Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, fluff, language… Australian spellings ;).

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned herein pertaining to Gundam Wing, however, I do own Pisces and Taurus, NightDancer and EmeraldFire and Alexandria. I make no money of this fic and I have none, so suing me would be an exercise in futility.

Pairings: The required 4x3, 6x1 (I like 6x1 so leave me alone) and 2xHilde (shock, horror! Kitty put in het stuff! O_o Heh.)

Author's notes: This one's for Rogue11's 4x3 competition. Just managed to finish it in time. I like it. I had a lot of fun writing it. Hopefully, you'll have fun reading it!

An aside: There's a line pinched straight from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in this fic. First one to find it and mention it in a review gets to pick a pairing for a PWLP (Porn With Little Plot). ^_^

Half-elf.

By KittyMeowMaxwell.

Before we Begin; A Prologue

"I honestly don't know why you bother, dearest friend of mine." The comment was cast across the front of the open fireplace, the two blonde women nearly dying of heat exhaustion, but willing to cope with it for the sake of the light the flames cast. Though it was the middle of summer, the great fireplace was lit and kept alight all night every night for the women of the keep to work by the light, as the two young women were now. Fine needlepoint worked around the hem of a dress in one pair of hands, a wonderfully cute animal embroidery on a blanket in the other.

The Lady Relena Peacecraft had married young for the alliance her equally young husband, Heero Yuy brought to her family. They had two children - both sons - of six months and one and a half years. Since Cedric, the younger of the two, had been born, Heero hadn't come to her bed and indeed, when he had, the act had been mechanical - a duty Heero knew he must perform in order to produce an heir. Everybody in the expansive keep but Relena knew her husband far preferred her brother's company in bed to hers. He was discreet in his trysts with Milliardo, but it was impossible to keep everything secret around this place. At any rate, the animal blanket was for Llewelyn, the elder boy. And it wasn't about Heero Relena had commented to her friend.

"Of course you don't know why I bother! You and Heero were betrothed before you were born!" the Lady Dorathy Catalonia replied.

"Oh, that's just silly! Our parents didn't know if we were to be boy or girl before we were born!" Relena said, laughing.

"Well the day you were born, then!"

"Perhaps so, but Dorathy, you won't get to choose who you marry either."

"I might…" Dorathy said, a definite hopeful edge to her voice.

"You won't. You'll be found a suitable and profitable match - you know that!"

Dorathy snorted.

"You can't get much more profitable than a Winner!"

"'A Winner'? There's only one who would suit you and he's the one you've your eye on!"

"Yes and it would be profitable for me to marry the only heir to the Winner holdings! They own half the continent!"

"Oh but Dorathy! Dorathy, everyone knows Quatre's fae!"

"Everyone doesn't know it, everyone thinks it, just like everyone thinks Heero's fae!"

Relena lowered her eyes and sighed.

"Yes, and Heero is fae."

"W-what?"

"Heero is fae, Dorathy. Don't tell me you didn't know. Everyone knows."

"But… b-but how do you know? We were told not to ever-"

"I'm not stupid, Dorathy! I see the glances he and my brother cast at each other and I see him sated and happy when I know he hadn't been in my bed. I saw the ice in his eyes when he gave me Llewelyn and Cedric. I know. I've known a long time. Everyone just thought I didn't. But we bear these things, my dear. We're women… But we're talking about Quatre, and I think you should give up hounding him and go after someone who'll say yes. Quatre's father loves him too much to ever force him into marriage and once Quatre's taken over the holdings, he can appoint of his sisters' sons as his heir. He's got twenty-nine of them! One of them will have to have a son!"

"Mmm, but he's divine!" Dorathy said dreamily, the matter of Heero forgotten.

"And fae!" Relena laughed.

"He's not fae!"

"Oh he is! He's a girly man!"

"Relena!" Dorathy cried, but she was laughing too, now.

"Dorathy!" Relena cried back.

"I hate you!"

"I hate you, too," Relena replied affectionately and the two girls just laughed harder.

Thus Begins my Tale…

Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to all the Winner holdings, spanning half the continent and earning upwards of five hundred gold a month, was lonely. He was lonelier than even his sisters could tell. They knew it, they always knew it, but they weren't aware of the severity. They did their best to take the loneliness away, but there was only so much they could do for him. And the dalliances he'd been having with young men at court kept the loneliness at bay, but only for the night and they never stayed. He was just a novelty and they were always afraid of him. Even after giving themselves to him and finding him a gently, caring lover, they were afraid.

These thoughts of loneliness and the veiled fear in the eyes of his lovers plagued the gentle young heir as he rode his dark blue-grey horse through the dappled shade of a small forest that was part of his family's possessions. He rode at an easy walk, swaying easily with the movement of the animal, the action habitual. The sun shone and the birds sang and that alone was enough to lift Quatre's spirits a little, for he was a gentle, happy man by nature.

He drew his horse to a halt and slipped from his back, going to his head to stroke his nose. The horse was huge compared to Quatre, and not the gentlest of beasts, but the heir was not so frail or weak as he appeared and he could keep Tempest under control.

"Good boy. You hungry? Yeah, I bet," Quatre said with a laugh as he tethered the horse and went to the saddle pouches for Tempest's nosebag. He hooked it over the already-seeking snout and the glade was filled with happy munching in no time. Quatre gave the horse's shoulder one last affectionate pat then left him to his meal and wandered a little further into the forest, emerging through a line of trees into his favourite place in the whole forest.

A stream burbled along under the trees, pooling in a small hollow before gathering itself again and carrying on. The pool was relatively still and very clear, silent and calm. A small rock jutted out into the water and Quatre slipped out of his deerskin boots and unbelted his sword from his waist, putting belt and weapon down by his boots. However, he drew the shining sword and carried it with him along the rock, laying it within easy reach as he perched on the edge, dangling his feet down into the water.

He adored the still peacefulness of this place, broken only by the babble of the stream and the odd animal come to drink. There was only the quiet peace here and nothing else to cloud his mind. There were no people and therefore, no emotions for him to have fight off. He could relax his shielding and just let the peace wash over him. A soft smile touched his lips and his eyes slid shut as he dabbled his feet in the water. A rabbit came to investigate this strange animal, deemed him harmless, and went to drink. A single silver fish propelled itself out the water in pursuit of a tiny bug and landed, bug in mouth, back in the water with a soft plosh. A hawk screamed somewhere far off, making the rabbit's ears swivel and perk a moment before it decided the predator bird was further away than it need worry about. The ethereal piping of a wood sprite sent a delightful shiver down Quatre's spine as it threaded through the silence.

Sprites were largely harmless, adoring play and fun, but they did enjoy playing tricks on humans at times. Only, however, if there were a number of the little creatures together who happened upon the unwary person. One could usually hear their music, songs and laughter in time to get out of their path and thus avoid a prank. Singularly, Quatre adored them. Their quick wit and innate sense of fun and laughter joyed him. And they would always play their flutes and pipes for him on the condition that he play his lute as soon as he arrived home. He'd no doubt they heard it when he did.

