The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 11

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"Brian!" Justin rushed forward and dropped to his knees where Dryden still held the lethal knife to Brian's throat. "Please, your highness, if you must kill someone, let it be me. He did not want to bring me with him. He only did it to try and help me. It was I that talked him into it!"

"No, Justin!" Brian cried.

"Silence!" hissed Dryden to both of them. He let go of Brian and the two guards grabbed him immediately. Dryden moved to where Justin still kneeled on the floor. He lifted the young man's chin with his forefinger. "You would die for him?" He ran the knife along Justin's neck lightly.

Brian struggled, but the guards held him firmly. Justin met the king's gaze defiantly. "I am ready," he answered steadily.

"If you harm him, then your next move will have to be to kill me," Brian hissed, "for I shall save him or die trying!"

"What matter is it to us if either of you die?" the king asked conversationally. "You are only mortals, after all." He paused a moment, and then spoke again. "Luckily, you have shown your true nature." Then he suddenly let the knife clatter to the floor and reached down for one of Justin's hands, pulling the young man up from the floor and leading him to Brian. "You passed, young Justin."

The guards released Brian, who immediately pulled Justin into his arms. "What is the meaning of this?" Brian asked the king.

"I had to be sure of his loyalty, that he truly is your shonauchar."

"I would not have dared to bring him here if he was not," Brian replied petulantly.

"Why would I know this since I do not know you?" Dryden retorted. "You are almost five and thirty years old, and not once have you come to us seeking knowledge of your gifts."

"His father…" Justin began, but Brian placed a finger against his lips to shush him.

"I can defend myself, Sunshine," Brian said gently with a small smile to let Justin know he appreciated the gesture.

"I know all about your father, and of your life," Dryden replied softly before Brian could speak. He moved to gently cup Brian's cheek in his hand. "We keep close watch on our chosen ones. You are a stubborn and proud man, Prince Brian. Fortunately, these are traits our folk respect and admire." He placed a firm kiss on Brian's mouth.

Brian's blood rushed hotly through his whole body at the touch of Dryden's lips. He could do naught but return the kiss, even as he felt Justin stiffen at his side.

Dryden pulled away and turned his attention to Justin. "And you, young Justin of Westlake. You are both brave and bold; traits you will need to rely on for this next little while." Dryden stroked a hand through Justin's longish golden locks. "You are so beautiful and so full of power. You will truly be a force to be reckoned with when you are fully trained." He leaned in, kissing Justin, as he had done with Brian.

Justin was embarrassed to realize he could not help but succumb to it, just as Brian had done.

"So you are saying you will help us?" Brian asked.

Dryden nodded. "Yes, we shall favor you with our aid. The men you fight against are our enemies as well. They are raping the land to supply their thirst for dark magic and do nothing to return that power. It is causing an unbalance that is already affecting your lands and soon will begin to become a problem for us as well."

"The drought?" Brian inquired. "These men have caused the lack of rain? How is that possible?"

"Because all magic is tied to the land. When one takes power from nature, something must be given back." Before Brian could ask any more questions Dryden put up a hand. "There will be time enough to discuss this later. Now we will celebrate your arrival."

He clapped his hands and several tables laden with food and drink appeared. He led Brian and Justin to a table that had appeared on the dais. Dryden took his place on his throne, seating Brian and Justin on either side of him. The other members of the fairy court seemed to take their king's acceptance of the strangers in stride, settling themselves at their own tables without even giving the two men a second glance.

Dryden raised a goblet to his lips, signaling Brian and Justin to do the same. The two exchanged hesitant glances, unsure of eating or drinking anything from this strange place, considering only moments ago they both had knives at their throats.

As if you truly have a choice. Dryden's sardonic voice invaded their thoughts.

Brian sighed and nodded to Justin. They both lifted their own goblets and drank. The liquid was thick and sweet, feeling icy and then hot as it moved down their torsos and spread through their limbs. Their brains were at once clouded with a strange sense of malaise and yet also a heightened awareness. They shared another glance that swiftly turned into a longing stare as the effects spread into other regions of their bodies. They both wondered what the etiquette was for length of time guests were expected to remain at a fairy banquet.

King Dryden chuckled to himself as he watched the two, deciding just how long to draw out their torture, before allowing them to be escorted to their room.

Later, when asked to describe their time with the fairies, neither would accurately be able to do it, but Brian and Justin could both give very descriptive details of the wonderful attributes of fairy wine.

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King Jonathan of Pennington lay in his dark prison and tried once again to make his body respond. He had no idea how long he had lain there, trapped inside his useless body. When he was awake he could hear everything around him, including the healer's predictions that he would most likely die soon.

