The Search

The search

 
Chapter 3

 
 
And now what?

 
 
Duo grinned as he and Hilde slipped out of the warm cave and into the darkness.
“Do you see it?” She whispered .
“Yes, About 200 hundred yards ahead of us.”
Hilde drew her sword silently and stepped to the right side of Duo . Duo called out to the beast.
“Hey, Do you seek us?”
It turned, it’s brightly lit red eyes glowed, in the darkness. The creature let out a guttural sound and growled, “Humans. Blood. Crave the blood.”
It lumbered toward the two standing in front of it.
Hilde saw it as it moved toward them, it’s eyes a beacon in the darkness. Duo moved forward quickly but the beast sensed him coming and raised a large beefy arm. He swung just as Duo came close enough for contact, and sent him flying. He landed in a heap along side the road.
Hilde’s eyes adjusted to the dim light and she saw the beast fling Duo to the side like he was a paper doll. She growled and raised the sword after she called out Duo’s name. She received no response. He was either out cold or dead. She shook her head , Probably not dead.
She faced the creature and held up her sword.
“Puny human, do you think that small piece of metal will stop me?”
Hilde grinned. “No, but I’ll give it a try.”
The beast laughed and came toward her. She moved closer.
“Now you will die,” She whispered calmly as she raised the sword. But as she spoke the words something stirred with in her. Her eyes took on a yellowish glow. She dropped the sword and raised her hands. The beast stopped in his tracks and looked at her.
“What sort of magic is this?” He cried out as he was in gulfed in a bright yellow flame.
He screamed in agony and dropped to the ground. The yellow flame ate his flesh and turned the creature to ash.
Hilde dropped to her knees, staring at her hands. Then , tears began to trickle down her face. “No! No!” She cried out. She sat staring at her hands for a long moment and then turned toward Duo. She tried to stand but found she could not. She was so tired, So sapped of strength she could barely move. She crawled slowly toward Duo.
Duo stirred but didn’t move. His head pou and and his face hurt where the beast had hit him. He had watched the whole thing through slitted eyes, not sure what he had seen. As he had watched Hilde kill the beast with just a thought, it dawned on him what they were. Polar opposites. She could kill with a thought. He could heal with a thought. They needed each other more than they knew. They were bound together. That’s what WuFei heen een talking about. Each of them to renew the other. Duo could feel the headache subsiding as his healing powers repaired the damage to him. He watched as Hilde crawled toward him. He could see that her face was wet and she was weak. He opened his arms and let the woman he loved collapse into them. She whispered his name before she passed out. Duo didn’t move for a few more minutes waiting till all the pain in his head was gone. Then he stood with the woman in his arms and moved back to the cave. He let some of his powers seep into her, helping her heal too. Then he knew they had to sleep. Perhaps for hours….. It didn’t matter . Quatre wouldn’t be bad for a full day.

 
 
