17-Aug-2001
Title: Nightingale
Author: Phoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. I am poor...really poor. Sigh. This
fic is for entertainment only.
Warnings: Betrayal and I wrote it.
Rating: PG...maybe G...you decide.
Fandom: Gundam Wing
Pairing: WufeiXDuo sort of
Summary: Based on the old fable of the Emperor and the Nightingale.
Part 1 of 1
Once upon a time there lived a serious, learned, and studious young king named Chang Wufei. At only fourteen, the child's father died, leaving him in charge. The new King ruled a land filled with peace and prosperity, yet he was not happy. Something was missing from his life. Every day was no different than the rest. Long hours of solving problems, making judgments, and so many other kingly duties, the young ruler began to dread getting out of bed in the morning.
Of course, he hid the ill feeling from his advisors and subjects. Yet one lady noticed; her name was Sally Po. This woman knew the king's melancholy, if left untreated, would soon result in his death simply because he had nothing to live for. Thus it was, Sally Po sent out spies and agents around the world to find a cure. What they found surprised them all.
In a kingdom on the other side of the world, a spy discovered a singer. Not just any singer. No. That would never have helped the King. Instead, this young man possessed incredible beauty and could sing so well all thought his voice God blessed. Surely someone like this might help. Things were even made better by the fact that the boy was a trained slave. No worries about making him stay; once purchased, he'd have no choice, no matter how much Change Wufei ended up ignoring or taking him for granted.
So agents were sent to either buy the man or steal him from his present Master. In the end, the young slave, named Duo, ended up sold after his Master met an untimely and unexplained death. So it was, in the fifth year of his reign, King Chang Wufei, became the owner of his destiny. Of course, the King didn't know it yet.
Sally Po was a smart person and knew Wufei would never accept the boy as a gift, so she ran an experiment; instructing the slave to sing softly, she left him chained in a dark corner all day. The King could not explain why, but throughout the meetings, judgments, and politics, something eased his soul. When he mentioned it to his advisors, Sally dragged the frightened young singer out of the shadows. Quickly she told the ruler of what had been done.
Wufei took one look at the young slave and felt a connection. Both were people whose lives were dictated by forces beyond them. From that day forward, whenever the King had work to do, Duo sang for him. The once sad ruler greeted each day with a smile. However, it is the nature of people to take others for granted. As the years passed, Duo's love of talking grated on the King's nerves; his voice no longer soothed as it had. Sometimes, the mere site of his slave irritated Chang.
Once more, Sally ventured to solve the problem. This time, she brought a blond singer. Where Duo had long, silken, chestnut hair, this new slave has satin, short, blond hair. Where Duo talked often, the new slave, called Quatre, only spoke when told. And while Quatre did not sing as well as Duo, the newness of his voice captivated everyone. It was not long before Wufei started to neglect the slender old singer, for the exciting, new one.
Duo tried to win back the King's affections. He no longer saw the other man as an owner, but rather as a friend and cared deeply for him. Yet his efforts only pushed the King further away until one day, the chestnut haired singer tried to talk to his rival, knowing the other man did not truly care for their owner. Unfortunately, Wufei overheard part of the conversation and took it as threat against his new favorite. Quatre tried to explain, but the dark eyed man wouldn't listen. So it was that Duo was sold to a king far away.
So broken was his heart, the lithe singer didn't even struggle as he was once more chained and treated as a slave. In the days following, a report came in telling of the ship carrying young Duo. It had been sunk by a terrible storm at sea. There were no survivors. King Chang Wufei shrugged it off. He had Quatre. What did he need someone as useless as Duo for?
But life often teaches people lessons when they least expect it and such was the case with Chang Wufei. One year after Duo's death, the young blond slave ran away, aided by a merchant, Triton Bloom. The King sent out whole armies to find his errant property. All for naught. No one in Chang's kingdom ever saw the singer again.
Without someone to sing for him, the burden of ruling once more began to weigh down the ruler's soul. By the end of a month, Wufei had lost over ten pounds; his skin was so pale no one could mistake him for healthy. Sally Po scoured the planet, but could find no others to ease her King's mind.
