Another -22 june '13
Disclaimer: G-boys are not saru's... and saru already forgotten the details of the anime too.
Warning: hmmm... lots of things, those names from the anime too -saru doesn't remember which is which... picturing "Relena" is somehow confusing for da'monkey as well OTL
chapter 21
...the deep tolls fill the air;
heavy and suffocating, yet clear like water.
Then,
-I must be drowning.
The dim lights pour through the crisscrossing form of the wall,
looking brighter than they actually are, like blades piercing into the dark hollow;
my breaths come out as subtle white clouds,
the rays penetrate their windy substance like some kind of a punishment.
It's a cold winter day...
The sun is hiding behind the grey clouds,
my hands are cold;
I try to breathe,
so hard...
I must be drowning-
"-Send them away! We don't need those creatures' interference in such matter- No! In ANY matter at all; we are our own Kingdom!"
"For humanity!"
"-For humanity!"
"Such feeling must be mutual-...!"
-our reliable Treize says, cutting the empty prideful cheers.
"Then we don't need to discuss this any further!"
-General Noventa says with a heavy bark.
"I dare say, since it's mutual, the more reason why we need to hear them out! If they could see pass their resentment; why can't we? We are not more spiteful than them, are we?"
-Treize counters calmly; the bewildered
faces of the Dignitaries' are turning red with anger or shame...
Perhaps they are angered by the fact that they felt shame for something they shouldn't be ashamed of; that it is justified to feel so, that it has always been the right thing to do or to feel, -to be in the opposing side of the demons... that we are right; that we are never on the wrong side. That we are humans, and rightly so; as said by our ancestors-
But Treize always wins in such a game,
so I think they should just give up before Brother starts to speak, too...
"-In the 700 years of this Dynasty's history, there's not once that our ancestors embrace the thought of making peace with the demons...!"
-and here comes General Septem's history lesson...
Really, they should just give up now before-
"If we don't do something, we'll be history, too!"
-the bitter truth comes out. You think you need them to hear it, Big Brother;
for they are too arrogant to see it by their own eyes.
. . . . . . for even I know such a thing as fact, while they choose to ignore.
Father died.
Treize's father died before that.
Other fathers died too...
I should ask you, Old Men of the Wise;
while hiding in the safety of your castles, why can't you see it as facts too?
Those fathers' children, aren't they crying outside your castles doors, scraping at your walls for mercy...? -but not one of you even ask that to your own conscience.
-or should I keep silent?
"I didn't call you to hear your complaints; I want you to witness this...!"
-but Big Brother, you haven't had your coronation yet; you shouldn't make the old Dignitaries
your enemy, you know...?
They might join forces and give rise to a coup, too;
saving their wealth and probably flee to a faraway land when this Kingdom collapses.
And Ladyhood had said that it'll be soon enough, too,
that such a thing is inevitable;
we are drowning anyway, Big Brother King...
The things you hold dear in this Kingdom you love,
are drowning in the things you hate in the same very Kingdom who doesn't love you back.
. . . even I know that.
Let's face the bitter truth, too, you and I and the always reliable Treize.
That we were born to drown-
"As the General of the First Army, I reject such a notion, Prince Miliarde!"
"General of the Third Army also reject your whim!"
"Fourth Commander, in behalf of the Second Army General, also reject your notion!"
-we are unwanted.
Let's accept it with a big heart...
"Commander of Sixth Division, Fourth Army, hereby speaking for my subordinates; flouting our General's wish with readiness to face death; we are also rejecting your notion...!"
"Second Division of Marine Fleet, also flouting!"
"Fifth Fleet-...!"
-. . . that I,
eventhough I might like venturing the secret passages in this Palace, like it was also a game;
do not memorize them for fun's sake.
It's for the sake of keeping this life attached to my body when those blades decided that it's time for them to turn against us;
when their resentment of the demons backfired and swallow us whole.
For when the time comes that I should steal you away from your throne...
You are drowning too, Big Brother King...!
-Silence! Silence! For all your mouths could let out are just undignified dying bawls...!-
-You are breathing curses, in and out, polluting the air and darkening the space; so just die and keep silence!-
". . . Are you done?"
"Let them in, Treize."
"Prince Miliarde; overlooking what your Dignitaries have to say is-"
-Silence, you too, Rockefeller!-
...Chime! Chime! The toll is drowning the air.
Eight Lamento in their pale ashen garbs, dragging their white veils along their ways;
the steps are short, the pace is slow;
their creaking legs are not so eager to condemn.
Chime! Chime! The tolls are drowning in silence-
Duo took a deep gasp shakily; for it's not in any other chance he could enter a spiteful little girl's mind and see things from her view. Despite Relena had him warned, the surreality of it caught him unguarded for a moment; besides, if it was 10 years ago, how old was she at the time? 5 years old, wasn't it? A little over 5, perhaps; but for a 5 years old girl, to already understand such dark things; wasn't she a little over her own limits? Like, being told that some ones want her and her loved ones dead was something, but to actually understand and forced to act upon it by herself was something entirely different; even some adults wouldn't want to face it, sometimes. Take for examples, these Dignitaries...
The ringing sound was long and somewhat suspended in the air, it was different from the toll of the Palace Bell outside that kept tolling to announce that a Kingdom-scale event was about to begin; the clear high-tuned ring was sounded as the eight emissaries entered the throne room, it reminded him of the sound of a dripping water, spreading its ripples through the crowd in the rooms and owning the space. Yes, Relena was right picturing it as 'drowning in silence'.
He looked around for a short moment, noticing that his body took shape in an insubstantial manner; Relena must have taken only his consciousness into her memory; since memory-scape must be not very different than the dream-scape. But at least he shouldn't have to worry about his Nightmare in here, right? -So, he was standing in front of one of the pillar statues guarding the stairs to the throne dais; Relena must have 'put' him there, he realized eventhough he was existing in mind-form he couldn't move from that spot; so that must mean that the little-Relena was somewhere behind him, likely watching secretly from inside the statue.
The ringing sound grew fainter when the eight emissaries nearing the stairs; Duo turned his attention back to them, as they divided the crowding Dignitaries into two sides. No one spoke; the smell of death wafted from their solemn figures... their garbs were made of robes wore over older worn-off robes overlaying like a mass of ages piled up into one shape; their outer robes were supposedly white, only they were already dirtied by time and looked off-coloredly dyed. A large prideful mark in red was taking the majority of the front, down almost to the end of the length around their ankles; while the robes underneath covered their feet and pooled on the floor. They had long veils secured under long pointy ceremonial hats; the front of the veils covered their faces to their chests, while stretched behind their backs making some kind of daunting tails dragged on the floor. They had their hands joined in the cover of their long sleeves at their fronts in generic gesture, and keeping their faces down in solemn pose; making a circle and moving as one, with a faint glowing flame of white floating in the middle.
