*italics*
\\ // Duo's thoughts
## Heero's thoughts
It took longer than expected to pry Relena away from Heero, but once he was successful Quatre led Heero over to where Duo was standing. To anyone glancing their way, they appeared as three stunning young men without a care in the world, well except for the intimidating one with the brooding cobalt eyes. Heero gave an artic glare directed at all guests daring enough to look in his direction.
Seeing that Heero was short of patience, Quatre quickly informed him of the dire situation. Heero's expression didn't change.
He simply asked, “Quatre, where's Sandrock?”
The blonde replied, “Just three miles due east of here.”
“Wing is closer. Do you think you can get there in time?”
“That's no problem. I have a jet waiting for me. But, I think someone needs to stay here to protect the Prince, in case the battle does in fact reach Roquet or in case OZ has operatives stashed here to finish the job if the battle doesn't.”
“My cycle is outside the Hall,” Heero said over his shoulder as he walked away. Quatre followed him.
Duo's mouth hung open in shock “Wait! What about me,” Duo called after the two quickly departing figures. “Since when did I volunteer to be left behind? You guys don't even know where you're going.”
Heero stopped in his tracks, “Neither do you.”
Duo flushed. “Yeah, but three gundams are better than two.” Duo cringed. \\That sounded so lame.//
“Two will finish the job. It's not a real battle. They're not expecting any resistance.”
Duo clenched his fists. He was being dumped again.
Quatre stepped between the two of them. He put his hands on Duo's shoulders. His blue-green eyes pleaded with Duo's. “Duo, please do this as a favor for me.”
Duo looked back a Quatre with a bewildered expression. Hadn't the blonde ever heard of something called “personal space?”
“Duo, please stay behind--.”
“But---why can't you--”
Without intending to, Quatre squeezed Duo's shoulders. “It's something I have do…I have to prove to Cruz that the Gundams can, indeed, save lives… This opportunity won't present itself again. Let me protect him the only way I know how.”
Duo watched as Heero and Quatre walked away. \\Heero won't come back this time.//
“Matte!”
This time the voice was Relena's.
“Wait, Heero, Wait!”
But, she quickly quieted her pleas as she became aware of the curious throng around her. It wasn't dignified for the heiress of the Sank Kingdom to shout desperately after a young man, especially a quickly retreating young man.
She looked to Duo, saw that he was not leaving with the others, and strode over to him.
“Heero's going into battle, isn't he? But, why?”
Duo suppressed an urge to say, “Duh, OZ. As usual.”
A bit miffed he said instead, “Heero's on a mission to protect the very ideals you hold dear.”
That stopped her for a moment. Then she said, her voice small and confused, “But I always believed Heero thought Pacifism was a joke.”
“To some degree he does, but I think even he realizes that any opposition to OZ, however weak, is a good thing.”
“Hmm, but why aren't you fighting alongside the others?”
Duo hid a knowing smile. \\You mean: why am I here instead of Heero?// “Well, let's just say: same mission, different means.”
“Can't you tell me what is--” she pressed.
Suddenly, an idea came to Duo.
“Relena, where's your seat for the ceremony?”
She hesitated before answering, “I'm sitting in the first arc of the amphitheater around the stage. I was saving a seat for Heero, but--”
\\Perfect, I'll be close enough to Quiniento to touch. Quatre, I never break a promise.//
“Is it okay with take his place—I mean his seat? I need to be as close to the stage as possible.”
“But, why?”
“Let's just say I'm moonlighting as someone's guardian angel.”
A voice came over the announcement system. “Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The ceremony will commence in just a few moments.”
But, as Duo took his seat next to Relena, he realized his earlier words were mistaken. OZ's enemies were all around him. The most prestigious guests sat in the first three arcs of the amphitheater. Not only was he sitting next to the Princess of the Sank Kingdom, but the most vocal dignitaries of the pacifist kingdoms also surrounded him. Duo suddenly became uneasy. Perhaps, Heero and Quatre had left him with the greater responsibility. But how could he guarantee the safety of these people without the strength Shinigami allowed him?
