Disclaimer: Do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters ^_^

Dawn and Moon Wars

Chapter Eight

Duo yawned then yelped as he nearly engulfed a mouthful of blond hair. He scrambled away from the sorceress and stared at her. 'Ok... I know we were at opposite ends of the campfire... How the hell did this happen?!' It was clear to anyone that somehow in the middle of the night the two must've begun edging toward the fire... And somehow hit each other.

'I slept all night... wrapped around that she-demon?! Gods help me, how am I still alive?'

Dorothy moaned and turned over and Duo paled even more... Because in Dorothy's fist was the blood dagger.

"You sleep with that thing!?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice and glared at him. "What are you talking about?" Dorothy sat up and rubbed her eyes, "Never mind, I don't want to know. The more you don't talk, the better this day will be."

Duo growled, "Well, at least, I don't sleep with daggers!"

"Huh?" Dorothy stared at the dagger enclosed in her fist. "Ack! How did that get there?!"

"You could've killed one of us!"

Dorothy stood up; "I swear the last I remember this was still embedded in that tree!"

The two stared at the dagger and the blond sorceress turned white. "No..."

"What is it?" Duo tore his eyes off of the dagger and watched as she began to tremble.

"The blade... The blade is clear..." She raised the dagger and he could see that the blade was as clear as glass... "No! I fed this yesterday morn! How can it be hungry so soon?"

Duo studied the dagger for a second, then nodded. "I recognize the work now. It's dwarf made." He shrugged and looked away, "Sometimes dwarf-made objects will take time to adjust to their new owners... Give it a day or two and it'll start to store the blood and not absorb it so quickly."

"Are you sure?" Dorothy tried to ignore the tugging...

"Yes."

"DUCK!"

Duo ducked without thinking and the dagger whizzed through the air, passing where his neck would've been. He rolled over and stared as Dorothy fought with the dagger and its lust.

"I will not..." She gasped, "I will not... let you get the better of ME!" She sliced the sharp blade across her arm, almost exactly where'd cut the first time, and tried not to shake as the dagger hungrily filled with her blood.

Once it's hunger dissipated she sheathed the blood filled dagger and handed the sheath to Duo. He watched as she ripped a piece of her dress to make a bandage. Dorothy quickly tied it around the cut and glared at him. "What are you looking at?"

Duo flashed her a mischievous grin, "Oh, nothing... I'm just thinking."

"You, thinking?" She laughed and he shrugged, still wearing his grin. Dorothy stopped and eyed him suspiciously, "Thinking what?"

"Oh... Just thinking that if you tear anymore off that dress you'll soon be running around bare as the day you were born." Duo began to whistle and walked past the spluttering blond... He was at least twenty feet away when he heard her scream.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

He laughed.

*

"Water..." The Representative slid off her horse and into the open arms of a surprised slave. "Water..."

"Somebody get her inside!"

"Water..." The Representative closed her eyes and fell into a troubled sleep...

*

Quatre paced back and forth, his hands behind his back. "I will find her... He can't keep me from her. He can't!" The bard stopped and faced his reflection and raised a delicate eyebrow. He was paler than usual and his hair was tousled... His eyes were rimmed since he hadn't slept last night, but all in all... He looked great.

He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at the mirror. Quatre's eyes slowly narrowed, "I will find her and you'll pay." His reflection seemed to change in his mind and now he could see that violet-eyed gladiator smirking at him... As Dorothy fawned over him.

His fist slammed into the mirror and cracks splayed across its surface. Quatre stared at the jagged pieces, ignoring the blood dripping down his cut hand. "She's mine..."

"Quatre!"

He turned and faced a startled Trowa. "Trowa... How are you?"

The acrobat's green eyes narrowed, "Don't even try to pretend, Quatre. What is wrong with you? I know that that woman is your bonded, but this... What is this about?" Trowa started toward the smaller man, his eyes demanding to know the truth.

"I'm just mad..." Quatre racked his mind for an excuse and jumped on the first thing. "It's just not fair that they enslave us!"