The chime stopped as they stopped moving, and the crowd started a low murmur and looked up to the young Prince on the throne, looking cool and didn't look affected by the emissaries' presence.
"You offer truce?" the Prince cut to the chase; the murmur instantly died down. The emissaries bowed slowly.
("We offer you a way... to have a truce..., Sire...") a slurred ghostly whisper loud enough for everyone to hear claimed the silence; some people paled at the not-quite sound as they realized that whisper was partly telepathic.
"You're not here on behalf of your king?!" General Noventa asked with a haughty tone, probably trying to out-present the emissaries' possession but failed.
"Could you please introduce yourselves?" Treize said with a level polite tone; it was in a question form but was actually an order, and the cool calmness jerked the men to their composure again; and the opposing Dignitaries didn't let it slip their eyes too.
("We are nameless observers of Time... we shouldn't be engaged in worldly affairs... we hold not selves but loyalty-")
One of the opposing Dignitaries opened his mouth to make a slight comment but stopped when Treize's eyes countered his for a brief second. Duo looked behind and blinked at the sight of his cousin standing beside the throne; Treize was actually looking to be around his own age, perhaps only a little older then himself; 16 or 17 years old, but his disposition made him look older and out-wised most of the people present. A sheer of pride washed Duo's heart for a moment, but he realized when shifting his eyes to the young (or should he say little, instead?) King-to-be Prince sitting on the throne, who was probably just got his age number turned into 2-digits awhile ago, that this was a time when they were watching at Death's face just for being who they were.
Treize was reforming this country alone; he had never realized the weight of that fact until now, and what was staked for it.
("We do not have Peace in our hands... We have but one chance for you to make your Peace...")
"What makes you think we'll take your offer?" Treize frowned lightly.
("The Time... is right...")
("The King is right...")
("The honor is right...")
The whispers said tailing after another.
"You're saying the late King wouldn't have taken your offer?" Treize summed up. A low surprised murmur started but died as they realized that the demons had valued the Prince as King.
"So what chance has your Time brought to us?" Treize wouldn't let the opposing old men chew on that fact and spit it out.
("A Purpose...")
("A Cause...")
("An existence-")
("-non existence...")
("The Value...")
("The Epitome...")
("The Unwavering...")
("The-One Life holds as law...")
("The Perpetual Causality... the one must not end...-")
"-...what?" Treize asked with a baffled frown and an almost grimace.
("We offer you the-One that could overthrow the balance and start over...")
("We offer you Death...-")
"So, basically you bring a death-convict for us to use as weapon?" the Prince asked coolly. All humans snapped their surprised eyes at the boy who was smiling while brushing his lower lip with his thumb in casual manner; a playful light shone in his eyes but the despotic air around him forced them to swallow their objections before they even formed in thoughts.
The Prince giggled, "I take it that you were to carry out the execution?"
"For what kind of a person would the executioners turn their backs from their judges and claim it for loyalty's sake?" his boyish voice boomed in a pleasant manner in the spacious room and claimed the air back. The opposing Dignitaries fidgeted on their feet, knowing how much power that boy possessed with or without him realizing it himself; he was truly born to be King, that was the reason they opposed him.
("Form the Contract... Our offering...")
"You can't expect us to make a contract with a demon without knowing their identity!" one of the Royal Judges said.
("My Lord...")
("The Divine...")
"Someone you worshiped?" Treize frowned deeper; the flow of the event had gone to a more dangerous ground, he'd like to end it here if he could. The demons were supposed to have unwavering loyalties; if you add something for them to worship in that value, then what the emissaries brought here must be something that the demon Royalties couldn't handle; something that potentially could overthrow their power and standings. Overthrow the balance and start over? Such was not a weapon, it's another 'nation' in its wake; it was just lying dormant in the demon Kingdom... a 'nation' that equally powerful to his Kingdom and the demon kingdom, and perhaps powerful enough to threat both as it 'stood' between. Like a forbidden double-pointed sword without a sheath... worshipers were even worse enemies than loyal army, anyway.
-or was he thinking too far?
"Hmmm... let me guess..." the Prince arched his brows, "The heir to the Warlord who made your first King king?" he ended with a winning smile.
A wave of shocked murmur washed the throne room. They've heard rumors about the duality in the demon kingdom's creation history; but such information never really came in handy to the humans in actual form.
"You can't, Milord! Associating with such a figure would bring more harm than good!" a scholar from Arn'crad quipped.
"What's your requirement?" Treize asked the emissaries; if his King was interested, then it's his duty to realize his wish.
("A Time...")
("A human...")
("A Contract...")
("Only one chance...")
"So it doesn't need to be our King; any human we appointed would do?"
"And for a limited of time, correct?" Duo recognized the calculating stare in Treize's eyes as he said that, so he already thought of something to put this in a good use. That's so Treize...!
"Prince Miliarde, you don't think that the demons would let you take hold of such a power in this Kingdom, do you?" Rockefeller frowned.
"They will blackmail us with such a Contract!" Noventa added; "This is the opposite of taking in a political hostage, right? The demons will charge at us for having that troublesome figure-"
"Hey...!" the Prince addressed the emissaries casually and shut the man up, "What are you to your charge?"
Treize turned to the smiling boy; he was a bit worried about the boy's willful nature, that once he'd set his interest in something then he wouldn't let it go until he was satisfied. But his little King could handle his surrounding just fine; then, just let me handle the dangers for you, he thought to himself.
"You are loyal tooo...-" the Prince grinned, "I think, the Warlord?"
Treize stared at his little King, amazed at the boy's mind and that he could deduct things easily and formed them into shape to his liking. That's right; it was a latent 'nation', not yet formed its power... and the demons probably wouldn't want it to rise, which was why they sent that-heir to somewhere only their gods know where. His little King had called the emissaries as executioners, but most men present might have noticed it too, that they were most probably some kind of sages or priests and for that-heir to be entrusted to them could as well because the demons only meant to exile the heir, for the heir's death would bring something that the demons couldn't overpower. If he could obtain the control over such thing... then he might be able to keep his King as living king in his own Kingdom too.
Not yet weapon... not yet peril...; he could do this, it's something he could use against the opposing humans too, not just the demons.
("No, Sire... We are loyal to the Cause...")
("The Unchanging...")
("The Life...")
("The Death...")
"Pfffth! Enough with the riddle; could you bring that person to the front? The last say is not from my tongue or yours, is it?" the Prince frowned but still smiling. The emissaries bowed lower and prostrated.
The faint glowing white flame blazed up and reveal a figure's silhouette in equally overlaying clothes in it.
("Sire...")
("We offer you...")
("The youngest son of the Legend...")
("The Unwavering...")
("The Mercy...")
