RPS Fic: Spoil Of War [Adam/Tommy] 13/14
[Part 12]
[Master Post]
Part 13
Adam scanned the great hall, urgently searching the crowd for any sign of Neil. The feast was still in full swing, the minstrels playing a lively song while everyone present got drunker and more rowdy by the moment. Adam's heart hammered in his chest as he looked for any sign of his brother, fully aware of each second that was slipping away while he stood still, doing nothing. He'd almost given up hope when he finally spotted Neil on the other side of the hall, arms gesturing in what looked like a lively discussion of who was the better swordsman.
Hurrying over, Adam grabbed Neil by the arm and pulled him to the side.
"I need your help," Adam said without preamble, praying Neil wasn't too drunk already to be of any use. "Taylor just came to my chambers and told me Randal has a guard bringing Jeffery to him in the stables. He said he's going to teach him what it means to be a man. I was headed there myself, but then I saw Gregory sneak off toward the royal wing, a look in his eyes I haven't seen for a long time. He's gone after Tommy. I can't…" Adam paused and took a breath. This was the closest Adam had ever come to admitting to Neil what their uncle had done to him. "I can't let him do that to Tommy, Neil."
Neil appeared to sober instantly, his eyes hardening to chips of ice. " Go. Deal with our uncle. I'll take care of Randal."
Adam's gut clenched at what could be happening to Jeffery right then. He was just a boy. "If Randal does anything-"
"I will cut off whatever part of his body that he uses to hurt Jeffery," Neil promised. "You can be sure of it."
Adam clenched his jaw and nodded, not doubting Neil for a second. "Thank you."
Adam turned to go, but paused and turned back when Neil called his name.
"If it gets … messy, I'll have your back with the sovereign," Neil said.
Feeling an outpouring of gratitude for being lucky enough to have a brother who wasn't out to stab him in the back for a chance at the throne himself, Adam nodded his head in acknowledgement and took off for the royal wing.
Adam had no more entered the corridor leading to it than he was set upon by several knights who were known to be loyal to his uncle. Two of them grabbed his arms while two more stood blocking the path.
"We have orders from the king that you are to be kept here."
Despite knowing the knights were known loyalists of his uncle, Adam tried to reason with them. "Do you know what his intentions are? He's going to break one of the sovereign's laws and the four of you are going to be a party to it."
It was obvious the knights were unimpressed.
"We know nothing of the kind," one of the knights blocking his path said. It was Seth, the knight Tommy had stood up to months ago in a nearby corridor when he'd happened upon him forcing himself on Jeffery.
"Then you are fools," Adam said through his teeth. Trying to reason in terms they'd understand, he added, "He is making use of my property. Even his kingship does not give him the right to do that."
"Maybe he just wants to talk with the slave," Roger, the other night blocking Adam's path, sneered, making it obvious he didn't really believe that. It was also obvious he didn't care.
Adam's eyes narrowed and he pulled against the men restraining him. "If you do not let me through this instant, I will remember this when I assume the crown and I will make all of you pay."
Seth smirked as he stepped forward, bringing their faces within inches of each other. "King Gregory will never allow you to take the throne and we both know it."
Done talking, Adam narrowed his eyes at Seth and braced himself. He slammed his head forward into Seth's nose, gritting his teeth against the pain that shot through his head. Seth cursed and stumbled backwards, blood gushing down his face. Using the surprise of the moment to his advantage, Adam yanked his arms free of the other two knights.
Roger stepped forward, sworn drawn and pointed at Adam. Adam jumped back and drew his own sword, bracing himself for an attack. The two knights who had held him drew their swords too, and suddenly they were at a standoff.
A standoff that was broken when a slave came around the corner carrying a carafe of wine. She jumped, startled at the sight of the men with swords drawn and dropped her carafe because of it. It crashed to the floor, sending blood red wine everywhere.
Two of the knights looked away from Adam for an instant and Adam took the opportunity to leap forward and swing, disarming them easily with his own sword. That left him and Roger.
Adam stared hard at him, noting the flash of nervousness in his eyes. Good. Nervousness led to mistakes. A thought proved true an instant later when Roger attacked first. Adam blocked it and swung, wishing he had his shield. He deftly avoided Roger's sword as it swished through the air and countered with a swing of his own. It struck home. The unmistakable feeling of it sinking into flesh made Adam's gut clench. He'd never had to kill any of his own men before. It was even more unpleasant of a feeling than killing the enemy, although that's essentially what Roger had become by choosing Gregory's side.
