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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 "
Like Waves Breaking Over the Shore When Duo woke in the morning, he was surprised to find himself alone. Last night he hadn't been able to find Heero after his meeting with Quatre, anxious to let the Black King know he wasn't as alone as he'd thought. Eventually he'd returned to their chambers to wait, but he must have fallen asleep at some point. The bed beside him was cold, telling him either Heero had been up for some time or he hadn't come in at all. Either one was unusual. Duo typically woke to find himself snuggled into a somewhat possessive embrace, Heero already awake and watching him. A sickly anxiety curled in his gut. Through the window he could see it was late in the morning, perhaps an hour to noon. Heero had been insistent they set out into Cera early to set up the barrier to prevent magic use. Why would he have let Duo sleep in so late? Tossing the blanets back, he hissed when his feet met the cold stone floor. Damn it, this room needs rugs. Big rugs. From her bed, Frost looked up and thumped her tail. He frowned at her. Did Heero come back last night, Frost? No, she replied, seeming puzzled by the fact. Damn. What could that mean? Heart thudding in his chest, Duo washed his face and dressed as quickly as he could. He undid the mussed braid, but for once his hurry meant more than taming the thick locks. Wetting it to smooth it down a little, he snatched a leather thong off the desk and pulled it up in a ponytail and left it hanging loose. Practically running for the door, he patted his thigh. "C'mon, girl. Let's go find him." In the halls, a flurry of activity greeted Duo, and he was startled to sense an overall feeling of shock. He grabbed the arm of a passing servant. "What's going on?" The girl looked up at him, her eyes wide. "One of the Council of Nine was found dead in her chambers this morning," she said, "and King Heero has announced an heir." She hustled away. Duo stared after her, stunned. Heero had announced an heir? Who on Harboura would he trust enough to make heir? He broke into a run. Frost bounded at his side, casting him worried looks, obviously sensing his dread. If Heero was making an announcement he was either in the audience hall or up on the balcony turret. It turned out to be the former, and he wormed his way through the gathered royal court. Frost snarled at anyone who didn't move fast enough. Heero sat on his throne, Relena standing to his right. She looked like the proverbial cat who got the cream. Heero had a strange, serene smile on his face, somewhat beautific. It looked starkly out of place, and it didn't suit him at all. Nor did the slightly vacant look in his cobalt eyes. "The Council has advised Corai's kings for centuries now," Heero was saying, looking up at Relena with something bordering on adoration. "Relena has served well on the Council, and if anything happens to me she will make a fine, strong queen." The world ground to a halt. It must have tilted, because Duo felt like someone had moved the ground beneath his feet. All the breath left his lungs in a startled gasp. What? WHAT? Heero, can you hear me? What are you doing? Why are you making HER your heir? Heero? But he felt nothing from the Black King. None of his usual simmering temper, determination, or even the seething resentment he carried. None of the darkness, none of the danger, none of the myriad of things that made him who and what he was. Nothing at all. Nothing except a hollow mind and a shallow sense of love for Relena. Duo could literally feel all the blood draining from his face. The mindbreaker. Somehow, she used the mindbreaker on him. I thought it wasn't supposed to arrive in Cera until today. "It's too late," a voice murmured at his shoulder. Startled, he turned to find Quatre standing right beside him. His aqua eyes were shadowed with grief. Duo felt tears threaten to choke him. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "No," he hissed. "NO. I won't accept this." Ignoring the rest of what Heero was saying, unable to bear hearing the young king like that, he turned on his heel and stalked from the room. "Take me to her chambers, Quatre," he said, knowing the man had followed him. "What?" Quatre said, sounding startled. "Why?" Duo rounded on him. "I thought you were going to speak with her last night," he snapped. "Why didn't you stop this? Obviously she got to him then." Quatre's eyes fell briefly to the floor. "I couldn't find her. But why do you want to go to her chambers?" "Isn't that where she will have hidden the mindbreaker? Or does she need to keep it on her person to use it?" "No," Quatre replied, shaking his head. "She doesn't need to have it anywhere near her once its performed its magic. This way." They were halfway to the west