dorothy Catatonia!"
Dorthy came out from behind a tent, clapping finger cymbals. She wore a black skirt with slits that came to her hips and a silky shoulder strapless top (like a bikini) with sequins. As she stepped closer, her eyes, full of seduction burned into Quatre's eyes full of innocence. A silky, lacy mask covered her mouth and nose. Her eyes, were the only things on her face that was visible. She smelt of roses and her face was painted, green eye shadow on her lids, long dangling earrings.
Quatre swallowed, spilling his tea on the ground. Trowa watched him in surprise, knowing what Dorothy was up too, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Dorothy either.
She twirled around and kicked her feet, snapping the finger cymbals. She danced, waved her arms and came closer to Quatre, closer, closer, until she was practically dancing in his lap. Quatre couldn't' move, he just sat, watching her, like she had him under a spell. Dorothy went around Quatre's chair three times, clapping the cymbals close to his face, winked at him and then, she pretended to trip and fall into his arms. The oboe playing stopped and people began clapping.
"Maybe it is good that you didn't kill me," she whispered, out of breath, "because then I couldn't give you this." And after she said thought, still out of breath, she leaned forward, taking off her mask, revealing blood red lips and giving him a full and deep kiss on Quatre's mouth.
Quatre's eyes widened, but he didn't push her away.
She pulled away and slid her fingers all over his face, "you are kind, next time, maybe it's best for you to kill me with kindness, hmm?" she laughed.
"T-thank you," Quatre stuttered, "that was…nice…"
"If you'd like, you can dance with me sometime"
Quatre nodded, "Y-yes."
She smiled and went to the bar for a drink.
Quatre made a shy smile and then turned his head to Trowa as if to ask, "what did I do? Maybe I should've killed her!"
Trowa looked at him, held his hands up as if to say, "This is your problem, not mine!" and he stood up and walked away, the lion right next to him.
Quatre looked back at the bar and saw that Dorothy was leaving and walking back into her tent. She looked at him, smiled and tilted her head to her tent. Although he knew better, he followed her. She already went inside when he opened the gate. She was laying on her side, propping her chin up with her hand. "Hello there," she whispered.
Quatre smiled, "Hello," he said shyly, then to himself, "what am I doing?" He sat down, rubbing his forehead.
"I don't think the girls at your celebrations ever did that," she said, standing up and walking to him.
He laughed, "No, they didn't. They only called me 'Master Quatre' and put flowers around my neck." He flinched when he felt her touching him, sliding her long fingers up and down his arms and onto his bare chest. She tried to take off his vest. "What are you doing?" he demanded, pushing her back and rising to his feet.
"What's wrong, Master Quatre?" she asked, then giggled, "don't you want me? Take me!" Then she grabbed him by his vest to begin kissing him.
"No!" Quatre pushed her back with a gust of wind. "First you try to kill me and now you're trying to seduce me?"
"Why don't you take me?" she demanded sharply.
"You're very beautiful, but what you're doing is wrong." He turned around to leave, but she closed the tent gate with her magic.
"You're not going anywhere," she snapped, getting back to her feet, "take me or kill me, but don't leave me."
Quatre had enough of this, didn't she know he was a nobleman? Being a gypsy, she should. He tightened his hand into a fist and with his own magic, more powerful than hers, tore a hole in the gate, looked back and said, "thanks, but I'll decide my own future!"
"Come back!" she shouted, running out and stopping by the tent gate, "you fool, what's the matter with you?"
Hearing this, Quatre began running off to Rashid and the other Magunacs, who are his true friends.
"Master Quatre, are you all right?" Rashid asked.
"You don't look so well," Abdul observed.
"I'm all right, I just had the strangest experience of my life," Quatre told them. "Don't worry about me."
Princess Relena was walking around in the garden and found the ninja sitting by the fountain. His back facing her.. Gathering up some courage, she took a breath and stepped forward. She must have startled him, because he stood up, pulling out one of his katanas and held it to her throat. He had his mask on and she could only see his eyes. She gasped and pushed the sword away.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "didn't mean to startle you." She smiled and looked at the stars, "beautiful night, don't you think?"
