Disclaimer: I do not own or have any title, interest or right in either
Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. This fanfiction is not being used for
commercial purposes. I own all other rights (to the extent legally
permissible) in connection with this writing.
Chang Wufei's eyes flashed open. He was lying comfortably on his bed located next to the door. Although he was still a bit groggy from the prior night's festivities, he forced himself to sit up in his bed. The other knights in the barracks were still sleeping peacefully, despite some of the loud snoring that echoed through the barracks.
It was his early morning routine to wake up before the sun had even risen. He quietly pulled himself out of the bed. The serious faced young man pulled on a cloak to ward off the cool morning air. The young knight slipped out of the barracks quietly.
Wufei quickly made his way through the gates of the castle until he wandered into one of the more isolated gardens within the outer walls of the castle. This place had become his morning solace, where no one would bother him. He could sit in quiet contemplation or practice some of his sword forms undisturbed. The garden included a diverse range of plants, from blooming cherry trees to lush magnolias. A small koi pond rested at the center of the garden.
The young warrior secluded himself behind a beautiful cherry tree deep inside the garden. He rested his back against the tree and closed his eyes in meditation.
His peace and solitude continued for quite some time.
Until he heard soft footsteps disturbing the floor of the gardens. The footsteps were soft and hesitant. After a moment, they stopped.
Wufei had to admit that he was slightly curious as to who else would be up so early in the morning. He noted that the dawn was approaching, as fiery streaks of crimson and blue began to appear in the distance. The young warrior, careful not to disclose his presence, peered around the cherry tree to study the figure standing at the center of the garden.
A small diminutive figure stood in front of the koi pond. Wufei vaguely remembered seeing her at the banquet last night, but he had not paid very much attention to her. But now, he examined her with some interest. She was draped in a long, heavy plum-colored cloak. The frail young girl had short, midnight black hair that fell to her shoulders. Her deep, violet eyes were staring almost blankly at the fish swimming in the pond. Her face was small with delicate features. There was also a deep sadness in her eyes.
Wufei cleared his throat.
The startled girl looked up at his general direction and slowly began to back.
"Good morning, my lady," Wufei greeted her in a cool tone. "I did not mean to disturb you and I will take my leave."
The young girl hesitated and stared at him for a moment.
"No...no..." she stammered shyly. "You were here first. I apologize for disturbing you."
Wufei pushed himself away from the cherry tree and started walking towards the entrance to the gardens. He realized that he would have to walk past her to depart the garden. Wufei carefully kept a polite distance as he tried to pass her by.
"Excuse me..." she began in a soft voice. "But do you come here often?"
Wufei paused for a moment. He was unsure whether he really wanted to engage in a conversation with this young girl. She seemed so alone and vulnerable, and this bothered Chang Wufei. It was not something he held against her. But it made him feel uncomfortable and uncertain around her.
"Yes, I come here each morning," he responded. "I will cease coming here if you would prefer."
"No, no! I did not wish to suggest that you should not come. I was just surprised to see someone else out here so early in the morning. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Chang Wufei," he replied smoothly. "I am a knight in the service of his majesty."
"I see," she stated in a gentle voice. "I am Tomoe Hotaru. Please, call me Hotaru."
"Certainly, Lady Hotaru," Wufei acknowledged her. He was not really sure whether he should proceed to leave, or whether she still had more questions for him. He finally decided to ask a question that was in the back of his mind. "Were you at the banquet last night?"
"Yes, I was. In fact, I believe that one of your friends dragged a girl from our table to dance," she giggled softly.
Wufei smiled at the light sound of her voice. It was nice to see that a girl who seemed to carry so much sadness could also be light-hearted. After a moment of reflection, something clicked in his head. Duo had only danced with one girl last night, with that beautiful, blond princess. This girl had been sitting at the same table with the blond princess and the other princesses. Which meant that the girl who was standing before him...
Suddenly Wufei fell to his knees and bowed respectfully.
"Your highness," Wufei murmured in a very courteous tone. His eyes looked at the ground before him. "If you had mentioned to me earlier that you were one of the princesses from the Allied Kingdoms, I would have been able to accord you more appropriate respect."
Hotaru was surprised by his sudden recognition of her status. She had not meant to disclose the fact that she was a princess. Although he was a stranger, she felt that there was a mutual regard developing. But now she felt there was a great distance separating this young man from her.
"Sir Wufei, please stand," she urged him.
Wufei obediently stood upright, but his eyes were still cast respectfully to the ground.
"Please do not let my title bother you," she said in a quiet voice.
