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"A Hidden Heart "Written By: Hemlock Inyx Disclaimer: This chick does not own any of the
Gundam Wing characters because they belong to Bandai and Sunrise.
I am borrowing them for this fict and will return them in good (if
somewhat sticky) condition.This fict is written out of love and not
for profit, don't sue. Thanks and enjoy! Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi, lemon, midieval alternate universe,
some angst, violence Pairings: 5x2, 4xH, 13xS Summary: They called him Milliardo's Dragon. A warrior bold as the Chinese legend, his temper as fiery; Lord Chang Wufei was the prince's right hand. Men of power quaked at word of his arrival, for he was the sword to carry out Milliardo's judgement. 'Twas rumored he'd do any deed at the prince's bidding, avenge any slight to his master's name. Only Milliardo had the might to direct the Dragon's fury, to shape thr form of his vengeance. Or so the prince believed. But shrouded deep beneath that scaly hide, the dragon's true nature slumbered. Obscured by fire. Hidden from harm. Burried beyond reach of pain. Until he met him. The boy with the power to free the heart of the Dragon.
"A Hidden Heart "
Chapter 26 Finally the day arrived for which Wufei had waited--forever, it seemed. After continuing to argue up to the last moment, King John agreed to meet his barons at the water meadow of Runnymede. Wufei wouldn't have bothered to stay for the event if he hadn't feared that Milliardo might claim---and rightly so--that he hadn't seen his task to completion. Given the king's wavering nature, Wufei wouldn't believe the charter had been accepted until he saw it for himself. Treize and Quatre were likewise eager to be quit of the place. By now, summer had arrived, and all three men had too much to do at home. So few barons had stayed at John's side throughout the negotiations that the king's train was meager indeed. So much for loyalty, Wufei thought. It was the same everywhere, unfortunately. Few men valued honor anymore. The actual meeting with the king proved anticlimactic. Considering what the charter stood to do for the barons, it should have been a far more momentous occasion. But perhaps everyone else was as tired of the entire situation as Wufei, Treize and Quatre were. As soon as they could get away, the three gathered up their gear and their men and set off for home, eagerness lending speed to their journey. ~~~ (***) ~~~ Duo settled in at Raven’s Crest with surprising ease. He couldn't decide if that was due to Hilde’s presence or to the fact that Wufei's people were happy to have a person about to keep the household running smoothly. They'd had no mistress since Sally's marriage to Treize, and it showed. Duo had a great deal to learn about housewifery, and was especially thankful for his sister's help. She was skilled at managing a manor, and good at dealing with people, and Duo found it amazing, the amount of work Hilde could get out of people by the simple expedient of praising their efforts. This method was completely foreign to Duo, since the abbess of Saint Winifred's had done little except carp and complain. Duo had noticed how Hilde went about it in her own home, however, so he quickly set about implementing the same technique at Raven’s Crest. He could see the merit in Hilde's skillful handling of servants, for they worked harder, and seemed to like her, as well. In June, one of Hilde's messengers arrived at Raven’s Crest with welcome news. "They should be home soon," Hilde said, her voice filled with excitement. "Are they all well?" "Yes, just bored and tired of waiting. Quatre says to tell you that Wufei has grown thin and wan for want of you," she read with a giggle. "He hopes you're prepared to nurse him back to health." "You don't think Wufei is truly ill, do you?" Duo asked, all his concerns rushing to the fore. "Of course not," Hilde said, waving the parchment about. "Its just Quatre’s way of telling you that Wufei misses you dreadfully----no surprise there." "I'd better set to work to prepare everything for their arrival. They are all coming here, aren't they?" "I'm not sure about Treize. He may go directly to Ashby. Perhaps it will just be Wufei and Quatre and their men." Duo smiled at Hilde and returned her embrace. "I hope they arrive soon. I'm eager for our life together to finally begin." ~~~ (***) ~~~ Wufei's blood thrummed with anticipation as they drew closer to Raven’s Crest. Since Quatre had told him that Duo was there, he had not been able to stop picturing him in the hall, the gardens---his bed. But there was so much they needed to set straight before they started their life together. Everything had happened so quickly. They'd met and married within just over a sennight. No wonder he felt such uncertainty about whether Duo would still want him, once he learned to know him. Yet he was a better man for having met Duo. He brought out a side of himself he'd thought lost forever, a trace of the idealistic youth he'd once been. And he no longer saw himself as the sole savior of Milliardo's plans. Let the prince scheme and plot as he would; he did not always need the Dragon to enforce his law. Let some other poor fool take up that thankless chore. Wufei had other tasks, more dear to his heart than even his beloved Sank. The weather turned nasty as they got closer to home. Raven’s Crest stood surrounded by forest and rugged terrain, and the rain and fog that had descended upon them from the mountains made the going slow. Impatient now that he was nearly there, Wufei could have snarled in frustration. They were almost to the village when the attack came out of nowhere, startling their mounts and catching