|
"A Hidden Heart "Written By: Hemlock Inyx Disclaimer: This chick does not own any of the
Gundam Wing characters because they belong to Bandai and Sunrise.
I am borrowing them for this fict and will return them in good (if
somewhat sticky) condition.This fict is written out of love and not
for profit, don't sue. Thanks and enjoy! Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi, lemon, midieval alternate universe,
some angst, violence Pairings: 5x2, 4xH, 13xS Summary: They called him Milliardo's Dragon. A warrior bold as the Chinese legend, his temper as fiery; Lord Chang Wufei was the prince's right hand. Men of power quaked at word of his arrival, for he was the sword to carry out Milliardo's judgement. 'Twas rumored he'd do any deed at the prince's bidding, avenge any slight to his master's name. Only Milliardo had the might to direct the Dragon's fury, to shape thr form of his vengeance. Or so the prince believed. But shrouded deep beneath that scaly hide, the dragon's true nature slumbered. Obscured by fire. Hidden from harm. Burried beyond reach of pain. Until he met him. The boy with the power to free the heart of the Dragon.
"A Hidden Heart "
The next afternoon, Wufei headed for the practice field, intending to work off his frustration with life in general, and his mate in particular, by taking on anyone who wished to fight. His blood was up, and he knew he'd be of no use to anyone, including himself, unless he wore himself out with battle. Evidently dueling with Duo wasn't enough to cool the fire in his blood---or perhaps it was what made it run so hot. He didn't know. But whatever the reason, if he didn't do something about it soon, he'd go mad. As he had suspected, Heero was eager to oblige. He and Quatre joined Wufei in the courtyard, stripped down for hard fighting. In no time at all, a crowd had gathered, intent on watching the entertainment. The Samurai knew some moves Quatre hadn't seen before, so he took him on first. Wufei watched with interest as Heero, sword in hand, swiftly laid out their host in the straw-covered mud, much to the amusement of the audience. Quatre was good, but it appeared Heero was better---or his style was very different, at any rate. Yuy could give Wufei just what he sought. Heero accepted the cheers of the crowd with his usual indifference, then urged Wufei into the fray. Wufei didn't care what type of weapon Heero wanted to use--he was quite willing to fight him bare-handed, if need be. Actually, he thought as he and Heero circled each other, each armed with a sword, that might be best of all. He tossed his blade aside. "We don't need them," he said in answer to Heero's questioning look. With a nod, the Samurai handed his weapon to Quatre and stripped off his tunic, throwing it to the ground. "Are you looking to draw blood, Dragon?" he taunted. He stepped forward, hands raised, crouched down in a defensive position. Wufei feinted with his left fist, then drove the right into Heero's gut. The other man didn't even flinch. "I'm looking for a challenge," Wufei replied. "Can you give me one?" "Hai," Heero said, smirking. "You've come to the right man." Wufei smiled grimly in return. Heero had no idea what he'd gotten himself into. Hilde invited Duo to her chamber, ostensibly to find suitable clothing for her brother to wear. However, Duo knew there was more to it than that. Ever since they'd arrived at Maxwell Abby, Wufei hadn't seemed willing to leave the siblings alone together. While he knew his interference was well-intentioned, he felt stifled by it. He and Hilde needed to become acquainted--without a nursemaid. Hilde had given Quatre strict orders to keep Wufei busy---elsewhere--for the afternoon, at least. Duo had to laugh at the way Quatre teased his wife, calling her his "dread overlord," before he left them. Duo sat on the bed while Hilde dug through the contents of several coffers. The chests were huge---and heavy, judging by the groans of the two men who had carried them up the spiral staircase and into the chamber. The sweet scents of roses and lavender wafted through the room as Hilde laid several garments upon the bed. She stroked her hand lovingly over the soft wool of a dark green dress. "I wore this for Quatre when first we met," she said, her voice soft with remembrance. "The embroidery design comes from a circlet he gave me years before, when we were naught but children." She looked up at Duo. "It would go well with your coloring. Here, try it on." "I couldn't, Hilde. It obviously brings back wonderful memories. You cannot