By the Red Moon Part 55
Warmth.
It was a familiar sensation that Duo always recognized before any other feeling as he woke up. So, when he first became alert after a long sleep this particular time, there was nothing out of the ordinary when he recognized that same warmth again before his eyes opened.
Nor was he surprised to sense the strong shoulder that the side of his head was pillowed on or the firm, bare chest that his arm was draped around. Taking a deep breath, his nose was filled with Heero's scent and he smiled as he burrowed himself closer to the Commander with a sigh in being right where he belonged.
A hand reached up to gently brush back his bangs and a pair of lips pressed a firm, lingering kiss against his forehead. Duo let out another sigh as the sounds of muffled voices and laughter reached his ears. Alliance soldiers. It was also common to hear them first thing in the morning as they had their breakfasts and played dice games to kill the time.
It was the start to just another day, like so many others before. And yet, something in the back of the prince's mind was telling him that something about this morning was unlike most. There certainly had to be a reason to why he was only then noticing how heavy every part of his body felt.
Finally, the teenager blinked his violet eyes open to find a familiar pair of cobalt eyes watching him in worry. And it was the sight of that concern along with the extra fatigue coursing through him that had Maxwell realizing instantly how this morning was very different from so many before.
Visions of the prior night's battle flooded his memory. And the last moment that he could recall was the cheer from the army at the end of their victory before he apparently lost consciousness. Suddenly, that worry on his lover's face made perfect sense and he began to wonder how long he had actually been out for.
Whatever questions were already forming in Duo's head, they were completely forgotten when the apprehension melted completely way from Heero as his eyes softened and a relieved smile warmed his face. Closing the distance between their faces, the knight-in-training placed a light kiss on the tip of his partner's nose and greeted quietly, "Hey."
"Hey," the prince replied in kind, his own voice a bit huskier since he had just woken up. Looking around, he found them wrapped around each other beneath the covers of a soft bed. The room that they were in was a simple, white-walled space with very little furnishing and veiling of hardened clay.
Aries.
They were still in the city, Duo realized. Blinking in surprise, he then stared at the sunlight that was pouring through the high, opened window and spilling across the floor in awe. "W-we really did it," he breathed. "The Keeper and Dekim were pushed back." Even with the proof right before him, it was almost incomprehensible that they had accomplished such a feat.
The Commander grinned, "Yes, they were, thanks mostly to you. What you did back there was..." Unable to find the right words, he bit his lip and shook his head. Cupping the side of his lover's face, he revered softly, "I am so damned proud of you. If you hadn't put yourself in danger the way you did, last night could have had a very different ending."
Duo had to silently admit that he was quite proud of himself for the first time in his life as a wide smile spread across his face. Weeks before, he never would have believed that he would have such a handle on his gift to actually be an asset to the Alliance. Finally, he was able to live up to being the hope that they all saw him to be.
Frowning, Heero swallowed roughly and whispered, "When you collapsed at the end of the battle, I..." His voice cracked and he cleared the lump that had formed in his throat. Mentally reeling at that, the prince froze wide-eyed. Taking a deep breath, the knight managed, "I cannot recall another time in my long life when I was more scared-"
Any further words were cut off when Duo stretched his head up to kiss him deeply. Taken by surprise, the Commander's eyes widened, only to quickly close as he kissed back with everything in him. Clinging onto each other tightly, they continued their exchange until they parted to pant for air.
Once he was able to find his voice again, the braided teenager smiled and reassured, "I'm fine. When I was using my gift, I kind of got a little excited and wanted to really make a showing for Dekim's men. I guess the combination of that and physically fending for myself was just a little too much, but I'll get stronger in time with that." Tilting his head, he smirked, "So no more worrying, ok?"
Snickering, Heero responded, "Yes, your highness." He laughed outright when that earned him a hard poke in the ribs. As he regained his composure, the knight suggested, "We best get changed, then, so that we can let everyone else around know that you're alright."
Together, the pair untangled themselves and left the bed to gather up and throw on their tunics before opening the closed bedroom door. At no surprise to the prince, they found Wufei and Anna on the other side standing guard.
Quickly spinning around to meet their friends' faces, the newlyweds smiled in relief. Not bothering with verbal greetings, the archer stepped up to embrace Maxwell tightly around his neck. Duo chuckled and gladly returned the embrace. "It's good to see you, too, Anna," he told her quietly before they pulled back.
Wufei offered a one-armed embrace as he commented, "That was one hell of a show you put on last night. Everyone was more than impressed."
"Thanks, 'Fei," the braided youth grinned widely as they stepped away. "Sorry for the scare after the fact." Looking between the two officers, his smile faded as he asked, "What was the damage to our army in the end?"
Carefully leading the way through the damaged rooms of the residence, Anna answered, "Less than one hundred were killed or injured thanks to our catching those monsters by such surprise. Our healers expect all of those hurt to make full recoveries and be ready to move in a couple of days. And more than five hundred Arieans were rescued."
