"Daniel, are you not feeling well?"

The young man started, almost dropping the glass of wine he had been holding. He set it on the table, hoping Alexander didn't notice how his fingers trembled.

"Dangerous that." Alexander smirked. "If you had spilled on your nice new clothes I would have had to punish you. But my previous question, Daniel. Are you feeling all right?"

"I feel fine, my lor- my love. Just a bit tired." He kept his eyes cast down. He studied the shadow his hand made against the cloth on the table, his nails grown a bit too long and filed to be perfect little almonds. Alexander had filed them himself while they were lying in bed, Daniel slumped exhausted against his chest listening as the other man murmured mad endearments to a woman long dead into Daniel's hair.

"We can't have that. We must put you to bed early tonight. But come here, let me make sure you're fine. I don't quite trust your opinion on your own health." He held out a hand to Daniel, who shuddered but rose to his feet, mindful to lift his skirts up so he wouldn't trip over them and walked over to the baron. Alexander smiled, there was no happiness in it. He patted his lap.

Daniel stifled the whimper and delicately maneuvered the full skirts away so he could sit on Alexander's knee.

"Be comfortable Daniel, no need to play the shrinking virgin. Not after all we've done to each other, hm?" Daniel squeaked as Alexander hooked his hand under his knee and pulled Daniel around and further into his lap. Daniel placed a hand on Alexander's chest to steady himself. Alexander had one arm wrapped around his waist, the other he had pulled out from underneath Daniel and was now tracing the folds of the fabric on the young man's thighs.

"See? Perfectly healthy." He tried to smile brightly, but it fell flat.

Alexander narrowed his eyes. His hand sliding up Daniel's thigh, over the bodice of his dress to rest over his heart. "Prove it."

Closing his eyes, Daniel leaned forward until his forehead was resting against Alexander's. "No fever." Alexander murmured. Then he pushed into Daniel's mind. Daniel shrieked, tried to pull away, but a hand on the back of his neck kept him in place. He hated this, hated it more than the nightly rape, this invasion of his very soul.

"You are so overly delicate at times, pet." Alexander growled, pulling out. There was a feeling of hands being dusted off and Daniel was once again alone in his head. "No escape plans this time. Good. But really, you think it rape? I can show you what real rape is boy."

"No! No thank you."

"It's not all that bad, is it Daniel? Being with me? I make you purr every night." He kissed Daniel's throat, bit the tendon in it and Daniel gasped. "Mm. Like a little kitten, the way you curl up against me afterwards." He could feel the baron smile against him. "All exhausted and spent, begging me to stop with that angelic mouth, while your wanton body clings to me like a second skin, begging me to recover my strength and take you once more."

"Please, I said I was tired."

"I heard you." He was bunching up Daniel's skirt. Daniel felt cold gnarled fingers touch his inner thigh and jumped.

"Please."

"The dress looks lovely on you. Burgundy always suited you." He trailed kisses down Daniel's neck, took his time exploring the flesh exposed by the low neckline of the dress. He rubbed his cheek against the velvet of the bodice, chuckling at the hard nub that pressed against him. He mouthed the nipple through the thick fabric, sucking hard enough to make Daniel squeal and writhe. The hand under his skirts was now wrapping around him. "I didn't even have to enter your mind and make you!" The baron seem amazed, for the first time that evening there was a trace of real delight in his voice. "How long have been like this for me? Was it the dress? Do you like the feel of the fabric around your flesh, do you like it brushing against your cock every time you move? Do you think of me when it does?"

"Stop it!" His fingers fisted against the baron's shoulders. "Don't talk so foully, I-"

"Kiss me then. Stop my mouth with your kisses."

Daniel did. He could feel the baron's moan through the fingers he had splayed across the other man's chest. His tongue tentatively trailed along Alexander's bottom lip, he nipped it. Fingers were tangled in his hair, pressing him down, holding him still as Alexander pressed his lips hard against his. Their teeth clicked and then Daniel remembered to turn his head that way and Alexander was coaxing him to explore each other's mouth with tongues and nips and small gasps. It was wet and vile and shameful, but when a thread of spittle ran down Daniel's chin he found that he didn't mind, barely noticed, he just turned his head to better seal themselves together.

The hand around him tightened and Daniel threw his head back, crying out. "You like that?"

"Yes."

"Do you like this?" The hand started to stroke over Daniel, a good strong rhythm that he soon found himself moving his hips to.

"Oh yes." He closed his eyes, let his head hang back.

