You say you don't want to know where this road goes
Cause you don't want to spoil the surprise
We will see you're eventually
Where our destination lies... Where our destination lies
-Lyrics to 'Where Our Destination Lies' performed by Ben Gibbard
Elements of Great Design Part 46
Like so many other mornings before, the first two things that Heero acknowledged as he regained consciousness was warmth and two strong arms holding onto him.
Even before his eyes opened, a small smile tugged his lips as he burrowed himself deeper against the strong chest of his lover. Enjoying the simple feel and smells that he had fallen in love with that were all things Duo, he kept from opening his eyes until an unfamiliar chirping sound filled his ears.
Blinking widely, the Fighter scanned the area around until he recalled why he and Maxwell were lying in a large bed of hay and other matting materials that had created a large nest. It did not take long for the sight of a handful of baby dragons no bigger than most full-grown dogs, to snap every memory of the night prior back.
Scarlet's younglings. The red-and-gold dragon along with her green-and-blue mate had carried the Alliance to their temporary home for the evening. And now the younglings of different hues were chirping for the breakfast being lowered to them by their parents.
The fresh and bloodied meat, once belonging to some large animal in the ice wilds, was devoured quickly between the half-dozen mouths. At the ghastly sight, Yuy pushed himself so that he could look away from the feasting when partner's deep chuckle filled the air.
Folding his arms behind his braided head, Duo smirked up at the soldier, "Good morning." He reached up to ruffle the hair framing the pale face of his soul mate as he asked, "Dragon meal time kill your appetite for breakfast?"
"I did not know what to expect when it came to their eating habits," Heero replied, still looking a bit green. "But I was not prepared for the sights... or sounds."
A few recognizable voices snickered in amusement at that and he lifted his head further to see the four Keepers sitting close by in their own little huddle following their return from feeding and watering their horses in the cavern below their high-rise nook.
Holding up a slice of barley bread, Anna grinned, "The shock of it all should wear off quickly. And we all should get some nourishment before we head back out. Yesterday took a lot out of all of us."
Unable to argue her logic, the Fighter's stomach did ease enough to rumble in its hunger. Slipping over to the rest of the team, he and Duo had their own helpings until they had their general fill. By then, the scaly beasts that they shared the massive nest with had long finished off their course and cleaned their faces along with any other trace of the carnage.
A red-and-blue striped youngling bounced over to the black wolf in their midst and lowered its front half in a playful stance.
Within seconds, the rest of the wiggling toddlers were looking to have in on an impromptu game as well. Grunting in uncertainty, Chang turned his muzzled head up to the Fire Keeper. Anna giggled, "Oh, let them have some fun, Wufei. I doubt that it is very often they have four-legged guests their own size that they can interact with."
Gazing back on the sweet, grinning faces of his audience, the wolf snorted in acceptance with the hint of a very human smile as he got onto all paws and lowered his haunches. Curled together, Scarlet and her mate watched the little rounds of 'tag a tail' that unfolded with pleased sighs and wistful expressions.
"They are just darling," the thief laughed softly as she looked onto the scene with her legs hugged against her chest.
Barton had an arm curled around Quatre as his soul mate leaned against his side. Equally smitten with the younglings, the Dragoon commented, "I am just happy to finally have the chance to meet your pups, friend. They really are precious." Beaming, the red-and-gold wagged her long tail in a series of thumps against the hay.
Loathe as he was to leave their little haven and break from the war, Winner raised a hand and announced, "I really hate to put a damper on this nice little reprieve, but we probably should get to business and discuss which Elemental Stone we will be going after next."
Wufei ended the game that had nearly winded him when that suggestion was made and straightened himself. Giving and receiving a few affectionate nudges from the younglings, he hurried back to the rest of the Alliance and his wife's side.
Eyeing the couple, Duo folded his arms and smirked, "So, which of the two of you will it be, then?"
Without hesitating, Anna answered, "I think that we should go after the Earth Stone next." She smiled lovingly to her furry companion, "I think it is about time you got to show Gaia just how powerful you are by being reunited with your weapon."
