Yessssssssss, I'm still writing this. Lol, it's like, suddenly I have a life though... not as much time for interbuttz D:
Title: The Forsaken
Author: Link Worshiper
Pairings: 1=2, maybe some others if I feel like it
Rating: PG-13
Stuff: Fantasy AU, fluff, sap, language, adventure, WoW nerdiness
Disclaimer: I own Gundam Wing action figures? Warcraft and its lore belongs to Blizzard Entertainment. Both things are being played with out of fangirl love.
Part XXVIII
Crying Lightning
Relena's regency was declared once Milliardo had finally been laid to rest in the tomb at long last, but the event was greatly subdued after Quatre's unexpected collapse. Even after the young priest had been ferried away for some bed rest and the rest of the party had retired for a celebratory banquet in Relena's honour there wasn't much gaiety to be found. Relena was made somber by the mere sight of Quatre's empty place at the table, and it was only worsened by the fact that she had been unable to approach Heero the entire time. He sat at the other end of the long table, halfheartedly picking at his food, while his mysterious friend simply slouched in his chair and stared at an empty plate. They seemed to only be present out of courtesy, for they soon excused themselves at the same time and hastily left the banquet hall. At least they had managed to last longer than the redhaired elf that had been staring at Quatre: he had made his exit within mere minutes of the meal's commencement.
So, needless to say, it was with great surprise that Relena found herself confronted by Heero and his friend after she took her leave of the celebration. She had barely made it to the stairwell leading to her chambers when a hand had unexpectedly shot out of the darkness to grab her wrist and drag her to a more secluded corridor. She had very nearly screamed at the shock of being caught so off guard, quieted only by the quick realization that it was Heero who had snatched her away. A hot flush burned her cheeks as she allowed herself to be pulled along, chewing her lip as she stared at the back of Heero's head, all the while wondering what had befallen him since he had so strangely vanished from sight. She had to admit, everything about it was just so very like him, from his unexplained absence to his abrupt handling of this particular situation.
In the less-traversed hallway Heero led her to, Relena found herself face-to-face with the stranger who never seemed to be far from Heero's side. He was leaning against the wall, his hood still pulled over his eyes as he waited for them to arrive. The faintest glimmer of yellow burned from beneath his hood as he lifted his head to greet them. "About time," he said with a chuckle, his voice a lot more deep and raspy than Relena had expected it to be.
"Politicians need to master the fine art of when it is opportune to take leave of an event," Heero answered with unnecessary candidness. "Especially ones contrived in their honour."
"Touche," the darker one replied, tossing a gloved hand in defeat.
Heero didn't waste another second with banter. Before Relena had a chance to ask any questions of her own, she found Heero gripping her wrist tightly as he pulled her close and looker her straight in the eye, a non-nonsense tone in even the very air around him. Relena's heart started thumping out of time, reminding her of her awkward schooldays in Dalaran, when she had admired Heero from afar, especially when he grit his teeth and murmured, "Relena, I..."
She sucked in a deep breath, suddenly very hyper aware of what was happening around her – of the hooded stranger's intent stare and the feel of Heero's strong hand around hers. His breath was stirring her bangs against her forehead.
Hanging his head, he let out a long sigh and at last admitted the words he was trying so hard to say. "Relena, I need your help."
And that was it. He released her hand and pushed by her, moving to stand closer to his companion. Relena wasn't so easily let down from that moment, however, still jarred by the giddy things that had run through her head the entire time. She supposed she was flattered that the first thing Heero wanted to say to her after all this time was such a personal entreaty, but it didn't mean that she still wasn't disappointed. Though she had a feeling that, as usual, Heero didn't quite realize how he had come off.
Sighing, she turned towards the other two with the best face she could muster after such a crushing blow. "What is it?" she asked, still determined to assist Heero in any way she could, even if her reasons for doing so weren't the same as Heero's reasons for asking. She gave Heero's friend a cursory assessment, trying hard to stifle a tiny yelp when she caught sight of a cockroach rushing out from beneath his wizarding robes and across his curled shoe.
"I..." Heero started to speak but quickly decided that he would be no good at explaining the situation with words alone. Instead, he nodded to his companion and said softly, "Duo, show her."
"Are you sure this is really okay?" Duo asked, a trace of hesitance in his voice.
"Unless you have a better idea," Heero replied bluntly. He fumbled for Duo's hand, which was lost in the folds of his robes, and pinched his fingers between his.
