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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 "
Fall of Kingdoms In the days since the Black King's last visit to his Imperial Army, Treize had settled into a position of Division Commander. That put him right below the Division Generals. He enjoyed being an officer and he knew his division was already beginning to respect and trust him, but he wanted more. A commander seldom joined the conferences between the Lord General and Division Generals. Zechs never sought Treize out, and he rarely asked the man for an opinion of any kind. Today was no different. On the eve of a successful battle with the faltering Dobraian army, Treize saw Wufei stride with purpose and grace across the camp, heading toward Zechs' pavilion. Really, the young man was so beautiful. Though he almost always wore his ebony hair pulled straight back, Treize had once seen him let it down as he prepared to wash up. The straight, shining locks falling around his pale face and neck had been a rather . . . enlightening experience. Treize had long harbored something of an infatuation. Now it was morphing into sexual arousal. He burned to follow Wufei, wondering what he was discussing with Zechs. He knew enough of the man's body language to recognize it wasn't a social visit, and the slight tension in his shoulders told Treize it was something very important. Fortunately for his sanity, he wasn't kept waiting long. Zechs emerged from his pavilion and summoned the three division generals and the six division commanders. Treize gratefully rose and walked with the other officers. Zechs waited until they'd all arrived. "I have news from Cera," he began. "Wufei has been in touch with our king. He will be traveling here tomorrow afternoon with Duo, our future queen. He will be negotiating Dobraia's total surrender or complete conquest. He intends to have both Dobraia and Penniar merged into Corai by the month's end." The gathered men burst into excited talk, and Treize felt a thrill run through him. He could practically feel the world changing. Deep in the private recesses of his own mind, he felt a stirring. "You are right about that young man, Treize," came a voice that seldom spoke to him, and when it did it always filled him with tremendous warmth. Cestera. Goddess of Life. "Everything shifts and flows around him. And not just him, but the beautiful young Black that he loves. You are too far from it all. I somehow sense it is important that you become close with these two boys. You need to stay near them. They are setting events into motion that must be allowed to come to fruition." Treize almost found himself nodding as though she were standing right in front of him. "I will do as you require." The golden light went dark in the depths of his mind, and he refocused to find Wufei looking at him oddly and Zechs continuing. "There will be an execution in the morning," the Lord General was saying. "After that our king will be arriving. He plans to lead the final attack on this province himself, then march into the capital. Apparently the lord of this province has a sorcerer, and our king intends to liberate this sorcerer and bring them into his army." That created even more stir. General Regathon puffed out his chest. "What do you say, Lord General? Shall we let the word slip? I'll wager a thousand crowns that the cowards will flee before we even set foot on the battlefield!" The other men laughed, and Treize smirked. He very well might be right. Zechs smiled. "It's an amusing thought, but no. It will better suit our king's purposes if they're not aware of what's going on until too late. He told me he has a special plan, and I'm rather hoping for a demonstration of power they will never forget." By the looks on their faces, the rest of the men were hoping for that too. "Please see to your divisions," Zechs went on, "and make sure that everything is perfect for their arrival. This time Duo will be accompanying him, and I want you each to make sure all is in order to see to his comfort in particular." Afthron lifted an eyebrow. "It's not as though he's a woman." "No," Zechs agreed, giving the man a cold look, "but as you will recall, when he first came to Corai he was a slave. Now he is our king's equal, and I'm quite certain to treat him as anything less would bring the Black King's wrath down upon you faster than you could blink. And you did not travel with us from Navrane all those months ago. I have met Duo, and I assure you he is no demure child. He has a sharp tongue and a fierce temper. And he is no longer afraid to use either." Wufei smirked, and Treize did too. He had met Duo, and looking back he wondered if that meeting had been cleverly staged. "Now go. Wufei, please remain." When the other officers began filing out, Wufei leaned toward Zechs. "I would like a word with Commander Khushrenada if I may, Lord General." "Of course." Surprised and pleased, Treize followed Wufei to a secluded part of camp. The ebony-eyed man looked up at Treize, expression inscrutable. "For how long have you been able to commune with your goddess?" So you sensed that, did you? Treize just smiled. "For at least as long as you. Perhaps longer." After a moment of intense scrutiny, Wufei relaxed a little. "I will require you to tell our king." Not a suggestion. Treize found his desire deepening. "Does it matter so much if he does not know?" "Yes," Wufei said. "He will find out anyway, and