Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. It's a loan.

Warnings: Shounen-ai, OOCs, AU (what else do I write?), gloomy Duo (sorry, can't help it for now)

Circle of Destiny

Part 7

Heero passed Sally and Quatre, something within him urging his feet faster than he ever thought possible. He wracked his mind on exactly why he cared so much for this slave, and he finally settled with the fact that this man had something to do with his recurring dream. He had to find out what his dream meant.

He skidded to a stop when he saw Nef… Duo hanging from the ropes. How could… He heard every single word his Stable Master said. How wrong he was. He had thought that giving autonomy would instil responsibility not tyranny. How could Dermail do this? Without even thinking, he stepped in and mirrored Trowa's action of Quatre by claiming the braided slave.

He stood there, staring down Dermail while Wufei and Quatre quickly cut Duo down. A quick assessment of the pale young man showed Heero he was none the worse for wear but still alarmingly unresponsive.

"What do you think you are doing?" He growled at the cringing Dermail.

"You… Your Majesty, I… I…" He stuttered.

"You took it unto yourself to punish someone that I haven't decided to punish yet. You used your position to harm someone of less fortune than you. For that, I will not forgive," Heero said coldly.

Dermail lunged forward to tug at Heero's pants leg. "Please, King Heero, you have to understand, that's not how it is!"

Heero pulled away, kicking at Dermail's clutching fingers and ordered Trowa to have this filthy specimen of a human being thrown out of the castle walls never to return. He would not take anyone abusing anyone else within his own home.

Duo felt a great detachment and the amazing irony that the person who was responsible for his predicament would be the one person to save him. He stood within the sheltering arms of the warrior and his brother but at the peripheral of his vision, he saw a host of other people hovering close by. However, they were cautiously discreet about their presence. He didn't understand why everyone felt this need to protect him, the one person that caused them all this pain in the first place?

"Are you alright?" Quatre whispered softly in the familiar lilt of their native language.

That helped to snap Duo out of his stupor. "Not here, Nov… Quatre," he hit his brother softly. "Never here!"

Duo was too emotionally drained to feel more than resentment when Heero finally turned to him. He was glad that Dermail was gone, but he couldn't feel any gratitude to the royal. After all, it was he who got Duo into this huge mess in the first place.

"Duo…" Wufei called out from his other side, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine, warrior, just completely disgusted with the company you keep," Duo raised his voice, his ire increasing with the presence of the man he wished never to see again in his entire life, burning away his lethargy and whatever fear he had for men. It was as if he was alive again.

Quatre realised with surprise that something had changed with Duo. The once lifeless man before him had transformed. His brother's once dull eyes sparkled brightly once more, reminding Quatre of the bright gems he had seen in their father's treasure rooms once. They had shone and sparkled like that too. The blond passed look of light scrutiny over the King. He had done this. He had brought back the brother he had missed all these years, but who was he to have that kind of power over Duo? His brother had been living in a self imposed state of guilt and self flogging for such a long time. Nothing he had ever done had been able to heal Duo's flagging spirit and desire to live, but Heero, all he had done was show up and his brother had punched him.

However, not everyone was as thrilled at Quatre at Duo's renewed spirit, if the horrified gasps were any indication. Wufei and Sally were looking at him with widened eyes, as if they couldn't believe what he had just said in regards to their liege. Trowa looked like he just ate something that didn't agree with him. He shot his cousin a cautious look, half expecting Heero to unsheathe his sword and lop the head off the slave.

Surprisingly, Heero had a look of slight confusion coupled with a soft indulgent look? What was going on? The King had a quicksilver temper and was more likely to resort to violence at the merest hint of a threat. While this slender, almost thin, slave couldn't be considered a threat but he had actually raise his hand to Heero and his extremely volatile cousin did nothing to exact retribution for that disrespect. It was completely mind boggling.

Heero strode up to the slave, and towered over him, his expression serious. His hand shot out suddenly, grasping Duo by the forearm. A thrill of something shimmered through his body at that touch and from the look on the slave's face, he felt it as well despite his defiant expression. The King frowned. There was an obvious connection between them but for the life of him, Heero couldn't remember when he had ever met Duo before that fateful day at the market place. There was definitely mystery surrounding the two brothers and since their arrival, Sally and Wufei as well.

