Pairings: 3x4/4x3 (not yet)

Disclaimer: Yeah, I guess you could say I don't own them. The GW characters belong to their rightful owners and that's not me.

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Miscellaneous Heirs - Part Three

by Orerinia Shaydrin

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"Ouch! Watch where you step! That rock nearly hit my head."

"It missed? Damn. . ."

"I hope you were joking with that remark." Quatre tried to maintain his upward glare at Trowa, while at the same time tried to concentrate on climbing down the rock path. It wasn't working. He needed to look where he was going and having his head craned in the opposite direction was not helping him.

The tone in Trowa's voice made it sound as if he were smirking. Quatre was sure he was. "And if I did mean it?"

"I would get Wufei to eat you."

"Who said I wanted to eat him?" It seemed that Wufei had been listening to their conversation. Not hard to do, considering that they drowned out Duo's chattering to the dragon boy.

"You wanted to earlier."

"I did not!" Now Wufei was defensive and acted as if he had been greatly insulted. "I was merely going to do him serious injury, perhaps kill him. Not eat him. Humans taste nasty, no dragon in its right mind would eat a human."

"Oh, that's nice. You would have left me for the scavenger birds." Trowa again, this time sounding slightly peeved. He and Wufei hadn't resolved their relationship since they had met, which was about four hours ago. Not that he and Quatre had either.

"Hey!" Duo--having been caught up in one of his stories until that point--flicked his braid over his shoulder and glared at his best friend. "I resent that!"

Trowa gave Duo and exasperated look. "I wasn't speaking about you specifically. I was just trying to make a point."

"Oh yeah! Well it was a slur to corvids of all kinds." Duo sniffed disdainfully, his nose thrown up into the air. "How can we help it if people throw away good table scraps." He stalked off down the chair without another word.

Quatre smirked, "Seems that you aren't getting along with anyone at this point." He cackled uncertainly, not quite sure what it was about the green-eyed prince that bothered him. He wasn't horribly obnoxious--that's what Quatre was--and he was good-looking, a definite plus in Quatre's book, but still there was something about him that set Quatre's nerves on edge. And he didn't know what it was. Maybe that was the reason why. He didn't like this unknown feeling that overcame him whenever he looked at Trowa, so he became defensive.

Why was he even musing over the situation? It was all Duo and Wufei's fault that they were traveling together. Speaking of which, he was going to have a talk with one of them. He hurried down the rocky path as best he could, leaving Wufei and Trowa alone together. He never gave it a second thought.

*****

"Does he always act like this?" Trowa cast an interested look in Wufei's direction.

The dragon boy lifted his head, sharp black eyes narrowed. "At times. He's spoiled."

"Great. I'm traveling with a bratty spoiled prince!" He kicked at a stone that lay in his way--one of the many stones that lay in his way. He was irritated with the situation he had gotten stuck in, even if it was the only way he would be able to disappear from his kingdom without causing a fuss and without getting killed. That was one of the reasons they were climbing down the mountain. If anyone saw the dragon fly away and not come back, they might come up to investigate and see if he was still alive. Another reason was that his armor still lay at the beginning of the trail.

"You should talk. You haven't acted exactly companionable." Wufei strode forward, every step full of purpose. "If you don't, how can you expect anyone else to warm up to you?"

"Maybe." Trowa shortened his strides to match the shorter boy's. "If you asked Duo, he would say that this is the most I've talked in months."

"Is that true? You aren't what I would call quiet."

"It's true. It's hard to speak your mind when you're always put down for your opinions." That was a reference to his father's desperate bids to get rid of him. He had always pushed Trowa down, almost as if he were trying to force his son to become an empty shell.

"Hmm. Well maybe you should stop talking so much. It would make things a lot more peaceful between everyone."

"Hmph!"

*****

"I'm blaming this all on you."

"Hey, it's not my fault your dragon friend agreed that we could come with." Duo jumped off a small ledge, while Quatre carefully made his way down. He gave thanks that they were almost to the bottom of the mountain from hell, as he was so fondly calling it now. "Anyways, it seems to be doing some good for Trowa."

Quatre snorted, placing his hands on his hips and raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Right!"

"Seriously, he hasn't acted so . . . um . . . emotional until he met you. You're actually getting a rise out of him."

