Heero and his group walked into the dinning hall. It was impressive but only
a few people were seated at the table. The King of course sat at the head of
the table. To
his right was Catherine and the seat to his left was left empty. Relena however
sat on the other side of the empty seat. Heero sighed mentally. He had no interest
in women.
Trowa nodded to his guest. "Please have a seat. Prince Heero would you
mind sitting next to me?"
"Of course not, Your Majesty." Heero sat at Trowa's left.
"How are you finding the castle, Your Highness?" Relena asked.
"Very impressive."
"Thank you." Trowa said. "My mother was very proud of her work
on the castle."
"Your mother?"
"Oh yes, mother felt the castle should embody that of its people who support
the kingdom." Catherine said. "She had all kinds of people come and
work on the castle. Artists of all kinds. Even the poorest of artist. In fact she preferred the
common artist to the famous ones."
"Why is that?" Sally asked, who sat next to Relena.
"She felt that they were truer to who they were." Trowa answered.
"They were also part of the heart of the kingdom. Our mother insisted that
we understood those below us are what make us."
"Very true." Wufei said. He looked at Catherine on his right. "You
mother sounds very noble."
Catherine smiled. "Yes, she was. Trowa is a lot like her."
Trowa raised an eyebrow. "Let us eat. Tabby?" A woman stepped forward
and curtsied. "Tell the chef we are ready to eat." The woman left.
"So Your Highness, tell us about your kingdom." Relena asked. Trowa
and Catherine both mentally groaned. They were sure Relena was going to do something
they would regret.
"It's very pretty." Sally said. "Lots of forests. More so than
here. No offense Your Majesty."
"None taken." Trowa assured her.
Relena held herself from glaring at Sally. "So Prince Heero, what is the
capital city like?"
"It's a focal point of everything in the Eastern Lands." Meiran said.
"Major trading is done there. All higher courts convene there, along with
all royal courts. The major universities are also there."
"And what do you do there?" Relena asked her.
Before Meiran could answer Wufei spoke up. "She is my wife, what do you
think she does?"
"And what do you do?" Relena asked him.
"Does it matter?" Everyone looked at Trowa. "He is accompanying
Prince Heero, that is all you need to know, cousin."
"He is the ruler of the Dragon Clan." Heero spoke for once. "They
rule the mountains in the east."
"You didn't have to answer."
"Aa but then the questioning would never end."
Trowa sighed; he knew Relena would over step her bounds; it was only a matter
of time. "I apologies for my cousin."
"No need, Your Majesty. Our kingdoms had been at war with each other for
quite some time. It wasn't until our grandparents grew tired of the war that
there was peace. It was decided that the Dragon clan would have the mountains
to rule and the rest was left to my family."
"The Dragon clan only wanted the mountains." Wufei said. "Nothing
else interested them. Our parents decided that we should work more closely to
insure the peace."
"Hence bringing the royal family members together to work side by side
for no less than half the year." Meiran finished.
"That is of course unless something happens that would be considered out
of the ordinary." Sally added.
"Like what?" Catherine asked.
"Marriage, deaths, births or war." Meiran answered.
"Interesting." Trowa said.
The rest of the meal consisted of small talk. Afterwards Heero and his group
returned to their chambers for more rest. Trowa, Catherine and Relena headed
for the library. Trowa sat down and stared at Relena. Or rather he glared at
her. She sat down and began to read to herself.
"Are you trying to start a war?" Trowa finally asked her.
She looked up with puzzlement written on her face. "Your Majesty?"
"I asked if you are trying to start a war?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Then why did you question them so much?"
"I simply wished to know more about them."
"You mean you wanted to know more about Prince Heero."
"Your Majesty..."
"Relena, do not anger them. I have no wish to be in a war. My people are
happy and thriving. I'd like to keep it that way." Trowa stood and started
for the door. "I'll be
with my other guest." He walked out of the library.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quatre sat eating the soup that had been brought to him. Duo sat watching him.
He was hungry; once again the staff had forgotten to feed him. It was times
like these he really did feel like an animal. He knew no one liked the fact
that he had a room and Trowa treated him like a person. But still he wanted
some food. Quatre had already let him eat all his bread. But Duo knew the blond
needed to eat.
"Are you sure you don't want any soup?" Quatre asked him.
"No you need to eat."
"So do you." Trowa said from the door. "No one has brought you
anything?" Duo shook his head. "Abby?" Trowa yelled.
The young lady came rushing in and curtsied to Trowa. "Aye, Yur Majesty?"
"Bring something for Duo to eat, now." Trowa ordered.
