Fairy Tales Bk 3 Ch 1

Fairy Tales Book 3 - Sweet Sixteen
Part 1

The next few weeks passed in a haze for Duo and Heero. Heero had asked to remain at the Outiche Kingdom to help prepare for Duo's sixteenth birthday and his request had been granted. Odin had smiled secretively when Heero had requested the stay at lunch, and had shared a look with Solo as if the two of them were sharing some sort of private joke. Duo had seen the look and knew their fathers were up to something, but then Heero was up to something too, and Duo only wished he knew what it was. It was almost as if the other boy was wooing Duo, he brought him flowers; he gave him gifts, he asked Duo to take moonlight walks with him. Oh yes, there was something strange going on.

But there was the arrival of the letter just five days before Duo's party that changed everything.

The two Princes were called into Solo's study late that afternoon. He asked them to sit and then read the letter out to them.

'Calling all Kingdoms, it has been brought to my attention that rule in these lands is failing. There are bandits on the highways attacking the innocent traveller, there are pirates in our water attacking our sea ports and I feel that time has come to unite all of our eight kingdoms under one name, one rule, one king. I declare that as my first duty as a new king, I must sort out these affairs and unite our lands as one. I offer each and everyone of you the chance to surround now and hand your kingdom over to me at once, but if you refuse my offer at creating paradise, then you give me no choice. I will declare war and I am certain that I will win.
I do hope that we can come to some sort of arrangement.
King Treize, Allied Lands'

"So, he's really doing?" Duo asked.

"It looks that way."

Heero reached for the offered letter and scanned it silently. "Paradise? He wants paradise?"

"He is justifying himself," Solo replied. "He is justifying the mean to the end."

"Stop pirates and bandits?"

"I haven't heard that we've got problems with bandits and pirates."

"True, no one else has heard of these problems neither. They are a mere excuse for him."

"What's going to happen?"

"I'm calling a meeting, asking the leaders of the other kingdoms to come a few days early. We'll decide then."

* * *

Heero sat in his favourite place, on the end of the harbour, his feet dangling in the water. He was lost in thought over the meeting that was currently taking place in King Solo's office. He had wanted to be part of it but Odin had refused, leaving Heero angry at his father's words. He had basically said that Heero wasn't old enough to be involved in the most important meeting in ages.

Heero sighed. Sometimes life just wasn't fair.

Duo watched Heero from his balcony. The boy looked so sad just sitting there on his home. Duo wanted to go and cheer him up but tomorrow was his birthday and him and Helen were just adding the final touches to his birthday party, something his father would normally be doing but due to certain circumstances he couldn't.

"What flowers do you want?"

Duo glanced over his shoulder.

"What choices are there?"

"Whatever you want," she read from the letter, "we will have them ready for you within an hour."

Duo screwed his nose up. "Suckers," he grinned.

"Duo," Helen warned. "I've brought you up better than that."

"I know you did but anyone would think I was getting married not having a birthday like I have every year."

"But you're the prince, your coming of age is far more important than just any old birthday. Now flowers?"

Duo turned back to watching Heero.

"I don't mind. I'm not bothered."

"Ok, let's see. How about a bunch of red poppies in remembrance for your uncle? And then we can have some white roses for Heero, after all with everything going on between you and him... Duo, are you even listening to me?"

"There's something on the horizon."

"Pardon?"

"There's something approaching the palace, it's in the horizon and approaching quickly. I don't know what it is but I don't like it."

Helen hurried to the balcony. Sure enough there was black spots heading towards them. She glanced down onto the harbour below where the men where working on the docks, to where the Prince sat on the end of the harbour and across onto the beach where the schoolmistress was playing with the young servant girls.

"What could it be?"

"I don't know. Keep working, I'll be back."

Duo hurried to the door and stepped into his sandals before he raced out the doors, he went downstairs and out on to the beach. He looked up to the sky, the black approaching objects looked scarier from below. He raced across the stone, the men pausing to watch at their Prince dash through the harbour racing towards the Lowe Prince who turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Duo?"

"Look up," he ordered and Heero raised his head to the sky.

"What the hell are they?" Heero choked out.

"I thought you might be able to tell me! I saw them from the balcony."

"They don't like friendly. Should we get people indoors?"

"I don't know. We can't get my father, he'll be angry if we disturb them."

The two boys continued to watch the approaching black things as they stood side by side.

"They could be dangerous," Heero commented.

"What could they be? I don't think I've ever seen anything like them before."

