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"The Ancient Kingdom "Written By: Jewel of Hell Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Yaoi, lemon (copious amounts, probably), slavery, magic, nekos, some smut, sap, peril, abuse, AU/Fantasy/Drama Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 4+2, 3+1, 5x6, 6+2, 5+1 (good grief!) Summary: When Heero, son of the Warrior
King, conquers the kingdom Sheneva and executes the king, he finds
something unexpected " The Ancient Kingdom "
Once, a long time ago, he'd been a magnificent man. Relena hadn't known him back then, but he did have his . . . pets . . . who had. And they told her about him, showed her telepathic pictures. Tall, regal, elegant, and well-spoken, he'd been able to charm anyone. He always got his way because he knew how to get it. His keenly intelligent mind was capable of analytical thinking as well as turning it off and being entertaining. She wished she'd known him back then. Now, he was a wasted and pitiful thing. The flesh had long ago rotted off his undead body with no beating heart to deliver life-giving blood. His skull was bleached nearly white with age, and the frozen grin didn't suit his frozen personality. His empty eye sockets glowed with a sickly yellow-green light, like poison and illness. They didn't hold little globes of light. They just glowed, a light emanating with no source. It was freakish. His bones were held together with little more than stringy ligament, but at least the smell of decay didn't linger about him. He was long beyond that point. His body was swathed in dark gray robes. Though he hardly needed concern himself with modesty, he always wore boots and breeches. On the back of the robe was embroidered a single crimson rose. It looked so starkly out of place Relena couldn't quite reconcile the two. A lich and a rose. Death and tender life. Spreading the skirts of her coppery-brown dress, she dropped to her knees and bowed her head. His power was gone, sapped from him as surely as his life had been. That didn't mean he was powerless, and she would never forget that. "My lord," she murmured. "You got here very fast," he mused. "I had thought you would take your time." His voice was as hollow as wind moaning through an empty grave. "My only thought was returning here, aiding you in whatever way I can," she replied honestly. His fingers tapped an unnerving rhythm on his desk as he laughed, an even more unnerving sound. "An attempt at flattery, my little doll?" "No, Master," she said, reaching into the small scrip at her waist. "I lingered only long enough to procure something for you. I know you have its twin, but now you can tap into their full power." She held up her palm. On it lay a ring. An innocuous band of silver, it had a dirty brown crystal in the set. Overall it was an ugly ring, but Relena knew very well their power. Hideous contraptions, the crystal was called a Bloodcrystal, a Soulcrystal, or a Soulgem. It was the color of dried blood unactivated. Her master let out a sound like wind whistling through a crypt - his equivalent of a startled breath. He reached over and plucked the ring from her hand, and she shivered to feel naked bone brush her skin. "Ahhh," he purred. "Perhaps you have not used up your worth after all, my little doll. What a priceless gift. Wherever did you find it?" "My father unearthed in in Svalak," she replied, feeling a flutter somewhere in her belly. "He didn't know what it was, but I did. It was only a handful of days later that Prince Heero came to the city, otherwise I would have rushed it here to you with all possible haste." He looked at her with that frozen grin. "And you wished not to draw any undue attention here? What a thoughtful doll. Yes, I certainly couldn't stand up to Heero as I am now. That day will come. Rise, my pretty doll, and let me bestow my gift upon you." Trembling from head to foot now, Relena rose and let her master take her hand. Strange, she thought distantly, that she could be so in love with such a horrific creature. So pitiful and contemptible. Rather, she was in love with what he had been. She wanted to see him restored to that man. Powerful and proud and beautiful. If she had to suffer to see it happen, then she would. His "gift" was sometimes called 'death's kiss', and what he did was drink from her essence. It was how his disintigrating body stayed moving, drinking down the life of others. Even though it hurt, even though it was as terrifying as living her own death and froze all the air in her lungs into ice crystals and stalled her heart and evaporated her blood, she was willing to do it for her master. Until that time when he was Himself again. o0o 0o0 Heero looked down at Zechs Marquise, not quite sure what to make of the man. He was tall, taller than Heero by about four fingerwidths. His eyes were stormy blue, and he had long hair the color of platinum coin. He held himself with the grace befitting his status, but he managed to look not a whit arrogant. He had lowered himself to one knee as soon as the guard escorted him across the audience hall. To his left, Wufei stood in his traditional black, red-trimmed robes with Heero's crest embroidered on the back. Denoting him as Court Sorcerer of Venya. To his right, Trowa stood silent and cold, eyes not leaving Zechs for a second. He didn't wear any armor, but he did have his sword at his waist. Heero did too, but he didn't expect he'd need it. Because sitting on their haunches so close their fur brushed his thighs, were Windwraith and Bloodmoon. And Stormchaser and Ghostshadow sat by their bonded humans. Windwraith's lips were curled back in a silent snarl. Idly reaching down, Heero rested a hand between Windwraith's ears. Meant to be neither comforting nor calming, he simply rested it there. Acknowledging the beautiful wolf's aggression and willingness to protect. Making sure to keep his expression neutral, Heero considered. Zechs, wise man that he was, didn't speak. 