Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Willing Slave II -- Corazon ❯ Part 1 -- To Corazon ( Chapter 1 )

*****

Vegeta launched up into the air, followed by Goku and flanked by their three sons and the namek. Each of them flashed to some level of super saiyan as they rose past the clouds, following the prince of saiyanjins towards the planet killer asteroid hurtling down into the atmosphere.

Heh...just kidding. ^_^

Willing Slave II: Corazon

Warnings: shonen ai, yaoi, violence, tiny tiny implied yuri,

Setting: Alternative Universe, in a fantasy past

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing characters belong to Mixx Entertainment, Koichi Tokita, the SOTSU Agency, Sunrise, Kodansha and anyone I may have forgotten, not to me. (Nor do I own DBZ.) I make no money off of this.

*

Ai wa yume no mama dewa tsuzukanai
Musaboreba justsukushii shikabane

Love will not live if it remains but a dream
And if desire should possess it, then a hollow shell it becomes.

-- trans. by Water Spirit (thank you!)

*

KC: And we return to the world of Willing Slave. Miss me? Then you should have said so! I was feeling lonely at my site! Meanies...

Duo: This is the last one, right? No more sequels or epilogues?

KC: Um, this'll have an epilogue, but that's part of the story itself, so no, no mas after this.

Heero: *looks over past reviews* Hard to believe you're crabbing about being lonely when you've got around 1000 reviews.

Wufei: And plenty of emails to boot.

KC: It's not enough! It's never enough!

Trowa: *looks over Heero's shoulders at reviews* One person here doesn't like these little talks.

KC: *shrugs* Some do, some don't, but I have a lot more saying they do. If I'd had more saying no...

Quatre: You'd have cut us off? *sniffles*

KC: Nah, just been a little shorter.

Zechs: You're already short.

KC: *hits Zechs over the head*

Treize: Well, in the interest of brevity... *draws back curtain* You go ahead and read while we enjoy ourselves out here.

*

Hot wind blew through the caravan, rustling the coverings on all the wagons and wafting between the cloth overhangs that closed off each wagon. The two inside the main wagon spread out a little more. Duo lay spread-eagled on one side, his hair in its usual braid but now doubled back on his head so it wouldn't fall against his shoulders and make him even warmer. His veil hung off one end and he would've opened his shirt halfway if Heero hadn't forbidden it. On the other side of the wagon, Quatre lifted his own veil enough to take a drink and stared out through the cover at the soldiers around them.

"I wish they'd hurry back," he said.

"Let them stay out there," Duo said. "Let 'em roast in that sun if they don't wanna ride with us."

"They have to keep an eye on the soldiers," Quatre said.

"No they don't. They've got Zechs and Noin out there. And Treize, and Wufei..." He groaned and turned on his side. "Why can't they let Wufei make it rain or something?"

"It'd probably be too much for him." He stretched and lay beside Duo. "The sun's setting anyway. It'll be dark soon."

Duo groaned and turned on his other side. "But I'll be awake all night. Heero'll be fast asleep."

The book beside him slid against the wagon's side, catching Quatre's attention. "Maybe you could try reading your books. That might put you to sleep."

"I don't wanna read 'em," Duo said, smacking another book away. "They're boring and the words are funny. Why should I read 'em anyway?"

"Royal slaves are supposed to be well read. Once in a rare while someone might try to talk to you. If you're not educated, you'll embarrass Heero."

"He said I shouldn't talk to anyone but friends."

Quatre shook his head. "'When in the company of strangers, it is best to--'"

"'--it is best to create a company of friends'," Duo said, smirking. "Dedris, Parables of Fate."

Narrowing his eyes, Quatre tried another. "'Never expect to win a battle when'--"

"'--when you cannot trust those closest to you'. Excertus' Philosophy of Conflict."

"'When in encircled ground, devise stratagems. When--'"

"'When in death ground, fight.' Sun Tzu, Art of War."

Beaming, Quatre picked up the nearest book. "You little sneak. You already read all of them, didn't you?"

