[Fic] [Round 20] Title: Never Again, Rating: G
Author: Isha
Title: Never Again
Pairings: Gwendal/Anissina
Word Count: 2,450
Rating: G
Any Warnings: Spoilers for episode 48
Prompt being used: Jealousy
Timeline: Set pre, during and post episode 48, season two.
Disclaimer: I own none of these very entertaining characters, please don’t sue me. Thank you.
Part of my Gwendal/Anissina series. Follows from ‘Ground Rules’.
~
‘Not now, Anissina.’
She frowned, and he went on, continuing to make his notes, ‘You can’t bully Gunter into it, either. We’ve received word that a foreign delegation should be arriving soon, so we’ll both be too busy to act as your experimental subjects.’
She said nothing, waiting for him to continue, but Gwendal was not more forthcoming, and so she had to ask him: ‘A delegation from where, and why are they coming here, exactly? Is there something I should know about?’
‘It’s a delegation from Cabalcade and I cannot tell you why they are travelling to meet us because I am not sure, myself.’ Gwendal raised an eyebrow as he looked up from his paperwork. ‘Satisfied?’
She looked at him for a long moment, still half suspicious that there was something important he was omitting to tell her. He only looked back at her blandly, with the slightest hint of impatience.
‘I will be,’ she finally replied, ‘when I test out my latest invention. I’ll just have to postpone it if you and Gunter are going to be busy,’ she sniffed, choosing to ignore the look of relief that crossed Gwendal’s face. ‘Maybe I can get Dakaskos to test out one of my other ones…’
She was already running through her mental checklist and trying to decide what would be suitable for someone with as low maryokou as Dakaskos to test out, which was why she was not able to immediately identify the expression that flitted across Gwendal’s face as she waved absentmindedly and closed the door behind her.
Later, though, she recognised it as regret.
~
It had to be done.
There was no other way, he had discussed it with Gunter and Conrart, and though they had both protested initially, in the end they had agreed that this was the only option. He would be the one to meet Belal. Conrart was too important, being the Maou’s sword, Wolfram was his fiance, and Gunter was his tutor and guide.
But he was only the one who handled the paperwork.
Expendable.
As a strategist, he could see the beauty of the plan; Belal would think he had tricked them, but in reality, Shin Makoku would have had the upper hand all along. And just when the man thought he’d gotten him in his grasp, Gwendal would strike.
There was always a chance that they might not make it back alive, he’d talked to Yozak about it, but the spy had only nodded and said, quite soberly, for once: ‘If it’ll help the kiddo have the peace he dreams of, I don’t care what happens to me.’
He had ordered the man to arrange an escape route for himself if it should come to that, but he knew Yozak, if worse came to worst the spy would stubbornly refuse to leave him behind to save himself.
Which was why he was now in the privacy of his rooms, poring over the blueprints for the castle that was coming up on Bandabia island. Belal may think he was erecting it in perfect secrecy, but if you knew where to seek it, information like that could always be bought. He rested his hands on his desk as he leaned over the plans lit only by a lone candle, his eyes following the various corridors in the castle to determine the best escape routes. They would need a diversion…perhaps a fire?
If they were able to pull it off just right, they’d be able to escape in the melee that followed the shock of Belal’s assassination and the subsequent fire that roared through the castle.
But if they couldn’t make it out in time…
If he failed, he would be dead. That in itself was not worrying, but it was the thought of leaving behind his loved ones that nagged at him.
His mother would be devastated, as she had been when his father had died. Conrart’s smile would become a mask again, and it was very likely that Wolfram would fall apart in his rage and sorrow, as he had when they had thought Conrart dead. The Maou would blame himself, and Gunter would be distraught by the boy’s distress. He could not accurately predict the reaction of His Eminence Murata Ken, however, perhaps because the man was as adept at hiding his emotions as he himself was.
And Anissina…
He grimaced. If he knew her - and he did - she would pretend on the surface that everything was alright - after all, no one in the castle knew of their relationship, they would not think it untoward if she did not wail and cry as his mother would. But it would eat away at her, day after day and night after night until one day it would prove to be too much for her and she would explode.
He shuddered. He well remembered how it had been after her mother had died, that time he had been the one to purposely draw her fire in an effort to get her to come to terms with her grief, and the outburst of maryokou and tears that had followed had not been pretty.
But if he were the object of her grief…
He quickly pushed the plans under the other papers on his desk when there was a knock on his door. Anissina peeked her head in, squinting as she eased her way inside. ‘I still don’t see why we can’t have them keep a torch lit outside your rooms,’ she grumbled as she came toward him slowly, stumbling a little in the gloom. She raised a hand to forestall him when he opened his mouth. ‘I know, security reasons. But it would make it a lot easier to sneak into your rooms if I could see where I was tip-toeing.’
