Arc II, Chapter 43

The Capital Hunt was a three-day-long event that essentially kicked off the social season for the nobles of Sanc. Most nobility would stay in their residences in the Capital for the majority of the season and into early Spring, before once again departing back to their provinces should they hold territory. When Duke Odin had been alive, he'd sometimes remain in the Capital himself while he sent his son back home to manage the duchy, which was why the provincial staff was so much more welcome to their lord than the Capital one.

In the novel, Relena - still known as Relena Darlian - would be attending the Capital Hunt. She had never officially debuted until after she was revealed to be the lost Princess, but that had more to do with Duke Darlian's personal feelings than intentional neglect; he'd wanted her to debut in her rightful capacity as royalty, as opposed to her current station as his foster daughter. Unfortunately, his good intentions had resulted in many assuming he was ashamed of his rumored bastard daughter, and though she hardly attended social events, cruel gossip spread about her regardless.

After their first meeting at the beach, Heero and Relena meet for the second time at the Capital Hunt. It's there that Relena makes more of an impression on Heero: she was the first person to ever gift him a ribbon for the hunt. It was custom for ladies (and dandies!) to gift ribbons to participants in the hunt; for Heero, who had been mistreated by his first spouse, this would mark the first time he'd receive a ribbon. Relena Darlian was the first to ever cross that bridge, and this had prompted several opportune meetings in the future between them. They had a little over half a year until Relena was ousted as the lost Princess, and soon afterward, the war with the Kingdom of Oz would begin in earnest - so this Capital Hunt essentially kickstarted their romance.

But I was still alive and planning to keep it that way.

Heero had been... I don't want to say clingy, but he was definitely a lot more present in my day-to-day than he had been before, either back home in the Yuy province or when we just arrived here. As always, we shared every meal together - but we also now spent our nights together in bed, and if he had any free time outside of training his knights or managing the paperwork, it was spent with me in my office just talking.

Not that I minded Heero's attention! Any time I turned and found his eyes on me, I wanted to melt right into his arms, it just wasn't exactly conducive to getting my own work done. But how was I supposed to work in these conditions if I just wanted to kiss Heero all day?!

"Do you have everything?" Quatre fussed, moving around me like a frazzled mother hen. His hands were patting imaginary dust off of me, randomly tugging at my collar and skirt as if Coralina hadn't spent the past few hours making sure I was picture-perfect. "Should you bring something? What if they don't have shade?"

"Then I shall perish on the spot," I told him dryly.

Quatre tsk'd at me, righting my left sleeve for the fifth time.

"Quatre, I'll be fine," I said, removing his hands to squeeze in assurance. "Please stop panicking. Once you start, Heero starts."

Heero, standing only a few steps away, did in fact like seconds away from joining Quatre's frenzied attempts on ensuring my readiness. I understood their anxiety; this would be my first time meeting the brunt of Sanc's nobility - and they would not even really be around to make sure I was fine.

The Capital Hunt did not mandate participation in the actual hunting portion, but it was widely understood that each house must send in at least one main family member and a small group of underlings for safety. Given that the Yuy family consisted of Heero and myself, Heero obviously had to be the one to go, and he would naturally take his closest friends with him. While Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei were considered optional, leaving them behind would signal to other aristocrats that they were no longer held in Heero's confidence - and that was a weakness we could not really afford.

As a dandy, I was required to attend to the more social part of the Hunt - namely, mingling with the other gentlefolk. In such functions, the only one who could be by my side that had the power to intervene on my behalf was Meilan, considered something of a noble lady from Lagrange; Hilde and the guards were only there for safety but were not allowed to speak with the nobility.

This essentially left me alone to navigate Sanc's complicated social graces, but Heero's and the others' paranoia had only worsened after the events at the Maxwell estate. If one meeting with my family could warrant the full emotional meltdown I'd gone through, they worried that being subjected to the vindictive backstabbing of Sanc's nobility would be even worse. It also did not help that I'd been cut fully out of the loop for the past year and a half, leaving the Duchess of Yuy's followers alone to talk amongst themselves without fear of retribution.

In short, it wasn't exactly out of the realm of possibility that my position had weakened to such a degree that I could be considered easy prey.

