Another -2 february '15
Disclaimer: G-boys are not saru's... and saru already forgotten the details of the anime too.
Warning: probably you'd think 'eeehh? So what are those chapters before this for?' …or not…?
chapter 26
Sunshine streamed through the crisscrossing bars of his room's window; Duo moaned as he stirred from his good sleep with a smile, stretching his body on the bed and let out a deep contented sigh before opening his eyes. The journey to the Palace was uneventful, but it was still a long journey on a horse back; he thought he was going to wake up sore and stiff, but his body felt rested and his Nightmare didn't make a close approach that night too.
It's a good day, all in all.
"Good morning." A man's voice said from the chair by the double doors; Duo almost jumped at the suddenness.
"G…good morning…" he answered good-naturedly, blinking at the man watching him with a somber face. He sat up feeling awkward and tried a smile at the man; he didn't know that Treize put a guard inside his chamber… the whole night too?
"Umm… I'm sorry for- …uhh…" he tried but didn't really know what to say.
"How are you feeling?" the man asked with a frown.
Duo blinked and looked down at his laps, checking his limbs for sore muscle, grateful that he didn't feel any… only a light uneasiness on his soles that not yet classified as sore; it's probably due to the long period of stuffing his feet inside his boots in the journey, he thought.
He looked at the man, "I'm fine, thank-you."
The black haired man's frown twitched a little at his words; Duo thought it was because of him trying to act polite… maybe the man thought being related to the General should make him more demanding?
A heavy silence inserted itself for a long moment, Duo fidgeted in his bed, feeling uneasy with the man's scrutiny. He thought to engage the man in a conversation, perhaps about Treize -or maybe not… perhaps about the man's task, perhaps about the Palace…?
Oh, okay; let's start with the right procession, he thought. "Umm… I'm Duo; Treize had probably told you my name. You are…?" he tried an open face, eyes wide with a polite smile intact on his lips.
He blinked in incomprehension when the man's eyes widened in alarm and realization as he froze on his chair.
x - - - - - - - - x
The demon stared him…
Duo blinked looking down at his offered right hand and back up to the demon's face. He chuckled to himself; "…is this not polite in your culture? I'm sorry for that…" he pulled his hand and nodded once, instead.
The demon blinked at him. Duo chuckled again staring at his face, he thought that it was probably too sudden for the demon and he was looking almost baffled too that Duo almost felt remorse for his action…
"I'm new here, so I might as well greet you and ask for your guidance living here? Is that not okay? I'm-…" Duo gasped and glanced behind his back, hurriedly stepped behind the demon's back and hid himself behind the wall. "…I'm sorry; I'm trying to avoid my guardian right now. If you could please direct him somewhere else when he asks you about me…?" he said with a small voice.
-a large hand grabbed his head from behind…
A man came running from the inner junction, looking left and right when he paused at the intersection… widening his eyes when he saw the demon standing at the junction at the balcony corridor; he ran towards the demon and bowed once, stepping pass him knowing he'd find that notable someone not far away.
"Commander Odin, Sir." He greeted when he found Odin a couple steps into the right turn on the balcony; "This might sounded odd; but did you see the Mas-… the young master around here? I'm trying to keep him away from the Dignitaries as per General Treize's order… Umm, and he's still not familiar with the Palace…" Cail averted his gaze when Odin's brows arched up at his last reasoning. He cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable with the attention he received and thought that he should be looking for him before Duo went too far away. "…I'm sorry for bothering you; I'll find him right away." He took a step back and bowed again to the demon and turned to the opposite balcony corridor, with Odin's and the demon's eyes on him until he turned in another intersection.
There was about 10 seconds of silence.
-"Fwaahh…!" a dramatized sighed; "So Treize really told him to keep me in my room…?!" The brunette head poked from behind Odin's large body. "He already left…?" he asked peering to where the Lieutenant gone. Duo paused when he felt Odin's head turned to him, and the demon's eyes gazed at him from the ends of his beautiful eyes.
"Ahh! Thank-you for hiding me! I'm sorry for the late introduction; my name is Duo-…!" he stepped to the front of Odin and bowed politely.
"You are Treize's cousin?" Odin asked. Duo beamed and opened his mouth to confirm- "The cousin that he used to speak of when he was still young…?" Odin beat him to it.
Duo's smile somewhat froze awkwardly; "uhh… yes, but… He's still young even now…?"
"HHAAHAHAHAAH!" Odin guffawed and gave Duo's back a couple of -hard- pats. "Aaah… so it's you in person!" Odin grinned.
"…uuuh… nice to meet you…, Commanderrr-…?" Duo's smile turned uneven trying to not grimace by the strength the man put into those -probably friendly- pats.
"Odinnh…!" Odin purred with a smirk, somehow it almost sounded like half-growling.
Duo's eyes widened; "Oh, so it's you. I've heard about you… even in the Covenant!" he smiled wider.
"Really…?" Odin asked.
Duo nodded vigorously, "One of the Earthly Mothers used to tell me stories about you…!" he said with a smile, somehow looking proud… or maybe happy to meet someone he had familiarization with in a place like the Palace, since he only knew Treize there.
Odin gave him a frown; "…do I know someone in the covenant?"
"Ah!" Duo made a caught look and pulled Odin by the sleeve to whisper in his ear. "…it's Treize's mother…?" he asked with innocent eyes conveying the understanding to stay silent about that info.
"…oh." Odin arched his brows with a generic look. "I see." He continued as an afterthought in closing tone.
Duo chuckled.
"So, what are you doing by yourself?" Odin diverted the subject.
"Ohh…" Duo made a caught look again, looking hesitant. "I'm… not sure, but… I'm looking for Treize to ask him about something…"
A flash of something sparked in the man's eyes, Heero recognized it by experience; he thought he should probably interfere now before Odin had something troublesome to play with.
"Treize is not available?" Odin asked.
"I… don't know. That's why I'm searching for him." Duo admitted.
"Can't you ask someone around you?" Odin asked again.
Duo fidgeted. "Well… The Lieutenant only provided me information that he was told by Treize himself to keep me in my room until further notice in person. Is there something urgent, or something else…?"
-or something else… Odin narrowed his eyes while Duo stared at his fidgeting fingers, then reined in his soldier-wards again so that the boy didn't suspect him. His demon was staring at him with wide alarmed eyes, the man glanced at him to give the cue that he could be trustworthy for the time being. The demon blinked at him and didn't do anything, Odin grinned to answer that.
"He probably had some matters to see; are you going to go to his study? I could walk you there." Odin offered levelly.
Duo looked up at him with a pleasant surprise, but it dimmed when he thought about something in his mind. "…probably… he minded it about me insisting to go for an outing yesterday…"
"Yesterday?" Odin arched his brows again.
"Ohh… I just arrived here yesterday; which reminds me… I saw you two at the gate yesterday, but I only saw your backs; that was a Sauria, right? The black-one you're riding?" Duo turned to the demon with a beaming smile.
