betaed by Skippyscatt.

~ * ~

Duo woke knowing that what he was about to do could be the end of Heero’s trust in him. He had to do this, no matter what the consequences. He was tired of being afraid.

Heero woke when Duo shook him gently. Duo didn’t know that he was the only person to do that without getting slugged.

"Mmmmm? What is it?"

Duo poked Heero firmly in the ribs making him grunt. When he pulled the covers off Heero he grumbled, "Bad slave. Let master sleep. Sleepy still. Go."

Duo snickered softly and balled the covers up. Dropping them on the floor he settled himself cross-legged on the bed. He wrote quickly so he wouldn’t lose his nerve. When he tapped the slate with his chalk Heero took it and read.

‘Need tell you a thing. I not tell you this. You not like. I sorry I hid. Please do not be angry.’

Heero shook his head. "If you’ve hidden something important, I want to know why."

Duo hung his head. Taking the slate back he wiped it clean and wrote again.

‘Not know how tell you . . . explain(?) This thing. Very strange. Please say you not mad.’

"All right. I’m not going to be angry with you. It’s too early in the morning. The sun’s not up yet. As long as you haven’t hidden something that’s a threat to the kingdom, I’ll be disappointed, but not mad. So, tell!"

Duo decided to show Heero instead. He tugged at Heero’s hand until he got up and followed him to the open window in the oriel. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. Duo settled Heero against the window frame then snuggled into his arms. As the sun rose more Duo began to sing. Heero twitched and started to say something, then recognizing the song he settled to wait until Duo was done.

"All right, you can talk. Dammit, why didn’t you tell me? What’s the big secret?"

Duo opened his mouth and tried to talk, the resultant choking fit made Heero swear vilely. After getting Duo a cup of water Heero handed him his slate and demanded an explanation.

"Tell me every single thing you know. I don’t like this one bit. Something is going on. That was an Anchorite prayer song. Do you know what the words mean?"

Duo shook his head. He sipped his water while he tried to think how to reduce all he wanted to say to the few words that would fit on his slate.

Heero realized what the problem was and told Duo that he was going to go to the kitchen and get them some breakfast. He was also going to tell the Master at Arms to take over the days training so he could be with Duo.

Suddenly they heard a noise. It was so soft that at first neither of them was sure that they’d even heard anything. Then Duo pointed to a panel next to the fire place. It was sliding open on well greased tracks. Heero slid out of bed ignoring his nakedness and stood against the wall pressing himself as close as he could so that he wouldn’t be seen. Duo sat in the middle of the bed with a dozy expression on his face, doing his best to look like he’d just woken up.

The arm that reached in through the small door was that of a woman. It was holding a tray with fruit, tea and fresh bread. Heero grabbed it by the wrist and held on. The scream was shrill, but more surprised than scared. The voice that followed was indignant.

"Master Heero. That’s not very nice. You nearly scared the wits out of me. Let me go now."

Heero didn’t let go, instead he crouched down to peer through the door. The unseen girl gave an indignant squawk as she was given a close up view of Heero’s ‘equipment’. Duo started to snicker, then laugh, stopping quickly as another choking fit threatened.

Heero demanded to know who she was and how she’d gotten where she was. He also wanted to know if there was a bigger door. She grumbled about crazy nobility but crawled through the small door and showed Heero the larger opening telling him that it could only be opened from that side. She also told him she was his ‘former’ chamber maid. While they were talking, she kept her eyes fixed firmly on his breast bone.

Heero opened the door and peered into the opening. All he saw was a narrow hallway that ended at the door he stood in. He started to follow it but realized that he would scandalize the kitchen staff.

"This just goes to the kitchen?" the girl nodded. "And no where else?" she nodded again. "Don’t use it again. I’m going to have it sealed at both ends. I don’t like the idea of anyone having unregulated access to my quarters. Go." The girl scampered into the dim corridor and disappeared around a corner.

Heero spent some time grumbling and dressing. Duo had dressed while Heero was harassing the girl and laid out some clothing for Heero. He was settled at the desk and busily writing. Heero picked up the tray and portioned out the contents. A bowl of fruit, a slice of bread and a cup of tea for each of them.

Duo smiled at him absently and took the bread in his left hand, he continued to write with his right.

Heero opened the door to the main corridor and told the footman there to seal the service door from the kitchen to his quarters. The footman decided that all nobility were crazy and did as he was told.

Duo rose from the desk and turned to call Heero to read his message. As he turned a draft from the open door blew his pages off the desk. They drifted to the floor near the hearth, right in front of the small service hatch.

Duo blinked. If the door was open there was a draft across the room. He snapped his fingers to attract Heero’s attention. When Heero turned an inquiring look his way, Duo pointed to the papers on the floor.

Heero walked over and picked them up. He opened the door and examined the hall again. "I’m definitely having that door sealed. I don’t like the thought that anyone who knew about that door could have come in."

Duo nodded, took his papers from Heero and wandered back to their bed. He settled against the head board and motioned for Heero to come sit too.

Heero crawled into the bed and handed Duo his now cool tea. While Duo sipped it, Heero read the pages.

