By the Red Moon Part 76
His violet eyes blinking open to reveal the shimmering mix of darkness and light that was the deep recesses of himself, Duo gasped and sat upright. Gazing at the familiar scene around him, his eyes grew as he breathed, "I'm alive." He shook his head and laughed, "I'm alive!"
Just as he began to question how such a thing was possible, the prince remembered the quiet voices urging him to hold on. He recalled tight embraces and reassuring grasps of his hands when he was lost to the world of the living.
...His parents.
Even if he could never remember having been in their presence before, Maxwell knew that his mother and father were the ones who had helped pull him back though the veil of death. They had been with him the whole time, encouraging and speaking their profound pride in him for everything that he had accomplished. And they also promised that they would never be too far from wherever he was for the remainder of his days.
Tears of pure joy filled his eyes as a warmth flooded him at having had that moment with his parents. Sniffling, Duo wiped away a wet trail from his cheek and rose to his feet to walk about himself. However brief the moment he had with his guardians, he was not about to forget how good their presence felt any time soon.
A bright, familiar chirp broke through the prince's thoughts and he froze with a start. Appearing through the haze was the baby black dragon of his dark magic running towards him. A bright smile on the beast's face, it hopped in its charge for its braided owner and gave another excited chirp. Not far behind, the white unicorn hurried into the scene as well.
"Hey!" Duo cheered, his own face breaking out with a wide smile as he ran to close the distance between his gifts. The dragon leapt into his arms and licked at the side of his face while perching his little body along the teenager's shoulders.
Laughing out in relief, the gifted youth freed an arm to wrap it around the unicorn and sighed deeply, "Man, it is ever good to see you two again!" Both creatures leaned heavily against him in their own returns of his embraces.
Biting his lip, Duo looked from one gift to the next as he asked hesitantly, "And Heero?" The dragon and unicorn both gave him bright smiles and flaps of their tails that instantly brought tears to his violet eyes. "Oh, thank the Creator," he whispered while wrapping his arms around his waist to keep himself steady on his shaking legs.
After that initial wave of sheer happiness, the braided teenager winced, "Uh... he's not exactly thrilled with me for my stunt, is he?" Both creatures tilted their heads with expressions that told him he should not have needed to ask that, knowing the Commander and how protective he was of him.
Chuckling, Maxwell smiled sheepishly, "Yea, I kinda figured he wouldn't be." Lightly patting his friends, he smirked, "Well, I better get going before he finds a way in here to drag me out for my punishment." Reaching back to take the dragon from his shoulders, he set the beast onto the unicorn's back, and nodded, "See you both soon." With that, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to return to the world.
The first thing that greeted him when he blinked his eyes open again was the piercing cobalt that he had dreamed of. Gasping at the intense worry in those eyes and the concern on his lover's face that had been lost to the spell that Dorothy had cast to take any such emotions away, Duo took a moment to simply drink them in before he breathed, "Heero."
A wide smile spreading on the Commander's face, he cupped the side of his partner's face and leaned in to kiss him fiercely. Weakened as he was from everything that had happened to his body, the braided teenager closed his eyes and managed to kiss back with every bit as much need for reassurance and heart-felt adoration.
Only pulling away when they needed air, the lovers panted heavily and just continued to hold onto one another as tightly as they could while their eyes leaked large tears. When he was able to find his voice again, Duo blinked innocently and grinned, "So does this mean that you forgive me for what I did back there?"
Smirking with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes, Heero replied, "Oh, we are going to have a talk. Later." His smile fading, he took a deep, shaky breath and rested their foreheads together and kept their shimmering gazes locked as he whispered, "I love you... so damned much."
"I love you, too," the prince responded in kind after swallowing past the lump that had formed in his throat.
Their little private moment was broken when Scythe nudged the knight back with her head so that she could sniff at her rider and fuss over him, making the couple laugh loudly. Beaming with tears in her green eyes once she had her confirmation that all was well, the black dragon's tail flapped as she licked the side of her boy's face.
