A/N: I know I said this last chapter, but even I was taken by surprise at how fast this chapter came out... Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Warnings for this chapter: There's a dead bird...kinda.

Chapter 18

Dear Heero,

Winter has arrived! I hope you're staying warm, wherever you are, although Howard should have sent you some fur coats along with this letter. I tried to pick a suitable style that is easy for you to move in, but don't feel obligated to wear it if it gets in the way or you dislike the fashion.

Everyone in the estate is doing well. The winter frost has put our gardens to sleep for a time, but Esther assures me everything will be back in bloom by the time you arrive. A few days ago, I was taking my usual afternoon stroll (ensconced in what must be the entire province's supply of winter cloaks, I swear!) and was reminded we had yet to deal with the greenhouse. I wanted to ask – is it possible to change that little plot of land to maybe a pumpkin patch? I find I'm not too fond of greenhouses anymore…

"You've gotten far more nimble, Your Grace," Meilan said shrewdly, watching with hawkish eyes as Duo danced around Geralt's lunges. The kindly giant of a man had been working the Duchess through some self-defense moves if he had to face someone attempting to make a grab for him, and the braided dandy had picked up the workarounds astoundingly fast.

Speed wasn't the only thing the Duchess had improved in; his stamina and strength had also grown by leaps and bounds. It wasn't anything close to the Duke, of course, but there were times where Meilan thought that maybe even Master Quatre would have some trouble subduing the previously-fragile man.

"It's because I spent so much time running from my problems," Duo explained dryly.

Meilan couldn't help but roll her eyes. Weak or strong, it seemed the Duchess always had time to make snippy remarks.

"Lady Aurora told me that I could behead people for rolling their eyes at me."

Meilan just rolled her eyes even harder.

Dear Duo,

Thank you for the fur coats. The design is fine and I appreciate the thought. I hope you are staying safe and warm. Please let Howard know if there's anything you need in the immediate future. This of course extends to your idea regarding the greenhouse; as I've stated before, you are free to do as you wish regarding it, whether you plan to rebuild it or discard it. If a pumpkin patch is what you want instead, then that is what it shall be. (Crossed out: But what exactly is a pumpkin?)

We are currently still on the move through the barbarian territories, but I suppose if you're interested in "tales from the borderlands" then I really must tell you about what happened just last week with Trowa and a very pregnant, very angry mountain lion…

"You gave it to him already, did you?"

Solo Maxwell perked up, unsticking his forehead from the roll of parchment he had lain it on to take a quick nap. His desk, if it had any right to be called that, was almost indistinguishable from the mountains of papers, parchments, and tomes scattered both over it and around it. The scene was so commonplace that the man in the doorway hardly glanced it over.

"It seemed as good a time as any," Solo replied with a jaunty grin. "There'd be no point in waiting."

Duke Maxwell let out a huff that could be either amusement or exasperation. Both feelings were equally likely when he had to deal with his eldest son, especially when matters concerned the youngest member of the Maxwell ducal family.

"No, I suppose not," Duke Maxwell agreed.

Solo's grin softened to something more natural, less predatory. He looked away from his father to refocus on the letter he'd been writing, violet eyes skimming the words he'd written nearly three hours ago before his impromptu nap.

Violet – the color of their family, the color of their inheritance that came in so many different shades. Solo's were lighter, closer to lilac; the Duke's were similar, as his father's had been, and his father before him.

Duo was the only Maxwell in a very long time who had been blessed with true violet eyes, so close to jeweled amethyst that they were the envy of the court.

"Is he well?" Duke Maxwell asked softly.

After a moment, Solo let out a small sigh. He folded his short letter in half and then rolled it up, moving towards the dark wood stand in the corner of his room where his favorite messenger raven waited. "As well as can be expected," Solo answered, tying his message to the bird's leg with deft hands. "Duke Yuy should return by winter's end."

Duke Maxwell watched as his son allowed the raven to perch on his hand, heading over to his window and sending it off with a swift gesture. "He'll arrive too late," the older man murmured.

Solo's eyes never leave the raven. "Yes," he agreed softly. "Too late."

Dear Heero,

Honestly, I don't know how you expect me to start this letter with a pleasant greeting after telling me about Commander Barton's adventure in feline birthing practices! Do you know what image is now forever unwillingly stuck in my mind? Commander Barton covered in cat placenta. I am equally horrified and amused. Also, I had no idea that the Commander's side-occupation was being a cat whisperer but this explains so much about Quatre that I want to stop thinking about it immediately.

