A/N: Please review if you're reading my story. No one's reviewed lately and I've no idea if any one is still reading this. If not, then it seems a bit pointless to keep updating.
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Sara woke in the early hours of dawn and was immediately aware of Gwen's absense. She woke Gabriel to ask him when Gwen had gone downstairs.
"I didn't even feel her move." he confessed sleepily as he sat up, "Are you sure she's still here?"
Sara hadn't thought of that. Running down the twisting stairs Sara kept praying that Gwen would just be in the kitchen or maybe watching tv. Finding the kitchen empty Sara rushed to the front door and nearly ran Gwen over in her hurry.
"Look." Gwen beamed as she held out a broad sword for Sara to examine, "It's a present from Ian."
"How thoughtfull." Sara grimaced, "When did he bring it by?"
"Just now." Gwen coninued to touch the blade gently as she spoke, "He said that Daeryc now knows where I've been staying. He came to arm me and bring warning."
Sara nodded, "But you can still feel Daeryc, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you need that now?"
"Once Daeryc decides to make a move he will do it quickly. I must have a weapon that knows my hand before our battle."
Again Sara nodded.
**********
"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked when he spotted Gwen sitting with her new sword across her knees in his living room.
"Getting aquanted with my blade." she said shortly as she closed her eyes.
"What?"
"I'm learning it's history." Gwen opened one eye to look at Gabriel then asked, "Would you like to try?"
"To get to know a sword?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah." Gwen opened both eyes and extended her right hand out to him, "I can teach you how."
Looking down at the folder in his hand Gabriel shrugged and took the offered hand, "Hell, why not."
"Just relax." Gwen intsructed as she pulled Gabriel down to the floor, "If you have the talent for this type of thing then you may be able to use it on the items you sell and see if they're the real deal."
"Sounds cool." he said cautously.
"Just close your eyes and give me both of your hands."
Gabriel did as he was told and for a few minutes he sat in silence, feeling Gwen's cool hands holding his gently over the sword. Her hands never shook or twitched, they just stayed there, suspended in the air. Just as he was about to say that he must not have the talent when a cold wind caressed his body and fog swirled behind his eyes.
Yelling could be heard from every direction. An army was marching straight to where Gabriel had found himself standing. Panic and fear threatened as the men became clear on the field before him but a sudden squeaze on Gabriel's left hand made him turn to see Gwen standing at his side.
"You've done well." she smiled, "Now, go back. Just think about your shop and your home and you'll be there."
The sound of rushing water filled Gariel's thoughts as his sight was once again filled with fog. A loud click and a pain in his back caused his eyes to fly open.
Gwen was sitting across from him still holding his hands and smiling.
"I knew there was something about you." she let go of his hands and stretched, "With a bit of practice you'll be able to do that on your own."
"What did I see?"he asked as he stood on shakey legs.
"You saw one of the battles that this was carried in." Gwen laid the sword across the table and stood, "I'll have to go back to that and find out who carried."
"Why was I able to do that?" Gabriel wasn't sure if he wanted an answer but the words were out and he couldn't take them back.
"You're special, Gabriel." Gwen placed a cool hand on the side of his face, "You always have been. If you weren't," she added with a smile, "then the Blade never would have accepted you into it's web of events. Keep your head and remember what you've been taught."
"But-?"
"You have your place in this mess and it's ending just as Sara and I do. You'll see it when the time comes." her smile faded as her eyes became distant.
"Gwen?" Gabriel was unsure what to do.
Gwen stood frozen in place, her hand still out, touching Gabriel's face.
"Where's Sara?" her voice was hardly a wisper.
"At the station. Why? Do you need her?"
"No." Gwen's eyes came back into focus, "She shouldn't be here. Not now at least."
Gabriel watched, his fear growing as Gwen tied her long hair back before picking her sword up and facing the door in what a ppeared to be a casual stance with the sword's tip touching the carpet.
"It's Daeryc, isn't it?" Gabriel took a step backwards and nearly fell when the back of his knees connected with the coffee table.
"Stay close. If he wants to fight then I'll need you to call Sara. If he wants to get you then he'll die trying." her voice was so cold, it made Gabriel's heart pound.
