By the Red Moon Part 40
It had been... a long time since Howard and his team of squires had begun their work on Heavy Arms. How long exactly, Trowa was not sure.
All that he knew was that it was far too long for his liking. With his steed under the effects of both the medicine and healing magic administered to her, at least her pained whimpers and wails had stopped.
Peering outside, the Head Scout noted that there was not much for sunlight hanging in the sky and an overwhelming wave of guilt for not being out there to help washed over him.
Had he been assisting in any way, however, he would have been of little use with his mind wrapped around the thought of possibly losing his steed. If the diagnosis was not in Heavy Arms' favor, he wanted to be available to say his good byes to her.
...But that was all too painful a notion for Trowa to even really consider a possibility.
Seated at his left, Catherine looked over and rubbed his back soothingly. "I'll go see about getting us at least some water to drink," she offered. Rising from her place on their shared bench, she leaned in to kiss her brother's temple before she walked off with a squeeze to his shoulder.
To his left, Princess Hilde took a deep breath when they were alone to glance over at the knight. Biting her lip, she put on a smile and reassured quietly, "I am sure that it is a good sign that Howard has not come out with bad news yet. She must be fighting pretty hard."
Trowa grinned sadly as he continued to stare ahead and commented in little more than a breath, "Heavy Arms always was a strong one. She would never go down without a struggle." His voice broke off at the end and he fell silent again, his smile slipping away into the same, worried etch on his face.
Shaking his head, he heard himself share, "I... I really don't want to think of what it would be like without her. She's been my best friend through... everything. Through my training as a knight. Through my uncle's betrayal. Through Dorothy..."
At the mention of the sorceress' name... at how the scout's voice still revealed the deep affection he had for her, Hilde's heart sank as it would every time he brought up his former lover. Whatever animosity she felt towards Dorothy, she held her tongue for Trowa's sake.
He needed a friend. Not competition for his admiration. And so, she was finally able to let him go and find his own way while being all the support she could be for him.
Looking down at his hand on the space of the bench between them, the princess lowered her own on top of it and squeezed it. The scout looked down as he turned his palm to hold her hand back and smiled. Meeting her eyes, he said sincerely, "Thank you for being here, Hilde."
It spoke volumes of how much he really meant the sentiment with how he dropped her royal title and simply referred to her by her name as he would when the three of them were growing up together.
Suddenly feeling better after releasing that tension within him, the girl smiled back and nodded, "Of course. We are friends, after all." Trowa nodded back with a lopsided grin and squeezed her hand in appreciation.
Hilde took a quiet deep breath of relief. She could do this. She could be there as someone to lean on without having the constant longing. If they truly were meant to be, a time would come for that. But if not, she would be more than happy having him as simply a friend. It was far better than not having him in her life at all.
Their attention shifted to the doorway of Heavy Arms' stall when the team looking after her emerged. With their tunics splattered red, they all seemed rather upbeat as the first three squires were needed to carry the barbaric dragon spear out to be disposed of.
All but jumping to their feet, Trowa and Hilde's hands fell away as they hurried to Howard when he stepped out last to greet them.
For having spent hours caring for his patient, the old man did not appear at all fatigued and his lips curled up into his brilliant smile. "She's going to be fine," he announced, clearly proud of the work he and his team had accomplished. "It will take her a couple of days for her own healing abilities to complete the mend, but she'll make a full recovery."
Letting out the breath that he had been holding in a deep, relieved sigh, Trowa forwent all formalities and threw his arms around the Head Squire. "Thank you," he managed brokenly with his tears falling freely.
Howard chuckled warmly and pat the youth's back, replying, "No need for thanks, boy. It's our pleasure to be of this kind of service to dragons like your Heavy Arms." When Barton straightened, the old man gestured to the opened stall and urged, "Go on in and say 'hello.' She should be waking any minute now."
Not needing to be told twice, Trowa gave him another quick embrace before hurrying past him. Giggling, Hilde stayed back to quietly speak with Howard while giving the scout some time alone with his steed.
Entering the stall, Barton took a moment to note the long and thick gauze wrappings around Heavy Arms' torso. He swallowed roughly at the sight if the many blood-drenched dressings that were being discarded.
It had been a very close call for the red dragon. Too close for comfort. Had the arrow penetrated much deeper or even a few inches to the left or right where the more vital organs were... there would not have been a way of bringing her back.
Stepping close to where his steed's head lay flat against the hay, Trowa couldn't help the smile on his face as he listened to her snore quietly.
Lightly running a hand over her snout, he looked up to watch the black eye above him slowly blink open. Stepping back, the knight grinned as Heavy Arms raised her head to yawn widely, her long tongue sticking out in the process.