give it away----it wouldn't be right." Hilde chuckled. "I could not fit into the bodice of that dress unless I were trussed up like a Christmas goose! Since Catherine's birth, I've become much more--" she wriggled her eyebrows "motherly. Unfortunately, no amount of lacing will make this--" she gestured toward her ample bosom "fit into that gown. You must try it on. It would please me to see you wear it." It would be childish to protest further, and the gown was beautiful. Duo stood and, with Hilde's assistance, removed his tunic and undershirt. They went through the clothing in the chests slowly, taking their time, for they had many lost years to make up for. "Did you ever miss our mother?" Duo asked curiously. Hilde shook her head. "I missed having a mother, but I don't remember her. When she left, I was but an infant. Do you remember what was she like?" "I was told she died not long after I was born. Her sorrow weighted her down. It had to be the terrible lies Milliardo told her, no doubt, that buried her in grief. She was as lost to me as she was to you," Duo said, fighting tears. Hilde clasped his hands for a moment as they shared their loss. "Our cousin has much to answer for," she said. "I don't know that I can ever forgive him for taking her away." She squeezed Duo's hands. "Or for keeping us apart." She looked so sad. Duo set about bringing back his sister's smile. "Wufei said you were raised like a boy until you were nearly a woman grown. That cannot be." Hilde chuckled and wiped her damp eyes. "I was one of the roughest lads here," she agreed. "I could fight, spit, curse and ride with the best of Father's pages. The first time I met Quatre, I nearly bested him at swordplay--in front of Lord William Marshall himself." "You're joking," Duo protested. Gazing at his sister, the epitome of all that was womanly, he found such a scene near impossible to imagine. "I'm afraid not. I was twelve at the time, and looked quite like a boy in my tunic and hose, with my hair tucked up under my favorite cap. It was great fun, though by then I'd begun to long for more. Fortunately for me, Lord William--he's my godfather, you know--convinced Father that I was desperately in need of a woman's teachings, and left Lady Alice to help me." Sadness tinged her voice. "She was very much like a mother to me. I miss her still. She died shortly after Father did." She rose and took a turn about the room. "But despite Lady Alice's affection, I did miss our mother, or rather, I missed having a mother." Duo joined her by the window. "I am sure she never forgot you, or our father, either. I believe she grieved for you both, always." Hilde laid her hand upon Duo's arm. "And did she know you were real?" she asked, her voice kind. "Did she know you were there?" Duo swallowed the lump of sadness that rose, choking, in his throat. It was an old pain, one that shouldn't have had the power to hurt him any longer. Yet it still did. "I think sometimes she knew. And sometimes she'd remember me." He blinked away his tears as he recalled how lonely his life had been. "But she was gone before I knew her." Hilde wrapped her arms about Duo and held him. "Poor child," she murmured. "Damn Milliardo!" All the tears Duo had never cried sought their release now. His sister held him as he sobbed, washing away the years of resentment and sorrow. "You are alone no longer, Duo," Hilde told him. "You have a family now, people who care for you. We---and Wufei---will keep you safe." Finally Duo lifted his head from Hilde's shoulder, spent. There had been such comfort in Hilde's touch, in her understanding. And he felt as though his sister, his family, had accepted him already. He had gained what he'd always wanted. But Duo hadn't realized, before, the price he might have to pay. He'd wanted a family, a place to belong, people to care about him. However, he was trapped within that web of caring in return. He would do whatever he must to keep them safe. There was a comfort in belonging, a sense of peace he'd never known. He had not understood what it was to care so deeply. But now he knew. "We both lost when Milliardo put his scheme into motion," Hilde said. "Although you got the worst of the bargain. At least I had Father." She reached over and wiped at Duo's wet face with her sleeve. "But that is in the past. We have each other now, and you have Wufei. He won't permit Milliardo to harm you again." "But what if Wufei cannot stop him?" Duo cried. "I fear Milliardo will continue to send men after him. Eventually one of them will succeed