I don't own Gundam Wing or Escaflowne. These are my interpretations of their characters. I don't want to make any money. Etc........
I've made some edits to previous chapters. Not speling errors or mispunctuation's (though I should do that too) but to some story info. Van calls Relena Darlian instead of Peacecraft. Also, the letter says he should leave with "great haste." I can't wait a whole week for Zechs to leave. Too much stuff will happen in that time and he needs to get on with it. Also I've made an outline for the rest of the fic so I know what's going to happen and how it's going to get from here to the end. I think I'm about half way done. Maybe not quite that. Also I have the beginnings of a plot idea for a sequel with all new characters and complications. So if you're loving this fic then sit back, there's plenty to go assuming the creative juices keep flowing. Enjoy! ~Crazy Tom~
Heero glowered in his private Sanctum. Where was that blasted wraith? It had been hours since he had sent out the word that he was requesting the presence of his private assassin and still he was waiting. The room was dark, the way Heero liked it. It made it easier to think, easier to meditate and plan for the future.
His father had spent his entire life trying to make a future in which the Draconian people could once again grow strong. With his air of authority and undeniable power, Heero's father had united individuals of many different races as well as countries into one great cause. And his cunning, Heero smiled at the stories his mother and uncle had told him of the sovereign's courage and craftiness. His father hadn't been as charismatic as sly, and he had tricked his people into devotion. He made them respect him, if not through persuasion then other means. His dad had certainly had a gift. Still, there were many times when the High Lord was glad his father was dead.
He and his old man hadn't exactly been on the best of terms. His disdainful parent had always brushed his son out of the way. Not that Heero blamed him, he understood now what a burden being a leader could be. Still, even when he had been around, his father had not been a kind parent. He had high expectations and when they could not be met there was always a rebuke. Even now, years later, Heero winced at the remembrance of the many blows his father had dealt him. But his dad had never raised his voice. No, Heero remembered with a calm anger, his father had never lost his cold-blooded edge. Not even his own son was worth expressing emotion.
Heero realized he was squeezing the side of his desk. When he removed his hands, he found that they were bloody. Further inspection showed he had actually managed to leave an imprint in the wooden carving. "No," Heero thought, "I owe my father a lot. Without him I wouldn't be what I am today. A confident, capable leader guiding his army to victory."
As he reached over to grab a cloth and wipe the blood off his hands, Heero became aware that something was not right. It took him nearly five seconds to locate the source of the feeling. "How long have you been here?" he asked aloud, the room suddenly not seeming quite so empty.
"Not long," the gravelly voice responded from the side of the dark room. As he watched, one of the shadows seemed to detach itself from the wall. Heero was pleased to find that he could repress the shudder that most could not subdue when they saw the Defel.
His father had found a tribe of the strange people on one of his expeditions. The kind people were a predatory race of hunters. Their species had evolved from a cave welling creature. They were perfectly adapted to the dark, their own bodies appearing to swallow up all light. When one looked at a Defel, for that was what they called themselves, it was like looking at a living shadow. The only thing that could be seen was their large eyes which glowed red when fully open. The somewhat primitive people allowed his father to stay for several days at which point he had learned much about their honor bound culture. Several weeks after his departure a terrible accident occurred. The Defel's land and houses were almost completely destroyed by a tragic fire. To top it all off, many of the prey they hunted were either killed in the fire or died off shortly after because of the lack of food.
The former High Lord had offered his assistance to the honorable people; providing much assistance in rebuilding their land, bringing back the old prey as well as new ones, and even helping in the reforestation of the burnt area. In return, all he had asked was a contribution for the cause he was fighting for. Every five years the tribe would send some of their best warriors to help in his cause to unite their world, including the war-like nations on the far side of Gaea. Very few individuals knew that the High Lord had set the fire himself, knowing that the noble and trusting primitives would undoubtedly consider themselves in his debt should he provide assistance in their time of need. The Defel, nicknamed wraiths for their appearance, made perfect assassins. Yes, his father had truly been endowed with a great gift. One that had been, luckily, transferred to his son.