'Heero?' Windwraith queried. "Look at me, Marquise," Heero ordered. Those clear, storm-blue eyes lifted. No fear, but again no condescension. Aware they weren't equals, but too proud to debase himself. He finally spoke. "I'm yours to command, My Prince." This time Heero allowed the smile. "Indeed," he mused. 'I can sense his intentions,' Stormchaser said abruptly. 'He has a disciplined but honest mind. He means those words quite literally, Heero.' Heero lifted his hand off Windwraith's head and folded his arms. "The Wolves," he said after a moment, "are satisfied of your loyalty, Marquise." Zechs said nothing, merely waiting. "My brother," he went on, nodding his head toward Trowa, "is not. He's the one you must convince. Allow me to introduce you. Lord Trowa Barton, Imperial General of Venya. As of this moment, what becomes of you is entirely up to him." And that was entirely at Trowa's insistence. "If he really wants to serve you," Trowa had said in a surprisingly steely voice, "let him prove it by working his way up the ranks of your army. He is a prince no longer. He is just a homeless drifter." Cruel, but true. Zechs bowed his head. "Your will is my command, my Prince." Trowa swept forward, Stormchaser rising and keeping pace with him. The enormous gray Wolf looked imposing as hell. "Your father and your sister were both traitors," Trowa said in a contemptuous tone. Not one he used often. "We shall see if that runs in the blood or not. Today you may enter our Warrior Prince's service as a foot soldier in the Imperial Army. If your service is commendable, you may work your way up the ranks as any other man or woman. You are not in Sheneva any longer, Marquise. You are in Venya, and here, you are nothing." Heero thought that was unnecessarily cold, but he didn't try to undermine Trowa. "I understand, General," Zechs said, fisting one hand and crossing it over his chest in an old salute. "I've arranged for you to stay in the royal guard's barracks for the time being," Trowa said. "You displayed no loyalty to your former king, and that makes you suspect. Until you've convinced me you will not harm or betray my prince, you will be watched every day. Guard." The two royal guards standing at the entrance to the audience hall strode forward. "Yes, my liege?" "Take Marquise to the barracks. You needn't afford him any special treatment." Both members of the royal guard were women, and both of them gave a sharp salute. "My liege," they said in unison. "Will you walk on your own, soldier? Or do we need to drag you?" Heero smiled to himself as Zechs followed the two women out. Unlike in other countries, most of the royal guard in Venya were woman. Perhaps lacking the physical strength of a man, they were quicker and usually more cunning. And ten times more observant. When the huge double doors closed, Heero gave his brother a small grin. "Honestly, you didn't have to be so rude." "I disagree," Trowa said with startling forcefulness. "He needs to know right away where he stands. And that if he raises so much as a finger against you, I'll put him down like a dog." "Mm, say like a sheep," Windwraith said with a yawn. That finally managed to cut through Trowa's tension. He smiled faintly. "Yes, I apologize. Like a sheep." "Who were those two women?" Bloodmoon asked, sniffing at the air. "Both strong bitches." Heero snorted. "My royal guard. The captain is a man, but all his lieutenants are women. And he's only a man because my father appointed him years ago. I know men are stronger than women, but women are . . ." "Scarier," Wufei supplied. Heero laughed quietly, and Trowa joined him. o0o 0o0 Duo lurked up in the rafters, tail twitching as he waited. Not too much longer now, he could smell them. They would be rounding the corner any second now . . . There! With a little yowl of delight, he pounced down on his unsuspecting prey. For humans, the two women reacted with surprising speed. He landed on the shoulders of one and she managed to spin enough to present his back to her companion. Already laughing gleefully, Duo leaped away. "Duo," said one, her voice heavy with amusement, "we don't have time to play right now. We're escorting this man to the barracks." Duo stopped, only now realizing they weren't alone. