Blood Stone Chapter 13
Apologies for the long delay, but hey, there was a year between my last two installments and in this one only 1/2 a year. That's a little better, ain't it?
Gundam Wing and its characters don’t belong to me.
Latest installment of Blood Stone.
Some gore and squick and angst. Hopefully this story is coming to an end soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was still dark when Relena awoke. Heero was no longer beside her, having left for war about thirty minutes before and though the young woman had desperately tried to go back to sleep her mind continued to whirl with worry and fear not only for herself, but Heero as well. Something inside of her could just not fully trust her Majesty. She lit the lamp beside the bed and scanned the room looking for anything to try and distract her mind from her woes when she suddenly remembered the secret passage she had found earlier. Grabbing her night coat and slipping on her shoes she grabbed the lamp and made her way across the room.
The door slid open and she saw aligned along the top of the walls a series of torches which when she lit the first caused a chain reaction lighting all the other torches along its path, so placing the lantern on top of the dresser Relena grabbed a torch instead and began to cautiously make her way down the stone path.
Her breath quickened the farther away she got from the bedroom, but it wasn’t necessarily out of fear. She had always been a curious girl who loved a good thrill but as she came upon a heavy wooden door her sense of adventure turned into a sense of foreboding. But still, she proceeded to pull open the door and enter the room. What she saw horrified, and yet, fascinated her.
Along the walls were rows of books. As she scanned her fingers across their spines, she realized the books were mostly science and alchemy books. Obviously they, were necessary, she surmised, since upon the table that centered the room there, were glass tubes and other instruments. Even though she had no clue as to what they were apparently were suppose to be there. Relena made a sour face when she also saw that in many of the glass jars were human and animal parts; some intact while others had been dissected. Whoever managed this room was indeed an interesting character.
Her nose then caught a mild pungent stench and a chill went down her spine as she suddenly realized something was behind her. Whirling around she came to see in the darkest corner of a room a locked cage and inside that locked cage sat a hooded figure, huddled in the back. She brought her hand to her mouth resisting the urge to cry. How awful it was for any creature to be locked away. With caution she approached the bars and knelt down.
“Hello…who are you? My name is Relena…can you speak?” The creature inside stirred and before she could remove her hand from the bar it lashed out and grabbed her.
Relena studied the hand with its tissue thin flesh that though still intact, felt as if it would tear under the slightest strain. She had always prided herself as one to not easily panic but, right now she truly felt faint as if she would lose her stomach. The grip was tight as the figure moved toward her and out of the darkness she could see the glint of an eye; she shook off her initial shock and tried again.
“Please, I’m not here to harm you…I want to help but you’ll have to let go and trust me.”
“Why should I trust you? My own mother betrayed me. I should simply kill you or worse yet scream and have “him” find you. He likes to take apart pretty things you know.”
Momentarily speechless, her fear was slowly turning to sympathy for the man in the cage. He was a lonely outcast, something to be ridiculed and abused-so much like she, not so long ago. She gently placed her other hand over his and drew a breath to try and compose her body.
“I’m so sorry, but please believe me I mean you no harm. Let me go and I’ll find a way to get you out. There must be keys around here somewhere.”
For a second the figure hesitated but then loosed his grip so that Relena could slip her hand away and as she rose to her feet her eyes scanned the room until they came across a metal ring with a lone skeleton key.
“Well, that makes matters easy enough doesn’t it?” She smiled grasping the key and kneeling back down to fiddle with the lock.
“How do you know once you release me I won’t kill you?”
Popping the lock she waited a split second before opening the door staring into the black darkness of the hood.
“I don’t know that you won’t, but even I came to realize at some point and time you have to trust other people…besides try anything and you might find yourself in for quite a fight.”
She smiled again opening the door. “Now let’s get you out of there shall we?”
He accepted her outstretched hand and allowed her to pull him forward, never in his short life had he been shown such kindness. It made him want to cry but his tears had long ago dried. He knew who she was and what had been planned and in return for her kindness he would help her too.
