The oncoming storm had driven Knai and his retainers to shelter in a town far earlier than he would have liked. He wanted Kia's Court at his back. The bitch queen and every sycophantic courtier licking at her skirts could all go jump in a fire. He wouldn't piss on them to put them out.
Even thinking about them had him scowling as he weaved his way through the streets, alone and on foot. He'd insisted. Didn't want any of his men trailing him. He only wanted to take in the sights of the town and forget everything. How could he do that with his guardsmen with him? When he might turn around at any moment and see them, see the sigil of Ravensway upon their coats? All it did was remind him of Lorin.
If the talk was to believed, this was going to be one fiend of a storm. He still had plenty of time. The sky had darkened with clouds, but only a few stray drops fell here and there. It was beneath this gray twilight that Lorin caught sight of a ruined tower off the main street.
It must have been a watchtower at some point, possibly when the town was smaller and this marked the edge of its settlement. A fire had claimed the structure. The roof was gone and at least half of it was a ruin.
Knai veered off to clamber over the low sprawl of rubble toward the yawning, open doorway of the tower.
"...See, I wouldn't go in there if I were you." The voice came from a raven-haired man conspicuously leaning against the crumbling exterior of a building across the way and down some from the old burned tower. He had been watching... perhaps one could even use the term 'stalking', the pretty young man for a little while now. Though a small black field mouse garnered no attention in these parts.
Once the lovely one had come off the main street, well, Amal was free to use the side street as his own personal transformation alley and return to his default human appearance without being noticed. The rain was starting to fall in heavier little globs, but still few in number as he approached the smaller male stopping about five from him. "Ya see, I have spent a few nights in there... and I can tell you the structure is unsound to say the very least... I'd just hate to see a pretty thing like you get hurt~"
The sudden voice startled Knai, but it was just a man watching him. Not one who looked to be hurting for coin, either, so he likely wasn't getting robbed here. Knai gave him a good, thorough look up and down and liked what he saw.
What he did not like, what he was growing mighty bloody sick of lately, was people telling him what he should do for his own good.
Knai swayed closer, smirking. "Then you'd best follow along for protection, shouldn't you?"
And in he swept to the dim interior of the ruined tower.
Why was it all these humans knew how to do was flirt with him and then take off? It was so rude. This one was really cute, so he could easily be forgiven, except if he got himself killed there would be no cute human to forgive! And cute corpses are hardly cute at all! Just really, really sad.
Of course Amalendu had to follow the cute blond inside! What choice was there?
"You know, this place does not even have a proper roof, so it is less than ideal shelter... especially with this storm brewing..." Amal kept an eye on the pretty thing, even in the darkness of the burned tower. "And I don't see why I should protect someone whose name I don't even know."
This man was right about one thing—more than half the roof had burned away from the tower, and what was left wouldn't shelter them much.
"It doesn't matter," Knai said, face turned upward toward the racing clouds. He drew further in, into the shadow of what remained of the roof, considering how to approach this man. Teasing, he thought.
"Oh, and you think I just give my name to anyone who asks, do you?" He turned a look upon the man, pursed lips, slightly smirking. A look that promised mischief and adventure should this man pursue.
Amal liked that look. This was particularly why humans were so much fun, even if they didn't listen to warnings or advice. His own lips had broken into a grin, magenta eyes sparkling with mischief.
"I never asked you for it I simply said I do not know it and therefore am unsure if I should even protect you. Though I would assume that such a beautiful young man would posses an equally lovely name." His grin broadened but there was nothing malicious or frightening about it. Playful more accurately suited the look.
"Are you looking for anything in particular?" He asked following after the blonde, he was already in this far... besides he had been in the tower before, just not in human form which was proving to be more cumbersome to navigate in.
Looters had long since stripped the place of anything valuable. Nothing remained but rocks and dust. Beneath the winding stairwell, Knai found a broken door leading into a cellar. A grin blossomed on his face.
"Hm? No...can't say that I am. Besides something to pass the time with. Come, this way!" Knai fairly hopped down the stairs. The basement below was satisfyingly gloomy and dire. So atmospheric! The kind of place that'd feature in a ghost story or some such.
Amalendu couldn't help but get lead around by the cutie. He would have followed without being told.
The basement was gloomy. Amal had little problem seeing in the darkness but he wondered how the boy faired. "Can you even see down here lovely?" He asked drawing closer to the blond, even placing his hands on the other's hips to draw him close for a a moment. "You aren't frightened down here are you?" He whispered in the boy's ear before letting go and this time going in further before Knai had a chance to.
Well. Now they were getting somewhere. A pity Knai had lost his chance to play the wide-eyed innocent. That was always a good time, but he'd been too excited to see the gloomy basement to worry about it.
His protector only held him for a moment, but Knai didn't let him go far. No one touched him like that and then just walked away. He slipped his arm through the other man's and sidled up close.
"Not well," he said. "But what is there to be afraid of with you here?"
So this one did like to play? Amal grinned though it might not be so obvious in the dark. Well flirting was fun no matter what, and he certainly didn't mind getting close to the blond beauty, but he wasn't particularly used to the young pretties getting friendly so fast, well unless they wanted something.
"Well now, I did say I am unsure if I will be protecting someone whose name I do not know, and you haven't seen fit to correcting this little issue yet." He said teasingly. Amal made no move to pull away, not just yet at least, but he did allow for the other to lead them. It was the little lovely's adventure after all.
Knaiaran found the man's violet eyes in the darkness. He leaned in and made his words breathy, a caress. "Knai. Now will you assent to protecting me?"
It was probably a good thing it was dark, Amalendu was fairly certain that his rabbit ears were showing and he wasn't ready to give up the facade of a normal human just yet. "I was right~" He grinned and leaned in a bit to place a husky whisper in Knai's ear in return. "Your name is as lovely as you."