"As you wish, your highness," Wufei acknowledged in a strained voice. "Princess Hotaru, I must depart now for my early morning training. With your permission, I would like to take my leave."
Hotaru sighed. Wufei did not seem interested in treating her in any other manner than as a princess.
"Of course, Wufei. You may come and go as you please, without my permission," she replied in a resigned voice.
Wufei bowed deeply and turned to leave.
"Wufei," she called out his name. He stopped. Her soft voice spoke up hesitantly, "I hope to see you here again tomorrow morning."
After the words had left her lips, she realized what she had just said. Her own words shocked the frail young princess. Wufei had his back turned to her, but she could tell that he noticeably stiffened at her words. Wufei nodded slowly.
"As you wish, your highness," he acknowledged curtly and quickly strode out of the gardens.
* * * * *
"Oh dear, isn't this highly unusual!" Duo smirked, as Wufei sprinted into the training yard. "I believe this is the first time that Chang Wufei is not early for our morning practice!"
Wufei glared at the braided youth, but was breathing too hard to offer any verbal retort. He had sprinted from the other end of the castle and had barely been able to make into the training grounds. Fortunately, Lord Milliardo had yet to arrive.
Heero merely glanced at Wufei, but otherwise kept silent.
Eventually, Wufei regained his breath and he walked up to the young man with lavender eyes.
"Shut up, Maxwell," Wufei growled in a threatening tone. Wufei spun around and snatched up a training sword. Then, he deliberately stomped off to an isolated corner away from the braided youth.
"Geez, what's his problem?" Duo asked nobody in particular. He casually went up and selected another practice sword off the rack. "So Heero, what do you think about those beautiful princesses?"
"Nothing," Heero responded simply. He continued to engage in some warm up exercises.
"Damn, Heero. A knight isn't required to be completely devoid of emotion!" Duo exclaimed in an exasperated voice.
"Don't confuse being focused with a lack of emotion," Heero replied with a tinge of anger in his voice. "A good knight should always be disciplined. A knight is the sword and the shield for the King and for the people of our land. An undisciplined knight is a danger to everyone. Especially himself."
"Very deep. I'll have to write that down somewhere," Duo replied dryly. Despite his outward display of indifference, the words stung Duo.
Before Duo had a chance to reflect further upon his friend's words, the tall, dashing figure of Lord Milliardo strode into the room. Lord Milliardo had a presence that garnered complete respect. His long, blond hair flowed down to his back. He moved with a certain deadly grace that other warriors could easily recognize as the hallmark of an expert swordsman.
"Good morning, young knights," Lord Milliardo greeted the young group of men assembled in the training area. The young lord was also gifted with a low, husky voice that made many a lady faint. "I have some exciting news for all of you. As a courtesy to the newly arrived princesses from the Allied Kingdoms, he wishes to offer them a display of your knightly skills. As such, he would like to hold a small competition tomorrow afternoon at the royal tournament grounds. All of you have the good fortune of participating in this event."
There was a collective cheer from many of the knights. It was a rare opportunity to be able to openly display their skills in front of royalty in times of peace.
Lord Milliardo seemed to smirk. "As an added incentive to all the young knights present, the victor of the tournament will be able to crown the lady of their choice with the honorable title of the 'Queen of Beauty and of Love'."
There were enthusiastic whoops and whistles from many of the young men knights.
Duo's eyes gleamed as he knew that this was a rare opportunity indeed. There was someone he definitely believed was deserving of that title...and he wanted to be the one to grant her that title.
* * * * *
Minako was quietly walking down the halls of the central keep in the castle. One of Minako's designated attendants was scurrying along to one side. The young attendant was a young girl of about sixteen years of age. She had short brown hair. Minako tried to remember the girl's name. She seemed to remember that the attendant was called Hikaru. Hikaru seemed friendly enough, but was not as talkative as some of the other attendants that Minako had dealt with.
All of the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms were spread throughout the central keep. Minako suspected that there was a political reason for this arrangement. Minako was heading towards the room of Princess Kino Makoto. Minako had agreed to meet up with the brunette princess for lunch.
As Minako drew closer to Makoto's bed chambers, she saw two figures appear from around the corner.
Minako abruptly stopped and froze. The slender figure of Princess Usagi and one of her attendants stood before Minako. Before Minako had a chance to react, Princess Usagi bowed respectfully to Minako.
Hurriedly, Minako returned the bow, making sure that her own bow was deeper than Princess Usagi's. It was only proper to show greater respect to a more prominent Princess in her own castle. Minako inwardly grimaced at the fact that she had to bow so deeply for the royalty that was holding her kingdom hostage.
