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.
Wufei was walking swiftly towards the gardens. His footsteps were quiet in the pre-dawn darkness. His eyes were used to the dim lighting of the early morning and he took his regular path to the garden that lay within the outer walls of the castle.
He was somewhat torn as to whether he should really be going to the garden again. Part of him did not want to put himself in such an awkward position once more. But another part of him felt that it would be wrong not to show up after he had promised to do so. He wondered if she would even notice if he failed to appear? But Wufei had told her he would show up and he would remain true to his word. After reassuring himself that the only reason he was going to the garden was to honor his promise, he picked up his pace.
When he arrived, he found the garden was empty. He was somewhat relieved and disappointed at the same time. He quietly went to lean against the cherry tree in the far corner of the garden. Wufei tried to meditate, but realized that the peace and tranquility that he used to feel in the garden was now gone. Now his mind was concerned as to if and when the frail princess would show up. Wufei mentally berated himself for being so weak. He could not let himself be distracted by such a trivial matter.
Then he heard her soft footsteps and saw the tiny, young girl make her way into the gardens. She was wearing the same plum-colored cloak that she wore the day before. Her tiny arms were hugging her body to ward off the cold, early morning air. Wufei saw her violet eyes search the gardens until they rested upon his own.
"Good morning, your highness," Wufei greeted her and kneeled to the ground quickly.
"Wufei, you don't have to kneel in front of me," she smiled lightly. She shivered involuntarily as chilly breeze made its way through the garden.
Wufei picked himself and slowly walked up to the small, black-haired princess. He studied her for a moment.
"Excuse me, your highness, I mean no disrespect. Why do you come outside so early in the morning? The early morning air is quite cold," Wufei observed in a quiet voice.
"It is true that I am not well-suited to the cool, morning air," Hotaru admitted in a quiet voice. "But, my constitution was never as good as it should be. To speak truthfully, I am probably not as healthy as your average girl. Yet, I still try to force my body to become stronger by doing things like this...coming out in the cold morning air. Is that silly, Wufei?"
Wufei felt a sudden, unbidden surge of admiration for the frail little girl.
"No, your highness, I think it is quite commendable that you are trying to improve yourself. But do not strain yourself too much. Your health is far more important," he told her.
"Are you going to be competing in the tournament this afternoon?" she asked suddenly.
Wufei was not exactly sure as to the purpose of her question. But he still answered her in a polite voice, "Yes, your highness, I will be participating in the tournament."
"Well, do not forget that your health is important too. I would not like to see you unnecessarily hurt," she said, her eyes looking away at the koi pond.
Wufei was startled by her pronouncement and was not exactly sure how to react. A knight's health was only important to the extent that he could serve the kingdom. To request that a knight avoid danger was contrary to every notion of chivalry that he had embraced.
"I will try my best," he eventually replied evenly.
She looked up at him. Her eyes were carefully studying him for a while. After a few moments, Wufei felt self-conscious and looked to the ground.
"You are not from this kingdom or any of the Allied Kingdoms, are you?" she queried in a knowing voice.
"You are correct, I am from a distant kingdom. I arrived with my family four years ago, when I was fourteen," he answered.
"I see," she stated. She looked as if she wanted to ask more, but she held her tongue. It was obvious from his facial expression that he had no desire to continue talking about that particular subject.
Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a fit of coughing. The delicate young girl doubled over in pain as her body was wracked by the uncontrollable coughs.
Wufei's eyes widened and he was unsure of what to do. Finally, he tore off his own cloak and draped it around the young girl's shoulder. He was holding onto her until the coughs eventually subsided.
She looked up at him. "Thank you, Wufei," she said gratefully.
Wufei realized that he was inappropriately close to the young princess. He pulled himself away and bowed his head down.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Hotaru got the glint of metal. She turned to look more carefully at the gold chain that was hanging from Wufei's neck. Apparently, it had gotten caught on his cloak and had been pulled from underneath his shirt. It was now dangling from his neck. Hotaru also noticed a simple, gold ring was also suspended from the chain.
Hotaru smiled slightly. "Is that ring a favor from a maiden?"
Wufei glanced down at the ring hanging from the chain around his neck. He quickly tucked it beneath his shirt.
"No, your highness. It is not so much a favor...as much as it is a remembrance of something that is no more," he responded in a pained whisper.
Hotaru did not realize that her question would bring such sorrow to the man in front of her. She had merely wanted to engage him in conversation. Hotaru decided to quickly change the subject.
"Do you know how many knights will take the field in today's tournament?" she inquired.
Wufei blinked back the stinging sensation in his eyes.
"There should be about a score of knights participating," he told her. "The King only picked the knights that are stationed at this castle. Although we have many more knights throughout the rest of the kingdom...the King only wanted a few to enter the competition. Otherwise, it would be too unwieldy and could compromise the security of the kingdom."
"Only a few? So that must mean his best knights," she concluded thoughtfully.
Wufei could not help suppress the proud smile that creased his face.
"Yes, your highness...his best knights."
* * * * *
Maid Furuhata Unazuki had taken control of matters very quickly. She was the principal attendant to Princess Kino Makoto. When Maid Unazuki had learned about the tournament, she quickly made arrangements so that the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms, and their respective attendants, would be able to enjoy the tournament to the fullest. This meant that the princesses and their attendants would attend the pre-tournament festivities together.
The tournament grounds was a large, well guarded area located less than half a mile from the castle. The princesses and their attendants had been safely escorted by carriage to the tournament grounds.
There was a sufficiently large presence of loyal guards that the princesses did not need to be constantly followed by an armed escort as long as they remained within the tournament grounds.
Minako was relieved that she was able to walk in open and away from the confining walls of Castle Mensis. She also appreciated that Makoto's attendant, Unazuki, had been able to so masterfully plan this outing. The red-haired young Unazuki was enthusiastically leading the group through the various booths surrounding the tournament grounds.
The group of young ladies quickly discovered that the tournament grounds was a large place and they were soon exhausted. The decision was made that they should head towards the royal stands to rest.
