Title : Duty and Honour

Author/pseudonym : Gwyphyn

Fandom : The Sentinel

Pairing : Jim/Blair

Rating : Probably PG at the moment.

Status : NEW, in progress.

Archieve : WWOMB

E-mail address for feedback : YES PLEASE!! gwyphyn@hotmail.com

Series/Sequel : part 1/?

Disclaimers : Characters of the sentinel unfortunatly don't belong to moi, they all belong to Pet Fly instead. This fic is written only for fun. Promise! Please don't sue me, all you'd get is the rusting wreak that was my car.

Summary : A young prince must battle his family and the sentinel he is destined to guide, to claim his destiny.

Warnings : AU

By Gwyphyn

Prologue.

`…the Sentinels were considered to be many things by many different people. To those they protected they were considered saviors, powerful guardians who were to be aided and helped whenever needed, no matter how slight or great their need. To the upper echelons of power, they were Guardians of the people and lands who served their want, and were often feared. More then one greedy or cruel lord met their fate at the end of a Sentinel's sword. To Priests and other religious workers, they where Resa's priests. Their lives spent in servitude to the Goddess who stood opposite Hera on the left hand of Zeus, second to none but the powerful King and Queen of the gods. They answered to no-one but their Goddess, the King or Queen they recognized as rightful ruler and to their own harsh conscious, and woe behold the ruler who sought to use these faithful guardian's for their own foul gains. For the justice of the Sentinels was swift and the executing of that justice even swifter.

They were all of these things, but to the Guide's they bonded to, they were so much more. The Guides were partners to these fierce guardians of justice and peace and protected them as much as the Sentinel's protected their Guide's. They were their Blessed Protectors' conscious as well as their anchor. It was their Guide's that allowed the Sentinels to function, drawing them back to reality with the power of their voices, whenever the Sentinels awesome abilities proved to much for them. It was their Guide's which acted like the buffer between the Sentinel's heightened senses of, sound, smell, touch, taste and sight, and the overwhelming desire to zone out on one particular sense. A Guide's heartbeat was a focus for their Sentinel's exceptional hearing, their uncomplicated smell a focus for their keen noses. The comforting touch of a Guide's hand enough to pull them from the deepest sensory overload, and the familiar sight of a Guide's face a tranquil mooring for their eyes.

Without their Guide's the Sentinels were lost and most did not survive a parting with them well, and in the case of death rare, if at all, was the Sentinel which lived longer then the time needed to put their lost Guide to rest. Most them choosing to zone out on one particular sense and join their Guide's in death.

They were thought to be the human embodiment of the animal spirits which served Resa so faithfully, and it was believed that with their passing they, and their Guide's, returned to their true spiritual form and flew once more to their Goddess's side. Until that being decided that they were once more needed on the surface of her sister Gaia, and returned to our world. This could perhaps be why, in the whole history of their guild, the combined numbers of the Sentinel's and their Guides never surpassed one hundred and two.'

Extract from `THE LEGENDS OF RESA' an ancient text written by an unknown author. Discovered in the underground vaults of an uncovered library not far from the ruins of a Greek temple dedicated to Gaia, and thought to date somewhere around 800BC.

PART ONE: Chapter One.

"Majesty…"

Duke Simon De'Banks sighed heavily as no obvious reaction was forthcoming from the aging Queen standing silently, gazing out one of the huge arched windows that lined one whole wall of her throne room. For all her wisdom and power, Queen Naomi could be unnervingly stubborn about something's, and when it came to her youngest son's well being and happiness, there was nothing she wouldn't do to see it fulfilled. Unfortunately this also meant that she tended to be more then slightly over protective.

"Majesty, you know I'm right about this." Simon tried again, hoping that his long standing friendship with Queen Naomi, and her trust in his counseling , would protect him from her infamously quick temper.

"What if you are right Simon? What does it matter?" Though the words were whisper soft and the length of the throne room separated them, Simon could hear the words as clear as day. Just because he no longer roamed the wilderness that surrounded the Kingdom of Cascade like his men did, did not mean that the head of the Sentinel Guild's abilities had faded in anyway.

"It matters a great deal, both to the prince and his destined Sentinel." Simon pointed out, taking the Queen's response as permission to join her by the window.

"And what of my son's duty to the throne and the people of Cascade?" Queen Naomi didn't glance at him, and though her face was hidden by the thick waves of her hair, done up in some complicated court style that Simon couldn't even begin to unravel, the man could guess her expression. Sadness mixed with resignation and stubborn refusal.

