"Shadows of The Past" Pg 14
Disclaimer/Notes:
I do not own Gundam Wing or any of it's wonderful character, they
are owned by some rich guy.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So
where exactly are we going?" Milliardo asked Wufei his voice soft.
"The
Mountains of Kandra, that is where the first test will be,"
Wufei answered his voice just as quiet.
"Test?"
"Yes,
test of souls. All our souls must be tested."
"Do
you know who?"
"No."
Several
moments passed in silence their horse following behind Quatre and Trowa's.
"Milliardo
may I ask you something personal?" Wufei finally asked.
"I
will try and answer."
"Are
you in love?"
"Love?
Why do you ask such a thing?"
"Well
never mind it was a silly question. Sorry to even bother you with it."
"Yes,
I was once. I guess I still am but it will never be physically returned."
Wufei
was quiet for several moments, his brain processing the new
information. "I'm sorry, I know just how that feels."
"You
do? At such a young age?" Milliardo asked surprised. "I
think I should be the one who is sorry."
"No...
there is no reason, for it is my own fault."
"You
deserve better anyway, someone who treats you like that is not worth grief."
Wufei
looked down at the path they trotted over, his voice barely above a
whisper, "You are wrong about that."
"I
think we should stop and rest here," Duo's voice suggested
ending their conversation.
~*~*~*~*~
A
high mountain appeared before them as they traveled for a long
month. Stopping at the out skirting woods the large mountains loomed
in front of them.
"Aren't
these the Mountains of Kandra?" Heero asked his caregiver.
"Yes,
I'm glad to see you a better study then your father," Milliardo
replied pleasantly surprised that Heero had remembered his geography lessons.
"Was
father a bad study?"
"No,
he just didn't want to learn."
"But
the country is so beautiful, why wouldn't he want to learn about it."
"He
was always to busy."
"Oh,
I guess that's true for everything."
"He
was never to busy for you."
"I
know, I was talking about other things." Heero laid down
pulling the blanket up to his chin. He looked over at the fire his
brain working in overdrive. Suddenly a hand settled on his arm.
Looking up his eyes met a pair of caring violet ones. They seemed to
say it would be okay; that what he was thinking was nonsense. Closing
his eyes he let a calm settle over him as he fell into a relaxed sleep.
Duo
curled up beside the sleeping prince, as did Kieandra. Both Quatre
and Trowa fell asleep cuddled together beneath the limbs of a large
tree. Milliardo fell asleep leaning back against the trunk of a large
oak, while Wufei slept near the fire curled in his blanket. Duo laid
admiring the strength of the one he was growing closer and closer to.
Finally he too fell asleep his arm slipping over Heero's waist.
~*~*~*~*~
Breakfast
was a quiet meal to which afterwards Quatre, Trowa, Milliardo, and
Wufei separated themselves away from Heero as they discussed what was
coming up. As much as Milliardo hated to exclude the prince, he
wasn't sure he wanted him to know just yet either. Duo set down
beside the confused young man.
"Why
do they do that?" He asked. "Aren't you usually with them?"
"Yes,
I think you and I need to talk," Duo answered.
"Someone
actually wants to talk to me about something."
"Come
on, lets go somewhere more private," Duo said taking Heero's
hand as they and Kieandra faded out of the clearing. As the world
around them stopped shifting, Heero looked around startled.
"Where
are we?"
"This
is a special place, a place only I can come to."
"It's
beautiful."
"Thank
you. I can't tell you everything you want to know but I can tell you
enough so you'll understand what's going on."
"Even
a little would be better then none."
"I
just love your attitude about all this. So where to begin... oh I
know." Duo leaned back against a large lush tree and dropping
his arm over Heero's shoulders he pulled him close. Heero just melted
into the embrace not even questioning it. "Legends, all legends
are true. Do you remember that story Milliardo had told you?"
Heero
nodded.
"Well
it's absolutely true." Heero stared at him, eyes wide. "I
know that's a lot to swallow on its own. Heero you are a very
important key to everything that is going to happen. That's one
reason I swore to protect you."
"Why
me?"
"I'm
not sure why... I just know it's you 'it' chose."
"It?"
Heero looked at him confusion washing in his sky blue eyes.
"Yes,
'It'. 'It' doesn't have a form or a proper name." Duo answered
trying to get the look to go away.
"What
is 'It'?"
"I
wish I could tell you, but that's just something you have to learn
for yourself."
"Once
you had said I had a great power."
"I
did? Talk about a slip up."
"If
you aren't supposed to tell me... don't. I understand." Heero
looked down at the soft green grass they were sitting on.
"Do
you?" Duo gently lifted his chin up to look him in the eyes.
"Yes."
Heero's cheeks blushed a soft red.
"We
are about to start the Tests."
"Tests?"
"Yes,
our souls must be tested before we can go on to finish our job."
"Job?"
"The
reason this is all happening."
"All
of them?"
"What?"
"All
of our souls, will we all be tested?"
"No,
not Kieandra's or yours."
"Why?"
Heero's eyes grew a little with curiosity.
"Because
she's a creature of the Gods and 'It' chose you."
"When
will it begin?"
"Here
at the Mountains of Kandra."
"Who?"
"We
don't know that."
"I
hope everyone passes." Again Heero looked down at the soft
blades before plucking one free of the ground.
"So
do I... so do I."
Duo
held Heero closer as the prince absorbed all the information he had
just received. His mind processed everything that he had learned,
putting things together and making sense of other things. Resting his
head against Duo's chest he felt so much calmer then he had in a long time.
"Do
my parents know?"
"No,
they don't know the whole truth."
"I
think that's best."
Duo
gently pushed the hair back from Heero's face, "You are so strong."
"Except
when you're around."
Duo
looked down at him, surprised, "Did you just make a joke?"
"Maybe."
"Well
either way I feel flattered. We should probably head back, they
might be looking for us."
"Duo..."
"Yes?"
"Can
we come back here again?"
"Of
course."
"Okay,
we can go now."
The
three faded out of the bright beautiful green pasture to be back in
the dimmer clearing they had left. As Duo released him Heero felt
like he was losing something. The other four reappeared like nothing
had changed. Heero looked over at Duo who just shrugged his
shoulders. He decided to keep quiet about his new knowledge.
Packing
up they mounted and left their camp heading toward the Mountains of
Kandra, unaware of what waited for them.
~*~*~*~*~
