Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Sunrise, Sotsu, and Bandai. Original characters that appear in this story are my creative property.

The White Kingdom
by Waltz195

Chapter 1

"Noin! Hold on!"

A young, dark haired woman turned to regard her companion, a smile and a pair of dark violet eyes gracing her fair face.

"What's the matter, Hilde? Is your old sister too fast for you?" she called jovially, chuckling at the younger woman's difficult progress through the thick snow.

"You know very well that my feet are nearly frozen. They feel as if they're about to fall off!" her companion grumbled, slowly making her way to her sister's side, leaning on the sled for support.

They had decided to walk on foot earlier, to give the dogs a chance to rest from the long journey. Hilde now regretted that decision.

Her feet were like ice cubes; she could barely feel her toes. When she dared to move them, a cold shot of pain would be her reward. The fur-trimmed boots and snow shoes they had donned for the trek did little to keep the biting cold from creeping into her bones.

"I d-don't know how m-much more of this I can t-take, Noin," Hilde managed to stutter through chattering teeth. "How much longer until we get there?"

Noin smiled sympathetically at her younger sibling. For some reason, she wasn't at all bothered by the cold weather. She hadn't really noticed it until Hilde had pointed it out.

"Fret not my frozen sibling," she joked, earning a slight glare from her sister. "We've only a mile to go to reach the capital."

"Easy for you to say," Hilde grumbled, shivering in her thick fur coat. "You act as if it's spring time. One would think you enjoy the prospect of nearly freezing to death!"

Noin chuckled at her sister's indignation. "Well then, I think it would be best for you to ride in the sled the rest of the way. It wouldn't do any good if you turn into an icicle before we arrive in Newport. What would I do with you then?" she teased.

Hilde gave her a radiant smile of thanks before scurrying into the front of the sled. She arranged many fur blankets around herself, then burrowed into the warmth they provided. Noin shook her head in amusement before grabbing the reins once more.

With a sharp "Hyah!" and a snap on the leather cords, the sled dogs immediately came to attention and sped across the snowy land. Noin relaxed a little as they passed a length of bare trees, but was careful not to loosen her grip on the reins. If they came loose the dogs would lose direction and their sled could overturn. They had far too much to lose to let that happen.

They had come so very far and risked so much, the both of them. It would seem a waste if a careless mistake dashed their only hope of a future. Noin allowed herself to reminisce a bit, as they sped across the icy ground.

It seemed as if almost an eternity had passed since the incident, though in reality it happened only two months ago.

Her parents had gone out one night to attend the opera. It had been a quiet night, a bit rainy, but nothing seemed to be amiss. She had been worried when her parents had not come home at their expected time. No explanatory message was sent to the house. Noin soon found out why.

Early the next morning, Noin was given the terrible news by the magistrate, his face shadowed and grim. Her parents' small carriage had overturned on a steep hill as they were heading home. Run-off from the rain had made the road treacherous to travel upon. The impact had killed them instantly.

Noin had barely kept herself from collapsing onto the floor. Her parents. Her dear, loving parents were gone. Forever.

She had tried to keep herself composed, thanking the magistrate, before informing Hilde of the news. However, the moment Hilde began to cry, she felt her own sorrow overcome her and wept without restraint. They spent that night sobbing into each other's arms, comforted by their shared presence.

The funeral had been brief and small, only attended by their closest neighbors and friends. She had not known if her parents had any close relatives, none who lived close by anyway. After the burial, Noin had thought that no more misfortune would befall her and her sister. She was wrong.

An accountant was the first to drop by, stating that her father had accumulated many debts over the past few years. Apparently, he had tried to invest their family's money in innovative business ventures but had gained nothing from them. Noin had been worried by the news but told the accountant to speak to their lawyer about the funds.

Then, a banker had visited and informed her that their property had been mortgaged in order to pay for her father's investments. A later visit by the lawyer confirmed this, along with the accountant's claims, and Noin was suddenly aware of their dire financial straits.

It would have been easy to blame her father for all his failings, but he had been a dreamer, always looking towards the better side of life. It had been one of his worse faults and her mother had loved him, despite of it. Noin only hoped that they would be able to pay back what he had owed.

In the end, they barely did. Noin and Hilde were forced to sell all of their most prized family possessions to pay for the first half of the debt. Later, knowing it was not enough, they ultimately sold their home. It had been difficult and emotional. Gradually, the last of their father's debt had been paid.