He caught her around the waist as she drew closer to him, wishing for just a moment that he could confess all to her and hold her tight in case he would never again get another chance to do so. But if she found out what he had planned, she would stop him from going, even if she had to knock him unconscious to do it.
So he pushed away his sadness and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Because for him, there might not be.
~
When she awoke, she was alone. She frowned. She knew Gwendal was an early riser, but this was just absurd. Though the curtains were drawn, she could see that it was still dark outside.
She slumped back into his sheets with a roll of her eyes. Really, if he was in a hurry, he should’ve just told her. She could’ve had one of her special super fast sails fitted to the ships he’d planned to take with him so that they would get him to his destination faster. Instead, he had left so early that it was practically still night time. He’d told her he was going to Cabalcade, but surely it didn’t take more than half a day’s journey to get there? And the talks were only tomorrow morning. Unless…he wanted to make a few stops along the way, all as part of one of his famously circuitous plans…
She sat up then, frowning. It was his one vanity, his pride in his reputation as a strategist. He had never hidden anything from her before, when she asked him about any of his plans, Gwendal usually told her everything - in such minute detail that she often wandered mentally and took to drawing invention designs in her head as he spoke.
This time, he had not mentioned anything to her about a plan, though, all he had said was that he would be going to Bandabia to represent the Shin Makoku alliance.
She climbed out of bed, pulling on one of his robes and lighting the candle on his nightstand. Her eye fell on the note he had left for her under the water pitcher, and she picked it up.
I didn’t want to disturb you, so I left without saying goodbye.
The ink of the next sentence was lighter, almost as if he had thought about his words for such a long time that his quill had dried.
I’ll see you soon.
Love,
Gwendal
She frowned at the signature. He was not one to use those words to her, he was still reticient when it came to declarations of love, yet here they were in his neat, deliberate hand. Her unease growing, Anissina folded the note and tucked it into her pocket. She made her way out the room, intent on finding Yozak.
When she realised the spy was missing, as well, the memory of the way Gwendal had held her last night suddenly slammed into her. There had been an aching, wistful quality in his kiss, and his arms had been unusually tight around her as she had drifted off to sleep, as if he had been afraid she would leave…
Or that he would not return from his latest mission.
It was then that she decided it was time to start work on something that would be capable of bringing Gwendal back fast, because even if the Maou would not go after him, she would.
If only to make her displeasure with him very, very obvious.
~
‘Out. Everyone.’
Gisela blinked, her hands still raised to Gwenal’s head, and the maids who were bringing him his morning cup of tea fell back as Anissina advanced. She glared when they made no move to leave, narrowing her eyes. ‘Didn’t you hear me? I want to have a word with von Voltaire alone.’
The maids’ eyes grew round as they hurried to leave, and she could already hear the gossip that would spread about this little incident, but right now she was too angry to care. She didn’t glance at Gwendal, afraid that if she did, she’d start screaming at him in front of everyone else. It was only with great effort that she had managed to control her temper so far.
‘But Anissina, I have to check Lord von Voltaire for any injuries,’ Gisela protested. ‘The Maou and the others have only just returned from Bandabia, there’s a chance-’
‘You can do it later,’ she snapped at the younger woman, even as she realised she was taking her anger out on the wrong target. She took a deep breath, and softened her tone. ‘Please, Gisela.’
The healer gazed at her a moment before nodding, turning to take her equipment with her as she went. Gisela threw them one last worried look as she shut the door behind her, and it was then that Anissina finally met Gwendal’s eyes. He had the grace to look chastened, his gaze dropping to his desk before rising to hers again. He said nothing in his defense, and somehow that managed to make her angrier than she had been even moments before.
She leaned forward to plant her fists on his table with a great thump, feeling a petty happiness when his eyes widened as his cup of tea nearly splashed onto his paperwork with her movement.
‘How could you?’ she asked him, in a low voice.
He looked up, immediately glancing away again. ‘Anissina, I knew if I told you of the plan, you would only try to stop me, and I couldn’t -’
‘You idiot!’
He blinked as the words burst from her, leaning away from the force of her fury.
‘Did it ever occur to you that if you had just told me what you were planning to do, I might have helped you in some manner?’ she spat into his surprised face. ‘Made sure that you would be able to accomplish your mission and leave the castle without any problems? After all, it was my inventions that helped tip the scales in our favour in the Great War, or have you forgotten that?’