"Yes, we're going to be fine," Quatre murmured, looking a little wild-eyed as he stepped back. "Should you need to leave, just mention that your health has still not fully recovered."

Does he expect me to just faint on the spot to get out of sticky social situations? ...Could I do that?

"Don't worry, I'll be there too!" Meilan said.

Wufei gave his wife a dismissive glance. "We're supposed to reassure Winner, not stress him out further."

Meilan's offended look only doubled when she noticed that Quatre did, in fact, look more worried than before at her reminder. "Hey, I've sat in on His Grace's tea parties before! We were fine!"

"Didn't you threaten to slice Lady Angela's neck open once?"

Meilan tilted her head back haughtily. "And she would deserve it!"

Right, so I should probably keep an eye on Meilan today. I didn't want her starting a war between provinces any time soon.

The performance started as soon as we left our estate. We would be taking two ornate carriages - one for myself and Heero to share, as the premier ducal couple, the other for Meilan, Wufei, Trowa, and Quatre to ride in. Hilde would be riding shotgun with our carriage driver, and the rest of the Duchess Guard would be following along on horseback.

As it was an event for the nobility, Hilde and the guards could not roam as freely with me as they had before. Unless they were spoken to directly by the nobles, they had to keep their eyes lowered and their mouths shut. Meilan had a freer reign, which was why she had been assigned to keep me company instead of joining Heero and the others, as she had done previously.

It wasn't too long of a carriage ride to the royal grounds where the hunting competition was to take place. I spent most of it trying to sit very still and not mess up all of Coralina's hard work; the girl had looked possessed when she discovered that this would be my first real introduction to Sanc's court, and she'd wanted to doll me up so extravagantly that "even a glance from you will render them blind with envy!"

The fact that she'd teamed up with Tsubasa in order to coordinate a matching outfit with Heero had only made it so much more intense. Colors, patterns, and accessories had been cross-referenced with a zeal that left me shaking and Heero subdued. I could only commend the end results, though, which balanced decadence with comfort expertly. The overall style followed more closely in line with the Yuy province's traditional clothing, an unsubtle reminder that I was the Duchess of Yuy and proud of it.

Dark blue with gold accents was the chosen color scheme, the rich color of the design invoking a more mature, classy appearance. As both Heero and I were relatively young, it was important to appear older than we were at times, so Tsubasa had suggested we follow more classical fashion.

Heero's outfit was geared more for military dress, a tradition given his role as the Duke of Yuy and leader of Sanc's armed forces. The most decadent thing about his outfit was the golden broach I'd gifted him at his homecoming, which kept an appropriately warm cloak tucked around his shoulders.

My own outfit had been designed months in advance, according to Coralina, and made to pair Heero's in color but more extravagant in design, as was appropriate for the Duchess. Thin, translucent silk made up the top part of my gown, cinched in place around my throat by my black ☐☐☐☐☐☐, from which strands of dark peArLs? cascaded over the silk to my shoulders. The rest of the dress was heavy, dark blue silk, the sleeves loose and billowy before cuffing along my forearms and wrists with that same translucent fabric decorated in golden threaded leaves. Golden leaves also accentuated the waist, tapering off past my hip and flowing in the dark blue of the hems.

"Did Hilde go over who you would be expected to interact with?"

I nodded at Heero's careful inquiry. Hilde's creepily-realistic portraits of the Duchess's acquaintances had been invaluable in preparation, and I had been given a history lesson on each noble that made up my supposed fawning supporters. She'd also gone to the extra length of explaining the history of many Sanc lineages, often to a degree that made me wonder if she had been a history teacher prior to being a guard. There was just no reason to know that much about other people's family histories.

Heero reached out to hold my hand, encouragement in his eyes. "Remember - if anything happens or you don't know what to say, you can just excuse yourself."

"So just go into a fainting spell?" Why is 'swooning dandy' becoming such a valid tactic...

Heero's eyes glittered in amusement. "Unfortunately, I won't be there to catch you - so feigning dizziness should be enough."

