Specters: Chapters 6-8 (GW/Esca)
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:24 pm
Disclaimer: I own nothing! *bawls* Life can be so cruel... *perks up* At least the plot is mine -_-;
Specters
Chapter 6
By: Penybright
Heero blinked several times at the large, glowing eyes, instinctively nudging Relena behind him. He hadn't thought they would actually encounter a dragon, nor had he believed that Merle was telling the truth when she mentioned them. It had seemed completely ridiculous at the time. Dragons indeed! But now...
"H-Heero...?" Relena rasped.
"Shhh," Heero soothed. "Just stay still. Maybe it hasn't seen us yet."
That theory was quickly shot down as pools of molten amber focused solely on the pair. Heero barely had time to react as he saw a blur of greenish-blue arcing toward them. Shoving Relena to the ground, he threw himself over her, feeling the whoosh of air at the passing appendage. He wasn't sure if it was an arm or the tail of the dragon that was swinging at them. His only warning before another attack was a throaty hiss. Heero rolled to his left, dragging Relena with him. Without stopping, he leapt to his feet and began to run, Relena stumbling behind him as she tried to keep up. The ground rumbled and shook as the dragon gave chase to its prey, pausing before letting loose a stream of churning red-gold fire at the running couple.
"Heero!" Relena screeched, watching with horror as the hungry flames drew closer. She was roughly jerked to the side just as the flames passed. The young woman fell to the ground with a harsh grunt, quickly picking herself back up. Acting on impulse, Heero drew Relena into his arms and picked her up. He watched her aquamarine eyes widen through a haze of pain as ebony wings tipped in pristine white unfurled from his back. With a few great down sweeps, he had them both in the air, quickly rising above the treetops. The dragon was left on the ground to hiss in ire at its escaped prey.
Only once they had broken through the canopy, and the moonlight shone freely, did Relena notice that Heero was bleeding.
"Oh my---"
"It's just a scratch. I hit my head on a low branch when I pulled you away from the fire."
"But, your... bleeding, Heero," Relena protested.
"I'll be fine."
Relena opened her mouth to argue further, but snapped it shut, knowing that Heero wasn't going to budge on the issue. Instead, she tried to enjoy the sensation of being in his arms, flying. It was an enthralling experience, much nicer than the stuffy shuttle flights she was use to.
"Relena..."
Relena jerked her head up at Heero's strained voice. She had actually begun to nod off the experience was so peaceful. She quickly became alarmed when she saw Heero's eyes, their color
an unusually dull shade of blue. Panic settled in when those eyes closed and they began to plummet to the ground.
"Heero! Wake up! Please..." Relena begged, shaking his shoulders. She was answered with a half grunt, half moan, yet he didn't open his eyes. Steeling her conscience, she pulled her hand back and slapped him across the face. His head lolled to the side, eyes opening to bleary slits.
"Wake up!" Relena cried desperately. Still half-conscious, Heero managed to decrease the speed of their descent. The two of them stumbled to the ground as Heero's legs gave way and his wings disappeared. Relena lay sprawled on the ground, Heero resting atop her. With a frustrated sigh, she shifted him so he was lying on his back, his head cradled in her lap. Nothing seemed to be going right. It was just one disaster after another.
88888888888
Heero awoke, his body jerking into wakefulness. He sat up, disoriented and having an overwhelming sense of panic. Last night... The dragon. He'd blacked out. Falling...
"Relena?!?"
Heero started at the sound of his own voice; raspy and dry. What was wrong with him? Constantly falling ill, blacking out. What did it all mean?
"I'm right over here, Heero!" Relena called, waving her arms to catch his attention. Heero slowly rose to his feet, wary of the nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach and a slight case of vertigo. When he reached Relena's side, he looked in the direction she was excitedly pointing at.
"Look! That must be it."
Several yards off, there was a large limestone wall. It appeared to be a safety feature for a large castle nestled within its stony walls. Grabbing Heero's hand, Relena began to lead him towards the large structure.