\\Guardian angel…god of death….the two images don't go hand-in-hand.//
Out of the blue, something struck him as odd. He turned to Relena to ask, “Where are your bodyguards? As Princess of the Sank Kingdom you should have bodyguards here to protect you.”
She faced him, her eyes large, “Am I in danger?”
“Not anymore than usual,” he answered dryly before continuing, “In case things get out of control tonight, I just would like one less thing to worry about.”
“What are you talking about? Do you know something?”
“Of course, I do, but don't worry your pretty little head off. If Heero and Quatre come through, my concern will be for nothing. But, just to tie up a few loose ends, *where* are your bodyguards?”
She tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear before asking, “Do you see Prince Quininento over there?”
“...” For the first time of the evening, Duo laid eyes on Prince Quiniento. The prince hadn't changed much since the picture taken at the Race Against Arms Summit. Except something that couldn't be captured by a mere photograph emanated from him as he sat on the stage flanked by two guards. Duo couldn't put a name to it, but it was something that made him feel uneasy.
“Well, do you see those two gentlemen keeping close to him? They are his bodyguards but they are not part of the *elite faction* of guards. Those two are more for show. Like Quiniento, I also have an elite faction of guards. These guards are dressed as anyone attending this ball. Their function is to blend in, basically, to be indistinguishable from the other guests, and to spot threats to the royal person. From the vantage of a 'guest,' they can see the real dangers brewing before the more conspicuous bodyguards can. There are five elite guards to protect me. Look, he's one.”
Relena gestured to a rather tall gentleman who was talking to the Countess of Ducret. Duo could now see he was looking over the Countess's shoulder to glance over at Relena every now and again. \\Ok, she said five. That explains the five people from that the Sank Kingdom I couldn't identify.//
“And, Prince Cruz,” he asked.
“I don't know how many he has nor do I know who any of them are, but I assume he is very well protected.”
“Hmm.”
“Duo,” Relena's tone had changed from patient to pleading. “I need to ask a favor of you.”
“What kind of favor,” he asked suspiciously. \\Transforming into Heero is out of the question…not to mention impossible.//
“After the salutatory address, I will present the first award to Prince Quiniento. I…I--I need an escort to and from the stage. It's tradition, sort of a ceremonial rite. I was hoping Heero would accept, but--”
“He's not here so you're stuck with me.” Duo hid a smirk. \\Relena's trickier that I thought, but she's not too bright. I doubt Heero ever would have—//
A bit flustered she added, “No, I didn't mean that at all. If you don't care to, I can always ask--”
Duo pictured Relena ordering a burly bodyguard to escort her to the stage. \\That wouldn't be becoming at all.// He suppressed another smirk. “No, it's fine. So, what are we supposed to do anyway?”
“After Lord Rawlings gives the salutatory address, you stand up and escort me to the stage. Once we reach the stage, you remain at the foot of the steps until I return. I go up the stage, receive the reward from the attendant, give a lavish speech and present the award to Quiniento. You greet me at the stairs as I leave the stage, you then take my hand and escort me to my seat. Simple.”
“So, basically, I'm an accessory.”
“Essentially,” she said.
Was Duo seeing things or was there actually a glint of humor in those usually distracted blue eyes of hers?