I couldn't help but laugh. This was a better suggestion than Meilan's murderous approach, though Heero had mentioned earlier that if there were any inopportune bodies, they could neatly dispose of them as well. (Quatre had not been amused.) This had led to another half-hour debate on the etiquette of hiding a crime, of which the Duchess Guard looked a little too interested in perfecting.

With a grin, I sprung up and threw myself into the seat next to Heero. He wrapped an arm around my waist as soon as I'd sat, keeping me tucked close so that I didn't lose my balance from the bumpy ride. The close proximity only aided me further, and I leaned against Heero's side to idly play with the buttons of his shirt, enjoying the jerky intake of breath he took.

"So what are you planning on gifting your poor, fragile husband?" I asked him playfully, tapping my finger against the underside of his chin before drawing it up to trace his lips. "I hope it's something good, as I'll be pining away in your absence."

It was customary for the nobles participating in the Hunt to gift their prey to the gentlefolk waiting for them. Those looking to court or already romantically entangled gifted their caught prey to their significant others, whereas family members may do so if there are no such relationships. I was guaranteed two prey for this Hunt, according to Hilde: one from my older brother, who had no intended, and one from Heero, as his husband.

The arm around my waist tightened, and then Heero's hand gently grabbed my wrist, holding my hand in place from where it hovered near his face. "Then I will catch you something worthy of that heartache," he promised softly, equal turns sincere and teasing.

He kissed the pad of my finger that had been tracing his lips, before dragging his lips to the palm of my hand to do the same, trailing up my arm with clear intent. He released my arm in order to cup my face, and I leaned forward eagerly to meet his lips in a kiss.

Once we parted, slowly and reluctantly, I reached up to lay my hand across the back of his throat. "Only for me, right? No gifts for anyone else?"

Understanding passed in Heero's eyes, and he leaned forward to rest our foreheads against each other. "Only for you, my Duo," he said. "Everything for you."

- - - - - - - - - -

The Capital Hunt was a 3-day affair, but the actual hunt itself took place in only one day. The first day was reserved solely for the Hunt, starting bright and early and ending only in the afternoon, wherein the participants would regroup back at the starting point in order to honor their well-wishers and dedicate their prey. The following two days were celebrations - the second a party in honor of the winner of the Hunt, and the last a grand banquet in honor of the kingdom.

The Capital Hunt functioned as the start of the noble social season. Nobles from all over Sanc gathered in the Capital to rub elbows and gossip, and if they had children of marriageable age, this was the opportune time to scope out possible candidates. It wasn't uncommon for some family members to stay in the Capital for the long-term at the start of this season, especially heirs who would need to sharpen their political wit.

The Yuy family were, as always, a notable exception. As protectors of the realm, the Yuy family only returned to the Capital as needed - often to report directly to Her Majesty the Queen. They spent time either resting in their land, or on the warfront; it was not unusual for the Yuy to be missing from the social season for several years straight. Duke Odin had spent more time than normal in the Capital during his time, but a lot of that had to do with trusting his son's natural prowess on the battlefield and also personally dealing with the political mores of high society after introducing a bastard as his heir.

This is what made Heero Yuy's presence stand out so much to Relena in the books. He was hardly ever seen in the Capital, always away at battle or lurking about in his duchy, so when they actually met and Heero stayed in the Capital long enough to take part in the Hunt, it was seen as a great shock to the other nobles. The fact that Relena, then known just as the foster daughter of Duke Darlian, had gifted the mysterious, brooding man a ribbon for the Hunt had made the rumor mill churn in new ways.

Ribbons were an integral part of the Capital Hunt; young ladies and dandies would gift a ribbon to a participant, essentially 'tying' them together. If the prey was rare and notably strong, the greater the honor - which is why the Hunt became such a heated competition not only for the noble gents and dames, but also the ladies and dandies.

When Relena Darlian gifted a pale pink ribbon to the otherwise elusive Duke Yuy, it kickstarted gleeful rumors that cut them both equally. Relena, outcasted all her life for being the "common-born" bastard daughter of Duke Darlian, and Heero Yuy, the "half-breed" Duke of a distant duchy; together, they were easy political targets for a social circle that had always looked down on them. It was these uneasy roots that gave Relena such a hard time when it was revealed she was the lost Princess, even as she began to draw like-minded political allies to her.

