Part 3
Dathyl was a city of slums and spires, of extreme poverty and great wealth, of religious fervour and darkest sin. It spanned from the docks of the Bay of Pots to the great palace of Halcyon, linked by Well Street, the artery that fed the suburbs of the city. It was also bigger than it looked. Heero was completely lost.
Houses piled on top of each other blocking streets that would normally lead the way he wanted to go, he was forced to double back on himself and take different alleys that led him deeper into the heart of the city, away from Well Street which his guide had advised him to stick to, and more and more towards the large black church like building with the strange spines sticking from it's towers. When he reached it he was surprised by the carvings that surrounded the heavy double doors, it showed beautiful women that were obviously angels lifting armoured men and granting them wings where headless women with their chests open lay below. Filing away the image for future reference he rapped loudly on the door, hoping to enquire within for directions back to the palace.
The man who opened the door was small and thin and wore heavy armour, he stank of rust and it appeared his hair hadn't been washed in several weeks. "This is the Seraphim Chapterhouse, how is it we can be of service?" Heero recognised the name, Terenz had told them to be careful of the Seraphim, he had said that the Seraphim killed demons, and judging from the carving around the doors they cut off their heads and cut out their hearts.
"I wish to return to the Halcyon palace." Heero answered abruptly. "I am lost."
"Certainly sir," the soldier said opening the door wide, "please come in until we can find an Enamoured to lead you back, perhaps you have heard of our order, you accent is strange, are you from distant shores?"
"I am from L1." Heero answered abruptly. "I have heard that you kill demons." He answered what he thought was politically.
The man gave an oily smile "Then word of our majesty has reached as far as the shores from which you have travelled. Stay with us a while, let us tell you of our manifesto."
"Hn." Heero growled. "I just want directions."
"Certainly sir," the man said, he didn't walk as much as slink. "Let me get my cloak and I shall guide you back. My name is Aethylwyd."
"That is fine, Lord Adjutant," a woman said; she was a lovely with a fresh-faced with skin the colour of wild honey and long black hair that she wore braided in a crown about her head. Her only concessions to rank and wealth were a ruby that hung over her forehead from a silver chain along her centre parting and another that hung from her silk choker. She wore a sleeveless jacket and pair of leather trousers and spiked boots, on her arm was a tattoo of a pair of open wings, their tips dipped, by the looks of it, in ink. "I am attending her majesty this afternoon, I will guide him back."
"My lady," the adjutant, Aethylwyd said, "you honour us both with your presence. Please pass my congratulations to my Lord the Bishop, your husband." There was some kind of malice in his words but the woman smiled, it was a hard smile and it somehow suited her.
"Certainly, Aethylwyd, he holds the Seraphim in such high esteem after all. Young Master, I am Grace D'Allaro, Lady of Amitre, will you give me your name."
"Heero Yuy." He answered, this woman was more than a match for Sally Po, who he had immediately thought to compare her to, she was more than a match for Lady Une, this woman might even be a match for Doctor J, there was no give in her at all. She rubbed the tattoo on her arm noticing Heero staring at it. "That design." He said, "where did you get it?"
"It's the Seraphim one." Aethylwyd answered, raising the back of his jerkin to show an identical symbol of outstretched wings, though he had two pairs. "All the Seraphim wear it."
Heero turned and repeated the gesture to show the outstretched wings on his own back. The two of them looked on in shock. "An Enamoured's wings." Grace said, "and you say you come from a place of no Seraphim."
"Coincidence." Heero grunted. "I would like to make my way back now."
"Yet you hold some importance to your wings." The woman pressed, she didn't walk, she strode and people moved out of her way as they stepped into the crowded thoroughfares, not because of who she was, although he assumed that that must play part of it, but of the way she was. She would crush anything that got in her way. She reminded him of Lady Une.
"I have had them nearly all my life." He answered calmly. "I do not remember a time when I did not have them."
"Here an Enamoured, or Seraphim in training must be at least fourteen, after a year he can become Devoted and the rest of the wings are inked in. It is sacrilege to mark someone under that age. Who was it that marked you?"
"I don't know." He answered honestly, "I assume it was Odin Lowe." She asked him no other questions after that, her curiosity for the moment assuaged and just walked him back in silence to the monumental structure that was the Halcyon palace. It was as big as a city in its own right.
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Duo lay back on the bed, arms akimbo as he sang the strange song that the guardsman had taught him. "The women of Tanis are bonny and gay
And you can't trust a word a Sidin woman says
And overall I'll take what I may,
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl."
"Are you from Dathyl?" He had asked Aeka, who was queen of Halcyon, and she laughed and said, "No, I'm from Honeybourne, and you won't believe what I said." Remembering it, Duo snickered, sat up to take another mouthful of the spicy red tea that was sweet with honey, he was going to have to get the recipe for Quatre, because it was delicious, and given him a slightly pleasant buzz.
"There's a woman in Danev who has eyes that are deep
And a girl in Caelum who without me won't sleep
And the women of Muchine well they play for keeps,
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl." He wanted to know what was so special about the women of Dathyl.
