I don't own Gundam Wing or Escaflowne. These are my interpretations of their characters. I don't want to make any money. Etc........
Warning: This next chapter contains romance. Sorry it took so long to update but after that big semi-finale (I consider it to be the big halfway point) I was having trouble getting back into the mood. But I finally got over my writer's block today so here's the next update.
The pale moonlight shown through the large window that led to the balcony, glinting off of Zechs's platinum blonde hair. The knight moved swiftly but quietly, stripping off his usual uniform and putting on a dark robe. It was time to leave. Zechs began packing the single duffel bag he would be taking with him. When he reached out to take the picture of Noin that rested on his nightstand, the twenty-year-old felt a lump in his throat form.
He had spent the entire day with his beloved, doing everything from holding hands in the market place to relaxing alone in her quarters and talking. And now... it was time to leave. Noin was an intelligent and perceptive young woman, it was one of the reasons he loved her, and she had suspected something. However, she also had known that it would be futile to ask, so like him, she had tried to enjoy their day together without questioning.
After they had parted, after watching their last sunset together, Zechs had written her a confession note. Carefully he examined it, though it hurt his eyes because he dared not light a candle.
My dear Lucrezia,
I am so sorry I could not tell you this in person, however, the tragic circumstances I have found myself in prevent me from doing so. Let me start off by saying I love you. You have helped me find a joy that I had thought lost to me forever. These past few months have been the happiest of my life. However, as much as it pains me, I must leave your side. My past is finally catching up to me and there are things I still have to do. I know you would gladly go with me but I must do this alone. I am sure that you will respect my wishes as I would respect yours. Be patient with me, Noin, for I am foolish and headstrong. I promise that there will be a day when I can reveal all to you. Believe that I look forward to this day with all my heart. That is all I can say right now for it grows dark and I must be gone before the daybreak. I will return to you.
Passionately yours,
Zechs Merquise
Zechs gently set down the parchment on the stand. It would do for the moment. It would have to. As quietly as he could, the regretful knight walked to the balcony. When he'd woken up that morning, Zechs had walked onto the escarpment outside his room to plan his route. Instead of using a rope as he'd originally thought, the young man had discovered that there was no need. On the side of the castle his quarters were placed, ivy literally covered the wall, making climbing down easy.
Zechs made his way down the side of Asturia's palace as carefully as he could. When he reached the bottom, the former resident looked up at the sleeping palace. Zechs vaguely wondered what Allen would think when his most trusted knight disappeared without a trace. That wasn't, however, what lay heavily on his mind.
"Goodbye, Noin," he murmured quietly. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he wondered whether he would ever see his beloved again. Would he ever return to the beautiful countryside on peaceful terms? For a brief moment, Zechs felt as though he was being ripped apart, his indecision tearing at his heart. Then the moment passed and, taking a deep breath, Zechs stole along the path and made his way to the main road out of Asturia.
"Zechs," Noin called, waiting outside her boyfriend's room. The female Knight of Caeli chuckled to herself. "Zechs must be feeling better," she thought to herself. Whatever had bothered him the previous day must have passed on. Unlike some people who became sluggish or disorderly when they were depressed about something, Lord Merquise reverted to strict military order and discipline. Thought it might seem better at first, this habit actually was worse because it made it hard to find out what was bothering him. Fortunately they had a meeting with Allen that morning about what they were going to do when Van arrived and the noblemen had yet to make an appearance.
"Zechs," Noin yelled out again, wondering what was taking the usually punctual young man, "We are going to be late!"
When she received no response a second time, Noin began to get anxious. It was unlike Zechs to not bother responding. Either something was seriously wrong or... The platinum black haired woman reached out a hand and proceeded to open the door. A quick scan around the room showed that her sweetheart was nowhere to be found. Noin felt her heart beginning to beat more quickly as she fought panic. As she was about to leave to look somewhere else, Noin spotted a piece of parchment sitting on the stand next to the bed. Moving quickly, she snatched the letter and began reading.
Half-way through, Noin felt her throat tightening and she sat down heavily on the mattress. "Zechs," she murmured as she read the farewell message, "Why?" The normally composed woman began to cry quietly. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as unanswerable questions flashed through her mind.
