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"Dawning"Written By: Honor Disclaimers: Not ours. They belong to rich people. We just snuck them out of the high-security vault when they weren’t looking. Pairings: 3x4, 5x2, 1+(um…eheheh…we have no idea.) Warnings: Angst (which is fixed), AU, Fant, violence, character death (a couple of the bad guys, don’t spaz), questionable humor and LEMON!!! Rating: PG-13 to NC-17 Summary: When a man of obsession turns to the powers of darkness to curse two lovers that are against him, then those that can must do everything they can to break the chains that ensnare them all. *emphasized* //spell or thoughts//
"Dawning"
“I’m sure.” Trowa answered, a definite ‘don’t argue the point’ in his voice. A rather large and plain woman—both riders on the black assumed it to be the woodcutter’s wife—looked up at their approach and dropped the firewood she had been carrying. Shrilly she started screaming. “Pierre! Pierre!” Duo could barely understand what she was saying the voice was so high pitched. And he had a difficult time swallowing his laughter as she attempted to run toward her husband. She looked rather like a one-legged duck: arms flapping, mostly one leg holding her weight as she lurched her way forward. A lean man with hard lines to his face looked up at her screeching. She ducked behind him as soon as she was close enough, letting him finally get a good look at who was approaching. “The axe!” He snapped over his shoulder. “Give me the axe, woman!” Trembling, she managed to turn and grab the axe where it had been leaning against a tree. He snatched it from her hands and assumed a defensive position. “Don’t be alarmed.” Trowa stated, his manner as non-threatening as possible. Duo thought it was a ludicrous way to act considering that he was obviously a soldier, but he somehow managed to pull off the vibe of ‘I’m not going to eat you for dinner’ surprisingly well. “My companion-in-arms and I need lodgings for the night.” “No.” The woodcutter replied adamantly, head shaking violently back and forth. “We’ll be willing to pay, of course.” Trowa continued. Duo took this as a cue of sorts and jingled the purse at his belt. “We are not without compassion for those in misery.” Trowa cast him a glance over his shoulder, but he nodded his head in approval of Duo’s words. Duo felt himself puff up a little. He liked this whole ‘companion-in-arms’ business. The woman started nodding eagerly, and her husband reluctantly. “Very well. You can sleep down there,” his head jerked to indicate behind them “in the barn.” Trowa nodded his thanks and turned the black towards the building. Duo slid from the horse’s back almost immediately, grateful to feel his own legs under him again. He didn’t have much experience when it came to riding, and he just knew that his legs were going to be reminding him of that—painfully—the next morning. Trowa didn’t say a word to him, just unsaddled the black and moved into one of the stalls, putting everything away. Duo, somewhat at a loss as to what to do with himself, looked around for a place to bed down. There was a pile of hay in one corner that looked promising. He threw a blanket on it, then went looking for his companion. “Captain?” Huh. Which stall had the man chosen anyway? He looked in the next. “Captain?” + Trowa ignored the sound of the thief as he pulled his saddlebags away from the saddle. He flipped them open and pulled a set of clothes from inside, as well as a long black cloak. He stared at them for a moment, his green eyes shadowed. Bringing the white shirt to his face, he inhaled the faint scent that emanated from it. “Quatre…” Looking back up at the setting sun, he stifled a groan of despair. “One day…” + Trowa approached, a little grouchy at the interruption. “What?” “There’s nothing more I can do, sir. I think I’ll turn in.” Duo was still very careful to be polite to this man. He was irritated most of the time, and armed to boot. Duo wanted to keep his head attached. “You can take care of my horse.” Trowa replied pointedly. “Alright.” Duo had a vague idea of what to do, so he turned and went back out of the barn to where the horse was tied. “And don’t disturb me.” Trowa ordered brusquely. “I’m libel to take your head off before I know it’s you.” Duo took the warning to heart and moved toward the horse. Untying the lead, he started to tug. “Come on girl. Come on. Stubborn little lady. What’s her name?” Trowa