Faramir Fiction Archive

Love is... (NC-17)

Written by Sairalinde and Anorienbean

19 November 2009 | 145965 words

Chapter 10

Days passed for Faramir in this new world and before he knew it, he had been Rahl’s slave about a month. Overall, that month hadn’t been so bad. There had been punishments but more often than not those punishments led to an incredible round of sex, so sometimes Faramir had a hard time seeing them as exactly a punishment. He knew better than to really anger Rahl, most of his punishments were for minor things, and a few times… he had provoked the man. Most probably would never provoke a wizard that way but Rahl had been obsessing over the seeker for hours on end and Faramir honestly thought the man needed a distraction.

This day, like many others Faramir followed his master to his study and was seated on the couch, reading a book. He missed being outdoors, riding horses, missed the woods of his homeland some days almost acutely but… this wasn’t such a bad fate he kept telling himself.

Rahl’s fingers were scraping over his chin as he looked over the papers on his desk. He was lost in thought, but still found his eyes wandering up every now and then to admire the man seated on the couch before him. More than once as he was gazing at Faramir, a small smile would touch his lips though he had no clue it was there. He seemed more relaxed around Faramir, which was odd, because before, he’d never felt safe unless he was alone. He drew his gaze back to his work and reached for a heavy book on one side of his desk, sighing as he wondered to himself why this particular slave was so distracting. “You look like you are enjoying that particular story,” he said, more to break the silence than anything else. “Which book did you choose today?”

“It is a history of warfare in your world, oddly similar to my own in some ways,” Faramir said looking over the top of the book. “I find it interesting to note how similar my culture and yours can be at times and other times completely different. Perhaps that is why the palantir could access my world because it isn’t so terribly different than yours? At any rate… it is very good,” Faramir said smiling openly. He truly enjoyed reading, and would read just about anything and find something of worth in it.

Rahl laughed softly under his breath, but with Faramir, especially lately, the sound rarely sounded derisive. “I see what your wizard meant when he called you inquisitive. You are not so different than me – always thinking, trying to understand how things happen. The palantir, however, is not something I have questioned yet. I am just happy it showed you to me at all…” He started to go on, but was interrupted by a loud knock at the door. His guard was arguing with someone and it was obvious he was quite agitated from the sound of his voice. Rahl immediately stood, fully expecting the seeker to come bursting into his library, hands at the ready to cast any spell he could think of.

Faramir set his book aside and stood as well, out of habit he supposed, a lifetime of warfare ingrained in him. He didn’t stop to think how odd it was that he wished to protect a man who obviously had no need of his protection when he had magic. When Rahl spelled the locked door open, his guard came in with a man holding someone in his arms. “My lord, I am sorry to interrupt but Governor Walne would not wait for me to announce him properly,” the guard said bowing his head.

Faramir moved a bit closer to Rahl not even realizing he was doing so, just in case the man tried anything. He couldn’t see the person bundled in the man’s arms.

Though nearly all of his attention was focused on his guard (with whom he was quite displeased) and the intruder, Rahl couldn’t help but notice that Faramir seemed almost… protective. As if he was going to fight should there be an attack. All signs pointed toward him fighting on Rahl’s side, but, the wizard reasoned, one never could be sure until the actual attacks began. “Bergan, what is the meaning of this?” He knew the Governor was no threat, but he automatically strengthened his protection spell… and extended it to include Faramir as well. “How dare you come bursting into my private quarters in such a manner?”

“I am sorry, my lord, the governor would not leave and he threatened my family who live in his territory or I would have forced him to leave. He claims his daughter is dying and said that he would do anything to save her,” Bergan explained and stepped aside just a little, so that Rahl could clearly see the pretty little blond haired girl who was obviously in a great deal of pain, her face red with fever. The Governor had always doted on his daughter and expected her to make a good match for some young lord in a few years… now she may not even live until tomorrow from the look of things.

“Please, my Lord Rahl, please… she is my only child and we have tried everything, you are our last chance,” Walne explained.

Healing. Rahl could heal easily, but at a great cost, so he rarely did so. He sighed and waved Bergan away, his right hand automatically coming up to rub at his bottom lip again, clearly showing his agitation. Approaching the governor, he eyed the child in his arms wearily, then gently placed the back of his fingers on her forehead. “First of all, Walne, if you ever threaten one of my men again, I will kill you,” he said softly, dragging his gaze up to the terrified man before him. “Now tell me… what happened to her? She is burning up.”