Kissing the end of her snout and wrapping his arms around her as far as they would go, Maxwell chuckled, "Sorry for the scare, girl."
He bit his lip as he looked up to see the large group standing close by with their steeds as they watched him with a mixture of relief and promises of reprimand. Even with those who appeared ready to admonish him for his self-sacrifice, Duo could not help the small tears that began to prickle in his eyes again over having so many people who sincerely cared and loved him.
This was his home. These people and creatures were his family. It was everything he could have ever hoped for and more in his life.
Waving nervously to the lot, the braided youth remained sitting on the floor as he chuckled, "Hey, everyone." At that invitation, Wufei and Anna were the first to quickly close the distance between them and their prince to embrace him with Zechs, Treize and the others close behind for their own chance to greet him.
Heero took the break to return to his own faithful beast's side. Blinking away large tears from his crystalline eyes, Wing anxiously hopped from side-to-side as his rider approached. With a deep sigh, the Commander leaned heavily against the white dragon's muzzle to embrace him and whispered, "Good to see you again, my friend."
Once he had a chance to reconnect with all of those gathered around, Duo gazed up at them and smiled, "So the war really is over, huh? I better get up to see this for myself." Trying to push himself up, however, he realized that actually willing his body to move was not as easy as he thought that it would be when his muscles screamed in protest.
Before he could get far in his attempt, the prince was taken up in Heero's arms. Smiling up at his partner in appreciation, he sighed as a gentle kiss was pressed against his forehead. "Come on," the knight smirked. Wing and Scythe flanked the couple as they led the others from the room and down the halls for the entrance for the castle.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sally made a quick adjustment to Mueller's wrapped cast and smiled at her work, "There." Planting her fists on her hips, she fixed the Commander with a motherly glare and warned, "Now, do try to not live by your stubborn ways and follow your healers' instructions to take it easy on that leg as the last mending sets in over the next couple days."
Giggling, Gloria wrapped her arms around her lover as he set a crutch under his arm and promised the braided woman, "Don't worry. My smug one will listen to me. He has no choice in the matter if he wishes to continue to share my bed." Flushing along with the knight, the healer laughed and stepped away to lead her miraculously resurrected friend through the forest to join in on the loud gala in Sanq.
Mueller gave the petite werewolf that continued to keep her hold on his waist an amused smirk and shook his head. Even if he tried to act mad for her comment in front of Sally, he was just too happy to have her back to be anything else. Wincing as he made a few steps with his crutch, he sighed, "It's going to take me all day to get to the castle at this rate."
With a roll of her eyes, Gloria huffed, "Well, if you had been smart like I had been and died, you would have been fully healed when you woke back up."
Dark eyes widening and his jaw falling, the knight stared at his lover and laughed, "Yes, how foolish of me for not thinking of that!" Alex, Adodera, Queen Middi and Princess Sylvia chuckled amongst themselves from their place nearby of the antics on display.
Gloria leaned close and pressed her lips against his and winked when she pulled back, "Just so you realize that I am the brains of this operation. Now be a good boy and hang on tight." Shifting into her black wolf form, she curved her back so that Mueller could slide atop on his stomach easily.
A wide smile on his face, the Commander gripped the tufts of fur beneath him as they raced through the forest and into the city with the remainder of their pack in tow carrying Queen Middi and Princess Sylvia.
Overhead, Howard let out a hoot of a cheer as he held onto the saddle of the dragon that he shared with one of the riders. "I will never get tired of the view up here!" the Head Squire shouted over the wind blowing past him. Flanked by the many steeds that he had tended to, he enjoyed his honored escort from his charges to the castle.
