Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Justice! ❯ Love and Justice! ( Chapter 5 )

"I think we made it just in time to rescue the Young Master," Josak reported that evening, slipping silently into the wooded copse that lay just beyond the manor house where Wufei had previously been held prisoner. "Looks like the execution is tonight's grand event."

"Good," said Wufei, deeply relieved.

There was definitely a festive atmosphere surrounding the manor--the drive leading up to the gate blazed with torches mounted on stands, and more torches illuminated the fortified house's façade. Faint strains of music drifted through the cold spring night, and a steady stream of carriages rolled up the long, curving drive. The carriages' passengers, what glimpses Wufei caught of them as they left their vehicles and walked through the gates, were richly dressed, as if for a ball.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" growled Wolfram. The pretty blond boy had been growing steadily tenser as the day passed.

The ride from Blood Pledge Castle had gone considerably faster than Wufei's solo journey, since he hadn't gotten lost this time, and Konrad had also been able to command hot meals and fresh horses from the royal posting-stations along the way.

Wufei, without money and only a single horse, had been forced to sleep under hedgerows and had been delayed by the necessity of allowing his mount frequent breaks to rest, graze, and drink. Traveling in the company of the Maou's retainers was a definite improvement in his standard of traveling.

"Wufei means that it will make things easier for us if we don't have to figure out a way to sneak into the dungeon," answered Josak, with one of his amiable grins.

Wufei nodded agreement, and Wolfram settled down, albeit sulkily. Wufei gave a silent sigh, wishing Wolfram had stayed behind at Blood Pledge castle, and turned his attention back to Josak.

The long hours that Wufei had spent traveling in the company of these men had given him a somewhat better idea of their characters.

Josak, despite his cheerful demeanor and casual speech, was an excellent horseman and a sterling intelligence officer. During a day of hard riding, Josak had still managed to scout out the locals, and pass along bits of news and current rumors.

Konrad was the consummate professional officer and commander: calm, authoritative, and firm. The man seemed both unflappable and tireless, and he apparently possessed an ass of iron, as did the rest of the team, Wufei thought resentfully, surreptitiously massaging his own aching posterior.

True to Konrad's comments, Günther had quickly cast off the effusive, fluttery mannerisms that had characterized him within the castle's walls. His flowing pale hair was now pulled back in a severe ponytail, and like Konrad, he projected the air of an experienced and competent professional officer. In this persona, Wufei could picture him as the stern but kind military academy instructor.

Wolfram was the hardest to figure out. Obviously also a trained warrior, he nevertheless vacillated between cool competence and childish tantrums. But his concern for Yuuri seemed utterly genuine, and the others treated him with the fond exasperation due a bratty younger brother.

Wufei, having little patience for Wolfram's bouts of pouting immaturity, avoided him as much as was possible in their small group.

"What else did you see?" Konrad asked Josak.

"There are archers stationed at the windows in the house's upper story," Josak answered, squatting in a patch of moonlight to draw a quick map in the dirt. "Here, here, and here," he pointed at various places in his sketch with the twig he was using as a stylus. "There are extra guards at the front and back gates, as well as the kitchen garden gate. They've set up a wooden platform in the inner courtyard, next to the fountain–it looks like they're planning to make the execution a public event, Konrad."

"Did you see Yuuri?" Konrad asked.

Josak shook his head. "Not a sign of him. They're probably not going to bring him out until the grand finale. If we manage to get past the guards, we'll have to time it carefully. Too early, and they’ll just keep Yuuri in the dungeon instead of bringing him out into the open. Too late and–" he drew an expressive finger across his throat, his usual good-humored expression gone grimly serious for once. "And those archers..."

Wufei leaned forward. "I have an idea about how to take care of them. And maybe create a nice, loud distraction while I'm at it. But I'll need your help if we're going to do this quickly."

He quickly explained his plan.

"But how are we going to get close enough to the house, with all those guards?" asked Wolfram, doubtfully.

"Easy!" Josak grinned, and turned to dig in his saddlebags. An instant later, something frilly landed in Wolfram's lap. "We'll disguise ourselves as guests!"

