Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

Dawn and Moon Wars

Chapter Two

Dorothy watched as Relena's door slammed shut and sighed heavily. "Fare thee well, Relena..." She walked between Noin and Hilde, her shoulders slumped.

"Your mother is here, Dorothy." Noin spoke in a low tone, as if warning the younger girl. Dorothy's eyes widened and a hint of fear entered their blue depths. "She arrived while you and Relena wandered through the risers... She bears news."

Dorothy's feet suddenly felt like lead as she neared her room. The door opened and Noin sent her a concerned look before it closed behind her and Dorothy faced the elegant woman that was her mother. "You look well, daughter." Her mother's voice was elegant, smooth, and cold. It reminded Dorothy of marble.

"You have news for me?" Dorothy was surprised that she was able to force words past her cold, numb lips.

"Yes." Her mother stood, towering over Dorothy, "You are to pick a healthy, handsome male and beget a child."

Dorothy felt her legs began to tremble yet her mother didn't seem to notice.

"The Dawn and the Galaxy Council have all signed the notice. You are to mother a child."

Dorothy's knees buckled and she fell. "NO!" Her cries echoed through the castle.

      *

He watched her through his mentor's mirror. She was beautiful and looked so sweet and innocent... His hand closed into a fist. But he knew looks could deceive. The assassin's other hand closed around the hilt of a long dagger, its end covered in a deadly poison.

He wore a black leather vest and pants, a sword hung at his waist, and a long black cloak swirled around him, On each cheek a black smudge of paint decorated his skin. He was like a panther trapped in a human body... He was deadly.

And he always got his target.

      *

'A gift... We're a gift. Tossed aside as if a child's broken toy.' He sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair, receiving a look from his best friend. 'A gift for the Dawn... But still... Nothing but slaves. Kept around only when useful or wanted.'

"Sigh one more time and I'll shove my fist into your gullet, bard!" A Driver yelled at him and Quatre nodded.

"Yes, ma'am..." He glanced at the man sitting in front of him and smiled slightly. "How do you feel, Trowa?"

A minute passed in silence then the acrobat finally answered. "Tired."

Quatre raised an eyebrow, his hands holding his lute lovingly, "Tired? Tired of what?" The blond waved a hand toward the wagon, ignoring the angry looks sent his way by the caravan's other occupants. "Tired of this?"

"Tired of everything..."

Quatre nodded, "Same..." He ran a hand covered in calluses, not from a sword but from years of playing, over the lute's strings and a sweet melody filled the wagon. The Drivers didn't yell at him to stop, but instead drew closer to listen.

But his song wasn't a happy one. It was filled with sadness and sorrow, despair and grief, and hate... Quatre's eyes stared straight ahead as he played and Trowa watched him worriedly.

'They're breaking him... Breaking through his kindness... Quatre, fight it. Do not turn wild... Or they'll kill you...'

      *

Dorothy stared outside, her face an emotionless blank. Relena watched her with concern. "Dorothy... What is wrong?"

The blonde's eyes didn't leave the window, but her lips slowly moved. "I am to become a mother... A bearer of the future... How could she do this to me, Relena? How could she?! I am a sorceress! I cannot bear children! My life is slowly fading before my very eyes..."

"Your mother wishes for you to be a lady of power."

"This supposed power is costing me my life and soul. I cannot do this, Relena. What if I bear a son? I'm not sure..." She stopped and Relena's eyes widened.

"Dorothy... What are you not sure of?"

The blond swallowed, "I'm not sure I could just watch him be taken away from me... Watch as he's branded and becomes a slave. A slave, Relena! No life... Sometimes I wonder if maybe... I know I'm usually cold and calculating around most, but I don't know if I could just let something so wonderful and tiny out of my sight." Tears slid down her face, "I just can't take the risk."

"Dorothy!"

She turned toward Relena and ran a hand over the princess's face, "Relena... Be a strong Dawn... I'm sorry."  Dorothy ran from the room and Relena tried to follow, but the hall seemed to fill with lightning and thunder struck the young sorceress... And Dorothy disappeared.

"Oh, Dorothy... What are you doing?"

      *

Dorothy wasn't running away. She just wanted to think away from the nobles and guards and the Star... She yearned for freedom. The freedom to go where she wanted, do what she wanted, be whom she wanted... But her life had been set in stone for generations... Advisors were companions of their Queens for life. Dorothy had been born a year before Relena, but ever since that one year she'd been Relena's shadow.

'One year of freedom... A year I can't even remember.' She closed her eyes painfully.

She was supposed to be by Relena's side always and she tried to do her job, but... Dorothy wanted freedom.

'A chance to be something other than the Star's Advisor.'

Dorothy had become a sorceress, thinking that that would be her chance to become something else... But it had backfired. Instead of just being the Star's Advisor, she was now also her Sorceress. She regretted learning the arts of magic for many reasons... That was just one of them. Another was now she knew.

