Jaid: Somebody (I think it is J.B.)
asked how I came up with Dorco’s name. I didn’t. My eleven year old bro,
Isaiah, came up with the name when I asked him to give me a good name for a
dwarf. I wasn’t really thrilled with it, but somehow, it stuck. I am also going
to be aiming for a more archaic way for them to talk, except for Duo. Sorry if
it sounds weird.
Purple Ghost – Thank you for the
pic! (She drew me a pic of an Elvish Quatre ^______^)
Okay, I’m going to start
recommending a story ever chapter, so here’s today’s recommendation: “Dear…” by
Yashira. It’s an Inu-Yasha fic, where everybody’s writing “Dear Abby” type
letters and everybody else is answering them. Okay, that was for all you
Inu-Yasha fans. Now, on to the story!
*****************************************************************
Chapter Five
“Oh my.” the old man whispered. He gently looked at the Elven girl. “I’ll do
what I can.” he said in a louder voice. “I’ll need some boiling water.”
Heero nodded harshly and quickly lit a fire, then boiled some water. The old
man waved him away and Heero walked out side of the small cave. He leaned
against the wall, confused. Why did he care so much if this girl lived or died?
He had never cared so much before.
*
* *
“Quatre!”
Quatre blinked sleepily. A cheerful face was just above his.
“Good morning!” Hilde told him, her blue eyes sparkling. Quatre sat up.
“Hilds!” he exclaimed, using her nick-name. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see you.” she said and stood, as did Quatre. “And to give you
these.” She motioned to three horses. “My father regrets that he can not
allow you to stay in the city, but he offers these as compensation.”
“He is very kind.” Quatre said softly. There was a quiet pause.
“So,” Hilde finally commented. “Where are the dwarf and Dark Elf? I have always
wished to see one.”
“Then wish no more fair lady.” Duo said as he walked up, grinning impishly.
Hilde and Quatre turned. Quatre smiled and Hilde slightly blushed.
“I am Duo.” he said.
“Princess Hilde.” she answered.
“Princess?” Duo whistled. “You keep up with some pretty high company, man.”
Hilde’s smile faded. “He doesn’t know who you are?” she asked Quatre, who shot
her a warning look. Duo frowned slightly. So Quatre was keeping another secret.
“We ought to go soon.” Dorco said, walking up. He stopped and stared at Hilde.
Introductions were made. Hilde seemed a bit bemused by the dwarf, although he
didn’t pay much attention to her.
“Where will you go?” Hilde asked.
“We’re going to Sanq.” Quatre answered. “I think Lord Peacecraft may have the
answers I need.”
“Can I come?” Hilde asked. “My sister is Lady Peacecraft; I could visit her!
Oh, please?” she begged as she saw the doubtful looks on their faces.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Quatre told her quietly. “Srych and wargs
have been more active as of late. And there have been rumors of trolls.”
Hilde put her hands on her hips. “Oh please. I’m at least a good an archer as
you any day, Quatre and I know the fastest route to Sanq.”
“Maybe it would be a good idea.” Duo said. Quatre glared at him.
“I promise not to be in the way.” Hilde continued. “I would so like to see
Lucrezia again. Oh please, Cat.”
Quatre sighed. She was giving him the look.
“All right.” he muttered. Hilde grinned and hugged him.
“Thank you!”
“Don’t.” he said shortly. “You might regret it before the journey’s over.
Besides,” Quatre added. “What are you going to tell your parents?”
Hilde’s smile disappeared. “Oh.”
Quatre nodded, smiling tightly. “That’s what I thought.”
*
* *
“Well?” Heero asked.
“Well what?” the man answered. Heero shot him a death glare. The old man
chuckled.
“Heero, my boy, that doesn’t work on me any more.” the old man pulled out a
pipe and began to smoke it. “She’ll be fine, if you want to know. But she needs
rest. Elves heal faster than humans, but she won’t be able to move until
tomorrow. And even then she has to take it easy. I’m not sure I got all the
poison out.”
Heero nodded. “Thank you.”
Jaris, the old man, looked at him oddly. “You know, I wondered about her. She
looks like a High Elf, but her hair’s too dark. Mountain Elf blood in her perhaps?”
Heero shrugged.
