The Ice Prince: Chapter VII
by Meiran Chang

The morning dawned cold and foggy. Duo dressed in his best, a simple black Shinigami-priest's outfit with gold trim. Relena braided his long chestnut hair herself, choking back tears at the thought that this was the last time she would ever see her brother.

When Duo remarked wryly that he felt like a victim being prepared for sacrifice, it was all she could take, and she dissolved into hysterical tears of grief. A chagrined Duo embraced her. "Hey, don't feel too bad," he pleaded, looking up into her face with worry written on his fine features. "Please?" He kissed her cheek and hugged her again, rocking her gently. "I'm so sorry it all turned out like this. If it's any help, I think you're the best sister I could ever have asked for, okay? Heero's a damn lucky guy. I'll miss you, sister. I love you."

Relena managed to stop crying with great effort and nodded tremulously, mustering a tentative smile. Duo patted her on the shoulder. Then Quatre turned away, one hand still on Wing's reins, blinking away his own tears. Duo rushed over, his expression halfway between tears and laughter.

"God, you guys are really going to miss me, aren't you?" he managed to say.

Quatre could only nod, and Duo hugged his brother tightly. "I love you, Quatre. You are truly the best, the most understanding and kindest older brother I could have had. Don't you ever forget how much I love you. And don't cry," Duo finished, reaching up with a slender finger to wipe away one of his brother's tears. "Boys don't cry."

Quatre exhaled shakily, and his younger brother smiled sadly at him, saying nothing more.

Tears streamed from Dorlian's eyes though the man said nothing about them, and in his turn, Duo acknowledged them only with a reassuring hug. The merchant mounted Wing, guilt and grief making it difficult for him even to breathe. To her credit, Wing seemed to sense what an excruciatingly painful parting this was and behaved impeccably, staying very still as Quatre formed a step with his hands. With that boost, Duo swung up onto Wing's back and put his arms around his father's waist. Wasting no more time, they rode off. As they disappeared into the distance, Quatre and Relena tried and failed to keep back tears once more.

Though Duo had acted cheerful and even cavalier about the entire ordeal, he felt just as miserable as his siblings, and the one thing that prevented him from bawling like a child was the knowledge that his tears would only make matters worse. Yet now, every time Wing's hooves touched the ground, he saw the image of a fearsome, wild-furred Beast rise before him, drool dripping from its fangs, claws extended menacingly, and he felt the pain of razor-sharp teeth tearing through his skin. His terror made his hands sweat and his heart pound, and he closed his eyes, trying to control his shivers.

He hoped Quatre and Relena and his father would be all right without him. Love for them surged through him. He hoped they wouldn't wear themselves out mourning for him God knew he'd been a right brat a lot of the time! He wanted to be remembered fondly, not with sonnets of his beauty or spates of grief. Laughter was so much better than tears. Too much grieving wore a body out. He would have told his father that, but felt too frozen to speak.

"We're almost there, Duo," said his father quietly, and with a start Duo returned to reality. It was already night, and they were deep in an ancient forest where huge trees reached out to block the sky. "Do you see that bright light over there? That's his manor." Considering the circumstances, his father's voice was quite calm.

He could indeed see the light and steeled himself with a deep breath, sitting up straighter in the saddle. Whatever happened, he would face it bravely, with the knowledge that he was saving his father from death.

Though Wing didn't seem disposed to enter the eerily silent courtyard, Dorlian persuaded her in, and he and Duo dismounted. They both led the gray mare into the stable. Duo was quiet as his father tended to her. When Dorlian had finished, he took Duo's hand in his own. Though the times when Duo had needed to be led around by hand were long past, Duo allowed his father this last scrap of comfort, and they both entered the manor. Dorlian, who had a merchant's perfect memory, was able to recall the exact location of the blue-and-gray room where he had eaten just the other night.

The table was set for two. He wants to fatten me up before he eats me, came the inevitable whisper in his mind, and Duo shook his head fiercely, trying to ignore the thought.

The rich fare lodged in Duo's throat. He simply couldn't eat and finally folded his hands in his lap, not trusting his voice to say anything, staring blankly at nothing. His father seemed to have no difficulty eating, but then again, he wasn't the one going to his death, was he?

Immediately Duo berated himself for the uncharitable thought; he was here of his own free will. And that was when the Beast arrived.

There was no warning -- no thundering footsteps, no ominous squeak of a rusty door hinge, no flashes of lightning outside. One moment the room contained only himself and his father, and the next moment there was the Beast. His father had not exaggerated the power of the Beast to terrify, and Duo tried not to look at the monster. He was frozen by fear, and his heart resumed the wild thudding it had proved itself capable of on the way here.

He panicked when he felt a gloved hand touch his chin and shot backwards in his chair, sending it skidding backwards and tumbling from the seat. He landed hard, but after a few silent moments of struggle, he managed to sit up, propping himself up with his arms. His entire body was rigid. Duo stared up at the Beast in terror, and the Beast stared at him, unreadable, for one infinite moment.

The Beast broke the spell by asking him whether he had come of his own free will. Duo managed to nod jerkily.

"Thank you," the Beast said. His voice was deep and low. "You have a kind heart and a brave spirit. I am glad you decided to come."

Duo didn't answer, though he thought, At least one of us feels that way.

The Beast looked at him for a moment longer, then turned to his father, the glacial-blue of its eyes hard. "Say your good-byes tonight, Sir. You shall not see this place again. You leave tomorrow morning." The Beast glanced towards Duo, and was it just his imagination, or did that cold inscrutable blue warm just the slightest bit? "Goodnight, then, Beauty," it said softly, before padding off into the darkness.

"G-Goodn-night," Duo stammered after it. Then the name the Beast had called him registered in his mind, and somehow, the thought of the Beast as one of those idiot courtiers at White Fang, complete with the notorious Dekim feather-in-cap, struck him as intensely funny. He started chuckling, then laughing, doubled over, and if his laughter was slightly hysterical, who could blame him?