Dangerous Beauty 10
“…take me to you,
Imprison me.
For I never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste,
Because you ravish me.”
Husky voiced and softly smiling, Jaejoong read aloud from the book in his hands. The book, a slender volume bound in black, was a compilation of his poetry. His triumph, a product of nights pining for a certain brash nobleman, it was a simple release of the whirlwind of emotion that he felt these past few months. Some poems made to be sung as lyrics and some simple thoughts and beliefs, he had worked hard over this book and shared it with very few people. Eventually it reached the ears of the Duke, an avid poetry fan, and the nobleman demanded to see Jae’s work. Only a few weeks later and here he was. Jaejoong smiled proudly at the crowd gathered to see him. Men, women, all were rapt and clapping at the eroticism and raw emotion pouring from his mouth.
One man in particular caught his eye-the unnamed individual to whom most of his poems were dedicated. Yunho. When he was finished, Jaejoong returned the smile Yunho shot at him and ignored the other men who pushed their way up to him.
~
“Today, a truce. Just for today.” Jaejoong had whispered to Yunho before making his way up to the small dais where he would read.
A smile broke out on Yunho’s face, bright and sudden. So far Jaejoong had rebuffed him at every turn, but today was different. It was more than the games they had been playing. Jae’s poems were being published, and Yunho felt so proud of him. His smile was ear to ear.
But as Jaejoong read his poems, each melancholy and full of bitter sadness, the smile turned wistful. Jae’s words spun around Yunho’s mind and tightened in a small knot in his chest. Each poem was a perfect picture of the chaos in his own heart and Yunho melted a little bit more with every phrase Jaejoong uttered.
You love me, Yunho told the man on the dais. Words pulsing in his mind. Just let me in again, Jae. Our story will have a happy ending, I promise you.
As Jae read his last poem, Yunho was first on his feet, the hundred other men merely following his lead. He brushed away the others who were flocking to Jaejoong.
“The world is changed because of the gold in your words.” Yunho whispered into Jaejoong’s ear.
Jaejoong laughed, a bright sound. “Always my flatterer.”
Others gathered around, praises flowing from their mouths. But for one moment, Jaejoong was looking at Yunho as he looked at him when they were in love eons ago, the heartbreaking instances in between were effervescent and swept away with a stronger force than bitterness and scorn.
But a loud clapping broke the stillness of the moment. It was Changmin. The young man was leaning on a nearby pillar, an open jug of wine in his hands. “Bravo!” he yelled, in a voice to loud to be sober. “The whore and his little book of ditties. I’m sure it will sell well; every man you fucked will buy a copy.” An ugly sneer graced Changmin’s face and he took another swig form his wine jug.
Yunho’s gaze turned to his cousin, cold. “Changmin, stop.”
“You must be very good.” Changmin continued. “Uncle ignores his own kin…yet he publishes your trash after a few nights. Bravo Jaejoong! Bravo!” Wine spilled as Changmin clapped his hands wildly. “I wonder how much money my uncle wasted on your used cunt? Perhaps I should sample your wares.”
The crowd has quieted, some looking to Changmin but most watching how Jaejoong would react.
“If your dick is as limp as your verse, no amount could drag me to your bed.” Jaejoong said quietly, gripping his book tighter in his hands.
It was quick. Both Jae and Yunho, who stood closest to him, were surprised. One moment Changmin was leaning against the pillar, wobbling on drunken feet. A second passed and his sword was out and lashing toward Jaejoong. Yunho's heart stopped in his chest, arms immobile as the wicked metal swung across Jae's chest.
The book gripped in Jae's hands fell to the ground. Cut neatly in two.
Yunho had Changmin on the floor after a glance to make sure Jaejoong wasn't hurt. "That was too much, cousin." Yunho growled, his hand pushing his kin into the dirt. "What possessed you to do that?" Changmin struggled weakly, but didn't say a word.
