Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Cynehelme ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )

Cynehelme

by kmf

Warnings: AU, language, attempted rape

Rating: PG13

Standard Disclaimer applies

Chapter Twenty

"Idiot!"

Duo yelled out the word as his sword caught the downward blow from a Lindsay soldier, which had been aimed directly at Heero's head. With effort he twisted the blade away, his plaited hair swinging behind him like a banner. The enemy grunted and slid from his horse to the ground, before getting to his feet and frantically trying to catch the reins of his horse. Failing to do so, he watched his mount canter away from the battle before he stumbled back a few paces holding his sword out in front of himself. Duo smirked and urged his horse forward to engage him once again; a foot solider facing a mounted soldier was as good as dead.

Heero frowned, tearing his gaze from the silhouetted figures up on the hill back to the battle, his eyes quickly assessing the proximity of the enemies in front of him. It was true that he had been careless; distracted by the sudden revelation that Relena was here. If Duo had not been watching out for him, he would have been dead. Distraction was deadly on the battlefield.

Duo shook the fresh blood from his blade and wheeled his horse to bring it to Heero's side, his face wet with blood and sweat and his breathing coming slightly fast, but his eyes bright with the joy of battle. Heero turned again and looked at the figures. Cloaked they could be anyone, but Heero's gut feeling told him differently.

"...Relena.." he murmured again, watching as one frantically waved, only to be dragged out of sight by the others.

"Relena?" Duo repeated, following Heero's gaze and frowning, "How could she be here?"

Movement in Heero's peripheral vision caused him to turn his head to his rear. His heart missed a beat as he saw a fresh warband bearing down on them; row upon row of mounted men, swords gleaming bright and fresh in the sunlight. For a moment Heero thought that Treize had sent a pincer movement of men to attack them, splitting his force into two to trap the Mercian's between them. But then he saw the banner fluttering proudly before the fresh men.

….Wessex.

He scowled wondering just how Wessex came to be in Mercia. Their two countries had never been overly friendly, but neither had they been unfriendly. He could only assume that word had travelled to Wessex that the High King's throne was for the taking. They were here for Relena, just as Treize was. And if Wessex and Lindsey were here, then how soon before Essex, Sussex or Anglia came?

Heero pulled the reins of his horse causing it to prance up, hoofs kicking up sods of earth and pointed his sword towards the newcomers.

"Behind!" Heero yelled warning his men, and heard Duo curse fluently at their situation.

Was Wessex here to aid Lindsey? Or would they aid Mercia? More likely the battle was to become a free for all, each faction interested only in promoting their own interests.

Heero looked once more to the ridge. That had been Relena, he was sure. His mind raced trying to determine what she was doing out of the villa; had it been attacked? Had she been kidnapped? Or was she running away from him and his father? Was she trying to go to Treize?

He snarled trying to empty his mind of his thoughts of Relena, instead calling out directing his warband to wheel around and face the newcomers. Odin, approving of his move, continued to face Lindsey with his own warriors.

Heero wanted more than anything to go after Relena, but he could not abandon his fellow men in battle. Charging his horse forward, he flew towards the men of Wessex, his eyes fiery, yelling his battle cry. He would make sure that this battle was finished with as soon as possible, then he would follow her and bring her back to where she belonged.

* * *&nbs p;

Quatre's feeling of concern was beginning to escalate the further he went from the protective walls of the villa, but he could not and would not abandon his search for Relena and her companions. He was not a tracker, but he had followed the general direction that the guard had said the women had travelled and once out of eyesight of the stronghold he had travelled the basic direction that he knew Treize to be in.

He was confident that he would catch them up eventually, after all he travelled by horse whereas they travelled by foot. Unless, of course, Dorothy had managed to secret some mounts out in the woods. Quatre frowned as he pondered this. It was unlikely, no reports of missing horses had reached his ears and a horse was such a precious commodity that if one went missing then there would be an outcry.

Quatre's frown deepened as he thought of Dorothy. He had made a mistake when he had failed to alert Heero to her presence within the villa. At the time he had thought that she would do little harm as Relena was so well guarded. And in addition to that he had the feeling from her aura that there was an underlying goodness about her and the possibility that she would be beneficial to the outcome of the war. Now he was not so sure; the twisting worry that wound around his soul told him that he may have been mistaken.

