By the Red Moon Part 14
Duo blinked. Green eyes blinked back.
His head tilted to the side. The face before him tilted in a perfect mimic.
So... apparently he had a dragon of his own now. The way that the black beast followed him wherever he paced about like a massive shadow was enough to make it clear that she thought herself linked to him in the same way the other steeds were with their riders.
After nearly an hour of moving back and forth to allow the events of that early afternoon to sink in, Duo collapsed onto a stump that remained of a tree that she had charred during the earlier struggle. Still at a complete loss as to what to do, he simply stared back at the reptilian face before him.
Giggling from where she watched along with the rest of their team, Relena shook her head, "Never in my days would I have ever dreamed of seeing a black dragon linked to a human. But there is no doubt that she feels connected to him."
Wufei smirked at her, "Well, we all knew that we were not exactly dealing with any ordinary prince. This is only further proof." Sitting in the grass beside him, Anna smirked and nodded her head.
For their parts, the other dragons standing and laying around kept their own eyes on the black creature, completely having forgiven her for defending herself the way she had. They understood her position in wanting to be united with her rider. Even Heero had a tiny, amused smile on his face as he leaned against Wing and looked on to his braided charge.
Then, when Duo still had yet to move an inch for a long moment, Quatre headed over the small hill that separated them.
As the empath passed the black dragon, she did little more than peer at him from the corner of her eye briefly before centering back on the braided teenager. Looking up at his friend when he neared, Duo frowned, "I have no idea what to do. I never even had so much as a dog to take care of."
"Dragons have a way of taking care of themselves just fine," Quatre reassured with a small smile. "Right now, she is just looking for acceptance from you. Some gesture of affection would be a way of letting her know that you willingly take her in to be your steed and friend. In return, she will give her complete devotion to protecting and befriending you."
Well... there really was nothing wrong with that at all, Duo thought to himself. Strange and frightening as things were in this new world, he certainly could always use another friend.
Those large green eyes were still on him when he turned his head back to the dragon and he could see the longing there. Raising his hand, he slowly reached out to lightly run his fingers over the smooth scales at the end of the long snout. With a light wuffle, the beast leaned heavily into the touch, nearly pushing him back in the process.
In that moment, the prince recalled Anna telling him that riders and their dragons were somehow like soul mates.
And he understood the truth of that just on their first connection. It became perfectly clear that he and his new steed were going to watch after each other for the rest of their existences.
Laughing when she lightly nudged her large face against his side, Duo marveled at the unconditional devotion he found in her. "I have to come up with a name for you," he told her when she pulled back to watch him with all the interest in the world. Biting his lip, he ran through some possibilities that did not exactly complimented such a strong creature.
His eyes looking on to the sheathed sword on his belt, he recalled the words etched into the curved end of the blade. Grinning widely, the teenager raised his braided head and announced to the dragon, "I'll name you Deathscythe." What could only be taken as a pleased smile tugged her lips while her tail thumped excitedly.
"I think she likes it," Quatre snickered as the steed nuzzled her head against her rider again. "And it is a suitable name, considering what a formidable warrior she is."
Seeing that all was well with their friend and the newest member to their clan, the rest of the team walked up to be introduced.
Deathscythe bowed her head in respect to the knights and scout that she had defended herself against as if making a wordless apology to them and their steeds. The last to pat her nose with both hands, Anna smiled widely, "She is lovely, Duo. There could not be a more fitting mount for you."
The prince snorted and shook his head, "Well, I'm not exactly ready to fly on my own just yet and I do not have time to learn now that little task before we get to Virgo. She'll have to follow along."
With a nod, Wufei agreed, "Time certainly is against us this time." Meeting his braided friend's eyes, he smirked mischievously, "But Anna and I will be more than happy to teach you all you need to know about flying when we return to camp. So, do not think that you are completely off the hook."
Duo swallowed roughly and looked up at his steed. A smile still on her face, the creature's tail swayed behind her lazily. For the umpteenth time since arriving to this world, he silently wondered what he had gotten himself into.
"Speaking of Virgo," Trowa broke in as all eyes fell on him, "we really should be heading out if we hope to reach the kingdom before nightfall." On that note, Heavy Army lowered herself beside him so that he could easily climb into her saddle.
Not one objection was raised as the remainder of the group all moved to their steeds. Deathscythe watched as her rider was assisted by Heero up Wing's side and into his leather saddle. Tilting her head, she blinked in confusion. "Just stay close for now," Duo said to her when she lowered her head towards him. "We'll get the riding thing worked out later."
Her head craning back up, the black beast lightly snorted in understanding. And when Wing took to the air, she soared right up beside him to both share the lead of their clan as well as keep a close eye on her charge. As the most leery of her, the white dragon returned the favor by keeping tabs on her.
Chuckling to himself as he watched the two stare off in a silent test of wills, the prince muttered to himself, "This is going to be an interesting flight."
