War Torn

Prologue

“Do you vow to remain pure in body and mind?”

The young man bowed his head solemnly. He knew that this vow was the most important one that he would ever take, and yet, perhaps also the easiest one. “I do.”

“Then with the power invested in me by the Gods, I hereby give you the rank of Divine Commander. Fight with all of your might on behalf of our Gods! Rest assured that they will set you on the path to victory and lend your their strength and wisdom should you ever need it,” the elderly priest informed him with a kind smile.

The newly appointed Commander nodded his head in acceptance, and then turned to smile at his father. His father was obviously filled with pride considering that his only son had just completely a decade long intensive training session. The warrior monks had taught him everything he would need to know to guide their troops to victory.

As the Supreme Warlord for their Kingdom, his father felt a sense of nostalgia from his days as the Divine Commander. Holding his arms out wide, he waited for his son to come to him, and then gave him a nearly teary eyed hug.

“Son... I can think of no one better to walk in my footsteps...”

“I'll make you proud of me, father...”

The Story

“Divine Commander!” A soldier gasped in awe as he hastily bowed in respect.

“Soldier,” the Commander murmured respectfully. “What's going on?”

“There's a new batch of war prisoners being hauled down to the dungeons,” the soldier explained.

“I see,” the Commander muttered sadly. He knew that atrocities awaited the prisoners, and while he personally hated the idea, there wasn't much he could do about it. It was the King's policy to extract as much information from the enemy soldiers as possible, no matter what had to be done to them.

A man caught his eye. The man was dressed as a high ranking officer. With blond hair and a regal bearing, he looked like he could be a Prince or someone equally as important. Considering that he was captured on the front lines, it was more likely that he was one of the enemy's Generals.

“That man,” the Commander pointed him out. “The Gods want me to talk with him before he's sent to the dungeon for torture.”

“Sir?” The soldier asked in confusion, but then remembered his place. “Yes sir! Right away!”

“Have him brought to my private sitting room.”

The soldier bowed respectfully once more, and then rushed off to do as told. Meanwhile, the Commander decided to go to the Chapel of the Gods to consult them. He also felt the need to atone for using them as part of a lie.

In the Chapel, he got to his knees, lit a candle, and then rested his hands in his lap as he turned his mind inward. I am so sorry! I didn't mean to blaspheme, but... Well, when I saw that man, I just knew that he would be tortured far worse than anyone else because of his high rank. I simply had to spare him that! I can only pray that you understand...

He continued to pray for at least an hour. Feeling more at peace, he finally went to his private sitting room. A maid spotted him along the way, so he ordered tea. She was quick enough – able to dash to a nearby nook that continually had water set to a low simmer and tea ready and waiting – that she was able to have a pot (and a plate of sandwiches) ready to serve him by the time he reached his chambers.

He accepted the tray from her with a tiny nod. “Thank you. You may go.”

She curtseyed and rushed away to finish her chores.

Opening the door, the Commander was wary enough to cast his senses out to make sure that the prisoner wasn't going to ambush him. As it turned out, he needn't have worried because the enemy officer was well tied up, bound to a thickly solid column, and guarded by two men.

“I prefer to interrogate him alone,” the Commander stated, effectively dismissing the guards.

“Yes sir!” The guards cried out obediently, and then rushed to help out in the dungeon as they were supposed to.

The Commander set the tray of tea on a table, and then contemplated his prisoner with a worried frown. “I would like to offer you some tea, but I'm not sure I can trust you...”

The enemy glared at him, vowing with his eyes to rebel as much as possible.

“I should warn you, this fortress is well guarded. Even if you managed to incapacitate me, you would not be able to escape. You'd be caught, and the torture inflicted on you would be far worse than it already was going to be.” The commander sighed morosely and pulled a sharp dagger from his boot.

The prisoner inhaled as he figured that death must be immanent. To his surprise, the binding holding him to the pillar was cut, followed by the rest of the rope holding him captive. He pulled the cloth gag out of his mouth on his own.

The Commander stood back and gestured to a chair. “Please, sit. I plan to have some tea and you can have some as well, if you'd like.” He then poured himself some tea, added cream to his mug, and then sipped it with a contented sigh.

Seeing distrust in the prisoner's eyes, he held the mug out. “You want this one? I can make another cup.”

Still feeling like this had to be a trap somehow, the prisoner took the mug and sniffed it suspiciously. Seeing that it really had been drank from, and that his captor was making up a new cup for himself exactly the same, the prisoner decided to trust him just a little. He sat down and took a sip.

The Commander smiled warmly. “There now; isn't that better?” He uncovered a plate that bore two sandwiches cut in half. Picking one up, he ate almost half of it before he gestured for the prisoner to take one.

Despite being ravenous, he declined.

“My name is Kalvin. As you must be aware by now, I'm a high ranking officer, but I'm so sick of fighting. It is my hope that I can persuade my King to consider a peace treaty now that we've nearly won the war, but...” he sighed heavily. “I'm almost certain that he'll refuse.”

“You think your side has almost won?” The enemy asked with a snide scoff.

“I know we have.”

The enemy looked away with an expression that clearly stated he was thinking: That just goes to show how little you know!

