He woke twice more before he gave up and woke Duo.

"Pacchiri. Wake up. I have to hear you."

Duo grumbled a little then mumbled. "Hear me what? What do you want?"

Heero smiled in the darkness. "Go back to sleep."

Duo mumbled again and settled back to sleep. Heero wriggled around a bit, settled Duo more firmly against his side and went back to sleep too.

~ * ~

When dawn broke, Heero stayed in bed giving Duo privacy for his Adorations, his morning song. He listened with quiet enjoyment. Duo had his voice back.

With a vengeance.

"Would you like to get up now? I can run a bath if you like. Which suit do you want? I’ve arranged your clothing into suits that look good together. You really look good in the blue house robe set. Would you like that? You decided while I go downstairs and get your breakfast. I know you didn’t care about the bolt hole but it really bothered me. I don’t like people having access to us without our knowledge. The servants can come up the main stair case and knock. But I’ll go down for now. I want to surprise Cook. Do you mind waiting for breakfast a while? I’ll be down there for a bit of time if I’m not mistaken. Everyone will want to hear the story. And . . . I’m talking way too much aren’t I."

Heero laughed, then replied. "No, you’re not. And I’ll wait for breakfast. I have some dispatches from my regent, Quatre, to read. I’ll work on them while I wait. And don’t rush, I’m not really hungry yet. But . . . never mind. Give Cook a hug from me, but don’t tell her."

Duo took a second to figure that one out. "Why not? Not like she’ll object. Cook’s a nice woman. Hug her if you want."

"Her husband might not like it. And I’m . . . not used to . . . touching."

Duo faced Heero, fists on his hips. "Why not, I’d like to know."

Heero shrugged. "Father wasn’t demonstrative. Then . . . training like mine was makes it a bit dangerous to just grab me. Then . . . I’m king now. And you just don’t handle the royal person without permission, and most people are too afraid to ask."

Duo snorted. His parting shot was. "That’s just stupid. I’ll hug you whenever I want. Permission be damned."

Duo snapped the door shut and scampered down the stairs, grinning happily.

~ * ~

Cook was kneading bread dough when Duo got to the kitchen. She had her back to the door so he slipped up behind her and put his hands over her eyes.

"Guess who?"

Cook slapped irritably at the arms wrapped around her. "Stop that. I got no time for silly games. I don’t recognize your voice."

Duo tapped her on one shoulder then skipped to the other side. "Peek-a-boo."

Cook whirled around just in time to catch Duo. "Got ya. You little. . . . Duo? That was . . . you? Oh, my."

Duo grabbed Cook and danced her around the main kitchen table. "Yes, that’s me. How are you? I’m fine thank you. Come with me, dance with me. Are there any eggs poached? Any toast? Master wants his breakfast. I have to get back to run his bath. He’s reading right now. Dispatches. Any cereal? Not that brown stuff, it tastes like horse food. I want oats. Please. With cream and nuts. Are there any apples left? I know they are withered but they’re still sweet. Yes?"

Cook stood with her hands clasped at her bosom and listened to the sweetest sound she’d heard in years. Duo babbled just because he could. The entire kitchen gathered around and gawked.

Finally Cook waved her apron at them like they were a gaggle of geese to be shooed. "Scat, shoo, go, work. You can all listen from your stations."

Duo settled in his favorite place, at the small table near the large hearth.

"I got my voice back, in case you hadn’t noticed. You’ll never believe. It was that stud. Master Wufei cut it off. It was just a bar with a ball at each end. But one of the balls had magical symbols on it. When Master cut it the spell was broken."

Cook set a plate in front of Duo, who continued to chatter between bites.

"I’m so happy, now I can talk to you. You’re so nice to me. I’m so glad you’re my friend. You are my friend, aren’t you? I know I’m babbling, I can’t help myself. You better get Master Heero’s tray ready soon. I’m sure he’ll be hungry by the time I get back. I know he hates getting those pouches. All government business. His regent seems like a very efficient man. Very nice too, from what I get to read of the messages. And . . . um . . . not my business but I thought Master had a nephew. But he won’t talk about him. What happened? I know I’m just a slave and shouldn’t interfere in the business of my betters but Master was very upset. Um . . . We were talking about heirs. I want to help him if I can. So . . . what do you know?"

Cook shook her head. "Not a thing. Just that he got a special dispatch last week. He stormed around the exercise yard and then commanded everyone there not to talk about it. You have a better chance of finding out something than any of us. Just . . . be careful. Something bad happened."

Duo considered this with a thoughtful frown on his face.

"I’ll see if I can’t find out something. I really don’t want another spanking. It hurt. And if I pry too much Master is likely to give me another. And about that. Do you know anything about some papers? They went missing and got me into trouble. I think they got into the secret passage somehow. . . see what you can find out. Please?"