With that he pulled away from the boy again, this playing was far too fun to give up on now! "So lead the way Knai, and rest assured that I shall protect you to the best of my abilities."
Knai thought they were finally cutting the pleasantries and getting to what they both wanted. Their physical proximity, that throaty whisper in his ear. This man wanted him, Knai was sure of it, but as quickly as he'd leaned in, the man pulled away again.
As before, Knai wasn't having any of that. He slid about to the man's front and ran his hands over his chest. "You're so kind. You must let me express my gratitude," he murmured.
This boy was too much! Amal was afraid his grin would be permanently affixed to his face at this point! Knai certainly was eager, and it made the rabbit question why, perhaps for the first time in a long time too. He was finally starting to understand the reservations humans had shown him when he acted to eager.
He placed his own hands on the boy's hips once more, but this time he did it to keep the other at a distance. "I have hardly done anything to deserve your gratitude Knai~"
Knai must have been holding back overmuch, keeping his advances too subtle. He couldn't think of any other logical reason this man didn't have his hands all over him yet.
"Then let's say I want to get my mouth around your cock for my own pleasure," Knai said, abandoning all coy flirtation. This man was not understanding him, but there was no way he could misapprehend that. Knai reached for the laces of the man's pants.
How forward! Is that how Amal usually sounded? Huh...
Amal backed up a bit, letting his hands fall from the boy's waist, and hit against a wall. It seemed like the tower above them was shaking and making awful creaking noises. That was strange, they were in the basement, no matter him lightly hitting into the wall down here shouldn't affect the structure above them. Had the storm worsened?
"As flattering and arousing as that proposal sounds, perhaps we should relocate first. Besides, is it really so fun to suck a stranger's cock?" Yes. Yes it was.
Knai's eyebrows climbed up his forehead as the man pulled away from him. Pulled away, like he was refusing him, but that couldn't be. He'd not met a man yet who didn't want some pretty thing's lips wrapped about his cock.
His confusion only lasted a moment. "Oh! I suppose, if we must."
Knai didn't see the trouble with dropping to his knees right here and now, but the shaking of the tower's top and the moaning wind seemed to concern the man.
Knai grabbed his hand on the way out and led him back up the stairs. "Come on, then."
Amalendu managed to get his rabbit ears to disappear before they reached the top of the stairs, and once they did it was obvious this storm was in full force. The first thing they were greeted to was a strong wind that whipped through what was left of the tower.
Amal grabbed a hold of Knai and held him tight, the wind threatening to knock them both over, the support beam above them made a horrid crunching sound. He pulled the blonde back into the protection of the stairwell.
The basement door slammed shut from the force of the wind, knocking Amal back down the stairs as he held onto Knai. Instead of hitting the floor at the bottom hard, they sort of floated to it, Amalendu landing on his back, and Knai on top of him.
"Are you alri-" Amal's question was cut off by the sound of the tower collapsing above. The major support beam had snapped. They were likely trapped down there now.
Knai may have underestimated this tempest. The sound of steady rain hit his ears long before they reached the top of the steps, but what truly sent a shiver down his spine was the wind. It sounded like it was tearing the whole town apart up there. He couldn't even take any pleasure in the contact when his potential lover pulled him close.
Somewhere above them, a wooden beam creaked out a terrible sound, one had Knai grabbing at Amal even tighter. "What was th—"
The wind slammed the door into them. The man took the blow, and they both tumbled backward, into the open air, down the dark stairwell. Knai screamed, but his breath caught when the sickening fall became a slow descent. They alighted on the floor, Knai laying on top of the man who might have just saved him from a broken neck.
The whole tower shook to the foundations. In pitch blackness now, Knai cried out again and covered his head with his arms as rubble thudded to the ground all about them. The tower collapsed, then settled, stone shifting and falling until the only sound reaching Knai's ears was the distant, muffled roar of the storm.
Panting, shaking, Knai scrabbled at the man beneath him, but this time in panic instead of lust. "Are you there? Are you all right?!"
Amal ran his hands soothingly along the blond's shoulders still holding him as the other was a top him. "I'm here, are you ok? I'm..." He was about to say fine but as he shifted to sit up with the other, well something was wrong. His back hurt and felt wet on the side.
It wasn't too hard to figure out in hindsight, the slow descent he had been so concentrated on doing so that Knai would be safe had caused him to impale himself partially on something. His pain sensors weren't at normal levels do to his adrenaline pumping so the fact that he felt this at all was not a good sign, and something was definitely stuck in him.
Knai got his breathing under control when the man responded. His hands on Knai's shoulders calmed him enough that he could sit up, but he stayed where he was, half lying on top of the man. In the utter blackness, he wasn't losing contact with the only other person here.
"I'm...fine." He wasn't hurt, but it still felt odd to lay claim to the word fine after what they'd just lived through. Something else was wrong. The man beneath him cut off his words, sounded strained. There was something he wasn't saying.
"You're what? What?" he said, voice taking on a hysterical note.
"...first calm down lovely..." Amal spoke softly as he reached back to feel the thing inside him. It felt like a splintered piece of wood, fairly big too, but at least he could get a grip on the part sticking out of him. Hopefully it didn't hit anything major because he didn't want to go back to Jericho, and if he did end up dying here Knai would be alone and trapped.
"...There's something stuck in my back... I am going to pull it out but I am going to need you to wrap the wound nice and tight when I do. Can you do that for me beautiful?"
Knai nodded vigorously. Yes, he should calm down. He was panicking. Yes.
The man's next words had Knai shaking his head no just as vigorously. "No. No, no, I can't do that, I can't see, it's black in here, it's completely black, and I don't know how and we don't even have anything."
Oh gods above, he had something stuck in his back? And he was just going to pull it out? The darkness would prevent Knai from having to watch that, but he couldn't possibly wrap the man's wound when he couldn't see.
