Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Change of Heart ❯ Chapter 1: Beginnings ( Chapter 1 )

Okay, this is the 100th Reviewer Award… well.. part of it anyway… it's getting to be a lot longer than I expected so it's being divided into parts. I have the second part handwritten, but I'm falling asleep..so yeah…

Anywayz… this is dedicated to Magic-Shield for being the 100th Reviewer of Anything for the One You Love.

(end author's notes)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Change of Heart

Chapter 1: Beginnings

He sat on his cushioned gold throne, bored and disdainful. His advisor, Trowa, eyed the opening door with a single green eye carefully.

The blond head of a young Arabian popped in; Quatre, the prince's other adviser. "My prince, the new slave has arrived."

Heero focused his glare on Quatre for a brief moment. Did he care? No. Would he ever? No. Would the slave end up dead? Probably.

Quatre gave a brief shudder, but quickly stood close to Trowa, putting the quiet man between him and the prince. Quatre ordered carefully. "Slave. Enter."

Quiet bells jingled with sashaying footsteps outside the door. A slender pale foot slid in the door's opening adorned with a thin gold-strapped sandal. His ankles were each adorned with 100 priceless bells. A rich black henna design etched curving lines across the tops of his feet.

The Ice Prince. The slave thought sadly. Another step from the shadows; bright, gauzy half-transparent loose pants glimmering with gold thread revealed slender, strong legs. Another step. They say he's killed every one of his slaves. He was saved from shame by an undergarment slightly darker than his violet and navy hued pants. His belt, a simple wide gold band held up tiny gold chains each ending with a charm. The chains ran from just above his knees to 4 inches past the belt.

They say he's cold and cruel and uncaring. Another step. His chest was bare apart from delicately drawn henna designs. He was a bit on the thin side, but strong. Gold chains weighted down his neck and shoulder, reaching down as far as his slightly hollow stomach. Twin gold bands held up sheer wide sleeves, which gathered into gold bands on his forearms before belling out and covering his fingertips easily with the trailing fabric. Slave bands adorned his wrists, among hundreds of other gold bracelets and rings. His ankles would normally have been wrapped in slave bands, but they interfered with the chiming of the ankle bells. Another slave band around his neck held him almost carefully erect. His hands were covered in intricate henna designs that extended up to his shoulders.

I'm going to live as long as possible. The slave decided. Another step forward. Huge violet eyes framed by an expanse of black shone bright, but carefully gazed down as a slave should. Gold dusted his lids and cheeks, glitzing idly across delicate henna designs. 4 golden earrings adorned on ear, 7 to the other.

He's beautiful… but he looks so cold and statuesque. He's aptly called "Ice Prince". Another step. His braid swung like a tail. It was jewel and gold encrusted, falling nearly to his knees. It was clearly the masterpiece of the work of art soon to be Heero's newest slave.

"Slave. Bow." The cold, chill voice made the slave drop to his knees and press his forehead tot he cold stone fiercely. Heero stood. "Come." With that, he made his way out of the throne room, leaving the two advisers blissfully alone with nothing to do. So they quickly made their way to Trowa's quarters.

The slave walked carefully, the obligatory 15 steps behind his master. The prince entered a room, which guards held open long enough for the slave to slip through. The doors fell heavily closed behind him. He was alone with the Ice Prince. Whom he was nearly a head taller than. He shivered with silent laughter he refused to allow to surface.

"Slave. Why are you laughing?" The cold voice sneered up at him. "Never mind. Sit. You may sleep there."

The slave looked towards a corner by a rich bed where mountains of pillows fell. He nodded and sat on a cushion near him. The slave glanced up at his master, noting the hard eyes and small, lean, hard body. Slim callused hands rested on slender, almost delicate hips. A glance at the prince's wild chocolate locks sent the slave into quick shivers of laughter. He was the perfect, beautiful Ice Prince until the wild mass that half-covered his eyes came into view.

But the slave ceased immediately when the Prince's eyes flickered dangerously. The slave had a feeling he was going to hate his master. He had been slaved from slavery until now because the Sellers wanted him for the prince.

"Slave. Have you a name?" The prince settled onto a couch for his interrogation.

