A King's Ransom

by Lia Black

  As if he needed any more. Somehow he'd managed a fitful sleep last night, but when he'd woken up, his body ached in places too deeply to soothe. Even his guts felt bruised, but none of it was as bad as the discomfort of knowing that in a few hours he'd be on a ship—alone—bound for a stranger's bed.

  The docks were at the bottom of a long, steep hill. They moved their horses in a slow procession down the slope, garnering curious glances. It was probably less for safety's sake and more about not wanting to seem too eager--or Veyl assumed as much. Frankly, he didn't want to linger in a city that he'd never see again. He sighed and pushed back his hood, much to Engel's displeasure, judging by the hiss as his eyes darted left and right. Veyl ignored him and, for a moment, he held his head up high.

  "You're drawing too much attention," Engel said through his teeth.

  Veyl shook back his hair. "Jealous?" He noticed then that the two soldier escorts were looking nervously around, even at rooftops. Veyl grimaced and pulled his hood back down over his face.

  "What are they so anxious about?" He snapped at Engel.

  But Engel was ignoring him again, "Clear?" he asked the red-haired archer.

  "Yes sir, as far as I can tell, sir."

  "Expecting an ambush? Worried that someone else has been contracted to steal me away to Dandre?" Veyl glanced up at the rooftops, almost wishing someone were there. The thought of Ahrn--a man who had been both a father and a lover to him--putting him on a ship bound for some terrible fate was too painful. He'd rather have been abducted by a stranger.

  "Keep moving men, I can see the Cadence on the west dock."

  Engel jerked his chin towards something down the hill and to the right, and Veyl turned to see on what sort of vessel he'd be confined. He was surprised that it was a rather unassuming sailing rig, and but for it being set off by itself, he might not have even noticed it at all. Likely that was the point.

  They dismounted and secured their horses, then walked almost single-file down the pier, with Veyl being held in check by Engel's strong hand on his shoulder. As they got closer, Veyl's resolve started to crumble. It was apparent now that no one was going to rescue him. Kaidos wasn't coming, and Ahrn was not having second thoughts. Veyl didn't want to be here--he didn't want to be going someplace where he knew not a soul, and likely, where he'd be treated as a slave for some rich eccentric prick.

  "N-no--I-I don't want to--" Veyl tried to pull free of Engel's grasp, and yelped when the grip grew painful. He began to strike out at anyone he could, getting the attention of several of the crew members who came running to help.

  Engel yelped as Veyl managed to land a perfect blow to his nose. The guard captain stumbled back, obviously surprised by Veyl's sudden burst of power, holding his hand to cover the lower part of his face. The two soldiers tracked around Veyl, looking for a chance to contain him without also falling victim to his wrath or hurting him, but they were having a difficult time.

  "Grab him! But don't hurt him!" Engel barked as blood leaked between his fingers.

  Veyl saw an opening and began to run, his pain muted by panic, towards the open water. At this point he'd rather drown than live for one more day with the memory of all of this betrayal adding insult to a life he had no more reason to live. As he launched himself towards the dark waves, a strong arm caught him about the waist, pulling him back.

  "No! No no no no!" Veyl screamed, struggling against the arms that encircled him like iron bars. This wasn't fair—not only could he not control his life, but he'd been robbed of death again as well.

  The man whispered in his ear, his lips barely brushing against his skin. "I'm here."

  Veyl choked in a staggering breath. He raised his terrified gaze and caught a flash of steel-grey eyes through messy locks of black hair.

  "Kai..." He sobbed, only half believing it could be true. He was too tired to fight anymore. His fate was already predetermined, and the more he tried to change it, the worse things became. "I'm so sorry Kai..." Veyl murmured, but his voice was drowned out by the shouts of the others, coming to get him on board. He slumped, defeated, into the arms of the man who held him, and let despair and exhaustion pull him down to the darkness.

  *~*~*

  Kaidos had been helping Wick inspect the backstays for their journey when the four figures appeared.

  "That must be our transport." Wick jerked his chin towards the pier.