How many names could you give to someone? And you call yourselves as not worshipers? -the thought flashed in Duo's mind; but instantly gone when the figure materialized as the flames faded to the sides and floated around his form. He was floating about half a meter from the floor, the ends of his overlaying clothes covered his feet completely; looking more like a set of ceremonial gowns instead of robes. He was covered by a fine lace veil with shiny embroideries illuminating its transparent fabric; a beautiful decorative headdress adorned his head underneath; faint reds at the sides of the face just under the line of the headdress marked the figure's ear-wings. He was standing in a solemn pose with hands joined at his front, covered by long sleeves spread out to the invisible ground behind his body like a pair of butterfly wings, lined with colorful embroidered bands and pointed to some intricately plaited tussles. Several similar bands hung down from the headdress pass his shoulders and draped casually in front of his bent arms. Longer and wider bands draped along his body and pooled on the invisible ground like some fancy spider legs.
With just one look at the veil, Duo thought of a bride instead of prisoner; some cults arranged marriages to deities in specific occasions, but it was only a polite way of making living sacrifices. So it seemed the demons had anticipated the rising of the heir's 'nation' and tried to turn its power to their benefit by offering the heir to some gods in faraway temple or such, making his worshipers available for them to use.
. . . . . . so Heero was betrayed in such fashion by his own people! -a twinge of anger clutched at Duo's heart; it was not that Heero was sent here to perform a duty for his Kingdom... he was sent away to be killed... and the sight of abuse-marks on Heero's back unbiddenly resurfaced in his mind. He tried shaking it off of his thoughts with difficulty.
"The youngest son?!" an old Dignitary commented skeptically; "With the way you entitled your precious Heir, I'd thought you were talking of a fair princess...!"
A round of laughter erupted in the vast room, then the floating flames wavered as if blown by a breeze, and the ends of the figure's veil and spread sleeves fluttered behind as if riding that wind; then silence reigned again with a vengeance, as fear crept into their hearts and started to claw at their cores and minds. With unwanted comprehension they realized that the figure standing in such a glorified nature was the creature that had frightened the whole of the demons' Kingdom just with its existence; the heir of the legendary warlord that put the demons' king on his throne might as well seen rightful to that very throne and that very kingdom, someone that could dethrone that king and destroy the kingdom. Someone that could overthrow a king and start over a kingdom by himself...
"A contract between a human and a demon is a life-binding bond, am I right?" Treize thought he should divert the people's minds before their fear blind their reasons and made them try to gang up on the guests; which would turn to be completely useless and his Kingdom would have its whole higher-ups annihilated in one occasion too. That said, he was confident enough that he could protect his little King all by himself if such a thing happened, at least until his little King could move to safety. But he didn't want that to happen, right?
"How would a human ends his contract when the necessity comes?"
("A human indomitable enough to conquer...")
("A Pact...")
("A life shared...")
("A covenant...")
("A purpose melded...")
("A will amalgamated...")
("A demon generous enough to be conquered...")
Treize arched his brows; he wasn't asking the requirements of the bonding, he was about to cut the emissaries' elaborations; but they beat him to it.
("Die...")
("Die...")
("Die...")
("Die...")
("Die...-")
Their last requirement repeatedly said as if echoing, and Treize clamped his mouth shut; he'd thought so too, but then, who would want to form a contract with a demon with the cost of their life? The people present averted their eyes when he cursorily glanced at them; but this matter should be dealt with, he thought; he wouldn't want to face 'another demon kingdom' as enemy in this already imbalanced war. If his King wished to gain that latent power to his side, then he might as well move to the front in the place of his King...-
"Could I speak with your charge?" the Prince cut the heavy silent. "I assume you brought him here without his knowledge... revealing him in such a fashion...!" he smiled; the emissaries shrunk in their prostration, Treize blinked his focus back... he'd missed that little detail; with a discreet relieved sigh he glanced at the boy sitting casually on the eminent looking throne that was too big for his small figure; his little King always proved himself beyond his expectations. He was in his position now not because his father was the late King's right-hand man, he was assuming his father's position because to him 'the King' had always been this little King... since the day that his little King was born; and knowing that he would become a great King soon... So his duty was to clear a path for his little King to move forward and rise and top every other king around him.
Duo stilled when he saw the smile of admiration on his cousin's face; that was the first time he saw Treize with such an expression... to call it admiration was underrating it; hope, pride, loyalty, bliss, protectiveness, possessiveness, veneration, craving, satisfaction... in short, love; melded in a gentle smile with warmth shone in his eyes. If anyone should be called a worshiper in that room, then it was Treize; and in that instant Duo knew Treize had pledged his being for his little King alone... and that he was only a weapon served a purpose for Treize's King. A flare of jealousy bit his heart, he shook it off with the thought that he'd known it since a long time ago. He wasn't there to judge his older cousin, he was there to see Heero; so he bowed and wished them the best, knowing that their adversaries were also standing in that room and most probably were still alive in the present time outside that memory-scape. For every kindness that Treize had given him, he'd do anything for his King's sake if Treize wished him to; and since he came here initially to find a way for his heart to give up Heero, then he might as well make a new resolve to be useful for his cousin.
A low gasping murmur sounded collectively, washing the room in a wave; and the air changed into unbearable tight coldness. Duo straightened his invisible body up and blindly felt the atmosphere, he wondered if some people had died on their feet behind him.
-Chime! Chime! The death toll rings without a sound...
Slowly he tried turning his body around; even being in mind-form he realized the weight of the air had crushed his ability to 'move', and that he was struggling to do so; it was all in the mind, after all... despite this was only a memory and he wasn't supposed to be effected in such way-
-breathing is punishment;
all hearts condemned.
Lowly creatures die in the solemnity where the Divine resides.
The Seeings blind,
the Brights wane,
the Prouds lowered,
the Knowledgeables dim.
Living is damnation,
breathing is punishment.
Those yearning shall thirst,
those fulfilled shall starve,
those desiring shall want for more and never be satisfied.
-and we are drowning.
Death is mercy and we shall take rest on his feet.
So let us drown together...
Duo managed to get his mind's eye turned to the floating figure that was Heero; that was supposedly Heero... yet he found a beautiful statue of a Deity, as the veil rode the invisible breeze and drifted in the air around his shoulders like a stole. His eyes were closed, face was still as deathly pale as Duo remembered, his lower lip was painted red, some red strokes on his forehead and cheeks and a single line from his lower lip to his chin proved him that Heero was prepared for a ceremonial purpose. The headdress was fitted with jewelries and dangling beads, at its sides a pair of horns curled up and behind in twisting spirals with fine carved details glittering in the dancing light of the floating flames. Ice-colored water-crystal beads adorned the end-lines under his eyes like frozen tears, tracing a path to the pointy curving strokes coloring his eyelids to the outer ends of his eyes. His long lashes shone blue luminescent lights on their ends, his long tufts were cupping his cheeks in radiant blue-green glows. Red threads crisscrossing between the feathers of his shining white wings making multiple bows like spider lily flowers blooming at the sides of his head and wings, and passed under his chin in two lines connecting the folded wings. And the flames were caressing his figure in sensual dance-
-since it's a sin to mar such a pure Death with your lives...