what will he think of you then, that you kept it a secret? Duo can sense the energy nesting in us that leads back to our gods and goddesses. Yours has been dormant until just a moment ago, so even I could not. Now that it is active, Duo will sense it at once." Treize inclined his head. "I understand. I will tell him at the first opportunity." Wufei nodded. "I'm glad you agree. That is not the only thing I wish to discuss. It was Trowa who contacted me to let me know of their arrival, and he has made me aware of something. I would like you to be, as well. Apparently Duo has already freed a young man from his collar. A Blue of questionable loyalty." Surprised, Treize blinked and folded his arms. "Indeed." "They are bringing this Blue with them. Trowa has asked me to add my vigilance to his, and now I'm asking you. He's not sure yet whether this young man intends Duo harm, but he's expressed at least some measure of concern. You have already sworn under our king's magic to serve him, so I know I can trust you." So that moment with him I was under spell, Treize thought with a little shiver. "I'm glad you know that, Wufei, and I will certainly keep my eye on this youth. Actually, Cestera has asked me to watch over both our king and his love. She told me the change they will bring to this world must be allowed to happen." It was Wufei's turn to look surprised. And impressed. "I see. Well, I must admit I'm grateful to have her on our side. Thank you, Treize. I'm going to speak with Zechs now, make him aware of these things. I know Heero and Duo are the two most powerful people on Harboura right now, but they are not invulnerable." "Indeed not," Treize agreed. "I must return to my section of the division and see to organizing things. Good evening, Wufei." "And to you, Treize," Wufei returned, nodding. He glided back the way they'd come. Treize felt a pleasant warmth spread low through his belly. If they could carry on polite and comfortable conversation like this, perhaps there was a chance for it to develop into something more as time went by. o0o 0o0 This time when Duo rode into the Imperial Army of Corai, it was on the back of his own horse. The jet black stallion was a bit smaller than Dark, and he had a silver stripe down his forehead and a slash of silver in his tail. It was the source of his name, Silvertail. Duo thought it was every bit as unimaginative as Dark, but he didn't complain. The stallion was only just over two years and therefore still quite frisky and energetic, and his mind had not been awakened. It gave Duo great delight to be the first when Heero told him, "He's yours, my love." Silvertail bonded deeply and instantly to Duo, and even though he talked so fast Duo could barely understand him, he loved the stallion immediately. The stablemaster watched him saddle Silvertail and offer him the bit with amazement. "You've a golden hand with 'em, just like Heero," he mused, shaking his head. "I've never been able to get that little beast to listen nor mind." Duo smiled, stroking a hand down Silvertail's nose. "That's just because you weren't asking right. You're a wonderful horse, aren't you?" he murmured. Silvertail snorted softly and nudged him in the stomach. His youth presented other challenges, though. He got jealous and unreasonable when other horses came near Duo, and even people. He scared the living daylights out of a poor stableboy with his stamping and rearing. But while Duo had never been taught how to ride a horse, Silvertail calmed immediately when Duo settled into his saddle. 'I know you're not used to it,' he told Duo, 'so I'll be gentle.' Duo had to smile at his thoughtfulness. Silvertail also absolutely refused to let any horse lead except Dark. Heero created the gateway to the army in the middle of the courtyard. He rode through first, Dark moving with confidence and without fear. Silvertail hesitated, tugging nervously at the bit, until Duo stroked his neck and promised nothing scary awaited on the other side. Salyn and Trowa followed behind on their own horses, the latter leading the former. When they emerged on the other side, it was to find a long row of soldiers waiting, lined up and armor gleaming. Zechs stood at their head, looking resplendent in his battle regalia. Heero dismounted, handing Dark's lead to a waiting man. Duo instantly sensed that he wanted to offer his love a hand down, but he didn't want to make him look weak in front of the others. Duo almost smiled and easily slid out of the saddle. Silvertail frisked, snorting aggressively, but Duo calmed him with a hand and he let himself be led away. Heero didn't resist offering Duo his arm, and he accepted with a smile. "Your Majesties," Zechs said, bowing deeply. The others beside him did the same. "Welcome back. Would you care to inspect our camp?" Duo recognized Wufei and Treize, but none of the others. He didn't wait for Heero to respond. "Please," he said. "Also, would you introduce me to your Division Generals and Commanders?" The unfamiliar men looked quite pleased. "Of course," Zechs said, turning slightly to the side. "This is General Regathon, First Divison, and this is General Afthron, Second Division." Both men gave Duo a deep bow with a flourish, exclaiming their pleasure at finally meeting him in person. They introduced their commanders and captains, and Duo was a little surprised by the emotions flowing from them. They wanted Duo to feel welcome, they even felt a bit covetous of