Dedication: Animechan123. *huggles* Now, I've made this chapter a bit longer, just for you. Hope you enjoy, dearest!

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Trial By Fire

On The Road Again

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"Such a good boy," Tarien cooed, rubbing down the large horse. Wing, as that newcomer this morning had called the horse, was a great brute of a beast. A true warhorse if ever she saw one, with a temperament to match, usually. He'd tried- once- to nip her, but he'd not dared try again. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but apparently something about her calmed the horses. They all took a great liking to her, and sometimes she swore she could almost hear them thinking.

But that was silly. And impossible.

"Tarien! My Lady!"

Tarien nearly dropped the brush, placing a hand out to calm Wing from getting upset.

"Hilde?" Tarien blinked up as the short haired girl came bursting through the stable doors. She rarely saw the maid outside of the castle.

"Come, your majesty. We've got to get you moved! Away from here," Hilde said, grabbing Tarien's hand and pulling her away.

"Wait, wait! Hilde, what's gotten into you?" The former princess dug in her heels as her friend tried again to pull her.

The dark haired girl turned to face Tarien. "Princess, *please*," she begged. "They want to kill you!"

"What?" She blinked. "Kill me?"

"Tarien, please," Hilde cried, tugging her again. Tarien blinked and started to follow when the door to the stable was blocked.

"You!" Hilde hissed, immediately placing herself between Tarien and the newcomer. Tarien peeked at the boy. His hair was dark brown, eyes smoldering Prussian blue. He was lean and looked ready to kill.

"Stand aside," the boy growled. Not boy, Tarien noted. He was a man grown, several years older than her, at the least. But maybe not more than five or six. Wait... it was... it was Wing's master. She remembered. What was going on here.

"You're not getting to her while I'm still alive," Hilde hissed. "I'd be dead and burried before I let you harm her."

"That *can* be arranged," the man pointed out. "I will make this swift and easy on all involved. I'm not looking for a mess."

"You'll get one if you don't move and leave us be. Please. She doesn't even *want* the throne."

"Inconsequential."

Tarien looked from Hilde to the man in front of her and back again. "What's going on? I demand to know!"

The ground beneath then rumbled as the man's prussian blue eyes glittered. "What's going on? I have to kill you. All Kushrenada's must die."

The ground rumbled... then the rocks started to roll, all the pebbles gathering around them.

"What? What is happening? Hilde?" Frightened, faced with an obviously powerful magick user, Tarien clung to the maid's back.

Suddenly, Wing neighed, causing the earth to stop moving, the pebbles rolling back under natural gravity. The horse had burst through the door of his stable, breaking the loose rope and cantering between his master and the stable hand.

Hilde took her chance and glared at him... and Tarien could see the blank, glassy look that overtook the man's eyes even as she struggled to gain hold of Wing's reigns.

"Enough," he shouted, and the glassiness was gone. Hilde blinked, for the first time, showing a little fright as she once again tried to pull Tarien behind her, this time moving Tarien and the prancing horse.

"Hilde! What's going on?" Tarien asked, frightened.

"Run, Tarien!" Hilde shouted, turning and pushing the lady, towards the back of the stables... towards the other exit.

A wall of earth sprung up in front of them, preventing their escape.

"I'm sorry," the man said. "But I cannot let you get away. I must kill you."

He raised a hand, and the earth began to rumble again.

"Swift, painless," he said. "Just... go to sleep..."

"Never," Hilde hissed, and again pushed her power out, using the reflective surface in his eyes as a medium for her magic. It took but a moment, and the two were gone, sprinting around him as he fought against the blinding magic.

Curses, he thought when he finally regained his sense of sight. Never matter. He would find them again.

And they would not escape.

Heero glared at the ground beneath him, carefully reconstructing the wall of earth, pulling it back down and smoothing it all out and then comforting his horse. If the princess had her own magical protection... he'd need more help. And what was with Wing protecting her. He glared into the dark brown eye of his horse.

"Traitor," he muttered.

Damn it all, he thought, turning around. He'd have to crawl back to Ellesmera- and that thrice damned fire mage- again.

