A/N I'm covering a little rough ground in this and the next 1-2 chapters so stay with me, I hope you all are enjoying the story!...DESNA
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Vander chuckled lightly, tossing a rapidly bluing Lightning Mage a heavy cloak. He had several in his storage, and knew the others hadn't had much time to prepare for their jumps to catch up with him and Presca. They were on the Bladeridge mountain range that separated Minstrel from Joya. The snowstorm currently assaulting the mountains had the ship the Princess was in flying slow, even stopping completely to ride out rough spells, so they had time to pass out winter gear to their team and he saw Kaleb settling his heavy cloak around Hestor…the Archangel magic universally provided warmth through the light coursing in the veins of the mage who held it, and in his lined leather boots, pants and thick sweater under a snug furlined vest…Kaleb was comfortable even as the snowy wind hit them, he stayed close to Hestor though, Keeper of Angels or not, the Celestial mage was like Lucy…struggling with the well below zero temperature and gale force winds. Zen was wrapping his own around Lucy, his magic would keep him warm, Zen could turn the heat up with holy fire very effectively, and had done so before.
They were on the ground until their back up arrived, but able to keep track of the Princess' ship and that was the most important thing right now. That and teleporting into an area was far safer if done onto solid ground instead of onto a fast moving airship…
"Ok, so the ship is right up there…" Vander was telling Kaleb, using the mental link because the wind was howling where they currently were near a ridgeline about to pass through it to the next ridge when the ship moved again. The plan had them there so they could get the lay of the area, be there when the ships coming from Minstrel got there, their own ship would catch up, but they had to get aboard the larger Saberfox for this operation anyway and being there, closer to Farron and Freed…it wasn't easy, and it was risky, but they couldn't phase the ship into this area without potentially triggering border wards, their ship lacked the stealth abilities of the Saberfox, they couldn't alert Joya or the Princess that anyone had any idea where she was.
Vander held out a Lacrima glass and Kaleb held it up to his eyes, spotting the large ship easily. His brother was up there...along with two of his mages and a good friend. It was powerfully tempting to just get to the ship and rescue them, but they had to wait, finding the King was incredibly important and this would probably be their best chance of doing that. If they took Kurino down, the Joyan battle queen who had the King might kill him so she wasn't caught with him when inevitably Bosco came looking for him with a vengeance.
They had to rescue the King, find him, before they ended this.
Lucy pressed in close to Zen and he slid an arm around her, helping her through the snow. She had not been dressed for this and his warmth along with his heavy fur lined cloak, which she swore was and would always be one of her favorite things forever at this point with as many times as it had wrapped around her and kept her warm and surrounded in the mans wonderful scent, the combination of Zen and his cloak made the going bearable as they headed to a group of trees where they could be partially shielded from the winds.
They all grimaced a little when through their link with the men above on the ship they knew Freed was coming to but that Kurino was in the room with them again, insisting her maids summon a couple of men to help get Farron into a proper hot bath because she wanted to bathe with him. It would leave Freed alone in the bedroom with the maids while she did that too.
Laxus grit his teeth, glaring furiously up at the ship, his low growls of frustration mingling with Cristoff's as they huddled together to provide some shelter for each other since the sparse thin trees didn't offer much.
Kurino's comment of "Tell the captain to turn up the interior stabilizing lacrimas, I don't want my bath water sloshing everywhere." just added to their universal desire to throttle the woman.
Huddled into Zen's chest Lucy stayed nicely protected from the biting wind and snow, the others got a nice shield too as Zen spread his wings with Kaleb, the black set and white set forming a warm shield and provided a better shelter than anything else available at the moment.
Between him and Cristoff everyone stayed dry and relatively warm considering they were near the ridgeline of a massive mountain range during a snowstorm at night.
