Chapter 6

"Good… well, I think it's morning." Armand was pleased to see that Gabriel apparently didn't regret his decision to sleep together. It'd always hurt Richelieu to find out that a warm and loving man at night became cold and disgusted at the break of dawn, seeing his nightly actions as sin and praying for forgiveness during the next mass. It was an immense relieve that Gabriel wasn't one of them.

"A good morning to you too." Armand chuckled. "Have you slept well?" Gabriel gave him a warm smile. "Yes, very well. Thanks for staying." The cardinal snuggled up to the other man some more, gently stroking his injured, but strong chest. "It was my pleasure." This time, the younger man chuckled. "Yes, I got that idea." So Gabriel knew... and he didn't mind... out of gratitude? Or did he feel the same? The strong arms still holding Armand and the hand that was absent-mindedly playing with his hair, indicated the last.

"Feeling better?" Richelieu hadn't forgotten the state in which he'd found Gabriel. If he'd ever find out the names of those guards, he'd see to it that they were executioned straight away. How dared they hurt this beautiful man... this angel.

"Much better, thanks to you... Armand, was it?" The older man's heart summersaulted. He's remembered! Despite his weakened state, Gabriel had taken the effort of remembring his name! But was it everything the young man knew of him? Did he know of his status? Well, only one way to find out... "Yes, Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu. More commonly known as cardinal Richelieu." He both anticipated and feared the other man's reaction.