Demon Seed

GW and its characters don't belong to me but to
Sunrise/SOTSU Agency, Bandai, etc. etc.er

Chapter 1 of Demon Seed. No lemon yet, but a little
history about some of the characters and the introduction of Heero, Hildie, Duo
and Milliardo's characters.

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   &; &q; "Hurry up Duo or we'll be
late!"

     "I'm comin' I'm
comin'!" Huffed the exasperated boy as he ran with all his might to catch
up with the girl who was waiting impatiently at the top of the hill. "I
can't help it you're so much quicker then me Eena!"

      "Well, if we don't
hurry we're going to be late for supper and you know how father Maxwell feels
about tardiness."

     "Can we at least sit down
and rest a few seconds Eena?" Huffed the longhaired boy as he sat down
exhausted next to a large.

     "Sure. If you need to I'll
wait. It's no fun getting into trouble alone anyway." She took a sitting
position right beside her best friend Duo, well her best friend next Hilde.

       Relena, or Eena, as
she was now called, had met the two other children the following morning after
her mother had deposited her at the monastery. They were the only two out of
the twenty some children the monks cared for at the hilltop orphanage that were
friendly enough to approach her. By that afternoon the three had become best
friends even establishing a secret bond to be friends forever.

       Like Relena, Duo had
been left at the orphanage though at the time he was barely six months old. He
did not know what his last name was or anything of his origins whatsoever. He
did however, have one thing. It was an intricately, designed silver pendent
with gold edging and inner design that had been shaped into a cross. It had
been around his neck since his abandonment and he had worn it always, never
taking it off. He often said it was the only gift his parents gave him besides
life.

     Hilde was a similar case, having
been abandoned as well. The fathers had told her that her mother had died at
her birth and her father had been a soldier who had died on the battlefield.
She had been raised by her grandmother, who at the age of seventy-three, was
too sickly to care for her and so she had brought the three year-old girl to
the monastery where she was taken in.

       But while Duo and
Hilde had no recollection of their parents, Relena still held onto her
memories. The ten years being at the orphanage had dulled them somewhat but
they had been so etched into her psyche, she knew she could never forget them.

     "There you two are! Come
on! Supper is about to start so get off your butts and get home."

     "Damn it Hilde. Why'd you
have to be so bossy?" Duo grumped as he rose to his feet, Relena with him.

     "Well do you want me to tell
Father Maxwell you swore today, twice?"

     "Then I'll just tell him
how last night you snuck an extra piece of bread from the pantry. That's
stealing and gluttony right?"

       "I'm willing to
break another commandment if it means I can hit you!" Hilde drew a stance
that told him she was about to lit into him but was stopped by Relena's
giggling.

       "I hear if a
boy and girl fight all the time it really means they like each other."

     There was an in unison
"does not" from the other two children and more laughter from Relena
as she took off down the hill yelling, "First one home gets to eat both of
your desserts!"

     "Eena!" The other two
youths once again screamed together as they laughed themselves taking off after
her.

***********************

     The echoing clomps of a single
horse's hooves hitting stones on the dirt street broke through the humming buzz
of the small town. What even more so blanketed quiet over the tiny village, was
the rider upon the chocolate colored beast; an intimidating figure to say the
least. The navy hood that almost looked black and the matching cloak it was
sewn to fluttered somewhat in the autumn breeze obscured his head and body. The
tarnished gold plated shoulder armor attached to the cape made the mysterious
figure's frame seem inhumanly broad and his dark brown leather gloves covered
his hands completely, save for his fingers that held a loosened, casual grip on
the worn reins. 

     His leather boots, the same
color of his gloves, stopped to just below his knee the toe tips and heel
guards of his footwear sporting the same tarnished gold of that on his outer
coat. On his back, hidden by the cape and cowl, was a wide and long bump that
could be mistaken for nothing else but a sword, the magnificence and power of
it seeming to blend in with the rest of him.

     The man looked straight ahead,
ignoring, or just simply used to the stares and whispers he had received many
times upon entering any place where people dwelt. If it was up to him, he would
avoid people completely, but his change purse reasoned otherwise and so he had
become a mercenary for hire, specializing in the killing and disposal of all
things deemed evil and ungodly.

     He brought ste steed to a halt
and slid off from the magnificent beast, tethering him on a post before turning
to the crowd of gawking, fearful people. "I am the one you requested to
come and protect your village. I vow to do so, if, your elders can meet me on a
fair price."