The Princess elected to spend the night in place, electing to continue to cross into Joya once the storm had calmed a little so the group settled in, Vander and Zen working to erect a makeshift shelter from Vander's shadows among the trees while the others cleared the area of as much snow as they could manage and spread heavy blankets Kaleb pulled out that were all too familiar to Lucy and they all again huddled together, Laxus and Cristoff leaning against trees inside the dark shadowcloth, Kaleb having no issues curling up with his younger brother and Hestor, too cold to object to having Vander curling up with them, Vander had a powerful immunity to the cold and could adjust his clothing to protect him easily, that with the fact Kaleb, having Immaculate light coursing through his body was warmer than most like Zen was. Still, Hestor reached and pressed a hand to Kalebs shoulder, the white wings emerging and startling Kaleb a little, though they curved nicely around the men and soon it was relatively warm within them.
Of them all, Lucy was the first to sleep, curled up comfortably sharing Zens cloak, his wings wrapping around them and trapping in his warmth she even opened his shirt and slid her arms around him mentally purring at the feel of his warm skin against her, pressing her face to his chest and, warm, comfortable, feeling safe in spite of where they were, she relaxed, looking up at the man holding her and kissing his chin, smiling when his dark eyes came to hers.
"Warm enough?" He asked quietly, keeping his voice low. Nearby Hestor had settled into Kalebs arms, the pair wrapped in Kalebs white wings, just the top of Kalebs head visible. Vander was tucking a thick blanket around him, Cris and Presca, the two smaller men using the dragonslayer as a pillow and Cristoff…who had been used as such since childhood by his siblings, didn't seem the least uncomfortable with it, getting his arms around the other two so his higher body temperature would keep all three of them warm.
"Yeah…fine." Lucy whispered back, watching him and finally squeezing her arms around him making him smile.
"Thank you." she said.
Zen cocked his head a bit confused "We need to rest and this is the best way…has to be minus 20 out there."
"Not for holding me…though I'm grateful you're so warm…for…for loving me in spite of it all Zen." She said.
His eyes softened on her "I'm your One…and you're a good woman Lucy, I like your sass…I even like how…scattered you can be, I get too focused, too serious, you remind me to let go of that sometimes and just…be."
"Just don't let your friends and spirits run over you." Lucy sighed and he kissed her forehead.
"You're learning…like me…neither one of us has the best social skills…you more than me obviously but yours…well…you're the product of trying to make impossible situations work. I understand that. We'll get better at all of it…together." he responded thoughtfully.
Lucy smiled, hugging him again and tipping her head to kiss him softly before she snuggled in tighter against him with a yawn "I'm just…so grateful you didn't walk away." she sighed.
Zen rested his chin on her head, holding her to him, he was still seething but not over anything to do with Lucy, still deeply craved retribution for what was being done, what had been done, to his brother, his country, Kurino needed to pay dearly and the need to see her do so was strong. Lucy needed to be protected, and security, balance, had to happen. They had no choice but to wait now, so, wait they would.
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King Altiene Rusair Endivosh, ruler of Bosco, called the King of Peace because since he had begun his reign, Bosco had not been at war with any neighbor. He'd been a proud, confident King, loving his people, his country. He had good friends, and while he still missed his wife now and then, was essentially a happy man.
Until his daughter had turned on him, brought him warm spiced Ramahd, a sweet heated alcoholic tea drink commonly enjoyed in Bosco before bed. Curled up at his feet smiling at him, asking him to tell her one of her old favorite bedtime stories from when she was a child.
He'd frowned at her "Why so nostalgic?" He'd asked and she'd smiled.
"So much stress lately, I need a reminder of why I do it all Daddy." She'd said sweetly and he'd drank down his tea while telling her the story and somewhere...in doing that, he'd passed out...drugged by his own daughter.
He'd awakened in chains, naked on a bed, and had found he'd been handed off into slavery by his own damn daughter. Kurino had given him to one of the Battle Queens of Joya as a gift to create some sort of deal. The Joyans were supporting her in her takeover of Bosco. He had no idea where he had gone wrong with her, his younger son and daughter were both good people. He knew that letting her go to fight the northern clan wars to restore peace to the last region of Bosco still in turmoil had changed her.