in killing him---or taking him back to Sank as a captive." "Do you truly believe that our noble cousin wishes Wufei dead? I do not. I think, rather, that he seeks to punish him for his disobedience." Hilde poured spiced wine into two goblets and handed one to Duo. "He needs the Dragon, Duo, for his plans to succeed. I would imagine he has plots in motion that make this one seem like child's play in comparison." "But he still believes I'm free to bring back under his dominion," Duo protested. "And what if something were to happen to Wufei? Life is uncertain." "Drink your wine and listen to me," Hilde said, urging him to sit on the bed. She sat beside him and lowered her voice. "Quatre has heard rumors of an attempt to bring our king under control—my overlord, King John. Perhaps if Wufei were to volunteer to go to London with the others, to represent Milliardo..." ~~~ (***) ~~~ Toad eased open the door and peered into Hilde's chamber. He could not believe his good fortune. Hilde and Duo in the same chamber! They sat together on the bed, their backs to the door. He had made it into Maxwell Abby so easily last night, slipping in with a band of wandering peddlers, that he expected the rest to be simple. It had turned out to be very difficult to find them together, without the damned men in attendance. Nearly impossible, in fact. // By, Christ's balls, didn't they have anything more important to do than follow them about like damned French courtiers? // He patted his waist, reassured by the feel of his dagger belted there. He would get no better opportunity than this. No one had come down the corridor since the two servants had carted up those chests. Taking a quick look over his shoulder once more, he darted into the room, carefully closing the door behind him. He wasn't as fortunate when he turned the key in the lock. "Who's there?" Hilde called sharply. // Damned faithless bitch! // A tide of anger, red and hazy, flowed over Toad's mind. He couldn't think clearly, but that didn't matter. He knew what he'd come here to do. Find Duo. Take him. Make him his mate. Hilde turned and spied him standing on the opposite side of the bed. "Mary save us!" she gasped, clapping her hand to her breast. "You startled me!" She stood and began to walk around the bed, but Duo reached out a hand to stop her. "Stay, sister," he said quietly. "I fear he means you harm." "Do you know him?" Hilde asked, never taking her gaze off him. Toad smiled. "Yes, that he does. So do you, though I don't believe you'll recognize me now." He laughed at the confusion on her face. "You should listen to him, madame--but then, you were never very good at that, were you? As it happens, however, I don't intend to harm you--as long as you do as I tell you." He drew the knife from its scabbard, the blade gleaming with beauty in the sunlight pouring through the window slit. It had been many years since he'd been inside this castle, but it looked much the same. He'd coveted Maxwell Abby, desired it--and its mistress--with a white-hot passion that the passage of time had done little to quench. But now his desire was for her brother, for through him, Maxwell Abby could be his. He'd make Milliardo see the beauty in his plan--not so different from the prince's, after all--and he would finally attain his heart's desire. "Come here, Duo," he said, motioning with the knife. Duo stood, but remained rooted to the spot. He glided closer to Hilde, the dagger held threateningly toward her, then lunged and grabbed her by the arm. "I suggest you do as I say, Duo." He brought the tip of the knife up and held it firm against Hilde's throat. "Else your sister, so newly discovered, will not remain long of this world." He pressed harder, until a trickle of blood oozed from beneath the blade. Whipping a length of cord from his belt, he wrapped it around Hilde's wrists and bound them together behind her. // Ah, the pleasure in this! // He had wanted Hilde within his grasp for so long. Toad drew the tip of the blade along Hilde's skin, marking a crimson trail along her alabaster cheek. The hatred in her eyes... He permitted himself to revel in her beauty for a brief moment more, then motioned again with the knife. "Come along, milord," he said to Duo. Duo moved slowly around the end of the bed, then stood there, waiting. "Very good," he murmured. "Now, madame--" he nudged Hilde with his foot "--you'll help me leave this castle with your brother. Don't think I won't use this knife on you--on your face, perhaps." He raised the blade to her cheek again, then