Snow White
Part 7
Walking to the castle, Relena looked to the skies as the cheerful sun
danced merrily through the haze of fluffy clouds. Growling
disdainfully, she pulled the hood on her cloak over her pale face and
kept on her journey.
The servants cowered at her sight as she toured through the kitchen,
and never responded to her without first being asked. Relena began
twirling her golden blonde hair around her fingers as she gave a
warm, but stunningly cold smile.
Sniffing the stale air of smoke and the noontime meal, the Queen went
searching for the main cook's pot that held the entire yield for
the entire castle. Relena found what she was looking for, a large black
cast-iron pot filled to the brim with a savory aroma in a thick brown
gravy. She stuck in her pinky and lifted to her mouth a bit of the
stew and sampled it. Humming in delight she sucked off the remaining
bits on her finger while digging in her cloak for a small parcel.
Opening the little leather bag filled with a strange powder, she
poured the contents in and began to stir the pot all the while
smiling to herself.
Relena tapped onto the chef's shoulder, "See to it that the
servants are feed, and please send some of this wonderful stew to the king. He
would be grateful indeed."
Before she turned away, the Queen grabbed a girl by her hair and
swung the servant to her face, "How many times do I have to tell
you, cover your hair!" Slamming the girl down on the floor, she
walked off to have a conversation with her beloved mirror as what to do next.
Hours passed as Odin sat in his bed. He was tired and sore and
didn't care to sit for much longer. Grabbing his cane he hobbled
out to the hallway to see why in blazes the servants haven't brought
him his meal yet, nor why no one has come to see the King.
"Where is everyone? I demand service!" He paused listening
for any tales tell signs of life, but he heard none. No one walking
through the halls, no gayety of laughter from the female maids
dusting and cleaning.
He wanted to go down the steps, but his broken leg and arm kept him
from the narrow descent into the darkly lit stairwell.
"Is anyone here?"
*~
In the old church, Heero sat in her corner as the other's
discussed what to do for income while they either tried to fix the mine, or
reveal themselves to the town and hope that no one remembered any of
them.
"Well, it is settled then." Gee stood up and looked at the
young men around him, "We should go to town and see what we can
do there."
"I still think that if some of us pan what is left and the
others fix the mine we will be okay." Trowa said matter-a-factly.
"I think he forgot the meaning of `settled'." The
small blonde smiled as he jabbed at the taller man's ribs.
"Besides, I really don't want to be here anymore. I am not ashamed of
myself." Trowa began to grind his teeth at the boy's past, but he suffered
no nightmares because of his will of forgiveness.
Leaning against an old brick wall, Duo watched over Heero and
wondered why no one came for him.
The young boy stared as a large black beast of a bird watched him
through large red eyes atop a large pine tree. He felt as if it
wasn't the bird at all, but something more sinister looking
through those orbs. Heero couldn't figure it out what.
"You know if you stare into the eyes of a raven, it can steal
your soul." The youth stood with his arms crossed as the large
trail of hair sat atop his shoulder.
"What would happen if I stared into yours?"
"Probably the same, maybe worse, maybe less."
Sniffling now, Heero put his head down on top his raised knees,
"What do you want? Always watching me like a hawk on a rabbit."
Duo shook his head and came a bit closer, noticing by body movement
that the Prince still feared him.
"I only wanted to know why no one has come for you?"
Furry blazed in the deep blue eyes, "They will come for me, my
father will personally come for me on his black stallion."
"You think too much like a petty woman, always looking to the
gentleman to save you."
"I am not petty! And a commoner from the dustbin is more of
a gentleman then you would ever be!"
Snarling, Duo grabbed the sitting form and pushed Heero up against
the nearby wall. He pressed his face closer for the Prince to see.
"Your gentlemen are nothing more then commoner dogs! A
gentleman cut off Quatre manhood so he could sing higher. A gentleman
took Wufei from his home and sold him to a far away land where he
knew not the language and forced from servitude…he was a Prince
in his land. Gentlemen burned down my home and left me for dead, but
came back and forced me into the racks and beating my body in the
long summer heat. Yes, your gentlemen will save you, but it would be
from them."
