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Chapter Text

Xavier didn’t fall in love. He didn’t fall in love, rather, he decided that loving Gaspard was simply meant to be. It came just so effortlessly like in some kind of an old tale despite the fact that their love might've seemed just forbidden. And it was, but at the same time, the heart never cares about any of these earthly rules, does it? Especially the heart of a man like Xavier, who was by nature far more rebellious than such a nobleman should be.

But what was it exactly that made someone like Xavier, the ruler of the land, love Gaspard, who had nothing but a sword to his name? Was that when Xavier first saw him? Was it there that the mighty spark of a tender feeling had already arisen in Xavier's heart? During a tournament he happened to attend by pure chance? Xavier still tried to remain skeptical, but he couldn't deny that something had certainly started back then. Something that made Xavier fall under the spell of the brave knight right away…

But let's start from the beginning. That day Xavier had gone incognito to another town in the neighboring county to get some art supplies, both for himself and for a befriended artist who could use some support from such a spoiled nobleman as himself. And as fate would have it, the knight tournament was taking place there at that very time.

It wasn't in Xavier's plans to participate at all. Sure, people loved these events because they brought a lot of entertainment into this otherwise gloomy world, but Xavier didn't really like these that much. Mainly because he'd been forced to officially attend countless such tournaments as the heir to his family, in the company of his father and a bunch of other nobles who tended to be rather insufferable. But here he was, incognito, only with his friend Bertrand, and thankfully he didn't have to worry about any of that etiquette bullshit. So they shared a jug of cider, and Bertrand eventually dragged him to this tournament, saying that it would be fun. 

Xavier still remained skeptical, even though they ended up with quite a good view of the arena, all of the knights seeming almost within the reach, despite that they were far from the main tribune. But it’s always like that, isn’t it? VIP seats suck. The front row is when the real fun fucking happens. But anyways, when they arrived, the jousting had been almost finished, and only the last two knights were going at it. There were a lot of clashes, which caused a lot of excitement in the crowd, but Xavier watched it kind of oblivious as he didn't even know who was fighting who. That's it until actually the joust ended…

“Sir Gaspard Augé is the winner!” The herald loudly announced and the crowd seemed to get crazy, immediately cheering and shouting in pure excitement.

“This Sir Gaspard seems to be liked here.” Xavier remarked with a raised brow while looking around. Sure, the point was to have fun here, but not all knights got such enthusiastic reactions. Bertrand nodded.

“Well, Augé is pretty famous. He participated in quite a few battles and won some tournaments as well. But people mostly like him because he seems to be a good man actually. Merciful, helpful, and not cruel like many others. The kind of a knight like from those old tales, you know?” Bertrand explained with a little chuckle and Xavier listened with raised brows. Well, that knight surely seemed to be of a rare kind, if that was all true… He nodded, getting actually kind of intrigued and looked again at the jousting arena only to see Sir Gaspard in all his glory, which was a sight that made Xavier even more intrigued…

Gaspard had just removed his helmet, revealing his flushed face as he slowly and proudly rode his horse in victory. He held his lance firmly and Xavier suddenly found himself unable to keep his gaze away from the man, who really seemed like straight out of those old tales. Not only personality-wise, but also look-wise as Xavier couldn't help but think that Gaspard was just the epitome of the brave and handsome knight, and maybe especially handsome. 

He had a well groomed beard and quite a mop of brown, messed up curls that looked incredibly soft, which created an interesting contrast to his heavy and shiny, silver armor. And his eyes… Many say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and perhaps there was some truth to that, as Xavier had seen many cruel and ruthless eyes in his life, especially among knights and other nobles. But Gaspard's eyes? Sure, there was apparent confidence and satisfaction with his victory, but there was also a spark of something just... kind and gentle. A very special spark that made Xavier suddenly wish to stare and stare straight into those brown eyes in search of those greenish undertones that weren't so obvious at the first glance.

“I need to draw him.” Xavier suddenly announced, the words leaving his lips without any further thought. Bertrand raised his brows. Xavier cleared his throat, realizing that yes, he very much wanted a portrait of that pretty man. He didn't think his skills would exactly give justice to his beauty but he wanted to try…

“Huh?”

“He’d make a great portrait subject, don't you think?” He murmured with a shrug, trying to make it sound much more nonchalant as his attentive eyes still followed the knight, who had already left the jousting area. Though, Xavier could still see a bit of him as he smoothly got off his horse and calmly talked to his squire until he completely disappeared. Xavier swallowed a bit.

“I guess so. Not a bad face… There's still mêlée left, so you'll have a chance to get a sight of him again, if you want to sketch him.” Bertrand explained with a shrug and Xavier nodded, suddenly finding himself excited for another part of the tournament, maybe even for the first time in his life.

Luckily he had some paper, a pencil and a book to put underneath, so there was nothing stopping him from doing exactly that. Though, at first he allowed himself to simply watch, just to see if this Gaspard's presence was going to continue to be as striking as initially. His gaze immediately searched for the tall knight wearing a helmet with red and yellow feathers as soon as the warriors began to fill in the field before the battle and once he found him, his eyes didn’t leave him. 

The mêlée seemed to be quite brutal that day, the battle long, exhausting and full of surprises. However, Gaspard definitely stood out with the grace of his movement and cleverness of the tactics. The knight was certainly brave, but in a clever and not in an impulsive way. The importance of the mind over the body, that’s exactly what he seemed to emphasise, and Xavier found it all the more intriguing as he kept sketching the knight’s handsome face in as detailed form as only time and setting could allow him. Fuck, he was really smitten, wasn’t he?

Xavier sighed and was about to have an inner argument that he definitely was not, that it was just his artistic side getting interested, because of an aesthetically pleasing face. But then, suddenly, Gaspard lost and the thought simply escapaded his mind. 

He was fighting two knights at once for what seemed like long minutes and before Xavier could even realise, Gaspard was struck down by an axe, its force knocking the air out him as he landed on the ground with a loud thud, the sound of his heavy armour hitting the soil reverberating through the air. Xavier only blinked in almost shock, some bit of disappointment, but also worry running over his mind as some people in the crowd made the noises of disappointment. Xavier swallowed hard and began to suddenly worry even more about the knight’s condition, even though the weapons were blunt during the tournaments. But dear heavens, it really did seem painful! But then, Gaspard just stood up. And he did so with grace as well. 

He stood up and left the battlefield with his head up as he’d taken his helmet off, revealing the blushed and slightly bruised face, the sword pointed to the ground as he nodded a few times towards people in the crowd that shouted his name. Xavier’s gaze followed his frame as long as possible as he tried to memorise his handsome features, his hand trying to quickly sketch the last lines, so the portrait still represented Gaspard despite its simplicity. 

“And here your guy lost. Shame, he was doing really well.” Bertrand pointed out, totally distracting him and probably thankfully so… Xavier sighed as Gaspard finally left his vision.

“Happens.” He murmured with a shrug, trying his best to stay nonchalant about the whole thing. Bertrand raised his brow and took a look at his sketch.

“Look at you, doing all this work so quickly… And pretty decently too. You were really determined to portray him, huh?” Bertrand teased with a knowing smirk and Xavier was really just about to regret everything, but then he looked down at the sketch and well… Bertrand’s dumb teasing was a good price for having a sketch of such a lovely face. Though, he also just started wondering why couldn’t any knights at his court be so fucking goodlooking? Pretty unfair actually… 

“Do you want to stay longer?” Bertrand shot another question and Xavier immediately knew the answer. He hid the sketch, the pencil and the book in his bag, and then looked one last time at the remaining knights that were still fighting. He shook his head.

“No.” Xavier answered without hesitation and began heading out of the crowd right away, not looking if Bertrand would follow him or not, as he thought some more about the defeated, yet so intriguing knight, which, despite Xavier’s unawareness at that moment, was supposed to leave a palpable imprint on his life.

The conclusion? It certainly wasn’t the moment Xavier fell in love with Sir Gaspard. However, he already decided then that he needed to meet the knight at least once. And that meeting would certainly determine their history. Not only of their love, but also of his reign as the Count Xavier I Dulong de Rosnay.

Chapter Text

“What do you mean he’s gone? He killed my father and you let him escape?!” Xavier was fuming, wildly gesticulating with his hands as he was on the verge of just grabbing anything and throwing it across the half dark chamber in pure fury. Pierre Hiver, also known to Xavier as Pedro, swallowed hard at seeing his lord as angry as never before. Understandably so.

“Your uncle clearly had an alternative plan in the case of an unsuccessful coup. We stopped the complete overthrow quickly, but he was prepared for that eventuality too, my Lord.” Pedro explained with as tranquil of a voice as possible only to try to calm down Xavier, who visibly refused that. He shook his head as he impatiently walked back and forth across his big room.

“Don’t call that traitor my uncle! He got rid of de Rosnay’s blood the moment he killed his own brother in the name of power.” Xavier spat out the words in disgust, his hands now in fists as he tried his best to comprehend everything that’s just happened in the span of the last days. Pedro slowly nodded. 

“Yes, and he’s gone. We halted the coup, Lord. The people of your county are unaware of this momentary chaos, and let’s be honest; your father was already reaching quite the old age. For all they know, he might have just died naturally.” He explained, trying to show his Lord the rational side of this turmoil. Xavier only ran a hand through his hair and finally took a proper look at his main advisor, who continued. “And you? You’re the only one rightful successor. You’re in the prime of your life, you’re strong and already loved by your people. You’re the new Count and no one can deny it, my Lord.” Pedro reassured with confidence that was supposed to influence the Count. 

Xavier deeply sighed, being aware that Pedro had some point. After all, it was true that his father had been slowly approaching his last days and he was already preparing to take over. They had never even been close. On the contrary, Xavier often felt like a black sheep of the family; always too different, always not what his strict father had expected. Still, it was his father and he definitely didn’t deserve to be murdered by his brother in the name of power that can be so incredibly fleeting. 

“I want all the traitors dead. The coup still happened and I bet that not everyone who helped Henry managed to escape. Find them quickly. This court must be devoid of betrayal until my official nomination. I also need a list of those who escaped with Henry. We must be vigilant and watch out for them. If they once dared, God only knows what the future holds…” Xavier murmured with a bitter, yet determined voice. And so were his eyes like that too, the want for revenge taking over his features. There was no forgiveness for those sins and in this brutal world only strength and survival mattered. He knew that he had been next after his father to be killed. And he wasn’t going to let the back-stabber complete this disgraceful wish. 

“Of course, my Lord. So far we know that Sebastian fled with some of his people, like Vincent Belorgey.” Pedro shared and Xavier wasn’t even surprised to hear it. He huffed at the thought of the aforementioned member of his father’s entourage, one of his closest knights. He began to feel furious again.

“And my father trusted that dirty dog… Shameful.” He murmured bitterly, shaking his head. “I never did though.” He added with a venom, while remembering all those times, when he’d found something off about Sebastian. If only he kept some more attention to him, then maybe… He shook his head.

“Don’t worry, Lord. Everyone guilty will get to see the meaning of your rule.” Pedro reassured one last time with a much firmer voice that seemed to actually kind of work on Xavier. After all, what Pedro was saying really just had to happen. There was no other option. “Now if you allow me…” He added and Xavier nodded, waving his hand in sign that his advisor was free to go. And indeed, Pedro quickly left, leaving him alone in his half dark chamber, with only guards left just outside his doors.

Xavier slowly ran a hand over his face and sat down on his armchair with a deep sigh, the weight of everything catching with him as he tried to comprehend everything that’d been happening. He didn’t feel as angry anymore, the fury and shouts simply turned into misery and silence. 

Trust... That trust. What did it even mean at this point? One thing he was certain of was that his own had been completely disrupted. Of course, he trusted Pedro and Bertrand, who had been around him since he was a child. But what about everyone else? Could he really trust anyone, especially after his father was betrayed by his own brother and several members of his court who owed him everything? Xavier had learnt from an early age that this world was a disgustingly cruel place, but now everything felt like an even bigger illusion. Suddenly, even fewer and fewer people seemed loyal and genuine, and danger could lurk anywhere.

He just felt so exhausted and lonely. Except for Pedro and Bertrand, he really had no one left. His father was now gone and his mother had passed away years ago due to illness. His brother inherited the land on the other side of the kingdom, and his sisters were at the courts of their noble husbands in foreign lands. He simply had no one, and he was filled with bitterness and a need for revenge. It was a sinister combination that seemed to be a recipe for a ruthless and cruel ruler, of which this world already had far too many.

Despite everything, Xavier didn't want to be like this. He’d never even wanted to rule as much. In his perfect world, he wanted to be just an artist without a care in his soul. However, if that’s what God had planned for him and the only alternative was death at the hands of traitors, he wanted to do it right. He wanted to be fair and merciful to common people. He wanted to rule in the name of justice.

Xavier grabbed a jug of wine and poured some into the cup to take a generous sip. He let himself enjoy the rich and bitter taste over his palate, which slightly calmed him down. He hummed under his breath and put the cup down, which made him look over the table and notice the scrap of a certain sketch under the bunch of some other papers. He swallowed hard and decided to take it into his hands to behold the entire portrait of the brave and handsome knight.

It had been such a long time since he had seen Sir Gaspard Augé at that one tournament. So long that it almost felt like a different world and timeline, where he had been a mere young and carefree fool, too busy fantasising about beautiful, strong knights. He remembered how he’d promised himself to meet the intriguing man someday. However, time had passed and he and Gaspard had still not met personally. 

Gaspard certainly wasn’t an obsession of Xavier. He was rather more of a reminder of simpler times and his idealistic visions, which brought a sense of innocence to his heart whenever he looked at that sketch. But, Xavier still heard his name from time to time, which was another reason why he couldn’t completely forget about the apparently quite famous knight. His numerous victories, his merciful, respectful and often generous behaviour. Xavier’s memories of Gaspard may have been slightly idealised, but so were the stories that portrayed him as a genuinely good and brave man.

It made Xavier think of two things. Firstly, the old tradition of organising a tournament to celebrate the new Count, which he was, and the event, which he should sooner or later prepare, if he didn’t want to arouse any suspicions about himself and the situation at his court. Secondly, the fact that to be a good ruler, he also needed to have good people around. Not wretched snakes, but trustworthy people. He had already concluded that he didn’t trust anyone at the moment, but for the good of himself and his land, he still had to try to find some... That’s right. If he wasn’t sure of the loyalty of those around him, he should try to recruit new people. Great knights without rotten souls who would protect him.

He stared at the pretty face that he’d put an extra effort to make look as realistic as only his skills had allowed him. The impressive armour, the nice beard, the soft curls and those gentle eyes… He watched it with wistfulness and finally decided that sooner or later he would finally meet the famous knight. And he’d find out if Gaspard really was just like he’d remembered and heard. 

“Requiem aeternam dona ei. Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.” The loud Latin of the priest echoed across the stone, heavy walls of the almost empty church. 

“Amen.” Xavier murmured while still kneeling on the church’s bench as he made the sign of the cross. The priest looked at him from the altar and Xavier simply nodded to indicate that he wanted to be left alone. The priest granted his wish, allowing the heavy silence to embrace the Count.

