Title: Honor Bound 4/16

Author: Elandae (j_3101@yahoo.ca)

Beta: The lovely and charming Daea

Pairing: Craig/Karl, Craig/Dave, Karl/Dave (implied)

Rating: NC-17 overall

Disclaimer: If this is real then I live in a palace made of candy built by Oompa Loompas and ride a unicorn through town. It’s entirely fictitious if you haven’t gotten that point by now. 

Feedback: Love it

Dedication: For the Perry to my Walter.

Website: https://www.angelfire.com/hero/worship0/homepage.htm

Chapter Four: Waiting

Craig stared blankly across the desk at the other man, still too surprised by the proposition to be able to form an answer. This man wanted not his life but his body. In exchange for Annalise's freedom, he was to belong to this man, in a much different way than he had ever imagined before.

"Well?" The Prince asked, obviously waiting for an answer. He eyed Craig much the way a cat looks at a mouse, as though he were about to devour him whole.

"Y-your consort?" Craig stuttered, clearing his throat. "I...well...if that is what you wish."

The Prince looked back at him, one eyebrow arched, his expression so clearly amused that it suddenly cleared Craig's head.

"Such a grudging acceptance, surely I am not all that bad," he said, with a slow smile spreading across his face. He felt his stomach twist at the look on the Prince's face, his mouth going dry at the dark look in eyes that never left his face.

"No, I just....I simply did not expect this," he finally murmured, belatedly adding, "Your Highness."

The Prince looked at him, "Now we are going to be on less..." he paused for a moment before adding, "formal terms, you need not address me as Your Highness unless in the presence of others."

Craig swallowed with difficulty, "What do you wish I call you then?"

The Prince looked at him for a moment, "You may address me simply as Karl."

Craig nodded, "Karl," he said to himself, trying the word out. It seemed odd to think of this man simply as Karl, when he was used to thinking of him as the Prince. It somehow made him more human and yet at the same time not.

"Yes that will do. Yet there are some rules that we need to establish for this new arrangement."

Craig looked back at him, unsure once more what to expect.

"First off, while you may address me simply while we are alone, that privilege ends there. When there are others around, regardless of who they may be, you may not address me without respect unless I specifically give you permission."

Craig nodded at that, it was no more than he had expected. He was still mildly surprised that he was even being given the right to address the Prince as anything other than your Highness.

"Second, you may not fraternize with any of the slaves. Your station is above them now, and it is not seemly for this sort of conduct."

He continued without waiting for Craig to respond, "You will be given your own chambers and it is here that you will sleep when I do not require your presence. You are not to entertain any others without my express permission." The Prince saw Craig open his mouth to speak though he did not give him a chance simply continuing on as though he hadn’t noticed. "This is not to say that you are not allowed to have guests, but merely that you are not allowed to become overly familiar with any other person, man or woman. Next, you will be schooled by another of my consorts on how you should behave."

"How I should behave?" Craig asked numbly, trying to take in every detail the Prince was saying.

"Yes, there are certain habits of yours that will not be acceptable in this position. No more fighting for a start. You must conduct yourself in an appropriate manner at all times,” the Prince paused for a moment here. “Of course your previous responsibilities are no longer yours to bear. Your time now is your own with few exceptions."

Craig nodded once more at that, sure that despite what he said before, the Prince must surely believe that his schooling had been lacking, because he certainly was not proving that statement false. It was overwhelming, this sudden change of everything he has become accustomed to.

The Prince stood up now, moving around his desk. His hand brushed over Craig's shoulder as he passed, a feather light touch, impossible to tell if it was intentional or merely accidental. Knowing this man, it had been intentional. Every movement of his seemed to have a purpose, an intent behind it.

He stopped in front of Craig who found himself suddenly flustered being this close to the man.

"Stand up," Karl said softly and before Craig even knew what he was doing, he found himself getting to his feet, their bodies close enough that he could feel the heat of the other's man body. His head swam for a second, surely from the blows to the head he had already received earlier that day.

He looked up, finding the eyes that had been watching him so steadily were a dark shade of hazel lightly flecked with green, not the deep shade of brown he had imagined. He could feel the soft warmth of breath across tender skin.