"...I can fix the issue of the darkness for a moment but then you are going to have to wrap it ok?" He started ripping at his own shirt, it was the best solution on hand. He grabbed the ripped long piece of fabric that was no longer forming much of a shirt at all and placed it in Knai's hand. "I need you to be brave ok? We will be alright, I promised I'd protect you didn't I?" He smiled softly. Knai couldn't see him at the moment but he could see the blonde just fine.
It didn't matter if they barely knew each other, Amal hated to see such a scared look on such a pretty young face. "You gave me your name in return for your safety so now I have to uphold my part of the bargin don't I? I just need you to do this for me first ok?"
He shifted again and got a grip on the piece of wood again. "Don't be scared Knai..." He said closing his eyes as he allowed himself to take his actual shape. Even in the darkness his opalescent skin glowed, emitting a soft light fueled by the storm. His height was only lessened a tad and his body remained much the same shape except for the now prominent black rabbit ears and the more rabbit like nose. "Can you see now?"
Knai flinched at the sound of ripping cloth, and again when the man grabbed his hand. He closed his fist about the cloth and nodded. He couldn't stop nodding, as though agreeing with everything this man said would make it all turn out all right.
The man shifted about in the darkness. Knai thought there were spots in his vision, but it was a faint light, emitting from the man's skin. Knai's eyes fell instantly to the ground behind him, where blood pooled. He whipped his head back up instantly and nodded again.
He realized he hadn't said anything this whole time. "Yes."
It came out as a whisper, for some reason.
"It's ok Knai." He said softly, smiling one more time before pulling the piece of wood out.
It hurt, sure, and he winced a bit, but not like it would have if he were human. He felt pain a lot differently than a human did, at least here on the mortal plane. That didn't mean he couldn't die though either.
"Ok Knai... make sure you wrap it tight."
Knai was still nodding when the man yanked the wood out. He should have given him more warning! A countdown or...something!
Knai gasped and jerked his eyes away, then remembered he couldn't do that. Wasn't suppose to do that. He had to wrap up the man's torso. He had to look.
It turned out to be not so bad as he'd thought. The odd light made the blood look like oil, not truly real, and he could pretend there wasn't a whole in the man's back through which blood was leaking. Even so, his hands shook as he straightened out the cloth and got it around the man's abdomen. It was slow going. His trembling hands kept dropping the cloth, or getting it bunched up, or just fumbling at it uselessly.
By the time he got it tied off, he felt like he might faint.
The kid did fumble with the cloth but it was ok, and Amal was sure to tell him so. When all was said and done he did a good job too. "Thank you Knai, you did great." Amal kissed the other's forehead gently, praising him.
"Are you alright beautiful?" The boy looked pale and not well. He carefully stood and held out his hand to help Knai up as well. "Can you stand?"
Knai blinked up at the man when he just...stood up. As though he didn't have a hole through him! As though half the blood in his body wasn't on the floor. Knai scrambled up without taking the man's hand.
"Of course! How can you?!"
Amal chuckled a bit, his rabbit-like nose wiggling and ear flopped at the side of his head. "I'm not human Knai... and even though it hurts, it isn't the same as if I were human. I am more worried about you... if I bleed to 'death' I will disappear and I do not want you to be stuck here alone."
He looked around, trying to get a feel for the room and saw a candle on an old desk in the corner of the room. He walked over, pulling flint and firestone from his pockets, he lit the candle and then changed back to his human form for now.
That thought, the thought that he might be in this place alone, buried under stone, blind, trapped, choked him with a fear more powerful than any he'd felt in his life, more powerful even than those terrified moments when the tower was crashing down around them.
He stayed right on the man's heels, and as soon as he was done lighting the candles, Knai clutched his shirt in both hands. "You'll be fine, right?"
"Shhhh hey, don't fret lovely. I just need to rest and I will heal fine now that you wrapped my wound." He gently wrapped his arms around the scared cutie and hugged him loosely. "I promised to protect you."
He smiled a bit and picked up the candle so they could look around and figure out what to do next.
Knai stayed attached to the man's side. He wasn't letting him out of his sight or out of his hands, not until he saw some daylight!
His breathing had evened out, and he was able to at least put on a farce of composure. "What are you going to do?"
They could stand up straight in only a few feet of the basement. The rubble would force them to crouch or kneel in the rest of it. Most of it looked solid to Knai's eyes, but some areas bore smaller tumbles of rock and looked as though they might fall and crush them at any moment.
After surveying what there was of the basement Amal couldn't help but let out a sigh. He liked to think his many, MANY years on earth and the general escapades and shenanigans he had gotten into made him pretty resourceful, but in reality he mostly just resorted to using his abilities for everything. This situation was looking pretty bleak.
Already he was bracing himself to run once he 'died' here and ended up back in Jericho, but that would doom Knai. It could take him years to get back to this tower if he ended up dying. He couldn't let that happen.
Amal held his wound lightly and started to kick some rubble out of the way so there was a clear area of the floor for them to sit. The ceiling above that part looked the sturdiest so it should be ok. "Now, I'm going to rest so I can get us out of here in the morning."
He sat down rather mindful of his injury and laid down on his side furthest from the wound. He patted the ground in front of him motioning for Knai to do the same.
Knai followed along, growing increasingly agitated by the man's silence. He should have said something by now, or done something. Found some way they could get out. All he did was look about and kick some rocks around!
"In the morning?! I am not staying here until morning!" How could he just lay down like he was going to sleep here? This whole tower could crush them any second!
Why was this so cute? Even annoyed and mad, he was adorable. It made Amal want to tease him but he didn't have the energy. "Knai. I need to sleep, I need to heal some so I can get us some help. We'll be ok till morning."
