Disclaimer: If I owned the boys of AFI, I�d be too busy to be on the internet writing stories. Wink wink, nudge nudge. Total fiction, never happened, not meant to be disrespectful in any way. Not that AFI actually READ any of this, still. . . .
The Story:
Davey brushed out his hair and braided it into a pleat so it wouldn�t become tangled in the middle of the night. Hunter liked it down and free for him to run fingers through. But Davey knew that Hunter would be too tired for anything other than sleep tonight. He had been up earlier than Davey himself and was still running about getting things done.
Davey looked down at the dressing table�s surface at his hair brush. Entwined in the bristles of hard straw were dozens of strands of his hair, collected there from not only tonight but last night also. More and more of his hair was coming out. This wasn�t good. This and that one gray hair he had plucked out two days ago.
Worry. His forehead wrinkled in thought and his thin lips pressed into a slight pout. He was worrying too much. He needed to calm down soon before his hair turned gray and fell out while Lord Hunter had his fingers through it.
But just as he decisively decided to put his worrying aside, his eyes caught his brush again. There! THAT�s what he was staring at! That�s what brought on the anxious feeling at the pit of his stomach. The hair.
A few hairs, maybe five, maybe less, were so tangled in the brush that their ends met together on one side and made a curl. A curl that reminded him of Adam�s hair. It was the right color, just not the right size.
Davey let out a shaky breath, remembering those screams that followed him out of the North Tower. Those screams. . .
Adam KNEW he�d be beaten for trying to warn Davey. He knew it. Yet, he still did it.
�He�s not dangerous.� Davey whispered harshly to his brush, eyes watering slightly. �He�s not. No way he can be dangerous.�
He paused then, realizing something. Jade. Jade had hurt Adam in front of Davey. And when he left, he was still hurting him.
�He�s right. Jade�s a monster.� Davey said out loud, finally believing it.
�Who�s a monster?� A soft, tired voice asked. Davey turned around and saw his lover, Hunter, come strolling in. He began to undress, Davey saw, as he was more at home here than his own room.
�Hunter,� Davey stood and went to help him, �I was merely musing out loud.�
�Who�s a monster?� Hunter asked again. Davey looked up and saw his eyes weren�t as tired as he thought. They were sharp and inquisitive.
�Your brother, Jade.� Davey said meekly.
Hunter, one arm out of his tunic, the other half-way, froze. He began searching Davey�s face, eyes hardening. �Did he�? Gods, I�ll kill him.� His voice rasped this last as he turned to do as he said.
�No!� Davey cried out, not knowing exactly why he was against the idea. Maybe it was because of the whole �blood killing blood� thing. �No, my Lord, nothing happened!� He had a hard time dragging Hunter back and pushing him to sit on the bed.
Hunter reluctantly gave in and sank to the mattress, watching Davey begin work on his boots. Davey began this in excuse not to meet his Lord�s eyes. If he did, he was sure Hunter would see the lie in them.
�I was thinking about Adam.� Davey said. �Jade. . . he was treating him very badly. W-. . . whipping him.� He paused, eyes going distant. �He was trying to be nice to me. He was trying to warn me not to be around Jade alone. And. . . and then Jade came in and. . . he. . . he brought out his whip. . .�
At the sight of Davey�s trembling lips, Hunter immediately took his lover into the protection of his arms. �Shh, shh! Davey, it�s okay, it�s alright. He beat Adam? Well, Jade�s a bit on the jealous side, he is. But. . . well, not to be. . . uhm, who�s Adam?�
Davey got his breathing under control and wiped his eyes quickly. He chastised himself for being so weak and pulled back to continue undressing his Lord. �He�s the man Jade�s got locked up in the North Tower. I told you about him last night and the night before.�
�Ah, sorry, Davey.� Hunter mumbled. He must have told Hunter pre- or post- sex. That always made Hunter forget anything and everything.
�Not at all, my Lord,� Davey said automatically, missing the wince Hunter made at the title. �You�ve been very busy, what with the ball just days away. I�ll tell you again.� And he went into a shortened version of what had transpired in the last week. His daily visits with a religious man locked up for being dangerous when he actually wasn�t. By the time he finished, Hunter was frowning.
�Davey,� he said slowly, �do you know WHY Jade has him locked up?�
Davey looked at Hunter carefully. When he spoke, his voice was soft and somewhat frightened. �I. . . I knew it wasn�t because he was dangerous. I mean, yes, he hit me, but that was only to shock me into listening to him. And. . . it worked.�
Hunter sighed and leaned his head against one hand as he stared at the floor. �Jade. . . likes to keep his toys with him as much as possible. Adam. . . Adam is just another one of his slaves. He might say he�s dangerous only because that�s the only reason he has to keep him locked up. Davey. . . please don�t go back there. He might be your friend, but a few weeks with Jade can change a man.�
Davey shivered. Change a man? How MUCH change? He turned wide eyes at Hunter. �But. . . you�re Lord of this castle! Can�t you free him? Can�t you stop Jade from hurting him?�
Hunter sighed, eyes slipping closed. �Davey. . . it�s not that simple. Even if I could, what�ll stop Jade from capturing another one? And another one after that? I can�t very well throw my own brother in jail. And I can�t toss him out. He�s. . . he�s got no where to go. He needs me.� even as he said this, Hunter knew it was a stupid and pathetic excuse. What Jade needed was the wrong end of his own whip, for more than an hour.
But Davey, the ever bleeding heart, rubbed Hunter�s back affectionately. �I think I understand. It�s just. . . Adam. . .� he shook his head. �You can�t interfere with Adam like Jade can�t interfere with me.� He sighed and hugged Hunter, trying desperately to believe his own words.
�Yes.� Hunter said, then gestured for Davey to get into bed while he snuffed out the candles. He made his way through complete darkness expertly back to the bed and into his lover�s arms. �But look, Davey, I�ll at least talk with him. That much I CAN do. If I can�t make him release Adam, I can at least get him to stop whipping him.� He felt Davey�s arms clench tighter around him.
�Thank you, Hunter,� Davey sighed happily and melted into the kiss Hunter had been dying to have all afternoon. Then Davey realized he also had another topic to discuss with his lord.
He pulled back, much to the whimpers of Hunter, and spoke softly. �My lord, one more thing?�
Hunter grumbled. �Oh, alright. You know I can never deny you anything.�
�Yes, my love,� Davey whispered, the smile and blush evident in his voice, even in the dark. �That�s why. . . uhm. . .�
Hunter began to get excited. Davey never asked for anything in the bedroom. It was about time the sexy minx told Hunter what he wanted, instead of just allowing the lord free roaming of his body. �Yeah?� He asked, voice thick with anticipation.
Davey heard this. He almost smiled. �It�s. . . it�s about, well, Lady Armenia.� He almost heard Hunter�s face fall, his hopes dashed. However, he FELT Hunter�s arousal no longer able to keep with the accompanied thoughts of his own wife.
Hunter growled and made sick noises. �Yuck, Davey! What the hell?�
�My lord,� Davey said sternly, then moved to straddle Hunter�s mid-section. This was easier to do in the dark, where he couldn�t exactly see his Lord�s expressive eyes.
�Okay,� Hunter said, hands going automatically to Davey�s thighs and squeezing where the squeezing was good. �This is getting better and better. Go on.�
Davey rested his hands on Hunter�s bare chest, feeling the soft curve of his pecs. He rather enjoyed this position, but he still had to take care of business. �My lord, please pay attention.� he batting away Hunter�s seeking hands. �Hunter. . . the ball. You and the Lady. . . are still fighting?�
Hunter snorted. �When are we not?�
�When�s the last time you spoke with her?�
�Two days ago.� Hunter said after some thought. �But she�s sent me plenty of pages to tell me exactly what the hell I�m doing wrong.�
Davey winced. This wasn�t going to be easy, was it? �My lord, this is about the entertainment. . .�
�Oh, THAT!� Hunter said, shifting and successfully managing to arch against Davey at the same time. The server had to grab and hold on frantically or fall to the side unexpectedly. He was about to scold his lover when Hunter settled back down and began talking again.
