Authors: Deathangelgw and Nightshadow

Disclaimer: They aren't ours...but we can sure as hell play with them!!!

Warnings: AU, slight OOC, sap, dark, angst, language, mention of torture, yaoi, shounen-ai, het

Pairings: Varied, but the main is 2+/x5x2, 1xOCx1, OCx4xOC, 3xOCx3, 6xOC

Rating: Still going strong PG-13!

Note: It has been forever!!! Apologies to everyone who has been waiting so patiently!! RL as well as other things caught up with us but well…here you go!! Enjoy and please review!

'thoughts'

*thoughts*

Four days and one breakfast had past since they'd started this mission and nothing had happened, absolutely nothing. Well, her four-foot had been the victim of an irate squirrel attack, but beyond that, nothing. Shay couldn't decide if she was relieved or even more worried. On the one hand, her preparations had proved unnecessary as had her worry...so far. On the other, it could be that whatever was out there simply hadn't noticed them yet, which was fine by her. She didn't mind remaining unnoticed. There was of course, the option that they were simply riding into a trap and their enemy was biding its time, hoping to catch them off guard or wear them down with this interminable waiting.

That was what was causing the problem. It was an old tactic and well used because quite simply it worked, eventually. Sighing, she tugged lightly at one of the locks of hair that had fallen out of her braid in frustration. This wasn't helping. Nodding, she touched Shetan's neck, giving him the signal to follow Trowa and his mount and raised the other to signal to Trowa and let him know what she was doing. She needed to clear her mind and a short bout of light meditation exercise would be perfect for that. Shetan would keep them moving for the next fifteen minutes or so and Trowa was keen enough to keep watch on his own for that long.

Catching sight of the raised hand, Trowa made a mental note as they neared a village. He stopped, sensing a powerful wave of something that he usually felt around their King wash over him. "Shay, stay yourself on the meditation," he ordered quietly.

"You sense something, don't you? That's why I feel so out of sorts at the moment...Something's here." A quick flick of her wrists had a dagger resting in each hand, the blade glistening with deadly coating as she muttered to herself about the lack in her abilities to sense something's presence beyond a feeling of foreboding. It really was very annoying.

"Aye, we are close. I felt something akin to our King's power," Trowa replied softly as he looked around steadily for the source.

Suddenly, a woman appeared from the foliage and watched them. She was dressed in a long brown robe and her soft brown hair was swept up into a ponytail on her head. Her soft eyes watched them, filled with sorrow and immense wisdom.

Trowa straightened up and urged his horse forward. "Hello there. How can we help?" he asked softly, tilting his head in greeting.

Bowing her head, the stranger spread her hands. "I sensed your coming. You have come for Treize," she answered in a soft husky voice and Trowa immediately stiffened.

"Aye, we have, but unless we stepped through a time warp, we should not be near his position yet. Why do you ask?" Calmly, Shay watched the women in front of them, keeping her body relaxed enough that it would respond quickly to any command. A threat does not always act as a threat after all.

Looking over, the woman bowed her head to them. "After he was killed, I knew what I was to do and left with his body," she replied softly, a hint of moisture in her eyes.

Trowa glanced at Shay before saying, "Can you take us to him?" He smiled as the woman nodded and led the way off the trail on a smaller trail.

Nodding, Shay fell back to take up the rear position. If this woman was telling the truth, then all the better for them and if not, well, that answer was obvious. Something had killed Treize. It would definitely wish to stop those who were searching for his replacement. It would make killing said replacement all that easier. Sighing she shook her head slightly, smirking. *What a paranoid line of work I lead.*

They went down a private path and came to a small hut. Trowa noted their surroundings so they had a quick escape in case things got ugly. The woman went to the cabin and inside, expecting them to follow.

Glancing back at Shay, Trowa dismounted smoothly and waited for her. "What do you think?"

Eyeing, the building, Shay shrugged before dismounting, her braid slipping off her shoulder to rest against her back as she joined Trowa on the ground. "It's not large enough to contain many people or creatures. If it's a trap, it is one that we should be able to handle. If we can't, then it is our own damn fault for letting our training slip."

"True. Come," Trowa replied softly as he led the way in, smirking at her over his shoulder. He went inside and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting as he glanced around warily.

Leaving Trowa to his job, Shay took up a position with her back to the door jamb. It wouldn't be safe for the both of them to enter the house, since it would increase their chances of being trapped in the darned thing and it was a bit too small for her to want to be trapped in. She'd gotten used to airy rooms and spacious areas. Why be subjected to the unpleasantness of a closed in area, when a bit of caution is all that is needed to insure their safety to some degree.

Trowa looked around as the woman put down her cloak and faced them. "My name is Une. I have been expecting you," she said softly, her features now revealed. She had pale chestnut hair that went down to her waist, bound in intricate braids. Her eyes were a deep hazel and showed of great power, while her face was youthful and gentle looking.

She went to her bedside and drew out a dagger...an exact replica to the King's and Zechs' own daggers of their duty.

Eyebrow raised, Shay smirked, tilting her head slightly in mild amusement. "Well, that certainly clears a few things. Either you're the live one we're supposed to bring back with our old friend or you're a deviously clever she-bitch. I'm hoping for the former because then I can get home and rid myself of this damn headache. Tro, any thoughts?"

