His Prince has been back for weeks now, and Lor'themar can hardly remember a time of greater celebration in Quel'Thalas. The Sunwell is restored to them, and soon his Prince will be his King. There is an incredible lightness to everything, it seems; Lor'themar still works at seemingly endless amounts of paperwork but now with the goal of bringing the Regency to an end and Kael'thas' reign to its beginning. With the weight of rule lifted from his shoulders he finds himself in higher spirits then he's been in since before the war.
Kael'thas had asked him to remain as an adviser to him, and he had agreed. Lor'themar wonders how effective an adviser he could possibly be when he seems unable to deny Kael anything. His Prince is effervescent, and since his return he has been slowly taking up the reigns of state. It had been somewhat nerve-wracking, at first. Lor'themar finds himself eternally ashamed to discover that despite basing his strength on the thought of Kael's return he hadn't imagined it at all, if the sudden terror of having to explain his every act as Regent to his Prince was any indicator.
But despite his insecurities Kael'thas seemed pleased with his rule. In the conference they had had, Lor'themar explaining all that had happened while Kael'thas was away, his Prince had gone as far as praise. It made him uncomfortable, strangely. Lor'themar had done the best he could, but now it was Kael'thas' time to rule. He still wished to step away, out of the political and public eye, but his Prince drew him back. He tried to warn Kael, to tell him that he wouldn't be much use as an adviser. Kael refused to listen, of course, telling Lor'themar that a trusted friend was more use than any impartial adviser. Kael seemed to find Lor'thmar's reluctance amusing, because he teased him endlessly about it.
Perhaps he was being overly-concerned, but Lor'themar couldn't shake the feeling that he was unneeded now. Part of him wished he could refuse; after all the work and waiting, to simply go home to his estate and spend a year sleeping seemed wonderful. Perhaps he could ask for some time after the coronation.
It was late, and Lor'themar was in his office. There was still work to be done before Kael'thas' coronation, and he could do that, at least. The night sky he could see through the windows was clear, and he had turned the lamps down to admire it. The low light was enough to do last minute paperwork by, and he had become so absorbed that he missed the muffled sound of the door opening.
"And you claim you wouldn't be useful in government." Kael'thas' voice startles him and Lor'themar looks up from the papers to find his Prince standing in the doorway.
"I claim that there are others who would be more useful than I." Lor'themar replied. They had been having this exchange for nearly as long as Kael'thas had decided he would make Lor'themar an adviser.
Kael'thas laughed and pushed away from the door-frame, circling around Lor'themar's desk to look over his shoulder at his work. "Your modesty is charming, Lor'themar, but I've made my decision and that decision is your place is by my side."
Hearing Kael'thas' assertion never failed to make him feel self-conscious, and Lor'themar moved slightly aside so Kael could see what he was doing. "If you say so."
"I do say so," Kael'thas replied quickly, "Might I take your lack of argument as a sign you're accepting this or are we going to have another round of this 'no Kael, I couldn't possibly' business"
Lor'themar sighed, putting his signature at the bottom of the last paper and tucking them away into his desk. "If you're so intent on me being an adviser I suppose there was never a question of it, was there?"
Kael'thas laughed again, moving aside as Lor'themar stood, "And it's taken you this long to see things my way," he said, "perhaps this will finally lay your fears of constantly bending to my whims to rest."
He grasped Lor'themar by the arm and led him from the office, pulling him through the Spire to his rooms. Lor'themar went, allowing himself to be prodded through the doors to Kael'thas' suite and then onto one of the low couches in his sitting room. Kael settled next to him, nearly glowing with satisfaction. "Perhaps this is only a fluke, though, and in every matter aside from this I fold to your will?" Lor'themar couldn't help but voice the niggling concerns he had.
Kael'thas glared at him, "You're determined to be obstinate about this, aren't you?"
"I'm not being obstinate," Lor'themar protested, "I want you to have advisers that are useful and helpful to you. I want your rule to be successful. I want Quel'Thalas to be safe. I want you to be safe. I," he struggled to find the words to express how he felt, "Kael'thas you know you have my love and loyalty," he went quiet for a few moments, "Forgive me, I'm rambling."
Lor'themar went silent, and for a long while Kael'thas merely stared at him. Slowly Kael reached out and moved a few pieces of loose hair out of Lor'themar's face, tracing down his cheek gently. "You aren't rambling," he said softly, "You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say things like that."
Kael'thas took one of Lor'themar's hands in his own, the contrast between the smoothness of his own hands and the rough callouses of Lor'themar's grounding him slightly. "That I want you by my side should be nothing new to you, Lor'themar," he said, "as an adviser, yes, but as a friend and confidant and lover as well."
Lor'themar held Kael's hand, "I know, and I feel honored that you do."
