Day 123, 1415hrs
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Yozak paused just outside the door to Gwendal's office. He could hear Wolfram and Gwendal talking. Apparently Wolfram had begun to feel bad about how he'd been treating Conrad of late. He wanted Gwendal's advice on how to make things right. Good because right now Conrad needed the support of his family. Yuri's support was unquestionable. They all knew the king would never waver in his loyalty to his godfather.
Hopefully when their king returned to their world he could convince Conrart of that fact.
Wolfram it appeared didn't think apologizing would be enough to undo the damage he'd done. Yozak sighed much as he didn't want to interrupt this tender moment; he had a really bad feeling about leaving Conrart alone.
"Just apologize kiddo," Yozak said calmly as he entered Gwendal's office. "Conrad will accept that. He cares about you Wolfram. However right now he needs you, a lot more then you need him. Just go and apologize to him. He's in his rooms, when I left he was about to take a bath. I'm going to go back and stay with him for a bit, but I'm sure he'd appreciate some company before then."
Wolfram nodded, "I think I'll give Conrad some privacy while he bathes, and I'll look in on him afterwards." With that he turned and left the room, but he paused in the doorway. "Thank you Yozak." he said simply and then he was gone.
Yozak gave his report with a brisk efficiency before asking questions of his own chief among them being 'what the hell was currently going on'. He wanted information and he wanted it now. To his utter shock Gwendal had no clue who the other father was. Apparently their where to many rumors flying around the palace grounds about the identity of the child's father.
"To make matters worse," Gwendal confided while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "He won't Confirm or deny any of the people named."
Yozak ran a hand through his hair and considered the interesting situation he'd just found himself in. he knew the identity of the child's father, but Gwendal didn't. He considered Conrad's words earlier and realized, the younger man truly was afraid of being forced into a marriage he didn't want.
He sighed. "Let me ask you something Gwendal, if you knew who the father was what would you do?"
"I'd investigate whether or not my suspicions that the bastard raped my little brother is correct." Gwendal replied bluntly.
"And if they are?" Yozak asked trying to keep his tone nonchalant.
Gwendal sighed, "there was a time when I would have told you he'd be a dead before he could draw another breath. However our king would look down on capital punishment, as such I will settle for another punishment."
Yozak inclined his head before asking, "Would you force Conrad to marry the man?"
"Over my dead body!" Gwendal's reply was immediate.
However it still wasn't enough for Yozak, he had just one more question. "And if he didn't? If Conrad truly was just too drunk to remember the events of that night; what then, would you force him to marry?"
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Day 123, 1430hrs
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Conrad shifted slightly in the warm water of his bath, trying not to fall asleep. He'd have to get out soon or he would fall asleep. Yozak should be back soon, he should start packing. But he was so, so tiered. Maybe he could catch a quick nap before heading down to Yozak's room. It should be safe, Aisen would have to be incredibly stupid to ignore how much of a threat Yozak could become when crossed.
The soft sound of a door opening heralded his best friend's return. That was faster than I expected. "I'm still in the bath," he called absently. He slipped under the water to give himself a final rinse before getting out – as such he missed the bathroom door opening.
He failed to realize the danger he was in until he surfaced again, and a moist rag was clamped over his nose and mouth. He struggled, thrashing briefly – before his world went black.
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Day 123,1432hrs
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Aisen smiled as pulled the rag away from his lover's face and tossed it to the floor. He'd held the rag over the other man's nose and mouth for almost a full minute after he'd stopped thrashing Just to be sure the other man was out and wouldn't make a scene when he carried him out of the palace. Grabbing the other man under the arms he hauled him up out of the water. He was careful of the man's stomach and his growing children, but that was all he was careful of. If Conrad woke with bruises – well it wasn't what he deserved.
He deserved a beating, for the way he'd been acting – pressing himself up against THAT MAN as if he was nothing more than a whore working the pleasure district of the slums. He couldn't give the man the beating he deserved, not while he was pregnant. But he would punish him.
Conrad would learn to respect him!
He would learn to do what he was told when he was told.
His lover was going to spend the next week sleeping on the floor like a dog – until he learned a dogs loyalty and begged to be allowed to sleep on the bed.
Conrad's ankle slammed into the hard stone of his bathing pool's ledge.
Aisen smiled – at least the whore would have some bruises to show for all the extra work he was forcing him to go through. He dragged the man out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. Even pregnant Conrad was light enough that he could have easily carried him.
But Conrad needed to learn that from now on he controlled pleasure and pain. If Conrad behaved then he would feel a lot less pain. The sooner Conrad learned that – the sooner he could start giving the man pleasure rather than pain.
He dropped his beloved unceremoniously onto the bed and pulled the note he'd written to Lord Von Voltaire, supposedly from Conrad, out of his jacket pocket. It was a little bit wet from all of Conrad's thrashing, but he doubted anyone would notice once it had dried.
The forgery was a very good one, he'd stolen several papers form Conrad's office over the course of the last ten months and had studied the man's handwriting in case of such an eventuality. He'd copied Conrad's handwriting right down to the little curlicue at the end of his G's. He set the note down on the nightstand and made his way over to the antique writing table with an attached bookcase. He needed Conrad's personal seal and wax.
Upon opening the desk part of the armoire he was disgusted at what he found six separate seals sat in a neat little row, next to several rows of different colored wax. He turned around and glared at the man currently passed out and shivering on the bed. He just couldn't make this easy for him. he glared at the things, in annoyance. Eventually he made an educated guess, and used the least used stick of wax and the seal bearing a rampant lion – that one just had to be his personal seal.
He dribbled the wax onto his letter and sealed it before tossing the wax and seal back onto the desktop and closing the door.
That done he set about choosing the clothing his love was going to be wearing when they eloped. He couldn't very well carry him out of the palace naked.
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Day 123, 1457hrs
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Satisfied with Gwendal's answer to his questions, Yozak saw no reason not to share the information he was in possession of. "Aisen."
"What?" Gwendal looked completely startled.
"The other father," Yozak clarified. "His name is Aisen Esters; he transferred into Conrad's unit a little over ten months ago. He was a foot soldier, Conrad accepted him as a personal favor to his twin brother (he's a mutual friend) who was hoping to see his brother succeed for once and hopefully find happiness. And just so you know – I share your suspicions." He paused briefly then added. "As for the rumors you mentioned the ones that name me as the father, if we can't prove Aisen Raped Conrad, or if he did get Conrad so drunk he consented, I want you to encourage them."
Gwendal blinked, "You do realize that the council would see that as a legitimate excuse to force the two of you to marry. Particularly if you don't deny the rumor –"
Yozak blinked and pulled his gift from where he'd hidden it inside of his tunic and handed it to Gwendal, "I had every intention of taking Conrad out for a picnic tonight and giving that to him then, however now I don't think he needs the stress, if they want to force Conrad into a marriage then I'm more than willing to protect him. if I have to I'll even tell the council that we had some drinks and woke up in bed together. It's true in a way, we had a few drinks and I crashed in his rooms. If Conrad's willing I'll do everything in my power to keep him safe from that creep!"
Gwendal looked completely flabbergasted, so he continued. "Conrad's going to stay with me for a few days, I found him in the hall way having a shouting match with Aisen. When I left Conrad was going to have a bath and pack a bag. I have a bad feeling about leaving him alone so I'm going to go collect him. If you need me come either send someone to get me or come find me."
With that he turned and left the room, he had a bad feeling and he wanted to get back to Conrad quickly.
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A.N. well here you go another chapter Read and review.