"There must be a main gate, or side gate somewhere," she uttered as they walked along, Heero following silently. Relena was greatly relieved they had finally made it. Heero looked on the verge of collapse again, and she didn't think she could take much more of him falling ill so unexpectedly.
"Halt! Who wishes to enter the royal courtyard?" A guard hailed from atop the buttress.
"We're hear to see the King of Fanelia," Relena called back. "We were told he could help us."
"Audiences don't start for another hour."
Relena heaved an annoyed sigh. This was going to take some diplomatic suave.
"We have nowhere to stay. We're from another... country. And this man here, he's ill," Relena appealed. "If we could just rest in the courtyard...?"
The guard began a heated discussion with his partner before turning back to them.
"Enter."
The large oaken gates swung ominously inward. Relena took one glance at Heero before leading him inside. It was as though the palace and its grounds were a graveyard; silent and forbidding. She looked about her, finding no signs of normal, everyday activity. It was too quiet... subdued. Where were the ambassadors and emissaries? The advisors and other hierarchy?
"Heero, I'm not sure..."
A flutter of movement caught Relena's attention. Her eyes caught on a scrap of muted jade cloth. She followed the folds and slopes of the gown till she met with an equally muted shade of jade green eyes. Eyes that seemed hollow. She whirled around at the sound of choked breathing.
'Oh god...'
Another labored breath wheezed past Heero's pale lips. His knees wobbled before giving way, his form sinking to the cobblestones. Hazy blue eyes closed to feverish slits. His hand reached up to his neck, clutching at the pendant he had refused to take off since their strange journey here. The vibrant pink pendant seemed to grow brighter. A few spurts of soft light shot from the gem, before flaring wildly then going dead. Heero's hand fell limply from the gem, the rest of his body going limp and collapsing as well. Cool jade eyes regarded them with scrutiny.
"Who are you, and what are you doing with my pendant?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: Me no own. (At least I can still write a disclaimer -_-;)
Specters
Chapter 7
By: Penybright
Relena couldn't help the mild glare she sent the woman's way before scrambling to Heero's side. She gently shifted him to lie on his back, cradling his head in her lap. Shakily brushing his bangs back, she felt his forehead. His skin was alarmingly clammy, and yet his forehead was hot to the touch. Relena knew he needed help quickly. She'd never seen a fever this bad, if a fever was all it was.
A soft gasp escaped her as she felt Heero lean into her touch, almost nuzzling against her hand. A trail of breathy murmurs escaped his pale lips, but she couldn't discern what he'd said. He looked so helpless and childlike in that moment, that she wanted to weep for him. But now was not the time to break down. He needed help, and she was the only one who could get him any.
Composing herself, Relena looked up. Aquamarine clashed with jade, neither backing down. Relena's lips tightened to a thin line before she spoke in a clear, decisive voice.
"I don't know who you are, but this man needs help. We came here because we were told someone here could help him. Are you going to help??
Those cool jade eyes sent shivers down Relena's spine, and the emotionless way in which the woman spoke did little to ease her growing sense of despair. Quickly, she checked Heero?s pulse. It was there, faint but steady. Looking up, she found the woman still standing there, her face smooth; expression unruffled.
"Please, Heero needs help... He needs medical attention now."
The woman blinked.
"Very well," she nodded as one of the guards from the main gate came over, carefully lifting Heero over his shoulder. "This way. I'll help you, but once your friend has recovered, I will expect answers."
The woman made a small motion with her hand, giving the guard hushed orders before giving Relena a pointed stare and fading into the ornate shrubbery.
************
The moment he felt his knees buckle, Heero's mind pulled him deep into his subconscious. He had the sensation of endlessly falling through a black nothingness. He seemed to fall on and on into eternity, until a speck of white shattered the darkness. The speck multiplied and grew, raining down in a soft cadence. Downy feathers caressed his body as the sensation of falling slowly faded away.
The feathers began to rain down harder until they formed a sheet of white. The white faded to gray, and then color began to seep in from the edges. Slowly, a picture began to form. It was an unfamiliar place, somewhere he'd never been before. A great misted valley stretched before him, dark, ancient rolling hills as far as the eye could see. Thick tendrils of mist swirled lazily, seeming to have a mind of their own. A great hush fell on the misty valley, a silence it seemed no one would ever dare to penetrate.
