Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Of Courtesans and Corsairs ❯ Chapter 4

<<So yeah, I made a little boo-boo in the disclaimer. Duo has an older half-brother, not a younger one. That should be all the mistakes I've made so far, not that I won't make more or anything. >>

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Despite their earlier talk about the Queen, Wufei still felt ill at ease. In truth, he'd been against this union to Relena for years, ever since his own father arranged it before his death. Wufei had been an infant then, and had grown up all his life under the tutelage of his mother. She too died while Wufei was very young, but Wufei by then had gained enough knowledge to run the kingdom with the aid of foreign allies.

Now at the age of eighteen, he'd found the love of his life and had a son with him. Heero and Wu-Long were everything to him, and it was an ungodly temptation to drop his duties as High King and ride horses with his family, or make love to Heero as they had before. Things would change drastically with Relena here, but why was Relena targeting Heero? Would she go after Wu-Long as well?

Of course she wouldn't! That queen would never stoop so low as to openly threaten the Crowned Prince! He was descended from royalty, and would one day take the throne! That barren hag would never bear a child of any sort, no matter if she tried! And she is all the more a fool for targeting Heero for succeeding where she so often times had failed miserably!

He calmed his fury as another peasant with another complaint bowed low at his throne. "Sire," he began, then pointed to another, rounder man behind him. "This man kicked my best hunting dog, Sire! My hound is now lamed in one paw, and of little use to me! I demand satisfaction!"

"Majesty," the rounder man started. "I did not have any contact of any sort with this man's hound! He seeks to ruin my business with these accusations! He has been at odds with me ever since my firstborn rejected his daughter! My firstborn is a knight in your service, and had no desire to wed! Not so soon, at least!"

Wufei silenced them both with an absent wave of his hand. "You will each pay five silver pieces toward the purchase of another hound to replace the lamed one, and whatever you kill you split fairly and equally amongst your families and businesses. You will report to me in a month with a log of your progress. That is all. Show these men to the gates."

Captain Mariemeia glanced to her sovereign and bowed at his side. "My King," she began carefully, signaling the guards at the throne room door to forestall any other peasants seeking counsel from His Majesty. "Forgive my being so bold, but is Lord Heero again with child?"

"Hn?! Oh, no. Though it is interesting you make mention of Heero, Captain." Wufei sat up a little straighter and looked Mariemeia in her eyes. "I was recently informed of messengers from my future bride coming with messages of ill tidings for Heero, and I must ask that in future you send such messengers directly to me, no matter the circumstances. I will not have my family harassed by anyone, even my arranged bride."

Mariemeia bowed lower guiltily. "My King, I am sorry I did not come to you…"

The Chinese male shook his head kindly. "Heero had sworn you to secrecy, and that was unfair of him. Do not be so apologetic, Mariemeia; you would not see harm befall anyone of us. I trust you with my family more than I have ever trusted any other." The redheaded woman smiled gratefully and got to her feet at her king's insistence, then returned to her post as guardian to the High King. "I may be cutting these meetings short to speak with Heero. This situation with Relena troubles me, and I hesitate to mention my uncertainties in my son's presence…"

"I shall be happy to help in any way I can, Sire," Mariemeia announced and saluted. "There is a local faire to be held in our fair city of LaGrange. Shall I nip down there with him and show him about?"

Wufei chuckled to himself. "Perhaps you should take him riding instead. I must make an appearance at this festival tomorrow anyway. No doubt Heero will be milling about with the prince, buying little pretties and keeping a sharp eye out for anyone who could potentially harm Wu-Long or me." Feeling slightly better after speaking to the Captain, he looked to the doors and summoned the next peasant in.

The woman looked terrified, to say the least. "My King," she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh Majesty, the pirates are fast coming from the South! They have killed my husband, and sent my only son back with a message that they would come in the time of your wedding to attack! They have not said what they come for, but they promise it is of great value!"

Mariemeia sneered at the mention of the pirates. "No doubt they want Queen Relena, High King," she growled lowly. "Everyone knows the Pirate King Dekim was a sworn enemy of the late King of Sanq! Perhaps the Pirate King is to abduct her and ransom her to you."

An odd wistful feeling overcame Wufei then, but he cleared the very idea from his mind quickly. This marriage would ensure the Kingdoms of Sanq and LaGrange, and keep them up and running as one for generations! "Inform Admiral Noin to be ready. I want the entire Navy out there on patrol and scouring every inch of ocean for that blasted Pirate King!" Oh boy; just when things couldn't get worse. Now there were pirates to contend with! "I will see no one more until tomorrow, Mariemeia."

"Not even that particularly hopeful looking rogue over there, Sire?" Mariemeia chuckled and pointed to a small figure in the furthest corner, hiding in the shadows and fidgeting once or twice. Wufei nodded amusedly to his captain, then struggled to keep a straight face. Mariemeia tried to wipe the smile from her face and smacked the butt of her staff against the cold stone floor. "You there! Kindly state your name, occupation, and what business you have with His Majesty!"

Wu-Long tottered into the sunlight shining from the windows and pointed to his chest curiously. "Me, May-May?" he whispered, looking across the floor to the other corner to find someone else the Captain of the Guard could be talking to.

The adults burst into hearty laughter at the boy's innocence, and the High King beckoned his son closer. Wu-Long giggled and hurried forward, eagerly climbing into his father's welcoming lap and collapsing into the comfy embrace he could always count on. "Captain," Wufei joked, teasing Wu-Long's soft silken hair. "What do you make of this? An assassin, perhaps?"

Mariemeia shook her head. "Too cherubic for an assassin, My Liege. Maybe a mischievous sprite who has strayed too far from the Bramble Forest? Lord Heero would know! Perhaps we should take him to Lord Heero!"

Wu-Long shook his head almost guiltily. "Mama don't wanna tawk to me," he murmured. "I tink I made him cwy."

"How so, little one?" Wufei asked gently, his voice full of concern. "Where is Mama now?"

The little prince sniffled softly and curled more tightly against his father for support. "Mama's in his woom. He's wiff da Heawew, an' Mama towd me to go pway fow a whiwe. We usuawwy pway untiw my bedtime, unwess I get in twoubwe. I wish I knew what I did, so I c'n say I'm sowwy."

Wufei cooed softly and ran his fingertips over Wu-Long's cheeks, catching the great clear tears that dripped. "Mama isn't one to punish you without telling you what you did wrong, my son. From what you've said, it sounds as though Mama wants a little time to himself. There's nothing wrong with that, and there's certainly nothing indicating Mama's displeasure with you."

"You suwe, Baba?" Wu-Long sniffled adorably.

The High King rolled his eyes and pat his son's back gently. "You shouldn't question your King, little one, but yes. How about you and I give Mama his private time and have a walk in the orchards? Or maybe you can show me how well you've been learning to ride your pony?"

Wu-Long shook his head vehemently, seizing Wufei's hand in his tiny fists. "Mama hates when I see my pony wiffout `im. He says I'wl get a tewwibwy sowe hiney if I twy."

"Well I'm the king, and there'll be no cause for your hiney to hurt without my consent." Wufei toyed with the idea of accusing Heero of acting as a mother hen, but he held back on it and decided Heero had every right to defend their son. "A small visit to your ponies is just the thing, I think. And after that, we'll get you washed up for supper, since Mama would tan us both if we didn't wash up after visiting the ponies."

"Mama wouldn't huwt da King!" Wu-Long giggled.

<I don't think so either, my child,> Wufei thought to himself. <But to worry me this way…>