Hi Friends!
Thanks for all the follows, reviews, and adds. It's nice to know that people are still reading this story.
So, sorry for the short chapter but I really felt like this one needed to be on its own. The emotions are so heavy (and a bit cheesy) and it just didn't pair well with the time jump that is taking place in the next chapter. I hope you understand.
Please forgive/ignore any mistakes. I'm doing my best to catch them all but sometimes they sneak through.
Enjoy!
The smile on Derek's face fell the moment Penelope walked out the door of his chambers. She was a most wonderful friend and confidante but even her consoling words couldn't uplift his spirits.
The love of his life had been taken away from him again.
Why did it seem like the world was conspiring to keep the two kings apart?
With a frustrated groan Derek shifted in his cushioned chair, trying to gently readjust his position without upsetting his injuries. He turned his head and glanced over to the windowed alcove. His heart ached a little at the sight of the small recess. It was one of Spencer's favorite spots to sit and read. On the floor there were pillows and blankets piled up into an almost nest-like shape. He could tell that his lover had been utilizing the space often since he'd had been gone. Propped up on an emerald green pillow was a well-worn copy of "Utopia" next to an empty silver chalice that was settled on the floor. The king felt a small tug at his lips as he pictured his best friend relaxing there after a long day of running the kingdom.
A longing to be closer to Spencer took over his mind as he looked at the cozy spot. Injuries be damned, he hefted himself out of his chair and hobbled over to the recess with his crutches. He gradually lowered himself down into the swirl of fabric and made himself comfortable in his mate's nest.
Once he was settled he trained his eyes on the clear starlight sky, taking in its beauty as his heart ached with memories of his kidnapped lover. For stargazing was always an activity that the two kings had enjoyed together and doing it alone left him feeling empty and unfulfilled.
He broke his gaze away from the picturesque view and looked down at his lap. He fiddled with his fingers that were glowing in the light of the almost full moon. "Ahhh, my love…why is it always you?" he said aloud.
There was no answer.
He looked back outside and studied the illuminated meadowland that stretched far and wide on the other side of his window. "I know you're far away but you're not alone. As long as my heart is beating I'll always be there with you. And I promise you that I will get you back. Even if I have to dig a hole through the Earth to get to you, I will bring you back home – where you belong. You are my true love – my heaven - and nothing is going to keep us apart. So hold on. Do what you have to do to survive and I'll be there as soon as I can. Okay? Just remember that I love you to the depths of my soul and I always will," the king professed, wishing that his lover could hear him even though they were leagues apart.
The forlorn lover closed his eyes after his soliloquy, gathering his strength and righting his mind. He had to be strong and endure this trial if he had any hopes of seeing Spencer again.
"Just hold on," he murmured to the darkened land that was stretched out before him. He then slowly pulled himself up off the floor and touched his hands to the glass, his brown eyes searching off in the distance for any sign that his words might have been heard.
Spencer sat miserably in the oriel window of King Charles's bedroom. His legs were pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. The young man was leaning against the glass that protected him from the howling night wind, secretly wishing it would shatter and send him plummeting down to his death. Of course, if the glass did break he wouldn't even make it all the way to the ground. For the collar around his neck had a golden leash attached to it which was currently secured to one of the posts of Charles's bed.
A shiver ran through Spencer's body as a cool draft snuck through the window and brushed along his exposed skin. The young monarch was still dressed only in the sheer loincloth, and it did nothing to help him combat the cold. As a result of his flimsy garb, he tried to pull his limbs in closer to his body to conserve heat but they were already packed as tightly as possible.
Doing his best to push his discomfort out of his mind, Spencer pushed his cheek flush against the window and stared out into the night sky. Up above him the stars were shining brightly and a waxing gibbous moon was visible in the eastern sky. It was a view that he knew Derek would have enjoyed sharing with him for they used to always go up to the top of one of the turret walls on clear a night such as this and stargaze together.
Alas, they would never share another moment like that ever again and that thought alone sent daggers through Spencer's heart. He had to bring one his hand up to his mouth and smother the sob that was desperately trying to break free. As he bit down on the tender flesh in between his thumb and index finger he realized that there were tears blurring his vision.