He was pretty sure this part wouldn't cave in. It really did seem to be the sturdiest part.
Knai hovered, wringing his hands. What could he do? Start moving rocks himself? There was nothing for it but to lower himself to the ground next to the man.
He didn't lay down. There would be no sleep for him, not anytime soon. Instead he hugged his legs to his chest and stared at the ground in the flickering light of the candle.
"What can I call you?"
He had to smile a bit at that. The cute little blond finally wanted to know his name. "I am Amalendu, but you may call me Amal." The boy looked so adorable hugging his knees to his chest like that. Amal wanted to hug him close as he slept.
"Lay with me~" He purred sweetly, despite how unattractive this situation was. "We'll be warmer as the temperatures drop a bit, and it will be more comfortable. Besides we should blow out the candle to conserve it and it would but me at easy to have you close to me in the dark."
Knai hesitated. What good would laying do? He didn't even want to sit really. He wanted to get up and pace. Amal made a decent point. It was cold down here.
Knai lay down facing him, pressing close. Any other time and he'd be winding his legs in Amal's and getting them both rid of their clothes, but he couldn't muster even an appreciation at the proximity of their bodies.
"Couldn't we leave it burning for awhile?" Facing all this in darkness unnerved him.
Amal smiled and put his arm around Knai's waist holding him close as they laid there. "We really should blow it out, but I'm right here, it will be ok." He kissed Knai's forehead gently and then reached for the candle. "Would you like to do the honors?"
The warmth of holding someone close helped, if only a little. With his face buried in Amal's neck, he could tell himself he was elsewhere, that there weren't tons of rock overhead waiting to crush him. "No."
Amal sighed softly and blew out the candle. After placing it back on the floor he put his arm around Knai once more. He wasn't worried about this part of the basement caving in, he was worried about the crumbled tower above them. It was much more than the rocks blocking their way on the steps and to the door, they would probably never be able to get that door open from all the rubble on top of and on the other size of that doorway. He couldn't tell Knai this.
Hopefully in the morning he would have enough strength to shape shift into a mouse or something and crawl out between the rubble to bring back help for Knai before succumbing to his injury. That was the important part... finding help so that Knai would be rescued. "...I bet there are a lot of people looking for you, worried about where you are..."
Those words nauseated him. His retainers, his guardsmen, his steward—all of them would be out in the storm searching for him, putting themselves at risk to find him. All because he wanted to explore some stupid tower. If he died, it would ruin all of them. It would ruin House Siilan and it would ruin Ravensway.
And Lorin. Lorin would be so disappointed in him.
Knai hugged Amal close and made his thoughts go a different direction. They talked a bit more, but nothing Knai would remember later. He must have dozed off some some time—an hour? Two?—because an odd noise jolted him awake.
Confused, he couldn't place the sound for a few moments. It was the sound of running water. Knai grabbed at Amal and shook him. "Amal! Amal!"
Amal had fallen asleep as well, with the pretty little thing all snuggled up to him. Despite sleeping on the basement floor he was comfortable. Until someone started shaking him. His wound hurt from being shaken like that and he let out a small groan.
"What is it?" He sat up and asked groggily, his wound almost hurt more now than when it first happened, partially because his adrenaline had worn off. Then he heard it too. Shit. He grabbed the candle and made fast work of lighting it.
In the glow of the candle what he had feared was more obvious. The basement was filling up with water. He stood up, handed the candle to Knai, and headed for the stairs. Throwing caution to the wind he began to move the rubble away frantically, he could feel fresh blood start to seep from his wound. He had probably already begun healing, but not enough to be lifting things like this.
He managed to get to the door way after about ten minutes of adrenaline fueled clearing, but their was no way that it would budge. He pushed against it with all his might, but it wouldn't move. "Fuck. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK!!!"
The sound felt immense in the darkness. In the sudden light of the candle, Knai saw that only a small area of the basement floor was yet covered in a shallow puddle, but what alarmed him was the swiftness of the flowing water. Even as he watched, three more rivulets broke through the rubble and added to the growing amount of water on the floor.
Knai followed after Amal, crouching down to get to the door, there was so much rubble. He had no idea how Amal could move those immense rocks. Momentary triumph welled up in Knai as Amal reached the door, but he gasped when the candlelight caught the floor. Water was running from the bottom of the door down the stairs.
"Amal! We'll never get out that way!"
Amal knew Knai was right, he knew water was only pouring in more now. He took a deep breath and started directing the water, keeping it from coming down the stairs, forcing it to build up on the other side of the door. "Stand behind me, ok Knai?"
He pulled the water from the puddle too and made it flow up and out under the door crack. There was too much rubble on the other side of the door for him to open it, but maybe if he could force the water up against it from the other side he could get it to collapse in. It was going to be dangerous, and there was probably going to be a lot more rubble coming in on top of them once it did, but they would have a shot at getting out.
There weren't any other exits or tunnels, it was a small simple cellar. This was their only way out.
He put both of his hands on the door, using the water he was stopping from coming down, he pushed light on the door in a rocking motion. He was trying to make a wave of water on the other side.
Ah, a water mage. Knai worried at his bottom lip. That was good, a water mage. He could at least stop them from drowning, right? If not get them out?
"What are you doing?" Knai ran up behind Amal like he was told, shielding the candle from droplets of water that now fell from the ceiling. Even as Amal began pushing against door, the back part of the cellar collapsed, the rubble crashing inward. Their little hole in the ground had just gotten alarmingly small.
"I am gathering water on the other side... to make a wave... and collapse the door in... so we can get out." He said between the back and forth rocking against the door.
He had heard the terrible sound of the other cave in, but he had to keep his focus right now.