The Commander abruptly stood up and walked over to a long cabinet that stretched across one wall. Making sure to keep one eye on his prisoner, he quickly selected a gallon sized jug, and then awkwardly picked up two snifters with the fingers of his other hand. Sitting back down, he poured liquid from the jug into one of the snifters.

“This is a light wine made by the warrior monks who trained me. It's considered pure enough for me to drink even though I normally cannot have alcohol.” The Commander downed the entire glass, and then held his breath for a moment as the stinging slowly subsided.

“Would you like some?” Kalvin offered, pouring more into the same glass and holding it out.

“Yes, I could certainly use a good stiff drink!” The captive stated emphatically, and then took a sip of the wine. It was clearly well aged and very potent! He then decided to trust the man holding him captive a little more by eating one of the sandwiches.

“I was a bit of a troublemaker as a little boy,” Kalvin confessed with a smile. “Before my father sent me to train with the monks, I was forever playing pranks on anyone and everyone.”

The wine helped the enemy feel slightly at ease, and so he chuckled. “We have that in common. I also played plenty of pranks as a child.”

Pouring wine into the previously unused snifter, the Commander sighed and took a long sip. “I often wish I could go back to the days when I had nothing more serious to worry about then where my dog was hiding this time.”

“That's another thing we have in common... although I never had a dog,” the prisoner admitted.

“But since I can't, I feel I must do what I can to make this war a little less horrifying...” Kalvin stated. “Which is why I saved you from the dungeon. I know that someone as highly ranked as you appear to be would be utterly broken down there, and I just can't bear the thought of it. Regular soldiers – those who know nothing and were just following orders – they will be whipped and beaten, but otherwise unharmed. Until they die. You...” He shook his head and said no more for a long moment.

Then he sighed. “As I said, I can't bear the thought of it. But I can only protect you for so long. Perhaps the wine will dull the pain after they come to get you...”

His prisoner responded by downing the entire glass and pouring himself some more. “I can only hope!”

Kalvin bit his lip in thought. “Perhaps...”

“What?” The prisoner asked when the anticipation got to be too much.

“If you vow to serve me as a Knight, perhaps I can save you from the torture after all...” Kalvin whispered, not entirely certain that the solution would be accepted by his men.

The enemy stared at him with both surprise and suspicion. “You don't even know me! What if I vow to serve you only to run away the first chance I get?!”

Kalvin sighed heavily. “I suppose even that is better than letting them break every bone in your body, dismember you, castrate you, and force you to eat your own entrails until you die...”

The prisoner gulped in dismay. Deep down, he was still suspicious, but something about the expression in his captor's eyes made him believe that he was telling the truth. And if he really was telling the truth, then such a fate would be so horrible, even serving the enemy might be better.

Eventually making a decision, the prisoner held up his hands and slowly walked over to his captor. Then he got to one knee and bowed. “I – Leo of Clan Solaris – hereby vow to serve you as your Knight and protector until you see fit to release me from your service.”

“I – Kalvin of Clan Phoenix – accept your service.”

“Clan Phoenix!” Leo blurted out in surprise.

“Yes,” Kalvin confirmed with a serious nod.

“But! Clan Phoenix is only one step below the Royal family when it comes to power in this Kingdom! Why would you...?” His head swayed as he tried to figure out what exactly he was trying to ask. He wanted to know everything and yet all of his questions could be neatly summed up with: “Why...?”

Kalvin shrugged. “Because I dream of winning the war in a way that doesn't leave us looking like monsters when we're done. But I cannot go against my King when it comes to how we treat the prisoners.”

Leo looked away with a sigh. “Just as I was forced to join the Royal Army and invade this Kingdom because my King commanded it...”

“Perhaps we are a lot more alike that we first thought,” Kalvin stated.

“Perhaps,” Leo agreed.

Just then, there was a sharp knock at the door. The door opened before Kalvin even had a chance to grant permission. His father and two high ranking officers strode in quite imperiously, frowning when he saw that the Prisoner was on his knee and bowing in a position of clear submission.

“What is going on here?!”

“Father!” Kalvin exclaimed, getting to his feet. “I've just accepted Leo of Clan Solaris as my personal Knight.”

“What?!” His father roared. “Are you insane?! He is an enemy officer!”

Kalvin prepared himself to utter the biggest lie he had ever told in his life. “The Gods have commanded me to accept him into my service as my Knight and protector.”

“They... what...?” His father asked, clearly unable to figure out how to respond to this information. “They... did?”

“Yes,” Kalvin confirmed with a grimly serious nod.

“But...” His father still seemed flummoxed. “But why would the Gods choose an enemy officer as your Divine Protector?!”

Kalvin shrugged. “I don't know. The Gods are ever a mystery, even to me.”

“Uh...” his father droned on, trying to think of anything to say to that.

“My Lord,” one of his two officers stated with a bow. “I suggest that we accept the Gods decision, for now, and keep a close eye on this pri... person...”

“Yes...” Kalvin's father murmured in agreement. “Son, since the Gods have bound him to you, then I expect you to take full responsibility for him. You are to keep an eye on him at all times, and if he so much as thinks of betraying you, I'll expect you to deal with him instantly!”

