Power

By The Last Dragonologist

Disclaimer: I don't own Arram, Ozorne, Varice or Lindhall.

Warning: I do not appreciate flames or criticism (CC is okay). This pairing is commonly written about so leave me alone. If you don't like homosexual couplings go back to the main page without reading it. If you don't give a damn or like this sort of thing, please read on.

A/L

OOC, slightly smutty, and contains slash. I think/hope.

Fists pounded on the door.

"Arram? Arram?" The voice was slightly angry, but worried at the same time was very anxious. "Arram, open this door right now!"

Silence.

Lindhall muttered the words to unlock a door. He breathed a sigh of relief only to discover more spells on that door than there were horses in Carthak city. His face reddened with irritation and worry.

He slowly made his way through the hundreds of spells. What was the boy thinking? Why did he need this many spells? There were charms for anti-breaking, no entry, silencing and anything else Arram would think appropriate to place on a door.

Personally, Lindhall didn't blame the boy. Ozorne had been exceedingly overpowering in the past few month's. He wanted Arram to do exactly as he was told. He wanted him to be a battle mage, despite Draper's incredible hatred for battle. The thought of battle made him go queasy, and killing someone made Arram get sick.

He finally penetrated the spells and the door swung open. As his eyes, adjusted to the light, or really the lack of it, Lindhall scanned the room quickly. The desk was piled with books, large enough to fill his arms. But, no Arram sat at the table. The floor was also stacked with books of every size. The bed was too. In fact, nearly every surface was piled with books.

Lindhall stepped towards the bed, hoping that was were Arram was. He was giddy with hope. He carefully got the books on the queen-sized bed and used magic to pile them neatly on the already overfilled bookshelves. But, as it cleared he realised that Arram wasn't in bed.

Despite this, he set to work, clearing the bed and setting them on shelves and placing them in a better order.

The shelves were groaning from the weight when he remembered that Arram had another room. So, grabbing a pile of more books he entered Arram's little library. And that's where he was.

On the floor, slumped against a shelf, was Arram, his ex-student. Lindhall dropped the books and raced to his side. Arram was breathing in ragged gasps. He was pale against the crimson carpet and his dark hair. Lindhall rummaged in his belt purse for his wakeflower. Supporting his back and head, Lindhall's long pale fingers felt a shallow cut and congealed blood on the back of his young friends' skull. He winced and uncorked the vial. He held it under his nose and for a few moments, nothing happened. Then, if it was possible, Arram paled further, gasped then retched dryly. He sat up with a jerk but fell back down into Lindhall's hold, his hand pressed to his forehead. He blinked rapidly, clearing his vision.

"Lindhall? What are you doing here?" he croaked.

"I might ask you the same thing." He answered mildly. "What are you doing on the floor?"

He sat up and looked around. "I… I think I passed out…"

"Obviously. How did you pass out?"

"I was trying a spell and… I think it backfired. Literally."

Lindhall studied the once full-of-life face. His gorgeous dark eyes were weary and bloodshot. The sign of crow's feet were on the corners of his eyes and shadows were obvious beneath them. He looked like skin and bone.

"Arram, when was the last time you saw sunlight?" Lindhall asked sternly.

He frowned "Um… yesterday."

"What day was that?" he asked too gently.

"Uhh, Tuesday? Morning?"

"I have news for you. It's Sunday evening. Have you been unconscious that long? Have you eaten in that time?"

"…no… I don't think. Oh, Lindhall, I'm never going to know enough to pass the test!" Tears began streaming from his eyes "What am I doing this for? It's too hard! I mean, I'm only doing this for Celia, and it's not as if she's alive to tell me to do this." He wiped his eyes, but couldn't stem the flow. "Nothing will stay in my head. I read it and it's in one ear and out the other. It's too hard. The examination is on Friday night. What if they ask me to use a word of power? I should just go and tell them that I can't do it and save myself the embarrassment." He sat up slowly and Lindhall pulled his arms away. The older man got to his feet and gave Arram a hand up.

"Come out of here. I'll clear that cut up for you." Arram nodded. His lip trembled and to his greater shame tears rolled down his face again. Lindhall pulled the boy into his arms and held him tightly. His arms fitted too well around his shoulders; they were so thin and shook with shudders of his sobs.

He wept harshly "I miss Celi. I miss her so much. I just want her back. I have to learn all this stuff, but it's purposeless. It means nothing in life. I wish Celi was here. She'd find a way to help me learn it all." Arram cried into that crisp linen shirt until he was all cried out. Finally he pulled his head off that strong shoulder. "I'm sorry." He whispered, averting his eyes.

"That's alright Arram. I know it's hard. I really should look at your cut now."

Arram nodded. They entered his main room and as Arram sat on the bed, Lindhall got a bowl of water and cloth.

Arram rested his head on his knees, begging his nausea to go away. Or was it desire that was making him dizzy.

Lindhall began to gently dab at the cut. Arram winced.

Silence settled between them. Finally the cut was clean and Lindhall got up.

"Thank-you Lindhall." Arram whispered. He joined Lindhall in a standing position. Lindhall had the powerful urge to do something incredibly dangerous and impulsive as he felt himself drowning in those deep eyes. Then Arram blinked and Lindhall was back to the real world.

"I'm going to see you tomorrow morning. I am going to make sure you eat." Lindhall said. Arram just nodded.

Lindhall walked towards the door and when he turned back he saw the boy flop down onto the bed. He rolled over onto his side and he saw his shoulders shaking again. Lindhall knew it wasn't a good idea for him to spend the night alone. He might even return to his old habits of cutting himself.

