by Kim Fielding
Aric lifted his chin. “I am.”
“They can’t be thieves, Mr. Noft,” said the captain. “The giant’s far too big for it, and the pretty one’s far too blind.”
“We’re not thieves,” Aric confirmed. He’d never stolen anything but Gray Leynham. He’d even returned the wheelbarrow to Cearl, and inside it were the quilts they’d taken from the palace.
“It is not their… honesty that concerns me now, Captain,” said Mr. Noft. Then he turned back to Gray and Aric. “What are you to one another?”
Aric hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond, and Gray jumped in. “I love him,” he said simply but a little fiercely.
Mr. Noft’s bushy eyebrows rose. “You love… that? It is because you are blind and do not know how he is, perhaps.”
Aric blushed with anger and shame and gritted his teeth. He’d become used to the easy acceptance by the palace staff and had almost forgotten the sting of casual derision. But Gray frowned and stepped closer to the first mate, his hands fisted at his sides. “I know exactly how he is, asshole, and that’s why I love him.”
Aric expected them both to be thrown off the ship at once. But instead, Mr. Noft and the captain burst into laughter. When he calmed a bit, Mr. Noft gave a courtly little bow. “I apologize. There are those who have heard that my captain prefers his lovers to be male and a bit… unusual, and at times these people seek to make sport of it.”
Gray shook his head. “I don’t c-care who you or the captain f—um, prefer.” He turned slightly red, probably remembering the presence of the captain’s daughter. “We just want to g-get to Racinas.”
“Very well. The Ouragan is a cargo ship, not a passenger transport. We have no cabin for you, and the crew’s quarters and hold will be full. But you may sleep on the deck so long as you remain out of the way. The weather should be fine for this journey, and we will provide meals and blankets. Three silver coins.” Mr. Noft smiled a little. “One for you and two for your large friend, who I presume eats twice as much.”
It was Aric who answered. “All right.” He fumbled with his purse—always a bit awkward with the missing hand—and withdrew the coins, which Mr. Noft took with another little bow. Meanwhile, the captain’s daughter was bouncing up and down and clapping her hands, apparently pleased with the new passengers.
Mr. Noft ended up summoning a scrawny sailor, who showed Gray and Aric a bit of the deck they could call their own. It was a tiny spot just barely big enough for the two of them, wedged between the curved railing and the forecastle. The sailor ran off and then returned a moment later with a pile of thin blankets, explaining how the blankets and Aric’s satchel could be secured against the inside of the hull by ropes when not in use. “Bell rings five times fast when it’s time for meals,” the sailor said. “Just follow the crowds down to the galley to get yours. Grub’s usually not bad heading north this time of year, and everyone gets two pints of ale a day. Cap’n doesn’t much like drunks.”
Aric and Gray thanked the sailor, and he hurried away. Gray’s legs seemed to suddenly give out, and he collapsed to the deck. He scooted until his back rested against the hull. Aric sat down next to him and sighed with relief. “I’m going to be hungry by the time we set sail.”
“M-me too. Last thing I ate was that b-biscuit you brought me.”
“I should have bought us something as we were walking here.”
“Your m-mind was on other things. It’s okay. We won’t s-starve.”
Aric suddenly yawned so hugely that his jaw popped. “Do you think the captain and Mr. Noft are lovers?”
“Maybe,” Gray said through a yawn of his own. He slumped against Aric’s side.
Men were still rushing back and forth across the deck, cargo was thumping into place in the hold, and sailors were yelling out to each other as they climbed the masts and set things in place. The sounds from shore were still loud as well: vendors calling, carters shouting for people to clear their way, wagon wheels rattling against the cobbles. The fugitives weren’t free of Tellomer yet, and they were far from safe. But Gray had slept very little the night before and Aric not at all, so exhaustion and nerves soon caught up with them both. Long before the Ouragan raised anchor, they were both fast asleep.
“I’M GOING to die,” Aric groaned. “I want to die.” He wasn’t exaggerating. Someone could have run him through with a sword and tossed him overboard and he’d have sunk happily—gratefully—to the bottom of the sea, pleased to have the roiling in his stomach finally stop.
