by Luke, Monica
Aderac raised his finger and put it to Belon’s lips to silence him.
“What if he sees how strong, fierce, and brave his father is? He countered his concerns, “… and yet is so loving.”
Belon smiled; then chuckled. “What if he sees how loving who he loves is?”
“He will see such,” he assured him, “From being loved by me as well.”
“Words shall be as wildfire of this,” another of Belon’s concerns, “That the king cares for a bastard child not his own.”
“Do you reason I would worry over such?” Aderac questioned, “When to this day others still whisper about the king and his red headed commander. He is part of you, and I shall love him and see that he has all just as I do for his father.”
“If only I could put a child within you.” Belon laughed now being silly, “My want for you is such that you are always full from me. So many children you would bear.”
Aderac laughed as well. “Now I know your mood is better. You are being silly.”
Both hugged each other playfully; then suddenly Belon sat up.
“So foolish I am.” Belon said, regretting how he behaved with the young boy, “I did not ask his name.”
“Ihon,” Aderac said, as he sat up with him; then kissed his chin.
“Ihon,” Belon let it roll off his tongue, as he lay back down, “Ihon.”
After kissing his chin, Aderac again lay back comfortably.
“I knew us holding each other to speak would ease your mind.”
“It is only,” Belon’s truth, “Knowing who I love will see me through this that has eased it.”
Aderac looked at Belon surprised. “You are my life. How could believe for a breath that I would not have. You know I will be with you until I die.”
“And you know how foolish I can be.”
“Yes I do,” he teased, “So foolish is my handsome giant.”
After sliding his body down flat onto the bed, Belon pulled Aderac close to him.
“Again so far we have come,” he contently sighed.
“So far we have come,” Aderac added, “And shall be until old men in the other’s arms, and still deeply in love.”
“Umm.” He hummed pleased, “Will we be as passionate?”
“If I know my giant,” Aderac confidently said, “And I do. Yes, we will.”
“We will be passionate wrinkled old men.”
Both laughed.
“It is still early,” Aderac now playfully added, “As we lay naked in the other’s arms to speak and reason, we have done so. What shall we do now Belon, as we lay naked? We have nothing to do, my Belon who tastes as sweet as honey, and we are indeed naked?”
Belon laughed as Aderac lightheartedly gave his suggestive tease, with no worry at all within him of the sudden addition to their lives.
“Get on top of me, my playful one,” he said, as he sat up still laughing, “And I will give you something to do.”
Chapter 40
Accepting Ihon unconditionally as his own, Aderac made certain he sat beside Beladera when tutored learning right along with her; then after done with tutoring, the servants brought them to Belon or he came to get them, and he eagerly taught them how to fight with a sword.
When Beladera went to her mother and Belon and Ihon were alone, he walked with him and talked to him just as would a father to a son, and at the end of the day, before he went to bed, it was to Belon or Aderac lovingly saying goodnight to him.
In turn, although he grieved for his mother, Ihon came to love his father and even Aderac equally and adjusted well to his life at Ivodgald, and just like Belon; was charismatic, handsome, and each day grew tall and strong.
**
“Sleep well,” Belon said lovingly to Ihon, then quietly closed to the door and went to his chamber for bed, but when he walked inside, expecting Aderac to be waiting in bed, he was surprised he find him sitting at one of the tables’ eagerly reading.
“No more reading. It is time for bed, my sweet,” he lovingly said, as he walked to the washbasin to wash before bed.
The letter he was reading tight in his grip, excitedly Aderac hurried to bed.
“Long has it been, long has it been,” his excited words while holding the letter high in his hand before he leaped onto the bed and stood in the middle of it, “Since guests have come to Ivodgald.”
“And who comes?”
“King Habjoric,” Aderac answered, then fell backwards, “He comes for horses and is a childhood friend.”
Belon turned and looked at him questioningly. “This childhood friend is now a king?”
“His brother just died which makes him now sole heir and king,” Aderac answered excitedly, as he quickly sat up and looked over to Belon, “I must ready Ivodgald. He will be with us soon.”
“This king,” Belon said, as he walked to the bed, “Why has no word of him come from you until now?”
“It has been so long,” he answered, thinking nothing of it, “And my life has become well tasked such that he has not come to mind”
“This childhood friend,” Belon still questioned. Slightly jealous by how excited he was, and suspicious from it, “Was there more?”
“There has only been and shall be you,” Aderac answered at once, as he yawned, but added, “And nothing other than a simple kiss from two very young.”
“A kiss!”
“A small kiss,” Aderac corrected, “And never again.”
Belon mumbled, but said nothing else as Aderac lay down and snuggled close to him to sleep, but unable to fall right to sleep. His mind wondered about the king that, even though, Aderac talked incessantly about most everything, had never mentioned him.
“Aderac,” Belon touched his shoulder trying to wake him to speak more of about this king, but he was now sound asleep, so he exhaled hard and closed his eyes and forced himself to fall asleep too.