Cook nodded, set the tray in front of Duo and sighed. "I’m sure I’ll find out something I don’t want to know. I’ll ask around, though. Head back up. That’ll go cold if you don’t hurry. Come back this afternoon. I want you to hear the ghost singer. Whoever it is sounds so sweet. . . just like a guardian."

Duo blinked. "Afternoon? Just about dusk?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh, well. I won’t be able to come down. I have to sing my evening devotions. And my voice isn’t that good."

Cook stood, all agog as Duo picked up the tray and left casting a mischievous look over his shoulder.

~ * ~

Heero was waiting for his tray when Duo got back. He took the tray from Duo and settled himself at the desk to eat his food and finish his documents. Duo opened the clothes press and fished out clothing for Heero.

"Do you want the house robe or training garb? If you get that robe dirty again, I’ll be very displeased with you. It’s a bitch to get clean. So . . ."

Heero grunted, "Training. And you need to work your horse more. He’s getting too fat."

Duo snickered. "He’s eating us out of house and home. So the Stable Master says. He has always been very nice to me, by the way. So . . . he’ll be happy for me. You think? And I will work the Black out more. I just don’t want to get into trouble by not being where I’m supposed to be."

"That won’t be so much of a problem now that you can talk. All you have to do is tell any of the pages to bring me a message. Most of those boys need to learn to read."

"What good would that do? Most of the people in the keep can’t read or write."

Heero shrugged irritably. "Damn. I have half a notion to tell the Masters that they have to learn."

Duo snorted, lay Heero’s clothing on the bed and started helping him out of his night clothes and into his training garb.

When he was satisfied that Heero looked decent he picked up his own clothing and scrambled into it haphazardly. Heero frowned.

"You need better riding gear. Where did you get that?"

Duo frowned down at the snuff-colored pants and short tunic he was wearing. "Not sure where the stable master got it. It fits, it keeps me covered and protected from the saddle. So what’s the problem?"

Heero eyed Duo for a moment. "You don’t look good in snuff. I’ll commission you something better."

"Heero I’m just a slave. And not even that high on the ladder of slavery. I’m a pillow boy. To put it politely."

Heero turned an alarming shade of red. "You’re not a pillow boy. Or a . . . any other word for sex slave. You’re my companion. My . . . consort. That puts you above all but the heir to the throne. Which I don’t have after my nephew’s last little escapade. And I’m not talking about it. So don’t push. And go see your horse. Bring him around after you shake the fidgets out of him. I want to see you put him through his paces. Scat."

Duo frowned for a second but let that slide as something to be investigated later. "Very well. I’ll go. But if you think we’ve tabled this discussion permanently, you’re mistaken. I’ll see you in one candle mark or a bit more."

Duo left for the stables while Heero wondered how he was going to break Duo of the habit of thinking of himself in such disgusting terms. As to his nephew, the less said the better.

Heero went to the training grounds and Duo to the stables.

~ * ~
"Haallloooo the stables. Anyone in here?"

The Stable Master hurried to the front when he heard the unfamiliar voice.

"Yes, how can I help . . . Duo? Duo? . . . Boy, was that you?"

Duo grinned fit to split his face and nodded. "Yes, it was me." Duo went on to tell his story again. Making the stable master whistle at the cause of his muteness. He opined that if the goddess had intended men to have balls on their tongues she’d have put them there herself. Duo snickered himself into a pile of hay.

The stable boys gathered around to hear him talk, all atwitter at the wonder that such a simple thing could cause so much grief. They spent enough time that the stable master finally chased them back to their chores. He helped Duo saddle the black himself.

"Now that he’s perkin’ up some, you need to work him harder. He’s not lazy, so all you have to do is ask him. He’ll work for you."

Duo gathered the reins in one hand and accepted a leg up from the smiling stable master.

"Thank you, sir. I’ll take him out to the exercise yard and put him through his paces. And me through mine."

Duo gave Black the office to go and the horse stepped out, lifting his hooves and prancing a little.

When Duo and the Black reached the exercise yard Duo had to smile, there was a short gauntlet set up. The gauntlet was a series of from five to fifteen jumps. In some each jump was higher than the one before, in others the jumps were all the same height. This one was a series of ten jumps of the same height, about four hand spans.

The Black pricked his ears, he knew what that was. Duo patted his neck then urged him forward. At first they were both nervous. The Black showed it by snorting and tossing his head. Duo by sweating and shivering.

It didn’t take either one of them long to calm down. The easy rocking hops the Black took to get over the jumps were almost like a rocking chair. Duo smiled happily. This felt good. He turned the big horse around and took him over the gauntlet again. It was even easier the second time around.