"Before we left." Duo tapped his head. "Good memory. Which is why I know that they're all boring and funny and I don't wanna read 'em."

"Not even the Art of War?" Quatre tsk'ed and flipped through the pages. "Wufei might turn you into a kitty for that."

"Not really the book's fault," Duo said. "It's just whoever wrote it has really bad handwriting. I could barely make out the letters."

He nodded. "Yeah, this must've been a rush job. Still, just having it..." He set it aside and looked out the wagon again.

Duo crawled close and sat across from him, staring over the small army surrounding him. "I wish Heero'd let us ride with them. It's boring in here."

"Bed slaves don't ride on long journeys," Quatre said.

"Why not? We can save the whole kingdom but we can't ride a horse? You rode a horse when you came to Lagrange."

"On the last day of travel, and nearly got blown away for it. We'll both probably ride into Corazon, too. Long periods of riding would leave us less than soft, though."

"But there's a bunch of other slaves riding or walking."

"Those aren't bed slaves, Duo."

"So?"

Quatre smiled at him. "Calluses."

Duo looked up, his brow furrowed. Then his eyes widened. "Oh. But Wu'..."

"Isn't a bed slave anymore. He's part of the court now." He leaned back against the side. "And as the court sorcerer, he's become rather powerful. He doesn't answer to anyone but Heero."

"What about Treize?" Duo sat up and scooted against the wagon's other side. "I know he still obeys Treize, at least at night."

"Especially at night," Quatre said. He shook his head and looked down. "Everyone knows Wufei still treats Treize like his master."

"Maybe it gets to be habit. Maybe when Heero frees me, I'll still obey his every command."

"Complaining all the way."

"Hey, no teasing." Duo grinned and flipped his braid over his shoulder. "Sometimes it's fun obeying him."

"But he's talked about freeing you?" Quatre smiled. "That's good."

"Yeah...he said after this trip, when everything's stable, he'll make me the palace thief."

"Palace thief? I've never heard of that."

Duo's grin widened. "It means I get to run through Treize's guards every week and tell him where's he's screwing up."

Quatre nearly dropped his water as he laughed. "Oh no...you'll worry him to an early grave. Wufei's gonna turn you into a cat for sure."

"But that might tire the poor little sorcerer out," Duo said. "And then Treize would be very happy with me." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Still...it'd be nice to go back into the market and actually buy something for once. What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"When will Trowa free you?"

"Mm." Quatre's eyes half shut. "That can't happen."

"But..."

"It has to do with laws--"

"He's the king, he makes the laws."

"--and practicalities," Quatre said. "If one of Trowa's enemies ever finds out who I am, civil war could break out again, and Trowa'd be forced to kill me."

"He wouldn't--"

"Duo, please. Don't be naive. I would've been dead a long time ago if Wahea had just a little more courage, or if Trowa hadn't fallen in love with me." He ran one hand over his tinkling bracelets. "As a brother, as a prince, even as a commoner, I would be dead. I can only exist as his slave."

"Quatre..."

"Shaay. When we get into Corazon, only call me Shaay." He smiled as Duo frowned. "Don't be upset. I love Trowa."

Duo said nothing, only stared at the floor and his embroidered shoes. The wagon creaked and jostled them once in awhile.

"What's it like?" Quatre asked.

Duo blinked a few times, surprised by the question. "What?"

"Living in the city. What's it like?"

"Oh. It's okay, I guess." He scratched behind one ear. "When you're not starving or running from guards. Well, actually running from the guards was fun sometimes."

"What's the market like?" Quatre crossed his legs and leaned forward. "I can hear shouting in the streets all the way in my room."

"Those're the merchants. They yell what they're selling, and since they're trying to out shout everyone else..."

"Wow. What do they sell?"

"Fruits and vegetables, pots, knives. They hang rabbits and chickens up in stalls, and they kill goats and pigs on the street."

Quatre's eyes widened. "But all that blood, where does it go?"

"They use sand to soak it up. Sometimes they catch it and sell it cheap."