“My name is not important, but the information I have is.” He released her and strode across the room opening a wooden trunk and pulling out of it a rather large scrap book tied with velvet string.
“Take this I feel you must read the contents inside but not here…you have to escape yourself or the outcome will not be good for you or the wolves.”
“What…what are talking about? How do you know so much being trapped as you were?”
“The cage has been my home for only the past week. Until then I had been instrumental in carrying out part of the Queen’s plans, but as you can see by my appearance I became more of a liability to my mother then anything.”
Stunned even more, Relena found herself stammering. “Y, your mother is…but how? She’s so young and you must be...”
A snort came from the cloaked man interrupting her words. “In reality I am only a few months old, but something went wrong in the old man’s alchemy and I am as you see me. I was never born in the natural sense…I’m merely a pawn a form of another man who is in fact my supposed father, King Milliardo. I was to be used in the blackmailing of him to give his lands over to my mother. I’m slowly dying, eventually my rotting organs will fail and then…”
“Stop…please, you don’t have to go any further. Your pain is obvious and I sensed right away that her Majesty is a wicked woman…but to put such an innocent through so much.”
His hand on her shoulder stilled her. “Don’t feel sorry for me because the reason for my being here can save you…one who has been so kind.”
She reached up and into the cloak, smoothing the face that she could not see. It felt so old and gnarled; her heart broke.
“If it’s any consolation I would think your father to be kind for you to be so gentle a person.”
Just then their quiet moment was shattered as the door flung open. There stood an even older looking man-though how much was human and how much was metal Relena couldn’t really tell.
“Well, well, seems like the beauty always finds the beasts, I see. But you know, once the pretty flesh is peeled away underneath we all look like beasts.”
The hooded man stepped in front of Relena to shield her.
“I’ll kill you if you even try to touch her!”
Dr. J’s laugh was sinister. “So the freak becomes the hero now? How pathetic. I created you boy…I can destroy you too.”
“Obviously, you’ve never heard of the scenario where the creation turns on its creator.” With those words the mystery man advanced and with one blow the doctor was brought down to his knees, dead.
Relena stepped back watching as the one she had released pulled a blade from Dr. J’s gut. The figure then rose and grasped her hand.
“We should hurry. I’ll take you to the stables.”
“Stables..?”
“You need a fast horse if you are to catch up with the wolves in time.”
She followed him hastily, for a decaying body he sure was fast she thought, though his words chilled her.
“Heero…and the others, they’re in danger?”
The duo stopped short at the door way of a secret exist, the stranger placed his hands upon Relena’s shoulders. “Just across the way, about 30 feet are the stables. Take the white mare with gray spots, she’s the fastest.”
“But what about you…where are you…?” It was just then that she realized during their run that the man’s cloak had come partially pulled back. She saw his face and though shocking she could only feel sorrow for him.
“Don’t worry. I have some unfinished business with my mother. Needless to say, the Queen won’t be a problem for anyone much longer.”
“Take care, brave prince.” Relena had to stand on her tiptoes in order to kiss his cheek. He pulled her into a hug.
“Thank you…brave princess.”
They then parted, the wolf girl running with the book he had given her held tightly in her arms. Once to the stables she quickly saddled the horse and tied the book in the saddle bag and raced full speed ahead, faster then what the guards would be able to catch her.
Meanwhile back inside the Queen’s chamber she was roused to wake by a presence and when she lit the lamp and looked around she strangled a scream as looming before her was the face of death and in his hand he held a dagger.
“What? You monster! Out of my room before I call the guards!”
“Is that anyway to greet your only son, mommy?”
“You’re insane! I’ll kill you!”
“Insanity…homicidal tendencies…the need for bloody revenge…must get that from your side.”
Mariemeia tried her best to cower into the corner of her room but still her son advanced until he pinned her against the wall, blade to her neck.