She'd asked, begged him to let her go. She'd literally died in the Immaculate light chamber, heart stopped, no breathing, had it not been for a strong priest and a very powerful young knight, Cristoff, his best friend's son, he'd have lost Kurino to her ambitions when she was 19. The knights had withdrawn much of their support of her that day, he couldn't count how many had come to him, even Tesso, to warn him that if she couldn't survive three days in the light, she had no right to the crown. He'd defended her, insisted she just needed to mature, outgrow her overachieving greed.
He'd tried coming down on her, removing her authority in many things, lightening her responsibilities, but that had only given her freedom to somehow get meaner.
He could remember when she was 20 the King of Minstrel marching into his throne room demanding every aid and servant leave and the king showing him pictures of his eldest son after Kurino had lured him to her bed. Whip marks, evidence of being bound, drugged…
He'd dismissed it as Kurino exploring her sexuality after pulling her into the room, letting the King of Minstrel scream at her until she had cried and begged him to forgive her. Minstrels King was a good man, he'd done just that, but he'd warned her to stay away from his children and told Altiene there would be no marriage between a Minstrellan prince and Boscos crown Princess.
He did know about her obsession with Armans eldest son too, it was something he'd tried for years to get out of his daughter but she just...adored Farron and really, Farron had, like all of Armans children, grown into a great person. He was successful, as brilliant as his father in politics and diplomacy and Altiene really would love nothing so much as Kurino marrying one of his best friend's sons.
He knew she'd managed to bed both Kaleb and Cristoff, also knew neither man wanted her and that both, especially Cristoff, had been called to her many times, he wanted to think that Cristoff enjoyed his daughters violent tastes in sex, but...he knew better, knew something was happening he didn't want light shined on. The Duke of Elmont in Bellum….his eldest son had been wanting to marry Kurino, and an alliance with Bellum would have been good for Bosco, but she'd taken that young man to her bed aboard her airship and...done as she'd done to the Minstrellan prince.
He'd nearly died. Gods, Arman had been settling fighting in Atla so he'd sent Farron to smooth that out and Farron had been in Bellum nearly two months before finally reaching agreements and preventing a war nobody had even caught a hint of, thank the Gods. Rumors of Farron having some sort of..elicit relationship with one of the Princes of Bellum though had sent his daughter into a rage and inspired Altiene to send her to a spa to…calm the fuck down,
He should have removed her Crown then, should have made her a Duchess, he had a lovely section of South east Bosco that would have been perfect for her, she'd always handled the Joyans so well…
He lay beside his "owner" trying to think of a way out of his situation, knew his fate was in the hands of his people. He'd caught snippets here and there, knew White Sea had not submitted to Kurino, and...that Kurino had razed the guild's home city, killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Boscans, at least half of the mages of White Sea among the dead including...Kaleb. He'd struggled not to weep like a fool when he'd overheard that. All of those lives, his best friend's son, possibly more than one of his children, Cristoff, Zen, Vander and Emzadi were all members of White Sea, all could have been there when it happened.
He knew she had destroyed the barracks and assembly hall of the Holy Knights, tried to take down the sacred lacrima that had killed her when she was 19, she had failed there, the sacred crystal still held the citadel…his daughter's evil…could not overpower it. He also knew that Alvarez's Emperor had sent his private guard and those mages had killed almost all of the knights, then killed off Boscos wizard saints...the four that were left after Kaleb was killed.
His only hope was that enough of his people were fighting, looking for him, that they might find and free him. He knew General Minda Fashon of his airfleets had taken up arms against his daughter, was likely leading the resistance against her, and that she had gotten Arman out of Bosco, he knew that because he'd been laying in a drug induced semi-stupor bound, gagged, naked and covered in BattleQueen Theidas sweat when Kurino had come frantic about Farron escaping Bosco with his father.
