Let's walk down the road that has no end
Steal away where only angels tread
Heaven or Hell or somewhere in between
Cross your heart to take me when you leave... Don't go without me
-Lyrics to 'C'est la Mort' performed by the Civil Wars
Elements of Great Design Part 67
Perched on the balcony of the Paramecia Empire's castle, Dekim stared out beyond the miles of darkness that covered Gaia.
Something was wrong.
The fact that there was little to see as far as clear skies off in the very great distance was not the problem. It was that over a week had passed since Mariemaia had kept the gates between the realms of the living and the damned opened and there was still no word that the Alliance had been discovered.
Considering the incredible numbers of gruesome beasts that had come into play, every day that passed without knowledge of the Keepers' location was more and more unnerving.
"They are already with the rebels," the Sorcerer told himself in a breath, eyes narrowed to the south. "I am convinced of it."
From behind, a familiar deep voice commented, "Even if that is the case, I will not have my army go into the heart of the enemy until I have confirmation one way or the other to what they would be heading into." Spinning on his heels, the old man watched as Chaos stepped out into the open air.
Shaking his head, Barton growled, "I think it is wrong to not send in everything at our disposal at them. If the Alliance is not with the resistance, we can wipe out their only real support-"
Arms folding across his broad chest, the red demon glowered. "And if the Keepers are there, there is no telling what they have set up against us. I cannot take unnecessary risks when they have all four of the Elemental Stones at their disposal. Until I have very clear knowledge from inside, we wait and continue to build our defenses here."
Dekim hissed through his teeth and turned away, gripping the edge of the balcony railing. "I do not like it... but I see your point," he begrudgingly admitted. "I would much rather have as much information as we can gather rather than only sit here waiting."
"Plans for that are well under way," the Commander replied. "The gifted in the camp pose a challenge in our ability to lead a spy into their midst, but we will find an opening somehow. No army is infallible." That said, the beast slipped away quietly.
With a deep breath, Barton gazed on the countless monsters stretching out for the miles before him. "That is what I fear for us as well," he muttered under his breath.
* * * * * *
King Treize and Lady Une had fallen into obscurity amongst the White Fang following the meeting between the Keepers and the White Fang's leaders.
After seeing for themselves how hated their daughter was... how futile it was for them to continue holding out hope that she may be spared should they be on the winning end of the war... it was all too overwhelming for them to want to be noticed in the ranks.
But they were far from overlooked by a very unexpected pair.
"Hello?" a voice called beyond their closed tent door. Frowning to each other, the Paramecian Sovereigns rose from their makeshift table to take in their visitor together when the flap was pulled back.
Their lungs filling with sharp gasps of air, their wide eyes gazed on none other than Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell. Just behind them, Howard was nothing but a wide smile with Queen Iria seated on his shoulder.
Smirking to the stunned King and Queen, the Fighter of the group asked, "Mind if we come in?"
Treize nearly dropped the flap that he had been holding up in realizing who their visitors were. "Oh!" he exclaimed, nodding as he pulled the opening wider by stepping back. "Please, you are more than welcome."
Unable to believe that they were receiving any company, least of all the warriors that had graced them, he watched them filter inside along with the Elder and fey ruler.
Anxiously brushing her hands against the front of her simple skirt of a deep purple shade, Lady Une frowned to her guests, "Is there anything that I can go and fetch for you? I am afraid that Treize and I have been completely caught by surprise by your appearance and we have little by means of food or drink here."
Grinning warmly, Duo waved his hand in the air, insisting, "Do not be silly. This is just a friendly visit and we definitely are not expecting anything from you other than wishing to have a talk with you." Just to prove how easy going they were, the son of Shinigami and Yuy sat side-by-side atop of blanket that was already stretched out on the ground.
Wary eyes locking once more, the royals swallowed roughly and returned to their table along with Howard and Iria. "To what do we own the honor for this discussion, then?" Khushrenada asked.
Not wanting to draw out their anxieties any longer, Heero leaned forward as he announced, "We are here to discuss Mariemaia and how we are all looking out for her protection out of this."
