Part Two

Rendon Howe was beginning to suspect his son was in love. He saw Nathaniel moon around the estate, even smiling occasionally to his father. He agreed to every social, every occasion Rendon had found to throw his son at another wealthy woman. Perhaps this was a good thing. If the woman loved him back, he might find a wife for his son. If not, perhaps the threat of a bastard would be enough to convince her. It must have been one of the noble women. Why else was he suddenly so willing to go to events he had previously despised attending?

Yet as the weeks went by, he saw no woman he gave more attention to, no one he sought favour with or blushed for. He was beginning to suspect that he had perhaps been too optimistic. He would find out, he had his ways.

Nathaniel had no idea he was being followed that night. His wilderness skills were starting to fade from his mind. All he thought of was returning each night to the Pearl, even if to be with Anders for a few hours. He was bad for business, the Madame had warned him. A regular customer was one thing. Nathaniel she suspected had other intentions for her most requested mage.

Nathaniel had brought a flower from the marketplace, tucking it in between his clothing as he walked through the brothel. Anders had been in hiding for much of the week as a larger contingent of Templars was in the area. He was sad to be missing the beautiful spring they had been having. Nathaniel wanted him to have a little something of it, even if he was sequestered.

Nathaniel knocked on the door and Anders greeted him. He was always fully dressed now when Nathaniel came to see him. He knew the rogue loved ripping his clothes off himself. When Nathaniel closed the door, Anders leapt at him, kissing him passionately, pressing the tulip into Nathaniel's chest. Nathaniel kissed him and let go of him, bringing out the flower and the petals Anders had dislodged. Anders smiled, bringing the plant beside the window. He stroked one of its remaining petals and the flower blossomed, the missing petals growing in as it opened in the moonlight.

Nathaniel gasped slightly. He had seen very little of Anders' magic over the weeks. Seeing the gentle power of healing magic made his heart throb slightly. Anders in truth was a tame creature, one who wanted to fix the wrongs in the world, to heal the sick, to feed the hungry. This was no threat to the Chantry, to no Templar. Perhaps that was wishful thinking, Nathaniel realized, but when he saw the mage smile at him, he saw the injustice of any harm that would be done to him. He wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from the world that hated him.

As Anders turned from the flower, Nathaniel grasped him, kissing him hard as he pulled him down on the floor. He pulled Anders' breeches off, removing the small clothes with little effort and took the mage's semi erect cock into his mouth. Anders laughed slightly. It always tickled him when he wasn't fully aroused. He grew soon enough, laughs turning into moans as his hands went behind his head, holding on to the floorboards as Nathaniel sucked on him, grasping his ass in his hands.

"Nate," he murmured as he came, his seed hungrily lapped up by his partner. Nathaniel knelt over his panting mage, seeing the look of adoration in his eyes. He nuzzled against his neck, laying down, holding his slender frame in the arms sculpted by years of archery.

Anders kissed down his neck and whispered in his ear, "I'm supposed to be servicing you, you know? You're going to spoil me and then no other client will do when you go back to Amaranthine."

"Come with me," Nathaniel whispered, "We can live in the forests, you and I. I will let no Templar touch you ever again. I can hunt for us; I can build us a house. You and I. For the rest of our lives."

"That seems like a good dream, sweetheart," Anders said softly, "But it is a dream. I know you must be a noble man, maybe even a Bann from there, but I can't imagine you would give up it all for me."

"In a heartbeat," Nathaniel swore, kissing him softly.

He worried Anders didn't believe him, that he would leave him, that he would be caught and brought back to the circle.

"We could leave tonight," Nathaniel said, "I don't want to be without you. If you don't feel the same, I understand. I do. I'm sure I'm not the only man who ever thought a paid lover felt more than them than a love of gold."

Anders murmured, "Of course I care about you."

"Then tell me," Nathaniel whispered, "If you do, I will do anything for you, for the rest of our lives. If you don't, I will pay you and leave and wish you the best life any man ever had. Just tell me…Anders."

"I love you, Nate," Anders murmured, "I don't care who you are, I don't care about anything else. I love you. I love you."

Nathaniel rose and carried him to the bed, kissing him hard as Anders wrapped his legs around his hips.

Nathaniel laid him down, pulling his shirt off and unlacing his breeches. He stood before Anders, naked and hard for him. His pulse raised as he saw Anders take off the rest of his clothing, his cock once again becoming erect.

Nathaniel lay down to kiss him, holding his body near him, his cock brushing against the other man's chest. Anders reached out to stroke him, but Nathaniel instead grabbed that hand and held it tightly.

Nathaniel bent down to kiss Anders and whispered, "I want you inside me."

Anders' eyes opened widely, pulling the rogue's head down to his face, kissing him hard. Between pants, his murmured, "Are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure before in my life," Nathaniel murmured.