“Understood, father,” Kalvin agreed with an obedient nod.

His father sighed in reluctant acceptance. “I know how tiring your day has been, so rather than insist that you join us for a victory feast – good job out there today, by the way – I'll let you retire for the evening. I'll send a maid in with some food.”

Kalvin grinned. “I'd like that! And just so you know, I plan to eat a little bit of everything – to show the Gods that I trust them with my life.”

His father growled unhappily, but then sighed. “Fine...” He left the room, his two officers following him with respectful nods to their Divine Commander.

Kalvin chuckled after they'd left. “My father probably thought that he could test the Gods' decision by trying to poison you, but I foiled him!”

“Did the Gods really choose me as your Divine Protector?” Leo asked quietly. He felt strangely burdened by such a concept, even if he didn't believe in the same Gods as Kalvin did.

Kalvin merely shrugged. “Believe what you want.”

“I see...” Leo murmured.

Kalvin got up and grabbed a pack of cards out of a drawer in the long cabinet. “Well, it seems like we're stuck with each other now, so we may as well get used to it. Do you play?”

Leo shrugged. “I can, but I haven't very often.”

The two men played a round of cards before their dinner arrived, and Kalvin really did eat a bit of everything just to be sure that his new Knight wouldn't be poisoned. After dinner, they played more cards as they told each other more funny anecdotes from their respective childhoods. As they talked and laughed, the jug of wine slowly emptied until Kalvin was clearly drunk.

Leo set his half full snifter aside and contemplated the dagger laying on the table. It was the one that had freed him from his bondage, so he knew it was sharp. It occurred to him that one well aimed blow would end the drunk man's life.

But I never break a vow... Leo reminded himself. He hadn't actually been serious when he made the vow. He had planned to use it as a stalling tactic until he could escape, but now he was having second thoughts. A vow – even one that had been a lie – was still a vow, and he would hate himself for the rest of his life if he broke it so easily.

Sighing in defeat, he left the dagger alone. “Come here, my Lord. I had probably better get you ready for bed before you pass out.”

Kalvin let Leo pull one of his arms over his shoulder. “Which way to your room, and more importantly, where will I be staying?”

“There's a room for you there,” Kalvin answered with a slur and a drunken hiccup. “And my room's over there.”

Leo had to half carry Kalvin into the indicated room, and then busied himself undressing the man. “Don't you have servants to do this part?” He asked with an unappreciative mutter. Belatedly, it occurred to him that he probably could have tugged on the bell pull and summoned a servant to do exactly that.

Once Kalvin was wearing nothing but his underpants, Leo practically tossed him onto his bed. “There! Now I can get some rest and figure out what I'm supposed to do about that troublesome vow I made!”

He turned to walk away, but Kalvin grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bed. “Please tell me that you aren't planning to betray me already!”

Leo sighed, rolling to get out of the bed. “Not... yet...”

Kalvin grabbed him and held onto him insistently. “I can't save you a second time! If you get caught betraying me, they'll make your death as long and painful as possible!”

Leo looked into Kalvin's eyes, and even though the man was drunk, he could see how serious he was. “I understand...” Something mildly insane filled Leo just then as he stared at Kalvin.

Kalvin relaxed and half passed out just before Leo kissed him. Kalvin moaned softly in protest, but didn't have the will or energy to do anything else. Leo continued to kiss Kalvin, eventually moving from his mouth to his lightly hairy chest. His kisses traveled ever downward until he was sucking on Kalvin's shaft.

Kalvin moaned in pleasure and raised his hips slightly. His drunken mind gave no real thought to what was happening, only that it felt good. He tried to open his eyes and watch, but they kept shutting themselves.

When Leo unsurprisingly received a mouthful many minutes later, he let quite a bit of it dribble onto his fingers and Kalvin's anus. He used a bit more to lubricate his own shaft, and then pressed into Kalvin. Taking his time, he worked his way in gently.

Kalvin was frowning in confusion, but he didn't really say anything. It seemed like he was trying to figure out what was happening, but his mind wasn't capable of doing so at the moment. He moaned softly when Leo stroked his shaft again.

Leo could tell by the tightness of Kalvin's hole that he either hadn't ever done this before, or that he hadn't done it in a very long time. Thus Leo tried to remain gentle. However, his own alcohol fueled desire soon got the better of him and he opted for a powerful speed. He had an abnormal amount of stamina, continuing to thrust for a long time. Kalvin moaned faintly in pleasure until his cries got a bit louder. Just when Leo felt the end growing close, Kalvin tensed up all around him and cried out. This made Leo pump him full and collapse on top of him.

“Oh wow...” Leo exhaled softly. “That was better than I expected...” His previous lovers – both male and female – had never made him see stars. His heart was pounding as he panted. He drifted off wondering if maybe the Gods really had chosen him to be Kalvin's Knight, protector, and lover.

***

Kalvin drifted awake the next morning with a happy sigh. Slowly, memories drifted vaguely through his head. A confusing weight on his body made him open his eyes curiously to find out what it was. When he saw Leo laying on him, his memories solidified enough that he knew for certain what had happened.

