Chapter Three

I Think I Love You

It seemed they had been waiting in that room for hours when they heard it. Something was scrabbling at the door. Quatre huddled closer to Heero as Trowa readied the dagger. The wood started to splinter and shatter in places, until the group of friends saw claws bursting through. The creature following the claws. It was hideous. It seemed to have been sewn together using bits of humans and animals. It's sightless eyes turned to them and blood dripped from its mouth. Trowa flung the dagger and it hit the monster's forehead. Together they ran from the room and through the hoards of monsters making their way up the stairs towards them. Quatre yelled out as they ran.

"Where's Wufei? We can't leave him!"

"He said to run north. We have to trust he'll be ok. Oh my-!" Trowa stopped in the middle of the room. Tobias lay clutching a gaping wound in his side as he tried to struggle to his feet. Trowa crossed over to him and knelt beside him. Tobias shook his head, his silver hair stained in blood.

"Go! Don't stop for anyone. You have to get to the Gypsy Adara. We cannot help you now!" Trowa hesitated before standing and running again, the others following closely. Quatre yelled and tripped over a body on the ground. He turned just in time to see the axe swinging towards him and a blur passing in front, blocking it's descent. Wufei struggled and manages to throw the creature backwards, and watching as it was swallowed by the shadows. He turned and pulled Quatre to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Quatre nodded.

"Good, then hurry. If you are quick then you should make it to the village by nightfall. There are horses in the stable. Take them and ride to Adara's village. Do you still have the dagger?" Trowa shook his head and Wufei bit his lip before handing a necklace to Heero.

"Give her this instead. Now go!" Wufei shoved Quatre through the door and slammed it as more monsters came pouring into the room. Quatre and Heero ran and caught up with the others as they headed towards the stables Wufei had directed them to.

They had been travelling for hours. The sun was beginning to set and the road they travelled uneven and rocky. Duo laid his head against Zech's back and sighed.

"Do you think Wufei got out alright?"

"I'm sure he did. Wufei's strong. Heero, are you alright? You seem pretty quiet over there." Heero nodded. His thoughts were on the dark man they had left behind.

'He's so beautiful, yet so dangerous. Like Deadly Nightshade. I wonder if he could ever feel the same way I do. If he could ever return my affections. Now I'm just being silly, Wufei will want a wife to bear his children. He probably has no interest in men, not like that. But I can dream I suppose.'

Zechs shook his head as Heero drifted back off into his mind. He looked troubled and Zechs wanted to know what he was thinking. It was pretty obvious that the teenager had a crush on Wufei. Maybe he was regretting leaving him back at the mansion. He was ripped out of his thought by Quatre's excited voice.

"I can see it! A village!" Sure enough a village was visible in the distance. They could get there within the hour if the rode fast enough. Decision made they all looked at each other before racing in the right direction, Duo and Quatre bouncing along behind their lovers.

"So you must be the charges Wufei told me about. My name is Adara Mina-Sahib. Can you prove Wufei sent you to me, and that you don't wish to take my life?" Heero pulled out the necklace and handed it to her. She gasped and held it to the light.

"The Royal Crest! He must really trust you if he gave you this." Duo blinked.

"I'm sorry, Royal Crest?" Adara nodded.

"Prince Wufei has this on his person always. It has a protection spell cast within it, and its holder will always be safe from moderate harm. Of course it is useless in battle but it has always proved useful in normal travels. Hmm, did I say something wrong?" Everyone was staring at her in disbelief. Duo found his voice quickly.

"PRINCE!!! 'FEI'S A PRINCE!!??" Adara winced.

"I see he didn't tell you. Very well, I shall. Wufei is the prince of two countries, Celestia and Dracaena. His father was the king of Celestia and his mother the queen of Dracaena. When Wufei was revealed as a Mystic his mother sent him for training and named his brother Liandren the crowned prince of both lands. Zaniel wanted none of that and declared that Wufei would always be the prince of Celestia. And now if Liandren falls he will be the heir to both countries, he shall be king. Lucedique and Liandren are both trying to kill Wufei so that the older twin can rule both lands. Lucedique has fashioned Liandren after herself, evil and uncaring in the ways of family. Wufei has not seen his father since he was 4 years old, and has not spoken to his mother since he was 12. That is Wufei's story. Come now, you must rest. You've had a long journey." The others followed Adara into a room with beds and a fire dancing in a grate. She left them to undress and sleep.