Minda and Arman were his greatest hope. He knew the pair would stop at nothing to restore him to his throne, they were loyal...good friends in spite of all his daughter had put them both through.
Theida no longer kept him chained, he had no way to escape her and she damn well knew it. Her fortress was built into the side of a damn mountain and it was blizzarding outside, he'd be dead in hours if he tried to run right now, and getting past her guards, he'd tried it already. He was a fit healthy man in his late 40s, tall and strong, he worked out twice a day with trainers in martial arts and swords, but there was only so much he could handle, dozens of guards were beyond him, and, once they'd subdued him, they hadn't been gentle with him, carried their own vials of the stimulant Joyans seemed to hand around like candy so they could "get the most" out of their men.
Joyan men, native Joyan men, were small, most barely topping 5'5", thin, not muscular, kept that way by their matriarchal society, Joyan men performed menial labor and were there only to sire children, Joya's men were that way after centuries of a vicious matriarchal society.
It was why the slave trade was like it was in Joya, Joyan women loved fucking big men, but their damn serum made the men infertile, so they'd always had a problem there, Succubus venom kept reproduction from happening naturally because Succubi weren't interested in getting pregnant, only in feeding off sexual energies. All Joyan serums were based on Succubus venom and they had never been able to remove that side effect without also removing the fact it made an unwilling man get erect and hard enough to fuck.
Unwilling slaves didn't get it up naturally, and so...Joyan males remained sired by Joyan males, small, meek, mild mannered and poorly muscled.
Men like Altiene? A seasoned warrior and mage, a King who stood 6 feet 3 inches tall and spent hours out of every day training so his body reflected the strength and power that befit his station. Large muscular men in Joya even without all of that… Highly desired, but...no matter how much Theida begged, he would never, not ever, consider willingly fucking the damn bitch. He was a King, and all he wanted was to get the hell out of this damn bed and back to his people, where he would personally behead his own damn daughter for her crimes against Bosco and...against him. He'd cry while he did it, knew he would, hell the first couple of weeks in Theida's palace he'd spent in a depressed miserable state struggling with the betrayal of his daughter, the level of evil she had embraced.
He was past that now though, knew what he had to do, he just prayed he'd have the chance, that he wouldn't spend the rest of his damn life wearing chains while Theida pumped him full of drugs and fucked him every morning noon and night. He was all Boscan, could handle sex on a pretty high level, often took 2-3 of his personal attendants to his bed a few times a week and finished every day with either a good blowjob or a nice round of pleasures with one of them, kept him relaxed and focused, but being forced? Drugged? This wasn't sex, this was just...abuse, torture.
Theida moved, humming happily when her leg met his beneath the covers and he rolled his eyes, it was useless avoiding her, he'd even taken to giving her some pleasure when she demanded him, he still flatly refused to willingly fuck her, would not do more than what his hands could deliver, but, that he had started doing that had gained him freedom from just being constantly chained to the bed.
So when she climbed on top of him he didn't fight her kisses, though as soon as he felt he could he tipped his chin up, encouraged her to take her lips elsewhere and she eagerly did so.
"Altiene...give yourself to me...give me a child...the child of a King born to be a ruler…" She breathed as she reached down and started stroking him. He didn't answer her, his lack of response was answer enough to make the woman growl in frustration.
She worked at him a little while longer before finally waving to a servant who brought the all too familiar syringe filled with the vile yellowish serum. He turned his head away from her, denying her his mouth when she sought to kiss him as his wrists were grabbed and forced over his head. It usually took 3 or 4 of them to get the serum into him, he didn't plan on ever making it easy. Theida should have known he'd buck her right off of him too, and he got the satisfaction of her angry yelp when she fell off the bed as he fought against being restrained for the injection.
A couple of guards rushed in, huge women, not quite as big as Theida, who was as tall as Altiene himself was, 6'2", but big enough to add some muscle and weight to restraining him.
