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?)

Circle of Destiny

Part 11

"Why did I have to be that curious?" Nefros muttered to himself, trudging to the forest at dawn, his arms full of walnuts. "And I don't want any opinion from you!" He warned the myst before his own brand of humour was thrown back in his face.

The forest was eerily silent after that.

"I promised those bratty creatures a tree full," the elf looked mournfully down into his arms. "This is all I have." Nefros looked up. "It's all your fault, you did this to torture me!"

The silence lengthened.

"Well?" Nefros asked expectantly. "Say something?"

I was commanded to silence.

Nefros growled at the myst and trudged off. "If I found out you have hidden all the walnuts…" He trailed off, hoping that it was a threatening tone.

I don't hide walnuts. The tone was lofty and it made Nefros want to punch someone.

Master, I think keeping the human is a mistake. He will be your downfall. The Myst was serious right now, and the forest around him plunged into semi darkness.

Nefros stilled. "You can see this?"

Not really seeing, but I have a bad feeling about it. I can almost foresee the fall of the elves in this young man's fate. Master, please, let him go.

"He's injured, he won't be able to walk for a week at least. I will let him go then." Nefros couldn't understand the sudden pang of pain that assailed him at that. But the warning from the myst also caused a frisson of fear to shoot through his entire body. There was never an occasion where the myst was wrong but how could someone that look as harmless as Odin could cause the destruction of an entire race?

Please, Master. Do not get involved with him.

Nefros flushed deeply at that. "Wha… what makes you think that I would be attracted to him?" He stuttered.

I can see the attraction he has to you. And you are extremely intrigued by him. Perhaps it is more than intrigue?

Nefros continued to walk back to his cottage, his back stiff. He didn't want to admit it, but it didn't make it any less true. It was more than intrigue. This Human, with his round ears and smaller stature. He was different from elves, from what Nefros was used to. Besides, this Human didn't see him as something to be in awe about, he was just another annoying, rude, barbaric elf. He knew the human perception of their kind. He had been fed tales from various warriors chasing off their kind for him not to know that all humans thought they lived in mud huts and ate their meat raw. Fire was supposedly a new creation only come into being a few years ago. Religion and philosophy was of course nonexistent and anyone who challenged that thought was instantly burnt at the stake for heresy. In Nefros' opinion, they were more barbaric then what the humans assume the elf to be.

This human, Odin that he took in was little different. He had all the same ideas the rest of the world had about Nefros' kind, but there was something, a light in Odin's deep blue eyes that showed the elf that his beliefs were wavering.

XXxxXX

Nefros felt completely ridiculous. He was standing there, negotiating with small furry animals the size of his foot, with a small pile of walnuts separating them. It was all he could find, and he had a big suspicion that the Myst had actually hid them all. That was the reason, no less than five squirrels stood across him, in a classic stand off.

I've seen tree fulls, and this is not is! The squirrel chattered, irritated.

This is the best I can do! Nefros shot back.

We got rid of the Smelly Ones for you.

The Smelly Ones, that was the name the animals gave humans. Though there weren't exactly smelly, they did have a particular scent about them, often not pleasant. For the highly developed senses of the animals and elves, it could sometimes be passed off as 'smelly'. Though Odin didn't really have that overwhelming smell most humans have. He apparently took care of himself, and personal hygiene appeared to be high on his list. He must be a noble of some sort.

Yes, and as payment, these are all the walnuts I can find for now, Nefros hoped he sounded properly contrite. Otherwise, he would be looking forward to months of tricks played on his cottage. While the Myst took care of predators for him, he highly doubted a bunch of thieving, mischievous rodents would qualify as predators.

It took a little bit of fast-talking but soon, the squirrels descended on the pile, and fleeing with their booty. Nefros let out a sigh of relief, watching his troubles run out of sight.

"Well, that was rather… odd."

The sound of laughing whipped Nefros around, to see the Human leaning against the doorframe, overtaken by mirth. A slow flush stole across his cheeks. The Human saw his humiliating display with the bushy-tailed rodents. Not only that, he saw how he had glared at them… and how they had glared at him. Aaah, no, this can't be happening, how can the Human, Odin be impressed when he had seem them in a glowering match… and the squirrels won.

Nefros mind went blank for a moment. He wanted to impress the Human? But why? He was the Master Weaver, he didn't need to impress anyone, much less a lowly human. He cringed as years of conditioning towards the human race came rushing to him. Alright, perhaps Humans and Elves had more in common than he was willing to admit. At least, they both had been thought to discriminate against the other.

"And what do you find so funny?" Nefros put on his most intimidating glare.

Odin was gasping for breath. "You… squirrels… you… lost!" He held his stomach, laughing almost uncontrollably.

Nefros tried to hold onto his irritation but watching Odin giggle like a small child, he found his own control slipping as well. So the forest was filled with the insane laughter of two opposing races. After their fit, the elf helped Odin hobble back into the cottage, with a stern scolding about wandering around an unfamiliar forest in an injured state. Odin, surprisingly, didn't argue but endured the almost nagging with equanimity.

"What was that all about?" Odin asked.

Nefros was currently kneeling in front of Odin, and checking the swelling of his ankle as well as the various cuts and bruise the human had collected from his little trip off his horse. The trees were telling him that the Human's stallion was still wandering in the forest, looking for his master. The elf was impressed at the devotion of the equine to this one, in his opinion, rather spoilt human. If an animal can care for Odin this much, there has to be more than meets the eye.

