Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow Lands ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

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Chapter Ten

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::::Dream Sequence/Flashbacks Begin::::

"Higher, Daddy! Higher!" cried the five year old Lily as Heero picked her up, tossing her in the air and catching her. Gleeful giggles escaped between soft pink lips as they were thrown high into the air and caught safely in strong, protective arms. Heero smiled as he put young Lillian back on the ground.

Lily began to shift, now becoming taller as her five year old body grew three years older. Heero was suddenly on his knees his hands outstretched, giving something to Lily. A crystal bubble gleamed brightly in the light and Heero immediately recognized what it was.

"This Lillian," Heero began to speak, placing the bubble in the outstretched pale hands, "I want you to have. It'll guide you if you are lost and provide you with hope. It was given to me by a very special person."

"Who?" Young Lily asked as the bubble began to grow brightly as it recognized its new owner.

"Prince Duo. Don't you remember the stories?" Heero asked.

"Of course. Their my favorite…"

The scene began to shift. Images became a blur and Heero found himself traveling very quickly down a hall to see his fifteen year old, just a few months away from her sixteenth birthday, daughter gazing at the villages over the palace walls from her position on the walls. Her body had filled out over the years. Her body youthful and highly feminine. The fairies' gift had graced her with a more beautiful nature than what she already had. Heero approached his daughter, placing a hand on her bony shoulder.

"Soon I will be gone, Lillian," Heero said to her as he gazed at the distant villages and cities. "And this will all be yours."

"No," Lily said, turning her eyes to Heero, their equally blue eyes matching each other. "You'll never be gone," She placed a hand over her heart, "because you're always here." Heero smiled as he hugged his daughter, kissing her forehead in the process.

The floor began to fall and soon Lily's image became distorted as it twisted and turned, shifting its shape into Relena. Heero glared at the sudden change. Relena cackled.

"Soon she'll be gone," Relena sang in a mocking tone. "Just like Duo…"

Heero made to make a reply but instead found himself falling through the air as he was shaken.

"Hee~ro…"

::::Dream Sequence/Flashback Ends::::

"Hey Heero," Duo said softly as he shook Heero. "Wake up."

"I'm awake," Heero said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Duo asked. "You were talking in your sleep."

"I'm fine," It wasn't really a lie, but Heero was confused and didn't know what he should say. The moon had begun to rise high into the sky, casting dark shadows across their camp.

"Do you think it's time to go?" Duo asked, smiling back to the moon.

"Give them a few more minutes," Heero replied. "Where did you go?"

"Me?" Duo flopped back down to the ground to gaze up at the stars.

"Of course. Where did you go when the dynasty was destroyed?"

Duo sighed, "After our parents' were killed, Solo and I just kinda wondered about. A band of gypsies took us in and we've been with them since."

"Where is Solo?" Heero asked as he laid back down on the ground. Duo casually threw his arm around Heero's shoulders.

"He's up there somewhere," Duo replied waving his hands at the stars. "Zechs killed him a year and a half ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Heero had enjoyed Solo's silent company quite often during visits and hunts and was quite close to the boy. "So that young man was his son?"

"Yeah," Duo said. "Solo got married to Trowa's half-sister, Catherine Bloom, and they had a kid. When Solo was killed, his son took over his name. We call him Solo now instead of Junior." A moment of silence passed between the two.

"So, did you love her?" Duo broke the silence as he shifted his amethyst gaze to Heero.

"Never," Heero replied knowing that Duo meant Relena. "It as what my father wanted. I thought you were dead, otherwise I would have been with you. We married only to bring piece between our countries. You can see how that turned out."

Duo snorted, "Lillian wasn't born from Relena was she?"

"No," Heero replied. "As peace was restored upon the land, the Fae and Elves sensed an evil forming within the Empire. They came to me begging not to produce a heir from Relena, I complied, and in return they took a drop of my blood and gave it to a flower ¾ a lily. From the lily a fairy babe was born. They cast magic on the small child and when the babe had developed to the size of a human babe. Lillian was brought to me on October thirty-first. Relena's resented her ever since."

Duo snorted, "That sounds like her." Duo rolled himself on top of Heero, straddling his hips between his knees. Duo leaned closer to Heero.

"Do you remember what we did as we were younger?" Duo asked huskily into Heero's ears. A soft snore broke out from one of the occupants close by, causing Heero and Duo to stifle their laughter as they realized it was Wufei.

"We probably should set out," Heero said, a tone of sadness in his voice.

"You're right," Duo slid off of Heero and began to help Heero wake the others up.

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"Come on Pice. A little further," Jia urged Pice as they flew over the river where the smoldering ashes of the dead could be seen above the clouds. The cold wind whipped her face and hair as she flew lower and lower towards the ground.

"There they are!" Jia cried as Pice descended down from the clouds. Ten men soon came into view as Pice flew over the crest of a hill. The shadow of Pice flew over the company caused ten heads to shift their gazes to the sky and watched as Pice landed.

"Jia! What do you think you're doing here?" Wufei called as Pice landed, his golden hide gleaming in the morning sunlight.

"The Empire is under siege," Jia told Heero. For some odd reason, Pice wouldn't approach anywhere near Wing or Shinigami.

"On who's orders?" Quatre said as his horse reared back on its hind legs to avoid getting near the dragon.

"Undetermined. They're some sort of demon that's impervious to our magic." The company turned their gazes to Heero. This would determine his right to be Emperor.

"Wufei," Heero looked up at him. "Ride Pice back to the palace."

"All right," Wufei said and dismounted his horse. He turned to Jia, "Pice is not fully grown to allow two riders. Stay with them, they might need a Healer." Jia nodded and dismounted Pice. She climbed onto the back of her father's paint and watched as Wufei flew off in the distance.

Trowa turned to Heero, "It takes a great Emperor to sacrifice his daughter, but an even greater Emperor to trust his country in the hands of someone else."

"I hope your right," Heero replied watching as Wufei disappeared over the horizon.

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A/N: Sorry it's short. I'm having writers' block at the current moment. I'll update quicker and try to have a longer chapter next time.

Priscel: **smiles** I love it when you review, you bring a smile to my face. I hope you enjoy.