The demon blinked at him; Duo waited patiently for answer which never came, his smile fell a bit.
"An outing? You want to go for sightseeing in the City?" Odin tested, already knowing Duo was talking about that outing.
"City? No, Sir; I was asking to see something around some rural areas…" Duo smiled politely turning back to Odin.
"Ah! There are reports about beast attacks in alarming rates lately. Maybe your cousin minds it and intending to prepare some safe routes for you before letting you go?" Odin tried.
"Hmm… probably so…" Duo conceded, and looking somewhat at a lost afterwards.
"So are you still going to his study now?" Odin asked good-naturedly.
"Ohh…" Duo looked caught and gave a hesitant smile, "I probably shouldn't bother him when he's busy with his work…?" His eyes were wide and lost.
"But you don't want to be cooped up in your room, either, after going this far, right?" Odin grinned.
Duo chuckled at him nervously.
Odin snorted. "If you don't have anywhere else to go to, why don't you come along and see the Palace around?"
Duo widened his eyes and brightened; "I can…?" he looked between Odin and the demon; realizing that the demon sporting an alarmed expression on his stoic face, not looking back at him. And Duo's smile fell; "…I… probably shouldn't bother your works…"
"It's okay!" Odin circled an arm around the boy's shoulder, somewhat awkward with their height differences. "My work is not that strict, anyway…!" he smoothened; already pulling the boy along to walk with him. "Oh, you can call him Heero." Odin added when Duo looked like he was about to say something to get away from that parade; and it worked like magic. Duo surrendered to him just like that.
"Oh… Good to know you, Mr. Heero." Duo said passed Odin's hand on his shoulder.
"Heero." The demon corrected levelly, following Odin that somehow got his hand on Duo and didn't seem like intending to let him slip away.
"Heero, then." Duo smiled, happy that the demon actually spoke at him after their weird encounter. "You can call me Duo."
The demon stared at him for some time; his face didn't betray any feelings or thoughts out. Duo thought that probably demons were like that; he smiled his encouragement.
"…Duo." The demon called silently like whispering it to himself; the soft voice made Duo shivered… he even forgot about the man's hand still draped on his shoulder that might felt his shivers there.
Duo chuckled pleasantly in return.
x - - - - - - - - x
-funny that the intersection where they collided was that one intersection where Duo yelled his abhorrent at Relena's words that one time… but only the demon realized it now.
He'd tried a lick with his power at the boy when he was speaking with Odin just now; and knowing that Duo's hands were not anywhere close to the surface… like they were never awakened at all. There was also no trace of his light-blessing he used to counter Duo and his cursed-seal back then on the Palace Court.
It's like this Duo and the Duo back then were two different people.
-or not… more like this Duo was the Duo that was from that-time before encountering them in the middle of the beasts ambush. The one that had yet left the Palace after he arrived, to be more exact.
Like maybe… the Duo he'd met and had spent the journey back to the Palace with was erased, not just his memory about that span of time…
-ahh… so that's why the night felt bereft…!
Heero almost stopped on his trek; his eyes dimmed and he shut off his surroundings. He depended on his reflex to follow Odin and the boy still engaged in some trivial chat.
. . . . . . Treize shouldn't be that paranoid about Duo's insanity. The boy could erase his corrupted-self just like cutting off bad leaves of a flower plant just like it was natural. Maybe the reason why he hadn't constructed his soul-armor too…
That's what felt off when he realized it about Duo's being that morning in the woods, after they played dead for that lurking Maggart… the reason why this boy didn't feel human… He's only bits left of what was a complete human boy, waiting to crumble and to be soiled by his own dark-sides… and to lessen his self even more.
x - - - - - - - - x
-it felt almost sad…
Cail took a deep breath and sigh it out in frustration.
Duo being Duo could slip away like thin air from people when he's composed; he realized with grim thought, knowing that the him now was not anyone familiar to the boy, and therefor was not someone he'd trust, -yet… no matter what he'd say or do now; more so with his suspicion about the General.
Aaahh… how could he say it to Duo without making him even more guarded about him and his task? -Cail's face fell when he thought that Duo probably had ruled him out as the bad party, or someone he should escape from.
The Lieutenant tsk-ed, and turned on another junction in haste. He was already outside the Palace buildings, now facing the gardens and subconsciously intending to search Duo in the solitary seats or that one swing he'd found him once. But a small voice in his mind told him that Duo wouldn't be there, he wouldn't seek solitude because he didn't need it right now. With a sinking feeling Cail hoped that Duo had yet found himself in some greedy Dignitaries' clutches… because the Duo now hadn't realized it that they knew what he could do with his Maxwell aptitude.
-uuugh… made that Duo himself still didn't know what he could do with his Maxwell aptitude! -Cail groaned to himself, slapping his palm on his forehead and pulled it down giving enough pressure to his face as if he could peel off his tiredness away. He almost didn't sleep last night, waiting for Duo to return in his chamber; nodded off by midnight and went to the bathroom to wash his face; and found Duo sleeping contentedly when he got back in Duo's room. After that he stayed up until morning, fearing something that needed his full attention happened. Only to find Duo's memory had changed in the morning… -why now when the General is being suspicious, too?! His mind complained. Gravely aware that if ever he had to confront the General in front of Duo now, that Duo would instantly defend his cousin's side instead of him… without even giving the circumstance a thought or a doubt about his cousin Treize.
Cail sighed again, deeper. He probably shouldn't poke his nose in that affair about the General too, his mind thought… but he'd promised Duo that he'd still be his friend afterwards. In the outside he only nodded his answer, but inside he was promising himself to it. And he'd grown to care about Duo too. He'd failed once with the beasts ambush in that outing, after all-
Duo was right about troubles loved him, he complained.
And Duo's luck seemed to follow him now, as the Lieutenant instantly backed away and stood behind a wall, looking wide-eyed at said General talking at a corner behind trees… with apparently… -he couldn't believe his eyes…
"…is that Rockefeller?!" he said in his heart; "…what are they doing… looking like old friends that just met each other after so long…?!" He hid himself when he witnessed the two people hugged in friendly gesture and even gave friendly pats on each other's backs. Counting to 3, he peeked again; turning his ears to hear their hushed conversation.
…tonight…
All present…
Will be continued as planned…
…waiting for so long…
Cail frowned; eavesdropping on people from that distance was not easy, he only made a few words while half-reading the lips; and while the General had his back on him too. But, ohh, he'd never seen Rockefeller's face making that kind of happy expression before; with wide smile, beaming eyes and… -flushed cheeks? He almost shivered at the bizarreness.
There was one of The Sixth standing guard behind the General's back; he seemed to feel something amiss and turned his head to his hiding place. Cail pulled his body behind the wall, carefully easing his weight down and squatted; minding the noises he made while doing that, even if it's just the rustle of his clothes brushed against each other. He missed that Sixth's eyes shone in inhuman way looking at his direction from the eye-gap of his full-faced helmet…
"Ooohh! It's so wide here…!" Duo appreciated loudly; earning attention from the practicing soldiers on the court. Duo realized his action and bowed nervously to the people there.
