Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2002 9:29 am
Dedicated to the Black Rose who was nice enough to let me post here. Thanks! *huggles*
Relena was in the garden again. She only had an hour before her small array of servants had readied her things for the ride back to her brother?s manor and she wanted to soak up as much beauty and laughter as she could. Not that her own home wasn?t full of happiness, but since her brother and sister-in-law were currently in London, the huge hall was empty, leaving her quite isolated.
Trailing her fingers over the soft petals of the blooming roses, she walked along the little brick paths of the well-tended gardens, breathing in the scent of fresh flowers. Up ahead she could just make out the curtain of ivy that blocked off a bubbling fountain, a beautiful hidden glen the old earl had made for his wife while she was still alive. Heero?s mother had loved flowers?
Pulling back the hanging ivy, she slipped inside, once again delighted by the sight that greeted her. The ivy hung from the branches of an old oak tree, which had long since been swallowed by the green stuff. The strands moved in the breeze, creating a ripple effect which amplified the sound of the gurgling water in the fountain that stood in the center. What little sunlight could slip through the ivy, danced over the water, throwing sun-tinted waves over everything, brightening the dim darkness. This place had always been magical to her. Heero had shown it to her as a child. After his mother died, he would always retreat there and when no one else could find him, she had always been able to pull him out of the darkness and back into the light.
So it was no surprise to see him standing by the fountain, the water ripples reflecting on his clothes and brightening his dark eyes with blue-silver light. He didn?t turn when she came to stand slightly behind him, but she knew he was aware of her, for the tension in his shoulders eased.
?I missed this place,? he said after a moment, his eyes unfocused as if he were trapped in memories, ?I used to dream of it sometimes, when things?were bad.? He reached down and touched the water. ?For a long time, it was the only comforting memory I had,? he snorted, ?At least Father didn?t destroy it, like everything else.?
?Heero?? Her hand fluttered up to touch his arm and he turned to look at her, something unidentifiable in his eyes. She hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. ?Heero?
He dropped his eyes away from her, taking all his emotions back in again, walling them up behind his personal shields. She sighed and let her hand drop, breathing quietly into the short silence that followed.
?The letter you brought home?from my father,? she noticed his flinch this time and her brows drew together as she frowned, ?He wanted me to tell you something. He said that you should always act on your emotions.? She paused, her voice growing soft. ?He cared for you very much, Heero.?
This time he moved away from her, his expression guarded by his unruly dark hair. His voice was rough when he spoke, ?Don?t??
She blinked in confusion. ?Don?t what??
?Don?t comfort me?? The tension was back in his shoulders and he seemed very strained, as if he was desperately trying to keep something inside and it was tearing him apart.
She moved forward again. ?Heero, please, don?t shut me out.? He moved away again and she was suddenly angry. Angry at the way he was treating her, and angry at a war that had taken away her father and killed Heero?s spirit. Her hands clenched into fists and she felt tears on her face, her nerves ragged. ?The war is over for you, Heero,? she said, harshly, ?You came home. My father did not, and yet he wrote words to me, telling me he wanted you to live. Is this how you repay him? By pushing everyone away?? She swung away from him, too angry to look at him. ?You?re alive, Heero, it?s time you acted like it.? She started to walk away, tears dripping into the grass at her feet, when she felt his hand on her arm, pulling her around to face him. His face was stricken, as if he had been surprised by her outburst, but there was a look of vulnerability in his cobalt eyes that said he had gotten the message by her words and she relaxed slightly in his grip.
?Relena?? His voice almost cracked, ?You don?t understand. You don?t?know everything.?
A whisper. ?Then tell me.?
He bowed his head and she knew he couldn?t speak, the pain was still too fresh. Feeling her heart ache, she pulled him close to her, enveloping him in a comforting embrace which he immediately fell into. With a boneless grace, they both fell to their knees, Heero?s head against her collarbone as he found solace in the gentle feel of her arms around his shoulders, her body rocking back and forth slowly. Her fingers smoothed his hair and she leaned her head against his, her golden locks shielding him from the outside world.
?It?s alright,? she said, soothingly, ?I?m still here, Heero, and I won?t leave you.?
<i>I promise. </i>
* * * *
He watched her carriage pull away from Huntington with an odd feeling in his chest. It was unlike him to question his own actions and yet, whenever he was with Relena, he always felt as if he should be doing something, something more, perhaps. He had not meant to hurt her by shoving away her sympathy, but he did not think he could take it. He could bear it in anyone else, but not from her. Not the daughter of the man who died for him. She deserved more than that, she deserved the truth, but he could not give it to her. Not yet. She was not prepared for the scenes of blood and death he would have to paint for his story to be real for her. She as too innocent.
