Dual Fates Part 8
For Eternity
by
Sailor Janus
Duo glanced down at Hotaru who was still in his arms, but not clutching onto him nearly as tightly as she previously had. "Man, how many more lives are we gonna have to go through?! I don't think I want to know anymore."
"We have to otherwise we'll be stuck here. I just don't know how much more I can take. We couldn't have been reborn too many times?" the dark-haired young woman murmured.
"Guess we'll find out. Wanna try again?"
Pulling away, Hotaru nodded, "It's now or never."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tiresomely the dark-haired young woman picked up her head, carefully adjusting her bonnet. Briefly smiling, she gazed at a couple of chirping birds as they flew past. With a small sigh, she continued sweeping the small inn.
Hannah Tailor was a girl of nineteen, left orphaned by her mother and father, forcing the violet-eyed girl to be placed into the kindly innkeeper's home as a kitchen girl.
She did not mind the labor much. Goodman Andrews was always courtesy enough to give the teenager plenty to eat and a dry place to sleep. He thought generously of the quiet girl and often thought of her as his own, much like his only child, Mary, an extremely cheerful and talkative girl who was the same age as Hannah.
"Hannah!" the bubbly blonde cried out, upon entering the kitchen which the dark-haired teen was busy tidying up.
Glancing up, the kitchen girl took notice to her master's daughter, muttering a greeting with her head held low, "Hello, Miss Mary. How is your day?"
Giggling, Mary's blue eyes crinkled as she swept a lock of golden hair behind one ear. "Hannah! You know you don't have to be so formal around me! We are practically sisters!"
"Sorry Mary, I often forget. So my question?" the violet-eyed girl softly said, finishing up her cleaning before completing the preparation of dinner.
Seizing a bright red apple from the fruit basket, the innkeeper's daughter grinned. "It was quite lovely! I saw three gentlemen who are residing in our common inn. The fair haired one was quite charming."
"I am glad. So has cupid finally drawn an arrow to your heart?" Hannah coyly asked, knowing the girl was about to sing her heart out anyway. The dark-haired teen couldn't help but feel slightly melancholy. After all, she and Mary were at the proper ages for marriage. Of course most men barely gave the kitchen girl the time of day, knowing that the dowry she held was minimal.
Mary happily spun around the room, demonstrating her enthusiasm. "I see Miss Hannah is quite perceptive! Yes, I think cupid's arrow as finally hit its mark."
Nodding, Hannah turned her attention to the stew with was slowly cooking in a large pot. Silently she bit her lip, cursing Mary's cheerfulness. 'How can one always be so giddy?'
"You should meet them, Hannah," the blonde continued, startling the dark-haired girl with such a suggestion.
"What?! Mary that is absurd! I am nothing more than a mere kitchen girl. Poor at that. Why would anyone, gentleman or not, show interest in me? I am nothing," the violet-eyed girl argued, brushing a few stray strands of shoulder length hair out of her face.
"Don't be so silly Hannah! You are quite lovely and I'm sure there is one man that does not care about money. As long as you leave Mr. Winters to me, I'll allow you to choose among the other two." Mary, smirked, twirling a lock of blonde hair around her finger.
Instead Hannah scoffed at the naive blonde's answer. "Me lovely? I am simply plain. My hair is incredibly dull, my skin is so horrifyingly pale, and I am terribly thin! How could anyone even call me pretty or even fair?"
"I cannot understand how you can think so little of yourself. It's simply terrible," Mary sighed. 'Why can Hannah not see the true beauty she actually bestows?' Curtly, she spun around. "Well, be a kitchen girl forever if it pleases you, but I am not going to stay in this inn for the rest of my life! Good day sweet Hannah."
With that last word, the blonde-haired girl left the room, leaving the violet-eyed teen to her duties.
"If only my life were as simple as yours fair Mary, then perhaps the sun would shine for me as well," Hannah murmured, as she gathered dishes for the evening meal.
Suddenly a plate slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. To the girl's surprise, one violent chunk sliced her leg as it bounced off the floor.