Sounds of battle came echoing across the hills to him and Quatre gripped the unfamiliar weight of the sword that hung from his waist tightly. He was much more comfortable with the feeling of wood in his hand rather than the feel of steel, but he was realistic enough to know that wood would not protect him, nor would it protect Relena should he locate her. He missed the reassuring presence of Rashid at his side, but had felt that this whole mess was his responsibility and he would not drag his faithful servant into it; rather he would face it on his own.

A sudden cry of alarm from a woman made Quatre pull his horse up and listen carefully.

"Heero!" The cry came again.

That was definitely Relena, and she was disturbingly close to the battle. Urging his horse forward, Quatre rode swiftly ignoring the low branches that pulled at his clothes and tore at his hair. His heart beat swiftly as his eyes carefully scanned the surrounding countryside as he rode.

Finally he saw her ahead a little, being pulled, no dragged, by Dorothy who was still disguised as a boy. Behind her came the nun and the servant with her child, both looking behind them with concern upon their faces. Quatre pulled his horse up and jumped down to the ground, stumbling forward a little as he encountered uneven ground.

All four women stood still as they saw him, surprise etched upon all their faces. Dorothy stopped pulling, and Relena stopped resisting, their eyes wide. Dorothy was the first to move, her hand going to her chest to dramatically clutch her heart.

"Ah, Gods! For a moment I thought that it might have been someone dangerous," she said sarcastically, "But it is only the druid."

Quatre's eyes narrowed and he tried to school his features into something that resembled a stern expression. "Relena does not belong to you," he said firmly, "Let her go!"

Dorothy rolled her eyes.

"The number of times I have heard that of late is disturbing," she said, "I am sure that you are here on the misguided thought that she has been kidnapped. However, I assure you, she has come with me completely of her own free will."

Quatre looked towards Relena trying to ascertain whether or not Dorothy was telling the truth. By the way Relena bowed her head and looked uncomfortable in the druid's presence it was probably true. He made to walk towards her, but Dorothy unsheathed her sword and held it out in front of her, her empty hand spread out in a silent gesture of denial.

"Why?" Quatre asked, directing his question to Relena.

"Because this way people will not die on my account," she replied holding her head up and staring at him with her clear blue eyes, "This way there will be peace."

Quatre shook his head, "Do not believe that just by aligning yourself to Treize this war will be over," he said.

Dorothy snorted in disgust. "Don't listen to him!" she directed Relena.

Quatre ignored Dorothy and continued to appeal to Relena. "Treize will continue to attack Mercia even if you are with him. Mercia has opposed him and he will think that we must be punished for that transgression."

"Shut up Druid!" Dorothy advanced, her sword held out before her.

"Relena -" Quatre tried to continue to speak to her but Dorothy firmly placed herself in front of the Druid cutting off Relena from his line of sight.

Without turning her head from Quatre, Dorothy addressed her companions. "Keep walking east. I will join you once I have finished discussing this matter with the Druid," she said, her mouth turning up into a small smile and her grip on her sword tightening.

"I will not fight you," Quatre said quietly watching her aura flare with excitement.

"Because I'm a woman?" she drawled, "Well, normally I would not fight priests either. How about this time we both make an exception to our rules."

She lunged forward making Quatre step back a pace to evade her, his hand pulling his sword free from its scabbard, its blade rising swiftly to parry her stroke. Dorothy's eyes widened at the swiftness of his move and Quatre could not resist smirking a little.

"Just because I am a Druid does not mean that I don't know how to fight," he said.

Dorothy's grin widened to show off her perfectly straight white teeth.

"What a delightful surprise," she said

* * * *

Relena hesitated for a moment, then hurried away followed by Sally and Noin. Quatre's words pained her but they did not weaken her resolve to give herself to Treize to ensure peace. What she was doing was correct, of that she was sure. And if it proved not to be so then she would deal with it. She would negotiate with Treize, beg if she needed to. She would do anything to save innocent lives, including prostituting herself if necessary.

