Author's Note: Okay people it's here, it's alive and I know your all saying: It's about bloody time. Give me break RL has been stressful.
Royal Affairs Part 9
Zechs scanned the area around them. His troops had left three days ago in search of Duo's people. They had brought along the one who reported to Une about them. Alex didn't want to come. He fought and even tried to kill one of the royal guards. However the King gave Alex a choice. Help find Duo's people or die. Alex readily jumped to help.
Zechs didn't trust Alex. He put guards on Alex to insure he didn't try to slip away. It proved to be a very wise because Alex had tried to flee five times in the three days of their travel.
Alex sat on the horse next to Zechs. Zechs looked over at Alex and glared. "Which way?"
Alex looked around nervously. "Uh... that way." He pointed to the left. The troop headed left.
"May I remind you that if you deceive us, you will be killed."
Alex paled a little. "I understand. We are headed the right way."
"How much farther?"
"We should be there by mid-afternoon."
"I should hope so."
They moved forwards through the forest. The forest became darker and denser. Sunlight dimmed and the sounds of the forest became more noticeable. The horses became nervous and harder to control. This upset many of the soldiers.
Finally they saw light and what appeared to be a clear a head of them. They entered the clearing only to find themselves surrounded by creatures. Zechs' eyes widened as he saw that they all had cat ears and tails but human bodies.
The crowd parted and a figure walked towards them. Zechs decided it was male, with the wide shoulders and slim waist. He was tall and many of the others bowed slightly when he walked by. As he got closer Zechs saw the ginger hair and tail. The man stopped in front of Zechs' horse. "Why are you here?" The man's voice was smooth and held an air of royalty that Zechs noted that Trowa and Prince Heero held in their voices.
"We come seeking you." Zechs answered.
"Me or us?"
"Your people." Zechs notice the slightly forked eyebrows on the man.
"And why is it that you seek the Ca'line people?"
Zechs raised an eyebrow. "Ca'line? Is that the name of your race?"
It was the man's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You seek us but yet you don't know what we are. How do you know you have the right people?"
"Forgive us, our King sent us looking for your people."
"Ah would that be the same king that sent others here many years ago?"
Zechs blinked. "May I get off my horse and address you properly?"
The man looked surprised. "You may."
Zechs slid of his horse and stood in front of the man. He noticed the man seemed wary of him. This made Zechs think of the first time he had met Duo.
Duo wouldn't let Zechs near him. Trowa had told him to stand with Zechs to stand with his arms at his side and his hands unclenched palms facing behind him. Zechs did this with Ca'line male.
The man noticed and looked Zechs in the eyes. "Not many would know that."
Zechs' brow furled. "Know what?"
"How to stand to us. Many have kept their hands behind them. Our people find that untrustworthy. How do you know this?"
"I believe that is a long story. Needless to say I have met one of your race."
Mummers ran through the Ca'line people. The man's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That can't be. None has left our village in many years."
"He has been with us for many years."
"He? He who?"
"Forgive me, my name is Zechs Merquise. And you are?"
The male blinked. "This is a custom of yours." It was a statement that Zechs thought odd. "My name Treize, I am the leader."
"My king did not send the last group to you. In fact he knew nothing of it until a few days past."
"I see. I was told that they had been sent to gather slaves." Treize's eyes narrowed.
"My king has no wish for slaves. I'm afraid that you had been lied to."
"Yes one said that."
"Did you not believe him?"
"Her. It was a woman and our seers said she knew nothing of it. We let her live."
"And the others?" Zechs had a feeling what had happened to the others.
"They all died in battle. The woman was quite upset and was huddled under a bush. When we found her she rambled on about how she had no idea of the other's plans. We did not wish others to find us, so we kept her here."
"As a prisoner?"
"She cannot leave the village but she can move as freely as any other."
"I see. She is in good health then?"
"Yes. Now why are you here?"
All eyes gazed intently on Zechs. "The king is sad. He has found that many of his court and servants have mistreated his most beloved friend. The only true friend he has ever had. He has found that the root of this is a trusted Lady and she acts out of grief for the loss of her beloved sister. Her sister, it seems, would be the woman you keep here."
