| Moon Prophecy Part Four : Sun and Moon By Satashii/aka wa chenxi�depends on which email I checked last. Warnings: see previous parts. This part is a bit more 3&4 centered than I wanted it to be, but it worked so it stays that way. Pairings: see the first part, but all you really need to know is 1x2x1 Notes: I wanna write lemon�::chants this but sees that it doesn�t fit in the storyline and is annoyed:: Oh well� I�ll just have to write and write until I get to the lemon� there should be some here somewhere since it is a fic with slavery in it. Quatre sat outside the large tent, sipping from a cup of tea as he sat by the small campfire. The stars were out and he could see all the constellations spreading out into eternity. Idly, he identified the goddess, the triton, the archer, and his birth constellation Selarin, the sun god. The sound of a tent flap opening behind him drew his attention as his personal doctor stepped out. Turning to face the elderly man, Quatre noted that there seemed to be no worry in the man�s face. �How is he?� Sighing the doctor sat down next to Quatre. �He should be fine. Those foolish slavers should have at least bound his head.� Blowing softly on his tea so he could drink from it, Quatre nodded in agreement. �Normally I don�t like slaves, but I think the two I bought will be good servants. If the injured one recovers I shall give him to my sword brother.� Lifting the teapot from its hook over the fire, the doctor poured himself some tea. �He should recover by the time we reach the capital.� Pausing, the doctor took a drink of his tea. �What of the other one? You overpaid�� Shaking his head in embarrassment, Quatre blushed slightly. �I didn�t know that a slave can usually be bought for about 100 gold pieces� and I didn�t want him to be taken by anyone else.� Quirking an eyebrow at his young prince, the doctor chuckled. �And what is so special about him that interests you so much?� Putting his teacup down and reclining back, Quatre looked at the stars for a few moments before answering. �His soul� I felt it. The feelings I get from him are so much stronger than any I�ve ever felt before. He has courage, strength, and many other qualities that would make me pay any price to know him. His soul cried out for help and I answered that call.� �And not the fact that he has a pretty face? Or his companion?� The doctor asked in amusement. Blinking at the doctor, Quatre was shocked speechless. �What?� Before the doctor could answer, the tent flap again moved and Quatre�s mysterious slave appeared. Eyes fixating immediately on Quatre, the boy froze momentarily before coming to sit next to Quatre. Not knowing what to do, Quatre couldn�t find anything appropriate to say. Fidgeting slightly, Quatre watched the slave as the slave stared expressionless into the flames. �I told you I would do anything. What is your command?� The boy asked in a flat tone, his eyes focused on the fire. Looking at the slave, Quatre found himself content in watching the shadows of firelight flicker across the fine features. �Your name. I desire to know your name.� Not taking his eyes from the flames, the slave answered in a neutral tone. �You may call me what you wish.� Frustrated, and a bit angry, Quatre demanded an answer. �Your given name. What is it? I will only call you by your true name.� Finally the emerald eyes turned to meet azure ones that had been turned ocean blue from the darkness. �Trowa. My name is Trowa.� Gritting his teeth as he struggled to hold onto his patience, Quatre probed. �Last name?� Tilting his head, a wary look was again present in Trowa�s eyes. He didn�t want to tell Quatre anything that could possibly affect Heero. Trowa had already interfered so much; he didn�t want to cause more trouble for his prince. �Of no consequence here.� Eyes narrowing in annoyance, Quatre�s face was set in his best diplomatic look. Quatre couldn�t understand why the slave was being so tight lipped about something as simple as a name. Why was Trowa hiding, and more importantly what was Trowa concealing from him. �Why?� Returning his gaze to the fire, Trowa ignored the question. Quatre�s questions were getting dangerous. �What do you want of me?� Knowing he would get no more answers from Trowa that night, Quatre resigned himself to having his curiosity unsatisfied. Brushing his fingers through his sun bleached bangs, Quatre tried to answer Trowa�s question. �I want you to serve me as my manservant. I do not consider you a slave as the rest of the people in the square considered you. To me human life is not as cheap as 100 gold pieces. I paid what I did to make a statement about how I felt about human life. 5,000 gold pieces wasn�t enough though.� Interrupting, Trowa�s voice was low and harsh. �Why did you pay so little for him then?� Surprised by Trowa�s sudden outburst, Quatre told Trowa his reasons. �I paid so little for him because I had already spent quite a bit of money on you and I need some money for when I get to the capitol. I spent a great deal of my yearly allowance on you. I spent as much as I could on your injured friend. I know it was not enough, but I am trying to make that up to him. I am having his wounds treated and he will be staying with my sword brother who will take care of him for as long as your friend cares to be.� �Who is this sword brother of yours?� Trowa asked, somewhat astonished by the force in Quatre�s statement. However, at the mention of Quatre�s sword brother Trowa�s trained skills took over. �My sword brother is the prince of Ameron.� Quatre said quietly, carefully noting Trowa�s response. �What is your friend to you? Who is he?