So let us drown together;
for I won't let you drag that angel down into your filths.
Let us drown, let us drown together-
I won't let him kill any of you...
That Death is mine!
A trickle of warm liquid trailed down his cheek, Duo jerked to awareness and hastily wiped it but stopped and realized he was in mind-form right now, and didn't think he was crying; so it must be little-Relena crying in her hiding spot, knowing that the beautiful demon would fall victim to her Palace too... and for a child her age to already have her knowledge, somehow Duo felt his heart breaking. She had fallen for the demon from the first time she laid eyes on his figure; a little girl with an old-soul and the talent to keep everything in her memory and having death looming over her head... what kind of concoction was that? She was more aware about her own imminent death than he was now-
-Behold, behold, all you ignorant seers;
open your eyes, and minds; and know that
I won't let you have him-
not a feather, not a shadow,
not a trace of his words and scent;
not his death!
Go back to your holes and cower;
Just die!
Die!
Die! Die!
DIE-
Duo growled and shook his head to keep little-Relena's thoughts from his mind... a small part of him was somehow relieved knowing that it wasn't only him who had grown up into a person with such disparity, but still a fear clawed at his mind for knowing the sudden change in little-Relena's state-of-mind, that she was somewhat conceding to her fate just before she saw the demon and drastically changed into someone so vindictive in an instant- ...or was it just proof that she wasn't so eager to live before that and she suddenly gained her will to survive once she had an object of her compassion? Then, to her, the demon's worth was more than just her first love... wasn't it?
And Duo realized it then, why he was so afraid of that little girl when he met her back then... it was because she exuded such a strong killing-intent, wrapping it with light and disguised it with a smile. Because she knew he was a Maxwell? But why? He came and met her before Heero arrived...
A collective of frightened gasp pulled Duo to the event unrolled in that room again. He reflexively turned his mind-eye to Heero, expecting him to move; but the demon was still unmoving, it was the scene of the floating flames spreading themselves into loops and embracing his figure that had frightened the men. And as the loops burned some invisible spells in the air cocooning his figure, Duo knew that the demon was tightly sealed.
The written spells burned into lights and shot to the sides and turned into two shining rhombohedron crystal pillars guarding the floating demon 'in place'. Spinning slowly, while exuding unearthly fragrance to the air. Small white light-beads floating from inside them, dancing around the demon's figure like fireflies.
Then, slowly... the long eyelashes trembled visibly with their lights, and the red-stroked eyelids fluttered open in a slow motion. The room was holding its breath, unable to move; the little King sprang to his feet. The pair of blue gems under the drooping eyelids turned to the right, maybe taking in the surrounding as the demon realized that he was not in the place he was supposed to be; and they turned to the front again as the little King moved forward, the eyelids opened wider revealing the inhuman blue irises as he met the little King in the eyes levelly.
The room murmured its fright in reflex, then the air turned eerily silent again as if it was in a tomb. The little King stepped down the stairs of the throne dais, but Treize worriedly tried to stop him, only to be silenced with a small turn of his head. He stopped when his face was level with the demon's face meters away, while staring into the inhuman eyes that didn't show any feelings nor life.
"Hello." The little King said good-naturedly with a smile.
The demon stared for another couple of seconds and closed his eyes again;
("...continue with your task.") the melodious whisper said, without opening those painted lips.
("My Lord!")
("My Lord...!")
And the prostrating emissaries at the front and sides turned to prostrate facing the demon, trembling in their haste.
("...this is not my concern.") the melodious whisper closed.
The little King blinked, noticing that he was just being ignored and that the ever-nagging old men of his Dignitaries couldn't even utter a single sound to even try making a slight comment. Somehow he found it fascinating, and giggled joyfully to himself.
The gaping men turned their eyes to The Prince and back to the floating unmoving demon. A little wave of pride washed their heart unbiddenly, some even visibly tried to quench the feelings before they actually felt it; Treize knew that they didn't want to hold his little King as their ruler. But he didn't mind it for now; the more they reject it, the more they'd feel the oppression of that power that naturally flowing out from his little King, and the more they'd feel the impact of not being able to out-power it. Since the late King ruled by inflicting fear throughout his land, some may have wanted to escape that feelings and naturally made them disloyal to the power.
"I am Miliarde Peacecraft. Your guardians said that you have a way for us to make a truce with the demon kingdom." The Prince said still with a smile.
The demon didn't react.
"I want that peace." The Prince continued, "I don't see any merits in continuing this prolonged war...and you have this 'such is not my concern' written all over your face, do you really not care about the lives lost?"
"My King..." Treize bowed and whispered from behind his little King for his straightforward words.
"But I do. Even if you'd say that death is inevitable, I'd like to choose that my people's deaths be for much important matters than war. Though I don't know what your people would want, but I have the feeling that you would say the same thing that such thing is not your concern too..." The Prince ignored Treize looking pale behind him. "Are you not talking to me because I'm human?"
The air turned even heavier in the wait for the answer to that question. Duo thought he was fidgeting in his mind-form, eventhough he knew it was in the past.
The wind came blowing from the open front walls of the throne room facing the city; and in the heavy moment, no one seemed to realize that the Palace Bell had stopped tolling, and when. The familiar smell of the city's air came filling the room, in par with the unearthly fragrance coming from the unearthly guests as they reek of death and Time and utopia; swaying the humans' minds from the dreamy presence.
("...you are not human.") came the melodious whisper.
The room instantly woke up with a surprised murmur.
The Prince blinked. Treize arched his brows in reflex and blinked. "...no?" they both asked in unison.
("Kings are not humans nor demons nor any other creatures. Kings are Kings, and they are their own beings without the binds of their outer forms...")
The Prince took a long pause in thinking, "-So... You're saying...". A light shade of darkness shadowing his brilliant eyes as he frowned in dissatisfaction; "...that you don't belief me, -no...! That I am not trustworthy with my words in behalf of my people because I am of a King's lineage...?!"
He took a deep breath and sighed, still frowning. "Very well...!"
The Prince climbed the stairs and stood on the dais, a despotic aura around him. "Listen, to all of you!" His clear voice jerked the heady men out of their confusion. "From now on, you all will address me as MASTER! This is my first formal order as I take my father's Throne; and after the coronation next week, know it in your heart that when you call me your master, you are submitting yourselves to your King!"
A wave of surprised babble rose and filled the room. Treize was sweating on his feet at the open challenge, eventhough his little King knew that most of the men present there were the ones who opposed him to be King. He hurriedly climbed the stairs and looked up to his King's face; "...My Ki-"
"Set the example, Treize." The level order spoken with a serious face carried more power than a slap on the face, and Treize found himself froze for a moment before his mind decided to land back into his brain.