“I’m warning you brat...guards!”
“Oh they can’t help you mommy…no one can.
TBC…
Gundam Wing and its characters don’t belong to me.
Latest installment of Blood Stone.
Some gore and squick and angst. Hopefully this story is coming to an end soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was still dark when Relena awoke. Heero was no longer beside her, having left for war about thirty minutes before and though the young woman had desperately tried to go back to sleep her mind continued to whirl with worry and fear not only for herself, but Heero as well. Something inside of her could just not fully trust her Majesty. She lit the lamp beside the bed and scanned the room looking for anything to try and distract her mind from her woes when she suddenly remembered the secret passage she had found earlier. Grabbing her night coat and slipping on her shoes she grabbed the lamp and made her way across the room.
The door slid open and she saw aligned along the top of the walls a series of torches which when she lit the first caused a chain reaction lighting all the other torches along its path, so placing the lantern on top of the dresser Relena grabbed a torch instead and began to cautiously make her way down the stone path.
Her breath quickened the farther away she got from the bedroom, but it wasn’t necessarily out of fear. She had always been a curious girl who loved a good thrill but as she came upon a heavy wooden door her sense of adventure turned into a sense of foreboding. But still, she proceeded to pull open the door and enter the room. What she saw horrified, and yet, fascinated her.
Along the walls were rows of books. As she scanned her fingers across their spines, she realized the books were mostly science and alchemy books. Obviously they, were necessary, she surmised, since upon the table that centered the room there, were glass tubes and other instruments. Even though she had no clue as to what they were apparently were suppose to be there. Relena made a sour face when she also saw that in many of the glass jars were human and animal parts; some intact while others had been dissected. Whoever managed this room was indeed an interesting character.
Her nose then caught a mild pungent stench and a chill went down her spine as she suddenly realized something was behind her. Whirling around she came to see in the darkest corner of a room a locked cage and inside that locked cage sat a hooded figure, huddled in the back. She brought her hand to her mouth resisting the urge to cry. How awful it was for any creature to be locked away. With caution she approached the bars and knelt down.
“Hello…who are you? My name is Relena…can you speak?” The creature inside stirred and before she could remove her hand from the bar it lashed out and grabbed her.
Relena studied the hand with its tissue thin flesh that though still intact, felt as if it would tear under the slightest strain. She had always prided herself as one to not easily panic but, right now she truly felt faint as if she would lose her stomach. The grip was tight as the figure moved toward her and out of the darkness she could see the glint of an eye; she shook off her initial shock and tried again.
“Please, I’m not here to harm you…I want to help but you’ll have to let go and trust me.”
“Why should I trust you? My own mother betrayed me. I should simply kill you or worse yet scream and have “him” find you. He likes to take apart pretty things you know.”
Momentarily speechless, her fear was slowly turning to sympathy for the man in the cage. He was a lonely outcast, something to be ridiculed and abused-so much like she, not so long ago. She gently placed her other hand over his and drew a breath to try and compose her body.
“I’m so sorry, but please believe me I mean you no harm. Let me go and I’ll find a way to get you out. There must be keys around here somewhere.”
For a second the figure hesitated but then loosed his grip so that Relena could slip her hand away and as she rose to her feet her eyes scanned the room until they came across a metal ring with a lone skeleton key.
“Well, that makes matters easy enough doesn’t it?” She smiled grasping the key and kneeling back down to fiddle with the lock.
“How do you know once you release me I won’t kill you?”
Popping the lock she waited a split second before opening the door staring into the black darkness of the hood.
“I don’t know that you won’t, but even I came to realize at some point and time you have to trust other people…besides try anything and you might find yourself in for quite a fight.”
She smiled again opening the door. “Now let’s get you out of there shall we?”
He accepted her outstretched hand and allowed her to pull him forward, never in his short life had he been shown such kindness. It made him want to cry but his tears had long ago dried. He knew who she was and what had been planned and in return for her kindness he would help her too.
