by Luke, Monica
“What does that mean?” he asked, as he briefly raised his head to look at him before putting it back on his shoulder.
“It means show all how well you can lead as king,” he answered, and kissed his head, “And show all who you are.”
“I am one willingly led by you,” Aderac said, as he lovingly returned the kiss, but on his cheek.
“I am our head with us, but as king you are head of us all,” Belon said, as turned his head and looked into his face again, “What do you reason of me to believe I would passionately love one who is weak and fearful. Within you Aderac is wisdom, strength, and bravery, as well as bountiful love.”
Reassured by is praise, Aderac’s worry lifted.
“So be it.” He resolved that he would only be who he was and pretend to be nothing else and rested his head on Belon again.
For three days the horns, gongs, bells, and even cymbals filled the land; then on the fourth day, Aderac had his grandfather sealed into the noble tombs alongside his mother, father, and all in his bloodline, then as is their custom, went to court to have the priests place the king’s crown on his head.
All lined alongside him, after the priests placed the gold crown on his head and the scribes officially recorded it, all bowed to King Aderac, who was only looking at those alongside him quietly, until he looked forward.
Suddenly, gasping when he looked forward, he saw Belon slowly walking towards him fully dressed and holding his stomach, and rushed off the throne’s stairs straight to him.
“Belon, my love,” he whispered concerned, as he took his formal sleeves used for his ceremony and wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on Belon’s forehead, “Why are you dressed and out of bed?”
“I wanted to look upon your face as the priests crowned you,” he said proudly, fighting away showing any signs that he was in great pain.
“It is done;” Aderac said moved, “Yet, still look upon my face as I show all my devotion to you.”
Aderac took his hands and put his palms to Belon’s handsome face.
“You may raise your heads,” he commanded loudly; then as all did and looked to him, he tenderly gave Belon a small kiss on his forehead in front of all, even his wife.
“A king madly loves you,” his whisper to Belon.
“And I madly love a king,” Belon’s whisper back.
Only smiling to Belon, once he turned, Aderac’s expression again turned stern, as he spoke to his guards and several servants.
“Help him back to bed and with great care,” he ordered.
While he stood in the middle of the aisle, Aderac patiently watched as the guards and servants helped Belon out of court, and before he turned or spoke another word or went back to his throne, it was only after he was out of his sight.
As all bowed when he walked to his throne. His selection down to forty men for consideration on either side of the aisles for his new council, he touched the heads of ten men he had spoken to extensively that impressed him the most; then once he sat, had all raise their heads.
“Now,” he said, and looked at them all, “The ten men’s head I touched are my council of me, “Let court begin.”
**
A season now passed since his almost fatal stabbing and autumn, one morning as Aderac groggily reached for Belon when he woke, his eyes sprang open when he didn’t feel him beside him.
Worry sweeping over him immediately, he sat straight up and scoped the chamber trying to spot him from the bed before he leaped out, then he scanned the floor making certain he didn’t have a relapse of some sort and lay unable to make it back to bed.
On the other side of the chamber, his sword in his hand and naked, Belon wielded it about with one hand; then both; then with his other hand, and as he moved swiftly and gracefully back and forth across the end of chamber, he was so engulfed, he didn’t noticed Aderac’s eyes now fixed on him.
As Aderac sat in a chair and watched him, enthralled by his display of swordsmanship, once he searched the chamber and saw him, he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt.
Mesmerized by the sight of his physical perfection, although his stomach now adorned with an ugly scar, it didn’t take away from his enticing rippled muscles and as Aderac watched him, he gushed over him.
“Yes, my eyes are watching you Belon and love all of what they behold!” Aderac raved loudly and enthusiastically, “So wonderful you look Belon as you gracefully wielded Raudgred about. Your body is wonderful, and what is between yours legs above any.”
“Mmhm, above any you speak - my body and what is between my legs should be and shall be the only you see and know,” Belon teased, as he walked towards him. “…and well.”
“Well true,” Aderac teased back. “That I have known only one man for now.”
“For now and for always Aderac,” Belon asserted, as he walked to him and looked at him sternly, before smiling.
“For always,” Aderac quickly repeated his words, and smiled back lovingly, “For always.”
Now standing in front of him sweating and naked, Belon roguishly smiled and the way he smiled well known to him, Aderac’s heart began to pound rapidly.
“I know what is behind your smiles,” he continued his tease, “Someone is healed?”
After walking to his belt, Belon sheath his sword; then looked over his shoulder to Aderac, and again roguishly smiled.
“If you know, then you know I hunger and need to be fed,” his only words, as he again walked to him.
In a playful mood, Aderac stood.
“Then I shall have a servant bring you food,” he said, and began to walk to the door, “If you need to be fed.”
“Get back on that bed and lay down,” Belon playfully commanded, “So I can feed on you.”
Obeying, Aderac rushed to bed, and as he eagerly watched him get in bed and crawl to him, Aderac breathe in hard and closed his eyes; then when he opened them, they were to Belon’s eyes lovingly looking at him with his body laying him.
“Am I in those piercing green eyes of yours?” he asked before he kissed him.
