Dragonheart Part 12
The mist-muted hollow clang of steel on steel rang along the forest's shadowy border. Although the sun had cleared the mountain its pale shades of dawn still painted rosy stripes across the skyline and tinted the dewy haze floating just above the ground. This moisture-laden fog wandered silently among the woods swirling over exposed roots and twisted limbs. Its meandrous traveling drifted through the tree line spilling out the opposite side into a wide grassy clearing.
In the open patch's center, Heero and Duo engaged in an early morning practice session. Even in the chilled dampness sweat beaded on Duo's brow as he put everything that he had into besting his teacher. But no matter which way Duo pivoted or how swiftly he countered Heero's blows most of his efforts came up short. With each thrust, each parry to ward off Heero's lunging advances Duo found himself losing ground.
In the pretended but quite serious swordplay Duo's continual retreat was beginning to take its toll on his self-control. Despite using both hands to wield the heavy bladed weapon, Heero's charges and counteractive riposte frustrated every one of Duo's rapid returns.
"Good. Good." Heero encouraged as Duo's evasive actions partly deflected his teacher's blade. "Now move in." he ordered not giving Duo any extra time to study his defensive choices.
"You can't think about your next parry." Heero instructed pressing the braided student to react without thinking. "Each move must become a natural instinctive reaction."
Duo leaped forward firmly planting his lead foot then raised his sword over his head effectively checking Heero's downward slice. But before the young man could congratulate himself, in his cocky estimation, on his skillfully executed block Heero turned his sword over bringing its broad surface flatly down on Duo's upper hand.
With a gasp of surprise and pain Duo let loose his double grip shaking his smarting knuckles. A hardened glare sparked in his eyes as Duo's progressively quick temper reached a flashpoint. Gritting his teeth, sight narrowed in a retaliatory scowl, Duo charged headlong flinging his blade above his head for a chopping blow. The single-handed attack was off center and totally out of control.
Duo's tutor took full advantage of his vexed friend's exasperation and lack of impulsive constraint. Stepping boldly into his inexperienced pupil's distracted and misdirected assault, the length of Heero's sword came up under Duo's blade's elevated position.
Displaying his masterful domination, Heero tangled his weapon's tapered, sharply honed tip letting it skim lightly across Duo's wrist leaving a long shallow scratch. The cut was deep enough to hurt but not cause a gaping wound. His stunned student yelled out a sting of obscenities jerking back his arm to expose his body to Heero's relentlessly scathing attack.
Duo did not yet have, couldn't have, the stamina that Heero had developed after almost two years of training. It was all Duo could do to clumsily throw up his sword at the last moment to divert his teacher's powerful slashing.
Heero then sprang forward delivering a series of sweeping strokes. Although seemingly violent in his aggressive volleys Heero was in complete control. His provoking goad of pain and humiliation was aimed at teaching Duo that one can not think or react correctly when one is angry.
Heero held his nonstop siege in check knowing that his fighting skills were far more advanced than student's however he wanted to give the impression of danger for Duo's sake. Heero pushed his pupil to his limits making Duo do what he thought he couldn't. His deliberate driving of his friend during their mock battles was set on one goal...to make Duo believe in himself and learn to trust his ability to fight alone.
Duo had to learn to ignore the pain, to develop his instincts, to move outside of himself and concentrate with single-minded focus on what he had to do to survive. Heero had to make Duo understand that when he finally fought an actual foe that the punishment for losing would not be more repetitious drills or sparring games but a real fight with the concluding consequences his life or his death.
Duo could do nothing but clasp his sword tightly and swing wildly as Heero's flurry of strikes drove the somewhat frightened student backwards. His forced withdrawal ended at the forest's edge where a thick timber-stand blockade rose up at his back. In their regressive retreat Duo's boots tangled in the tall grass and tree roots. With one last desperate, frantic swing Duo pitched over. His back struck a branch just before his trim buttocks made hard contact with the stony soil.
Chest heaving and salty perspiration stinging his eyes, Duo stared up into Heero's piercing cobalt sight peering back at him through long, damp, tousled hair. The quivering tip of Heero's battle sword hovered closely at his fallen friend's throat. Now all the beaten man could manage was to swallow hard and surrender to his thorough trouncing. Swearing under his breathe, not so much at Heero but at his own failure and the resulting thrashing, Duo looked down at the swollen bruised welts on his hands.
With a slight tremble from winded exhaustion he ran his dirty thumb over the reddish line etched on his wrist wiping away tacky droplets of blood that had seeped from the cut. A whitish scar would later form as it healed, lending itself as a constant reminder should Duo ever be tempted to forget that day's teaching.
