Illusionary

Chapter Two

Gwendel woke what seemed to be only minutes later. Holding his bleeding side he sat up slowly. He saw his men laying dead on the ground, and no sight of the young man who attacked them. Coughing violently, Gwendel quickly searched for a horse. A strong blonde steed came up next to him bending his head down slightly to nuzzle him. Carefully standing and opening a saddlebag, Gwendel wrapped his wound tightly to stop the bleeding. Then, nearly unconscious again, he grabbed the reins and carefully mounted the beast and spurred the horse into a run back to Shin Makoku.

The horse was fast and they made it to a village outside of the main city late that night. As he entered the village, he groaned and began to waver in his saddle. His eyes rolled up into his head and he passed out, falling off the horse, and startling it to neigh loudly.

“My word! What’s going on out here…?” a woman cried, hearing the loud thud and the horse cry out. She gasped in shock seeing the form of a demon warrior in the dirt, blood slowly seeping from a poorly treated wound. “Philip! Wake up!” the woman cried back into the house as her husband woke and rushed out. Seeing his wife try to lift up the black haired figure he rushed out to help her.

“Get a bed ready, Gloria, and some medicine, this man needs medical attention!” Nodding and rushing back inside to prepare a bed for their unexpected guest, Gloria left her husband to easily pick up the demon.

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“Will he be all right…?” A voice cut through Gwendel’s sleep, drawing him back into reality.

“I’m sure he will, darling. He’s a demon warrior after all.” Gwendel’s mind tried to place the two voices that were speaking about him, he assumed. One was obviously an older woman, while the first was a small child.

“I know but he really got cut bad. Who would want to hurt a demon warrior?” the child said. His eyes fluttering open, he could barely make out the forms of an older woman and a young boy.

“Well either way, I think he’s coming around now.” The older woman leaned forward and gently pressed a cool cloth to Gwendel’s forehead. He groaned and took a deep breath his eyes finally focusing.

“What…what happened?” he asked, his eyes lying upon the woman first, before traveling to the small boy beside her.

“You got hurt really bad by something and fell of your horse last night!” the boy said his wide brown eyes looking in wonder. Gwendel blinked and recalled the fight with the young man, and tried to sit up, a sting running through his side at the movement.

“Now, now dear you shouldn’t be moving around so much. My husband has already sent a message to the Maou that you’re here. No doubt that your commander will come and see what it was you were trying to deliver in this condition.” Gwendel blinked and moved a hand to his forehead a sudden spike of pain rushing through him.

~Commander? Doesn’t she know who I am? I’m…I am…Gwendel von Walde…why was it hard for me to remember that…?~ he thought before rubbing his eyes and looking around. The house he was in was small, meant for only a few. The woman was very obviously a human, and the young boy a half demon. He looked around and tried to put together what had happened to him. He looked around and could see that it was the house of a farmer, or other hard laboring family. He slowly sat up, keeping the cool cloth to his head.

“What’s your name now darling?” the woman asked helping him.

“Gwendel…my name is Gwendel…” he said another spike of pain running through his mind.

“Gwendel…it fits you darling. You may call me Gloria and this is my son Fredrick. It might not be any of my business, but what happened to you?” Gwendel leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes to recall.

“My men and I were attacked by a young man. He was human, but he had a strange box with him. We were taken advantage of when we saw him sitting by the side of the road bleeding. He jumped us and…” Gwendel paused, trying to search his memory for what happened after they were attacked, but found it came up blank.

“Oh my…you poor thing.” Gwendel looked up at Gloria, her kind face reminding him of his mother, her dark brown hair and golden eyes. He furrowed his brows a bit; the image of a demon woman in middle class clothing didn’t sit right with him.

“Do you live up at the castle…?” Fredrick asked. Gwendel looked down at him and nodded.

“Yes, I work there. I’m a commanding officer under Sir Conrad Weller…” No…that couldn’t be right! He didn’t serve under his brother…but…Conrad wasn’t his brother…was he?

“WOW! You know Sir Weller?!”

“Yes…very well…” Gwendel’s mouth kept speaking, but his brain was splitting in two.

~This isn’t right…Conrad is my brother, if anything I’m of higher rank than him. Ahh! No…what’s happening to me?!~

“Wow! I can’t believe Sir Weller is coming to our house mama!” the boy said looking up at his mother wide eyed. Gloria laughed and smiled.

“He could very well be coming here, he cares for his men greatly you know, just as he does his husband…Gwendel? Are you all right?” she asked looking at Gwendel whose eyes were closed tightly.

“N-no…I think I’ve hit my head pretty badly…I feel like my head is splitting in two…” he said concerned for his own well being. Gloria frowned and gently laid him back down.

“Lay down dear, rest, I’ll go and fetch some medicine for you. Fredrick, don’t be bothering Sir Gwendel now, all right? He needs his rest.” The boy nodded obediently to his mother.

“Yes mama.”

“Thank you, Gloria…” Gwendel said lying down and closing his eyes. Gwendel felt his mind drifting off again into unconsciousness. He didn’t fight it, and soon was enveloped by the warmth of the darkness.

