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"The Negotiator"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Fantasy/Adventure, Angst, Fluff,
Sexual favors from a dragon? ^0^ (non graphic), Eventual Lemon, Mild
violence, My corky humor lol ^-^ Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM Beta’ed by the wonderful Mechante Fille *hugs*
You’re the best baby! ^__^ Summary: Duo Maxwell finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime when he is hired by the future king of Lagrange to aid in dealing with an encroaching Dragon. However, he quickly discovers that not everything is as it seems. Wizards, Dragons and magic abound in this epic tale of adventure and discovery when one young man finds himself between two worlds and suddenly the future depends solely on his skills as The Negotiator. View art work commissioned
by SkyLark and drawn by t_shirt for "The Negotiator" - Click
HERE "The Negotiator" Ch 9 It had been a bit of good fortune to find the Druid family by accident but it stood to reason they would have set up house on the greenest side of the mountain. Arthur had moved his wife, Kendra and daughter, Pixie to the north to join the family he had left behind many years before. Kendra was a daughter of the Griffin Isles but had lost both her mother and father in recent years and they wanted to be where Pixie had family. It became clear very quickly that the entire clan held Hiiro in the highest regard, right above the whole of the population of the Earth and just below the Gods. Not far below the Gods however, as Kendra kept dropping things every time she looked at him. They were invited back to the small homestead and introduced to the rest of the family. Weylin, Arthur’s father, welcomed them with a good deal of formality, going so far as to offer his sword and service and though Hiiro accepted with the graciousness of a king, Duo knew the old man would never see battle. It seemed to honor him however, and the rest of the family made a big deal out of calling him Dier Weylin, a title given to those in service to a dragon. There were fourteen of them in all, most related to Arthur directly but Kendra’s younger brother had accompanied them as well. He was young but old enough to be looking for adventure and gushed enthusiastic questions whenever the conversation would allow. Pixie was a lovely young girl with honey blonde hair and a smile that could charm the birds from the trees and Hiiro was instantly enamored with her. Duo would’ve been jealous if it hadn’t been for the purity of the affection in his dragon’s eyes when he looked at the little girl. There was some sort of magic between them he wasn’t even sure the dragon was aware of. Perhaps it was born on the same charm that brought unicorns to the hands of young maids. Whatever the origin, Hiiro was hopelessly lost in whatever the child was talking to him about, his long body lying lazily along the down slope of a hill as he gazed dreamily at the girl and nodded appropriately in response to her words while Duo spoke with Arthur and Weylin and shook his head. “No,” Arthur was saying as Kendra refilled their cups. “I’m afraid we didn’t see any lost maidens along the road,” he went on, grinning amusedly when his wife dropped the empty pitcher on her way back inside. “Then I’m afraid we’ve disturbed you for no reason,” Duo sighed. “He and his consort are always welcome in our home,” Arthur smiled but it faltered when Duo’s eyes rounded on him. “I am not his consort,” he snipped harshly. Arthur was instantly embarrassed and contrite. “I meant no disrespect,” he explained. “But from the way you interact it seemed you were together.” “That doesn’t make me his consort,” Duo grumbled. If anything Hiiro was his consort but … that wasn’t any better so he just deflated and put it aside. Arthur let the silence settle for a time before he changed the subject entirely. “What’s that?” he asked, indicating the stone Duo was fiddling with. “I …a gift,” he confessed, managing to only turn slightly pink. “It’s beautiful,” Arthur praised. “May I?” Duo shrugged and handed over his handiwork. He had wrapped the gem in fine braids of silver wire that encircled its girth and woven a violet cord into the intricate outer rim. The wire crisscrossed this way and that making a strangely beautiful design on one side and leaving the stone open to the light on the other. Arthur looked it over carefully, then handed it to his father and turned back to Duo. “You do beautiful work,” he praised but there was something odd in his tone that made Duo just want his gem back. “Thank you,” he offered, creasing a brow at the way Weylin was turning it this way and that. His discomfort was growing to the point he began to fidget before he old man’s eyes flickered and locked with his own. “Beilsopheth,” the old man spoke aloud and Hiiro’s head suddenly turned. ”What did he say?” he asked incredulously as he ignored Pixie’s indignant