Caspian was speechless when the king walked across the room entirely nude and confident in his form, disappearing into the lavatory. Cas frowned as the king talked about escorting him around, as if to parade around his newest acquisition.
"I have followed plenty of kings around as they tended to their duties: my father and brother....so I have no interest in following you around, like a trained pup nipping at your heels. My answer is: no," Cas stated simply as he remained seated on the plush stool and ate at his strawberry-jam covered croissant and fresh eggs.
Lucian looked extremely displeased in the corner of his eye but he ignored it, staying firm in his decision. Afterall, the king could only spend so much time focusing on his new prisoner before he needed to dress for the day and begin his royal duties.
"Then leashed it is," voiced the king, launching his huge body away from the doorframe to proceed to the wardrobe pod. "And since my new slave needs to be humbled a bit, I think your attire shall be minimalistic."
Lucian tossed on a fresh pair of black leather pants and was fastening a matching long belt to his waist as he added, "Maybe a light emerald-hued sarong to match your eyes? How does that sound, princeling?"
The young prince's jaw dropped in shock as the king talked about gallivanting him around in a barely concealed garment. "How have you gone from kind to a brute over night?! I'm ashamed I let you touch me yesterday and especially claim my first kiss! You are revolting!" Cas angrily hissed at the dressing king.
Standing up, he dropped the fine china plate that was still covered with his half-eaten breakfast onto the plush carpeted floor and it shattered, staining the carpet with strawberry preserves. "You are vile! You are disgusting! To think I shared a bed with you...for one night makes my skin crawl!"
Lucian twisted around to regard the little princeling as he snapped at him. The words Caspian said emotionally injured him, but they were only words, therefore he did not allow it to display on his cold expression. Once he was finished ranting, the warlord glanced down to frown at the colorful stain splashed across his floor and then back up at Caspian, who was bravely standing across the room with his back rigid and his hands flexing at his sides, his emerald eyes flashing with defiance.
"Are you quite finished with your tantrum? You've managed to besmirch a second room in the less than 24 hours you have been here, which in my eyes, means you need a serious attitude adjustment. Therefore, I feel it's time to discipline you as one might a spoiled prince." The king began to charge towards the youngster, intent on bending him over his lap and giving him a righteous spanking.
Caspian's heart pounded in his chest as the king was suddenly coming down upon, intent on giving him a spanking. Instead of scampering away like a fearful mouse, he proudly stood his ground and awaited the king to grab him. Closing his eyes, he tensed up and trembled as he awaited the pain. His form trembled and his hands nervously shook at his side as he gulped. The prince was not used to any type of pain, but he would not show fear to the king who seemed hell bent on defiling his life in all ways.
The warlord roughly grabbed the boy and dragged him towards the bed to sit down, before tossing Caspian face down over his lap. He hadn't even realized the princeling was not struggling against him, since he was so wrapped up in punishing the blonde for his callous remarks. Ripping the towel away to fling it aside, Lucian paused to admire Caspian's fine, young ass before raising a hand high into the air and bringing it down hard upon his fleshly globes.
Lucian spanked him again and again, enjoying the feel of the youngling's bum nicely warming under his palm, and was determined to leave a lasting impression on Caspian and everyone he encountered today, as he escorted him around his palace.
"You are a monster! A brute! No wonder no one has ever agreed to wed you....your bed will forever be empty unless you force someone into it - like me!" Cas harshly chided the king.
As the king spanked him mercilessly his pale cheeks began to redden, it hurt terribly but he refused to scream out for mercy. Instead he whimpered and whined as he was spanked so harshly and his ass was emanating a delicious warmth as it glowed from his chastising.
"I hate you! I hate you....." Cas finally broke down into tears, refusing to plead for the king to stop, as he sobbed at the pain emanating from his perfectly shaped ass.
The boy's expletives were certainly not dousing his ire. In fact, the more Caspian protested and told him he hated him, the harder he spanked him until finally he landed a spank so hard that he ripped the breath from Caspian's lungs and the boy began to violent cough.