Heero took one step forward and instantly regretted it. Everything twisted into a dizzying spiral before lurching to an abrupt halt. The once quiet valley no longer held it's silence. The clash of steel upon steel rang throughout the deep banks. Heero's eyes were instantly drawn to an ivory mecha with a long cape. He didn't know why but...
In a flash he was standing below the dueling giants, the earth shuddering beneath him. Before he could react the ivory mecha faltered, it's opponent felling it swiftly and without remorse. His head snapped to the side as he heard an all too familiar voice crying his name... but, she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the mecha. Heero gasped as the scenery changed around him again. A choked groan escaped him as he looked down to find himself in the cockpit of the mecha, the edge of the opponents sword embedded securely in his side. Blood gushed freely, flowing from him as surely as his life fled from his body. Everything began to grow cold and dark, the black nothingness closing in around him once more; suffocating...
The healer jumped in surprise as Heero's eyes snapped open. He quickly sat up, gasping and clutching his side. Harsh gasps escaped him, the man?s eyes widened in alarm and he saw blood slowly blossoming on his patient?s shirt. He turned to call for his assistant, but the exclamation died on his lips. Heero slumped forward, roughly grabbing a hold of his shoulders.
"Help me??
He could tell the young man was beyond confused. His eyes were glassy, and his pallor had yet to improve. A violent shudder worked its way through his body, leaving him listless. He sank back to the bed, his eyes drifting shut.
"Not again... not... the darkness..." he murmured, his face pulling into a wince as fresh blood seeped through his shirt.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: You know those really neat characters? The ones with complex personalities and great character development? Yeah, they?re not mine
Specters
Chapter 8
By: Penybright
Relena paced the torch-lit hallway restlessly, the hollow clack of her boots echoing eerily down the dim passageways. Heero?s limp body had been carried into the room that hid behind the closed door to her right. They wouldn?t let her inside. In fact, they had practically shut the door in her face. Not knowing what was going on inside worried her, and the fact that she had no idea if Heero would be okay was severely gnawing at her nerves and patience. The fact that such a large palace seemed practically empty only made matters worse. Relena was beginning to have serious doubts about this place. It didn?t seem right?
?Excuse me.?
Relena paused her nervous, contemplative pacing. Glancing up, she saw a fairly tall male approaching her. Her breath caught as his features were illuminated by firelight. He looked remarkably like Heero. True, the eyes were a different color, as was the hair, but? It was unmistakable. The facial features were almost identical, and the hair was spiky and unruly, just like?
?You must be the young lady who was traveling with the young man that is now under my care. My wife notified me of your arrival once she had the young man brought here. I believe she said his name was Heero??
?Yes, Heero Yuy.?
The man nodded.
?I am King Van Slanzar de Fanel, and the woman you met in the courtyard is my wife Hitomi. I?m sorry if she came across as rather? cool. Things just haven?t been the same since---?
The king?s words were cut off as the large wood door swung open. The healer?s eyes instantly caught Relena?s.
?He seems to be in less pain, for now?
?What?s wrong with him? Is he going to be all right?? Relena pleaded.
?I can?t say for certain. It?s most unusual. I?ve honestly never encountered anything like it?? The healer admitted truthfully.
?May we see him now?? Van interjected, stepping around the open door that had blocked him from view.
?Oh, yes, of course Sire. I hadn?t realized you were there, or I would have---?
?It?s okay Jerold. I don?t expect you to be able to know when I?m around without seeing me.?
The healer Jerold, bowed, stepping out of the doorway to allow them entrance. Relena cautiously stepped over the threshold, not sure if she wanted to see what was inside.
*****
Jade eyes peered into the small sick room, watching her husband and the strange girl carefully. The young woman seemed rather distraught over her companion's well being. The young man himself didn't appear to be doing that well. She knew he'd recover, though. She'd already seen that. And once he was well again, she was going to find out where he'd gotten her pendant. Of course, that was only if her husband didn?t find out first.