"Sell blood?" He grimaced. "Filthy."

"It is not," Duo said, his smile gone. "It tastes good cooked. And it's cheap. Blood goes farther than a few stolen fruits."

"Sorry." Quatre lowered his eyes. "It's just...I've only seen it on Trowa's plate sometimes, and it's gray and...I'm sorry."

Duo sighed and shook his head. "No, it's okay. Sometimes I forget you've been behind that veil longer than me. How do you stand it?"

"I got used to it," he said. "I feel naked without it. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"You mean when Trowa takes it off." Duo grinned. "And how it hides how much you blush."

"How'd you--?"

"Quat--Shaay, you blush at every other word."

Without saying anything, Quatre smiled and looked out at the soldiers again.

*

Hot winds blew Wufei's hair around his face until he managed to grasp it and tie it back. He glared at Treize, who didn't hide his smirk. "Don't do that."

Treize chuckled. "But I like seeing you with your hair down." He reached out again and trailed his fingers along his former slave's cheek.

After a moment, Wufei shied away. "You're giving your soldiers a show."

"And you're not?" Treize glanced at Wufei's ride, a silver staff turned on its side and floating beside his horse. "Are you sure the silver isn't tupping you?"

"I'm fine," Wufei said. "It's just enough to amplify my strength a little. It only makes small spells effortless."

"You look like a witch."

"Witches don't wear white." He shrugged the swaths of white cloth covering most of his body, balancing sidesaddle on his staff as he replaced his white headdress.

Treize leaned over again and slid the thick white veil up, setting it perfectly along Wufei's nose. "True. And you look very good in white."

Hoof beats on sand came up behind him and pulled even. "Can't you keep your hands off the boy for a minute?" Zechs asked, speaking through his own veiled headdress. "Bad enough I have to hear you at night, but do you have to put on a show during the day?"

"The anticipation makes him worse," Wufei said before Treize could open his mouth. "The sun goes down, his hands come up."

"Is it so awful that I love my sorcerer?" Treize asked.

"Of course not," Zechs said. "It's awful that you grope him all day long."

"He doesn't complain all that much."

Flipping his blonde hair over his shoulder, Zechs snorted once. "That's because you usually have him gagged."

"Zechs!" The visible edges of Wufei's cheeks turned pink.

"Of course I gag him," Treize said. "He might turn me into something right in middle of it."

"Treize!"

"Let me guess, a scarf with a knot in it?" Zechs crossed his hands at the wrist. "And hands like this tied to the corner tent peg?"

"Zechs!"

"Why do you think the tent shakes so much?"

"Treize!" Wufei pulled his veil a little higher and stared directly ahead at the endless sand. "I should drop a scorpion on your lap and see how you shake then."

"You wouldn't hurt me, would you?" Treize tugged on Wufei's shirt, forcing him an inch closer. "You have no idea how much I'm holding back right now."

"Oh?" He glanced sideways at him.

"Mm-hmm." He leaned next to Wufei's ear and whispered "I'd like to throw you over my saddle, tie your hands behind your back, and carry you like that all the way to Corazon. Bare bottom." He patted Wufei's rear, making him yelp and float out of arm's reach.

"You're so perverted," Wufei hissed.

Even though he couldn't hear them, Zechs could guess and smothered his chuckles. "Sorcerer," he said, "where's your dragon? Shouldn't she be here helping you against this common highwayman?"

"She's riding ahead with Heero and Trowa." He glanced at Zechs. "And shouldn't you be with Noin? Why have you left her alone?"

"Ah." He ran his hand through his loose hair once. "She, um, wanted to..." his voice trailed off.

"What?" Treize asked. He'd heard the first time, but everyone else hadn't. "What did she want to do?"

Zechs coughed a few times. "Braid."

Wufei tilted his head. "What are you saying?"

"She wanted to braid my hair, okay?" Zechs snapped.

A snicker sounded behind them, then another and another until the first row of soldiers couldn't stop laughing. The first one to catch his breath turned and repeated what he'd heard until they could all hear the laughter slowly moving through the ranks.