Taking her time in coming back to her senses, the steed turned her head to find her rider. A wide smile tugging her lips, the dragon's tail thumped beside her. Careful not to move her tender body too much, she stretched her neck out to bring her head close to him again.
His emerald eyes stinging all over again, the scout threw his arms around the top of her long snout and whispered, "Hi, girl." He laughed when his friend hummed and pulled back to lick the side of his face in response.
Brushing away the last bit of shimmer in his eyes, Trowa sighed and rubbed the scales at the end of her nose. "If you can help it, try to not scare me like that again, okay?" he snickered. Heavy Arms' smile grew as her head fell back onto her bed of straw, her eyelids growing heavy.
"You get your rest, now," her rider told her quietly. Letting out a long sigh, the red dragon's eyes closed and she drifted back off into her much-needed sleep. Once her soft snores resumed, Barton approached to give her one last pat before stepping back out of her stall with a relieved smile on his face.
When he returned to where he left them, he paused in finding his sister and all of his friends standing around with anxious faces instead. Behind them, just beyond the doorway, Hilde was in the process reuniting with her parents while Howard and the squires continued checking in on their charges.
Truly moved that the others were all clearly worried about Heavy Arms, Trowa grinned, "She's sleeping now, but she is going to be fine." Shoulders sagged and breaths sighed at the announcement.
Catching Anna's gaze as she began to turn her head around, the scout smirked, "I can take you to Ingier. He's only a few stalls away, soaking in aloe for his burn wounds." He turned towards Wufei and added with a chuckle, "Nataku has been inseparable from him since she got here."
The couple blinked in surprise and quickly caught up with their tall friend as he led the way deeper into the damaged stable. When they reached the stall that had been dubbed Ingier's, Anna gasped and let out a giggle that had the others running to see.
Wufei shook his head in amusement, "So it took the poor guy getting scorched for her to stop playing hard to get."
Inside the stall, leaning heavily against each other as they lay in the space that was almost too tight for the both of them, the steeds slept soundly. Tails curled together and Nataku's neck draped over Ingier's, their mouths smiled in their slumber to complete the picture of their perfect contentment.
Anna took a careful glance over the giant, dripping ferns that were draped over her dragon's sides and back to conceal his burn scars. Not a single blemish had been missed. More than pleased with the care that had been provided, the archer made a mental note to personally thank the squires for their efforts.
For the time being, however, she stayed alongside her lover and friends to spy on the dragons while her troublemaker of a dragon was still.
Howard was already reacquainted with Peacemillion when he led her to the next stall. A couple members in his crew were quick to fill her trough with food that was instantly devoured. And with that, the last member of their group was settled in and safe for the evening.
That handled, a very anxious Quatre turned to face the lot and suggested, "Let's get cleaned up and meet somewhere for dinner."
Leaning close to Heero, he added under his breath, "Then you can explain what had happened today." The Commander nodded firmly and the group split, happy to have a chance to shed their bloody and grimy clothes.
Duo caught that little exchange and swallowed roughly. On his way out with Heero, their hands linked once again... neither really sure who needed the contact more.
* * * * * *
It had been decided that the best place to spend the night was close to the injured steeds. And so the band of friends sat together before the stable's fireplace away from any ears as they finished their meals and settled down with their sleeping bags on the floor.
The steady pattering of the rain and occasional rumble of thunder served as background music as what was still remaining of the storm system that had vaporized rolled through.
Once all of the general discussions were wrapped up, it was Catherine who opted to bring up the looming matter that had yet to be discussed. "That was some incredible power that destroyed Dekim's men today. I have never seen anything like it in this world."
Sitting himself up straighter, Duo pulled his covered knees to his chest and frowned, "I... I never saw what happened." With a nervous smile, he shrugged, "Maybe the whole battle was a little too much for me, but I kind of blacked out there for a bit."
The way that everyone around was staring at him, he knew that they had come to the conclusion that it was not as simple an explanation for his lapse as he had hoped. Relena, Trowa, Wufei, Anna and Catherine in particular seemed taken aback by his comment before what appeared to be wide-eyed realization filled their eyes.
Quatre picked up in the steeply building anxiety in the prince and turned to the Commander on the other side of their ring. "Heero, you were pretty close to what had happened. Maybe you could describe what happened to those of us who never had a chance to witness it."
Mentally preparing himself for those details, Duo looked to the knight beside him.
Taking a deep breath, Heero leaned against him and replied, "Everything just happened so quickly. There was this beam of light that shot from the ground straight through the clouds into the skies. But, then there was also this black essence... like a thick fog. It took the form of a hand and stretched out all around."