After she had allowed several minutes for herself to release the initial grief, the female Knight of Asturia composed herself. Zechs had promised her in the letter that he would return. And he had always made a point of keeping his word before then. There was no reason to think he wouldn't now. Noin's breathing steadied. Yes, he would return as he said. If he told her that he had unfinished business relating to his past that he had to take care of she believed him.
And then maybe he could finally tell her the secrets he had kept tightly to himself. Yes, she would wait. Noin was a patient woman, after all, fully capable of taking care of herself. "I will wait for you, Zechs," she said aloud, "I will wait as long as it takes you to take care of your past. And when you are ready to return to me, I will be there."
Noin straightened and put the letter in her shirt pocket. She was late for her meeting and Allen would want to know about Zechs's disappearance as soon as possible. "Please hurry, Zechs," she said quietly as she exited the room.
Van watched as Quatre stirred restlessly in his sleep. The young Emperor had been bandaged and was currently in a deep but uneasy slumber. Trowa had insisted on watching him throughout the night but a few hours before sunrise Van had ordered him to get some rest. Now it was his turn to watch over the sleeping hero. Hitomi had gone to bed a few hours after binding Quatre's wound. Now he was alone with his thoughts.
Van looked over at the figure in the bed. The teenage boy seemed so small and helpless as he tossed and turned. The King of Fanelia wondered if he would survive. Apparently Hitomi had taken some medical classes during her time at the Mystic Moon. Van noted with pride that she was undoubtedly a better healer than Millerna. His trusted companion had said that if Quatre received plenty of time and rest he would recover. Unfortunately time was one thing they were running out of.
Van clenched his fists and allowed himself to release some of the unexpressed energy he felt. It had been so close. If Quatre hadn't leaned forward and pushed Hitomi out of the way it might have been her lying there. And she might not have survived the initial blow. Van slammed his fist into the bedpost, leaving his wrists slightly bloody and the post with a small indent. Damn that Heero! He had the power and loyalty of a huge nation under his control and he chose to waste it by launching of an attack on the kingdoms instead of trying to use his influence to push peace talks between them. Hitomi had come so close to dying and he had been helpless. As King of Fanelia helplessness was something he could not afford to have. He would have to be strong to unite his people as well as the rest of Gaea.
Van was so deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the door opening. "Van," Hitomi said behind him, startling the king. The Draconian turned and, to his shame, noticed that he was trembling.
"Hitomi," he murmured, standing up to embrace the girl. Van held Hitomi close, letting her head rest against his chest. He started to speak, to express the feelings of frustration and weakness he felt at being unable to protect her all the time, but she cut him off gently with a soothing sound.
"It's all right, Van," Hitomi comforted, understanding his feelings as she always did and accepting the sign of weakness he would no doubt hide from the rest of the world. After almost a minute had passed, Van's shaking subsided and be became the calm, confident person he usually was.
Leaning down, he kissed Hitomi passionately. "Thank you," he whispered gratefully before pulling away to face the small group of people which was standing hesitantly at the open doorway.
"Please come in," Van assured the four individuals who were standing in the doorway.
"I hope we aren't interrupting anything," Relena said, always the polite one.
"No," Van smiled down at Hitomi, "I think we were just finishing up." As the four people made there way inside the room, the King of Fanelia once again was reminded of how lucky he was to have someone to be there for him during the troubled times.
Trowa pushed past the other three individuals and moved quickly over to the bed where Quatre lay. The former Emperor sat down on the chair that was pulled up to the bedside and leaned forward. He had sworn to protect Quatre with his life and yet he could do nothing but watch as his friend suffered. All he could do was pay back those who had committed the act.
"When do we march against High Lo- Heero?" he asked Van, despite his quiet tone still managing to cut off any other conversation in his room. Trowa ignored the cat-girl who had slipped through the somewhat crowded room and made it to the bed.
Van turned to face his determined ally, his face serious. "As soon as the Crusade arrives we will head to Asturia. Allen Schezar, the head of their military, is a friend of mine. I am sure he has sent word to the leaders of the other countries as well. We will undoubtedly unite our armies into one large strike force to meet Heero's."
