A/N- Here's the next chapter. Only 4 days until the disaster wedding. Will Duo think of something on time? Well, you'll just have to wait and find out. Mwahahahaha. Enjoy. Oh, yeah. Wufei is in this chapter. I finally figured out how to get him in the story.
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 5
By: RurouniGirl
Four days until Duo was supposed to marry Relena. He still hadn't been able to come up with a plan. He sighed. He seemed to be sighing a lot lately, but he had a lot to sigh about.
"What am I going to do?" he asked himself.
He turned around as Quatre entered his room.
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," Quatre apologized. "But, your father wants to see you."
Duo sighed again. "What does he want this time?"
Quatre shrugged. "I'm not sure. But, there's a new soldier here. I think it has something to do with that."
Now Duo was interested. "A new soldier?"
Quatre nodded. "Yes, I haven't seen him yet, but all the servant girls are talking about him. They say he's very handsome. He came from Relena's kingdom. They said something about him being Relena's personal guard or something."
Duo nodded and headed toward the throne room. As he entered, he noticed the new guard standing off to Relena's side. He was young, about Duo's age, and had black hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Father," he said, standing in front of the king.
"Son."
Duo looked at his father expectantly.
"Son, this is Wufei," he said, indicating the boy. "He is Relena's personal guard. Her father sent him here to watch out for her after your marriage."
Duo nodded at Wufei. The other boy nodded and smiled slightly. Duo smiled back, and then returned his attention to his father.
"I want you to show him around the palace and the rest of the kingdom. Help him get to know it."
Duo nodded. He winced when Relena spoke.
"I want to go with them," she said.
Duo groaned silently. He looked over at Wufei pleadingly. Wufei rolled his eyes and indicated Relena. Duo tried not to laugh.
"That would be very unwise, Princess." Wufei replied. "You're father still has many enemies. It wouldn't do to have his daughter captured or killed."
The King nodded in agreement. "Wufei is right, Relena. It would be wiser for you to stay here."
She nodded. "All right," she said, pouting.
Duo motioned for Wufei to follow him out of the room. Once they were outside in the hall, Duo turned toward Wufei.
"Thank you. I don't know how much of her I can stand."
Wufei smiled. "I know how you feel."
Duo grinned. "How do you do it? How can you put up with her every single day?"
Wufei shrugged. "I guess you just get used to it."
Duo smiled. "Well, you have all my admiration just for putting up with her."
Wufei laughed as they headed down the hall. Duo ended the tour of the palace with the dungeons. He shivered as they stepped down to the dungeon.
"And this is the dungeon." He said. "I guess that's it. I've shown you the whole palace. Tomorrow I'll show the rest of the kingdom."
Wufei nodded. "Thank you for showing me around."
Duo nodded absently. His attention had turned to something down the hall.
"No problem," he said.
Wufei smiled. "Well, I think I'll go rest a little before dinner. I'll see you then."
"All right." He smiled as Wufei headed back to his room. Then he turned and headed toward the cell.
"Heero? Trowa?"
Heero looked up and smiled. "Duo, what brings you here?"
Duo smiled "Just came to see how you were doing."
Trowa smiled and Duo noticed a fresh bruise on his cheek.
"That wasn't there yesterday," he said, pointing to the mark.
Trowa touched the bruise gingerly. "Oh, it's nothing. I just made one of the guards a little angry."
Duo smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess."
Trowa shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. Now, I'll let you talk to Heero. That's what you came here for, isn't it?"
Duo smiled. "Thanks."
He turned toward Heero. "How are they treating you?" he asked, a slight quiver in his voice.
Heero smiled. "Probably better than most prisoners." He reached a hand through the bars and took Duo's hand in his. "You look better. Not as tired."
Duo smiled. "I got a little sleep," he replied.
Duo looked up at the sound of the returning guard. He smiled apologetically.
"I have to go before the guard sees me."
Heero nodded. "I understand."
Duo smiled and kissed Heero's hand. "I love you," he said, then turned and hurried out of the dungeon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wufei peeked around the corner and watched as Duo stopped in front of the cell. He had been curious as to what the prince had been so interested in. Now he saw it. There were two boys in the cell.
He watched as one of the boys reached through the bars and took Duo's hand. He was too far away to hear what they were saying, but he could guess what was going on by the looks on their faces.
He was alerted by the sound of the approaching guard. He took one last look at the two boys before turning and hurrying up the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo was glad of Wufei's presence that night at dinner. His father had placed Relena on his left and Duo on his right. Wufei was seated next to Duo.
They chatted pleasantly throughout the meal. When they had finished eating and everyone was sitting around chatting, Wufei got up and motioned for Duo to follow him onto the balcony.
"You looked like you wanted to get out of there," Wufei said, as they looked out at the gardens.