�I heard part of the message that page was telling me. Something about the flower dancer troupe. . . ugh, Davey, MUST we talk about this? Must we talk at ALL?�
�Yes.� Davey insisted. �We need to. I think that you�re making a mistake. You can�t possibly want the flower troupe when you can get something as amazing as the Karri-Kopi circus!�
�Hey, I wasn�t the one to bring up the flower dancers!� he froze. �The WHAT circus?�
Davey smiled. �The Karri-Kopi. You�ve heard of them. EVERYONE�S heard of them. But they�ve never played here before. And you know someone with a cousin in the troupe, my Lord. And they are willing to travel here just in time for the ball.�
Hunter sat up, grabbing Davey�s sides. �Dave? Really? You�ve got a cousin in their midst? And they�ll perform here?�
�Well. . .� Hunter could almost see him worrying his thin lips with his teeth, �Uhm. . . not exactly. Lady Armenia does. She said she was trying to tell you about her cousin but you wouldn�t listen. That you�d want the flower dancers.�
�We had the flower dancers last year.� Hunter said dismissively. So, Davey mused, Lady Armenia underestimated her husband�s mind.
Meanwhile, Hunter was letting the idea sink into his mind. That witch. This whole thing had her claws all over it. It was saturated with her scheming. Why else would she get Davey to be the ignorant victim to bring it across him? She probably told Davey not to mention it was Armenia that thought of the idea, making it seem like Davey came up with the idea himself. But Davey wasn�t one to lie easily, Hunter knew. His excitement was what let the truth come out.
Hunter�s hands rubbed Davey�s sides, still thinking deeply. The real problem was, he couldn�t see anything wrong with what Armenia was planning, so far. It seemed she was putting her hate of Davey�s and Hunter�s relationship aside in order to prepare for Hunter�s ascension to the throne. It would put Armenia on her own throne next to his, after all.
Hunter finally turned his face up. With their eyes now adjusted to the darkness and the light from the nearly-waxing moon now etching things in blue, Hunter was finally able to make out the silhouette of Davey�s figure. �Davey. . . is this something that YOU want? I don�t mean what would be good for me, or whatever Armenia told you to just so that you could get me to hear her out. Would it please YOU?�
Davey gently put both hands to either side of Hunter�s face and slowly brought their foreheads together. �Hunter, anything you want, anything you decide, would please me. You know that.� Hunter felt the light brushing of Davey�s eyelashes as they blinked. �But. . . if you were king. . . you�d be happier. You�d have your life set for you and. . . and. . .�
Hunter inhaled sharply. �Let me guess,� he said, voice dropping like lead, �you forgot what Armenia told you to repeat, right?�
Davey frowned. �Sorry. I just thought. . . well, it made sense, at the time.� There came a silence then. One that was very much unbearable to Hunter. If Armenia could have enough hold on Davey, his consort might not be completely his but a puppet of his wife�s.
Davey sighed. �Hunter,� he said at last, �I�m very sorry. This might sound like. . . like I don�t want you happy. But I could care less if you were King. I�d love you even if. . . if. . . if you were a farmer, or even just a servant, like me. Just so long as we were together, that�s more than enough for me.�
�And me,� Hunter assured him, taking the liberty to nip his nose gently, �you know that. And I know that. And nothing is going to get in our way. Ever.�
Davey smiled warmly and wrapped his arms around Hunter. Hunter returned the embrace, moving his mouth to Davey�s neck and working gently.
Five minutes passed and Davey sighed. �Well,� he said at last, �even if you�d rather not, do you think, after the ball I mean, we could go to the kingdom next over and see the circus just before their fall tour begins? I�ve never seen FIRE eaters!� Hunter nearly laughed at the giddiness over taking his Davey. Like a kid, he was. That�s probably why everyone mistook him for being younger than he really was.
�No, we won�t.� Hunter said, feeling Davey�s disappointment in the way the man began to slouch. �Because we�ll see them in matter of days, HERE.�
�Oh, Hunter!� Davey jumped him, sending them back into the soft bedding again. He decided Hunter could use another teasing, also.
�Oh, one more thing I must ask, my Lord.� Davey said, still laying on top of Hunter, but now speaking in his business tone again.
Hunter groaned. �Noooo! Anymore and I�ll feel I�ve never left the meetings! What is it this time? The servants? The food? Perhaps we don�t have nearly enough wines?�
Davey smirked but kept it out of his voice. �No, my Lord, this is serious! Much more priority than those silly things!� He snuck a hand between his legs and grasped Hunter, delighting in the exclamation of surprise from the man beneath him.
�Why,� Davey said, voice now leaking lust and need, �have you neglected your consort?�
�Neglected?� Hunter cried out before rolling them over to begin having his way with Davey. However, this time they continued rolling until Hunter realized Davey wasn�t having any of it. Davey moved them until he was on top.
�No, Hunter,� Davey purred, �I think I rather like this position. Haven�t done this in weeks, have we? Me on top like this.� He shifted and rubbed his body against Hunter.
Hunter laughed huskily. �Davey? I rather like this, too.�
*****************
[A/N: Because a few reviewers asked to see more of this couple. . .]
*****************
Adam winced and gripped the one blanket he was allowed tightly in his fists. He had stopped crying two minutes ago and the tear trails left streaks through the dirt on his cheeks. His breath came out almost as a shuddering sigh. His eyes closed and grit his teeth again.
Pain. He was in very excruciating pain. But that was mortal pain, he knew. Nothing but physical torture.
Ahh, now that it came like that, he knew he could overcome it! He was a man of the faith, once a man of the order. Now that order was gone, leaving only himself to carry on doing God�s will alone.
Fancy that, he thought to himself, God�s will was to let myself be tortured under the hands of a madman.
Adam frowned and berated himself for such thoughts. Who was he, to question God? To question HIS will? God worked in mysterious ways, that was true. If allowing Adam to suffer under Jade, it was probably for a reason. A trial of endurance, perhaps?
Adam had already gone under one, a year before Jade came for him. As a matter of fact, it was his first day in the sun that he caught Jade�s eye.
Adam took a breath again and sank back into the memory of what had been.
**************
He stepped out of the dark room, legs a little shaky not because he had spent twelve months cramped in a tiny room no bigger than a closet, meditating and praying for a vision from God, but because they would once again feel the ground and grass beneath them once again. He hadn�t realized how much he�d missed the sun, the air, the earth. A year in voluntary confinement was a great way to appreciate the world God created.
Brother Anthony helped him the entire way out. �You must take it in small steps, Adam.� His comrade told him. �Too much and you�ll be with the sun�s sickness.�
Adam chuckled. �I could never be sick of God�s glory. For Him, I would give my life.�
Anthony smiled. �As would we all, Brother Adam.� And this gave the other pause, for he had always been Adam, never Brother Adam. At least, not before his attempt to seek out his vision from God.
Brother Anthony nodded, his long face folding into a wide smile. �Father�s orders. You�re in the order. I think it�s because you above all the rest are committed in the very sense of our purpose. And,� the man smirked, �you alone are the only one to be able to spend more than six months in that cage. The longest anyone�s gone is five and they were still a little. . .� he made a shifty gesture with his hand to indicate slight insanity.