But the sprite playing at present was far away, and - Quatre realised with a laugh - in the middle of a seduction. The stray realisation brought a distinct air of melancholy over the young man and he gave a soft sigh at the fact that he wasn't doing the same.

He could have married any young lady in the realm he should care for - he was prime marriage material at one-and-twenty years - and one in particular, a Lady Dorathy Catalonia, had been dropping hints for a long while now. He could be content with a wife, sure enough but… he didn't want to settle for just being content, he wanted to be giddily, stupidly happy with everlasting love. He wanted to find his soul mate. Quatre chuckled at that last, how inanely romanticised a thought it was.

Suddenly, a bird was startled from a bush across the water, taking to the air with a piercing shrill of fear. Quatre's hand went to his sword and his senses went on alert as he sought the cause of bird's fright. But all was still, which was odd enough in and of itself. The bird wouldn't have flown if there were nothing there to scare it off.

Quatre watched the bush for some time, slowly beginning to believe that a falling berry or collapsing branch must have frightened the bird. He blinked and begun to turn away when a flash of ethereal pale shining blue caught his eyes and pulled them back in time to see a splash upon the water - and then nothing. Quatre blinked again.

The splash had been roughly person-sized, but there was nothing in the water when it cleared save the bottom and one or two silver fish. It wasn't deep enough to hide a person. Not at all.

Quatre's senses perked again, even his extra sense that him to feel what others were feeling… but there was nothing. No sound, no movement, no scent, no emotions. Everything was still.

A shiver of a kind entirely different to that caused by the piping of the wood sprite ran down his spine and he felt distinctly uncomfortable all of a sudden. Quatre was on his feet in no time flat and back to his boots, which he pulled on and strapped up. In but another few seconds he was at Tempest's side, tugging the nosebag off and tossing aside before untying him and clambering up into the saddle.

Tempest sensed his master's unease and it made him skittish. He danced to the side and ignored Quatre's directives through the reins. But Quatre knew his horse and he did eventually get the stallion under control and into a headlong gallop back to the manor.

And he didn't feel safe again until he clattered under the wall and back within the protection of the manor.

* * *

"And here he sits, eating his supper in a corner aaaaall alone, when several of the young men sit eating theirs and stealing lusty glances."

Quatre glanced up at the teasing comment to see the young jester seating himself, grinning. He was on a rest break and taking his own supper and Quatre smiled at him, the man being his best friend.

"I've had enough of lusty young men who only want to spend one night me just so they can say they did. I want what you have with Hilde."

"A nagging, fun-spoiling, crotchety old bitch?"

Quatre laughed and shook his head, knowing Duo was only playing, that he loved his lady wife beyond all else save their three-year-old daughter.

"Love, Duo, you fool!"

"Y'know, you don't need to point out the fool thing… the coloured hat with bells on and the mess of colour that's my clothing kinda doesn't let me forget."

Quatre rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," he said. "I don't suppose you know of any your fae men looking to settle down?"

"Ah… no. Not really, no."

"I didn't think so. And I think I'm going mad. The splash just can't have been as big as I thought it was…"

"Splash…?" Duo wondered.

"Oh, it's nothing," Quatre assured him, waving a hand. He hadn't meant for Duo to hear that at all. In fact, he reflected, he hadn't meant to say that last part out loud.

"Uuuhuh… Riiiiight… I-"

"Duo, they're clamouring for you," came an apologetic voice, one of the dinner maids, her head sticking around the doorway.

"'Sokay!" Duo assured her with a bright smile, bolting down the last of his dinner and standing. He looked pointedly at Quatre. "You and I will talk," he assured the heir, then slipped off and it wasn't long before raucous laughter heard from the next room.

Quatre sighed and finished his own meal, then stood and flitted down the passageway like a wraith, on his way to his room. He had no wish for frivolity or laughter this evening. However, he paused, hand going automatically to sword hilt, when he heard muted voices around the corner.

"… so indiscreet!" It was the end of a hissed, exasperated explosion and Quatre knew the voice, he was sure, but the hushed tones left him unable to identify it.

"There is no one here! They're all busy with the Jester," the reply was just as muted and again Quatre knew, but couldn't identify, the voice.

"We don't know someone won't come down the hall!"

An exasperated sigh, then: "Everyone knows anyway, Heero…"

Of course! Quatre thought to himself. Heero Yuy and his wife's brother!

"They don't all know!"

"Yes, they do! Wake up!"

"You aren't the one who needs to worry about what people say. You aren't the one whose wife and, eventually, whose son will take charge of the Sanq lands! You turned from it, Milliardo! The responsibility rests upon Relena and I because you were too cowardly to accept it!" This last was snarled and Quatre Felt the hurt it caused Milliardo. He could imagine the ex-prince and heir turning away, head bowing and a gloved hand lifting to cover ice-blue eyes. Hen Heero was infinitely sorry for his harsh words and again, Quatre could imagine a tentatively lifted hand, rested on a shoulder that flinched and then threw him off.

"Now I understand, then, what you really think…" Milliardo murmured.

"No. No, Milliardo, I'm sorry… I didn't mean that!"

"Perhaps you did…"

"No! I… You know how I feel about you!"

"But you can't even say it! You never say "I love you" when I say it all the time!"

"It's not that simple for me!"

"There's no one around to hear it, Heero…" this was soft, pleading, and Quatre had to peek around the corner.

Heero was pressed back against the wall, Milliardo leaning near to him with one hand pressed to the flagstones beside the younger man's head. The other hand lifted to brush the chocolate bangs away from the downcast eyes in an infinitely tender gesture.

"I… I-I… I do love you, Milliardo," Heero whispered, head bowed. Milliardo gently lifted his face with the very same hand that had brushed the bangs aside, and leaned closer for a very gently, tender kiss.

Quatre ached for want of what they had.

Milliardo broke the kiss and traced the edge of Heero's ear with his nose before gently nipping at the lobe.

"And I love you, Heero."

Quatre didn't even register the tears until a muffled sob tore its free of him and both men, as well-trained in the use of a blade as he - if not better - automatically reached for their weapons, heads snapping in Quatre's direction.

"Who?" Milliardo said abortively, then frowned and tilted his head. "Quatre Winner?"

"How long have you been there?!" Heero demanded.

"Heero!" Milliardo admonished, instantly recognising the flicker of torchlight off tears.

"Long enough," Quatre said evasively.

"What did you see?" Milliardo asked softly.

"I'm not going to tell anyone and I don't want anything in return for silence…" Quatre assured them both with equal softness.

"Why are you crying?" Milliardo wondered then, stepping back from Heero.