“You never asked her?”
“Was I supposed to?”
Jaris sighed. “Let’s not get into that. I told you. You can make your own
decisions now; it’s your life.” he shook his head sadly. “Life’s not an
assignment any more, Heero. It’s a gift.” He placed a hand on the young
wizard’s shoulder. “Don’t take it lightly and don’t waste it.” He looked back
at the Elven maiden. “Watch her tonight; don’t let her reopen that wound.”
“You’re not staying.” Heero said. It wasn’t a question.
“No. I have to get back. Somebody else might need me.” Jaris picked up his
pack. “You take care. Take care of her too.”
Heero nodded.
*
* *
“Absolutely not!” Havna, Hilde’s mother, exclaimed.
“But Mother-“
“Don’t ‘but mother’ me! A young single Elf maiden is not going to be traveling
with three males, much less one that’s a Dark Elf!”
Hilde got a stubborn look on her face. Quatre, standing next to her, sighed.
“Your Majesty, I will take full responsibility for Hilde. I promise you, she
will reach Sanq unharmed and whole.” he said, stepping forward. Hilde looked at
him in shock.
“I thought you didn’t want me to go.” she whispered. Quatre shrugged slightly.
Hilde smiled at him, then looked at her parents hopefully.
“Please let me go. I do so wish to see Lucrezia once more and her family as
well!” Hilde put her best pouting face on as she looked at her father,
furiously trying to get up some tears. Father couldn’t bear to see her cry
about anything.
Havna saw right through it. “The answer is no, Hilde.” she looked at her
husband. “Isn’t that right, Servian?”
“Well…” Servian looked at Hilde’s blue eyes, swimming in unshed tears. “What’s
the harm Havna?”
The Queen looked at her husband in hopeless annoyance. “What do you mean,
‘what’s the harm’? There’s plenty of harm! You are not going Hilde, and that’s
final!”
“But mother-“
“No.” Havna’s voice left no room for argument. Hilde looked at her father, who
shrugged helplessly, then, with genuine tears streaming down her cheeks, she
stormed from the room. Quatre stood there, feeling slightly out of place.
*
* *
“Thank you for your help, Une.” Treize said, his hand taking hers. “I know you
will take good care of her.”
Une smiled. “You just watch yourself. The South can be a treacherous place and
it’s people even more so at times.”
“I will go to the Maguanacs.” Trieze told her. “They are a kind, if small,
tribe and will help me.” He kissed Une’s finger tips lightly. “Till we meet
again, M’Lady.” he said with a formal bow. Une smiled and slightly curtisied as
she answered likewise. Trieze turned to Mariemeia.
“Good – bye, my dear.” he whispered, embracing her. “I will see you again.”
“When?” Mariemeia asked. Trieze smiled and shrugged.
“I will neglect telling you to mind Une and to remember your manners, as I
think you are quite old enough to remember on your own.” he said with a smile.
“Have a safe journey.”
“You too.” Mariemeia murmured as the man she called father mounted Tallgeese
and flew away. Une placed a slender hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.
“Your father is a great man.” she commented. Mareimeia nodded.
“I know.”
There was a pause.
“Come.” Une directed. “We must leave for Sanq.”
“Why?” Mariemeia asked.
“For several things, some which concern you and others that do not.” Une
answered, not turning around. Mariemeia rolled her eyes and followed.
*
* *
The three rode away from the city, Deathscythe over head. Quatre stopped and
turned to look back once more. He really did wish that Hilde could come.
Besides his worries for her safety, it would have been nice to have some one to
talk too. Duo talked, but it wasn’t the same. Quatre shook his head and
continued with the others. Dorco was riding behind him, complaining the whole
way and asking “why can’t we just walk in good Dwarfish fashion?” To which Duo
would reply, “We’re not Dwarves, we’re Elves.” Then an entire flurry of
arguments would begin. Quatre smiled. At least he wasn’t lonely anymore.
*
* *
Mieran skipped a rock over the smooth surface of the lake. Kamri watched her,
as Nataku and Sophfran talked in their own language. WuFei and Sally had gone
to seek an audience with the King of Levenah.