Unashamed, he blinked his eyes slowly and released them from their socket's hold. He wallowed in the sensation of them streaming in warm tracks down his face, the feeling grounding him in this moment.
Behind him came a rumbling snore from the slumbering king. The man had fallen asleep almost instantly after he had sated his needs by using and abusing the slave's body.
It had been worse than Spencer could have ever imagined.
Shuddering, the captive king tried to shove the horrid memories of the assault from his mind but his aching body served as a constant reminder of what he had just endured.
"You are the most ravishing creature that has ever adorned my bed."
Charles's disgusting praise echoed in the boy's ears as he shifted positions. He could still feel the man's hands exploring his most intimate places. The garish king's fingers had flitted between being gentle and bruising as they traced every line on Spencer's body. And he had been forced to endure it all due to the bindings that were wrapped around his wrists and ankles.
"You are now chained to me forever."
The monarch's words were said with such passion yet mocked Spencer all the same as the man joyously used the golden chains to manipulate his toy's body. Throughout the rape he would purposefully shorten the young man's range of movement so he could enjoy watching him struggle against the fetters. The feelings of power that came from restraining the slave was like a drug to Charles and fueled his desire for the boy's pale flesh that much more.
A loud boom of thunder sounded in the distance just as Spencer felt himself getting lost in the vivid memory of the night's events.
He shook his head, dispelling his prior thoughts and allowed a smile to play on his lips. "Thank you, Derek," he whispered, looking up at the clouds that were slowly invading the sky. "I don't know if I could have escaped that memory on my own."
A flash of lightening illuminated the sky in response.
"You always knew when I needed saving from myself," he reminisced. "You said it was written all over my face."
The sounds of the storm inched closer as Spencer continued his one-sided conversation.
"But now…I guess I'll have to look out for myself," he said softly as the tears he cried earlier reemerged. "And honestly…I-I don't want to. I-I don't want to live in a world without you. Without my mom…without Lord Rossi. D-Derek, I-I've lost too much…and-and I just want to be with you. I-if I can, I'm going to find a way to do it too. I-I refuse to live like this. I-I shouldn't have to…especially if everything that was worth living for is gone."
A brilliant flash of light lit up the whole chamber just as Spencer finished his words. It was followed by a colossal roar of thunder the likes of which the young man had never heard before. The lights and sounds were quickly followed by a mixture of hail and rain that bombarded the window as the clouds unleashed their load.
The young sovereign's expressive eyes went wide at the sudden fury that nature had released upon the world. His eyes searched the heavens as if he was looking for a reason for this sudden onslaught.
"I-I don't understand. I thought you would want us to be together."
"Who the hell are you talking to boy?" bellowed Charles from beneath his covers. The noise of the storm had interrupted his sleep and he was as mad as hell.
A startled Spencer unfurled his body and turned toward the bed, his bindings rattling against each other at the sudden movement. "N-no one, Sire."
The cranky ruler sat up straight and reached toward the bed post that had the golden chain affixed to it. He grabbed the leash and started to drag his prize back toward him. "Who gave you permission to get out of bed?"
Spencer tried resisting the force of the pull but soon found himself scrambling up onto the mattress.
"Answer your king!" Charles demanded as he brought the boy's face inches from his own.
He closed his eyelids tightly missing the glee in the king's demented orbs as he drank in his captive's distress, "N-no one, Your Highness."
"Exactly," he spat. "And now I'll teach you what happens when you do things without my approval."
"N-no, please," the boy begged. "I-I promise it won't happen again."
"Oh, I can guarantee that it won't," Charles said wolfishly as he pushed his prey onto his back.
Spencer, knowing that he had no chance of escape, allowed his body to go limp and pliable. He did his best to ignore the king's rough handling and angled his head toward the window. The youth steadied his sight on the whirling madness of the storm outside and tried to block out the atrocities that were being enacted upon him.
Oh the cheese :) I'm a sucker for good cheeses though.
Awww...I even felt bad writing that last part. Poor Spencer.
Alright, next chapter is the time jump and we are going to get the rescue started! Yay! I just hope our favorite genius is still in one piece (mentally that is).