Adam smiled, then looked around. They stood in the shade of the temple, just in front of the large wooden doors. To the right was their well, carefully taken care of and watched dutifully, but free for all who wanted. To the left was the farm they raised birds, pigs and their single cow they milked for their Sunday supper. Before them was the highway.
It was a broad strip of wagon beaten road that tossed dust and dirt into their small temple. They swept the floors clean everyday, and everyday the dust came back. Adam had once asked why they didn�t just closed the doors during the day.
�Because,� the Father of their order replied with patience, �the humid air would melt all our candles. If we keep the doors open long enough, eventually a breeze will come through. And no, we cannot wet the roads down, for that would take away our drinking water faster than what we ration ourselves. So you see, Adam, we learn to make sacrifices, small ones like having to sweep everyday, in order to save ourselves bigger sacrifices.�
Adam, of course, had the luck to be the one charged for sweeping the dust out, thus the questions.
He sighed and looked out to the highway and to the wild fields of wheat beyond. The Brothers worked those fields, too. Several were out now, but only to make sure the crop was growing right. It wasn�t the right season for it. It was then that Adam realized there was a group heading down the road toward their temple. No, not toward them, just passing by most likely.
�Brother,� Adam said, �I think I can manage on my own now. Thank you.� Brother Anthony nodded and repeated that he would be just nearby should Adam need him. He had other business, Adam knew, and didn�t want to take too much of his time. Besides, the best way to get over his immobility was to get moving.
First, however, he had to stretch out. With his long limbs and tall stance, that was easier said then done.
�Jade,� Adrian said, moving his horse up alongside their leader, �any idea when we�ll get there?�
Jade adjusted the beaten, dirty hat on his head and peered left and right. Dammit! He shouldn�t have taken that short cut. But the old couple had seemed so sure that the road to Hivesburry lay just ten miles down this road. It was now thirty miles later and they hadn�t seen a single sign of civilized life. Jade was getting annoyed.
�I have a feeling we were lied to.� he said simply. He shifted in his saddle and peered behind them. �How�re you holding up, Mal?�
The woman crouched over her own horse looked up. Her face was beaded in sweat and her color was pale. �I�ll make it.� she said. Her appearance said otherwise.
Jade cursed and looked forward again. His eyes searched the horizon, desperate for anything, anything at all. A single hut, a farmer�s holding. . . anything. If Mal died, that would leave only him and Adrian in their little trio. With the loss of Vic, Jade wasn�t sure if he could handle it. It seemed his group was getting smaller day by day.
And, as if summoned by his despair, Jade saw the shape in the distance. It wasn�t a tree, too big. �I see something,� he told Adrian. To Mal, he said, �Don�t worry, we�re nearly to help. Hang in there, luv.�
She nodded dutifully and treated his words as she would any command. That�s why he loved them. Because they did as he said, no question, no hesitation.
They came to the temple and looked about. This was probably the last place they had expected, or wanted. But it was better than nothing, Jade decided. He pulled them to a stop directly in front of the large, wooden doors. Eyes watched him in surprise as he jumped down and began walking toward the nearest holy man.
Jade spoke softly to the man, who only nodded slightly, unsure of what it was that Jade was trying to say. It wasn�t until Jade showed him Mal�s stomach wound that the man exclaimed and began ordering his fellow men into getting her inside and laying down for their physician.
As they took her in, Jade began digging into his saddle bag for an adequate payment. These were religious men. They probably didn�t have much to go by, since they took only what God gave them, so a little gold donation couldn�t hurt. Whatever got Mal back to her self again. He pulled out a bag of gold coins, hearing the metals tinkle against one another.
�There�s no need for that.� a voice said behind him. He turned and saw one of the holy men still outside, stretching, of all things. �We don�t take payment. Donations are not accepted, either. We do what we can for the benefit of man.� With his eyes closed against the sun, Adam didn�t see Jade�s expression. If he had, he would have become wary instantly.
�Is that right?� Jade said softly. He watched Adam. Not bad. Not bad at all. Strong looking, a bit on the pale side, gorgeous hair. Simply gorgeous. Total jet black hair was hard to find in the world these days. He was sure that if he let it grow out, it would have a lustrous, glimmering shine to it. His face wasn�t that bad, really. Sure, the nose was too big, but the jaw was nice and strong, and the brow was stern and almost forbidding. Jade liked hard people. They posed a greater challenge to break.
�So, I can�t give any compensation for the way you people are helping Mal? Not even out of the goodness of my heart?� he sneered at that. He had no heart. Was never born with one.
�The idea,� the man said, standing slowly and twisting this way and that, �is that you go out into the world, willing to help your fellow man as we have helped you.� he turned his eyes now on Jade, and froze.
Jade did likewise. Blue. Clear blue, liquid blue, crystal blue. . . none of them seemed to do justice to what he was seeing. They were frozen fire, circles of lightning radiating at him, calling him into their cold depths. . .
Adam had to remember to breath. This man. . . was blessedly gorgeous. As simple as that. His face was soft, yet the eyes. . . the eyes sent shivers down his spine that had nothing to do with the gentle breeze passing by, shifting the shock of blond lock across his face. The hair graced over the soft nose, the delicate skin dirtied by days of riding. The mouth was small and set in a pout, pushing out now and then as the man regarded Adam thoughtfully.
Suddenly, Adam realized what he was doing. Was one year in confinement not enough to remind him of God�s purpose for him? Or was all that time in there for nothing?
Ahhh! That�s when he had it. His confinement was causing him to see the beauty in everything. He needed to force himself back on the path or he�d stray too far.
Adam smiled. �Well, sir, if you�ll excuse me, I must see the leader of our order. I�ve just recently come out of confinement and need new orders. Good day, and God be with you and your friends.�
�And you.� Jade breathed softly as Adam walked away.
Adrian came back from seeing that Mal was settled in. He took one look at Jade and grinned. �Oh, no! Not here! Not again! This is a temple, Jade, for God�s sake! You�ll burn in hell!�
�Already will.� Jade answered offhandedly and went back to watching Adam make his way inside. He might have let it rest as it were. It was true, this was a temple, not a brothel. These men took vows to follow their God. They never married and would never have sex. He had no right to pursue this one.
However, just as he reached the doorway, Adam paused. For reasons unknown to him at the time, he felt the strongest urge to look back. To see the stranger one last time. He would most likely leave and never come back, just as soon as his friend was patched up. No one ever came back. So he should have one last glimpse of the beautiful rider. Just one won�t hurt.
He paused, then looked back over his shoulder. His eyes met Jade�s and time froze. Jade stopped and stood up straight as if a stick had been shoved up his spine. Those eyes. . . that gaze. . .
That was it. That brief glance the man had given him before ducking back into the temple sealed his fate. He would be Jade�s. And it came to be. . .
***************************
Adam opened his eyes, fresh tears coursing down his cheeks at the memory of the courting Jade had shown him in the week after that first meeting.
First it was simple talking, a curiosity to get to know the intriguing mind that had spoke to him so openly. Then it was the gifts, items Adam could not take, due to the rule of no earthly possessions, but Jade assured him they would be for no other. Then it was the pleas and invitations to go riding. Why ride? Adam asked, when there was work to be done at the temple? Why lounge about with Jade, when there was something to fix, or vegetables to be tended or animals to be gutted and skinned. Then it came to threats.
Leave with him or cause the order needless harm. Adam had grown tired of these threats, hidden by attempted gropes by Jade�s nimble hands. He finally saw the Father. That had been a mistake. Father ordered Jade and his friends, Mal already healed, out of the temple and off the grounds. Jade countered that they would leave but the price was that Adam was to go with them. The Father would see to no such thing. So the fighting began.