Walne sighed in relief when Rahl moved close and began asking about his child. He knew that he had taken a great risk coming here like this but he’d been desperate. “She was riding a horse and fell on rough terrain, her leg was broken and set by the local healer and her cuts and scrapes were also treated by the healer but a day later she developed a fever and we cannot bring it down my lord, she is in pain and I do not know what to do for her,” the man said in a pleading voice hoping to find at least enough sympathy in Rahl so he would treat his child.

Faramir’s eyes widened as the man spoke, and he frowned, thinking they should find themselves a new local healer where Walne was from because obviously the child was infected.

Rahl backed away from the child at once. Fevers he could erase, infections as well, but the more serious diseases, injuries or broken bones drained his magic from him for hours or even days. He couldn’t leave himself or those under his care without his protection, so anything that took away his abilities for more than a few minutes, such as healing Faramir’s sore muscles had, for example, were areas he never ventured into. “There is nothing I can do,” he said, turning abruptly away, no longer able to look at the little girl’s suffering. “Take her back to your healer, Walne and let him do what he can.”

The Governor’s face fell and Faramir could see his eyes were glassy as if with tears. This man loved his daughter and hated to see her suffering. The infection would kill her eventually, Faramir knew, he’d seen things like this before.

Faramir gaped at Rahl’s answer and then looked back at the little girl. He moved closer to Rahl and whispered so no one could hear him except his master. “My lord? I… I do not mean to question you but… maybe one of the healers here in D’Hara could see to her at least if you cannot. I… that child should not have a fever from a few cuts, obviously the healer in the Governor’s territory is not fit,” Faramir said very softly, obviously concerned about the little girl.

He had been able to ignore many requests to heal, but Faramir’s concern made Rahl think twice about the child who was, even now, whimpering in pain though she was trying not to show it, obviously terrified of the wizard she had no doubt heard many tales about. “It is not that easy,” he whispered, knowing he should be angry at Faramir’s interference, but unable to summon the energy to do so. “They do not heal with magic and this girl…” He sighed, closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. When he opened his eyes again, he frowned at his lover, but turned back toward the girl. “Put her on the couch. I will take her fever and heal her infection if it is not too bad, but I cannot heal the broken bone. I can help with the pain, but do not ask more of me.”

Faramir smiled in relief when Rahl acquiesced. The man thought of himself as a dark wizard but he could do good, as well, when he chose to.

The Governor was so relieved his knees almost buckled. “Gods, thank you my lord. Thank you,” he gushed as he rushed to lay her down on the couch. Faramir moved to pick up his book and move it out of the way and gave the man a small pillow for the girl’s head. The man smiled thankfully up at Faramir before the Ranger moved away.

The little girl whimpered, her body aching everywhere and the fever making it hard to think and her leg throbbed painfully with each heartbeat. She hoped the dark man could help her like her father had promised.

Hating being without his magic for even a short time, Rahl sat uneasily on the couch beside the child and simply stared at her for a moment. He wondered what it felt like to be healed, wondered if someone had been there to heal him when his father had died, if he would have turned out differently. Certainly, there would be no scars and perhaps even no bitterness if someone had cared as this child’s father obviously cared for her. He looked up at the governor and frowned. “No one is to know I healed her,” he ordered, not wanting anyone, not even his own men to know he would be powerless for a few minutes. When his gaze met the girl’s again, his tone wasn’t quite as harsh, but neither would it have been considered friendly by any stretch of the word either. “You are to act as if you are still in great pain, and you will pretend until you are home alone. Even the servants in your household are not to know the truth. Do you understand me, child?”

The Governor readily agreed. “Yes, my lord. I will tell no one,” he said quickly. This had been a long shot coming to Rahl but apparently the dark wizard was feeling generous today. “Thank you again.”

When Rahl addressed the little girl her eyes widened a bit, she was still nearly delirious with fever but she managed a nod. “Yes, milord. It will be our secret,” she whispered.

Faramir smiled a little as the girl spoke so weakly; the poor thing was obviously exhausted. “She will likely sleep for a week anyway,” he murmured and the governor smiled at him slightly.