Lord Rawlings was a droopy looking gentleman with a curiously long mustache and an eyeglass worthy of the Monopoly guy. As Rawlings began his speech, Duo could make out the sound of a battle raging in the distance. As he strained his ears, he could hear the faint rat-ta-tap-tapping of machine guns. His senses began to play tricks on him. He could smell fuel. He could taste blood, raw and fiery in his mouth. He could feel his gundam lurch underneath him as he surged into the enemy. Then, he redirected his gaze and saw the calm, unsuspecting faces of the multitude around him and felt infinitely powerless. He could only think , \\You've failed me once, Heero. Please, don't fail me again. There's a lot more than my feelings riding on this.// Despite his pleas, the noise grew steadily louder. He seemed like the only one to notice. \\I'm so wired my mind's playing tricks on me…//
The time came for him to escort Relena to the stage. He stood up, took her hand lightly in his and guided her over to the stage. Relena glided almost elegantly up the stairs and across the stage to the podium. A nervous but beautiful attendant handed her a crystal plaque. As Duo looked up at the symbol of Prince Cruz's resistance, he could make out the artistic rendition of a human heart with a dribble of blood trickling down its left side. Relena spoke, turning slightly towards the prince, who was still seated on the stage with his bodyguards. As she faced him, her tone became intimate.
Lifting the statue to eye-level, she said, her voice steady in the quiet of the room, “This is the Bleeding Heart Award, the emblem of compassion and sacrifice in the face of extreme adversity. In the past, the term 'bleeding heart' was associated with those who were too liberal in their views, cause-chasers, those who wept too easily for causes they didn't understand, but I am proud to say this definition no longer applies. The Bleeding Heart now represents the will to love life despite the dangers overt compassion can bring. For, it is loving without immediate award, for, it is caring without the fear of castigation that makes the bearer of the Bleeding Heart. Peace comes to those who are brave enough *not* to kill. Prince Cruz Quiniento of the Argent Kingdom, I, Princess Relena Peacecraft of the Sank Kingdom hereby present to you The Bleeding Heart Award.”
There was a roar of applause as Prince Cruz strode across the stage to receive the award. Despite the deafening applause, Duo could feel the heady tremors of an approaching mobile suit. Maybe it was his heightened state of anxiety, or his usual haste to spring into action, but, whatever it was, it spurred Duo to race up the steps of the stage. Meanwhile, Cruz bent to kiss Relena's hand before he would accept the award. Catlike, Duo bounded across the wide expanse of the stage, his apprehension doubling with each frenzied stride. In one wild motion, he pushed past Relena and vaulted himself full force at the prince. Duo would learn soon after that his motion not only caused the award smash into an indiscernible amount of pieces but it had also sent the heiress skidding on her rump several feet away.
Duo leapt with his hands extended. They reached the prince first, landing squarely on his shoulders followed by the collision of Duo's head against the prince's chest. The force of the impact propelled the two a great distance backwards. And, as they landed, with the prince on the bottom and Duo on top, an earthshaking explosion rocked the great hall. Instinctively, Duo's hands flew up to protect the prince's face from raining debris while Duo kept his own face tucked against the heaving breadth of the prince's chest. Cruz's heart beat erratically against Duo's forehead. He turned his head. Screaming from the frightened crowd filled the American pilot's ears and smoke from the blast tickled his nostrils mercilessly. Then suddenly the explosion was over and the prince began to move beneath him. Cruz removed both of Duo's arms from his face and, instead of releasing Duo, he grasped his arms in a firm but comfortable grip. The prince's green eyes were misted over with alarm and something on the lines of befuddlement.
He looked down at Duo and gasped, “How could you have known?”
The prince turned to look at the podium he had been standing behind only seconds before. A huge slab of the hall's ceiling had smashed it to bits, making mere splinters of the once solid oak podium. After looking at what could have easily been his and Relena's fate, he added, both awed and embarrassed, “Where are my manners? Thank you. Thank you for saving our lives.”
Duo's face flushed as he realized that, because of the position in which they had landed, the prince's muscled thigh was securely pressed to his groin. He had meant to save the prince, not take advantage of him.
“Is everything all right? Your face is completely red,” exclaimed the concerned prince.
\\I better move before he notices something else,// Duo thought darkly.