‘I can sing, but not talk. I don’t remember anything yet. Except the songs. I don’t remember what the words are. I sorry I don’t tell you sooner. I not tell because I don’t have answers. Only questions. I use place of books library? I can search for answer. Please? I go look now, but not don’t? have time like I need. Woofay search. He have books. We see him soon, yes.’

Heero puzzled over some of the words and finally sighed. He rubbed his forehead and decided that he’d leave this up to Wufei.

"I’m glad you can sing. You have a beautiful voice. Sing whenever you want. I’m sorry you didn’t tell me sooner too. But I understand. I know I can be impatient and I get angry too easily. I’m not making any excuses, but I’m under a lot of pressure just now and it gets to me from time to time." Duo gave a rather rude snort. "I’m trying. Really I am. So . . . if you want to use the library, that is the right word, go ahead. If Wufei has the books you need to see, just go there. Leave me a note. If you can’t get the rooms cleaned, I’ll go back to having a chamber maid do it. Anything else?"

Duo shook his head, giving Heero a genuine smile in gratitude. He turned a piece of paper over and wrote.

‘I mind not cleaning the rooms. I do, just not every day now. You promise.’ Duo started to scratch the words out but Heero put a hand over his.

"What did I promise? If I promised something and I’ve forgotten it, I apologize. My word is very important to me. So tell."

‘You say, give dagger, teach how to use. I like not the easy get in of not know people. Need know use dagger. Please teach. NOW!!!’

Duo underlined the word now so hard he scraped the sturdy paper. Heero shrugged, "when do you mean by now. Right now? Or just sometime today."

Duo pointed his finger at Heero and then the floor. Heero stood up and fetched Duo’s dagger, the belt and two dull wooden practice daggers.

"We’ll work with wooden daggers until I’m convinced you have learned what you should know. Then we’ll fight to first blood. But if you do more than just scratch me, I’ll cane you good."

Duo nodded solemnly, he understood. Heero wasn’t going to cut him any slack in training, he would train Duo just like he’d train any recruit. Hand to hand was dangerous and if he claimed a skill he didn’t have, he deserved punishment. Duo smiled at Heero.

Heero smiled back. "I trust you to let me know if you’re having trouble with something. I hope you trust me enough to ask me for help. Yes?"

Duo nodded, he was really trying to trust Heero. There’d been a few hitches along the way but he was beginning to think that Heero was trustworthy. As long as his temper didn’t get the best of him.

Heero glanced around and approved of the amount of room they had. There was enough room for rudimentary training. All he was going to do now was show Duo the basic moves and watch him practice them for a while. Then he had to go do the accounts for the home farm which would take all day. He made a mental note to have Wufei check Duo out again.

"Keep practicing those moves. You’ve learned them so quickly I have a feeling you’re only relearning something you were taught . . . whenever . . . dammit. This is so awkward."

Duo sighed and went to hug Heero, who hugged him back. Heero gave him a pat and left to go to the muniment room and work.

Duo went back to his secret place and started working out again. He was remembering things faster and faster, he just couldn’t remember where he’d learned them. It bothered him sometimes, but he repressed the feeling.

As he worked, he began to include more and more advanced techniques in his workout. These included forward and back flips, stamping turns and hard shoulder rolls. He worked out for over two hours, then washed up quickly.

Cook would give him the rough side of her tongue if he was late to fetch Heero’s lunch. One of his self assigned tasks was to make sure that Heero ate when he was working. He had the bad habit of accepting the tray, but not eating the food until it was unappetizingly cold. Then he’d pick at it and shove it aside. Cook hated it when he wasted her good food like that, so Duo would take in the tray and practically force feed Heero the first few bites. After that he’d finish on his own.

~ * ~

Duo tapped on the door, more as a politeness than that Heero would actually hear the knock. He pushed the door open and entered. Heero grunted at him and went back to adding columns of figures.

Duo dumped the tray on top of Heero’s papers, making sure that he didn’t mess anything up. Heero looked up again and smiled.

"I see. I have to stop working and eat? Will you eat with me?"

Duo nodded and handed Heero his plate. They were having cheese, fresh bread, cut fruit and a spread made of butter and herbs. Heero preferred beer to wine and Duo didn’t drink unless the water was unsafe.

Heero blinked at Duo’s arrested expression and mumbled ‘what?’ around a mouth full of fruit.

Duo picked up a bit of scrap parchment and wrote. ‘I know I don’t drink, unless the water is bad.’

Heero examined the writing for a moment then tucked it into a drawer. "Wh . . . never mind. That’s a good thing to know." Heero stuffed a hunk of bread and cheese into his mouth and chewed vigorously. After swallowing he went on. "Wufei is expecting you right after lunch, then you can go to the library and continue your researches. I told the librarian to let you use any book you want . . . how do you know whether you can read them or not?"

Duo pointed to his eye then a book. He shrugged and nibbled at a piece of cheese.

Heero thought for a moment. "You see it and can read it? How many . . . never mind again. Dammit. Go see Wufei. Oh, and stay out of the old wing. It’s worse than I thought. Most of the floors are rotten. They’ll stand up to casual traffic fine but any heavy use and they’ll collapse. If you go in there, I’ll punish you just like I would anyone else. Do you understand me?"

