So here's the last chapter. I hope it pleases you, but I'm afraid some of you won't be completely content with this ending. Let that be a warning.

Loads of thanks to my lovely beta readers SFA and Nightshade, who stuck with me to the end. Thanks to my readers for reading and my reviewers for letting me know you like the story. I love every review I get and it's been fun writing for you guys. Special thanks to JJ for giving me so many reviews.

Warnings: Depression, sexual content (not completely consensual), manipulation.

20: The point of no return

Last night he'd had the dream again. All was exactly as it had been every time before, except for the end. This time, the woman had not told him to find her. Instead she'd said they would meet soon. Like the other times, he could again not remember her face, but somehow the dream had left him with a feeling it lay somewhere just beyond his reach, as if he only needed to try a little harder and he would remember. But try as he might, the features just wouldn't come to him. The only thing he thought he remembered was her brown, curly hair.

The route down the cliff had taken him nearly a full day. All that time the bright light kept beckoning him, luring him closer. And then he'd reached the last line of trees separating him from the lake. He'd felt an excitement he was unfamiliar with as he crossed that line to search for the source of the light, but then the light had disappeared. Trowa had looked around for it, but there was nothing here which indicated it could have given off such a bright light and for so long. There was just the lake in the middle of the woods. It was a large lake, though. He could barely see the shore on the other side in this twilight. He had a feeling this might indeed be the lake from his book.

Disappointed that the light had disappeared, Trowa had made himself a fire and consumed another portion of rations that would have to do for dinner. Then he'd decided to try out this lake, which his book claimed should be able to tell whether or not he really possessed the gift of magic and how strong it would be. He checked again, but the book was a little vague on how to do that, though. According to the chapter describing the lake, he'd just have to collect some sand and hold it over the fire somehow. He doubted it would work -it seemed almost too simple- but what harm was there in trying?

He took off his shoes and socks and walked towards the lake. He watched for a moment as the water gently licked the sand in front of his toes, then took another step forward. The water was cold, but somehow not as cold as he had expected. The temperature here in the forest was probably a few degrees above freezing, but the water felt just a little warmer than that. Had the summer air managed to heat it somehow? It didn't matter. Trowa pulled back the sleeve of his thick coat and reached down to grab a handful of mud. Would this be enough? He didn't know, but he figured he might as well see what happened. He took the sand back to the fire. Now hold it over? Right, how was he supposed to do that?

He held his hand over the fire, high enough that he wouldn't hurt himself and looked at it. Nothing happened. He lowered his hand a little. Still, nothing. He couldn't go much lower than this without causing himself injury. Perhaps he should use a tool to get it closer to the fire? He had a small pot he used for cooking, but it was dirty. Still, it was the only thing he could think of. He cleaned the pot with the water from the lake, filled it with mud, returned to the fire and held the pot over the fire. Still nothing happened. Gently, he lowered the pot until the flames were licking the metal, but to no avail. The mud inside remained as it was.

"What are you doing?" A humorous voice asked from behind him and Trowa jumped and turned around and there she was. One look at her and he remembered her as vivid as if he had always known her. Her light brown hair with the curls at the end caught a reddish glow in the firelight and the sweet, gentle expression was exactly as he remembered. Even her voice sounded the same. This was the woman who had called to him in his dreams.

"Are you trying to cook sand?"

"No, of course not." He was surprised she had managed to startle him. He was usually a lot more vigilant than that. Had he really become so caught up with this magic business that he'd allowed her to sneak up on him like that? Even though he felt some sort of relief at seeing her, he wasn't happy he hadn't noticed her until she spoke. She stood right out in the open!

"Well, then what are you doing?" She asked curiously.

Did she recognise him as well? If she did, she hid it perfectly. "It's nothing." He answered, regaining his posture. He took the pot out of the fire and emptied it. "A stupid idea."

She shrugged and came closer. "You didn't appear to find it stupid just now." She said and when he wouldn't answer, she walked all the way up to him. She spotted the book he'd left open at the chapter about the lake and squatted down to study it, then she chuckled. "I see."

She did?

She stood up again. "It's the wood." She said, looking around. "You'll need Rowan wood. And you need to go further into the lake for the sand."

"You know?"