Amal felt like he had enough water going and a good rhythm so he began to make his wave smash against the other side of the door and pull back and continued to do the same, keeping the water on the other side of the door. "Knai. There will probably be a lot of debris on the other side... I am going to try and hold as much of it back... as I can with the water... when the door breaks... you need to climb out as quick as you can... and just keep going till you are out."
It felt as though there would be a bit of a path on the other side, his wave's ebb an flow was probably carving one out a bit on the other side. The door was starting to buckle from the force of the wave now. Soon they would have to make their escape.
Whatever Amal was doing, it was creating awful, dire noises that echoed and traveled all about the basement. It sounded like every bit of rock above them was about to tumble down. Knai braced a hand against the rubble above him, cringing at every crash of the wave.
"You think I can climb out of there?! I can't do that!" The water, the rock! The flood up above! He'd drowned or crushed before he even made it two feet. The man was mad! Knai opened his mouth to tell him that, too, but the cracking of the door arrested his attention.
It cracked again, and again, and though Knai braced himself each time, no water rushed to flood them. Finally the door rent itself clean in two, leaving a gap big enough to run through, but Knai was rooted in place, clinging to Amal.
When the door broke in half no water flooded in on them, and no rocks fell in the path. Amal parted the water and was managing to hold the debris back within the now split wave. Under any other circumstances Knai clinging to him would have been wonderful. but not now.
"Go Knai! I can't hold this for long." Already it was taking its toll on him. His wound was bleeding heavily and he knew it was just a matter of time before he died again, but he was not about to leave Knai in this mess. "GO!"
With the open door came a pale, gray light. The water parted on either side of the stairwell made for a treacherous tunnel. Knai couldn't get his feet to move until Amal's shouting jolted his attention. He fumbled with the candle, with where to put it, then remembered Amal cold see in the dark and dropped it to the floor. He bolted up the stairs, minding only his footing and trying not to look at the water hovering all around him.
At the top of the stairwell he stumbled into knee-deep, rushing water. One ragged section of wall still stood, and Knai grabbed onto a torch sconce to keep from washing away. It was still raining.
"Amal?" He yelled above the rain and wind to be heard.
He had to get Knai to safety, that was the only thing on his mind. No attention was paid to the fact that his skin had reverted to his natural state, glowing softly in the dim light. Amal pushed forward, drawing all the water he could around him, leaving only a small bubble of air around him. He winced as he pushed forward, blood dripping down his back and leg as he walked, trying to gather the water so that Knai could get somewhere safe.
His rabbit ears flattened against his head as the strain took its toll, but at least Knai could keep going now.
Wispy tendrils of blood spread out in the water about Amal. It dispersed and lost itself amidst the dirty, tumultuous water. Their tower was not the only thing that had flooded. Ever street that Knai could see bore a foot or more of water. He had nowhere to go, and he couldn't leave Amal there even if he did.
He stumbled over to Amal, but before he could reach out a hand for him, a shadow fell over them both. A rider on a dark horse, the noise of his approach lost beneath the wind and rain. Knai cringed away, but then he saw it—the sigil and colors of his house. Eivas! An older, bearded mountain of a man. Knai had been trying to bed him for years and resented his resistance, but he'd never been so happy to see anyone in his life! Eivas rode a horse suited to his size, a tall beast with legs like small tree trunks, the only kind of horse that could have fought this current and succeeded.
"My lord!" Eivas lifted Knai into the saddle with one hand and made to charge away with him, but Knai hauled on the reins.
"No! Take him too!"
The water around him was stained by red lines, but it was of little consequence because all he could focus on was that cute little blond. Why was he coming toward him? Knai should get somewhere safe in this deluge...
Amal put his hand up to reach for the beauty.
And then, a huge man on an equally huge steed scooped Knai up. Ah, he called Knai lord. Knai would be safe with him. It was ok. Amal couldn't help but smile at the blond. He couldn't hear anything else though, just the rain echoing in his ears as he lost what little control he still had on the water and was easily knocked over by it.
"Amal!"
One moment he was there, and the next the water overtook him. Eivas turned the horse about to leave, but Knai scrabbled and clawed at him and screamed until he thought better of that.
Growling under his breath, Eivas sent the charger crashing through the water toward Amal. He leaned down and scooped him up with one hand with no more effort then he'd needed to lift Knai. Amal went on his belly over the saddle, Knai sliding around to hold on to Eivas from behind.
The roads were no better leading up to the inn, but the charger was monstrous enough to force his way through the rain and flood waters. Knai found himself hauled from the saddle and handed off to a healer, just inside the inn door. His retainers all spoke over themselves so that he could not discern a word any of them said.
Amal had been certain he would die there, in the rain, alone, drown or bleed out, but instead he was picked up and laid over the saddle like a limp rag doll. He was really tired and all he could hear or focus on was his own shallow breathing and the rain. Even with his long rabbit ears he couldn't make out what those voices were saying. Everything was a sort of numb hush, except for the rain. That was beginning to pound in his ears.
Maybe this time when he died he'd face his sentence on Jericho. Running was exhausting, besides Knai was safe, he could rest easy knowing that for once there were no strings to clean up here. Amal turned his head to look at Knai who had been handed off to someone. When did they get to the inn? It didn't matter. He smiled weakly. He protected Knai. Promise kept. Mission accomplished.
"Go and see to him!" Knai pointed back at Amal, who Eivas had carried inside and laid upon the floor of the inn.
No one listened to him. They spoke over him, they ignored him. After all that, after all they'd been through, and Amal would just be left there to bleed out on the floor? Anger burned through all of Knai's residual fear. They would never have ignored Lorin like this!
He nearly screamed at them, but that wasn't right either. Only children screamed to be heard. Lorin never had to yell. When he spoke, people shut their fool mouths and listened. And if they didn't, he made them.
Knai grabbed the healer by the collar and hauled him over to Amal. "Are you deaf? I said see to him!"
