p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"When Loxley came to visit him for the first time, it took him a considerable while to remember that the outlaw had been dead for many years. But then he realized that this did not bother one bit, for he was glad that he had come anyway. Before that, he had been suffering from a sense of loneliness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"And with each following visit, he was thinking about this rarer and rarer. Instead, he marveled at how well Loxley looked. The outlaw seemed to have recovered completely from his injuries and he was very glad about that, too. It was only with a shudder that he recalled what he had come across back on the Tor and had buried in the forest. The remains had held no trace of the man, and he was no longer to be recognized./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But by now he was once again able to admire the beauty of the outlaw, the long dark hair, the intelligent green eyes, the expressive face, the strong hands and the shapely figure. It was sheer pleasure to look at him standing there before him in the light of the sun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But as soon as Loxley turned his eyes on him, he could not help but lower his gaze. He just did not want to witness how the other person's facial expression would change as soon as he glanced at him. He knew all too well what the other one was going to see and that was why he would not watch him in those moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Still, he was unable to avoid going into comparing the two of them. He called to mind the feet of Loxley, which were stuck in clean boots, and then his muscular legs, followed by a look at his own bare and dirty feet, which were caked with dried blood and covered with wounds. He gazed at the metal shackles that enclosed his ankles and kept chafing the skin underneath. And he would look at his legs, which were not much thicker than the bones that lay just beneath the skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"This also reminded him of how long he had suffered from hunger, that had become so acute that he even pounced on the garbage they threw in at him, which at first he had assumed was what the hogs had refused to devour. Later on, he was not anymore so certain about that. However, since the hunger had gone away in the meantime, he also had forgotten when he had been given his last meal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"In contrast, Loxley's hands featured long strong fingers that were not only capable of getting a good grip, but also of tender caressing. He proved this on all of his visits. The other one used to put a finger under his chin and lift his head, which otherwise had become so heavy that he could not move it on his own. And while doing so, he assured him on each occasion that he was the most gorgeous man he had ever encountered during his life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"And then Loxley's fingers continued to trail. Through the scruffy and shaggy beard that covered his chin and cheeks. Over the lips, which he kept tightly closed so that the other man could not find out what was missing behind them. Over the cheeks that were disfigured by the burns. Over the broken nose and over the spot where his left eye had been. The fingers touched all these places with tenderness and sent a pleasant shiver down his spine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"This also gave him the strength, to look into the other man's face again. If his mouth had not been so awfully parched, he too would have assured him that he was the most gorgeous man he had ever known, for this was nothing but the plain truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Only afterwards did he remember that he would never be able to reveal this to the other person. Those who detained him had made sure that he could no longer speak. However, they had waited with this until they had taken something else from him, which was much more important to him. For a long time, he had managed not to give the other people the satisfaction of hearing him scream, but when the king himself had come to witness his manhood being taken from him, he had no strength left to resist. He had screamed until he was hoarse, not for the pain, however, but for the humiliation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Thereafter, he was no longer interested in what more was taken from him. Or what was done to him. Then again, that was when Loxley visited him for the first time, which was much more crucial than what was happening to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He enjoyed watching the outlaw while he stood in the light of the sun, and at the same time he was glad to be able to blend into the darkness of the windowless cell as he was ashamed of what he had become. And yet it brought him pleasure when Loxley's gaze fell on him and his fingers caressed him. This was not just due to the fact that it was the only distraction for him, since the door to his cell had not been opened for a long time. He could not remember how long ago that had occurred, as even that was not of any significance. He preferred to ponder the outlaw as he lay on the cold, damp floor, held immobile by the heavy shackles around his wrists and ankles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Finally, the day came for which he had been waiting. The day when at last Loxley invited him to come with him. The day when he was able to accept this request with happiness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I don't have to be considerate of Marion anymore," Loxley assured him, and he himself reflected that he, as well, no longer had to hold back since one of the first things the king had taken away from him was the title of knight. At that time, he had considered it a great humiliation, but now he perceived it as a liberation, for now he could do those very things that he had been prohibited from doing in the past./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""To me, you are the most gorgeous man and I love you," Loxley confirmed to him while offering him his hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I love you too," he replied to him as he followed the man he had loved since he had first laid eyes on him. He was finally able to truly enjoy his