Heron and Raine were not brothers. The thought was constantly on Herons mind as he and Raine Traveled together towards his hometown of Exotus. He looked back at Dajin. Where he knew the fox head inn and bar had been it was there he met Raine only a few hours before. But in that short amount of time they had learned of their common bonds. Most prominent was the fact that Heron's father Ceiles had raised Raine, and the fact that both of them were mentalists was something they had found out quite easily. Heron looked ahead at Raine as they rode watching him intently. His well pointed Elvin ears; his tied back blonde hair. His rather erect and stiff posture as he rode upon his horse his thin yet muscular build were all characteristic of his kind. He was a noble man of fine delicate features soft and almost feminine in his appearance. But behind the pale blue eyes a hamlet like past haunted him.
He had been chosen to be the successor of his mother's noble lineage since no living female heir could be brought to the world. But his uncle who had previously murdered his father blocked him out. He was banished and searched for revenge. Upon the night of his exile he stabbed his uncle while he slept. When it was discovered he was hunted down and had to seek the protection of the wandering mage lord Ceiles. From whom he was raised until Ceiles wandered alone again leaving Raine on his own to live his life.
Heron had a different tale to tell. His father left when he was a few years old, his mother paid him little heeding, except for the Daily occurrence when he would 'Misbehave.' then it was the jeweled cane she used for walking that would discipline the child. 'Spare the rod spoil the child' was a phrase he had learned well for she never did spare the rod. But he had endured the pain 'Much like a weed endures the hand of mother nature.' to quote her again. Until the day he broke and discovered the fate destiny had laid ahead. Thunder was his savior, his inborn lightning fought against her during one of the disciplining moments. The rod had melted in her hand as she was flung to the wall of the market place; he was found out by the royal leader first servant and bought as a chamber boy to the king. Where his original suffering was put to an end but a new rewarded digression was laid upon him. For the king would take no wife due to a strange craving for the company of young men.
"Hey brother how far are we from Exotus?" Raine asked pulling his horse around and looking at Heron.
His pale eyes scanned over him upon his Ubu, a strange ostrich like bird that had bat wings and a lizards skin. Heron himself was far more attractive with his black hair streaked with very early bars of dark silver, his dark green eyes showing to the world his loss of purity or so the belief was held that someone who had green eyes was believed to have an impure soul. His Tanned skin, well built frame and his height was equal to Raine's despite him being four years the elder at the age of twenty-four.
"A distance yet, and I know what your thinking. Yes. Pull it up." He said indicating Raines hood. As much as Heron did not wish to see Raine hide himself, it wasn't safe for the dethroned prince of a disbanded elf clan to show himself. Though it had been six years since the murder there was still a bounty to be had.
"And I know what you think brother. Push it down." He said laughing; he had before seen Heron's rather unmentionable thoughts and found them rather entertaining.
"Do not mock me." Heron said trying to do what his unrelated brother had told him to do. The two rode on.
Eventually the two came to a crossroads as the shades of night fell. Heron held out his hand and a small web of lightning illuminated the road signs, neither of which pointed to Exodus. "We won't be able to make it tonight." Heron said putting down his hand. "Let us rest then press on in the morning," they turned their animals up the northern fork as Heron remembered a small secondary inn was on the way to the northern city. There they stopped for the night.
"What do you mean there's only one bed per room?" Raine asked in nervous surprise. The innkeeper shook their head saying simply.
"We are small; there's not enough space."
"But we don't have enough money for two rooms."
"Do not worry brother Sadiron." Heron said calling him by his traveling name. "We can share a bed. We are brothers after all."
'Brother your advances leave me little recourse' Raine thought as he despondently nodded his hood hiding the frail smile on his face.
The two were led upstairs to the room at the end of the hall. They thanked their guide and settled in. the room next door left little of the silence the two men made as they looked at each other then at the single small bed. The next room was full of laughing voices of women and a so far single man. But the noises that underlay the voices suggested that there was more then just talking going on. For every so often a happy shout or thumping combined with a moan would echo through the man's room.
"So do you want to be on top or under?" Heron blurted out catching Raine of guard.
"What?" He asked Looking at him his eyebrows cocked. Fearing one of his brother's Dark thoughts was to come to pass.
"Do you want to sleep On top of the blankets or under? Because I will take the other." Heron said sensing his discomfort. "You Decide, I am going to have a shower." Heron walked across the room to the small closet of a bathroom and closed the door. Raine sat on the bed and sighed feeling relieved and strangely disappointed. He turned and pulled back the covers on what he knew was Herons preferred side of the bed and crawled under it simply to annoy him. He listened to the man in the shower coupled with the women in the next room. Soon he drifted into sleep.