She shrugged. "You get the sand, I'll get you the right wood. A handful of sand will do. You'll know when you're in far enough." And with that she started off towards the tree line.

Trowa watched her as she disappeared in the shadows. She knew what he was trying to do? Or was she just making fun of him? Somehow he doubted the latter. He was not a bad judge of character, his time with Prince Quatre had taught him much and he believed she spoke true. Still, he was a complete stranger to her and yet she offered to help him without even thinking of questioning his intentions.

He shook his head. This was the same woman as the one who had appeared to him night after night in his dreams. That could not be a coincidence. But if he decided to trust her, he would have to get into that lake again. Exactly how far in would he have to go? The water wasn't as cold as he had expected, but it was quite cold and he wasn't a great swimmer. Prince Quatre had shown him how to do it once and he'd caught on rather quickly, but that was in a shallow river where at any time he could have reached the bottom with his feet. This lake was much larger and without a doubt much deeper as well.

Reluctantly, Trowa undressed. The coldness of the soft breeze coming from the water had him shivering before he had even removed his undergarments, but he ignored it. He would need those clothes to get back warm when he came out. He carefully folded them and placed them near the fire, hoping they would soak up some of the heat it was giving off while he was out swimming.

The water was again cold to his feet, but Trowa tried to ignore it as much as he could and steadily walked further into the lake. As he had guessed, the lake deepened quickly and before he knew it, he was emerged all the way up to his shoulders. Would this be far enough yet? He didn't know. Her description that he would know if he was in far enough sounded vague. He looked back to the shore to see if she had returned yet, but she was nowhere to be seen. Had she been lying after all? Was she making a fool out of him by sending him into this lake, butt-naked? Why couldn't she have been more precise?

He turned back, figuring he'd try to swim a little further and then he saw it. The light he'd seen before, it was right there, a little further into the lake. It was just as bright as it had been when it beckoned him, only more compact now so that it did not obstruct his view as much. It seemed to illuminate the entire lake, making it look like it was made out of thousands of tiny crystals. The view was enchanting. Without a doubt he knew the source of the light was where he had to go.

Swimming came remarkably easy to him. Suddenly he realised he wasn't that cold at all. In fact, the closer he came to the light the more pleasant the water's temperature seemed to become. And then he was there, right on top of the source. He looked down, expecting to see something that made the light appear, but he there was nothing. Instead the light again seemed to have disappeared and the surface was as dark and it had always been. What was it with this light appearing and disappearing?

The only light he saw now was coming from the shore, where his fire burned. When he turned to look there he saw the woman had returned and was attempting to make a fire herself, a little away from the fire he had made, on the sandy shore. He was relieved to see she had returned. He'd better just get on with his part and get out. It took him two dives before he reached the bottom to grab himself a handful of mud. The first time he had underestimated the lake's depth here and hadn't come near the bottom, but the second time he was more successful and managed to grab a handful. The mud felt surprisingly solid in his hands, a clay-like substance rather than sand. Good, that made it all the easier to transport.

By the time he reached the shore the woman had succeeded in making a new fire and was waiting for him. Now that he was out of the water and his soaking wet skin was exposed to the cool air he was starting to get cold again. Trowa opened his hand to show the woman the mud he'd managed to hold onto and she nodded. "That will do. Hold it in both your hands for a little."

He placed his other hand atop the first one. "Like this?"

"That's fine." She said. "Just hold it like that for a few moments, then throw it in the fire." All right. He was still sceptical about this, but he figured he had nothing to lose. After a few seconds he stepped closer to the fire. "Just throw it in." she said and he did.

With a loud 'WOOSH!' the fire exploded. Hot, yellow flames shot up high, like tongues licking the sky. The blast threw a surprised Trowa back a few feet, landing him on his behind. The next second, the intense heat disappeared as the flames died down and the fire once again became the gently burning camp fire it had started out as.

Bewildered, Trowa looked around. The ground had not been scorched as one would expect from such an eruption. In fact, not a grain of sand seemed out of place. What the hell had just happened?

The woman joined him with a smile. Had she known this would happen? If so, she could have warned him. She smiled and held out a hand, helping him up. "Looks like you have quite some potential." She said. Then she showed him the item she held in her other hand. The flute? "Does this work well for you?"