bliss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I will never leave you, Gisburne," the outlaw promised to him, and he had no doubt that Loxley would keep that promise. For all of eternity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"And with each following visit, he was thinking about this rarer and rarer. Instead, he marveled at how well Loxley looked. The outlaw seemed to have recovered completely from his injuries and he was very glad about that, too. It was only with a shudder that he recalled what he had come across back on the Tor and had buried in the forest. The remains had held no trace of the man, and he was no longer to be recognized./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But by now he was once again able to admire the beauty of the outlaw, the long dark hair, the intelligent green eyes, the expressive face, the strong hands and the shapely figure. It was sheer pleasure to look at him standing there before him in the light of the sun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But as soon as Loxley turned his eyes on him, he could not help but lower his gaze. He just did not want to witness how the other person's facial expression would change as soon as he glanced at him. He knew all too well what the other one was going to see and that was why he would not watch him in those moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Still, he was unable to avoid going into comparing the two of them. He called to mind the feet of Loxley, which were stuck in clean boots, and then his muscular legs, followed by a look at his own bare and dirty feet, which were caked with dried blood and covered with wounds. He gazed at the metal shackles that enclosed his ankles and kept chafing the skin underneath. And he would look at his legs, which were not much thicker than the bones that lay just beneath the skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"This also reminded him of how long he had suffered from hunger, that had become so acute that he even pounced on the garbage they threw in at him, which at first he had assumed was what the hogs had refused to devour. Later on, he was not anymore so certain about that. However, since the hunger had gone away in the meantime, he also had forgotten when he had been given his last meal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"In contrast, Loxley's hands featured long strong fingers that were not only capable of getting a good grip, but also of tender caressing. He proved this on all of his visits. The other one used to put a finger under his chin and lift his head, which otherwise had become so heavy that he could not move it on his own. And while doing so, he assured him on each occasion that he was the most gorgeous man he had ever encountered during his life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"And then Loxley's fingers continued to trail. Through the scruffy and shaggy beard that covered his chin and cheeks. Over the lips, which he kept tightly closed so that the other man could not find out what was missing behind them. Over the cheeks that were disfigured by the burns. Over the broken nose and over the spot where his left eye had been. The fingers touched all these places with tenderness and sent a pleasant shiver down his spine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"This also gave him the strength, to look into the other man's face again. If his mouth had not been so awfully parched, he too would have assured him that he was the most gorgeous man he had ever known, for this was nothing but the plain truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Only afterwards did he remember that he would never be able to reveal this to the other person. Those who detained him had made sure that he could no longer speak. However, they had waited with this until they had taken something else from him, which was much more important to him. For a long time, he had managed not to give the other people the satisfaction of hearing him scream, but when the king himself had come to witness his manhood being taken from him, he had no strength left to resist. He had screamed until he was hoarse, not for the pain, however, but for the humiliation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Thereafter, he was no longer interested in what more was taken from him. Or what was done to him. Then again, that was when Loxley visited him for the first time, which was much more crucial than what was happening to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He enjoyed watching the outlaw while he stood in the light of the sun, and at the same time he was glad to be able to blend into the darkness of the windowless cell as he was ashamed of what he had become. And yet it brought him pleasure when Loxley's gaze fell on him and his fingers caressed him. This was not just due to the fact that it was the only distraction for him, since the door to his cell had not been opened for a long time. He could not remember how long ago that had occurred, as even that was not of any significance. He preferred to ponder the outlaw as he lay on the cold, damp floor, held immobile by the heavy shackles around his wrists and ankles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Finally, the day came for which he had been waiting. The day when at last Loxley invited him to come with him. The day when he was able to accept this request with happiness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I don't have to be considerate of Marion anymore," Loxley assured him, and he himself reflected that he, as well, no longer had to hold back since one of the first things the king had taken away from him was the title of knight. At that time, he had considered it a great humiliation, but now he perceived it as a liberation, for now he could do those very things that he had been prohibited from doing in the past./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""To me, you are the most gorgeous man and I love you," Loxley confirmed to him while offering him his hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I love you too," he replied to him as he followed the man he had loved since he had first laid eyes on him. He was finally able to truly enjoy his bliss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""I will never leave you, Gisburne," the outlaw promised to him, and he had no doubt that Loxley would keep that promise. For all of eternity./span/p