She only hoped that Quatre would not pay too dearly for his interference in her plans; Dorothy's laughter had chilled her. She had obviously been excited by Quatre's challenge and Relena knew from bitter experience that Dorothy would stop at nothing to achieve what she wanted. Relena could not help but rub her head where Dorothy had struck her. Hopefully Quatre would come off as lightly.

Sally and Noin spared no thought for the Druid, instead they concentrated on what was in front of them. Keeping the sounds of battle to their right, they pressed forward in the direction that Dorothy had instructed them to. All three moved as fast and as quietly as they could.

As time passed by and Dorothy still did not rejoin them, Relena began to feel anxious; what if they had not travelled in the correct direction? The trees and terrain made it difficult to travel in a straight line. It was possible that they had turned to one side or another. What if they stumbled into the Mercian camp rather than the Lindsey camp that they were aiming for?

Stopping, she looked about her and was about to express her concerns when suddenly a man appeared before her. He held a sword out towards her, his eyes narrowed and threatening. Then four more came out from the brush in which they were hiding. Sally grasped hold of Relena's arm and hissed in her ear.

"Lindsey men! I recognise them!"

Both Noin and Sally moved close to Relena, whilst Relena held up her hands in a show that she meant no harm.

"Well, well, well," one of the men murmured, "If it isn't the nun come back to play."

Relena did not like the look in the man's eyes; there was a predatory gleam contained there as he gazed at the nun, his tongue moistening his lips. She moved forward a few steps.

"I am Relena Peacecraft," she said clearly, her voice stronger than she ever thought possible given that she was actually feeling very nervous, "I wish to see King Treize Kushrinada."

The man tore his eyes from Sally to Relena as she gave voice to her name and he grinned.

"So, you are what this war is all about," he grunted a laugh looking at his companions, "Rest assured that we will take you to Treize just as soon as we have finished dealing with this bitch spy."

He grabbed hold of Sally by her shoulder and shoved her backwards. Not expecting such treatment she fell back looking up at her assailant with surprise in her eyes. Relena watched stunned, then made to help Sally to her feet but another of the men pulled her away.

"What do you think you are doing?" she demanded struggling against his grip. "I said that we should be taken to Treize Kushrinada!"

The first man sheathed his sword never taking his eyes from Sally. "Oh, I will take you to the King soon," he said, "But first we have some business to conduct with the spy here. Treize gave orders for her to be killed, but I think that we should have some enjoyment from her first".

Sally's eyes narrowed and she scrambled backwards, but the man moved quickly and threw himself across her pinning her down. Undaunted Sally started using her fists against him, boxing him across his head and ears. He growled and hit her back stunning her for a moment. As she lay her eyes glassy from the blow he started to push her skirts up positioning himself between her legs.

Relena let out a cry of rage and kicked at the man that was restraining her, connecting with his shin. Automatically he let go of her as he gave out a strangled cry, his hands nursing his injured limb. Relena ran forward and pulled Sally's attacker's jerkin trying to drag him off the nun.

"Stop it!" she cried out, before grabbing his hair and pulling on that.

He grunted with irritation and pain and was forced to move off Sally. Sally, regaining her senses, kicked up at him her foot connecting with his groin. The man collapsed, rolling to one side huddled up in a fetal postion nursing his injured manhood.

"Bitch!" he snarled, pushing himself up onto his knees and looking at Sally with hate in his eyes. "Hold her down!" he ordered his companions, "I'm going to teach her a lesson she will never forget!"

Relena had helped Sally to her feet and looked around in despair. She, Sally and Noin could not fight them off on their own. Was it to be that her decision to go to Treize was going to cause Sally's defilement and death? She gripped onto the nun's arm tightly as several of the men approached.

"What are you doing?"

Relena turned in the direction of the voice and saw that another warrior had arrived, his features dark and foreign.

"....Wufei...." Sally murmured looking towards the man, "Another of Treize's men."

"We are doing as Treize ordered!" Sally's attacker looked less than pleased at the arrival of Wufei, but stood his ground.

Wufei jogged forward positioning himself between his men and the three women, not sparing the girls more than a momentary glance. "Did Treize order you to rape?" he frowned, "I do not recall that order."

