“Are you really going to leave, Aefstine?”
Aefstine smiled at Erriene as he ruffled his hair. They were sitting by the garden and watched as Uldrik played not far from them. Randal and Alarick had went hunting that afternoon.
Aefstine nodded. “Do you know that I’ve always wanted to be a traveller? I plan to go to different places and see the world with my own eyes after I finish my apprenticeship at the temple. But unexpected things happened along the way.”
Unexpected things like being married to Randal and suddenly becoming Maud’s Dalli and Alarick’s mamkka.
Erriene watched as Aefstine’s pretty face turned solemn as if remembering something and he had no doubt that he is remembering the past.
“I will miss you. Alarick and Uldrik will surely as well,” he said emotionally.
He couldn’t help it, he had grown close to Aefstine and despite his young face, Maud’s
SummaryA travel back in time to when it all started...*****The only daughter of the Elsyanne Noble House is set to marry the Warlord King.Aefstine, the youngest child of the Elsyannes along with his family is set to arrive in Maud for the wedding. Naive to the ways of the world, he has nothing but bright eyes and optimism in this new land of adventure.For him, it was like a dream…What Aefstine did not expect is that it will soon turn to be his worst nightmare.*****Randal has it all- the bravest warriors, a massive castle, and unmeasurable riches.Except for a queen.With a heart as cold as ice and hard as stone, the Warlord King didn’t think much of it when his soon to be Dalli arrived for their upcoming wedding. It was nothing but a political marriage anyway, and he had no intention of getting involved emotional
Aefstine could barely contain his excitement.Inside his chamber in the mansion, he saw the servants packing his clothes and books. With nothingelseto do, he paced back and forth. Now and then,he would pause and offer help, but theservants would only reject his offerand frownat him.The sun was peeking in the horizon, the household awaken with shouts and loud talking.He walked to the windows and gazed at the dawn behind the slightly dusty glass.Gytha was such a warm country. Not only the weather, but most of the people too, always hugging and smiling. He wondered what the cold would feel like."Kid!"Aefstine turnedawayfrom the window and saw his brother leaning on the door of his chamber.He scowled."I told you not to call me that, Kynan."Kynangave him a crooked smile. The second bornand his older brotherat eighteen years old, was an awkwa
A bell rang three times before the gates of the fortress opened and Aefstine was desperatealreadyto see the inside.Rain was falling down from the sky in buckets. His body was turning blue inside the carriage because the temperature was so low, Aefstine was sure it couldn't be normal.The guards seeing the party coming shouted and called names to and fro.Won by curiosity, he stuck his head out the window, leaning on Kynanwho cursed at him offhandedly. The wind and rain hit his face but he managed to see two guards gesturing for their carriageto enter, waving a banner.Under the rain and the disarray, he couldn't really tell what any of those people looked like.When the carriage finally stopped, servants, Aefstine assumed, came to help them. He and his siblings put on the coats with the hoods they carried on travels and one by one they got off the carriage.Aefstine's boots hit the muddy ground and he s
Aefstine’s room was by a corridor that was up a very big stair,but he was too tired to inspect it.If the castle was weirdly warm, this part was for sure the warmest. It was as if the sun itself was living inside these walls, making Aefstine very comfortable. If this was how the castle was kept the whole winter, Maud didn't seem so bad.He went to the window and gazed at the landscape, the horizon full of spruce and pines, and he could see the mountains in the distance even with the rain, pouringmuchtamer now. It was so comforting seeing the cold outside knowing he was all safe and warm behind these walls.He shivered at the warmth and for a moment, wished to stay there, looking at that scene forever.I'll never see this again after my father’s business is done here and we leave.He shook his head. It doesn’t seem right to call his oldest sister’s marriage a business, but he was lost
The dining room was big and had a rectangular table in the middle, with all kinds of decoration on the walls, from armors to big red curtains.The table was adorned with carvings on the wood and nice tapestries, upon which lies all kinds of food. But the smell of red meat made Aefstine's stomach cramp and suddenly, he wasn't very hungry anymore.The warlord king was there as well, at the head of the table, looking powerful as always. His eyes zeroed in on him when Aefstine entered and followed his moves. Seated on his left was his father, a vacant seat on his right and next to that is Cheana.Aefstine was about to sit beside Cheana’s right, away from the warlord king, wondering where Syteiner was and assuming that the vacant seat on King Randal’s right side was for the old manwhen Randal reached for the chair on the said unoccupied chair and pulled it back, calling him by that strange name."Dallikath."Unable to den