  Kaidos felt his heart speed up. He tried to seem no more interested than the rest of the men who watched the progress of three soldiers and their black-robed charge. They had no idea what beauty was hidden by the cowl, but they would likely soon enough, and that was at least partially the reason for needing a guard on board.

  When he saw Veyl try to run, Kaidos was the first man to run to him. Fortunately, the ship's captain noticed the struggle below and had sent four others to get down to the dock to help.

  Although he had planned to make his presence known very subtly a day or two after they'd set sail, he could see that Veyl was determined not to board the ship. He had broken free of the group and was now stumbling towards the edge of the wide pier, intent on launching himself into the sea.

  Kaidos forced down his fear of not getting to him in time. Veyl was stubborn. If he made it into the water, he would do what it took to keep from being rescued if he had lost hope. From how it appeared, he'd already decided as much.

  A second before Veyl took the leap, Kaidos picked up a burst of speed and caught him in midair, curling a strong arm around his waist and dragging him back.

  Veyl screamed, and the desperation wounded Kaidos to his core. Gods, how ironic that he was the one who would ultimately put him on the ship after everything. But he was formulating plans, trying to put together a viable rescue, and he needed Veyl to know that, so he wouldn't run to a place where there was no chance of coming back.

  "I'm here." Kaidos whispered through Veyl's struggling.

  Those amber eyes met his, and Kaidos thought he saw the flash of dazed recognition before the struggling stopped and Veyl drooped in his arms.

  "Kai...I'm sorry..."

  Kaidos had wanted to pull Veyl up and kiss him, but he forced himself to think with his head and not his heart. He worried that the places he'd held him already bore injury, and Veyl's body was going to be very sore from his outburst.

  Kaidos quickly glanced at Guard Captain Ahrn Engel who now had a rag pressed to his bloody nose. Veyl had surprised Engel with that sudden punch in the face and confirmed for Kaidos that the guard captain was no longer in Veyl's favor. How could he be after betraying him so thoroughly? Unfortunately, he'd done it with his left hand that had just healed from popping that bandit in the mouth. It looked swollen, but not damaged otherwise.

  "Where is the guard escort?" Engel demanded, his voice muffled by the rag.

  "Dead." Came Wick's reply from behind him.

  "Deh..." The hand clutching the rag started to drop as Engel stared at the large blond sailor. He straightened up, raising his shoulders slightly.

  Kaidos thought of him as a house-cat trying to make itself look bigger in the face of a threat.

  "Fine. Wait here." Engel turned on his heel and strode to the two soldiers loitering several yards behind.

  "Goll..." Wick said with something that looked like wonder. He was staring down at Veyl who had passed out in Kaidos' arms. "That's a man? No wonder he'd needed an escort..."

  "All right, Let's go." Engel said sharply upon his return. "I'm boarding your ship and I will accompany the transport to Dandre."

  Kaidos gave a grunt that he hoped the guard captain interpreted as agreement.

  Engel glanced at Kaidos briefly, but Kaidos detected no signs of suspicion. Even if Engel had known what he looked like, he wouldn't have easily recognized him now. Kaidos' hair was messy and partially covering his face, and he wore several days' growth of unkempt beard. If it wouldn't have been completely awkward, Kaidos might have groaned from the absurdity of the situation. But currently Veyl was
in his arms and as much as he didn't want to put him on the ship, he had no choice in the matter.

  They boarded the vessel and Engel quickly pulled Veyl's hood up to cover his face. It was obviously too late. Most of the crew had gotten a glimpse of him and Kaidos could see that Engel would have his hands full trying to keep Veyl safe. And Veyl would be kept safe because Kaidos would take them all on if he had to.

  He carried Veyl down below to a dignitary's cabin located next to the Captain's quarters and laid him gently on the bed. He didn't want to go, but had no choice if he wanted to remain discreet about his real purpose on-board this ship. Reluctantly he let Veyl go, his fingers trailing in a caress that brought a small sigh to Veyl's barely conscious state.

  A moment later, he and Wick were called to cast off.

