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"In My Master's Arms "Written By: Jewel of Hell Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words Rating: NC 17 Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, violence, slavery, cruelty, possible OOCness, AU/Fantasy/Drama Pairings: 1x2 Summary: In a society where sorcerers are feared
and hated, Duo is given as a slave to a powerful warrior in order
to keep his tremendous power under control. All he wants is freedom
from his cruel master, but nothing is as it seems . . . "In My Master's Arms "
Contraband "Your Majesty?" Looking up, Heero gave the cold smile for which he was renowned. "Ah, Zechs. Come in. The chamberlain and I have been drafting a new edict that will go into effect today. It will require enforcement, so I want you to see to it." "Yes, Majesty," Zechs said, bowing. "May I read it?" Heero stood up, beginning to pace in front of the chamberlain's desk. "By order of the Black King, effective immediately all magical items, potions with magical properties, and scrolls of enchantments are hereby listed as contraband. Any person found with any of these items in their possession will be punished to the fullest extent of the law, depending on the nature of the item." Heero paused and looked at Zechs again. "This is something my father should have done years ago when he first discovered the Council of Nine was using such things." He waved a negligent hand in Duo's direction. "Duo will extend a shield around the entire city so no magical items will work inside it. However, he can't exactly do the same for the entire kingdom." He made sure his inflection made it sound as though he thought Duo should be able to do exactly that. "That is where you will come in. Traditionally the imperial army doesn't enforce laws, so I want you to put together a force to do so. They will answer to you and to me. As they travel through Corai, they are free to recruit more men-women too, if they have a wish to join." "At once, Your Majesty," Zechs said, bowing his head. "Is there anything else about this force you wish me to do?" "You may either set up a system of leadership, or allow them to do it themselves," Heero said, "but make sure it is understood I don't want a group of thugs trolling the country. This force will act in my name, and if any of them bring shame to it . . ." He smiled, letting that threat stand by itself. By the look on Zechs' face, he understood. "Yes, my king. Will that be all?" "Almost," Heero said. "On the day of my coronation, someone attempted to assassinate me. Kershac only said he was sent by the assassin's guild in Cefalai, he never knew who sent the request he come to Cera. I will be traveling there to interrogate them." Zechs blinked. "Please allow me to accompany you, Majesty," he said at once. "If one person dared plot your death, others may do the same." Heero ran a finger over his lips. "They would be fools to try. I have a far better protector than you or my entire army could provide, Zechs. And I will not be riding all the way to Cefalai. But I expect to be gone for several days. While I am away, you will act as my regent. Since the Council of Nine seems oh-so-eager to find a replacement for me, I will do it for them. You will take your orders from no one but me. The Council does not rule Corai. I do. If I find that you've given them even the slightest control while I'm gone, I will have you publicly executed-by flaying you alive. Do I make myself unmistakably clear?" Though Zechs was in masterful control of his faculties, he couldn't quite hide the sliver of fear. "Yes, Your Majesty. Perhaps some would feel the Council can act with authority, but I know where my loyalties lie." Heero allowed a faint smile, but it was just as cold as ever. "Yes, I believe you do. I will be leaving in the morning. Right now I'm holding open court." Now Zechs looked surprised. "Majesty?" Heero chuckled. "Oh, I'm certain most peasants will know better than to trouble their king with petty troubles. That is what magistrates are for. But I thought it might help reinforce the fact that I am Corai's king, and that I plan on actually acting like it." A faint sneer. Zechs smiled, but it was wistful. "None could forget, Majesty. Yesterday at the coronation, you were magnificent. Your fearlessness and the powerful way you spoke will have spread halfway to Penniar by now." Leaning against the edge of the desk, Heero folded his arms. "And speaking of. Tomorrow will also see a division or two of my army off to Penniar. More importantly, when they return you will lead the strike against Dobraia. How are your plans coming?" The Lord