Jade, Mal, and Adrian took to it like pros, which they were. The Brothers, most of them pacifists, stood not a chance against the three. The only one who had the least bit of training in combat was in fact Adam, but he was forbidden to raise a hand, on command of Father. He was ushered and hidden in the Father�s own office where he would be brought back out when the intruders were gone. But it was Jade to come for him, soaked in the blood of his Brothers and Father.
He fought like hell itself, he knew. He nearly killed Adrian and Mal several times, Jade twice that amount combined. His temper and rage brought on by the sight of the bodies as he was dragged out of the temple, Mal and Adrian already setting the torch to it; nothing compared to his madness after that. He had only mellowed out recently from the lack of food. Starvation had made him weak and unable to fight off Jade�s advances any longer. So he simply gave in and let Jade do what he wished. It was only his physical body, after all. The Kingdom of Heaven awaited the righteous, no matter what their bodies had gone through on earth, so long as their hearts were pure.
So for the time being, he was simply lying complacent. Although, it DID hurt quite a bit. Ironically it was Mal, or as she was known in several countries, Malicious who had doctored his wounds. She was none too gentle smearing the salve along his wounds. He sent a silent prayer upward through his sigh when Mal finally left. However, his solitude was short lived.
Not more than five minutes passed when he heard the chambers in the lock turn and the door give with a rusty shriek. Adam was too hurt to try and peer around his own shoulder at his visitor, but by the sound of the boots on the floor he knew who it was. Involuntarily his body shuddered. Had he come back to resume his punishment? Was he still angry at Adam�s attempt to see to Davey�s safety and still intact purity?
The footsteps stopped beside him as he lay on his bedding. He heard shifting sounds and felt just the briefest of touches on his bandages. Jade was kneeling beside him, admiring his own handiwork.
Jade sighed, something that might have been sympathy but could also have been a sort of twisted lust. Knowing the man, Adam was betting on the second. �Adam, Adam, Adam.� Jade�s fingers ghosted back over the protected wounds, caressing lovingly. �Why must things be so difficult between us? You know I would never hurt you intentionally! But the things you force me to do. . . what you force me to do to you. . . this hurts me so much to see you hurting like this, my darling.�
Yeah, right, Adam thought to himself, hurts you so much you probably have an erection.
Jade�s fingers moved along Adam�s bare neck and wrapped black curls around his fingers. Adam�s eyes slipped closed, relishing in the brief touch of pleasure to make it through the walls of pain bombarding his mind.
�I want so much for you to see,� Jade whispered, his moist, warm breath inches from Adam�s cheek and blowing on him gently, �see how much I want you, want us. . . Adam. . .� he flinched slightly when he felt something that could be nothing but Jade�s tongue run a wet circle on his cheek.
�Adam,� Jade�s voice came out thick with lust, �Adam. . . I. . . I need you.� He let go of Adam�s hair and moved away. Adam knew Jade too well to even harbor the thought that he would simply go away. And true enough, Jade began undressing. His boots, Adam saw from his position, were kicked off and thrown in the corner along with his shirt. He heard the unmistakable clink of Jade�s metal buckle hitting the stone floor and knew there was no stopping him.
Dear Lord! Adam cried out pleadingly, I�m wounded horribly and the monster wants. . . THAT?
Soon, Jade�s pants found the corner, also. Adam let out a pained moan when he felt Jade yank his own pants down and shift to sit over his bare ass. �Don�t bother getting up, my darling Adam,� Jade joked, �this will be over only in just a while longer.�
Adam grit his teeth and let out a shudder as he felt Jade�s questing fingers. Not to prep him, Lords no! Jade did this, as he once told Adam the first several times, that he wanted his Toy to like it as well. It was awful, this feeling of being penetrated against his will. The sensations went to the very core of his being. The sensitive skin of his anal opening. . . the rough calluses of Jade�s fingers. . . the warming sensations. . .
Jade pushed a finger in and was rewarded with an almost stifled cry. His lips curled into a soft smile as he slowly pushed his index in and out. Adam grasped the straw under the blanket into each fist and squeezed. He had to fight this. He had to find his control. If he let Jade win, he�d be lost from his own path and never find his way back. He must not let Jade know that this feeling. . . this warmth that was flooding through him. . . was beginning to feel good.
Jade added another finger, stretching only slightly against Adam�s muscles. Strange. Usually Jade just did it roughly and pushed in, giving Adam a harsh surprise each time. Jade. . . being gentle?
But Adam�s body was not immune to his administrations. Quicker than usual, Jade felt the muscles loosen just enough to tell him Adam was ready to receive him. He pulled his fingers out and positioned himself. With his tip, he pushed gently at Adam�s opening. But instead of going in, he pulled back and pushed again. He did this a few times before Adam realized the man was teasing him. Tempting him. To do what? To beg for it? To scream at him to hurry up? None was likely to come out, then. He was tempting the rock when he would be better off. . .
Adam sucked in air past his teeth. What was this? He was the ROCK to Jade�s torrential STORM! This shouldn�t be happening! This COULDN�T be happening!
Yet, it was. Adam, brought on by Jade�s teasing and gentleness, was having his own arousal awaken. And whether because he knew what Adam was going through, or because his own teasing was driving even himself mad, Jade stopped. He put himself at the opening once more and pushed in, slowly and gently, watching himself disappear centimeter by centimeter. When he was fully sheathed, or simply too far in to go further, Jade leaned forward to rest his palms on Adam�s shoulders to steady himself. Adam silently gave thanks to his god that Jade�s blows had landed mostly on his lower back and not any higher. Otherwise, he knew he�d be in considerable pain at the moment.
�See?� Jade whispered, voice shaky now that he began pulling out and pushing in at a steady, slow rhythm. �I can be soft. Can�t I, Adam? Can�t I be soft? You like this? You like my being soft?� his breath came again to Adam�s cheek, tickling his ear. �You want me to fuck you like this? Is that why you�re face is so red, holy man? Still trying to deny what the body your god gave you is trying to say? You LIKE IT. You LIKE my cock running through you. You LIKE being taken by a man. I knew it, knew it from the very first time I saw you, you liked taking it up the ass.�
Jade shifted to the side and plunged harder, making Adam cry out. Jade watched eagerly as the water droplets escaped Adam�s tightly clenched eyes to splash across the bridge of his nose and fall to the straw. This was just only one of the few things he had vowed to see; Adam�s human nature winning over his mental barricades. He knew, sooner or later, he would get Adam to not only like this, but to beg for it. It was only a matter of time. . .
Jade rocked his body and felt his hips smack against Adam�s rear. Again and again he did this if only for the pleasure the sound gave him. Adam, he notice was beginning to shake uncontrollably underneath him. Was he coming to climax? This was something new to him, Jade knew. From his earlier talks with Adam, it seems the man had been given to the order of the temple since he was a child; their beliefs of abstinence ground into him at an early age.
So this would come as a shock to him, wouldn�t it? Jade smiled horribly and forced himself to go slower. Wouldn�t be any fun to come before his victim.
Adam felt the ache between his legs. It was tied in with the feeling Jade was giving him at the other end of his body. Surely the two couldn�t be so closely tied in? The ache argued otherwise. It roared and whined, pleading for Adam to. . . to. . . he didn�t know. He didn�t know what it wanted. He couldn�t do a thing about it, anyway, since his �ache� was between his legs and trapped against the floor from Jade�s weight.
But even as he turned his mind to think about that part of his body, he realized that it was actually helping itself. The blanket was by no means SOFT, but it was friction that helped his aching body in its pleas to be touched. As Jade moved on top of him, his body moved slightly against the straw. Randomly cut stalks pushed through the blanket and scraped against his sensitive skin, sending rushes of chemicals into his blood stream, calling even more for the touch. He couldn�t stop it. He couldn�t dam it away, the inevitable would happen and there was nothing he could do to stop it. . .