Duo nodded and solemnly touched his finger to his heart. It was a childish gesture that signified a vow. Heero couldn’t help but smile at Duo.

~ * ~

Wufei sighed, he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. He was lonely in a way he’d never imagined he would be. But that was neither here nor there for now.

Duo stuck out his tongue for Wufei to look at. He was tired of the constant poking and probing but he didn’t know what else to do. He wanted his voice back. If he could sing, why couldn’t he talk? It didn’t make any sort of sense.

After examining Duo’s tongue and the ball again Wufei grumbled. "Well, it’s no different than it has been the last twenty times I looked at it. It’s just a plain gold ball with a few scratches on it. Quit biting it. Will you sing for me please?"

Duo nodded, opened his mouth and began to sing. He sang a ballad that he’d heard Cook singing. Wufei just listened and looked. Duo’s voice was a little weak, his breath support shaky. He said so. Duo just nodded and produced his slate.

‘I work on it. I not sing, talk long time. Voice get better all time. I exercise it. I work out too. Get strong. Heero like.’

Wufei read and struggled not to smile. Duo was turning more and more toward Heero. Wufei felt jealous, in an ‘I want one of my own’ kind of way. Most of the people here respected him, but didn’t really like or understand him. It made him lonely.

"Yes, you’ll be getting better and better. If you work out, you’ll be strong again in no time. Most of your illness was due to starvation and ill treatment. I’m sorry, I know it’s painful to remember, but you can’t just try to bury the experience. It won’t do you any good. But enough of that for now. I think I should go over every spell I used . . . again." Wufei rubbed his face with both hands and stood up. He picked up a book to begin, Duo took the book from him, glanced at the cover then settled himself at the table to begin reading. Wufei picked up another book and joined him.

They read for over two hours, finding nothing helpful. Wufei told Duo that he was going to stop before he got so tired he missed something. Duo nodded and wrote ‘I tired too. I go work out with knife. Get good quick. Yes?’

Wufei agreed with Duo and, telling him not to over do, went to do his katas in the garden. Duo went to his secret room, taking a practice dagger with him.

~ * ~

Heero examined the accounts again and added one last set of figures. He knew that he’d been a bad landlord. But with a whole kingdom to deal with he felt he had some excuse. Not that that was much of one. He should have assigned an overseer sooner. Now he had a mess to clean up, a war to plan and a slave to cure. Of the chores, curing the slave was the only one he was going to enjoy.

"Your Majesty?" Heero raised his head to glare at the scribe. "I’m sorry to disturb you, but . . . the carpenters are here." Heero nodded and told the man to show them in. He was going to have the floors fixed in the old wing. There was no excuse for the shape they were in.

After half an hour of discussion, it was decided that the head carpenter would go into the wing and examine all the wood work. Then he would give Heero a report on what had to be done and how long it would take. Heero warned them that they were the only people allowed in the wing and that they should expect some guards to challenge them. He sent the scribe to tell the master-at-arms about their exception, then went back to his papers.

~ * ~

Duo decided that his back flips and shoulder remounts, also called kip-ups, needed work. His kip-ups were weak, but he knew that was because he was still a little weaker than he liked. The pull back was good, he could get his knees to his ears but the stand was bad. He usually staggered. He couldn’t afford that if he was in a fight. So he worked on them first.

He dropped to his back, drew his knees to his chest and then snapped them straight up. Then he doubled backward. As his heels hit the floor, he forced his body upright. Over and over again. The thuds of his heels echoed through the rooms. He counted his repetitions, at twenty he was getting better. He didn’t stagger anymore. At thirty, he could stand firmly the moment he was upright. He stopped there and got a drink of water. He stood on the balcony, letting the breeze through the vines cool his sweating torso.

It felt so good to be free of chains and ropes and whatever else his masters could think of to bind him with. Good to move where and how he wished. He decided that he’d better work on his back flips.

The constant impact of his workout finally took its toll on the rotten flooring. After the tenth flip Duo felt the floor start to give. He didn’t realize at first exactly what was happening but was wise enough to flee to the nearest safe place, the balcony. He heard cries from below and hoped that no one was hurt. Then the entire floor gave way and collapsed into the level below. Duo shuddered, if he hadn’t retreated to the balcony when he had he would be buried beneath a ton of slate and rotten wood.

The calls from below made him aware for the first time that his rooms were part of the old wing and off limits. He nearly wept. He’d promised Heero not to come here and had unknowingly broken that promise. He turned to the balcony and parted the vines. If he was going to be punished, he might as well go all the way. He started to climb down the vines. Then he realized that he wasn’t that good at heights.

Duo looked down the vine-covered wall and shuddered, it was at least 48 feet to the ground. He was actually looking down on a couple of the trees in the garden. There was no other way down, he had to climb on the vines. Another promise broken, he’d promised Heero that he wouldn’t climb this wall.

