A/N- All right. Here's the next part, and I'm thinking that Duo and Heero are finally gonna get back together either in this chapter or the next one. Enjoy.
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 21
By: RurouniGirl
Duo stood there in shock before completely comprehending the situation. Now his princely blood showed through. He turned to Zechs.
"We have to arrange a proper burial and hold a meeting about this. And then we'll have to interrogate the assassin to find out who sent them."
Zechs nodded in agreement. "Marcus, can you handle the burial arrangements?"
The healer nodded. "Yes, your highness," he said, and turned back to the king's chamber.
"Come on Duo. Let's gather all the council members and see what we can do."
Duo nodded and followed Zechs to the council room. All the council members were already assembled as the two entered the room and Zechs began immediately.
"It could have been King Treize," said one man.
"Or Queen Une," suggested another.
"What about Princess Dorothy? She's always trying to start a war," another asked.
Zechs held up his hands and silence fell over the room. "Now," he began. "Right now it's not who did it, but what are we going to do about it? Do we start a war with the kingdom that sent the assassin? Do we just ignore it? What do we do?"
"No," Duo cried. "We can't go to war. We've only just recovered from the last war. If we had another war now it would completely destroy the kingdom."
"He is right," said Joss, the chief advisor to the king. "If we had a war now, it would ruin the kingdom."
Zechs nodded. "Yes," he said. "War is out of the question, but they killed our king. We can't just ignore it. What is to be done?"
"Perhaps we should find out who is responsible for this," Joss responded. "And why they did it. Then maybe it will be easier to figure out what should be done."
Zechs nodded his approval. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Duo and I will go interrogate the assassin. We will gather again when we have more information."
Joss bowed and exited the council room and the other council member followed his example. Once they were gone Zechs turned toward Duo.
"You ready?"
Duo nodded. "Yes," he said. "Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo entered the cell before Zechs in case the assassin attempted to escape. To his surprise he merely looked up and did not move. As he moved further into the cell he realized the assassin was not a man, but a women. He stood there for a moment, looking at her. She was tall and slim. She had brown hair pulled into a bun and sparkling eyes.
Duo looked into her eyes and saw exactly what he knew he would see. This girl was not a killer. She may have killed the king, but in her heart she was no killer. She did not do it just for the sake of killing. She had a reason for this, and a good one too. He was sure of that.
"Who sent you?" he asked.
She looked at him calmly for a moment, as if weighing him before responding. "And why would I give you that information?"
Duo smiled slightly. "Perhaps you're name, if that is not too much information."
She contemplated for a moment. "My name is Catherine."
Duo nodded and, to Catherine's surprise, extended his hand. "I'm Duo."
She stared at him in shock. "You're Duo?! Why would you risk coming in here to interrogate me in person. I could kill you. You're the prince. If I killed you too then this whole kingdom would be without a leader."
Duo's soft laughter rang through the cell. "If you wanted to kill me you could have done it when you left my father's chamber or now, for that matter. Besides," he said, leaning forward so that his face was a mere inch from Catherine's face. "I may be the prince but I'm not the heir to the throne."
"You're not," she said in surprise.
"Nope."
"But...but how? When? I would have known before I killed the king."
Duo shook his head. "As a matter of fact, I was no longer the legal heir to the throne as of last night. Last night my father crowned my cousin, Zechs, as prince and heir to the throne."
She just stared at Duo in complete shock before slumping against her chair. "I've failed," she muttered. "My life is forfeit, now. Death is the punishment for failure."
Duo stared at her. "What do you mean you've failed?"
She looked up at Duo and he could see fear in her eyes. "I was sent by Princess Dorothy to kill the king and prince so that your kingdom wouldn't have a ruler and would fall into chaos. She hoped that you would start a war with all the neighboring kingdoms to avenge the death of your king. I have only killed the king. There is still a ruler. I have failed," she said quietly. "And Princess Dorothy punishes failure with death."
Duo shook his head in disbelief. "How can she be so cold-hearted?" he asked no one in particular. He turned back to Catherine. "You can't go back," he said.
Catherine was startled. "I have to go back," she said.
"Why?" Duo asked.
"Well..."she began, but couldn't think of a reason.
Duo smiled, knowing that this would happen. "Do you feel any loyalty to Dorothy? A love for your kingdom? Anything?"
She shook her head. "No," she said. "Nothing."
"Good," Duo said. "Then you'll be needing a room."
He turned toward Zechs. "Have Quatre, Trowa and Wufei been released yet?"
Zechs nodded. "They are being released as we speak," he said.
"Good. Could you have Quatre and Trowa come here as soon as they are released?"
Zechs smiled. "Of course. I will go get them."
Duo smiled and turned back toward Catherine. "I'll have Quatre and Trowa prepare a room for you," he said.
Catherine was surprised. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I killed your father. You should hate me right now."
Duo smiled. "You did kill my father," he said. "But I have nothing about him to miss."
She was shocked. "He was your father," she said.
