Chapter 2

"What are you going to do about the prisoner, Prince Heero?" Quatre asked the next morning when Heero's servant came to give him the morning report. "She's obviously not going to tell you anything. Loyal, isn't she?"

Heero nodded as he swallowed his tea. He almost wanted to laugh. Everyone still believed Wufei was a girl. They didn't bother to check his chest, they just take one look at him and they assume he's a girl. Hmm...I think I can use that to my advantage.

"You aren't going to kill her, are you?" Quatre asked tentatively.

Heero shook his head. "No. I'm not going to kill her. In fact, I think I might have some uses for her."

"Uses, sir?" Quatre asked, frowning.

Heero turned his head and looked at his servant. He laughed when he saw the disapproving frown on Quatre's face. "I'm not going to bed her, Quatre. No, I have something else in mind."

Quatre nodded, relief clear in his expression. "And what is that, may I ask?"

"My brother is away learning how to be king. I will still be Prince," Heero said slowly. "But I know once my father dies--and he is going to soon, I know-- all hell will break loose. My brother and I will have to deal with greedy cousins ready to steal the throne from him while everything is uncertain. I'll need a body guard, don't you think so?"

"A body guard? Of course, I can assign more men with you, Your Highness," Quatre said, nodding as he wetted the end of his quill to make a note.

"No, no," Heero said, shaking his head as he held up a hand to stop his servant's planning. "Men will be too obvious. I don't want to have four men trail me everywhere. Rather, I prefer to have on discreet body guard. Don't you think that will work best? I won't have any trouble getting around either."

"What are you saying, Your Highness?" Quatre asked in confusion.

"That girl, she is a bandit. She knows how to fight, and very well. I know since I have fought against her. Wouldn't she make the perfect body guard, Quatre?" Heero asked, turning around to smile self-satisfactorily at his servant.

Quatre blinked. "Are you sure about that, Your Highness? She's a bandit! She tried to steal and possibly kill you! You can't trust her!"

"Oh, I think I'll find a way," Heero said, nodding slowly with a thoughtful expression on his handsome face. "It's not going to be as difficult as it seems, Quatre. Don't you worry one bit."

~*~

Wufei looked up when the door was cracked open and the dim candle lights barely touched the unpenatrable darkness of the dungeon. He would have stood up but when someone has chains around their ankles it makes things a little difficult, and he didn't want to end up in someone's arms again. He reached up and brushed away his long hair from his eyes. Damn, he wish he had something to tie it back.

"Hello, Wufei," Heero said, smiling as he walked into the dungeon with a candle in his hands.

"You've come to kill me?" Wufei asked, cocking an eyebrow questioningly.

"No, I have something else in mind," Heero said, shaking his head as he walked over to Wufei and crouched down in front of the boy, bringing the candle to Wufei's face. "Perfect."

"What are you talking about?" Wufei demanded angrily as he shied away from the light.

"I've decided what your fate will be," Heero said, standing up.

"And what's that?"

"No one knows that you're actually a man. They all think you're a woman. I decided to use that to my advantage," Heero explained nonchalantly. "You see, my father is dying. He called me to that damned peace meeting with Oz because he wanted to give me a taste of what it's like to deal with other countries. I saw him, he's going to die soon."

"What's your point?"

"When my father dies my cousins will try to get their hands on the throne," Heero told him.

"So? Why should I care? Isn't your older brother going to become king?"

"Yes. But there are going to be plenty of complications along the way. They're going to try and take my brother down in a fight for the throne. They will also try to get to me. I'm going to need a body guard to ensure my safety. I want to keep my head intact, you see," Heero explained.

"What's this got to do with me?"

"I want you to be my body guard."

"What makes you think you can trust me?"

"I want you to swear to serve me on your honor."

Wufei stiffened. "What if I don't agree?"

"Then you'll die and I'll kill your friends. I've already found out where they are. I can easily send my men down there and slaughter them all."

"You bastard," Wufei hissed.

"You agree then?" Heero asked, smirking.

Wufei was silent for a long time. "Very well." He looked down and nodded sharply.

"Wonderful! I'll send my man down here and he'll get you what you need to pull of the part of body guard," Heero said, nodding. Then he turned and left.

~*~

"Oh NO! You are not putting me in an onna's dress!" Wufei said, backing away from Quatre. "I thought I was going to be a body guard! Not some goddamn lady!"

Quatre sighed and nodded. "You are. Only, no one will know you're a man. You're going to be Prince Heero's new lady and he'll take you everywhere with him. It's the only way to insure his safety when his father dies. It'll work. You'll just be another one of Prince Heero's ladies and no one will suspect that you're actually his body guard. If his cousins ever think to attack, you'll be there to protect him. They won't expect a woman to protect Prince Heero." He frowned. "And what's an onna? I'm not familiar with your language."

"A woman," Wufei snapped. "And I'm not going to be a woman! It's against my honor!"

"You agreed to this, Wufei. If you don't wear the dress you will be executed and your friends will be slaughtered by His Highness' men," Quatre said simply. He held out the dress. "Now wear it!"