Then came the problem of where they were to live. Neither their friends or their neighbors could afford another two mouths to feed. And trying to find permanent lodging in the crowded cities was almost impossible. Settling elsewhere, with no acquaintances at all, was equally unappealing.

Noin had been frantic. Having just returned from college, she did not have any ready means of income to support them, and finding respectable work for a woman of twenty-two was difficult. With an eighteen year old sister to look after, it was imperative she find the means to care for them both. She had almost given up all hope, then she remembered her great-aunt, Sella.

Her mother had always been fond of Sella, a jovial old woman with iron-gray hair and a ready smile. What memories Noin had of the old woman were filled with laughter and Sella's cinnamon scented perfume. Sella had visited them often when they were young, but they had lost touch after Sella had moved to the far away kingdom of Cinq. She hadn't written regularly, but what letters they did receive always ended with their great-aunt inviting them to stay with her in the capital. The last letter they had received from her was dated over a year ago.

Noin knew it was a gamble, to travel miles away and assume Sella would be able take them in, but it was the only choice they had. She was the only one they knew who would even offer to care for them.

Mind made up, Noin had quickly booked passage to Cinq, which lay in a largely mountainous region consisting of small, remote countries. Noin was told that the mail coaches didn't travel that way anymore, so she could not send a letter in advance. She only hoped Sella would be there to accept them. They would be using all of their remaining funds to travel there.

Hilde had not been too thrilled at the thought of leaving their homeland, still grief-striken about their parents' deaths. But, she had seen the necessity in it. There was nothing left for them there. Everything they had ever loved was gone.

Finally, they left, by way of a passenger ship bound for a seaside colony, escorted by a trader and his family. From there, they hired a coach to take them across the rugged mountain borders to a country just west of Cinq, where they met with an opera singer who shared their coach fare.

The journey had not been all that pleasant for two reasons. The roads had been rough, occasionally throwing them against the sides of the coach. Some mornings they awoke battered and bruised. And, the opera singer's heavy perfume had often left them gasping for breath once they were able to step outside the coach.

Despite the difficulties, Hilde and Noin had found time to enjoy themselves. They often walked around the countryside and enjoyed the scenery with the occasional stops at inns. They had reveled in the wealth of culture in the regions they had visited. Once they had reached a small country inn, the pair and the opera singer parted ways. They then tried to attain passage to Cinq.

They encountered some difficulty when the local coach master only assured them passage to a village three miles from Cinq's western border. He had argued that the mountainous countryside was too rough to travel by coach and warned them that the people of that region were very superstitious. At this point, he became quite talkative.

It was said that about a year ago a harsh winter had befallen the country of Cinq, the likes of which had never been seen in the region. Even with the coming of spring, the kingdom was still blanketed in snow. All throughout the year the weather had stayed bitter and cold, allowing no major communication to reach the outside, trapping the people within their borders with heavy snowstorms.

The other countries were afraid to lend aid, fearing that it was a curse that ruled over Cinq. Despite the country's peaceful reputation, others thought that if they interfered in any way, the same fate would befall them.

Upon hearing this, Noin had let out an exasperated snort. She was not a superstitious person by nature and she wasn't going to start now. The weather was probably some sort of climate abnormality. Not magic or a curse.

Being a headstrong woman, she continued with her plans and booked the passage to the village, making arrangements for a sled and snow equipment to be purchased once they had arrived.

In the village, they hired an old, begoggled tracker named Howard to be their guide as far as Cinq's border. The sum he had asked for was a bit steep but they had no choice; he was the only one willing to guide them. They had traveled for almost three days across the rocky, ice laden trail, stopping now and then to rest the dogs and make camp.

Finally, they had reached the border. Howard had given them a map, a compass, and further directions to the capital, along with his blessings for a safe journey. He himself would journey back with his sled, leaving the two women with eleven sled dogs of their own.

So, Noin and Hilde continued their journey for five more days, passing nothing but icy hillsides and frozen lakes. Though their progress was slowed by a fierce snowstorm, they pressed on, taking refuge in the icy caves they dug into the frozen earth. Now, here they were, less then a mile from Newport.

Noin was relieved that they would soon be reaching their destination. Their supplies and funds were dangerously low, only enough to last a few more days, if possible. She wasn't certain what would be waiting for them once they arrived in the capital. In fact, she wasn't even sure great-aunt Sella would remember them. For the first time since they started their journey, Noin doubted her plan.

Maybe she should have tried to send a letter anyway and waited for a reply. Maybe she had been too hasty. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... Noin shook those thoughts out of her head. It was no good thinking like that. They were here now and that was all that mattered.

