A/N: Hello! ^_^ I' ve been having trouble with developing this part, so as always, if you have questions just e-mail me.
**********
Gabriel sat in Sara's office with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for Sara to find a free moment to speak with him. He'd been there nearly 35 minutes before Sara realized that he was still sitting there, waiting on her.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel." Sara closed the door for some privacy and sat on thecorner of her desk, "The week's been long. I've been worried about Gwen-" Sara narrowed her eyes as she changed gears, "Where is she?"
"Knottingham stopped by and said he'd stay with her if I needed to go somewhere." Gabriel straightened up looking at Sara, "We need to talk."
"How can you just leave her?" Sara asked ignoring his words, "Daeryc could show up-"
"And with Knottingham there maybe she'll live through the meeting." Gabriel said angerly, "Sara, you're looking at this completely wrong! Gwen is here to protect your twitchy friend and you. It doesn't go the other way."
"Gabriel?- Gwen was almost your wife in a past life and yet you can just sit there and accept the fact that she may die in this one?" Sara had to keep her voice down and it was hard considering how badly she wanted to yell at the dark haired man before her.
"We've put enough pressure on her- making her tell us about her sisters and the last time she was human. The least you could do is accept the idea that she may die to keep you and this little world of ours safe. Accept it and let her do her job. We can't protect her and help her at the same time. We'll just slow her down." Gabriel stood, glancing out the blinds that covered both windows.
"I can't believe- I thought you were begining to like having her around?" Sara was at a loss.
"I do." he admitted with a sigh, "But it's too much for her. She doesn't belong and she doesn't want to. Gwen just humors us. She loved the time in which she first lived but that's gone and she wants to get back to Marien."
"How do you know all this?"
"She's been living with me, Sara. I'd be a poor host if I couldn't tell when something was bothering someone I spent so much time with."
"Then we find a way to kill Daeryc and make sure that Gwen enjoys the rest of her time here while she waits for Fiona." Sara had the strangest feeling as though she were about to cry.
'I haven't known her that long.....I shouldn't be this attached.'
"She already knows how to kill Daeryc." Gabriel said quietly as sat next to Sara.
"How?"
"She won't tell me... or you." Gabriel looked down at his hands, "She's protecting us...."
"Because she couldn't last time." Sara finished the thought and turned to her friend, "What do we do?"
Gabriel held Sara's gaze for a few minutes then said in a shakey wisper, "We do nothing."
*********
Ian walked a few paces behind Gwen as they made thier way to nowhere in particular. Gwen seemed to be making her own path and Ian had no choice but to follow.
"Where are we going, mylady?" he finaly asked as night drew in around them, "The hour is late. Surely Lady Sara and Gabriel will be worrying about you by now."
"I need to do something." Gwen said as she pulled her coat tighter to try and block out the cold air, "You can go if you need to but I can't leave yet."
"I will stay with you, if you do not order it otherwise."
"I don't."
The street was full of the usual people of the night and Ian chose to walk beside Gwen to keep others from aproaching her. They had shared a horrible destiny in Gwen's only other life and it left them connected and comfortable around one another. At first Gwen had believed it to be Fiona who had connected with the trained killer in a different life but it turned out that what she had been seeing were memories that she had pushed to a distant shelf in an attempt to lessen the pain. Memories of the day that Yrmic, Fiona and Mendollyn all left her.
Ian had been captain of Yrmic's warband and a loyal friend of the Lady Mendollyn......of Sara's. He would have died to save them but he had been sent out hunting on that fatefull day with a few others from the young Lord's army. The men had returned in time to see thier beloved home and Liege die in the flames. Aaron, Ian in that life had pulled Gwen from the fire but was unable to reach the others.
"I was given life to stand at the Gates and fight. It's all I've truely known." Gwen kept her eyes on the ground as she chaged directions suddenly.
"I understand better than you would first believe." Ian kept pace with the pale haired woman, "I would do all again if given the chance."
"Me too." Gwen wispered, "Only I would skip that day."
"Everyday holds a lesson if you have a mind to learn it." Ian said in a gentle vioce as they rounded another corner, "A lesson in itself really."
Gwen nodded and continued walking.
"I' ve been learning." she wispered as she came to a halt, "And now it's time I taught a lesson."
