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"Ash Tree Cruel "Written By: Asymphototropic
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam wing. Author: Asymphototropic (attracted toward the
light, but never quite arrives there) Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi, violence, AU Summary: Duo is a wanderer, drawn to an ancient
barrow in the hopes of speaking to his master's death soul. Heero
is a guardian servant in this dangerous place. Will the death soul
seeker become a sacrifice on the bloody altar of a cruel cult? Pairings 1x2
"Ash Tree Cruel " Part 7: Gingko First Tree Heero Yuy strode vigorously away from the hut, the tree maze, the seeker of the death souls. Upon an eager purpose, he walked into the evening, to the first point of muster. Slowed, approached it cautiously, to avoid being killed prior to identifying himself. From tree shadow to brush shade, in stealth. Breathlessly awaiting a challenge to his presence. At last he perceived the reason for the prolonged deadly silence of the locale. The encampment was not carefully watching his approach. Instead the place was utterly empty. Devoid of the Merquise's men. He refused to panic. There seemed no sign of violence. No fighting had occurred here. He studied the snowy carpet underfoot. The tracks the men had left were quite recent, the edges of footprints crisp without wind-teasing. Cursing to himself over the delay, he followed the trail. It was well, he told himself, that he was Heero Yuy, Merquise's Thane. Rather than a minion of the Tanist. Why his comrades-at-arms were so open and careless in their travels about the countryside, he could not fathom. He strode another irritable, measureless stretch of time. Further from the hut, the tree maze. Further away from the boy, left to his own devices, to shield himself from the threatening harm. Now there came to Heero's ear the distant sounds of revelry. A celebration? His frown grew into an outright scowl. He hastened toward the noise of uproarious singing. The encampment was huge, brightly lit with torches and bonfires. Here at least there was a guard posted. But Yuy was known by the sentinel and admitted at once. Everywhere he turned, there were members of Lord Merquise's force, speaking, drinking, laughing with other men he did not recognize. "Heero Yuy," someone grabbed him by the arm and slapped him soundly upon his back. "The boy appears as if in response to magicking. Have some ale, lad." "Not yet, I thank you. I must needs speak at once with my Lord Merquise." Yuy shrugged out of the meaty grasp of the Norse warrior, and hurried again forward. He could only conclude that the Lord Treize had arrived with his men. And that the event was considered cause for celebration. Of course, if Lord Treize had traveled far, the Merquise would wish to offer hearty hospitality at journey's end. It appeared that there would be drunken revelry deep into this night. Yuy wondered how soon these men would be fit for battle. The morrow seemed unlikely. He shook his head grimly. If only he knew when the Solstice would arrive. Ahead was a building. Wooden, with sturdy beams, high rafters. Smoke fragrant of roasting venison rose from the cookery fires, lofted up to cling ghostly to the ceiling. Men's faces, ruddy from the flames, the partaking of ale, the boisterous singing, turned briefly aside to glance at Yuy's entrance. Then back to their drinks and fare. It became a long walk down the center of the building. Every now and again, halted with an offer of food and spirit, which Heero shrugged aside in his dogged progression. His eyes never strayed from the view of his Lord Merquise. The glittering Snowlord sat at a table on a raised dais. Next to him, another such as himself. But rather more golden than silver, a Sunlord Treize seemed. The two men, shining like two highly polished battle swords, edges sharpened. Dangerously awaiting the fray. Formidable martial might, an army spread at their feet in deadly array. Heero gulped at the knot in his throat. It passed, then settled painfully in his chest. Right up the center of the building he strode. More and more eyes upon him as his goal became apparent. Seizing his determination in his two clenched fists he climbed up to the dais, mounted upon it. Around the table to where the Lord Merquise lounged next to his kinsman. Yuy dropped to his knees, head humbly bowed. He waited, heart bucking against his chest for escape. Waited in vain for his Liege Lord's hand, bearing the signet ring. Any indication that his unbidden, virtually forbidden presence was acceptable, that he might speak his mind. He felt a grazing touch in his hair. Then, the voice sounded. "Heero. Hast dropped from the sky? What do you here? 'Tis dark, lad. Should be in bed." His heart plummeted into his belly with a sick thud. Merquise's voice, clinging inebria, rubbed suggestively against his ear. Was the Merquise too drunk to listen rationally? Grasping for his bravery, the thane looked up into his commander's eyes. "My Liege Lord. I bring important news. Information vital to our undertaking." The Merquise's look smoldered. "My faithful warrior," he smiled, licking his lips. His fingers dragged through the softly tangled enticement of the boy's hair. "If it please my Lord. We have discovered a catacomb. It breaches just under the Elder Doom tree. The ancient gallows tree. Marked upon its bark with the dire numeral thirteen. There amongst its roots is a stone-hidden passage. And an inhumation tunnel." " 'We have discovered'? What 'we' is this, boy?" Merquise's smile had vanished in the midst of a suspicious snarl. His fist clenched suddenly into the thane's hair, enforcing their