wing of the castle when two forms materialized out of the shadows before them. Trowa and Wufei. Both of them had dark, grave looks on their faces. "Have you spoken with Heero at all?" Trowa asked him. Duo shook his head. "We need to keep him away from them both," Wufei said, looking at Trowa and Quatre. "Relena can order Heero to remove the collar and tie it to her." "That requires sorcerers," Quatre said, taking Duo's hand and putting it on his arm. "She would have to wait for them to arrive from Navrane. It at least buys us some time. I'm taking Duo to her chambers to see if we can find the mindbreaker." "I'll keep lookout," Trowa offered at once. Quatre nodded, and Wufei fell in beside them on Duo's other side. "The people of Corai won't miss this change," Wufei said quietly, "and they won't trust it. They know their Black King. The one they fear and love. This weak, simpering version is not him. They'll suspect magic." "If I can find this mindbreaker and destroy it," Duo growled, "she will have hung herself. Not even she can get away with controlling Heero. I've sensed time and time again how this kingdom feels about him. They fear him, even hate him. But that hate is so strong it's become a fanatic love, and they'll lynch her. And maybe that will be enough to destroy the entire Council." His lip curled back in a silent snarl. Wufei's hand fell on his shoulder, warm and heavy. "You would make a good consort, Duo." His fingers brushed the back of Duo's neck. "I hope our king will one day remove this collar. You deserve so much more than slavery." Duo swallowed against old pain. When they reached her chambers, Quatre pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. "What does it look like?" Duo asked, casting about for anything magical in nature. "I'm not sure," Quatre admitted, looking around. "Mindbreakers were supposedly all gone, so there's nothing written about them in history except what they could do." "Then just look for anything that looks out of place," Duo snapped. "If it has magic properties, I can sense it." They both gave him somber looks but said nothing as they started searching. Quatre went to the wardrobe, Wufei the bathroom, and Duo straight to the large red oak desk. None of the drawers were locked, but there was nothing in them but papers and personal junk. Not even a small scrying mirror. Frustrated, he stormed to Quatre. "Anything?" Quatre pulled a small-ish box out of the bottom of her wardrobe. It was made of rare blue ash, silver gilt swirling over the top. Opening it revealed a few pieces of jewelry, each of which looked expensive and the slightest bit gaudy. Quatre frowned. "All the rest of her jewelry is up here in this large box. Is it magical at all?" Duo laid a hand on the top of it. Not so much as a tingle. "No. Is there nothing else?" Quatre replaced it. "No. Why don't you go check with Wufei? I'll look in the bedside drawers." Turning, he stalked into the bathing chamber. Wufei was returning some bottles and little soaps to the shelves around the deep copper tub. He looked disgusted. "Nothing in here," he reported. Quatre burst into the room. "We need to leave. Trowa tells me she's on her way. I don't think it's here, Duo." Wishing the restriction wasn't in place so he could walk down the hall and turn Relena into dust, he followed the two older men out of her room. Quatre closed the door and locked it, and he led them down the hall in the opposite direction as they'd come. So angry he could barely see, Duo didn't even see where the two of them led him. But on the way Zechs Marquise approached them, and by the look on his face he'd been looking for them. He gave Duo a shallow bow. "Sorcerer," he said. "Please may we speak in private?" Momentarily shocked out of his anger, Duo studied Zechs' countenance. Anguish roiled through the man, though he kept it off his face masterfully. He nodded, and Zechs inclined his head. "This way," Quatre said, taking the lead again. Soon they were behind barred doors. Even with the restriction, Duo was able to erect a small barrier around them. Of course, Heero made sure I would always be able to protect myself. "We can't leave Heero alone with her for long," Quatre warned. Zechs' eyes flashed to the other man, full of surprise. "Do you know what's going on?" he asked, voice low and urgent. "I know my king would never appoint Relena his heir. He has never hidden his malice toward her. Is . . . is there some magic at work, Sorcerer?" "Yes," Duo said, knowing in that instant he could trust this man. "Relena somehow managed to smuggle a mindbreaker into the city." "Mindbreaker?" "A powerful magical item capable of allowing its user to control the mind of one other person," Quatre explained quickly. Zechs closed his eyes, and for the first time Duo saw raw emotion bloom on the man's face. A mix of fury and