Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Stone ❯ Chapter 1

With one dirty, petite, bare foot in front of the other, the blonde girl stepped carefully around the pebbly narrow path that served as the only means by which to get to the top of the look out point of the wolf clan's home, Bloodstone.

She had been told many times to stay away from the rock face, being too young and not quite steady enough to manage the terrain or the climb. But this girl was nothing but stubborn and persistent, traits displayed that one would liken her to her father, if she had truly been born of his blood. However, the young girl was not of his blood, nor even his race, she was an outsider, a human in the world of wolves. Wolves, whether by ancient curse, or purposeful creation, could take the form of the very race of which the girl's ancestry was evident, human.

A stray ashen, blonde lock of hers caught in the wind, the tip of it tickling her nose, forcing the woman/child to take one of her hands from off of the rock when she sneezed. The act itself caused her to lose her balance and stumble sideways, but just as she was about to fall, she felt a large hand grasp her arm and haul her upward, tossing her not so gently onto a wider flatter crag of the boulder.

She coughed out of her mouth the dirt that had powered her tongue as she hit the surface, and rolled over to her back, sitting up and wiping her eyes. Their blurry vision cleared up to see in front of her the one who she always seemed to irritate, the true blood son of the one she called father.

"Stupid idiot! How many times have you been told not to try and climb up here, Runt!?" Heero's scowl was far from friendly or even remotely concerned; in fact it held the look of disgust and contempt. "I'm getting sick of getting your ass out of trouble. Next time I'll let you fall!"

A year or so ago such harsh words from him would have brought tears to her eyes, but she had grown used to his bitterness towards her and accepted it as the way it was, though she was confused as to why one she called brother would hold such ill will against her. She stuck her delicate but calloused hand into her pocket and out of it pulled a small bouquet of crushed and broken flowers, which she held out to him.

"I'm sorry, big brother…I just wanted to bring some of the first spring flowers. I know you like them, despite what you say."

With an angry growl Heero raised his hand and smacked her fist, sending the blooms flying out of her hand and over the edge to float down to the bottom of the craggy hill.

"You are an idiot! In these past twelve years have you not gotten it through your thick human skull I want nothing to do with you, Runt? You irritate the hell out of me! If it had not been for father's command when you were first brought here I would have let you fall to your death just now!"

"Even if I didn't have these canine ears I could still hear you a mile away. And her name is Relena."

"Stay out of this, Paygan. She's lucky I'm not giving her a sound thrashing."

The old gray wolf approached the two, nuzzling the girl when he got to them, signaling her to rise to her feet. He knew the human girl had great inner strength and determination and will, yet she had been sheltered so by Odin, that she acted at times more like she was still a child and not a burgeoning woman of twelve.

"I'll take her back; besides, your friends are waiting for you. Go take out your frustrations on a hunt."

"Sounds fine to me, better then…" His insult was cut off, by the narrowed yellow glare of the elder wolf. "I'll go, but at least throw her in the water, won't you; her human stench is getting a bit strong for my senses." The young man then effortlessly took his animal form and ran off, handling the ground under him as if it were nothing.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble. I only wanted to do something nice for him."

"You're brother's heart is full of a hatred and pain even he does not understand. If I were you I would cease any further actions to befriend him."

The girl's grip tightened on the fur of his gray coat as he began his decent down the large hill.

"And it's that pain that I want to see go away. Is it bad of me to wish that he at least would even look at me with out hatred and resentment?"

"You're not responsible for his feelings or changing him, perhaps one day he will understand and be more accepting and if not then it will only serve to make him suffer further."

*~*~*~*~*~

"You're late, Heero, and for a hunt? Not like you."

"Well, it can be attributed to Runt and her human clumsiness. One day I swear I'll put her out of my misery. Wufei."

"Then your father would tear you from limb to limb. You know you can't touch her while she remains under his care."

"Well, he's getting old isn't he? Then the clan will be mine, and when it does, then all ties with humans will be cut."

"Yea, yea, yea and we'll slay man's race and take our rightful place as rulers of the world. Always ambitious there, eh Heero."

Looking to their left the two young wolves saw a third approaching. His coat a thick, soft auburn and his eyes a radiant cobalt, when not the yellowish, gold of a wolf's.

"It's not an empty boast, nor a joke, Duo. You're much too kind to humans for their own good."

"Hey, just 'cause I'm one of the few who happen to be able to tolerate your sister doesn't make me soft. You are too uptight for your own good. Relax, go with the flow, ya know, what ever will be will be."

"And remind me why I even keep you as a friend and a hunting companion?"

"Well, blood is thicker than water, so they say, cousin."

The three males silenced themselves when they were joined by two more of their hunting pack. A light white gold wolf Quatre and a tawny coated wolf known as Trowa.

They were not the only young male wolves of the clan, but they were the best of the best, so to speak, and they had come together to form a union of the top hunters and providers of Bloodstone. And with each hunt and each kill they primed themselves further, for the day when they would take over the reign and responsibility of the entire clan itself.

*~*~*~*~*~

Miles upon miles away, reigning over her own kingdom was a young beautiful queen. Her long luxurious candy, colored red hair appeared as it were flames in the light of the bright burning candles that lit her room. She sat silent at her writing desk, her hand penning in a most elegant style of calligraphy, a letter to her cousin, Dorothy, telling her the news of her uncle's death.