"Yes" He took the flute from her almost protectively. He never liked anyone else touching it. And why did she change the subject so all of a sudden?

"It's what we call a 'luna', an item blessed by the moon. It seeks out people born with the gift. Whatever its function, the more magic you have in you, the better it works for you." She chuckled. "Considering the blast you just produced, that flute must have made you quite the musician. My name is Catherine, by the way. Catherine Bloom."

"Trowa." The former slave answered and as an afterthought he added "Barton." Since he had been her apprentice, Leia had allowed him to use that name. It suited him.

"Nice to meet you, Trowa Barton. My people are travellers. They would be very interested in meeting you."

She missed the old Duo. During his time here she had gotten used to his outgoing nature, his sarcastic comments and his constant complaints about those who gave them orders. The boy who served food now, kept on a leash and transferred between kitchen, dining room and bedroom by Helen, was someone completely different. He was quiet, drawn back and since he had returned from running away, she had not heard him laugh once.

Was it because of where he'd been? She had heard he'd gone to the capital, had heard that Helen's brother –the one with the church- had found him and convinced him to come back. Hilde found it hard to believe that Helen's brother could have done something to Duo that would make him this way, but she also wouldn't have thought anyone would ever actually be able in talking him into coming back once he had gained his freedom.

The other day while she was running errands in the capital she'd noticed the church and she'd wondered if perhaps she should stop by, see if Helen's brother was there, see if he knew anything. She hadn't gone, though and now she wondered if she should have. Could she have done something? Would anything she could have done have made a difference?

He was scrambling to his knees when she came through the door, but upon seeing it was her and not master Heero, he relaxed and sat back again. "Hey." He greeted her quietly. "Laundry day again?"

"Yup." It was sad how all the jest had disappeared from him voice. "Comes round every now and again."

"Well, I guess you're doing a good job then, if they keep sending you."

"I never get complaints." Compared to what he used to be, Duo was being quiet, but compared to how he had been since that incident, he was being talkative. Perhaps that was all she could do, listen when there was no master around to forbid him to talk.

"You're really a nice person, Hilde." Duo said suddenly. "I'm glad to have met you."

That startled Hilde. She paused in gathering the master's clothes to look at him. "You sound like you're trying to say goodbye."

"Well, guess I should, one of these days."

"You mean... You're going somewhere?"

The other slave shrugged. "Can't be long now." He said. "The man bought me for a challenge, but there's no challenge left for him, is there?"

"Has he..." Hilde hesitated. "Has he sold you?"

"If he hasn't yet, I'm sure he will soon," Duo answered. "I know he's had at least one offer and it wasn't a bad one neither."

Damn it. Why was he sounding so casual about it? "Do you want to go?" She asked.

"Like it ever matters what people like us want," the braided slave answered bitterly.

This was getting so frustrating! All the spirit he'd had before, all the things that she'd admired him for even back when she was nearly frozen at the thought of coming up here to him, all of that was gone. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. "Do you want to leave?" She asked again, this time more clearly.

"They'll do whatever they want and they don't-"

"Yes or no?" She all but demanded, cutting him off.

He blinked at that. Hilde wasn't usually so straightforward, but that spirit he used to have had to still be there somewhere. It just had to be! "Well, no, but-"

"Then make him want to keep you." She said firmly.

He laughed, a little of his formal sarcasm showing through. "And how the hell am I supposed to do that?"

Good question. "Prove to him that you're worth keeping," she said to him. "You must have some skills, something that could make you a valuable asset to his household."

"Like what?" He asked incredulously.

"I don't know, some secret recipe you learned, or some really fast way of cleaning something, or an invention you saw somewhere. Anything. If you really want to stay that badly, find something that will make him want to keep you."

"Wow." He said quietly, suddenly sounding amazed. "I didn't know that you cared that much."

She could feel herself blush at that. She quickly turned her back to him. "It's just... I've gotten to know you since you came here and if you leave, I won't know where you ended up or how you're doing." There was no way she'd be able to find that out once he was gone. Nobody kept track of the slaves they sold.

He sighed. "Thanks, Hilde. For everything."

As she headed out of the bedroom she wondered if they had said their final goodbyes.