"I think I agree with you," Trowa replied softly as he watched the young woman.

Une looked down, tears going down her face. "Treize was my...husband. This is all that he carried and all that I have left of him," she whispered, pursing her lips so her tears would not come forth.

"Then you are our chosen. For only one of the Guardians can even hold one of the sacred daggers," Trowa stated firmly, smiling as she looked up in shock.

Nodding, Shay stepped forward. "I agree with Tro's assessment. You are the one we were sent to retrieve, along with Treize." Pausing for a moment, she watched the distraught woman before her, and then gently asked if she was ready to go. "We need to leave soon. Neither of us have any idea if what killed Treize is gone nor simply waiting for us to let our guard down. We also have another days travel before we reach the place we'll meet our transportation back to the palace." She looked aside to her green-eyed travel companion before continuing, "We apologize for hurrying you, but it is important that we not waste any time."

Nodding as she wiped away her tears, Une looked around tearfully at her home. "May I...someday retrieve my things?" she asked softly, trembling.

"We will send guards to retrieve everything at a later date, but speed is necessary now," Trowa replied gently as he smiled at her.

Sighing as she nodded in understanding, Une whispered, "Would you like to bring his body?" Trowa glanced at Shay, eyebrow cocked.

Shay nodded and headed out the door. There were things that needed to be done. "He was one of the Guardians of this Kingdom. We would not dishonor him by not giving him the burial he deserves."

Smiling at her reply, Trowa nodded in agreement. He waited for Une, and then headed out to meet up with Shay. After retrieving the body, he gently placed it on their spare horse, then mounted and started them off towards home.

Shay watched from her position atop Shetan as Trowa road in the opposite direction of the direction they were supposed to be going in. "And where might you be going?"

"Home...where else?" Trowa asked quietly, frowning at her.

Une frowned in confusion, worried. What were they talking about?

Sighing she shook her head and maneuvered Shetan in the correct direction. "If you wish to arrive there in two weeks, then go ahead. Just do me the favor of passing over Duo's gift. I happen to miss my twin and would like to return home quickly."

Staring at her before his eyes widened in memory, Trowa shook his head. "He never told us what would happen to our steeds...and what of the body?" he asked her pointedly.

Shay raised her hand to rub at her aching head. "We'll untack them and let them find their own way back. They're perfectly capable of it. It actually might be better to leave a good deal of our tack here. I doubt the Pegasi are going to take to a bridle or a saddle. What do you say to fitting our most important items in a shoulder sack each?" Lowering her hand she grabbed her water bag and took a mouthful of her headache tea. "About Treize. If we ask politely enough, one of the Pegasi will probably consent to carrying him."

"Did you quiz him more before we left so that you could act so knowledgeable?" Trowa asked quietly, somewhat teasing.

Shrugging, she continued sorting through her possessions. Weapons a must. Tea a must. Bedroll wasn't going to be all that useful. "People tend to repeat things they hear and I just happen to overhear them."

"Of course..." Trowa replied quietly, disbelieving her. He looked over at Une and smiled. "Do you have any objections?"

"Nay...that is all right. I would not interfere with his Majesty," Une said reassuringly, smiling.

"Good then. Does everyone agree with stashing our stuff in the cabin?" Shay continued, dismounting from Shetan. Saddles were best removed when the rider was on the ground. Trowa nodded once as he dismounted and smiled as Une watched them in perplexity. Pulling Shetan's saddle off, the braided twin divested it of any useful and cartable attributes before placing it inside the hut they had vacated earlier. She left Une to Trowa. People weren't her specialty when she had a separation headache.

Annoyed at Shay's overzealous unpacking, Trowa hid a sigh. He looked up at Une and smiled. She smiled back, and then tilted her head, "How will you ride without a saddle?"

"Bareback is safe enough," Trowa replied with a smile as he unpacked his saddlebags.

Butting in, Shay added her contribution. "Especially on these beauties. They were trained by us and my twin. We'll be fine." Securing the pack on her back, Shay smoothly settled herself back upon Shetan. It would be fun riding bareback again. Saddles got in the way at times.

"Your...twin? I see...now I understand," Une murmured softly, smiling as she nodded. Trowa tilted an eyebrow as he mounted once more.

Cocking her head to the side, Shay looked quizzically at Une. "See what?"

"Why you are as you are. You are in withdrawal," Une replied quietly as they started off.

"Hmm. My brother the drug. Interesting concept." Shrugging, Shay turned her attention back to Shetan. "Ready to head off?"

"We already have...so catch up." Trowa called over his shoulder.

Snorting, she kneed Shetan into a slow trot and moved to take her position at the end. "That would rather defeat the idea of being the rear guard."

"Not when it is a mile to the back," Trowa replied, grinning as Une giggled softly.

"And what arithmetic class did you take? Certainly not mine if your estimate is that far off." Snorting, Shay leaned over and grabbed a stick off the nearest tree and then lobbed it at Trowa. "Peon."

"Slow poke," Trowa shot back and grinned as he caught the branch, twirled it, then threw it back at her. The trip was going to be interesting.

TBC