Shinigami and the Dragon Pt 8/?
Jun. 8th, 2004 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yellowhordeDisclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing and I make no money from this or any other fanfic I write.
Pairing: None
Category: General
Rating: R
Warning: None
Title: Shinigami and the Dragon
Author: yellowhorde
Catherine Chapel draped the voluminous folds of thick velvety material over one arm as she reached out one hand knock to take up the solid brass knocker and announce her presence to the inhabitant of the private chambers of Shinigami. Just as she was about the knock on Duo's door, though, one of the cleaning girls, either Ryoko or Kyoko- she could never tell the two girls apart- opened the door abruptly which startled her immensely. The older woman gasped slightly and placed one liver spotted hand over her suddenly racing heart.
"Oh, excuse me, Dr. Chapel!" Ryoko exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't realize you were there!"
"That's all right, dear, no harm done." Catherine smiled and entered the chambers while the young lady held the door open for her. "So. How's your sister?" The aging doctor refrained from using names. It was less likely that she would be mistaken that way.
The young girl dimpled a smile at the elderly woman, her large brown eyes sparkling with mirth. Dr. Chapel was not fooling her at all. It was all too obvious that she didn't know which girl she was addressing. A dim light of mischief burned in the younger woman's luminous eyes. She had always found it amusing that people could not tell her and her sister apart after all of these years!
(I'll just keep her guessing, that's all!)
"Oh, she's fine, ma'am! Just fine!" she smiled, nodding her head, her thick brown hair falling over her shoulders. "And how are you doing today, ma'am?"
"Things are going along well enough." Catherine glanced around, nodding her approval at the sparkling apartment. The girls always did such a wonderful job keeping the place clean! Gods knew Duo needed all the help he could get!
"Well, that's good to hear! I hate to chat and run, but I'm running late for my next appointment! I'll stop by the clinic later and catch up on any of the juicy gossip! See ya!" The young woman gathered up the caddy that held her cleaning supplies and hurried out the door.
With a rather puzzled smile, the Doctor laid the garments across the back of the sofa, wandered into the kitchen, poured water from the faucet into the tea kettle and set it to boiling. Then she removed a pouchof herbal tea from one of her volumnous pockets and set it on the counter next to the mugs she had gotten down from the cubbards. Smiling, she then headed towards Duo's room. She admitted silently to herself that if felt rather odd knowing that she had just finished a conversation with the young woman and yet still hadn't the faintest idea which twin she had been talking to. It was rather disconcerting.
Catherine shrugged nonchalantly dismissing the thought and rapped her knuckles three times against the wooden door that used to lead to her love's bedroom . A life time of memories tried to surface seemingly at once and set a wave of melancholy surging through her.
Used to. how sad that phrase was.
(My lord, I miss you so much.)
Silence from the interior of the room, then, ever so faintly a sound.a moan.
Catherine frowned slightly. She grasped the doorknob tightly as a surge of dread flooded her veins like ice water as another moan drifted faintly to her ancient ears. "Duo?" She called out hesitantly. There was no reply. Again, the Doctor wrapped her knuckles against the door's thick wooden frame.
"Duo?" Her voice held the faintest note of fear.
Suddenly, from inside the room there came a thin, breathy shriek, then, "What do you want?!" There was no mistaking the owner of that voice. It was Duo and he sounded terrified.
Without thinking, Dr. Chapel threw open the door and barreled in the room ready to battle anything.anyone who would dare harm those she cared about. The room was dimly lit but she could make out no menacing shadowy outline. In a flash, the old woman flicked the light switch near the door, dousing the room in bright illumination. She had been mistaken. There was no one in the room. Only a sleeping Duo, writhing in a tangle of blankets, small frightful whimpers of terror issuing forth from his throat.
Hurrying over to the bed, Catherine took the young man into her arms, shaking him gently. With a gasp the boy awoke, his chest heaving with stifled cries. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his cheeks like tears. Seeing the familiar woman, he threw his arms around her much as he had done as a small boy suffering from nightmares after the death of his father.
