5-Aug-2002
A Matter of Heart: Heirs to the Legacy
By: Andrea Readwolf
Email:
Rating: YA/Mature
Families: YMC Fam (Yuy-Maxwell-Chang Family: Trinity, Mara Jade,
and Dylan);
Winner Fam (Quatre + Trowa, Triton&Tristan, and little sis
Calista)
Peacecraft Family (Zechs Marquise/Milliard + Lucrezia/Noin
Peacecraft,Kit/Katarynna, Adrian, and Nicolette/Nicole)
Mazzolla Family (Mariemeia + Jake Mazzolla {OC}, Julian)
Catalonia-Dorian Family (Dorothy Catalonia + Relena Dorian,
Regina)
Une-Po Family (Lady Une + Sally Po, Marie Une*, Michael Braddocks,
Mark Braddocks, Matthew Braddocks)
Pairings: Trinity + Adrian, Mara Jade + Tristan, Kit + Triton (hoped
for), Calista + Dylan (hinted at)
plus: 1+2+3+4+5
Archive: Yes-- www.gwaddiction.com
Warnings: The following story contains scenes that are humorous,
sappy,fluff, with Incoherence, random PoV switching, and
Sexual innuendos abound.
Original Characters are presented; all characters are IC according to
the author's interpretation of them. Mainly heterosexual
situations, with hints of YAOI and YURI.
Spoilers: Previous Matter of Heart Series Arc stories: "Dance of the
Heart" Arc and "Oh Baby, Baby" Arc. Built off of "Traditions".
Feedback: C&C is always welcomed and adored.
Acknowledgements: There have been some wonderful people who have
made my sojourn in GW-fanfiction more than just enjoyable and have
inspired me to write, write, and write some more. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise
and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment
purposes. References to printed texts, films, sitcoms, musical
pieces, and/or other fanfictions don't belong to the author either.
Original Characters, including but not limited too, the Berh
Siblings, Jake Mazzolla and "the chibis", are original and hence, the
author's own creation.
Notes: This is the story of the children, the nine children of the 6
gundam pilots (Heero--Zechs) plus the grandchild of Treize
Khushrenada. This story will not focus primarily on the characters
from the series, but rather, the generation after them. This story is
not for all die-hard fans, but runs along the lines of a more
original piece.
Additional Note: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 often times refer to each other as
"husband"; please refer back to "Promise of the Rings" Part 15 if this
causes confusion.
Additional Note 2: The chibis often times refer to their parents'
friends and partners as "Uncle" or "Aunt"--in this case, the
term is used simply as one of respect since, with the exception
of Kit & Adrian's relation to Relena and all of Quatre's sisters,
none of the parents have siblings.
***These stories and the ideas contained within are copyright of the author. No reprinting or posting without permission of said author. ***
~ Mid-November 227AC~
It was a rather short flight, as most flights go-a little over an hour. Surprisingly the pair lasted the entire flight without one argument. Not one. They discussed recently read books, the politics surrounding the WEI Pioneer mining explorations of the asteroid belt, the plot holes in a recently viewed movie, the prosperity of one pet v. another, and other topics with nothing more than minor disagreements. It was an all-time record for the two and time flew by so quickly that before she knew it, Tristan was calling in for permission to land.
The voice at the end of the communication was. "Master Tristan! What a pleasure it is to see you again! Yes, yes, Right away, sire! Will you be staying long?"
Mara Jade blinked when her companion answered, "Only for the weekend, I'm afraid." But she didn't contradict him. She did, however, shoot him a look to which he just smiled at, and ignored.
The landing was as flawless as the take-off and flight. Tristan set them down smoothing and gently. There was no runway or terminal to pull to, she noted. Instead, a group of men waited eagerly for Tristan to park it before rushing up with a rollaway staircase. She went back for their bags as Tristan finished shutting down; they met at the hatch.
"Hey, Maja," he said releasing the lock mechanism.