Although his father’s funeral had already taken place a few days earlier, some of Xavier’s advisors had suggested holding a memorial mass. Xavier wasn’t so sure if additional prayers would help his father’s eternal rest, but he agreed to it anyway. After all, it was a show of respect for the late Count, as well as a message to the traitors. Xavier hadn't forgotten.

It was also an opportunity for him to spend a few minutes alone with only his thoughts. The mass had been reserved for the closest circle, which promptly left with the last words of the priest, so now he was practically left alone in the church, only his guards standing just behind the doors. Looking up at the grand cross behind the altar, he hoped that, if there was a God, he would allow him to get justice served. And if not… He would still do the best to do so himself.

Suddenly, however, he heard footsteps on the stone floor. He turned to look at the doors, and there he saw Pedro. His advisor gave him a light nod, and Xavier took this as a sign to go. He turned his gaze to the cross one last time, making the final sign of the symbol.

“My lord.” Pedro began as Xavier reached him. They left the dark church and stepped outside into the rain. Xavier immediately winced as the cold embraced him, nature deciding to match his mood and boring black robes once again. He pulled the hood up. “We have captured the three traitors who were present at the ill-fated gathering where your father was murdered.” Pedro quickly informed Xavier, who felt his throat tighten at the mere mention of his father’s murder. It was supposed to be a regular gathering of the Count, his trusted knights and advisors, and his brother, Xavier’s uncle, Henry. A meeting like many others; a routine... But what he got instead was a vicious betrayal, followed by the massacre of anyone who had attempted to put a stop to it. Xavier swallowed hard.

“Who are they and what did they do?” He asked with a firm voice, the rage starting to fill his intense gaze as they continued walking towards the castle.

“They're all knights. Lucas Dubois, Hugo Levett and Charles Duchamp. They weren’t particularly important, but they were all connected to Akchoté. They killed at least the two other members of the gentry who tried to defend the late Count.” Pedro continued his report. Xavier hummed with a nod, the mentioned names not particularly telling him anything.

“Have they confessed it?” He murmured, raising an eyebrow. Pedro nodded, which made Xavier feel slightly relieved. Hopefully, it would provide some clues as to where Henry might have escaped to.

“One of them did. Duchamp admitted outright that Henry instructed everything and watched the whole scene without any regret.” He revealed, and Xavier hummed once more as he processed all the new information. Suddenly, he stopped, and so did Pedro and the guards following them. Xavier swallowed again, the sound of raindrops hitting his hood and robes growing louder as he paused for a moment before asking an important question.

“And… And whose hands granted his wish, huh? Who exactly murdered him?” He asked with a tight throat, his gaze this time almost desperate to learn the truth, because no way Henry did it with his own hands. And Pedro… The spark in his eyes had already told Xavier that he knew. Pedro deeply sighed and looked down at the ground for a brief moment before answering.

“Sebastian apparently did…” He confessed with a quiet voice and Xavier’s breath suddenly became deeper as he clenched his fists. That fucking scum. He swore, there would come a day when he personally catches him and—  “Do you want to interrogate them, Lord?” Pedro asked after a moment or two, distracting Xavier from his vindictive thoughts. He only nodded and began walking a bit faster towards the castle. 

As soon as they arrived at the castle, Xavier removed his hood and they made their way to the dungeons. With each step downwards, their surroundings became colder, darker and more humid. Only the occasional torch brought some light to the seemingly endless dark tunnel. “Here they are…” Pedro murmured as they reached the doors of the cellroom strictly guarded by two men, and some more inside who were loudly shouting at the prisoners.

The guards let Xavier and Pedro inside, where they saw the three men who had already been quite roughened up. They were on their knees with their hands shackled behind their backs and as soon as the noblemen entered, the two interrogators turned to them and bowed to Xavier.

“Lord.” One of them began, and Xavier looked them over, noting the blood splashed on their tunics and knuckles. “They pleaded guilty. They were at the late Count Antoine’s gathering where they murdered the two brave sirs who had tried to stop the coup. But they still haven’t said anything about where Henry escaped to.” The man reported and Xavier nodded with a low hum under his breath as he took a moment to look down at the beaten up prisoners with pure disdain on his face. 

“So, where has Henry fled to, huh?” Xavier asked, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head as he continued to stare down at those wretched faces. “Fucking answer me!” After a few moments of silence, he added with a firm shout. Pedro observed him carefully and suddenly one man let out a loud huff.

“You can only dream of finding him…” A low voice murmured with a note of disregard, and Xavier quickly looked in the direction of the voice, which came from the kneeling prisoner on the far left. It was a slightly familiar face that didn’t mean to Xavier anything at all. 

“What did you say?” Xavier slowly asked, his voice quiet, yet already on the verge of furious, because how the hell did he even dare?! Oh, he was slowly losing his patience…

“What you heard…” The man added while looking up at Xavier, who took a few slow steps to stand just in front of him. The guards exchanged wary looks. 

“We got a bold one here, huh?” Xavier mocked with a loud huff and one of the interrogators kicked the man in the stomach. He curled up in pain, whimpering loudly, which Xavier couldn’t help but watch in satisfaction. The other two prisoners looked at one another with sighs as the air suddenly began to feel even thicker. 

“Answer your lord, you disrespectful pig! Where’s that traitor?!” The interrogator shouted into the prisoner’s face as he grabbed onto his dirty tunic. The bloody prisoner slowly nodded and the other man took his hands off him. He coughed and looked up at Xavier again.

“Sincerely? We don’t even know where the hell Henry and the rest are. But I know one thing.” He slowly began, a daring spark appearing in his eyes again. Xavier pursed his lips.

“What’s that?” Xavier asked the question impatiently, and the man suddenly grinned mockingly at him. Xavier already knew it wouldn't lead to anything good, his fists clenching in awakening rage.

“I don’t regret what I did. The late Count Antoine would have died soon anyway. But you... You are the problem that was supposed to disappear too if everything had gone well.” He admitted with voice and eyes conveying a confidence that almost bordered on lunacy. Xavier swallowed hard while hearing the clear evidence that he really had been next to be killed. However, it didn’t make him take a step back.

“Oh, am I now?” He questioned, almost daringly, as he leaned down to the bold prisoner, who wasn’t even trying to hide his loathing towards Xavier. The Count felt increasingly on edge, breathing shallowly and glaring intensely as only centimeters separated him from the bloody man. He swore that if that fool didn’t stop babbling gibberish with his dirty mouth, he would—

“Yes, you are a disgrace to the de Rosnay family. Everyone at court knows what kind of sodomite you are. How shamelessly you bring men to your chamber…” He continued, his voice and gaze conveying pure disgust and disdain without an ounce of hesitation. Suddenly, Xavier’s fingers began to tingle and his breath became deeper as pure rage took over his insides. The guards and Pedro all exchanged careful looks. Pedro looked like he was on the verge of stopping it all, but that fool… That wicked fool continued and Xavier swore to God to forgive him because he really couldn’t vouch for himself…

“You are weak and an insult to God Almighty. This land has no future under your rule—” He added and was just about to add some even more, but Xavier suddenly lost his patience and decided to put an immediate end to this disgusting display of disloyalty. Before anyone could even react, Xavier grabbed a sword from a guard’s scabbard and stabbed the man right in the stomach. The venomous words immediately faltered, followed by a gasp, whine and a look of enormous pain and shock.

“You and the other traitorous scums of your kind have no future under my rule.” Xavier murmured through gritted teeth. He held the man tightly by his shoulder while keeping the sword deep inside him. The man gasped in pain again as Xavier pushed the sword deeper inside him while looking into his eyes that were slowly becoming lifeless. The disgustingly daring spark that had previously been there was no longer present. But that didn't seem to be enough for Xavier. It felt as if all his demons had been unleashed and he couldn’t stop himself from cutting further into the man’s guts before withdrawing the sword. The dying traitor fell into a pool of his own dark blood, which quickly spread to the feet of the other prisoners. Xavier let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding, and even that brief moment was enough to see the rising panic on their faces. And rightfully so.

“Kill the rest. I don’t care how, just fucking do it. They’re useless.” He firmly ordered without hesitation as soon as he stepped away. That’s it, he was done with fucking around. This was his land, and he wasn’t going to tolerate traitors who dared to question him or his behaviour. Everyone nodded, and Xavier simply returned the bloody sword to the guard’s scabbard.

Xavier promptly left the cellroom, seeing no fucking reason to stay in this dark shithole any longer. He knew he had just given in completely to his intense impulses and, in a way, he was quite ashamed of it, as he had just acted like all the cruel people he had always despised would have. However, the words of that dead fool had completely unhinged him, and he couldn’t allow himself to be disrespected like that in front of his own people. How could he have dared to talk about him and his life like that?! How had he known?! Xavier’s period of being ashamed for his preferences had passed a while ago, and he didn’t intend to return to those pathetic times, but God… Why couldn't he just live an ordinary life?! Why couldn't his power takeover be peaceful, as he'd always imagined it would be? He only let out an air sharply through his nose as he continued to head quickly through the dungeon corridors towards the stairs, just to finally get the hell out of there. Suddenly, however, he began to hear loud footsteps following him.

“Lord. Please, don’t let those words affect you. This fool didn’t know you at all and had no idea what he was saying. Don't let your strong emotions take over. That’s not the right path.” Pedro advised with a firm voice as he caught up with Xavier, who had slowed down. Xavier deeply sighed and finally looked at Pedro, who actually looked really worried. This made Xavier’s throat tighten. Part of him hated the possibility of disappointing his advisor and mentor, and the other part knew that Pedro was probably the only person he could trust at the moment and truly open up to, but… No. Still, he definitely felt unable to show his true emotions, at least very now. Instead, he decided to focus on something else.

“I’ll be fine.” Xavier murmured, his voice still quite intense. He felt like he couldn’t take any step back at this point and maybe this was a good indicator to order another matter and to also just change a subject...  He cleared his throat. “Start preparations for the celebratory tournament. The people shall not suspect that anything is happening and in a few weeks the time should be just right. Not too early since my father’s funeral, and not too long either.” He explained with a determined voice, suddenly very certain of this decision. Pedro stayed silent for a moment, his scrutinizing and worried gaze running all over Xavier’s face. Xavier swallowed hard, but Pedro finally nodded, catching the drift.

“You’re right, Lord. Do you have any special requests regarding the guests?” He asked with a softer voice and Xavier quickly nodded, having the matter already well thought out.

“Whoever you think would be fit. It has to be entertaining for folks and nobles, that's for sure. But also make sure to invite a few knights with a very good reputation, who don’t necessarily belong to any court. We’re in need of some new people and maybe we could use it as an excuse to recruit someone useful.” He continued with determination, doing his best to present the idea sensibly. It seemed to work, as Pedro nodded and his features softened further, adopting a more approving look. Xavier hummed under his breath as he continued to consider even more matters, the look on Pedro’s face only inspiring him to actually go all in... Well, fuck it. He was going to ask for what he really wanted. “Actually I might have someone in particular you could invite… Sir Gaspard Augé. I’ve heard he’s good.” Xavier asked, tilting his head as he tried to mask the fact that the mere mention of the brave knight actually made him feel suddenly a bit… warmer. He swallowed a little at that quite irrational sensation and decided to definitely ignore it, or well, at least try to. Pedro furrowed his brows and hummed under his breath.

“He indeed is. Quite a legend of our times…” Pedro agreed with a nod and Xavier couldn’t help but feel some kind of satisfaction at the confirmation of his thoughts. He nodded as well.

“You better get him here then.” He ordered with a determined tone, not taking no as an answer. Pedro seemed to understand it, lightly bowing to his lord and finally, Xavier turned away from the man, deciding to end the conversation and leave the dark dungeons. 

Chapter Text

The touches were as soft as velvet, and the delicate hums and moans that cascaded forth were music of the highest quality to his ears. Kisses, bites and licks, everything seemed to come together as two naked bodies tangled closely in a display of pure passion. Xavier gasped repeatedly as the tall, mysterious man's firm body pressed tightly against his own, the man that eagerly surrendered to all of his touches. 

“Please… Please…” The beautifully soft voice kept pleading and Xavier wanted nothing more than to give him just everything. Xavier hummed under his breath in pleasure and then—

A thud. Xavier furrowed his brows and licked his lips. 

“Fuck…” The familiar soft voice muttered in annoyance as another soft thud reached Xavier’s ears. He was still about to mostly ignore it because that body was just so beautifully inviting, but the sensation of movement on his mattress suddenly became even more real, truthfully real and palpable, and he knew that he definitely couldn’t allow himself to ignore it anymore. Not with his court full of snakes.  

His eyes quickly opened, or rather half-opened, as they still adjusted to the lack of light. The candles had gone out, the fireplace had almost died down during the night, and the only light came from outside. The sky was still pretty dark, but dawn was definitely approaching, and that was enough to allow Xavier to make out the kind of familiar figure of a man slowly moving into his bed. 

That was the moment when Xavier definitely woke up. His mind was screaming that sharing a bed with anyone, even the men he’d invited to his bed, wasn’t his commonness. Those had almost always left his chamber after the done deed. So whatever it was, it wasn’t his ordinary case, especially considering events of the past weeks... There were mere seconds passing while his mind was still drowsy, but at the same time panicking about someone else in his chamber. And suddenly, his survival instinct simply kicked in. There was no other choice.

Before he could even remember what had exactly happened the previous night, Xavier grabbed the dagger from his bedside table and lunged at the mysterious figure, overpowering him in a rushed movement. The man grunted in surprise, which worked to Xavier's advantage. He pinned the man firmly to the bed and brought the dagger to his neck, the cold blade merely brushing his pale skin. 

“Whoa, man! It’s just me! Gaspard.” However, the man suddenly shouted, thankfully preventing him from doing any real harm, and Xavier’s eyes finally began to see more clearly.

His throat tightened as images of the previous night quickly flashed through his mind. Looking down properly at the man beneath him, he took in the familiar beard, soft curls, and extraordinarily handsome face. Suddenly, he remembered the tournament, the brave knight’s glorious victory and the lavish feast that followed, during which he and Gaspard had sat next to each other. And later... Well, that was a whole different story and Xavier’s skin began to feel hot, especially when he realised that they were both still naked. Oh, and his last dream… He was pretty sure that Gaspard had been the main character in that too. 

“I apologise, Lord. I only wanted to get some drink and the cup fell down, that’s it.” Gaspard murmured carefully, his brows furrowed as he slowly turned his head away from Xavier’s dagger. Well, as much as he was allowed to, since Xavier was still holding him tightly. Xavier swallowed hard, a wave of embarrassment taking over him at the realization of the whole situation. 