   &nbsbsp;bsp; He furrowed his brow in anger
when he was met with nothing but silence. "Foolish stupid humans," he
muttered to himself, "I suppose they won't trust me until they see a face.
Reluctantly he pulled back the hood, which brought forth a new wave of gasps,
for the stranger's face had been betrayed by the look of his outer wear. 

    Instead of a gnarled, weather beaten,
fuzzy faced older man, he was a strikingly handsome young fellow, guessed to be
no older then twenty-five. A wild mop of dark brown hair hung low over his brow
almost obscuring his eyes, which even from a distance you could tell were the
most unusual shade of blue. His skin was somewhat pale but flawless and even
though his features screamed of one that was still almost a youth, his
thin-lipped scowl and cold dead glare told that he was a man who had seen much
hardship and death, of his soul as well as those he had killed.

     Heero huffed again ignoring the
glassy eyed stares and silly grins of the women in the crowd, brushing them off
as foolish. He restated his introduction and after another moment of silence, a
bulking middle-aged man stepped forward.

     "I am Korenth, leader of
this village. I apologize for not speaking sooner, but we know not who to trust
anymore, seeing how many of our young maidens have disappeared in the last few
weeks."

     "You are suspecting
vampires or werewolves am I right? Well I can tell you now it is vampires.
Werewolves would be more destructive and loud and from the look of things in
your village, it seems is still pretty much in order."

  &;&nb;  "And you claim you can rid
us of these, vampires?"

     "Guaranteed, for the right
price, of course."

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     Prince Milliardo Peacecraft sat
atop his large ebon mare overlooking the tiny village. For the last two days
the twenty year old had been watching intently the people who lived there,
accessing their strengths and their weaknesses, weeding out those that would
have no value to him and his father. He raised a hand and gestured for his
general. The gray haired man trotted his horse to the young majesty's side.
"My lord."

      "I want your men to
be ready to attack within the hour. The same rules apply.  Capture the
women and young girls everyone else dies."

     "What of the monastery that
sits over yonder in the hills of the village. There is an orphanage there, so
our informant has told us."

     "Monks do not have any
means to defy us. It can wait. We concentrate on the village tonight...the
monastery later."

      "It shall be carried
out, my lord." The general bowed his head and rode back to his men to give
them their ordeMillMilliardo's eyes took one last sweep over the village
picking up on the lone rider that had just arrived there. Was it a Stalker? No
matter, he had met with Demon Stalkers before and had killed them all. This one
would be no different; he turned back his steed to join his army.

********************

     "Owowow! It hurts!"

     "Will ya stop your whining
Hilde, we're here all ready."

     "You'd be whining too if
you just gashed your leg!"

     "Duo, you go get Father
Maxwell. I'll carry Hilde into the infirmary."

     The brunette boy nodded and took
off to get the head priest, while Relena gathered Hilde's full weight into her
arms and carried her as if she were a feather. Hilde did not act surprised, it
was not a hidden fact that Relena's tall frame was stronger then most children
her age or as a few of the grown priests even.

     Relena sat Hilde onto a cot and
began to undo the makeshift bandage that she had made out of her thin linen cap
that all the children of the orphanage had to wear. It covered the head
completely with earflaps and straps one tied under the chin. The cap itself had
been soaked fairly well with blood and Relena was about to drop it onto the
floor when her nose picked up the scent of it. She stood perfectly still,
immobile as a strange craving took over her mind. She brought the bloodied
material to her face and inhaled the stale stench. Her tongue darted out and
licked at it but it had already dried.

     "Eena? Y, you okay?"
She turned hearing Hildie's voice and found she could not speak, only stare at
her with glassy eyes. The dark haired girl began to shrink back, her body
frozen in its own righhe ahe asked Relena once again if she was okay.

     Relena's gaze left her eyes and
journeyed down her body and then her leg where she watched entranced at the
fresh blood that still dripped somewhat from the wound. Her lips began to
tremble as she knelt down in front of her friend and dipping her head, she
brought her face to the leg. Her tongue darted out once again at the stream of
blood that had stopped at her ankle. She licked the entire trail of blood until
it led back up to its source, the gash itself. She curled her lips around the
opening, ignoring Hilde's shaking body. In fact it seemed to excite her that
her friend was afraid.

     "Get away you demon!"
Relena felt her breath leave her as she was pulled away from Hilde. Before she
could close her m, sh, she felt a finger stuck down it gagging her until along
with the blood her stomach released all of its contents onto the floor. Relena
collapsed, her arms and knees, the only things that held up her gasping,
choking body. She then found herself knocked flat on the floor and
instinctively covered her head to prevent its injury as she felt a heavy blunt
object coming down upon it with the young priest screaming at her to die.