"I understand, my lord, but I must—"
Knai slapped him across the face. "I owe this man a life debt. If I am forced to renege on that because of you, I will have your life as payment."
The inn had grown quiet finally. His retainer were definitely hearing him now. Knai let the healer work and moved to stand by the fire, resisting the urge to huddle about himself for warmth. Dry clothes were brought for him, and—he was pleased to note—for Amal as well.
Everything was a blur to Amalendu. He felt the hard surface beneath him but didn't realize it was the floor, he just closed his eyes. There was a commotion above him, and the rain wasn't so loud anymore. Time was being particularly hard to keep track of. The next thing he knew, though it seemed like an eternity, he felt the warmth of healing magic on his wound. His own magic was trying to aid with the healing, he could feel it congregate to that area of his back, compelled and stimulated by the healers magic. Maybe he wouldn't die here after all?
That would be nice. He did like it here among the humans, and various interesting peoples. He could keep protecting Knai for a bit... that would be nice... to see Knai smile would be a treat worth surviving for in and of itself.
The healer continued working till the wound was closed up and then stripped off the blood soaked make-shift bandages before applying cleansing potion to the area. It stung and Amal winced, rabbit ears twitching. His opalescent skin was pale and lacked its normal swirl of colors, the glow was so faint it was barely noticeable in the well lit inn, but at least his body was cooperating with the healer's work.
There were no rooms left in the inn, so Knai had Amal brought to his room. Eivas glared at that but said nothing. There Knai waited out the storm, Amal in his bed and a fire in the room's hearth for warmth.
He got himself dry and fed and, as soon as he was left alone, he crawled into bed next to Amal. He was too tired even to get himself beneath the sheets, and fell asleep right where he lay.
He awoke in the middle of the night, still groggy but felt the warmth against him and opened his eyes to see that cute blonde in bed beside him. A small smile and wrapping an arm around the boy was all the energy he could muster to spend before drifting back to sleep.
When morning found him- or perhaps afternoon already? Amal felt positively ill. It was a strange feeling, one he hadn't experienced much on earth, but that was all part and parcel with staying here so long. He could remember much of the previous day's affairs, but was too light headed to do much. Did he have one of those fever things? Maybe it was a side effect of almost dying?
"Knai?" He called out softly. His rabbit ears twitched a bit, so he was still in his natural form... well he'd have to fix that as soon as he had the energy to do so. At least change to his default human looking version of his normal self once again.
Knai stood from his seat at the window. The rain had finally stopped, but the flood waters were slow to recede.
He jumped up when he heard Amal. Knai had eaten a couple of hours ago, but he'd kept the other tray of food here just in case Amal woke up. The broth was cold, but the jug of tea was still warm and the bread was decent.
"I'm here." He carried the tray over, but set it on the side table next to the bed. "How are you? The healer said he thought you'd be okay..."
Just seeing Knai made him try to sit up some. It hurt, but it was manageable, even if he did feel like all the energy had been drained from him. "I think I will be alright." He smiled softly at the cute little blond. "How are you lovely? You weren't hurt were you? I do not want to have broken my promise to you, especially after you saved my life after all that."
"No, I'm fine," he muttered. He didn't want to argue with someone who was just this side of death's doorway, so he kept his true thoughts to himself. He still owed Amal. That hadn't changed. The man was only in this condition because Knai had lured him into that basement.
"Do you feel like eating?"
He really didn't feel like eating, he didn't feel like doing anything, but he figured that he should, especially since Knai was asking. Amalendu nodded and looked at that cute little face. "Are you sure you are alright? I don't remember much of what happened... not after the basement."
Knai held the tray and sat on the edge of the bed until Amal could get himself into a sitting position.
"Oh, I was fine. Not a scratch on me because of you. Not that you'd know that to listen to my retainers. They think I'll shatter into a tiny pieces any minute."
Amal sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed. He reached out to touch Knai's cheek gently. "I am just happy you are safe. You seem far too strong to me to shatter into pieces." He smiled at the cutie. "I think that your retainers must be worried about you is all... you are their beautiful lord after all, are you not?"
Knai frowned and set the tray on Amal's lap. "Mm. They're worried about me because their fates are tied to mine. If I fail or die, they lose everything."
"No... that is too simple an explanation and you are neglecting to give yourself any credit at all. Knai... I just met you and I wanted to protect you above all else. Now why would I do that?"
Amal took the teacup in his hands and took a sip of that first. It was good, the soup looked good too, maybe a bit cold though. He set the cup back down on the tray and picked at the bread instead.
Knai's mouth curved into a sly smile. "Because I'm just that enchanting that strange men would eagerly risk their lives for me?"
"Maybe that is part of it, but that is also a great quality for a leader to have. The ability to inspire people to do things for you. To make them like you." Amal smiled back a bit, his bunny ears perking up. "I think that lord Knai should feed me the soup though~"
He put the bread back down and leaned back with his mouth open. "Ahhh~"
Knai waved a hand. "It's cold, I'll have something fresh brought."
It was an inn at noon, and a full inn at that, so they didn't have to wait long. Knai had no problem helping the man eat. He intended to do that and much more for Amal in return for what he'd done.
"Let me know if you need to stop," he said.
Ah yes, fresh soup was much better! And being spoon fed by such a cutie was even nicer~ Amal could get used to this. After a few spoonfuls he smiled, blushing a bit though he was a bit flushed and feverish to begin with, at least not dying had him in great spirits. "So tell me about yourself~!" He said before opening his mouth for another bit of soup.
Knai paused. He didn't actually want Amal to know who he was, though he couldn't exactly say why. "I am the regent lord of Ravensway. High Lord Siilan is my elder brother."
