A/N- Wow, this story is really a lot longer than I thought it was gonna be.
I hope you are all enjoying this. Anyway, sorry for the long delay, but I
had a severe case of writer's block for this story so I decided to take a
break from it and work on something else for a while. It worked. Here's the
next part. Hope you enjoy.
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 19
By: RurouniGirl
It was a week later on the night of Zechs' "coronation," so to speak, as prince and heir to the throne. Duo skipped down the hall and burst into Zechs' room, grinning cheerfully.
"Tonight's the big night," he said.
Zechs turned toward Duo and smiled. "How do I look?" he asked, standing up and turning toward the prince.
Zechs was wearing flowing white robes and his golden hair hung like a veil around him.
"I think Wufei would find you very attractive," Duo replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Zechs laughed. "You delight in teasing me, don't you?"
Duo shrugged. "Just think of me as the annoying little brother that you never had."
Zechs smiled and put an arm around Duo's shoulder. "I don't have to," he replied. "I've always thought of you as my brother."
Duo was taken aback. "You…you have?" he asked.
Zechs nodded. "Yes," he said. "I have."
Duo smiled before flinging himself into Zechs, hugging him tightly. Tears began to stream down his face until his whole body was wracked by sobs. Zechs pulled Duo closer and spoke comfortingly. Duo's sobs finally subsided and he pulled away form his cousin.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice hoarse from crying. "You're one of the only people who's been nice to me since all of this started. I just hope this works. I miss him," he said as another tear slipped down his cheek. "I miss him so much. And I just wish that none of this had ever happened."
"Don't worry," Zechs said. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. It will all work out."
"I know," Duo said. "I just miss Heero so much."
Zechs nodded. "I know," he replied. "But you will see him again, and soon if I have my way. Don't worry. It will all work out."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone burst into applause as the trumpets sounded and the King and Zechs entered the throne room. Duo was seated in the front of the room as far away from Relena as he could get. Relena wasn't too happy about this, but after Duo's attempt to kill himself, the King had wisely decided not to force the marriage.
After the ceremony a huge feast was held to celebrate. Duo tried his best to enjoy himself, but he just couldn't. All he could think about was Heero. He found himself nearing tears and fled from the dining hall. Once in the safety of the abandoned halls, he broke down and wept.
He knew he should be happy, but he just couldn't. Not when Heero wasn't with him. Not when he was all alone without the one person he truly loved. He didn't care what his father said about Heero being a peasant, or what Relena said about him being a fraud and only after money and power. He knew that Heero truly loved him and he knew that he loved Heero. He loved him more than anything. He loved him enough that he would die for Heero if it meant Heero would live.
He stood up and headed toward the dungeon, tears still streaming down his face. He needed to be with friends. Friends who understood him and knew what he was going through.
Quatre looked up as the dungeon door opened and Duo came trudging in, tears running down his cheeks.
"Duo, are you all right?" Quatre asked, worried.
Duo didn't answer. He just walked towards the cell and clung to Quatre as best as he could through the bars and sobbed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero wiped the sweat off his forehead as he finished cleaning the last of the stalls. He sighed and headed toward the kitchens. Hilde looked up as he came here.
"Heero, you look exhausted. Why don't you eat something and then go to bed?"
Heero shook his head. "I'm not hungry," he said. "I'm gonna wash off and then lay down for a while. Tell Noin that if she needs me I'll be in my room."
Hilde nodded and Heero headed back outside to the creek. He stripped off his clothes and waded into the cool water. It felt good after a hard days work in the stables. He dove under and resurfaced feeling fully refreshed. He sighed quietly as he tried off and headed back to the castle.
Once in his room, he lay down and tried to get some sleep. He hadn't been sleeping the past few weeks. Every time he was almost asleep Duo's face would appear in his mind, or his voice would echo in his ears. He couldn't get Duo out of his mind. Being away from the young prince was killing Heero. He didn't know how he was, what he was doing. It was almost too much.
He rolled over and got out of bed. He spent a good part of the night just staring out the window. When the sun slowly began to rise he decided to get to work. He was awake anyway; he might as well be doing something useful.
He yawned and stretched as he walked into the courtyard. Nobody else was awake yet so he decided to take a walk. During the day he was usually too busy for any luxury time. As he walked through the fields and forest he couldn't keep his mind from wandering once again back to Duo. His face, his smile, his hair, his scent. Everything he looked at reminded him of Duo.
The field reminded him of the first time he had met Duo and they had lain in the tall grass drying in the sun. Duo had told Heero his secret about not wanting to be prince. The small brook that ran through the forest reminded Heero of the numerous times he had spent bathing with Duo. The smell of the dew-covered flowers that wafted through the air reminded him of the way Duo's hair smelled. It always smelled like roses and rainwater.
It was finally too much for Heero and he collapsed against a tree and sobbed.