Duo shrugged. "Yes, he was. But only my father. I loved him because he was the only family I had. My mother died after I was born. I gave him all the love I could muster and he never once returned it. He acted like he loved me, but he didn't. He thought of me as the Prince and spent all his time training me to be King after he was gone. He never once truly loved me as his son. He never wanted me to be happy. When I was finally happy he took my happiness away from me. No, I have nothing to miss."
Catherine shook her head. "That's so sad," she said.
Duo was about to respond, but was interrupted as Quatre and Trowa entered the cell. And he was glad for the interruption too.
"Quatre! Trowa!" he said, hugging each of them. "I've missed you guys so much."
Quatre grinned and even Trowa couldn't keep a small smile off his face. "Good to see you too," Quatre said.
"What can we do for you?" Trowa asked.
Duo smiled. "I know you guys just got out of the dungeon," he said, smiling apologetically, "but would you mind getting a room ready for Catherine?"
Trowa nodded. "Why would we mind?" he asked. "It's our job. We'll let you know when the room is ready."
"Thank you," Duo said, as the two servants left the dungeon. He turned back to Catherine. "Well, since you're room won't be ready for a while, I'm afraid you'll have to come to a council meeting with me," he said.
"But, won't the council members be angry with me?"
Duo shook his head. "Don't worry, Zechs is now king, and he won't let anything happen to you."
She nodded and followed him to the meeting. Duo noticed that Wufei was standing in the corner and the council members were already engrossed in a noisy debate.
"We have to avenge our king! We can't just let Princess Dorothy kill our king and not do a single thing about it."
Zechs raised his hand and the entire room fell silent. "We are not going to fight," he said.
"But, Your Highness...."
"But nothing," Zechs said. "Princess Dorothy killed our king because she hoped we would start a war. If we do fight to avenge the king, then we'll be playing right into her hands. By not fighting, we are doing exactly the opposite of what she wanted. That in itself is avenging our king."
"You are right, Your Highness," Joss said. "And it's a very wise move to make. Princess Dorothy won't be expecting it, and it will save the kingdom from another war."
Zechs hurriedly finished the meeting and dismissed the council. He turned toward Duo. "How do you feel about setting out tomorrow?" he asked, smiling.
Duo drew back in surprise. "You're coming with me?"
"Of course," Zechs said. "I wouldn't leave you to search all by yourself. Joss is quite capable of taking over while I'm gone. He may be young but he was an excellent choice for chief advisor."
Duo smiled and threw his arms around Zechs. "Thank you," he whispered. "You have not idea how much this means to me."
Author's Notes: Well, the end of another chapter. I'm working on Chapter 22 right now, so hopefully it will be posted soon. Please review. RurouniGirl
The Prince and the Peasant: Part 21
By: RurouniGirl
Duo stood there in shock before completely comprehending the situation. Now his princely blood showed through. He turned to Zechs.
"We have to arrange a proper burial and hold a meeting about this. And then we'll have to interrogate the assassin to find out who sent them."
Zechs nodded in agreement. "Marcus, can you handle the burial arrangements?"
The healer nodded. "Yes, your highness," he said, and turned back to the king's chamber.
"Come on Duo. Let's gather all the council members and see what we can do."
Duo nodded and followed Zechs to the council room. All the council members were already assembled as the two entered the room and Zechs began immediately.
"It could have been King Treize," said one man.
"Or Queen Une," suggested another.
"What about Princess Dorothy? She's always trying to start a war," another asked.
Zechs held up his hands and silence fell over the room. "Now," he began. "Right now it's not who did it, but what are we going to do about it? Do we start a war with the kingdom that sent the assassin? Do we just ignore it? What do we do?"
"No," Duo cried. "We can't go to war. We've only just recovered from the last war. If we had another war now it would completely destroy the kingdom."
"He is right," said Joss, the chief advisor to the king. "If we had a war now, it would ruin the kingdom."
Zechs nodded. "Yes," he said. "War is out of the question, but they killed our king. We can't just ignore it. What is to be done?"
"Perhaps we should find out who is responsible for this," Joss responded. "And why they did it. Then maybe it will be easier to figure out what should be done."
Zechs nodded his approval. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Duo and I will go interrogate the assassin. We will gather again when we have more information."
Joss bowed and exited the council room and the other council member followed his example. Once they were gone Zechs turned toward Duo.
"You ready?"
Duo nodded. "Yes," he said. "Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Duo entered the cell before Zechs in case the assassin attempted to escape. To his surprise he merely looked up and did not move. As he moved further into the cell he realized the assassin was not a man, but a women. He stood there for a moment, looking at her. She was tall and slim. She had brown hair pulled into a bun and sparkling eyes.
Duo looked into her eyes and saw exactly what he knew he would see. This girl was not a killer. She may have killed the king, but in her heart she was no killer. She did not do it just for the sake of killing. She had a reason for this, and a good one too. He was sure of that.
"Who sent you?" he asked.
She looked at him calmly for a moment, as if weighing him before responding. "And why would I give you that information?"
Duo smiled slightly. "Perhaps you're name, if that is not too much information."
She contemplated for a moment. "My name is Catherine."