Releasing the breath that he had been holding before receiving the news in a sigh, the corners of Duo's mouth curled back up. That was all certainly wonderful to hear. The fact that they were able to save so many innocents was, of course, most satisfying after all of their efforts. The fact that they were able to get to so many of the civilians in time was more than he had hoped prior to the strike.
Nearly the entire front wall of the house had been blown away, Duo came to realize with a gasp when they rounded the corner.
Where the living room and entrance of the house would have been, there was a gaping hole and rubble to climb over instead. Following the knights, he stepped over brick, pans and books until they stepped outside into the brilliant sunlight.
Finally able to see Aries in the full wonder that is was without the cover of darkness, Maxwell took in the fact that the ground of the city was a mixture of deep reds and browns. It all helped fit how there were live volcanoes and flowing lava that protected the area. The homes still standing around the site revealed that the residences all took on the feel of the Spanish adobles that were in the History books Duo had in school. [1]
Throughout the streets, soldiers of the army were carrying about their conversations and meals amongst themselves and the survivors. "There he is!" Quatre called as he and the remainder of the prince's friends and family ran up to welcome him back to the world. Embracing and patting his back, they all laughed and got their assessment of their hero.
It did not take long for a very large crowd of knights and civilians to gather around Duo and the commotion grew. Just as the boy was becoming uncomfortable with the situation, Sally came to his aid by whistling loudly and shouting, "Everyone, healer's orders! Back away so that he can breathe!" The masses pulled back quickly and without argument.
Puffing a sharp breath of air, Maxwell sighed to the braided woman, "Thanks, Sal." With a firm nod and her kind smile, the healer ran her glowing hands before him and was relieved to find that all was well with her patient. Offering a tight embrace, she hurried back off to the make-shift infirmary.
Lightly rubbing the top of his nephew's braided head, Zechs smirked, "I am very proud of you, son. You could not have done a better job than what you did last night." At the king's side, both Noin and Hilde nodded their heads enthusiastically. Particularly stricken by his family's sentiments, Duo found himself fighting back the sting of tears as he smiled and hugged them tightly.
After the ring of support for the prince all had their chance to greet him, the group pulled back enough to give the prince some space to fill his stomach. Not long after his breakfast, the gifted teenager was approached by many of the grateful citizens that he had helped save.
If ever there was a doubt to whether or not the Alliance did the right thing in attacking Dekim's men, they were forever put away with those civilians' tearful and profound displays of appreciation.
Every one of the prisoners had been unwilling to leave the only home that they ever knew, even in light of the likelihood that they would perish. And for their devotion, they witnessed and went through unimaginable horrors at the hands of the dark army.
No longer able to hold back the emotions surrounding the attack the night before and the aftermath, Duo allowed himself the opportunity to let his own tears fall by the end of his sit down with the Arieans. Wishing them all the best, he exchanged embraces and handshakes with them before walking off alongside Heero for a moment to catch his breath.
Once they rounded a corner, the prince leaned his back heavily against the damaged wall of a home and let out a deep sigh. Wiping at his shimmering eyes, he muttered, "It never gets any easier, this having to deal with what Dekim and his men are doing to so many people. At least we were able to make some kind of a difference here."
Lightly brushing away a stray tear that his lover missed with the pad of his thumb, Heero smiled, "Yes, we did. One of Odin's teachings was that one should never look at the overwhelming odds against them and instead they should appreciate even the smallest of victories that they are able to accomplish. Except what we did last night was not exactly a small feat."
Gesturing with his head back to the direction they had come from, the Commander stated, "Maybe we were not able to save everyone in this land, but we were able to be here for them. That is what I'll be taking from this as opposed to the darkness everywhere else around us." A thankful smile brightening his face, Duo nodded.
There was a lot of truth in that advice. Already, there was a huge morale boost from this last win- not only within himself, but throughout the whole of the Alliance. That much was clear as day from their walking through the streets of Aries.
And yet... there was one lingering inevitability.
Gazing to the north, the braided teenager took in the darkness that continued to cover so much land... so many lands and homes to countless people that were lost trying to protect them. "We can't stop here," he heard himself all but whisper.
Slowly turning his head to meet his partner's cobalt eyes, he repeated more firmly, "We have to keep going, push them back as far as we can while we can."
Heero smirked, "I could not agree with you more."
* * * * * *
It was not possible.
There simply was not a way for the Alliance to successfully reclaim one of their fallen lands. And yet, they had. As incredibly impossible such a thing seemed, Dekim knew that it was true. And the Keeper was not happy judging by the bolt of pain that had paralyzed the dark sorcerer as he watched the dark stretch of clouds reel back.
