The Curse

by jabotus

Rating: T

Pairings: to be announced, will by shounen ai though

Warnings: AU – fantasy - so there will be some OOC; shounen ai (boy x boy relationships), OCs

Disclaimer: Don’t own.

Summary: Fantasy - People around the elf Duo tend to die. This curse has left him alone time and time again. With a war brewing between humans, elves, and orcs will he find someone who can survive his curse?

Prologue:

Duo couldn’t say why he felt compelled to follow the other children that day. Normally he would stay away from that side of town because it was where the visiting elves stayed when traveling through. Maybe if he had known what would happen, he would have gone sooner. Of course, it may have only been fate that he went there on a day Quatre and his family was passing through on their way home. It was after all, Quatre’s empathy which led the young elf straight to Duo.

Dou pulled the hood lower over his head. It made him stick out in this crowd, but he didn’t want anybody to see his ears. Not that his violet eyes were a common color among humans, but they were less conspicuous than his pointed ears. Darting through the thin crowds of people was easy. On the other hand, staying out of sight of the others was more difficult. They had heard the same rumor he had. Elven royalty had arrived late last night. Of all travelers, they were the most generous to the children of the town, homeless or otherwise, and they didn’t even have to steal it! The rich elves would often hand out enough food to last them a week. Sometimes a coin or two was also given away.

Wary of his own kind, Duo never went on these expeditions preferring the crowded market place while Solo and Tres took the younger children. Those days were gone, however. After Solo and five others died of a disease they had no name for, Tres had forced Duo out. She had never trusted him because he was an elf, which was nothing new to him. Many humans were suspicious of the magic users, not that Duo knew any magic, but he was rarely given a chance to explain so it, just as rarely, didn’t matter. The only two reasons, she hadn’t kicked him out sooner were that he was with the group before she joined and Solo, as the oldest, was their unofficial leader. He let Duo join their thieving group and so Duo was going to stay. Until his death changed everybody’s status.

Tres, Jenna, and Peter were the only survivors. When everybody had first become ill a little over a month ago, Duo was the only one not to get sick. Three weeks later, Tres had convinced the other two it was Duo’s fault the others died. He was an elf and could have used magic to heal them, but no, he chose to watch them die and with Solo gone, he could take over.

Now about a week later and on his own again, Duo was worried about the younger two. Tres, if in a pinch, he knew would leave the other two behind. Jenna was fairly decent as a pickpocket for a six year old, but Peter was too rash and in showing off he would get caught one of these days and that meant loosing a hand. Maybe this was the reason he now followed the three into an area of town he had previously avoided.

Duo ducked into an alley when he saw them reach other groups of children hovering around the graceful elves who were handing out food. Even this far, Duo could hear their musical language as they talked and laughed to one another. Duo had never learned what should have been his native tongue. He’d been orphaned as an infant. He didn’t even know what his parents looked like. Duo peered around the corner to watch them. All four of them were exceptionally beautiful as elves tended to be; perhaps another reason humans distrusted elves so much. As he watched them interact, he felt a familiar longing. How he wished he could belong to such a family. Duo knew it was only an empty wish though, same as all orphans had, but even if he approached them, they could never accept him as one of them. He was cursed and would be alone forever as his curse dictated.

Duo was so caught up in his misery, he moved too far from the safety of the building’s side. It was only when the shortest elf, a fair male with blond hair and blue-green eyes pressed a hand to his chest while his face expressed pain. The young elf glanced up over the children’s heads and locked eyes with Duo. Startled Duo sucked in a breath, not only had he been seen but it felt as if the elf knew what he was thinking. Duo couldn’t move, at least not until one of the blond elf’s female companions touched his arm and he broke eye contact with Duo.

As soon as he had, Duo felt free to move again. He jumped back behind the building, his heart pounding. He had to leave before they came over here. Unfortunately the other end of the alley was blocked so he had no choice but to go out where they would see him. There was no doubt in his mind that all four would be watching the alley entrance if not already on their way over. He was fast though, perhaps he could loose them, if they didn’t use magic to assist them.

Duo took a deep breath, turned to run, and at the last second closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see the elves again. Two seconds later, he ran into a body and would have lost his balance if the body had not grabbed him around the wrist.

“What are you doing here?” Duo opened his eyes at the snide question to see Tres glaring at him. “You never come to this part of town.” Duo’s eyes went over her shoulder to the elves. They were watching. Tres caught the glance.

“You never told us why you avoided other elves. Perhaps you are a wanted criminal?”

“I’m an orphan, Tres. You know that.”

“I only know what you told us. It could be a lie for all we know.”

Duo’s eyes hardened at the acquisition, “I don’t lie.”