The blonde glared at Treize. "Bastard. I hope he turns you into something cute and fuzzy."

"Hm," Wufei looked at his former master. "I haven't seen a baby panda in a long time..."

Treize sat straight, his eyebrows knitting close. "What's a panda?"

*

"Have I mentioned that I hate sand?"

Perched behind Heero's saddle, Nataku squawked and turned her head.

Heero grunted. "Five times this hour."

Shifting in his saddle, Trowa readjusted his veiled headdress and squinted out over the sands. "And I despise these face coverings. How do the slaves manage?"

"I'm sure they get used to it."

"And it's lonely out here near the front," Trowa said. "God, I wish I could sit in Qua--Shaay's wagon and talk with him. Or just ride with Treize and Wufei."

"And listen to Treize describe what he wants to do to Wufei?" Heero shook his head. "Unless you're running out of things to do to your own slave..."

"Ugh. Never mind."

A minute passed as the horses kept a steady rhythm across the sand. Nataku snorted and went back to sleep. Heero wondered what Duo was doing and if Zechs and Noin were having any trouble in the rear--

"Maybe I should ride with Treize," Trowa said. "At least that'd be interesting. Did you know he once described--?"

"For the love of God, Trowa!" Heero leaned against his horse's neck, groaning as he placed his hands over his ears. "For your whole life I try to get a real conversation out of you, but just stick you on a horse and you can't shut up."

"Heero?"

"Forget about the veil. How does Quatre handle listening to you?"

Beneath his scarf, Trowa frowned and nearly stuck his tongue out. "And it seems to take hours of speaking to get a real emotion out of you. How does Duo handle making love to a doll?"

"I haven't had any complaints."

"Oh, so you gag him."

A low growl filled the air, and Trowa guessed it came from under his brother's headdress.

"If you weren't my brother," Heero said, "you'd be in that sand you hate so much, and I'd be explaining to your slave why you weren't getting up."

"And you'd be upside down in the sand, brother."

"I'd like to see you try, brother."

Riding a few yards behind them, Rashid glanced back at Abdul and Ahmed, who both nodded. With a broad grin plastered on his face, he caught up to the two monarchs and tilted his head. "My lords, the sun is rather low now. We have at most an hour or two of light left. Perhaps we should make camp for the night?"

"Agreed," both said at once, turning their horses away and riding back through the main caravan.

Once the kings were out of earshot, Ahmed leaned close to Abdul. "Such a comforting thought. The two leaders are closer to killing each other than the Winner sisters ever were."

*

Glowing circles spread over the sands as soldiers huddled around each other, striking up small fires that spread a little light into the darkness. Their swords still hung at their sides, ready to be drawn at any sign of monsters or evil spirits.

At the center of the camp, Heero and Trowa sat on opposite sides of the fire, their slaves beside them, and Zechs sat with his wife behind him, braiding his hair as he grumbled under his breath. All of them wore the same coverings that kept them cool in the sun, only now it kept them warm as the temperature dropped.

After a few quiet minutes, they heard a groan from inside the tent Treize and Wufei shared--

"Oh no, not again--"

--and then Wufei carefully eased out of the tent while cradling a black and white bear in his arms. He sat down on the free side of the fire, plopping his bear in his lap.

"What is that?" Zechs asked.

"A panda bear," Wufei said, smiling as he tickled the bear's tummy. "Isn't he cute?"

"I've never seen one before," Heero said.

"My country is full of them. I passed thousands of them walking to this side of the world." He twisted his hand in the air, forming a green stick and giving it to the panda.

"What's that?" Duo asked.

"Bamboo." He helped the little panda strip it, then scratched behind its ears as he ate. "It's the only plant they'll eat. There are forests of it full of pandas."

Noin leaned forward and rubbed the bear's head. "Are they all so cuddly?"

"They're usually not so friendly as this one." He tickled the bear again, making him squirm a little. "He's a special case."

A screech from the air made them all look up as Nataku swooped down and landed on Wufei's shoulder, wrapping her tail around his nail. She chirped a few times, dodging the panda as it swiped once at her.

