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"The Rovers"Written By: Kaeru Shisho Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing
or its characters, nor do I make any monetary profit off this story. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, Romance, Adventure Pairings: ? Summary: The characters from Gundam Wing find love amid the perils of war, oh… and they save the world while they're at it. The story is set in an alternative universe on earth. Part One is told from Heero's point of view. We meet the roving people with a hidden agenda, and the men hunting them. In Part Two, things go wild and…well, let's just get through these first four chapters of Part One and see how it goes. Thanks to Waterlily for reading and offering her
advice not just once but twice—and when you get through part
two you see just how long a story this is and just how much I owe
her! Hope the exchange rate is in my favor… "The Rovers " Part One Chapter 1 - No Good Deed Goes Unpunished "Heeeeeelp!' I heard the scream after I'd already taken an offensive position. "Stay down!" I told the boy. The bandits wouldn't rob this rider, not with me to protect him. Not with Heero the Assassin on duty. I aimed, but the outlaw moved, a long tail of hair streaming past him, distracting me enough that my shot went wide. So much for Heero the Assassin! When had I become so easily side-tracked? I cursed and re-loaded my rifle, wishing it were more reliable, angry that I'd wasted what might be my best chance at hitting the robber. The long-haired man must have caught my movement out of the corner of his eye; he fired directly in our direction. I leaped to protect his prey and took the shot to my arm. I felt the burn of fire like no shot of iron I'd ever felt before and shut it out of my mind. Luckily, it wasn't my shooting arm. Not that it would have disrupted my shooting noticeably—I was accurate with either hand. "Ugh!" I grunted while leveling my next shot for right between his eyes and froze. His firearm was poised to take off my head in trade. It glowed. It pulsed. I'd never seen anything like it before. I had to force myself to focus on the task at hand. But that gun! We were at an impasse not in my favor. "Go," I whispered back to the rider whose life I was exchanging for mine, "Go and find your horse. Hurry!" Instead of following instructions, the slim form of the young rider I'd been protecting dashed around, inserting himself in front of me. "Don't hurt him!" he yelled. "Say what?" said the attacker. I was pleased to see he looked as bewildered as I felt. From the shadows of the trees came another voice, this one addressing the bandit. "Yo, Shini. Give it up. Let's get the fuck out of here." I noticed the long bow of an archer, someone who could have shot me at any time. And something frightening about it. The bow was compact yet...compound with gears and strings pulled taught inside it. It looked deadly just being held. I wasn't curious enough to do something stupid and see it in action. The odds hadn't been in my favor at all. "No! I shot him! He's going into shock and we can take her captive," the long-haired bandit insisted. "And I kinda wanna keep him, too." Shock? Me? No way. Wait, he said 'her'. Her? I blinked away the pain in my arm and continued to keep my focus on the one holding the weird gun on me. "Shini?" I said, rolling the name over on my tongue. Shinigami? Shinigami and Shadow? That notorious duo? They were trying to capture this young man, who was a girl, riding through the countryside? My confusion was apparent, but I knew the Shini man was wrong about one thing—I wasn't going into shock because of a mere bullet graze, or whatever it was. It was because of Shini himself. He was charismatic. I felt his allure igniting a fire within me. Bright blues eyes and that ridiculous braid I wanted wrapped around my waist... a lean, hard body that billowing sleeves and loose pants couldn't hide... I wanted it, him, pressed up against me. "Heh, heh." The low chuckle bubbled out from the shadows—the archer. "That's not shock from loss of blood. He's stunned by your... beauty. Now, c'mon, before he changes his mind and pulls the trigger. That half-ass rifle just might go off, and I'd rather not carry your dead body back to camp if I can help it." I blinked and the figure was gone from view and I was left with the rider I'd "saved". "Who are you?" I demanded of... her. I just remembered it was a girl in my arms! "Me?" she asked, and had the damned nerve to smile. My anger didn't diminish her sudden ardor; I took it as that from the flushed cheeks. I glared down into watery blue eyes and pretty, straight teeth. "What does it matter?" she asked with all the innocence a young maiden should possess. "You came out of nowhere and saved me from those brutal outlaws. You're my hero!" she