“In my eyes, as well as, in my heart,” Aderac happily answered, as he grabbed Belon by his head with one hand and his rear with the other, and held both tightly.
Belon buried his head in Aderac’s neck kissing it before he moved to his chest and stomach, then back to his neck and ear.
“You shall have a late court this day,” his whispered into his ear, and stuck his tongue deep into it; “I am all healed and hungry.”
Aderac hissed pleased.
“Sssssssss, there will be no court this day,” he muttered breathless stimulated almost to speechlessness, as he felt the heat of his breath in his ear, “You shall indeed have your fill.”
That next morning, Aderac again awoke to Belon not in bed, but this time he was out of the chamber, so he dressed and began his day, but when he still hadn’t seen him late into the afternoon, he looked for him.
After riding here and there, suddenly it came to him where he could be and annoyed that he didn’t think of it first, he turned his horse and rode out to the open fields where the men were training.
Belon out training with his men, all were happy their commander was well and with them again, then when Aderac rode up; Belon stopped training alongside them and rode over to him.
“When done with the men, I would like to ride away to be alone with my love,” his tempting words, as he smiled; then looked the other way so none could read his lips, “And kiss all over his body from head to foot, stopping for a long time in the middle.”
Titillated by his words, Belon called over two of the men who lead the training when he couldn’t do it himself.
“Take over with the men,” he ordered; then looked over at Aderac and winked.
After he winked, Aderac smiled wide and sent his guards away.
“Let us ride,” his words, as he spurred his horse forward with Belon right behind him.
**
Fully healed and back to his norma
l self, because he was deeply in love with Aderac, Belon happily changed his lustful ways and controlled his temper, but a face imbedded in his memory, made him unable to change his vengeance.
Belon certain the man believed his face went unseen, since he named no other culprits, had patiently bided his time until he was ready; then one evening when he happened to see him standing alone, feeling the opportunity was right, exacted it.
After he rode close, Belon jumped from his horse and pretended to be casually walking inside, then stopped right in front of him.
“You should have fled,” his few words, as he now looked at the guard face to face.
The guard quickly tried to withdraw his sword, but Belon so close, pulled out his own knife and thrust it deep into the man’s stomach before he could.
“Cut into my stomach for my words to you, will you?” he added, while his knife rested deep inside his stomach before he twisted it hard making sure to severe as many vital organs as possible. “You are a coward to not face me,” and after he slid to the ground, Belon wiped his knife clean on him; then left him to bleed out just as he had done to him.
His act of vengeance seen, another guard rushed to Gueden and reported it, and since the inner guards were under his control, outraged, Gueden went to Aderac, who was in his private council chamber talking to his ten.
When Gueden rushed inside with his witness and two others with him, he requested urgent words with the king, who refused him, until he mentioned it concerned Belon; then right away Aderac allowed him to stand before him.
“Belon has killed one under me for no reason,” Gueden said outraged, “And for it his punishment should be death.”
Always when upset or shocked about something, Aderac’s eyes widening or his jaws dropping, he did both.
“What words just came out of your mouth?” his words, as his hands slammed down onto the table hard before he sprang to his feet so quickly his heavy chair flew backwards and toppled onto the stoned floor.
“My witness is beside me,” Gueden said, as he moved out of the way so he could step forward.
“It is true,” he said out of breath, “And seen with my own eyes.”
“His punishment should be death,” Gueden again said, “For his deed and the witness of it.”
“Noooooo!” Aderac roared, and with one angry swipe sent everything that was on the table in front of him sailing to the floor, “Nooooo!”
“Dare you forsake the laws of this kingdom?” Gueden rebuked him, angered by his instantaneous defense of Belon, “For the sake of him.”
“Where is Belon?” Aderac asked at once.
From the door, Belon’s reply echoed throughout, “Right here!”
Slowly, Belon walked into the room and looked at all of them, as they parted to allow him to approach Aderac.
“They speak you killed one under Gueden,” Aderac said. Hoping they had lied.
“They speak the truth,” he confessed, making all in the room gasp.
Aderac inhaled deeply distressed, and he watched him anxiously awaiting his next words.
“He should be put to death!” Gueden blared instead of waiting.
“Silence your tongue or lose it!” Aderac shouted at once; then looked at Belon.
Slowly, Aderac walked closer to Belon.
“Belon, my -” he said, struggling not to call him something affectionate as he always did when he spoke to him, “Why such a deed?”
Before he answered, Belon looked into Aderac’s eyes lovingly; then turned to those in the room.
“There was another in the darkness with those of the council,” Belon confessed, “His face I remembered well, and he was the one whose hand held the knife that almost killed me. He is also the one I had unsettling bitter words with in the courtyard when I first came to Ivodgald.”
“Lies!” Gueden blared, “He has no witness of such!”
“I have no reason to speak a lie,” his rebuttal, “Look on the back of his neck and left ear. There are deep marks I left when I grabbed him before he stabbed me that speak my truth.”
“Bring me his body,” Aderac ordered.
Obeying the guards quickly went to get his body; then when they turned him over and looked at the back of his neck and left ear, they saw healed deep scratches behind it.”