Wufei stared at the blue dress in Quatre's hand and grabbed it. "Fine." He shook his head in disgust and began to strip off his clothing.

Quatre's eyes widened and he whirled around, his face bright pink. He hadn't expected that.

"What's the matter?" Wufei asked as he dropped all his clothes and began to pull on the dress, which to his embarrassment, slid on too easily. Lord, he truly did have a woman's body, didn't he? He growled softly and narrowed his eyes as he smoothed down the satin dress.

"Are bandits so free with showing their nudity?" Quatre asked uncomfortably.

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

"Oh."

"I'm finished."

Quatre turned around and smiled when he saw Wufei in the dress. "Oh! You look--" He cut off the compliment when he saw the death glare Wufei threw his way. He swallowed hard and walked over to the bandit, smoothing his hands down the dress to Wufei's annoyance. He reached up and accidentally brushed against Wufei's shoulder. His eyes widened slightly at how soft the shoulder actually was. He never expected a bandit to have such good skin. Actually, he had thought this bandit was a girl before Heero told him otherwise when he sent Quatre to help the girl dress. He had thought it strange that he should dress a girl before Heero cleared it up for him.

"What's the matter?" Wufei growled as he allowed Quatre to continue touching him.

"*ahem*You have very soft skin," Quatre remarked with a slight squeak in his voice. His face flushed in embarrassment.

Wufei opened his mouth to say something but Quatre just shook his head and shoved Wufei over to the vanity table. He sat Wufei down and began to look through the cosmetics laying on the table.

"Having so many sisters when I was young is finally coming in handy. Don't worry, I won't make you ugly," Quatre teased as he picked up some blush and began to work on Wufei's face.

~*~

"There! All done! Well, I must say I did an excellent job!" Quatre exclaimed, very pleased with himself as he set down the lip paint and smiled at Wufei. The bandit now had a light dash of blush against his smooth cheeks and his eyes were accented by the right amount of eye shadow. His lips were a soft pink and just a bit pouty. His long black hair was swept up and pinned elegantly at the top of his head with a few locks of hair falling from it to frame his face.

"There's only one problem," Wufei said, still staring at the unfamiliar reflection in front of him.

"And what's that?"

"I don't have any breast," Wufei said, looking at Quatre as if the blonde was stupid.

"Oh...Well, I think that can be taken care of!" Quatre smiled as he pulled open a draw and took out some scarves. He rolled them up into balls and quickly stuffed them down Wufei's dress before the bandit could stop him. He worked on them a bit and soon Wufei had a nice pair of shapely breast.

Wufei closed his eyes and groaned. "This is so humiliating!"

"Oh, be a good sport," Quatre said, laughing. He looked at Wufei for a long time thinking that something was missing, but he just didn't know what. "Ah!" He walked over to the window and pulled it open. He leaned over and plucked a flower from a bush. He walked back over to Wufei and slid the flower into his hair. "There! Now you're perfect!"

"Sure...I'm only fucking cross-dressing!" Wufei all but screamed as he leaped to his feet and almost twisted his ankle in the process. He glared at the damned blue heels that Quatre had forced him to wear. He wrinkled his nose in disgust a how "dainty" his feet looked. Gods, he was going to be sick.

"You know, we have to work on your language," Quatre said disapprovingly. "I mean, a lady doesn't speak like that!"

"I'm not a lady," Wufei said, waving his fist in front of Quatre.

"You are while you're protecting Prince Heero," Quatre said as he grabbed Wufei's hand and produced a gold bracelet with all sorts of gems dripping from it. "A lady must always have jewelry to show off her social status in life." He slipped the bracelet on and then clasped a necklace that matched perfectly with the bracelet around Wufei's slim neck. "These are Prince Heero's mother's old jewels. Take care of them."

"Why are you giving them to me?" Wufei asked, baffled.

"I don't know why either. Prince Heero just said to," Quatre said with a shrug.

"Strange prince you have," Wufei muttered as he fingered the heavy gold necklace around his neck. He walked over to the mirror and looked at it. "This thing is priceless. I can have it sold for twice its price if you want me to," he offered with an appraising look in his velvet eyes.

"I know. That's why you have to take care of it. And you are NOT going to sell the family treasures!" Quatre looked absolutely harassed and frightened at the idea.

Wufei turned around and sighed. "Very well."

"And here are your weapons." Quatre picked up a case and flipped it open, revealing two small and slim daggers that would be tied around Wufei's calf for easy access when a weapon is needed. There was also several other small stilettos that could be hidden in the folds of Wufei's dress. A white fan also laid there, it was made of steel and cleverly concealed by the white cloth and lace with a white tassel.

"Can't carry a sword, can I?" Wufei asked mockingly as he picked up the small daggers and lifted the fold of his dress, revealing a rather white and shapely leg. He clasped the daggers on and picked up the stilettos. He slid a fancy one in his hair and hid the others up his sleeves and in his petticoats. He then picked up the fan and slid it around his wrist.