"Majesty, Prince Blair is the youngest of six sons and one daughter. He will never inherit the throne, and I think that you know as well as I, that to try and marry him off in a safe marriage of alliance would be a wasted gesture, and would only cause pain for all involved." Simon murmured his tone gentle.

Naomi whirled around to look at him, her sky blue eyes flashing in anger over the implied slight to her much-loved youngest son. Anger, which faded as she met Simon's understanding brown orbs. Unable to meet his eyes, the Queen turned once more to gaze out at the bustling courtyard far below her.

"Majesty if I may speak freely…?" Simon hesitated until the slender Queen nodded sharply. "Prince Alexander already looks upon his brother as a rival for the people's devotion. Prince Blair is as beloved as his mother for his gentle leadership and understanding ways. His is other brothers, especially Prince Eric, see him as a possible opponent for whatever power remains. Quite frankly Majesty, Prince Blair is already a target for constant, painful harassment. Would you doom him to even greater torment when your death means that you are no longer able to protect him?" Simon broke off as Queen Naomi turned to look up at him, pain shinning out of the sky colored depths.

"And you, who have raised him as though he was your own, would spare him that pain." It was not a question, but Simon answered it anyway.

"Your son and mine have taken their lesson's together all their lives. The Prince knows well the duties required of a Guide to a Sentinel, and though Darryl as never shown signs of being either, Prince Blair is, without a doubt, a Guide."

"Yet he is also a trained Shaman, a spiritual leader to the people of Cascade. Would you force him to choose?"" Queen Naomi argued.

Simon studied her upturned face silently. Though aging, Naomi was still beautiful, in appearance as well as in spirit, a spirit which flashed like blue fire from the hidden depths of her crystal like eyes.

It had been this courageous spirit which had given her the strength to bare and raise five sons and a daughter to an ogre of a King and husband. This inner strength which had helped her to hold on to the throne which had been her sons right, after the late Kings death, against the wishes and dangerous scheming of power hungry lords and ladies of her husbands court. And it had been this dauntless desire for happiness, which had bestowed her the fortitude to find love even after her painful marriage, and ignoring the horrified scandal suffusing the court, bare a final child as a result of that love. A child which shared her inner beauty and spirit, and who had managed to worm its way into the gruff Sentinel Captain's heart. Who, newly mourning the loss of his own gentle Guide in a disastrous childbirth which had given him his own much loved son, had discovered that he would forever love his Queen's child as his own. "One does not necessarily exclude the other, Majesty." Simon murmured, quietly.

With a quiet curse, which anyone else would have been startled to hear leave the lips of the normally composed Queen, Naomi turned away from him and stalked to the center of the empty throne room. For a time she contemplated the heavy flags and ancient tapestry's depicting long ago won battles covering the far wall, before turning to face him once more.

"Blair is too old to be joined with a Sentinel." She argued, an odd tone to her voice. Simon hid a smile. Naomi loved her son too much to be able to completely dismiss anything, which might lead to his happiness, no matter how much she might dislike it. Now only to convince her to let him try it.

"Prince Blair is only just reached twenty two years, my Queen. Although it has gotten rare in the last fifty years or so to bond one of his age, since it has become common practice to bond newly discovered Sentinel and Guides while in their teens, his age will not hamper him in anyway."

Suddenly Simon grew grim. "As you are aware, it is possible for a Guide to function without their Sentinel, but it is not possible for a Sentinel to function without their Guide. Somewhere Prince Blair has a Sentinel who, if he doesn't join, will sooner or later zone out on one of their senses, unable and unwilling to find their way back unless he is there to help them do so. I do not believe you could consign anyone to such a fate."

For a moment a defeated look settled over the Queen's face, then it was quickly chased away by a look of triumph. "You, Lord Simon, are a Sentinel functioning without the aid of a Guide!" She accused, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

Simon tilted his head in agreement, ready for the argument. "Aye Majesty, and one day such a fate will be mine. But my abilities are astonishingly weak when compared to almost any of the Sentinel's under my command and I have, thus far, been able to avoid meeting that end."

Naomi's glare gave way to sympathy and Simon quickly sort to head off any offers of sympathy. "When that day comes I will gladly join the owl that is now my lost Guide. Do not pity me Majesty, I have had a full life and do not regret anything in it." `Except perhaps out living you Joan, my dear snowy owl.'