"Alright," Duo said with a shrug as he reached to pull his hood back with his free hand.
Relena let out a stifled gasp of surprise and horror when she saw the light on Duo's face for the first time. She had never seen any of the undead in person before, and the shock of his rotten face and empty eye sockets was a lot to take in all at once. And to think that she would see one here of all places – it was certainly not what she had expected, and she could only look to Heero for an explanation.
"We... swore that we would help each other be whole again," Heero said, sounding a lot more vague than he usually was. His eyes kept flicking back towards Duo, almost as if there was more safety in Duo's face than Relena's uncertain one.
Relena was still a little shocked by the sudden reveal that Heero had been keeping one of the Forsaken at his side all this time. Struggling to find the right words, she finally asked, "Is... is this why you defected after your mission for Milliardo?"
"You could say that," Heero muttered. He didn't think Relena needed to know the details about the Epyon sigil and its demon, especially now that it seemed to have taken its leave of him.
"Heero, everyone was worried about what had become of you," Relena reprimanded, hands on her hips as she focused a stern glare on him. "Milliardo was just short of sending out a search party!"
"Not a whit," Heero snapped tersely. "He only wanted what he bade me to take. He could have cared less if I was alive or not." He took a moment to suck in a harsh breath before adding, "But Duo took it upon himself to protect me, and now it is my turn to return the favour."
"I... I see," said Relena, even though she was almost certain that there was a lot more to this tale than Heero would ever share with her. The disappointment of such a realization nearly encompassed the elation she might have regularly felt at the news of such an alliance between the two enemy factions. Instead, she had the urge to tell Heero that he was cruel for trying to break her this way, even though she logically knew that Heero didn't mean it that way at all.
Her thoughts were broken by the insertion of an unexpected word from Duo. "Please, Lady Proudmoore," he croaked, devoid of the easygoing aura he'd exuded before; "Even I have heard tell of your diplomatic relations between the Horde and the Alliance: if ever there was a time to put them to the test, this is it."
The small part of Relena that was hurt by Heero's methodical and inexplicable behaviour was also responsible for the seed of vanity that told her she was only being used for her reputation. She did well to crush that notion no sooner than it had spawned, but it did continue to nag at her even after she nodded in assent to Duo's entreaty. Even knowing that she had agreed to help them because it was the right thing to do, she couldn't deny that she wanted Heero to take notice of how valiant she was to champion such a cause for him.
"By the light of Elune, m'lady, you've saved me," Duo gasped, unaware of Relena's inner struggle as he bounded towards her to snatch up her hands and clasp them tight. Until this moment, he'd been so petrified of what would happen should his identity be found out by the wrong person. It was doubtful even Heero could have protected him should that have been the case, uncrowned king or otherwise. Truth be told, he had even been uncertain of Heero's insistence that they trust Relena with his secret, only able to see the negative outcome at the end of it. How happy he was to be proven wrong.
Despite Duo's excitement, Heero wasn't quite as ready to rejoice, despite the fact that he had orchestrated this alliance with Relena himself. Heero had only one end in mind, and as far as he was concerned, there was no room for celebration until it had been met. But he at least managed to give Relena a courteous nod of thanks, saying, "In all honesty, Relena, it is the greatest boon to know that you will help us go where we otherwise could not."
A somber smile graced Relena's lips as she sought to meet Heero's eyes. "I suppose it is just as much a blessing that you finally realize there is a use for those of us who remain at court."
Completely missing the implication in Relena's comment, Heero merely shrugged and said, "There are things that I can do well, and I know what they are: fighting and surviving. It is all I have done, and all I ever will do. I know when it is my place to ask for help in areas I cannot hope to excel."
"Hey, hey, none of that," Duo piped up, suddenly appearing at Heero's side once more, a gloved hand gripping his shoulder tightly. "You sell your abilities – and yourself – shorter than an amputee gnome at the bottom of Alterac Valley. Now chin up and smile before you depress yourself over nothing," he said with that cheer that seemed so unfit for a Forsaken. As if to emphasize his point, he put a curled finger under Heero's chin to help his suggestion along. Softly, he added almost too quietly for Relena to overhear, "The Heero I know is so much better than that."