It took 5 not counting Theida to get the injection into him, and he landed a few good hits on three of the servants and one of the guards, his wrists were bound into manacles again, and the chains were back in place and Altiene braced himself as a fiery eyed Theida climbed back on top of him and the serum made his mind check out while his body started responding against his will to Theidas aggressive touch.
His last thoughts were praying he hadn't alienated Arman and his sons so much his old friend wouldn't seek to rescue him.
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Freed narrowed his keen eyes, watching as the Princess and her handmaids were preparing some sort of yellowish fluid, it wasn't the usual green elixir they forced down he and Farrons throats. They were loading a syringe.
Farron was asleep beside him, the Princess had been on him for hours trying to get him to give in to her, she was, for some reason, desperate to get Farron to willingly have sex with her and naturally, Farron was not budging with his absolute "Fuck no" that he was replying with in a variety of more diplomatic replies since Kurino was...fragile...mentally.
Freed was certain Farron was starting to tire, whenever Kurino was asleep her handmaids focused on the ambassador, determined to get him to cum for one of them before he did for their Princess for some twisted reason. Farron fought with all he had but he got very little sleep, and the bruises, bites, marks and scratches all over his smooth skin, his lips were split in places from Kurino relentlessly biting at them trying to get him to kiss her back.
The handmaids had taken to inflicting pain with various devices that left no marks on him, lest the Princess find out what they were doing, and it was starting to show, Farron was loosing strength, having more trouble staying awake when he was, and he had passed out while Kurino had been on him a little over an hour ago, too exhausted to hold on anymore.
The storm still raged, and the ship was holding its position in a lee spot shielded by the ridgeline of the mountains, three days they had hovered now and Freed knew the Saberfox had finally arrived, bringing with it Emzadi, adding another dragon slayer to the small rescue team that was assembled somewhere hiding in the storm.
He's asleep...dreaming...he's stronger than he seems Freed, don't worry…...Kalebs silken mental voice soothed and Freed embraced the contact from Farrons brother.
He doesn't look good Kaleb...They don't use me even a tenth as much as they're on him and they use me to keep he and I silent, not that telling Kurino would accomplish anything, she's too far gone…
He sent Kaleb his view of Farron, beneath his sunkissed skin he was getting an unhealthy palor from lack of sleep and constant administration of a drug Kurino had said they should only have once a day, but between her and her handmaids, Farron had gotten it as many as 6 times in a day.
Cobra says he can fully cleanse that venom mixture they're using on you two… Kaleb responded
I hope so...because they've been forcing a lot of it into Farron…..Freed replied unable to hide his concern and really, at this point? He knew Kaleb knew about his musings and dreams about Farron.
I do, and I know he has them about you so hang in there Freed, we'll get you two out of there… Kaleb said.
Freed's eyes widened as he saw Kurino start walking from the other room toward the bedroom, he hated waking Farron when he was so exhausted but he felt the man deserved to face whatever was about to happen.
Kaleb, please, wake Farron, Kurino is coming with a syringe full of something different and he's already been dosed 4 times today!...He pleaded, trying his best in spite of his bonds to nudge the tall man beside him awake.
Aboard the Saberfox Kaleb cursed, looking at Cobra and Cristoff "The damn bitch has dosed Farron 4 times today with the elixir and is bringing some sort of yellow concoction in a syringe now." He relayed what Freed was seeing and Cobra curled his lip, showing fang.
"Fuck, she's going to fucking kill him...the damn elixir is a poison, low grade but still a poison, not meant to be used daily or more than once on the day it's used...Kaleb, we have to get them the fuck out of there…" Cobra growled
"The syringe is likely the Doma venom mixture Kressa developed, fuck..." Cristoff added.
Kurino was hovering over Farron, who neither Freed nor Kaleb could rouse and frowned.