"Wonderful! Now you're ready for Prince Heero's inspection!" Quatre snapped the case closed and gestured for Wufei to follow him.

"I have to go out?" Wufei squeaked.

"Yes. Prince Heero is a very social person. You're going to have to get used to it. And we'll work on your lady's etiquette as well. It's horrible!"

"I'm bandit. What did you expect?" Wufei demanded indignantly.

"Hmph. Let's go," Quatre opened the door and stepped outside. He waited a moment before Wufei reluctantly appeared beside him.

Then they were walking down the hall to Prince Heero's study. Wufei kept his eyes down, refusing to look at anyone as he followed Quatre. He was thankful when they finally reached the study and slipped inside.

Heero turned around from the window when he heard the door click closed and he raised an eyebrow at the vision standing beside Quatre. The only thing that told him it was Wufei the Bandit was the defiant obsidian eyes that glared at him through the nicely painted eyes. Otherwise, Wufei could have easily passed for another beautiful court lady. Perfect.

"You did a very good job, Quatre," Heero said approvingly as he stepped over to Wufei and looked the boy up and down. "Very good." He laughed when he saw the breasts. "Scarves?" He smiled as he took Wufei's chin in his hand and lifted it to stare at the painted face. "Good. You'll pass wonderfully."

"As His Highness wishes," Wufei bit out as he jerked his chin from Heero's grip. He looked ready to spit in Heero's face. The only thing that seemed to stop him was the fact that Heero held his friends' lives in his princely hand. Otherwise, Wufei wouldn't mind doing some damage to that arrogant son of a rich bitch.

"Ah, you have to be polite and coy like any other lady, Wufei. You can't be the bandit that you actually are," Heero said, tapping his finger on Wufei's almost perfect nose. "And, you'll need a girl's name as well."

"Regina?" Quatre suggested, smiling slightly.

"No..." Heero looked thoughtful for a moment. "Celeste."

"Celeste??" Wufei protested at the incredible feminine name. He had met a girl once named Celeste. Hated her completely. What an annoying onna!!

"Celeste it is," Heero said, smiling sadistically when he saw the shock and disgust on Wufei's face.

"Celeste!" Wufei repeated in disbelief. He shook his head and growled at smug Heero. That damned prince was determined to make this a living hell for him!

"Now, Celeste, let's work on your manners."

~*~

Wufei sighed and heavily collapsed onto the bed of the room Quatre had given him. He closed his eyes and reached up to undo his hair. He closed his eyes in relief as his hair was released from its tight confines. He stood up and began to strip out of the damned dress he had been forced to wear. All day he, Quatre and Heero had worked on his manners. How to soft to speak, how to walk, how to bow and curtsy, how to eat, how to smile. It was endless! They also gave him a false background to fall back on.

He was Lady Celeste of Cimmura, daughter of a wealthy merchant who had came to the capital of Derrath to join His Highness's court for a little while. She had been living with her aunt until she met Prince Heero in the palace gardens during a visit and the prince invited her to live in the palace with him. From there, he had to blush. Blush!! Like a damned shy, virginal woman! And he'd be damned if he was a virgin!

Wufei marched over to the closet and searched through it, desperate for one article of men's clothing but to his utter horror there were none! He closed his eyes and shook his head. The gods were trying to punish him for being too proud, weren't they? He took a deep breath and pulled out a simple looking yellow dress and slipped it on, shuddering at the smooth silk that brushed over his skin. He buttoned himself up and smoothed down the skirt. He then picked up the blue dress and hung it up. At least the yellow one was lighter.

Heero and Quatre told him that he could wander the palace as long as he didn't do anything stupid. One slip up and his friends die. He wouldn't risk that. He walked over to the window and pushed it open. It was night already. The night guards were walking around the palace, lighting up the appropriate places so there was still some kind of light to walk by.

The moon was full and bright, shining down on him. He sighed and rested his elbows on the window sill. He missed his friends. He wondered how they were. He knew they all got away and were probably selling what they had stolen. He wanted so desperately to join them, to be free again. Not to be confined in a dress and to be lady. To protect that bastard of a prince. He brushed his hair from his face and closed his eyes as the cool night air washed over him.

~*~

"Lady Celeste? Where are you?" Quatre called out as he stepped into the spacious room that Prince Heero had told Wufei could have. Quatre held the tray of food firmly as he walked around the room looking for the missing bandit. He almost panicked but he finally found the bandit sitting on a window sill in an adjoining room.

He walked over to the boy who was lost in thought and set the tray down on a near by table. "You're dinner is here. But tomorrow you will have to eat with Prince Heero. You must make yourself known."

Wufei nodded and slid off the sill, his hair flowing behind him and his dress swirling around his ankles. He was barefooted.

"Good-night, Wufei. I'll come tomorrow in the morning to help you dress," Quatre said, nodding. "Just leave the tray there after your done. I'll take it out tomorrow." Then he turned and left the room.

He stepped out into the hall and sighed. He just hoped Prince Heero knew what he was doing.

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

*laughs* Okay! Wufei is now Lady Celeste! Comments, please!