Speaking of unpleasant things I learned about the people I care deeply for, you'll be happy to know that Commander Broden has finally acknowledged our moratorium on bears. However, he has now moved on to wild boars…

Mikhail surveyed the room of expectant faces with a critical eye. He could practically smell the naivete wafting off these green upstarts, thinking they'd earned a cozy little promotion after Commander Broden ordered them to their new assignments.

The Duchess Guard, over a year ago, had been considered a job no one wanted given the Duchess's propensity for verbal lashings and utter refusal to step out of the estate. They'd never needed more than two knights for the role, and the upper ranks of the Duke's guard would essentially draw sticks when it came to the assignment.

Now, it was a prestigious position offered only to the very best. They could afford no less.

"There is no room for error here," Mikhail's voice thundered throughout the room, his tone so ominous that every person within immediately straightened their spines. "If you allow yourself to slack, even a little bit – then you'll find His Grace the Duchess knee-deep in trouble. And probably bleeding."

"Most likely bleeding," Lyle stated with a haunted look to his eyes. "Definitely bruised."

"Each bruise on the Duchess's lovely face or body means 100 pushups, 100 situps, and 100 laps around the estate," Mikhail intoned. "A cut that noticeably bleeds is double that. Multiply that amount for any subsequent injury. And if the Duchess, at any point, falls into mortal danger – don't expect to sleep for the next week."

Asahi, in the back, whimpered.

"There will be times where the Duchess wants to do something dangerous," Mifune began. "Do not encourage him. Do not discourage him either. Look towards Miss Hilde or Master Winner for guidance."

She paused, considering. "If His Grace smiles though… Then accept your fate."

Oh god, the smiles. Each bright grin made them want to simultaneously agree with whatever the Duchess said and curl up into a tiny little ball of stress and tears. The only thing that stopped them from doing that was the possible danger said Duchess may get into if they ever looked away from him.

One hand was slowly raised, wavering only slightly in the face of so much obvious trauma being exuded by the current Duchess Guards' expressions. "Um," a newly-promoted Duchess Guard, Sherry, began hesitantly. "H-How do the porcupines factor into this?"

Mikhail took a page from the Duchess's and Master Winner's book – and smiled.

"I hope you're all ready for some innovative new training methods!"

Dear Duo,

I apologize for my graphic retelling of Trowa's finest hour. I also must admit that I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'cat whisperer' but it sounds like something that Trowa would be, so I am in complete agreement with you. Do not worry; I have no intention of paying the commander for his unexpected side occupation. I have also instructed him to reject Acting Commander Broden's newest request, though I fear we may have to compromise at some point.

We came across a rather large village in our travels the other day. I spoke with some of the villagers, as we had set up camp nearby and they were eager to trade goods with us. It's there I discovered a very intriguing piece: a sculpture of a long-feathered bird made entirely of jade. They'd wrapped its talons around several small jewels, and set it on a dark wooden platform for easy transport. The village elder stated they'd scavenged the sculpture from a ransacked caravan some ways from the village, and was willing to trade it for some fine metals. I agreed to the deal; the sculpture, in all of its beauty, reminded me of you…

Duo glared at his trio of escorts with something approaching incredulity. "It's a walk," he said, stressing the last word as if they somehow didn't know it. "I have been on plenty of walks. I am not leaving the gardens. You do not need to circle me like you're preparing for a fight."

Meilan didn't look impressed by his reasoning. The two Duchess Guards hovering behind her just looked faintly distressed, an expression all of the new guards wore whenever Duo dared to leave the safety of the estate walls. He had no idea what his seasoned guards were telling these people…

Duo huffed out an exasperated sigh. "Look, just give me a few minutes to myself, okay? I want to enjoy just a few moments deluding myself that I am a strong, independent dandy that doesn't need a constant guard stalking my every step."

"But you do need a constant guard stalking your every step," Meilan pointed out, dark eyes boring a hole into the scars hidden behind the pearl choker Duo had taken to wearing.

"That's why I called it a delusion."

Meilan eventually conceded although it did take her a few fair minutes to do so. Duo internally applauded her efforts to live up to Hilde's stalkerish ways as he meandered away, making sure to at least stay within eyesight his little retinue but still putting enough distance between them so he didn't feel smothered.