"Like I'm going to believe that!"

"If you don't believe me I'm not going to change your mind. I remember how stubborn you were."

"I'm still surprised you even remember that. It was such a long time ago." Sadness crept into his voice.

"Why are you surprised? I think I should be the one more surprised that a prince like you would remember me."

"Not really. It's not everyday that a raven that can turn into a human comes crashing down nearly right on top of me."

"You're right. That would be sort of hard to forget." Duo stopped and turned his head back up the mountain. "We should wait for Trowa and Wufei to catch up."

"Whose waiting?" Quatre continued down the path, avoiding the scarce roots that grew from the trees and that winded onto the path.

"Quatre! Damn, and Trowa calls me obstinate." He followed the blond prince down the trail almost carelessly, the tall green trees providing shade from the sun. There was silence in the air for several seconds before Duo spoke. "So are you really a virgin?"

He cringed instinctively. He knew that Duo was going to ask that question. Biting back a sharp reply, he gave a simple answer. "Yes."

"How did you manage that? I thought everyone would be trying their hardest to get in bed with a prince. Something to brag about" He tugged on one of the black feathers in his hair, literally skipping down the trail. "Trowa's had problems with it since forever."

"It's pretty easy, Duo." He drew a hand through his hair, "Especially when you have twenty-nine sisters watching your every move."

"That protective over you, huh?"

"No. It was because most of them were that leery of me. They didn't like anyone giving me ideas."

"Oh."

*****

Click. A stone flew through the air to hit the silver armor before Quatre. Another stone was thrown, this time landing in the overturned helmet. Duo fidgeted nearby, pacing back and forth, gazing into the brush that surrounded them. "Wonder what's taking them so long?"

"Maybe Wufei changed his mind and ate Trowa."

"That's not exactly a nice thing to say. Give him a chance. He's not that bad of a guy and he is my friend."

Quatre didn't reply, tossing a rock back and forth between his hands. Toss. Catch. Toss again. Catch again. He threw the stone up higher and higher, arching up into the air. He stopped, paused for a second, and then threw it towards Trowa's armor. It hit, the sound of its impact echoing softly.

"What are you doing to my armor?"

Quatre looked up startled. He frowned when he saw who it was. Trowa and Wufei had finally made it down, and it seemed that they had come to an understanding with each other. He didn't like that. "I was throwing rocks at it. I thought that would be obvious."

Trowa's brilliant green eyes flared up. Before anything could be done, Duo jumped in between them. "Come on you guys. Let's not fight." His violet eyes widened and he shook his head ruefully. "Can't believe I actually said that, but it's true. It won't do anybody any good if we keep fighting."

"He's right. The damn raven is right." Wufei grimaced looking down at Trowa's armor. "You aren't expecting me to actually carry that are you? Because I won't."

"Well, what are we going to do with it then? We can't just leave it here for someone to find."

"It wouldn't exactly do much good to carry it with us either! We couldn't sell it. It has your royal insignia carved all over it." The dragon boy gestured to the green and blue badge of a pegasus leaping over a crouching lion on a shoulder guard. "Everyone would know that it came from the royal family. An obvious clue that you might not be as dead as you want people to think."

Trowa cupped his head in his hands, "We can't leave it out in the open . . ."

Duo shook his head sending his thick braid of hair flying right into Wufei's face.

"WATCH IT!"

"Oops. Sorry about that. Just a thought though. Why are we even arguing about what to do with Trowa's armor when we don't even know where we are going?" Duo fiddled with his clothes, straightening them into order. Quatre assumed his movements were something similar to preening in pride.

"Actually, we do know where we are going. Up north." Quatre clasped his hands above his head and stretched. "The next kingdom that way."

Trowa, still in his previous position, groaned deeply, while Duo danced about waving his hands in the air. "Are you fucking crazy? That next kingdom is ruled by an insane queen. The whole kingdom is like a prison camp. In fact one of the ways the king here kept trying to get Trowa killed was to send him to the border between this kingdom and the Queen's. It's insane up there!"

"It can't be that bad, can it?"

"Yes, it can. You have no idea. I once flew over the castle and I was nearly shot down by archers. I got away but not before I saw what it was like. Peasants are herded around like sheep. They live in filth, while the rich and mighty parade about in their luxurious homes."