That morning, well before Belon even woke, Aderac already up and out of the chamber, after he dressed, ate, and talked with Ihon before sending him on his way, when he saw Aderac walking to his private chamber, he caught up with him.
“When I woke,” Belon said somewhat peeved by it, “You were not in the chamber, and spoke nothing to me before you left it.”
“I know my love, forgive me,” Aderac’s apologetic words, as he walked, “It was early and you looked so peaceful sleeping. I did not want to wake you, but I did kiss your cheek.”
Belon inhaled understanding. “Always wake me.”
Gently touching his hand, Aderac smiled. “I shall.”
After walking alongside him, once at the door to his private council chamber Belon stopped and touched his arm.
“Before midday,” he said lovingly, now stroking it up and down, “Let us ride the land and walk the tree garden. The day is cool and would be pleasant.”
“If I have time for it,” his reply, as he put his hand on Belon’s strong bicep, “I have much to do to ready Ivodgald. BaCaldic is just as large as Ivodgald and I have much I have to tend to. I want him to see my kingdom is just as grand as his, if not more.”
Belon sighed, but didn’t complain.
“Very well,” he said, as he began to walk away.
“Belon,” Aderac said, and waited for him to turn, “I will be late to bed many nights. Will you wait for me here at night so we can go to bed together?”
“Be late,” Belon gave his approval, “I will not hold you to our vow. I know you have much to tend to.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
For seven nights, Aderac came back to the chamber very late, but Belon faithfully secretly waited up for him each night; then pretended to be asleep when he climbed into bed.
On the eighth night, when Aderac came to bed, when he snuggled close, the heat and smell of his body aroused Belon, and he began to pet against him.
“Umm, my love.” Aderac moaned lovingly, as he did, “I am sleepy. You know for days I have walked from top to bottom and end
to end at Ivodgald, as well as rode the grounds seeing that all is done as I commanded.”
“I will not take long,” he assured him, as he moved him onto his back, but Aderac wasn’t in the mood and kissed his nose.
“My love,” he whispered, when he kissed it. “I am sleepy.”
Frustrated and rejected, Belon made an annoyed growl, moved away, and got onto his side. “Then, go to sleep.”
“I will make this night up to you,” Aderac promised, and moved back onto his side, then scooted close to Belon again, but Belon only responded with his lately usual disgruntled growl.
Again, out of bed and gone before he woke. This time Belon growled more annoyed and after he dressed, with a determined walk, he went to chastise Aderac, but as soon as he walked through the door, he noticed court completely crowded shoulder to shoulder.
Maneuvering pass those standing, he made his way farther towards the front; then saw Aderac sitting on his throne with his wife and daughter beside him.
Casually he moved to the left where the commoners stood to try to be as inconspicuous as possible and as he looked ahead, when he saw a well-dressed man standing in front of Aderac, from his dignified look and many guards, knew it must be Aderac’s king friend, and bowed.
Lean, handsome, and tall with sandy brown curly hair just above his ears and fit, when he noticed Aderac’s head spin quickly to his left, he turned and saw Belon for the first time.
“Welcome King Habjoric,” Belon said, as he raised his head from bowing.
As he spoke, Aderac excitedly stood and walked from his throne.
“This is Grand Commander Belon of Ivodgald; there is none more brave and strong as he.”
Surprised by the truth of his height and magnificent proportionate build, King Habjoric looked him up and down, and commented on it.
“I have heard of you and you are just as all have spoken. Tall as a fortress and solid from neck to foot in your build,” he said, and added, “And I gather could defend one well with the strength that comes from the muscles I see in those arms of yours.”
As they spoke, King Habjoric’s servants walked from the side door carrying a large heavy case.
“I knew I could not come within these walls,” he said, as he turned back to Aderac; then looked at the large case, “Without books for you. I know how you love to read.”
“Dare you say?” Aderac excitedly said, and rushed to the books; then picked up several immediately thumbing through them.
“Ah,” he finally said, pleased with the selection he brought, “You remember me well.”
“I do.”
While King Habjoric watched Aderac thumbing through some more of the books, he commented on his physical appearance.
“More filled you have become, as well as, muscled,” he teased surprised as he looked at him; then at Belon, “And I know it could not be from sitting around reading books. You must speak what brought about such a change.”
Aderac simulated a laugh not bothering to comment on his remark, and with Belon right beside them, an uncomfortable silence came over the three.
“It comes to mind,” Aderac said, and cleared his throat to break the silence, then snapped his fingers at one of his servants, “That just as I love to read, you love to write.”
Prompted by the finger snap, the servants appeared with crisp papyrus paper, new quills, and ink dyes for King Habjoric.
“We remember the other well,” both burst into familiar laughter.
Watching it all and sickened to his stomach from rising jealousy, without a word to anyone, Belon quietly backed into the crowd; then hastily turned and again maneuvered his way through the crowded court, and so engrossed in looking at his books and talking, Aderac didn’t notice.
“Where are you going with such haste?” Enek asked when Belon quickly walked by in the courtyard.
“To ride the land,” his abrupt answer, as he kept walking.