His head nodding, Wufei commented, "I was out on the main bridge and I saw that hand. It made it that far and out to the shoreline where the army's reinforcements were stationed in a matter of seconds. There was no sound or the slightest breeze inside of darkness when it fell over, but Dekim's soldiers were completely obliterated as they literally fell apart into particles that vanished."
Catherine concluded, "And then it was gone. The dark clouds pulled back into the light and then that disappeared with it, leaving not the trace of a cloud in the sky."
Her jaw hanging along with her husband's Relena gasped and covered her mouth. "Dear spirits," she breathed. "Dark and light magic working at the same time. Such a thing has never been seen in this world. They always challenge each other."
Equally stunned, Quatre sat dumbfounded. Though he had picked up on how Heero was dealing with what had occurred, he was not nearly prepared for what he had just learned. Not doubt the Commander was having a time dealing with it all too, since it was difficult to sort out the many emotions running though him.
Lowering her hand, the seer focused on the five that were ground level at the time and asked, "You are all certain that you all saw the same thing as what was just described?"
All of their heads nodded. Bar one.
Duo's wide eyes blinked. Racking his brain, he tried to call back a memory of anything like that. He could not, no matter how hard he tried. The last thought he had before suddenly realizing that their enemy had been stopped was seeing a wave of those creatures coming for him and Heero.
Looking around, he only then realized that his friends were staring at him... meaning only one thing. But... but that was impossible.
With a sharp laugh, the braided prince pointed to himself as he scanned the ring of faces and exclaimed, "What, you think that I did that?!" His head fell back as he laughed all the louder, "You can't be serious! I'm not gifted! And I especially can't bring on death like that!"
Another glance around showed that the others were still watching him closely. Then the laughter came to an abrupt halt. Frowning deeply, Duo shook his head and almost pleaded, "That couldn't have come from me..."
When there was no response, he all but whispered, "Could it?"
Biting his lip, Heero turned his head to meet the violet eyes that sought him for reassurance. He reached over to squeeze the other teenager's hand and replied quietly, "Duo, I saw you before that power was unleashed. Your eyes were glowing and you let out a scream that was... not yours. The light and dark magic came from you. You were the source."
Gasps and wide eyes spread throughout their group as that key detail was shared. Turning their heads, they began to murmur under their breaths to one another. All the while, they kept their stunned gazes on their braided friend.
'No,' Duo thought to himself, only to realize that he had actually spoken the word. Slowly rising to his feet as it all sank in, he shook his head and his voice grew in volume as he insisted, "There is no way I have that ability. I'm not gifted! I can't bring death like that!"
Quick to stand, Heero rested his hands on his stricken partner. "Think back," he pressed, keeping his voice as soothing as possible. "I know that I got through to you in the field when I told you that your eyes were glowing."
In his immediate reaction, the prince shook his head fervently... only to stop himself cold in the act. Violet eyes widening, he did recall the knight saying that. It was one of the last things that he remembered before his senses were lost to him.
As badly as he wanted to deny it, Duo remembered that. What other explanation was there to his complete loss of what happened to Dekim's army?
Nausea came on strong. His knees buckled.
To keep from falling, the braided teenager walked as best he could past his everyone. Not even hearing their calls to him, he just moved forward. He needed air. He needed time away from everything. He needed... he did not even know what he needed at that time to feel any better after discovering that he was...
'Death to those against them.' Those words on his sword ran through his mind. Killing in the heat of battle with a blade was one thing. But to be able to wipe out scores at one time with little to no effort was something quite different.
Before he was even aware he reached the doorway to the stable, Duo felt the cold rain pouring on him. Still he kept walking as the others hurried towards him.
Lightning flashed in the low cloud cast and a roll of thunder shook the air. Only a little soothed by the droplets that were soaking into him, it was suddenly a little easier to breathe.
Not even sure how long he had been walking, the prince came to a stop in the nearby field. When he turned to find his friends standing close by, but far enough to give him some space, all of his frustrations and fears came to a head.
"I didn't ask for this!" he yelled in a shrill voice while pointing at his chest. "I don't want to be this... this monster!"
Heero closed the distance between them in a few wide strides. Pulling the trembling youth close, he cupped the back of his head and whispered fiercely in his ear, "You are not a monster! Whatever this is, we're not going to leave you. Not like everyone else in your life in the past."
In the end, that was the real fear that had all but paralyzed Duo over learning of his ability. How could anyone want to risk being even close to him? What would keep his friends... his family from running away from him like so many before?
Lost in his confusion and overwhelming fright, he just allowed the tears to come.
Burying his head in the knight's shoulder as they clung tightly onto each other, he simply let go of the walls that he had built around himself to be strong even in light of the odds against their chances of survival.
Finally, he was just able to be Duo... whatever that meant now.
TBC...
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