Pulling his sword free of Roger's gut, Adam waited until Roger crumpled to the floor to turn toward the others, blood smeared sword pointed at them.
"Anyone else?" Adam asked, looking at each of them in turn.
One by one, they all looked down and away, clearly unwilling to give their own lives for an unlawful whim of their king.
"Good choice," Adam said.
Backing away from them, he didn't turn his back or sheathe his sword until he was around the next bend and far enough away that they'd have trouble catching up. Then he turned and bolted for his chambers, fearing his fight with the knights had taken too long.
Coming upon his door, Adam pulled his sword back out from the sheath and pointed it at the guard at his door. "Leave. Now."
The guard wisely did as he was told, hurrying off down the corridor.
As he opened the door, Adam steeled himself against what he might find. What he didn't expect was the sounds of hand to hand combat taking place inside. Rushing into the room, he felt the heavy weight in his gut lift a little at the sight of Tommy alive and well-if a bit bloodied-clearly fighting Gregory for the upper hand.
Gregory lunged for Tommy and Tommy danced to the side, then jumped forward and drove his fist into Gregory's side. It was clear neither of them had seen or heard him enter. Gregory grunted and swung around, fist clenched and aimed at Tommy's head. At the last second, Tommy ducked and came up with a fist of his own, landing a solid punch to Gregory's gut.
"You're going to pay for that," Gregory wheezed, holding his stomach.
Tommy's laugh was humorless. "It's not my fault you're old and slow."
Adam hesitated, not sure whether to intercede or let Tommy beat Gregory to death as it seemed by the gleam in Tommy's eyes that he was intent on doing. It would be so easy to do the latter. Tommy wasn't technically a slave. He was a king in his own right. There wouldn't be consequences for him killing another king in a fair fight.
And then Adam caught sight of Gregory reaching for something under his tunic. A second later metal flashed in the firelight as Gregory held up a dagger, pointing it at Tommy's throat.
"On the bed, slave, face down and legs spread, or I cut your throat wide open."
Crossing the room as quickly and as silently as he could, Adam waited until he was directly behind Gregory to pull his bloody sword from its sheath and poke the tip of it into the center of Gregory's back with the full intention of running him through if Gregory didn't back off.
"Do it and you'll follow him into the afterlife," Adam said, tone deadly.
"You wouldn't dare," Gregory said, dagger still pointed at Tommy.
"Try me," Adam said, pressing the tip in hard enough to poke a hole through Gregory's tunic.
Gregory dropped the knife and relief flashed through Tommy's eyes as their gazes met over Gregory's shoulder, but then something else settled there. Fear.
"He said if I didn't put up a fight and make it good for him, he'd go after Jeffery. He said he's had his eye on him for a while and has just been waiting for him to be old enough."
Forcing down the revulsion he felt at the thought of that, Adam circled around until he was facing Gregory, the tip of his sword pressed to the hollow of Gregory's throat.
Putting himself between the king and Tommy, Adam warned, "You lay a hand on Jeffery, I will cut off your dick."
Gregory smirked, although he couldn't hide the fear that flashed through his eyes. "Empty threats. I'm your king. The sovereign would have your head."
"Let's send for the sovereign, then, shall we? I'm sure she'd be interested in how things are being run here, don't you think?"
The smirk dropped from Gregory's face and his eyes narrowed. "You're playing with fire, boy. Are you sure you're ready for the consequences should things not go your way?"
Adam pressed the tip in a little, noting Gregory's intake of breath with a sick satisfaction. "Are you?"
Gregory glared at him for a long minute before saying through clenched teeth. "This isn't over. By the time I'm through with you and those you care about, you'll gladly turn your sex slave over for my use in order to make your suffering stop."
Adam's gut clenched but he kept his fear of Gregory's threat in check and said, "Now who's leveling empty threats, hmm?" Letting his sword drop to just below Gregory's belt, Adam pressed it in enough to make his point and said, "And just to be clear, if that thing gets near anyone without their permission from here on out, it'll be the last time you use it for anything."
"I could have you beheaded for this," Gregory hissed.
"You could try," Adam said with a casualness he didn't quite feel. "But then we'd be back to the sovereign, since you can't do so without her permission, and we've already established how far that would get you."
Gregory looked past Adam to Tommy. "This is only a temporary reprieve. I will have you and your savior here will be the one to turn you over. Remember that the next time he ruts into your body."
