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"The King and the Shaman "Written By: Jewel of Hell Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU, Fantasy/Drama/Romance, Yaoi, lemon, language (the usual), peril, violence, animal shamans, neko Duo, king Heero, impending war, sentient-formless evil Pairings: 1x2, others Summary: Heero is the young king of a country
he wants to expand into an Empire. One day he is approached by a woman
who claims she is an animal Shaman, creatures of legend and myth.
She makes an offer Heero cannot refuse. " The King and the Shaman "
Quatre was stronger than him, more skilled than him, bigger than him. Quatre was older than him, wiser than him, more experienced than him. Quatre was annoying as hell, and Duo had had enough. After six days of being trapped in his leopard form, he cracked. The pair of them were outside, training as usual, and Duo snapped. He pressed against the bindings keeping him from using his powers with all his strength. Either Quatre wasn't expecting it or it wasn't possible to keep them in place against such an onslaught, because they split apart like rotten melons. Finally freed, Duo instantly changed back and sprang away from Quatre, holding as much of his power as he could safely contain. He didn't really want to fight a much more experienced Shaman. But he'd had enough of Quatre's brand of discipline. Six days, unable to feel Heero's touch? It was making him crazy. Quatre didn't attack. He merely watched Duo with a contemplative look on his face. Eventually he removed his long outer robe and came to drape it around Duo's naked shoulders. He gave the younger Shaman a rueful smile. "All right," he said, "I admit it. I've been pretty hard on you. I keep forgetting I'm not training a kitten Shaman, but a Shaman raised by humans. You don't think like we do. But I won't apologize. Do you understand why I need your obedience, Duo? It's very important that I teach you. The powers we wield are dangerous. If you used them wrong even once, it could be your death, and the death of everyone around you." Duo glowered up at him, not yet ready to forgive. "I understand the importance," he said in a slightly sullen voice. "You could have told me that from the beginning." Quatre smiled gently. "And I was not told you knew nothing of the Shamans and our ways." Duo's lips quirked. "I know a lot about human history and their ways." The puma chuckled. "In your circumstance, I suppose that is useful. Very well, Duo. I will not try to block you again. But you're learning quickly. Just six days ago you could not have succeeded in doing that." To Duo's slight chagrin, he glowed under the praise, indirect as it was. In a way it was nice to have another Shaman around. Quatre was an invaluable wealth of knowledge about their people, and Duo was curious. "Do you mind if I take a break for awhile?" he asked. "It's past noon and I'm hungry." Quatre smiled. "Why don't you take a break for the rest of the day? We've been going at a pretty relentless pace for a week, now." Not even going to argue with that, Duo just nodded gratefully and hurried back into the palace before the older Shaman changed his mind. o8o o8o Rubbing his eyes, Heero set his feather quill back in its inkpot. Done for another week. Rising, he headed for the door. Just as he reached for the doorknob it swung open, startling him a little, and he stepped back just as Duo walked in. His precious Shaman looked lost between angry and happy, and he closed the distance between them with a lurch. Heero eagerly enfolded him in his embrace, so happy to be touching him again he could cry. Who knew six days could feel like the longest eternity of his life? "Did that tyrant finally relent?" A soft giggle. "No. I was strong enough to break free on my own. He admitted he'd been pretty hard on me. There's so much I was doing wrong before he came, I hate to say. I was wearing myself out unnecessarily. But I've learned a lot. I am grateful." "Then so am I," Heero murmured, running his fingers through the youth's unbound chestnut hair. Duo always smelled so . . . wild. Like something exotic and untamed. "My court is assembling today. I would like you to be there." Judging by the way Duo held onto him, the Shaman didn't have designs on letting him go any time soon. Smiling, he grabbed Duo's hand and tugged him toward their bedroom. Only then did Duo relinquish his hold. "A formal gathering?" "Yes," Heero said with a frown. "All the pomp and tradition of royal gatherings. It's a celebratory thing, marking the beginning of my new empire. In fact I didn't even have a say in the matter. My fiancé organized the whole thing with my Governors." He didn't miss the dark look that flickered over Duo's pale countenance. Indigo-violet eyes locked with cobalt blue. "Do you care for her a great deal?" the Shaman asked. Because of that small warning, the question didn't catch Heero off-guard. He sighed. "To tell you the truth, she feels more to me like a sister than a future wife. To think of marrying her . . . is strange. I don't want anyone with that kind of hold on me. No one except you, my love." He brushed his fingers over Duo's smooth cheek. The youth's eyes fluttered shut, full lips parting slightly. "Do you have to marry her?" Heero tried to smile reassuringly. "I wish it weren't so, but yes." Duo snuggled against his chest, expression unhappy. "But I don't want to share you," he whispered. "You won't," Heero promised. "Never. I don't love her, Duo. You are the only one who has my heart. And you possess it in its