Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Picture ❯ Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Word of the impending marriage of Lord Heero Yuy spread across London like wildfire. Discussed in every home, it was the focus of everyone's attention, and it was the first bit of news that met Milliardo when he arrived home.

At first he believed that Duo was just doing what he had planned and was amused at the thought of the embarrassment Heero would suffer when Duo found the letters and vanished.

Duo's complete disappearance was what Milliardo had originally planned. But he had found Duo interesting and exciting. Certain his hold over Duo, he'd made a decision. He would not rid himself of Duo completely. No, when his plans became reality, when Errol Wray was dead and Stephan Noin filled his place, Milliardo and Lucrezia would marry. The he would put Duo in his proper place, as his mistress. He was beautiful and distracting, and Milliardo was certain that Duo wouldn't want to go back to the ugly life he'd had.

The thought was exciting. In fact, if Duo had wealth and a good name, Milliardo would have considered marrying him. But he was on his way up, his star was rising, and Milliardo could not afford a nobody for a husband, even if he was beautiful and seductive one.

Even before Milliardo went home, he went to see Stephan Noin . . . and Lucrezia. Of course, Lucrezia did not know what he and her father had planned, nor that she was the pawn in this game. Stephan wanted Errol Wray's place so badly that he did not hesitate to offer Lucrezia as part of the bargain.

Milliardo knew Stephan was a man who had the same driving ambition as himself, one who would not let anything or anyone stand in his way.

When Stephan joined him, there were questions in his eyes, and Milliardo smiled and answered before they were asked.

"Don't distress yourself, Stephan. Duo is an excellent actor and he is leading Heero by the nose. As soon as he gets his hands on that packet your man so carelessly lost, he'll have it in my possession. Once Errol is out of the way, there is no question as to who will fill his shoes."

"Leading Heero Yuy by the nose?" Stephan said. "I've known Heero too long. I've never seen him led unless he chooses to be. Perhaps he has deciphered the letters and is doing a bit of leading on his own."

"No. If there were true he might seduce Duo, but he would never offer the Yuy name in marriage. He's too damn proud of it."

"Milliardo, I want this thing over with. The evidence in those letters will lead to me eventually. And in the long run" - his eyes grew cold - "to you. We will both be tried for treason and you know the consequences of that."

Milliardo studied Stephan. He was a tall, very distinguished looking man. Slender and impeccably dressed. His hair a mane of silver over a narrow face . . . an almost handsome face, if one did not look too deeply into the dark brown eyes and see the ruthless and cold man beneath.

Milliardo didn't like him, had never liked him. Nor did he trust him. But for Milliardo, Stephan was a useful tool.

"Don't worry Stephan. I will get a message to Duo as soon as I go home. Perhaps at this moment he had already found the packet and is ready to come back to my arms."

"Just find the packet. The boy can go to hell for all I care."

"Oh no," Milliardo chuckled, "I have other plans. Don't worry, everything is well in hand. Let me be getting on now. I have to find a way to get a message to Duo. He's probably anxious about me."

"I expect to hear from you soon. It's only a matter of a few weeks until our plans will be put into motion. Don't waste time. I don't want this plan to fail; we may never get another opportunity."

"Have I ever failed?" Milliardo's voice was amused.

"Don't let this be the first time," Stephan said quietly. His tone drew a sharp look from Milliardo, who was suddenly aware that Stephan Noin was not a man to be made a fool of, nor one to accept punishment with a closed mouth.

"I'll see you at the Whyte reception. By then I should have the loose ends tied up." Milliardo picked up his hat and gloves, and left Stephan watching him intently. When the door closed, Stephan's teeth clenched. Milliardo Peacecraft was fast becoming a loose end himself. Stephan meant to keep a close eye on him.

Milliardo was thinking much the same thing about Stephan when he rode towards his home. When he entered the house he was met immediately by the butler who took his hat and gloves.

"Welcome home, m'lord."