With a gasp, the kitchen girl placed the other dishes on the floor next to her before inspecting the cut.
"Great, I'm bleeding," Hannah sighed, reaching out her hand to the wound. Oddly, her hand began to glow a vibrant purple. In horror the dark-haired young woman stared in shock at her hand before touching the cut, healing it instantly. "It-it's fine? The cut is gone but how?! Wh-what am I?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A few days later.....
Earnestly, Hannah struggled to open the door in order to dump out the wash water. Unfortunately, the door refused to budge, creating a juggling act for the exhausted girl.
"Come on please open!" she pleaded, yanking roughly on the door.
Suddenly, a young man came up behind her and opened the stubborn door. "There you go Miss," he grinned with a mock bow.
Amazed, the dark-haired teenager blinked at the kind gesture. "Thank you," she nodded, leaving through the entrance way, with a curious glance over her shoulder. 'He seems, charming.'
Raising his eyebrows, the chestnut brown-haired man watched the girl leave. there was something that Deen found rather intriguing about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on it. 'Have I met her before? She seems familiar.'
Hannah was so distracted by the man's action that as she almost fell while dumping out the water. Luckily, Deen was right behind her, steadying the young woman before she fell in the large puddle.
"Might not want to swim in that. The water doesn't look too sanitary," the cobalt blue-eyed man grinned.
Perplexed the kitchen girl frowned at him, but not in disgust, more likely in confusion. "I thank you but why?"
"Well, you appeared to need help so I obliged," Deen shrugged. "Isn't that pot a little too big for you?"
Abruptly, Hannah spun around, picked up the pot and began heading towards the door. "We are not allowed to talk alone."
"Oh you mean that stupid law? Yeah, but who would know? Everyone else is inside," the chestnut brown-haired man said following the young woman inside.
"I am missing and so are you. Someone would probably become suspicious about our absence," the kitchen girl explained, her violet eyes glowing intensely.
"So we'd have to be married. So what," Deen smirked which earned him a horrified look from Hannah.
"Are you mad?! By marrying me, you would be granted nothing! I am a kitchen girl, I barely have anything consisting of a dowry, and you would receive nothing in turn for marrying me," the young woman argued, pacing around the kitchen.
The chestnut brown-haired man stared at the violet-eyed teen when a smile finally broke on his face. "Why do you think I am so concerned about money?"
"Why else would anyone want a scrawny, pale, straggly-haired girl such as myself. I'm Hannah the kitchen girl for crying out loud!"
"Why do you talk so little of yourself? You're beautiful," Deen found himself saying not understanding why he was acting the way he was. The blue-eyed young man was never this forward. 'What am I saying? I have never seen her before. Damn that law! I'd like to get to know her better.'
Hannah froze with her back to the kitchen door. Shock filled her deep violet eyes, staring endlessly at Deen, "I-I have to go!" Quickly, spinning around, the teen fled from the kitchen and the man which left her feeling so confused.
Deen stood his ground, watching the girl who he felt could be the love of his life race out of the room. "I don't know why you are doing this to me, Hannah, but I can't stop thinking about you. It's like I have met you before."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Curiously, Quinn Winters and Walter Cole watched the kitchen girl run from the kitchen. There was only one thought that came to mind, Deen Miner.
With a sigh, the chestnut brown-haired man emerged from the kitchen, with shiny look to his dark blue eyes.
"My ear says someone is in love with Miss Hannah," the blonde smiled, watching his friend take a seat next to them.
"The weak kitchen girl?" the black-haired man inquired, raising an eyebrow at the braided-haired young man.
"Not as much as a certain gentleman who is in love with the innkeeper's daughter," Deen smirked as Quinn turned a bright shade of red.
Nodding Walter added, "He's thinking of asking her father."
The chestnut brown-haired man's blue eyes grew wide as he gaped at the peaceful man. "Is that true?"
Instead of an answer of course, Quinn only turned a bright shade of red, trying to hide his face in his jacket.