Making her way through the city, Sally peered around anxiously to the faces gathered around for one soldier in particular. At the call of her name, her heart raced in her chest as she spun in the direction of the source. Tears shimmering in her eyes at the sight of the Captain running towards her through the crowd, she cried, "Scott!" Within seconds, she was scooped up in strong arms and spun around as the newly-formed couple laughed and kissed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
His braided head resting on the Commander's shoulder, Duo reached over to pat the white and black steeds' heads when they leaned in close enough for attention during the walk. Well before they even reached the closed double doors, the sounds of the celebration could be heard beyond.
Pushing either door open, Scythe and Wing craned their heads back and chorused two loud roars that caused the Alliance soldiers and werewolves to turn towards the castle. At the sight of Duo and his friends stepping out onto the top of the tall stairs overlooking the city, the crowd raised their fists and unleashed a deafening blend of cheers, howls and calls that filled the air.
At the sight of Juan and Tiny standing along with the remainder of their fellow Elite knights-in-training, Wufei and Anna laughed as they hurried down the stairs to embrace and pat their friends' backs along with their dragons. Soon joined by Heero and Duo, their joyous reunions continued.
Once he finally had a chance to really look over Sanq as it lay in all its ruin, Duo whistled through his teeth and peered up at his partner. "It's going to take a lot of rebuilding to get this place back," he commented.
Grinning, Heero nodded with all of the confidence in the world, "And it will be rebuilt to be even more beautiful than it had been." Unable to do anything but believe those words, his lover returned the wide smile and leaned up for a sound kiss.
* * * * * *
Later that evening, in a bedroom that had been secured only for them, two voices cried each other's names as two joined and naked bodies collapsed onto a soft bed covered by strewn sheets. A sheen of sweat covering them, the knight and the prince panted to regain their breath.
Rubbing the back of the teenager spread on top of him, Heero chuckled, "Good talk."
Duo snickered tiredly, the fatigue from his ordeal that morning to their rounds of lovemaking completely taxing him. Carefully removing his lover's limp member from inside of him, he brushed back a handful of his loose hair and collapsed to the knight's side. "Love you," he managed as Heero planted kisses over his face and neck.
Stealing another deep kiss, Yuy whispered, "Adore you." As he stretched himself back down onto his back, he held the prince close against his side and ran his fingers over the black cord of the ever-present medallion around Duo's neck. "While I wish that there could have been another way," he began, "...thank you for saving me."
A violet eye cracking open to meet the cobalt gaze on him, Maxwell replied matter-of-factly, "You would have done the same for me, even with the risk that maybe Dekim wouldn't have believed what he had to learn about Dorothy." And he had the knight there, he could tell in the shifting light within those eyes watching him.
"Yes, that I would have," Heero agreed without a moment's hesitation. "A thousand times over." That sentimental moment was broken when he snickered and poked a rib playfully as he warned, "But don't think that I am letting you completely off the hook. I am leaving the real berating of you to Catherine. She's been saving up for when you're up for it."
Groaning, Duo flopped an arm over his face with an exasperated, "I was afraid of that." After a brief silence, he frowned in thought and lowered his arm again to face his lover and ask, "So what happens now? I mean, I know that we are rebuilding and all, but besides that, where do we go from here?"
The knight grinned at the inquiry. "If you get cleaned up and dressed, I can show you," he replied and carefully unhooked their bodies so that he could crawl out of bed. Blinking in confusion, the prince willed himself off the mattress.
* * * * * *
Dressed in long night garments, the pair made their way to the throne room with Scythe and Wing following behind. When they reached the balcony, Wufei and Anna turned back to smile in greeting to them and stepped away to reveal the Alliance encampment far below. All around, thousands of tents and campfires lay throughout Sanq as soldiers, both human and werewolf alike, conversed and laughed as they would in any other camp that they had set.
"T-they all stayed?" Duo questioned as he stepped out to the railing. Resting his hands on the ledge, he said, "I would have thought that most of them would have wanted to head back to their homelands as soon as they could with the war won."
Her arms folded behind her, Anna smirked, "Well, no one wanted to miss out on the big events to take place in a couple of days. It's going to take time for some of the most honored guests to make it here and so we are all waiting on them.."