"Thank you, Pagan. Is there anything important I should see to? If not, I'd like some food and wine."

"Nothing m'lord, except Mr. Maxwell came to see you. It's taken London by storm that the young man is to be the bride of Lord Yuy."

"Yes. You said he stopped by. Did he leave a message?"

"He left a letter, sir. I shall get it for you."

A nagging worry tugged at Milliardo, causing him to frown. How stupid of Duo to come here. Yet . . . had he found the packet? Perhaps he'd wanted to bring it to Milliardo. Milliardo waited impatiently for Pagan to return and place the letter in his hand.

He let Pagan close the door behind him before Milliardo ripped the envelope open, unfolding the letter, and read. His half smile faded; his eyes began to blaze as cold, unmerciful rage filled him.

Slowly, as if he was crushing Duo himself, he crumpled the letter in his fist. Milliardo's face reddened, and his teeth clenched. His knuckles grew white with the force of his grip.

"Duo . . . damn you! How dare you betray me! No . . . no, you'll not get away with this. You sweet, conniving bitch, I'll see you don't get away with this. You'll never be the wife of Heero Yuy! Never!"

Milliardo flung the letter into the fireplace and watched it burn. Slowly he calmed. Cunning began to take the place of rage. He was not defeated. There was still a way to get the packet. Duo was now the only one who knew where it was, and Duo would give it to him, and when he did, Milliardo would show him the price of his betrayal.

Milliardo needed time to try to find a way out of his dilemma. He did not leave the house again that day, but sat in his study brooding and considering plan after plan.

Later that evening, while he nursed his fourth whiskey, there was a light rap on his study door. He had told the servants to leave him entirely alone, so he knew the only person it could be. His mother. The invincible and extraordinary person with had moulded his life and given him all he possessed. The unique beauty who had found her niche in London society by marrying a man who overlooked the fact that Milliardo was not his.

Of course, his mother had claimed herself a widow and the soul supporter of her young fatherless son. She had acquired for Milliardo a father that any noble English boy would have wanted. Milliardo had no idea who his real father was, nor did he care. He preferred the Peacecraft wealth.

"Come in," Milliardo growled.

When the door opened it revealed a woman of indeterminate age and startling beauty.

She possessed the type of eternal beauty that would turn heads no matter what her age. Her hair was the same sunshine yellow as it had been when she was twenty, and her skin was still a flawless cream. Cornflower eyes gleamed with brilliant intelligence. There were times; Milliardo would admit only to himself, that his emotions were caught between adoring admiration and a hatred just as intense. She was the only one to rule any part of his life. Her voice, always mellow and soft, tonight grated on his nerves.

"Milliardo, I've heard nothing from you for several days. Has there been a change in our plans?"

"Our plans?"

"Don't be tedious, Milliardo. I've heard the intended wedding of Heero Yuy and that boy I thought you had trained so well. Has he betrayed you and gotten greedy for a fortune of his own?"

"Don't be a fool, Mother. You don't think I'm going to let him destroy my plans? Maybe what he's doing will work for me. I'm more sure that Heero knows nothing of his past . . . and he doesn't want Heero to know. Let them plan; it will work to my advantage when the time is ripe."

"And when will that be?"

"When the deceitful little bitch is Heero's wife. He won't want Heero to know who he really is, and he won't want to disgrace the Yuy name. No, let him marry Heero. My time will come."

"And Lord Noin?"

"You needn't worry about him either. Heero has not been able to decipher the packet or the whole plot would be ended by now. Duo has found a way to take it from him. He is the only one that knows where it is. After the wedding, Duo will be more than happy to tell me where it is hidden."

"Very clever."

"More clever than Duo realized. I intend to reach my goal one way or the other."

"Very well. I did not make you the heir to the Peacecraft fortune to let our ambitions end there. You can open many doors with such wealth. I've made sure there is no one to stand in your way."

"Mother, do you believe that child could still be alive?"