He came alone. Well, he had a couple of body guards following him, but no personal servant. Since Trowa had left, Prince Quatre had not bothered to take a new personal servant, despite his father pushing him for it. It was a proper thing for a crown prince to have, after all.

Heero wasn't at all surprised by the prince's lack of action in that area. Trowa had been special to him in a way very few people knew. He was not something Prince Quatre could just replace with a new one.

It was not a subject Heero would ask after, though. No doubt Quatre had enough people badgering him about it and if he wanted to discuss it with Heero he would do so of his own accord. Now that business was out of the way and pleasantries had been exchanged with Master Wu Fei, Quatre suggested Heero and he take a private walk. The prince was quiet though, which was unusual for him, so Heero decided to inform after Katherine, at which Quatre's eyes lit up.

"She's doing great," he answered. "She has a strong personality, just like her mother and wants to be kept entertained nearly all day long. She's stubbornly trying to sit up on her own, but she's not very successful yet."

He sounded like a father should sound, Heero guessed. Prince Quatre was quite proud of his daughter and unlike most fathers he knew, the prince enjoyed spending time with her. He'd heard that Quatre brushed away anyone who would argue that raising children, especially daughters was the mother's task and that every evening he was in the palace he spent at least an hour with his daughter. Another thing that was uncommon and, in the eyes of some people, unbecoming of a crown prince. The king hadn't had much of a hand in his daughters' youth aside from making the decisions a father should make. He'd only ever spent a good amount of time with his son and heir and that not until the boy was old enough to learn politics. But Quatre was not his father. And the Winner family was known for sticking to their own ways no matter what other people might think.

Heero mumbled an agreeable sound and the prince sighed. "But I'm afraid I'm selling Relena short."

The young lord looked at his closest friend. "How so?"

Quatre shook his head and answered quietly. "It's been nearly three months since he left and I still can't get myself to give her the attention she deserves." There was no need to ask who 'he' was. "I try to spend time with her, I really do, but it seems so hard to just drag myself over to her quarters. And when we do spend time together I find my thoughts wandering off all the time. She's been patient with me and understanding. She is a good wife, I couldn't have hoped for a better one. But there's a limit to what any wife would understand." He sighed. "She deserves so much better."

What was he supposed to say to that? Heero didn't have a wife and he was quite content without one. But before he could speak the crown prince continued. "I should have never let him go."

Heero frowned. "You couldn't have stopped him," he pointed out. "He's a free man."

"Then perhaps I shouldn't have set him free!" Quatre almost sounded angry when he said that, which surprised Heero. Perhaps this ran even deeper than he had expected. "I was happy when he was still mine and I saw he was happy as well. Setting him free changed everything. I tried to give him the space he needed to explore his new freedom, but for every inch I offered he pulled away from me two more. And to think I had believed he actually returned my love. He just showed me what I wanted to see and I was a fool for not realising I was being played. He never cared at all! None of it was real."

"I don't believe that." Heero had seen the two of them together and though he had little experience in the area, he didn't quite believe that Trowa hadn't cared for his owner. There had always been a connection between those two which he was certain surpassed the master/slave relationship. He didn't think that would have been possible if one of the two didn't care. "He cared."

"Then why hasn't he returned yet?" Prince Quatre's voice sounded almost desperate for an answer.

"You really believed that he would?" Usually the blond crown prince was less naïve than that. He was formidable at tactics and he was incredibly skilled in reading people. Surely he had considered the possibility that his former lover would not return.

"I figured he'd be gone a little while," the prince admitted. "Figured that halfway to the north he'd realise what he'd left behind and turn around. Or even if he did make it all the way, he'd see what the north was like and realise he didn't belong there. It's only a month's journey single trip. He's had plenty of time to look around. He should have been back by now."

True it had been over three months since the former slave had left, but Heero wasn't sure he'd ever come back. As much as he wished his crown prince and closest friend the happiness he was looking for, Heero wasn't one to speak comfort over truth. "Perhaps he found something worth staying for."

"Perhaps something happened to him," Quatre continued, ignoring Heero's comment. "Perhaps he had an accident or he got lost or he was taken prisoner. If he ventured too far east..."

"Trowa doesn't strike me as one to seek out trouble," Heero interjected strongly. "Slaves learn to take care of themselves and yours was never a fool to begin with."