He could feel Karl's hands reach up and trail along his jaw, before he pulled Craig roughly closer. His mouth was on Craig’s before he knew it was even happening, hard and bruising against tender skin. Craig could taste his own blood and was sure that the Prince could as well. He was too shocked for a moment to even respond to the mouth pressed against his own. Then his lips slid apart of their own accord and he could feel teeth nipping on his lip, his tongue. His head swam, small spots dancing behind his eyelids. His chest was tight, feeling as if his breath was being slowly pressed out of his chest even though the Prince's body was barely touching his own.

Karl pulled back, eyeing Craig's hazy eyes with a cocky grin before he stepped back, and Craig almost stumbled forward at the sudden loss of contact. "I will have David summoned. He will show you to your chambers," Karl said, and with that he was gone, leaving Craig alone in the room once more.

Craig sank back into the chair, his knees surprisingly weak, still struggling to take in what had just happened. He reached up to his mouth numbly, staring at his fingers for a moment, uncomprehending.

He heard the Prince's low voice exchange a few words with the guards stationed outside the door though he could not make out what was said, and then nothing. He was left alone once more in this office belonging to a man he could not begin to understand and for whom he had just agreed to become his lover. Craig had never loved a man before and did not know what to expect, but somehow knew that even if he had, this man would still surprise him.

*   *   *

Craig wasn't sure how much time passed, though it couldn't have been very long before there was soft knock at the door and another man entered. He was slightly taller than Craig with a slender build and bright blue-gray eyes. He had hair that was not quite blond and not quite brown, but a mix of the two with warm tones of red blended in.

"I'm David," he said, eyeing Craig still sitting slumped in the chair. It occurred to him that he still had blood on his face and must look a terrible sight.

David said nothing of his appearance though, merely gestured for Craig to get to his feet. Craig winced slightly at the various pains in his body as he stood, and David seemed to notice this. "Are you alright?" he asked, his low voice softly tinged with concern.

Craig looked up into warm blue eyes and shook his head, "It is nothing."

He could see the skeptical look that flashed across David's face and was relieved when the other man decided to let it go.

"This way," David said simply, walking just ahead of Craig out the door and nodding in the direction which they were headed.

*   *   *

            The chamber that David showed him into was much larger than Craig had expected. His eye was immediately drawn to the bed that stood against the wall, larger than any he had remembered seeing before. Each of the four posts were elongated, stretching higher than Craig could reach, carved with delicate whorls that twisted and turned back on themselves, twining together and separating once more. Thick swathes of a sheer material draped from each post, extending across the posts that connected them at their head, the material falling gracefully to the floor. It cast the bed in soft shadows, the gauzy material making the bed itself seem like an image not fully conjured.

            There was a jug set on the stand next to the bed, made of a fine and delicate china. Looking in, Craig saw that it was already filled with water, steam drifting softly up from the mouth in lazy swirls.

“I will leave you to get cleaned up now,” David said softly, ducking out of the room before Craig could even reply.

            He wandered slowly around the room first, too enthralled with his new surroundings to wash up yet. He was drawn to one wall hanging in particular, a large flat oval of rich silver polished to such a sheen that he could see his own face reflected in it. He quickly turned his gaze to the outer rim upon seeing his own bloodied reflection.

There were the faintest engravings along the edge of the silver, delicate and faint, thin lines traipsing and twining around the glossy surface. Craig reached out, his fingertips ghosting across the cold slick surface. He watched in fascination at the faint trail left on cold metal from the heat of his body, dissipating quickly until the silver looked pristine once more.

            Craig headed over to the washing jug, cleaning himself as quickly as he could. The blood had dried and though it pained his tender skin, he finally was clean and presentable once more, though he could see in the silver that there was a bruise forming under his left eye. Looking away once more, Craig continued his perusal of the room. He wandered over to the bed, hesitantly reaching out to touch the delicate fabric, sure that it would simply dissolve beneath his fingers. He was surprised to discover that it was stronger than it appeared, and had a silky sheen to it the glittered softly in the light.

