Sins of Love and Past

By DragonMage

Notes: What has depressed me some is that I used to could wrap up a story in less than, oh, 7 chapters. Now...now it takes forever...*sobs* Ack, is that a good or bad thing??

Chapter 4

"Ah, isn't this a great afternoon? The sun is out, the wind is cool and the air is sweet!" Wufei said happily as he threw his arms up and smiled contentedly. He and Duo were out on a walk in the woods since the dragon hunter had nothing better to do that day and Wufei suggested the walk. The dragon hunter had protested at first but Wufei had insisted that it would do them some good to get out of the city and experience mother nature for a little while so Duo went and he had to admit that it wasn't so bad.

"I suppose so if you want to get allergies," Duo said dryly.

"I don't have any allergies. Do you?" Wufei asked archly.

"I'm allergic to cats," Duo said, looking a bit annoyed with that little fact.

"I like cats," Wufei said, grinning mischievously. "If you lived with me, I suppose you won't be able to last."

"Who said I'd want to live with you? You're an impossible boy!" Duo declared.

"Ha! Only because you're just as bad," Wufei retorted. "If you behaved, maybe I would do the same thing. But you don't, so I don't. The bad company, I'd say."

"Bad company? I am a knight!"

"Don't tell me knights aren't debauched," Wufei drawled.

"Oh, shut up."

"Touchy..."

Duo laughed and shook his head as he shot Wufei a mock glare. "You, Wufei, need to learn how to keep your tongue sometimes. How will you ever survive at court?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Wufei asked wickedly. "I am a prince in my world."

"And what is that? The one where you buy from a apothecary?" Duo asked.

"I do not do drugs!" Wufei then burst out laughing. "Gods, imagine that. Me! On drugs. I don't think that's possible. I hate self-induced wake-dreams. They make me feel funny."

"I think that's what they're suppose to do."

Wufei rolled his eyes and bent down to pick a wild flower. "I don't like it." He tapped Duo on the nose with the flower. "Don't tell me you are friendly with the local apothecary?"

"Do you really think I'd need that? I am perfectly fine without drugs. Those are for people who can't deal with themselves," Duo said dryly as he snatched the flower from Wufei's slim hand. "And quit doing that. It's making my nose itch."

Wufei smiled and tried to take the flower back but Duo stepped away from them. "Ooh...give that back, Duo!"

"Nope!"

"Duo!"

Duo laughed and broke into a run on the trail through the forest. He could hear Wufei laugh and shout at him before dashing after him. They ran around for a while, off and on the trail until they had no more energy and collapsed on to a clearing they stumbled into. They laid there, trying to catch their breath and contenting themselves with each other's company.

"Here's your flower." Duo handed back the broken, battered plant and Wufei burst into laughter as he took the poor, dilapidated bloom and stared at it.

"Gods, that's not a flower. It's fertilizer!"

"Well, I did drop it a few times and you *did* try to wrest it away from me every other time," Duo said defensively as he turned on his side and smiled at Wufei.

"That was fun," Wufei said, smiling as he turned his head and looked at Duo. "Don't tell me it wasn't fun."

"It was fun," Duo agreed, grinning. He reached out and brushed some hair out of the strange boy's eyes, his hand lingering just a bit on Wufei's soft cheek. He watched as Wufei's eyes softened, a shy smile gracing his soft lips. "Wufei..."

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't mind terribly if...if I kissed you?" Duo asked softly.

"Not really," Wufei replied, his laughter breathy with excitement.

Duo moved closer until he was only a few breaths away from Wufei's lips. Then, moving slowly to give Wufei time to move away, he leaned in closer and pressed his lips against Wufei's. <Gods, I wanted to do that for a while...> He deepened the kiss unconsciously and cheered silently as he felt Wufei respond to the kiss. He moved over the other man until he was held above Wufei only by his arms as he continued to kiss the sweet mouth below him.

Wufei moved his arms until they were wrapped loosely around Duo's neck. He urged the man on top of him to keep on kissing him and never stop. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt giddy as he continued to share the kiss with Duo.

After a few moments, they finally broke the kiss. In more need of air than to speak words of affection.

