Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Battle of the Heart (formerly untitled) ❯ Don't Tell! ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: Something that I thought up in History class one day. We are studying Medieval Europe and this seemed like a pretty cool plot. I prolly won't get it done, or if I do it will take awhile. Truthfully, I don't even know if I'm posting this...so if you're reading this a/n then I guess I'm planning on finishing it. I never start a fic I won't finish.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters I'm using in my fic. However, all of my original characters that I'll use are my own, but I'll prolly only use OC for soldiers (knights) or somefin, so there's no main character as an OC.

NOTE: I realize that, although this takes place in a certain time period, the rulers, pope and territories are not accurate according to history, so do not use this story as a reference.

Second NOTE: I am not making the characters talk as they would in Medieval times. Too confusing. ^_^

"Don't Tell!"

Wufei grunted as he heaved a huge saddle ontop of the large warhorse. The black horse stamped his foot, turning to nip at the one who had placed the darned saddle on his back. The Chinese man smacked the horse in the neck good-naturedly.

"Don't you dare bite me," he said gruffly. "I don't like you much anyway. I can't wait 'til I'm knighted."

A hardy slap on the shoulder broke Wufei out of his thoughts.

"Talkin' to the horse again, buddy?" came the cheerful voice of Duo Maxwell, another squire. Wufei bit back a snide remark, instead busying himself with the saddle girth. He pulled it tightly so the saddle wouldn't budge; it wouldn't do to get the knights angry. He might be "punished." The horse made another move to nip him as the girth tightened against his underside.

Being a squire was no easy task, but Wufei assumed he should be grateful. A knight was a brave and honorable occupation to hold, not to mention it was a place of nobility. Not so much as the lords, but higher than a peasant, no doubt. Anyway, he would be turning 21 soon...old enough to be dubbed and officially end his squireship. He may not enjoy the knightship long, though...

"I heard Lord Shang Po and Lord Treize Khushrenada are disputing," Wufei said, grabbing the bridle off the wooden peg it was hanging from.

"I heard it too," Duo agreed, resting his elbow against the horse's hindquarters. "We may be going to war sooner than we think."

"Hn," Wufei replied with a nod.

"Where's my horse, boy?" came a gruff voice from outside the stables. Duo ducked out the back door, hurrying off to his quarters where he was supposed to be resting.

Wufei slipped the bridle over the large horse's head, having little trouble with getting him to take his bit. He led him out with a small slap on the rump, bringing the tacked horse to his master.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sally ran down the hall quickly, her hair loose and flowing behind her like a golden banner. She turned a corner sharply, before slipping in a storage closet. She heard the loud clap of feet as the cook rounded the corner. Sally could imagine his face purple and puffy from all the running. She stifled a laugh behind her hand.

"Wretched girl," he mumbled angrily, "If she wasn't Lord Shang's daughter I would give her a good beating. Teach her a woman's place." Sally scowled, chomping into the juicy apple she had snuck from the kitchen. "Woman's place, my ass," Sally grumbled softly, emerging from the closet triumphantly.

The young woman owed her colourful language to the knights and squires, which trained at her father's manor. It was so boring inside, so while she was supposed to be weaving, or something of the sort, she would sneak out and spy on the knights. She had a pair of breeches she had stolen, and she would bind her breasts, tuck her hair under a cap and walk around like a boy. As long as she wasn't discovered, her secret was safe.

Taking another bite of the apple, Sally entered her room, plopping on the edge of her bed with little elegance. She looked into the vanity mirror across from her, and a beautiful young woman stared back at her. Sally's hair fell loose and wild around her face, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from running. She would have smiled, but chose to scowl instead. She looked so out of place in the horrendous dress she was made to wear. She hated the place women had in society! "Seen, not heard." "Obey her husband and father." Was there anything women were allowed to do? Of course Sally didn't have a husband, and thanked her lucky stars.

"But soon, father will try and sell me off to some stuffy lord," she said with a groan. Sometimes she wished she was born of lesser birth. She had heard stories of peasant women who took on their father's jobs if no son was present.

