A King's Ransom

by Lia Black

  "You bastard!" Veyl screamed and punched futilely at Ahrn's chest, succeeding in only hurting his hands on the thick leather breastplate.

  Engel pulled him close with a strong arm around him that, under any other circumstance, would have been welcome. But now its sole purpose was just to keep Veyl from getting away.

  "I'm sorry, Veyl," Engel's voice was raspy with his apology, "I'd rejected the request once already. I have no choice but to follow my orders... "

  "You son of a scabrous whore! You have a choice right now! Turn this horse around! Take me home!" Veyl's anger was enough to tear Engel's entire army apart, but his body was pitifully weak. He sagged as the exertion took its toll.

  "Please..." Veyl's voice cracked.

  Engel said nothing.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  The Final Stop

  It had taken less than an hour that first night for Kaidos to figure out what was happening, and in the morning, when the three soldiers left with Veyl--heading north—it had confirmed his suspicions. It seemed that Veyl's beloved Guard Captain Engel was not taking him home after all.

  Kaidos watched them lead the hooded man out of the tent and he knew it had to be Veyl. He cringed to see Veyl moving so slowly, as if every part of his body ached. If he'd had time, Kaidos might have gone back to Lirin's grave and taken a shit upon it as well.

  He watched as two soldiers on the ground raised Veyl up onto a horse to sit sidesaddle in front of an officer that Kaidos assumed was Engel. He still hadn't seen the man's face, but couldn't help but feel a spark of jealousy. This was the man who'd saved Veyl's life by taking him in, with whom he'd had an intimate relationship for five years, and whom he'd thought had forgotten him. When Kaidos saw the three riders start north, he knew that Veyl was going to wish it had been so.

  "That back-stabbing fuck..." Kaidos hissed through his teeth. As he rode a safe distance away from them, keeping inside the tree line that ran alongside the main road, he witnessed the very moment when Veyl understood that he wasn't going home.

  Veyl's arms and legs flailed, and he struggled against the man who held him tightly against his solid body. Kaidos wanted so badly to swoop in and rescue Veyl, but he knew that he was out-matched by the three soldiers and their weaponry. He'd have to bide his time and wait until he had an opportunity to save him, and if that meant heading to Dandre right along with them, then that was just what he'd do.

  Whoever it was that wanted Veyl, wanted him badly enough to double-cross Kaidos and demand a military escort. He chuckled with the irony. When he'd decided to take Veyl home, he'd sought to break his part of the contract that the initiator had never planned to fulfill. Veyl running away from him had likely saved Kaidos' life. When the unit had come across Veyl and Lirin, they'd obviously assumed it was him, and followed their orders to kill Kaidos Vailinn on the spot. That explained why Engel had used his name specifically when he'd reported to Veyl of his death.

  And Veyl had wept.

  Kaidos swallowed the lump in his throat. So this painful intensity was what it felt like to be in love, and suffer the threat of losing everything.

  *~*~*

  Around noon, the soldiers stopped for lunch and to water their horses in a copse of trees just off the main road. Engel maintained a firm grip on Veyl's arms, already having suffered three lines of bleeding scratches on his cheek from Veyl's fingernails.

  "Veyl, please, make this easier on yourself; I don't want to have to tie you up...." Engel entreated and walked him over to plop him down on a large rock in front of the other two soldiers before going a polite distance away to relieve himself.

  The escorts were eying Veyl, seemingly wary of him either getting up to run, or getting up to run at them.

  "He fucks me, you know," Veyl told them, not obliged to practice discretion anymore. "And sometimes I fuck him back."

  That set one man to coughing on the sip he'd just taken from his canteen and the other turned white as a sheet. Veyl folded his arms and tried to enjoy their discomfort through a smug smile, but it brought him no satisfaction.

  Engel returned, frowning at his men and at Veyl. Veyl refused to meet his eyes.

  "I need to take a piss," Veyl said to no one in particular.

  One of the young soldiers rose to volunteer but Ahrn shook his head.

  "I'll escort him." He held Veyl by his shoulder and trotted him off to relieve himself.