"What?!"
"Don't worry." Gwen smiled over her sholder at him, "He's probably come to talk. At least that's what I'm hoping."
It wasn't long before Gabriel could hear someone in the hall. He was praying that it was Sara but was too scared to even speak. Everything went silent and then out of nowhere the door flew open and in the framing stood a tall young man of 23 at the most. His hair was a mousy brown and curled down past his ears.
"You could have knocked." Gwen smiled at him.
"Would you have let me in?" Daeryc asked in what appeared to be confusion.
"It all depends on your reasoning for coming here in the first place." Gwen hadn't changed her stance, even when the door had been forced open.
"I want to talk to you." Daeryc had his sword drawn and pointing right at Gwen.
"I was hoping so." she sounded almost cheerful and Gabriel felt like yelling at her but held his tongue and temper in check.
"Why have you not attacked like my master thought you would have?"
"I was giving you time to think on my words." Gwen's voice had turned gentle, "You need to get out of this while you still can.He'll not share power."
"Shut up, Demon!" Daeryc yelled.
"Her name's Gwen!" Gabriel yelled back, surprising even himself and Daeryc looked at him for the first time.
"What?"
"Her name is Gwen, not Demon." Gabriel spat his words out quickly before his bravery could abandon him.
"She is a Demon sent to end my master's plans." Daeryc kept his sword pointed at Gwen as he looked at Gabriel.
"She is no Demon." Gabriel practicly laughed, "Do demon's bleed or bruise?"
"No." Daeryc looked a bit taked back.
"Then why is it that when you killed Fiona that she bled and her body bruised? Why then was Gwen in the hospital with inguries?" Gabriel stepped up next to Gwen.
"It is trickery to fool those who don't see what they really are."
"I'm a Keeper, Daeryc. My name is Gwendollyn la Fiona ap Marien. I am Gwendollyn, elder sister to Fiona, sisterling to Marien. I'm here against my choice. I did not ask for this but I will do what I must to keep from losing my heart again."
Silence filled the appartment and Gabriel could easily see his hands shaking, the rest of him was none the better either.
"Do you remember that day?" Gwen asked quietly as she made Gabriel sit down, "I will never be able to forget it, though I wish with all my being that I could.I wish I could force it from my memory."
"I did as I had been ordered." Daeryc looked as though he was fighting within himself.
"You took away the lives of people who had never done you any wrong." Gwen's voice cracked with emothion, "You tore my heart out when you killed them, and you never thought twice about it. Why didn't you lock Fiona and me up as well?" Gwen stared at Daeryc and when he failed to answer she yelled, "Why? You left me alone in a world I didn't understand!"
"That soldier took care of you." Daeryc said at last.
"Aaron cared for me in his own gruff way, yes but there wasn't any thing to care for. I was dead inside. A shell, a walking talking corpse."
"My God says you have no heart or soul to wound." he looked shocked.
"Your God lies to you and does so without remorse. Once he gets what it is he craves, he will kill you and not miss you at all." Gwen was crying and completely unable to stop. She hadn't planned on wanting to save Daeryc so badly, and she was mad at herself for not being able to control her tears, "For the pain you have caused others through the years you will get no reward but to spend eternity alone with your own demons tearing at you. If you walk away from this I can garentee you a life like that of others. You'll have a family and a life to be proud of."
"You have no power and all you do is speak!" Gwen's words seemed to have hit her mark, "Tell me, Keeper, why is I was chosen to do His bidding?"
"You were a convienence." Gwen said coldly, "He chose you because you were the first he found."
Daeryc raised his sword as though to bring it down on Gwen but she was quicker and caught his swing with her own sword.
"Not in anger." she wispered, "That's what he wants. Don't give it to him. Fight it, Daeryc."
"Speak not!" he yelled, slipping into the way of old speech that Gwen also kept using.
"I won't kill you here." her face was close to his, her eyes forcing him to stare back, "The only way out is to leave him. If you can't choose then I my hand will be forced. Leave, Daeryc. Think on my words and that which you know to be truth."
