Hear the Watchman Cry

[Goldberry]

I know some of you might be surprised I'm posting in this forum, but let me explain. This is actually a missing scene to my 1xR series "All Along the Watchtower". This ficlet is exclusively 2xH and it's basically a scene between them that I made into a seperate thing because it detracted from the action I'm trying to build in "Watchtower". You do not need to read this to understand "Watchtower". This is purely for those that wish to read a little more 2xH.

Enjoy.

Note: Meant to be read before Chapter 17.




Hear the Watchman Cry: Missing Chapter to All Along the Watchtower



Hilde sat gingerly by the fire, a grimace telling of the dull ache in her thigh. The bandage around her wound was soaked through with blood and she knew it needed to be changed. The problem was the camp was low on medical supplies and Quatre still had not returned from his journey to Duo?s cottage to bring back more. She would have to deal with it herself until he came back.

She slipped one of her knives out of its sheath, flipping in her hand to run the edge of the blade down her pant leg, slicing away the material with ease. She discarded the bloody material into the fire, her attention fixed on the still bleeding wound just above her knee. She couldn?t remember precisely when she had gotten it, the last night?s events were already starting to blur without the rush of adrenaline. The arrow point had cut cleanly through her flesh and she thanked God that it had not ended up embedded in her chest or worse. She had been lucky, but she might not be so again.

The soft murmur of voices to her left made Hilde turn her head, curious as to who would be up at this hour. A smile curved her lips when she saw it was Trowa and Catherine. The silent outlaw had been reluctant to leave his sister throughout the majority of the day, showing her around and introducing her to everyone with a sort of latent pride that was obvious to everyone else. Catherine had dressed Hilde?s wound the moment they had returned to camp the night before, allowing Hilde to make it through the day?s rounds before the pain drove her to redress the cut. Besides her obvious skills, Catherine was a wonderful asset to the group of Sherwood bandits. She had taken over the cooking of meals for everyone, bringing her heart felt thanks from everyone who had gotten a bout of stomach sickness from Sally?s last batch of venison stew. Her presence brought Trowa to life again and suddenly things were not quite so bad.

Hilde watched Trowa lay a protective kiss on Catherine?s forehead before climbing up the rope ladder into the watchtower. It was his shift tonight and his sister watched the tree he had disappeared into for a moment longer before heading towards the makeshift kitchens, her mind already on the next morning?s meal.

Sighing to herself, Hilde turned her attention back to her leg and almost screamed to find Duo standing across the fire from her, his violet eyes reflecting the flames, his body shadowed by the night. His hands were clasped behind his back and he rocked back on his heels once before straightening again, intent on her face.

?You?re hurt.?

His voice held none of the cheerfulness she was so used to and it made her heart ache. Unable to meet his eyes, she looked down at her leg, pretending to study the arrow wound.

?So are you,? she replied, touching the cut tenderly, seeing where it was weakest. She tried not to tense up as Duo came around to her side, standing only a foot away, watching her. She could not help but flinch though when his hand came down on her arm.

She heard him take a sudden breath. ?I?m not going to harm you.? She swallowed as his fingers brushed her thigh so delicately that it brought her no pain at all. It didn?t keep a blush from rising in her cheeks though. She had never been touched, like that, by a man before. It seemed almost?too personal. And he was still angry with her.

Wasn?t he?

?You need another bandage.? His voice was low and soft near her ear, sending shivers up her spine as he straightened.

?I know but we don?t have any. Quatre hasn?t returned yet.? She felt his frown though she didn?t look up to see it.

?It?s not like him to be late,? Duo said, ?but, I guess, until he gets back, this will have to do.? This time, Hilde did look up when Duo slipped his shirt over his head, firelight playing over his smoothly muscled torso. Her eyes widened further when he folded it into a long, thick strip and bend down by her knees, his gaze catching hers as he tied it securely over her wound.

For a moment, they were breathing the same breath, their faces inches apart, drowning in each other?s eyes, but then Hilde looked away and the spell was broken. Duo looked down at the ground, his long braid sliding over his bare shoulder.

?Hilde, I? ?

?No, Duo,? she said softly, urgently, ?Don?t apologize. You were right to be angry at me. I shouldn?t have lied,? she risked a glance at him, ?especially to you. We have been friends for a long time and I should have trusted you with my secret.? She closed her eyes. ?I?m sorry.?

