Part Eighteen

Giving his tunic one last tug down his thighs and fixing his vest's collar, Robert darted through winding corridors toward the opposite end of the castle. He smelled of aftershave and cologne, thinly disguising the musky scent of sweat and sex. Running splayed fingers through his scruffy hair, he hoped he would look presentable by the time he reached his destination.

He was exhausted, and leaving Michael sound asleep in his bed was both a shame and a risk that played heavily on his mind. He didn't even notice the other presence in one of his many sitting rooms as he hurried through it.

"Where are you off to?"
Robert cursed under his breath. Johnny - nocturnal or insomniac, he didn't know - stayed up until all hours. Doing what exactly, he had no idea.
"I have something urgent I need to take care of."
The redhead gave a doubtful frown. "At this hour?"
"I do not have time for this, so either you shut up or come with me."

As they made their way outside and past the tennis court, Robert gave no hints as to where they were going. The helicopter waiting for them told Johnny that it wasn't somewhere nearby.

"Where-" He began, and was quickly cut off with a sharp answer.
"Moscow."

"Moscow?" He repeated, unsure he'd heard correctly over the roar of the propeller blades as they took off. "Are you insane, Robert?! What is so important there that you have to race off in the middle of the night?"
"I have to visit someone." The knight said simply, subconsciously touching Griffolyon through his vest.

Johnny shook his head, realisation hitting him suddenly. "Oh no... No! You're not going to challenge them, are you?"
"I have to."
"For that damned All Star?" He yelled in disbelief. "Why?!"
"Because I love him!"

Jurgens Castle wasn't even visible any more as the highlander looked back at the mountain range on the dark horizon. He was lost for words... Robert loved a good battle; the thrill of victory; upholding his honour. He'd never loved the tangible - nor the common - before.

He glanced at Robert's reflection behind his own in the window. He was like a completely different person; lying back, relaxed... contented.

"Oh my god." Realisation struck him the more he studied his captain's self-satisfied aura. "You fucked him."
Robert met Johnny's eyes in his reflection. "That is such an ugly word."
"An ugly word for an ugly act." He snapped back, turning around. "What are you trying to do to yourself?! Do you want your uncle to disown you?!"
"If that is the price for my happiness, then yes."

"How could you...?" Johnny screwed up his face in confusion and disgust. "It's like you don't even care any more!"
"On the contrary - I have never cared more."

"Robert..." He began awkwardly, realising whatever he said would be promptly argued with. "You're the only friend I have... I don't want you to do anything stupider than you already have."
"Upholding my duty to protect and avenge those who I love is not stupid, Johnny. You of all people should know that."

"You're going to get yourself killed - and for what? For him?! He's not worth it!"
"Because he is not what you would want for yourself? Who are you to decide what someone is worth to me?"
Johnny gave a frustrated huff. "It's not like you... to do something like this, I mean."
"I have lived my entire life under the scrutiny of my peers. I have never done anything that I wanted to do before, and I must say, I have never felt as happy as I do right now. This is what I want... this is what I am going to have."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"You underestimate me."
"I don't mean in battle."
"I know what you mean, Johnny - and you still underestimate me."

Michael's eyes cracked open at the morning light piercing through the window. It took a moment for him to place where he was; his thoughts madly wondering if something else had happened to him.

The memory of the night spent in Robert's arms made him smile. It had been so perfect, he wondered if it had been some beautifully lurid dream... he could still feel Robert's kisses; his touch; the ecstasy he had felt as they became one. But waking up in the tangled mess of Robert's luxurious bed sheets was enough to prove that it had been very real.

He had not seen the master of the castle's private bedroom in daylight, and it was even more grand than the candles the night before had allowed him to see. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and stretching. And then he noticed he was alone.

"Robert?"

All of Johnny's taunts came back to him in a dizzying rush. Was Robert so ashamed of what he had done that he couldn't bear to stay in his bed a moment longer than he had to?

"Robert... are you here?"

Trygle sat on the table beside him, symbolising everything that needed to be said - 'Get out'.

His clothes, thrown across the room in searing passion, had been cleared from the floor and lay washed, ironed and folded on a chair in the corner. Once it wouldn't have worried him that the servants were aware of his promiscuity, but as he sat amongst the ruins of the night before, he felt embarrassed. He was an idiot to think Robert felt something for him - and he was doubly so for feeling something in return.

"The master sends his apologies for being unable to welcome you personally, Ms Tate."
"That's quite all right. Is Michael ready to go?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Gustav flourished his hand toward the doorway to his left. "If you would be so kind as to wait here, I will inform him of your arrival."

The butler knocked on the door of the bedroom, giving Michael warning to hurriedly wipe the tears from his eyes.
"Yeah?" He called out, hoping against hope that it was Robert, but knowing the nobleman wouldn't knock on his own bedroom door.
"Ms Tate is here to collect you, Sir."

"Gustav, wait!" Michael reached out to the man's retreating back. "Where's Robert?"
"He and Master Johnny left the castle together late last night. I have not seen nor heard from either of them since."
"...With Johnny?" It all made perfect sense. The American boy rolled his eyes upwards in an attempt to stall any outpour of emotion, before swallowing hard and bowing his head to look at Trygle, clutched tightly in his hand. "Take me to Judy and Emily."

"Michael!" If Emily had been a bigger-built girl, she would have crash-tackled her captain to the ground as she ran to hug him. "We've missed you so much!"
"Thanks, Shorty." He returned her embrace, wishing all the while that it was Robert in his arms. "How are the guys?"
"They've been going crazy without you... you know, they've actually started acting like civilised human beings."
He forced a laugh, trying to imagine it. "I'll have to fix that right away."

"Are you ready, Michael?" Judy asked impatiently, glancing at her watch none too subtly.
He nodded, letting her hurry him out the door and into the awaiting bus, with barely time to farewell Gustav and the other staff who had come to see him off.

As Judy studied his scars and hounded him about the recent row of stitches on his forehead, Michael cast a dejected look back at the castle as the bus wound its way down the mountainside, its pointed turrets barely visible over the treetops. He felt a small hand grab for his own hand and give it a comforting squeeze.

"It's good to have you back." Emily smiled as he turned to acknowledge her. "I bet you can't wait to get home and start practising again."
"Yeah..." He strained to answer, swallowing the lump of sadness in his throat.

He knew it was going to be difficult to say goodbye. He didn't realise just how difficult. Why hadn't Robert been there? Their night together had been so beautiful. Michael had never felt so loved or so special. And Robert's business personality could just walk away from that - going so far as to not even acknowledging his guest's departure?

He didn't want to cry in front of Judy, and especially not Emily; so he bowed his head and blinked back as many tears as he could, hoping his fringe and cap's brim would hide what his sniffles could not.

"Are you all right?" His team mate asked, putting her arm around him in a reassuring hug - and he couldn't help but wish it was Oliver again.
"Yeah... it still hurts a little." He lied, not looking up.
"We've arranged for the best doctors in America to meet us at the training facility. You're going to be okay."