In the Moon's Shadow
Chapter Six: A Knight To Remember
1163 A.D.
26 miles from London, England
Village Rhisha, Church Courtyard
You know how you wake in the morning from a glorious dream and try to reclaim it
by closing your eyes and basking in the memory of it? Well, that was how Heero
reacted, though he wasn't awakened by anything as mundane as the first rays of
sunlight, and he wasn't really dreaming. Instead he was standing in the
courtyard of a church, his arms steadying a somewhat dazed Relena as they shared
their first kiss. It was supposed to be a moment meant only for them, and if he
had had his gun he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot the fool who dared interrupt
him. Except that 'fool' in this case happened to be a half a dozen knights in
armour on *destriers. They came riding up at a full gallop, shouting obscenities
and generally behaving like the drunkards they were. They didn't stop when they
reached the courtyard either. Instead, they wheeled their well-trained horses
and rode between the tables, kicking them over and destroying everything in
their path. They seemed to think it was all in fun. After all, who really cared
what happened to a peasant?
Heero broke away from Relena reluctantly, pushing her behind him as he gave the
nearest knight his famous glare. It was only when that knight raised his sword
that Heero remembered he had left his own back at the cottage, sitting
harmlessly in the corner. He could picture it there, faintly mocking him about
his attempt at a peaceful life. There was no such thing. Not for him, anyway.
But he had tried these past few days, for Relena's sake. Too bad it now left him
at a disadvantage, if only a slight one. Let no one say that Heero Yuy was
helpless without a weapon, far from it.
Without hesitation, he rushed forward, only a blur to the inebriated knight who
he dispatched with a quick yank from his horse and a hard punch to the face. The
knight immediately fell unconscious and Heero pulled the man's sword from its
sheath, hefting the hardened steel in his right hand as he gazed about for more
potential victims.
And there were plenty.
All around him, the celebration had ignited into chaos. People were screaming in
fear and running before steel-shod hooves. Everywhere, knights is battle dented
armour were wreaking havoc, overturning tables and brandishing torches. The
night had gone mad in only a few seconds.
"Heero! Behind you!"
He swung with the grace of one who had been born a warrior, raising his blade to
meet another which drove towards his unsuspecting back. Sword met sword as he
encountered his somewhat familiar opponent and his analytical mind brought him a
realization even as Relena's startled gasp behind him confirmed it.
The knight's gaze followed the sound and his dark eyes widened as he recognized
the small woman who stood only a few feet away. "You!" He said, between clenched
teeth. "Alwain, Hugh, get that woman! She is a damned witch!"
Heero slammed the full force of his strength against the knight, as two others
emerged on Relena. He was losing control of what was happening and it was making
him angry. His dark eyes seared the man in front of him.
"You know she's not a witch." He said, coldly, parrying a thrust towards his
stomach. "It was I who defeated you."
"Speak not to me, churl. Only a witch could have empowered a peasant bastard to
beat three knights. Her fate will be decided by the sword."
Relena screamed behind him as she was grabbed roughly by the two knights.
Time slowed.
Heero turned, unthinkingly, towards the heart wrenching sound of Relena in
trouble.
Heartbeat.
With an evil sneer, the knight behind him raised his sword.
Heartbeat.
Relena struggled in the arms of her captors, reaching one arm out to Heero as if
to warn him.
Heartbeat.
The sword came down.
Heartbeat.
Heero fell as the broad side of the sword connected with his head.
Heartbeat.
Laughter and another cry.
"Heero!"
Time resumed its normal pace.
The darkness crept around his mind, making it difficult to move, to think. The
only thing he could understand was that Relena was being taken away from him and
he could not allow that to happen. Pushing himself up slightly, he lifted his
head dazedly, trying to focus unresponsive eyes on a golden-haired woman that
seemed impossibly far away. He heard her call his name but his body wouldn't
move, wouldn't respond to her call. A voice above him laughed gratingly and
kicked him in the side.
"Come to London if you wish to see her alive, peasant. We will see if you dare
fight a knight without the aid of an accursed woman."
Feet strode past him but his mind was already spiralling into unconsciousness.
His one last coherent thought was that if he could've moved he would have torn
that man apart, limb by limb, and any promise he had made about killing be
damned.
