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A Wish in England	By : Blanche_Conrad Category: +S to Z > XXXholic Views: 1804 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Disclaimer: Neither Doumeki nor Watanuki or any of xxxHolic are of my creation. That honor belongs entirely to CLAMP. I'm just rearranging some of the pieces to my liking.
A/N: I won't be using honorifics. If anyone seems a little OOC let me know please. This is my first fanfic (and will 99% likely be my only xxxHolic fanfic), so constructive criticism will be appreciated.

Doumeki stared silently at Watanuki's still form on the bed in the cavern. He didn't even turn his head when footsteps shuffled softly into the room until a voice spoke.
"Archer."
He flicked a brief glance at the fey princess before returning his gaze to Watanuki.
"Which of you will be staying here tonight?" She inquired.
"I will. He needs to go back so that he can eat."
"What will you do when your tournament is over, archer?"
"I don't know."
"If you stay, you'll worry about him constantly; but you can't leave unless someone takes your place. He would be willing to, it seems; but that would be just as torturous for you as the first option. Would another take your place, instead of him?"
"Maybe, but that isn't something I will ever ask of anyone."
"My mother, the queen, she won't tell you this. You can petition for your freedom." Doumeki watched the smile spread slowly on the princess's face at this tidbit of gold she had given him.
"How?" He had to restrain himself from yelling, reaching out to grab her, anything that might get him the answer he sought.
"You ask for a formal audience with the sovereign. State your desire to be free of this realm to which you were bound by eating our food. One of three options will be given to you. The first is to defeat our strongest warrior or steal something the sovereign requests from the Unseelie court. The second is to give someone to us to take your place permanently. The third is to complete an impossible task charged to you by the sovereign."
"I see. I will make my request this evening. I think Watanuki is going to wake up soon. I'd like to speak to him alone."
"Of course, archer," with that, the princess gave a small curtsy and left the bedchamber.

Watanuki tried to bring his hands up to his eyes so he could rub the sleep out, but his arms felt like lead. He felt a strong arm slide under his shoulders and lift him to a sitting position. Watanuki poured every drop of concentration into opening his eyes. He was met with a familiar expression on a familiar face. He tried to speak, but found that no sound would come out.
"You're awake," Doumeki observed in his monotone voice.
Watanuki cleared his throat and tried to speak again, "Yes, thanks to you. Uh, thank you. I know I don't say that nearly as often as I should, but thank you."
Doumeki looked away before speaking again, "You need to go back to the cabin tonight. You need to eat."
"What about the tournament?"
"What about it?"
"That's what we're here for! What YOU'RE here for! Aren't you concerned?" Watanuki started flailing his arms about, ready to go into lecture mode.
"The important thing is that you are able to eat. I'm stuck here, since I already ate their food. It can't do me any harm to stay."
Watanuki had no reply to that and could only blink.
"Besides, if you're so worried about me competing then maybe you can take my place during the day. Or you can ask Yuuko or Himawari to."
"What? No, I can't ask Himawari to come here for you! Asking Yuuko would probably only cause problems. I'll just come take your place tomorrow."
"Ok. Are you feeling well enough to leave yet?"
"Yeah. Do you want me to bring anything over tonight?"
"No. Just bring me a fresh uniform in the morning."
"Okay." Watanuki braced himself to stand but found that his legs weren't shaky. He moved mechanically, like a puppet manipulated by a master. His brain had ceased to do anything more than its basic function. He couldn't comprehend why he was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to watch Doumeki compete again tomorrow.

Yuuko told Mokona to finish helping Himawari with dinner, informing them both that Watanuki or Doumeki would be arriving soon. Yuuko had her bet on Watanuki, knowing that Doumeki wouldn't want him with the fey. She walked to the room she was sharing with Himawari to retrieve the scorecard she had requested when Doumeki had run off into the forest. Yuuko smiled when she thought to herself that surely Watanuki would want to know how Doumeki had done.

