The Claim


by KatiKat



The faces of the villagers were solemn and unforgiving as they gathered on the village green, watching their chieftain drag his second son by his hair into the middle of the circle they built. Father Maxwell threw his son to the ground, and the dust arose to meet the tear stained face.

The painful sobs of the broken figure were the only sound that broke the silence that fell over the people. Slowly, painfully, the longhaired boy managed to prop himself up on his arms into a half sitting position. His head was hunched between his shoulders, his long unbound hair hanging to the ground, hiding his face from his neighbours, a plain linen smock the only thing covering his nudity.

Father Maxwell regarded his son as if he was some bug that just crawled from under a stone, his black clad figure looming over the bruised and scraped figure on the ground. He then reached down, catching the long hair in his fist once again, eliciting a painful cry from the boy. He tore at the silken strands sharply, straightening his son´s back, presenting his face to the villagers. His heated, hateful look then flew over the gathered people. "Who claims to have fathered this lifebearer´s child?" His shout echoed through the masses. The eerie silence continued. "Are you such a whore that they even can´t be sure who the father is?" Father Maxwell shook his son´s head wildly.

Duo closed his eyes tightly, tears escaping from under the lids. His hands closed into fists that rested on his thighs. He didn´t want to look at the people. He knew that Wufei was among them and that he wasn´t watching him, his head bent with guilt. He knew that his lover won´t step out in his defence since his husband, Meilan, the son of the chieftain of the neighboring village, a lifebearer as well, was by his side, who was heavy with Wufei's child too. Their short affair had been a mistake. Wufei felt betrayed by his father, who arranged a marriage between him and Meilan without asking him, so one night two weeks after the wedding he got drunk and seduced Duo into his bed. He ended their relationship three weeks after that, because he was beginning to have feelings for Meilan after all, leaving Duo broken hearted and with a child. A child he had to explain to his father and the gathering. And he couldn´t bring himself to admit the truth, it would destroy Wufei´s marriage and wouldn´t bring him anything in return anyway. To know the father didn´t mean to be claimed and protected by him.

Father Maxwell released his son´s hair and backhanded him. Duo cried out, feeling blood fill his mouth, hitting the gravel with his head and scraping his cheek badly. Blood started to flow down his face.

"You know what happens to lifebearer whores like you," he spat at him. "They are sold to brothels in town so that they could never shame and disgrace their family and their village again." He then bent down and caught Duo by his hair at the nape of his neck again, pulling him face to face. "Tell me who the father is or I swear I will beat it out of you."

A sob escaped Duo. He didn´t know what to do. He covered his lower abdomen with his arms, trying to protect the child in his belly.

"The child is mine!"

Everyone turned their heads to the man who spoke. The people stepped back revealing the village´s Enforcer, Heero Yuy, walking with cold calmness into the circle, followed by a sweaty, dust covered and out of breath looking Solo, Father Maxwell´s eldest son. Where Heero looked stone cold, Solo´s face was contorted with rage, seeing the bruised and bloodied appearance of his younger brother.

Father Maxwell released his son´s hair, letting Duo fall the ground. He backed away quickly, regarding the Enforcerer with something similar to fear. Everyone feared Heero Yuy for he was cold and evil. "Your child?" Father Maxwell asked, his voice tight.

Heero stopped just a couple of feet away from the pregnant lifebearer. He stared down at the boy who was looking at him with confusion. The beautiful face was bruised and bloodied, the eyes full of pain and uncomprehension.

"Yes. I´m claiming the lifebearer's child," he said, loud and clear. He looked around the circle, until his eyes stopped at the chieftain. He held his eyes, daring him to protest.

But the man, so full of big words just minutes ago was now silent under the cold, threatening gaze of Heero Yuy. He was the chieftain of the village, but this was the Enforcer, a man whose job it was to kill people threatening the safety of the village. Though of medium height, the strength in the wired, black dressed frame was clearly visible, the green sash bound around his waist marking his status, adding to the threatening air that surrounded him.

Receiving no words of protest, Heero said: "The challenge hasn´t been met. The lifebearer is now mine."

Finally remembering his status, Father Maxwell cleared his throat and nodded. "So it´ll be written. The lifebearer Duo Maxwell has been claimed by the Enforcer," he stated loudly so that everybody could hear. "Since the child has been conceived before the claiming took place, the lifebearer will be stripped of his name in the village, of his property and his rights as a villager. He´ll be forbidden to enter the village until the child is born so that the proof of his disgrace won´t dirty the proper villagers." He then looked directly at his son who was still staring at the Enforcer in shock. "I proclaim that this person is no longer my son nor my heir. I forbid him to wear the name of my family, for he is dead to me. This person is now the sworn property of the Enforcer and is his responsibility to bear. May you depart in freedom, Enforcer," he finished his speech, turned away and headed back to the village. Slowly the rest of the villagers followed until only Heero, Duo and Solo remained on the green.

Heero then crouched next to Duo, took off his cloak and wrapped it gently around the lifebearer´s shoulders. Duo, still very much in shock, let him do that without any protest.

"Why?" he whispered finally, his bruised jaw aching. "This isn´t your child. Why did you do that?"

Heero frowned down at him. He didn´t say anything.

Solo knelt next to his brother. Gently he touched Duo´s shoulder, then his cheek. "Hey, bro. You are safe now."

Duo blinked, then turned to his brother. "Solo? How...? Why did you bring Heero here?"

"Father would have killed you. The only person I know from whom he would back off is Heero. He was the only one who could have stopped him," he explained.

"What now?" Duo asked, his voice broken.

Solo threw Heero a quick glance. "You will now go with him. He will take care of you. I will visit you as often as I can and-"

"No," Heero said in a cold voice. "You won´t visit him. You won´t come near my house again. I allowed it only this one time because of the special circumstances. Come back again and I will kill you." The dark look in his eyes revealed the truth behind his words.

Duo didn´t say anything, his eyes cast downwards, an air of resignation surrounding him. He didn´t know why Heero had done it and obviously the Enforcer had no intentions to tell him. But it didn´t matter. He knew the customs. Willing or not, he belonged to the Enforcer now. Struggling against the inevitable destiny would just bring him a sea of pain. And even if he could get away from him, where would he go? Being heavy with child, he wouldn´t survive in the woods in the winter that was coming closer with each passing day. He touched his abdomen. For his child he would endure anything.

Solo started to protest. "But-"

"Heed the warning, villager, or I won´t be responsible for your life," he warned him. He then bent down, laid one hand around Duo´s back, the other under his knees and lifted him up into his arms. "He is dead to the village, let it stay this way."

Heero turned and started to walk in the direction of the woods. Solo met Duo´s terrified eyes over the black clad shoulder. The cobalt blue orbs were so full of pain and loneliness. He tried to smile to encourage him, but failed. He sighed. He managed to save him from their father, but - could the life that waited for him be even worse?

Solo watched them disappear into the woods. May fate be merciful to his brother.


TBC