"Duo Maxwell." A short, precise, indifferent answer.

"And do you know my name?" The prince closed his eyes.

"The Ice Prince," made its way through Duo's mouth before he could gasp out, "Prince Heero Yuy."

That caused the prince to open his eyes. "Ice Prince?"

Duo stared in horror as he explained carelessly, his mouth not obeying him. "That's what the slaves call you."

"Hn."

The silence rang on.

For half a minute.

Duo began hitting the bells on his anklets, one by one. "Stop that."

Duo began twisting his bracelets, making a rustling murmur. The prince glared, Duo ignored him. Heero gave his slave his worst glare. Duo yawned and continued toying with his bracelets.

Heero threw a pillow at Duo, who easily caught it. Duo burst out incredulously. "Is this how you kill all of your slaves? By throwing pillows at them?"

"Hn."

Duo mentally shrugged, giving up on his resolution to live as long as possible. He wasn't being yelled or glared at by Heero. "Why do you always kill your slaves? Are you mean to everybody? Are you rich?" Duo paused to breathe.

"They're annoying. I treat those worthy of my respect with it. I'm the prince, of course I'm rich." Heero answered stoically.

Duo made a face and asked a new set of questions quickly. "Am I annoying? Are you really the prince? Do you have a temple named after you? Do you have a girlfriend? Do you have a boyfriend? What's your favourite colour? Why is the sky blue? Do you have advisors? What are their names? Do you have a magician? What's the magician's name?"

"Yes, yes, no, no, no. Blue. Because it's blue. I have two advisors-Trowa Barton and Quatre Raberba Winner. My magician is Chang Wufei." Heero informed his slave, eyes closed once more.

"…"

"Good, you shut up."

"So how long until you kill me?" Duo grinned.

"…Are you that eager for death?" The prince's eyes were still closed wearily.

"Well, no. But I'm curious because, depending on how long I have, I may have to live life a bit fuller than I otherwise would. You see, I believe in really liking and enjoying life, but I juts had to become your slave which makes life not so enjoya-"

The prince cut him off. "Undecided."

Duo opened his mouth to speak once more, but the tip of a dagger silenced him. Once the dagger was safely put away, Duo sank onto the pile of floor cushions and sighed loudly. "Do I have to wear these clothes?"

"No. A servant can bring you more suitable clothing. For events, however, you will dress as you are now, or similar to that." Heero stood up and ordered a servant just outside the door to find the slave some clothing.

Clothes in hand, Duo looked around the room warily. "Uhm… Where do I change?"

"There."

Duo's face flushed and he began to change where he was standing. He flushed a deeper read when he looked up and realized Heero had watched him the entire time. Duo eyed his jewelry. Heero walked over and took it off, replacing the bells with slave bands his slave had been free of for a short time earlier.

Heero's touch was light and warm. As Heero's hands brushed the back of his neck, Duo shivered and was amazed to realize the prince's hands were hard and callused like a well-seasoned warrior would be. Hands slid lightly down his arms and released the bracelets.

"So, slave… What are your sexual preferences?" The prince ran a hand across Duo's flat stomach, eliciting a soft moan from him.

"I should think that fairly obvious." Duo muttered through gritted teeth, amazed at what the prince's touch was doing to him.

"Good." Small lips firmly pressed against Duo's.

Duo whimpered softly, knowing. But he didn't push Heero away-he was, after all, just a slave. He had no right to do such a thing.

Heero pulled back and whispered. "Don't worry, I'm not going to… yet."

Duo shivered, though the day was warm. "I wasn't always a slave you know."

"How's that?" Heero scowled.

"Parents died when I was lil'. Life's not good for orphans."

"What about the orphanages and the shelters?" Heero looked at Duo as if he was a stupid slave, which he wasn't.

"Most orphanages are slave houses. The rest are shams and want money. I've never even seen a shelter." Duo scowled.

"Hn." Duo realized the prince was done talking, but he was not. He had watched his best friend, for whom he was named, die. Solo. "Almost no one is as lucky as me. They chose me as a royal slave as soon as they caught me. Most slaves are beaten and tortured…" Duo's eyes filled with tears; remembering.