"He looks pale...he's only had what...two small doses of the elixir right? It shouldn't be affecting him like this, they warned me no more than two or the subject starts dying from the poisons…" Kurino said and the handmaids behind her both looked sharply at each other with wide eyes.
She sighed "Let him rest, do NOT touch him, not for any reason unless he needs to use the restroom...in fact...GUARD!" She called and a tall Alvarez soldier came into the room, looking at the women, and the two naked men chained to the bed impassively.
"Watch over these men, nobody, not even these two are allowed to touch them, understand?" She said firmly indicating her handmaids who looked absolutely ill but didn't object.
"Yeah Princess, you sure though? They seem to ride these two like crazy while you're sleepin, saw em dropping extra drinks into him earlier today during your nap and they said it was fine with you they fucked the hell out of the blonde there." The man said, his shrewd eyes narrowing on the handmaids who were looking wild eyed now, shaking their heads in denial.
Kurino turned slowly, glaring at the women "I knew it...I knew I smelled you on Farron...you traitors...guard...I've changed my mind. These two are no longer allowed in these chambers, make sure every crewman aboard knows that, and...take them both down to where the White Sea woman entertains the men, they can help her see to your comforts and relaxation just like she does." Kurino sneered and the Handmaids reached out to grab at their princess, pleading.
"Please! No my lady, we were just trying to help you reach your goals with your Prince, please...my lady, this man has propositioned us both and we turn him down, not all of what he said is true!" Helen pleaded but Kurino nodded at the guard, who had stepped to the door and summoned another big burly man, they each grabbed one of the women, tossing them over their shoulders.
"Before you enjoy them, send the medic here, I need him to have a close look at my beloved." She said,running her hand along Farrons cheek, worry in her eyes.
"Sure Princess, we'll send him right away." The first guard replied, squeezing the ass of the crying woman he was holding. The maids were carried off and Kurino was left to hover worriedly over Farron, she finally noticed Freed watching her and frowned, removing his gag.
"Why didn't you say something?" She demanded. Freed flexed his mouth and lips "They threatened to break out of the holding cells and come back and kill me, said they would claim I broke partially free and they had to do it if Farron or I said a word, and besides, Princess, being drugged and raped is being drugged and raped, who does it doesn't make it better." He replied.
Her eyes flew wide "I...I am not raping either of you...I'm...I'm showing you my love for BOTH of you!" She returned vehemently.
"Rape is rape, I've said "no" and told you I didn't want you, did not want you to touch me I cant count how many times...you are drugging us so we have no choice, and then you're taking sexual pleasure using our bodies against our will, that's rape Kurino, pure rape. Your reasons don't make what you're doing better than what it is. Rape, is rape." Farron said softly and Kurino stared at him, at his hazy pale eyes, how tired and beaten he looked, and she started to recoil and shake her head.
"My maids did this...they used you and turned you against me...it's not my fault...you can't hold what they did against me Farron I love you!" she cried and Farron sighed, looking toward the ceiling.
"Please...can I sleep tonight without you touching me?" He asked quietly and Kurino, looking stricken, nodded and left the bedroom with a broken sob.
"That was risky." Freed said softly and Farron managed another sigh.
"Yeah, but I need rest and so do you, she'll probably forget about it all by tomorrow and be all over us again but one good night's sleep would do me a hell of a lot of good. I just wish I could do it without the fucking chains…" He growled.
"I...I can unbind you, for the night, the room is heavily guarded, but...for tonight, you two can...be alone...I...I will let you rest, you can use the bath, the manacle on your ankle will keep you restricted to this room and the bath room." Kurino had appeared again, that Farron hadn't heard her indicated how exhausted he really was.
They watched her unbind them, both men sitting up for the first time in days without someone holding them or being too drugged to know what was happening.
Kurino was true to her word, leaving them and locking the door behind her.