"I have a mission for you," Heero informed his assistant quietly.
"I will carry out your wishes to the best of my ability," the Defel replied.
The High Lord smiled, mentally thanking his father for this great inheritance. "Your target is a girl named Hitomi Kanzaki. She is an adolescent, young for the human species. You will find her in the company of Van Fanel in the Kingdom of Fanelia. Emperor Trowa and Quatre are also in the area but you will not involve them. Kill the girl but leave the rest alone. Above all do not allow them to discover who sent you. When you have completed the task I want you to take the necklace the girl will be wearing. It will have a red jewel on it. Put it on and I will contact you with further instructions. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord. I will complete this mission quickly and efficiently," the wraith replied.
"Good. Go now and carry out your orders," Heero commanded. Seconds later all signs of the existence of the near invisible killer were gone and the High Lord was once again alone.
Zechs stared out at the beautiful sunset. This evening was particularly spectacular, the many shades of red, yellow and orange clearly visible in the cloudless sky. To his left, his equally gorgeous lover watched with an enchantment equal to his own. How long could it stay like this? The past few months had been the happiest in the young man's life. Even the training had been a joyous task. Lucrezia Noin was the most amazing person he had met in his entire life. Her presence made him feel alive for the first time since the incident.
In some ways it scared him. She was the only thing that could make him totally forget his mission. The goal he had set out to do ever since he was a little boy. Love indeed had conquered the one thing that had dominated his life. In that way she was a threat. The Lightning Count knew that in that way she was a threat to him. She was the one thing that could prevent him from completing his lifework. He also knew that he could never lay a finger to harm her, even if he had been held at swordpoint and ordered to do so by Treize himself. Yet he could never give himself to her, not fully. Not until he had freed his country from Zaiboch's grasp. A grasp that would soon end.
The reckoning was finally beginning. In a very short time he would finally have his revenge against the wrongdoers who had killed his parents, friends, and dreams. Milliardo Peacecraft had grown up a happy child to the rulers of the peaceful Sanc Kingdom. His memories of childhood were that of lush gardens, joyful games with his parents, and playing with his little sister. And his father's teachings, yes he remembered those well. Like all members of the Peacecraft family, Stefan held a complete pacifist ideology. They were convictions that he held to till his death. Yes, Zaibach had seen the Sanc Kingdom as an easy target. When Milliardo was still a young boy they had invaded his tranquil country. In front of his own eyes General Adelphos, at the time an ambitious lieutenant, had executed his parents.
Zechs clenched his fists, still staring at the colors the sun cast over the countryside. The yellows and oranges had given way to purples as the sun sank lower in the sky. Yes, he remembered it well. The cruel Zaibach leader had given the king one last chance to give up his peaceful resolutions and join the empire. His father had not faltered even after watching his own wife being struck down. Zechs closed his eyes and tried to forget the feeling of what it was like to have your father's blood splattered across your face. Adelphos had always been one of Zaibach's cruelest leaders, however, he wasn't one of the smartest. He had made one fatal error. He had allowed Milliardo Peacecraft to survive.
Little Milli had taken his sister and run into the woods. He managed to find a group of nuns who lived in the area. They had been friends of the family and were happy to raise the two children in secrecy. It was then that Milliardo took on a new name. From that point on he was Zechs Merquise. The nuns never told Relena about her true heritage, she had been too young to remember. Eventually Relena was adopted by a kind family, the Darlians. Zechs had approved of this because they were a kind family who approved of the Peacecraft's beliefs and would pass them on to his little sister. But Zechs had known even then that he could never follow those philosophies himself. It would be Relena that would rule the Sanc Kingdom as queen, believing in the ideals of their true parents. It was Zechs' job to see that it happened.
