By the Red Moon Part 49

"That was wonderful, my dear."

Dorothy ignored the hand running up along her bare back as she lay on her stomach in Dekim's bed. Her head turned away from the dark sorcerer, she smirked, "I am always happy to please you, master." Once the hand was away, she turned onto her back and pulled the blankets up over her chest.

Beside her, Barton remained without anything shielding his wiry frame as he propped himself up on his side with a smile on his face that made him look every bit like the cat that got the cream. His hand reaching up to brush the young woman's damp bangs back, he commented, "Well, you are about the only bright spot that I have had, especially of late."

Leaning in, he placed a kiss on her cheek before adding with a smirk, "And you know behind my closed doors you can always simply call me by my name."

"Of course, Dekim," the sorceress replied, smiling. It was one of the perks of offering her flesh- the sense of feeling more an equal. She was drawing closer and closer to that. Patience was one of the few virtues that she actually still believed in, and it was paying off in spades.

What were a few rolls between the sheets when they would being her closer to the throne of complete power? They were merely dances, precise steps needed to achieve her ultimate goal. Soon, every creature alive and the spirits of the Keeper and the Creator would not only know, but fear her name.

Sighing, Dekim lowered himself onto his back and pillowed his head beneath his folded arms. "Now, how are we going to capture this Commander Yuy?" he asked quietly as he stared at the ceiling. "I could always have an army sent to attack the Alliance, however that runs the risk of him being killed in the process and Prince Duo escaping yet again."

Her own eyes staring upward, Dorothy reassured, "Not to worry. I am creating a spell as we speak that will find and draw Commander Yuy right into our clutches. I will need more time, as the magic is one that must be carefully created to be able to travel as far as it must, but he will be ours."

Folding her arms around her slender waist, she continued, "Once we have him, I will be able to turn him just as I had turned Treize. I will then strip every bit of Heero's self from him unlike our Commander. We wanted Khushrenada to be able to think and argue for himself in the event that we needed his expertise in battle tactics."

Chuckling deeply, the sorcerer nodded, "Yes, yes. That is all well and good. As for your needing request for time, we have all of the time in the world so do not rush yourself in your spells. One failed attempt at this could cost us greatly if our enemies ever picked up wind of it. I much rather the job be done right the first time, however long it takes."

That was exactly the response Catalonia had expected.

After all, the old man was every bit as cunning and patient as she was. His start to the takeover of his world was one that had taken many a decade of his scheming and laying low for the right opportunity for the situation to be perfect for the first strike on the northernmost city of Sanq.

Good things always did come to those who waited.

"When we have the knight, Prince Duo will have a difficult time unleashing his power against us out of fear that it would destroy his lover," Dekim thought aloud. Practically drooling at the thought, he hissed, "That will be all we need to overwhelm what they have left of an army and Maxwell's gift will be bled from his veins and into mine."

Biting her lip, Dorothy turned her head towards him and warned, "You do realize that the Keeper will only accept an oath to him so long as the person swearing their soul to him is of free will. While he would have dark magic in him to act as one of us, there is no guarantee that Prince Duo's magic would see that as enough to kill him."

Her master waved his hand in the air and shrugged, "All formalities. He would have the fear in him that he might destroy the Commander. That would be all that he would need to hold his gift back. And we will use that fear to our advantage until I have the prince under my control."

Since the door into Duo's sight had been opened with the coupling of him and Yuy, Dorothy knew first-hand the depth of the prince's feelings for the knight-in-training.

Never before had she ever felt anything that intense, that vibrant that it almost scorched her. Such a strong conviction for another was the makings of fairy tales and the wishes of many a soul searching for its match.

There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that the braided teenager would do anything for his lover. He just might be compelled enough to surrender himself in exchange for Heero. And what a nice thing it would be if his capture were truly that easy.

Reluctant as she was along with Treize in her leader's desires to keep the Prince alive, Dorothy had a change of heart now that there was a clear way to him and his ability. And the thought of having that within their grasp was a very appealing prospect indeed.

Her train of thought was interrupted when Barton pushed himself back onto his side and pressed up against her. Clasping her chin, he turned her head towards him for a deep kiss. "Now, my pet," he smiled, "I certainly hope that you have had your rest. It appears that I am in need of your... services again."

Matching his dark grin, the girl replied, "As I mentioned before, I am always happy to please you, Dekim."

And the dance for control began once again.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Laying on his back with his head propped up on Heero's bent leg, Duo continued to fill the many empty pages of Odin's journal with the experience of Wufei and Anna's wedding.

It was a beautiful late morning following the big event and the pair decided to take advantage of spending some time outdoors in the fields by the waterfall that had served as the altar. Joined by their steeds and their friends, they sat about in the grass and took the occasional dip in the refreshing water of the pool.

Throughout the encampment, the good spirits carried on through the men and women of the Alliance. And the prince was infected with the urge to capture as much of it to his writing as he could.

