Category: Angst, Adventure, AU, Slave/Master

Pairings: 1x2, 4x3 (eventually), 5x?

Rating: R (?)

Disclaimer: Standard. You know them all by now so I won't bore you with a repeat.

Warnings: This story does show how a lot of people felt about the owning of slaves, a feeling that was very alive in this country not that long ago, as well as in many civilizations down through the ages. There are some good owners and some bad owners, like in everything. If someone owning another person bothers you, you might not like this fic. But then I'm not forcing anyone to read it. There are also M/M relationships in this fic (I'm very much a 1x2/3x4 fan.) so if boys being together (and I do mean together) bothers you don't read.

Golden Lights Part Eighteen B

By SilverLady

Quatre crinkled up his nose and buried his head deeper into the pillow. A very odd smell had finally penetrated his sleep-fogged mind. He wasn't sure exactly what it was and he really didn't think he wanted to find out.

Finally, hunger and an urgent call of nature served to drag Quatre from his cocoon. He rolled reluctantly over and found Trowa sitting near his bed, eyeing the plate he held with a wary eye.

Trowa looked up at the sound of movement from the bed. "Good morning," he said softly.

Quatre watched him without replying.

Trowa looked back down at the plate, which held Heero's and Duo's version of breakfast. "I hope you're feeling better this morning. I'm afraid the rest of us might be joining you." With a sigh he placed the plate on the ground behind him. "Food poisoning is becoming a distinct possibility."

Quatre blinked as he sat up. "Why?" he whispered.

"Let's just say neither Heero nor Duo will ever be hired as a cook."

Quatre sighed. It sounded as if he'd lain in bed long enough. "I'll take care of it," he murmured as he went to walk past Trowa.

Trowa reached out and grabbed Quatre's arm. "That isn't necessary. We'll muddle through. You need to rest."

Quatre pulled his arm free. "I am fine. Let me take care of some personal needs and then I will get you something to eat."

"You had a bad experience. It would be better if you took the day and rested."

"I don't know what you mean. If you would excuse me, Master, I have things to do. I don't have time to be lying around. That is what you bought me for, is it?"

Trowa winced at the bitterness in the other boy's voice, but made no more move to stop him as he left the tent.

*****

Duo looked up as Quatre approached. "Feeling better?"

"Much." Quatre schooled his face to remain blank. "I thought you might need some help."

Duo glanced back at the mess spread across the table. "That bad, huh?"

"I believe food poisoning was mentioned."

Duo sighed. "Eating I'm good at. Cooking is another story entirely."

"I do have a book with recipes in it."

"If it don't blow up in the end, Heero won't read it. And Wufei has tried three times this morning to make me piss my pants. Damn near succeeded the first time."

Quatre sighed. "Then how about if you help me."

"Works."

"First thing, we need to clean up."

"That I can do."

Quatre began picking up the table, hoping that they still had enough supplies to last until they reached Termal. "I'm surprised Heero has never tried to teach you how to read."

"He has. I'm not very good at it and he's not all that patient." Duo shrugged. "Most of the time it's not a problem. It's just the way things are."

Quatre looked at Duo. Again he wondered just how civilized this place really was.

"Don't you want to learn?"

"It's not at the top of my list of things to do. It would be nice, but it's no big deal."

"What is at the top?"

Duo looked around. "Maybe it should be learning to cook."

Quatre smiled. "Maybe."

Duo laughed as he began to pick up the mess he'd made that morning. He was glad that Quatre seemed to be all right.

Fortunately, the rest of that day, and the next two days, passed peacefully.

*****

Quatre stood in the center of the clearing, looking around to make sure that nothing had been left behind. He really didn't want to have to come back for anything, as they'd had to do the day before.

They would be arriving in Termal late that afternoon. Quatre tried not to think about what that meant. He kept telling himself that it didn't matter what Trowa decided. He was simply a slave doing what he was told, nothing more.

But deep down inside, it did matter. For the past few days he'd been able to pretend that he wasn't someone else's property. That he was somebody.  Somebody important.

If Trowa insisted on calling up the other servants, he would just another on of the slaves following Lord Trowa.

Turning, he walked over to where the others were waiting. Duo's horse was dancing around in a nervous fashion and that made Quatre frown slightly. What was bothering the big black horse? He was usually rather quiet.

"Got everything?" Duo asked.

Quatre nodded. "Yes."

"Good. I think this guy is getting a bit antsy this morning."

Quatre looked over at the horse. Something was definitely wrong. "Duo, …."

But before Quatre could finish the sentence, Duo had put his foot in the stirrup and mounted the horse. A wild scream rent the air and before anyone had realized what was happening, the horse had bolted off down the path at a dead run.

Quatre didn't think, he reacted. Lunging forward he flung himself on his own horse and sent it after the runaway black. He knew that Duo's inexperience riding could get him killed if he didn't catch him fast.

