-The Forever Waiting Game-
It is often amazing how slow time can go when one is waiting for something to happen. For Duo, the next day and the day after it seemed to trudge by with the speed of something equivalent to a slug. And even though he might be the only one actually aware of what was brewing all around the castle, aside from his tall gloomy visitor and information center Trowa, it was shortly noticed that others were also feeling it. Meals in the kitchen where proof enough of that, everyone was quiet and tense and that was so different then the first few days that he remembered that Duo often hurried through his meals and retreated to his chambers to dine now. Even the king had noticed the slight change from their brief meetings. His prophet appeared a little tired in body and absent in his eyes, looking around himself whenever a loud noise happened to interrupt them and other times just staring at the walls of the throne room like he was trying to understand something and just not getting it… This behavior might have affected his job here, except that the braided creature had been spitting out his images and flawless predictions regularly and without fail, though the king never heard anything he liked as much as that first reading and Duo's violent reaction to it. He dismissed it as simple homesickness and didn't think on it again.
Most of Duo's problem came with trying to occupy himself in between the times and places he was supposed to be. He took advantage of his bathing room and of his bed a lot, knowing that he wasn't going to have them at his disposal when next week rolled around… But the napping or sleeping thing was like walking through a long field filled with pit traps. Most of his dreams were plagued with a cerulean eyed angel. That might not have normally bothered him in any way whatsoever, but currently it seemed that every two out of five dreams had a new theme to offer him, something far less desirable then that first he'd had. Last night he'd gotten barely anything to speak of in the rest department because of one particularly jarring one.
-He was walking through the halls, searching for an exit out of this maze of a castle. The window reflected the solid and impenetrable dark of night back at him, and he could only vaguely see the small form he held tucked against his chest reflected back at him in the glass panes… He had him, really had the being he'd discovered he cared for in the most unusual of circumstances, and they were going to get out of here if he could just find the door. Duo ran over the hard wooden floors quickly with his eyes making sweeps from side to side in lookout for the smallest thing to give him alarm and make him take up a guard stance over his sleeping beauty. But that was a laugh. There wasn't a single sound he could hear, no one sleeping behind closed doors, not even the clock on the wall beside him was ticking, it's face frozen in paint and more part of the wall then true decoration. He approached it slowly and ran a wall over the perfectly flat surface, watching his fingers slide smoothly over the painted pendulum with surprise. As he looked to either side of him, he could recognize that the doors were also not there in that sense, they were merely some twisted artist's work and there was no real exit… Right as he realized this there had come a loud grinding noise from above and then the floor was rocking beneath him. Duo tumbled to his knees, clutching his precious burden tightly to himself and staring in slack jawed horror as the roof was suddenly taken away and replaced with the huge grinning head of his recent worst enemy, the skeleton king.
The gigantic thing laughed at him, a jarring quaking sound that made him want to scream and cover his ears, then spoke something that unexplainably turned Duo's blood cold. 'Dollhouse.' He stood up quickly and started yelling at the tyrant that had turned his world upside down and started this entire mess… And lost his grip on the boy figure in his arms. His angel dropped to unforgiving floors and he looked down just in time to see his body and head strike, and then shatter like glass. White porcelain hands and legs fell apart from one another and skidded away. And as one shard of the pretty doll's head stopped spinning on the wood and a glassy blue eye stared up at him accusingly from it, Duo started screaming…-
And that was what he had woken up doing… Screaming until he thought that he would rupture his throat and start coughing up blood. When that urge had subsided, he had started the lantern beside the bed and rolled himself up in the warm comfort of covers, but that didn't stop the chill that had been working within his veins. He had dropped and broken the blonde prince, and dream or not the idea scared him badly… After all, dreams were hints at prophecy and glimpses into an otherwise unknown future in their own way.
So, he took his chances with sleep. Mostly he found himself returning to the attic of the castle and busying himself there. There was always more to find and explore within it's dusty reaches, and even if he couldn't lose himself in it like he had that first time, it provided a pretty nice distraction.
And because of that, this is where ten o'clock in the morning on the day before he was supposed to rescue the prince of this kingdom found him. Duo was sitting on the crooked canopy bed up in the attic and flipping carelessly through dusty books. His attention, however, was not focused on the book in his lap but across the room at the window. Although his fingers kept turning the crinkles pages, his mind was miles away pondering exactly what he was going to do once he actually had the boy and was out of here. It's not like I have any sort of money to speak of. How in the world am I supposed to make him happy with me always traveling from land to land? And will he be all right with that? Staying with me where ever I'm allowed for a few weeks at a time? I haven't even -met- him, I can't really say that I even know if he'll -want- to come with me and be rescued. What if he's honestly happy where he is, surrounded and cushioned by the bliss of not knowing the real world he's missing out on? How can I dare to think I have any sort of right questioning his existence? Have I really been such a damned fool to think I was doing right by-
As if something sensed his doubts and distress, there came a low slithering sound of cloth to his left. Duo jerked his head in that direction with a hiss of startled breath and watched as the rest of a matted old tarp fell from an battered looking clothing trunk. As it settled in a puddle around the base of the wooden object, he set the book absently aside and got up to go investigate.