Pushing the small frame from him, Duo hit a wall and walked outside
down the hill.
Heero shuddered as tears began to peek out but he held on tightly to
them, not wanting to let go of his last possessions. He looked over
to see Quatre laughing quietly with Trowa as he washed off some of
the painted coal from his pale blonde hair. Over on the other side
of the building, Wufie was playing soothing flute music as the tall
Irishman laid his head down on his lap, gently waving his finger to
the tune of the music. They were all together, all happy, but led
miserable lives to get into this tiny niche in life to have it all
messed up by himself.
"Heero, we're going to sleep now if you wonder."
The prince shook his head and looked at the old wolf sprawled out on
the floor near his feet.
"I'll come to, I don't like being alone." Heero
gathered his skirts around him and began to tread up the ladder quietly. He felt
all eyes on him as he found his small place, huddling up to the Hound
for warmth.
The others found their sleeping areas, talking lightly and ever
presently yawning till each of them went to sleep.
Not able to sleep, Heero looked over to see Duo made it after the
others, but was having a fitful sleep. His body tossed and turned on
the straw as the thin woolen blanket tangled around him.
A faint whisper caught the Prince's ears and turned to look to
find the old man next to him.
"He has memories, some fierce ones."
"Why?"
"Cannot forgive himself. When he was a lad and the church
was burned down, he was one of few survivors. Duo refused to join
the Crusades, so they put him in the stocks and beat him till he
either submitted or passed out. The scar on his face came from
turning to see a young girl screaming because the soldiers were going
to rape her, but she killed herself instead."
"S..she killed herself?" Heero's eyes widened in shock.
The old man nodded, "Aye, she wanted to die a virgin then some
man's whore. She was Duo's sister. The sight broke his heart and he
tried to run to her, to save and protect her, but the whip came across his
face." Gee sighed and leaned back on a large wooden beam.
"I am sorry, I never knew." The tears flowed freely this
time; he refused to hold back.
"My face scares you don't it me dear?"
Heero looked up shocked and nodded slightly.
"Scares me too." The old man smiled and tapped Heero's
cheek, "Now go to sleep. We have a full day in the morn' and
might need your help."
"I'll do my best. Good night Gee."
"Night little Prince."
Laying back down on the straw, Heero's heart shattered at the
word `prince'. He didn't feel Princly, nor after he
heard the stories, he didn't want to be associated with the barbarians of
the noble class. `But papa isn't like that, he is good and kind and loves you.
He will come for you.' Stifling a yawn, he finally went to restless
sleep.
Waking to the morning, Heero looked to see that everyone but Quatre
went down the ladder for breakfast.
"Quatre?"
"Oh just a little more…hm…what?" He began to yawn
while sliding his tiny fingers through the dingy blonde locks.
"Morning already."
Heero just nodded and began down the ladder as the youth crawled down
after him.
"Morning you two, seems the smaller you are the more sleep
you need." Gee gave a small chuckle, forcing the edges of his
mustache to come up.
The Asian boy shook his head, "Duo was up before any of us, and
was in later."
"Yeah, and I'm still dragging around like an old goat
without a shoe." Duo stood up to go back outside to avoid Heero as much
as he could.
Gee opened his arm to Heero and Quatre and bent them in, "He is
an old goat without a shoe." Putting a finger to his lips the small
blonde giggled as he took the last two pieces of bread and cheese and
handed some to the Prince.
"Thank you." They both ate and shared happy stories to pass
the time as the others listen in telling their own small jokes.
~*
Waking to the sounds of happiness in her head, Relena growled and
stormed down the hall. Looking through the castle for the owner of
the sound, she saw the corpses of the servants defiling the kitchen
floor and littering the hallways. A small smile appeared on her lips
as she laughed inwardly. She was all alone in the large castle, no
one was laughing but her.