lowered it to her throat. "I've dreamed of this for a very long time, you faithless bitch. I wonder how Winner will like that?" Hilde closed her eyes briefly, then opened them to stare into his eyes. "Dermail," she hissed. "We thought you were dead." "Then you must be very surprised to see me." He laughed. "I'm sure you forgot all about your dear cousin--who would have been your husband, if you hadn't betrayed me with that Arabian bastard. It's time for you to pay--and if I gain Maxwell Abby in the process, then that's justice, is it not? It should have been mine to begin with." "How will you win Maxwell Abby if I go with you?" Duo asked, his beautiful face clouded with confusion. He smiled. He didn't mind if he knew. Actually, this made it even better, for Hilde to know what she'd lost--and stood to lose. "When we wed, I'll ask Milliardo to give this castle to me. He owes it to me. He should have done more to help me win it before, but he was afraid Wufei would find out what we planned. Milliardo is a craven bastard--" he spat "--with all his secrets." Duo stared at Toad, his head awash in startling revelations. He must be the cousin Wufei had told him about, the one who had tried to marry Hilde, then attempted to kill Sally. He'd burned the village, too. He must have been a madman before. What did that make him now? He looked even worse than when he'd seen him at the Sank castle, if that was possible. Although he had to admit he didn't smell as bad. All that rain the other night must have rinsed him off, he thought with a strange burst of humor. Obviously he didn't know that he and Wufei were wed. He'd probably be wise not to mention that to him. He intended to do nothing that might set off his temper while he held his blade to his sister's throat. "What do you want me to do?" he asked him. "We're going to go out of the castle and through the courtyard. There's a postern gate. I'm certain Hilde has the key--don't you, my dear?" When Hilde nodded, Dermail smiled. At least Duo thought that was what he did. He found it difficult to read the expressions on his misshapen face. But his dark eyes glowed; he looked as though he were enjoying this, very much. His mind working furiously, Duo tried to remember the route they'd have to follow to leave the castle. If he found any place where he could try to disarm Dermail, he'd do whatever he had to, if it would prevent his plan from succeeding. He doubted he intended to let Hilde live. "You go ahead of us," Dermail told him, "but not too far. I don't want to give you a chance to warn anyone what I'm about." As Duo passed by them, Hilde met his worried gaze with a slight smile, and the acknowledgment in her eyes that they'd try something--anything--to stop him. Duo crept down the stairs, his attention more on the couple behind him than on what was ahead. It was a miracle he didn't pitch headlong down the spiraling flight of stairs, and even more of a wonder that Dermail didn't accidentally slit Hilde's throat, considering his uneven--and unsteady--gait. He met Hilde's gaze once again. This was likely the only place, the only chance, they'd get to stop him. Thinking quickly, Duo decided what he would do. Duo stopped dead in the middle of the stairs, throwing them all off balance. Hilde tripped, then doubled over and shoved at Dermail while he was in midstride. His weight shifted onto his crooked leg and he pitched forward, taking the knife with him. Duo pressed himself flat against the wall and Dermail tumbled past him, making a horrible, keening wail. He landed against the wall at the bottom of the flight. "Hilde!" he cried, turning and gathering his sister into his arms. The two siblings clung together on the stairs, Hilde gasping for breath, as a crowd of people came rushing into the stairwell. One of the men bent over Dermail's motionless body and felt his neck. "He's dead, milady." Hilde carefully eased out of Duo's grasp and rose to her feet. "Good," she said firmly. One of the maids gave a shocked gasp. "Milady!" "Enough. Be quiet, Ella," Hilde said, her voice tart. "This man just tried to kill Lord Duo and myself. Since he didn't succeed, a certain amount of rejoicing is in order, don't you think?" Duo stood, as well. Taking up Dermail's knife, he untied his sister. Arms about each other for support, he and Hilde descended the stairs. "Your face and neck, milady!" someone, gasped. "You're covered with blood!" "Who was he, Lady Hilde?" My cousin Dermail." Hilde scanned the group crowded into the foot of the stairs. "I'm certain you all