Ice Dragon Tales

by Hurri Cosmo

  Thankfully Joron remained silent.

  Chapter 8

  There was pure chaos when all four of them rounded the corner in the hallway that led back to the throne room. Nochi had toyed with the idea of approaching the room from the king's private hallway, but chose to stay in the public parts. However, he now regretted the choice because the throng crowding their way into the throne room was huge. How were they going to find their way into the room? More importantly, what the devil was going on? Where had all these people come from? He looked behind him to his guards. Reaching back, he once again took possession of Joron and the two large men pushed ahead of them into the crowd at the huge, double doors. Nochi pulled Joron with him in their wake. They finally made it to inside the entrance and there, right there, in the middle of a throng of people stood... Abydell?

  Queen Abydell was throwing her head back and laughing, alive and breathing.

  * * * *

  Joron was confused. Liarta told him the queen had died. Taiyo had all but said he had no mother. The castle servants had not talked about her much, but when they did, they referred to her as the "late" queen. She was not supposed to be alive. But by the look on Nochi's face, there was no question the woman dressed in deep green was Aric's queen. She had her left hand up, the ornate royal ring sparkling on the third finger. He could tell. It had the same odd-colored stone as the eye of the panther and hawk in the crest--the same stone he saw in Aric's signet ring, the one he used to seal his letters and documents. There was no mistaking that stone. The beautiful woman who twirled and chatted, flirted and flushed about in the middle of all of those people, was the queen.

  Aric's queen.

  His gaze searched out Aric, and when his eyes met the king's, his heart sank farther if it were possible. The shock and horror on his face said it all. His dead wife...wife...was back and he was not going to be taken to the king's chambers now. He would not be going to the king's bed. His wife was going to take that position.

  Joron's knees went weak and wobbly. He was going to go down. But suddenly there was a strong hand under his elbow. Joron thought it was Nochi's hand but when he looked up, it was Relel who looked down at him, Relel who swept him into a rough embrace. There had been a strange look on his face. He muttered something to one of the guards, one of the four Nochi stopped and sent away. It was obvious Relel was angry about Joron being here. Had Aric sent him away because he knew this was going to happen and the guards were not supposed to bring him back? He knew his wife had shown up, and he was going to hide that fact from him?

  No, that couldn't be it. There was no way something like this could stay secret.

  What then? Where did Relel expect Joron to be? But it seemed he was going to show him, because he was leading him forcibly away, back down the hallway.

  "Where..." But the words only choked him, stuck in his throat. Tears stung his eyes, which only brought more tears, and a few of them escaped and ran down his cheek. He looked back to find Nochi, as the man fought to go forward, to get to his king. He looked just as confused. Relel continued to pull Joron away from the mass of people. He was talking. Joron heard the words but couldn't understand any one of them. Relel pulled him closer. Relel's arm went around Joron's waist, then dropped lower to cup one of Joron's ass cheeks. He felt a squeeze of the man's large hand and he finally flinched and pulled away, but Relel only laughed and pulled him back into his hold. He was proving to Joron he was stronger than him and suddenly Joron knew he was in grave danger.

  "Wait!" He was finally able to find his voice. "Wait. Where are you--"

  A hand closed over Joron's mouth. "Hush up, my sweet. They won't hear you at all but I still don't want to take any chances. I worked too hard to make this happen and I will not let anything go wrong now. Those fools were supposed to take you to my chambers after making sure Nochi was preoccupied with my brother and his little...problem." He laughed. "But they obviously misunderstood. Well, my little prince, I don't mind bringing you there myself. We can get started that much sooner." The arm around his waist tightened and pushed him faster.

  Joron pulled and clawed at the hand over his mouth as he struggled to stop the progress down the hallway. But struggle as he did, there was little he could do. He was basically lifted from his feet as Relel continued to sweep him down the corridor. Soon he was shoved inside a semi-lit room, Relel coming in with him, closing the door with a resounding crack.

  Joron found his voice again. "What...what are you doing?"