"Good morning, Princess Tsukino Usagi," Minako greeted in a formal voice.
Princess Usagi nervously looked down at her feet. "Good morning, Princess Aino Minako," she returned the greeting with a hesitant smile. "Please, call me Usagi."
Minako smiled tightly. "I am sorry, your highness. But I do not think it would be appropriate for me to call the daughter of the King of Luminaea by her first name."
Usagi's shy smile broke slightly. "I hope you understand that I did not ask my father to have you and the other princesses comply with that ancient treaty. I'm perfectly safe here and you won't have to ever do anything to protect me. My father's knights have always protected me. But since you are already here, I was hoping that we could at least be friends..."
Minako studied Princess Usagi's face carefully. The young girl clearly looked uncomfortable by the arrangement that had been made by her father. When Minako looked into Usagi's eyes, she felt that the young princess spoke the truth. Still, Minako realized that she was a hostage because of Princess Usagi's father, and this simple overture of friendship was not exactly enough to overcome Minako's bitterness.
"Whatever you wish, your highness," Minako replied in a cold voice.
Princess Usagi eyes widened when she felt the coldness in Minako's voice. "I did not mean that as a command!" she cried out. Her eyes were growing shiny with traces of tears. Princess Usagi spun around and ran down a nearby hallway, her attendant in tow.
Minako bit her lip. She felt somewhat guilty at making Princess Usagi cry. It frustrated her slightly that the daughter of King Tsukino Kenji could be so easily brought to tears. Minako realized that it was going to be difficult for her to treat Princess Usagi too harshly. In fact, Minako was tempted to reconsider her initial evaluation of the young girl.
As Minako was lost in thought, the door to Makoto's room creaked open and the young brunette stuck her head out the door.
"What was that, Minako?" Makoto asked inquisitively. She looked about. "I thought I heard someone run off!"
"That was Princess Usagi," Minako responded simply. She mentally blocked out the image of Usagi's teary eyes. Minako turned to look at the other young princess. "Are you ready?"
* * * * *
Heero had to admit that he was impressed. Something seemed to have possessed Duo today, for he had been amazing in both the morning and afternoon practice. Heero always knew that Duo had amazing talent and potential. Duo was so gifted that he was still better than the average knight without even exerting much effort. But once Duo had committed himself, he became a truly awesome force to reckon with. Both Heero and Wufei had sparred with Duo earlier in the afternoon, and both had noticed the dramatic change in attitude and skills on the part of the braided youth.
But Heero also realized that Duo was trying to cover too much ground too fast. Heero and Wufei had trained with much more intensity and discipline for such a long time, that even Duo's remarkable talent probably was not enough to overcome such training. Probably. Heero did realize that if he was not careful, there was a real possibility that Duo could defeat him.
Heero was pulled out his quiet contemplation when Wufei stalked over and sat down next to him with a tray of food. Heero was so consumed with his thoughts, that he had neglected his dinner on the table. The day had gone by so fast with the intense training and it seemed to be moving by faster with such an early dinner.
Wufei quietly began eating, but he did not speak to the other youth. Heero had also noted that Wufei had become more withdrawn ever since Duo had teased earlier in the morning. But Heero decided that there was no point in trying to figure it out. Wufei liked to resolve his own personal matters alone.
"Where's Duo?" Heero asked quietly.
"Still practicing," Wufei muttered. "I don't know what got into that braided baka. He nearly killed one of his other sparring partners earlier today!"
Heero smiled slightly. He did remember seeing Lord Milliardo pull Duo away from that particular match. Duo's poor hapless opponent, Yuuichirou, had been beaten into the ground. Fortunately, Sir Kumada Yuuichirou was well- known for this thick skull and no permanent damage was done.
"Well, we always wanted him to work harder, and now he is. Were you planning on telling him to stop training hard?" Heero queried.
Wufei glared at Heero at of the corner of his eye. "No, of course not! But I think that braided baka will pass out soon. His body has not been conditioned to take this much punishment. Even you have your physical limits, Yui."
Heero quietly stared at his plate. The young knight quickly finished up his plate.
"What's the hurry?" Wufei inquired, arching his eyebrows.
"Duo's still practicing," Heero stated, as if those words answered Wufei's question. Wufei shook his head and continued to work on his meal.
Heero stood up and proceeded out of the mess hall, but he first stopped to grab a plate of bread and a small flask of water.