But before Duo could remove himself from the prince, four pairs of hands lifted him from the shaky heir of The Argent throne. The prince, himself, was being raised and supported by five men. Duo turned his head to scan the damage. Chunks of the great hall's ceiling was scattered about the stage and the air in the entire hall was cloudy with dust and smoke. As Duo continued to take in the remnants of the blast, he saw that Relena was also safe, surrounded by her five bodyguards who fawned over the heiress till she regained consciousness.
\\These nine guys must be Quiniento's men. Great, the last nine are now accounted for.//
Duo struggled in the men's grasp, but they didn't release their hold on him until they were sure the Prince was in good health.
One of the guards spoke. “Your highness, we must get you out of here to the jet.”
The prince responded, “We'll be shot down. Our only escape is to go underground.” He rubbed idly at the fresh bruise on his head (apparently, Duo wasn't able to protect him from everything) as he looked at the faces of his protectors. Suddenly, a look of acute alarm took over his features.
He looked around anxiously, scanning the crowd and stage. He demanded, “Where's Quatre? Why isn't he here?”
“He's--” Duo stopped himself just in time. What was he trying to do? Blow his and Quatre's cover? And, what did Prince Cruz want with Quatre at this time anyway?
Relief washed over the Prince as he turned to face Duo. “So, then you know where--”
Evasive, Duo took a step back and answered, “I*know* that everyone's life is currently in danger.”
“I understand. Stephen, hand me your voice amplifier.” A sandy haired guard appeared from behind Duo and handed the prince what he desired.
For the first time, Duo acknowledged the frightened, panicky guests off the stage. The Prince spoke into what Stephen handed him. “Please, listen to me, everyone! We must calm down!”
The foundation of the hall shook with the vibrations of a nearby explosion. The crowd began to run chaotically toward the nearest exits.
The Prince, seeing imminent disaster, bellowed into the mic, “If you want to leave this place alive, listen to me!” For a moment, the crowd stilled.
Seeing that he had gotten the crowd's attention, he continued, “There is a network of tunnels running under Roquet. We can access these tunnels from this very hall. There, we will be safe from any more harm. The tunnels run deep and I don't think our enemy is cunning enough to think of blowing up anything other than these surface buildings. My men will lead you to these exits.”
It was Stephen who responded first, “But we can't leave you, Prince.”
“Would you rather have these people die?”
“No, Sire, but our first duty is to you.”
“Then, I request that you do what I say before we all perish.”
“Sir--”
“Cristobal and Raul will remain with me. The rest of you will do my bidding and protect these people.”
The seven bodyguards reluctantly left to guide the currently stable crowd to the tunnels.
Duo began to walk away. Everything seemed to be taken care of. The people would be led to safety and the prince and Relena had their guards to take over his job of protecting them. It was now time for Duo to join Heero and Quatre in battle. At least, that was what Duo was hoping until he felt the weight of another human being on his arm. He looked over to see the soot smudged face of Relena. \\Great.//
“I must find Heero. You have to take me to him.”
Duo took a wary glance at Relena's guards. They were not too happy with him. Hell, he had nearly flung their beloved princess across the stage.
Noting the precariousness of his situation, she added ominously, “Don't make me use force.”
Duo looked at her in disbelief.
\\What's with her? One minute she's sweet and the next minute she's ready to have my head on a silver platter…//
The hall was falling apart around them and all he wanted to do was escape. His expression weary and his patience abated, he relented and said, “I make no promises. If you can keep up with me, fine. Otherwise, stay out of my way.”
Duo took off, his braid whipping wildly behind him as he sped away. Trailing behind him was a flustered, a sputtering Relena and her five angry guards. All of a sudden, as Duo was running, he felt a sharp tug on his braid. He expected to turn to find Relena and he planned to punish her for daring to touch him after he had warned her to keep her distance. He was in no mood for questions about Heero. But instead, he turned to find a man's chest and not the annoyed pair of blue eyes that he expected. \\Prince Cruz.//
“Wait,” Quiniento gasped, wrapping Duo's braid more securely around his fist in case his longhaired savior decided to bolt. “You must take me to Quatre!”