Gray only chuckled. “You’ll be fine. D-don’t know what the problem is, really. The seas are calm. The first time I sailed to R-racinas it was winter and a storm hit, and the ship p-pitched and heaved—”
“Uh!” Aric scrambled to the railing and did some heaving of his own, much to the amusement of several bored sailors nearby. If he’d been capable of making the effort, he might have thrown himself right over the rail. They were only one day into their journey, which meant they had another four or five days remaining. Might as well have been four or five centuries, Aric thought, and sank back down to the deck, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Gray nudged him. “H-here. Drink this.” He held a tin cup to Aric’s mouth and helped him drink, just as Aric had helped him during Aric’s first few nights in the Brown Tower. Gray had begged the cup and a jar of fresh water from a sailor and had kept it at hand. Aric wouldn’t starve if he missed a few meals, but Gray said he didn’t want him to become dehydrated.
“Sorry,” Aric said miserably, after swallowing a few mouthfuls. “I’m supposed to be helping you.”
“You’re d-doing fine. You brought me here, and the f-fresh air is lovely. I can f-feel the sun on my skin. Do I have a b-bit of a burn?”
Aric tried to focus. “You’re a little pink.”
Gray laughed delightedly. “Wonderful! And I’ve been finding my way around quite well. Even a b-blind man can’t get too lost on a ship, and Delly’s b-been enjoying leading me about.”
Delly was the captain’s rather wild young daughter, and she had apparently fallen in love with Gray. She stuck close to him whenever she could escape her chores. Aric could understand her adoration, because Gray had a seemingly endless collection of tales for her—mostly ones in which Gray got himself in some fantastical mishap and Aric ended up saving him. “The Saga of the Seasick Giant,” Gray was calling his stories, which made Delly giggle and Aric groan.
Now, Aric curled into a ball on his side, squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to pretend he was on solid ground. It took him a few minutes to realize that Gray was humming quietly, one of the songs Aric used to soothe Gray after his nightmares. One of the songs Aric’s mother had crooned to him long ago. Gray’s long fingers stroked the hair away from Aric’s brow very lightly, as if he wasn’t sure his touch would be welcomed. “I-I don’t mind helping you for a change,” he said. “It’s nice to f-feel useful. I’m sorry I can’t h-heal this.”
“Mmm,” said Aric, because if he opened his mouth he might vomit again. But he smiled a little when Gray laid a damp folded cloth across his brow. As miserable as he was, it was almost worth it just to be taken care of.
“CAN you see the city yet?”
Aric squinted at the horizon. “No. Just trees. Lots of trees.”
“Oh.” Gray leaned against him, and Aric put his arm around Gray’s shoulders. Over the past few days, his stomach had settled into a constant but light queasiness. At Gray’s insistence, he’d been able to manage a little soup and dry bread three times a day. But he was still very much looking forward to solid land, and fervently hoping that he never again had to travel by sea.
“How far is it from the harbor to the Vale of the Gods?” he asked. He and Gray hadn’t yet discussed their plans for when they reached the city. One obstacle at a time seemed to be enough, really.
“It’s almost a day’s walk. W-we should stay at an inn tonight and g-go tomorrow.”
“All right.” An inn sounded good
. Hopefully they could find one nicer than the White Dragon, but Aric would have gladly slept in a pigsty rather than spend another night on the Ouragan.
After a while, Gray bumped up against Aric’s side. Aric had noticed that his lover liked to touch him often. Not just sexually—there had been none of that since they left the palace—and not just for comfort or to help Gray find his way. It was as if Gray wanted to confirm the reality of Aric’s presence often, like he needed to reassure himself that Aric was real. As for Aric, he couldn’t get enough of looking at the other man, of seeing him standing under an open sky, clothed and free of chains. He liked to watch Gray interact with Delly as well, or even with the sailors, because then Aric could get glimpses of the man Gray had once been: vibrant and spirited, a natural flirt and entertainer. No wonder he had caught a prince’s eye.
“We d-don’t have to go to the Vale,” said Gray, interrupting Aric’s thoughts.
