Sins of Love and Past

By DragonMage

Chapter 2

Duo adjusted his sword before he stepped into the Throne Hall where King Treize and Queen Relena were waiting for him and the other soldiers for a report on the events of what had happened last night.

He walked respectfully up to the throne where the two rulers sat, regally dressed in heavy silk embroidered by the finest hands in Sank. They both wore richly formed crowns on their heads and they sat with their backs straight.

Going down on one knee, Duo addressed them formally. "Your Majesties."

"Sir Duo," King Treize acknowledged.

Duo rose and bowed to each monarch before straightening and waiting for orders.

"Tell us what had happened last night, Sir Duo. There was a dragon attack, correct?" Queen Relena asked worriedly.

Duo nodded and began to explain all the events of what had happened after the warning bell had been rung and the city fell into fear and panic. He also told them of his failure to strike down the dragon. He didn't, however, tell them about the strange boy he met in the forest. That was something he felt he didn't need to tell them. It wasn't important, just another solitary person living in the woods who thought dragons were actually good creatures.

After he was finished he stood there and watched as King Treize and Queen Relena think the events through.

"Do you think the dragon will attack again?" King Treize asked.

"It's very possible. He did get away and a creature like that is bound to come back and cause more mischief," Duo said, nodding.

"Very well. You may be dismissed," King Treize said, waving the soldier away.

Duo bowed again before turning and leaving the Throne Hall. King Treize and Queen Relena were one of the best rulers Sank ever had. He knew they would be able to take care of the dragon problem effectively. All they had to do was have more guards on alert and maybe some traps around the outskirts of the city just in case the dragon flees after the destruction again. Next time, Duo was determined to take down that thing. He wasn't going to let it come and go as it pleased, destroying things along the way. The citizens just couldn't handle that almost every time it rained. It just made things much more difficult for them as it was.

Of course, Duo knew how difficult people really had it when they didn't have as much money as the noblemen across Sank. He had been a street rat, a thief, before a knight named Solo who thought he had talent found him. He was brought to the palace and trained to be a knight. Afterwards, life wasn't as hard anymore. He had food, a place to live and someone to serve. The life before that, though, had not been easy.

"Duo!"

Duo turned around and flashed a quick smile at his friend, Trowa. "Hello, Trowa."

"What did their Majesties say?" Trowa asked a he fell into step with his friend.

"Oh, you know them, Trowa. They don't say much to be begin with," Duo said, smiling.

Trowa nodded. "That's true."

"But I told them everything that had happened and I believe they'll take care of the problem with no trouble at all. They know what they're doing," Duo said confidently. He looked over to Trowa and grinned. "Remember the last dragon we took down together?"

Trowa smiled and nodded. "Yes, that was a very good fight."

"Oh yeah! He fought the whole time but we got him in the end. And if I'm correct, we'll get this new white dragon," Duo said, nodding.

"I've never seen a white dragon before. I've seen black, blue, red, but never white," Trowa said thoughtfully. "Doesn't it seem strange to you? That such a pure color is the coloring of this new dragon?"

"Not really. It's still a dragon so I'm still gonna hunt it down," Duo said, shrugging.

Trowa nodded in agreement.

"Come on, let's go train those new recruits," Duo said, taking a right turn that would lead to the training fields.

~*~

Wufei flew through the water of the Mist Lake and quickly transformed into a human being as he landed on the shore. This time he remembered the shoes. He smoothed down the white cloth of his clothing and pushed back his hair. He hoped his brother would leave the weather alone this time. He stretched, adjusting himself to the human body before he started off in the direction of the city.

He pushed through the foliage and stepped over fallen branches from the heavy rain last night. He was glad he was wearing nice thick-soled shoes or the rainwater would have soaked through already and he would have some trouble. He couldn't risk another transformation in the human realm because he accidentally wetted himself with rainwater.

<It's too cold,> he thought unhappily as he wished he had given himself more warmer clothing. He was happy when he found himself out of the cold woods and into the warm sunshine. He looked up at the beautiful sun and smiled. <This is why I love the human realm. It's so much more beautiful.> He just wished his brother would give it a chance and come up into the human realm and see what it had to offer him.