Not only was it the first wedding that he had ever attended, let alone played a prestigious role in, it had been one of the best experiences of his life. To go from such a low after so many losses in Pisces to such a high was a remarkable thing.

As he continued to write, Duo smiled as his lover reached down to wrap his braid around his fingers. Peering down, Heero tilted his head and asked, "Is there any reason behind you growing your hair so long? In this world, it is not very common for men to grow their hair past their shoulders."

Placing the pen in the spine of the book as a bookmark, the prince lowered it beside the ink bottle on the ground to give his partner his full attention.

With a deep breath, he stared up at the cobalt eyes on him and shrugged, "Well, I didn't really have a lot of things that were my own in the world where I grew up. Since I was kept moving from house to house and family to family, there weren't many things that ever stayed the same."

Duo lowered his gaze to look to the Commander's fingers twined by his braid. "At some point, I just decided to stop getting my hair cut beyond a trim and it almost became like a security blanket in a way without my realizing it," he shrugged. "It was nice to have something that was a constant for a change, even if everything else around me kept changing."

"I can certainly see where that makes sense," Heero nodded, his smile saddening. Leaning down, he captured his lover's lips in a deep, side-ways kiss. When he pulled back, their mouths brushed together as he said quietly, "I think it's beautiful... even more so now that I know the story behind it."

Blinking, the long-haired teenager grinned widely. Before he could respond, Hilde stepped out of the pool, wrapping a towel over her one-piece as she called brightly, "There are the happy newlyweds!" Quatre, Trowa and Relena made quick to step out of the water for their own towels.

Their hands joined and faces still glowing with their smiles, Wufei and Anna walked up to the scene to greet their friends with Nataku and Ingier close behind.

Pushing himself up, Duo put his fingers to his mouth for a loud whistle and led the others in a round of applause. "So, how does it feel to be married?" he asked when the clapping died down and the knights sat down across from him and Heero.

"Fantastic," the archer beamed as she leaned up against her husband when his arm draped across her shoulders. Scanning the group around that included Lady Une, Sally, Catherine, Queen Sylvia, King Zechs and Queen Noin, she told them sincerely, "And we really cannot thank all of you enough for all of your help to make the day so special." Wufei nodded his head to second the sentiment.

Waving her hand, Lady Une reassured kindly, "Oh, I believe that I speak on everyone's behalf when I say that it was a pleasure for all of us. That was the most fun that I know I have had in quite some time."

Duo sighed and leaned back as he watched all of the faces around as the conversation continued. As much as he wanted the euphoria that had settled down to continue, his thoughts were drifting back to the war and that darkness in the north that continued to slowly spread.

Eventually, there would be a time when they would have to deal with the unknown surrounding their survival again. Yes, their numbers were growing by the day, but Dekim's forces could multiply at a much more steady pace. And what had been sent to Pisces was only a taste of the force that they already had as a whole.

If there was going to be any sense of a chance for them, it was going to have to come from him learning to handle his gift, Duo determined. If he could wipe out as many ogres and demons as he had at the attack made against him, who knew what it was truly capable of when he had a handle on it. He needed to accept his fate...

...He needed to accept who he was and what was inside of him.

Sitting straight up, violet eyes wide, Duo suppressed the sharp gasp that almost escaped him.

It really was such a simple notion, but it was the most prolific thing that could have hit him like a blow to the stomach. Up to that moment, he had run from his gift. When that did not work, he challenged it, fought it. Neither of those tactics had worked. If anything, it only set him back further in his dealings with the demon of his dark magic.

The prince could feel his skin tingling with anticipation.

Swallowing past the lump that had formed in his throat, he brought himself back to the present and heard himself announce abruptly, "I'll be back in a little bit, everyone." He was on his feet before he even knew that he had told his body to move and suddenly realized that he was leaving his surprised and confused friends behind.

Most stunned, Heero was about to get to his own feet when Quatre raised his hand up and insisted, "He is fine. Just let him be." All eyes turned to the empath as he smirked, "Now, where were we?" Blinking his cobalt eyes, the Commander and Wing peered over their shoulders to watch Duo and Deathscythe retreat over the hillside to stride towards the forest.

Grateful to have the eyes off of him, Winner bit his bottom lip to conceal his own concern. He had a very good idea what braided teenager was plotting. And while he was not completely happy with the thought of what was about to likely transpire, he could see the logic behind it all.

It was time for Quatre to step back as mediator and simply trust that his friend knew what he was doing.

"Scythe, get me back to the tent," Maxwell requested as he climbed up into his saddle and secured himself. The moment he was locked in, his dragon opened her massive wings and took them to the skies. Several minutes later, the two were circling the break in the trees to land at their destination.

Quickly unlatching his harness, the prince jumped to the ground and pushed back the cloth door to the Commander's tent. Stepping into the main room of the space, he lowered himself to sit cross-legged on the floor. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and released the air in his lungs slowly as he drifted from the waking world.

