In this fun and lively Arabian tale told by Quatre everyone is a prince. In the time honored tradition of 'A Thousand and One Arabian Nights,' the Princes Trowa and Quatre spend a night regally the tale of Princes Zechs, Heero, Duo and Wufei. Prince Zechs is the baddie but he's still oh so good. Rated M to be on the safe side. There is some standard and non-standard pairing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing other more talented people do and they would never want them to be in such pathetic tales. Please don't sue me, this is just a fan fiction written in the spirit of fun not profit.
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Quatre Tales
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"Lies," Trowa said softly. He captured Quatre's waist and pulled the small servant into his pallet. "I know for a fact that Prince Heero is not dead."
Quatre slid from under Trow's body losing his sleeping vest in the process. He looked back to see Trowa watching him almost mockingly. Quatre backed up even further till he was nearly touching the tent.
"You may run and hide," Trowa started to say when Quatre interrupted him.
"But I never tell a lie," Quatre finished.
Trowa stared at him and Quatre was pleased to see a slight puzzled look on his face. He resisted breathing a sigh of relief for the last thing he wanted to do was insult the prince.
"What?"
"That's what the thief always said."
"Who?"
"The thief, who lived in the city of Roma," Quatre added mysteriously.
Trowa sigh impatiently. He had no fear that he would insult his guest, especially since he didn't know who Quatre really was.
"I guess that is also part of the story."
"Yes, the most important part."
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The Thief-
In the city of Roma there was a thief called Duo—Duo Maxwell. He was a street rat, an orphan from as far as he could remember. He wasn't born in this town, actually he didn't know what town he came from or who his parents were for all of his young life he stole to feed himself.
"We need to make this our last pinch," Solo said to Duo as they marked a fruit vendor for their breakfast.
Duo looked puzzled at his friend, brother and confidant. Stealing from the local fruit vendors was something even a two year old could do. They knew that since they had been stealing from these vendors since that time.
"What will we do for supper?" he asked.
"Not this," Solo huffed annoyed. "The next big pinch we do. We're getting too old for this type of lifestyle."
Solo was now twenty to Duo's eighteen and this was not the first time he had said such a thing. Duo sighed and refocused on the vendor. He wanted one of the really red apples on the top of the cart. He didn't want to think about the future.
"My luck it will be overripe and rotten," Duo mumbled to himself.
"We should start a business," Solo continued ignoring Duo's self-absorption with the fruit. "Scavenging—that is what we should do. Look at what got this morning, it's worth a lot of money."
Duo glanced at the sword now hooked through Solo's belt. It was beautiful, real craftsman ship with a hilt that had wings made of silver and gold. They had gotten it from the beach that looked out from the bay to the open ocean. That beach was a hidden secret for truly only a few knew that things from the shallow seas had a tendency to wash up on the shore. Not only the shore but also in the sea cave. The sea cave was only accessible during low tide making it a real treasure trove—if one dared to look.
"Scavenging?" Duo repeated with a shrug. "That sword we found this morning was just luck. Besides, I'm the best."
They both knew what he meant when he said, 'the best,' for Duo was really a good thief. He was the best thief known in the city, hell he was the best thief known in several cities. Like a shadow, Duo could slip in and disappear with the goods. He had pilferage from homes, ships and people. He was so good a thief that he was sometimes called the prince of thieves so it was no idle boast.
"There's no future in it," Solo said angrily. He grabbed Duo by the shoulder and spun him around. "It's wrong. We are taking from others."
Duo was shocked, he never thought of it that way. He gave Solo a stubborn glare and shrugged off his grip. He didn't like feeling guilty.
"You can go scavenge all you like," Duo snapped. "I'm getting that apple."
"Duo," Solo said quietly. "Duo, I can't—I can't keep up with you."
But Duo had already turned away. He knew that Solo wanted him to stop because Solo wasn't that good a thief, he was too big and slow plus he was getting too old to be considered a child. The malnourishment that had kept both him and Solo from growing too big was no longer a factor. Solo now looked like a young man.
"I can take care of both of us," Duo mumbled to himself.
He felt his shoulder grabbed again and Duo turned angrily to Solo. He was so distracted and upset with Solo that he didn't realize that it wasn't Solo who had grabbed him. He found himself staring at the local authority.
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The local magistrate Sir Berker hated thieves. He would raid many legitimate homes if he so much as suspected it held a thieves den. This was another reason why Solo was reconsidering his way of life.
"Well what do we have here," said the magistrate Berker looking at the unkempt scamp in front of him.
At first he thought it was a girl, since the fellow had such a pretty heart shaped face, big purplish blue eyes and hair. He amended that as he got a close look at the young man, his slightly mended clothes and dirty long braid. Berker felt he heart speed up, this was either a thief or a whore.
"I'm just running an errand for my master," Duo said in his best little boy voice.
It was a mistake. Duo knew it as soon as he said the words. He felt dread settle in his stomach as he watched the magistrate give him a lingering and appraising look.
Being able to pass him self off as a woman had many benefits for a thief. It allowed him to get up close to his target where being a man would not have. Also any good thief knew that dressing the part was also important. Duo wasn't wearing a dress but the clothes he was wearing were stylish and well kept. Only on close inspection would someone notice that his pants had been hemmed and he hadn't seen a tub of water in months.
There were also disadvantages and the look in the magistrate's eyes told Duo this was one of them. Duo took a step back only have his wrist seized in a powerful grip. In morbid fascination he watched the man lick his thin dry lips.
"One wonders what a lord would do with such as you," sneered the dark haired magistrate.
"Release me," Duo cried in more fear than he intended as his panic started to sink in.