It was a sound strategy, Wufei had to concede some time later, as he finished strapping the sheath of his sword to his back, over the shiny blue gown they had forcibly liberated from the women in a carriage waylaid about a kilometer up the road. Wolfram had gotten a green dress to match his eyes, and both of them wore hooded cloaks to conceal their unfeminine hair. Even loosed from its tight ponytail, Wufei's hair barely brushed his shoulders and Wolfram's blond locks were only collar-length

If Shin Makoku was anything like medieval Germany, no one would expect a girl in a party dress to be capable of any serious harm. But still, it made Wufei uncomfortable, especially when Josak produced a small satchel of cosmetics, and began to skillfully apply them first to Wolfram, then to Wufei, before fishing out a mirror, and applying his own makeup by moonlight.

Günther and Konrad remained in their own clothing, as their assigned roles in this rescue operation were to remain outside the manor, keeping watch over their horses and ensuring that their escape route remained open, as well as assisting with Wufei's plan.

To his disgust, Wufei found himself paired with Wolfram for the next part of the operation.

Upon Wufei's instructions, the others, having been given their instructions and carefully-measured portions of gunpowder folded into paper packets with pre-cut black-match cotton fuses, had gone to the points that Wufei had indicated on Josak's crude map.

Clad in their party dresses, swords carefully concealed under the long, flowing fabric of their cloaks (luckily, the spring night bore a distinct chill, so the cloaks didn't look out of place), Wufei and Wolfram waited until a larger group of guests pulled up in a set of four matched carriages, all with identical crests painted on their doors.

"Even the Von Karbelnikovs!" muttered Wolfram, apparently recognizing the coat of arms. "Such insolence–they didn't even try to disguise themselves! I wonder if the senior members of the family know anything about this?"

"Worry about that later," Wufei said, curtly. "After we've rescued Yuuri."

As they approached the group of new arrivals, he patted the pouch concealed in his skirts, hearing the reassuring rustle of the paper packets.

"Are you sure you've got a way to quickly light the fuses without a match?" he muttered under his breath to Wolfram.

"Trust me," Wolfram said, tossing his head, and giving a surprisingly feminine chuckle in his husky tenor, as if Wufei had just said something witty to him. "I'm a master of the fire element, remember?"

Wufei gave a coy flutter of his fan, not wanting to betray his disguise by risking a laugh in his considerably deeper voice. "Whatever that means," he whispered.

"You'll see," Wolfram assured him, smugly, opening his own fan.

Then they reached the group, and Wolfram said, whining a little, in perfect imitation of a spoiled rich girl: "Don't these people ever clean their outhouses? Why, I never smelled such a foul stink! I swear it's quite ruined my appetite!"

"Hey, we spent all afternoon scrubbing them out with vinegar water, m'lady!" protested the closest guard.

Wufei tensed, unsure of how well their disguises would hold up under close scrutiny.

Wolfram fluttered his long lashes, and gave the guard a playful tap on the arm with his fan. "Oh, in that case, thank you for all your hard work," he purred, and strolled past the man, and into the gateway.

Wufei followed close behind, his shoulders prickling with the anticipation of being stopped and challenged. But the outcry never came.

Nevertheless, he didn't relax until they had made it through the tunnel, and emerged into the inner courtyard.

"The trick," Wolfram said, snapping open his fan, "is to behave as if you belong. Sneaking around just makes you look suspicious."

"Hn," Wufei said, scanning the courtyard. He didn't need lessons in basic undercover ops, and especially not from Wolfram.

The courtyard was the scene of an elegant open-air party, with abundant torches, musicians set up in one of the corners, and servants circulating among the guests with trays of hors d'oeuvres and glasses of wine. As Josak had reported, there was a newly-constructed wooden platform standing in the center of the courtyard, crowned with a large, ominous-looking wooden block.

Wolfram was muttering under his breath again. "...not a single member from any of the senior branches here–these are all nobodies from the cadet lineages...third cousins, fourth cousins once removed..."

"Focus," Wufei hissed, and Wolfram gave him an impatient roll of his eyes.

