Konnichiwa minna-san! Gomen nasai for not updating for so long...hopefully you can find it in your hearts to forgive me...I've been terribly busy lately...

But that's all beside the point. Let's continue, shall we?

Oopsies! Guess I need a warning in here somewhere...

*clears throat meaningfully*

Warning: I killed off a character...but no one should be too mad at me...

Archives: Mediaminer.org (email me for info...it's a slightly more, shall we say, intimate version that ff.net no longer allows...)

That's enough of that...on with the fic!!

*~* If Blood Was Gold *~*

Part III

Hilde shivered slightly as a cold, harsh wind encircled her, her short hair tousled in its force. She glared at her servant, who was kneeling in front of her. "Why did you bring us here?" She demanded, wrapping her arms around herself.

Trowa stood, his one visible eye shrouded in the darkness of the night. They were standing on the edge of a gorge, and the wind that formed in the region below was bitter cold. "So that I might accomplish my task." He said, his voice calm...perhaps too calm...

She shivered again. "I don't remember giving you a task that had us standing out here in the cold. Return us to my palace immediately!"

A feral smirk graced his thin lips, and he raised one hand to point a single digit at the lady.

Her eyes widened in fear. "Don't be stupid, slave! Explain this!"

He cocked his head to the side, eyes sparkling with mild amusement. "Slave? No, I am not a slave. I no longer need to pretend to be your slave."

A red light collected at the end of his finger, sparks flying.

Hilde took a step back, instantly meeting the edge of the gorge. "What?!?" She demanded, her voice hysterical. She held up both hands in an attempt to ward him off.

The smirk widened, the collecting light forming a slender arrow. "Now that I have the information I needed, I shall return to Lord Peacecraft. We no longer have any need for you."

The arrow gave off a burst of light before it shot from Trowa's finger. True to its course, it never wavered or strayed in the wind, piercing through Lady Hilde's heart.

Her legs gave way, and she fell backwards. Her mouth and eyes both wide open in surprise, but no cry managed to escape her lips before her life was sucked away, her dead corpse dropping soundlessly into the darkness of the gorge below.

Trowa's expression returned to its neutral state as he turned and headed into the forest at his right. He would walk until morning. Although his magic could have easily had him where he wanted in an instant, he would wait for the first light of morning to perform the spell. This particular assassin enjoyed the darkness too much to waste such a beautiful night.

*~*

Dawn slowly crept over the pure white palace, and with it came the rising of a multitude of servants, all of which were dressed in flowing white robes, each hinted with a touch of red around the edges and the glittering silver hemming.

One of these slaves wore a silver headband, which clearly pointed out that he was of a higher rank than the normal slaves. The stunning blue sapphire at the headband's centre stated that he was personal property of the God of Life himself.

As he walked through the halls, the other slaves parted to let him pass, his dark glare warning them away. His strides were confident and powerful, his tousled chocolate brown hair swaying slightly with each step. He reached the bottom of a golden staircase, Prussian blue eyes narrowing before he commenced his ascent, clearly unhappy with the current situation.

The brunette reached the top of the impressive staircase with a grunt as he turned the handle on a solid wooden door and swung it open without even bothering to knock.

The sight that met his eyes hitched his breath in his throat, and he stood stunned for a minute before he shook his head clear and closed the door softly behind him.

In the very centre of the back wall of the room, there was a large royal sized bed. The satin crimson sheets contrasted with the pale skin of its inhabitant, and would have stood out against a pristine white nightgown had said habitant been wearing one. Golden blonde hair was spread out against black velvet pillows, ice blue eyes closed in sleep, limbs sprawled carelessly around the God-like creature.

The slave made his way over to the bed, feet making no sound against the white marble floor, gaze softening only slightly at the sight of his master so vulnerable and innocent in sleep. He reached the side of the bed, standing rather awkwardly, wondering how to rouse his master.

He was unaware that the blonde on the bed was only waiting for him to come a few inches closer...

The brunette reached out a hand to brush stray strands of hair from his master's face....only to give a startled sound of surprise as his master's hand darted up to close fingers gently around his wrist with surprising speed. In one fluid movement, the blonde pulled the brunette onto the bed as he sat up, landing his slave conveniently in his lap.

The brunette gave a vicious snarl, struggling only for a moment before accepting that his master had the upper hand, and that he would not be able to escape from the embrace.

"Well Heero?" the blonde whispered. "Aren't you even going to say good morning?"