Odin smirked, licking his lips and took a deep breath. "ODIN IS HEEERRE! EVERYONE PUT ON ALL YOUR GEARS AND RUN 10 LAPS!" he roared.
"WHAAAAATT?!" came the collective complaint from all around the huge court.
"STOP COMPLAINING AND START RUNNING!" Odin pulled a bard from the weapon stationery near him and swung it wide making loud swishing sound; challenging curious eyes that directed at him, or his demon and him… or his demon and him AND the-last Maxwell? -for arriving together in somewhat friendly atmosphere too. And left his two tails on the side of the stone court, stepped down the stairs around the court 3 stairs at a time showing his dominance to the soldiers with his physical build, and leered with the bard rested on his shoulder at the side of the circling trek.
"Show off." Heero breathed to comment on his owner's antics. Duo gasped somewhere at his side; probably thinking to himself that Heero could actually talk by himself; and the demon regretted that he wasn't in the place where he could ignore the boy's presence. What was Odin thinking playing with this boy in his current condition…? He promised himself he wouldn't be dragged along when Treize actually objecting about their closeness with his precious cousin, and all.
"Uuhh… so, …you're not joining the practice here?"
And duo being Duo would want to engage him in small talks, Heero complained. He ignored the boy for now; watching Odin chased some low ranks to make them run faster. "…that's cheating! Your legs could step wider to run faster!" and was amazed when a young soldier was brave enough to complain defiantly, and ran in fright when Odin actually roared like a lion at him and his friends…-now scattering around in a not so practice-like run anymore. He almost smiled at the childish scene, knowing that despite their fear, the soldiers actually liked teasing Odin. -ah, that's right… it was because of him that the soldiers had prejudice against the man. Heero stifled a sigh and clamped his lips in a stoic manner. Landing to the presence of the boy near him giving him an open wide stare; he felt like trapped now.
"So, what kind of work does an attaché do? …not that I'm probing or anything…" Duo tried again.
Heero ignored him.
"So, what do you do in your spare time?" Duo continued as if he'd heard the answer to his first question as if they were engaged in a two-ways conversation.
"Hmm…" Duo hummed as if thinking, "I heard the night market in the King's City had such festivities on weekends; I was hoping I could go there if someone would show me around…"
"Well, there are not many things to do in the Covenant. I didn't have many chances to go outside, either…" Duo continued. "Although I like it when travelers camped near the Covenant and brought news from faraway lands. Wahh! It sounds like I was living like a sage or something…! Ahaahahahaa…"
So Duo pretended to have conversation with him…? Heero thought; and realized that he actually didn't ignore the boy, he was just not answering.
"Do you have many friends here…?" Duo asked him again, in a somewhat understanding tone.
He chuckled; "…me neither. But I feel happy about it."
"So, can I be your friend? I'd be very happy if I could…"
Duo chuckled merrier, "…if you change your mind you can start speaking to me; I won't have grudge if you don't, though."
"Aah…" Duo looked like he was reminded about something; "I'm sorry about what happened in the corridor…! I didn't mean to make you feel insulted or anything…"
Heero didn't think that Duo was talking about that time with Relena-
"You must think that human's touch is disgusting, yes…?" Duo continued, his smile didn't falter although he'd given up staring at the demon's face to see whether he reacted to him or not.
-…and the Darque Lady said the same thing too.
Duo chuckled to himself; "I understand. I won't cross my lines; so you could be at ease around me too… I didn't mean to burden you with my words or my presence…"
"It's just a habit of mine to-" Duo chanced a glance to the demon and widened his eyes in surprise when he caught his blue eyes were staring at him apathetically. "I'm sorry. I'll shut up…!" he said hastily turning his head to the front again, looking down to the floor and clamping his mouth tight and looked like he just got reprimanded for being noisy.
-he'd probably got that a lot; being ignored and got mad at for trying to converse with people, the demon thought. Turning his gaze to the court again, noticing 4 soldiers that escorted Duo's outing that time were eyeing the boy with curiosity in a good way. Too bad the Duo now wouldn't even know who they were, he thought.
The silence stretched to over some ten minutes; Heero welcomed it, and just watched Odin having a childish time in his practicing the soldiers. He's not strict when he's in a light enough mood to have fun, he thought.
"…Heero…" Duo called out dejectedly; "If my being here bothers you… I can be elsewhere…" he offered silently, not looking at the demon at his side.
Heero almost sighed in complaint; why this boy couldn't just appreciate the time and their existence in silence, he thought.
And Duo was fidgeting now, twisting his fingers at his front in nervous gesture while chewing his lower lip.
Heero thought to just ignore him again, but knowing that Duo wasn't a bad person and that he owed him some whether Duo remembered or not.
"It's okay."
Duo stilled for several breaths span, doubting his hearing thinking it was the strong wind made him think he heard things. Slowly glancing at the demon's face, fearing the worse than just being ignored; and almost relieved when Heero was looking not at him apathetically, just like before… but still half-disappointed, he stared down at the floor again; positive that he was hearing things…
"It's fine here." Heero said louder without giving unnecessary pressure. Not sounding nice, and not sounding rude.
Duo blinked at him, then; really staring at the demon and tried to decipher the person behind that apathetic mask, feeling more at ease when he didn't have to force himself to abide to common's standards of social norms, like conversing and being polite and all… he felt like he could drown in the unearthly presence of the demon, actually realizing that they probably had more things in common and he didn't need to force his way in to be accepted in the demon's space.
The wind blew strong around the practice court; if he ignored the sounds of the people practicing and the birds chirping on the trees far across, he could hear the unearthly sounds so close to him and yet so distant-
Heero turned his head a little avoiding Duo's reaching hand towards his wings under the flaps of the red fur-hat, giving a little frown of warning to the boy.
". . . your wings…" Duo breathed as if he was half-aware of what he was doing, "…they sound hurting…"
Heero stilled in his avoiding turn, looking dignified with his stoic face. Duo stared into his eyes, looking pained and remorseful. They were so concentrating on each other that they failed to notice that the people on the practice court paused their activity and stared at them while holding their breaths, feeling nervous as they were aware of Odin's dangerous eyes trained at those two as well.
Duo stared at his reaching out hand for a couple of seconds, and back to the demon's face; the winds brought the feel of that unearthly feathers to his touch, he furled and unfurled his fingers teasing that feeling; and pulled his hand… gave a slow bow to the demon, and turned forward again with a level light air around him.
Heero blinked when Duo pulled his air back, feeling the concentrated presence of the boy now wasn't intruding his space. He turned forward too, looking stoic like always; eyes following his owner's movements; ignoring him yelling more orders to the soldiers that earned more complaints from them.