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Morning in Clare Canyon was a rather somber affair. Quatre had woke, contented in Trowa's arms, curled into his side. They dressed quietly, starting a light breakfast of tea and oats. It hadn't been long before Duo woke up. Quatre noticed a bit of tension between the telekinetic and the fire-mage that wasn't there before, but didn't bother commenting on it. Wufei would clam up, and he doubted Duo would be much more forthcoming, so the healer left it be as he went about his business.

Trowa helped him with packing his healer's bags, and Quatre went through his personal belongings. There was a pendant he'd been given as payment that he'd saved for Trowa's sister, Catherine. A small bag of quartz crystals he'd gathered for Sally. A unique one-of-a-kind book preserved from an old Ki-Lin Monastery for Lucrezia Noin. And, of course, a money pouch for traveling through Sanq, and a bag of gemstones for once they reached Ellesmera- where coins were not the main mode of trade and commerce.

Wufei, taking Quatre's decision to travel with them in stride, looked to Duo and announced they should take the cart, as there was so much stuff to take- and Duo should be able to rest better in a cart than on a bouncing horse.

Quatre'd agreed readily, and Wufei uncovered the small wagon at the side of the cottage. It was a modest affair, two wheeled, but with a heavy tarp cover that was tall enough so that Wufei could almost stand straight inside it. Trowa helped Quatre toss the medicine bag, and the bag of 'presents' into the cart. Quatre offered to let Trowa and Wufei keep their packs there, too- to save their horses. Quatre even found a few articles of clothing and a heavy cloak for Duo, as the boy's clothes weren't in the best of shape.

Duo rested, leaning against the wall of the cottage and watching the others move about their activities.

"The cart's a good idea and all," Duo commented, "But wouldn't you need a horse or two to pull it?" He looked around, not seeing any livestock. "Speaking of which... how did we get here?"

Wufei smirked, and let out a loud, shrill whistle. Trowa followed it up with one of his own, only a tone or so different.

Duo watched, mystified, as a few minutes later, two horses trotted into the clearing around the cottage.

"Duo," Wufei smiled, "Meet Nataku. She helped me bring you here." Duo looked over the magnificent animal- almost fifteen hands tall, all black save for the 'socks' on all four hooves and her tail and mane- both a dusty gray.

"And that's Vayeate," Wufei waved to the beautiful white and gray dappled horse, only fourteen hands high, but with the strong hindquarters that promised a good jump. "Trowa's horse."

Duo compared the two horses to the cart. "It will take us a long time to get there, will it not? Those horses are too small to pull that cart all the way out of Sanq."

Wufei sent a glare to the boy. "Nataku... and Vayeate... are strong horses. They could pull the cart easily, if they wanted to."

"Calm down, 'Fei," Quatre chuckled. "We all know that Nataku is the best, most smartest horse to ever roam the realm. But, Duo, I agree. It would be unfair to ask two riding horses to pull a wagon of this size."

He placed two of his fingers to his lips and let out a whistle, louder, shriller, and longer than the two previous ones. Quatre doubled the whistle, making two distinct sounds.

Quatre stood back, waiting. For a moment, for two. And then two more horses trundled into the clearing.

"Duo... meet my horses- Sandrock and Zero."

"That's not a horse! That's a damned elephant!" Duo exclaimed, looking over the horses.

Quatre chuckled, then clucked the horses closer, tossing the bridles on them. Sandrock was a huge horse, nearly a hand and a half taller than Nataku, with a light reddish blond coat- caught somewhere between palomino and flaxen chestnut- that did, indeed, resemble it's namesake. Zero was a only a half-hand smaller than Sandrock, but white with dark brown socks, mane and tail, and a line two inches wide that trailed from nose to tail along his spine.

Quatre easily got the two horses set to the cart- after Sandrock nearly deafened him with a whinny right in his ear. Both horses got a treat while being hooked up.

"Sandrock's not the brightest horse ever," Quatre whispered to Duo, "But he's strong and loyal. Zero's more the brains of the pair. She keeps Sandy in line for me. Don't you, darlin'?" Quatre smiled, ruffling the horse's mane. He got a whuffle in response.