As they were walking towards the stands, they approached a small cluster of trees. Suddenly, Makoto grasped Minako tightly by the arm.
"Look at that young man, he is quite handsome!" Makoto whispered in an excited voice. Minako's eyes roamed until she saw the object of Makoto's attention.
A tall, slender young man was sitting quietly beneath a tree. He was dressed in a simple black tunic and grey trousers. A lute was resting lightly on his lap. The young man's face was partially concealed by his long, flowing hair.
"He looks like a simple minstrel," Rei remarked, glancing at Minako for support.
Although he did appear to be a simple minstrel, Minako did have to admit he was quite handsome. Minako decided not to say anything for the moment.
"Come on, let's talk to him," Makoto urged, dragging Minako along with her. Rei sighed as she and the others followed Makoto.
Unazuki, taking pride in her role as the attendant to Princess Makoto, made sure that she reached the tall young man first. It was inappropriate for a princess to so boldly start a conversation with a commoner, especially a man.
"Good afternoon, young sir," Unazuki greeted him sweetly. "Are you a local minstrel invited to partake in these festivities?"
The young man nodded wordlessly. By now, the other young women had arrived. If he was bothered or impressed by the presence of so many ladies, he did not show it. His face was almost expressionless. The young man's emerald eyes remained focused on the ground.
"Can you sing a song for us?" Unazuki requested of the young minstrel.
The handsome minstrel did not speak. Instead, he silently picked up his lute. He strummed the instrument and began to play a soft, haunting melody. Eventually his voice, tinged with ache and sorrow, began to sing:
///I have sought love and yet
my heart is still empty.///
///Thus, I beseeched the moonlight,
to reveal if the love that will be,
now stands before me:///
///A lady with the heart and mind,
as deep and mysterious as the sea?///
///Or a lady that knows love and beauty,
are more valued than gold for their purity?///
///Or a lady who's flame of passion,
burns with such truth and intensity?///
///Or a lady who is strong with fortitude,
yet beautiful in her simplicity?///
///Or shall silence and rebirth,
be that lady's ultimate destiny?///
His melodious tenor trailed off as he fingers left the strings of his lute. The eyes of the young man never once seemed to leave the ground.
"That was amazing, sir minstrel," breathed Makoto in awe. "Pray tell, what is your name?"
"You may call me Trowa Barton," answered the young minstrel in a low voice.
Rei looked at the young man suspiciously. There was something peculiar about him, but she was not sure exactly what. Perhaps it was his relaxed, languid manner around so many ladies which was what bothered her. Most young men would be happily smiling or flirting around so many women, or at least show some signs of discomfort. But this young man was staring sadly at the ground, almost oblivious to the presence of the women around him.
"Where did you learn that song?" Rei asked in a somewhat haughty voice.
"It was something I improvised just now," Trowa replied with a shrug.
Rei stared at him with unbelieving eyes. Although the lyrics were somewhat unusual, he had sung it so smoothly, it seemed that the song had been part of him for a long time.
"You are quite talented," Minako stated.
"Thank you." Trowa continued to stare at the ground, uninterested in making eye contact with any of the ladies.
After a few moments of awkward silence, it appeared clear that the young minstrel was not interested in starting a conversation.
"Uhh...why don't we head on back to the stands?" Minako finally suggested. She started leading the group away.
Makoto and Unazuki were whispering quietly to each other. Upon the conclusion of their discussion, Makoto hurried up to join the other princesses and left Unazuki with the minstrel. Makoto cheerfully put her arms around Ami and Hotaru.
"Where's Unazuki?" Ami asked in a concerned voice, realizing that they were missing a member of their party.
Makoto smiled impishly, "Just on a small errand."
* * * * *
"I promise I won't hurt you too much, Heero!" Duo smirked, as he was being helped into his black-colored armor by an attendant.
Heero glanced at Duo sideways, but said nothing. Heero standing upright and allowing another attendant to strap on the various pieces of armor.
"How come you're so quiet, today, Heero?" Duo asked curiously.
"He's always quiet! Leave him alone, Maxwell!" Wufei snapped at him. Wufei had been one of the first to fully suit up in armor. He was now sitting on a sturdy wooden bench. There were several tents set in the back of the tournament grounds for the knights to put on their bulky armor. The three young men had decided to use the one furthest away from the others.
"Aww...are you feeling left out, Wufei?" Duo teased. "I promise I won't hurt you too much, either!"
"I am not concerned with your promises or threats," Wufei responded irritably. "Must you always taunt us before you fight?"
"It's tradition! It wouldn't feel the same if I didn't!" Duo laughed.
Heero studied his young braided friend. Although Duo was outwardly engaging in his normal bantering, Heero saw an unusually fierce, quiet determination in those lavender eyes. Heero mentally tried to focus, realizing that at least for today, Duo Maxwell would be a serious threat.
Heero also noticed that Wufei was unusually anxious as well, but he did not let that concern him too much. Duo's dramatic change in attitude was more than enough for Heero to dwell upon.
"You're done!" the attendant patted Heero on the back. Heero flexed his gauntlets and carefully eyed his armor. He tested the armor to make sure it was comfortable and properly strapped on. After a few moments, he was satisfied with the results.
Once Duo's armor was strapped on, the young braided youth also carefully inspected his own armor. Heero noticed that Duo was paying more attention to detail than was normal. Duo was definitely acting peculiar today.
"Are you finished yet?" Wufei demanded in an annoyed tone, glaring at Duo.
Duo grinned broadly. "I'm perfectly fine. And I'll get to crown Princess Aino Minako with the title of the `Queen of Beauty and of Love'!"
"Your frivolousness is pathetic, Maxwell!" Wufei snorted. "There are better reasons to fight than that."
"Yeah...I know. To fight for honor...or justice...or his Majesty!" Duo mimicked the other knight. "Come on, Wufei, I've heard all that before. But for me, there is no better reason to fight than for a beautiful woman! I don't expect either you or Heero to understand that. But that's fine. Come on, we don't want to be late!"