"Something in my eye," Quatre lied convincingly, but Milliardo wasn't convinced.

"In both of them?" he asked, arching a pale brow.

Quatre shook his head and made to move past then, but Milliardo put one hand against the heir's chest to stop him.

"Let me pass," Quatre demanded, trained-in steel layering the words.

"Not a chance. We made you cry, didn't we?"

"You?" Quatre scoffed.

"You're fae, just like us, and you're tired of making love to people who only fear you," Heero asserted, having been through the very same before Milliardo.

Quatre lowered his eyes and Heero and Milliardo knew the supposition was correct. Milliardo lifted his hand to Quatre's cheek and smiled a little.

"He'll come for you. Patience."

"I've only got so much patience," Quatre murmured.

"It'll be enough. It's always enough," Milliardo said confidently and Quatre frowned in confusion.

"I've got a touch of the Sight. Only a little. But trust me when I say you won't have to wait much longer."

Quatre threw his arms around Milliardo's neck and planted a grateful kiss right on his lips, causing ice-blue eyes to widen and a chocolate brow to arch over a prussian blue eye, a smile of amusement tugging at the corners of Heero's mouth. Quatre stepped back and blushed.

"Sorry," he murmured embarrassedly, but Milliardo waved it away with a smile.

"I understand," he said, gloved fingers twining with Heero's.

"He loves you. He doesn't think you're a coward," Quatre said to Milliardo and Heero's eyes widened marginally.

"I've a gift of my own," Quatre explained with a tired grin. "Empathy."

They both nodded and ahh'd in understanding.

"At any rate, you actually look tired, Quatre. Off to bed with you, hmm?" Milliardo said with a slight smile.

"Yes," Quatre said. "Thank you." And he passed by them, vanishing out of their sight around a corner.

"He is gorgeous…" Heero breathed and Milliardo chuckled at this side of his lover that only he ever got to see.

"Kisses well, too," Milliardo observed, licking his lips.

"Oh?" Heero raised a brow.

"Mm. Very."

"Hn…"

Heero dragged Milliardo off and spent the night "torturing" apologies out of his lover that comment.

Quatre, meanwhile, slept easily for the first time in a while, smiling and dreaming of his mystery love.

* * *

Duo did track Quatre down for that "talk", but the heir was too well trained in diplomacy and talking the Jester in circles until his head spun and he went away feeling as though he'd got whatever answer it was he searched for, though all they'd really talked about was the weather and the political feelings at the current time.

So now Quatre had only one thing to think about and he knew he was being stupid and superstitious, but he kept well away from the little pool for some time after the incident of the too-big-splash. He busied himself with his sisters and gatherings his father held and - especially now that he knew there was someone out there for him - avoiding one Dorathy Catalonia. That alone was almost a full-time job - the woman was relentless!

It was on one of these escapes that Quatre finally threw caution to the wind and galloped Tempest to his favourite place, needing the calm and solitude it offered him.

He set Tempest up with his feedbag and then he held his breath as he stepped into the glade… and nothing happened. It was as still as ever save a wood sprite dancing on the surface of the water, her brother playing the music for her. Quatre knew the brother and sister and he grinned as he divested himself of boots and sword-belt, taking the weapon with him as he went out on the rock. He caught the brother's attention first.

Q'ta! No lute? He asked with a pout, dropping his flute from his lips and buzzing up to set himself on Quatre's knee even as the heir settled down. The sprites were all emotion, even their words inside of Quatre, but he could understand their meanings with little difficulty.

"Not today. It's hard to carry on Tempest and a little far to walk here, Taurus."

Excuses always, his sister put in as she took wing from the water to come to the other knee.

"It's not as easy for me as it is you!"

Says he, sister Pisces! Taurus cried and stuck his tongue out.

Big silly man. Don't want to play for us. That's problem! she accused.

"Oh, that's not true!"

Other one plays always for us. Never no. Always yes. Never excuses! Pisces said huffily.

"Other one?" Quatre asked, teasing at her hair, which was far longer than she was tall and seemed to have a life of its own as it shifted and twisted around her little blue body, almost like water. "You know another human?"

He'd never heard of any person other than himself being about to understand the sprites, but of course, that didn't mean there weren't any. It just might happen to be that he didn't know of them.

Human…? No… Pisces said then looked to her brother, who shrugged a little. As opposed to his sister's masses of hair, Taurus' hair was short, barely touching the tops of his ears, but his body was covered in a soft, fur-like fuzz.

Different than you… but same, he said and nodded firmly, proud of himself for making things clear, which he hadn't really, in all truth. Pisces clapped, seeming to agree Taurus had explained everything perfectly.

Quatre blinked at them.

"Huh…?"

Taurus blinked at Quatre.

Ptchah! Pisces exclaimed exasperatedly. Q'ta! Dense!

"I'm not dense! Taurus made no sense at all!"

Like you, but different! Taurus cried, making Quatre wince.

"Ow!"

Ahh… sorry, Q'ta, Taurus apologised, looking sheepish and contrite at the same time. They often forgot the forcefulness of their communications could hurt Quatre.

"Don't worry about it," Quatre assured him, waving a hand.

Big like you! Pisces exclaimed suddenly.

Blue, like Pisces… only not so much… Taurus added, catching on to Pisces' idea.

Hair like yours, but brown!

And eyes, but green!

And pointed ears!

You mean he's an… an… elf?" Quatre asked, swallowing nervously and casting a quick look around.

No… not elf… Pisces said slowly, shaking her head.

Quatre relaxed marginally. Elves were dangerous, in groups and alone, unlike sprites. Everyone knew that. They had strange rituals and lived strange ways. And they worshipped Greater Demons and commanded Lesser Demons! And they stole human children and ate them! Quatre had never once doubted this was true.

"Does he have a name?" Quatre wondered.

"Trowa. You can call me Trowa…"

The soft, infinitely gentle voice struck a chord inside Quatre and the heir was afraid to look up lest he was dreaming and there would be no owner to the voice. He swallowed, fingers twitching with the reflex need to have his sword I his hand, but something told him he didn't need to be afraid. However, it wasn't his empathy. He could feel nothing from the voice's owner.

Pisces and Taurus left Quatre and darted off, presumably to Trowa, but Quatre still couldn't look. His breathing was quickened and something inside of him sang, all because of those softly spoken words. There was silence, but for the sprites' laughter and Quatre could feel Trowa's eyes upon him. Eventually, he knew, he would have to look up.

