When I next awoke, I was laying in the most comfortable bed I had ever felt. I wondered if everything that had happened was really just a dream. I lazily rotated in bed, feeling the soft silk bed sheets slide across my body. Pulling the blanket closer to my head, I took in a deep breath and enjoyed the warmth that radiated out from the thick white blanket. I felt my toes still covered and groggily processed the length of the blanket before taking in another deep breath. A soft knock on the door startled me from my dream-like state.
"Good morning little one." The silky voice from before said gently, sending shivers down my spine, jolting me from my daze.
If he's real, then everything else is too! He thought, keeping his eyes closed while trying to keep his eyes from watering. The bitter grief began to seep into my soul, and no amount of blanket could numb the pain of remembering his father's death. I let out another sigh and tried to hold back my tears as I lay still. The man's large hand gently squeezed my shoulder, and I shivered again, my eyes opening just enough to see him in casual clothing. "Where's your robe?" I asked numbly, trying to keep my voice from shaking as I looked at his simple garment.
The man squeezed my shoulder lightly again as he sat down beside me. His face was clean shaved, and his deep blue eyes seemed warm and inviting compared to the turmoil that swam deeply before. "We don't wear our robes in the castle. We wear plainclothes here unless preparing for a mission. Did you sleep okay, how's your head doing?" He asked quickly with concern,
"I slept well enough, and my head feels fine..." I replied softly, looking up to the man's muscular jawline. Feeling somewhat anxious as the silence began to wash over them, I tried to break the silence. "I-I know I said I would join you, and I'm not trying to back out or anything. But, can I ask a few questions about all of this?" The man nodded his head silently, blinking his eyes slowly as I sat up. Sitting up slowly with my back to the wall, I softly rubbed my eyes. Pausing for a moment, I looked at him and wasn't sure what to say. "What's your name?" I blurted out suddenly.
"My name?" The man repeated in surprise as his eyebrows raised. "You were taken to a castle by two strange men in robes, and your first question is what's your name?" I felt my cheeks began to pinken as he began to laugh. "My name is Colin, but we don't use names in this cult, especially if we are gathering somebody for the monthly sacrifice." He explained while terror flooded my system. He started laughing more heartily as I quickly tried to get out of bed and flee, but his large hand grabbed my shoulder, holding me in place. "I'm kidding little one, don't be scared! I told you that I was going to protect you, killing you would make me a liar, wouldn't it?"
"Stop calling me little one!" I replied, my cheeks burning hot. "I have a name you know, it's Paul!"
"Paul?" Colin repeated slowly, letting the name roll off his tongue. "No, I don't think I will use that name. I much prefer little one, it's much cuter. He took his hand off my shoulder and let it rest on the bed beside him as I felt my cheeks burning hotter. "I hope you don't mind, but I did have to change you out of your soiled clothing. You smelled quite foul, and I didn't want you to make a mess in my bed."
"You what!" I cried out embarrassed as I quickly scooted back till my back hit the cold stone wall. "Y-You undressed me, and changed me?" I watched as he scooted himself further onto his bed, then lay his head down on the pillow beside me. Laying down flat on the bed, he slowly stretched his long tan legs on the bed.
"I did, you had completely soiled your clothing. I think my temporary partner put something into your food aside from the sleeping draft I gave him. Your bowel movements must have been liquid, and it went clear down to your legs. Don't worry though, I was most gentle with your, not so little one," Colin smirked as he looked at my legs. "but it was crusted over quite heavily. It only took me a few hours though."
I felt my heart furiously beating against my chest, and my cheeks were burning hotter than they ever had before. "You didn't have to do that. I could have taken care of myself when I woke up! I'm sure there are other beds here that I could have used." I raised my legs up and quickly buried my head between them as I used the blanket to cover myself.
"But if I left you alone out in the temple hospital, somebody else might have seen you and tried to challenge me for your apprenticeship. I didn't want to risk killing somebody for you until you were awake and had the chance to choose me." Colin explained as he slowly sat up, pulling the blanket from off my head and crossing his legs. "You must have other questions though, I suggest you ask them quickly before the masters summon you."
