Author's Note: Here's chapter one. Read on.

------------------------------

Duo looked around the empty room. It wasn't entirely empty. The furniture was still there, however it felt empty. It was empty now that she was gone. Grandma Alice had passed away a week ago. He had attended her funeral with his parents and had hated every minute of it; though he didn't cry. He watched as her coffin was carried off to the cemetery, listened with dry eyes as the preacher went on to give a final farewell. Then he watched her being slowly lowered into the ground. That was when he snapped. He burst into tears, sobbing and begging her not to leave him. He had to be held back and he struggled against what could only be his father's hold. He wasn't ready for her to die. As the dirt had begun to be thrown over her coffin, Duo tried to shut out what was to him the deafening sound of it hitting the top. He had been sick the week after, not wanting to eat and not wanting anyone to even enter his room.

It was his mother who had dragged him from his bed, made him bathe and then force him to eat. He was then dragged here, where at the moment downstairs, his family met for the reading of the will. He had wandered away from the rest of them, ignoring those cousins that were trying to get his attention and had climbed the stairs to her room. He stared at the bed that he had laid on with his grandmother, listening to those stories that she would tell. That he would love to listen to; that he would always listen to. His eyes looked over to her dresser where there was an array of perfume bottles and jewelry and he walked over running a finger over a pearl necklace. It was one of her favorites; he wondered why she hadn't been buried with it.

His throat tightened at the thought of her there underground and he closed his eyes to hold back tears. Slowly he opened them, catching sight of the small wooden box. He reached for it, lifting the lid and peeking inside. There he caught the glint of a small, red ruby. His eyes looked down at it as he frowned in wonder. He had never seen this particular necklace before, he was sure that it had to be a recent purchase. Stretching his arm out, he reached into the box, carefully removing the necklace. He studied the small gem as he held it in his hand, watching it gleam and reflect light that didn't shine. He felt as if he should know exactly what it was, and yet, he was sure he had never seen it in his life. Fingering the gem, he hesitated before tying the string it was held on around his neck. He would keep it as a memory of her.

His eyes glanced up to the ceiling and he stared at it. It sounded as if someone were in the attic. It was probably one of his annoying little cousins getting into trouble again. He knew that Alice had many things up there that were very valuable and if one of those were broken, he would have to kill whoever had broken it. Closing the box he left the room, making his way to the attic.

Once there he looked around. There wasn't much but boxes and old furniture that were covered in sheets. Walking completely in, he looked around for any signs of a child. He didn't find any, though he could guess that whoever was up here was hiding.

"Is anyone up here?", he called out, eyes looking for the smallest movement.

Nothing moved and no one answered. Duo didn't mind it up here; he rather liked it. He had always been up here when he was smaller. This was his favorite place to play. He even had a mirror up here that he pretended was the mirror from snow white. Sometimes, he swore he saw faces other than his own. Duo ran a hand over the back of a couch as he walked past it, knowing his destination. He stopped in front of the covered item and then proceeded to remove the white sheet. He stared back at himself in the large mirror, eyes looking over his face. He was a mess. With a sigh, he turned away to fold the sheet, but something in the mirror caused him to turn back.

He jumped back with a scream as a man with colbat eyes stared back at him from the mirror. His hand went to his chest and he didn't know what to do. Should he run and tell the others? He wasn't sure. It could all be his imagination. If that were the case, he would be thought of as crazy if he told everyone else. Convincing himself that he was delusional from lack of sleep, Duo opted for proving to himself that it was all in his head. Walking closer to the mirror, Duo lifted his hands and pushed against it. He thought that he would feel solid matter but his hands passed through it and the image of the young man faded.

------------------------------

He was suddenly falling and he wasn't sure where he was going to land. Clenching his eyes shut; he felt his stomach lurch as his speed picked up. If there was a ground coming, he didn't want to see it; feeling it would be bad enough. The string of the necklace he felt was loosening and he opened his eyes in time to see it fly away from him by the force of the wind. He frantically tried to reach for it, but a bird swooped by and grabbed it before he could.

"A bird?", Duo asked himself.

He looked down to find that he was now in the sky over a huge forest, which he was quickly falling to meet. Unable to shout, his eyes only temporarily widened before they closed. He had now fainted but was still falling. Unknown to him, his fall was stopped as something shot out of the trees, catching him in the air and flying him down to the earth.