wrath and rose to approach them. Weylin looked as if he’d just spit in the eyes of a demon and was clearly unable to repeat himself so Duo spoke instead. “Beilsopheth,” he said softly, shrinking back as a strange power pulsed and radiated from his mate. “Hiiro?” But the dragon’s eyes were locked on Weylin. ”How do you know this name?” he demanded, not unkindly but in a tone that would not tolerate denial. “What does that mean?” Duo quickly interjected. “It is the word,” the old man stammered fearfully. “On the stone.” Hiiro’s eyes shifted to the gem in the old man’s hand, his tongue darting out to claim the trinket and deposit in on the table where he turned it this way and that until something wondrous dawned in his stormy blue eyes. “Hiiro,” Duo breathed, terrified that whatever he’d done was something horribly wrong. “What is it?” He had no idea what these people were talking about, he’d thought it only to be a lovely setting for his gift but now he wished he’s never seen the stone. ”Where did this come from?” the dragon asked and Duo swallowed hard as he confessed… “I made it.” ”You?!” Hiiro gasped and all of a sudden there were massive, glittering tears in his enormous blue eyes. “Hiiro?!” Duo squeaked as he was suddenly embraced, Hiiro’s huge claws closing around him to coddle him to his face as he licked and nibbled his cheek and gargantuan tears streamed from his eyes. “Hiiro, please, you’re scaring me.” ”It is my father’s name,” the dragon confessed, setting him back on his feet. “Your…” Duo began but there wasn’t anymore as it suddenly slammed into in mind. Wasn’t Hiiro’s father a demon? ”Yes,” Hiiro smiled, looking the stone over again. ”How did you know? None in the mortal realm should know this name.” “I… didn’t,” Duo informed him, drawing his gaze again. “Honestly, I just twisted the wire and… I didn’t know what it meant.” Hiiro’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully then softened as he smiled. ”No matter, we will solve these riddles in time. It’s so beautiful,” he praised, turning his gaze back to the stone glittering beneath his snout. Duo giggled with both relief and gratification as he smiled and informed his mate, “It’s for you.” ”Me?,” the dragon gasped, adding as he moved closer to his smiling mate, ”You made this… for me?” Duo nodded and was rewarded with the exuberance of an affectionate tongue. His giggle quickly turned to a joyous laughter that infected the group as a whole as Hiiro pushed him to the ground and proceeded to lick his entire body. He was in a fit of hysteria before the dragon finally relented and he gazed in pure and utter rapture at his reptilian counterpart as he came close and softly whispered… ”I love you,” The moment was soft and tender and inexplicitly private which brought it home rather sharply that they were not alone. Duo favored him with a quick kiss then squirmed and got to his feet before going to fetch his gift and presenting it properly. “Here,” he smiled, holding it out. “I just thought you wouldn’t have another one like it,” he explained. ”Nothing that has touched your hand is ever quite the same,” Hiiro smiled, nudging his hand as he asked, ”Will you wear it for me?” “Me?” Duo balked. “But it’s for you…” ”And around your neck I will get to see my most cherished treasures every day,” the dragon reasoned. Duo fidgeted and grumbled, “I haven’t a chain.” “Wenzel is a silversmith,” Arthur piped in, having gotten the gist of the exchange. “We can’t take your silver…” Duo began, but Hiiro was already searching the deeper pockets of his scales. ”Use this,” he grinned, producing a hand sized silver cross. “Hiiro,” Duo reprimanded. “Someone used that to worship their god, you can’t just…” ”Cardinal Enrique,” Hiiro informed him, adding at his stunned expression, ”It was a gift.” The dragon certainly seemed to get a lot of gifts but considering his line of work Duo could accept that. There was no saying no to him about it anyway so they took the cross to Wenzel the silversmith and commissioned him to make it into a suitable chain. The task was going to take a couple of days though, so they used the time to scour the mountain region for any news of the Gypsy band. Not surprisingly, the performers didn’t seem to have come this far north but Duo was able to do some recognizance in the small towns that would prove useful to Wufei. They had covered as much ground as they could in the two days following and settled in a field near the homestead where Hiiro was shamelessly patronizing Pixie while Duo teased him to no avail when a sudden thought hit him. “Hey, Hiiro?” ”Hn?” the dragon hummed distractedly as he blew tiny smoke rings for Pixie’s delight. “I’m ready to ask my question now.” Hiiro’s huge head rolled until he was looking at him half on his back and Duo sniggered at the hound-like quality of the pose. ”Very well,” the dragon agreed, righting himself but he was utterly unprepared for his mate to ask… “Have