"No," Berker laughed. "You're too much of a prize. I don't know what the prince will enjoy more the fact that you're a thief or a whore?"
"You release him, sir," Solo snapped as he tapped Berker on the shoulder with their newly acquired sword.
"What's this?" said the dark haired magistrate looking at the weapon. He then glanced at Solo and smiled. It was a cruel smile full of loathing. "Today must be my lucky day. I have two whores and two thieves for the prince to play with."
Solo blanched. Prince Zech's visits to the city always involved cruel punishments to any thieves or prisoners unfortunate enough to have gotten caught. Since, Queen Une enjoyed allowing the prince to stand judgment over the populace when he attended her court.
"How dare you," Solo said with indignant grace.
Berker wasn't fooled. Prince Zechs was coming and had recently survive a shipwreck he seemed to always be in a sour mood lately but with this mishap who knows what kind of mood he will be in. It was better not to find out, especially since Queen Une's reputation for harshness actually superceded the prince's. We better have plenty of prisoners for him when he gets here, Berker thought.
"I said release him," Solo repeated.
Berker answered by reaching for his own sword. He was well trained and knew he could easily best the thief. As his hand closed over empty air Becker looked down to see that his sword was gone. He looked back at the thief and saw that his pretty boy companion was now standing next to him. Berker gaped at the young man then looked to see he was holding a fleshy summer squash. He didn't remember ever letting the thief go, angrily he flung the fruit away.
"Damn you," he snarled.
His sword wasn't the only thing missing. Duo hefted the man's purse playfully in one hand. Solo stood next to him with a grim face, he didn't trust the magistrate even unarmed. If the man did manage to capture them it could easily be a death sentence.
"Come," Solo urged Duo.
He stepped back giving himself more space before turning to run. It was a good thing he did for as he turned Berker lounged for him. The man went sprawling as his trousers fell to his ankles.
Solo jumped in fear and shock as he glanced at Duo. He friend was now holding a thin leather belt that showed much wear. Solo watched Duo dropped the belt on the man's head with a look of disgust of his face.
"You can keep your ugly belt. It is way too big for me," he said.
A small crowd had gathered and Solo could hear them tittering over the magistrate's mishap. In this part of town the man was not well liked, only feared.
"Come, let's go," Solo nearly shouted.
Duo turned and sprinted for the more heavier and densely populated alleyways. He could tell that Solo was unhappy with him. He didn't know why. They were never scared of Berker and his ilk. Duo glanced at Solo and saw he was even grimmer of countenance.
"Why are you so mad?" He was about say when suddenly Solo seemed to trip.
For a second Solo was running next to him, then suddenly he was lying on the ground. Duo sprinted back surprised. As he got closer to his friend he realized what had happened. There sticking out of Solo's back was an arrow bolt.
"Solo!"
Duo grabbed Solo by the shoulders and struggled under his friend's larger and heavier frame. Solo was dead weight and Duo could barely move, then he felt his friend struggle under his own power and the two managed to hobble over to a stable for one of the less expensive Inns.
"There over this way," Berker's voice echoed from behind them. "I hit one of them."
He was close. Duo felt panic sweeping over him. He grabbed at Solo's shoulders only to get shoved away. Duo looked at his friend and gasped in surprise the arrowhead was protruding from the center his Solo's chest.
"Takes this and run," Solo wheezed.
"No," Duo argued, panic made his voice louder than he intended. "I won't leave you."
"Do it, I'm done for," Solo said softly. "You must save yourself."
Solo shoved the gold and silver winged sword into Duo's hands. The blade was light and cool to the touch. Duo nearly dropped it but Solo was adamant
"Use the beach like I showed you." Solo whispered as blood started to slowly drip from his lips. "Promise me."
"You can make it."
"No," Solo coughed. Now blood was pouring freely from his mouth. "Run, hide…never tell a lie."
"No!"
"Promise me," he said as he bonelessly collapses to the ground.
"Solo!" Duo cried.
Now the voices of many soldiers could be heard. Solo's forehead wrinkled in alarm. He didn't have the strength to move. He glanced at Duo's face and saw tears running freely down his cheeks. He smiled for at the moment he felt so loved.
"Big boys don't cry," he whispered and died.
"There they are," the magistrate yelled.
Duo glanced up and for a moment he was tempted to throw his life away. He gripped the beautiful light sword in his hand like a throwing knife, the only weapon he knew how to use, and was tempted to run at the hateful man.
"Stop him," Berker shouted to the guards that had joined him. "Make sure he doesn't get away or suffer Prince Zechs's wrath."
This seemed to awaken something inside him. Even if he did manage to kill Berker the others could capture him. That was the last thing he wanted and he was sure it would be the last thing the Solo would want to happen.
Duo swore and ran. He ran till his breath bellowed out of his chest in great grasping heaves. He ran till the wind made his eyes burn. He ran till he felt sand dragging at his feet. He had ran till he had out ran them all.
Duo collapsed on the beach and cried but no tears would come. He stopped when a wave of water hit him in the face. The cold foam momentarily broke into his mourning and he became aware of his surroundings. It was getting dark. Duo wasn't sure how long he had laid there. He got up to leave when he heard a soft moan from the beneath the sound of the waves.
Duo looked around. The whole beach was quickly becoming submerged in the ocean. Duo took two steps and tripped over what he thought was a pile of seaweed but wasn't. Under closer inspection he realized that it was a man.
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TBC
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Comments
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Whew, it took a while for me to finish the part that introduces Duo. It came out sadder than I intended but it is needed to give his character more purpose. I hope you enjoyed it. I know the story is developing slowly but be patient all the main characters are included.
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Ani