            There was a wide window on the wall parallel to the bed, though its shutters were drawn tight at the moment, letting in nothing but a hint of the reddened light of the sinking sun. Craig pushed them open quickly, pausing for a moment as he noticed the warm wash the light painted over the lush fabric adorning the bed.

            There was a finely woven carpet covering part of the floor, plush and silky beneath Craig’s feet. There was a boxed pattern embroidered into the fibers and Craig walked along it, laying his feet carefully along the lines until he found himself standing at the foot of his bed. The sudden thought that this room was his now made his head swim. Before coming to the palace, he had never seen such luxury. He found himself standing in the richest bedchamber he had ever seen, wishing in vain for the simple pleasures of his home.

            He mentally shook his head. Such thoughts were naught but a waste of time. He had seen the guards that stood at the gates to the palace, knew there was no chance that he would escape here alive. This was his life now, and wishing for another would do him no good. Instead he walked along the length of the bed, his hand sliding across the slick wood. There was a chair on the other side of the room, the exposed arms a rich dark wood. The seat was plush, covered in a slippery looking red fabric. There was a door that opened off of his bedchamber into another room and Craig passed through it hesitantly, checking to make sure there was no one else in the room.

            The room was bright, with a short table set in the middle of the room, and all the furniture positioned around it. He realized this was a room to entertain any company that he might have. It struck Craig as odd to imagine befriending anyone who lived in this palace.

            Craig headed back into his bedchambers, jumping when he saw David was standing just inside the doorway.

“There you are.”

            Craig nodded at him, unsure why he was here.

“I have brought you a change of clothing,” David said, holding out his hands and Craig realized that he held a bundle of white cloth.

“Once you are dressed, you can follow me down to the dining chamber.”

“The dining chamber?” Craig asked, his brow furrowed.

“Yes, that is where you will be taking your meals from now on, unless you choose to dine in your chambers.”

            Craig couldn’t hide his look of surprise at that. Dine in his chambers? The sudden changes that he suddenly had to become accustomed to were overwhelming.

“Who else will be there?”

“The other consorts,” David replied.

“There are others?” Craig asked, realizing how foolish the words sounded the moment they left his lips. He winced slightly.

A small smile touched David’s lips, “Yes, there are others. If you do not mind, I will wait while you change so that I can show you where we are going.”

            Craig looked about hesitantly, “Wait?”

“In there,” David amended quickly, gesturing to the room that adjoined Craig’s bedchamber.

“Oh, yes. I’ll only be a moment,” Craig said, coloring slightly as he watched David cross the room, paying no heed to any of the rich furnishings. Craig realized that he must have been here long enough to be accustomed to them. It was impossible for Craig to imagine ever being able to walk past anything like the silver circlet on his wall and not stare. 

            Realizing he was simply standing in the middle of the room while David waited, Craig quickly disrobed; pulling off the tunic that was discolored with both his blood and the guard’s and slipped the robes over his head. The crisp white material was soft and well cut, hanging gracefully on the lines of Craig’s body.

            He moved easily across the room, adjusting to the foreign feel of the fabric as he moved. He stepped through the doorway to the adjoining room and smiled softly at David, who got to his feet as he saw Craig.

“I will show you the way then,” he said, stepping past Craig, looking over his shoulder to make sure the other man was following.

            They moved down the long hall, Craig studying the paintings that lined the hall with interest. They were all made with rich dark paints, and when he paused for a moment to look closer at one, he could see the tiny lines of the paintbrush still captured in the paint that glistened as though it were still wet.  There were many different scenes in the pictures, several he recognized as images of the Gods.

            He was surprised when David came to a stop ahead of him, turning to Craig and gesturing for him to precede him into the room. Craig swallowed, taking a slow breath

before he stepped through the doorway and into a room crowded with many people, mostly women, though there were men among them he noticed. Many of the occupants looked up at his entrance, studying the new man appraisingly. Craig adjusted his robes self consciously, feeling as though he were naked beneath their scrutinizing gaze. He felt the light touch of David’s hand at the small of his back, guiding him towards an empty chair and he breathed an inaudible sigh of relief at the other man’s presence.