  *~*~*

  Veyl wasn't certain how much of what he thought he remembered had been a dream. He knew that his body hurt, and he knew that he was now on a ship bound for Dandre. What he didn't know was whether he'd actually encountered Kaidos, or if it had been something wrapped up in a dream. Regardless, someone had stopped him from escaping, and if it wasn't Kaidos, that wouldn't be Veyl's last attempt at going overboard. Assuming he could find the strength to even stand up now.

  He gave a small groan as he uncurled from his fetal knot and stretched out on his back. Almost instantly, he was dizzy and a moment later, he was sick.

  Veyl managed to vomit over the side of the bed--though he had nothing but liquid in his stomach. It would still begin to stink and his continued dry heaving brought footsteps to his door.

  Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, he glared at Ahrn as the guard captain came into his room. Had he been feeling better, he might have enjoyed seeing the man sporting two black eyes and a bulbous red nose. But right now, he didn't enjoy seeing him at all.

  He struggled to get out of bed. The cabin was large, but not nearly large enough to put the kind of distance he wanted between himself and Engel.

  "Where are you going?" Ahrn hadn't budged and his body filled up the doorframe, preventing Veyl's escape.

  "I'm going to jump in the ocean." Veyl muttered, swaying where he stood. He nearly fell and Ahrn caught him, receiving a slap across the face from Veyl for his efforts.

  "Don't touch me."

  "Veyl..." Ahrn had moved and now the path was open so Veyl again tried to escape.

  Ahrn grabbed him around the waist and dragged him back inside the room, slamming the door and crowding Veyl against it with his solid body.

  "Why can't you understand?" he yelled, and it was the first time Veyl had ever seen him so angry. "You think only of yourself! I would have been hanged and Aaullsworthe would have been razed if I didn't comply! I have a wife to protect--"

  "Then you shouldn't have been fucking me!" Veyl yelled back, then felt instantly ill again, although he wasn't certain if it was the motion of the ship or the sudden realization of just how badly he'd been betrayed. Before he could stop himself, tears began rolling down his face and he dissolved back into the rejected seventeen-year-old boy whose heart Ahrn had broken. It had only been three years ago, but Veyl had already become an expert at locking away his pain. Or so he'd thought.

  "I hate you..." Veyl sobbed, refusing to raise his head and look Engel in the eye.

  "You should." Ahrn said softly.

  A light, but insistent rapping came from the other side of the door, and an unfamiliar voice called into them,

  "Everything all right in there?"

  "Fine." Engel said, his body still looming over Veyl. "Could you send in a mop bucket?"

  The man in the hallway outside cleared his throat, "Right away, sir."

  The interruption had given Veyl enough time to recompose. He moved around Engel's body unsteadily and sat on the end of the bed; his shoulders hunched and head down. His knuckles were white as he clutched the footboard. Just when he worried that the silence had stretched too long and Engel was going to speak, the door opened and a broad-shouldered man with a mess of black hair shuffled in with a mop and bucket.

  "I'll wait in the hall." Engel just left the words hanging without any indication of whom they were meant for, and stepped out into the passageway, pulling the door partially closed.

  The man with the mop bumped the door with his hip and closed it the rest of the way, then he stared at Veyl, and smirked.

  Veyl recognized that it was Kaidos under all of that messy hair and scraggly black beard. Despite the fact that his heart was swelling in his chest and he wanted to launch himself into Kaidos arms, he remained stoic.

  "You look like crap," Veyl said softly.

  "So do you." Kaidos grinned and edged closer, sliding the mop and bucket with him. His smile faded when he got close enough to see the remnants of tears in Veyl's amber eyes.

  "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner." Kaidos reached out and caressed Veyl's cheek with his warm, rough hand.

  "You would have been killed if you had. They killed Lirin, thinking he was you." Veyl caught Kaidos' hand with his own, and turned his head to kiss the palm lightly.

  "But you didn't know that." Kaidos filled in what Veyl hadn't yet said.

  "No. Not until recently and even then I wasn't certain."

  "Are you certain now?" Kaidos moved closer, cupping Veyl's face between his big hands. He pulled away quickly and grabbed the mop as the door swung open.