Author's Notes: Okay, what did you think? Good? Bad? Too teary? Please review and let me know. RurouniGirl
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 19
By: RurouniGirl
It was a week later on the night of Zechs' "coronation," so to speak, as prince and heir to the throne. Duo skipped down the hall and burst into Zechs' room, grinning cheerfully.
"Tonight's the big night," he said.
Zechs turned toward Duo and smiled. "How do I look?" he asked, standing up and turning toward the prince.
Zechs was wearing flowing white robes and his golden hair hung like a veil around him.
"I think Wufei would find you very attractive," Duo replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Zechs laughed. "You delight in teasing me, don't you?"
Duo shrugged. "Just think of me as the annoying little brother that you never had."
Zechs smiled and put an arm around Duo's shoulder. "I don't have to," he replied. "I've always thought of you as my brother."
Duo was taken aback. "You…you have?" he asked.
Zechs nodded. "Yes," he said. "I have."
Duo smiled before flinging himself into Zechs, hugging him tightly. Tears began to stream down his face until his whole body was wracked by sobs. Zechs pulled Duo closer and spoke comfortingly. Duo's sobs finally subsided and he pulled away form his cousin.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice hoarse from crying. "You're one of the only people who's been nice to me since all of this started. I just hope this works. I miss him," he said as another tear slipped down his cheek. "I miss him so much. And I just wish that none of this had ever happened."
"Don't worry," Zechs said. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. It will all work out."
"I know," Duo said. "I just miss Heero so much."
Zechs nodded. "I know," he replied. "But you will see him again, and soon if I have my way. Don't worry. It will all work out."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone burst into applause as the trumpets sounded and the King and Zechs entered the throne room. Duo was seated in the front of the room as far away from Relena as he could get. Relena wasn't too happy about this, but after Duo's attempt to kill himself, the King had wisely decided not to force the marriage.
After the ceremony a huge feast was held to celebrate. Duo tried his best to enjoy himself, but he just couldn't. All he could think about was Heero. He found himself nearing tears and fled from the dining hall. Once in the safety of the abandoned halls, he broke down and wept.
He knew he should be happy, but he just couldn't. Not when Heero wasn't with him. Not when he was all alone without the one person he truly loved. He didn't care what his father said about Heero being a peasant, or what Relena said about him being a fraud and only after money and power. He knew that Heero truly loved him and he knew that he loved Heero. He loved him more than anything. He loved him enough that he would die for Heero if it meant Heero would live.
He stood up and headed toward the dungeon, tears still streaming down his face. He needed to be with friends. Friends who understood him and knew what he was going through.
Quatre looked up as the dungeon door opened and Duo came trudging in, tears running down his cheeks.
"Duo, are you all right?" Quatre asked, worried.
Duo didn't answer. He just walked towards the cell and clung to Quatre as best as he could through the bars and sobbed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Heero wiped the sweat off his forehead as he finished cleaning the last of the stalls. He sighed and headed toward the kitchens. Hilde looked up as he came here.
"Heero, you look exhausted. Why don't you eat something and then go to bed?"
Heero shook his head. "I'm not hungry," he said. "I'm gonna wash off and then lay down for a while. Tell Noin that if she needs me I'll be in my room."
Hilde nodded and Heero headed back outside to the creek. He stripped off his clothes and waded into the cool water. It felt good after a hard days work in the stables. He dove under and resurfaced feeling fully refreshed. He sighed quietly as he tried off and headed back to the castle.
Once in his room, he lay down and tried to get some sleep. He hadn't been sleeping the past few weeks. Every time he was almost asleep Duo's face would appear in his mind, or his voice would echo in his ears. He couldn't get Duo out of his mind. Being away from the young prince was killing Heero. He didn't know how he was, what he was doing. It was almost too much.
He rolled over and got out of bed. He spent a good part of the night just staring out the window. When the sun slowly began to rise he decided to get to work. He was awake anyway; he might as well be doing something useful.
He yawned and stretched as he walked into the courtyard. Nobody else was awake yet so he decided to take a walk. During the day he was usually too busy for any luxury time. As he walked through the fields and forest he couldn't keep his mind from wandering once again back to Duo. His face, his smile, his hair, his scent. Everything he looked at reminded him of Duo.
The field reminded him of the first time he had met Duo and they had lain in the tall grass drying in the sun. Duo had told Heero his secret about not wanting to be prince. The small brook that ran through the forest reminded Heero of the numerous times he had spent bathing with Duo. The smell of the dew-covered flowers that wafted through the air reminded him of the way Duo's hair smelled. It always smelled like roses and rainwater.
It was finally too much for Heero and he collapsed against a tree and sobbed.
Author's Notes: Okay, what did you think? Good? Bad? Too teary? Please review and let me know. RurouniGirl