Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Legend of Knights of Destiny ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Legend of the Knights of Destiny

Prologue

Milliardo and his younger sister Relena were playing in the inner Courtyard, when the crown prince noticed the other boy. There were not very many children living at the Royal Palace and Milliardo was sure that he would have remembered if he had ever seen that lad before. The boy was younger than Milliardo was, maybe his sister's age. He was sitting beneath one of the large oak trees just watching them.

Curiously the young prince stepped closer.
"Good day," he greeted the stranger politely. "I do not recognize your face, are you new here?"

The boy nodded once.

"What's your name?" the young prince asked.

"Heero, Heero Yuy."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Heero Yuy," Milliardo said with a polite nod. Even at his tender age he had already learned to carry himself in a way suited for the heir to the Sanc Kingdom. "I'm Milliardo Peacecraft. This is my sister, Princess Relena."
"I know," the other boy answered.
"Would you like to play with us?"
When Heero nodded again, Milliardo simply took hold of the boy's hand and pulled him along as he went back to where his sister was sitting in the grass. For a while the three kids played together. They chased each other through the yard and the garden, but eventually got tired of it and looked for something else to do.
"Let's fight!" Milliardo suggested.

Using wooden sticks as pretend weapons the two boys engaged in a long sword fight with Relena watching them. The young prince soon recognized that, although the other boy was much smaller, Heero was no less skilled than he was. Once they realized that neither of them could beat the other they gave up and "declared a truce". Some time later the boys were sitting by the pond in the garden, skimming small rocks on the clear water surface.
"Milliardo, Heero?" Relena was looking for them.
The blond prince smirked, crystal blue eyes sparkling mischievously. "Let's hide."
Heero didn't resist when Milliardo pulled him to a nearby oak tree. The prince helped the younger boy up into the branches and then, with the experience of someone who had done this many times before, he pulled himself up. They climbed almost all the way into the top. From there the two boys were able to look over the walls that surrounded the palace.
"Wow," Heero exclaimed. It was an awesome sight.
"Heero!" The young prince smiled softly, as he settled down on a strong branch. "I have not had so much fun in a long time."

"I have never had fun like this," the other boy admitted.
"We should be friends," Milliardo suggested.

Heero hesitated just a moment, as if thinking about it. Then he nodded, giving the other boy a slight smile. "I think I would like that."

***

When the king stepped into the courtyard he found his daughter playing with flowers, but didn't see the young prince anywhere. Yet, knowing that the children could not leave the yard and garden unnoticed he was not really concerned. For a moment he watched Relena silently.
She looks more and more like her mother, he thought with a trace of sadness.

"Relena, where is your brother?" he asked as he walked over to her. The blond girl looked up and pointed at one of the large oak trees by the pond.

"They are hiding." She rolled her eyes as she added. "As if I wouldn't find them up there."

King Stephán laughed. Yeah, definitely her mother's daughter.
Just then a gray-haired man walked into the yard. Relena greeted him with a wide smile.

"Paigan, look what I made for you."
The king felt a sting of jealousy as his daughter presented the flower wreath she just had finished to the elderly man. Paigan had been taking care of Princess Relena and Prince Milliardo from the day they were born. Stephán had not realized that his children had become more attached to their caregiver than to their own father.

I really need to spend more time with my children, he thought with a sigh.

"How kind of you, Princess Relena. But I think it would look even more beautiful on your head."

As Paigan placed the colorful wreath onto Relena's blond hair the king turned toward the garden.
"Milliardo, come down from that tree. It's time for your fencing lessons and it is not polite to leave Captain Khushrenada waiting."
"Coming, Father!"
Just moments later the crown prince jumped out of the tree together with another, younger boy. Stephán frowned and turned to the servant.

"Paigan, who is this boy and how did he get into the garden?"

"I have no idea, your Highness," the man replied, obviously shocked that the child had made it passed the guards unnoticed.

Stephán's frown deepened for the fraction of a moment but then disappeared as the two boys approached him. Milliardo greeted his father with a polite nod, while the other boy respectfully went down on one knee in front of his king.
"Rise, child!" Stephán said, giving his son a questioning look.

" Father, this is Heero Yuy. He is my friend."
"I see," the king replied as he let his gaze stray over the brown-haired boy. He looked dirty, probably from playing in the treetop, but his clothes didn't appear to be those of a simple servant or peasant's child. "Milliardo, please take your sister with you inside. Get cleaned up and ready for your lesson."
"Yes, Father," the prince responded obediently. Before departing he turned to his friend. "Good bye, Heero, I hope we can play again some time."
As Relena and Milliardo left the king crouched down looking at Heero intensively. The boy didn't seem intimidated. Prussian blue eyes meeting the monarch's gaze steadily.
"How did you get into this yard, child?"
"Sir Odin dropped me off this morning before the sun came up," the boy answered in a firm voice.
Paigan and the king exchanged a quick look at the mentioning of the name.
"Sir Odin Lowe?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"What is he to you? Your father?" Stephán wanted to know. Considering that he had not heard from his close friend in several years, it could be possible that Odin had a son of the boy's age. But Heero shook his head, his expression never changing.

