| Moon Prophecy Part Five : Dun Dun Daaaa� By Satashii See previous parts for warnings, pairings and disclaimer. All you need to know is this is 1x2x1. Eh� it�s been a while minna. Class work just keeps collecting on my desk. Gentle, calloused fingertips traced the curve of one closed eyelid like a wisp of wind before the palm of the same strong hand cupped around the arch of one cheek to cradle against smooth, warm skin. The delicate touch tilted the face upwards and a feather soft brushing of lips rocked Duo to the core of his existence. Eyelids fluttering as they opened, revealing loving amethyst eyes that searched for the hand and lips that had caused Duo to awake. But Duo became aware instantly that no lover was there to meet his questing eyes and body. Sitting up in his bed with his heart beating a rapid staccato against the walls of his chest, Duo cut off a sob of disappointment that had formed deep in his throat. The memory of the dream fingertips that caressed him and held him safe as their lips brushed made him moan in need for the phantom lover of his dreams. The amethyst eyes misted with unshed tears as Duo curled around himself into a fetal position. Why, Duo asked himself. Why do I torture myself with dreams of love when I will marry for some ridiculous reason like pacifying some politician. Blinking back tears he refused to shed, Duo tugged on the end of his long chestnut braid, a habit he had formed when he was younger. Alone in the massive, silk bedecked bed by himself, the prince of Ameron spent the first few moments of his seventeenth birthday locked in misery. It was early and the sun was just a pink tinge on the eastern horizon, however, servants would soon come to wake him and begin preparations for his birthday celebration. The only happy thing Duo came up with as he contemplated the day was that he would see his sword brother Quatre. Smiling at the thought of seeing his longtime best friend and distant cousin, Duo wondered how much Quatre would have grown in the half a year since they had last seen each other. No matter how long they had been separated by their respective royal duties, Quatre and Duo always picked right up from where they had left off. Gathering up what was left of his currently pouting-and-screaming-for-his-dream-lover brain, Duo slipped out from under the bedclothes and headed towards the bathing room. * Quatre swept his calculating gaze up and down the silent boy one last time. In a few moments the door to the audience chamber would open and he would be formally greeted by Duo and give Duo his birthday present. Duo�s birthday present was standing rigidly next to Quatre�s own servant, eyes downcast and unreadable. Clothed in the uniform of Duo�s personal servants, the clothing suited the other boy but at the same time it seemed not. This puzzled Quatre and he knew that given some time to think of an answer would solve the mystery but the nameless boy was Duo�s mystery to solve. Going to the servant, Quatre lifted the boy�s chin with one finger and briefly scanned the boy head to toe. �You have no reason to fear the prince. He will take care of you until he finds another purpose for you.� Standing by the boy�s side, Trowa put a hand on the other�s shoulder and gave a light squeeze of encouragement. �We will trust your word,� he said to Quatre. At that moment the door opened and the three were ushered into the spacious audience chamber of the court of Ameron. As the trio advanced forward, they passed almost every noble in the kingdom that had gathered for the prince�s birthday celebration. Heero took very little note of them and their multihued fanciful clothing and pretty visages, his attention fixed upon the raised dais upon which sat the king. The prince was not upon the dais that Heero could see, but the nobles crowded close to the dais and hid parts of it from his view. Not for the first time that day, Heero cursed his height. The nobles� height prevented from seeing all but a narrow section of the large dais. Halfway to the front, Heero gave up trying to covertly glimpse other parts of the dais and focused his attention on the king, ignoring Trowa who kept shooting concerned glances his way. The king was not what Heero had expected. The man upon the throne wore a garishly bright loose tunic, loose tan trousers and a crimson cloak. Upon the ruler�s head was a crown that rose in sharp points that was decorated with rubies that matched the cloak. Unsettled by the odd clothing, Heero was perplexed by the calm jocularity behind the narrow-rimmed glasses. The king�s eyes seemed to laugh and joke silently in greeting. A shiver ran down Heero�s back as he knelt alongside Trowa and Quatre before the king, his eyes downcast. A rustle of cloth marked the king standing. �Welcome Quatre. My son has long missed your presence here in Ameron. It is good to see you here today. Quatre shall always be Ameron�s friend my son?