Duo slowly came to, his eyes blinking open. He was greeted with the sight of the canopy of trees and he quickly sat up. Where was he? He had no recollection of leaving the house and going outside. It was then he realized that he wasn't at home. It all came back to him then, finding the ruby, the mirror, losing said ruby and the fall. He pondered how he had survived a fall like that without even one scratch or broken bone for that matter. He heard the snap of a twig and he looked to find a young man looking down at him; the same young man from the mirror actually. Blue eyes looked down at him blankly and he found himself staring into them. It seemed as if there was sadness to those eyes. Did he lose something? Was he still looking for it?

The man knelt beside him and Duo found that he was studying his face. The chocolate brown hair that sat atop the man's head and the well clothed body. He even caught a glimpse of wings.

"What the hell are you!", Duo cried as he came to realize that wings were not normal.

He shuffled away from the man, who only calmly looked at him and he tried his best to stand. His legs were a bit shaky though and it was difficult.

"Do not fear me, human.", the man said softly, coming closer to the boy, "I am not here to harm you. I saved you from your fall."

"I'm dreaming, right!", Duo demanded, trying to shuffle further away, "So, what do you want?"

A tree stopped him and he watched up with wide, frightened eyes as the man came closer, hand lifting. Wrenching his eyes shut, Duo waited for the worst. However, nothing happened. Slowly he opened his eyes, and Duo looked up to find an outstretched hand; an offering of help. With a nervous laugh he took it, gasping as he was easily pulled up without his help. He stumbled, but was caught in strong arms. Blushing he pushed himself away, eyes looking elsewhere but the man's.

"Where am I?", Duo asked looking about.

He was pretty sure he was a far way from home. Hell, he could be dreaming for all he knew.

"We're in the middle of Lorrington Forest.", the man explained as Duo continued to study his surroundings.

"Where?", Duo asked turning to look at him.

"Lorrington forest isn't far from Milthrop.", the man said, eyes looking over Duo as the boy continued to look around.

"I don't know any of those places.", Duo admitted turning back to face him, "You traveling there or something?"

"No. It's unwise to go into dwarf territory without invitation. They may be small but they are violent creatures."

Stopping, Duo ran the man's words over in his head. He couldn't actually be talking about dwarves. They didn't exist; at least they did only in his grandmother's tales. Giving a nervous laugh, Duo scratched the back of his head.

"Dwarves don't exist.", he said not quite believing what he was told.

"Of course they do. Just as dragons exist, just as humans exist and just as fairies exist."

"Like you?", Duo asked sarcastically with a smirk, "Your wings are just a costume, right?"

The wings on the man's back reflexively moved and Duo raised an eyebrow. If he was wearing a costume, how could they move like that? He shook it off as some weird addition to the wings themselves. It's not like the man could fly. Besides, he didn't have time to find out, he had to head on his way home. He figured he'd head for civilization first.

"Listen uh. . . what was your name again?"

"Heero.", the man answered and Duo nodded.

"Right. It's been great but I have to go. Now where was that Milthrop place?"

Duo watched as Heero looked up in thought before the man shrugged his shoulder. Well he was a lot of help. At least he saved his life, or so he said.

"Don't you know where it is?", Duo asked again.

"One moment.", was all Heero said.

Duo shielded his eyes as bright light suddenly flashed before his eyes and when he opened them he found what could only be a firefly shoot up into the trees. Heero was nowhere in sight. Great, so he was abandoned. This was just wonderful. Not only was he miles away from home, but he was stuck inside a forest and he had no idea which way he should go. Groaning, he decided to follow a small path that laid in-between a row of trees. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not, but if he was, he had better wake up soon.

Before he could even take a step, he found Heero in front of him and he cried out. Heero's unexpected appearance also made him stumble backward and fall to the ground, cursing as he slightly twisted his wrist. It was nothing too serious luckily.

"Sorry.", Heero apologized moving closer, "Are you alright?"

Duo didn't look up at the blue-eyed man; he was too busy with cradling his wrist that was still throbbing.

"I'm fine.", he told the man, "You just surprised me. I don't think I hurt myself too bad. So where did you go. . . any. . ."

Duo trailed off as his eyes looked up to Heero, who looked down at him. His eyes had widened and his mouth fell open. He looked back and forth between Heero and the ground before he came to realize that the man's feet were not touching it.

"Jesus Christ, I must be going crazy.", he told himself staring up at Heero, "You're flying! How? Why? What are you?"

Touching down to the ground, Heero smiled as Duo continued to gawk at him. It was strange that this human boy didn't know about fairies and the likes. Every human knew about mystical creatures as they were called. Most even knew about him. He felt his heart clench at the thought and he turned sad eyes away from the boy, who now stood from the ground dusting himself off.