Ian bowed his head and stepped to the side of the old building they had stopped in front of, "I shall wait for you."
***********
"Gabriel?!"
"Relax, Sara." Gabreil sighed. How many times had he said thoes same words in the past 2 hours?
"How can I?" Sara paced the floor as she growled, "You're the one who said she'd be safe with Knottingham."
"And you're the one who's trusted the guy before." Gabreil plopped down in his armchair, "It was probably her idea to go out.... he's a man of honor, Sara. He'll bring her back."
"I know." Sara said in defeat, "I'm just worried that Daeryc will see them, or find them."
Sara's attention was swayed as the Witchblde began to swirl and glow, sending a pulse of energy up the Wielder's arm.
***********
Daeryc stood in the center of the warehouse, sword drawn as he ran through every memory, every battle. It was the same thing every time, in every life. The same desire, the same madness controlled where his life would go. His God controlled the actions and would some day controll the world.
He had been chosen to do His bidding, to obey His every whim.
Sweat glistened on his bare sholders as he swung rhythmicly to his own chanting voice. His strength was increasing, a gift for the death of that pale haired demon who would protect the Glove from being found. Yes, he was favored. He had given his life and soul over to One who had the power and sight to rid the world of those who didn't deserve to live on it, those too weak or stupid to ask for His favor.
Daeryc opened his eyes when the pattern of his words faltered. Someone was there. He was being watched.
"You are trespassing." he said as he circled slowly, eyes searching every shadow.
Nothing.
A slight breeve across the back of his neck caused Daeryc to spin around and face a pair of burnig green eyes.
A pale haired demon like the first.
"Do you know why I am here?" the demon drew a sword, bringing the tip up to Daeryc's throat with such speed that the trained man had no time to react, "Your path may look like it will lead you to glory but there is nothing but darkness and pain awaiting you."
"You lie." he managed.
The demon smiled, "Do I?"
"My God has forseen my glory." Daeryc said bravely as the demon laughed in his face, the cold steel biting shallowly into his neck.
"He has seen your death. That is all that will come to you. Death. He is no God. He is a pathetic pretender!"
"Lies!"
"Where is your 'God', Daeryc?" the demon's eyes were buring bright in the half light, "Why does He not aide you? Why must he get a man to do the bidding of a God? If He is so powerfull then answer me this, why is it he fears the Glove? Why is it your God fears me?"
Daeryc stared straight in to those eyes as the silver hair swayed in a private breeze.
"You know me. I know you do." She said quietly, "We've fought before and I won that time. I will win again and again. He will not beat Us. His power is not that great. We are older and wiser than even Him whom you serve." She pulled back a bit at the sight of blood on his skin, "If you fight me then you will lose everything. Fight Him and reclaim your life."
"Why do you not kill me now?" Daeryc asked as she turned and headed towards the door.
"I do not kill with out giving an alternative choice. There are many paths that you could follow. You could even kill me now as I walk away but that would mean you would have to stab me in the back. If you choose to fight then there is only one path that we both will take.... I will kill you and you will kill me. There is no other way when it comes to the path that you are now on."
*************
"I can't believe you let her face him!" Sara practicly yelled at Ian when Gwen told them where she had been, "He's out to kill her-"
"No." Gwen said quietly, "He's out to do his master's bidding. Nothing more. If he must kill then he will kill without thought." Gwen threw her coat down on the couch and stood to face Sara, "His God is one I've met before. He is the one who burned Yrmic's Keep and I will not let him do it again. The only reason he didn't get the Glove then was due to Aaron- Ian, who made me put my human pain aside and guard the Glove till either you or Fiona returned to me."
"You could die."
"If I die then it will be only a matter of time before Fi comes to take my place. You can't worry about me and keep the Witchblade away from Him as well."
"Gwen-?"
"The Witchblade comes first." Gwen cut Sara's words off, "You died once because I thought about the pain and not about would come after. You can't make my mistake. Keep your mind on what's important and the other things will work themselves out."
Gabriel listened in shock, Gwen's voice held no laughter or familliarity, just a cold finality.