For a long time Naomi was silent. Behind Simon, the sun began to set over the Queens City, washing the room in its bright orange and red glow, as he waited, with a patience only to be found in Sentinels, for the Queen to decide the fate of two men. Almost unnoticed, soft footed servants entered the now gloomy throne room to light the candles and torches which lined every wall of the grand room, then leaving as silently as they came. Only the flickering light of a hundred small flames to prove that they had been there at all.

Finally, Queen Naomi moved to stand beside him once more, her bearing regal and her expression proud. "If I was to give my permission and allow Blair to try and discover the Sentinel you say that he is destined to join with, how would you go about it?"

Ignoring the slightly stressed if, Simon struggled to control his relieved expression. "Blair believes that he already knows who his Sentinel is to be, Majesty."

A flicker of curiosity crossed the Queen's face before it was carefully pushed away. "Oh?" Naomi was careful to keep her voice smooth, giving nothing away to even Sentinel ears. "And who would that be Lord Captain."

Now Simon did hesitate, unsure how his Queen was going to react to the news that the Sentinel whom Blair had quite calmly stated was to be HIS Sentinel, was none other then the elder son of her most hated rival. "Lord James Ellison, Majesty."

"WHAT!!!"

Observing the angry flush suffusing his Queen's pale cheeks as she struggled to draw in breath for, what was no doubt going to be one of the longest dressing downs of his career, Simon groaned mentally. Now he had really gone and done it. Offering a quick prayer up to Resa, goddess of all Sentinel's and their Guides, for mercy, he resigned himself to a long night. What he was willing to endure for that boy.

~*~

"Calm down Blair, Father won't get here any faster just because you are climbing the walls to find out what happened." Darryl pointed out mildly as Blair, Prince of the realm of Cascade, sixth son of her majesty Queen Naomi, and acknowledged favorite of that same Queen, began his twelfth circuit of his friends rooms.

Fixing Darryl with his best glare, Blair nevertheless dropped down into the next seat his circuit came across, a huge padded chair that had been specially made for him, and sighed.

"What's taking him so long?" Blair demanded. Reaching up he began to play with his thick, auburn curls. A habit left over from childhood that he always took up again when nervous.

"Perhaps Father decided to seduce her into agreeing." Darryl offered with a grin.

Blair fixed his lifelong companion with a pitying look as the dark skinned boy shifted around on his bed until he was sprawled on his back, his head hanging off the edge, up side down, to look at him.

"Well it could happen. You never know."

Blair snorted. "Yeah right, and you could seduce my sister, turn it into a family tradition."

Darryl visibly shuddered at the thought. "Don't even say that. Princess Freeze herself and me, yuck! I'd rather woo Jewel."

"You stay away from my horse!" Blair threatened, chucking a pillow at the other man who simply caught it and tossed it back.

For a time the two young men shared a comfortable silence which is often enjoyed by old friends. Then with a melancholy sigh, Blair looked at his friend dully.

"I don't know why I'm getting my hopes up. Its not like Mother will agree to it anyway. She's got her hopes pinned on marrying me off and getting grandchildren, and if not that then me becoming yet another Shaman hanging around the court, pretending to be doing something important."

This time it was Darryl who snorted. Holding up his hands he started counting off points. "One, your Mother is not stupid enough to try and get you married. Two, you aren't like those other Shaman, you actually are a Shaman. And three, the day that you actually give into your Mother over something you want this badly, I'll be forced to take you to another real Shaman to perform and exorcism. Since there are no other real Shaman to be found in the Queen's City, it'll take a journey to find one and since you are such a considerate friend, and know how much I hate to travel, you won't want to put me through such a journey, and so won't dare give in."

Laughing, Blair grinned at his friend. Darryl was younger then him by three days and they had been raised together, they were more like brothers then friends. Darryl had often commented that somehow their personalities must have gotten mixed up while they were in their mother's wombs, because in many ways each of them suited the parent of the other more. Blair was destined to be a future Guide, something that Darryl had never aspired to. Instead Darryl excelled at court politics, and had been playing the game ever since he was old enough to earn the respect that inheriting his Mothers lands gave him, which, in turn, was something Blair's open face and trusting nature doomed him to fail, even if he should ever decide to try it. A miracle he had yet to attempt, much to the disappointment of his parent.