There was still a good half a year before Relena's reveal, but the Capital Hunt was one of the first places that helped set the relationship between her and Heero into motion. Relena had had no intentions of gifting a ribbon to anyone during the Hunt, but when she recognized Heero as the man that had saved her on the beach and heard how little the other nobles thought of him, she was moved to gift him one.

That would not be happening this time however!

"Look, is that really–"

"I can't believe it!"

"To think that Duo Maxwell..."

Fastidiously ignoring the whispers, I tightened the knot wrapped around Heero's wrist. The ribbon I chose to gift him had been embroidered well in advance by yours truly: it was of royal blue fabric, finely-detailed designs of irises in brilliant gold threaded along its length. Heero was very still as I presented it to him and wrapped it securely around his arm, though I felt his heated gaze on my face the entire time.

"You better be careful out there," I told him, patting the ribbon twice before meeting his eyes. I couldn't help the small intake of breath at the look on his face; Heero's blue eyes had darkened just a shade more with the heat of intimacy, the sweet promise of my undoing implied with the way his gaze lingered on my skin.

"D-Don't let Trowa get distracted helping mountain lions give birth," I continued, clearing my throat a bit.

Heero's lips quirked up just a fraction, smug knowing in his eyes as he grasped my hand in his own. "I'll be careful," he promised me, though from the way he spoke those words, it sounded more like something that should be said between the sheets.

I could feel the blush burning across my cheeks. This man–!

"Please stop using my name in your bedroom talk," came Trowa's plaintive complaint.

Heero gently laid a kiss to the back of my hand before releasing it, turning an unimpressed glower on his friend. Trowa ignored him, continuing to check their supplies as Quatre busied himself with discussing something in low, serious tones with both Meilan and Hilde. Wufei had been next to us previously but was now several feet away, back to us as he scowled at passing nobles who loitered too long near our group.

Everyone was gathered in the clearing now, awaiting the arrival of the royals who would declare the official start of the hunt. This time was spent doling out and receiving ribbons, the crowd mingling with rising anticipation. Hilde had cautioned me not to leave Heero's side at the beginning; other nobles would dare not tread too close, still wary of Heero's reputation on the battlefield, allowing me time to idle unmolested.

The trouble would start after Heero and the others left. As the participating nobles roamed the back hills and woods for the Hunt, the rest of Sanc's noble circle would remain in the clearing to mingle. This was generally the time for small gatherings to commence, gossip shared over platters of food and tea as everyone waited for the hunters to return with their prizes.

Trowa's suggestion was to hide away in the Yuy camp, as few would dare traipse inside given the combined scary gazes of Mikhail and the others. Quatre's suggestion was to invite a handful of noble ladies from families closely allied with the Yuy duchy, who would be too intimidated to do more than chat about the weather. Meilan's suggestion was to go wherever I please and fight anyone who looked at me wrong, and if I didn't feel up to it, then she would gladly do it on my behalf.

Excluding Meilan's unnecessarily hostile approach, I only had about an hour before any of these plans could be put in motion. Given the amount of obvious ogling and hushed conversations around us now, Trowa's idea was starting to sound pretty good.

"Your Grace, we should retire to the rest area for now," Hilde murmured behind me. Heero looked mildly annoyed by the interruption but didn't refute that, as expected; even he knew he had to spend the remaining time preparing things for the hunt. With my ribbon tied tight around his wrist, I wouldn't need to be waiting outside the Yuy-designated camp area until the Queen and Prince arrived.

"I'll be back in a bit, then," I said, grin on my face as I ignored the way that simple expression sent conversations alight in response from the nobles idling nearby.

Quatre moved over to us, exchanging a look with Heero before turning to me with a beaming smile. "I'll escort you back to the picnic area, Your Grace," he said, shotels gleaming ominously on his back. Meilan, standing beside him, was shooting challenging looks at anyone who gawked too long in my general direction.

"...Thanks, Quatre."

The picnic area was a quaint term for the expansive space used for the nobles who would remain behind to chitchat. It was unofficially divided by family lines, large gazebos dotting the landscape and claimed by one noble personage or another. Family crests were flown over the top of claimed gazebos, servants running around the back preparing refreshments for those they served.

