Snow White
Part 9
Duo sat next to the cold body, reveling at the tiny fingers softness and gentle qualities. The soft face was relaxed with not a single
emotion running through it, the beautiful cheeks were sullen and pale and the creamy skin now dull and gray. But not all thing
beautiful drew Duo to love him, the character change from disgust as he expected to respect and trust that was desired. Heero went
further though to love and understanding and treated Duo to soft kisses to remind him things do get better.
But all was lost; Heero was now dead and no way to bring him back.
As Duo toiled with his heart, the others took apart the large rose window from steeple side of the church and began to work on a coffin
fit for the Prince, something lovely and colorful to brighten up the cold earth.
"Duo, it is time." The thick Irish voice didn’t penetrate the youth’s mind. "Duo, we have to do it. I’m sorry." Now holding the young man,
Solo looked down to see rivers of tears staining Heero’s dress.
"I know. I don’t want to bury him…such a waste."
"We must, it is what God asks us to do."
He snorted, "God, the only God he is, is the God of death and pain and suffering. Because that is what the world is made of, and the
only thing I see." Standing, Duo made his way over to the window to see Robert and Trowa digging the grave as Quatre made a simple
headstone.
"Just because one part of the world is in a hell don’t mean another isn’t paradise. We just need to find it and lift up our spirits. I know it
hurts Duo, but it will get better, I know it." Solo took the trembling mass into his arms and brushed away the stray hairs that pushed up
while mourning.
Now being moved, Heero felt his body being put into an enclosed area and something closing shut on him.
‘Oh no…NO! Don’t do it Duo! Please!’
The large casket was put in large ropes to be lowered down safely to the bottom of the deep grave. Tears flowed freely from the miners
that learned to know and cherish the Prince, but Robert held stand fast. The rains began to lightly sop up the forest floor, and hide any
strong flows of lament.
Hearing the bottom of the glass box touch the hard earth, Duo’s heart lurched forward, wanting to be inside it with him. The thought of
burying his love was maddening.
"So be it, dear Prince Lowe. You shall return to the mother’s womb whist all mankind was brought forward from. My your rest in
peace…Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." The doctor took a handful of the rich brown earth and dropped it onto the head of the casket.
Taking up their handfuls, Duo looked down and gasped.
"Stop! Wait!" Jumping down into the grave, he nearly slipped in the mud forming.
"What are you dong man! Are you mad!?" Robert tried to grab his arms, but wished not to fall in the mud himself just stared at the
others to stop him.
It took a time to wipe off the large chunky mud, but underneath was the prize worth fighting for.
Large blue eyes stared up straining to move more to show signs of life.
"Trowa, throw me your knife."
With no questions asked of the man’s sanity, he threw it perfectly to Duo’s hand.
"You people are mad it tell you! Stop desecrating the Prince’s grave!"
"Robert, shut up." The tiny blonde looked up from his perch on the lip of the open hole watching closely as Duo undid the hooks to
keep the glass lid on.
Finally finished with the struggle, the body of Heero laid out before him eyes showing a welcome home for his soul. He pulled the body
free from the casket and laid the body down onto the grassy side of the grave and began to shake the boy harder.
"Heero! Come on! Fight it!" Now desperate, he hit the boy’s chest hard causing a large chunk of apple to shoot out.
Coughing and shivering, Heero fell back freely into the soft warm open arms and tried to grab a bit of the warmth for himself.
"My Heero." Duo kissed the moist forehead as the Prince latched onto his braid for comfort.
"My grace! You live!"
"No thanks to you." Duo spat and dared the man to take the shaking creature from him.
"Well, as soon as he gathers his composer, I think it best we get home." Standing up, Robert went for his horse trying to keep his dignity.
The shivers began to lessen as Heero looked up to soft face that held onto him.
"Duo, my wonderful hero."
A small kiss was his response as Duo stood up out of the hole helping his love on quaky legs.
"You get to go home now."
"Home is nothing without you." The arms grew tighter.
"I know, but you should get home to your father as soon as possible. I will come as soon as I can."
"Why not now?"
"Robert would give us trouble." He smiled as the boy in his arms chuckled.
"I’ll wait for you with a large kerchief hanging from my window."
"And I will climb the window and personally hand you the kerchief."
The moment went too fast for the pair, for as soon as they started to talk, Heero was on the back of the large stallion and walking away.
But for as long at they could, the blue eyes spoke to the violet.
As Heero sat aback on the horse, he looked down at the beast.
"What do you find so interesting with that vagabond?"
"He would let me be at his side and not two steps behind.
"I beg your pardon?"
"He cares for me, as I do him. You only want is status." Heero tapped the horse and began to trot faster out of the woods and to the
arms of his father.
The castle was set against the large gray clouds with not a light on in the entire place.
"What happened?" The prince dismounted and pulled the reins of the horse, but it nickered and pulled away wild eyed.
"The plagues killed off most of the servants. Only your mother and father are present."