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the interloper. "Who is that? What's he doing here? He smells like . . . hmph. The desert." "That's where Lord Wufei found him," the other woman said. Duo really liked the female members of Heero's royal guard. They were no-nonsense most of the time, but that had an obvious soft-spot for the smaller Myda now in Venya. Women alarmed him a lot less than men, and something about their predatory grace put him at ease. They were also willing to play with him when Quatre was out hunting. Rising to his feet, Duo's tail lashed as he stalked closer to the man. He wasn't in irons. "You're that man's son, aren't you?" he hissed. "You have the same filthy blood in your veins. Heero asked me not to kill any humans, but he wouldn't do anything to me even if I did." He bared his fangs. "My venom can't kill yet." His claws slid free. "But my fangs can." He felt an odd ripple that signified a Wolf entered the world from Dream. Nightwing dashed toward him and wound around his ankles. 'Leave it be, Duo. He's not worth it. Come on, Quatre and Darksong just came back, and they brought enough meat for us all!' Far from being mollified, Duo let himself be distracted. He gave the man one last poisonous glare before turning and sprinting down the hall. Nightwing whirled and kept pace with him. "What caused your anger?" Nightwing panted. "Nothing," Duo muttered. "He just . . . looks like him. A little bit." "The human who captured you and Quatre?" "Yeah." "Just put him out of your mind. He's a sheep in a land of Wolves. He couldn't do anything here." Grinning savagely, satisfied with that and liking the analogy, Duo obeyed and put it out of his mind. He couldn't give play his full attention if he was having ugly thoughts. o0o 0o0 Zechs Marquise watched the beautiful, fierce Myda vanish with his equally beautiful and fierce Wolf companion. He found himself marveling at this land he'd come to. Full of beauty, and like any rose there were plentiful thorns hidding beneath leaves of the richest green. Venomous thorns that would rip his hand off rather than prick his finger. He didn't ask the two women escorting him about the Myda. At first glance he looked like a sweet, playful kitten. Then he bared his fangs at me and proved he's anything but. I wonder if he's old enough to take his true form? I doubt it, he looked very young. I can't imagine my father being so cruel as to cage and chain such a fierce, wild creature. He belongs out in the jungles, roaming free without anything to bind him. He took a slow, deep breath and wondered if there would come a time when he fit in here. He'd never felt being a human meant he didn't quite measure up. He felt it acutely, now. o0o 0o0 Wufei followed Heero to his private study, because he knew the prince wanted to talk about something. The three Wolves padded long, looking deceptively sedate. When the door was closed, Heero looked up at the sorcerer with pensive eyes. Wufei waited, patient while Heero sorted his thoughts and decided how to broach whatever subject was bothering him. "If someone is a complete innocent," Heero said presently, "is it wrong to take that innocence?" Wufei smirked. "I presume that's your way of asking whether you should mate with the Myda kitten or not." Heero rolled his eyes and managed not to blush. Barely. Windwraith started panting, jaws wide and obviously grinning. "The littler one? He is cute, isn't he? Sometimes, Wolves and Myda will . . . play." His tail waved. Unable to help it, Heero started chuckling. "Myda are intensely physical beings," Ghostshadow said thoughtfully, "and they begin exploring intimacy when they are juveniles. Duo is an adolescent adult. More than old enough, if not for the full act then definitely . . . what do humans call it?" "Foreplay," Wufei supplied. "Yes, foreplay," Ghostshadow said. "In fact, Duo will appreciate it." "Myda are gluttons for physical attention," Windwraith said, still panting laughter. "But, isn't it taking advantage?" Heero protested. It sounded as weak as it felt. Wufei shook his head. "Look at it from his perspective, Heero. He won't understand why you're holding back when you like him and he likes you. He doesn't need to be seduced." "Doesn't even understand seduction," Ghostshadow added. "We immortals are straightforward in our desires, and how we got about getting them is equally straightforward. Wolves know pretty much right away who our soulmates will be." "And we don't do all that doubting of ourselves humans do," Bloodmoon added. "Oh yeah, none of that pesky business," Windwraith agreed. "Duo won't either," Ghostshadow said, "so you shouldn't introduce doubt into his mind. It's a foreign concept to him." Heero looked at the three Wolves and one sorcerer. "I don't remember asking for advice," he complained. The two younger Wolves and one sorcerer gave him shit-eating grins. "Funny," said the one sorcerer, "I seem to recall him asking." "I remember it," Windwraith piped up immediately. "Distinctly," Bloodmoon threw in. Heero glared down at them. "Traitors." "You are the one who asked us how to make Duo your mate," Ghostshadow pointed out, head canting to the side. Heero threw his hands up. "Fine, fine. Thank you all for your unwanted remarks. I'm going now." "Kiss him real good," Windwraith called. "And pet him, too," Bloodmoon added. "They love that." Heero chuckled under his breath as he left his study.
Unwanted, but very helpful.
tbc Chapter 15 |
