Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne? Written for pleasure not profit.
Rating: NC 17
Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR
Betaed by Karina *snugs*
Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.
Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it will be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.
Commenced July 2004 – published January 2008
Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out. After getting over a nasty bug, I took a weeks vacation to de-stress and get my health back. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. :-)
"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"
Chapter 65
Wufei marched through the halls of the castle with a purpose to his stride. Behind him the two guards were practically carrying a sobbing Dorothy.
The verdict had been given and to say it was a shock would be an understatement. Dorothy had convinced herself that once the King had heard the circumstances surrounding her striking of the prince that the punishment of the sword would not happen.
But the King had not listened and now she was facing the sword at dusk on the 'morrow.
In the space of a couple of candle marks, Dorothy's entire world had come crashing down around her ears. Ignoring her sobbing, the guards and Captain marched resolutely through the castle until they returned to the dungeon. Once again Dorothy found herself shoved inside the small cell.
"You can't leave me here!" she cried out. "I demand to speak with my mistress, the princess!"
"Slave, you are in no position to demand anything," Wufei spat. "You will remain here under the King's orders whilst I speak with the executioner to arrange your punishment." Spinning on his heel, Wufei motioned the guards to leave and closed the door firmly behind him, cutting off the maid's sobbing and yelling.
"Ah, silence is golden," he muttered and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Turning to face the two guards who were wearing amused expressions at their Captain's words, he addressed them quietly. "You are both to remain here. No one is to go in or out of this cell unless it is the King or either of the princes."
"What about the Princess, sir?" one guard asked.
"If the Princess shows up and is not escorted by the King, Prince Heero, Prince Trowa or myself, she is not allowed inside at all under any circumstances. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, sir." The two guards saluted and took up their station on either side of the door. Wufei turned on his heel and left. He had an executioner to speak to.
# # #
"What do you mean, spare Dorothy's life?" Relena sniffed.
"Relena, as much as it pains me to say this, our marriage just isn't working out. Surely you can see that for yourself," Heero began.
"No, our marriage will be perfectly fine, you just need to make some adjustments," Relena sniffled.
"I need to make some adjustments?" Heero started to snap and then reined in his temper. Now was not the time to get angry, not if he wanted Duo's idea to succeed. "Relena, you know I have my duties as a prince to perform and they do take up a lot of my time. I don't know how you did things in Sanq, but here, everyone in the royal family is expected to pull their weight. There is a lot more to running a Kingdom than simply hosting balls and banquets. For a Kingdom to prosper, to grow in both material and non material wealth requires a lot of hard work and dedication. It has become painfully obvious to me these past months that you have no wish to take on any duties assigned to the role of my future queen other than playing the part of hostess. That is no good to me, I need someone to stand by my side, to work just as hard as I do each and every day for the sake of the people and their Kingdom."
"I have tried to help you, Heero," Relena snapped, "but you always have that gutter slave with you. How am I supposed to look after you, take care of you when he's there all the time?!"
"That is not quite what I'm talking about," Heero replied, his tone sharp.
"If you think I'm going to spend my time prancing around the Kingdom in a carriage then you're sorely mistaken."
"Relena, let's face it, we are both far too different to make this marriage work. You have made it perfectly clear that you have no intentions of changing your ways and frankly, that is no good to me."
"Are you saying you want our marriage to be annulled?" Relena asked, her tone low and dangerous.
"I think that would be for the best," Heero sighed.
"No!"
"But-"
"No! I will not allow it, Heero. I will not go back home to Sanq where everyone will know my marriage is over. I'll be the laughing stock..."
"Not even if it meant sparing your maid's life?"
"Dorothy?" Relena whispered.
"Listen to me. If you agree to have the marriage annulled and leave the child you are carrying here, with me in Colonia to be raised as my heir, I will speak with my father and have the charges dropped. Your maid will walk free and the two of you can return to Sanq once the child is born."
The princess blinked a couple of times, her mouth opening and closing in shock. "I – I – I don't know," she said. "Wait a moment. You want me to leave my child here in Colonia as well as have the marriage annulled?" she growled.
"You want to spare your maid's life, don't you?"
