Disclaimer: This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A big Thank You to KT who is taking time out of her busy schedule to help me proofread this story.

The Dragon King

Book 1- Of New Kings and New Friends

Chapter 11

A stray ray of sunlight slowly moved across the wide bed until it eventually tickled Wufei's nose, causing the boy to moan in protest. His eyelids fluttered then opened slowly as he woke. For a brief moment he felt disoriented. Dark brows knitted in confusion as he tried to remember how he got into bed.

"Are you awake?"

Startled Wufei jerked up but regretted it instantly when he was overcome by a wave of dizziness. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the vertigo to dissipate.

In the chair beside the bed the king dropped the book he had been reading from, as he jumped to his feet. "Wufei, are you feeling well?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

The boy nodded cautiously. "Just a little lightheaded." His right hand came up to gingerly probe a spot at the back of his head. Beneath his fingertips he could feel a small, but painful swelling. "I think, I might have hit my head."

"You do not remember what happened?"

"No." Ever so slightly Wufei shook his head. "I mean yes, I do remember the two of us visiting the market place. But I cannot recall what happened later. How…?" He was about to ask how he got back into his room when a low growl from the pit of his stomach interrupted him and sent a slight flush into his cheeks. "I am sorry."

"Do not be. It is nothing to apologize for," Treize assured him with a soft smile. "It is almost noon; I am not surprised you are starving. Let me call for someone to fetch you something to eat at once."

"Thank you." Wufei pushed himself up into a sitting position and fluffed up the pillows behind his back as he watched the king step out into the hall and talk to one of the guards posted there.

"Still feeling dizzy?" Treize inquired when he turned back toward the boy.

"No, it is better now."

"I am relieved to hear it." The tawny-haired dragon knight picked up the book he had dropped earlier, settled back down in the chair next to the bed, and folded his hands in his lap. "Wufei, while we are waiting for your food to be brought up, would you mind telling me how much you do remember about last night?"

"Umm… sure, what do you want me to tell you?"

"Everything…everything you remember."

"Very good," Wufei gave a sharp nod. "After we sneaked out of the Inn we went to the tavern where we had supper and that big woman kept patting my head..." He paused, looking at the older man questioningly. "Would you like to know what we ate and drank, too?"

A tiny smile curved the king's lips as he replied. "I believe that will not be necessary. Please, continue from the point where we split up."

"Hmm… After you told me to go ahead and that you would catch up with me soon, I looked at some of the things the vendors were selling."

"Yes, and there was one who had some particular beautifully crafted weapons for display, do you remember that?" Treize prodded.

"Right." The boy nodded again. "There was one dagger that I really liked. It was curved and had carvings all over the handle… The man said I had very good taste and asked if I wanted to take a closer look. I think he must have seen us together."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because he said the dagger looked like it was made for me and that I should try to convince my father to buy it. Then he handed me the weapon and at the moment I touched it…"

"Yes?"

"It was strange, like a flash of lightning went through my body. I felt sick and my head was spinning. For a short moment I was dreaming and then everything went black. And next thing I remember is waking up in my bed."

"What do you mean by 'dreaming'?" Treize asked curiously.

"Hmm, well… I was seeing things in my mind. You know, like when you are dreaming."

"Fascinating! Tell me more about it," the king asked at just the same moment as someone knocked at the door. "On second thought, let us talk about it later." He rose to his feet to answer the door. "That should be your breakfast. You should eat first."

#

Standing by the window. watching a pair of white doves building their nest in a nearby tree, Treize waited patiently for the boy to finish his meal. Finally Wufei put down his spoon and pushed away the tray. He had eaten a large bowl of porridge, some scrambled eggs on bread and nearly all the berries on his plate but he had barely touched the cup of steaming hot tea.

"Drink the tea!"

"But…," the boy wrinkled his nose in revulsion, as he complained: "It tastes terrible."

"I know; drink it anyway," the king insisted. "The healer said it will do you good."

