By the Red Moon Part 12
When Duo was gently stirred from his sleep, he was handed over a bowl of porridge and sat with his team of friends at a campfire for a quiet breakfast. Ingier was in a particularly well behaved demeanor as he enjoyed his own meal along with the other steeds. Wufei, Trowa and Anna made little conversation other than discussing between them the easiest route to Virgo.
At the end of breakfast, the lot rose to their feet and headed for their dragons. Just as he was preparing to follow the archer to her blue-purple, the prince noticed Wing watching him almost... hopefully as he blinked his large blue eyes on him while Heero checked over his pack hooked to the saddle on the white-and-silver beast.
Biting his lip, Duo met up with his redheaded friend when she was about to climb up Ingier's side. "Hey, Anna," he began to draw her attention. Her eyes falling on him, he smirked, "Would you and Ingier be offended if I rode with Heero and Wing?"
Surprised at his own wish to be that close with the Captain, he gripped the hilt of his sword and quickly reasoned aloud, "If we won't be able to practice today, maybe he can still give me some pointers as we're flying around. Every little bit will help me."
With a smile tugging her lips, Anna replied, "You may ride with whomever you wish for whatever reason you wish, Duo." On the other side of Ingier, Wufei was already locked into Nataku's saddle and looking over with a small smirk on his face.
Ignoring whatever the expression on the swordsman face as well was as what the words of the archer really meant, the braided teenager was just relieved that there were no hurt feelings. Flashing the couple a wide grin and a wave, he hurried off to find Heero reaching for the buckles to strap himself into his saddle.
"Room for one more?" Duo called up to the Captain. There was the slightest jump in his stomach that he had not expected, but that was pushed aside when he thought that it was caused by having his first meal so early in the morning.
Heero peered down, actually looking a bit surprised by the question. Then, his face became unreadable again and he nodded firmly, "Of course." Sitting up further in the saddle, he reached down to offer a hand in assistance when Duo began to climb to towards him.
Their hands meeting, he gently pulled up and the prince settled in behind him. For Wing's part, he looked perfectly content with the ghost of a smile on his large mouth as he peered back to see his charges securing themselves in. His long tail gave a few light thumps on the ground in anticipation of the flight that was coming.
Once everyone was ready, the dragons rose up and gave powerful flaps from their wings to soar through the opening overhead. As they broke the tree line, Odin and his team were climbing into the heavens from another break in the forest a few dozen yards away. From Peacemillion's back, the Commander looked over to smile and wave before he led the other army leaders to the west.
Breaking east, Heero put Wing at the head at his own team. Duo rested his back against the saddle rest and revealed in the feel of the warm wind from their altitude as they flew on over the seemingly endless stretch of forest.
And he did his best to not think too much about his sudden urge to hang onto the Captain.
* * * * * *
When the group landed that evening, they were in a large gaping hole within the side of a mountain large enough for all of them and their steeds to move about comfortably. Following their dinner, the dragons were all curled up tightly into balls at the cave opening, sleeping soundly while their riders sat in a ring around the fire they had made deeper in the crevice.
Perched atop a large rock that overlooked his team, Heero had removed a thick chunk of tree branch and a small carving knife that he used to occupy himself as a silent vigil. Relena and Quatre shared a blanket and nestled closely together while Anna and Wufei were checking over their packs to remove their own sleep gear.
Relena rested her head on her husband shoulder as she asked the prince on the other side of the flames, "Would you tell us some thing about the other realm you had lived in, Duo? While my researching was able to give more insight on the passage of time through the portal, there is nothing to say what is actually out there."
At that, every eye around the ring focused on the braided teenager in anticipation to make it clear that they had all been wishing to hear of his experiences in a whole other world.
No longer interested in their items, Wufei and Anna hurried to sit beside him and looked every bit like children eagerly awaiting a story. Trowa pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against to take a seat beside the gifted pair. Even Heero had stopped his carving to peer down on his charge across from him.