He looked down at his hands, memories showing them bloodstained and clenching a sword. Would he never be free of it?
He turned away from the now empty courtyard, at once grateful that most of the guests had already departed. His father?s welcoming gesture had been a kind one, but one Heero could still have done with out it. The pressures of society were hard to handle when his mind was preoccupied with matters in a distant, sun-scorched battlefield.
Which reminded him?
He needed to get that minstrel?s harp to the Red Oak in Nottingham before he became to mired in social niceties to make the trip. He could drop it off early and the singer would still be able to pick it up on time, leaving Heero some breathing room. The last thing he needed was to attract the interest of the Sheriff, and the best way to avoid him was to spend as little time in Nottingham as possible. He would go and be out before anyone noticed him.
Watching Relena?s carriage disappear over a hill, he felt a sense of?not contentment, but the full feeling of knowing one had a mission in life. He had not been able to help Peter Darlian, but perhaps, in his own way, he could help the more unfortunate people of England.
* * * *
The back cell in the Notthingham prison was the worst in the whole jail. It was farthest from the light, leaving it cold and damp, and little air circulated there, making it somewhat stuffy. It never failed to give the Sheriff a somewhat trapped feeling so he made it a point never to go down there. Which was, in part, the reason for his foul temper that evening. He descended the steps into the jail, grumbling under his breath and generally cursing anything he happened to lay eyes on. The time had come to offer Chang Wufei his salvation and if the bloody convict didn?t agree, he would hang. The Sheriff did not pretend to be a patient man. He hadn?t gotten to his station in life by being patient and he didn?t intend on starting now. He would get what he wanted. He always did.
Strangely enough, this thought did not comfort him like it usually did.
He lifted his torch as he neared Chang?s cell, letting the pale yellow light fill the darkness, causing Chang to flinch and blink at the sudden brightness. He was bruised and battered, his clothes filthy and covered in grime. His uneaten lunch still sat on its tray in the corner, completely untouched. The Sheriff let a hard smile cross his face.
?Afraid of poison, eh, Chang??
The man spat at him in disgust. William just shrugged and stepped back, withdrawing the light.
?I would have thought you would have been more polite to the man who will save your miserable life.?
Chang blinked again, uncertain now. He straightened from his half-crouch against the back wall and moved closer the front bars, watching William warily.
?You?ve come to release me??
William laughed, a grating sound that immediately made Wufei stiffen in anger. ?Why would I release you, saxon dog? After all, you assaulted an officer of the law. By rights, your life should be mine.? He smiled again, ?And it is.?
Wufei?s black eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms, turning away. ?I have nothing to say to a man without honor.?
William gritted his teeth, holding on to his temper. It would do no good to lose it in front of Chang. He would only ignore him. No, he must be cunning and smooth if he wanted Chang to do his bidding.
?What if I told you that there is a way to avoid this prison? To get your old life back??
Chang did not turn around, but he did move his head to the side. He was willing to listen.
?I have the keys to your cell right here. I might accidentally drop them here in the darkness. A simple mistake. The guard changes tonight at midnight, and I might just intercept them, stall them if you will, asking a few questions. Whoever found those keys might get his freedom in those few, short moments. If he were courageous enough.?
Chang turned completely around, disgust and anger warring on his face. ?You would betray your own office? For what reason??
A cold look entered the Sheriff?s eyes. ?I would release an innocent man from his prison, in return for a slight favor.?
?And what is that??
?There is a woman, golden-haired and sky-eyed. She will be with me tomorrow for the festival in Nottingham. She is a high born lady and I wish to have her. If an escaped convict were to kidnap her, a man might make himself known to her as more than just a friend.?
Wufei snorted, ?You would have me kidnap a lady, ruin her reputation so that you can force her to marry you? You Normans disgust me.?
William arched an eyebrow, ?She is a Norman, too. Surely you have no qualms about kidnapping such as her??
Chang?s jaw tightened. ?I do not. She has no honor if she consorts with the likes of you, but I do not stoop to kidnapping weak women.?
William shrugged, ?That is your decision, still?? He dropped the keys a foot from Wufei?s cell, the clink of the metal echoing through the cell. ?Think on it, Chang, or learn to love this hole in the ground.? He turned quickly on his heel, his torch light flickering in the sudden air. He knew what Chang would decide, no matter all his preaching about honor and what nonsense. He would use those keys to escape, and if he did not complete his end of the bargain, the Sheriff would see that everything he cared about was burnt to the ground and plundered. Just as his wife was. Chang knew it, and that was why he would do as directed. His own honor would suffocate him.