"Yes, Sir." Wufei sighed but obediently reached for the cup, raised it to his lips and drained it in one big gulp. The drink tasted a lot like tree bark and... no, he really did not want to know what else the healer might have put into the brew.

"Good boy!" Treize praised as he picked up the empty dishes and moved them to the table by the window before settling down again in the chair next to the boy's bed. "So," he asked curiously. "What was it you were saying about that dream you were having?"

"I saw things; mountains and forests, places that seemed strangely familiar but I do not think I have ever been there before. I really cannot remember much, but I think I was flying. Strange, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm…," Treize paused thoughtfully. "According to the star diviner, dreams can be either memories or prophecies, or even a mix thereof. Perhaps what you saw were the places you recall from when you were traveling as a little boy with your parents. Is it possible?"

"Maybe, I am not sure; it all came and went so fast."

"Well," the king smiled as he reached out to pat Wufei's head. "Let us not worry about it, shall we? You should try to get some more rest, while I go and tell Zechs to start preparing for our departure."

As Treize rose from his chair and headed for the door Wufei stared down in his lap.

"Umm…" Finally he cleared his throat and looked up, causing the king to hold his step and turn his head.

"Yes?" He asked.

"We will be leaving soon?"

Treize nodded in confirmation. "As soon as you feel up to it."

"I will not be able to see Triton after all, then?" The disappointment in Wufei's voice was hard to miss.

The king turned completely to face the boy. "Not this time, I am afraid. But you will see them again," he promised. "I will make sure of it."

"By the way, how did I get to my room and into bed? Did you carry me back?" Wufei wanted to know.

"No actually, Zechs did. You probably should thank him the next time you see him."

"Yes, Sir."

#####

"Hey, you there… Boy!"

Triton paused and lowered the brush he was using to comb Kin's thick golden fur, as he turned his head. The man who had called out to him was tall, dark-haired and wearing a gray and blue uniform.

The saber cat, chained up between two large canvas tents, bared his fangs and snarled, indicating that he was anything but pleased about the interruption. Triton rubbed the palm of his hand against the feline's soft ear and the snarl turned into a deep satisfied purr.

"How can I help you, my Lord?"

"I need to speak to whoever is in charge of the troupe."

"That would be my sister," the lad told him. "Catherine! Catherine!" he called out.

Only moments later a young woman with long red hair stepped out of the larger of the two tents. "What in the world are you yelling about, Triton?" she scolded. "Don't you know that people are still trying to sleep?"

Her brother gestured toward the uniform-clad stranger. "Someone is asking to see you."

Catherine eyed the man warily as she stepped closer. Soldiers and guardsmen almost always meant trouble. "We have permission to be here," she told him. "I spoke to the town's captain and paid the levy myself yesterday."

"Permits and tolls are not my concern, my lady," the man assured her. "That's not why I'm here."

"Not?" she asked. "Then why are you here?"

"I came to make a delivery," he replied as he pulled out a letter from under his coat and handed it to the young woman.

Surprised, Catherine turned to paper over and looked at the seal.

"Who is it from?" Her brother wanted to know.

"This is… the royal seal of Galados. The letter is from his Majesty the King." Catherine almost couldn't believe her eyes.

"Well, open it up and read," Triton urged impatiently. "What does it say?"

Still puzzled Catherine broke the seal and unfolded the paper. Her eyes moved quickly over the elegantly written lines. "His Majesty writes about how much he enjoyed our show at the Dragon Shrine; so much so that he is inviting us to the Royal Palace to perform at the upcoming Harvest Festival."

"The Royal Palace?" her brother echoed. "The whole troupe?"

"It certainly sounds like it," the young woman confirmed. "The Harvest Festival is not held for another two moon cycles; I think we should be able to put together a whole new act before then. What do you think, Triton?"

The boy nodded. "I know Kin and Kuri and I can."

"I take it this means you will be accepting the king's invitation then?" the royal guard asked.

"But of course, how could we not? It is such an honor."

"In that case…" The man pulled another small package from his coat. "I'm supposed to give you this as well."

