AN: Well, my excuse for not writing is over! It was 102° the other day and then it went to by ten degrees then poof! The temperature is 62°! It’s great now! I was using the fact that it gets too hot in my room not to write but not that it’s not hot anymore. I have to write now… but I have a sore throat. I can’t talk, I can’t eat, everything hurts. My head, my arms, my back… everything including my throat. Um, Hilde is wearing something like Ranko , Ranma’s female, side would wear. Or maybe Wufei. Whatever…

Warnings: Ew! I can’t believe I wrote that one part. I don’t want to give it away but… okay, I have to tell you or else it won’t be a warning and you need to warned and be prepared… Okay, there’s incest in here and this chapter is a little dark.

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 7: The Blood

Hilde was breathing hard, trying to control her anger. “I’m not doing it! I’m not staying here, Duo!” she cried. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to strike him with lightening. She wanted to kill him for saying she had to stay here.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “You’re staying here and that’s final, Hilde. You would jeopardize the children if you were to lose control. I don’t want them hurt and I don’t want you hurt. I just don’t my family hurt.” He touched her cheek gently with his calloused hand. When he’d woken up that morning the spot next to him had been empty. She had left before he’d woken up. It had hurt him to see her place empty. He had never wanted to make her leave five years ago. He’d regretted it soon as the carriage carrying her and their children was out of sight. He wished he could have shaken his responsibilities off his shoulders and be with her and Lucas and Claire, but he couldn’t do that. He had a duty to his people and he had taken it seriously. He had never wanted to be king and he’d reluctantly accept the crown when his father had died. When he’d married Hilde he’d thought he would have many years to learn how to be king from his father, but his father had been taken down at he prime of his life.

“You don’t understand, Duo. I can’t stay here knowing that you… that you are out there and you might get hurt.” She hugged him tightly. They were outside with the rest of the town. Everywhere women, children, mothers and fathers were saying their goodbyes to the brave men who were going out to battle. They knew well that they may never return to be with their loved ones.

It was a bright and sunny morning. The soldiers were dressed in their armor and their swords were strapped to their hips. Hilde held her bow and quiver tightly. She had expected to go with them but Duo wouldn’t let her.

They hugged each other tightly and whispered words in each other’s ear. Hilde began crying against her will. She didn’t want to cry in front of these people. She didn’t want to show her them that her weakness was Duo and her children.

“Don’t cry, Hilde. I’ll bring Claire and Lucas back if it’s the last thing I do. If something happens to me then… you will rule until our son is--”

Hilde sobbed and covered his mouth with her hand not letting him finish his sentence. “Don’t say that, Duo. I will never do that! I will not be queen because you’ll come back with our son and daughter.” Her heart was pounding against her chest rapidly.

He kissed her lips softly and hugged her again. He wanted to memorize the feel of her body against his for the upcoming separation. They’d lived with out each other for so long that now even the thought of being away from her for a few days was heartbreaking. “Whether you like it or not Hilde, you’re already queen. You’re still my wife and as such you’re in charge of this castle, the town and the people until I come back. I love you, I‘ve loved you since the first time I saw you. You‘ve plagued my dreams since then. Never forget that. ” he whispered and kissed her forehead. I pray to Heaven that I can come back from this just to see you again. I want happiness for us, Hilde. I want us to grow old together and watch our children grow.

Hilde looked down at her feet when he parted from her and didn‘t answer back with the words that he‘d hoped. She bit her lower lip and pleaded again for him to let her go with them. “Please, Duo. You don’t know what kind of power she has!” Heaven help him! God, please let him bring my children back! Keep him safe!

“I know she has power, Hilde. I’m willing to sacrifice my life for my children. I won’t let you down. I will bring our children back, I promise, and you and I will talk about you staying here permanently.”

She knew he would say no if she asked one more time. There was nothing she could do.

Duo turned away from her, sure they were done talking and climbed on to his horse. He turned the horse around but Hilde stopped him with her hand on his. He looked down at her blue eyes and willed himself to commit to memory the way she looked right then. It could be the last time he saw her and if he died she would be the last thing on his mind before he met his maker.

