Author:  pulsar (pulsar03@juno.com)
Title:  The Guard and the Heir
Category:  AU, Fairy tale, Romance
Warnings: AU.  Fairy tale.  Hints of 1+2.
Archive:  If anyone wants it, I'm more than happy to let you have it,
just drop me a line and let me know where you're putting it.  I am
currently being archived at The Yaoi Collection (www.yaoicollection.com),
Black Ice (www.fortunecity.com/athena/nightingale/236),Yummy Yummy Yaoi!  
A Buffet of Bishounen! (http://simon_the_duck.tripod.com/Yaoi), Shinigami's
Faithful's site (http://gboytoys.stormpages.com), and partially archived
at Duo Maxwell's site (http://www.operationshinigami.darkgod.net/)
Disclaimer:  GW is not mine.
Author's notes:  This is a companion piece to The Princess and the
Dragon.  I suggest reading that first, though it won't matter too much
if you haven't.  Betad by Marianbri.  Thanks Marianbri!!!
Feedback:  I would LOVE to hear what you thought of my fic!

_blah blah blah_ = italicized
//blah blah blah// = thoughts



The Guard and the Heir

        An owl hooted in the darkness, its call seeming ominous to the
two weary travelers. The road had been their only companion for days, and
they yearned for rest. However, no rest would be granted to them, for
they had a destination and precious little time to get there. They rode
their horses until the beasts’ sides heaved and the poor animals had
barely the strength to whinny. Only then would they stop and rest, but
even then, their pause was all too brief, and they were riding again in
no time at all.

        "Sorry Nightwind. I know this is hard on you, my beauty, but we
must ride swiftly," whispered the cloaked figure on the mare’s back as
they rode into the wind. Nightwind shook her head as if she understood
him and galloped forward.

        "Gee up, Storm Bringer!" cried the black steed’s rider. His horse
looked back at him and stopped moving forward. The rider dug his heels
in, urging the horse forward. "Go, you flea-bitten half-wit!"

        Nightwind’s rider overheard his companion’s frustrated yells and
turned back around, riding toward him. "Having trouble?" he asked with an
impish grin.

        His companion glared and dug his heels in further. "Stupid horse!
Go Storm Bringer!"

        "With all due respect, my good sir, you can’t handle a horse."

        "Well perhaps I could if someone hadn’t always been interfering
when I tried to train him…" the baron’s son answered, trailing off
dangerously.

        The bodyguard chuckled, his violet eyes shining with amusement.
"Maybe if you didn’t insist on calling him Storm Bringer, he would obey
you."

        "His name is Storm Bringer, and I will call him nothing else!"
was the fiery reply.

        "Whatever you say, sir." He turned his horse around and Nightwind
trotted forward.

        "By my honor, horse, you will obey me! _GO_ Storm Bringer!" Storm
Bringer made to wander off into the woods. "No, not that way!"

        "Come here, Daisy," called the first man softly. Storm Bringer
eagerly galloped up to Nightwind and her rider.

        The cobalt-eyed man glared at his bodyguard. "I cannot believe
you trained my steed to answer to _that_."

        Grinning, the bodyguard shrugged. "I cannot believe it bothers
you that much, sir."

        "He is a _war_-horse! He is supposed to instill fear in my
enemies, not make them giggle!"

        "You could attack whilst they giggle."

        "Only a coward takes his enemies unawares."

        The bodyguard was silent for a minute as he contemplated his
master’s words. "You are right, sir. You are far too noble to do that. I
should not have trained your horse to answer to such a name."

        Daisy’s rider glanced at his servant. He was weary of believing
his servant only to find he had fallen once again for his servant’s
jokes, easily duped by the man’s sincere tone and innocent appearance.

        "I mean it, sir. I have wronged you," continued the servant,
aware that his master did not quite believe him to be sincere.

        "Think of it no more," answered the baron’s heir, waving his hand
dismissively. "There are far worse names you might have given him. But
come, it is late, and we must allow ourselves a rest."

        They led their horses to the roadside and dismounted. The
bodyguard spread a blanket on the ground for his master, then perched
upon a nearby rock to take watch.

        "There is no need for you to watch. You must sleep, or you will
be of no help should we be attacked."

        "Should we be attacked, one of us should be awake to fight, and
you are the master. I am but your servant, and I live so that I might use
my life to protect yours."

        "I told you to sleep."

        Resigned, the servant nodded. "As you command, so shall it be."

        The servant pulled another blanket from the pack and spread it
over himself. He leaned against the rock and drifted into a light sleep.
His master looked over at him to assure himself that his bodyguard had
truly followed his order. He saw that his servant had indeed done as he
had been commanded. Then the baron’s son found himself unable to turn
away. Something about the play of the soft moonlight over his companion’s
features made something in his heart twist. Something made him long to
reach out and brush the stray hairs from his bodyguard’s handsome face.

        //Handsome?// he thought. //What am I thinking?// He shook his
head and turned over, facing away from the man he suddenly longed for.

        It was minutes before sunrise when the bodyguard opened his eyes,
awoken by a noise he could not identify. He reached for his sword and
tensed, ready to spring forth and destroy the cause of the noise, should
whatever made the noise turn out to be a danger. The horses seemed
frightened, further convincing him that they were in danger. Warily, he
peered around, drawing his sword.

        He wandered into the nearby woods a few steps, searching for the
unseen threat. The horses neighed with fright, rearing up and stomping.
Swearing, he ran back to his master and their horses, fearing he might be
too late. He arrived in time to see his master awaken and grope blindly
for his weapon. The bear roared and rose up on its hind legs, ready to
strike.

        With a fierce cry, the braided man leapt in front of his master
and thrust his sword into the bear, stabbing and slashing furiously.
//Oh, please, don’t let us die…// he prayed silently. //Let me save my
master!// With a strangled scream, the bear fell backwards, collapsing
upon the road. It twitched once or twice, then lay still. The bodyguard
panted, his adrenaline rush quickly fading and leaving him shaky and
frightened. His master stared up at him, wide-eyed.

        "You saved me," he whispered breathlessly.

        Smiling weakly down at him, the bodyguard replied, "It is my job,
sir."

        Staring up at the man who had just saved his life, he could think
of nothing but how attractive his servant was, even spattered with blood.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I should have been able to kill it myself,
but…"

        "Think of it no more, sir," he replied, smiling down at him. He
held out a hand to his master. "Now let’s get you to your bride, shall
we?"

        The baron’s son nodded and took his bodyguard’s hand. His servant
pulled him to his feet. "Yes, let’s," he answered softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

-pulsar