Take Me Away

Chapter sumarry : A close friend of Shandaar comes back to Kadessa…

Author’s Notes: Well thanks to my reviewer, Kingsmut! ^^. I’m happy that people love what I write, and I agree, Shandaar is smoochable *smooches him*. Anyways, this chapter introduces more characters, like Kieran (Shandaar’s boyfriend) and some random secondary characters... and gives me the chance to write a sex scene. I’ll have to stop there, for my laptop battery is dying… and as I write that, the HTML coding isn’t done. Reviews are always welcome! ^_^





Take Me Away

Chapter 01 – Withdrawal Syndrome




“But I swear it’s coming! I know it is! One day we won’t have anymore rain! We have to think before it happens!”

The whole room groaned at the old man’s ramblings, except the queen and Shandaar, who simply sighed. Everyone knew Master Hanten was crazy, or close to, but the guy had ideas worthy of a genius sometimes. If everyone knew it, no one knew why he was stuck on that. Dressed in a white robe, he stood up and slammed his hands on the table, as if it would help proving his point.

“Don’t say I haven’t warned any of you!”

A bunch of “yeah, yeah” now rose from the table, and this time, even the queen couldn’t refrain a chuckle. Hanten was too weird; there was nothing new, which actually meant a good thing. “No news, good news” as they said. At least he was the only rambler, which was enough of one…

After Master Hanten’s drought-scare talk, the treasure keeper started, saying that their currency had suffered a little down compared to the one used by the Nael Kingdom, but that was expected. The cultivation season was already over, and in not even a month everything would be fine again. Each year was the same. Shandaar never really understood how people could think of the world as only numbers, money or statistics, but it was a part of the game of life.

The prince turned his head around, eyeing the room. Every month he had to come here and listen, sometimes he’d give his opinion, mostly on military strategies in case of an upcoming attack. Fortunately, in the past years, thing were relatively calm, and he had no need of proving his capacities. However, rebellions had happened. Sure they were small, and never let the chance to grow, but considering the territory Kadessa covered – or wanted – it was another thing to expect. Unhappy citizens meant a rebellion, and some people would never be happy. Even himself, even though he was from royal blood, was in that category. His mind automatically drifted to his best friend, who was probably miles from there, if not in a different country. With luck, maybe he went as far as Magdos… but the ship ride wouldn’t be affordable by the other man. Unless he managed to find or steal enough money. Good old Kieran. How he missed the guy… and how he was probably missed as well.

The Surkhan family had been working for the Kandi for a while, maybe a generation or two, at the forge. Being drawn to weapons, Shandaar often wandered around, since the Surkhans had a son, a few years older than the silver-haired heir. They had grown close really fast and soon, became best friends. Sometimes Shandaar sneaked out of the castle to see his friend, and sometimes it’d be the opposite. But Kieran’s instincts were driven to go see the world. By the time he was 17, he had travelled through the empire, sending letters and drawings of what he’d see, of his encounters. Now the whole world was his… ‘You’re lucky. I can’t move like that. I may be rich, but I’ll never be able to travel as I want…’ Yes, Kieran was missed.

The sound of his own sigh brought him back to reality. Or maybe that was the fact the culture minister was talking about reconstructing a temple that had caught fire a week ago, in one of the eastern provinces. Sure Dakkas Temple was an important pilgrimage step in the country, and people would eventually start blaming the empire for not taking care of this… It wasn’t a life or death question yet, but would become quite important. An issue that would better be solved now.

“We shall send priests to Dakkas. They will reassure the people at the same time, a sign that the gods haven’t forgotten about them. Master Serkal, please gather them and prepare a carriage. As soon as they are ready, they will leave. Also appoint guards. Shall something happen, they will be protected.”

A man with deep blue hair and a beard of the same color, wearing green and red clothing, bowed down deeply in the Queen’s direction before leaving the room, ready to give the orders to the priests and priestesses.

Next up was the education minister. More families had the means of getting education for their children. They were expecting a recrudescence in engineering and scholars interested in ministerial careers, aside the youth getting either into the army or staying in their family traditions.

Traditions. Sometimes it felt like they didn’t mean to be followed. People didn’t always follow their parents’ footsteps, why couldn’t he do the same? Maybe there was someone better a being a prince. Or maybe not, since he was already there. ‘You think too much, Shandaar’. Maybe it was even better this way.