My mind went blank as I weakly looked up at him. His casual posture clashing with his sweet voice. "What uh, where am I?" I asked slowly before burying my head between my legs again.
"You are in my room, on my bed, to be more specific." Colin smirked at his own joke, but I couldn't help from rolling my eyes beneath his gaze. "We are at the castle Letane in France."
"France?" I cried out in shock, my head bolting up. "We're in France? Why are we in France?"
Colin looked down at the ground, his smile fading slowly. "We're in France because the Flara haven't set their claws into it yet."
"The Flara, what are you talking about?" I asked as my curiosity began to grow. "The Flara are just a group of thugs and mercenaries from America! What do they have to do with anything?"
A cold expression washed over Colin, making me regret my asking at all. "The Flara are a dangerous organization that has been trying to take over the world for many hundreds of years little one. You think they are but a small band of mercenaries, but we know them to be a massive group with plans of world domination. We've been fighting with them since the dawn of our organization's birth."
"Wait a second," I questioned as confusion started to take root. "What do you mean take over the world? Why would they try and claim North America, and what do you mean your organization? How many of you are there?"
Colin closed his eye for a moment and thought, stretching his arms up towards the ceiling, which revealed a toned stomach line. Letting his arms fall again, one landed on his thigh, the other on the bed. "North America is an untapped resource. While England has been exploiting your massive lumber and gold reserves, the other nations have grown displeased with the constant flow to their war coffers. The Flara in the British government however, have been happily sucking the life out of your thirteen colonies. Many members of the British empire are Flara members, and they have been using these new resources to take control over big shipping companies and other processing businesses. They have staked England as their base of operation and have started to sink their teeth into North America.
"So the Flara are like a parasite then, and you're what, the scalpel?" I asked, watching as he anxiously began to play with the blanket, letting it run between his fingers then fall.
"In a sense, we are more like the doctor who tries to remove a large leech any time it tries to get greedy so that the nation might survive."
Nodding my head slowly, I let out a little sigh. "So let me see if I got this figured out. This Flara group have been running things from the shadows since forever, and you and your friends are the ones who try and stop them?"
"Exactly!" Colin said as he poked my knee with his finger. "Your understanding of resistance, and stepping into the morally grey to fight the Flara was one of the reasons I saved your life when you were fleeing from those guards. I thought you might have a brain in you. We are always looking for new people to help us stand up to the scum."
"But that wasn't the only reason you saved me, was it?" I questioned, trying not to look at him directly. "I mean you said you wanted to be the judge of my potential, and wanted to make me yours. What's that mean?"
"It means what it sounds like." Colin replied while lifting my chin, forcing me to look at him. I noticed a glint in his eye that made me think he wanted to say more, but as quick as it had appeared, it was gone, and he let go of my chin. "I saw you fleeing from the guards, and something clicked. I knew I had to have you, it was like the sun shined down directly on you, and I couldn't help but come to your aid."
Silence consumed the room as I looked at him, my heart pounded quickly in my chest, I had no idea how to respond to his flattery. Instead I sat there quietly, hoping he would say something else. I felt his gaze turn on me, and I managed to look up to see him scoot closer towards me. "W-What are you doing?" I asked nervously as I took a sharp breath in.
"I'm doing what I should have done back at the bathhouse." Colin whispered in a lusty voice as he leaned forward to kiss me. I was frozen, unsure what to do as his lips inched closer to mine. A sudden knock at the door froze him, nearly touching mine. "Hold that thought." He whispered with a slight growl before he climbed off the bed and started for the door. "What is it." He called out in the same icy tone from the boat.
"The masters have called for your apprentice. They're expecting him in the library. Please guide him there as soon as possible." The polite voice called through the door.
"Thank you Alex," Colin answered, his voice growing softer. "I'll take him there now." No voice responded as he turned and came back towards the bed, extending his hand to me. "Come little one, we will have to return to our conversation tonight after supper.
Looking at him dazed, I timidly accepted his rough hand before climbing from the bed. Looking down, I realized I was wearing an oversized pair of the same cotton robes as Colin. "W-Who are the masters, are they like you?"