"This is important," he whispered back. "The Council of the Ten Noble families–if anything happens to Yuuri, the senior members of those families will choose the next Maou. I need to know if any of these traitors are council members."

"All right–suit yourself. But better get those charges placed," Wufei answered.

Then they separated, as arranged, and casually made their ways around the perimeter of the courtyard, stopping to place the packets of black powder under the guise of admiring the tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers planted in the large clay pots that stood everywhere against the walls.

They had barely finished their task when there was a stir and murmur of anticipation.

The musicians struck up a fanfare, and eight richly-dressed men mounted the platform. Wufei recognized them immediately–they were the ringleaders of this conspiracy, the ones with whom he had argued and fought upon his initial arrival in this place

Walther von Christ stepped forward, pompous as ever in a gold-trimmed dark velvet robe with a profusion of lace at wrists and collar. He raised his hand, and the crowd gathered in the courtyard slowly fell silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Walther began. "Thank you all for coming tonight. I know that some of you have traveled from the far corners of Shin Makoku, to witness the end of this disastrous reign by that half-human interloper who calls himself our Maou–" Jeers, mixed with applause, interrupted him. "Tonight–tonight we witness the rebirth of our glorious demon kingdom, and celebrate a return to the days of old, when we Mazoku were respected, and humans and commoners knew their places!"

The applause this time was thunderous. Wufei clapped lackadaisically, all the while keeping an eye on the guardroom door.

Any moment now...he thought, feeling the familiar thrill of working a special operation. This was the juncture when his plan would either succeed or fail.

Right on cue, the heavy door swung open, and a group of guards dragged Yuuri out into the courtyard. They were followed by a tall man wearing an executioner's hood and mask and carrying an enormous, wide-bladed axe.

Wufei felt a cold chill run down his spine at the sight. Just a couple of hours later, and I would have been too late...Von Christ had apparently not been kidding about executing Yuuri.

The slender Japanese boy was restrained at wrists and ankles with heavy manacles studded with red jewels, and there was even a dark iron collar around his neck, similarly bejeweled.

But Yuuri seemed unhurt, and that was the important thing.

The onlookers breathed out a great ahhhhh at his appearance.

"It really is His Majesty the Maou! And there I thought Walther was just going on, as usual," Wufei heard a nearby woman exclaim. "What if the Maou-"

"Don't worry, my dear," interrupted a gruff male voice. "He can't do anything–Von Christ assured me that those houseki-warded manacles are very effective."

"Ooh, houseki," the woman replied, with a shudder. "That's nasty human magic! Why, I feel quite sorry for the His Majesty! And he's such a sweet-looking boy, too!"

"Too late now, Lady Sabine," the man said.

Stumbling a little, Yuuri was prodded in the direction of the platform by a guard who seemed to take just a little too much pleasure in using the point of his sword against Yuuri's back.

Wufei took his eyes off Yuuri just long enough to make sure Wolfram was in position. And, indeed, the blond youth was standing by one of the planters that concealed a black-powder packet.

Yuuri's guards jerked him to a halt in the middle of the platform, right behind the headsman's block and axe. There he stood, with Sir Walther on one side, and the executioner on his other side. The remaining leaders of the conspiracy arranged themselves in a semicircle around the block.

"Yuuri Shibuya, usurper of the throne of Shin Makoku, do you recant your misguided policies? We promise you a swift and merciful death if you admit your faults to the good people assembled here."

Yuuri's chin came up and he looked Sir Walther straight in the eye. His expression was terrified, but determined.

"I'm sorry, Sir Walther," he said, in a voice that shook a little. "But I don't think it's wrong to want a peaceful kingdom where everyone is treated fairly. In fact, I think you're the ones who are misguided if you think that you can rob people, and...and hurt them, just because you happen to be born a nobleman."

Wufei found himself admiring the boy's courage–he didn't bluster, and he certainly didn't give off a warrior's air, but there was real backbone there, and strength enough to support his convictions.

Perhaps this was what Konrad and the others valued so highly in their boy-king...not the strength of his sword arm, but the strength of his convictions?