Duo felt the air opened to welcome him, -or just swallowed his presence; he understood how he should carry himself around the demon and that Commander, realizing that Heero's attention centered to that man, thinking that they were close colleagues, or that Heero thought of that man in high praise; feeling that man's protective aura towards the demon…
Duo smiled to himself, feeling something warm touched his heart, it made him feel at ease; he let himself lost in time and the unearthly presence of the demon swallowed him like he was rightful to be there by his side.
…he was content.
x - - - - - - - - x
Odin took Duo to have lunch in the dining hall; intentionally showing off about their weird composition. Heero stoically followed his owner around, standing behind him when he sat down on the chair by the end of the long table to eat; true to his reasoning that he was to guard the man's back. Duo didn't seem to mind about his attitude anymore, he didn't try to make unnecessary conversation to the demon, or inserting him in his conversation with Odin; he just took it whatever words Odin said to him when he spoke on his demon's behalf. Or when the man avoided the subjects when they're too close to the facts about his cohabiting life style, and Duo understood without needing to be told verbally. Duo didn't even asked what the demon was to Odin, or what the man was to the demon.
The man had chased away more than several Dignitaries by glaring deaths at them when they're about to approach Duo; he knew too well what Cail had meant and his concern, greedy people would flock around the power like vultures. He was aware that it was natural behavior as well, knowing he too had experienced what it felt like being the weak and hunted and feeling helpless; he didn't judge them, only avoiding them. He didn't have too many patience to mind them personally…
To his wonderment, the Lieutenant hadn't found them -with Duo along- even until pass midday. He didn't think that Cail would take absence in the middle of his duty, not when he knew how strung up that young man was about his responsibilities. So, either he met with something else or his body bent down by fatigue, Odin tinkered, realizing how tired the Lieutenant looked when they met this morning. The later was highly unlikely, he remembered how Cail with a broken leg was still insisting to follow him to battle when he was his aide; that boy needed to slow down a little, Odin commented to himself. So, it's more likely the previous?
If he really met with something else…- Odin frowned and expanded his concentration to the whole dining hall, taking in conversations and people's gestures; didn't find anything out of the ordinary, including how they reacted discreetly at the sight of his demon. Their being surprised to see Duo with the demon was expected, nothing unusual in that too.
Then, as he stood up after finishing his lunch; he felt it... a spark of anticipation -if not impatience, directed to him or his parade. Probably at Duo, he dismissed; and put a hand behind his demon's back to usher him -somewhat protectively- to escape the crowd. And there it was again…it was concerning him and his demon? It's not from Duo, too. Odin frowned and tried licking back at that spark; it's not lust, it's more like… possessiveness? -he almost couldn't believe it. Someone in this Palace could even think to claim his demon from him…?
Odin turned his head and searched for the owner of that spark, even knowing that that someone would most probably be the unseen and he wouldn't find them with his eyes.
"What?" his demon asked silently, knowing his alarmed face and his uneasiness. Odin herded the boys outside somewhat feeling like a shepherd with two little lambs…-instead of a father with two kids.
"It's been there since before I wake up. You just realized it?" Heero asked in silent voice, didn't seem to care to be alert. Or on the contrary, he insisted to guard his back was because of it? Odin frowned and snorted; the Palace's air had just changed… the Master didn't say when he should carry that certain task, but probably Treize himself had known it? Or worse, that Familiar…?
If it was the unseen, then it's most probably be that cat-Familiar…maybe thinking to get them before he ever made a move on his master. That's more likely the case; and so he thought to test it.
"So, Young Master, do you have anywhere you wanted to go to?" Odin tried with a grin.
Duo blinked at the sudden question, not feeling guarded anymore when the man had his arm around his shoulder again. "I thought you offered to show me the Palace…?" Duo asked, letting Odin didn't call him by name for now.
Odin snorted, "The Palace is boring; you'd have more time to walk around in the Palace later. How about we escort you to see the City? -or outside the City?" Odin implied something about the outing, and was almost positive that Duo would take it.
"Ohh.." Duo seemed like he was contemplating his option. But it was still noon, besides it's not weekend; he thought. "Then, could you take me to see the Palace Library? I heard it has book collections to die for…!" Duo said brightened at the idea of finding rare books he didn't even know existed.
Odin almost tripped at that; "The lib-…?!" That's exactly the-cat's favorite spot of all places in that Palace…! It's literally to-die going there! -Odin complained in his head.
"No can do?" Duo asked with almost a childish tone.
Odin stared at the boy's open face; the boy knew how to use his wide innocent eyes to coax people, the man sweat-dropped. "…okay." He conceded, decided to change his plan and just challenged his suspicion.
x - - - - - - - - x
"WAAAHH! So many books heeere…!" Duo said in astonishment, and realized his loudness, covering his mouth with both hands and glanced back at the librarians at the front desks outside the library tower; grateful that they ignored his slip, probably minding that Odin was there with him.
Odin was looking up at the spiraling staircase at the center of the library; he knew it was the-cat's claim like he owned it, more or less his favorite toy. But he didn't find the-cat anywhere, not feeling even the-cat's invisible eyes on his being. There was even no trace of the-cat on the support cage around the spiraling staircase; his mind was picturing the sight of the-cat in his little girl form hopping on the bars spiraling up and down chasing the cat-walk while Treize was on the narrow T-section like it was a game. He remembered the happy smile on that little girl's face and his heart didn't actually like the idea of taking something important from that-cat; knowing a Familiar's bond to their master could go deeper than his possessiveness over his demon. Gravely aware that if he were to kill his master, he had to kill that-cat first…
His brain shifted its thought to a less depressing subject; he just remembered about that boy whom he paid to get that old-wisdom book from here… while he was just entertaining himself with the thought of such book, thinking that the boy wouldn't actually succeed and he was intending to just pay him for the effort. But was surprised when the-cat really let that boy have it; knowing where those kinds of book were stashed… Odin blinked and squinted at the cupola above. Could he be up there, that-cat? And just realized that he didn't seem to be able to recall about that boy…
He frowned; that was strange, he thought. He was sure to make that boy said his name loud and clear when that boy gave him the book… What was it…? It's something befitting that boy's nature…
Now that he thought of it, he couldn't recall how he looked like, too. He was small for his age, almost looking malnourished… Odin tried to back-trace his memory. Had a smile beaming like-… the more he tried to picture it, the more it was white-washed.
A hand tugged on his lower arm pulled him back to his body. Odin turned his head towards his demon looking at him with an alien frown on his face; the man just realized that the floor felt like swaying under his feet. He blinked his awareness back to his mind; "What, Heero…?" his voice didn't sound as confident as usual.
"Don't go there. You'll get lost…" the demon said.
Odin arched his brows at him, didn't really understand what he meant but knew that the demon realized something. Eventhough the demon didn't meet that boy…?
"You're acting strange ever since I returned." The demon pointed out.
At that Odin almost looked caught. Was he really acting odd? Well, it's that book's faults! -his mind pointed out with pressure. And it reminded him about what the Master told him that night as well… Heero is not a demon.