Wufei was about to retort, when Heero rested a hand on Wufei's shoulders. Wufei looked up at Heero and saw the intensity burning in those eyes. Reluctantly, Wufei picked himself up and the three young knights left the tent.
* * * * *
The announcer was explaining the rules of engagement as the knights were being helped onto their steeds. The King had decided that it would be most interesting to watch an all-out melee. Each of the mounted knights would be spaced evenly apart in the large circle that comprised the tournament field. Once the signal was given, the knights would engage in combat until there was only one knight left standing. Special blunted swords and carefully designed maces were given to the knights. In addition, the rules strictly forbade stabbing with any weapon or blows to the head. No knight was allowed to strike an unconscious knight or a knight who had surrendered. All other forms of contact against a knight were acceptable.
Duo Maxwell's heart was beating rapidly. He realized that this was an extraordinary and rare chance for him to demonstrate his fighting prowess to the beautiful vision that had stolen his heart. His eyes searched the royal stands until he saw her sitting with the other princesses. She was dazzling and he felt somewhat light-headed when looking at her. Duo quickly turned away and tried to focus himself. He silently prayed that this light-headedness would soon wear off. The braided youth tried to remember Heero's words about discipline. Duo swore to himself that he would make every effort to prove that he was a real knight.
Duo and his black horse were lead to their designated spot on the tournament field. As the other knights were settling in, he kept his eyes open for both Heero and Wufei. Those would be the two strongest knights on the field and he had to make sure he knew where they were at all times. Duo quickly began studying his nearest opponents and formulated a strategy.
* * * * *
Minako was fiddling with her sleeves. The entire concept of men beating each other senseless did not particularly amuse her. The five princesses from the Alliance Kingdoms were seated at one end of the royal stands, several feet to the left of the King and his family. There were several guards surrounding the King, but there were only a few token guards hovering over the young princesses.
Minako was seated closest to the royal family. On Minako's other side were Rei, Makoto, Ami, and Hotaru at the far end. Their respective attendants were seated behind them.
The trumpets sounded once, twice, and thrice.
Minako looked up when she heard the loud rumbling of galloping horses. She saw the knights charge to the center and met with a thunderous clash. The melee was a confusing swirl of gleaming metal and sounds. There was a loud roar of encouragement from the crowd. She could see the knights attacking each other with almost barbaric abandon. Minako was somewhat disgusted, but at the same time, fascinated as to how any one knight could survive this maelstrom.
* * * * *
It had only started a few minutes ago, but Heero was sweating beneath his heavy armor. After charging into the center, he was immediately met by two other knights. Both those knights were working in unison against Heero. Heero was not terribly surprised at the tactic, and continually maneuvered himself so that he could avoid outflanked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Duo was selectively engaging and disengaging from the melee. The black armored knight was cleverly pacing himself to stay fresh for the conclusion of the melee.
Unfortunately, Heero had no such choice, as he worked furiously against the two knights in front of him.
Heero saw an opening and quickly landed a resounding blow against one of the knights attacking him. The knight reeled backwards as Heero followed it up with another blow that knocked the opponent down to the ground. Heero turned to the other knight.
Heero's remaining opponent apparently did not want to engage him single- handedly, and charged back into the melee, hoping that Heero would not be able to follow.
The young knight with winter blue eyes sought to chase after the escaping knight, but was quickly cut off as he got caught up in another confusing battle involving several other knights. Heero's eyes were constantly scanning the battlefield, watching for attacks from behind and to his flanks.
After another fifteen minutes or so, the field had been reduced to less than a dozen knights who remained engaged in combat. Most of the others that had fallen to the ground were taken to safety when possible. Heero was breathing heavily as he fought at the edge of the small melee.
Heero had caught glimpses of Wufei, who was rabidly attacking any knight that drew close. Wufei had also been hounded and attacked by many different knights, but the ferocity of his attacks kept them at bay.
Meanwhile, the black armored knight had just dispatched another opponent. After Duo had finished his opponent, he simply pulled his horse to the side and waited. The other knights were too busy with their own battles to bother with Duo at the moment.
Heero continued to work on his opponent until he finally knocked him down. The young knight drew a ragged breath and realized that the black armored knight was nearby.
Heero immediately turned his head to look at Duo. The other young knight was still sitting there patiently, looking at Heero.
Did Duo not want to fight him? Heero wondered quietly. No, that's not it. Duo was letting him rest. Duo was granting Heero a moment to catch his breath before they would fight.
The remaining knights were involved in a scuffle a good distance away from the two young knights facing each other.
After a few moments, Duo offered Heero a friendly salute. Then, the black armored knight charged. Heero spurred his horse and headed to meet his friend with a grimace. Their swords met with a loud clash so powerful that it reverberated in Heero's ears. Their metal blades glittered in the warm afternoon sun.
As Heero fought his friend, he noticed that Duo's arms were drooping slightly. Was this merely a deception to make Heero lower his guard? Or to lull Heero to attack carelessly? Although the ideas seemed very possible, however, Heero knew that Duo was too proud to engage in such trickery against his own friend in battle. It was something else.
"What's wrong, Duo?" Heero asked in a neutral voice.
"Nothing!" rasped Duo angrily. "You think so little of me, Heero? I'll take you down yet!"
Heero's ears picked up the unusual breathing from his friend. It was clear that Duo sounded fatigued. But Heero was well aware that Duo had not fought more knights than Heero had. Something else was affecting Duo. Heero's train of thought was temporarily interrupted as Duo managed to launch a furious attack.
Heero continued to examine his friend's movements. The young knight was beginning to suspect that Duo had overextended himself by training with such rigor over the past twenty-four hours. It was clearly evident that Duo was having difficult maintaining his offensive. Even though Duo was a friend, Heero would not go easy on him. It would have been a meaningless fight if Heero did not use all his strength. He knew that Duo would understand. Freed from any doubts, Heero retaliated with renewed effort. Duo's attack quickly broke down under Heero's counterattack. The black knight slowly backed his steed away from the blistering assault.