He felt more than heard Alexander laugh. The bodice was ripped down and Alexander licked his nipple, then began to suckle. It was Daniel's turn to tangle his fingers in hair and to pull close. The speed was punishingly fast now, Daniel was rocking to it, thrusting himself into Alexander's fist, chasing his release that he could just see lighting the horizon like the first hint of sunrise.

Then Alexander stopped. Daniel growled, still moving against the man, begging with his thighs, his hands for the administrations to continue.

"And you call this rape." The barn admonished.

Daniel whined, pouted.

"Don't look at me that way. If you want me to make you feel good you know what you have to do."

"Do we-"

"Stop with the modest protests."

Daniel took a breath, reached down and began to undo Alexander's pants. Without being bid he stroked the other man, started to look around for the jar of oil and realized it wasn't nearby.

"You'll be fine."

"It'll hurt me."

Soothing hands against his ribcage. "I'll make you not feel the pain."

Daniel grimaced in distaste. Alexander brushed against his mind, waiting. Daniel sighed, nodded tightly and he felt Alexander enter. He stood and sat himself so he was straddling Alexander, his dress now bunched up around his thighs. "How very lady like." He felt the thought in his mind and pushed it away. Alexander really needed to keep his own thoughts in his own head.

Alexander slid his hands down until they rested on Daniel's hips. Daniel wrapped his arms around Alexander's neck and slowly began to lower himself. It hurt. It scraped and stretched and then there was Alexander, like a steadying hand in the back of his mind and all the pain was pushed aside, to be felt, but only remotely.

Daniel sighed when he was fully seated. He gave a small roll of his hips and heard Alexander growl, curse. He smiled. He'd set the rhythm to their dance this time. It was strange to be filled by another man, to have someone else's heartbeat, their very essence in you as both your bodies tangled together. It made him think fleeting of Plato, but he pushed it away, repulsed. Whatever Alexander was to him, it wasn't soul mate.

Alexander clawed at his flesh, demanding more demanding faster. He was muttering under his breath again. "I knew we'd find each other again, I knew it. Even being banished in this gods forsaken world, I knew nothing could keep us apa-" Daniel put his hands on the old man's cheeks and jerked his head back. Alexander opened his mouth either in surprise or protest, Daniel never gave him a chance to decide before claiming his mouth, his tongue making parody of Alexander's thrusting inside him. And the old man moaned, cupped the back of Daniel's head and let him dominate the kiss, their love making, for a change. Was that the faintest bit of amusement, of fondness in the back of his mind? Surely not his…

Daniel broke away first, buried his face into the side of Alexander's neck. He was close, so close and the pleasure was so intense he thought he might cry from it. And then it was over and he was spilling into the dress, the fine new dress that Alexander had bought because it had reminded him of his wife and had put on Daniel because Daniel reminded him of his wife.

That sobered him and post coital bliss dribbled away leaving something cold and stony and sharp in its place. "Did you finish?"

A hum in the affirmative. Daniel stood up. Shocked, Alexander let him go, hands trailing reluctantly over him as he moved away.

"Daniel."

He stopped in the doorway.

"You ruined your dress."

Daniel paled and turned to flee to his rooms, the baron's sated laughter chasing after him.

There was a tap on the door. "I'm sleeping." Daniel called over his shoulder, struggling with the laces on the dress. It was impossible to loosen them alone. Why did women insist on putting the fastening in the back?

"Yes, you do look fast asleep and dreaming." Alexander entered the room, setting the candle he had used to light his way through the halls on the table. Daniel began to back away.

"What do you want? Have I not slaked your lusts enough for one evening?"

"Stop being churlish. I came to help you undress."

"Send up one of the maids to help me." Daniel tried to run past the old man, tried to make it to the safety of the study where he could slam the door shut and barricade it against this monster.

He always forgot how quick Alexander was. An arm like steel wrapped around his waist and jerked him back, pulled him against Alexander's chest. No matter how old he looked, how frail and feeble, he wasn't human. It was all a mask and for some reason Daniel's brain shied away from that fact, tried to forget it until there was no way of denying it.

"As if I would let anyone else touch you, my love." Dry lips brushed his bared shoulder and he shuddered. "Say 'thank you' and go stand in front of the mirror."

"Thank you, my lord." He could barely get the words out.

Alexander tsked. "I'm not your lord."

"My love. Thank you, my love."

Alexander chuckled, pleased. He let his hands trail down Daniel's sides. Daniel quickly walked into the bedroom and stood before the mirror, hoping the old man would loosen his ties and then leave him to his sleep and his nightmares.

