Title: The Devil Has Blue Eyes
By: Aina Song
Fandom(s): Gundam Wing
Genre: Yaoi (with some Het thrown in)
Rating: PG-15
Warning(s): Contraband; Fusion; Language; Death; Murder.
Pairing(s): Heero/Quatre (constant mentionings of Het pairings)
Reviews: Yes, please.
Author's Note: (I'm afraid my usual Disclaimer will not be enough this time, so bear with me.) I, Aina Song, hereby acknowledge the illegality of the following fusion fiction, which is based very thickly upon Clara Wimberly's The Jeweled Heart of Rosemont Castle. I do not claim any rights or privileges her book may have earned her, nor do I claim credit for the book itself. This fanfiction follows her plot almost to the letter, with few changes tossed in here and there, but I must again press that it does so without the explicit permission of Ms. Wimberly, her editor(s), or her publisher(s). This fiction was not written for money; I do not profit from this in any way, shape, or form. Please excuse the illegality of it all, and I do hope my own readers will try to look past my unlawfulness and enjoy the fiction nonetheless. Thank you.
Teaser: He did not care that he was the lost heir to a winery fortune - especially since he couldn't remember that earliest piece of his childhood. He only wanted to reclaim the family that had been kept from him. But there was another who was determined to unmask him as an imposter. And, at the same time, a strange cold presence stirred again at his return, anxious to finish what it had started so long ago…
Chapter Twenty-Nine
When Quatre opened the door, Heero was standing in the hallway, leaning with one elbow propped against the wall. But then he dropped his arm and straightened, his dark blue eyes raking hungrily over the blond. "Gypsy," he said huskily, "I don't think I'll be calling you warabe any longer."
"Good," Quatre replied, eyes narrowing in a mock frown. "I never liked the sound of that one. Wufei finally told me what it meant, by the way. You still think me a child?"
"No," he whispered. "I most certainly do not."
Then, careful of Quatre's fine new suit, Heero pulled the blond against him until their bodies lined snugly together. He skimmed his mouth along Quatre's jaw before gently pulling at the blond's earlobe with his teeth. "I'm not sure I want to take you downstairs," he growled.
"Why?"
"I don't want to share you with anyone else tonight." He pulled one last time at Quatre's earlobe before kissing his mouth again. Then he let go of the blond and drew away, laughing softly. "We'd better go down to the ballroom, before I do something we'd both regret."
"I'd never regret anything with you," Quatre swore.
"Don't tempt me any more than you already do," Heero said with another chuckle. He took Quatre's hand in his own, threading their fingers together, and that was how they stayed as the two walked down together.
"Well, you two are the happiest-looking couple I've seen tonight," Hiromi smiled as they entered the ballroom. "And I've seen quite a few."
She was beautiful in a gown of beige lace and pale pink taffeta; it displayed her olive skin to perfection. She looked young and carefree, and when Treize stepped to her side, the happiness on Hiromi's face was reflected on his as well.
But suddenly Treize stepped toward Quatre. There was a look of alarm in his eyes as he stared down at the blond's right hand. "That ring… where did you get it?"
For a moment, Quatre fisted his hand protectively around it, but then lifted his hand so that his father could see it more clearly. "Rasid gave it to me before he died."
Treize threw his head back with a sudden laugh. Stepping forward, he gripped Quatre by the shoulders and then pulled him in for a tight embrace. "Quatre Raberba," he said triumphantly when he pulled away. "My own Quatre Raberba."
When he turned to Hiromi and Heero to find them staring, he chuckled again. "But don't you see?" He took Quatre's hand, brandishing the ring at them; "This proves it. He really is Quatre Raberba." Turning again to the blond, he said, "Come, let's sit down. I'll explain everything."
They all moved to the edge of the floor where several chairs had been placed in an alcove created by large potted palms. Heero stood behind Quatre's chair, his hand protectively on the blond's shoulder as Treize began to explain himself. The older man was practically breathless with excitement:
"That ring, son, was forged especially for you. I had always planned on giving it to you once you had grown into manhood. It was part of a set, actually; I'd also had a matching talisman created for your mother. Two roses, you see? It was a significant symbol for Leia and myself, for that was how I'd proposed to her. The son of Rosemont Estate, on his knee and offering two long-stemmed red roses to the most beautiful woman in the county. Your ring vanished when the two of you did."
His look was so tender, so sincere, that Quatre forgot all the doubts he'd had about his father. Biting at his lip, the blond asked, "What happened to the talisman?"
"Your mother wore it every day. In fact," he said, with a sad little look toward Hiromi, "she was wearing it the day she left Rosemont."