declared. "Oh? A minute ago I was the bad guy. Why did you do that? You could have been killed!" I released her before I shook her to death. "But I wasn't. I surprised them." "If you say so." "But, you were very brave." "Right. Here, hop up." I helped her onto my horse. "First, we'll look for the horse you were riding, and then I'll see that you return to your home safely." "If you say so," she giggled. "Those men weren't robbers. I overheard one say they had been attempting to capture you, which means two things." "Two? And they are?" she asked, smiling. Even though I felt she was being patronizing, I went on giving her advice. "They know your patterns. I recommend you no longer ride this way. Take different routes. It probably wouldn't hurt to travel with a companion as well." "I see. Are you offering your services? As a traveling companion, naturally." "N-no, no-" I stumbled over the words to clarify that, and then decided the single word was sufficient. I ignored her pout. "The second point. If they were trying to capture you, then it is reasonable to assume your family is one of wealth and standing in the community and that they could be pressured to pay for your safe return." "Oh, I understand. You want payment for your brave act?" she asked. Not that it wouldn't hurt to have a little pocket money, but... "No, I don't. I am in service to Lombardia. I guard the roads against outlaws that threaten the free trade." "In other words," she said, "you were just doing your job?" "That is correct." "I believe I can offer you a better one," she said. "Hn." I didn't want to argue with her, but I was okay with the job I had. I was saved further conversation when my horse called to hers. "There's your horse." I collected the stray mare, helped the little miss change mounts, and soon we were ready to ride. "Lombardia is over the rise back that way. This is Sanc," she said. "Yes, I'm a little... out of—" "Out of your jurisdiction, I should say." Her eyes twinkled with spirit. "Well, yeah, but—" I stopped, seeing that she was just having fun teasing me a little. "Which direction is your village?" I asked. She giggled and pointed in the direction of the main road. "That way until it ends." "It ends at the Sanc Palace." "And that is where I live. My name is Relena Peacecraft." I had saved a member of the royal family from the hands of the infamous Shinigami and Shadow! Since no good deed goes unpunished, I was no longer to be a simple assassin for hire; I was conscripted (she called it an award of great honor) into the army of the Sanc Kingdom, duty-bound to Princess Relena Peacecraft. I was from that time onwards Captain Heero Yuy of the Elite Royal Guard. (o) Travel Orders I received on-the-job training, which included the formal procedures royalty expected. A lot of pomp and show and unnecessary pawing and scraping. I couldn't imagine a down-to-earth girl like Relena being impressed by all that rigmarole. I was wrong about that. Shows what I know about women. Perimeter guard service wasn't a far cry from what I had been providing as a mercenary in the kingdom of Lombardia. Being a princess's bodyguard was a different kind of challenge. Relena's ancient uncle ruled Lombardia, and that kingdom and Sanc had co-existed as friendly neighbors for centuries. This was surprising because Sanc was a land of pacifists and the other more aggressive, going as far as their expansion into boarding kingdoms could take them—but that, essentially, marked the primary difference between the king of Sanc and Duke Dermail of Lombardia. Being a part of the Royal Guard meant that from that point on, my life took a new direction, one in which I reported to Relena's older brother, Prince Milliardo Peacecraft, at the Sanc Palace. Although that was his title, he went by the name Colonel Zechs Merquise. The guardsmen were close-knit and kept well-informed about the palace intrigues. Dermail had a daughter, Dorothy, who was best of friends with Relena and was a frequent guest at the palace, so I became familiar with both ladies' characters. I admired Relena's directness, but Dorothy's not at all. Where Relena was thoughtful and kind, Dorothy had a cruel streak. Relena's judgment was based on a firm foundation of wisdom, while Dorothy's was flawed by impatience and immediacy. I believed that she might eventually influence Relena's opinions, and not in a favorable way. I mentioned this to Zechs, nothing formal, just a mention, and after that Dorothy's presence was drastically reduced. Relena might have missed her friend; I wasn't told if she did or didn't. I felt a little guilty, but not much. It was for the best. And so, time passed in routine and relative comfort and safety. Until General Khushrenada ensconced himself in the palace. (o) Assignment Relena looked at me expectantly. She often did. I felt her fascination