Chapter 5: Something There
Albel lay back in his bed, hands behind his head, eyes closed.
"You know, he took great care of you when you were out cold." The Crimson Scourge, laying close to its master, noted out of the blue.
The man made a small noise that was somewhere between a scoff and a hum of interest.
"Albel, dare I ask, how do you feel about your guest?"
He was quiet for a while. "Don't dare. Don't forget your place."
-
The two met on the roof-top arena everyday to face off in sparring. Fayt had practiced back when he had lived in a smaller village and was quick to remember. Albel was pleased to have a worth opponent. They each had their own style of grin on when they clashed close. Blade on blade, forearm on forearm, knee on thigh, each sweating and panting.
At the end of each spar, which could last for hours, Fayt called the day and forfeit. Albel would never admit defeat until he passed out, so Fayt started to look and notice signs that his partner was about to give and gave up before then. Though, there were times when Fayt just honestly couldn't go on. The two would rest against the tall stone wall for a little until dinner was being prepared and they had to get ready.
On that particular day Albel was still disturbed by his blade's earlier question. He sat there, next to Fayt who was panting, pale, and rank with sweat, and watched him for as long as the boy's oblivious nature would let him.
He honestly didn't know the answer, but even if he did he wouldn't confide in it. It would scold him for either being heartless or foolish. The curse demanded that he find a nice girl and settle down, didn't it? Or, no, he reviewed it in his head, it didn't. "If he could learn to love another and to earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken." Another... so... 'No!' Albel scolded himself. 'No, no, no!'
"Albel..." Fayt panted. "You're quiet, are you ok?"
"Yes, fool. Aren't I always quiet?"
"Not like this," The face showed genuine caring, "You're usually smirking, at least. Your face is very quiet. Well... maybe not quiet. You look worried or angry."
"If I were angry, which I'm starting to get, you'd know about it."
"Oh..." They went down early and to their separate rooms. Dinner was eaten silently, Fayt afraid and Albel frustrated.
That night, to calm his nerves, Fayt wandered into the library and dug around for anything to keep his mind busy. He finally got up the nerves to climb the large ladder and dig around the dusty old volumes. A thick, grimy old red-brown book caught his attention.
"The Kin..." He read the title curiously, nodding. "Sounds... interesting..." And he pulled it out, only to let it drop a story down when he was showered with dust. Sneezing horrifically, he was jolted from his place and let out a shout as he fell, futile as it seemed through the thick walls of the huge castle.
A strong arm hooked around his back side, metallic daggers slicing awkwardly on his arm. Fayt let out a moan of pain before the claw re-situated around him, setting him down as he looked into Albel's face which was suddenly a flash of blush.
"A-albel! Thank you." Fayt brushed himself off.
The man tuned, brushing his good arm across his cheek in an aloof gesture to hide his blush. 'Dammit, why'd he have to moan like that?'
"How did you know I was here? I doubt you'd come here for the books..." The comment met a harsh glare. "I-I just mean that-"
"You mean you think I can't read."
"No!"
"Come with me." Albel made a gruff sound and turned, looking at the shelf briefly before going to sit in a large arm chair. Fayt looked desperately for a place to sit until his partner motioned for him to just plop down on the armrest. The boy obeyed and soon the story began.
"Anna Harley sat in the cart behind her pony, Acorn. She was holding Acorn with extra-long reins called lines. Ms. Wiggins sat in the cart next to Anna. Acorn and Anna were learning carriage driving from... what the hell is this crap!" He threw the small chapter book across the room as far as he could.
Fayt gave a small laugh. "It's ok, Albel, I know you can read."
"No! You stay here, and I'll find something to read to you." And he stormed off, scavenging through books until he found one. "Here. Now sit still, maggot! And I'll prove that I can read just fine!"
Fayt just gave him a smile, unaware of his completely adorable appearance, body half turned sitting right at Albel's fleshy shoulder.
The Wicked One shook it off and went to reading. "You're afraid of dragons, aren't you?" He began, continuing down the pages, refusing to look up at Fayt's expression. He flew passed "The man held me tight, reminding me of a feeling I had once. That feeling had been dismissed as unacceptable, merely a side effect of the loneliness that Sophia left me with." with ease, glancing sideways to the encouraging smile beside him.
"I wanted you there. I want to keep you close. I want to keep you with me." He checked again, wincing at the flowery words. Fayt's eyes were drooping, or already closed. Asleep. Albel placed the book aside and gently, hesitantly, reached up and touched the boy's face with his hand. Fayt shuddered, making Albel jump, but didn't awaken.
