'...' thoughts
One and Only Part 19
Two days following the elves' departure from the Trasil palace, Heero announced his own intentions of beginning the journey back to Akrin the next morning. The announcement caught everyone off guard, especially Quatre and Trowa since they had been staying by his side nearly twenty-four hours a day since Duo had been taken from him. They of course protested immediately, since they believed it would be best for him to remain at the palace for a few more days to recover. However, the blue-eyed man was adamant in his decision and the next morning found him and his party, including the two lovers, Wufei, and Sally, gathered in the courtyard in preparation to leave.
Striding up to the young lord where he was checking and tightening the saddle straps for his horse, Zechs prepared once again to try and talk him out of his decision. "Heero." the blonde king said once he was standing at his side. "Would you not reconsider? At least stay until after Septim's trial."
"No." Heero replied firmly, having grown weary of the others' constant harping since he had told them of his plans the night before. "I have duties at home I can no longer put off, duties that require my presence there, not here."
"But surely you want to see the man--"
"I have absolute faith that you'll see to it he's punished in an appropriate manner." Heero interrupted. "You don't need me here to see that justice is served."
"Heero--"
"Please Zechs, if you consider me a friend at all, just drop it." the dark-haired lord stated softly. "I just can't stay here any longer."
"But you will return though, eventually?" the taller man asked just as softly, his voice taking on a pleading tone.
"In time." Heero agreed with a nod of his head before swinging himself up into the saddle. "But until then, goodbye your highness."
Then, not giving the man time to voice any further entreaties, he turned the horse toward the palace gates, preparing to spur the animal forward and thus signaling for the others to follow. However before he could, he heard a voice calling him.
"Heero, wait!" Lucrezia called, rushing down the palace steps with her dark blue gown raised up very unlady like in the front as she hurried to catch the dark-haired lord.
"Lu dammit, you shouldn't be running around like that; especially in your condition." Zechs admonished his wife once she was standing beside them, his arms going securely around her waist as she leaned against his side in order to catch her breath.
"Condition?" Heero questioned, his eyes narrowing as he looked the woman over closely. During his stay at the palace with Duo, he and the young queen had managed to deepen their friendship during the hours spent caring for the small elf and he therefore did not like the thought of something being wrong with her.
"Yes." Zechs sighed as he gave his wife a half-hearted glare. "We'd intended to keep it a secret until an official announcement could be made, something we'd planned to do in a few days and we would've like for you and the others to be there. But since you're damned determined to leave, you might as well know now; Lu is pregnant."
Shock ripped though the blue-eyed lord's mind at the king's words, knowing as he did how hard the two of them had tried to have a child over the last several years. Giving them both a warm smile even as a tingle of guilt crawled in his stomach for leaving as he was, Heero said sincerely, "Congratulation."
"Thank you Heero," Lucrezia said, returning the smile before reaching into a pocket at her waist and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "but that's not what I stopped you for. Duo managed to slip this to me just prior to their leaving and asked that I not give it to you until you were leaving yourself. I'm not sure of his reasoning for this; we didn't really get the chance to talk unfortunately."
Accepting the paper that the dark-haired queen passed to him as if it was a most precious manuscript, Heero carefully slipped it into his inside coat pocket where it would be close to his heart and protected from the elements at the same time. Then giving the woman a watery smile in thanks since he could not trust his voice at that moment, he turned his horse and headed out the palace gates; the others following close in his wake.
********************
Unlike the trek Heero had undertaken to reach the palace only a few weeks prior, the journey back to Yuy Manor was taken at a more sedate pace. Even though what he had said to the blonde king was true about not being able to remain at the palace, the same could be said of his home in Akrin. There were just as many memories of the violet-eyed boy there and he was not in a hurry to arrive, which allowed them to take the full two days to make the trip. During the duration of the journey, the unopened message the queen had given him rested securely in his pocket since he knew that any message left by his longhaired love would break the tenuous hold he had on his emotions. Therefore, he refused even to look at it until he was safely locked away inside his room.