After Gregory left, Tommy exhaled loudly and crossed to the bed, sitting shakily down on it. All was silent for a moment as Adam sheathed his sword and crossed to the chamber door to bolt it, something he rarely ever did.
When he crossed back and sat down next to Tommy, Tommy swallowed hard and said, "Jeffery-"
"I sent Neil after him."
Tommy blinked. "You did?"
"I saw my uncle in the great hall. He was headed this way with the same look on his face that he used to get when he'd come to my chambers at night. I knew right off what he was going to do. Thank the gods that Neil was still at the feast. I sent him after Jeffery so I could get back here to you. I didn't think I'd be in time."
"I would have killed him before I let him rape me," Tommy said with conviction. Adam didn't doubt it for a minute, dagger or no dagger.
"I know. I feared I'd find you dead when I opened the door."
Tommy shot him a sidelong look. "You don't have much confidence in my ability to defend myself, then."
"No, I don't have much confidence in my uncle's ability to fight fair. The dagger he had hidden on him was only the start, I'm sure. There were knights lying in wait to stop me when I started back through the corridor to get here. I'm sure they weren't the only ones he had on hand to turn things in his favor if need be. I'll bet there were some within shouting distance of the guard at the door should he need help subduing you."
Tommy nodded. "You're probably right."
Adam reached out and touched a finger to Tommy's bottom lip. Tommy flinched at the pain.
"I'll get a cloth."
Tommy waited while Adam wet a cloth and brought it over. Turning toward Adam, Tommy studied his face while Adam tended to the cut on his lip and one near his eye.
"This is going to swell," Adam said, gently dabbing at the corner of his eye.
"Won't be the first time," Tommy said flatly. He could have cared less about a swollen black eye. He cared a lot more about Adam. "You could have lost the crown tonight. Because of me."
Adam's gaze met Tommy's. "You mean more to me than a crown, and besides, you were right. I give him too much power. There's little he can do without proof of my ineptness, which doesn't exist. If he were to bring a complaint to the sovereign about tonight, it would be his word against mine, and while he might be king, from what I've heard of our new sovereign, I believe she would be smart enough to see through his words to the greed beneath."
Tommy reached up and squeezed Adam's hand. "Regardless, he is still king for the time being. He leveled threats that he's more than capable of following through with. Something needs to be done."
Tommy's breath caught in his throat as Adam's lips curled into a slow, cold smile. "Yes. And something will be done. Tonight."
Adam watched from the shadows of the changing screen along one wall of Gregory's chambers, Tommy at his side, as the king entered the room and predictably headed for the carafe of wine and plate of cheese left for him on the table near the fire. His uncle never had been able to resist the call of wine. Cold satisfaction curled through his gut as he watched Gregory pour himself a goblet-full and drink it down.
Glancing at Tommy, Adam nodded and together, they stepped out of the shadows.
"Hello, Uncle," Adam said conversationally.
Gregory tensed and glanced toward his sheathed sword, leaning against the wall by the door, where he'd left it upon entering. He made a move toward it, but Tommy stepped in his path, legs set apart, one hand loose at his side, the other on the hilt of his own sword, which Adam had given back to him after cleaning him up earlier. Tommy stared at Gregory, eye bruised and swollen, silently daring him to try it.
Gregory's eyes widened and his head whipped around to Adam. "You would arm a slave? Are you mad? Once I tell the sovereign of this-"
"You won't be able to tell the sovereign anything," Adam interrupted. "And even if you could, it wouldn't matter." Looking over at Tommy, Adam asked, "Would you like the pleasure, or shall I?"
Tommy smirked and said to Adam, "I think I would enjoy telling him."
"Tell me what?" Gregory said, looking between them.
"I am not now, nor have I ever been a slave of Vox," Tommy said. "It was all a ruse to take your kingdom down from the inside. Of course, now that Adam's in the picture, that plan has been altered a bit. Instead, I'm just here to take you down."
"That is preposterous," Gregory scoffed. "The messenger-"
"The messenger lied," Tommy said, with obvious enjoyment. "It's a bit hard to find trustworthy subjects to do your bidding when you enslave their children."
Gregory shot Adam an incredulous look. "And you what? Took his word for it? Are you truly that naïve?"
Adam shook his head. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, but I love and trust him. He could have ended me a hundred times over. He didn't. I even gave him the opportunity one night to lay siege to the castle with the army he has assembled just out of sight in the woods. He didn't."
"Because there is no army!" Gregory shouted. "He's playing you, nephew, and you fell for it like the incompetent lackwit I've always known you are."
