Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Once Upon a Time ❯ and a pure heart. ( Chapter 5 )

 

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…and a pure heart.

 

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“Your majesty, please take the prince and go!” Rashid pleaded, his sword at the ready. “I'll take care of this traitor.”

 

“Traitor?” Marquis smirked, drawing his sword and spinning it masterfully. “That's such a harsh word.”

 

“GO, Majesty!”

 

The queen stood there uncertainly, clutching her son to her chest. She knew that she had to protect the prince even if it meant her life, but at the same time, she felt that leaving the shadow of the guard would leave them vulnerable to more danger far worse than Zechs Marquis.

 

“Follow the passage out, My Queen!”

 

The blonde smirked, “You feel it, don't you? That coldness that looms where death treads.” The Celestial being hugged her son tighter, stepping away from the fallen one. “You can feel it, but you don't understand it. Being immortal has its disadvantages. You aren't familiar with the sour tang that death yields in its wake.”

 

The prince gasped, his cherubic face contorting in pain, “M-Mother…p-please…” he whimpered, burying his face against her neck. “It hurts so much… he's hurt!”

 

“The soul stirs…” Zechs mused. “That means the heart can't be too far away.”

 

“Y-you think… that his highness is…” Rashid frowned. “That's not possible.”

 

“MOTHER!” the child cried, “Make it stop!”

 

“The only way to ease his pain is to unite him with the other half of his spirit.” Zechs informed them. “I won't stop you from leaving, Catherine.”

 

“What do you have up your sleeve?” the captain of the guard demanded.

 

“If the pain becomes too much, the prince will die.”

 

The Queen shook her head, “How do you know these things?”

 

“I've read the ancient scrolls.” Zechs shrugged. “You're running out of time.”

 

Coming to a decision, the celestial being turned on her heel and fled, disappearing in a flurry of her skirts down the corridor, her precious son held protectively against her breast.

 

The Dragon Rider's ice blue eyes gleamed with triumph, “Follow them.” He ordered, as shadows around him stirred, “Make sure that she is dead.”

 

The Shadows took form and began pursuit.

 

“What dark magic is this…?” Rashid gasped.

 

“The last you'll see, old man.” Zechs swore, raising his sword and striking the captain of the royal guard down.

 

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Catherine screamed as clawed branches of gnarled trees grabbed and snagged her clothing and hair.

 

She cried when the darkness of the night engulfed her, blinding the way through the forest.

 

She gave up hope when the echoes of chaos drifted from the village that had been her home.

 

Tears of fear and sorrow turned into relief when a hooded creature reached out and took her hand, leading her by the light of a glowing crystal.

 

“What are you doing out here, Child?” The creature demanded, pulling the girl into the dense foliage of the woods, “Where are your mother and brother?”

 

“P-Please, sir…” The girl whimpered, running to keep from being dragged. “I do not know!”

 

Dark orbs of indigo blue glared at the child as she gasped for breath from beneath the hood. Turning his glance in the direction that they had come, the creature noted that they were not being followed. “What happened?” He demanded, kneeling before the girl who had once again began to cry.

 

“I-I don't know…” Catherine shook her head, “Mother woke me up… S-She couldn't f-find T-Triton… She told me to run… I have to find the Elf Messenger to the Dragon Lord… Please! M-Mother told me to find h-him…”

 

“Stop your crying.” The creature instructed, “The Elf Messenger is on his way.”

 

Watching her savior with large, tear filled, periwinkle eyes, the girl quieted her sobs. “Here.” The thing bade, holding out some bread, “Eat this and then try to sleep. We have a long way if we're to get to the high mountains by nightfall tomorrow.”

 

“W-What about my mother?” Catherine asked, accepting the food and eating it hungrily, “And my brother?”

 

“I'm afraid, young miss, that Charizma has fallen.” A new voice announced, as a second hooded being exited the foliage. “Triton is missing.”

 

“We have to find him!” She urgently insisted, “Mother said if anything happened to her- I'd have to take care of him! It's my duty to our future!”

 

“I'm afraid that's not possible.” The first creature apologized. “We must get to the Dragon Lord.”

 

“Come… We must go.” The second being announced, urging the girl to her feet while the other anxiously fingered the hilt of his weapon, hidden under the cloak he wore.

 

“What's out there?” He demanded.

 

“Goblins.” His comrade grimaced. “They were following the main road, but seemed to have detoured.”

 

“They caught your trail.” Indigo eyes narrowed as he regarded his partner.

 

“You don't give me enough credit.” The other huffed, his violet eyes glimmering beneath his hood, “They've most likely picked up the kid's trail.”

 

“Then we must hurry.” The first creature scowled.

 

“Who are you?” The girl whimpered.

 

“I'm Duo.” The violet-eyed creature introduced, removing his hood to reveal a long chestnut braid and the pointed ears of the elf-kind. “I'm a messenger to the Dragon Lord… My partner here is Hiiro.” The other removed his hood exposing the cold half-human, half-dragon reptilian eyes of a Drakun. “I assure you, Catherine, that you'll be safe as long as you're with one of us…”

 

“But you have to mind our instructions.” Hiiro added.

 

“I will.” The child agreed, accepting the hand that Duo offered.

 

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Bright green eyes blinked as white paws scratched at the debris covering her young master. “Meow?” She called, trying to stick her pink nose into each crevice, searching for any sign of the boy buried beneath. “Meow!”

 

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The queen leapt out the window, clutching her precious son to her chest, as magnificent feathered wings sprung from her back and spread, saving them from a horrible fall. “Hang on, Quatre…” She encouraged, beating her wings as she flew through the smoke filled sky.

 

The sky-view of destruction and carnage made the angelic creature gasp.

 

“The people…” The prince sobbed, stretching his hand out to the village. “We must help them!”

 

“There's nothing we can do, my son…” The Queen said sadly. “Tell me where the boy that you're sensing is.”

 

Closing his eyes, the child extended his sense. “That way…” He said pointing.

 

With a beat of her wings, his mother flew in the direction the prince had indicated, unaware of the danger following close behind.

 

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To be continued…