Upon their arrival at the manor, Heero managed to stay long enough to make sure the unloading and stabling of the horses was accomplished before he excused himself and headed toward the bedroom he had shared with Duo for so many months. It was only once the door was safely shut and locked behind him that he allowed himself to remove the note from his jacket pocket. Then walking over to one of the large, wing backed chairs against the wall, he sat down and carefully unfolded the small slip of paper, smoothing the creases and immediately noting the tearstains that caused the ink to run in places before he began to read:
My dearest Heero,I hope that one day you'll be able to forgive me for not being able to talk my father out of his decision. I tried so hard, but he refused to listen and threatened so many things I just couldn't disobey him. He keeps telling me one day I'll forget, that I just need time away from you to get these ideas of love out of my head, but I know I never will. Please remember, no matter what happens and no matter what he may have said to you that I love you; always have, always will.
With all my love,
Duo
With each simple and sincere word, the violet-eyed elf managed to break down the last of Heero's hastily erected defenses, bringing forth a flood of salty tears that seemed at first to have no end. Though what was written was obviously done so in haste, the young lord could quite clearly see what was not put down on the paper; he could see the love and devotion the small elf bore for him as well as the desperation with which the note was written. More importantly though, he could see the goodbye that was inferred but not expressed.
"Duo." he whispered brokenly, clutching the paper to his chest as he collapsed to the floor, his world taking on a distinctive grey color as the last of his hope was finally crushed.
********************
Over the next several months, Yuy manor saw many changes, not the least of which involving its young master. Without the braided elf's presence, the brightness and feeling of warmth that had seemed to permeate the entire structure and grounds not long after his arrival simply faded, leaving a cold, emptiness in their place. As for Heero though, the loss of the one thing that was more precious to him than even his own life, caused him to wall himself away. While he still carried out his duties as befitting a lord and senator, he no longer smiled and the iciness he had once been so well known for returned to his demeanor. Only this time, not even his closest friends were exempt from the cold treatment as he fought desperately to keep everyone at arms length, not wanting to have the walls he had erected around his heart breached for a second time.
Fearing for their friend, Quatre and Trowa found themselves occupying the guestroom next door to Heero's only a few days following their return. They, along with Hilde and Ms. Johnson, saw to it that the blue-eyed man ate and slept as much as they could, something that was not a particularly easy task given the young man's obvious disinterest in either. In the end, one month following their departure from Trasil, Sally sat the young lord down and berated him for giving up, words that were quickly echoed by the others as well. The obvious care and worry of those closest to him finally managed to break through to his common sense and the next day, he once again began eating and taking care of himself. However, even as he was doing so, he reminded himself that none of the others had seen the note.
It was nearly another two months later, during the senate meeting that they discovered one good thing to come from the whole tragic affair; that being the end of the slave trade in their country. Not wasting time once the meeting was underway, the young Lord Yuy stood and delivered a rather angry and passionate speech that left the other members in awe and led immediately to a unanimous vote to abolish the trade once and for all. The laws enacted that day also gave the newly freed slaves the right to seek employment elsewhere or to remain in their previous household at a set wage. The feared collapse of their society that the naysayers had declared would happen following the abolishment failed to occur, once again lending credence to Heero stance and returned a portion of his pride in his position.
The month following the momentous meeting was slow and quiet as the people adjusted to the new laws. Slave pavilions in all the cities and towns were quickly vacated and cleaned, allowing for the space to be used for the marketplaces instead. The influx of both skilled and unskilled labor as many former slaves left their previous homes to find their own place in the world was much welcomed by those areas that had always suffered from lack of a workforce and many of the now freed men and women soon found themselves in varying apprenticeships. Of course, large transitions such as these cannot go smoothly from start to finish, random squabbles and belligerent slave owners tried to cause problems for the new laws. However, the constable service, having recently grown once again thanks to the newly freed slaves, was able to curb the disputes quickly and effectively.
Thus, it was on a peaceful and sunny day near the beginning of the third month following Duo's return to his people that Wufei arrived at the manor. Hilde, being the one to have opened the door, showed the young man down the hall to the parlor where Heero, Quatre, and Trowa were currently enjoying their mid-afternoon tea. Knocking softly on the doors, she waited only a moment for permission to enter.
"My lords." she said with a small curtsy after pulling both doors open wide. "Constable Chang is here to see you." Then stepping aside, she allowed the black-haired man to enter before excusing herself and closing the doors behind her.