* * * * * *
Much to Duo's relief, the remainder of the flight went on without further incident when Heero announced their nearing Virgo. Peering over the knight's shoulder, he smiled widely at the welcoming sight of a city of marble and various colored stones in the middle of an open field. Behind tall walls, a large city of various buildings from markets to homes to churches sat.
In the center of it all sat a castle that shimmered like glass in the sunlight. The tall towers stretched up with deep purple flags waving in the breeze atop each of them. Because of the variety of colors in the materials used to build the kingdom, it really looked to have grown right from the ground like a vast wild flower.
Just when he thought he would not be rendered breathless by the sights of this world, Duo was again proven wrong. Virgo was yet another testament of that.
Turning his head to peer back at his friend, the Captain suggested, "You may want to call Deathscythe off for the time being. If any one of the guards gets a good enough look at her, they may attack her, and us as well."
Duo nodded and turned to face his steed to grin, "You heard the man, Scythe. Just stay close enough to be in earshot for when I call for you." Clearly displeased at having to leave her rider's side to ensure his safety, the black dragon's eyes narrowed with a deep grunt.
His smile spreading, the prince reassured, "I'll be fine. No need to worry."
A thin plume of dark smoke puffing from her nostrils, Deathscythe fixed Wing with a warning look that made clear her warning to him that he better keep the braided youth safe. Meeting her glare, the white steed gave a short, indignant growl.
On that, the black creature glided far to the side and flew off on her own while keeping out of sight of any onlookers from Virgo's walls. Flying fast, she disappeared from sight somewhere over the forest surrounding the open field.
"She is as stubborn as you," Heero smirked over his shoulder. "You will work well together." Duo actually laughed at what he was sure was a rare jab of jest from the knight without even bothering to come up with an equally witty retort.
At the sight of a blue-green dragon approaching with a heavily armed soldier on its back, the prince muttered, "Looks like we called Scythe off just in time." The back of Heero's head nodded in agreement as he kept his gaze on the man approaching. "They're only sending one soldier out to greet all of us?" he asked.
Heero only briefly glanced back and replied, "They only need one greeter. The city has gifted just behind their walls to attack with their powers. If we were threatening, they could kill us before we were able to finish drawing our swords."
Duo blinked in surprise and swallowed roughly at the thought of that.
Slowing them to a slow drift on the wind, Wing wordlessly signaled to the other steeds to follow his example and they all fell in line just as the guard came upon them.
The tall soldier raised the guard of his helmet when he and his mount neared to reveal a bearded face of middle age. Scanning the visitors, his brown eyes fell first on Duo and stayed there for a time before he searched the faces of the the others.
When he ended on Quatre and Relena at the end of the group, his widened eyes turned sharply back on the braided teenager with sudden realization in his gaze.
"Ah," he greeted with a kind smile before centering back on the couple. "Good to see you, gifted ones. Queen Une has been all but ill in waiting for another visit from you."
Relena grinned, "Oh, that does not surprise me at all, knowing her superstitions." Holding out her hand to the rest of her team, she commented, "I hope that you will not mind our friends joining us?"
Bowing his head, the soldier responded, "But, of course. Please follow me for safe passage into Virgo." Lightly tapping the side of his steed with his foot, they turned and flew back for the city.
"Stay close on him, Wing," Heero urged.
His white mount took to the wind to close the distance between them and their guide. The moment they were above the city, he tilted his white-and-silver wings to take the wind in a looping motion while spiraling downward with Nataku, Ingier, Heavy Arms and Sand Rock right behind in that order.
In their descent, Duo watched as a large space within the cobblestone-floor courtyard was filling with white-and-blue uniformed squires. Nearly the moment he and his team touched down, the eager staff moved in to assist their visitors.
Jumping down to the ground, the riders were given wide smiles and kind words as they graciously led the steeds to the stables a few yards away. Tired from their long journey, the dragons followed for the soft beds of straw without any urging needed.
Completely removing his helmet, the soldier that led the way into Virgo revealed his completely bald head and smiled, "I will take you into the castle, then." Chuckling as he turned, he informed, "I am sure that the watchers within the palace have already informed the Queen of your arrival and will so be expecting you."
As was the case wherever he went that was new to him, Duo had every eye around watching him as he walked by. The whispers and lean-ins spread throughout the courtyard into the castle when he and his friends climbed to the top of its tall, marble stairway.
"At least I'm getting used to the stares," the prince mumbled under his breath with Anna and Wufei flanking either side of him as they always did when together. Meanwhile, Heero and Trowa covered the back of the pack, their eyes searching the surroundings for any potential trouble.
Smirking, the swordsman replied quietly, "Not everyone in the southern regions here had believed Relena's prophecy. Before you, no other in our lifetimes had ever been sent through the portal. Many had believed that you would never return when you crossed over, so you can image their shock at seeing you."