The words hung in the air for a long pause as the stricken Sovereigns processed them. "H-her protection?" Une breathed, vision shimmering. "But... everyone is out for our little girl's blood-"
Shaking his braided head, Maxwell corrected, "Not everyone."
He made a circle above his head with a hand, continuing, "No one in this room for starters. 'Ro has had some hunches about your daughter for a while now. Howard and Queen Iria have both confirmed them with us through what they are able to gather with their gifts, so I am on board to help her in any way that I can."
A sob broke from the Queen before she fell to her knees and threw her arms around the soul mates. "Thank you," she whimpered, body trembling as they held her back. "Dear Creator, thank you so much. Besides having Howard and Iria, we have felt so alone even with thousands of people around us."
The break in her voice and the desperation of those words instantly created a lump in the immortals' throats. Gently patting her back, Heero responded, "Well, we will not allow you to go on feeling that way."
Biting his lip, Treize struggled to keep his own emotions in check as he shook his head. "To have your company in this means more than you could ever imagine," he managed. "You both will have a better chance at getting close to Mariemaia when the final battle comes... you might be able to keep her safe."
While the Queen pulled away from him and his lover, Duo nodded, "That's what we are planning. If we can get to her first, it would be a hell of a lot easier in being able to defend her honor to the White Fang, and every survivor of the war, than making our intentions known beforehand."
Iria tilted her head, commenting, "There is still a measure of risk involved, but this really is the best strategy. An after the fact rescue is far better to argue so long as it stays quiet leading into it. There would be too much animosity to come out of word of this spreading in advance. But you have all of us looking out for your little girl."
Opening his hands, Howard smirked to the Sovereigns, "You have always known where I stand. Heero's inklings have only solidified my opinion on the matter."
Her smile slipping in confusion, Lady Une turned her head to focus back on the Fighter. "For an Elder to trust you in such a way... who are you?" she murmured. Yuy's eyes widened in panic as mouth fell open, closing a few times in a failed attempt to answer. Even Maxwell had tensed up in a mental scramble to find how to come to his aid.
Quickly waving, the Queen reassured, "It does not matter. And it is not my business. You are the reason my baby just might survive this nightmare. That is all that I need to know." She leaned in to give his cheek a peck of a kiss. Heero and Duo gave her grateful smiles.
Moments later, the four visitors stepped out of the Khushrenada tent. Breathing a deep sigh, Queen Iria thought aloud, "I only wish that there was more we could do."
"You and I both," Howard replied as the fairy perched back on his shoulder. The corner of his mouth tugging up, he said, "I also wish that I was a bit younger and you were a bit taller, my dear."
Blushing, the mystic royal slapped the side of his neck, giggling, "Oh, Howard. We have been through this before." They snickered as Heero and Duo fell back behind them with every step they took.
The high noon placement of the sun brightened the green-and-white land so that everything stretched around them was in plain display. But for the son of Shinigami, his attention was set on his distracted lover. "We're going to have our work cut out for us," he stated softly, reading his partner's mind.
Heero nodded shallowly, frowning, "Especially considering who we are going to be directly up against if and when the time to make a stand comes."
* * * * * *
"And that is why Wufei first appeared as a wolf when we arrived here," Anna concluded. It marked the end of the very long and sad tale of love that was shared with a handful of new friends gathered around.
Sniffling, thief reached up to wipe the stray tear that ran down her face, only for Wufei to beat her to it as his palm cupped her cheek and his thumb gently brushed the drop away. A shuddering sigh breaking from her, she smiled adoringly at the shimmery-eyed Monk curled up against her side while wrapping her arms over his.
Huddled close together along the rocks before the pair, Trent and Relena let out the breaths that they had been holding and rubbed their own eyes. Alex, Muller, Dorothy and Meiran were close in their respective pairs as they allowed the story to take hold in their very souls.
While they all had wished to know more of the Fire and Earth Keepers' pasts, none were prepared to be so impacted by hearing it.
Quinze swallowed hard, breathing to the redhead, "All of those years... you never once thought of leaving him? Even though at the time you had no idea if the spell would ever be broken so that you could be together again... to hold each other again?"
