Author's Note: Ok here's chapter 4! Yea!!! Before we continue our adventure I'd like to thank a reviewer by the name of Janine. Your confidence in my work is truly inspiring. I want to assure you that I have every intention of finishing this story. I know the rest of my stories have yet to be finished, but this one I really feel close to and I've already got the ending planned out. So have no fear! There are going to be some great surprises in here so I hope you keep coming back for more. Thank you very much for your review Janine and I hope to see more from you. And now...on with the story!
The Shifter Part 4
"What?!" Heero's shock was not subsiding. His wide blue eyes observed the winged boy lying limply in his arms. "It's the truth, Heero." Duo croaked out weakly. He was obviously fatigued from using his power. "He spoke the truth. When I told him that you still wear that medallion, he began pull at his restraints, begging me to tell you that the one causing all these evils wasn't him."
The prince looked away from those expressive violet eyes. He knew he could trust the fey creature in his arms...but he didn't know if he could trust his uncle. "How do you know it was the truth?" Duo took a deep breath and struggled to sit upright. Finally, Heero pulled him up, holding him just as close to his chest as before, fearing the boy would collapse. The forest shifter looked into his eyes.
"When I use my sight in an attempt to discern something about a person, I sometimes am able to jump into their minds. Whilst I'm there, I am the master of that realm, with the ability to make them see what I want them to see, and know immediately if what they say is less than truthful. When your uncle begged me to give you that message, I looked into his eyes and what I saw astounded me. I saw pain and... hope. He needs you Heero."
Blue eyes searched the elfin face. Heero nodded. "Is there any way you could use your sight to let me talk to him?" Duo bit his lower lip. "I've never tried to take anyone else in with me." To be truthful, Duo didn't think he could do it, but seeing the desperate look on Heero's face steeled his reserve. "But I'll try. Give me your hand." The prince complied. Duo held Heero's hand tight as he reached for the pendant once again. He opened himself up to the power once again, concentrating on Heero's breathing. Once again the world shifted.
Heero looked around the dark, dank room. "Where are we?" He wondered aloud as his took in the dreary slime covered stone walls that surrounded him on all sides. "Your uncle's mind." Heero turned toward the sound of the voice and found Duo standing beside him. With the exception of the lack of his wings, the fey boy looked exactly as he should.
"Who's there?" Yet another voice called out from the darkness. Heero recognized it immediately. "Uncle Treize?" Duo took his hand and led him to a figure chained to the far wall. The man looked up, his ginger hair catching the slight early morning light that filtered in from a bared window in the ceiling. There was no doubting it...the figure was his uncle. "Heero is that you?" Treize asked. His tone was disbelieving. "Yes, it's me uncle." Heero bent slightly in order to give his uncle a better look at him.
"How is this possible?" The king asked. "I brought him here sir, to show him it wasn't you." Duo spoke up from behind the blue-eyed boy. "My thanks to you." The fey smiled. "Uncle, where are you? Who did this to you?" Treize looked to his nephew once again. "I was captured and replaced by Lady Une. I was locked in a secret chamber in her tower." Heero nodded. "We will come for you as soon as we can." The king smiled warmly at his nephew.
"Be wary, Une and the doppelganger are powerful foes." He looked to Duo then returned his gaze to Heero. "Protect him Heero. They want him badly." The price's gaze never faltered. "Mission accepted." Treize smiled at his brother's old catch phrase. "Your father would be proud of you." With that, the vision ended.
Heero's eyes snapped open. Looking down quickly he saw Duo, breath shallow, face veiled in a light sheen of sweat, violet eyes half-lidded. But through it all, he still managed to keep Heero's hand clasped tightly to his own. "Duo, are you alright?" Heero asked worriedly. The fey smiled weakly before his eyes slid shut the rest of the way and he slipped into unconsciousness.
Heero laid the winged boy out on his bed. Retrieving and washrag from the forgotten food tray and dunking it in the pitcher of water, he swiftly returned to the violet eyed beauty's side. The prince swept aside sweat dampened bangs and placed the cool rag on Duo's forehead. He stayed there for a few minutes, just stroking the chestnut hair on the other boy's head, before calling for Quatre and the others.
"Heero, what happened?!" Quatre face had blanched the moment he'd stepped into the prince's room and seen Duo's peaceful form lying on his bed. Trowa had a comforting arm wrapped around the small blond guard's shoulders. He and Wufei watched as their prince walked to his bed and sat beside the longhaired boy. All three listened intently as Heero related the tale, when he had finished he looked to them for their input. As his most trusted, and frankly only, friends, he needed to know what they thought of the situation. "You're sure it was Treize?" Wufei finally asked.
"Yes, there is no way that heartless bastard that has been running our kingdom for so long could have faked those emotions." The Chinese guard nodded. "Then what shall we do?" At this, the prince turned to Quatre. "You are a more skilled strategist than I Quatre. What do you think we should do?" The blond grinned at the praise then leaned into Trowa whilst he thought. His eyes sparkling, he looked up and met Heero's gaze.
"Well obviously we can't take on Lady Une herself, being as she is a very powerful mage, so one of us will have to distract her while the others check her quarters. Once we've found the true king, and are able to get him to safety, we should go after the double. Leave Une for last, as she is a more formidable opponent. Now we just have to decide who will distract her and who will search."
"You will distract her." The prince answered. "You look the most innocent out of the four of us. It would be easier for you." Quatre nodded to this. "That leaves the scavenger hunt to the three of us." Heero said, looking at Trowa and Wufei. "Four." Spinning around, he took in the owner of the voice. Duo was sitting on his knees at the foot of Heero's bed, his wings gone and his face set with determination. "Are you sure?" The blue-eyed prince asked him. "Yes. Besides, you won't be able to find him without me." Heero nodded. "Alright. You three get some rest, we strike tomorrow" His guards nodded and left.
Heero approached the bed and took a seat next to Duo. He leaned in close to the other boy; intoxicated by the way the sunlight played off his elfin face and sparkled in his chestnut hair. "Thank you for showing me the truth." He whispered. Duo shivered as he stared into beautiful cobalt blue eyes. Their faces inched closer until their noses were nearly touching. "I just wanted to make you happy." The fey boy's warm breath caressed Heero's face and that was the last straw. Closing the distance between them, he pressed his lips to vision before him.
Duo melted into the gentle touch almost immediately. Their lips moved slowly over one another in a dance that dated back beyond time. Heero's heart demanded to experience more of Duo's mouth. He swiped his tongue gently along his love's bottom lip. Duo stiffened a small bit at the odd sensation, but quickly relaxed and opened his lips slightly. Heero's tongue slid into his mouth and met with Duo's for the first time. Their breath began to become shorter as their tongues battled for dominance, a battle that the prince quickly won. Duo yielded to Heero's exploration of his mouth, loving the feeling of the prince's lips on his own and the hand that was gently stroking his cheek.
Finally, they pulled apart for lack of air. Heero continued to caress Duo's cheek with his hand as he caught his breath, then began to lean back in. "Aishiteru." He whispered. "I love you too." Duo replied as their lips met for a second time.
TBC...
So what do you think? Please review and tell me how I'm doing. Thanx. : )
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