The things were then directly above them and they looked vicious. They were black with long wings, their eyes were blood red and their claws were long, sharp and deadly.

"They look like demons!" Duo gasped. "We need to get everyone into the palace! Now! Come on HEERO!"

The braided prince raced towards the men who had turned to look at the sky as the creatures let out a blood-chilling cry. The children stopped playing and looked to, their small faces gazing up in amazement at the gathering crowd.

"Sir!"

Duo grabbed hold of the nearest fisherman.

"Quick, get the children safely inside, then inform my father of these things!"

The man nodded and he set off at a spirit. The others turned to Duo awaiting orders.

"Get inside!" Duo yelled, "Find the guards and inform them of what is happening."

The creatures dived at the group on the harbour. Duo threw up a shield around the men but it shattered under the attack.

Heero cursed not having his sword and grabbed Duo, pulling the boy along after the fishermen.

"The children!" Duo pulled away, forcing Heero to follow him on to the sand and towards the group of children that the creatures had gone after.

"Help!"

Duo aimed a fireball at a nearby creature that had just slashed at the schoolmistress, a woman heavily pregnant. He was amazed to see it had little effect on the creature but it did draw the attention away from the creature, which reared, on its hind legs and slashed down at Duo, it gave the boy no time to throw up a protective shield and the claws slashed across his forearm he had raised to try and protect himself a little. He winced but no one noticed. The fisherman was dealing with a shock woman while Heero was trying to protect the children.

Help arrived in the form of guards, swords draw, they surrounded their prince and helped the children and adults into the palace kitchens.

They slammed the door shut and Duo helped by casting protective spells and charms on it, and then locked with it the most powerful locking spell he knew. As they headed upstairs he prayed it would hold.

* * *

"You were right, Duo, they are demons," Solo stood at study window and looked out across the beach at where the demons laid, their red eyes fixed on the palace.

"Who would have sent them?" Odin asked, standing beside Solo.

"Who else but Treize?"

"But why?"

"With nearly King, Queen, Lord and Lady of these lands are currently within these four walls or either currently travelling towards us. If Treize wants an easy way to kill us all, then we have handed it to them on a plate."

"But..."

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

The four turned in to see the guard who had just rushed in.

"What is wrong?"

"The town folk, sir! They were attacked by the demons, there are dead and wounded carried by the living. We can't turn them away!"

"Let them in, round up all the nurses and doctors available to treat the wounded," the man saluted and left. "Duo, find Rosa and the servants, ask them to make up beds for those who need it. Heero, can you please organise some guards to go out and obtain medical supplies? Don't go with them. Odin, can you organise a battle plan? I will be available if you need me. Me and Duo will go amongst the injured and see if we are able to help them at all."

Both Yuys gave a nod and they all went their separate ways.

* * *

"Duo!"

Duo looked up from where he was healing a bleeding leg wound at Hilde's call.

"What is it?"

"The school mistress has gone into labour, and Sally is too busy to help!"

The soldier removed Duo's hands from his legs, the message simple and clear. Duo stood up and called over one of the uninjured men to help finish off cleaning up the man. Duo then left hurrying along after Hilde who led him downstairs into the servant quarters.

It was during that descent that they met Solo going up. He paused his son for a minute.

"We have a problem."

"What's wrong?"

"The demons claws are poisonous. Our magic can't counteract. There is no way we can get a message to the M-Mages for help but Sally is trying to find a cure."

"How poisonous are the claws?" Duo asked, his left hand clenched as he recalled his own demon wound.

"It will kill."

"But nearly all those injured have demon wounds!"

"I know," Solo looked at Duo, regret deep in his eyes. "Let's just hope Sally finds a cure."

Duo gave a firm nod as they went different ways. He returned to follow Hilde, deliberately ignoring the fever pain that had started in his left forearm.

* * *

"Sire! The demons are retreating!"

Odin pulled his sword backwards from where it had been embedded deep within a demon's chest. The black creature dropped with a heavy thud at his feet.

"Then recall the men. Leave the dead, we'll collect them when it's safer."

Solo was there when Odin entered the palace.

"Have you been wounded?" he asked quickly.

"No, but many men have."

"Come quick, I need to get a message to the M-Mages, and report some bad news to you."

* * *

"How is she doing?" Duo asked. He had just finished cleaning the large demon claw wounds on her stomach while Luna was dealing with her labour. Luna was a new nurse but Duo trusted her ability, he honestly didn't have much choice.