Zechs had left the nuns to seek training in the military. He traveled to Baslam, a nearby country with a strong future independent of Zaibach's curse. There he had met Treize Kushrenada. Both were at the top of their classes. Though Treize had always taken the dominate role as leader, they were almost equal in skill and ability. It was Treize in whom Zechs confided about his past. To his surprise, his friend had promised him that he would help Zechs get his revenge. "One day," Treize had said, "I will be leader of Baslam. When that happens we will build an army of earnest people who wish for peace. We will unify Gaea, you and I, so that incidents such as that in the Sanc Kingdom will never happen again. We will rule Gaea together Zechs and see to it that justice is brought to the wrongdoers. I will help you get your revenge. This I promise you."
That day was finally arriving. The pair had fought against Zaibach in the Gaea war, along with another promising officer, Lady Une. The triad had been unstoppable and had been one of the few survivors of the devastating end battle. Just as he had predicted, Treize was elected leader of Baslam in the following months. As other countries focused inwards as they rebuilt, Treize expanded. Unlike Fanelia, Asturia, and several other kingdoms, Baslam was relatively unscathed by the war. While other countries rebuilt their cities and economy, the Duke of Baslam built up his military. During this time he had sent Zechs into Asturia, the power behind the other nations with the intent of becoming friends with Allen Shezar, one of the war heroes, and deliver inside information to Baslam. It was there that he had fallen in love with Noin.
From the moment he had met her, Zechs had always respected the independent woman. Eventually the mutual respect had grown into something more. The normally reserved young man found himself opening up. For the first time in years he was actually happy. That would all end soon. The times were once again changing. Zechs found himself torn between his lifelong goal of revenge and true justice and the love he had for Noin.
Zechs became aware that the sun had long since set and Noin was staring at him with a look of concern. "What is it Zechs?" she asked with an earnestness and compassion that made his heart twinge, "Please tell me. I want to help you but I don't know how."
The platinum blonde shook his head, smiling at Noin's consideration. "Please try not to worry about me, Noin. I know I'm withholding things and I am truly sorry. There will be a time where I can tell you everything. But not today. Thank you for watching the sunset with me."
Noin smiled sadly, wishing she could do something to ease Zechs' pain, "I know. And I'll be waiting for you, Zechs. When you're ready to tell me I'll be waiting. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Lucrezia," Zechs said softly, leaning over and gently brushing her lips with his.
"Goodnight Zechs," she murmured, hesitating for a moment before leaving her lover alone on the balcony.
For a few moments he just stood there, staring out at the dark countryside before him. Then he turned to lean his back against the railing and spoke to the night, "What do you want?"
The small creature jumped from where it had been hiding in the nearby trees and landed silently on the banister next to Zechs. Without speaking, it reached out a thin hand and thrust a letter in the nobleman's hand. Then it leapt into the darkness, disappearing with only the rustling of leaves to mark its exit.
Zechs walked inside, not bothering to close the balcony doors. This was more important. Reaching for a match, he lit a candle and quickly began reading the contents of the document. When he had finished, he started at the top and read through it a second time, his throat suddenly dry. A rush of mixed emotions overwhelmed the knight. At last it was time. After all this waiting, the wrongs would finally be paid back. His parents' death would be avenged and his kingdom would be returned to its rightful rulers. Zaibach would finally remember the wrongs it had done to the Peacecraft family, and they would pay in blood.
But it also meant he would have to leave the serenity of Asturia. He would once again go to the battlefield. More importantly it meant he would have to betray Allen and... Noin. The message said he had to leave as soon as possible. He would have to leave his beloved Lucrezia. "It was going to happen eventually," Zechs told himself. But to leave the one he loved so much. If she found out about Treize and Baslam she would be crushed. But he couldn't betray Treize. Not the friend who had made such an important promise. He could convince him to spare Asturia, or at least Noin. Zechs took a deep breath, regaining control of his raging emotions. He would figure out something. He was, after all, Zechs Merquise, the Lightning Count. One more day. He would spend one more day in Asturia. Then the following evening he would leave for Baslam. To right the wrongs. It was pay back time.