them foolishly unprepared. Their attackers were on foot, and outnumbered them, from the sound of it—it was difficult to see--so the men split up and joined the battle. "Hurry!" Wufei shouted to the others. "They're attacking the town!" He spurred his horse along the track. "Follow me!" A muted cry echoed through the trees, followed by the unmistakable clash of steel against steel. Some of their men had gone on ahead; clearly, they'd already met with trouble. Hoofbeats pounded as the two rear guards rushed past them. Rain flung from the sodden branches whipped at their faces as they raced through the trees toward the sounds of battle. A woman ran past, her gown torn and scarcely covering her nakedness. It was all Wufei needed to see. Leaping from the saddle, he shoved past Quatre, racing over the uneven ground to the pair writhing on the grass. Leaping the last few yards, he hit the man square in the back, sending him flying. Roaring his rage, Wufei grabbed the churl by the tunic and jerked him to his feet. The man didn't even have a chance to straighten before Wufei planted a fist in his face, forcing him to his knees. Wufei grinned at the satisfying crunch of bone beneath his knuckles. "Get up, you coward," he snarled, motioning with his hands for the man to stand. I’ve not even started with you." Breathing noisily through his crushed nose, he lurched to his feet and, clasping his hands together, swung them at Wufei's head. Wufei evaded the blow easily, taking advantage of the other man's momentum to knock him to the ground again. There was no challenge to this, Wufei thought, disgusted by the whimpering sounds stealing through his opponent's lips. He waited impatiently for him to regain his feet, then stalked him around the clearing. "Fight back, damn you," he growled. "Or do you only hit women?" His body swaying, he simply stood and stared at Wufei, his only response to the insult the fire flaring in his eyes. "Do you know what I'm going to do to you, you miserable son of a bitch? Once I've beaten you bloody, I'm going to rip off your--" Snarling, teeth bared in a terrible grimace, the other man dived at Wufei. Finally, Wufei thought, the exultation of battle rushing through him. There was no challenge--or honor---in pounding on a weak coward who wouldn't fight back. But now he felt the honest satisfaction of defending the innocent. This churl would die today, one way or another, for the things he'd done. Hands at each other's throats, they rolled across the rocky ground, their struggle punctuated by grunts and moans. Finally, Wufei felt the man go limp beneath him. Leaving him lying there, Wufei grabbed the reins and swung back into the saddle, heading for the village. He discovered a group of men on the road leading away from the village, loaded down with their ill-gotten gains. A ragged band of fighters ran from the trees and joined their fellows, their crude weapons at the ready. They attacked immediately, reaching to pull him from the saddle. Wufei looked about for any help, but none of his men were near. No matter. He could manage on his own. Slashing about him with his sword and kicking out at the cudgels raised against him, Wufei sent several men to their knees, blood streaming from their wounds. He swung his sword in a wide arc and sent a subtle command to, his mount. The stallion reared up, hooves flailing out to strike at the men before him. A bolt of fire shot through his shoulder. Sucking in a deep breath against the pain, he stared at the arrow piercing his flesh. Damnation, but it hurt! His attention faltered, and the stallion lowered his hooves to the ground. Before he could urge the horse to a gallop, the group moved in to attack again. He could not beat back this assault. Wufei cursed as they pulled him from the saddle and continued to rain blows upon him, despite his struggles. They finally pinned him to the ground. He felt a sharp blow to the head, making his body jerk and his vision dim. His last thought before the darkness claimed him was of Duo. ~~~ (***) ~~~ When Wufei regained his senses, he lay flat on his back, soaking-wet and shivering with a bone-deep chill. The icy moisture soothed his aching body, bringing him back from the darkness still muddling his mind. He rolled onto his side, groaning when he hit the arrow in his shoulder. He had to get up. His attackers seemed to have left him alone for the moment, but they might return to resume their assault. He shifted and lifted his uninjured arm, surprised at how unsteady he felt. Where were Treize and Quatre? he wondered. Had they managed to survive this, or were they, like him, lying wounded somewhere? He struggled to sit up, a sharp pain in his right leg telling him he'd been hit by another arrow. He reached down and felt the shaft, just below his knee. He didn't think the wound was bleeding, but it certainly would make it difficult to walk. Head pounding, he struggled to his feet, ignoring the way his stomach churned. His sight wavered and blurred. Wufei lurched across the uneven ground, managing only a few stumbling steps before his knee gave out. He landed hard on his side, his head swimming giddily for a moment. Sweat ran down his face and neck as he rolled onto his good knee and tried to rise again. Wufei pushed himself upright, shoving wet hair out of his face with a shaking hand. He scanned the area. Thc fog, combined with his headache, lent an eerie glow to the landscape. Though he knew he could only be a few leagues from Raven’s Crest, nothing looked familiar. Nothing moved. All was silent save for the steady drip of rain off the trees. He should move, look at the bodies laying along the trail. He knew he'd recognize the victims---they were his