On the third turn around Duo nudged the Black with his toe, a stumble by the horse made Duo accidentally thump him in the ribs with the opposite heel. The Black snorted and turned sharply toward the toe side. Duo blinked, *what?*

He tried the same maneuver on the opposite side but the horse ignored that. Duo then moved one foot forward the other back and nudged the Black. He turned toward the toe side again. Duo stopped the horse patting and praising him while thinking furiously. He knew this, he just had to pry it out of his damaged memories. He wondered for a moment if the ball had done more than steal his voice.

He tabled that thought for later and concentrated on working the horse and himself.

He went through the gauntlet again but this time he took his feet from the stirrups and crossed them in front of himself on the saddle. He took the jumps again without them. He felt like he’d done this before. It felt good. He could almost hear the laugher and cat calls of . . . someone.

As Duo guided the Black into another round of the enclosure, he found another trick the horse knew. He nudged the horse a bit too sharply and farther back than he normally would. Instead of stopping or stumbling, Black gave a ferocious kick backwards. Duo patted him on the neck praising him softly. Then he began experimenting. He almost remembered things. He tried them out one at a time with some interesting results.

Certain movements of hands and feet resulted in very interesting actions, Black was a well trained war horse. Very well trained. He could do some amazing things. At a touch he would kick back with one or both hooves. Another touch and he reared up, thrashing his front hooves. He also trotted, collected and loose. Cantered, galloped and did some truly beautiful airs above the ground, literally jumping into the air and kicking backward. Duo was very proud of him. He was eager to please, obedient and well behaved.

~ * ~

Heero was leading a close combat training. Most of the men in this class were mercenaries he’d hired recently. The farm boys were all standing in the fringes of the group, ordered to observe.

Duo trotted up and settled to watch Heero work out. He knew Heero was supposed to teach him how to protect himself using the dagger, but he suspected now was not the time to remind him.

Heero was fighting with two of the mercenaries, and beating them. Rather badly in fact. He had a furious light in his eyes and his face was screwed up in a sneer of contempt. One man was already on the ground clutching a bruised knee, the other was feinting from one side while he tried to slip around Heero. It wasn’t working, Heero was watching him like a cobra watches a bird.

Duo watched with interest, his vantage point on the big horse gave him an excellent view. He smiled as Heero rolled with the feint and caught the practice dagger on the small targ he held. Then he bashed the targ into the man’s face and kicked his feet out from under him.

"Hells fire! You’re all incompetent. You said you were battle hardened. What have you been battling, old ladies and little kids? This is ridiculous. Come on, get up. You’re not that badly hurt." Heero dragged the two men to their feet and sent them back into the group. He paced before them for a moment then started in on them.

He told them they were pitiful, weak. Their training was worthless. He snarled and growled for several minutes. Duo had to admire his vocabulary. He swore for a minute straight and never repeated himself.

Duo couldn’t help snickering which brought Heero’s furious attention to him. He met the glare with calm eyes and a slight smile.

"You said you were going to teach me dagger work. I came. Black will stand until I whistle him up. Do you want to start now? I’m sure I can make you happier with me than with them."

Heero snorted. "My great-aunt Silvie makes me happier than they do. Come down here."

Duo ground tied the Black and hopped from the saddle. He came to Heero without fear, wide eyes twinkling. He was sure he had a surprise for Heero.

Heero handed Duo the practice dagger and motioned for him to set himself. Duo took up the stance Heero demonstrated then waited for Heero to tell him what to do next. Heero lead him through an exercise meant to teach him defensive moves. He felt like he should already know them all. The quick demonstration shouldn’t have done more that just get him started but he followed Heero through it easily. When Heero nodded to him to go through it again, Duo did so without a mistake.

Heero turned to the group and snarled. "My slave is better than the bunch of you. His pride doesn’t get in his way. He’s not convinced he knows it all. And he’s willing to learn anything I’m willing to teach. Get with the program. Don’t be fools, it’ll get you killed." Heero turned to Duo. "I’m proud of you. You did well. Take your horse back to the stables and then come to our quarters."

Duo smiled. "Yes, Master. I’m glad you are pleased with me. I’ll take Black to the stables. I have something to show you soon. I hope you’ll be pleased. Thank you for training me."

Heero just gave a jerky nod already turning his attention to the soldiers.

Duo mounted his horse without help and cantered off.

~ * ~

Heero made a few more pointed remarks, set the men to working out under the supervision of the Sergeant-at-arms and headed for the stables to catch up to Duo.

He caught him as he was leaving the side doors heading for the gardens. Heero fell in beside Duo waiting for him to burst into speech but he didn’t. Instead he walked along with his head bent, nibbling at his lip.

"Duo, what’s wrong? Did you remember something? Something bad?"
"Not really. But I am starting to remember things. Just not anything about my past. I’m remembering other things, combat techniques, how to ride. Mostly physical things. But . . . Master, the things I remember. . . "

Heero thought for a moment. "What about them?"