Curiously Catherine removed the silky wrappings and was left with a small, oval piece of polished stone. "A travel pass?" she asked surprised as she checked the colorful engraved writing on one side before turning it over to reveal an engraving of the royal seal on the other.

The guard nodded in confirmation. "As you see it bares his majesty's seal. It shows that you are traveling under his personal protection and, as long as you have this pass, you should have no trouble traveling safely within the kingdom of Galados."

"Please tell his Majesty…" Catherine played with the token in her hand as she spoke. "We are grateful and honored, and we are looking forward to entertaining him with our performance at the Harvest Festival."

"My lady." The guard gave her and Triton a crisp nod before he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Triton this is wonderful!" The young woman flew toward her brother, embraced him and hugged him tightly. "If we can stay at the capital for a week or two after the festival, we should be able to make enough money to not have to worry about food and lodging this winter."

Somewhat embarrassed the boy struggled in her arms and mumbled something about not being able to breathe. "Kin," he called out as his sister ruffled his hair teasingly. "I could use some help here."

The feline gave a low growl, then decided that he had done more than enough to help his young master, and went back to leisurely cleaning his large paws with his tongue.

#####

"Your Highness!" Moving his twin swords aside with his left hand, the tall dark-haired man went down on one knee in front of the king. "I received word that you asked to see me?"

From his position on the throne Dekim Barton gazed down at the knight. For a brief moment, his eyes fell upon the two deadly blades, and he wondered why the guards didn't disarm the man before allowing him to enter the throne room. But then again, Odin Lowe was not one easily separated from his weapons, he reckoned.

"Rise, Lord Odin," he said, his voice calm and deep. "It has been a long time, has it not?"

"Indeed," the other man confirmed as he rose to his feet. He straightened his weapon belt and looked around. Not much had changed since the last time he stood in front of the throne. Therewas of course one difference; back then Octavius was still king.

His gaze fell upon the heavy gold woven tapestry behind the throne and his trained eyes noticed the slightest movements; indicating that they weren't as alone in the room as it seemed.

"Truth be told…," the king spoke again. "We had expected to see you at our brother's funeral, my lord."

"My apologies," Odin replied with a respectful indication of the bow. "I had… business to tend to in the far north of Lhankor when I got word of his passing; too far away to reach the capital in time for the ceremony."

"Business for Octavius, we presume?" Dekim asked, and when that other man did not answer he continued, "Lord Odin, we know that our brother thought highly of you and your… expertise. He considered you one of his most trusted supporters. We can only hope that now we will be receiving the same support and loyalty from you."

"Your Majesty, I assure you… no, I guarantee that you will find my loyalties have and, always will, lie with Lhankor."

There was a brief moment of silence before Dekim put on an almost forced smile. "That is good to know, Lord Odin. Now to a very different matter…Word has it you are not traveling alone these days. Out of pure curiosity, is the boy your son?"

"Who knows?" the dark-haired knight replied evasively was a nonchalant shrug. "I would like to think of him as an apprentice of sorts."

"An apprentice?" The king echoed. "Interesting. Well, we are sure that there are many things he can learn from you. But of course, you know what they say don't you? 'It takes a village to raise a child.' Perhaps the Royal Academy would be more suitable place for him…"

"I appreciate the generous offer, your Majesty, but I assure you I am more than capable of providing the boy with anything he needs right now."

"We were in no way trying to imply that you could not, Lord Odin. We apologize if we have offended you."

"No offense taken, Your Majesty." Odin replied curtly.

"Well then, you had a long trip and must be exhausted. We will have someone show you to your quarters."

"Thank you, but that will not be necessary. Unless there is anything else to discuss, I shall be on my way again."

"Very well, but at least tell us how and where to find you if need be."

"Do not worry, if need be I will find you, Your Majesty?" With a curt nod, and the suggestion of a bow Odin Lowe turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

No sooner than the heavy doors to the throne room had closed behind the dark-haired knight, the tapestry behind the king's throne was moved aside to reveal a large hidden alcove in the wall. A man clad in dark robes, with a pointy nose and shoulder-long white hair stepped out of the shadows.

