4Land of the Rising
Pairing: 13x3/3x3
Part: 3/4
Completed: 3/4
Author's note: I'm not an old Japanese guy so I don't own GW. This fic has many references to historical Chinese and Japanese culture.
Since the sun hit the sky the morning after the feast, the pairs had been discouraged from seeing each other until the wedding the month after. They sat near each other during meals and discussed their days, but were thrown apart after dinner until the next day. Wufei entertained his fascination with training while Trowa hunched over books and practiced with the sword occasionally with his brother. They enjoyed each other's company as they had before, but refused to talk about their fiancées with each other, fearing the outburst of competition.
One evening after dinner and "lanterns out" for the boys, Wufei slinked through the halls to another corridor, to another door. He whispered a name quietly and was let into a lit room full of books. Wufei let his eyes slide across unfamiliar titles and graceful paint strokes until the taller one spoke. "What is the purpose of your visit, Wufei-san?"
He cleared his throat and approached Treize as if to size him up. After a few moments of constant eye contact, he bowed deeply before Treize.
"What's this all about?"
"Doomo Arigatou Gozaimashita. This is on behalf of myself and Heero," he remained bowed.
"Wufei-san?" he questioned.
"Thank you for saving his life. He says he hates you for saving him, but I know he doesn't."
"He hates me for different reasons," he said somberly.
Wufei smiled and sat up. "Hai."
"Well, thank you," he knelt near Wufei.
"What for, Treize-san?"
"For showing me you care that much for my brother," he kissed Wufei's palm softly.
Wufei withdrew his hand sheepishly and blushed. "He's important to me, just like my brother feels you are important to him."
"Oh?" he smirked.
"He doesn't speak of you, but when he thinks of you his aura stretches out. I really must be going," he stood up.
"Take care of my brother, Wufei-san."
"Hai," he replied and headed back to his room. "And you take care of mine."
The next dinner had arrived and gone after a long day of reading for Trowa. Page after page of Chinese and Japanese texts filled the space between dinners and the day until he was to be wed. Treize remained a pleasant enigma to him. He enjoyed every look and word that sprung from him. It was easier for him to pleasure himself knowing that magnificent face to the very last detail. He had yet to taste those lips, he dreamt of, but savored the wait.
Drooling over his fiancée absentmindedly while pretending to read a book, he heard a knock on the door. He wiped off his drool stained chin and walked to the door. Zechs once again appeared, but this time adorning a small package of some sort. With a questioning look, he answered, "Yes, Zechs?"
"This is a package from your fiancée. The young master seemed a bit happier than usual when he fetched me to deliver it."
"Thank you, Zechs. Has there been a date set?" he inquired.
He tugged on his lower lip a bit. "No sir. The word around the manor is that it will be . . ."
"Zechs!" A loud voice cracked behind him.
Zechs froze and moved from the door. "Yes, sir?"
"You should know not to spread the word of hand maids and chatty court members over the official address. Now, go! Stop pestering the young master!" a more familiar voice demanded.
Zechs left hastily with his tail between his legs.
Trowa was about to close his door when a honey-tanned hand stopped the door and a head popped inside and whispered into his ear, "Good Evening, Trowa."
"Tr. . .Treize-san. What are you doing here, you could get into trouble! Please leave before someone sees you. Hurry," he tried to be quiet while straining his point.
"I'll be waiting, my dear Trowa," he let his cheek graze the other boy's as he slinked out and into the hallway. "Sleep well."
Trowa watched him turn the corner to his own quarters before pulling the door closed. He shivered at the thought of that touch. Quickly, he opened the packet from his beloved.
The first thing to glide out of the white envelope was a book. No title donned its side or cover, so he opened it to the first page, which had hand-written Japanese on it.
Dearest Trowa,
I delight in the thought of this arrangement. Please believe me when I thank you for giving everything up for us. Your brother and you took from your safe homes to a place you'd spend your days with strangers. Now however I am not a stranger, or at least wish desperately not to be. By way of this book, I'd like us to explore each other. My father wishes to keep us apart until our marriage; I ache to see you, hear your words, smell your scent. Each day, please write about yourself, and your thoughts of Japan. Each day at dinner, give the book to me so I may read your thoughts. In return I will add my own and leave it at your back door at dawn. Please indulge me in this task if you find it a chore, but from what I know of you so far, I believe it will be as much my pleasure as it is yours.