He walked over to the bed and sat on it. His hand went to rest on the thin shuddering shoulder.

"Arram…" his voice was full of sympathy "Arram, tell me what's wrong?" He knew that a good deal of this grief was from his intense stress, but this was not normal for Arram.

He looked up at his mentor, his eyes full of mortification. His face looked so childlike, so innocent and unadulterated.

"She, she died. Two years ago today."

"Oh Arram," his voice was full of sympathy. He knew how much Celia, his little sister had meant to him. But about two years ago Arram had got an illness that had taken Celia's life. Then Arram started cutting himself as a release. Once Lindhall took him on as a pupil he slowly ceased but the temptation was always there. That was why Arram was so upset now. He felt as if he had lost all hope and his friends were far from good. Varice never looked twice at the gibbering bookworm and Ozorne was forcing him to be a battle Mage. Then the added stress of attempting to be a Black Robe Mage had him teetering on the edge of death and life.

Arram rolled over to face his mentor. "I'm so alone," he whispered "I want to feel loved. I need to feel loved,"

Lindhall stared at him, at a loss for words. He looked so beautiful, but a miserable beauty. His face shone with tears and made his lips look so smooth. His hair was fanned out around his head, like the ying-yang, darkness against light. It looked like a black halo. The fire that Lindhall had lit sent a soft glow over the room. The crimson and dark wood of the room was extremely arousing.

They were both breathless as their eyes met and they delved into the others soul. Arram wanted love. And now as he thought bout it, he was only interested in Varice for two reasons: He would liked to have said that he lost his virginity to the court beauty and secondly he just wanted to fit in so he went along with the other boys when they exclaimed over her sensuality.

Lindhall also wanted love. But a love differing from Arram's. He wanted love, the forever kind. In the Yamani Isles relationships between the same sexes was fine. It was considered a natural part of life. But they were alone in that belief. In Carthak it was still considered repulsive. But Lindhall was not able to overcome his attraction and infatuation with men. He had had a few experiences with both men and women, but they wee all one night stands. His practice with women came from girls' that his old friends fooled around with then cast off. But, he didn't enjoy it so he had just resigned himself to years alone. But, he was infatuated with his young student. And here he was sitting on the large bed, beside him and he was so close and…

NO! No! Bad thoughts, bad bad, erotic, BAD thoughts!

But Arram was in such need of love and needed a distraction. He could provide both.

If Arram had been standing he would have swayed from giddiness. Desire for the man who sat beside him pumped through his veins like adrenaline. He wanted him so badly right then. He wanted to feel those warm lips on his cold ones and… STOP! GO away! HE IS YOUR TEACHER!

Arram felt the blood rush to his face. All these thoughts, thought they felt as if they lasted a lifetime, only lasted a moment.

"Arram," Lindhall began in a hushed voice "I, I have a way you won't forget some spells. But you're going to have to trust me on this," He knew he was manipulating him, but he needed this boy.

Arram nodded.

Lindhall bent and slowly eased his lips over Arram's. Arram tensed into the kiss but immediately relaxed. It felt so good, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Craving and want nearly swamped Arram as it went on and became vehement.

While they kissed Lindhall muttered the words of a spell and its use. Arram comprehended and the words stayed in his mind.

Lindhall pulled away slightly and got up. He walked to the door and locked it. Arram flicked his wrist and the protection spells rose on it. On his way back to the bed Lindhall shed his robe and left it in a heap on the floor. Then he sat next to Arram and began kissing him again. Their lips were swollen and throbbing.

Arram sat up slightly and began to undo the buttons on Lindhall's shirt. He pulled off his own robe and shirt. He didn't know if he could last.

He felt Lindhall's tongue on his lips and he opened his mouth allowing him to probe it.

Lindhall groaned as he felt Arram's hands go to his breeches and he untied them.

He pulled off his boots and hose and Arram undid his own. Lindhall was murmuring spells the whole time and Arram was storing them away. They felt giddy, as if they had just drunk a large amount of wine. Arram felt Lindhall's finger work every nuance of his chest. He didn't stop until they had explored every nuance on their bodies.

They were infinitely curious, exploring hesitantly but then went on boldly. It was as if a male's body was a completely different land to them. Like, like a woman's.

Arram and Lindhall couldn't keep the groans of pleasure inside them. Lindhall was pleased to hear a deep sound of enjoyment in Arram's throat. It had entrancing effects and nearly sent him over the edge, but he wanted Arram to enjoy this as much as he was, so he kept his release until he was sure Arram had climaxed.

Arram held out as long as he could but Lindhall was giving him intense enjoyment so soon he was spent. Lindhall came soon after the boy.

Well, he hadn't had a lot of experience.

He rolled off Arram onto his satin sheets, both lusts slaked and both spent.

They just lay on the bed, staring at the dark roof, breathing heavily.

Lindhall cleared is throat and Arram looked at him.

"That, that was…" he didn't want to sound inexperienced but that had been truly amazing! He remembered his spells. They were buzzing around his head along with the endorphins.

"Did you remember the spells?" he asked. Arram nodded happily. "Good. Then, do you think we should celebrate?"

Arram knew what he meant by 'celebrate'. He nodded vigorously and their mouths met.

hides from flames OMG! Did I write that? I cannot believe I wrote something like this. I was really unsure about a lot of it but, I hope you guys liked it. Review please (Without flames. Keep your insults to yourself.)

I Swear, Wild Goose Chase, After Dawn, Confrontations and all the other stories are coming but they are so good in my head but horrible on paper. You all know how it is.