Duo smiled. "So... are we ready to go, then?"

Quatre nodded. "I'd bet. Trowa? Wufei? Are you two saddled up?"

"Affirmative," Wufei said, swinging into his saddle. Trowa was a beat behind.

Quatre, satisfied everything was in order. "Into the cart you go, Duo."

Duo easily managed into the cart, Quatre following right behind, settling down right beside him and picking up the reigns. He clucked at the horses, barely giving a flick of the reigns, and they were off.

"I'll swing out to Iria's and let her know you're gone," Trowa called, riding alongside the cart.

Quatre nodded; the fellow healer- though not a magical one- would keep her eye on the estate and be sure not to send anyone down there if he wasn't home. "Meet us on the road, then."

"By nightfall," Trowa agreed, and nudged Vayeate.

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Trowa kept his promise, Duo noted. The sun was exactly halfway visible over the horizon when Trowa ambled back to them from out of nowhere it seemed. They stopped shortly thereafter for the night in a small little clearing set back in the woods a few meters. It seemed like the three were old hands at this, Duo noticed. They moved around each other like in a dance, no two people trying to do the same thing.

Without a word being spoken, Trowa took care of the bedding down the four horses, Wufei set about gathering a little wood and lighting a fire. And Quatre began to show Duo the bedding. He hung a hammock up, then rolled out two more traditional beddings of sheet and blanket.

"Do you want to sleep outside by the fire or would you feel safer in the cart?" Quatre asked him. Duo looked from the cart, to Wufei, adding sticks to an already well-started fire.

If this had been any other group, Duo would have vouched for the cart. Anything to be off the ground, away from the others. But now, here, he surprised himself.

"I'd feel safer with Wufei."

Quatre blinked, and Wufei looked up at him, a little shocked it seemed. And then, as quickly as it began, it passed, and Quatre nodded. "Sensible of you. If we were attacked, it would be safer for you to be near Wufei and the fire."

"I'm done with the horses. Any preference for supper?" Trowa asked, quiet as ever.

"Hmm... anything would work," Wufei said thoughtfully. "Rabbits are plentiful this season, but the first thing you come across should be fine."

Trowa nodded, and turned to walk away from then, untucking his shirt as he went.

"Wait..." Duo ran up to him, having noticed something. Trowa looked back at him, and Duo's mouth opened. "Your eyes..."

Trowa closed them, and turned back. "It's complicated."

"But..." Duo sputtered. He was just walking away, tugging his shirt up.

"Don't you need your bow?" Duo asked, confused. "Can't catch much without any weapons."

Trowa shook his head. "I have all the weapons I need," he replied, never stopping as he shrugged out of his shirt and disappeared into the brush.

Duo turned to Quatre, confused. "His eyes... they... they were different. Before, they were slitted, and now... they look normal."

Quatre nodded. "A small problem with Lowan," he shrugged. "Their type of magic is different than ours, but still the same. It's difficult to always control, so small signs give them away. For Trowa, it's his eyes. The more control he has, the less you can tell."

"So he has more control today than yesterday?"

Quatre nodded again.

"Why?"

Quatre shook his head, and walked away to go gather other things. Duo turned back to Wufei and repeated the question.

Wufei sighed, making sure Quatre was out of earshot before standing to whisper to Duo. "Put it together. Quatre. Quatre is his control. I was, truthfully, beginning to worry about him. And I worry just as much when they're together... but for different reasons. Don't think so much on things that aren't about you. It'll just give you a headache."

Duo looked to Quatre, then back to Wufei and nodded. "Okay. How long will it take us to reach this Ellesmera?"

"Another five days on this road, then we branch off onto another road. No more than two weeks on that road, if we keep up a decent pace. Less, if we move quickly."

Duo glanced up at the sky. Three weeks, he thought. Three weeks, and then he could decide if he wanted to fight or not.

'Father Maxwell,' he thought, 'Forgive me if I choose to fight. But I must prevent what happened to you, to the others, from happening to anyone else. Forgive me.'