Both men sat silent for a few moments. "Well...a bath sounds fucking amazing." Farron said firmly and eased himself carefully from the bed, his legs were shaky, and he moved slowly, but he was soon sliding into the steaming fragrant waters of the large bathing room. Freed appeared at the door looking uncertain and Farron smiled up at him.
"Come on in...we can help each other clean up and keep each other from falling asleep in the bath and drowning." He chuckled.
Freed smiled faintly and slid down into the waters, hissing as the steaming water ran over his painfully sore body and raw ankles and wrists.
They'd only had basic sponge baths for more than a week now.
Farron, smiling faintly, eyes locked on his companion, grabbed up a bathing sponge and liquid soap and started bathing Freed, who had never, not ever in his life felt anything so wonderful as the sound mage's skilled if slightly shaky hands. A gentle desired touch was so much better than what he'd had the last week, it felt as though with every sweep, caressing brush of his hands and the soapy sponge, Farron was washing away the touches of the maids and their mistress.
When Farron helped him ease back and worked the steaming fragrant waters through Freed's long emerald hair and started washing it with a mild shampoo the Rune mage moaned softly more than once, and bit by bit, Farron eased the smaller mage back until he was laying back against Farrons chest and Farron could gently wash Freed's chest, abdomen.
Farrons lips moved over Freed's ear, lingering right beneath it, teasing the sensitive skin as his long fingers slid lower on Freed's body. The rune mage leaned back more, pushing into Farrons body more, the contact was reassuring, and in spite of days on end of what amounted to torture, his body did respond to Farrons gentle touches, to the feel of his warm lips, cracked as they were, on his skin because he knew it was Farron, and Gods forgive him, he wanted the man so much the last week just didn't matter. Their bond was so, soothing, and he could feel the warmth…the real affection coming from Farron and it was a balm on his heart, since childhood, when he had known he liked men instead of women, had fought so much with his father over that and over being a mage, he'd always thought he'd just be alone.
His love for Laxus had been purely one sided and he had known that too, accepted it, even discussed it openly with Laxus when his friend had felt the need to remind him…he preferred women and didn't want Freed pining for him. It was, even here, even in the situation they were in…thrilling and hope inspiring for the rune mage, to feel his own feelings, his own desires…were returned by the tall blonde. He didn't even have to wonder, the bond let him FEEL it.
The only thing keeping Freed sane the last few days was Farrons smiles, his occasional sharp quips and sarcastic whispers, that in spite of everything, had gotten Freed's sense of humor going allowing him to...breathe and deal with what was happening.
He wasn't alone, Farron was going through it too, worse than Freed was honestly, the maids only used him to show the princess they did, then the moment Kurino was out of sight they were on Farron like starved beasts.
He thought Kurino was noticing, it was hard to tell, but clearly she had been. Yesterday frowning and running a finger over a bite on Farrons chest and a new one on his lower lip "I...did not do that…" She had whispered but had looked a little uncertain.
He didn't want to think about that now though, not with Farrons lips on his skin, his hand moving over sensitive parts of his body.
Farron wasn't able to help himself, he'd been yearning to touch Freed since before they had left Magnolia. He hadn't missed the Rune mages hungry looks during the drive, how he'd hide his feelings quickly when they surfaced and apply the high society mask to his face. Farron had seen it though, and had thought about it, considered the Rune Mage and had decided he'd test the waters with him before they had left, and now, now after days of Freeds voice, face, eyes, being the only thing grounding him, now he just needed to touch him, hold him, feel him, a sane good person on this ship filled with evil they were trapped on. The comfort it provided was…so badly needed.
"Let me...please…" Freeds said softly then and Farron released him, pulling back and the Rune mage moved to take the soap and sponge, and started washing Farrons body, the difference was, he took a few more liberties, built on what Farron had started, and after washing Farrons hair, he slid back around to face him and they locked eyes for a few moments.
Freed took the initiative, and closed the distance, winding an arm around Farrons neck and tilting his head so he could seal his lips over Farrons.
