"Wizards, and Elves, and True Love, Oh My!" by Marie Whi Mitshue
AUTHOR'S NOTES & WARNINGS: My first AU fic!!! Whhoohooo!!! Yes, I do know the title sucks!
This is YAOI! For those of you not yet familiar with that term, it means boys loving and having sexual and romantic relationships with each other. All clear? (Yuri is the girl-on-girl version and I don't write that for GW, 'cause the only girl I like on there is Noin and if she's in one of my fics I usually pair her with Zechs.)
The pairings are: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, Rx1, Rx13, 6x13x6, 13x11 (Une is 11, right?) 5x…nobody? (shrug. We'll see*) Everybody know the numbers, right? 1 is Heero, 2 is Duo, 3 is Trowa, 4 is Quatre, 5 is Wufei, 6 is Zechs, 11 is Une, 13 is Treize, 9 is Noin…R is of course, Relena…
Wizards, Angst, Elves, Magic, Sap, Spells, Bewitchment, An Evil Relena (Ya saw that coming, didn't ya? So, hey, expect Relena bashing!) Some Peanut Gallery-ing. (If ya don't know what that is, it's when the GW Boys make comments in and about the fic.)
Don't own them, they belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them, I'll return them, and, honestly, I have no idea where the bruises came from!!!
Email me. C&C is wonderful!!! kumiko_chan@gundamwing.net
*emphasis* (the more **, the bigger the emphasis)
Sorry for the big-ass author's note!
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A long time ago there lived a prince. He was no ordinary prince (if any prince is ordinary), but the son of two great and goodly wizard kings.
~~~
Duo: "Wait a sec! Hold the phone! How can he be the son of two wizard kings?! Two MALE wizards?!?!"
Marie: Duo! If you'd let me finish, then you'd find out!!! And who said there was gonna be peanut gallery in this fic?!" (stamps her foot. Duo points back towards Relena.) "That's it! I should have known *YOU* would be causing trouble!! Fine, Princess, you have just become one of the villiens… villeins… how the *hell* do you spell vill…ARGGHH?!"
Quatre: "Um… villains?"
Marie: (glomps Quatre) "THANK you, Quatre!!!" (Turns back to Relena, not noticing Quatre's red face or Trowa's glare.) "As I was saying, you have just become one of the villains of this piece!! MBWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Relena: (All confused and upset) "But…but…but I just came here to watch!! I like magical AU fics…well, some of them… But I never said anythin –"
Duo: (Cuts her off hastily) "Too late, Relena-sama!!" (Turns to Marie) "Shouldn't you keep going? I wanna know how our good old prince came from two wizards!"
Marie: (Eyes Duo suspiciously, but he has his Innocent Face on. Shrugs, and goes back to the fic.) "Hai. Where was I…?"
~~~
Oh, right. So this prince was the son of these two wizards. He was born from the union of Prince Treize and Princess Une, some sixteen years ago, but Une had been kidnapped, then killed, by the evil Queen Relena –
~~~
Relena: (Outraged) "Wait a minute! Why am I the bad Queen who kills Une?! I don't appreciate that!"
Une: (hand on hip and eyebrow raised at Relena) *YOU* don't appreciate that! We're a few paragraphs in and I'm already dead and long gone!" (sighs and leaves; she came hoping Marie would write her in another fic. So far she's been in about three: a 5x13 fic, a 1x2x1,3x4x3,5x13x5,6x9 fic, and a big Relena-bashing fic.)
Marie: (Scowling) "Oh, shut up, Relena! You shouldn't have been causing trouble!" (Duo sniggers)
~~~
ANYway….Une had been kidnapped, then killed, by the evil Queen Relena, just after the prince was born, in revenge, for Treize had refused her when she had expressed her admiration and want for the sexy OZ general – I mean, for the sexy wizard prince! (Oops.)
Treize raised the boy for a year alone, naming him Heero –
~~~
Wufei: "I KNEW IT!! Why is it Yuy is always the prince?!"
Marie: "'Fei – and ALL of you – so help me Goddess, if I can't finish more than a few lines without one of you interrupting, I'm not writing anymore!!! You got me?!?! (Startled and shocked assent from all GW characters.) "GOOD!! Now, for the THIRD bloody time….
~~~
Treize raised the boy, like I said, all by himself for a year, naming him Heero, after a great warrior who had died for peace some years ago. But then he fell in love with another goodly and most puissant wizard –
~~~
Duo: (In a bare whisper) "Heero, what's 'most puissant' mean?"
Marie: DUO MAXWELL!!!! URUSAI!!!"
Duo: "EEP!! Gomen, gomen nasai!!! I'll go look it up!"
~~~
So, Treize fell for this other wizard, a young prince named Miliardo –
~~~
(Wufei shifts, grumbling under his breath, but Marie catches his eye and he wilts and cringes. Treize and Zechs – Miliardo, DUH! – grin at each other.)
~~~
young prince named Miliardo Peacecraft, and Miliardo felt the same
way about the wizard prince Treize, and they married, and Miliardo adopted the boy, and thus Heero was the son of two male wizards!! (Satisfied, Duo? Good enough explanation?)
But this also brought about more trouble from Queen Relena, the killer of Treize's former love. For Miliardo was Relena's older brother, but, due to the rules of their kingdom, since he was a wizard he could not inherit the throne. No one with magical powers could rule the kingdom of Sanc, not with White Arts or Dark. Relena, who had hidden her fascination and power in the Dark Arts, had assumed the throne on the death of their father.
Now she was truly enraged. First Treize had refused her for Une, and she had gotten ride of that bun-haired obstacle, only to find her own brother where she wanted to be. But some last bit of familial affection for her brother wouldn't let her kill him as she had killed Une. So she bided her time, and waited, using her Dark Arts to keep herself young and beautiful, but inside she was growing more evil, dark, cruel and ugly. She took to spying on them over the years, as Treize inherited the throne of his kingdom upon the death of his parents in a riding accident. She watched young Heero grow, and excel at most of his lessons, be they letters, or swordsmanship, or magic. Young Heero had inherited the powerful magical abilities of his father…one would almost assume he had inherited both fathers abilities, for he was a far more powerful wizard than either King Treize or King Miliardo.
And the evil Queen Relena found that Heero had taken his father's place in her obsession. No longer did she spy on them for a chance to have King Treize as her own. Now she spied on them for a chance to have Prince Heero.
~~~
Duo: "Where am I? Am I a Prince, too? Do I have any magical powers, huh, huh?! Surely I'm gonna get Heero, right? You aren't gonna let Relena get him, are ya?! That would be gross! And very, very, very wrong!!! And where's 'Fei and Q and Tro? They're in here too, right? Right?! And I still don't' know what puissant means!!!"
Marie: (stares at Shinigami; he managed to say all that in a single breath. Heero gags the braided wonder with said braid, and he glares at his Japanese koi.) "Duo, stop interrupting and you'll find out. Man, you're really getting into this! And puissant means 'powerful, mighty'."
Duo: (Spits out braid, despite Heero's efforts to stop him.) "Oh. Why didn't you just say so?"
Marie: "ARGGH!"
~~~
Prince Heero had a friend, the prince of a neighbouring kingdom, a young man named Trowa. Prince Trowa and Prince Heero were good friends, for both were silent a lot, although Trowa had Heero beat in that department, and both kept a lot of what they felt inside, not broadcast to the world.
Heero's friendship had helped Trowa greatly, for a year ago, Trowa's betrothed, a young prince from a far off land, named Quatre, had gone missing, while heading to Trowa's kingdom for their wedding. All that was found was his cloak and the badge of his royal office, a golden and emerald pendant shaped like a strange animal of Prince Quatre's kingdom, a camel.
Trowa had been devastated, indeed, he still was although he hid it deep, and only Heero's friendship had kept him sane. He still had search parties combing the known kingdoms for any sign, any rumour, any little hope that his love was still alive.