**********
A/N: Believe it or not, I was stuck on this for over a day but it just all clicked and I had it! I really like this one because I was able to show just how different Gwen is. This is what I've been itching to write about, her different sides. Hope you liked reading it as much as I did writing it. ^_^
**********
Gabriel sat in Sara's office with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for Sara to find a free moment to speak with him. He'd been there nearly 35 minutes before Sara realized that he was still sitting there, waiting on her.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel." Sara closed the door for some privacy and sat on thecorner of her desk, "The week's been long. I've been worried about Gwen-" Sara narrowed her eyes as she changed gears, "Where is she?"
"Knottingham stopped by and said he'd stay with her if I needed to go somewhere." Gabriel straightened up looking at Sara, "We need to talk."
"How can you just leave her?" Sara asked ignoring his words, "Daeryc could show up-"
"And with Knottingham there maybe she'll live through the meeting." Gabriel said angerly, "Sara, you're looking at this completely wrong! Gwen is here to protect your twitchy friend and you. It doesn't go the other way."
"Gabriel?- Gwen was almost your wife in a past life and yet you can just sit there and accept the fact that she may die in this one?" Sara had to keep her voice down and it was hard considering how badly she wanted to yell at the dark haired man before her.
"We've put enough pressure on her- making her tell us about her sisters and the last time she was human. The least you could do is accept the idea that she may die to keep you and this little world of ours safe. Accept it and let her do her job. We can't protect her and help her at the same time. We'll just slow her down." Gabriel stood, glancing out the blinds that covered both windows.
"I can't believe- I thought you were begining to like having her around?" Sara was at a loss.
"I do." he admitted with a sigh, "But it's too much for her. She doesn't belong and she doesn't want to. Gwen just humors us. She loved the time in which she first lived but that's gone and she wants to get back to Marien."
"How do you know all this?"
"She's been living with me, Sara. I'd be a poor host if I couldn't tell when something was bothering someone I spent so much time with."
"Then we find a way to kill Daeryc and make sure that Gwen enjoys the rest of her time here while she waits for Fiona." Sara had the strangest feeling as though she were about to cry.
'I haven't known her that long.....I shouldn't be this attached.'
"She already knows how to kill Daeryc." Gabriel said quietly as sat next to Sara.
"How?"
"She won't tell me... or you." Gabriel looked down at his hands, "She's protecting us...."
"Because she couldn't last time." Sara finished the thought and turned to her friend, "What do we do?"
Gabriel held Sara's gaze for a few minutes then said in a shakey wisper, "We do nothing."
*********
Ian walked a few paces behind Gwen as they made thier way to nowhere in particular. Gwen seemed to be making her own path and Ian had no choice but to follow.
"Where are we going, mylady?" he finaly asked as night drew in around them, "The hour is late. Surely Lady Sara and Gabriel will be worrying about you by now."
"I need to do something." Gwen said as she pulled her coat tighter to try and block out the cold air, "You can go if you need to but I can't leave yet."
"I will stay with you, if you do not order it otherwise."
"I don't."
The street was full of the usual people of the night and Ian chose to walk beside Gwen to keep others from aproaching her. They had shared a horrible destiny in Gwen's only other life and it left them connected and comfortable around one another. At first Gwen had believed it to be Fiona who had connected with the trained killer in a different life but it turned out that what she had been seeing were memories that she had pushed to a distant shelf in an attempt to lessen the pain. Memories of the day that Yrmic, Fiona and Mendollyn all left her.
Ian had been captain of Yrmic's warband and a loyal friend of the Lady Mendollyn......of Sara's. He would have died to save them but he had been sent out hunting on that fatefull day with a few others from the young Lord's army. The men had returned in time to see thier beloved home and Liege die in the flames. Aaron, Ian in that life had pulled Gwen from the fire but was unable to reach the others.
"I was given life to stand at the Gates and fight. It's all I've truely known." Gwen kept her eyes on the ground as she chaged directions suddenly.
"I understand better than you would first believe." Ian kept pace with the pale haired woman, "I would do all again if given the chance."
"Me too." Gwen wispered, "Only I would skip that day."
"Everyday holds a lesson if you have a mind to learn it." Ian said in a gentle vioce as they rounded another corner, "A lesson in itself really."
Gwen nodded and continued walking.
"I' ve been learning." she wispered as she came to a halt, "And now it's time I taught a lesson."
Ian bowed his head and stepped to the side of the old building they had stopped in front of, "I shall wait for you."