Brief hope flickered inside her before she pushed it away. She wasn't going to raise her hopes and then have them crushed. The chances that he was the one were nearly impossible. He did remind her of her husband in looks... But that was only looks. There would be only one true way to know if her son had truly returned to her after all these years. And maybe, just maybe things would be right again in Fanelia.
With a melancholy sigh and a wan smile, Queen Hitomi de Fanel slipped silently from the doorway. Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway as she made her way back to the royal chambers.
*****
Seeing Heero in the state he was currently in was unnerving. He was always so strong. Being ravaged by an unknown sickness, as he was now, didn?t seem real, or just for that matter.
Relena quietly padded to Heero?s bedside, gently reaching down to brush a lock of hair from his face. He looked peaceful now. His face was no longer twisted in pain, but his pallor was still chalky.
Satisfied that the girl Relena knew that her friend was safe, Van decided it was time to get some answers.
?Why are you here??
The question startled Relena. She had forgotten that there was another person in the room with her besides Heero.
?We were told we could get help here.?
?But who sent you here? Travelers rarely come to Fanelia anymore, and you two are certainly an odd pair to be traveling around these parts. If I didn?t know any better, I?d say you were from the Mystic Moon, but how and why??
?Mystic Moon??
?Perhaps you know it as Earth.?
?How did you..??
?I was there once. And my wife? she?s from the Mystic Moon. She and I met during a war that threatened to destroy Gaea.?
?The woman I met earlier??
?Yes.?
?So when she accused Heero of having her pendant?? Slowly the pieces were falling into place in Relena?s mind. They were here, stuck on this odd planet, and it was the pendant that had brought them here. The pendant that had belonged to?
Her mind reeling, Relena sank to the floor. This was all too much, but there it was in front of her. This man before her was Heero?s father, and the woman from the courtyard was his mother. But? how had Heero wound up on Earth, and why?
?I? I think I need to lie down,? Relena murmured as the room tilted at an odd angle. The last thing she heard before the welcoming darkness cradled her was a distant shout of alarm.
~And so... I already have about 2 pages of the next chapter done. Hopefully it won't take me too terribly long to finish it up...
Specters
Chapter 6
By: Penybright
Heero blinked several times at the large, glowing eyes, instinctively nudging Relena behind him. He hadn't thought they would actually encounter a dragon, nor had he believed that Merle was telling the truth when she mentioned them. It had seemed completely ridiculous at the time. Dragons indeed! But now...
"H-Heero...?" Relena rasped.
"Shhh," Heero soothed. "Just stay still. Maybe it hasn't seen us yet."
That theory was quickly shot down as pools of molten amber focused solely on the pair. Heero barely had time to react as he saw a blur of greenish-blue arcing toward them. Shoving Relena to the ground, he threw himself over her, feeling the whoosh of air at the passing appendage. He wasn't sure if it was an arm or the tail of the dragon that was swinging at them. His only warning before another attack was a throaty hiss. Heero rolled to his left, dragging Relena with him. Without stopping, he leapt to his feet and began to run, Relena stumbling behind him as she tried to keep up. The ground rumbled and shook as the dragon gave chase to its prey, pausing before letting loose a stream of churning red-gold fire at the running couple.
"Heero!" Relena screeched, watching with horror as the hungry flames drew closer. She was roughly jerked to the side just as the flames passed. The young woman fell to the ground with a harsh grunt, quickly picking herself back up. Acting on impulse, Heero drew Relena into his arms and picked her up. He watched her aquamarine eyes widen through a haze of pain as ebony wings tipped in pristine white unfurled from his back. With a few great down sweeps, he had them both in the air, quickly rising above the treetops. The dragon was left on the ground to hiss in ire at its escaped prey.
Only once they had broken through the canopy, and the moonlight shone freely, did Relena notice that Heero was bleeding.
"Oh my---"
"It's just a scratch. I hit my head on a low branch when I pulled you away from the fire."
"But, your... bleeding, Heero," Relena protested.
"I'll be fine."
