By the Red Moon Part 46

The fog around him was thick again. Even the crunch of his feet walking along the rocky path was muffled. It was not going to be much longer before that creature was going to show its ugly face again. Those red eyes would glow and that threatening roar would fill the air.

With a deep breath, Duo tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword. Quatre had taught him how he could arm himself now that they knew the dark side of his gift manifested in the form of a beast.

Of course, the empath would not be happy to learn that he traveled here on his own, but he needed to do this alone. It was the only way he would be able to face himself.

Violet eyes narrowing, the braided prince raised his scythe-like blade and pressed forward. He was not going to back down like so many other times before. This time he was going to succeed in getting the better of the magic coursing through him.

Not much further now. Tightening his hands even more around the hilt, they stung from the pressure. But all that Duo was really concerned with was being ready to strike when the time came. He could feel his heart beginning to race and sweat beading on his brow. It was becoming an effort to keep his breathing calm and steady.

A low rumble resonated in his ears and his feet stopped. Straightening himself and raising his sword higher, Maxwell could feel the panic building as he began to pant for air.

Then, those blood red eyes glowed before him and that deep rumble chuckled in amusement. Past the fog, the monster's massive teeth glistened as its gruesome mouth curled upward to reveal a hungry grin.

Swallowing roughly, Duo's eyes narrowed and he shouted, "Come on! I'm ready for you!" He gasped sharply when the long snout of the beast snapped forward to close down on him. Narrowly dodging away, he swung at the mix of scales and crude feathers only for the muzzle to disappear before he could make contact.

With a deep growl, the prince spun as the thing materialized behind him.

Charging through the fog with a cry, he raised and lowered his blade. The force of his blow caused the metal to whistle as it fell. Where he should have cut into a giant abdomen, he only disturbed the eerie mist.

There would be another flash of the creature. And another missed slash.

Back and forth, the skirmish continued in that fashion for what seemed a brief eternity to the braided teenager.

That deep, threatening chuckle returned just before the invisible monster released a howl that nearly shattered the teenager's eardrums.

Wincing from the pain, Duo scanned the shroud of darkness around him. His body was aching from the fatigue that was settling down into his bones. What energy he had from getting to his demon was nearly sapped away completely.

Heavily panting in the effort that it took to just stay standing, his shaking arms tried to raise his sword. After a couple of failed attempts, he managed to lift it to the height of his hips. Sweating profusely, he shouted, "Alright, you bastard! Enough with the games! Show yourself!"

His wishes were bidden when suddenly the ground beneath him vanished, sending him into a free-fall. Screaming on his way down through the fog, Duo lost hold of his sword. Looking down, his breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened to their fullest in seeing those glowing red eyes and that open jaw soaring up for him.

A startled yell escaping him, the prince could feel the warm breath of the beast just before the sound of those sharp teeth snapped closed around him.

"No!" Maxwell shouted as his eyes snapped open widely and he flailed in an effort to save himself. The moment he took his bright surroundings in, he stopped. Gulping in air, he scanned around the Commander's tent to see that everything inside looked just as it had when he had begun his meditation.

When he'd nearly composed himself, the prince jumped when the flap of the door opened and Heero hurried inside. The moment he saw the pale and sweat-soaked state that his lover was in where he sat on the floor, the Commander's tense shoulders sagged with a deep sigh.

A sheepish smile on his face, Duo requested, "Um... don't tell Quatre about this. Something about him when he's angry is just... damned scary."

Shaking his head, Heero walked up to him and held out a hand to assist his partner to his feet. About the only good thing that was coming out of these rogue visits into the subconscious was that he noticed how the braided teenager was not nearly as drained as he had been in the beginning.

"Quatre has reason to worry, considering what you have to face when finding your dark magic. There is always the chance that you could remain lost in your mind if anything should go wrong," the knight reminded.

Gently resting their foreheads together, he frowned, "You have told me how you cannot lose me. That goes both ways as just the thought of ever losing you is something that I cannot bear."

Biting his lip, Duo took a deep breath and released it slowly. He reached down to take hold of the Commander's hands and squeezed them.

Keeping their gazes locked, he whispered, "I know, and I am sorry to worry you... but Quatre can only follow me so far and I always face the demon alone anyway. I know the limits that I have and I promise that I will be careful, but this is something that I need to do. My gift is mine to deal with."

However much he wanted there to be another way, Heero knew that his prince was right. In the end, this needed to be handled on Duo's terms or else he could never trust himself to be able to wield his ability without harming himself or anyone else.

A sad smile tugged the knight's lips as he stepped back and nodded firmly, "Very well. Just be certain to keep that promise of staying careful whenever you go back." He was rewarded with a deep kiss that took him by surprise for a heartbeat before he returned the favor.