"You are coming with me," Heero ordered, pulling him along.

Duo reacted almost instantly, pulling back and struggling at the stronger hold Heero had on him. "Let me go, you brute!" He swung his free arm back and targeted it at Heero again, who was currently turned away from him.

Heero turned easily and caught the flying fist. "Do not do something that you will regret. I don't need to whip you to make you regret your actions." He had felt that movement from Duo and not seen it. It was odd, it was as if he could read Duo's actions somehow. As he turned, he saw amazed looks being passed around. He had a keen instinct, he knew, but this was beyond keen. Almost magical.

"I already regret them," Duo muttered dejectedly and allowed himself to be led away from the group.

The King knew he was not supposed to overhear but he was shock to the core at the depth of pain in that simple statement. There was more hidden meaning to what the slave had just said and for some reason, he knew he was part of it. But how? Just what secrets did this stranger harbour and brought into his household?

He pondered these questions as he brought Duo to his chambers to teach him the duties that were necessary for a body servant.

XXxxXX

Quatre woke as usual as he had for the past month, at the crack of dawn. He quickly dressed, took a bucket and went to get some water from the well in the courtyard. It was just one of his many duties to take care of Lord Trowa. He found out many things about his Master during the last month of servitude. Lord Trowa was an extremely private man, to the point of mysteriously secretive. He allowed no one into his rooms, except for Quatre. Normal duties like preparing bath water fell to Quatre, who learned Trowa did it himself prior to taking him on as a servant. He didn't mind the duty, since there really wasn't much he did for Trowa. It also defined his sagging muscles. He once had a body of a warrior but since his enslavement, he had been kept like a precious pet and never had to lift a finger for something as simple as relieving himself.

But now, despite the collar around his neck, Quatre was free. He could go where he wanted, do what he wanted and talk to anyone he wanted without fear of being punished. His collar gave him Lord Trowa's protection and allowed him a semblance of the freedom he used to enjoy. His Master was an enigma. He didn't appear to have any vices and was wildly loyal to King Heero. The tall auburn haired man was extremely gentle and soft spoke, especially around Quatre and treated him more like a trusted friend than a slave.

Still, Quatre couldn't deny the strong attraction that had build during their month of close living. He couldn't and wouldn't overlook the apparent careless caresses Lord Trowa accidentally gave him, or the sometimes burning stare from brilliant green eyes over dinner in his direction. Though Lord Trowa had never asked anything of a personal nature from him, Quatre wondered if it was polite to offer. He had never had a master that denied himself like that before and he knew not the decorum in a case like this. He definitely didn't want to be turned away; he had pride after all. There was no mistaking in the oft times hungry look Trowa directed at him, which he would mask if Quatre happened to turn to face him but the blond slave had more to his disposal than eyes. In this place, far from his home, his dormant gifts were slowly reawakening. He had quickly learned to rebuild the shields around his mind or risk going insane from the constant barrage of emotions from those within the castle.

That in itself was odd. There was something within these walls that bespoke of a strange magical energy that was akin to what they were looking for… yet not. It was as if it was slightly tainted. With what Quatre has yet to find out. He knew his brother was fully aware that their search has ended and exactly where to retrieve their treasure, but Duo refused to tell them anything.

He suspected it had something to do with the King but he couldn't be sure. At the thought of the King and his brother, Quatre sighed deeply. Duo, in his younger days, was a renowned prankster and had been dragged many a time to their father by the ear. However, he had mellowed as he grew older and that role fell to Quatre, who was a hundred times better than him. Something about Heero brought out the beast in Duo again. Only this time, it was more malicious that in good fun. Duo had been upsetting Heero's balance in the month they had been together. Robes sleeves had been sewn shut, shampoo changed to dye that left Heero with green hair for ages, and countless more that caused the blond slave to cringe when he thought of it. At the first bellow, Lord Trowa had grabbed him and pushed him behind his taller physique. Quatre had felt a warm heat rushing through his body at this blatant show of protection.