Heero quivered slightly as he tried to bolster himself with Duo's optimism. He was still unused to displaying the more vulnerable aspects of himself, his instincts to appear strong and indifferent warring with his other needs. Perhaps it was Relena's proximity that was making him so anxious, for she was established in his mind as more of an icon than an equal – someone to admire, but to keep at arm's length. He held his breath and closed his eyes, trying hard to focus on Duo: Duo understood him, was the shadow that grounded him even in the darkest of places.
A few paces away, Relena watched the strange exchange between the two of them, suddenly struck by the familiarity of the scene. She remembered feeling similarly on a Winter Veil night so many years ago in Dalaran, trudging through the cold in search of Heero after he'd vanished amid the drifting snowflakes with an uncanny echo of the undead wizard who now stood before her.
Touching a subconscious chord with her, the analogy made her reexamine the situation at hand, almost afraid to believe that the stitches of fate could have been pulled so tightly. It left her wondering if Heero or Duo even realized that she was drawing such a connection out of their interactions – if such a connection was something that actually existed outside of her nostalgic memories. Surely Heero would have the sense to realize that she now held the fate of his Forsaken companion in the palm of her hand.
Surely she wouldn't let that cloud her judgment.
Though it seemed as though they had been suspended in that moment for the length of a bible, it was with great relief that it ended before Relena's disheartening thoughts took any toll. Duo gave Heero a series of reassuring pats on the cheek, his infectious grin finally spreading to the corners of Heero's mouth, and they broke their proximity to one another as if it hadn't meant a thing to anyone else in the world but them. Duo stood by with an increasing merriment that was both inexplicable and jarring to Relena, while Heero spoke once more. He was still as blunt as ever, but there was something in his tone that seemed less morose than before.
"I know Quatre seems to have been met with some strange condition," Heero said, addressing Relena again, "but it would be ideal if we could speak with him as soon as possible about restoring Duo's life."
The mention of Quatre was at least enough to keep Relena from circling around her speculations regarding Heero and Duo. Though she had not been able to check on him since he had been carried away from Milliardo's burial, she had a feeling not much would have changed since. Nevertheless, she was greatly worried about her dear friend, and thus, took the opportunity to invite Heero and Duo to accompany her on a visit to his bedside.
Duo gathered his hood over his face before they set out, following behind Relena as she led the way to the chamber where Quatre had been taken. There was a certain agitation in her step that might have been blamed on her concern for the priest, but was actually just residual of the strange scenario she had just been involved in. For the sake of keeping her focus in the right place, she babbled to fill the strange silence, expounding on what she knew of Quatre's current status.
"Noin, my paladin bodyguard, hasn't left his side since the incident," she told them as she brusquely lead them onwards. "From what I was told, he seems to have fallen into a feverish state somewhere between awake and dreaming, muttering a fool's words to himself, but without cognizance."
"Sounds like a curse to me," Duo commented, not afraid to admit that he was well-educated in such morbid topics. "Hopefully it's not got a terribly life-threatening damage over time effect or anything."
Relena shot Duo a sideways glance, but didn't make a comment. Despite the fact that she was a practitioner of formidable magic herself, and therefore, already quite familiar with the nature of spells and other such things, there were still certain breeds of sorcery she would never even dream of tarrying with. She'd somewhat assumed that Duo had some kind of base in dark magic just based on his appearance, but now there was no question that he was an expert in it. Normally she might have been a little put-off by such a discovery, but in this case, she was sort of relieved to think that maybe such knowledge would be Quatre's salvation.
"If it's a curse, then who cursed him?" Heero asked the obvious question, the frown on his face making his opinion on the matter very clear. Quatre was his good friend as well, and the fact that this was how he was to be reunited with him after such a long time was troubling to say the least.
"I have my thoughts," Relena answered, though she wasn't quite sure if she should go pointing fingers before she was certain herself. She decided that a more tactful approach was more suited to the moment, and said, "There was a certain guest at the burial who didn't seem as though he belonged. I think he noticed Quatre's scrutiny at the event, and... well..."
Heero turned sharply to her, his eyes blazing a little. "And you have no idea who he might be?"
Relena swallowed, taken aback by Heero's unexpected outburst. She noticed Duo making calming gestures in the Heero's direction, which seemed to settle the rogue's volatile temper, despite the pangs of jealousy that needled her as she espied their wordless exchanges. Quickly recovering, she averted her eyes and said with a shrug, "All I really know is that he's an elf. Highbourne."
"Highbourne?"