Her first born would be a boy. Her magic had gifted her with the sight of him... Of his tiny body in her arms, his bright blue eyes that all babies have in their first moments of life, his sweet smile...

All males were slaves, noble and common. A male could not be an advisor or a sorcerer... No, her son would be taken from her and she'd never see him again.

Dorothy's hands rubbed her stomach lovingly, but fear and sorrow shone in her eyes. She leaned against the castle gate and a tear slid down her face. 'How can I give him up? I've seen him in my dreams. He's so tiny, sweet... Vulnerable...' She hugged herself and sobs shook her shoulders.

"Cry little one......Sorrow lies in the heart......"

She jerked and surveyed the empty dirt road leading to the gates. "Who goes?" Her shout echoed in the still air for a second before falling on deaf ears.

 "No release for my grief......"

"Cry, little one, cry." Dorothy sang quietly and closed her eyes. Her arms widened and she released her elemental magicks of wind and spirit. The sweet melody of a lute played in her ear as she twirled. For a brief moment she wasn't the Star's trusted Advisor and Sorceress or a worried soon-to-be mother. For a few brief moments, she was just a...woman.

      *

Quatre continued to play, his mind and heart singing the melody's secret words. His eyes were close to emotionless as his fingers danced across the lute's fragile strings. All his emotions were in his fingers, in his heart.

 "Cry, little one, cry......"

He jumped and startled eyes scanned the others. 'Who?!' Quatre's fingers continued to strum the beautiful instrument even as his eyes sought out the singer.

 "Let dove wings carry away my pain......"

But the singer was female and women rarely sang, especially Drivers. Quatre looked closely at each Driver, but none were singing.

"Carry away my grief......Take away my sorrow......Let me seek out freedom......"

'Who is that!?' Quatre's fingers began to strum a different tune and he ignored the looks sent his way by Trowa. This tune was stronger, louder; it was like the sound of an oncoming sandstorm. It was fierce and wild, yet beautiful and gentle. This was his song.

'This is me...Who are you?'

      *

Dorothy opened herself to the new song of power. It hadn't taken long for her to realize that whoever sang was strong in elemental powers. But she knew. She knew the singer and player of the tune was also male. However, she couldn't resist. The song tasted so different, so wonderful. It reminded her of a lone wolf, singing his solemn song of strength and grace. A wolf that was gentle and calm but could go wild any second.

She relished the song's emotions and her eyes opened as the song's meaning became clear to her.

 "This is me...... Who are you?"

How could she refuse?

Dorothy pointed her arms to the sky and sang. The song was soft, yet tingled in the ears. It was like satin steel that slid through the air gracefully. Yet the steel was soft and it yearned and it wept. It was strong and weak, graceful and clumsy, smart and ignorant. It was her. But her song was not just an introduction...

Her magic lashed out and Dorothy doubled over in pain.

"Please...Freedom...Help me!"

"Dorothy! Oh god! She's bleeding!" Relena's voice sounded shrill to Dorothy's ears... Everything sounded so harsh. 'My ears...' Dorothy raised a trembling hand to her right ear and pulled wet fingers back. 'Blood...'

"Foolish girl! Somebody call the Master Healer!" Captain Noin yelled as Dorothy fell into darkness.

      *

Quatre breathed in a scent of lilacs as her song poured into him. For the first time in his life he wished to be near a woman. He had always held a certain amount of disdain, maybe even hate, toward females. He tried to be kind, but it was hard to keep his mouth closed as he watched a fellow performer receive lashes.

But this singer was different... She was like a rose, fragile yet strong at the same time... His fingers played her tune and he smiled... Then the pain came.

"Please.......Freedom......Help me!"

Quatre doubled over his lute and a scream fell past his once smiling lips.

"Quatre!" Trowa was kneeling beside him instantly, shock and concern on the usually stoic acrobat's face. "He needs a healer!"

"Shut up, slave! We will decide whether or not he needs a healer!" A Driver yelled, but Quatre wasn't paying attention... No, his eyes were focused on the blood covering Trowa's hands... Blood that poured from his ears.

      *

To clear up some confusion I made a short list of what exactly the Dawn is and the other titles--Hope it helps ^_^

The Dawn - The Queen (Relena's mother)

The Star/Dawn's Star/Morning Star- The royal child born under a morning sky <The Princess> (Relena)

Dawn's Advisor- Advisor to the Queen (Dorothy's mother)

Star's Advisor- Advisor to the Star (Dorothy)

Captain of the Swords- Captain of the Royal Body Guards (Noin)

Dawn's Swords- Royal Body Guards (Hilde is a Sword-In-Training)

Dawn's Warriors- Female Gladiators

Okie dokie, I think that clears it all up--- I think with that you'll be able to catch any little extra titles and jobs ^_^ k? ciao!! thanx for the reviews!!