     "Father Finnigan! Stop this
right now!" The priest stopped his actions immediately and stumbled
backward.

     "But, but sir, this devil
child was drinking the blood of...I was merely trying to purge her soul!"

     "Return to your duties now,
please brother. I will handle the situation from here."

     "I say we should have done
away with the demon the first night she arrived. By allowing her to stay, God's
wrath will most certainly come upon us."

      The head priest looked
sternly at the younger priest. "That is gh. gh. I told you to return to
your duty."

     This time the other holy man
complied and left immediately. Father Maxwell turned back to a shaken Relena,
who appeared uninjured by her attacker. She scrambled to her feet; her
breathing heavy and her eyes filled with unshed tears.

     "Relax, Eena. Do not pay
heed to the words of Father Finnigan. He, is, a, man who allows his own
paranoia's to rule over him. Go to supper with Duo, child. I will tend to Hilde
and she will join you shortly.

     Walking beside her, Duo looked
over at Relena, his face twisted in confusion. "What happened Relena? You
don't look like a demon to me. Why was Father Finnigan calling you one?"

      Relena's face remained
solemn, as did her voice. "Apparently that is what I am, Duo."

*****************

     "This villain had conquered
our kingdom long ago, but those of us on the outreaches of it suffered little
until now."

      "Like any animal he
must expand his hunting grounds." Heero stated, counting the coins that
were laid in front of him; he frowned and shook his head. "This isn't much
Korenth. Why should I put my life on the line for a measly few gold bits."

     "Please sir, if not for us,
then for God. If our village is attacked, they will then go after the
monastery; a holy place that cares for children. How can you forsake men of God
and innocents?"

     The Stalker narrowed his eyes, a
cold dead glare emitting from them. "Quite easily."

     The town elder hung his head,
quite desperate. "Then, would you like any of our women? If one or more
holds a particular interest for you, then, by all means you can have her,
them."

      Heero's eyes softened
somewhat as he began to laugh sarcastically. "Sex? You think I will
protect your homes for a quick roll in the hay?" He rose to his feet and
slammed his fist down on the table in controlled anger. "If I wanted any
of your females I would not need your permission, so your offer holds no merit
or worth to me. It will be gold or jewels or fine silver, nothing more! If you
cannot pay the price I have set, then your village will be damned."

           
Korenth looked up at him, his eyes in tears. "I thought you were to be a
savior for us, but you are no better then those who threaten to kill us.

      The man's tears did not
move the stranger much. "I never have claimed to be a savior, or a good,
righteous man for that matter. I am merely a Stalker, who..." his words
were interrupted by a man crashing through the doors of the inn; he clutched
his chest as he gasped for air so that he could speak.

     "Korenth!
Prince...Milliardo...his men...they are...readying their attack...against
us!"

     "Heavenly Father, protect
us please!" Korenth's voice cracked, he turned back to the stranger.
"Please sir, save us! We will give you anything afterward, I swear
it!"

     "This village holds nothing
for me." The Stalker growled as he spun on his heel, his shin-length cape
twirled somewhat around him. "Good day, Korenth."

     "Fine you coward! Just
leave! We will fight the army and the half-breed prince that leads them! And if
we die, then it will be our blood that will be on your hands!"

     The stranger's cape came to
still, as did his retreating steps. "Did you say, the prince is, a
half-breed? Of what?"

     "His father, Count
Peacecraft, many years ago stole the neighboring kingdom away from its rightful
ruler, his majesty, Lord Duonmore the IV. The Count's late wife was said to be a
peasant girl, little is known about her, but, her children bare the vampire's
blood and he himself is said to be the deadliest..."

     A raised hand from the Stalker
stopped his speech. "I know of Count Peacecraft, though it has been
ages...excuse me, years since I have encountered him, I did not realize he had
spawned."  He spun back around to face Korenth as quickly as he had
spun away from him. "Be thankful that my taste for challenge and revenge
outweigh that of my greed. I will protect your village and the monastery that
sets on high bordering it."

     The joy and relief shone in the
man's eyes as well as his voice. "Oh thank you sir, thank you. Is there a
name you go by so that we may write you in our history books as the man who
saved our village?"

     A small smirk grew on the
stranger's lips. "I prefer to be left out of your history, and I've not
yet saved your village, but you may call me Heero."

TBC...