I've made some edits to previous chapters. Not speling errors or mispunctuation's (though I should do that too) but to some story info. Van calls Relena Darlian instead of Peacecraft. Also, the letter says he should leave with "great haste." I can't wait a whole week for Zechs to leave. Too much stuff will happen in that time and he needs to get on with it. Also I've made an outline for the rest of the fic so I know what's going to happen and how it's going to get from here to the end. I think I'm about half way done. Maybe not quite that. Also I have the beginnings of a plot idea for a sequel with all new characters and complications. So if you're loving this fic then sit back, there's plenty to go assuming the creative juices keep flowing. Enjoy! ~Crazy Tom~
Heero glowered in his private Sanctum. Where was that blasted wraith? It had been hours since he had sent out the word that he was requesting the presence of his private assassin and still he was waiting. The room was dark, the way Heero liked it. It made it easier to think, easier to meditate and plan for the future.
His father had spent his entire life trying to make a future in which the Draconian people could once again grow strong. With his air of authority and undeniable power, Heero's father had united individuals of many different races as well as countries into one great cause. And his cunning, Heero smiled at the stories his mother and uncle had told him of the sovereign's courage and craftiness. His father hadn't been as charismatic as sly, and he had tricked his people into devotion. He made them respect him, if not through persuasion then other means. His dad had certainly had a gift. Still, there were many times when the High Lord was glad his father was dead.
He and his old man hadn't exactly been on the best of terms. His disdainful parent had always brushed his son out of the way. Not that Heero blamed him, he understood now what a burden being a leader could be. Still, even when he had been around, his father had not been a kind parent. He had high expectations and when they could not be met there was always a rebuke. Even now, years later, Heero winced at the remembrance of the many blows his father had dealt him. But his dad had never raised his voice. No, Heero remembered with a calm anger, his father had never lost his cold-blooded edge. Not even his own son was worth expressing emotion.
Heero realized he was squeezing the side of his desk. When he removed his hands, he found that they were bloody. Further inspection showed he had actually managed to leave an imprint in the wooden carving. "No," Heero thought, "I owe my father a lot. Without him I wouldn't be what I am today. A confident, capable leader guiding his army to victory."
As he reached over to grab a cloth and wipe the blood off his hands, Heero became aware that something was not right. It took him nearly five seconds to locate the source of the feeling. "How long have you been here?" he asked aloud, the room suddenly not seeming quite so empty.
"Not long," the gravelly voice responded from the side of the dark room. As he watched, one of the shadows seemed to detach itself from the wall. Heero was pleased to find that he could repress the shudder that most could not subdue when they saw the Defel.
His father had found a tribe of the strange people on one of his expeditions. The kind people were a predatory race of hunters. Their species had evolved from a cave welling creature. They were perfectly adapted to the dark, their own bodies appearing to swallow up all light. When one looked at a Defel, for that was what they called themselves, it was like looking at a living shadow. The only thing that could be seen was their large eyes which glowed red when fully open. The somewhat primitive people allowed his father to stay for several days at which point he had learned much about their honor bound culture. Several weeks after his departure a terrible accident occurred. The Defel's land and houses were almost completely destroyed by a tragic fire. To top it all off, many of the prey they hunted were either killed in the fire or died off shortly after because of the lack of food.
The former High Lord had offered his assistance to the honorable people; providing much assistance in rebuilding their land, bringing back the old prey as well as new ones, and even helping in the reforestation of the burnt area. In return, all he had asked was a contribution for the cause he was fighting for. Every five years the tribe would send some of their best warriors to help in his cause to unite their world, including the war-like nations on the far side of Gaea. Very few individuals knew that the High Lord had set the fire himself, knowing that the noble and trusting primitives would undoubtedly consider themselves in his debt should he provide assistance in their time of need. The Defel, nicknamed wraiths for their appearance, made perfect assassins. Yes, his father had truly been endowed with a great gift. One that had been, luckily, transferred to his son.