The blond prince considered that for a moment. "I suppose," he said quietly. "Damn it! If I'd known he'd be gone this long I would have had him followed!"

"And then what, dragged him back when he took too long?" Heero shook his head. "Be reasonable, Quatre. You had to let him go, so let him go already."

The look Quatre gave him was an unmistakable glare, but Heero didn't waver as he calmly looked back. He might well be the only person besides the king himself who could take that tone with the crown prince, but it needed to be said. One day this young man would rule the country. Someone that powerful couldn't afford to be distracted because of one person, lover or no. Something like that could get him killed before he could even ascend to the throne. He simply didn't have the luxury to moon over one boy.

The prince's glare turned to a scowl and he looked away. "You know, I hate you for being so cold sometimes," he said agitated.

"But I'm right," Heero answered.

"That's the part I like the least," Quatre admitted. "Just wait until you meet that someone. I'd like to see how you'll be when they manage to break through that tough exterior of yours."

"You'll be waiting a long time." He had no intention of getting as infatuated with anyone as his friend had been with that slave. A relationship like that was inconvenient at best.

As they arrived at Heero's private chambers, the blond prince was about to say something when he hesitated. He turned around with a shudder, staring at a pair of servants who'd just passed them in the opposite direction and watched them turn a corner. "Was that Duo," He asked, surprise in his voice.

Heero looked back just in time to see a brown braid disappearing. He hadn't paid attention to whom they came across, but he only had one servant with such long hair in a braid. "I suppose so," he answered with disinterest and entered his chambers.

"What happened to him?"

Heero looked at his friend with mild surprise. The prince almost sounded accusingly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean just what I said." In a second the prince's whole posture changed and in that instant it was obvious why people respected the heir to the Winner household. Quatre looked at him in a way he rarely confronted Heero, the one that said he disapproved greatly of what was going on and he had no intention of letting it continue. "Something must have happened to make him feel so wrong. What did you do to him, Heero Yuy?"

The prince's change in attitude put the young lord on the defensive. "Nothing that wasn't well within my right."

"I'm not talking about your rights!" Quatre actually gritted his teeth in anger.

"You heard he ran away," Heero stated coldly before the other man could say more. "He deserves everything he gets."

Quatre still looked angry, which to Heero was an overreaction. "Because you were too incompetent to keep him here?"

"Because he knows what the rules are!" The young lord was getting angry himself. He wasn't used to being questioned like this and he didn't like it one bit. "And he damn well knew the consequences."

"And he came back despite that." He knew about that as well? "Yet in return you're slowly killing him!"

That was an overstatement if ever. The slave wasn't injured. He was walking about doing chores. "He's in perfectly fine shape."

"I don't mean physically," Quatre pointed out. Heero was about to reply, but the prince continued before he could say anything. "Duo's always come through strong. I barely have to look at him to know what's going on. And he's just as strong now, except it's not his usual set of feelings, instead he's screaming emptiness."

"Emptiness?" What the hell was that supposed to mean.

"You told me you didn't plan on breaking him, but that's exactly what you're doing," Quatre said, regaining a calmer, though still very much disapproving posture. "That spirit you so valued? It's as good as gone."

"It can't be helped," Heero replied. "I was naïve to think he could be trained while keeping his spirit in tact. He just can't be trusted."

"And when was the last time you gave him a chance to earn your trust?"

Heero blinked at that. "What do you mean?"

"You're keeping him on a leash. You punish him for every toe he puts out of line. Don't argue with me," the prince said quickly when Heero moved to protest. "It's the only explanation for such drastic change. You draw the line so tightly he barely has space to breathe."

Slaves didn't need space to breathe, they needed to obey. "He had my trust, but he betrayed it when he ran away." Heero replied angrily.

"And then he came back. By his own choice," the prince pointed out again. "Heero, slave or not, Duo is just human and humans make mistakes. Can't you see he tried to correct it by returning?" Heero tried to speak, but again Quatre wouldn't let him. "You remember what he was like the first time he got here. The mad look in his eyes when I first met him and he believed you were offering him to me, the defiance that radiated from him despite your obvious control, or perhaps because of it, I saw that dissipate over time. I met him as the dangerous Shinigami and I watched him become a much more pleasant young man you called Duo. But what passed us just now was barely more than a body, an empty shell. Nothing to offer, nothing to live for."