"...-My... Master!" Treize said somewhat stunned. His little King didn't look satisfied nor disappointed with the name, he acted like it was the most natural thing for Treize to do and shifted his eyes to the baffled men staring at him with wide eyes.
"If any of you have any objection to call me your master, come forward!" The Prince said loudly.
There was a long moment of silence and uncertainty in the air; the opposing Dignitaries knew it was an open challenge for them to rise and expose themselves for their treachery intent, and the military men knew they were being conquered only with words... it was the warfield where they couldn't pull out their weapons and use their strength no matter how many men in their army or how strong their weapons were. An old scholar from Arn'crad decided he didn't have any objection in the matter, and bowed slowly, calling out in his trembling old voice. "...Master...!"
The slow deep voice jerked his younger scholars and they mimicked their elder and called out too. "Master...!"
"Master."
Their voices were not prideful nor faithful, they were spoken like echoes of a farewell greeting, as if shadows of a dying light; but soon the room woke up and echoed with the name with various volume and strength, and as the majority of people bowed their heads when they called out to the little Prince, the opposing Dignitaries stood with reddened disbelieving faces staring at the composed little boy staring down at them in the eyes, coolly, on the throne dais. They gritted their teeth and fisted their trembling hands, knowing that that boy would wait no matter how long it took for them to give in, but the time was oppressing them since the room was waiting for their voices to be heard as well.
". . . Master...!" With trembling rumbling voice almost like a growl, Rockefeller gave his voice out; then the rest of his abettors gave in in similar way. Treize didn't miss the light of vengeance in their eyes as they hid it when they bowed their heads, but he knew his little King didn't miss it too.
"Thank-you." The Prince said lightly with a smile, as if what just transpired wasn't a big deal. "Now we can move forward with the matter at hand."
He stepped down the stairs again and stopped at his previous spot facing the demon in the face. "I am but a Master, so you could confide in my purpose." And he smiled earnestly when the demon's eyes opened up and stared at him. "So can we talk now?" he asked with a boyish tone.
The demon stared for a moment. ("...I know what you want.")
("I reject.") and he gave his final answer.
The emissaries jerked and crawled on the floor closing their distance, clawing at the direction of the floating demon with their dry bony fingers looking like dead branches blackened by time.
("My Lord... we implore you...-")
("My Lord, have mercy...")
("My Lord... for your Life-")
A blast of cold wind exploded from the floating demon outward, the prostrating emissaries flattened their faces and bodies to the floor in fear.
("...Life. -is not. -your concern...!")
The demon's whisper was slow and full of vengeance that the men present there took a needed distance from the odd circle.
Treize didn't miss the sight of one of the emissaries' face as his veil swayed by that wind, that face was not of a demon nor human; it was the face of the dead. Two black holes of eyes, the caved in nose, exposed lines of pointy teeth, some facial bones visible from under the thin dry layer of what was long ago flesh... He knew his little King saw it too; but what kind of loyalty could steal some creatures from their deaths? For a brief moment his resolve wavered by fear; but as he tried to swallow it and stared at his little King's smaller back still standing bravely, he cursed himself and moved forward.
"I offer myself to make a contract with you!" Treize said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Another surprised murmur erupted in the vast room, his mind somewhat objecting to that reaction by now, knowing that all the men in that room could only murmur their selves away without doing something more useful. Duo caught that thought on Treize's face and he couldn't help but snickered at his helpless frustrated expression, knowing what ran in his older cousin's mind at the time, and felt sorry for him.
("I know what you want of me...") the demon whispered levelly.
("But it is not possible...")
"Why so?" The Prince asked earnestly.
The demon took a pause, washing the air and time with his possession that made some men visibly shivered with paling faces.
("No human in this land could-")
A commotion from the gate to the throne room stopped the demon's words.
"-You can't! Not now!"
"I beg you! This is not the right time-"
"Any time is right and any time is wrong! Who are you to judge Time when you are not a timeless creature?!" the growling bark was instantly taking over the air in the room, even before the owner of that voice came into sight.
Duo widened his mind's eye; knowing whose voice that was.
"Commandeeer! You caaaan't...!" A miserable guard whined while clinging to the tall man's arm and was being dragged inside, his comrade was trying vainly to free his head from the man's grip; a young version of Cail tailing them with an 'I thought you knew better' expression on his face directed to the guards. The crowd naturally made way for the odd parade as the tall man walked briskly towards the throne.
After circling the other odd circle, the tall man flung the guards from him casually and stopped a few paces away from the end of the stairs; and bowed down on one knee, he spoke with a booming voice. "ODIN OF RECONNAISSANCE TROOP, HAS RETURNED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD WITH FINISHED TASKS AS COMMANDED BY THE PASSING GENERAL; GREETS THE LITTLE MASTER-TO-THE-THRONE...!"
Treize's face fell instantly, or his jaw to be exact...
The Prince laughed, "I'd expect you to stop addressing me 'little' by the time I had my coronation, Odin!" he said conversationally.
Odin cackled in unrefined manner. "GWAAHAHAHAHAHAHHH! I'll do that when you've grown pass my waist, Little Master!"
"ODIIINN!" Treize scolded exasperatedly, a few arteries popped on his temples.
"Wha-at? And I just stopped calling you 'cute' as well, Young Master...!" Odin rose from the floor with his 'innocent'-face. Duo snickered reflexively; Odin was calling his cousin Treize as 'cute Master' before that?! The sight of Treize's reddened face gritting his teeth and trembling by anger or shame almost made Duo laugh; but the sound of a man clrearing his throat pulled his mind to the time's situation.
Odin snickered at the General who did it and turned his attention back to the Prince. "I am here to pay my respect to the late King, Little Master! And you can rest assured, Young Master...!" he paused as he turned to Treize, "...that I have finished all the tasks your father had given me before I return here!"; and closed it with an unholy grin.
"O-ho...! At least you could make yourself presentable, or try to make it like you've tried the effort, Odin! The Palace is not a place for barbaric men...!" an escort of the General said.
"Ooooh, and Little Master... I carry the smell of your land from faraway place, even; do you find it to your liking?" Odin grinned widely, ignoring the slight comment.
"Hahahahahahahaa..." the Prince laughed pleasantly; "I'm sure my land smells like many things, Odin. I'm happy for you that my land also smells like you in various places...!"
Odin guffawed at that, knowing the little boy could always bounce his words back in pleasant manner.
"Odinnn! Shut up!" Treize hissed under his breath, not wanting the opposing Dignitaries saw their closeness with Odin -if even there's such a thing since to him Odin was like a notorious uncle-like guardian who liked to show his regards by being disrespectful to anyone, for those men feared the man's strength and might use it against the Palace itself.