The sound mage moaned into his mouth, responding instantly, kissing him back, hungrily invading Freed's mouth with his tongue.
They lay in the water wrapped in each other's arms, kissing, touching, gently, both were covered in bites and bruises,but when they broke apart Freed was smiling, looking hungrily into Farrons eyes and Farron was smiling back at him.
"When we are free…" Farron said quietly, placing an open mouthed kiss on Freed's neck
"I would love to take you to dinner.." Farron said softly and Freed grinned, kissing the man again "I accept." He replied and Farron smirked.
"I might try to ply you with wine and compliments…" He warned.
"I like Vodka and spiced wines, Minstrellan food puts me in a good mood and if you make sure I get some good Tiramisu...I'll be putty in your hands." Freed told him.
Farron smiled again, angling his head and pressing in again, kissing Freed until he was breathless. "Long as I can get the putty hard after dessert...we'll be just fine…" He said.
Freed smirked back "I'll be hard just thinking about it…" He admitted and Farron chuckled.
"So will I...come on though, too damned exhausted and sore to do anything right now, bad as I'd love to see just how well I could get you firmed up, I think both our bodies need time off from all that and we need some sleep." He declared and Freed reluctantly agreed.
They changed the sheets and everything on the bed before finally climbing into it, pulling the blankets over themselves for the first time and Freed, wrapped himself around Farron.
Farron was about to object, pointing out Kurino might walk in, but thought better of it, even if she did Kurino was Boscan and she meant to have both men permanently so she might even be happy to see them that way. So when Freed pressed in against him, Farron just smiled and grabbed Freed's hand, kissing the back of it before he lay still and let badly needed sleep take him.
Vander looked up, watching as Kurinos ship moved off a little ways but was forced to stop again by cross drafts coming through and up from the mountains below it. This range had caused a lot of airship crashes over the years and even a ship the size of the Golden Swan flat had to stop and wait out certain weather patterns.
It worked for them…while they froze their asses off for two days on the ridgeline waiting for their ships to arrive…they were able to keep Kurinos ship in sight and Presca was able to power down border defense wards quietly so the Boscan ships could get to them.
When the small strike ship landed in a clearing, stealthed, the group moved to it eagerly. Everyone was hungry, painfully cold and very ready to get to the next step of the mission, grateful it would be primarily aboard a heated airship.
Once everyone was inside the strike ship, Vander shood the pilot out of the cockpit and took over, Presca coming to stand behind his seat as the Shadowquip maneuvered the vessel so they could get a view of the Golden Swan.
"This weather's gonna clear…we got lucky it held her up as long as it did, gave us a chance to get the ships and teams here for this." Presca said, his steel colored eyes on the large ship.
"Fuck her…I don't want to capture her Pres…I want her fucking dead and in a nasty nasty way for what Farrons gone through, what she put Kaleb and Cris through…she may be crazy now, coocoo for cocoa puffs and all now, but when she was torturing Kaleb and Cris? That was her…stone cold full on bitch mode and I still want a piece of her for that." Vander said in a quiet deadly voice that held none of his usual lightheartedness.
"She knew what the council was doing to the bloodhunters…you know it, I know it, some of those missions got rid of people she didn't like…like Farrons High School girlfriend." Presca wasn't arguing with his partner, he agreed with him, Kurino had been a blight on the people of Bosco for the last 10 or 15 years, before she'd been driven utterly nuts by the Spriggan 12…who she had chosen to work with, chosen to ally with. Chosen to sell their King, her own father…into slavery for.
"We on the same page?" Vander asked, not elaborating, he didn't have to, he and Presca knew each other too well.
"We are." Presca said quietly. Vander angled the strike ship away from the Golden Swan to the Saberfox that was close by, well hidden behind its stealth systems and the storm. A hot bath and hot food waited for them…and if he and Presca found an opening…the Princess of Bosco was going to meet a horrific end in their hands…