Lucian stopped then and breathed heavily through his slightly agape mouth while listening to the princeling weep across his lap. What the youngling did not know was he had courted many a fair maiden over the past year and a half and was even engaged to a lovely golden-haired beauty with a trim waist, bouncy ripe breasts, and adequate breeding hips in which to produce an heir. But, as with most of his relationships, it did not end well. He fell out of love with her just as quickly as he fell in love with her. The last he heard she married the second prince of Ritzville two kingdoms over. What was it with him and relationships?
Picking the boy up, he tossed him onto the bed and stood to march over and finish dressing for the day. The king did not gift the youngling with even a sympathetic glance, as he stalked towards the door and exited, securing it in place.
The spanking had pushed Caspian far past his endurance point and when the king finally disappeared out the door, the prince slowly stood up from the bed and hobbled over towards the lavatory. He immediately began to fill the tub with cold water to soothe his aching ass, since no other form of alevement was being provided for his sore flesh.
Cas slowly lowered himself into the tub with a wince and the moment his flaming ass met the cold water, he hissed and arched his back. Finally, the prince fully immersed himself and clasped his knees to his chest as he tried to relax.
The king would return to the find the bed vacant and the lavatory door left ajar. Lucian would discover Caspian within the tub, face buried in his trembling hands as his shoulders quaked with silent tears. So much had happened in the last three days: all his freedoms and titles taken away, being touched intimately for the very first time and his first kiss being claimed. It was a lot for his young mind to handle.
It was unusual for the king himself to wander down to the textile department of the palace, so when he entered all the servants stopped their tasks and stood to reverentially bow at the warlord.
"Your - Your Majesty," stuttered a mousy, young fellow tripping up to serve the king. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" He nervously wrung his hands together.
"I'm seeking an emerald hue sarong for my new slave, something to cover his genitals, but display his ass at the same time."
"Well, we have an excellent line of garments for slaves, Sire. Perhaps you'll find something you fancy. Please, this way."
The man led Lucian out of the manufacturing section of the department and towards the storeroom. Once there, the warlord surveyed his options and ultimately selected a finely tailored green printed sarong that he felt would look perfect on the youngling's lean body. "I am also in need of a collar and leash."
"Of course, Your Highness." Again, he was presented with an assortment of items to pick from and although he would have preferred to place a custom-fabricated collar around Caspian's neck, he decided upon a simple silver collar and a silver leash. He would have an emerald-encrusted golden collar and chain manufactured for Caspian soon.
With his items in hand, he returned to his chambers to find them empty. Upon hearing sniffing sounds generating from the lavatory, he strolled towards the room to find Caspian huddled inside the tub, sitting in a tubful of lukewarm water.
"Are you trying to catch your death with a cold?" Tossing the items, he retrieved from the textile department on the counter, he grabbed for a towel and held it open for the princeling. "Get out, so I can dry you off."
The young prince looked up at the king with his teary eyes, that were now puffy and hued red from his crying. He slowly stood up in the water and clasped at the marble wall for support as he climbed out of the tub.
Obediently he entered the king's arms which held the warm, fluffy towel and with a cute sniffle, he allowed himself to be wrapped up and gently rubbed dry. Cas swayed slightly as it was difficult to stand after such a thorough spanking and his legs felt like jelly.
Caspian innocently leaned against the king's strong form and was finding comfort in it before he realized what he was doing and slowly pulled himself away.
"Please don't adorn me with such degrading clothing or items...your majesty, please..." he softly uttered the last word and gazed up at the king with his innocent eyes.
Being a hardhearted warlord, who had engaged in countless battles and witnessed many atrocious acts of war, Lucian was not easily swayed by tears. Under normal circumstances, he would wallow in his conquest's misery, bathe himself in their blood, but there was nothing typical about Caspian. Perhaps sporting a transparent sarong throughout the castle was a bit too much and truthfully, he really did not wish for other eyes to ogle wares that should technically be seen only by him.
So, with a great sigh, he wrapped the shivering boy up in the towel and exited to summon the chambermaids to bring a set of suitable clothing for Caspian. By the time they arrived, the princeling had wandered out of the lavatory and he handed them to the blonde. "Put them on. We shall be leaving in five minutes." Lucian retrieved the collar and leash from the lavatory and waited for the boy to dress.