"What?" roared Sir Walther. Even by the uncertain torchlight, Wufei could see the dark flush mottling the skin of his throat and cheeks. "So, you choose to die slowly and painfully, boy?"

"I don't want to die at all, but even if you kill me, it won't help you." Yuuri was looking less terrified and more determined by the minute. "The people of Shin Makoku won't go back to living in fear of your–"

Whatever else he had been planning to say was cut off when the executioner seized Yuuri's shoulder in a one meaty hand, and shoved him, hard.

Yuuri collapsed into a kneeling position in front of the block, and the executioner slammed his head down. Wufei winced a little as he heard the dull thunk of Yuuri's head against the wood.

Yuuri went limp.

"So, no last words from His Majesty the Maou?" Sir Walther asked, nastily, smirking openly over Yuuri's unconscious figure.

The executioner picked up the huge axe.

"NOW!" shouted Wufei with all his might, hoping that Günther and Konrad were in place outside the house.

If Wolfram's mastery of the fire element wasn't just empty boasting, then the first explosion from inside the courtyard would signal the two men waiting outside to begin lighting their own devices.

The people standing nearest Wufei turned toward him, no doubt wondering at the deep voice issuing from the cloaked "woman."

"Out of my way, you dishonorable traitors!" Wufei snarled, throwing off the encumbering cloak.

He drew his sword from the scabbard strapped to his back, and pushed forward, laying about him forcefully with the flat of his blade.

There were shrieks from the women as they shrank back from his gleaming blade. Some of their male escorts made to draw their weapons, but Wufei didn't hesitate, his sword slicing through wool and velvet to disable their arms and shoulders.

Scarcely two breaths passed before Wufei lifted his skirts, and leapt up onto the platform. Von Christ and the others were still standing there, gape-mouthed, but the executioner was raising his axe for the fatal blow

"Wolfram! Now, goddammit"! Wufei shouted, again.

Timing was everything in this operation. If the gunpowder charges didn't go off soon, the archers positioned as snipers at the manor's upper-story windows would make short work of him.

His saber tore through leather and flesh, and the executioner toppled, the axe falling from his hand. It bounced once on the wooden boards of the platform, and flew out into the crowd.

Finally....finally, the first blast sounded. It was followed in short succession by several more, the explosions blurring together, and the air was suddenly filled with the sharp stink of gunpowder smoke.

Like a distant echo, a second set of explosion promptly began outside the manor. Konrad and Günther had indeed reacted just as planned.

Wufei heard screams and all sorts of commotion from other parts of the courtyard, but he was fully occupied with engaging Von Christ while the element of surprise was still on his side. Blustering braggart the man might be, but he was a competent swordsman, at least. Wufei parried a thrust aimed at his gut, and responded with a slash followed by a scything kick.

The combination hadn't worked on Konrad Weller, but it worked spectacularly on Walther von Christ. The power of Wufei's leg sent Sir Walther crashing backwards into two of his co-conspirators. He lost his grip on his broadsword, and it went spinning away over the edge of the platform.

The other men, who were unarmed, scrambled to leave the platform and to get out of range of Wufei's deadly saber.

The air was filled with thick black smoke now, and the onlookers were shouting and running every which way in an attempt to escape the explosions and the confusion on the platform.

Then, with a deep groan, and the vibrating scream of wood and stone pulling apart, one wing of the manor house began to collapse, weakened by the carefully-placed packets of gunpowder. The remainder of the house began to shake, and Wufei heard the tinkle and crunch of falling window glass and bricks raining down into the courtyard.

Ha. So much for the snipers! His plan had worked even better than he'd anticipated.

He crouched over Yuuri's sprawled form, quickly verified that the boy was unconscious but otherwise unhurt, and set to work removing the manacles. The stones set into the metal glowed sullenly, and gave off a vibration that made the marrow of Wufei's bones ache.

Fortunately, the locks on the wrist and ankle cuffs were fairly primitive, and it didn't take Wufei long to pick them. He tossed them away with a disgusted huff, and went to work on the collar around Yuuri's neck.

