A Message Buried in Time
The moon was high in the sky, bathing the clearing with its eerie blue light, illuminating a very much awake Francisque holding against him a sleeping Artair. The Gaul smiled as he looked down at the sleeping Celtic prince; he knew he was playing with fire that engaging in a relationship other than friendship with Artair not to mention that it was wrong on a moral level and counterproductive to his alliance with said prince's older brother and king. But tonight Francisque didn't seem to care as he succumbed to his weakness because he now knew that the prince also felt the same way. Careful not to wake him the Gaul tilted the sleeping man chin up so it would be angled just right for him to swoop down and kiss his s prince awake. Shivers ran down his spine as he found himself staring into poison green colored eyes, they were Artair best feature placed right under thick eyebrows, Francisque didn't mind at all as he continued to kiss the prince into oblivion. He smiled into the kiss when the prince moved an arm up around his neck for support as Artair opened his mouth to welcome the Gaul in. He took perverse pleasure in knowing that Artair would respond only to him and that no woman would ever bring that look of longing in Artair than Francisque himself.
"What was that for?" Artair asked a bit subdued by the kiss.
"Time to wake up mon amour, tu dois être dans ton lit avant que ton frère s'aperçoive que tu n'y es pas" The Gaul replied.
"Fran, you know I can't understand that gibberish you seem to like using."
"I was saying that you should really go to bed, before Alasdair wakes up and find you missing."
Francisque didn't miss the look of displeasure on Artair face at the mention of his older brother.
"It's not like he would care he just wants me around so that he and the twins doesn't have to take care of Peadar, I hate the stupid little brat!" Artair, Francisque noticed seemed to be rather worked up at the thought of spending time with his little brother.
"You are a terrible liar mon lapin, you love your little brother and we both know it. Why he look so cute kind of like a small version of you. He's adorable just like mon petit Mathis." The Gaul cooed raining kisses on a blushing prince.
"Fran I-I wish to stay with you tonight."
"You and I both know that can't happen right now, I consider myself a brave man but I don't think I'm brave enough to face your brother's wrath if he find out about us. We almost got caught by Iago and as much as I want to spend each of my every waking moments with you. I have duties to my tribe and my son." Francisque almost lost his resolve and give in to the prince request because of the broken hearted look Artair was giving him. No he had been strong for both of their sakes.
"Fine be that way." Artair said a bit crossed as he pulled away from Francisque's warm embrace huffing about not having his way. The Gaul chuckled and stood up as well giving the prince one last kiss, one which Artair responded to.
"Je t'adore mon lapin." Francisque said before leaving a very much speechless and blushing prince alone in the clearing.
The unthinkable happened they had been caught, his heart heavy Francisque made his way toward his village. The Gaul counted his blessing that despite seeing the rage Alasdair displayed, that he was still alive; alive and heart broken. By order of King Alasdair they had until the sun set to leave the island or he and his entire tribe would be put to the sword. But the Gaul could not and would not forget the Celtic prince and he knew at this very moment that he could not leave the island without Artair.
"Chiel!" Fran shouted as he was near enough to the village to know that his second would hear his shout. He heard the commotion as not only Chiel but also part of his honor guards came to greet him as well.
"My liege, what is the matter did something happen?" Chiel asked in concern not knowing that his leader doomed them into exile again.
"Yes, gather everyone and tell them to get only what they can carry to the boats we are leaving." Francisque told him.
"Where? We can't go back to Gaul the Romans will be waiting for us there and we both know we are not welcomed in Albion!" Chiel's voice raised a bit as his apprehension grew, the man was tired of running and Francisque could see that.
"I don't know Chiel; all I know is that you can't stay here. Alasdair caught me doing something I shouldn't have and now he's angry enough to kill everyone in the village. So please my friend take the villagers and leave go as far as you can and build yourself a new life." Francisque made sure not to mention himself.
"I see you consorted with the prince." The second deadpanned
Francisque winced he didn't know that Chiel knew, he had made sure that no one would know. Then again they had been caught so maybe he wasn't as careful with his affection as he wanted to believe. But still it did put him out a bit and there was no point in denying it anymore.
"I. Yes... At first it was just something to amuse myself, Artair was so easy to rile up but then something happen and I don't know I just could not forget about him; I love him."
"What about your son surely he's more important to you than your lover?" Chiel knew just what to say to make his point across like a punch to the guts.
"You are being cruel Chiel, you can't really ask me to choose between Mathis and Artair."
"I can and I will, like it or not Francisque you are my chief and it is my duty to protect you, just as you have a duty to your son!"
"No, not anymore I'm not worthy of being anyone's chief or father at least not anymore. I'm going to cause more pain but it has to be done. Chiel you are now chief of what left on the tribe, Mathis is your son now; I can't be his father anymore." Francisque watched the horror etching on his second's, no the new chief's face, he had made his decision the moment Alasdair threw him out that he would stay, it was selfish and if he could he would have kept Mathis with him, but he didn't want to gamble the life of his son in the hope that the Celtic king would spare Mathis's life if he stayed. Ignoring Chiel shout for him to come back Francisque walked away from his son and the life he knew wasn't his anymore.
Francisque watched from the hill as the last of his people made it to the boats; he closed his eyes and forced himself not to move as he heard his son's wailing of "Papa! Papa where are you! Don't leave me Papa!" By the time the cries of Mathis were but faint echoes in the fog surrounding the island, tears flowed from his face as a he mourned the loss of his son and his old life.