"...A Sin'dorei?"
It took her a few moments to realize that she was the only one still walking, her two companions frozen about twenty strides behind her as she slowly turned around, unsure why both of them were suddenly so concerned. "Do you... know who I'm talking about?" she wondered.
Heero and Duo exchanged a surreptitious glance before Duo cleared his throat and, pronounced, spoke up, "Maybe." It was pretty obvious there was no indistinction for him as to who he was talking about, but Relena figured there was probably a reason he was being vague, fairly certain he was trying to avoid incriminating someone he knew. Which only then led her to wonder just how many Horde allies were lurking in Stormwind without anyone being any wiser to it.
Pondering this notion, she continued leading the way in silence, her hands clasped thoughtfully behind her back as she strode onwards. It wasn't until they reached Quatre's room that the contemplative air evaporated, for there was something distinctly out of joint about the atmosphere even as they approached the door. It stood slightly ajar, which wasn't entirely strange in and of itself, but for the pale hand that stretched out into the hall between the oaken panel and the door post. Upon noticing it, Relena let out a gasp and rushed to the aid of the hand's owner, who she quickly discovered to be the attendant left to watch over Quatre's bedside.
Heero and Duo didn't waste another second. Hurriedly, they stepped over the unconscious nurse's body and into the room, which had been left in a terrible disarray. Most of the chamber's dressings had been knocked out of place, the furnishings slightly out of place and the unmade bed stripped of both its linens and the blond priest who was supposed to be lying there.
"Wh-what's all this?" Duo stammered, flabbergasted by the sight. There was no mistaking what had happened, but the reality of it was a little more difficult to accept. Especially considering the comment Relena had made a bit earlier about an elf being the one responsible for cursing Quatre in the first place: did it stand to reason that the same elf would have gone as far to do this as well? The suggestion didn't bode well to the undead warlock, especially the more he pondered it. Trowa definitely seemed to have fallen off the bandwagon some time ago, and it unnerved Duo to think what the Sin'dorei prince had gotten stuck in his head since. He had known Trowa a long time, and quiet though the elf was, he definitely marched to a beat of his own composition more often than not. The problem was just getting other people to even hear what that tune was at all...
But it was Heero who seemed to articulate the summation of Duo's thoughts best with a single comment: "You don't think that Trowa would have really been capable of this, do you?" he asked no one in particular as his dark blue eyes cast themselves across the disjointed room.
From her spot near the door, Relena listened as she tended to the nurse on the floor. The name Trowa stood out to her immediately, more than aware of who bore just such a name. Aloud, she wondered, "But what would the prince of the blood elves want with my darling Quatre? There's no reason that he'd become some kind of... hostage do you think?" She furrowed her brow as she thought further, tempted to demand more frank answers from the other two. If something they weren't saying was what ultimately led to Quatre's current predicament, she wasn't sure she'd be able to forgive even Heero so easily. It took a great ounce of effort to remind herself that the actions of one didn't reflect the entire will of the Horde.
"I can't think of a real reason why," Duo began slowly, unsure if there was a proper and discreet way to say exactly what he meant. He quickly decided not to worry about offending Relena's sensibilities and continued: "...Except for the part where Trowa has been flirting with Quatre since we left Arathi. 'Keeping an eye on the enemy'" – here, Duo used air quotes – "he called it. By Elune, for a regal prince, he sure is the most awkward son of a bitch I've ever known."
"Excuse me?" Heero deadpanned, his stern brow quirked, flummoxed. "That's absurd."
Duo snorted, lifting a hand as he spoke: "Trust me, Heero, I've known Trowa a long time. He likes that Quatre more than just a little bit."
Heero sharply turned away, his hands on his hips as he took another survey of the disheveled room. "Still," he murmured, "I don't know that he would do this..."
The severity of the comment was marked by Duo's silence. No one had a very good explanation as to what might have happened to Trowa that would drive him to do such a thing, should they truly prove him to be the one behind Quatre's kidnapping, so no further speculation was offered. In fact, it wasn't until Heero righted an overturned chair that he found anything worth mentioning, and even then, there weren't quite words to adequately fit what he had discovered.
Instead, he just turned to face Duo and Relena, the owl charm that Trowa had confiscated from Heero so long ago twirling with an uncanny whimsy from its chain, its forgotten presence a clear indicator of the fear none of them wanted to believe could possibly be true.
TBC!