"What?" Nefros asked, confused.

Odin motioned vaguely toward the door. "The squirrel showdown and the pile of nuts."

Nefros flushed as his senses were silently attacked by ghostly laughter from the myst. "Nothing you should concern yourself about."

"I recall someone saying something about walnuts yesterday."

"As I said, it has nothing to do with you," Nefros stressed, looking resolutely at the injured limb.

Odin grinned, finding this elf very amusing, adorably so. Duo's cheeks turned a soft peach when embarrassed. It gave the elf a glow of health. Odin had long resigned himself to the fact that the spell the elf cast on him was stronger than his own will. Even if he did anything, it would be the elf's fault. But as long as it didn't cloud his judgement and his mission, he was fine with it. Every endeavour requires a sacrifice.

Duo looked up at him abruptly. "Why are you here?"

Odin was taken aback. He never expected the elf to question him so suddenly. Flustered, he fumbled for his explanation and to his utter chagrin, it was the same, lame one he provided the elf yesterday. "I already told you, I'm looking for my…"

"…Dog. Yes, I am aware of that." Duo looked completely serious. "We both know exactly what this so called dog is. Why do you want to find it?"

The human stared hesitantly at the elf. He couldn't very well tell Duo that he needed to get the 'dog' to secure a bride and a fortune, therefore, saving his flagging family name. He chose the next best thing. He lied. "My King decreed it."

Duo tilted his head to the side, confused. The silky strands of chestnut gold draped a fair cheek while the rest shimmered with each movement. Odin found himself wondering what it would be like to touch such glorious hair. The people he knew, especially women found no desire for things to be natural and they usually had their hair coiffed to the point of death. Perhaps they did have more beautiful hair than this elf in front of him, but right now, he was under the treacherous elf's wicked love spell. He had no choice but to find every part of Duo enchanting. It was one of the requirements written in the spell he was sure.

"Your King decreed it?" Duo muttered, incredulous. "So if your King asks you to cut off your own head, you would as well?" He sniffed condescendingly.

Odin opened his mouth to issue a sharp retort and found himself rendered speechless. His answer was a conditioned 'yes', but the more he thought of it, the more stupid it sounded. Did anyone deserve so much control over another person's life, even if the person was King? And just what was a King? Someone who was born in the right place, at the right time. Someone who was acknowledged as leader by the people, and the same people that felt now oppressed. It was their current monarch that was sucking the Lords' fortunes dry so he could widen his hunting grounds and his palace. And he was also the reason Odin had to marry the Lady Cardiff, which led to his eventual presence in this place, being judged by this elf probably didn't know what he was talking about… right?

Nefros stared at the human's apparently shock, which dwindled into contemplation. There were many things he didn't agree with the monarchy of their kind, they were too authoritarian to the point of being over dictatorial. Didn't these people know to think for themselves? Why didn't they fight for their own freedom and right to carry out their own lives? If his father was to ever act in that fashion, his people would have long revolted and thrown him into the deepest, darkest prison that could exist in Sylver Myst. Perhaps it wasn't so wrong to say that humans were weak?

"We are… more… tolerant…" Odin finally said, albeit rather weakly.

Nefros bit his tongue to avoid blurting out the rather scathing remark that would involve animal excrements and pouring them down someone's blue-blooded throat. "In other words, you don't have a brain of your own?"

Odin bristled at that but even he couldn't find a proper retort to that. It was true that he did think the laws of his country, and endless obedience to a King who only thought of himself rather stupid. So, what he doing here trying to find a jewel that no one has ever survived looking for? He was beginning to feel more and more foolish. Instead, he decided to take the more direct approach.

"What does this thing do that everyone wants it?" Odin asked, now unbelievably curious. There was so much myth and legend behind this thing it was ridiculous. But he noted the question stunned the elf before him as well.

Nefros stilled, his hands hovering over Odin's injured foot. "I think you know. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here now, would you?"

Odin stared at the elf and sighed. "I heard that it does many great things. It can bring a person back to life, it can give you endless riches, and most of all, it can make you life forever."

The elf smiled wryly at these pronouncements. "First of all, no one can bring back the dead, this jewel or otherwise. Next thing, endless riches, knowing Humans, riches come in the form of material goods and gold and other precious gems and metal. And finally, living forever is not all that is cracked up to be. Besides, living forever means your life is one big funeral."

"What would you know about living forever? Who wouldn't want to live forever?" Odin snapped.

Nefros smiled, taking a deep breath. "Tell me, how old do you think I am?" He asked, smiling softly.

Odin felt a weight in his stomach and it came with a sickening feeling. He studied the elf in front of him for the longest time. As far as he could tell, Duo was only a boy, perhaps a year or two younger than him, no more. But something was telling him he was dead wrong. "I don't want to guess."

The elf smiled even wider, almost a grin. "Three guesses and if you are right, I give you cookies?"

"I'm not a child, I don't need a reward," Odin snapped. "You're about my age, perhaps a little younger."

"I'm almost five hundred years old." Nefros failed to suppress the snort of laughter at the almost horrified expression on Odin's face. "My father is twice that. So you see now? If you live in a society that 'lives forever' as you put it, sure you have nothing to lose, but you humans are so fragile. Your lives are merely a blink of an eye to us. So if you want live forever, your life would be one endless funeral." The elf finished the bandage and got up. "Think about it," he said, before walking away.

Tbc…