Hiromi watched her husband, and Quatre realized at that moment the kind of wonderful and gracious person she truly was. She was feeling every emotion Treize was, and she looked at him with pride, recognizing how romantic he'd been to give such a sentimental gift to Quatre and his mother.
Heero's hand was firm upon Quatre's shoulder, warm and reassuring. "But Treize, I thought you believed all along that he was Quatre Raberba."
"I wanted to believe it, just as you said. But even though he looks like Leia, I did have my doubts, though they were few. I decided he could be my son. I was willing to accept he might not be who he claimed." He smiled at Heero, "And thank you for letting me believe that, even after you knew your investigation was fruitless."
Heero shook his head with amusement, his blue eyes gleaming as he glanced down at Quatre.
"I'm so happy for you," Hiromi whispered.
"Well," Treize said, slapping his hands upon his knees. "What a splendid way to start the evening! I'm so excited, I think I'll make an announcement."
They all smiled indulgently at him as he went to the small bandstand. His step was light and jaunty, and he looked the picture of health. The music stopped, and the dancers turned to see what was happening.
Treize held up his arms to the crowd of people. He smiled as he gestured for Quatre to come forward. "Friends and neighbors, this evening is a very special one for all of us here at Rosemont Castle. But it is doubly special for me because of the young man standing beside me. Some of you have already met him. But for those of you who haven't, as his proud father, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Quatre Raberba Khushrenada."
They were murmurs of appreciation, and the dancers applauded warmly. Then Heero stepped forward and took Quatre's hand, pulling him out to the middle of the floor. He smiled mischievously and led the blond around in a simple waltz as the band began to play once more.
There was more applause and laughter as the others joined them on the dance floor. It was a memorable evening, full of gaiety and joy. Quatre danced once with Hiromi, while Heero spun about with Mariemeia, much to the little girl's delight. She was wearing one of her pretty new dresses, and the blond noticed as he took his turn with her that she had become more open and animated since their first meeting. Much of the credit for that went to Cathy.
There were only two things that took some of the pleasure out of the evening. One was the flash of anger and hatred in Dorothy Une's eyes when she looked at Quatre dancing again with Heero; the other was the sadness and dejection in Zechs'.
The blond mentioned this to Heero, who frowned darkly, making the blond almost wish he had not said anything. The darker man was becoming suspicious of everyone and everything since the night of the fire. Sometimes he looked as though he wanted to suspect even Wufei, who was naught but loyalty itself to his master.
Quatre was pleased to see Relena and her mother. Relena was on the arm of a young man whom she proudly explained was a lawyer. The blond had a feeling that something might come of their relationship, and he said so teasingly as he spun her around on the dance floor. He knew Relena was not the kind of girl to be content in a small mountain town forever.
After dinner and more dancing, it came time for the unveiling of Zechs' painting. They had heard the rush of wind outside the castle all evening, and now thunder rumbled threateningly in the distance. Many people were anxious to be on their way home, lest they be caught traveling in a storm in the middle of the night.
"Years ago," Zechs announced, "I painted a portrait of the beautiful Leia Khushrenada. And now, in the same season, I have painted one of her son, Quatre Raberba." With great aplomb he whisked the cover from the portrait.
There were loud gasps all around the room, then silence as the guests gazed with shock at the picture. Quatre turned, feeling as though he were in a dream, to see why everyone was behaving so strangely.
The picture was very similar to the one Zechs had done of Quatre's mother. The sky behind the vineyard was dark and stormy, with great streaks of lightning reaching toward the earth. He had painted Quatre in lighter, airier tones, but he still stood out boldly, standing in the midst of the vines with one hand stretched upward as though to catch the lightning.
But the face… it had been slashed away until nothing of his features could be identified. The canvas hung in strips and from the slashes ran long, jagged rivulets of red that glittered wetly now beneath the candlelit chandeliers.
"Mon dieu," Zechs whispered, as shocked as any of them. He held the canvas cover limply in his hand and stared at his ruined portrait, his mouth moving silently as though unable to believe the atrocity done to the result of his hard work.
Everyone in the room had begun to murmur, and they turned to one another with speculation.
Heero ripped the cover from Zechs' hand and threw it back over the canvas. His jaw clenched dangerously as he stood only inches from Zechs.
Quatre immediately moved between them, spreading his arms out from his sides as though he could keep the darker man at bay. "Don't, Heero," he whispered, aware of everyone's looks. "I-it doesn't matter. It's only someone's idea of a prank."
"A prank?" Heero hissed, and his fury was shocking. "You call this a prank? It's sick, Quatre! And if I have to rip this castle apart, I intend to find out exactly who did this and why."
Treize stepped forward, placing a warning hand on Heero's shoulder. "I'm sorry the evening had to end on such a disquieting note," he said to the guests. "But I believe the dance is finished. Good night, my friends."