Heron Slowly undressed, first unhooking his long ornate belt and laid it on the counter then his long heavy knit outer robe which stated his connection to the crown and also his role and status. Leaving him in his regular wear. A black sleeveless shirt which clung to him tightly and loose pants that hung at his knees he turned on the water and removed these, his shoes, and his under garments leaving him naked. He climbed into the shower to clean himself. Soaping himself up as the water flowed down him. Thinking only of Raine in the other room. But this soon stopped when he felt himself change; he returned his thoughts to the task at hand and continued to wash.
Raine slept soundly. He breathed slowly dreaming of happy memories when his father was still alive before he knew of his uncle's existence. But despite his better dreaming judgment, he dreamt of Heron. In his dream they were together in an empty forest, Heron stood close to him staring deeply into his eyes, Raine looking back in the same way. Carefully Raine moved forward and kissed Heron who broke away and stepped back confused and almost afraid looking. Sticking from Heron's chest was a dagger of dark fire. Blood gushed from the hole it made filling the dream until Raine was drowning in the red ocean. Raine awoke with a startled cry.
"Bad dream?" Heron asked leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom still wet a towel hanging loosely around his waist; the shower was still running in the bathroom and steam seeped across the floor.
"Heron... I" he started then stopped "I want to tell you something but I'm afraid to."
"That's alright, you can tell me later, I trust you Raine." Heron said shutting the door to complete his shower, which was taking him close to an hour to finish. But soon he was done and after that the water was turned off, he got dressed and joined Raine on the bed. Where the two slept. Heron woke up close after midnight and looking through the dark he could see Raine's supposedly sleeping body. He cuddled closer to him until both were on he same pillow, he whispered to him "Raine, and I love you. Do you feel the same?"
A whisper returned from the dark form "Yes. Ever since we met." Raine Kissed Heron gently across his lower lip missing his mouth but getting the point across.
Heron asked a second question a few minutes later. "Will you have me?"
This time there was no response only the tired breath of a man asleep. Heron rolled over and lay against the far edge of the bed, slowly drifting into sleep.
Morning came and the two men left the inn, Heron was shocked to learn that his Ubu had died of unknown causes and that Raine had no memory of their late night conversation. Claiming it another of Herons fantasies. The two rode on Raine's horse. Heron holding tightly to the other mans waist. They rode together in this manner for most of the day, stopping to eat as they went. Heron still could feel the kiss Raine had given him and he knew that was no dream. He felt hurt that Raine didn't remember. But for the moment decided to let it end there. 'All things in time to those who wait.' he thought.
"Wait for what?" Raine asked looking over his shoulder as they crossed a small bridge.
"Just looking forward to getting home."
"You're lying. I can sense it."
"Well I have my secrets and you yours brother, as you do yours I shall mine."
The two rode on for the rest of the day reaching Exotus by sundown. Heron walked Raine through the bustling city to a small dwelling near the central palace; here he unlocked the door with a few chanted words and allowed him entrance. "Be it ever so humble..." Heron said removing his outer layer hanging it by the door. Raine looked around amazed. Inside what had appeared to be from the outside a simple one-room hovel inside was a mansion rivaling any he ever knew.
"You live here?" He said in awe Heron shrugged.
"Whenever I'm not attending the king's personage."
"I see." Raine Said looking around the large room. Then something odd caught his eye. There was a small screen door between several different windows inside each was a different area of the world. Forest, Desert, Ocean, City, Mountain and a snow covered field. Under each window was hung a key.
"I see you have noticed the windows." Heron said taking a key off the wall. He put it in the lock and opened the door, the darkness beyond morphed into a cliff edge on the top of a mountain. Heron walked out into the snow. "Are you coming?" He asked coyly to Raine as if the question was more than it sounded.
"I'm on my way..." he said taking a careful step upon the white. It was warm. He looked to Heron as if confused. "It's not cold?"
"I hate the cold. I prefer things around body temperature or higher, it's so much more comfortable. Don't you agree?"
"I suppose." Raine said walking closer to Heron. Looking around in amazement. The entire sidewall of the house was there free standing the rest was simply elsewhere. He walked all around the wall, it was the same on both sides as it had been, the far side was the interior still intact the other the outer. Oddly unaware of it's current position. Raine peeked through the door and was pelted in the face by a snowball thrown by Heron. He wiped the warm snow off his face shaking the whiteness from him. "I'm going to get you for that!" He shouted running at Heron then tackling him. They both went down into the knee-deep snow. Heron looked up into Raines blue eyes smiling. "I think I have snow in my underwear."
