The Shrine Maiden 4/?

[melrose_stormhaven]

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Don't sue. Okane ga nai!

Chapter IV: Throwing the Dice

"Are you sure about this?" Red Phoenix General Duo asked the Blue Dragon General Heero as the latter began to saddle his horse. Duo leaned against one of the posts in the stable of the Blue Dragon General. "You don't even know the girl and you're taking her to a potential fight already. You know how dangerous it would be for both of you." When Heero replied with cold silence, Duo went on, "You shouldn't have accepted her."

Heero stopped in the act of putting the saddle on the horse. He turned to Duo, a quiet deadliness in his dark blue eyes. If looks could kill, the Phoenix general would be a mere memory by now. "Would you have refused the Emperor?" he asked the Phoenix General in a calm voice as he went back to saddling his horse.

Duo thought for a moment, tilting his head to the side. Then he sighed. "I guess you had no choice but to accept, huh?" Duo savagely kicked a bundle of hay away. It bounded across the stable, hitting one of the stalls with a dull thud. "Damn it!" he bit out, his frustration over the matter evident in his voice. "No matter what his intentions were, the Emperor shouldn't have forced that girl on you so soon. He didn't even consider your feelings on the matter." He didn't give Heero time to grieve or to adjust to Alina's death. Treize just shoved the girl up Heero's ass. Damn him. Damn the Elders as well for allowing this madness.

"The Emperor has the right of it. I have been neglecting my duties to the kingdom in my grief." Heero stroked his horse's mane, drawing a whine of pleasure from the horse.

Duties, my ass! Duo said to himself. As he watched the Dragon General prepare his horse, he thought, Maybe this is his way of coping with Alina's death. He's coping by burying himself in his duties.

For as long as Duo could remember, Heero had been obsessed with his duties as Blue Dragon General. He was always eager to fulfill his duties, never faltering. Duo supposed it had something to do with Heero being trained at a very young age to be a General–the perfect soldier, Hilde once whispered to him.

Duo frowned slightly. I had been a pickpocket before being chosen as the Red Phoenix General when the former Phoenix General and his Maiden died. The first time I saw Heero, back when we were six years old, he had a grim, determined look on his young face. He was already trained in the military arts. Everyone was in awe of him, even the fiercely proud Wufei. Well, everyone except for Heero's maiden, a young five-year old girl by the name of Alina. Alina had been a sweet, gentle little girl. In the past, Duo often wondered what on earth possessed the Elders to pair Heero with Alina. The two were complete opposites.

The selection of those who will become General and Maiden was a complicated process. All newborn infants in the kingdom were presented to the Elders. Those born with magic were automatically chosen as 'candidates'. The 'candidates' were then winnowed down until only eight remained–four girls and four boys. Usually, the children with the strongest physical and magical powers were chosen.

Usually, the Elders take the chosen children away from their respective families, to be trained in their powers and to wait until the time for them to fulfill their destiny has come–or as Lady Dorothy once succinctly put it, to wait until the current Generals and Maidens died so they could replace them. However, some parents were reluctant to give their child to the Elders and defied them by hiding their child. In Duo's case, his mother, a prostitute, never showed him to the Elders when he was born.

Whatever measures parents took to hide their child from the Elders, it didn't matter in the end. If their child were destined to be a General or a Maiden, he or she would become one, whether they liked it or not. There was no choice about it.

Duo's thoughts then wandered to the woman who was now the new Dragon Maiden. The girl was very pretty. Duo hadn't seen anyone as pretty as that in a long while, except perhaps Alina. However, Alina had a delicate, fragile kind of beauty, the type that made one want to protect and shelter her.

With her small height and slender built, Alina looked like a single gust of wind could topple her down. The new Maiden, Relena, on the other hand, was taller, and had a much fitter-looking body than Alina. Though both had a delicate, fragile look about them, Relena had a proud, confident tilt in her chin, and she carried herself like a queen of sorts while Alina had a more placid, humble look about her.

Then, as if she had heard Duo's thoughts, the new Dragon Maiden appeared. Relena still wore the dark blue gown she came in with, but her long blonde hair was now neatly tied into a low chignon and her face was free of smudges. Trailing behind her was a magnificent black stallion. After doing a graceful curtsy, she regarded the Dragon General with a calm expression. "My Lord," she said, bowing again. There was no submission in her curtsy "I am ready for the ride."

"You're going to ride in that gown?" Duo asked her, curious. He surreptitiously eyed the Relena's horse, which was snorting and pawing the earth in impatience, its dark eyes glittering with spirit.

Relena nodded. "Yes. I'm quite adept in riding while wearing gowns." She smiled slightly at Duo.

"Let's go," Heero said abruptly in a harsh voice. He turned to his new Maiden, a cool expression in his eyes, his mouth drawn into a grim line. "The town is quite far from here. We'll be riding hard." He led the silvery stallion out of the stable, then easily mounted it.

"As you say, My Lord." Relena bowed in acquiescence then expertly mounted the black stallion. In a few minutes, they were off.

As soon as the two left, Lady Hilde approached Duo. "This is not right. It is much to soon."

Duo gave her a sad look. "I know…but for good or for ill, Heero has thrown the dice."

~T.B.C.~

Free talk, part 2: I know. I'm mean. This part is sooo short. I'm sorry…I'll work on the next part as soon as I'm able to do so.

Horses: I have no clue about horses and dealing with them. If I have any mistakes, please correct me.

Next chapter: The fight between the wizard and the maiden and the general…you'll love it, I promise! *snicker*

[Eden]

Evil, evil Melrose! ^_^

You can bet that I'll be waiting for your next part with baited breath!

~Eden

[zipdos]

I agree with Duo. It IS too soon but we want Relena and Heero action!!!!!! Can't wait for the next chappie!!! Great story

[melrose_stormhaven]

*hangs head in shame*
I know, I'm cruel. I'm really sorry...but you'll see action soon. I promise!!!

[Morrighan]

Gah!! Gurl, we need more!!!! But then again, seeing bits and pieces is always good...

Can't wait to see more!!

[blackrose]

I hate finding like chapter 4 of a fic before the other 3 parts.

*whine*

But yay! Relena's his maiden. This has to be a good start to some degree. O.o

*wanders off in search of parts 1-3*

[melrose_stormhaven]

Gah...I'm sooo sorry, Morri! I'm making you all wait...I'll probably post next year...or sometime this month...

Rose! *glomp*

Advance Merry Christmas, everyone!!!