"Wufei." Quatre smiled as he walked across the room to greet his friend. "I take it the trip went well?"
"Yes, Sally was glad to finally be home." the dark-eyed man answered with a smile of his own. After their return to Akrin, Sally chose to remain in the city for a time, enjoying the company of her old friend as they became reacquainted with each other. Finally though, she had decided it was time for her to return to her own duties and Wufei had offered to accompany her on the journey, knowing he still would not be able to enter the village.
"I'm sure she was but I hope she decides to visit again." the blonde doctor said as he led the constable to a chair and offered him a cup of tea.
"Of that I have little doubt." Wufei smirked, remembering the way the healer spoke so fondly of the other three men in the room.
"So," Trowa started, giving Heero a sideways glance. "what brings you here today? Just to let us know you've returned?"
"No actually." the dark-eyed man said and placed his cup on the table. "I just received word from Treize this morning concerning Septim's trial that I though you might want to hear."
At the mention of the man who had tortured Duo for nearly six months, Heero immediately set up straight and turned to look at his friend. "I thought the trial was to have taken place last month?"
"It was but people were still so outraged at being denied their chance at Relena, the trial had to be postponed until they could be calmed. Even then, there were some who wanted to blame the elves, saying it was their fault for corrupting Septim. It was a very narrow verdict, Heero."
"But he was convicted right?" Quatre asked, knowing that if the man had managed to escape the charges, nothing would stop Heero from hunting him down.
"Yes, of high treason and conspiring against the crown."
"What about his actions against Duo." Heero asked, his voice tripping over the braided elf's name.
"As far as the people were concerned, Duo was a slave at the time and Septim had every right to do with him as he pleased." Wufei sighed.
The sound of shattering china was the only warning they received as Heero threw his teacup across the room to shatter against the wall before stalking out of the room. Rising quickly to following him, Quatre immediately found a hand on his arm restraining him. One look from his auburn haired lover and the small shake of the man's head told him that Heero needed his space. Sitting back down with a sigh, he picked up his own cup and sipped silently at its now cold contents.
"What was the sentence?" Trowa injected into the stunning silence.
"Death." the dark-eyed constable stated with a relieved look. "Actually, Treize's message said the hanging took place the day immediately following the trial, which was four days ago."
"So he's dead." the small blonde stated. "At least that's something."
"I had hoped the news would bring some peace to him." Wufei offered softly as he looked toward the doors Heero had exited a moment before.
"There's only one person who can bring him peace now." Trowa said.
"And I don't even want to think about what Duo's going through." Quatre said. "He was just beginning to get past what had been done to him only to have the one person closest to him ripped away. Surely you must have heard something while you were near your village?"
"I wasn't able to get very close since, with Duo's return, all the warriors have been called back, but Sally did manage to get some information to me." Wufei explained. "It seems the elves have shutdown the borders of the forest, not even the clan is allowed to approach. The rumor is though, that the elf prince is suffering from a debilitating sickness, which I took to believe is actually his reaction to being separated from Heero."
"What are we going to do?" the young doctor whispered, prompting the taller man beside him to wrap a comforting arm securely around his shoulder.
"I wish I knew, little one." Trowa answered him softly. "I wish I knew."
********************
Entering the complete stillness of the royal bedchambers, the elf servant could not help but feel a tightness in his chest at seeing the ball of covers that lay motionless on the large bed in the center of the room. Since his return from the human capitol nearly three month prior, Prince Duo had done little more than lay in that bed. Those servants charged with his care, himself included, had been hard pressed to insure that the small elf ate at least something during the day, no matter how small the portions might be. They also did what they could to make him sleep, usually resorting to slipping a sleeping potion in his evening meal to accomplish it. No matter how hard they tried though, it was painfully obvious that the longhaired prince no longer had the will to live and it would not be much longer before he would cease completely.
"Your highness." the servant called softly, a soft sob his only answer just as it had been for the last three months. Walking over to the bedside table, he sat down the tray that contained the small elf's breakfast and proceeded to uncover the boy, coaxing him into sitting up and eating a few bits of the food.
"You know." he said conversationally although the prince had not uttered a word since his return. "It's such a beautiful day out, one of the last few before fall arrives, and the gardens are in full bloom."
