Born in Chaos Part 13
Trowa's eyes flew open and his hand immediately reached for his sword. Instead of closing around hard steel, his fingers encountered something warm and yielding. With a low curse he sat up and reached over Quatre to his blade, startling the young blonde awake at the same time.
"Trowa? What is..."
The brunette lay a finger to his lips, silencing the healer. "Whoever you are, come out into the clearing." He called out.
There was a rustling sound from the trees and then a low snicker. "Don't you think you should get dressed first?"
Quatre's eyed widened and he dove for his clothes, making a funny sound as he did so. Trowa slowly stood up, placing himself in between whoever it was and the blonde, pulling on his own pants at the same time. He then picked his sword back up, making no move for his other things.
"Alright... show yourself." He called again as he felt the healer's light touch on his back.
Quatre gasped in shock as a man and a woman stepped from the trees. "Impossible!"
Trowa glanced over his shoulder at the healer. "Do you know them?"
"Not them, but of them. Things my master has told me." The blonde said softly as he stepped around Trowa.
"Quatre, I don't think..." But he was too late.
The small blonde was already walking across the ground towards the strangers. Trowa narrowed his eyes and followed him, blade held at ready. The healer had almost been lost once, he wasn't taking another chance with Quatre's life.
"The stories all say you died off." Quatre whispered, standing before the pair.
"No. Just withdrew from your world." The woman replied, bowing her head, her black hair falling over her violet eyes. "It was no longer safe for us there."
"All this time..." The blonde breathed.
"I'm, Wynford, this is my mate, Aderyn. We've been sent to take you back to our village." The man, bearing a strange similarity to Heero, spoke up.
"Sent by whom?" Trowa asked, moving to stand beside Quatre.
The woman smiled. "By your companions."
Quatre glanced over at Trowa. What should we do, his eyes asked. Trowa frowned and closed his eyes as a light breeze blew through the area, lightly lifting his bangs from his forehead.
"We will go with you." He said opening his eyes. "The winds say you speak the truth."
He sheathed his sword and went to retrieve the rest of his clothing, leaving a wide eyed Quatre watching his back.
Aderyn turned to him, her eyes amused. "I'd think after what you two shared, you would have known about that."
Quatre flushed brightly. "How long have you been here?"
"We arrived last night and seeing what was happening, quickly withdrew." She smiled. "Such a thing not even we would intrude upon."
Quatre looked back to Trowa, his face still colored. "I knew about his power over water, I never sensed the winds."
"That's because they are a secondary power," She explained. "You were only expecting one... like the rest of you."
"But... how..."
"You'll learn everything when we get to our village." Wynford stepped forward. "It is not our place to explain it to you."
~*~
Heero sat on a low wall in the center of the village and watched Duo working with one of the village elders, a dark frown on his face. About a week ago, the old woman had taken it upon herself to teach the newly discovered child of light how to control his powers. Who would have thought... he thought bitterly, that the most powerful among us would be a common whore?
"He learns well," Awena said climbing up on the wall beside him as Duo held out his hand and released a bright spray of colored light.
"Hn."
"He's not what you think, Heero Yuy." She looked up at him with a sad expression.
Heero started and looked down at her. "How do you know what I think of him? Did he tell you?" His cobalt eyes flashed. "Try to convince you to lie for him?"
"He's never given any indication, beyond his profound sadness." Awena replied. "I can sense things. I can pick truth from lies."
"Do all your people have powers?"
"No... just a few of us." She looked back at the chestnut haired warrior. "If you want to know the truth about him, go to Ceris." She said, jumping down.
She studied Heero for a scant moment and then walked away. Heero looked back to Duo, watching him create various forms of light, the little elf girl's words ringing in his mind. He's not what you think he is. Truth from lies. Talk to Ceris. He shook his head, utter foolishness.
The boy was a street kid... the only way they survived without starving was to sell themselves to the locals in the taverns. To whore for a meal.