Blinking in surprise, Duo collected himself and rubbed the back of his neck. "I really don't know where to start, to be honest," he chuckled nervously.
"Well, we already know that there were no dragons, or lessons in sword fighting there," Wufei aided with an amused smile. "Did this other world have forests, lakes and mountains?"
Thankful for a start to go on, the prince grinned and nodded, "Yes. But somehow those things are a lot more majestic here. And the are no kingdoms or magic. And there, I was just a normal kid like every other going to school..." Muttering under his breath, he sighed, "and trying to find their place in the world."
Catching on to the turbulent feelings swirling through his braided friend, Quatre tilted his head and frowned, "Since your arrival here, you have never made mention of a family. Did you not have a family to take care of you?"
Duo bit his lip before answering quietly, "Actually, I was moved around a lot because no one was willing to take me in permanently. I was living with my umpteenth foster family when I crossed through the portal... and I know for a fact that that arrangement wasn't going to last." Resting his head on his bent knees, he stared into the fire and continued, "Since I knew I was never going to be staying in one place for long, I avoided making friends that I would have to say goodbye to."
His violet eyes meeting the sad aquamarine across from him, he shrugged, "That's why I never mentioned a family. Most people in my shoes would have wondered how they could get back to where they came from after living there for so long. I never even gave that place a second thought, so what does that say?"
A heavy silence fell in the cave. Relena fought back the threat of tears. Quatre swallowed roughly. Trowa lowered his head, shielding his face behind his hair. Wufei took a slow, deep breath. Anna closed her opened jaw with a snap.
Then there was Heero... who easily looked the more remorseful of them all for a couple of heartbeats before he turned his head away while clearing his throat. Staring down at his handiwork, he resumed his carving and never looked back up.
Finally, after a long pause, Relena raised her head from Quatre's shoulder and vowed in a whisper, "We are your family from now on. And we will see to it that you are never alone again." Every head around the ring nodded firmly in confirmation of the sentiment, including a shallow one from Heero, though he kept his eyes hidden.
That declaration had an immediate impact on Duo as his eyes began to water. Pushing away the shimmer in his eyes, he smiled and breathed, "Thanks, guys." He chuckled and shook his head, "You know, maybe it was all supposed to happen the way it did. At least I don't feel like I'm missing anything or anyone from my previous life."
"Everything does happen for a reason," Quatre grinned. "We are all firm believers in that."
Anna curled her legs beneath her and told her braided friend, "You are where belong now. You know that every bit as much as we do."
Snorting, Duo smirked, "Yea, I do. Strange and scary as all of this still is, it also... make sense at the same time." The smile faded a bit as he scanned the eyes on him and requested, "Would you all mind if we not bring up my past again? I would really rather not have to think about it and just move on."
Without hesitating, Trowa replied clearly, "Done." And so the matter was ended for everyone present.
Heero stowed away the knife and wood that he had been working with into his pack and leapt from his tall, stone perch to land gracefully. Walking towards the opening of the cave, he spoke not a word to anyone or even made eye contact with them.
As the Captain walked off, Quatre clutched at his chest with a pained expression while he and Relena turned their heads to watch their friend walk off. Wufei cleared his throat to draw attention away from his Captain and suggested, "Well, we all best follow our steeds' example and get some rest so that we can eat and leave as early as possible tomorrow."
But the attempt was too late to keep the prince's mind from what had just happened. Rising to his feet, he quietly followed after Heero as his 'family' remained behind to share concerned looks amongst themselves. Rather than get involved, they all went about making their beddings.
Carefully stepping around the snoring dragons, Duo found the Captain standing near the edge of the cave hundreds of miles from the ground. His already unruly hair was being played with by the strong, warm breeze as he stared out to the barren desert of a valley below and dark, star-filled sky above.
"You should get some rest. We still have a long trip ahead of us," the knight said without looking back, causing his visitor to freeze in his footsteps. Though his tone was not threatening, it also made it crystal clear that he wished to be left alone.