� Hanging his head, Trowa turned his head so that his eyes were not visible beneath the fall of his bangs. �I cannot tell you who he is. It is for him to tell you if he wants.� Intrigued, Quatre resisted the urge to inquire further. By the rigid set of Trowa�s shoulders, Quatre could tell that Trowa did not want to fend off further questions and would give no more answers. �I just want you to be my personal servant,� Quatre said to reinforce in Trowa�s mind his intentions. �Then I shall serve you as you wish.� * Warmth was the first thing that Heero became aware of as he began to awake after collapsing the previous night. A thick blanket was tucked tightly around him, preventing Heero from moving much. Without opening his eyes, Heero listened for clues as to where he was. He could hear horses in the distance and people moving about somewhere near speaking in the human common tongue and some other language that he thought was Arban, but he could not be certain. Deciding it was safe to open his eyes, Heero slowly let his eyes become accustomed to the semi-darkness of what he assumed was a tent. The tent was large and the floor was covered in rugs, pillows, and blankets with a lamp and two chests on his right side. He was lying on a pallet that seemed to be stuffed with straw and covered with a heavy light blue cotton blanket. His feet were just inside the tent flap, which was slightly open so that there was some light in the tent. Just as Heero finished taking stock of his surroundings, Trowa pushed back the door covering and entered with a wooden tray that held some bread and fruit. �You�re awake,� Trowa stated in elvish as he sat down next to Heero�s head. Trying to speak, Heero found that his throat did not want to work because he had not had anything to eat or drink for several days. �Water�� he managed to gasp out between coughs. Trowa calmly handed Heero a cup of water. �Feeling better?� Heero took the cup and sipped while glaring at his friend. �I�ll take that as a yes since your glare has reappeared,� Trowa said in a dry, amused voice. �Do you want to know where we�re going?� Heero simply nodded before picking up the bread and cheese and beginning to eat. �We were bought by Quatre Raberba of the Winner clan out of Araba. He bought me to be his personal servant. He bought you as a gift for his sword brother the prince of Ameron. We will be on our way to the capitol as soon as the packing is done.� Listening attentively, Heero felt very nervous about being a gift to the prince. The idea that he was a gift did not make him happy. All control over his current situation was in the hands of Quatre and his sword brother. Heero had never felt so helpless in his entire eighty years of existence. Finishing the bread and cheese, Heero stared at his empty hands. His slender, graceful hands were well callused from many years of weapon training. His hands were proof of what he had been trained his entire life to do, protect his people. Change was coming; he could sense that a thunderstorm was approaching the status quo the elves had lived in since the last war. It had been in the early years of his father�s reign when the last war had occurred, how much had the outside world changed while the elves slowly rebuilt in isolation? What would happen when he reached the capitol? * Quatre studied the Trowa and what everyone called �the boy�. Over the last two weeks Quatre had constantly made it his duty to observe everything about the pair, their habits and the way they silently communicated. Trowa seemed to be the only one who spoke, and Trowa spoke rarely after the first night. The boy had recovered rapidly after his wounds were cleaned and bandaged, and now worked alongside Trowa as Quatre�s personal servant. The boy�s dark blue eyes were veiled, the emotions and thoughts hidden behind a curtain of mystery. Intriguing, but not what Quatre wanted to know. Since the two had fallen into Quatre�s hands, Trowa had monopolized his thoughts. Quatre could not fathom why Trowa seemed so special to him, but he found that it was better to just acknowledge the interest than denying his curiosity. Spending many nights probing Trowa with questions only to be answered by silence had left Quatre mildly frustrated. Tomorrow they would see Duo and the boy would be presented as a birthday present. Sitting atop his horse, Quatre contemplated what would happen when the two were separated. Would Trowa turn to him for companionship or continue to serve quietly without comment. * The next day, several other servants awakened Heero before dawn. Opening his eyes and seeing four shadows looming over him, Heero had just barely managed to refrain from lashing out. �Get up. You need to be washed and prepared. Quatre-sama does not wish to have his present looking so dirty,� one of the female shaped shadows informed Heero as they jerked him to his feet. Being herded down to the stream that the caravan was camped next to, Heero submerged within the icy water repeatedly by the four energetic servants assigned to get him presentable. Finally emerging from underneath the water just as the sun had risen above the treetops, Heero was blue with cold as he was wrapped in tailored cotton clothing. Snarling in agitation at the overly thorough servants, Heero noticed that on the left side of his tunic was the emblem of his new master, a phoenix, the old sign of the sun throne. Eyes widening at the gold stitching, Heero gasped silently as he recalled a verse from the ancient writings he had studied. :: When sun and moon meet will it begin:: * |