Admitting defeat, not necessarily with gracious acceptance, Duo knew, that hour, that he had learned a valuable lesson. "You beat me fairly." he conceded pushing back wet bangs as labored breaths wheezed in his cheat and a sore ache ran across his shoulders.
Resting his sword against his leg Heero studied his slowly maturing but increasingly apt student. "I did not beat you." he answered locking his sight on Duo. "You beat yourself and twice at that."
Duo eyes narrowed as he mentally questioned his double defeat. Heero saw his student's confusion and continued the lesson. "Yes, twice. Once when you got cocky and lost your concentration and again when you lost your temper."
Duo shook his head in a modest fashion. "I know." he replied lowly as he berated himself for his lack of control.
Heero knelt beside his humbled student. "If your opponent used the same tactics as I did and you made either mistake again," he stated as he leaned nearer, "then yourself, not your enemy, would have beaten you once more."
Heero placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. A deadly serious expression gave grave importance to his next statement. "Remember your next rival in battle will most likely not be as forgiving in his victory as I have been," he warned making certain that Duo fully understood the gravity of what could be his final, fatal defeat.
*********
As Duo shared lunch with Anna and Heero he fidgeted in his chair. His bottom was sensitive, his shoulder muscles ached. Stiff fingers curled with difficulty around his knife and fork.
The third time a bite of meat slipped off his fork the uncooperative utensil hit plate with a clatter. "Damn!" he exclaimed before remembering that Anna was at the table. "Sorry." he apologized with a weary sigh.
Heero leaned across the table to study Duo's inflexible posture. "Are you hurting bad?" He was dealing with his own guilt as he feared that he had pushed Duo too hard, too fast.
Duo shifted in his seat trying in vain to find a comfortable position. "Its not bad, I've gotten stiff sitting here."
"Finish your food and I'll help you take a hot bath." Heero offered to ease both Duo's soreness and his guilty conscience.
"Thank you madam for a wonderful meal." Duo praised Anna's cooking then placed a saucy kiss on her hand.
Anna blushed slightly, "Now off with you," she playfully shooed at the soldier and his friend, "and don't make a mess in the bath."
Anna stood in the kitchen door watching Heero and Duo stroll leisurely down the hall. Rubbing over the spot where Duo's kiss had warmed her skin she smiled. "That young man is good for you Heero."
Turning her attention to her chores Anna paused in her cleaning. "I hope nothing happens to break your heart my child because I don't think it can survive being shattered again."
*********
Heero mixed pieces of kindling with the several slim logs in the firebox under the tin bathtub. A handful of straw was added to serve as a wick then lit with sparks from the flint stones that Heero carried in a pouch on his belt.
Since Duo had arrived with only the clothes on his back Heero had shared his meager garments with his guest. A fresh pair of trousers, a loose sleeved shirt and clean breechcloth were neatly arranged on a bench near the tub. Behind a curtain hanging on a rope tied from corner to corner Duo gladly divested himself of his practice-soiled clothing.
"Put this around you so you won't catch a chill." Heero said draping a towel over the curtain.
The sound of splashing as Heero added another bucket of water tempted Duo to hurry in his disrobing. "Ouch. Damn." he muttered each time a muscle caught or fabric scraped over his many cuts and bruises.
Heero cringed at the mumbled cruses. Again a good case of guilt threatened to undermine his determination to be an effective teacher. He had to remind himself that he was pushing Duo for his own good. He knew how much Duo wanted to take back his home, to restore his self-respect.
That fateful night when Shinigami laid Duo's icy body on the balcony, when Heero feared for his friend's health and had suffered with Duo in his pain and loss Heero pledged his aid and support. Now he had a duty to make certain that Duo was ready for the hardest thing that he would ever have to do.
By nature Duo was not aggressive. His heart was pure, his soul gentle. Duo was not a warrior...yet Heero had to made him a soldier. Heero really did not want the responsibility, he did not want to be the one to teach Duo how to fight. He had seen too many horrible things, had taken lives and the blood staining his hands had never completely faded from his calloused palms.
Duo said that his innocence had already been ruined now would Heero also ruin the gentle man's untainted soul and perhaps harm his heart beyond healing? He wished that his dear friend would be content to stay with him but Heero knew what it was like to be misplaced from home and lose his identity. All Heero could do was train Duo to be the best soldier that he could be and pray that the war would not kill the warrior.
Swishing his hands in the warming water Heero again rubbing over his palm in another futile effort to wash away the memories of battle. The curtain drawing aside brought Heero back from his soul-searching contemplations.
