By: Neko-chan
A/N: Gah......I have NO clue whatsoever why I wrote this. I was in an EXTREMELY bored mood, and I was daydreaming while I was doing my (yucky) chores. Uh....so can I have comments and advice on whether or not I should continue it? Thank you! *glomp*
Disclaimer: I do not own GW. So don't try to sue me!! *sticks out tongue*
Another Note: In this fic, the GW boys are quintuplets. Dun ask me how....it's just the way it worked out, k?
Part One
The young prince stood at the edge of the balcony, staring out over the ocean. He sighed, and slowly closed his eyes, letting the salt air brush against him, refreshing him in it's purity.
The Prince had come to this rarely used balcony because he wanted to be alone. So, desperate, he had chosen this secluded area, hoping that no one would find him for at least several hours. And, unfortunately, he wasn't going to get the peace he craved. He grimaced upon hearing foot steps behind himself; and with one last sigh, he turned around.
And Prussian blue eyes met cold storm cloud gray.
"Yes?" Heero asked, raising an eyebrow at the young male servant before him. For some reason, he knew that this servant was more than he appeared to be.....but he didn't know how he knew this. Heero was often able to judge people by looking at them; this made him a good judge of character. But for some reason, he wasn't able to discern what type of person this servant was. And it unnerved him.
The young servant bowed. "Your father, the King, wishes to speak with you, Your Highness," the servant replied, peeking through his red-orange bangs at the Prince. Heero frowned. The servant looked about sixteen, two years his junior. At that age, Heero and his brothers' voices had started to change, cracking at every other word. For some reason, this servant's voice did not crack; it stayed soft and musical all throughout his message.
Heero shook his head, banishing his thoughts to the back of his mind. Never mind that.... he thought to himself. There'll be time for that later... "My father is on the parapet, is he not?" he asked the young red-head.
The servant nodded an affirmative, and without a backward glance, Heero took off to see what his father wanted.....though he had an idea.
The young servant watched him leave through cold, assessing eyes. His hair was long for a male; it came to his waist even though it was braided. Only Prince Duo's hair was longer; and even then, not by much. But, like Prince Heero originally thought, this servant wasn't all that he seemed.
With one more glance at the Prince's retreating back, the servant walked up to the seemingly impenetrable stone wall. He pushed against a stone; with a soft whisper, the wall opened, revealing a secret passageway.
With one more backward glance, Arashi stepped into the passageway. And, with a smug smile, she made her way to the lower levels of the castle, only her footprints in the dirt showing that she had been there at all.
~*~
"You summoned me, Father?" Heero asked as he quickly stepped through the doorway and into his father's most treasured area of the castle. The parapet was were his father and mother had met many years ago, and the place where he had purposed to her. Of course, she accepted.
Zechs, the King of Shumakar, turned around and smiled warmly at his eldest son. "Good morning, Heero. I've noticed that each day I have to send out more and more servants to search for you. Where were you hiding this time?"
Casting his eyes downward, Heero's cheeks reddened slightly. "What do you mean, hiding, Father?" he asked. He looked up, and his eyes were wide; innocent.
Zechs tilted his head back, and a full-bellied laugh sprang forth. "Oh, Heero! You should leave the innocent act to Quatre! He does it much better!"
Heero sighed, then scowled darkly. "I was on the balcony in the East Wing, Father," he answered, grumbling slightly at his father's amusement at his expense.
Zechs stopped laughing, his pale blue eyes intent. "But that balcony hasn't been used for years!" he exclaimed. "You could have been injured!"
Heero shrugged. "Well, if I had died, it would've been Duo that had to get married, ne?" he asked, his lips tugging into a self-satisfied smirk.
Sighing, the King looked more closely at his son. So I was correct.... he thought. My son doesn't want to get married. "Which servant found you?" Zechs asked nonchalantly, trying to change the subject.
Heero frowned, puzzled. "I don't know, Father. I think it was a new servant. At least, I think he was new. I've never seen him before. He had red hair and gray eyes; he looked about sixteen."
Zechs looked thoughtful. "You are right, my son. I've never seen him before. Maybe he was hired today..... Anyway, we must discuss the reason I summoned you here."
Inwardly, the young prince groaned. No.....Not that again!! "Whatever do you mean, Father?" he innocently asked, trying to act more like Quatre.
Seeing right through this, Zechs smiled. "Well, son, you are eighteen, and I think it's time that you should get married. I'm not getting any younger, and I want to hold my grandchildren before I pass away."
Heero sighed. This is just the reason why I was trying to hide!! "Can't we talk about this after dinner?" he begged. "And besides, Father, you aren't that old! You're only thirty-five!"
"Fine...." the King grumbled. "But we will talk about your upcoming marriage after dinner.......tonight. And Heero, I want you to remember this: Your mother and I were younger than you when we had you and your brothers. I was seventeen."
Shuddering in horror at the thought of becoming a father at so young an age, Heero bowed and almost ran from his father.
But his father's last words followed him around all day: "I am considering Relena of the Sanq Kingdom to be your bride, son."
No, not her! Anything but her!! Heero thought as he headed for a new hiding space, hoping to not be disturbed until dinner.