Feeling with his toes Duo started down the wall, but he didn’t get very far. He looked down and realized that he had only gotten about six feet. The wall was sturdy enough but the vines weren’t as strong as they looked. He barely made it into the window opening before the vine he was clinging to tore away. He pressed himself against the firmly barred shutters and whimpered. This was very bad. He couldn’t climb down the vines, he was too heavy. He couldn’t get in the window, it was barred. He couldn’t call for help. He didn’t know what to do.

Fortunately for him, an observant guard saw him just as the carpenters were reporting to Heero that the floor had caved in. He also ran for Heero.

~ * ~

Heero looked up from the book he was reading. He couldn’t help frowning. All he wanted was a few moments to read in peace.

"Now what?"

"Majesty. The floor. It collapsed. We were getting ready to examine the wood. We heard thumping from above and then the ceiling broke in two places, then fell in."

Heero stood up hurriedly. "Thumping? What sort of thumping?"

The carpenter rubbed a cheek for a moment thinking. "Well . . . sounded to me like someone was jumping up there. But who would do that?"

Heero had a bad feeling he knew who was doing it. He knew Duo had a habit of disappearing. But since he was always where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there, he’d let it slide. Now he wished he hadn’t.

"Sir. Sir. Your man. He’s . . . he’s . . ." The guard bent over at the waist to catch his breath. Heero waited impatiently for him to do so, he knew he wasn’t going to get any sense out of him if he couldn’t breath. "I’m sorry. He, Duo that is, is on the viney wall. He just . . . he was just there. I was sitting with my girl and she poked me. He was just there, Sire."

Heero took off at a flat out run. If Duo was on the vine wall, he was in trouble. In more ways than one.

When he saw where Duo was Heero snarled, he was going to have to waste precious time climbing the stairs to the battlements. Then he’d let himself down on a rope and rescue Duo.

He was surprised and pleased to notice that someone was already dropping a rope from the battlements above the window embrasure where Duo was perched like some gangly bird. Heero grasped the rope and tied it around himself. He twisted and knotted it in a special way that made a double loop. Stepping through the loops and pulling them up to his hips Heero sat in the resulting seat and allowed himself to be hoisted up to Duo.
Duo didn’t let his pride get in the way of common sense. He reached out to Heero the second he was level with Duo’s perch. Heero pulled Duo into his embrace and held him close. The rope handlers let them down when Heero called.

Duo clung to Heero with all his strength. He realized that he really didn’t like heights much. Hanging from a slender, trembling vine was a completely different thing from standing on a battlement and looking down. He wanted his feet on terra firma, he got what he wanted.

Heero dumped Duo on the ground with a grunt, he started to say something to him but snapped his mouth shut. Duo had dropped from Heero’s arms straight into a full prostration.

Pressing his face into the hot grass Duo put his hands next to Heero’s feet, a submissive posture that said he knew he’d done wrong. The intent was if Heero was truly angry, he could crush Duo’s hands beneath his feet.

Heero gently touched one foot to one of Duo’s hands grumbling. "Get up. I’m angry, but not that angry. Come on."

Duo crept to his knees, keeping his head down. He knew Heero had every right to be furious. He had been disobedient, even if he hadn’t meant to be. He wondered if Heero would give him time to explain.

Heero didn’t disappoint him. "I’d like an explanation. You’re not disobedient, so . . ." Heero glanced around at the gathered people. He knew he couldn’t let Duo get by without some punishment, he’d disobeyed one of the prime taboos of the keep. The old wing was too dangerous to have people idly exploring it. If Heero let this go, some fool would decide if Duo could get away with it so could they.

"I will convene a court in the main hall in ten minutes, anyone interested in the proceedings, be there."

Heero motioned for Duo to follow him. Duo trailed after with a sad look on his face. He didn’t want to be put on the road.

~ * ~

Heero led Duo into his office on the main floor, he settled at his desk and pointed to the ‘place of shame’ in front of it.

"Now, I know you still can’t talk but you can grunt. And write. So I’ll have an explanation of how you got into the old wing without going through a locked door or climbing the vine wall. And no leaving out anything. You understand?" Heero looked at the miserable shivering man and sighed. "Stop that. I’m not going to put you on the road, or beat you half to death. You will be punished according to your offence. Now, I need you to try to explain."

Duo settled down to work.

Ten minutes later he stood before Heero’s throne.

"As you all know, Duo is mute. He’s explained what happened to me by writing and some questioning by me. So now you will all . . . hear his testimony."

Duo sighed, this was hard. But he would endure, Heero expected it of him and he expected it of himself. He turned his attention to Heero.

"Duo, you know that no one is allowed in the old wing."

Duo nodded.

"So, did you climb the vine wall?"

Duo shook his head.

"Did you manage to enter through a locked door?"

Duo shook his head again.

"You knew both of those things were forbidden, yes?"

Duo nodded for a third time.

"But you were in the old wing. Now, why?"

There was some muttering from the gathered people. How was a mute to explain something like this?

Heero answered them. "In order to explain this, I’ll ask him a series of yes and no questions. Anyone have any objections?" Heero glanced over the group, it seemed no one objected.

"You were in a room in the old wing. Thumping on the floor. Why would you do such a thing?"

Duo waited patiently for Heero to get on with it.