He didn’t want to believe that was the cause of hundreds of people gone in so little time, when the plagues last hit there was at least
two servants loyal to keep up the part of the castle that held the family.
As they passed the large headstones in the cemetery, Heero noticed that his precious mother’s grave was beheaded. The large stone
head was smashed into a fine powder that ran through the Prince’s thin fingers, causing a furry of hatred for Relena to grow.
A small rustling noise startled the Prince into walking into the skittish horse, but he exhaled softly to see who it was. Standing in the soft
rain, the longhaired man looked more powerful out of the confines of the woods.
"Duo!" Grabbing onto the figure tightly held him close to be certain it wasn’t some mystical dream to play a trick on him.
"We must find the Queen and King, it isn’t safe being alone like that. Last I saw of the Royal mother, she was going stir crazy."
"A bit late for that." Heero held the long fingers of his dear, "I only care for my father’s safety, we will look for him. Do what you wish."
The doctor nodded in response and headed up towards the Queen’s chambers. He forgot how dark it was till he saw a pin of light at the
top of the old stairs.
"Your highness? I have found Heero as I promised…" He came up to the large door and knocked. "Is your highness alright?"
"Come in dear doctor."
As he opened the door, he saw Relena sat upon her bed with what looked as a corpse cradled in her arms.
"My God…what did you do?"
"The same any mother would do."
"You’re insane woman!" He backed up to the cabinet that held the large mirror, turning on instinct as he felt something cold against his
back. He looked into the mirror, not seeing his reflection, but of a wild woman with hell’s furry in her eyes.
Screaming now in horror, Robert moved away from the mirror that cackled in mirth as Relena grabbed him by the shoulders and
hoisted him out of the window. She didn’t care if he lived or not, but the loud crunch of bones breaking on the heavy cobblestone
pathway told of his end. The Queen only smiled and cooed at the baby, rocking it safely in her arms.
The pair moved quickly through the castle, not seeing Odin in his room or near any of the chambers, Heero began to worry.
"Wait a minute…listen." Duo held onto the boy’s arm. "I hear a low moan. This way!"
He dragged the Prince through the dark passageway till they came upon a pair of large bronze double doors connected together to
form a large pine cross.
"On three…One…Two…THREE!" They pushed the heavy doors with an audible groan to show a gruesome sight no one could be
prepared for.
The room was filled with the servants dead bodies, all sitting as if they were attending mass. Their eyes have rotted and noting was left
but black gaping holes. Some had their mouths wide open as maggots crawled in and out of the rotting tongues, while the smell would
cause a normal person to waver and fall.
Heero lifted the hem of his dress up to his nose and walked as close to Duo as possible who held his head down as the flies bit at his
face. The sound of groaning caught their ears again, shifting their gaze to the altar. On a large upside down cross, Odin Lowe was
hanging as the blood trickled from his slit wrists.
"Oh papa!" Heero ran up to the man that swung back and forth, looking for a way to take him down from the nauseous predicament.
Duo looked up at the base and saw the large rope holding the cross and with all his strength began to lower the King to the altar
without dropping him. The Prince held his arms out to his father while untying the ropes burning into the dark skin.
"Papa, are you alright?"
"Away from me specter…my son is dead." Turning away, Odin sighed deeply and closed his eyes, Heero didn’t care and kissed the
turned cheek lightly.
"I am very much alive father."
Concerned, the longhaired man touched the soft shoulder.
"I want you to get my father out of here and to the village to see the doctor. I need to do something."
Nodding, he gently lifted the man and placed him over his shoulder running as quickly as possible with the weight on his back.
Going through the large double doors, Heero saw a small assortment of weapons being used as a small display. Grabbing a heavy ash
wood crossbow, he tested in his hands feeling the weight and began the longest trek of his life…to his stepmother’s room.
Heero felt along the rough stone walls as he slowly walked with soft step towards the mouth of hell. His eyes darted from left to right for
any signs of movement from any creature under the demon woman’s hands.
A lowly sound caused the boy to stop dead in his tracks and lean against a wall. It was a sound of some type of Swedish lullaby. Heero
knitted his eyebrows together as trying to figure out why Relena would be singing.
Soon as the Prince stopped, he heard a low creak from his right. Turning quickly with the crossbow up, his blue eyes batted softly as he
recognized a lone figure shadowed in darkness on a bench.
"Sarah?" He walked closer, screwing his eyes in the dim lighting.
As he approached the slender figure, it slumped lifeless on the bench, causing Heero to jump and hold her up. As he lifted the dead
form back into place, the large bloated face turned and looked at him with eyeless sockets. A low growl intimated from the decayed
throat as the bony hands wrapped around Heero’s thin neck trying to snap it with all her might.
Dropping the crossbow and breaking off the dried flesh from his throat, Heero pulled is leg up his chest and pushed off as hard as he
could. The body broke away, hitting the thick wall and shattering causing the lolling head to break off the body and smash onto the
floor in a pool of black slime.
Gasping, Heero pulled the hands off his throat and threw them over towards the flexing body. He picked up the bow and began his
search again for his mother.