"I do not trust him."

"Neither do I." The king turned his head to face his advisor. "He is dangerous, very dangerous."

"Do you truly believe the lad who is traveling with him is Octavius' son?"

Dekim gave a short, humorless laugh. "That would be just like my brother; leaving his own successor in the care of his personal assassin."

#####

"Are you certain you will be fine?" Treize eyed the boy warily as Wufei slipped off the wide four-poster bed and crouched down to put on his shoes. "You know, it would really be no problem whatsoever for Zechs or myself to carry you."

"That will not be necessary. I can walk, really." The mere thought of being carried around like a little babe sent a slight hue of crimson into Wufei's cheeks.

The king remained skeptical. "No more dizziness?" he asked. "I just do not want you to faint again."

"I am feeling perfectly fine." Wufei assured him. "And it is only a short walk."

"The boy is right, you know." Zechs, who had entered the room just moments before, agreed. "It is not like he will be going on a long hike; just downstairs and to the carriage. Which is… coincidentally… ready and waiting for you, Your Highness."

"Very well then," Treize finally sighed in defeat, realizing that he was outnumbered. "Let us be sure to not leave anything behind, shall we." As they left the room and started toward the stairs he turned toward his bodyguard. "By the way, do you know if Bast has returned from the little…errand I sent him on?"

"I have not seen him," Zechs replied. "But even if he does not get back by the time we leave, he should catch up with us soon."

For a moment Wufei wondered what kind of errand the king was talking about but he did not dare ask about it.

A small crowd had gathered outside the Inn when the king and his ward stepped onto the street. Just as he had at their arrival Zechs ushered them into the waiting carriage without delay. He signaled for the driver to get moving as soon as the doors had closed. Although they were traveling in the heart of Galados, there was always a small possibility that someone could try to assassinate his Highness, and as far as he was concerned a target in motion was much harder to hit than a stationary object.

Treize closed the curtains and yawned behind his hand as he made himself comfortable for the long drive. "I think I will try to get a little more sleep. Perhaps you should too."

"But I have been sleeping all morning," the boy pointed out.

"True enough," the king agreed, stifling another yawn. He pulled his cloak tightly around himself, propped one of the overstuffed seat cushions against the wall and leaned his head against it.

Wufei watched him for a few moments but quickly became bored. He pulled out the book, he had started to read the other day, from the compartment beneath the seat and moved the curtains on the left side just far enough to allow a ray of light to reach his book without bothering the sleeping king.

For a long time it was very quiet inside the carriage; the silence interrupted occasionally by the sound of a page being flipped. After what seemed like forever to the boy, Treize stirred, opening one of his eyes lazily. "What are you reading?" he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"A book about the Dragon Alliance; Headmistress Une gave it to me before we left the Shrine."

"And…?" the king asked, finally opening his other eye as well. "Is it any good?"

"Uh huh," Wufei nodded enthusiastically. "I never knew that there were seven kingdoms in the Dragon Alliance at one time."

"Ah, right." Treize stretched as he straightened up and put the cushion back down on the seat next to him. "Rhoswen left the Alliance soon after the Great War due to some disagreements between its king and the other Dragon Knights."

"What kind of disagreements?"

"I am not quite sure, really. I'm afraid it was a little before my time."

"More than just a little," the boy chuckled. The war against Romefeller, or the Great War as it was called, was fought several millennia ago. Not even a Dragon Knight livea that long.

"Let's get some light in here, shall we."

The king pulled open the curtain at the window on the left while Wufei did the same on the other side. In the distance the boy could see the outer walls of a town. It was small compared to Thiria, he realized the moment they passed through the heavy gates. The roads were narrow and dirty were in Thiria they had been wide and paved with cobblestones. The only tavern Wufei could see looked so run down that Zechs wouldn't even consider stopping there for supper; even so the sun was already starting to set. Instead they traveled for several more miles before reaching a large clearing near the road.