“Here,” she said taking her bow and quiver from her back and handing them to him. “You will need these more than I will.” There was a pause before she said, “I will pray every minute of every day for you. Every night I’ll pray for you and my children, Duo. Please come back safely. I love you.”

I would do anything for you, Hilde.

He took a deep breath and, with one last look in her eyes, kicked his horse’s side. The black horse started into a gallop and broke into a run and soon, Duo’s depleted army followed. Hilde watched them go with and a weight settled in her stomach. She wanted to go with them so badly. Her heart ached for each and every one of the men that left. They’re numbers were not as great as they once where and she knew they would most likely be defeated by the greater forces of King Dushuku’s army or his daughter Natasha’s power.

*~*~*~*

It had been three days and still not word from the forces of the Maxwell army. That could mean anything and Hilde knew it. She had been in her chambers the whole time. She couldn’t eat, she couldn’t sleep thinking about what was happening. She couldn’t sit still for more than a minute.

My children and my husband are in danger and they expect me to sit idly by without doing anything. They expect me not to worry about them!

She had a really bad feeling. Deep in her heart she knew that something was wrong. She looked out the window. The sun was setting and its fading glow cast shadows across the vast lands. She walked to the closet and looked through the clothes. There wasn’t much in there and she soon found what she was looking for.

When she was done she surveyed how she looked. The outfit was black and it consisted of a sleeveless ankle length gown with thigh-high slits one each sides. Underneath she wore Chinese, black pants that showed through the slits. She wrapped a wide cloth around her middle in place of a belt and donned black, Chinese slippers. She hid her weapons in the correct places and walked to the window.

Duo had left orders to the remaining guards not to let her out of the castle so she would have to escape.

Silently, she crept out the window. She would have to find a way to climb down but she didn’t care. I should have thought this through, these clothes aren‘t very practical for climbing.

Carefully, she made her way down with the help of the bricks from the castle’s walls. It wasn’t easy but she’d done it enough times in the past to know it was possible. Corners of the bricks stuck out at odd places, all she had to do was find them and she would be fine. The sun was all but gone and that made it harder for her to see the ledges. By the time she was halfway down the sun had set and she was shrouded in darkness. She cursed and looked down. She couldn’t really see how much she still had to go. Hilde tried to feel for the little ledges with her feet bit it was impossible.

Definitely should have thought this through.

She muttered quick prayer and let go of the wall. Lucas’ telekinesis would really come in handy right about now.

She tried to land on her feet but she couldn’t judge how far she would fall. She landed on her side with a thud and the air was knocked out of her lungs. She recovered quickly and made her way to the stables.

She’d take her horse as far as she could before it could be spotted by the soldiers.

*~*~*~*

Duo wiped the sweat and dirt from his forehead. He was tired and dirty and he wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep but he knew he couldn’t pull back his dwindling army now. It had been a one and half days’ ride with little sleep. They had rested as much as they could and they had stormed into the castle early that morning. They were, of course, met by attacks from the Dukushu army but Natasha had yet to make an appearance. They had made progress but by the end of the day they had to get out of there. He had lost many men but he was sure the enemy had lost more. They’d had the element of surprise that morning but he was sure that would not happen again. King Dushuku knew they were there and he’d fight back with all the power he had. His secret weapon was his daughter and he’d use her sooner or later.

He really wished he had brought Hilde for when Natasha made her entrance but he didn’t want her to get hurt and he needed someone to stay in his place in case something happened to him. She wasn’t pleased with that and neither were the people of the town but he’d be dammed of they didn’t accept her as queen. It was her rightful place as his wife.

He played with the end of his long braid. Images of his son and daughter locked up somewhere flooded his mind. He didn’t want to think of those things but no matter how hard he tried to couldn’t stop. God only knew what these people were doing to his children. He wanted to hold them badly. He wanted to hold them close and give them all the love he hadn’t given them for the last five years. But most of all, he wanted to storm in that castle, take back his children and give them back to Hilde. He could only imagine what she would say when he gave her back the children. He dreaded the days of battle that were to come, but he longed for the day he could get his children back. He’d promised Hilde. He promised he would do everything in his power to get Lucas and Claire back safely. A promise is a promise. I’ll get my children back and we’ll finally be a real family like we should have been. He ran a hand through his bangs and got up from his spot near the fire. He walked to a nearby tree and sat down leaning his back against the trunk. He sighed and closed his eyes in an attempt to get some rest. Long, hard days awaited him and his soldiers.