"It wasn't an accident!" The boy cried out in a broken voice, "They murdered him! They KILLED my father!" Duo began to tremble violently and a strangled sob escaped his throat as two tears slipped from his eyes and slid down his cheek as he clung to the elderly woman who had raised him these last ten years.
Catherine held Duo close, rubbing his back in slow soothing circles and rocking gently back an forth murmuring soft words of reassurance. "It's okay, Duo, you're okay. It was only a dream. There's nothing to be afraid of." These words spoken over and over again in a steady litany, as if saying it often enough would make them true...would make all of the bad things dissapear. But of course, that was a lie. No words would take away the horror he had witnessed so long ago. Yet still, those words came automatically to her lips as they had when Duo had been young and alone in the world and devastated in the aftermath of his father's tragic death.
(How does he know that his father's death was no accident? How COULD he know?) These thoughts flew threw Catherine's distraught mind. (The late Shinigame and I had our suspicions, of course, but there had been no damning evidence of foul play... We tried so hard to keep this away from Duo...so HOW does he know? And what EXACTLY does he really know. If he, in fact, knows anything at all...)
Finally calming himself, Duo pulled away from his adopted aunt looking rather sheepish, his violet eyes red-rimmed from his tears. "I'm sorry...Auntie...I...I guess I must have had a bad dream. I haven't dreamed of Father's..." Duo cleared his throat and hitched a shuddering breath before continuing. "I haven't dreamed of his death in a long time. The dream... the nightmare...it was very confusing. I was frightened... but I can't remember much of anything else except that Quatre and Heero were in it and that there was lots of blood everywhere..." Duo's voice trailed off for a moment, his eyes becoming distant and filled with a dreamy sort of horror.
"Blocks." He murmured, his voice thick, faint and oddly flat. "There were blocks falling..."
In a sing-song voice, Duo continued speaking, but his voice crept higher and higher, becoming that of a frightened child, a boy of five years afraid for his daddy.
"...the world is tumbling down, tumbling down...The end of everything...beware of the blocks, Quatre. They're dangerous..."
Alarmed, Catherine shook Duo sharply, his head snapping back with the sudden force of the movement. "Duo!"
Duo eyes cleared and he meet the worried woman's gaze. "I can never remember much of the dream afterwards." He finished, his voice and eyes back to normal. "I guess that's just the nature of nightmares. Maybe it's better that I can't remember, huh?"
"Yes, maybe it is for the best," Catherine agreed, settling one liver spotted hand on Duo's thin shoulder. (It's certainly safer...) "Push those thoughts out of your head, my dear. It is time to prepare fro the Ceremony."
Picking herself up off of the bed with a sigh, the elderly woman went to gather up the Ceremonoial Robes she had left in the living room.
Duo watched his Aunt stride across the room and disappear out the door. Then, with a groan, he eased out of bed, adjusting his robe as he made his way across the room towards the low bureau and it's matching mirror.
"Like I could ever forget!" The new Lord muttered to himself, "It's my first time addressing the Tenjin as the Lord Shinigami. I'm practically a nervous wreck!"
Catching his reflection in the looking glass, Duo frowned impressively at what he saw. His face was too pale, his large eyes red rimmed from crying, and his hair, which he had neglected to braid before laying down, was a tangled mess.
"Hell, I even LOOK like a nervous wreck!"
"It's only natural to be nervous, Duo." Dr. Chapel reassured her nephew as she reemerged into the room holding out the garments she had brought with her. She had stopped by the kitchen and had taken the kettle from the heat of the stove and then poured the boiling water into one of the mugs before adding the tea bag to steep. It would be ready in a few minutes. "And let's not forget that the Council of Elders will be there to officially witness the appointment of the First and Second Lieutenants."
"Thankds for reminding me," Duo groused, sarcasm all but dripping from his words. "That made me feel ever so much more relaxed."
"You're welcome." Grinned Catherine as she held out the outfit for Duo to examine. "Here, get these on, then I'll fix your hair. It's a frightful mess."