"I've been watching you," the soft voice said and Quatre blushed before slowly lifting his eyes to lock with another pair - well one really, because the second was veiled by soft brown hair - of the truest, brightest emerald he'd ever seen. A very tiny smile graced elegant lips and one long-fingered hand lifted to help Pisces off his shoulder onto his fingers. He was very tall and slender and dressed in a sleeveless tunic that fell to just about his knees, but it was odd… The tunic seemed to be made of water that flowed and rippled over Trowa's body. Quatre's eyes traced long legs, muscled, strong arms, the smooth lines of the face, and he noticed that Trowa's skin was indeed tinted blue. It shoed best where the light struck it and it shone. Quatre looked a little closer and noticed the pointed ears and high eyebrows of the elvenkind, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The gods preserve him, but he wanted this ethereal being with everything he was.

Trowa took a step forward and the water of the still pond rippled, drawing Quatre's attention to the fact that the green-eyed walking wet-dream was, in fact, walking atop the water.

"Watching me…?" Quatre felt faintly stupid for that question, and Trowa seemed startled at Quatre's voice actually being directed at him.

"Y-yes…" The gentle voice was suddenly nervous and Quatre felt overwhelmingly protective. He put a hand out and started to speak, but a cry from the trees forestalled him.

"Ho! Quatre? You here?"

Trowa's eyes widened and he reminded Quatre of a startled deer for a moment before he simple dropped into the water with a splosh… and was gone, Pisces and Taurus darting away in fear. Quatre blinked. There was nowhere for Trowa to go! How could he just disappear in the water like that?

"Tempest, ol' buddy! Hey, baby!"

"Duo…?" Quatre called uncertainly, eyes still searching the already-stilling water.

"Yeah! Finally!" Duo said exasperatedly as he came through the trees to Quatre. "I've been looking for you for an hour and a half!"

"Oh, Duo!" Quatre said amusedly, dragging his eyes from the water and retrieving his sword before he stood and walked back along the rock. "I haven't been gone more than a half hour!"

"A half hour?! Quatre, you've been away from the keep for nearly four hours!"

"Four hours? Never!"

"Dan, Quatre! I'm not joking! You've been gone nearly four hours! Everyone's out looking for you! There's a ball in under an hour and you need to get ready for it!"

"You must be joking!" Quatre insisted, but he was tugging his boots hastily on and bucking his sword belt back around his waist, sliding the blade quickly home.

"I'm not! What've you been doing all this time?" Duo demanded as they went back to where Tempest was tethered, a jet-black Arabian stallion standing tall beside him.

"I… I don't know…" Quatre murmured, casting one last glance over his shoulder.

"Bah. Well NightDancer found Tempest, else I never would have found you!"

As he climbed into Tempest's saddle, Quatre couldn't help but snigger at Duo's horse's name. He never could help it. It amused him.

"Oh shut up, Quatre! I should have never let Hilde name him…"

Quatre only laughed a little more and kicked Tempest into a headlong gallop, knowing NightDancer could keep up easily.

And all through the gallop and the subsequent ball, Quatre could think only of an ethereal young man dressed in water.

* * *

Quatre visited the little glade as often as he could after that, but there seemed to be no sign of the young man. This was a bad thing for Quatre, because he found his want of Trowa was growing day by day and every time he was at a function of some sort, it seemed as though Heero and Milliardo were there too and they would sneak off by themselves, Quatre's imagination providing thoughts and images of what they might be doing for his mind to soak in.

Quatre was at one such function sitting in a corner entertaining many such thoughts and images when the Lady Catalonia decided to stop hinting and be more overt.

"Your lordlingship, sir…?"

Quatre blinked himself out of his fantasies of an oriental beauty and a blonde Adonis in flickering candlelight, glowing with a light sheen of sweat and moaning softly to one another to focus on Dorathy, which did wonders for freeing him from the uncomfortable state of his leggings.

"Lady Catalonia?"

"Dorathy, please!" she insisted, batting her lashes at him, while he nastily wondered to himself if her eyebrows ought to be declared weapons.

"Dorathy," he said, forcing a polite smile and doing his best not to laugh at his stray thought. "How might I be of service?"

"Oh, I'm sure we could think of… something," she purred, sitting herself beside him. Quatre green-blue eyes widened as her hand found itself a new home in his lap, gently squeezing.

"M'lady, I-" Quatre started, but she silenced him with two fingers from her free hand at his lips.

"Shh. You don't have to be afraid. I'll teach you."

"Dorathy, it's not that I need teaching, it's just that I'm not-"

"It's alright… Relax."

Quatre gasped softly, her hand stirring feelings and needs that he'd only barely been holding in check as of late.

"Lady Catalonia, I'd appreciate it if you removed your hand," Quatre ground out. "I'm very firmly fae and I'm not going to sleep with you!"

"You're not fae, you just haven't met the right woman. I'm good, you know…"

"M'lady Catalonia, please don't presume to-"

Quatre's words were cut off as she pressed her lips to his and tried to deepen the kiss. He felt trapped and he couldn't think of a way out of the situation without hurting Dorathy and, much as the idea was appealing as the present time, he didn't think his father would like that very much. Salvation came in the form of an angel by the name of Hilde Maxwell.

"Quatre! Quatre, thank the gods I've found you!"

Dorathy puled away with a slight growl and removed her hand, allowing Quatre to relax a little as he shot Hilde grateful looks.

"What's the matter, Hilde?" he wondered.

"It's Alexandria. She's been clamouring for Uncle Quatre's stories all evening, ever since her father promised her she'd see you sometime tonight if she behaved."

Alexandria reached for Quatre with tiny fingers and he smiled, gladly accepting the child from her mother's arms. She'd inherited her mother's hair colour, her father's inclination towards speedy growing of said hair, which she wore in a braid just like Dada. And she'd also inherited his unique purple-blue eyes, delicate features taken from both parents. She was cute now, but she would be altogether beautiful when she grew up.

"Ally wants a story, hmm?" Quatre asked with a broad grin and she nodded excitedly. Uncle Quatre was the only one allowed to call her Ally, because he told the best stories.

Quatre excused himself from the two women and took Alexandria to a quiet corner of the function to tell the story, well aware he was leaving behind a seething Dorathy.

"Once upon a time…"

* * *

It was late by the time the story was done and Quatre didn't have to deal with Dorathy because he slipped quietly out with Hilde, a nearly asleep Alexandria cuddled close against his lean body. He went with the Jester's wife and together they tucked in the little girl and slipped quietly out of the room. The second they were out and the door softly shut behind them, Quatre spoke.

"Thank you so much, Hilde!"

"Whatever for?" she asked, smiling.

"Rescuing me!"

"Oh, that! I don't particularly like the Lady Catalonia… She rubs me the wrong way. I could see she was - uh - doing the same thing to you! I was only too glad to 'rescue' you, as you put it and get up her nose at the same time."

Quatre grinned.

"Well thankyou again, anyway. Now, I think I'll follow Ally's example and hop off to bed."

"As will I, as soon as I find my fool of a husband."

"Why does everyone have to remind me of that?" Duo's voice startled them both and suddenly, he was there, standing with the two of them. He should never have been able to sneak up on them in those lairy clothes, yet he had and he always could. It was uncanny.