arched a brow. “*His* name is Goliath.” Duo bent a little and took a quick peak in between the horse’s legs. “*His* name. Right.” So they were in an all male traveling group? This would make things interesting… “Go with him boy.” Trowa murmured to the horse, with something suspiciously like a smile on his face. “He didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” With a snort the stallion moved to follow the thief. Duo let out a sigh of relief and started to lead him toward the spring he had heard on their approach here. He knew that the stallion was probably thirsty. “Goliath,” he told the horse somberly “before we get to know each other better, I feel it only fair to tell you a story about a teeny little man named David…” + “Companion-in-arms, ha!” Duo scoffed later. The stallion was bedded down for the night, and he was regulated to gathering up firewood in the dim forest nearby. “Slave is more like it. I was better off in the dungeons of L’Aquila. My cellmate was a murderer and insane, but at least he respected me!” Bending down he gathered another branch in his arms. “He’s a strange one, Barton. Why did he save me at all? Well, whatever he wants I won’t do it! I’m still a young man, you know! I’ve got prospects! Goodbye, Captain!” Branches snapped audibly in the stillness and Duo froze. “Hello?” When there was no answer, Duo started a stealthy retreat in what he hoped was the direction of the barn. “Pierre, do you have your sword? Good. And Louis, you have your crossbow. Excellent. Now, let’s all go back to the barn, alright?” Duo altered his voice to be in a lower register. “Alright.” Then he made his voice more gruff for ‘Louis’. “Alright.” He wasn’t sure if anyone would buy the bluff, but he started to walk quickly back to the barn. Within a few feet he heard more snapping and his nerve broke. Running now for all he was worth, he continued the fake dialogue. “Show no mercy, Pierre! We’re not interested in prisoners! Hold your ground Louis. I’ll run for help!” He wasn’t sure if the words helped or not, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do at that moment. He had no weapon on him, an obvious oversight that he would rectify as soon as he reached a pair of saddlebags. He broke free of the tree line, and risked a glance over his shoulder to see who was pursuing him. In the darkness he tripped over a stake in the ground near one of the outbuildings and went down hard. He quickly rolled to his side and back onto his feet, running for the barn. The woodcutter came into view, axe held high. Duo gasped in shock, flinging himself out of the way. A large black wolf appeared over his prone body and its jaws closed over the man’s neck. The woodcutter dropped his axe and his hands went to the wolf’s head, desperately trying to get the animal off of him. Duo took advantage of the distraction and picked himself up, continuing his mad flight until he reached the stall where the captain had bedded down. “Captain! Captain!” No one was in sight, but the crossbow and the bolts were there. Duo snatched them up, dropping most of the bolts in his haste, only retaining three in his grasp. Scrambling for the outside wall, he set the weapon against the open slates, putting a bolt into his mouth and dropping the rest on the ground next to him. Then he put both hands on the string, desperately trying to draw it back. It took three tries, but he finally managed it and put the bolt into place. In his haste, he didn’t notice the figure wrapped in a dark cloak behind him. A hand reached over his shoulder and plucked the bolt off the crossbow. Duo started, almost dropping the weapon. “Who are you?!” A wolf’s cry echoed in the clearing, and they both turned toward the sound. The boy revealed his face at the moment, and Duo’s breath halted in his chest. This stranger, whoever he was, was breathtakingly beautiful. Fair skin, large blue eyes that were so clear even in the darkness, and fair blond hair. Without a reply to the question, the boy turned for the door. Duo’s momentary paralysis dropped and he sprinted after him. “Sir! Don’t go out there! Don’t go out there! There’s a wolf, a really big wolf and a dead man—” The boy held up a hand to halt the flow of words. “I know.” He assured him softly. After a moment of scanning the clearing, he walked forward again, heading toward the last place the wolf had been seen. “Sir, please!” When the boy didn’t stop, Duo slumped back against the