This story is not a lemon. However, it does contain yaoi (male/male) pairings. It also contains male/female pairings that are unpopular in some fannish quarters. Live with it.
In a certain kingdom in a certain land lived Prince Wufei. He had five brothers – Prince Zechs, Prince Heero, Prince Duo, Prince Trowa, and Prince Quatre. Their father and mother died; their parting injunction to Prince Wufei was: “Whoever woos a brother of yours, give him to her: do not keep them long with you, except for your brothers Trowa and Quatre who have vowed eternal love to one another alone.” And so Trowa and Quatre went away together and fought evil in distant lands. The prince buried his parents and in his sorrow went to walk with his brothers in the green garden. Suddenly a black cloud covered the sky and a terrible storm gathered. “Let us go home, brothers,” said Prince Wufei. They had no sooner entered the castle than a thunderbolt struck it. The ceiling was cut in twain and a white falcon flew into the room; she struck the floor, turned into a brave and beautiful woman, and said “Hail, Prince Wufei! Formerly I came here as a guest, but now I have come as a suitor, I want to woo your brother, Prince Zechs.” “If my brother finds you to his liking I do not oppose the marriage; it is justice that I should let him go.” Prince Zechs consented; the falcon married him and carried him off to her own colony.
Days followed days, hours followed hours, and a whole year went by as though it had never been. Prince Wufei went to walk in the green garden with his two brothers. Again a great cloud came with whirlwind and lightning. “Let us go home, brothers,” said the prince. They had no sooner entered the castle than a thunderbolt struck it. The roof fell apart, the ceiling was cut in twain and a magpie flew in; she struck the floor and turned into a spirited and beautiful woman. “Well, Prince Wufei,” the magpie said. “Formerly I came as a guest, but now I come as a suitor; give me Prince Duo’s hand in marriage.” “There is no justice in opposing my brother’s will,” said Wufei. “If he finds you to his liking, let him marry you.” Prince Duo married the magpie and she carried him off to her colony.
Another year went by. Prince Wufei said to Prince Heero, “Let us go to walk in the green garden.” They walked a while; again a cloud came and a whirlwind arose and lightning flashed. “Let us return home, brother,” said the prince. They returned home and before they had time to sit down a thunderbolt struck their palace. The ceiling was cut in twain, and a dove flew in. She struck the floor and turned into a gentle and beautiful, but incredibly persistent, woman. “Greeting, Prince Wufei,” said the dove. “Formerly I came as a guest, but now I have come as a suitor.” And she wooed Prince Heero, and followed him wherever he went. Prince Heero consented and married the dove; she seized him and carried him off to her kingdom. Prince Wufei was left alone; for a whole year he lived alone, then he became weary. “I will go and look for my brothers,” he said.
He made ready, and walked and walked, and one day beheld a host of mobile suits lying slain on the field. Prince Wufei said “If any man is alive here, let him answer me. Who slew this great army?” One man answered him: “All this great army was slain by Treize Morevitch, the handsome king.” Prince Wufei went further, came upon white tents, and Treize Morevitch the handsome king came out to meet him. “Hail, prince,” he said. “Whither is your search for justice taking you? And is it of your own will or do you travel upon compulsion?” Prince Wufei answered him: “The weak should not fight, and brave knights do not travel by compulsion.” “Well, if you are not in a hurry, stay and duel with me, and if I defeat you, you shall be mine.” Prince Wufei and Treize Morevitch dueled, and in no time at all Treize Morevitch’s blade was at Prince Wufei’s throat. “Now you shall be my dragon,” said Treize Morevitch. “Rest in my tent and I shall teach you the meaning of delight.”
Treize Morevitch, the handsome king, took Prince Wufei with him to his kingdom. They lived together for some time, then the king decided to make war; he left his household in Prince Wufei’s care and told him: “Go everywhere, take care of everything, only never look into this closet.” But he could not restrain himself; as soon as Treize Morevitch had gone, he rushed to the closet, opened the door, and looked in. Inside the closet Quinze the Deathless was hanging chained with twelve chains. Quinze begged of Prince Wufei: “Take pity on me, give me a drink! For ten years I have been tormented here, without food or drink; my throat is all parched.” “Where’s the justice in tormenting a helpless old man,” said Prince Wufei and gave him a whole keg of water. He drank it and asked for more. “One keg will not quench my thirst,” he said. “Give me another!” The prince gave him another keg of water; Quinze drank it and asked for a third, and after he had drunk his third kegful he recovered his former strength, shook his chains, and broke all twelve of them at once. “Thanks, Prince Wufei,” said Quinze the Deathless. “Now you will never see Treize Morevitch again – not any more than you will see your own ears.” And he flew out of the window in a terrible whirlwind, overtook Treize Morevitch, seized him, and carried him off to his satellite.