Already having second thoughts, but pushing them forcefully aside, Rahl gave Faramir one final less-than pleased look before he rested his hand on the girl’s chest and murmured a few enchanted words. He felt his powers leave him even as the heat from the girl’s body dissipated and her breathing became steady and easier. The leg was still obviously broken, and he fully expected the governor to ask him again to heal it, but even Faramir’s pleading blue eyes would not change his mind this time. He’d turned away many requests for help, granting only a few requests when it suited him, and never anything more serious than the girl’s infection, but turning the girl away in front of Faramir seemed an invitation to make the man hate him. He told himself he didn’t want Faramir’s eagerness in bed to dim, but deep down, he knew it was more than that. When he pulled his hand away, he managed an awkward smile at the child and brushed damp hair back from her face. “Feeling better are you?”

The little girl gasped when the first wave of magic washed over her. Her skin no longer felt clammy and her head began to clear, even the throbbing in her leg eased to what would be normal for a broken bone. She sighed in contentment, her eyes almost slipping closed and then opening again to smile brightly up at the dark haired man. “Yes… so sleepy though,” she whispered.

The governor sighed in relief. “She has been unable to sleep for days,” he murmured. “I thank you for this my lord, I will be forever in your debt and as always your most loyal governor. If you need anything from my lands you need only ask. But… my lord… is there nothing that can be done for her leg? The healer said she would have a limp from it and… well… I fear it may be difficult to secure a marriage contract for one damaged,” he said the words carefully.

Faramir looked up from the little girl to glare at the man. Really. A marriage contract? The girl was only about 8 years old, there was plenty of time for that, and a limp should not cost her suitors as pretty as she was.

“You push your luck too far,” Rahl snapped, rising from the couch, his eyes dark with anger. “I helped you this time to ensure your loyalty and that of this child when she comes of age, but do not think I care about how or if you manage to marry her off.” His hands clenched at his sides and had he had his powers, the man would quite possibly be feeling a searing pain in his gut just for being impertinent. He wondered if Walne was testing him just to see the scope of his powers – or lack thereof at the moment. The man couldn’t know, however, that he had momentarily given them up – it was a wizard’s secret and Walne was certainly no wizard. “Walne, I suggest you take your child and leave. Now. Or all her suffering will be visited tenfold upon you, your wife and any other of your kin I can manage to find. Do I make myself clear?”

Walne paled and nodded swiftly. “Yes, my lord, I am sorry… you have been most generous I should not have pushed for more. Please forgive me… it is a father’s wish to see his daughter be perfect,” he whispered.

Faramir almost growled at the man and finally couldn’t stand it anymore. “Your daughter already is perfect,” Faramir snapped. “Be grateful for her life and the time you get to spend with her instead of burying her in a few days time had Lord Rahl refused you!” Faramir saw the look Rahl gave him and dropped his head immediately. Likely he would pay for that outburst later but the man irritated him to no end. The girl should have no trouble finding suitors, bad leg or not and if a man didn’t want her because of it then he wasn’t a worthy husband for the girl anyway as far as Faramir was concerned.

Surprise registered in Rahl’s face at Faramir’s words, but he quickly turned away from Walne so neither man would see it. “Never ask me for anything again,” he said quietly. “You are in my debt, Walne, and you would do well to remember that.” Already, the first trickling of his powers were beginning to drift back to him, making his fingers tingle. With a slight twist of his hand, he tested them, eager for proof that he and his castle were no longer unprotected and a blanket from the back of the couch slid easily down on the girl. He relaxed somewhat at the sight, then waved his hand at his ‘guest.’ “Why are you still here, Walne?”

Walne nodded. “Yes, my lord, I will,” the man nodded as he gathered up the girl and turned to leave. “Thank you again, my lord.”

Once they were gone, Faramir looked up at Rahl. “I am sorry for my outburst but it… angered me what he said about finding her a suitor. I know I should not have done that… or interfered,” Faramir said softly, expecting Rahl to punish him.

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Rahl agreed, crossing the room and coming to stand just in front of Faramir. Rather than strike or put a punishing spell on him, however, he cast his usual one that made Faramir want his touch, then slid a hand over his neck, his fingers coming to rest at the top of Faramir’s spine. “I wish you would stay out of my business, especially when there is more to it than you know.” He moved closer, so their lips were almost, but not quite touching, and continued. “For example, there is a price I have to pay for healing, one that you are unaware of, and one that puts not only me, but the entire castle and all those who are loyal to me at risk. You as well, were vulnerable for a while there, completely without my protection.”

