A/N: yeah another chapter, hope you all enjoy, there's a little information at the end for you to read or not to read, the choice is yours….I only got two reviews for the last chapter, Must have more, lol, please. I feed off of them, they help me write, and they let me know if I need to do anything to help your reading experience.
Warnings: Usual, and no there is not child NCS I know it sounds applied but you will find out what happens later…
Chapter Five: Learning to Understand
Catherine was busing herself with mending the pile of cloths, she had fallen behind in her work and she figured she could catch up today. Well that idea was blown when the prince entered her small workshop with a nervous looking boy. Catherine sighed and got up, walking towards the prince.
"'Ello, Prince Heero, and who is your friend?" She asked. He noticed the boys pointed ears, his violet eyes, and the pointed teeth through his half opened mouth.
"This is Duo. I need you to make him some shirts." Catherine lifted an eye brow.
"I have plenty shirts already made that would fit him." Catherine said. Heero turned Duo around and showed Catherine his large wings by lifting his shirt. They were still wrapped close to his back and held there by bandages. Catherine sighed quietly. She went to her workshop and pulled out three shirts.
"Take the shirt off, Duo." She said. Heero started to removed the shirt for Duo. Duo looking at him with startled eyes and tried to pull away, and to pull his shirt back down.
"Bai!" Heero said firmly. Duo glared and allowed Heero to remove his shirt, though he was shaking slightly.
"Does he not speak?" She asked, slipping a shirt over his head. Visible ignoring the bruises on the boys body and what she knew where cuts under thin bandages.
"He does, but not in our language." Heero explained. She nodded and set to work. Careful not to move the wings to much, she pulled one back just far enough to measure it's base width with the shirt, then removed it. She worked quickly to cut two whole in the other two shirts and hem them properly. She slipped one over Duo's head again, and carefully helped pull his wings through the slits in the shirt. She then laced the bottomed so that the wings would fit. She tightened the laces so that the shirt fit Duo properly.
"With the measurements I should be able to make him a dozen or so by Friday, I'll send them up as I finish them, two should be plenty for today and tonight." Catherine said. "Oh and Prince Heero. Trowa sent message this morning, he will be arriving home this evening." Catherine said.
"That's good. I'm taking Duo to go see Wufei now, but I wanted Trowa to see Duo. Knowing Trowa's skills it will calm him down greatly. He still flinches when any one touches him…not that I blame him or anything." Heero said with a glare.
"Poor dear." Catherine said and gently cupped Duo's checks in her hands and pulled the stiff boy in for a kiss on the forehead. "You'll be taken care of here." She said. Duo smiled at her a little. He didn't know what she said, but she sounded nice. "Okay, now leave I have a lot of things to catch up on." She said.
Duo followed Heero out of Catherine's chambers and down the hall a very short ways. As they neared a door Duo could smell a dozen or so different scents, from mint to sandalwood. Heero knocked on the door a few times and waited for Wufei to answer it. It took a moment before Wufei opened the door, his eyes half closed.
"Just in time." He said and yawned. "I've been up all night making it." Wufei stepped aside and allowed Heero to lead Duo into his chambers. Duo immediately tried to leave the room, after seeing bottles upon bottles of liquids that ranged in colors and what looked like textures. (1)
Heero put a hand on Duo's shoulder and reassured him a little. So instead of leaving Duo hid behind Heero, with his hands clutching Heero's shirt. Heero sighed and pulled Duo out from behind him and sat him down in a chair. Duo sat there quietly, shaking from his nerves or the dark smelly room.
Wufei walked up to them. "This is it. He has to drink all of it, then he should start to understand what we are saying in a few hours." Wufei explained. "He'll be able to pick up our language faster also." He handed the cup to Duo.
"Pol." He said, having looked up the word earlier. Duo shook his head and handed the cup back to Wufei.
"Bai sal o, Ai't byr sosia." (No thank you I'm not thirsty (2)) He said. Wufei ignored it and pushed the cup back towards him.
"Pol." He said again. Duo shook his head again. Wufei turned to his book and looked up another word. "Vaeri." Wufei said. Duo sighed and looked at the neon green liquid. He sighed again a little more dramatically and took a sip of the liquid, swallowing it and making a face shoving it back towards Wufei and making a face. "Eir os air." Wufei said.
Duo made a face and looked at Heero, who only nodded in return, dashing away all of Duo's hopes about not having to drink it. Duo took one more, huge sigh, and gulped the liquid down quickly. Once he was done he made a face and closed his eyes, trying to make his stomach settle down a bit. Wufei handed him a cup of clear water, and a few pieces of bread. Duo gulped the water down and swallowed the bread quickly, happy to find that it made the vile taste of the green stuff go away.
"Sal o." Wufei said, and turned to Heero. "Did you get a chance to see the message Trowa sent?" He asked. Heero shook his head. "I guess the Oz troops are starting to patrol the boarders of Sank and Romerfeller. He also said that troops are headed to patrol Gundam and Oz."
"Is he sure?" Heero asked, a little concerned about this news. "Why would Oz need troops to patrol instead of just a few men, are they planning something?' Heero asked.
"Trowa didn't say so in his message. I'm sure he only put minimal detail to keep spies or interceptors at bay." Wufei said. Heero nodded, he would have to speak with Trowa the minute he stepped foot back in Gundam.
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"Duo!" A mans voice called, the small eight year old looked up in time to see a hand connecting with his face. "I told you to have your work done by noon." He said, placing his foot on Duo's chest. "There will be no dinner for you tonight, and Solo wants to see you in his room, this evening." Duo's eyes widened in fear.
