I'm terribly sorry this took an exorbitant amount of time to get this chapter posted.
I would like to thank all of those who reviewed: Chocolate. Mmmm, SouriMaxwellYuy, Malevolent Lady, spikee, Shaeric Draconis, Kelp Soda, Plastic Tree, Arifel, leemax, HieiTheDarkGem and anyone who I have forgotten.
Thank you very much!
Special thanks go to SouriMaxwellYuy and Malevolent Ladyfor pointing out that huge mistake I thought I had changed it but I lost some of the chapter because of major word processor problem ( I don't use Microsoft Word). Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I don't know how to show my gratitude.
For any of you who are reading Captured Treasures, I'm going to work on the next chapter as soon as this one is up.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing.
"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers."
-Jose Narosky
"He WHAT? Spit it out!" Duo yelled, concern and slight panic welling up in his throat.
"He has disappeared!"
"What do you mean? He can't just disappear! There are guards everywhere!"
"I'm sorry sir, but no one saw him after he went into his bedchamber," replied the shaky messenger.
"Has the entire property been checked?"
"The process is underway."
Duo sat down, not out of shock, but a need to think. To say that his father and he shared a nuclear patriarch to son relationship would be a lie. They barely spent time with each other, and rarely talked about anything but the war when they were together. However, Duo remembered that he was given a home because of his foster parents. With the death of his mother, Duo felt it an obligation to do something, and it was not in his nature to sit around and do nothing.
"Who is on the operation?"
"Sir, I believe it is General Ngai."
"Well, inform him that I will be joining him shortly."
"But, sir! It is much to dangerous! The sniper who shot your mother has not been located!"
"I will deem whether it is dangerous or not!"
"But-"
"Do not defy direct orders! You will go and tell him that I will be joining him shortly!" Duo was not fond of exercising his power, but now was not the time to be thinking about such things.
The messenger sighed, "Very well," and turned to leave.
Duo was quick to change into more suitable clothing for the occasion soon after the servant left. He called for some armor and for a horse to be ready.
The night sky was starting to tinge pink on the fringes as twilight approached when Duo found himself riding towards the decided location to meet General Ngai. Hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind as his braid whipped behind him. What had gotten into his father? He knew his father to be a passionate man when it seemed necessary, however, for him to act upon his emotions as suddenly as he had in this case was strange, but then of course, Duo did not know his father exceptionally well. He came upon a small encampment, and dismounted quickly, leading his horse in.
"Ah, Prince Duo, you have arrived," a guard stated with a bow.
Normally, Duo would have told the guard off for calling him 'Prince Duo' instead of just 'Master Duo,' but now was not the time to deal with his pet peeves.
"I would like to speak with General Ngai." Duo said in a voice, which said that he meant business.
"Of course, please follow me. Your horse will be taken care of."
Duo, satisfied now that he was going to see the general, fell into step behind the guard and chanced a look around. The encampment was small, just enough for a fifteen man search team. He looked up as they reached the General's tent. Duo walked in.
"You highness, I am deeply sorry that I could not great you personally, however, there were matter of the most urgent nature to attend to before your arrival," said a deep voice belonging to the general.
"That is fine, how is the search coming along?"
"Here is our situation..."
---
Heero gazed out the window, bored. Besides the war, nothing really happened around the palace. He was not allowed out into the streets because there was a fear of assassination or riots breaking out. He decided to call upon his mother and spend some time with her. As of late, she had been acting rather strangely. At first Heero had made it to be an effect of his father's sickness, but it did not seem that was problem. Something about her was strange, but he could not put his finger on it, then again, he did not converse with her much.
Several minutes later, Heero was knocking politely on his mother's door. After about a minute of waiting, he started to frown. Where was his mother? For all he knew, she did not travel out of the palace very often.
"Pardon, me sire," his mother's maidservant said with a bow, "but your mother has left the palace."
"To where?"
"Sir-" she hesitated just slightly, but Heero caught it. "Please continue," he said in a frosty voice.
The maid caught hint of this, "Sire, she has gone to Baron Lehon's estate."
Heero frowned, "When will she be back?"
"Sire, all she told me was that she would return in the evening."
"Very well, you are dismissed."
The maidservant bowed and quickly departed from the hallway. Heero's brow was furrowed. He had met Baron Lehon several times, and had disliked him very much. It could have been his conceited nature, or his disgusting habit to show off everything he owned, but it was also the way he looked at Drusella and the way she looked back. They had been friends longer than Odin had been with Lehon, so it always seemed as if they knew something that no one else knew. It was not that Drusella could not have her privacy, but something about it just unnerved Heero.
Sighing, Heero returned to his bed chamber and peered out the window. The sky was very dark for mid afternoon as a storm was approaching.
---
A frown crossed Duo's soft face. He had just received all the information about his father that had been recovered. Sadly, it was not much to go on. Duo sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day. All that he knew was that his father had rode off with armor and a horse. Of course, it was not difficult to figure out where he was going attired like that, however, his options of which direction his father went were a bit wider. The main battles were happening in the East, however, there were at least five main roads leading there, and who said his father did not take an alternative route through forests on a smaller road? Duo felt as if his brain were wrung out. There were so many possibilities.