“My name is not important, but the information I have is.” He released her and strode across the room opening a wooden trunk and pulling out of it a rather large scrap book tied with velvet string.
“Take this I feel you must read the contents inside but not here…you have to escape yourself or the outcome will not be good for you or the wolves.”
“What…what are talking about? How do you know so much being trapped as you were?”
“The cage has been my home for only the past week. Until then I had been instrumental in carrying out part of the Queen’s plans, but as you can see by my appearance I became more of a liability to my mother then anything.”
Stunned even more, Relena found herself stammering. “Y, your mother is…but how? She’s so young and you must be...”
A snort came from the cloaked man interrupting her words. “In reality I am only a few months old, but something went wrong in the old man’s alchemy and I am as you see me. I was never born in the natural sense…I’m merely a pawn a form of another man who is in fact my supposed father, King Milliardo. I was to be used in the blackmailing of him to give his lands over to my mother. I’m slowly dying, eventually my rotting organs will fail and then…”
“Stop…please, you don’t have to go any further. Your pain is obvious and I sensed right away that her Majesty is a wicked woman…but to put such an innocent through so much.”
His hand on her shoulder stilled her. “Don’t feel sorry for me because the reason for my being here can save you…one who has been so kind.”
She reached up and into the cloak, smoothing the face that she could not see. It felt so old and gnarled; her heart broke.
“If it’s any consolation I would think your father to be kind for you to be so gentle a person.”
Just then their quiet moment was shattered as the door flung open. There stood an even older looking man-though how much was human and how much was metal Relena couldn’t really tell.
“Well, well, seems like the beauty always finds the beasts, I see. But you know, once the pretty flesh is peeled away underneath we all look like beasts.”
The hooded man stepped in front of Relena to shield her.
“I’ll kill you if you even try to touch her!”
Dr. J’s laugh was sinister. “So the freak becomes the hero now? How pathetic. I created you boy…I can destroy you too.”
“Obviously, you’ve never heard of the scenario where the creation turns on its creator.” With those words the mystery man advanced and with one blow the doctor was brought down to his knees, dead.
Relena stepped back watching as the one she had released pulled a blade from Dr. J’s gut. The figure then rose and grasped her hand.
“We should hurry. I’ll take you to the stables.”
“Stables..?”
“You need a fast horse if you are to catch up with the wolves in time.”
She followed him hastily, for a decaying body he sure was fast she thought, though his words chilled her.
“Heero…and the others, they’re in danger?”
The duo stopped short at the door way of a secret exist, the stranger placed his hands upon Relena’s shoulders. “Just across the way, about 30 feet are the stables. Take the white mare with gray spots, she’s the fastest.”
“But what about you…where are you…?” It was just then that she realized during their run that the man’s cloak had come partially pulled back. She saw his face and though shocking she could only feel sorrow for him.
“Don’t worry. I have some unfinished business with my mother. Needless to say, the Queen won’t be a problem for anyone much longer.”
“Take care, brave prince.” Relena had to stand on her tiptoes in order to kiss his cheek. He pulled her into a hug.
“Thank you…brave princess.”
They then parted, the wolf girl running with the book he had given her held tightly in her arms. Once to the stables she quickly saddled the horse and tied the book in the saddle bag and raced full speed ahead, faster then what the guards would be able to catch her.
Meanwhile back inside the Queen’s chamber she was roused to wake by a presence and when she lit the lamp and looked around she strangled a scream as looming before her was the face of death and in his hand he held a dagger.
“What? You monster! Out of my room before I call the guards!”
“Is that anyway to greet your only son, mommy?”
“You’re insane! I’ll kill you!”
“Insanity…homicidal tendencies…the need for bloody revenge…must get that from your side.”
Mariemeia tried her best to cower into the corner of her room but still her son advanced until he pinned her against the wall, blade to her neck.
“I’m warning you brat...guards!”
“Oh they can’t help you mommy…no one can.
TBC…