"Of course I do, Dorothy doesn't deserve to die, she did nothing wrong," Relena snapped.
Heero decided to leave that alone, they'd already had their arguments over that and it was clear that Relena would never accept that she was to blame just as much as Dorothy for their current predicament. "I don't see what the problem is," Heero said. "We have the marriage annulled, I keep the child here with me and your maid's life is spared. Everybody wins."
"You might think that, but I will be humiliated, the people of Sanq will talk about me behind my back. You have no idea how vindictive and cruel some of those ladies, Baroness', Duchess' and the like can be," Relena sniffled. "And to leave my child behind as well?!" Relena's eyes narrowed. "The gossip mill would have a field day."
"I think I have an idea of just how vile they can be," Heero muttered under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Look, if it will make things easier for you, you can always blame me, say you caught me cheating on you or something," Heero suggested. "As for the child... I'm sure we can come up with something to cover the reason why the child remains here." He really couldn't believe he was having this conversation at all. If Relena cared for her maid as much as she said she did - and Duo believed she did - then there should have been no question at all about what to do.
"That is a point," Relena said, "But I'm still not sure about all of this. You're asking me to give up my child and my marriage and that will need some serious thought. I will need to speak with Dorothy before I make any decisions."
"Then I suggest you hurry up about it, her meeting with the sword is at dusk tomorrow eve," Heero snapped, his patience starting to wear very thin.
Relena gave him a scathing look. "I am fully aware of that. I will dress and speak with her once that other excuse for a maid returns," she sneered. "Unless you have any objections."
"That will be fine. I will send for Captain Chang to escort you to the dungeons as soon as he is available," he replied curtly and stood up. "I will speak with you again later this eve." Not waiting for a reply, Heero left the bed chamber.
Prince Trowa looked up as his brother reappeared, a face like thunder. Knowing better than to question the heir, he motioned for Heero to keep walking, stood up and with Quatre behind him, followed his brother from the marital chambers.
They strode along the hall until they reached Heero's old chambers. Only once his brother was seated with a goblet of wine in his hand did Trowa speak. "I think I might be safe in assuming the princess didn't take to the idea very well?"
Heero's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. Giving a loud sigh, he looked his brother in the eye. "For all her ranting, scheming and insistence that she can't be without her maid, she certainly has a funny way of showing she cares. You would think she would jump at the chance to save her maid's life, but she hesitated. Yes, hesitated," Heero repeated when his brother gave him a disbelieving look.
"That...that's something I find hard to accept. I'm not saying you're lying, brother," he hastily added when he noted the hard look in those blue eyes, "it's just that as you say, she appears to want her maid very much so to have to think about the proposition... Well, that's just absurd."
"She's a very shallow and fickle person," Heero growled, "Not someone I particularly want beside me when I ascend the throne."
"I agree whole heartedly with you. She actually said she wanted to discuss this proposition with her maid?"
"Yes, she did," Heero snorted. "I can imagine how that is going to go down!"
Trowa rolled his eyes. "I'd love to be a fly on the wall during that conversation."
"Speaking of which, I did tell Relena I would have Wufei escort her to the dungeons and I have yet to speak with him about it." Heero began to rise. "I suppose I should wake Duo and have him fetch the Captain."
"Leave Duo to rest, brother. Quatre can find the Captain," Trowa stated. "Quatre, will you find Captain Chang and ask him to come to Prince Heero's old chambers as soon as is convenient for him please?"
"Of course, master," Quatre replied and rose to his feet.
"Thank you, brother, Quatre," Heero said.
The blonde bowed to both Princes and took his leave.
"I should go and check on Duo," Heero stated and rose. Placing his empty goblet on the side table he made his way through to the bed chamber and his sleeping slave.
Pausing in the doorway, he took a moment to appraise his sleeping slave. Duo looked so innocent, and pure in sleep. It was difficult to associate the suffering, hard and often cruel life the young slave had led with the peaceful face before him. Knowing just how devoted Duo was to him and his well being made it even more difficult for Heero to understand why his wife and her maid had such a vendetta against him.
It also made no sense as to why his wife would hesitate at the chance to save her maid's life.
Had it been himself in this predicament there was no question at all as to what he would do.
"Master?"