But while Trowa had not a scrap of magical power, he was by far the better horseman. He never laughed at his friend when he fell or was thrown, just helped him up and showed him what he had done wrong, for the one thing that Prince Heero failed at was horse riding. How a man so graceful and co- ordinated in everything else could fall off his horse or be thrown so many times in the course of a day was a mystery. But there it was.
~~~
Duo: (sniggering uncontrollably, and he ain't the only one. ) "Hee..ro… can't… stay.. on a horse!! Hehehehe…I can see that!!
Heero: (Glares at Duo, and at everybody else who is chuckling. Switches his Glare to Marie.) "Omae wo –"
Marie: (waves a hand at him, cutting him off.) "Yeah, yeah, I know: 'Omae wo korosu'. Ya need a new line, Hee-chan."
Heero: (His cheek twitches, and he repeats softly, incredulously) "H..Hee-chan?!?! MARIE!!!!"
Marie: (Makes a kissy face at the angry Wing pilot) "Love ya, Hee- chan! Now shut up and let me get back to the fic, or I'll keep calling ya that." (Heero sits down so fast that a wind lifts his hair.)
~~~
So, one night, Heero was returning to the castle, far later than he had expected, for he had gone for a solo ride, determined to master the horse, and had been thrown. His horse, J, had hared for home as soon as –
~~~
Duo: "DR. J IS HIS HORSE?!?!" (Doubles over, almost crying in his fit of laughter. From the corner, Dr. J tries to glare at Marie but his artificial eye implants make it impossible to do so. Heero has to hide a smirk.)
~~~
So, J ran for home as soon as he had Heero off and sprawled in a mud puddle, leaving the prince soaked, dirty and cold in a forest several miles from home, with nightfall approaching. Now, he could have used magic to warm himself, and to get him home, but to do so would advertise his location to any magically-inclined being, and there were things and beings he wouldn't want to meet alone in a forest with night coming. So he walked, grumbling and fuming all the long way, although he did it all inside, face remaining impassive as he walked.
He was nearing the castle walls, and the village just inside it, night long fallen and the moon high, when he heard crying. Not just crying, but soft, piteous, miserable sobbing that would have melted the heart out of a vicious, evil man. Now, Heero may have been a calm and controlled sort of prince, but he was far from an evil man, and this weeping tugged at his heart like nothing else ever had. He left the path he had been following and struck out into the trees in search of the weeper.
He pushed through the last of the trees at the edge of a meadow bathed in moonlight, and there he stopped, struck dumb by the sight before him.
A willowy, slimly-muscled young man, who could be no older than Heero himself, was crumpled over a large, flat rock in the middle of the meadow, arms folded on the rock, face buried in his arms. He was dressed in soft- looking garments, dark, and gilded with silver moonlight, colour indistinguishable. His hair… the colour was quite distinguishable, despite the mingled dark shadow and silvery moonlight. It was a long, thick curtain that fell all over him, down his back and hips, over the rock, so long the strands dangling off the edge of the rock nearly brushed the ground. It was a dark colour, chestnut maybe, and the silver moonlight gleamed on it, picked up lighter strands, gleaming gold, red-gold, and silver amidst the chestnut mass.
His shoulders, nay, his whole body was jerking and shuddering with the force of his sobs, his long, exquisite hair shivering.
"I have never seen true beauty till this night…" Heero breathed.{1}
As low and quiet as his whisper was, a bare thread of sound, the man's head jerked up and he spun around, his long, long hair swirling around him, witch-like. He stared at Heero, and Heero stared back, transfixed by him.
The man's face was heart-shaped, with pale, smooth, flawless skin made paler by the silvery moonlight. Moonlight gleamed on the tears on his cheeks, making them appear liquid trails of purest silver. Perfect, cherub lips of softest pink were parted in astonishment. But the main attraction was his eyes. Wide, huge orbs of blue-violet, like all the shades of the sky, water, violets and twilight blended together, wet with tears and framed by long, dark lashes.
So transfixed by those eyes was Heero that he never even noticed the slightly upswept eyebrows, or the tips of elegantly and delicately pointed ears peeking out from beneath that curtain of hair.
"Who…" The elf – for that is what he was, one of the Fair Folk – whispered shakily. He stared at the mortal who had interrupted his tears. He was dressed in black leather riding trousers, high black boots, a dark green doublet, and a long, thick royal purple cloak, so he had to be of the mortal royalty. There was dried mud smeared here and there on the man's clothing. Dark, thick, wild-looking hair fell over his forehead, almost in his eyes. His face was exquisite, sculpted planes of impassive beauty, mouth sensual despite it's seeming immobility, and although it was hard to judge in the shadow and moonlight, his skin appeared to be of a golden hue. But those eyes, they were certainly NOT impassive: an intense shade of cobalt blue, beneath dark eyebrows slightly forked at the end, with thick, dark lashes, they fairly glowed with emotions.
The elf realised, with shock, that this mortal had caught him crying. He lifted a hand to scrub away the tears, turning his face away.
Before his hand touched his face, however, the mortal man's hand was there, brushing away his tears with gentle fingertips.
The elf jumped back, out of reach of those beautiful, slender hands, shaken to the core at what he had felt when the man had touched him.
"Who are you?" He demanded, almost angrily, confused and shaken. "Why have you intruded on my solitude?"
"I am Prince Heero. My castle is not far; this is my fathers' kingdom. I did not mean to intrude, but when I heard your weeping, I could not go by without trying to ease the pain of the weeper. Why were you crying? And, if I may be permitted, what is your name?"
The elf stared at him. Heero could see now, this close, just beyond arms reach, the delicate, backward-curved points on his ears, and the slight upslanting of the outer edge of his eyebrows. The elf's clothes were discernible now, as well: soft black, like velvet, but most likely some Elven equivalent, with embroidery of glossy black tracing out a raven in flight on the chest of his tunic. Black leather boots, as bright and shiny as the embroidery thread, clad his legs to the knee, and over all was a soft black cloak and hood, though the hood was down. The clasp was bright black metal, a smaller version of the raven embroidered on his chest.
A black leather quiver, full of arrows as black as the night, and a black wood bow lay on the ground beside the rock. The elf snatched them up and slung the quiver over his shoulder, holding the bow in his hands.
Heero glanced at it and saw, to his astonishment, in that split second that he had grabbed it, the elf had managed to nock an arrow without him seeing it. He didn't have it pointed at Heero, but at the ground, but it was ready nonetheless.
Heero had no sword; he sometimes wore one if he planned to be out like this, for he was a superb swordsman, but he hadn't and his magic could usually suffice for protection.
"I…" The elf said. He looked uncertain. "I am Duo."
Heero raised an eyebrow, and when nothing else was forthcoming, said, "Duo. Just…Duo?"
He nodded, sending that hair flying. "Just Duo. For now."
"Why were you crying, Duo?"
Duo sighed, and terrible sadness crept into those magnificent eyes.
"That… that is a tale that is very personal, Prince."
"My name is Heero, and I would hear your tale, and perhaps help you, if you would care to tell it." Heero settled on the rock, careful not to make a move towards the nervous elf.
Duo lifted the bow, and for a second, Heero though he was going to shoot him. Then he realised that Duo was putting the arrow back into his quiver, slinging the dark bow over his shoulder.
"I am young, Heero, and full of foolish dreams. I wished to wait for true love to find me. But my father requires…. Well, he wants me to produce a son. Or a daughter. I'm to have children to continue our line. And the only way to do that is to marry. My father commanded that I marry Hilde, a beautiful elfmaid, tis true, but… I do not love her. I begged, I pleaded, and did everything I could, but my father would not relent. I asked him, 'And if my true love should walk into my life after I am married? What am I to do then?' And my father…." Duo's perfect mouth twisted. "He said to me, 'If true love does walk into your life, now as you sit betrothed to Lady Hilde, or after you are her husband, you will tell him or her to keep walking. There is no room in my life or yours for love. You must do your duty.'" A tear slipped down Duo's cheek. Duo had sat on the rock beside Heero as he told his tale and Heero noticed what had been hidden beneath the swirling hair and moonlight-gilded tear tracks. One of Duo's cheeks bore a slight bruise, almost the shape of a handprint. "I cried to him, 'But Father, you loved Mother as dear as –' I got no further, for my father's eyes blazed up and he struck me." Duo's hand rose to cup the bruised cheek. "He stood over me, and shouted, 'Never mention her to me again! She is gone, and never will return! Love is gone, and all that remains is duty! You will do your duty to this House or you will no longer be a part of it! You will no longer be my son!'" Duo's words had sunk to a shaking whisper. "And that, Prince Heero, is my tale. Lose my true love not yet found, or lose my family, my home and everything I have ever known. It is a hard thing, and I am choiceless in the face of such… cruelty… "
Heero could stand it no longer. He couldn't stand the terrible broken quality to Duo's voice, the slumped set of his shoulders, the tears that shimmered in his beautiful eyes. He jumped off the rock and knelt as Duo's feet. He took the elf's long-fingered, thin hands in his own.