“Oh. That’s you…” He whispered dumbly and finally took the dagger away to hide it in his bedside table, his hold over Gaspard slowly loosening. He deeply sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to sharing a bed. I was just sleeping and thought that someone else just came here— Nevermind. Sorry.” Xavier quickly explained, shaking his head at his damn impulsiveness. Though, he was obviously pretty relieved that it was only Gaspard. And that Gaspard had actually been awake and stoic enough not to fight Xavier back. Let’s not forget that the man underneath him was a highly successful warrior, and Xavier certainly wouldn't ever want to be his enemy on the battlefield…

“I understand.” Gaspard whispered, his features softening as his eyes wandered over Xavier’s face. Xavier swallowed at the look in his eyes, which seemed to contain gentleness and warmth, as well as understanding. Of course Gaspard understood him. After all, he’d understood him a whole damn lot last night and that’s why they’d ended up here together. Tangled in a mutual fascination, and dare he even say, quite a unique connection… “Do you intend to remain in this position, Lord?” Gaspard asked with a breathy voice after quite a few moments of exchanging stares, reminding Xavier that he was indeed still pinning him down to the bed. It was actually easy to do when Gaspard simply lay there with his strong arms above his head in complete surrender. Easy. Opened up. That’s how Gaspard looked, especially when Xavier noticed a spark of another emotion in his lovely hazel eyes. Eagerness. Xavier softly sighed.

“Do you want me to?” Xavier asked with a deeper voice. Images of their earlier passion and those of his dream flashed through his mind again as he gazed all over Gaspard, his beautiful curls spread over the pillow, his soft lips slightly parted, his cheeks flushed, and that soft skin… Skin just everywhere. Xavier couldn’t help but let his hands slowly wander across Gaspard’s hairy and firm chest, then those beautifully broad shoulders and finally that long neck… He was truly a marvel of a man. A pure art of a body whose even the simplest of sounds were everything to Xavier’s ears. Gaspard let out a soft sigh.

“I feel like I could let you do anything to me right now.” Gaspard admitted with a quiet murmur and something quite dangerous seemed to awake in Xavier… He raised a brow and leaned down towards Gaspard to be even more on the top of the tall knight, their chests, their everything, finally fully touching.

“Quite interesting words coming from such a famous warrior like yourself.” Xavier murmured lowly into Gaspard’s ear, his hot breath brushing against his skin, and so were his hands. One hand roamed across the muscles of his arm, while the other gently encircled his neck. He wasn’t anywhere close to really choking that pretty neck, he was merely caressing it, his big hand delicately wrapping around it to simply feel the sensation of holding it. Yet it already excited him. A lot. The fact that such a powerful, famous knight who was unmatched in combat was giving in to his touch so easily... And God knew that Xavier already wanted to explore more of Gaspard’s submissive side. 

“As long as you don’t have a weapon in your hands, I never mind a beautiful man on top of me.” Gaspard whispered with mischief in his eyes, turning his head to lightly kiss Xavier’s lips. Xavier smirked while feeling quite a nice wave of warmth spread over his body at the fact that Gaspard had just called him beautiful. 

“We really have a lot in common, huh?” He murmured with a light chuckle, running his hand over Gaspard’s chest. His fingertips brushed across a nipple and Gaspard immediately shivered under his touch, a light gasp following. Xavier softly sighed, his own excitement definitely catching up with him. “Turn around.” He added in a low whisper, laying a soft kiss on Gaspard’s neck before pulling away to allow Gaspard to shift. And of course, Gaspard obeyed.

Gaspard slowly turned around and Xavier leaned forward to press a gentle kiss on Gaspard’s exposed shoulder before moving downwards to his back. Gaspard’s sharp intake of breath indicated his arousal as his body instinctively arched upwards, trying to accommodate Xavier’s touch better. Xavier hummed in deep satisfaction and finally grabbed the little jar of oil to make use of it on Gaspard this time. 

The preparation didn’t take long. He’d started it by rubbing the oil carefully, and obviously he’d wanted to give Gaspard all the care that Gaspard had given him earlier, but quickly it turned out that both of them were too impatient for that. Soon, Xavier pressed his three fingers deep and began pushing them in and out in quick, hard movements, earning an involuntary moan from the knight and a sharp inhale from himself. 

“Please, I can take it... Just do it.” Gaspard whispered while clenching his fists tightly in the linen sheets. Xavier hummed under his breath, a smirk growing on his lips at the fact that begging had already started… That was always one of his favourite parts. But let’s not get fooled, he wasn’t going to give in so easily. 

“Oh yeah? Ask nicer.” Xavier ordered with a low voice. He suddenly dug his fingers in as deeply as possible and decided to keep them right on the sweet spot, instantly gaining a deep moan from Gaspard, who arched his back even further in desperation. And what a sight that was…

“Please… Just please... I’ll do anything for you.” Gaspard whimpered out between deep breaths, which Xavier watched with deep satisfaction and arousal. He really had Gaspard right where he wanted and his erection was pure evidence of how much he enjoyed having complete control over this strong knight. During the tournament, the mere idea that Gaspard could behave even in a small part like this hadn't even crossed Xavier's mind, but he wasn't complaining. On the contrary, he was becoming pretty insatiable and felt very privileged to have been given a chance to have Gaspard like this…

“You’re already mine.” He whispered almost breathless, losing some of his own cool. He finally pulled his fingers out, his other hand roaming all the way down Gaspard’s back before ultimately slapping that lovely ass and putting his cock in with the other hand. 

“Oh fuck.” Gaspard let out a gasp and cursed under his breath. Xavier briefly closed his eyes, savouring the tight warmth embracing him from all sides, and pressed his chest against Gaspard’s back. He kissed his spine, nibbling gently until Gaspard grunted and pushed back onto Xavier’s cock. They both moaned at the same time, a deep chuckle from Xavier following at how eager Gaspard was. Definitely enough of an encouragement for Xavier to start thrusting… And he thrusted hard.

Whereas their previous time had felt deep, tender and affectionate, this was filthy, lustful and almost animalistic in comparison. Sweet words and gentle caresses were replaced by rough kisses, bites and groans as their hips moved rapidly in search of contact. But this was exactly what Xavier needed at the moment. What both of them did, considering that Gaspard was eagerly responding to all of his rough touches and movements. They needed this release, needed each other desperately. And needed an outlet for all their intense, pent-up emotions.

“Gaspard… Fuck.” Xavier grunted under his breath, the name of his lover feeling so nice on his tongue as he fucked him hard. He kept gripping Gaspard’s hips roughly, leaving imprints with his fingers, while running his other hand through his soft curls, caressing them gently before grabbing them roughly. Gaspard let out a gasp of surprise, and Xavier suddenly wrapped his arm around his firm chest, pulling him upright against his torso in one determined move. Gaspard made an even bigger noise of surprise as they both panted heavily and the scent of sex filled the air. Xavier felt an overwhelming desire rush through his body and he couldn’t stop himself from kissing Gaspard. He licked, kissed, and breathed in deeply the knight’s musky scent as he let his other arm join the first to wrap around Gaspard’s torso and abdomen, holding him tight. Their bodies were utterly connected, almost forming one entity.

“Please… Let me come. I need it. I need you…” Gaspard murmured between deep breaths and Xavier moaned, feeling his own climax approaching as well. However, Gaspard tossed his head back, revealing more of his neck, and Xavier was suddenly reminded of how nice it had felt to hold it… Before he could even consider not doing it, he wrapped his big hand around Gaspard’s neck. Gaspard gasped and turned his head slightly to look at Xavier, who hadn't applied any pressure yet. For a brief moment, Xavier actually kind of expected Gaspard to stop him suddenly. After all, he certainly possessed the strength to push him away with those experienced muscles... However, Gaspard did not do that. On the contrary, he nodded slightly while closing his eyes as if in pure surrender, and Xavier finally began to wrap his hand tighter around his neck.

Xavier did so slowly yet skilfully, steadily choking Gaspard and causing his breathing to become more audible with each passing moment. He continued to thrust into Gaspard with increasing frenzy, feeling as though he were losing his mind. His senses were heightened to unimaginable levels as he fucked, choked, and stared at this mesmerising sight. Gaspard was simply mesmerising; blushing with his beautiful, hazel eyes all glazed, and his soft mouth hanging open while taking longer, slower breaths. And Xavier? He simply couldn’t believe how lucky he actually was. Why? Because Gaspard did actually trust him. They had just met and this crazy fucker of a knight really did trust him with his life.

“Xavier… Please, plea–” Gaspard began with a barely audible whisper, his words slow as if he were almost there. Almost on the verge of the highest pleasure and on the brink of passing out from choking. And indeed, he was there. Before he could even finish his pleading sentence, Gaspard came uncontrollably, spilling generously onto the sheets, with his eyes closed and his mouth wide open. Xavier gasped loudly, his heart beating fast. He finally released his grip on Gaspard’s neck, not even minding that Gaspard had climaxed without permission as his hole tightened around his cock. Wrapping his other arm around Gaspard’s torso to prevent him from falling onto the sheets, Xavier pounded wildly a few more times before finally reaching his own climax and coming deep inside Gaspard. His limbs immediately went weak and he let Gaspard collapse onto the bed with one more groan, warm cum dripping out of him. Xavier could only quickly join him in the sheets.

The chamber was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and the smell of sex and sweat. While Xavier needed two or three minutes to recover, Gaspard certainly needed at least twice that. His skin was still flushed as he lay flat on his back with his eyes closed, catching his breath. And God, Xavier wasn’t really surprised, because he had to admit that he’d really quite unleashed himself here…

Gaspard coughed twice and it reminded Xavier that they should probably drink something. So, he got up and filled two cups with ale. He downed one immediately to quench his thirst and grabbed another for Gaspard. By that moment, Gaspard had opened his eyes, although his eyelids still looked heavy, as if he were on the verge of falling asleep at any moment, and Xavier couldn’t blame him. At this point, the morning was pretty much there, the sun still low, but the surroundings and Gaspard were certainly far more visible than when he’d woken up, and he definitely intended to catch some rest as well. Thankfully, the entire castle had been celebrating the night before, so leaving his chamber late wouldn't arouse suspicion.

“Drink.” Xavier murmured as he returned to the bed. Gaspard languidly looked up at him and shifted a bit to sit up, in which Xavier helped him, wrapping the arm around his shoulders.

“Thank you, Lord.” Gaspard whispered as he leaned against the headboard with his back and took the drink from Xavier. He took a few big gulps, while Xavier let his eyes wander lazily over his bare body in the emerging daylight. Gaspard was sweaty and definitely exhausted; his bruises from the tournament were becoming more apparent, as were some probably resulting from Xavier's rough treatment... Yet he was still so handsome, even when doing something as mundane as fucking drinking, his prominent Adam’s apple moving up and down with each sip in such an enticing way... Xavier sighed and slowly ran his hand over Gaspard’s side, relishing the softness of his pale skin.

“Here, I am Xavier. Remember…” Xavier murmured, nuzzling his face in the crook of Gaspard’s neck and kissing it softly. That’s it. No lords, no stuck-up titles, no pressure. Just their own little bubble, where he wouldn’t have to worry about being stabbed in the back... Gaspard swallowed the last bit of his ale and put the cup away on the bedside table. And as he returned his gaze to Xavier, his eyes weren’t just tired. It was also full of gentle wonder and intrigue. Xavier couldn’t help but swallow at this because, for once, he felt as if someone was looking at him genuinely. Not like at the superior, with whom one had to fake their emotions. But just another human being who seemed to share quite a lot with the man in his arms. Gaspard softly smiled.

“Xavier… Xavier. What a pretty name for such a pretty man.” Gaspard murmured, repeating the name as if testing its sound on his lovely tongue. And it really did sound lovely too, so incredibly endearing when spoken by that soft voice, especially when accompanied by that charming smile that was even audible in his voice and noticeable in his eyes. And it was very contagious too. Xavier could only grin in response, especially at the realisation that Gaspard had just called him pretty again. He softly kissed his lips and caressed his curls.

“Are you feeling well?” Xavier asked one last thing he’d rather know before falling asleep. He’d really fucked Gaspard well and he certainly looked like he’d loved it lots, but never harm in making sure…  Gaspard lazily hummed under his breath and wrapped his arm over Xavier’s chest to finally lie in a gentle embrace. Xavier’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. 

“Incredibly. I feel as if you fucked my brain out. I can barely think.” Gaspard responded languidly, letting out a low chuckle to which Xavier quickly joined in. He laughed and wrapped his arms some more around Gaspard to hold him as he was definitely drifting off to sleep. Xavier couldn’t help but gently smile at this actually quite a peaceful sight.

“You are incredible.” Xavier whispered in Gaspard’s ear, and then gave him one last soft kiss before finally closing his own eyes.

A few hours later, when Xavier woke up, it was already bright daylight and his chamber was empty. This time, he was more aware of the situation and had actually kind of expected Gaspard to still be there in his arms in the same way when they’d fallen asleep. But alas... No. There was no knight, nor any of his clothes. Only the wrinkled sheets remained on the side where Gaspard had been sleeping, and well, doing other activities…

Xavier sighed deeply, trying to ignore the pang of sadness he felt at Gaspard’s disappearance. After all, it was highly likely that the man had simply gone out to eat, rest, or walk around the town rather than leave altogether. So there was no point allowing anxiety to fill his body and mind when the day had just started. In fact, he should be filled with joy after such a night. The celebration had gone without incident, and his time with Gaspard… It was simply heavenly.

Xavier closed his eyes briefly at the memory of some of their tender touches, kisses and embraces. Of Gaspard taking him with such care and passion, only to surrender himself completely mere hours later. Those big hands, those soft lips and muscular arms… And that ass, so full of shape, eager, ready for–

He sighed deeply, feeling his cheeks grow hot, and opened his eyes, deciding to get up before he completely succumbed to temptation again. There was no time for that. He had to get on with the day and attend to matters at court, likely bid farewell to numerous guests of the tournament and make sure everything was going as it should. After all, he was officially the count. He quickly left the bed, grabbed one of his loose tunics before he would call for the guards. They had probably heard all the noises he and Gaspard had made last night, so he definitely didn't need to show them his bare dick as well.

“Guards!” He called in as soon as he’d put the clothing on himself, and the doors immediately opened to let one man in.

“Good morning, Lord.” The guard greeted him with a bow. Xavier hummed under his breath as he walked to his table, which was set with jugs of ale and wine.

“Ask to bring me breakfast here. Also, prepare the bath.” He requested, pouring some ale into the cup. After the very eventful last night, a proper meal and a clean were certainly two things he needed first.

“Of course, Lord.” The guard immediately nodded and Xavier took a few big sips of the drink. He hummed under his breath, licking his lips briefly afterwards, and furrowed his brows as he thought of one more request…

“Also… You have surely seen Sir Gaspard leaving this chamber, haven’t you? How long ago was that?” He couldn’t help but just ask while trying to do so with as nonchalant of the tone as he could only muster up. The guard lightly furrowed his brows as if in uncertainty.

“About two hours ago, I’d say, Lord.” He answered and Xavier nodded, realising that Gaspard hadn’t actually gotten that much of a rest… But well, doubtfully he ever had. His trade was very demanding, after all.

“Do you know where he went and if he already left the castle?” Still, Xavier asked one more thing before he could really slap himself for caring too much and being too controlling towards a man he’d only spent one night with and who wasn't part of his court at all. Yet, though. That was the point. He briefly remembered how he’d asked Gaspard to join his court, which, in retrospect, had been pretty impulsive. Yes, that was what he’d planned to do from the start, if only Gaspard had made a good impression in person. And he’d made an amazing impression. But he hadn’t meant to discuss such an important matter with him in bed of all places! Had Gaspard even remembered that at this point? After all, Xavier had really fucked his brains out... 