The soft calling roused Heero from his thoughts and he smiled at the sleepy face looking in askance at him. "How are you feeling, Duo?"
"I feel fine, master," Duo replied.
"Good." Heero crossed the room, leaned over the edge of the bed and partook of a soft kiss. "If you are feeling better you may rise and join me in the sitting area. But..." Heero gave his slave a stern look, "You are not to stress or strain yourself until the healer clears you for normal duties. Understood?"
"Yes, master," Duo sighed. He was so fed up of being injured, sick or hurt.
"I will leave you to rise and dress." Heero stole another kiss before departing.
With his master gone, Duo slipped from the bed and quickly dressed. He was tired of laying around and taking things easy. He wanted to get back to his normal duties as soon as possible. He wasn't silly and knew he still had to take things easy for a little while as his back was still healing from the flogging he'd received, but doing nothing much at all was driving him crazy.
Entering the sitting area a few moments later, Duo quickly walked to where his master was seated and dropped to his knees beside the chair. He'd noted Prince Trowa sitting opposite, but no sign of Quatre. He didn't get much of a chance to wonder about the blonde slave though as he was soon on his way to the kitchens to fetch dinner for his master and brother.
He'd just gotten back with a tray and set it on the side table when Quatre returned.
"Ah, Quatre. Did you manage to locate Captain Chang?" Trowa asked once Duo had opened the door to admit the other slave.
"Master, Captain Chang is otherwise occupied right now. I left word with one of the guards for the Captain to stop by as soon as he is able to."
"Thank you, Quatre," Prince Heero responded. Heero had a fair idea of what was keeping the Captain, but didn't voice his thoughts. "Come, let us eat whilst we wait for the Captain."
Prince Trowa joined his brother, both slaves serving their respective masters before taking their places at their master's sides. While the Prince's talked between themselves, Duo couldn't help but wonder what had gone on between his master and the princess, if his idea had been put forth... and better yet, accepted. He glanced across to Quatre who knew exactly what his fellow slave was asking without words. Unfortunately, Quatre couldn't fill Duo in on what he knew right now.
With a sigh, Duo sat back on his heels and resigned himself to having to wait awhile.
# # #
"Captain," the guard said and saluted.
Captain Chang returned the salute before speaking. "Has anyone come to see the slave?"
"No, sir. No one has approached or been here since you departed."
"Good. It is time for the slave's punishment. Both of you will escort the slave." Wufei didn't add that he thought it would probably take all three of them to handle the maid.
"As you wish, Captain."
Dorothy blinked as the door to her cell opened and light filtered in. Blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted, she tried to make out who was coming in.
"Stand, slave and come with me," Captain Chang ordered.
Rising from the small cot, Dorothy moved towards the door and waiting guards. "Where are we going? Am I going to see my mistress?"
"Be quiet," Wufei ordered and nodded to the guards.
The two guards moved to flank the maid, one taking hold of her wrists and snapping shut a set of shackles before she had a chance to register what was happening.
"What!? You can't put me in chains! Remove them now!" she ordered.
"You do not give the orders here, slave." Wufei took great delight in reminding the woman of her place. "Let us be moving," he said to the guards.
With a guard's hand on each shoulder, Dorothy had no choice but to move.
Wufei walked ahead, head held high, the two guards followed behind, pushing and pulling the reluctant maid along between them.
"Where is my mistress? I demand to see the Princess!" Dorothy protested as she was led along and through a couple of hallways. The guards and their Captain ignored her demands.
It was only a short walk before Wufei stopped at a thick, wooden door.
"Where are we? Why are we here? What are you doing? Where is my mistress?" Dorothy continued to demand.
The Captain opened the door and stepped inside, moving to one side so the guards could bring the maid inside.
As Dorothy got her first look inside the room she balked. "No, no!" she cried and dug her heels in.
Wufei gave a sigh and nodded to the guards. Between them the two guards took a firm hold of Dorothy and began to drag her across the room to where the A frame waited. Dorothy fought them every inch of the way, lashing out with her shackled wrists as best she could, kicking savagely at the guards' legs and even attempting to bite when she got the chance. By the time the guards managed to get her to the A frame, they were both sporting minor injuries from the skirmish.