Heero realized that Duo was still a real threat even in his exhausted state. It was with this knowledge that Heero continued to relentlessly attack. It took another full ten minutes for Heero to wear down Duo's defense. Once Heero penetrated Duo's defense, he sent a powerful blow that knocked Duo unconscious to the ground.
Gasping for breath, Heero turned to scan the field around him. There was only one other knight around. Heero's eyes narrowed as he recognized the fiery blue-green armor of his friend.
"Wufei," Heero acknowledged in a grim voice.
* * * * *
Chang Wufei was exhausted. He had just concluded a small melee with three other knights. The poorly ventilated armor prevented him from breathing any fresh air. The dust that had been kicked up in the battle was now caked on his face and getting in his eyes. Wufei sat on his horse and stared at the white knight facing him. Wufei and Heero had constantly battled each other in training, but it was still unclear as to who was the better warrior. Wufei knew that this battle would not settle the issue.
With a salute, he charged at Heero. The young man let out a battle cry and hoped that he would be able to emerge victorious.
His battle with Heero was not like the skirmishes with the other knights. Heero was careful, deliberate and controlled in his use of the sword. It still amazed him how Heero could move so gracefully beneath all that armor.
But Wufei also realized that Heero was just as exhausted as he was. Perhaps more. He had seen part of Heero's duel with their friend Duo. Duo's tenacity and natural talent had definitely worn down Heero. Wufei understood that if Heero wanted to win this battle, this battle would have to end quickly.
As a result, Wufei changed his tactics. He started parrying most of Heero's attacks, trying to draw out the battle. Wufei noticed Heero's eyes widen with the realization that Wufei was planning to make this a contest of endurance.
In a desperate gamble, Heero suddenly launched a last-ditch assault to end the battle.
But that was what Wufei had been waiting for. As Heero overextended himself on one of his attacks, Wufei blocked the blow. He then charged into Heero and tackled the other knight off his horse. Both friends landed in a loud clatter on the dusty ground.
Wufei had somehow managed to land on top of Heero. He looked down to his friend.
"Do you yield?" Wufei demanded.
"No," Heero answered in a determined voice. He winced suddenly in pain. "But, I think you broke my leg on that fall."
For some reason, Wufei could not help himself as he began to laugh quietly at Heero's almost casual remark. In a matter of seconds, Heero joined his friend in the bizarre laughter.
Two attendants came over and helped the two young knights to their feet. When it was clear that Heero could not stand on his own power, Wufei was declared the victor.
* * * * *
Several attendants had rushed to clean Wufei up to make him presentable for the ceremony to crown a lady with the title of the "Queen of Beauty and of Love". As he was being hastily tidied up, a court official was explaining, in rather painful detail, the ritual for delivering the crown to the lady. It was not proper for a knight to deliver the crown by hand. Instead, the knight was to be mounted on the horse with a lance. The crown would be placed at the tip of his lance. He would deliver the crown to the lady by depositing it with his lance onto her lap.
Meanwhile, both Heero and Duo had been helped out of their armor. The young men were sitting exhausted on a large bench not too far from the tournament field. Duo still looked slightly groggy and was not completely focused.
After a frustrating ten minutes of being pampered by attendants, Wufei was deemed to sufficiently respectable to crown the "Queen of Beauty and of Love". He was helped back onto his steed and given a steel lance. The young knight dipped the lance low enough for the attendant to put the crown on its tip. Wufei lifted up the crown and rode to the center of the field. For this ceremony, he was not allowed to wear his helm. His long black hair was flowing freely, having been taken out of its constricting pony- tail by one of the attendants.
The trumpets sounded.
"The victorious knight will now search for his lady of choice as 'the Queen of Beauty and of Love'!" called out the announcer. There was a collective murmuring from the crowd, especially among the young ladies.
Wufei was cursing as he began to ritually ride the entire circle in front of the spectators. This part of the ceremony was a gesture to show that the victorious knight would carefully make his selection by taking the time to look at all the women. He completed his circle and rode back to the center. He gave the announcer a salute.
"The victorious knight has now completed his search! He will now crown his lady of his choosing as the 'Queen of Beauty and of Love'!" the announcer crowed excitedly. There was a loud cheer from the crowd.
Wufei shook his head in amazement at how easy it was to entertain these spectators.
Wufei had already decided who he wanted to deliver the crown to. There was one particular girl that he wanted to see smile. Wufei nudged his horse to trot towards the royal stands. He veered towards the end where the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms sat.
Wufei halted his horse in front of Princess Hotaru. He looked into her deep violet eyes. Then he noticed her shake her head. It was almost imperceptible, but Wufei could tell that she was shaking her head. Her eyes were pleading with him. She was mouthing the words: "Please, no."
Then it struck Wufei. He realized that Princess Hotaru did not want this attention. She did not wish to be involved in this kind of public display. She was a reserved, private person. Upon understanding this, Wufei nodded to her and nudged his horse towards the other princesses. She offered him a grateful smile as he moved off.
The blue-haired and brunette princesses were looking at their feet shyly. Wufei was now also unsure whether either one of these women wanted the crown. He definitely did not want to impose any unwanted attention on any of Princess Hotaru's friends. This was going to be more difficult than he thought.
Wufei's gaze continued to the next princess. The princess with the long raven hair was pointedly looking away at him. It was more than clear that she wanted to have nothing to do with him.
Sighing, Wufei nudged his horse further down until he saw the deep blue eyes of the stunningly attractive, blond princess. Her eyes and face were completely neutral. It was not clear to Wufei whether or not she was interested in being crowned.
Wufei was growing weary of this ceremony. He wanted it to end. Wufei lifted his lance and deposited the crown on the lap of Princess Aino Minako.
* * * * *
[I appreciate all thoughts, constructive criticisms, and comments]
[Thanks to all those who have provided reviews already!]