General's face hardened into his battle-mask. "I believe I have devised a way to maximize damage and minimize casualty. If you plan to rule the world one day, my king, there must be people left behind for you to rule." Heero laughed out loud, knowing full well the chilling effect it would have on both his chamberlain and Lord General. "I should like to know where that rumor started. Thank you, Zechs, you may go." When he left, the chamberlain rose as well. "This is completed, my king," he said, rustling some papers around. "If you will place your Seal on it, I will go announce it straight away." Heero did as requested, stamping his Seal onto the bottom of the scroll. The chamberlain busily rolled it up and bustled out of the room, giving the Black King a deep bow on the way. Heero watched him until the door shut with a hollow sound, leaving him alone with Duo. It was the first time in quite awhile, he realized, when there was nothing going on or they were too tired to even speak. Suddenly the last few days seemed like a heavy burden, and he held open his arms. "Come here, Duo," he said quietly. Duo rose immediately, pressing against him into the shelter of his arms. Heero held him tightly, clinging to how real and warm he felt. "This is it," he whispered. "This is when it begins. As of right now I will focus on nothing but destroying the Council." Duo nodded against his chest. "I know. I've already figured out how to get close to them." Momentarily closing his eyes, Heero rested his cheek on Duo's head. "I don't relish the thought of hurting you," he murmured. "You've suffered enough." Pulling back to look at him, Duo gave him a watery smile. "It won't be so bad. If the Council is brazen enough to try killing you, they're getting too desperate. That will make them sloppy, and that's all the faster we'll take them down." "Hn," Heero said with a smile, "that's true." He pulled Duo back down to him. "What did Zechs think of my edict?" "He thought it was unusual but wise," Duo replied. "He's strange, Heero. He remembers how you were years ago, he thought you were a good boy. He wishes you were still like that, and he hopes that part of you is still there, buried deep. He isn't exactly sure what made you like this, but he hates it." Heero raised an eyebrow. It was useful, he thought with a dark smile, to be able to peer into the minds of those close to him. Perhaps Zechs would be an unwitting ally against the Council. "I might be able to use that," he said presently. Duo nodded, his cheek rubbing against Heero's chest. "He would do almost anything for you. He thinks you'll be a great king, if only you would thaw a little." He made a sound suspciously like a giggle. "His thoughts, not mine." Heero snorted. "If I knew I could trust him implicitly, I would let him see that side of me," he commented. Then, "Can I trust him implicitly?" Duo paused. "I'm not sure. At least, not yet. If I could speak with him alone, to ask him a few questions and really listen for the answers, I could be sure." Heero realized he was stroking Duo's neck. "When we come back, there might be time for it. We should be back before they leave for Dobraia." Duo made a soft sound. "Every time your fingers touch the collar, it makes my skin tingle," he mumbled. Leaning down, Heero put his lips against Duo's ear so there was no chance anyone else could overhear-just in case. "It's the magic in my blood. Reacts to yours." He felt the shiver that coursed up Duo's spine and suddenly realized how close they were. Duo's slim, lithe body was completely aligned with his taller, slightly broader one. He was holding the boy as covetously as a lover, and even with that realization he couldn't make himself release his hold and step back. It felt good to be this close to someone. Someone he could trust. Someone who knew him as he truly was. No pretenses, no masks, no lies, no deceit, no games. Just himself and Duo. No space between. For the first time in his life, Heero wondered. Could I love him? He'd resigned himself years ago to living the rest of his life alone, not that he expected 'the rest of his life' to be very long. He already cared deeply for this sorcerer, he knew that. But love? Possibly. Probably. He smiled into Duo's wonderful, silken hair. Almost certainly. "Heero?" "Hn?" "I can tell you're thinking about death again. Why do you expect to die so young?" Heero blinked. "I don't know why. It's just something I've long felt, that I wouldn't live to be old." Squirming, Duo pulled back to peer up into his eyes again. "I don't want you to die." With a small, slow smile, Heero cupped Duo's cheek in his hand. "I won't. Not for a