***********
"Gabriel?!"
"Relax, Sara." Gabreil sighed. How many times had he said thoes same words in the past 2 hours?
"How can I?" Sara paced the floor as she growled, "You're the one who said she'd be safe with Knottingham."
"And you're the one who's trusted the guy before." Gabreil plopped down in his armchair, "It was probably her idea to go out.... he's a man of honor, Sara. He'll bring her back."
"I know." Sara said in defeat, "I'm just worried that Daeryc will see them, or find them."
Sara's attention was swayed as the Witchblde began to swirl and glow, sending a pulse of energy up the Wielder's arm.
***********
Daeryc stood in the center of the warehouse, sword drawn as he ran through every memory, every battle. It was the same thing every time, in every life. The same desire, the same madness controlled where his life would go. His God controlled the actions and would some day controll the world.
He had been chosen to do His bidding, to obey His every whim.
Sweat glistened on his bare sholders as he swung rhythmicly to his own chanting voice. His strength was increasing, a gift for the death of that pale haired demon who would protect the Glove from being found. Yes, he was favored. He had given his life and soul over to One who had the power and sight to rid the world of those who didn't deserve to live on it, those too weak or stupid to ask for His favor.
Daeryc opened his eyes when the pattern of his words faltered. Someone was there. He was being watched.
"You are trespassing." he said as he circled slowly, eyes searching every shadow.
Nothing.
A slight breeve across the back of his neck caused Daeryc to spin around and face a pair of burnig green eyes.
A pale haired demon like the first.
"Do you know why I am here?" the demon drew a sword, bringing the tip up to Daeryc's throat with such speed that the trained man had no time to react, "Your path may look like it will lead you to glory but there is nothing but darkness and pain awaiting you."
"You lie." he managed.
The demon smiled, "Do I?"
"My God has forseen my glory." Daeryc said bravely as the demon laughed in his face, the cold steel biting shallowly into his neck.
"He has seen your death. That is all that will come to you. Death. He is no God. He is a pathetic pretender!"
"Lies!"
"Where is your 'God', Daeryc?" the demon's eyes were buring bright in the half light, "Why does He not aide you? Why must he get a man to do the bidding of a God? If He is so powerfull then answer me this, why is it he fears the Glove? Why is it your God fears me?"
Daeryc stared straight in to those eyes as the silver hair swayed in a private breeze.
"You know me. I know you do." She said quietly, "We've fought before and I won that time. I will win again and again. He will not beat Us. His power is not that great. We are older and wiser than even Him whom you serve." She pulled back a bit at the sight of blood on his skin, "If you fight me then you will lose everything. Fight Him and reclaim your life."
"Why do you not kill me now?" Daeryc asked as she turned and headed towards the door.
"I do not kill with out giving an alternative choice. There are many paths that you could follow. You could even kill me now as I walk away but that would mean you would have to stab me in the back. If you choose to fight then there is only one path that we both will take.... I will kill you and you will kill me. There is no other way when it comes to the path that you are now on."
*************
"I can't believe you let her face him!" Sara practicly yelled at Ian when Gwen told them where she had been, "He's out to kill her-"
"No." Gwen said quietly, "He's out to do his master's bidding. Nothing more. If he must kill then he will kill without thought." Gwen threw her coat down on the couch and stood to face Sara, "His God is one I've met before. He is the one who burned Yrmic's Keep and I will not let him do it again. The only reason he didn't get the Glove then was due to Aaron- Ian, who made me put my human pain aside and guard the Glove till either you or Fiona returned to me."
"You could die."
"If I die then it will be only a matter of time before Fi comes to take my place. You can't worry about me and keep the Witchblade away from Him as well."
"Gwen-?"
"The Witchblade comes first." Gwen cut Sara's words off, "You died once because I thought about the pain and not about would come after. You can't make my mistake. Keep your mind on what's important and the other things will work themselves out."
Gabriel listened in shock, Gwen's voice held no laughter or familliarity, just a cold finality.
**********
A/N: Believe it or not, I was stuck on this for over a day but it just all clicked and I had it! I really like this one because I was able to show just how different Gwen is. This is what I've been itching to write about, her different sides. Hope you liked reading it as much as I did writing it. ^_^