Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Wing and the Quest for the Holy Grail ❯ The Oracle Speaks ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: The Oracle Speaks

Heero and Wu-Fei rose early the next morning and left Duo asleep in bed. They found Percival and Hagrimore in the dining room. Hagrimore looked miserable.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” Heero said.

“Not so loud!” Hagrimore whispered hoarsely. He grimaced. “Please tell me that young pup Duo is as ill as I am.”

“He's still sleeping it off,” replied Heero.

“How fortunate for him!” Hagrimore put his head in his hands. “I wish I were still asleep.”

“A meal will set you right, Sir Hagrimore,” Percival said. He waved at the waitress. “Ho, my lass, porridge and fresh bread all around.”

“And hot cider,” Hagrimore added.

“I would like some tea,” said Wu-Fei.

The waitress smiled brightly. “My mother makes a fine tea of rose hips and sweet herbs, sir. Would you care to try it?”

“That sounds fine.”

“Very good, sir. I'll just be a moment with your food and drink.” She hurried off to the kitchen.

Breakfast did seem to improve Hagrimore's condition. He was not so green by the time they set out for the abbey.

It was a pleasant morning for late winter. It was cold but the sun was shining. Percival and his companions rode out of town and into the countryside. The abbey was about a mile outside town on top of a low hill. The slopes of the hill and the fields around it were cultivated. The nuns were hard at work preparing the ground for spring planting.

As they neared the first group of industrious women, Percival reined his horse to a stop. “Good day, Holy Sisters,” he greeted them. “I am Sir Percival of King Arthur's court. These good gentlemen and I desire to speak with the Oracle.”

“Good day to you, sirs,” one of the nuns said. She pointed toward the abbey. “Make your petition to the Mother Superior. She will know if Sister Eloise is inclined to speak today.” The sister smiled. “I wish you good luck, for she has not spoken these two weeks past.”

“My thanks,” said Percival.

They rode on to the abbey, whose gate stood open. They dismounted and walked their horses through a short tunnel into the open interior. The abbey was a two storey stone building built in a large rectangle around a central square with a well in the middle. The gate was the only opening in the outer wall of the structure, other than windows on the second floor. Stained glass windows in the wall on their right indicated there was a chapel there. Directly ahead of them on the other side of the well were wide double doors leading into the building.

A woman in a nun's habit, but with a snow white wimple instead of the black wimples the other nuns wore, came out of the double doors as they stopped near the well.

“Welcome to the Abbey of the Seventh Cross,” she said. “I am the Mother Superior, Mary Elizabeth. How may I be of service?”

Percival bowed. “We have come to speak to the Oracle, Holy Mother.”

The Mother Superior frowned. “Sister Eloise's talent is not to be used lightly.”

“I understand, Holy Mother,” said Percival, “but my companions and I are knights of King Arthur's court and we are on a quest for the Holy Grail. We seek the Oracle's advice.”

The Mother Superior's frown turned into a wide smile. “A most holy quest indeed!” she exclaimed. “Perhaps Sister Eloise will choose to speak today. Please leave your weapons here and follow me.”

Wu-Fei lifted an eyebrow at Heero as he unbuckled his kitana. Heero frowned back as he removed his long sword from the left side of his waist and his short side from the right. Then he removed a knife from a hilt at the small of his back, two knives from his boot tops, two more from behind his shoulder blades, and a final two from inside his sleeves along his forearms.

“What about the rest of them?” asked Wu-Fei.

Heero scowled and produced five more knives.

The two older knights stared.

“I feel naked,” Heero grumbled.

“I'm sure your martial arts skills are sufficient to protect you from nuns,” Wu-Fei said.

Heero's scowl deepened.

“This way, gentlemen,” the Mother Superior said. She didn't seem particularly concerned about Heero's combat readiness. She led them into the abbey, along a hall and up a flight of stairs into another hall. She stopped before a door at the end of the hall. “Please wait here while I see if Eloise will speak to you.” The Mother Superior knocked on the door and immediately stepped through. She re-emerged a moment later and held the door open. “Please come in.”

Sister Eloise was surprisingly young. Her face, framed by her wimple, was smooth and unlined. She had bright blue eyes, an upturned nose, high cheek bones, a small mouth, and a narrow pointed chin. Her mouth twitched into a small smile when she saw them. She stepped forward and touched first Heero and then Wu-Fei on the forehead.

“You don't belong!” she exclaimed with excitement.

Heero and Wu-Fei looked at each other in surprise.

The Mother Superior frowned slightly. “Sister Eloise,” she admonished, “these gentlemen are on a quest for the Holy Grail and seek your guidance.”