The woman stood as she heard a knock on the door. She walked over and opened it to find her best friend, Hilde Schbeiker, standing out in the hall. Sally let her in with a smile. Hilde was one of the maids around the manor, and was Sally's best friend. Hilde had cropped raven hair and cornflower blue eyes. She would often sneak to watch the knights with Sally, but she did so for a different reason.

You see, Hilde had a crush on one of the squires, or knights-in-training.

"Hey Sal, do ya think we could go down and spy on the knights again? We haven't done so in a long time," Hilde asked, clasping her hands with excitement.

Sally winked. "Sure, I guess you've missed Duo's face, eh?"

Hilde blushed a brilliant shade of pink, but did nothing to deny it. Duo was the squire Hilde had a crush on. He had long chestnut hair that he pulled back into a braid. He had violet eyes that always seemed to light-up.

"Oh, I suppose," the blonde woman said. She really needed the fun anyway...she was starting to get depressed. Cabin-fever, maybe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sally and Hilde slipped out of the manor unseen. Sally wore a hat over her head and pulled her hair up underneathe it. Hilde didn't wear a hat, since her hair was short already. The two were garbed in simple breeches and shirts, after each had bound her chest with some medical gauze.

"They should be coming out soon," Hilde whispered excitedly, "for bed inspection."

Sally grinned. She needed to find a way for Hilde to meet Duo...as a girl, of course. Sally had never seen the poor girl so worked up before. She must really be head-over-heels for the guy.

Hilde didn't have to wait long. Soon, the squires had lined up in front of a group of knights, while another group inspected their rooms they shared. The group of trainees stood stock-still as the knights watched over them...they had been taught strict discipline, and harsh punishments were practised for disobedience. The raven-haired girl scanned the group and quickly spotted Duo. His face was grim like everyone else's, but his eyes held their ever-present shine. He was standing next to a stoic man with black hair and dark eyes, who stood stiffly, appearing almost bored.

An irritable knight stormed out of one of the rooms, glaring at each squire he passed. His name was Quinze, and to say he was not liked would be an understatement.

The sneering knight walked down the rows of trainees, glaring at each one in turn before moving on. He came to a rest in front of Duo, and produced an apple core, waving it in front of the braided man's face. His scowl deepened as Duo gazed at him innocently.

"Do you know the punishment for sneaking food, Maxwell?" Quinze asked, small droplets of spittle flying out of his mouth as he annunciated each word. When Duo didn't answer the man got even angrier. "This apple core was found under your bed, and for this crime you must be punished."

Hilde watched in silent horror as Duo's body tensed up mere seconds before Quinze brought a stick down on him. The sickening crack of the stick resounded throughout the now-quiet court yard. Duo dropped to his knees from the pain, but the knight didn't stop with one blow. He continued hitting Duo forcebly. Wufei winced mentally with each whack against his friend's body. He had stolen an apple...that didn't call for a beating. An angry blow, maybe...but Quinze was going too far. It was not just.

Before Wufei could stop himself, he shoved Quinze away from Duo, and the knight landed on his rump clumisly. A few knights couldn't help but chuckle snidely at the irritable knight who had landed in a heap on the cobblestone ground. Quinze raised himself with very little dignity, and raised his hand to hit Wufei, when a small rock connected with the back of his head.

"Nice shot, Sally," Hilde whispered as her friend grabbed another rock.

"Thanks," Sally replied, before shoving Hilde behind her. "Get back to the castle. If you get caught it could be big trouble, but they wouldn't be allowed to harm me."

Hilde complied reluctantly, shooting a parting glance at Duo, who had raised himself once more, and somehow managed to put a smile on his face.

Sally hefted another rock, chucking it at Quinze's head once again. She was not disappointed as the rock hit its mark once more.

"It's not so hard," Sally mumbled to herself. "His head's so big, anyway."

Quinze whirled around and caught a glimpse of Sally hiding in the shadows. She quickly moved away from view but the damage had been done.

"I'll get you, you runt!" he called, chasing after her with surprising speed. In the commotion, squires began causing a ruckus, and even some of the knights had stirred up. In the confusion, Wufei slipped down an alleyway, hoping to cut Quinze off. True, he didn't show emotions well at all, but Duo was the only friend he had. And the Chinese man knew that if Duo had stolen something from the kitchen he wouldn't leave any evidence behind. It must have been his roommate, Trant who had decided to frame Duo for his own illegal snacking.