"Ravensway huh? I like Ravensway.... beautiful forests... those interesting white ravens. It is probably my favorite of the provinces actually." He wasn't lying about that either. The ones along the mountains weren't his favorite terrain, staying along the coast was like asking for trouble, and he'd had... issues in Jadenshine and Moonspear. Kia's Court wasn't so bad... but it did lack the same enchantment found in Ravensway. "Very fitting that such an enchanting boy is lord regent there."
He wouldn't ask about Knai's brother, not just yet, something told him to leave that be. Maybe it was his own reluctance and difficulty in talking about himself... in talking about Nabhendu, that made him not ask. "How old are you Knai?"
Knai's sly smile returned, and he put a touch of flirtation in it this time. "Sixteen."
Most men loved to know how young he yet was. It excited them to bed a boy just approaching marriageable age, someone who was not really a child anymore but still bore a ripe young body.
Sixteen. Such a young, beautiful thing~. So cute and stubborn, and such responsibility and power, and so young. It was obvious that Knai was no stranger to passion as well. How was it that Amal had been able to resist his advances in that basement again? It seemed such a ridiculous notion now. "You truly are a lovely, blossoming flower Knai~"
If it were not for his weakness, and lack of genitals in his natural form, Amal was certain he'd be aroused now.
Knai replaced the spoon in the now empty bowl. This was a far better reaction than before. He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly, briefly against Amal's. "I look forward to blossoming for you."
He left it at that. There would be no dalliance for awhile, and for once Knai wouldn't be seeking his guardsmen's beds tonight. He was already anticipating Amal's recovery and he wanted to be aching for it by the time Amal was ready to fuck him.
"The healer needs to see you again, now."
That soft fluttering kiss was so sweet, and over far too soon. But damn if it didn't make Amal's smile widen. Delirious, sick, but happy. Amal would've given almost anything to be able to lay that beauty down and ravish him right now. Why did something like almost dying have to get in the way?
"If I allow the healer to see me, will you stay by my side?" He didn't really want to let the healer treat him again. He knew that it would be obvious from healing him that he was a spirit of sorts, despite his corporeal form, and even though few here were familiar with his kind he hated the idea of someone knowing about him. Especially some healer he had no interest being intimate with.
"Mm." Knai nodded, though he didn't see what a man like this would have to be nervous about with a healer. Amal was clearly powerful. Nothing should intimidate him!
With the healing done and fresh bandages applied, Knai settled in a chair with a book. Amal would likely sleep much until he was in better condition, and they were stuck in this town until the flood waters receded. He was bored already and it hadn't even been a full day yet.
Amalendu didn't really like being healed but he didn't fight the healer, even let him replace the bandages, though he would have rathered that Knai did it instead. Oh well, at least the man did not ask questions about him not being human, which was painfully obvious to any who saw him like this. When it was done he found himself drifting back to sleep which he needed anyway.
He dreamed restlessly, the same reoccurring nightmare that he'd had for far too many years now. "N-Nabhendu..." He muttered, face scrunching in a pained expression as he trembled in his sleep.
The next two days passed much like the first. The healer did his work and Knai helped Amal eat until he could do it himself. They shared a bed, but all they did was sleep. Knai didn't ask about whatever made Amal so restless at night. After facing Lorin's disappearance these past weeks, after the tower, he didn't think he could take on whatever it was Amal faced in his dreams. He just held the man close in sleep and waited for it to pass.
Knai spent most of his time by the window, looking out. He was up before Amal on that third morning, when breakfast arrived for them both with a knock at the door.
The knock at their door woke Amal from his sleep and he shifted to sit up in the bed. Amalendu wasn't sure how much time had passed since he had slept mostly, but it was nice being fed and sleeping next to such a lovely boy. More and more he was glad he met Knai.
This morning was different, when he sat up he didn't feel light headed and feverish anymore, he didn't feel quite so drained of energy. His magenta eyes immediately found Knai and he smiled brightly. "Good morning beautiful~"
"It is! The sun is out, look!"
Knai took the trays as he did every morning, and placed one on the side table for Amal and one on the nearby larger table for himself. He pulled the chair up so they could eat and still talk.
"Two more days and they say the roads will be fit for travel. I can't wait, I'm so ready to be out of this inn."
The sun was shining and it did look nice out. "Once the roads are clear you will be heading back to Ravensway then?" He picked at his food a bit, but wasn't that hungry. Actually...
Since he was feeling better this morning Amal decided to close his eyes and shape shift to a normal lightly tanned skin tone and an over all more human appearance. He grinned a bit. No more bunny ears! Better.
"The gods willing. I was hoping you would travel with me. I could show you the Siilan manor—oh!"
Knai dropped his spoon back in the bowl and leaned on the bed to get a better look at Amal's new looks. "You can shift whenever you like? Are you fae?"
Travel with him? See the Siilan manor? "That sounds great to me~ I would love to accompany you." He grinned. In another two days he would probably be up to traveling.
Awww he was leaning closer to get a better look~ So cute! "Yep~ I can change my form to whatever I like.... The only thing that remains constant is my eye color. I am not a fae though, not exactly... I am more like a... spirit."
Knai's eyebrows shot up. He climbed into the bed to kneel beside Amal. "Anything at all?"
That couldn't be right. That would be almost too fortuitous, and since when did the gods ever bless Knai with something so grand at this?
Amal grinned more. Usually he didn't reveal things like that about himself but, well Knai made him want to. He leaned forward and playfully tapped Knai's nose. "Anything at all~"
The possibilities. Knai could practically feel the amazement painted on his face—he must look like a slack-jawed idiot just then. That amazement transformed almost immediately into arousal. Amal could look like anything. And why would he tell Knai that unless he had the intention of demonstrating for him? Not that Knai minded going through a bit of convincing to earn it.
He slid closer and smiled. "Just how well are you feeling now?"