Her nephew eyes the outfit doubtfully for a long moment.
"Purple?!"
Turning his eyes beseechingly towards his aunt, he tried to silently appeal to her innate sense of style but she didn't look like she was about to give up as she steadfastly continued to hold out the garment, but he still had to try.
"Why does it have to be PURPLE? Why not black instead? After all, I am the new Lord of Death. Wouldn't black be a much more suitable color for me to wear?"
"Duo," Catherine began patiently, "you are indeed the new Lord Shinigami and you may wear black whenever you wish. Usually. This, however, is a formal Ceremony and tradition dictated that Shinigami wear royal purple whenever addressing the people."
"Besides," she concluded, placing the heavy clothes into her nephew's outstretched hands, "it will pick up the color of your eyes splendidly."
Mumbling to himself, Duo headed towards the bathroom to change into the offending outfit.
"I'm going to look silly!" he grumped loudly before shutting the door.
"Nonsense! Now hurry and get dressed, we're running out of time!"
From behind the door came a muffled, "Yes, ma'am!"
A short time later, Duo sat patiently in a chair that had been pulled in front of the bureau clothed in full regal attire while his Aunt Catherine carefully pulled a rosewood comb through his long unruly locks. Glancing into the mirror, she admired her nephew's reflection. A wave of nostalgia swept through her and her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she recalled the last time her beloved Shinigami had donned his Ceremonial garb just two weeks past.
The traditional outfit consisted of a purple quilted jerkin with flaired shoulders and a peplum waist graced with gold piping worn over a white silk shirt with slightly puffed sleeves and a rather confining stand-up collar. Matching loose knee britches with a gold sash about the waist enchanced Duo's long slender legs and were neatly tucked into hightly polished knee high boots of premium leather complete with shiny brass buckles that glimmered faintly in the light. The accompaning cloak, which lay carefully folded on the bed, was made of royal purple cotton velveteen, fully lined, with black satin lining. Generous arm slits on the cloak's sides allowed free use of hands while the three-quarter length kept it up off of the ground and out of the mud. A satin-lined top caplet of similar material and color edged in gold trim completed the outfit.
Duo eyed his reflection critically and wrinkled his nose in mock distaste. Heh thought he looked pretty good, but he wasn't about to give the good Doctor the satisfaction of knowing this.
"You see, what did I tell you? I look like a grape!" Glancing into the mirror, he caught the faintest twist of a lip as the older woman valiantly resisted the urge to laugh out loud at her nephew's outlandish remark. The last two weeks had been very difficult for the both of them and his aunt looked rather pale and tired in his opinion. It was good to see that she hadn't lost her sense of humor.
Having finished the task of combing all of the tangles out of Duo's hair, Catherine divided the long chestnut tresses into three sections and began to weave them together, her gnarled hands moving with a practiced skill and grace. In no time at all she was finished and surveying her flawless handywork.
"You look very handsome, Duo." She said, beaming a smile at her nephew.
Duo snorted in good humor. "Yeah, right! You HAVE to say that, 'cause you're my aunt."
"Will you just listen to this child?" Playfully, Catherine smacked the young man lightly upside the back of his head. "I say that beacause I mean it, you silly goose! You really do look wonderful. His Lordship would be so proud of you..."
The woman's voice trailed off and a wistful expression softened her dark eyes which sparkled brightly from a sudden sheen of unshed tears.
Concerned, Duo rose from his seat and turned to face the woman who was all the family he had left in the entire world. She looked so tired, so sad, and somehow frailer than he had ever seen her before. There were dark circles under her eyes that even the most expertly applied make-up could not completely hide. And, if he was not mistaken, and he was sure he wasn't, she had lost weight as well.
Placing his hands gently on narrow shoulders, he gazed intenly into dark blue eyes. "How are you doing, Aunt Catherine? Really? And don't lie to me, cause I'll know."
"I miss him, Duo." she whispered simply as the tears broke free and slid down wrinkled cheeks.