you any children?” Hiiro blinked… then blinked again and sat staring dumbly at the braided one for a time before he sank back to the ground, turned his body upside down and resumed his entertainment of the impatient child. “Well?” Duo prompted and received a resolute… ”No.” He tried not to smile, truly he did but the corners of his mouth were relentless as the notion that Hiiro was as virgin as he was settled in his heart. “Umm… why not?” he asked, casually going back to his task of peeling tonight’s potatoes. ”Breeding requires the involvement of a female,” the dragon informed him. “You don’t like female dragons either?” Duo grinned. ”Like has nothing to do with it. There is nothing amiable about procreation within my species,” Hiiro replied, adding a dart of fire to pierce the smoke ring rising above his head. Pixie laughed with delight and jumped up to wave the misty trail away and Duo smiled as Hiiro’s claw came up to protect her in case she should slip and fall. “You seem to get along with Pixie all right.” Duo pointed out, smiling when the girl recognized her name amid the odd sounds of the dragon’s tongue. Hiiro’s answer was simply, ”She is a sprite.” Duo’s eyes snapped up to regard the girl, her bright eyes flashing and hair of sunlit gold and suddenly he wasn’t certain how he had missed it. “But she is a Druid’s daughter…” ”It may be buried in the family history,” Hiiro reasoned, ”But there is definitely magic within her.” To the child Duo inquired, “Pixie? Have you ever seen an elf?” “None as pretty as you,” the girl replied absently, waving away another smoke ring as Hiiro split a wide grin. “I am not an elf,” Duo grumbled. “Mother said my Great, Great Grandfather was a fairy,” the child confessed. “But I never got to meet him.” Two generations back would not indicate the fairy wasn’t still around, they were known to live for hundreds of years, but there was the possibility that perhaps he had passed on from unnatural causes. It explained a great deal about the child’s connection with Hiiro, being a magical creature himself he was obviously sensitive to her particular charm. The conversation lapsed for a time before Wenzel’s happy greeting reached their ears. Hiiro jumped up and snatched Duo from where he sat, galloping like an exuberant dog to meet the tall silversmith. Wenzel was a widower with two children of his own and had welcomed the chance to do the job with great enthusiasm. Hiiro had made damn sure the man would be able to care for his family for the next couple of years in gratitude of his quick delivery and fairly shook with excitement when the stone was presented. Arthur and Weylin eased up the hill behind, them joined by Kendra and Calise, the elderly nurse of the family knot. “I hope it will do,” Wenzel smiled, offering the piece to Duo. “Oh, Wenzel,” he breathed, turning to hold it up so Hiiro could see the intricate links, each threaded three times through the other and overlapping the next. It moved like a serpent’s skin in the light and reminded Duo very much of Hiiro’s scaly hide. ”You’ve charmed it,” the dragon smiled approvingly, making Duo’s brow raise in surprise. “A shield,” Wenzel confirmed. “My gift,” Calise smiled, “Longevity.” Duo’s eyes moved along the line. “Strength,” Arthur smiled. “Wisdom,” Weylin intoned. Kendra, “Peace.” Duo lowered the necklace and wiped at his eyes without the slightest idea of what he was supposed to say until a small tug brought him to his knees. Pixie stood before him with Hiiro’s smiling face at her back and asked quite clearly… “What is your wish?” His eyes darted to his mate, the plain truth in his heart ripped naked for all to see but he knew the child couldn’t grant him his true wish. However, before he could come up with something she might be able to give, she leaned forward and whispered softly in his ear… “Be careful what you wish for,” then pulled back, tapped the flower in her hand to the stone and skipped away, leaving Duo feeling very much like he’d like to take the entire exchange back. A moment later Hiiro hiccoughed in a way that made Duo wonder if he were sick then suddenly raised up on his hind quarters, his front claws stretching out as his wings spread to their full and considerable width and three smoldering blue rings slowly erupted from his throat. They slowly rose and expanded, growing in thickness and size then rolled outward growing so large as they drifted back to Earth they covered the whole of the homestead and its inhabitants in a blue velvet dream. Duo thanked their new friends hugging each neck tight and presenting Pixie with a fresh crown of woven wildflowers as they prepared to leave. He looked back on them as they rose into the sky, knowing deep in his heart that the family would never face hardship again. Whatever Hiiro had done he knew he had gifted them with something precious and smiled clear down to his toes as he wrapped his arms around the warm neck before him and