Swallowing nervously, Duo took another couple of steps closer as he responded, "I'll be fine. It's not like I can't sleep while in flight since I trust you and the others to catch me if I slip out of my harness." Another couple more steps and he was standing beside his teacher right at the mouth of the crevice.
In the light of the full moon, every gully and hill below could be made out in the sparkling sands. Dark shapes the size of ants representing herds of... whatever creatures roamed these desserts could be made out, moving in tight formations.
No matter where he went, the braided prince never ceased to be amazed by the beauty and grandeur of this realm. Though there were plenty of forests, mountains and deserts where he grew, they really did pale in comparison to the scale of those same things here.
Keeping his eyes out to the scene, Heero was the first to speak after long silence between them. "I know that you do not like sympathy," he began quietly. Their heads turning to face each other, the knight took a deep breath and all but whispered, "But, I am sorry that your life was difficult growing up alone as you had."
The sincerity in his voice took Duo aback enough that his violet eyes widened slightly as he blinked. Guilt. Was the Captain feeling guilty for having to leave him behind? Had that been what Quatre picked up on that made him look so pained?
He shook his braided head and responded, "I know that I painted a pretty bleak picture back there, but really it could have been a lot worse. There's nothing to regret on anyone's end. It all actually made me pretty strong. Maybe even strong enough for whatever has to be done here."
Shrugging, he smirked, "Besides, I never was completely alone in that other world." When the Captain flashed him a confused look, he reached up for the cord around his neck to remove the pendant from beneath his red tunic. The moment the gold coin was in sight, Heero's eyes glassed over with some unreadable emotion.
Duo wrapped his hand around the coin and said, "I was told by the woman who raised me early on in my childhood that this was around my neck when she found me and so I got my name. I kept, constantly thinking and hoping that whoever left it might miss me and actually care about me. Sometimes, that hope was the only thing that helped me keep my sanity. If they couldn't be with me in person, I could keep them in the back of my mind."
A tiny and almost timid smile tugging his mouth, he said in little more than a breath, "It's... really nice to finally have the face and name of who had always been with me now."
The knight swallowed and turned his head to the side. Though Duo was aware since meeting Heero that he was the person who had rescued him as a baby, he never brought the matter up with him. And now it was evident that his rescuer was uncomfortable with the recognition.
But that did not mean that the prince was going to let him off that easily.
Slightly lowering his head and gaze, Duo bit his lip and sighed, "I wouldn't be alive now if it hadn't been for you... in more ways than just your taking me to the portal. Regardless of what I went through, I would much rather have that." Gathering up his courage, he once again met the cobalt eyes watching him and stated, "So, thank you... for saving my life."
It was then Heero's turn to look surprised for just a heartbeat. His widened eyes relaxing, he gave that tiny smile of his and a curt nod. "It was my duty and it was an honor," he replied.
Duty. Honor. The things of knights.
Mildly disappointed that there was not more to the Captain's reasons behind looking after him the way he had when he was a baby, Duo forced a smile back. Did that response mean that duty and honor were the only explanations behind protectiveness and kindness that Heero showed him now? A strict knight-and-prince relationship as opposed to really wanting to be genuine friends?
Whether that was all the case or not remained to really be seen. Maxwell knew that this was a big step for Heero to share even this much with another person. And he was not about to push him. If he was able to earn enough trust for this conversation, there certainly was hope that he would chisel away those walls built around the mysterious knight.
His grin becoming more real, Duo decided it was time to give back some of that space that the Captain needed now that he'd made it clear there was no need for guilt over the past. taking a deep breath, he offered softly, "Good night, Heero."
"Good night, Duo," the other teenager answered in kind as the tiny smile on his face actually spread a little further.
Pleased at the sight of that, the prince bowed his head and stepped back into the cave. Approaching the first dragon in the cluster, he was not at all surprised to find the curled beast's half-closed blue eyes watching him. Chuckling quietly, he bent at the waist to reach out and pat the end of his long snout. "'Night, Wing," he breathed. The steed gave a soft sigh in response and shifted his eyes to the front of the crevice to keep an eye on his rider.