What are you if you're not a demon?! -he frowned accusingly at the demon's face; who probably thought that the man was objecting that subject as they were out in the open, and returned to his stoic self watching Duo's excitement with the books he'd found.
Odin sighed to himself. His mind recalled the words he caught when he expanded his concentration back in the dining hall; a maid said in a loud reprimanding tone '-just stop carrying that pouch of candies when you can't remember whom it was for'. Hm, that was said tooo-… Odin searched his memory; the voice answering defiantly to that maid was… The cook Manager's!
So it seemed it wasn't only him losing that boy's frame from his memory. Odin harrumphed to the realization. For now he had to plan something to carry out Master's order…
"They said you're asking for me…?" Cail frowned passed the bars of the prison. The young man inside chuckled sounding drunk, and pulled the end of his jacket with a dirtied hand reeking of spirit.
The guard harrumphed in dislike.
Cail sighed tiredly; "…it's okay, I knew his father. What was his mistake again?"
The guard looked dissatisfied for a moment. "…he was drunk in broad daylight and made a ruckus in the market; close to the guard-post, even!"
"Uuuungh!" Cail brushed his face exasperatedly, pulled the guard to a corner and whispered; "His father was a teacher I had high respect of; couldn't you overlook this matter just this once? I'll be indebted to you…"
"And I'll give him a lesson or two so he wouldn't make troubles again. Please?" the Lieutenant continued when the guard looked hesitant.
The guard snorted with a deep frown; "Lieutenant, Sir… it's not my place to say this, but associating with people like him will drag you into troubles…!"
Cail was frowning with dissatisfaction too at the floor, looking troubled. The guard sighed again; "Well… I know that not many people had chances to get their footing-"
Cail brightened at that, the guard continued with enough pressure to his tone; "But only because he was someone you spoke for; please make him understand to stay out of trouble before he make something more gravely like doing it in the witness or even involving -the Nobles-…?" he whispered the last words.
"I understand. Thank-you…-" Cail said with grim tone.
The guard put his hands up when Cail bowed at him. "Don't mention it; I'll pretend this never happened; so you too, if this matter ever leaks out, don't involve me later…?"
"This never happened." Cail said sternly. The guard nodded and opened the prison lock, and left.
The man in the prison chuckled satisfactorily; Cail snorted and stormed inside. "I WON'T HELP YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME! SO DON'T EVEN TRY A NEXT TIME…!" Cail pulled the young man by the collar, actually pushing and flattened his back to the wall.
"Okay-okaaay…!" that man chuckled with drunken tone.
"IT'S NOT OKAY!" Cail yelled and choked the man until he was coughing and flailing; listening to the light steps of the guards discreetly leaving the door to the prison corridor; only letting go when he was sure that they're really alone. The young man slid to the floor with a hard coughing. Cail squatted to speak to him.
"…you could-…" the young man tried, "…just pretended with your strength…?" he protested, still coughing.
"-sorry." Cail said with a grim face, actually looking concerned with a layer of endearing warmth on his eyes.
The young man quenched his coughing, and frowned. "-cough-… you lit the candle in broad daylight?" he almost protested, but also looking up at Cail's eyes with understanding warmth.
"Something urgent came up…!" Cail grimaced. The young man let out one last cough, and stared him. "I can't say it before I have enough proof-!"
"You promised you wouldn't involve yourself in the power-struggle…!" the young man pulled at his sleeve, wide-eyed and looking worried.
"I'm not!" Cail snorted, tapping gently at the hand on his sleeve. "There's just something I couldn't ignore…!"
"I'm sorry I called you here like this; I couldn't get out of the Palace without passing the Palace-ward." He mouthed; earning an alarmed look on the young man's face. Cail tapped the codes onto the back of the hand still on his sleeve; the young man looked baffled with fright, looking at Cail's face with uncertainty. Cail put his fist on his own lips, giving a stare; to others he might look like he was making a gesture of reproach, but he was cuing his friend to keep silent.
The young man nodded once, looking none too happy but conceded. Cail pulled him up and walked him out with a stern arm circling at his upper back; the guards thought he was giving enough pressure to make his words noted by that young man, and let them pass pretending nothing happened.
"Be good, okay?" Cail said off-handedly, ruffled the young man's head with a friendly hand; he was looking younger than the Lieutenant, after all, the guards thought they were probably close childhood friend that were almost like brothers…?
The young man flailed and battled Cail's hand from his head, giving a hard push to his chest to retaliate but he was the one recoiled a step back on his unsteady feet; it earned him a satisfactory chuckles from the Lieutenant. The young man growled, but left without another word. Cail sighed and watched his back passing the lower gate to the long road that intersected with a main road, until the sight of him disappeared in the crowd of the town folks. He scratched his head and turned around, noticing the guards' eyes were on him; he gave a grateful nod at them, and they nodded once to him.
Cail walked into the inner gates; looking up to see the red canopy of the Sanctuary Trees was visible even when he was standing on the court at the foot of the Palace-mountain. People should wonder about those trees, anyway; he thought, and walked into the guardian's gate built into the wall of the mountain, looking up at the sloping staircases, passed the buildings that stacked up towards the Palace at the top. He had to find Duo before anything happened…
x - - - - - - - - x
"…that was uncanny…!" a plump maid commented.
"I thought I was going to throw up my heart, you know? That Maxwell-boy standing in the food line with a grinning Commander Odin patting his back and being friendly?! How weird is that…?" another maid slapped a bread-dough to the table, making a puff of flour with the force.
"Maybe they had a truce about -that demon-?" another maid said in gossiping tone, arching her brows as if talking of something vile.
"-Like, what kind of truce…?" the other maids hunched down in their circle around the table, whispering something under their breaths, and giggled with a high-pitched sound.
Cail sighed behind the wall next to the kitchen door; he didn't mean to eavesdrop on such subject, the mention of Duo was what stopped him from his track. But, Duo was with the Commander, then? Maybe because he met the man that morning; or something he'd said at the time…? Oh, but the Commander sure would have known it about Duo's condition by now, how should he react to their seemingly new-found friendly-encounter? Odin would absolutely take it like an opportunity; for what, he couldn't be sure… but at least the man would chase away the Dignitaries from the boy; Cail nodded to himself.
"Hush, now! You shouldn't be gossiping about your masters openly…!" a young attendant came from the other door that led to the corridor at the opposite wall of where Cail hid, pushing a food cart in his hands.
"But that was what…?" a maid countered, "An open show or something? -the demon- was there too, tailing obediently, and who knows what else -that- being obedient at…?!"
The maids laughed around the tables with a shrill sound; the attendant frowned at the sound piercing his ears, he decided he wouldn't be able to reason with the women and their gossips, so he tried changing the subject half-guiltily. "…if that's weird, tell me about this!" he pulled the white cloth covering the food cart.