"This is not right! Surely your father will relent! He is destroying your chances of future happiness, chaining you to a fate not of your choosing! No father could be so cruel! Not if he loves his child."
Duo's face grew sadder. "He spoke the truth when he said 'Love is gone and all that remains is duty.' His love for me died with my mother. He cannot love anything anymore. She died of a terrible curse. He too was under this curse, but he was too strong to succumb to it. But the curse lives in him still, eating away at his heart, taking away his capacity to love. And no one can lift this curse. No one. So many have tried…" His fingers clenched around Heero's. "I shall marry Hilde in three weeks time, and I shall try to be happy, but I fear… I fear I will never be. She is not my love."
A tear slid down Heero's cheek. Startled, Duo's fingers rose to catch it. "You cry for me." He said in wonder.
"Would that I could free you of this!" Heero cried, rising and scrubbing furiously at his face, for more tears were falling from his eyes.
Duo rose and clasped his arms, staring into Heero's eyes. Heero stared back… and felt the world move. Duo's gasp and widened eyes told him the elf had felt it too.
"Duo…"
"Heero…oh, no…"
Then they were kissing, Heero's hands sliding into that silken mass of hair to cup the back of Duo's head.
Duo pulled away, jerking back. "No, oh, no!" He cried, wiping at his mouth as if to eradicate the kiss. "Heero…"
"Duo, I… I think I lo –"
"NO!" Duo yelled. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "Don't say it, please, I beg of you! This can't be! I can't lov – I'm to marry Lady Hilde in three weeks, at the Summer Solstice and that is what I will do. I must do my duty! I MUST!"
Heero's eyes were filled with sorrow. "I know. I have heard your tale. I know you must do your duty to your father, who cares nothing for you, to your people, to your House. But… but I love you."
Duo whimpered and bowed his head, hair falling over him and shading his face from view.
"You say none can break your father's curse. But I am a powerful wizard, as are my fathers, King Treize and King Miliardo. Perhaps we can break it, and your father won't make you do this, once his heart is free again!"
"It is hopeless, and now… I love you! You are my true love, found too late!" Duo cried.
Heero grabbed Duo's arms. "Listen to me! We can but try! We *have* to try!"
Duo stared into Heero's eyes, then clung to him, burying his face against Heero's shoulder. "Very well. We will try. But… if we fail… I will die. I cannot live knowing that you are out there, my true love, and I am barred from you forever."
"Do you think I could live, knowing you are claimed by another, never to be mine?" Heero demanded. "We will try, and we will succeed!"
Duo looked up at him and smiled tentatively. It was the first smile Heero had seen on his face and it took his breath away, even as small and hesitant as it was.
"We will try." He looked around suddenly. "I must go! The Elvenguard are searching for me! Father is afraid I will run and tarnish his honour!" Duo sneered. Then his face softened. "I love you, Heero, my mortal prince. I shall return to you, and we will try to break my father's curse." He kissed Heero, their mouths moulding for the briefest moment, then he turned, hair flying, his hand clinging briefly to Heero's – and then he was gone.
Heero breathed in a shaky breath, knowing his world was forever changed, and he looked down at his hand.
A thin, silvery ring lay on his palm. A blue-violet jewel glowed in the moonlight, set in the centre of the ring, and Elven lettering, thin and delicate, was engraved all around the ring.
"Duo, my true love." He slipped the ring onto his left ring finger – it fit as if it was made for him.
With a trembling sigh, Heero turned and walked slowly out of the clearing, back towards the castle.
~~~
Duo: (blowing his nose in a big hanky) "AWWW! That is so… sweet! But why did ya have to put all that curse stuff, and marrying Hilde in for?! (Does a full body shudder, while Hilde smirks at Relena, who snarls at the short-haired girl. After all, Hilde gets to be a pretty elfmaid, where as Relena is an evil Queen. )
Marie: "Conflict, Duo. There has to be some sort of conflict, a struggle, some sort of obstacle. It's more fun!"
Wufei: "You have a strange idea of what's fun! And where are Trowa, Quatre and I?"
Marie: "Trowa & Quatre's already mentioned, remember? And you'll be along, don't you worry, Wu-Bear!"
Wufei: (Indignant) "WU-BEAR!!!! Onna, I swear…."
~~~
King Treize and King Miliardo were hovering in the throne room when Heero trudged slowly in.
"Where have you BEEN?!?!" Treize thundered, all the fear and panic he had felt for his missing son over that last several hours turning into relief and anger as he saw him. "J was back hours and hours ago!!"
Miliardo placed a gentle hand on the ginger-haired wizard's shoulder.
"Trei… He's safe. Don't yell at him."
Then Heero faced them, and Miliardo and Treize stared at him. There was something…sad yet fiercely determined about their son tonight.
"What's wrong, Heero?"
Heero lifted his left hand and showed them a silvery ring on his ring finger, set with a blue-violet gemstone, and covered in delicate runes. Elven runes.
"My dear parents, J threw me, and I was forced to walk home through the forest. I heard weeping, so despairing and miserable it would tear out your heart. I went to see if I could help the weeper, and I found…. I found my true love. This is his token."
Smiles broke out over Treize and Miliardo's faces. They had worried about their young son's lack of a love life, but it seems they needn't of worried.
Their smiles faded as Heero sighed heavily and sank down to sit on the thick carpet-covered steps before the thrones. "But there is a serious problem. Duo – that is the name of my true love, and he is an elf –" Heero didn't see the startled and knowledge-heavy look his fathers exchanged at Duo's name and the fact he was an elf. " – Duo's father commanded him to continue the line, and to marry an elfmaid, Lady Hilde, in three weeks time, at the Summer Solstice. And he will not hear of any talk of love. Duo's father was cursed, as was his mother. His mother died of it, but his father lived, the curse eating away at his heart, making him unable to love, not even his own son. Duo must do his duty, and lose his true love, lose me, or lose his father, his home, his world.
I told him that I and my fathers are wizards, and that we could try and break the curse, for surely his father will not force him to a loveless marriage, his true love right here, if his heart is freed!" Heero turned bright, hurting, pleading eyes on his parents. "Can we not do this?! Can we not free my love? For, Fathers, if we cannot, then… then I will die…how could I live knowing he was out there, my true love, but as far from my heart as could ever be? Fathers, please, help your son!"
Miliardo knelt beside Heero and hugged him tightly as Treize brushed tears from his own ice-blue eyes.
"Of a certainty we will aid you, Heero." Miliardo told him, and Heero sagged against his father in relief.
"We must break this curse. We MUST!" Heero said, voice muffled against Miliardo's bright tunic. "I need him. I love him. He is my other half, like you each are the other's half. Together, fathers, you make a whole. I am incomplete without him, and I now only discovered this, and yet… it hurts to be so far from him…"
Treize sat beside his son and his consort.
"Son, there is something else you should know. You know Miliardo and I have ties to the Faerie realms of Underhill. The name of Duo is known to us. I fear it makes this task much more difficult."
Heero straightened, pulling away from one father to grab the other father's arm. "Why? What do you know of Duo?!"