“Unfortunately I don’t know, my Lord, but I can find out.” He promptly answered, breaking Xavier’s thoughts. Xavier nodded, not really surprised. Fair enough.

“I’d appreciate it. Thank you. That’s all.” He dismissed the man, who quickly left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.

What if Gaspard had already left? Xavier couldn’t help but wonder as he slowly sat down in his armchair. Had bringing Gaspard to his chamber already been a mistake? He obviously couldn’t stop being attracted to Gaspard, but he could have stopped making decisions with his dick and, instead, acted more deliberately. Yes, he’d loved being with Gaspard, and Gaspard had certainly too, considering how easily he’d given it to his charms. The pleasures and passion they had experienced… The tender touches, gazes and words. The mutual fascination, admiration and even some kind of momentary devotion. He'd even let Gaspard refer to himself by his own name, for fuck’s sake… This had all been as genuine as anything could be, and Xavier dared to think it might have even been the most passionate night and encounter of his life.

And yet, he feared that it would make things more complicated. He already couldn’t stop thinking about Gaspard, and he knew that he needed him in his court because he needed someone who was experienced, honorable and trustworthy. And not for his own carnal desires, but for the good of his land, and perhaps even for the matter of his own survival. 

A knock in the door suddenly broke his anxious train of thought. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Come in.” He shouted and the doors opened to let servants with plates and drinks in.

They placed everything on the table and removed the dishes that were no longer needed from the previous night. The guard stood behind them and nodded to indicate to be left alone with Xavier. 

“I was informed that, like you, Lord, Sir Gaspard Augé had requested breakfast and a bath. Afterwards, he headed to his tent, which had been set up for the duration of the tournament.” He shared as Xavier broke off a piece of fresh bread and took some cheese to eat with it. He took a bite and couldn’t help but feel an immediate wave of relief at this news. He bummed under his breath and sipped on the ale.

“Once I’ve finished eating and having a bath, ask him to come and talk to me.” He requested with less tension in his body. Though, the matter wasn’t exactly clear yet… They truly needed to talk, and if he really wanted Gaspard to work for him wholeheartedly, he owed him some sincere explanation of the whole situation. And perhaps that was the key to winning Gaspard over. After all, Xavier had allowed himself to be quite genuine last night too and it personally had ended very well for him…

“Yes, Lord.” The guard said with a nod and Xavier dismissed him, leaving himself alone with his thoughts once again. And he really had to think it through and decide whether he was still capable of taking a leap of faith and trusting someone else. Maybe even for the last time in his life.

After taking care of himself and putting on the elegant black robes, which were no longer mournful as they were adorned with golden ornaments, Xavier left the castle to enjoy the sun in the garden. Spring had finally arrived, with trees, plants and bushes beautifully green and flowers colourful, accompanied by numerous birdsongs, and it would have been simply a shame to hide inside the thick, solid walls of the castle, instead.

The fresh nature also seemed to have some kind of a grounding effect on Xavier, with its calming sounds and scents, and Xavier had realised that it could be quite helpful as he saw Gaspard finally walking into the grounds of the castle garden. He’d ordered his guards to leave him alone, so there was no need for playing around. He’d intended this conversation to be honest from the start, and the prospect of it was already making his heart beat faster with each of Gaspard’s steps…

“Good morning, Lord. I was told that you wanted to see me.” Gaspard greeted with a light bow as he approached Xavier. He couldn’t help but slightly frown as he heard his title spoken by Gaspard. The title he’d asked Gaspard not to use, but then again, he’d asked for it only in the bedroom. And since they were here and Xavier intended to talk about official matters first… Well, fair enough. He nodded with his features softening.

“Indeed.” Xavier confirmed, unable to stop himself from gazing up and down at Gaspard's tall figure, dressed in a black cape and a wine red tunic with a leather belt around his lovely hips, from which hung a heavy sword. Though, the first thing that Xavier paid attention to was how tall Gaspard actually was. It was the first thing one really noticed when Gaspard stood just in front of you; how tall he was, how broad his shoulders were, and how simply handsome he was. And handsome in an almost unreal way… Xavier softly sighed.

“I apologise for leaving earlier. I assumed you wouldn't want anyone to see me leave your chamber in the bright daylight.” Gaspard spoke slowly with something akin to regret, his eyes avoiding Xavier, who sighed again. So that was the reason… What he had on the tip of his tongue was that he didn’t give a damn about others, that this was his own castle and he could do whatever the hell he wanted, otherwise what was the point of having his own castle?! But then he remembered that some people were very opposed to his tendencies and he should probably lie low for some time. And if he didn’t care that much about his own image, well, it was also about Gaspard. And Xavier certainly didn’t want to harm him and his good name.

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness.” He answered with a much softer voice, even lightly smiling in hope of putting Gaspard at ease again. “Do you mind taking a little walk as we talk?” Xavier added, tilting his head as he looked with a gentle gaze straight into those pretty, hazel, eyes that were finally looking at him. Gaspard swallowed a little.

“Lead the way, my Lord.” He answered with a nod and Xavier began slowly walking down the path with Gaspard just by his side, the fact that Gaspard had just called him my lord not hiding from his ears. When said like that… He quite enjoyed it actually. 

“I'm not sure if you exactly remember our conversation last night, but I made you an offer…” Xavier began with a slightly more careful tone of the voice, at which Gaspard responded with a nod

“I do, and I must admit that I've been thinking about it ever since I woke up.” Gaspard slowly admitted, at which Xavier raised a brow in surprise. Gaspard took a few moments of silence before returning his gaze to Xavier. “I know I cannot make a decision right away, and I hope you understand. Settling down at one court would be quite a big step for me... However, if your offer is still open, I’d like to stay here for a while. I’d like to be slowly introduced to some matters at the court, get more familiar with the county, and see if I fit in here.” He announced with sudden confidence, as if to indicate that he had indeed thought it through properly, despite the fact that only hours had passed. It was quite a sensible answer, though, and Xavier wanted to agree to it immediately, thanking all heavens above that this wonderful knight wanted to do anything at all with him, which was actually quite a surprise... However, deep down, he knew it wouldn’t be fair to pull Gaspard into this mess without warning.

“I'm sure you’d fit in perfectly.” Xavier murmured with a wistful voice, already kind of imagining having Gaspard by his side everyday… He swallowed hard, shaking his head and ran a hand over his face. “But before you make any decisions, I feel like I owe you some explanation about the state of affairs at my court, which is far from idyllic, let’s say. Whatever decision you make, though, you must promise me that this conversation will stay only between us.” He remarked with much more serious features and voice while stopping his movement for a moment. Gaspard stopped as well and took a proper look at Xavier, his expression mirroring Xavier’s.

“Of course, Lord. You can trust me.” Gaspard promised with a nod after a few moments of silence, during which he’d scrutinized Xavier’s face. Xavier stared back into eyes that seemed sincere and deeply sighed, already hesitating, but screw it. It had to be done, otherwise, he could really end up alone with this mess... He started walking again, with Gaspard still by his side. 

“My father, the late Count Antoine de Rosnay, didn’t die a natural death. He was murdered in an unsuccessful coup organised by my uncle Henry, who unfortunately managed to flee after his disgraceful betrayal.” Xavier revealed, his throat tightening as he slightly struggled to look at Gaspard this time. Instead, he looked down at the ground and their leather boots for a few moments while they continued walking. His mood had certainly sombered again. 

“Oh, my Lord… I had no idea. My condolences. I wouldn't have guessed that anything was wrong. Yesterday's celebration went without a hitch.” Gaspard murmured, his voice breathy with surprise on the verge of shock. And his face quite showed it too. Xavier had already managed to notice that Gaspard’s face mostly remained stoic, but this time, when he looked up at him again, Gaspard looked actually quite moved, his brows furrowed and his mouth slightly agape. Xavier cleared his throat. 

“And that was the plan. In such times, the last thing we need is any unnecessary attention. It could cause chaos that might even be deadly.” Xavier said with a much more collected voice, though his tone still remained pretty bitter. Gaspard hummed under his breath and nodded.

“Good decision. Though now you mention it, I've noticed that your court seems pretty sparse. I haven’t seen quite a few Sirs… Like, Sebastian Akchoté? I was surprised not to see him, honestly. He’s a successful knight and was pretty high up in your father’s court, I believe.” Gaspard pointed out in wonder, his brows still furrowed. Xavier deeply sighed and couldn’t help but clench one fist as he took his hands behind his back. The mere mention of Sebastian already making his blood rush…

“You have a good eye… The court is indeed quite sparse because several Sirs were killed in the coup. May their souls rest in peace…” Xavier explained with an intense glint in his eyes, fury slowly awakening in his body again. He deeply sighed and shook his head. “But several knights also betrayed and escaped together with Henry. One of those was actually Sebastian.” He accused, his tone still filled with resentment, as he looked at Gaspard, who seemed even more shocked this time.

“No way… I didn't know him very well personally, but I always thought highly of him as an opponent. Great skills and experience…” Gaspard whispered under his breath, almost in disbelief, as he stared into the distance at the trees in the garden. Xavier could only nod, knowing full well that Sebastian was undoubtedly a very skilled warrior. But that didn't matter anymore. His honour and good name had already been completely tarnished, and Xavier would only forget about him once he had received his severe punishment, and preferably from Xavier’s own hands… 

“My father also held him in high esteem, but a snake will always be a snake. They can hide and disguise themselves very well, but sooner or later they reveal their true nature, no matter how much you cherish them.” Xavier bitterly pointed out with a huff under his breath, already being well familiar with that disgusting type of people… “Naturally, we’ve managed to capture and eliminate a few traitors. However, even though life goes on and the county has to keep running, there are still other traitors out there. And who knows? Some may even be hiding among us…” He explained more and Gaspard deeply sighed.

“No wonder you sleep with a knife…” He murmured under his breath and Xavier swallowed a little at the mere reminder of the last night. As hot as that night was, that particular moment was still kind of embarrassing to him. Thank God that it hadn’t freaked Gaspard out as such…

“Yes… I'm still sorry about that. I really didn't mean to startle you and I hope you understand.” He apologised with a much softer voice, his features filled with regret and embarrassment rather than rage. The corner of Gaspard’s lips lightly curled up. 

“I’ll admit that initially it wasn’t too nice of a surprise, but yes. I definitely understand.” He said with a nod, his eyes softening as he actually embodied the word. Understanding. He really seemed to understand, which certainly helped to ease some of the tension in Xavier’s shoulders. “And it makes sense why you need more people as well.” Gaspard added, thankfully diverting Xavier’s thoughts from the last night. At least for now. Then again, this wasn’t so much of an easier subject either, given that there was quite a lot to admit as well… He sighed and stopped walking to stop just by the big, old tree with Gaspard.

“Yes. I won’t deny that this entire matter has seriously damaged my trust in other people. I know that I was next in line to be killed after my father, and I doubt that the traitors will give up easily. Clearly, I feel I must be very careful about what I say and to whom. In a way, part of me is even nervous about telling you the truth. After all, we’ve only just met... However, I also know that I really need honest, experienced knights by my side. And I believe you’re the one, Gaspard.” Xavier let his heart simply speak, ending his statement with a phrase that sounded much more intimate than he’d intended. And all that while he gazed straight into these beautiful hazel eyes that seemed to grow gentler and even more understanding with each passing moment. Xavier swallowed hard at the realization of his words, his insides already feeling much warmer as he shook his head. “But, of course, I will understand if you don't accept the offer. It's a big mess, and it's not yours.” He added with a tight throat and again, tried to look anywhere but at Gaspard, who was scrutinizing him with his gaze completely. Fuck! He was already getting too attached, wasn’t he? And obviously, Gaspard was free to choose. In fact, he’d be a fool to agree—

“I want to stay.” Gaspard, however, suddenly spoke up, completely shattering his anxious train of thought. 

“What?” Xavier whispered in disbelief and immediately returned his gaze to Gaspard, who stared at him with quite an interesting look in his eyes. The look that seemed to contain both softness and longing. Xavier swallowed hard.

“It’s complicated, yes, much more than I thought, and again, I can’t promise I’ll swear to join your court entirely. But I want to stay and try.” Gaspard explained, and then sighed after a moment as Xavier continued to stare at him, looking clueless. After all, it really didn't make any sense to him! Gaspard ran a hand over his face and took a step towards Xavier. They were now standing within arm’s reach of each other, Xavier’s eyes quickly flicking down to Gaspard’s hands. “Allow me to be sincere this time. I’m no longer a young knight and I must admit that I’m slowly becoming exhausted by this way of life. Tournament after tournament, endless travelling, living in camps with a bunch of other knights. Occasionally, fighting in battles and escorting lords… Yes, I’m good at this trade, but maybe settling down somewhere where I could still be useful is exactly the right path for me at this point in my life.” Gaspard contemplated with a shrug, even though his eyes already seemed to be confident of this choice. Xavier licked his lips lightly. Gaspard's reasoning made much more sense to him at that moment.

“As long as you don’t regret it.” Xavier remarked with a whisper, in a way hoping that Gaspard wouldn’t give up on some, possibly, better opportunities just because of him. Despite everything, he wanted Gaspard to do well… Gaspard shook his head.

“I’m sure you don’t deserve any of this and if I can only help you, I want to do that.” Gaspard reassured with even more certainty as he seemed to suddenly stand even closer to Xavier, the warmth of their bodies reaching each other. Xavier softly sighed and Gaspard’s eyes began to look much gentler. “And… I loved being with you last night, Xavier. I’ll understand if it’s only a one time thing for you, especially when I get involved in your official affairs. But I just wanted you to know that it was a very meaningful night for me.” Gaspard admitted, looking slightly more shy yet still genuine. Xavier briefly closed his eyes and licked his lips at the fact that Gaspard had called him by his name and brought up that night quite straightforwardly. He returned his soft gaze to Gaspard, and this time he couldn't stop himself... He just grabbed Gaspard's hands and held them in his own. Gaspard sighed softly and wrapped his fingers around Xavier’s.

“It was for me too… I couldn't stop thinking about you, Gaspard, and it'd be a lie to say that I don't want more.” Xavier couldn’t help but just admit with a breathy voice, being pretty sure that his eyes and voice expressed his yearning pretty well… But if Gaspard felt it too… Let’s be it. He knew that Gaspard had a point, hell, he’d just been thinking about it back and forth before seeing Gaspard. But now, standing so close to Gaspard, holding his hands, feeling his breath and warmth, and looking into his beautiful eyes that spoke with a sincerity that words could never match… Xavier couldn’t help but just want. Gaspard looked at him with eagerness and moved even closer. 

“Yeah? What if we… Slowly… Sometimes… See how it goes?” Gaspard whispered hesitantly, yet hopefully, their lips almost touching at this point, and Xavier could only answer with one thing that he simply needed to do. A kiss.

