Author: Precious L. the Spacepirate
Warnings: AU, yaoi, fantasy
Pairings: 1+2, 4+3, 5+M
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own, some very rich people do. Please don't sue, I'm a poor artist. Nothing I have will be worth anything until I'm dead.
The Princes' Choice sequel Part 1
They came out the forest in the mid-afternoon. After all the walking they had done none of them were tired. In fact it was the opposite. They were all full of energy, Duo most of all. On the way back he was running, jumping, talking to animals. At one point Heero was almost sure he saw the long hair boy fly.
When they got to the inn, Heero's knights and Quatre's guards came to greet them. They seemed very happy to see them almost as if they hadn't seen them for a while.
"Master Quatre we are happy to see you again. We were very worried." Rashid bowed, as did Abdul.
"Rashid how long have I been gone?" Quatre asked.
The big man stood up and looked down at Quatre. "You have been gone from the inn for two days, master."
Heero, Wufei, and Meiran turned from Heero's knights to look at the larger man. Trowa looked back and forth between Quatre and Rashid. Duo had no idea what was wrong and decided to stay quiet. Heero turned back to his knights.
"It is true your highness." A knight informed Heero. "One of the villagers said they saw you going into the forest with a young man with strange bangs."
Everyone turned and looked at Trowa, who had a nice shade of pink coloring his cheeks. Rashid and Abdul knew who the villager was talking about and had convinced Heero's knights not to go after them. For two days they waited for the princes and emperors to return. Rashid had been calm at first but he had become more and more worried after the second day.
Heero was doing the math in his head. They had been in the forest for no more than two hours. In the village it had been two days. So for every hour in the forest it is one day out in the real world. Now if Trowa saw the tree bloom once a year, and he had been in the forest for five years that he knows of then that means he's been in there for over ten. Now if Duo had seen the tree bloom 500 times and that is a little over once a year that means he would be...
Heero turned and looked at Duo. He looked younger than Heero. Fey looking with a lithe form. Small, innocent. Heero looked him up and down. One by one the other four started looking at Duo having come to the same conclusion. Duo was over 1000 years old. But not looking any older than maybe fifteen at best.
Duo began to blush with everyone looking at him. "Um did I do something wrong?"
"I think we all just figured out how old you are." Trowa said quietly as to not let anyone else know.
"Captain!" Heero ordered, a man came up to him and bowed. "Ready our things we will be leaving immediately."
"Yes your highness." The man bowed again and then left to ready their things.
Quatre turned to Rashid. "Rashid we will leave with them. We will then take an extended rest at the Kosh Kingdom before returning home." Quatre turned to Heero. "If that is all right with you, Heero?"
"I would be honored."
"Oh and Rashid we will also need two more horses."
"Yes Master, I shall see to it immediately." Rashid then turned and left.
"Um... Heero?" Heero turned to Duo. "What is a 'horse'?"
Heero let a smile slip. "It is an animal that we ride. We'll be riding them to get to my home."
"Oh why not take a unicorn?"
Everyone looked at Duo in shock. "Duo, unicorns are hunted for their horns by many humans. So they are never to leave the forest." Trowa answered.
"Oh."
They had left the small village in less than an hour. Going back to the kingdoms would take less time and in fact it took them a quarter of time. One month later the group had reached the capital city of the Kosh Kingdom. The group came to the gates of the castle and they were opened showing the grand castle for all its glory. People bowed to the group as they passed them.
Duo sat in awe of everything. Heero had insisted that he ride with him. Heero had said it was sort of a right of passage to have ones chosen life mate ride with them. Duo had agreed reluctantly. But as they rode through town he was grateful. Heero's strong arms were around him putting him at ease. Duo leaned back against Heero and tried to relax.
"Are you alright?" Heero asked into his ear.
"So many people." Heero nodded. "Never been around so many."
They reached the castle courtyard and were greeted by one of the Kings advisors. He bowed deeply. "Your highness, your father and mother wish to see you."
Heero was helping Duo off the horse. "Now?"
"Yes, sire."
"I just got home, can't it wait?"
"I am afraid not. They wish to see both you and your chosen life mate."
"Can we at least clean up?" Heero looked down at his dusty clothes.
"Again sire I am sorry..." The advisor gulped as he saw Heero glaring at him.
"Fine." Heero said darkly. It made Duo shiver, he hadn't seen this side of Heero. Heero grabbed a hold of Duo's hand pulled him with him to the throne room. "I am sorry you have to meet them like this."
"Like what?" Duo asked looking down at himself.
Heero smirked. "You're wearing clothes that are burnt and too small."
"Oh. Is that bad?"
"I hope not. We should had stop and gotten you some new ones. Guess I didn't think about it." Heero stopped and looked at Duo, he brought his hand up to cup the pixie's face. "I don't know what they'll ask you. They may want to know about your family and for you to prove that you are magical."
Duo smiled. "That's alright Heero."
They continued to the throne room and entered. Heero was immediately annoyed. There sitting to one side was Princess Relena Peacecraft. Heero went up to his parents with Duo still in hand and bowed. Duo looked at Heero and then up at his parents. Duo decided to fallow Heero, so he bowed too. The queen smiled. The king looked then both over.
"Is this your chosen?" He asked Heero.
"Hai father he is."
"And do you have a name?" The king asked Duo.
"Um... Duo." Duo answered softly.
"Is that all? Just Duo?"
"Yes, sir, that is the only name given to me."
"And who gave it to you?"
"My mother, Talia, most powerful one of all pixies. And my father, Dolane, second son of Cobie King of Elves."
Heero looked at Duo. Duo hadn't told him any of that. He remembered being told a story about two brothers who were the sons of the Elf King, Cobie. Could Duo really be Cobie's grandson? He thought. Heero looked to his parents his mother seemed pleased and his father... Well his father looked a little shocked. Heero decided to glance around the room as whispers and gasps were be murmured through the room. He saw Relena looking puzzled.
"Do you know that Cobie is listed in our ancient books? As are his sons. Books that are over 2000 years old. You look no older than fifteen."
Duo looked puzzled, there was that time thing. "I don't know what you're talking about. My father was a great elf who fell in love with my mother. He was killed in a great fire started by a wizard, 400 blooms ago. My mother died in the slaughter of all pixies, by the ogre army, 3 blooms ago."
"So your people are all dead?" The queen asked sadly.
Duo turned his face towards Heero, the memories were coming back. Memories of watching his father die in his mother's hands. She had tried so hard to use the magic of the tree to save him. But in the end it was not enough. The wizard had cast a spell and the tree couldn't break it because his father wasn't a pixie. Then the memories of Trowa trying to keep him hidden while the ogre army ran sacked their home killing all the pixies. That time it was Duo who held his mother as she died. He tried not to cry. He nodded to the queen's question. The queen looked to her husband and laid her hand on his.
"Son, you may both take your leave now. Go and rest, eat and clean up."
Heero bowed to his father and wrapped an arm around Duo. He led him out of the throne room and towards his own room. "You did good Duo."
Duo leaned against Heero's strong shoulder. "I hope so. Heero I'm so tired. Can I take a nap?"
"Yes."
TBC...
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