"That was...I wanted to do that for a while," Duo admitted as he kissed Wufei on the forehead, moving down his nose and across his cheeks. "Are you okay with it, Wufei?"

"More than okay. I loved it," Wufei murmured as he kissed Duo in return. "You're a really good kisser, do you know that?"

"No, not really. I haven't had much of a chance to kiss very much." Duo smiled and kissed Wufei on the forehead. "I don't know what's going on with me, but I really like you, Wufei."

"I like you too," Wufei whispered softly as he kissed Duo on the chin. "A lot, actually. Do you think there's something wrong with us?"

"I certainly hope not, but..." Duo shrugged and started kissing Wufei again. "Mmm...and to think we didn't like each other the first time we met."

"Uh-huh," Wufei agreed drowsily. He closed his eyes and smiled faintly. "Dragon hunter..."

"Are you still going to hold that against me?" Duo asked, half-amused.

Wufei opened his eyes. "I am always going to hold it against you." He said it with utmost solemnity.

"Then why do you even associate with me?"

"I don't know. I like you? I don't really have a clear reason," Wufei admitted.

Duo smiled. "It's okay."

Wufei rested against the leaves and grass. "Do you really think so, Duo?"

"Yes."

"All right. I suppose I'll take your word for it right now. But circumstances change." Then Wufei sat up, effectively causing Duo to fall off him. "Come on, I think it's time to head back to the city and enjoy some cake!"

"Of course," Duo agreed as he sat up and pulled Wufei to his feet. They brushed themselves off and started off in the direction of the city.

~*~

King Treize nodded at the man in front of him. "My men have informed me that you know how to hunt dragons and that you're very successful."

"Yes, Your Majesty. And I hear you have a dragon problem recently?" the dragon hunter asked.

"Yes, we have been having some problems. Are you sure you can actually reveal a dragon in disguise and take it down for us? We'd be very grateful. As you know, dragons cause a lot of trouble for me and my people," Treize said, raising an eyebrow. "Is your talent true to your promise?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," the man said, his eyes smiling for him as half of his face was covered by a scarf of deep red color. "I have revealed and hunted dragons from here to the farthest easts."

"Good. I will pay you a bag of gold for every dragon you rid us of," Treize promised.

"As you please, Your Majesty. I only seek to make sure these demons no longer harm the populace," the man said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"And no doubt to fill your pockets," Treize said dryly, not a amused at all. "Go. Do your job and be mindful of the people. I want as least possible casualties as possible."

"As you wish." The man bowed and left the Throne Room. When he was outside of the palace and safely hidden away in his inn room, he tore off his scarf and long black hair tumbled down his back. For he was no longer a man, but a woman.

She smiled darkly, knowing she was finally going to get her prize. She had heard far and wide for the dragon prince of the water dragons and now, finally, he had revealed himself to these people. A pure white dragon the rumors go, stronger than any dragon the people had ever seen. <And I will find that dragon and hunt it down. It's blood will finally grant me true immortality I have seeked for many, many years!>

She walked over to the bed and sat down on it, thinking. It had been true when she told the king of her power. She could sense dragons for they contained a lot of power in them and only those who were attuned to that power could tell the difference between a dragon and another disguised creature of Myth. She had hunted and killed many dragons with her power to sense them. They couldn't hide from her, no matter what they did, their power always did them in when faced against her and an army of men. But every time she had taken down a dragon, she was always disappointed to find its blood will do nothing permanent for her. She could only survive another hundred years with the blood. What she seeked was true immortality, something that will last her for until the end of the world and beyond.

How old she was, she had forgotten. She had forgotten her true age and when she had first went after the dragons for the lust of immortality. It didn't matter to her. What *did* matter was that she was finally going to be able to get that blood that was so valuable to her eternal life. Only a dragon prince could offer that to her, even if she had to take it from him!

~*~

"You know, every time I eat one of these they always get better," Wufei remarked cheerfully as he bit into a delicious cake. "I love these things!"

Duo smiled and shook his head as he sipped his ale. "Just don't make yourself sick eating all of that. You know, it's unhealthy to eat so many sweets."