It did not take Heero very long to reach the training ground, where he saw Duo fiercely practicing his techniques. Even in his state of near- exhaustion, Duo was still an imposing warrior. Duo had wrapped his braid around his neck to keep it from flying around wildly. His face clearly showed that he had been training all day and into the early evening. But Heero did not feel it was his place to interrupt or otherwise stop Duo Maxwell from his practice.
Instead, Heero quietly placed the tray of bread and the small flask of water discreetly next to Duo's cloak and then left.
Heero did not feel like returning to the mess hall or the barracks. He decided to stroll around the outskirts of the central keep by himself. The early evening had darkened quickly. The moon was only one-quarter full and a light cloud cover obscured its luminescence. The young man walked quietly in the shadows of the outer wall of the central keep.
There was soft footsteps running against a stone floor. Instinctively, Heero glanced around and barely caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure racing across atop of one of the first wall that surrounded the central keep. It was obvious to Heero that the figure was not an armored guard. Heero quickly chased the figure from the ground. From his vantage point, he could occasionally see glimpses of the figure running on top of the roof, but could not determine who was exactly up there.
Eventually, the figure slowed to a light jog and then a careful walk. Heero accordingly slowed himself down and began to prowl stealthily behind the shadowy figure. The figure on the wall occasionally peered over its shoulder, but Heero was able to keep himself concealed in the shadows.
The shadowy figure continued moving down the wall until it stopped at the sound of a feminine voice. It was the low, soft chanting sound of a woman in prayer coming from the courtyard that was directly below the shadowy figure. Heero carefully looked at the darkened courtyard before him.
He saw a woman, on her knees, facing a small shrine built in the courtyard. She was bowed down and apparently deep in her prayer. He could see her long, flowing raven hair draped down her back. She was dressed in long, thick robes of crimson color. It was clear that she was oblivious to the presence of the shadowy figure.
Heero clenched his teeth and realized that he had not brought his sword. He picked up a stray branch that was lying at the foot of a nearby tree and hoped that it would be enough.
The shadowy figure dropped down from the wall into the courtyard.
Suddenly, the raven-haired woman's head snapped up in alarm. Heero recognized her face to be one of the princesses from the banquet last night.
"Who are you!" demanded the young princess, fear and outrage mingled in her voice.
The figure was still well hidden in the shadows near the princess. The only answer she received was the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. Heero saw the glittering blade of a short sword in the figure's hands.
Heero realized that he had to take action.
"Leave her alone," he commanded in a bold voice. Heero stepped out into the courtyard and calmly held the wooden stick in his hands.
The tall, lean figure standing in the shadows paused for a moment. Meanwhile, the princess had been cautiously stepping away from the dark intruder. Heero continued to approach with a cool, deliberate pace, not wanting to cause the intruder to react in haste.
The figure sheathed its sword and spun around. Heero launched himself at the figure, but the mysterious intruder leaped onto a nearby tree and gracefully escaped over the castle walls.
Heero was tempted to pursue the intruder, but realized that his primary responsibility was to make sure that the princess was safe.
He turned around and dropped to his knees. The young knight bowed respectfully before standing up. Although he usually observed court formalities, there was still a possible danger and he did not want to make either of them a target.
"Are you all right, your highness?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"Yes...I'm...fine, thank you," she replied hesitantly. "Who was that man?"
"I'm not sure," Heero grunted. He looked over at the castle wall. It would have taken considerable skill to scale those walls so effortlessly. "We should get you somewhere safe."
He gestured for her to proceed back to the front of the central keep. The princess was still staring in amazement at the part of the wall where the figure had escaped. Heero was not interested in having her remain an open target. He grabbed one of her elbows and began to firmly pull her away.
When the realization that she was being dragged away by a man she did not know, the princess pushed herself away from him.
"Excuse me, sir, but you do not handle a princess in this manner. And who are you, any ways?" Her beautiful violet eyes were flashing with fury at his impudence.
"I am Sir Yui Heero, one of his majesty's knights. I apologize for ignoring standard court etiquette. But it still may be dangerous and we should not stay here any long. Let me escort you back to the central keep."
"Fine," snapped the raven-haired princess and she stalked off angrily. Heero followed her.
As the neared the front of the central keep, the anger seemed to have dissipated from the dark-haired princess. She suddenly stopped. Heero stared at her quizzically.
"I apologize for my earlier rudeness," the princess stated without turning back to look at him. "My name is Princess Hino Rei. Thank you for saving my life, Sir Yui Heero. I am truly grateful."
With those words, she strode off. Heero's eyes stared at her graceful walk and the elegant demeanor that came naturally to the gorgeous princess. He was so busy looking at this beautiful vision, that he did not notice the rapid beating of his own heart.