As the carriage came to a halt Wufei could hear Zechs bark out orders, telling some of the men to set up camp and others to take the horses down to a nearby stream. Curiously he stuck his head out of the window, and then looked back over his shoulder at Treize. "Are we going to spend the night here?"

"That is correct." The king nodded. "And tomorrow…tomorrow we will reach the capital."

#####

Night had long fallen and the forest was illuminated only by the pale light of a sickle moon when Odin Lowe reached the campsite where he had left his… apprentice to wait for his return.

A fire was burning, a large pot bubbling above it and his pack-horse, a dun mare, was grazing beneath the tree she was tethered to. But there was no sign of the boy. Dark eyes narrowed, the knight checked his surroundings warily as he dismounted. His gaze once again went to the crackling fire. The flames had barely touched the top logs, a sign that someone had added the wood only a short time ago.

He took one guarded step then another. A slight snapping sound alerted him but he had barely time to reach for his weapon before a shadow detached itself from the tree above him. The impact knocked the dark-haired man onto his back, and the rough blade of a wooden sword was pressed against his throat almost simultaneously. Holding the sword and kneeling above him was a boy, about ten or eleven years of age with dark unruly hair. The boy didn't speak but there was something like a triumphant glint in his blue eyes.

Odin snorted. He pulled up his legs and shoved the lad away. As he pushed himself up from the ground and jumped to his feet while pulling the longer one of his two swords at the same moment.

Scrambling backward the boy held up his own weapon in defense just as the hark-haired man swung at him. But the razor-sharp blade cut through the wood like a knife through butter and Heero was left with little more than the hilt in his hand.

With another snort Odin sheathed his weapon and turned away. "Did I not tell to you to never attack someone, unless you are willing to kill him?"

"Yes, Sir." Heero replied quietly as he got to his feet, brushing away dirt and pine needles from his clothes.

His guardian walked over to the fire without another word, looked into the bubbling pot and began to stir it.

"You checked the traps we set yesterday?" he finally asked with a look over his shoulder.

The boy nodded as he stepped closer. "Yes, Sir."

A deer had gotten itself caught in one of them. The buck was already dead by the time he had found it. After skinning and cutting it into pieces just the way he had been taught, he had taken enough meat to last them for a day or two back to their camp, leaving the rest behind for the wild animals.

"Seems to be ready, let's eat." Odin cursed quietly when he burned his tongue trying to taste the stew.

The boy grabbed a couple of wooden bowls from one of their packs and handed them off to the older man to be filled. He settled down by the fire, his bowl in his lap, and for the longest time nobody spoke a word.

The dark-haired knight eventually looked up and through the flames at Heero. "You are not even going to ask me why I went to the Royal Palace today?"

"If it is something I should know, I am sure you would have told me."

Odin gave a little grunt and shook his head. "You are a strange kid, you know that?" he announced, earning himself a questioning look from his companion. "Ah, I almost forgot…" He put down his bowl, rose to his feet and walked to where his mount was grazing. "Here, catch," he called out as he pulled a cloth-wrapped package from the saddlebag.

Heero nearly spilled his stew as he jumped up but he managed to grab hold of the bundle before it could fall to the ground. "For me?" He frowned in a mixture of surprise and amazement.

"Are you not at least going to open it?" Odin asked when the boy just stood there.

"Ah, right." He quickly ripped away the wrappings, and his jaw nearly dropped at the sight of a sword encased in a leather scabbard. Both, the weapon itself and its scabbard were plain looking and devoid of any engravings or decorations, but to Heero it was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen. "For me?" he asked once again.

"You are getting a little too old to play around with wooden sticks, don't you think?" Odon replied in his usual indifferent way. "Now, do not just stand there. Pull it out! Let's see how you can handle it."

T.B.C.

Author's Note: In addition to writing I have been playing around with my legos lately. In fact I'm creating some MOCs (MyOwnCreations) based on Dragon King. It will probably take as long to complete as the story will take to write. For the moment I have about half of the Capital of Galados build along with several of the characters.

Unfortunately doesn't allow me to post links inside the story, but you can find a link in my bios page if you would like to check out my creations. Let me know what you think.