"Really? My mother never told me that so it's probably untrue," Wufei said, shrugging.

Duo raised an eyebrow. "You believe everything your mother tells you?"

"Of course. She is wise and she knows everything, true or not. How can I not believe in her?" Wufei said, confused Duo would ask such a thing. "Don't you trust your own mother's words?"

"I never had a mother," Duo said, shrugging.

Wufei was half way into another bite of cake when he heard that. He stopped and frowned slightly. "You...never had a mother? How is that possible? Surely you have a mother *somewhere*. Who else could have given birth to you? Certainly not a rock. If a rock had given birth to you you'd be a god, I believe."

Duo laughed. "What nonsense are you talking about, Wufei?"

Wufei flushed. "Just thinking out loud."

"No, I don't have a mother. She abandoned me or died when I was little. I was taken in by the king and now I work as a knight. I got lucky. Most people don't have the opportunity to do something with their life. Instead, they usually become thieves or street urchins."

"That's sad life," Wufei murmured as he took a bite of his cake. "How can anyone allow people to live like that?"

"It's not that the king allows it, he can't help it. It's out of his control."

"Can't he...give them money?" Wufei asked earnestly.

Duo shook his head and sipped his ale. "The world doesn't work that way, Wufei."

"That's unfair!"

"Who said life was fair? Not me."

"Not I."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind," Wufei sighed. He polished off his cake and licked his fingers. "I wish I could do something to help those unfortunate people."

"Well you can't. You don't have the gold or the resources to do that," Duo said, cocking his head to the side. "Unless you do. Some hidden cave full of treasures in that woods of yours?"

"The woods don't belong to me. They belong to everyone," Wufei said. "And no, there is no cave of treasures." He mused about the pearl hidden safely inside of his body and realized he couldn't use it to make gold. It was used to control nature and sometimes time. It would be useless for anything else other than that. "It's too bad though. I wish there was. I hate to see people suffer."

"Only evil people would, Wufei," Duo agreed.

"Let's go buy another cake. I think I'll feel better after having another one," Wufei sighed, even though that was a lie.

~*~

The woman suddenly felt the strong aura of a dragon near-by. Her dragon prince! She could feel it. The power was beyond any other dragon strength she had ever encountered. She ran to the window and threw back the curtain. She scanned the crowd below....

There!

The small boy beside the man with the long braid. She smiled and almost laughed out loud as she watched them walk to a cake vendor and buy a small cake. Finally! Her dragon prince! Her key to immortality...She could already taste the sweet, power-filled blood in her mouth, caressing her tongue and sliding down her throat. She swallowed unconsciously. Oh...how many centuries has she hunted and sought the dragon prince? How many centuries?? Now, finally, she was going to achieve true immortality! No longer would she fear death...evil death...

She knew she had to capture her dragon prince before he got away and trap him. She couldn't let him run off and disappear from her forever. No! It was too risky to wait for him. She turned from the window and grabbed her sword and dagger. She belted them on and grabbed a small pouch filled with sleeping dust that worked on dragons only. Finally!

She then turned abruptly and ran out of her room as fast as her long legs could carry her. She ran down the hall, down the stairs, and out of the inn. She skidded to a stop and looked around, searching for her dragon, feeling almost panic. Then she found him.

She slowly walked over to them--she didn't want to startle her dragon!--and was almost upon them when the dragon prince turned around and saw her. He gasped and dropped his cake, his eyes widening in recognition of the woman's power and how she came to it.

"Hello, dragon prince," she purred before she threw the dust at the prince.

"No!" he gasped before he slumped and fell against his partner.

"What the hell are you trying to pull, lady?" the tall man demanded as he caught her dragon and held him close.

"Bastard! Release him! Don't touch the dragon!" the woman hissed as she pulled out her dagger. "Stay away from my dragon!"

"Dragon? What are you talking about? This is a boy!" the man exclaimed.

There was now a crowd around them and soldiers coming towards them. They had their weapons, after hearing the word dragon, and were prepared to fight. They were surprised though when all they found was a furious woman, a confused knight, and an unconscious boy.

"What is the meaning of this?" one man demanded.