Their lips simply touched and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was gentle, soft. In a way, it reminded Xavier of their very first kiss, when their delicate affection had spoken louder than pure lust. And it felt just right. Gaspard let out a soft gasp into his lips and Xavier only hummed with satisfaction as Gaspard wrapped his arms around his back. Xavier couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, bringing one hand to Gaspard’s cheek and holding it delicately while running the other through his soft curls. And all that as he deepened the kiss, adding just enough intensity to leave Gaspard panting and moaning ever so softly. 

“I’ll order the chambers to be prepared for you and your squire. Your horse is also welcome in my stable.” Xavier suddenly decided with a newfound confidence and determination as soon as their lips parted. A confidence and determination that Gaspard visibly liked as he delicately bit his bottom lip. Xavier sighed and looked around briefly to make sure they were really alone. And they were, as they had reached a secluded part of the garden filled with tall, old trees and bushes.

Only brief moments passed before their lips met again, their bodies pressing together with a passion that was already so familiar and so addictive. And Xavier already knew this was going to be anything but slow. 

Chapter Text

A gentle smirk of confidence and satisfaction played on Xavier’s lips as he walked calmly towards his chamber. After all, how could he not be exactly that, confident and satisfied, after quite a heated make out with the most popular knight in this part of the kingdom? The brave Sir Gaspard Augé who everyone wanted… The ladies, who dreamt of having such a passionate and handsome lover, and the countless lords, who would be willing to pay fortunes for such an experienced and famous warrior. And yet, they could only dream on, because Xavier already had it all. 

Xavier softly licked his lips and ran a hand through his hair in hope of fixing his hair. Gaspard’s eager hands had certainly disheveled it a bit… But he didn’t mind. Not at all. In fact, he loved it, especially knowing that Gaspard would be staying at his court for some time… He couldn’t help but grin to himself like a fool for a brief moment, simply allowing himself to feel beautiful, positive emotions for once. However, that quickly passed when he noticed his advisor waiting for him outside his chamber. Xavier made sure to neutralise his expression at the sight of a serious looking Pedro.

“Lord, can we talk?” Pedro asked with a light bow as soon as Xavier approached him.

“Sure, I meant to see you anyway. Come in.” Xavier agreed with a nod and walked into his chamber, Pedro immediately following him. He sighed and decided not to mess around. He needed to immediately order the first thing that was on his mind. “Prepare the chamber for Sir Gaspard and his squire. He’ll stay here for a while.” He requested with complete confidence as he sat down at his desk covered with multiple papers and letters regarding his county. He grabbed a letter regarding taxes for the king and was about to focus on this tedious matter completely. After all, he’d rather not hear any ‘buts’ from his advisor. But, well, knowing Pedro, this was to be expected, especially given the silence that followed his order. Pedro sighed and Xavier finally looked up at him.

“Lord… I know you and Sir Gaspard spent the last night together… If it’s only because of that–” Pedro began carefully, but it was already clear that he found Xavier’s request questionable. Xavier sighed deeply, and his face quickly became less friendly.

“He is seriously considering joining my court. That’s why he wants to stay here and slowly become involved in our official matters. I have already explained some aspects of my situation to him, and he has taken it very seriously.” Xavier explained with a firm voice and gaze before Pedro could even finish his words. Pedro immediately fell quiet in surprise, furrowing his brows as he took a few moments of silence to scrutinize the count. Xavier’s throat tightened slightly. 

“That’s very trusting of you, Lord… And quite an act of devotion from the Sir as well… But, don’t you think it’s happening a bit too fast? Again, if it’s only because you spent the night together…” Pedro trailed off, shaking his head slightly and sighing in bafflement. Xavier tilted his head and put the letter away. 

“Why do you keep bringing up that night? Are you against it, Hiver?” Xavier asked daringly, his firm voice edging towards anger as he practically glared at Pedro at this point. He could accept a lot, but not the questioning of his bedroom activities, especially from his closest advisor, who had usually been rather liberal. Had something suddenly changed, though? Pedro’s frown deepened.  

“You know, Lord, I’ve never minded your preferences. I even encourage it at times, especially during challenging periods like these, when it’s important to allow yourself to express your frustration. As long as it keeps you balanced, Lord…” Pedro explained, trailing off, and Xavier relaxed slightly. However, he remained kind of wary, sensing a 'but' in Pedro's statement, and he wasn’t wrong, as Pedro continued. “But I only ask you to keep matters of the heart separate from matters of the land. They should remain separate.” He added, and Xavier slowly nodded, having already caught the drift. So that was what it was about... Not about him having fun with a man, but about how much influence that man would gain through their potential relationship… Xavier sighed.

“I assure you Sir Gaspard isn’t a matter of my heart. We had fun last night, yes, but that’s it.” Xavier reassured with a tighter throat, avoiding Pedro’s eyes as he tried to believe his own words. Just fun, huh? He lightly shook his head and returned his gaze to Pedro. “And you have to admit we need experienced people, and Augé is undoubtedly that. We had a serious talk, and I really believe he’s worth giving a chance. He’s a great knight with an excellent reputation, and he would certainly be very useful in my court, no?” Xavier said with a firmer voice, hoping his reasoning was understandable enough. Pedro slowly nodded. 

“There's no doubt about that, Lord.” Pedro answered with his expression softening. Xavier nodded with his intense gaze still on his advisor.

“Prepare the damn chamber for him then. Make him feel at home here.” Xavier ordered one last time, making it clear that he wouldn’t accept another 'no' for an answer. Pedro seemed to understand it.

“I will…” He responded with a murmur, looking down for a few moments before returning his gaze to Xavier. Pedro cleared his throat. “Well, now that that's been cleared up, Lord Philipe of Auxerre has requested a meeting with you before he leaves. He didn't want to bring it up yesterday, on the day of the celebration, but it’s a rather urgent matter. Apparently, English troops are slowly approaching Esonnes, which is pretty close to Philipe’s county. If they fail... The betrayal of Henry will pale in comparison to having to deal also with English.” Pedro changed the subject to the matter of the English fighting the French, which had been a problem since… Since, well, almost always. However, this particular conflict originated almost ninety years ago… Xavier sighed deeply and ran a hand over his face. Whether it was an old or a new problem, Pedro was right. A war was never a small issue, and he had to prepare as well as he could to prevent his land from getting involved too. 

“Get him here.” Xavier ordered with a murmur, already feeling exhausted.

Indeed, the issue of the English troops gradually occupying more and more French territory could not be disregarded. Following lengthy discussions with the Count of Auxerre, as well as an exchange of letters with the king and lords of the two other nearby counties, Xavier ordered the mobilisation of part of the army. Nothing drastic yet, life went on mostly as before, but it was enough to keep Xavier busy with official affairs, leaving little room for personal issues or passions. Naturally, it was no surprise he didn’t really see much of Gaspard these days.

Of course, Pedro had listened to his orders and prepared a chamber for Gaspard, who became a true resident of de Rosnay’s castle at this point. However, the chamber happened to be as far from Xavier’s own quarters as possible, which definitely didn’t help the exhausted Xavier when it came to seeing Gaspard… 

He knew it wasn’t a coincidence. It was a clear sign from Pedro that he shouldn’t get too close to his potential court member, and a part of Xavier wanted nothing more than to rebel and give his advisor a much firmer order to move Gaspard right next to his doors right here and now. However, ultimately, he decided to compromise and just do nothing. After all, it might be wiser not to be too hasty, especially since Gaspard has been rather busy lately as well. Moving to a court and starting a new chapter in one’s life wasn’t such a carefree matter, after all. 

Nevertheless, the mind and heart, emotions and logic, do not always go hand in hand. In fact, they rarely do, and after days of physical abstinence and focusing almost entirely on official, overly serious matters, Xavier woke up and immediately felt that something was missing. While his huge bed felt as comfortable and warm as ever and the view outside the window provided a beautiful blue-sky day, the same bed also felt far too empty and the day almost gloomy with his chamber far too silent. Suddenly, he craved nothing more than to hear, to see and to learn. And all of this was in reference to a certain curly-haired knight…

Xavier sighed deeply, the desire for a warm touch was almost overwhelming his body until he quickly got out of bed. He naturally ordered his morning meal first, but afterwards decided not to give in completely to routine. The English weren’t standing by his gates yet, and the damned traitor Henry wasn’t anywhere to be seen either. Nothing was that fucking urgent that day. So that’s why he decided to actually live life on this very pretty day and for once allow himself to be distracted from the everyday fears and anxieties.

“Prepare my horse for a ride. I’ll take a little walk alone meanwhile.” Xavier ordered as soon as he left his chamber. This time, he wasn’t wearing elegant, long robes, but rather casual wear, perfect for a day full of activities. Calf-high leather boots, breeches, a dark linen shirt and a cloak, all chosen with the aforementioned horse ride in mind. Hopefully, escaping official matters and immersing himself in nature would provide enough distraction.

“Of course, Lord.” The servant agreed, and Xavier immediately began walking. He didn't know exactly where he was going, but he just walked, allowing his legs to carry him where they would, and as it turns out, they did their job quite well as soon they led him to one of his favourite spots in the castle. One of the inner courtyards, a small one that barely anyone visited. However, not this time... 

Lost in thought, Xavier walked into the outer corridor until he heard the unmistakable sound of metal clashing against metal. A knight was training nearby... He quickly looked around the corner and beheld the familiar sight of luscious brown curls. Those muscular arms wielding a training sword with dulled edges, and the broad shoulders supporting every swing with clear experience… It was Gaspard, and Xavier’s heart immediately skipped a beat.

Xavier swallowed hard and then swiftly retreated behind a pillar. He felt his heart beating out of his chest and warmth rushing across his body as he heard Gaspard grunt and sigh repeatedly while practising with another knight, presumably Sir Victor Le Masne, judging by the brief glimpse Xavier had caught. Yes, there was indeed another knight with Gaspard, but Xavier had barely even noticed it when his entire focus was on Gaspard. God, those experienced movements filled with elegance and–

“Lord? Is everything all right?” Suddenly, someone asked and Xavier quickly turned around to see the owner of the questioning voice. It was Gaspard’s squire, bowing with furrowed brows as if confused as to why Xavier had been hiding there. Xavier’s mouth went lightly agape in a slight panic, which only increased when Gaspard and Victor stopped fighting and suddenly turned towards the startled lord.

“Oh uh… I need to talk to Sir Gaspard… Alone.” Xavier suddenly blurted out without thinking when he sensed that everyone was staring at him. And well, his sudden announcement certainly didn’t help either. Everyone seemed puzzled, and Xavier didn’t need to get his ass busted for staring way too much at Gaspard from afar… So what could he do? Noticing the awkwardness lingering in the air, he simply continued to let his mouth run on autopilot. “I want to practice with Gaspard…” He quietly added, at which Gaspard raised his brows, and Xavier suddenly felt his cheeks grow warm. What the hell is happening to me?!

Xavier immediately regretted it. Had he really just asked the best knight in the land to spar with him?! But then again, he remembered that he wasn't a complete novice either. Sure, he wasn’t a knight, it wasn’t his way of life. He had never fought in a battle or in any tournament. Yet he had also been practising sword fighting since childhood, and most importantly, he was the count and lord of this castle, so that alone allowed him to practise with whomever he wished! Xavier cleared his throat and began walking closer to Gaspard, the thought certainly bringing back some of his confidence, which everyone seemed to sense. Victor bowed, and so did Gaspard's squire, just before finally leaving Xavier and Gaspard alone.

“So would you mind if I joined you for practice?” Xavier asked again, tilting his head as he approached Gaspard. Of course, now that he was standing right in front of him, he couldn’t help but take a proper look at Gaspard. And what a sight he was... Sweaty and wearing only a beige linen shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and arms in such a perfect way that revealed every shape underneath. And that hairy chest… The shirt’s strings were loosened, so Xavier also got a proper glimpse of it.

Gaspard smirked, his eyes and overall expression suggesting amusement, which Xavier also quickly noticed. However, this time it didn’t fluster him. On the contrary, it seemed to relax him further. Everything suddenly felt natural, and especially when Gaspard spoke up…

“I’m always at your service, Lord.” Gaspard murmured with that soft, velvety voice of his and Xavier couldn’t help but smirk when he noticed the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Suddenly, even the word ‘lord’ sounded playful from those sensual lips… 

“Then let’s do this.” Xavier announced with a little nod and took his cloak off, suddenly almost matching Gaspard in the state of his clothing. He threw the cloak onto the balustrade in the corridor and Gaspard grabbed another training sword and handed it to Xavier, their fingers brushing briefly in the process.

“First, I need to assess your abilities and technique. I would hate to injure you, my Lord. Let’s start with the basics, an uppercut.” Gaspard suggested with a little smirk and Xavier couldn’t help but take it as a challenge. Sure, he wasn’t crazy enough to really fight Gaspard here with all they had. However, he still saw it as an opportunity to prove that he wasn’t just a spoilt, pretty-faced nobleman. Although his skills would most likely pale in comparison to Gaspard’s, he still possessed them. And he wasn’t one to give in easily... Xavier tilted his head and relaxed his shoulders while also keeping his torso slightly tensed, giving stability and strength for his movements. The right body tension was crucial for powerful and precise movements, but at the same time, one had to remain flexible enough to be able to react quickly. 

“Fair enough. But don’t feel you have to go soft on me.” Xavier answered with a light smile, yet somewhat determined gaze, as he tightened his grip on the sword one last time before using it. Just as Gaspard had wished, he performed an uppercut. A vertical strike from top to bottom. The powerful stroke, yet very well suited as an opening attack. However, it was no surprise that Gaspard immediately answered, their blades clashing loudly.

“I know you like it rough, Lord…” Gaspard murmured, biting his lip as he stared deep into Xavier’s eyes. He quickly deflected a thrust in the counterattack, slashing Xavier’s blade to the side with such effortlessness that it was already clear who was the true dominant on the battlefield here… Xavier could only take a step back with a soft sigh, even though all he wanted was to get closer to Gaspard, especially in response to his last words. “But there’s no harm in being a bit more careful this time. You haven't had your warm-up.” Gaspard pointed out, still smiling under his beard as he kept his playful, yet quite soft gaze on Xavier the whole time. And it was actually quite contagious… 

Xavier couldn’t help but grin back, which effectively loosened him even more. Suddenly, he no longer felt the need to fight out of spite or to prove that he was a worthy opponent. Instead, he was just fighting out of a pure competitive spirit, and it felt fun. Paradoxically, he also felt very safe. Yes, Gaspard was an incredible knight who could easily beat his ass if he wanted to. But he clearly didn’t. He chatted, teased and chuckled with Xavier, while also pinpointing some of his weak points with clear experience. And Xavier enjoyed it. It felt simply natural, as so many other things did with Gaspard...

“Aren’t you curious to find out what my true skills are?” Xavier asked with a teasing undertone in his voice, tilting his head as he lifted his sword against Gaspard’s to block another of his attacks. Gaspard swiped his blade tightly against Xavier’s and suddenly pressed with almost his entire body’s force. Their faces and bodies were now nearly touching, separated only by the shining swords. Gaspard smirked.

“Oh, I’m terribly curious about all of you…” Gaspard mused with a low voice, which was distracting… In fact, all of Gaspard was incredibly distracting. So much that Xavier had to use not only all of his physical strength, but also all of his willpower to actually parry Gaspard’s attack. 