"What?" Wufei plopped the panda in Zechs' lap and stood, scanning the sky. "How far?"

All around him, everyone but Zechs stood up and glanced up. "What's wrong?" Heero asked.

"Dorothy's coming on her carpet," Wufei said. "She was only a mile away when Nataku saw her."

"Dorothy?" Noin put her hand up to block the glare from the fire. "I thought she was with Relena in Sank."

Zechs gave the panda to Quatre, who grinned and rubbed its stomach. "Something bad must've happened. She'd never leave her queen."

A few seconds later they saw the blue carpet descending close to the fire. The soldiers spotted it and drew their swords, but a barked command from Zechs made them stand down. As it came closer, Dorothy came into view, her hair tangled and her clothes streaked with blood. Once the carpet settled, blowing up a little dust, she stumbled forward into Noin's arms.

"Dorothy?" she asked, smoothing her matted hair back. "What's happened?"

"Relena," she mumbled. "Miss Relena...Barton...she's been..." She sagged against Noin's body, closing her eyes.

"Wow," Duo whispered, stunned at how tired the royal bodyguard was. "She must've been flying nonstop."

Noin bent and picked Dorothy up, but the blonde shook her head and forced her eyes to stay open. When she tried to speak again, though, her voice dwindled into a coughing fit.

Heero came closer and stared at her. "Did Barton take Relena?"

Still coughing, Dorothy nodded.

"Is she still alive?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "I think." Her voice rasped painfully. "It was a surprise attack. They broke into the inner chambers with dolls--"

"Dolls? How many?" Heero asked.

"Don't know. Couldn't fight in such tight quarters...we got separated...one of them grabbed Miss Relena." She put her hands over her mouth only to fleck them with blood. "I tried to follow, but it was too fast. I couldn't keep up. I couldn't keep up."

"It flew to Corazon?" Trowa asked. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "When I lost it, I saw your trail and followed it."

"For how long?' Zechs asked.

"Three days." She sighed and let her shoulders relax, slumping in Noin's grip.

"Get some rest," Noin said. "You're no good to her half dead."

Wufei held his arms out. "Let me take her."

She handed Dorothy to him, shaking her head. "Poor thing. A shame we don't have Sally with us."

"Magick'll be faster," Wufei said. He took her to his tent and lay her down, then came back and retrieved his panda. Still perched around his neck, Nataku squawked as he bent down.

"What about Treize?" Quatre asked.

"What?"

"That's a two-man tent. How'll three of you fit in there?"

Wufei hugged the panda, drawing a happy growl from him. "I think all of us will fit fine."

Looking back and forth at Wufei and the panda, Duo's eyes widened and he gasped. "Oh...geez."

"Wufei," Heero said, "we'll need Treize for this discussion."

"A pity. Give me a moment and you'll have him." The sorcerer carried his panda into the tent and closed the flap.

Zechs knelt by Dorothy's carpet and rolled it up, setting it beside the tent entrance. "So now what?"

"I don't think Barton will kill Relena, not yet," Heero said as he sat back down. "She's more valuable alive right now."

"I agree," Trowa said, also sitting. He pulled Quatre snug against his body and stroked his hair. "He'll probably act like he's done nothing, since he won't expect us to know. If we can get back inside my palace, we'll have a decent stronghold against his forces."

"And how strong is he?" Noin asked. "Can we defeat him?"

"With Wufei, easily. Without him..." He nodded slowly. "I think we could, but it won't be easy. Hopefully Kurtz is still alive."

A flash of blue light filled Wufei's tent, followed by wisps of smoke curling out from the edges. A few seconds later, Treize stepped out already dressed in his white desert coverings and sat down beside Zechs.

"You bearly made it," he said with a straight face.

"Cute. What'd I miss?"

"Depends," Heero said. "How much were you aware of?"

"I'm always aware when he changes my shape," Treize said. "I just can't say anything. How do you want to ride in?"