"Trowa, tell this woman to stay away from Wufei. I don't know what the hell she's trying to pull but she accused him of being a dragon! Does he *look* like a dragon to you?" the braided man demanded as he cradled the boy close to his chest.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Are you his lover?"

The man's eyes widened and that was all the answer she needed. She smirked. "Human, you are holding a dragon. I have given him a dust that will affect *only* dragons." To prove her point she pulled out some and threw it in the braided man's face. He merely coughed and wrinkled his nose in disgust but he did not pass out. "Don't you understand? He is in disguise!"

"Who are you?" Trowa demanded.

"Altai," the woman said, raising her chin. "I am working for the king."

"I have not heard of..."

"I was a man when I presented myself to the king," Altai said, waving her hand dismissively. "But that doesn't matter. What *does* matter is that he--" she pointed at Duo who was still holding Wufei protectively "--is protecting a dragon!" <And *my* dragon! My dragon prince...oh, I can already see the blood flowing from his wrists to my mouth. I will finally have my immorality!>

"Are you daft?" Duo demanded angrily even as he felt cold inside. Wufei? A dragon? No! It couldn't be true! He was human...But so many things were clicking in his mind even as he tried to deny them. It was all too possible Wufei *was* a dragon...<No! Gods, no, please...Don't let him be a dragon! Let that woman be insane! He can't be a dragon...he can't...>

Trowa stared at his friend. He was at loss of what to do. If Wufei *was* a dragon, law demanded he be slain. And Trowa didn't want to do that. He liked Wufei and Duo...Duo seemed to care a lot for him. <I'll destroy Duo if I kill Wufei...>

"Enough of this insanity!" the emerald eyed man finally shouted, startling the soldiers and crowd around them. "Leave this place! This is no fair act for spectators. The soldiers will take care of this." When the crowd didn't move he glared at them. "MOVE!"

They dispersed.

"We will take him to the king and we will find out if he truly *is* a dragon," Trowa said calmly. <There. That should buy them some time...> "Is that understood? That boy does not look like a dragon, does he? He is not spitting fire and roaring his wrath while setting fire to half the city?" All the soldiers shook their head and Altai merely glared. "But this dragon hunter says this boy is a dragon. We do not want to kill an innocent, now do we? Very well. We shall take him to the palace and chain him up. Then we will see what the king has to say."

"We can find out if he's a dragon right now," Altai said matter-of-factly. "Dragons are deathly afraid of water when in their mortal form. They can only hold their mortal form from sheer will when touched my water. He's unconscious right now. If we were to pour water on him right now..."

"No," Trowa said sharply. "We will not do that. If he is a dragon and he changes, he will wake. And we do not want that."

Throughout this entire exchange, Duo was stunned and feeling numb inside. They truly believed Wufei was a dragon. He looked down at the beautiful face of the boy he liked. <Are you a dragon, Wufei? I hope not. If it's true, you're going to die.>

"Come on, let's go to the palace," Trowa ordered. "Duo...carry him."

Duo nodded slowly. "All right, Trowa."

Then they all marched back to the palace where Wufei would be chained up and the king will make his decision.

<I don't care if the dragon dies or not, all I want is his blood,> Altai thought furiously as she followed behind the man with the braid who held her prize. <All I want is his blood...>

~*~

Duo gently closed the chains around Wufei's slim wrists and fought the temptation to reach out and brush his hair from his eyes. Whatever Altai drugged him with was still working and he was out cold. His skin was pale, a contrast from his usual bronze, and his limbs were loose and out of control. He was completely out of it.

"Are you done?" Trowa asked quietly from the cell doorway.

"Yeah...yeah, he won't be able to get out of them. They've been magicked by the mages," Duo said, nodding. He stood up and brushed his pants off. He turned and smiled faintly at Trowa. "Thanks."

Trowa shook his head. "For what?"

"You bought him time," Duo said quietly. "If it weren't for you, they would have ran him through with a sword already."

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Trowa asked.

"I really like him, Trowa, and I don't want to see him hurt," Duo admitted.