He had noticed that as well. The look in those eyes, the light he'd once so valued had vanished and all that remained was a dull and barren look. All the challenge he'd once sought was long gone. He couldn't deny he had failed miserably in his mission. The Shinigami had turned out to be nothing but a disappointment. "I intend to sell him."

That certainly changed his friend's look but Heero didn't think it was for the better. "You're giving up?"

And here Heero thought the prince would be happy. He'd disapproved of Heero buying the Shinigami in the first place. "He's broken," Heero answered and as an afterthought he added "He's worthless as he is."

Quatre shook his head. "I said you're breaking him, not that he's broken yet. If he were he wouldn't still come through so strong." Quatre took a step closer to his friend. "When you just got him I didn't believe you could make it work, but I saw you do it. You broke through that brick wall he'd put up layer by layer and somehow managed to reach the real young man behind that wall. It may not yet be too late to bring back that spirit, if you're willing to take the risk of letting him earn your trust again."

When it came to human insight, Prince Quatre far outranked Heero and the young lord knew that all too well. The prince's predictions about a person's behaviour almost always came true. Could he be right this time as well? Was the Shinigami really not a lost cause yet as Heero believed him to be? "Why do you care so much about his fate?"

"Elfor can do without a Shinigami," the crown prince answered, "but it also has more than enough broken slaves already. I liked the change you brought about in him. And I liked the way he changed you."

"Me?" Heero was surprised to hear that. The Shinigami had once been an interesting challenge to him, nothing more. He'd trained him as he would train any unruly slave or horse and cattle didn't change their masters. Surely the boy hadn't had any influence on his own behaviour. "I haven't changed."

But Prince Quatre just smiled. "I didn't expect you to notice," he said in a friendly voice. "That's all right. If you still want to win this challenge of yours, heed my advice and start giving him some leeway before it is truly too late."

Today had been a trying day. It was one of those days where there just hadn't seemed to come an end to all the problems to solve. The dry weather in the south of Elfor had caused several fires that were barely being contained. The west was having trouble controlling the population of game for the hunt, causing sounders of wild boars to raid the farmlands. And to top it all, the nobles from the east requested still more men to protect their farms and villages from plunderers. And those were just some of the issues.

It was nearing midnight and Heero was tired. The larger part of the stack of papers was finished. The rest would just have to wait until morning. He doubted the kingdom would crumble if those minor problems were handled a day late.

The slave was already there. Duo had been brought up by Helen and chained to the wall, but he'd been left with quite some space to move around as always. The young man was seated by the wall, watching his feet as Heero moved around. He knew that looking straight at Heero like he used to do was no longer tolerated, nor was getting in his way. He could even be punished for causing sound by moving the chains, so he had taken to just sitting by the wall, waiting for Heero to retract the chains and limit his movements for the night.

Heero looked at him for a moment, trying to figure out what Quatre saw, but all he could see when he stared at the boy was a slave who had given up fighting. There was no spirit left to speak of, no passion. He doubted if there was even a will to live.

Slaves are humans, the prince had said. Humans make mistakes, he'd said. Had Heero made a mistake as well, being so hard on Duo? He wasn't sure anymore. Heero had given the boy by far the best home he'd had. He knew that was true because he knew who the previous owners had been and the Shinigami had killed them for it. There was never enough proof, but having met the slave crazy as he had been, Heero was certain of it. Had he been like this before he killed them? Would Heero have to watch out for the boy to strike at him next? Somehow, looking at the broken toy he found it hard to believe. And besides, Quatre had said that boy seated on the floor felt nothing like the Shinigami had when he'd just joined Heero's household. He'd also said the boy wasn't broken just yet.

The slave watched Heero's movements by keeping track of his feet as Heero moved to the bed and started to undress. Just as he wanted to put his sleeping pants on however, the chains gently rattled. Heero looked up to see the slave get up to his knees. He reached for the crystal as the boy started moving towards him.

"Please." One word spoken barely above a whisper. The boy hesitated and raised his head as high as Heero's knees, but did not advance further. What was it that the boy wanted? Attention? He used to like Heero playing with his hair. Was he hoping to get that again?