Duo knew that Catherine Chapel was not one to cry often or permit herself many tears when she did indulge in what she often referred to as her "weakness" but these were tears of grief that needed to be shed. It would do neither of them any good to surpress them. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Duo held her close, resting his cheek against hers. His own eyes misted up as the fresh pain of losing his beloved mentor surged through him with the force of a tidal wave. With his own hands he had ended the other man's life... as tradition had dictated. Tradition or not, it didn't ease away the pain or guilt he felt. In fact it made it worse.
"I miss him, too." A lump formed in his throat, but he fought to maintain his composure. Bawling like a baby would not change the past. What was done was done.
Catherine disengaged herself gently from Duo's hold and dashed away her tears with the back of her hand. "I miss him a lot. And it hurts so much. In here." She placed one hand upon her breast just above her heart. "But I guess, that in time, the pain will fade. Like my memories of our time together..."
With a sharp shake of the head, she managed to temporarily banished depressing thoughts from her mind. Wallowing in her sorrow wouldn't do her any good and it certainly wouldn't help Duo. The lad now wore a mantle of heavy burden on his thin shoulders. At 15 he was the youngest Tenjin to ever be named Shinigami. It was an incredible responsibility and more than a few people, citizens and officials alike, questioned the former Shinigami's wisdom in appointing Duo instead of the much older First Lieutenant Akunin. There were even rumors that some of the Council oppossed her Lord's choice of successor.
Dark times were drawing near, of that Doctor Chapel was certain. For Duo's sake she must remain strong. He would need all the help he could get.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I have something for you."
Carefully, she reached into her pockets and withdrew a small felt covered box. She hadn't forgotten it, as she had claimed, rather she had been accutely aware of it's slight weight all day. She had just been waiting for the right moment to present it to her nephew. Now, after fifteen years it was time to turn it over to its rightfull owner.
Catherine held the tiny box out to Duo who took it hesitently, intuitively guesing that this was an item of some importance. The small package felt heavy in the palm of his hand which trembled ever so faintly.
"What is it?" Duo breathed.
"Why don't you open it and find out?"
Carefully, Duo opened the box and fouind that it contained a beautiful golden cruisifix.
"It belonged to your mother, my dear, and she gave it to me for safe keeping and instructed me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand. Now, after all these years, I return it to you."
Duo turned and lifted his braid from his neck while his aunt fastened the metal clasp that would secure the precious heirloom in place about his neck. The shiny metal gleamed mellowly in the light and the young man felt his heart fill with happiness as he turned back to face the woman who had raised him these last ten years.
Catherine tenderly brushed a locke of hair from her nephew's forehead and smiled. "You look a lot like your mother. Did you know that? The same hair, the same laughing eyes. Even your smile is hers. She had always been so alive and full of mischief."
"I do?" Duo's head spin momentarily at these words. He had never known his mother, had never even seen a picture of her. She had died shortly after giving birth to him and in a fit of madness borne of grief his father had had all reminders of his wife destroyed, her holographs, her possessions, everything. It had been a decision he later regretted.
"Yes, you do." Catherine continued. "She was such a lovely woman, so beautiful, so kind. She was the most caring and loving soul I had ever seen and oh! how she loved to laugh!"
"She had wanted to have a baby so badly, but the doctors were convinced that she would never be able to carry a child full term for she was so petite, so frail. She had always been sickly, but having a child meant so much to her! When she realized she was pregnant, she was simply thrilled! It was a difficult pregnancy, but she never gave up hope. She loved you so much... and don't you ever forget that!"
Duo clutched the metal crucifix in one slightly shaking hand. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all distractions. Silently he offered up a heart felt prayer to all those who had loved him, all those who had cared for him yet were unable to be with him on this most important day.
(Mother...Father... Master... Someday we will be united again in spirit... and that day will surely be the happiest of my life. But until then, I will do my best to serve our people, the Tenjin, in a manner that would make you all proud. Of this I, Duo Maxwell, Shinigami of the Tenjin, swear with all my heart!)
A/N: I'm sorry, but this story is dead and will never again be updated. It has been too many years since I've last worked on it, I've lost interest, and I am no longer in the fandom.