Yuuri began to stir, and his eyes fluttered open just as Wufei finished unclasping the collar. It, too, went flying into the darkness of the courtyard–many of the torches had been knocked over and extinguished either by the crumbling walls of the manor, or by the panicked crowd.

Yuuri's eyes opened, and widened suddenly. "Watch out!"

Wufei instinctively threw himself to one side, taking Yuuri with him.

The headsman's axe bit deep into the boards where Wufei had been kneeling just an instant before.

Walther von Christ stood over them, wild-eyed, already yanking the axe out of the wood for another swing.

"You bastard," growled Wufei, trying to push Yuuri behind him. From this angle, it would be nearly impossible to stop the giant axe with his saber–his weapon would simply be cloven in twain an instant before the axe did the same thing to Wufei's skull.

I can't die now! I can't fail Yuuri again, he thought, bringing his saber up, anyway, and bracing himself for the blow he knew was coming.

Power flowed through him in a hot, prickling rush, and Wufei saw his blade suddenly rimmed in flames.

At his back, he felt a separate rush of power, this one cool and unstoppable, like a mighty torrent of water.

Walther von Christ stumbled back. "You–you're really–?"

Wufei rose to his feet, the motion feeling effortless, buoyed as he was by the unexpected infusion of fiery strength. Without volition, as if he were a puppet manipulated by a higher power, he heard himself say, in a deep and resonant voice: "I AM THE MAOU OF LOVE, AND YOU HAVE GONE AGAINST ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF LOVE AND COMMON DECENCY, WALTHER VON CHRIST!"

"Y-you're s-scarier than the other o-one!" Sir Walther stammered, shrinking back.

Wufei extended his arm, and saw doves made of flame and golden power spiral upwards and outwards from his palm. The birds surrounded Von Christ's cowering form with a shower of fiery flower petals. "I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE."

"I AM THE MAOU OF JUSTICE AND I WILL NOT PERMIT YOU TO OPPRESS MY PEOPLE WITH INJUSTICE," came an equally-powerful voice from behind him.

Wufei turned and saw that Yuuri had somehow...transformed...from a sweet-faced, puppy-eyed boy into a hard-eyed young man who glowed with blue energy that spiraled around him like twin dragons made of water and ice. His slit-pupiled glare was inhuman, and he radiated menace and vast power.

He turned to Wufei. "BROTHER MAOU, LET US PUT AN END TO THIS FOOLISH PLOT AND RESTORE LOVE AND JUSTICE TO MY KINGDOM." Yuuri raised his arms and the blue dragons made of ice and water raced out, sinuously surrounding three men attempting to flee out the back gate.

Wufei saw the remainder of the coup's ringleaders running for the main gate. He raised his sword, and pointed it at the gate. A wall of flames rose to bar the way, and the men skidded to a halt.

"YOU HAVE BROKEN THE LAWS OF LOVE AND KINDNESS," he boomed. "NOW, YOU WILL FACE JUSTICE FOR YOUR ACTIONS."

More doves made of fire raced out from Wufei's hands, and swooping around the men, herded them back to the platform where Yuuri and Wufei were standing side-by-side.

The flames barring the main gate died down, and Wufei saw Günther sprint into the courtyard, followed closely by Konrad.

"Your Majesty!" Günther shouted, and came to a halt at the sight of their transformations. "What–what is going on? Both of you?"

Josak burst into sight a moment later, sword in his hand. "Your Majesty," he echoed, his gaze whipping rapidly between Yuuri and Wufei. "Uh, Majesties?"

Wufei swayed, feeling the strange burst of power begin to recede. He pointed with the last of his strength, and a lone fiery dove sketched out the Chinese character for "Love" in the night sky.

Then he fell to his knees, drained and panting, the courtyard whirling dizzily in his vision. He sheathed his sword, his hand trembling so badly that it took two tries to slide it back into its scabbard.

Dimly, he saw Günther and Konrad tie up the cowed prisoners, while Josak bent over the bodies in the courtyard, moving from one to the other, sorting out the wounded from the dead.

Wolfram, almost unrecognizable with his gown and cloak both in tatters, and his face blackened with soot, staggered into view. "Yuuri!"