Prince Wufei wept bitterly, and set out on his way to seek his lover. “Whatever befalls me, I must find Treize Morevitch,” he said. He walked one day, then a second day, and on the third day he beheld a marvelous castle; near the castle stood an oak, and on the oak sat the white falcon. The falcon few down from the oak, struck the ground, turned into a brave and beautiful woman, and exclaimed: “Ah, dear brother-in-law!” Prince Zechs ran out, received Prince Wufei with joy, questioned him about his health, and told him about his own life. The prince stayed with them for three days and said “I cannot stay with you a long time; I am looking for Treize Morevitch.” “It will be hard for you to find him,” said the falcon. “Leave your silver chopsticks here in any case; we shall look at them and remember you.” Prince Wufei left his silver chopsticks with the falcon and went on his way.
He walked one day, then another day, and as the third day dawned he saw a scrapyard; near the scrapyard stood an oak, and on the oak sat a magpie. The magpie flew down from the oak, struck the ground, turned into a spirited and beautiful woman, and exclaimed “Get up, Duo, your brother’s here!” Prince Duo straightway ran out to receive Prince Wufei, embraced and kissed him, questioned him about his health, and told him about his own life. Prince Wufei stayed with them for three days, and then said “I have no time to visit longer, I am looking for Treize Morevitch, the handsome king.” The magpie said “It will be hard for you to find him. Leave your silver rice-bowl with us, we shall look at it and remember you.” Prince Wufei left his silver rice-bowl and went on his way.
He walked one day, then another day, and as the third day dawned he beheld a magnificent castle; near the castle stood an oak, and on the oak sat a dove. The dove flew down from the oak, struck the ground, turned into a gentle, beautiful and incredibly persistent woman, and exclaimed “Arise, Prince Heero, our beloved brother is coming!” Prince Heero straightway ran out to receive Prince Wufei, embraced and kissed him, questioned him about his health, and told him about his own life. Prince Wufei stayed with him for three days, and said “I have no time to visit longer. I am looking for Treize Morevitch, the handsome king.” The dove said “It will be hard for you to find him. Leave your silver teacup with us; we will look at it and remember you.” Prince Wufei left his silver teacup and went his way.
He walked one day, he walked another day, and on the third day came to Treize Morevitch. When he saw Prince Wufei, he threw himself on his neck, shed tears, and said “Ah, my dear dragon, why did you disobey me? Why did you look into the closet and release Quinze the Deathless?” “Forgive me, Treize Morevitch! Instead, come with me while Quinze is away, perhaps he will not overtake us.” They made ready and left. Quinze was out hunting; at nightfall he returned home, and his good mobile suit stalled. “Why do you stall, you useless piece of junk?” he cried. “Or do you sense some mishap?” The mobile suit answered: “Prince Wufei was here and has carried off Treize Morevitch.” “And can we overtake them?” “We could prospect an asteroid, mine its ore, refine it, process it into alloys, shape them, design and build five mobile suits, and set out in pursuit – even then we could overtake them.”
Quinze took off and overtook Prince Wufei. “Well,” he said, “the first time I forgive you, because of your kindness in having given me water to drink; the second time I will forgive you too. But the third time, take care – I will cut you into little pieces.” He took Treize Morevitch from the prince and carried him off; and Prince Wufei sat on a stone and wept. He wept and wept, and went back again for Treize Morevitch. Quinze the Deathless happened to be away. “Let us go, Treize Morevitch!” he said. “Ah, my dragon, he will catch us!” “Let him catch us, we will at least have spent an hour or two together.” They made ready and left. As Quinze the Deathless was returning home, his mobile suit stalled. “Why do you stall, you useless piece of junk?” he cried. “Or do you sense some mishap?” The mobile suit answered: “Prince Wufei was here and has carried off Treize Morevitch.” “And can we overtake them?” “We could prospect an asteroid, mine its ore, refine it, process it into alloys, shape them, design and build five mobile suits, and set out in pursuit – even then we could overtake them.”