Trowa nodded, satisfied by Van's response. Glancing at Dorothy he noted that she was smiling. There was a fierce one, no doubt about it. If she hadn't been born a woman she would have undoubtedly been a savage warrior. "This conflict will decide the future for all of Gaea," she said aloud, "it will separate those who have pure hearts from the cowards who only act strong."
Relena shook her head, "I wish fights such as these never had to take place."
As Hitomi and Van joined the discussion, Trowa turned back to Quatre: his reason for coming to the room in the first place. To his joy he realized that the boy's eyes were flickering open. "I think he's finally waking up," the former Emperor said quietly, slowly bringing the conversation to a halt.
Quatre's eyes were definitely open now and he tried to lean up in bed before groaning and lying back down. "Be careful," Trowa warned, "You took quite a beating last night."
"Trowa?" the blonde asked, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings, "Where am I?"
Hitomi responded this time, "You are still in Fanelia, in one of Van's guest rooms. Last night," Hitomi swallowed and Trowa remembered how close she had been to being wounded herself, "last night you saved me. That assassin threw a knife at me and you pushed me out of the way. However, you got hit instead."
Quatre nodded, "I remember now. What happened to the assassin?"
"He's dead," Van assured him, "Trowa took care of him."
Trowa noted how Van took none of the credit though he had helped in the slaying. It was a nice gesture, just one more sign of how he'd made the right choice by siding with the Fanelian King. "Van!" Quatre spoke urgently, making an effort to push himself upright, "We have to stop Heero. If he takes control of Gaea he may do something horrible."
Hitomi stepped over to the blonde and put her hand on his forehead, shushing him gently. "You've got a slight fever. You need more rest."
"All right," Quatre leaned back as Hitomi handed him a cup to drink out of.
"This will ease the pain and help you sleep," she told him.
Quatre turned his head on the pillow to look at Trowa. "I had such horrible dreams, Trowa," he said, his voice becoming more drowsy, "Such... horrible... dreams."
Quatre trailed off as sleep overtook him. Trowa watched for a few moments as everyone else began to file out of the room quietly. Finally he stood up and took a deep breath. Soon he would have a chance to show the Dragon Clan what he thought of their treachery. Soon...
Warning: This next chapter contains romance. Sorry it took so long to update but after that big semi-finale (I consider it to be the big halfway point) I was having trouble getting back into the mood. But I finally got over my writer's block today so here's the next update.
The pale moonlight shown through the large window that led to the balcony, glinting off of Zechs's platinum blonde hair. The knight moved swiftly but quietly, stripping off his usual uniform and putting on a dark robe. It was time to leave. Zechs began packing the single duffel bag he would be taking with him. When he reached out to take the picture of Noin that rested on his nightstand, the twenty-year-old felt a lump in his throat form.
He had spent the entire day with his beloved, doing everything from holding hands in the market place to relaxing alone in her quarters and talking. And now... it was time to leave. Noin was an intelligent and perceptive young woman, it was one of the reasons he loved her, and she had suspected something. However, she also had known that it would be futile to ask, so like him, she had tried to enjoy their day together without questioning.
After they had parted, after watching their last sunset together, Zechs had written her a confession note. Carefully he examined it, though it hurt his eyes because he dared not light a candle.
My dear Lucrezia,
I am so sorry I could not tell you this in person, however, the tragic circumstances I have found myself in prevent me from doing so. Let me start off by saying I love you. You have helped me find a joy that I had thought lost to me forever. These past few months have been the happiest of my life. However, as much as it pains me, I must leave your side. My past is finally catching up to me and there are things I still have to do. I know you would gladly go with me but I must do this alone. I am sure that you will respect my wishes as I would respect yours. Be patient with me, Noin, for I am foolish and headstrong. I promise that there will be a day when I can reveal all to you. Believe that I look forward to this day with all my heart. That is all I can say right now for it grows dark and I must be gone before the daybreak. I will return to you.
Passionately yours,
Zechs Merquise
Zechs gently set down the parchment on the stand. It would do for the moment. It would have to. As quietly as he could, the regretful knight walked to the balcony. When he'd woken up that morning, Zechs had walked onto the escarpment outside his room to plan his route. Instead of using a rope as he'd originally thought, the young man had discovered that there was no need. On the side of the castle his quarters were placed, ivy literally covered the wall, making climbing down easy.