"So it seems something else is disturbing my beauty rest."
Walking silently up to her room, Relena opened the mirror's doors
wide, now with no fear of interruptions.
"He is still alive Relena."
"I know…" She bit her lip and began thinking to
herself, "What can I do to rid myself of that brat?"
"Heero is in the safe haven of six caring men who will
protect him no matter what." The mirror's voice began to
growl, "He will be harder to get rid of if you keep dallying around!"
"I know, I am sorry. We will get rid of the Prince, and
raise up the new Prince."
The mirror cackled sharply, "Yes we will."
The Queen got dressed in a large black gown that had intricate pearl
buttons on the tight bodice and began to indulge her vanity with soft
white powder make up and thick red lips. Smiling back up to the
false reflection, she got up and began to search around the
slaughterhouse for a fresh lamb.
With the servants dead, the animals haven't had their meal and
would jump at the sound of someone entering the barn. But the person that
opened the doors made each animal toss their heads or cower deeper
into their stales.
Eyeing a small lamb, Relena grabbed it by the neck and snapped it
with inhuman ease and began to milk it of its precious life giving
flow being careful not to let any of it to touch her skin.
With the large skin pouch filled with blood, the woman went to a
large upstairs room filled with the statues of the past kings dressed
in their fine armor. Taking a large brush, she began to paint the
faces of each statue and began a slow murmuring chant.
"The winds will take my voice, and push you down. Those who
tower above us will topple round."
The room began to darken, even with the assistance of the bright
sunshine and the large torches placed on different walls. The air
thickened with the humidity and the winds began to shift.
~*
The small breeze began to pick up as the others gathered around the
center of the building and ate their lunch of squirrel and rabbit on
spits.
Heero said he would gather the water as the others hunted and began
his journey up the hill while the aromas wafted through the breeze.
Shifting the buckets on his shoulders, something soft caught his ears.
"Heero….Heero…."
"Papa?" Looking around for the location of the voice, Heero
dropped the buckets and began to turn around in all
directions. "Papa!?" He yelled loader, hoping that he
could hear him.
The others in the old church looked out the broken stain glassed
windows to see why the youth was yelling and at what.
"Heero? What is it child?" Solo saw the Prince dart into
the elder wood yelling into the air. "What was that all
about?"
Looking up to the sky above where Heero was going, Duo saw the dark
storm clouds and large slashes of lightening through the sky.
"Heero!" He jumped out of the window-taking chase to get
the boy to his senses before something happened.
The others followed confused of the matter, if Heero herd his father;
they should have stayed out of the situation. But no one had heard
any voices, nor did they know where the freak storm came from.
Standing in a clearing of large trees, "I'm here papa! Where
are you!"
Duo ran up to him panting, "What is wrong with you?"
"Duo! I heard my father! He is here!"
"I don't hear anyone." He bent down and put his hands
on his knees.
A large tree swayed and cracked, causing the large trunk to fall in
front of the pair, a strange feminine laugh filled the air as another
tree fell to the ground, shaking the ground with its fall.
"Duo! Heero! Get the hell out of there!" Gee yelled over
the growing winds.
Grabbing the smaller boy's hand, Duo began to run out of the
elder wood as trees began to fall around them, forcing them through a maze
of broken branches and large tree trunks. The group of men scrambled
as the wind whipped them around and pushed them forwards and back,
then running to get to their safe haven. Solo pushed Trowa forward
as the others filed behind him, dodging the trees from falling on
them.
Gee looked around as he moved his tired body, he noticed that the
trees only fell around them and the other part of the woods were
unaffected by the winds fierce fingers.
"Everyone! Go to the other side of the-" As he stopped a
large tree fell across his body, pinning him underneath the tangle of
branches.
"Gee!" Heero scrambled over the tree and began to dig
through the leaves to see the old man's withered face staring at
him.
"Run Heero, go now!"