'Give him a chance.' Quatre's words came back to him. Heero took the crystal and he noticed the slave bracing himself for what was to come. Heero didn't give it. Instead he sat back and relaxed somewhat, watching the former Shinigami watching his knees.

Once he realised nothing happened -no pain, no further restraints- the boy seemed encouraged enough to move closer again, albeit slowly, cautiously. Heero watched him as he shuffled forward on his knees towards his master. He was now close enough to touch him, also close enough for Heero to kick out if the slave tried anything he did not like. Duo's hand carefully moved up to Heero's knee. Heero tensed and fingered the crystal.

The slave's eyes flashed to the crystal. "Please." There was the word again, barely audible, but definitely pleading.

"Hn." Heero grunted and the slave took that as permission to continue. Tentatively he started moving his hand up Heero's leg, then down again. Heero frowned. Was he trying to massage him? It seemed that way. When his master didn't stop him, the boy started indeed putting more pressure on the leg, making massaging motions.

Heero leaned back and watched as the slave worked on his leg. That felt quite nice. So nice that he did not protest when the boy moved his other hand to help out the first. But this wasn't a regular massage. The boy's hands were making their way upward. Heero watched them vigilantly as they moved towards his private parts. And sure enough, that was where they were headed.

[SEXUAL CONTENT WARNING]

Before long the hands started playing around Heero's genitals, almost teasing. Then the boy stroked Heero's dick, carefully, tense for negative reaction, which did not come. Instead, Heero was wondering how far the boy was planning on taking his little game. Quatre should be pleased. This was one hell of a chance he was giving the boy.

Encouraged -or perhaps just not discouraged- the braided slave stroked his master's member again and then again and it gladly responded. The boy knew what he was doing. He'd been trained in giving sexual pleasure, Heero knew. Soon the boy had one hand playing with Heero's cock and the other with his balls and the young lord bit back a moan. This felt good. His member thought so too, for it was hardening rapidly.

Duo shifted closer. Heero watched as the boy moved his head forward and saw the tongue dart out. First it licked his balls, then it moved on to his dick and when Heero did not protest that either, the mouth moved over the now hard member. The young lord closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling.

It had been a while since he'd last had sex with someone. He'd done himself of course, but that just didn't compare to another person's touches. And this person was actually pretty good at what he was doing. In no time, the young lord's member was full hard and he couldn't contain his moans any longer. He grabbed the boy's head, holding it in place as he trust himself inside that mouth, groaning as he came hard.

Heero resided in that hot mouth for a few more moments before he let go of the boy's head. Duo drew back quietly, licking the soft cock as it slid out. "Get a towel," Heero mumbled, fumbling the crystal with his hand to release the boy from the chains.

He wasn't stupid. He made certain to watch the slave as he headed to the bathroom and came back with a towel. He took the towel and cleaned himself, but when Duo moved to step back, the young lord reached out to grab his arm. "No." He pulled a surprised slave onto the bed with him.

Duo looked at him for a moment, uncertainty plain on his face. But when Heero started moving a finger down Duo's chest, realisation hit him and he started to move away. Heero pressed his hand down on his slave's chest. Duo tried to swat it away, but the master caught the slave's arm and looked him in the eye. "I have no intention of harming you," he said, seeing the look of unease on his slave's face. "Obey."

The look did not go away, but the resistance in his arm failed. Good. Heero's hand on the boy's chest relaxed and moved down slowly. When it reached the pants it slipped under the hem. Duo began to struggle again, but one warning look from Heero had him stop and when his hand reached the boy's dick, the slave stiffened.

He'd been trained to give pleasure, but like a good pleasure slave he'd been trained to receive it as well. It didn't take long for him to respond to his master's fondling. His body lay still and he had his eyes shut tightly, but that didn't stop the cock from hardening.

Heero worked silently for a few more moments, then decided the pants were in the way. Duo held his body still and his eyes tightly shut, but didn't fight as Heero pushed down the pants. Then, without warning, he rolled himself on top of Duo, straddling him. As expected, the slave gasped and started to struggle, but Heero easily caught his arms and pinned them to the bed. He allowed the boy a few more moments of struggle before he spoke.

"Look at me."