"Duo!" Hilde cried. "Are you trying to kill us with fright?" And with that, she grabbed him by his braid and dragged him off.

Quatre laughed softly to himself, then yawned and took himself off to bed - or started to. He was but three steps from his door when Pisces darted in the starlit window at the end of the hall and speared towards him, halting herself with a tiny blue hand on his nose. He blinked.

"Pisces, what-?" he started, but she put her other hand to his lips.

Party! You come. Bring lute. Her tone brooked no argument, but he argued anyway.

"But Pisces, it's late and I'm tired. I don't-"

Weariness no obstacle, Drink. Be merry. Weariness forgotten. Come. Bring lute.

"But-"

And he could say no more because suddenly a thousand, thousand lights danced before his eyes ad he had to shut them for fear of blindness. There was a rushing noise in his ears, akin to that which he heard when riding Tempest at a gallop, yet no wind tugged at hair or clothes now as it did while riding. Then it stopped, and Quatre cried out at the suddenness of it and daren't open his eyes lest he was dead.

Play! Thousands (well probably really only about fifty or sixty, but it felt like thousands) of voices cried in his head and he knew then that he just couldn't be dead, because you didn't feel pain when you were dead and that had hurt! So he eased open one eye. It fell upon lights and food and flowers and dancing sprites - nothing short of a party! So he dared to open the other eye and found Pisces grinning at him, evidently proud of herself for having thought to bring him along. She shoved a tiny, tiny cup in his direction and glared at him until he drank it, amazed to find his weariness draining away and leaving him feeling like he'd slept a full twelve hours or so.

"Pisces, what-?"

Party! Play! Play with other one! She waved a hand and Quatre turned to where she indicated to see none other than Trowa, lost in the music he made with his flute. His eyes were closed, his fingers swift, and the faery lights caught in his hair and upon his skin, making both shine. Sprites cavorted all about him and he put every flautist Quatre had ever heard to shame. His playing was flawless, perfect, pure and it touched deep within the blonde, drawing out whatever emotion Trowa happened to be playing.

Quatre needed no urging now to take up his lute - which Pisces had so conveniently brought along - step close and pick up a harmony to Trowa's melody. He did so with little difficulty for, though he would deny it with a soft murmur and a shake of his head, he was flawless, perfect, pure and had the ability to touch his listeners as well. The best lustiest in all of the continent. He was legendary. Just another reason for his lack of meaningful relationships.

Trowa's eyes snapped open in shock and no small amount of fear. When he saw who it was, his playing faltered for a beat or two, then instantly picked up again and the two blended perfectly, as though they'd always played together. The sprites were delighted by the music and danced and sang and laughed to their heart's content.

Quatre and Trowa shifted and changed tempo and feeling time and time again. Flawlessly, without even looking at one another, they switched from melody to harmony when it was appropriate. They were perfect together and neither of them realised how long they'd been playing until Quatre's fingers actually cramped so badly that they froze stiff and refused to move. His notes faltered and he just had to put his lute aside. Trowa could have kept on playing for much, much longer.

Play! A chorus of fifty voices.

"Oh, gods, mercy! I can't keep playing!"

Other one can!

Quatre glanced at Trowa, who was still playing, though half his attention was on the goings on between the heir and the sprites. He laughed at the look on Trowa's face. It said plainly and exasperatedly "Ooi, sprites!"

"The 'other one', as you put it, isn't human! He's an elf! They're stronger, faster and have a lot more stamina than humans!"

"I'm not an elf," Trowa murmured, lowering his flute to his lap. The sprites instantly kicked up a fuss about it and Trowa said something to them. Quatre stared. When they "spoke" to him, it was in feelings. He couldn't speak their language and they couldn't speak his. But Trowa spoke to them in their own, high pitched, musical, singing language. They listened to him too, and their own band struck up a happy, dancing tune.

Trowa smiled ruefully at him.

"Sprites, huh?" he said, which summed up everything very succinctly.

"Y-yeah…" Quatre stammered, trying - and failing - to not to stare at Trowa.

Let's go for a walk, so this lot won't pester us.

Quatre jumped a little at the voice in his head, but he nodded and followed Trowa, unable to not do so. He meant to seduce the innocent-looking… person.

Trowa lead him away from the sprightly party until the music was a bare soft background, and he sat but a stream on the cool, fresh grass. The moonlight gilded his hair and shone off the blue tint of his skin, and Trowa seemed far less human and far more fishlike. But he was still breathtakingly beautiful and Quatre couldn't resist stroking the soft hair as he sat. Trowa blinked confusedly at him, but he made no explanation as he folded his feet beneath him and settled beside this strange being. He said only one thing.

"Not an elf, yet you've got the pointed ears and you're certainly not human… Oh, there's also the mater of your being dressed in water."

Quatre hadn't yet found the courage to touch Trowa's odd tunic, for fear it might burst like a bubble.

"I… I'm only half an elf. My father's an elf, mother was a water faery. I got father's ears and eyebrows and his stamina, mother's skin and persuasion over water. But I didn't get her wings and I didn't get his enhanced senses."

"That's how you hid in such shallow water when Duo found me!" Quatre realised suddenly.

"Yes, I told it to hide me."

"A useful skill…but… you said you'd been watching me… and I don't understand why."

"Because you always come to my home and I was… intrigued. I… just wanted to know more about you."

"Oh you did, did you…?" Quatre wondered with a sly smirk and fleetingly ran his hand up the half-elf's thigh.

Trowa's eyes went wide as saucers and he blushed, which Quatre found adorable. He grinned and moved closer, running his nose along Trowa's jaw-line to the base of his ear, where he planted a kiss. Trowa went redder.

"Quatre… W-what are you…?" Trowa trailed off and gave a soft moan as Quatre nibbled lightly on his earlobe, demonstrating it something of a weak spot for the half-elf.

"Getting to know you better…" Quatre informed him, finally trailing a sting of kisses back along his jaw and eventually to his lips. Trowa was too shocked to respond at first, but Quatre was patient, every-so-carefully coaxing the brunette's lips and teeth apart to slide his tongue gently inside and begin a detailed exploration of his mouth. Trowa figured it out amazingly quick and began to respond, meeting Quatre's tongue with his own, with little finesse, but a fiery passion that left the heir breathless. When they were forced to part for air, Trowa searched Quatre's eyes, making the blonde shiver with his intensity.

"What…? What…"" was all the half-elf could manage and Quatre was highly amused.

"I thought elven-kind had the sexual side of things completely worked out and perfected," he teased with a breathless laugh.

"I told you, I'm only half an elf. They won't have me. Nor will the faeries. I… I've been alone, save the sprites…"

"Oh, Trowa…"

"Don't be sad for me. I understand their fear."

"Well I don't. Their loss, I say."