Colin quickly pulled me forward and kissed me gently, then watched with amusement as I quickly stumbled away. "There's nobody like me little one. I am singularly unique, but the masters are not people to be undervalued. They are wiser than we ever will be. I've heard they've gone so far as to work with our alchemist. They have been working on a way to extend their lives. Alex says he's close to figuring out the secrets of immortality. We might be some of the first to able to live forever you and me." He smirked and opened the door. "Hurry now, let's not keep them waiting."
"Am I dressed okay?" I asked, looking down at the oversized clothing. My pale white skin reflecting brighter from the dark-colored clothing.
Colin laughed and snatched my hand in his own before starting off towards the masters. "You look fine little one. Fear not, for I will protect you, even from them!"
"Can you stop calling me that!" I complained as he tugged me down the large stone hallway, my bare feet slapping against the cold rock.
"I don't like your old name." Colin said in a matter of fact tone. "I will call you something better though if you insist on not being called my little one."
"Whatever, just stop calling me little one. It makes me feel weird, we hardly know each other, and you're already giving me a pet name." I explain as my thoughts suddenly begin to race, conjuring all kinds of stupid pet names.
"That's fine by me, lover." He replied, making me swallow hard. "It's what you and me are going to be, and it solidifies my place as your master."
"I..." I paused, unsure of how to finish that sentence. A few people passed us and stared as Colin tugged me along, barefoot on the smooth stone ground. Who the hell does he think he is! I'm not a little kid, he doesn't just get to decide what we are! I don't even know why I went with this guy! I thought as he strode forward into a large temple room filled with people bustling around the center square. "How old are you Colin. You keep treating me like a child, making all kinds of choices for me like I have no say. If you turn out to be younger than me, I'm going to hurt you!"
"I'm thirty, today's my birthday, and I want you to be my present!" Colin answered, making me blush as he continued forward through the throng of people.
"W-What?" I stammered, weaving around some of the people while trying to keep up. "I'm not an object, you can't just toss me onto a bed like a thing."
"Why not?" Colin responded curiously as we continued to push through the large throng of people.
"Because I have feelings, and a say in the matter. Have you ever thought that I might not like you in the same way? Hell, I might not even be gay!" I felt his hand tense as we stopped walking. He turned around and looked at me, his pain apparent. "I-I mean, look I don't even know you, I just met you, then you dragged me into all this." I pointed to the large temple around me. "I don't know what to feel, especially towards a man who claimed to love me after saving my life. I mean, we just met!"
His hand tightened against mine, and I felt my cheeks begin to burn as he lifted our hands to his chest. I felt his toned body beneath my fingers, a few seconds later, I felt his heartbeat pounding quickly. "Do you feel this lover, you do this to me. I've never found anybody attractive, never desiring to be with them. Then out of the blue, I go on a mission and almost botch it because I saw you. Nobody has ever made me feel that way before, and I'd rather die than give this feeling up." He looked at me, his gaze burning through me. "Look into my eyes and tell me you don't feel anything, and I'll never mention it again..." He waited silently as I looked at the ground, unable to meet his gaze. "That's what I thought." He said with a smirk as he resumed his pace, tugging me along behind him. "Come, I am your master, and I will teach you how to survive and more.
I felt my heartbeat begin to race at the thought of training under Colin and felt a shiver of excitement as we came to the large doorway with a polished bronze statue. The statue was of a man holding a large scroll that extended to his legs. In his other hand was a quill and the statue face seemed very focused. "How many masters are there?" I asked in a hushed tone as we passed the statue.
"There are five of them." Colin responded in a similar tone. "The masters are very wise, and very dangerous. Do not provoke them, they can send your soul to the afterlife before you even know you died. Their age has only sharpened their aim.
I swallowed again, making a gulping sound as we got closer to where the masters were said to be. As fear began to burn deeper inside me, my hands began to tremble. Colin chuckled, squeezing my hand tenderly.
"And most importantly don't be scared, they may be dangerous old birds, but they are also a little senile sometimes. So just be polite, and you will be fine." Colin said as a thin blade suddenly whizzed past him sticking into the rock only inches from his face.