A low grunt emanated from Chang's chest as he stood up and lightly nudged the Fire Keeper with his muzzle in a gesture that was unmistakable thanks to the adoring look in his liquid eyes. Frowning deeply, the thief shook her head and breathed, "No, love. I can wait to collect my stone. It should be you-" But she was cut off with another gentle nudge and a soft whimper.
Biting her lip, Anna sniffled against the tears that filled her eyes as she whispered, "Are you really sure?" Once again, if ever a wolf could smile, the lips of the black beast seemed to curl back in one and he gave a firm nod.
Taken aback by the sweet 'conversation' between the pair, the rest of the Alliance watched with shifting visions behind watery eyes while the redhead sprang forward to hug her husband tightly around his thick torso.
"I did not think that he would have had it any other way, sister," Duo snickered as he wiped a stray tear away. "And I'm not about to argue with a Monk over his wishes, so it looks like we travel for the Fire Stone next." The heads gathered around nodded in sound agreement.
Trowa grinned, "After being in the Ice Lands for the last few days, it will be a nice change of scenery to be somewhere warm." A sheepish grin spreading on his face, he shrugged, "Even if 'warm' is a gross understatement for wherever we're headed."
His eyes growing, Heero pulled the fur of his cloak close around his person and replied, "My sentiments, as well." Rising to his feet, he announced, "Alright. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we'll be out of this frozen wasteland."
* * * * * *
Relena woke just before the sun rose that morning and spent the next couple of hours staring up at the ceiling of her tent as wave after wave of thoughts washed through her mind... all centering around a certain Cornelia Fighter with whom she had spent the whole prior day.
Trent Quinze had become a sort of enigma in how he went from being little more than a passing memory during the years he had been away from Romefeller to serve her brother Zechs, to suddenly preoccupying her every waking moment since they first reunited.
Everything about their time alone together had been wonderful. It had been comfortable and familiar, most likely thanks to their having been childhood friends for a great many years before duty had forced them to part ways. But then, there was also more to the constant musings over the soldier and the Queen was well aware of that.
"Penny for your thoughts," Dorothy's voice called from her half of their shared quarters.
When Peacecraft turned her head towards her, she found the Oracle sitting on the edge of her own bed with an amused, knowing smile on her lips that made it all too clear she was perfectly informed of what the Sovereign was pondering over.
Firing back a glare, Relena huffed, "Why should I bother sharing what you already know? And quit looking so pleased with yourself. You are responsible for causing me a great deal of grief by challenging me to spend more time with Trent."
Her head tilting, the gifted's smile only grew as she responded, "Well, it could not have been all grief, considering how long you were away with him... all day as a matter of fact." All but jumping to her feet, she hurried over to her friend's bed to sit on the edge of that mattress.
Tugging on the Queen's loose hair, she giggled, "And I might have the basics of how the time went, but I do not have details. I am still a young woman who must know the specifics, so you must tell me everything."
A prolonged groan rose from deep in the Sovereign's chest and she threw an arm over her closing eyes. "I had a wonderful day with him," she finally admitted in little more than a whisper. "And only when it was over did I realize that you were right in how I had allowed myself to constantly wrap my thoughts around Heero by spending so long not thinking about him."
No matter how much she may have tried to hide her relief, nothing would have kept the brilliant grin that lit Catalonia's face away. "But that is fantastic," she insisted, pulling the arm back from her 'sister's' face so that their eyes could meet. "I hardly see where there could be any misery in finding enjoyment in someone else's company. Trent is very noble and kind, a person that any girl would feel fortunate to get to know."
Raising an eyebrow, she added, "And he is not exactly hard to look at."
"Trent is... perfect," Relena breathed, "in every possible way as far as being any and everything I could ever have hoped to find in another. It's just... this is all very new and scary for me because this is the first time that I have the feeling he might... want to be with me as well."
Humming, Dorothy's smile slipped away for a more serious expression when she nodded, "A very different situation for you to be in. Now you have the potential of being hurt."
She pulled her legs up towards her chest and asked, "Do you suppose that perhaps that was why you had centered your world around Heero so much? Because he was safe in how he did not necessarily respond to your whims?"
Never before had the Queen considered that. But now that she was faced with the inquiry, she could not help but see the subconscious logic that might have protected her over the years.