Once finished, she rolled the parchment into a narrow scroll that she tied together with a soft, rich crimson ribbon, pressing upon the closure the royal seal of her birthright, her finger able to feel the heat of the drying wax under her ring. She then gave the letter to a messenger, who she quickly dismissed so that she might be alone.

And once she felt truly by herself she fell onto her bed in laughter and sheer delight. Her father was finally dead and his kingdom and wealth now hers to do with as she pleased. The sole surviving heir to the late King Dekim, a spoiled and spiteful girl who had sympathy for few, if any, and a hot tempered strength that could rival that of any man. Yes, she thought, it was the time, for princess, no; queen Marimeia of Romafel, to take her rightful place in the sun.

*~*~*~*~

The kingdom of Cinq was set high upon the mountainous range known as Alliancia, and so for most of the year it had remained a kingdom of virgin white snow and crisp cool winds, with the brisk season breaking for a few short months in the spring. It was at this time, that the aging wolf Odin would wonder out upon the cliffs just above Cinq and look down upon the kingdom that was once the home of his long-lost beloved Clarice.

Why he came here year after year he did not know, perhaps it was to relive in his mind old memories of when he and the lovely princess would frolic and love together among the thawing ice and newly risen greens. Or, perhaps, it was to check on her cousin, Milliardo, who had been only two years older then his own son, a boy who like his own child was now a man, but nevertheless had always treated him with kindness and respect. But then, those who resided in Cinq were always known as a peaceful people who would open their hearts to one and all, be it man or wolf or demon alike.

He heard soft footsteps approaching behind him but was not alarmed, for he knew the owner of the two feet and trusted him with his life.

"It's good to see you again, old friend."

Taking his human form, Odin now sat upon the rock face, making room for his royal highness, Prince Milliardo of Cinq.

"You always seem surprised when I come, my lord."

Full lips smiled thinly as the golden haired human took a place beside the wolf. "I know your life is hard and I do not know when you will meet an ill fate, but then you have survived so much, I should know you will always return."

An awkward silence fell between the two males before Milliardo decided to chance speaking again.

"I had irises planted at her grave again, as usual. They were always her favorite flower. You should see them; they contrast so nicely against the white headstone."

"I, I can't."

"Not once have you come to her grave. I cannot say I know the pain you feel, but…"

"If you do not wish me to leave then speak no more of it. I am not worthy of her…I let her die…I abandoned her…my love…I…" Odin began to cough as he wiped away stray tears that had escaped his eyes.

"My uncle should have never forced the two of you to part. But he only wanted the kingdoms of Cinq and Romafel to unite, so that true peace may be brought to the land. Hence, why I myself shall be wed one day soon, to the new queen. I truly am the last remaining hope."

"Mariemeia? You are to wed her…I pity you. You do not realize how cruel and ruthless her family has been, to their people, to their enemies. Why is it still the wish of your uncle to unite your kingdoms?"

"Perhaps he thinks that we can have a positive influence on them, that if they see how well…possible it is for people to live peaceful happy lives, then…"

A deep growl bore in the throat of Odin. "I'm sorry to say, your uncle is a fool. The royals of Romafel are nothing but murderers and pagans."

"I know my cousin died in that kingdom, but it was of accident, the railing broke sending her and her child to their deaths, I only wish they had been found earlier so that the babe's body had not been devoured by wild animals."

A pain shot through the old wolf's heart as beads of sweat formed on his wrinkled human brow. It had pained him all of these years that he had kept the truth from them of how the princess had truly died, and that her child had not been devoured by wild animals but instead had been taken in by him to be raised as his own and treated as one more dear than his own son.

He had kept the secret to honor the promise he had made to Clarice. She knew if the child was sent back to her Cinq, that if the truth of her death were to be known that even the tranquil, peaceful heart of her father would be broken down to be rebuilt with muscles of hatred and revenge that would pound in his chest and order his brain to declare war, sending both lands into war that would cause only death and devastation. A war that would never have brought her back, only damn others to the fate that she herself had suffered.

That is why he, himself had never sought revenge, for he knew Clarice would have not wanted it, though a piece of his own heart carried resentment in the fact that he could not have gone after Dekim, tearing him limb from limb, giving him a most painful and humiliating death for one who would dare maim and kill one so beautiful of mind, soul and body.

"Odin, do you, feel all right? Have I said something to…?"

A mane of dark gray shook side to side as once again a wolf replaced what was a human. "Just memories, Milliardo, just memories."

Silently nodding that he understood, the prince spoke again of Odin visiting Clarice's grave, after all, it looked most beautiful at the beginning of spring.

He declined once again; however, now knowing why it was he came here every year. To see yet if he had the courage to view her burial grounds, to admit fully that she was truly dead, yet her vision of peace between the kingdoms still carried on. But as usual he found himself too weak to face the truth. Perhaps it was because he knew deep down that it was truly a false sense of security, that war between the two nations may have been delayed, but it could never be prevented. The days of unrest were drawing near, sooner then he thought they ever would and he feared for Cinq as well as his own clan. But he pushed the feelings back down unto himself, and turned away from Milliardo.

"It is long past the time for my departure. I wish you well, friend, and pray that your union with the young queen ends more happily then…"

"I understand, Odin, and I will do everything in my power to make it so. Until next year?"

"Yes, until next year."

With that said, the aging wolf took off into a sprint, making his way up and over the mountainous range back towards the home of his ancestors, Bloodstone.

TBC…