Chapter Four

Heero woke up. He carefully looked around him. He saw the three blown out candles, how two different sets of both lingerie and two different dresses along with his own clothes were littered on the floor below. Most important of all, he saw how Selena and Relena were asleep peacefully right beside him. He quickly thought back to the events of last night. Another awful memory. How could he just let things go so far? But then he suddenly remembered one thing: it was them who had given him his curse. He wanted answers.

"Up already? There's no need to rush your day…" Relena said sleepily as she placed a hand on his arm and tried to pull him back down but he took it off.

"I want answers" he said.

"Patience. All in good time…" she continued.

"I want them. Now."

Then Selena woke up although indolently. She lifted her body up but still leaned on the bed. Relena followed in a similar fashion.

"Alright. Ask" she said.

"How do I rid Lucrezia of her illness?"

"You'll have to find out for yourself if you succeed in getting passed the Cave of Trials" she said.

"Where?"

"The Cave of Trials. It's hidden somewhere out in the mountains. We can lead you there" Relena went on to say.

"What do I do there?"

"We cannot say. It all depends on you" she said further.

"What do you mean?" Heero asked. He was annoyed by the answer not being clear.

"Any who find the way and enter have different trials. No one knows what it can be. Only after you go in."

"And how do I get rid of this curse?"

"Is that what you really want Heero?" Selena asked him.

"Yes" he said without a doubt.

"Then you'll have to make that as one of your wishes in the Cave upon success. There's nothing we can do about it."

He hid his disappointment and anger.

"What is on our itinerary?" he asked hoping to distract himself from his feelings.

"First we take the train to the sea, and then by boat we travel to an island and then a forest and from there, we go up the mountain ourselves. I think that would be the best way."

Heero got off the bed and scavenged the floor around the bed looking for each article of his clothing. He put them on and tried to make sure he didn't look too messy or rushed. "We leave for this cave as soon as possible. I'll expect you to be waiting here for me when I get back."

Heero returned home to see his wife. He wanted to let her know he would be away for a few days before coming back. He found her at the garden helping to water plants and flowers even though there were servants to do it. It was something she often did in her spare time as a hobby.

"Lucrezia, good morning" he said.

"Heero? Welcome back. How was the ball yesterday night?"

"It was alright. I hear Dorothy's learning to ride horses and to wield the blade according to Quatre. Interesting isn't it?"

"Yes, it sure is" Lucrezia said.

"By the way dear… I just wanted to tell you I wanted to go away for a few days to the mountains and I'll be back in a few days. I don't know exactly how long I'll be. Maybe a week."

"Oh? Well alright. Why are you going? Is it with friends?" she asked him.

"…Uh… I was invited by a few acquaintances I met yesterday night to… to join them on a hike and some hunting over at the mountains. Would it be alright?"

"Of course, Heero."

"Now listen, I'll be back soon. Don't overwork yourself ok?" He kissed on her head. He went back inside to take a bath and then got dressed in fresh clothes before leaving again.

When Heero returned to that little house, he found the two sisters waiting near the front door from the inside. They were dressed already in new, everyday clothes unlike the fancy kind from last night. They were things like heeled shoes, long skirts, and short-sleeved blouses. And Heero had to admit they had an interesting, sophisticated sense of fashion.

"I bought three tickets for the train already. Are you ready to go?" he said to them.

"We are if you are" Relena answered.

"Good. Come on, the train leaves in about an hour."

The three of them sat together on the train compartment. Relena and Selena sat next to each other on the same row while Heero sat just from across them. He was looking out the window.

"I thought you would've been able to afford higher class than this" Selena said politely expressing her unexpectation for sitting on a metal tin chair. Although the compartment wasn't dirty, it seemed unrefined and dull in design. Very plain and not to mention how it was somewhat crowded with people.