Trowa's face contorted, "You're listening to that madman? Quatre, he's insane! I agree that it's not right, but reversing the roles doesn't make it better! Why can't anyone see that?"

Quatre motioned for Trowa to lower his usually quiet voice. "They'd never give us equality, Trowa... They're too selfish."

What Trowa said next might've been a bit cruel, but he had to say it. "And what about your bonded? Will you enjoy seeing her scurry about, doing what any male tells her to?"

Blue eyes widened, but Quatre didn't have a chance to answer before Trowa was speaking again. "We have to get out of here, Quatre. This Millardo is insane and focused on revenge. He's going to drag you down with him if we don't leave this place."

"We can't leave, Trowa! I can't! He promised to help me find her."

Trowa shook his head and whispered, "He's going to kill us all... Unless he dies first..."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Trowa?"

The two men turned toward the sound of Millardo's voice and stared as he entered through a secret passageway, backed by six guards.

Trowa remained quiet as the long blond hair man walked toward him. Quatre shook his head and waved his hands, "It was merely a statement, Millardo! He didn't mean anything by it."

"But I think he did... Are you just going to stand there, Mr. Trowa?"

Trowa met Millardo's gaze and kept his mouth closed.

"Fine then. Since Mr. Trowa obviously doesn't wish to speak in his defense then we must assume that he is guilty of treason."

"No!"

"Gentlemen, hold Mr. Quatre. I believe his feelings are overwhelming his common sense." Millardo motioned toward two of the guards and they grabbed the bard's arms. The smaller man struggled against them, but it was hopeless. "And don't even think of using any magick, young bard, or you will regret it. The powers of royalty easily override the powers of a noble bard."

Quatre sent out a probe and felt a jolt run through his body. Millardo was telling the truth... His blue eyes watched despairingly as the four other guards attacked his best friend.

Years of acrobatic training helped him take the first one down and dodge the others... But then a rope the color of opal wrapped around his throat and threw him to the ground. Millardo stood over him and vanished the rope.

As a guard yanked Trowa up and wrapped rope around the young man's wrists, Millardo stared Trowa in the eyes and smiled. "Remember this, you two, I will not allow anyone or anything to get in the way of my plans." He turned toward Quatre, "Understood?"

Quatre nodded as Trowa was led out of the room.

*

"Stop it! Stop pampering me!" Sylvia pushed past the healers and guards until she reached the Council room.

"Lady Noventa, you're much too tired to be up and about!"

She ignored the healer and walked into the room, facing the nine Council members. "I'm sorry, but I have urgent news!"

"Lady Sylvia, shouldn't you be resting?" The youngest and newest member of the Council asked, her eyes clouded with concern.

Sylvia curtsied, "My Lady Pluto, what I have to say is too important to be withheld for much longer. The Dawn's Capital has fallen. A man calling himself the Moon has destroyed it completely and the Dawn is dead. The Reborn Dawn is missing. The former Advisor was killed by a male mage." A few of the members shifted and whispered at this. "And the new Advisor is his bonded and also bonded with the blood dagger when she killed the old Dawn." A gasp rose from a few, yet still Sylvia continued. "A man dressed in black with the markings of the Panther abducted the Reborn Dawn while a gladiator slave that was believed to be one of the Moon's men took the Reborn Dawn's Advisor. Her bonded has disappeared as did the Spy Mistress. Captain Noin cannot be found and is feared dead."

A stunned silence settled on them for a second before Lady Saturn spoke. "How do you know all this, Lady Sylvia?"

"My mage globes." Sylvia answered, "It is well known that I'm too weak in magick to do anything more than receive and send messages... But I have become very adept at my globes and use them now to hear important conversations or record scenes. Many of my globes were around the castle..."

"Lady Mercury," Venus turned toward the older woman, "Sylvia has always been a very intelligent woman and rarely exaggerates."

"But if this is true," Lady Jupiter placed a hand to her forehead, "then the Moon will be moving here soon... We must prepare for the oncoming battle."

"Battle!" Lady Pluto jumped to her feet. "But we cannot go to battle! Too many lives will be lost!"

