Disclaimer: This is pure fiction, never happened, not meant to portray actual people (and did you know, in the original story, the server was actually a woman? Say wha-?)
The Story:
Jade�s eyes fluttered opened, then squeezed shut the instant light was detected. He groaned in a burning, raw throat and rolled over, burrowing deeper into the pillow.
The pillow, he realized, wasn�t the one in his room in the North Tower. And since when did the morning light shine so brightly in the North section of the castle?
After several vigorous and seeming non-ending attempts to rub his eyes clean, Jade lifted his sleep tousled head and looked about. The bed was different, the hangings were different, and the position of the door was on the wrong side.
Using strength whose origins were mysterious, Jade sat up and immediately regretted it. Wave after wave of pain, nausea and disorientation hit, crippling him into a weeping, quivering mass on the bed, clutching his poor head and sounding faint whimpers to the empty room.
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Seeing as Jade won�t be up for several more hours. . .
Adam dressed slowly and with very little trembling to his fingers. Davey was there to help in case he needed it, but so far the condemned man was doing just fine on his own.
He shook his head when Davey offered fresh tunic and pants in the like that he would have worn at the Red Stone Shrine, but Adam shook his head in refusal, not bothering to look at the garments. Next, Davey had offered up some of the latest in castle fashion; things many of the lords were seen wearing lately. They were garish, hideous things with too loud colors, too many unnecessary ribbons and too many bells. Even Davey shook his head after contemplation.
They finally decided on a simple pair of pants and a shirt of nondescript origins. �Got it from my closet,� Davey confessed, �I wear things like this when I�m not in the kitchens all day.�
�It�s perfect.� Adam said quietly, straightening the shirt, then turning for Davey to inspect. The sleeves, though a little long on Davey, came just perfectly to Adam�s wrists. The brownish color was plain and didn�t mark Adam as servant or lord, but simply as a man.
Davey smiled. �Yes, perfect.� They heard footsteps down the hall and looked up in time to see Hunter stroll in.
�My lord,� Davey said, tipping his head in respect, but still exchanging a quick, delicate kiss in greeting. Adam eyed them unconsciously, jealousy alighting his face for the brief second their eyes were averted and disappearing when they broke apart. When Hunter turned to Adam, he bowed his head, as if to hide his expression.
�My lord,� Adam said softly.
Hearing his voice again, Hunter blushed. He glanced to the side and saw Davey staring at him. He turned crimson. �Er, uh, actually, was just here to see how things were going. See if you two needed any help?� he asked the last, rather pleadingly to Davey, perhaps asking if he�d stop staring so accusingly at him.
Adam, eyes still down, shook his head slowly but was stopped abruptly when Davey spoke. �How�s Jade? Where�d you put him last night?�
Adam, of course, had slept in a guest room. Hunter was adamant on keeping Adam out of the North Tower and out of the grasp of either Adrian or Mal while Jade was incapacitated. But the sound of Jade�s name made him look up, eyes boring into Hunter�s own as he awaited the answer.
Hunter cleared his throat. �Oh, well, I put him in my old room. Wasn�t going to go drag him all the way to the North Tower. He�s fuckin�. . . er, I mean, beg your pardon Adam, I mean. . . he�s heavy. And my room was closer.� He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably.
Davey smiled faintly, noting Adam�s silence. �Is he still alive? Would you like me to check on him?� He began to step around him and out the door.
Hunter realized that would leave just him and Adam. . . alone. . . together. . . He hurried quickly to stop his consort from leaving. �Er, no, wait, perhaps he won�t be in the best of moods to wake up in. I�ll go and see to him. I know how to handle him.� And without waiting for Davey�s reply, Hunter rushed out the room and down the hall.
�Huh.� Davey grunted and folded his arms.
�Nervous to stay, isn�t he?� Adam said softly, �almost like he�s got a guilty conscience.�
Davey slanted his eyes to his friend. �You�re one to speak.� As soon as he said it, he immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say; especially to someone as mortally serious as Adam.