Relena sensed that their salvation might be in Wufei's hands and cleared her throat to speak.

"I am Relena Peacecraft," she said, "I and my companions have come to meet with Treize Kushrinada."

"The bitch is a spy!" the attacker interrupted, "She escaped and is leading Mercia to us! She deserves to be punished!"

Wufei's head tilted and he looked around. "I cannot see Mercia. All I see are three women and a baby. All I see is the nun leading the woman that Treize most wants to have in his possession to him. All I see is an animal wanting to satisfy a base urge."

The attacker snarled and pulled out his sword, but Wufei was faster, parried the blow and knocked the man's sword away with a twist of his wrist. Holding his blade to the man's throat Wufei's eyes narrowed. "I will not allow you to," he said before lowering his sword, "Get back to the camp, I will deal with you later."

The man backed up a few paces and picked up his sword. Sheathing it he looked towards Wufei with disdain on his face. "You can try!", he said, "I will not be punished by one of Treize's slaves. When Treize hears that you protected that bitch," he gestured towards Sally, "I am sure that you'll be back in chains and back in his slave pens."

Wufei's eyes narrowed even further at this and his grip tightened on his sword. "Treize does not deal in slaves," he said quietly,

The man turned laughing as he went.

"No, of course not Slave."

* * * * *

The battle raged on, both Lindsey and Wessex pushing against the Mercian flanks in an effort to crush them. And it would have worked too, Heero thought, apart from the fact that Lindsey and Wessex were not allies in this battle. Instead of pursuing the Mercian warband until they were no more, Wessex and Lindsey began to fight each other freeing the Mercians from their grip.

Regrouping their forces once more, Heero and Odin came together both breathing heavily and sweating from their efforts. Odin's forehead was smeared with blood, but he sat firm in his saddle. As he wiped his face with the sleeve Heero saw that it was not his own and he imagined that his own face was probably splatted with the a similar amount of gore.

"You are distracted," Odin commented as quiet as he could so that he would not be overheard, but loud enough for Heero to hear over the battle.

Heero frowned. It was true, he was distracted. And several times he had come close to paying the ultimate price for that distraction. He gestured towards the ridge.

"I think I saw Relena," Heero said his eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of the figures he had seen earlier.

Odin eyes followed his son's gesture and he frowned. "Think?" he asked, "How could it be that she is here?"

Heero shook his head, "I do not know how and I do not know why," he said, "But I do know that it was her." He stared at his father as if daring him to argue.

Odin looked back towards the battle assessing the number of men he had left in his ranks before turning back to his son. He frowned considering his options before making a decision.

"Take Duo and Trowa," he instructed his eyes narrowed, "Go and find her and return her to the Villa."

Heero scowled. He was pleased that his father believed him without question; Duo had been sceptical at best. But to be ordered away from the battle was shameful. He made to protest but his father held his hand up.

"You are my only son and I will not have you killed today because your head is full of a woman," Odin paused at the expression on his son's face. "Go. Look for her," he said more gently, "Relena is important to Mercia and must not be lost." He paused for a moment, before grinning broadly. "Bring back those that are responsible for her wandering feet; I would be most interested in discussing this with them."

Heero nodded once, then turned his horse. Calling to Duo and Trowa to follow him he urged his mount away from the battle towards where he had caught sight of her figure silhouetted by the distance between them.

Following him came his father's voice carried to Heero's ear by the wind.

"Bring her back safely to me!"

Heero grimaced at the words and forced his body not to react to the taunt. Unfortunately his father had an ingrained instinct about him and even though Heero was sure his body language did not give away his discomfort, his father's laugh echoed in Heero's ears as he rode.

"What is going on?" Duo demanded, "Why are we leaving the battle?" Heero said nothing, his eyes upon the ridge, and Duo rolled his eyes, "You still think that you saw Relena?" he exclaimed.