Wufei was walking swiftly towards the gardens. His footsteps were quiet in the pre-dawn darkness. His eyes were used to the dim lighting of the early morning and he took his regular path to the garden that lay within the outer walls of the castle.
He was somewhat torn as to whether he should really be going to the garden again. Part of him did not want to put himself in such an awkward position once more. But another part of him felt that it would be wrong not to show up after he had promised to do so. He wondered if she would even notice if he failed to appear? But Wufei had told her he would show up and he would remain true to his word. After reassuring himself that the only reason he was going to the garden was to honor his promise, he picked up his pace.
When he arrived, he found the garden was empty. He was somewhat relieved and disappointed at the same time. He quietly went to lean against the cherry tree in the far corner of the garden. Wufei tried to meditate, but realized that the peace and tranquility that he used to feel in the garden was now gone. Now his mind was concerned as to if and when the frail princess would show up. Wufei mentally berated himself for being so weak. He could not let himself be distracted by such a trivial matter.
Then he heard her soft footsteps and saw the tiny, young girl make her way into the gardens. She was wearing the same plum-colored cloak that she wore the day before. Her tiny arms were hugging her body to ward off the cold, early morning air. Wufei saw her violet eyes search the gardens until they rested upon his own.
"Good morning, your highness," Wufei greeted her and kneeled to the ground quickly.
"Wufei, you don't have to kneel in front of me," she smiled lightly. She shivered involuntarily as chilly breeze made its way through the garden.
Wufei picked himself and slowly walked up to the small, black-haired princess. He studied her for a moment.
"Excuse me, your highness, I mean no disrespect. Why do you come outside so early in the morning? The early morning air is quite cold," Wufei observed in a quiet voice.
"It is true that I am not well-suited to the cool, morning air," Hotaru admitted in a quiet voice. "But, my constitution was never as good as it should be. To speak truthfully, I am probably not as healthy as your average girl. Yet, I still try to force my body to become stronger by doing things like this...coming out in the cold morning air. Is that silly, Wufei?"
Wufei felt a sudden, unbidden surge of admiration for the frail little girl.
"No, your highness, I think it is quite commendable that you are trying to improve yourself. But do not strain yourself too much. Your health is far more important," he told her.
"Are you going to be competing in the tournament this afternoon?" she asked suddenly.
Wufei was not exactly sure as to the purpose of her question. But he still answered her in a polite voice, "Yes, your highness, I will be participating in the tournament."
"Well, do not forget that your health is important too. I would not like to see you unnecessarily hurt," she said, her eyes looking away at the koi pond.
Wufei was startled by her pronouncement and was not exactly sure how to react. A knight's health was only important to the extent that he could serve the kingdom. To request that a knight avoid danger was contrary to every notion of chivalry that he had embraced.
"I will try my best," he eventually replied evenly.
She looked up at him. Her eyes were carefully studying him for a while. After a few moments, Wufei felt self-conscious and looked to the ground.
"You are not from this kingdom or any of the Allied Kingdoms, are you?" she queried in a knowing voice.
"You are correct, I am from a distant kingdom. I arrived with my family four years ago, when I was fourteen," he answered.
"I see," she stated. She looked as if she wanted to ask more, but she held her tongue. It was obvious from his facial expression that he had no desire to continue talking about that particular subject.
Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a fit of coughing. The delicate young girl doubled over in pain as her body was wracked by the uncontrollable coughs.
Wufei's eyes widened and he was unsure of what to do. Finally, he tore off his own cloak and draped it around the young girl's shoulder. He was holding onto her until the coughs eventually subsided.
She looked up at him. "Thank you, Wufei," she said gratefully.
Wufei realized that he was inappropriately close to the young princess. He pulled himself away and bowed his head down.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Hotaru got the glint of metal. She turned to look more carefully at the gold chain that was hanging from Wufei's neck. Apparently, it had gotten caught on his cloak and had been pulled from underneath his shirt. It was now dangling from his neck. Hotaru also noticed a simple, gold ring was also suspended from the chain.
Hotaru smiled slightly. "Is that ring a favor from a maiden?"
Wufei glanced down at the ring hanging from the chain around his neck. He quickly tucked it beneath his shirt.
"No, your highness. It is not so much a favor...as much as it is a remembrance of something that is no more," he responded in a pained whisper.
Hotaru did not realize that her question would bring such sorrow to the man in front of her. She had merely wanted to engage him in conversation. Hotaru decided to quickly change the subject.
"Do you know how many knights will take the field in today's tournament?" she inquired.
Wufei blinked back the stinging sensation in his eyes.
"There should be about a score of knights participating," he told her. "The King only picked the knights that are stationed at this castle. Although we have many more knights throughout the rest of the kingdom...the King only wanted a few to enter the competition. Otherwise, it would be too unwieldy and could compromise the security of the kingdom."
"Only a few? So that must mean his best knights," she concluded thoughtfully.
Wufei could not help suppress the proud smile that creased his face.
"Yes, your highness...his best knights."
* * * * *
Maid Furuhata Unazuki had taken control of matters very quickly. She was the principal attendant to Princess Kino Makoto. When Maid Unazuki had learned about the tournament, she quickly made arrangements so that the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms, and their respective attendants, would be able to enjoy the tournament to the fullest. This meant that the princesses and their attendants would attend the pre-tournament festivities together.
The tournament grounds was a large, well guarded area located less than half a mile from the castle. The princesses and their attendants had been safely escorted by carriage to the tournament grounds.
There was a sufficiently large presence of loyal guards that the princesses did not need to be constantly followed by an armed escort as long as they remained within the tournament grounds.
Minako was relieved that she was able to walk in open and away from the confining walls of Castle Mensis. She also appreciated that Makoto's attendant, Unazuki, had been able to so masterfully plan this outing. The red-haired young Unazuki was enthusiastically leading the group through the various booths surrounding the tournament grounds.