Another explosion racked the hall.
\\Great, first Relena latches onto my arm because she wants me to take her to Heero. Now, Prince Charming here wants me to take him to Quatre. Sheesh, am I the only undesirable Gundam pilot? Doesn't anyone want me?//
Seeing the look of pain on Duo's face, he added, “I can guarantee you safety and an explanation.”
“Fine. Take me… and the rest of this crew with you.” Duo gestured to his newly acquired appendages behind him. Relena and her guards smiled meekly at the prince.
“Right. Follow me.”
In the tunnels, Duo walked side by side with Cruz while Relena, her entourage, and the prince's two bodyguards followed some distance behind. Cruz requested the distance because he wanted to talk with the young man who'd saved his life without the censorship of meddling ears. The lanterns that hung every few feet dimly lit the tunnels.
“It's funny that, even after all of this, I do not even know your name. Calling you, 'young man' won't do. We *are* around the same age.” The Prince chuckled good-naturedly.
“Before I tell you, can you explain why you need to see Quatre?”
“That's not so simple.”
“Ok, fine. Why is he so important to you then?”
“He's my brother.”
“What?!!!!” Duo's stark disbelief echoed throughout the tunnel.
“Well, I mean to say, he's the closest thing to a brother I have. His father and mine have held a number of partnerships in the same companies and they grew to be the best of friends even before Quatre and I were ever born. I'm an only child and Quatre has 29 sisters; it was almost inevitable that we would grow close. Boys need boys to play with.”
Duo raised an eyebrow, “How *close* are you?”
“Close enough to know a good number of his secrets.”
“His secrets?” Duo's eyes grew wide.
“What I am trying to say to you is: I know how your and Quatre's destinies are connected. And, I know you fight for the preservation of the colonies' rights. There's no need to worry. I am a definite ally.”
“You know then…that Quatre's…” Duo let the prince finish the sentence. He wanted make sure that he and the prince were on the same level.
“…a gundam pilot.”
“Then, did you know about…?”
“You? No, not before tonight and not from Quatre either. I put two and two together when you saved me before any of my guards were aware of what was going on and then you were the only one to know where Quatre was. Your reluctance to tell told me that you were protecting his identity.”
“Interesting logic… So… has he told you about the others?”
“No, for your and the others' safety he keeps your identities secret. You guys are another part of his life, a part I am not privy to.”
“Hmm…Prince Cruz--”
“Call me Cruz. Any friend of Quatre is a friend of mine…If you don't mind me asking…Why aren't you with him? Is it safe for him to fight alone?”
Duo gave the prince a careful look, “You haven't seen him fight have you? That kid…He looks innocent, but put him in the middle of a battle…” Duo gave a low whistle. “He apologizes before he finishes them off, you know, but, besides that, he is as quick to the draw as anyone else. He has a mind that was made to battle…he was born to strategize. Well, that doesn't matter. He's not alone. There's another pilot with him…”
“He's *that* good…Wow!”
“Wow?” Duo looked at the Prince with stunned eyes. “Did you just say 'wow'? You're a pacifist, right? Shouldn't you be condemning him?”
“Quatre? No, I understand him… I'm sure he fights every battle with his heart. He probably mourns every life taken. And, as long as he does that I can't condemn him…”
\\This prince is one difficult guy to figure out…//
“Besides,” the prince continued, “I can accept what I truly don't understand. It's just who I am.”
Duo offered his hand to the prince, “I'd like to introduce myself… The name is Duo Maxwell, enemy of OZ and pilot of Shinigami, formally known as Deathscythe.”
“That's you?” The Prince took Duo's hand and shook it. “You pilot a beautiful machine.”
Duo took his hand away. What was he supposed to say that? Who refers to the mechanized embodiment of the god of death as beautiful? Striking, yes. Formidable, definitely. But, beautiful? Like Duo said before, the prince was creepy.