"Awww, Quinn is in love," Deen snickered, taking a sip of the ale in his cup. 'And I think, so am I.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
For the next several days, Hannah constantly avoided Deen unsure of what she feeling and if she was indeed going crazy. Soon the news spread that Quinn had asked for Mary's hand in marriage to the surprise of the others, but the father accepted, knowing that the young man would his daughter the way she deserved to be.
Mary of course was ecstatic that the innkeeper agreed and a few days later, they were married.
After the small marriage however, Goodman Andrews approached Hannah with the suggestion that left her bewildered.
"Hello, Goodman Andrews. Mary made quite a lovely bride," the girl smiled politely earning a nod from her guardian and keeper.
The normally happy man bitterly spoke. "Quite. Hannah as much as I have enjoyed your company and hard work, I am growing ill and no longer will be able to manage the inn. The doctor said I have a week at most to live."
The kitchen girl's violet eyes grew wide as she stared at the older gentleman. "Goodman Andrews, I am so sorry. If there is anything-"
"There is. Hannah, I believe marriage would be a good change for you," the man sternly said, receiving another shocked expression.
"What if I don't want to be married?" Hannah slightly challenged the innkeeper who shook his head.
Taking a deep breath Goodman Andrews began to explain what he had been planning for the past few days after accepting the marriage of his only daughter. "I took notice that young Deen showed interest in you and told him that I am close to death. Once I die, since you are not my flesh and blood daughter, you would be left out on the streets. He has agreed."
"What?! How?! I...I don't know?!" The dark-haired girl babbled feeling all the color drain from her face. 'How could he do this to me?!'
"Hannah, it has been done. Do not argue with me." With that the older man walked away with a fitful of coughs.
During their conversation Deen cringed with speculation as far how his young future wife to be going to take the news. One glare later he received his answer.
Catching sight of her fiancé, Hannah rushed up to him, appearing as though she was about to punch him, but stopped short. "How could you?!"
"The innkeeper approached me after Quinn had asked for Mary's hand, honest! I was going to refuse but when he said he was dying and you would be left on the streets....I couldn't let it happen." the chestnut brown-haired man sighed in defeat, dropping his gaze to the floor.
"Then this is nothing more than a pity marriage," Hannah said at a whisper, appearing very unsatisfied.
"No! Listen, I was planning to ask you, eventually, but everything happened really fast. I do like you I just wouldn't consider marriage right now. It was either me or Walter who I think you'd hate." Deen admitted as he played with the tip of his braid.
Releasing a sigh, the teenaged girl leaned against the wall. "I guess we'll, see what exactly is going to happen next."
A few days later, Deen and Hannah were married, but not all ended in bliss.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hotaru and Duo stared gaping at each other in sheer bewilderment.
"We were married?!" the couple exclaimed at the same time, releasing the grip they had on each other's hands.
Silently the two adverted their eyes, concentrating their focus elsewhere for a short time period before looking at each other once again.
"Um, That was a shock. I completely forgot about it," Duo admitted as Hotaru stiffly nodded, lightly biting her lip.
"Me too," the dark-haired girl murmured quietly sighing. That was the last thing two would have expected. "I also had my healing power."
Arching eyebrow, the braided-haired pilot studied the girl's face, "Does that make a difference? You don't mean..."
"Considering the time period we were in during that life, yes it is probably exactly what you are thinking. I just wonder how bad it really was? I don't know if I want to go back," the senshi of Saturn admitted, sorrowfully turning away.
Duo's heart went out for her. Gently, he wrapped his arms around the violet-eyed girl, not saying word. Lightly, he leaned his chin on Hotaru's head refusing to let go. Neither moved from their positions and remained as they stood. The girl in the cobalt blue-eyed man's embrace, and he simply supporting her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author's Notes: Yes, I finally finished this chapter! I know exactly what I want but how to get there is a different story! Sorry it took so long but my schedule is packed!
Yes, once again I switched characters names again. Most are probably obvious but here is the run down.
Hannah- Hotaru
Deen- Duo
Mary- Minako
Quinn- Quatre
Walter-Wufei
Hope you enjoyed it!