Quinze took off and overtook Prince Wufei. “Did I not tell you,” he said, “that you would not see Treize Morevitch again – not any more than you can see your own ears?” And he took the king and carried him back to his satellite. Prince Wufei was left alone; he wept and wept and went back again for Treize Morevitch. At that time also Quinze happened to be away. “Let us go, Treize Morevitch,” the prince said. “But my dragon, he will catch you and cut you into little pieces!” “Let him cut me to pieces, I cannot live without you.” They made ready and left. As Quinze the Deathless was returning home his mobile suit stalled. “Why do you stall?” he said. “Do you sense some mishap?” “Prince Wufei was here and has carried off Treize Morevitch.” Quinze took off, overtook Prince Wufei, cut him into tiny pieces, put the pieces in an airtight drum; he took the drum, cast it adrift in outer space, and carried Treize Morevitch back to his satellite.
At that very moment the silver blackened in the castles of Prince Wufei’s sisters-in-law. “Ah,” they said, “A misfortune must have happened to our brother-in-law.” The falcon hurried into space, seized the drum, and brought it to safety, while the dove flew for the water of life and the magpie for the water of death. All three of them gathered together in one place, broke open the drum, took out the pieces of Prince Wufei, washed them and put them together in the right order. The magpie sprinkled them with the water of death, and the pieces grew together and joined; the dove sprinkled the body with the water of life, and Prince Wufei shuddered, rose up, and said “Ah, how long have I slept!” “You would have slept even longer if it had not been for us,” said the sisters-in-law. “Now come to visit us.” “No, sisters! I shall go to look for Treize Morevitch.”
He came to the king and said “Find out from Quinze the Deathless where he got himself such a good mobile suit.” Treize Morevitch seized an opportune moment and began to question Quinze. He said “Beyond thrice nine asteroids, in the thrice tenth colony, beyond a field of space mines, live the five scientists; they have a great ship in which they fly around the system every day. They also have many other splendid mobile suits; I served as their mechanic for three days not letting even one mobile suit malfunction, and as a reward the five scientists gave me one mobile suit.” “But how did you cross the space mines?” “I have a secret access code that I can program into my mobile suit and open a safe path through the space mines.”
Treize Morevitch listened to him, carefully repeated everything to Prince Wufei, stole the access code and gave it to him. Prince Wufei crossed the field of space mines and went forth to find the five scientists.
He went for a long time, and happened to come upon some Sweepers. Prince Wufei said “You are in league with Quinze the Deathless, and in the name of justice I shall destroy you.” “We are not in league with Quinze, we are Sweepers pursuing our trade in peace,” begged the Sweepers. “Some day we shall be useful to you.” He went on and came upon some Manganacs. “You are in league with Quinze the Deathless and in the name of justice I shall destroy you.” “We are Manganacs guarding the Winner holdings, and not in league with Quinze,” said the Manganacs, “and someday we will be useful to you.” He went on and came to some soldiers wearing OZ uniforms with armbands, and said to them “You are in league with Quinze the Deathless, and in the name of justice I shall destroy you.” “We are all that is left of the Treize Faction,” said the soldiers, “and someday we will be useful to you.” “Well so be it.”
He flew for a long time, he flew and flew, till he came to the ship of the five scientists. Around the ship were eleven ruined mobile suits with dead bodies inside; only one place was empty. “Good day, sires,” said Prince Wufei. “Good day, Prince Wufei! Why have you come – of your own free will or from need?” “I have come to earn a mobile suit from you.” “You may try, prince. One need not serve a year with us, but only three days. If you can tend our Mobile Dolls, we will give you a mobile suit; and if you cannot, do not hold it against us, but your body will go into the last place.” Prince Wufei consented; the five scientists gave him meat and drink and ordered him to set to work. He had no sooner taken the Mobile Dolls out than they scattered over the system; the prince had not even cast a glance about him when they vanished from sight. He wept and was grieved, sat on an asteroid, and fell asleep. It was late when the Sweepers came to him and roused him. “Arise, Prince Wufei! The Mobile Dolls have returned!” The prince arose, returned to the ship, and found the five scientists berating each other and crying “Why did they return?” “How could we help coming home?” the Mobile Dolls replied. “The Tallgeese came upon us and smote us, and almost cut us in pieces!” “Well, fight better tomorrow.”