Eloise immediately schooled her expression and put on a serious demeanor. “Gentlemen,” she said gravely, “speak your questions.”

“Holy Sister, we seek a path to the Holy Grail that will also bring us enlightenment,” said Percival. “How shall we proceed? Which way should we go?”

Eloise closed her eyes. “Seekers of the Grail!” she intoned, “the path to enlightenment is fraught with peril, but only the enlightened may achieve the goal of your quest.” She opened her eyes. “On your journey, you must travel to places where knowledge may be found. At each stage, you will face trials which must be passed to proceed to the next stage. Only by passing the trial and gaining the knowledge will you know where to go next. The trials will challenge both body and mind.” She smiled unexpectedly. “You have already passed the first trial, because instead of seeking blindly, you sought guidance.”

The four men smiled at each other.

“May we then know from you, Holy Sister, where to go next?” asked Percival.

“You may,” she replied, still smiling. “Go you to the Well of the Four Souls, which stands in the courtyard of Ettenmoor Castle. The one who succeeds in drinking water from the well will learn the knowledge you seek.”

Percival bowed deeply and the other three copied him. “Accept out deepest gratitude, Holy Sister,” said he.

“You are most welcome,” she replied. “I hope you succeed.” Then she grinned at Heero and Wu-Fei. “Stick to the quest at all costs, my friends. That way lays the path home for you and your companions.”

Wu-Fei and Heero blinked in surprise.

“Thank you, Holy Sister,” Wu-Fei said.

The four men filed out, followed by the Mother Superior.

“Sister Eloise has not spoken that much in a fortnight,” the Mother Superior said. “You are most fortunate.” She guided them back down to the courtyard. “I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you, Holy Mother,” said Percival.

Hagrimore, Heero and Wu-Fei echoed his thanks. The four of them retrieved their weapons and led their horses back out through the gate.

As they mounted, Wu-Fei asked, “Do you know this Ettenmoor Castle, Sir Percival?”

“Aye, I do,” Percival said. “It is some ten days travel from here.”

“But it has no great reputation,” Hagrimore added. “Methinks it will not be so easy to get a drink from the Well of Four Souls.”

Percival pursed his lips and nodded grimly in agreement.

“Great!” said Heero sarcastically. “Sounds like fun.”

The four of them started back for town.

Meanwhile, back at the inn, Quatre awoke to the feel of Roku's raspy tongue licking his face.

“What is it, Roku? It's the crack of dawn.”

“The sun's been up forever and I'm hungry.”

“Why don't you have breakfast with Papa Duo?” Quatre suggested. “You can go shopping with him afterward.”

“Ok!” Roku leaped off the bed. “I'll see you later, Mama!” He opened the door with his teeth and pulled it shut behind him.

Quatre reached over and nudged Trowa, who was sprawled on his stomach. “The child is gone,” Quatre whispered. “We're alone.”

Trowa opened one eye and then rolled onto his side. “Oh, really?”

Quatre pushed him onto his back and straddled him. “I think we should take advantage of the opportunity.”

Trowa smiled. “If you insist.”

Down the hall, Roku leaped onto Duo's bed and planted his paws on Duo's chest.

“Wake up, Papa!” Roku cried. “It's time to eat breakfast and go shopping!”

Duo groaned. “What are you doing here?”

“Mama said you would take me shopping.”

“I'll get Quatre for this!” Duo muttered. “Get off my chest. You weigh a ton.”

Roku sat back. “Do you think I can have raw meat for breakfast?”

“You can have whatever you want, just don't talk so loud.” Duo sat up, holding his head.

“Are you sick, Papa Duo?”

“No, just stupid,” Duo groaned. “What was I thinking?” He focused one bleary eye on Roku. “A word of advice, my son: never agree to a drinking contest when you're already drunk.”

“I don't like ale.”

“Good lad.” Duo crawled to the edge of the bed. “All right, I'm up. Let's go eat.”

Duo tried not to watch as Roku gulped down a huge pile of meat scraps the kitchen had set aside for stew meat. He nibbled on a little plain bread and sipped some tea.

Some of the knights were in the dining room by this time as well, and most of them looked no better than Duo.

“I pity Sir Hagrimore,” Damodin said. “I hear Percival dragged him out at sunup.”

“That was cruel,” Duo said. “Doesn't the Oracle take visitors in the afternoon?”

Damodin shrugged. “The maid I, ah, spoke with last night said the Mother Superior sometimes turns supplicants away if she deems them unworthy.”

“ `Spoke with'!” snickered a knight. “ `Poked' is more like it!”