Kuyuma Treize
Delighted, he found a brush and turned to the second page when the package fell over onto the floor. Curious, he found a rosebud and a small bottle of massage oil which read, "for your pleasure" on it. Trowa turned florescent red when the meaning of the phrase unraveled itself in his mind. 'How could he be so shameless?' he thought, but it intrigued him even more.
On the other side of the manor, a tired Heero sat somberly with a tea set at his side and a bitter expression clinging to his face. The fireflies wove themselves in and out of the late summer air, seducing his eyes to follow wherever they went. In a strange way, Heero admired them for being so free, so open. Lost in a maze of thoughts, he didn't even notice the pair of feet that crept up behind him only to be startled by hands covering his mouth. He stilled and pulled his head up to see two large eyes dodging from side to side watching for spies. Only when he recognized the owner of the pair did he rub his face into the soft hand. Shocked at first, Wufei pet his cheek then sat a bit away from him embarrassed. He pulled his hand back and stared at the ground even though he wanted to memorize the boy next to him. "I couldn't sleep," he whispered.
Heero smiled a bit at the risk they were taking. If they were caught, they would be reprimanded, maybe even raise suspicion about the marriage. But he needed to see Wufei as badly as Wufei wanted to see him. He poured a cup of tea and offered it to Wufei, who graciously accepted.
Both listening to each other sip their tea, they watched the field of fireflies roam the air energetically. After a dragon's breath of silence, the Chinese boy spoke up. "I don't know how Trowa and Treize can stand only seeing each other at dinner. They don't even get to sit next to each other. I'd go mad if I didn't get to spy on you a little and meet up with you like this. I know it's a risk, but I just feel so detached without you." He smirked, "Funny how that happened, nee? I thought things would be different between us. I don't know why this feeling is so . . ."
"Strong," Heero finished for him. "Like a plant to the sun, my aura wants to linger around yours. It's innate."
"Hai," he replied, daring to gaze at his counterpart. Trying to be casual, he put his hand on Heero's while pretending to be preoccupied with the bugs. He felt the hand tense, then intertwine its digits with his. It was nice, to feel Heero near.
After a slow few winds Heero unwound his fingers to pour himself another cup of tea. Wufei curled up and put his head onto Heero's lap while he was pouring tea, knowing more contact would sate the yearning in his chest. His hair fell over his face and into the Japanese boy's loose kimono, tickling his stomach a bit. Brushing his hair from his companion's face, Heero was reminded of a picture he once saw of a group of Chinese men. "Don't all Chinese keep their hair in a long braid?"
Wufei stiffened and curled tighter into a ball. "I was upset."
"What do you mean?" he began to stroke his back to console him from the inner demons who began to plague him.
"When my father told us we were being married off to a couple of Japanese, I was very upset. My father was insensitive to our feelings. He said how we felt didn't matter. We were doing it for our country. I didn't want to leave my life in China. I would have rather become a farmer and worked the land alone with my brother my whole life than go to another country where people might hate us. So I ran into the forest and cut my hair off, disgracing our family to get back at my father for sentencing us to such fate. True it hasn't been easy, but it seems silly now, how I reacted. I felt as though I'd been torn apart."
"I won't hurt you, Wufei-san. I won't ever try to do that."
"I know that now," he turned to lie on his back, looking straight up at his friend. "But how could I have known that then?"
"Aa. When my brother and I told our father we preferred to marry men, he was unhappy. He had even sent for two girls from Edo and placed them in our rooms to set us straight. In the end, he realized we would only be happy with men. I still think I'm too young to marry, but if it's to you, Wufei-san, I've been old enough forever."
"Heero-san," he sighed happily tucking his hands over his face. "Why do you say things like that? This feeling begins to hurt."
Heero pulled his hands from his face and delicately asked," Where does it hurt?"