"Your Duo is Prince Duo Selvian Breai, the only heir to the throne of the Nine Stars. His father… his father is the High King of the Elves, King Orvinial Breai, ruler of the Twenty Elven Kings, and the whole of Underhill. They are protected by strong magic. Even if we discover how to break this curse, our magics may not be able to penetrate the protections and wards around the high king. We may not be able to save your love from his fate." Treize told him slowly.
Heero jumped to his feet, fists clenched and eyes blazing. "No, Father! We will do this! We will break King Orvinial's curse, and free Duo from his loveless fate, or both Duo and I will die of broken hearts! Father, we must! I will not accept defeat! I will not accept losing him!!" With that, Heero stormed from the throne room.
Miliardo sighed. "He never takes an easy road when there is a hard one."
Treize smiled slightly. "Our son is too much like us, my love."
Miliardo snorted. "Too much like *you*, you mean!" He stood, long, pale blond hair swirling around him, and drew his taller consort to his feet. "Come, Treize, let's us begin a search for a counter-spell to this curse."
Treize kissed him quickly. "Yes, but it would help had we the name of this curse, or if we knew who placed it, or specifics of Queen Letrayi's death…I was aware she was dead – she died many years ago – but I had no idea that a curse had killed her…"
The two wizard kings hurried out of the throne room, headed for the North Tower, long called by the villagers and servants as the Tower of Light. It was where they performed their magics, cast their spells, and light was often a side effect to spells, brilliant, fantastic lights, hence the nickname.
~~~
"Well, well, well…" Queen Relena lifted a hand and the vision in her huge, dark pink caldron – of Heero storming off after his impassioned speech, of Treize and Miliardo heading off for their tower; she had seen the whole thing – vanished. "So, my Heero has found his true love." She cackled evilly, and smoothed her bright pink robes. "Well, he may have found him, but he will never break the curse! Duo will marry the elfmaid, and Heero… Heero will be only mine, *never* will he be anyone else's!!" Truly evil laughter rang out, echoing through the corridors and halls of the Sanc castle, making servants shrink and cringe in terror. When the Queen laughed like that, it was best to find a hideyhole and stay in it for several days, for she had something truly horrendous up her hideous pink sleeve.
~~~
Heero: (massive groan) "Oh, no. Not her!!"
Relena: (Insulted) "Oi, I never wanted to be in this story! Blame her!" (Points an angry finger at Marie)
Duo: (Snorts) "Yeah, like we're really gonna get mad at the girl who writes us so much delicious lemon! Get real! Some of it's kinda kinky, too…" (BIG grin, and he and Heero share a lusty look.)
Relena: "…I think I'm gonna be sick…"
~~~
Anyway, so while Heero was working his way through the magic texts in his chambers, looking for answers, and Relena was whipping up her evil plan, Duo had returned to Underhill. He tried to go straight to his own chambers, but Hilde caught him coming in the east gate.
"My Lord!" She squealed and latched onto him. It took all of Duo's self- control – and, admittedly, he didn't have much – to keep from pushing her off and away.
"Yes, My Lady?" He said curtly, trying his best to be polite.
"Where have you been? It's late and I was worried, I –"
"Worried? Milord Duo is a powerful Elflord, and a superb warrior. Do you not have faith in his abilities? My, how very disappointing, to find that the bride-to-be has no faith in the man she is to marry." A third voice interjected dryly, the barest tinge of sarcasm touching his words.
Duo and Hilde both turned to see Prince Wufei Dragonian lounging negligently against the doorway behind them.
The half-elf, half-'Shifter nobleman was dressed all in black, clothes similar to Duo's, except the animal embroidered across his chest in glossy black thread was a roaring Dragon, not a raven in flight. A long, elegant sword, in a matte black sheath, hung from his belt, and one strong hand was curved around the hilt. He was leanly muscled beneath his clothing, with pale golden skin, and wide, beautiful jet-black, almond- shaped eyes. His thick, jet-black hair was pulled back in it's usual tight ponytail at the nape of his neck. His Elven heritage was evident in his graceful form, and the slight pointed tips to his ears. His Shapeshifter heritage wasn't evident until he shifted. The son of an Elven queen and a Shapeshifter king, Wufei was the heir to the Shapeshifter's Dragon throne, and that was the form he could shift into: a massive, black and gold dragon.
"Of..of course I have faith in My Lord!" Hilde stammered. Prince Wufei was a fierce, stern warrior, and many of the Court elves were uncomfortable around him. Hilde was no exception. She bobbed a curtsey to Duo, then a swifter one to Wufei, and fled, murmuring, "Excuse my, Milords."
Duo let out an explosive, relieved sigh and turned to clasp Wufei's hand.
"THANK you, Fei! She caught me and I feared I would not escape."
Wufei shrugged, and straightened. "It was naught." His dark eyes narrowed. "Something is different about you tonight, Duo."
Duo smiled sadly. "I have a tale to tell, but only to one who would keep it secret, guard it with a true friend's heart."
"Then why are we still standing here?" Wufei asked, "Let us adjourn to my chambers, and tell this true friend your tale."
Duo sighed in relief again, soft and sad. "Thank you, my friend."
Wufei shrugged again. "You are my dearest friend, Duo, the only one who welcomed me to this court with no reservations, no hesitations, no fear, just open arms, friendship and warmth. I will be by your side, what ever your require, my prince."
Duo pretended to wipe tears away as they strode down the corridor.
"That just… that was so beautiful…" He mock-sniffed.
Wufei scowled at him and punched him lightly on the arm. "Do not mock my sentiments, Duo, or you will find yourself on the tip of my sword!" He growled mock-angrily.
Duo threw up his hands in surrender. "Oh, great stars above, save me!" He said in a shrill, weakling voice.
"Idiot." Wufei said warmly, smiling at him.
"You know it!" Duo smirked back as they disappeared around a corner.
~~~
Wufei: "I have an objection, just a teeny one – I like the idea of being a dragon shifter and prince – but why do I have to be Duo's best friend?!"
Duo: "WUFEI!! I'm hurt!"
Marie: "Damn it, Fei, you behave. I can still put Sally Po in here, ya know!"
Wufei:(pales and sits back down) "Oh, I'm sorry, Marie! How dare I question your fic?! Bad Wufei! Best buds with Duo, no problem, nope, not a one!!"
~~~
Mean while, back at Heero's castle, Trowa had come in to find Heero's chambers looking like a tornado had hit. Heero had curtly told his friend the tale, and Trowa instantly asked to help. He would not have his best friend suffer the loss of his love as he had done. Knowing nothing of magic, for this night at least, he was relegated to running back and forth between Heero's chambers, the kitchens and the Tower. There was naught else he could do right now to aid them.
~~~
In the dungeons of the Sanc Castle, a slight, blond man was chained. Thin and weak, he still was defiant enough to rise on shaking, bruised, torn feet and spit at the bright pink Queen as she entered his cell.
"Still spirited, my little friend?" She purred. She looked over the young man: he was still muscled, he hadn't wasted away yet, although he was very thin, and very battered and bruised. He had a sweet face, hair the colour of spun gold, and bright, sea-blue eyes beneath the layers of dirt and grime of his naked body. It had amused her to take him captive, and to watch the torment on Heero's friend's face as he mourned and wept and searched for his lost love.
He growled at her as she came closer, straining against his bonds.
"Now, now, Quatre, that's no way to behave in front of a Queen and a Lady." She admonished lightly.
"You are no Lady, in any sense of the word." Quatre said hoarsely, weak voice shaking.
"I have a task for you, little Quatre." She purred, lifting her wand. A pale pink light glowed at the tip of it.
"Any task you have is bound to be evil. I decline, thank you." Quatre told her.
"You have no choice." She touched the glowing wand to his forehead, although he tried to twist away.
Seconds later, Quatre's hoarse, terrible screams echoed through the Sanc castle.
~~~
End Chapter One. TBC. Whaddya think?? FEEDBACK PLEASE!!!!! (pitiful puppy- dog eyes and sniffling) Please?