It was the type of trunk that -should- have been locked, yet this one wasn't. Oh, it had the metal loops near it's handle and even a lock swinging from them, but it had probably been left open when it got put up here. Probably. No sign of it's original keys though.
As Duo settled back on his haunches it was to that swaying lock that his eyes were repeatedly drawn to. That simple motion made him infinitely more curious then what could be in the box… And he had the distinctive and chilling impression that if he'd noticed the trunk sooner he would have found it locked. It was the metal lock being undone that had sent the cloth moving and drew with attention, he was sure of it and the very idea sent wave after wave of shivers down his spine. What wanted me to see this?
A click from inside the trunk, and the lid was now jarred open an inch. His eyes grew impossibly huge and he back peddled away from the object with a shaken gasp. It took Duo nearly three minutes before his heart stopped thudding painfully in his chest, and during that time he just sat there before the ancient box and looked around the dusty attic suspiciously for some other sign of life. In some part of his subconscious, he really did hope to see someone and to find out this was all some joke on his expense… But in truth, he -knew- he was here by himself, or that he was at least the only living creature in the near vicinity.
Finally he reached a hand out and settled it expectantly on the old lid. Nothing. Not a single twitch from it, and no strange vibes either. He mentally scolded himself for playing the fool, then crawled back over until his knees were touching it's bottom and hauled the lid upwards.
There was no bone curdling shriek, no flying specter with claws for nails, and certainly no skeleton in this trunk. In fact he found that it'd been closed at all a miracle. The box was -stuffed- full of what was most definitely clothing. Piles of lace and velvet actually tumbled over and out onto the floor when he lifted the lid and threw it back to with a clank, and he laughed at his own terror. More likely then not it had been the pressure of all this stuff that had sent it opening and scaring him. Without the added pressure of that tarp on it or the lock to hold it in place, it was likely the old thing just gave up finally and regurgitated it's load of items.
Duo remained distracted thinking of how possible that was and what an idiot he'd been as he dug through the piles of expensive fabrics. A girl's ball gowns, small velvet sleeping robes, little satin slippers. He was almost laughing again at the image of some rich woman of the court cramming this all in here then bouncing on the lid with several unlady-like grunts in an effort to get it closed enough to lock when his fingers wrapped around and lifted something that made his heart again begin it's infrequent pattern.
It was a light blue gown. The light blue gown. With piles of flawless white lace resting under it's skirt that he could guess would make it look fluffy around delicate, little legs.… And he's seen it before. It was what Quatre's mother was wearing in the painting upon his wall. It was her gown that was hanging from his shaking fingers. A dead woman's fancy dress. And no noble woman had flung herself up and down on this to close it, it had been packed up and stuffed away when it's owner was no longer alive to wear the contents. A simple fact of life. The dead no longer need their fans and slippers, unless there are balls in the afterlife, and what a dead affair those must be. The thoughts caused a little laugh to tumble from his throat, though the sharp quality of it caused Duo to jump again and look about himself with guilty eyes.
He stood up on legs that felt like they'd give out at any moment and held the small blue dress in front of him. It looked like it was made for a child, but he knew the truth and had seen it with his own eyes. The woman that had worn this was just a little bit of a thing, like her son is now. As he shook the outfit, almost daring it to give him some kind of an answer, the white bonnet that had been rolled up within it came tumbling out and fell to rest on his booted feet. Duo stared down at that for several seconds, waiting for and wanting something, anything, to happen and actually feeling disappointed when the room around him remained silent. Well, what did you expect? Ghosts can't speak and you know it. The dead do not communicate to the living with language…
When his eyes eventually shifted away from the white head piece and back into the trunk, he immediately began folding the dress up before again kneeling in front it. The blue dress was set aside and forgotten before Duo's hands reached up to carefully scoop up the small trinket box that had been resting beneath it. A box within a box. The prophet cradled the small container to his chest and sat back cross legged to explore this new item. It was made entirely of wood other then it's hinges (which seemed to be gold), and carved with an intricate scene of angels at play. One of his fingers moved absently and traced over the ribbons that hung between two of the winged beings with a soft smile. It was a comforting item, nothing bad or spooky about this and thank goodness. The box itself was beautiful and a treasure for anyone to see, never mind what was in it, but after examining it fully (including flipping it over and checking the bottom.) Duo did open it and find himself shocked for a record time that day.
