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"In My Lover's Arms "Written By: Jewel of Hell Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, violence, slavery, language, war, torture, fear of the unknown, AU/Fantasy/Drama Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, other Summary: New part, new warnings, new dedications, new threats, new dangers. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ "In My Master's Arms", DO SO BEFORE READING THIS STORY! This one will not make much sense otherwise. Also, this one picks up pretty much exactly where its prequel leaves off, so I will NOT recap. I hate recap. Blegh.
"In My Lover's Arms "
Maritias knew the sorcerer enslaved to the other lord in Dobraia, Greye. "Her name is Carine," she told Duo, "and she is older than me by a decade or more. She's a Green like me, but only barely. I may be more powerful in strength, but she is a wealth of knowledge, both magical and non. She will be an excellent addition to your forces, Duo, and she has no love for the Tower, I assure you." Heero was ready to return to Cera right away, and he wanted to take Maritias, Duo, and Salyn right to Lord Greye's home and smuggle Carine out. Maritias immediately and strongly objected. "I agree it may be easier to take her using stealth rather than force," she said, "but not Salyn. It isn't necessary to include him." Her vehemence let Duo know instantly that she knew something about Salyn. She wasn't trying to hide it per se, but it wasn't something she was yet ready to discuss. He trusted her, so he convinced Heero to listen to her. "Carine's specialty is in wards," Maritias told them. "She no doubt has lain wards around the city and her captor's home to warn him of magic use anywhere near since you two have openly come forward and un-collared sorcerers. I do, however, have an idea. It will require a bit of deception." She held up a collar that looked exactly like the green one she'd been wearing only days ago. "We need only get close enough to Greye to suggest he have Carine lower her wards in a specific area. You can open a doorway to that exact spot, and we can get her out." Duo smiled. "I have the perfect candidate for your 'master,' Maritias. It's unlikely Greye will have given Carine the sort of leeway Heero gave me, so a sort of backup plan is in order." She shook her head. "Greye knows my face. I cannot go. You, however, are not known. He will never have seen your face." Heero, of course, immediately disliked the plan. Trying not to let his overprotectiveness annoy him, Duo shot down his arguments. "I'll do it. This isn't a real collar, Heero. It can't actually stop my magic from functioning." The young king didn't like it one bit, but he wanted Carine and didn't want to arrange a military strike against the city yet. So he grudgingly agreed. The only thing left was telling his new 'master' the plan. Treize Khushrenada smiled. "I'm honored you asked, Duo," he said with an elegant bow. "Though 'Your Highness' is more appropriate?" He smiled. Duo blushed a little and shook his head. "Duo is fine. I prefer it." "Indeed. And while we're in Greye's city, I suppose it wouldn't do for me to call you 'Your Highness' anywhere he might overhear, yes?" He winked. Duo grinned. Treize would ride into the city as an emissary from Navrane, a minor noble but a protectorate of the crown. Duo would be his moderately weak Green sorcerer, which was appropriate for his young age. Most teens were rarely settled into their full power - Duo had been the exception, not the rule. Using his gift that had nothing to do with magic, Treize would 'suggest' to Greye that Carine shouldn't have a total restriction on her so she could weaken her wards just enough Duo could slip past them undetected. It would be easy for him. "Though wouldn't it be quicker to just ride into the city and take this sorcerer?" Treize asked as they mounted their horses. Silvertail frisked, seeming quite happy to have Duo in his saddle again. "Yes, ostensibly," Duo agreed. "But the Tower will know by now that's what we're doing. Freeing sorcerers. Since Carine is enslaved here in Dobraia, they will know she's our next target. We're not prepared for an all-out battle with the Tower. They outnumber us and have more experience. We wouldn't win." The aristocratic man nodded, controlling his horse with an expert hand. "It's a generally accepted truth that experience amounts to more than sheer power." He gave Duo a smile. "You're quite wise for your age, Duo." Duo tried not to blush. Heero patted Silvertail's neck. "If you let anything happen to him, Treize," he said quietly, "there won't be anywhere on this world for you to hide." Torn between fondness and annoyance, Duo reached forward and grabbed Heero's had to squeeze it. "Nothing will happen to me. To either of us." The Black King stepped back and nodded, and Duo followed Treize's lead. It was strange to feel cold metal around his neck again, even if the collar didn't actually do anything. If he never felt that sensation again, it would be too soon. o0o 0o0 Lord Greye presided over the city Trias, which was only a few dozen leagues from Dermaile. Duo opened a gate to somewhere a few leagues south, and they rode the rest of the way into the city. "There might be sorcerers who can sense it if we get any closer," he told Treize. Treize was perfectly content to ride the distance. He took the time to study Duo in silence, concentration uninterrupted. The boy seemed quite distracted, so he either didn't notice or care. The green band of metal around his neck looked out of place. Black