Instead, actually, the boy decided to make himself more comfortable and reached out for the touch, pulling himself down across Albel's lap. ((Note: The song "You'll be in my Heart" from Tarzan just came on my media player. Beware.)) The man blushed quickly, awkwardly, which he seemed to do a lot lately.
'You're slipping, Albel.' He scolded himself, gritting his teeth. Why did he have to have an inner voice when he was finally away from that nagging blade. "How do you feel about your guest?" and it STILL nagged him.
'How do I feel about Fayt...' His claw was careful in moving a lock of blue hair from the boy's face, unaware that his feeling hand rested comfortably on the boy's rump. 'I think he's an overly polite, kind, smiling fool. No, no, don't think. How do I feel. I feel like...' He pulled the book back into his possession and scanned over it. "I feel like I want you here. I want to keep you close, Fayt. I want to keep you with me."
A tingle ran down his spine as he realized he had whispered that through his lips, the words feeling foreign to them. Frightening, unreal, invigorating.
Fayt let out a little moan as he shift, suddenly uncomfortable. Albel grit his teeth when sensitive parts were hit and helped to move the boy into a position comfortable enough for the both of them. The man sighed, "Stupid, foolish maggot," and fell asleep as well.
-
"I don't know, lady. I don't usually take calls in the middle of the night."
"Now, Shelby." Sophia extended a hand out to Peppita who placed in her palm a large burlap bag. "It's like this." She set it down in from of the large man.
"I'm listening..." He grinned, opening the bag to find gold glittering inside.
"I promised myself I'd be married to Fayt, you see."
"And he turned her down flat!"
Sophia gave Peppita a nice smack. "And we all know his father is a bit... out of it. He came around here today raving about a beast in an enchanted castle!"
"So you want me to sign him into out asylum..."
"Because Fayt would do anything to keep his father safe."
"Even marry her!" This time, Peppita ducked.
"So If he doesn't agree to marry you, then his father is locked up." Sophia and Peppita nodded in agreement. "That's so... so... evil!" Shelby's slow grin reflected off the coins in the devilish candlelight. "I like it."
While they spoke, Robert was in a rush to gather his things. "They won't help me, nobody will help me!" He stuffed another odd invention into his pocket. "Then I'll just go rescue Fayt myself!" And hurried out the door.
Once Sophia and Shelby did arrive to the house, it was empty. The girl growled at her fowl luck and set Peppita to guard the door as it snowed, no matter how much the little one shivered. She could always help herself inside the house, anyway.
-
In the morning it was Fayt who woke up first, confused at first, then rolling onto the floor in realization. 'Wh-why didn't he wake me up!' He cursed. Looking up at the face in wonder, he noticed that the dark red marks under his companion's eyes were lightening to a plumper pink and smiled.
"Maybe... if I was a girl, that is." Then there came the predicament, to wake him or not. It would be awkward to wake him, but rude to leave him. Then Fayt spotted the book, still clasped in the claw. He slipped it out carefully and sat down in a chair a few yards away.
Crimson lips sought my shoulder. Gently, sinisterly, lapping the blood before trailing up my neck and jaw bone. "Are you scared yet?" You breathed in my ear. "Do you realize how deep you are in the lair of the wicked? Does it scare you?" Your arms were sudden, jerky, in bringing me tight up against you. "Is it because you can't run away?"
"Yes." Fayt heard himself whisper quietly.
"Hmm?" He looked up to see red eyes staring down at him. "What were you saying?"
"N-nothing. Just reading."
"Hmm..." He studied the younger curiously. "I'm hungry, let's go."
"Right."
The two walked together through the grand hallways and into the dinning room where breakfast was hastily being prepared.
"Terribly sorry, master." Nel gave a quick bow, expecting a horrible temper.
Albel just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever," and took his seat. But he didn't eat well. His blade's question had opened new doors in his mind. Doors that he could not close as their contents seeped out, ready to overflow as soon as he stopped trying. His eyes watched Fayt as he carefully ate his own soup.
So careful, polite, but determined. Green eyes calm and at home. Blue hair falling carelessly and fine against the boy's soft skin. Skim body perfectly framed in dark blue silks and long cloaks. He looked just like a storybook prince. But... there was something missing. Something every prince should have. The thought drove Albel crazy, studying the boy and trying to place what it was.
Then he remembered.