Trowa smiled faintly and a silver fish swam across his chest, inside of the water that made up his tunic.

Quatre couldn't resist any longer. He tackled the half-elf to the ground on his back and Trowa gave a breathless little half-laugh as his arms came instinctively around Quatre's shoulders. To the blonde's astonishment (and slight disappointment) the tunic didn't burst upon contact with the ground, but only rippled like the surface of a lake. The thought vanished from his mind as he leaned down for a searing kiss that made Trowa arch his back and whimper delightfully into Quatre's mouth.

"Q-Quatre…" Trowa whimpered breathlessly as the heir kissed his way down the half-elf's neck and bit lightly, then suckled single-mindedly on the place, determined to make a lasting mark. When he was satisfied, he lifted his eyes to those of the brunette and ran his fingers down the tunic, which was indeed very cool to the touch and tippled where the digits passed over.

"How do I take it off?" he asked breathily.

"Y-you can't take it off. I have to make it go…" Trowa replied with no small amount of fear.

"Do it," Quatre demanded.

"Do w-what…?"

"Make it go."

"Quatre…" Trowa whispered, and he trembled with fear now. And no wonder, Quatre reflected. Trowa looked around Quatre's own age, but being part elf, could well be centuries old, and he'd never experienced anything like this. The heir stroked the side of Trowa's face and lightly kissed his lips, then ran his fingers through the soft brunette hair.

"You don't need to be afraid, dearling. I'll go first."

So saying, Quatre stood and removed his belt and his boots, his shirt and undershirt - plus the chain mail beneath that - his pants and finally his underthings.

Trowa bit his lip and he flushed, but he couldn't keep his eyes from detailing Quatre's frame, which made him flush even further, though his lips silently formed but one word; "beautiful".

Quatre smiled softly and knelt, looking expectantly at Trowa. The half-elf, he could see, was still very much afraid, but he slowly lifted a hand and made a complicated gesture in the air. The tunic collected into a few big balls of water and the silver fish swam happily within one. They floated over to the stream where they carefully deposited themselves, becoming one with the stream. Then Trowa blushed - from head to toe, Quatre noticed with amusement - and made as if to curl up on himself. The blonde wouldn't allow it. He forestalled the movement simply enough by lying full-length along Trowa's body and kissing him demandingly. The half-elf responded instantly, arms coming around Quatre's waist as he kissed back and arched off the grass, inadvertently bringing their arousals into contact and drawing a muffled moan from each.

Quatre broke the kiss and trailed his lips down Trowa's neck and across his chest until he came to a nipple and smirked, then took it into his mouth.

"Oh!" Trowa cried, the reaction one of such pure innocence that it made Quatre grin around the treat in his mouth and go to further efforts to please the half-elf.

Long fingers stroked delicately up the blonde's back to sing into the golden locks at the nape of his neck, Trowa assuring himself Quatre wasn't going to stop anytime soon. The heir had no such intention, but he decided he rather liked those fingers being there anyway, Trowa whispered his name when he moved to the other nipple and the brunette's free hand grew bold and slipped between them, questing for and soon finding Quatre's arousal. The touch made Quatre forget what he was doing as his eyelids flickered and he nuzzled Trowa's chest, sighing in pleasure.

"You i-insist you've never done this before… b-but…" Quatre trailed off into a soft moan and arched into the stroking.

"I haven't," Trowa murmured, his other fingers dancing about in Quatre's hair, and the blonde gave a stuttering laugh.

"I think you might be lying to me… And I can't - oh! - I can't find o-out for certain b…because I can't Feel you like I can every other person I've e-ever met."

"I'm half elf," Trowa said as though it explained everything, and it probably did, but Quatre had no need to indulge in anything even remotely like thought right now. He slid away from the instinctively skilful hand and trailed kisses down Trowa's front to his navel and lower. He teased with his lips up and down the insides of Trowa's thighs and instinct took over for the half-elf again.

Instinctively, Trowa knew Quatre was teasing him, knew there was more, knew the heir was holding him back from something vitally important. What it was, he didn't know, but he knew it was something and he knew he wanted it, so he fell to begging, whimpering Quatre's name and stringing it together with several pleases, His hands went to Quatre's hair, urging him to do… something… anything.

Finally, Quatre acquiesced. He touched his tongue to Trowa's arousal, snaked it in a short, lazy pattern. Trowa's whole body jerked and he gave a breathless "A-ah…" then stilled and Quatre lifted his eyes in enough time to catch the half-elf licking his lips anticipation of something he just knew would be even better than that fleeting touch.

And he was so beautiful.

Quatre felt it, then, hard and fast, and it both exhilarated him and frightened him witless; he was in love with Trowa.

Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to the Winner holdings, the single most eligible bachelor on the continent, was in love with ah half-elf from the woods - and a male one at that. It almost made him laugh, but there were more important things than laughter right now, like making that half-elf his. But first…

Trowa's back arched and he gave a long, keening cry of pleasure when Quatre finally took his arousal fully into his mouth and went to work with lips, teeth and tongue.

"Oh, by the waters, Quatre!" Trowa whimpered and he was helpless to prevent the movement of his hips - so Quatre did it for him placing a deceptively small hand on the half-elf's hip to keep him still.

He brought Trowa achingly close to the edge, but refused to let him jump, holding him teetering there for an age, then even having the nerve to pull him back, sliding up his body for several kisses to give him a chance to cool off.

"Oh Quatre… Quatre, please… please…" the half-elf begged between kisses, desperate for something he couldn't even name.

Quatre smiled and reached for the pile of his clothes, drawing out a tiny bottle of oil - his father had always told him to be prepared and he always was, even if this wasn't quite what his father meant. He liberally coated his fingers with the oil and pressed a kiss to Trowa's lips before moving to his ear and nibbling gently on the sensitive tip. He gained a gentle sigh of pleasure and smiled, then murmured against the ear.

"Relax for me, lover."

Trowa merely smiled and assured Quatre with those brilliant green eyes that he trusted him.

Quatre brought his hand around and carefully circled Trowa's entrance with one finger before gently as he could pushing it inside. Trowa winced a little, but stayed relaxed and Quatre' began massaging and loosening him until he could add a second finger. Once he was satisfied Trowa was prepared for him. Quatre knelt up and covered his own arousal with the oil. He drew the half-elf into his lap, guiding Trowa's knees up then lifting his hips and positioning himself.

"Are you sure about this?" Quatre asked gently.

"Very," Trowa answered instantly, trailing one hand down the centre of Quatre's chest.

It was all the encouragement Quatre needed to push inside the half-elf, giving little thrusts until he was fully seated within Trowa, then he stilled. Trowa panted softly, gazing adoringly up into Quatre's eyes.

"What?" Quatre wondered at the intensity in the half-elf's gaze.

"You've accepted me…" Trowa whispered, then slung one leg over Quatre's shoulder, which surprised the blonde, but he wasn't arguing; he couldn't.