"Is there anything else I need to know about what we're doing?" Heero asked instead of replying to the question. He thought it was best to take the cheapest travel because he was expecting this journey to be one of great importance under the greatest shroud of secrecy from other people. That way, it would seem like he was never there and no one would know what he was doing.

"Well, if anything, I should tell you… the power of the Cave already knows you're on your way there. It's trying to make it a bit of a challenge for you. Your curse will have to happen a bit sooner than usual between making love until the next time. But don't worry, it's not too much I assure you" Selena explained but Heero acted as if he wasn't paying attention.

"I don't think there's going to be much for us here. We'll be around Heero" Relena said as she and her sister got up and went to exit the compartment to the next one up. "But remember Heero… if you don't have anyone to help in your time of need… you can come find us…" she advised him. They left.

Alone now, Heero took some time to think. But watching the scenery outside the window from a moving train made him feel tired so he decided to take a little nap.

Heero woke up feeling a slight headache. The world around him was slightly blurred and then it would become clear and normal again through his vision. It was like he was a bit drunk somehow. He looked outside the window and saw it was night time. Had he really slept that long? But now wasn't the time to think about that. For him to be like this meant that he had been leaving his hunger unattended to for some time in his sleep. He then remembered what they were just telling him before they left.

He had to find them.

He left the compartment he was in and went into the one where he saw them headed. He was sure to scan each seat or place for them. They weren't there. So he went into the next one and then next one after that. He saw after reaching one of the compartments, conditions were slightly more comfortable. There were fewer people and nicer furniture as well as few employees providing service. But as he took the time to check everyone he saw, he only felt his condition worsen a bit more. Then finally, he got to the last compartment for passengers. This one was the first class section. But they still were nowhere to be found. He began to worry. Where were they? All there were left were the quarters compartments. He went straight back to where he woke up and went into the compartment behind where the first set of quarters were found. In the first were the most luxurious rooms and then followed by somewhat less luxurious than that and then finally at the back were the plain, basic rooms. He went into their assigned one. At last, there Relena and Selena were sitting down on one of the beds.

"Listen… I think its time…" he said to them panting slowly. He had been spending the last thirty minutes or so searching for them and as he did, his hunger only had more time to grow.

"I can see that now Heero. We were just waiting for you." They both stood up and then Heero reached for Relena's hand but she took it off.

"I beg your pardon but not here" she said with a disapproving tone.

"…What?..."

Relena and Selena took a glance around the quarters with their heads positioned slightly upwards. They saw two pairs of bunker beds. And each bed only had room for just little more for than one person and made from something such as cotton or linen or wool.

"You'll have to provide us with something more comfortable than what you have here."

"…But… but… I…" Heero said growing weaker and urge being boosted. He tried to keep his balance but slowly was brought to kneel and then finally unconsciousness. As he descended, he looked up to the sisters hoping they would have a change of heart but they only looked at him expecting him to be stronger than that. After he was down on the floor, Relena and Selena looked at each other. They came into an agreement.

They carried him on their shoulders making their way back up to the first-class quarters. They knew that along the way, there was an empty room which they could use there.

"Our friend here isn't feeling well and we need a room that can give us more space than ours so we can operate on him. May we have the key to that one just down there?" Selena said asking an employee.

"Right, of course. Wait here" he agreed and hurried to get the key. When he returned, he handed it to them. They opened the door.

Inside was much nicer than the room they were given because Heero bought third-class tickets. The room wasn't luxurious but it would have to do since it was only on a train. There was a fair-sized bed made from somewhat more elegant fabric at least, but with Heero unawake, it was useless. Instead, they placed him on the armchair.

Selena closed the door and locked it. Relena undid Heero's zipper and sat on him and then lifted her skirt. For now, she would only do the minimum she had to in order to keep him alive. But with the Cave's omniscience knowing Heero started his journey, it used its power to make his hunger happen sooner than it usually did. Even if she was going to do the bare minimum, she would still need Selena to take her place.

Because the cave made his curse stronger as well so it would take more than just her.

To be continued…

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