"And that is it? You are here to take the woman?" Treize took a step back.
Zechs heard growls and the sound of swords being drawn. "Not entirely. We had been told she was dead."
"Then why come?"
"The king, his friend is of your people."
The Ca'line gasped. "You are sure?" Treize asked.
"He has a tail and ears like yours. His Majesty found him when they were young. Since then they have become the closest of friends."
"Is he with you?" Treize looked at the rest of the soldiers.
"No, his majesty wasn't sure how you would greet him. Like I said they are good friends and his majesty wishes no harm to come to Duo."
"DUO!?" Treize gasped his eyes wide in surprise. The others again gasped and mummers ran through the group.
"Yes, that is his name."
"My Duo is with your King?"
"Your Duo?" Zechs' eyes narrowed just a bit.
Treize glanced at his tribe. "Perhaps we should talk privately. If you would follow me?" Treize turned and started walking away.
Zechs turned to one of his men. "Watch Alex, don't let him go. If he tries to flee," Zechs paused and looked over at Alex who was watching him. "Kill him." Zechs then turned and fallowed Treize.
The two men entered a larger hut. Sitting at the far end was a man not much older than Trowa. He had sandy blond hair and deep blue eyes that were almost purple. Zechs noted he looked a lot like Treize and yet he also looked like Duo.
Treize sat down in a chair not far from the other man. "This is my eldest son, Solo."
Zechs bowed to Solo. "An honor to meet you." He turned back to Treize just in time to see Treize admiring his body. Zechs almost blushed. "Now what's this about Duo?"
"DUO!?" Solo was up and walking to his father.
"Calm down Solo." Treize looked at Zechs. "I have two sons. Solo will be the next leader as he is the eldest. But my youngest has been missing for some time."
"That would be Duo?"
"Yes, see my mate was the youngest of his family and since his elder brother was killed in a hunt he became the heir." Treize noted the slightly confused look on Zechs' face. "Perhaps a bit of history on my people. Females are not born to us very often. However we do have males who can give birth. My mate was one. As my family was the second highest family I mated with the heir.
"I let him name our children what ever he wanted. It made him happy so I was happy. He died few years after Duo was born. Duo at that time was spitting image of him. Then one day Duo went out with the guards and he got lost. We never found him."
"I see. I seems that our King had found him. But Duo doesn't remember anything about his family or where he's from."
"That's impossible! Ca'line would never forget his family!" Solo hissed his ears laid flat against his head. He glared at Zechs.
"Solo, please." Treize wasn't happy to hear about Duo any more than his son. But he knew that if he wanted to see him Zechs was the only way. "You said he hasn't been treated well."
Zechs closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, much to the King's displeasure. It seems that one of the ladies was upset about her sister not coming home. She blamed all of your people. She took out her anger on Duo." Zechs grinned just a little. "However a few of the King's guest have taken it upon themselves to fix things."
"Fix things?" Both Treize and Solo asked.
"Yes well they seem rather fond of him. They were upset about how Duo had been treated. So they've been trying to undo the harm that has happened to Duo."
"I wish to see him." Treize said. "Please." He added as an after thought.
"I understand. I took us almost a full four days. If we leave in the morning it should be almost two weeks for our return."
"No, I don't think I can wait that long. I wish to come with you."
"Father!" Solo was surprised.
Zechs stood staring at Treize. "Are you sure? We have no extra horse or..."
"That's fine. I still want to go." Treize said.
"Father?" Solo asked.
"I also wish to bring Solo."
"Father?"
"Dorothy can stand watch while we are away. Both she and Otto are quite able to run things. What do you say, Zechs?"
"I don't think there will be any problems. Shall we leave in the morning?"
"Yes that will give us time to gather our things for the trip."
"I don't suppose I could see Noin?"
Treize smile. "Of course, I believe she is with Dorothy. The two have become good friends."
"That's only because they are the only two females." Solo said, his voice was friendlier than it had been.