despair. "What can I do?" he murmured. "I have to find the mindbreaker," Duo said softly. "I have to destroy it." Quatre looked at Duo, his eyes clearly asking, Can we trust him? He nodded. "Relena wants to do more than make Heero her puppet," he told Zechs, aqua eyes burning. "Now that she's his heir, she will wait for him to get it in writing with his seal. The only other thing she'll want is for him to give her control of Duo, then she'll have no further use for him. She'll have him kill himself. Unless we find this mindbreaker, there will be no proof that she's behind Heero's sudden change of heart. People will be suspicious, but she's on the Council of Nine. We support and advise our king. We have no designs on the throne." Duo could almost taste his scorn. Zechs raised an eyebrow. "Can we not kill her?" Hope flooded Duo's heart. Quatre shook his head. "She is not the source of the mindbreaker's power. The spell will last after her death. It will last until the mindbreaker is destroyed. Or, of course, until she releases him by bringing another person under its power." Wufei let out a savage sound. "With Heero out of her way there will be no more need for its power. She will have everything she wants. Everything she needs." Duo had not thought it possible to hate her any more. The black-haired Voice of Drammon closed his eyes, and when he opened them they were full of shadow. "Lord General, I think you should leave Cera right away on your campaign to Dobraia. Heero already gave you your orders, so it's not as though you need to wait for confirmation. By the time Relena decides if she wants to rescind them or not, it will be too late. We must keep up the guise that everything is normal for as long as possible. That way when we fix this, as little damage will be done as we can manage." Zechs inclined his head again. "Agreed. I will gather Generals Regathon and Asthron and leave at once. The armies are ready to mobilize, any way." "If anyone asks," Duo added, "don't talk about this. With any luck I can destroy the mindbreaker before any of this goes much farther than Cera." "Cestera willing," Zechs said with a nod. "I will do as you bid." He turned to go, then paused. "Duo, may I ask a personal question?" Surprised, Duo nodded. "This frozen mask of his," the lord general began slowly, seeming to steel himself. "Is his heart as cold, or does he . . . act that way for the benefit of others?" The question garnered the curious attention of the other two present men, as well. This was the moment, Duo realized with a start. The moment he took them into his confidence, and therefore into Heero's. "He acts that way for the benefit of others," he said quietly. His eyes burned into Zechs'. "In reality, he's the man you've wished he was for so long." Almost as one, Zechs, Wufei, and Quatre all looked down, and Duo could feel their relief and . . . something else. A muted kind of joy. Quatre was the first to look back up, and he cupped Duo's chin in his hand. "You love him, don't you?" he murmured. "I can feel it." Duo swallowed thickly, acutely aware of the eyes on him. "Yes," he whispered. "He was the first person since almost I can remember to treat me like a person and not a thing." Quatre caressed his cheek before lowering his hand. "We'll save him, Duo. We'll stop her, and we'll save him. She won't get away with this." Nodding, unable to speak around the emotion choking him, Duo closed his eyes. "You should leave now, General," Wufei said softly. "Don't let Relena or any other member of the Council besides the two of us or Trowa see you. None of them can be trusted." Giving a shallow bow, Zechs turned and strode from the room. "Duo, now I have something to ask you," Quatre said. Duo just nodded. "The night King Kazuhiko died, what were you doing in the Southern Forest?" The question caught Duo off guard, but while Heero's will was not his own right now, until he removed all the restrictions on Duo this one was still in place. He mutely shook his head, hoping to convey with eyes alone that he couldn't speak. Quatre searched his face for a moment, then sighed. "The collar?" Duo nodded. "Did Heero really poison his father?" Wufei asked. A bitter smile twisting his lips, Duo shook his head again. Another thing about which he was unable to speak. The ebony-eyed man frowned slightly. "He didn't poison his father?" "I believe he means he can't speak of it," Quatre said. Feeling a mix of frustrated and annoyed, Duo just looked at them. Eventually Wufei sighed. "I suppose we can ask Heero ourselves. Come on, Duo, we should . . ." Duo didn't hear the rest of what he said. Blinking, he froze, a strange sensation rushing through him. "He's calling me," he murmured, absently touching the collar. "I didn't know he could do that." Turning from the two men, he walked toward the door, feeling as if in a