Doumeki called on his training to keep a straight face as he requested an audience with the queen at dinner. He really wanted, just this once, to let his anger and frustration and distaste show on his face. "Madame Queen," Doumeki bowed as he approached the table. "I wish to petition for the right to regain my freedom from this realm."
"On what grounds, archer?"
"I was brought here under a pretense of which I was not aware, and without payment I slew the bird that has plagued your citizens. Is my act of honor enough to petition for my freedom?"
The Queen seemed to think it over. Doumeki had to remind himself to breathe. She looked as if she really wanted to say no. It wouldn't do any good to keep him here. He would never do anything they asked of him. He watched, wearily, as the princess cautiously approached the table. After some whispered exchanges the Queen deigned to speak.
"Fine, archer. I accept your petition. However, since I already know you are a skilled warrior and I have no wish to lose my prized warrior you shall not fight for your freedom. I will not risk sending you to the Unseelie Court, lest they catch you clumsy fool. Is there one who you would have take your place permanently?"
"No, your Highness."
"Well then, all that remains is to give you an impossible task. Is there anything you cannot do, archer?"
Doumeki stared at a point just above the queen's head, in silence. His eyes flicked downward when the princess leaned in to whisper to her mother once more.
"Ah, I see," the queen smiled slowly. "So, archer, you have an unrequited love. Well, I would think it only appropriate to charge you with the task of getting your loved one to return your sentiment. It should be rather difficult, no?"
Doumeki grit his teeth and his answer came out low, "Yes."
"I didn't hear you, archer. Your answer?"
"I accept this task, you Highness," Doumeki swallowed and forced his mouth to utter a proper reply. "I do believe that this task is truly impossible. Should I accomplish this, I would think it nothing short of a miracle."
"Very well then. If you succeed, you are free. If you fail, there are no second chances and you will remain here for the rest of your natural life."
"I understand, your highness; and I humbly thank you for your generosity. I ask to be excused to my sleeping chambers, as I must rise early tomorrow."
"As you wish."
Knowing he had been dismissed, Doumeki gave a prayer of thanks that his temple training had included formal exchanges with both native and foreign people in various positions of power. Without that training Doumeki figured he probably would have slipped up and said something to highly offend that horrid woman. He closed the door to the room behind him. The room that Watanuki had slept in the night before. Without undressing, Doumeki laid on the bed and pulled the pillow close to his face, inhaling Watanuki's scent as he drifted off to sleep.

Watanuki blinked in disbelief as he was greeted by Yuuko thrusting a heavy-weight paper in front of his face the moment she opened the door. He didn't really know what he was looking at, since it was so close that it was blurry.
"You owe Doumeki a gift." Yuuko gave one of her smiles that implied she knew Watanuki hadn't done what he was supposed to or had done something he wasn't supposed to.
"What?" Watanuki's reply was as devoid of emotion as Watanuki possibly could be.
"He won again today. He didn't exchange Mokona's or my tokens, so I am guessing that he tried to exchange your token. However, you, being you, likely refused. Am I correct?"
Watanuki's jaw dropped at Yuuko's deduction, though after all this time it didn't really surprise him. He decided to try changing the subject, "Do I need to cook tonight?"
"No," Yuuko beamed at him, "we made dinner. So you just eat and relax."
"Thanks."
The meal passed mostly in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable but it was tense. Everybody knew that someone was missing from the table, and it just wasn't the same without him. Afterwards Watanuki did the dishes and cleaned the stovetop and table. He told Himawari, Yuuko, and Mokona goodnight; and then he dragged himself up the stairs.
Part of him was relieved that there would be no more chances for him to embarrass himself in front of Doumeki and that he wouldn't have to share the bed. The other part of him was very worried, however. Would Doumeki be okay? How were they going to get him out of this? What if the Queen or the princess or some other woman fell for Doumeki and he wanted to stay there? What would Watanuki and Yuuko tell his family?
Watanuki changed into his pajamas and slid under the covers. He struggled to clear his mind so that he wouldn't have weird dreams, but still his last though was of the way Doumeki had held him when he tripped and sprawled across Doumeki's lap the first evening they were here.

Reviews are welcome and I hope to post the next chapter soon. I sincerely apologize for having taken so long to get this chapter out, but I was having a hard time working out exactly how I wanted this scene to go. There were so many options and possibilities, and I had a very hard time figuring out which one would be the best scenario for the outcome I am working towards.
Regards,
Blanche
- 5
- 6
- 7
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A Wish in England