A light began to flicker in the hallway, guiding him down the dusty rugs and lines of portraits on the wall. Heero stopped at one in
particular, the one of his departed mother. The beautiful portrait was removed and replaced with Relena’s that could bore through the
large chapel doors. Growling with furry, he took the razor point of the arrow and slashed across the painting and began to run up to the
lit room.
Inside the large living quarters, Relena stood in a flowing white gown and holding a small moving object in her arms.
"Relena." A low growl formed in Heero’s chest as he pointed the weapon in her direction.
"Heero, my son. Put that toy away, you’re scaring the baby." She kissed the tiny hand that came up through the blankets. He swore he
heard a strange gurgle sound that could be mistaken for baby cooing.
Turning her back to put the baby down, Heero took the chance to hit his target. The mirror door slammed shut, causing the boy to jump
and turn to the noise. Nothing was there…he turned back to where his step mother was standing and all he saw was the baby cradle
rocking slowly with the child inside. Its small fingers curled around the edged of the bassinet, the sight made Heero want to retch.
He turned around again only to have the crossbow knocked from his hands and his body slam into the floor, knocking the wind from his
body.
"You think you were going to kill me!" Relena’s mouth turned into a gnarly snaggle of teeth that were twisted with points.
"Do it now Relena! Kill the miserable little creature!" The mirror image was standing at her table urging the demon woman on.
The Queen grabbed a knife from the table and charged at her son, holding the blade above his head.
"I should have killed you! You little bitch!" Pushing down on the blade forcing it across Heero’s porcelain cheek. With a howl of pain,
Heero growled as he pushed up on the woman’s arms; wrenching loose the dagger from her steely grasp and kick her away from his
body. Their writhing on the floor caused a large candelabra tumble from the small nightstand onto the Queen’s bed, igniting the
curtains and the baby basket.
Hearing the cries of the child, Relena screamed and jumped off the Prince’s body and to the baby to stop the flames from taking the
child’s life away. With her attention diverted, Heero saw the mirror’s reaction to the scene.
"Relena! Forget the damn baby! Heero! No! I can give you what ever you want!"
The shining dagger was raised above his head as he plunged it into the mirror image’s heart. The glass crackled, Relena stood
motionless then let out an inhuman cry of pain, and the sound pierced the boy’s ears. She turned to look at Heero and saw her real
reflection. Hair became matted and gray as her skin hung off her bones, her soul began to reach out to the surface in an ugly ball of
hate and distaste.
Fires now out of control, the large wardrobe containing the huge mirror began to redden from the heat and shake as the glass began to
crackle and pop. A loud explosion caught the Queen off guard as shards of glass embedded themselves in her flesh, pinning her
against a large wall. Her face was a bloody mess as her arms were held in uninformed fashion above her bobbing head. Whimpers of
pain filled the air as she tried to lurch forward and survive.
With the furry of the flames in Heero’s eyes, he picked up a large shard of glass and looked at the pitiful site before him. There up on
the wall was his tormenter for six years of his young life. The woman who killed his nurse, took his father away, tried to kill him on
numerous accounts, now dying slowly.
Trudging forward with the shard digging in his palm, Heero breathed in and stared. Nose flared and lips curled back showing the slick
pearls of his teeth, the boy took the glass and plunged it deep in Relena’s belly.
The deep blue eyes flew open as she screamed into the Prince’s shoulder.
"Does it hurt? That was for Nanoo…"
Ripping the glass away, the woman sobbed out loud only to screech again as the weapon found a new target.
"That was for my father!" Slashing the bound woman’s face, "This is for Jay! And this is for Gee!"
Standing before the half-conscious form, Heero felt the blood pour through his wounds as anger boiled up from his soul.
"And this is for my mother!" The glass went right through Relena’s heart, pinning her for good against the large wall.
The room was sweltering in heat as Heero exited, clothing singed and heart now renewed with vengeance he began the tiring journey
to the outside world, where his love awaited for him.
~*
"Hold still!" Sally held to Heero’s hands as he glared full force as the chips of broken glass were cleaned away.
Duo held the slim frame, for comfort and not to kill the doctor that was working on the evil looking injury.
"Well, that should do it. You can see your father now."
The longhaired man kissed the bandaged cheek and hands, causing a bright smile to melt away the cold scowl.
Standing with the taller man at his side, the Prince walked through the doors of the old house to where his father was kept.
Aside to having his arm and leg rebroken, he was taking things well, with the present Lowe scowl of disapproval.
"Who is that?"
"He is Duo Maxwell father, he and his friends saved my life as he did yours."
Putting his head back down on the bed and pinching the bridge of his nose, the King sighed.
"I am not in much of a state of mind at the moment. Just don’t screw up Maxwell, or you’ll find yourself in a lot of trouble."
"Yes father…I mean your highness!" Duo smiled cheerfully as Heero nudged up closer, but not so much to break the rest of the rules of
etiquette.
Kissing his father’s cheek, Heero smiled and walked out of the room and back to a New World.
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