"I have a mission for you," Heero informed his assistant quietly.
"I will carry out your wishes to the best of my ability," the Defel replied.
The High Lord smiled, mentally thanking his father for this great inheritance. "Your target is a girl named Hitomi Kanzaki. She is an adolescent, young for the human species. You will find her in the company of Van Fanel in the Kingdom of Fanelia. Emperor Trowa and Quatre are also in the area but you will not involve them. Kill the girl but leave the rest alone. Above all do not allow them to discover who sent you. When you have completed the task I want you to take the necklace the girl will be wearing. It will have a red jewel on it. Put it on and I will contact you with further instructions. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord. I will complete this mission quickly and efficiently," the wraith replied.
"Good. Go now and carry out your orders," Heero commanded. Seconds later all signs of the existence of the near invisible killer were gone and the High Lord was once again alone.
Zechs stared out at the beautiful sunset. This evening was particularly spectacular, the many shades of red, yellow and orange clearly visible in the cloudless sky. To his left, his equally gorgeous lover watched with an enchantment equal to his own. How long could it stay like this? The past few months had been the happiest in the young man's life. Even the training had been a joyous task. Lucrezia Noin was the most amazing person he had met in his entire life. Her presence made him feel alive for the first time since the incident.
In some ways it scared him. She was the only thing that could make him totally forget his mission. The goal he had set out to do ever since he was a little boy. Love indeed had conquered the one thing that had dominated his life. In that way she was a threat. The Lightning Count knew that in that way she was a threat to him. She was the one thing that could prevent him from completing his lifework. He also knew that he could never lay a finger to harm her, even if he had been held at swordpoint and ordered to do so by Treize himself. Yet he could never give himself to her, not fully. Not until he had freed his country from Zaiboch's grasp. A grasp that would soon end.
The reckoning was finally beginning. In a very short time he would finally have his revenge against the wrongdoers who had killed his parents, friends, and dreams. Milliardo Peacecraft had grown up a happy child to the rulers of the peaceful Sanc Kingdom. His memories of childhood were that of lush gardens, joyful games with his parents, and playing with his little sister. And his father's teachings, yes he remembered those well. Like all members of the Peacecraft family, Stefan held a complete pacifist ideology. They were convictions that he held to till his death. Yes, Zaibach had seen the Sanc Kingdom as an easy target. When Milliardo was still a young boy they had invaded his tranquil country. In front of his own eyes General Adelphos, at the time an ambitious lieutenant, had executed his parents.
Zechs clenched his fists, still staring at the colors the sun cast over the countryside. The yellows and oranges had given way to purples as the sun sank lower in the sky. Yes, he remembered it well. The cruel Zaibach leader had given the king one last chance to give up his peaceful resolutions and join the empire. His father had not faltered even after watching his own wife being struck down. Zechs closed his eyes and tried to forget the feeling of what it was like to have your father's blood splattered across your face. Adelphos had always been one of Zaibach's cruelest leaders, however, he wasn't one of the smartest. He had made one fatal error. He had allowed Milliardo Peacecraft to survive.
Little Milli had taken his sister and run into the woods. He managed to find a group of nuns who lived in the area. They had been friends of the family and were happy to raise the two children in secrecy. It was then that Milliardo took on a new name. From that point on he was Zechs Merquise. The nuns never told Relena about her true heritage, she had been too young to remember. Eventually Relena was adopted by a kind family, the Darlians. Zechs had approved of this because they were a kind family who approved of the Peacecraft's beliefs and would pass them on to his little sister. But Zechs had known even then that he could never follow those philosophies himself. It would be Relena that would rule the Sanc Kingdom as queen, believing in the ideals of their true parents. It was Zechs' job to see that it happened.
