'Kaeptiv
For those of you keeping up with this fic, you may have noticed that I accidentally put up the same chapter twice. (Thanks ShuffleQueen !!!) The system here at is still a little shaky to me so I apologize for any inconvience this may have caused what few fans this fanfic has.
Anyways...enjoy! ;)
This chapter is going to be from George's perspective. Since I plan for most of the story to be in his own POV I felt it only fair to give Marie Louise a couple chapters---although anything could happen. ;)
Once again---I do not own G-Gundam and give all credit to Hajime Yadate and Yoshiyuki Tomina—the geniuses that came up with it---and before I forget (who could?)----Bandai.
Chapter Two---Apres pour Le ChevalierGeorge smiled as he caught the foil in his left hand. Monsieur Pont de Noir was one of the more skilled adversaries that had challenged him so far. He was younger than George---by a fair stretch---near Marie Louise's age. George could tell after a few test parries used to judge his opponent's strength that his only flaw lay in misreading his adversary's next movement. He was sure the young knight had never fought an opponent whose emotion wasn't clear on their face. Chibodee had once remarked that he looked near emotionless when he fought and much to serious to have any real fun. Of course Chibodee always thought he was too serious for his own good.
George flipped the foil and waited for Monsieur Pont de Noir to retrieve it before taking a step back to formally bow with his sword vertical against his chest. Formalities aside, his former challenger spoke, excitement clear in his young voice.
"Monsieur De'Sand, that was amazing! True perfezione! I consider it the highlight of my term as a Knight of Neo-France to be bested by the man who saved her." He gushed with admiration---pulling his padded tunic down a bit.
George had heard this and much more from many a citizen---wealthy and dirt poor--of Neo-France---and still knew he'd never be used to it. It wasn't all that long ago that he was in the same position as the young knight before him---struggling to make his name known and earn a living besides.
He ran a hand through his hair and kept his face down so as not to appear too flustered. "Monsieur Pont de Noir, I thank you for thinking so highly of me, however, I do believe that I did not win the 13th Gundam Fight for Neo-France. I consider myself no better than the other knights who are coming to challenge me. They have the same chance---if not a better one---than I do of winning the next fight." Saying the words he had in mind let George regain whatever composure he needed to look the knight in the eye again.
Monsieur Pont de Noir was taken a back for second---and then let the hilarity of the situation catch up with him. A loud laugh tore through him and bent over to subdue the ache in his stomach. How could one of the men that had saved the world still have such humility? Surely he realized what he had done?
He looked up briefly and saw George's withering glance and knew he had to gain control of himself. He only noticed afterward that his muscles still throbbed with the need of oxygen---but would not let himself shake.
"Monsieur your humility overwhelms me, you are truly a Rose Knight." When George did not reply he rolled his neck around to subdue a cramp that was forming. A flash of pink in the window above made him glance back. Blonde hair---nearly spun gold---green eyes---a pink dress...
His jaw nearly dropped, that's Princess Marie-Louise. Is she...spying---on us none the less? Neo-France's crowned Princess doing something so unproper for a lady of her status?
He saw her make a move to close her curtain, but than appeared to be frozen---in humiliation or surprise he wasn't sure.
"Monsieur De'Sand...you are aquatinted with our Princess Marie-Louise... right?" Still not taking his eyes off the unbelievable sight in the window.
George furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Surely he didn't have any connection to the princess, did he? It wasn't any business of his if he did or not, but he could not deny the feeling he disliked it very much. Noting it would be careless to accuse the young knight, and holding on to some hope he needed to have that it was false, he replied choosing his words carefully.
"Yes, I've been fortunate to have her grace me with her presence many times." Ignoring the bad taste in his mouth the thought produced he asked, "You have interest in our Princess Marie-Louise?"
Monsieur Pont de Noir turned back to George quickly feeling himself grow hot around the collar---both at the tense air from the Rose Knight and the thought of being that well aquatinted with the Princess as George was implying.
"N-no Monsieur De'Sand...I was merely wondering why she was so interested in our joust that she had to resort to taking a seat in the window." He slowly pointed to the window above them.
George turned around quickly and did not expect to see Marie-Louise standing glued to the spot in her bedroom window. His violet eyes were wide with surprise---what on earth was she doing spying in the window? If her father ever found out she was doing something so---George couldn't complete the thought.
He looked into her soft bright green eyes---and was once again amazed at their beauty. The longer he stared the more he felt that her eyes were cutting right through him, seeing the emotion he had underneath the shock. The feeling he got when she had followed him to the 13th Gundam fight. He recognized it as pure elation that she had cared enough to be there watching only him---he reminded himself it wasn't proper to feel that for her or even think at this moment that she were staring at him alone.
The bad taste crept into his mouth again when he thought that quite possibly she could have been spying on Monsieur Pont de Noir. He wasn't that hard on the eyes after all. Someone closer to her own age would be good for her. Though he heard her voice keep saying that age did not matter---her own mother and father had ten years separating them.
Hope---one always had to keep hoping---a lesson he had learned from his experience with the Dark Gundam. He would always hope she felt---cared---for him...
His heart stopped when her eyes darkened to a mesmerizing emerald. Her eyes were making him feel everything five times stronger than before and heat wrapped around him like a glove---making the air he breathed heavy. He could hear his heart beat slowly in his ears and he was nearly overwhelmed by the soft seductiveness in her glittering orbs---with---no---yes---dare he say...lo...
Before he had a chance to stabilize his train of thought she quickly pulled away from the window, and he was left staring at the transparent glass where she once stood.
""Monsieur De'Sand?"
The voice of Monsieur Pont de Noir pulled George's gaze away from the window and he struggled to regain what little composure he had left. "Yes, Monsieur Pont de Noir?"
The young Knight shook his head, "Can I speak frankly, Monsieur?"
George sighed and relaxed his position a bit---leaning all his weight on his right leg. "Of course."
Monsieur Pont de Noir put a hand on the back of his head before saying, "Monsieur, you may not consider yourself a knight worthy of Neo-France's praise, but I must say that if the eye of the Princess Marie-Louise isn't enough to convince you of how lucky a man you are, then I don't know what will."
"You..."
Without letting George finish he bowed deeply, paused there for second, and turned on his heel to walk away.
George sighed deeply and let his head hang---his orange hair draping over his face. In dismay, he thought Monsieur Pont de Noir the lucky man, for in truth, the Princess had her eye on him---George was sure, and wouldn't let himself think otherwise.
He pushed the nagging of his mind away from her and the emotion in her eyes---unless he wished to be standing there in thought another hour. In which case he would be late for the object had had to pay attention to at the present time---Le Bal.
French Translation:
-'Kaeptiv: Captive
-Apres pour Le Chevalier: After for the Knight
-Perfezoine: Perfection
-Le Bal: The ball (or dance)
For anyone who's curious in the first chapter Madame Bleu's name translated to English is Mrs. Blue (I know that's very creative of me!) Mosieur Pont de Noir translates to Mr. Bridge of Black (Sounds way cooler in French, right?)
So ends another chapter! I really didn't expect to get so many good reviews!
O.K. two isn't so much, but for someone who just started on it means a lot!
A huge Thank-You and hug to SporkGoddess and ShuffleQueen! ;)
I may not get this next chapter up as quickly, b/c school starts in three days! :::sigh::::
But I will try to post the next chapter as soon as possible! Thanks!
Chapter Three: Le Bal
Emerald-Velvet-Touch