Prince Duo. He and his gift were behind this. He had found a way to control his abilities and used them in the strike. Of that Barton was sure. And it only made him all the hungrier. Gripping the edges of the balcony where he had stood since watching the skies clear over Aries, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Sire?" a voice called from the doorway. Slowly turning back, the old man's gray eyes fell on his Commander.
Bowing his head, Treize informed urgently, "My lord, it will take three days for another army to reach Aries. With that much time, we have no idea what the soldiers would be walking into when they reach the city with Prince Duo and his gift. For all we know, we could be sending our men into a trap."
It had particularly shaken the knight when word quickly had spread throughout the kingdom that there was an attack orchestrated by the Alliance, let alone a successful one. The whole key to their success in this war was by terrifying their enemy out of wanting to make an offensive hit against them. Now that they had and won, their confidence was sure to build.
And morale alone served wonders for any army. Many a war had been won purely on the will of the men who had fought it alone.
In spite of the Commander's warnings to the sorcerer, his words fell on deaf ears. Dekim was as sure in himself and his eventual rule as ever.
Treize would have felt the same had the old man not insisted on keeping the biggest wild card in the game by keeping Prince Duo alive. So long as he was in the picture, there would always be a chance that the tide of the war may completely turn against them.
Of course, Khushrenada also knew better than continue suggesting that they have the gifted teenager killed. As frustrated as Barton was growing with the proposal, the knight would not have been surprised if it was his own life taken instead. Once the sorcerer had his mind set to anything, there was no swaying him.
Waving his hand in the air, Dekim replied flippantly, "Yes, yes. No need to waste any of our soldiers in such a way. Let them have their little celebration for the short-lived triumph. I am not at all bothered by this mere setback.
Aries will be ours once again. In the meantime, I want another army sent down to make their way around the city to the next target in line. And have the men in Cancer further reinforced should those fools decide to move along and try to take another land back."
There were other cities that needed to be boosted with their soldiers besides Cancer, Treize thought to himself. However, to get enough reinforcements to all of them was going to only take more time and resources than what they were ready for at the moment.
In the end, it was agreed that Cancer would be the next mark that the Alliance would visit as the closest neighbor to Aries in addition to being one of the most recent to fall. They would not be looking at the whole picture to really consider their other options. This rare victory would have them too excited to step back for that.
Eventually, they would come up against a force too large to overcome. Then, Prince Duo truly would be theirs and Treize would be satisfied that all was well with the take over of this world for the Keeper. He certainly did not ever want to disappoint the dark lord.
Dorothy stepped out onto the balcony with a Cheshire smile on her face.
Walking past her master to stand before the bowed ledge, she rested her hands on the railing and stared out to the clear skies. Not even aware of it, Treize took a step back from the sorceress. Any time she had that pleased look, there was something very nasty brewing. Her dark abilities were still very... unsettling to him.
Her eyes closing, the blonde young woman took a deep breath and stated, "As much as it may seem as though they did themselves a favor, they could not have been more wrong. Drawing themselves this much closer to us means that it will take less time for me to pull my spell together to take Commander Yuy."
Raising an eyebrow, the sorcerer asked, "Oh? And how much time would you estimate that it would take you at this rate, my dear?" His mouth was already watering so more for the information that he had to swallow it back.
The corner of her mouth curled up in a smug smirk, Dorothy met his gray eyes and answered, "Only another day. Two at the very most. And there will not be anything that even Prince Duo with both sides of his gift would be able to do to prevent it. All that I need is a little rest in my work and I will not be leaving my spell room until I am finished."
Blinking widely, Dekim stalked towards her and leaned in close. "I do so admire you, my dear," he chuckled along with her. Swallowing roughly, Treize silently turned on his heels and took his leave to get away from the pair.
Happy to leave them to discuss their ways of magic, the Commander was already setting himself to the task of seeing that his understanding of the sword was put to its best use. There was much to be done to see that Cancer was reinforced.
* * * * * *
At that same moment, down in her cell, Midi stared up in disbelief through the high window. There was no denying that the dark cloud coverage had been pushed back. The whispers that were spreading throughout the hallway amongst the guards only served to confirm what her shimmering, brown eyes were seeing.
This was what she had been praying and wishing for... proof that there was still hope for the world and all that was good in it. Knowing what the sight would do to galvanize those still alive and free, she knew that she would be far from the only person reassured that just maybe the Keeper and Dekim really would be defeated.
"May the Creator and his good spirits continue to watch after you, Prince Duo and the Alliance," the queen breathed, her hands folding together before her face. "We all need you." This glimpse of the dark sorcerer's reign falling back was enough to keep her strong just when her will was beginning to fade.
Somehow, Midi was certain that there were countless others who were feeling pretty good for the first time in years that day.
TBC...
[1] Here is just one picture of an adoble: http://www.sothebyshomes.com/image/detailSize.rails?asset=49848
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