"She's fully dilated and it's time to start pushing."

"Sarah?" Duo asked the school mistress and he touched her forehead. She was almost delirious with pain and fever. "Sarah," Duo tried again, touching a hand to her forehead and gently pouring healing magic into her. Her eyes opened.

"What?"

"I'm sorry to wake you but I need you to start pushing, we need to get the baby out before it suffocates."

Sarah shook her head, her breath ragged.

"You need to help us. Please, I promise just a few minutes and then you can sleep all you want."

The poor woman clenched her teeth together and grabbed Duo's free hand. The boy rolled up his sleeves and maintained a better grip on her. He sat behind her, holding both her hands as she squeezed them, screaming in agony as Duo encouraged her to push and Luna congratulated her as the baby began to emerge.

Duo tried to relieve her pain but his own fever was begin to burn throughout him and he could feel himself growing weaker as he continually poured his magic into her, giving her the remains of his own strength. He only prayed that the child would not carry the deadly poison in its system and it had been delivered in time to save its life. He hadn't informed the nurse or mother about the deadly poison and Hilde had wisely kept her mouth shut about what she had overheard. She had disappeared by now and Duo still didn't know where she had gone.

"One more big push," Luna said, "that's all we need."

"Hear that, sweetie? One more push and it'll all be over. Ready?"

Sarah howled in pain and squeezed Duo as tightly as she could as she pushed with all her might. There was a cheer from Luna who quickly cut the cord and held up a baby girl.

"Congratulations," Duo whispered in Sarah's ear but the mother had already fallen asleep.

The door opened and in came Hilde, followed closely by Heero. She went straight to Luna and helped to clean up the baby.

"Who's the father?" Duo asked.

"Her husband is fighting in the battle upstairs," Luna informed Duo.

"The battle is over," Heero commented as Duo slide out from behind Sarah and laid the mother down.

"Luna, ask my father to check the baby over. He'll know why."

From Heero's puzzled expression, Duo could tell he had yet to be informed of the poison.

"I'll go and find him!" Hilde said as she hurried out of the room after handing the baby back to Luna, she had realised what Duo was meaning and suddenly she feared for the child's life.

"Are you ok?" Heero asked as Duo swayed on the spot, he looked pale and sweaty.

"Yes, just tired."

Heero took hold of Duo's arm to steady the boy. "Get some rest," he ordered but Duo shook his head.

"I have to help the men who have just come in."

"You don't have the strength."

Heero tugged Duo closer and paused as his eyes fell on the exposed forearm.

"What's this?" he pulled up Duo's arm to take a closer look at the wound.

"It's nothing, just a cut."

"Come on, we'll go see your father, he'll heal it."

Duo pulled himself free of Heero's gasp. "I'm fine. I have a duty to do, as do you."

Without another word, Duo push passed Heero and out into the servant corridor, Heero tried to follow but there were too many people about and he quickly lost sight of his friend.

"Prince Heero?"

"Yes Rosa."

"Your father requests you and Duo's presence upstairs at once."

Heero gave a nod and headed upstairs, people wisely got out of his way as he stormed through the palace, Duo's casual attitude to his wound did not please Heero and his mood was clear for all to see. He entered the study.

"Hilde has informed me the mother has deep claw marks," Solo was saying, "Ah, Heero, is Duo with you?"

"No, he's disappeared."

"Will the baby be ok?"

"It's hard to say, I will have to check it out."

"Why wouldn't the baby be ok? She was crying when I left the room. She looks fine," Heero asked.

"Oh, you haven't been informed yet."

"The demon claws has poison in them, Sally has yet to find a cure and we already have twelve dead because of it. Others have already broken out in fever which is the first scene the poison has taken hold of their bodies."

Heero paused, his hand feeling sweaty. Thinking back on it now, Duo had felt very clammy in his hands and the boy had looked like he had been about to collapse.

"Is there no hope for a cure?" Heero asked.

"Not at the moment," Solo replied and Heero went a deadly white.

"Why? Did the demons get you?" Odin snapped, his worry increasing at the look on Heero's face.

"No, I'm fine."

"Then what is it? What's the matter?"

"He didn't want anyone to look at it."

"What are you talking about, Child?!" Solo demanded.

"Does Duo know? About the poison?"

"Yes, why?"

"Duo has a wound on his arm. I saw the demon attack him but I didn't know it had actually caused damaged!"

"What?"

"Duo has a fever, it must be the poison."