"Let him up." Jae said coldly, his eyes raked over Changmin. Softly, deliberately, he draws his sword from his waist and points it at the fallen man. “Have you the guts to try again. Blade to blade and pen to pen?”
Yunho, hesitantly, lets Changmin off the floor. A look from Jae warns him against interfering.
Changmin laughs, a little unsteady on his feet but with a cunning in his eyes that belied the alcohol in his body. He picked his sword from the ground and touched the tip of Jae’s rapier. “You pride yourself on arts and letters.” Changmin started. “And fucking best your manly betters.” He spat out.
Jaejoong smirked and lunged out, quick on his feet. Changmin barely had time to block and he stumbled back, surprised at the ferocity of the attack. “I save the goodly wives of Venice” Jaejoong said, a thrust punctuating each word. “From their husbands' lustful menace.”
The crowd has given the two dueling men a large circle to fight in, with Yunho closest to Jaejoong, eyeing the clashing blades nervously.
“Then you confess...” Changmin said, a maniac smile on his face, gasping from the exertion. “ ...you love...” Changmin slips, and rolls to avoid being pierced by Jae’s quick blade. “...to rut!” On his feet, the taller man begins to go on the offensive.
“I confess...” Jaejoong counters, blocking Changmin’s wild blows. “...I fuck divinely” Jaejoong says, fiercely. “Those who love and well opine me.”
Changmin looses balance on an attack and falls to his knees. Jaejoong sends a stinging blow to his buttocks with the flat of his blade. A sharp hit to the ego, but no blood was drawn.
“On the page or on the sheet,” jaejoogn continues, laughing. “You'll never find a tongue more sweet.”
“On the page or on the sheet.” Changmin counters, standing up. “A greater hack you'll never meet.”
Jaejoong snaps, anger in his movements. He lunges towards Changmin wildly thrusting his rapier. The hesitation he had, from thoughts of Changmin as the witty cousin, the mischievous lad, had vanished.
He brutally fought back, beating the taller man down and finally landing a blow to his torso. First blood, a shallow cut ripped through Changmin’s shirt. The sharp sting enraged Min, who threw down his sword and finally hit the pretty courtesan with his bare fist. The blow landed with a dull thud on Jae’s face, snapping his head around with a crack. Blood poured from his nose. Jaejoong barely had time to feel pain when an arm wrapped around him protectively.
Yunho was next to him, shoving his cousin down and stepping in front of his beloved.
“Do not get up.” Yunho said to the fallen man, glaring coldly. “Cousin no longer, you piece of shit.” Yunho spat in his face. “Come near him again and I will kill you and fucking rip you to shreds.”
“Always hiding behind Yunho, whore?” Changmin sneered from the muddy ground. “When will you grow your own cock, eh?”
Jaejoong, tasting the blood on his lips, and feeling the sword still in his hand, lashed out with reddened vision. His blade was aimed straight for Changmin’s chest, a sure mark.
“Jaejoong!” Yunho said, hand shooting out instinctively to protect Jaejoong from damning himself. He gripped the blade and felt the cut of metal deep in his palm. He let out a cry of pain.
At the sight of Yunho’s blood on his sword, Jaejoong dropped the hilt in surprise. He felt his heart beating wildly, his gaze was drawn toward a shocked Changmin and then to Yunho. Yunho, now holding his hand in pain, the blood still fresh. It was so red on Yunho’s palm, and so red on his clothes.
The crowd was hushed and someone was hauling Changmin up and dragging him away. Jaejoong was bleeding too, with the same vicious fluid as Yunho was. His vision was swirling.
The moment was filled with mad poetry.
Jaejoong ran.
Previous chapters:
Chapter 1: Here
Chapter 1.5: Here
Interlude: Here
Chapter 2: Here
Chapter 3: Here
Chapter 4: Here
Chapter 5: Here
Chapter 6: Here
Chapter 7: Here
Chapter 8: Here
Chapter 9: Here