‘Anissina, I-’
‘Don’t try to deny it,’ she raged at him, unable to stop herself now that she had started. ‘Admit that you were stupid. It was only because I had already started on Super Speed Fast-kun that His Majesty and the others were able to catch up with you in time to help you!’
‘So I can thank you for the lot of them spoiling my plan,’ Gwendal growled, pushing his chair back and standing up so that they were nose to nose. ‘I might have known.’
She straightened, her fury growing at the way he refused to admit he was wrong.
‘Don’t you dare shift this to me! You should have told me what you were planning! Did you think I would be so blinded by my love for you that I would tie you to the bed to keep you here?’ she snarled at him. ‘Did you think I would not understand the importance of this mission to Shin Makoku, that I would not have done everything in my power to make sure you fulfilled it and made it back to us safely?’
‘Alright,’ he said, his tone slightly subdued now. ‘I admit I may have underestimated you. I was afraid you might get carried away in your emotion, even if you understood how important the mission was.’
‘You told Conrart,’ she blazed at him. ‘And you told Gunter. You trusted your brother to put aside his emotions and do what needed to be done, but you didn’t trust me!’
He rocked back on his heels, his scowl lifting. ‘You’re jealous,’ he said wonderingly, and she drew in a sharp breath. ‘I am not,’ she snapped back immediately, turning away from him in a huff, but the observation had pierced her, and it made her wonder, now.
A gentle hand on her crossed arms startled her, and she looked up into Gwendal’s contrite gaze.
‘Please, Anissina, forgive me,’ he said softly. ‘I obviously underestimated you. It does not mean that I think any less of you, or that I do not trust you as I do them.’ He swallowed, and his voice was lower when he spoke again. ‘Perhaps I was afraid that if I told you what I had planned, I would have to acknowledge to myself that there was a good chance I might not return to you. I was afraid I would be tempted to stay.’
Her anger had all but ebbed away now, and she went into his arms when he drew her closer. She glared up at him one last time, though, meeting his eyes so he could see she was serious.
‘Never do it again,’ she warned him, and he shook his head slowly, solemnly.
‘Never,’ he promised her, and she nodded.
~
A/N: Yes, the title sucks. Any suggestions would be greatfully acknowledged and rewarded with a ficlet ?
Also also: lookit at the wonderful icon poisonangel7 made for me! *bounces*
Thanks for reading, all comment and concrit is very welcome. =)
Title: Never Again
Pairings: Gwendal/Anissina
Word Count: 2,450
Rating: G
Any Warnings: Spoilers for episode 48
Prompt being used: Jealousy
Timeline: Set pre, during and post episode 48, season two.
Disclaimer: I own none of these very entertaining characters, please don’t sue me. Thank you.
Part of my Gwendal/Anissina series. Follows from ‘Ground Rules’.
~
‘Not now, Anissina.’
She frowned, and he went on, continuing to make his notes, ‘You can’t bully Gunter into it, either. We’ve received word that a foreign delegation should be arriving soon, so we’ll both be too busy to act as your experimental subjects.’
She said nothing, waiting for him to continue, but Gwendal was not more forthcoming, and so she had to ask him: ‘A delegation from where, and why are they coming here, exactly? Is there something I should know about?’
‘It’s a delegation from Cabalcade and I cannot tell you why they are travelling to meet us because I am not sure, myself.’ Gwendal raised an eyebrow as he looked up from his paperwork. ‘Satisfied?’
She looked at him for a long moment, still half suspicious that there was something important he was omitting to tell her. He only looked back at her blandly, with the slightest hint of impatience.
‘I will be,’ she finally replied, ‘when I test out my latest invention. I’ll just have to postpone it if you and Gunter are going to be busy,’ she sniffed, choosing to ignore the look of relief that crossed Gwendal’s face. ‘Maybe I can get Dakaskos to test out one of my other ones…’
She was already running through her mental checklist and trying to decide what would be suitable for someone with as low maryokou as Dakaskos to test out, which was why she was not able to immediately identify the expression that flitted across Gwendal’s face as she waved absentmindedly and closed the door behind her.
Later, though, she recognised it as regret.
~
It had to be done.
There was no other way, he had discussed it with Gunter and Conrart, and though they had both protested initially, in the end they had agreed that this was the only option. He would be the one to meet Belal. Conrart was too important, being the Maou’s sword, Wolfram was his fiance, and Gunter was his tutor and guide.
But he was only the one who handled the paperwork.
Expendable.
As a strategist, he could see the beauty of the plan; Belal would think he had tricked them, but in reality, Shin Makoku would have had the upper hand all along. And just when the man thought he’d gotten him in his grasp, Gwendal would strike.