He gritted his teeth as Gaspard’s blade was steadily coming closer and then, rapidly pushed Gaspard’s sword out of his way with a loud grunt. It seemed like a solid counterattack at that moment. He just spotted a wide gap across Gaspard’s side and all Xavier could do was to instinctively thrust his sword at the seemingly weak point. However, that also meant leaving himself quite vulnerable, and Gaspard immediately took advantage of this. He dodged Xavier’s strike with ease and quickly tripped him over onto the ground. Xavier managed only to groan. 

“But see, that’s what I’m talking about. Far too hasty, my dear Lord.” Gaspard concluded with playful satisfaction and finally, Xavier let go of his sword as he lay on the ground. He ran a hand across his face, ready to scold himself mentally for making such a rookie mistake. But then Gaspard slowly approached him, his tall figure seeming even taller from the ground, and even more majestic with a sword in his hand… He threw the weapon to the ground with a loud thud and halted to just stand over Xavier.

At the sight of Gaspard standing above him and gazing at him from head to toe with an eager stare, Xavier’s mind went completely blank. He opened his mouth slightly and delicately licked his lips as he looked straight into Gaspard’s eyes. Gaspard swallowed hard and finally held out his hand to help Xavier up. Xavier gladly took it, and Gaspard pulled him close, but with a little too much strength, causing Xavier to end up right against him. His left hand landed in the middle of Gaspard's chest, while he still held his hand with his right.

“But don’t worry, Lord. It was a decent fight. You certainly have potential...” Gaspard murmured in a low tone, his breath hot against Xavier’s skin. This certainly didn’t help the racing heart of Xavier, who was still breathing heavily. In fact, they both did, panting and sweating while looking into each other’s eyes, which were, oh, so close…

“Means a lot coming from you.” Xavier could only whisper back as Gaspard still held his hand firmly. He sighed and couldn’t help but slowly run his hand up and down Gaspard’s firm chest, which felt just amazing under his fingertips. Gaspard sighed softly, his eyes dropping to Xavier’s lips, and Xavier took in another breath, the musky scent of Gaspard almost overwhelming his senses and making it impossible to think about anything else. God, he was just so close, and those lips… Those delicious lips that Xavier had been craving and dreaming about for days… He couldn’t help but lean in some more and—

Suddenly, there was a loud thud as the heavy doors opened, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. Gaspard furrowed his brows and looked somewhere past Xavier, and in the sudden awakening of his last brain cells, Xavier decided to quickly step away from Gaspard. They clearly weren’t alone anymore and soon it turned out to be evident as a man walked into the courtyard to greet them with a bow. 

“Lord, your horse is ready for the ride, as you requested.” The servant announced, looking rather oblivious to what had happened just before his arrival. Gaspard swallowed a little and looked at Xavier with a raised brow as Xavier ran a hand through his hair. Oh, a horse ride. Right. That’s what he’d planned. He cleared his throat and tried not to stare too much at the sweaty and slightly blushing Gaspard standing only a few steps away... 

“Good. I’ll come to the stable soon.” He answered with a nod, although he was actually no longer so sure that was exactly what he wanted, but... But once again, he couldn't stop himself from looking at Gaspard and that suddenly gave him an idea. “Actually… What would you say about joining me? I wanted to go for a ride. I could show you around the area a bit.” He offered, tilting his head as he turned to Gaspard again, actually liking the idea. It could be fun… And anyway, Gaspard should become more familiar with the surrounding areas if he really wants to stay here. Gaspard stared back at Xavier for quite a few moments, his mouth going a little agape until he swallowed.

“I’d love to.” He answered eventually with a soft smile, which Xavier could only return with a rising excitement. 

Shortly afterwards, they went to the stable to mount their horses. Xavier’s black Phantom, which was quite a fitting name, given its dark and majestic appearance, and Gaspard’s brown and white tailed Randy, which... “Don’t ask how it became his name.” Gaspard murmured, snorting lightly, as he adjusted his horse's bridle. Xavier chuckled deeply.

“Let me guess… The horse takes after his owner?” He asked with a playful grin, both amusement and mischief present in his gaze as he eyed the back of Gaspard, especially the very lower back… Gaspard turned around with raised brows.

“And look who’s saying that…” He said with a little huff, sharing a look of amusement with Xavier. They both let out a light laugh and grabbed their swords. And this time not the training ones, which reminded Gaspard of something else… “Shouldn’t you be leaving the castle with some of your guards?” He asked with a raised brow just as Xavier mounted his horse. He shrugged. True, times were tough, but he wasn’t paranoid enough to fear riding into his own land. The land he knew better than anyone else. Besides, he wasn’t actually alone. The bravest of the bodyguards was by his side…

“In theory, yes. But why would I need to when I have such an incredible knight by my side? Won’t you protect me?” Xavier asked with a little smirk, quite enjoying being the one to look from above at Gaspard this time… Not for long though, as Gaspard skillfully mounted his own horse. And that was quite a sight too… Xavier swore that fucker didn’t even need armor to look majestic.

“Everything for you, my dear Lord.” Gaspard responded with a charming smile, putting a hand on his heart as he looked straight into Xavier’s eyes with a much gentler gaze. Xavier couldn’t help but swallow a little as they shared a gaze that seemed to be far more meaningful than probably intended until he just smiled lightly and finally began moving. Gaspard promptly followed him as they left the castle and town behind and rode off into the nearby forest.

It was indeed fun. The fast speed, the heavy sound of the horses' hooves hitting the ground, the fresh air, and the sense of freedom that came with it all were almost exhilarating. They rode quickly and skilfully, with Gaspard by his side the whole time, until they ventured deeper into the forest and Xavier began to slow down. Paradoxically, the deeper he went, the safer he felt. You might think that the further you go, the more dangerous it could be, but not for Xavier. He knew that not many people travelled along these paths, which was actually reassuring in a way. These were paths where he didn’t have to worry about being watched, and it felt safe because he could truly be himself…

Soon, they reached a small stream nestled amongst lush greenery. Xavier decided to stop for a while to let the horses and themselves drink some fresh water. As he was about to dismount, he heard some rustling and, instinctively, put his hand on his sword. However, Gaspard suddenly put his hand on Xavier's hand, which was holding the grip of his sword, still in its scabbard.

“Shhh. It’s just a deer, look.” Gaspard murmured with a soft voice and pointed into the bushes, where a young deer was indeed standing. Seeing this, Xavier immediately relaxed and took his hand away from the sword. Gaspard then also took his hand away from Xavier, who couldn’t help but immediately miss the brief, yet gentle touch... “Isn’t it cute?” Gaspard added with a little smile and a light chuckle, oblivious to Xavier’s thought as he observed the deer with a soft gaze and a carefree look on his face.

“Very cute…” Xavier mused under his breath, although his gaze was fixed on Gaspard rather than the deer that had just run away. Carefree. That was exactly the word that described the mood perfectly. Gaspard’s soft, wonder-filled expression, his gentle smiles and laughter that sounded like heavenly tunes accompanied by soft birdsong. Xavier couldn’t help but smile gently, feeling suddenly warm and light inside as he gazed at the beautiful man by his side. The man who didn’t seem to be acting. The man who was a tough warrior, but didn’t feel the need to maintain this exterior all the time, but instead, was simply himself. Someone who appreciated arts, nature, the vast beauty of the world and true passion. And Xavier craved to be as genuine as well…

After spending a few moments drinking fresh water and cooling down, they mounted their horses again and continued along the road. This time, however, they didn’t ride fast. The calm and almost blissful mood inspired a slow ride, giving the men the opportunity to have a proper chat at last. There was quite a lot to catch up on after the last few days.

“I saw the army gathering up. What is it about? I heard something about English.” Gaspard remarked at some point, raising a brow. Xavier sighed at the mere reminder of that issue and the potential catastrophe that might follow. Naturally, he’d been trying to forget about it during this little escapade, and it was easy to do so when the sun was shining nicely and there was no one else in sight except for the very handsome and charming knight by his side... But Gaspard should be appropriately informed about the topic. He nodded.

“English indeed. I’ll most likely have to travel to a neighbouring county to discuss potential defence strategies. We need to team up in this case.” Xavier explained, frowning as his face became more serious. Gaspard quite matched his expression while listening intently and riding at the same pace by his side. “Actually, you should discuss it with Pedro. I think you could help organise this journey.” He added, looking at Gaspard. Of course, if he was going to leave his county for an official matter, he couldn’t imagine doing so without his best knight... And he really believed that Gaspard could play a crucial role in ensuring the trip was safe. Gaspard slowly nodded.

“As you wish. Rest assured that I’ll do my best to protect you.” Gaspard promised with a soft voice, yet quite a serious look in his eyes as he gazed straight into Xavier’s eyes, at which Xavier couldn’t help but feel both relieved but also… Also filled with another quite heavy emotion that seemed to make his insides warm, but also quite taken aback at something akin to devotion in Gaspard’s gaze. Xavier swallowed hard and then cleared his throat.

“Otherwise, I hope you’ve been feeling welcome at my castle so far.” He changed the topic, trying to divert it onto a less serious subject before he could start truly overanalyzing his emotions. Gaspard nodded, his face becoming stoic again.

“The Sirs were quite surprised to see me staying here for longer… But it’s going pretty well. The castle is beautiful, and as you could’ve seen, I have plenty of space to practise. I’m certainly not complaining.” He responded with a shrug as he focused his gaze on the path ahead. Xavier hummed under his breath, rather pleased about the fact that Gaspard’s sudden presence at his court had not raised too many eyebrows so far. 

“What about your chamber? I haven’t seen it yet, as it’s quite far from my quarters... But I hope Pedro has taken good care of it.” He couldn’t help but ask, the thought of Gaspard’s bedroom still quite present in his mind. What could he say? He was a simple man and wanted to pay a visit there, preferably sometime soon… Gaspard lightly hummed.

“It’s quite cozy, but it’s certainly far away, yes… I don’t know the castle well yet either. Let’s say, I wouldn’t know how to get to your chamber at night.” Gaspard pointed out as he returned his gaze to Xavier. The gaze and voice that seemed to include a hint of some playfulness this time… Xavier raised a brow, the previously not so pleasant tension easing from his shoulders as he sensed that their conversation was entering some quite interesting and fun territory. 

“I wonder why you would want to get to my chamber at night, Sir.” Xavier asked with a light smirk, tilting his head and gazing straight into Gaspard’s eyes. Gaspard let his eyes wander over Xavier’s face for a moment or two before his expression began to match Xavier’s teasing amusement. Xavier gently licked his lips, and Gaspard sighed lightly.

“Well… There’s a certain beautiful man named Xavier who stays there at night. Forgive me, Lord, but his wonderful body and face make me feel quite bold, and I just can’t help it. I just want to visit him some more. Have you ever heard of him by any chance, my Lord?” Gaspard asked, seemingly respectfully, but his eyes and soft, velvety voice certainly gave away his mischievous intentions. Xavier had to do his best not to laugh, and he didn’t, but his skin was certainly a much weaker player. The mere mention of a wonderful body and face from those delicious lips made his skin feel suddenly hotter. 

“I believe I have, and I don’t think that this certain Xavier would mind you visiting him even in the daylight…” Xavier played along with a low voice, making his intention as obvious as possible. They just slowly rode into the peaceful meadow, however, Gaspard’s gaze remained on him almost the entire time. “So, we better show paths to each other’s chambers when we return, don’t you think?” Xavier added, tilting his head as he smirked, and finally stopped the movement of his horse. Gaspard followed him, but before that, he had manoeuvred his horse smoothly so that he suddenly was opposite Xavier, though still side by side, their legs brushing and bodies just so close as they stared directly into each other’s eager eyes.

“I wouldn’t mind…” Gaspard answered with a low voice, his eyes wandering all over Xavier’s body; from his calf-high leather boots and thighs, to his torso, which was slightly revealed thanks to the loose strings on his shirt, and finally his face, which most likely was as lustful as Gaspard’s. Xavier softly sighed.

“First though… Would you mind a little break here? It’s one of my favourite spots.” Xavier asked as he briefly glanced around the green meadow. It was empty, except for flowers, a few trees, crickets, some birds and butterflies. Quite perfect to do whatever one’s soul wished for…

“I’d love to.” Gaspard whispered, and Xavier immediately dismounted his horse. He led Phantom closer to the big tree to find some shade, and Gaspard did so as well as he’d gotten off his own horse. However, just as Xavier was rummaging through the sack attached to his saddle, he suddenly sensed Gaspard’s presence behind him. And he was right. Soon, a long arm gently wrapped around his waist from behind, and Xavier turned around to face Gaspard.

“I missed you, Xavier.” Gaspard whispered, and all Xavier could do was immediately embrace the man, one hand landing on his chest and the other on his hip. It was purely an instinctive act before he could even register any emotions, but the surprise caught up with him as he gazed into Gaspard's hazel eyes. It was surprising, yes. His words were, but even more surprising were those beautiful eyes, which no longer held the cheeky flirtation. Instead, they were filled with sincerity and vulnerability. Xavier swallowed hard.

“I missed you, too.” Xavier couldn’t help but let his heart speak, admitting it right away whilst gazing into those eyes filled with genuine emotion. He’d really missed Gaspard, and the only antidote was affection, which he acted on immediately. Before Gaspard could even respond, Xavier pressed his lips against his and everything felt right again.

At first, Gaspard let out a light gasp into Xavier’s lips as if he hadn’t expected Xavier to kiss him right away. However, the initial surprise didn’t last long. Soon, he wrapped his arms tighter around Xavier and deepened the kiss, making Xavier smile at his lover's eagerness. The same kiss that quickly became fierce as Xavier grabbed Gaspard by his shirt and pushed him against a nearby tree.

Gaspard moaned softly at the sudden display of momentary manhandling. Xavier couldn't help but deepen the kiss and bite down slightly on Gaspard's lower lip, earning another delicious moan. After what seemed like forever, their lips slowly parted and they both panted heavily. All Xavier could do was gaze some more at that handsome face, taking in his blushing cheeks and the way his lips glistened with saliva. Gaspard was truly mesmerising. He was a pure marvel, and even more intriguing when Xavier stared into his gorgeous hazel eyes. The eyes that still contained a look of sincere affection, and perhaps something even deeper and more poetic... The look that Xavier could no longer ignore when Gaspard suddenly brought his hand to his face, cupping it gently.

“You’re beautiful, Xavier.” Gaspard whispered, his eyes wandering over Xavier’s face as if he wanted to memorise every feature. Xavier sighed softly and couldn't help but nuzzle into the gentle touch of Gaspard’s hand caressing his cheek. He closed his eyes briefly, letting himself savour the warm touch that felt like the softest feather, only to be greeted by Gaspard’s adoring gaze when he opened them again. And Xavier was pretty sure that he absolutely mirrored that look.

“You are...” Xavier responded, leaning forward once again to capture Gaspard’s lips, only to receive an equally tender answer from the man. This time, it wasn’t fierce or lustful. It was slow, gentle and almost... loving. And as it turned out, this made Xavier feel very addicted. To this. To Gaspard... to the way he made him feel warm, safe, and simply happy. The purest and most genuine of emotions one could feel, and they didn’t diminish at all when their lips parted once again. 