Quatre stepped back from Duo, wide eyed and amazed. "Isn't that what most kingdoms are like?"

"Not as bad as this one." Trowa dropped his hands away from his head. "I've seen refugees come out of her kingdom into ours, and we always sent them back for fear that their Queen would turn her wrath on us. It's said she knows dark magic."

"We still have to go." Wufei crossed his arms, his dark eyes defiant. "There's a chance that someone there is worthy enough to be my mate. And I can't risk the chance that I will never find her because I didn't go to a certain kingdom."

"Is finding a mate worth getting yourself killed? Damn it! You are fucking crazy!" Duo was tugging frantically on the feathers in his hair.

"You don't understand, Duo. If he doesn't find someone to be his mate. . ." Quatre bowed his head, "Dragons will die out. The others of his kind are too old to have children."

"You mean there's no female dragons running around that he can mate with? Fuck. Wait a minute--how can he mate with a human and still continue producing dragons?"

Wufei huffed slightly, "I can't marry anyone. There are some humans that contain a gift, a magic of sorts in their blood. It allows them to give birth to children that can turn into dragons. I am one of those children myself. The only one left alive."

"Then this is really important." Duo sighed, casting a glance at the silent Trowa. "Kind of changes the outlook on things doesn't it?"

"Yes. It does." Quatre stepped forward, heart in throat for some strange reason. Here was a chance for him to get rid of the green-eyed prince and the raven boy, but why did he feel reluctant to do so? "You still have a chance to leave us. It's still possible to go your own way if you wish."

"I won't." Trowa looked down at Quatre. "It may be another suicide quest I'm getting into, but at least it's my choice."

"And I'm never one to let an adventure pass me by." Duo smiled, shifting from one foot to another. "Besides we have Wufei the dragon boy to use as our secret weapon. We can just have him eat people who threaten us."

"I do not eat people! And I am not your secret weapon, scavenger!"

"Weren't you the one who was going to eat who was going to eat Trowa and me?"

"I wasn't going to eat either of you! I don't eat humans, especially ones that turn into birds that feed on dead carcasses."

"That's nice to know! What do you have against ravens anyways?"

"I have nothing against them, just you."

"Well, I feel honored. You know that?"

A quiet voice at his side caused Quatre to start before he realized it was Trowa. "We should separate them."

"I don't think so. Do you want to get in between them?" He gestured to the arguing pair.

"They did it when we got into a fight."

He rubbed his forehead with the back of his head, "They are also people who can turn into animals. If you wish to get injured, go right ahead and stop them."

Trowa's green eyes flickered to their two quibbling comrades. "You're right. They shouldn't get into a full out fight. Duo has some self-control in that area."

Quatre thought it was more like self-preservation, but it was all a matter of opinion. There was another issue he had to give attention to anyhow. "I really wish you had agreed to leave."

"Why is that?"

"I don't like you."

"Neither do I."

"Then why are you coming with?"

A twisted smile appeared on Trowa's face. "Let's just say it has something to do with the way I was raised."

"Does the way you were raised also have to do with how annoying you are?"

"Look who's talking! You're annoying and a nuisance."

"Ha! I am not annoying." Quatre crossed his arms over his chest, a defensive position he commonly used to try and look bigger than he was. With Trowa hovering several inches above him, it didn't help much. "I'm not the one who insists on taking his armor with him!"

"I do not insist on taking it with me. I just need to do something with it so no one finds it! If someone does, I'm in trouble."

"That's what I call a nuisance."

"Like you're any better."

"I am."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am." The dispute was rapidly turning into a childish game. Quatre was rather enjoying it.

"You're not."

Trowa turned his back to Quatre as if they were done and the blond prince was not even there anymore. "Hey, don't you do that! We aren't done yet!"

Trowa ignored him. He fretted for a second before picking up a stick and poking it at Trowa's back. Still no response. He frowned, drew back the stick and thwacked him on the head with it. Hard.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"Good. It was meant to."

Trowa drew himself up. "You better have not meant that."

"I did. What are you going to do about it?"

Trowa threw himself at Quatre, who fought back with glee. It was up to Duo and Wufei to disrupt their altercation . . . it they ever ended their own.

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