him. The moment Zechs distracted Heero with something, General Regathon gently took Duo's hand and rested it on his arm. "This is your first time amidst our army, is it not?" he asked, beginning to lead him along. The unpleasant memories of the trip from Navrane to Corai sprang up in Duo's mind. "During war time, yes," he replied. Regathon patted Duo's arm as General Afthron appeared on Duo's other side. "Our Lord Chang told us you and the Black King have a special plan for making sure Dobraia surrenders?" Regathon asked. "Though I'm certain your mere presences would do just as well," Afthron chortled. Duo couldn't help smiling. "Yes. Heero wants to accomplish more than mere conquest. He is the first monarch in the history of our world to actually be a sorcerer. We have the mindset of an entire world to change, and the resistance to these changes will become more fierce the farther north we travel." "There must be others in the world who feel the way you do, though," Regathon said in comforting tones. "After all, an entire world of narrow-minded idiots seems unlikely," Afthron added. Duo blinked, thoughts beginning to drift. There were a lot who didn't. Those would be the biggest threat. "The sorcerers who genuinely feel the Tower is right will always pose a significant danger, though. Heero made sure a certain number of individuals could never be directly harmed by magic. I wonder if there's a way we could do that for the rest of the Imperial Army." He noticed the two men give each other a look. Regathon cleared his throat. "That's a marvelous idea, my queen," he said after a moment, "but I believe the practical application would . . . prove challenging. May I suggest an alternative?" "Of course," Duo said, nodding. After all, this man was old enough to be his father and had decades more experience. "An elite force in every Division capable of handling sorcerers," Regathon said. "A group of individuals, perhaps ten to twenty of them. They could receive the protections of which you spoke, as well as special training." Duo grinned. "They could also be provided with magically-imbued weapons that would be capable of defeating a sorcerer." The two generals returned Duo's grin. "Now you're thinking like a soldier," Afthron said with a chuckle. Duo started when he felt a warm hand land between his shoulder blades. "Are you three solving the world's problems all by yourself?" an amused Heero asked. Turning slightly, Duo reached up and captured the king's hand in his own. "They have given me a few ideas for anti-magic measures," he replied. Regathon looked pleased. "We merely offered a few suggestions, Your Majesty. The ideas were mostly his own." Duo felt a swell of pride and pleasure in Heero - pride for Duo, and pleasure that these two high-ranking noble-officers were treating Duo with respect. The rest of the inspection passed quickly, and Duo found himself interested. Really, this army was run with efficiency and skill. It was an immensely positive reflection on Heero, and Duo was pleased. The officers retired with them to Zechs' enormous pavilion. The table was large enough to seat them all. Salyn opted out of sitting, instead he stood right behind Duo's chair. Duo could feel the nervous energy tingling along the older youth's nerves, could feel the power crackling around him as though he expected to be attacked at any moment. Duo took a deep breath and tried to ignore it. "I'm pleased that since I was here last, things have improved even more. What is the casualty count so far?" Heero began. The ugly side of war Duo did not like to consider. Zechs smiled, looking faintly bemused. "None on either side. The border province armies have fought half-heartedly at best. I expect the resistance will grow stronger as we progress north, however." Heero nodded. "I agree. I realize I have neglected the introductions. This is Salyn Durash, Duo's personal protector. He has given me the names and masters of two sorcerers in Dobraia. Freeing them is mine and Duo's primary reason for coming here, as well as an audience with the king. I also will be - " Duo started when he felt a strange little burst of energy. It made Heero break off and look at him, the question in his eyes clear. He rose, putting a hand on Heero's arm to stop him from following suit. "I felt something strange. I'll go investigate." "I'll go with you," Heero said immediately. Duo gave him a slight glare. "Stay here and finish your business with these men. I already know what you're going to say, so you won't miss me." When Heero opened his mouth to protest, Duo hardened his glare. "I don't need you to take care of me. I'll be back in a moment. Salyn?" Turning, he strode out of the pavilion. Salyn trotted at his side, so close their shoulders brushed. "What is it? Your sensitivity is much greater than mine." "I'm not sure," Duo said, still feeling a bit short-tempered. Reaching around, he took Salyn's wrist and Blinked. The world flickered out only to pop back in a second later, and Duo took a moment to look around. Not a soul for miles, but he could feel the residue of magic. Salyn hovered right behind him, still looking a split-second from either fleeing or hurling some tremendous magic. Duo flashed him an irritated look. "Stop hovering like a frightened dove," he snapped. "Be useful and set up a barrier ward around the area. Surely you can feel that just moments ago someone performed magic here." Salyn jumped and scrambled back. "Y-yes, I