Title: Honor Bound 15/16

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 Daes and Kels.

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

Chapter 15: Home:

            The journey home should have been shorter, being on horseback having decreased the time spent in travel. Craig however could not stop his mind from running over the events. He stopped when the sun was reaching its zenith, dismounting by a small stream and letting Aveo drink from it. He rinsed his hands in the clear water before cupping them and filling them with the cold, clear water. He drank deeply before returning to the shadows, allowing Aveo to rest. He sat in the quiet warmth of the late morning, simply studying the land around him. The air seemed heavy to his mind, as though rain clouds should be piling up on the horizon but the sky was fair and blue in all directions.

            Craig finally got to his feet, taking Aveo’s reins in hand. He patted her on the neck, allowing the warmth to seep into his skin, soothing him. He mounted easily, setting off down the road once more.

The landscape grew steadily more familiar as Craig progressed. He pulled Aveo to a stop, pausing on the crest of a small hill and studying the land below him. A village stood below him, the sun brightened as it shone of whitened walls, contrasting with the rich colors of the fields and earth. The view was almost painfully familiar, the longer Craig studied it, the more the light seemed to burn into his eyes, making them water in defense. He reached up one hand, shading his eyes from the brightness of the light as he continued to study the village. He heaved a deep breath and with a small budge, Aveo set forward down the incline.

            He had imagined this moment so many times over the months that he had been away, replaying memories of this town over and over in his mind. Even now it failed to seem any more real than it had in his imaginings from far off in the bedchamber of a palace.

He was home once more. Somehow the words did not taste so sweet as he had imagined they would.

///

            Craig dismounted from Aveo outside of his house, pausing to quickly stretch out muscles tired from riding. It had been too long since he had been on horseback; his muscles were not accustomed to it. Looking around him, everything was as he had remembered it, the image unspoiled by time. He drew a long slow breath and a sound from behind him caught his attention. A dark blur collided with him, making him stumble back a step until he could regain his balance. His arms came up automatically, wrapping around Annalise.

“Craig!” Her voice was breathless with surprise, and Craig could feel a smile spread across his face at the sound of his sister’s voice. At least one facet of his homecoming was as he had imagined it.

“Oh, Craig! I can’t believe that you are really here!” Annalise leaned back to look at him, as if to make sure that she was not dreaming. “How did you…When did you….oh, I’m just so glad that you’re back!” She finally burst out. “You are back, right?” She asked worriedly. “This is permanent, right?”

Craig smiled quickly at her, “Yes, I am home for good.” His smile seemed to falter for a moment before Annalise pulled him close again and it was easier to smile then. He felt a slight shudder and leaned back to look at his sister. He felt a wave of sympathy crash over him as he took in the tears that sparkled in dark blue eyes before spilling over and down Annalise’s cheek.

“Oh, Lise,” Craig said softly, wiping away a tear about to spill down with his thumb. He pulled her close again, holding her tightly against him. “I missed you,” He said, his voice rough, his words muffled by her hair, but she seemed to hear him just fine.

            Craig led Aveo to the stables that stood behind the house with Annalise by his side, speaking so quickly that her words were blurring together as they did when she was excited. For once Craig didn’t try to stop her, simply smiled as he listened, interjecting what he could. Questions tumbled from her lips in quick succession, too quickly for Craig to be able to keep up with.   

            From the way she spoke Craig realized that she did not know all the details of why she had been released, did not know of the bargain her brother had made in exchange for that. He did not know what she had been told but it wasn’t too difficult to avoid answering her questions, accompanied as they were by so many others.

            After Aveo has been brushed and attended, they both headed into the house.

“Lise, have you been doing everything by yourself?” Craig asked suddenly, looking around the bright interior. He felt an immediate wave of guilt when he realized that while he had been living in a Palace; his sister had been here by herself.

“Craig, I am not a child,” she said mildly, smiling at her brother with the air of one who has said those same words many times over. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

            Craig nodded grudgingly as he looked around the room once more. Every detail of it was so familiar, dimmed though it seemed by his time away, but still much as he remembered it. He thought for a moment that it should feel different, but the oddest part of all of this was how much the same everything felt, it was only him that was different. He shook the thought off, returning his attention to his sister who was settling herself across from where he had sat down at the table.

“Craig, I want you to explain all this to me once more,” she said with a bright smile.

“Once more?  You think that I actually got anything explained with you talking unendingly?” Her brother asked with a laugh.