“No, we don’t. But if you don’t get rid of the dreams, and we don’t have the guards to warn the people you dream about… can you live with that?”
Gray turned his head away. “N-no.”
“Then we’ll go to the Vale.”
“And what w-will it cost me to give the gift back? What d-damned price must I pay this time?”
“I don’t know,” Aric said out loud. But to himself, he added, None at all. It’s my price this time.
Gray didn’t have to know that, not yet.
Chapter 21
RACINAS had a small natural harbor, holding only three large ships, a scattering of medium-sized fishing boats, and a flotilla of small craft. There was no palace on a hill—only a gray stone fort near the harbor’s mouth. After the captain and Mr. Noft and Delly and several of the sailors had wished Gray and Aric well, Aric shouldered his satchel and led Gray to land.
Racinas might have seemed overwhelming to Aric when he was fresh from a small village, but after a year in Tellomer, this far-flung city felt quiet and sedate. The buildings were made of wood rather than brick or stone, and none were more than three stories tall. Taverns were clustered close to the port, just as in Tellomer, but there were fewer of them, and they seemed sleepier, as if the sailors here would rather eat and drink instead of gamble and fight. Even the whores—male and female—seemed a little lazy. They did nothing more than call out cheerful obscenities from in front of tavern doors.
The captain of the Ouragan had recommended an inn and given them directions. Aric found their way with only a few missteps and was very pleased to see that the Four Wolves appeared clean and well kept. The landlady was a tall, heavy woman with a shrewd eye. She quickly appraised the quality of Aric and Gray’s clothing and gave a satisfied nod. Aric had learned in Tellomer that his expensive-looking clothes helped business people overlook his size and face. “I’ve a room for you. It’s a large one, and the mattress is almost new. Ten coppers for the both of you with dinner and breakfast.”
“Do you have a bath?” Aric asked. He’d become used to the palace baths and was missing them already.
“Another two coppers if you don’t mind sharing. Want me to have my girl get it ready now?”
“Gray?” Aric asked.
Gray looked very eager. “A b-bath would be lovely.”
The landlady summoned a teenaged girl who was obviously her daughter, and while the girl ran off to prepare the bath, the landlady took her guests to their room on the second floor. The room was an enormous improvement over Aric’s old place at the White Dragon. It was spacious, as the proprietress had promised, and had a large window facing the harbor. The bed was made up with a bright, cheery bedspread; two low, overstuffed chairs were arranged in front of a clean-swept fireplace. The floor was white-painted planks with small rugs scattered here and there. Everything was spotlessly clean, and a bouquet of fresh flowers sat on the mantel.
“Dinner’s in two hours. We’ll lay a fire for you while you eat.”
Aric glanced at Gray, who looked a little tense. “Would it be possible for us to eat up here?”
The landlady shrugged one big shoulder. “I’ll have my girl bring it up when it’s ready.”
“Thank you.” Aric paid her twelve coppers and waited for her to close the door. Then he turned and touched Gray’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“I think so. D-dinner in our room is a good idea.”
“I thought the fewer people who see us, the better.”
“D-does it feel good to be on land again?”
“It does,” Aric answered, although in truth he still felt as if the floor were rocking beneath his feet.
After a few minutes of resting and settling in, Aric took clean clothes from his satchel for himself and for Gray. He was missing the palace laundries and couldn’t help but laugh at how spoiled he’d become over the past months.
The bath was located in a low-ceilinged room attached to the back of the inn. The girl had just finished getting it ready as they arrived, so she simply smiled, pointed at the towels and soap, then left. Aric bolted the door behind her and took a happy look around. The bathtub was much more ornate than he’d expected—sunk into the floor, decoratively tiled, and able to fit two men with no problem, even if one of them was a giant. The tiles were set in an abstract pattern that suggested waves and fishes, and vapor rose gently from the water into the cool air. The room had no windows, but a half dozen fat candles were set on shelves throughout, and a tidy fire roared in a tiled stove. A bench had been set in front of the stove, inviting bathers to relax in comfort as they dried.
“It’s g-good?” Gray asked.