can." Too annoyed to apologize, Duo began scanning the immediate space for disturbance. "I-I'm done, Duo," Salyn said, suddenly right back at Duo's side. "Perhaps we should return to camp. We're vulnerable out here." Duo ignored him. "You just set wards. No one can sneak up on us." "But my wards can be overcome with enough force -" Straightening, Duo sent him a hard look. "That's not likely to happen. Is it?" Salyn swallowed. "Well . . . no, I suppose not, but -" Duo forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down. "Never mind. I already found what I came here for. It's a basic suggestion trap." He smiled faintly. "I wouldn't have thought of that." Salyn frowned. "A suggestion trap?" He paused, and Duo felt him concentrate. "A suggestion to travel farther west, along the river instead of sticking to the main road. I wonder why?" "Probably to prepare some sort of ambush," Duo said. "Traveling along the river wouldn't have delayed us by any great deal, and the readily-available water would have been an added benefit. That begs another would any sorcerer perform magic this close to the camp when there are two Blacks and one Blue?" Salyn looked around. "Why didn't Heero sense this?" Duo tried not to let his irritation return. "Because he hasn't ever used magic like you and I, and because I'm still shielding him." "Shielding him?" "Just . . . be silent a moment," Duo said as politely as he could. Closing his eyes and trying to block out everything, he searched for that lingering thread that might tell him something about the sorcerer who'd lain this trap. Green. It was a green, and it was a female. She has a lot more experience than me in these things. This was an excellent trap. But could she really have been sloppy enough to cast it so . . . obviously? Unless she meant to draw my attention. "You know, when you use magic I can't sense it at all," Salyn interrupted his musings. Duo opened his eyes. "If you remind me when things settle down, I'll teach you how to do it too. It's difficult, but not impossible." He drew in a deep breath, trying to decide what to do. He could go to the river, try to figure out what lay in wait. He could return to camp, apprise Heero. He could travel along the road. "Can you turn into an animal?" Salyn shook his head. "No. I used to try all the time, but changing one's shape is difficult. Changing one's size is even more difficult." "Good," Duo said. And the older boy was right, it was difficult. But not impossible. "Return to camp and tell Heero I'm going to find out more about this suggestion trap." "What!" Salyn exclaimed. "I won't leave your side -" In the space of a few more heartbeats, Duo stood on the ground in the form of a tiny hummingbird, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. Flying was far easier than performing magic, and before Salyn could even think about stopping him he was gone, zooming through the trees. It was quite exhilirating. Making sure his own shields were strongly in place, he found the river and began his search. It yielded results about two leagues from the suggestion trap. The remains of a camp, and a little farther along the river there were at least one-hundred men gathered around. Obviously waiting for some sort of signal. Duo could see bows and crossbows, and each of them were wearing mottled green and brown and gray tunics. They would be difficult to spot, and when the Imperial Army moved along the river they'd be able to pick off their targets. Duo landed on a reed and sighed. That tactic would work well against a normal army. The two Divisions in Dobraia were more than small enough for Duo to protect from any aerial bombardment as soon as he realized the ambush, which would only take moments. It would serve as nothing more than a minor nuisance and delay. So then what are they planning? The lord of this province is Cerval, and he's one of the two Salyn told me about. This must be some sort of diversionary tactic. But to what end? He clicked his beak in irritation. I'm not used to this. I don't know how nobles think. What is their goal? Well, the answer to that was easy. Securing and protecting their own positions. Without their titles they were useless. And if Heero occupied Dobraia and pulled it into Corai's rule, their titles were meaningless. Heero would never allow men and women he did not trust to remain in power. So it's in their vested interest to make sure Dobraia doesn't fall. And as quickly as Heero and I revealed his secret, the Tower would be one step ahead of us there since they're more spread out. They can travel just as freely and easily as I can. They have to be behind this. As carefully as he could, he probed the defenses of these men. They themselves were nothing extraordinary. In fact they had misgivings about their task. But something kept snagging Duo's attention. The weapons. They felt . . . Wrong. Duo blinked and hissed in a sharp breath. Wrong. Those are magically imbued. They would penetrate even my defenses if I didn't notice in time. His eyes widened. Without him and Heero, the guerilla-style attack would be more effective and deadly. And the magic in the tips of those arrows was meant to subdue magical ability. A Green couldn't pull that off. There are other sorcerers around. They must be close. Far enough that I couldn't sense them. Even the Tower couldn't have acted that quickly. They couldn't possibly have known exactly where the Imperial Army would be. Taking to