Twisting into a sitting position, Darryl fixed him with a rare, serious expression on his handsome face. "Seriously Blair, Queen Naomi knows how dangerous it is for a Sentinel to be separated from their Guide. She's too kind hearted to let anyone die like that if she can help it."

Blair couldn't help but wince at his friend's words. Unbidden the memory of Travis, a Sentinel who had purposely zoned out on one sense, played before his mind's eye. Travis' Guide a slender, red haired man known as Airce, had been killed several days earlier by brigands which, according to Darryl's Father, was why Travis had done it. It had taken just under a week for the big man to die of a combination of dehydration and starvation, and for the entire time it had been as though the Sentinel was already dead, a state which was known to the guild as `first death'.

As always, such thoughts unerringly turned to Darryl and his Father and wordlessly Blair reached out to grasp the hand already reaching for his. Both young men knew that it was only a matter of time until Simon's iron hard control over his sense's slipped and he followed a similar fate as Travis'.

Fortunately both were pulled from their gloomy thoughts when the sound of the outer door to Darryl's chambers crashing against the stone wall, echoed through the bedchamber. Before the sound had fully registered Blair was out of his seat and rushing into the main room, quickly followed by Darryl, only to be greeted by an extremely irate Simon.

"I swear Blair, no disrespect intended, but your Mother is the most infuriating, pig headed, stubborn woman I have ever come across." Simon began as soon as he caught sight of them. "As if its MY fault that she and Lord Ellison's Father have a blood feud going! Hell I wasn't even living at the palace when THAT started! So what, by Resa, am I supposed to DO about it?"

Throwing himself down into a convenient chair, Simon yanked out his pipe. Lighting it, he puffed on it furiously, glaring at Blair over the top of it.

Blair felt his shoulders slump as disappointment flooded through him. He had been so sure that Naomi could be talked into seeing reason, even through her over protective desire to keep him attached to her apron strings.

"She said no then." He guessed. Unable to meet the Sentinel Captain's eyes, afraid that if he did and saw the sympathy which was probably shining in them, he wouldn't be able to control the tears which were already beginning to burn the backs of his eyes. He felt Darryl grip his shoulder in understanding and was just about to excuse himself to try and reach his rooms before he embarrassed himself, when Simon's voice beat him to it.

"Nay lad, not completely."

"Huh? What do you mean?" This time Blair did look up, unable to keep the hope out of his voice.

Simon sighed heavily. "While unwilling to consider even the remote possibility that Ellison is meant to be your Sentinel, she is finally willing to let you try and find your REAL Sentinel.

Blair's shoulders drooped even further. "But James is my Sentinel, Simon!" He cried earnestly, willing the other man to believe him. "I knew it the minute I saw him again!" Blair broke off, not knowing how to express what meeting Ellison's sapphire blue eyes, as hard and as cold as ice chips, had been like. Unsure how to explain what the feeling of a too long missing piece of himself clicking back into place deep within his soul, never to be removed again, had felt like. In the end he didn't have to.

"Easy lad. You don't have to explain it to me remember? I already know." Simon said calmly, reaching out to pat one of the hands reaching out to him imploringly.

For a moment Blair wanted to deny Simon's words, to tell them that there was no way that the other man could know what it was like to suddenly find your other half. To know that no matter what, you would never be alone again. But even as he began to form the words, he suppressed the urge. For Simon did know all of these things, indeed he knew more then Blair ever wanted to know. He knew the final agony as that other half was ripped from him irrevocably, and the experience of grief greater then any Blair had ever known in his short life.

"So what is she willing to let me waste time doing?" He asked instead, unable to stop the resignation that colored his voice.

"She is going to allow you to accompany me on my next rounds to the local meeting spots." Simon paused and leaned forward conspiratorially before continuing. "Since we have to go through Count Ellison's lands, if we just happen to meet his son on the way, and if James and an unbonded Guide should just happen to meet… Well, who are we to blame?"

Grinning hugely, Blair threw himself at the older man, hugging him furiously and not perturbed when the older man only patted his back awkwardly in return. Even though he had no real idea what he was getting himself into. Hell, he didn't even know James Ellison, certainly didn't know whether or not the man was willing to co-operate and even accept him as his Guide, but right now Blair couldn't bring himself to even care. He was finally getting his chance to do something he had always wanted to do, what he had been born to do and that meant that for this moment, everything in his world was wonderful.

PART 2 SOON