Around this time, the ebony-eyed man swallowed his pride and realized Duo would never have abandoned him. At last, he admitted the wrong he'd done to the beautiful slave and the reason for it: he feared his love for the chestnut haired prisoner. Tradition looked down on such pairings. Labeled them as unnatural. The thought of his honor being destroyed, stained beyond repair had shadowed his decisions. And in his shame, he'd been unable to see it. The knowledge tore at his soul.
Now, Wufei knew death stalked him and pride meant nothing. All the young man longed for was a chance to tell his beloved what he felt and how truly sorry he was. This was his dying wish.
As his health deteriorated, the King became bedridden. A fever clouded his thoughts and all the dark haired ruler spoke were words begging for forgiveness. From whom, only the King knew.
As time passed, Sally Po became more and more desperate. Finally, she offered half the kingdom's wealth to any who could cure the King. Many tried, none succeeded. Despair gripped the people even as strangers from around the globe arrived looking to claim the money. It seemed as if nothing could save their beloved leader.
Then, one night, a shadow slipped through the palace. Carefully, it avoided the guards and late night walkers, until reaching Chang's rooms. The doors were no longer guarded; no one feared an assassination attempt on a man about to die.
The shadow crept slowly toward the bed, taking in the sweat soaked figure on it, trapped in a nightmare. The lithe body twisted from side to side, whimpers passing clenched lips, and an occasional "Forgive me," passed them, spoke in a piteously pleading tone. The pale, slender hand reached out from the darkness and stroked back damp locks. Then the shadow did a strange thing, it started to sing.
Deep in the nightmare, Wufei heard something amazing, the sound he'd wanted to hear again before his death. Duo's voice cut through the pain, drawing him into the light. The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes, were wet, amethyst orbs set in a tear stained face.
"No," Wufei whispered, his hands brushing away new tears. "Don't cry for me, Duo. Not the one who betrayed you. You who gave me everything."
"You didn't betray me, my King," Duo sobbed. "I am but property."
"Never," the ill man growled with a much strength as could be mustered. Lacing his fingers through the other's silken hair, the King drew his love down for a kiss. At first, Duo stiffed and Wufei thought his feelings were not returned. Yet, suddenly, the beautiful singer's body relaxed, melding itself against the figure on the bed.
"Please do not leave me again," The young ruler begged. "I cannot live without you."
A smiled graced Duo's face. "Not even if you send me away again."
"It will not happen." Was the promise. "I love you. It took far too long for me to say those words, but I swear by all I hold dear, I mean them."
"I love you as well, my King,"
"Not King. Not Master. Call me Wufei." Came the command.
"Wufei," the violet-eyed youth breathed with reverence.
"Sing for me, my love." There was a pause. "Please."
This asking was going to take some getting used to. However, a soft, gentle lullaby filled the air and for the first time in almost two years, King Chang Wufei slept in total peace.
The morning found the pair intertwined. The guards summoned Sally Po as for the first time in far too long they saw their King not in pain. The Doctor carefully examined the exhausted pair without rousing either. Rushing outside, the woman proclaimed to all the news: The King was recovering! At last, their beloved leader would rule again!
Later came the announcement about Chang Wufei's choice for First Consort. Not just a former slave, but a male as well! At first, the people were shocked, but then Po and the guards told of how former slave Duo saved Wufei. Opinion changed. No matter that the older citizens were reluctant to accept the development, the younger cared solely that the King was happy and the land prosperous.
So it went. Chang Wufei eventually married a foreign princess. From her came five sons and three daughters. Always first in his heart, though, was Duo and the Queen understood and accepted it. The young man grew into a lovely singer who talent drew people from everywhere. He became a great asset to the land and loved his King until the day he died. A feeling which was returned in equal measure.
Their love became legend in the land. The story is told over and over to all children so they might learn the value of such an emotion and understand there never is anything to be ashamed of in truly loving. What is the story called you ask? Why "The Emperor and His Nightingale" of course. The very one I have told you, my children.
The End
So? How'd I do?
Phoenix
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