"He would have been of age by now. If he were alive, he would have tried for his inheritance. No, I don't think he's any threat to you. All the same, I've never ended the search , and if he makes an appearance, I'll know about it." Relena sat gracefully down in a comfortable chair. "I only wish I knew where the portrait is. I would like it destroyed."

"It was the only portrait of her?"

"Yes."

"Why can you not trace the portrait?"

"It vanished. I don't know how, or by whose hand. I only hope it has fallen tom someone who has no idea of what they possess. I'm no longer going to allow that to bother me. You are the heir to the Peacecraft fortune, and with it we will acquire more power and wealth. No one will be able to touch us. If he ever does turn up, he'll never be able to prove who he is, and with our power, we'll see that this time he meets the end he deserves."

Our power, our wealth, our, our, our! The word pounded in Milliardo's head. He was the one who had turned the Peacecraft fortune into power. Eventually he would have to put his mother in her place, preferably a nice country estate far, far away from London.

As the days flowed by, Duo felt he might burst with happiness. When Heero had declared that he would wait no longer than a month, both Morgana and Juanita argued. But Heero solved that by threatening to carry Duo off and marry him immediately. That put an end to the objections.

Duo was caught up in a whirl of shopping and fittings for his wedding gown, which was begin created on short notice. Between the shopping and the fittings, Heero claimed Duo at every opportunity. They rode, walked in the garden, and stole promising kisses that fed the fire burning within them both.

Before duo knew it, the night before the wedding had arrived. Duo was suffering from a severe case of nerves.

Quatre had gone to spend the evening with Trowa, and Duo felt dreadfully alone. This was the time he longed for the mother and father he had never known. A mother would have shared her confidence, and a tall and handsome father whose arm he would cling to as Duo walked down the aisle. Suddenly his eyes were burning with tears. Doubts assailed him. He would not be a good wife to Heero . . . how could he? He had no training, no culture, and no education except for the books Helen had provided. He would shame Heero, and one day Heero would look at him with regret.

Duo was so caught up in his own misery; he did not hear someone rap on the door. A few minutes later an undaunted Juanita opened the door and stepped inside. She'd no idea, when she'd see Duo becoming more and more nervous, that this night would be difficult. She remembered the night before her own wedding and her relief and peace at having her mother there. Duo needed a friend, and Juanita's love for her brother made her desire to be that person.

"Duo? Why aren't you resting? Do you mind if I come in and chat for a while?"

Duo sat up abruptly and hastily brushed the tears from his face. Juanita might believe he was weeping because he didn't want to marry Heero.

"No, I was not resting. Come in."

Juanita crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "Last minute nerves" she asked softly.

"I'm sorry. I must look like a dreadful baby." Duo turned to meet Juanita's gaze. "Oh Nita, this is a mistake. There is so much I can't tell you, but I know I'm the wrong person to make Heero happy."

"I may tease my brother, Duo, but I've always credited him with good sense."

"But you don't know - "

"Whatever it is you think I don't know is beside the point. Duo, for the first time in a long, long while, I've seen my brother truly happy. When he looks at you he wears his heart in his eyes for anyone to see. There is no secret that will change that. He loves you. Are you having second thoughts about loving him?"

"No!" Duo declared hastily.

"Then don't question any further. Love him as long and as hard as you can, and all the rest will take of itself."

"I . . . I am not what you believe me to be," Duo said softly. It was as if a dam had broken; in a rush of words he told all about his youth at the orphanage, his time at the Round, his relationships with Dorothy, Quatre and Trowa, and his painful longing for a family he never had.

"Does Heero know all of this?"

"Yes."

"Then don't be a fool and let it separate you. It would kill him. Duo let us be the family you never had. I would so love to have a little brother. As for someone to give you away, why not your friend Trowa? If he can paint your portrait with such sensitivity, and if, as you say, he's in love with Quatre, who would be better suited? Mother was thinking Uncle Thaddeus would do, but believe me, he's the last person you want. He's a rowdy old goat."