Noin looked down to see Hilde lightly dozing in her nest of fur. She couldn't help but smile.

Hilde had been incredibly brave through all of it, assuring her that "We did what we had to do, no sense in worrying over it."

Noin gazed over the horizon, delighted to find that she could already see a large cluster of buildings in the distance. There was even something that resembled a church steeple, outlined by the afternoon sun.

"That must be Newport," she murmured, hope unfurling in her heart. After all their traveling, they were finally here.

As Noin continued scanning the area, her eyes were suddenly drawn to a nearby expanse of barren trees that slightly shaded a frozen lake. But what caught her attention was what was on the lake.

A large, white bear.

Noin's eyes widened as she identified the creature. She had never seen one before, only reading about them in her books at school. Such creatures were rare in her homeland, even in the wild. The sudden sight of it caused her to stare in delighted, child-like wonder. To see one, and with such a rare colored fur, was truly amazing.

Suddenly, the bear let out a faint roar of dismay as it lost its balance and was pitched through a patch of thin ice. This wouldn't have worried her, for she had read that bears were natural swimmers, but the creature seemed distressed. Then, she saw a flash of red.

Blood.

Noin didn't know why she did what she did, and later she would speculate it for herself, but she jerked on the cords, bringing the dogs to a sliding halt. As the sled slowed to a stop, Hilde was thrown from her light slumber.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing her sister start to turn the sled towards the trees.

"There's a bear trapped in a lake, over there," Noin replied. "I think it's hurt."

"What!"

Noin didn't answer, but instead urged the dogs toward the direction of the lake. She could still hear the bear's roars and knew that he was injured and would drown if she didn't do something. When they arrived by the lake, Noin leapt from the sled and made her way to the shore. What greeted her eyes confirmed her fears.

The bear was lying half out of the hole in the ice, nursing his right paw, which she could see had a nasty gash across it. It was seeping blood rapidly. Without the help of both paws, he wouldn't be able to pull himself out, much less swim out of the lake.

For a split second, Noin felt helpless, not being able to do anything for the bear. She couldn't walk out and help him herself, they'd both fall in. She wanted to help him. For some odd reason, she really did.

Just then, she remembered when a horse had gotten trapped in a mud pit during their stay in one of the villages. The innkeeper and his son had used a rope and lasso attached to another horse's saddle to pull the horse up and lead it out of the pit. Maybe it would work here. She had to try.

"Hilde! Bring the dogs here and get out the extra leather straps. Hurry!" Noin shouted to her sister.

Hilde had by then untangled herself from the furs and immediately followed her orders. She rushed over to the lake, leading the dogs behind her. Noin grabbed the straps from her, quickly fashioning them into a makeshift lasso. She tied one end to the sled and held the other in her hand.

"Hilde! Come here!"

Hilde was snapped from her dazed perusal of the bear and joined her sister by the sled.

"Here, take this and hold onto it tight," Noin ordered, placing her hand over the strap on the sled. "When I say to, break the dogs and lead them toward the trees. We need to get this bear out before he drowns."

"Right!" Hilde replied and hurried to her post, as Noin rushed over to the side of the lake and plotted out the best vantage point.

The bear had quieted down but she could here his grunts of effort as he tried to keep himself above the ice. He appeared to be weakening, which alerted her to act faster. But his paws were not the best thing to rope and she wasn't sure he'd appreciate a cord around his neck. She slowly inched her way onto the ice, trying to find the perfect angle.

The bear watched her warily under hooded eyes. Instinctive suspicion lit their depths. He obviously did not want her there.

"It's alright," Noin assured the creature, inching closer. "I'm going to help you. Just relax. Everything's going to be fine."

Amazingly, the bear somehow seemed to understand her and relaxed a little as she said that. Taking that as a good sign, she stepped a bit closer. The ice groaned under her weight and she prayed it would hold.

"Get ready, Hilde!" she called over her shoulder.

Noin dared to get within a foot of the bear, talking soothingly as she refashioned the straps to fit around him. Suddenly, a crack sounded from under her. She whipped her gaze down and was horrified to see a fracture in the ice.

Moving with great speed, the crack lead towards the bear. It snaked between his paws and in a heart beat, the ice under him began to give way. The bear plunged into the murky black depths.

"No!" Noin cried. Diving towards him, she managed to slip the lasso over both his paws and prayed that it would hold. "Hilde! Now!" she shouted urgently, retreating to the shore as the remaining ice fell away.