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“Gwendel…Gwendel wake up…” Gwendel winched, trying hard to ignore the fact that his head felt like it was going to split open. Opening his eyes carefully, he saw Conrad over him.

“Conrad…” he said trying to sit up. Conrad gently pushed him back.

“Don’t strain yourself, Gwendel,” Conrad said before looking him over. He frowned a bit and sat down.

“How’s your head dear?” Gloria asked coming over and placing another cool cloth over his forehead.

“Better I suppose,” Gwendel said before turning to the brown haired brown-eyed man beside him.

“Are you well enough to come back to Blood Pledge? Gisela and Anissina are waiting to help you.” Gwendel nodded, feeling something strange inside of him at the mention of Anissina. He expected the feeling of dread, yet it wasn’t so. It was something else entirely. It left Gwendel very confused as sparks seemed to jump around in his brain as Conrad helped him to sit up and stand. It was then that Gwendel noticed that he wasn’t in his normal green General’s uniform that he was in at the beginning of his journey to patrol the borders. It was a uniform that the high-ranking guards and warriors wore. It was also the color of Conrad’s personal guard.

“What’s going on?” He cried stumbling back slightly trying to piece together why he was in a different uniform and why earlier he had said that he was under his brother’s command. “Ahh!” He winched and held his head as he thought back to how things should be. He panted slightly and looked up at Conrad.

“Gwendel! What’s wrong?” Conrad asked holding Gwendel’s arm to keep him steady. “Let’s get you to the castle right away.” Gwendel held his head and fought back from the pain. He walked with Conrad, thinking somewhere he heard cold laughter.

~Am I going crazy? ~ he asked himself. He walked outside and looked up observing the area. Everything looked the same, and he wasn’t hallucinating. He looked at Conrad and saw the scar on his eyebrow as well as other features that he knew so well. Drawing himself up he looked at the brown haired man. Conrad looked up at him questioningly and it was then that Gwendel noticed that the man who was once known only as a knight was wearing more formal wear…he was wearing high ranking general clothing.

“You don’t look well, Gwendel. Let’s get you home…” Gwendel winched and nodded slowly, before being helped up onto an extra horse. Relaxing somewhat, Gwendel took the reins of the horse and followed the party back up to Blood Pledge. He watched curious as they rode on. Nothing had seemed to change, though something was different, very different. He couldn’t place why the place he grew up in and loved would feel so…imposing and ill at ease. Everyone around him, though, seemed to notice none of this, and Gwendel found himself putting the blame on the head injury he took.

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“Welcome back Lord Weller,” Dorcas said greeting the group.

“Dorcas, please inform Anissina and Gisela that Gwendel needs medical attention for some wounds,” Conrad ordered. Dorcas snapped into attention before running off. Gwendel watched, his vision as well as his mind becoming fuzzy.

“Come on, Gwendel, let me help you…” Conrad said gently taking Gwendel’s arm. Gwendel winched as he twisted, from the knife wound in his side, and got off the horse, staggering.

“Conrad! Gwendel!” A voice cut through Gwendel’s foggy mind and he smiled looking up. He watched as his fiancé ran over; worry clear on his face. “Are you all right?” Gwendel stood up straighter, expecting Gunther to run into him, but was unpleasantly surprised when Gunther went directly to Conrad and put his hands upon Conrad’s chest.

“I’m fine, love.” The words sliced through Gwendel’s heart as he heard his younger brother call HIS fiancé ‘love’! As Gwendel went to ask what Conrad had been doing in his absence with the man he loved, his head once again felt like it was going to split apart, this time though, other images flashing through, Images of Conrad and Gunther’s wedding, he was there at the back guarding while Hube was up at Conrad’s side as man of honor. Wolfram was also there with Yuri congratulating the couple, yet he was at the back, guarding the entrance like he wasn’t even important enough to have a place of honor.

“Gwendel!” Gwendel held his head and looked up as Anissina and Gisela ran forward. The red head quickly came over and looked him over, her blue eyes laced with worry.

“Anissina…” Gwendel said with a small smile, at least their relationship hadn’t changed…he hoped.

“You idiot! Come on, Gisela let’s get my useless husband to the medical wing.” Once again, Gwendel was wrong. Gisela quickly called for the other guards to bring the stretcher over.

“I’m fine to walk…” Gwendel said straightening, trying to mask the pain in his side as well as in his head.

“No, you need to stop moving. Is that clear?” Gisela’s ‘Sergeant’ side quickly struck a cord with Gwendel and he reluctantly nodded to the young woman. When Dorcas and the other guards brought over the stretcher Gwendel was gently helped onto it, his head spinning.

“Gwendel.” The black haired mage looked up at Gunther’s beautiful face, somewhere his heart breaking. “Do get better…” Gunther smiled and was joined by Conrad who slipped his arm through Gunther’s.

“I’m counting on you, Cousin. Hube would be a mess if it wasn’t for you.” Gwendel didn’t even get the time to respond before he was carried off into the castle. He closed his eyes and slipped into a strange dreamless sleep.