  Engel stuck his head inside. "What's taking so long?"

  As if he'd been doing it the entire time, Kaidos began mopping the floor around the bed where Veyl had lost his last meal.

  "Nasty stuff, gets into the wood, sir." Kaidos didn't look at Engel, his eyes were locked on Veyl.

  Veyl stared straight ahead at the wall, though he could see both men in his peripheral vision. He saw Engel cast a suspicious glare at Kaidos and he came into the room, waiting for the man with the mop and bucket to leave. He was waiting to see if there might be a standoff between the two dominant males, but Kaidos finally finished up and left the room.

  "Why are you here, Guard Captain?" Veyl sneered, folding his arms.

  "I don't trust the men on this ship around you."

  Veyl rolled his eyes. "This merchandise is already damaged."

  "I won't see you harmed, Veyl. Regardless of what you think of me, I still care deeply about you."

  "Please just shut up." Veyl looked away. The tension was rising through his spine and he wanted to be alone. No. He wanted to be with Kaidos. He swallowed back the sob that threatened and willed the tears to stay contained. Gods, he'd been so glad to see him. Kaidos had come for him after all, and better late than never.

  He looked up at Engel, wondering what had suddenly made him go so quiet, to see that the color was draining from his face and sweat was beginning to break out on his brow.

  "Damn it." Engel swore leaning heavily in the doorway.

  "Sea sick?" Veyl offered and it was apparently enough to make it so.

  Engel pushed himself away from the doorway, pulling the door closed as he stumbled off somewhere to be sick.

  Veyl waited a few minutes then went to the door, but it swung open before he could reach the handle. The next thing he was aware of were arms around him, holding him, and Kaidos swept him back into the room, closing the door.

  "Kai! What are you doing? Engel will kill you if he finds you here!" Veyl hissed, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

  "He already killed me, remember? It seems that the guard captain isn't feeling well. I happened to be outside and he asked me to look in on you."

  Veyl gaped. "He did not!"

  "I swear. I could tell when I came in here to mop that he was going to be sick. That's why I've been waiting in the hall."

  Releasing him, Kaidos looked down into his face. "I never should have left you alone…"

  Veyl looked away as his empty stomach clenched. Many different reasons for Kaidos' statement coursed through his brain, but most of them were disappointing. He began to draw back into himself, c
ertain that the utterings of his heart had—as usual—been foolish.

  Sighing, Kaidos combed his fingers through his scraggly hair. "I had already decided to take you home...I was just too…" Kaidos shook his had, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry, Veyl. I…I'm in love with you. I want to make things right."

  A stabbing pain when through Veyl's heart. "I don't know that I believe you. People say a lot of things that they don't mean." Veyl slipped from his arms and went to sit down on the bed, trying to keep from crumbling. "Like saying they love me."

  Kaidos' face twisted with confusion, and possibly a little anger. "What do you mean? I'm here because I do love you! Veyl, I swear to you, I will take you home. No matter what."

  Veyl gave a humorless laugh, "Even if I still had a home, I think it's a bit late for that." He looked down at his hands, resting in his lap, then lifted his face towards Kaidos again. A few tears slipped hot from his eyes, stinging his face as they ran down. He didn't want to cry, because that meant that at least a small part of him believed what Kaidos was saying, but he couldn't stop himself. How he'd ever developed this damnable hope was beyond him. It had never done him any favors. But yet, he still craved the promises made by others.

  "Then don't believe me, but let me love you as long as I can." The look in his eyes was a plea and a silent hope woven together as Kaidos approached him. He sat on the bed and Veyl's heart swelled as Kaidos gathered him into his arms.

  "I'm afraid I won't be much use to anyone for a while. Your brother really did a number on me." Just saying the words nearly made him sick all over again.

  He shuddered when Kaidos pressed warm lips to his temple as heat began to displace the coldness that had settled in his bones.

  "I'm sorry, Veyl. I wish I had let him suffer." Kaidos stroked his hair, his calluses occasionally snagging against a few strands.

  Veyl tensed. "You killed him?"

  "He was mostly dead anyway. I hope it hurt like hell."