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The Lyrebird War. Chapter two.

~ By Sweetdeily.

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I have learnt to ignore the aching pain as the man pushes into my small, tight body. I have learnt to adjust to the bruises and the searing pain that jolts its way up my spine every time I move.

I have learnt to stare blankly, not to struggle or make a sound. To be a rag doll.

To pretend I don’t care when the other servants who clean and wash my body stare at me as if I am some sort of strange creature.

They tried to feed me at one stage, but I regurgitated it and they had more to clean so they did not bother giving me the dead meat again.

My body is becoming thin and drawn, my eyes glow eerily and they fear to touch me sometimes. Once or twice birds came into the room; I touched them and threw their unmoving forms away. Not enough of the substance from the small animal to help me, but just enough to stay alive on.

I know, lying still and unmoving on the bed, staring at nothingness that my bones will be broken soon. I can see smoke on the horizon. Yet it pleases me that I am the only one who knows what comes this night. I glance at the silver dagger on the table, knowing the words I will say.

The day draws slowly on, pinks and reds and oranges dotting the sky, in the distance, grey smoke stands out brilliantly against the evening sky. My long hair tangles with the bed sheets beneath me and still I stare on, simply staring out the window. Waiting. Always I am waiting.

The door bangs open and I flinch despite myself. I cannot help the flinch, but I know it is seen.

“Scared, little whore?” He slurs, drunken beyond belief.

“No.” I reply.

He blinks a few times, unused to me speaking. I have been silent other than the occasional scream the first time he took my delicate body.

“What! You dare answer back to me you slut!” He roars.

“You asked me a question.”

He growls and strides forward, grabbing hold of my wrists.

There is a split second in which I know he is going to break one of my wrists, before he does. I scream. I cannot help it. Seeing something and then having it happen are very different. It hurts. It hurts like fire all the way up my arm, it hurts my spine, and my spine hurts from what he has done to me, and all I can do is scream and scream.

He laughs and moves my wrists around, jarring the broken one horribly. I sob loudly, it hurts, Gods above it hurts!

“Not so brave now are we, you little bitch, eh? Are we?”

I grit my teeth, trying not to whine in pain. “Fuck you.” My voice is low and edgy and I bite the words out between sobs.

He hits my face and releases me; I fall back to the bed, jarring my spine further. All I can do is make a high pitched wailing sound from the pain, my dry throat unable to form much else.

“I’ll show you! Fucking whore brat!” he snarls and then strides out of the room. I gasp in air, still sobbing and wailing from the pain all up my spine and in my hand now. I roll around on the bed before gasping in great chunks of air. Then I breath out and in normally, sob once and hop off the bed, letting my broken wrist stay where it is on my body as I kneel and excruciatingly lifting the bed slightly and getting out the thin piece of metal I had once before picked the chain on my ankle with. My arm feels like white hot fire as I move, my body burning from the pain in the base of my spine. I fumble with the piece of metal a few times, bringing it into the lock with blurry eyes, I breathe in and out slowly.

I must not rush! Gasping softly I shudder and shove the metal in, and begin twisting. I should have run away when I had the chance, nothing could possibly be worth such pain.

The lock finally clicks and the chains fall off just as I hear his footsteps returning and the sound of Hilde sobbing. Biting my lip against the pain I grab the little silver dagger on the dressing table and stand, I bite through my lip in pain as I do this and I walk to the door.

He opens the door and I jump forward, aiming upward, upward! Hilde ducks down just in time and I stab him right through the chest, digging the dagger in as deep as possible. The shockwaves of the metal grating against flesh and organ race up my body and I fight to push it deeper, deeper.

His eyes go wide before he slumps forward, I scramble out of his way, fire and ice freezing and burning up my body from the pain of my movements.

It is all over in a matter of seconds. So quickly I barely have time to avoid touching his body as it crashes to the floor.

