Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, 5-2
Warnings: crossdressing; out of necessity
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

Bonds of Love

Part 6

Snow poured in around him aand he had to lean hard to shut the door. It wasn't until Heero pushed back his hood that the two men lowered their firearms. Rushing to him, their relief was obvious and had it not been for the castle, Heero wouldn't have kept his smile back.

"It's good to be here," said Heero. "But why are you in this castle? What happened to the manor I rented?"

"He gave it to his sister," said Trowa, taking the man's coat. "He said this was all he had to offer and he made us pay extra for it."

"I'll take care of him later," Heero promised, his cobalt blue eyes narrowing for a moment before he brushed away his anger. "But where is Relena?"

He didn't see her anywhere and he noticed, for the first time, the bruises that both men sported, his eyes narrowing. "What's happened to you?"

"She's in her room," said Trowa. He looked away, embarrassed by the bruise that marred his cheek.

"I'm afraid we had to lock her in," Quatre added, staring at the floor. "She tried to escape in town and we couldn't take another risk. She wasn't at all happy with us and...she – she threw things when we brought her dinner."

"Threw things? Relena?!" Heero stared at the two for a moment in utter disbelief, then marched up the stairs. "Which room?"

"The only one on the second floor with a door," said Trowa.

This almost made him pause, but Heero shrugged it aside, eager to see his betrothed. It had been so long since he'd seen her and while he was certain the men had exaggerated, he worried that Relena might be frightened at having been kidnapped.

He found the room easily, but the sight of the large bar that was in place made him glare in disbelief. There was no way it was necessary. He couldn't understand why the men had needed such a big restraint when Relena was so sweet and gentle.

Promising to have a talk with them, he pulled the bar off, and set it aside before rapping lightly on the door. With no answer, he pushed it open and stepped in.

"Are you here?" asked Heero.

"You?! Bastard!"

Heero barely had time to turn to face the furious form before he jumped back to avoid the stool Duo swung at him, the boy's eyes blazing in fury. Although shocked, Heero recognized the boy from Edward's party. He grabbed the stool, jerking it away as he wondered briefly why the boy was still dressed as a girl.

"What are you doing here?" asked Heero.

"Why don't you ask your flunkies!" Duo cried.

His fury knew no bounds now that he realized all of his torment had been because of the traitor standing before him. "They're the ones who kidnapped me! On your orders!"

Heero blinked in rising confusion as he set the stool aside absentmindedly. "What are you talking about? Where's Relena?"

"Oh, so they were supposed to take her, then?" Duo let out a laugh as he realized how ridiculous it all was. Then glared at the confused man.

"Well," Duo drawled, "I guess she's where any good wife would be. With her husband in England."

Although he'd intended to infuriate the man, Duo was caught off guard by the vicious curse Heero uttered. He took a sharp step back.

"I'll kill them!" Heero growled.

Rounding on his heel, Heero was downstairs in record time, his fury nearly sending the two men into hiding. They stared at him in shock.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Heero demanded. "How could you have made such a stupid mistake?!"

"What?" Glancing at Trowa, Quatre's breath caught as he resisted the urge to step away from his lord's wrath.

Heero turned as he spotted Duo on the stairs and his eyes blazed. "Tell them who you are."

"Duo Maxwell," Duo said, holding his head high while the two men's eyes widened. "Only son...of Lord Ramsey Maxwell."

The two men looked about to expire from disbelief and Heero took a threatening step towards them. "How could you think he was my betrothed?"

"Well...she...that is he..." Quatre swallowed roughly as he forced his tongue to work. "We waited in your lady's room and when we saw a girl who matched the description we thought..."

"Matched the description?!" Heero's eyes widened and he ground his teeth together. "Are you blind?"

"You said she had long brown hair," Trowa said slowly, putting a hand on Quatre's back since the blonde seemed to need the support.

"Yes!" Heero agreed, nodding. "I said light brown hair, not golden brown."

"She...he has blue eyes," Trowa continued.

"I said light blue," Heero scoffed, "not violet. And how could you think he was a girl?! For the love of God, he's a boy!"

Heero's snarl finally made the two step back.

"Well, since this was all a mistake," Duo said softly, not wincing when the furious man turned to him, "can I go now? I mean, it's not like I'll tell anyone where you are."

Heero would have loved nothing more than to see the boy gone, but he knew there was no way he could do it. Even if it hadn't been the wrong season for a ship to go to England, the boy's name had caught his attention.

He hadn't realized who the boy was when he'd seen him at the party, but knowing he was the son of Ramsey Maxwell had dispelled any chance the boy had of returning to England. Since he was well aware of the rumors regarding Ramsey's being missing, he knew the boy's very life would be in danger if he were to return. No, Heero found that not only was he stuck in the castle without Relena, but he was also forced to hold the boy as well.

"No," said Heero. "You'll have to stay. At least until spring."

He missed the way Duo's eyes narrowed, his own gaze directed at the floor. He was coming to terms with the knowledge that his betrothed was lost to him.

"You can't keep me here!" Duo cried, "Why would you?"

"Don't argue with me," Heero glared, again turning away. "You're staying."

"I'm telling you to let me go or you'll regret it." The man didn't so much as glance at him and Duo moved towards the fire as his fury grew. "If you keep me here, I'll see to it that your every waking hour is as miserable as I am, bet on it!"

"Shut up," Heero growled. "You're pushing my last nerve."

The warning should have been enough, and Heero gave the boy a degrading look before turning to Trowa and Quatre. What he'd been about to say to them, however, was put on hold. Their eyes widened suddenly.

Heero turned back to the longhaired boy and he ducked when Duo suddenly swung a long-handled pan at his head. His reaction was well timed, but he hadn't counted on the boy letting go. He groaned as it rang against the side of his head.

Knowing he didn't have much time, Duo barely paused to enjoy the impact before bolting to his room. The man was fast and he could hear him gaining on him as he was slowed by the stairs, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

Pausing for a split second, Duo shoved the standing candelabra into his pursuer, gratified when he heard a muffled thump and a loud curse. Unfortunately, he didn't think looking back would be a good idea. He flew to his room.

Heero stared upward and he caught sight of the corner of the boy's skirt as he disappeared around the corner, the sound of his door slamming shut echoing in the castle.

It was a moment before his anger calmed enough for him to get to his feet. He turned on the stairs and glared at the two stricken men, who stood watching him.

"I'm going to bed," Heero said tightly, his eyes narrowed.

"But..."

Quatre flinched as the man turned on him, but continued. "We've been so busy fixing the place and we didn't know when you'd be back so..."

"Spit it out."

"We haven't touched any of the rooms besides the one...Duo...has," Trowa said evenly, taking his lord's anger easily.

"Then get busy," Heero muttered.

He sank down on the steps and shot a glare at the candelabra lying beside him. "Surely you can make it livable for one night."

"Of course." Glancing at Trowa, Quatre nodded as both hurried to do so.

Heero glanced upstairs again as he thought of the boy. He gave a slow sigh, realizing that as much as it infuriated him, the boy had a right to be angry. Still, he couldn't simply release him to his death, and he had no intention of living with a harridan till spring.

He'd have to talk some sense into the boy before his temper got the best of him and he beat him to a pulp.

- - -
TBC