Faramir was surprised that Rahl didn’t cast some sort of punishment spell on him but the spell that made him desire the man even more. He leaned into the man’s touch and licked his lips as he listened. “I… don’t understand. You’ve healed me before so easily…” Faramir said softly, his body already responding to Rahl’s and his breathing picking up.

Rahl pulled away, seeing that his magic was back fully now, judging from the way Faramir was responding to him. “Aches and pains are easy to heal,” he shrugged. “And I heal you only because you are very cooperative with my demands. Anything else – broken bones or near-fatal injuries or even certain diseases take their toll. They drain my powers completely. The more serious the affliction, the longer I am vulnerable, and you you know how I hate being vulnerable. The seeker, I feel, will most likely devise a plan much like this – trick me into healing someone, then strike when he knows I am without my powers. The wizard with him will have told him how this works.” He ran his hands over Faramir’s side, then let them come to rest over slender hips. “The seeker has his own type of magic. It will work on me, when most other magic has no affect. My worst fear, my nightmare is that I will face him with no magic of my own. I would stand a chance at hand to hand combat, but he would use his magic on me whether I had my powers or not. That is why I rarely heal anyone of anything serious. It is for everyone’s protection.”

Faramir was shocked and simply stared at him. “I… Gods, I had no idea. I thought… it was simply a matter of choice, I had no idea it drained your powers. What if the Governor had other plans? Obviously his daughter wasn’t faking being ill but…” Faramir’s face burned red as his thoughts trailed of into a number of scenarios. “I would have tried my best to protect you though. Your life and your magic are worth more than mine and I would have done all I could to protect you, my lord. I hope you know that,” Faramir whispered.

Dark eyes studied Faramir behind thick lashes and Rahl almost believed the man. “No, I do not know that,” he said softly, looking down at his desk and tracing a finger over the edge. “Very few people know of this little secret and to be honest, I am not sure why I told you. I could have held my own against Walne if he tried to harm me. I am sufficient enough with a sword when I must be to fight off an old out of shape governor, but it I was almost wondering if you somehow knew my secret and were part of the set up. I was wondering if you would fight with me or beside me, especially since you were without enchantment when I healed the child.”

“I would have stood with you. You forget yet again I am not of your world… I had never seen the governor before today,” Faramir said softly. “I did feel pity for the girl though… but if you recall I suggested she visit a healer within the city. What she had I’ve seen in field hospitals during long sieges before. The wounds were not cleaned properly… she was lucky to have lasted as long as she did being so young. I’ve seen strong soldiers succumb quickly. So you see, I was never in league with them,” Faramir said softly, meeting Rahl’s eyes so he could see the truth.

Rahl came closer to Faramir once again and took his face in both hands. His brow was furrowed and his expression somewhat confused as their gazes met and to his surprise, Faramir didn’t even try to look away. “You are an enigma, Faramir,” he said softly. “I know I am the one who brought you here, but I get the feeling your presence was preordained by some power I have yet to understand.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips over Faramir’s in a gentle kiss, one very much like the ones he had offered during their more tender encounters. “I wish I understood you. I wish I knew where your heart truly lies.”

Faramir was caught up in the look Rahl was giving him, as if trying to read him. Faramir refused to look away, meeting Rahl’s eyes like no one else would truly do. He’d realized in his time in D’Hara that he was the only one who ever looked Rahl directly in the eye. He wasn’t sure if it was foolishness on his part or the trust he’d grown to have in the other man. The kiss he was given was sweet and gentle and made Faramir’s heartbeat skip. He could hardly explain how he felt about Rahl, he was so different than anyone Faramir had ever known. He trusted him and cared about the man, which he supposed was odd. Slaves generally didn’t care about their masters, they may be loyal but caring… well, that was as his father would say his weakness and compassion. He knew there were depths to the man before him that no one could imagine and even though he was with the man daily every single day and almost every single moment of those days, he still did not truly know Rahl. But he wanted to. “Is there a way you could use your magic to look and see that I hold no ill will against you?”

Chewing on his bottom lip for a moment, Rahl ran the pads of his thumbs over Faramir’s cheeks, then shook his head. “Only if I were to delve into your mind, and you would suffer greatly for it,” he said, releasing his lover and backing away. “Remember I read Bergan a few weeks ago? He was ill for the rest of the day, and I have no wish to do that to you. A wizard cannot heal someone who is ill by his own magic. I can heal you when our sexual encounters bruise or mark you, but sickness and injuries are very different, and nowhere near as pleasant.”