Pairing: None
Category: General
Rating: R
Warning: None
Title: Shinigami and the Dragon
Author: yellowhorde
Catherine Chapel draped the voluminous folds of thick velvety material over one arm as she reached out one hand knock to take up the solid brass knocker and announce her presence to the inhabitant of the private chambers of Shinigami. Just as she was about the knock on Duo's door, though, one of the cleaning girls, either Ryoko or Kyoko- she could never tell the two girls apart- opened the door abruptly which startled her immensely. The older woman gasped slightly and placed one liver spotted hand over her suddenly racing heart.
"Oh, excuse me, Dr. Chapel!" Ryoko exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't realize you were there!"
"That's all right, dear, no harm done." Catherine smiled and entered the chambers while the young lady held the door open for her. "So. How's your sister?" The aging doctor refrained from using names. It was less likely that she would be mistaken that way.
The young girl dimpled a smile at the elderly woman, her large brown eyes sparkling with mirth. Dr. Chapel was not fooling her at all. It was all too obvious that she didn't know which girl she was addressing. A dim light of mischief burned in the younger woman's luminous eyes. She had always found it amusing that people could not tell her and her sister apart after all of these years!
(I'll just keep her guessing, that's all!)
"Oh, she's fine, ma'am! Just fine!" she smiled, nodding her head, her thick brown hair falling over her shoulders. "And how are you doing today, ma'am?"
"Things are going along well enough." Catherine glanced around, nodding her approval at the sparkling apartment. The girls always did such a wonderful job keeping the place clean! Gods knew Duo needed all the help he could get!
"Well, that's good to hear! I hate to chat and run, but I'm running late for my next appointment! I'll stop by the clinic later and catch up on any of the juicy gossip! See ya!" The young woman gathered up the caddy that held her cleaning supplies and hurried out the door.
With a rather puzzled smile, the Doctor laid the garments across the back of the sofa, wandered into the kitchen, poured water from the faucet into the tea kettle and set it to boiling. Then she removed a pouchof herbal tea from one of her volumnous pockets and set it on the counter next to the mugs she had gotten down from the cubbards. Smiling, she then headed towards Duo's room. She admitted silently to herself that if felt rather odd knowing that she had just finished a conversation with the young woman and yet still hadn't the faintest idea which twin she had been talking to. It was rather disconcerting.
Catherine shrugged nonchalantly dismissing the thought and rapped her knuckles three times against the wooden door that used to lead to her love's bedroom . A life time of memories tried to surface seemingly at once and set a wave of melancholy surging through her.
Used to. how sad that phrase was.
(My lord, I miss you so much.)
Silence from the interior of the room, then, ever so faintly a sound.a moan.
Catherine frowned slightly. She grasped the doorknob tightly as a surge of dread flooded her veins like ice water as another moan drifted faintly to her ancient ears. "Duo?" She called out hesitantly. There was no reply. Again, the Doctor wrapped her knuckles against the door's thick wooden frame.
"Duo?" Her voice held the faintest note of fear.
Suddenly, from inside the room there came a thin, breathy shriek, then, "What do you want?!" There was no mistaking the owner of that voice. It was Duo and he sounded terrified.
Without thinking, Dr. Chapel threw open the door and barreled in the room ready to battle anything.anyone who would dare harm those she cared about. The room was dimly lit but she could make out no menacing shadowy outline. In a flash, the old woman flicked the light switch near the door, dousing the room in bright illumination. She had been mistaken. There was no one in the room. Only a sleeping Duo, writhing in a tangle of blankets, small frightful whimpers of terror issuing forth from his throat.
Hurrying over to the bed, Catherine took the young man into her arms, shaking him gently. With a gasp the boy awoke, his chest heaving with stifled cries. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his cheeks like tears. Seeing the familiar woman, he threw his arms around her much as he had done as a small boy suffering from nightmares after the death of his father.