"Greetings aside..." Odin turned around with a serious growl, cursorily met the eyes of the crowding men with a savage stare; "What is this...?" he asked as his eyes landed on the demon.
Duo gasped at the sudden realization, that it was the time for the two contractors to face each other face to face; his heart felt like it exploded at that moment, he tried to keep repeating to himself that it was something that had already happened in the past, that he couldn't do anything to prevent it, that he couldn't stop the making of the Contract to bind Heero to that man even if he tried, that it wasn't up to him nor it related to him in any way.
"H-... Hey, Odin, that's...-!" the paling escort of the said General stepped back when Odin stopped at the outer side of the prostrating circle.
Odin looked down briefly at the eight emissaries circling the floating demon in perfect intervals that was not actually forming a circle; they were forming an eight wind rose formation that bound the center that was the demon. Widely found pillar-formation for magical seals. He looked up at the demon's face that was still below his eyelevel despite his being floating; snorted, and stepped inside the wind rose, and stopped short when the spinning crystals at the sides of the demon burst into flames at his intrusion. He waited for a second to see what he was facing. The flames snaked in the air like living things and licked him in loops.
The paling young Cail was widening his eyes and gasped at the sight; Odin glanced at his aide and threw him his helmet he was holding in one arm. Cail jerked and tried catching it with his right hand since he got his own helmet clasped under his left arm, but the blaring sensation that struck his body as his gloved hand made contact with Odin's helmet made him reflexively flung both helmets; "-...cold!" he yelped, and they landed with clamoring sounds on the floor.
Young Cail gasped when all eyes turned at him, and he bowed in shame; "M-...my incompetence, Commander!". But the sight of Odin's helmet frozen on the floor was enough testimony for his case, he stepped aside as the crystallized area of the floor tried to catch his feet with cracking frosty noise; he knew this was beyond his limits.
Odin arched a brow at his aide and ignored the frightened Dignitaries taking steps back in alarm as he proceeded to get near the floating demon. The white flames were twisting and swirling around them in restless manner; he flicked his right hand when scale-like crystals formed on his arms and legs trying to immobilize him. He stopped in front of the demon and put his hand around the pale face from under the demon's chin, narrowing his eyes in hostility and growled when his thumb brushed the white soft cheek a few times.
Treize jerked on his spot, he intended to stop Odin from what he was doing, although he didn't really know what the man was trying to do at the time; but the calculating part of his mind made him stop and told him to see where it leads to. He glanced at his little King at his side who was watching the proceeding with observant eyes, and decided to wait and see too.
"What is thisss...?" Odin leered with unholy tone; and Duo wanted to jump him impulsively. "Ha! And they call me barbaric...!" Odin snorted and said in disgust; then flicked his left arm from the forming crystals and with both hands traced the red threads to the flower-like bows, looking clumsy with his battle-hardened fingers while his mouth kept muttering something about 'the end' for quite some time.
"Oh! Here...!" he suddenly quipped with a small smile, eyes lit up like a child's. Then he tried as carefully as he could to loosen the bows and crisscrossing threads from the demon's folded wings. Chuckling triumphantly when he got the demon's left side done and proceeded with the other side, ignoring the cracking noises of the forming crystals as they seized his body to his face and his clumsy fingers.
The demon shifted his eyes to his right again, as if not paying attention to Odin at all. Something outside his circling worshipers seemed to have bothered him, although his lifeless eyes didn't betray his thoughts.
"Done!" Odin barked with a teethy grin and pulled his body straight, examining his work with a satisfied light in his eyes. "Can you move now? There's no permanent damage, right?"
The demon shifted his stare to the serious frown on the man's face; he didn't seem to care but still flicked a feather of his upper left wing.
"This is blood-thread...?" Odin frowned unhappily as he tried loosening the red threads that somehow entangled his hands between his fingers. "Shouldn't you, being you, be more careful not to give your blood to anyone to be used like this...?!" he growled while flicking his hands futilely since the threads seemed to hold his hands tighter and under the thickening formed crystals, even. "And you have pretty wings, too...!"
The demon blinked, watching the man growled and busied himself with the threads around his hands and ignoring the cracking crystals that sometimes tossed to the floor from the momentum of his swinging hands.
". . . are you stupid?"
The calming level voice asked, and Odin paused his hands, staring at the demon's level face noticing his red-stroked lips slightly parted.
"...you are stupid. You don't even care how stupid you are."
Odin blinked, arching one of his brows seemingly in thinking.
". . . . . . that's a 'thank-you'...?" the man asked looking a little baffled. "And I thought your little-friend there wouldn't have minded it...!" Odin frowned, pulling his head up and looked down his chin at the joined hands of the demon. As if in cue, a long sleek black thing shot out from inside the flowing sleeves and caught Odin's chin. The man growled long and low, although his mouth pulled in a sneer.
"And what's this, a dragon hatchling?!" Odin's eyes lit up with a leer full of vengeance. The skinny lizard squeaked when it realized the human wasn't fazed at all being bitten by its small needle-like teeth, instinctively knowing -albeit too late, that the red threads were twisted around the human's hands; and if he caught it with those hands, it would perish as it was still too fragile as a hatchling.
"Sauria." The demon said.
"Hoooo... just a boastful lesard, hu? Put it back into your sleeves!" The man growled with offended stare, offering his chin to the demon. The hatchling blinked and squeaked for help.
"I would rather it be male." The demon said loud enough without sounding like he raised his voice. "You wouldn't want your females to make contact with me." He continued when the present men looked baffled at his announcement.
Another wave of surprised murmur filled the air, this time touched with anger as they realized what the demon had implied.
Odin raised his brows and glanced around, noticing the sudden change of sentiment in the air; he opened his mouth to make a slight comment but the demon's hands pulled his hands still entangled by the red threads and kept them around his own neck.
"I be here for peace..." the demon started, "Name your peace."
"Whaat?" Odin objected childishly since he felt like he was left out on something that the whole room knew. "So you're a peacekeeper, hu? As in a hero...?!" he asked sarcastically. "I should call you Heero, then?!" and ended it with a leer.
"Heero it is." The demon said still with level tone. Then the red threads around Odin's hand lit up like shining lava and started to sink into the skin of his wrists.
Odin snorted with a leer as he stared accusingly at his pained wrists, thinking that the red threads twisted around his fingers could sever them with the heat; but as soon as the loops around his wrists embedded into his skin, the red threads cut themselves and snapped around the demon's neck making similar red heat scars with a long hiss. Not knowing, or not yet realizing what was happening, Odin hissed and pulled his hands back, but the demon held them tightly.
"Your name." The demon demanded.
"I've said it loudly-"
"Give it to me." The demon cut; for once, with a serious light shone in his eyes as he stared Odin in the eyes.
"Odin...!" the man growled.
The demon let his hands go after that.