“The people also wish for the young prince to find a wife. In a few months you will be 20 years old, my prince. Perhaps you should start looking for a nice wife…”

The request made by Master Arkyll, a short man with almond-shaped eyes and short brown hair, was almost ignored by Shandaar, or maybe not ignored enough, he couldn’t tell. He didn’t even want a wife. All he wanted was Kieran back at his side. No woman in this world could replace Kieran, it would be impossible. It wouldn’t have the same feelings, or hold the same memories of days spent playing in the fields, eating apples from the orchard, or training… the nights spent together under the moon, or in the same bed, their bodies touching…

Could he ever fall in love with someone else than Kieran?

No, it was almost impossible to imagine.

He completely dismisses the question by shaking his head, than putting the silver bands back at their place, out of his eyes.

“Maybe the Prince isn’t ready yet. Let him be, Master Akryll. He will know when it is the right time.” Looks were exchanged between everyone, going back and forth. When the Queen spoke, it was a sign that it was time to stop. No one ever dared to defy her authority, for fear of an execution… although it would never have happened. Not with Queen Tahira on the throne, and not while King Logan was on the throne as well. Pointless bloodshed authorized by the royalty had basically never happened.

And so the topic changed, on the issue of naval transportation between the island of Torek and the mainland…

-

Two hours later, and a few more debates, the meeting had come to an end, to Shandaar’s pleasure. Now he was free for about an hour before the food would be ready. “Maybe a nap wouldn’t hurt” he said out loud. Of course Ethan would get him back to his chambers; it was his job after all and he didn’t want the bodyguard not to be left without doing anything. Through the hallway’s windows, he could see the rain hitting hard. The weather had changed fast indeed, and now it felt everything was dark around him. ‘Kieran, you better get back before winter’ he prayed to himself as he continued to gaze at the window. Seeing that Ethan’s own reflection grew annoyed, he turned his head toward the older man and smiled sweetly. “Shall we get going?”

With a nod, the bodyguard followed. There was something about the youth that wasn’t… expected. ‘Could he be still infatuated with that rascal? I thought he was gone… don’t tell me we’re going to see him again?’ As much as he had wanted to say that out loud, that the Surkhan guy had probably found a nice girl to be with, and that all those letters Shandaar received were lies… he couldn’t do it. On the other hand, they were so happy together, it was almost sickening. ‘Enough of those childish revenge thoughts, now he finally told himself as they finally got to the room. ‘I can’t wish him bad things… he’s the prince. Not a commoner. A member of the royalty…’

But Kieran would always remain inferior to him. After all, wasn’t he travelling with a thief and a giant barbarian? Were they really partners in crime? And what told him they were actually travelling around the world, and not staying in this country, making everything up? Maybe he was harsh on the other man, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted the best for Shandaar, and the best wasn’t a commoner who was barely in the empire itself… he needed a stable relationship, someone trustworthy, who would be there for him when he wanted.

Who was better than Ethan in this case?

“I should be up in an hour or so… don’t send anyone to wake me up, please. I will eat later if I wake up too late. Tell that to Mother if I don’t come down later.”

“I will, my prince. Rest well.”

Shandaar smiled at his friend and slowly closed the door. All in all, it had been a good day, except part of the meeting, but that was expected, as were a lot of things. Now alone in the large, white marble room, he began to removes his armor and clothing. Half-naked, with only a pair of white pants on, he slid between the blankets, listening to the sound of the rain on the bedroom’s windows. It was… soothing. A different kind of soothing than when the birds chirped in the morning, but it helped him fall asleep nonetheless.

-

When Shandaar opened his eyes, it was night. He still could hear the rain, but it had calmed down. His stomach growled, sign he had missed dinner, once again. ‘I could get up and eat something now, but I don’t want to wake up the cook for that…’ he thought as he sat in his bed, pushing the light blue comforter off his chest. The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to relax more, but there was a noise that bothered him… some kind of “thud” at the balcony door. ‘What could it be?’ His instincts drove him to the glass door, hidden behind deep blue suede curtains. Who could be wise, sneaky and… suicidal enough to get through the guards and come straight to his room? Well there was someone who could have done that… yes, the possibility was there. So he peaked through the opening in an attempt to see who was there. Sure it was dark, but there was a faint lighting that let him see a face… and it wasn’t unknown.