daze. "No!" Quatre exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him backward. "You need to stay away from Heero and Relena right now, Duo." "Why don't you go with him?" Wufei suggested. "Relena wants you. Perhaps you can get her to show you the mindbreaker and take it from her." Their words didn't mean much to Duo in the face of his need to go where the collar demanded he go, but Quatre must have reached a decision because instead of hindering Duo he accompanied him. The collar led them straight to Heero and Relena, and the strange urgency evaporated. It was replaced immediately with pain in his heart. Relena sat on her comfortable sofa, Heero kneeling at her feet like a dog. He gazed up at her with a vapid, adoring expression. Duo wanted to kill her. The woman looked up when they entered, and her face lit up when she saw Quatre. "I'm pleased you've come, darling," she purred. "Can you understand now what I've planned for us? I am the brat's heir now, so when he's dead I will be queen. I will make you my king, Quatre." For the first time, Duo noticed how pale and unwell Quatre looked. He sank down on the plush chair opposite Relena, lowering his head to rest in his hands. "I wish I felt up to celebrating your cleverness," he said in a low voice. Relena rose at once, shoving Heero out of her way and kneeling in front of Quatre. "What's wrong, my love?" Quatre lifted his head to give her a wan smile. "I might have come down with something. Or it could be the aftereffects of Beria's poisoning." Relena's eyes widened. "What? Beria poisoned you?" Quatre frowned. "I thought you knew. I thought you were the one who killed her." Duo watched the woman's attractive face go ugly and dark. "No, but had I known I would have been the one to kill her. What did she use?" "Nightflower," Quatre answered. "I probably would have died, but Duo saved my life." She blinked and turned her eyes to Duo. He tried not to squirm under her intense stare. Then she broke into a sweet smile. "It seems I owe you a debt of gratitude, little sorcerer," she purred. "Thank you for saving him. I don't know how you convinced Heero to let you do it." Duo lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I would have done it for anyone. I would never stand by and watch someone die if I could save them." She laughed softly. "You're a sweet child, pikura. You'll make a wonderful pet." She strode back to Heero. "Remove your tie from his collar, slave. I want Duo for my own." Heero gazed up at her with deep regret. "I'm afraid I cannot, mistress. It would take several sorcerers to re-bind the collar to you, and there are none here. Duo would escape you long before then. He despises you." Briefly closing his eyes, already prepared for the eventuality that Heero would spill his and Duo's true feelings, Duo met her gaze. She raised an eyebrow. "It seems you're a better little actor than I gave you credit for," she mused. "I don't want to belong to anyone," he said evenly. "Have I ever made a secret of that fact?" She laughed. "No, I suppose not. Very well. You have the ability to contact the Tower and send for a few sorcerers, yes? Do it then." Duo just looked at her. She sighed. "Heero, be a gem and make him do it for me, won't you? I know that collar allows you to punish him." Empty blue eyes oriented on Duo, and the pain ripped into his heart. Those eyes should be fierce and fiery and cold. Anything but emtpy and vacant. "Do what the mistress wants, slave." Even his voice was empty. Duo closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I won't." I love you so much, Heero. I'll find a way to free you from her, I swear. "Do what she wants, wretch!" Heero spat. The first wave of red-hot pain made Duo cry out and fall to hands and knees. The impact jarred him, and the coldness of the stone seeped into his skin. It made the entire surface of his skin prickle as though being jabbed with small, hot pokers. He clenched his jaw. If Heero remembered any of this later, he would never forgive himself. He'd been loathe to cause the bruises to Duo's face, let alone hit him hard enough to actually split his lip. He'd held Duo for a long time, rocking him and softly pleading for forgiveness. There's nothing to forgive, Heero. I know this isn't you. You would never hurt me. This is just an empty doll wearing your face. I love you. It hurt. Sweet Vyrea it hurt so much. It blinded him and choked him, made his blood rush in his ears so he couldn't hear anything. Not even his own cries. Eventually he lost his voice and couldn't make a sound. He could taste the copper tang of blood. "Enough!" he heard Relena snap. "You're going to kill him!" The sharp sound of flesh striking flesh. Duo managed to pry open sticky eyelids. A thin ribbon of blood streaked down Heero's chin, his cobalt eyes wide. He immediately prostrated