Prince Wufei slept that night. In the morning the five scientists said to him: ’Mind you, Prince, if you do not tend the Mobile Dolls, if you lose even one of them, you shall be killed.” He took the Mobile Dolls out into the system; they scattered at once. Again the prince sat on an asteroid and wept and wept, and fell asleep. It was growing late when the Manganacs came to him. “Arise, Prince Wufei!” they said to him. “The Mobile Dolls are gathered together.” Prince Wufei rose and returned to the ship and found the five scientists berating each other more severely than before and crying “Why did they return?” “How could we help returning,” said the Mobile Dolls, “when Deathscythe came upon us from every side and almost cut us in pieces!” “Well, fight better tomorrow.”
Prince Wufei slept again that night; in the morning the five scientists sent him to take out the Mobile Dolls. “If you do not tend them,” they said to him, “you will be killed.” He took the Mobile Dolls out into space; straightway they scattered. Prince Wufei sat on an asteroid, wept, and fell asleep. It was late when the Treize Faction soldiers came to him and said “Arise, prince! All the Mobile Dolls are gathered together. But when you return to the ship, do not show yourself to the five scientists; go to the hangar and hide behind the fuel-drums. There you will find a rusted and battered mobile suit in the scrap bin; steal it, and on the stroke of midnight leave the ship.”
Prince Wufei arose, made his way to the hangar, and hid behind the fuel-drums. The five scientists berated each other and the Mobile Dolls and cried “Why did you return?” “How could we help returning?” the Mobile Dolls replied. “Wing Zero came upon us from every side and almost cut us in pieces!”
The five scientists fell asleep, and on the stroke of midnight Prince Wufei stole the rusty and battered mobile suit, climbed into the cockpit, and flew to the field of space mines. When he came to the space mines, he entered the secret access code, and a safe path opened through the mines. The prince crossed by the path and entered the code again, and there the safe path still appeared, but it was in fact no longer safe.
Next morning the five scientists awoke and found that the rusty and battered mobile suit was gone. They rushed off in pursuit in the great ship Peacemillion, and came to the field of space mines. They looked and thought “The path is good.” As soon as they reached the middle of the path, they struck a space mine; the great ship Peacemillion blew up and the five scientists died a cruel death. Prince Wufei worked on the mobile suit he had taken from the five scientists, and its battered and rusty seeming was gone, and it was a Gundam. The prince flew to Treize Morevitch. Treize ran out to meet Prince Wufei and cried out “Has God brought you back to life?” “In such and such a way,” he said. “Come with me.” “I am afraid, my dragon. If Quinze catches you, he will again cut you to pieces.” They climbed into the Gundam and flew off.
Quinze the Deathless was returning home, and his mobile suit stalled. “Why do you stall? Do you sense some mishap?” “Prince Wufei was here and has taken Treize Morevitch!” “And can we overtake them?” “God knows! Prince Wufei now has a Gundam.” “No, I won’t endure this!” said Quinze the Deathless. “I’ll pursue him!” After a long time or a short time, he caught up with Prince Wufei and tried to cut him down with his beam saber. But the hands of Prince Wufei’s Gundam became fanged dragons and crunched through Quinze’s armor, and smashed his head, and Prince Wufei left his body drifting forever in the freezing emptiness of outer space. Then they went to see first the dove, then the magpie, and lastly the falcon. Wherever they went, they were received with joy. “Ah, Prince Wufei,” everyone said. “We had given up hope of ever seeing you again. Indeed, you have not taken all these pains for nothing, such a lover as Treize Morevitch could be sought throughout the system, but his equal could never be found!” They visited and feasted and rode back to their own kingdom; when they came there, they began to live and prosper and grow roses.
NOTES, EXPLANATIONS ETC.
I’d never planned to write any Gundam Wing… but then…
Yoiko and Tzigane’s “Veiled Paradox” mentioned a folktale called Maria Morevna. Now, I have this weird compulsion – dangle a folktale in front of me and I won’t be happy until I’ve tracked it down and read it. So I found Maria Morevna, and thought Wow! You know, that would make a good Gundam Wing fairy tale all by itself! So I wrote it, trimming a bit here or there and fitting it together as well as I could. Horses became mobile suits, kingdoms became colonies (usually), and magic turned into something that sounded vaguely like science. The rest is Afanas’ev’s, except for the roses… but what would Treize be without them?
Luriko-Ysabeth: Thanks for the preread and the rescue! It would have been a most embarrassing gaffe…