He was bleeding from a multitude of small injuries, but nothing looked life-threatening.

Wufei became aware that Yuuri still blazed with power at this back.

"BROTHER MAOU, I OWE YOU A GREAT DEBT," said Yuuri, in his deep, very un-Yuuri-like voice. "AND IN RETURN, I SHALL USE MY POWER TO OPEN A WATER PORTAL AND SEND YOU BACK TO YOUR WORLD."

True to his word, he extended an arm, blazing with blue maryoku, and the water in the nearby fountain began to glow and swirl.

"QUICKLY, BEFORE MY POWER FADES! I KNOW NOT FROM WHENCE YOU CAME, SO YOU MUST HOLD YOUR DESTINATION FAST IN YOUR MIND AND GUIDE YOURSELF HOME."

"But–no, wait," Wufei said, a little desperately, as invisible forces seized him and sent him flying towards the great shimmering vortex that had now formed in the fountain's carved stone basin. "At least let me change out of this–"

The glowing water swallowed him, and he felt a momentary gut-wrenching sensation of weightlessness.

Then, with a squelching thump and scrape of his sword against tile, Wufei found himself sprawling on the tiled floor of the Preventers restroom. "–dress," he finished.

He was back.

Just then, he heard Duo's voice, right outside the door. "–I swear, he was in here, and then he just disappeared, Heero. It's the weirdest thing–"

Wufei looked around desperately for a place to hide. If he could manage to reach one of the stalls in time–

He rose to his feet, and promptly tripped over the sopping hem of his gown, now wrapped fiendishly around his ankles.

Then it was too late. The door opened, just as Heero said, "Are you certain he didn't just slip past you? Wufei can move very quietly when he wants–"

"Hell, no," Duo replied. "I searched every inch–Oh. My. God."

There was a brief, horrified pause as all three of them stared at each other.

Heero was the first to recover. He won Wufei's eternal gratitude by ignoring his attire after an initial startled glance, saying only in his deadpan style: "Maybe you just didn't look hard enough, Duo."

"Uh, no, I–" Duo began, his cobalt-blue eyes wide. "Good God, Wufei, how did you--I mean, no one's gonna believe this!" He began to laugh uproariously, his head thrown back, his mouth open. "Chang Wufei, a cross-dresser. Oh. My. God!"

With a lightning-quick motion, Duo whipped out his cellphone and pointed it at Wufei.

Wufei heard the click of the camera shutter. It sounded very loud in the tiled bathroom.

And, strangely, his blood pressure remained stable.

A week ago, this would have sent him in an apoplectic rage, and he would have likely tried to slice Duo into ribbons for his impudence.

But since then, he had learned that weakness was not automatically to be despised. In fact, a little weakness could even strengthen loyalty and friendship.

And Duo Maxwell never teased those he disliked.

It was a difficult lesson to learn, but Wufei had always been a scholar at heart.

"And now you owe me one, Duo," he said with icy dignity, picking himself up and getting to his feet, very carefully this time. "In return for my restraint in not destroying that phone and breaking both of your arms, I will permit you to fetch me my spare uniform from my locker downstairs, and then I will further permit you to buy me lunch at a place other than the Preventers cafeteria, along with a very large beer."

Duo grinned, and even Heero was smiling. "Only if you promise to tell us everything," he countered, gleefully.

Wufei shook out his skirts, sending water droplets flying. "That depends on the quality of the lunch," he quipped.

And to everyone's astonishment, not the least his own, he smiled back at his two friends. "You're not going to believe what happened to me. How long has it been since I...vanished?"

Heero shrugged. "Fifteen minutes, perhaps."

Duo interrupted: "Are you sure your story is worth lunch and a beer...? I dunno, it was only fifteen minutes. That makes for a pretty short story by my standards."

Wufei glared at him, narrow-eyed. "It was a lot longer than fifteen minutes to me, Maxwell. But if you're not interested..." He shrugged, and pretended to turn away.

"Chang, you drive a hard bargain," Duo said, ruefully. "Okay, okay. Lunch and a beer, on me. But this had better be good!"

"You have no idea, Maxwell. No idea."

~The End~