"I've fallen in love with you, actually," Quatre whispered back.

Trowa's eyes widened and Quatre feared for a split second that he might lose his mysterious love. But Trowa smiled, then, the biggest, sweetest of smiles Quatre had ever seen him give.

"I love you, too…" Trowa admitted.

Quatre gave a gasping moan at that and he couldn't be still any longer. He began a slow movement within his lover and Trowa instantly murmured wordless encouragements, fingers clutching at the soft grass beneath him.

Quatre thought he must have died and gone to Heaven, because surely he was making love to an angel. Trowa was so naturally sensual and passionate. He was holding nothing back, hiding nothing. He'd surrendered himself entirely to Quatre and he wasn't afraid of showing his pleasure. He arched his back and whimpered Quatre's name over and over. He was never still and it wasn't long before he joined his lover's thrusts, which only served to drive Quatre to a quicker pace. When Quatre wrapped his hand around Trowa's arousal and began stroking in time with their movements, it was almost too much. The half-elf cried out at the top of his voice and arched his back so far, Quatre thought it ought to break. It didn't and Trowa rejoined Quatre's rhythm, the two of them making a different kind of music than that which they'd been playing earlier.

When Quatre stuck something deep within Trowa, the half-elf moaned lowly. When he managed to hit it a second time, it was the final push. Trowa plunged into oblivion, pleasure exploding within him and sizzling along every nerve. Quatre followed not long after and threw his head back, declaring his lover for Trowa to the stars.

Trowa let his leg drop and Quatre rolled off him, then pulled him close along his side, running his fingers through the sweat-soaked brunette mop of hair. They stayed curled up like that for a long time, until Trowa shifted and almost-whined.

"I'm sticky…"

Quatre laughed, but soon found himself thrown in the stream, Trowa diving in after him. They played and splashed about for a while, but soon found they couldn't keep their hands off one another for any length of time. It wasn't long before they were crying each other's names to the heavens again.

They barely had the energy to get back to the shore after that and it was a lucky thing that the night was hot and the breeze was warm, because they lacked both the energy and the wherewithal to dry. But as it happened, the night was hot and the breeze was warm and besides that, they were pressed so close together, neither one of them felt even the slightest bit cold all night. They fell asleep on the grass under the stars, Trowa curled against Quatre, his head tucked under the blonde's chin, wrapped in his arms. On his par, the heir was quite happy to wrap himself around the half-elf and he stayed awake a while longer than Trowa, stroking the soft hair and marvelling at the sculptured body. But sleep, as it does all beings, claimed him eventually and he dreamed only good dreams.

* * *

"Well fuck," Duo stated flatly the next morning when he'd searched the keep head to toe and toe to head twice over and found no sign of Quatre Raberba Winner.

"He can't have just vanished!" Hilde cried, bouncing Alexandria on her hip.

"Well evidently he has because no one can find him!"

"Panicking won't help, love. He probably went out early," Hilde said rationally. However, though it didn't show, she was as worried as Duo. No one had seen Quatre since Milliardo had reported catching a glimpse of him early the night before.

"Well I'll got out and look for him. I've got an idea where he might be anyway."

"Alright. I'll keep looking here with the others."

Duo gave a curt nod then strode quickly down to the stables and saddled NightDancer. He clattered away so face, he never noticed Tempest was still fast asleep in his stall.

* * *

"Mmm… Quatre… Not yet. It's early…" Trowa's voice was muffled as he spoke into Quatre's chest. The weak, rather unbelievable comment was a protest against the blonde's fingers dancing a tattoo down Trowa's back and inching down between his long legs, questing for the very source of his pleasure.

"The sun's higher than the trees, lover…" Quatre informed him in a singsong murmur against his ear.

"It's still early… a-ahh… Quatre…" Trowa shifted and arched a little, lifting his leg to allow Quatre's hand an easier reach, which the blonde gladly took.

"I love you…"

"Mmm…" Trowa purred hooking the leg over Quatre's hip and arching slowly into the caress.

"You're so beautiful, so… sensual…" Quatre purred.

"You have to say that, though…"

"No, I don't. It's true."

"Aah! Quatre!" Trowa moaned, gripping the blonde's shoulder as he arched his neck back. Quatre took the opportunity to lick and suckle at the half-elf's neck.

"Oh hell, Quatre!" This exclamation shattered their peace and they separated like they burnt one another, Trowa going instantly in the direction of the stream.

"Trowa! Trowa, please, don't tun! Its just Duo!" Quatre begged, kneeling on the grass with one hand between his knees for balance, the other stretched out to Trowa in supplication.

"Quatre, what the fuck?!" Duo gritted through his teeth.

Trowa flinched and took another two steps backward at Duo's harsh tones. His eyes flicked from Quatre to Duo and back again time after time and it was obvious he was fighting with himself. He wanted to trust Quatre but he was petrified of Duo.

"I… I have to… g-go…" Trowa whispered.

"No, please… Trowa, don't go…"

"Quatre, it's an elf!" Duo cried and Trowa flinched again.

"You're scaring him, Duo! And don't call him an it like that!" Quatre hissed at Duo, then turned back to Trowa. "Trowa, please…"

"I have to go…" Trowa repeated fearfully and leapt into the water with a plash, vanishing instantly.

"Quatre! Of all the partners to choose! Shit!"

"He loves me!"

"He's… He's… a wild animal!"

"Don't say that about him!" Quatre demanded, pulling his pants on.

"It's pretty obvious! He just ran away like a frightened rabbit!"

"He loves me…" Quatre whispered, tears welling his eyes. "Which is more than I can say for most!" The blonde sniffled and a tear ran down his cheek, and when he spoke again, his voice was broken. "You don't know what it's like to have every man you've ever made love to claim you as nothing but a conquest. To have them only sleep with you so they can say they did! To find, the next afternoon that he's spread it around 'I fucked Quatre Raberba Winner!' You don't know! Trowa doesn't see my rank, only me! Only me! And he loves me. So don't you say anything bad about him… ever."

"I… I-I… Sorry, Quat…" Duo murmured. "If… if you stay, he might come back. Let's sit here and wait a bit."

Quatre eyed Duo, but eventually nodded and say.

"His name's Trowa… and he's only half elf… but the other half's water faery…"

Instead of responding to that, Duo backtracked to an earlier comment of Quatre's.

"When we were younger, before Hilde, you weren't just a conquest for me and I never told a soul, I never spread it around. You're my best friend and… and I don't regret that you were my first. I loved you then and I love you now and it's never changed. It's different than how I feel about Hilde, but it's still there. It was special to me. Believe that."

Quatre stared a long moment ad Duo, then smiled tearily and leaned over to hug him tightly.

"Of you, I do believe it… and… I don't regret that night either…"

Duo smiled.

