Kicking himself, Jack rushed forward. He was a Time Agent after all. New things shouldn't bother him and yet, he'd nearly squealed like a girl, when the Prince's eyes had changed. The younger man was even more beautiful as he slept. If such a thing was even possible, mind. He felt a weird pull, deep in his being. Like the Goddess was trying to tell him something. He ignored it, he needed to get back to the agency, didn't he?

After making sure the Prince still lived, he decided there was time to call for help.

Taking one look at the broken chain and the puddle of gold by the knife hilt. The guards snarled, knocking Jack out and dragging him off as Owen entered and more guards brought The Prince to his private, healing hot spring.

Owen shouted instructions as various herbs and tonics were added to the water. "Damn it Ifan I told you… No Powers!" The medic huffed as he checked the hue of his friend's eyes.

~HtBaH~

His head rolled towards the soft singing. Thankful he was still at least somewhat clothed as he floated in the Healing Spring.

"There really is no need, I know your true form."

"It comforts you. I would not deny you that." The Golden Goddess smiled, continuing to hum the Welsh lullaby as his eyes slid closed again. "When you are ready, sweet bairn."

"I never knew the Gods and Goddesses to have patients." Ifan snorted, enjoying the feel of the water.

"We usually don't, but you are…"

"Don't tell me, I'm chosen, special. I never asked…" He huffed, rolling away from her. Even as a prince, if not for his powers, the tattoo on his back. He'd be just like any other semi human settler. A wraith, one of the masses that the deities watched over and didn't interfere with.

"Yes, the settlers chose your parents to lead and because of this, the Fates chose to make you special."

"Sorry I'm just…" Ifan muttered morosely. "If I'm so special why do the Fates hate me? Why dangle things in front of me, only to take them away? Are they still punishing me for trying to make my kingdom strong?" He demanded. "Wasn't losing Keiren enough for them?" He added, his eyes purple, his back glowing and the water rising up around him.

"He's not ready, when he's ready he will come back to you. The Fates don't hate you, you're just not ready either." She answered softly, his shoulders slumping and the water falling back into the spring, like it had never left. "You can manipulate almost everything. But not even you can bend, or haisten true love. Sweet bairn. It's not meant to be that fast and easy."

"I'm so tired."

"Sleep my prince, when you wake, you will know what you must do."

HtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaH

Jack let out a grunt as the whip hit again. His back was a crisscross mess. Blood dripped from the latticework across his skin. He hadn't expected such fierce loyalty, such anger for, even threatening, their Prince's life. Could-should he just have explained his situation? Perhaps the younger man would have listened and tried to help. Instead he went off half-cocked and now he was being beaten within an…

"STOP!"

~HtBaH~

"This is very unusual, but the Prince has spoken and I'm not complaining, mind. Such a nice, sweet little lamb. Asked me for the best treatment and that's what you'll get."

Jack cracked an eye open, he remembered that maid calling her Mrs. Gwen. She was cleaning his wounds before he'd be soaked in some sort of spring. He was naked, save for boxers of a sort. His eyes slid closed again as he listened to Mrs. Gwen vent to the others, helping.

"More than he deserves, but who am I to say. My Rhys is alive, in good standing and happy thanks to the Prince. And me, head of maid staff, who'd have thought?"

'Goddess be, this Prince is a Saint and he'd just assumed he was like every other douchebag royal' Jack cringed. Moaning as they lifted him into the water.

"There healed in no time. Should have let him rot. Apparently, the Prince sees something in him. Goddess only knows. I really thought we'd see him smile again though, poor lamb. This wolf in sheep's clothing sure mucked that up, right proper. It's always the pretty ones, isn't it?" Gwen sighed as she allowed the guards in to keep watch.

HtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaHHtBaH

He woke up in what was obviously a medical ward. The same guards at the door and a rodent faced man striding towards his bed. "Thank the gods, if he's awake, it's likely he can travel. Go tell Andy to get the stuff ready."

"You're letting me go! Just like that?"

"He does speak!" Owen snarked. "A lot of us would love nothing more than to whip you again and let you rot in a cell. I have no intelligent reason why the stunt you pulled didn't kill him, but he's alive and ordered us to get you healed, supplied and on your merry." The doctor added with a huff.

"I almost killed him?" Jack mumbled, slumping. "I never… I don't belong here, I just wanted to go home."

"He probably would have helped you yah wanker. As it stands, consider a tracking horse with provisions the best you'll get. Now get the bloody hell out of my infirmary." Owen griped, turning away.

~HtBaH~

The guards left him little choice. Accompanying him as far as the outer limits of the kingdom. Flat lands, maybe some marshes a few trees greeted him, he was starting to honestly regret his rash actions a few nights ago. As night fell things started looking up as he found a series of caves to bunk down in.

Curious, he started to go through his supplies. He nearly spit out his drink of water when he spotted the Transponder. "You beautiful man!" Jack exclaimed with a whoop of joy. Then faltered, he'd nearly killed him and he still…

Jonah was never even that nice. True the sex had been amazing, mind blowing, but was that enough? Obviously not, considering his partner had escaped, leaving him trapped in the Slave/Servant training camp. Honestly not the worst he'd been in, not nearly. If you asked him, it was almost like being in a trade school where there was even a course in how to please your Dominant/boss. He'd never admit to it, maybe he would, but he'd been so adept at good sex, they made him a 'tutor'. All in all, his status as an 'upper classman' had made his time there rather easy.

Even glowing purple, the Prince's eyes had been breath taking. And Gods that back, he wanted to map that intricate, gorgeous, and stunning tattoo with his tongue. He should have kept playing possum and gotten that fuck. Explained his situation, given The Prince a chance. Now he felt like an absolute shite. Truly alone and abandoned with no one to blame, but himself.

TBC…