The Switch

Chapter is beta by Kylee.


Chapter Six:

Erin sat in his room facing the open window and staring out at the colorful sky. He was lost in his thoughts, thinking about a year ago when he met Logan. The happy times he spent with Logan. Now everything had changed. He found himself sitting down like this very often, thinking back to that conversation he had with Logan before the man locked him up. He didn't even realize that he was crying until he felt a thumb gently wiping his tears away for him. He blinked twice and stared at the man before him. “Who gave you permission to come in?” he said softly.

“I'm a prince, I don't need permission,” replied Garrick with a tender smile on his lips. “Mind telling me why you were crying?” he asked.

“Garrick, you are the last person I would confide in!” remarked Erin.

“You hurt my feelings boy, and for hurting my feelings, you get to sleep on the couch tonight,” Garrick said with a wide grin.

Erin laughed. He knew what Garrick was doing. The man was trying in his own way to cheer him up, and making him mad was Garrick’s way of making him forget about his worries. “I don't want to argue with you about who gets the bed tonight Garrick.” Erin told him.

“Then what do you suggest we do? I refuse to sleep on the couch and the floor is not an option,” said Garrick, making it very clear that he refused to sleep on anything other than the bed.

“We could share the bed,” Erin announced.

“What? Are you serious boy? I thought that you could not share a bed with me because we were not married to each other?” Garrick asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“That's true, but I'm not a virgin. I have nothing to worry about. If I was as pure as the day I was born then I wouldn't have even suggested such a thing,” Erin explained. “I just realized how stupid I was for acting like a innocent boy when you suggested that we share the bed back at that abandoned facility. Who was I kidding? What I lost can never be returned to me. I only regret giving it to the wrong person.” Tears begin forming in his eyes. Before they could flow out of him, he walked over to the bed and climbed into it. He pulled the covers over himself and turned to his right side. He closed his eyes and pretended to go to sleep. He heard Garrick walk over to his side and a second later he felt Garrick sit near him on the bed.

“You aren't stupid Erin, you just fell for the wrong person,” Garrick whispered.

Erin sat up and put his arms around Garrick’s waist. He cried on Garrick’s warm chest. Garrick wrapped his arms around Erin and comforted him. A role he found himself taking on very often since he met the boy. Erin cried until there were no more tears left, he pulled away from the comfort of Garrick’s embrace and gazed up at the man. "Thank you," he said softly accompanied by a small smile.

“No problem. I am used to ladies finding comfort in my arms, and you are just as beautiful as those ladies back in my world," Garrick complimented the red eyed boy.

Erin didn't know what to make of that, so he chose not to say anything in response. Garrick stared at the quiet boy. “Do you think you could scoot over to the other side?” Garrick asked.

Erin scooted over to the wall and then lay back down on the bed. With his head on the pillow he watched Garrick lay down next to him. Without realizing it, he reached out and touched Garrick’s dark curls with his finger. His action surprised Garrick as well as himself. With a quick sorry, he turned to his other side with his back to Garrick, and closed his eyes.

Garrick watched the boy toss and turn, trying to get to sleep. He could no longer stand it, he reached for the boy and pulled him into his chest. “You are so accustomed to using me as a pillow that now it is hard for you to fall asleep without me near you,” he remarked with a yawn. When Erin lifted his head to glare at him for that remark, Garrick pushed his head back down to rest on his arm. He whispered a good night and fell asleep with a sleeping Erin in his arms, like it was a natural thing for the two of them.

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“You will need Lord Zephyr’s help to get back to your world Eric. I can't help you. I am not as powerful as I was in my younger days.”

Eric couldn't believe his ears, he turned and glared at Zephyr, then turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. “Isn't there anybody else in this god damned world of yours who could help me return to my world besides him?” He pointed his finger at Zephyr who was leaning against the stone wall in a relaxed manner while watching him.

“I'm afraid not Eric. Our lord is the most powerful wizard in our world. Even our king and his son Prince Garrick come to him when they are in trouble,” replied the woman. “I do understand why you dislike our lord so much. My sister filled me in on what has been going on between you two,” she added.