"Odin, Master of Peace..." the demon announced with an inhuman voice; "The eirenicon is signed."
"The Contract is sealed."
"If you no longer desire the Peace that your Master desire to keep..." the inhuman voice slowly turned into human-like voice. "...sever your hands..."
"...then my head will roll." The demon ended silently.
". . . . . . . . . whaaat . . . ?" Odin complained in bafflement.
The demon ignored him and pulled the little hatchling that was still dangling from Odin's chin, and then landed soundlessly on the floor. Then slowly walked passed the gaping man and the surprised-looking emissaries who pulled their heads up and trembled on the floor; and stopped in front of the stairs to the throne dais. Looking up at the stunned Treize and the amazed-looking little King in the middle of the stairs.
"Master of my master..." he said, "What kind of Peace do you wish for?"
The little King blinked several times, his brain had yet to digest the fast procession; he was sure he would have to fight the debate a little bit more before the demon could see his purpose. ". . . the world-" he almost mouthed in his dazed state.
Then the demon took a deep slow bow.
"Let it be peace in your world under my name..." he said solemnly. When he straightened his body up, he opened his wings fully, and a blast of white light exploded from him and traveled in the air, penetrated the shocked gasping men and kept going to the outside of the Palace.
The present men gaped as they held their breaths, not knowing what really happened besides feeling a cool gust of wind penetrated their bodies like a painless blade.
"M... Milords! The clouds...!" a frightened guard from the gate fell on his butts, pointing up with his spear.
The shocked men snapped their heads to the sky with a deeper trembling gasp collectively. The overlaying thick grey clouds above the Palace were blown away by the white light that was now traveling on the clouds spreading away towards the vast world; leaving a clear round sky visible above the Palace. A white parhelion was circling the sun, as it was actually high noon at the time; shimmering with light particles for a long moment before died down without a sound.
Trembling while gasping for their breaths, the witnessing men turned their attention back to the demon under the end of the stairs; now they just realized his glorious three pairs of wings, and the luminescent tufts at the sides of his face weren't parts of the headdress or his accessories.
The little King took a step down still looking dazed, his eyes didn't leave the demon's form; and slowly descended towards the demon who kneeled down as he got near and prostrated himself with head rested on the first stair.
"My-..." Treize called out when his little King squatted down in front of the demon's head. "Miliarde...!" and reflexively warned him when he pushed his hand out and brushed the white feathers with the ends of his small fingers.
"Prince Miliarde...!"
"You shouldn't-...!" some baffled men tried to stop him, although it was too late for that.
The demon pulled his upper body up when he felt the careful fingers on his wings; those small fingers followed his wings up as he countered the dazed clear eyes of the innocent looking boy. That boy gasped in wonderment when his fingers passed through the feathers as if they were mist or clouds.
". . . does it hurt?" he asked breathily when his fingers tentatively played with the alien material of those white wings.
"Not the kind of pain you would know." The demon answered levelly. "And you need not worry about the demons; I am not under any demons except my own Life..."
The little King looked mildly surprised and carefully pulled his hand back, a sad light in his frowning eyes. "...please guard my Peace." He whispered before standing up and returned to Treize's side, pulling him down to whisper something in his ears.
"-whaaaat?!" Odin's disbelieving voice suddenly cut the strange air. "Me?! PEACE...?!"
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDSSSS...?!" he exclaimed seemingly to himself.
The attention turned to him again, still standing in his last pose in the middle of the wind rose of the prostrating emissaries now directing their heads on the floor towards the demon in front of the stairs.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, DEMOOONN?!" he turned his body facing the demon too.
The demon's shoulders sagged, like he was sighing although he didn't. ". . . I acknowledge your stupidity, Master." He said silently.
"WHAT MASTER...?!" Odin stomped angrily out of the wind rose; the formed crystals on him had dissipated slowly into the air. "EITHER YOU CALL ME BY MY NAME, OR YOU DON'T CALL ME AT ALL...!" he said hitting his own chest.
"-WAIT, NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT! -WHAT PEACE ARE YOU ASSOCIATING ME WITH, EXACTLY...?!" he barked with accusing tone.
Treize frowned and tried not to grimace at his loud voice. "...Odin, right now-"
Odin lifted the demon by the waist with a swift yank. "My Peace, Odin." And the little King's words stopped his outburst; Odin was frowning accusingly into the demon's eyes, while the small hatchling hissed at him repeatedly from the demon's shoulder.
The demon blinked at him, his level face didn't change.
Odin blinked at the demon, his anger dissipated faster then he ever experienced before; ...later in his life, he would find that he couldn't get angry at the demon for more that a breath span; although he wouldn't admit it on the outside.
With an exploding snort he threw the demon's body onto his left arm from under his thighs -actually like someone would carry a child, against his broad chest that was still dirtied by his battlefield or his journey back. He used his right hand to dig into the overlaying gowns making loud rustling noises.
"Odin! What are you doing...?!" Treize asked incredulously with widened eyes and flushed cheeks.
"Hoo!" Odin let out when he found something underneath the clothes and pulled the unnecessary excessive layers of fabric up revealing a pair of naked feet, stylized with red strokes and dark-blue painted pointy nails; just like his hands.
"...whose bride are you?" Odin asked slowly with narrowed eyes.
The demon glanced at the man's face from the ends of his eyes. "Yours."
"Bride...?!" Treize asked with baffled face.
Odin growled looking up at the ceiling; "So they still practice offering living-sacrifices, hu?!"
"And which deity did I steal you from?" he stared into the demon's eyes again.
"Mine." The one-worded answer didn't really carry that weight, but Odin's shoulders still sagged with a deep sigh.
"Little Master, Little Master... what kind of trouble are you putting me in?" he muttered his complaint to the floor.
The little King blinked; "...peace!" he pointed out reflexively.
Odin pulled his head up, narrowing his eyes to the boy with innocent face up the stairs. "Reaaally...?" he asked skeptically.
The little King nodded his head twice making boyish expression.
"As a reward, I got myself a bride!" Odin muttered to himself; "...okay!" he arched his shoulders. "Well then, I supposed you still have important matters to discuss with your important Dignitaries. I will have to excuse myself to get along with my bride...!" he then bowed with polite mockery and backpedaled several steps behind before heading to the gate.
"...don't fight!" the little King said reflexively.
"Ha! Like he could fight me with the Contract done...!" Odin snorted and ignored the said Dignitaries glaring poisons at him. The young Cail pulled Odin's helmet from the floor and picked his as he hastily followed his Commander out of the throne room; leaving the men murmuring complaints and other things to each other.
("...you may rest...")
An echoing whisper sounded in the air when they had gone from sight.
A deep trembling inhaling sound followed with a deep dying sigh filled the room after that.
("Thank-you...")
("...My Lord...")