Zechs made his way down the side of Asturia's palace as carefully as he could. When he reached the bottom, the former resident looked up at the sleeping palace. Zechs vaguely wondered what Allen would think when his most trusted knight disappeared without a trace. That wasn't, however, what lay heavily on his mind.
"Goodbye, Noin," he murmured quietly. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he wondered whether he would ever see his beloved again. Would he ever return to the beautiful countryside on peaceful terms? For a brief moment, Zechs felt as though he was being ripped apart, his indecision tearing at his heart. Then the moment passed and, taking a deep breath, Zechs stole along the path and made his way to the main road out of Asturia.
"Zechs," Noin called, waiting outside her boyfriend's room. The female Knight of Caeli chuckled to herself. "Zechs must be feeling better," she thought to herself. Whatever had bothered him the previous day must have passed on. Unlike some people who became sluggish or disorderly when they were depressed about something, Lord Merquise reverted to strict military order and discipline. Thought it might seem better at first, this habit actually was worse because it made it hard to find out what was bothering him. Fortunately they had a meeting with Allen that morning about what they were going to do when Van arrived and the noblemen had yet to make an appearance.
"Zechs," Noin yelled out again, wondering what was taking the usually punctual young man, "We are going to be late!"
When she received no response a second time, Noin began to get anxious. It was unlike Zechs to not bother responding. Either something was seriously wrong or... The platinum black haired woman reached out a hand and proceeded to open the door. A quick scan around the room showed that her sweetheart was nowhere to be found. Noin felt her heart beginning to beat more quickly as she fought panic. As she was about to leave to look somewhere else, Noin spotted a piece of parchment sitting on the stand next to the bed. Moving quickly, she snatched the letter and began reading.
Half-way through, Noin felt her throat tightening and she sat down heavily on the mattress. "Zechs," she murmured as she read the farewell message, "Why?" The normally composed woman began to cry quietly. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as unanswerable questions flashed through her mind.
After she had allowed several minutes for herself to release the initial grief, the female Knight of Asturia composed herself. Zechs had promised her in the letter that he would return. And he had always made a point of keeping his word before then. There was no reason to think he wouldn't now. Noin's breathing steadied. Yes, he would return as he said. If he told her that he had unfinished business relating to his past that he had to take care of she believed him.
And then maybe he could finally tell her the secrets he had kept tightly to himself. Yes, she would wait. Noin was a patient woman, after all, fully capable of taking care of herself. "I will wait for you, Zechs," she said aloud, "I will wait as long as it takes you to take care of your past. And when you are ready to return to me, I will be there."
Noin straightened and put the letter in her shirt pocket. She was late for her meeting and Allen would want to know about Zechs's disappearance as soon as possible. "Please hurry, Zechs," she said quietly as she exited the room.
Van watched as Quatre stirred restlessly in his sleep. The young Emperor had been bandaged and was currently in a deep but uneasy slumber. Trowa had insisted on watching him throughout the night but a few hours before sunrise Van had ordered him to get some rest. Now it was his turn to watch over the sleeping hero. Hitomi had gone to bed a few hours after binding Quatre's wound. Now he was alone with his thoughts.
Van looked over at the figure in the bed. The teenage boy seemed so small and helpless as he tossed and turned. The King of Fanelia wondered if he would survive. Apparently Hitomi had taken some medical classes during her time at the Mystic Moon. Van noted with pride that she was undoubtedly a better healer than Millerna. His trusted companion had said that if Quatre received plenty of time and rest he would recover. Unfortunately time was one thing they were running out of.
Van clenched his fists and allowed himself to release some of the unexpressed energy he felt. It had been so close. If Quatre hadn't leaned forward and pushed Hitomi out of the way it might have been her lying there. And she might not have survived the initial blow. Van slammed his fist into the bedpost, leaving his wrists slightly bloody and the post with a small indent. Damn that Heero! He had the power and loyalty of a huge nation under his control and he chose to waste it by launching of an attack on the kingdoms instead of trying to use his influence to push peace talks between them. Hitomi had come so close to dying and he had been helpless. As King of Fanelia helplessness was something he could not afford to have. He would have to be strong to unite his people as well as the rest of Gaea.