But Adam grunted and nodded. He sat down on a stool and began pulling on the soft-hide boots Davey held out to him.
He takes punishment well, doesn�t he? Davey thought to himself, perhaps he likes it? Is that why he insists on being doomed for all eternity?
He mentally shook his head. This psychological, though he didn�t know the word, mumbo-jumbo was confusing. Davey almost had the entire situation down to a T but instead chose to set it all aside. Whatever happened, happened he decided. No real use trying to decipher what was running through someone else� mind when his own was just as confusing.
Adam finished and stood, following as Davey led him out of the guest room. �We could get a bite to eat first, then we could,� but Davey stopped, becoming distracted by the line of servants coming out of his and Hunter�s room, carrying many of his things.
�Wh-what?� Davey whispered. He hurried over to a man carrying a sackful of his clean aprons, the strings peeking out the mouth of the bag. Adam hurried close behind.
�What are you doing?� Davey demanded, �those are my things!�
�Yes, they are,� the man nodded solemnly, eyeing Davey with slight distaste, �an� that�s why they�re goin� with you!�
�With me?� Davey�s eyes followed the other servants as they began taking his things down the corridor. �What�s to become of me?�
The man snorted rudely. �They didn�t tell you? You�re goin� to Lodd! Goin� to study with the top cooks, you are.�
Davey snapped his attention back to the man. �Yes, but. . . now? I didn�t think. . .�
The man sneered. �Think the world waits for you, boy? The way I hear is the King�s gonna make Hunter his heir in a month! You think he�d want his successor to have some nobody for a cook? No, they want a certified one. Heard Lady Armenia�s sending a man with you, to make sure you get certified. If not, well, there�s other certified men there that wouldn�t mind having to serve for a future king.� With a nasty chuckle, the man left to follow the others down the hall.
Adam looked at Davey questioningly. �You�re. . . leaving?�
Davey turned to him with the exact same expression. �I. . . I didn�t think it would be so soon.� He glanced back at the nearly empty room, then whirled back on Adam. �Hunter!� he exclaimed, eyes wide, �I have to talk to Hunter!� he turned and fled down the hall, searching for his lover.
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Hunter stood in from of the open balcony, watching the throngs of his people scurry about down below. And not for the first time, Hunter wished desperately to be among them, simple and anonymous, not a care other than how much the price of fish has risen since the day before.
He sighed. The way things were going, he wouldn�t have that peaceful opportunity, ever. Sooner than he could imagine, he would be named heir to the throne. His fate will be sealed.
�My lord,� Armenia strolled into the room, her boots clicking sharply on the stone floor, �all is being arranged. The carriage is being loaded. We are waiting on Davey. Have you told him?�
Hunter inhaled slowly, then shook his head. �No, I. . . I meant to, but. . . He�ll come. He�ll be looking for me by now. I�ll explain to him then.� He turned to face his wife. �I ask you, Armenia, once more, does this have to be now? This very day? Can�t I have him for at least one more night?�
Armenia�s eyes were as cold as they ever were. �If I had my way, he would have been sent off as soon as I had that letter. It was my generosity to you, Hunter, that he�s stayed so long as it is. Any longer and he wouldn�t have time to take all the necessary tests. He must, MUST leave now.�
Hunter sighed once more and nodded. �I know, Armie. Just. . . I just wish it didn�t have to be this way.� He paused, hearing footsteps coming to the room, but it was only Nim.
Nim stopped beside Armenia and gave a sharp saluting nod to Hunter. �My lord, the carriage is ready.�
�Thank you, Nim,� Hunter said quietly. They watched him turn once more to the crowd below. When he spoke, his voice was soft but sure. �Nim, you�re to pack at once, also.�
Armenia froze but her eyes slitted dangerously. Nim jerked. �Why is that, my lord?� he asked in puzzlement.
