On the Run - epilogue
by KatiKat
It took them only a couple of minutes to pack all their things and bundle Mil
and the newborn child warmly. Trowa expressed some concern about exposing the child
to cold so shortly after his birth, but seeing no other way out, they at least
wrapped him in thick furs to minimize the exposure.
The soldiers were waiting for them with the sleigh and horses in front of the
main door. It was already dark outside, but the surrounding area of the inn was
lit by torches. While descending the stairs, Mil was leaning heavily on Treize,
gritting his teeth as every step jarred his strained muscles. Trowa was
following them, the happily slumbering child in his arms.
Heero had already helped Duo down the stairs and into the waiting sleigh.
Shinigami was dancing around them, wagging his tail as if he couldnīt wait to
be on the move again. Heero covered Duo with furs and smiled at him assuringly
as the braided man kept looking over his shoulder, checking the road heading
North for any signs of Howard and his men.
"Donīt worry," Heero whispered to him, catching Duoīs face in his
glove-covered hands as the violet eyed young man kept looking around nervously.
"Iīm sure the Count sent out sentries. We would know if someone was
coming."
Duo looked at him, swallowed, then nodded once.
They both turned around as the main door of the inn opened and Treize stepped
out with Mil. The blond man was breathing heavily, droplets of sweat were
running down his face. He was white as a sheet and his lips were pressed
together tightly.
One of the soldiers opened the door of the sleigh, and Treize helped Mil get
in. It was a slow process full of painful, half-broken gasps as the
lifebearerīs body protested against the harsh treatment. Finally, Mil was
seated though and the Count covered him with the pre-heated furs. Treize leaned
closer, gave Mil a quick peck on the lips then covered the blondīs head with
the hood of the warm coat.
When the aristocrat moved to the side, Trowa stepped into his place and with a
small smile, he laid the baby in his Bearerīs waiting arms. Then the door of
the sleigh was closed. With a last smile and touch to Duoīs cheek, Heero
followed Trowa to where the soldiers were waiting for them with horses.
Even though the front and the sides of the sleigh were rather low, the back was
higher not allowing the occupants of the sleigh to see what was happening
behind them. And since the horses were waiting for their riders behind the
sleigh, Heero disappeared from his mate's sight. Duo looked around nervously,
not wanting to meet the eyes of the man sitting next to him. He still felt
quite guilty for pulling other people into their affairs. But in the end, he
allowed himself to throw a small glance to the side. He started when he
realized that Mil was watching him searchingly.
"I donīt think we have been introduced properly," the blond man said,
a small smile playing around his mouth even though exhaustion carved deep lines
in his pale face.
"Uhm... Iīm Duo Max... Yuy. Duo Yuy," he introduced himself
hesitantly.
"Are you sure?" Mil asked him, his smile growing. "You seem
rather hesitant about it."
"No... I mean yes. Yes, Iīm sure," Duo said more firmly, lifting his
chin.
"Good. Iīm Milliardo Peacecraft-Kushrenada, Baron of this and Count of
that. To introduce a nobleman is rather complicated," he sighed, then
winked at Duo. "But it would be alright if you called me Mil or Milliardo.
The whole title is a rather long tongue twister. I would shake your hand, but
as you can see, Iīm rather busy right now." He lifted the sleeping bundle
in his arms a bit, then smiled as the child gave out a sound resembling the
mewling of a new born kitten.
Despite his nervousness, Duo smiled at the nobleman sitting by his side. He
took an immediate liking to the blond man and couldnīt help but admire his
strength. Milliardo didnīt complain, nor did he blame them for anything. He
simply accepted the facts of the situation they needed to handle it somehow.
Duo wasnīt sure if he could find such courage in himself.
The child made a contented huff. Duo looked at
the bundle in the blond manīs arms and asked curiously. Does your son have a
name?
Milliardo laughed. I must admit that we didnīt
actually have the time to find one. My pregnancy was rather
unexpected. With
the last word the blond manīs face grew serious and something resembling to
pain entered his blue eyes.