Blackness beckoned, and he obeyed.
* * * *
"Will he be alright?" A soft voice whispered, close by. A woman's voice.
"Aye, he just took a blow to the head. He's a strong one, he'll be alright,
Rebekah."
He struggled feebly against the comfortable darkness he was in, trying to make
sense of what had happened to him. And something must have happened because
everyone always spoke in whispers around people who were wounded.
A baby muttered a soft cry and was quickly shushed.
"What...What do you think they'll do to Relena?" The woman asked, a worried note
in her voice.
"I don't know, love." A pause. "I don't know."
Relena.
That name brought all his memories to the forefront and his eyes opened at the
force of the remembrance. Caleb sat next to his bed, and Rebekah stood not far
away, little Sara in her arms. He was glad to see that they looked unhurt,
though Caleb bore a sword cut on his cheek.
"You're awake." Caleb said, solemnly, as Heero sat up slowly. "How's your head?"
"I'll manage." He replied, shortly. "Did they take Relena?"
"Yes," this from Rebekah. "One of the knights...he told Caleb that they would
expect you at London within the week. They're going to put her on trial..."
"Trial?" Heero's eyes darkened at Caleb's nod.
"Trial by combat. The knights, you see, they said she's a witch and no one can
go against the word of a knight except another knight. Relena will need a
champion to fight her accuser. The two knights will joust and if her champion
wins, it means she's innocent. If he doesn't..."
"She'll be burned." Heero supplied, coldly.
Suddenly, Caleb and Rebekah shared a look and Caleb opened the cottage door,
letting half a dozen men come in. He knew most of them as farmers he had worked
with. Good and loyal men he had come to trust. So it was surprising when he
noticed what they were carrying. One was carrying his stolen sword, another had
his hands full of armour, and still another held two huge lances that almost
didn't fit it he tiny house. Most gave him a nod, others clapped him on the back
in sympathy. All in all, it was very confusing.
"What's going on?" He asked, trying to make sense of it all.
Caleb gave him a fierce grin. "Heero, you may not believe this, but we love
Relena almost as much as you do. Every since the both of you came, we have never
been so light hearted. You gave us everything you had and helped us when you had
no reason to. We want Relena back, too. We're tired of living in fear of the
knights and if we can win against them this one time, I feel we will have
accomplished something." He motioned to the man with all the armour. "Remember
the knight you unhorsed? We stripped him of his armour and his war-horse is
outside. Jonathan, the blacksmith, has made you a couple of lances, and Pete
there has your sword. It's not a lot but it's all we can give." He paused, "It's
all you'll need to become a knight."
Become a knight...
Interrupting his silence as disapproval, Rebekah continued for her husband,
"Heero, Relena needs a champion and you know that no one else with fight for
her. You can enter the tournament as an unknown knight. We will paint your
shield white and we will find a way to get you to London. As Relena's champion
no one will question you. The trial is meant to show God's will and anyone may
fight. You're the only one, Heero, the only one..." She was close to tears, and,
surprisingly, he summoned a half-smile for her.
"You misunderstand me, Rebekah." He said, "I will never rest until Relena is
free, but we still have a problem. I have never jousted. If someone can teach
me, it will not take me long to learn."
There was pause as that complication soaked in and then Caleb spoke up. "I think
I'm correct in saying that I'm the only one in Rhisha that has ever seen a
tourney. I'm a good observer and I might be able to help you a little." He
shrugged, "I will tell you everything I know, the rest is up to you."
"Understood."
Abruptly, Caleb broke out in one of his big grins. "It's settled then. Tomorrow
will be spent on training, and the day after, we bring Relena her champion."
The men erupted into cheers and smiles, as Heero turned his thoughts inward.
Tomorrow....everything would begin.
Relena, wait for me...
tbc...
* * * *
*destriers are battle horses
Author's Note: Hmmmmm, not as much angst as I was expecting, hmmmm, think I
should do something about that? *cackles evilly* Well, you knew after that last
WAFFY chapter there had to be some trouble in paradise. Ah, Heero: The Knight In
Shining Armour. *sigh* I think there'll be two more chapters to this story and
since my writer's block is over they'll probably be out pretty quick! So, keep
an eye out!
Review please, lords and ladies...