exchange of looks. Yuy swallowed hard, his tongue swollen in his parched throat. "Let's have a look at you, boy." The Lord Treize' golden voice intervened languidly. And the Merquise, mercurial in his cups, suddenly laughed. All in an instant, Yuy was dragged up, onto his commander's lap. A brief groping caress. Then abruptly thrust up, onto his feet, placed between the two men. Face to face with the Sunlord Treize. The Merquise's hand lingering upon Yuy's backside. The Lord Treize raised a beaker of ale in one hand. The other stroked the bare skin at the back of Heero's neck. Suddenly the brew foam met the boy's nose. "Sup a sip," Lord Treize teasingly commanded. Yuy hastily gulped, trying hard not to splutter into the beer. The Sunlord's fingers gathered the foam from off the boy's face. Then entered the Lord's mouth. Lips sucking the brew from the tips. "Now art not so dry, eh? Fitter to tell thy tale," the Lord Treize declared wryly. "My Lords. The Tanist of Su has captured a boy, a harmless wanderer. Placed the boy into my custody, to guard for his evil intentions. The boy came seeking the death souls at the barrow mound. The death souls do speak clearly to him. And so the Tanist fears his power." This saying was greeted with a guffaw of laughter from the Merquise. But the Sunlord's eyes glittered. "He is young, this boy?" Lord Treize demanded. "Perhaps sixteen winters." "And he is fair of feature?" the Sunlord smirked. Yuy slammed to a halt. Recognizing the fact. No matter how he replied, his interest would be considered prurient. He drew himself as tall and straight as his slender means allowed. With the Snowlord's hand upon his buttocks cheek. And the Sunlord's strong arm draped negligently upon his shoulder. "I do not perceive, my Lord, what relevance the death soul seeker's pulchritude. Or lack thereof. What bearing this has upon my information." Treize whistled. "Haughty," he smirked toward his kinsman. "Think you so?" Merquise grinned wickedly back to him. "Proceed. We are all agog to hear more," Treize directed before drawing long upon the draft. Yuy sucked in a deep breath. "We two, while walking in the woods maze, came across the ancient gallows tree. And there did the angry death souls gather and speak so fiercely to the seeker, that he was struck hard by their clamor. His heart and lungs did stop utterly in his chest. And he dropped as if dead himself. All pale and cold in the snow's embrace. When he recovered somewhat from the force of the death souls' noise. He revealed to me the secret the voices had vouchsafed. That at our feet lay the tunnel. We two did enter into this tunnel. Sunk right into the gloomish earth. And made our way all along its desperate path. Under the forest's floor. Measured length by length, body upon body, by those executed and buried there. Corpses all the way to the very foot of the bloody altar stone. We walked there in the company of the myriad angry dead. Whose ghosts brushed their bony hands upon our breathing flesh." "Haughty. But recklessly bold. Valorous even," Treize winked at his kinsman. "Even so," Merquise agreed. Yuy suddenly realized. The entire assemblage of warriors had dropped into profound silence. Hearkening to his story. Even beyond the entry of the building, all sounds of revelry had ceased. As the entire huge encampment gathered near the doors, breathlessly listening. "My Lords. All military advantage is now ours. The Tanist of Su has no knowledge of this tunnel. He having murdered the prior Tanist before receiving the information. We may send through a portion of our warriors." He drew himself up very proudly then. "Those bold enough, not daunted by the presence of the dead. May walk where the seeker and I have already gone. Surprise the Tanist's minions with a rear assault. Our victory is assured." "Excellent. What a tale this is. Drink some more," the Sunlord urged his canister of ale upon the boy. Yuy took a sip and set it aside. Then turned his look pleadingly upon the Lord Merquise. "My Liege Lord. May we not proceed at once with our battle plans? Surely we cannot fail in this endeavor. We need not wait any longer upon the instance of the Winter Solstice Eve. Need not allow any more bloody sacrifice upon the altar." "My dear boy." Again the languid voice of the Sunlord. Heero turned his look to Treize. The golden warrior had drawn from his attire a tiny celestial calendar, cunningly carved from ivory, all framed in ancient gingko wood from the Orient. The night marked with a ruby-headed pin. The universe pierced, bleeding, a drop of heart's blood clung there. "I had the information from the Priest of the Wisdom Well. And therefore know it to be accurate. The second night of the waning gibbous moon. 'Tis Winter Solstice Eve now. Tonight." A single cry, wrung wretchedly from the thane's lips. He had left Duo alone to face his doom. In his mind's eye, the sharp blades were even now piercing flesh, writhing upon the cold and bloody stone. A dreadful sick giddiness stunned him. Heero felt the darks and lights, faces and walls and torch flames rise up, all spinning in turmoil around him. He dropped hard, measured full out upon the dais. The Snowlord and the Sunlord both stooping, reached for him. Heero elbowed the men roughly aside. Angrily snarled, tears streaming down his cheeks. Rose onto his knees, then staggered to his feet. "May the Gods frown upon us all and curse our endeavors. May nothing of ours prosper again, ever." Invoking this dire malediction upon the stunned convocation, he tore from grasping hands and raced out of the building. Into the dark threat of the Winter Solstice Eve. ~ * ~ tbc....
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