            He sat down slowly; David seating himself to Craig’s left. The woman seated on his right gave him a broad smile as her eyes roamed freely over his body. Craig could barely resist the urge to wrap his arms protectively around his frame. The woman had long dark hair, and dark eyes that had a hard quality to them. She was striking, but there was a predatory quality to her that made Craig instinctively uneasy.

Her dress was tight and cut so low in the front Craig was sure that if the woman moved, she would simply fall out of it. Looking around the room he noticed that all the women were dressed this way, except for a few, and their dresses were almost sheer, the curve of their breasts and the dusky shade of their nipples visible through the fabric.

“Well hello there, handsome,” the woman said, her voice low and gravely.

“Hello.” Craig smiled tightly at her, hoping she would get the hint and leave him be. She didn’t.

 

“And where have they been hiding you?” She purred, running her fingers up the length of Craig’s arm. It was all he could do not to shudder at the contact.

            To his obvious relief, David leaned across him at that point, speaking in a low voice to the woman, “Mishelle, leave him be.”

“I was just having a little fun with him,” Mishelle replied with a pout of carefully painted lips.

            David leaned closer once more, speaking in a low voice, “Don’t worry about her, she comes on strong, but she’s not too bad.”

            Craig nodded, distrusting the words but thankful for the guidance all the same. He looked slowly about the room, taking in all the animated faces as the women talked amongst themselves, a few of them meeting his eye as he gazed around the room.

            The room was brightly lit with candles set at even intervals around the room. The long slender candles burned brightly, their flames shining proudly against the marble walls. The long rectangular table took up most of the room, lined with chairs and laden with food. There were several large bouquets of flowers that decorated the expanse of the table, lavish blooms leaning gracefully in vases made of fine crystal.

            His attention was diverted from his study of the room by the sound of David’s voice next to him. He reeled off a list of the names of the men and women in the room, few of which stuck in Craig’s head.

            Looking around, what struck Craig most was the sheer beauty of the women. There seemed to be a large amount of women with hair that shone like gold in the candle light, their complexions fair.

“The King has an eye for the Balians,” David said as if reading Craig’s mind. It was then that Craig realized that these women were from the Isle of Balia that he had heard tales of when he was a child. The women were reputed to be most unusual looking, with their hair the shade of wheat in the afternoon sun and eyes of jade. It was rare to see a woman from these lands with such fair hair. He watched them in fascination. They were reputed to possess beautiful singing voices or so he had heard, but he did not know if this was true.

            He also noted that there were two women whose hair color brought to mind bough ripened apples, rich and red.  As they moved, the light shone off of their hair, making it gleam like firelight. There were also several women with the rich jet shades that he was accustomed to, their skin golden brown.

            His eyes then drifted to the few men in the room besides himself and David. The first sat across the table and several seats down from where Craig was seated. He was slender and looked to be built much as David was. He had dark hair that was cut short, and eyes that looked to be the same shade of almost black as his hair. He looked up and happened to find Craig’s gaze on him. He studied the other man for a moment before smiling mischievously at him and returning to his conversation with the woman seated next to him.

“What was his name again?” Craig asked.

            David looked in the direction Craig had nodded, “That is Colin, he’s a favorite of the Prince’s.”

            Craig absorbed this information, his eyes moving down the table and settling on another of the few men. He had flaxen hair and bright eyes, and Craig wondered if he too was from the fabled Isle of Balia, but he could not be sure, having heard little about the men of that land.

            At the far end of the table was another man, this one with light brown hair, shot through with golden highlights from the sun. He was listening intently to the woman seated next to him, and as Craig watched he laughed suddenly at what it was that she had said, there was an openness in his expression that was somehow reassuring. 

            A plate was set before Craig, and he looked up to see a slight girl who moved quickly along the table with the other slaves who were serving. He felt his stomach constrict as he realized how easily that girl could have been Annalise. He noticed a few people casting him odd looks as he sat there, and so he picked up his utensils and began eating, not paying any attention to the food before him. 

/////

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