"Are you always so well spoken?" Raine asks looking down at him laughing.
"Not always." Heron said laughing to.
Raines face came close to Herons "You know when I said I didn't remember what I said last night...?"
"Yes?"
"It was no lie. What was it you thought I had said?"
"That you Loved me, then you kissed me." Heron said pointing to his lower lip. "Right there."
"Like this?" He asked leaning in closer.
"MASTER HERON?!" Shouted the voice of a messenger from inside the house. Raine stopped and let Heron up. He did not look amused.
"My master Calls. Raine I'll be back later. Why don't you stay and rest, I'll be back before night fall."
"Alright.... I'll wait in the house though." Both walked through the door and Heron shut it. Hanging the key back in place. He turned to Raine a last time before leaving the house
"Feel free to explore. My house is yours for the day. Your room to sleep in is upstairs on the right." And with that he exited leaving Raine to his own devices.
He explored the house for two hours, becoming quite familiar with it. He walked into the large bathroom looking around; a waterfall he assumed was used in place of a shower dominated the far wall. He took this opportunity to cleanse himself he removed his garb and walked across the ankle deep pool under the warmed water. It was the perfect temperature. He did not undo his braided hair But instead Lathered up his tied back hair with practiced ease cleaning it better than if he had let it fall and scrubbed his skin with a pumice stone he had found floating in the water. He patted himself dry with a thick black towel and rinsed out his clothes finding a spare pair of clean clothing waiting for him in a bin by the door. It didn't fit him to well being Herons but it would be better than running around the house in the stark. He then moved on to the bedroom Heron had told him was his.
Hours later he lay curled up on the bed staring at his hand. 'With these I could do it.' he thought but remained still. His people's laws wouldn't allow that kind of freedom. Despite the fact they had disbanded. The ancient law would stand for him. Slowly he scanned the room startled by the man standing there.
"Heron..." he whispered in surprise.
"Raine, free your self." The man said giving him a kind order. Walking to the elf side. "I know that you want to."
"I can't... The law won't allow it."
"The law is lost. Free your self." He said softly as he took Raine's hands in his then laid them on Raines thighs. "I promise nothing bad will happen I will protect you."
*"Thank you." Raine said tears coming to his eyes as he cast off his old society.
"Your still beautiful." Heron said watching all the time not moving from his spot, a meter up from the foot of the bed a foot back from it. When Raine stopped he climbed onto the bed crawling over to him and kissed Raine running his hand down his bare torso.
'Thank you brother.' Raine thought with happy tears running down his face. Heron then broke the kiss. "Sleep well little brother, I'll be in the next room. If you want me. I'll be there." He then got off the bed and walked to the door; with a final look back went to his own room and undressed with a quiet satisfaction. Raine had looked so happy to be freed, a pleasure he had learned of when he was a chamber servant to the unmarried king. Which (guilt to be admitted) was one he inherited and practiced still. He lay down under his covers all thoughts on his so-called younger brother; he stared out the large window at the rising full blue moon. He yawned drifting into sleep.
Another nightmare haunted his sleeping mind as Raine lay in the bed. The eyeless, blood-spewing visage of Heron chased after him. Howling declarations of love and murder. Raine awoke with screaming tears. He hugged his nude body in an attempt to calm himself rushed from the room leaving his clothing and (he prayed) the nightmares behind. He pounded on Heron's door calling out desperately the door was opened. He rushed in wrapping his arms around the naked body of Heron crying while babbling about the murderous dream. The elder smiled telling him to pay the dreams no mind because that's all they were. Simply dreams.
"Can I sleep in here with you?" Raine asked like a child frightened by noises in the night. Heron stroked the back of his head affectionately then shook his head no.
"My bed is not large enough for two, and we are both to close to risk it. Your dreams will be safe from now on if you wear this." He slipped a black stone pendant from around his neck onto Raines, then gave him a kiss and pushed him back to his own room closing the door for the night.
In the morning heron awoke. He got dressed and walked to Raine's room.
"Raine are you up?"
"Yes." called the voice of the man he loved.
"I'm going to start breakfast. Anything in particular you hunger for?"
*'You...should know...' he heard a mental whisper but that was quickly drown out by Raine's voice. "Whatever your making."
"Alright." heron laughed walking down the stairs to the kitchen. Where a pan was already on the stove heating itself up and already oiled. Heron prepared the meal able to get it done without any mishaps... for once. He looked up as Raine came down the stairs clad in more borrowed clothing.
"Thank you for the clothes."
"I'm just glad you look good in my pants." Heron said not paying attention to himself. Raine laughed.