Having a firm grip on her emotions one more, Anna rested the side of her face against her husband's shoulder as she shrugged, "It was never a consideration. Wufei and I have been inseparable from the day we met... where one goes the other is not far behind."
She smirked, patting her lover's arm and giggled, "Besides, if the tides had been turned, I have no question that he would have done the same for me."
Chang placed a kiss at the top of her head before resting his chin there, whispering brokenly, "Without question." Humming, the Fire Keeper burrowed herself deeper against his chest and closed her eyes.
"Wow," Meiran muttered as she dried the last of her tears. She shook her head, "That kind of love is what inspires tales passed through the ages. You are both very fortunate to have found such a thing in light of the trials that you have faced."
Turning her head to Alex, she squeezed his hand that had been clinging to hers. "That much is something we can all relate to on some level," she stated quietly. The blonde fighter smirked back with a firm nod, lifting the back of her hand to kiss it.
Off in the distance, a familiar shape emerged from the tree line to enter the clearing. "Looks like our break is up," Mueller announced, reluctantly loosening his arm around Dorothy's waist as the others all turned to watch Trowa nearing them.
Dressed in his full Dragoon gear and spear in hand, the Air Keeper grinned to his brother, "Firion is arranging the new teams that we will be taking on for the rest of the afternoon." The Monk bowed his head in acknowledgment and gave his wife one last, tight hug when they untangled themselves. Moving to Barton, they exchanged a one-armed embrace.
Anxious as they were to resume their lessons with the legends, Alex and Mueller took a moment to kiss and hold their ladies first.
Never again were they going to take their time with their partners for granted. And the young women were all too happy to return the sentiments. Then, the Fighters followed their mentors beyond the clearing to fade away behind the cover of the trees,
Pushing herself up to her feet, Anna brushed her hands together as she smirked to her student, "I informed the archery teams that they have the rest of the day off. This way you have me all to yourself these next few hours."
Trent's chest sagged with a deep sigh of relief. He had come a long way over the last few days, but he still needed refinement in his technique... and he needed it without an audience to make him nervous.
It was one of the things that Quinze was the most grateful for when it came to his training with Anna- she understood him and made him feel comfortable in their time together.
Never once did she put him down or allow him to be in a position of ridicule from those more talented archers. She was nurturing when he needed, but the right amount of tough on him when he needed that to improve as well.
Already, that technique had brought him to at least hitting within a target every time he fired an arrow after a week's worth of learning from the Fire Keeper.
Relena gestured her fellow ladies and they all hopped down from their 'seats' together as she told the Fighter, "We will go and listen in on Quatre's talks with the Healers." Their arms looping around each other's waists, the couple engaged in a sound kiss. Breaking away, the Queen smiled, "Have fun with your lessons."
With that, the groups parted ways, leaving the soldier and the Keeper alone in the clearing.
Bending at the waist to gather up her weaponry, Chang grinned to her friend, "Ready?" Trent nodded an affirmative, strapping on his own quiver and running a finger over his bowstring for an inspection. Together, the two walked to reach the center of the opening.
Just as they were coming to a stop, the Captain said sincerely, "Anna, in case I have not said it enough, thank you... for everything. You have been very patient with me and you showed a lot of trust in sharing your story. It all means a lot."
"Aw," the redhead smiled, cheeks blushing. Slapping her pupil on the arm, she complimented, "You're a good guy, Trent. As for your training, you're the one who had been putting the work in. Howard would not have predicted your importance with this without there being a good reason for it."
Raising an eyebrow, she warned, "But do not think for a second that I am going to allow you to be the one to kill Mariemaia. I am the one who reserves that right."
Quinze chewed on the inside of his cheek before he replied, "I make no promises there." Now being the one to smirk, he suggested, "We will just have to see who gets to her first."
The surprise over his words had the redhead blinking widely.
Finally, she smiled, "Fair enough." In the blink of an eye, she spun so that her back was to the target nearly a half quarter mile away, had an arrow set and lifted her bow, aiming it backwards over her shoulder to sent an arrow away... penetrating the center of the bull's eye.