"You needed privacy for something, right?"

Duo smiled a little.

"Now privacy for what? To work on your writing and exercises in peace. Yes? Without having constant interruptions by other servants wanting you to do their jobs. Yes?" At each yes Duo nodded.

"So . . . well, now. A secret room, accessed by a passage way from my rooms to there. Did you know you were in the old wing?"

Duo shook his head, hair flopping in his eyes. Heero decided on part of Duo’s punishment in that moment.

"In conclusion, I’ll tell the story we’ve discovered through questioning. Duo wanted a place he could work in peace. A private place to call his own. Not a bad thing, in and of itself. But the only place he could find was through a secret passage from my rooms, which are next to the old wing, to a set of chambers on the other side of the new wall. I assume that the thumping was Duo working on some of the combat techniques he learned from me." Duo glanced at Heero, he needed to tell him that he was remembering more movements. "And perhaps some he is remembering from the time before he lost his memory. The constant impacts on the rotten wood supports finally made the floor collapse. A thing I’ve been warning about for months. We’re all lucky that no one was injured."

Heero looked around at the people, they were all looking at him. When he concluded, "Now Duo must be punished" He was startled to see quite a few of them looking unhappy. He was even more startled to see a few hands raised for his attention.

"Well. I see that many of you feel that something needs to be said. So . . . you." Heero pointed to one of the guardsmen. "What do you have to say?"

"My lord. I . . . well . . . the boy didn’t do it on purpose. Not like he was defiant and did it. I’m not a man of words. I’m a man of action. I hope not to offend, but, my lord. Show mercy."

Heero nodded. "Anyone have anything different to say or anything to add?" He looked around to see most people shaking their heads. "In other words. Since Duo didn’t do this on purpose. He didn’t intentionally disobey, I should be merciful to him?" Vigorous nods answered this question.

"Very well. First, the punishment will be carried out in private. One observer only. Two, as I said plainly, ten blows but did not specify the instrument, I’ll choose something appropriate. Now, everybody back to their chores. Thank you. Out."

Duo blinked at Heero, he wasn’t going to punish him harshly even though he’d collapsed most of the floor in the rooms he’d been using. He breathed a sigh of relief. His punishment was going to be mild.

Heero called to the Master-at-Arms. "Stay. You’ll be the observer."

Heero went to the door and spoke to the footman there then went back to Duo.

"I know you’re afraid, but don’t be. I will never do you harm, I’ve told you that. You must be punished. I’ve made too big a thing out of staying out of the wing to let even you get by without some sort of penalty. I know you’ll be brave." He put his arms around Duo and held him while they waited for the footman to return.

When Heero turned with the scissors in his hand Duo whimpered softly, he didn’t want his hair cut off again. But Heero was his master, he’d wanted to cut it several times and Duo had allowed a little to be cut but now, in punishment, Heero was going to cut it all off again.

Heero sat Duo in a chair and tipped his chin up by cupping it in his palm. "I’ll cut what I want and you’ll not resist me. Your punishment is begun."

Duo sat unresisting as Heero started to snip at his bangs. Tears trickled silently down his cheeks.

When Heero was finished, he stroked the tears off Duo’s cheeks with the tips of his fingers. Duo blinked at him and hesitantly reached up to touch his hair. He found that Heero had only trimmed his bangs up neatly, cutting off enough that they no longer flopped in his eyes. He gave Heero a hopeful look.

"That’s all I’m going to cut. I told you I would do you no harm. Cutting off all your hair would do you great harm. I’m not sure why, but I know it’s so. I’ve told you I will never knowingly do you harm. Yes?"

Duo nodded, then dropped to his knees to kiss Heero’s hands. Heero pulled him to his feet.

"Not yet. There’s still the ten blows to deal with."

Duo nodded looking Heero in the eye trying to say with his eyes what he couldn’t say any other way. ‘I’m ready. I trust you. Get on with it.’

Heero pulled a low stool from under its companion chair and set it in the middle of the room. He motioned Duo to come to him. When Duo started to bend over the chair Heero stopped him.

"No. I sit, then you go across my lap." The nearly forgotten observer stuffed his sleeve in his mouth to stifle his snicker.

Duo obediently crawled across Heero’s lap wondering what was going on. The first smack landed with a loud crack. Heero was going to spank him! Duo nearly broke every bit of training he’d ever had. He was almost upright before he realized it. He quickly laid back down hoping he hadn’t added to his punishment.

"One extra for that. I’ll count if you like." Duo nodded, hastily rearranging himself across Heero’s lap.

Heero counted each blow as it was delivered. Alternating between nether cheeks, Heero gave Duo eleven hard smacks on the rear end.

Duo endured as best he could. Which was fairly well. He was used to being beaten half to unconsciousness for next to nothing. This was such a light punishment that he couldn’t help bursting into tears the minute Heero set him on his knees beside him.

"Oh, Duo. I didn’t mean to hit you so hard. Here . . ."

Duo threw himself into Heero’s arms shaking his head. "Not too hard? What’s the matter then?" Duo took Heero’s hand in his and pressed it against his cheek, then took it to his mouth for an impassioned kiss. "Well, don’t to that. Why are you weeping?"