The two conversed as they ate. All the while Heron nervously watched the clock. Raine noted his behavior. And hearing his mental whisperings he lay down his fork and asked. "Heron do you feel anything towards the king?"
"Anger, Hatred, Wrath, Fury, Animosity."
"I take it you do not like him."
"Apparently not."
"Why do you keep going back there then?"
"He makes me."
"You mean he actually comes down here, picks you up and carries you to the castle?"
"No, worse." Heron reached into a pocket of his pants and produced a small gold plated flask no bigger than a thumb and just as wide. "This tonic which I am ordered to take does the carrying for him." He said spitefully wrapping his hand around the bottle as if trying to crush it. Which he was.
"Oh? How so?" Raine asked innocently.
"Its a drug that takes away resistance, it wakes the body up but puts the mind to sleep."
"So why do you take it?"
"It's part of my job. If I could go a day without it that would be a blessing."
'Maybe that's what the dream is for.' Raine thought in the part of his mind Heron couldn't read. He nodded slowly. "You don't love him, but he forces love into you."
"I guess you could say that. Even the pun is true."
"Oh..." Raine stopped and thought. "What if someone went in your place?"
"No. I wont let you go little brother. The king would kill you. He wants no substitutions."
"But..."
"I'm sorry I have to go. Please. Stay here."
"...Alright." Raine said again retreating to the unread zone. 'I'll Stay here for part of the time, and follow you later. The pain he has caused you must be stopped. I promise you this Heron.'
It had been an hour long enough. Raine pulled on his hooded cloak and set out for the castle. He walked in through the servants door claiming to be a new chamber servant leaving a forged letter with the door guard. He was lead to the kings chamber. He could hear the older mans raunchy laughter. He felt rage building up inside him. He hadn't felt feelings like this since the day he killed his uncle. But this was more controlled. He pounded on the door. A young boy opened it. He walked across the bedroom pushing aside all who dared to stop him. He tore back the shroud around the bed and shouted. "GET OFF OF HIM!" before the king had any time to react Raine ripped him from heron and thrust the blade of his dagger against his skin. "If you wish to stay alive keep away from Heron." his slender body rigged with emotion. His eyes burning into those of the kings who stared back fearfully. His hand seemed to be searching for something.
"Call the guards and your head comes off." he snarled the hand stopped.
"Please don't kill me." The king begged. Raine scoffed.
"Stay away from him and I wont." Raine pulled the knife away. He picked up herons limp comatose body after wrapping a sheet around him and his clothing and carried him over his shoulder out of the castle back to the house here he lay him on a couch. He slumped on the one opposite trying to calm himself down. It had been a long time since he had ever been that angry. It scared him. He would have killed that man. He took a few calming breaths at least he had saved his love without any blood spilled. But had things gone awry he would have gladly laid down his life to rescue him.
Heron awoke around sundown. He looked around he was lying in his own bed fully clothed again. "How did I get here?" he asked aloud. Slowly sitting up. He looked over at Raine who was just nodding off.
Raine yawned. "I freed you from the king. You don't have to take the potion any more. The only love you have to feel is you own."
'I'd like to feel yours too...' Heron thought in the unreadable spot. He smiled over at Raine. "Thank you little brother."
"Please. Don't call me that any more. We aren't related." Raine said climbing onto the bed and wrapping his arms around heron. "I want these feelings to be completely natural. No more lies. I love you Heron."
"I know...I know..." heron said cuddling down into his arms. He had felt a change in their strength. Before Raine had felt like a younger brother should but now he was an equal man and lover. Heron swallowed as Raine pushed some hair up and out of his face. Soon the feeling of security and the late hour settled upon the two and they both agreed it was time to share the bed together they tucked themselves in gently embracing. Outside the moon rose and the stars shone through the darkness as heron and Raine proved to themselves there was no limitations on great expectations.
In the morning Raine woke up first before the sun rose, Heron slept on both arms and a leg wrapped around his loves body. Raine smiled and released himself from his embrace and slowly sat up careful not to disturb the sleeping man. He smiled pushing the tousled hair away from the mages face he then turned and looked down at the floor he rested his feet on the hardwood tense as they let out a small creak. Heron continued to snore. Raine bent over and sifted through the mêlée of his and his lovers shed clothing. He felt it. Tucked under his pants. He pulled it to himself seeing its outline in the dark. He turned and carefully rolled heron onto his back, leaned over kissed his soft lips thinking 'Goodbye my love, until we meet again.' and plunged the dagger into Herons chest. Killing him instantly and silently. He wiped a tear from his eye and looked out the large window, saying simply. "Morning will come soon."
Toli Bera Community Member 
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