“I will ride as well,” Enek offered, but Belon consumed with jealousy wanted to be alone.
“No,” he curtly replied.
Once alone to think, feeling inferior to the visiting king, self-pity filled Belon, as again in his life he feared someone suddenly tearing from him, who he loved, and as he pondered what to do about it, realized there was nothing he could.
While he rode, he thought of how he tried his best to put a wedge between Ogorec and Ovfren, even paying another to tempt Ovfren, which failed, and he resolved within that if Aderac really loved him; fate was fate, and he would stay true just as Ovfren had.
“I shall keep myself from being idle,” Belon said to himself as he rode, “And such that I will not have to see them together and have their closeness trouble me.”
Nevertheless, the more he thought of someone making his love smile other than him or the children it indeed troubled him even more.
Wasting no time, as soon as King Habjoric got there, King Aderac ordered the servants round up and coral three hundred horses for him to take back with him, and as payment for them, the king brought him twenty pouches of gold and silver candelabras for three of his monasteries.
While the servants rounded and corralled the horses, to pass the time King Habjoric enjoyed Aderac’s hospitality and both verbose, as they ate at the table fervently talked about their kingdoms and tested each other’s skills as to who could speak more languages best and knew more in general.
When done talking at the table, they visited one of the monasteries’ and read from the scrolls, and after that, they rode the land on their horses and walked in the tree garden.
Towards the end of the day, as they walked and casually talked, King Habjoric became inquisitive about his commander.
“When did he come to command and where did he come from?” he asked as they talked freely.
“It has been about eight full seasons now and he came from Worrlgen,” Aderac freely answered, “Grandfather asked him to return with us and command here, after a journey there to honor Lord Bayl, who is my cousin in dead.”
“What was such that he left where he was and came here?” he questioned, “And how did any know he would make a good commander?”
Aderac stopped and looked at him suspiciously, curious why he suddenly questioned Belon’s command at Ivodgald. “Speak plainly.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is more behind your questions about my commander than you would have me believe.”
King Habjoric kept slowly walking.
“I would like to offer your commander a place at BaCaldic to quell the upheaval that began in villages, but is steadily making its way to my very door. I shall make the offer only if you will grant his release, of course?” King Habjoric went straight to the point, which in truth was partly the reason he came to Ivodgald, to recruit Belon, “My kingdom is in chaos over the sudden death of my brother, which some believe I poisoned, but I did not.”
“He is free to come and go of his own will,” Aderac answered almost indignantly, his body now stiffening uncomfortably, “But I know he will not accept your offer.”
“Not even for a price? I would give whatever he asks.” His added incentive, certain every man had a price.
“Not for all the gold and most precious stones in the earth,” Aderac averred, “Would he leave Ivodgald.”
King Habjoric laughed and shook his head.
“I gathered such. I would have been a fool not to have tried, but even one touched would know he is indeed bonded here, and to more than just Ivodgald.”
“Again I ask, what do you mean?”
“The way he looked at me -” King Habjoric surmised, “That look can only come from one offended by a deed. I am a king, yet his look to me was not of one honored, but one offended.”
Aderac looked at him puzzled, still not following. “What such deed?”
“The books,” he answered surprised he didn’t notice, “Your eyes lit and his dulled. I saw it at once.”
Aderac said nothing and kept walking, but as h
e did, his mind flooded with thoughts of what Belon must have thought while he eagerly thumbed through the books completely ignoring him.
“Dare you try to keep it hidden?” King Habjoric insightfully knew by how adamantly he averred Belon would not leave Ivodgald, “You cannot Aderac. I have known you since we were very young and you reveal what is within you like open books from your eyes. You are in love with your commander and from the hateful look he gave me about the books, he returns your love, and I shall add this as well. You wear only one wristband that matches the one he wears on his wrist, who would do such a thing if they were not one?”
“I did not mean to keep it hidden. I was filled with joy to see an old friend and new king,” Aderac revealed, as he looked proudly at Belon’s wristband, “It is true and deeply of us both.”
“Then why did you shun him?”
“I did no such thing?” he indignantly denied.
King Habjoric again laughed. “I have been within these walls all day and you have not gone to him or spoken to him other than in court, and in truth, even in court you did not really speak to him, but so blind are you Aderac. He has been with us all day.”
“Where?”
“He lurks in the shadows and keeps himself hidden as he follows us around,” King Habjoric revealed what his guards had told him when they noticed him earlier in the day.
Aderac shook his head upset with himself and realized he had done wrong.
“So happy I was to have you at Ivodgald after so long,” he admitted, “And from it shunned him and our son.”
King Habjoric looked at him with raised curious brows. “I saw no son sitting beside you.”
“Belon has a son,” another proud proclamation. “And I love him as my own.”
“Much has changed with us both as time has crept upon us.” He nodded pleased.
“Such is true.”
Again, they walked, but suddenly King Habjoric stopped when he remembered something.
“Oh,” he hinted to Aderac teasingly, “I should warn you. Some with me see him as pleasing to the eyes.”
“Reveal who, reveal it now?”