{1} Paraphrase from William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Act I, Scene V, from Romeo's speech when he first sees Juliet:
"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with the crows,
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
***For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."***
AUTHOR'S NOTES & WARNINGS: My first AU fic!!! Whhoohooo!!! Yes, I do know the title sucks!
This is YAOI! For those of you not yet familiar with that term, it means boys loving and having sexual and romantic relationships with each other. All clear? (Yuri is the girl-on-girl version and I don't write that for GW, 'cause the only girl I like on there is Noin and if she's in one of my fics I usually pair her with Zechs.)
The pairings are: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, Rx1, Rx13, 6x13x6, 13x11 (Une is 11, right?) 5x…nobody? (shrug. We'll see*) Everybody know the numbers, right? 1 is Heero, 2 is Duo, 3 is Trowa, 4 is Quatre, 5 is Wufei, 6 is Zechs, 11 is Une, 13 is Treize, 9 is Noin…R is of course, Relena…
Wizards, Angst, Elves, Magic, Sap, Spells, Bewitchment, An Evil Relena (Ya saw that coming, didn't ya? So, hey, expect Relena bashing!) Some Peanut Gallery-ing. (If ya don't know what that is, it's when the GW Boys make comments in and about the fic.)
Don't own them, they belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them, I'll return them, and, honestly, I have no idea where the bruises came from!!!
Email me. C&C is wonderful!!! kumiko_chan@gundamwing.net
*emphasis* (the more **, the bigger the emphasis)
Sorry for the big-ass author's note!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A long time ago there lived a prince. He was no ordinary prince (if any prince is ordinary), but the son of two great and goodly wizard kings.
~~~
Duo: "Wait a sec! Hold the phone! How can he be the son of two wizard kings?! Two MALE wizards?!?!"
Marie: Duo! If you'd let me finish, then you'd find out!!! And who said there was gonna be peanut gallery in this fic?!" (stamps her foot. Duo points back towards Relena.) "That's it! I should have known *YOU* would be causing trouble!! Fine, Princess, you have just become one of the villiens… villeins… how the *hell* do you spell vill…ARGGHH?!"
Quatre: "Um… villains?"
Marie: (glomps Quatre) "THANK you, Quatre!!!" (Turns back to Relena, not noticing Quatre's red face or Trowa's glare.) "As I was saying, you have just become one of the villains of this piece!! MBWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Relena: (All confused and upset) "But…but…but I just came here to watch!! I like magical AU fics…well, some of them… But I never said anythin –"
Duo: (Cuts her off hastily) "Too late, Relena-sama!!" (Turns to Marie) "Shouldn't you keep going? I wanna know how our good old prince came from two wizards!"
Marie: (Eyes Duo suspiciously, but he has his Innocent Face on. Shrugs, and goes back to the fic.) "Hai. Where was I…?"
~~~
Oh, right. So this prince was the son of these two wizards. He was born from the union of Prince Treize and Princess Une, some sixteen years ago, but Une had been kidnapped, then killed, by the evil Queen Relena –
~~~
Relena: (Outraged) "Wait a minute! Why am I the bad Queen who kills Une?! I don't appreciate that!"
Une: (hand on hip and eyebrow raised at Relena) *YOU* don't appreciate that! We're a few paragraphs in and I'm already dead and long gone!" (sighs and leaves; she came hoping Marie would write her in another fic. So far she's been in about three: a 5x13 fic, a 1x2x1,3x4x3,5x13x5,6x9 fic, and a big Relena-bashing fic.)
Marie: (Scowling) "Oh, shut up, Relena! You shouldn't have been causing trouble!" (Duo sniggers)
~~~
ANYway….Une had been kidnapped, then killed, by the evil Queen Relena, just after the prince was born, in revenge, for Treize had refused her when she had expressed her admiration and want for the sexy OZ general – I mean, for the sexy wizard prince! (Oops.)
Treize raised the boy for a year alone, naming him Heero –
~~~
Wufei: "I KNEW IT!! Why is it Yuy is always the prince?!"
Marie: "'Fei – and ALL of you – so help me Goddess, if I can't finish more than a few lines without one of you interrupting, I'm not writing anymore!!! You got me?!?! (Startled and shocked assent from all GW characters.) "GOOD!! Now, for the THIRD bloody time….
~~~
Treize raised the boy, like I said, all by himself for a year, naming him Heero, after a great warrior who had died for peace some years ago. But then he fell in love with another goodly and most puissant wizard –
~~~
Duo: (In a bare whisper) "Heero, what's 'most puissant' mean?"
Marie: DUO MAXWELL!!!! URUSAI!!!"
Duo: "EEP!! Gomen, gomen nasai!!! I'll go look it up!"
~~~
So, Treize fell for this other wizard, a young prince named Miliardo –
~~~
(Wufei shifts, grumbling under his breath, but Marie catches his eye and he wilts and cringes. Treize and Zechs – Miliardo, DUH! – grin at each other.)
~~~
young prince named Miliardo Peacecraft, and Miliardo felt the same
way about the wizard prince Treize, and they married, and Miliardo adopted the boy, and thus Heero was the son of two male wizards!! (Satisfied, Duo? Good enough explanation?)
But this also brought about more trouble from Queen Relena, the killer of Treize's former love. For Miliardo was Relena's older brother, but, due to the rules of their kingdom, since he was a wizard he could not inherit the throne. No one with magical powers could rule the kingdom of Sanc, not with White Arts or Dark. Relena, who had hidden her fascination and power in the Dark Arts, had assumed the throne on the death of their father.
Now she was truly enraged. First Treize had refused her for Une, and she had gotten ride of that bun-haired obstacle, only to find her own brother where she wanted to be. But some last bit of familial affection for her brother wouldn't let her kill him as she had killed Une. So she bided her time, and waited, using her Dark Arts to keep herself young and beautiful, but inside she was growing more evil, dark, cruel and ugly. She took to spying on them over the years, as Treize inherited the throne of his kingdom upon the death of his parents in a riding accident. She watched young Heero grow, and excel at most of his lessons, be they letters, or swordsmanship, or magic. Young Heero had inherited the powerful magical abilities of his father…one would almost assume he had inherited both fathers abilities, for he was a far more powerful wizard than either King Treize or King Miliardo.
And the evil Queen Relena found that Heero had taken his father's place in her obsession. No longer did she spy on them for a chance to have King Treize as her own. Now she spied on them for a chance to have Prince Heero.
~~~
Duo: "Where am I? Am I a Prince, too? Do I have any magical powers, huh, huh?! Surely I'm gonna get Heero, right? You aren't gonna let Relena get him, are ya?! That would be gross! And very, very, very wrong!!! And where's 'Fei and Q and Tro? They're in here too, right? Right?! And I still don't' know what puissant means!!!"
Marie: (stares at Shinigami; he managed to say all that in a single breath. Heero gags the braided wonder with said braid, and he glares at his Japanese koi.) "Duo, stop interrupting and you'll find out. Man, you're really getting into this! And puissant means 'powerful, mighty'."
Duo: (Spits out braid, despite Heero's efforts to stop him.) "Oh. Why didn't you just say so?"
Marie: "ARGGH!"
~~~
Prince Heero had a friend, the prince of a neighbouring kingdom, a young man named Trowa. Prince Trowa and Prince Heero were good friends, for both were silent a lot, although Trowa had Heero beat in that department, and both kept a lot of what they felt inside, not broadcast to the world.
Heero's friendship had helped Trowa greatly, for a year ago, Trowa's betrothed, a young prince from a far off land, named Quatre, had gone missing, while heading to Trowa's kingdom for their wedding. All that was found was his cloak and the badge of his royal office, a golden and emerald pendant shaped like a strange animal of Prince Quatre's kingdom, a camel.
Trowa had been devastated, indeed, he still was although he hid it deep, and only Heero's friendship had kept him sane. He still had search parties combing the known kingdoms for any sign, any rumour, any little hope that his love was still alive.
But while Trowa had not a scrap of magical power, he was by far the better horseman. He never laughed at his friend when he fell or was thrown, just helped him up and showed him what he had done wrong, for the one thing that Prince Heero failed at was horse riding. How a man so graceful and co- ordinated in everything else could fall off his horse or be thrown so many times in the course of a day was a mystery. But there it was.