"Shall we call on Queen Brooke to confirm? Because she will," Tommy said coolly.
Realization dawned in Gregory's eyes. "Queen Brooke is here for you, not a treaty."
Tommy nodded. "She has aligned herself with Tousma, yes."
Gregory looked over at Adam. "And you're just going to stand by and let them take your kingdom from you?"
"No," Adam said patiently, relishing the moment and what was about to happen, even if Gregory didn't know it yet. "No, I am going to marry him and we are going to unite our kingdoms and rule them together."
"A coregency?" Gregory asked, once again incredulous. "Do you know how rarely those work out? There's a reason for that. Someone always gets power hungry."
Adam tilted his head a little and said, "Yes. You would know about such things, wouldn't you?"
Gregory's eyes narrowed and his hands fisted at his sides. "I won't stand for it. I will find a way to keep you from the throne and from destroying everything I've built since your father's death."
Feeling nothing but a dead sort of cold steal through him, Adam said, "That will be a bit hard from the grave, don't you think?"
"What are you-" Gregory broke off, gaze shifting to the goblet of wine he'd just drank. The color drained from his face. Locking gazes with Adam again, he said, "You wouldn't. It would be murder."
"I choose to look at it as self defense," Adam countered, refusing to give the tiny twinge of conscience telling him his uncle might be right a chance to take hold. "After all, you did threaten me and all those I care about in my chambers earlier tonight."
"That still does not give you the right to kill me!" Gregory said, expression full of impotent fury.
"No," Tommy interjected, "but as king of Tousma-which you have unjustly subjected to your rule since you didn't give proper notice to the sovereign-I have the right."
The poison started to take effect then, right about when Sutan had told Adam it would. Adam watched dispassionately as his uncle grabbed at his chest, gasping for air.
Stepping forward, Tommy dropped his voice a notch and said, "Just so there is no doubt as you take your last breath who it is exactly who is ending your life, Adam poisoned your drink. It seems he and Neil have had a plan in place to kill you all along should it become necessary."
Adam walked over and stopped next to Tommy. "What you tried to do to Tommy and Jeffery tonight and what you threatened to do to everyone I care about? That made it necessary."
Tommy smirked coldly. "Want to know something ironic? You made it all possible by forcing me to become Adam's sex slave. Without that, Adam and I might never have spoken again, let alone joined forces to take you out."
"You won't get away with this," Gregory gasped, desperate eyes sliding to Randal, who lay sleeping on the bed, oblivious to what was happening right in front of him.
Adam chuckled. "He won't be much help. After Neil was through beating him for trying to rape Jeffery, Sutan gave him an elixir to help him sleep despite the pain from bruises and broken bones. By the time he awakens, your corpse will be cold on the floor."
"When the sovereign finds out-"
"If the sovereign finds out your death was not the result of a bad heart," Tommy interrupted, "She and all of Vox will be led to believe it was I who poured the vial of poison into your carafe, which given the situation, is an entirely just action on my part."
Finally looking properly terrified, Gregory dropped to his knees and then one hand, the other still clawing at his heart as if he was trying to dig it out of his chest to stop the pain. "Please … no…"
At last feeling a little of the sick satisfaction he'd been hoping for as he watched his uncle's life end at his hands while he begged for help, Adam reached down and hauled him up a little by his tunic so that he could look him in the eye. "Don't worry, Uncle. I'll show you the same mercy you showed me all those years ago. The same mercy you showed the subjects of Vox every day of your reign." Leaning in, Adam got right in his face and finished in a low, cold voice, "Which is none at all."
With that, he shoved Gregory away and turned, heading for the chamber doors, Tommy by his side. Adam had intended to stay until the end, until Gregory took his last breath, but he found he had no desire to. The deed was done. That was all that mattered.
Tommy woke with a start and frowned, looking around Adam's chambers, trying to figure out what had woken him up. And then it sounded again. A horn in the distance. And then one closer. And then the warning bells on the watch tower rang.
Tommy jumped out of bed for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, Adam close behind, just as pounding sounded at the door.
Adam crossed quickly to it and threw the bolt open, stepping aside as a guard quickly entered.
"What's going on," Adam asked, already headed toward the trunk with his clothes.
Tommy found his leggings on the floor and pulled them on, earning an odd look from the guard that he couldn't be bothered with.
"We've been ambushed. Queen Brooke's knights have taken up arms against our knights in the great hall and there's an army descending on the castle," the guard said. "Lord Terrance sent men out to meet them and sent me to tell you and your brother that Brooke's men have control of the gatehouse. We can't lift the bridge."