Duo nodded. "I hate all this," he admitted. "I hate being treated like I'm someone special. I never asked to be prince." He sighed. "I never wanted to marry Relena. All I ever wanted was a little happiness."
He turned his head to look at Wufei. "You know, you're one of the only people I've told my secret to. I'm not sure why I did, but I know I can trust you."
Wufei smiled. "I'm honored that you trust me that much."
Duo smiled back. "You're one of my few friends. I don't have many real friends, but you're one of them."
"I'm glad that you think of me as your friend."
Duo smiled and for the next couple of minutes they just stood there in companionable silence. It was Wufei who broke the silence.
"You said that all you ever wanted was a little happiness." He looked at Duo. "Did you ever get that happiness?"
Duo felt his eyes start to water. "Yes," he said. "But my father took it away."
Wufei was silent before speaking again. "Was it...that boy in the dungeon?"
Duo looked up in surprise and Wufei smiled.
"Yes," Duo answered quietly. He felt the tears running down his cheeks.
"All I ever wanted was someone who saw me for who I was. Not as a prince, but as a person. Heero saw who I really was. He didn't care that I was a prince. He treated me like a normal human being."
Wufei stood next to Duo and put a comforting arm around his shoulder. Tears continued to pour down Duo's face.
"I was finally happy with Heero. Then my father went ahead and made arrangements for me to marry Relena. I was so upset. Heero urged me to tell my father the truth so I did. My father called me a freak for loving another boy. 'A worthless peasant boy,' as he put it. He placed me under house arrest."
Duo stopped to catch his breath. He was grateful for Wufei's company. He was being so understanding. Once he had caught his breath, he continued.
"My two best friends, Quatre and Trowa, saw how much being away from Heero was effecting me. I didn't eat. I didn't sleep. They saw how unhappy I was, so they snuck Heero into the palace to see me. He was caught when Trowa was sneaking him out of the palace. My father threatened to execute Heero unless I married Relena. After I agreed to the marriage, my father had Heero and Trowa thrown into the dungeon."
Wufei was shocked. How could the king treat his own son like this? He shook his head, looking at Duo. The prince looked so unhappy.
"What are you going to do?" Wufei asked.
Duo shook his head. "I don't know. I've been trying to figure something out. Some way to get Heero out of the dungeon before the wedding, but I haven't been able to come up with anything. Quatre is also trying to think of something, but he hasn't had any luck either."
Wufei thought about it for a moment before responding. "I'll help you."
Author's Notes: so, as usual, what did you think? Review. RurouniGirl
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 5
By: RurouniGirl
Four days until Duo was supposed to marry Relena. He still hadn't been able to come up with a plan. He sighed. He seemed to be sighing a lot lately, but he had a lot to sigh about.
"What am I going to do?" he asked himself.
He turned around as Quatre entered his room.
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," Quatre apologized. "But, your father wants to see you."
Duo sighed again. "What does he want this time?"
Quatre shrugged. "I'm not sure. But, there's a new soldier here. I think it has something to do with that."
Now Duo was interested. "A new soldier?"
Quatre nodded. "Yes, I haven't seen him yet, but all the servant girls are talking about him. They say he's very handsome. He came from Relena's kingdom. They said something about him being Relena's personal guard or something."
Duo nodded and headed toward the throne room. As he entered, he noticed the new guard standing off to Relena's side. He was young, about Duo's age, and had black hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Father," he said, standing in front of the king.
"Son."
Duo looked at his father expectantly.
"Son, this is Wufei," he said, indicating the boy. "He is Relena's personal guard. Her father sent him here to watch out for her after your marriage."
Duo nodded at Wufei. The other boy nodded and smiled slightly. Duo smiled back, and then returned his attention to his father.
"I want you to show him around the palace and the rest of the kingdom. Help him get to know it."
Duo nodded. He winced when Relena spoke.
"I want to go with them," she said.
Duo groaned silently. He looked over at Wufei pleadingly. Wufei rolled his eyes and indicated Relena. Duo tried not to laugh.
"That would be very unwise, Princess." Wufei replied. "You're father still has many enemies. It wouldn't do to have his daughter captured or killed."
The King nodded in agreement. "Wufei is right, Relena. It would be wiser for you to stay here."
She nodded. "All right," she said, pouting.
Duo motioned for Wufei to follow him out of the room. Once they were outside in the hall, Duo turned toward Wufei.
"Thank you. I don't know how much of her I can stand."
Wufei smiled. "I know how you feel."
Duo grinned. "How do you do it? How can you put up with her every single day?"
Wufei shrugged. "I guess you just get used to it."
Duo smiled. "Well, you have all my admiration just for putting up with her."
Wufei laughed as they headed down the hall. Duo ended the tour of the palace with the dungeons. He shivered as they stepped down to the dungeon.