Relena opened her mouth to argue further, but snapped it shut, knowing that Heero wasn't going to budge on the issue. Instead, she tried to enjoy the sensation of being in his arms, flying. It was an enthralling experience, much nicer than the stuffy shuttle flights she was use to.
"Relena..."
Relena jerked her head up at Heero's strained voice. She had actually begun to nod off the experience was so peaceful. She quickly became alarmed when she saw Heero's eyes, their color
an unusually dull shade of blue. Panic settled in when those eyes closed and they began to plummet to the ground.
"Heero! Wake up! Please..." Relena begged, shaking his shoulders. She was answered with a half grunt, half moan, yet he didn't open his eyes. Steeling her conscience, she pulled her hand back and slapped him across the face. His head lolled to the side, eyes opening to bleary slits.
"Wake up!" Relena cried desperately. Still half-conscious, Heero managed to decrease the speed of their descent. The two of them stumbled to the ground as Heero's legs gave way and his wings disappeared. Relena lay sprawled on the ground, Heero resting atop her. With a frustrated sigh, she shifted him so he was lying on his back, his head cradled in her lap. Nothing seemed to be going right. It was just one disaster after another.
88888888888
Heero awoke, his body jerking into wakefulness. He sat up, disoriented and having an overwhelming sense of panic. Last night... The dragon. He'd blacked out. Falling...
"Relena?!?"
Heero started at the sound of his own voice; raspy and dry. What was wrong with him? Constantly falling ill, blacking out. What did it all mean?
"I'm right over here, Heero!" Relena called, waving her arms to catch his attention. Heero slowly rose to his feet, wary of the nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach and a slight case of vertigo. When he reached Relena's side, he looked in the direction she was excitedly pointing at.
"Look! That must be it."
Several yards off, there was a large limestone wall. It appeared to be a safety feature for a large castle nestled within its stony walls. Grabbing Heero's hand, Relena began to lead him towards the large structure.
"There must be a main gate, or side gate somewhere," she uttered as they walked along, Heero following silently. Relena was greatly relieved they had finally made it. Heero looked on the verge of collapse again, and she didn't think she could take much more of him falling ill so unexpectedly.
"Halt! Who wishes to enter the royal courtyard?" A guard hailed from atop the buttress.
"We're hear to see the King of Fanelia," Relena called back. "We were told he could help us."
"Audiences don't start for another hour."
Relena heaved an annoyed sigh. This was going to take some diplomatic suave.
"We have nowhere to stay. We're from another... country. And this man here, he's ill," Relena appealed. "If we could just rest in the courtyard...?"
The guard began a heated discussion with his partner before turning back to them.
"Enter."
The large oaken gates swung ominously inward. Relena took one glance at Heero before leading him inside. It was as though the palace and its grounds were a graveyard; silent and forbidding. She looked about her, finding no signs of normal, everyday activity. It was too quiet... subdued. Where were the ambassadors and emissaries? The advisors and other hierarchy?
"Heero, I'm not sure..."
A flutter of movement caught Relena's attention. Her eyes caught on a scrap of muted jade cloth. She followed the folds and slopes of the gown till she met with an equally muted shade of jade green eyes. Eyes that seemed hollow. She whirled around at the sound of choked breathing.
'Oh god...'
Another labored breath wheezed past Heero's pale lips. His knees wobbled before giving way, his form sinking to the cobblestones. Hazy blue eyes closed to feverish slits. His hand reached up to his neck, clutching at the pendant he had refused to take off since their strange journey here. The vibrant pink pendant seemed to grow brighter. A few spurts of soft light shot from the gem, before flaring wildly then going dead. Heero's hand fell limply from the gem, the rest of his body going limp and collapsing as well. Cool jade eyes regarded them with scrutiny.
"Who are you, and what are you doing with my pendant?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: Me no own. (At least I can still write a disclaimer -_-;)
Specters
Chapter 7
By: Penybright
Relena couldn't help the mild glare she sent the woman's way before scrambling to Heero's side. She gently shifted him to lie on his back, cradling his head in her lap. Shakily brushing his bangs back, she felt his forehead. His skin was alarmingly clammy, and yet his forehead was hot to the touch. Relena knew he needed help quickly. She'd never seen a fever this bad, if a fever was all it was.