Blue eyes wide and blinking, Peacecraft sat up and answered, "I believe that you might be onto something there. Along with having to take on the crown so early in life, I would not have survived the emotional turmoil of being outright rejected by anyone I was fond of-" She cut herself off with a stunned gasp at the same time that she reached up to slap a hand over her gaping mouth.
Her voice muffled behind her palm, Relena breathed, "Dear Creator." Suddenly springing forward, she gripped her Oracle's arms in a tight grip and pressed, "Dorothy... Heero truly never cared for me the way I wanted him to... but he refused to hurt me by saying as much, didn't he? He only endured my efforts to protect me, even at his own expense?"
As though a physical weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the gifted sagged heavily with a sigh. "I knew that you would come around to see that for yourself," she praised quietly. "But it had to be discovered by you. I was not going to force you into this revelation."
The pit of her stomach falling out, the Sovereign covered her cheeks with her hands as she frowned deeply, "I have been such a fool. Do you suppose that Heero hates me for possibly putting his life on hold for my sake?"
"You have put nothing on hold for him," Dorothy smiled sadly. "Heero loves you like a sister even more than how he loves you as his Queen, as he always has. Nothing would ever make him hate you. He simply wants you to be happy, no matter what that may mean for him." Letting go of the breath that she had been holding, so did Relena allow her arms to fall to her sides.
A long silence fell in the tent before Peacecraft gazed back on her friend to ask, "Do you see any kind of future for me and Trent?"
Even as the last words left her, she shook her head and corrected herself quickly, "No, even if you know of what may come of anything between us, I would rather just live through it and see how it all works out. There is more than enough going on as it is with the war."
Patting the Queen's shoulder, the Oracle grinned, "We all merely follow the path that the Creator has mapped out for us. All that we can do is trust that we will be exactly where we are meant to be with whomever we are meant to share the journey. But if you are developing feelings for Trent, my advice would be to not wait too long as none of us know how much time we actually have."
Yet another fear of Relena's. Swallowing roughly past the lump that had formed in her throat, she managed a firm nod.
* * * * * *
Chaos smirked to himself as he stood atop the tallest tower of the Paramecia castle.
Watching a hoard of soldiers marching off in the hundreds of thousands, he sneered, "We will blanket this world with the Dark Lord's darkness before spring will ever touch Gaia again. Let the reminder of the humans all band together to stand against us. They will be crushed as though they were nothing more than insects should they fight or be snuffed out of their hiding places."
A brown Vepal, round in its belly and short in overall height, hovered within earshot up to that moment. [1]
Flapping his thin and long wings to carry itself close to his leader, he hissed out, "Commander, what of the real threat that we nearly crushed only days ago? They have been pushed not far beyond our southern reach."
Locked onto that particular stretch of land, Chaos smirked, "I will hold off on them for a short while. Let us play with their minds and fears for a bit longer before we completely wipe them out. So far, they have been our own worthy adversaries and so they should have the opportunity to see first-hand what awaits them. Get word to the divisions that sent them running that they are to hold their position until they hear otherwise from me."
Its tiny lips stretching in a fanged smile, the Vepal bowed, "As you wish." Sailing forth in a near blur, it vanished from sight in seconds to carry off its message.
"Now, let us see what remains of humanity is made of in its final weeks," the right-hand of Abaddon murmured under his breath while he turned back to the north that he had set his sights on.
* * * * * *
By the late afternoon, the darkness had spread forth in the northwest beyond its last boundaries for over a hundred miles.
When the scouts of the White Fang caught the first sight of the shift to report that a large chunk of the sky was missing to Firion, the span had nearly doubled by the time the Commander reached the edge of the forest protecting his forces to see it for himself.
King Treize, Lady Une, King Zechs and Queen Noin and Queen Relena all rushed into the scene, freezing in both shock and horror as they stared at the blackened world that continued on its expansion without pause. No more did the sun shine over those distant realms. And no doubt countless lives were being sent to the great Beyond.
Now, there was very little of the heavens that remained clear from where they stood... and it was the small patch that lay directly before them.
"We're next," Firion all but whispered, skin pale and eyes wide at the thought of losing more of his charges.