Hilde simply stands there, mute as it were. “He’s unmoving. He’s unmoving. He’s unmoving. He’s unmoving …” I can’t seem to stop saying the words; I clutch my broken wrist to my chest, crying a few tears from the pain at touching my wrist.

Gods, he’s unmoving.

I don’t think it fully sinks in for a few more moments; Hilde just stares at his body.

We hear shouting down the hall and I jump from the sounds, unused to so much noise, so loud, my blood rushing in my ears.

“Dead…”

“He’s dead.” I say again, to her this time.

“No, no, no, no! Can’t be dead, too good, too good. No, no, no, no!” She says it all to fast.

“Dead! Dead! Dead! Dead!” I say back at her.

“Dead...? No! No! No! Not good enough! Not good enough. Daddy… no, leave me alone daddy!” She screams then and I watch her for a moment before screaming too.

“NO! Hilde! He’s gone! He’s unmoving! I made him unmoving! Hilde! Unmoving!”

We stop and we stay very still. Perhaps if we were not seriously having mental breakdowns we would laugh like normal nine year old children. But we don’t. We just stare at one another. We just stare and breathe in and out loud enough for each other to hear. Eyes unmoving from each other’s faces.

“Duo, I love you, Duo.” She says.

I look at her for a long moment. “… I want to go now Hilde. I don’t want the war Hilde… I don’t want… to… to…”

We just stand there, staring, before she turns, as if possessed. “This way Duo, this way, we can go to my room Duo… you need clothing.” Her voice is high and musical and she smiles like a child, not looking any where but my face.

I smile back and we begin to walk, we go to her room.

It hurts. It hurts so much that I just smile and pretend it doesn’t hurt. Because it can’t hurt for much longer… right?

She takes me to her room and opens her closet. “Duo, Duo you can wear these pants, Duo. Do you love me Duo?” She holds out a pair of pants, I think they are her brother’s. I put the pants on and pick out a scarf from the closet, using it to tie my arm around my neck. She moves closer and smiles more. “I’ll fix your arm if you want, Duo.”

I nodded and she re-breaks it, all the while smiling.

I stop smiling and I scream, I scream loudly and she just smiles at me.

We sit on her bed, the door is closed and we just sit there for a long moment before she stops smiling, before she realizes that her father is dead. Then she cries.

I don’t cry. I can’t cry, I can only sit there and breath in and out quickly.

It hurts. It hurts so much that I can hardly breathe. My wrist is blue and swollen.

I can’t see the future. And I’m scared. And it hurts.

But The War is coming. And we need to go soon.

But not right now. Right now it’s allowed to hurt. And it hurts like acid.

“You killed him Duo.” Hilde finally says. She’s stopped crying now.

“Yes, like I told you I would, Hilde.”

“I love you, Duo.”

“I want to go now.”

“We can’t leave without Quatre.”

“Let’s take Quatre with us then, Hilde. Then, then we can wait.”

“We need food first. You’re hurt Duo. Who hurt you?”

“No one. No one, Hilde. I’m fine. Lets get your food than.”

“I hurt you, didn’t I? Just then?” She asks.

I lie to her. “No you didn’t, you’ve been here, for a while Hilde. In your room.”

“I have?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go, Duo.”

“Alright.”

She stands and I stand too. My body throbs in pain and I cry silently as we walk. Each step is agony. Each movement, torture.

It hurts so much.

We manage to get to her brother’s room, just as the chaos erupts in the palace. People run around screaming about the King being dead and armies approaching, and something about a child being right. We open her brother’s door and walk over to him, unchaining him from his bed.

He can’t speak just yet; he probably won’t for a long time. But he follows us without question as we go to get food from the kitchens.

He isn’t wearing any clothing, but he doesn’t notice.

No one is in the kitchen and we grab a full block of cheese, a loaf of bread and fill a big horn full of juice. I pick up a piece of cooking roast and give it to Quatre, he eats very slowly, and just looks at me in thanks.