Damodin flushed. “A gentleman does not speak casually of his dalliances.”

“So make a song of it then and give us the details!” someone exclaimed. “I warrant those of us with no dalliances to hide will be glad to hear of it.”

Damodin blushed brighter. “Remember, sirs, you are gentlemen!” he exclaimed.

“And what about you, Master Duo?” the same knight asked. “You're prettier than Damodin. Have you sweet tales to tell the rest of us, or did drink get the better of you?”

Duo looked horrified. “If I ever get too drunk for sex, I'll give up drinking!” Then he glanced at Roku. “But I'm under orders from my son's Mama not to talk about such things in front of him. Sorry gents!”

“Too bad!”

The knights seemed genuinely disappointed.

“You done there, Roku?” asked Duo. “Daylight's burning and the marketplace is calling.”

Roku was lapping water rather messily from a mug. He tipped it over. “Oops!” He grinned at Duo. “I guess I'm done.”

“Ok then! Let's shop!” Duo and Roku left the inn, after getting directions to the market square from one of the waitresses.

They did not return until sunset.

Quatre was less than happy.

“Where have you been?” Quatre demanded. “Heero and the others have been back for hours. Trowa and I looked all over for you.”

Duo tried to look innocent. “There were a lot of stores!”

“I know! We went in most of them looking for you.”

“Mama!” Roku interrupted excitedly. “Papa Duo bought me a book!” He stuck his nose under his left front leg and produced a thick, leather-bound volume. He dropped it on the floor with a thud. “It has stories about knights and dragons and sorcerers and stuff!” He sat down, flicking his tail. “I was reading!” he said proudly.

Wu-Fei patted his head. “That's very good, Roku. Let me see that book.” He picked it up and began flipping through the pages.

Quatre's annoyed frown faded slightly. “What else did you do?”

“We went in a whole bunch of stores and Papa Duo bought tons of stuff and we ate three times and had snacks twice and we took a nap and Papa Duo played dice with some men and then we went in more stores and bought more stuff and then Papa Duo bought me the book, so we read for a long time and then we had another snack and then we came back.”

Quatre, Trowa, Heero and Wu-Fei stared at him. Then they all turned to stare at Duo.

“In one day?” Trowa asked, astonished.

“Duo always has been efficient,” said Heero. He sounded a little astonished, too.

“I got on a roll,” Duo said.

“You must be exhausted,” Quatre said to Roku.

“No, but I'm hungry,” Roku said. “Is it dinnertime yet?”

“How can you possibly be hungry?” Quatre exclaimed. “If I counted right, you've eaten six times since breakfast!”

“They were small meals?” Roku offered hopefully.

“He's a growing boy!” Duo said.

“Apparently,” Quatre replied.

“Well, we should eat and get to bed,” said Heero. “Percival wants to make an early start in the morning.”

Wu-Fei handed the book back to Roku, who tucked it back under his foreleg into nothing.

“I'm not drinking any ale tonight,” Wu-Fei announced. “I think I missed all the fun last night.”

“Oh, I don't think so,” Duo said with a wink. “I passed out after just one time and I don't think Heero was finished.”

Wu-Fei looked aggrieved. “And you didn't wake me?”

Heero shrugged. “I didn't need you to be awake. “You were already in the right position.”

“Do you mind, gentlemen?” Quatre asked pointedly. He nodded at Roku, who was following the conversation with his ears perked up.

“Sorry.”

“Maybe we should go have dinner,” Trowa said.

“Yeah!” Roku agreed. He jumped up and bounded off for the dining room.

Quatre looked warningly at the others. “You're going to totally corrupt that boy.”

“Quatre, the kid has four fathers and a mother who's a guy,” said Duo. “I don't think he was ever innocent.”

“Can't you at least humor me?” Quatre asked plaintively.

Trowa put an arm around his shoulders. “Roku is a sweet child, Quatre. I don't think knowing about our sexual habits will change that.”

Quatre hung his head. “I'm a terrible mother.”

“No, you're not.”

Roku was waiting for them just inside the dining room door, sitting neatly with his tail around his paws. When they arrived, he hopped up and began winding around Quatre's legs.

“Mama, may I have another bath after dinner?”

“Of course you may, sweetie. I just heard your Papas Duo, Heero and Wu-Fei say how much they would love to give you a bath tonight.”

The three named individuals stared at Quatre in dismay.

“Oh, goody!” said Roku.

“Why us?” Duo exclaimed.

“Because he's your son, too,” said Quatre. “You can bring him to my room after he's dry.” He ruffled Roku's ears. “We'll read from your new book before we go to sleep,” he added.

Roku purred happily.