Duo shuddered. "What if . . . what if . . . I don’t remember because I’m not supposed to? What if . . . I was a bad person? What if I was some kind of criminal? Maybe I’m a slave because I’m being punished for something. Something really bad. Like . . . maybe I was an assassin or a murderer. Or a rapist . . . what if I was a rapist and that’s why I was made a pillow boy."

Heero grabbed Duo before he got hysterical. "No! Stop that. If you were being punished, you’d remember. How can you be punished if you don’t remember anything?" Heero gave Duo a little shake. "Stop fussing. I don’t think you could be a bad person. Magic can’t change a personality. You could overlay behaviors, up to a point. But I’m sure you can’t change a bad person into a good one. And I’m good judge of character enough to say that you’re not bad. Or a murderer. Or a rapist. Do you really think you could do that?"

Duo shook his head. "I don’t think so. I don’t feel like a bad person. But what if . . . I don’t know . . . what if I . . . Goddess, I can’t think. My head hurts. Heero, Master, I feel really sick."

Heero picked Duo up and carried him quickly to Wufei’s quarters which were only a short way away. After kicking open the door, scaring the scullery maid Wufei was advising into scurrying out into the garden, Heero put Duo in the examination chair and demanded that Wufei fix it.

Wufei examined Duo carefully. "I can’t find anything wrong with him. Tell me exactly what he’s been doing."

Heero told Wufei about the riding and the combat training as well as Duo’s fears. Wufei thought for a few moments while he made Duo some tea to help ease his pain.

"I don’t think there’s any real cure for these headaches. They come with the return of memories. Duo’s system trying to reincorporate the information. That he’s remembering anything at all is a miracle." Wufei turned to Duo with his tea "Duo, don’t get your hopes up too much. You may never remember your past. Or you may suddenly remember all of it. It will be something in between I think. Drink this and quit worrying. I will tell you that Heero is right about one thing. You can’t have been a bad person. There’s no way to change a person’s personality significantly. It would kill them, or turn them into an automaton. A thing without personality at all."

Duo sipped at his tea, listening with relief to Wufei’s opinion. He didn’t want to have been a bad person. He couldn’t envision what might happen if he started remembering bad things he had done.

Heero sighed his own relief, he hadn’t believed Duo could be bad. He wondered if the enslavement had been some sort of punishment, but what for?

"Wufei, is it possible for you to tell if it’s some form of punishment? Or is it too late?"

Wufei smirked in a most self satisfied way. "I thought of that. That was one of the first things I thought of. I checked for that before I checked for anything else. I can assure you that it wasn’t any form of legitimate punishment. All legal spells carry a tag for the lack of a better term and Duo’s curse wasn’t tagged. Now . . . I suggest you stop worrying about all that and just concentrate on helping Duo remember as much as he can. And Duo, you have to stop trying to remember. Just let it come. Anything you want to learn, Heero will help you with . . . isn’t that right Heero?"

Heero gave a jerky nod. "Of course. Duo, you better lay down for a while you’re falling off that chair."

Duo grunted and went to lie down on the couch against the wall. His head really hurt.

Heero started fussing the minute Duo was out of ear shot.

"I don’t like these head aches. Is there anything you can do for them? I know you said not, but . . ."

Wufei just shook his head, interrupting Heero mid rant. "Not a thing. They aren’t physical in origin. It’s stress. Give him tea and let him sleep. Comfort him. Touch him. Brush his hair. Anything to let him know you care for him. He’s going to be very insecure for a while." Wufei ran a hand over his face. "I’ll admit to being jealous."

Heero made a movement as if to reach for Wufei then let his hands drop. "I know. I’m sorry you’re jealous. I wish I could do something . . . I’m not sure what."

Wufei grumbled. "Don’t be sorry. I’m not jealous in an ‘I want Duo’ sort of way. I want a companion of my own. I’ll find someone sooner or later. And, considering my inclinations, it’ll have to be not only a slave, but a strong one."

Heero frowned. "Someday, I’ll get hold of your old master."

Wufei shrugged. "Water under the bridge my friend. Don’t let it bother you. . . ." Wufei changed the subject with a firmness that let Heero know the subject was closed, perhaps permanently. "When Duo wakes up, take him back to your quarters and take a bath. That’ll relax him. Then see if he can remember anything else. If he remembers anything physical have him show it to you. Let him practice any combat techniques he remembers. I’m going to the village now. I have several pregnant women to see. And the smith burned his hand, so I have to dress that."

Heero grimaced. "You work too hard. You need to relax a little more."

Wufei just sighed. "I relax when my work is done. I’m going now."