After opening his inner kimono to expose his chest, he pointed to his heart, "Koko."
Without thinking, Japanese hands traveled down a Chinese face, a supple neck, and landed over his heart, feeling it beat steadily. "Does it still hurt?"
"Hai."
"What can I do to ease your pain?" he asked softly.
He rested a hand on Heero's hand again, "Marry me now."
"Kami-sama!" he strained as he pulled Wufei into his arms and hugged him tightly. He clung to the boy like an upset child to his favorite teddy bear in the middle of a thunderstorm. Wufei held his arms and rubbed his face into them. His Japanese heart was hurting so badly from wanting to consume the Chinese boy as he wanted to be consumed. "Wufei, don't say those things. You're hurting me, too. You know I want the wait to be over too. If it were up to me, we'd be married tonight, right now, here where only we can see each other's hearts. Please Wufei, help me wait."
Wufei put Heero's hand down his kimono, gliding it across his skin before he let go. His uncertain hand slid upward until it reached his face again. "If I start touching you now, I won't stop."
"Then don't," he replied.
Heero's hand slid back down his chest to his nipples, playing with them, kneading them until they hardened. Only then did he venture past his belly to where Wufei wanted his hand to go. When he reached below his belly button, Wufei was nearly panting, moving toward the touch. Then he pulled his hand away and wrapped his kimono back around him. He kissed the confused boy's head and whispered, "We can not do this yet. I'm sorry, but I can't do this before the ceremony, otherwise I'll feel as if I've cheated. I'm sorry, Wufei." 'Again,' he thought.
"But, Heero, we're not doing anything wrong. It's not cheating because those words won't be any less true today than they will be in a month."
"You don't understand. We must be pure for each other for the ceremony. If I start touching you, pleasing you, I won't stop until we've had each other in some way. Please wait for the marriage to be official, then we can . . ."
After a few fireflies had gone to sleep, Wufei finally groaned in agreement. He stood up and walked away from Heero.
Heero called his name. 'Is he mad at me?'
"I'll see you at dinner tomorrow, Heero-san."
That night Trowa spend bent over his desk trying in vain to explain how his new home made him feel. It always came back to his fiancée. It was like he couldn't think straight, or was thinking too straight.
In the past week, I've seen how strong I can be with only by brother at my side. At the same time, I've witnessed how weak we are as humans. Seeing my brother sick, caught up in the turret of emotions he's been pulled through, watching him be brave despite himself, that's the weakest I've ever seen him. (I must thank you for telling your father we didn't want to spread the illness.)
My brother has been my inspiration for as long as I can remember. We, as siblings, have been through everything and more with our fair share of scars and tears. I can hardly convey how painful it was to watch him be ill for those days. Also, in a way, it was calming, to be a nurturing figure at his side at all hours. This peace I felt has rekindled my interest in humanity. Nursing someone dear to me is the most satisfying thing I've experienced in a while, struggling with them through every cough and nightmare. The thought that humans can be so strong one day and so frail the next conjures up a strange set of contradictions. How strong I have been in my days! How weak I have been without myself, yet I remain myself throughout. My weakness has been and will always be my love for life. In the later years of my training, I was instructed to kill one of my favorite pets. My father had found out I had grown attached to a particular bird in our collection. Treize, she was beautiful, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Her tail feathers stretched the height of a child and cried out in dark green. Her body was as majestic as all the forests in China with the eyes of a dragon. I named her Mei. Father ordered me to kill her in a slow manner so I may watch her suffer a horrible death before my eyes. At the time I didn't see what my father wanted from this cruel exercise. Only when I was on the boat to my new home did I realize he wanted me to deny feeling in any matter aside from rage.
I stood with my sword over my head, waiting to gather the courage to let it fall. Looking into Mei's eyes I felt the rage my father pined for. After he had yelled himself red for me to kill her, I delivered a blow . . .
To myself. I couldn't stand the thought of harming something so dear to me, so I turned the blow to something that wouldn't hurt as much. My father shut his eyes in disappointment and left the room.
The next night we had peasant for dinner, and I knew she was gone. When I saw the carcass I left the room, never to eat bird again, never to feel anything ever again, except for my brother.