"I don't have a father, Sire. Sir Odin took care of me until now, but he said he had taught me everything he could and there was nothing he could do for me anymore."

"So he just left you here?" the king asked shocked.
"He said I should tell you that I'm the proof you wanted. And he told me to show you this…" Heero pulled up his right sleeve revealing a birthmark on his upper arm. Stephán had to hold himself back, not to gasp in surprise. He exchanged another look with the gray-haired man beside him.
"Paigan," he said then. "See to it that the boy gets a bath and a warm meal. Later I want to talk to him some more. I'll be waiting in my study."
"As you wish, your Highness."

***

Milliardo accompanied his sister to her chamber, then went to his own suit to clean up and change into an outfit more suited for his lessons.
The young prince hurried, as he made his way through long hallways to the east wing where the armory and fencing room was located. Milliardo knew that every afternoon Captain Khushrenada practiced with his son, Treize. If he was lucky he could watch them for a while before his own training started.

Treize! Milliardo admired; no he idolized the older boy. Treize was skillful and fearless, sharp-witted and elegant. In spite of his age he was already one of the best swordsmen in the palace and only few could beat him in a fair fight. He was everything Milliardo wanted to be when he grew older.

The prince could hear the sounds of metal hitting metal as he approached the fencing room. Father and son were engaged in a fierce swordfight. He remained in the doorway to watch the ongoing match silently.
He is amazing. I wish I could fight as well as he does.

The captain ended the match once he noticed Prince Milliardo.
"Well done, Treize," he told his son. "But you still need to improve on your defense. You are keeping yourself open for attacks from the left, you noticed that yourself, didn't you?"
"Yes, Father. I will work on it." Treize sheathed his sword and run his fingers through his hair, trying to push back a few ginger-blond strands that had fallen into his face.
The head of the royal guard turned toward the young prince with a respectful bow. "Your Highness, are we ready?"
"Yes, Sir."
Milliardo walked into the room to retrieve his weapon, while Treize turned to leave. The older boy gave him a friendly smile as they passed each other, then stopped at the door.
"Do you mind if I stay and watch, your Highness?" he asked.
"No…no, not at all." Milliardo shook his head even as heart almost skipped a beat.
He is going to watch me. I will have to do my best. I can't embarrass myself in front of him.

"Shall we begin, your Highness?"

The prince gave another nod, this time directed at the Captain, and took a deep breath. "Yes, Sir."

***

As soon as he entered his study, the king went to one of the heavy bookshelves, pulling out a book that looked like it was very old and very well read. He put it onto the desk and slipped into his chair, never opening the book, just staring at its cover, as he remembered the last conversation he and Odin had in this very room.

:::Begin of Flashback:::

"Odin, I tell you, you are a fool to believe in an old maid's tale like that."
"And I tell you that it is not a tale," the knight retorted. "Open the book and read it. It is right there in front of you, why can't you accept it?"

"Odin," the young king replied calmly. "I have heard the story many, many times. My mother used to tell it to us when we were children, remember. But that's all it is, a story. People accept it because it gives them hope and something to believe in during hard times."

Odin shook his head. "No. It happened and it is happening again. All the signs are there, just as the legend says they would.
Just when darkness starts to rise five children will be born under the same moon. They will grow to become the most powerful warriors on the face of earth and together they will bring an end to the darkness and restore justice and peace," the young knight cited from the book of the Knights of Destiny.

Stephán laughed at his friend's stubbornness and decided to humor him by playing along.
"Okay, let's assume for a moment you are right. Why would those all-powerful knights need us to protect them?
And protect them from what?"
Odin glared at him, barely able to keep the irritation out of his voice. He was angry that his friend was not listening to reasoning. Why didn't he understand that the Peacecraft dynasty had been the keeper of the book of the Knights of Destiny for generations because they were also their protectors?

"They are still children. Their powers will not be fully developed until they come of age. Now they are vulnerable and susceptible. If only one of them dies before their time has come, their mission can not be fulfilled. And if somebody would use them and their powers for evil…" He didn't even want to think of that possibility. "Clearly you must have noticed that bad things have been starting to happen everywhere. And as much as I hate to say it, it will get far worst before long."

"So, now you are a fortune teller as well?" the king asked sarcastically.
"Fine, keep mocking me, your Highness. I know that I'm right. I know that they have been reborn, and I know that others are aware of that too. I'll do what I can, with or without your help."