Without wasting time, he slid the curtains and unlocked the door to open it. The same black hair… the same brown eyes… the same victorious grin... it had to be Kieran. It just had to. The other man never had seemed to change through those years. He’d recognize him from thousands of men, after studying that body over and over again. The prince literally threw himself in the wide open arms in front of him.

Kieran was back, and that was no dream.

“If you weren’t coming back, I was going to get you back by myself, and you know it.”

“Save that for next time, Shandaar. You never know what’s gonna happen.”

How much he had missed those arms wrapped around him! It only had been two or three months that the adventurer was gone, but to Shandaar, it had seemed like an eternity. “You’re soaked wet… have you been in town for long”

The raven-haired man shook his head before getting rid of his wet cape, letting it fall to the floor. “No, we just got in about an hour ago. I didn’t even stop by father’s house… I wanted to see you first. But tomorrow, I’m going there, not escaping it. Can’t wait to tell them where we’ve been.”

“Well save that for later with me… you’re going to get a cold if you don’t get those clothes off” Shandaar said as he tugged on his friend’s tunic. “And no, I’m not saying that just because I want to have sex, no…”

Kieran grinned. He liked how the prince was different with everybody, able to be one of the world’s most perverted man, the most innocent, the one who did all the talking and sometimes, the one who did the less… but he’d deal with the perverted side tonight. Laughing out loud, he finally let the younger male have his way and removed the shirt before being dragged to the bed.

“Come on! Get in already!”

“You’re so impatient sometimes; let me at least get the pants off, oh my prince…”

There was a pause, a few blinks, a “no”, and then a strong tug… and Kieran found himself on the bed, over Shandaar, who simply grinned to prove his point. “Don’t mess with me, peasant! You shall be beheaded for opposing to authority!”

“Like you’d have the guts to kill your lover, yeah. I’d be a criminal and you’d still love me.”

Another grin, but Kieran didn’t see it very long, since the silver-haired man’s face got very close to his, bringing him into a deep kiss. After a few moments, he breaks it in order to remove his pants – which were getting a bit too tight anyway – and takes some time to remove Shandaar’s as well. He could feel him again. Seeing and feeling his younger lover was a relief, a blessing. Maybe there wouldn’t be a next journey… maybe he should stop and be with his lover, like they had been before. Even though he loved travelling, he missed spending more time with his childhood friend.

“Kieran…” Brown eyes met blue eyes when heard his name being spoken, as quiet as it has always been. “You know exactly what I’m going to ask for… so better get to it, hehe…”

That needed no more explanations from the prince. Kieran got off Shandaar to let him get comfortable, since the legs dangling from the edge of the bed wouldn’t have been the better way to make love. Once near the pillow, he pulled the man over himself again, resuming the kiss, rubbing his body against the other one. Two months and it already felt like withdrawal syndrome.

The hands on his body move to the silver hair, playfully running his fingers his it before lowering them back on skin, mapping every single inch of the flesh that he could. Being once again with Shandaar was one of the best things that could have happened to him. That was one of the reasons he came back, for his lover. “You haven’t changed either… you’re just the way you always were. Downright edible.” That last thing made the youth laugh out loud, quickly going back to moans. Kieran’s right hand’s digits found their way to the mouth, gently gaining access to it. It’s not like the other would have nit anyways, but he wanted to be careful not to hurt him, or not let him enough time to say he wasn’t consentent. But as far as he could figure out, that was quite the opposite.

The prince welcomed the fingers his mouth, suckling on them loudly and using his tongue to make sure they’d be wet enough with saliva for next step. He knew where they were going; it wasn’t the first time, and was far from being the last time they’d be that intimate. After a few moments, knowing that the digits were damp enough, he simply stops sucking on them and ignites another kiss, more passionate this time. Kieran’s lips moved as well, as if he discovered the slightly smaller body again, wanted to taste and feel everything. Every time he’d be with Shandaar, he found something new; apparently he liked to have his earlobes gently nibbled on, and he could be easily turned on by tickling his sides; two little details that didn’t go unnoticed to the adventurer.

