Title: Honor Bound 11/16

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: Don’t know them; make no claims of any sort. This is nothing but fiction.

Warning: violence, AU

Feedback: Love it

Dedication: For my muse cause I love to love her with loving love that’s full of love cause she’s so lovely and loveable that I just love her in a loveful manner.

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

Chapter 11: Surprises 

            Several days had passed since Craig had last seen Karl, the memories of that night and the blade making his cheeks flush. He had to admit, half of him expected news that he would be sent down to Aenan, for surely one could not take such liberties with the Prince’s life and expect to come of such an event intact. The punishment for such an activity certainly did not result in anything remotely resembling intact, Craig knew.

            David realized that something was bothering Craig, but when Craig refused to talk about it, he let the topic go, though Craig noted he seemed to be watching him worriedly. Try as he might to find David’s behavior annoying, Craig wasn’t entirely successful.

            He had tried several times to find his way back to the library but had had no luck. He couldn’t remember having so much free time on his hands since he had been a child and Craig felt at odds with himself once more.

            He lay sprawled across his bed that night when a stern knock came at his door. Pushing himself up off the bed he made his way to the door, pulling it open to see a stern faced man looking back at him. He was a couple inches shorter than Craig, but with a significantly more solid build. He was dark of hair and eye, with pale skin and a full beard. His clothing, while neat, was nondescript and told Craig nothing about who this man may be.

“You are to come with me.” His voice was gruff and entirely authoritative. Craig felt his pulse jump at the calculating way the man looked at him, a sense of unease settling himself in his stomach.

“Where are we going?” Craig asked quickly, his voice slightly higher than usual betraying his apprehension.

            The only reply he got was “Your presence has been requested,” before the man stepped into the hall and started moving away from Craig, so clearly sure that Craig was following that he did not even hazard a backwards glance.

            They moved through the maze of hallways, the path oddly familiar. Craig had traveled this route many times, but could not discern why he should be brought this way tonight. A sudden image of a flashing axe in the night air flashed through his mind before he shook it away, firmly telling him that he was being ridiculous. The man glanced quickly at him then, the look distrustful and Craig realized that he had spoken aloud when chastising himself.

            Sure enough he soon found himself out in the yards, the night air was balmy, the air fragrant with the familiar scent of the night blossoms. The man did not stop but kept moving across the deserted yard, Craig following in his wake. The man took a path that Craig was not familiar with and he followed, shivering lightly as the path ventured beneath the trees, casting the way into gloom and making it difficult to see his way. He kept his eyes on the man trying to step where he did. He was so involved in watching where he stepped that it startled him when he stepped suddenly into moonlight.

            The brightness of the light dazzled his eyes, making him blink quickly as he tried to adjust to the sudden flood of brilliance. His brow furrowed as he took in the scene before him. Instead of the executioners he had painted in his overactive imagination there was a clearing before him, bright in the light of the full moon. Cutting across the clearing was a narrow river which flowed down the gentle incline and into a pond, water flowed from it in a narrow stream away into the darkness of the trees that grew thickly on its other side. Grass, darkened by the night, stretched across the clearing, bridging the gap between the band of trees that surrounded it. Beneath one tree was spread a large square shaped blanket, its color indeterminate in this light. A figure sat upon the blanket, lounging back against the tree, eating an apple. It was this figure that made the furrow between Craig’s brows deepen. Karl.

            He smiled cockily at Craig, “Surprise.”

            Craig didn’t reply, just stared back at the Prince. This surely was a surprise.

“Thank you for that, Henath,” the Prince said then, turning his attentions to the man who now stood next to him. To Craig’s surprise the man’s surly expression melted away into one of reverence.

“It has been my pleasure, Your Highness,” he said, bending low at the waist. Craig watched in surprise as the man remained that way for a moment before finally straightening. Karl nodded and the man scurried away the way he had come, leaving the two men alone in the clearing.

“You see, some people know how to show the respect due to one of my position,” Karl said, getting easily to his feet and crossing the small distance to Craig.

“I am sorry about the other night,” Craig started, “I…” he looked up then as Karl stopped before him, his eyes meeting the other man’s and he started in surprise to see the amusement that sparkled brightly in them.

“I will forgive you…this time,” Karl returned loftily, surprising Craig further by pulling him against his body and pressing a firm kiss against Craig’s lips.

            Karl grinned once more as he leaned back, evidently vastly amused by the expression on Craig’s face.

“What is all this?” Craig finally managed to get out as his eyes took in the basket that he now saw was sitting on the corner of the blanket.

