this one is... there's no words to describe what i was thinking when i wrote this. *faints*
(craw) *rolls eyes and turns to audience* hello. i'm Bradley Crawford of Weiss Kreuz. i'll be your guide today. *clears throat* this fic is yaoi, of course, au, and... odd. *sigh* explain, Farfarello. you're better at these things.
(farf) *grin* in it, Duo and Quatre are twins and Quatre is a hermaphrodite! *squeals* neat, huh?? Treize and Lady Une are slaves. Une is in her twenties or thirties and treize is younger than the twins. about 14. *grin; turns to exztazi, who is watching amazed from the floor* can i have my knife back now??
(ex) *facefaults and falls over*
(craw) *sigh* dammit, farfarello. you scared her.
(schu) *grin* heh, well... he does that. now... i think i had you pushed up against the wall when she stole you for her own twisted purposes.
(craw) *pinks and runs away, schu hot on trail*
(farf) *grin* read it!

**********

"I'm a little scared, Anne..."

Anne glanced up into her vanity mirror to see a small young man in his early teens staring at her with wide sapphire eyes. She sighed, turning to him and pulling him into her lap. Running her fingers through ginger curls, she rubbed his back, a frown edging its way on her face.

"I know you're scared, Treize... but we don't have a choice. You know this is the only way that we'll ever be freed. Maybe... if His Highness likes you..." Her voice trailed hopefully away, hands pausing momentarily. The boy swallowed and nodded, then glanced up at her through long eyelashes, suddenly shy. "Do you think he will?"

Startled into laughter by his question, Anne grinned down at him. "If he doesn't, it's because he's blind. Who wouldn't like you, darling? You're sweet, gentle, intelligent... not to mention lovely." She nodded firmly, picking up a comb to run through his soft curls. "He'll have to, Treize... he'll simply have to."

***

Prince Duo Maxwell stared sullenly out the window, suddenly despising sunny days. "It's an absolutely gorgeous day, perfect for horseriding, and what am I doing... ? Sitting in my rooms until Father calls me for the slave presentation. Absolutely wonderful." He sighed dramatically, flinging himself across the bed. "I hate my life."

Prince Duo was an undeniably handsome young man of fifteen, tall and slim, with long chestnut hair often kept in a braid, and warm violet eyes. His preferred colours were black, white, and violet to match his eyes, and he wore clothes that gave him a decidedly sinister look. He was fairly cheerful, but could most definitely be cruel if angered.

"Not nearly so much as I abhor my own."

Duo lifted his head to see his twin 'brother' coming toward him, a sad smile gracing the blond's lovely features.

"Ah, Quatre, my fellow prisoner. How goes it in the Ladies' Quarters?" he said sarcastically, hatred for someone other than his brother evident in his voice.

The delicate blond sighed softly, settling beside the dark-haired boy. "As well as may be, considering I belong elsewhere."

Quatre was tall, like his brother, and willowy. He had long blond curls and big aqua eyes, always diffused with some measure of sadness. He often wore the colours of mourning, covering himself completely and veiling his face as an Arab woman would. Most of his clothing was a woman's, though he preferred the few male garments allowed him.

Quatre was also a hermaphrodite, which annoyed him to no end. He'd been born several minutes before Duo, but because of his obvious 'deformity', his slightly younger twin was announced the heir. Ashamed of him, his father forced him to dress as a woman, when he preferred to be considered male, and gave him quarters in the ladies' wing. Publicly, he played a princess.

"You know, Quatre... I'd like to assasinate our father. Would you desire to assist me?" Duo said idly, tracing one finger across the end of his brother's sash.

The blond laughed softly, voice slightly bitter. "And be reduced from woman to animal? No thank you, my dear brother--I've been degraded enough for one lifetime."

Duo paused at that and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose you have." He sighed. "When I am king, my darling brother," he murmured, emphasizing 'brother', "you shall do as you wish. You will be treated as a prince. How Father sickens me with his disregard of you."

The slender blond smiled again sadly, pressing his hand over Duo's mouth. "Shush, dearest one. Do not promise that which you will forget. When you are king, the last thing on your mind will be your brother's treatment. No... You shall constantly fear that I will wish to overthrow you or some such nonsense, because I was the elder."

Violet eyes suddenly looked stricken and Duo's hand came up to pull away the smaller one against his mouth and hold it. "Do you truly think I'll be so cruel to you?--My own brother? If so, I do not desire to become king!" He kissed Quatre's hand fervently. "We shall both leave the palace and let Father try to come up with a new heir in such a short time. We will go to a foreign land! Our mother's land! From there we can--" He paused upon seeing the sorrow on his brother's face. "What is wrong?"

Quatre sighed. "It is impossible for you to escape your duties, my beloved Duo. It is best for you to accept them as they are and hope to become a good, benevolent ruler." He bowed his head. "And hope that you will never distrust me. I only pray that we remain as close as we are now..."

***

"Are these the only ones?"

Anne prayed silently as she stepped forward, curtsying deeply to his majesty. "No, my king. Still one remains. I have saved his presentation for the last because of his uses. This is a bed-slave taken from a far-away land. I thought perhaps you would find pleasure in him."

The king looked flustered. "We have no need of a--" He broke off with a gasp and Anne grinned to herself. Obviously he'd just seen Treize.

Whispers and murmurs crossed the room in an uproar. Bed-slaves had not been used in this kingdom in decades. It was considered inhumane. And here one stood proudly before them, dressed in nothing but a short tunic of gold-coloured silk. The tunic bared long, elegant limbs of alabaster and a beautiful, oval-shaped face with sapphire eyes, a small nose, full burgundy mouth, and head full of ginger curls.

The king swallowed with some difficulty, glancing over at his son, who was barely concealing his lust. "And how much shall you charge for this one?"

Before the woman could answer, the boy stepped forward. "I am a gift, Your Highness. All that I ask for in return is that you release Anne from her debts and allow her to return to her homeland."

Shock was written equally across the faces of all those present. How dare a slave speak in the presence of the king?! One of the guards made as if to strike him when the king laughed, halting the blow.

"Well well... we have ourselves a feisty little thing, don't we?" He turned to Anne and smiled. "You are free to do as you wish, Lady Anne. Return to your home trouble free. Only leave this... child with me." The young woman curtsied gratefully, sorrow for her charge etched upon her fair features. "I thank you, My Lord."

Again, the king turned to his new slave, beckoning him forward. The court watched on in interest as the boy stepped up to the dias and kneeled at the king's feet, sliding a hand sensually up his thigh. "How may I serve you, My Lord?" he whispered, eyes going half-lidded. "Do you desire my services now?" He licked his lips, gaze locking onto his lord's obvious arousal.

"No, child... not now." The king tangled his fingers gently in the ginger curls and stroked his head. "Later, in private." He glanced up and nodded to a servant. "You will go with Mikail. He will show you my quarters. Now shoo."

The lovely teen smiled slightly and stood, following the servant out.

***
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