"Master Duo, you really should go back to the palace. You are in danger here."
"I want to go find him."
"I promise you that will be taken care of. Now I insist, please return. I do not think that your mother would have wanted you to be hurt in any way."
His mother, he had to remember something about his mother. Oh, yes! The safe! She had told him about something in the safe, but right now that was not his main concern.
"I will not leave until my father is found. If any search teams are going to look for him, I will be part of them."
"I know that you are anxious to help, however, your nation needs you now more than ever. With the Queen now dead, God rest her soul, and your father missing, the people need you. You are in line to take over the crown. Think about it. Since your father could almost be considered missing in action or dead, heaven forbid, since he is not around, you are currently the authority figure with the most power. You are needed here."
Duo was about to say something then stopped. He knew what General Ngai said was true, however, he expressed a strong desire to help his father. The nation did need a leader, he knew that, but he did not think that it would be him so soon. It had always been something far out in the horizon. Duo was, of course, trained in how to do such things, but that had been just training. But then an idea came.
"Wait, the public does not know that you are here looking for my father, or that my mother is dead, correct?"
"That is right..." Ngai replied slowly.
"Are there any plans to tell them anytime soon?"
"Not as of yet, we do not want to alarm them in this time of tension," Ngai was starting to catch on, "don't you think-"
Duo cut him off, "Well, then if I were to become the authority figure so to speak then they would know that something has happened to my parents, right?"
"Yes, however, that does not negate the fact that it is still dangerous out there."
"General, I want to look for my father," Duo was being more blunt and harsh, "it will not be for long. I feel I must do this. Please, do not try to deter me."
Ngai sighed heavily, "I cannot take responsibility for what happens out there."
"I will not hold you responsible for anything," Duo said with a small smile.
"Very well, follow me."
---
Heero sat alone at the table, waiting for his mother to join him. The storm raged on outside so he had spent his time reading in the library.
After another fifteen minutes had passed, Heero was starting to get both worried and annoyed. Maybe his mother had been stalled somewhere in the brutal storm. Maybe something had happened to her. His father was on a thin thread of life, and upon the news that his wife was killed or injured, might just be enough of the scissors to cut the thread, meaning he, Heero, would become the leader to the throne. His father had expressed a wish to speak with Heero before he died. Heero had no idea what it was about, but he would not disrespect a dying man's wishes. Just as Heero was about to get up. A page walked into the room, carrying a note.
Bowing the page spoke, "Prince Heero, your mother, the Queen, has sent a message to you."
Frowning, Heero replied, "Very well, what did she say?"
"She will remain at the Baron Lehon's estate for the night because the weather is highly unsatisfactory for travel."
"Thank you." Heero dismissed the page and turned to his already cold dinner.
---
Duo was equipped with gear and on a horse, ready to go on a manhunt. Before leaving the palace gates, he had made sure that several advisors knew the protocol in any situations and gave orders to be carried out in his absence. To him it was somewhat strange to give out such orders as he was not of royal blood. Moreover, when people called him prince, Duo would think back to the old days when he was far from one.
"Sire, we are ready to depart." Duo was pulled out of his reminiscence by a bowing guard.
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?
Duo and a troop of guards chose a path that was agreed upon by Duo and General Ngai as the best choice and rode down it in a fast pace. Duo felt the rush of the horse and was somewhat happy in this moment that he could finally get out of the palace despite the less than satisfactory circumstances.
---
Heero finished his training and was slowly walking back to the house. It was late evening and he just needed to shower before joining his mother at dinner. Well, she should be home by now. He walked into his room and stepped into the shower.
After a relaxing shower, Heero attired himself for dinner and was soon downstairs. He sat down to wait. Ten minutes passed by and his mother did not show up so he called a servant and asked if she had arrived.
"Oh, yes sir, she arrived a couple of hours ago."
"Thank you." Heero was more annoyed than before now. She was in the palace, but why wasn't she down here? There were many times that Heero did not eat dinner with his mother, but those were different circumstances. She had just returned from Baron Lehon's estate, from a man whom he had taken a strong disliking to. Normally, he would not have been so tense.
Fed up after another ten minutes of waiting, Heero got up and set out towards his mother's bedchamber. The Baron could have done something to her. Was she injured? But the servants would know unless she hid her injuries. Maybe Lehon had joined forces with the enemy. Upon this thought Heero picked up his pace and was soon at his mother's door. Instead of his usual knocking he barged in, but he was quite sorry. The sight which he beheld angered an alarmed him...
---What did Heero see that alarmed him? What is in the safe? And what does Heero's dying father want to tell him? If you want to guess, go ahead.
Sorry this chapter took so long to get out and isn't very long and that Heero is somewhat OC. I want to thank all who read and reviewed once again.Until next chapter...Hotaru