NO! Adam screamed at himself, this was NOT going to happen! He was not going to let Jade win. He didn�t let him win when he killed everyone Adam knew and loved; he didn�t let him win the first time he had raped him, and he most certainly didn�t let him win when he had starved him. So was he going to let him win this time? NO!
Adam hadn�t realized he had screamed aloud. Not words, just simple and pure fury at being forced to do something he hadn�t wanted. Forced to be betrayed by his own body. . .
However, Jade took this as a sign of Adam�s climax. He did it! He did it! Adam was now prisoner of his own body, just as Jade and every other man on the earth was. He had no right to be high and mighty with his religion any longer! He was now a broken man.
The light in Jade�s eyes brightened fiercely and he gripped Adam�s shoulders tighter. His slow pace sped up and he began pounding harder into Adam, trying desperately to reach his own climax. His body rolled and hunched, his eager erection digging deeply only to be pulled out and thrust in again.
Shit. He wasn�t coming. Jade nearly felt his release a few times, grasping at it wildly but whimpered as it escaped again and again. Dammit! He needed it! He needed to finish in order to pull off and see Adam�s shot load for himself.
Dammit! Think, think! Of. . . of breaking Adam! He finally broke the most unbreakable man on the earth! No, Jade realized he had already been thinking about that and that was getting him nowhere. This accomplishment was more of a personal vendetta against Adam�s purity, not actual sadistic pleasure. Then, what else?
Jade�s mind then turned to the other raven-haired man he often thought of when he visited Adam late at night. That long hair, those gentle eyes. . . that finely toned body. . . those eyes tearing up as he saw the pain in Adam�s eyes. . .
FUCK! That wasn�t helping either! He�d rather wanted to remember seeing Davey in a better situation but the events of earlier that day was still too near and was clouding his mind. Was that it? Him whipping Adam in front of Davey? Was that why he couldn�t come?
�Adam?� Jade asked, voice weak and desperate, �Adam?� He wanted to admit his own defeat, the inability to come even as his cock rammed mercilessly into Adam repeatedly throughout this entire time. He wanted to tell him he couldn�t, not even as he thought of Davey, of hurting Adam, of ANYTHING! He just couldn�t. . .
And as if Adam heard this, his eyes opened. The quiet, calm expression on his face told Jade he didn�t need to say a word. Adam knew his dilemma. He knew Jade wasn�t able to complete what he set out to do the minute he stepped back into Adam�s cell. A flicker passed over his eyes, Jade saw from over his shoulder, something brief that was quickly banished. Was that pity? Sympathy? For JADE? He felt something other than apathy for the man who was torturing him? WHY?
Jade was suddenly angry. How DARE Adam feel emotion for Jade that wasn�t forced out of him! How dare he give Jade, of all people, his sympathy like some gift granted from one so high! Jade felt like hurting him. He felt like giving Adam something to scream about, truly.
Jade slowed only to pull a hand off of Adam�s shoulder. With one quick and angry gesture, he ripped off the first of several bandages patched one over the next on Adam�s back. The man beneath him screamed, voice still hoarse from his earlier cries. Jade eyed the wounds with a ferocity he relished in. The skin had been stripped off in the deepest part of each gash, some still bleeding and new ones starting to from the movements of Jade.
The pain he must have given Adam. . . the pain he must be in now. . . the pain he would give him. . . now. Without so much as a preamble, Jade gripped his shoulder again to steady himself before leaning over and touching his tongue to the stripped flesh and lapped the mixture of salve and blood with rapture.
Adam had no more voice to scream but scream he did nonetheless. His diaphragm contracted and pulled in air and his throat let loose soundless cries of pain. Feeling him buck and fight underneath him, Jade was finally able to release, allowing one of the greatest orgasms of his twisted life to flood through him.
When he was drained and spent, nearly moments from collapsing right on top of Adam, Jade still had the sense of mind to replace the bandage he tore off. He pulled out and moved off. Adam, thinking it was finally over, was once again surprised when Jade used his strength to flip Adam up onto his side.
What�? Adam thought vaguely, then saw Jade�s eyes go to his still present erection. No. . . Jade would see he was. . .
But instead of showing happiness, Jade frowned. He searched the straw with a hand but it was still dry. Adam had not climaxed as he had been led to believe. . .
Jade turned thunderous eyes up to Adam�s, and the latter realized what was upsetting the man. His wide mouth turned unconsciously into a smile. Jade was furious.
A growl escaped his mouth before he knocked Adam painfully onto his back. He reached up and took Adam�s face between his hands. �You fucker. . .� Jade whispered hatefully. But he didn�t elaborate. His eyes met Adam�s. The cold calm blue seemed to abate his anger, his rage. Like a dip in a cool pond, he thought faintly.
Adam watched Jade�s mouth loosen from it�s snarl, his brow smooth from its harsh glare. Soon, Jade was simply holding him and staring at him, no expression but eyes revealing thousands of thoughts fleeting through the mind behind them. What was happening? What was Jade thinking? What was happening here? Why was he still holding him and not insulting or abusing him? WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
The confused and searching look Jade saw on Adam�s face was what told him he needed to break away. He needed to get away from this man before he knew too much. If he continued seeking Adam out for the most intimate sessions sooner or later, Jade knew, he would come to know more about Jade than he himself cared to reveal. And that was the most dangerous information he knew.
He released Adam�s face as if he were suddenly disgusted to touch him. Angrily and without a word, Jade stood and retrieved his clothes faster than Adam had ever seen him. However, at the door, Jade stopped and looked back at Adam. It wasn�t a happy look, or an angry look. It was an honest look. It said, �this isn�t over. I�m leaving for now, but you�d better believe this isn�t over.�
And, because it was the honest truth, that made it that much more terrifying.
**************************
The ball was going splendidly, Hunter thought to himself. So far, not a single one of his guests had found a cause to complain.
The decorations were praised left and right. The food was exquisite and was given rave reviews even from the pickiest eaters. The music and entertainment had nearly all jaws floored in awe and all hands clapping themselves red. Everything was great. Everyone was having a great time. Too bad Hunter was the only one who wasn�t.
He was a warrior, not a statesman. He found no pleasure in endless talks of politics or kingdom gossip. He left most of the talking to his wife, Armenia. She alone seemed to relish in such debates and small talk. And not that anyone actually cared that Hunter had only spoken three words all night. It was apparent who the driving force behind his own campaign really was. Hunter had to admit, the woman knew her stuff.
So it wasn�t hard to simply turn his attention from the group and watch some of the entertainment. Several feet away, toward the middle of the great hall, a tall bald man with large gold hoop earrings and loose, baggy pants was standing on top of a wooden crate. A circle of onlookers crowded in only a few feet, waiting expectantly. Hunter watched closely, wondering what the man was up to.
The man brandished a brightly burning torch into the air, letting the flame ripple and flicker and snap. He then brought it to his own face. Hunter�s jaw dropped, nearly dropping his drink. What was he going to do?? Surely he wasn�t going to. . .?
But he was and he did. The man put the torch to his mouth and appeared to have eaten the fire. Well. . . it was gone from the stick. The man paused, then turned to the side and left out a fiery belch, much to the amazement and delight of the crowd. Hunter smiled, wanting to clap with the others.
Davey should see this, he thought to himself. He�d get a kick out of this.
Hunter unconsciously walked away from the group of lords and nobles, all who didn�t even notice he was missing thanks to Armenia�s nonstop chatter, and began looking around at the other entertainers. The Kari-Kopi Circus had arrived just the night before and had began to set up that morning. With only an hour before the guests arrived, the leader had come to Hunter and signaled that they were ready to perform.