Pulling back, the braided teenager breathed, "Thank you."

His hands falling to his sides, he sighed and began to pace the tent. Walking his way around the meeting table, he thought aloud, "You know, it would be nice if the light side of my gift would finally make an appearance. I could really go for running into a sugarplum fairy or a glowing ball. Hell, anything would be better than that... that thing!"

Duo continued to pace as he shook his head, "And what gets me about that monster is that it's getting faster and smarter every time I find it. Just when I think I know the way to attack from my prior visits, it completely changes its tactics and catches me by surprise."

"Well, the fact that you are challenging it at all is impressive," Heero complimented. "I am sure that you will one day catch it off guard."

Before Duo could do more than respond with a warm smile, the flap over their door was pushed back and Wufei peered inside. "I hope that we are not interrupting anything," he greeted as Anna stepped into the doorway behind him.

Their Commander smirked, "Not at all. Come in."

Entering the tent, the couple shared a look before the swordsman gently nudged his fiancée.

The particularly quiet and... almost nervous archer lowered her head. Clearing his throat, Wufei decided to take whatever matter they had into their own hands and told the prince, "Anna has something that she would like to ask you."

As Duo blinked at that, Wufei told his 'brother,' "Heero, if you wouldn't mind, I request a chance to speak with you privately if that is alright." Still a bit concerned over his sister's unusual behavior, Yuy focused back on Chang and returned the nod.

Leaning in to kiss Anna's cheek, the Chinese knight whispered in her ear, "It's going to be fine, love. Just ask." The archer bit her lip and squeezed his hand before he turned and led Heero outside.

Once they were alone, Duo smiled to his friend and gestured her to join him by the meeting table. Taking a seat, he waited for her to sit beside and opened the conversation with a casual, "So, what's up? Is everything alright with the wedding plans?"

Anna took a deep breath and finally raised her head to meet his eyes. "Oh, everything is going wonderfully. We only have a few details left to work out," she responded, her tension only somewhat easing.

"I'm still not exactly used to being center of so much attention," she admitted in a way that sounded like she needed to get that off of her chest. A tiny smile tugging her mouth, she shrugged, "But I guess that comes with the territory of a wedding."

Of course, they both knew that it was so much more than a simple wedding. When the news of the event spread through the encampment, a whole wave of hope ran through the soldiers and gifted. Spirits were higher than they had ever been, in spite of the fact that there was a war being waged.

For those who had loved ones waiting for them, this ceremony was a reminder of what they were fighting for. And for those who did not, it was a beacon of inspiration that they might live through this dark age and find that special someone with whom they would spend the rest of their days with.

Anyone and everyone that had something they could offer to the service and reception was volunteering their help. Before long, what had been intended to be a simple service was becoming quite the grand affair.

Peering over her shoulder to watch the door, Anna informed, "Actually, Wufei just pulled Heero aside so that he could ask him if he would stand up with him during the service. I just finished asking Relena to do the same for me."

His smile growing at that, the braided teenager said, "That's great. I couldn't think of two better people for the job." When that did little to ease the archer, he frowned, "You know, whatever it is you have to ask me, you can just get it out."

A smirk tugged the corner of his mouth as he snickered, "You know you're starting to make me nervous."

With her infectious laugh finally making an appearance, Anna shook her head and allowed herself to relax with an apologetic grin for her friend. "Well, I know that I'm probably being ridiculous for being like this with my request," she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck through her long strands of hair.

The knight's smile faded while she made sure to lock her blue eyes with the violet watching her and stated, "But you have to understand that even though we're friends, you are still my prince as well and this typically is not the kind of thing that a prince is bothered with."

Letting out a puff of air, she turned her head away again as she muttered, "Plus, it's not as if you don't already have a lot to deal with between your training, the war and simply getting used to your life here."

Duo gently held onto her chin to make her look back at him, at the same time his free hand took one of hers to squeeze it. "Try me," he challenged with a wink, a smirk curling his lips. "Now out with it."

Knowing that she was not about to get out of it, Anna let out her request. "I was hoping that you might... be the one to give me away to Wufei... in my father's place."

Completely taken aback by the request, the prince's eyes widened and his jaw fell. Quickly recovering before he made his friend worried over his reaction, he smiled, "Really? I mean, are you really sure that you want me to do that? That's a pretty big responsibility."

"I'm sure," the archer nodded without hesitation. Swallowing roughly, she grinned, "You were the first person that I thought of, but I just haven't known how to ask considering your status and how crazy your life has been since you arrived here."