"It wasn't an accident!" The boy cried out in a broken voice, "They murdered him! They KILLED my father!" Duo began to tremble violently and a strangled sob escaped his throat as two tears slipped from his eyes and slid down his cheek as he clung to the elderly woman who had raised him these last ten years.
Catherine held Duo close, rubbing his back in slow soothing circles and rocking gently back an forth murmuring soft words of reassurance. "It's okay, Duo, you're okay. It was only a dream. There's nothing to be afraid of." These words spoken over and over again in a steady litany, as if saying it often enough would make them true...would make all of the bad things dissapear. But of course, that was a lie. No words would take away the horror he had witnessed so long ago. Yet still, those words came automatically to her lips as they had when Duo had been young and alone in the world and devastated in the aftermath of his father's tragic death.
(How does he know that his father's death was no accident? How COULD he know?) These thoughts flew threw Catherine's distraught mind. (The late Shinigame and I had our suspicions, of course, but there had been no damning evidence of foul play... We tried so hard to keep this away from Duo...so HOW does he know? And what EXACTLY does he really know. If he, in fact, knows anything at all...)
Finally calming himself, Duo pulled away from his adopted aunt looking rather sheepish, his violet eyes red-rimmed from his tears. "I'm sorry...Auntie...I...I guess I must have had a bad dream. I haven't dreamed of Father's..." Duo cleared his throat and hitched a shuddering breath before continuing. "I haven't dreamed of his death in a long time. The dream... the nightmare...it was very confusing. I was frightened... but I can't remember much of anything else except that Quatre and Heero were in it and that there was lots of blood everywhere..." Duo's voice trailed off for a moment, his eyes becoming distant and filled with a dreamy sort of horror.
"Blocks." He murmured, his voice thick, faint and oddly flat. "There were blocks falling..."
In a sing-song voice, Duo continued speaking, but his voice crept higher and higher, becoming that of a frightened child, a boy of five years afraid for his daddy.
"...the world is tumbling down, tumbling down...The end of everything...beware of the blocks, Quatre. They're dangerous..."
Alarmed, Catherine shook Duo sharply, his head snapping back with the sudden force of the movement. "Duo!"
Duo eyes cleared and he meet the worried woman's gaze. "I can never remember much of the dream afterwards." He finished, his voice and eyes back to normal. "I guess that's just the nature of nightmares. Maybe it's better that I can't remember, huh?"
"Yes, maybe it is for the best," Catherine agreed, settling one liver spotted hand on Duo's thin shoulder. (It's certainly safer...) "Push those thoughts out of your head, my dear. It is time to prepare fro the Ceremony."
Picking herself up off of the bed with a sigh, the elderly woman went to gather up the Ceremonoial Robes she had left in the living room.
Duo watched his Aunt stride across the room and disappear out the door. Then, with a groan, he eased out of bed, adjusting his robe as he made his way across the room towards the low bureau and it's matching mirror.
"Like I could ever forget!" The new Lord muttered to himself, "It's my first time addressing the Tenjin as the Lord Shinigami. I'm practically a nervous wreck!"
Catching his reflection in the looking glass, Duo frowned impressively at what he saw. His face was too pale, his large eyes red rimmed from crying, and his hair, which he had neglected to braid before laying down, was a tangled mess.
"Hell, I even LOOK like a nervous wreck!"
"It's only natural to be nervous, Duo." Dr. Chapel reassured her nephew as she reemerged into the room holding out the garments she had brought with her. She had stopped by the kitchen and had taken the kettle from the heat of the stove and then poured the boiling water into one of the mugs before adding the tea bag to steep. It would be ready in a few minutes. "And let's not forget that the Council of Elders will be there to officially witness the appointment of the First and Second Lieutenants."
"Thankds for reminding me," Duo groused, sarcasm all but dripping from his words. "That made me feel ever so much more relaxed."
"You're welcome." Grinned Catherine as she held out the outfit for Duo to examine. "Here, get these on, then I'll fix your hair. It's a frightful mess."
Her nephew eyes the outfit doubtfully for a long moment.
"Purple?!"