~*~
After having spent the night talking with Noin and Treize, they woke up early and began their trip back to the kingdom. Treize had spent the night giving Zechs compliments. Treize especially liked Zechs' long blond hair and his icy blue eyes. Zechs was certain that he had blushed at every comment. Treize and Solo both had horses. But none like Zechs had ever seen. They seemed small but yet they were tall. And a pure white color. They walked with their heads high and graceful in everything they did.
"So what is my brother like?" Solo asked after most of the first day had past. They had stopped for the night and Zech and Solo were sitting next to the fire.
"He's kind, but..."
"Yes?"
"He doesn't think much of himself. And he doesn't like to be around a lot of people. I think that has something to do with how the court and servants treated him. But honestly I have never really been around him that much."
"Why not?"
"My duties and Duo hides a lot. I must admit I too fell into the trap of thinking of Duo as the King's pet." Zechs heard a little growl come from Solo. "It's not something I'm proud of. But every time I saw him he was trailing behind the king or at the King's feet. It was easy to see him as pet. But I guess I had never really thought about it."
"You feel guilty." Solo stated.
Zechs looked up. "Yes I do. Especially when I look at how he reacts to the King's guest."
Solo looked at something behind Zechs. "He likes you, you know?"
Zechs blinked. "Who?"
"Father, he keeps looking at you."
"Aa, I see."
"I think he's still trying to figure out how to approach you. You're not like dad."
"How so?"
"You're human."
"Well I knew that."
Solo laughed. "You can't smell as well as us and you can't sense certain things. So father will have to figure out something else."
"You don't seem to mind." Zechs was feeling rather odd about the conversion. He had never really thought about being with a man before. For that matter he never thought about with anybody, man or woman. And now he had a man after him.
"Why should I mind? Father can be with whom he likes. As I will be."
"And Duo."
"Yes and Duo." Treize sat down next to Zechs. Very close to Zechs. "The important thing is that he is healthy."
"Why?" Zechs' eyebrows drew together.
"Duo is a birther. He can have babies." Solo said.
"But if he has been harmed and is not healthy than his ability to give birth can be damaged. This could lead to him going mad."
"How is that?"
"There will come a time when Duo will have to have a child. He'll be driven by it. There has never been a birther who hasn't had a child. If he is damaged he will go mad with the need to have a child. He'll do anything possible to have one. Even if it brings his own death."
"How long until this happens?" Zechs was wide eyed.
"Every birther is different. Some it happens early and other later. As Duo is coming of age. This is why I wish to see my son. I need to make sure he's all right. And then we need to see about finding him mate."
"A Ca'line mate."
Treize raised an eyebrow. "Not necessarily. If he finds a true love than we cannot stand in his way. Ca'lines do not force their kind to as they see fit."
~*~
Quatre inhaled the sweet scent of the flower. He had left Duo to do as he wished. Heero had been visiting Duo quite a bit, which made Quatre smile. Now he walked through the gardens.
"See anything you like?" The sound of Trowa's voice was right next to his ear.
Quatre shivered. "Everything looks nice."
One of Trowa's arms snaked around his shoulder. "I'm glad. Maybe you will stay then."
Quatre leaned into Trowa. "Where would I go?"
"Back from where you came angel."
"I don't know how I got here. How an I to get home?"
Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre and pulled him close. "I think if you leave I will die."
"Why is that?" Quatre laid his head on Trowa's chest.
"Because I do believe you have my heart."
Quatre smile. "I bet you say that to all the guys that fall out of nowhere."
Trowa's eyebrows drew together. "I do not. You are the only..."
Quatre made a bold move and placed his finger against Trowa's lips to silence him. "I'm sorry. It was a joke. You say the sweetest thing I have ever heard and I made a joke. I shouldn't have. I never wish to leave you. You are kind and gentle and loving. I don't want to go back to having none of that."
Trowa bent down and kissed Quatre.
TBC...
Okay so I see the end. What one, maybe two more parts. Feedback people, feedback. Must have.
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