* * * * *
[Any thoughts, constructive criticism, or suggestions are welcome]
Chang Wufei's eyes flashed open. He was lying comfortably on his bed located next to the door. Although he was still a bit groggy from the prior night's festivities, he forced himself to sit up in his bed. The other knights in the barracks were still sleeping peacefully, despite some of the loud snoring that echoed through the barracks.
It was his early morning routine to wake up before the sun had even risen. He quietly pulled himself out of the bed. The serious faced young man pulled on a cloak to ward off the cool morning air. The young knight slipped out of the barracks quietly.
Wufei quickly made his way through the gates of the castle until he wandered into one of the more isolated gardens within the outer walls of the castle. This place had become his morning solace, where no one would bother him. He could sit in quiet contemplation or practice some of his sword forms undisturbed. The garden included a diverse range of plants, from blooming cherry trees to lush magnolias. A small koi pond rested at the center of the garden.
The young warrior secluded himself behind a beautiful cherry tree deep inside the garden. He rested his back against the tree and closed his eyes in meditation.
His peace and solitude continued for quite some time.
Until he heard soft footsteps disturbing the floor of the gardens. The footsteps were soft and hesitant. After a moment, they stopped.
Wufei had to admit that he was slightly curious as to who else would be up so early in the morning. He noted that the dawn was approaching, as fiery streaks of crimson and blue began to appear in the distance. The young warrior, careful not to disclose his presence, peered around the cherry tree to study the figure standing at the center of the garden.
A small diminutive figure stood in front of the koi pond. Wufei vaguely remembered seeing her at the banquet last night, but he had not paid very much attention to her. But now, he examined her with some interest. She was draped in a long, heavy plum-colored cloak. The frail young girl had short, midnight black hair that fell to her shoulders. Her deep, violet eyes were staring almost blankly at the fish swimming in the pond. Her face was small with delicate features. There was also a deep sadness in her eyes.
Wufei cleared his throat.
The startled girl looked up at his general direction and slowly began to back.
"Good morning, my lady," Wufei greeted her in a cool tone. "I did not mean to disturb you and I will take my leave."
The young girl hesitated and stared at him for a moment.
"No...no..." she stammered shyly. "You were here first. I apologize for disturbing you."
Wufei pushed himself away from the cherry tree and started walking towards the entrance to the gardens. He realized that he would have to walk past her to depart the garden. Wufei carefully kept a polite distance as he tried to pass her by.
"Excuse me..." she began in a soft voice. "But do you come here often?"
Wufei paused for a moment. He was unsure whether he really wanted to engage in a conversation with this young girl. She seemed so alone and vulnerable, and this bothered Chang Wufei. It was not something he held against her. But it made him feel uncomfortable and uncertain around her.
"Yes, I come here each morning," he responded. "I will cease coming here if you would prefer."
"No, no! I did not wish to suggest that you should not come. I was just surprised to see someone else out here so early in the morning. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Chang Wufei," he replied smoothly. "I am a knight in the service of his majesty."
"I see," she stated in a gentle voice. "I am Tomoe Hotaru. Please, call me Hotaru."
"Certainly, Lady Hotaru," Wufei acknowledged her. He was not really sure whether he should proceed to leave, or whether she still had more questions for him. He finally decided to ask a question that was in the back of his mind. "Were you at the banquet last night?"
"Yes, I was. In fact, I believe that one of your friends dragged a girl from our table to dance," she giggled softly.
Wufei smiled at the light sound of her voice. It was nice to see that a girl who seemed to carry so much sadness could also be light-hearted. After a moment of reflection, something clicked in his head. Duo had only danced with one girl last night, with that beautiful, blond princess. This girl had been sitting at the same table with the blond princess and the other princesses. Which meant that the girl who was standing before him...
Suddenly Wufei fell to his knees and bowed respectfully.
"Your highness," Wufei murmured in a very courteous tone. His eyes looked at the ground before him. "If you had mentioned to me earlier that you were one of the princesses from the Allied Kingdoms, I would have been able to accord you more appropriate respect."
Hotaru was surprised by his sudden recognition of her status. She had not meant to disclose the fact that she was a princess. Although he was a stranger, she felt that there was a mutual regard developing. But now she felt there was a great distance separating this young man from her.
"Sir Wufei, please stand," she urged him.
Wufei obediently stood upright, but his eyes were still cast respectfully to the ground.
"Please do not let my title bother you," she said in a quiet voice.
"As you wish, your highness," Wufei acknowledged in a strained voice. "Princess Hotaru, I must depart now for my early morning training. With your permission, I would like to take my leave."