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Duo shook his head and concentrated on Heero and Wufei's conversation. Though he couldn't understand them, he could tell it was something important. Duo stood and went to the window in Wufei's chambers, pulling the curtain back just enough to see out. He figured Wufei had the curtains shut for a reason.
He watched the people below, no noticing that Wufei and Heero had stopped talking. There were men everywhere, all of them busy with the castles everyday work. Horses where coming in and out, pulling materials, or delivering messages.
Soldiers were training in a designated area, fighting with all sorts of weapons. Maids ran around frequently, bringing food and water to those outside, while doing laundry, and other chores that needed done.
Duo's eyes were taking it all in, this new life that seemed to be accepting him with no or little question of his presence there…that's when Duo saw it. A beautiful black animal, pinned up with a large white animal. The white horse was a Clydesdale, his mane and tail neatly brushed and his fur shimmering in the suns light. While the back one looked dirty and mean. Duo watched as the black horse snapped at anyone who got near, kicking at them, and pawing at the ground, her ears pinned back in irritation.
Duo looked over at Heero then back at the horse. The white horse seemed to calm the black on with a simple touch of his nose or a whinny from his mouth. Duo looked back at Heero then to himself. He looked back at the black horse.
'That horse is like me…' He thought. Heero came to stand next to him, looking down at the horse as well.
"She doesn't have a name yet, she won't let anyone near her." Heero said. Duo turned to Wufei and spoke slowly.
"Ai shal sai kai mi si cysi." He said. He gave Wufei a few moment to look up the words.
"He wants to see the horse Heero." Heero looked at Duo and saw Duo's eyes pleading to go. He hadn't been outside since he got here and he loved horses. Heero nodded.
"Iar." Wufei said. Duo smiled at Heero and thanked them both.
"If you see Trowa before I do, send him to my Chambers, I would like to talk to him in private." Heero said. Wufei nodded and went to his bed.
"In the mean time I will be sleeping." He said. Heero laughed a bit and he lead Duo out of the room.
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Duo walked up to the gate, Heero right next to him and watched the two horses. Heero gave three short whistles and Wing immediately trotted over to him. He patted the horses nose lovingly. Duo smiled and reached for the horses as well. Wing pushed his nose into Duo's hand and pushed at him playfully. Duo, for the first time since his mother had passed away, laughed.
Heero smiled, enjoying Duo's laughter. Then his eyes caught on the black horse and he took a step back knowing that the horse would bit him. Said horse was currently charging for the fence. Heero would have reached for Duo, but it would have been to late.
The black horse reared up and kicked threateningly at Duo. Duo just ignored her. Keeping his attention on Wing. So the black horse nipped his shoulder, ears pinned back. Again it was threatening, but Duo just pushed her away, still smiling at Wing. Heero watched with curiosity. The black horse reared up again and slammed her hooves on the ground. Heero thought that she was demanding attention from Duo. And Duo only continued to pet and smile at Wing.
So the black horse nudged him so hard he fell back, landing on his wings, he winced but got back to his feet. Heero took a step to help Duo, but the boy waved him off, and went back to Wing, petting the white horse again.
This time the black horse starred at Duo, who still ignored her. So the black horse gave up and nudged her nose under Duo's free hand and whinnied shyly. Duo smiled and turned to the black horse, finally giving her attention. There were a few gasps behind Heero and he turned to see that Duo and gathered an audience.
"He's touching her." One man said.
"But how?" Another asked.
"Riraisiar shaer, jhylaelia tyr, eil mys tal, myl eilostar...ai mar basti o Shin." Duo said to the horse, who flicked her tail in answer. Duo looked at Heero and pointed to the horse. "Shin." He said.
"You named the horse Shin?" Heero asked. Duo's eyes widened. He had just understood what Heero had said. He nodded excitedly.
"Ai tal tholalia ialaesal o...rnaer air sar vyrol Wufei kali ti?" Duo asked, hoping that Heero could understand him.
"I can't understand you Duo. Wufei gave you a potion to allow you to understand what I am saying, you will learn our language faster this way." Heero explained. Duo thought for a moment.
"I understand you." Duo said slowly, then smiled when Heero smiled.
"How did you get the horse to come to you like that?" A man asked from behind Heero. Duo jumped and took a step back, not realizing the man had been that close.
"Because he ignored her. He didn't let her take control over him and he showed her that he was in control over the situation." Heero said to the man a little coldly.
"Yes, Prince Heero." The man said walking away, he knew when he was interrupting stuff and when to leave. Duo smiled at Heero, he was happy that he could finally understand Heero, it will take him time to be able to talk with the man, but at least he could understand him.
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I realize that the horse thing is used a lot, but I needed it so that the others stuff could happen. I was thinking about Duo just getting a horse, but the gundams are a huge part n the pilots life, so the horses will be in this. I hope you guys understand where I am coming from on this. And another thing, Duo can understand Heero like Heero is speaking his language, while also his brain in retaining the information. Duo can say any word after he has heard it once. That is the power of potions, bwahahahahahahahahaha, plus I didn't want to spend a lot of time on the language thing because I am lazy, hope you all don't mind. Trowa will be in the next chapter. And Heero will explain what he really is to Duo because he's not human, bwahahahaha, I'm sure you have all guessed that Wufei is a potions master and scholar, obviously, while Quatre, as usual, is an empath. You'll find out what Trowa is when you meet him and Duo is a Demon, known as an Angel of Dark Cloud. Dark Cloud is a place that is hidden from everyone else. That's all you're getting for now…reviews please…
(!) Duo has no idea that they were going to give him the potion.
(!!) sorry had to translate that one :D