The Prize + Part 3 (cont)

+

Wufei sat on the marble railing of one of the many terraces overlooking a very bleak, expansive garden. All the flowers and bushes were blanketed in freshly covered snow, but the birdbath seemed still lively and full of colorful visitors. Wufei listened to them sing and breathed the crisp air, letting it fill his lungs with a chilly tickle, only to puff out past his frozen lips. He felt happy. And couldn't for the life of him think why. It had been such a pretty day. The sun shined but had no warmth. The sky looked blue and lonely. The birds flew away and took with them the feeling of happiness, as Wufei let himself sink into his thoughts, which were turning to despair.

... Minna. What am I doing here? Is this where I will always be? Will we never see each other again?... Minna... I miss you. I miss your stupid jokes, Duo. And your smile, Quatre chan. I miss your gentle spirit, Trowa... and even you, Heero. I can't help but smile when I think of you, baka!

Suddenly the snow crunched under someone's foot. Wufei snapped his head up. Two big officers were standing not more than two feet away from him, looking a little less than friendly.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here Meuller?"

"Let me see Alex... Ah. What a pretty necklace, little one. Where did you steal it?"

"I... I didn't steal it. General Kushrenada gave it to me."

"Oh. Are you the General's new pet then?"

"Easy Meuller, easy. I don't think the General will like what you have in mind!"

"Oh, but Alex. Let me have some fun, ne? It's been so long since I've smelled blood."

Wufei got up off the railing and considered where he could flee too.

Fighting could not be an option. Two armed officers -- officers that belonged to the conquering army -- would not be a legitimate fight by any means!

"Leave me alone!" Wufei spat.

" 'Leave me alone!' " Meuller mocked.

Wufei had been caught off guard by the swift kick to his gut. All his cold breath tumbled out of him and fell on his knees to the ground.

"I don't think so little one!" Meuller proceeded to kick him again, this time lifting Wufei off the ground with the blow. "What, not gonna even fight back? Very... wise... "

"Meuller, that's enough. You're gonna get court marshaled!"

"Oh Alex, go shit your pants somewhere else, okay? This little cock tease might be the General's but I got a feeling he won't be a squealer! Hold him down!"

Alex obeyed as if in a trance.

+

Treize looked at the pewter clock. Wufei had been late for his lessons. Treize frowned. Not like his dragon; he grew impatient and then extremely angry. He rapped the textbooks with his long fingers. Damn it! He would teach the boy to obey him, it would that simple. Treize got up from behind the desk and strode toward the door, a scowl etched on his face.

+

"NO! nononono! Stop -- humphhh."

"I said hold him down, you pussy!"

Wufei bit into Meuller's leg and got a nice swift kick in the teeth for it. Hot blood gushed from his mouth and spilled onto the virgin snow, causing a little steam to rise from the ground.

"Fuckin' bitch!"

The sound of Wufei's clothing being torn from his body echoed throughout the deserted garden. Wufei's eyes stung. This is not happening! This is not happening. Treize! Treize make them stop!

Alex slapped his face. "This will go easier if you'd stop being such a pain in the ass, kid."

"Oh yes, very good, rationalize with the brat. You fucktard! Get his pants down!"

Alex's hand shook, but they ripped Wufei's pants down around his ankles.

"No!!!!! NOOOOO! Ahhhhh! Stopstopstopstopstopstop... "

"Oh don't worry little one, you'll like it once I put it in you, sweetie... "

"TREIZE!!!!!!!!!!"

The screamed bounced off every single object within a good forty feet.

"Shit! Shut him up Alex, before somebody comes. Jesus what a little fucker! Just for that kid, I'm gonna fuckin' forget to be nice!"

Meuller pinned Wufei face down in the snow, trapping him with his weight, muffling his cries. He unzipped his pants and whipped out his strained erection, pressing it against Wufei's smooth skin.

Wufei couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. Where were his walls? Where is Treize? Why would this happen again? Not again, not again, not again...

Suddenly the weight on top of him vanished. Wufei gasped for air and lifted his head to see Treize Kushrenada's towering form over him.

Treize beat the fucking shit out of Meuller, to say the least. He thoroughly punched every inch of the Mech pilot's face, then kicked him in the ribs for a good minute or two and finally proceeded to bash his head against Alex, who just stood there like a deer in headlights.

After both men had been smashed beyond all coherency, Treize turned his attention towards Wufei. The anger flashing in his eyes turned into sympathy and concern, but all Wufei could see had been a figure towering over him and he whimpered and tried to push himself away.

"Not again, not again, not again... " he kept whispering.

Treize hoisted him up over one shoulder and carried him into the building. Once inside their bedroom, Treize placed Wufei on the bed and then left to get cloths to wipe up the blood and to tell the guards to arrest the rapists, giving strict instructions to keep the matter confidential.

Treize mopped up the blood from Wufei's face and tried to coax him back into reality. The boy just rocked back and forth and chanted to himself, his eyes very far away. The General got into bed with him, drug the covers up high over both of them, and cradled Wufei in his arms, stroking his back slowly. Wufei began to come back to his senses.

"Oh, master. Treize. Oh... Oh! Ohh... " Wufei breathed as the passing events sunk in.

"Its okay, Wufei; you're safe now. Are you hurt?"

"A little... I... "

"Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, I -- "

"Did they... did they do anything to you?"

Wufei shivered. "No, they... you stopped them... I... "

"You what, dragon?"

"I'm sorry. I missed our Latin practice."

Treize let out a puff of air. "Shshhh. Shshhh, my dragon Fei. I will teach you some Latin now. Your first word will be a hard one, but then you like a challenge don't you?"

Wufei nodded against Treize's chest.

"Then our first word will be pulchritudinous. Can you say that?"

"Pol... Pulcri... tudinous."