That immediately stopped the maids' laughter; they hunched their bodies to peer at the cart. "Whaaat? Again?" they asked collectively.
"I thought he loved it so much he couldn't live without…!"
"More like he couldn't work without!" the attendant's voice said with confident.
"Ah, but I heard from my auntie that he'd never missed drinking it every morning since he was a child…!" a younger maid countered.
Cail wanted to peer inside but didn't want to risk getting caught; he recognized that attendant's voice… it was the attendant of Treize's study.
"Oh yes, I heard about it too…" the other maid supported; "It had to do with his sickly constitution, right…?"
"He was sickly?" the attendant asked.
"What, you didn't know?" the maids asked almost in unison. "General Treize had a weak constitution since birth, I heard he had brushes with death when he was really young, too…" the young maid said silently.
"Him?!" the attendant's voice took Cail's incredulous tone from his mind.
"Unbelievable, isn't it?" the plump maid asked.
"Well…" the attendant sounded doubtful; "All I know as unbelievable is that he never touched his black-flower tea anymore…!"
"Aaahh… and he'd sure had you hysterically panicking when the black-flower disappeared from the market that one time, hu?" the maids patted the attendant's back in sympathy.
"That wasn't funny…!" the attendant frowned defiantly; earning the maids giggled at him in a more pleasant sound. "…and after I insisted to the gardener to plant those flower in the Palace, he decided to change his palate now?" he still complained, though. The maids laughed louder at his expression.
"That's what masters do, isn't it?" the plump maid smoothened, and the other maids gave their agreeing answers in merriment. "They do that when you least expected it…! Hahahahaa…"
Cail widened his eyes, that info was almost giving an affirmation to his suspicion. But since when…? He frowned knowing he couldn't ask the attendant without raising suspicion or exposing himself to the others. Snorted, he walked with fast strides getting away from that kitchen door; a determined frown on his face… tonight, he could confirm his suspicion with his own eyes…
The problem now was Duo… if only he could stay out of trouble by himself…?
-No. He should do something before Duo got mixed into dangerous situation…!
The room was dimly lit, some men sat circling a long table by the center, their aides or guards stood behind them; they all had grim faces and guarded frowns, trying to look like they didn't have doubts about each other present. No one spoke.
A man with a serious frown opened the door behind the empty seat at the head of the table; he entered and bowed, holding the door handle from the inside of the room, pleasing his masters to enter. The men at the table turned their heads at the door simultaneously, something lit in their eyes. Rockefeller came in with his usual haughty air; his abettors tailed him like obedient children. The door closed behind them, he walked to his seat at the head of the table, the men stood up from their seats to greet him -not losing their grim expressions and hesitant looks.
Rockefeller gazed at their faces, staring them one by one in the eyes; nodded his greetings as well as pleasing the men to take their seats back. There was a collective exhale as they eased their body weights almost in the same time, they probably didn't want it to sound like they were snorting, minding the eyes of Rockefeller staring at them like a hawk.
Rockefeller snorted as reply, or just showing his dominance, but he didn't want it to sound rude, either; clearing his throat to smooth it, he started…
"Not everyone is here…!"
The men's eyes fast glanced at their comrades around the table, recognizing who were not there but kept silence, letting their leader to state it as he pleased.
Rockefeller snorted, in derisive this time; "If they're not here, I'll take it that they're leaving…!"
The men looked somewhat afraid at that.
"I'll see them personally later. I didn't call all you here for proving your loyalty just by being present…" there was an implied warning in that sentence; Rockefeller took his seat. "Reports?" he turned to the man nearest at his left.
The man nodded and spoke, "With the Great Judge murdered, we have infiltrated the Factory behind the Palace."
Rockefeller frowned in objection to that supposedly good news; the man blinked and caught himself, cleared his throat and revised his words. "He died of unidentified cause, but rumors said it was murder… The killer is still on the run, but it's to our gain, Sir. -and the-Son couldn't point his suspicion to us, too." He added the last part as an afterthought.
Rockefeller didn't comment and shifted his gaze to the next man.
"The men I sent to infiltrate the Palace, failed in the Palace Court." The man said rather apathetically; the table livened with a round of surprised hum. "Yes, it was my doing. But the-Son needed to see some failure of some assassins every once in awhile; or else he'd suspect that we're building our force right under his nose…!"
Rockefeller snickered at that. He continued to the next man.
"That last-Maxwell checked the Lake Nivdell dam in Kyr's Mountain; as some of you might have heard the news. I didn't think he had proof, but he might have reported it to the-Son…!"
The men looked at that man with narrowed eyes. "I've sent something to keep him from going back to the Palace; but Odin's demon joined him on the way. I couldn't really jeopardize the Contract this early." He continued.
"Right. Not yet. We'll take care about that Contract after we had our claim…!" Rockefeller grumbled. That man nodded his bow in gratitude and understanding. "Production?" Rockefeller continued.
That man lifted his chin a little somewhat looking proud; "Factory below Kyr's Mountain had finished production up to 92% of target, Sir."
There was another round of hum; that man almost smirked.
"The others?" Rockefeller gazed around.
"Rien Fall at 84%, Sir."
"Luma Desert at 98%. We've probably finished as we speak." A stoic looking young man said from his chair at the other end of the table, his hair was shocking white with sickly-pale skin, his accent was of slow-chanted almost pressurizing every syllable, like he was forcing himself to speak with a numb tongue.
Another longer round of hum heard in disbelief; "Desert?!" that proud man in charge of Kyr's Mountain dam asked wide-eyed.
"We have knowledge to make production from the heat. And it's not gaining suspicion too from people who could see something unusual with their water supply." The young man said without looking others in the eyes.
There was a collective complaint and Rockefeller put his hand up easing their voices. "Rion of Sandwater, these men are your seniors, try with more grace."
"…Sandwater?" some men knew they'd heard that name before but couldn't recall the details.
"My ancestors were the first to make verve-crystals even before Arn'crad existed; and you are my seniors…?" his thin fingers played with the ring on his left thumb, the middle part could roll around his finger on the carved base and his eyes somewhat found it more amusing than the men's faces around him. "When your children come to us searching for knowledge to stop their land from becoming a desert, should we teach them or should we call them seniors, too…?" his dry lips pulled to a playful smile. "I could teach them how to build sandcastles…!"
"Sandwater." Rockefeller warned flatly.
The young man's smile pulled wider, eyes turned to the haughty old man; his eye color were light smoky grey, there were no striations nor pupils on them, a shining ring of fire-like colors marked the outer line of each iris; the sight almost made the bewildered men gasped in fright.
"I am here on behalf of my Father, good Sirs. I came to see his Master, not to have friendly chit-chat with you. -I am but a boy playing with sandcastles all his life, please excuse my coarse way of doing things…!" the young Sandwater said silkily; his escorts smirked condescendingly behind him. It made the men frowning in dislike, visibly reining their anger to not ruin their meeting.
"How many verve-crystals were you assigned to make?" the man of Kyr's Mountain asked dignifiedly, thinking of a contest.