“Take off your clothes and find out.” Aric was already pulling his shirt over his head. It took him a very short time to remove everything else and set it aside, and by the time he did, Gray was naked as well. Aric’s breath caught at the sight of him. He’d seen Gray unclothed every day for the past year—except on the ship, of course—but this was different. The chains were gone, and the Brown Tower was far, far away.
Perhaps Gray’s thoughts were running along the same lines, because he had a wicked grin and his cock was half-filled. “Will you scrub my b-back?” he asked with a slight purr.
“I’ll scrub anything you want.”
Aric took Gray’s hand and helped him into the water. A seat was built into the edges of the tub, and Gray squeezed himself in beside Aric. For several minutes they simply sat there, inhaling the slightly spiced air and relaxing. But when Aric reached across Gray to grab the soap, Gray took hold of his arm and began kissing it, beginning at the wrist and working his way up to the shoulder. When he got to Aric’s neck, he repositioned himself so that he was straddling Aric’s hips. Their cocks ground together under the water while Gray gnawed and licked at Aric’s neck, and Aric stroked the smooth skin at the small of the other man’s back. Aric let his head fall back and his eyes drift closed as Gray nibbled his way across a collarbone and then down to a hard, sensitive nipple. Aric clenched his teeth so as not to cry out. He didn’t know who might be listening and what reaction there might be to two men’s amorous activities in the bath.
Gray turned his attention to the other nipple, and Aric moved his hand so that he was cupping Gray’s ass. There was more meat on that ass than there used to be, and it felt solid and firm under his palm. He began to tease a little, trailing a fingertip just barely into the crease between Gray’s cheeks and then forward, to that wonderfully sensitive bit of skin just behind Gray’s balls. Aric’s skin felt too tight, the sensations almost too much, and all that he could think of was how damned good it was not to have the chains in the way. In fact, that thought inspired him to push Gray away from his chest and then pull him up close again so that Aric could kiss at the raised ridge of skin where the collar had been.
Gray made a needy little sound and then froze. Aric stilled as well, not sure what was wrong.
“Aric?” Gray said in a small voice. “Wh-what did you do with the k-k-k-key?”
It took several seconds for Aric to figure out
what he was talking about, and then another few to remember the answer. “I… I think it’s in the satchel. I didn’t want to just leave it. I wasn’t sure if it would get someone in trouble if it was discovered. Why? I can throw it away if you want. I’d forgotten about it.”
“Th-there are probably m-m-m-more. And i-i-if there aren’t, th-th-they could j-j-j-just make m-m-more ch-chains.”
Gray’s stutter hadn’t been this bad in months, and Aric didn’t understand what was bothering him. “It doesn’t matter, Gray. You’re not going back to the Brown Tower. Not ever.”
Gray began to shake, and he buried his face in his hands, making it harder for Aric to understand what he was saying. “B-b-b-but I w-w-was s-safe there, you s-s-s-see? It w-w-w-w-was always th-th-the fucking s-same, b-but I kn-kn-kn-knew it. Knew e-e-every fucking s-s-s-stone. I d-d-d-deserved to b-be l-l-l-l— Fuck! L-locked away a-and I w-was and n-n-n-now everything’s new a-a-a-a-and so fucking b-b-b-b-big and I-i-i-i d-don’t kn-kn-kn-kn-know h-h-h-h….” His voice cracked and broke completely, and all he seemed to be able to do was howl into his palms and tremble. And then he was crying, and Aric realized it was the first time he’d seen Gray really cry outside of a nightmare.
Aric wrapped his arms around Gray and held him tight.
He thought of a bird, a sparrow his mother had kept in a cage. It had been a gift from Aric’s father, a little brown thing that would hop from one perch to another and peck at seeds from Aric’s baby-sized fingers and sing in cheery little bursts. His mother would whistle back at it, which always made Aric laugh. And then came that dawn when the sheriff burst into their little home and took Aric’s father away—the sheriff and some of the other Geddings had dragged him right out of that comfortable bed wearing only his trousers and with his hair all morning-wild. Aric’s mother had yelled at Aric to Stay here! and she’d run after the sheriff and her husband. Aric had crouched in the corner, frightened and confused.