He pushed Leo off of him and jumped out of bed. “Oh my Gods!” Kalvin roared as he paced the room and pulled on his hair.

Leo was now awake and a bit grumpy at how suddenly he'd been woken up. He watched Kalvin muttering to himself crazily. With an amused half smile, he sat up.

Kalvin rounded on him, punching him square across the jaw. “How dare you do that to me?!” Kalvin grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly before punching him again.

Leo didn't even try to defend himself, instead, he wrapped his arms around Kalvin and held him tight. Kalvin struggled, but to be honest, he didn't struggle nearly as much as he could have. He was a highly trained warrior, after all, if he truly wanted to, he could break free and murder Leo on the spot.

Leo didn't truly understand this, nor did he realize the turmoil in Kalvin's mind. All he knew was that when he looked at Kalvin, he remember how good it felt to be inside him... and he wanted to do it again! He rolled Kalvin under him and kissed him.

Kalvin made sounds of protest, trying to push Leo away, but when that didn't work, he forcibly rolled on top of Leo so that he could get leverage and push free.

“What are you doing; you damn bastard?!” Kalvin roared.

“I'm overwhelmed by the need to kiss you some more,” Leo admitted.

Kalvin realized that Leo was a few inches taller, a little bit broader, and possibly quite a bit stronger than him. This was highly dangerous if Kalvin wanted to win the battle between them. He had his hands on Leo's chest in a clear signal to stay away.

However, since he had rolled on top of Leo, he was now sitting on Leo's hips. Leo took advantage of this fact by massaging Kalvin's buttocks. He also ground their groins together.

“Ah!” Kalvin gasped in dismay. An incredible feeling was slowly filling him until he couldn't think. “Stop that!”

“Are you sure?” Leo asked, noticing that Kalvin's shaft was growing. He helped Kalvin out a little by adjusting both their shafts so that neither was trapped in an awkward angle.

Kalvin moaned, frustrated that he could not think about anything other than how his body felt. Leo continued to grind their groins together, his hands rubbing Kalvin's butt again. When Kalvin looked to the ceiling for guidance, moaning in clear pleasure, Leo rolled back on top and kissed Kalvin some more.

Kalvin stiffened in alarm, but couldn't summon the motivation to push Leo away. Leo probed Kalvin with a couple of fingers to find that all the fluid he had deposited last night would help to ease entry this morning. Leo decided to work his way into Kalvin with a series of ever deeper thrusts.

“Wait...” Kalvin moaned, sounding drunk again even though he wasn't. “This... this isn't supposed to happen...”

“Shh,” Leo whispered before kissing him again. Leo was now fully inside Kalvin, and he paused to look Kalvin in the eye. “I won't hurt you.”

Kalvin had no idea what to say to that. It wasn't a matter of being hurt. It was a matter of doing it in the first place. He moaned in both pleasure and indecision.

“Uh...” Kalvin murmured. “It's not that...”

Leo grinned at him and withdrew slightly so that he could thrust. Kalvin gasped and completely forgot what he was going to say. Leo kissed him again and Kalvin gave up trying to think. He wrapped his arms around Leo and held on tight as Leo thrust in and out of him.

The two eventually felt bliss growing closer. Both continued to grunt: “Uh!” with each thrust. Their hearts were pounding and their breath was hot and heavy.

Kalvin felt like his blood was now made out of magma! It ran thick in his veins, making him wonder if the Gods were actually possessing him. He gripped Leo's arms and held on tight as pleasure like he had never known rocked his body to the core.

Leo roared softly in Kalvin's ear as he pumped him full. Kalvin felt fluid gush out between them and blushed as he realized that it had come from him. Both men held still and panted until their hearts and breathing calmed a little.

Suddenly Kalvin pushed Leo off of him. “Get away from me!” He yelled as he scrambled to get out of bed. “That's not supposed to happen!” He pulled on his hair as he paced his room once more.

“If you liked it – and I'm pretty sure you did – then what's wrong?” Leo asked in confusion.

“I'm a representative of the Gods! I'm the Divine Commander!” Kalvin roared as if this explained everything. “I'm made a vow to remain pure until my service was no longer needed!”

“You did?” Leo asked in shock and surprise.

“Yes!” Kalvin roared. “I'm not suppose to touch a women or even myself!”

Leo chuckled impertinently. “I'm not a woman...”

“That doesn't matter!” Kalvin shouted. Then he stopped pacing abruptly. “Wait... or does it...?” He bit his lip in thought.

The text he read that prepared him to remain chaste for many years despite being the age when most men had their best sexual adventures warned him over and over to resist the temptation of women. It gave advice and tips to use to avoid them. Things such as never be alone with a women. The book also said that touching himself would increase the desire to be with a woman, so that was not advised either.

The book never once mentioned avoiding men. It had no advice on how to resist a man's kiss. It never once hinted that pleasure with a man was not recommended.

Kalvin shook his head, certain that even if the book hadn't mentioned it specifically, men weren't allowed either. Remaining pure meant remaining untouched. Period; end of story.

Except it was too late for that now...