thin walls of the barn. “Maybe I’m dreaming. That’s it. I’m dreaming that I’m awake, dreaming. Or maybe I’m awake, dreaming that I’m dreaming that I’m awake. Or maybe—” “You are dreaming.” A voice called back to him. Duo looked to see if it had been the beautiful stranger who had answered. When he saw the wolf again, apparently content to be next to the boy, he groaned and darted for the loft. There was no way that he was staying within reach of that creature. Either man or beast. He changed his mind, however, when he heard another horse approach. Carefully going back down the ladder he had so quickly climbed only a moment before, he peeked out of the door to witness a very curious exchange. The wolf was gone, and the boy was walking back to the barn. Or had been, until another soldier had approached. This man had the most interesting look to him. He had thick black hair tied in a pony tail at the base of his neck, slanted black eyes and a faint bronze cast to his skin. The soldier’s eyes were locked onto the boy’s as he slid from his horse. “Lord Quatre?” The boy broke into a bright smile that covered his face. “Wufei!” With a happy laugh he threw himself into the newcomer’s direction, one arm coming free of the cloak so that he could hug the boy around his neck. “I’m so glad to see you.” After a stunned moment, the hug was returned. Wufei pulled back, a little embarrassed by the show of affection. “I’m glad to see you safe. I’ve heard such terrible rumors… And the Captain? Where is he?” “Also safe.” Quatre assured him, but a sadness came into his eyes when he said it. “He’s around here somewhere.” “Good.” Something told Wufei not to press for any further information. There was something going on here that he didn’t want to step into. “Quatre…please tell me you have something on under that cloak.” Quatre blinked at the change in subject. Then he smiled sheepishly. “Er…no. Why don’t I just go change?” “Yes.” Wufei sighed, rubbing at his temples as to lessen the sudden headache that was coming on. “Why don’t you? Before the Captain takes my head off for letting you run around naked.” Quatre gave him an apologetic shrug and hurried back into the barn. He noticed Duo then, and gestured him forward. “Come. There’s no need to be afraid.” Duo wasn’t so sure of that, but there was a tone in that statement that reminded him of the Captain’s voice. There was no room for refusal. Hesitantly he moved toward them, ready to dive back into the relative safety of the loft at the first hint of danger. Nothing happened, however, and he made it to their sides safely. “I am Quatre.” The blond told him, eyes smiling. “This is a dear friend of both Trowa and myself.” A hand indicated the soldier next to him. “Major Chang Wufei.” Wufei inclined his head in greeting. “I’m Duo.” The thief felt it only right to return the introduction. “Duo Maxwell, thief extraordinaire.” Wufei’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you the one they call The Mouse?” Duo grinned. “Yup. That’s me.” “Hmm…” Was Wufei’s overwhelmingly informative reply. “Quatre, weren’t you going to put on some clothes?” “Oh!” Quatre flashed them an embarrassed smile and quickly made his way back into the building. Wufei watched the little blond for a moment and then turned to the thief. “And how, may I ask, did YOU get dragged into this?” “Well, um, you see…” Duo rubbed the back of his neck, grinning lopsidedly. “You could say that I was ‘caught’ up in it. Or, to be more precise…the captain caught me and now I’m in it.” “The Captain?” Wufei raised an eyebrow. “Um…yeah. He chased me down yesterday and hasn’t let me out of sight until a few hours ago. And before you ask, I don’t know why.” “Hm.” Casting another glance in the direction of the barn, Wufei made sure that Quatre was still occupied. A speculative look settled on his face and he looked back at Duo. “Once Lord Quatre has come back out, go and take care of my horse.” Duo pouted. “In other words, stay out of range until you get the full story. That’s not fair. I want the full story too!” Wufei simply arched an eyebrow. “You’re both too good at that.” Duo observed with a sigh. “Fine. I’ll stay out of the way. Just make sure that wolf doesn’t decide on a midnight snack or something.” “I’m sure he’ll not want to eat something that a wolf might consider so…stringy.” Wufei deadpanned. Duo gaped. “I resent that remark! You’re the same height!” With an agitated huff, Duo grabbed