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Journey of a Thousand Miles

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

-Confucius-

Part 14

In the weeks and months after the return from our journey I found myself spending more and more time with Trowa. Soon autumn turned into winter and the first snow covered the countryside. We went sleigh riding and ice-fishing, and on those long and dark winter nights we had plenty of time to practice our music together. By Christmas we felt confident enough to surprise Zechs and my cousin with a little performance.

***

"Quatre!"
I turned my head at Trowa's shout and saw something white flying straight at me. Instinctively I ducked and the snowball missed my head by mere inches, hitting the tree behind me instead. The impact shook the tree hard enough to knock loose the snow in its branches and sent it down on me like an avalanche.
I gasped as the white power hit me. It was wet and cold. After I wiped my face clear I saw Trowa, doubled over and laughing so hard that he could barely breathe.
"You," I shouted. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? But you won't get away with this."
Before he could run away I rushed him and knocked him off his feet. Trowa was still laughing when I landed on top of him and pinned him down. I grabbed a handful of snow and smeared it into his face. Coughing and sputtering he grabbed my wrists and rolled over. Somehow I managed to free my hands and hit him with another load of snow. We rolled through the white powder until we both were wet and out of breath.
"Truce?" Towa panted.
I nodded breathlessly. "Truce."

He pushed himself up onto his knees and extended his hand to help me get up as well.
"Let's go inside have some hot cocoa and dry off," he suggested.
I nodded. That sounded like an excellent idea.

*****

Zechs and the Duke were already sitting down for dinner when I came home that evening. I hurried to get cleaned up, and joined them.
"Good evening, Zechs. Good evening, Cousin Treize." I said as I entered the dining room.
The two men returned my greeting before my cousin shook his head in an almost rueful manner. "I really need to get you a clock for your next birthday, Zechs."
The blond aristocrat looked at him, puzzled. "A clock? Why is that?"
"I assume you don't have one, because how else could it be that Quatre is late for dinner every time he spends the afternoon at your house."

I flushed dark red as I took my seat at the table. I knew that punctuality was very important to Treize, and his admonishment was well deserved. "Forgive me. I simply lost track of time. I'll make sure that it won't happen again." I promised.
"Thank you. That would be greatly appreciated."
Xander brought me my soup and I thanked him with a smile and a nod.
There was a long moment of silence before my cousin spoke again. "Quatre, your birthday is coming up and I was wondering what you would think about the three of us going out for a fine dinner and afterward to the opera?"
"The opera? I would love that, very much so." I nodded enthusiastically. "Can Trowa come with us?"
Instead of answering Treize exchanged a strange look with Zechs, who just gave a little shrug.
I frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"
My cousin looked at me and took a deep breath. "Quatre, I realize that you and Trowa have become very close friends, and I couldn't be happier for you. He is a fine young man. However the fact remains that he is also Zechs' servant…"
"Yes?" My frown deepened.

"To socialize publicly with one's servants is, to say the least, frowned upon. It simply isn't considered socially acceptable."
It took a moment for me to comprehend his words, and then my frown turned into a scowl. "With all due respect, Cousin, since when do you care about what is socially acceptable and what isn't?"

Zechs almost choked on his roast, and Treize just looked at me, stunned. It was the first time that I had seen my cousin speechless. It took him a while to recover.
Quatre, you don't understand..."
"But I do understand," I replied. "I understand very well. I just would have never thought that you were so hypocritical." I put my napkin down and rose from my chair. "May I be excused, please?"

*****

The next day I went out of my way to avoid my cousin. I woke up early and had breakfast alone. I stayed in my room until my tutor arrived, and once I had finished my lessons I rode to Blue Lake Manor.
Trowa was on an errand when I arrived, and while I was waiting for his return Zechs asked to see me.
"Have you and Treize reconciled yet?" he asked me as the two of us were sitting in his study.
"Not yet."
"You are still angry and hurt about what he said?"
"Yes," I admitted quietly.
Zechs nodded like he had expected that answer. "Your cousin probably feels the same way, Quatre. What you said to him wasn't very nice either. You realize that don't you?"
I looked up, surprised. Then I blushed as guilt and shame washed over me. My words hadn't been meant to be hurtful. I had just said what came to mind. But nevertheless, Zechs was right.
I rose from my chair. "Please excuse me. I think I should go home now. Give my regards to Trowa when he comes back. I'll see him tomorrow."
The blond aristocrat nodded, a slight smile curving his lips.
When I got back to Rosehill Manor I found the duke outside, refilling the many birdfeeders that he had set up in the garden.
"Cousin!"
He turned toward me. "Yes?"
"I came to apologize," I told him quietly. "I was totally out of line last night."
"Yes, you were." Treize nodded seriously. "But you were also right."

I looked at him puzzled.
He slipped off one of his leather gloves and used it to brush off the snow of one of the wooden benches. He sat down and patted the place beside him. "Come here, Quatre."
Treize waited until I was sitting before he continued. "You are correct; I do not particularly care about what is socially acceptable. It would be too late for that anyway. I have been considered a "black sheep" for most of my life. And I'm very well aware that only my money and my bloodline have kept me from becoming a social outcast. Still, it is not easy when people smile to your face and talk behind your back, or members of your own family shun you like you have some kind of disease. Quatre, I care for you too much to want to see you being treated the same way as I have been treated. But I also realize that I can't tell you how to live your life. So, if you really would like to invite Trowa to go to the opera with us, so be it."
"Do you really mean it?"