*********
A/N: sorry it took so long to get this out. I had quite the battle with writer's block and the damn thing nearly won. Well, I hope you liked it. Please review.
**********
Sara woke in the early hours of dawn and was immediately aware of Gwen's absense. She woke Gabriel to ask him when Gwen had gone downstairs.
"I didn't even feel her move." he confessed sleepily as he sat up, "Are you sure she's still here?"
Sara hadn't thought of that. Running down the twisting stairs Sara kept praying that Gwen would just be in the kitchen or maybe watching tv. Finding the kitchen empty Sara rushed to the front door and nearly ran Gwen over in her hurry.
"Look." Gwen beamed as she held out a broad sword for Sara to examine, "It's a present from Ian."
"How thoughtfull." Sara grimaced, "When did he bring it by?"
"Just now." Gwen coninued to touch the blade gently as she spoke, "He said that Daeryc now knows where I've been staying. He came to arm me and bring warning."
Sara nodded, "But you can still feel Daeryc, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you need that now?"
"Once Daeryc decides to make a move he will do it quickly. I must have a weapon that knows my hand before our battle."
Again Sara nodded.
**********
"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked when he spotted Gwen sitting with her new sword across her knees in his living room.
"Getting aquanted with my blade." she said shortly as she closed her eyes.
"What?"
"I'm learning it's history." Gwen opened one eye to look at Gabriel then asked, "Would you like to try?"
"To get to know a sword?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah." Gwen opened both eyes and extended her right hand out to him, "I can teach you how."
Looking down at the folder in his hand Gabriel shrugged and took the offered hand, "Hell, why not."
"Just relax." Gwen intsructed as she pulled Gabriel down to the floor, "If you have the talent for this type of thing then you may be able to use it on the items you sell and see if they're the real deal."
"Sounds cool." he said cautously.
"Just close your eyes and give me both of your hands."
Gabriel did as he was told and for a few minutes he sat in silence, feeling Gwen's cool hands holding his gently over the sword. Her hands never shook or twitched, they just stayed there, suspended in the air. Just as he was about to say that he must not have the talent when a cold wind caressed his body and fog swirled behind his eyes.
Yelling could be heard from every direction. An army was marching straight to where Gabriel had found himself standing. Panic and fear threatened as the men became clear on the field before him but a sudden squeaze on Gabriel's left hand made him turn to see Gwen standing at his side.
"You've done well." she smiled, "Now, go back. Just think about your shop and your home and you'll be there."
The sound of rushing water filled Gariel's thoughts as his sight was once again filled with fog. A loud click and a pain in his back caused his eyes to fly open.
Gwen was sitting across from him still holding his hands and smiling.
"I knew there was something about you." she let go of his hands and stretched, "With a bit of practice you'll be able to do that on your own."
"What did I see?"he asked as he stood on shakey legs.
"You saw one of the battles that this was carried in." Gwen laid the sword across the table and stood, "I'll have to go back to that and find out who carried."
"Why was I able to do that?" Gabriel wasn't sure if he wanted an answer but the words were out and he couldn't take them back.
"You're special, Gabriel." Gwen placed a cool hand on the side of his face, "You always have been. If you weren't," she added with a smile, "then the Blade never would have accepted you into it's web of events. Keep your head and remember what you've been taught."
"But-?"
"You have your place in this mess and it's ending just as Sara and I do. You'll see it when the time comes." her smile faded as her eyes became distant.
"Gwen?" Gabriel was unsure what to do.
Gwen stood frozen in place, her hand still out, touching Gabriel's face.
"Where's Sara?" her voice was hardly a wisper.
"At the station. Why? Do you need her?"
"No." Gwen's eyes came back into focus, "She shouldn't be here. Not now at least."
Gabriel watched, his fear growing as Gwen tied her long hair back before picking her sword up and facing the door in what a ppeared to be a casual stance with the sword's tip touching the carpet.
"It's Daeryc, isn't it?" Gabriel took a step backwards and nearly fell when the back of his knees connected with the coffee table.
"Stay close. If he wants to fight then I'll need you to call Sara. If he wants to get you then he'll die trying." her voice was so cold, it made Gabriel's heart pound.
"What?!"