The silent ninja said nothing, only nodded.
"I didn't get to thank you for saving my life," she said, "thank you, I really appreciate it."
"I should kill you," he muttered.
"Why," she asked, "you saved my life and now you want to end it?"
"You know who I am," he said.
"That's your fault," she told him, "you told me your name, you took your mask off, for everyone to see."
He groaned at his own foolishness.
"You didn't have to tell me your name," she said, sitting next to him, "you didn't have to take your mask off either. I could still kiss you with the mask on. Would have been different, but your identity would still be safe."
He swiveled the sword on the grass as if he was trying to start a fire with it.
"Now that I already know you," she stated, "you don't need to have your mask on anymore."
He paused from swiveling his sword, but didn't take his mask off. "I need to have it on, it's my sense of--"
"Protection," she finished for him, "I understand, you feel stronger with it, I see."
He looked at her, "yes."
"They called me Silent One," he explained.
Relena smiled, "I understand why," she whispered to herself.
She nodded, "I understand, sorry."
"Don't be, princess."
"I didn't tell you my name!" she cried, "I'm Relena, so nice to meet you. I'm glad that you will be fighting for us."
"Relena," he murmured.
"Yes, Relena," she nodded.
"I'm fighting because I have to," he explained.
"You and the other four are doing the impossible," she said fondly, "finding the city of Gundania. So many have searched for it and they all have failed."
"I know, but I can do it."
"I believe in you," she said encouragingly.
He turned to the water and put his hand in it, lightly splashing the wall. He looked at the statue, a mermaid holding a pitcher of water. "Ever seen one of those?" he asked.
She shook her head, "no, haven't even seen a unicorn."
"Me neither," he said, finally becoming talkative.
"Well maybe you'll find one on your journey," she smiled, splashing the water.
"Yes, maybe."
Lady Une and Lucrezia Noin walked to Treize and Milardo. "Maybe we sit with you?" Lady Une asked.
"Of course, ladies," Treize stood up, being gentlemen-like, pulling a chair out for her.
"You fought that man very well," she said, "I'm deeply moved."
"I agree," Lucrezia added.
"I knew he was a Warrior of Gundania all along," he said, taking his glass of wine.
"They all have proven worthy," Milardo uttered.
"Where are you ladies from?" Treize asked.
"We are amazons from the jungle," Lady replied, "pretty far from here."
"There's another that came with us," Lucrezia said, "but where is she?"
Lady shrugged, "perhaps she went to get a drink."
"I'm glad you ladies came for the tournament," Milardo said, looking at Lucrezia.
"And stayed for the celebration," Treize continued, his eyes on Lady.
"Thank you," Lucrezia said.
"We are too," Lady finished. "Very glad to be here indeed."
They smiled and winked at each other as they had their drinks.
Sally Po went to find Wufei and found him with his back against an apple tree. "There you are!" she cried, "I've been looking for you!"
"What do you want?" he demanded.
"I wanted to congratulate you," she told him, "the way you fought, you possess a lot of courage and strength."
"That's not true," he muttered.
"Oh, but it is, no ordinary man could do what you did back there," she said, kneeling down, "or say the things you said."
He looked her over, seeing her in leathers. She held a spear, "you fight?"
"Yes, I'm an amazon. Two others like me to see the tournament."
"But you're a…"
"Woman," she finished.
"Women aren't aloud to fight," he said, "they're too weak."
"They're a lot stronger than you realize," she whispered.
"Women who impersonates soldiers are sentenced to death," he explained, "whether they're strong or not."
"Only in China," she said.
"You're from China?" he gasped.
She nodded, "and nobody has sentenced me to death."
"I saw a strong woman be sentenced to death," he stated, "she was….special to me."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she sympathized.