The Yuy family, as one of the few ducal families in Sanc and holding great prestige, held permanent claim over one of the largest gazebos. Heero had the area around it cleared of any curious onlookers, direct view of the gazebo obscured by stationed knights and temporary tents. Mikhail and the other Duchess Guards ambled around the Yuy picnic area, previously stoic expressions soon breaking into smiles as Quatre and Meilan marched me back into their paranoid sights.

"I'm surprised you guys didn't just dig a moat," I griped, glancing over at Berion as he casually flung daggers with pinpoint-precision at a marked target clear across the shaded area. God, no wonder the other nobles were giving this place such a wide berth! What the hell were these people doing while I was away?

Mikhail's smile didn't even waver, the bastard. "This is technically Her Majesty the Queen's property, so we can't carelessly dig into it," he replied brightly. "If we're going to dig, it'd be to hide evidence."

"Stop talking to me."

"Of course, Your Grace. Plausible deniability is a good defense."

I should just reinstate Simon as the captain, he's always too busy stressing out about my health to annoy me!

Some of the knights broke away to head to the back to start preparing refreshments, Meilan following along to ensure they didn't load up our plates with sweets again. While it was the norm to bring a small number of servants along for such duties, I had decided not to bring any from the Yuy estate since I couldn't trust even one of them not to cause a mess. Heero instead had tasked a small contingent of knights for the job, and though they were also from the estate, they were either too in awe of Heero or too afraid of Meilan to not heed orders.

"The Queen and the Prince should be arriving within the hour, and once they announce the start, I'll have Lyle and Mifune disperse your invitations," Quatre said. "Remember, it's possible many have already heard something about your behavior, so it's not unlikely someone may approach you to test the waters."

He was referring to the likely scenario of the Capital estate servants having said something to those outside of the estate walls. It wasn't hard to believe that the servants of the Yuy capital estate were only loyal to coin rather than to Heero or me, so it was safer to operate under the assumption that rumors had already reached the other nobles of Sanc. Thus, Quatre's plan was to keep me surrounded by lower nobles who were already too intimidated by Heero to try and pry, keeping me preoccupied with them and deterring other interlopers.

As a Duchess, it was expected of me to either host or attend one tea party while waiting for the Hunt to end, so this plan really was the safest bet. It was also why Meilan would be refraining from joining Heero and the others, instead remaining by my side; her unique position as a foreign noble kept her place in the social circle uncertain, making it difficult for others to be sure they could risk offending her.

Essentially, if anyone wants to try me, I just need to throw Meilan in their general direction and watch the fireworks.

"Lady Meilan is the last resort, Your Grace."

Get out of my head, Quatre!!

Quatre's small smile at my glare dropped from his lips when his eyes went over my shoulder, the sudden quiet descending on the campground almost suffocating in the vicious turn of the mood. I couldn't help but turn around then to see what had caused such a reaction, though I stilled when Quatre's hand shot out to grab my wrist, the grip carefully tight like he was only seconds away from yanking me back.

It was already too late though, as I spied the man approaching with a frankly astonishing amount of ease. The hostile glares that followed his tread came from every Yuy knight, though to my surprise, none approached - and for obvious reasons.

The man was a noble.

"Count Klementz Otto," came Hilde's quiet voice, words tinged with disdain.

I could identify the name, but he was not listed among the multitude of portraits and biographies Hilde had lectured me on previously. Count Otto... He was mentioned in the novel, I think; he was a dear friend of the Crown Prince, and though distant from Relena, he was still polite to her. There was some friction between him and Heero, likely because Count Otto believed Milliardo Peacecraft would make a better ruler than his sister, although he'd never plotted against Relena and supported her at the Crown Prince's behest.

So why the hell was everyone acting like this? I'd heard Count Otto won the last hunting competition, but Heero hadn't even participated back then! I guess technically they were now rival competitors, but no matter how well-trained Count Otto was, he had no hope of defeating someone who cleaved a bear in half without issue.

"Count Otto, good day," Quatre spoke up, hand tightening briefly around my wrist before letting go so that he could step up beside me, putting himself just an inch or two in front.