He dusted his clothes off and started in the direction of the city. He always took the more deserted roads. He might love the human realm but the humans were another thing. They were such strange creatures and he didn't want any slip-ups because he didn't know how to act around them. Maybe after a few hundred more years of traveling the human realm would give him a pretty good idea of how humans conducted themselves in their every day life. Yes, that was a good idea.

The sun quickly warmed him to the bone and he didn't feel as bad anymore. He still wished he had given himself warmer clothing. He wrapped his arms around himself and continued walking down the quiet road. He smiled at the few farmers who took the road out of the city and continued to walk nonchalantly. He reached into one of the pockets in his robe and found that small pouch of money he had taken from a snobby, conceited rich human whom he thought really didn't deserve the money. He smiled as he wondered what wonderful human foods he would buy with the money today. Yesterday he had bought some hot bread. Maybe today he would the sweet candy he saw all the children in the city love to eat.

By the time he reached the city the sun was high and he was warmed. He easily mixed himself into the crowds of people who walked up and down the streets buying and selling their things. He looked around himself and smiled as he stared at the many colorful trinkets and foods being sold all over the place. If he remembered correctly, today there was going to be a festival.

He bought a small cake as he wandered down the street, munching happily on it. He frowned though when he saw a few shops that were nearly burned to the ground. Flashes of the fight from the night before ran through his head and he turned around. He didn't want to see that. He began to walk back up the street. He was so engrossed in looking at the beautiful lanterns hanging from their strings he didn't watch where he was going. The next thing he knew he was sprawled on the ground and his cake was rolling in dirt.

"Oh, gods, I'm sorry," a familiar voice said above him.

Wufei blew the strands of hair out of his face and looked up. He blinked. Then he realized who he was looking at and jumped to his feet. "You!"

The other man blinked as well before recognition set it. "You're that boy in the woods!"

"What are you doing here?" they asked simultaneously.

"You made me drop my cake!" Wufei exclaimed as he gestured down to the dirt encrusted cake being kicked around by the many shoes of passerby's.

"Maybe you should have watched where you were going," the man said matter-of-factly.

Wufei glared at him. "Look, dragon hunter, you weren't the one on the ground. Are you going to pay for that cake or not?"

"I am not going to pay for something that *you* dropped," the man said, shaking his head.

Wufei rolled up his sleeve, ready to knock that stupid dragon hunter to the ground when a tall man appeared beside the dragon hunter.

"Duo, what are you doing?" the man asked, seeming exasperated.

"What are you talking about, Trowa?" Duo demanded.

"You're not going to get into a fight already, are you?" Trowa asked.

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "He made me drop my cake and he won't pay for it."

"Like hell I'm gonna pay for that cake," Duo exclaimed, glaring at Wufei.

Trowa sighed and pulled out a few coins and gave them to Wufei. "There, it's paid for. Come on, Duo, let's go get lunch." He grabbed Duo's arm and began to pull his friend away.

Wufei watched with a smirk on his face as that man Duo was being taken away by his friend. Then, on impulse, he stuck out his tongue at the dragon hunter.

Duo was sputtering indignantly as Trowa continued to dragon him away.

Wufei held the coins Trowa had given him tight and went to buy another cake.

~*~

"Did you see what he did?" Duo demanded of Trowa as they walked over to the restaurant they always liked to eat at for lunch.

"Did what, Duo?" Trowa sighed.

"He stuck his tongue at me!" Duo exclaimed, looking totally harassed.

"What??" Trowa asked incredulously. "That man was probably 19-years-old, I don't think men at that age sticks his tongue out at a knight."

"He did!" Duo said insistently. "He did it when you looked away."

"So what?"

"He--!" Duo sighed and shook his head. "Never mind."

"Good. I'm hungry, let's eat."

Duo muttered under his breath and nodded. They sat down on a table outside the restaurant and waited for the waitress to come out and take their orders.

"So, what'll be this time, my lords?" the waitress asked, smiling brightly at them.

"The usual," Trowa said, waving his hand.

The waitress nodded and disappeared back into the noisy restaurant.

"So, what do you think of the new recruits?" Duo asked as he poured himself some ale and drank half of it before refilling it.

"They're good, almost better than the last. We're gonna need them if the dragon attacks keep continuing," Trowa said as he poured himself some ale as well.

"Let's just hope he doesn't attack tonight while the Lantern Festival [1] celebrations happen," Duo said grimly. "Too many people will be out and hurt if the dragon does appear. We can't have that."