  "Oh, my sweet little prince, I think you can figure it out, no?" Relel quickly came to Joron's side and pulled him into an embrace. "I simply want to finish what we started a number of days ago. After all, I saw you first. Besides, as you could see, my brother is otherwise--shall we say--occupied?" He grabbed the hair on the back of Joron's head and pulled, effectively tipping Joron's face up to meet his wet kiss.

  Joron struggled with all he had in him. Finally Relel released him with a frown on his face. "What, my precious? Are my kisses not as sweet as my brother's? Tell me how he does it then." He leaned over and whispered in Joron's ear. "I only want to see your orgasmic face."

  "No!" Joron pushed on Relel's chest until he had no choice but to let go. "Leave me alone. I don't want this." Unfortunately the tears were coming faster now. He could stop them no longer.

  Relel kept a tight hold on one of Joron's wrists and he wrenched it, bringing Joron to his knees. "But I do." Relel stomped his foot. "I am your master now. My brother is a married man. Married! You can't go to his bed ever again, do you understand?"

  Oh, yes, he totally understood.

  Relel smiled from above Joron, coming close to Joron, shoving his hips at Joron's face, a large bulge ruining the line of his pants. "That is about as sexy as I have seen. I'm about to come, just seeing you there on your knees, your hot breath on my cock." He shoved his bulge closer.

  Joron could smell his musky, male scent. He gagged and twisted his face away, but Relel grabbed a handful of Joron's hair and twisted it, forcing Joron's face forward and once again, shoved his bulge into it.

  "Oh! You make me so mad! I am far more beautiful than my brother could ever hope to be yet they all like him better! It's so annoying!" Relel rubbed himself hard on Joron's tightly closed lips. "Why is it they always want him?"

  Joron's stomach flipped again as he felt the wetness of Relel's pre-cum through the thin fabric. He had to stop this. He finally was able to push Relel away again, as he fell to his hands on the floor. He wiped furiously at his mouth as tears fell away to plop heavily on the floor.

  There was no way he was going to allow Relel to do anything to him. He would die first. And what reason was there to live? Aric has a wife. And there was no reason to return to Blade Rain. There was nothing left for him.

  Nothing.

  Relel pulled him up by his arm.

  But this was not going to happen.

  He pushed back hard with his elbow. Somehow he caught Relel unaware and hit him in a sensitive spot right below his left ribs. He used the momentum to rise up. He reached out and grabbing a hold of Relel's shirt, he pulled, at the same time jamming his knee up as hard as he could, coming into direct contact with Relel's swollen balls. The good spirits were with him, because Relel was once again caught off guard and this time off balance. Relel gasped in pain and tumbled to the floor. Joron quickly leaped over the prostrate man and ran for the door. Relel shouted from behind him, nothing Joron could understand, but Joron ignored him and somehow the door was not locked and he was able to get it open and, glory hallelujah, there were no guards. But which way did he go?

  He didn't belong here yet again, and who would help him now?

  He was an eyesore and a burden. This kingdom's queen was back from the dead, and he was a sure reminder of when she was not here. They all knew what the king and he had done behind the king's doors and, oh sweet mother of the heavenly stars, he was now horribly embarrassed because the king was married.

  Married.

&nb
sp; Oh please. I am so sorry. So sorry.

  He ran. He heard footfalls behind him, so he ran faster. The tears fell freely now. He allowed love to get into his heart and rip it to shreds, and it hurt so much more this time. Oh no, no, no, it could not be happening. He was a good person. He gave his life for everyone else and for once he was looking at finally, just this once, getting something back. He was selfish, that's what it was. He was stupid and selfish and now he was being paid back for his idiocy. Why did he believe? Why?

  The footfalls were closer. Damn. Relel was fast. He would have him in a moment. His heart was coming right out of his chest. He hoped his heart would stop. He was hoping his God would take him right now, making his heart simply stop and he would be dead and gone and no longer facing life without Aric, and life with the memories of Relel's wet sex in his face.