Mieran sat down and ginerly massaged her wounded shoulder. WuFei, more than
once, had yelled at her for not taking it easy. She privately wished he pay
more attention to Sally than to her, but that wasn’t likely. Sally was a quiet
woman, not one to draw attention to herself. WuFei was probably unaware of her
existence half the time. Mieran sighed in discouragement. Nobody had told her
match-making would be so hard.
There was a rustle of leaves and bushes. Mieran looked up. Out of the forest
came a young man, leading a black horse. Atop the horse were a young woman and
a child. The man paused, took the sleeping child and helped the woman down.
Mieran stood. They looked friendly, she reasoned, and Sally and WuFei wouldn’t
be back for a while.
“Hello.” she said politely. The other two stared at her.
“I’m Mieran.” she continued. The young woman smiled shakily.
“Midii.” she said, offering a hand. Mieran took it, then looked at the young
man.
“That’s Nanashi.” Midii explained. “And this is Robert.”
Mieran smiled at the sleeping child. “He is a very handsome boy. How old is
he?”
“Seven.”
Mieran nodded. “You are traveling?”
Midii shook her head, sadness creeping into her eyes. “My family’s home was
destroyed. I lost two of my brothers and my father.”
“My city was lost as well.” Mieran said softly. She looked at Nanashi, who was
busying himself with camp. Midii followed her gaze, blushed and began to gather
sticks for a fire. Mieran offered to help.
“Your husband doesn’t speak much.” she commented.
“What?” Midii looked up startled, then the blush grew deeper. “He’s not my-“
“It’s going to be cold tonight.” Nanashi interrupted. He turned to Mieran. “Do
you have accommodations for tonight?”
Mieran nodded. Midii looked away, still blushing furiously.
“I suppose I’d better go start a meal of my own.” Mieran commented, putting the
wood in her arms down. She turned and walked away. Nanashi turned to Midii.
“You all right?” he asked. “You’re face is flushed.”
“No, I’m fine.” Midii said. She paused for a moment. “You didn’t, uh-“
“Hear what she said?” Nanashi asked. “Yes, I heard.”
“Then why-?’
“If people think we are family, they are more apt to leave us alone.” he
answered calmly. “You might want to wake the boy up; he won’t sleep tonight if
he naps much longer.”
*
* *
“Geez, doesn’t it EVER stop raining!!!!” Duo yelled at the sky.
“What, can’t take it Elf?” Dorco taunted from behind Quatre.
“Look Shorty, I can take –“
“SHORTY!!??”
“What, you prefer midget?”
“I’d prefer to teach you a lesson with my axe, you-“
“ENOUGH!” Quatre interrupted him. “Can’t you guys take a break?”
Duo and Dorco contented themselves with glaring at each other. Quatre rolled
his eyes.
“We’ll stop soon.” he commented.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure followed doggedly, never letting them out of it’s
sight, but never allowing itself to be seen.
*
* *
“Heero?” Relena’s eyes blinked open and she pronounced his name in a slightly
slurred fashion. “What happened?”
“You nearly got yourself killed, that’s what happened.” Heero growled. Relena’s
face, arms, back and legs were covered with multiple bruises, from falling off
the ledge. It had been a miracle that she hadn’t broken anything.
“Sorry.” she said softly, attempting to sit up and not quite succeeding as
Heero pushed her down.
“You’re supposed to lie quiet.” he said. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
“Thank you.” Relena’s eyes followed him. He was such a strange creature; so
cold and empty yet at the same time so full of fire and intensity. She wondered
if all mortals were like him or if he was simply one of a kind. She remembered
the color of his eyes, how beautiful they were, and then felt a stab of guilt
as she felt Quatre’s pendant cool against her skin. It would be faithless to
desert him, she knew and she depseratly tried to remove all thoughts of a
certain, blue-eyed, brown haired mortal. It didn’t work.
*******************************************************************
Jaid: I know, I’m evil. I’m
tormenting Heero and Relena. But it will only get worse. *cackles evilly*
Naga & Jad: O__O
Naga: You know, we ought to be used
to it now…
Jad: She sounds to much like Heero
when he does his “I’ve-just-blasted-the-hell-outta-bunch-of-people” laugh
*shudders*
Naga: Hey, you’re right!
Jaid: -__-;;;