"In the battle with Huns, she wanted to be part of it. She cut her hair and took armor." He explained, "but she died in the end, even though she helped save China."
"She should have run away and become an amazon like me," she suggested. "Then she would have survived."
"It doesn't matter," he grumbled, rising to his feet, "women shouldn't be fighting, the weak shouldn't be aloud to fight."
"Do I look weak to you?" she demanded with a shout, "look at me!" she jabbed at him with her spear, "I've killed thousands of wild animals and demons. Does that make me weak?"
"Have you killed a person?" he asked.
"Never needed to," she said.
"Then you are weak," he turned around and walked away.
Sally stood back and crossed her arms, "what a man, but I see he doesn't like women much."
Hilde and Duo were enjoying some meat together, "isn't this better than stealing the food?" Duo asked her.
She nodded, her mouth full of meat. She swallowed and said, "and it's free!"
"This is some celebration, and to think, it's for me and the other four warriors."
"No, Duo, it's not just for you or the warriors, it's for everyone," she wiped her mouth, "for everyone."
"Everyone?"
"Yes, for everyone, this celebration, your journey, it's for everyone. This is why we are celebrating." She smiled at him, "everyone here today is counting on you and the others. Once you find the right place, we'll have another celebration."
"You're a good lass," Duo murmured kindly, "I wish I could take you with me."
"It's better that I stay behind," Hilde sighed, "I'll only slow you down."
Duo groaned, "I understand, but you just take care of yourself, don't get into too much trouble."
"Thanks, Duo," Hilde whispered. "But don't let us down, we're all hoping that you and the others find the City of Gundania."
"I'll do it," he said, "for you."
"Promise?" he held out her hand.
"Aye, promise," he took her hand and shook it.
Heero got on his horse and went to Duo, "let's get going," he told him, "where are the others?"
"Well, I.." Duo stood up.
Trowa came, riding one horse and leading three more, "here, let's ride." He gave the reins to Duo and he hopped on it.
"Good luck, Duo," Hilde wished.
"I promise, I'll find the city," he took off his cross and gave it to her, "to remember me by."
She smiled, took his hand, kissed it, and whispered, "take care." She looked up and ran away.
"God be with ye," he whispered.
"I'm ready to go," Quatre said, getting on his horse.
"Me too," Wufei agreed, he got on his horse, "thank you for getting the horses with us."
"My pleasure," Trowa said.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Duo demanded, "Come on lads, we have a quest to achieve!"
They reared up their horses and began to ride out.
"Quatre, wait!" Dorothy screamed, on her own horse, catching up to him, "I want to apologize about tonight."
"Good," Quatre said, his eyes forward, "next time, just tell me about yourself. Don't try none of that again."
She tossed her finger cymbals to him, "Good luck!" she slowed down her horse and went back.
Quatre sighed, "that woman scares me."
"What you will see in the wilderness will be worse than her," Trowa warned, "there's bears, monsters,"
"Shut up, lad!" Duo shouted, "you're frightening me."
"We shouldn't be frightened about the path we're about to take," Heero told them.
"He's right," Wufei agreed, "we should be proud of ourselves, isn't this what we came to this tournament for?"
"Aye," Duo said, "but do ye have to talk about monsters? They're even worse than drunken Irish men!"
"I thought Irish and Scottish people got along," Trowa said.
"That they do, laddie," Duo told him, "but they all they do is drink themselves until they can't talk straight and it makes me very angry." He laughed, "it makes me so mad that I just want to tear them apart with my bare hands!"
Quatre laughed with him, "As long as we don't run into any more gypsies, I'll be fine!"
"Stop laughing!" Heero ordered, "this is serious!"
"I take that back," Duo told Quatre, "there is something worse than monsters!" he nodded toward Heero.
Quatre muffled a laugh with his hand, "you're right!"
"I wonder what this city looks like," Wufei said, "It must be beautiful."
"Aye, but we'll find out, won't we?" Duo asked.
Will the Warriors of Gundania find the city? Find out in part 4: "The quest begins."