Turning his eyes beseechingly towards his aunt, he tried to silently appeal to her innate sense of style but she didn't look like she was about to give up as she steadfastly continued to hold out the garment, but he still had to try.
"Why does it have to be PURPLE? Why not black instead? After all, I am the new Lord of Death. Wouldn't black be a much more suitable color for me to wear?"
"Duo," Catherine began patiently, "you are indeed the new Lord Shinigami and you may wear black whenever you wish. Usually. This, however, is a formal Ceremony and tradition dictated that Shinigami wear royal purple whenever addressing the people."
"Besides," she concluded, placing the heavy clothes into her nephew's outstretched hands, "it will pick up the color of your eyes splendidly."
Mumbling to himself, Duo headed towards the bathroom to change into the offending outfit.
"I'm going to look silly!" he grumped loudly before shutting the door.
"Nonsense! Now hurry and get dressed, we're running out of time!"
From behind the door came a muffled, "Yes, ma'am!"
A short time later, Duo sat patiently in a chair that had been pulled in front of the bureau clothed in full regal attire while his Aunt Catherine carefully pulled a rosewood comb through his long unruly locks. Glancing into the mirror, she admired her nephew's reflection. A wave of nostalgia swept through her and her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she recalled the last time her beloved Shinigami had donned his Ceremonial garb just two weeks past.
The traditional outfit consisted of a purple quilted jerkin with flaired shoulders and a peplum waist graced with gold piping worn over a white silk shirt with slightly puffed sleeves and a rather confining stand-up collar. Matching loose knee britches with a gold sash about the waist enchanced Duo's long slender legs and were neatly tucked into hightly polished knee high boots of premium leather complete with shiny brass buckles that glimmered faintly in the light. The accompaning cloak, which lay carefully folded on the bed, was made of royal purple cotton velveteen, fully lined, with black satin lining. Generous arm slits on the cloak's sides allowed free use of hands while the three-quarter length kept it up off of the ground and out of the mud. A satin-lined top caplet of similar material and color edged in gold trim completed the outfit.
Duo eyed his reflection critically and wrinkled his nose in mock distaste. Heh thought he looked pretty good, but he wasn't about to give the good Doctor the satisfaction of knowing this.
"You see, what did I tell you? I look like a grape!" Glancing into the mirror, he caught the faintest twist of a lip as the older woman valiantly resisted the urge to laugh out loud at her nephew's outlandish remark. The last two weeks had been very difficult for the both of them and his aunt looked rather pale and tired in his opinion. It was good to see that she hadn't lost her sense of humor.
Having finished the task of combing all of the tangles out of Duo's hair, Catherine divided the long chestnut tresses into three sections and began to weave them together, her gnarled hands moving with a practiced skill and grace. In no time at all she was finished and surveying her flawless handywork.
"You look very handsome, Duo." She said, beaming a smile at her nephew.
Duo snorted in good humor. "Yeah, right! You HAVE to say that, 'cause you're my aunt."
"Will you just listen to this child?" Playfully, Catherine smacked the young man lightly upside the back of his head. "I say that beacause I mean it, you silly goose! You really do look wonderful. His Lordship would be so proud of you..."
The woman's voice trailed off and a wistful expression softened her dark eyes which sparkled brightly from a sudden sheen of unshed tears.
Concerned, Duo rose from his seat and turned to face the woman who was all the family he had left in the entire world. She looked so tired, so sad, and somehow frailer than he had ever seen her before. There were dark circles under her eyes that even the most expertly applied make-up could not completely hide. And, if he was not mistaken, and he was sure he wasn't, she had lost weight as well.
Placing his hands gently on narrow shoulders, he gazed intenly into dark blue eyes. "How are you doing, Aunt Catherine? Really? And don't lie to me, cause I'll know."
"I miss him, Duo." she whispered simply as the tears broke free and slid down wrinkled cheeks.