Watching the scene as it unfolded, Wufei couldn't help but compare the reaction of the maid to that of a certain long haired slave. Whereas Duo - who had committed no crime - went calmly and quietly, accepting his punishment without so much as a complaint or murmur, the maid was the complete opposite.
She lashed out tooth and nail, fought and screamed every inch of the way – and she was guilty of her crime.
Stepping up to assist the guards who had their hands full just keeping Dorothy by the A frame, Wufei grit his teeth and managed to secure the maid's wrists to the top of the frame. Once the wrists were secure, the three stepped back to regroup for a moment and watch as the maid twisted and turned, still screaming abuse, crying and kicking out with her legs as she tried to free herself.
Eyeing the wildcat, one guard spoke hesitantly. "Captain, do you think we should restrain her legs?"
Taking a moment to study the maid and her actions, the Captain rolled his eyes. "I think we should. If she isn't restrained properly there is every possibility she could turn during her punishment and not only cause further damage to herself, but the executioner could also be injured."
Neither guard looked particularly thrilled about having to try and shackle those kicking ankles, but they gamely shot forward and did their best. Several bruises later, the maid was completely restrained.
"Good work," Wufei praised his guards. "Once this is over I expect you both to report to the healer for a full check up."
"Yes, sir."
A door to the side opened and the executioner stepped inside the room. He was dressed the same as when he'd carried out Duo's flogging, whip cradled in his large hand. As he approached the Captain, the maid's screams grew louder.
"No! You can't do this! I demand to speak with my mistress!" Dorothy cried, the reality of her punishment finally sinking in. "My mistress will have you all flogged if you touch me, do you hear me?!"
The executioner winced as his ear drums suffered the rising pitch of the maid's cries and demands. "She's a fiery one," he said to the Captain.
"You have no idea," Wufei replied dryly. "As I informed you earlier, the King has ordered five lashes. For the sake of all of our hearing, I suggest we get it over and done with as soon as possible."
"My mistress will have your heads for this!" Dorothy yelled. "I demand you release me immediately, you can't flog a woman, it's barbaric!"
Having heard enough, Wufei stepped forward and looked the maid in the eye. "You attacked the slave of the Crown Prince. The King has ordered five lashes as punishment. As the King has so ordered, so will it be." He gave the maid a cold look and stepped back. "Executioner, you may carry out your order."
The executioner stepped forward and checked the restraints, ignoring the continuous tirade that came from the maid's mouth. Satisfied she was in no way able to break free of the shackles, he reached for the back of the blouse she wore. Dorothy froze momentarily when she felt the large hand settle against her back. Grasping the material between his hands, the executioner pulled hard, tearing the fabric and exposing the maid's skin.
With Dorothy's back exposed, Wufei and the two guards exercised discretion and turned away. The executioner let the whip uncoil and swung it in the air a couple of times. Dorothy swallowed hard, her voice deserting her for the moment.
The whip arced through the air and bit down into the soft skin, Dorothy's scream pierced the air.
When he'd raised the whip and brought it against Duo's skin, the executioner had only applied enough force to ensure he did his job and not harm the slave too badly. With this punishment, he didn't hold back. Whilst he may not have socialized as such with the rest of the staff in the castle, he knew what went on. It hadn't taken long for him to learn of the lies, deceit and maliciousness the maid had inflicted upon Duo, or to learn that the maid and Princess had completely fabricated all the charges brought against the long haired slave.
In his opinion this maid deserved all she got and as it was his job to administer the punishment ordered by his King, he would make certain to carry out those orders exactly as instructed.
The whip came down a second time, cutting into the soft skin and allowing the blood to start to flow. Dorothy screamed even louder, struggling futilely in her chains. When the third lash landed, she slumped in her bonds, her voice deserting her. The fourth lash and Dorothy passed out, the fifth drew her momentarily back to consciousness before she succumbed to the pain once more.
Having dealt the punishment, the executioner coiled his whip and turned to the Captain. "It is done," he said quietly.
"Thank you," Wufei replied, turning to the executioner. "My guards and I will see that she is returned to the dungeon and her wounds treated."