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Quatre flew through the silent woods as fast as he could . The world as the y knew it was in immanent danger. The child had to be found before….. He closed his eyes and pushed himself harder. He had to reach the castle before the morning dawned. As he flitted through the trees , he listened to the sounds of the woods. The woodland creatures were silent to him as though they were all dead. He sighed. They just as well be. Things would only get worse before they got better. He lost track of time as he flew, not realizing he had made it to the castle in the pre dawn light. He stopped and reverted to his human form and walked carefully to the main gate. He called out as he stood before it.
“Hail the gate!”
“Who is it ?” Came the question.
“Sir Quatre , the queen’s emissary. I bring word to her majesty.”
Slowly the door creaked open, letting him enter.
The guard looked at him and sighed. “it’s a dark day, Sir Quatre, we must be cautious.”
“I understand, Dear sir. But now I must see the queen.”
“Take care my good sir, for She is with the halfling.”
Quatre turned and looked at the guard, ”Dorothy? Since when has the Queen become so intimate with my cousin?”
“Just recently, good sir.”
“Damn it!” He swore as she marched toward the meeting room of the Queen. Quatre pushed his way through the crowd of court people until her was in front of the Queen. He bowed low and then went to one knee. He glanced over to Heero as he postulated. Heero glanced at him briefly but made no movement. On the other side of Relena was another guard. Quatre looked over to her and nodded. “Midii.”
The guard called Midii straightened up and nodded to the pixie. He noticed that she too was ill at ease. He knew there had been or was going to be trouble . He opened his mouth to speak but Before Quatre could say a word, a harsh voice spoke.
“Ah, if it isn’t my dear cousin, The pixie.”
Quatre looked up at her and snarled, “Hush , foul creature. What deviltry have you forced on our Queen?”
Dorothy raised her hands, “I have done nothing! She summoned me!”
Quatre looked up at Relena and saw her eyes were clear and bright.
“My queen, did you summon her of your own free will?”
Relena smiled, “Yes, Quatre, I did. I needed a companion.”
Quatre looked at her incredulously. “But Her? She is traitorous and can not be trusted.”
He reached for his side and clutched it as if in pain.
Relena looked over to Dorothy, “Please convince your cousin you are not of that nature any more.”
Dorothy raised her hands. ”I do not know how, my Queen. He still remembers the past when I stabbed him in the heat of an argument.”
“Perhaps if you apologized he would see your true nature.”
“I will not.” She spat at Relena.
Relena sighed, “Very well. Return to your chambers. I wish to speak to Quatre alone.”
Dorothy glared at Quatre and turned from the throne room. Relena waited till she had left the room and looked at Quatre.
“Well, what news?”
“They will do it ,on a condition.”
Relena looked at him, “A condition? What is the condition.”
“A full pardon and the bounty removed.”
“That is all?”
He nodded.
Relena clapped her hands. A tall man in a black robe entered the room. He knelt before her.
“My queen.”
‘”Scribe, I wish this to be scribed and posted and a copy given to me. I want this posted before morning light.”
He nodded and held his quill up ready to write.
“It is by my judgment that said Duo Maxwell and said Hilde Schbeicker will be pardoned from all offences and allowed to return to Dominion as their home. The bounty shall be lifted as of this day. Then sign it “Queen Relena Peacecraft.”
Heero moved closer to her, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Do you want your son back?” she asked as she glared at him. “Besides Hilde was my friend once, and if I hadn’t been such a fool to drink the potion none of this would have happened.” She sighed, “ I wish for her to be my friend again. I miss her greatly. I want to apologize for something I do not remember doing, but I know I did.”
Heero nodded and stepped back. He frowned, knowing that his could mean trouble for her.

 
Dorothy leaned against the large doors and listened to the conversation. She grinned as she hurried from the doors and up to the roof where the carrier pidgins were. She pulled a quill, a peace of parchment and a small bottle of ink from her pocket. She must send a message to her benefactor right away. He would want to know that they were coming back. She Wrote quickly and tied the note to a bird she had brought with her. She released it and watched it fly away into the night sky. As the bird flew high into the night sky it morphed into something with long wings and a long tail. It made a fierce cry and sailed pasted the moon. It‘s odd wings making long sweeping movements .
He would have something to say of this matter and there would be blood shed. She clasped her hands together and grinned. Blood….. Her blue eyes took on an rusty red color and the blood lust built in her. She closed her eyes and shivered deeply, forcing the lust down and away. Quatre knew she was a halfling but he didn’t know what she was a halfling with. She didn’t want anyone to know she was half demon, yet . Not yet but when the time came she would show them all. She laughed gleefully to herself as she quickly hurried back down the long stairs. When she go to the bottom she quickly turned and went down the hallway to Relena’s quarters. She was stopped by the female guard that was always ever present at Relena ‘s side.
She stopped as the sword was thrust into her face. She crossed her arms and frowned. “What is the meaning o f this?” She demanded.
The guard just looked at her and said, softly. “What are you doing here?”
Dorothy huffed, “I made a wrong turn and got lost, will you excuse me , now?”
Middi lowered her sword and let her pass. She smirked as she passed her, “ Be care miss Dorothy, I’ll be watching you.” Middi sheaved her sword and returned to Relena’s apartments to resume her duties.