On the contrary, everything seemed to intensify as he gazed some more at Gaspard, who suddenly looked like an ancient deity to him, utterly mesmerising in his beauty and strength. His captivating scent mixed with the fresh smell of nature, a true gift from the heavens. Xavier felt incredibly warm as he gently kissed Gaspard’s neck, embracing him tightly. The intense emotions he hadn’t felt before were almost overwhelming, making him drunk with joy and something much more beautiful and deeper that he was still too much of a coward to name. He suddenly wished to make Gaspard feel as great in return…

“Let me please you.” Xavier couldn’t stop himself from uttering these words. He never considered himself to be a selfish lover. While his own satisfaction was important to him, he took pride in making others feel good, too. However, this was something else entirely. He didn't just want to make Gaspard feel good anymore. He wanted to adore him. To worship him. Something completely foreign and taboo to a lord like himself. And yet Xavier craved just that; to strip himself bare in front of that beautiful man, relinquishing his lord status as he surrendered to pure passion. And he did just so as he suddenly got down to his knees. 

“Xavier…” Gaspard whispered with a trembling breath, surprise and bewilderment appearing in his eyes as Xavier had suddenly knelt right in front of him. The emotions that quickly turned to desire as Xavier, unable to contain his feelings, began nuzzling his face to Gaspard’s apparent bulge. The heat was making him crazy and he felt Gaspard lightly jerk, the weight of him throbbing against his eager mouth pressing tight to it, and he couldn’t help but moan lightly, a lance of arousal crackling through his body. Gaspard let out a soft gasp. “Please…” He added and ran his big hand through Xavier’s hair. Xavier sighed and quickly shoved Gaspard’s breeches down to his knees, revealing the cock at which sight Xavier’s mouth became even more moist.

He took Gaspard’s cock in his hand and stroked it slowly at first, simply enjoying its weight and the softness of the skin, which quickly became wet with pre-cum. Gaspard let out another gasp as Xavier placed a few gentle kisses on his cock, peppering it with pure adoration that was still rushing through his veins just before wrapping his tongue around the head. Gaspard softly moaned, and Xavier looked up to lock their eyes together just as he sucked the head lightly, and then slowly licked around it, tasting Gaspard’s musky taste. 

“Oh God.” Gaspard whispered, burying his fingers in Xavier’s black hair. Xavier hummed contentedly, and Gaspard loosened his grip, gently caressing his hair instead. This inspired another warm wave of adoration to run through Xavier’s body. He moaned softly around Gaspard's cock and pressed his fingers tightly into his hips, causing Gaspard to gasp again. Xavier continued to hold him tight as he tried to relax his throat some more, fending off the urge to choke before taking him even deeper.

He circled his tongue, hollowing his cheeks and moaning more, getting completely lost in all of his senses; the taste of pre-cum, the scent of musky sweat, and the strong hips under his fingertips. The sound of deep moans, the blushing cheeks and dreamy eyes of his deity gazing down at him. And the touch… The same touch that held and caressed him so sweetly while doing something that, in theory, seemed so filthy. Yet it didn’t feel filthy at all. With this wonder of a man touching him so lovingly, it just felt so beautiful and natural. 

Xavier let out another moan and pushed his breeches down just enough to take out his hard cock, which was in desperate need of attention as well. The whole situation was an incredible turn on for him... This didn’t slow down the work of his mouth, though. He still took care to savor every inch of Gaspard’s cock while also jerking himself off eagerly, which definitely affected Gaspard, who suddenly became even more vocal. Xavier hummed as well, closing his eyes while cherishing every moment and—

Gaspard suddenly pulled his cock out of Xavier’s mouth, causing him to miss the sensation immediately. Confused, Xavier furrowed his brows and looked up, a light pang of sadness even hitting him briefly until Gaspard leaned down and it started to make sense… 

“I can’t believe how amazing you are.” He murmured with an almost desperate tone and grabbed Xavier’s face to bring their lips together, kissing him deep and hungrily, sweeping his tongue inside to taste himself as he held his face gently. Xavier could only moan, a beautiful emotion blossoming in his heart like the flowers around them. 

“I love the way you taste, Gaspard.” Xavier whispered back as they pulled apart for a moment. He was still on his knees, holding his cock, while Gaspard was leaning down above him, caressing his face as their eyes filled with marvel wandered over each other’s blushing faces. I love the way you look. I love the way you are. I love the way you treat me. I might just love you… 

Xavier swallowed hard at his sudden train of thought. His heart beat faster, and Gaspard suddenly decided to put his cock back in his mouth. Something that he greeted with even more fervor as he took it deep, choking on it some, which was a welcome distraction from all the revelations floating around in his mind and heart. Gaspard and his eager hips welcomed it gladly as well as he was visibly getting close. He began thrusting into his mouth, and Xavier let his mind drift completely, freeing his other hand to rub Gaspard’s thigh and hip, squeeze his ass where he could reach, and pet sweetly at some thin-skinned scars here and there.

“I’m so close… Oh God, darling.” Gaspard whispered with a gasp, the sweet endearment making Xavier moan around his cock as he continued to suck eagerly, longing to taste Gaspard’s climax in his mouth. All that as he continued to stroke himself at an even faster pace, pumping himself in a burst of excitement, the sound a blur of wet skin and effort that soon merged with a deep moan and a call for his name, as Gaspard spilled down his throat.

Gaspard trembled slightly under Xavier’s touch, gripping his hair tightly as he came in the mouth, which swallowed all his seed. Xavier moaned softly, continuing to suck and swirl his tongue around Gaspard’s cock, relishing the slightly salty taste and warmth that coated his tongue. Eventually, Gaspard loosened his grip on his hair and pulled his sensitive cock out. 

Clearly exhausted, Gaspard immediately lay down on the soft grass. His face was slack with afterglow, his broad chest heaving up and down. Dark lashes framed his hazel eyes, which stared back at Xavier. It was a truly alluring sight. So much that Xavier almost forgot about his own hard-on as he promptly joined Gaspard in the grass, his physical need for climax momentarily replaced by his emotional need to simply be beside that beautiful man. But only almost, because his cock soon brushed against Gaspard’s muscular thigh, prompting a soft moan that didn't escape his attention.

Gaspard hummed gleefully and turned towards Xavier, immediately wrapping his arms around his body. Xavier softly gasped when he felt those strong arms around him and those delicious lips landing delicately on his skin. The sweet, gentle sensation of Gaspard kissing his skin sent shivers down his spine, and the feeling became only more intense as Gaspard tucked up his shirt and began kissing his abdomen, moving down towards his groin.

“Fuck, my Gaspard.” Xavier whispered with another gasp that quickly turned into a moan as Gaspard reached to finally stroke his cock, the hot breath on his most sensitive area making him absolutely crazy. He already knew he wouldn’t last long.

“Darling, so wonderful.” Gaspard murmured, a mix of awe and desperation in his voice, just before he put his mouth on Xavier’s cock. Xavier moaned, gripping the grass with one hand and holding Gaspard’s luscious curls with the other while Gaspard’s head bobbed up and down. Only a few moments passed before the hot mouth created a pleasurable friction that made everything around him fade away and his orgasm hit him like a wave, spilling his cum into Gaspard’s mouth. They both moaned as Gaspard swallowed with his eyes closed, pure bliss spreading across his face. 

Soon, Gaspard let go of Xavier’s cock and rested the head on his lower abdomen, just a few inches away from Xavier’s spent cock. They both remained silent for a few moments, panting heavily, until Gaspard left a few more gentle kisses upon Xavier’s thigh and abdomen. Xavier sighed in bliss, his mind slowly regaining consciousness as he lazily ran his fingers through Gaspard’s soft curls. Eventually, though, Gaspard rolled over onto his side, cuddling Xavier into his embrace, as their lips and eyes ended up so close again.

Xavier suddenly realised that his feelings of complete adoration for Gaspard remained as strong as before, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. He couldn’t help but just stare at Gaspard’s perfect face. His expression seemed so tender and yearning, as those lovely hazel eyes were locked on his, and this was enough. Xavier could only lean forward and kiss Gaspard deeply, urgently and desperately, hoping to convey all his intense feelings. Hoping he could pour all his adoration or, hell, let’s actually call it by its true name; love, into Gaspard’s lips, since he was at a complete loss for words. 

Gaspard responded immediately, kissing him back with the same passionate urgency while tasting one another in their mouths and on their lips. He ran his hand under Xavier’s shirt while caressing his cheek with the other, lightly stroking his stubble with his thumb. And Xavier couldn’t help but feel that Gaspard simply understood him. Just as he always did. 

Chapter Text

The night was calm, and the few candles lightly illuminated the otherwise dark chamber, creating a sleep-inducing atmosphere. But no sleep yet. Calm, peaceful nights like this were quite rare for Xavier, so he simply wanted it to last as long as possible, basking in the peace and quiet alongside the pure beauty of a man in his presence.

It seemed like their passionate encounter in the forest had awakened something within them, making it increasingly difficult to keep their distance from each other. Gaspard had memorised the route to Xavier’s chamber by now, and Xavier could never deny him access to his private quarters. 

It was no different that night. Prior, Xavier gathered with his court to discuss the upcoming journey to the neighbouring county. He exchanged knowing glances with Gaspard throughout, confirming they would go to his chamber once the meeting was over. And so they did, succumbing to passion once more. Just one touch was enough to make Xavier feel as if he had been given a ticket to paradise... 

And here they were now, naked and already post-act, lying in each other’s soft embraces, sipping red wine and cherishing one of life’s greatest beauties: human connection. For once, tranquillity and joy had taken over Xavier, and all he was doing was lying in bed while Gaspard spontaneously started sketching him. Sometimes it's the smallest things that make you the happiest, especially when you’re sharing moments with such a mesmerising person…

“Is there anything you miss about your old home in Besançon?” Xavier asked, as Gaspard continued to draw, his attention completely fixed on Xavier, and a look of soft admiration on his face. Admiration, that was the right word. It made Xavier feel admired and appreciated on a whole different level, and it was a priceless sensation. It simply made him happy, and he wished to make Gaspard as happy too, through his presence and their connection, and by ensuring he had everything he needed and more… Gaspard stopped the strokes of his pencil and hummed in thought under his breath.

“My harpsichord. Then again, given how often I’m away from home, I haven't spent much time with it in ages…” Gaspard answered with a slightly wistful glint in his eyes. Xavier felt dreamy at the mere thought of Gaspard playing such a wonderful instrument. However, he also felt kind of sad that Gaspard had been a nomad for most of his life because of his trade. It surely wasn’t as comfortable a life as his own, and it made Xavier want to shower Gaspard in gifts even more. And that harpsichord… Well, his castle certainly lacked one. Something to keep in his mind…

“It’s a lovely instrument. I’d love to hear you play it someday.” Xavier murmured, his face and eyes expressing a soft look as he focused on that dreamy aspect again. It was easy to lose himself in that dreamy state when he had that lovely man right there. His eyes slowly wandered over those long, muscular legs, up towards the hairy torso, and finally to that extraordinarily handsome face he could never tire of peppering in kisses… Their eyes met, and Gaspard’s expression softened as well.

“I’d love to play for you, Xavier,” Gaspard admitted with a gentle smile as they gazed at each other for a few more moments until he swallowed a little and looked down at the paper in his hands. “Though just like with this sketch, don’t expect me to be a virtuoso on the harpsichord either… When it comes to the portraits we’ve made of each other, I think yours are better than mine.” He murmured, chuckling under his breath, as he moved back to sit next to Xavier, who raised his brows at the sight of the freshly made sketch. It was clearly a quick sketch, nonetheless, Xavier appreciated it as he could see that Gaspard still possessed skill.

“Nonsense. I spent ages on mine and didn't have the distraction of your wonderful body... What matters is the intention behind it, and the fact that you did something so sweet for me with your lovely hands.” Xavier pointed out with a whisper. Gaspard put the drawing and pencil away on the nightstand, and Xavier took his hands in his, bringing them to his lips. A light gasp left Gaspard’s lips as Xavier peppered Gaspard’s hands with gentle kisses, trying to pour his adoration into the soft touch. Soon, it became even easier to express their tender passion, as Gaspard simply leaned in to kiss Xavier again that night. Something so natural, so familiar at this point, yet so exhilarating...

“Obviously, I'll accompany you on your journey, but I know we’ll have to keep it low around everyone. Honestly, I'll miss us being like this…” Gaspard admitted after they had parted, their bodies still so close, and hands slowly wandering over each other’s skin. Xavier deeply sighed and  moved even closer towards Gaspard, slowly running his hand over his side.

“Me too, Gaspard…” He murmured, his expression becoming more serious, as did Gaspard’s, when Xavier brought his hand to his lover's cheek. He had some sincere words at the tip of his tongue again. “But I'm grateful to have you by my side, no matter what. This is my first official visit as a count, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous... But knowing you'll be with me helps.” He revealed, and both of them seemed to swallow a little. The corners of Gaspard’s lips turned slightly upwards as their eyes wandered over each other’s faces. 

“I know you’ll do great, Xavier, and know I'll also do anything in my power to protect you.” He promised with a quiet, yet earnest voice, wrapping his arms tightly around Xavier and pulling him close for an intimate hug. Xavier swallowed hard, a stream of intense emotions running through his veins at the words that displayed sincerity, belief in him, and devotion. However, that said devotion also made his heart feel a light pang because of the danger it hinted at. The fact that he needed protection at all, and that Gaspard, indeed, was here to protect him most of all. Xavier knew he needed it, yet he felt part of himself die at the thought of something possibly happening to Gaspard because of him. 

Xavier closed his eyes and tried to ignore the bad feeling in his gut. Instead, he focused on the divine warmth emanating from Gaspard’s body. He nuzzled his neck, kissing it softly and wrapping his arms tightly around Gaspard as sleep slowly took over their bodies.

When Xavier woke up hours later, morning had already arrived and his bed was empty. It took his mind a few moments to realise what day it was and why Gaspard had disappeared so early, but when his mind finally remembered everything, a groan escaped his lips.

Today was the day. It was the day of the journey to the neighbouring county, where several lords were to meet to discuss English attacks and defence strategies. That mere prospect was enough to make Xavier feel enormous pressure, anxiety already creeping inside his veins. Despite having been in power for only a short time, he was already having to make decisions that could be crucial for his land, and perhaps even for France as a whole. Moments like these, especially when he was alone in his chamber, made him feel anything but the confident and unyielding lord he was expected to be. But that was fine. It was natural. It was hard times, he knew he still had a lot to learn, but he was thankful he could count on the advice of experienced sirs like Pedro and Gaspard in such cases.

Speaking of Gaspard, Xavier had just remembered his lover mentioning the previous night that he would try to sneak out of his chamber particularly early. He did most of the time, but this time, there was no room for accidental oversleeping, as the whole court was on high alert due to the journey. 