He stopped pacing on the opposite side of the room because his bottom felt strange. He was sore and tingly, but in a confusingly good way. Also, he was going to have to visit the privy closet fairly soon.

Coming to a decision, Kalvin glared at Leo. “You can never tell anyone that this has happened!”

Leo was tempted to tease him, but shrugged instead. “Why would I tell anyone?”

Kalvin groaned reluctantly, and then rushed into the privy closet. After he returned, he threw Leo's clothes at him quite forcefully. “Get dressed! I'm hungry and I can't ring for breakfast until I am certain no one is going to be suspicious!”

Leo clutched his clothes as he watched Kalvin dig through his dresser to find something suitable to wear. He quickly settled on a basic, functional outfit – like one would wear to a sparring match. With a sigh, Leo got out of bed and pulled on his smelly clothes.

Kalvin saw the look of mild repugnance on Leo's face and softened just a little. “I'll have someone find new clothes for you so that what you're wearing can be washed, but I warn you, it'll probably be a spare uniform.”

Leo shrugged. “So long as you don't make me wear a spare uniform onto the battlefield with you, I can handle it.”

Kalvin frowned curiously. “Uh... then what do you plan to wear on the battlefield?”

Leo shrugged. “Either this uniform or one that matches yours, I suppose.”

Kalvin considered this a moment. “That's not a bad idea...”

***

Leo killed a man that nearly managed to sneak up on Kalvin, and then sighed morosely as he silently said a prayer to his God of Death. Please take pity on this kindred soldier and allow him into paradise despite the dishonor of being killed by someone who should have protected him...

Kalvin turned just in time to see Leo gesture a small blessing over the dead man. “I keep telling you... If it pains you to kill men from your Kingdom, then don't. Simply alert me to them and I'll do it myself.”

Leo shrugged. “I vowed to be your Knight and protector, so that means killing men I wish I didn't have to. Even so, I'd rather kill them than let them kill you.”

Kalvin gave him a very tiny smile of sympathy before erasing it and becoming cold once more. “There's the horn signaling the end of the battle for today... and there's a signal calling for an urgent meeting.”

Leo sighed. “They probably noticed the incoming fleet...”

“What?” Kalvin questioned, not sure he had heard that right.

“I've been your Knight for a month now, so I probably should have mentioned this sooner, but I just couldn't bring myself to completely betray my Kingdom like that, but yes... there's a fleet headed this way,” Leo confessed.

“Oh no...” Kalvin murmured softly. “We have to hurry!”

The urgent meeting confirmed the fleet, which Kalvin's father reacted to badly. He grabbed Leo and shook him. “Did you know about this?!”

“Father,” Kalvin growled softly. “Leo told me that there was a possibility of a fleet headed this way a while ago, but since he wasn't sure, I decided to focus on the enemy we knew was right in front of us. It would have made no sense to divide our attention in two if there wasn't a fleet. That could have made us vulnerable to the enemy we were already fighting.”

The Warlord sighed and growled at his son. “I wish you had told me that sooner...”

Kalvin shrugged, unwilling to admit that he had just lied to cover for Leo.

The Warlord shook his head and dismissed the meeting for the night – since they had a well prepared contingency plan to follow already. Kalvin and Leo returned to Kalvin's chambers.

“Why do you keep lying for me?” Leo wondered softly. “Anyone else would have probably let me be punished a long time ago.”

Kalvin simply shrugged. “I really don't know,” he admitted with a whisper. Leo pulled him close and kissed him. Kalvin responded by pushing him away.

“Stop that! You know better!” Kalvin exclaimed fiercely.

“I do know that you feel guilty every time we break your vow, but I also know that want to break it again,” Leo stated confidently.

“No I don't!” Kalvin denied hotly, his face flushed.

“I would accuse you of being a terrible liar, but I've seen you lie astonishingly well,” Leo said with a soft smile. He pulled Kalvin close and kissed him again. This time when Kalvin pushed him away, he twisted Kalvin's arm behind his back. “You nearly let a soldier kill you today. That's an offense that should be punished! I'm also certain that your Gods would agree...”

“Ha!” Kalvin scoffed. “Not with what you have in mind!”

Leo pulled a rope out of his pocket and tied Kalvin's hands behind his back. Kalvin struggled just enough to honestly claim that he had tried to stop Leo if they were caught, but not enough to actually get free. Leo well knew that the two of them were more or less evenly matched, and if Kalvin ever truly wanted to fight him off, he'd be the owner of several new bruises.

After Kalvin's hands were secured, Leo stripped Kalvin's lower half naked, and then carried him into their bedroom and threw him on the bed. Kalvin halfheartedly tried to roll away as Leo stripped, but Leo easily caught him and forced him back into the center of the bed. He chuckled menacingly.

“This is punishment, remember?” Leo asked with a devious grin. He was already hard and ready to go. He forcefully repositioned Kalvin until Kalvin's head was in his lap. “Suck it!”

Kalvin glared and growled at Leo until Leo grabbed a fistful of his hair and pushed on his head. “Suck it!”

Kalvin opened his mouth and complied. Leo was so turned on by this that he couldn't force Kalvin to do it for more than a couple of minutes. He rolled Kalvin under him and entered him in a forceful thrust.