Nathaniel stood up, walking to the dresser and pulling out the lubricant he had grown so used to. He came back to the bed, watching Anders sit up to get a better view of him. Anders held his hand open for the lubricant, but Nathaniel instead put it on his own fingers. He took a deep breath as he knelt on the bed, and pushed a finger into himself. He felt a wave of pleasure go through him and he moaned slightly. Anders pushed himself forward, taking his cock into his mouth as Nathaniel continued to stretch himself, pushing forward on the mound that caused his legs to shake so. Nathaniel grunted and felt himself bucking against his fingers. Anders looked up at him and took the lubricant, coating his own cock with a few shift pumps.

Anders came behind him, mounting his cock just at that puckered entrance. He reached forth and placed his hand over Nathaniel's. Nathaniel squeezed that hand as Anders pushed himself in slowly. He yelped slightly and Anders withdrew.

Nathaniel murmured, "No…keep going."

Anders kissed the entrance softly, causing Nathaniel's legs to shake slightly. He thrust gently into him and Nathaniel moaned. This feeling was so foreign to him, but the thought of his lover inside him made him groan out. Anders' other hand wrapped around his cock, stroking him slightly faster than the gentle thrusts inside of him.

Nathaniel felt himself bucking back, wanting to be fully mounted by Anders. He felt the cold spread of the lubricant and felt Anders slip inside him to the hilt. He moved quicker now, pounding against him. Nathaniel whimpered as Anders' still slippery fingers return to his cock, grabbing him as hard as he preferred, feeling his grip on him almost painfully as his lover continued.

Anders' skin slapped against his and he leaned up into the movement, kneeling as his hands went around him and held Anders' ass. Anders sped up again, grunting as he worked, biting down unto Nathaniel's shoulder.

He cried out, Anders' other hand rubbing a hard nipple as he continued to pound into his lover. Nathaniel called out his name as he came, his seed spilling out as Anders continued to stroke him hard. His cock grew sensitive as his orgasm rode out, but he wanted Anders to hold him still as he thrusted into him.

Anders' legs quivered against him and he felt his hot seed come inside him with a weak thrust. The lovers collapsed beside each other and Nathaniel pulled Anders onto his chest.

"I love you," Nathaniel said, stroking his cheek.

"I'm starting to believe that," Anders murmured back.

As much as he would have loved to, Nathaniel could not stay there forever. He waited until Anders was near asleep and kissed his forehead as the mage curled up around the covers. He was murmuring something about a cat. Nathaniel smiled. He was sure he could handle a cat in his life if that was what made his love happy.

He wandered the streets until he made his way home. He barely had energy to clean himself before bed, throwing his disheveled clothes across a chair. He laid down on the bed and fell asleep quickly, too tired to dream.

Nathaniel was woken as he was dragged out of bed and thrown onto the floor. He pulled up the sheet to hide his nakedness, but the sheet was pulled from him by a man in armour. Rendon Howe walked into the room, disgusted by his son.

"Let him put on pants at least before you drag him out. My son will have enough shame today without his barely adequate bits exposed to the world."

A guard threw him on the bed and pulled the breeches up on him, lacing them too tightly in the front. Nathaniel whimpered slightly as he was pulled again. He tried to fight back, there were six of them and he was unarmed. He was dragged kicking down the stairs, biting any guard who tried to muzzle him.

The servants all came out to watch as he was pulled into the courtyard. His hands were tied together, but he could still stand as he looked up at his father, who watched from the grand doors leading into the estate.

"What's the meaning of this?" Nathaniel called out, sneering at his father, "Are you so desperate to marry me off you mean to sell me at auction?"

"Nate," he heard his name be called softly.

Anders was tied to a post, with three guards around him. He was obviously drained, unable to fight them off with magic any longer. Nathaniel ran to his side, pushing aside the guard who tried to stop him. He touched his face with bound hands and whispered to him, "I'm going to get you out of this, I promise. I love you. I love you so much."

The guards held him back, pulling the lovers from each other.

Rendon Howe walked down into the courtyard, "I knew you had met someone. I hoped for a woman, for grandchildren. But then I find that you have not only spent money on this whore, but you fell in love with him. An apostate? A man? Poor and desperate for your gold? You've ashamed me too long, boy. This ends today."

"No," Nathaniel demanded, resisting against the guards' attempts to pull him further from Anders.

"You are no longer my son," Rendon said, "I have only two children now. I have arranged for your transportation to the Free Marches where you will spend the rest of your days, no longer carrying the name Howe."

"And Anders?" Nathaniel pleaded, "What about him?"

"I did what any Godly man would do," Rendon smiled as the marching of footsteps came towards them. The great gates opened and a dozen Templars marched in formation towards them.

"No!" Nathaniel screamed, trying to wrestle away from his captives.

Anders tried to conjure a spell, struggling against the ropes, but the Templar's magic blocked him. He was weak in their hands, chained and helpless, though he tried to resist in them, kicking and biting where he could.

Nathaniel screamed, "I will find you. They cannot keep me from you."

Anders tried to reply as they gagged him and dragged him away.

Nathaniel looked up at his father as he too was dragged away. He spat on the ground and swore, "Maker bless the man who kills you!"

Rendon Howe merely signaled the men to start their march and went inside.