Squeezing the hand in his again, Duo chuckled, "Well, whatever my 'status' might be, we are always going to be friends first and foremost." His chest swelling, he leaned forward to pull her into a tight hug to tell her quietly, "And I would be honored to give you away."

Anna stiffened with a sharp gasp and fought back the sting in her eyes as she returned the embrace fiercely. "Thank you," she whispered with a smile that threatened to split her face as she closed her eyes.

When they pulled away, the archer released the breath that she had been holding and her shoulders sagged. Shaking her head, she giggled, "Wufei told me that I was worrying for no reason, but he also understands that this part of our wedding is a very big deal to me."

The prince nodded, "I totally get that, too. And I really appreciate your considering me for the role." He snickered, "I've never been to a wedding let alone been in one, so I'm going to need some help."

Instantly back to herself, the redhead waved her hand nonchalantly and reassured, "Oh, don't worry about that. The rehearsal is tomorrow night for the service, so we'll both figure that out together, since this will be my first time as well. I'm sure I'll probably also need you to keep me calm that morning."

Sitting back in her chair, Anna smiled wistfully, "I just can't believe that I'm actually getting married to Wufei in a couple of days. Since the start of the war, I had been convinced that it was never going to happen."

Duo tilted his braided head and commented, "Well, as Heero told you both, you deserve to have some of your own happiness. You can't always be worried about your duties."

Smirking, the knight replied, "And the Heero that I knew before you came along would never have said anything like that. Just goes to show the influence you have had on him. I have been meaning to thank you for the changes that we have been noticing in him."

His cheeks burning, the prince shrugged, "Well, I don't think that I'm the one responsible for that."

"Oh, I know better," Anna snickered. "We all do." Before she could make any further remark on the matter, they both looked to the door as the said Commander and Wufei stepped back inside the tent. Rising to her feet, she smiled and joined her lover.

The swordsman wrapped an arm around her waist and grinned, "I take it that everything went fine, as I knew it would?"

Rolling her eyes, the archer lightly poked him in the ribs and chuckled, "Yes, dear. Once again, you are wise beyond your years." Wufei snickered and kissed her temple. "Well then, we better get going to tie up some more loose ends."

"Have fun with that," Duo grinned as he and his lover waved their friends off. The moment that the couple was away, he turned to his partner and asked quietly, "Do you have the ring on you, then?"

Slipping a hand into his trouser pocket, Heero hummed an affirmative with a small smile on his face. "Catherine did quite the nice job of melting the platinum to warp it," he stated. Hurrying to his feet, his braided lover leered into his open palm.

Encrusted in the simple band was the engraved image of two roses, their stems wrapped together and woven all the way around the ring to make it impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. And in the center of the buds were tiny, sparkling stones to appear like dew drops.

Duo whistled through his teeth and grinned, "Very nice."

The Commander nodded and moved towards the other end of the space where the tall, oak cabinet sat. Unlocking the latch, he carefully slipped the ring inside for safe keeping. He took a moment to peer at the tablets of paper holding everything from journal entries and notes over the last few years that Odin had scribbled down.

Sighing, Heero shook his head, "I have not had a chance to go over any of these since..." Not able to bring up his Commander's death, he paused. Frowning, Duo walked up to stand behind his lover and wrap his arms around his waist.

Yuy leaned back heavily against him and said quietly, "A part of me knows that we really do not need any of these things, but I am not exactly willing to get rid of them, either."

"Then don't," the prince shrugged. "I don't think that it would be right to lose everything that belonged to Odin. And who knows... maybe when you're feeling up to reading through some of his notes, what he wrote down might help you out."

Peering over to the head resting on his shoulder, the Commander grinned, "You do make a point with that."

As he stared back at the papers, he reached in and carefully removed a couple of books from the top of the center stack and pushed the cabinet double doors closed again. Turning fully to face his partner, Heero smirked, "Care to read along?"

Excited by the prospect, Duo nodded, "Sure." Taking hold of the red book to leave the black in his lover's hand, he read the cover aloud, "Training reports."

A quick page through revealed a few hand-written names that he recognized... three in particular that caught his attention.

That certainly boded potential, he determined.

Grinning, the braided teenager moved for the table to pull up a chair and open the book out in front of him. "These will make for some interesting history lessons for me," he snickered as he rolled up his sleeves and dove into reading the first page.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Cobalt blue.

Dorothy smiled darkly as the trace of skin and blood in her hands melted away as the last traces of her spell obliterated it.

She determined that she could not use the sampling from the prince against him because of his black magic. However, she was able to manipulate it into revealing the one person who could get to him in other ways.

Forever locking the image of that boy's face, the dark sorceress smirked, "So we finally meet, Commander Yuy."

Yes, good things certainly did come to those who waited.

TBC...

 

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