Aefstine was awake.But why?It wasn't morning yet.Hmm… Something made a noise.Where?Aefstine moved under the blankets.There it was! That noise again!It came from the foot of the bed.Aefstine tried to open his blurry eyes and saw nothingat first. It was really dark, no lamp nor torch lit, and the fire by the hearth was already dead. By the moonlight, he could only see silhouettes.He could see one now. Looked like a huge person. The figure was rummaging through the big trunk, it seemed. The top was open and whatever was inside made a sound of clashing metal when the person moved stuff around.Aefstine calmly observed that from his lying position, still half asleep.The figure stilled, as if sensing Aefstine was awake. The silhouettelooked up and murmured something. The voice was deep, like...Was that Randal?Was he dreaming?The figure mu
Surely, Aefstine wasn't supposed to be wandering around the kitchen but he was feeling alone."Cealy… does the whole kingdom have this sort of food on their tables or… or is it just this castle?" he asked hesitantly, not wanting to offend but needing to know.She frowned at him from the soup she was stirring, as if trying to understand the question. He winced, his father had told him more than once that he should keep his mouth shut."I… I didn't mean like- I'm sorry.""Oh! You mean if the kingdom is poor!" her face lit up with understanding, and his stomach dropped at the rude words. "Oh, Dalli, what a good heart you have. Do not worry. Maudians were nomads once, we know how to hunt in these mountains. And the people that can't, Xiath Randal gives food away at the Great Kitchen downtown. That's why the cooks are always workingbusy.Well, usually most of them are at the Great Kitchen, but Xiath is letting them
Aefstine took longs gulps of the water and swallowed another chunk of the fish.It was so good!Syteiner was extremely amused by the contented sigh and the blissful face Aefstine was making. They were in a nice little room with a small round table where lunch was laid, and two chairs on each side.Aefstine liked the big window that the room had. He could see the snow outside.Syteiner told him that his family had apparently went- without him- to see the city and would be late for lunch. He didn't mind.Syteiner was nice and hadn't made any comments about Aefstine's less than dignified table manners. He usually wasn't this bad, but he was so hungry.And it was fish!You had to eat it like you were dying, there was no other way around it."Where is King Randal? I haven't seen him around," Aefstine asked, only realizing after the question that he had been looking for the king unconsciously.He hasn't seen the
Aefstine’s breath hitched and his hands trembled as Randal moved towards him.Randal was only in his undershirt, his black hair still wet from bathing. His eyes was full of adoration a few minutes ago, but now… it was mixed with desire.Randal stopped in front of him while he slowly put his pen and paper aside. For a moment, they were just staring in silence, there was nothing but the flow of the river nearby.And their breathing… their pounding heartbeats."Randal…" he whispered in a soft voice.Randal let out a grunt as if something hurt and in a move too fast for such a huge man, he was suddenly in front of Aefstine and lifting him by his waist.He rested his hands on Randal’s shoulders as the man placed him over his lap, his legs automatically went on each side of Randal’s thighs. As he straddled the man, he immediately felt Randal’s arousal beneath him.Randal moved his h
Present Day…Aefstine smiled wide as he stared at the bustling city as the carriage stopped.Another city that he had yet to explore. He can not wait to check the new place out.The hand holding his tightened its hold, making him look to his side where his spouse was sitting. Randal had on an amused expression while staring at him. Aefstine squeezed back on the hand holding his and grinned at Randal.They had left their horses at the border of Maud when they left a few years back- Alarick will take the horses back to the fortress and take good care of them until they return. And from there, they would hire a carriage or hitch a ride from passing carts. It was really fun.Ever since he came back from being captured and detained, five years had gone by and now, Randal had developed the habit of always holding on to him- more than before- and he can’t blame the man for being clingy.He was not complai
Aefstine heard the sound of someone running irregularly along the corridors, and turned around already expecting his brother.He heard the knocking on the door, and called out. A limping Kynanentered his room. He felt a pain in his heart, and was surprised to notice he had missed his older brotherthat much."Kiddo!" Kynancalled, smiling.The guard immediately appeared behind him and shifted, hand going for the sword, looking threateningly at his brother.Kynanlooked at the guard, bemused. Aefstine was surprised too."It's okay. It's just Kynan," he told the guard. "Close the door," he said and the guard namedTyke-he recalled- hesitantly closed it.Kynanshook his head at him."I'm... so sorry, Aefstine. We were staying in another wing of the castle. People here are so nasty, no one speaksour language. I tried to get to you, but a little chubby lady said I wasn't to ‘bo