had suited the boy far more in terms of aesthetic appeal. Duo was perhaps a little taller than all those months ago when Heero had first brought him to Corai. He still looked very slender and young, but the innocence and naivete had rounded out into wisdom. He still had that lovely gentleness, however, and Treize had a feeling he would never stop marveling how different this boy was from the Black King. Opposites, he thought with a small smile, really do attract. Though I certainly understand why Heero fell for him. He's beautiful in every possible way. "Treize, do you think what we're doing is wrong?" Treize blinked, surprised to hear him speak. "Which part?" he inquired. "Taking over the other kingdoms or freeing sorcerers?" "The latter." And surprisingly still insecure. "Of course it doesn't. Why should it? Though I can't say I trust young Salyn, so far I've been nothing but impressed with Lady Maritias." Duo looked at him then, with a small smile. "You don't trust him either?" "No, and I'm a bit surprised you do." Duo sighed. "I don't. But of the three sorcerers that came, he was the one the other two were strongly hoping I'd keep around. Salyn's mind is completely blank to me. I don't even know how he's doing it. As far as I can tell there aren't any wards, like the one I placed around Heero's mind. It's just blank. Like he's a doll. Until I know what he's hiding, why he came to Corai, I'll keep him around." "Ah. A case of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer?" Treize smiled. Duo let out a sweet laugh. "Something like that." The city guard was on high alert, which Treize didn't find to be alarming. When they saw the collar around Duo's neck they immediately ushered him to Lord Greye's ostentatious estate, and a servant sat them down. "Please make yourself comfortable, my lord, while I inform Lord Greye he has a guest." She trotted off. Another servant brought Treize a glass of some pale juice with ice in it. Wonders never ceased. He wanted to backhand the little bitch for not bringing Duo a glass too. He drank half of it, pleasantly surprised by the mildly sweet flavor, then gave the rest to Duo. The servant had the gall to let out a sound, and he leveled her with a Look. "Some complaint, girl?" he said in his most imperious tone. Not even Relena had been able to keep her composure when he used that tone. This girl was ten times less so. "N-no, my lord!" she squeaked. "Y-you're just . . . very kind, is all." "Ah. A dog serves his master better when he is fed and watered regularly, yes? What use is a dog when he is too weak to move?" He winked at her. She straightened and beamed at him with a blush. "None, my lord!" "Good girl. Now be a lamb and fetch me another glass. That juice quenches my thirst deliciously." She giggled and trotted off with the empty glass. Treize saw Duo trying to hide a grin. "I can see why you were on the Council," he murmured. "You have quite a way with words." Which he'd used to his advantage many, many times. This fool lord of Dobraia would never know what hit him. o0o 0o0 Treize thought - and Duo agreed - it would be best if they stayed the entire day even after Carine weakened her wards. Duo sensed it the second she did, but he doubted anyone else would be able. What she lacked in power she obviously made up for in skill. But staying meant he had to sit through an entire day of listening to the idiot Greye's snide comments about Corai and the Black King. "If that arrogant boy comes here, I'll show him what Dobraia's made of!" he boasted. Duo had to school his expression into careful neutrality. It was the best he could do. Eventually the day drew to a close. Greye insisted on feeding Treize a full meal, during which he blustered on and on about Dobraia's superior power and how the "scrappy, disorganized warmongers from Corai" didn't stand a chance. Finally, finally they were able to turn in, and Duo immediately sought out Carine. He sensed her down the east wing, and he knocked softly on her door. At her terse invitation he entered and closed it behind him. She wasn't as tall as Maritias, nor as pretty, but there was something stately and regal about her. Her pale hazel eyes narrowed on Duo as he crossed the threshold. "Foolish boy," she said by way of greeting, "what possessed you to come here to free me? There are Tower watchdogs crawling all over this place." Caught off guard by her attitude, he hesitated, not sure what to say. She pointed to the floor at her feet. "Sit." He sat without thinking. She folded her hands in her lap. "If you free me and I go with you, there will be some changes. First, you and your fool king will stop galavanting all over the countryside like a dandy pair of colts. Second, you will submit yourself to becoming a student. You are dangerously uneducated in the ways of magic, and you need to learn. Third, your king will do the same. You will both need all your skill if you are to survive this war with the Tower. Fourth. You are far more powerful than I am, but trust me, you couldn't win in a magic battle with me if your life depended on it. It is time you learned power will never beat skill. And last, your fool king will agree to stop executing sorcerers. There are a select few who deserve to die. The rest are merely misinformed." Duo found himself wishing Maritias had better prepared him for meeting Carine. "I . . . I can't speak for Heero," he began. "You can, and you certainly will," she cut him off. "What will it be, boy? My teaching methods will be harsh, but not cruel." Though being her apprentice intimidated him, after a pause Duo