9

Ianto was still getting his robes adjusted.

Jack entered with the slow gait of someone who really should not be walking anywhere. He paused in the doorway as he took in the plain black robes and the hood Ianto was flicking up to cover his face completely. Ah shit. He was gonna hide?

"Ianto?"

Ianto turned towards him and then back to the mirror as he motioned for the tailor to continue "Yes my prince?"

"Ah… I think I was a prick earlier. I was tired, aching and I should have measured my words more."

"No. You should never have to monitor anything between us. For I am giving you my life after all. That also means I am there beside you for the rest of yours. Now I understand your lack of desire in being anything more than a simple… shadow… I am making the necessary adjustments. No… I don't want that… the hood must be lower… I might want to snooze and do not want to appear rude. Clearly, sometimes I will not be interested in his life but must be beside him at all times, even in the War Room where I will not have a say or opinion so… best I be as unimportant and unnoticeable as possible."

"That's not what I want. I want you front and center with me!" Jack said then stated to cough.

Ianto rushed to him, letting the robes fall away to display the pretty clothing his dour coats hid. Pretty pale blues and the palest of greens, like water. Jack stood watching him move and saw the prettiness of him, the delicate way with which he held himself "Ianto… you can't hide. Look at you. Who takes a butterfly and turns it into a moth? You… you are like eye candy."

"Funny… that's what John Hart called me" Ianto sighed "I don't know how to read you. You infuriate me in a way I cannot explain."

"Yeah… I have that effect on people all the time" Jack rasped, letting Ianto settle him on a stool, then crouch to place his long delicate hand on Jack's knee as he looked up into his face. My gods. He is… oh man. Jack had never looked before, not really looked and he finally saw what Owen had been trying to say.

He had brought Jack more than a pretty.

He had brought home a rare gem.

"I am sorry Ianto. Forgive me."

"Well... how can I refuse a man who is about to choke to death in front of me. How sad" Ianto quipped blandly.

Jack smiled.

A step forward… right?

.

.

The bonding ceremony was short and sweet. Words said by the old man who waved his hand over their joined hands, then came the blade and the sting as flesh was cut, blood was joined and the bond began. It was a gentle push, like a feather touch to Ianto but he saw the immediate change in Jack who leaned back with a loud gasp, then he seemed to straighten and find his spine as Ianto's life-force bled into his own weakened one.

"Wow" Jack finally breathed with owner. The power. The strength. Wow. Everything looked… so… freaking pretty… bright like someone opened the blinds and let the sunlight into a dark room.

"Breathe" Ianto said softly reaching out to grab Jack's upper arms so he could stabilize the man who was weaving dangerously back and forth. "This is something you have to let wash over you. Don't let it consume… let it settle in. Imagine my blood in your veins, filling them and pushing through each artery, each part of your body… your brain…. Your heart… feel the heat of my heartlight."

"Wow" Jack repeated, his eyes wide as his skin seemed to darken slightly and a soft glow began.

"There we go. That's right. Let it settle, we are going to be OK" Ianto said as he let his own breath out and then let go of Jack to stagger back "whoa…. shit."

"Ianto!" Jack grabbed for him now, alarmed as Ianto paled and then bent forward, bending over to grab his ankles and let the blood rush to his head then straighten up.

"It's OK. You were more ill than you let on, weren't you" Ianto croaked as he let his new lifeforce settle in "You had mere days left."

The Queen made a sound in the back of her throat as she overheard this and turned to her husband who pulled her close, his own face showing his horror in the admission. Yeah, Owen's face showed it to be true as he looked shamefully at his feet.

"But Owen found you. He got you and brought you to me" Jack grinned.

"Actually… I found him. I volunteered once I heard him say what his quest was. I saw a way out from under the thumb of my overbearing parentals who took such delight in letting me know what a disappointment I was to then as a son. This way they are happy to be rid of me, happy I am useful for our realm and ensuring the connection between our bloodlines and at the end of the day… I am free. Moderately… I will always be travelling wherever Jack goes but… I am not the one in the limelight. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, I shall not miss mine one little jot!" Ianto grinned.

The King frowned as he caught the comment and looked over at Owen, beckoning to him as the Queen rushed forward to embrace her son who was looking more animated by the moment.

"Owen… where did you find that young man?"

"Oh. The Young Prince Ifan is the youngest child of the Elvish Royal Family" Owen said calmly "Their late life child. Remember? Came out of the Old Blood and did not stand in many of the family portraits as he does not like the title and ceremony?"

The King stared at the man with open shock "Wait… Royal… are you telling me my Son, the one to one day wear my crown just blended his entire lifeforce to another prince from another realm?"

Owen shrugged as he stepped around the king to hug his friend and the king looked over at the man who had retreated to the outer edge of the room to look at him with those hooded eyes while Jack had the limelight.

Oh shit.

This was not just a bondmate.

This was a royal blending of realms.