What if she tells the truth, a nagging voice pricked at his conscience.
The sounds of a commotion brought his attention around to see two elves walk into the village, Trowa and Quatre behind them. Duo spun around, his face lighting up at the sight of the other two of their group, but for some reason he hung back when Heero jumped down to go join them, a shadow crossing his heart-shaped features.
"Quatre!" Milliardo rushed from one of the homes to embrace his student. "You are alright!"
"Yes, teacher." The blonde murmured.
"You must tell me about it later." The man said looking to Trowa as Heero walked up and placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder, clasping his hand.
Trowa nodded silently. "I'll leave that to Quatre, he understands what happened better than I do."
Olwyn strode up to the group. "It seems the you are all assembled, and hearty as well."
"Very much so, father." Aderyn winked at the man as Quatre turned red.
The pair hadn't gone near each other the entire journey here, but the young female elf took great delight in teasing them about what she had seen the night her and her mate had arrived.
Milliardo turned to the man. "Another daughter?"
"I have five." Olwyn answered. "Aderyn is my second eldest. Everyone is to rest this evening. Tomorrow we all go before the council and they will explain what we know of the events going on around us."
"Where's Wufei?" Quatre asked looking around.
"He's gone hunting with some of the other elves." Milliardo explained.
"Is that safe?"
"Safer than the rest of us, I believe." The mage replied.
The look on his face told the healer that he shouldn't press for an explanation, so instead, he turned to Duo, who had hung back behind the group.
"Duo!" He stepped forward and embraced the boy, noting the sudden stiffening of his form. "You are well?"
Duo nodded silently, his eyes catching Heero's glare. "I'm fine. Just a little tired from practicing my powers so much." He said with a dry laugh. "They don't believe in staying idle around here."
"Come!" Olwyn broke in. "You've traveled a long way. You need to rest. We just finished preparing one of the empty places at the edge of the village, the six of you should be able to stay there until it is time for you to leave."
~*~
Later that night, Quatre went searching for Duo, who had disappeared right after their dinner. He found the young boy sitting under a tree behind the house they were staying in.
"Now," The healer said sitting beside him. "You want to tell me what's happened since I saw you last?"
"Not much." Came the flat reply.
Quatre frowned. "I know better. I can tell by your actions. Trowa told me about what happened after I'd been struck down. Is that part of it?"
"No." Duo sighed and leaned forward. "I came to the knowledge that none of this group really accepts me as part of it... I'm not trusted."
"What?"
"It's alright, Quatre, you don't have to pretend. I realize what everyone thinks that a person like me must be. I'll keep my distance... I wouldn't want to disgust anyone by being around."
"Duo," Quatre lay an arm across his shoulder. "What are you talking about?"
The boy flinched. "Heero told me that he knew I'd.... I'd... sold myself to survive on the streets. That..."
"Nonsense!" Quatre snapped. "I know exactly what you did to get by... and what you didn't do. We all know that you managed not to fall into that trap."
"Heero doesn't."
"He hasn't taken anytime to know you either." Quatre replied. "Once he does, he'll understand better."
"I think we'll have a long wait. He despises me." Duo sighed.
"He won't forever...." He can't if we are to survive. Quatre stood and held out his hand. "Come inside and get some rest. I have a feeling that it will be a long day tomorrow."
Duo took his hand and stood. With a quick glance around them, he turned and followed the healer into the house.
Behind them, a figure stepped from the shadows, his cobalt eyes glittering.
~*~
Shadows swirled and undulated around the slender woman as she hurried through the halls of her keep. At her icy glare, creatures scampered out of her path as she made her way to the door and went inside the room.
Kneeling before the figure of the sleeping man, she smiled. "It almost time, Milord. The Queen has been set against her brother, one of our own advises her. One of the children of light is now in our control and will soon make his move."
She leaned up and gazed lovingly at his smooth features. "Tonight, my love. Tonight you will be awakened to take your place as ruler of this wretched world."
TBC...
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