"Good question," Trowa said. "My court is far more strict than yours, Heero. Customs must be followed."

"Why haven't you changed that?" Heero asked. "It's such a hindrance."

Trowa shook his head. "No, it's given an exhausted country something to build on. It keeps all of my court too occupied with social niceties and fashion to start petty squabbles. If I start to break that, I might have the political backstabbing your court is riddled with."

"So instead you let your hands be tied?" Heero exhaled and waved one hand. "Never mind. All right, we'll go in according to Corazon custom, but I want Duo bound with Quatre when we dismount."

"Agreed. They'll keep each other out of trouble." He glanced down at his slave, the large blue eyes gazing back over the permanent veil. "You'll have to be more careful than usual. Both of you will be in the court most of the time."

"We will be."

"We can make Wufei their guardian," Heero said. "That way you, me and Treize are always in one spot, and they'll be together in another."

Zechs sat straight as he thought of something. "We should disguise Dorothy as one of our soldiers. If Barton sees her, he'll know she survived the attack."

"Good idea," Trowa said. "When we get inside the palace walls, spread your forces along the perimeter. Wufei can set up some kind of defensive spell. Once we're in place, we can decide whether to wait for his attack or launch our own offensive."

"And how to rescue Relena," Heero said. "We can't let her dream of total peace die." He stood and helped Duo to his feet. "It's late. We should get some sleep since we'll ride out at dawn."

"Then I'll see you at daybreak," Trowa said.

"And try not to be so talkative, brother," Heero said, leading his slave into their tent before Trowa could reply.

"Trowa?" Quatre whispered. "Did you two run out of things to talk about?"

The corners of his mouth quirked up for just a second. "You know me too well, Shaay. Let's get to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day."

*

The sound of soldiers breaking camp woke Duo, who whined and turned on his stomach to escape the dawn's glare. A tug on his braid only made him burrow deeper into his blankets.

"Duo, get up. Time to move out."

"Mmm...no breakfast?"

"We'll be in Corazon before the hour. Get up. You have to get dressed."

"Can't I just go as is?" he asked. "Look at the lilies of the field, they don't care about clothes."

The cool air told him his blanket had disappeared just before Heero's hand slapped his rear. He yiped and scrambled up, catching his clothes in his face when Heero tossed them.

"Do you need help dressing?"

"Nah, these coverings are...easy..." He held up the violet shirt and pants, then spotted his embroidered slippers a few inches away next to a pile of jewelry. "Heero?"

Already dressed in white, Heero pulled his face cover down as he looked at him. "We're only a few miles out of Corazon. When we arrive, you'll have to look like a real slave. So will Quatre."

"Oh." Duo slipped on his pants and shirt, followed by an anklet made of silver bells, a bangle for his upper arm and a pair of earrings. Once he put on his slippers, though, he found a long loop of silver with a silver chain attached to two smaller loops. He held it up for Heero to see. "What's this?"

Absorbed in one of his many packs, Heero glanced at Duo but didn't say anything. He closed his pack and turned back to his slave, taking the chain from his hands. He looked at it for a moment, then opened the largest loop and put it around Duo's neck. It snapped behind his head with a solid click.

Drawing the chain down his front, Heero gently took Duo's hand and held it up a few inches. The first small loop clicked around his wrist, followed by the second one. While he sat back, he watched Duo's eyes narrow as he tested the length of his chain, then widen as he realized how trapped he was.

"Heero..." He started to shake his head slowly. "No..."

"It's only for here," Heero said. "Slaves must be bound everywhere except in their master's private quarters, and even then their master decides whether to free them or not. You'll have to stay in chains at the court."

"But what if someone tries to hurt you, or me, or--"

Heero forced his sigh down and put his hands on Duo's face, holding him still. "You don't need your hands to kill. That's why you're staying with Quatre and Wufei. They'll need your protection."

"Protection?" His chains rattled as covered Heero's hands with his own. "Quatre knows more about this place than me, and Wufei's a sorcerer. They don't need me."