A soft gasp escaped her as she felt Heero lean into her touch, almost nuzzling against her hand. A trail of breathy murmurs escaped his pale lips, but she couldn't discern what he'd said. He looked so helpless and childlike in that moment, that she wanted to weep for him. But now was not the time to break down. He needed help, and she was the only one who could get him any.
Composing herself, Relena looked up. Aquamarine clashed with jade, neither backing down. Relena's lips tightened to a thin line before she spoke in a clear, decisive voice.
"I don't know who you are, but this man needs help. We came here because we were told someone here could help him. Are you going to help??
Those cool jade eyes sent shivers down Relena's spine, and the emotionless way in which the woman spoke did little to ease her growing sense of despair. Quickly, she checked Heero?s pulse. It was there, faint but steady. Looking up, she found the woman still standing there, her face smooth; expression unruffled.
"Please, Heero needs help... He needs medical attention now."
The woman blinked.
"Very well," she nodded as one of the guards from the main gate came over, carefully lifting Heero over his shoulder. "This way. I'll help you, but once your friend has recovered, I will expect answers."
The woman made a small motion with her hand, giving the guard hushed orders before giving Relena a pointed stare and fading into the ornate shrubbery.
************
The moment he felt his knees buckle, Heero's mind pulled him deep into his subconscious. He had the sensation of endlessly falling through a black nothingness. He seemed to fall on and on into eternity, until a speck of white shattered the darkness. The speck multiplied and grew, raining down in a soft cadence. Downy feathers caressed his body as the sensation of falling slowly faded away.
The feathers began to rain down harder until they formed a sheet of white. The white faded to gray, and then color began to seep in from the edges. Slowly, a picture began to form. It was an unfamiliar place, somewhere he'd never been before. A great misted valley stretched before him, dark, ancient rolling hills as far as the eye could see. Thick tendrils of mist swirled lazily, seeming to have a mind of their own. A great hush fell on the misty valley, a silence it seemed no one would ever dare to penetrate.
Heero took one step forward and instantly regretted it. Everything twisted into a dizzying spiral before lurching to an abrupt halt. The once quiet valley no longer held it's silence. The clash of steel upon steel rang throughout the deep banks. Heero's eyes were instantly drawn to an ivory mecha with a long cape. He didn't know why but...
In a flash he was standing below the dueling giants, the earth shuddering beneath him. Before he could react the ivory mecha faltered, it's opponent felling it swiftly and without remorse. His head snapped to the side as he heard an all too familiar voice crying his name... but, she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the mecha. Heero gasped as the scenery changed around him again. A choked groan escaped him as he looked down to find himself in the cockpit of the mecha, the edge of the opponents sword embedded securely in his side. Blood gushed freely, flowing from him as surely as his life fled from his body. Everything began to grow cold and dark, the black nothingness closing in around him once more; suffocating...
The healer jumped in surprise as Heero's eyes snapped open. He quickly sat up, gasping and clutching his side. Harsh gasps escaped him, the man?s eyes widened in alarm and he saw blood slowly blossoming on his patient?s shirt. He turned to call for his assistant, but the exclamation died on his lips. Heero slumped forward, roughly grabbing a hold of his shoulders.
"Help me??
He could tell the young man was beyond confused. His eyes were glassy, and his pallor had yet to improve. A violent shudder worked its way through his body, leaving him listless. He sank back to the bed, his eyes drifting shut.
"Not again... not... the darkness..." he murmured, his face pulling into a wince as fresh blood seeped through his shirt.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: You know those really neat characters? The ones with complex personalities and great character development? Yeah, they?re not mine
Specters
Chapter 8
By: Penybright
Relena paced the torch-lit hallway restlessly, the hollow clack of her boots echoing eerily down the dim passageways. Heero?s limp body had been carried into the room that hid behind the closed door to her right. They wouldn?t let her inside. In fact, they had practically shut the door in her face. Not knowing what was going on inside worried her, and the fact that she had no idea if Heero would be okay was severely gnawing at her nerves and patience. The fact that such a large palace seemed practically empty only made matters worse. Relena was beginning to have serious doubts about this place. It didn?t seem right?