The group of young ladies quickly discovered that the tournament grounds was a large place and they were soon exhausted. The decision was made that they should head towards the royal stands to rest.
As they were walking towards the stands, they approached a small cluster of trees. Suddenly, Makoto grasped Minako tightly by the arm.
"Look at that young man, he is quite handsome!" Makoto whispered in an excited voice. Minako's eyes roamed until she saw the object of Makoto's attention.
A tall, slender young man was sitting quietly beneath a tree. He was dressed in a simple black tunic and grey trousers. A lute was resting lightly on his lap. The young man's face was partially concealed by his long, flowing hair.
"He looks like a simple minstrel," Rei remarked, glancing at Minako for support.
Although he did appear to be a simple minstrel, Minako did have to admit he was quite handsome. Minako decided not to say anything for the moment.
"Come on, let's talk to him," Makoto urged, dragging Minako along with her. Rei sighed as she and the others followed Makoto.
Unazuki, taking pride in her role as the attendant to Princess Makoto, made sure that she reached the tall young man first. It was inappropriate for a princess to so boldly start a conversation with a commoner, especially a man.
"Good afternoon, young sir," Unazuki greeted him sweetly. "Are you a local minstrel invited to partake in these festivities?"
The young man nodded wordlessly. By now, the other young women had arrived. If he was bothered or impressed by the presence of so many ladies, he did not show it. His face was almost expressionless. The young man's emerald eyes remained focused on the ground.
"Can you sing a song for us?" Unazuki requested of the young minstrel.
The handsome minstrel did not speak. Instead, he silently picked up his lute. He strummed the instrument and began to play a soft, haunting melody. Eventually his voice, tinged with ache and sorrow, began to sing:
///I have sought love and yet
my heart is still empty.///
///Thus, I beseeched the moonlight,
to reveal if the love that will be,
now stands before me:///
///A lady with the heart and mind,
as deep and mysterious as the sea?///
///Or a lady that knows love and beauty,
are more valued than gold for their purity?///
///Or a lady who's flame of passion,
burns with such truth and intensity?///
///Or a lady who is strong with fortitude,
yet beautiful in her simplicity?///
///Or shall silence and rebirth,
be that lady's ultimate destiny?///
His melodious tenor trailed off as he fingers left the strings of his lute. The eyes of the young man never once seemed to leave the ground.
"That was amazing, sir minstrel," breathed Makoto in awe. "Pray tell, what is your name?"
"You may call me Trowa Barton," answered the young minstrel in a low voice.
Rei looked at the young man suspiciously. There was something peculiar about him, but she was not sure exactly what. Perhaps it was his relaxed, languid manner around so many ladies which was what bothered her. Most young men would be happily smiling or flirting around so many women, or at least show some signs of discomfort. But this young man was staring sadly at the ground, almost oblivious to the presence of the women around him.
"Where did you learn that song?" Rei asked in a somewhat haughty voice.
"It was something I improvised just now," Trowa replied with a shrug.
Rei stared at him with unbelieving eyes. Although the lyrics were somewhat unusual, he had sung it so smoothly, it seemed that the song had been part of him for a long time.
"You are quite talented," Minako stated.
"Thank you." Trowa continued to stare at the ground, uninterested in making eye contact with any of the ladies.
After a few moments of awkward silence, it appeared clear that the young minstrel was not interested in starting a conversation.
"Uhh...why don't we head on back to the stands?" Minako finally suggested. She started leading the group away.
Makoto and Unazuki were whispering quietly to each other. Upon the conclusion of their discussion, Makoto hurried up to join the other princesses and left Unazuki with the minstrel. Makoto cheerfully put her arms around Ami and Hotaru.
"Where's Unazuki?" Ami asked in a concerned voice, realizing that they were missing a member of their party.
Makoto smiled impishly, "Just on a small errand."
* * * * *
"I promise I won't hurt you too much, Heero!" Duo smirked, as he was being helped into his black-colored armor by an attendant.
Heero glanced at Duo sideways, but said nothing. Heero standing upright and allowing another attendant to strap on the various pieces of armor.
"How come you're so quiet, today, Heero?" Duo asked curiously.
"He's always quiet! Leave him alone, Maxwell!" Wufei snapped at him. Wufei had been one of the first to fully suit up in armor. He was now sitting on a sturdy wooden bench. There were several tents set in the back of the tournament grounds for the knights to put on their bulky armor. The three young men had decided to use the one furthest away from the others.
"Aww...are you feeling left out, Wufei?" Duo teased. "I promise I won't hurt you too much, either!"
"I am not concerned with your promises or threats," Wufei responded irritably. "Must you always taunt us before you fight?"
"It's tradition! It wouldn't feel the same if I didn't!" Duo laughed.
Heero studied his young braided friend. Although Duo was outwardly engaging in his normal bantering, Heero saw an unusually fierce, quiet determination in those lavender eyes. Heero mentally tried to focus, realizing that at least for today, Duo Maxwell would be a serious threat.
Heero also noticed that Wufei was unusually anxious as well, but he did not let that concern him too much. Duo's dramatic change in attitude was more than enough for Heero to dwell upon.
"You're done!" the attendant patted Heero on the back. Heero flexed his gauntlets and carefully eyed his armor. He tested the armor to make sure it was comfortable and properly strapped on. After a few moments, he was satisfied with the results.
Once Duo's armor was strapped on, the young braided youth also carefully inspected his own armor. Heero noticed that Duo was paying more attention to detail than was normal. Duo was definitely acting peculiar today.
"Are you finished yet?" Wufei demanded in an annoyed tone, glaring at Duo.
Duo grinned broadly. "I'm perfectly fine. And I'll get to crown Princess Aino Minako with the title of the `Queen of Beauty and of Love'!"
"Your frivolousness is pathetic, Maxwell!" Wufei snorted. "There are better reasons to fight than that."