Relena would be his.
Relena was in the garden again. She only had an hour before her small array of servants had readied her things for the ride back to her brother?s manor and she wanted to soak up as much beauty and laughter as she could. Not that her own home wasn?t full of happiness, but since her brother and sister-in-law were currently in London, the huge hall was empty, leaving her quite isolated.
Trailing her fingers over the soft petals of the blooming roses, she walked along the little brick paths of the well-tended gardens, breathing in the scent of fresh flowers. Up ahead she could just make out the curtain of ivy that blocked off a bubbling fountain, a beautiful hidden glen the old earl had made for his wife while she was still alive. Heero?s mother had loved flowers?
Pulling back the hanging ivy, she slipped inside, once again delighted by the sight that greeted her. The ivy hung from the branches of an old oak tree, which had long since been swallowed by the green stuff. The strands moved in the breeze, creating a ripple effect which amplified the sound of the gurgling water in the fountain that stood in the center. What little sunlight could slip through the ivy, danced over the water, throwing sun-tinted waves over everything, brightening the dim darkness. This place had always been magical to her. Heero had shown it to her as a child. After his mother died, he would always retreat there and when no one else could find him, she had always been able to pull him out of the darkness and back into the light.
So it was no surprise to see him standing by the fountain, the water ripples reflecting on his clothes and brightening his dark eyes with blue-silver light. He didn?t turn when she came to stand slightly behind him, but she knew he was aware of her, for the tension in his shoulders eased.
?I missed this place,? he said after a moment, his eyes unfocused as if he were trapped in memories, ?I used to dream of it sometimes, when things?were bad.? He reached down and touched the water. ?For a long time, it was the only comforting memory I had,? he snorted, ?At least Father didn?t destroy it, like everything else.?
?Heero?? Her hand fluttered up to touch his arm and he turned to look at her, something unidentifiable in his eyes. She hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. ?Heero?
He dropped his eyes away from her, taking all his emotions back in again, walling them up behind his personal shields. She sighed and let her hand drop, breathing quietly into the short silence that followed.
?The letter you brought home?from my father,? she noticed his flinch this time and her brows drew together as she frowned, ?He wanted me to tell you something. He said that you should always act on your emotions.? She paused, her voice growing soft. ?He cared for you very much, Heero.?
This time he moved away from her, his expression guarded by his unruly dark hair. His voice was rough when he spoke, ?Don?t??
She blinked in confusion. ?Don?t what??
?Don?t comfort me?? The tension was back in his shoulders and he seemed very strained, as if he was desperately trying to keep something inside and it was tearing him apart.
She moved forward again. ?Heero, please, don?t shut me out.? He moved away again and she was suddenly angry. Angry at the way he was treating her, and angry at a war that had taken away her father and killed Heero?s spirit. Her hands clenched into fists and she felt tears on her face, her nerves ragged. ?The war is over for you, Heero,? she said, harshly, ?You came home. My father did not, and yet he wrote words to me, telling me he wanted you to live. Is this how you repay him? By pushing everyone away?? She swung away from him, too angry to look at him. ?You?re alive, Heero, it?s time you acted like it.? She started to walk away, tears dripping into the grass at her feet, when she felt his hand on her arm, pulling her around to face him. His face was stricken, as if he had been surprised by her outburst, but there was a look of vulnerability in his cobalt eyes that said he had gotten the message by her words and she relaxed slightly in his grip.
?Relena?? His voice almost cracked, ?You don?t understand. You don?t?know everything.?
A whisper. ?Then tell me.?
He bowed his head and she knew he couldn?t speak, the pain was still too fresh. Feeling her heart ache, she pulled him close to her, enveloping him in a comforting embrace which he immediately fell into. With a boneless grace, they both fell to their knees, Heero?s head against her collarbone as he found solace in the gentle feel of her arms around his shoulders, her body rocking back and forth slowly. Her fingers smoothed his hair and she leaned her head against his, her golden locks shielding him from the outside world.
?It?s alright,? she said, soothingly, ?I?m still here, Heero, and I won?t leave you.?
<i>I promise. </i>
* * * *
He watched her carriage pull away from Huntington with an odd feeling in his chest. It was unlike him to question his own actions and yet, whenever he was with Relena, he always felt as if he should be doing something, something more, perhaps. He had not meant to hurt her by shoving away her sympathy, but he did not think he could take it. He could bear it in anyone else, but not from her. Not the daughter of the man who died for him. She deserved more than that, she deserved the truth, but he could not give it to her. Not yet. She was not prepared for the scenes of blood and death he would have to paint for his story to be real for her. She as too innocent.