"Quatre's a weakened slave who'll be wearing the same chains, and Wufei, for all his power, still manages to lose fights." He pressed a kiss to Duo's lips before letting him go. "No matter how much you don't believe it, you're a fine warrior and an excellent thief. I have no doubt that you could pick those locks if you had to."

Duo couldn't help his smile. "Well, maybe..."

"Good. Just one last thing." Heero reached into his pocket and took out Duo's veil, setting it over his nose and cheeks before tying it down. "Don't take this off ever. Here you have to keep your face covered and your eyes down. And you mustn't call me Heero."

"Yes, master." He smiled under his veil, watching his master's lips part slightly as his breath quickened. What a sight I must be, he thought, a harem slave in chains. He leaned close enough to whisper in Heero's ear. "We have to get moving, remember? You can unwrap me later."

"Tease." Heero fingered the slender chain for a moment, then grasped it and pulled Duo forward. Surprised, his slave tried catch himself but found that with his hands locked together, he only managed to grasp Heero's clothes.

"I will unwrap you tonight, but I may just leave the chains," he whispered, helping Duo up as he stood. "You'll be riding with Quatre, so you'd better go find your horse."

A chill ran down Duo's spine, and he bit his lip under his veil. For a moment he watched Heero rummage around in his pack again, working up the courage to ask.

"Um, Heero?"

"Yes, Duo?"

"How do you ride a horse?"

Heero dropped his pack. "Oh hell...I forgot."

"You forgot how to ride a horse?" Duo asked with wide eyes.

"No, I assumed you did. After the fight..." He shook his head and looked at him. "You're just going to have to learn while you go."

Duo's eyes grew even wider. "But they're so much bigger'n me."

Chuckling, Heero smirked at his slave. "Quatre's smaller than they are, and he can ride them."

"Quatre's smaller than everyone."

"I don't know about that. I think he's going to outgrow Wufei." He nudged Duo's hip, pushing him toward the tent flap. "Go on. You'll have to ride behind us, so you'd better hurry."

Duo stepped out of his tent and immediately saw Quatre similarly bound with his heavy veil in place, standing beside two white horses as Wufei finished saddling the second horse. The sorcerer spotted him and waved him over before setting a leather harness over the horse's head.

"I was wondering when you'd come out. Ready?" He turned and found Duo behind Quatre, his chained hands clasped as if in prayer. Wufei sighed and crossed his arms. "It's nothing to be scared of. I got the sweetest tempered nags in the whole army. They won't buck you off."

"They can throw us off?" Duo gasped. He ducked so that his eyes peered over Quatre's shoulder.

"They won't hurt us," Quatre said, twisting backwards as Duo pulled on him. "You've seen soldiers riding them for a couple weeks now, what's the problem?"

"Maybe he'll believe when he sees you up there." Wufei picked up his staff and held it parallel to the ground, then sat down and held out his hands. "Come on, before Duo spooks the horses."

Quatre nodded and sat down on the staff. Together the two rose into the air above the horse, who stomped one foot nervously and shook her head. Wufei kept his hands on Quatre's shoulders, holding him steady, as he set him directly over the saddle and eased him into it, finally pulling away and jumping on the ground again.

Duo watched as Quatre adjusted himself and set his feet in the stirrups, his chains jangling as he pat the horse's neck. A moment later something hard bumped the back of his legs and he fell backwards onto Wufei's staff, the sorcerer holding him upright as they flew. Duo screwed his eyes shut and pressed against Wufei's shoulder. After a few seconds, he felt the saddle push his legs apart until he was dropped the last few inches. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Wufei beside the horse, pushing his feet into the stirrups.

"Comfortable?" the sorcerer asked.

"She's so big," Duo said before he crinkled his nose. "She kinda smells, too."

"I'm sure she thinks the same thing about you," Wufei said. "At least she hasn't been cooped up in a stable. Then it'd be worse."

"Is Treize all right now?" Quatre asked. "I haven't seen him since last night."