nodded. She was right. He'd need more than his power to defeat the Tower. "I can agree to your conditions," he murmured. "Good. Then worry about this collar after you've taken us some place safer. At the first spark of magic, the Tower's watchdogs will swarm over us. Where is your so-called master? I assume he is a friend you'd not wish to leave behind?" Duo merely nodded, rising and following her from the small room. He was perfectly happy to leave this estate behind. o0o 0o0 Cera welcomed the Black King and Queen home with gleeful abandon. Duo and Heero modified the powerful barrier to allow Maritias and Carine to use their magic freely within its walls. Maritias was obviously impressed, Carine said and showed nothing. The chamberlain greeted them with a low bow. "I've prepared accomodations for you both," he said, "which I will happily adjust to your particular tastes. My queen, I have all the matters requiring your attention ready for you in the morning." "Thank you, Chamberlain," Duo said. Carine watched him go. "Why does he call you that, Duo? You are not a woman." Duo flushed, but as soon as he began to explain, Carine overrode him. "Never mind. Come. Your matters of state may wait, but your training may not." "He needs at least one day of rest," Heero protested immediately, drawing himself up to his full intimidating height. Carine gave him the barest of glances. "He needs training, not rest, and he already agreed to this, Heero. Go see to your kingdom, the one you've neglected while traipsing all over the world." Her words made the Black King rear up. Duo wasn't sure which one of them would win that battle, so he grabbed Heero's arm and steered him away from the two women. "It's all right," he murmured, voice low. "She's right, anyway. I'll see you tonight, okay?" He knew Heero only agreed for his sake, then he led Carine and Maritias to the training courtyard. It was used for combat training, but he had a feeling he'd need the space and lack of things to destroy. Magic was more . . . dangerous than swords. Carine looked around with a critical eye. "This will suffice, as long as no one else enters while we're working." She paused, and Duo felt her erect a ward that would make anyone turn around and leave again. He was impressed. She'd done it very quickly and accurately, with no wasted power. "Now," Carine said. She held up her hands. "While we're in here training, you will wear this." Duo stared at her in shock. A collar. That was a genuine one, too, not a false one like Maritias had made. And it was only Yellow. "I'm not wearing that," he said faintly. "Yes you are. It will restrict your power to a bare trickle. When you've mastered everything I have to teach you using only a Yellow's power, everything will come easily and naturally to you when you have access to Black." Before he even thought about it, Duo backed away. "I'm not wearing a collar ever again, Carine. Ever." She sighed. "Maritias?" He didn't know what she did, but suddenly he was taking the collar from Carine and closing it around his own neck. The lock snapping into place jarred him back to reality, and he stared at her in horror. "Did you . . . just . . ." "I am sorry, Duo," the lovely Green said, "but Carine's method of teaching is correct. It may seem harsh to you now, but you will learn quicker. It's not as though she will hurt you." Hardly the point. Carine touched the collar, and it briefly flared the color of her eyes. Then it was done, and Duo felt his power, all his incredible power, choked off to a bare minimum flow. It could only be less if the collar was White. He sat down hard on the cobblestone, feeling betrayed. Maritias knelt in front of him, guiding his head to rest against her breast. "Duo," she said quietly, "learn quicker and this will be over quicker. I will help you every step of the way, I promise." "Did you know," Carine added, "that this is how sorcerers used to teach their apprentices? That is what these collars were built for, originally. Training devices, nothing more. But then normals thought they'd be a magnificent way to control their betters." Duo blinked. "They tricked the first sorcerers," Maritias continued, "into becoming slaves. They spread the word of fear and panic very quickly, and soon all normals believed sorcerers had to be controlled for the safety of everyone. That sorcerers would eventually use their power to hurt, overpower, and rule the entire world." He felt sick. His attitude toward normals had mellowed a lot since Heero had freed him. Maritias stroked her fingers through his silken hair. "It is easy to change the opinions of others by using fear, and people naturally fear what has the power to hurt them. They stopped seeing us as people and started seeing us as beasts. Beasts to be collared and leashed and abused and controlled." "We are at war as much with them as the Tower," Carine said. "The southern half of Dobraia has a much more lax attitude about sorcerers, but the farther north you travel, the worse and worse it becomes." "You must be prepared, Duo," Maritias murmured. "You and Heero both. Carine and I will stand by your side, and others will too. But there are so, so many who will not. They will fight you to their last breath. That is what Carine and I will prepare you for." The inner turmoil slowly calmed. "I'm ready," he whispered. "Good," Carine said. "One of my conditions
was you and Heero stop killing sorcerers but for those who deserve
to die. There is one such right under your nose. It's high time you
executed Salyn Durash."
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