("The Mercy...-")
And the people present there just remembered about the still prostrating emissaries on the floor; and were taken aback when those aged figures dissolved into white sands blown away by invisible wind towards the open walls outside, leaving nothing but a lingering sigh.
The room roared in panic-
-and Duo blinked repeatedly at Relena's wide eyes staring him openly as if she was waiting for Duo to say something for quite a moment.
Duo jolted with a gasp and took a wobbly step behind; feeling the thick damp carpet of green grass under his shoes and soft breeze carrying the smells of various flowers and greenery brushing his face and hair.
"-wha...!" he gasped and tried to breathe, hard; finding his knees buckled and his butts kissing the damp grass.
"You made it back wholly...?" Relena asked slowly.
Duo was moving his mouth but couldn't form words while gasping for air. Relena smiled at him, a sad shadow darkening her eyes. "You saw what you wanted to see...?" she asked.
Duo tried blinking his mind back; the sudden change of the memory-scape to the sensation of the the present world ruptured his walls. He felt a little shaken when his hands were clawing from under his skin.
"Beautiful, isn't he?" Relena smiled wider, ". . . My-death!" she closed with a dark tone.
Duo clamped his mouth shut, breathing hard from his nose.
She smiled, although her eyes didn't. "We're even now..."
"...I won't bother you again." Duo cut trying so hard to sound level.
Relena nodded once still with that smile that darkened her eyes. Duo pushed himself up to his feet and bowed his head once, then pulled the worried looking Cail from where he stood paces away from them towards the exit of the tower.
"Thank-you for your hospitality." Duo said passed his shoulder before they stepped outside.
And the tall double doors closed on them with a loud sound.
Duo was almost collapsed in Cail's arms after that. "How long was I..."
"What?" the Lieutenant asked with surprise, but looked composed again in no time. "The Princess closed her eyes for a few breaths span and opened them again and watched your face..."
Duo frowned in dislike at him; and Cail cleared his throat. "...you looked like you were out of it for some tens seconds...!"
"Did you get your answer...?" Cail asked fast when Duo pushed himself from his arms.
Duo paused and stared at the wooden platform of the causeway. "...-...I don't really know..." he admitted.
All he knew was that... The present Relena looked more solemn now; and that Heero wasn't forced to take the Contract; and that Odin was the one chosen by Heero, not the other way around... and the words the Prince whispered to Treize were still echoing in his head. Relena must have the mean to see and hear the details of her memory... most probably the power of her Familiar...
-...but what did he mean?
. . . Treize... He might not be a demon, after all-
Why did you let him leave...?
Relena glanced behind at her Familiar and stared back at the closed gate of her tower.
"Ladyhood... I was wondering what had bothered him at that time..." Relena mumbled; "...something from outside the-circle..."
Don't acknowledge it...!
Relena frowned, looking like she was fighting back tears. Took a deep shaky breath and exhaled it slowly. ". . . Heero was looking at Duo, even from something intangible in Time-"
"You don't have to acknowledge it, My Master..." Ladyhood put her arms around Relena's smaller figure from behind, her black veil flowing in the invisible breeze marking her possessiveness over her owner.
Relena closed her eyes. "...I knew it from the moment I saw him... -even before Heero arrived...!"
"...My Master...!" Ladyhood rubbed her cheek on the honey-colored head.
"I will have to rob the-Demon from that boy...!" Relena opened her eyes and said through gritted teeth; a flare of vengeance lit her eyes, brilliant fire in the shadow of her tall familiar.
"...p- please forgive me..." the maid girl bowed, hiding her face behind the folded white cloths in her hands. "I was told to help you with the bedding..., Commander..."
Odin stared down the trembling maid in front of his door. He harrumphed and cleared a way for her, keeping his unhappy frown creasing his brows.
The maid girl walked inside to the room awkwardly, and stood at the inner side in front of the closed double doors. Odin walked briskly pass her, pointing at the already neatly folded bedding on his table. "Dump those whites on the bed and take those pinks. I'll take down the draperies for you."
"Yes...!" the maid girl bowed and hurriedly put down the cloths in her hands onto the bed. And she lingered there, keeping her head hung in fear.
Odin tsk-ed and pulled the drapes, a blotchy-white crow landed on the ledge under his window, staring at him while cocking its head to the sides. Odin snickered at the odd-colored bird; "What's wrong with odd-colored cloths- Ghck!"
CRASH!
-and the crow flew away dodging the shards of the broken window glass.
Odin fell forward and grabbed the windowframe with his right arm, turning his head behind at the smiling maid girl with bloody small knife in her hands.
"You lower your guard down on yourself when you think the demon is out of danger...!" she commented coolly. "It's nothing personal, though, Commander. Just like what you said to the people you've killed knowing their ancestors killed your ancestors..."
"This is just duty." The maid girl took off her maid headdress and revealed her golden locks. Then pulled a crow's feather from under her sleeve and let it fall to the floor.
"Treize..." he called silently, staring down into the man's soulful eyes; "...this is treason." -and his wings fanned open.
A sharp hiss, and Treize's body pulled behind hitting the back mattress of the fluffy sofa. His-cat materialized on his shoulder, embracing his neck with his two tails in loose loops; hissing and snarling at the demon who took a step back without changing his expression. As if expecting that to happen.
"Rianka-..." Treize widened his eyes in shock; "...this is not what you think!"
"This human is minnnne!" the-cat snarled with inhuman voice, clawing at the air with his long knife-like nails.
The demon stared at the hissing black cat, and turned to Treize's flushed face. "You have someone you could ask help from-"; and his words cut as he fell to his knees with widened eyes, right hand reflexively holding his stomach.
Treize recognized the dread in Heero's eyes; he instantly sprang to his feet and caught the demon's limp body before he fell behind. "Did you get the crow...?!" he barked at his-cat, already knowing the negative answer from their shared links; and cursed under his breath.
"Ohd-" the demon gasped, "...in-" and mouthed.
"I know!" Treize answered and carried the demon in his arms; "Sixth! We're going!" and barked at the door of his study.
His prepared warriors burst into the room, closing the double doors swiftly and turned facing them again in formation as The General marched towards them with the demon in hands and his Familiar around his neck. Treize kicked the doors with his foot and yelled.
"ODIIN!" a touch of anger weighing his voice.
The other side of those doors was not the corridor to his study; a fallen chair, a stack of neatly folded pink silk cloths on the table, a hanging ripped drape from a broken window, the worn carpet marred with blood splatters, the Commander's large muscular body lied faced down unmoving on the naked bed, the Auri-girl sitting beside him on the bed turning her grinning face at the incoming parade-
Treize's party stopped as the doors closed behind them with a loud bang.
"You're late...!" Myrica said with merry tone.
x - - - - - - - - x
x - - - - - - - - x
Thanx for reading
saru's note:
sorry for the late update, saru's just taken a loooooooong lazy time doing nothing... X(