            It was when he heard her returning laugh, saw the way the shadows that lingered in her eyes had lifted, that he knew things would be alright.

///

            The afternoon sun beat down on Craig. He paused in his tracks, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The days had settled into a comfortable routine even though it seemed to take longer than he had thought it would to become accustomed to the pace. Annalise was so happy to have him back, he did not say anything and soon found that the order of his days felt natural once more. If memories of his former life filled his mind at night he never said as much aloud.

            Looking towards the house, he could see a tall figure walking up the path towards it. He frowned for a moment as he watched the young man. Annalise had mentioned that someone from the village had been helping her, and he had imagined a young boy or the likes. She had been nonchalant about it, but when she turned to face him, he could see the blush that tinged her cheeks and had finally gotten from her that there was a young man who had been assisting her. Craig had met him not long after he had returned home, and though Marcus seemed a nice young man he was still distrustful of him. He had known that the day would come when his baby sister had a sweetheart but now that it was here, he had trouble adjusting to it. She seemed too young, even though he knew there were girls in the village his sister’s age already married.

            Craig rolled his shoulders, turning his mind back to the work at hand. It seemed that no more than a few moments passed though before he became aware that Marcus and Annalise were standing at the edge of the field, waiting to draw his attention. His sister watched him with a broad smile on her face while Marcus simply seemed nervous, edging uneasily from one foot to the other on the grass.

            Craig approached them warily, feeling he already knew what would come.

“Marcus has something which he wishes to speak to you of, Craig,” Annalise said, looking from her brother to the young man beside her, the warning in her voice towards her brother clear. 

“I….Craig, I wish to marry your sister,” Marcus said quickly, his voice slightly higher than normal.

“I see,” Craig said, too surprised to say anything else even though he had thought this was coming. That this should be happening now, so quickly was what startled him. He shaded his eyes from the sun reflexively, realizing that his brief answer seemed to have disarmed young Marcus.

“I wish for your approval,” Marcus said suddenly.

            Craig wished for a moment that he could indulge the selfish whim he had and keep Annalise with him; he did not wish to be parted from her again. He had looked after her for so long now, being both mother and father to her.

“And if I say no?”

 

            Annalise went to speak, but Craig held a hand up to her, and surprisingly she stopped whatever words she had been about to speak.

“If you should say no, I would marry her yet,” Marcus said stolidly, his brow furrowing. “I mean you no disrespect but I love Annalise,” he paused for a moment, turning to the young woman who stood by his side, a private smile touching his lips before he turned back to Craig. “I mean to make her my wife, no matter what it takes.”

            Craig was silent for a moment. He could hear Marcus shuffling slightly once more, waiting for his answer. “Make sure that you watch out for her,” he finally said.

            Annalise’s eyes grew even wider at Craig’s words before she flew forward, wrapping he arms around Craig.

“Would you have married him if I had said no?” He asked quietly as he returned the hug.

“Yes,” she said, her voice soft. She released her brother, turning to look at her intended, “I love him, Craig.”

“That’s enough for me, then,” her brother replied, watching as she move quickly back to Marcus who put his arm around her waist, his face fairly shining with pride. Craig watched them for a moment as they turned back to the house, full of plans and hope. He felt a twinge in his stomach as he watched the way Marcus reached over, pushing a lock of hair from his sister’s face, and he looked away then.

///

            It seemed no time passed before the wedding day arrived. Annalise and Marcus had both agreed on that they wanted a simple wedding, wanting to waste no time before they started their life together. The wedding was simple, only the little family Craig and Annalise had along with Marcus’ attending and a few select friends. The ceremony took place outside, in the afternoon sunshine under an aged arbor wreathed with blossoms.

            Any lingering doubts Craig had managed to harbor despite knowing that he was being ridiculous were quenched as he watched them speak their vows, voices quiet but sure. The love between them was so clearly present and Craig enjoyed the simple ceremony despite thoughts to the contrary.

            He ventured home in the aftermath, wandering into the silence of the house. It felt empty now, knowing that Annalise was not there, would not be coming back. Craig wandered around, trying to settle himself to some task, but finding his mind wandered, he stepped out onto the back porch. He paused there for a moment, sitting down on the back step to remove his shoes.

            The grass felt pleasantly cool beneath the warm skin of his bare feet, the blades tickling his ankles. He slowly sank down, feeling the coolness beneath him before he lay back, resting his head on his hands. The air smelt lightly of flowers, and now laced through with the scent of the grass beneath him. He could feel, lurking beneath the initial cool greeting of the grass, the remnants of the heat of the day lurking in the earth. 