Absolute silence fell except for the random crackling of the fire and the rustle of the wind through tree leaves. Hilde felt the urge to cry. He couldn?t do it. He couldn?t forgive her. What would she do? Would she have to leave? Duo had great influence with Heero after treating Relena and if he didn?t want her there, she knew it could be done. Perhaps she should just?

Calloused fingers cupped her cheek hesitantly and her eyes flew open to find Duo watching her with an almost wistful expression. ?Hilde, I wasn?t right. In fact, I was a down right fool.? A remnant of the grin she knew so well lightened his expression. ?But then again, I?m not always too smart with women.? She smiled slightly and he went on, ?You kept a secret, not because you wanted to hurt anyone, but because you honestly felt it was the best thing to do to survive. When I found out the truth, it just?surprised me, is all, but I?ve had time to think.? He sat back on his feet, an earnest look on his face. ?Please forgive me, Hilde. I was wrong.? He smirked, ?Besides, you are cuter as a girl anyway.?

She laughed out loud this time and flung her arms around his neck, joyously happy for the first time in days. ?Of course I forgive you, Duo! No one?s ever been able to stay angry with you for more than a minute.? She felt him smile over her shoulder as he hugged her tightly, chuckling.

?That?s right, babe, so don?t forget that when I do something stupid again.?

?Of course,? she murmured, pulling back slightly in his embrace to kiss him innocently on the cheek. The simple action made the arms around her tighten and she blinked, slightly confused as she looked into his deep violet eyes. Had she done something wrong?

?Duo?? she questioned quietly. His face had grown entirely too serious.

?Hilde, I have to ask you a question,? he breathed and she nodded encouragingly. ?For most of my life I lived in a monastery. I was an orphan and the brothers took me in, raised me, you might say. They took care of me and for years I thought I wanted to be one of them. Lead a life so simple that surely I would never experience pain. I grew to care for them and in turn, became one of them, as far as I could without actually saying the words. I dedicated my life to God and in reward, everyone I ever loved was killed. The Sheriff ruled it an accidental fire, something no one could have stopped, but he didn?t have to see what I saw. He didn?t have to see their burnt flesh, eyes unseeing. He never saw three of his men laugh drunkenly and push a fourth soldier into a stable stall, his lantern breaking, the flames catching instantly.? He took a shuddering breath and Hilde touched his face, tears in her eyes. He had never told her. ?You see, in my heart I had vowed not to kill, not to lie, not to love anything but God. I showed kindness and compassion, yes, but not love. And yet, at that moment, crying beside the body of the man who had almost been my father, I loved him, and I hated the Sheriff. I wanted to kill him, kill whoever had done this. I still do and now, yet again, I find myself wanting to break the only rules I have ever set for myself.? He suddenly focused on her, so intense that she felt almost worried about what he would say next. ?Knowing all this now, you have to tell me. Tell me it?s all right. Tell me it?s all right that I want to kiss you.?

Her hand caressed his face. ?It?s all right,? she whispered softly, and closed her eyes as he bent down and took her mouth with his.

Unfortunately, just as Hilde was beginning to think she could die happy if only Duo would keep kissing her, two warning arrows were fired into the ground under the watchtower, their eerie music like mournful wails in the darkness. Duo and Hilde jumped apart, looking up for whatever was wrong.

Trowa?s voice drifted down and around them. ?Heero?s coming.?

As one, they both turned, Duo reaching for Hilde?s hand to squeeze it gently. Heero was coming and he must have bad news or Trowa would not have shot a warning. Still, somehow, with Duo by herself, Hilde did not find herself frightened of the future.

Instead, she wanted to embrace it and find the goodness within it that Duo still believed in, no matter what he said. She would do it for him because from now on, everything was for him.

Everything.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Goldberry on 2002-08-06 07:15 ]</font>

[Darkwing]

Oh Berry...how sweet!
You are spoiling me. Yes, I must confess it. I have a partiality for Duo...so I really appreciated this "up grade" of your story. ^_^
But I must say another thing...I think this little parenthesis could fit very well also inside the main story. I think everybody could like it. I understand and I respect your decision to put it apart, but don't worry...If you decide to merge it with the rest of the fiction nobody could blame you.

Hugs! And thank you again for sharing your dreams with us!

[Tsukiyo]

Well, now don't i feel like a fool! I hadn't realized that this was actually a part of all along the watchtower. Not that I wouldn't have read it anyway, but i'm currently in a situation where it is better that I don't read too much english. But we can break rules when it's for a fic I've already started to read. And Duo and Hilde just make me so very happy.
Yeah, so it was loverly and now you can continue with posting the rest of all along the watchtower!!

-Tsukiyo