Frowning, the prince looked back to his knights and repeated, "What events are you talking about?"
Wufei answered, "Your coronation as the king of Sanq." He paused before adding with a growing smile, "As well as the wedding to follow the next day."
Back stiffening at that last sentiment and stammered quietly, "W-wedding?" Wide violet eyes fell on the Commander.
Clearing his throat, Heero stalled until Anna gave him a sharp elbow to the side. Quickly shooting his sister a half-hearted glare that was returned with a coy batting of her eyes, the Asian knight took a deep breath and focused back on his lover.
"Our wedding," he clarified almost nervously. Swallowing past his tight throat, he was quick to throw in, "That is, of course, if you will have me-" Before he could finish his words, he was nearly tackled in a bear hug when Duo sailed in to throw his arms around him.
Burying his face in the Commander's shoulder, Maxwell nodded with a broken, "Of course I'll marry you!" He lifted his tear-streaked face and beamed, "You think that I would risk my life the way I did if I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with you?" With tears in his own eyes, Heero's mouth curled in a brilliant smile as he closed the distance between them for a deep kiss to seal the promise to wed.
Arms wrapped around each other's waists, the swordsman and archer chuckled quietly to themselves and stepped out to give the newly betrothed couple a moment alone. A pleased looking Nataku followed, unlatching her tail from around Ingier's while the blue-purple beast lingered behind for a bit with a wistful expression on his face. "Let's go, trouble," Anna called quietly. Chirping brightly, the steed hurried after his mate and rider.
Duo hummed when his lips finally parted from his lover's and said, "So, how shall we celebrate our engagement, then?" His raised eyebrows at the end of the question made it known exactly where his thoughts were traveling.
"Oh, I am sure that we will think of something," Heero smirked. Quickly swooping in, he lifted the braided prince into his arms and carried the laughing bundle back to their quarters.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nearly a week later, many of the honored guests that those gathered in Sanq had been waiting on arrived in wagons and on horseback. Seated together in one of the carts were none other than Lady Une, Queen Noin and Princess Hilde at the lead of the caravan. At the sight of her cousin, the youngest of the threesome stood on the bench and cried, "Duo!"
Hurrying for the wagon, the braided prince laughed when the princess leapt down to hug him tightly. From their perch along the castle stairs, Princess Sylvia waved excitedly to her returned friends along with her parents. Hilde was the first to run up and greet them after having her moment with her beloved 'brother.'
Joined shortly by the queens, Duo was wrapped up in more embraces that came with much welcome on his part. Cupping his face in her hands, Noin flashed a glowing smile as she pressed their foreheads together to whisper, "I am so proud of you, son. And it is a relief beyond words that you are safe."
"Thanks, Ma," Maxwell breathed. For all intents and purposes, his Uncle Zechs and Aunt Noin would remain a second pair of parents to him as far as he was concerned.
With a firm pat to the prince's back, the king of Epyon smirked to his nephew, "He really did an amazing job for us all." Instantly, his own arms were filled with his wife and daughter for their own happy reunion.
Once he was released from the group embrace, Lady Une slipped an arm in Duo's and walked him off as she insisted, "I cannot wait to hear from you all of the things that had happened since we were last together. For anyone to accomplish what you have done for this world... saving us all..." Shaking her head, she giggled, "It truly is a miracle."
His hands raising, the braided teenager grinned, "Well, I really can't take all of the credit for this. There were a lot of people and good spirits involved. But we'll catch up on all of that." Resting his hands on hers, he leaned their heads close together and requested, "Actually, I could really use a favor of you."
Nodding firmly, the queen replied, "Anything."
The corners of his mouth curling in a wide smile, Duo said, "I need to know how a king or queen knights someone."
"Ah," Lady Une winked in a way that expressed she had planned on such an inquiry. Patting his hand with her free palm, she chuckled deeply, "Let us have a sit down and I will be more than happy to go over every detail."
TBC...
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