“It was a surprise,” Karl said again with a nonchalant shrug.

“I can see that,” Craig said, shifting his position. Why could he not learn that he never got what he expected with this man?

“A moonlight picnic,” the Prince said, watching Craig’s face as he spoke, smiling at the look on Craig’s face then. “Not what you expected?”

“You could say that,” Craig said weakly, laughing softly. 

            He looked around the clearing once more, his eyes taking in smaller details that he’d missed the first time around. It really was beautiful, secluded and peaceful.

“Care for a swim?”

            Craig looked over at the pond, the waters dark and mysterious. He could feel the cool lap of the water against his skin already.

“I don’t have anything to swim in,” he said absently, looking down at himself, as he followed Karl towards the waters.

“Of course you do,” the Prince replied, stopping on the bank, where the grass thinned. Craig’s brow furrowed in confusion as he looked about him. Karl laughed once more at his expression, and before Craig could voice a question, the Prince was pushing his robes from his body, wading into the dark waters. Craig paused then, unable to do anything other than watch this man as he moved farther away, his skin glazed by the moonlight, the waters curling slowly around his body.

“What are you waiting for?” Karl called, sending a wave of water rushing towards Craig though he was far enough away that it only washed over the man’s feet.  Craig grinned, feeling the Prince’s eyes fixed steadily on him as he shed his robes as well, leaving them lying on the bank before he waded into the water after the Prince.

            The water was cold, a pleasant shock after the balmy air of the evening. Craig moved out farther before ducking under the surface, moving easily through the water towards Karl. He surfaced and shook the water from his hair, splattering droplets onto the surface all around him and across Karl who sent another wave of cool water in Craig’s direction, this one washing over him. He spit out a mouthful of water, pushing his hair back from his eyes.

            They splashed around like children in the water, Craig feeling more lighthearted than he could remember being in years. He moved to send yet another wave in the prince’s direction when he found himself face to face with the man. He stopped in his motions, reaching out a hand to the other man’s chest to steady himself as his foot slipped on the bottom of the pond. The smile slowly slipped form his face at the look in dark eyes. Karl’s hair was dripping wet, some of it falling into his eyes as he studied Craig, his lips parted the slightest bit.

            Without thinking about what he was doing Craig reached out a hand, pushing a lock of sodden hair from Karl’s forehead. The Prince, to his surprise, caught his hand, placing a soft kiss to the palm. Craig didn’t realized that he had moved, just suddenly found himself pressing closer into Karl, the slick lines of the other man’s body against his making his heart beat quicken. Karl’s mouth found his effortlessly, Craig’s lips parting against his, tongues slipping together. Karl’s arm came around his waist, holding them closely together.

            Craig felt a pleasant twinge in his stomach at the sensation of Karl hardening against him, never before had he felt so clearly the other man growing against him. It made his own cock harden in response, hips shifting slowly against the other, a slow rhythmic grinding that did nothing more than tease. Craig trailed his fingers down Karl’s sides, feeling the difference in the skin where his fingers traced over a scar.

            He leaned back a little, just enough that he could clearly see Karl’s eyes when his hand wrapped around the firm lines of the man’s erection. The darkened look in the Prince’s eyes was almost enough to bring on Craig’s orgasm in itself. He ignored that though, moving his hand slowly up the length. His eyes never left Karl’s as he tightened his hand, increased the speed of his strokes, slipping his thumb over the head of Karl’s cock, smiling at the rough sound this got from the Prince. Never once did he look away from Craig. Craig swallowed with difficulty as he heard the catch in Karl’s breath, and it wasn’t until he felt Karl’s own hand slip around his aching cock that he almost looked away. Almost.

            He pressed his hips forward into Karl’s hand, as much as the water would allow, moaning at the sudden contact on his painfully hardened erection. The water slowed the movements allowing, not the frenzied activity each may have wished but a slow luxurious pleasure that took its time. Craig felt Karl’s hand tighten upon himself when he came, the low sound he made then making Craig’s own cock jump in Karl’s hand. He continued stroking Karl for several moments after, wringing every last moment of pleasure from him. 

            Karl’s grip on him tightened then, making it impossible to think, to breathe.

“Come for me.”

            The words were low and throaty, Karl’s voice still rough from his own orgasm, the tone pushing Craig over the edge as he cried out, his hand against Karl’s chest for support, fingers clenching as the waves of pleasure flooded through his frame.  Only then did he look away from that hypnotic gaze, his eyes falling shut for only a moment before they found their way to those eyes once more. They were inescapable, addicting.