The recent conditioning caused Duo to obey immediately, his eyes flying open and landing somewhere on Heero's chest. The struggling ceased and Heero took the opportunity to put a finger under his slave's chin, gently pushing his head up. "Look at me," he said again, as Duo continued to avoid his eyes and again Duo obeyed.

Heero gazed into those dark, near-violet eyes, wondering what was going on behind them. Was it fear that he saw, or maybe distrust? "I am not going to harm you," he spoke softly. He'd never lied to his slave. Despite recent developments he had never done something he said he wouldn't do or not done something he said he would. Perhaps that was why Duo seemed to relax ever so slightly.

The young lord started caressing the slave's body, moving his free hand up and down the boy's chest in a playful manner, using the other hand with which he pinned one of Duo's arms to support himself. Slowly his free hand made its way down towards the boy's private area. Duo let it happen, following his master with uncertain eyes.

In his night stand drawer, Heero had lubricant waiting since the day he purchased the Shinigami. He retrieved it now and lubed his fingers. When he put them to Duo's entrance, the boy gasped and pulled away. The lord hesitated for a moment, seeing that the other young man had closed his eyes tightly shut upon the touch and he growled softly. "You started this when you came to me willing," he told the slave. "Now you must finish what you started."

Duo whimpered, but did not pull away a second time and Heero started lubricating his entrance. "I won't harm you," he spoke in a soft tone. "It may hurt, but it won't cause you harm. Accept it." His voice seemed to help Duo relax, for the boy actually drew up his legs slightly, allowing Heero better access and to the young lord's surprise, the slave's cock responded as well.

Duo's member hardened as Heero played around the entrance. Encouraged, he kept lubing the boy, every now and then letting his hand roam over the cock and balls. Within minutes the cock was full hard and the boy writhing in pleasure.

"You may cum."

He didn't need to tell him twice. White cum shot out of Duo's cock as the boy let go of all control.

The young lord gave Duo only a moment before he took advantage of the slave's relaxation by pushing his legs further up and putting his own member inside him in one swift motion. Duo's gasp turned into a protesting groan, but Heero put a hand on the boy's chest. "Obey."

Grudgingly, Duo stilled, letting his master sit there for a moment, the body adjusting to the member inside him. When Heero decided the boy's had enough time, he began thrusting.

Now that he'd cum once, he would be able to fuck him much longer before finishing a second time and the noble was planning on enjoying himself. Sure enough, he alternated his thrusts every now and then, going from slow and gentle, to hard and shallow, from slow and deep to hard and deep and back to gentle, never giving the slave very long to get used to his movements.

He watched the Shinigami watch him as he fucked him. The look in the slave's eyes was hard to read, but Heero was sure it did not spell danger. The boy was submitting to him, willingly, as he had fantasised about since that day of the party. That thought just made him horny all over. He groaned as he shifted inside the boy, leaning over him, adjusting his thrusts to hard and deep as he felt himself get close to the climax. With a cry he let go for a second time that evening, shooting his cum deep inside the Shinigami's body, claiming him.

[END OF SEXUAL CONTENT]

Heero collapsed on top of his submissive slave, remaining inside him while he caught his breath. Finally, he slipped out of him and rolled off the boy, who then curled up quietly. Heero curled up against him, putting an arm over the slave's body. Cleaning themselves could wait. For now all he wanted to to do was enjoy his triumph, for he realised he had achieved what he had set out to do. He had made the slave come to him willingly, albeit under different circumstances than he had first envisioned. It didn't matter. He had won the challenge.

And into the slave's ear he murmured "Now you're truly mine."

Before he could doze off into a blissful sleep, he could swear he heard the boy's whisper. "Yours."

rlyblue

Ok, so now you either love me or hate me. Feel free to let me know in a review what you thought of this devellopment.

It's an open ending. There's plenty of story threads not worked out yet as I planned to do this in part two, but it's an ending nontheless. As for the way Heero manages to get Duo into his bed, it's probably completely immoral in the world we live in today, possibly could be called rape as Duo does indicate he doesn't want it, but this story isn't set in present time. Oh well, I guess you'll have to make up your own minds. Even if you didn't like this ending, I hope you still enjoyed the rest of the story! For now, I say goodbye.