Heero had come barrelling out of his room with naught but a pillow covering his most private of areas, his face flaming with embarrassment. With his longhaired slave nowhere in sight and in the presence if giggling servants, Trowa quickly divested himself of his long cloak, throwing it over his embarrass cousin. Quatre had gripped Trowa's sleeve worriedly, asking if he could help Duo escape, knowing the King would kill him, or at least throw him into the deepest, darkest corners of his dungeon.

To everyone's shock, Heero merely walked into his chambers, slap Duo on the back of the head and ordered him to scrub the stone floors of his chambers, twice. Quatre had to reach forward and close Trowa's hanging jaw. The tall young lord was totally confused at his cousin's passiveness at the slave's nastiness. Quatre was told that this was out of character for Heero. If anyone was to treat him in the way his brother had, he would have been severely punished and extremely sorry.

There was a certain dynamics in that relationship that still boggled the mind.

Quatre inclined his head politely at a young servant girl, curtseying deeply. He groaned inwardly, not really needing someone to see this sort of behaviour. He hastened his pace toward the well. Once there, he started pulling the bucket up from the depths of the well.

"Let me help you, my lord," a soft voice came from his side and helping hands assisted him in drawing water.

Quatre thanked them graciously, having given up a long time ago to stop them from calling him by his title. Since it was early in the morning and no one was the wiser, he let them call him whatever they wanted. They knew caution when there were others around and if it made them happy, why not? He returned to Lord Trowa's chambers and prepared the bath water, noting that his master was still asleep. Once done, he tiptoed out of the room and headed toward the gardens. It was his routine to make a trip to the gardens before heading to the kitchen to prepare Lord Trowa's breakfast. It was another quirk of his master to not let anyone touch his food. It seemed like he was afraid of being poisoned or something.

The gardens were some distance away from the main castle. According to Wufei, when they first found it, it was in total disrepair. It was covered with weeds and what trees were left was being choked to death. That was when Sally planted her first blooding seed. Since then, they had tended lovingly to the garden, which had blossomed with amazing fertility. That merely reinforced their belief that it was here.

The garden was different now. Where it had been beautiful before, under the relentless care of those that lived there, it now had an ethereal quality. It was due to his brother, Quatre knew. While everyone was slowly fading, there was some of their magic still alive in Duo and while Quatre couldn't use it, it was apparent Duo could.

He found his brother hunkered by a small tree, singing softly to it and watering it with a small basin. It was Quatre's blooding tree and it was growing at a phenomenal rate. In fact, the entire garden was blooming with life right now. The air around it was different and the atmosphere reminded him achingly of home. It was under trees like these that the two of them grew up together, played together, and practiced their craft together.

"Duo," Quatre squatted down next to his brother. "Good morning."

Duo threw a smile at his brother. He had started to smile more often and he looked more the Duo from before. It was a sudden change, from the tortured creature he was and he just seemed to blossom overnight. Quatre wasn't sure what brought this about but he wasn't going to question good luck. While there was still a great deal of pain and hatred hovering behind his eyes, Duo was becoming the person he was, the person that held so much power, their Master.

"Yes, it is a good morning, isn't it?" Duo continued to croon softly to the plant.

Quatre touched the soft, green leaves lovingly. "This is mine, isn't it?" He felt a connection with the plant already. It was feeding him needed energy and providing him with much needed senses of his surroundings.

Duo nodded.

"Where is yours?" Quatre asked, unable to quell his worry. He knew his brother still thought himself unworthy of being alive sometimes and he knew that his own seeds were in very low supply.

Duo shrugged. "I don't need them anymore."

"What? Duo, please stop all this self-castigating. You deserve to live." He gripped his brother's arm tightly.

Duo shook his head, smiling sadly. "No, it is not a matter of living or not. I truly don't need them anymore." His eyes took on a faraway look, a ghost of memory reflecting in them. "Something else is sustaining me right now."

A thrill of excitement leapt through Quatre's veins. "You found it! You know where it is, right?" He pulled his brother to face him. "We can go home, right? Right?" He got increasingly concerned when Duo refused to look at him. "Duo, Nefros, please, tell me."

Duo jerked at the use of that name but he did nothing to admonish his brother. "I found it," he admitted softly. "But I don't know how to take it back."

"Steal it. It was ours anyway and stolen from us."

Duo shook his head, reaching out a hand to cup his brother's soft cheek. "I allowed it to be stolen in the first place and there is no way I would be welcome home again."