Eric threw his hands up and stalked out of the room. Shit. Why was he stuck with that man? Why was fate so cruel to stick him with someone like Zephyr? The man was annoying as hell. Every time they met Zephyr would steal kisses from him, and no matter how much he threatened the man, he just wouldn't back off from his advances. Frustrated, he kicked the dirt beneath his feet and shouted his frustration out loud to the wide blue sky. He was about to re-enter the castle when his eyes caught sight of the beautiful stream that was running alongside the castle. He could surely use a good swim to cool his temper down, he thought and off he went towards the small stream. When he got there, he stripped out of his clothes and dived into the cold crystal water.

Zephyr watched Eric from the small window inside the castle tower, his eyes took in the breathtaking sight of Eric swimming in the stream. “You know I never thought that I would find a man to be so attractive Alina. Eric is so different from all the men and woman I slept with before,” he voiced out loud.

“That’s because he is different my Lord. Eric is what you have always wanted in a woman my Lord, a strong mate who could defend themselves when trouble came calling, and also bear you strong sons who could carry on your bloodline.”

Zephyr smiled, “You know me very well Alina.”

"It is to be expected my Lord after all those years that I served under you and your mother. I must say that I was a bit surprised to learn that you had fallen for Eric at first sight. ”

Zephyr let out a chuckle, still watching Eric swim in the cold crystal water. “Love works in mysterious ways,don't you think so Alina? If you were to ask me this a month ago, I would have told you that I would never consider marrying a man, no matter how pretty he looked.” After he said that, Zephyr turned away from the window and walked out of the room. Alina got up and walked over to her window she looked outside and watched as her lord approached Eric.

“What do you want?” Eric asked Zephyr as he buttoned up his red shirt. He heard Zephyr answer him, but he couldn't understand a damn word like usual. With a sigh like always, he made a move to walk past Zephyr, but the man caught his hand and pulled him into his arms. Eric soon found himself trapped. The man held on so tightly to him that he could barely move.

“Would you mind letting me go?” he said with a sigh.

“Join me tonight in the garden for dinner?” Zephyr asked Eric.

“What are you saying?” Eric asked with bewilderment.

Alana came to their rescue. “Eric, my lord wants you to join him for dinner in the garden tonight,” she translated for her lord. "I think you should agree to it. After all, tomorrow you and he will be off in your journey to find the box that your brother sent you here for. You should get to know each other better, don't you agree?” said Alana.

“Fine,” Eric reluctantly agreed.

“Eric said yes my Lord,” Alana translated.

Zephyr grinned and let Eric go but not before stealing another kiss. He got a hard kick in the knees for it. Alana shook her head at her lord. When would he learn, she thought.

“You know I would have killed him if I didn't need his help to get back home, don't you?” Eric hissed.

“Yes I know, and so does my sister. Now come along. Let’s get you dressed for that dinner.” She motioned with her hands for Eric to follow her inside.
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Zephyr dressed in his best clothes for dinner with Eric that night. He was just buttoning up his royal blue shirt when Alana entered his room without knocking. “What do you want Alana?” he asked.

“I came to tell you that I won't be able to translate your conversation with Eric tonight my Lord. I have to go away with my sister tonight,” she informed him.

“How the hell are we supposed to understand each other if you are not there?” he shouted.

“Calm down my Lord,” said Alana. Then she pulled out a book from behind her back and grinned widely. “I trust that you can learn every thing in this book in a half hour my Lord.”
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Eric reluctantly dragged his body to dinner with Zephyr. He dressed in a gold color shirt and black pants. When he arrived in the garden at the back of the castle, he was amazed at how glamorous it looked. Candlelight filled the garden with a romantic atmosphere. Zephyr was seated in a nice comfy chair dressed in a royal blue shirt, waiting for him.

"You really outdid yourself this time Zephyr,” Eric admitted to the man.

“Why thank you Eric, I thought that you might like it. I'm happy to learn that I'm right,” Zephyr spoke in Phala which startled Eric.

“You... how did you learn my language so fast?” Eric asked. Zephyr pulled out a book and showed it to Eric.

Eric looked at the book then back at Zephyr. “Are you telling me that you learned my language in such a short time just from reading from this book?” he asked the man.

Zephyr grinned. “It took me half an hour to learn your language through this magical book."

Eric was at a lost for words. He just sat there and stared as Zephyr smirked at him.


End of chapter six.