Requiem for a King [MxM]

Of Allies and Trust I

Dear Major Domo,

Forgive my writing to you during a time of great turmoil within the royal house. I am grieved to hear the news of the disappearance of young King Jaredeth. To think he was snatched from his throne by the jowls of misfortune so soon into his tenure is disheartening.

I write to inform you that his disappearance is more than an accident, or unfortunate circumstance, or whatever pretty words the Council has fed to the denizens of the royal house. Indeed, this was an orchestrated effort carried out by some who walk and serve in those very halls.

You should be wary, Major domo and pay attention to new faces that have taken residence in the Council Chamber following news of the King's disappearance. I fear a silent coup may be occurring, or an attempt to vest the power of the crown to a nefarious entity in the interim.

Eighteen years is a long time for a throne to be empty, and for people who have no place acting as an authority to be making decisions that chart the course of our great kingdom. Be wary.

Jaredeth lowered the letter, turned it, and found nothing on the back. Not so much as a signature or clue to suggest where it originated. The handwriting was impeccable, so it had to be someone rich enough to afford higher education. A noble perhaps.

He slipped the letter into his bag and dug deeper into the box of provisions Havers had sent. The major domo, bless his heart, had sent food packed away into wooden boxes, some coin and one of Jaliah's toys. Jaredeth pressed it to his nose. It smelled of lavender, like Jaliah's room. Soon. He'd see her again.

The room door clicked open and Quintus walked in, towel around his waist, skin damp from his bath. Jaredeth got flashbacks of the night before, his moans of pleasure as he gave him the ecstasy one could only get from another man. They hadn't talked about it, and if Quintus' standoff-ish attitude following their shared passion was any indication, they shouldn't.

Jaredeth wasn't sure what forces had compelled him to share a bed with Quintus last night. Perhaps because he was hurting and needed a friend, a distraction. Perhaps he needed to feel... loved.Espeially when it felt as though the whole city was against him.

Quintus sat on his bed and quietly tugged on his clothes, while Jaredeth packed away his share of the provisions. He tucked Jaliah's ball into his pocket.

"These are yours," Jaredeth said, holding out the food and coin for Quintus. "We have a long day ahead." And a long night behind, he added in his head.

Quintus opened the food, sniffed it, set aside. Opened the pouch and his eyebrows shot up. "Money? How generous." He tossed it into his open case. "Which of these villages are we going to first?"

"Carrina. There's someone there I think would be a good fit for my Council. Havers is going to arrange a meeting with me and the two candidates here. Then I want to go up north to Hutton, since that's the last place my mother was seen. There may be a potential candidate there too." If he hasn't keeled over, Jaredeth added in his head.

"Hm." Quintus hummed. "A Council of five? That's pretty small."

"Technically, the Council can be as big as the table, but having at least one Councilor for each district is the only requirement. My father preferred a smaller Council. As do I." Jaredeth shouldered his bag and tossed on his cloak and mask while Quintus packed up his case. He idled by the door, his mind reeling with thoughts of the day ahead and the night before. They had to talk. To know where they stood.

"So..." he began tentatively. "About what happened last night."

Quintus moved to exit, but Jaredeth blocked his way. "Don't start with me, Gavrael."

"We need to talk, Quintus," Jaredeth said, squaring his shoulders. "I don't want there to be any misunderstandings."

Quintus shrugged a shoulder. "We had... what did you call it? Unresolved feelings? Well now, they're resolved. That's all. You have a wife, remember? Worry about her, not me."

He winced. "Right. Good talk." And he turned on his heel and headed out the door. Unresolved feelings... Nothing was resolved, not for him at least. If anything, his feelings had been intensified, like he'd taken a hit of the most addictive drug and he needed to chase that high or he'd go crazy. But there was no knowing if Quintus felt the same.

Ever since he revealed the truth about himself, Quintus had been closed off, distant, quiet—an impenetrable fortress perched atop a sheer cliff. He could only stare up from the bottom. Or he could find a way to climb, to win Quintus' trust back, so when Quintus finally left, they could part on good terms—maybe even see each other again.

They pounded down the steps into the main tavern, and the bartender gave them a little wave. Out back, a stable boy handed their horses over and moments later, they were riding through the north gate of the capital.

An hour's ride at a gallop would take them to Carrina, the closest of the outer towns to the capital. It was about the size of Ewell, quaint and quiet, perfect for older folk who hated the noise of the capital and wanted a nice place to settle down. It served as Avaly's breadbasket, with three quarters of the land devoted to rolling fields of grain, orchards and mills.

Unlike the guards at the capital, those stationed in the outer towns didn't give them much hassle when crossing into the village. They walked the cobblestone path through the quiet streets. Those out and about their morning gave them smiles and waves. Jaredeth had grown so accustomed to smiling and nodding that it was second nature to him, but Quintus, on the other hand, cringed at the attention.

"How far does this friend of yours live?" Quintus asked.

Jaredeth nodded to a road up ahead that would take them to the western side of the village. "Through there, all the way at the end." He turned onto the path and rode past empty homes to a dead end.

They came upon a quaint wooden house nestled in the belly of a knoll. Jaredeth jumped off his horse and tethered it to the fence, not checking if Quintus followed suit. He hadn't seen Edmar since his coronation. With them being born only a few months apart, they'd been close ever since they were boys.

Everyone outside the royal family knew them to be close friends, and everyone in the family knew they were cousins. Their grandfather's extramarital affairs were a well-kept secret. The only exception to this rule was Torrian, and only because Edmar had made the mistake of blurting it out during one of his drunken escapades.