�On such short notice?� Hunter had asked. �Won�t you need more time to practice or. . .�
But the little man with the sweeping, waxed mustache shook his head. �No, my lord. We are entertainers. We know what the people want. Our shows are never practiced. We bring only new.�
Hunter grunted and watched a group of acrobats bend and twist this way and that, working off of each other�s positions to perform their own without so much as a cue from the others. If this wasn�t practiced, Hunter was a badger.
Hunter paused and looked at the positions of the acrobats. Sort of erotic, wasn�t it? Hunter eyed the one female. Pfft! She had nothing on his Davey. The cook could do what she was doing now and STILL have a free hand to jack Hunter off.
Hunter sighed and walked away. Too bad Davey was in the kitchens. Curses that he was the only one who knew how to pull off the splendid master pieces that graced the tables only long enough before the partiers wolfed them down. If he had an entire cooking army like the king had, Hunter would have been able to have his little piece of heaven by his side the entire night.
Hunter looked around and blushed faintly. But what was he thinking? Bringing out his consort here? This place was full of nobles, lords and statesmen, all with their wives on their arms. Their WIVES. Hunter should be with his own wife. Consorts were for the private bedroom, not the proper and very public event like the Summer Ball. The gossip flooding the hall would be of himself, the Lord Fool.
�The nerve!�
�Did you see?�
�Such blasphemy! I�ve heard stories, but. . . really!�
It took him a few minutes to realize these voices weren�t in his head, they came from the people around him. He looked up, wide-eyed and wondering how they knew what he had wanted to do. But they weren�t watching him, they weren�t even paying him any attention whatsoever. Instead, they stared in surprise at something behind him.
Hunter looked and for the second time allowed his jaw to drop. He had spoken to Jade yesterday. He wasn�t sure if the man had actually listened to him, but now it was evident that he had.
Jade was dressed in his finest, which was, truly told, very fine indeed. He was dressed in pants and tunic of crushed dark red velvet, the top cut in a v-neck to expose a silk undershirt of a lighter shade. His boots were black and polished to a mirror shine. His hair was expertly styled and looked soft to the touch. And, Hunter saw with displeasure, even though he still wore the whip at his side, it was cleaned and glistened nicely with a shine.
Jade was certainly making an entrance to talk about. He swaggered with ease and grace, hips drawing most of the attention his face wasn�t receiving. He smiled charmingly at the women he passed, whether they were old or young, single or married, making the lot of them blush and giggle as they turned away.
His crew was both decked out in finery, also. Mal in a rich blue dress with a tight bodice, and Adrian in a flattering green tunic and pants that matched Jade�s in cut and style. They, however, did not smile. They strode in after Jade with the appearance of body guards escorting after their leader. Hunter noted they didn�t have any visible weapons and was at least glad Jade remembered that. But the whip. . .
�How atrocious!� An older woman said beside him. Hunter looked and saw she was trying desperately to avert her eyes from Jade�s oncoming entourage. Even though the fan in her hand was fluttering like mad, her face still showed a bright flush.
�He should have SOME morality, surely!� a man said from Hunter�s other side. Hunter frowned. Were they talking about his whip? Surely it wasn�t THAT offensive!
As Hunter straightened and looked back at Jade. The man had finally spotted his baby brother and turned to make a beeline toward him. Then Hunter saw and understood. Hunter felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach as he remembered the quiet conversation they had.
*****************
�One more thing, Jade.� Hunter said, calling his brother back.
Jade sighed and stopped trying to run away. �Yes, yes, on my good behavior, no hurting, not telling tales of my deeds. . . anything else? Anything I missed?�
Hunter paused. �Just one thing. It�s. . . Davey.� He turned and faced Jade, frowning slightly.
Jade�s body tensed. Had Davey told Hunter what happened between them? Had he told Hunter of Jade�s. . . wandering hands? Of the stolen kiss? What was Hunter planning to do to him?
�Yes?� Jade said, trying to hide his anxiety.
�Davey,� Hunter said at last, �he wants. . . he would like it if Adam could go to the ball. He thinks that Adam might appreciate it.�
�Adam?� Jade said, relaxing. So the little tease with dark hair hadn�t mentioned their encounter, did he? Interesting. �Who�s Adam?�
Now Hunter glared. �You know who I�m talking about, dammit! You said you wanted that North tower for you and your friends. However, you failed to mention you were holding a kidnaped holy man!� he paused, trying desperately to calm down. �Now, we both know I can�t stop you from this, aside from throwing you in jail or hanging you. The only thing that�s stopping me from throwing you and your friends in a cell in the dungeons right now is that the ball is just around the corner. Armenia warns me that throwing my brother in jail would cause disfavor among the old fashioned socialites. So. . . I think we�d better settle for a truce.�
Jade waited. He looked at Hunter carefully, now frowning. �A truce?�
Hunter nodded. �I. . . I won�t demand you release Adam if you. . . dammit, if you just stop beating the poor bastard! Davey says you beat him with that filthy whip of yours. Right in front of him! I want that to stop, Jade. I could care less what your sick fantasies are, the man�s religious! You can�t do that to him.�
�And take all the fun out of it?� Jade smiled humorlessly, eyes narrowing.
Hunter took a step forward, expression fierce. It delighted him no end to see Jade take one back, keeping their distance even. �Treat him decently, Jade. That is my command. Treat him decently and allow him to come to the ball.�
Jade inhaled sharply. He checked his anger. �Your command or your consort�s?�
�Mine,� Hunter said evenly, �and you�ll do as I say. I might be reluctant to throw you in the dungeon, Jade, but that doesn�t mean I won�t.�
He turned and walked off, leaving Jade to steam in anger alone.
******************
Jade turned and began walking toward Hunter, small smile on his face full of silent mocking laughter. Of all the nerve. . .
Jade gave the bright gold chain wrapped loosely in his left fist an unnecessary tug, making the man who was trailing behind him wince and stagger as he followed. The chain was attached to a bright gold collar circling the man�s neck. Around his waist was a gold chain like that of Adrian�s and Mal�s, only this one was connected to gold bracelets on his thin wrists. It was clear he was a prisoner, though the gold embellishments meant he was, rather, a pampered prisoner. A guest of honor, almost, who was unable to leave his side.
Hunter knew many of the people of the castle knew Jade�s Adam was a holy man. They in turn would have spread the rumor a bit farther and perhaps half of the people occupying the hall would know as well. But Jade set out to make sure EVERYONE knew he had captured himself a holy man and was delighting in the desecration of such a one.
Adam�s head was down, his gaze only on the ground before him. His clothes, although pitch black to match his clean, curling hair, showed signs of what he was. On each shoulder were sewn patches any holy man would have on his clothes if away from his order, to signify to others who and what he was. On Adam�s left shoulder was the branch of religion he was serving, on the right was his rank. This alone was enough to cause talk. No one but a holy man would wear such things. It was not only immoral but illegal to impersonate a man of the faith. However, that was not all.
Beneath the gold collar was the unmistakable length of red prayer beads. The very same ones Adam had used in his daily prayers. They clashed with the blue paint of the temporary religious markings on his arms and cheeks. These markings were also used by certain religions during special ceremonies. Hunter knew they were meant to call God�s own attention. Jade must have made Adam wear a short sleeved tunic in order to make sure the markings were seen. This was not only a sick and twisted perversion, but a public one, no less.
Jade stopped in front of Hunter and could not stop the wide smile from lighting his face. �Well, brother, I�ve come as you requested. And I�ve brought Adam, as you requested, also.� He gave the chain a few light, merry tugs to indicate incase Hunter hadn�t seen him. Although, of course, he knew there was no way he could have missed him.