There wasn't much to see in the courtyard in this season, but the fresh air did him good and he was starting to very feel very physically fit; the cold of winter no longer affected him quite as strongly as before. Duo chalked it up to his enduring physical training lessons and couldn't help a smug little smile at the thought.

Moving closer to one of the larger trees in the courtyard, its leaves long gone, his eyes were drawn to a small black figure laying near the roots. It took a moment for him to identify the lump as a mass of feathers, the icy frost making its black wings shimmer in the daylight.

Crouching down, Duo eyed the bird in curiosity. Is it dead…?

It didn't appear to be breathing, but Duo didn't know enough about birds to know if people could even discern that. He guessed it was either a raven or a crow, based on its color; it also didn't look like it was doing too well, given the frost and the fact that its wing was bent a decidedly unpleasant angle.

Perhaps a stray feline had got to it? What was it even doing here? Winter was fast coming to a close but it was still too cold for the birds to begin migrating back.

Feeling some sense of obligation to at least see if the bird could be saved, Duo gingerly turned it over with a thin stick he'd picked up. His nose wrinkled at the sight he'd uncovered: its stomach looked to have been chewed through, the mushy insides practically in full view. Definitely a stray cat then, Duo thought.

He honestly felt a bit disappointed. He'd heard some cool things about corvids, and if he could save the bird, maybe he could train it or something. Wouldn't that be cool? Black choker necklace, black bird… He could have lived out some dark goth fantasy aesthetic!

Standing back up, Duo hesitated before turning away. Esther or one of the other gardeners would find and dispose of the bird eventually, so there was no reason to bother Meilan or the others with it. Besides, Duo just caught sight of Quatre's little blonde head around the corner – it was time for Quat Bonding Hours!

As Duo called out to the blonde, his footsteps taking him across the courtyard and around the corner, the little raven laid there.

And laid there.

And laid there.

…And twitched.

With a quietly violent crack, one black wing spread open.

Dear Heero,

I know it sounds silly coming from me, but don't feel obligated to buy me fine art and jewels if you think the money is better spent elsewhere. However, the sculpture you described sounds beautiful, and your kind words moreso. (Crossed out: I feel like my damn cheeks are overheating with this blush.) I guess this is where I admit that I've been indulging in some shopping as well… I couldn't help it, you see, because Quatre said that after so much time away, it's likely your clothes won't fit you well anymore, and you know how fashion is always changing! So I've been buying some outfits that I think would really suit you, although we'll have to wait until you return to make the appropriate adjustments for size.

I can't wait until you're back, Heero! There have been so many changes to our little corner of Sanc, and I want to show you all of them. I've finally sold Gin and some of the other shopkeepers in town on the idea of cafes (cafes are like little taverns except instead of beer, they sell coffee, tea, and cakes) and they've been popping up all over the marketplace. Morris stocked our kitchen with some of the same things, but let me tell you, Daigo does not need coffee added to his regular meals. Usually to make Howard look that pale and traumatized, I had to describe the statistical chances of me possibly blowing myself up trying to get this damned carbon filament to work…

Governor Rohito had welcomed them with a grand feast, lively entertainment, and a big smile that he maintained the entire time he gave them the tour of the newly-made blast furnaces. Both Wufei and Trowa had spent an inordinate amount of time scouring the furnaces and the mines, double- and triple-checking these 'steam engines' that had apparently become popular across the Yuy province in their absence.

Heero was honestly just as lost as they were when it came to these changes, but he had a small bundle of letters kept tied with a violet ribbon safely stowed away in his personal trunk that had at least vaguely explained some of it. He hadn't really been paying the explanations much attention when he'd read them the first time (or second time, or third time, or fourth…), so seeing them in person was still a bit shocking.

Aoba-ku was bustling. Heero only had a fleeting memory of the place when he'd passed through it as a teenager, but from what he did remember, it had never been so busy. The population numbers had seemingly doubled, the small town it had been growing into something larger and more colorful.

"We were honored to host His Grace the Duchess's visit last spring," Governor Rohito recalls fondly, similar to a grandfather recounting a pleasant visit from a favored grandchild. "His presence truly was a blessing on this town!"

…Or maybe more like a devout follower finding salvation…?

Heero knew without turning around that Trowa and Wufei had exchanged a dubious look. They shared the same opinion on the Duchess after all – that Duo's presence was anything but a blessing.

Heero nodded at Governor Rohito's words, choosing to let the man speak reverently about his husband and his (mis)adventures in the once-tiny Aoba-ku. Almost absently, Heero's eyes drifted to his wedding ring, still wrapped around his finger.