“By the Gods! I can't help it! I just want you so damn much!” Leo roared out in bliss.

Kalvin turned his head to the side and allowed a smile so tiny to cross his lips that not even Leo could see it for sure. Kalvin still felt hot and wonderful from Leo's touch, but he had gotten a lot better at hiding this fact. He felt it was his duty to resist Leo, so he often fought when he didn't really want to, and knowing this, Leo often tied him up so that Kalvin could claim he had no choice.

Leo also tried to respect Kalvin's vow by not having sex with him all that often – on average once a week – even though Kalvin let him sleep in his bed every night. In this matter, Kalvin couldn't help it; not having Leo in his bed felt like it would cheapen what happened between them. Like it would reduce this from a forbidden but passionate affair to random lust fueled encounters.

After Leo pumped Kalvin full, Kalvin used his shoulder to nudge Leo off him. With a disappointed sigh, Leo rolled away, and then helped Kalvin roll over enough to release his bondage. Lastly, Leo kissed Kalvin again. Kalvin returned the kiss for a good half minute before pretending to be affronted and rolling away.

“Good night!” Kalvin growled.

“We haven't even eaten dinner yet,” Leo pointed out with a laugh.

“I'm not hungry,” Kalvin stated with a sigh.

Leo ruffled Kalvin's hair. “If you say so.”

***

Six months passed during which the enemy fleet continually harassed them. However, they fleet couldn't land and help their soldiers that were already on land. Thus, they eventually reached an impasse. That's when trouble brewed for Kalvin and Leo.

“Son...” Kalvin's father stated with a heavy sigh. “Leo of Clan Solaris is to be arrested for treason.”

“What?!” Kalvin demanded angrily.

“We have reason to suspect that he's been conspiring with our enemy,” the Warlord explained.

“But I swear to you that he hasn't!” Kalvin protested, feeling fairly sure that he was telling the truth.

“Then how do you explain this book that we found in his possession?” The Warlord demanded, thrusting a small journal into Kalvin's hands.

Kalvin flipped through it briefly to see detailed information on their army and fortress. Kalvin scoffed derisively. “This isn't even Leo's handwriting!”

“How can you be certain?” His father demanded. “Of course he would try to change his writing in case he got caught!”

“I'm certain because Leo's handwriting is bold and sloppy like the rest of him, and this writing is tiny and meticulous. I would find it impossible to be his!” Kalvin defended, almost allowing his emotions to seep through. However, he knew very well that his father would respond best to calm logic rather than heated emotional speculation.

Guards were currently holding onto Leo. They were being respectful at the moment, but only because the matter seemed to be undecided. Leo didn't resist because he knew that doing so would only make him look guilty. It would also make it look like he didn't trust Kalvin.

Kalvin bit his lip in thought as he quickly tried to figure out what to do. Glad to see that his son was behaving for the moment, the Warlord shrugged.

“Since there is no way to be certain that this book is not Leo's, and because it was found in his possession, we have to interrogate him until we uncover the truth.”

Kalvin felt his blood run cold because he knew that the term interrogate really meant torture. He watched in numb horror as the guards tore Leo's shirt off and tied him up so that he was forced to hug a column off to the side of the room. Then the guards each removed whips from a holder at their hips.

Leo sucked in a deep breath to prepare himself for what was to come. Kalvin held out a hand as if he had the power to stop time. “No! Fine! If you want to know the truth, the journal is mine! I was keeping track of everything I needed to remember ever since I had that injury to my head a couple of months ago!”

Of all the men in the room – which there was quite a few since this was also a planning meeting for the war – most seemed to accept this as plausible. Only his father looked incredulous. Kalvin hastily added. “I only gave it to Leo for safekeeping because I didn't want to be embarrassed if anyone caught me with it!”

The Warlord found himself with a huge dilemma on his hands. One the one side, he was absolutely certain his son was lying, which was an event he considered to be so rare he'd never noticed it before. On the other hand, he couldn't just admit he knew his son was lying because then he'd have to admit that he'd written the journal and planted it on Leo exactly so he could charge him with treason and finally be rid of an irritating thorn in his side.

Before he could decide what to do, a messenger burst into the room. “I have an urgent message for the Warlord!”

“Well? Out with it man!” The Warlord roared impatiently.

The messenger saluted. “The enemy fleet waved a white flag and asked if they could send a representative to meet with you, sir! The representative was given safe passage by your second in command, and will be here shortly.”

Shortly turned out to be a moment later. A man wearing a high ranking enemy uniform walked into the room, escorted by several of the Warlord's most trusted guards to keep an eye on him. The man scanned the room and settled a gaze of unhappy disapproval on Leo.

The Warlord sighed in defeat and decided to deal with his son later. “Very well... Since you have admitted that the journal is yours, then no crime has been committed. Release him!”

The guards put their whips away, biting back groans of disappointment, and released Leo. Leo stood up, recognized the representative, and then bowed his head almost shamefully. He walked over to stand next to and slightly behind Kalvin.