Duo nodded and, to Catherine's surprise, extended his hand. "I'm Duo."
She stared at him in shock. "You're Duo?! Why would you risk coming in here to interrogate me in person. I could kill you. You're the prince. If I killed you too then this whole kingdom would be without a leader."
Duo's soft laughter rang through the cell. "If you wanted to kill me you could have done it when you left my father's chamber or now, for that matter. Besides," he said, leaning forward so that his face was a mere inch from Catherine's face. "I may be the prince but I'm not the heir to the throne."
"You're not," she said in surprise.
"Nope."
"But...but how? When? I would have known before I killed the king."
Duo shook his head. "As a matter of fact, I was no longer the legal heir to the throne as of last night. Last night my father crowned my cousin, Zechs, as prince and heir to the throne."
She just stared at Duo in complete shock before slumping against her chair. "I've failed," she muttered. "My life is forfeit, now. Death is the punishment for failure."
Duo stared at her. "What do you mean you've failed?"
She looked up at Duo and he could see fear in her eyes. "I was sent by Princess Dorothy to kill the king and prince so that your kingdom wouldn't have a ruler and would fall into chaos. She hoped that you would start a war with all the neighboring kingdoms to avenge the death of your king. I have only killed the king. There is still a ruler. I have failed," she said quietly. "And Princess Dorothy punishes failure with death."
Duo shook his head in disbelief. "How can she be so cold-hearted?" he asked no one in particular. He turned back to Catherine. "You can't go back," he said.
Catherine was startled. "I have to go back," she said.
"Why?" Duo asked.
"Well..."she began, but couldn't think of a reason.
Duo smiled, knowing that this would happen. "Do you feel any loyalty to Dorothy? A love for your kingdom? Anything?"
She shook her head. "No," she said. "Nothing."
"Good," Duo said. "Then you'll be needing a room."
He turned toward Zechs. "Have Quatre, Trowa and Wufei been released yet?"
Zechs nodded. "They are being released as we speak," he said.
"Good. Could you have Quatre and Trowa come here as soon as they are released?"
Zechs smiled. "Of course. I will go get them."
Duo smiled and turned back toward Catherine. "I'll have Quatre and Trowa prepare a room for you," he said.
Catherine was surprised. "Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked. "I killed your father. You should hate me right now."
Duo smiled. "You did kill my father," he said. "But I have nothing about him to miss."
She was shocked. "He was your father," she said.
Duo shrugged. "Yes, he was. But only my father. I loved him because he was the only family I had. My mother died after I was born. I gave him all the love I could muster and he never once returned it. He acted like he loved me, but he didn't. He thought of me as the Prince and spent all his time training me to be King after he was gone. He never once truly loved me as his son. He never wanted me to be happy. When I was finally happy he took my happiness away from me. No, I have nothing to miss."
Catherine shook her head. "That's so sad," she said.
Duo was about to respond, but was interrupted as Quatre and Trowa entered the cell. And he was glad for the interruption too.
"Quatre! Trowa!" he said, hugging each of them. "I've missed you guys so much."
Quatre grinned and even Trowa couldn't keep a small smile off his face. "Good to see you too," Quatre said.
"What can we do for you?" Trowa asked.
Duo smiled. "I know you guys just got out of the dungeon," he said, smiling apologetically, "but would you mind getting a room ready for Catherine?"
Trowa nodded. "Why would we mind?" he asked. "It's our job. We'll let you know when the room is ready."
"Thank you," Duo said, as the two servants left the dungeon. He turned back to Catherine. "Well, since you're room won't be ready for a while, I'm afraid you'll have to come to a council meeting with me," he said.
"But, won't the council members be angry with me?"
Duo shook his head. "Don't worry, Zechs is now king, and he won't let anything happen to you."
She nodded and followed him to the meeting. Duo noticed that Wufei was standing in the corner and the council members were already engrossed in a noisy debate.
"We have to avenge our king! We can't just let Princess Dorothy kill our king and not do a single thing about it."
Zechs raised his hand and the entire room fell silent. "We are not going to fight," he said.
"But, Your Highness...."
"But nothing," Zechs said. "Princess Dorothy killed our king because she hoped we would start a war. If we do fight to avenge the king, then we'll be playing right into her hands. By not fighting, we are doing exactly the opposite of what she wanted. That in itself is avenging our king."
"You are right, Your Highness," Joss said. "And it's a very wise move to make. Princess Dorothy won't be expecting it, and it will save the kingdom from another war."
Zechs hurriedly finished the meeting and dismissed the council. He turned toward Duo. "How do you feel about setting out tomorrow?" he asked, smiling.
Duo drew back in surprise. "You're coming with me?"
"Of course," Zechs said. "I wouldn't leave you to search all by yourself. Joss is quite capable of taking over while I'm gone. He may be young but he was an excellent choice for chief advisor."
Duo smiled and threw his arms around Zechs. "Thank you," he whispered. "You have not idea how much this means to me."
Author's Notes: Well, the end of another chapter. I'm working on Chapter 22 right now, so hopefully it will be posted soon. Please review. RurouniGirl