A Shifting of Fortune Part 4
Much to his relief the situation with Noin had not heated up beyond Duo's tolerance level. For now the Lady seemed content to take her time getting to know her most recent acquisition.
Ms. Lucrezia, as she was called behind her back by the snickering servants, had let your hands wander as she and Duo engaged in a mutual petting session. Thankfully Duo had not been called on to deliver the goods at least not then anyway. But he knew it was only a matter of time before he would be required to fully service the Madam.
It was near midnight when Duo was dismissed and escorted to the basement sleeping area. Trowa's door was slightly ajar. Duo knocked then receiving no answer pushed it back enough to see inside.
The empty room told Duo that the stoic man must have stayed in his lover's quarters located at the end of the first floor hallway. Quatre's position as Manager afforded him a two-room suite near the main kitchen.
Duo wondered if Trowa, with his lowly status, would be punished if he was found in the upper part of the house especially so late. Then he reasoned that Noin was aware of his going back with Quatre so it might be all right. Still Duo was smart enough to know nothing could be assumed, not at Vixen's Lair.
Neatly hanging up his suit Duo stripped down to his boxes and tee shirt. Undoing his braid he gave the freed tresses a few quick swipes with a brush then slipped wearily into bed.
If Duo had not been so exhausted he would have showered to wash off the Lady's scent. Even though her probably quite expensive perfume was pleasant to the nose, Duo acquainted its lingering fragrance with a sort of marking of her territory and that was unacceptable.
"You might as well get use to it" he told himself knowing that before it was all over more than just her perfume would leave its mark on her property.
Switching off the light he lay in the enfold darkness suddenly aware of the dense silence. Turning on his side Duo bent his knees bringing them to his chest.
Tucking the sheet and blanket under his chin Duo tried to put his mind into a perfect state of nothingness. Soon sleep traveled over numbing his body as well as his rent spirit.
*********
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted down the hall. The enticing scent added an extra incentive for Duo to wake up.
Stretching to relax the kinks that had gathered in his back overnight Duo let the wafting smell further encourage him to get up and face the first of hopefully not too many days in the Lady's keep. Duo dressed but didn't bother to put on his shoes wanting to be as comfortable as he could while he fixed his breakfast.
Combing out his hair Duo decided to forego the braiding again for comfort's sake. Instead his lengthy cinnamon mane was gathered into a loose ponytail to keep it from his eyes. After a bathroom stop he made his way to the kitchen.
Trowa stood by a small stove gradually adding instant oatmeal to a pot of boiling water. He partially tuned his head as Duo entered not wanting to divide his attention too much.
"Good morning." Duo called as he opened the wall-mounted cabinet over the sink.
Trowa nodded as the last of the dehydrated oats sank beneath the hot water. "Good morning." he answered in kind, "Did you sleep well?"
"Wow," Duo thought to himself as he took down a mug and helped himself to the coffee, "that's more words than I have heard Trowa say since I arrived. Maybe he won't be too bad to live with after all."
"I slept well enough I suppose." Duo finally addressed the taller man's question.
"Do you want some of this?" Trowa asked tilting his head at the pot, "I can add some more if you like." he offered.
"If it is not too much trouble."
More oatmeal slid into the rolling water and was given a hearty mixing.
"Is Quatre all right?" Duo inquired sincerely interested in Winner's well being. "He didn't look at all well last night."
Trowa reduced the heat leaving the oatmeal to simmer. Filling a mug for himself Trowa joined Duo at the table. "It took awhile but I finally got him to settle down."
"Did you stay with him all night?
Trowa sighed spooning in some sugar, "I left about four this morning. Noin allowed my challenge to her authority last night but I didn't want to press my luck. It would break Quatre's heart if I got into trouble by taking up for him."
"Quatre warned me about Chang but I didn't think he would be that bad to deal with." Duo stated recalling the unnerving affect the Lady's Security Chief had on everyone. And if Duo allowed himself to admit it, the clearly unstable Asian had the same chilling affect on him, too.
Trowa nodded standing to fill two bowls then sat down handing one to Maxwell, "The man is insane." he stated in an almost hushed whisper as if he was afraid his statement might be overheard.
"I thought Noin was stone cold," Duo proclaimed, "but Chang is purely ruthless. I mean he must be frigid right through to his soul."
"Chang has no soul." Trowa declared as anger lent a brittle tone to his words. "He is the devil himself and twice as dangerous."
"So what is it with Quatre? I mean Chang certainly couldn't feel threatened by Quatre not as gentle as he is." Duo wondered but figured he already knew the answer.
"Chang does what he does because he knows he can get by with it. Intimidation is a game, something done solely for that damned bastard's amusement."
"But why is he interested in Quatre? Surely someone less timid would give him a better run for his money." Duo reckoned.
Duo paused, then gasped as a frightening thought hit hard, "Oh, please don't tell me Chang wants his sexually."
Trowa shrugged, "I don't know what he wants. Like I said before the man is crazy and absolutely unpredictable. It will do you no good to try to get inside his head.
I believe Chang bothers Quatre just because he can and to try to provoke me. He would like nothing better to have an excuse to kill me." Trowa replied the acidic tone resurfacing once again.
"But Noin wouldn't stand for that, would she?" Duo shook his head not believing she would let it go that far.
"Even our Mistress doesn't know everything that goes on here." Trowa stated with certainty, "In the past when people have disappeared she didn't ask questions. Frankly I believe she is afraid of Chang as well."
"Then why doesn't she get rid of him?" Duo asked the obvious question blowing on a spoonful of oatmeal to cool it down.
"Chang has too many men loyal to him." Trowa answered quietly, "He keeps an elite force under his control by buying their souls. He provides liquor and drugs and their choice of whores. In return they do what he orders without question.