Alexander followed close behind him, small smile on his face, looking at Daniel as a man might look at his new bride: proud, lusting, loving. "Here." Daniel pulled his hair around to the front, holding it in place so Alexander could see the laces more clearly.

Alexander kissed the nape of his neck, gave a sneaky lick. Then his fingers were working the laces, nimble and quick and the dress fell away. The corset would be next, but he was stepping back looking over Daniel's shoulder to his reflection in the mirror. "I don't know why I cover you up. I should make you wear nothing but this. It suits you."

"I'd catch cold and die." Daniel snuck a look at the mirror. The corset was wrapped snuggly around his waist, his nipples peeking over the edges of it. He wore stockings that came just over the tops of his knees and nothing else. Alexander detested the pantaloons the first time he saw Daniel in them. It had surprised him; as much as Alexander went out of his way to turn Daniel into the replica of his dead wife, one would think he would approve of something that would cover up the most telling difference between the two of them.

A hand firmly grasped his rump and squeezed.

He pulled away. "Don't be vulgar!" Daniel's voice came out high, almost a squeak.

Alexander wrapped him in his arms. "Don't be shy. Not with me. We're old lovers, you and I. Look in the mirror again. Go on."

Daniel peeked up at his reflection.

Strong fingers in his hair, pulling out the fastenings and clips, letting the ringlets fall down. The dark hair framed his face, too long now, he would need to get it cut if he ever escaped. When he escaped.

"You're lovely." Alexander pressed his cheek against his, they stood jaw to jaw gazing into the mirror.

"I'm not. I'm an abomination." The rouged lips, the kohl around his eyes, his father would have skinned him alive for being such a deviant, for looking like a rent boy. For becoming a rent boy.

"Stop disparaging yourself. You're beautiful." Alexander turned him around so they were facing each other. "You stopped my breath the first time I saw you. My heart forgot to beat and only resumed when you stepped over my threshold and I knew you for flesh and blood and not some delusion my brain had made to torment me."

"Your love reborn." Daniel repeated the oft spoken phrase dully.

"Come to ease me in my exile." Alexander finished, smiling. Sometimes Daniel couldn't tell if that was madness or hunger that gave his gold eyes that eerie shine.

"Undo my corset. Please. I want to retire for the night. I am exhausted."

"And did our tryst after dinner wear you out so? I was hoping for a snack," a nail gently tracing the edge of his lip, "to tide me over until we break our fast in the morning."

"Please. My love."

Annoyance set in Alexander's features. "Your petulance, while charming, does wear on occasion." His eyes fell on the dress, crumpled and lying by Daniel's feet. He stooped to pick it up.

Alexander examined it, made note of the rents in the fabric, the stiff stains in it.

Daniel's blood ran cold. "I'm sorry."

"You never mean it. You apologize but then you ruin the next extravagant item I purchase for you. I am beginning to wonder if you might be a bit of an exhibitionist. Perhaps I should keep you nude and confined to our chambers like some harem girl. Is that what you want?" His voice was teasing, but the eyes that hungrily stared at him had nothing of merriment in them, just a cold desire; Alexander would like nothing better than to keep Daniel chained to the bed, pleasing his lord the only thing he had to look forward to each day.

Daniel swallowed, prayed he wouldn't make the matter worse and tried to find the right words to change the subject. "But I like the things you buy me. They are more beautiful than anything I have ever worn before, I've never had silk against my skin before I met you. It makes me feel…" He paused, looked away. He felt blood heat his cheeks.

"What Daniel? Do go on, it's rather intriguing."

"It makes me feel loved." He risked a look through his lashes at Alexander. The old man stared at him, then a small shadow in one corner of his mouth, the tell that Alexander was smiling, a true one.

"You're a little liar, my Jezebel, but a pretty one." He brought the bundle of clothing to his face and inhaled. "I prefer velvet on you. It holds your scent." He let the dress fall from his fingers, reached up and cupped Daniel's face in them. "And you are loved. I positively dote on you."

"I know. You are kind to me."

"I must take pains not to spoil you though." Both of their eyes fell on the dress, ruined. "Go fetch the riding crop. We'll get it out of the way and move on to more pleasurable things before we sleep."

"No." Daniel jerked his face away, stumbled backward.

"Daniel." A world of warning in that voice, but Daniel didn't heed it, couldn't heed it. Images from his childhood were rising up from the pit in his mind where he kept them buried, the bleeding, the cries, and the fear that the thrashings would turn to his frail, frail sister next.

He fell to his knees. "Please I'll do anything. Anything you can think of. I'll…" He looked away in shame. "I'll take you in my mouth, I'll let you dress me in that French monstrosity you bought me before I do it, just…please." He felt tears sting his eyes.