  Someone's hands were on him now, gripping his shoulders. He screamed and twisted in mid stride but of course that was a mistake. He couldn't keep his balance by doing that. He fell.

  Or should have anyway. He didn't hit the stone floor. He felt strong arms around him and at first he thought they were Aric's. Aric was always saving him like that.

  They weren't his arms, but they weren't Relel's either.

  He turned and saw Nochi.

  Nochi!

  He wailed and threw his arms around Nochi's neck and held tight. He wept into his shoulder as Nochi lowered them both to the floor and simply rocked him in his arms and let him cry.

  * * * *

  Nochi simply stared at the queen in the middle of the incredibly noisy room. There was no way she could be back. Absolutely no way. But there she stood. He sought out his king, who was sitting on his throne with a desperate look on his face. He had to get to him. Nochi had to find out who this woman was and how she came to be in the castle, because she was not the queen. Queen Abydell was dead and gone, and this was an imposter. He had to admit when he looked at her she was a good imposter, extremely convincing, but he was not going to be fooled and he was not going to allow his king to be fooled either. He had to get to him.

  But wait.

  Where was Joron? No! He lost hold of him. He should never have brought him here. He looked around and then saw Relel dragging him away. He pushed back through the crowd again, but this time away from his king. For the first time in his life he felt anger rise toward Aric. He was sitting there on that throne, starting to believe his eyes and not his heart. He had to know the woman was an imposter. He had to.

  But first things first. He was responsible for Joron and he was going to see to his safety. It was obvious Prince Relel was going to use this opportunity to stake a claim on Joron, and that was not going to happen--not when Joron was in his care. He finally was able to extract himself from the crowd and dashed down the hall where the two had disappeared. Even though he did not see them it didn't matter. He would find them. He jogged and listened. He would find them.

  * * * *

  Nochi brought Joron to his own room. He only had the one single bed, but he put Joron in it anyway. He covered him and tucked him in after he removed Joron's shoes. The young prince was as compliant as a rag doll but at least he had stopped crying. Nochi sent for guards to stand at his door, though Relel would not be giving chase.

  Nochi, after catching Joron in the hall, had been surprised to find Relel moaning and rolling on the floor. He wasn't sure what Joron had done to him, but whatever the little minx had given the asshole, Relel deserved it. Of course, Nochi made sure the asshole stayed on the floor as well by kicking the living shit out of him. Nochi should be concerned, because Relel was a prince, one in line for the throne, but he didn't care, not when he looked at the fitfully sleeping, sweet, swollen face of Joron. Every once in a while, Joron's breath would hitch. Nochi had never seen anyone this broken before. All his obsessive possessiveness had risen to the surface and he would die protecting this boy now--not that he wouldn't have before. He would have, but it would have been for his king. This time it would be for the boy himself. The boy's tears had walked right into his heart, and now he was going to stand between the prince and a fly bite if he could. Relel could send an army from hell and they would never get to Joron. He sat on the thick rug he had beside the bed, his back to Joron, facing the barred door, and waited for his guards.

  * * * *

  Aric had somehow arrived in his rooms. Joron wasn't there but it was no surprise. He had seen the look on his face. He knew what the look meant. Joron's heart had been broken and he had disappeared into the castle, but Aric was not worried about him. Nochi was with him. Though he had seen Relel take him out, Nochi was not far behind. Joron would be safe.

  For now, he needed to somehow push Joron from his mind. He had to figure this out.

  His self-proclaimed wife had gone to her own chambers, her newly handpicked maids leading the way. He sat now, head in his hands, wondering what to do. How was it he did not know she was alive? Why had she stayed hidden all this time? Why would she?

  Something was not right.

  But how could she be an imposter? She looked like Abydell. She walked like her, talked like her, acted just like her. Sure it had been a number of years since he had last seen her, heard that voice, but he was still sure. If she were an imposter, she was a perfect one. Absolutely perfect.

  Oh. He missed Joron. He missed his scent, his touch, his lips.