"Hmm?"
He turned, smiled, and kissed her before throwing the hutch open and whispering, "Welcome to the Sands."
Mara Jade was swimming in a sea of humanity. Apparently, they had arrived in time for a festival, and everyone was out in the streets dancing, singing, buying and selling. It seemed also apparent that everyone and their sister knew Tristan. She received more than her share of stares, too. Stares that became knowing smiles and looks when Tristan reached over and took her hand. and didn't let go.
He knew his way around; that was obvious by the way he weaved through the stands and streets. He knew the people here as familiarly as if he'd been raised here, and they stopped frequently to talk with this or that passerby. It annoyed Mara Jade mostly because she had no clue what was being said. Tristan and the people here all spoke a language she didn't think she'd ever heard before.
When Tristan suddenly broke off from the main streets, Mara Jade had no choice but to follow-he was still holding her hand, after all. It only took another minute before Tristan found the door he was looking for and he knocked smartly.
"Where are we?" Mara Jade whispered, cautiously eyeing the people passing.
His eyes are sad, she thought, when he smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Just a quick visit to an old friend and then we'll head up to the main house," he promised.
A middle-aged, tired-looking, dark-haired woman answered his knock hesitantly. Dark eyes fell on Mara Jade with suspicion first before finding Tristan standing next to her. It was like magic-the woman before them was transformed into a lively, energetic girl who practically squealed with delight.
"Emir! (1)" she cried, reaching out to clasp Tristan's hands and drag him inside as tears streamed down her sun-darkened face. After a rapid conversation between the two, Mara Jade followed them to a back room.
She didn't know what to expect. Whatever it was, the grey-haired old man wasting away on a narrow bed that should have been too small for him was not it. The woman who led them here knelt by the bedside and gently shook the old man, speaking softly. Mara Jade didn't even question why she understood what the woman was saying.
"Papa. Papa? Emir is here to see you."
Cloudy dark eyes cracked open wide enough to spot Tristan standing beside the woman.
"Master Kiell?" a voice little-used croaked.
"No, my friend," Tristan corrected. "It's Tristan, remember?"
"Kiell-sama, it warms my heart to see you alive," the old man went on. "We were worried you had not made it out in time. Kiell-sama, please be more careful. I promise to watch over the boy, I promise, but please don't make reckless actions. I will not fail you, Kiell-sama. I will protect the boy with me life and I will see to it one day he learns the truth."
"You're a good man, my friend," Tristan replied, not bothering to hide his tears. "Now rest. Rest, my friend."
It was ten minutes later before the woman who let them in, let them out, apologizing for her father's ramblings, but Tristan cut her off, hugging her and kissing her cheek. Mara Jade had to swallow her own tongue to prevent herself from crying, too.
"Rashid has served the Raberba family well for many years," Tristan said, and Mara Jade lost her battle as a hot tear slid down her cheek. "His time here has been a blessing to many," he told the daughter.
The daughter nodded, wiping away her teas and accepting his kind words.
Tristan and Mara Jade resumed a slower walk through the streets filled with celebrators. For minutes, neither knew what to say, and then finally, Mara Jade broke the silence.
"That was Rashid," she said, swallowing rapidly, not daring to look at the young man walking beside her.
"Yes."
"I didn't recognize him," she whispered. Rashid had been uncle Quatre's right hand man, leader of the special forces called Maganacs. When she was little, she remembered the large dark man booming with laughter and swinging her and her sister around from an arm each. That man lying on the bed, wasting away, looked nothing like the man in her memories.
"He's dying," Tristan informed her softly. He looked at her suddenly. "Are you hungry? We should stop by the house and freshen up a bit before joining the party, don't you think?"
It wasn't like he gave her a chance to answer as he took up her hand again and lead her quickly through the streets. He stopped suddenly, and she almost ran into him. She looked and her breath caught.
"The Raberba Home Estate," Tristan announced proudly.
End Part 25
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com