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 18

Relena suppressed a scream as she continued to tear the rooms given to her apart. She couldn't believe what she saw. There was no way Heero wouldn't prefer her over that… that long haired pathetic excuse of a slave.

She had gone this morning to get to know her fiancé better. She was not giving up the betrothal, not after the kind of reception she had been receiving from Heero. Normally, she would have given up but something about Heero's stubbornness and arrogance antagonised her. It was a clash of wills and she would not lose.

She cannot.

Then the ground fell from beneath her feet. She saw her intended pressing a kiss, a rather desperately passionate kiss to the mouth of his slave at the door to his chambers. By the state of Heero's undress, she knew that they had spent the night together.

Rage burned through her. Heero wasn't willing to marry her so he could go around with that… that…

Her hand swept across her side table, sending everything crashing to the ground.

"Your highness?" Dermail poked his head in cautiously. It had spread like wildfire that Princess Relena was in a foul mood thing morning. And the only reason for it was always King Heero. He didn't want to interrupt a female in the midst of her tantrum but he currently heard some news that the princess could get her revenge. And his as well.

He would make the slave pay.

His investigations while proving fruitless and nothing more then hearsay, was increasingly frustrating him. There was nothing that pointed to the slave as an elf, or anyone within the castle as well. But there was something that he could the slave with. The grove that all the servants like. The slave took care of the grove so meticulously, like his life depended on it. It was also gift from the King. The grove was given to Duo. Probably for services rendered in bed, he though with a sneer.

He would take away the thing that was important to the slave just as the slave had taken away from him the one thing that actually mattered to him – his position, his life's work. He wanted the slave to feel the pain and the humiliation of losing something that meant more to him than his life. And the idiot slave had just given him, such a good opportunity.

"Leave. Me. Alone!" Relena ground out.

"Princess, why get angry when you can get even?" Dermail said, an evil look gleaming in his eyes.

XXxxXX

"No," Heero said flatly, glaring at the princess staring down at him. He couldn't believe the gall of this woman, she marched up the steps to his throne in his receiving room to speak to him because she believed that they would be equals once they were married. She should not be required to speak to him like a vassle.

"I need a small cottage for myself," she argued again. "And the grove is the best place for it." In her heated argument, she didn't see the stricken look on many a slave's and servant's expression.

"No," Heero answered with a little bit more force. To his right, Trowa gave Wufei a look that spelled more than concern.

The young noble worry for Quatre. He knew what the grove meant for his estranged lover. Why was Relena bringing it up now? Why was she getting increasingly insistent about staying? Trowa feared that there was some plot afoot. Wufei was shooting daggers at the back of Relena's blonde head. Trowa's bright green eyes trailed to the end of the room to see Dermail hiding there. He got increasingly concerned. There was something about Dermail that seemed slimy. The former stable master was up to something but for the life of him, he couldn't be certain what.

"Why not?" Relena asked, trying to hold onto her temper.

"Because we have plenty of guest rooms. There is no need for you to have a cottage for yourself," Heero drawled as insultingly as possible. "Besides, I don't see you much a visitor here."

Relena gasped, blushing brightly. "What are you saying?"

Heero shrugged. "The same thing I have told you time and time again, I am not going to marry you."

Relena's fisted her hands at her side. Finally, she let loose her not so tightly reigned temper. "It's because of that slave! That long haired one! I wonder what the world is going to say, to hear King Heero indulging unclean acts with a male slave?" She crashed to the floor, her cheek stinging and Heero looming over her.

"I don't make it a habit of hitting women," he said tightly. "But when one oversteps her place and insults me and my slave, I will be forced to act. Whatever I do within the privacy of my bedchambers is my affair," he stressed the double entendre.

Relena scrambled to her feet, one hand holding her aching cheek and rushed out of the room, a loud sob escaping her. Her man servant followed her swiftly.

Wufei watched the scene rather detachedly but he felt the stirrings of unease. Something told him that they would have leave, and soon. With a curt nod to his King, he turned and followed the princess' hurried exit from the throne room.

Both Trowa and Heero watched in sadness at Wufei hurried escape from them. This marked the switching of loyalty from them to his own people. While they knew he had every right to place priority to them, it didn't make it hurt any less. It felt very much like their father abandoning them and for a while, Wufei was the only father those two young boys ever knew.

Drawing a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, Trowa turned to face his cousin. "You shouldn't have done that."

"What?" Heero tone was bored. "Hit that spoilt brattish princess?"

"She wasn't exactly like this when she came," Trowa reminded. "She was quite reasonable. It is as if someone is poisoning her thoughts."

The two shared a look of suspicion as the shifty former stable master of Kyrin came to mind. "But for what reason?" Heero asked, confused.