  He had been anticipating this very night for three long days, and now he didn't even know where Joron was. He hadn't heard from Nochi at all but was okay with it for the moment. He was sure Nochi had to have taken him into hiding. He wasn't sure how he would have explained the sudden return of the queen, but at this point, he couldn't think about it. He would come up with something. He wasn't going to lose Joron now that he finally had him all to himself. But this night would pass without them being together. He rubbed his member through his pants. He was actually sore he had been so hard. As he rubbed, he thought about Joron's lips around him, sucking and pulling on him, fingering his balls. Aric reached in and took out his swollen staff, wet with pre-cum. He used it on his hand as he rubbed himself. He imagined that instead of his own hand, it was Joron's, as he pumped his organ. He rubbed faster and faster, now imagining that he had pushed his rock hard member into Joron's tight ass and he propelled into him hard as he heard his moans. Soon Aric was spewing out ribbons of white cum. But as he rode out the spasms, there was no satisfaction, because it wasn't Joron who had touched him. He needed Joron. He had to have Joron.

  Oh damn it all to hell.

  It was not only obsession. It was love.

  He lay awake all night.

  * * * *

  Joron had slept on and off. Nochi never left his side. At one point, Nochi thought to send for a doctor because Joron battled a fever, but right after full daybreak it broke and now Joron seemed to be in a truly restful sleep. Nochi took that moment to slip outside the room and hear the report from his troops.

  The fake queen had gone to her rooms and had not been invited to the king's chambers. Nochi breathed a sigh of relief. But his man also reported Relel was on the prowl for Joron, evidently angry as hell. The fake queen's four pathetic guards were searching for Joron as well. Thankfully the castle wrapped its arms around both Joron and Nochi and led all of them on quite the goose chase. Nochi narrowed his eyes when he heard that news. Why would both Relel and the fake queen be after Joron? Relel made sense, but the newly returned queen? But his man assured him the merry romp around the castle had exhausted all of them and they had given up, one after the other, near dawn. Nochi smirked at the smugness in his troop's attitude. But given the circumstances, he would let them get away with it and they knew it.

  The latest news was that the queen had risen early, intending on meeting again with the king. They had people in place and would report back to Nochi when they knew more.

  Nochi slapped the man on the back, gave his instructions for the morning, and slipped back into his room, bolting the door and lowering the b
ar again. He watched the young man in his small bed. There was something about the boy, especially now in his finally peaceful sleeping face, that pulled at his heart. He walked over to the bed and lay down on the rug. He was tired, and now that the boy was sleeping, he could finally sleep, too. He would trust his troops to inform him if something happened. But even they would not be able to get into this room. He sighed as he made himself as comfortable as he could. It didn't take long at all and he was deeply asleep.

  * * * *

  "You know, Aric, I don't mind you not inviting me to your bed...yet. But I will not have you inviting anyone else either. I know all about the little harlot you've taken up with. I will not allow him to dirty our marriage bed any longer. If you don't comply, I promise you, you will regret it." Throughout her little speech, she only raised her voice slightly with a few of the words. Otherwise her tone remained conversational and cheery, as if she were telling her husband a story about the latest tea party she went to, as opposed to the not-so-veiled threat she was leveling.

  She had also passed a fitful night. She had fully expected Aric would take her to his rooms, but it didn't happen. She was thinking now he wouldn't, without a whole lot more enticement. Even finding those rooms was a challenge.

  So she needed a new tactic. She rose early, since she wasn't sleeping well anyway, and had her newly appointed maids make her stunning. It wasn't that big of a job. Right before she left her rooms, she tore her beautiful dress right at her bosom. She looked back at her maids and smiled as they stood with eyes wide and mouths gaping. She then sought out her husband and finally found him in his office next to the throne room, where they were at the moment.

  Aric smirked as he sat behind his desk and simply looked at her. "I will comply with your wishes, Abydell, but understand I do not do it under duress. I do it because I will honor my commitment to my marriage, not because you threaten me. Your threats are a waste of breath and absolutely baseless. You have no power."