Not even having to look back to confirm the hit, she smirked to the slack-jawed Fighter as he dropped his bow at his side. "Good luck to you," she smirked with a wink. "You are going to need it."
"Uh... yea," was all Quinze could chuckle timidly. "Considering I still haven't hit my first bull's eye yet, that would be an understatement."
Slipping her bow across her chest, Chang grinned, "Your biggest challenge is just letting go. I do not consider you a controlling person, but as a hand-to-hand combat Fighter, your need for some sense of power over what happens is imbedded for how you fight. Sending off an arrow does not come with the same amount of say in whether or not the outcome you want will turn out."
Trent reeled back a bit as though struck in the face. "That... make a lot of sense," he nodded. "I can make my sword do what I want when I'm defending myself but there is a measure of chance in archery. That's probably what's holding me back the most... trying to find that control is throwing me off."
Her hands coming together for a sharp clap, Anna beamed, "Exactly. And I think I might have a trick to help that. So, take your aim, hold your position and close you eyes."
Frowning, Quinze removed a arrow, set it to the bowstring and pulled back without another word. Like so many other times before, he closed his right eye and locked onto his target... mentally defeating himself in knowing that like every other shot he had ever made he would miss it.
Then he closed his eyes... relinquishing all say in whatever was about to come.
"Really pay attention to your body," the Fire Keeper's voice urged quietly. And it was the first time that Trent ever noticed the slight tremble in his arm that kept his arrow pulled back. Even though he had never noticed it before, he suddenly realized that it was something he always did right before a release.
Slowly, a hand wrapped around his that gripped the arrow tail. The arm attached draped along his own, steadying it. A slighter, but firm chest pressed against his back to straighten it and the second hand wrapped around the one holding his bow to lengthen its stretch. Every inch of his body was sturdy and relaxed at the same time.
By his ear, his mentor told him, "Open your eyes and take the shot."
Following her orders, the Fighter's eyes snapped open to narrow on the red dot at the center of his mark. With the loosening of her hold, he found his ease into letting go of both his reservations as well as the arrow... landing it directly in the center just beneath the one that had been left to show the way.
The warriors broke apart, laughing as Quinze let out a long cheer, pounding his fists in the air.
"Congratulations," Chang smirked, applauding her student. "You just hit your first bull's eye."
She was scooped up into strong arms and spun around as they both laughed loudly. Patting the officer's shoulder when he released her, she said, "Now you know how it should feel when you go to make your mark. That is half the battle in archery."
His chest raised in pride, Trent snickered, "A few more sessions like this and I'll be the one taking Mariemaia out."
Anna smirked, reached into the pocket of her trousers to produce a shiny apple. Tossing it in a high arch over her shoulder, she whirled around while taking a hold of her bow and a new arrow that she nooked into place in time to fire at the same second that the large piece of fruit began its descent to the earth.
Before it touched the ground, the apple was sliced into two perfect halves.
Humming a cheery tune as she walked over to retrieve the slices, the thief tossed one to the stunned Fighter. Face pale and eyes wide, Trent somehow managed to make the catch and stared down in disbelief at the clean cut.
Unable to hide her smug grin, Anna bit into her half of the snack. "Ya mwer sayin'?" she mumbled as she chewed.
"I was saying that I am glad we do not have bets at stakes in this challenge," Quinze chuckled sheepishly. Whistling through his teeth, he gazed back down at the half of apple in his possession and shook his head, "Just when I think I am coming along, I am reminded of how far I have yet to go."
A playful smile lighting her face, the thief pat his back as she reassured, "Baby steps, my apprentice. Baby steps. At least you are moving in the right direction."
Returning her grin, Trent quickly finished off his snack and removed another arrow to continue in his practice. He might never become as good as the Keeper in her talents, but now he was not so afraid to have faith in a little bit of luck in addition to skill.
Maybe chance would grace him just enough to pull off his most desired kill.
And with each shot fired from that point on, letting go became a whole lot easier.
TBC...
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