Chapter Six: A Knight To Remember
1163 A.D.
26 miles from London, England
Village Rhisha, Church Courtyard
You know how you wake in the morning from a glorious dream and try to reclaim it
by closing your eyes and basking in the memory of it? Well, that was how Heero
reacted, though he wasn't awakened by anything as mundane as the first rays of
sunlight, and he wasn't really dreaming. Instead he was standing in the
courtyard of a church, his arms steadying a somewhat dazed Relena as they shared
their first kiss. It was supposed to be a moment meant only for them, and if he
had had his gun he wouldn't have hesitated to shoot the fool who dared interrupt
him. Except that 'fool' in this case happened to be a half a dozen knights in
armour on *destriers. They came riding up at a full gallop, shouting obscenities
and generally behaving like the drunkards they were. They didn't stop when they
reached the courtyard either. Instead, they wheeled their well-trained horses
and rode between the tables, kicking them over and destroying everything in
their path. They seemed to think it was all in fun. After all, who really cared
what happened to a peasant?
Heero broke away from Relena reluctantly, pushing her behind him as he gave the
nearest knight his famous glare. It was only when that knight raised his sword
that Heero remembered he had left his own back at the cottage, sitting
harmlessly in the corner. He could picture it there, faintly mocking him about
his attempt at a peaceful life. There was no such thing. Not for him, anyway.
But he had tried these past few days, for Relena's sake. Too bad it now left him
at a disadvantage, if only a slight one. Let no one say that Heero Yuy was
helpless without a weapon, far from it.
Without hesitation, he rushed forward, only a blur to the inebriated knight who
he dispatched with a quick yank from his horse and a hard punch to the face. The
knight immediately fell unconscious and Heero pulled the man's sword from its
sheath, hefting the hardened steel in his right hand as he gazed about for more
potential victims.
And there were plenty.
All around him, the celebration had ignited into chaos. People were screaming in
fear and running before steel-shod hooves. Everywhere, knights is battle dented
armour were wreaking havoc, overturning tables and brandishing torches. The
night had gone mad in only a few seconds.
"Heero! Behind you!"
He swung with the grace of one who had been born a warrior, raising his blade to
meet another which drove towards his unsuspecting back. Sword met sword as he
encountered his somewhat familiar opponent and his analytical mind brought him a
realization even as Relena's startled gasp behind him confirmed it.
The knight's gaze followed the sound and his dark eyes widened as he recognized
the small woman who stood only a few feet away. "You!" He said, between clenched
teeth. "Alwain, Hugh, get that woman! She is a damned witch!"
Heero slammed the full force of his strength against the knight, as two others
emerged on Relena. He was losing control of what was happening and it was making
him angry. His dark eyes seared the man in front of him.
"You know she's not a witch." He said, coldly, parrying a thrust towards his
stomach. "It was I who defeated you."
"Speak not to me, churl. Only a witch could have empowered a peasant bastard to
beat three knights. Her fate will be decided by the sword."
Relena screamed behind him as she was grabbed roughly by the two knights.
Time slowed.
Heero turned, unthinkingly, towards the heart wrenching sound of Relena in
trouble.
Heartbeat.
With an evil sneer, the knight behind him raised his sword.
Heartbeat.
Relena struggled in the arms of her captors, reaching one arm out to Heero as if
to warn him.
Heartbeat.
The sword came down.
Heartbeat.
Heero fell as the broad side of the sword connected with his head.
Heartbeat.
Laughter and another cry.
"Heero!"
Time resumed its normal pace.
The darkness crept around his mind, making it difficult to move, to think. The
only thing he could understand was that Relena was being taken away from him and
he could not allow that to happen. Pushing himself up slightly, he lifted his
head dazedly, trying to focus unresponsive eyes on a golden-haired woman that
seemed impossibly far away. He heard her call his name but his body wouldn't
move, wouldn't respond to her call. A voice above him laughed gratingly and
kicked him in the side.
"Come to London if you wish to see her alive, peasant. We will see if you dare
fight a knight without the aid of an accursed woman."
Feet strode past him but his mind was already spiralling into unconsciousness.
His one last coherent thought was that if he could've moved he would have torn
that man apart, limb by limb, and any promise he had made about killing be
damned.