�I. . .?� Hunter�s complexion reddened. �I didn�t tell you to bring him in chains! I said to treat him decently!�
Jade pretended shocked hurt. �And that I am, little brother! See? Here he is in new clothes, fancy jewelry. . . honestly! I even granted him a much needed bath! You should have seen the mess of his hair!� Jade shook his head sadly as he reached over and ran his fingers through Adam�s black locks. Hunter noticed a few eyes following this movement closely, even as several others flushed and averted their gazes.
�Jade, release him.� Hunter said, keeping his voice low but deadly serious.
Jade pouted. �Must I?� but when he saw Hunter begin to move forward, hastily nodded, �All right, all right. As you wish, my LORD.� He said this last somewhat sarcastically, though not loudly. He turned and released the manacles on Adam�s wrists. The chain around his waist, however, seemed to not be able to come off. It was welded on.
Jade tossed the manacles to Adrian who stuffed them in a bag at his side. Next went the chain he�d been tugging Adam along with. But the collar stayed on. �The collar too.� Hunter said. Through the entire time Adam had not looked up. Nor did he move as Jade�s fingers lingered on him after they removed the bondage items.
Jade turned back to Hunter and smiled sadly. �Sorry, my Lord. That has to stay on.�
�Why?� Hunter demanded.
�Well,� Jade said slowly, eyes moving to the side in pretend modesty, �if I took that off, that would release the tunic, which would release the pants and leave our friend Adam bare as the day he was born.� His voice carried not far but far enough to be heard.
To his horror, Hunter leaned forward and saw that he was correct, the perverted bastard. The collar was attached to the tunic in a very sly and clever way, with the aid of several smaller, lighter chains that disappeared underneath the shirt. He wasn�t able to make certain whether it truly WAS impossible to remove the collar, but neither was he willing to risk Adam�s immodesty in the large ball room full of people he was trying to impress.
At Hunter�s shut jaw, Jade knew he had won. This was getting better and better, wasn�t it? �So,� he said conversationally as he looked around, �I see Armie talking the ears off of the lords over yonder. . . but not a sign of the fair Davey! Good heavens! Where IS our little dark treasure?�
Hunter was about to spit off a remark about Jade not bothering about his consort when Adam finally lifted his head. His words died in his throat and he silently gulped air back into his lungs. He had no words, he had no thoughts.
Adam heard Jade�s words and immediately began to worry. He agreed to come only for the sake of Davey. The server had wanted Adam to come, if what Jade said was true. Davey had petitioned his lover to persuade Jade to bring Adam. Davey was the only reason he�d bring himself to such an embarrassing role as slave. He looked from his left to his right, slowly, seeing the surprised and shocked faces of those around him. Why they were shocked, he had no idea. None of the Brothers in his order ever treated him like this. Maybe it was considered rude to stare so boldly?
Whatever it was that shocked these people, Adam didn�t care. He was searching for Davey. He wanted to see Davey. He wanted to make sure the man was all right and doing well. Heck, he just missed him, was all.
When he didn�t see Davey anywhere, he finally turned his eyes to the man who had ordered his own release. So this was Jade�s brother? Not much of a family resemblance, was there? Except for a part of Jade�s hair, there wasn�t much else. Even the eyes were different. Lord Hunter appeared to be slightly shorter and a bit stockier, the sign of a warrior�s build. No wonder Davey felt so much for this man, Adam thought, he looked genuinely like a good man.
As Adam did his appraisal of him, Hunter did one of his own. Well, he tried to, but the eyes kept pulling him back. Those blue icebergs. . . chips of crystal gems. . . pools of fiery, cold gasses. . . frozen blocks of. . .
�Davey?� the man before him asked. �Where is Davey?�
The voice brought him back to reality, if only partially. The man�s eyes continued to hypnotize him, but Hunter found he was still able to operate his body again. �D-D-Davey? Uhrm. . . well, he. . .� he made a gesture behind him, vaguely toward the kitchen.
Jade sucked in breath, dropping his smile at seeing Hunter become unraveled at the sight of Adam�s eyes. �The. . . oh, fuck,� he muttered between clenched teeth, glaring at Hunter, �Hunter, you shit! He�s not in the kitchen, is he? You�re making him WORK tonight of all nights??�
Hunter�s attention snapped to Jade. �What? Why are you. . .?�
Jade moved forward to speak low. Hunter moved closer also, but the only one able to hear Jade other than the two of them was Adam. �Hunter,� Jade said, face flushed red with anger, �do you know who I passed on the way coming in? That fool you call father. He didn�t see me, but guess what he was talking about? Not about you, not about Armie, not about the friggin� circus you�ve got here! He was talking about how much he can�t wait to see Davey again! He was bragging to his own consort and the men he brought with him how much his son won over such a gorgeous creature! Hunter. . . do you know how disappointed the king would be, how much you�d disappoint your father, if he was denied another glimpse of Davey?�
Jade paused, seeing Hunter�s expression was still puzzled. �Hunter, THINK dammit! You two are the most alike! You think with your dicks! He fancies Davey! He wants you to show off Davey for him!�
Hunter glared. �What? So he can paw all over. . .?!�
Jade gripped his arm, �No! You fucking idiot! So he can THINK he can! You know as well as I do he can�t take Davey from you without your consent, not if he�s your consort. But he wants to see him again. And I think it would be wise to bring him out. No telling how DIS-A-PPOINT-ED your KING would be if he didn�t see what he WANTED. It might mean a FUTURE disaster concerning the THRONE.�
The pieces clinked in Hunter�s mind. Jade stood to profit if Hunter was on the throne, just as Armenia would. Especially since he was denied a chance at the throne himself. Jade was trying to help him get the throne, too. And he was saying that in order to do this. . . what? He had to show off Davey to his father? Make him happy? Well, if he had to. . . if that�s what it took. . .
This took only a split-second�s time to think over. He pulled free of Jade and said, �Cover me,� before striding quickly off to the kitchens without looking suspicious.
Jade watched him go and let out a sigh. He glanced around and saw Adam watching him closely and critically. There was something like understanding in those bright blue eyes of his. Something Jade didn�t much care for.
�Oh, fuck off.� he snapped, then grabbed Adam�s hand and began dragging him to go stall his own father.
**********************
Davey was in his element. So much so that he was wondering why he didn�t just do balls more often.
Davey paused from chopping the celery and blushed furiously at the words he had just thought. Unknown to him, one of the old women peeling potatoes saw this and nudged her friend. They grinned at each other and watched Davey carefully.
Their head cook had been doing this every so often, the entire evening. He would pause, as if thinking of something, some random thought, then he would blush deeply, eyes twinkling. They, of course, knew the gossip running about the castle and could guess at what it was the young man was thinking about. It was almost obvious, really. True love was hard to mistake.
Feeling eyes on him, Davey blinked and looked around. All nine of the women preparing food at the tables set up in his kitchen were watching him, smiling widely. The youngest one at the end of the table, a teenager with curly blond hair, giggled madly into her cupped hand.
Davey blushed even more and gave a slightly cough. �Uhm. . . uh. . . well,� he flustered on, then abruptly dropped his head and went back to chopping, hands going lightning speeds. There were a few chuckles from the older women but they too took his cue and went back to work. There was still plenty more that had to be done. The appetizers were going by fast and the meats had to baste several more times before they could be done. Pretty soon and they would have to begin decorating the cooling cakes that lined the table along the far wall.
Davey had already let them know what exactly he needed them to do. It was his luck that four of the old women had worked in a kitchen before. They understood and helped the others when he was busy doing something else. However, that still didn�t stop Davey from doing three things at once. That was how Hunter found him as he walked in.