"No!" He began to push his way through the branches and
felt Gee's large hand trying to grasp his own. Duo held onto
Heero's waist as he tried to save the old man. The longhaired youth looked
up as another tree marked them on its passage down and pulled the
Prince to safety and covered his body with his own. As the dust
cleared away, he pulled Heero up and saw the trail of blood from Gee
as his body was crushed beneath the large oak.
The others found their way to the safety of the untouched forest and
saw Duo dragging Heero who was not watching where he was going, but
looking back to the two fallen trees behind them.
"Everyone safe?" Duo looked at Quatre lying on the ground
panting.
"We will never be safe from her!" Heero cried and began to
mumble about Gee all the while embraced by two strong arms. Looking
up with tear clouded eyes; he was shocked to see a pair of gentle
violet orbs surrounded by wisps of fawn colored hair.
"Oh, now I remember." Heero held his fingers to his lips.
"Remember what?"
"I saw you in the mirror."
Confusion filled Duo's eyes as he let the soft creature go from
his arms.
Standing with his feet spread apart, Trowa pulled a dagger from his
boot and held it steadfast by his temple. The others watched as his
arm stretched and then pulled behind him, letting the old tarnished
metal fly freely though the air and hit something that made a loud
squawking sound.
He immediately ran to the black still body and pulled the blade from
its chest.
"It was watching us, it stood on a branch in the woods while
we ran through the falling trees, and then flew here to watch us."
"My mother's bird…it sat in her room in a covered
cage."
Heero turned away from it and remembered the conversation with Duo
about how ravens still your soul, it was the other way around with
Relena.
~*
Screaming in pain the Queen collapsed to the floor, knocking over the
large bucket filled with blood. A small drop fell onto her hand,
burning her skin. Grasping the wounded appendage, she whimpered and
crawled into the corner, holding her hands over her ears as the
mirror shrieked continuously.
~*
Sitting huddled together by a large fire; each of the men told a
little good bye throwing a holly wreath into the blaze.
"Gee helped me sleep at night, and I feel it is my fault for
his death. But I hope he is finally happy. Good journeys my
friend." Heero dropped the wreath as they said together in
unison, `good journeys'.
Duo stood in the doorway as the rain soaked his skin and the drops
melted though his hair, making is darker and heavier. He shed the
large woolen shirt so it wouldn't get to damp, but he felt better
to cry in the rain for his third father. Not noticing someone
approaching from behind, he jumped as someone touched a stripping
scar on his back.
The longhaired man spun around and grabbed the offending hand as it
reached up.
"Don't…"
Not listening, Heero lifted up his free arm and began to trace the
long jagged scar on his face. "You were right Duo…"
"About what?"
"You stole my heart when I looked into your eyes."
Duo leaned into the touch and felt himself lower his head and give
Heero a soft and simple chaste kiss.
Feeling the flutter of lips on his own, the Prince closed his eyes
and pursed his own lips together and receive the soft gift. Opening
the wide blue orbs, he smiled a little and stood on his tiptoe toes
and gave back the gift, giving access to his warm mouth. Their
tongues dueled as arms wrapped around each other and roaming across
the planes of each others' body.
Finally breaking the moment, Duo hesitantly drew in a breath and laid
his head on the crook of Heero's neck and began to weep as a
small hand brushed back the long locks of hair to soothe him.
Author's Notes:
Okay…about Quatre, didn't want to talk to much on
this, but the gelded youths were used for choirs by churches and this practice
is still done today. It is where they cut the boy's balls off or
they cut the tubes these days so that the boys would have a higher
sweeter voice…and making them short from testosterone problems. I
am not an expert…so don't hold it totally over my head…I
know just this much.
Also, lambs blood is sacred to Jews and Christians…and other
faiths I am not sure of. But they say that demons cannot touch the blood or it
would burn them. Hope that clears that up…and hope you like the
ficcy. This was the hardest bloody part in the entire thing…and
now Part 8 will be the hardest thing to write, if you know the
story…you know why!
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