The prince still refused to dress even after the king showed him mercy by bringing in a full set of clothes. Caspian still struggled to stand straight up, his legs shaking from the intense burning on his ass, as walked forward to the king and kneeled down, pecking the top of his hand again. "I thank you for the new set of clothing...but I beg you for something to soothe the burning on my flesh from your chastisement..." his warm breath cooling where he had just kissed atop the king's hand.
Stepping back, he kept his head bowed and hopefully awaited something before he dressed for the day. The thought of walking around all day with any type of fabric rubbing against his enflamed ass was just too much for the pampered prince.
"Though the palace is equipped with such liniments, I see no reason to provide them to you. Besides, hopefully, the constant throb in your ass shall remind you of the foolhardiness of your previous behaviors and thus you shall remember such before attempting the infraction again. Now, for the last time, get dressed. If you refuse again, then I shall do it for your, and believe me I shall be none to gentle, my sweet princeling."
"I am not your princeling...you can force me to sleep in your bed....force your hand against my innocent flesh and take my first kiss.....but I will never be yours."
The prince glared up at the king and dressed himself immediately in the full set of proper clothing. "I don't understand you..." Caspian thought to himself as he finished belting the tunic around his trim waist. "You show me kindness one moment and are a brute the next...." he thought one final time before he was properly dressed. When he saw the king clasping a collar and leash, he glared up at him with flashing emerald eyes of defiance.
"I refuse to be collared and led around like a pet!" Cas hissed and threw an empty coffee mug at the king and it barely missed his head as he kept a distance between them, while still refusing to flee.
After the mug barely missed his head only to shatter against the wall behind him, Lucian glared at Caspian and quietly growled. "What is with your childish need to throw things?" He snapped, marching towards the youngling, who tried to evade his touch.
The king swiftly captured him by an arm and tossed the blonde against the nearest wall. While pressing Caspian against one of the walls with his own weight, he placed the collar around his neck, and then attached the leash.
"Slaves are typically leashed in Draconian Peake. You are now a slave, princeling, therefore you shall be leashed. End of discussion." Releasing the youngster from the wall, he gave the leash a slight tug and ordered, "I suggest you follow or be dragged."
Caspian cried out as he was pressed against the wall and the cold silver collar was attached around his pale throat and locked, a new representation of the king's ownership over him.
"I am not and will never be a slave....you can tell yourself that...but it shall be never be true," he sat down on the plush carpeted floor, crossed his arms and glared up at the king.
The prince did something atypical of his polite and gentle nature and spoke such harsh words, "Fuck you....drag me along and hopefully I choke to death before having to spend one more moment in your presence."
Lucian was losing what little patience he had with the princeling and that was a very dangerous thing. "If you insist," he said through clenched teeth. He wrapped his end of the leash around one hand several times and then walked over to grab the sedentary boy by the scruff of his shirt to drag him upright.
Lucian then, proceeded to drag Cas along the corridors of the palace, garnering many a queer glance from the lords and ladies he passed along the way. Hénri was one such lord and asked the king if he would like for a few guards to escort Caspian around the palace, but by now Lucian was in an incredibly foul mood and barked a decisive no at the man, before proceeding along.
The path he chose was one he had not traversed in ages and as he did so horrid memories came rushing back to him in droves, causing his temple to ache, but he pressed on. Entering the Materia Apothecary, which housed various trinkets that could cast spells, summon, and use command abilities, Lucian roughly tossed Caspian into a chair and then spoke to the proprietor with regards to an object for the princeling.
The prince tensed up when King Lucian descended upon him by roughly grabbing him at the scruff of his shirt. Struggling to keep up with the king's long, purposeful strides, small whimpers escaped Caspian's mouth as the material of the pants rubbed against his enflamed ass cheeks hidden beneath.
The collar of the shirt dug into his throat as the king did not slacken his hold at all, determined to escort his young, royal captive to an apothecary of some kind. When Cas was roughly tossed into a chair, a small cry of pain was emitted as the smooth metallic surface of the chair gave no cushioning to his tender ass.
"Vile monster...." he hissed under his breath softly, but it was just enough for the king to overhear. Obviously, the comments that Caspian had made to the villainous king had rubbed him the wrong way and it was satisfying for the blonde to find a chink in the warlord's otherwise impenetrable armor.