Duo wrapped in the towel and hair floating about his shoulders cleared the curtain. He placed his dirty cloths on the floor and walked to the tug then tilted his head as he saw a brief flicker of sadness fluttered across Heero's blue eyes. "What's wrong?"
Heero forced a smile to chase away the melancholy. "Nothing. I'm tired."
A different look floated over Duo's violet gaze. There was a sly cast in those beautiful orbs that told Heero his friend had mischief on his mind. Duo glanced at the inviting water then back at the suspicious soldier. "Want to share?" he wondered with a subtle tone that Heero could not resist.
Heero swallowed twice before he found his voice. "Yes."
With the same childlike glee that had first captured Heero's curiosity Duo shed the towel and stepped into the tub. A serene smile clearly showed that the heat was soothing the soreness and lifting his spirits.
Heero didn't bother to undress behind the curtain. Suddenly he was unashamed of his natural condition. There was a relaxed atmosphere that put him immediately at ease. Duo scooted over to make room as Heero slipped into the tub. "Let me soap your back." he offered working up a good lather on a washcloth.
Heero turned around and sighed in total contentment as the scented soap caressed his skin with thousands for frothy bubble. "I wish we had some of those leaves you used to wash our hair but I suppose this will have to do." he said pouring out a handful of liquefied soap mixed with traces of sweet herbs.
Duo gently scrubbed in small circles. "After that bastard Prince is gone we will take a long bath in the hot spring." Duo replied in a matter-of-fact way that worried Heero.
"Don't think that routing Merquise is going to be easy." He warned hoping that Duo remembered his lecture about being too cocky.
Duo rinsed out the cloth and dribbled water down Heero's back to wash away the suds. "I know but together we will not fail."
Then an idea hit Heero like a bolt of lightning. He turned around so quickly that water sloshed over the tub's rim. "I know a way to solve this problem. Merquise and his hooligans can be simply dispatched by Shinigami."
Duo froze. A serious expression chased away his smile. "No I will not involve Shinigami." he declared with an angry tone that took Heero by surprise.
Heero started to speak but Duo blurted out. "A Dragon Keeper can not use his dragon for personal gain or to win his battles."
"But..." Again Heero was silenced.
"This is my fight, Heero, mine alone. If I rid myself of Merquise or if I die trying that is how it has to be." Duo's eyes softened and his tone lost some of its bite. "I will learn everything you can teach me, I will practice until my hands bleed and I can not longer stand but I WILL NOT use Shinigami."
Duo sucked in a deep breath to slow his hammering heart. "Please respect my wishes in this matter. Please."
Heero gazed in amazement at his friend. He had known the first time he saw Duo that he had an underlying strength. He had felt it in the house that stormy night, had heard it in Duo's song as he chanted to Shinigami.
Yes, Heero had know all along that Duo was indeed a warrior, that beneath that kind exterior was a soul forged from the same stone that caused the mountains to stand before the wind and rain.
"I will not ask you to do differently." Heero promised taking Duo's hand. "You are special to me but you must be true to yourself. But we can not defeat Merquise alone."
"I know."
"Do you think the Gypsies would be willing to help?"
"Yes they have be displaced, too. I have seen them defend each other many times and I have no doubts they would join us."
Heero nodded as it seemed that they might have a chance after all. "Then it is settled. In the morning we will ride to the mountains and find the Gypsy camp. You have been too long away from your friends."
Duo stirred the water as he moved closer to his soldier and his teacher. "You and I, Wufei and the others...together we can do anything." he whispered, "Now lets not talk about such unpleasant subjects, at least not today."
Heero resigned to Duo's wishes. They finished the bath, soaping and rinsing and enjoying each other's company. Tomorrow the lessons would continue. Sword practice, sparring and building a relationship of trust that only kindred souls could share.
*********
That night Duo and Heero rode up to the cave. Duo sang to Shinigami and the great dragon purred. Later as moonlight painted luminous patterns on the walls they snuggled in bed.
Heero watched Duo sleep, studied the way the light played on his creamy skin and twinkled like fireflies over his hair. He had been aware for some time that Duo held a certain attraction unlike any other he had experienced.
Heero had had his flings with girls, stolen kisses in the garden but no one had touched his heart quite like Duo did. Was it wrong to feel that way? They were both male and wasn't that forbidden?
With a heavy sigh Heero twirled the end of Duo's braid and wondered what he should do. "Time." he told himself. "Time always gives the answers."
Holding the rope of chestnut in his hand Heero drifted off to sleep. Somewhere in the garden an owl hooted out his sad song. The crickets chirped in tune with the breeze. And in a cave on the mountainside a dragon dreamed of soaring among the clouds with his precious Keeper riding on his back.
TBC...
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