"As ye wish, Yur Majesty." She hurried down the hall.
Trowa sat down in a chair. "I'm sorry, Duo. I think I'll be giving new
orders tomorrow to the staff. Starving you is not an option for them."
Duo went over and laid his head on Trowa's knee. The corner of Trowa's mouth
turned up just a bit. He petted Duo's head. "And how are you feeling, Quatre?"
"Fine, um what's going to happen to me?" Quatre looked down at the
blanket.
"What would you like? Do you wish to go home?"
"I don't even know how I got here. How am I supposed to go home?"
"If you wish to go home I can have some people find a way home for you."
"And if I don't want to go home?"
Trowa was surprised by the question. Why would the boy not want to go home?
"I guess it's up to you. I am willing to help you in any way."
Quatre was confused why a king would offer to help him. He knew nothing of Quatre
and Quatre knew nothing of the king. "Why are you helping me?"
"Why not?" Trowa was avoiding the question. He knew why. The minute
he saw the blond he found him to be irresistible. He had wanted to get to know
him better. Even if all he had seen was an unconscious person.
Duo rolled his eyes. He had known Trowa far too long to not know what Trowa
was thinking. Besides the night before Trowa had been talking to Duo about how
lonely he
had been feeling. To Duo, Trowa's actions were clear as day. He was trying to
be in good favor with the blond. Maybe have something together.
Duo had been spending enough time with Quatre to know the two were prefect for
each other. There were only a few problems. Like what if Quatre wanted to go
home. Or what if Quatre didn't like males. So far the blond hadn't mentioned
what his life was like at his home. Nor had he given Duo any clues as to what
he liked in a mate.
"Perhaps tomorrow, Duo can show you the gardens. Lady Une thinks your ready
to get out of bed." Trowa told Quatre.
"That would be nice. Staying in bed is getting boring." Quatre said.
"So what are you doing tomorrow?"
"I have a prince visiting form the Eastern lands. He is here to talk about
trade. I think we may be able to come up with a trade agreement easily."
"That's good right?"
Trowa smiled. "Yes, that would be good. The increase of trade will benefit
both kingdoms."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Duo curled up on Trowa's bed. He watched the young king get ready for bed. "He
really is quite beautiful isn't he?" Duo said.
Trowa looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "That's the second time you've
mentioned that."
"Is it?"
"What are you thinking, Duo?"
"That you like him."
"I don't even know him."
"Yes but you're drawn to him. I can tell."
"How can you tell?"
"You go to see him everyday. Correction, you see him more than once a day."
Duo smiled at him.
"What are you getting at Duo?" Trowa got into bed and pulled the covers
over him.
"You like him." Duo purred.
"I don't even know him."
"That's because you have that prince here. But if he weren't here you'd
be spending more time with Quatre."
"Why are you so set on this Duo? It's not like you to worry over me liking
someone."
Duo sighed. "You're all alone, Trowa. I want you happy. I bet Quatre can
make you happy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The gardens are beautiful, Duo." Quatre walked slowly with Duo through
the gardens. Duo usually didn't come out here without Trowa. "It's a lot
bigger than the one my dad
has at home."
Duo's ears perked up. Quatre was mentioning his home; now Duo could do a little
digging. "You have gardens like this at home?"
"Well my dad does. He had them made for my mom."
"How nice."
"Yeah I guess." Quatre shrugged and sounded a little sad.
"What's wrong?"
"Huh, what?"
"You sound sadder."
"Oh well its nothing."
"You miss your family, your dad?"
Quatre snorted. "The only reason my dad would miss me was if he needed
to yell at someone."
Duo blinked. "You don't like your home?"
"I was racing around on a curvy mountain road because my dad had yelled
at me."
"Why did he yell at you?"
"Because I got a B- on a test. Didn't matter that I got the highest grade
in the class. It just wasn't good enough. Guess that means I'm not good enough."
Duo's eyes narrowed. He may not have known the blond but he liked him. He didn't
like the way Quatre was talking about himself. "Stop talking like that."
Quatre stopped and stared at Duo. "Excuse me?"
"I said stop talking like that. If your father doesn't like you because
you don't live up to his expectations, then too bad for him."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And this is the inner sanctum of the gardens." Relena said.
Meiran rolled her eyes. "Really, how quaint." She wasn't impressed;
the gardens were no where near as beautiful as her mountains. Besides she hated
walking around with the 'fallen princess' as she called her.
Sally mentally cringed. Meiran was doing her best to upset Relena. She can just
see the end where Meiran and Relena started a war between the two kingdoms.