            He breathed deeply through his nose, closing his eyes and savoring the scents of the night. His eyelids felt pleasantly heavy, tired from the long day he had had. He stretched, shifting until he was comfortable, watching as the stars began to appear in the night sky. Many nights his sister had come out here, sometimes seating herself on the back step, sometimes lying across the grass next to Craig. Some nights they would be silent, simply listening to the sounds of the nights, other their voices would be soft in the night air, covering the crickets that hummed, the breeze that skittered through the grasses, making a soft music. He wondered if she would ever do this with Marcus, probably. Marcus was quiet, he would appreciate the sounds of the night, Craig thought.

            He lay there until it became difficult to keep his eyes open and then Craig forced himself to get to his feet, muscles complaining at being jousted form their comfortable position. He moved through the house, easily navigating corners and objects, so familiar with the path that he knew its obstacles. His bed had never felt as comfortable as it did tonight and he had barely covered himself before sleep had claimed him.

///

            The morning sun shone brightly down as Craig walked along the path, his pace unhurried. He could hear birds chattering in the trees, musical notes piped back and forth. The walk to the village was short and he soon found himself amongst the early morning bustle in the marketplace.

            He paused at one stall, eyeing the vibrant shades of the fruits and vegetables that were lined on the surface. He lifted a melon, feeling the weight in his hand. A woman stood behind the stall, watching him as he studied it.

“Good morning,” He said brightly, flashing a quick smile at her.

            She shook her head at him, “It may be a good morning for some, sir, but certainly not for me.”

 

            Craig studied her quizzically, “Is there something the matter?” He inquired politely, setting down the melon and picking another up in its place, finding its weight to be more pleasing.

            The woman looked at him in surprise, “Have you not heard, sir?” She asked, a hint of rebuff in her voice as though Craig ought to know better than to ask her this.

“Heard what?” Craig asked idly, glancing around the marketplace, finally registering that it seemed more somber than was usual.

“You’ve not heard about His Highness, sir? Word arrived just a short time ago. He has passed from this life.”

            Every sound in the market seemed to fade, and Craig heard a distant thump, his hands feeling strangely empty though he could not make sense of why they should feel so. It was followed by a wet splash across his legs. He looked down dazedly to see the melon had tumbled from his grasp, cracking open upon the ground, bright flesh decorating both the earth and his legs.

The woman seemed to be talking yet, but Craig heard nothing that she was saying. He felt a hand grasp tightly around his forearm and looked to see that woman clutching into him, insisting that he must pay for the melon.

            It seemed such a mundane thing to fret over at this morning, but Craig quickly pulled some coins from his pouch and pressed them into her hand. Karl. He could not be…but he must.

His mind seemed not to be functioning, for he could make no sense of what was happening around him. His eyes too seemed to be amiss, the landscape around him taking too long to come into focus. The sunshine seemed too bold now, the colors that had only a short time ago seemed vibrant and joyful now seemed brazen and overdone, an insult to the sense.

            Craig’s chest felt tight as though someone stood behind him with their arms around him, squeezing too tight for comfort, not allowing him to draw a full breath. His stomach churned as the words seemed to strike home. He remembered Karl as he had last seen him, seated at his desk, angry, cold but so very much alive. It seemed that he could not be dead, Craig remembered him so clearly, remembered everything about him. It could not be.   

            He looked back at the woman, who was watching him uneasily now.

“This is true? The Prince is dead?” His voice seemed to sound much too normal to his own ears; though he could detect the way it stumbled on the last word, hesitating to put forth such a finality from himself.

            The woman looked at him in surprise, “The Prince? Surely not! He is not ailing; it is his father, the King who has passed on.”

            The vise that had settled around his chest seemed to be released immediately with her words, and though Craig knew it was wrong in the back of his mind, he could not stop the warm rush of relief that coursed through his body at the words. Karl was alright, he was alive.

            Without thinking what he was doing, he pulled the woman to himself, giving her a rough hug. “Thank you!”

            She seemed too surprised to do anything but stand there, her eyes wide as she watched the transformation that came over Craig.

“For what?”

“Just thank you,” Craig said quickly, smiling brightly at her as she stepped back from him. He took a quick breath, his mind elsewhere as he moved quickly from the marketplace towards his home. His heart seemed to be beating too fast but Craig barely took any notice of it as he hurried along.

            He knew now what he must do.

///

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