Even if Chang loses his temper and half kills one of them they still stay with him. I suppose when you get down to the bottom line they are as afraid of him as everyone else is."
"Listen," Duo whispered leaning forward to insure a private exchange, "I am going to get out of here make no mistake about that and Chang is not going to stand in my way."
"But....." Trowa began before he was cut off by a wave of Duo's hand.
"But nothing!" Duo exclaimed more than a hint of anger in his hissing voice, "There is no way I am staying in this hellhole. If I make it out fine, if I die in the attempt, well, that's fine, too, either way I will be free. I can put a workable plan together, I know I can. When the time comes and it will be soon, would you and Quatre be willing to risk coming with me?"
"I don't know if I could put Quatre in such danger." Trowa answered honestly.
"Can you stay here and watch him be put through hell everyday?" Duo growled hoping to spur Trowa's anger at his lover's unjust treatment past his fear and uncertainty.
"I will talk to Quatre." Trowa replied as his narrowed stare focused on Maxwell. Duo swore he saw green sparks flash in their widened centers.
"That is fair enough." Duo sighed, "But don't take too long. Like I said I am not going to be here one minute more than I have to be."
*********
Breakfast finished and kitchen cleaned up, Trowa headed out to begin his daily chores. Duo showered, made his bed then sat on the taut bedspread wondering what his assignment would be.
While he didn't want to be sentenced to the "dungeon" all day Duo didn't particularly want to be Noin's pet either. Duo preference was to be given enough to keep him busy and make the hours go by faster without having to have too much interaction with the staff or the Lady.
He did admit he would not mind seeing Yuy again but that, too, was contingent on the circumstance of their meeting. Again if the Madam or Chang were to be involved Duo would gladly settle for remaining in the basement's solitary confinement.
Maxwell's thoughtful supposing was brought to an end as Quatre's dull eyes and weary-worn face appeared at his opened door. Winner looked tired and, Duo believed, paler than usual. It was clearly apparent that Noin's manager had not had proper sleep and most likely not much, if any, breakfast.
"Good morning." Duo smiled motioning for Quatre to step inside. "Shut the door." he urged noticing how jumpy the young man was as he kept peering back towards the stairs.
Quatre sat beside Duo pushing his blond bangs from his eyes, "How was your first night?" he inquired softly glancing anxiously at the door.
It was as if Quatre fully expected Chang to materialize from thin air or walk in an apparitional fashion through the closed door. Nervously Quatre's hands kneaded the woven bedspread pinching up points of fabric and rolling them between his fingers.
Duo leaned closer studying Quatre's ashen features, "A better night than you had." he stated without a doubt of his gentle friend's fractured rest.
"I was all right until Trowa had to leave early this morning." Quatre readily confessed knowing that Trowa had probably said something to that affect since Duo didn't seem surprised by his poor condition.
"I didn't sleep after that." he sighed realizing how he was twisting up the bedcovering. With quick jerky motions he smoothed out the wrinkled material then clasped his hands together in his lap to keep from starting the edgy activity again.
"If I ever catch Chang alone, "Duo began placing a hand on Winner's slender arm, "I will give him a permanent attitude adjustment." he pledged sincerely wanting to comfort and protect his newly found friend.
Quatre tensed turning to face Duo, "Please promise me you will stay away from him." he begged his voice trembling and his eyes bordering on panic.
"Please Duo. If he were to hurt you or............" Quatre's voice broke as tears welled in his indigo eyes threatening to spilled over his lower eyelashes.
"Hey take it easy." Duo urged tightening his grasp, "I didn't mean to upset you more. Look," he said as shimmering tears made ragged tracks over Quatre's pallid cheeks. "I won't do anything unless he forces me, okay?"
"You don't understand," Quatre replied wiping off the teary wetness gathering on his chin, "Chang doesn't need an excuse to hurt you and he doesn't need Madam's permission. If that fiend believes you would oppose him in any way, he would come after you. Duo, oh god, I don't want you to disappear, too. It would kill me, destroy what little soul I have left. Please swear you will keep away, please."
"All right I swear." Duo declared slipping an arm about Winner's quivering body, "Now try to calm down before you make yourself sick."
Several deep breaths eased Quatre's catching pants for air warding off a fit of hyperventilation. Duo went to the bathroom bringing back a wet cloth then insisted that Quatre lay down. He folded the cloth and laid it across Winner's weak eyes hoping the cool moisture would relieve the reddened puffiness.
Duo didn't want any unnecessary questions from Trowa and certainly no questions or notice from Noin or Chang. After fifteen minutes or so Quatre felt well enough to tell Duo the reason had come to his room in the first place.
"Noin told me I could take you outside. She said you may have the morning to exercise or run but you are not to go beyond the garage area or the stables. Then she wants you to have lunch with her."
"And what does she want after lunch." Duo wondered out loud then cursed under his breath at the thought of having to spend "quality time" with the possessive bitch.
But strangely Duo's ire at the Lady was tempered with a pang of pity. That same sadness that he had caught a glimpse of in her office had surfaced once again behind her carefully maintained facade the night before. Noin, even in the midst of her pretended passion, seemed lost and alone as if she was clinging to Duo out of fear and not lust as he first believed.
But he could not allow the least bit of compassion to cloud his thinking. He couldn't afford to care not if he had any hope of escaping the dangerous circumstances he had been plunged into.
Now Duo's leaving was more than a desire to be free from Noin's imprisonment. It was one of survival should Chang decide Duo was a threat or that he had set his sights on one day winning the Lady's trust and therefore gaining some favor or privilege.
No his freedom was now a matter of life or death and he knew with unmistakable clarity that his time to act was running out faster than he might possibility be able to catch up. Duo had to put a plan into action quickly or all would be lost.
TBC...
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