the reins of Wufei’s horse and proceeded to drag it into the barn, passing Quatre on the way in. Quatre started in surprise as the thief turned at the door and blew a rather large raspberry at Wufei. Then with a flip of his braid, he disappeared inside. Quatre turned back to the Major. “Aggravate him much?” “I resent that assumption.” Wufei informed in a haughty voice. Quatre simply looked at him. “All I did was ask him to give us a few moments of privacy!” Wufei defended himself hastily. “Uh…huh.” “Quatre!” With an irritated huff Wufei led them further away from the barn and near a pile of logs that they could sit on. “Never mind that. I know little of the situation, hearing only the most vague and wildly scattered of rumors. What happened?” Quatre relaxed onto one of the logs next to Wufei and looked up at the dim night sky, his brief happiness at seeing one of his friends fading. “His Grace, is what happened, my friend.” “Lord Treize?!” Wufei’s eyes narrowed sharply. Quatre nodded. “It was our wedding night, you know. The archbishop had been pursuing me for so long—” Quatre shivered slightly in remembrance, disgust even know sinking into the pit of his stomach “But I thought it would end on that night. He couldn’t, after all, have any hope left when it came to me after that night. I was wrong. Trowa and I were so wrong on how obsessed he was. He’s gone mad, Wufei. Do you know of the shaman, Heero Yuy?” Wufei nodded curtly. “It was he that Treize turned to. And he refused. But Heero couldn’t stop him from taking the necessary ingredients and spellbook. He tried, God, how he tried! But he couldn’t stop him.” Quatre drew in a shuddering breath, clenching his fists in his lap. Wufei remained silent, watching him regain his balance. “On that night, after the wedding and…other things, Trowa and I had fallen asleep. We were awoken brutally when Treize and his men burst into our chambers. Trowa tried to go for his sword, but we were both caught. It…it all happened so fast after that,” Quatre’s blue eyes were glazed in memory. “Treize said something in Latin and then Trowa screamed. He screamed so loud…He changed.” Quatre looked over at Wufei, tears gathering in his eyes. “He changed right in front of me. I couldn’t do anything but stand there. Treize laughed then, said that we would never be together if he couldn’t have me. Said that we would be forever together and yet not, touching and yet not touching. Wufei, he cursed us! The bastard cursed us!” With a strangled sob, Quatre buried his face in his hands and cried. Wufei put a hesitant arm around the blond’s shoulders and held him. Quatre turned into the hold, forehead resting on Wufei’s shoulder as the tears ran their course. Wufei tensed as he felt someone approach and looked up. A large black wolf was standing, watching silently. The major’s first instinct was to go for his sword, but something held him back. There was too much intelligence in those green eyes…and sorrow. “Quatre. Trowa is the wolf, isn’t he?” “Yes.” Quatre raised his head to match gazes with his silent partner. “And by day, I am a hawk.” Wufei started swearing softly as the full extent of
the curse hit home. He watched, jaw clenched, as Quatre pulled away
and hugged the wolf tightly, face pressed into the black fur. The wolf whined softly and gently licked the tears from Quatre’s cheeks. Quatre’s grip tightened and he sighed. Wufei simply couldn’t handle the emotional side to everything right at that moment. It would mean sacrificing the need to be logical and clear headed, and that he couldn’t do. With a deep and somewhat calming breath he continued his questioning. “And the thief? Why was Maxwell brought into this?” “Trowa hasn’t told me.” Quatre admitted after a long moment. He pulled back, still looking into the forest green eyes in front of him. “But if I had to guess, I would say it was because Duo is the only person to have been inside the dungeons of L’Aquila and escaped. He knows how to enter…and live to talk about it afterwards.” The wolf nodded, once, a deliberate movement. Wufei snorted. “Figures.” From the shadowed recesses of the barn came a plaintive “Can’t I come out yet?” Wufei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This was going to be interesting. ~*~*~ Honor: Well. We had to play hot potato with the laptop
for a bit, but we got through the chapter. Velvet? What happens next?
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