Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Dragon's Prince ❯ Chapter 4

"Lord Treize and Heero will be looking for a little sprite," Duo giggled as he slipped out into the streets. "They'll never suspect me!"

Indeed the pixie had transformed himself. No longer was he of a childish size; he was now a full five feet and five inches, outdoing Heero's natural stance of five-three. His graceful body was clothed in fine gossamer trews and his black tunic, and these were covered with a coarse homespun cape to help elude capture. He was going to get his fair look at the city! Even if he had to disobey Lord Treize and Heero to get it!

Careful to further throw the trail, Duo quickly undid his hair and let it fall loose to his hips, adding to his feminine look and allowing others to gape at him. The ribbon that bound his hair was tied loosely around his wrist to keep him from losing it, since he was rather loath to part with it. Holding the cape closed he set out toward the food markets, drawn there by the scents of pies and goodies baking.

He was just eyeing a stand selling warm apple tarts when he noticed the door to the Inn opening, and his heart leapt to his throat as Heero, dagger drawn, came storming out. Lord Treize followed him, and smacked his hand as a signal to put the blade away. They both began looking around, and then Heero pointed in the direction of the bakers! Duo was aghast. His journey had only begun! They weren't going to ruin it now!

After sneaking a tart for himself, since he'd forgotten to bring any money with him, the human-sized pixie ducked through the bakers' street and over to the fish markets, a spot he was certain Heero and Treize would never look for him. If Duo didn't eat fish, why would he be down here in the first place? Duo congratulated himself on his quick thinking and bit deep into his pilfered reward, and then continued his tour of the markets in complete confidence of himself.

Many people stopped him, mostly men with boasts of being fine providers for such `a fine lady'. Duo snorted and continued along, licking his fingers in satisfaction when his treat was complete Further down the fish markets was the harbor, where everything was caught. This had an even stronger stink of fish than the market itself, and Duo quickly had to leave before he got sick from the stench. He followed the street past the harbor and back up to the bakers, then took a fast detour through an alley or two to find himself in the livestock markets.

Such noise! Pigs squealed, horses neighed, cows mooed, and chickens clucked fit to deafen anyone within ten feet of the street! A donkey brayed, startling Duo and making him squeak in surprise. He backed into a wall of chicken pens, and the little demons began clucking up a storm and flapping their wings, creating a horrid mess of feathers and chicken refuse. Geese honked and nipped at poor Duo's ankles when he got too close to them, and the only help he could hope for was from the men who owned the beasts. The men misunderstood his plight, and scolded him for upsetting the animals, saying a woman's place was not among livestock.

Duo stumbled when he tried to run, and his fears only swelled as a red-eyed ox lowed right in his face. Frightened and messy with things so foul they were beyond comprehension, the pixie burst into tears and fled for all he was worth. He didn't stop until he bumped into someone, and by then he was still so frightened he didn't care who it was. "Heero!" he sobbed, clinging to his victim. "It was terrible! Oh! Oh Heero!"

Arms, warm and calming, enfolded Duo a tad awkwardly. "Easy now," said a voice Duo didn't recognize. "Who or what is your hero? I'll help you, but you must calm down." All the same, the stranger allowed Duo to cry himself out into his tunic and relax before he tried speaking again. When the pixie's tears were spent, he chanced a look up into a pair of seductive, warm eyes as dark as night. The stranger smiled and helped Duo to stand a little straighter, then introduced himself. "My name is Wufei. Chang Wufei. Don't be frightened; I'll help you find your hero."

"I'm D-D-Duo Maxwell," the pixie sniffled, picking a stray chicken feather from his hair. "B-B-But most folks c-call me D-D-Duo when I'm not in t-trouble."

Wufei chuckled and helped Duo to clean up a bit, and then he offered a hand to him. "You're quite charming, Duo. Stick close to me and I'll help you find whoever you're looking for. Out of curiosity, though, what were you fleeing?"