~ * ~

Duo slept for a candle mark then woke with a sharp yelp. Heero dropped the scroll he was reading and rushed to his side. Duo clutched at him like a drowning man grasped the rope that saved him. Heero petted and soothed and whispered silly things to make him laugh.

Duo laughed softly and snuggled closer. "Master, I’m sorry I’m so much trouble. I always wake up afraid that you don’t want me anymore. I remember being sold so many times because my master of the moment got bored with me. That last one got tired of me and forgot that he ordered that I wasn’t to eat except from his hand. I . . . Please."

Heero kissed Duo to shut him up. The only thing he hated about Duo getting his voice back was he could tell Heero things. Things he didn’t want to hear.

"It’s all right. You can eat anything you want anytime you want it. I’ll never get bored with you. You’re so bright a soul, so beautiful. You’re smart and funny. You sing so well. And now you can read to me. You play Merrels. Do you play chess, checkers, backgammon? I’ll teach you to play the games I like. And I’ll let you win . . . once in a while. Just so you won’t sulk."

Duo gave Heero an indignant glare. "I don’t sulk. I already know how to play chess, and checkers. What’s gacbannon . . . what was it? Never mind for now. But I’ll beat you at it fair and square."

Heero smiled to see the spark back in Duo’s eyes.

"I’m sure you will. And it’s backgammon. I’ll show you the board when we get back to our quarters. Come on now."

Duo let Heero put an arm around him as they walked back to the keep. Heero just let his arm rest on Duo’s shoulders. They walked in companionable silence for a while then Duo stopped to pick a bit of herb from one of the plants. He put the bit in his mouth and nibbled at it.

"What is it? It smells like . . . roast?"

Duo smiled at Heero. "It’s thyme. For remembrance."

"Think it’ll help?" Heero turned Duo into a gentle embrace, rubbing his back in small circles.

"I don’t know. I’m not sure anymore that I want it to. I’m still wallowing in a morass of what if’s. Oh, make it stop. Make me . . ."

Heero put a hand on Duo’s cheek. "Make you what? Less than you ought to be? Never. I want the real you. The you that was . . . what? A warrior? A commander of men? I don’t know what you were but I want to. You’ll never leave me. If you do, I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. I’ll go after what’s mine."

Duo sighed. "I’m yours. Always. You saved me, you rescued me from that ditch. From a miserable death. And a miserable life. You’re all to me. Everything that I am is yours."

Heero kissed Duo. "I wasn’t talking about you. If you go, you’ll take something of mine with you."

Duo gave Heero a puzzled and slightly indignant look. "I don’t have anything of yours . . . I mean . . . everything I have is yours but . . . I’d never steal."

Heero smiled and rubbed a thumb over the frown line between Duo’s eyes. "You’ve got my heart."

Duo blinked. His mouth dropped in a silent ‘O’ of astonishment. Heero sealed Duo’s mouth with his own. Duo sighed into the kiss, melting into Heero’s arms. He tasted of thyme.

~ * ~

Duo narrowed his eyes and tried to remember what he’d been dreaming of. Heero had insisted he go back to sleep after they’d bathed and he hadn’t felt much like arguing. He looked around for Heero and found him seated in his usual chair in front of the fireplace. The scroll he was looking at was obviously not pleasing him, he had a scowl on his face.

"Stop scowling like that. You’ll set fire to that scroll." Duo stretched easing a cramp out of his leg. "Bring it to me. I’ll see if I can’t make sense of it."

Heero chuckled softly. "Cheeky slave. Order your master, will you?"

Duo yawned, patting his hand over his mouth. "Oh, bad slave. Punish me?"

"Only with kisses." Heero brought the scroll to Duo, settling himself on the foot of the bed leaning against the foot board with lithe grace. "Can you read it?"

Duo hummed absently, eyes busily scanning the writing. Heero waited patiently as Duo read. Finally he came up for air.

"It’s a prayer. I’m not sure how you got your hands on this, but you shouldn’t have it. It’s an Anchorite prayer scroll. They’re given to Anchorite novices when they’re admitted to the order. No one but an Anchorite should posses it."

Heero blinked. "It was in a book stall in Conta-over-the-river. One of his patients thought Wufei would be interested in it. What should I do with it?"

Duo fingered the thing for a moment. "Roll it up, put it back in its tube and . . . send it to the temple. Only I feel like that’s wrong . . . somehow." Duo rubbed irritably at his temples. "Oh, take it away. It’s making my head hurt. And I had a dream . . . but it’s gone now. Something . . . all blood and . . . I forget. DAMMIT!" Duo snatched up a pillow and threw it at the wall his frustration evident.

"Don’t be upset. I know that’s hard, but you’re remembering things all the time. Perhaps you’re not really ready to remember your dream yet. Would you like some tea?"

Duo snarled, "No I don’t want any damn tea. I’m tired of tea, and head aches. Not remembering things and being afraid. I’m so tired of being afraid. Why am I still afraid?"

