Category: Gundam SEED
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Notes: Includes two very obvious references from the ASoIaF series. Points to whomever recognizes them!
They are nearly arrived in September when they spy the figure walking in a crooked path in front of them. Yzak glances at Athrun meaningfully; the border patrol that they are just returning from supervising was supposed to block all foot-travel in this direction.
As their horses approach, the person slows and stares at the ground, evidently hoping that the group would pass by without event. Instead, they rein in their horses and come to a stop.
"Halt, in the name of the king," Yzak commands, his voice resounding through the tall trees and empty space around them. Athrun has a sense of foreboding about this whole situation. This forest and the river mark the boundary between PLANT and Orb, and the recent overthrow of Orb's royal family by revolutionaries has made Orb a risky place to be near.
Surprisingly, it's a girl that stands in front of them. Her amber eyes are bright and sharp under a head of golden hair. When she meets Athrun's stare, he nearly flinches from the intensity.
Dearka recovers first from the astonishment and gathers himself. "Speak. What business do you have here?"
Her voice is croaky when she answers. "I'm searching for some…medicine." Her thin hands dig in the pockets of her oversized men's tunic and pants and come up with a few unimpressive roots and crushed petals. She clears her throat, voice still dry. "I…haven't found what I'm looking for yet."
"Do you live close to here?" Dearka continues amiably.
She looks wary. "Just outside of September."
Yzak doesn't appear convinced. "I'm sure you've heard of the barricade that has been erected at the border. There aren't supposed to be people in this stretch of the forest." He looks at Athrun, who shrugs. "We didn't expect anyone to be wandering around here. It's usually deserted."
"I live just outside of September," she repeats forcefully.
Athrun feels uneasy at setting her free. Something isn't clicking between her story and her restless demeanor. Her clothes cling slightly to her, almost as if they are damp. From swimming—in the nearby river. Unexpectedly it crosses his mind that she has sneaked across the border. If she has been traveling between the two countries, she is dangerous. He needs more time to observe her. Likely she isn't going to September after all.
He speaks up. "We can take you to September. We are heading there, and besides, you seem to be in pain." He gestures to her left ankle, which she has shifted her weight off of. He had spotted the limp from far away.
She scowls at her injury having been noticed. "That's generous of you, my lords." Her tone as she pronounces the last two words is scornful. "But I assure you that I can handle myself. I wouldn't want to be a hindrance to a royal retinue." Again, her disdain is evident.
Athrun ignores the slight, though Yzak hisses and Dearka stiffens. The crimson embroidery on their sleeves is clear evidence that they are a royal party. But let her figure out which of the three of them is the prince, whom she should actually fear. "What's your name, girl?" he asks.
"Via."
The name sounds false on her tongue. Athrun dismounts his horse and crouches to the ground in front of her. He studies her ankle, which is bent at a harsh angle, and then lifts his eyes to her face. "It's fractured in a number of places, I think. If you spent much more time putting pressure on it you might have passed out. You should thank the gods, Via, that we were here to help you."
Her eyes flash dangerously. Suddenly her skin is burning under his hand. "There is only one god," she pronounces clearly. "And his name is Death."
Mu and Murrue are already waiting for Kira on the path outside the temple. Mu's mouth is set in a straight line. "We need to make our way somewhere safer," he had told Kira the previous night. "North, out of this country. PLANT is unfriendly."
Kira looks at the road in front of them, stretching hundreds of miles to their destination. It is a long way on foot. Looking at Mu and Murrue gives him strength, though. They are the last remnants of Orb, the only few of their party who managed to escape. At the end of their journey is the hope that they will be able to regroup safely in the mountains, and spend time finding allies and resources to aid their cause.
One day, Kira is sure, he will oust the rebels that sit the throne, restore the monarchy, and set his country right once more. And avenge my parents and sister. There is only one way to redemption and it is by killing those who have wronged his family. The words of their house pound through Kira's veins, words he had rejected until he experienced the pain that he does now, sharp and unyielding in his chest.
Vengeance. Justice. Fire and blood.
Lacus meets the three of them at the edge of the temple grounds. Her white priestess robes glow white in the noonday light. "I will pray for your safety." Her voice is soft and sweet. "To which gods do you pray, Kira?"
His mouth settles into a hard line. The sun hits the back of his neck, hot and burning. The sensation reminds him of the night Onogoro fell, of the suffocating flames that consumed the castle and separated him from Cagalli. The memory of the sack of Onogoro sets his insides on fire.
Lacus waits for his answer, expectant. He looks to the sky. "There is only one god," Kira says evenly. "And his name is Death."