Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow Lands ❯ Chapter Fourteen ( Chapter 14 )

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Chapter Fourteen

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The beast threw it's head back and howled manically. It's red eyes glinted as it lunged forward, preparing to make a kill…

Lily threw her hands over her face as the beast lunged into the air. Duo held the blade of his sword in front of them, preparing himself for the fall…

It never came…

The werewolf had been throne back at least twenty feet and was now retreating back up the steep hill. Duo sheathed his sword and turned. Lily's ring was casting off a surreal glow that looked like blue moonlight.

"'May this be a light in dark places. May it also protect you from the foulness of our kind.'" Lily recited as she looked at Duo and the glow began to fade.

"Let's get out of here before it comes back," Duo said as he hobbled to Lily. Lily nodded and allowed Duo to but his arm around her and took the weight off his broken ankle.

**********

"There's a clearing ahead," Duo said as he and Lily crawled over a fallen tree that had begun to decay. The high afternoon sun shone down upon their already tired bodies. A clearing could be seen between the thick branches. Grass and flowers stood knee high as they wadded threw the brush to the edge of the clearing. The sweet fragrances of the newly opened flowers willed the air with the scent of jasmine. The grasses came past their knees as they sauntered through. A small spring came into the view, the cattails reaching high above their heads.

Duo let go of Lily and fell to his knees. Cupping his hands, he splashed the cool spring water on his dirty face, washing it clean. Duo gazed at his reflection in the crystal waters. His eyes were tired and sunken in, he was in much need of a good days sleep. His hair was matted in odd places as dead leaves stuck to his braid. Duo longed for a nice hot bath and a nice nap.

"Duo," Lily's voice awoke Duo from his musings. "I think it wise to stand." Lilly helped Duo stand.

"Holy shit…" A band of elves, all riding chestnut horses, rode out of the mists of the forest, forming a circle around the two. They held themselves high as they gazed down upon them. One elf with dark blonde hair and pale blue eyes rode forward. He gazed down upon Duo and Lily, before extending a hand out.

"We've been expecting you Lillian, daughter of Emperor Heero, and you, Duo, son of Lord Damien," his voice was soft and masculine. "My name is Elric. We come from the Shadowed Woods. We've been tracking you for two days now." Elric dismounted from his horse. He stood quite tall, towering both over Lily and Duo. He bowed when he had stood naught but five feet away from them.

"We ask that you ride with us. Someone is waiting for you."

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Silver trees with sparkling gold leaves towered high above their heads. Stairways made of white marble circled around the base of the trees to houses hidden among the branches. Songs that twinkled like bells drifted through the air, creating a calming effect.

"Father!" Lily shouted as she quickly dismounted the horse she was riding with Elric. Heero came striding down the stairs of one tree and opened his arms to allow Lily to run in to them. He hugged Lily, praising the gods as he did so.

As soon as Lily pulled away, Heero began to check her for scratches. A small cut crossed one cheek to the jaw bone and various scratches were on her arms and collar bone.

"Are you all right?" Heero asked as he approached the group and helped Duo dismount from one of the horses.

"Somewhat," Duo replied. With Heero and Lily's help, Elric led them to an infirmary to heal Duo's ankle.

*********

"What is your course of action?" Elric asked. Duo was propped up in a bed as a healer examined his now fixed ankle, occasionally prodding and making sure the bone was still in place.

"We'll have to continue to the mountains," Heero replied as he gazed at a provided map that would show much shorter ways to the mountains. "We've got to get back Solo. And at least talk some sense into Relena…"

"There is no way to talk sense into that woman," Elric snorted.

"I won't shed blood of a woman's," Heero snapped.

"What will be done with Lillian?" Duo asked as he stood on his newly healed ankle and began to test it.

"We will provide whatever is necessary to protect her," Elric replied.

Heero thought a while, "No, it's not safe here. She's too close to the Shadowing Mountains. Unless…" Heero turned to Elric, "Will you take her and Jia to the Fae? They will provide the needed protection."

Elric bowed, "Certainly. And I will also assemble an army to follow you into the mountains. Demons have been seen flying within the mountain tops. More than likely the Dark Queen has called forth the Dead Army."

"Then it is decided?" Duo asked. Heero nodded.

*********

"She's not my mother is she?" Lily asked Heero. The elves had provided rooms for them that night. The rooms had been carved out of the inside of the trees. The silver walls glinted and gleamed in the flickering candlelight, casting shadows upon the walls. A bed frame had been crafted. Soft blue sheets, paler than the sky, adorned the feather soft bed that Lily sat in. Heero had entered the room, caring a goblet and looking dreadfully tired.

"No," Heero said as he sat on the edge of the bed. Lily pulled her knees to her chest, her dark blue eyes staring at Heero.

"Then who is?" Heero returned the stare with the same equal blue eyes and begun to tell Lily of her true origins and how she was a child of the Fae. When he had finished, he handed Lily the goblet. Lily swirled the wine around and watched her reflection swirl in the burgundy liquid.

"Drink it," Heero instructed. "It'll help you sleep." Lily downed the wine. It tasted oddly like strawberries, something uncommon in most of the wines served back at the palace. Heero held back a smile as Lily began to twist her face in disgust when she detected the medicine in the wine.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow."

"What?" Lily dropped the goblet, the last few drops spilling on the sheets.

"I'm leaving and traveling to the mountains to get back Solo."

"No, no," Lily protested. "I'm coming too."

"No," Heero replied. "It's too dangerous. I've instructed that you and Jia be taken to the Fae. They will watch over you two and ensure your well being."

"I still want to go with you," Lily began. "I can fight too. I can do anything you want me too…"

"I want you to ride with the elves to the Fae," Heero replied. "You will be safe. Think of it as me going away to visit other countries."

"Yes, but you usually brought me along with you."

"Lillian," Heero brought Lily into his arms and hugged her. "I want you to be safe. No more arguments. You'll go to the Fae. You're the only remaining person in the blood line. If I don't make it, you'll have to carry on in my stead. Do you understand?"

Lily nodded. "Promise me you'll come back?"

"I promise. Now goodnight."