  Veyl hadn't remembered peeing any time during his recovery, and he was nervous about how bad it might be. It took him a while to get himself free from the large cotton waistcloth that functioned as a bandage of sorts. He knew his cock had been scraped raw by teeth, probably stones in the dirt--what it was didn't really matter, at least he'd been left intact, and those injuries would heal quickly. What he wasn't prepared for was the pain, and the blood that mixed with his stream.

  Veyl gave a small cry as he felt something like a kick in the back, and a sensation like he was pissing shards of glass. He clutched onto Engel who caught him, holding him as if they might still be lovers.

  "Veyl, it will be all right. That was the worst of it." Engel promised him, and Veyl was frightened enough by the experience to believe him.

  "I feel sick..." Veyl muttered, pulling away and swaying.

  "I knew we should have delayed a bit longer..." Ahrn shook his head.

  "How about indefinitely?" Veyl spat back, his pain manifesting as anger now. "Why could you tell them 'no' before but not again?" He was hunched over like an old man, and frankly, he felt like one. An old man who'd been trampled--and maybe fucked--by horses.

  Ahrn's right hand clenched as it always did when he was trying to consider his words carefully.

  "Because if I don't deliver you this time, people will die."

  Veyl was stunned by Ahrn's confession. Was he being melodramatic? It made no sense that someone Veyl had likely never even met wanted him badly enough to kill for. Unfortunately, Kaidos' fate had already shown that to be the case.

  "And what's to become of me?" Veyl asked quietly, but his tone was no less acerbic.

  "You won't die." Engel sighed and looked impatiently back towards his horse.

  "Was it this same authority that told you to kill Kaidos Vailinn?"

  "Yes. And after what he's done to you, I wish I could kill him over and over again."

  "Done to me? No...no that wasn't Kaidos..."

  "Veyl, he was hurting you when we showed up!"

  Veyl shook his head, "No, I--" and then he put together what Ahrn had been saying. Could they have possibly assumed that Lirin was Kaidos and killed him? He felt a small measure of something like hope expanding in his chest, but he buried it--not yet ready to smother the flame completely, but not letting it burn brightly enough to reach his eyes. He looked down at the dirt.

  "We'll make camp here." Engel announced to his men, but his eyes remained on Veyl, who wanted him to be looking anywhere else.

  *~*~*

  They didn't stop again after lunch, and just when Veyl was about to demand that they do, the early evening sky lit up like a small sunrise just over the crest of the hill. Down the slope on the other side was Herrendsport, and beyond that, deep blue water as far as the eye could see. They had arrived. The final stop before all hope was lost.

  "Behave yourself...please," Engel whispered to Veyl, his lips brushing his ear, and Veyl shuddered, revulsion flooding his stomach.

  "Don't patronize me," Veyl hissed, pulling his hood over his head once more.

  The port city was twice the size of Aaullsworthe. The streets were paved with cobblestone, and lit by tall lamps down the center thoroughfare. A narrow lane split off to one side, curving around in front of well-kept shops and returning to meet the main street on the other side of a large central fountain. Where most shops in Aaullsworthe would be closing their doors for the evening, the shops here were still serving customers and the streets were alive with a surprising number of seafarers and residents alike.

  The party dismounte
d and Engel waited with Veyl as the two young soldiers boarded their horses at the stable nearby.

  Veyl's amber eyes darted between faces in the streets, hoping beyond hope that Kaidos would be among them. It was a small and unreasonable thing to desire. He should be content enough to have the spark of hope that Kaidos yet lived. Veyl sighed and Engel must have detected something about it that made him look down at Veyl and address him kindly.

  "We can spend a day here if you like..."

  Veyl's body stiffened against him and he looked up to glare up at him from under his hood, "Oh? Are we going to spend a lovely day together shopping and sight-seeing before you throw me on a ship and forget I ever existed?"

  "I could never forget about you." Ahrn's voice was strained, and his face continued to wear an expression that looked like heartache.

  Veyl's eyes narrowed to slits, "I wish to hell that you had."

  Engel frowned and directed his attention at his men as they returned from the stables. "Purchase what supplies he'll need for the journey. Don't forget clothing and shoes, and bandages. We'll meet you at sunrise."