"That's not…" Quatre started but was silence with a look from his brother.

"I have killed countless of our people with my stupidity. I will not be welcome home again, nor will I dare to return." He stood abruptly, cleaning the soil off his trousers. "I will do my best to get it back," he swallowed painfully at that, Quatre thought, as if getting it back would hurt him a great deal. "Then they can all return."

He left before Quatre could utter a single word of protest. The blond watch his brother's retreating back in worry. In the past, despite his brother's flagging spirit, Quatre knew Duo would live on to protect him. He had promised Quatre that they would find it and they would go home. Now it seemed that it had been found, and Duo had no intention of returning with him.

Wishing the trees one last good bye, Quatre started back to the castle and to Lord Trowa, who, judging by the angle of the sun, should be awaking soon. His feet took him down a familiar path but his mind was miles away.

No one knew what how the thing they were looking for looked like. That knowledge was reserved for the Master Weaver, and that was Duo. Only the Master can manipulate it while the rest of them can only tap into its powers. Many assume it was a jewel that stood guard in the deepest part of their Forest home, other rumours purported it to be just mist. Quatre believed the former more than the latter. There was no way mist could be able to summon that much power to sustain them all indefinitely.

He came back to the present when he found himself standing in front of Lord Trowa's chambers. He opened the door and cautiously peeked in. He didn't expect his master to be awake yet but all the same, experience taught him that if he were to barge into his master's room unannounced, he was likely to have a knife thrown in his face. It had happened before. His master had been stricken to think how close he had come to killing Quatre, but the slave wasn't going to admit manipulating the weaves of air around the knife to miss him completely, Lord Trowa had looked troubled enough as it was. Since then, his master had been able to discern his footsteps and further mishaps had been avoided.

This morning was different than other for his master was awake. Lord Trowa stood in front of the mirror, cleaning off his morning shave with a towel. Unlike most of the noblemen Quatre had seen, his master preferred to have his personal need dealt with by himself. Lord Trowa had jokingly admitted of being uncomfortable with a stranger hold a sharp object to his exposed neck. Quatre thought his master extremely paranoid.

"Come in Quatre," Lord Trowa greeted, not turning.

Quatre obediently slipped in, staring at the almost perfect physique of his master, droplets of water still trailing down the smooth skin, disappearing into the waist of his pants. He felt suddenly hot and the organ in between his legs flared to life. Years as a pleasure slave had enabled him to control his desires easily but this sudden reaction was unexpected. He had admitted to finding his master attractive, and wouldn't mind satisfying both their pleasures as gratitude, but this was more than gratitude. For the first time since his enslavement, Quatre wanted someone. His master's kind heart and tender regard of him had worked under his skin far more effectively than an aphrodisiac. Just his presence alone was heady and intoxicating.

As if Quatre suddenly lost control of his body, he found himself striding across the room and pulling a rather shocked Trowa into his arms. He stretched up and fused their mouths together.

"Quatre," Trowa protested weakly, pulling apart. "Stop."

"Please," Quatre begged, his eyes aflame with desire and lips swollen with the frantic kisses they had shared. "Let me do this." His hands tore at Lord Trowa's pants.

With all the self control Trowa could muster, the gripped his slave's arms tightly, stopping further exploration and thus loss of further self control to the desire that has been plaguing him for the month of close living. It was more than attraction, Quatre was just something he had never expected to meet. He had a heart of gold and despite being sexually used for who knows how long, the blond still retained an air of purity around him that touched his heart.

"Please, I don't want to use you," Trowa gasped. Unable to stop himself, he raised his thumb to gently caress those sweet lips that had just touched his own moments before.

"But," Quatre protested, hurt and confusion present in every line of his face. "I…"

He trailed off as the door of his master's chambers burst open. A breathless and panicked Sally bolted in and practically peeled Quatre off Trowa. In her state, Quatre even doubted she noticed the highly inappropriate embrace for slave and master.

"Prince Novhir, you have to help the King. He is dying," she yelled, pulling Quatre along with her.

As they disappeared through the door, Trowa's mind riveted on one thing. Prince Novhir?

It was then he realised the nature of Sally's panic.

Heero was dying?

Tbc…