"Don't worry." Gwen smiled over her sholder at him, "He's probably come to talk. At least that's what I'm hoping."
It wasn't long before Gabriel could hear someone in the hall. He was praying that it was Sara but was too scared to even speak. Everything went silent and then out of nowhere the door flew open and in the framing stood a tall young man of 23 at the most. His hair was a mousy brown and curled down past his ears.
"You could have knocked." Gwen smiled at him.
"Would you have let me in?" Daeryc asked in what appeared to be confusion.
"It all depends on your reasoning for coming here in the first place." Gwen hadn't changed her stance, even when the door had been forced open.
"I want to talk to you." Daeryc had his sword drawn and pointing right at Gwen.
"I was hoping so." she sounded almost cheerful and Gabriel felt like yelling at her but held his tongue and temper in check.
"Why have you not attacked like my master thought you would have?"
"I was giving you time to think on my words." Gwen's voice had turned gentle, "You need to get out of this while you still can.He'll not share power."
"Shut up, Demon!" Daeryc yelled.
"Her name's Gwen!" Gabriel yelled back, surprising even himself and Daeryc looked at him for the first time.
"What?"
"Her name is Gwen, not Demon." Gabriel spat his words out quickly before his bravery could abandon him.
"She is a Demon sent to end my master's plans." Daeryc kept his sword pointed at Gwen as he looked at Gabriel.
"She is no Demon." Gabriel practicly laughed, "Do demon's bleed or bruise?"
"No." Daeryc looked a bit taked back.
"Then why is it that when you killed Fiona that she bled and her body bruised? Why then was Gwen in the hospital with inguries?" Gabriel stepped up next to Gwen.
"It is trickery to fool those who don't see what they really are."
"I'm a Keeper, Daeryc. My name is Gwendollyn la Fiona ap Marien. I am Gwendollyn, elder sister to Fiona, sisterling to Marien. I'm here against my choice. I did not ask for this but I will do what I must to keep from losing my heart again."
Silence filled the appartment and Gabriel could easily see his hands shaking, the rest of him was none the better either.
"Do you remember that day?" Gwen asked quietly as she made Gabriel sit down, "I will never be able to forget it, though I wish with all my being that I could.I wish I could force it from my memory."
"I did as I had been ordered." Daeryc looked as though he was fighting within himself.
"You took away the lives of people who had never done you any wrong." Gwen's voice cracked with emothion, "You tore my heart out when you killed them, and you never thought twice about it. Why didn't you lock Fiona and me up as well?" Gwen stared at Daeryc and when he failed to answer she yelled, "Why? You left me alone in a world I didn't understand!"
"That soldier took care of you." Daeryc said at last.
"Aaron cared for me in his own gruff way, yes but there wasn't any thing to care for. I was dead inside. A shell, a walking talking corpse."
"My God says you have no heart or soul to wound." he looked shocked.
"Your God lies to you and does so without remorse. Once he gets what it is he craves, he will kill you and not miss you at all." Gwen was crying and completely unable to stop. She hadn't planned on wanting to save Daeryc so badly, and she was mad at herself for not being able to control her tears, "For the pain you have caused others through the years you will get no reward but to spend eternity alone with your own demons tearing at you. If you walk away from this I can garentee you a life like that of others. You'll have a family and a life to be proud of."
"You have no power and all you do is speak!" Gwen's words seemed to have hit her mark, "Tell me, Keeper, why is I was chosen to do His bidding?"
"You were a convienence." Gwen said coldly, "He chose you because you were the first he found."
Daeryc raised his sword as though to bring it down on Gwen but she was quicker and caught his swing with her own sword.
"Not in anger." she wispered, "That's what he wants. Don't give it to him. Fight it, Daeryc."
"Speak not!" he yelled, slipping into the way of old speech that Gwen also kept using.
"I won't kill you here." her face was close to his, her eyes forcing him to stare back, "The only way out is to leave him. If you can't choose then I my hand will be forced. Leave, Daeryc. Think on my words and that which you know to be truth."
*********
A/N: sorry it took so long to get this out. I had quite the battle with writer's block and the damn thing nearly won. Well, I hope you liked it. Please review.