///

            Karl lay across the blanket, his head pillowed on Craig’s lap. Craig idly trailed his fingers through strands of dark hair that was still slightly damp from their swim. He leaned back against the trunk of the tree behind him, reaching over to the basket that rested almost out of his reach, pulling an apple from within. He bit into the juicy flesh, wondering for a moment if the Prince had drifted off the sleep.

“I heard you found your way to one of the libraries,” he suddenly remarked, letting Craig know that he had been wrong in his assumptions.

“Yes….I was caught up in my thoughts….wasn’t paying much attention to where I was going,” Craig explained with a sheepish grin.

            Karl laughed softly, adjusting his position, “Did you like it?”

“Pardon me?”

“The library. Did you find it to your liking?”

“Oh. Yes. Though I have not been able to find my way back since then,” Craig said with a rueful laugh.

“You wish to go back?”

“Oh certainly! Never in my life have I seen so many books in one place.”

            Looking down, Craig could see the small smile on the Prince’s face. “And I must say that it would be nice to have something to else to occupy my time,” he added idly.

“You are not happy with how things are?” Karl asked and Craig suddenly realized his unthinking words may have insulted the man.

“No, it’s not that,” he added hurriedly, “It is just that I have not had this much free time since I was but a child and I am not sure what to do to occupy myself.”

“I had wondered…” The Prince’s voice trailed off, leaving Craig to wonder just what it was that had been on the man’s mind.

“You had wondered what?” He finally ventured.

“I had wondered whether you would be bored,” Karl said. “You have a mind that is not content with being idle.”

            Craig’s eyebrows rose in surprise. True he had never been one to spend his time idly but he had never paid much mind to it.

“It was the same way with David,” Karl continued, interrupting Craig’s reverie, though this comment did not surprise him as the previous one had.

“I will find something with which to occupy your days,” Karl said, turning to look up at Craig. “Something less physical than what you have known,” he added, seeing the expression on Craig’s face as he remembered what he had been given to occupy his time when first he arrived here. How long ago that time seemed now.

            Remembering the men who had worked beside him in the fields, Craig felt a wave of guilt at the ease of his own life now. He realized his teeth were worrying his lip when he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his tongue. He forced himself to think on other things. His mind wandered to what he would be given to occupy himself. He had to admit, though his life was fairly pleasant now, as much as it could be while he was considered another man’s property, he was very much looking forward to whatever tasks would be given to him.

*   *   * 

            Craig had only just finished dressing the next morning when there came a knock on the door. He hurried across the room to find the man from the night before standing here. Henath, that was what Karl had called him.  He eyed Craig, his gaze only slightly less disinterested than it had been the night before.

“You are to come with me.”

            Craig held back a smile at the familiarity of the words, merely nodding at the man and stepping from the room. He followed him through the halls in silence until he found himself standing outside an unmarked door. The man gestured to it, saying, “You are expected within,” his voice low.

            He turned then and headed along the corridor, leaving Craig standing alone in the hall. Looking around, he smiled briefly , for once recognizing where he was.

            He took a slow breath to calm the sudden wave of nerves that came over hi then, unsure what to expect. He finally knocked on the door, waiting for the softly voiced response that came swiftly before he entered as bidden.

            Pushing the door open, he entered a room flooded with light whose walls were been lined with books.

“Did you get lost this time?” David asked him with a grin, looking up from the table as which he sat surrounded by various books and scrolls.

            Craig smiled warmly at the other man, “No, Henath brought me.”

“Ah, yes. Henath. Charming man,” David said with a quick smile, gesturing to the seat next to him.

“Uh...why am I here exactly?” Craig asked quizzically as  he took the proffered seat.

“You,” David said as he passed Craig several books and scrolls, “Are going to be helping me.”

“Okay,” Craig said, juggling the items that David handed him as he tried to set them all down without dropping anything as several more were passed his way. “What am I helping you to do?”

            David smiled as he arranged the books, clearing a small space before them. “You said that you wanted something to occupy yourself. Is that correct? Here’s where you start.”

“Already?” Craig asked in surprise. Somehow he had not expected anything so quickly.

“Indeed. Karl is full of surprises,” David said, glancing over at Craig who felt his cheeks color slightly at the comment, memories of the night before flooding back.

“So…what do I do next?”

            David shifted a little, drawing his seat closer to Craig’s, beginning to explain what they would be doing, Craig listening carefully.

“Just simple matters to start out with,” David said easily as he concluded.

            Craig nodded, knowing that the simplicity did not matter now, it just felt nice to be useful one more, even if it was just for a thing such as they were doing now. He settled happily down to work then.

/////

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