As the king was busying himself with an order at the counter, Caspian noticed a beautiful young woman grinding up some kind of herb for an ointment she was working on at a back counter. She had thick, dark chocolate brown hair pulled back into a heavy braid. Her lightly tanned skin and freckled face were enticing to the prince because all the servants in Enkira had pasty, white flesh and dark eyes.
She seemed to feel someone watching her, and the young girl who was probably no older than fifteen glanced at Cas and blushed before glancing away. Caspian looked away as well as a small grin spread across his face and a half-erection was noticeable in his pants. The girl got such a quick and arousing reaction from him....even a sincere smile - and the king was unable to do so. Caspian was unaware that Lucian had witnessed the small moment he had just shared with the apothecary assistant.
Out of his peripheral vision, Lucian noticed Caspian gawking at someone and quickly glanced over his left shoulder to regard a fine, young maiden offering the princeling coy glances. He settled his eyes upon the youngling again and cleared his throat, attracting Caspian's stunning green eyes. "She's a fine, young lass, is she not?" The boy offered him a slow, affirmative nod.
"You should know she is married, so unless you wish for her to commit infidelity and be banished from the kingdom, you might wish to demonstrate that you are not interested in her."
The proprietor of the apothecary returned and the warlord offered the man his right hand so he could prick his index finger to draw several droplets of blood, allowing them to drip onto a small, emerald pendant inset in gold. Lucian then quickly whispered a few words and the pendant began to glow.
Caspian glared at the back of the king's head as he resumed speaking with the proprietor before suddenly another young girl appeared. This lass was probably no older than fourteen, with dirty blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail and she was clasping a silver tray that was laden with a fine tea set.
"Would you care for some herbal tea, sir? We offer to everyone who visits and..." her smile slowly faded as she at last noticed the silver collar adorning Caspian's throat and the leash linking him to the king. "I apologize your majesty," she stuttered out and curtsied to him deeply, tray still in hand.
In Draconian's Peake, slaves were never offered anything, especially before their master was offered or without the master's permission. The king barely acknowledged the girl with a curt nod of forgiveness as she scampered away and didn't give Cas another glance. He realized where her eyes had been looking and he touched a finger to the collar and slowly looked up to find the king smirking down at him, his business concluded it seemed.
"It's ready, then?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. The charm has been imbued with the binding spell."
"Excellent. Let's proceed," he said, walking around the youngling to stand at his back and grasp his chin with one hand and his hair with the other to maneuver his head until his right ear was presented to the proprietor.
Lucian held Caspian steady as the proprietor punctured his earlobe with a small device and then fastened the earring with a faintly glowing emerald dangling from a short, golden chain using a grommet.
"Now you are completely mine," declared the warlord, releasing the boy to remove the leash, entirely and then step in front of him. "That earring is now your chain to me. It is imbued with magic that is connected to me and now is linked to you through my blood. It shall bind you to me, so if I die, you shall die."
Lucian watched Caspian's expression morph into one of complete horror. "If I feel as though your behavior needs to be corrected, then the earring shall hurt you. If I deem you should be rewarded, then it shall give you pleasure. Do you understand now, slave? You are mine now. Even if you cut off your ear, you are mine. Now, let's be off. I have much to do today."
Turning his back towards the youngling, he began to walk off and as the king moved further away, Caspian felt a pain shooting from his ear towards his temple, the pain intensifying as the distance between them increased. "I suggest you do not dawdle, princeling."
To essentially be tagged like a piece of cattle was horrifying to young Caspian, so much so that he was left speechless as the king sauntered away and suddenly pain began to shoot through his head.
"Do you enjoy doing everything by force to get what you want?" Caspian whispered angrily to the king as they left the apothecary and were proceeding down a private corridor only used by the monarchy. It allowed the royals to keep distance from the courtiers and to get safely from place to place, much more quickly as well.
"You force your hand upon my....manhood," Caspian was blushing at the memory, "you force your repulsive kiss upon me.....then I awaken this morning to you clasping your arm around me and rutting against me like the beast you are!" Cas angrily pushed at the king from behind, though his attempts were pitiful against the king's unyielding form.
"You swore to not touch me last eve and I wake up with you breathing in my ear and....grinding against me! Everything you do is by force....and I pity you for that; that no one wants to share your bed, great king or not, and you clasp against your new slave like a pubescent boy in heat. Pathetic," he spat and arrogantly crossed his arms.