Heero wondered for a moment if he should offer comfort or give Duo the ‘suck it up, soldier’ lecture. Duo decided for him. He crawled across the bed and into Heero’s arms grumbling.

Heero just hugged him and rocked him until he got himself under control again.

"I’m sorry. I seem to be . . . over reacting today. And it started out so well. Black was great. He obeyed all my commands. I found out that I know how to work a war horse. And . . . perhaps I was a horse trainer? But that doesn’t explain how I know some of the things I know. I have to show you . . . I want you to see what I was practicing when the floor collapsed. And I never apologized for that, did I?"

Heero shook his head. "I think you did. Please don’t do things like that. I don’t want to punish you again. And . . . I owe you an apology too. Did I apologize for punishing you for lying about your writing and . . . dammit."

Duo was snickering helplessly. "You didn’t punish me for not writing. I remember quite well. You punished me for lying and for hitting you, or was it for losing my temper? I’m sorry for that by the way. I shouldn’t have lost my temper that way."

Heero grinned happily. This was one of those times that he was glad Duo was around. This chaotic jumping from one subject to another was amusing, fun, and kept him on his toes.

"It was for losing your temper. I can’t for the life of me . . . never mind. You were supposed to show me your moves. I want to see what you remember. I might be able to recognize the style. That could tell us something."

Duo bounded off the bed, his head ache was much better and he was happy to show off the techniques he’d remembered.

Heero settled himself to watch Duo. He was startled to see that instead of starting out in a standard stance, Duo took up a modified Horse Stance. Legs spread wide he bent his knees and arms holding his fists close to his hips.

Duo made his salute then exploded into action. He squatted and whirled around, one leg extended, then he jumped up, kicking forward head high. As he continued to punch, spin, kick, and flip, Heero analyzed his kata. Duo was very good. His long absence from workouts showed, but he was plainly highly skilled and trained. Finally reaching the end of his demonstration, Duo bowed to Heero and stood panting and sweating.

"You’re very good. I was going to turn you over to one of the training masters, but you’re better than they are. You don’t have the stamina you should but that’s easily explained. You’ve been kept out of practice for . . . two years?" Duo bit his lip and shrugged. "Well, never mind. I’ll train you myself. Show me what you really remember with the dagger."

Duo blinked. "How did you know?"

"I saw you pulling back when you knew you should have attacked. Why did you do that?"

Duo shrugged slightly, dipping his head. "I didn’t want to show up the others too much. That’s a sure way to cause bad feelings. I don’t need to deal with castle politics. Slaves always lose."

Heero got up and went to Duo. He pulled Duo into his arms and rested his chin on the top of Duo’s head. "You don’t have to worry. I won’t put up with that. I’ll . . . try not to lose my temper. It’s just. . . I don’t have any patience. None at all."

Duo sighed and leaned against Heero. It felt good to feel his warm embrace and know that Heero would protect him.

~ * ~

Cook called all the scullery maids and scullions to the small storage room. She kept it mostly empty. It made a convenient staging area for deliveries and an excellent place to gather all her charges for lectures.

"I’ve been hearing things I don’t like. For one, several of the sluts amongst you have been making pests of themselves to the lord. Throwing themselves at him. That will stop right now. He’s not interested in you. Never will be. I hear one more word about that sort of behavior and you’ll find yourself on the road. Back to Mum and Da, with a few strap marks for your education.

"And some things have come up missing. Some papers. And ink and pens. If you want to learn that badly, go to granny school. If the missing things turn up on my table by tomorrow morning, nothing will be said. Wait too long and you’ll gain yourself a punishment for stealing.

"You men, you all have been slacking off. You push your work off on the weakest. If I wanted those three to do all the work, I’d have assigned it all to them." Cook pointed to three younger boys. "I’m going to check on you more closely for a while. Since there’s been so much trouble over the last two or three weeks, no deserts for the next week." She gave each of her people a sharp look, lingering over the worst offenders. "Everybody back to work. You three can go fishing today. Come to the kitchen and I’ll give you a nice lunch." The three over worked scullions looked at each other with dazed disbelief then scrambled to obey before Cook changed her mind.

Cook sat at her table and waited. One of the scullery maids hesitantly came to the table and put several sheets of cheap paper down.

"I didn’t think it was important. They were all over the floor and some were in the passage. I picked up what I could find. They were all writing exercises. I thought they were thrown out . . . then I heard that Duo got in trouble for not doing his work. I’m sorry . . . I got scared. I should have given them to you or put them on the desk. But I can’t lose this job. My Mam is sick. Just old really but she needs the money I send her. Please, don’t send me away."

Cook looked at the sobbing girl for a long moment. "Stop that sniveling. What were you going to do with them?"