Heero refused to answer, glancing only once at his companions as they rode. Duo, like himself, looked battle weary. He sported a cut on his cheek, evidence that he had allowed a spear to get a trifle too close. Trowa, on the other hand, looked neat and fresh. No blood clung to his face or clothes and yet Heero knew that Trowa had been in the centre of the fight, protecting his King. Trowa's bloody sword gave evidence that he had killed more than one man. Heero wondered fleetingly just how it was that he managed to keep so neat in battle.

Gaining the top of the ridge, Heero slid down from his horse and looked back towards the battle. Lindsey and Wessex were now exchanging blows, any pretext of an organised battle plan lost. It was a free for all, with Mercia picking at the fringes. He looked towards the sun, which was low in sky. There would be no winner or loser of today's battle; at the setting of the sun the fighting would end and each warband would recover its lost members.

Mercia would return to the villa stronghold, whilst Wessex and Lindsey would return to their own presumably fortified camps. If the weather held then tomorrow it would all begin again. Perhaps with other nations joining the fray.

Turning his back on the battle Heero examined his surroundings. Crouching he allowed his fingers to touch the ground. There were signs that people had recently stood here; the earth was scuffed in places. Trowa had dismounted too and was looking towards the east.

"This way," he pointed into the trees picking up the tracks of those they pursued.

Heero nodded and took hold of the reins of his horse, leading the animal forward. He quickly perceived the trail that Trowa had detected and followed it eager to locate Relena as soon as possible and take her back to where she belonged.

Or where he wanted her to belong. With him in his villa. However at the moment he allowed himself to think those thoughts, Odin's voice echoed in his head reminding him of his father's parting words.

"...bring her back safely to me..."

Heero shook his head trying to ignore the words. A request from his father or an order from his King, either way it was a command that he could not ignore. Or could he?

A startled cry from Trowa brought Heero's attention back to the current situation. A little further along, beside a horse tethered to a tree, sat a figure hunched over, hair bright and golden in the dullness of the afternoon light. For a moment Heero thought that it was Relena, but then he focused on the white robes that the figure wore.

"Quatre!" Duo exclaimed, dropping the reins of his horse and rushing forward to the fallen Druid.

Trowa and Heero followed on his heels, their eyes alert for danger and the presence of anyone else in the little glade. Quatre looked up at their approach and struggled to his feet. His hand held his side tightly and Heero could see that blood bloomed through his fingers and stained his robes.

Quatre smiled apologetically at Heero whilst accepting the helping arm of Trowa to support him as he stood.

"I'm sorry, Heero," he said softly, "I tried to stop her, tried to bring her back, but I failed. I should have told you about Dorothy."

Duo crouched before the Druid and prised Quatre's fingers away from the wound so that he could better assess it. Fresh blood welled up and spilled forth and Quatre replaced his hand on the wound once more, his face twisting with the pain it caused him. Duo grimaced too as he tore a strip of material from his cloak, folding it into a pad and handing it to the wounded druid who pressed it over his wound.

Heero watched silently until Duo had bound another strip of material around Quatre's waist to hold the pad in place, his face stern from the moment he had heard the name Dorothy. Crouching in front of his Druid he frowned.

"How long ago?" he questioned.

Quatre bowed his head unable to look his prince in the eye. "An hour...maybe two.." he trailed off, his voice despondent, "I do not know for sure, I think I passed out after losing to Dorothy."

Heero stood and surveyed around him, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword tightly. "Duo, take Quatre back to the villa, have Catherine tend him," he said before nodding to Trowa, "We will go on."

Trowa bent to help Quatre to his feet, half supporting the Druid's weight as he helped him over to his horse. Quatre hesitated at his horse and turned to Heero ignoring the discomfort that the movement gave him.

"Relena was willing to go with Dorothy," he said weakly, "She did because she thought it would bring peace, that she would save lives."

Heero climbed up onto his horse. Urging it forward a few paces he gazed down at Quatre. "Her notion that she can bring peace by giving herself to Kushrinada is a misguided one," he said firmly, "I will not allow it."

Quatre clambered up into his own saddle aided by Trowa who gave him a leg up. Once settled and freeing his mind of the dizziness that had almost overcome him, he gazed at Heero, dread overwhelming him.

"Heero, what do you plan to do?" he questioned. "What if she refuses to listen to you?"

"I will do what must be done," Heero said quietly.