Though the jostle at his back felt as if it was a mere tap, Lucian rounded on Caspian and indignantly approached him, his red eyes blazing with cold fury. "I shall tell you what is pathetic...a little bratty princeling that is too foolish to realize he's been duped by..."
When the youngster's eyes suddenly widened, the warlord slammed his lips closed. He was not ready to play that card just yet. So, with just a simple thought he activated the earring, and seconds later Caspian was crashing to the ground, screaming in pain as he clawed at his head.
Lucian allowed the youngling to writhe on the floor for a few minutes, before mentally deactivating the device. He glared down at the panting, whimpering boy, who was curled up into a fetal position at his feet. The damn little idiot! If he only knew that his worthless brother exchanged him for a peace treaty between their two kingdoms, Caspian Brandenburg might be more receptive to him.
Bending at the waist, he grabbed the boy by his right arm and assisted him up into a standing position. Regarding Caspian's tear-stained face, intently, Lucian splayed a hand against the middle of the youngling's chest and pressed him against the cool wall behind him to ominously hiss, "Do not forget why you are here, princeling. Thus far, your attitude has been subpar and if it does not alter very quickly, then your beloved kingdom shall be annihilated by my army. Is that understood?"
Caspian barely got a chance to glare up into the king's ominous face before he fell to his knees, screaming in pain as it echoed chillingly around the empty corridor. Instinctively he curled up into a tight fetal position as the pain seemed to emanate from his very bones and suddenly it ceased.
Sweat trickled down his flushed face and he whimpered in pain as the king was suddenly forcing him to stand, though he was gentle in assisting him to get up. Pressed against the wall, his legs trembled as an after effect of the stinging pain and he looked up into Lucian's angry eyes as he hissed his warning at him.
"You are a monster...." Cas whispered out in a husky tone, his voice strained due to the recent screams of pain, "....forcing me to agree to this. I have no choice...all you know is corruption, anger and greed. I will acquiesce so that my people are not hurt....but I will always think you are vile in my heart and any time you attempt to touch me."
"Believe what you wish, slave, but the fact of the matter is you are now mine, and my suggestion is for you to never forget it. You might view me as a monster, a brute, a devil, but I could be considered a saint compared to some others you might know. Now, shut your damn mouth and follow me. I'm already late to an important meeting with my court, due to my dallying around with you," he practically snarled the last word and flashed the princeling a furious glare, before again turning away and marching off, fully expecting the boy to follow or suffer the consequences.
Lucian was so angry by Caspian's words that the thought to punish him again had crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. The boy already detested him; there was no reason to add any more fuel to that fire.
"You also promised to not call me a slave anymore..." Caspian whispered in a hurt voice as he began to follow after the king, struggling to remain close because Lucian walked with such larger strides. They were at last about to enter the grand throne room and the young prince realized where they were headed. He immediately ceased walking and shook his head, "The...throne room? I will not go in there and make a spectacle of myself! Your people watched me be dragged away just days ago...and now to see me collared and nipping at your heels? The humiliation you force upon me is endless....I despise you!"
Caspian growled and suddenly his patience withered and he fled from the king's vicinity, up a nearby spiral staircase with no idea where he was headed. The youth did not care that his ass burned and that more pain was probably in his future....he could not stand to look at the king for another moment!
The warlord paused, when he heard the little bird chirping again, and turned his hulking frame around to regard him. Caspian Brandenburg was, officially, the noisiest, fussiest human he had ever encountered, and now Lucian was contemplating whether or not it was even worth keeping him around.
He could just send him back to Enkira, thereby dissolving any chance of a treaty. If he did so, Enkira would no longer be afforded with his kingdom's protection, and it saddened his heart to think Caspian might be injured or killed if they should be attacked. What was he to do, though? If he decided to keep him, the princeling would continue to angrily chirp the injustice of his situation in his ear – an injustice his own brother orchestrated. If he sent him back, he might die. Lucian was so immersed in thought that he had to blink several times to clear his mind as he watched Caspian twist around and run away. He actually tried to run away!