"I bid you good eve." The executioner bowed, turned and left the chamber through the door he'd entered.
With the executioner's departure, Wufei motioned for the guards to come forth and release the maid's bonds. While the guards were busy, he picked up a large, clean strip of cloth and once the maid was free, he quickly wrapped it around her, protecting her modesty along with the bleeding cuts to her back. The guards picked the unconscious woman up and between them they carried her back to the dungeon.
No sooner had the group entered Dorothy's cell, the healer arrived and took charge of the situation. Water and cloths were fetched, pastes and potions produced from the healer's basket and the two guards dismissed. Captain Chang remained behind to assist the healer.
The wounds were gently cleaned, the bleeding having slowed quite a lot. Studying the cuts made by the whip, Sally gave the Captain a grim look. "The executioner didn't spare the whip, did he," she stated.
"He wasn't quite as forceful as he could have been," Wufei defended the executioner.
Sally snorted. "You know as well as I do that she deserved every lash she got. I've treated many a person after a flogging, Captain, I think I know how to tell if a whip has been plied to it's full potential or not."
Wufei sighed and gave up. "He did the job he was requested to do."
"I would have expected no less in a case where guilt is proven beyond a doubt. Pass me that jar please."
Wufei handed over the requested jar, Sally opening it and scooping out some of the contents. Gently she applied the paste to the sluggishly bleeding wounds. With the wounds treated, she took some long strips of cloth and carefully bandaged across the maid's back.
With the maid treated as best she could for now, Sally mixed up a drink and brought it to the still unconscious maid. Gently she shook the maid's shoulder. "Dorothy, Dorothy, time to wake up," she encouraged.
Dorothy didn't want to return to the conscious plane, whilst locked in the darkness there was no pain, no misery or hurt. Unfortunately she had no choice. Gradually she surfaced from unconsciousness and as she did so she wanted nothing more than to return to the blackness. Her back felt on fire, pain lanced through every nerve ending and she went to scream, only to stop as quickly as she'd started. The effort required caused her muscles to pull against the wounds on her back and send white hot pain lancing through her very core.
She settled on moaning pitifully instead.
"Here, drink this, it will help with the pain," a voice said softly. Opening her eyes, Dorothy made out the form of the healer beside her, holding a goblet against her lips and encouraging her to drink. As she managed to swallow some of the liquid, the past events all came crashing back.
She was in the dungeons, face down on the small cot and her back was causing her nothing but agony. She'd been flogged... The King had ordered five lashes and despite everything, the punishment had been carried out.
Dorothy felt a combination of pain, humiliation and anger. "My mistress?" she managed to croak out, her voice almost gone from her earlier screaming.
"Your mistress isn't here right now," Sally soothed. "You need to rest, let the salve and the potion do their job."
The pain in her back was almost unbearable and Dorothy could feel herself slipping away again. Whether that was from the potion or the pain itself she didn't know and right now she didn't care either. She just wanted to escape it all.
"Rest, I will check on you again shortly," Sally coaxed, the relief washing through her as the maid's eyes closed and she slid back into unconsciousness. Once she was sure Dorothy was asleep, she gathered up the used cloths, dishes and utensils, leaving the herbal mix and salve on the small table by the goblet and water skin. "I will return to my chambers and check your guards as you requested earlier. I then have to check Duo again and I will return a little later to reapply the salve and change the dressings to the maid's back."
"Thank you, healer. I will accompany you part of the way, I need to speak with the King and inform him that the flogging has taken place. Send word to me when you wish to return to treat the maid and either I or one of my guards will escort you."
"I will." With her basket in hand, Sally waited by the door as the Captain had it opened and then stepped out into the gloomy hall.
They had only gotten as far as the top of the steps that led to the dungeons when a guard came hurrying down the hall. "Captain Chang," the guard called out.
Yes?" Wufei replied.
"Prince Heero has requested your presence in his chambers as soon as you are able."
"Thank you, I will go there right after I have spoken with the King."
"I will inform the Prince, sir." The guard saluted, turned and headed back to where Quatre awaited.
"I will speak with you again a little later, healer." Leaving Sally to make her own way back to her chambers, Wufei set off at a brisk walk to speak with his King.
tbc...