Hunter turned around and faced them, expression hard and at once commanding. �Because, Davey is the one thing in this world that I treasure the most. I don�t want anything happening to him, is that understood? Nim, you�re going to accompany him to Lodd. You�re to take two other trustworthy men with you. You�re to protect my consort from any and all dangers on that road, do you understand?�
Nim wanted to argue. He wanted to plead to Hunter about the lord�s own safety, about how foolish it would be to send the head of security away with the consort while the lord is left undefended at home. But the authoritarian voice and that commanding look in Hunter�s eyes were not something to be disobeyed.
�As my lord commands,� Nim said quietly, bowing his head in submission. This is how he�ll look when he�s king, Nim thought to himself, he�ll have a good heart, a wise mind, and a strong hand. He�ll make a perfect leader as well as a good man.
Armenia glared briefly at Nim, then turned back to Hunter. �Are you serious? Hunter, you can�t-�
�I will do as I please!� Hunter�s voice did not raise but instead doubled in severity. His eyes were cold bits of frost glaring at Armenia. �I am lord of this castle. You are my wife. Learn your place, woman.�
Armenia had to bite her lip to stop from arguing. His wife! Learn her place, the nerve of the man! But Armenia bowed her head also, offering an elegant curtsey of her skirts. �As my husband. . . as my Lord commands.� she struggled with the words, that was clear, but she at least got them out.
Hunter wondered if he could have ever find the urge to make her say them, if she hadn�t.
�Good.� He said at last. �Don�t ever question my methods again, woman.� He turned to Nim, �Two of your best men. Go and gather your things. Davey will be along shortly.� Nim bowed once more, then turned and hurried out. Armenia hesitated, clearing not on her own footing, then curtseyed once more and headed out, expression slightly confused.
She�s had to rely on her natural, serving instincts there, Hunter mused as he stared back out the balcony. Must make note of that: Keep Armenia off balance and she�ll make a good, obedient queen.
But soon he lost all his humor and continued staring back out at the world he would never truly be a part of.
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Davey hurried into the last room he could think of finding Hunter, and found his lover in the same position as Armenia had found him, back to the door and facing the balcony.
�Hunter.� Davey said quietly, watching the surprised jerk in the other man�s shoulders and the slight hunch. Davey didn�t hesitate; he hurried over to stand beside his lord.
�Hunter, is it true? Am I leaving now?�
He looked up into those sad, pleading brown eyes and could think of nothing to say. He wanted to say no, no you�re staying here with me, for all eternity. But he�d already agreed to sending Davey off, even managed to get Nim to accompany him. And even despite his feelings, Hunter knew it was only logical that Davey leave for Lodd. He would definitely need a certified Chef, and Armenia made it clear one would be in his kitchens when he was named heir, be it Davey or not.
Hunter didn�t have to answer, Davey saw it in his eyes. The sadness, the longing, the pain. �Oh, Hunter!� Davey said quietly, then embraced his mate, squeezing tighter when he felt arms encircle him back.
�Davey,� Hunter said, mouth to his ear and warming his skin with his breath, �I�m so sorry. I meant to tell you. . . but there was no way. . . I. . .�
�Shhh,� Davey pulled back, settling fingers briefly against Hunter�s thin lips, �don�t be sorry. It�s not your fault. I agreed to go. You�ll be heir in a month, they said. I have to go now, don�t I?�
Hunter nodded. �You�ll be escorted by Nim himself, I made sure of it. He�s to take you to Lodd. You�ll be safe there.�
�But, Hunter!� Davey started to protest, but Hunter silenced him with a deep kiss. Tongues circled around, trying desperately to remember every taste, every memory of the other mouth. Hunter ran his hands along Davey�s shoulders, then up to his face, thumbs running along his cheeks. Davey�s fingers ran through Hunter�s spiky blond hair and down his back, then up again.