We begin to head out of the kitchen and I see a cloak hanging by the door, I grab it and give it to Quatre. He blinks and I wrap it around his body myself.

We go outside and Hilde leads us to the ponies. She and her brother mount two of the ponies bareback, but I just slip into a pair of large boots near us.

“Duo, why don’t you ride with us?”

“I can’t, Hilde. Animals don’t like me.”

“Oh.” She shrugs and follows me as we walk out of the castle and then eastward, we head away from the city, toward a little village. She and her brother are wide eyed and seem to just be unable to speak. I feel upset, I am very upset.

It hurts.

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We don’t stop riding, long into the night, covering a lot of ground for little children. Not a single person passes us on the road and I am feeling weak from the lack of essence in my body. We stop moving when it becomes light and we hop off the middle of the road, Hilde and Quatre huddle together and fall asleep as best as they can. I just stand there, watching them as the dawn comes. Then I move a bit, looking for somewhere to wash. My hands have red stuff on them. I find a stream not to far away and I take off my clothing, even the scarf over the painful wrist. I think it needs to be supported somehow because it hurts a great deal still.

I step into the water and shiver, the water is cold, but I keep going in, until it hurts my skin to be so cold, and then I go under, I come back up quickly and hop out, laying down on the bank, letting the sun wash over me. It is very cold.

My arm is numb a little now.

I close my eyes, I feel bad, and so I want to close my eyes until I feel better.

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I wake to hear a strange sound.

The sound of laughter.

I open my eyes, hissing as I see sunlight, feeling the red seep into my eyes as I sit up and look around.

A strange boy my age is sitting near me and laughing at something I can’t see. He stops as I wake up and he blinks. “Wow, those are pretty freaky eyes you’ve got there.” He says.

I blink.

“Who are you?” I ask, unused to not knowing someone. His hair is black and tied back into a pony tail, he wears several layers of clothing and he looks healthy.

“I am Wufei Chang. Are you the infamous Duo these two were telling me about?” Wufei motions to Hilde and Quatre, who are awake now, they look happy, and normal. I don’t understand how they can feel that way.

“My name is Duo.” I answer.

He grins and sticks out a hand. “Nice to meet you!”

I stare at his hand. “I don’t want to make you unmoving.”

“Huh?”

“If I touch you… when I need to as much as I do right now… you won’t get up. Hilde says it’s ‘dead’.” I say, hopefully he isn’t offended.

He laughs again. “That’s a good excuse for your hand to be broken.”

I blink. “My wrist is broken.” I feel tears coming unbidden to my eyes. “He… oh god… he’s unmoving…” I whisper the words out, almost horrified at what I have done.

“Who?” Wufei asks. He looks around and picks up a stick, he gives it to Hilde. “Use the scarf and strap this to his hand and arm.”

Hilde is careful not to touch my skin and suddenly my wrist feels a little better as she does as Wufei directs. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you, Duo? I think I did.” She asks me.

“No Hilde, you were always in your room, like a good girl.” I say.

Wufei smiles again. “My papa and my mother and my sickly grandpa are heading to the city; do you guys need a lift?”

I shake my head at him. “No, we’re escaping the city. Hilde is a princess.”

Wufei ohhs and Hilde blushes, laughing. Quatre laughs, a high musical sound. I feel sorry for him.

“I wish I could be with a princess when I die.” Wufei says quietly.

I alarm as he says this and I look up quickly. His dark eyes are twinkling at me and I know who he is suddenly.

“…Hilde isn’t very special… Wufei.” I say slowly, carefully.

“People don’t have to be special to like them… Duo.” He says back. Almost tauntingly.

“You should tell me when you die then…” I say, almost bitterly. I don’t know why, but for some reason I feel as if I should be taking orders from him.

“I’ll do that, Shini- Duo.” He says. “I should go now though, my sickly grandpa might not last much longer. We’re just over the hill, resting for the midday lunch.”

