20-Feb-2000
OK, so my Muse is at it again. This idea came to me while working onsome other fics. Almost done with part 2 ofthe FF/GW fic and two others. Hope to post on Monday. Sorry forbeing so slow.
Disclaimer: I don't own GW. I'm poor. This story is forentertainment only. It is AU and has violence, religion, andyaoi. If you can't deal, don't read. P.S. why is it no one canremember my name? Should I change to somethingflashy?
Upon the Cross by Phoenix
3217 A.A.
She watched them crucify the man. It was their standard punishmentfor transgressions. This man was special, though. He had dared to seduce their Guardian into an 'unnatural'relationship. The braided man had come to town with atraveling circus. Beautiful to behold, quick witted, and with anopen personality, the townspeople disliked himimmediately. Except for the Guardian. Over a week, the two hadbecome friends then lovers. Unfortunately for thepair, a woman wanted to marry the Guardian and told the town leaders.
Both had been arrested, but only this man would face any punishment. The town could not afford to lose their bestwarrior, so it was decided that the longhaired traveler was a witchand had used magic to force their Guardian. He'dbeen beaten and tortured and not the final part of the punishment wasbeing administered.
The man hardly flinched as they drove the stakes through his handsand feet. Drifting in and out of consciousness, heprobably didn't even register the extra pain. There was nothing shecould do as they finished. She would have to waituntil everyone left and then hope he was still alive. Her bloodburned when a man, in an extra act of cruelty, cut off thelong braid. It took every ounce of self-control to keep from rushingfrom her hiding place and killing him.
The tormentors stood and looked at their handy work and the womangrew more and more tense. There were timesshe couldn't save anyone because they died before she could get tothem. Her anger grew with each passing second. One day she was going to have to kill those circus people. This wasthe fourth time they had led someone like this manto this town.
They brought people here and left them. Men and women. If theycould be used, the townspeople used them. Once,they'd brought a woman named Lina Inverse and tried to force her tomarry someone. When she refused, they'd hadthe wedding anyway and the man raped her on their wedding night. Lina had cut his dick off the next morning. Theycrucified her the same day. The redheaded woman was fine now, but ithad been a long road to recovery. There weretoo many coincidences like that one. It was definitely planned. Thelast one had been almost gone by the time she'dgotten him home.
He'd been an animal tamer. For his crime, loving Mayor Barton's sonTrowa, they'd taken his voice and all of hisbeautiful blond hair. Still, those two had a happy ending. Mostly. Quatre couldn't talk, but Trowa found him anywayand understood the words not spoken. She was having serious doubtsabout this one, however. The longer these menstayed, the less likely the man on the cross would survive.
Finally, everyone left. Moving like the wind, she reached the crossand cast a levitation spell. The man was stillbreathing. She was in the process of removing the stakes from hishands when she felt it; a tingling along her neck thattold her someone was watching. Spinning around, she prep threedeadly spells and prayed the watcher wasn't a townsorcerer. It wasn't.
Standing on a hill over looking the cross, about a mile away, stood aman. His serious, closed face and short hairmarked him as the town's Guardian. Casting a spell for sight, shecould see the bruises on the man and the remnants ofropes on his arms and legs. They'd tied him up to keep him fromhere. For a moment, she thought he may have cometo save his lover, then she saw the weapons. The man was carrying acrossbow, pointed at her, a large sword, andthere were throwing knives in his boots. He'd come here to keep hislover from suffering.
Predictable. The man would not abandon the town. Although he musthate the adults, he would never do anything thatwould cause the children to suffer. No, this man would stay. Itmight kill his soul, but he couldn't do anything to hurtchildren. Poor guy.
Somehow, she knew he could see her clearly. 'I will save him,' shemouthed to the silent figure. 'I will take him to aplace where he can heal. I promise you, no harm will come to him. In time, I will find a way for you to be together. Please trust me.'
Seconds passed and the crossbow remained pointed at her. Maybe hewould kill them both. Maybe he regrettedloving this man. However, just as she began to prepare a defense andattack spell, the man nodded and lowered theweapon. A groan pulled her attention from the watcher and back toman on the cross. Cobalt blue eyes dulled by paintried to focus on her.
"Duo," the man gasped, "Is Duo safe?"
"Shh," she soothed. "My name is Shiva. I'm here to help you."
The man smiled at her. "I'm Heero. Pleased to meet you." Then hepassed out. It took very little time to remove thestakes and she opened the gate to her homeland. Stepping through,she took one last look at the figure on the hill. Tears slowly ran from violet eyes. "I will find a way for you to betogether," she promised and closed the gate.
So what do you think?
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