for me was strange, and had it been actual affection it would have been completely inappropriate. Even if her attention didn't go overboard, it made me uncomfortable at times. A captain in her guard being singled out? Her brother seemed to accept our uneven friendship one day and hold it against me the next. He was a tough man to read, so I didn't try. I examined her attire this day, wondering if I looked suitable. She wore a print silk dress and pearls, her hair expensively styled. "You look very nice. Do I look all right?" I asked, questioning if I'd made the transitions from dusty traveler to court guard to tea party guest successfully. I felt a fraud. "Yes," she beamed. "You look marvelous. My brother has everything planned today, even a meeting with General Khushrenada himself." That I wasn't prepared for. It was daunting to think there was anything I could contribute to a meeting with the general, but my curiosity to see the man in military control of most of the Sanc Kingdom and its surrounding colonies meant I couldn't turn down the opportunity. "His power seems to be growing. This isn't Lombardia. I thought Sanc a pacifist kingdom." "Oh, it is! Father and Treize just want us to keep a firm profile." Her response sounded of earnest assurances and her faith in the goodness of her step-father, the king. I didn't argue. I would observe and draw my own conclusions. I offered her my arm and felt weighed down by her daintiness. She led me to afternoon tea outside the palace, at the prince's house, an unofficial celebration of summer's advent in the garden. "Sir," I greeted her brother with a quick snap of salute. He surprised me by reaching out to shake my hand. "Today our relationship changes, I'm to understand." That sent off alarm bells in my head! My watchful expression must have been noticeable. He smiled and said, "But a garden stroll and refreshments first- work comes after." "I appreciate that," I said, and I meant it. Food rarely came before duty. Zechs Merquise was a prince, in line to inherit the throne from his infirm father- so far as I'd been given to understand. I couldn't not notice the fine bone structure of his face and flinty grey-blue eyes surrounded by miles and miles of silky blond hair. He wore a fine, cashmere vest beneath his elegantly cut jacket and his hand was like ice when I shook it. I reminded myself that I reported to this man, and had no idea what I was that he thought our relationship could change to. Oh, my imagination took a side route all of a sudden, and pictures of him doing unseemly, passionate things to me flashed across my mind. Not that I wanted that to happen, but it wasn't the worst thing. "All right." I said in the flattest tone I could manage. I think I gave away nothing of my mind's wild detour. Mostly, the roses were red, with two exceptions. The stars of the show were two flowers that spread across the brick walls that enclosed the terrace: "Madame Alfred Carrière, white flowers touched with pale pink—a perfect noisette," Zechs told us, "planted by Khushrenada with his own hands—and this one is Gloire de Dijon, soft yellow with tones of apricot." Stupid roses. Really? We had tea on delicate china with tiny triangular sandwiches and whimsically frosted cakes. Relena carried most of the conversation. She truly looked very pretty, but my eyes were drawn to Zechs. Leading the guard, he kept a grim face and tied back his hair in a neat tail. On horseback, he was very grand and on foot he looked ready to be king. Zechs was nearly a foot taller than I and had a long-legged stride few men kept pace with. Not I, easily. Broad shoulders; trim waist; cut build. A man's build. Today, he wore his hair in a free-flowing waterfall of straw-colored silk shot with silver-white. It tumbled off his shoulders and past his waist. I loved long hair, but I kept mine short because it was easier to care for. I tried not to stare at him too much- with dubious success. He was attractive and my eyes kept returning to observe him. He had a nervous habit, I noticed, of tossing his mane over his shoulder, horse-like, actually. Nervous or possibly a trick to gain people's attention. I couldn't decide. He didn't eat as much as move his food around on his plate to make designs. He was very striking in appearance, making me feel very plain with my messy dark hair. "Zechs," Relena chastised him gently, "don't waste good food." "Forgive me." He smiled slightly. Polite as he was, he said very little, and seemed distracted. "I do hate to rush us," he said leaning toward me, "but it's time to meet him." The General. The man doing what Zechs, the prince of the land, himself was fully capable now that he was no longer a boy, in my opinion. With Zechs leading all the armies, Relena could be the figurehead at home. That seemed right and sufficient. Khushrenada