Adam looked over at Tommy and for a split second, Tommy worried Gregory's accusation that Tommy was deceiving Adam would make Adam doubt him, but he only looked alarmed, which was exactly how Tommy felt.
"Is the army outside the gates displaying colors or a coat of arms?" Tommy asked.
The guard looked over at him then and blinked, probably wondering why he thought he should be interfering in affairs of state. "Um-"
"Answer him," Adam barked.
Jus then Taylor burst into the chambers. "Adam-"
"I know already," Adam said, turning back to the guard. "Well?"
"Yes," the guard said, glancing at Tommy as he said, "Tousma's colors and coat of arms." The guard paused, then added, "There is more."
Adam motioned Taylor over to help him with his armor as he prompted the guard, "Yes?"
"The king is…" The guard trailed off and cleared his throat, then continued. "He's dead and his husband is missing. A runner was sent to rouse the king when the first horn blew and he was found dead on the floor. It seems you are now the king."
Tommy watched Adam's expression, pleased he kept his face carefully blank. "All right. Protect Princess Jenifer and the children at all costs, understand?"
The guard nodded his head and excused himself.
As soon as he was gone, Tommy started for his sword, which he'd propped against the mantle when they'd returned to chambers the night before. "Where is my armor?"
"Surely you don't mean to fight," Taylor said, sounding shocked. "If you so much as injure anyone, you'll forfeit your life."
Tommy shook his head. "I don't have time to explain, but I'll be fine. I promise."
"You're right, you will, because you're going to stay put," Adam said with finality.
Tommy narrowed his gaze on Adam and said, "You cannot keep me here against my will."
"It's too dangerous out there," Adam argued. "My knights do not know the truth yet, and with your kingdom attacking, they will treat you as the enemy."
Sheathed sword in hand, Tommy stalked over to Adam and said firmly, "I gave you control, but there are limits, Adam, and this is one of them. I will not stay behind while my kingdom mistakenly attacks. Especially not when I can stop blood from being needlessly shed. If you think I would, then you don't know me at all. Now, tell me where you hid away my armor or I swear I will go out there without it."
Adam glared at him for a long moment before looking over at Taylor. "Get his armor out of the storage cupboard."
Taylor, looking beyond confused, nodded his head and left the room, coming back a moment later with Tommy's armor.
"Help him into it while I go consult with Neil," Adam said. Looking at Tommy, Adam added, "Meet up with me in the corridor outside his chambers when you're ready."
Tommy nodded. Adam hesitated, then grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled him in for a hard, deep kiss. Afterwards, he said against Tommy's lips, "If you die out there, I will bargain with the gods to bring you back to life so that I can kill you myself."
Tommy smiled up at him. "I love you, too."
Adam huffed and rolled his eyes, but a smile curled the corner of his lips briefly before he schooled the expression into one of a proper king and stalked off.
As soon as Taylor had the last of the armor secured, Tommy was out of the room and down the corridor, half expecting to find Adam had just been placating him and had already headed out. He was pleased to find he hadn't. He was not, however, pleased to hear the argument taking place.
"I like him well enough, but are you sure, Adam? Maybe this was his plan all along."
"It wasn't, but I don't blame you for wondering," Tommy said, stepping around the corner. "I can only guess Monte and Brooke believe for some reason that I'm under duress and decided the best course of action was to attack before Vox has time to mount a defense. Either way, I'll put a stop to this. I swear it."
Neil studied him for a long moment before his shoulders relaxed minutely, tentatively taking Tommy at his word. "You have no need to explain yourself to me, Your Highness."
Tommy shook his head. "I believe we agreed that day in chambers to keep things informal between us. I still want that. I hope you do, too."
Neil nodded. "Very well."
"Let's go," Adam said.
The scene when they reached the great hall was utter chaos. Brooke's knights were attacking Vox's under her direction. She herself was currently across the room, standing on a table in full armor, shouting orders.
Everywhere Tommy looked, metal collided with metal and blood seeped from wounds. It didn't look like anyone was dead yet, which Tommy considered a minor miracle. He needed to get to Brooke and he needed to now if there was to be any chance of keeping the attack from turning deadly.
Ignoring Adam's shout for him to stay behind him, Tommy jumped into the fray, fighting his way through the crowd until he was at her side.
Looking up at her, he shouted, "Brooke! This isn't necessary! The king is dead!"