It frustrated him to no end to hear his wife's tears, and the broken voices of his sons. He wanted nothing more than to cry out to them that he could hear them; that he was very much alive. The only thing he could do, though, was slowly drift in and out of sleep.

"Jon! Jon!"

Jonathan heard a voice call his name and he opened his eyes. At first he was shocked that he could open them at all, and his shock grew when he looked around him. It appeared that he was in the woods, lying on his back in a soft bed of leaves. He sat up slowly, surveying his surroundings, and immediately felt something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out exactly what that was.

"Jon!"

He heard the voice again and immediately knew who was calling him. "Brian? Brian?" he called back. "I'm over here!"

Jon stood and peered in the direction of Brian's voice. He breathed a sigh of relief when his brother came into view. Brian was disheveled and barefoot, dressed only in a pair of pants and a linen shirt that hung open. "Oh, God, Jon!" he cried out.

The brothers hugged briefly before Jon pulled away, though he kept hold of Brian's shoulders. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"I…I don't know. I…was…we were sleeping and they woke me up and told me you were here…that you were waiting for me. I got up and pulled on some clothes. I came as soon as I could."

"Who, Brian? Who told you I was here?"

Brian pulled away from his brother, walking a little ways away, then he turned and looked into his brother's eyes. "The fairies told me. Justin and I went to the fairies to get help. They must have made it so we could meet like this." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's the only explanation."

"I don't understand. I've been lying unconscious for days, Brian. I can hear everything around me, but I can't move, speak or even open my eyes! The healers are telling young Brian and Elaine that I'm dying. Now all of a sudden I'm in the forest with you?"

"So much has happened, Jon, I don't even know where to begin." Brian moved to a rock and sat down heavily.

Jon moved to sit down next to him and both men were silent for a few moments. "There's no noise here."

"What?" Brian looked up.

"Something struck me as odd when I woke up here, but I couldn't figure out what it was. Now I realize there is no noise here. No breeze through the leaves, no birds or animals, nothing to make me feel that any of this is real, except you, brother. I look into your eyes, and I know that you are here and very real. Brian, please just start at the beginning. I feel as if we have the time; that here we will have all the time we need for you to tell me what is going on."

Brian nodded and began the story from when he woke up from his vision of Jon and the decision to go to Sylvania, and ended it with he his and Justin's experiences at the fairy banquet. "And that is where we are. The fairies have said they will help, though I have no idea how." Brian stopped to think a moment. "Out here it seems impossible, but there, with them…I don't know…it's hard to describe it…" Brian trailed off and seemed to lose his focus a bit.

"Brian!" Jon called sharply. He studied Brian for a moment, just now noticing, the red, swollen look of his lips and the love bites that littered his brother's neck and torso. He prayed it was Justin that had been the cause of Brian's debauched appearance. "Are you sure it is safe with those creatures, that they really will help you and Justin?"

Brian seemed to snap back into focus. "Yes, we are safe, and I do trust them. The king has given his word to help us. He is not the sort to give that lightly. It is just different there. I feel safe…and…I don't know…protected, I guess." Brian ducked his head. "Like someone else is taking the responsibility, and maybe just for a little while, I don't have your life in my hands."

"Brian, my life is not your responsibility." He raised Brian's chin so their eyes met.

"But, they're all looking at me to make it right, to save you." A tear trickled down Brian's cheek. "I must save you!"

Jon pulled Brian against his chest. "We must face that it may be too late for me, brother."

"No, no!" Brian sobbed into Jon's chest.

"Yes," Jon whispered. "I will fight as long as I can, I promise, but you must promise to do all you can to save my sons and my grandchildren, even if I die."

"I promise," Brian replied, pulling himself together. "I know I speak for Justin as well."

"Good man." Jon ruffled Brian's hair and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I could not have asked for a better brother."

"Nor I," Brian replied, reaching out to grip Jon's hand. "You must fight this. I am sending help to you. Mage Blake says there is a way to help you hold on."

"I will be waiting," Jon replied.

Brian awoke in a cold sweat. The only evidence that he had not been dreaming was that he still wore the clothes he had hastily donned earlier. He sat up and quickly scanned the room, hoping to see any sign of his brother. He slumped when he realized he was back in the room the fairies had given him and Justin.

He rolled over on their low platform bed to make sure that Justin, at least was still with him. The young man was sound asleep, and still naked from their heady, wine induced round of lovemaking earlier in the evening.

He removed his clothes and crawled back into the bed, kissing Justin on the lips before laying his head next to him. He eventually fell back into a fitful sleep.

 

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"I am waiting, Brian," Jon spoke into the prison of his mind before he too let himself slide into the blissful darkness
 

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