There was always a chance that they might not make it back alive, he’d talked to Yozak about it, but the spy had only nodded and said, quite soberly, for once: ‘If it’ll help the kiddo have the peace he dreams of, I don’t care what happens to me.’
He had ordered the man to arrange an escape route for himself if it should come to that, but he knew Yozak, if worse came to worst the spy would stubbornly refuse to leave him behind to save himself.
Which was why he was now in the privacy of his rooms, poring over the blueprints for the castle that was coming up on Bandabia island. Belal may think he was erecting it in perfect secrecy, but if you knew where to seek it, information like that could always be bought. He rested his hands on his desk as he leaned over the plans lit only by a lone candle, his eyes following the various corridors in the castle to determine the best escape routes. They would need a diversion…perhaps a fire?
If they were able to pull it off just right, they’d be able to escape in the melee that followed the shock of Belal’s assassination and the subsequent fire that roared through the castle.
But if they couldn’t make it out in time…
If he failed, he would be dead. That in itself was not worrying, but it was the thought of leaving behind his loved ones that nagged at him.
His mother would be devastated, as she had been when his father had died. Conrart’s smile would become a mask again, and it was very likely that Wolfram would fall apart in his rage and sorrow, as he had when they had thought Conrart dead. The Maou would blame himself, and Gunter would be distraught by the boy’s distress. He could not accurately predict the reaction of His Eminence Murata Ken, however, perhaps because the man was as adept at hiding his emotions as he himself was.
And Anissina…
He grimaced. If he knew her - and he did - she would pretend on the surface that everything was alright - after all, no one in the castle knew of their relationship, they would not think it untoward if she did not wail and cry as his mother would. But it would eat away at her, day after day and night after night until one day it would prove to be too much for her and she would explode.
He shuddered. He well remembered how it had been after her mother had died, that time he had been the one to purposely draw her fire in an effort to get her to come to terms with her grief, and the outburst of maryokou and tears that had followed had not been pretty.
But if he were the object of her grief…
He quickly pushed the plans under the other papers on his desk when there was a knock on his door. Anissina peeked her head in, squinting as she eased her way inside. ‘I still don’t see why we can’t have them keep a torch lit outside your rooms,’ she grumbled as she came toward him slowly, stumbling a little in the gloom. She raised a hand to forestall him when he opened his mouth. ‘I know, security reasons. But it would make it a lot easier to sneak into your rooms if I could see where I was tip-toeing.’
He caught her around the waist as she drew closer to him, wishing for just a moment that he could confess all to her and hold her tight in case he would never again get another chance to do so. But if she found out what he had planned, she would stop him from going, even if she had to knock him unconscious to do it.
So he pushed away his sadness and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Because for him, there might not be.
~
When she awoke, she was alone. She frowned. She knew Gwendal was an early riser, but this was just absurd. Though the curtains were drawn, she could see that it was still dark outside.
She slumped back into his sheets with a roll of her eyes. Really, if he was in a hurry, he should’ve just told her. She could’ve had one of her special super fast sails fitted to the ships he’d planned to take with him so that they would get him to his destination faster. Instead, he had left so early that it was practically still night time. He’d told her he was going to Cabalcade, but surely it didn’t take more than half a day’s journey to get there? And the talks were only tomorrow morning. Unless…he wanted to make a few stops along the way, all as part of one of his famously circuitous plans…
She sat up then, frowning. It was his one vanity, his pride in his reputation as a strategist. He had never hidden anything from her before, when she asked him about any of his plans, Gwendal usually told her everything - in such minute detail that she often wandered mentally and took to drawing invention designs in her head as he spoke.
This time, he had not mentioned anything to her about a plan, though, all he had said was that he would be going to Bandabia to represent the Shin Makoku alliance.
She climbed out of bed, pulling on one of his robes and lighting the candle on his nightstand. Her eye fell on the note he had left for her under the water pitcher, and she picked it up.
I didn’t want to disturb you, so I left without saying goodbye.
The ink of the next sentence was lighter, almost as if he had thought about his words for such a long time that his quill had dried.
I’ll see you soon.
Love,
Gwendal
She frowned at the signature. He was not one to use those words to her, he was still reticient when it came to declarations of love, yet here they were in his neat, deliberate hand. Her unease growing, Anissina folded the note and tucked it into her pocket. She made her way out the room, intent on finding Yozak.
When she realised the spy was missing, as well, the memory of the way Gwendal had held her last night suddenly slammed into her. There had been an aching, wistful quality in his kiss, and his arms had been unusually tight around her as she had drifted off to sleep, as if he had been afraid she would leave…
Or that he would not return from his latest mission.