 
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A woman in a dark cloak hurried through the darkened woods. She only paused for a few moments listening to the sounds of the forest. She knew she close to her destination because she could feel the warm magic start to surround her. She looked up as she heard a loud sound. She knew she had been followed but it didn’t matter .His magical locks were everywhere. Only persons with the right keys could get in. And fortunately she had the keys. She slipped past the magic wards and hurried up the path to the small cottage at the edge of the woods. The foul creature that was following couldn’t get past the wards. It screamed in anger.
The woman stepped to the little house and pounded on the door. “WuFei!” She called , “Let me in.”
The door flew open , throwing a bright light out onto the path and the woman.
“What is it ,Woman? I heard you coming for miles.” He growled as he let her into his warm home.
He closed the door and watched her shrug off her cape and lay it over a chair. She shivered and walked over to the fire. She stood with her back to him, as she warmed herself.
He opened his mouth to be gruff but he knew it would do him no good because this female would ignore his feinted anger.
“Well, Sally, would you like some tea?”
She turned and smiled, “Sure as long as you don’t put a spell on it.”
His eyes got wide and he placed a hand on his chest. “Would I do that?”
She smiled, her eyes sparkling, “If you thought you could get by with it.”
He turned, throwing up his hands, “Ah, you see right through me ,Woman.”
As she moved from the fire, she rubbed her arms. “Times are getting bad, Sorcerer. The child’s kidnapping does not bode well.”
“Hm.” Was his only answer.
“I have news…. I think you will like it.”
He turned with a pot and two small cups. “What’s that, Sally?”
“Your protégés have been pardoned.”
“Hilde and Duo?”
She nodded, “Seem our great Queen has asked them to help find her son.”
His eye brow shot up.” Indeed. Did she , now.” He frowned as Sally continued with the story.
“I sense treachery here, Sally.”
She nodded, “Yes, the queen gave in too easily. I fear for those two.”
WuFei smiled , then laughed, softly. “Do not fear for those two. Fear for those around them. They can cause great havoc!” He paused, “But let me know when they return to the city. I will wish to speak to them.”
He stood as Sally grabbed her cape. She threw it over her shoulders as he came to her side. He handed her a small bag. She frowned as she looked at it.
“In case some one had seen you leave. After all you are a healer and you need the wizard’s special herbs.”
She nodded as she took the bag.
“It will also protect your reputation.”
Sally snorted. “Reputation! Bah. I am a grown woman, I’ll do as I please.”
He nodded and looked at her. “Keep your ears open, and keep me informed of the events.”
She turned to him once more and gave him a meaningful look, then she was out the door.
He sighed as he lifted the wards and allowed her back into the forest. “I know how you feel towards me and I to you but it will do no good at the present times.”

 
 
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Catherine Bloom pulled her hands from the dirty dishwater and wiped them on her long apron. She sighed. There were many travelers tonight. She was short handed as two of the maids she hired did not show for work. She shook her head. She was sure they were detained by men. She had no time for any suitors. She had a business to run. Her thoughts flicked to a certain young man who had graced the doors of the inn 6 months before . She had been totally smitten by his bright blue-green eyes and polite mannerisms. She sighed again, this time deeper. He had not returned since and she felt she was destined to be in love with a man who never return. She thought of herself as foolish. Her brother laughed and said that the man would return some day and sweep her from her feet. She chucked to herself as she dried the washed dishes. Trowa was such a romantic. He was in love with one of the Queen’s guards and he would sneak away to see her when he could. She finished the dishes and pushed her way from the kitchen in the tavern part of the inn. She could see several men camped against the bar. The tables on the main floor were full of weary travelers with tankers of ale in front of them. She glanced over to make the boy in charge of the big fire place had kept it blazing. She nodded as she saw the flames high and crackling. She looked over to her brother who was leaning almost leisurely against the wall by the stairs that lead up to the rooms for sleeping. She knew his sharp eyes were scanning the place for anything out of place or unusual. As she watched him, she noticed he had become more relaxed , telling her all was well. She went behind the bar and relieved the girl there, knowing this was the calm before the heavy storm of change that was coming. She shivered as she poured more ale and listened to the lively chatter among the guests. Dark forces were at work and she knew there would be no escaping them.

 
To be continued ………….