  "Yes, sir." The men said in unison and peeled away. Under better circumstances, Veyl would have loved to explore the city. Had he any interest in returning to his life as a prostitute, he would definitely consider working here.

  "So which one of those fine young lads will be replacing me?" Veyl asked with a sneer.

  "Veyl, stop."

  "Hmm, the brunet seems nice enough, but the redhead...I'll bet that mouth of his could take your cock and--"

  Ahrn's grip on Veyl's arm tightened, and his muscles shook with the effort of his restraint.

  "Stop it!" he hissed, spittle glistening on his lower lip.

  A few people wandering the streets glanced over because of Engel's outburst, but they quickly lost interest and continued on their way.

  Engel's grip relaxed, "Are you trying to make me hate you?" He sounded suddenly weary.

  "No. I'm trying to make me hate you." Veyl held his voice even and tried to distract himself with the goings on of the city. Unfortunately, there wasn't nearly enough happening to occupy his mind.

  If Kaidos was here, surely, Veyl would have spotted him now--even a fleeting glance--but none of the faces looked familiar, and Veyl's small flame of hope began to flicker.

  They stopped at one of the more modest inns in the city. Engel dealt with the task of securing a room for himself and Veyl apart from his other men while discretely holding Veyl's wrist behind his back as Veyl stood behind him.

  Veyl might have made a snide remark to the innkeeper as another insult to Engel, but he was too bone-weary and disappointed to bother. If Kaidos were alive, what reason would he have to come after him after Veyl had crept out without so much as a kiss goodbye? Besides, it would be suicide to attempt to snatch him away again with so many eyes watching--especially those of Guard Captain Engel. Veyl sagged, unconsciously leaning into Engel for physical support.

  The gesture obviously surprised Engel, and he paused his conversation with the innkeeper, resuming it after taking a few moments to recompose.

  "What's wrong with your lady?" The innkeeper asked the guard captain, genuinely concerned.

  Engel cleared his throat. "Weary from the road. Thank you for your help." He turned and swept Veyl into his arms, heading towards the stairs.

  "End of the hall--right hand side." The innkeeper called to Engel's back as he started to ascend.

  "What's that--the honeymoon suite?" Veyl mumbled thickly. He was too tired to make use of the venom churning in his gut.

  As expected, Engel ignored him--or maybe Veyl hadn't actually said anything at all. He was too exhausted to make any effort to fight right now. He relaxed into the arms that held him, perhaps even feeling a kiss on his brow before he fell into a troubled, dreamless sleep.

  *~*~*

  He and Engel shared a bed but nothing more, and for that Veyl was thankful. His heart couldn't take such a betrayal, but his spirit felt empty and would take any kindness it could get. As Veyl lay still in the bed watching Engel dress, he began to talk himself out of hoping that Kaidos would come rescue him. He should be content just believing that Kaidos was alive somewhere. It was a pity he'd never see the rest of the money to build his little house and start a family...

  The thought of Kaidos being with someone else--loving her--made Veyl's stomach hurt and refilled that heavy lump of lead in his chest. He was selfish and vain; this he had to accept, because he didn't want Kaidos to go on without him. He didn't want him to be happy with someone else. Even though it was he who had run away, Veyl didn't feel like being rational at this point.

  "We'll need to be leaving soon," Ahrn said to him with that same hangdog look on his face that Veyl wanted to smack off of him. He hated that Ahrn felt so guilty about what he was doing, but wouldn't deviate from his course. It was amazing that he managed his troops at all if the man couldn't commit whole-heartedly to a decision he'd made.

  Engel was trimming his beard in the small metal mirror hanging on the wall, and Veyl met his eyes through the hazy reflection.

  "Would you have fucked me last night if I weren't so damaged?" Veyl sneered with a renewed stock of virulence having been built up by the rest.

  "I might have hoped to make love to you," Ahrn said with a sigh, taking the rancor out of Veyl's motivations.

  "You wouldn't betray someone you loved," Veyl said coolly. He sat up stiffly in bed, trying not to put too much pressure on his rear end. "I suppose that clothing you mentioned won't be available until I am safely aboard a ship?"