remember him," she stated, "since his men attacked this castle and took me captive." She leaned over him and felt his throat herself. "May God have mercy on his miserable soul," she said, making the sign of the cross. "But not too much. He deserves to suffer, after all the evil he did." Completely ignoring the cut on her neck, which still oozed blood, Hilde stood and began to make arrangements for the removal of the body. Once the crowd had thinned, Duo stepped to his sister's side. "The things he said make sense to me now," Duo said thoughtfully. "What he said to us upstairs?" Duo shook his head. "No. I'd seen him before, at the Sank castle. When Milliardo had me locked away in the vaults, that vile creature came to visit me. He smelled even worse than he does now, if you can imagine it, and he said many strange things that I didn't understand at all. I simply believed him a madman." "He was that," Hilde agreed. "Even before he fell over that cliff. Until he abducted me, I had never realized such ugliness existed. And it was hidden beneath the veneer of a handsome--" "Handsome?" Hilde nodded. "Yes, a very handsome face, and a body to match. He was something of a courtier, in the French fashion--fine clothing, the best horses. Most Sankmen would rather be dead than trussed up in fancy garb. But Dermail always wanted more than he already had. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, so long as you don't try to rob others--including your own kin--to get what you want." She turned away as two men picked up Dermail's limp body to cart it away. "He told me to call him Toad," Duo said, shuddering as he remembered those horrible hours of darkness. "The name fit him, I must admit. He said the man he'd been was dead--for the moment. He must have planned this even then," he said, shaking his head in bemusement. "Come, let's return to my chamber," Hilde said, her voice suddenly shaking. "We both need to sit down and try to forget we ever saw him." "Don't you think that will be a bit difficult?" Duo asked as he turned to follow Hilde. "I said we'd try," she said. "I don't know that we'll succeed." The thundering sound of running feet echoed through the hall and up into the stairwell. Wufei led the way, with Quatre and Heero right behind him. Wufei grabbed Duo about the waist and pulled him into a crushing embrace. "He didn't harm you?" he asked. His gaze swept over him. Quatre elbowed his way past them and hauled his wife into his arms in a similar fashion. Then Duo didn't see anything but Wufei's face as he stared into his eyes, his own dark with panic. "He made a cut on Hilde's neck, but no, he didn't harm me," Duo murmured against his cheek. "He just frightened me." "I knew we should have made certain he was dead, Wufei." Quatre said, his voice cold as ice. Wufei and Duo looked up. Quatre slumped down on the stairs, tugged Hilde onto his lap, wrapped his arms about her and buried his face in her hair. "How could we have known?" Wufei asked. "No one should have survived that fall. And I can't imagine how he got out of that valley, injured as he must have been." He clutched Duo close, and he burrowed against his strong body for comfort. "He was very bitter," Duo said. "When he spoke to me at Sank--" "You saw him there?" Wufei asked sharply. "Yes, in the cellars. He said he'd heard about me and wanted to see me for himself. I thought he was mad. I didn't know who he was until he came to us in Hilde's chamber." Duo watched as Heero sniffed the air, then stalked back into the hall. His roar filled the hall. He walked into the stairwell again, pausing beside Wufei and Duo. "You should kill me now, Dragon," he said, his tone serious. "Here, use my knife." He took his knife from his belt and held it out to Wufei, and stood with head bowed, refusing to meet their eyes. "I knew he'd been following me about before I left Sank, skulking in the shadows, but I thought no more about him once I left. I never imagined he would follow me. He didn't look as though he could do any harm." Heero looked earnestly up at Hilde. "I beg your forgiveness, milady." "It’s not your fault, Hero," Wufei assured him. "If he knew who Duo was--" Duo nodded his head "--then he had to realize we'd come here eventually. He probably came here on his own. Believe me, he's been here before, the bastard." A servant paused before them. "Lord Quatre. What should I do with that?" he asked, pointing back toward the hall. Quatre raised his head and stared down at the man. "Send him back to Milliardo, with my compliments."
~ * ~ |