"Sit down, Pluto!" Mercury shouted and the young woman slowly lowered back into her chair. "We all knew this day would come when the web-seer's apprentice saw the visions... And told of the prophecies... All of the prophecies."

"She could've been lying! Everyone knows that girl is flaky." Mars rolled her eyes, "Always off in her own little dream world."

"That girl holds the key to the prophecies!" Neptune yelled and soon the Council was a shouting match. Sylvia sighed and turned, knowing her job was done and over with... Or at least she thought it was till Lady Pluto joined her.

"Sylvia, are you all right?" Pluto watched her friend concernedly and Sylvia smiled and nodded.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

The women walked out of the Council room and down the hall. "I wanted to speak to you about that battle."

"The Battle of the Eclipse." A voice spoke up behind them and they turned to see a girl staring at them with frank curiosity. She was an average looking girl except she wore moon shaped spectacles and a long green robe.

"Miss Jaclyn." Pluto smiled warmly at the girl. "How are you today?"

Jaclyn returned the smile, then sighed as the Council members shouting reached her ears. "Once again they argue over me." She chuckled, "The flaky web-seer's apprentice." Her laughter was forced and fell on their ears with a ring of falseness.

"Excuse me, but what did you call the battle?"

The girl turned toward her and slowly removed her moon spectacles. "The Battle of the Eclipse. That is what it'll be known as in the future so why not get use to the name now?"

"But how do you know that?"

A cold breeze shifted past them, but it didn't touch the girl's robe. Instead she stood there, lost in the shadows of mysticism. "It is my one gift, milady, just like you and your globes. I see what others avoid."

"Avoid?"

She smiled, but it held no real emotion. "I see the battles... The women and men dying... I see the horrors the other seers don't wish to admit. But I also see the tears of joy between the lovers... The dawning of humanity in an empty heart... Everything has its price."

Jaclyn was quiet for a second, staring at Lady Sylvia intensely... Then she nodded her head once. "You may ask. I don't mind."

Lady Sylvia swallowed, "How did you... I mean... Oh..." She sighed, "Have you ever seen me?"

"Yes. You are the messenger of bad tidings." Jaclyn smirked bitterly, "I will say no more for your future is for you to find out not to hear from me. I only speak in prophecies." She turned toward Lady Pluto, "May I have a word with you, Lady?"

Pluto nodded, "I'll be back shortly, Sylvia," She walked some ways off with the seer and returned looking quite pale. Jaclyn didn't return, but continued on her way down the hall.

"What was that about?" Sylvia asked, worry showing on her face as she scanned her friend's pale face.

Pluto blinked, then shook her head. "Oh, nothing... But Sylvia I was wondering, could I see some of your globes so I could watch the scenes?"

Sylvia sent her a sad smile, "I'm sorry, Pluto, but most of my globes were destroyed soon after I watched them... A few are still around, but I'd have to summon them... Cross your fingers and hope they survived the battle."

Pluto nodded and smiled, "Let's go to my room and you can summon them there."

"Fine."

The two wandered down the hall toward Lady Pluto's room.

*

"Stay away from me, she-demon!" A soldier shouted as Sally came forward, carrying bandages and her healing kit. She frowned and tsked at the soldier, kneeling beside him.

"Now, you keep quiet. I'm here to help you. I'm not a she-demon, I am a healer and cannot stand to see others in pain when I know I could be helping them. Now, show me your arm." Her tone offered no resistance and warily the man revealed his arm... Or what was left of it. One of the Dawn's Swords had severed the arm near the elbow.

Sally forced the man to down some dawn-mint, numbing the pain the man must be feeling. She took a flat poker from the fire and carefully placed it over the wound, burning out any infection. The man watched with a sickened expression, but didn't feel any pain. She applied a cold ointment then bandaged the arm thoroughly.

"When the dawn-mint wears off, come find me and I'll give you something else for the pain. Ok?"

The man nodded, a new respect appearing in his eyes, "That I will, lass."