long time." He kissed the bridge of Duo's nose, which made the boy grunt and pull back even farther. "Shouldn't you go?" Duo asked. "Yes. You, however, won't be coming with me. I'd like you to visit Relena, instead. See about getting yourself into her confidence." Duo nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "Then you're going to have to hit me." o8o o8o There were a lot of things, Trowa thought, that he'd been asked to do. Jhatahj whispered almost daily in his mind, asking him to do this or check that, to make sure things were going according to plan, or at least as close to the plan as possible. He forced himself to ignore the hideous things the Council of Nine did on a daily basis, the way they undermined their king and plotted his demise, the way they tried to prevent Heero from rising to the throne, the way they would do anything to elevate their own standing. But this latest, it was one thing he realized he couldn't do. He could not accept Relena trying to get her claws in Quatre, his Quatre, and he couldn't stand the thought of Quatre being willing to let her touch him! That skin, that body, it was all for him and him alone! At the moment, the heat of purifying fire flooded through his veins, searing away everything except the path before him. The door was barred, the windows blocked, there was no one to see or hear him, and the room was blocked from scrying by the enchanted mirror (which, he thought with some irritation, he would have to get rid of soon thanks to Heero's upcoming edict declaring magic items contraband). "You," he said, soft and low, "made me a promise, Quatre. You promised me you would not let her touch you. I'm very well aware you told her you would sever your ties with me. Since both those can't be true, you lied to one of us. Which one? Her? Or me?" Proud and sometimes arrogant man that he was, Quatre had never looked so small or so vulnerable. He sat in the middle of the bed, knees bent under him, golden hair hanging across his eyes, and those aqua surfaces were tormented. He looked like he might cry. "I lied to her, Trowa," he whispered. "How could you doubt me?" "I didn't," Trowa said easily, "right up until you lied to me." Something flickered across Quatre's eyes, but it was gone quickly. "I . . . I . . ." He swallowed. Trowa snorted softly. At least the man didn't insult Trowa by claiming he hadn't lied. That was something. "I was content," he mused idly, "to go along with your plan. I thought it was a roundabout way of getting Relena to hang herself and the rest of the Council. Now I don't care. I'm going to kill her, Quatre. It will be easy to make it look like one of the other Council members. Beria, maybe. Or that fool Dorothy. Hell, even suicide. I don't think Heero would investigate too closely." "Trowa . . ." Quatre whimpered. "And you," Trowa cut him off, advancing on the bed, "will never lie to me again, angel. Or I will kill you, too, so you'll have no choice but to wait with Nirande until we can be together again." Quatre swallowed so thickly Trowa saw his throat work, and the moisture gathering in his eyes finally cascaded in twin tears down his cheeks. Trowa leaned down and kissed them both away. "You knew when you promised yourself to me this is how I am," he breathed, kissing Quatre's eyelids when the shorter man closed them. "This is who I am. Just like Nirande belongs to Jhatahj, you belong to me. I won't hurt you, Quatre, I'll reserve my anger for her." He straightened. "But as punishment, I'm not touching you again until she is dead. Until this black cloud that has hung between us is gone." He backed up. "Trowa!" Quatre cried, reaching out toward him already. "You can't . . . you promised-!" "And so did you," Trowa cut him off. He smiled, but he could tell the pain showed in his eyes. "Seems we're both liars now." The tears flowed freely down Quatre's face now, his creamy skin gone ghost white. "Please, Trowa, don't do this. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please, I'll never let it happen again, I swear-" "Shh, angel," Trowa murmured. "I know it will hurt us both, but it must be this way. When she's dead, I'll love you as much as you need." The 'as much as I need' didn't need be spoken. Turning on his heel, he left the chamber. Refusing to touch Quatre would test him to his limits, but it would be a fitting punishment. Normal people could go without and suffer nothing more than frustration. Trowa and Quatre were far from normal. As a pair bonded by the gods themselves, the physical pleasure derived from the union of bodies was an extremely nice by-product, but not the main reason for the union. The bond