Brooke looked down at him, her eyes widening, probably at the fact that he was in full armor and wielding a sword. "What-"
"Call them off and I'll explain!" Tommy shouted.
Brooke's eyes narrowed. "How do I know you're not under duress?"
"Dammit, Brooke, quit being stubborn! I would not be armed if this were a ruse."
Brooke pressed her lips together and scanned the room until her eyes settled on Adam, who was shouting orders to his men to stand down.
"He is king now?"
Tommy nodded. "He is."
Brooke stared hard at Tommy for another minute, then motioned for one of her knights to sound the horn. As soon as he did, the fighting subsided and Brooke shouted, "Put down your swords! The battle is over. Gregory is dead."
Cheers went up and Tommy exhaled in relief as Brooke sent runners out to the gatehouse to relay her orders.
With help from a couple of knights, Brooke climbed down off the table and said, "Do not look so relieved. You still need to convince Monte. He instigated this ambush. He believes you are under duress and that Adam has something he's holding over you."
Tommy cursed and took off for the doors leading outside, intent on getting to his horse. Adam shouted his name but all Tommy did was call back that he was going out to find Monte. Luckily Jeffery already had Wild saddled for his morning exercise, so with a quick exclamation that he was glad to see Jeffery was alright-Neil had come by Adam's chambers the night before to tell them he'd gotten there in time-Tommy swung up into the saddle and took off.
He started for the bridge, shouting for it to be kept open. At first, no one listened and it kept going up at Terrance's order now that Brooke's men had returned control to him, but then Adam shouted from somewhere behind him for Terrance to lower it again. Looking beyond it at the knights fighting on horseback in the field, Tommy urged Wild to go faster. He made it to the bridge before it was fully down again and didn't even consider stopping to wait for it. No one was going to lose a life if he could help it, and right then, from the looks of the battle taking place, every second counted.
With Adam screaming at him to wait, Tommy jumped the end of the bridge. Wild landed gracefully on the dirt road that led up to it. He pointed Wild in the direction of the worst of the fighting and scanned the battlefield searching for Monte as Wild galloped. Tommy located Monte right in the middle of everything and urged Wild in that direction.
When he was within shouting distance, he called out, "Monte! Stop!"
Monte glanced over at him, relief at seeing that Tommy was all right written all over his face, until he looked past him and his expression hardened again. Turning away, he started shouting orders at the knights.
Tommy glanced back and saw Adam bearing down on him, a thunderous expression on his face. Tommy turned back, cursing Adam's protectiveness. It was going to make this twice as difficult as it had to be.
Men raced past Tommy, ignoring Tommy's orders to stand down and descended on Adam. Looking from Monte to Adam, who was more or less on his own fighting a group of Tousma knights that had him surrounded, Tommy clenched his jaw and reined Wild in. Turning him around, he made for Adam, knowing that even if his men wouldn't listen to him because Monte had obviously warned them he was under duress, they also wouldn't engage him in battle.
Before he could get back to Adam, though, five Vox knights broke off from battles they were fighting with Tousma knights and came at Tommy. Suddenly finding himself in a fight for his life, Tommy let go of Wild's reins and lifted his sword.
Tommy fought them off, defending his position as best he could until Monte managed to get to him with reinforcements. Blocking the sword of a Vox knight, Tommy shouted to Monte, "Tell them to stand down!"
"I cannot," Monte said. "Not until I know you are safe and free from the king's control."
"The king is dead!" Tommy said, urging Wild around with knee signals as he blocked an attack from the rear with his shield. "Adam is king now and we are no longer at war!"
Monte pressed his lips together and jabbed his sword into the leg of a Vox knight, causing him to fall from his horse, bleeding.
"And what if you are saying all this under duress?" Monte asked as the other Tousma knights moved in between Monte and Tommy and the Vox knights.
Tommy stared straight into Monte's eyes as he said, "I swear on both my mother's and sister's graves that I am free and that Adam is not using anything against me to gain my cooperation."
Monte stared hard at him, then signaled for David nearby to sound the horn. David lifted it to his lips and it blasted through the air just as Neil rode out on horseback with a contingent of knights flanking him on each side.
Monte shouted for his men to stand down and Tommy swung his horse around to locate Adam, a smile on his face, elated everything was finally over, only to yell out Adam's name in horror as a knight wearing Tousma's colors drove a sword into him from behind.
Breaking into a gallop, Tommy closed the distance between them even as Adam slid from his horse and fell face first on the ground. Jumping off Wild's back, Tommy ripped his helmet off and tossed it aside. Heart in his throat, Tommy knelt in the grass next to Adam.