"And this is the dungeon." He said. "I guess that's it. I've shown you the whole palace. Tomorrow I'll show the rest of the kingdom."
Wufei nodded. "Thank you for showing me around."
Duo nodded absently. His attention had turned to something down the hall.
"No problem," he said.
Wufei smiled. "Well, I think I'll go rest a little before dinner. I'll see you then."
"All right." He smiled as Wufei headed back to his room. Then he turned and headed toward the cell.
"Heero? Trowa?"
Heero looked up and smiled. "Duo, what brings you here?"
Duo smiled "Just came to see how you were doing."
Trowa smiled and Duo noticed a fresh bruise on his cheek.
"That wasn't there yesterday," he said, pointing to the mark.
Trowa touched the bruise gingerly. "Oh, it's nothing. I just made one of the guards a little angry."
Duo smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess."
Trowa shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. Now, I'll let you talk to Heero. That's what you came here for, isn't it?"
Duo smiled. "Thanks."
He turned toward Heero. "How are they treating you?" he asked, a slight quiver in his voice.
Heero smiled. "Probably better than most prisoners." He reached a hand through the bars and took Duo's hand in his. "You look better. Not as tired."
Duo smiled. "I got a little sleep," he replied.
Duo looked up at the sound of the returning guard. He smiled apologetically.
"I have to go before the guard sees me."
Heero nodded. "I understand."
Duo smiled and kissed Heero's hand. "I love you," he said, then turned and hurried out of the dungeon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wufei peeked around the corner and watched as Duo stopped in front of the cell. He had been curious as to what the prince had been so interested in. Now he saw it. There were two boys in the cell.
He watched as one of the boys reached through the bars and took Duo's hand. He was too far away to hear what they were saying, but he could guess what was going on by the looks on their faces.
He was alerted by the sound of the approaching guard. He took one last look at the two boys before turning and hurrying up the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo was glad of Wufei's presence that night at dinner. His father had placed Relena on his left and Duo on his right. Wufei was seated next to Duo.
They chatted pleasantly throughout the meal. When they had finished eating and everyone was sitting around chatting, Wufei got up and motioned for Duo to follow him onto the balcony.
"You looked like you wanted to get out of there," Wufei said, as they looked out at the gardens.
Duo nodded. "I hate all this," he admitted. "I hate being treated like I'm someone special. I never asked to be prince." He sighed. "I never wanted to marry Relena. All I ever wanted was a little happiness."
He turned his head to look at Wufei. "You know, you're one of the only people I've told my secret to. I'm not sure why I did, but I know I can trust you."
Wufei smiled. "I'm honored that you trust me that much."
Duo smiled back. "You're one of my few friends. I don't have many real friends, but you're one of them."
"I'm glad that you think of me as your friend."
Duo smiled and for the next couple of minutes they just stood there in companionable silence. It was Wufei who broke the silence.
"You said that all you ever wanted was a little happiness." He looked at Duo. "Did you ever get that happiness?"
Duo felt his eyes start to water. "Yes," he said. "But my father took it away."
Wufei was silent before speaking again. "Was it...that boy in the dungeon?"
Duo looked up in surprise and Wufei smiled.
"Yes," Duo answered quietly. He felt the tears running down his cheeks.
"All I ever wanted was someone who saw me for who I was. Not as a prince, but as a person. Heero saw who I really was. He didn't care that I was a prince. He treated me like a normal human being."
Wufei stood next to Duo and put a comforting arm around his shoulder. Tears continued to pour down Duo's face.
"I was finally happy with Heero. Then my father went ahead and made arrangements for me to marry Relena. I was so upset. Heero urged me to tell my father the truth so I did. My father called me a freak for loving another boy. 'A worthless peasant boy,' as he put it. He placed me under house arrest."
Duo stopped to catch his breath. He was grateful for Wufei's company. He was being so understanding. Once he had caught his breath, he continued.
"My two best friends, Quatre and Trowa, saw how much being away from Heero was effecting me. I didn't eat. I didn't sleep. They saw how unhappy I was, so they snuck Heero into the palace to see me. He was caught when Trowa was sneaking him out of the palace. My father threatened to execute Heero unless I married Relena. After I agreed to the marriage, my father had Heero and Trowa thrown into the dungeon."
Wufei was shocked. How could the king treat his own son like this? He shook his head, looking at Duo. The prince looked so unhappy.
"What are you going to do?" Wufei asked.
Duo shook his head. "I don't know. I've been trying to figure something out. Some way to get Heero out of the dungeon before the wedding, but I haven't been able to come up with anything. Quatre is also trying to think of something, but he hasn't had any luck either."
Wufei thought about it for a moment before responding. "I'll help you."
Author's Notes: so, as usual, what did you think? Review. RurouniGirl