The girl wiped her nose on her sleeve snuffling. "I use scrap paper to light the fires. Makes it real easy to get a fire started quick. I get stuff from the librarian and that Chin Fei Wo. You know, the healer man. When I found all that on the floor, I figured it was a wind fall and I scooped it all up. Put it in my pocket and used some, until I found out about the trouble. Then I stuffed the rest under my mattress, been there ever since. I was . . ." the girl scuffed her worn boot toe on the floor. "Trying to work up the nerve to tell you. Will, Master Heero beat me bad?"

Cook shook her head. "I don’t know, girl. But you have to confess. You can’t let him go on like this. Duo got his butt smacked and had to redo his work. Didn’t hurt much but his pride. But still, it wasn’t right. You should have told the minute you knew he was going to be punished."

"Oh, Cook, that’s why I didn’t say anything. He was already punished by the time I found out about it. I’m not a bad girl, really I’m not. Not like some I could name." The girl hung her head. "Will you come with me? Please? I don’t think I can face them alone."

Cook nodded. "Yes, Mary. I’ll come with you. Go wash your face. Then we’ll go up."

~ * ~

Heero was sitting at his desk, reading descriptions of fighting styles. Duo was doing a writing lesson meant to improve his hand. The knock at the door made him look up from his scroll, and Duo from his writing.

"Come in."

Cook entered, dragging poor Mary behind her by one wrist. Mary sniveled all the way.

"Go on, girl. Start talking. I don’t have all day."

Mary wound her apron around her hands, twisting it into knots. Cook gave her a sharp nudge. Heero glared at her. The only thing they accomplished was to scare the poor girl into sobbing hysterics. Duo went to her and hugged her gently.

"Stop it. You’ll make yourself sick. It can’t be that bad. Take your time. Tell us what’s wrong. Hush."

Mary sniveled and sniffled herself into silence.

After standing for a moment shifting from foot to foot she babbled out her confession finishing with a gasping sob and , "I didn’t mean for him to get into trouble. I swear it. If I’d known soon enough I would have fessed up. But I was scared. I’m sorry. Really, really sorry. Please, Sir. Master Heero. Don’t put me on the road. My Mam . . ."

Heero’s snapped "Silence." shut her up at once. "Cook, will you please explain what the hell is going on? I didn’t understand one word in three. Her accent is so thick you could cut it with a knife."

Cook sighed. This was why she’d come with the girl. She was from the high country and her accent was really that thick. Cook explained about the pages being on the floor then translated the rest of the story for Heero. Heero glanced at Duo who was looking sympathetic. Duo shook his head and leaned to whisper in Heero’s ear. ‘If she really didn’t mean it, and I don’t think she did, you can’t be angry with her. You have a reputation for exploding, then being sorry. Try to change it.’

Heero pulled at his lip for a moment. "Girl! Would you really have confessed if you’d known I was going to punish Duo? Tell the truth."

Mary nodded vigorously. "Ya, Sor. Ban tell at ‘onc. I swore ‘t. I do." Heero winced. The girls accent was atrocious.

"Very well." Heero looked at Cook. "I’m sure you’ll think up an appropriate punishment for her. Don’t be too harsh. I don’t think she meant to cause the trouble she did. Dismissed."

Heero turned to Duo. "You’re too kind. She should have been punished more harshly."

Duo shook his head. "She punished herself more than enough. Think how long she was afraid of being discovered and sent away." Duo twinkled at Heero. "Beside, Cook will probably make her scrub all the big pots by herself for a week. That’s a hard job."

Heero sighed, rubbed his face and touched Duo on the shoulder. "I’m sorry too. I figged you for lying and slacking. The spanking was for hitting me. Dammit!"

Duo just rubbed his cheek against Heero’s. "Don’t worry about it. I forgive you. You’re a good master. You know that. So you made a mistake. Everyone does at one time or another. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it?"

Heero turned his head and kissed Duo’s cheek. "Because I’m king. When a commoner makes a mistake, it’s not that big a deal. There’s others to help fix it. The Lord of the Manor, the justice, priests, neighbors, friends. When a king makes a mistake, people suffer, even die. Merchants are ruined, their families starve. Farmers’ fields lie fallow. And only the king can fix it. Maybe. Do you understand?"

Duo groaned. "You’re right. I never understood before. I see. I do." Duo clutched at Heero trying to comfort them both. Why, he wasn’t sure. But they both needed comfort just now.

Heero finally broke the embrace and settled at his desk again. He picked up a pen then put it back down. He picked up a book, flipped a few pages and dropped it. Duo watched in dismay, this was not good. When Heero got restless like this, he was trying to reach a decision, a difficult one.

When he finally spoke Duo was relieved, until he understood what Heero was saying.