“Hmm…” Duo looked around him at the shadowy expanse of the tunnel. “How did you know about these tunnels? They're not in any of the blueprints of the school. I checked.”
“They wouldn't be. The tunnels are my doing. Roquet is the only place that felt like a home. My father's a great king but he knows next to nothing about parenting. I didn't exactly have any playmates, unless you count my tutor, or my Nanny, or Quatre… So, after I graduated I pushed for a network of tunnels and shelters to be built underground, to protect the family I always longed for. They are unfinished as of yet, but I won't rest until they are completed.”
“Oh.” Duo felt a little uneasy at the Cruz's heartfelt admission.
“I think that's the least a human being can do: protect that which is dear.”
“I agree.”
“There are so few sacred things in this war-torn world.”
\\Heero, do you hate me so much that you had to destroy the one that thing that, together, we had claim to?//
Duo's expression became angry.
“Is anything wrong?”
“Everything. What kind of target for OZ are you? No, offense but you're simply a nice guy. Influential, yes. But, for the most part you just want to see people happy. When's the pursuit of happiness such a threat?”
The prince's tone lost its cheery lilt as he responded soberly, “When the pursuit becomes a race and the goal becomes obscured by the tactics employed. Sometimes people fight even when they don't know what they are fighting for.”
“I'm with you on that…Hmm…”
“Answer me this, Duo, why, exactly, were you at the ceremony today? Two gundam pilots at one ceremony? I always got the feeling that you guys worked alone. What did I owe this great honor to?”
“Actually, there were three of us…the other pilot… and I were assigned a mission to prevent OZ from interfering with the ceremony. We were sent two weeks in advance to stake out the Academy for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. We found nothing so we assumed OZ would rear its ugly head on the night of the ceremony.”
The prince wrinkled his forehead. “You were sent to stop OZ and not to protect me?”
“Don't get me wrong. You weren't bait or anything, but we knew that you had riled OZ's feathers. We were sent more to protect the cause and not the person. We were sent to show them that pacifism does indeed have its protectors. It sounds impersonal, but that is how things are.”
“Quatre …He's probably fighting as we speak.”
A manic grin sprung to Duo's face, “Nah, knowing him and Hee-- they've probably mopped up the floor with those OZ creeps already! They could be anywhere…”
“It feels… so strange that the guy I view as my little brother is now my protector.”
“I guess it's nice to have someone to protect you. I have always had to do that myself.”
They were silent for a while.
“Prin—Cruz, is there a way out of these tunnels to a place above ground?”
“The only safe place I can think of is the Century Forest three miles outside of Roquet. The buildings on campus are too dangerous at this time. Couldn't you just stay in one of the shelters we have here?”
“I really should get going… but thanks anyway. How do I get there, to the forest?”
“If my memory serves me correctly from the blueprints…” The prince gave Duo the necessary information. “You won't come across anyone on your way there because all the guests should be located in the tunnels surrounding the shelters. But, if you lose your way, there should be signs to guide you.”
“Before, I go…Do you remember what you said to me about not being able to condemn Quatre and…that thing about being able to accept what you don't understand?…have you said any of this to Quatre?”
The prince's expression changed from pensive to glum. “Actually, we haven't really talked since the Gundams arrived on earth…”
“Maybe you should. He needs to hear what I've heard.”
The prince nodded. Duo exchanged goodbyes with Cruz and began his departure.
A determined voice echoed throughout the tunnel, “Duo, where do you think you're going?” Duo had forgotten about Relena. He paused, almost regretting having saved her. Then an idea struck him.
With a smug expression on his face, he answered her.
“I'm leaving, but the only way you are coming with me is if *they*,” he pointed at the five, suddenly close, intimidating guards, “remain behind.”
“But--”
“It's your decision.”
\\I want to see her argue her way of this. She wouldn't dare show her claws in front of the prince.//
With a curt nod, she answered, “Fine.”