Leaning lower over his horse's neck, he urged it onward, hoping that his experience and control would allow his horse to catch up with the other.

After another minute he caught sight of the black ahead of him. Fear and panic were working to Quatre's advantage as the black was wearing himself down rapidly. If Duo could hold on for just a few more minutes, Quatre was confident that he could catch them.

With a deft touch of the reins, Quatre guided his horse next to the runaway. He tried to get Duo's attention, but the boy was oblivious. He had his arms wrapped around the horse's neck and his head buried in its mane. It was pretty obvious that it was taking all of his concentration to simply remain on the horse's back.

Quatre realized that it would be up to him to bring the black under control. He would have to get a hold of the reins and force the horse to stop. It was a tricky maneuver to try, especially at a dead run, but it was the only thing he could do.

With a quick prayer to the Great One, he leaned out of his saddle, trying to grab something on the other horse.

 It took several tries, but he finally managed to snag the reins that hung slack over the black's neck. Using his weight and the weight of the horse he was riding, he finally managed to bring the black to a halt.

Slideing from his horse's back, Quatre reached up and tried to get Duo to release his death grip. It took several tries, but finally he got the boy to let go.

Duo all but fell off the horse into Quatre's arms. Wrapping his arms around Quatre's neck he simply clung, shaking so hard Quatre was sure he was going to shake himself apart.

Rubbing his hands up and down the boy's back, Quatre murmured soft words of reassurance. He could just imagine how terrified the longhaired boy must have been.

After a few minutes, Quatre could feel his shoulder getting damp and realized that Duo was silently crying. Moving slowly, he guided Duo over to a fallen log and slowly sat them both down.

After another few minutes he heard the thud of approaching hoof beats. Looking up, he saw Trowa and Heero ride into the clearing.

He honestly didn't think the horse had stopped before Heero had flung himself off and was across the clearing. Sinking to his knees next to the two boys, he reached for Duo.

A whispered word from Heero was all it took for Duo to release his hold on Quatre and fling himself into Heero's tight embrace.

Holding the boy as if he'd never let him go, Heero began running his hands up and down the other boy's body, as if to confirm to himself that Duo was alright.

Quatre slide off the log and moved away from the two. He knew that Heero's presence and reassurance was what Duo needed right now.

Looking around, he noticed that Trowa had moved over to where the horses were standing. The black's sides were heaving as he pulled in great breaths of air, his coat covered with a sheen of sweat.

"What happened?" Trowa asked.

Quatre frowned as he moved over to the horse. He hadn't seen or heard anything that would make the horse bolt. In fact, he'd chosen the horse for its calm personality. It should take a lot to make him bolt. Moving slowly, he slide his hand under the saddle blanket. After a moment he found the source of the horse's unusual behavior.

Trowa winced at the size of the burr Quatre pulled from under the horse's saddle blanket. "No wonder he bolted. That must have been very painful."

Quatre nodded. "I would have thought Duo would have been more careful."

Trowa frowned. "I don't think a burr that big would have gone unnoticed."

Quatre looked at Trowa. "You don't think somebody else put it there?"

Trowa shrugged. "No. I just don't think he would have missed something that big."

"If he was in a hurry he might not have been paying attention. I can't see anyone deliberately trying to hurt the horse."

Trowa looked at Quatre, but said nothing. Though he didn't believe anyone would want to hurt Duo, he still didn't think Duo would be that careless.

"I'll ride back and get Wufei and the pack horses. You can stay here while Heero gets Duo calmed down." Without waiting for an answer, Trowa mounted his horse and headed back the way they'd come.

Quatre stood quietly, looking down at the burr he held in his hand. Why would anyone want to hurt Duo? With a sigh he flung the burr into the woods and proceeded to thoroughly check the horse to make sure there was no permanent injury done.

Heero wrapped his arms more tightly around the shaking body he held. "It's all right," he murmured. "You're safe."

Heero had thought his heart would stop when he'd seen the black bolt off down the trail with Duo clinging to his back. He'd never felt so scared in his entire life. The thought that something serious might happen before he could catch them had caused his heart to nearly stop.

He'd never mounted a horse that fast but, as fast as he'd been, Quatre had been even faster. He honestly hadn't even seen the blonde move. One minute he'd been standing there, the next he was on his horse and already after Duo.

Burying his face in the soft hair, Heero breathed in the essence that was Duo. He had not really thought that much about just what the boy meant to him, but now, after nearly losing him twice in just a few days, he knew that this boy held the key to his heart. There was no more need to pretend. He was never letting him go.

"You're mine," he whispered into Duo's hair. "Now and forever." And as soon as he could he was going to make it permanent, laws be damned.

This silent vow made, Heero held Duo that much closer.

Suddenly feeling someone watching them, he looked up to find Quatre staring at them. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the blonde, who suddenly turned red and looked away.

He was going to find out who or what had made the horse bolt and then there was going to be hell to pay.