Duo didnīt know what to say.
"So," Mil broke the silence that settled over them. "Will you
tell me whatīs going on here? Nobody wants - or has the time - to tell me
anything. Itīs quite annoying."
Duo swallowed and turned his eyes away. "Itīs... a rather long
story..." he stated quietly.
Mil nodded. "Good. We have time," he prompted him. "And I swear
that I will never betray your trust. Trowa and Heero know my secrets too. At
least some of them..."
The braided young man sighed. He really felt the need to talk to somebody. Not
that he didnīt love Heero and Trowa dearly but... they were simply too close to
him for Duo to talk to them about what he felt. And so, with a heavy heart, he
started his story...
*-*-*-*-*
From the back of a tall, black horse Heero watched Treize talk quietly to one
of his men, Rufus if he remembered it right. The Enforcer noticed that at least
two thirds of the Countīs men - including the captain of Treizeīs personal
guard - were staying behind. He had a suspicion what the aristocrat planned to
do but he wasnīt sure if it would work out.
And so when Treize mounted his nervously dancing horse, Heero moved closer to
him. "You want to get them," he stated, his voice flat.
Treize looked at him, adjusting the reins in his gloved hand. "Yes,"
he answered simply.
Heero shook his head. "You donīt know Howard. You have no idea what he is
capable of," he warned the Count.
The aristocrat looked him squarely in the eye. His voice was ice cold.
"And you donīt know me and what *I* am of capable of!"
Heero had no answer to this statement. The two men looked each other in the
eyes for a couple of seconds, then the Enforcer turned his horse and joined
Trowa right behind the sleigh, Shinigami trotting after him.
Treize kicked his horse and raised his hand, giving the small procession the
sign to go. The horses moved forward.
*-*-*-*-*
Howard jumped down from his horse in front of the inn and threw the reins to
one of his men. For a moment, he stopped in front of the dark building and
looked around. Something was wrong here, but he couldnīt put his finger on it.
Tosten, the little coward, told him about the Count and his guards, but now
everything seemed to be quiet. Almost too quiet, he would say.
Narrowing his eyes, he stepped to the main door, took the knob in his hand and
turned it. The heavy wooden door opened easily. He pushed it open until it hit
the wall. The main room seemed to be empty. Did the bird fly away already?
Howard stepped into the room, his men following him. He noticed that the wooden
floor was completely wet as if dozens of snow covered feet ran around the room.
Suddenly, Warrick appeared in the swinging door leading into the kitchen. He
was pale and he trembled nervously.
"Warrick," Howard greeted him coldly with a nod and stepped closer to
the bar.
The innīs owner swallowed, his eyes darting from side to side. "He...
hello, Howard. So, Tosten... uhm, he found you."
"Yes, he did," the mercenary leader answered, his eyes narrowing further
as he watched the man behind the bar look around fearfuly. "He said that
Duo is here. Is it true?"
"Uhm..."
Noticing droplets of sweat run down Warrickīs meaty cheeks, Howard let his hand
drop to the hilt of his sword. Then suddenly there was a noise coming from the
first floor, and simultaneously a shout echoed from the outside.
"Warrick! What have you done?!" Howard snapped at him, baring his
sword. His men copied his move, just as the swinging door banged open and the
sound of feet running down the stairs reached their ears.
The innīs owner raised his arms defensively. "Itīs not my fault. You have
to believe me!" the man yelled, stepping back from the furious mercenary.
"No, I donīt!" Howard retorted and swung his sword. Warrick followed
his mate into the realm of the dead.
Then the mercenary leader turned around to the chaos that erupted in the room
in the mean time. His men were fighting the soldiers of the Countīs personal
guard, and even though the mercenaries were of a larger number, they couldnīt
compare themselves to the kingīs elite troupe.
Howard gripped the hilt of his sword more tightly and cursed loudly. He would
get them for this. They would pay! He would make Duo his even if he had to
return from the dead to do it.
He cried out and threw himself into the battle.
The End