"Yeah...I know. To fight for honor...or justice...or his Majesty!" Duo mimicked the other knight. "Come on, Wufei, I've heard all that before. But for me, there is no better reason to fight than for a beautiful woman! I don't expect either you or Heero to understand that. But that's fine. Come on, we don't want to be late!"
Wufei was about to retort, when Heero rested a hand on Wufei's shoulders. Wufei looked up at Heero and saw the intensity burning in those eyes. Reluctantly, Wufei picked himself up and the three young knights left the tent.
* * * * *
The announcer was explaining the rules of engagement as the knights were being helped onto their steeds. The King had decided that it would be most interesting to watch an all-out melee. Each of the mounted knights would be spaced evenly apart in the large circle that comprised the tournament field. Once the signal was given, the knights would engage in combat until there was only one knight left standing. Special blunted swords and carefully designed maces were given to the knights. In addition, the rules strictly forbade stabbing with any weapon or blows to the head. No knight was allowed to strike an unconscious knight or a knight who had surrendered. All other forms of contact against a knight were acceptable.
Duo Maxwell's heart was beating rapidly. He realized that this was an extraordinary and rare chance for him to demonstrate his fighting prowess to the beautiful vision that had stolen his heart. His eyes searched the royal stands until he saw her sitting with the other princesses. She was dazzling and he felt somewhat light-headed when looking at her. Duo quickly turned away and tried to focus himself. He silently prayed that this light-headedness would soon wear off. The braided youth tried to remember Heero's words about discipline. Duo swore to himself that he would make every effort to prove that he was a real knight.
Duo and his black horse were lead to their designated spot on the tournament field. As the other knights were settling in, he kept his eyes open for both Heero and Wufei. Those would be the two strongest knights on the field and he had to make sure he knew where they were at all times. Duo quickly began studying his nearest opponents and formulated a strategy.
* * * * *
Minako was fiddling with her sleeves. The entire concept of men beating each other senseless did not particularly amuse her. The five princesses from the Alliance Kingdoms were seated at one end of the royal stands, several feet to the left of the King and his family. There were several guards surrounding the King, but there were only a few token guards hovering over the young princesses.
Minako was seated closest to the royal family. On Minako's other side were Rei, Makoto, Ami, and Hotaru at the far end. Their respective attendants were seated behind them.
The trumpets sounded once, twice, and thrice.
Minako looked up when she heard the loud rumbling of galloping horses. She saw the knights charge to the center and met with a thunderous clash. The melee was a confusing swirl of gleaming metal and sounds. There was a loud roar of encouragement from the crowd. She could see the knights attacking each other with almost barbaric abandon. Minako was somewhat disgusted, but at the same time, fascinated as to how any one knight could survive this maelstrom.
* * * * *
It had only started a few minutes ago, but Heero was sweating beneath his heavy armor. After charging into the center, he was immediately met by two other knights. Both those knights were working in unison against Heero. Heero was not terribly surprised at the tactic, and continually maneuvered himself so that he could avoid outflanked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Duo was selectively engaging and disengaging from the melee. The black armored knight was cleverly pacing himself to stay fresh for the conclusion of the melee.
Unfortunately, Heero had no such choice, as he worked furiously against the two knights in front of him.
Heero saw an opening and quickly landed a resounding blow against one of the knights attacking him. The knight reeled backwards as Heero followed it up with another blow that knocked the opponent down to the ground. Heero turned to the other knight.
Heero's remaining opponent apparently did not want to engage him single- handedly, and charged back into the melee, hoping that Heero would not be able to follow.
The young knight with winter blue eyes sought to chase after the escaping knight, but was quickly cut off as he got caught up in another confusing battle involving several other knights. Heero's eyes were constantly scanning the battlefield, watching for attacks from behind and to his flanks.
After another fifteen minutes or so, the field had been reduced to less than a dozen knights who remained engaged in combat. Most of the others that had fallen to the ground were taken to safety when possible. Heero was breathing heavily as he fought at the edge of the small melee.
Heero had caught glimpses of Wufei, who was rabidly attacking any knight that drew close. Wufei had also been hounded and attacked by many different knights, but the ferocity of his attacks kept them at bay.
Meanwhile, the black armored knight had just dispatched another opponent. After Duo had finished his opponent, he simply pulled his horse to the side and waited. The other knights were too busy with their own battles to bother with Duo at the moment.
Heero continued to work on his opponent until he finally knocked him down. The young knight drew a ragged breath and realized that the black armored knight was nearby.
Heero immediately turned his head to look at Duo. The other young knight was still sitting there patiently, looking at Heero.
Did Duo not want to fight him? Heero wondered quietly. No, that's not it. Duo was letting him rest. Duo was granting Heero a moment to catch his breath before they would fight.
The remaining knights were involved in a scuffle a good distance away from the two young knights facing each other.
After a few moments, Duo offered Heero a friendly salute. Then, the black armored knight charged. Heero spurred his horse and headed to meet his friend with a grimace. Their swords met with a loud clash so powerful that it reverberated in Heero's ears. Their metal blades glittered in the warm afternoon sun.
As Heero fought his friend, he noticed that Duo's arms were drooping slightly. Was this merely a deception to make Heero lower his guard? Or to lull Heero to attack carelessly? Although the ideas seemed very possible, however, Heero knew that Duo was too proud to engage in such trickery against his own friend in battle. It was something else.
"What's wrong, Duo?" Heero asked in a neutral voice.
"Nothing!" rasped Duo angrily. "You think so little of me, Heero? I'll take you down yet!"
Heero's ears picked up the unusual breathing from his friend. It was clear that Duo sounded fatigued. But Heero was well aware that Duo had not fought more knights than Heero had. Something else was affecting Duo. Heero's train of thought was temporarily interrupted as Duo managed to launch a furious attack.
Heero continued to examine his friend's movements. The young knight was beginning to suspect that Duo had overextended himself by training with such rigor over the past twenty-four hours. It was clearly evident that Duo was having difficult maintaining his offensive. Even though Duo was a friend, Heero would not go easy on him. It would have been a meaningless fight if Heero did not use all his strength. He knew that Duo would understand. Freed from any doubts, Heero retaliated with renewed effort. Duo's attack quickly broke down under Heero's counterattack. The black knight slowly backed his steed away from the blistering assault.