That look was priceless. Knai was just wonderful~!!! When the pretty thing scooted closer to him, Amal placed his hands on the boy's hips automatically. He wished he was feeling 100% better, and part of him knew that he was not up to fooling around but... Knai~!
"Hmmm... well I suppose how I feel would depend on how strenuous an activity you have in mind~"
"Oh, not very!"
Knai stretched out onto his side and found Amal's cock beneath his pants. He kneaded it beneath his palm. "Not very at all."
He'd been dying to get his mouth around Amal's cock for days, ever since he returned to the inn actually. It was the best thing he could think of to show how grateful he was. He could have always given Amal money but—and maybe this was only Knai's thinking—money was useful but valueless. It didn't mean anything. Doing this for him would be much better!
Amal sharply inhaled as Knai went straight for his cock. Such a bold little lord he was~
It was a good thing that Amal shape shifted or the pretty thing might have been disappointed by the lack of cock to play with. Of course, he had been thinking of this sort of thing too. Even in his feverish daze the past few days, Knai's charm was not lost on him.
He let his fingers gently tangle in Knai's light locks as he leaned down to taste those pretty lips, nibbling gently and tracing them with his tongue while his cock stirred to life under the blond's hand.
Ah, good. Amal could do something at least. If Knai had to wait another day before they could get their hands on each other, he might have begun to tear his hair out—or run right to one of his guardsmen. Patience was not one of his virtues.
He smiled and kissed Amal back as he began to stroke his cock in earnest. After waiting so long, he wasn't inclined to take his sweet time.
A little moan was stifled by their mouths' embrace. Amal ran his hand through Knai's hair, stroking it until their kiss broke when the hand traveled to caress the boy's cheek. He pecked those lips with two soft follow up kisses. "You are so amazingly beautiful Knai~" Amal whispered and grinned against the other's lips.
His hips raised slightly to meet the hand stroking him to life and Amal let his own hand trail down the boy's chest and to dip under his waist band to teasingly stroke at his cock.
Could this man be any more perfect for Knai's bed? Not only was he gorgeous to look upon, but he said all the right things as well, remarked upon Knai's beauty every bit as much as Knai deserved and desired! Knai leaned into the kiss and moaned his appreciation into Amal's mouth.
Knai slid down to lay along Amal's legs and get his face closer to where he needed it to be. He busied himself with the laces of Amal's breeches. "You're skilled at this flattery talk."
"If by flattering you mean my ability to state what anyone with eyes should see than thank you." Amal couldn't help but smile as Knai undid his breeches. He was half hard already and was already fantasizing about those tasty lips wrapping themselves around his cock.
He raised his hips and helped push down his pants to give the lovely thing better access to what he wanted and then stroked that lovely hair again, gazing down at Knai with lust and fondness.
Knai loved to reduce men to writhing helplessness with his mouth, and for this, his first encounter with Amal, he brought all of his skill to bear. He didn't touch Amal's cock at first, but ducked his head down to lick the man's balls. Nothing quite told a man just how completely you were there to serve them than that. Knai lavished attention on his balls, and only when Amal was nearly fully hard did he turn his attention to his cock.
Though he'd been eager to get into Amal's pants quickly, now that he was there he took it slow. He used only his hands at first, then kissed and licked lightly up Amal's shaft, teasing, playing, giving every part of Amal's cock his effort in turn. Every now and then he paused to raise his eyes to the other man's. When Amal was hard enough, when the thickness and weight of his cock felt right in Knai's palm, then he lowered his mouth around it.
Amazing~
There was no other word for the lovely blonde's skill and sweetness. He was not accustomed to his sweet young things being so talented! Usually they lacked experience but made up for it with sheer eagerness. Knai possessed both. He inhaled sharply as his balls were paid such loving attention and let out a sighing moan. It did not take long for him to reach full rigidity, his eyes never leaving Knai as the beauty worked so hard to please him.
Amal ran his fingers through those silken locks and pet the other's head as those soft lips enveloped his cock at last. "Wonderful~!!! You are simply amazing Knai~" He purred through heated breaths. Damn.
Knai hummed his pleasure around Amal's cock, the sound thrumming deep in his throat and chest. He knew perfectly well that his mouth could make men beg, but he did so love to hear it said aloud. If he could have gotten any words out just then, he would have told Amal just how splendid it was to feel a man's hand in his hair while swallowed them down. Maybe he'd say it later, if he remembered.
Amal's cock hit the back of his throat, and Knai began drawing his head up and down, slowly at first then picking up speed. Sucking lightly, he eased a hand up to massage Amal's sack while he bobbed his head. His eyes came up, caught Amal's. He tried to put his meaning in that look, a look that said Amal could do as he pleased—Knai would swallow him down, allow Amal to go on his face, in his mouth...whatever he liked.
Amal's fingers couldn't help but tighten around those pretty strands of hair for a moment as Knai sucked him deeply. So perfect.
Amal loosened his grip and returned to petting Knai's hair as he looked down at the beautiful boy sucking his cock and looking back up at him. Knai was here to serve him, in this moment right now, the little lord belonged to him. Gods his cock twitched in that sweet mouth at that realization, knowing Knai would do whatever he wanted.
"Knai...." he moaned like the name was an enchanted spell in the form of golden flecks in the breeze and the sweet scent of jasmine flowers. Yes that was what he was, he would cherish this moment for eternity.
He closed his eyes as he came inside the lordling's mouth without much by the way of warning. The sweet thoughts in his head made his cum sweet too; honeysuckles and jasmine.
Amal must have been close. It was in the desperate way he breathed Knai's name. A heartbeat or too later, and that familiar heat hit the back of Knai's throat. He took Amal's cock as deep as he could and swallowed around it until Amal had totally spent himself. Only then did he pull himself off of Amal's cock and suck in some air.
He licked his lips and smiled up the length of the man's body at him. "Did you enjoy yourself?"