Stephán sighed. He could tell how angry his friend was. Under normal circumstances Odin would call him by his first name, not address him as "your Highness."
"Give me some kind of proof that any of what you are telling me is true and I'll be glad to give you any support you need."
"If that's what you want I'll send you proof." With that Odin turned and left, never to be seen or heard from again…
:::End of Flashback:::

…until today.
He said he would send me proof. And so he did. He sent me a boy.
A boy who carried a mark identically to the one depicted on the cover of the book in front of him. And as much as he hated to admit it, Odin's predicament of the future had been true as well. Those past five years had been bad indeed. Hostilities with neighboring kingdoms had lead to bloody war. He shuddered by the thought of all the lives that had been lost. Not to mention that there had been several invasion attempts by the power hungry ruler of the Romefeller Empire. At least the Sanc Kingdom was armed well enough to defeat itself. Several smaller countries had not been that lucky. And most recently there had been the death of King Trinton Barton, at a time as they just had started to work out a permanent peace treaty. Hopefully the change of leadership in the Crownwood Kingdom wouldn't lead to another war between their countries.
Personally he had suffered too. The lost of his beloved wife shortly after Relena's birth had been a hard blow.
A knock at the door ripped Stephán from his thoughts.

"Come in."
The door opened and Paigan entered the study. Next to him the blue-eyed boy, his unruly brown hair still damp from the bath he had been given. The king gestured to the chair across his desk, telling the boy to sit down.
As Heero slipped into the large seat his eyes fell on the book on the desk. Recognizing the symbol on the cover, the boy's left hand instinctively touched the spot on his right arm where his birthmark was.
"Did Odin tell you why he brought you here?"

The boy directed his blue eyes at the king and shook his head.

"He only told me what I needed to know."

"Then what exactly did he tell you?" the man asked.

"He told me to follow your orders like they were his own, your Highness."

Following orders… Stephán winced inwardly at the sound of those words coming out of the mouth of a child.

"What did Odin actually teach you?" he asked curiously.

"He taught me how to ride and how to use different weapons to defend myself. Anything I need to know." The answer came indifferently.
Odin, I think you confused raising a child with training a soldier, the king thought grimly.
Then there was another knock at the door.

"Father, may I come in?"

"Yes, Milliardo."

The young prince entered the room, giving his new friend a smile.
"Is Heero going to stay here with us, Father?"
"Hmm…" the King looked at his son, then at the other boy before he asked. "Would you like to stay here in the castle, child?"
"Yes, I think I would like that, your Highness." the boy answered, smiling back at Milliardo ever so slightly.
"Well, then …Milliardo why don't you show our guest the palace?"
The older boy nodded as he grabbed his friend's hand. Heero didn't resist as he was pulled along. The door closed behind them and a moment later the two boys were laughing about something.
Perhaps he hasn't forgotten how to be a child, after all.

The king looked at the gray-haired servant, still standing by the door.

"Can it be, Paigan?"

"I'm not sure, your Highness," the man answered. "But it seems to me it might be."

"But if it is true…then there have to be 4 others… somewhere. How are we supposed to find them?"

"I don't think we have to, your Highness. I believe when the time comes they will find each other."

***

At the same time in a small mountain village, half way around the world, a young boy looked up from his books. Lost in thought, with a faint smile on his lips he watched a group of kids chasing each other over the hillsides. For a moment he wished that he could run with them through the luscious grass.

"You are not paying attention." A calm, yet stern voice brought him back into reality.
"Master O, all the other children…"

"You are not like all the other children, Wufei," his teacher reminded him." Now finish your lesson."
The boy sighed, but obediently went back to his studies.

***

Somewhere not too far from the Sanc Kingdom two boys was sitting on a rooftop. It didn't seem like anybody in the castle was missing them.
One of them was mourning the death of his father. He felt like crying, but his green eyes remained dry, as if there were just no more tears left to shed. The other boy, his chestnut hair tied into a short braid, was trying to comfort his friend the best he could. Somehow both of them knew that things were never going to be the same for them.

"It's going to be okay, Duo. As long as we are together it will be okay," the green eyed boy whispered, trying to assure himself as much as his friend.
"I would never leave you, Trowa," the other boy promised.

***

Meanwhile in a far of kingdom, surrounded by a waste desert, a young boy with hair the color of pure gold, was sobbing quietly into the blankets of his makeshift bed.
"Are you still upset?" a man asked.
"Why did my father sent me away?" the boy answered with a question. "Is it because of what I did? I didn't mean to. I just can't help it. I wasn't even trying to do anything." Tears streamed from his emerald blue eyes. "I wish I was just like my sisters, then they wouldn't hate me so much."
"Your family didn't sent you away because they hate you, Quatre," the man told the boy softly. "I'm taking you to Master H because you are special. He can teach you how to control your powers."

"I don't want to be special," the boy sniffled. "I want to go home."
"Please go to sleep now. We still have a long way ahead and we have to rise early in the morning."