The young Sandwater chuckled as his eyes trained back to his ring; "…three-" his accent somewhat sounded childish.
"Three?!" some men quipped as they stood from their seats, looking like they're going to explode; Rockefeller's hand hit the table to stop them.
"Onnne to take hold of General Treize Kushrenada's Familiar, one to keep the Contract demon at bay, onnne to break the Palace Ward…! Do you need more?" the young Sandwater smiled to his ring.
There was a silenced pause in the room. The men looked surprised and skeptical but doubting their disbelief as well, glancing at each other to question themselves. Rockefeller looked solemn despite his objecting eyes, usually he'd reprimand his men for saying Treize's name openly, fearing the senses of the Familiars that could target them even with their precaution spells; they glanced at him and conceded when the man cued them to sit back.
"…you can take down the Palace Ward?" a baffled man at Rockefeller's right asked.
"My ancestors were between the few who made it; the basic to the system was from our clan's art…" the young Sandwater said ignoring the stares he got.
"What about the hawk-Familiar…?" another quipped.
The young Sandwater leered slowly, letting out hissing sound as he closed his eyes as if he tasted something delicious in his mouth. The pale yellowish tongue licked the slightly parted lips was parted at its end. "She'sss still a hatchling…!" he pointed out, "Familiars took hundreds of years to mature; a Familiar younger than me is not even a matchhh…"
The baffled men looked hesitant but already lost their anger, looking at each other with calculating stares, already thinking about victory and the things they'd wanted… the young Sandwater chuckled knowingly, smelling the foul air filled with greed and selfishness and envy, and 'me', 'Me', 'ME'...!
"But IIII-…" he started with a confident smile, looking up the men, giving them a bored piercing stare; "…will only hand them to our Father's Master, in person."
The men looked restless on their feet, not really knowing what the young man meant.
Rockefeller sighed, and stood up. ". . . he's here."
A low hum heard from the baffled men, looking at their leader with relief or hope. A man in black cloak came out from behind the tied curtain separating the table and the space to the door; they didn't realize someone stood there the whole time. The men gasped in alarm when that man pulled the cloak hood down to his shoulders… they paled in disbelief.
The General smiled composedly at the head of the table, as Rockefeller gave his seat to him and stood at his right, a little behind his back as if being inferior. "The older one of Sandwater's twin boys… I still can recognize you by your voice." The General greeted.
The young Sandwater laughed outright, standing from his seat and bowed; "General Kushrenada… It's been a long time since we saw you."
"Your father couldn't make it?" the General asked.
The young Sandwater smiled earnestly, looking at the General's eyes; "He's 372 years old this year; he stopped going out since a decade ago."
"Oh…" the General contemplated; "Too bad, I thought he said he wanted to witness it himself the breaking of that failure Palace Ward…!"
The young Sandwater suddenly let out an almost insane laughter, until he was swaying on his feet that his escorts came to his sides to catch him if he were to fall. "You'rrrre right it's a failurrre! That's why Father wanted it down centuries ago-!" the young man snarled with a wild expression, a shade of black visible from his forehead between his brows spreading around, coloring mostly half his upper face. Six notable fangs visibly jutted from his neat lines of teeth as his lips opened wide enough to show them, 4 on the upper line, 2 on the lower.
"You can take it down now." The General said with smooth matter-of-factly tone.
The young Sandwater's face turned neutral, closing his mouth with an audible click -most likely as those fangs hit each other, staring at the blond General's face with bored eyes; taking a long time doing so, and then smiled again turning back to that stoic young man from before.
". . . as you wish… Master of our Father…!"
x - - - - - - - - x
"I thought that Sandwater would need more convincing…!" Rockefeller grumbled as he poured the blue wine into two glasses; took them in each hand and handed the one in his right to the blond man sprawled on the lounger. He didn't want to admit it that he couldn't take possession of that meeting room with that young Sandwater.
The blond snickered, straightened his back a little as he accepted the glass wine, still lounging lazily as if he didn't care about possible dangers around him; one leg draped on the low back of the lounger, the other rested its foot on the cushion-like armrest at the far end.
"People should be talking about your different ways with trivial details, by now." The old man criticized, taking the wingchair across that lounger.
"Ha!" the General scoffed, taking a gulp of the blue wine and stirred the glass in his hand, watching as that clear blue liquid shone under the light. "Your baffled men almost made me laughed!" he criticized back.
Rockefeller smirked, "I thought you'd enjoy it…!"
"And I did, my friend…!" the General chuckled.
"…are they trustworthy? The Sandwaters?" Rockefeller asked with a frown, stirring his own glass.
"They're usable." The General admitted. "The twins' father knows me; actually I'd be more at ease if it were him coming here. But he's indeed that old…!"
"What about Master?" Rockefeller asked; a flash of vengeance in his eyes as he mentioned that title.
"He left this morning." The General smirked, a melancholic shade in his eyes. The old man didn't miss it.
"Can you really finish this…?"
"Ooohh… are you doubting me, Rockefeller?" the General asked somewhat lazily.
Rockefeller snorted with a derisive smirk. "That boy…! -had given me a lot of troubles while you're on the other side! Forgive me for having to ask this outright, can you finish the King, General?" he asked with a stern tone. "He made you failed once, even with your being here, didn't he?"
The General stared the old man from the ends of his eyes, losing his smirk and looking bored. "If I were still me, you think I'd let you live after speaking to me with that tone, Rockefeller?" his stare turned grim.
Rockefeller didn't react to that, looking contemplative, took a deep breath and sighed audibly; sipped his wine glass once, and watched the blond again. ". . . what about Odin?" he eventually asked.
"Odin is still Odin." The General smiled, "He still has that soft side he thought I didn't notice…!"
"…he'll come to me soon." The General said in closing tone and finished his blue wine in one go.
Duo threw his body onto his bed, squealing like a child as the puff sound heard and some feathers blown to the air. Rolled to his back, he took time to be mesmerized by the floating down feathers. Of course it would remind him of Heero's feathers. He smiled to himself, recalling Heero's stoic face he'd burned into his memory from this whole day… who would've thought that the Commander would actually escort him until dinner and walked him to his chamber, even?
A little voice in his head pointed out that the man was babysitting him for his cousin Treize, but he felt grateful for Treize's paranoia now. Slowly, he started chuckling by himself, pulled the pillow and hugged it covering his face, rolling on his bed squealing like a girl.
"I can be friends with hiiiimm….! Ahahahahahaahahha!"
The guards outside his double doors sweated on their feet; wishing that the Lieutenant would come back sooner.
x - - - - - - - - x
"What's that?!" the guards at the other double doors crossed their spears stopping the covered food cart.
The old attendant looked flustered, even more with his hunched aging back, "This is… I was only told to bring this inside, Sir…" his trembling voice sounded nervous.
The guards frowned and looked at each other; "The General is out right now…!" the first guard countered, almost sounded angry to that ignorant attendant.