  "There are shoes at the foot of the bed. The rest you can have aboard the ship." Ahrn replied as if Veyl hadn't already known the answer.

  The shoes were soft leather and the perfect size, which was not surprising because Ahrn had purchased everything from the top of Veyl's head to the tips of his toes throughout the years. The thought filled Veyl's heart with more lead. He had nothing left of Kaidos at all. The clothing they'd found together had been ravaged by his brother. For some reason that struck him as terribly sad and he swallowed back a sob.

  Engel turned to look at him, his eyebrows raised in concern, but Veyl just shot him a fiery glare. He pulled his knees into his chest, burying his face.

  There was a line of tension between them like a rope, and Veyl could feel the tug as he knew that Ahrn wanted to come to him. As upset as Veyl was now, he might have accepted the comfort, so he was relieved when Ahrn stayed away and turned back to the mirror.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  The Cadence

  Because he'd known where they were headed, Kaidos decided to ride on ahead and see if he could locate the vessel bound for Dandre.

  He'd sold his horse once he'd reached Herrendsport, quietly mourning the loss of his original steed to Aaullsworthe's guard-army. But he didn't intend on coming back—at least not without Veyl—and he'd no doubt need the money for other things.

  It was easy for Kaidos to spot the ship because he knew what he'd been looking for. The details had been told to him by the messenger, even though he now understood that he was never intended to arrive. According to the conversation he'd overheard, Engel had received orders to kill Kaidos—he hadn't come for Veyl on his own. If Kaidos had gotten Veyl to the ship, he imagined they would have killed him in cold blood on the spot.

  The ship was an almost nondescript merchant carrack, docked on the west end of the pier. The only distinguishing mark was the blue flag hanging from the bowsprit.

  He hadn't shaved since Thieves Den, and after nearly a week's-worth of riding, Kaidos had become sufficiently unkempt and his face was shadowed by the beginnings of a beard. It would be easy to pass himself off as a ship hand looking for work. When he got to the vessel, he found it relatively understaffed and with a small crew of around forty men. Kaidos had no trouble getting a job.

  Because he was possessed of greater height and muscle than most of the men on board, he was paired up with a man called Wick
to do the more labor-intensive tasks. Wick was a big man of little education and one eye that looked perpetually to the sky while the other focused on Kaidos' face. His blond hair was kept short and he had the makings of a reddish-colored beard.

  " 'Bout time they paired me up with a suitable tar! Most of this lot's got arms like women!" Wick laughed, exposing the few teeth left in his mouth. "C'mon, I'll show you around. You'll be on second dogwatch today."

  Kaidos toured the ship with Wick, earning a rather unimaginative nickname of "Blackie" among the crew because of his dark hair. They didn't make any comments about him looking the part of a Wanderer, and he'd been called much worse, so had no problem answering to this moniker.

  "So what're we waiting for?" Kaidos asked Wick as they made the remainder of their rounds.

  "Some transport to Dandre. A person of some sort. A man, I reckon' I heard tell." Wick said with a shrug. "Just as well they're late. We only made port yesterday on account of half the crew takin' sick."

  "Oh." Well, that explained why they were down a good ten to fifteen hands.

  Wick laughed, finishing it with a phlegmy cough, the products of which he spat over the side of the boat. "Cook was one of 'em. Good thing he died else he'd have been keelhauled a couple a' rounds—food poisoning it was. We also lost the guard-escort, though."

  "Guard escort?" That pretty much confirmed Kaidos' suspicion that he would have been killed had he arrived with Veyl in tow.

  "Yeah. The guard was a serious sort. Well-armed. Surprised the sickness killed him as it did but well, it did. This man we are picking up is someone of interest to the King of Dandre."

  No wonder Kaidos had thought of his payment as a king's ransom--it seemed that it actually was.

  *~*~*

  Outside of their room at the Inn, Engel and Veyl met the other two soldiers in the hall, and together they went downstairs. Engel held Veyl's wrist, and the two soldiers followed close behind. He felt like he was being led to the gallows, and for all he knew right now, he was. One of the soldiers was an archer, and likely a good one. If Veyl ran and they wanted to make certain to take him in alive with minimal damage, a good archer with an eye for discreet wounding was necessary.