This may be quite a tale for you, but it is the only way I could make you understand how much I feel for life, how I'd rather die than hurt anything I love. This is also the tale of why feeling in and of itself is difficult. Be patient with me, please.
Chun-Mixu Trowa
Watching the sun come up, Trowa lay down to rest thinking of Mei.
A loud shriek echoed through the halls of the manor as the decorator dropped his plans again before the lord's second wife. The wedding plans had yet again upset to the ends of screaming his ear off again. "Please, miss, calm down! I can change everything as you wish."
"That's what you said last time you insolent fool! How many times do I have to tell you lilies, not tiger lilies. All the Sakura blossoms will be blooming. Think about the colors!"
"I'm sorry, my lady. It will be corrected."
"This will be a beautiful ceremony indeed! My lord will be pleased."
Just as the decorator was leaving, Zechs found his way to the room. "Is something wrong, my lady?"
"Not anymore. Thank you for concern. While you are here," she crooked a brow, "tell me how our pairs are fairing."
"Quite well in the circumstances. Our lord's sons are anxious about the ceremony, as their fiancées are rather silent. The older of the two is quite involved in political matters, though," he reported.
"Might he be a spy?" she licked her lips.
"I doubt it, my lady. But if you wish me to watch him ore closely, I will."
"Good. You have proven very useful to the family. Someday might you wed also?" she asked.
"I am a servant to the Kuyuma. If you find it necessary for me to wed, I will. As of now, I entertain no love interest I can pursue."
She sighed, "Come now, Zechs," she said in an informal tone. "You haven't let go of him have you?"
Zechs simply stood proud amidst the scrutiny.
"And I suppose you never will."
He nodded slightly.
"Then prepare yourself for a world of hurt. You must understand that after a month from now you will have no chance of telling him. You are dismissed."
In a rather child like fashion, the younger Chinese brother followed a dragonfly into the woods around the manor while practicing. This particular blue-winged distraction flew into a tree high above his head only to fuel his need to catch it. Climbing the smooth bark of a Sakura tree, so unlike the trees of his garden in China, he watched the creature hide itself in the pit of a branch. "You won't get away that easily," he mumbled. Perching himself on the branch closest to his small prey, he hid himself from the floor below. It reminded him of the trees he'd mount in his childhood. Trowa called him a monkey, which he still was. Ever so carefully, he swung for the bug, missing it only by a whisker. It flew fast and awkward to the sky above, racing his bipedal stalker. In fear of falling, Wufei remained planted on his perch, waiting for the next distraction. When none came, he nodded off chasing a new kind of winged creature.
Sunset was approaching and diner was about to begin again with the same sights and sounds, but a different smell and taste than before. The date of the wedding was to be officially announced and the pairs were to speak, but one of the brothers was nowhere to be found. Other visiting court members became suspicious as they seated. Rumors of suicide and other nasties floated around the room as food had been served. As always Zechs waited patiently for the Kuyuma youths to appear for dinner, but the younger had not been around either. Even he was getting suspicious.
Treize and Trowa had also discovered the matter at hand, looking at each other for reassurance. Upon passing the journal to his love, Trowa said, "I haven't seen my brother since this morning when he was practicing in the garden. Is it possible he's still there?"
"I don't know. I wouldn't worry too much though. They will find them," he winked. "If they still haven't found them by the end of dinner, we will look ourselves. Does this satisfy you?"
"Hai," he bowed and returned to his seat.
Another servant tapped Zechs on the shoulder. "The lord says to find them before any more rumors start or punishment will be given."
He nodded and sent all unoccupied attendants to look for the boys.
Swarming the premises, attendants found Heero looking for his fiancée, but found no trace of the Chinese boy. Every crevice of the gardens and manor were scoured. Upon finding Heero, the surveyors asked him to return to dinner before any other suspicion was aroused.
Arriving at the active feast, Heero immediately headed for Zechs. "They still haven't him," he reported disappointedly.
"We will find him, master. Please sit and eat."
"Find him quickly, Zechs," he stated, for it was not a request.
