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"White Knight"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Angst, fluff, WAFF , light lemons Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5+all Summary: Duo is a young boy who has dreams - dreams of the future. "White Knight" Ch 1
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” “Duo?!” Wufei barked coming up off his futon. “What’s the matter?” “Une!” he gasped. “She’s in danger!” The Chinese boy took only long enough to absorb the information before dragging him to his feet and tossing him a sword. Duo could hardly breathe as he rushed along behind his friend. Why now!? Why had he chosen to visit the dojo tonight? Why wasn’t he by his Ladies side when she needed him the most!? His lungs burned as his heart hammered and his hand held tight to the grip of his blade as he and Wufei bounded up the steps of Corsica Manor. “Duo?” Haven, a night guard Duo knew well called in alarm. “Where’s Une!?” Duo demanded. “In… her chambers… Duo!?” Haven was left to catch up with his partner as Duo and Wufei took the stairs three at a time, the braided boy’s determination shining through his rage as he slammed into his Ladies chamber room door busting it off its hinges and sending splintering wood flying everywhere as he shouted, “UNE!” “Duo?!” the woman gasped clutching her bed sheets about her as she sat up in shock from her slumber. “What’s wrong?!” “Where is he!?” the young man demanded moving about the room to check behind curtains and under furniture. Une looked to Wufei but he not only looked lost but completely out of breath. “Who?” she asked in cautious alarm reaching for the dagger under her pillow as she peered about. “The lion!” Duo growled. Une stood on her bed in sudden fear looking about as if the beast might spring from the shadows but nothing came to pass. “Are you certain?” she asked nervously clearly unwilling to question Duo’s word. “Here was here,” Duo insisted sounding somewhat off balance as his search yielded nothing more than a house mouse that scampered away fearfully. “I saw him,” he went on looking pale as he turned his eyes to his Lady. “He… attacked you.” “Is it the future you see?” Wufei mused but his eyes were still searching the shadows cautiously. “No,” Duo replied distractedly following his instincts and going to the window to call to the guards below, “Search the grounds for a possible intruder!” “You think someone was here?” Une asked stepping down from her bed but she was still a head taller than either of her guests. “He will stand against you,” Duo told her knowing this with utmost certainty. “Do you have any idea who it is?” Wufei asked the paling woman. She stood silently for a time in which her eyes shifted from warm brown to steely glints before she gathered herself to her full height and revealed, “Treize Khushrenada.” “Who is he?” Duo demanded. “A General of Luxemburg,” she explained though her words wavered in a way neither of them had heard from her before. “I received word today that he has begun an organized take over of Alliance forces.” “That’s insane,” Wufei stated. “Even if he succeeds he’ll only force Corsica to war.” “That is his intention,” Duo stated. It was widely known that the leaders of Luxemburg and Corsica did not see eye to eye. Une had worked diligently to change the governing policies of her home and had made a good deal of progress over the years though her first priority still had yet to be accomplished as her ownership of Duo clearly proclaimed. It had come to the braided boy’s attention very quickly that Une’s passion lay in the irradiation of slavery, a commodity that Luxemburg held tightly to as it had become their greatest means of revenue. Not everyone in Luxemburg believed in the heinous practices condoned by their leaders but those who opposed where quickly punished or replaced. General Khushrenada’s move to take over the main body of their military forces would force Corsica to act in order to protect itself from inevitable attack whether it came from the Treize Faction or from Luxemburg’s dictator, Duke Dermail. Wufei saw a shadow in the Ladies eyes that brought a crease to his brow but it was gone the moment Duo stated… “It has begun.” ** “Flank right!” Duo ducked beneath a low lying limb thrusting his small body through the trees. “He’s gone high!” Tauk shouted dashing up a small stream as he tightened the net. “Keep him on this side of the river!” Nichol yelled notching an arrow as he moved swiftly over rock and under trees. “You’re too slow!” Wufei grinned dipping as he soared by on the ebony wings of his dragon spirit. “Cheat!” Duo growled increasing his pace but there was no way to keep up with his friend since he’d discovered how to synch with the dragon and draw on its tremendous power. Wufei laughed loving the high he got simply from the bond they shared as he willed the misty creature to take him higher. His body resided