After so many visits within himself, the dirt path appeared to Duo instantaneously.

Rolling his shoulders back, he trudged along the winding course. Not allowing himself a moment to second-guess himself, he kept a much more brisk pace than usual. Even when the fog thickened to a near blackness around him, he never slowed. Going from memory on where the road was, he walked on.

The pain of his long travel never really set in. He would not allow it to deter him from his intention. Finally, the chilled air began to warm and carry the faint scent of sulfur. Prior to that journey within his gift, the braided youth had completely missed those subtle differences in his surroundings. He had been too taken by fear to notice back then.

Not much further to go. There was no point in turning back.

Through the darkness, those large eyes of blood red glowed before him and the beast's deep growl rumbled through him.

His violet eyes narrowing, Duo smirked, "Throw whatever you want at me. I am not running from you anymore." Opening his arms to reveal the lack of his sword at his hip, he stated, "And I am not going to fight you, either."

Gleaming, the eyes seemed to become filled with amusement as they neared. That sulfuric smell and the heat from its breath consumed the prince. Still, he stood tall and unwavering. Behind the shield of the fog, the outline of the monster's impressive jaw opened so that its jagged teeth shimmered in a light that did not exist.

A powerful roar erupted with enough force to violently blow Duo's braid behind him. And that was the only movement from him as he remained exactly where he was. The deafening thump of a claw hitting the ground filled his ears and the eyes neared. Another thunderous step vibrated the air. Then another.

"We are a part of each other whether we like it or not," the teenager called. "There is no point in us continuing this game when we should be working together."

Then, a sudden thought coming over him, his narrowed eyes widened and blinked.

Frowning, Duo realized aloud, "I... I made you this way... this threatening thing by not trusting you. Of course you would be mad with me when all I have ever done is run from you or tried to fight you. That must have hurt you, since I'm the one person who should have accepted you all along."

As he spoke, the loud steps had stopped, the red eyes lost their ferocity by opening a bit as they stayed in place. What outline of the massive head could be made out tilted to the side with a snort.

Biting his lip, Duo said sincerely in a near whisper, "I'm sorry. I've been letting you down this whole time by being afraid of you. I hope that you can forgive me. You didn't ask for this any more than I did. Maybe we could help each other figure all of this out?"

The red eyes on him blinked in surprise. But along with that shock, there was a clear acceptance. And instead of a growl or a roar, there was a tiny whimper. Completely taken aback by that, the prince's violet eyes widened.

Slowly but surely, the black fog around him pulled back and the shape of the monstrosity before him shifted, melted away until what remained had the prince freezing with a startled gasp. Timidly stepping out of the darkness was a baby dragon of solid black with purple eyes. No larger than a pup, the little creature walked on all four of its paws towards its wielder as its tiny wings on its back fluttered.

When it stopped before Duo, it sat back on its back two claws and stretched its front up towards him. At the pleading squeak that the dragon made, the braided teenager sank to his knees and opened his arms to scoop the little one up. Burrowing its head against his shoulder, the tiny beast closed its eyes and purred deeply in content.

Its scales almost achingly cold, the prince paid no mind and ran his hand along the creature's sides and coarse back. Overwhelmed, his eyes shimmered with tears as he laughed softly, "Well, don't I feel like a total ass?" Shifting its neck, the baby dragon kicked his cheek in a show of forgiveness.

The cold and the emptiness that would have terrified Duo in the past were taken in instead. Every stirred up sensation was committed to memory. And then, everything around him was engulfed by a blinding light. Still clutching the dragon to his chest, he looked up and his jaw fell at what was approaching him.

Pristine white from its horn to his hooves, a large unicorn walked up to the braided youth with the hint of a smile on its face. "I've been wondering where the hell you've been," Maxwell snickered as he rose to his feet, the baby in his arms grinning to its friend. [1]

Waffling in what sounded like a laugh, the unicorn came to a halt before him. Head high, the magnificent animal's horn glowed along with its golden eyes. Pressing the tip to Duo's chest, it sent another wave of feelings and emotions that were captured. All of the warmth and security that the light provided was studied and kept.

Most profound of all of the sensations was that it all felt... oddly familiar. Comfortable.

The prince looked between the dragon and the unicorn to breathe, "Thank you, my friends."

Blinking, he woke back in the Commander's tent just as he had been when he went within himself. His face drenched from the tears that were rolling down it, his shimmering eyes widened when he looked down to the large ball hovering above his upturned hands in his lap. Glowing a brilliant blinding light, the orb turned with an occasional flash of dark lightning bolts within it.

His face splitting with a wide smile, Duo let out a loud laugh of triumph. When he finally came back down, he blinked and muttered to himself, "Okay... now to figure out what I'm supposed to do with this."

TBC...

[1] I actually had my wonderful friend and beta reader, ShenLong Deb, choose the entity to represent Duo's light side of his gift and I am quite thrilled with it!! *hugs* Thanks, hon!

 

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