~~~
Duo: (sniggering uncontrollably, and he ain't the only one. ) "Hee..ro… can't… stay.. on a horse!! Hehehehe…I can see that!!
Heero: (Glares at Duo, and at everybody else who is chuckling. Switches his Glare to Marie.) "Omae wo –"
Marie: (waves a hand at him, cutting him off.) "Yeah, yeah, I know: 'Omae wo korosu'. Ya need a new line, Hee-chan."
Heero: (His cheek twitches, and he repeats softly, incredulously) "H..Hee-chan?!?! MARIE!!!!"
Marie: (Makes a kissy face at the angry Wing pilot) "Love ya, Hee- chan! Now shut up and let me get back to the fic, or I'll keep calling ya that." (Heero sits down so fast that a wind lifts his hair.)
~~~
So, one night, Heero was returning to the castle, far later than he had expected, for he had gone for a solo ride, determined to master the horse, and had been thrown. His horse, J, had hared for home as soon as –
~~~
Duo: "DR. J IS HIS HORSE?!?!" (Doubles over, almost crying in his fit of laughter. From the corner, Dr. J tries to glare at Marie but his artificial eye implants make it impossible to do so. Heero has to hide a smirk.)
~~~
So, J ran for home as soon as he had Heero off and sprawled in a mud puddle, leaving the prince soaked, dirty and cold in a forest several miles from home, with nightfall approaching. Now, he could have used magic to warm himself, and to get him home, but to do so would advertise his location to any magically-inclined being, and there were things and beings he wouldn't want to meet alone in a forest with night coming. So he walked, grumbling and fuming all the long way, although he did it all inside, face remaining impassive as he walked.
He was nearing the castle walls, and the village just inside it, night long fallen and the moon high, when he heard crying. Not just crying, but soft, piteous, miserable sobbing that would have melted the heart out of a vicious, evil man. Now, Heero may have been a calm and controlled sort of prince, but he was far from an evil man, and this weeping tugged at his heart like nothing else ever had. He left the path he had been following and struck out into the trees in search of the weeper.
He pushed through the last of the trees at the edge of a meadow bathed in moonlight, and there he stopped, struck dumb by the sight before him.
A willowy, slimly-muscled young man, who could be no older than Heero himself, was crumpled over a large, flat rock in the middle of the meadow, arms folded on the rock, face buried in his arms. He was dressed in soft- looking garments, dark, and gilded with silver moonlight, colour indistinguishable. His hair… the colour was quite distinguishable, despite the mingled dark shadow and silvery moonlight. It was a long, thick curtain that fell all over him, down his back and hips, over the rock, so long the strands dangling off the edge of the rock nearly brushed the ground. It was a dark colour, chestnut maybe, and the silver moonlight gleamed on it, picked up lighter strands, gleaming gold, red-gold, and silver amidst the chestnut mass.
His shoulders, nay, his whole body was jerking and shuddering with the force of his sobs, his long, exquisite hair shivering.
"I have never seen true beauty till this night…" Heero breathed.{1}
As low and quiet as his whisper was, a bare thread of sound, the man's head jerked up and he spun around, his long, long hair swirling around him, witch-like. He stared at Heero, and Heero stared back, transfixed by him.
The man's face was heart-shaped, with pale, smooth, flawless skin made paler by the silvery moonlight. Moonlight gleamed on the tears on his cheeks, making them appear liquid trails of purest silver. Perfect, cherub lips of softest pink were parted in astonishment. But the main attraction was his eyes. Wide, huge orbs of blue-violet, like all the shades of the sky, water, violets and twilight blended together, wet with tears and framed by long, dark lashes.
So transfixed by those eyes was Heero that he never even noticed the slightly upswept eyebrows, or the tips of elegantly and delicately pointed ears peeking out from beneath that curtain of hair.
"Who…" The elf – for that is what he was, one of the Fair Folk – whispered shakily. He stared at the mortal who had interrupted his tears. He was dressed in black leather riding trousers, high black boots, a dark green doublet, and a long, thick royal purple cloak, so he had to be of the mortal royalty. There was dried mud smeared here and there on the man's clothing. Dark, thick, wild-looking hair fell over his forehead, almost in his eyes. His face was exquisite, sculpted planes of impassive beauty, mouth sensual despite it's seeming immobility, and although it was hard to judge in the shadow and moonlight, his skin appeared to be of a golden hue. But those eyes, they were certainly NOT impassive: an intense shade of cobalt blue, beneath dark eyebrows slightly forked at the end, with thick, dark lashes, they fairly glowed with emotions.
The elf realised, with shock, that this mortal had caught him crying. He lifted a hand to scrub away the tears, turning his face away.
Before his hand touched his face, however, the mortal man's hand was there, brushing away his tears with gentle fingertips.
The elf jumped back, out of reach of those beautiful, slender hands, shaken to the core at what he had felt when the man had touched him.
"Who are you?" He demanded, almost angrily, confused and shaken. "Why have you intruded on my solitude?"
"I am Prince Heero. My castle is not far; this is my fathers' kingdom. I did not mean to intrude, but when I heard your weeping, I could not go by without trying to ease the pain of the weeper. Why were you crying? And, if I may be permitted, what is your name?"
The elf stared at him. Heero could see now, this close, just beyond arms reach, the delicate, backward-curved points on his ears, and the slight upslanting of the outer edge of his eyebrows. The elf's clothes were discernible now, as well: soft black, like velvet, but most likely some Elven equivalent, with embroidery of glossy black tracing out a raven in flight on the chest of his tunic. Black leather boots, as bright and shiny as the embroidery thread, clad his legs to the knee, and over all was a soft black cloak and hood, though the hood was down. The clasp was bright black metal, a smaller version of the raven embroidered on his chest.
A black leather quiver, full of arrows as black as the night, and a black wood bow lay on the ground beside the rock. The elf snatched them up and slung the quiver over his shoulder, holding the bow in his hands.
Heero glanced at it and saw, to his astonishment, in that split second that he had grabbed it, the elf had managed to nock an arrow without him seeing it. He didn't have it pointed at Heero, but at the ground, but it was ready nonetheless.
Heero had no sword; he sometimes wore one if he planned to be out like this, for he was a superb swordsman, but he hadn't and his magic could usually suffice for protection.
"I…" The elf said. He looked uncertain. "I am Duo."
Heero raised an eyebrow, and when nothing else was forthcoming, said, "Duo. Just…Duo?"
He nodded, sending that hair flying. "Just Duo. For now."
"Why were you crying, Duo?"
Duo sighed, and terrible sadness crept into those magnificent eyes.
"That… that is a tale that is very personal, Prince."
"My name is Heero, and I would hear your tale, and perhaps help you, if you would care to tell it." Heero settled on the rock, careful not to make a move towards the nervous elf.
Duo lifted the bow, and for a second, Heero though he was going to shoot him. Then he realised that Duo was putting the arrow back into his quiver, slinging the dark bow over his shoulder.
"I am young, Heero, and full of foolish dreams. I wished to wait for true love to find me. But my father requires…. Well, he wants me to produce a son. Or a daughter. I'm to have children to continue our line. And the only way to do that is to marry. My father commanded that I marry Hilde, a beautiful elfmaid, tis true, but… I do not love her. I begged, I pleaded, and did everything I could, but my father would not relent. I asked him, 'And if my true love should walk into my life after I am married? What am I to do then?' And my father…." Duo's perfect mouth twisted. "He said to me, 'If true love does walk into your life, now as you sit betrothed to Lady Hilde, or after you are her husband, you will tell him or her to keep walking. There is no room in my life or yours for love. You must do your duty.'" A tear slipped down Duo's cheek. Duo had sat on the rock beside Heero as he told his tale and Heero noticed what had been hidden beneath the swirling hair and moonlight-gilded tear tracks. One of Duo's cheeks bore a slight bruise, almost the shape of a handprint. "I cried to him, 'But Father, you loved Mother as dear as –' I got no further, for my father's eyes blazed up and he struck me." Duo's hand rose to cup the bruised cheek. "He stood over me, and shouted, 'Never mention her to me again! She is gone, and never will return! Love is gone, and all that remains is duty! You will do your duty to this House or you will no longer be a part of it! You will no longer be my son!'" Duo's words had sunk to a shaking whisper. "And that, Prince Heero, is my tale. Lose my true love not yet found, or lose my family, my home and everything I have ever known. It is a hard thing, and I am choiceless in the face of such… cruelty… "
Heero could stand it no longer. He couldn't stand the terrible broken quality to Duo's voice, the slumped set of his shoulders, the tears that shimmered in his beautiful eyes. He jumped off the rock and knelt as Duo's feet. He took the elf's long-fingered, thin hands in his own.
