"Children."
Treize set down the paper, received just today from a messenger from the other side of the kingdom. He gracefully massaged his eyes with his other hand, "Children in mass progression away from their homes."
Standing solidly in the corner was Milliardo, his calm demeanor persistent to the point of laughter, but no one laughed. Only himself and Treize stood in the red-carpeted room, the bright windows dimmed by a fading sun, and neither found the moment conducive to joviality.
"Do you know what this means, Milliardo?"
The white haired noble glanced down at the message, wondering how to phrase his response just right for the moment. As he finished his thought he turned to face Treize just in time to see the king turn his back , one hand over his mouth delicately, staring into the languishing light.
"It means that the war is progressing at least to the Yuy duchy, if not further by now. It is a waste of time to go that direction, though. The most well protected track of the kingdom, it will not further the cause."
He paused and glanced behind him, finding his plush armchair and setting himself down. "I fear that our intelligence is more reliable than I'd wish to think."
Milliardo stepped forward to stand by his side, his voice icy calm, "The greatest losses in the last war were of this generation of children. The generals sent their young recruits into battle in order to save the nobility."
Treize nodded, closing his eyes slowly, "Indeed, which makes it far too likely that my killer will be among the children."
There was a pause between them.
"The Yuy boy?"
Treize shook his head, "He is here for my protection. The Yuy family has always been known for beyond fervent loyalty."
Milliardo nodded, but doubt remained uneasy in his chest. This Yuy was different, Treize was not aware of the change that had overtaken his father's greatest general, Odin Yuy, in his last years. He could not argue though, he had seen for himself; the younger Yuy would be just as useful as his father had been.
"What of the other one?"
Milliardo worked hard to keep the faint twinges of disgust out of his voice. Treize's cool blue eyes turned up to him, his tone slightly mocking, "You of all people should understand why he is here, Milliardo."
***
Tired from a day of walking, and consequently missed meals, Heero finally found himself back in his room, seated in the chair that faced the secret hallway. He had shut the door securely, of course, before taking a seat, and affixed a string from his jacket (Lady Po would be angry, but it was for safety's sake) to the door so that it might tumble a set of appropriated silverware (Lady Po would be angry yet again, but she would come to understand, or so he hoped).
Outside he had caught a glimpse of an orange sky, and wondered briefly if it was true that sun set late this far in the west. Did it mean that such an unpunctual sun would rise late as well? At this pont he rather wished it would, to give him more secreted moments with his terrible addiction...fantastic written myths and poetry.
For a few tired moments he sat with his eyes closed, then he cast a sidelong glance towards the place under his bed he had secreted the latest set of sinful rhyme. Just as he thought of getting up to get it, he heard the tell-tale slip of sliver against silver, and froze as the mirrored door began to swing open.
******
No thanks to the efforts of the raven-haired kitchen maid, Duo had managed to secure some dinner, and a few more items for the road, which were now tucked into his belt pack. Though he had no trouble keeping track of where he had been in the castle, his efforts to find the young nobleman had been unexpectedly thwarted.
He couldn't just find the bastard.
Searched the castle back and forth, found a few more hidey-holes and weird rooms, but hadn't run into even a scrap of messy brown hair. Now wasn't that unfriendly? They had been as close as shadows before his detour to the kitchen; it was rather disturbing to suddenly have lost him.
He finally had to give up the castle proper, as much as he didn't relish the thought, and turn to the secret passage ways. It was the only way he could remember how to get to the nobleman's room, and harrowing as it was, he had to take the chance.
As he finally faced the door he knew led out into the room, his nerves were so wracked by paranoia of being cornered by the king and the cold, dank, and dark that it was all he could do not to charge into the light. He tentatively slipped the door open and looked out.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw the nobleman, eyes closed, leaning languidly in his chair across from the door. Duo restrained a small smirk. The poor guy was probably too paranoid to sleep where he couldn't see the door. Rightfully so, of course, Duo thought. If he had seen himself sneaking around the castle, then he would've probably booby trapped everything he could get his hands on.
Ah, well, it just wasn't this noble's lucky day, is all. There were worse people to run into unexpectedly, though, he thought and shuddered, Treize coming to mind with frightening clarity. With that he began to push the door open, all to happy to get out of the damp hallways. It was then he noticed that the noble's eyes had opened, but it was already too late. Duo heard the crash of metal hitting the floor and stared at a pile of silverware bouncing at his feet. He looked over at the nobleman, eyes wide. Deep violet met deep blue.
"Oh, hell.."