Wufei turned a corner and saw what looked like a boy running towards him, Quinze following close behind. Wufei ducked behind a wheelbarrel and pulled the boy with him, covering his mouth with one of his hands. Quinze rounded the corner as well, but kept on running, his chest heaving up and down with the effort he exerted. Wufei pulled away from the boy and moved his hand away from his mouth.

"Thank you," he managed to breath out, his light blue eyes looked at Wufei gratefully.

"Hn, well thanks to you," Wufei said irritably, "I am going to be in even more trouble."

"Not likely," the blue-eyed boy said, placing a hand on his hip. "Now he will be looking for a 'runt' instead." Wufei thought about this for a moment, then agreed with a slight nod.

"I better go," the boy said, backing away, "Hil-er...Hilward probably is probably waiting."

"Hilward?" Wufei asked skeptically. The boy nodded dumbly, trying to look sincere.

The blue-eyed boy turned to go when a strong wind blew by, tearing the hat from his head. Blonde hair cascaded from underneathe, and Wufei's breath caught his throat. The boy was actually a girl!

"Don't tell!" she whispered frantically, before turning and fleeing down the alley and up towards the manor house, leaving Wufei staring after her in numb shock.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hilde's breath caught in her throat.

"He what?" she exclaimed incredulously, gripping Sally's shoulders firmly and shaking her.

"He...knows I'm not a boy," she repeated, shaking Hilde's hands off her shoulders. "But...he has no reason to tell..."

"Of course he has a reason!" the small raven-haired woman interjected. "If he turns us in, maybe he'll get off the hook for shoving that knight!"

"Of course he won't turn me in!" Sally said defiantly, fixing Hilde with a steady glare.

"How do you know that?" her friend asked, her cornflower blue eyes hardened with resolve. "I have to go, I have cleaning duty soon," she said, turning and walking out of the room. Sally pounded her fists against her knees in anger. How had things gone so horribly wrong? Why had she distracted the knight...what happened to the squires was really none of her business...

She had been a fool. A silly, weak and incompetent fool. With a growl of frustration the young woman stormed off to find something to occupy her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Duo gripped his head in his hands, trying to ease the insistant pounding that plagued him. Damn that Trant...he was not going to get away with framing him. But Duo didn't want just any payback...oh, no. He wanted a long, slow and painful payback. He was the God of Death, after all...and he would use his patience to wait for the perfect moment for his revenge. Something that would look accidental, or something that he could have an excuse for.

Across the room, the braided man heard the door creak open, and glanced up to see Wufei standing in the doorway, holding a hat in his hands. He tossed the hat at Duo, who caught it with a natural ease.

"Ya know that runt who hit Quinze with the rocks?" Wufei questioned, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah, though I was sorta indisposed at the moment," he replied, turning the hat over in his hands.

"Well, it was a girl," Wufei told him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Duo raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "You aren't serious..."

"Would I make that up, Maxwell?" Chang said irritably, his eyebrows furrowing in frustration. Duo shook his head.

"Why are you telling me this?" Duo asked, resting his elbows on his knees and placing his chin in his hands.

"Cause she looked exactly like Lord Shang's daughter," the Chinese man replied, leaving his post at the doorframe to lean against the wall next to the bed Duo sat on.

"Now I know you're lying..." Duo said, shoving a hand through the top of his braid.

"I know it was her!" Wufei spat. "I saw her and the lord once when they left to visit Lord Peacecraft." Duo nodded, finally accepting his story.

"Imagine that," Duo said, leaning back with a grin. "The lord's daughter has been prancing around the court yard as a boy."

"Don't you dare get any fresh ideas, Maxwell," Wufei said warningly, turning to leave.

"Fine, she's all yours 'Fei," the braided man called with a saucy wink.

He never even saw the boot Chang threw at his head in reply.

A/N: How was that for the first installment? Cliché…yah, it's a major cliché. But hey, it's a plot bunny…I'm just posting it for kicks. Don't worry, SotP and WttS are my top priorities…although I have the next chapter for this fic written already.