Zechs had left the nuns to seek training in the military. He traveled to Baslam, a nearby country with a strong future independent of Zaibach's curse. There he had met Treize Kushrenada. Both were at the top of their classes. Though Treize had always taken the dominate role as leader, they were almost equal in skill and ability. It was Treize in whom Zechs confided about his past. To his surprise, his friend had promised him that he would help Zechs get his revenge. "One day," Treize had said, "I will be leader of Baslam. When that happens we will build an army of earnest people who wish for peace. We will unify Gaea, you and I, so that incidents such as that in the Sanc Kingdom will never happen again. We will rule Gaea together Zechs and see to it that justice is brought to the wrongdoers. I will help you get your revenge. This I promise you."
That day was finally arriving. The pair had fought against Zaibach in the Gaea war, along with another promising officer, Lady Une. The triad had been unstoppable and had been one of the few survivors of the devastating end battle. Just as he had predicted, Treize was elected leader of Baslam in the following months. As other countries focused inwards as they rebuilt, Treize expanded. Unlike Fanelia, Asturia, and several other kingdoms, Baslam was relatively unscathed by the war. While other countries rebuilt their cities and economy, the Duke of Baslam built up his military. During this time he had sent Zechs into Asturia, the power behind the other nations with the intent of becoming friends with Allen Shezar, one of the war heroes, and deliver inside information to Baslam. It was there that he had fallen in love with Noin.
From the moment he had met her, Zechs had always respected the independent woman. Eventually the mutual respect had grown into something more. The normally reserved young man found himself opening up. For the first time in years he was actually happy. That would all end soon. The times were once again changing. Zechs found himself torn between his lifelong goal of revenge and true justice and the love he had for Noin.
Zechs became aware that the sun had long since set and Noin was staring at him with a look of concern. "What is it Zechs?" she asked with an earnestness and compassion that made his heart twinge, "Please tell me. I want to help you but I don't know how."
The platinum blonde shook his head, smiling at Noin's consideration. "Please try not to worry about me, Noin. I know I'm withholding things and I am truly sorry. There will be a time where I can tell you everything. But not today. Thank you for watching the sunset with me."
Noin smiled sadly, wishing she could do something to ease Zechs' pain, "I know. And I'll be waiting for you, Zechs. When you're ready to tell me I'll be waiting. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Lucrezia," Zechs said softly, leaning over and gently brushing her lips with his.
"Goodnight Zechs," she murmured, hesitating for a moment before leaving her lover alone on the balcony.
For a few moments he just stood there, staring out at the dark countryside before him. Then he turned to lean his back against the railing and spoke to the night, "What do you want?"
The small creature jumped from where it had been hiding in the nearby trees and landed silently on the banister next to Zechs. Without speaking, it reached out a thin hand and thrust a letter in the nobleman's hand. Then it leapt into the darkness, disappearing with only the rustling of leaves to mark its exit.
Zechs walked inside, not bothering to close the balcony doors. This was more important. Reaching for a match, he lit a candle and quickly began reading the contents of the document. When he had finished, he started at the top and read through it a second time, his throat suddenly dry. A rush of mixed emotions overwhelmed the knight. At last it was time. After all this waiting, the wrongs would finally be paid back. His parents' death would be avenged and his kingdom would be returned to its rightful rulers. Zaibach would finally remember the wrongs it had done to the Peacecraft family, and they would pay in blood.
But it also meant he would have to leave the serenity of Asturia. He would once again go to the battlefield. More importantly it meant he would have to betray Allen and... Noin. The message said he had to leave as soon as possible. He would have to leave his beloved Lucrezia. "It was going to happen eventually," Zechs told himself. But to leave the one he loved so much. If she found out about Treize and Baslam she would be crushed. But he couldn't betray Treize. Not the friend who had made such an important promise. He could convince him to spare Asturia, or at least Noin. Zechs took a deep breath, regaining control of his raging emotions. He would figure out something. He was, after all, Zechs Merquise, the Lightning Count. One more day. He would spend one more day in Asturia. Then the following evening he would leave for Baslam. To right the wrongs. It was pay back time.