The slave shivered slightly as his master's breath washed in gentle waves over his ear, a small pink tongue flicking out in a teasing manner.

He gave a grunt, murmured something that might have passed as 'good morning master', but only if you listened very carefully.

The blonde smirked, pulling back to look the slave in his eyes. "You're damn cute in the mornings, Heero..." He murmured seductively before pulling the brunette into a passionate kiss.

The brunette responded immediately, scowling inwardly at his weakness before deciding that it didn't really matter, and he fell submissive to his master's ministrations. The blonde ran his tongue over the top row of Heero's teeth, exploring the well known cavern with great pleasure, occasionally coaxing his slave into a small battle for dominance, but the brunette would never win.

Heero let his hands wander over his master's naked form, his touch gentle, teasing, exploring...and all of it for the benefit of the blonde.

Ice blue eyes eventually opened as the he broke the kiss to let out a gasp as his slave's hands worked their way over his chest. Experienced fingers roamed, knowing exactly where to touch, where to linger...

A moan left the blonde's lips, and he pressed his face into Heero's silky hair after placing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Not now..." he let out breathlessly... "I'm meeting with someone in a while."

Heero glanced down at his master's state of undress. "Oh really." He commented dryly. "I'm sure they'll be quite impressed."

The master glared at his slave, rising from the bed, shameless in his nudity. With a flick of his wrist, he was clothed and groomed.

Heero sighed and got to his feet as well, bowing his head submissively. "And what will you have me do in your absence, Master?"

The blonde sighed softly, wishing he could have spent more time with his beautiful slave. "You shall accompany me to breakfast, and the rest of the morning you shall have to yourself. My meeting does not concern you...and therefore you are not required to attend."

Heero nodded, falling into step behind his master as the blonde led the way out of the royal doors and down the golden staircase. He would obey his master's wishes, no matter what the consequences. Milliardo Peacecraft needed to be monitored, and if being his slave was the only way to be close enough to do so, then so be it. His mentor would not be happy with him if his mission failed...no, failure was certainly not an option.

*~*

Trowa sat himself across from the lord, only because he had been offered a seat. His fingers once again sought to toy with his deadly daggers, but he restrained himself. This was not the place, nor the time.

The lord sitting across from him arranged some papers on his desk before turning his icy glare on an un-phased brunette. "Well? What information have you retrieved?"

Trowa stifled a sigh, explaining quickly the war plans that Shinigami had described to the late Lady Hilde at the dinner table. Milliardo gave a nod when he had finished, having scribbled down a few notes that he felt were important. "Nothing too in detail then. He must not have trusted Lady Hilde as explicitly as we had suspected."

"No, my lord, I'm afraid not." Trowa replied. "However, his one weakness is rather interesting."

Milliardo raised an eyebrow. "I am quite intrigued." He admitted. "What is Shinigami's weakness?"

A smirk graced the assassin's lips even as they formed two quite important words. "His slave."

*~*

Duo paced back and forth across his room, decidedly frustrated. The weakened slave lying on his bed was proof of his one weakness. In finding the blonde a few years ago, he had quickly realized that he had possessed magical powers, but the extent of his abilities had yet to be discovered.

The braided demon had been more than surprised to learn that in training his slave, the two had evoked a life bond, that bound them together. One could not live without the other and vice-versa.

Growling angrily, jet black wings unfurled and a flurry of frustration, and Duo struggled to remain in control of his darker side. If he let Shinigami take over, he would undoubtedly take the life of Quatre Winner, dooming himself to a worse fate. The wings slowly retracted, and Duo stopped walking, breathing heavily with the effort it took to restrain himself.

He could not, would not, kill the slave. There was too much on the line. He had a war to fight...but there was still the matter of Lady Hilde knowing his secret. It was only a matter of time before she got greedy and told someone. Who knew how far her slave had managed to port them?

A moan from his slave startled him out of his thoughts, and striding over to the bedside he frowned as he looked down at the blonde.

Aqua-marine eyes fluttered open with a flash of pain, and the slave cringed, curling in on himself and rolling onto his side. "Master..." he mumbled softly. "I cannot leave you..."

Apparently Quatre was delusional.

Goody.

With another growl, Duo strode out of the room, barking at a servant to watch the door and make sure no one entered or exited his room. He had spelled the doors and window, but he had a feeling that he would want to know if anyone tried to enter.

Heading down the hall, he left a trail of worry and confusion behind him. Duo Maxwell was royally pissed off...and no one likes to get in the way of an angered God.

**************

~ Duo's Only Chick