"This is not right! Surely your father will relent! He is destroying your chances of future happiness, chaining you to a fate not of your choosing! No father could be so cruel! Not if he loves his child."
Duo's face grew sadder. "He spoke the truth when he said 'Love is gone and all that remains is duty.' His love for me died with my mother. He cannot love anything anymore. She died of a terrible curse. He too was under this curse, but he was too strong to succumb to it. But the curse lives in him still, eating away at his heart, taking away his capacity to love. And no one can lift this curse. No one. So many have tried…" His fingers clenched around Heero's. "I shall marry Hilde in three weeks time, and I shall try to be happy, but I fear… I fear I will never be. She is not my love."
A tear slid down Heero's cheek. Startled, Duo's fingers rose to catch it. "You cry for me." He said in wonder.
"Would that I could free you of this!" Heero cried, rising and scrubbing furiously at his face, for more tears were falling from his eyes.
Duo rose and clasped his arms, staring into Heero's eyes. Heero stared back… and felt the world move. Duo's gasp and widened eyes told him the elf had felt it too.
"Duo…"
"Heero…oh, no…"
Then they were kissing, Heero's hands sliding into that silken mass of hair to cup the back of Duo's head.
Duo pulled away, jerking back. "No, oh, no!" He cried, wiping at his mouth as if to eradicate the kiss. "Heero…"
"Duo, I… I think I lo –"
"NO!" Duo yelled. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "Don't say it, please, I beg of you! This can't be! I can't lov – I'm to marry Lady Hilde in three weeks, at the Summer Solstice and that is what I will do. I must do my duty! I MUST!"
Heero's eyes were filled with sorrow. "I know. I have heard your tale. I know you must do your duty to your father, who cares nothing for you, to your people, to your House. But… but I love you."
Duo whimpered and bowed his head, hair falling over him and shading his face from view.
"You say none can break your father's curse. But I am a powerful wizard, as are my fathers, King Treize and King Miliardo. Perhaps we can break it, and your father won't make you do this, once his heart is free again!"
"It is hopeless, and now… I love you! You are my true love, found too late!" Duo cried.
Heero grabbed Duo's arms. "Listen to me! We can but try! We *have* to try!"
Duo stared into Heero's eyes, then clung to him, burying his face against Heero's shoulder. "Very well. We will try. But… if we fail… I will die. I cannot live knowing that you are out there, my true love, and I am barred from you forever."
"Do you think I could live, knowing you are claimed by another, never to be mine?" Heero demanded. "We will try, and we will succeed!"
Duo looked up at him and smiled tentatively. It was the first smile Heero had seen on his face and it took his breath away, even as small and hesitant as it was.
"We will try." He looked around suddenly. "I must go! The Elvenguard are searching for me! Father is afraid I will run and tarnish his honour!" Duo sneered. Then his face softened. "I love you, Heero, my mortal prince. I shall return to you, and we will try to break my father's curse." He kissed Heero, their mouths moulding for the briefest moment, then he turned, hair flying, his hand clinging briefly to Heero's – and then he was gone.
Heero breathed in a shaky breath, knowing his world was forever changed, and he looked down at his hand.
A thin, silvery ring lay on his palm. A blue-violet jewel glowed in the moonlight, set in the centre of the ring, and Elven lettering, thin and delicate, was engraved all around the ring.
"Duo, my true love." He slipped the ring onto his left ring finger – it fit as if it was made for him.
With a trembling sigh, Heero turned and walked slowly out of the clearing, back towards the castle.
~~~
Duo: (blowing his nose in a big hanky) "AWWW! That is so… sweet! But why did ya have to put all that curse stuff, and marrying Hilde in for?! (Does a full body shudder, while Hilde smirks at Relena, who snarls at the short-haired girl. After all, Hilde gets to be a pretty elfmaid, where as Relena is an evil Queen. )
Marie: "Conflict, Duo. There has to be some sort of conflict, a struggle, some sort of obstacle. It's more fun!"
Wufei: "You have a strange idea of what's fun! And where are Trowa, Quatre and I?"
Marie: "Trowa & Quatre's already mentioned, remember? And you'll be along, don't you worry, Wu-Bear!"
Wufei: (Indignant) "WU-BEAR!!!! Onna, I swear…."
~~~
King Treize and King Miliardo were hovering in the throne room when Heero trudged slowly in.
"Where have you BEEN?!?!" Treize thundered, all the fear and panic he had felt for his missing son over that last several hours turning into relief and anger as he saw him. "J was back hours and hours ago!!"
Miliardo placed a gentle hand on the ginger-haired wizard's shoulder.
"Trei… He's safe. Don't yell at him."
Then Heero faced them, and Miliardo and Treize stared at him. There was something…sad yet fiercely determined about their son tonight.
"What's wrong, Heero?"
Heero lifted his left hand and showed them a silvery ring on his ring finger, set with a blue-violet gemstone, and covered in delicate runes. Elven runes.
"My dear parents, J threw me, and I was forced to walk home through the forest. I heard weeping, so despairing and miserable it would tear out your heart. I went to see if I could help the weeper, and I found…. I found my true love. This is his token."
Smiles broke out over Treize and Miliardo's faces. They had worried about their young son's lack of a love life, but it seems they needn't of worried.
Their smiles faded as Heero sighed heavily and sank down to sit on the thick carpet-covered steps before the thrones. "But there is a serious problem. Duo – that is the name of my true love, and he is an elf –" Heero didn't see the startled and knowledge-heavy look his fathers exchanged at Duo's name and the fact he was an elf. " – Duo's father commanded him to continue the line, and to marry an elfmaid, Lady Hilde, in three weeks time, at the Summer Solstice. And he will not hear of any talk of love. Duo's father was cursed, as was his mother. His mother died of it, but his father lived, the curse eating away at his heart, making him unable to love, not even his own son. Duo must do his duty, and lose his true love, lose me, or lose his father, his home, his world.
I told him that I and my fathers are wizards, and that we could try and break the curse, for surely his father will not force him to a loveless marriage, his true love right here, if his heart is freed!" Heero turned bright, hurting, pleading eyes on his parents. "Can we not do this?! Can we not free my love? For, Fathers, if we cannot, then… then I will die…how could I live knowing he was out there, my true love, but as far from my heart as could ever be? Fathers, please, help your son!"
Miliardo knelt beside Heero and hugged him tightly as Treize brushed tears from his own ice-blue eyes.
"Of a certainty we will aid you, Heero." Miliardo told him, and Heero sagged against his father in relief.
"We must break this curse. We MUST!" Heero said, voice muffled against Miliardo's bright tunic. "I need him. I love him. He is my other half, like you each are the other's half. Together, fathers, you make a whole. I am incomplete without him, and I now only discovered this, and yet… it hurts to be so far from him…"
Treize sat beside his son and his consort.
"Son, there is something else you should know. You know Miliardo and I have ties to the Faerie realms of Underhill. The name of Duo is known to us. I fear it makes this task much more difficult."
Heero straightened, pulling away from one father to grab the other father's arm. "Why? What do you know of Duo?!"