had recently been brought in from the North Country by the king. I was uncomfortable with his reliance on troop counts and unsure why Sanc needed all these armies. Maybe the aging king wanted a show of power and strength? I didn't see why he kept the man on now that Zechs and Relena were grown up. But then who was I? Zechs ushered me down the hallway to the map room, looking excited to get out and do something. Palace life, I had determined, had put him into the caged-animal mind-state growing more despondent as each day of inactivity passed. "General Treize Khushrenada will summon us shortly. He wants us to rescue the ambassador from L5, whom he believes was kidnapped by a band of Rovers. We are to capture them as well." "You, me and who else?" I asked, wanting the complete picture of the clumsy assemblage about to be sent on a fools' mission where one, me, would go. "Just us, with a small retinue, is what I am to understand. Here is where the Rovers were last known to congregate." I stared at the map. "This is the relationship change you were referring to, I take it?" It wasn't a question and he just let it ride as obvious fact. I examined the rough topography. Oh, only a valley, glacier capped mountain range, coastal range and valley away- a wide expanse of territory to cover. "That could take us into next year! Maybe longer." "I realize that, but he might not. Give it your best." It came out as more of a plea than an order. I was not impressed with this strategy from the Prince of Sanc. Why he let Khushrenada push him around and dictate what he should do? It was incomprehensible to me. And if the ambassador from L5 had allowed himself to be captured by a pack of wild heathens, then he was a wimp, too. My case had been entirely different. I had been defending Relena at the time, or thought I had. It was different. Entirely. "All right." I knew the land and roads. I'd make it happen. A young member of the guard knocked and entered the map room. "Your presence is required." "Thank you, Liam. The summoning," Zechs grumbled under his breath. He rolled up my marked-up map in a state of agitation. "I would much rather be investigating why L5 is restless enough to be sending out emissaries to remote places, and visit that colony. There is trouble brewing in many of the colonies. I should be leading troops to those locations, not this fools' errand-!" He shook his head, clearing away the frustration, I supposed. "At least we are prepared to discuss our route; although some advance notice and we could do better." Agreeing that the privileged always made demands at inconvenient times, I said aloud, "I'm ready." If I'd thought Zechs was an impressive man, Treize Khushrenada was even more so: imposing, exuding power and self-assurance. He was fine-looking, I knew, but I couldn't look him in the eye at first. I could fight my blush-response, but not all the effects of my attraction to handsome men—not all at once. After belabored greetings, I got down to it and laid out my plans for our journey. I intended to include Zechs' desires to visit the outlying colonies as much as possible and included stops along the route, but I stayed within the confines of the rumored Rovers territories and ended with area indicated as the Rover's retreat. When I caught Zechs' expression, he appeared unmasked and impressed—as he should have been. I was no dolt. I could be running the place myself. I wouldn't want to; no sane man would. "It's nearly summer here, so we go north, cover this entire area including a piece of L1, and, if necessary, into L5 further north, and make the mountain range in summer, when the passes are open. That brings us into the dry valley in fall, avoiding the worst heat. The lower range is passable in late fall, dropping us into the last valley which includes L2, for the winter. We can travel the entire valley, snow and ice is light, until we reach the southern coastal range. It will be spring and warmer there, easier to cross into dunes of the L4 territory. We would leave L4 before it's too hot and come up the coast. That would bring us back into Sanc by summer's end or fall... winter at the latest." Mine was a perfect plan, requiring the fewest troops and materials that would impede our progress. I'd padded the trip in case of accidents of aberrant weather or even local uprisings, which could happen without much provocation. "If we are required to bring in or capture Rovers," I added, "we might use local sheriffs." The textbook plan: use local resources when possible. "I see." The tall, handsome man had listened attentively, but drew back with an amused look I didn't understand. "Something has come up. You'll go south first." Forgetting who it was I was speaking to, I just blurted out my objection. "South! But that puts in L4 at the hottest time of year! And should we pass the