He could hear shouts for someone to fetch Sutan as Neil rode over, then Neil barking orders for the Tousma knight be taken into custody and for the rest of Vox's knights to stand down, the battle was over.
As Tommy reached out and pulled Adam's helmet from his head with shaky hands, he was vaguely aware of Monte refusing to turn the knight responsible over and threatening to sound the horn of war again if Neil didn't back down.
That snapped Tommy out of his terror that Adam was dead and he looked up. "Monte, I am king, and I am telling you to turn him over right now or I swear I will run him through myself right here."
Monte looked at Tommy, startled. "You don't mean-"
"I do," Tommy said forcefully. "I witnessed him attack Adam after the horn was sounded. He maliciously ran him through anyway." Glaring at the knight, who Tommy didn't even recognize, leading him to wonder if he was a mercenary Monte had commissioned along the way, Tommy said, "If you have killed him, your life will be forfeit. Know that."
"Tommy!" Monte exclaimed, obviously too shocked to remember to address him properly in front of so many lower ranking noblemen.
Tommy ignored him as the men with Neil climbed from their horses and grabbed the knight, dragging him away.
Turning his attention back to Adam, Tommy said, "Adam? Can you hear me?"
Neil climbed off his horse and slid to his knees in the grass on the other side of Adam. Pulling off his helmet, he asked quietly, "Is he-"
Tommy looked over at Neil and shook his head. "He can't be."
"I'm not," Adam said, voice muffled by the ground he was face down on.
Tommy gasped in relief and had to restrain himself from gathering Adam to him. He didn't want to move him until Sutan had checked him over.
"You're alive. Thank the gods," Tommy said.
Adam turned his head to the side and said, "I'm in pain. Get me up?"
"You're not moving until Sutan looks you over," Tommy said.
Adam snorted. "I thought I gave you the orders."
Tommy smirked down at him, uncaring who heard. "Only behind closed doors. We're in a wide open field right now."
Adam snorted, the sound pained but amused. "Remind me to remedy that as soon as I can move again."
Tommy chuckled, the sound born as much from relief that Adam sounded all right despite the blood seeping from his chain mail as from the joke itself.
Glancing over at Neil and smiling at the relief on Neil's face as well, Tommy said to Adam, "I will."
It was a nearly midday before Adam was stitched closed, cleaned up, and standing on the stone platform of the king's throne in the great hall. Tommy had tried to make him lie down and rest, but Adam was having none of it, swearing he was fine and that it was just a flesh wound. Reluctantly, Sutan had backed him up, although he made a point to express concern that Adam not push too far, that even though it only cut through the outermost part of his side, it could still bleed a lot if the stitches broke.
Adam wouldn't hear of it, though. The king was dead and he needed to make the announcement and officially declare himself king so that Vox wouldn't think him a weak leader. Tommy hadn't liked it, but he understood, which was why he was currently standing at Adam's side, ready to put a steadying arm around him at a moment's notice should Adam start to feel ill.
"Citizens of Vox," Adam said to the room at large, "As most of you have heard by now, my uncle, King Gregory, died in his chambers last night. He was found this morning. It appears to have been his heart."
Murmurs went up throughout the great hall.
Waiting until they died down, Adam said, "This leaves the kingdom in need of a king, and since I am the next in line, I am appointing myself. Of course, the sovereign will make it official, but until then, I will assume all duties expected of a king." Glancing at Tommy, Adam continued, "And my first order of business is to right a grave wrong done to King Thomas Ratliff and all of Tousma." Turning back to the crowd, Adam explained, "It appears King Gregory failed to send a declaration of our victory over Tousma to the sovereign, making King Thomas' enslavement and that of his people unjust and highly illegal. As such, I am officially declaring the battle that day a stalemate and returning King Thomas's medallion and his kingdom to him."
Tommy stepped forward and ducked his head for Adam to place the medallion around his neck. Once it was in place, Tommy looked down at it with a sigh of relief. It was over. He was free of the subterfuge and could openly rule again. He looked up at Adam and smiled in gratitude.
"Thank you."
Adam bowed low, then straightened and said, "Thank you for calling a halt to the attack today." Looking out at the crowd, Adam said, "All of Vox should be aware of how close we came to being conquered by Tousma. We were unprepared and their numbers were far superior. King Thomas could have easily taken us over as revenge for what my uncle did. Instead he showed compassion and understanding, neither of which Vox showed him. I expect you all to treat him with the reverence due his station and the gratitude he's earned from you through his actions this day."