Alexander stroked his hair, twined his fingers through the locks and pulled so Daniel would look him in the eye. His face was thoughtful and Daniel felt his hopes begin to rise, but they quickly dashed as Alexander shook his head.

"I said I would punish you Daniel. What kind of precedent would I be setting if I let you out of it just because you pled with me so prettily." Now go fetch the riding crop.The words seared into his mind, made the tears spill down his cheeks, drip off his chin. Daniel felt Alexander shoulder his way into Daniel's head, his limbs moved of an accord not his own and he was moving as if he were a marionette, out of the room to fetch what Alexander required.

By the time he returned he was sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't do this. Please. I learned my lesson. I did."

"Hush, my dear. Give it to me now. Thank you." Alexander smacked the crop into his palm, he chuckled at the way Daniel jumped at the sound. "Look at the state of you." He walked around Daniel, trailing the leather strap over his skin, along his arms, pressed it up against a nipple, and gave a small slap on his ass. Holding the crop in both hands he pressed it under Daniel's chin, against his throat, forcing him to look up. "God, I would ravish you every hour of every day if it were physically possible." It was spoken as if it were a vow of love, ripped from his heart.

Daniel cried harder.

Alexander inclined his chin slightly in the direction of the bed. Daniel shook his head, tried to step back but Alexander was in his mind holding him still.

"Just lay down on the bed Daniel. It will be over quickly."

"Please, no." Tears ran down Daniel's cheeks. He hoped he looked a mess, he hoped that his face was a red, blotchy shambles and Alexander would be disgusted enough to give up for the night. The hand on his arm was gentle, it pulled him close and a soft kiss was placed on his brow. No, Alexander was never so easily put off when it came to Daniel.

Hands were on his shoulders now and he was being shoved down, he hit the mattress of the bed hard enough for the air to flee his lungs. He tried to rise, but Alexander pushed him down with a firm hand between his shoulder blades. Alexander leaned on him until he felt Daniel stop resisting him, the message received.

Alexander drew away. He wasn't being touched now, but that made it even more worrisome. He didn't know where Alexander was in the room, but he could still feel the weight of those strange golden eyes upon him, admiring him. He shuddered and not from the chill. He yelped as leather suddenly caressed his thigh. He started to squirm away, but a sharp tap of the crop stilled him. It traced over his hip, along his thigh, down into the dip of his knee. It left him then, only for the gesture to be repeated on his other side. The leather slapped his right buttock, not hard enough to hurt, but he still jumped.

"I don't know why you fight me when it comes to this. If you just gave in at the beginning it would be a few lashes and then over within minutes. The more you resist me the more I am likely to want to draw it out. This could be highly enjoyable if you gave it the chance." A slap on his other cheek.

"Enjoyable for you, you mean." He spat out, face buried in the bed sheets.

"Not just me." Alexander was moving the crop over the small of his back, down to cleft of his buttocks. He pushed in slightly with the tip and Daniel again was trying to move away. Alexander chuckled. The crop came down hard. The blow stung this time and tears sprang to Daniel's eyes. The crop came down harder the second time and Daniel was closing his eyes, gritting his teeth. The blows were inconsistent, there would be long intervals of caresses and soft taps and then suddenly a sting that would make him cry out. He couldn't predict where the blows would land or even the intensity; he couldn't brace himself for them.

"Aren't you enjoying this, pet? Even just a little?" Alexander was panting and Daniel doubted it was from exertion.

He shook his head, turned to try to look at Alexander. "Did you do this to your wife? Did you treat her thus?" He didn't even try to keep the disgust from his voice. "No wonder she died or left you rather than to be by your side a moment-" The smack of leather on flesh echoed like a gun shot in the room. Then another blow from the crop, then another. Daniel's fingers were clawing at the sheets; he bit down on the fabric beneath him, trying to stop the screams, the pleas that were threatening to come tumbling out. The blows were raining down now, across his thighs, his back, his ass. He felt liquid trickle down his legs and realized that he was bleeding.

"Tell me 'Stop'. Beg me." Alexander commanded.

"Stop, please my love, stop."

"Beg my forgiveness for your impertinence. Plead with me to accept your apologies."

Daniel smiled through his tears and shame. "No." The crop came down across his spine.

He was a bloody mess, but didn't care. He felt he had won some small victory tonight and it gave him the power to overcome the torture, to try to fling his hate into Alexander's face. He always forgot that Alexander was never one to play fair.