Count Otto's smile was amiable and polite, his dark eyes darting from me to Quatre without even acknowledging the acidic glares being aimed at his back. "...Master Winner, yes? Good day to you as well, sir," he greeted, eyes quickly latching back on to me in clear dismissal. "How are you doing, Duo?"

Quatre stiffened.

"I'd heard about the fire," Count Otto continued, moving a step closer despite Quatre's body language fairly radiating suppressed outrage. I was more surprised than anything - not just anyone goes around calling me by my first name anymore, and according to Lady Aurora, a Count had no business acting so familiarly with me. "I'm relieved to see you unharmed. It would be a great loss to Sanc if your beauty were to be tarnished in any way."

...Empty flattery? That's what this guy was going for? He rEalLy neVER ChAngEd. "Somehow, my 'beauty' was the last thing on my mind at the time," I told him dryly.

Count Otto blinked.

"If you're looking for my husband, he's by the entry point," I said, moving up to stand directly beside Quatre and risking a glance at his face.

...Yep, that was definitely his imminent-decapitation expression. Fuck .

Count Otto was quick to both recover from his surprise and ignore the surrounding bloodlust, the smile once more on his face as he took another couple idle steps closer. I'd be impressed if I wasn't so worried that Mikhail was going to make his previous jokes an actual reality. Honestly, why was this guy even coming closer? I didn't need to look behind me to know Hilde's murder-eyes had been turned up to eleven!

"Of course, I'm here to see you, Duo," Count Otto said. "I'm glad I caught you."

Quatre let out a small hum of thought. I could practically see the calculations of how likely we were to be caught if he just impaled this idiot on his shotel right now. It's very likely, Quatre!! It's extremely likely!! Just kill him in the woods if you hate him that much!!

"I'd love to talk with you more, if you have time tomorrow," Count Otto continued. "But for now, I'd settle for a ribbon?"

I stared at him in incomprehension. Do I look like a fucking ribbon dispenser?

And what was Otto's deal, anyway? Going by the reactions of the others, he wasn't Heero's friend... I almost thought he was my second lover, but honestly, I just couldn't imagine it. Trant Clark had nothing on Heero's beauty but he was still pretty average, but Otto was frankly pretty ugly. Looking at him also just kind of irked me, like I just knew he would annoy me if I was forced to actually talk to him and nothing about the way he'd acted so far was dissuading me from that notion. Besides, Heero had said Count Otto was often embroiled in court drama, so he was probably here just to see what all the rumors were about.

"Count Otto says some interesting things, doesn't he?"

The breath froze in my throat. My lungs felt constricted, skin pulled taut as my senses scattered with ruthless abandon. I couldn't move my eyes, much less my body, and I was stuck staring forward as a cold chill swept down my spine. This gave me leave to watch the color drain from Count Otto's face, his annoyingly saccharine smile vanishing to be replaced by a look borne of both ire and sheer terror.

The terror was a feeling we both shared. I could feel the rabbit-jump of my pulse, hands turned clammy with sweat even as I forced myself once more to breathe. Quatre's careful look of control shattered quietly as he turned and stepped almost completely in front of me, but even he knew better than to threaten violence now.

"A ribbon from Duo," Solo Maxwell's voice curled around my name, cloyed with a sweetness so venomous he may as well have cursed me. "How many ribbons do you think my dear brother has, that he'd spend charity on you, Count?"

I forced myself to move, to turn; I couldn't keep Solo to my back. The sight of him was no less arresting than the first time, and even though it was early in the day, the world seemed darker somehow just by looking at him. Instinctively, I knew - Solo Maxwell did not belong in the light.

There was a quiet shuffle behind me; Count Otto was retreating. "...I apologize, I got ahead of myself," the man said, voice subdued. "His beauty was so great, my senses temporarily took leave."

There was laughter in Solo's voice that didn't match whatever was in his eyes. "Yes, how pitiful," Solo agreed, the insult so blatant that I could practically hear Otto's teeth grinding behind me. It said something about the power of the Maxwell family, that even a close friend of the Crown Prince's could do nothing in the face of Solo's mockery. "But that's alright. What's the harm in asking, isn't that right, Count?"