between them would begin deteriorating without the physical manifestation of their union. It was a cruel thing to do, denying Quatre his touch. It was cruel to them both. But he was angry and hurt, and if he so much as kissed Quatre right now, he would only think about how close Quatre had come to being tainted by that conniving, power-hungry, black-hearted witch Voice of Gridanja. When he killed her, the memory would die right along with the threat she posed. And he thought he would enjoy it. He thought he would enjoy it very much. o8o o8o Relena paced across the Council chamber, annoyed and frustrated. It was almost like Heero could read in the stars exactly what he needed to do to best get in her way. First crowning himself king with no mourning period after his father's extremely inconvenient death. Then passing a ridiculous edict making all magical items illegal. That would make the transport of one very special item more difficult, especially managing to smuggle it into the city. But not impossible. Then, finally, that wretched boy would stop being the festering thorn in her side that he was, and would instead provide her with all the power she needed to elevate herself and the Council beyond that of even the Black King. She sneered. Maybe she would even have the king name her his heir and then kill himself. Her sneer became a smile. And then she would be queen, and she would marry Quatre and make him her king. She resisted the urge to giggle. What a wonderful little fantasy. Well, who knew. Perhaps it would happen one day. The only thing that would make it even better was if the little Black sorcerer could be tied to her when Heero died. Of course, I don't know if it's possible to undo that little trick he did, making Duo die when he does. Even in death he will thwart me. I will relish your death, Heero. Hopefully I can make it slow and lingering. Days and days of suffering and anguish. "Will we have trouble, getting our . . . package into the city?" Beria abruptly asked from where she watched Relena pace. Relena cast a quick glance at the woman. Beria had been acting . . . different lately. More covetous of Relena's time, and she seemed to be growing colder toward Quatre. Was it possible she knew of Relena's true affections? After a moment, Relena decided she didn't care. The woman didn't have the guts to do anything to Quatre, and her beautiful love could certainly handle himself. "No," she said after a moment. "It doesn't look like a magical item, and I sincerely doubt Heero will have his little pet scan every single shipment in the country for magical properties." "But it will be coming directly to the castle," Beria reminded her-as if she could possibly forget. "Perhaps Heero will insist-" The door suddenly banged open, startling Relena, and the last person she'd expected burst into the room. Her eyes widened to see Duo. The boy looked pale, and there was a livid bruise marring the left side of his cute little mouth. His bottom lip was split, and badly, a thick ribbon of blood streaking down his chin. She could see bruises on both sides of his jaw, too, as though a hand had gripped his face far too hard. So Heero was physically abusing his slave. "If I help you bring him down," he hissed, eyes blazing with indigo fire, "will you find a way to get this collar off me?" Without the collar, Relena mused, Duo wouldn't die when Heero did. For a moment she felt giddy with visions of all she could do with a Black sorcerer under her control. She could see it all now. Heero gone and out of the way. Her as queen, Quatre as her king, the rest of the Council as her advisors, Duo as her pet sorcerer, crushing all traces of opposition. It was almost too fantastic to imagine. Almost. A slow smile crossed her face. She hoped it was a sympathetic one. "It won't be easy," she said, "since he made sure you'll die if he does." "So then kill him when it's off me," Duo snapped, eyes blazing. He reached up and carelessly swiped the back of his hand over his lip, smearing the blood. "I know you're the one who keeps trying to have him killed." A soft laugh bubbled up from her throat. "That's a rude thing to accuse me," she said. "Do you have any proof of that?" "I've seen the way you look at him," Duo said, tone dismissive. "If looks alone could kill, he'd be squashed like a bug." She laughed again, a little harder this time. "Ah, Duo. I think I underestimated you. Where is the sweet, timid little boy Heero brought back from Navrane?" Duo glared at her. "He beat it out of me. Do we have a deal, Relena?" This time she didn't care if her smile was as cold and
vindictive as she felt. "We have a deal."
tbc |