The room around him changed, it blurred before his eyes and when it came back into focus, it was the room from his childhood. He looked at the hands fisting into the blankets. They were no longer the hands of an adult man, but those of a child.

The sting of a belt against his rear and he was gasping, crying out. The small cry was echoed somewhere else in the room. His father-and who else could it be beating him-stopped, seeming to be listening for the sound to come again. Hazel! It had to be Hazel. That was probably the reason for this punishment; he had stolen sweets for his sister again or had let her out of the attic she was usually confined in. The belt fell again and again that small gasp that wasn't uttered by his throat. The creak of floorboards. His father was moving away, towards the sound, towards his sister. He tried to get up, tried to make any movement at all, but he seemed paralyzed. Tears were soaking the cloth his cheek was pressed against. "Stop, please stop."

The rattle of the closet door, a muttered oath as it resisted. He could picture Hazel on the other side, holding the knob, praying her fragile strength would be enough to keep their father from finding her. The door was wrenched open. A tiny wail of despair. "Stop! It's me you want, me who did wrong! Don't hurt her. Alexander!" The name was wrenched from him. Like a magic spell, it broke the enchantment his mind had cast around him. The sheets were no longer rough wool, but silk, and the room was opulent and stone instead of bare and wooden.

He repeated Alexander's name like a prayer, sobbing it as a sinner petitioning his god for forgiveness. And it was seemingly granted. Alexander softly touched his hip. Daniel jerked away on instinct, made himself hold still when the caress was repeated. He didn't want to provoke Alexander's temper again. He had had enough for one night.

A brush of lips against the gash on his back, a lap at the blood drying on his hip, a hundred kisses scattered across his unmarred flesh. Daniel moaned. A finger traced the swell of his buttocks, dipped into the crevasse between them, and began to lightly press against him. His fingers tightened in the sheets again as it entered him. It was such an alien feeling to have something inside of him. It wasn't painful, not yet, but a curious tickling sensation. Alexander thrust the finger in and out and Daniel could feel himself relaxing under the soothing of that gentle rubbing deep inside of himself. Then a small twist and there was jolt of pleasure in the pit of his stomach.

Alexander laughed. The finger was withdrawn and there was the weight of another body lying on top of him. He wanted to remind the baron to use the oil at least, but bit his tongue. Alexander didn't care if Daniel hurt tonight and such a request would fall on deaf ears.

Hot breath against his ear, a small nip at the lobe, and Alexander was entering him. Daniel cried out; spread, speared, the pain of it almost beyond enduring, the humiliation of it more than his chastisement earlier. He tightened around the invader in his body. Alexander gasped, kissed the side of his neck. Then he began to move. And Daniel gave up entirely to the sensation.

Alexander didn't last long, Daniel could feel wetness between his thighs and the baron's ragged breathing against his neck. He rolled off and lay beside Daniel, their pants the only noise in the room. The baron left the bed, Daniel could hear him rummaging in the wardrobe. A gauzy, white scrap of fabric was thrown beside him on the bed.

Daniel gingerly raised himself up, turning to lean on his elbow, trying to lessen the agony of his wounds. "What do you wish me to do with this?" He picked it up, distaste easily read in his face.

"I want you to put it on."

"Surely you want me to clean up first. I'll dirty it." His gaze fell on the dress that had started these events.

"I know. It'll be fine. Wear it for me."

Daniel sighed, resigned. "Help me?"

Alexander was only too eager to help Daniel slip the negligee on. He could feel the gauze already stick to his back by blood and sweat. Alexander moved the pillows around and helped Daniel so he could rest against them almost in a sitting position. Fingers combed through Daniel's sweat soaked hair.

Daniel wanted to ask the baron if he thought him lovely now. The look in Alexander's eyes made the question unnecessary; Daniel already had his answer.

The baron trailed his hands down Daniel's thighs, covered with the expensive material. He bunched up the fabric and pulled it apart with an almost revenant air. His hand closed around Daniel and began to move.

"There's no need for that." Daniel murmured, eyes falling closed. He was exhausted and doubted he had the energy to get erect.

"And what kind of lover would I be if my lady retired unsatisfied after I had taken my pleasure?" Daniel winced but Alexander didn't notice. Breath and kisses against his private flesh now and he was spreading his legs. He fell asleep with the Alexander's lips around him.

X

This was written for an amazing prompt over at the Amnesia Kink Meme. The premise of Alexander's "wife", the reason for his exile, and his decision to dress Daniel in drag all came from it and weren't entirely my own creations. I just put my own unique spin on it. Also this is a little...naughtier than my usual stories. Sorry? Hope everyone enjoys it at least...