Heero would
not be happy. "They are nice, Relena. Is this another of His Majesty's
mother's doings?"
"I don't think so. I think it was his father's project." Relena looked
around.
"His father's? Interesting."
"Yes well if I remember correctly the late king had a fondness for the
outdoors. Since he was king he really couldn't spend that much time gallivanting
around the countryside. So he has [had] farmers and such build him these gardens."
"Trowa doesn't get out here much." The ladies heard a voice say. It
was a man's but it was muffled by the trees and bushes. "He's a lot like
his dad."
"I can see why he likes it so much." Another male voice said.
The ladies looked at each other and then began to follow the sound of the voices.
Relena really wanted to know who was talking about Trowa in such a manor. As
if they were his closest friend or something. Turning a corner Relena nearly
gasped. Sitting on a bench was the blond boy they had found and His Majesty's
pet.
"What are you doing out here?" She asked, a small amount of anger
and surprised slipped into her speech.
Both boys looked up at her. Duo quickly got off the bench and huddled behind
Quatre. Quatre himself didn't know what to do. Relena looked familiar but he
didn't know where
from. Perhaps one of the ladies he saw in his room the first time he woke up.
The other two women stared back at him, or were they staring at Duo?
"You're not supposed to be out here."
"Excuse me?" Quatre began.
"Let alone bring a sick and injured person out here." Quatre heard
Duo whimper.
"Excuse me, ma'am." Quatre spoke up. "Tro.... His Majesty said
Duo could bring me out here."
Relena looked at him. "And that's another thing: we do not talk about His
Majesty in the familiar. He is the king; you are to treat him as such."
Quatre felt like he was being yelled at by his father.
"It's all right, Relena." Everyone turned to the sound of Trowa's
voice. He walked towards them with Heero and Wufei behind him. When Trowa stopped
Duo scurried over
to him and stayed behind his legs.
"Your Majesty they..."
"I said it was all right, Relena. Quatre is my guest; you shouldn't reprimand
him like that." Trowa turned to the other ladies. "How do you like
the gardens?"
"Very nice Your Majesty." Sally told him.
"They're pretty." Meiran said. "I mean no offence when I say
this but I prefer the mountains."
"I understand and no offence is taken." Trowa then looked over at
Quatre. "How do you find the gardens?"
"Oh they're beautiful." Quatre looked at Duo behind Trowa. "Is
he okay?"
"Duo?" Trowa looked behind him. Duo seemed scared.
Duo had gone behind Trowa to escape Relena. She thought he was pest and he hated
being around her because everything he did upset her. Now there were four new
people
staring at him. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to embarrass Trowa.
"Relena, go get some tea for Duo." Trowa ordered.
"Your Majesty?"
"Be sure to put some calming herbs in it."
"Your Majesty?"
"Now Relena." Relena curtsied and left. Trowa looked at Heero. "I'm
sorry but he gets like this sometimes. A moment of privacy if you please."
Heero nodded and his group walked away. Quatre, however, stayed. Not like he
hadn't been around Duo. Quatre walked over and knelt down beside Duo and put
his hand on
Duo's shoulder.
"What's wrong with him?" Quatre asked softly.
Trowa knelt down. "Relena doesn't like him. Normally it's no big deal.
However there are other guests. I think it scared him."
"Why?"
"When I found Duo, he didn't know much of his past. I think something bad
has happened to him. So something like today scares him."
"Does it happen often?"
"No."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did you see what I saw?" Wufei asked.
"Yes." Meiran answered. Sally nodded in agreement.
Heero stood facing the way they had come. They had only gone around some bushes.
None of them were up to risking getting lost in the gardens. Heero tried to
hear what the king and the blond were talking about. But they were talking in
soft voices.
Heero couldn't believe what he saw at first. When he and the king walked up
to the others there was something behind the blond. It then scurried over to
the king. Heero had been standing behind the king and saw a vision of beauty
cowering behind the king's legs. It looked up briefly at Heero. He was taken
back by the beautiful violet eyes, the long chestnut braid. What really got
Heero was the tail the same color and the ears on top of its head. And then
the creature turned away form him, scared.
Heero wanted to know more about the beauty. "Does anyone know what it was?"
Three sets of eyes looked at him.
"I think it was a he, Heero." Sally told him, a small smirk on her
face.
"Aa." A he? It was perfect or rather he was perfect. "What kind
of creature is he?"
Everyone looked at each other. "We don't know Heero." Wufei told him.
That was fine Heero would just have to find out on his own.
TBC...
Oh yes feedback would be a really good thing.