Blackness beckoned, and he obeyed.
* * * *
"Will he be alright?" A soft voice whispered, close by. A woman's voice.
"Aye, he just took a blow to the head. He's a strong one, he'll be alright,
Rebekah."
He struggled feebly against the comfortable darkness he was in, trying to make
sense of what had happened to him. And something must have happened because
everyone always spoke in whispers around people who were wounded.
A baby muttered a soft cry and was quickly shushed.
"What...What do you think they'll do to Relena?" The woman asked, a worried note
in her voice.
"I don't know, love." A pause. "I don't know."
Relena.
That name brought all his memories to the forefront and his eyes opened at the
force of the remembrance. Caleb sat next to his bed, and Rebekah stood not far
away, little Sara in her arms. He was glad to see that they looked unhurt,
though Caleb bore a sword cut on his cheek.
"You're awake." Caleb said, solemnly, as Heero sat up slowly. "How's your head?"
"I'll manage." He replied, shortly. "Did they take Relena?"
"Yes," this from Rebekah. "One of the knights...he told Caleb that they would
expect you at London within the week. They're going to put her on trial..."
"Trial?" Heero's eyes darkened at Caleb's nod.
"Trial by combat. The knights, you see, they said she's a witch and no one can
go against the word of a knight except another knight. Relena will need a
champion to fight her accuser. The two knights will joust and if her champion
wins, it means she's innocent. If he doesn't..."
"She'll be burned." Heero supplied, coldly.
Suddenly, Caleb and Rebekah shared a look and Caleb opened the cottage door,
letting half a dozen men come in. He knew most of them as farmers he had worked
with. Good and loyal men he had come to trust. So it was surprising when he
noticed what they were carrying. One was carrying his stolen sword, another had
his hands full of armour, and still another held two huge lances that almost
didn't fit it he tiny house. Most gave him a nod, others clapped him on the back
in sympathy. All in all, it was very confusing.
"What's going on?" He asked, trying to make sense of it all.
Caleb gave him a fierce grin. "Heero, you may not believe this, but we love
Relena almost as much as you do. Every since the both of you came, we have never
been so light hearted. You gave us everything you had and helped us when you had
no reason to. We want Relena back, too. We're tired of living in fear of the
knights and if we can win against them this one time, I feel we will have
accomplished something." He motioned to the man with all the armour. "Remember
the knight you unhorsed? We stripped him of his armour and his war-horse is
outside. Jonathan, the blacksmith, has made you a couple of lances, and Pete
there has your sword. It's not a lot but it's all we can give." He paused, "It's
all you'll need to become a knight."
Become a knight...
Interrupting his silence as disapproval, Rebekah continued for her husband,
"Heero, Relena needs a champion and you know that no one else with fight for
her. You can enter the tournament as an unknown knight. We will paint your
shield white and we will find a way to get you to London. As Relena's champion
no one will question you. The trial is meant to show God's will and anyone may
fight. You're the only one, Heero, the only one..." She was close to tears, and,
surprisingly, he summoned a half-smile for her.
"You misunderstand me, Rebekah." He said, "I will never rest until Relena is
free, but we still have a problem. I have never jousted. If someone can teach
me, it will not take me long to learn."
There was pause as that complication soaked in and then Caleb spoke up. "I think
I'm correct in saying that I'm the only one in Rhisha that has ever seen a
tourney. I'm a good observer and I might be able to help you a little." He
shrugged, "I will tell you everything I know, the rest is up to you."
"Understood."
Abruptly, Caleb broke out in one of his big grins. "It's settled then. Tomorrow
will be spent on training, and the day after, we bring Relena her champion."
The men erupted into cheers and smiles, as Heero turned his thoughts inward.
Tomorrow....everything would begin.
Relena, wait for me...
tbc...
* * * *
*destriers are battle horses
Author's Note: Hmmmmm, not as much angst as I was expecting, hmmmm, think I
should do something about that? *cackles evilly* Well, you knew after that last
WAFFY chapter there had to be some trouble in paradise. Ah, Heero: The Knight In
Shining Armour. *sigh* I think there'll be two more chapters to this story and
since my writer's block is over they'll probably be out pretty quick! So, keep
an eye out!
Review please, lords and ladies...