Duo dried his tears and reached for his slate, which was never far from his side. Neither of them noticed the Master-at-Arms slip out the door.

‘You kind to me. Not cut hair . . . much. Not beat hard. I sorry I disobey. You know I not mean it. Your goodness make me happy.’

"So you cry. Silly. Oh, and from now on if you need a place to work out, you’ll go to the exercise yard like everyone else. You’ll be working on advanced techniques before you know it and I don’t want you breaking something because you worked out without a spotter. Do you understand me? I’ll be very displeased if you disobey me. Yes?"

Duo nodded. He wasn’t too sure about this. Some people might still have problems with a slave handling weapons, but he wasn’t about to argue with Heero about this. He wanted his dagger way too much. He had a creepy feeling that he was going to need it.

Heero pulled Duo to his feet, noticing that he winced a little. "No more activities for you today. I want you to go to Wufei and have him look at you."

Duo made a face. That was going to be embarrassing.

"No arguing. I know it’ll be embarrassing but I want to make sure that I did minimal damage. Then, if Wufei says it’s all right, you can do what you want. I’d advise trying to figure out why you’re a mute."

Duo nodded again. He realized that Wufei had all the books he wanted to look at so he didn’t object much.

Heero returned to his accounts and Duo headed out to see Wufei.

~ * ~

Wufei had everything he thought he might need ready when Duo limped in the door.

"Well, what did he do and how bad is it? He’s been warning people to stay out of the old wing for months. You just had to push your luck didn’t you. Come . . . up on the table."

Duo grumbled softly as he scrambled onto the examination table. Wufei started to pull off his tunic, but Duo stopped him. He flushed heavily as he pointed to his buttocks. Wufei blinked, then put one hand over his mouth to smother his laughter.

"No! He didn’t!" Duo nodded eyes twinkling. "He did? He . . . Oh, that’s priceless. He spanked you? Dragon’s fire. That’s so . . ." Wufei finally had to stop talking as he was laughing too hard to speak coherently.

When he got control of himself, he insisted on examining Duo. Duo obediently dropped his trousers and bent over the table so Wufei could see if he was bruised or not.

"You’ve got one red hand print on your left buttock. Other than that, I don’t see any real damage. The mark will fade by tonight I’m sure. I could give you a salve, but you really don’t need it. No sense in a punishment if it’s soothed away at once. You won’t forget to make sure where a secret passage winds up again, will you?"

Duo shook his head, chuckling softly. He took up his slate and wrote a short note, explaining that Wufei had all the books he wanted to look at. As he wrote, he idly played with the ball in his tongue.

Wufei told him rather sharply to stop. He found it disgusting and was repulsed by the fact that someone would do something like that.

"Do you remember when you got that stud?"

Duo nodded, he remembered clearly.

"Can you tell me how it was done? Perhaps something . . . I’m not sure where I’m going with this. But any information might be important."

‘I barely remember why, but I remember. Master put awl through . . . hurt terrible then put stud in. Chant. Sing. No more. Please help me. I sing now. I talk please.’

Wufei gulped, forcing an awl through his tongue could have killed Duo.

"I’m going to make you talk again if I have to review every curse in creation. Now. More questions."

Wufei proceeded to question Duo closely about every facet of his curse. How it felt when he tried to talk, how he’d discovered he could sing. They spent most of the afternoon going over every thing they could think of.

Wufei rubbed at his eyes, he was tired but he wasn’t giving up. "I’d like to examine that stud again. I know I’ve looked at it a dozen times or more. But there’s something we’re missing. If you . . . dammit. It’s just out of my reach. It’s . . ."

Duo had been thinking hard, suddenly he snapped his fingers. Wufei watched as he wrote.

‘I think I know some . . . you chant. . . I yawn . . . chant something about to talk to sing. But not make sense how yawn do something.’

Wufei started up in astonishment. "It didn’t do anything except allow the chant a path to the problem. Let me see that stud."

Duo came to Wufei who was standing near a window, bright sunlight streaming in. Wufei arranged Duo so the sun would shine directly on the stud. Duo stuck out his tongue.

Wufei grumbled, "Well, there seem to be scratches on it. I thought they were from you biting at it, but now that I take a really good look. . . I wish I could . . . I’m sending to Heero. That damn thing is unnatural. I want to remove it and take a really good look at it." Duo shivered, it was going to hurt. "Don’t be afraid. The wound has healed long ago. It won’t hurt a bit."

Wufei wrote a note to Heero asking if he could remove the stud and got a note back telling him that Heero didn’t care, but to be careful not to hurt Duo.

Wufei sent to the blacksmith for a pair of side cutters and when they arrived, snipped off the ball from its stem and pulled the stem from Duo’s tongue.

"Well? . . . dammit, Duo if you can speak now is a good time to prove it."

Duo cleared his throat and delighted Wufei by grumbling. "Well, what am I supposed to say?"

Wufei grabbed Duo in a bear hug that made his ribs creak. "That’ll do nicely. Goddess above I don’t believe I was so stupid."