"It could be Duo. He caused Dermail to lose his position," Trowa reasoned. "And everyone knows that the grove is important to Duo. Relena also knows that you can ill afford a war in this time, perhaps she thought to issue demands in such a manner that you can't deny her."

Heero snorted softly. "Now when it concerns the safety of…" He trailed off looking up at Trowa meaningfully. His cousin had come to him completely broken down and babbling about how he had to give Quatre up. He understood how Trowa felt exactly. After all, he had to let a love that transcended even death up, just a few nights back. He had seen Quatre walking around the castle, looking like death warmed over. Duo had always kept close to his brother, even if he had thrown lookst at Heero. Those looks were almost longing, but also filled with recrimination. As if Duo thought he had no right to want what he wanted. It was times like these that Heero wanted to gather the elf into his arms and hold him forever.

But he also knew that he had no right to do just that. The elves were preparing for an exodus back to their homeland. It had been done in secret, so as to not stir anymore talk within the castle and in a few days, under the cover of night, Duo would be out of his life forever. He contemplated throwing his throne, his country, and his old life aside and beg Duo to let him go back to the Forest with him but even as he thought that, he knew how utterly ridiculous it sounded. He could no sooner give up what he worked so hard to establish than cut his own head off.

He had all the lessons Duo thought him so many years ago. He wasn't about to let Duo down by forgetting it. Duty was important, more important than love. And he had a duty to his people, to those under his care.

He found himself utter pathetic that he should just sit there and watch as the love of his life walked out of his existence forever.

"There might be repercussions," Trowa warned, rubbing his aching head.

Heero's eyes coloured with concern. He knew just how little sleep his cousin was getting these days, if how much of sleep he was getting was an indication. He never felt so lonely in his life. How did Odin managed to live out his years? "Such as?"

"She could bring the might of Sanq down on us."

"She's supposed to be a pacifist," Heero reasoned.

"She is still a princess and with the pride of one. You publicly humiliated her, and over something as inconsequential as a slave."

Heero couldn't stop the growl that started at the base of his throat. "Duo isn't inconsequential!" He snarled.

"I know that, you know that, and even half the slave population at Feldrock knows that, but does Relena?"

Heero was left to gape open mouthed at his cousin.

XXxxXX

Wufei burst into the room he shared with his wife, his chest heaving with something akin to panic. Sally looked from her packing and instantly rushed to his side.

"What's wrong?" She immediately asked, taking his arm and leading him to sit on a chair.

"We… have… to leave… soon… now…" Wufei gasped in between breaths.

Sally frowned in confusion. "What? Why?"

Wufei shook his head taking a deep breath. "I am not sure, but something tells me that if we don't, we never will."

Meanwhile, in another room in the noble section, Relena was once again reducing her possessions to scrap while Dermail was trying to calm her down. It worked out better than he could ever hoped for. He had wanted the slave to hurt while his lover, the King had to issue and order to take away one of his, if not his only, possession. But now, if he manipulated the princess right, he could have his revenge by hurting both the slave and the King.

"Your Highness," Dermail placated.

It was a mistake to call attention on himself. Relena swung around and turned on him. "You! You asked me to do this, and looked what happened! He hit me! No one has ever hit me before, not even my father! That… that… bastard hit me for a slave!" Her chest heaved.

"Calm down, princess, he hurt you and you can hurt him back," Dermail soothed.

"What?" Relena asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "How?" She took the bait easily.

"We can still destroy the grove."

"How?" She repeated.

Dermail edged closer. "This is how we do it."

By the time he was done, Relena was uneasy but in agreement. No one attacked her and got away with it.

XXxxXX

"Now?" Quatre blurted, finally showing signs of life ever since Lord Trowa told them they were over. There were dark smudges under his eyes and once vibrant blue green was now dull and lifeless. If his brother hadn't been diligently caring for him all this while, he would have faded away to nothing. As it was, he had lost so much weight that his clothes literally hung on him.

"Your Emminence," Wufei started respectfully. "There is a threat, though I can't exactly say how or why. But we need to leave here. We are safer on the road back home."

Quatre was shaking his head vehemently. "I will never see him again, I don't want to leave now. I get to see him for a few more days before I will live a life without joy or love ever again. I just want that few more days!" He stated melodramatically.

Duo gathered his brother into a hug, feeling a lump in his throat. He was having his own reluctance for leaving. Since that one night of passion, he had had limited contact with Heero and the man hadn't imposed his presence on the elf like he normally would. It was as if they understood where they stood in this matter.

He's right, Master, the myst intoned seriously. I feel a bad omen.

Duo ignored that silent voice. "There's no time to harvest the seeds of the grove. And we can't leave the trees here!"