Kalvin cast him a look of profound relief, and even though this was clearly not the time, he growled at his father. “How many times have I told you that the Gods themselves have chosen Leo as my guardian Knight?! He has done nothing to deserve your suspicion!”

The Warlord growled softly at his son in return. “And while I do respect our Gods in their wisdom, I think that perhaps you misunderstood them!”

Kalvin inhaled deeply, held it to the count of three, and then exhaled slowly. He let the matter drop solely because he knew there was no use arguing with his father. The Warlord nodded his head in satisfaction.

“Now, son, please allow me to hear what this brave enemy officer has come to say.”

Understanding that it was finally time to speak, the enemy soldier bowed as little as he possibly could and still be considered polite. “I have come to negotiate the release of my son.”

The Warlord was flustered. This had never happened before because almost none of the enemy soldiers they captured ever survived more than a few weeks. He looked around at his men as he thought this over.

“And... who is your son?”

“Leo of Clan Solaris,” he stated. “I am Saul of Clan Solaris.”

“What?!” The Warlord roared incredulously. It hadn't occurred to him that Leo would be worth anything to anyone.

Saul sighed reluctantly as he pulled a packet of papers from his coat's inner breast pocket. “My King has sent what I think you'll consider a generous offer for Leo's return.”

The Warlord accepted the packet and read through it fairly quickly. “Is this real?!” He inquired in astonishment. He then rounded on his son and shook his fist. “This is why I never trusted him!”

“What?” Kalvin asked in confusion, giving into the urge to glance at Leo over his shoulder.

“He supposedly vowed to be your Knight and Divine Protector, but he never gives us any information about the enemy. This – for example – would have been useful information to know!”

“What?” Kalvin asked again, obviously slightly impatient this time.

Leo put a hand on Kalvin's arm and murmured. “My mother is the sister of my King. I could be a quite useful pawn.”

“Oh that,” Kalvin murmured. “I'd forgotten about that.”

“You mean you knew?!” The Warlord shouted, tempted to have his own son whipped for treason.

“Yes I knew,” Kalvin stated mildly. “Leo told me almost right away when we talked about how mischievous we both were as children.”

“Then why didn't you tell me right away?!”

Kalvin chuckled derisively. “So you could do what, exactly? Leo is my Divine Protector, and that means that I have a duty to the Gods to protect him in return.”

The Warlord was tempted to shout obscenities until he was blue in the face, but then something occurred to him that killed his anger almost instantly. “Aha... Perhaps you weren't mistaken. By protecting him from the usual torture, you've not only saved his life, you've brought about an end to the war.”

“I have?!” Kalvin blurted out in surprise.

His father thrust the packet of papers into his hands. “It seems that the Crown Prince took ill during the winter and died. Which makes Leo the sole heir to their Kingdom, and his King is willing to withdraw all troops and promise to never attack us again if we give Leo back to them.”

Leo had gasped in surprise, and now stared intently at his father. “William died?!”

“Yes,” Saul confirmed, bowing his head sadly.

Leo looked to the floor to hide his emotions. Kalvin turned to look at him, his expression full of sympathy. “You told me how close the two of you were, like brothers...”

“Yes,” Leo murmured.

The Warlord didn't give them time to discuss that matter any further. “Kalvin, escort Leo back to whatever room you have him staying in and make sure he is confined until further notice. I'm going to bring this document to our King – who I am certain will sign the agreement. Leo may even be out of my hair by tomorrow!”

“Yes father,” Kalvin murmured in agreement.

Saul knew that he needed to stay with the Warlord, so he didn't try to follow his son, but he did grab Leo's hand as he passed by. “Are you well?” He well knew that this Kingdom was known for it's gruesome and brutal torture.

“I am,” Leo confirmed with a tiny smile. “They've treated me rather well ever since I was declared chosen by their Gods.”

“And how did that happen exactly?” Saul asked, puzzled even as he was grateful.

Kalvin smiled at him. “I am the living representative of the Gods. They told me that Leo was sent by them to be my Knight.” Now that he had some perspective, he felt this was mostly true. This newly proposed peace was probably what the Gods had planned, and that was probably why they sent Kalvin some seriously intense feelings for Leo. Intense enough to save him after seeing him for only a moment.

“I see,” Saul murmured, and then bowed his head to Kalvin respectfully. “Remind me to make an offering of thanks to your Gods for their help.”

“I will,” Kalvin responded, returning the respectful nod.

The moment Kalvin was alone in his chambers with Leo, he flung his arms around Leo's neck. “You cannot leave! You vowed to be my Knight and protector!”

Leo held Kalvin silently for a few seconds, and then sighed. “I have no choice. If your King signs the document, then I will have to go home. I'm the heir to the throne now!”

Kalvin roared in anger. “But you made a vow!” He shook Leo, tempted to punch him.

“I know,” Leo whispered. “I'm sorry.”

Kalvin growled and gave into the urge to punch Leo. “I should have known you'd break your vow eventually! You never seemed to have any problems forcing me to break mine over and over! I thought that you might be an exception to my vow since the Gods never saw fit to punish me, but now I see...”

“See what?” Leo asked, rubbing his jaw where Kalvin had punched him.