Solo advanced with leisurely steps, but not towards Otto; his tread took him closer and closer to me, and for the fleeting moment where our eyes met, I wanted to turn away and hide. Quatre stepped closer to me, tense and waiting, but Solo's smile only widened at the movement. The disconnect between his obvious amusement and the dark atmosphere of the camp hardened the knot of nausea in my gut.

"What a funny face, Duo," Solo said as he breached the space between us, the laugh in his tone made all the more chilling in its sincerity. "Is it that unusual for your older brother to greet you?"

"I would just rather you didn't," I told him, and I didn't even bother to hide the bite in my voice.

It disturbed me that I wasn't even surprised by the obvious glee that grew in his smile at the response. Solo was always like this, as quick to taunt as he was to scar; he wore a polite veneer over utter barbarism. Even talking with him could curdle the blood of those unfortunate to be caught up in his web.

"Ah, and even Master Winner is here," Solo greeted, his words losing that derisively mocking quality that Count Otto had been treated to, although the casual regard now in his voice was no less foreboding. "Congratulations on the success of your expedition. Sanc has once again benefitted from your wisdom."

Quatre was very still. "...Thank you."

"I should be thanking you for taking such good care of my brother," Solo said, uncaring for the way Quatre stood like a shield between him and me. "He can be a little unruly at times, but I can assure you that he's worth the trouble."

It was my turn to flinch.

Quatre's tone was even and deadly. "Master Solo–"

"ON BEHALF OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HIS HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE, HER GRACE THE DUKE OF NOIN HAS ARRIVED!"

The loud call cut through the air with all the delicacy of a bullhorn. It was a shock in numerous ways: by announcing that Duke Noin had arrived on behalf of the royalty, it meant that the Queen and Crown Prince weren't coming. This was already unusual, but it also unsettled me even more - because they had come to the Capital Hunt in the novel.

Was this another ripple caused by the changes I'd made?

"It looks like it's time for us to gather," Solo remarked, much closer than he had been for that short moment I'd looked away from him. He was only a scant step away from my side now, but more than that, he had fingers trailing over the length of my hair that I'd swept over one shoulder.

Coralina's delicate work resulted in a braided plait interspersed with a pearl-laden silver whip, the end neatly tied off with a ribbon that matched the one I'd gifted Heero - a ribbon that was soon tugged off by Solo's deft fingers. He stepped away before I could grab it back, grinning in a way that I knew matched my own expression with an eerie likeness, if the complicated face Quatre made in response was any indication.

"Unfortunately, Count Otto, my brother is all out of ribbons," Solo said, winding his prize around his wrist. "I'm afraid you'll have to beg elsewhere."

Count Otto's reply was ground out. "...Yes, thank you. I'll head over first."

I didn't bother to turn and watch Count Otto flee from the vicinity, keeping my eyes on Solo in case he drew closer again. For his part, the Maxwell heir did watch Otto depart, his expression so pleasant that you would think he was watching the clouds pass by. I suppose to Solo, someone like Count Otto was no more than a dust mote.

Only when Otto's footsteps could no longer be heard did Solo finally turn his attention back to me. "...Again, that funny expression. Are you so disappointed that it was your brother that came to save you from that fool, and not your husband?"

The jibe was pointed and mocking. "Don't you fucking talk about Heero!"

"I'm not even allowed to mention him? How cute of you, Duo!" Solo laughed aloud, and the fact that I could not even hear a mocking tone was somehow more alarming. "You two really let bygones be bygones, then?"

I felt the acid in my throat, on the tip of my tongue. Solo's words always cut, and it made me wonder if my own had done just the same back then - before I'd lost myself to the greenhouse. It was more than just prodding a scabbed wound; it was scraping off the scab and pushing salt into the bloodied gash, knowing that no matter how you tried to wrap it, the pain would only heighten.

"Really, how wonderful! You must be so happy with how devoted he's become, Duke Yuy."

I startled, but not because of Solo's derision - but because his words finally drew my attention to the one rapidly approaching us.