Lucian stared after his receding form and finally rolled his eyes. Activating the charm, he sent a jolt of intense pain towards Caspian's head and at the same time sent a pulse of immense pleasure to his cock. He heard the boy screech and then he heard a crash. By the time he wandered up to assess him, three guards were standing around the writhing, groaning boy, who had one arm clasped around his head and the other hand was holding his groin.
"My king ... What should we do?"
It was only eight-thirty in the morning and already Lucian was exhausted from dealing with Caspian. "His new quarters should be prepared by now. They are directly across from mine. Escort him there and wait for the chambermaids to arrive. I'll feed them my instructions and you may assist them in their duties, before securing him inside."
"Understood, Your Highness," said the largest of the guards, swooping in to jerk the princeling to his feet, before the three surrounded him and manhandled him as they marched away.
Lucian watched them leave and once they were out of sight he sighed and hung his head. War was indeed black and white.
The entire day passed by and Caspian was taken to his new quarters, which ironically were even larger and more luxurious then his first suite and directly across from the king's entire wing of rooms. Caspian had spent the whole day immersed in his thoughts and about his attitude toward the king.
Prior to being forced into this new role of a slave, he had actually looked forward to meeting the fearsome Lucian Nightwalker. He had studied the general's war tactics for years with fascination and was eager to not only form an alliance with Enkira, but also to potentially amp up the military of Enkira with the king's newest tactics.
Cas had been eager to speak with the king about all he had learned about Draconian's Peake and his bloody but triumphant history. All hero worship had ceased when instead he had been dragged from the throne room and forced into the role of slave. Now he felt like a complete fool....for years he had idolized this brave and kingly warrior....only to be ultimately betrayed when he had come as a peace negotiator.
Caspian had not thrown any further tantrums and he was seated on a plush window bench that overlooked a private courtyard with lazy vines that grew up one wall and were dotted with stunning purple orchids. A cup of warm tea rested in his lap as he gazed out, a few tears sliding down his cheeks as he missed his home....his friends and especially his brothers. After all that had occurred...his fire almost felt diminished; the king could will him to feel pain and Cas had nervously thought that the king would send a zap or two his way all day and his nerves were a wreck.
The day had been disastrous ever since he had exited his quarters that morning. The entire incident with Caspian was a catastrophe! Every one of his meetings either ended in a heated argument or was abruptly dissolved, since no one could come to terms on anything. Again – disastrous! During trade negotiations with the Mélad'rhíms, an elven tribe, Lucian sat on his throne and though he pretended to listen intently to the proceedings his mind was so far away. His thoughts drifted to the very first time he saw Caspian.
It was three years ago, before he claimed the throne. As a General, he was obligated to attend the Winter Solstice Gala, an annual gathering held at the border between Enkira and Draconian's Peake, despite the fact such functions were not his forte. The only good thing about the party was that the young princeling had been there. Lucian fondly remembered standing idly by, nursing a glass of wine while standing against a pillar and watching the golden-haired beauty stand so proudly at his mother and father's side. His back had been as straight as an arrow, his small hands remained clasped behind him in a nonthreatening manner, and a perpetually radiant smile remained plastered on his face as he obediently listened to the conversation, but never interrupted. He seemed so happy to be there, to drink in his surroundings, that Lucian found his heavenly good looks and curiosity charming. Caspian's radiance seemed to outshine every lord and polished lady in the room.
Caspian had grown into a handsome young man, but still he wondered what happened to that boy. Perhaps it was the death of his parents only two weeks after that gala that changed him. Though he believed he would never lay his eyes upon him again, Lucian always suspected that gorgeous boy would grow to be a great diplomat and a leader in his kingdom. That, apparently, was not in the cards for the young, impressionable Caspian Brandenburg any longer. The princeling had certainly been through a great deal these last few days: his brother's betrayal and his captivity. Perhaps it would not hurt to offer him a reprieve and show him a bit more kindness, though offering mercy was not in his nature.
Once his duties for the day were concluded, the warlord traipsed upstairs and towards his quarters, though they were not his destination. Standing outside Caspian's door, he straightened his clothes and feathered his fingers through his hair, before inhaling a deep breath and knocking. "Caspian, I'm coming in."
The young prince was startled from his reverie when a gentle knock was heard at his door and the king announced his entrance...and even called Caspian by his name! This was a rarity indeed.