He looked down at his hands, memories showing them bloodstained and clenching a sword. Would he never be free of it?
He turned away from the now empty courtyard, at once grateful that most of the guests had already departed. His father?s welcoming gesture had been a kind one, but one Heero could still have done with out it. The pressures of society were hard to handle when his mind was preoccupied with matters in a distant, sun-scorched battlefield.
Which reminded him?
He needed to get that minstrel?s harp to the Red Oak in Nottingham before he became to mired in social niceties to make the trip. He could drop it off early and the singer would still be able to pick it up on time, leaving Heero some breathing room. The last thing he needed was to attract the interest of the Sheriff, and the best way to avoid him was to spend as little time in Nottingham as possible. He would go and be out before anyone noticed him.
Watching Relena?s carriage disappear over a hill, he felt a sense of?not contentment, but the full feeling of knowing one had a mission in life. He had not been able to help Peter Darlian, but perhaps, in his own way, he could help the more unfortunate people of England.
* * * *
The back cell in the Notthingham prison was the worst in the whole jail. It was farthest from the light, leaving it cold and damp, and little air circulated there, making it somewhat stuffy. It never failed to give the Sheriff a somewhat trapped feeling so he made it a point never to go down there. Which was, in part, the reason for his foul temper that evening. He descended the steps into the jail, grumbling under his breath and generally cursing anything he happened to lay eyes on. The time had come to offer Chang Wufei his salvation and if the bloody convict didn?t agree, he would hang. The Sheriff did not pretend to be a patient man. He hadn?t gotten to his station in life by being patient and he didn?t intend on starting now. He would get what he wanted. He always did.
Strangely enough, this thought did not comfort him like it usually did.
He lifted his torch as he neared Chang?s cell, letting the pale yellow light fill the darkness, causing Chang to flinch and blink at the sudden brightness. He was bruised and battered, his clothes filthy and covered in grime. His uneaten lunch still sat on its tray in the corner, completely untouched. The Sheriff let a hard smile cross his face.
?Afraid of poison, eh, Chang??
The man spat at him in disgust. William just shrugged and stepped back, withdrawing the light.
?I would have thought you would have been more polite to the man who will save your miserable life.?
Chang blinked again, uncertain now. He straightened from his half-crouch against the back wall and moved closer the front bars, watching William warily.
?You?ve come to release me??
William laughed, a grating sound that immediately made Wufei stiffen in anger. ?Why would I release you, saxon dog? After all, you assaulted an officer of the law. By rights, your life should be mine.? He smiled again, ?And it is.?
Wufei?s black eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms, turning away. ?I have nothing to say to a man without honor.?
William gritted his teeth, holding on to his temper. It would do no good to lose it in front of Chang. He would only ignore him. No, he must be cunning and smooth if he wanted Chang to do his bidding.
?What if I told you that there is a way to avoid this prison? To get your old life back??
Chang did not turn around, but he did move his head to the side. He was willing to listen.
?I have the keys to your cell right here. I might accidentally drop them here in the darkness. A simple mistake. The guard changes tonight at midnight, and I might just intercept them, stall them if you will, asking a few questions. Whoever found those keys might get his freedom in those few, short moments. If he were courageous enough.?
Chang turned completely around, disgust and anger warring on his face. ?You would betray your own office? For what reason??
A cold look entered the Sheriff?s eyes. ?I would release an innocent man from his prison, in return for a slight favor.?
?And what is that??
?There is a woman, golden-haired and sky-eyed. She will be with me tomorrow for the festival in Nottingham. She is a high born lady and I wish to have her. If an escaped convict were to kidnap her, a man might make himself known to her as more than just a friend.?
Wufei snorted, ?You would have me kidnap a lady, ruin her reputation so that you can force her to marry you? You Normans disgust me.?
William arched an eyebrow, ?She is a Norman, too. Surely you have no qualms about kidnapping such as her??
Chang?s jaw tightened. ?I do not. She has no honor if she consorts with the likes of you, but I do not stoop to kidnapping weak women.?
William shrugged, ?That is your decision, still?? He dropped the keys a foot from Wufei?s cell, the clink of the metal echoing through the cell. ?Think on it, Chang, or learn to love this hole in the ground.? He turned quickly on his heel, his torch light flickering in the sudden air. He knew what Chang would decide, no matter all his preaching about honor and what nonsense. He would use those keys to escape, and if he did not complete his end of the bargain, the Sheriff would see that everything he cared about was burnt to the ground and plundered. Just as his wife was. Chang knew it, and that was why he would do as directed. His own honor would suffocate him.
Relena would be his.