Guard vs. Mage Part 5

Heero wished he didn't feel like a huge target up at the drake's back. Sure, it was faster than a horse- but if there was someone out there hunting them... Well, it was almost impossible to miss a large flying reptile.

"Can you steady me for a minute?" Duo asked, looking back over his shoulder. "I want to put a little spell on us, but I need to trance out a minute to do it."

"Of course." Heero settled himself a little more firmly in the saddle and tightened his hold on Duo's waist. Much to his surprise, the mage leaned back against him, bracing himself against Heero's chest.

"Thanks- it will just be a minute." Duo's eyes closed and Heero hung on to him. He kept his gaze on Celia's neck, breathing in time with her wing beats, hoping that nothing attacked them when Duo was out. Her neck seemed to blur and he blinked, trying to clear his eyes.

Nothing changed. He didn't dare let go of Duo to rub them, and blinking rapidly didn't help. Everything seemed a little blurry now...

Before he could think to worry, Duo's eyes opened. "There we go. Thought we needed a little better shielding."

Ah. "Is that why everything's blurry?"

"Yes- it's a sort of 'don't see me' spell- I was feeling like a big target up here."

Heero breathed a sigh of relief. He should've known Duo would feel the same way. The mage was more paranoid than he was.

"Now that we have a moment-" Duo turned his head slightly and lifted his eyebrow at Heero. "Care to explain why you aren't burned to a crisp? You weren't under my shields- and that bolt hit you- I know it did!"

"It did." Heero tapped the metal ax that hung at his throat. "I just had a little extra protection."

Duo frowned and brushed his fingers over the necklace. His eyes widened. "That's some very potent- and very expensive- magic. How did you get that? I couldn't even sense it-"

"My father gave it to me as a going away gift." Heero's lips quirked in a faint smile. "He said I'd already failed him by not having the sense to be born with his mage gift- so the least I could do was survive in my chosen profession."

"Your father is a mage?"

"Yes."

Duo touched the necklace again. "Did he craft this? It takes a lot of power-"

"He did." Heero chuckled. "He said the only reason he wasted so much power on it was because I looked enough like my mother to make him sentimental. Though it only protects me against magic- he said protecting me from non-magical weapons too would just make me soft."

"Still- this sort of thing can't be made by just anyone. He must be powerful. Was he worried about his enemies coming after you?"

Heero shook his head. "Father has lots of children- and he lets it be known that he can always have more. I don't think he's ever really let himself get attached to any of us. But at the same time, he does what he can for us. Most of my siblings inherited his mage gift and he sent them off to other enclaves for training."

"Why didn't he teach them?"

"Too tempting- he says it's easier not to have to worry about one of them overreaching themselves, but I suspect it was his way of getting us out of his sphere of influence- as well as giving him contacts at other enclaves."

"Which one is he at?"

"River- up in the mountains- to the east of here."

"I've heard of that one- it's supposed to be run by this terrible old man. How does your father get on with him?"

"Well, considering my father runs the enclave, pretty well I suppose."

Duo groaned. "Sorry-"

"It's okay. Father is a terrible old man. He says so himself- all the time."

"He sounds interesting. I'd like to meet him sometime."

"He'd like you."

"Why am I not sure if that's a compliment or an insult?"

"Oh, compliment, definitely," Heero assured him. "Is that the inn we're supposed to be looking for?"

Duo peered over the drake's neck. "I think so. Want to bet that we'll get attacked a few more times before we even see Winner?"

"No, because you would say yes and then I'd have to say no and I'd lose."

"Good point. Well, let's land and see what's in store for us."

~*~

"Sir?"

"Yes?" Winner didn't turn to look at the man in the doorway; his gaze was focused on the book in front of him.

"Maxwell has arrived in the village."

"He made it that far?"

The man chained to the side of the desk laughed. "I told you he would."

Holding back a growl that a prisoner should speak so insolently to his master, Rashid stiffened his spine. "What should we do?"

"Well, if he made it this far he may indeed be the help we need against our enemies. Send a delegation in the morning- see if you can arrange a safe meeting."

"Is this wise?"

"Do you think we can defeat our enemies on our own?"

Rashid shook his head. "No. You're right. I will arrange things as you will." He bowed himself out of the room.

"So you were right," Winner turned to look at his prisoner. "He did make it here. But will he help us?"

"I'm sure if you make the right deal, he will."

Winner sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Ah, but what is the right deal for Maxwell?"

TBC...

 

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