� �Yes father,� the reply came. Heero didn�t move from his instructed position, his knees beginning to ache in complaint from being forced into a position they were ill accustomed to. Heero�s desire to look up at the face of the prince doubled, yet he waited for Quatre to tell him to rise. �I have missed you sword brother. It has been a long six moons since I saw you last. Today is my birthday and I invite you to celebrate with my entire kingdom. Would you accept a place next to me during tonight�s feast to converse?� Heero felt another shiver chase down his spine. The prince used the older, elven way of marking time. Was it just ceremonial or was that how the prince counted his time? Clenching his teeth, Heero berated himself for reading too much into a few spoken words from a boy he had yet to see with his eyes. �I gladly accept your invitation, sword brother. It has been a long six moons. I have brought you a gift to mark your seventeenth year,� Quatre replied. Touching Heero�s shoulder, he quietly told Heero to stand and look at the prince. �My present to you is this servant. You have long been without a personal servant to look after your needs and when I found this boy I felt he would be the perfect servant for you. I have observed him since he came into my possession and I can tell you that he will be a hard worker and strive to please you in whatever task you set before him.� The rest of Quatre�s greeting fell soundless upon Heero, his eyes unable to break eye contact with the violet-eyed prince who stood next to the king. Violet eyes, a rare and beautiful color that Heero had never seen before transfixed him. Heero�s vision narrowed until only the prince�s wide violet eyes filled it. Finishing his greeting, Quatre noticed that the boy hadn�t moved and neither had Duo. Both stared at each other in silence. Coughing slightly to hide the elbow nudge to Heero�s ribs, Quatre smiled behind the hand he covered his mouth with. Surprised by Quatre�s elbow, Heero broke eye contact with the prince and bowed low to the prince, not speaking a word. Making his face an expressionless mask, Heero steadied himself against the whirlwind of thoughts running through his head. Recovering as the boy bowed, Duo gave Quatre another warm smile. �Your gift is an excellent one sword brother. I would talk with you and him in private after the audience.� �Until later then sword brother.� Quatre bowed alongside the boy and then retreated to the area cleared for his party. As soon as he was not the center of attention, Heero moved close to Trowa. Telling himself that his reason for seeking out Trowa was not out of fear, Heero met Trowa�s eyes. Trowa was smirking slightly and his eyes laughed openly at Heero. Annoyed Heero glared at Trowa, who was unfazed by his prince�s icy glare. * Soon the audience was over and Quatre herded Heero off to a side door and caught up with Duo. �Duo, I think you forgot something.� Ignoring his servant on purpose for the time being, Duo warmly embraced Quatre in a hug. �I have missed you so much. It gets so boring with only Wu around and he doesn�t take or get my jokes.� Returning the hug, Quatre laughed. �Is he still as� um� self-righteous as ever?� Rolling his eyes, Duo laughed also. �I don�t think Wu knows how to not be a justice ranting lunatic. OUCH! WuFEI! NOT THE BRAID!� Duo clutched his abused braid in his hand and stroked it soothingly while glaring at his bodyguard that was standing behind him. Said bodyguard just growled. �My name is Wufei� not wu. And I am not a justice-ranting lunatic. I am a servant of virtue and honor,� Wufei said as he crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look forbidding. Not liking the look upon the newcomer�s face or his body posture, Heero instinctively moved between them and glared at Wufei his most fearsome glare to date. Duo, who was inches away from his new manservant�s back, was shocked by the action. Hesitantly he reached out and touched his servant�s shoulder. �It�s alright. Wufei is my bodyguard.� Turning to look at the other prince Heero lifted an eyebrow in question, asking why someone as offensive as Wufei was the prince�s bodyguard. Skewered where he stood, Duo was again caught by the evening twilight blue eyes and the others around him and the boy faded out of his awareness. It was just like it had been during the audience; those eyes caught him and froze him in wonderment. This time, Duo took in his servant�s whole appearance and not just the eyes. An unruly mop of short, chocolate brown hair with bangs that fell in to the eyes topped an angular face that was rounded somewhat by youth but would become more sharp as the boy aged. His frame was slender, but obviously strong despite the lack of exposed muscles and was showed off nicely by the simple servants uniform the boy wore in Duo�s colors of black and cobalt blue. Almost the same height as Duo, the boy stood with an alertness of a trained fighter who was ready to put himself between danger and Duo. Floundering for words to the silent question the boy asked, Duo said the first thing that came to mind. �What is your name?� The blue eyes shuttered closed at Duo�s question and the boy did not answer. Realizing he had made a mistake, Duo opened his mouth to say something but nothing came. Tbc� |