“Belon speaks the truth!” Aderac blurted relieved, “Just as my vengeance was swift; Belon healed from his wound, and then sought his vengeance!”
“Then shall we all take vengeance into our own hands?” Gueden scoffed angrily, “And have no need for a king.”
Aderac took in a deep breath and scornfully glared at him.
“Long did you serve under my grandfather and for it, I will spare your life,” Aderac gave his final warning through his exhale, “Speak to me that way again, and I will have you cut wide open and dogs feasting on your insides while you still live.”
From the look in his eyes, Gueden lowered his head knowing Aderac meant every single word. “Forgive me.”
“Leave us now!” he shouted to them all, and waved his hand.
After everyone quickly left the room, Aderac’s body spun towards Belon.
“Dare you do such a deed?”
“Dare me?” Belon responded surprised he was admonishing him, “By his hand I sat in my own blood to die.”
“Do you reason I did not know that, I am who found you?” Aderac cynically asked, “Why did you keep that hidden from me?”
“He tried to take my life!” Belon now raved his justification; then angrily waved his arms.
Aderac mimicked Belon’s emotion, and waved his arms.
“If so, why did you not speak of him? My vengeance would be with him just as it was with the council.”
“I was held to my bed!” his temper rising even more, as he now walked back and forth in front of him, “I was held to my bed, and the vengeance was mine!”
“Your bed!” Aderac’s retort, now pointing at him, “It was my bed you bled all over and ruined. Not yours. And as for vengeance, you will never again take it into your own hands. I am your king and command you!”
Belon looked at him as if he had never laid eyes on him until that very moment, and was completely flabbergasted that he rebuked him.
“Dare you speak to me as if I was a common servant or bought slave, and point at me?” he roared shocked and angered, “What am I to you?”
“You know you are all to me, but I am your king when we are outside of the chamber!” Aderac roared back, and pointed his finger at him again, “And I will speak to you how I want as your king, and you will obey.”
Belon hated anyone pointing at him, and let Aderac know it.
“Keep pointing your finger while you shout at me,” he threatened, now so angry his face turned completely red, “And I will snap it off that hand of yours.”
Aderac’s face looked thunderstruck, but he put his finger down.
“Be thankful that I love you as deeply as I do,” he reciprocated a threat, “That you may speak to me so boldly and your red head still rest on your shoulders.”
“Do what you will,” he spewed, undaunted by his threat.
His defiant words surprising Aderac so much that he paused for a few seconds, after he did; he noticed Belon’s face was now completely red from anger.
“I am speaking to you as king, and as your king you must obey me,” he tried getting him to see his side from a different viewpoint.
“Then speak to me how you want as king, but do not point at me. And as for that bed of yours that I ruined; you can now sleep on it or any others alone for the rest of your life,” he said, then sarcastically added, “Forgive me King, if I leave you now, I reason my red head that still rests upon my shoulders is unpleasant to you now,” before he stormed away angered.
“Belllooooon!” Aderac shouted to get his attention, but he wouldn’t turn around.
When Belon stormed out, Aderac so upset that it his body trembled, in a fit of frustration overturned his table and brok
e or threw everything in the room, including his most priceless books, before he pulled all his tapestries down making the room look as if a violent windstorm had swept through it.
Still upset, he screamed long, loud, and collapsed onto the floor breathing heavily; then when several servants and guards came in to check on him, screamed at them to get out.
Well into the night, Aderac paced back and forth rehearsing his apology while waiting for Belon to come to bed, and when he didn’t, he became worried and ordered a search for him.
When none could find him inside Ivodgald, he ordered the land combed from the smallest village to the mines at Pyrin. When still no one could find him, now pass ten days. Fearing he had returned to WorrlgenHall, Aderac went into despair and hopelessness.
Such was his state when others tried to talk to him; he went either into outbursts of rage, depression, or deep self-deprecation, and some days wouldn’t bother to get out of bed.
Gueden knew he had to reach Aderac’s sense of reason, or he would go insane, and when he entered his chamber and saw him curled in a fetal position on one side of the bed with all the things Belon brought him from his journeys neatly placed on the other side, feared he possibly was to late.
“I fear I may be cut wide open, but I must speak,” Gueden boldly said because it baffled him, “What is it about this Belon that has you in such a way and has from the first? He is brash, quick to fury, vain, and I have yet to see him read, which you love to do. He falls short to all that is scaled with you.”
Aderac would not answer. He only sighed heavily, as he rubbed Belon’s wristband against his cheek.
“Well if you must have him, be a king about it,” Gueden’s blunt bold words, as he looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, now resolved that Belon was a thorn in his side that he would have to live with, “Go get him.”
Aderac’s eyes perked and filled with life again from Gueden’s suggestion, and he sat up in bed. “Ready his men and my guards,” he ordered at once; then leaped out of bed and began to dress, “I am going to get him.”
While quickly dressing, he happened to look to his left at the door in his chamber that lead to the secret room noticing it half cracked, then after he curiously went inside to see why, his heart suddenly began pounding rapidly.