“Save it. We’ve all heard the speech before, Death.” She glimpsed over at the elves. A rather tall figure he hadn’t noticed earlier was heading towards them.

“Tres!” Duo pleaded, pulling at his arm, but the older girl was stronger than him.

“I wonder what would happen if …”

“Tres don’t, please.” Duo could no longer keep the panic from his voice and face. Tres ignored him. Instead, she took a breath and screamed.

“THIEF!”

Everyone nearby jumped at the cry. When the word settled in, two men moved to the girl’s aid. Tres stepped closer to Duo and hiding the money in her palm, she reached inside his secret pocket sewn into the tattered cloak. She smirked at him before changing her expression to mock anger and pulled out her hand, revealing the ‘stolen’ money to those nearby. She released his wrist now that he was the center of attention.

All about him shouts of thief took up, with everyone pointing and staring. Old memories rose to the surface only in them, the people had called out demon. Duo circled around as several more men closed in. The inns here housed mostly rich merchants and they tended to be more vicious than others when finding a thief. Loosing a hand was the least of his problems here.

In his circling he’d briefly forgotten about Tres. The mistake was realized too late when the girl grabbed his hood and yanked it off. For a second, they stopped when they saw him for what he was. Then a murmur began among those standing back, watching the impromptu entertainment. Duo caught some of the whispers, even those in languages he didn’t understand. The Elves! They’d seen!

Duo grabbed his hood and pulled it back down. The damage was done, but he felt less exposed this way.

“He’s still a thief! Somebody catch him! Cut off his hand!” he heard Tres yell. It was enough to end their caution.

One man darted forward and Duo easily avoided him, but he couldn’t avoid all of them. Two more tries. One managed to grab his elbow. Then somewhere over the noise of the growing crowd, a clear voice cried out.

“Stop! You’re scaring him!” A few laughed nervously at this. They were still worried the elf thief would use magic on his attackers. Duo was too busy biting the hand on his elbow to pay attention. The man punched him in the side, but he held on until he tasted blood. He let go of the hand and spit out the blood. The man moved away…no he was tossed to the side.

“Move.” A deep voice bellowed and the rest of the humans scattered. Duo froze. He wished the creature standing only a few feet away was telling him to move, but he doubted it. The tall figure he’d glimpse earlier was much taller this close up. It was a giant. A bald-headed, eight-foot giant! Duo would give himself to the humans if it meant he could avoid this creature. Giants were often foul-tempered and this one didn’t seem in the best of moods.

The giant reached out an arm and pulled the hood off his head once more. Duo was too terrified to stop him.

“Master Quatre, he’s an elf.” Duo felt his stomach plummet as two of the elves appeared from behind the talking mountain. One was a female with a dark complexion and blue eyes who looked at him in concern. The other was the young blond male. Despite their color differences, the two had similar facial features; possible siblings.

The blond spoke to him in Elven. Duo managed to shake his head, his eyes darting from the elf to the giant. Since when did elves and giants work together?

“Don’t be afraid of us. We won’t hurt you,” he spoke again, this time in the Common tongue.

Duo took a step back. “Stay away from me. Please stay back.”

The two elves spoke quietly in Elven while Duo inched farther away. He wouldn’t get far though. There was still a crowd watching and the giant was narrowing his eyes. Duo stopped moving.

Duo noticed the female elf nodding and then she spoke to him, “Why don’t you come with us? You look hungry and we were just on our way to eat the mid-day meal.”

“I can’t. I have to go now.” He knew they meant well, but he couldn’t let his curse harm anybody else. He’d taken a great risk with Solo and the gang and it had cost them their lives. Staying alone was the only way to keep others safe.

“Hilda.” The other female of the group stepped into view. The blue-haired female spoke to the male and received a nod. She looked over Duo and didn’t seem impressed. She began to scowl but at a word from the other female she closed her eyes and looked resolved to comply but not happy about it.

The elves were planning something he knew it. Duo took another step back, but the giant grabbed his cloak. He could slip out of it easy enough, but the giant’s message was clear – don’t move. Duo didn’t want to test the giant’s speed right now.

A voice – the blue-haired female’s – began singing. Duo glanced at her confused. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be concentrating. As he listened to the song he couldn’t understand, he suddenly felt sleepy. His eyelids began to droop. It occurred to him she was using magic, but it was hard to muster up any strength to fight it, if that was even a possibility. It had been a while since he had a decent rest. Without someone to watch his back, he was reduced to taking short naps in whatever nook or cranny he could find. Sleeping all night was not an option in this town when you didn’t have a home or people to keep a look-out.

“Don’t do this…please,” his voice only a whisper as his mind was pulled into sleep. The last thing he remembered was a sensation of falling…