Treize set down the paper, received just today from a messenger from the other side of the kingdom. He gracefully massaged his eyes with his other hand, "Children in mass progression away from their homes."
Standing solidly in the corner was Milliardo, his calm demeanor persistent to the point of laughter, but no one laughed. Only himself and Treize stood in the red-carpeted room, the bright windows dimmed by a fading sun, and neither found the moment conducive to joviality.
"Do you know what this means, Milliardo?"
The white haired noble glanced down at the message, wondering how to phrase his response just right for the moment. As he finished his thought he turned to face Treize just in time to see the king turn his back , one hand over his mouth delicately, staring into the languishing light.
"It means that the war is progressing at least to the Yuy duchy, if not further by now. It is a waste of time to go that direction, though. The most well protected track of the kingdom, it will not further the cause."
He paused and glanced behind him, finding his plush armchair and setting himself down. "I fear that our intelligence is more reliable than I'd wish to think."
Milliardo stepped forward to stand by his side, his voice icy calm, "The greatest losses in the last war were of this generation of children. The generals sent their young recruits into battle in order to save the nobility."
Treize nodded, closing his eyes slowly, "Indeed, which makes it far too likely that my killer will be among the children."
There was a pause between them.
"The Yuy boy?"
Treize shook his head, "He is here for my protection. The Yuy family has always been known for beyond fervent loyalty."
Milliardo nodded, but doubt remained uneasy in his chest. This Yuy was different, Treize was not aware of the change that had overtaken his father's greatest general, Odin Yuy, in his last years. He could not argue though, he had seen for himself; the younger Yuy would be just as useful as his father had been.
"What of the other one?"
Milliardo worked hard to keep the faint twinges of disgust out of his voice. Treize's cool blue eyes turned up to him, his tone slightly mocking, "You of all people should understand why he is here, Milliardo."
***
Tired from a day of walking, and consequently missed meals, Heero finally found himself back in his room, seated in the chair that faced the secret hallway. He had shut the door securely, of course, before taking a seat, and affixed a string from his jacket (Lady Po would be angry, but it was for safety's sake) to the door so that it might tumble a set of appropriated silverware (Lady Po would be angry yet again, but she would come to understand, or so he hoped).
Outside he had caught a glimpse of an orange sky, and wondered briefly if it was true that sun set late this far in the west. Did it mean that such an unpunctual sun would rise late as well? At this pont he rather wished it would, to give him more secreted moments with his terrible addiction...fantastic written myths and poetry.
For a few tired moments he sat with his eyes closed, then he cast a sidelong glance towards the place under his bed he had secreted the latest set of sinful rhyme. Just as he thought of getting up to get it, he heard the tell-tale slip of sliver against silver, and froze as the mirrored door began to swing open.
******
No thanks to the efforts of the raven-haired kitchen maid, Duo had managed to secure some dinner, and a few more items for the road, which were now tucked into his belt pack. Though he had no trouble keeping track of where he had been in the castle, his efforts to find the young nobleman had been unexpectedly thwarted.
He couldn't just find the bastard.
Searched the castle back and forth, found a few more hidey-holes and weird rooms, but hadn't run into even a scrap of messy brown hair. Now wasn't that unfriendly? They had been as close as shadows before his detour to the kitchen; it was rather disturbing to suddenly have lost him.
He finally had to give up the castle proper, as much as he didn't relish the thought, and turn to the secret passage ways. It was the only way he could remember how to get to the nobleman's room, and harrowing as it was, he had to take the chance.
As he finally faced the door he knew led out into the room, his nerves were so wracked by paranoia of being cornered by the king and the cold, dank, and dark that it was all he could do not to charge into the light. He tentatively slipped the door open and looked out.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw the nobleman, eyes closed, leaning languidly in his chair across from the door. Duo restrained a small smirk. The poor guy was probably too paranoid to sleep where he couldn't see the door. Rightfully so, of course, Duo thought. If he had seen himself sneaking around the castle, then he would've probably booby trapped everything he could get his hands on.
Ah, well, it just wasn't this noble's lucky day, is all. There were worse people to run into unexpectedly, though, he thought and shuddered, Treize coming to mind with frightening clarity. With that he began to push the door open, all to happy to get out of the damp hallways. It was then he noticed that the noble's eyes had opened, but it was already too late. Duo heard the crash of metal hitting the floor and stared at a pile of silverware bouncing at his feet. He looked over at the nobleman, eyes wide. Deep violet met deep blue.
"Oh, hell.."