Then he vanishes in a puff of green smoke.

Hilde and Quatre gasp and squeal.

I just sigh. He doesn’t really have a family I think. I stand and go over the hill, my thin and drawn body drawing attention to itself as I look about. An old man is sitting down by a campfire, smoking a pipe. I feel myself drawn forward and I take a few steps down the hill toward him. He looks up and sees me. “By the gods! Child! Come closer! You poor thing, you look gaunt! Have ‘ye any parents?” He speaks.

I let him continue asking questions as I move closer, holding out a hand for him.

Hilde and Quatre appear on the hill, and Hilde stops Quatre from coming closer. I can hear her whisper in a warning tone. “No little brother, Duo is hungry.”

The man touches my hand and I feel instantly better, my eyes glow briefly and strength floods through my body. I am a little bit taller suddenly. My body fills out once more, returning to its ethereal beauty. The man falls to the ground. Unmoving or dead.

Hilde smiles when I turn around. I feel a lot better. I can’t feel my arm hurting any more, and I know if I take substance from someone else soon, the wrist will heal much quicker then normal.

“I feel better, Hilde. Let’s go to your town.” Hilde smiles and I dress again, I grab a cloak the old man had near him and I wrap myself in it. Quatre stays away from me but hops on the pony with his sister.

I also take the few golden coins that the old man had on him too.

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It is raining as we make it into a town, night settles around the hills and the rain is probably cold. Hilde and Quatre shiver from the cold water, yet it refuses to touch me.

I find only one tavern in the town and I lead the pony and its riders to the establishment.

I give a gold coin to the stable boy, who is older than us, but says nothing as he takes the pony to feed and house it. We huddle close and head into the tavern. Quatre and Hilde seem to be glad for the noise, as I did not speak to them as we journeyed. I want to stay outside but because I am in charge they drag me in.

The room is smelly and full of pipe smoke. The ground has crumbs all over it and there is only one barmaid who seems very overworked and runs around, slapping hands off her body as she does so. My eyes are normal color once more so I can see everything. This is the place Hilde will stay in for several years before I come back for her. Hilde seems in awe of the place and she smiles at several other children that play infront of the fire. She and Quatre go to join them while I approach the bar.

The big barman actually sees me and smiles. “We don’t serve ale to little guests. Especially ones we can’t see.” He says in a friendly way. He peers at me, trying to see into the folds of the cloak I wear.

“I don’t drink, so I wont ask.” I reply.

He chuckles and leans forward. “So what are ‘ye after, little’n?”

“My friend Hilde needs a place to live in for several years… we were told this was a good place to seek. She wishes to become a barmaid and she knows what people want.”

He chuckles more. “An’ how old is your friend.”

“Very young by basic standards. But this is very important. She is special.”

He raises an eyebrow. I am not winning him over very well. “What kind of special?”

“The wrongly touched, Princess of Alasa kind of special, good sir.” I say.

His eyes widen impossibly. “You jest!” He hisses.

I shake my head. “I can show you her birthmark.”

He frowns, thoughtfully. “How would you have come across this Princess, stranger?” He no longer believes me to be a child playing around. Good. “A very painful story, it has to do with the approaching war. Unless you write books, I find it irrelevant to tell you as of now.”

He alarms now. “I’ll have naught to do with causing a war young master.”

“The war has already been caused. The King is dead and all the heirs to the throne are in danger. You will soon hear rumors of these things…”

He is silent, someone leans across to ask for a drink and he shoos them away ungracefully. “Not now. I’m thinkin’.”

“Please, sir, this is of great importance.”

“You say only for a few years?” He asks me skeptically.

I breathe out in relief and nod. “Yes. By that time I will return and take her with me. Please… never speak of her father around her, and tell her she was a good girl when-” Hilde interrupts me suddenly with a burst of laughter and a smile. “Come to the fireplace Duo! There is a kitten and we’re watching it play with a ball of string.” She smiles nicely at me and tugs on my cloak covered arm.