“That this is my punishment...” Kalvin muttered miserably. He pointed to a door. “That is the room you were supposed to be staying in all along. Go and be confined like my father ordered!”

“Kalvin...” Leo murmured. “This is our last night together...” He grabbed Kalvin's hand. Kalvin punched him again.

“No! Do not touch me when you fully intend to leave tomorrow!” Kalvin roared. Leo blocked yet another punch, and then twisted one of Kalvin's arms behind his back, but Kalvin headbutted him. “Not this time you don't!”

Leo continued to fight for a few moments, wanting nothing more than to hold onto his beloved for as long as possible, but when Kalvin made it clear that he would not lose the match no matter what, Leo sighed and held his hands up in surrender.

“Fine... If that's the way you want it.” He walked toward the room Kalvin told him to go to.

Kalvin felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched his beloved walk away. “That's it?! You're just going to give up?!”

Leo cast him an unappreciative look. “Well... what choice do I have? I don't plan to knock you unconscious and rape you, so...” He shrugged as if to say: what else can I do?

“Fight for me! Stay with me!” Kalvin shouted desperately.

“I can't...” Leo half whined.

Kalvin pushed him angrily. “You bastard!” He pounded on Leo's chest until Leo caught his arms and pulled him close for a kiss. Kalvin surrendered this time without a fight. As much as he hated the thought of Leo leaving him, he couldn't stand the thought of Leo leaving him without making love one last time.

They both threw their clothes around the sitting room as they made their way toward Kalvin's bedroom. Leo pushed Kalvin onto the bed, already hot and ready to enter him. Kalvin spread his legs and looked away in embarrassment. Until now, he had never once let on that he liked or accepted what happened between them.

Leo felt like his wildest dream had just come true. He carefully entered Kalvin, and then thrust into him so fast that Kalvin's breaths escaped him in gasps. He wrapped his arms around Leo, holding him tight.

The two practiced their stamina well into the night. Neither wanted to finish because neither wanted the morning to arrive. However, eventually, they wore each other out and collapsed into a thoroughly sated pile. Kalvin clung to Leo as Leo lay on top of him.

Dear Gods, please! Please let him stay by my side! Kalvin prayed as he drifted off to sleep, Leo kissing him one last time before falling asleep himself.

In the morning, Saul persuaded Kalvin's father to let him retrieve his son personally. The King had signed the peace agreement, and so Leo was now officially expected to leave as soon as possible. Saul didn't want to wait a moment longer. He'd even had a basket of food prepared so that they could eat on the way and not waste any time.

The Warlord knocked on the door to his son's chambers and opened the door a second later. The first thing he noticed was a mess. He frowned in concern.

“What happened here?”

Saul shook his head. “I don't know. Maybe they had a fight?”

“That would be unusual,” the Warlord murmured, subtly admitting that his son seemed to get along with Leo fairly well. Both fathers searched around in case intruders had gotten in somehow. They arrived at Kalvin's bedroom last simply because it was the last door possible. It was open, neither man having bothered to shut it.

There lying in the bed were the lovers. They were still holding onto each other and had clearly enjoyed themselves during the night. The Warlord slapped a hand over his mouth as he fought the urge to be sick.

“Oh...” Saul murmured in understanding. The tossed clothes made much more sense now. “I see...”

The Warlord roared. “What do you see? How can you possibly understand?! This is sheer blasphemy!!!”

This quite effectively woke both Kalvin and Leo up. Kalvin gulped and tried to hide under Leo. Leo chuckled and covered them both with the blanket a bit better.

“This is no laughing matter!” The Warlord shouted, waving a fist at Leo.

Kalvin lightly pushed Leo away. “I broke my vow, remember? I'm supposed to remain pure until released from the service of the Gods. I'll be punished now...”

Leo brushed a stray hair out of Kalvin's face. “I cannot allow that to happen as your protector chosen by the Gods.”

Kalvin shrugged, thinking but not saying: but you're leaving...

Leo smiled at him. “Come with me?”

“You mean that?” Kalvin asked with clear hope in his voice.

“I do,” Leo confirmed.

“You most certainly will not!” The Warlord howled with outrage.

“Father...” Kalvin growled, sitting up in bed to glare at him.

“I'm afraid I must forbid it too,” Saul stated, holding up his hands as if he was saying: don't be mad at me! “At least until you're married with an heir or two, son.”

“Exactly!” The Warlord exclaimed in agreement.

Kalvin sighed. He knew that there was no use fighting both of their fathers. Leo whispered in his ear.

“So come to me in a couple of years.”

With a tiny smile, Kalvin nodded in agreement. He was filled with certainty that he would probably never see Leo again, but at least they parted ways with hope for the future. Not caring what his father might think or say, Kalvin took Leo's hand in his.

“I love you and I'll come to you when I can.” He kissed Leo.

Leo held Kalvin's face in one hand. “I love you too.” Leo kissed Kalvin until the demands of their fathers basically forced them apart. Kalvin's last sight of Leo was him – now fully dressed – walking out of the room with Saul.

“I'll come to you...” Kalvin whispered. His father sighed and rolled his eyes, but otherwise left him in peace. “I'll come to you...”