He knew, as everyone else, that the violet-eyed boy dearly loved the gardens especially in summer when the flowers and trees were in bloom. However, not even the promise of beautiful flowers could coax the elf into leaving the room he had designated his prison. Finally sighing in defeat once again, the servant tried one last time to bribe the boy to eat a little more but when that failed, he picked up the tray and turned to leave.
Before he could cross the room however, the door opened and King Thomas entered, his eyes glued to the ghostly figure still sitting on the bed. "How is he?" the king asked the servant softly.
"He's eaten less this morning than ever before." the elf answered, the hopeless tone of his voice and the defeated bow of his head showing more than anything his fears for the near future.
"I just don't know what to do anymore." Thomas whispered, his eyes not leaving the boy on the bed. During the three months since their return, Duo had lost quite a lot of weight, weight he did not have the reserve to lose in the first place. The dark circles under his eyes showing his lack of restful sleep and the quiet that seemed to surround him like a cloak were beginning to wear on the chestnut-haired king.
"Perhaps your highness, if you'd allow him--"
"Not with a human." the king hissed, causing the elf to back up a step. "I will not allow my son to go through what he's already experienced all over again. I don't know how that human managed to corrupt his mind, but in time it will fade; it has to."
"And if it doesn't?" the servant asked, knowing he was walking a thin line by questioning his king, but also knowing someone had to do something.
"It will." Thomas stated before turning and stalking from the room. With another sigh, the servant gave one more look toward the sad, still figure on the bed before leaving as well.
Breathing a sigh of his own once they were gone, Duo remained sitting with his back resting against the headboard of his bed for several long moments. In his mind, he knew his father was only trying to protect and shelter him but unfortunately, the pain in his heart from being taken from Heero was far too great to allow him to forgive the elf, or himself for that matter, for letting it happen. Finally heaving another sigh, he carefully pushed himself to the edge of the bed and swung his leg over until he could stand. He knew that since the breakfast ordeal was now over, the maids would be in soon to clean his room and change the bedcovers. Not wanting to be there to see their looks of pity and worry, he was determined to be elsewhere by the time they arrived. Unfortunately, due to his extended period of inactivity, combined with the malnutrition and exhaustion, he was hit by a rush of dizziness the moment he stood from the bed that threatened to buckle his knees. Making a quick grab for the bedside table, he was able to keep himself from falling and luckily, after a few moments he regained his equilibrium enough to begin the short walk across the room to the double glass doors that led to his private patio. Once there, he pulled them open just enough to slip through, finding himself greeted by bright sunshine and the sweet smell of flower blooms.
With his eyes shut in pleasure, he took a deep breath of the fresh air and simply enjoyed the feel of the sun on his face before walking across the stone patio and entering the gardens he so loved. From the stories he had been told by his father, the gardens were also one of his mother's favorite places within the palace and she had been greatly responsible for their planting and nurturing. It was this fact that made them so special to him and he would spend hours at a time just walking through them or lounging in the various clearing. There was only one of those clearings on his mind at that moment and after a short while of stumbling along the various paths, he found himself entering his most favorite area. It was one of the smaller clearing located within a strand of tall pines that created a shady, enclosed area. An equally small pond was centered in the middle of the clearing with a series of stone benches setup around its perimeter to allow for those visiting to sit and rest. Duo however, on his many ventures here, much preferred sitting directly beside the waters where he could trail his fingers across the glassy surface.
Stopping just inside the strand of trees, the braided elf could not help but stare in rapt awe at the sight before him. The sun shown warmly down through the tree branches, which swayed lazily in the soft breeze, causing the pond waters to glint and glisten like shimmering diamonds. Breaking himself from the mesmerizing effect after a few seconds, Duo took a halting step toward the inviting water only to find his knees no longer willing to obey. The last three months of little or no food and sleep finally caught up with him making even the short walk too much for his weakened body to withstand. Collapsing heavily onto the cool grass, he managed to catch one final glint off the surface of the pond, the water at that angle taking on a deep, blue color he now only saw in his dreams, before his vision began to gray.
"Heero." his long disused voice rasped longingly just before unconsciousness claimed him.
TBC...
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