Duo knew that Catherine Chapel was not one to cry often or permit herself many tears when she did indulge in what she often referred to as her "weakness" but these were tears of grief that needed to be shed. It would do neither of them any good to surpress them. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Duo held her close, resting his cheek against hers. His own eyes misted up as the fresh pain of losing his beloved mentor surged through him with the force of a tidal wave. With his own hands he had ended the other man's life... as tradition had dictated. Tradition or not, it didn't ease away the pain or guilt he felt. In fact it made it worse.
"I miss him, too." A lump formed in his throat, but he fought to maintain his composure. Bawling like a baby would not change the past. What was done was done.
Catherine disengaged herself gently from Duo's hold and dashed away her tears with the back of her hand. "I miss him a lot. And it hurts so much. In here." She placed one hand upon her breast just above her heart. "But I guess, that in time, the pain will fade. Like my memories of our time together..."
With a sharp shake of the head, she managed to temporarily banished depressing thoughts from her mind. Wallowing in her sorrow wouldn't do her any good and it certainly wouldn't help Duo. The lad now wore a mantle of heavy burden on his thin shoulders. At 15 he was the youngest Tenjin to ever be named Shinigami. It was an incredible responsibility and more than a few people, citizens and officials alike, questioned the former Shinigami's wisdom in appointing Duo instead of the much older First Lieutenant Akunin. There were even rumors that some of the Council oppossed her Lord's choice of successor.
Dark times were drawing near, of that Doctor Chapel was certain. For Duo's sake she must remain strong. He would need all the help he could get.
"Oh, I almost forgot! I have something for you."
Carefully, she reached into her pockets and withdrew a small felt covered box. She hadn't forgotten it, as she had claimed, rather she had been accutely aware of it's slight weight all day. She had just been waiting for the right moment to present it to her nephew. Now, after fifteen years it was time to turn it over to its rightfull owner.
Catherine held the tiny box out to Duo who took it hesitently, intuitively guesing that this was an item of some importance. The small package felt heavy in the palm of his hand which trembled ever so faintly.
"What is it?" Duo breathed.
"Why don't you open it and find out?"
Carefully, Duo opened the box and fouind that it contained a beautiful golden cruisifix.
"It belonged to your mother, my dear, and she gave it to me for safe keeping and instructed me to give it to you when you were old enough to understand. Now, after all these years, I return it to you."
Duo turned and lifted his braid from his neck while his aunt fastened the metal clasp that would secure the precious heirloom in place about his neck. The shiny metal gleamed mellowly in the light and the young man felt his heart fill with happiness as he turned back to face the woman who had raised him these last ten years.
Catherine tenderly brushed a locke of hair from her nephew's forehead and smiled. "You look a lot like your mother. Did you know that? The same hair, the same laughing eyes. Even your smile is hers. She had always been so alive and full of mischief."
"I do?" Duo's head spin momentarily at these words. He had never known his mother, had never even seen a picture of her. She had died shortly after giving birth to him and in a fit of madness borne of grief his father had had all reminders of his wife destroyed, her holographs, her possessions, everything. It had been a decision he later regretted.
"Yes, you do." Catherine continued. "She was such a lovely woman, so beautiful, so kind. She was the most caring and loving soul I had ever seen and oh! how she loved to laugh!"
"She had wanted to have a baby so badly, but the doctors were convinced that she would never be able to carry a child full term for she was so petite, so frail. She had always been sickly, but having a child meant so much to her! When she realized she was pregnant, she was simply thrilled! It was a difficult pregnancy, but she never gave up hope. She loved you so much... and don't you ever forget that!"
Duo clutched the metal crucifix in one slightly shaking hand. Bowing his head, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all distractions. Silently he offered up a heart felt prayer to all those who had loved him, all those who had cared for him yet were unable to be with him on this most important day.
(Mother...Father... Master... Someday we will be united again in spirit... and that day will surely be the happiest of my life. But until then, I will do my best to serve our people, the Tenjin, in a manner that would make you all proud. Of this I, Duo Maxwell, Shinigami of the Tenjin, swear with all my heart!)
A/N: I'm sorry, but this story is dead and will never again be updated. It has been too many years since I've last worked on it, I've lost interest, and I am no longer in the fandom.