Duo pointed hatefully at the Livestock Street. "Those horrid brutes in there! An' I only ended up there because I wanted to see more of the city, and less of it in the company of Heero and Lord Treize! Please don't take me back to them just yet! Won't you show me around? Just a little?"

"I ought to return you to your husband," Wufei said, and then blushed as Duo laughed out loud. "What is it? Duo?"

"My husband! Ahahahahahaha! No, no, I'm not married! Lord Treize is my friend, and I serve him. Hee-chan is my companion, and my self-appointed bodyguard. He seems to think this duty also entails punishing me when I've been mischievous." Duo's grin faded slightly, but it didn't completely disappear. "He'll probably whip me for leaving. He always says he will! Or he'll ground me until I'm as old as time itself! Not to mention what my Lord Treize will do!"

Wufei shook his head and hushed Duo gently. "My friend is much like that. He's only three years older than I, and he treats me as though I am a babe fresh from the swaddling bands. He is supposed to tutor me in the Western ways, but he seems to think his duties extend so far as to play nursemaid to me. Ah me, the only trouble becomes I would miss him terribly if he were to stop! He is very much a brother to me, and so much more."

Duo nodded and held a little closer to Wufei's arm. "My Hee-chan loves me, just as I love him. I suppose I do deserve some sort of retribution for worrying him so, but he knows I am a free spirit, not some exotic bird to be caged. Oooh! Let's look here! These jewels are so pretty!"

And thus the Dragon and the pixie meandered through the city, eyeing the offered merchandise and more than once making a purchase. Wufei adored Duo's company, to be sure, and he felt it no burden to buy him small trinkets and a bite to eat. He knew that extra spending money his uncle sent would come in handy one day, and he was very glad he hadn't been so frivolous with it in the past as he was today. There was something enchanting about Duo that Wufei could not place, but he was too content in enjoying the boy's company than to question this feeling he had.

Duo, in turn, was all the happier to have Wufei along. He knew there was something about Wufei that Wufei didn't know of, especially pertaining to the unspoken dream he'd had. <My Lord Treize has chosen well,> he thought to himself. <Now to-> "EEEEP!"

"DUO!" Wufei spun around just in time to see Duo's captive, a youth with pale skin and blue eyes, snatch the teen by his hair and sternly glare at him. Duo, oddly enough, recognized his captor and crushed himself against him, sobbing and accepting his fierce hug and scolding whispers. Wufei relaxed his hold on his sword's handle and looked to Heero with a bow of his head. "You are Heero, then?"

Heero nodded, but a godly man clad in a tunic of gold-trimmed indigo and trews of black took up the verbal reply. "Aye, my good sir, and I am Treize Kushrenada. I am responsible for these boys, and I apologize if our young Duo has caused you any harm or grief."

Wufei shook his head, but Duo beat him to the verbal explanation. "I didn' rob him! Wufei was helping me around until we could find you an' Hee-chan! I was on my best behavior the entire time!"

"How about before we caught you?" Heero dealt his companion a weighty swat to the rump for his troubles, making Duo yelp and dance in place as the sting slowly wore off. "You're going back to the tavern and staying put this time, Duo M-"

"Maybe that's a bit harsh," Treize quickly interrupted, motioning Heero to continue his scold later. Duo breathed a sigh of relief, for more than one reason, and shot a grateful look to his lord. The ginger-haired man sternly looked back at him, making his displeasure known. "You're far from out of trouble, you. I'm simply asking Heero to postpone your well-deserved punishment until our guest is safely returned."

"Please, Lord Kushrenada," Wufei interjected briefly, finally managing to make his eyes meet with Treize's. Sparks suddenly exploded in Wufei's mind as he recognized those very same pristine cornflower blue eyes. How was it possible?! Zechs's story was suddenly looking less ridiculous! But before a word could be uttered, the ground was suddenly rushing up to meet the Chinese male…

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Sounds like somebody was a very naughty little pixie! *Giggles* ^-^

Man, what I wouldn't give to see some fanart for this! Oh well.