"Must it always be this song?" A male voice asked from the doorway. Duo sat up, nervous that someone had gotten this close without setting off his internal alarms. The intruder was handsome, his hair was short and well kept, as rich a brown as Heero's, and though his eyes were shadowed they were a pleasing colour, but he had a face that would have been handsome if not for his scowl. He was tall and broad about the shoulders but narrow at the waist. He wore fine robes, well embroidered, and he carried himself well. He looked no older than forty, with very little grey at his temples, and the only wrinkles he had were from scowling and not from age.
"Who are you?" He asked, palming the knife he had stolen from the kitchen earlier. They had treated him and Heero as welcome guests but that didn't mean that this man might not attack him. Both Alister and Aeka had warned him of the Seraphim, and although this man was dressed like someone out of a samurai vid disk that didn't mean he wasn't one of these Seraphim.
The man rolled his eyes. "My name is Takehito no Mamoru Senshisha." He said in a formal stiff manner. "I am here for the one that calls themselves Shinigami."
"Why?" Duo asked.
"I bring greetings from my wife, the Lady of Meirin."
The word rang bells in Duo's head, the song spoke of Meirin, "And a lady in Meirin talks to the dead." "Why?" He asked.
"She extends an invitation to the one who calls themselves Shinigami as one lord of death to another, she wishes to meet with them for supper, she asks that they also bring with them the warrior who accompanied them. She said they would have questions and she is more than willing to provide answers." The man held a katana much like Wufei's and like Wufei he seemed more than deadly with it. In fact the man reminded him, not in appearance but in poise, of Heero when he was in mission mode. This man was a killer and he was ruthless, it did not settle Duo's nerves any.
"And what does she get out of it?" He asked. Duo had only heard that the Lady of Meirin talked to the dead and this man who protected her seemed more dangerous than anyone he had met in a long time with the possible exception of Heero.
"Peace." The man answered. "She has awaited the Shinigami for twenty years. I imagine it will calm her soul to know that they have come. My lady Shinigami no Minako Tennosha will meet with you in the yellow parlour at seven of the clock. Would the both of you require directions from here to there."
"Who are you?" Heero asked from behind the man, he had pulled his gun out of the trousers that they had dressed him in and held it to the man's back.
"I have just explained that to your companion, Shinigami," he looked at Duo, and in a remarkably fluid move turned around so that his sword was at Heero's throat. "I was inviting you both for supper with my lady at seven." He lowered the sword and sheathed it in a closing gesture. "I shall see you both then. I shall also have Dieina attire you in clothing more suited to meeting with the Darin ambassador. Good day," he bowed to Duo and ignored Heero walking past them.
"What the hell was that about?" Duo asked Heero.
"I'll be damned if I know." Heero answered.
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This is the song that Duo was singing, it's called the Women of Dathyl, and is a bawd. There is an alternative version which is actually quite rude. I just imagined of all the songs written for Dathyl the one Duo was most likely to sing, it would be this one.
The women of Tanis are bonny and gay
And you can't trust a word a Sidin woman says
And overall I'll take what I may,
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
There's a woman in Danev who has eyes that are deep
And a girl in Caelum who without me won't sleep
And the women of Muchine well they play for keeps,
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl.
The women of Amitre have lovely eyes
And the ladies of Zhentra are cunning and sly
And the maids of javik, oh me oh my
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The women of romaine will tell you they can
And there's a girl in Shiro who I think is a man
And the women of Jiono carry beautiful fans
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The women of Amon mar well they are aloof
And the Neyasuma girls only love youth
And Hoshi Ji maids tell only the truth
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The women of Ioto are easily led
And a lady in Meirin talks to the dead
And this girl in Honeybourne you won't believe what she said
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The women of Atsan are a sight to see
and the girls in Coresc, oh gosh golly gee
and the ladies of Dramathen, well they charge a fee
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
Kinmokusei girls are lovely and sweet
And the Saida girls are the best you can meet
And the girls of Cadarn have hair like buckwheat
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
There's a woman in E'berta in whose eyes I could drown
And the women of Medoc'Ne well they never frown
and the hearts of Aviemore are a long way down
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl.
There's a woman in B'thesda who has lips that can shine
and a girl in J'dan whose kisses are mine
and the girls of Lavomer dress very fine
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
the women of Nanao you should hear them sing
and the girls of Muso could make you a king
And the ladies of Jimpachi could teach you something
but you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The women of Okame have skin that can glimmer
And the teeth of Tarin have a lovely shimmer
And Meryem of Aran made me a sinner
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
There's a girl in Orgoch whose words they are clear
And the dresses of Minith are pleated and sheer
And there's a maid in Kaga who holds me quite dear
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
There's a woman in Erona who's up with the lark
And another in Kitsune with a deep dark heart
And a lady in Chichinyza as sharp as a dart
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
The ladies of Parone are brilliant and new
And the girls of Hinton are like pigeons who coo
And the maidens of Babra say they won't but they do
But you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
"the Dathyl maids have skin that is white;
They bathe by day, and they bathe by night;
Their laughter says they possibly might
So you can't beat a woman of Dathyl
And the women of Ashton do prettily glow
And the maidens of well street dance in the snow
And there's a girl in Cinderton whom everyone knows
So you can't beat a woman from Dathyl."