Hotaru sighed. Wufei did not seem interested in treating her in any other manner than as a princess.
"Of course, Wufei. You may come and go as you please, without my permission," she replied in a resigned voice.
Wufei bowed deeply and turned to leave.
"Wufei," she called out his name. He stopped. Her soft voice spoke up hesitantly, "I hope to see you here again tomorrow morning."
After the words had left her lips, she realized what she had just said. Her own words shocked the frail young princess. Wufei had his back turned to her, but she could tell that he noticeably stiffened at her words. Wufei nodded slowly.
"As you wish, your highness," he acknowledged curtly and quickly strode out of the gardens.
* * * * *
"Oh dear, isn't this highly unusual!" Duo smirked, as Wufei sprinted into the training yard. "I believe this is the first time that Chang Wufei is not early for our morning practice!"
Wufei glared at the braided youth, but was breathing too hard to offer any verbal retort. He had sprinted from the other end of the castle and had barely been able to make into the training grounds. Fortunately, Lord Milliardo had yet to arrive.
Heero merely glanced at Wufei, but otherwise kept silent.
Eventually, Wufei regained his breath and he walked up to the young man with lavender eyes.
"Shut up, Maxwell," Wufei growled in a threatening tone. Wufei spun around and snatched up a training sword. Then, he deliberately stomped off to an isolated corner away from the braided youth.
"Geez, what's his problem?" Duo asked nobody in particular. He casually went up and selected another practice sword off the rack. "So Heero, what do you think about those beautiful princesses?"
"Nothing," Heero responded simply. He continued to engage in some warm up exercises.
"Damn, Heero. A knight isn't required to be completely devoid of emotion!" Duo exclaimed in an exasperated voice.
"Don't confuse being focused with a lack of emotion," Heero replied with a tinge of anger in his voice. "A good knight should always be disciplined. A knight is the sword and the shield for the King and for the people of our land. An undisciplined knight is a danger to everyone. Especially himself."
"Very deep. I'll have to write that down somewhere," Duo replied dryly. Despite his outward display of indifference, the words stung Duo.
Before Duo had a chance to reflect further upon his friend's words, the tall, dashing figure of Lord Milliardo strode into the room. Lord Milliardo had a presence that garnered complete respect. His long, blond hair flowed down to his back. He moved with a certain deadly grace that other warriors could easily recognize as the hallmark of an expert swordsman.
"Good morning, young knights," Lord Milliardo greeted the young group of men assembled in the training area. The young lord was also gifted with a low, husky voice that made many a lady faint. "I have some exciting news for all of you. As a courtesy to the newly arrived princesses from the Allied Kingdoms, he wishes to offer them a display of your knightly skills. As such, he would like to hold a small competition tomorrow afternoon at the royal tournament grounds. All of you have the good fortune of participating in this event."
There was a collective cheer from many of the knights. It was a rare opportunity to be able to openly display their skills in front of royalty in times of peace.
Lord Milliardo seemed to smirk. "As an added incentive to all the young knights present, the victor of the tournament will be able to crown the lady of their choice with the honorable title of the 'Queen of Beauty and of Love'."
There were enthusiastic whoops and whistles from many of the young men knights.
Duo's eyes gleamed as he knew that this was a rare opportunity indeed. There was someone he definitely believed was deserving of that title...and he wanted to be the one to grant her that title.
* * * * *
Minako was quietly walking down the halls of the central keep in the castle. One of Minako's designated attendants was scurrying along to one side. The young attendant was a young girl of about sixteen years of age. She had short brown hair. Minako tried to remember the girl's name. She seemed to remember that the attendant was called Hikaru. Hikaru seemed friendly enough, but was not as talkative as some of the other attendants that Minako had dealt with.
All of the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms were spread throughout the central keep. Minako suspected that there was a political reason for this arrangement. Minako was heading towards the room of Princess Kino Makoto. Minako had agreed to meet up with the brunette princess for lunch.
As Minako drew closer to Makoto's bed chambers, she saw two figures appear from around the corner.
Minako abruptly stopped and froze. The slender figure of Princess Usagi and one of her attendants stood before Minako. Before Minako had a chance to react, Princess Usagi bowed respectfully to Minako.
Hurriedly, Minako returned the bow, making sure that her own bow was deeper than Princess Usagi's. It was only proper to show greater respect to a more prominent Princess in her own castle. Minako inwardly grimaced at the fact that she had to bow so deeply for the royalty that was holding her kingdom hostage.
"Good morning, Princess Tsukino Usagi," Minako greeted in a formal voice.