Straightening himself, Duo followed his gaze to see that Heero continued to stand there at the entrance with his back to them. A small smirk tugging the corner of his mouth, he set to return to the others and moved to carefully round the dragons.
When he returned to the fire, his friends were laying in their crude beds with the couples curled together beneath their blankets. On his way past Quatre and Relena, he found that the empath was the only one actually awake as he stared up at the ceiling with his wife's head on his shoulder.
Their eyes meeting, the blonde kept his voice so low that it was almost lost to the crackle of the flames as he commented, "I am glad that you went to him. He needed that."
"So...he's okay?" Duo asked, his tone sounding more concerned than he had anticipated. and it was not like him to want to intrude on the another's personal life though the use of an empath, but he wanted to make sure all was well with the knight.
Grinning, Quatre nodded, "He is much better now."
Relieved to hear that, the prince smiled. Their 'good nights' exchanged, he walked around to the other side of the ring past Wufei and Anna. Peeling back the blanket of the bed that had been made for him, he rested his head on the flat pillow and lay on his side facing the empty spot beside him. His eyes drifting closed, h easily fell into a deep sleep after the long day of traveling.
* * * * * *
(Flashback)
Heero added three large branches that he had cut down to the fire that was beginning to die out. There was enough of a chill in the air that he was worried his tiny charge could catch a bad cold if exposed to it for very long. And so he kept the fire as large as he felt was within reason of not giving away his location to any possible threats in the thick forest surrounding him.
Brushing his hands together, the knight-in-training walked over to where Wing sat with the baby nestled closely to his chest within the confines of his long, coiled tail. The dragon looked up from watching the violet-eyed little one that was smiling and cooing up at him to watch his rider approach.
As he bent at the waist to open his pack, Heero couldn't help the small smile on his face in seeing just how taken his steed was with the baby. Thankfully, one of them was a natural in looking after a child.
Luckily, the prince could not have been a more pleasant baby. Other than putting up mild fusses when he was hungry or in need of a change, he was quiet when he was not giggling or cooing. And on more than a few occasions over the course of their flight, the knight caught himself talking to him when he just needed to have someone listen. Though he could not speak back, Duo would just watch him with all of the rapture in the world.
Sitting beside a sharply-clawed foot when he retrieved one of the filled bottles that had been packed away, the knight carefully took Duo into his arms. The blankets around his tiny body were tucked tightly before Heero cradled him close to his chest. His violet eyes large on his night snack, the little one happily accepted the nipple and drank greedily while watching his carrier.
With his own eyes looking back, the young soldier tried to not think about Sanq and the attack that he had fled. He tried to not worry about Odin, Wufei, Anna or the others that had flown off to defend the city.
Those efforts failed.
"It is unfair for one as young as you to already have so much on your shoulders," Heero frowned sadly. Feeding away, Duo just blinked his large eyes a couple of times.
A tiny smile tugging the corners of his mouth, the knight promised quietly, "Should our paths ever cross again when you return, I will do everything that I can to help lift that burden."
When the child finished his meal and was tended to, Heero waited until Duo yawned widely and drifted off to sleep before lowering him back into his crib made of Wing's tail.
Allowing a small yawn of his own, the knight recovered his blanket and lay on the ground as closely to his charge as possible to get as much sleep as possible before their next day of running.
(End Flashback)
* * * * * *
Sitting up in the space that had been left for him beside Duo, Heero pulled himself from his thoughts of the past and smiled at the sleeping face turned in his direction. Hesitantly raising his hand, he reached over to lightly brush his fingers through the long bangs shielding the prince's closed eyes.
"I will hold true to my promise," the Captain vowed quietly. "...friend."
That said, Heero shifted himself to stretch out along the ground and faced Duo. When his head fell onto his pillow, his eyes drifted closed and he followed the braided teenager into a peaceful oblivion.
TBC...
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