"Shadows of The Past" Pg 13
Disclaimer/Notes:
I do not own Gundam Wing or any of it's wonderful character, they
are owned by some rich guy.
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The
first of the two suns peaked over the horizon and it's light slid
through the trees to touch their small camp. Duo's eyes popped open,
his body feeling refreshed and alive. The rest did him well,
returning all the strength he had lost over the last few days. His
body felt warm even in the cool morning air. Looking down Heero lay
against his chest as Kieandra sifted her eyes looking up at him.
'He'll be fine today... promise.'
As
Duo sat there he watched the rest of the camp awaken, with grunts
and yawns. Quatre gently kissed Trowa as they both awoke. Heero sat
up stretching his arms over his head. He yawned quietly as Milliardo
opened his eyes to look over at him. Wufei stood up and stretched out
his limbs and back.
"So
what's ahead?" Milliardo asked the couple.
"Nothing
until our village, so we shouldn't have any more problems,"
Trowa answered.
"Oh
good, no more disguises,' Heero spoke his voice happier then it had
been in the last few months.
"We
should probably move on. How much further before we reach your
village?" Milliardo asked.
"About
another week," Quatre answered.
The
group mounted their horses, Heero riding in front of Duo, Quatre in
front of Trowa, and Wufei in front of Milliardo. They continued this
pattern until they saw a small village on the other side of the
forest. Riding into the small cluster the streets lay empty.
Quatre
and Trowa dismounted and headed toward one of the huts as the others
also dismounted.
"Father?"
Quatre called out. "Mother?"
Trowa
head to the one next to the one Quatre had almost reached. "Father?"
Suddenly
a heart wrenching scream filled the air and everyone ran toward its
source, the hut Quatre had entered moments before.
~*~*~*~*~
"How
did this happen? Who could have done this?" Quatre sobbed.
"I
know... I'm devastated too," Trowa spoke gently holding Quatre close.
The
rest of the group left the two alone to search the village. Heero
walked beside Duo as Kieandra trailed behind them.
"Why...
why this village?" Heero asked his voice sour. "It has
nothing tot with anything. The fighting would begin on the other side
of the country... father said these villages would be safe from war.
So why?"
"I
wish I knew. You really care for your people, don't you?" Duo replied.
Heero
stopped and looked at him before answering, "Of course, I would
fight if I could."
"No,
they need you to lead them."
Heero
turned to look through a small window, inside the hut lay empty of
life as the owners lie dead on the floor soaking up their own spilled
blood. Children lay slain just as the adults. Heero's hand graced
over the opening. Another fell over his own, he turned to look at
soft violet eyes.
"This
will never happen again, "Duo promised.
"You
can't say that, that promise is not worth the words used to deliver
it," Heero cried angrily as he yanked his hand away. Turning he
ran from the village into the surrounding woods. He finally stopped
and fell to the ground with a soft cry.
"Milliardo..."
"Yes?
What is it?" the blonde answered standing up from his kneeling position.
"They
even killed the animals. Look," Wufei point at a group of
destroyed hens.
"Barbarians...
how strange..."
"What
is it?"
"Valuable,"
Milliardo answered holding up a peril mirror.
"I
don't understand."
"Exactly,
destroy a village but leave it standing and all the valuables
untouched. Why? What were they really after?"
"Your
right." Wufei picked up a couple of bags full of coins.
"Make no sense, unless it was someone."
Milliardo
turned to him, "What?"
"Someone
instead of something."
"Both,
which were neither here."
"Huh?"
Wufei asked confused.
"We
need to talk to the others," Milliardo answered leaving the hut
they were in. Wufei followed him out and back to where Quatre and
Trowa were. As they approached Milliardo noticed Heero and Kieandra missing.
"Where's
Heero?" Milliardo asked stepping up the small group.
"I
said the wrong thing and he ran into the woods," Duo answered.
"He's safe, no one will know he's there."
"I
better go get him, we all need to sit down and talk," Milliardo sighed.
"Actually
I probably should go since it's my fault he ran off," Duo said
getting up from his spot.