Princess Usagi nervously looked down at her feet. "Good morning, Princess Aino Minako," she returned the greeting with a hesitant smile. "Please, call me Usagi."
Minako smiled tightly. "I am sorry, your highness. But I do not think it would be appropriate for me to call the daughter of the King of Luminaea by her first name."
Usagi's shy smile broke slightly. "I hope you understand that I did not ask my father to have you and the other princesses comply with that ancient treaty. I'm perfectly safe here and you won't have to ever do anything to protect me. My father's knights have always protected me. But since you are already here, I was hoping that we could at least be friends..."
Minako studied Princess Usagi's face carefully. The young girl clearly looked uncomfortable by the arrangement that had been made by her father. When Minako looked into Usagi's eyes, she felt that the young princess spoke the truth. Still, Minako realized that she was a hostage because of Princess Usagi's father, and this simple overture of friendship was not exactly enough to overcome Minako's bitterness.
"Whatever you wish, your highness," Minako replied in a cold voice.
Princess Usagi eyes widened when she felt the coldness in Minako's voice. "I did not mean that as a command!" she cried out. Her eyes were growing shiny with traces of tears. Princess Usagi spun around and ran down a nearby hallway, her attendant in tow.
Minako bit her lip. She felt somewhat guilty at making Princess Usagi cry. It frustrated her slightly that the daughter of King Tsukino Kenji could be so easily brought to tears. Minako realized that it was going to be difficult for her to treat Princess Usagi too harshly. In fact, Minako was tempted to reconsider her initial evaluation of the young girl.
As Minako was lost in thought, the door to Makoto's room creaked open and the young brunette stuck her head out the door.
"What was that, Minako?" Makoto asked inquisitively. She looked about. "I thought I heard someone run off!"
"That was Princess Usagi," Minako responded simply. She mentally blocked out the image of Usagi's teary eyes. Minako turned to look at the other young princess. "Are you ready?"
* * * * *
Heero had to admit that he was impressed. Something seemed to have possessed Duo today, for he had been amazing in both the morning and afternoon practice. Heero always knew that Duo had amazing talent and potential. Duo was so gifted that he was still better than the average knight without even exerting much effort. But once Duo had committed himself, he became a truly awesome force to reckon with. Both Heero and Wufei had sparred with Duo earlier in the afternoon, and both had noticed the dramatic change in attitude and skills on the part of the braided youth.
But Heero also realized that Duo was trying to cover too much ground too fast. Heero and Wufei had trained with much more intensity and discipline for such a long time, that even Duo's remarkable talent probably was not enough to overcome such training. Probably. Heero did realize that if he was not careful, there was a real possibility that Duo could defeat him.
Heero was pulled out his quiet contemplation when Wufei stalked over and sat down next to him with a tray of food. Heero was so consumed with his thoughts, that he had neglected his dinner on the table. The day had gone by so fast with the intense training and it seemed to be moving by faster with such an early dinner.
Wufei quietly began eating, but he did not speak to the other youth. Heero had also noted that Wufei had become more withdrawn ever since Duo had teased earlier in the morning. But Heero decided that there was no point in trying to figure it out. Wufei liked to resolve his own personal matters alone.
"Where's Duo?" Heero asked quietly.
"Still practicing," Wufei muttered. "I don't know what got into that braided baka. He nearly killed one of his other sparring partners earlier today!"
Heero smiled slightly. He did remember seeing Lord Milliardo pull Duo away from that particular match. Duo's poor hapless opponent, Yuuichirou, had been beaten into the ground. Fortunately, Sir Kumada Yuuichirou was well- known for this thick skull and no permanent damage was done.
"Well, we always wanted him to work harder, and now he is. Were you planning on telling him to stop training hard?" Heero queried.
Wufei glared at Heero at of the corner of his eye. "No, of course not! But I think that braided baka will pass out soon. His body has not been conditioned to take this much punishment. Even you have your physical limits, Yui."
Heero quietly stared at his plate. The young knight quickly finished up his plate.
"What's the hurry?" Wufei inquired, arching his eyebrows.
"Duo's still practicing," Heero stated, as if those words answered Wufei's question. Wufei shook his head and continued to work on his meal.
Heero stood up and proceeded out of the mess hall, but he first stopped to grab a plate of bread and a small flask of water.
It did not take Heero very long to reach the training ground, where he saw Duo fiercely practicing his techniques. Even in his state of near- exhaustion, Duo was still an imposing warrior. Duo had wrapped his braid around his neck to keep it from flying around wildly. His face clearly showed that he had been training all day and into the early evening. But Heero did not feel it was his place to interrupt or otherwise stop Duo Maxwell from his practice.