"Then I guess we'll just have to put out more guards," Trowa said, nodding. "It won't be hard. Besides, I think a good deal of them will be out celebrating as well so no one will complain."

"Thank the gods," Duo muttered. "The older soldiers are so lazy sometimes. They're completely debauched."

Trowa nodded and downed his ale before pouring out some more.

Duo was sipping his ale when he saw that boy again. He was walking around, staring at all the lanterns hung up and the trinkets being sold. He was eating another cake and looking as if the world was just dandy. Duo had half a mind to go up to him and demand why he stuck his tongue out. But Trowa would probably stop him. Besides, why waste his energy doing that when he had more important things to worry about? Like the dragon.

As if the boy had noticed him staring, he turned around, half way into another bite of the cake, and raised an eyebrow. He bit down on the cake and waved before disappearing back into the crowd.

"Duo. Food," Trowa grunted as their meals were laid out before them.

Duo looked down and nodded. "Yeah." He looked back in the direction the boy disappeared to before turning his attention to the food.

~*~

Duo wondered, for the one-thousandth time, why he had to get stuck with the idiots of the new recruits and Trowa got the more experienced ones. He sighed as he watched another bozo hit another idiot in the head with the training staff. He sighed as he watched another fight break out. <Just peachy. I should let them beat each other to death. It'll just give me less grief.> But, sadly, Duo couldn't let that happen.

"Okay! Okay! Stop that!" he shouted as he walked over to the two battling it out and smacked each one upside the head with his own stick. "You're training to be soldiers in the royal army! Not some idiotic brawlers!"

"That shrimp hit me!" the tall one shouted, pointing at the shorter man.

"If only I'd aimed lower," the shorter man muttered under his breath.

"No one's hitting anyone but the enemy," Duo sighed as he gestured for them to separate. Then he walked back to the front of the class. "All right. Let's do this again. For the fifth time."

He was half way through the steps when he noticed someone watching up. He looked up at the walls surrounding the training center and raised an eyebrow when he saw that boy sitting on the very top, eating a peach.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, slamming the end of his stick on the ground and glaring up at the boy.

"Just watching the great dragon hunter teach more boys to kill more dragons," the boy answered hotly as he chewed on a piece of the juicy peach.

"What do you have against me? I'm trying to keep people alive by slaying those creatures who kill them," Duo shot back.

"Killing wonderful creatures like dragons isn't something to be proud of. If you took the time to get to know one you can learn a lot from a dragon," the boy said matter-of-factly.

"How can I get to know a dragon when it's burning down half of the city?" Duo demanded angrily. He really hated this boy's gall. What did he know about dragons? He was probably some nut who was secluded in the woods for far too long.

"It only did that because it was protecting itself from people like you," the boy said angrily as he finished off the peach and dropped the large seed onto the ground near Duo's feet.

Duo turned around and faced his class. "Dismissed. Go back to your quarters and take up your studies."

The students nodded and left, although some looked a bit reluctant to leave but would rather linger in case a fight would break out. But Duo gave those a fierce glare and they scattered.

As he turned back around to face the strange boy a white figure landed beside him. He started and leaped back a step. He glared at the boy, and the boy gave him a saucy smile.

"What's your name?" Duo asked.

"Wufei," the boy answered as he began to lick away at the sticky sweet juice from the peach on his fingers. He slid each digit all the way into his mouth and oh-so-slowly pulled them back out.

Duo ignored the sudden burning sensation down in his loins and glared harder. He swore that Wufei boy was doing that on purpose.

"What's yours?" Wufei asked as he continued to lick away at his long fingers.

"Duo."

"Duo? What a strange name," Wufei remarked as he licked lips red lips, sucking slightly on his lower lip.

"You mean your own isn't strange?" Duo asked sarcastically.

"Well, it's not exactly a common name," Wufei said, shrugging.

"No, I didn't think so either," Duo agreed, nodding.

Wufei narrowed his eyes at Duo but said nothing. Instead he reached out and grabbed the stick from Duo's hands and examined it. "I see soldiers or knights or whatever you are walking around holding these weapons. What are they for?"

"To keep the peace. Sometimes fights break out and we have to stop them," Duo replied. "Where do you live that you don't know such things?"

"Oh, I live in the woods," Wufei replied vaguely as he weighed the staff. Then he looked at Duo. "Teach me how to use one."