"I'm a fairy.", he explained, he wings disappearing, "Though I can take the shape of a man. I come from Elinhir-"

"The Land of the Fairies.", Duo finished for him, "My grandmother told me stories about that place. I didn't know they were real. That's where the Fairy King lived, she told me the story about him."

Heero's eyes widened and he moved to the boy, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"What did she tell you? I must know."

"She told me how he loved a human child and that he lost his heart because of an evil elf. She shattered his heart and took the child way from him.", Duo rambled, now stiff and unsure of what could happen next, "She told me that the king found the shards, all of them except one. It's with the child and he's still looking for it. But, why would you want to know?"

"The child, where is the child!", Heero demanded, shaking Duo by the shoulders.

"I don't know.", Duo nervously said, "She said the king was still looking, but the child was never found. That's all I know. Honest."

Letting go of Duo, who dropped to the ground on his knees, Heero turned away. He felt his heart wrench and he could swear that he felt tears sting the back of his eyes. But, he replaced sorrow with anger and he turned back to the now frightened boy on the ground.

"Is that all you know?", Heero asked again, "Is that truly all you know?"

Duo nodded and Heero sighed in defeat. He turned away again, eyes looking up toward the sky through the trees' canopy. He felt Duo's eyes on him and he glanced over his shoulder at the boy. He studied his long tresses that were held into that neat braid, a few strands had escaped, most likely from the fall. He couldn't stop himself from staring into those bright violet eyes; he knew those eyes. They were all too familiar.

"Heero."

The quiet call caused him to turn completely to Duo and he found the boy standing, fingers nervously playing with a strand of what could only be silken hair.

"Are you the one my grandmother told me about?", he asked softly and Heero froze.

He didn't know what to say, but by Duo's smile he knew that the boy already knew the answer.

"She's still waiting.", Duo said cheerfully as he walked closer to him, "My grandmother said she would always be waiting."

"You must have learned of a different king.", Heero told him, staring down at him, "I was never in love with a woman."

"Oh.", Duo said with a blush, "I only assumed. I mean all fairy tales have a princess."

"My tale had a prince.", Heero told him, looking away.

Duo went to speak, but decided against it. Besides, he didn't know what to say. His grandmother hadn't exactly told him it was a girl that the Fairy King had fallen in love with. She had just spoken of him as "the Human Child". That young boy of about eighteen was whom Heero was searching for. How long has it been since he had lost him? He was still looking to this day. It must truly be love then. Not able to resist, Duo gave Heero a grin, the king raising an eyebrow in question.

"It seems as if you could use a little help.", Duo pointed out, "And since it seems as if I won't be able to get home for a while, I guess I'll just have to tag along and help you."

"That's not necessary-"

"Nonsense. I don't mind.", Duo interrupted, "Besides you know which way you're going and I haven't the faintest clue as to where to start. So we'll stick together."

Before Heero could try and protest Duo was holding out a hand. Heero frowned down at it and he cautiously took hold of it. With a laugh Duo firmly shook it before letting go.

"It's just a hand shake.", Duo explained, "Now where to first?"

Looking to the same path that Duo had been heading toward earlier, Heero turned away from it. He knew where they would be led to if he traveled in that direction. Instead, he guided Duo into the trees where there was no path for easier travel. He wanted to stop in on the Great Wind and ask him a few questions. That meant that they would have to travel west. Though before they could get to the Great Wind, they had to pass through the land of the dragons and ask a favor of a very old friend.

------------------------------

Brightly painted, red fingernails drummed against the armrest of a chair. They belonged to the young woman who sat in her large black throne, her chin resting in the palm of the other hand as she stared of into space. It was already quite well into the day and she was bored. She had wreaked havoc and caused chaos all before lunch and now she was utterly without anything to do. Her cold blue eyes stared blankly ahead of her and she huffed a sigh from her slightly parted lips. They were painted just as red as her nails and it was obviously to match the crimson gown that she sported. It was long and very form fitting. The collar was low enough to show off the small ruby that hung from her neck on a thin black chain and a good bit of cleavage. Her drumming fingers stopped to caress the stone, eyes looking down to it. It had been centuries since she had turned her trick on the one man she had ever yearned for. But he was stubborn and foolishly blinded by a human brat.