"Your Duo is Prince Duo Selvian Breai, the only heir to the throne of the Nine Stars. His father… his father is the High King of the Elves, King Orvinial Breai, ruler of the Twenty Elven Kings, and the whole of Underhill. They are protected by strong magic. Even if we discover how to break this curse, our magics may not be able to penetrate the protections and wards around the high king. We may not be able to save your love from his fate." Treize told him slowly.
Heero jumped to his feet, fists clenched and eyes blazing. "No, Father! We will do this! We will break King Orvinial's curse, and free Duo from his loveless fate, or both Duo and I will die of broken hearts! Father, we must! I will not accept defeat! I will not accept losing him!!" With that, Heero stormed from the throne room.
Miliardo sighed. "He never takes an easy road when there is a hard one."
Treize smiled slightly. "Our son is too much like us, my love."
Miliardo snorted. "Too much like *you*, you mean!" He stood, long, pale blond hair swirling around him, and drew his taller consort to his feet. "Come, Treize, let's us begin a search for a counter-spell to this curse."
Treize kissed him quickly. "Yes, but it would help had we the name of this curse, or if we knew who placed it, or specifics of Queen Letrayi's death…I was aware she was dead – she died many years ago – but I had no idea that a curse had killed her…"
The two wizard kings hurried out of the throne room, headed for the North Tower, long called by the villagers and servants as the Tower of Light. It was where they performed their magics, cast their spells, and light was often a side effect to spells, brilliant, fantastic lights, hence the nickname.
~~~
"Well, well, well…" Queen Relena lifted a hand and the vision in her huge, dark pink caldron – of Heero storming off after his impassioned speech, of Treize and Miliardo heading off for their tower; she had seen the whole thing – vanished. "So, my Heero has found his true love." She cackled evilly, and smoothed her bright pink robes. "Well, he may have found him, but he will never break the curse! Duo will marry the elfmaid, and Heero… Heero will be only mine, *never* will he be anyone else's!!" Truly evil laughter rang out, echoing through the corridors and halls of the Sanc castle, making servants shrink and cringe in terror. When the Queen laughed like that, it was best to find a hideyhole and stay in it for several days, for she had something truly horrendous up her hideous pink sleeve.
~~~
Heero: (massive groan) "Oh, no. Not her!!"
Relena: (Insulted) "Oi, I never wanted to be in this story! Blame her!" (Points an angry finger at Marie)
Duo: (Snorts) "Yeah, like we're really gonna get mad at the girl who writes us so much delicious lemon! Get real! Some of it's kinda kinky, too…" (BIG grin, and he and Heero share a lusty look.)
Relena: "…I think I'm gonna be sick…"
~~~
Anyway, so while Heero was working his way through the magic texts in his chambers, looking for answers, and Relena was whipping up her evil plan, Duo had returned to Underhill. He tried to go straight to his own chambers, but Hilde caught him coming in the east gate.
"My Lord!" She squealed and latched onto him. It took all of Duo's self- control – and, admittedly, he didn't have much – to keep from pushing her off and away.
"Yes, My Lady?" He said curtly, trying his best to be polite.
"Where have you been? It's late and I was worried, I –"
"Worried? Milord Duo is a powerful Elflord, and a superb warrior. Do you not have faith in his abilities? My, how very disappointing, to find that the bride-to-be has no faith in the man she is to marry." A third voice interjected dryly, the barest tinge of sarcasm touching his words.
Duo and Hilde both turned to see Prince Wufei Dragonian lounging negligently against the doorway behind them.
The half-elf, half-'Shifter nobleman was dressed all in black, clothes similar to Duo's, except the animal embroidered across his chest in glossy black thread was a roaring Dragon, not a raven in flight. A long, elegant sword, in a matte black sheath, hung from his belt, and one strong hand was curved around the hilt. He was leanly muscled beneath his clothing, with pale golden skin, and wide, beautiful jet-black, almond- shaped eyes. His thick, jet-black hair was pulled back in it's usual tight ponytail at the nape of his neck. His Elven heritage was evident in his graceful form, and the slight pointed tips to his ears. His Shapeshifter heritage wasn't evident until he shifted. The son of an Elven queen and a Shapeshifter king, Wufei was the heir to the Shapeshifter's Dragon throne, and that was the form he could shift into: a massive, black and gold dragon.
"Of..of course I have faith in My Lord!" Hilde stammered. Prince Wufei was a fierce, stern warrior, and many of the Court elves were uncomfortable around him. Hilde was no exception. She bobbed a curtsey to Duo, then a swifter one to Wufei, and fled, murmuring, "Excuse my, Milords."
Duo let out an explosive, relieved sigh and turned to clasp Wufei's hand.
"THANK you, Fei! She caught me and I feared I would not escape."
Wufei shrugged, and straightened. "It was naught." His dark eyes narrowed. "Something is different about you tonight, Duo."
Duo smiled sadly. "I have a tale to tell, but only to one who would keep it secret, guard it with a true friend's heart."
"Then why are we still standing here?" Wufei asked, "Let us adjourn to my chambers, and tell this true friend your tale."
Duo sighed in relief again, soft and sad. "Thank you, my friend."
Wufei shrugged again. "You are my dearest friend, Duo, the only one who welcomed me to this court with no reservations, no hesitations, no fear, just open arms, friendship and warmth. I will be by your side, what ever your require, my prince."
Duo pretended to wipe tears away as they strode down the corridor.
"That just… that was so beautiful…" He mock-sniffed.
Wufei scowled at him and punched him lightly on the arm. "Do not mock my sentiments, Duo, or you will find yourself on the tip of my sword!" He growled mock-angrily.
Duo threw up his hands in surrender. "Oh, great stars above, save me!" He said in a shrill, weakling voice.
"Idiot." Wufei said warmly, smiling at him.
"You know it!" Duo smirked back as they disappeared around a corner.
~~~
Wufei: "I have an objection, just a teeny one – I like the idea of being a dragon shifter and prince – but why do I have to be Duo's best friend?!"
Duo: "WUFEI!! I'm hurt!"
Marie: "Damn it, Fei, you behave. I can still put Sally Po in here, ya know!"
Wufei:(pales and sits back down) "Oh, I'm sorry, Marie! How dare I question your fic?! Bad Wufei! Best buds with Duo, no problem, nope, not a one!!"
~~~
Mean while, back at Heero's castle, Trowa had come in to find Heero's chambers looking like a tornado had hit. Heero had curtly told his friend the tale, and Trowa instantly asked to help. He would not have his best friend suffer the loss of his love as he had done. Knowing nothing of magic, for this night at least, he was relegated to running back and forth between Heero's chambers, the kitchens and the Tower. There was naught else he could do right now to aid them.
~~~
In the dungeons of the Sanc Castle, a slight, blond man was chained. Thin and weak, he still was defiant enough to rise on shaking, bruised, torn feet and spit at the bright pink Queen as she entered his cell.
"Still spirited, my little friend?" She purred. She looked over the young man: he was still muscled, he hadn't wasted away yet, although he was very thin, and very battered and bruised. He had a sweet face, hair the colour of spun gold, and bright, sea-blue eyes beneath the layers of dirt and grime of his naked body. It had amused her to take him captive, and to watch the torment on Heero's friend's face as he mourned and wept and searched for his lost love.
He growled at her as she came closer, straining against his bonds.
"Now, now, Quatre, that's no way to behave in front of a Queen and a Lady." She admonished lightly.
"You are no Lady, in any sense of the word." Quatre said hoarsely, weak voice shaking.
"I have a task for you, little Quatre." She purred, lifting her wand. A pale pink light glowed at the tip of it.
"Any task you have is bound to be evil. I decline, thank you." Quatre told her.
"You have no choice." She touched the glowing wand to his forehead, although he tried to twist away.
Seconds later, Quatre's hoarse, terrible screams echoed through the Sanc castle.
~~~
End Chapter One. TBC. Whaddya think?? FEEDBACK PLEASE!!!!! (pitiful puppy- dog eyes and sniffling) Please?
{1} Paraphrase from William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Act I, Scene V, from Romeo's speech when he first sees Juliet:
"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with the crows,
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
***For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."***