Not again. Not so soon after they had nearly been wiped out.
Turning on his heel at the arrival of two young scouts that had alerted him of the dark army's progression, he ordered sharply, "Pass word to the officers that everyone is to carry what they can and begin to move south of here! I also want a band of Fighters who wish to stay behind and give our less experienced soldiers a chance to reach safety!"
Hands raised in smart salutes as the two boys raised their voices to shout as one, "Yes, sir!" Off in a flash, they hurried back into the tree line.
Locked on the direction in which the darkness was taking, Relena sniffled as tears filled her eyes. "Dear Creator," she whimpered. "They will be on a clear course for Romefeller." And at the rate at which Mariemaia's forces were moving, they would be toppling the walls around her homeland within a couple of weeks. Had she not heeded Dorothy's warnings and stayed there with her people...
That train of thought brought on a wave of panic through the young Queen, but it was Lady Une who asked the question aloud in a breath, "How many kingdoms do you suppose they have claimed in this advance? How many lands have fallen?"
Shaking his head, King Zechs replied with a deep frown, "Dozens. I can think of at least eighteen by name that would be included in that mix."
Queen Une added softly, "I know that many of the Sovereigns in those regions would never have chanced leaving their homes for the Unknown." Stricken by that assessment, a heavy silence fell over the lot.
His face reddening, Treize faced the most northern section of the sky over Paramecia. "May Dekim Barton's soul forever burn in Abaddon's Hell for this. If there was any decency in him, he would put an end to this by having Mariemaia call off this war. Instead, he is willingly sitting back and allowing this... willing it."
Biting his trembling lip, he sighed deeply, "I only pray that there is something worth saving in my daughter when all of this is over." To his wife's horrified expression, the King held back the sting in his eyes when their gazes met as he stated, "We have no idea what may still remain of her since she has been centered around this nightmare for so long."
Such had been the concern amongst everyone who knew of the child's predicament... but it was the first time anyone had come out and said it. And the fact that it had come from her father weighed heavily on those to hear it.
Her mouth opening and closing but unable to find her voice, Lady Une shook over having to face the dread that she had managed to push away up until then. A cut off sob escaping her, she was pulled into a fierce embrace by her husband and cried into his shoulder as she clung back as tight as her shuddering frame could manage.
Gently resting a hand on Treize's shoulder, Zechs waited for the other King to look on him before he offered sincerely, "I am very sorry to have to suggest this now, but we really need to head back if we are to keep from slowing down any chance of escape for those who wish to run and fight another day."
Noin continued, "The Healers alone will need all of the hands they can have at their disposal to move the few remaining wounded that need assistance to get away. Then there are the children who will need to be assigned guardians to look after them."
The Paramecian ruler nodded and carefully extracted his wife and wrapped an arm around her lower back to hurry her back to the forest with their friends close behind.
Once they came back under the cover of the tall trees, the leaders found Dorothy running up towards them. Coming to a sliding stop at their feet, the Oracle announced through her panting breath, "They are holding their position and I have seen that they will continue to do so for another day to toy with us."
Focusing on Firion, she frowned, "You and I are both aware of how short a time that actually is. The more distance we can get between them and ourselves the better. I made certain that the scouts and messengers passing the word out of our move are assured that we can be mobile in no less than two hours."
Both impressed and shocked that the young woman had handled such a matter, the silver-haired Fighter blinked widely. "I-I thank you," he stammered, a small smile making its way across his face as he offered a shallow bow. "Since that matter is handled, I will see to the officers and volunteers that will be staying back along with me."
From there, the group dispersed in the blink of an eye to carry out their own affairs. Just as she was about to rush off for her tent, Relena was stopped when Catalonia gripped her arm. "There is something I need to tell you," the gifted insisted as their eyes met.
Instantly concerned by the sad expression on the face of her 'sister,' the Queen murmured, "What is it?"
Drawing a deep breath, the Oracle sighed deeply, "I have seen the brave ones who will be covering our backs when the dark army comes after us..."
With a rough swallow, she all but whispered, "And Trent is going to be one of the officers to lead them."
TBC...
[1] Vepal, an ugly little thing: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/5/53/Vepal(Red).png
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