"Trowa," Duo breathed. "I hadn't . . . how wonderful that would be Nita. I must go and ask him right now."

"I don't see why not. I'll go with you."

Trowa happily agreed to give Duo away, in fact was enthusiastic. Quatre, who had been speechless when Duo arrived with Juanita, was now finally believing that everything was going to be all right. And Juanita was forming a million questions in her mind. She fully intended to corner her elusive brother at the first possible opportunity.

"Trowa's the one who painted the portrait you have of Duo hanging in Father's locked study," Juanita was saying firmly, "And the three of them are very close. There's a lot you are not telling me, brother dear, and I'd better get some answers pretty quick."

"My God, Nita, is there nothing safe from you? I thought I had the only key to that door. How In God's name did you get in there?"

"Have my own key," she said smugly. "And that's beside the point. Don't dodge the issue."

"Why were you at Trowa's?"

"When did you purchase Duo's painting, and why don't you tell him you have it?" she countered.

"I can't . . . yet."

"Why not?"

"For God's sake - "

"God has nothing to do with it. Duo loves you, Heero, and if you're playing some game with him - "

"You like him a lot, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Enough to protect him . . . even from you."

"He doesn't need to be protected from me, and believe me, this wedding is no game. I want Duo for my wife more than I've ever wanted anything in the world. Would it change anything if I told you that Duo and Milliardo Peacecraft are very closely acquainted?"

Slowly Juanita lowered herself into a chair as if her legs had suddenly gone weak. "Milliardo Peacecraft? How would someone like Duo know him?"

"You and Duo have become very friendly. Has he told you anything about himself?"

"Yes, we had a long discussion tonight about why he couldn't marry you."

"What!"

"Don't worry, the wedding is not off. He jut tried to confess to me how unworthy he was to marry you. But . . . he said nothing about Milliardo Peacecraft."

"Peacecraft met Duo at Trowa Barton's studio. He hired Duo to find the papers that our agent discovered. We haven't deciphered them, but we do know that's a plot to assassinate Errol Wray sometime within the next few weeks."

"How long have you known this?"

"For some time now."

"Heero - "

"Duo won't betray me."

"You trust him completely? He has told us about his past, but never mentioned any of this. Maybe he still means to find the papers."

"Duo won't betray me," Heero repeated, "and he has already found them."

"I don't understand this," Juanita said in exasperation.

"I have a special hiding place in Father's study. I went in to get some papers, and within minutes I knew Duo was in the room. The scent of his perfume is quite distinctive. I knew why he was there, but -"

"But you still put your trust in him."

"And it paid off. He has the papers, but obviously has had a change of heart. Duo hasn't given them to Peacecraft."

"You're sure?"

"Every move he and Peacecraft have made has been closely monitored. Duo went to a friend, and I think that's where the papers are now."

"You do believe in playing with fire, don't you?"

"Duo will be my wife. When he is, he will trust me enough to tell me everything. Until then, that packet of papers is as safe as I had it myself. I truly believe in him and I know he'll bring them back himself."

"And if he doesn't"

Heero didn't answer for so long that Juanita began to believe that he didn't intend to answer at all.

"Nita," he began quietly, "can you understand? Duo is as important to me as life itself. I never believed I could feel this way about anyone. I've given him all that I am, and I want him to be close to my heart always. But . . . he has to trust me as completely as I trust him. I could go to him and tell him what I know, but that's not the same is it? I want him to lay his faith and hope in my hands as I've laid mine in his."

"Oh, Heero," Juanita whispered. She could say nothing more. She knew that Heero had never taken a partner seriously until he'd met Duo, and that he could break Heero's heart so easily. Quietly Juanita rose and left the room.

Wow! Two chapters in the same night! I guess you could say that the plot bunny came back and bite me in the ass. Sorry for the long wait all! Thanks so much for sticking with me. Cookies to all!