"Who are you calling senile?" A deep, worn-out voice called out from the center of the room. "I can still kick your ass twenty years into the future, even at two hundred!" Colin bowed his head in apology
My heart began to race as I looked around the room. There were hundreds of stone shelves, filled with books from all ages. Some of the shelves had scrolls stacked on top of one another. Others had stacks of books in them in ancient leather. Then in the center, behind five blood-red seats were scrolls in glass cases. "Wow, look at all these books..." I mumbled in wonder as I continued to look about the room.
"Impressive isn't it." One of the men said, drawing my attention to the ancient-looking men on the chairs. I nodded my head quickly, and one on the right snickered.
"Don't be so impressed, this is only a tenth of our collection." He gloated as his wrinkled skin jiggled. "Colin, who is this outsider you have brought into our halls?"
I opened my mouth to speak, and Colin quickly covered my mouth, silencing me. "He was a Flara rebel I saved on my last mission. He was cornered by a group of them, so I intervened. Even with his dominant hand broken, he managed to overpower one of the guards. I thought he would be a valuable addition to our cause. He's native to North America, and I remember you telling me we needed to start a hold in one of the America's." He uncovered my mouth and let his hand fall to his side.
The old men all turned their eyes to me and began to chatter amongst themselves, occasionally looking my way as if I were a unique scroll in need of appraisal. The man in the middle stood up and started towards the two of us, I took in a sharp breath and tried to keep calm as he approached. "What is your name boy." He commanded.
"I-I, my name is Paul s-sir," I managed to say as he began to poke at my body.
"How many of those closest to you have the Flara killed?" The old man asked,
"M-My father..." I managed to say, forcing my voice to stay still as the thought of him laying dead in his chair began to force its way forward.
"You will fit right in, have you been chosen by a teacher for training?" The old man asked with a curious look at Colin.
"Y-Yes sir," I stammered as the man continued to look me over. "Colin has offered to be my master.
A smile flashed across the old man's face as he looked to Colin. "Yes, I figured he would, he's never brought a student to us before." He looked over to Colin then pat his shoulder affectionately. "You are willing to take on a new apprentice such as him? Did Marcus not serve you well?"
Colin looked back at the man with distaste. "Marcus was never supposed to be my apprentice. He lost his master in the mission to help China. It was always supposed to be temporary."
"So you wish to take on this apprentice as your own?" A man sitting on one of the chairs spoke up in a questioning tone.
"That I would, sir." Colin agreed with a bit more energy than before. "I think he would make a great addition. If I train him, we will be able to set up a new outpost in North America. This is a win any way you look at it."
"Fine, the boy is yours." The one beside us stated in a casual tone. "Dismissed."
"Thank you master," Colin bowed his head, then took my hand and started back for the door. I followed in silence and tried to process all that happened. "Are you okay lover?" He asked in a soft tone as we stepped out into the main hallway.
"I'm fine," I responded quickly as he guided us back the way we came.
Colin paused, then pulled me in for another kiss. I stood there in silence, unsure of what to do till he pulled away. My mind quickly beginning to spin. "Good, your training starts now. Follow me."
"Hew new blood!" The voice of Marcus called out as he came from behind the statue behind me. I turned around and saw him chasing after us with a mysterious smile on his face. "I heard you are going to be taking my place as masters apprentice." He looked over at Colin with resentment. "Don't mess him up too badly okay?"
I felt my lips curl in disgust as he turned his manipulative smile back on me. "I'll see you around friend. I hope you like his bed, you're going to be there a lot!"
The page ended and a large portion of the pages that followed have been torn from the book. Thomas looked up from the journal and noticed that the sun had just begun to rise. He shut the book with a small sigh before pressing the small button on his chest, opening the compartment and put the book inside. Pressing the button again, he sealed it shut and lay down onto his bed before he closed his eyes.
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Well another one down! I am enjoying this swap between first and third, it's difficult to maintain when I am working in the story, but I hope it's worth it! What do y'all think about it? If you wanna make my day, don't forget to vote for the story, and leave a few comments! I hope you have a fantastic day friends and don't forget to drink lots of water! :)
-Asted!