at the center of the beast as it always had but over the past year Duo had aided him in learning to accept and communicate with the dark spirit that had taken up residence in his soul. After awhile the dragon began to become more visible to the naked eye and the stronger the link between them became the more clearly its form could be seen. This day it was nothing more than a wisp of smoky heat as it beat his powerful wings and carried the Chinese boy wherever he wanted to be. “There!” Wufei shouted pointing to a brownish/grey blur in the shadows ahead. “He’s headed for the crossing!” “Cut him off!” Nichol shouted altering his course. “Kaiku! Go east!” Duo grimaced forcing his feet faster as the older boy obeyed his father and slipped swiftly through the trees. It had been a long standing rivalry and one Duo took more seriously than he should but Kaiku was older, stronger and possessed natural skills Duo was forced by his smaller stature to practice hard. He was determined not to be defeated again and used every means available to gain the advantage. It took only one look into the sky to see where Wufei was headed to confirm the alteration in his path and he grinned having notched an arrow before bursting from the brush just as the huge buck launched himself gracefully over the crossing in the river. However, his triumph lasted only until his arrow suddenly pinged and zoomed off in another direction embedding in a tree as the buck thundered away when a second had hit it in midair. “Who’s there!?” the braided boy demanded stepping in front of Kaiku when he stumbled from the trees. “What happened?” the taller boy asked drawing his sword. “He did,” Duo replied lowering his weapon. Kaiku looked around curiously as his father and Wufei rushed to their sides but again had to ask, “Who? I don’t see them.” “He’s there,” Wufei told him indicating a spot beside a tree but the boy still had to look twice and squint his eyes before the elegant form of a young man began to take shape. “An elf,” Nichol spoke softly as if not to scare him away. “No,” Duo said striding boldly forward. “He is no elf. Oi!” he called dropping his bow and stopping at the edge of the river. “What’s the big idea of messing up my kill!?” “Hunt elsewhere,” the boy replied in a tone so soft it was barely audible but came across as clear as a bright blue sky. “There is a war among men,” Duo informed him sternly. “Our enemies have driven off the game in our land. We need to hunt!” “Aye,” the boy replied then repeated, “Hunt elsewhere.” “There’s plenty of game in this forest!” the braided boy argued. “This is my home,” the other relied calmly. “None here will die by human hands.” Duo pursed his lips in frustration and cocked a hip while he thought. “They’re your friends,” he said after a time and smiled when the other nodded. “But they’re animals.” There was no reaction but he was listening. “Which means they kill each other,” Duo went on smiling as he lifted his hands to indicate his friends. “We’re no different than your animal friends and our families are hungry.” It was most frustrating when the boy simply replied, “Eat cabbage.” “Duo, it’s ok,” Nichol said coming to stand beside him. “We’ll find more game.” “Find it elsewhere,” the boy warned in a much louder tone. “Or what?!” Kaiku suddenly shouted. “You can’t stop us from hunting fair game!” “Kaiku,” Duo warned taking a step back. “Well, who does he think he is!” the taller boy growled tossing a hand at the stranger. “We have the right to feed ourselves!” “This is his home,” the braided boy reasoned tossing an apologetic glance at the boy. “We’ll need his permission…” “I’ll not watch our people die while waiting for permission to hunt!” Kaiku roared notching an arrow that he let fly at a passing falcon but the shaft splintered in midair as the strangers bit into it before it could reach its mark. Before Kaiku could do more than gape another sailed at his head just narrowly missing his temple when Wufei’s dragon lashed out and snatched in from the air, a moment later one of Duo’s shafts thudded into the tree beside the strangers head and his emerald eyes went as wide as plates. “That could have been your head!” Duo shouted angrily. “We mean you no harm! We only wish to hunt!” The boy was gazing at the still shivering shaft of the arrow that could have easily killed him but spoke evenly when he replied, “This place is sacred, you cannot hunt here.” “Is there somewhere else?” Duo persisted not wanting to go through that little scene again. He regarded him for a moment looking him over carefully before he said, “Walk with me,” and turned to disappear into the dapple shadows of the canopy. “Duo! Wait!” Nichol hissed when the braided boy strode forward. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Duo replied. “We don’t even know what he is,” Wufei reasoned puffing up with his dragon. “Relax,” Duo smiled slipping into the trees. The moment the leaves closed behind him the temperature dropped five degrees and every shard of light appeared to dance in the air and along the ground making it impossible to locate his quarry until he spoke softly behind him. “Will you bargain?” Duo froze not liking the fact that the guy had gotten so near to him without his knowing but answered steadily, “What do you want?” Duo knew by the coolness that caressed his skin that his tormentor had eased ever closer, the oddity of his penetrating chill refreshing against his back as the heavy scents of the forest intoxicated his mind. “There is only one thing I desire,” the other told him and Duo shivered as the words brushed over his skin and through his flesh. “Are all elementals this forward?” the braided boy chuckled unable to fend off the drunken mire. “We have no reason to feed,” the other whispered softly making Duo laugh delightedly. “No possessions to covet,” he said daring to run his fingers up the braided boy’s arm. “Which leaves nothing but…” “Desire,” Duo cut in gasping softly when the taller boy nipped at his ear. “However,” he forced from his lips in defiance of his bodies will to comply. “Were I to give myself to you… I would have to explain it to him.” “It is a reasonable action,” the other reasoned. “He would not be so reasonable about this,” Duo chuckled. “If he could stop loving you for such a deed then perhaps you should reconsider your choice,” he advised but Duo merely laughed turning to face him as he smiled… “It is for your safety that I refuse.” “No man can harm me,” he assured him stepping closer again. “He is the keeper of the Shining Light,” Duo grinned straight arming him. “There is no creature in all creation that is safe from his wrath.” The boys emerald eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he eased back and requested, “Bring him to me.” “I cannot,” Duo chuckled explaining, “I haven’t actually met him yet.” “You’re toying with me,” the elemental stated in annoyance. “Less than what you had intended to do to me,” the long haired boy laughed. “I could take you anyway,” he said as his emerald eyes flashed dangerously and Duo took a step back under his sudden advance. “Is it worth your life?” he grinned as the comment stopped his aggressor dead in his tracks. The elemental considered him for a moment before a decision glimmered in his eyes and he stated quite forcefully, “There is no human that I fear!” but the moment he reached his skin sizzled and smoked forcing his arm to turn to a gaseous state and withdraw. Duo grinned wider yet beaming with pride as he repeated, “Keeper of the Shining Light.” “You said he wasn’t here!” the other growled helplessly trying to reform his smoking hand. “I said we haven’t met yet,” Duo corrected. “But he is always with me.” “Get out!” “Now, don’t be like that,” the braided boy soothed watching with interest as the boy’s fingers solidified. “I’m sure we can still make a deal.” “I have no interest in the others.” “Isn’t there anyone?” Duo persisted smiling when his emerald eyes shifted cleverly. “There is,” he grinned brightening. “Tell me and perhaps I can help you woe him.” For a moment the other looked hopeful then slumped and plopped back against a tree. “What could you do when I have failed so many times?” “I don’t know,” the longhaired boy shrugged. “But I’m willing to listen and eager to help.” ** “What is he doing here?” Wufei grumbled choosing to walk beside Duo in the presence of their new companion. “We need his help,” Duo replied adding with a small smile, “And he needs ours.” “Che!” the Chinese boy snorted eyeing the earth elemental warily as he led them deeper into the woods. Kaiku had been less than happy to learn that Trowa, as the emerald eyed boy proclaimed to be named, would be joining them on their trek. It seemed unlikely that a spirit of the earth would aid them in their endeavor for food considering it was their purpose to kill and eat the animals he professed to protect. However, Duo had insisted that they trust him and so they followed. Nichol kept his distance and held his tongue having seen far too many happenings surrounding their young, braided companion to make assumptions but his hand stayed near his sword and his eyes remained watchful. They traveled for the better part of the day moving straight southeast into a part of the land none of them had ever ventured as it was well out of the way of the main routes. The trees were old and thick but the further into the forest they moved the more abundant the signs of game. “Look,” Kaiku whispered eagerly pointing to a hoof print twice the size of the buck they had been hunting in Trowa’s woods. “It’s fresh,” Nichol noted glancing about warily before his eyes came to rest on the silent and barely visible elemental before he asked. “May we track it?” Trowa had not been looking at him when he spoke nor did he bother to answer the question choosing to speak to Duo instead. “For the past