Her fist clenched around the gem and she silently cursed the little wench that had stolen her love's heart. Her blond hair, that was tied back neatly from her face, swayed as she stood from her seat. She walked over to the small alter that graced the large room and she looked into the large bowl of water that sat upon it. It clouded and then parted to show the image of the man she longed for. Even to this day she wanted him. Her hatred that had caused her to shatter his heart had waned, though she was still jealous. The bastard child of the Human King was all he wanted and he still searched for him. Knocking the bowl to the ground in anger, she twirled to storm back and forth across the room.

Why was it not she that he had fallen for? Why was it not her that he searched for every day from dawn till dusk? Her want for him burned just as bright as the prince's. What good was a young boy when a woman was much more pleasing? She spat a curse at the thought of the prince and she let her grip loosen from the gem around her neck. She smiled a wicked smile as she watched it glimmer. The poor sap thought that he was looking for the last piece of the shard. He thought it was with his beautiful prince, but he had no idea. She had never left a shard with the prince, she had kept it for herself and she had made sure to get rid of the human child for good. Heero was on a blind search for his long lost love, not knowing that he had been disposed of when she had gotten her clutches on him.

Her head was thrown back as she gave a vicious laugh, the walls of the room trembling. The window of the room was flung open by a harsh wind and she stopped her laughter to glare toward it. Who dared to disturb her? Walking to it, she watched as a large black raven flew in, squawking as it landed at her feet.

"Remius.", she stated in greeting, "What news do you have for me?"

With another squawk the bird transformed into a man, long raven hair flowing around his face. He was bowed on one knee with his head down and he then looked up, shining amber eyes staring up into hers.

"Mistress, I'm afraid what news I have is not of good fortune.", he answered, low voice nearly a rasp.

"Oh, how delightful.", she squealed happily clutching her hands to her chest, "I simply love bad news. An avalanche has crushed a town? Did the caves of the dwarves collapse and kill them? Tell me I must know."

"My lady, I'm afraid it's bad news for you.", he said holding up a silken string.

The woman's eyes widened and she gasped as she saw the red gem swing back and forth before her. Another shard to the Fairy King's heart? How could that be? She was sure that she had the last one and she was also sure that Heero had collected all the rest. How had this one escaped? And who had it before it was found?

"Where did you find this!", she growled snatching it away, "Tell me!"

Standing form his bowed position, Remius watched as his mistress studied the shard in her hand.

"I was on my rounds.", he started, watching her dangle it in front of her glaring eyes, "When to my shock I saw someone falling from the sky. Curious as I was, I flew toward them and noticed the gem upon their neck. The wind had easily loosened it from them and before the boy could catch it, I caught it and came directly here."

Boy! A boy had it! This couldn't be. The prince was dead! She had slain him herself. She calmed down, letting her fingers toy with the shard, before glancing blue eyes to her servant.

"Remius, tell me. What did this boy look like?"

"I'm afraid I did not look, Lady Sorceress.", he said almost apologetically, "I was only concerned in getting the shard to you."

"And you said he was falling?", she asked, not waiting for an answer, "Did he die fortunately?"

"I'm sorry, mistress. I did not see in my haste."

"No matter.", she assured him with a smirk.

She walked to her alter, her hand motioning to the bowl and it lifted itself up to rest on top of it again. With a small chant the bowl was filled with water that swirled cloudy and murky. It then parted to show a black space and the sorceress watched it.

"Where is the one who owns this stone?", she asked the water with a glare, "Show him to me."

The cloudy water came back together to swirl once again and then parted showing the woman a picture of what could only be a boy, but she couldn't see him clearly. The picture was foggy, or at least the boy was; everything else around him was as clear as day.

"So, you're protected by magic young one?", she asked, her nails drumming against the side of the bowl, "I guess I'll just have to meet you in person."

Turning back to Remius, she placed the gem beside the bowl.

"Remius, my dear loyal servant. Be a dear, go out and find that boy. Then bring him back here, but this time be sure that Heero follows. If that truly is the prince, I want the Fairy King to see every moment of his death."

Remius watched the woman throw her head back in cruel laughter and he smirked.

"As you wish, Miss Relena."

With a final bow, he transformed into the raven, flying out of the large window and into the sky. Relena walked to the window to watch him and she smiled in glee. This time she would rid herself of that damned prince, in the event it was him and then she would make sure to have Heero's heart. She started to chuckle and it gave forth to a crazed laugh that echoed from her windows out into the vast country before her.

T.B.C.

Did you like it? Tell me. I know a lot of stories have Relena evil but I had to use her, I don't have much against her. Though I used to, but anyway, at least she's not a dumb air headed bimbo that trails behind Heero like a crazed stalker. She's much more sophisticated about it in this fic. Uh anyway. Review please. Thank you.