?Excuse me.?
Relena paused her nervous, contemplative pacing. Glancing up, she saw a fairly tall male approaching her. Her breath caught as his features were illuminated by firelight. He looked remarkably like Heero. True, the eyes were a different color, as was the hair, but? It was unmistakable. The facial features were almost identical, and the hair was spiky and unruly, just like?
?You must be the young lady who was traveling with the young man that is now under my care. My wife notified me of your arrival once she had the young man brought here. I believe she said his name was Heero??
?Yes, Heero Yuy.?
The man nodded.
?I am King Van Slanzar de Fanel, and the woman you met in the courtyard is my wife Hitomi. I?m sorry if she came across as rather? cool. Things just haven?t been the same since---?
The king?s words were cut off as the large wood door swung open. The healer?s eyes instantly caught Relena?s.
?He seems to be in less pain, for now?
?What?s wrong with him? Is he going to be all right?? Relena pleaded.
?I can?t say for certain. It?s most unusual. I?ve honestly never encountered anything like it?? The healer admitted truthfully.
?May we see him now?? Van interjected, stepping around the open door that had blocked him from view.
?Oh, yes, of course Sire. I hadn?t realized you were there, or I would have---?
?It?s okay Jerold. I don?t expect you to be able to know when I?m around without seeing me.?
The healer Jerold, bowed, stepping out of the doorway to allow them entrance. Relena cautiously stepped over the threshold, not sure if she wanted to see what was inside.
*****
Jade eyes peered into the small sick room, watching her husband and the strange girl carefully. The young woman seemed rather distraught over her companion's well being. The young man himself didn't appear to be doing that well. She knew he'd recover, though. She'd already seen that. And once he was well again, she was going to find out where he'd gotten her pendant. Of course, that was only if her husband didn?t find out first.
Brief hope flickered inside her before she pushed it away. She wasn't going to raise her hopes and then have them crushed. The chances that he was the one were nearly impossible. He did remind her of her husband in looks... But that was only looks. There would be only one true way to know if her son had truly returned to her after all these years. And maybe, just maybe things would be right again in Fanelia.
With a melancholy sigh and a wan smile, Queen Hitomi de Fanel slipped silently from the doorway. Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway as she made her way back to the royal chambers.
*****
Seeing Heero in the state he was currently in was unnerving. He was always so strong. Being ravaged by an unknown sickness, as he was now, didn?t seem real, or just for that matter.
Relena quietly padded to Heero?s bedside, gently reaching down to brush a lock of hair from his face. He looked peaceful now. His face was no longer twisted in pain, but his pallor was still chalky.
Satisfied that the girl Relena knew that her friend was safe, Van decided it was time to get some answers.
?Why are you here??
The question startled Relena. She had forgotten that there was another person in the room with her besides Heero.
?We were told we could get help here.?
?But who sent you here? Travelers rarely come to Fanelia anymore, and you two are certainly an odd pair to be traveling around these parts. If I didn?t know any better, I?d say you were from the Mystic Moon, but how and why??
?Mystic Moon??
?Perhaps you know it as Earth.?
?How did you..??
?I was there once. And my wife? she?s from the Mystic Moon. She and I met during a war that threatened to destroy Gaea.?
?The woman I met earlier??
?Yes.?
?So when she accused Heero of having her pendant?? Slowly the pieces were falling into place in Relena?s mind. They were here, stuck on this odd planet, and it was the pendant that had brought them here. The pendant that had belonged to?
Her mind reeling, Relena sank to the floor. This was all too much, but there it was in front of her. This man before her was Heero?s father, and the woman from the courtyard was his mother. But? how had Heero wound up on Earth, and why?
?I? I think I need to lie down,? Relena murmured as the room tilted at an odd angle. The last thing she heard before the welcoming darkness cradled her was a distant shout of alarm.
~And so... I already have about 2 pages of the next chapter done. Hopefully it won't take me too terribly long to finish it up...