Van was so deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the door opening. "Van," Hitomi said behind him, startling the king. The Draconian turned and, to his shame, noticed that he was trembling.
"Hitomi," he murmured, standing up to embrace the girl. Van held Hitomi close, letting her head rest against his chest. He started to speak, to express the feelings of frustration and weakness he felt at being unable to protect her all the time, but she cut him off gently with a soothing sound.
"It's all right, Van," Hitomi comforted, understanding his feelings as she always did and accepting the sign of weakness he would no doubt hide from the rest of the world. After almost a minute had passed, Van's shaking subsided and be became the calm, confident person he usually was.
Leaning down, he kissed Hitomi passionately. "Thank you," he whispered gratefully before pulling away to face the small group of people which was standing hesitantly at the open doorway.
"Please come in," Van assured the four individuals who were standing in the doorway.
"I hope we aren't interrupting anything," Relena said, always the polite one.
"No," Van smiled down at Hitomi, "I think we were just finishing up." As the four people made there way inside the room, the King of Fanelia once again was reminded of how lucky he was to have someone to be there for him during the troubled times.
Trowa pushed past the other three individuals and moved quickly over to the bed where Quatre lay. The former Emperor sat down on the chair that was pulled up to the bedside and leaned forward. He had sworn to protect Quatre with his life and yet he could do nothing but watch as his friend suffered. All he could do was pay back those who had committed the act.
"When do we march against High Lo- Heero?" he asked Van, despite his quiet tone still managing to cut off any other conversation in his room. Trowa ignored the cat-girl who had slipped through the somewhat crowded room and made it to the bed.
Van turned to face his determined ally, his face serious. "As soon as the Crusade arrives we will head to Asturia. Allen Schezar, the head of their military, is a friend of mine. I am sure he has sent word to the leaders of the other countries as well. We will undoubtedly unite our armies into one large strike force to meet Heero's."
Trowa nodded, satisfied by Van's response. Glancing at Dorothy he noted that she was smiling. There was a fierce one, no doubt about it. If she hadn't been born a woman she would have undoubtedly been a savage warrior. "This conflict will decide the future for all of Gaea," she said aloud, "it will separate those who have pure hearts from the cowards who only act strong."
Relena shook her head, "I wish fights such as these never had to take place."
As Hitomi and Van joined the discussion, Trowa turned back to Quatre: his reason for coming to the room in the first place. To his joy he realized that the boy's eyes were flickering open. "I think he's finally waking up," the former Emperor said quietly, slowly bringing the conversation to a halt.
Quatre's eyes were definitely open now and he tried to lean up in bed before groaning and lying back down. "Be careful," Trowa warned, "You took quite a beating last night."
"Trowa?" the blonde asked, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings, "Where am I?"
Hitomi responded this time, "You are still in Fanelia, in one of Van's guest rooms. Last night," Hitomi swallowed and Trowa remembered how close she had been to being wounded herself, "last night you saved me. That assassin threw a knife at me and you pushed me out of the way. However, you got hit instead."
Quatre nodded, "I remember now. What happened to the assassin?"
"He's dead," Van assured him, "Trowa took care of him."
Trowa noted how Van took none of the credit though he had helped in the slaying. It was a nice gesture, just one more sign of how he'd made the right choice by siding with the Fanelian King. "Van!" Quatre spoke urgently, making an effort to push himself upright, "We have to stop Heero. If he takes control of Gaea he may do something horrible."
Hitomi stepped over to the blonde and put her hand on his forehead, shushing him gently. "You've got a slight fever. You need more rest."
"All right," Quatre leaned back as Hitomi handed him a cup to drink out of.
"This will ease the pain and help you sleep," she told him.
Quatre turned his head on the pillow to look at Trowa. "I had such horrible dreams, Trowa," he said, his voice becoming more drowsy, "Such... horrible... dreams."
Quatre trailed off as sleep overtook him. Trowa watched for a few moments as everyone else began to file out of the room quietly. Finally he stood up and took a deep breath. Soon he would have a chance to show the Dragon Clan what he thought of their treachery. Soon...