Caspian stood up to properly greet the king and set his half-empty mug aside. As the king entered the beautiful suite of rooms, he would notice Cas to his left as he stood before a wall covered in endless bound books and expensive statuettes and vases imported from all over. Caspian seemed to fit in perfectly with the luxurious and pampered surroundings, as any prince would and he stepped forward to politely bow to the king.
Worrying about pain being emitted to his cock yet again, the prince held his tongue and just politely greeted the king with a soft, "Good evening." With a wince, he turned away and headed back towards the cart laden with fresh tea and some light afternoon foods before dinner arrived. "Would you care for some tea, your highness?" he asked politely.
As the boy had sauntered over to the cart, it was evident in his step that he was experiencing residual effects of pain from his enflamed ass and sore muscles from the shocks earlier. The delicate cup quivered on the saucer as Caspian picked them up to add some lemon to the tea.
Caught off guard, Lucian rapidly blinked on his surprise while watching the princeling's slim figure. He wondered if the youngster would be open to engaging in a daily exercise regimen to place some muscles on his bones. But more importantly what had changed Caspian's attitude so dramatically? The last time he laid his eyes upon him the youngling was spewing polite curses at him and attempting to run away.
Had the combination of the spanking, the piercing, and his threats tamed the fickle boy? Moving further into the room, the warlord assumed a seat in a decorative leather armchair with ornate sculptures of dragons on its sweeping armrests, while his gaze remained fastened on Caspian as the boy moved towards him with a cup of tea in hand.
"Are you feeling alright? You appear pale." Lucian quickly leapt from his seat to grab the cup and saucer with one hand and the youngster with the other, when Caspian began to topple over. He promptly placed the cup of tea off to the side and then raised a hand to place a palm against Caspian's forehead. "You're burning up! Come, let's place you in bed," he said, ushering the boy towards the massive bed. "I shall summon the healers to come check you over."
The young prince blushed as he toppled over and was caught in the king's strong and warm embrace. Gently the king assisted him to the large bed and helped him to recline back. "You know....you are much larger than I imagined, Lucian," Caspian spoke informally, actually calling the king by his name! It must have been due to his fevered state.
"All the texts they write about you, do not do you any justice. And photographs of you are always so far away on the battlefield...and any official portraits have yet to come about. But...you are even more handsome than I imagined! Especially compared to the ancient king who preceded you," Caspian chuckled and reached up to touch the king's stubbly cheek with warm, small fingers. "You are worse than my brother Micah for not shaving enough. Appearance is everything for a royal," he said, as if recited a million times by royal tutors and servants.
Again, Lucian was taken aback by Caspian's radical change in personality. He actually referred to him by his surname and he even willingly reached out and touched him! This was miracle! A blessing from the goddess had shone down upon him and his patience in simply pining over the youngling was now being rewarded. "Or maybe it was just the fever," thought Lucian, bleakly.
He fed the grinning princeling a soft smile, despite the fact he was aching inside. "It sounds as if you have been studying up on me," he offhandedly mentioned, with an airy chuckle. His humor died away as he gazed down at the youngster. Caspian was staring up at him as if he were a little lost lamb afraid of an approaching thunderstorm. "Caspian...have you been researching me?"
Caspian relaxed due to the calm aura emanating from the king. What had happened to the aggression and anger that had been present earlier that morning? The blonde found comfort in that in this new, non-aggressive side of King Lucian.
"Oh yes...for years now. War has always fascinated me...I have studied ancient to modern texts on war tactics, famous generals and battles...but all of them paled in comparison to all that you had achieved at such a young age."
The boy reached up to touch his flushed face and was surprised at how warm it was, "I really am feverish...I thought maybe the auto-air unit was not working properly...but how could that be? Everything in your kingdom is so efficient! I had hoped to learn more about how to successfully run a kingdom from you...and give a full report to my brother. The people of Enkira deserve a much better king, though Malik tries..."
A few tears trickled down Caspian's face as he opened up to the king, "You can imagine the fear and excitement I felt over this mission, Lucian. I have never traveled beyond the borders of Enkira...and to come to this beautiful and thriving kingdom, meet my idol and bring new opportunities for my people...it was like a blessing from the gods. But then...things have surely not turned out how I imagined...I prepared for this mission for months...had been studying you for years. What a disappointment this mission turned out to be...all my years of study and idolizing, totally worthless."