"Duo, go to the small weapons chest in our quarters and bring me the cane you find there." Duo opened his mouth to say something but Heero looked so upset that he just closed it, nodded and left to do as he was told.

He returned with the cane and handed it to Heero. Heero accepted it and swished it through the air. Duo wondered what his master was up to. He knew he hadn’t done anything to merit a punishment.

"Take the cane."

Duo took it from Heero’s hand and gave him a puzzled look.

"And just exactly what am I supposed to do with this?"

Heero looked at him for a moment then turned around and bent over the desk. "Punish me."

Duo felt his jaw drop, he jacked it back up and demanded, "And what the hell for?"

Heero looked over his shoulder. "For not believing you which made you lose your temper."

Duo tossed the cane onto the floor. "Yes, for losing my temper. Which was my own fault."

Heero shook his head. "I knew you were trying to tell me something. I just didn’t listen. So you got frustrated. That was my fault."

Duo nearly stamped his foot in present frustration. "Damn you! I knew better than to lose my temper no matter what you did. If you had been any other man I’d have been at the flogging post before the mark faded. Will you turn around and fight this out like a man? You’re so quick to judge. Think before you act. You’ll make a lot fewer mistakes that way."

Heero turned around and picked up the cane. "I know what is right and just. I punished you unjustly. You have the right to punish me now. I made you write all those lines again and clean the floor. And . . ."

Duo growled deep in his chest. Heero was as stubborn as an ass and just about as stupid.

"Shut up. You’re driving me nuts. You don’t . . . I . . . shit. Do not say a word. I have to get my thoughts in order."

Duo paced as Heero sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed over his chest, one ankle over the other. Finally Duo settled on the obvious.

"In case you’ve forgotten, I’m your slave. You have the right to do anything you want to me. For any reason at all, or none. You didn’t hurt me. It was weird having hot root . . ." Duo flushed. "Well, you know. But you didn’t do any damage at all so why are you so upset."

Heero shifted slightly. "I committed an injustice. It’s wrong. I . . . you . . . dammit. I just . . . you should be so angry with me. I don’t want you to be. So I have to be punished. To make things even. Don’t you see?"

Duo managed to extract some sense out of Heero’s rather disjointed remarks and replied to the meaning rather than the words.

"You think I should punish you for treating me more gently than anyone I remember, ever? You’re silly. An injustice would have been if you beat me bloody. So just let it drop."

Heero glared at Duo. "If you won’t do it, I’ll call a guardsman. He’ll do it. You don’t understand. I’ll never be able to look you in the eye. I can’t rest with this on my conscience."

Duo did some glaring of his own, but he knew that Heero was right. The man was fully committed to justice and this would weigh on him until something was done. He threw his hands up literally and figuratively. "Very well. I’ll give you the punishment I think you deserve. You’ll not argue with me. You’ll take it like a man and never mention it again. Agreed?"

Heero breathed a sigh of relief and gave a jerky nod. "Agreed."

Duo gave a decisive nod. "First, you will write one hundred times, in your best penman ship. ‘I will listen to Duo. I’m sorry I did not.’ Then we’ll see."

Heero gave Duo a grim look and walked around the desk. Duo picked up the cane and propped it up in the corner.

Duo watched as Heero wrote lines, covering page after page with neat script. He stopped once to flex his fingers and Duo cleared his throat softly. Heero immediately went back to his work, only sighing softly. Duo smiled at the scroll he was translating.

Heero finished his work and handed it to Duo for approval. Duo glanced at it flipping the pages over then tucked it into his desk drawer. Heero looked startled.

"Aren’t you going to count them?"

"What for? You of all people wouldn’t cheat. Next punishment, for accusing me of lying."

Heero shuddered, for some reason that was the thing that had made Duo angry. "I’m sorry. I think you don’t lie. Now that I know you better."

Duo nodded. "I feel like it’s one of those things I should remember but never mind that now. Kneel."

Heero knelt without objection. It was humiliating but that was the point.

"Apologize. A real one please."

Heero bowed his head. "Duo, I’m truly sorry I accused you of lying to me. Please forgive me."

Duo touched Heero’s messy hair then stroked his fingers through it. Heero looked up hopefully.

"Of course, I forgive you. I was very angry with you for a while. But . . . you’ve always been kind to me. How could I not?"

Heero stood and ducked his head, peeking at Duo through his flopping bangs.

"Thank you. I try to be kind to you and not lose my temper. I just have so many irons in the fire right now that sometimes I feel like . . . like I’m going to just shatter to pieces."

Duo brushed Heero’s bangs out of his eyes and kissed him. "You need a hair cut. Come on, let’s go up stairs so I can cut it. And if you feel . . . well, if you like, you can tell me anything. I really don’t tell everything I know."

Heero gave Duo a startled look, where had that remark come from?

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