Immediately, she heard the snap of the reins and barking of the dogs as they strained to pull their burden up from the lake, digging their paws into the crisp white snow. Slowly but surely, they pulled the bear up, inch by inch. First, his head cleared the water, then his paws, and the rest of his body followed. Noin was relieved when she saw him emerge, but realized he was unconscious.

Ordering Hilde to lead the dogs farther, Noin rushed to the bear's side. He had now cleared the lake and was laying quite still on the snowy bank.

"Okay, Hilde! That's enough!" The straps slackened and Noin moved to loosen them from around him.

Noin quickly realized that it was a blessing he was unconscious. From what she had read, bears could do serious damage if they felt threatened. Gingerly, she untied the straps from under his paws and tossed them aside. She then checked the gash on his paw.

It was not very deep, but it was somewhat ragged around the edges and spanned at least six inches, leaving a sinister red trail along the white fur. The blood had started to clot and was now slightly matted against his fur. Whatever had caused it must have been sharp and deadly.

Noin retrieved a thick, white, woolen scarf from her coat. Gently, she fashioned a wrap around the gash, tying it just enough to apply pressure on the wound but not cause pain. She heard the faint barking of the dogs and the crunching of snow as Hilde made her way towards her.

"Is it alright?" Hilde asked softly, her voice hushed in wonder. She had also never seen a bear before.

Noin nodded. "Thankfully, he's unconscious. The bleeding has slowed and there doesn't seem to be any broken bones. I think he's going to make it." She turned toward her sister to see her reaction.

Hilde was standing a few feet away, pale as the snow around her. Obviously, she was frightened at the close proximity of the creature. "How can you stand so close to it? It could kill you if it wakes up."

Noin shrugged. "I think he knows that I'm trying to help him. That's why he let me get so close to him."

For a moment, Hilde looked bewildered. "Him?"

Just then, a low groan could be heard from the bear. He was waking up.

Frightened, Hilde retreated back several feet. "Noin! Move away!" she called urgently.

Her older sister could not hear her. She was held entranced by the sight of the majestic white creature, as he slowly picked himself up from the snowy shore. The thick cords of muscle and sinew, masked by wet, white fur, bunched and stretched as he lifted the burden of his weight onto his paws, including the injured limb. He shook himself, sending a light spray of cold water over her and the surrounding snow. With a muffled groan, he lifted his noble head.

Noin gasped as she realized her present situation. Here she was, less than a foot away, staring into the eyes of a bear. And what eyes they were. Though her brain registered the strangeness of his eyes, it was what she saw in their depths that froze her in place.

Sadness. Such incredible sadness.

"Noin!" A frightened voice called to her.

Noin was snapped from her dazed musings by the urgency in Hilde's voice. Slowly, she inched away from the bear while he followed her with his cold, sharp eyes.

"I'm alright, Hilde," she called hoarsely. "I'm alright."

With a muffled grunt, the bear slowly turned from her, heading into the forest of barren trees. He stepped on his injured paw with effort, but managed to keep himself upright.

Behind her, Hilde gave a sigh of relief as she made her way to her sister's side. Noin, in the meantime, watched the bear as he limped toward the forest, fascinated by the encounter.

Relieved, Noin let out the breath she had unconsciously been holding. She picked herself up from the snow and dusted off her gear, all the while watching the bear's progress. Suddenly, it stopped. Seeming hesitant, the bear slowly turned to face her once more.

Noin inhaled sharply as she was subjected to the bear's unnerving perusal.

"Did he change his mind then? Is he going to kill me?" she thought, returning his gaze.

They stood like that for a few moments, eyeing each other warily. What the bear did next shocked her completely.

Slowly, yet gracefully, the bear bent his injured paw and lowered his mighty head. It looked like he was...yes, he was bowing! To her!

Noin was in a state of confusion."Why on earth would a bear bow to me?...I can't believe it..."

Not knowing what else to do, she executed a low curtsy. "Might as well return the gesture..." she mused, bending slightly at the waist.

When she straightened, the bear was gone. Only a patch of slightly melted snow marked where he had been.

"That...was strange," Hilde commented, watching the whole exchange with wonder.

"Yes, it was," Noin replied distractedly.

The pair returned to the sled and tidied up their belongings, which had been jostled by the activity, before continuing on their way. As their sled pulled away from the frozen lake, Noin couldn't help but take one last look at the sheltering trees, hoping to catch one last glimpse of the majestic bear.

"Those eyes..." she thought belatedly. "So cold...like ice...But why?"

From the depths of the silent trees, a shadowy figure watched their departure intently.

"Noin..."