dunes and survive, we would have highest mountain pass to cross in the start of winter. If we hit bad weather, the pass is closed for weeks at a time!" "Then you'll have to make good time," Khushrenada said without an ounce of compassion in his voice. Clearly my opinion was unwelcome. "We will, sir," Zechs put in quickly, without one iota of support for me at all! He seemed more worried about appeasing the man than our chance of survival. I did not understand why Zechs didn't put the man in his place, which was several titles, although not ranks, below him. I'm sure he had his reasons- all those nobles think they know it all- but I didn't want to hear any excuses. I had my hands full containing my anger. "You will start south, accompanying Princess Relena to L4. There she will meet her affianced, Prince Quatre of the Winner family, who is destined to become the next sheikh of L4. That shouldn't take you out of your way. You should have plenty of time to cross your sand and climb your hills." Zechs handled the courtesy; I handled my temper- I thought excruciatingly well- but the general could read me easily. "Put out, are you?" he smiled insincerely with a raised eyebrow I wanted to smash into his face with my fist. "What if I promised you pierogies and a new saddle? Would that make you more content?" I could not tell if he was being serious or just needling me here. Pierogies are dumplings traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit, boiled, and then baked. Food of the masses, especially at festivals, and sometimes modified to be travelling food. I knew the food, but wasn't a fan. I'd been born in the north, L1, and culturally I was a blend, but that food wasn't mine. Besides, no food or trinkets could buy my favor for a poor plan. "Not really—" I began a detailed explanation of the doomed venture. "Horses have serious limitations, both too much heat and the cold—" "I am confident that between the Prince of Sanc and the leader of his guard, you will discover or invent a way to accomplish this quite simple task." All I saw was red. I heard nothing more of their conversation or leave-taking until I felt Zechs pulling me out the door and down the hall again. Fuming mad. "How dare he insult you! Pierogies! Had he not meant offense, he would have offered you Russian pelmeni!" I didn't relish those either. "You knew and... why didn't you warn me he wanted us to go to L4 first?" "I did, or at least I suspected, and I am sorry, but I didn't want to shake your confidence going in. You are perfectly correct, the northern route is preferable. I was hoping your unhampered enthusiasm would convince him to change his mind. About everything." I felt Zechs had gone into the meeting unprepared and looked inexperienced. If the general had already mapped out his route, what made him think an unknown soldier's opinion change his mind? I was mad at him for withholding information, regardless. "Relena didn't even mention this," I snapped. Then it occurred to me why. "Saving your sister from that match would have corrected all the mistakes. She doesn't know, does she?" "I'm on my way to let her know." He looked as grim as the reaper himself. "Has she even met this sheik-in-the-making... Prince Quatre?" Zechs face went long and troubled. "Once or twice at grand balls. He looks nothing like the people of that colony. He's said to be very...kind." "So, you knew nothing about this. Who arranged the match? Your father or Khushrenada?" I may have over-stepped my bounds with the questions, but I was incensed. He stopped me outside the palace door and leaned in to whisper. "I am sorry." Sorry for what, I wondered? He had a lot to be sorry for, I thought. Letting his sister get roped into an arranged marriage without her knowledge...getting me into a fix leading a fool's errand! Yeah, I was mad, and knowing that he clearly wasn't going to answer my questions didn't help. "You'll be sorrier when we die stranded, dehydrated on some sand dune." "I did not mean that." He looked pained to say more, but did. "I was thinking about... you and Relena. I know how you care for her... how she feels about you. It was my wish that something could have been arranged before now, but the man has this alliance in his head... He needs L4 on his side and... of course hustling us out in search of the L5 ambassador is all about achieving some pact with L5." I missed a large part of what he was telling me. I was stuck on the "me and Relena" part. God. I didn't want to marry her! Why did he think such a thing was a good idea? Where had he come up with THAT idea? Not from me and not from Relena, certainly. She and I were friends, but nothing more—could never be more! I had no royal blood flowing through my veins. I couldn't possibly be considered a suitable choice! I refused to sulk about things I couldn't change, so