"Good. Very good. That is one of the words I will use to describe you, my dragon."

"Treize?"

"Hai."

"What does pulchritudinous mean?"

"Beautiful. Exquisite. Elegant. Pulchritudinous."

Wufei whimpered.

"Dragon?"

"Yes, Treize?"

"Sleep now. I will keep you safe. Sleep now, you are tired... "

"No I'm no–... ."

Wufei fell asleep in Treize's arms for the third time in thirty six hours. Why did the child act so sleepy? Why did he become so resolute? He didn't even argue anymore. What had happened to his dragon? Treize had a pretty good idea, but he didn't want to let himself admit it yet. He sighed. His poor dragon Fei. It would take some time...

But... He would never let him go.

+

Weeks passed. Treize did not press the issue with Wufei. He quietly arranged for Meuller and Alex's hanging and then decided the entire incident best to be left in the past. Every afternoon during his break, Treize would come to take tea in his room. There he would practice Latin, French and Greek with Wufei. Wufei proved a fast learner. Although he stumbled over Greek quite a bit, having a marked distaste for it. When Treize asked him why he disliked it so, the boy simply replied because he could and left it at that. He certainly kept Treize entertained.

Apart from study time with Treize, Wufei excelled in math and science and found that he really enjoyed historical novels. After dinner Treize would retire to their room and read in front of the fireplace while Wufei poured over his homework, without complaint unless it had been Greek, and the two found the quiet companionship most comfortable. Zechs came on diplomatic missions about twice a week and so Wufei's piano playing improved greatly. All in all, he was shaping into a fine young man. Treize decided that it was time to move forward...

"Dancing! Are you mad?"

"I assure you I am quite sane, dragon!"

"But Treize... master... Would you seek to make me an aristocrat?" Wufei snarled.

Zechs bit his lip to keep from laughing. Oh, but Wufei knew what buttons to push and just how hard to push them.

"Wufei... " Treize sung, as he crossed the distance between them, "you should know by now that your efforts cannot exhaust me. In truth they only fuel my desire... " Wufei backed up against the wall.

Zechs' eyes glowed merrily. Apparently, Wufei didn't realize they were already dancing, in a way. Now they just had to move their bodies.

"And dragon, I would never make you ... an aristocrat... " Treize teased. "I merely wish you to be able to hold your own in their presence, as you will find yourself in their presence quite often."

"But! But why? I like it here. Away from everyone. I... I don't want to... "

"Dragon! Are you saying you wish to hide from the world?"

Wufei hung is head. His voice got very soft. "It's quiet here. It's nice. No one looks at me... no... one sees me... "

Oh if you only knew the half of it, Wufei, Zechs thought, but he wisely kept his mouth shut and his face lowered in the direction of his book.

"My dragon." Treize purred. "Beauty such as yourself cannot be shut up from the world. Are you scared my little one?"

Wufei stiffened. "Don't call me that. And no, I am not afraid." His voice trembled.

"Ah. Very good. Then we will begin with the waltz. It's very simple. You follow me, and then later I will teach you to lead."

"Why? Who do I have to lead?"

"Oh dragon, you are so exasperating! Women of course!"

Wufei clutched at Treize in a totally unprecedented display of panic. "No, please!" He shook his head.

Treize started, completely shocked.

"Please don't make me dance with women. I'll dance with you, but... no one else. I... I don't like women... "

"But... "

Wufei's bright black eyes beamed up at him. "Please, master!" The boy whimpered.

Treize stroked loose hair from that delicate face and something in him melted. "Very well, dragon mine. You shall not dance with anyone you do not wish, how is that?"

"Thank you, master!"

Treize pulled Wufei into a fierce embrace. "You know I could deny you nothing, dragon. We are equal in that respect, at least. You will obey me in all that is right. And in turn, I will deny you nothing." Nothing but the right to leave me. Nothing but the right to die. Nothing but the right to ever be afraid, alone, or unhappy. These I will never give to you, Wufei, Treize thought

"You -- you are very kind master."

"Saa. Flattery will get you no where with me!"

"But you are too clever for flattery master!"

"I think I have trained you too well!"

Wufei grinned at Zechs, who smiled back shyly. Part of him felt that he intruded on something private, but the other part of him felt fascinated to see how deep Wufei's hooks had found their way into Treize, and how different Treize had become because of the small boy in his arms.

"One, two, three, pivot. One, two, three, pivot. There. We go like that, just like that, all the way through."

"Surely there is more to your dancing than this?"

"Well, there are turns and such, which you will learn later... "

"You people have the most boring customs."

"That's very polite of you Wufei; thank you."

Wufei reached up and pulled the silk scarf from about Treize's neck. A split eyebrow shot up but Treize said nothing. Wufei untied the scarf and wrapped it about Treize's hand, and then his own.

"This is how we used to dance in my village."

Wufei circled Treize, pulling the scarf around so as to keep Treize moving or encasing him in the cloth. It seemed very slow and very delicate and somewhat intoxicating to be so close to the boy.

"This is very nice," Treize murmured. "But I can recognize when you seek to distract me, dragon. You still have to learn the waltz."

"Very well, master," the boy chirped. Treize regretted that he did not argue with him in this matter, but there remained an objective in sight.

"Good. You have three days to learn to waltz, tango and fox trot."

"Only three days? Are you–"

"No, I am not mad. And yes, three days. That is when I will present you at the Spring Ball."

"Ba-ball? Oh shit."

"Wufei."

"Sorry, master."

"Yes, Ball. Now, head up, eyes on me, and put your left hand up on my shoulder, yes like that. Ready? One, two, three, pivot... "

Zechs shook his head and went back to his book. Closer and closer every day. So close.

+

[part 2] [back] [part 4] [back to Roo's fic]