Vampire Hunter D Fan Fiction ❯ My three leaf clover ❯ goodbye ( Chapter 6 )

Vampire Hunter D

My three leaf clover - ch6 - goodbye

D rode Ives at a gallop all night and at a fast trot the whole next day with out stopping. He wanted to get as far away from the castle as possible. The whole way Clove was soundless; unbelievable still startled she clung to D's arm. As the sun began to fall dying the meadows and randomly growing wild grape vines red and orange D slowed Ives down and began to look for a place to stop. He spotted a large drooping limb tree just as they crested a hill and coasted Ives toward it. D let out a long breath of relief and dismounted; with the distance put between the castle and the two he felt a load of pressure lifted.

He held his arms up to Clove to pick her up but there really was no need. As soon as he turned to face her she latched her arms around his neck and let the tall donpeal slid her off Ives and sit her down in his lap next to the tree.

He simply cradled her to his chest. Clove clung to D her muscle were tense. She laid her face on his collarbone; her small breathe warming his neck. "It's alright … I'm right here and we're far from that place." He said quietly.

Clove let her hands slip from D's neck along with her small body and rested them on his chest by her face. She sniffled a bit then asked quietly, "Were you as scared as I was D?"

D brushed Clove's curly locks from her face tenderly. "Yes, Yes I was…" He admitted to the little girl. He sighed adjusted his position against the rough bark. "I was more afraid then I had been a long time…" Clove reached next to D and tugged his cape over herself. She was without hers. D hadn't noticed it but she must have lost it when that vampire attacked her.

Clove tucked the black cloth underneath her chin and tilted her head up. D looked down at her and for a moment they simply gazed at each other. Clove lips curved up into a smile. "That's good…"

D's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why is that good?"

Clove let out a yawn and settled in against him. "It's good because it shows you have feelings." She paused for a moment. "I was beginning to worry…" D looked down at the girl thoughtfully before shifting his gaze to look out a crossed the field in which they sat. "I'd rather you be more human then vampire any day…" she said quietly. Clove adjusted her head and fell asleep.

D continued to gaze at the field watching the fireflies emerge from the tall grass. It seemed just yesterday that the child sleeping in his lap had dancing with the fluttering insects. So quickly time had passed, so quickly his time with her could end. D began to realize how much time he had wasted, how much time he could have spent holding her or simply watching her. The recent threat on the girl's life had startled and hit him very deep. It made him want to give up hunting and simple wander with her for eternity. Something he couldn't do… He had sworn to hunt his relatives until they completely disappeared from the planet. Something that Clove understood and if he gave up his morbid crusade because of her she would never forgive him and would never allow herself to be happy. Or worse she'd charged head long in to some sort of danger she couldn't handle.

That train of thought brought D to a difficult truth, there would be far more dangerous missions. This one wasn't even that dangerous. The objective was easy and the vampire had been weak. More deadly hunts awaited and that worried D because he knew that there was more and more of a risk that Clove could be hurt, killed, or even kidnapped. Donpeals in general were rare but a female was almost unheard of.

"Oh knock it off donpeal…" D's hand said its voice muffled because D had tangled it into Clove's skirt without realizing it. "I know what you think and it's driving me nuts! You mumble about not relishing the moment with this little clover and now all you're doing is worrying. Live in the moment donpeal. Relax for once and go to sleep!"

D was silent for a moment thinking over the parasite's words then replied, "For once in your existence I agree with you…" He let out a long sigh-like yawn and fell asleep.

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Clove stood up wiping the crumbs of bread from her dress. Usually she was a neat eater but she hadn't eaten and two days and didn't care for manners in her hunger. D pulled himself on to Ives and looked back at her holding his hand out to her.

Clove popped a grape into her mouth and began to walk toward him. "Is it alright if I walk for a bit? We don't have anything to do just yet and there are plenty of grapes and berries growing around to keep us feed."

D retracted his hand and gave her the incline of her head. Maybe he could give in to his desire to simple enjoy Clove's company. So they set off, with no road in sight they just walked aimlessly through the tall grasses. The sun was hot, the sky cloudless, and the air humid. Clove led the way. She was quickly becoming her old self; the talk with him last night must have rested any fears she held. Clove walked a few steps ahead of Ives and D picking flowers and popping berries into her mouth. Occasionally she would feed some berries, and flowers too, to Ives. Ives seemed to enjoy this immensely. As the day dragged on Clove's led seemed to weaken and by noon she was even with D. Clove's flower picking had stopped and she suddenly seemed to have trouble keeping up. D was alarmed in her rapid decline, could she?

D brought Ives to a stop and looked down at Clove. She seemed to have trouble breathing, her breaths being loud and labored. "Clove are you-?" Before he could finish his question Clove began to swoon and collapsed on the ground. D was immediately at her side. He knelt down and pulled her up to him. She had passed out. Her face was flushed and she was covered in a cold sweat. There was no need to say it, heat syndrome. How stupid, he'd let her walk under the burning sun with no cloak to cover her. Unlike himself Clove loved the sun, although she was more susceptible to it then he was. He'd given in to her request and it cost the girl her first heat stroke and in the middle of a great plain where trees were scarce.

D removed his cloak and wrapped the little girl in it. He remounted Ives and with Clove held close to him he began to ride looking for shade. A short ride and few hills away D found a small thicket of birch trees. He dismounted and gently laid Clove down in the shade. D unhooked his sheaf from its belt and began to dig. Apparently left hand thought this an opportune moment to bitch at him.

"You moron! You absolutely stupid donpeal!! How could you let this happen!" it hissed at him.

Now normally D would have ignored the hands ranting but not this time. D felt more emotional then he'd ever been. He was angry with himself, worried for Clove, and he had an overwhelming feeling of rush. He needed to dig this shallow grave as soon as possible. "Shut up…" he said through clenched teeth.

"Shut up? SHUT UP!" The parasite screamed. "Look what you've done to the little clover! You-" D had had enough. He balled up his left had, digging his nails into his palm. D took a deep breath and continued to dig. In around a half an hour he had a shallow hole dug that was just big enough to bury Clove. D gently re-wrapped Clove in his cloak and laid her in the hole. He slowly began to pile dirt over her. After he had finished he sat with his back against a tree.

For a while he simply sat there with her contemplating things and feeling a terrible guilt. Everything that had befallen the lovely little girl was his fault, the recent attack on her by that vampire and her heat stroke. More and worse things awaited her he knew.

He'd taken her in so he could take care of her, so she could learn to be able watch out for herself. He'd taught her to fight off any unwanted company and to fetch a living for herself. Wasn't that what he had set out to do? Hadn't he done that? Yes, he'd taught her what she needed to learn, he'd taught her things she could only learn from one of her own kind. Wouldn't it be safer for her now to be on her own? D had acquired a large sum of enemies and bitterness from left over vampire covens over the years, which would put her in avoidable danger. Yes, quite avoidable…

D looked down Clove's sleeping face. He felt a sadness he'd never known before when he came to a terrible conclusion. He'd have to leave her for her own safety. D gently stroked Clove's porcelain cheek. His eyes began to sting and before he realized it a tear slid down his cheek.

"Please… Please don't hate me for this…" he whispered to the sleeping girl. "I'm doing this for your own good…" D leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. Using all of his willpower he forced himself to rise. He picked up his sword, which in his haste to bury Clove he had casted aside and tethered Ives's reins to a low hanging branch. He cast on last longing look at Clove and began to walk. All the while fitting the want to look back but if he did that he would know he would go running back.

A/n- did you see that coming? I hope not because I wanted it to be a surprise. Now little clove is completely on her own.