When they pulled apart for breath, Hunter spoke again. �Don�t worry, Davey. It won�t take but two weeks for you to get a certified. Then you�ll come straight home. You�ll come back to me, and never leave again.�
He spoke with such conviction, such surety, that Davey could do nothing but belief him. He allowed a faint smile to touch his mouth, then nodded. �Of course I will. I�ll be with you forever, until death.�
Hunter grinned. �Even after. You are the other half of my soul, Davey. We�ll find the great beyond together.�
And they moved close once more, to continue abusing each other�s mouths.
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�A disaster!� Armenia muttered, pacing back and forth in Nim�s quarters. He, however, was busy packing his bags. �That fool! Sending you to guard a CONSORT! You could be put to better use here.� Now she looked up at him. �And you didn�t argue! You let him order this foolishness!�
Nim glanced up. The look in his eyes made her clench her teeth. �Hunter has been trained almost all of his adult life to become king. You did a lot of that training, Lady, as soon as the two of you were engaged. You should realize that sooner or later, Hunter would be able to make his own mind and command by himself.�
�Yes, but not to me!� she cried out, once more pacing, �And not about this!�
Nim ignored her, and continued packing. Armenia saw he wasn�t going to comment further and grew furious. She stopped and turned to him. But the next words died in her throat. Her eyes lighted upon the assortment of weapons Nim had begun to lay out on a blanket. As soon as he had everything aligned to his liking, he began rolling the blanket up, keeping everything in place as he did so. Armenia�s eye caught on a gleam off the hilt of a short sword peeking out one end.
�That�s it.� She said, comprehension hitting her finally. �That�s what must be done.�
By the time Nim looked up, Armenia was gone. Thus, he missed the extremely pleased look on her cruel, hideously evil face.
********************
She stepped into the room and eyed the two lovers with an arched brow. They continued to kiss, oblivious to any other presence in the room.
She walked in slowly, her boots clicking and resounding in the stone chamber. Her skirts swirled about her legs, loose and defining at the same time. Her blond hair was pulled away from her face with pins but left to hang free past her shoulders. She stopped just feet away from the two and waited. Nothing for nearly two minutes. She cleared her throat and immediately the two pulled apart.
�Yes?� Hunter asked, rather impatiently. Things were just turning steamy with Davey.
�My lord,� the woman curtseyed with grace, �I beg your pardon, but I was told to come seek your orders.�
Hunter frowned. Was this another one of his servants? If so, why did she dress so elegantly? Why was there gold jewelry around her neck and fingers? Why did she have such a cultured voice? And why the hell did she remind him of Armenia?
�My orders?� Hunter looked briefly at Davey, met another puzzled expression, and faced the woman again. �Who are you, good woman?�
She made another sweep of her skirts, smiling nicely. �I am Lilith, my lord, your concubine.�
Both men�s jaws dropped in stunned silence.
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She hurried back into the room holding a small wooden box in her hands. Nim was just finished tying the strings of the last bag when he looked up at her.
�My lady?� He asked, not really wanting to know, but having to ask anyway.
�Here.� She closed the door only after checking that the corridor was empty. She hurried back in and held out the box to Nim. When he didn�t take it, she opened it to reveal a plain, ordinary knife.
�You�re to do it, Nim.� She breathed softly, clearly excited by the sudden turn of events. �You are the one who must do it. There can be no other one.�
Nim�s eyes widened. �I cannot! Hunter has charged me to protect him! What would happen if I return without him?�
Armenia shook her head, still smiling. �You can�t save him if you were ambushed by surprise. Take two dullards with you as guards. Any two expendable, it doesn�t matter. They won�t live after. No one will live but you. Kill them all, make it look like a raid. The carriage is the Lord�s own; we�ll make them think bandit thieves mistook it for royalty, not simply for transporting a consort. It�s the perfect plan, Nim.�
She closed the lid and thrust it into the bewildered and speechless man�s hands. �Take it. Use this knife. It�s special. Whatever it cuts, the flesh will not heal. And when you finish, cut out his heart and bring it back in the box with the knife, so I�ll know you�ve done as I�ve told. Godspeed, Nim.� She turned and walked out, leaving him staring down at the ominous, wooden box.
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