Would Duo be wearing his upon Heero's return?

Dear Duo,

Spring has come early, at least for us; the frost has long abated and the air no longer grows so heavy with cold. I am reluctant to part with the fur coat you'd chosen for me, and Wufei has taken to rolling his eyes every time he sees it pulled onto my shoulders. Do you think he learned it from Lady Meilan, or was it the other way around?

Nevertheless, the distance between us and home grows narrower. I know Howard should have told you that we'd reached the Capital some days ago, but we did not stay for long. I made my report to Her Majesty the Queen, and stopped to purchase some finery in the style you favor. You deserve all the art and jewels you desire, Duo, and it seems the fine folk of Aoba-ku agree with me…

Evenings were no longer so chilly in the Yuy estate. The Duchess had been abuzz with energy all week; talking about the plants (more crops than actual flowers) he intended to add to his garden, the clothes and trinkets he'd taken to picking up from the marketplace (all gifts for the Duke), and now with the news that Duke Yuy had finally left the Sanc capital city and crossed into the borders of the Yuy province.

They'd all been busy, finally putting into motion the homecoming plans they'd stewed over for two seasons. There were some changes here and there, the Duchess making constant revisions to the menu to include the Duke's favorite foods and also some of the newer beverages and delicacies he'd had a hand in developing.

Hilde was glad for it. Their relationship, however odd it had been since the Duchess awoke not even knowing who he was a year ago, had not returned to what it was after he woke; it stung a little, but Hilde had understood the repercussions of what she'd done.

Just as the Duchess had said, apologies were not enough. Atonement must be shown through behavior, not words. Words were a start, words could help, but she had to do more.

Words could also hurt.

Within the privacy of her own bedchamber, Hilde crouched beside the fireplace and watched the small piece of parchment burn. The words, written in a familiar scrawl, were lost to the flames.

Pinched between two tips of her calloused fingers was a single black feather.

Dear Heero,

Is it sad or amusing that I am so worried that the flowers in our estate will not be in bloom when you return? All this talk of your spring return had planted (Ha! Get it?) the idea in my head of many beautiful flowers well within reach upon your homecoming, and the image is so firmly rooted (haha!) that I'd considered importing some from Ishigaki. Don't worry – Hilde stopped me, but she had to call in Howard for back-up since Meilan looked like she was going to side with me. Quatre abstained and hid in his study all day, but given his husband, maybe he was disappointed I hadn't suggested mountain lions.

Rest well, Heero. We're excited to have you back, but I don't want you to overexert yourself just to get here. We will be here waiting for you, as we have been all this time…

Taking tea out in the rose garden had been an uphill struggle. The servants weren't always so fanatical, but there was something about this winter that had set them on edge. Perhaps it had been because of another successful campaign by the young Duke Yuy, or getting the odd fleeting glimpse of the Maxwell Heir idling around the castle, or the sporadic absences of the Crown Prince that all in the Sanc court refused to acknowledge.

She didn't let it get to her. Practice made perfect, and the increased paranoia of her attendants was a symptom of the much larger issue facing her. With a wry smile, she set her teacup back down into its saucer, cornflower blue eyes meandering over the enclosed rose garden once more. The boarded fence lining all four sides were covered in rose vines not yet flowering, although soon the pink and white blooms would surround her each time she hosted a guest come spring.

Relena Darlian couldn't help but sigh. Tea parties had become a common fixture in her life, and the next one was never far away. It wasn't always a tedious thing; she'd made a fair few friends by simply sitting in this rose garden and sharing tea, after all. She knew she would need those connections further down the line, after she truly stepped into the exhaustive world of Sanc court politics.

Even still, she couldn't help but muse, "Google would be so helpful right about now..."

Dearest Duo,

We are set to arrive within the next few days.

Hoping to see you well-

Your Husband, Heero

END OF ARC I

A/N: It felt kinda strange, writing Duo from a 3rd-person perspective lol

Anyway, it's the end of Arc I, everyone! Thank you thank you thank you! Arc II is set to begin, and it has the (dubious?) pleasure of having Heero (and the boys) featured in pretty much every chapter! Reunion time has arrived~

Even though I've separated this story into arcs (there are 3 total), I will keep it all to this story - so you don't need to worry about bookmarking a series or anything. Every chapter will be uploaded to this fic here.

Please be kind and drop a review! :)