I struggle with her. “Not right now, Hilde. I’m talking to your employer.”

Her eyes widen and she lets go. “Oh… that.”

I nodded and she lets go, backing away somewhat reluctantly.

The barman watches her go and looks back at me. “When what?” He asks.

“When Duo got hurt. I will pay you three gold coins now and three hundred and fifty when I collect her, as long as she has been treated well and is in good health.” I finish.

He thinks for a long moment before nodding. “Very well.”

I breathe out loudly and slump, wincing as a sharp pain from my arm alerts me that I cannot afford too much luxury in my movements. I give him four gold coins and point to the fourth. “I would like a room for the night for her brother. He will be leaving with me on the morrow.”

The man nods again and I let him see my eyes, I wink and smile, even though he does not see the smile. “Thank you kind sir.”

His eyes widen when he catches sight of my lavender orbs but he nods again. “We are serving soup this evening, shall I feed your charges?” I nod again before heading off to a back corner of the bar and sitting at a table, slumping forward softly, a sharp pain in my behind reminds me that I am not quite properly healed.

I manage to be left alone for a few good hours, in which Hilde and Quatre join me at the table and eat soup. I can tell the barman is watching us. They chatter and I just rest my tired body. Someone else is watching me from across the room, and I wait several hours before I send Quatre and Hilde to bed. Hilde kisses me as she leaves to her new room.

“I’m sorry Duo… I didn’t have a choice.”

I whisper back to her. “I know, Hilde. I’ll tell you about my life when we see each other again.”

She leaves.

The person that had been watching me from across the bar moves closer and towers over me. “Eh’ kid, what’s under the cloak?”

I know he has bad intentions. “Sit down across from me and I’ll show you.” I say softly. He grins and sits.

I check the tavern. We are the only two left, the barman is off in the kitchen and the maid is tucking my… friends in.

I throw back my hood and smile before I reach out and touch him.

His eyes go wide before he slumps. I take his money and slip out of the tavern, heading toward the stables and laying atop the roof.

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Quatre is silent as we journey, he only makes soft sounds when he is hungry, a soft grunt to ask to stop and rest every now and then. I find he drags me back, his body is weak and he cannot journey very far for great amounts of time. He shies away from me when I go to touch him, and I tell him I will not kill him. He says he doesn’t want to be touched by any other boys and I nod.

We journey for weeks and weeks, and rumors of war spread as we journey, already I hear the words echoed in every tavern.

“They are taking Lyrebirds… the armies are fighting a few days travel away from here I wonder if we’ll see any Lyrebirds… Lyrebirds… Lyrebirds… The War of the Lyrebird… someone died in the last battle…”

Quatre seems to gain some confidence and he begins to grow. One day he turns to me and sets down a mug of ale. “Duo…” I look up tiredly at him. “What is it?”

“I’m scared. I want to see Hilde.”

I shake my head. “You can’t… not for a few years. We should go to the war zone soon.” I say off topic.

He blinks and looks at me, his eyes are blue and his skin is pale, he is very pretty and I’ve made him start wearing cloaks like me. “Why?”

I shake my head. “I remember very well… the visions I used to get… that’s where our Destiny waits.”

“I thought that would take years?”

I nod. “Yes, but we cannot sit around and wait years all the time. We must go to destiny… in case it is afraid to come to us.”

“But you said…”

I nod. “We are not going to like our near future destiny.”

Quatre shivers and finishes his meal. “…I’m relieved you killed papa.”

I look at him. “…it’s going to get worse before it gets better. He won’t find you for a long while.”

Quatre nods. “But you’ll be there… right Duo?”

I lie again. “Yes, I won’t leave your side. Everything will be alright, Quatre.”

~ To Be Continued…

Sweet notes: ack, angst ridden! Don’t worry, it does get better. Only a few more chapters of this shit before we get good. Reviews…?