The red eyes were suddenly lit with surprise of realization, then scowling from self-hatred. What the hell was he thinking! Fayt was... a man. A respectable, good-looking... very appealing indeed, Albel shook his head to keep from getting sidetracked, and probably much loved and wanted, successful man.
In that point of view Albel say the giant 'do not touch' sign hung around the fine neck, written in red paint.
That cloud of scowling depression hung around the man for the rest of the day. He wouldn't spar, the physical contact might be too much for him.
Fayt's air was a little different. Worry plagued him. He noticed the return of sleepless eyes and the growling of an already starved empty stomach. He noticed the sleepless eyes turned towards the ceiling and into books, or giving him a studying, angry, saddened look.
The blue-haired beauty finally took courage to confront him. "Albel, I-"
"Fayt..." He shut the book he was reading and stood, grabbing the boy roughly by the arm.
"Hey! I-"
"Here, you're missing this." The hand positioned the arm gently before reaching into a pocket, placing on the finger before him a thick silver ring.
"Kiss him!" Came the sharp hiss of the Crimson Scourge from beside its master, causing the man to blush.
"Oh, you were reading again? You've been reading a lot lately...Hey!" Fayt shouted as Albel sat back down, pulling him down onto his lap before picking the book back up.
"There he is, he's sitting right there, Albel." The sword persisted. "Or you might never know!"
The man gritted his teeth. "Somehow I had convinced you to stay outside with me that night. I felt itchy in my new cotton clothes, fresh from the store, but I was comfortable laying out on the grass next to you."
"Yes, you want him... look at him, you know you do. Possible he wants you to, there's one way to ask him. It doesn't take a word, not a single word, go on and kiss the boy."
"It was odd, I never really admired the stars. They were always so close and ordinary. But they had suddenly become something beautiful."
"My, oh my, looks like The Wicked One's too shy, or are you going to kiss the boy? Ain't that sad, it's a shame, too bad, you're going to miss the boy."
Albel, growing tired of the nagging (and Disney songs), continued to ignore the blade. "On a planet that was just at the start of its space program, the stars were still a blanket of flickering flames in the sky."
"Now's your moment, sitting cozy in your lap, boy you'd better do it soon, no time would be better."
"I glanced over to see your reaction to actually just laying back and enjoying the sky. You were on your side, facing away from me, curled up and repulsing the very air."
"Don't be scared, you have the mood prepared, go on and kiss the boy! Don't stop now! Don't try to hide it now or you'll miss the boy. Just go along, kiss the boy, listen to me, Albel!"
Tingling and anxious, shifting Fayt so that maybe he wouldn't notice, Albel The Wicked, sweating, timidly leaned forward, feeling dizzy.
"Master!" Luther skidded across the floor after the sudden bang of the opening door was heard. "He's back!"
"Wh-who's back!" Albel stood, startled, pushing Fayt away.
"That man, Fayt's father!"
"Dad! Where!" But he was already out the door before instructions were given, Albel starting fifty feet delayed. "Dad!"
Nel was in front of him in the main lobby, hushing him harshly. "He's terribly sick from his journey here."
"Dad..." Fayt knelt carefully by the man's side, lifting him up into his arms.
"Fayt?"
"I'm here, Dad, you're alright..." Studying his father, he shook his head, feeling Albel standing over him. "This is no good. Maybe if we..." He let out a strong sigh. "Maybe if we were in Greeton."
Albel took a long look at the soft blue hair, soft pale neck, slim shoulders and straight, defined back and sighed. "Then go."
"What?" Fayt looked up at him, surprised. "But I-"
"Just go!" He snapped, turning a cold shoulder. "Or do you want him to DIE!"
"Th... thank you..." The thin, soft flesh hand of Fayt's gently caressed the metal encasing Albel's dead arm.
"And take this!" Quickly turning, Albel slammed the cursed mirror down onto the floor before vanishing like a phantom down the hall. He never, ever, wanted to see the outside world again. It hurt him too much, especially when he had missed his chance to break the curse.
Sorry everyone! Our phones went wacky which in turn equaled no internet! I currently have this fic completely done... and now it's being updated! Thank you all! This is the longest chapter because it is the fuzziest. Poor Albel... his heart is broken.
The 'books':
The Kin, by Peter Dickenson is the first book Fayt chooses. It's a really interesting novel about cave men. Over 600 pages. Longest book I've ever read. Amazing, but rather gorey at parts.
The first book Albel picked up was Pony Pals: Good-Bye Pony. I don't remember the author. My brother picked it out of my childhood collection.
The second "book" was actually my other SO3 fanfic, Penna.