What little faded light was flittering through the dust-coated and occasionally cracked windows of the attic sent the contents of the box into dazzling rays of color that reflected off his face like a rainbow. Duo's first thought was strangely enough of pirate treasure, this was the perfect box, and the stuff in there was stuff that could certainly be used for that. But as his eyes adjusted and began drifting over the glimmering objects, he realized quickly that pirate bounty this was not. It was necklaces, bracelets and diamond encrusted ribbons. Rings and brooches that shown with sapphires and red rubies. Even something that looked like a tiara. He was certain the owner of these startling and beautiful little treasures had never had to steal anything in her life… Except for her own freedom, and even with that she was jaded.
Carefully the box was set in front of his legs. He reached out a ran a hand slowly over the nearest piece of jewelry, eyes looking around again as he felt the cold links of gold move from his gentle pressure. This tiny box, probably a treasure in it's own right to some pretty girl, held more wealthy then he'd actually ever touched before in his life. And it was just sitting here in the attic like some worthless and forgettable knickknack. Gods, were the royal so ignorant? They could feel any family in this town for the rest of there lives with just -half- of this! Here it was, being wasted and not even viewed, and this could be some others persons life, or at the very least, something they could have and just be so proud to own. This stuff must be worth… And then Duo's mind trailed off blankly. He blinked out into the murky open spaces of the attic as his own thoughts came back to him, then back at the lovelies with a swift drop of his head. A new life? Did he dare?
-----
Three hours later found the prophet back in his room soaking in the tub and staring quietly at the slowly drifting and vanishing bubbles that covered the surface of the water… Sitting on the table beside the tub was a small handkerchief covered object. He had found he had dared, even though part of him was sure that as he closed the chest up there, it would snap on his fingers and catch him. Or that when he had been sneaking down the tattered old stairs, he'd suddenly feel little hands pushing his back and sending him tumbling back until the last thing he heard was the loud snap of his own neck… Or even that he'd get back here and suddenly the guards, (led of course by his 'friends' Heero and Wufei), would come dashing around the corners with swords outdrawn and the word 'thief' on their lips. But he had dared. Because that little forgotten box was in fact going to be his new life, if he could find a way to work with it.
He absently scrubbed his arms with the soft sponge and looked at the covered mound. He had counted out thirty-two pieces of jewelry in there. All the way from a pair of tiny emerald stud earrings, to the large sapphire and diamond tiara… And already his mind was going over possible things, though surprisingly none of them were directly based around himself. If he'd found that box just two months ago, he would have been thinking retirement. Now he was debating the best life for a boy he'd never in reality spoken with. He'd sell the first thing, probably one of the rings or a small bracelet, bright and early this morning after he and the prince had traveled for a bit. There was a town to the East only about ten hours walk, and he felt pretty confident they could make it there without too much trouble… Though if it came to it, he was willing to carry the prince if he got tired. Being cooped in a room might not have provided him with much of a chance for exercise and Duo was willing to work around that possibility. They'd get there, and his first order of business would be selling whatever he picked to get them some money. He'd use that money to get himself and the blonde youth some new clothing to hopefully hide them from wandering eyes, and later, to get them a meal and a room at the inn. They could only stay one day he was sure before things would start up. The rest, if there was much, would go to buying them a horse. And then they'd get moving again. To some other town or something, a place he could start trying to find out what the prince wanted with his new freedom outside of the white castle cage.
And now he had enough to at least start most of whatever the prince could ask for. Though a little piece of his brain engagingly asked him what he'd do if the prince simply said 'I want to go home'… If that was the case, he'd take him. Though it might kill him, he'd walk the boy right back here, hand him over, and wait for his punishment. But he didn't honestly believe that occasion would arise.
In the best scenario and what continually played through his mind as he started washing his pile of hair, they'd get to the place Duo finally stopped and asked him that, and Quatre would turn to him with a small smile and answer that he simply wanted him… That would be perfect, unlikely giving the circumstances, but perfect. And from there of course, Duo would find out where the prince might want to live, maybe in a forest near a quaint little village, and then start building their own paradise. He'd never been one for settling down, but that option had never really been available to him either. So he'd build or buy them a small house, and see how it went from there. He'd stick around the prince until it looked like the beautiful blonde no longer needed him. And just with that he thought he could be happy, watching the world anew from a pair of the most lovely untainted eyes he'd ever seen.
It could work. They could be happy. Or at the very least, he'd see that the angelic prince was happy… And from that, he'd work out his own joy in every brilliant smile aimed his way and earned from the 'simple' task of freeing a creature that should never have been pulled away from the world.