"Yessir…-!" the attendant bowed, turning with the food cart along.
A soft click heard and one of the double doors pulled inside about 2 centimeters, not leaving a space to see behind the thickness of the wooden panel.
The guards looked surprised, looking behind at the doors and at each other again, questioning the occurrence, and decided that perhaps the General's cat-Familiar was inside and asked for some food. It's their first time guarding his chamber, so they didn't know the chamber occupants' habits. They let the attendant brought the food cart in, looking worried when the door closed from the inside… if they did something wrong, it'd be their heads on the line…! Why didn't The Sixth guard this chamber as usual? -they mumbled under their breaths and stood guard again.
The room was dark, like no one was there; Cail frowned. Taking the attendant hat from his head and held it on his front in generic posture. "…Sir?" he tried, his eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, already knowing he didn't see anyone in the living room. Walking slowly to the doors of the inner chamber, he tried to open the door… the panels opened when his fingers poked at them. He frowned again…
"Siir…?" he tried again louder with trembling olden voice, daring himself into the dark bedroom.
A small shift of air felt from the head of the large bed; he gasped, bowing his head… wondering if his guised was flawed, and assuring himself that it didn't. At least the guards outside didn't recognize it was him-
A rustling sound answered him from the bed, at the far corner of the drape post.
Cail frowned, it didn't feel human-
Looking around his surrounding, making sure there was no one present in that room, he walked to that spot, rounding his way around the bed as he did. Taking another look around the room then pushed the heavy drape aside a little. There was a surprised rustle when he did it; Cail frowned as he found a shivering bundle pressed itself to the headboard.
He could make out the bulge of a head, shoulders and some limbs under the thick blanket.
-no, that's not a blanket… it's the tapestry from the wall; he thought.
But he was positive it was a humanoid-creature under that tapestry; from the size it was around a human adolescent's.
He blinked; that General had this kind of hobby…?! He thought with skeptical tone, and people said he was more of a loli-con…teenagers shouldn't be in his range of preference...? But the proof was there in front of him… Or was it the General's Familiar's catch…?
He let the drape in his hand fell behind his back, the sound made the bundle jumped in surprise, a gasp of fear heard from it. Cail frowned deeper, he thought and whispered; "I'm sorry. I'm not the master of this room. Please excuse my insolence…"
The bundle stilled, and with that as cue, Cail slowly and carefully peeled the overlaying cloths from that cocoon; his heart beat nervously, his alarm had sounded in his head the moment he was greeted with a dark room inside.
Short black hair-
That's the first sight that greeted his eyes; then of naked shoulders… slender arms hugging the bent knees on the chest. Clawed hands, scraping at the upper arms on and off…there were proofs of how sharp those black pointy nails on the pale skin. As if the creature was hurting itself in frustration-
This's wronggg…-! His mind groaned; he felt the shivers started to climb up his arm from the ends of his fingers; the thick cloth fell from his numb hand to the bed.
The picture was almost familiar to his eyes… he'd seen that frame too many times…!
A pair of black cat-ears suddenly perked up from the black haired head; Cail gasped and unconsciously took a step back. His body seized by freezing fear, he tried shaking his head in denial… the black head slowly pulled up from the bent knees and folded arms.
"-…noo-" his voice choked by fear. -it's that-cat! It's undoubtedly that-cat, but the face is wrong!
The wide eyes were glazed, either by tears of fright or pains… those lips thinned and trembled, the same upturned nose, the same immaculate face… But the expression is wrooong!-his mind yelled frantically.
The clawed hands grabbed at Cail's tunic; he gasped landing his mind into his body with a painful realization that it was not a bizarre dream. A long hiss, several gasps, another miserable hiss… Cail widened his eyes.
"You can't speak…?!" he saw a collar around the lithe neck with thin black chains attached from it to the drape post; his heart sank…
That all-too-known face bent in anguish, a hand clawed at the collar making a soft ringing sound as the trembling fingers touched it; a lick of power in the air, and the clawed fingers recoiled and bled a black liquid. The contorted face pleaded at him with hisses, pulling at the tunic with the hand still gripping at the cloth tightly.
". . .-e. . . iz-" the-cat managed to let out with difficulty; and then he shook his head violently. When Cail tried to calm him, he pushed him in frantic. Hissing, pushing, while shaking his head.
"-I know!" Cail tried, "I know about your master, please stop!" He realized the hands were so weak he didn't even feel like he was pushed. -wait.
Cail stiffened; the-cat was that weak, presumably because of that collar… so who opened the door for him?
The-cat stopped pushing him, now that all-too-known face contorted in a deeper anguish, looking like it's about to cry. The chill made Cail shivered; it made sense now… the old attendant who wouldn't put up much resistance when he ambushed the man on his way to this chamber, the new guards outside the doors instead of The Sixth…, the General being away-
A dim light shone in the corner of the room; Cail gasped as the bed drapes furled by themselves, coiling around the posts like snakes; soft cracking sounds heard as the wood yielded under the pressures. That light formed like a thin crescent shape, Cail narrowed his eyes, recognizing that light was lit inside the helmet of the armor that stood on the corner. -it was empty…! He thought…or the person wearing that full-body armor could hide their living signs perfectly!
-it's a trap! He worded in his heart. With pained heart he realized he was used as part of the trap too… "Dammit!" he cursed to himself.
The armor head turned at him with a silent creaking sound, he could see that the light was actually two shining rounds, as in eyes. The clawed hands pulled at his tunic now, trembling in fright; Cail glanced at that pained face, knowing that Familiar was worried about him… he couldn't do anything to calm him but smiled; he tried a reassuring smile, although his eyes might have betrayed him.
"Cail. Lieutenant." The slow-chanted gentle voice coming from the armor carried a smile. "I am Scion of Sandwater. You can remember that name in the afterlife…"
Cail discreetly eased the dagger handles from inside his sleeves to his grips; he didn't know whether he could make a difference, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.
…in the back of his mind, he knew he'd heard that voice somewhere… maybe not the exact voice, but he remembered the feel of the smile it carried-
A blazing light-
…and then silence-
The-cat hissed frantically…
-the bed drapes closed.
x - - - - - - - - x
x - - - - - - - - x
thanx for reading…
The new comics book (that-one that took over 3 years to finish…-duh) is finally released, not yet have it officially launched, though. Somehow saru is in bad mood in the wait… just found out when the print-proof books arrived by mail that there's 2 pages missing, and 1 page (part of the climax too) is a blank-dialogue page repeated from some earlier page (…meaning, it's missing too).
Aaaaa…okay…. They were kind of in a hurry lay-outing it for an event in Jakarta (that was just held yesterday/ feb 29); and our editor said they couldn't reprinted it because it's already distributed to book stores. Uhhh? Okay, let's just upload the missing pages in our fan page, then…? No? our editor told us to wait… but, eeehhhh-saru-is-confused-now.
…Let's just upload some fics.