wallowed in the joy it brought. Hiiro took them south to the edge of their previous searching then landed in a field of blazing red poppies where he spent the early afternoon bathing his mate and his new jewelry with such slow tenacity Duo finally surrendered from nothing more than the sinuous touch of his tongue. “Sorry,” he breathed in embarrassment. Hiiro hadn’t really done anything to bring about the conclusion but he couldn’t help the fire the dragon’s attentions lit inside him. ”You flatter me,” Hiiro grinned, taking full advantage to begin cleaning certain parts of him all over again. “It’s just… sometimes,” Duo moaned, arching back under the lavish affection. “I just can’t seem to get enough of you.” ”Rest assured,” the dragon replied. ”Had I arms and legs to walk upon, your throat would ache from pleas for mercy.” Duo chuckled and brushed his fingers down the scaly snout as he softly agreed, “Of that I have no doubt.” It seemed a shame to waste the opportunity so Hiiro used the remainder of the day to demonstrate the skills his reptilian body did possess and they slept in the sea of flowers until dawn. No one in the foot hills had any news of a traveling band of Gypsies so they made their way slowly south along the plains and rivers, stopping from time to time so Duo could wander into a town and gather information. It was late in the evening on the third day when he finally happened upon a bit of news that would aid them and headed back to the countryside to join his mate. “A baker and his wife,” Duo was explaining while he oiled two onions and stuck them on sticks to roast over the fire. “They have children who enjoyed the show very much. Stop that,” he giggled when Hiiro’s tongue flicked out to lap at the stream of sweet oil he was dribbling on his dinner. Hiiro grinned with no remorse whatsoever and laid his huge head on the ground by the fire. “It sounds like the same Gypsies that were in Lagrange,” he went on, giving in and pouring a bit of the oil into the dragons willing mouth. “They said they were headed southeast.” ”To the sea,” Hiiro commented, catching the drops of oil on his tongue. Duo grinned at the silly creature, dribbling a bit more and watching in captivation as the slippery liquid shimmered on the surface of the velvet skin while Hiiro watched his eyes with growing interest. There was a magical quality to the small creature’s gaze that made him want to reach out and touch him so he did. Duo laid his hand on the familiar appendage, giggling softly as his fingers slipped easily along its length but the smile faded into gentle moans when Hiiro slowly slipped it up his shirt along the sensitive plains of his stomach and chest, the feeling both familiar and strangely slick as the cherished touch slid freely over his body and stole his breath away. He gasped loudly when his back suddenly smacked against a tree and that tongue was moving to places and doing things he couldn’t believe. The touch felt so different drenched in oil, the sweet liquid opening his body further than ever before and Hiiro rumbled his thunder loudly as the flavor of the oil blended tantalizingly with that of his beloved mate. “Sweet… Mother,” Duo panted, crying, “Hiiro!” in the tidal wave of heat unable to withstand the overwhelming desire, his small body locked in a struggle with his dragon’s tongue as the beast wriggled and thrashed his tail, his growing passion manifest in the escalation of his rolling growl until Duo suddenly screamed his name and he shook, his huge body convulsing at the sound. He jerked away, floundering in the field where they’d made their camp then shot skyward in a thrashing ball of furious thunder and flame. It took several minutes for Duo to collect himself but he’d managed to right his clothes, clean his skin and finish roasting the onions before Hiiro set back down. The dragon didn’t seem to be able to look straight at him and he was feeling just odd enough he didn’t mind but he knew they couldn’t avoid looking at each other forever. Piddling with the onions wasn’t distracting enough to keep him from glancing over with a smile that felt strange on his lips, his cheeks pinking when he saw the purplish blush on Hiiro’s and suddenly the onions were a little more interesting. They didn’t hold his attention for long however, and the question finally popped from his mouth. “Did you just…?” ”Damn near,” Hiiro sniffed. Duo hid his face for fear his mate might misunderstand the huge grin on his lips but Hiiro was already onto him and came to nuzzle the back of his neck as he softly whispered… ”Definitely not an elf.” Duo snorted and laughed as he turned to hug the huge muzzle and spent the rest of the night petting, preening and otherwise coddling his mate. In the morning they made an aerial search of the southern roads that led to the sea but didn’t see anything that would likely house a carnival until they had reached the shore the following night.
tbc... |