*~*~*~*

Natasha Dushuku paced the floor of her bedroom. Every now and then she would look up from the floor and look at the mirror that hung across from her bed. Things weren’t really going according to her plan. She had been right that Maxwell would try and storm her castle but she thought he would do so with the help of his long-forgotten wife, Hilde. She wanted to face Hilde face to face and it would not do to just destroy the Maxwell forces. She wanted revenge for his rejection. Natasha ran he hands through her red hair.

Stupid Maxwell had the audacity to reject my father’s proposal for marriage! He didn’t know what he was doing! I hate him! I hate him and I’m going to kick him where he’s down! Hurt him where it hurts the most!

Her thin lips turned up into a malicious smile. Yes. His children were a very good asset to have. They were stubborn but they would succumb to her powers. She wondered how they were doing locked in the dungeon. She had the locked in there since they got there and refused to feed them anything other than stale bread and water. If she couldn’t make their parents suffer then the children would suffer in their stead. Her father had insisted she not put them in there but she had that old man wrapped around her little finger.

She laughed aloud at the memory of her father. That dim-witted old man. There was a soft knock and her father came in.

He was an old man. There was no denying that. He was 75 years old and he was lucky he even had daughter. He had been married three times before his final wife become pregnant. He had always made sure to marry someone who was a lot younger than him. His last wife had been 20 when he had been 55 years old. He liked to remember her sometimes. She had the same hair and features as his daughter, Natasha. They had the same spirit.

Natasha smiled brightly at the old man and walked over to him to give him an exuberant hug. “Oh father, it’s so nice to see you today!”

Old Dushuku returned the hug but let go of her slowly. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, Natasha! It was a close call this morning when Maxwell attacked. His army may be small but they have a lot of experience our own forces lack! Our numbers are great but they have more skill! They’re army isn’t just young men you picked up from the village!” said the old man.

Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes. She wanted to punch the old man. He was feeble in mind and strength. She sighed again and plastered the brightest smile she could muster. “But Father, like you said our strength lies in our numbers. Maxwell’s army is depleted, we made sure of that!” she said and hugged her father again. She kissed his cheek and she felt him respond by hugging her tighter.

She smiled when her father moved his mouth against hers. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she responded by letting it roam and play with hers. Dushuku’s hand slipped from her waist down to her hip. His other hand moved to touch her breast.

Natasha moaned and ground her hips against his. She knew she could control him with this. She had been horrified the first time he’d taken her but she had learned to use her father’s perversion against him. She faked liking it but if this got her what she wanted she would continue doing it. She ran her hands through his thinning white hair and walked towards her bed.

*~*~*~*

Hilde felt sorry for her poor horse but she had to keep going. It had taken her only one day to reach the Dushuku lands but she had pushed her horse to the limit. The poor animal was foaming and tired. It would be best if she left it and she walked the rest of the way. It wouldn’t take her that long and she would probably see Duo’s camp. Hilde reigned the horse to a stop, jumped off and led it to a small clearing with a creek running through it. She let go of the reigns and left the hors to drink and/or return home. She crouched down and drank some water. She didn’t want to let it go since it was one of three she had received as a gift from King Quatre for helping him when his kingdom was going through a drought. She smiled at the memory. It had been simple really. So simple in fact that she’d had Claire summon the clouds and the rain. Her smile faded when she thought about Claire.

I hope that bitch isn’t treating you badly because if she is I’m going to tear her limb from limb with my bare hands.

With one last longing look at her loyal horse, Hilde walked the rest of the way to the place where her children were being kept against their will.

Tbc…

AN: Yeah I know it was nasty but it was important to know why she has so much power over him.