Duo couldn’t decide whether to burst into tears or dance with joy, so he did both. Then he hugged Wufei back.

"I have to go. I have to tell Heero. I have to say . . . I need . . . thank you, thank you. So much. Master Wufei . . . my eternal gratitude is yours. If I can do any thing for you tell me and it’s yours as long as Heero lets me. I’m sure he’ll let me as long as . . . never mind . . . I have to go . . . I . . . good eventide."

Wufei smiled as Duo dashed out. It looked like success.

~ * ~

Heero flinched as the door slammed open so hard it bounced off the wall. Duo entered like a small whirlwind. And he was talking.

"Heero . . . Master . . . I came . . . I’m here . . . I can talk . . . please. Let me say what I want before I lose my nerve. You’re so kind to me . . . I’m so sorry I disobeyed you. I didn’t mean to. I swear . . . by my braid. I swear I didn’t mean to disobey you. You were right to punish me. But . . . it wasn’t a . . . it was so kind. You were so gentle with me. I nearly broke entirely. You have such beautiful blue eyes. And they snap when you’re angry and turn all dark and black. And your hands are so gentle when you touch me. You never pinch or pull my hair. Please. You won’t ever send me away. No matter how foolish I get. Please. Master? You won’t. Say you won’t. And let me read the books. No one ever lets slaves read they say it’ll put them above themselves. I like to read. I can read. A lot of different languages. Not all the books you have but most of them. And I liked the soup but it was too much it made me sick. I’m sorry I threw it up. It was really good. And . . . mmmmffff?"

Heero took the only remedy he could think of to shut Duo up without hurting his feelings. He kissed him into silence.

When they came up for air Heero started talking before Duo could.

"I’ll never put you on the road. You’re my heart. I was afraid to say too much until I was sure you weren’t brain damaged in some way. I would never take advantage of you like that. But . . . don’t worry about the soup, that was my fault I should have known. As to gentle. You’ve got to be loose in the haft. No one has ever accused me of that before. And, how am I going to get you to like me if I’m always hurting you. Now. Take a breath."

Duo grinned at Heero. "Nothing’s wrong with my mind. I was just so scared all the time. But you’ve helped me to see that no one is going to torture me just for the fun of it." Duo bit at his lip. "If you don’t mind, I’d rather not think about the bad times. You know what happened near enough. Is that all right?"

"That’s fine with me. But when I find those slavers, I’ll have something to say about it. Slavery in this kingdom is rather strictly controlled. They violated most of the laws concerning slaves. Enough of that and we’ll never discuss it again if you don’t want to. And this is more conversation than I have had in years. Most people I talk to can only say ‘yes, majesty’ ‘no, majesty’ ‘just as you say, majesty’." Heero mimicked the whiney tone of a courtier.

Duo made a rude noise. "And what good does that do anybody? If you’re wrong, someone needs to tell you so. I’ll do it. As long as you don’t get mad at me. You won’t, will you? And you really are a king? Not just some minor noble who has illusions of grandeur?"

Heero snorted. "I’m really the king. I’m king of this kingdom in its entirety. From the river in the north to the beaches of the Southern Ocean, from the mountain ranges just there, "Heero pointed through the window to the mountain range visible in the distance. "To the sea in the east. It’s twenty days travel north to south and thirty-two east to west. So yes, I’m a real king."

Duo smiled happily. "Well, just goes to show. My masters said I’d never amount to anything much. But I’m a king’s companion now. So there to them." Duo stuck out his now ball-less tongue, making a childish noise that sounded suspiciously like, "Nyah."

Heero laughed in delight. "You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear your voice. It’s so beautiful. Will you sing for me?"

Duo nodded. "Yes. Any time you want. But Wufei said I shouldn’t over work my voice just yet. He said singing my morning and evening chants had exercised my voice, it was hard at first. I couldn’t finish either song and it made my throat hurt something fierce. But I kept at it and now it is easy but I’m not supposed to do too much talking too soon so maybe I shouldn’t talk too much more. But I want to talk. I haven’t talked in . . . forever it seems like and you’re so kind to listen to me as I babble myself hoarse. Do you think Wufei . . . Master Wufei has any of those pastille, the ones for sore throats? I better get some from him. Do you think?"

Heero gave Duo a little shake. "Still your tongue. You will give yourself a sore throat. Not that I really want you to, but I don’t fancy the lecture that Dragon will give me if you make yourself sick."

"Why do you call him dragon? That’s always bothered me. He’s not mean . . . or . . . but . . ."

Heero snickered, he’d put one finger over Duo’s lips to silence him long enough to answer. "I call him dragon because that is what his name means. Chang means dragon. And his kind of dragon, the dragons of Chin, are guardians; good and watchful creatures. Not necessarily kind, but good. Like he is. He’ll tear the skin off in strips if he thinks you’ve been foolish. Now, no more talking for a while. As I don’t want to be skinned by the watch dragon for letting you talk yourself hoarse first thing."

Duo grinned at Heero and settled himself on the couch saying he was going to take a nap after all the excitement of the day. Heero kept sneaking peeks at him all the time and he had to resist the urge to wake him and demand he speak just to prove it wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

~ * ~

Heero woke Duo near suppertime. He gently shook him by the shoulder and smiled into his sparkling eyes.