Lucian's insides twisted with shame at each word the princeling spoke. Caspian was so naive, completely oblivious of the demons that lurked outside his idealistic silver-lined fantasies. In the boy's eyes, he was one of those demons. He basically imprisoned the wide-eyed youngster with nary an explanation. Though, if he informed Caspian of his brother's deception it would only hurt him worse.
On the other hand, Caspian could not just simply return to Enkira now. Malik Brandenburg would deem him a failure and do only heaven knows what to his little princeling.
"...My little princeling."
The thought brought a smirk to the warlord's rugged features. Just as Caspian had studied him, he had admired the youngster from a far for so long – though he never truly believed he would ever be his mate. After all, who could love a war-loving brute of a man?
Lucian gently clasped the youth's right hand between his huge palms and brought his tiny fingers to his lips to offer them a delicate kiss, before saying, "If perhaps you are willing to cooperate with me a bit more, then I can help you with your research. I would be happy to discuss war tactics and battle formations with you," he said with a toothy grin. "And we could do such not as Master and slave, but as..." Lucian was interrupted, when a knock sounded at the door. He offered the drowsy princeling a smile and reassuring nod, before releasing his hand and standing to answer the door.
The royal physician, a middle-aged portly man, and two nurses bowed to the king before being directed to the bed. "His fever is quite high..." the brunette nurse explained after running a data-scanner across Caspian's forehead, "...almost 103...at 102.7. The boy really needs to soak in an ice bath..."
The doctor curtly nodded to the nurse, "Yes....Lucinda please draw the ice bath, Mary please undress the boy..." Caspian did not put up any struggles as they tended to him. "Thank you..." he spoke to the physician as the man was jotting down notes on his tele-pad.
"Of course, my boy....have you been prone to fevers in the past?" Caspian was silent as he thought back, "Only when I have been extremely stressed...especially since my parents died and my nerves have been a lot more sensitive to these kinds of things..."
The doctor nodded in understanding, "A young person's body can only handle so much stress....especially when you are in the midst of growing....are you about fifteen?" Caspian shook his head as the nurse assisted him from his tunic and trousers. "I just turned sixteen about three weeks ago," the prince stated in a soft tone as he was assisted into a standing position. His enflamed ass was displayed before the physician who immediately glanced up at the king accusingly.
"I am sure...your journey to Draconian Peake and various other things contributed to your state....Mary, please assist the boy into the bath." The physician frowned up at the king boldly as he walked past him to assess the boy once he was immersed in the icy bath, hopefully to break his fever.
Lucian internally winced after receiving a chastising stare from Artavan, Draconian Peake's leading physician. With his hands loosely clasped behind his back, he watched them assist Caspian to the lavatory and when he caught sight of the boy's ass, he grimaced once again. He did not realize he had struck him so hard.
Lucian did not interfere with Artavan's work, but when the physician returned from the lavatory he certainly gave the king an earful. They had been friends for many years. In fact, at one-time Artavan was one of Lucian's tutors. Therefore, the man had little fear from the king and boldly stood up to him where others might cower.
Lucian paced the bedchamber, as they fought to bring Caspian's fever down and blamed himself for the state the boy was currently in. When they finally reemerged, he stopped his pacing and watched two nurses apply a healing liniment to Caspian's bottom and then help the unnaturally pale youngling into a light, nearly sheer sleeping gown, before assisting him over to the bed.
One of the nurses programmed a cooling pad and placed it on the youngling's forehead. They administered several vitamin injections and Artavan dispensed a few additional instructions, before he gathered up his assistants and exited.
As soon as they were alone again, Lucian rushed to Caspian's side to gingerly sit on the edge of the bed next to the boy. He reached over and ran the back of his left hand across Caspian's cheek, feeling the heat radiating from it – though it seemed as if it had dissipated a fraction. "
You must rest and heal, my princeling," Lucian whispered, as Caspian drifted in and out of consciousness. "When you are well enough I shall share my world with you." He leaned over and dispensed a sweet, gentle kiss to the youngster's forehead, before pulling away. Lucian sat with Caspian long into the night, monitoring his situation and ensuring he was comfortable, and not getting a wink of sleep himself.