the air, he zoomed back the way he'd come. He didn't stop until he reached the outskirts of the camp, and as soon as he did he wove a huge, powerful barrier to prevent any magic but his own. Including Salyn. o0o 0o0 Heero felt something close (far too close for comfort) to panic when Salyn returned without Duo. His initial impulse was to murder the Blue, his desire to find out exactly the kid's angle overridden by his fury. He practically dragged Salyn to the edge of camp, squeezing his arm too hard and not caring in the slightest. "I thought I told you your job was to protect him," he growled. "How exactly do you plan to do that when you don't even know where he is?" Salyn gave him an utterly pathetic look. "I couldn't stop him! He turned into a hummingbird and flew off! Have you ever tried to capture a hummingbird with your bare hands?" Heero squeezed harder, making the kid mewl. "If anything happens to him, I will kill you," he hissed. "You'll be begging for it by the end." The mindbreaker flitted through his mind. Oh, how easy it would be to recreate that evil magic and use it right now. This little shit would confess everything and Heero wouldn't have to play nice. "Please!" Salyn yelped. "He didn't give me a choice, I swear!" Heero exerted pressure on the arm he held, and Salyn went down to his knees with a whine. "Do you understand how easy it would be for me to crush your mind and make you spill your guts in your desperation to please me?" he hissed. "Easier than breaking a dry twig. I've let you stay close because I suspect you're not being honest with me, and I know you're not the threat. What do you suppose would happen if I changed my mind, hm?" "Please, please," the kid whimpered, his free hand wringing in his tunic. "I tried, I don't want to see him hurt, I swear, please!" Heero looked down at him, expression iced over. Those words were a mixture of truth and something more vague. Something too foggy to be truth, not quite blatant enough to be a lie. This kid was quite the conundrum. A moment later, he was spared Heero's wrath when he felt Duo begin laying a powerful barrier around the camp. Salyn looked a bit shocked when the barrier cut off his magic. Heero smirked. Perhaps Duo wasn't as trusting as he appeared. "It seems my love has returned. Since you're next to useless at the moment, go ask one of the officers where you're to sleep for the night. I don't want to see you until morning. Am I perfectly clear?" He shook Salyn once for emphasis, then flung him to the ground. Disregarding him immediately, he stepped past him and headed for his love. Vowing to keep his temper in check. Duo gave him such a feisty glare all words evaporated on his tongue. It was cute. "The Tower's prepared an ambush for us," Duo said. "Does Zechs have maps of Dobraia? I want to see them right now." Slightly bemused, Heero merely nodded and led Duo back to the pavilion. Only Zechs, Treize, Wufei, and Trowa remained with the two Division generals. The six men rose and bowed when the pair entered, and Duo ignored it. He strode to the table and began looking through the maps. "Show me a map of this province, Zechs," he commanded. It didn't sound bossy or demanding. It sounded like a command fit for any royal. Heero's pride for his little love soared. Zechs obeyed immediately, sorting through his maps with ease. Duo spread the map out on the table. It was a finely detailed work, showing newer roads, older roads, and even the well-hunted game trails. It also showed rivers and streams. Duo tapped his finger on the city Dermaile, next on their push toward the capital. "Do we have a map of the city?" "Yes," Zechs said, rustling a few scrolls out of the way and spreading out a map of Dermaile. Duo studied it for a moment and nodded. "I'm going to open a gateway right into the city, here in the main square. We'll march on Dermaile tonight and demand Cerval's surrender. I want to occupy the city by sunset." The command garnered startled looks from every man, but Heero could tell the battle-hardened warriers also approved. Not about to undermine his lover's authority, Heero opted for a silent approach. 'Duo? What's troubling you? Not that I don't approve this aggressive strategy.' 'The Tower has laid an ambush for us,' Duo replied shortly. 'I intend to do exactly what they don't expect. This has been a very polite war with Dobraia. I think it's time we showed them why they fear you in the first place.' "Excellent strategy, my queen," General Regathon said, thumping a fist on the table. "It's bold and fearless. I and General Afthron will begin preparing immediately, I estimate no more than half an hour. By your leave." He gave a deep bow, and the two men left. Zechs began rolling up his maps and scrolls. "I agree with General Regathon," he said. Wufei and Trowa both frowned a little. It was Wufei who stirred first. "An ambush from the Tower?" he said after a moment. "How did they find out where we are?" Duo's beautiful indigo eyes darkened. "I have a theory. For right now taking Dermaile is our priority. Zechs, I expect a strategy that will minimize loss on both sides. Wufei, Trowa, you two with me." Effectively taking Heero out of the picture, the Black King noted with a little grin. "And what would you like me to do, my love?" The words didn't so much as ruffle Duo. He gave Heero
a sweet smile. "What you do best. Prepare your undefeated army
for war."
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