"Come Pacchiri, open your eyes. Speak to me. Yes?"

"Mmmmm. I’m awake. I . . . oh, goddess. It wasn’t a dream I can really speak again. Thank her. Praise her name. Anchora bless you . . . master . . . I . . ."

Heero sat next to Duo and cuddled him. "No, it wasn’t a dream, you can speak again. All you want as long as you don’t bring the wrath of Chang down on both our heads. Come on. I’m having supper brought up. Let’s go up to our chambers."

They headed up the long staircase and Duo noticed several people standing in the adjacent areas, obviously trying to hear if he could talk again. He didn’t mind, in fact, he babbled all the way up the stairs just for the joy of hearing his own voice again.

"Can I keep the horse. They call him Black. How could anyone treat such a good horse like that. He was so hungry. It was so awful. It’s bad to be hungry. I don’t like it. I hate being hungry. It must have been even worse for him. I understood why I was hungry. He couldn’t, poor beast. And then he knew he wasn’t supposed to eat until he was given permission and no one knew the signal. Why would some one plow with a war horse? That doesn’t make any sense. But then peasants don’t know much about horses. They should only be allowed oxen any way. And to be so good. And be treated so badly. You’ll let me keep him, won’t you? Please? I’ll take care of him myself if you want. So he won’t be a burden to the stable master. He’s a good man. Kind and firm. His boys all respect him and the Master-at-Arms. The Sergeant is nice too. And Cook. You need to be especially nice to her. She has a lot to put up with. She makes all her people go to granny school. Can I go to granny school? What is granny school and why not regular school? Heero. Can I call you Heero or do I have to call you master not that I mind calling you master but it’s much nicer to call you Heero. But anyway. I did do my writing that time. I swear I did. I don’t know where it went and I didn’t like that burning root. But it was better than a flogging. I hope you don’t ever have the need to flog me I don’t want to have been that bad. I try to be good really I do but for you not because I’m afraid of a beating but because I want to please you you’ve been so good to me I want to be good back."

Heero just listened the the flow of words, making intelligent noises from time to time. He realized that, just as water confined behind a dam would rush out when the dam was broken so Duo’s words would flow unchecked until he’d talked himself out. Heero didn’t care if it never happened.

"I’m babbling again, aren’t I? I think I should be quit now, my throat is starting to get dry. And I don’t want a sore throat. If I have to admit to Wufei that I didn’t do as he said he’ll lecture me to death. He’s a good man, you know. But he’s really lonely. You need to find him a wife. Wife . . ." Duo turned to Heero with wide eyes. ‘Wife . . . do you have a wife. Will she like me . . . what if she doesn’t? I . . . I don’t want you to leave me. Not here. Not anywhere. I want to stay right by you."

Heero gave Duo a gentle shake. "Hush. Don’t worry. I don’t have a wife, nor will I ever. I’ll have to make some arrangements for an heir sometime or other. But I don’t like women. I like men. In that way, in case you were going to ask. So . . . you’re it . . . my all in all. My heart. I told you that."

Duo opened the door for Heero and started helping him off with his clothing chattering all the while.

"Well, I’m glad you want me. I really am sorry about that doing my duty thing. I just . . . well, you hadn’t hurt me and you were really nice to me. All I wanted to do was . . . express my thankfulness. Please don’t be mad at me. And . . . how are you going to have a child . . . not me . . . not one of those magical pregnancies. Please. They never work out very well. I’ve even heard of times when both parent and child died. The babies are usually under weight or even deformed so none of that for me thank you please."

Heero had also heard about this and done some research, he wasn’t impressed with the results either. So he quashed that idea at once.

"No. Not one of those. I’ll probably take a concubine or something. I’ll have to have Wufei give me something to help me . . . perform . . . like they do horses and bulls that don’t want to breed." He laughed at Duo’s shocked expression. "What? I’m no better than they are. All that’s really important to the succession is my seed. So I’ll cover a couple of noble women until I have two or three children, then it’s all over. Not that I’ll care about the women particularly. Oh, I won’t be cruel to them and you’d be astonished what some houses will do to have an influence on me. They’d let me do quite a bit more that just breed their daughters. And I will give them a place of honor at court. I know you won’t like it much but . . . I have to do it to avoid a civil war. Do understand, please."

Duo thought about it for a moment. He was a little worried about it until he saw Heero’s eyes. They were full of concern for him.

"I don’t like it. Really I don’t. But I know you’ll do what’s best for everyone but yourself. You should think about all the ramifications of this before you do anything at all. Don’t you have a nephew or something that you could adopt or something?"

"No. And I don’t want to discuss it any more right now. We’ll deal with it when we have to and not before. Yes?"

Duo snickered at that. Heero had developed the habit of making a statement then saying Yes?’ to help Duo communicate. It was amusing. Now.

"Yes, master. We’ll talk about all that later. Much later. Will you have a bath?"

Heero shuddered once then pulled Duo into his arms, quietly weeping on his shoulder.