"Wufei. You're alive! I was so worried about you." Adara rushed and got some healing salves as Wufei sat heavily on the chair next to the fire.

"Adara, the others have all fallen. I am the last remaining Mystic. Tobias, Star, Chase…they're all dead!" Tears fell down Wufei's bloodstained and dirty cheeks, leaving trails where they fell. Adara rubbed salves gently into his wounds.

"Don't cry little one. They're in a better place now-"

"Don't say that! I know what happens when a Mystic dies! We are cursed to The Void! A place where there is no sight, no smell, hearing or touch! There is only nothingness! I cannot bear to think of my family trapped there!" Wufei buried his face into his hands and sobbed.

"Adara, they were my only friends for so long. Why can they not go to the next life like everyone else?" Adara took Wufei gently in her arms and cradled him.

"Because that is the way of the world. They knew what would happen when they chose to take on the role of a Mystic. Now you must tell me how the battle went." Wufei wiped his eyes on his sleeve and took a deep breath.

"We lost everyone on our side. The foe was defeated for the most part. But the Necromancer remains alive and a few monsters escaped with him. I cannot believe Liandren sunk so low as to attack like that. I'm his own damned brother! Did the others get here alright?" Adara nodded.

"They're sleeping in the other room. They were tired out poor tings. You look tired yourself little one. Go rest, I'll have some clean clothes brought for you." Wufei nodded and stood, taking a moment to gain his balance before heading into the other room.

Heero blinked in the darkness as he heard the door open, then close again softly. Maybe Adara had come to check they were all asleep? He heard the rustling sounds of clothes being removed and the bed next to him creaked slightly as someone allowed their weight to rest on it. Maybe this was where she slept too. He turned, his curiosity getting the better of him and gasped slightly as he recognised the dark hair, and skin pale in the moonlight. There was a bruise across Wufei's left cheek but nothing more serious that he could see. He jumped as Wufei's dark eyes opened and rested on him, eerily intense in the darkness as he let them adjust.

"Are you alright Heero? Can't you sleep?" Wufei shifted and propped his head onto his hand, never removing his eyes from Heero's.

"I'm fine. Are you injured?" Wufei shrugged one shoulder slightly.

"Not much. A few cuts and bruises, and a couple of broken ribs. But it's nothing to worry about."

"How many broken?"

"Four. They'll heal quickly. Did you all get here alright though? None of you are wounded?"

"We're fine. All of us. Are your friends here too?" Wufei turned away to hide his face in the shadows.

"They all died. I felt Valentine die just two hours ago. Stupid blood!" Heero swung his legs out of his bed and sat next to Wufei. Silently he lifted his head up and brushed away the crimson tears.

"Why do you cry blood?" Wufei blinked up at him, smiling sadly.

"It's a curse I think. No one ever told me much about it. Whenever a Mystic dies, the others let their grief be known in crimson tears. It started when two Mystics were in love centuries ago, one was killed in battle and the man painted her blood on his face as tears, to express the pain he felt. Since then, it just happened." Wufei blinked again and another blood drop fell to his cheek, leaving a trail before it was brushed away by Heero's long fingers. Heero found he couldn't stop staring into Wufei's dark eyes. They were so expressive, a true window to his soul. It was no surprise when their lips met, a simple brush before becoming something more passionate. Heero slid his tongue along Wufei's lower lip, and moaned softly as they parted, allowing him entrance into the warm cavern of his mouth. Wufei's arms slid up and around his neck and he shifted, deepening the kiss even further. Eventually though, they both felt the lack of oxygen and parted, albeit reluctantly. Wufei smiled and shifted over on the bed, and Heero smiled softly before settling down next to him, pulling Wufei against his body and kissing the top of his head.

"Wufei?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I love you." Wufei smiled and snuggled closer to Heero's warmth.

"I think I love you too."