The archer peered from the corner of her blue eye to smile, "I believe that the term 'shocked shitless' that you have used before would be appropriate in this case."
Unable to help his sharp laugh at hearing Anna use those words, Duo snickered, "Got it." It was both a surprise and not to see that he was slowly corrupting his friends. There could always be worse ways of rubbing off on them.
Inside the palace, the team continued to follow the soldier guiding them through the corridors decorated with Cala-lilies that grew and branched over sections of the walls from the floor to the ceiling. Other vines bearing a variety of colorful flowers added to the feel of the place sprouting from the earth along with the plant life.
Then, near the end of one hallway was a massive flag hanging over the closed doorway. It was a flag that Duo recognized from Romefeller as one of the many representing the countries of this world. The color of a royal purple, the center of the flag bore gold leafing that created a flowery border surrounding the image of a a gold-leafed lowercase 'm' with fancy curves that formed its arches with a loop at the end. [1]
Duo had noticed from his walking through, that same letter was what was on the uniform of every soldier above their hearts like a badge of honor. And they all wore it proudly with their chests out, heads high and their spears gripped to stand upright beside them as they stood in a neat row at either side of the corridor.
Blinking at the sight of it, Duo leaned forward to speak by Relena's ear. "I'm surprised that symbol that they have is the same that was used to represent the Virgo sign in the world where I came from," he told her quietly.
The seer turned her head back and grinned, "Actually, there are a few similarities between our realm and all of the others that exist. Those things that we share in common are a reminder that we are all connected in some way."
Straightening himself, the braided teenager made a mental note to discuss the topic more and learn what else was shared between the realms. While there was little he missed from the place where he grew up, it was an... odd comfort to see something familiar from it.
When the team approached the throne room, the two guards standing before the tall double doors made of stained glass saluted their guests smartly with a fist over their chests. Lowering their arms, they spun to pull the doors back.
A quiet gasp rushed into Duo's lungs as he took in the high, cathedral ceiling that sparkled as though countless stars were painted onto the marble.
Ornate rugs of deep reds, purples, blues and greens along the floor from the entrance to the platform at the other end of the room. At the top of that five-stepped platform was a single throne chiseled from a translucent stone, its back rising as tall as seven feet and draped with velvet of the same purple of the land's flag.
Seated on that throne was a young woman that upon first glance appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties by the prince's guess. Her brown hair was down and fell just past her shoulders.
Resting on the top of her head was a crown in the form of a simple band covered in glistening diamonds with a oval-shaped amethyst draped to fall in the perfect center of her forehead. And her long-sleeved dress of scarlet red silk only completed the picture that seemed to have come to life from a fairy tale book.
Taken aback by the both the woman's beauty as well as the strong presence that she made, Duo looked on in awe while making a hard effort to not let his jaw fall open. If he had been asked to speak right then, he knew he wouldn't have a voice to use in fear of making himself look like a fool to the queen.
With a smile tugging her lips at the sight of the arrivals, the young woman rose from her throne and gracefully stepped down the podium stairs. "This day has been long overdue, my friends. There have been rumors that I wish to have cleared up," she stated, focusing on the gifted at the front of the pack that she had not taken her eyes off from the moment they entered.
Bowing deeply, Quatre and Relena led the others to do the same. But as focused as Queen Une was on the couple, she would have completely missed it if the remainder of the group had never bothered to show their respect.
"I could not agree more about our visit being on hold for too long," the empath grinned as he peered back into the troubled brown eyes on him. "We are living in a dark time. However, we finally have our glimmer of hope."
At that, he and his wife stepped aside to reveal that said glimmer in the form of a wide-eyed, braided youth surrounded by knights and a scout.
Her own eyes widening, the queen covered her mouth with a hand. "Good spirits," she breathed. As she approached the stunned prince, the remainder of his friends stepped away a few paces. Swallowing roughly, Duo could do little more than stare back out of nervousness.
The shock on her face melting away into unabashed relief, Queen Une smiled, "Oh, there is no questioning who you are. This is a most wondrous day, indeed, to know that the prophecies spoke true of your return." Curtly lowering and lifting her head, she said kindly, "It is a great pleasure to meet you, Prince Duo, the hope of us all. You may call me Lady Une."
Scanning the whole group, she opened her arms out and announced, "I will have rooms prepared for you here in the palace that my staff will take you to. Dinner will be prepared and served in the banquet hall for us to share together. As honored guests of Virgo, take some time to make yourselves comfortable."
A light shone in the woman's eyes as she gazed back to Duo and folded her hands together. "We have a great deal to discuss," she smiled.
'Great,' Maxwell thought to himself, forcing a grin of his own.
TBC...
[1] Just in case no one knows what the Virgo image looks like: http://theblabberingme.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/virgo.jpg
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