himself, groveling like a dog. "Forgive me, mistress," he whimpered. "I only wanted to make the slave do your will. I'm sorry!" She hit him. Duo's vision tinted red. You better hope someone gets to you before I do, Relena. If not, I will kill you so slowly you'll beg for death! "Relena," Quatre said, voice sounding a little breathy and faint, "would . . . would you mind if we . . . were alone? I . . . don't feel very well . . ." Relena disregarded Duo and Heero at once. "Of course, my love. Slave, take the sorcerer brat and go to your chambers. Take down those ridiculous wards. And stay there until I call for you." "Yes, Mistress," Heero said, grabbing Duo's arm and hauling him upright. Duo's vision swam alarmingly. As he staggered after Heero, thoughts flicked in and out of his mind like candle flames. He dearly hoped Relena wouldn't think to ask Heero about that night in the Southern Forest. Not only would he give away his father's staged death, but also the Krisandi poeple and the fact that not only wasn't he human, but that he had magic flowing in his blood. Fear bolted through him. Carefully reaching out, Duo tested the shield he'd placed on Heero. It was still strongly in place, untouched and unnoticed. But what lay underneath it . . . Duo nearly gasped out loud. He could feel the strange, enforced emptiness of Heero's mind. Like a brilliant, magnificent canvas on which someone had thrown white paint. But the colors were still there, just buried deep. Deep . . . There. Burning and throbbing beneath the false white. Duo could sense heat and pain and fury and . . . everything. Everything that was Heero. But he couldn't reach it. As if some impenetrable barrier kept it closed off, Duo couldn't touch it. But it was there. Heero was actually fighting the influence of the mindbreaker. This vapid-faced doll was just that. A doll. Using Heero's face while the Black King himself gathered strength behind that barrier that protected him from Relena and the evil magic of the mindbreaker. Duo wanted to weep. His king was still there. Still fighting. If only there were some way for him to get inside that barrier, he could give Heero his strength and perhaps together they could win. The door to their chambers closed. Duo removed the wards against scrying as soon as Heero looked at him, then sat down on the edge of one of the chairs. He watched the king restlessly pace. He carefully probed that barrier. It almost disgusted him, how empty this doll was. The real Heero would have sensed his careful searching. This one didn't so much as look at him, seeming completely unaware. I'll find a way in, Heero. And when I do, I'll help you break out. o8o o8o Feeling nauseated and not just because Trowa hadn't touched him in days, Quatre laid down on the sofa. Relena positioned herself so his head fell in her lap, and she laid a warm hand on his forehead. He heard her hiss. "You've got a fever, love," she murmured. She rose and returned with a cool, damp cloth. She drew it over his forehead. "Do you feel sick?" It felt nice. "Somewhat," he admitted, hoping this vulnerability would appeal to her gentler side. Apparently it did. "Don't worry," she soothed. "I'm going to take care of you from now on, Quatre. Anything you want I'll make sure you get it." "Right now," Quatre mumbled, feeling drowsy now, "I just want to sleep." Soft laughter. "Then sleep, love. I've taken care of everything. Rest now." Silence took them for a time, Quatre wishing it were Trowa holding him right now. Presently he smiled faintly. "I can't believe how clever you are. Even after Heero bans magical items you smuggle one right into the castle under his nose." She snorted. "Heero's an overconfident fool. His reputation as the Black Prince went straight to his head. Not to mention picking up that boy sorcerer. I suppose he's learned his lesson now." She reached under the bodice of her dress and drew out a pendant on a long gold chain. It looked like a tiny spice box. "This will never leave my person. At least, not until he's dead." Quatre made sure not to show too much interest. "That's the mindbreaker? It's so small." "It wasn't," she said. "Apparently once it's worked its magic, it shrinks into this tiny size so it's easy to keep and conceal. Brilliant, isn't it?" He held up his hand to take it. "Very," he agreed. She pulled it out of reach. "Don't touch it. I would never forgive myself if I mindbroke you." She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "You just go to sleep, love. You'll feel better when you wake, I promise." Not hardly, he thought with a silent snort. No
matter. He was tired, and it would make him feel better right now
to rest. Besides, at least he knew now where the mindbreaker was.
Duo could get to it now somehow, and take it from her and destroy
it . . .
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