people, after all--but he doubted Quatre or Treize would be among them. He hoped not. He already dreaded the tally of carnage from this day's work. He staggered along the road, clutching his shoulder and dragging his right leg. Before he'd gone twenty yards, his leg collapsed under him and he fell to the ground. Though he struggled against it, darkness claimed him once more. ~~~ (***) ~~~ Quatre spurred his horse back along the trail, Treize riding hard beside him. It had taken a while, but they and their men had managed to help the villagers beat off the attack. Casualties among the villagers appeared high, but nowhere among the bodies strewn throughout the area around the town had they found Wufei. No one had seen him since he'd leaped back onto his horse after beating the rapist into the ground. It had been too hectic for them to keep track of each other in the fray. They'd search every inch of the forest if they had to, but find him they would. Quatre had no intention of going to Raven’s Crest without him, or of telling Duo his husband was dead. Wufei was alive, and they would find him. They nearly rode right over Wufei's prone body where he lay sprawled in the middle of the road. Even the thundering hoofbeats of the horses hadn't seemed to rouse him. Treize jumped from the saddle and ran to Wufei, carefully easing him over onto his back. "An arrow in the arm, another in the leg, and bruises about the head," he said as he examined him. "Look at his leg." Quatre pointed toward Wufei's knee, twisted at an odd angle below the arrow. "At least he still lives," Treize said. "Come on, we've got to get him home." Together they picked him up and moved him to the side of the road. "It's not far to Raven’s Crest from here." Quatre sat back on his heels and pondered the situation. "It would be best to get a stretcher. Some of the townspeople--or we-can carry him there." "Yes. With the lumps on his head and the fact that he hasn't awakened, we'd better not try to move him with a cart or horse. He shouldn't be jostled about. There's no telling what shape his head is in." It took a while, but eventually they found two able-bodied young men who were very willing to do what they could to help their lord. Quatre sent a boy running ahead to Raven’s Crest with a message for Duo, warning of what had happened. He would surely need to prepare medicines, or some such. ~~~ (***) ~~~ Duo and Hilde waited impatiently in the courtyard for the men to arrive with Wufei. The guards stood ready to throw open the gates as soon as they got there. From the moment the messenger arrived, Duo's stomach had been trying to rebel. How could he get so close to home, after being gone for so long, and be attacked in his own village? It made no sense. But Duo refused to consider that they might not save him. He would not let him die. He loved him too much, and he wanted the chance to show him. Duo met them as soon as they entered the courtyard, directing the men where to take him. He was vaguely aware of Quatre and Hilde exchanging a hurried embrace before they joined Treize to follow the procession up the stairs. "What happened?" she asked. "When we got to the outskirts of the village, we saw that it was under attack," Treize told her. "Outlaws, apparently." "I'm surprised they didn't come here, as well," Quatre added. "Although they weren't well armed. But there were a number of them---a large band, from the look of it. As soon as you get Wufei settled here, Treize and I will take some men out to find the bastards." "There's nothing you can do here," Hilde said, her attention on Wufei as they transferred him from the stretcher to the bed. "Go find the men who did this." Quatre dropped a kiss on his wife's lips, then placed a comforting hand on Duo's shoulder before he and Treize headed for the door. Duo wasn't certain where to start, Wufei looked terrible, streaked with blood and dirt, the arrows still sticking out of his shoulder and leg. His leg was badly swollen. "Sit down," Hilde told him, moving Duo to a stool beside the bed. "I'm used to this kind of thing, and I can see you're not. When I need you to help me with anything, I'll tell you." She began cutting off Wufei’s leggings. "You sit there and talk to him, let him know he's home with you." Duo maintained a steady stream of conversation as Hilde ministered to Wufei's injuries. It terrified him to see Wufei lying there so still, pale but for the bruises discoloring his face. Hilde paused beside him. "Will you be all right here, alone? I'm going to get you something to eat and see if I can discover what Quatre's found out." "I'll be fine," Duo whispered. "Is there anything I should look out for?" "Just don't let him move about too much if he should awaken." Hilde placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll be back soon." Duo moved closer to Wufei, leaning over the bed to softly kiss his lips. He nearly jumped when he felt him respond with a weak kiss of his own. "Duo?" he asked, his voice barely audible. "Yes, love, it’s Duo." He carefully sat on the edge of the bed. "How do you feel?" "Like I tried to dance with Mouse," Wufei said with a shaky laugh. "And he tripped." "I'm so glad you're home," he said, resting his cheek on his uninjured shoulder as, against Duo’s will, the tears began to flow. "I've missed you so much." Wufei squeezed his hand. "Hush, love. Don't cry. It would take more than this to kill me. I won't leave you, I swear. I've waited too long for us to be together." Duo stretched out beside him, taking comfort from the heat of Wufei’s body next to his. "I'll hold you to your promise," he said, reassured that Wufei meant what he said. It took more than this to kill a dragon. ~ * ~ |