He had done his best to avoid Artair's tribe but it had been difficult and a slow torture to stay away, a few times he ventured near enough to try and catch a glance of the Celtic prince but so far nothing. Fran had been afraid that Alasdair had been angry enough to turn his blade on Artair, but as far as he could see that didn't happen as the twins and Peadar didn't seem to be much disturbed. A month had gone by and the Gaul was agonizing he had yet to spot Artair among his brother, letting out a long suffered sigh Francisque sat down by a creek, the day was hot and the water looked cool enough so he decided to dip in. The man was startled when he heard a "thump" behind him and turned around his heart beating so fast that it almost busted out of his chest at being surprised. Then blue met green and at that moment everything was alright with the world as Artair was once again in his arms.
"Fran! You're-you're here. Alasdair told me you had left, I-I wanted to go and say my goodbyes but he wouldn't let me. He said horrible things about you and I had to listen, he-he locked me in the caves." Artair was quivering mess as he clung with all of his might to Francisque.
"Hush mon lapin, I've got you and I'm not leaving you" He whispered trying to comfort the other half of his heart.
"I'm glad; oh I'm so glad that you're here." Relief was evident in Artair.
"Yes I am also glad that you are here as well mon cheri." Francisque smiled at Artair he could not help his second brain's reaction to being close to Artair. The Celtic prince's face turned red as he realized that he was holding a naked Francisque close to his body and that judging by the Gaul reaction to their proximity that he rather liked it.
"You-you! I HATE YOU!" Artair gave Francisque a violent push that sent the man down into the water.
"I'm sorry mon lapin, it's just been so long since I saw you, and my body reacted being this close to you." Francisque said after he coughed out the water he had swallowed.
"Please don't be sorry. I-I over reacted" Artair sat down on a flat rock looking down at his hands.
"You know, I so badly wanted to see you that I forgot what I would do once I actually found you." The Gaul got out of the water and sat down next to the prince on the rock.
"I-I was going to kill myself you know. My brother arranged me to marry one of the other tribes' chieftain's daughters. But I just couldn't bare the thought of sharing a life with someone that isn't you, so I came here to end it all and then I saw you and it is like my prayers had been answered." Artair smiled at Francisque.
"I'm taking you with me Artair, we'll go down to the beach and take one of the boats that my people didn't take with them, we will leave the island and go somewhere together." That was enough for Artair to look at Francisque with adoration and hope in his green eyes.
"I don't think so!" A third voice was heard and that was enough to destroy any plans the Gaul had for their future. Alasdair walked into view with guards surrounding them.
"Alasdair! What are you doing here?" Artair jumped to face his brother glaring.
"I followed you to make sure you didn't do anything stupid and I'm glad I did!" Alasdair walked toward his brother and raised his arm smacking the young prince across the face sending him down on the ground. Francisque didn't have the time to go and see to the prince as a pair of guards grabbed his arms and forced him to his knees.
"I have warned you little brother not to disobey me, but the moment I turn my back this is what you do! You shame me and your entire tribe by consorting with a man! I thought your time in the caves would have taught you something but look like I was wrong." Alasdair turned away from his brother to look at the kneeling man, drawing his sword there was no doubt in anyone's mind what Alasdair intention was.
"NO! DON'T BROTHER PLEASE?" Artair shouted as he got up trying to stop his brother from killing the man he loved. He didn't go far as he was held back by another pair for guards.
Francisque didn't even look at Alasdair as the sword came down on his head; all he had eyes for was for Artair. The same Artair that was begging not to die with tears running down his face.
"Je t'aime mon amour! Pour toujours, dans cette vie ou dans la prochaine un jour nous seront réuni et plus rien ne nous sépareras! " Then everything went black and Francisque was dead to the world.
Francis woke up with a scream frozen in his throat; he heaved and turned to the side in time not to throw up on his bed as he emptied the content of his stomach on the floor of his bedroom. He coughed the after taste of his own vomit. It was the dream again the same one he had since the death of his wife and son, but unlike the other time it went further than the people of his dream kissing, before the dream would always stop at them kissing but for some reasons not tonight. Maybe he was losing it? He left everything behind when Jeanne and Pierre died in the wreckage of their car. He moved from France to England a place he hated with a passion, he was starting to wonder if he was losing grip with reality and what possessed him to move here. He turned his head looking at the clock 3:15 AM and sighed there was no way he would be able to sleep now. Francis grabbed for his cane and got out of bed wincing as he put weight on his damaged leg, the accident didn't just took away Jeanne and Pierre it also damaged Francis to a point all he felt was pain in his leg. He walked out on the balcony and looked on the English landscape of this small city lost in the English country side dreaming of a time he was happy before everything was ruined.
AN: I don't know what to say about this one, only that it wouldn't leave me alone. I don't know where this one will go all I know is that it will deal with past lives and forgive the very inaccurate history here and as for the name well I needed to make them sound ancient so hence why they have different name in chapter one. I haven't forgotten about Twin's Legacy it is just there is something wrong with chapter 3 and I'm not sure how to fix it but I will. OH and please review and tell me how I'm doing I'm not asking for a tons of reviews just a few so I know that people are actually reading and enjoying my stuff.