The announcement was held off and dinner went on without the smaller Chinese boy. Heero fidgeted the whole meal without eating even a grain of rice. Nearly sick with worry, he gathered the others much more forcibly than normal to look for his love. When reaching the perimeter of the manor, he spoke. "We've searched everywhere, the gardens, the rooms, even the market. Where could he be?"
Treize noted his brother's worry, he excessive fidgeting. "Trowa said he was practicing in the garden this morning. Since then no one has seen him. Is he kidnapped?"
"I don't think so," Trowa said. "In China we were much freer to come and go as we pleased. We would be gone for sometimes days. That's it!" he lit up for a second. "As children we would always hide in trees. He probably is in a tree somewhere."
Elated, yet frustrated, Heero added, "There are hundreds of trees on our property. It's going to take all night to find him. (Sigh) Better start now."
Trowa smiled slightly, "It won't take long."
Heero merely looked at him. "Do you know where he is?"
"No, but you do."
Still confused, he started the search for Wufei. Not inspecting every tree, he headed more or less to the middle of the woods near the garden. Without much straining, he looked up a grand Sakura tree to find a raven-haired boy sleeping on a high branch, his head tilted slightly to the left, motionless.
Heero turned to Trowa, "How did you . . . "
"Go under the branch he's on," he told Heero. Looking up at his brother he called out, "Hey monkey!"
Instantly, the black-haired boy jumped inches off the branch and out of the tree with a yelp. Fearing severe wounds, he stood ready to tumble, but a familiar boy was in the way. With a smack, yell and grunt, the Japanese boy caught the boy at the expense of falling over himself. Wufei instantly remove himself with a blush. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Forgive me! I'm sorry Heero-san," he bowed, staring his smiling brother down.
Heero stood up with a little difficulty and nodded "It's okay. You missed dinner, Wufei-san. I worried."
Treize stiffened in shock at his brother's statement. 'Heero miss someone? He's in love with this boy isn't he?'
The older Chinese boy tugged on his fiancée's kimono sleeve and whispered. "They make a good match, don't they Treize-san?"
"Hai," he responded and pulled his hand from his sleeve to hold Trowa's hand. But it got caught on something, which came loose swiftly.
The next night, over tofu dishes and rice, the lord of the manor called for everyone's attention over dinner. He rose over his captive audience and said, "It is my pleasure to announce a great event, a great junction over a sea from one world to another. My sons have made me proud all their lives and now, they will face an even greater adversary than the largest army or the strongest spirit. They are to be married. In a month's time, we will have two new members to our family: Trowa and Wufei," he pointed them out of the onlookers. They bowed their heads sheepishly. "These two young men, great in their own right, will be married to my sons in intimate union. I will be happy to call you sons."
The members of the court gave their congratulations to the four brothers, genuinely happy for the strange pairs. At the end of dinner, the pairs went their separate ways, this time with the exchange of a book and a date to look forward to.
With the end of a brush in his mouth, Trowa hunched over his desk staring bewilderedly out of the door leading to the garden. 'Treize, Treize, Treize. What will I do with you for a whole month? Almost half of the book is written in. Will there be enough room left?'
Trowa
I'm missing something. I don't know where it is, but it's precious to me. My mother gave me a ring before my fifteenth birthday. I never took it off and my swordplay suffered. Even then I've always kept it on my person at all times. Please if you see a gold ring with a Sakura blossom engraved on it, send it my way. I'm so worried about it. Ever since mother left us, Heero and I lost something akin to a part of our hearts. He took it harder than I had. He seems to blame father for it, like he gave her the disease that killed her. I was ten at the time, while Heero was seven. On top of every other reason to hate father, he had another reason.
I have a surprise for you the night of our wedding. Aside from enjoying each other for the first time, which is a pleasure I yearn for nightly, we will have a smaller thing to rejoice. I hope you like it. I had it sent all the way from the land you love so much. I will not give anything else away.
Treize
Pondering the absence of the ring, he thought of the garden, then the forest. 'Maybe he lost it there. I'd love to be the one to find it for him.' With that, he went out to find his fiancee's ring.
Part 4 Coming Soon!