hour we have passed over land segregated from the protected forest of my kin,” he explained. “Does that mean we are free to hunt?” Duo smiled receiving a nod from the emerald eyed boy. “Track the buck,” Nichol told Kaiku who hastened to obey dashing off into the brush before he turned to Trowa and inquired, “We have your word you will not interfere?” “The animals here have been forsaken,” Trowa explained. “It is their destiny to die. That is why they choose to roam here where hunters rarely come.” “They’re banished from your forests?” Duo asked watching a tree squirrel jump from branch to branch. Trowa gave an almost imperceptible nod that Duo caught only from the corner of his eye. “Do animals sin then?” he asked chuckling when Wufei’s dragon faded into smoky existence and eyed the little rodent hungrily. Trowa eased back away from the Chinese boy which put a satisfied smirk on Wufei’s lips when he realized the elemental could see his symbiotic spirit and it made him nervous before replying. “Even nature has laws.” Kaiku burst from a bush at this moment informing them in a hasty tone that he had located the buck and not only was he the biggest he’d ever seen but he seemed utterly unaware of their presence thus far. There was a ridge to the south that would aid them in the chase and a river northeast giving them a very good chance of herding the beast into the open for a clean shot. Duo flashed Trowa a grateful smile before diving into the underbrush with Wufei hot on his heels. “Can we really trust him?” the Chinese boy asked hurrying to keep up. “We’ll soon know,” Duo grinned answering the whistled command from Nichol to move east before he urged, “To the sky!” Wufei growled in frustration but obeyed letting his dragon spirit fully materialize and lift him above the trees. It was late evening already but there was still enough light to see the huge buck as it moved from clearing to clearing and his eyes went wide at the sheer size of it. It was by far the largest deer he had ever seen in his life and suddenly the thrill of the hunt rushed though his veins and sparkled in both his eyes and the ebony orbs of his dragon. It took them well over an hour to convince the buck to head toward the river where Kaiku expertly put an arrow though its heart bringing it down mercifully and quickly as his father had taught him to do. “Look at the size of him!” the young man enthused pulling up the head of his kill by one point of its twenty one point rack. “His head’s almost bigger than me!” “He’ll feed us for a month all on his own!” Nichol grinned pulling his knife and a length of rope from his pack. “Wait till the guys see this rack!” Kaiku laughed moving to relieve the buck of his massive horns. “Leave them,” Duo told him in no uncertain terms but Kaiku only looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “He’s the biggest buck ever taken!” he argued. “And the trophy is mine!” “You take those back and every huntsman in Corsica and Luxemburg will swam this forest,” the braided boy reasoned. “Leave them or our new found hunting ground will be devastated within the month.” Reluctantly, Kaiku agreed when Nichol and Wufei joined Duo’s side of the argument but it was clear he wasn’t happy about it. Trowa was not seen during the after kill exercises while the animal was trussed up and bled. Each of them wrapped all the meat they could carry in salted skins covering that with pelts that had been soaked in pungent perfume to mask the scent of the fresh meat. It wasn’t until they had strapped their packs on and moved well away from the kill site that the elemental finally reappeared fading in beside Duo without notice until the braided boy suddenly gasped. “Geez!” Duo breathed holding his hammering heart. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” It was the first time Wufei had shown any amiability toward the tall elemental but he couldn’t help laughing at the braided boy’s plight. “You are pleased?” Trowa asked softly leaning just a little too close to Duo’s shoulder for comfort. “Yes,” he replied choosing to bump into the flirtatious boy’s shoulder playfully instead of shying away. “Thanks.” Wufei’s brow knit when he heard Trowa ask, “Then…you will honor our agreement?” “If I am not at your river on the birth of the new moon you may come for me in my sleep,” Duo grinned but it waned somewhat when Trowa smirked and replied… “And so I shall.” The braided boy recovered quickly giving into the chuckle hiding in the corner of his mouth before assuring him, “You have my word.” This appeared to be enough for the elemental as he smiled before suddenly fading from view and Wufei quickly stepped up to take his place. “What did he mean?” he asked. “What agreement?” “We’re going to help him out,” Duo explained. “We?” Wufei replied warily but received only a wide grin in response that left him feeling more ill at ease than anything else had on their trip.
~ * ~ tbc... |