There was not much time for lying in bed and overthinking, and preparations for departure began. The horses were ready. His retinue of knights, squires and main adviser were ready too, and he soon put on the final pieces of his attire. This consisted of a black arming doublet, a maroon cloak with black fur lining, fastened with a brooch bearing the family emblem, and a sword that hung from his leather belt. The clothing was comfortable enough for hours of riding, yet still made him ready for anything that might happen out in the open…

“Good morning, Lord.” Xavier finally heard that familiar, soft voice as he approached the stable with Pedro, who had been briefing him on the plans in detail. He turned towards the voice and indeed, he saw Gaspard standing there in all his knightly glory…

In a way, that sight reminded Xavier of the first time he had seen Gaspard at the tournament. Of course, Gaspard wasn’t wearing the fancy, heavy full plate armour he had worn back then, as it was impractical for trips like this. Instead, he wore chainmail with a gambeson underneath, a cloak, and a tabard bearing his family emblem. A mighty sword in his scabbard and a helmet in his hands, covered by riding leather gloves, all providing an attire that was comfortable yet still proper for a knight. However, Xavier wasn't used to seeing Gaspard wearing such an outfit, which was why he was suddenly staring. The outfit really emphasised how strong and majestic Gaspard was… He cleared his throat.

“Good morning, Sir. I hope you slept well last night,” Xavier said with as much composure as he could muster. However, he quickly realised that he should have chosen a different topic of conversation, as the current one only reminded him of their night together. God, suddenly, trying to maintain the appearance of a lord talking with his knight, with whom he had absolutely no personal relationship, felt like utter torture… Gaspard delicately licked his lips.

“I did. It was almost a shame to leave the warm bed…” Gaspard trailed off with a low voice, staring right into Xavier’s eyes, and Xavier immediately knew what he meant. He sighed.

“I bet…” Xavier murmured, and Pedro sighed deeply, his gaze moving back and forth between Gaspard and Xavier. Xavier swallowed hard, suddenly remembering that his adviser had been standing there the whole time. Gaspard’s presence was truly strong. He forgot about the entire world when he was with him…

“Sir Augé.” Pedro interrupted, his voice carrying a determined edge. Gaspard swallowed and bowed his head slightly, seeming startled as if he hadn't been aware of his presence either.

“Uh, good morning to you too, Sir Winter.” He murmured, finally looking at Pedro, who nodded. More knights appeared and greeted Xavier, distracting him from Gaspard’s presence, and soon, they all began mounting their horses. It was a good reminder that as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t chitchat with Gaspard here. But before that…

“You look lovely today, Xavier.” Gaspard whispered, brushing against him as they were about to mount their horses. Xavier sighed, suddenly feeling much hotter than he should have that morning. He quickly ran his fingers across Gaspard’s back, hoping the man would read it as a response to his compliment, thankfully he did, lightly smiling back at Xavier.

Xavier tried not to stare at Gaspard during the ride, only occasionally glancing at him and exchanging a few totally ordinary conversations. However, he was still rather motivated by that smile throughout the long hours of medium-speed riding through forest after forest. Thankfully, their destination wasn’t on the other side of the country, otherwise, they would have had to ride for days, or maybe even weeks. Nevertheless, it was going to take almost the entire day, with a few breaks for the horses and themselves. After all, they needed to eat and drink something too.

“Lord… What would you say about taking a break for a meal? It looks like the sun has reached its highest point,” Jacques, one of the youngest knights in the group, asked. Xavier hummed in consideration and looked along the path, which seemed wide enough for everyone to stop briefly. 

“Yeah, not a bad idea. My Phantom could use some rest too.” Xavier agreed, lightly patting his horse, which had visibly slowed down in the last few minutes. Pedro and Gaspard nodded, and the rest began dismounting their horses. 

Xavier took off his riding gloves, turned his face towards the sun and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth for a moment while stretching his legs. The squires gave the horses water, and the group sat down by the trees to eat their rations. Xavier grabbed some bread, cheese, and dried meat and sat down with his retinue. However, only a few moments passed before a tall figure appeared beside him.

“Lord, may I join you?” Gaspard asked with a little smile and Xavier couldn’t help but grin, unable to stop a wave of warmth running through his body in the presence of his tall knight. How could he say no?

“Go ahead, Sir.” He responded with a low voice, and Gaspard sat down next to him, a light smirk briefly appearing on his face. Gaspard offered his flask to Xavier, who took it with a light nod of appreciation. The wine was nice and refreshing, and he couldn't help but enjoy sharing something with Gaspard. He gave the flask back, their fingers brushing in the process and their eyes met, almost speaking of eagerness…

Pedro suddenly coughed, and they both quickly looked at the man, who was glaring at them as if to say, 'behave.' Xavier swallowed hard and looked at the rest of the group, who seemed not to care. Everyone was eating, drinking and chatting about mundane things. Xavier shook his head slightly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his adviser. He understood his worries, but really, when did he become such an unfun old man?!

Xavier just sighed and continued eating his cheese. He focused on the fact that having Gaspard by his side was nice enough, and that spending his free time with the rest of the group was good too. While many other lords would try hard to show their superiority by dining separately from the group, Xavier believed that a good leader also had to connect with his men, even through small things like this. History showed that this approach always boosted morale.

“Everyone, I think I heard something.” Suddenly, however, Xavier’s thoughts and the chatter around him were interrupted by Victor’s voice. Sir Le Masne stood up alertly, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, as he warily looked around the forest. 

“What?” Pedro asked, frowning, as everyone suddenly looked at each other in caution. The area became eerily quiet.

“Rustling in the woods...” Victor whispered, and Xavier swallowed hard. He suddenly didn't feel as carefree anymore, especially when he looked at Gaspard. The knight had put down the last of his food and seemed to become equally alert, getting up to his feet. 

“No way, Sir. It must have been a deer or another wild animal...” Jacques sneered, and Xavier glared at him, not liking the tone of the young knight at all. Victor was a very experienced warrior whose words should not be ignored, and Gaspard–

“Arrows!” Gaspard shouted, and everyone suddenly got to their feet, grabbing their weapons and shields. Before Xavier could properly process the meaning of the word, he could hear the distinctive sound of arrows flying down. Gaspard immediately put the visor of his helmet down, taking his long sword out of the scabbard, and Xavier’s instincts finally kicked in. He stood up, unsheathing his own sword and ran. The murderous chaos began.

“We’re under attack!” Someone shouted, and God help them… Xavier had just realised that it was really happening. Several masked bandits jumped out of the bushes, brandishing swords and axes as they charged straight at them. 

“Pedro! Get the Lord out of here! Escort him to the back!” Gaspard ordered, his eyes intense and determined as he took one last look at Xavier before running towards the enemy. Xavier’s breath almost faltered as he watched Gaspard clash his sword against one of the bandits’ swords, and soon his body, blood spilling onto the blade and the ground. Before he knew it, Pedro had grabbed his arm and tried to pull him out of the middle of the fight.

Moments passed and Xavier was still in shock. He could only watch in bewilderment as Gaspard and the others fought the bandits, while Pedro dragged him away towards the horses. In a way, it reminded him of the tournament again. The chaos, the display of strength and brutality, accompanied by shouts, screams of pain and the sound of metal clashing. But this wasn’t a silly tournament. This was a real fight for life and death, and he was right in the fucking middle of it. 

“No, I can’t leave you.” Xavier murmured through gritted teeth. The sight of two of his men already on the ground and Gaspard fighting with all his might, rapidly sobered him up. There was no way he could leave his knights, no way he could leave Gaspard… He would rather die fighting than escape like a coward. Pedro looked at him as if he absolutely disagreed, but two bandits rushed at them and fighting genuinely became the only option.

“De Rosnay, you’re already fucking dead!” The masked bandit shouted. If Xavier had had any doubts about whether their opponents were just coincidental village bandits or something more sinister, he was now certain that there were no coincidences. The man ran at him, and Xavier quickly raised his sword, fury taking over him.

“Death to all traitors!” Xavier screamed with all his might, which seemed to invigorate his several companions, who joined him in the shout while fighting vigorously. He charged at the enemy, their blades quickly clashing loudly. Strike after strike, Xavier parried every one of the opponent’s attacks before eventually slashing his unarmoured side. The man screamed in pain, and Xavier quickly withdrew his bloody sword from the body, which quickly collapsed to the ground. 

Though this wasn’t the end, but rather the beginning, as his sword quickly found another opponent. He noticed that Pedro was still fighting hard against another bandit, so Xavier ran to help his adviser. The man swung his sword to deflect Pedro’s, but Xavier suddenly attacked from the other side, successfully slashing the man’s throat and coating his own sword in even more blood. However, just as he was about to look for Gaspard, another bandit reached Pedro, and a sudden impact pushed Xavier down to the ground in the blink of an eye.

Xavier groaned as an attacker tackled him to the ground, snatching the sword from his hand and throwing it completely out of reach. Shocked, Xavier tried to push him away immediately, but the attacker just lay on top of him and punched him in the face. Xavier groaned in pain as his jaw stung and ached, but he wasn’t giving up. He writhed around, trying to grab his dagger, but the much heavier and stronger man completely blocked his movement. When he got a momentary chance to move because the attacker moved up slightly, he thought it was his chance. However, it suddenly became even worse.

“Henry sends his regards.” The attacker murmured into Xavier's ear as he turned him around quickly and knelt up behind him. Xavier screamed in rage and wriggled around like a wild animal. He tried to grab his dagger again, but it was quickly kicked out of his hand, and suddenly a rope slipped around his neck.

Xavier’s eyes widened, and he grabbed the rope instinctively, trying to stop it from strangling him. But to no avail. At this point, the attacker stood up just behind him, making Xavier kneel up as the rope encircled his neck even more tightly, causing an ache unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Breathing became increasingly difficult, sounds were muffled, and sights blurred as the chaos continued around him, with everyone too busy fighting their own battles to notice that he was literally dying. 

Is that really it? Is that how his end was supposed to look? Everyone thinks they’re special and meant for something bigger and more significant. Meant to leave their mark on the world. But you’re not. You’re just a piece of flesh that can lose everything in an instant, and Xavier was more certain of that than ever. In mere seconds, his whole life flashed before his eyes, and in the end, all he could think about was Gaspard. He was grateful to have known someone so unique and precious, but also regretful for getting him into this terrible mess. He just hoped that Gaspard wouldn’t share his fate and that he would go on with his life…

“Gaspard…” Xavier managed to whisper harshly, all the coherent thoughts evaporating from his mind as he was certain that this was definitely it. Suddenly, however, he heard a thud and a shout just behind him, and the rope fell from around his neck, freeing him from the pain. 

Xavier caught his breath rapidly, unable to believe he could breathe freely again. Still panting, he looked around and saw the attacker lying on the ground with Gaspard standing over him. The knight raised his visor to reveal his worried, bruised face, and then grabbed Xavier by his arms to help him up.

“God, Xavier, are you all right?” Gaspard asked, his face full of concern. Xavier took a deep breath, his eyes wandering over Gaspard who was holding him. He couldn’t fucking believe it. He had just been preparing to die, thinking of his lover in his final moments, and yet here he was, still alive because Gaspard had actually saved him. 

“You saved me.” Xavier whispered in realisation, his heartbeat and breath rapid and mind still filled with shock. His eyes were wandering over Gaspard’s face, his emotions intense as he tried to comprehend everything. However, Gaspard’s hold on him abruptly tightened and his expression became filled with pain.

“Xavier—” Gaspard suddenly groaned, his eyes and mouth widening as he slowly looked down at his leg and there… a dagger stabbed deep in. 

No, no, no... That can’t be. Xavier felt himself start to panic again. That’s when he noticed the attacker lying on the ground, barely moving but still breathing, clinging to the dagger that had just been thrust into Gaspard’s calf. Gaspard suddenly turned pale and his grip weakened, even though Xavier still tried to hold on to him. He just managed to give Xavier one last look filled with pain and sorrow, and he collapsed.

“No, no, Gaspard. Please, fuck, no!” Xavier screamed in rage and helplessness as he looked at Gaspard lying there, breathing slowly and bleeding. His first instinct was to kneel next to Gaspard and try to help him, but then he suddenly noticed that their attacker was still alive. He was lying on the ground, looking at Xavier with mockery in his eyes, and that was too much. Blinded by unspeakable rage, Xavier could only get up and grab Gaspard’s dagger. 

“I’ll make you regret ever being born… I’ll kill you and every one of your traitorous companions!” The screams simply flew out of Xavier’s mouth as he approached the already wounded bandit and kicked his kidney, making him curl up in pain even more. Xavier abruptly grabbed the man by his tunic and stabbed him in the abdomen, causing the man to let out a loud groan. “How fucking dare you?!” Xavier shouted straight into the man’s face, fury and madness taking complete control of him. One stab wasn’t enough for attacking him, and what’s worse, for attacking Gaspard. He repeated the action again and again, and then the throat looked equally tempting. He just had to slice it and—

“Lord, lord! Stop it. He’s already dead!” Pedro’s shouts suddenly reached him and, before he knew it, Pedro and Victor were dragging him away from the bandit lying in a pool of blood. Xavier writhed around and cursed loudly a few more times before finally looking around. He noticed that the fighting had died down and that his own people were still alive, the ground mostly scattered with bandits. He froze and then turned to see Gaspard still lying on the ground. Three of his knights were standing and kneeling over him, trying to stop the bleeding. Xavier swallowed hard, his heart skipping a beat as he realised once again that Gaspard was seriously wounded. The bloody dagger fell from his hand.

Xavier immediately ran to Gaspard’s side, pushing his knights out of the way, and hastily dropped to his knees beside his lover. Gaspard's whole body was shaking slightly, and his exposed skin was much paler than usual. Xavier grabbed his hand, ignoring what the others might think. Fuck it! He just had to hold him.

“Stay with me, please.” Xavier murmured, his voice shaky and his eyes watery at the sight of his usually strong man looking so weak. Gaspard was breathing shallowly while the other knights tried to stop the bleeding by tightly wrapping the wound. 

“Xavier…” He whispered, gripping Xavier’s hand lightly as his exhausted gaze ran over Xavier’s frightened face. “I feel cold.” Gaspard added, and Xavier quickly took off his cloak and put it over Gaspard’s torso.

“Here… Don’t give up, Gaspard. You’re strong.” He tried to reassure Gaspard, taking his hand once again as though his life depended on it. His desperation to save his lover was unmistakable to everyone around. “You have to save him! Understand?!” He shouted at the knights, an intense array of emotions flooding his mind. Despair, anger, guilt… But most of all regret, as the words 'I love you, Gaspard' sat on the tip of his tongue.

Yes, he was now certain that he was in love with Gaspard. He still didn’t know exactly when it had happened. It just had, and it happened so naturally and seamlessly, as if it were meant to be. Yet he hadn’t told Gaspard, and he regretted it immensely. Gaspard had saved his life at the cost of getting injured himself, and Xavier couldn’t even tell him that he loved him. At the moment, he couldn’t help but just hate himself.

The sky suddenly became cloudy, and a few drops of rain fell onto Xavier’s cheek and their hands. Gaspard just gripped his hand one last time before slowly closing his eyes, pushing Xavier deeper into despair.