The women took notice of him at once and each gave him a partial curtsey which he acknowledged with a nod before they returned to their work. Hunter then turned to talk to Davey. However, that seemed quite a task.
Davey finished chopping the celery and added it to a large pot on the stove. He then rushed over and began mashing potatoes in a large bowl, then ran off to the other side of the stove to flip over a steak, another rush over to the sink to toss drained pasta into a bowl and dump sauce into it, a rather attractive skip and turn to the table to chop more vegetables followed by another sprint to the stove to remove the meat. . . .
Hunter was becoming dizzy. He had to put a stop to this. . . this. . . madness! �Davey! Davey!� he called out, not willing to come any closer than his safety zone.
�Busy!� Davey managed to call out before glancing up. When he did, however, he paused. �Oh! Forgive me, my Lord.� he gave a brief bow, then resumed rushing about.
�Davey!� Hunter managed to find a space next to the table where Davey was now furiously demolishing heads of lettuce. �Davey, I need you to stop.�
Davey did as he said, though looking up in horror. �Oh, my lord, what�s wrong? Was the soup not done? Were the dumplings not cooked fully? Was the lasagne runny?� his panic made the women stop also and watch Hunter fearfully.
�No! No!� Hunter assured them all, �It�s been great! Wonderful! Couldn�t be any better!� a collective sigh ran through them all. Hunter was about to go on when Davey quickly moved away.
�My Lord!� he scolded, �That is a very wrong thing to do! You had us all worried, you did!�
�I�m s-sorry,� Hunter shook his head. �Davey! Come on! You have to stop. I need you out here! Come on!� He took the tray of fruit out of Davey�s hands and set it back down on the counter. Davey, however, simply moved to something else.
�My lord, I cannot leave!� Davey said, as if Hunter were trying to play with him, �I must see to things! There is much that needs be done.� and when Hunter moved next to him to pull the knife out of his hand, he hissed softly, �Hunter! I can�t play right now!�
At Hunter�s blush, several women hid giggles and smiles behind their hands. He cleared his throat and they composed themselves. �Davey!� Hunter followed him, �I don�t want to play, but I need you out here! There. . . my father. . .� he paused, unable to go on. How was he going to explain to Davey that he was supposed to be a shiny trinket for his father�s eyes?
Hunter looked up and saw Davey had stopped and was watching him with confusion. �My Lord, I don�t understand.�
Hunter sighed in exasperation, then looked around at the other women. Several of the oldest ones were looking back and nodding. �You understand, don�t you?� Hunter asked them desperately.
�Oh yes, my Lord,� the eldest nodded, �very. Davey, please, go with Lord Hunter. We can manage here just fine.�
Davey�s jaw dropped. �Wha-? Wait! But. . . huh? Leave? No! There�s too much to do!� he began turning away to continue working but the old ladies hurried over to stop him. Two took the spoon and the container of salt from his hands and the third began untying his apron.
�We�re fine here, Davey!� One told him, �You�ve told us exactly what needs to be done!�
�Yes, go on! Go!� another said, chuckling, �Go have fun!�
He protested all the while but they still were able to shoo him out of the kitchen with Hunter. �My OWN kitchen!� Davey huffed indignantly. �How DARE they!� When he made signs of marching back in, Hunter hurriedly intercepted him.
He wrapped his arms around Davey and hauled him back in the empty hallway. �Davey!� he hissed, getting his lover�s attention finally. �Davey, there isn�t much time! Come on! We need to get you to the ball!�
Davey looked at the determined expression on Hunter�s face. �Hunter?� he swallowed. �I�m. . . I�m to go to the ball?� Hunter nodded. Davey shook his head. �B-but. . . I haven�t a thing to wear!�
Hunter chuckled and began dragging Davey along.
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�All right,� she whispered into his ear, �where the hell did they go?�
Her demand was simple yet full of malice. Jade pretended innocence and faced his sister-in-law. �They? Whatever do you mean, dear sister?�
She dimpled lovingly, incase anyone should spot them talking, but her grip on his arm turned painful. �You know what I mean, Jade. Don�t play dumb. Hunter�s nowhere in the hall. I�ll bet two copper coins that cook of his isn�t in the kitchens, either. So where�d they go to fuck?�
Jade made a tut-tut noise. �Such language, Armie!� he scolded, playfully flicking her nose with his thumb. �It�s most unbecoming of you!�
Now her smile froze on her face, her eyes smoldering with anger. Her grip tightened, making him wince. �Don�t make me break this arm of yours. If I heard right, you don�t swing that whip of yours as often with your left as you do with your right, do you? I�d be careful not to injure your good arm, Jade.�
He sucked in breath and met her eye to eye. �Careful, Armenia,� he said evenly, �I might take that as flirting.�
Now she smiled a true one. �And if I was?�
Jade grinned evilly, �I�d warn you, I bite.�
�I bite back.� she said, watching his eyebrow arch appreciatively. But her manner changed again. �My husband, Jade. Where is he?�
Jade looked around the hall. He hadn�t needed to stall the king just yet. The nobles were already doing that for him. His father hadn�t even made it ten yards into the hall before people began converging on his majesty, wishing him good fortune and a fine time at the ball. Jade looked back at Armenia and saw she knew where he had glanced.
�Calm down, Armie,� he wrenched off her hand. �He�s getting Davey ready.� He saw her eyes narrow.
�What for?�
Jade rolled his eyes. �What the hell else? God, are you as thick as your husband? My father�s been talking about seeing Davey again, that�s why! Hunter needs for the old man to be happy, doesn�t he? Well, why NOT flash off what no other man has?�
Armenia eyed him shrewdly. �Not bad, Jade, not bad.� But she shook her head. �But there�s got to be a reason why you�re helping him, isn�t there? Come, tell me. Why are you so interested in seeing Hunter on the throne?� They both ignored Adam standing beside them, Jade�s arm still around his waist. He looked from one to the other, watching closely and carefully.
Jade smiled, masking his thoughts carefully. �Well, we�ll BOTH benefit if my idiot brother DOES get the crown, won�t we? You�ll be made queen, I�ll have an ally if ever I need one. . .� he let it hang in the air.
Ally. Adam knew what Jade was trying to imply. He was telling Armenia they should work together to get Hunter on the throne. To benefit them both. He looked at the would-be-queen to see how she was taking it.
Armenia�s eyes glittered evilly. Somehow Adam didn�t think Armenia was one to play fair. �Allies,� she said slowly, �have a tendency to change allegiance. Especially if balances even out.�
Jade nodded. �IF things should balance out, yes. But for now, we settle for what we have. Just until we get our player in position.� Until they get Hunter on the throne.
Armenia, however, wanted things completely clear between them. She leaned forward and whispered in Jade�s ear. �Queens can rule, when they are widowed.� She said simply, then turned and began walking away.
Jade watched her, frowning. How stupid was she? Telling Jade about her plans to have her own husband assassinated? Was she some kind of fool?
Adam watched Jade think it out. As an outside observer, he could clearly see what Lady Armenia was trying to get across to her husband�s brother. But it looked like Jade was having a hard time figuring it out. So Adam leaned in and helped him.
�Queens can rule,� Adam whispered in Jade�s ear, making him tense slightly, �only long enough to choose to marry another husband. There�s no law against a woman choosing her next one from within her husband�s family. I think it rather tradition in this part of the country.�
Jade turned wide, surprised eyes at Adam. He understood, finally. Armenia was planning on not only assassinating Hunter, but also letting Jade know that there would be a vacancy in the new kingdom with his name on it. �You�ve got to be kidding.� He said faintly.
But he knew the look Adam was giving him was anything but playful.
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