"Why don't you just become a recruit and learn?" Duo asked, as he leaned against the wall and watched Wufei play with the staff.

"Because I don't want to."

"Yet you want to learn how to use a staff?"

"Yes," Wufei said, nodding. "I'm a fast learner and I want to learn how to protect myself."

Duo thought it over and shrugged. "Why not? If you're a fast learner I'll be using my time for better purposes than trying to teach those idiots to be soldiers."

Wufei smiled. "Good. What's the first lesson?"

~*~

True to his word, Wufei was a fast learner. Duo had never had such a quick student before and it was a nice change. They were well through the first set of attack sequences when the sky turned dark and the sounds of music and celebration reached over the training walls.

"The festival," Wufei said as he lowered his staff and stared in the direction of the music. "Let's go." He dropped the staff and started to scale the wall when Duo reached out and tugged him back down. Wufei lost his balance and fell right into Duo's arms.

"What?" Wufei demanded as he tried to get some purchase underneath his feet but failing miserably. He just fell harder into Duo's arms.

"We can use the gate," Duo said, nodding in the direction as he helped Wufei to his feet.

Wufei nodded as he straightened and dusted off his clothes. Then he turned around and ran for the gates. Duo sighed and dropped his staff and followed Wufei out. He skidded to a stop outside and looked around, trying to figure out which direction Wufei had headed in. He saw a flash of white and set off. He caught up to Wufei just as the boy bought a white lantern from a vendor.

"Hey, you didn't have to just run off like that," Duo said, frowning as he stared at the white lantern in Wufei's hands. There was a beautiful dragon painted neatly in black on it.

"How do you light these things?" Wufei asked as he peered into the lantern and stared at the thin candle set in the center of it all.

"With another candle," Duo sighed as he picked up a lit candle and reached into the lantern and lit the candle inside. He placed the candle back on the table and watched as Wufei's face lit up in joy at the light emitted from the lantern.

"This is wonderful!" Wufei exclaimed as he held the lantern close to his face, his long fingers gripping the stick that would allow him to hold the lantern with no trouble at all.

"Careful, you don't want to burn it," Duo said as he gently pulled the lantern away from Wufei's face. "Haven't you ever been to a Lantern Festival?"

"No."

"All right. Then I guess it's my job to show you where to go and what to do," Duo said with a small smile.

"All right, dragon hunter," Wufei said, nodding.

Duo sighed at the nickname and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Why did Wufei even bother with him if he didn't like the fact that he was a dragon hunter?

He was about to ask Wufei that very question when the boy suddenly dashed off as another thing caught his attention. Duo shook his head and quickly ran after him.

~*~

"What's this?" Wufei asked as he stared at the ale that Duo had bought him. They were seated at an empty table of the noisy restaurant and eating their dinner. There were lanterns and all sorts of toys littered around Wufei, on the table, on the bench and the on the floor. Duo had bought some of it but most Wufei had paid for them.

"It's ale," Duo said as he drank his own mug.

"Is it good?" Wufei asked as he swirled the ale around and continued to stare at it.

"Just try it," Duo urged.

Wufei nodded and took a quick swallow. His face crumpled up into a grimace and he stuck his tongue out in disgust as he placed the mug back down on the table.

"That was disgusting!" he exclaimed as he coughed hard and shook his head. "Do you have anything to wash out the taste?"

"Sorry. Why don't you eat a piece of bread?" Duo asked as he shoved the bread into Wufei's hands. The boy quickly munched on it and swallowed it.

"How can you like something like ale?" Wufei asked as he ate all of the bread and then some of the cheese and fruit on the table. He couldn't seem to wash away the taste. He finally did manage it when he bit into the apple. He sighed in relief and quickly finished it.

"It takes some getting used to," Duo said, nodding. "But it's pretty good once you get used to it."

"Good?" Wufei shook his head and ate more fruit. He preferred more natural foods, thank you very much.

Duo smiled and shook his head as he swallowed the rest of his ale. "Just finish up dinner and we'll go back to the festival."

Wufei nodded and did as told.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, tell me what you think! I had to end this since it was starting to go on for too long...*sweatdrop*

[1] I've never been to a Lantern Festival although I wish I had so I'm just gonna have to try to remember as much as possible from what I've seen in the movies *laughs*