entirety." The lithe body expanded in a hefty sigh. Heero decided he had some time before court to show his precious kitten exactly how much he was loved. o8o o8o Duo held Heero's hand as the young emperor strode into the audience hall, but he carried himself with grace. He could feel all eyes on him. Heero strode to the throne dais where Relena waited. She took Heero's hand and kissed it. Heero faced the throng. "My friends," he said, "I have an announcement to make. On the eve of the birth of my empire, I have chosen my future bride. On the night of my coronation, I will marry Princess Relena Peacecraft." He held out his hand to her. She was smiling and blushing faintly as she took it. Duo watched her, feeling torn and unable to sort his emotions. She loved Heero. He could see it, he could smell it. Relena had become very dear to him. He didn't want her to be unhappy. Heero took Duo's hand in his other. "On that night I shall also take Duo Storm Shaman as my consort, for it is him I love above all else." The assembled applauded, but for some reason Duo felt uneasy. Most of the gathered faces held nothing but honest goodwill. But there were a few that looked troubled. Or upset. Or bothered about something. It made Duo look around the hall, every individual sense open and alert. What was this feeling? He received his answer a split second later. He heard a sound, not unlike the whistling of an arrow released from a bow. A little higher pitched. He was sure no one else heard it, but he was in motion before his mind finished registering that someone had loosed some kind of weapon. The action saved Heero's life. He bore the young emperor to the ground, and the sudden shift in his center presented the bolt with Heero's shoulder instead of his throat. He heard Heero let out a sound between a grunt and a hiss, soft and barely audible. No one else seemed to know the reason for Duo's sudden actions - until Duo rose enough that the closest humans could see the bolt. "Oh my god!" a woman's voice shrilled. "Someone shot him!" and panic ensued. If he'd been in leopard form Duo's ears would have flattened against his skull. It was too small to be an arrow, too big for a dart. A crossbow, then. Heero's face was deathly pale, mouth tightened in a grim line. Relena dropped to his side, pulling his head into her lap. The nobility began to clamor, pressing close and fussing, grating on Duo's suddenly tried nerves. "Quiet your idiot fretting!" Duo spat, eyes flashing as he glared at them. Zechs took charge at once. "Back up," he snapped. "Give him some room. Duo, is there anything I can do?" "Send someone for Quatre," Duo said at once, "and Heero's chamberlain, Sally. Both of them have some knowledge with herbs." In short order Zechs had everyone gone and all quiet. Duo pressed one hand to the bleeding wound around the bolt, trying to stop the flow without hurting his beloved. "Does it hurt?" he asked softly. Heero met his gaze. "Not as much as you would think. But my arm has gone numb, Duo . . . it might have been poisoned." Was it possible for words to make a person instantly ill? Duo had only been ill once, and he'd not liked it then. He liked it even less now. His free hand stroked Heero's face. "Quatre's a Star Shaman. He told me he has healing powers. And Sally has a healer's touch with medicines. They won't be long. Just . . . stay still." "He's burning up," Relena murmured. And his skin had taken a sickly gray pallor. Duo's heart pounded as he cursed Sally and Quatre. What was taking them so long? Were Heero's lips turning blue? Did it seem his breathing was getting more labored? I'm panicking. I'm getting hysterical. Got to stay calm. Can't help if I panic. I can't lose him. He realized Relena was stroking his arm. Quatre and Sally came at the same time, the latter holding a little bag. The Star Shaman knelt beside Duo. "My healing powers are not as keen as an Earth Shaman's would be," he said quietly, "but I will do what I can." "What are your symptoms?" Sally asked, kneeling on Heero's other side. "Labored breathing," Relena answered for him, "and his lips are turning blue. Fever. His hands are freezing cold. I think it's blackroot extract." Sally nodded. "We've got to get that bolt out. Relena, Duo, you two hold him. Quatre, I'll try to keep up pressure. Can you pull it out? Straight up, as smooth as you can." Quatre nodded. Duo could see Heero was barely conscious, but he still reacted when Quatre pulled the bolt free. A thin groan escaped his lips that made Duo's heart ache. Blood seeped over Sally's hands, and Duo could hear himself whining. A high little keen he couldn't help. "Shit," Heero gasped, face blanching. "Don't . . . do that again." Quatre chuckled softly. "Your Lord Barton and Lord Chang wanted me to tell you they were searching for your assailant, though perhaps it would be better if Duo and I did?" Duo didn't even bother telling Quatre there was no way he was leaving Heero's side. He tightly clasped Heero's hand, holding it to his chest as Sally worked. Quatre said nothing more, merely covering the wound with a hand. "I can stop the bleeding," he said, "but little else. I can do nothing about the poison." "I can," Sally said, sounding distracted. "Blackroot isn't an effective poison for this sort of thing. Too slow-spreading." She looked at Heero's face. "Relena, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to let him lie flat. He'll be having difficulty breathing as it is." A few minutes later Heero's breathing faltered to a
stop.
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