Heero's face was a rictus of anger, an expression echoed across the visages of those following behind him in the form of Trowa, Wufei, and– Hilde? Hilde had gone to fetch Heero...? It wasn't hard to understand why; the last time I'd spoken with Solo, I'd sent myself into a mental downward spiral.

"Solo Maxwell."

I'd never heard Heero speak with such venom. Even back at the Maxwell home, his fury had still been contained within the boundaries of militaristic neutrality. The way he said Solo's name now made it sound more like a death threat than a greeting.

"As always, you've come too late, Your Grace," Solo said with a teasing lilt, holding up his arm to showcase my ribbon tied around his wrist - as if that's what this was about. Heero's expression shuttered and I felt my heart jump into my throat. "But really, what a frightening expression. Sometimes I think you match my brother too well."

That just further incensed Heero, his expression placid like still waters over an abyss.

"He stole my ribbon!" I hurried to explain.

Solo's laugh was genuine and wild. "How cruel, Duo! You would deny me your ribbon? Where is my cute little brother who used to crawl into my bed to hide from monsters at night?"

Like hell I did! "If I was hiding from monsters, then it'd be counterproductive to go to you!"

"Who else would sing you Mother's lullaby? And besides, a ribbon is a small price to pay for keeping away your monsters," Solo said. "But they've announced Duke Noin's arrival. I'll head over first, though I don't mind escorting you, little brother, if you'd like a break from your doting husband. "

It felt like I'd only blinked before Heero was in front of me, fully blocking Solo from my line of sight. His broad back and steady presence felt at odds with my rapidly-beating heart that I almost felt shellshocked, tilting slightly forward to grab onto the back of his arm. Even I didn't know if I was doing it to hold him back from attacking Solo or to simply keep him between me and my brother.

Whatever Heero's expression was in reaction to Solo's words or my physical touch, it was enough of an answer. "I'll leave first then," Solo said, tone light and easy. "Good luck on the hunt, Duke Yuy."

I could hardly hear his footsteps as he left, and then Heero was turning around to grasp me by my arms. His expression was still stiff, and had I not grown to know him so well, I'd think he wasn't bothered at all by what he'd walked in on. His tone, however, certainly did not match his scowling mouth as he spoke, "Duo, are you okay? What did he do?"

"Noth–" I began but stopped abruptly as Heero's grip grew just a bit tighter.

I winced as I remembered the last time I'd told Heero that Solo had done nothing, a lie that covered up not only my dwindling mental state, but also a fucking dead body. Even now, I still hadn't told them about Solo's present, something about it keeping my mouth shut. There were many things about Solo that I just...felt I could not admit to Heero.

"He just came over to taunt me, I think," I told Heero. "And he chased away that one guy, Count Otto? They were both just here to be annoying."

Heero's expression twitched, eyes darting to Quatre for the briefest of moments, which earned him a quick shake of the head. "Annoying?" Heero echoed me faintly, though not in question; it seemed he already understood how aggravating both men could be. "Are you sure you're fine? I can withdraw from the hunt and we can return to the estate, if you want to rest."

A tempting offer that would turn into an utter shitshow. It was bad enough Heero was always away on the battlefield, but now that I'd gone so long out of Sanc's social circles, who knew how damaging it would be to our political influence if we just removed ourselves completely. The Hunt was full of people I'd rather avoid, but there was just no helping it; I had to at least show my face and assess the state of my groupies before returning home.

"Let's just go and get this over with," I said with a sigh. "We gotta make a good show or all this headache will be wasted effort."

Heero paused but eventually nodded in agreement, letting go of my arms to cup my face with one hand. "...I'll win the competition," he promised me quietly. "Solo Maxwell may have one of your ribbons, but I will be the one to bring you honor."

I couldn't stop the smirk that quirked my lips. "You better bring me something good, then," I told him. "A kiss would be a good start."

Finally, the shutters on Heero's expression fell away and warmed into something no less intense, but far more gentle. He tilted my head up just slightly so he could press his lips to my own, and I took comfort in his touch and in his warmth. He chased away the chill that lingered from Solo's words, the warmth he provided soothing me in a way I hadn't even realized I needed until it was given.

If anyone was keeping my monsters away, it was Heero.