She smiled and stood. Sally began to walk toward another soldier, one that was lying on his back, his face contorted with pain. Many of the soldiers were being forced to stay outside, around the manor, including the wounded ones. The manor just wasn't large enough to hold them all. Sally had nearly gone to the Moon in a burning rage, but Wufei had stopped her from making such a rash decision.

So now she wandered from soldier to soldier, helping those that needed it, unaware of the serious eyes that followed her process... And kept any from harming her. Sally couldn't realize that in the shadows of the trees the solemn soldier followed her with such protectiveness...

Sally spoke to another man quietly, informing him how to apply the medicine to the fevered patient. She stood and wiped sweat from her brow, shading her eyes for a second. She raised an eyebrow as she saw a familiar figure glaring down a man raising a sword and darting glares in her direction. "Wufei!"

He turned and looked at her, mentally cursing her for having good eyesight. Wufei sent the man another warning look before walking toward her. She smiled at him and waved, "Hello!"

"Good day..." Wufei eyed the other soldiers and saw that a few that had seen their friends helped by the young healer were chiding the man he'd been glaring at.

"It's so beautiful out here..." She looked around at the tall trees, motioning toward a flowering one. "I've never been this deep into the woods before... Many say they are haunted." Her smile was light-hearted and mischievous, "Now I know why."

He snorted, "A few noises and shaking bushes scare away the nosier travelers." Wufei eyed her as she giggled. "What is so funny?"

"You're such a serious fellow. I'd met only one other freeman before this and he was very cheerful and talkative."

"You mean Duo... He's always been like that. Why do you help the soldiers? After all, these are the men that destroyed your home."

She was quiet for a second then Sally spoke softly. "I cannot forgive them so easily for that, but I'm a healer... And a healer heals any that needs help. They need help so I heal." She smiled a bit sadly, "Maybe after awhile I will be able to forgive them..." She turned to look at him fully, "And you."

Wufei nodded, "I do not ask for forgiveness."

Sally tilted her head, "You are a very proud man... But I know that your actions during that battle do not fill you with pride... You believe you deserve my hate." She looked away from him, "Which is why I forgive you."

His eyes widened slightly and he watched as she walked away.

*

"I want you to find her before someone else does." Millardo stared outside his window, keeping his back toward his ten best men, minus Wufei of course. "She is to be brought to me, unharmed. Her companions are to be killed if they fight back. Am I understood?"

The men saluted, "Perfectly, my Moon."

"Then go." Millardo listened as the door closed behind them, then turned his full attention back to the sight outside... His second-in-command talking with that female Healer. He allowed her to stay only because she was helping his men, but one wrong move and... His smile was not pleasant as he watched Wufei's expression as Sally walked away.

'You're beginning to care, Wufei... You fool... Can't you see the snake she is? Can't you understand? What happened that day at the Dawn's Court... What happened to make you begin to distrust my ideals and look at her like that? What happened?' His eyes hardened, 'I will find out, Wufei... And when I do, pray that it doesn't spell the end for you.'

*

You could say something to her. After all, her mother was just killed, her home destroyed, and her best friend betrayed her.

The Panther just shot Galea a glare as he led Relena through the woods. He walked so gracefully, barely making any sound, that Relena felt like a great, clumsy cow. She sighed and pulled her torn and dirty dress higher so it wouldn't get caught in a thorn bush.

'I need a bath... New clothes... A good night's sleep... Company that speaks to me... Wine... Deliciously cooked and spiced food...' Relena's shoulders slumped as she thought of all the wonderful things she'd taken for granted all these years.

You've grown cold, man-cat... She did not place the curse upon you.

Relena turned her gaze toward the meowing catriffin. "Is she saying something?" She quickened her pace so she walked alongside the Panther.

He glared at her as if she had no right to ask him anything and Relena bristled at the look. She kept her mouth shut though... She didn't want to invoke the strange man's anger. He was an animal even though he wore the skin of a human and probably wouldn't hesitate to break her arm... After all, he didn't need her in one piece to cast a spell.