I corked my pride and found one positive thing to say. "Let's hope the Prince of L4 is worth the trip and the two hit it off, then at least that much of our assignment will get accomplished." He gave me a pat on the shoulder. I would have broken his wrist if he'd tried to hug me. Well, not really....."You are a good man, Yuy." Better than you can guess... (o) Journey I wore the "travel browns", a less ostentatious, sturdier version of the palace guard uniform, with a warm, lined stout vest; it was early spring and ice would still hang chill on the mountain pass we would have to cross. This wouldn't be one of the great peaks, but the coastal range. Thank God for that. I was glad to have winter behind me and didn't want to relive it in the mountains just yet. Oilcloth saddle bags, hat, and cape provided necessary protection from the wind and rain. I packed extra socks, hating wet feet, and a change of clothes, leaving most of my available space for food and weapons. Although ours was a "mission of peace", traveling unarmed would expose us to attacks from bandits and other mischief makers, not to mention the Rovers themselves, who, from my point of view, should be distrusted completely. Despite arguments in favor of their code of honor, I heard no sound reasons why they shouldn't attack unarmed men, especially men wearing the colors of Sanc. My experience with Shini and Shadow had been an exceptional exception I remembered as more dreamlike. Actually appearing in my dreams at night when I couldn't help myself. Every town had a military post, even if it was also the town's inn and bar. We checked in, exchanged news, and moved on. It was a network of quick information transfer, linking all of Sanc. Fast riders could get news, a warning, and announcement, to the capital city before nightfall from anywhere in the kingdom. The outer colonies, not so fast. Relena had me ride close to her carriage in order to talk. She was bored and I couldn't blame her, being cossetted inside a bumpy carriage when the weather was fine. I could tell she wasn't thrilled with the prospect of marrying a stranger, or possibly getting married at all, but she knew how to play the part of the dutiful daughter in front of the guards. I didn't probe her façade for an accounting of her feelings, and she kept up a brave front. Normally I'd be in the lead or the last, but since the Sanc Kingdom was free of bandits, I did as she asked. It was a pleasant enough ride. Still. All the time, I wore an irritated expression because I hated being kept to a caisson's gait. "You are like a race horse," Zechs would say to me, "always chafing at the bit to go faster." "Every day we creep along is another day closer to missing our timetable, the key to which was making the mountain pass in winter." "You worry too much, too soon. It's the handoff at the sheik's palace where we are more likely to have our time wasted. Think of this as saving our horses' health." I needed distraction, so I came up with a rider rotation. I changed out the rear guard for the front, moving every man to a new position every two hours. I'd call a halt for rest and watering the animals, and rotate the men. The result was better than I'd expected. There were fewer complaints and improved attentiveness. Zechs applauded my resourcefulness. It was when one of these breaks came up that Relena cajoled me into letting her ride, with me. "Ple-ease, Heero! It's so stuffy in this carriage. I'm wearing travel-clothes, and, see, my riding shirt!" I gave up. "When we stop." The horses were rested and as the soldiers rotated positions, I hauled the princess into the saddle in front of me. I could feel it, sitting so close to her, how her heart beat for a stolen embrace. The ride passed quickly with her chattering, pointing out the wildflowers, the birds, the clouds overhead. "That one looks like a dragon, don't you think?" I couldn't make out anything in the cloud shapes. "Could be." "Oh, Heero, you haven't any imagination. Try harder. There's a cluster of them. Find something!" I knew there was nothing wrong with my powers of imagination. Looking for figures in the vapor of water, though, I found to be unstimulating. I found puffs of smoke, billows of smoke, and a murky pillow, of smoke. "You'd be such a disappointment if you didn't make me laugh so," she said and laughed in a rippling sound that made me smile. Zechs disapproved of my actions this time. At the next rest stop, he took over and swung her up onto his horse. I overheard him muttering "engaged woman...unseemly behavior" or some such nonsense and heard her angry retort. "Only your dirty mind would think that! He was a perfect gentleman!" Nevertheless, the pace picked up, and soon we had the border and endless sea of sand of the L4 lands in view. TBC...
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