There was no way to save them. Once the myst leaves with them, within Duo, the trees would die. It was inevitable. Still, it was painful to see something that belonged to the elves, something that was linked to the magic of the elves died because of him again. Would he be the death of everything he cared about?

"There are people on the way to do it," Wufei explained. "But we need to leave as soon as possible. Something about the princess and Dermail makes me very uncomfortable."

Duo stroked his brother's soft hair, whose face was buried in his brother's chest. "He's no threat to us."

"You don't know that!" Wufei almost yelled, his fists clenched tightly at his side.

You don't know that, the myst whispered at exactly the same time.

Duo started. He knew why Wufei was so agitated. For Wufei, it was about duty and keeping promises. He was this close of fulfilling his duty to his people and bringing their prince home. Both of them. Then, Quatre was pushing away from him.

"I have to see Trowa, I have to see him!" Quatre was babbling, stumbling toward the door and almost drunkenly evading a grab from Wufei. He disappeared through the door before anyone else could stop him.

Duo surged to his feet, worried that his brother would do something he shouldn't. A hand clamped on his shoulder stopped him. "Wufei?" He queried.

"You have decided to leave, right?" The warrior asked uncertainly.

Duo nodded tightly. "I never meant to stay. It could never be."

Wufei inclined his head in acknowledgement and stepped back. Duo knew the other elf could see his reluctance in leaving, his indecision but also knew that he was someone with honour. As their Master, he would lead the elves home. Thereafter, Duo would disappear right after a new Master was chosen. He didn't deserve that position after so much blood on his hands. Sleeping was harder these days, knowing that he didn't have anyone other himself to blame. The guilt was eating away at him and he didn't foresee it long before it ate him whole.

"I have to find Quatre. I am afraid he would do something silly," Duo rushed out of the room.

You still have a home, the myst explained.

You also fail to understand. Not only did I fail to seek revenge in the person that stole you away, I am still in love with him. I cannot be forgiven.

You need no forgiveness except from yourself.

Duo laughed bitterly. If only I can believe that. No matter what I do, it will never be enough. I can never replace those lives that have died for my mistake. He no longer blamed the myst. After all, it was who took Heero back to his cottage.

Master…

Enough, please. Duo didn't want to hear anymore. Besides, he had already found his brother.

"…leave," Trowa was saying but there was in his voice. So much pain despite trying to sound as cold as he could.

"You want me to leave?" Quatre said incredulously.

"I already told, what we did was a mistake…" Trowa was abruptly cut short, his voice muffled.

A peek around the corner showed Duo exactly why Trowa's mouth was muffled… by Quatre's. He shook his head in resignation. Why did his brother bother? Didn't he understand?

"You still love me," Quatre whispered softly, resting his head against Trowa's chin. "Your kiss said it all."

Trowa sighed heavily, pulling back to look down at the currently 'little one'. "You can't stay with me."

"Why?" Quatre wailed.

"You and your people will die."

Quatre gestured carelessly. "They can leave, they don't have to stay!"

Trowa cupped Quatre's cheeks in his hands gently. He never thought he could ever do this again. He looked deeply into darkly smudged eyes. It hurt him to know that Quatre was in as much pain as he was. "If you don't go, your brother won't," he explained gently. "And if your brother doesn't…"

"It isn't fair!" Quatre buried his face into Trowa's shoulder. "We love each other, why can't we allowed to stay with each other?"

"The same reason Heero and I can't," Duo whispered, burying his face into his hands. Warm arms encircled him, pulling him back against a strong body. He tried to turn but was held fast.

"Don't turn," Heero whispered softly. "I can't bear to see you knowing you are going to leave."

Duo sighed, leaning back, flush against Heero's frame. "Wufei is asking us to leave tonight."

Heero stiffened. "Why?" This was the first he heard of it.

"Something about the princess and Dermail," Duo shivered at the latter. Dermail still frightened him after all this time.

"I took care of them," Heero answered. "I will not have them hurting you."

Duo twisted a little. "Hurting us? What did they want to do?"

"Relena wanted your grove for some sort of holiday cottage."

Horror struck Duo like a bludgeon.

Master, if the grove is destroyed, the elves here wouldn't last long, the silent voice sounded urgent.

I know that!

Not even I can sustain them for long.

I know… what? You can't?

I am not limitless in a place this foreign to me. The Forest is under my control, the world of Man isn't.

Pain, blinding pain hit Duo and dual screams filled the air. He dimly recognised it as his own and his brother's. Why was he feeling this pain?

"Duo, what's wrong? Duo!" Heero voice was filled with stark fear as he tried to turn him over from where he fell.

"Quatre, answer me, are you alright?" Trowa sounded equally frantic.

Something is wrong, Duo screamed silently.

The grove!

"Your Majesty, your Majesty!" A servant boy ran down the hallway. "The servant's grove, it's on fire!"

tbc