"He's fine," Wufei said through his smirk. "He's getting dressed now. He was going to tell Dorothy that--"

"No!" Treize's tent suddenly rocked to one side, then settled back down as Dorothy stormed out wearing an officer's dark pants and boots, her sword, gloves and...nothing else. "I will not wear this shit!"

Treize came out after her, seizing her wrist and pulling her back. His other hand held a dirty leather jerkin. "Just deal with it. It's only until we find you a better suit."

"It's hideous," she growled, ignoring the stares her breasts attracted. "The leather's half-rotted, I swear to God there's a nest of fleas in it and it stinks of its last owner! How the hell do you get swamp rot out in the desert?"

"Probably from the camp of whores following our army," Treize said through grit teeth, pushing the jerkin into her arms. "Would you rather ride 'bareback,' you little fool?"

"Bareback?" Her brow furrowed, she followed his gaze to her bare chest, then gasped and looked around, finally seeing the men rooted to the spot as they stared. "Eek!" She wrapped her arms around herself and ran back inside the tent as loud laughter filled the campsite. A moment later the jerkin flew out of the tent and landed in the sand, making them laugh louder.

"Whoa," Wufei whispered to the horses, patting them as they stamped nervously. "It's all right. Calm down. It's all right." He shot a look at Treize and picked up the jerkin. "You wanted to give her this flea bitten thing?"

"It wouldn't be flea bitten if you hadn't pulled that little stunt last night," Treize hissed. "Good God, and in front of everyone, too. Can't you show some restraint?"

"You're the one who's obsessed with restraints," Wufei said. "You should know better than to bait me during the day."

"You're lucky we're moving so early," Treize said, grabbing Wufei's arm and jerking him against his body. "Or else I would carry you over my saddle."

"You're lucky Heero needs you," Wufei said, wriggling in his lover's grip but unable to move. "Or else I'd turn you into a horse and ride you into Corazon."

Treize smirked. "We must try that sometime." He let Wufei go and brushed his fingers over his dark cheek. "Maybe on the way back."

On their horses, Duo and Quatre exchanged a look, their shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"What's going on out here?" Trowa asked, stepping out of his tent just before his soldiers began to take it down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," they both chorused.

Muttering curses in his native language, Wufei shook the jerkin out, scattering fleas on the sand in great clumps. He flung it up in the air and turned away as a red light sparkled from around the leather's edges, then caught it before it landed again. "There, it's clean now."

"My thanks, beautiful." Treize smiled and tossed the jerkin into the tent.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Oh, sorry," he said, but he didn't look it.

A moment later Dorothy came out fully dressed. She spotted her horse and gear and proceeded to prepare it, throwing a blanket on its back before saddling it. "Hold still," she grumbled as she pushed the bit past its teeth.

Seeing his slave still snickering on his horse, Trowa glanced at Wufei and Treize and back at Wufei again. "Maybe you should come up with a spell to get rid of blushes," he said softly, then mounted his horse.

Wufei groaned and plopped down on his staff, floating in front of the slaves' horses and taking the reins. Nataku crawled out of Treize's tent just before the soldiers took it down. She yawned enough to show everyone her teeth, spit a little fire on the sand, and then jumped onto Wufei's shoulders, curling her tail around his throat.

Already on his horse, Heero turned in his saddle and looked over the army as it came together in straight lines of troops. Zechs and Noin dropped to the rear guard while Dorothy took the middle, riding alongside the soldier's path. Wufei tugged the slaves' horses in line behind Heero and Trowa, and Treize came after them. Ahead of the army, over several dunes, lay Corazon, a gleaming spot of white in the fields of sand, its image wavering as if under water.

"All right," Heero said. "Let's go."

*****

Authors Notes:

1. This is definitely not going to be a 20 page story. I've barely gotten them to the city and I'm already at page 9. Hopefully not more than a hundred pages.

2. Okay, it took a little longer than I'd thought. My summer semester bit into it. Plus, I had a hard time getting thru this first part. Once I hit the palace, I should get going faster. But enough excuses, I promise to write faster. (not that that's saying much.)

*bows low* Please forgive me. :) KC