Instead, Heero quietly placed the tray of bread and the small flask of water discreetly next to Duo's cloak and then left.
Heero did not feel like returning to the mess hall or the barracks. He decided to stroll around the outskirts of the central keep by himself. The early evening had darkened quickly. The moon was only one-quarter full and a light cloud cover obscured its luminescence. The young man walked quietly in the shadows of the outer wall of the central keep.
There was soft footsteps running against a stone floor. Instinctively, Heero glanced around and barely caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure racing across atop of one of the first wall that surrounded the central keep. It was obvious to Heero that the figure was not an armored guard. Heero quickly chased the figure from the ground. From his vantage point, he could occasionally see glimpses of the figure running on top of the roof, but could not determine who was exactly up there.
Eventually, the figure slowed to a light jog and then a careful walk. Heero accordingly slowed himself down and began to prowl stealthily behind the shadowy figure. The figure on the wall occasionally peered over its shoulder, but Heero was able to keep himself concealed in the shadows.
The shadowy figure continued moving down the wall until it stopped at the sound of a feminine voice. It was the low, soft chanting sound of a woman in prayer coming from the courtyard that was directly below the shadowy figure. Heero carefully looked at the darkened courtyard before him.
He saw a woman, on her knees, facing a small shrine built in the courtyard. She was bowed down and apparently deep in her prayer. He could see her long, flowing raven hair draped down her back. She was dressed in long, thick robes of crimson color. It was clear that she was oblivious to the presence of the shadowy figure.
Heero clenched his teeth and realized that he had not brought his sword. He picked up a stray branch that was lying at the foot of a nearby tree and hoped that it would be enough.
The shadowy figure dropped down from the wall into the courtyard.
Suddenly, the raven-haired woman's head snapped up in alarm. Heero recognized her face to be one of the princesses from the banquet last night.
"Who are you!" demanded the young princess, fear and outrage mingled in her voice.
The figure was still well hidden in the shadows near the princess. The only answer she received was the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. Heero saw the glittering blade of a short sword in the figure's hands.
Heero realized that he had to take action.
"Leave her alone," he commanded in a bold voice. Heero stepped out into the courtyard and calmly held the wooden stick in his hands.
The tall, lean figure standing in the shadows paused for a moment. Meanwhile, the princess had been cautiously stepping away from the dark intruder. Heero continued to approach with a cool, deliberate pace, not wanting to cause the intruder to react in haste.
The figure sheathed its sword and spun around. Heero launched himself at the figure, but the mysterious intruder leaped onto a nearby tree and gracefully escaped over the castle walls.
Heero was tempted to pursue the intruder, but realized that his primary responsibility was to make sure that the princess was safe.
He turned around and dropped to his knees. The young knight bowed respectfully before standing up. Although he usually observed court formalities, there was still a possible danger and he did not want to make either of them a target.
"Are you all right, your highness?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"Yes...I'm...fine, thank you," she replied hesitantly. "Who was that man?"
"I'm not sure," Heero grunted. He looked over at the castle wall. It would have taken considerable skill to scale those walls so effortlessly. "We should get you somewhere safe."
He gestured for her to proceed back to the front of the central keep. The princess was still staring in amazement at the part of the wall where the figure had escaped. Heero was not interested in having her remain an open target. He grabbed one of her elbows and began to firmly pull her away.
When the realization that she was being dragged away by a man she did not know, the princess pushed herself away from him.
"Excuse me, sir, but you do not handle a princess in this manner. And who are you, any ways?" Her beautiful violet eyes were flashing with fury at his impudence.
"I am Sir Yui Heero, one of his majesty's knights. I apologize for ignoring standard court etiquette. But it still may be dangerous and we should not stay here any long. Let me escort you back to the central keep."
"Fine," snapped the raven-haired princess and she stalked off angrily. Heero followed her.
As the neared the front of the central keep, the anger seemed to have dissipated from the dark-haired princess. She suddenly stopped. Heero stared at her quizzically.
"I apologize for my earlier rudeness," the princess stated without turning back to look at him. "My name is Princess Hino Rei. Thank you for saving my life, Sir Yui Heero. I am truly grateful."
With those words, she strode off. Heero's eyes stared at her graceful walk and the elegant demeanor that came naturally to the gorgeous princess. He was so busy looking at this beautiful vision, that he did not notice the rapid beating of his own heart.
* * * * *
[Any thoughts, constructive criticism, or suggestions are welcome]