For a minute Relena thought he was only going to glare at her, then he looked away and answered. "Yes." From his tone, she got the feeling that asking what Galea had said would not be wise.

"Oh... So... Do you know these woods well?"

He didn't answer and she sighed.

"Right... I suppose," she mused aloud, "that Galea would give me more response. Do you know how far a village or city is from here?"

"I don't pay attention to human dwellings."

She raised an eyebrow at the obvious disgust he'd projected in that one word. She was silent and Galea rubbed against her leg and purred. Relena smiled. "I miss Marie's cooking..."

"Marie is probably dead."

Tears stung Relena's eyes and she stopped walking. The Panther continued for awhile before he realized that she wasn't following him. He turned and stared at her, blinking at the tears streaming down her face.

"How can you be so cruel? I know she's dead... Just like my mother... Why couldn't you have just played along and let me worry about trivial details?" Her lower lip trembled, "I've been trying so hard not to remember... And you don't care. Even animals have hearts. You are no animal." She shook her head, sending her honey blond hair flying, and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You are a monster!"

Now you've done it.

Relena began to laugh, but there was no humor in it. It was just cold... So cold. "I must thank you, Panther, for at least you have not lied about what you are." She walked past him, her usually warm blue eyes cold with grief and confusion.

The Panther followed.

*

Dorothy drew her finger through the air, leaving behind a shining silver thread with each stroke. Duo watched from where he leaned against a tree. Her eyes were closed in deep concentration as she drew another thread for the web. Sweat beaded at her temple and slid down her pale face. Duo watched it travel down her chin, sliding down her long neck, then down her torn, dirty, bloody dress.

Her eyes slowly opened and both stared at the silver web before her. Dorothy carefully raised a hand and whispered a word that chimed through the air like the sweetest bell... The web flared and disappeared in a flash of silver light.

Dorothy heaved a heavy sigh of relief. "Finally..."

"It worked?"

She raised haughty eyes toward him and smirked, "Of course. I am a sorceress. A psychic wall to block out that dreadful man's summons is simple magick."

"Oh, a talented sorceress and a bitch. You continually amaze me with your range of talents." Duo snorted and turned away from the steaming blond.

"Bastard." She muttered as he was now too far away for her to get any joy at throwing the name at him. Dorothy simmered quietly then her head bolted upward as she heard a yell... She ran toward the sound, recognizing the voice, and ducked behind a tree, checking the clearing to make sure none but Duo stood there. She then ran into the clearing and stood beside the quiet man.

He was bent over and his shoulders shook and his spine was straight and stiff. Dorothy raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

Duo looked up and Dorothy gasped, tripping over her own feet as she scrambled backward. She fell and couldn't tear her eyes off him.

It was horrible and beautiful at the same time. His ears had lengthened with slight points at the end, his violet eyes were now slits, the pupils flashed a brilliant gold, the white teeth sharp like a feline's, his skin so white... So deathly white... His hair shone with silver streaks going through it and he was so graceful... His nails were long and black and Dorothy could tell that each tip glowed with the shine of poison... He was horrible to look at... Yet so beautiful...

"Dear Mother!"

"My father..." Duo suddenly fell and Dorothy crawled toward him. "My father... He's dead. Gods, no..." He covered his face with his hands and cried.

"Your father? What are you?!"

He slowly raised his head, "I am the Prince of Elysia... My father... The King is dead... The land cries for him and..."

"You're an elf!" Dorothy shook her head, "I can't believe it..." She was pulled from her pondering as Duo's sobs reached her again. She remembered the pain she'd felt at her mother's death and she hadn't even been close to her mother... Dorothy placed an arm around him, ignoring her fear over his change. "Shhh... It's okay..."

'He's an elf... So that earlier change wasn't an illusion. He is an elf. The Prince... no... KING! The King of Elysia! The Elysian king of jests and death... Dear Mother... Now, I have to stay with the idiot!'

Dorothy mentally groaned and, not for the first time, cursed her luck.

*

Thanks to all those that have reviewed. It's what keeps me awake till 2 typing ^_~ ciao!!