He gave me one of his brilliant smiles as nodded. "It's your birthday after all. To hell with what other people think."
"Thank you." I smiled back at him. "Thank you for allowing me to invite Trowa and most of all for your concern about me. It is greatly appreciated."
"You are welcome." Treize replied. "You really like that boy, don't you?"
I nodded, and for some strange reason I felt a little heat creep into my face. My cousin didn't seem to notice, because he rose and reached for the bag of birdseed. I watched as he filled the last of the birdfeeders.
There was something I had wanted to ask the duke for a while now, but I wasn't sure how he would react, or if it was even appropriate. But somehow I had the feeling that now was a good opportunity to bring it up. So I finally said: "May I ask you something, Cousin Treize?"
"Of course. What is it?"

I hesitated, and then asked. "Do you think we have enough time before dinner to take a walk?"
My cousin raised one eyebrow in a mixture of surprise and amusement. "That was your question?"
I laughed. "No. I just thought we could take a walk while we talk."

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Treize nodded. "You lead."
I chose the small path that led from the garden into the woods behind the house. For a few minutes we walked silently side by side, while I gathered my courage. "You really don't have to answer this if it is too personal, Cousin. I was just wondering how did you… I mean …when did you realize that you…um…are more interested in young men than in young ladies?"
"Well…" Treize thought about it for a moment. "It was fairly early. My mother loved to entertain. We would have large dinner parties at least once or twice each week. Many of the families my parents socialized with had young daughters which they brought along. I was probably no older than you are now, when I realized that none of those pretty young ladies ever stirred the same feelings in me as the presence of a handsome young gentleman did."

"Did you tell your family about it?" I wanted to know.
Treize shook his head. "No, at first I was too confused, and then too scared to talk to anybody about it. I think my mother was first to find out, and she was as understanding and supportive as only a mother can be. When my father learned about it he was most upset about the fact that I wasn't going to give him the grandson he wanted." My cousin smirked suddenly at some old memory. "When I turned seventeen and still hadn't courted a single lady, one of my uncles seemed to think I was simply too shy. He decided that it was time for me to become a man, and he took me to a brothel in London. The poor man never even realized that all of his efforts and good intentions were completely lost on me."
"Did you tell him?"
"Don't be silly. Why would I do that?" My cousin looked at me, a hint of mirth sparkling in his eyes. "I spent a wonderful evening in the company of a lovely young lady playing cards and making small talk. It's not that I don't appreciate a woman's companionship."
I just couldn't help but chuckle. "That uncle wasn't my father, was it?"
"Oh God, no. I wouldn't think that your father ever went near such an establishment. But tell me, Quatre, why are you asking me these questions, and why now?"
The sun had begun to sink, and I was grateful that Treize couldn't see my face clearly in the dim light, for it was bright red and burning. "I just…I thought…"I stammered. "I'm not sure, really."
"Would it have anything to do with a certain green-eyed, young man?" Treize asked softly.
I didn't think that I could blush even more, but I did. "In a way, yes." I admitted. "I have never felt around anybody the way I feel when I'm with Trowa. I don't know how to describe it; all I know is that I'm very happy when I'm with him. And when he touches me it makes me feel …"
"Touches you?" The duke gave me a sharp look. "Touches you in what way? I think I might have to have a little talk with Trowa as well."

"Cousin," I wailed. "I don't mean it like that." I gave a long sigh. "It is very confusing, though. Do you think that perhaps I feel more than just friendship toward him?"
"I don't know Quatre. I'm afraid that is something you will have to find out on your own." Treize replied softly. "I know it's confusing and perhaps even scary, but let me assure you that I'll always support you."
"Thank you." I smiled up at him.
"Now, is there anything else you would like to ask me while we are talking about these things?"
"Not now, no." I shook my head. "But it is nice to know that I can ask you."
Was I just imagining things or did my cousin let out a sigh of relief? Perhaps both of us were not quite ready yet to talk about 'these things'.
"I think we should head back to the house." He suggested. "Soon it will be completely dark."

*****

(Two weeks later)

I was closing the buttons on my new, black tailcoat when my cousin knocked at the door to my chamber.
"Quatre, are you ready? Your guests have arrived."

"I'm ready," I told him as I opened the door. "How do I look?"
"As gorgeous as usual, of course. Quatre, you would still look striking even if you wore an old potato sack," Treize answered.
"And you are as smooth talking as usual."
We laughed as we walked down the stairs. Zechs was waiting in the drawing room and next to him stood Trowa. I almost didn't recognize him. He too was dressed in a formal coat. The dark green silk vest he wore underneath made it look even more elegant.
"Quatre," he spoke. "You look stunning."
"Thank you," I smiled modestly. "I was just about to say the same thing about you."

"Happy birthday, Quatre!" Zechs hugged me and handed me box wrapped in colorful paper. "I hope you like the gift that I got you."
"May I open it right now?"
"By all means." he answered.
I unwrapped the present and found a journal. It was bound in dark leather and my name was printed in elegant gold letters on the front. And there was also another, smaller box containing a delicate golden pen.

"It is beautiful," I gasped. "Thank you, Zechs."
Once I had put the beautiful set down, Trowa handed me his present. "Happy Birthday."
"Thank you."
I ripped away the paper to find a box, and inside the box was a small bottle; a bottle with a ship inside.
"Oh, look, Cousin Treize, it's a ship in a bottle."
"I believe it isn't just any ship," he said, and as I looked closer I recognized the white clipper.
"It's the Lady Rebecca. Trowa, where did you…."
"He made it himself," Zechs explained.
"You did?" I was stunned. "That is amazing. How did you get it into the bottle? The masts are too high to ever fit through the opening"
Trowa laughed. "You don't raise the sails until the ship is inside the bottle. I'm glad you like it."

"Oh, I do. It will have a special place on my desk where I can see it every day."

"Gentlemen," Treize interrupted. "I'm afraid we'll have to leave now. We don't want to arrive late in Chesterfield and have to rush dinner to make it to the opera on time."

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T.B.C.

Author's Note:

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