More murmurs rose from the crowd until someone shouted, "All hail King Thomas!"
The sentiment was echoed by another, and then another, until the whole crowd was chanting it.
Tommy smiled his appreciation, although inside he had a hard time stomaching it from certain faces in the crowd he recognized as people who had either scorned him during his enslavement or outright threatened him.
Adam clapped his hands together after a moment, silencing everyone. "In honor of this day, I declare a continuation of the feast last night and invite King Thomas and Queen Brooke to stay on for at least the next week."
Tommy would be staying on a lot longer than that, but they had decided to wait a few days before announcing their engagement in order to give both their kingdoms time to digest all that had already happened that day.
That in mind, Tommy bowed and said, "I accept."
Brooke, who had been standing off to the side and a couple of steps down, stepped up onto the platform and bowed also. "I also accept."
Once the rest of the formalities were out of the way, Tommy leaned in toward Adam a little and said, "You need rest. Let me take you back to your chambers. If you're worried about appearing weak, I'm fine with everyone thinking we're sneaking off for a tryst."
Adam smiled at him, but the expression was marred by pain. "It's that obvious, hmm?"
"To me it is," Tommy said.
Adam sighed. "All right. Lead the way."
Once they made it to chambers, Adam collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily. Not waiting for Adam to do it himself, Tommy walked over and untied his tunic, lifting it out of the way to check his stitches.
Cursing at the fact that one of them was torn and bleeding, Tommy strode back across the room and opened the door, telling the guard outside it, "Fetch Sutan."
When he closed the door again, Tommy said, "You are not getting out of that bed the rest of the day. I don't care what you say."
Adam chuckled. "You forget. We're behind closed doors. I'm in charge here."
Tommy rolled his eyes and crossed back to the bed to help Adam out of his leggings and tunic.
Pulling the blanket up over him, Tommy said, "So spank me when you're better. In the meantime, I'm assuming command and you will do as I say or face the consequences."
"Oh, and what might these consequences be?" Adam asked, amusement in his voice.
Tommy smiled slyly. "I'll make you wait until our wedding night to bed me again as is custom."
"You wouldn't," Adam said in mock horror.
Trying to keep the smile off his face, Tommy nodded and said as seriously as he could pull off with both of them nearly laughing, "I would. I have my virtue to consider, not to mention the bad example it would set for my subjects to see me behaving so promiscuously."
Adam chuckled. "I'd say your virtue is safe with me, but well, we both know that's a lie."
Tommy laughed. "To say the least." Glancing over at the carafe of water Taylor had refreshed at some point, Tommy asked, "Are you thirsty? I could get you a drink of water."
Not waiting for Adam's answer, Tommy started to rise, only to have Adam grab his wrist and yank him back down. Tommy oomphed and Adam groaned in pain as Tommy fell half on top of him.
"Was that completely necessary? Sutan will have both our heads if there's even more stitches ripped now, you know," Tommy admonished, although he was having a hard time staying irritated in the face of the blinding smile curving Adam's lips.
"Completely necessary," Adam said, expression sobering. "I haven't had a kiss from you since early this morning. That must be rectified posthaste."
Tommy huffed, even as he leaned down and pressed his lips to Adam's. The kiss quickly turned heated and Tommy opened his mouth to Adam's tongue as Adam cupped the back of Tommy's head.
When the kiss ended, Tommy pulled back enough to stare down into Adam's eyes and said quietly, "I was so scared when that knight ran you through. I thought I had lost you."
"I heard what you said to him. You were going to kill him if I had been dead. Would you have really?"
"In a heartbeat," Tommy said with total conviction. "I might anyway. Of course, I think I have to get in line behind Neil. He looked like he wanted to behead the man on the spot."
Adam smiled softly. "I'm lucky to have a brother like him." He leaned up and brushed his lips over Tommy's, then lay back against the pillow again. "I'm even luckier to have you. Thank you for not giving up on me when I was being an ass."
Tommy blinked back moisture in his eyes and said, "Thank you for forgiving me my many lies."
Adam sighed and reached up with one hand, threading his fingers through Tommy's.
Bringing their joined hands to rest together on his chest, Adam declared, "No more apologizing for the past or dwelling on it for either of us. We start fresh from here."
Tommy squeezed Adam's hand and smiled, heart filled to bursting with love for the man he was going to spend the rest of his life with. "That is an order I will gladly follow."
[Part 14]