"You like him that much, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Come on, Duo, the king is requesting our presence as that Altai woman tells us just why she believes Wufei is a dragon," Trowa said, turning to leave the room.

"Don't you mean demand our presence?" Duo muttered underneath his breath. He closed the door behind him and locked it before pocketing the key. He gestured to the guards to take their places. He turned to Trowa who was waiting for him. "Let's go."

~*~

King Treize sat with Queen Relena at his side. They both had a mask of serene calm as they watched the men and Altai pile into the room. But inside they were faintly worried. Altai had just accused a young man of being a dragon in disguise. That was a serious accusation and they didn't want *any* innocents dead. What if bitter citizens began to accuse other mortals of being dragons just to have them killed? [1]

"Your Majesties," all the men intoned as they bowed. Altai sweeped her own mocking bow.

"Altai, you have deceived us. You came to us as a man and now you are a woman. Explain yourself," King Treize said coldly.

"You wouldn't have listened to a woman, Your Majesty," Altai said baldly. "I had to come to you as a man so you would give me the job of taking down this dragon. Have I not done my job?"

"It has not been proven that he is a dragon," King Treize said, shaking his head just slightly.

"Oh, but I can prove it to the entire city and still keep it safe," Altai declared.

"And how do you propose you do this?" King Treize asked.

Duo's hands were clenched into tight fists as he listened to all of this. He feared for Wufei's safety, suddenly. <If he is a dragon, he's dead. And I can't let that happen! Gods, Wufei...> He did care for that strange boy that had captured his heart in a strange way and he didn't want to see him dead. Wufei didn't deserve to die. He had so much passion and beauty inside of him. So what if he was a dragon? Sure, Duo felt a bit betrayed and deceived but he pushed past that and now all that mattered was that Wufei didn't die, dragon or not.

"I have this potion and spell that will reveal his true identity and ensure the safety of the people," Altai said confidently. She smiled. "Trust me, Your Majesty. I have been doing this dragon hunting business for as long as I can remember..."

King Treize didn't trust her at all but if she had a way, he wasn't going to protest against it. "Very well. Try your potion and spell. But if *anyone* gets hurt, you will be punished."

Altai wasn't scared at all as she swept him a bow. "I promise you, no one will be hurt save the dragon."

King Treize waved his hand. "Tomorrow morning. We will try this potion and spell of yours, Altai dragon hunter. All of you will witness this. Dismissed."

Altai turned and left the room before any of the soldiers or knights, her long black hair flowing behind her along with her long scarf.

"Are you sure about this, darling?" Queen Relena asked quietly as the men left the room.

"I can't be. But if this woman says she can reveal the true identity of the boy then we'll let her try. But if she fails, she will be punished for her lies and accusations against an innocent," King Treize said as he reached out and closed his hand around his wife's smaller ones. "What's wrong?"

"Sir Duo. Did you see his expression?" Relena asked, frowning slightly.

"Ah, no. I was too busy with Altai," Treize admitted. "Why?"

"I dare say, my lord, Sir Duo cares for the boy," Relena said, looking her husband in the eye.

Treize frowned slightly. "We can't let the boy go..."

"I know, Treize. But suddenly this dragon hunt has became so very tragic," Relena said, shaking her head.

"Let's not get personal about this."

"These are your people, Treize. It is personal," Relena said firmly. She patted his hands. "Come on. I am tired and the child is not cooperating with me." Relena touched her stomach and smiled faintly.

Treize smiled and nodded. He helped his wife to her feet and held her as they retreated to their bedroom.

~*~

"Duo?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you all right?" Trowa asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid for him, Trowa."

"Ah. Well, let's just hope he's not what Altai accuses him of."

Duo shook his head. "I don't think she's lying. She might seem a little crazy but she *does* know what she's doing."

Trowa was silent for a moment. "So, you believe he's a dragon?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Duo, for what it's worth."

Duo nodded slowly. "I know, Trowa. Let's just pray the gods are merciful."

Trowa nodded in agreement and they spent the rest of the day in each other's company in silence.

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

*grin* Okay, so it's moving fast...I'm gonna wrap it up in a few more chapters...

[1] Reminds ya of the witch trials?