"You know… I agonized for so long over Hilde… I never told you, but I almost turned her down for you…"

Quatre couldn't keep from staring again.

"You… you did…? Oh, Duo! Oh, but I'm glad you didn't. You and Hilde fit with each other and Alexandria's the sweetest thing! Besides, Trowa's come for me now…"

"You're really serious… aren't you?" Duo realised shakily.

"Yeah, I really am. I love him."

Duo smirked sneakily and prodded Quatre as he spoke in a teasing voice.

"So he was that good a lay, huh?"

"Duo!"

"You're blushing."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are! He really was, wasn't he?!"

"You're impossible! Are you ever serious?"

"Being serious turns you old faster."

"Oh, right. I see."

"You're a stick-in-the-mud!"

"I am not!" Quatre tackled his friend, but the jester managed to get the heir pinned and he held him, tickling his sides.

"Say it!" he demanded with a laugh.

"Ah! Duo! Stop that!"

"Not a chance. Say it!"

"No! Get off me you lug!"

"Never! I-"

"Get off him." The demand was low and dangerous and made both men pause to look in the direction of the stream, where it came from.

"Trowa!" Quatre cried happily.

The half-elf's eyes flicked to Quatre, then back to Duo. He seemed more confidant now he was dressed in his odd brand of clothing again and every line of his stance threatened aggression if his demands weren't obeyed.

"Hey, I wasn't hurting him. Just tickling. Playing," Duo assured him, but Trowa seemed disinclined to listen.

"Just. Get. Off."

"Hey, listen, you can't go around just making demands and expecting to-"

"It's alright, Duo. Go ahead," Quatre said softly, and Duo looked pissy for a bare second before doing what he was told.

"Leave now, and never come back," Trowa muttered darkly, nearly glaring at Duo.

"Hey now! There's no need for that!" Duo insisted,

"He told you to stop, to get off him, and you didn't! Get out of my part of this forest and stay out!"

"Trowa," Quatre said suddenly. "Trowa, stop. He wasn't hurting me, and the standard response to tickling it "argh! No! Get off me!" and it's a fairly standard thing to ignore it."

"He'll need to lighten up some, Quat… Not to mention learn what the word 'fashion' means," Duo said.

"Oh, because bright-enough-to-melt-eyeballs patchwork is so fashionable," Quatre shot at him.

"Touché`," Duo said appreciatively.

"My thanks." Quatre grinned.

"Quatre…?" Trowa asked uncertainly, utterly confused by their banter.

"He'll learn," Duo decided with a firm nod.

"You're assuming he'll want to come back to the keep with me," Quatre pointed out, all frivolity gone.

"You said he loves you. Gong back on that…?"

Quatre just gave Duo a warning look and opened his mouth to speak, but Trowa beat him to it.

"I do love him."

Quatre fairly glowed.

"Well then, no question. He'll come back to the keep with you, because you sure as hell can't skip out on your responsibilities."

"B-back to… You mean with… humans…?" Trowa wondered, again before Quatre could speak.

"He can't skip back and forth from the keep to here. He's the next Lord of the Winner holdings.

Trowa looked at Quatre, wide-eyed.

"Why didn't you say that?" he wondered softly.

"I didn't think it'd matter to you…" Quatre replied with equal softness.

Trowa lowered his eyes and said nothing.

"Where's Tempest…?" Duo enquired gently, ever the discreet man.

"I never brought him. The sprites Teleported me here."

Duo nodded.

"I'll go get him, then, and you two talk."

Quatre nodded mutely and Trowa merely kept his eyes glued to the ground. Once they could no longer hear Duo, Quatre felt Trowa's eyes upon him and looked towards the half-elf.

"I told you everything. I told you my past, how I came to be, and you withheld the fact that you have to step up and rule one day." Trowa's tone wasn't angry, just infinitely sad and Quatre thought he might die from the pain of the quiet recrimination.

"I… I didn't…" Quatre trailed off with a muted sob when he realised he was repeating his earlier words.

"Of course it matters, Quatre! It means you can't stay here with me and you never intended to. A-and…" Trowa's voice faltered. "And it means I'll always be p-playing second fiddle to your wife! I'm not ignorant or stupid. I know you have to marry and produce an heir. I… I… I can't share you!"

And Quatre felt that this was the crux of the matter, just by the way Trowa said it.

"I'll never have a wife. I've got twenty-nine sisters. The first boy born to one of them will be my heir. Everyone always knew I was fae anyway…"

"You're just saying that so I'll come with you and be your little pet, your little novelty!"

"Trowa! No! How could you think that?" Quatre was angry now, insulted that Trowa would accuse him of such a thing.

"Humans are like that." Trowa asserted.

"And elves, from what I've heard, worship demons and eat human children! But I decided it was just myth when I met you. I guess you couldn't give me the same courtesy!"

Trowa looked apologetic at that and lowered his eyes, shuffling his feet.

"Look… Trowa… I… I love you," Quatre said gently. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I am, but I do love you. I never lied about that. Please… Trowa, please, now that I've had you, I can't live without you. Please, you have to come back with me and meet my family and be my lover. I want to be with you forever. Please…"

Trowa still didn't look up and Quatre felt his entire life slipping away from him, a monotonous repetition of lover after lover after lover only being so for a night or two so they could say they were. Of political function after political function after political function full of men and women trying to talk their way into his bed. Of lonely, lonely nights…

"I can't. I can't! It… it frightens me!" Trowa admitted.

Quatre looked tenderly at his lover and held out his hand, speaking every so softly.

"I'll be with you. Always."

Trowa looked up and something inside of him responded to the love and promise in Quatre's eyes. He didn't realize it, but his own green eyes mirrored the look in Quatre's.

"Always…" he murmured finally and took Quatre's hand.

"T-Trowa…?" Quatre murmured, not daring to hope.

"I'll come. I love you. I trust you. I'll come."

Quatre pulled the half-elf to him and suddenly it didn't matter anymore what might or might not happen. They loved one another and Trowa trusted Quatre beyond all doubt. He knew the blonde would take care of him.

It was a little after that Duo returned with NightDancer, Tempest and a horse whose name, interestingly enough, was EmeraldFire, another of Hilde patented names, but it suited Trowa's eyes to a tee, in Quatre's opinion. The half-elf could ride, they soon found out, and the three of them set up a headlong gallop back to the keep and whatever they might have to face.

Duo rode a little ahead, Quatre and Trowa abreast of one another, and they knew they could handle whatever might happen. They were in love and damn what the rest of the world thought. They'd deal with it. Together. Always.

Trowa glanced away from the keep to Quatre, who couldn't stop smiling, and found himself smiling in response.

Humans or no humans, his future was looking pretty bright.

* * *

Author's notes: I think this'll beg for a sequel at some point… Ner… Oh, did you find the LotR:TTT line…? *grins*