"You don't know that, you don't know Maudians. You assume that's what they want!" Aefstine cried."And you know them so well, don't you?" Cheanamocked. "Befriending those animals, you deserve to be here," she moved narrowed eyes at him, looking at him from head to foot and back again as if scrutinizing him. “Do you have any idea how insulting this is for me? I am a beautiful lady from the ElsyanneHouse, a noble one, and I get rejected, by a king. All because of you!”She pointed an accusing finger at him, as if it was all his fault. Maybe it was. May be notHe doesn’t know anymore.She took a step towards him, gritting her teeth. “How could he choose you? How could he like you?Over me?!”Aefstine had never seen his sister so angry before- no, she was not angry. He had seen her furious before. When things don’t go her way or there’s something she want but was not able to
In the midst of his tears and dizziness, Aefstine had barely heard the rushed, desperate words the warlord king had said over and over again, barely felt himself being lifted and curled in the naked man's lap.When the tears had dried and the panic gave way to anger, his waist was red and sore from the way Randal's arms clung to himtightly. The king’s worried eyes were searching for a reason, looking around the roomas if the one making him feel this miserable could be found aroundand then back to Aefstine, and he had felt something he never felt before.A deep, mysterious thing that uncurled from his chest like a newborn sparked to life.Aefstine felt a little better by it, a little comforted, and caressed the man's jaw with small trembling fingers in appreciation for something he didn't know how to pronounce yet.But saying ‘I'm okay now’ over and over hadn't quieted the big man down. Aefstine had to spen
The finger went deeper and when it rubbed against something strange inside, Aefstine shivered all over and arched his back like a cat.He spread his legs further apart, bum sticking out and seeming to fit perfectly in the man's big hands."Randal…" he whispered.Mind blanking out, Aefstine wanted it again. He heard the king’s chuckle and felt himself get even hotter with arousal.Randal only held him tighter, and he felt a hardness at his lower back that wasn't there before, but now that the king was closer, Aefstine could feel it. It could only be Randal's cock, and he shivered with the knowledge.It felt really big, and the fact that it was probably going inside him made him shiver in fear and curiosity.Soon,there was another finger joining in, and the burn came back again. He shifted uncomfortably, and Randal growled softly at him, leaning and bending his bodyoverbehind him, tucking his chin i
Finally looking around him after a tense ride, Aefstine could see the woods up ahead, but he wasn't in the forest anymore.Randal had slowed the pacing. This hidden place was full of stones and bushes, nestedon itwas some kind of pond, a lagoon that was surrounded with dark slippery rocks.The lagoon itself was beautiful and he noticed hot steam in the surface. Actually, this place was warmer than the forest. Aefstine could see the shade of the castle in the distance.It must be the hot spring.Still with the arm around him, Randal leaned in to kiss the skin at the back of his ear a few times, which made Aefstine's heart set off again into an unhealthy pace. He tried not to move, and Randal didn't seem to notice.Randal dismounted from the horse and Aefstine saw him carefully take his own cloak, boots, and shirt off. Aefstine, with his head still pounding, managed to take his fill of the muscular chest in front of him.
Aefstine looked closer, walking up to the border of the stream, and saw that small silver fishes were jumping up and down the river.The bigger ones were at the bottom.Randal brought with him a quiver that was as beautiful as the bow, but Aefstine spent less time looking at it, quickly taking an offered arrow.The first arrow went straight into the river, but came floating after some seconds. Aefstine gave Randal an embarrassed smile and the king’s lips twitched again in that almost smile of his.He went to take the arrow back, but looked down at his new clothes and frowned. He didn't want it to get wet. The water was probably really cold too.Randal appeared in his vision with a thin and sharp long lance. He threw it at the river with such an easy, calculated strength that made Aefstine take a step back.The lance went straight into a big one at the bottom. The fish trashed a little but the lance had gone through
Aefstine walked to the dinner table guided by Phye, and was surprised to see his family already there, having an early dinner.He walked up to themand took an apple from the fruit bowl on the table-this freakishly tasty maudian apple - and sat on a chair. There was no sign of Syteiner, nor the WarlordKing.Aefstine nodded to his father, and did a double take when he received a smile back. His mother was also smiling, looking relaxed for a change. Cheanawas a little downcast, but that was to be expected.Kynanlooked at him curiously."Those clothes are strange.""His Highness Randal invited me for a hunt today. He told me to wear these clothes," Aefstine said, picking at the fur and the oversized brown cotton shirt.It looked like it was made for a Maudian but it was pleasantly warm, something that Aefstine was unwillingly starting to associate with the Warlord King.