Heero realized that Duo was still a real threat even in his exhausted state. It was with this knowledge that Heero continued to relentlessly attack. It took another full ten minutes for Heero to wear down Duo's defense. Once Heero penetrated Duo's defense, he sent a powerful blow that knocked Duo unconscious to the ground.
Gasping for breath, Heero turned to scan the field around him. There was only one other knight around. Heero's eyes narrowed as he recognized the fiery blue-green armor of his friend.
"Wufei," Heero acknowledged in a grim voice.
* * * * *
Chang Wufei was exhausted. He had just concluded a small melee with three other knights. The poorly ventilated armor prevented him from breathing any fresh air. The dust that had been kicked up in the battle was now caked on his face and getting in his eyes. Wufei sat on his horse and stared at the white knight facing him. Wufei and Heero had constantly battled each other in training, but it was still unclear as to who was the better warrior. Wufei knew that this battle would not settle the issue.
With a salute, he charged at Heero. The young man let out a battle cry and hoped that he would be able to emerge victorious.
His battle with Heero was not like the skirmishes with the other knights. Heero was careful, deliberate and controlled in his use of the sword. It still amazed him how Heero could move so gracefully beneath all that armor.
But Wufei also realized that Heero was just as exhausted as he was. Perhaps more. He had seen part of Heero's duel with their friend Duo. Duo's tenacity and natural talent had definitely worn down Heero. Wufei understood that if Heero wanted to win this battle, this battle would have to end quickly.
As a result, Wufei changed his tactics. He started parrying most of Heero's attacks, trying to draw out the battle. Wufei noticed Heero's eyes widen with the realization that Wufei was planning to make this a contest of endurance.
In a desperate gamble, Heero suddenly launched a last-ditch assault to end the battle.
But that was what Wufei had been waiting for. As Heero overextended himself on one of his attacks, Wufei blocked the blow. He then charged into Heero and tackled the other knight off his horse. Both friends landed in a loud clatter on the dusty ground.
Wufei had somehow managed to land on top of Heero. He looked down to his friend.
"Do you yield?" Wufei demanded.
"No," Heero answered in a determined voice. He winced suddenly in pain. "But, I think you broke my leg on that fall."
For some reason, Wufei could not help himself as he began to laugh quietly at Heero's almost casual remark. In a matter of seconds, Heero joined his friend in the bizarre laughter.
Two attendants came over and helped the two young knights to their feet. When it was clear that Heero could not stand on his own power, Wufei was declared the victor.
* * * * *
Several attendants had rushed to clean Wufei up to make him presentable for the ceremony to crown a lady with the title of the "Queen of Beauty and of Love". As he was being hastily tidied up, a court official was explaining, in rather painful detail, the ritual for delivering the crown to the lady. It was not proper for a knight to deliver the crown by hand. Instead, the knight was to be mounted on the horse with a lance. The crown would be placed at the tip of his lance. He would deliver the crown to the lady by depositing it with his lance onto her lap.
Meanwhile, both Heero and Duo had been helped out of their armor. The young men were sitting exhausted on a large bench not too far from the tournament field. Duo still looked slightly groggy and was not completely focused.
After a frustrating ten minutes of being pampered by attendants, Wufei was deemed to sufficiently respectable to crown the "Queen of Beauty and of Love". He was helped back onto his steed and given a steel lance. The young knight dipped the lance low enough for the attendant to put the crown on its tip. Wufei lifted up the crown and rode to the center of the field. For this ceremony, he was not allowed to wear his helm. His long black hair was flowing freely, having been taken out of its constricting pony- tail by one of the attendants.
The trumpets sounded.
"The victorious knight will now search for his lady of choice as 'the Queen of Beauty and of Love'!" called out the announcer. There was a collective murmuring from the crowd, especially among the young ladies.
Wufei was cursing as he began to ritually ride the entire circle in front of the spectators. This part of the ceremony was a gesture to show that the victorious knight would carefully make his selection by taking the time to look at all the women. He completed his circle and rode back to the center. He gave the announcer a salute.
"The victorious knight has now completed his search! He will now crown his lady of his choosing as the 'Queen of Beauty and of Love'!" the announcer crowed excitedly. There was a loud cheer from the crowd.
Wufei shook his head in amazement at how easy it was to entertain these spectators.
Wufei had already decided who he wanted to deliver the crown to. There was one particular girl that he wanted to see smile. Wufei nudged his horse to trot towards the royal stands. He veered towards the end where the princesses of the Allied Kingdoms sat.
Wufei halted his horse in front of Princess Hotaru. He looked into her deep violet eyes. Then he noticed her shake her head. It was almost imperceptible, but Wufei could tell that she was shaking her head. Her eyes were pleading with him. She was mouthing the words: "Please, no."
Then it struck Wufei. He realized that Princess Hotaru did not want this attention. She did not wish to be involved in this kind of public display. She was a reserved, private person. Upon understanding this, Wufei nodded to her and nudged his horse towards the other princesses. She offered him a grateful smile as he moved off.
The blue-haired and brunette princesses were looking at their feet shyly. Wufei was now also unsure whether either one of these women wanted the crown. He definitely did not want to impose any unwanted attention on any of Princess Hotaru's friends. This was going to be more difficult than he thought.
Wufei's gaze continued to the next princess. The princess with the long raven hair was pointedly looking away at him. It was more than clear that she wanted to have nothing to do with him.
Sighing, Wufei nudged his horse further down until he saw the deep blue eyes of the stunningly attractive, blond princess. Her eyes and face were completely neutral. It was not clear to Wufei whether or not she was interested in being crowned.
Wufei was growing weary of this ceremony. He wanted it to end. Wufei lifted his lance and deposited the crown on the lap of Princess Aino Minako.
* * * * *
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