Kael'thas smiled at him suddenly, seemingly brightening the room, "Then perhaps you're right and being an adviser is wrong for you."
"What? Kael'thas," Lor'themar began, but Kael cut him off.
"Marry me," he said, "Be my adviser and lover and friend and confidant, stay by my side."
"I…, Kael'thas," Lor'themar stuttered, looking bewildered.
"Lor'themar," Kael'thas responded, slightly teasing, but serious, "will you be my Prince-Consort?"
Lor'themar stared at Kael'thas before finally managing to say "Yes."
Kael let go of Lor'themar's hand to throw his arms around him, beaming. Lor'themar caught Kael'thas as his Prince threw himself at him, making sure he didn't slip or hit his armour. They held each other for a time, Lor'themar with his nose buried in Kael'thas' hair. The scent of it was what he imagined fire smelled like if it was removed from smoke: spice and warmth. When Kael'thas tilted his head and kissed him it was sweeter still.
Breaking away, Kael'thas began tugging impatiently at the clasps and fastenings of his armour. He rose and pulled Lor'themar off the couch, leading him to his bed as he directed the removal of Lor'themar's armour and his own robes.
When they were both nude, Kael pushed Lor'themar onto his bed, climbing to sit beside him as Lor'themar stretched out across it. Kael'thas admired his ranger, idly reaching out to trace the line of a scar as Lor'themar looked up at him from his prone position. Catching Kael'thas' hand he brought it to his mouth and kissed it, first the knuckles and then his palm, folding Kael's hand around his kiss.
Bracing his arms on either side of Lor'themar, Kael'thas leaned down and kissed him. They kissed for a while, Kael abandoning his upright position to press himself flush against Lor'themar, his hands running up and down Lor'themar's side and tangling in his hair. Drawing back, Kael attached himself to Lor'themar's throat, running his mouth over Lor'themar's pulse before pressing a kiss there and nipping lightly at it. Lor'themar's sharp intake of breath was wonderful, and Kael nipped him again before regretfully pulling away and repositioning himself, herding Lor'themar further up the bed and nudging his ranger's legs apart.
Lor'themar went willingly, but moved almost shyly, looking up at Kael with an inscrutable look on his face. He reached out for Kael and carefully pulled him into another kiss, falling back when Kael took control of it and pushed him. Kael braced himself above Lor'themar again and scraped his nails down Lor'themar's chest as they kissed. Kael's hand traveled down Lor'themar's body until he found his cock, wrapping his hand around it and stroking. Lor'themar moaned, his hips rolling and bucking up into Kael's hand.
He gasps and looks up at his Prince, a flush rising in his pale skin and making his scars stand out even more sharply. Kael'thas smiles down at him with sharp teeth and a light like fire reflected in his eyes, passion and lust and love shine from him and to Lor'themar he looks something like a god, golden hair spilling over his shoulders and heat radiating from him. Lor'themar moans again, and writhes against Kael's hand and the words 'I love you' catch in his throat and spread under his skin. He thinks Kael'thas can read what he means to say in his body because he leans in and ever-so-gently brushes his lips against Lor'themar's, kissing him chastely before drawing Lor'themar's lower lip between his teeth and nipping him again, pressing forward into a kiss of teeth and tongues and lost breath.
Looking down at his lovely ranger spread on the bed, suddenly all Kael can think of is how much he wants him. Dear Lor'themar, loyal and loving, steadfast and patient. They're going to do such wonderful things. Kael conjures oil to his hands and croons softly at Lor'themar as he prepares him, telling him everything they would do together. The way Lor'themar shakes and gasps and slowly comes apart for him is maddening, and Kael presses forward to steal kisses and breathe the soft noises Lor'themar makes into his mouth.
Slicking himself with the oil, Kael finally presses into Lor'themar, his arms shaking as he presses his forehead to Lor'themar's. The soft breathy moans and minute shifts Lor'themar makes as he adjusts to Kael are delicious, and Kael'thas can feel the muscles in Lor'themar's thighs working as his ranger struggles to control himself and stay still for him. Kael moves at last, dragging out and then snapping his hips forward, Lor'themar responding and moving with him.
The way Lor'themar writhes against him as he moves is beautiful, and Kael tries to draw out more reactions from him by slowing down to an agonizingly slow pace. Lor'themar spreads his legs further to try and entice him into moving more but Kael attacks his neck instead, scraping his teeth down Lor'themar's throat and biting at his collarbones. The noise that comes from his ranger's mouth is so keening and needy Kael can't help but take pity on him.
He drives forward, biting savagely at Lor'themar's mouth and pulling him into a bruising kiss. They moved together until both of them tipped into orgasm.
Curling around Lor'themar, Kael smiled into the dark. They were going to do such great things.