It was then that she decided it was time to start work on something that would be capable of bringing Gwendal back fast, because even if the Maou would not go after him, she would.
If only to make her displeasure with him very, very obvious.
~
‘Out. Everyone.’
Gisela blinked, her hands still raised to Gwenal’s head, and the maids who were bringing him his morning cup of tea fell back as Anissina advanced. She glared when they made no move to leave, narrowing her eyes. ‘Didn’t you hear me? I want to have a word with von Voltaire alone.’
The maids’ eyes grew round as they hurried to leave, and she could already hear the gossip that would spread about this little incident, but right now she was too angry to care. She didn’t glance at Gwendal, afraid that if she did, she’d start screaming at him in front of everyone else. It was only with great effort that she had managed to control her temper so far.
‘But Anissina, I have to check Lord von Voltaire for any injuries,’ Gisela protested. ‘The Maou and the others have only just returned from Bandabia, there’s a chance-’
‘You can do it later,’ she snapped at the younger woman, even as she realised she was taking her anger out on the wrong target. She took a deep breath, and softened her tone. ‘Please, Gisela.’
The healer gazed at her a moment before nodding, turning to take her equipment with her as she went. Gisela threw them one last worried look as she shut the door behind her, and it was then that Anissina finally met Gwendal’s eyes. He had the grace to look chastened, his gaze dropping to his desk before rising to hers again. He said nothing in his defense, and somehow that managed to make her angrier than she had been even moments before.
She leaned forward to plant her fists on his table with a great thump, feeling a petty happiness when his eyes widened as his cup of tea nearly splashed onto his paperwork with her movement.
‘How could you?’ she asked him, in a low voice.
He looked up, immediately glancing away again. ‘Anissina, I knew if I told you of the plan, you would only try to stop me, and I couldn’t -’
‘You idiot!’
He blinked as the words burst from her, leaning away from the force of her fury.
‘Did it ever occur to you that if you had just told me what you were planning to do, I might have helped you in some manner?’ she spat into his surprised face. ‘Made sure that you would be able to accomplish your mission and leave the castle without any problems? After all, it was my inventions that helped tip the scales in our favour in the Great War, or have you forgotten that?’
‘Anissina, I-’
‘Don’t try to deny it,’ she raged at him, unable to stop herself now that she had started. ‘Admit that you were stupid. It was only because I had already started on Super Speed Fast-kun that His Majesty and the others were able to catch up with you in time to help you!’
‘So I can thank you for the lot of them spoiling my plan,’ Gwendal growled, pushing his chair back and standing up so that they were nose to nose. ‘I might have known.’
She straightened, her fury growing at the way he refused to admit he was wrong.
‘Don’t you dare shift this to me! You should have told me what you were planning! Did you think I would be so blinded by my love for you that I would tie you to the bed to keep you here?’ she snarled at him. ‘Did you think I would not understand the importance of this mission to Shin Makoku, that I would not have done everything in my power to make sure you fulfilled it and made it back to us safely?’
‘Alright,’ he said, his tone slightly subdued now. ‘I admit I may have underestimated you. I was afraid you might get carried away in your emotion, even if you understood how important the mission was.’
‘You told Conrart,’ she blazed at him. ‘And you told Gunter. You trusted your brother to put aside his emotions and do what needed to be done, but you didn’t trust me!’
He rocked back on his heels, his scowl lifting. ‘You’re jealous,’ he said wonderingly, and she drew in a sharp breath. ‘I am not,’ she snapped back immediately, turning away from him in a huff, but the observation had pierced her, and it made her wonder, now.
A gentle hand on her crossed arms startled her, and she looked up into Gwendal’s contrite gaze.
‘Please, Anissina, forgive me,’ he said softly. ‘I obviously underestimated you. It does not mean that I think any less of you, or that I do not trust you as I do them.’ He swallowed, and his voice was lower when he spoke again. ‘Perhaps I was afraid that if I told you what I had planned, I would have to acknowledge to myself that there was a good chance I might not return to you. I was afraid I would be tempted to stay.’
Her anger had all but ebbed away now, and she went into his arms when he drew her closer. She glared up at him one last time, though, meeting his eyes so he could see she was serious.
‘Never do it again,’ she warned him, and he shook his head slowly, solemnly.
‘Never,’ he promised her, and she nodded.
~
A/N: Yes, the title sucks. Any suggestions would be greatfully acknowledged and rewarded with a ficlet ?
Also also: lookit at the wonderful icon poisonangel7 made for me! *bounces*
Thanks for reading, all comment and concrit is very welcome. =)