"Okay,
but if you need me," Milliardo agreed.
"I'll
give a yell," Duo finished for him walking toward where he
sensed Heero and Kieandra. Duo decided to use the quick method to get
there since Milliardo sound serious.
"Heero,
I know I can't promise it will never happen again. I felt you wanted
to hear that, I guess I was wrong," Duo said as he learned
against the tree Heero sat against on the other side.
"Life
is cruel, all promises are worthless," Heero answered his voice
heavy with sadness.
"That's
not true, some might be hard to keep, but for the majority they are
worth their weight in gold," Duo said stepping around to face
him. "I promised to protect you, that will never be broken,
unless I'm dead."
"Don't
say that... don't die for me," Heero demanded standing up.
"Don't
worry, I'm not planning on going any where until you are safe."
"Don't...
leave me..."
"I'm
not. Milliardo has something he wants to talk to us all about. Come
on, I'll transport us back."
Heero
took Duo's hand as the three bodies disappeared from the spot
beneath the large oak tree.
~*~*~*~*~
Milliardo
sat on a small rock near where Quatre and Trowa sat on the ground
huddled together. Wufei sat on a small wood rail fence. Heero and Duo
sat near each other on the ground Kieandra laid between them.
"What
do you mean? Why?" Quatre asked the older blonde.
"I
don't know why other then to try and stop us. This place seems a
little to valuable for any other explanation," Milliardo answered.
"Well
if it is true, we should probably move on. Where do we go now?"
Duo asked.
"North,"
Wufei answered, "it seems the most logical."
"I
agree, we will head out at first light tomorrow," Milliardo agreed.
"Where
are we going to stay?" Heero asked surprising the group with
his question.
"I
don't think it should be in the village, maybe we should sleep in
the woods on the outskirt," Milliardo suggested.
"Yes,
I wouldn't want to stay here anyway," Quatre agreed.
"I
suggest we get our stuff out of sight and beds ready, night will be
breaking soon," Trowa added.
"Yes,
I agree," Milliardo replied standing up.
Wufei
jumped down from the fence while Quatre, Trowa, Heero, and Duo
pulled themselves up off the ground. Kieandra stretched out before
following her master. Trowa stopped causing the rest of the group to
turn back.
"Go
on ahead, I'll be there in a bit," he told them.
"Trowa?"
Quatre questioned startled.
"Just
go," he told Quatre firmly. The small blonde turned and led the
group away.
Trowa
turned back to his home. 'I'm sorry this happened to you all. I know
you knew it was going to but couldn't you have fought it.' Stepping
into his home he steeped around his fathers beheaded body. Making his
way back to his room he grabbed one of his bags and filled it with
clothes and other important items. He left through the back door that
led to Quatre's house. Going to Quatre's room he dug out the blonde's
bag, filling it as he had his own making sure to take a few pictures
from his desk. Leaving the house he walked down the street away from
his home knowing he would never return to it again.
A
small single crystal tear fell from his cheek to land lost on the
dry dirt path through the village. Walking along Trowa spotted the
reason this was all happening sitting alone holding his knees to his
chest. 'Where's Duo?'
'Right
here,' a voice echoed in his head. 'Tree behind where he's sitting.'
'Why
is he sitting there? Did you upset him again?'
'No
way, actually it was something Milliardo had said. You better go
talk to Quatre.'
'Why?
Is he alright?'
'Physically?
Yes. Emotionally? No.'
Trowa
hurried leaving the prince to Duo's watchful eyes. Coming to the
small clearing where they had laid out camp Trowa saw his lover
sitting alone by a tree. Walking over he set the bag down beside him.
"I
thought you could use some things," he said kneeling beside his lover.
"Is
that why?"
"Yes,
I got some stuff for the rest of the trip."
"Thank
you."
"You're
welcome."
Quatre
started going through the bag then stopped again.
"What's
wrong?"
"Oh
Trowa, thank you," he cried throwing his arms around Trowa's neck.
'The
pictures...'
~*~*~*~*~