A slight shocking sensation was sent through the heir as one of the fingers was introduced inside him. Not enough to scream in agony, but enough to cringe. That was always a weird sensation to him, being penetrated by fingers, but that was something he’d have to live to in order to avoid a painful experience. He feels the finger move inside him, stretching the muscle, and knowing the time lapse between the current intercourse and the one before, it was a good thing. Plus it wouldn’t last three hours… The second () was put inside as well; that’s when he started to push himself on them. He couldn’t wait anymore… yet it was better to be fucked by a cock than with fingers. It was bigger, longer, and even more intimate.

After a few more scissor movements and even more tongue-wresting activity, the third and final digit was in. He had to do something to prevent Shandaar from reaching climax with just those, and the only solution offered to him was to remove them. The prince rolled his eyes and groaned; after all, he was enjoying this! He almost asked Kieran to stick them back in, but felt his legs slightly moved around the other man’s waist.

Now that was called sex. Not that it wasn’t before however.

Still unable to wait, he literally impaled himself on his lover’s hard-on with a long, loud, horny moan. His muscles clenched around the erection, putting a bit more pressure on it. The black-haired man knew better than withdraw and let Shandaar do the job, once he was sure he was ready, then got back in, and out again, slowly at first. But that didn’t seem to be enough, and soon the thrusts were going faster. Kieran’s brown eyes closed as he continued the movements, gradually getting along with the other’s.

“Nnnn… Kieran…” he finally muttered, his mate’s name replacing the moans. The prince was no more of the shy, almost innocent teenager he was a couple of years ago. To his best friend, he was a sex fiend… okay not a fiend. Sex beast… god… whatever could fit there. Kieran couldn’t have cared more about it. All he wanted to do was to make sure Shandaar was satisfied with the performance.

While paying attention to the man’s sky blue eyes and rather pale skin, he had barely noticed that the smaller hands were on the neglected erected member. He gently pushes them away and replaces the hands with his own, using the other to support himself on top of his royal lover. No way could he allow himself falling flat on Shandaar.

“Harder, please…” He thought he should have seen that request coming, even though he had been busy staring and moaning in the other man’s direction. He complies with the demand and accentuates his thrusts, adding more speed and power to them. He could have never forgotten how it was to be with such a partner… maybe his mating instincts told him to get back at the right time. And before the prince could add anything, he continues to ram inside him, adding even more strength to it, while pumping the shaft in front of him.

What could he do for a night with Shandaar? Oh he’d do a lot of things, maybe going as far as killing, but he’d have to be in that situation to tell if he’d really do it. That was something he had thought about while travelling. Where would his love stop? According to him, nothing would stop him from coming back from time to time. Nothing. Every single cut, bruise, capture or torture would worth spending one more night with him.

Everything.

Including obeying another “harder” request issued by the prince himself. Unsure if he was able to go harder than that, he forces himself to do so, getting more loud moans in return. The important was that Shandaar was enjoying it, and if he could get pleasure out of the bonding activity as well, it couldn’t get any better than this.

Well it could, and that’s what he felt moments after. A pleasure wave ran from his groin up to every limb in his body as he released his seeds deep within the younger male, resolved not to stop before the same had happened to his mate. So he continued to pump on the hardened member, as fast as he could, still thrusting inside him. It’s only when he heard a shout and felt a warm liquid on his belly and hands that he started to lower his speed, realizing that he now had reached climax as well. Satisfied, he lowers his head and kisses his childhood friend before eventually collapsing beside the other frame.

Still breathing heavily, his head being slightly light from the orgasm, Shandaar manages to ask a question. “Is it me or sex feels better after you’ve been gone for a long time?”

For an answer, he received a nod, more shallow breathing, and another hot, fiery kiss. “Yeah, I guess… but don’t count on me to be gone for a year… I’d die…”

“Oh I’d die as well… believe me…” One more look in Kieran’s direction with sweet eyes, sign he wanted to spend the night in his arms as he had done so many times before, and there he was. It was such a special feeling, to love and to be loved, that he could have gotten drunk off it. With his lover beside him, everything seemed to be much easier, and much more fun. He felt almost invincible, as If nothing could touch or hurt him.

The long wait for Kieran’s return had finally stopped. He was back, and things seemed to be better than ever.

“Don’t leave tomorrow, please…”

All that the raven-haired man could answer with was a shake of his head, a smile and a squeeze of the body in his arms before closing his eyes, falling into a contented sleep.

~TBC~