Faramir watched as Rahl moved away from him and sighed. “Then you have to learn to trust that I speak the truth,” Faramir said softly. “I do not want to anger you, but I do grow very tired of you constantly accusing me of lying to you. I would gladly take illness and pain over being called a liar all the time,” Faramir’s voice was slightly frustrated and almost pleading. “It has been almost a month… have I not proven that I am loyal to you and that I do actually like, even crave your touch because it is incredibly satisfying… even when you do hurt me.”

Rahl turned quickly to face Faramir, his lips drawn down in a deep frown. “No one has proven themselves loyal to me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “My own father offered up my life to save his own. Even when the wizard who killed him called him a coward, he still tried to shield himself with my body. My first lover professed his unending devotion to me and took one look at my… at a part of me I can never fix, and couldn’t decide whether to laugh or try and keep his dinner down. Every slave I take into my bed, bewitched or not, looks at me with a deep layer of horror in their eyes no matter how much my spells have made them want me.” He took a step closer, holding Faramir’s gaze and reaching out to grab his upper arm in a vice like grip so he wouldn’t turn away. “And the magic I work so hard to keep strong is the only protection any of us have, though I know there are servants and possibly even guards who would kill me in a heartbeat should my spells waver. So, no, Faramir, you have not proven anything to me other than I have the skills to please you in bed.”

Rahl’s anger was to be expected, though the words that he spoke made Faramir’s heart ache for him. He suspected his own father might have used him in the exact same way had the situation arisen. The words about his lover, made Faramir wonder if everyone in this world were as shallow as that governor had been, thinking no one would want his pretty daughter because of a limp. Before he could make any response, Rahl grabbed his arm and held him in a painfully strong grip. “Then I shall keep trying to prove myself to you, because I do not lie and never have,” Faramir said staring deeply into Rahl’s eyes. His own anger as well as his lover’s anger coupled with how close their bodies were was starting to arouse him. “Damn you… how do you do this, it can’t all be magic. You make me so angry sometimes, yet all I want to do is kiss you senseless?”

“Keep trying to… I make you angry? You… by the…” Rahl was, probably for the first time in his adult life, at a complete loss for words. He was angry and confused and by the Gods, he had never been more turned on his life. A primal growl filled the room as he shoved Faramir hard against the wall behind him. His lips descended with no warning and he forced his way into his lover’s mouth, their clashing teeth doing nothing to slow his progress. With no concern at all for Faramir’s robes, he waved his hand in the air and the fabric was literally ripped to shreds, falling around their feet in soft little piles of green that stood out starkly on the golden rug beneath their feet. “Whom do you think you are to speak to me in such a manner?” he hissed. “And by a dragon’s breath, _why _ do I allow it?”

Faramir was startled when Rahl shoved him against the wall, but a low moan sounded as soon as a hot mouth was on his own, devouring his lips and making him even more aroused. He shivered as his clothing was torn from him and he shifted his hips immediately seeking out friction against his lover. “A man who has never lied to you,” Faramir growled in return. “A man who wants you… craves you even, if by my own need or through your magic… the result is the same. Look at me…” he whispered and Rahl did look down his body to see the evidence of Faramir’s arousal. “A man who doesn’t want you wouldn’t react this way… not even with lust charms and you know it. You already say I react differently than your other slaves… why can you not accept that there is a person in this world who does want you!”

“Because no one wants me!” Rahl didn’t give Faramir a chance to respond. The sight of Faramir’s arousal, hard and leaking between them had surprised him, not to mention the way he was rocking his hips and saying words that simply didn’t make sense. He quickly turned Faramir around, pressed his chest against the wall and kicked his legs apart. “You want the pleasure I can give you, with my magic. You want the pain I can give you that you are afraid to ask anyone else for.” Rahl parted his robes and spelled lubricant on his already aching erection. “But you do not want me, Faramir!” As he said his lover’s name, Rahl lined himself up and thrust forward, burying himself to the hilt in one smooth motion, and the word became a moan of pure, unadulterated pleasure.

Faramir didn’t flinch as Rahl yelled at him and when he was spun around, he thought he probably looked like a cat in heat as he arched his back for his lover. He wanted this, he wanted Rahl and he wished the man would understand that. He didn’t want just the magic or the shameful pleasure from pain, he wanted this man. He barely managed to suck in a deep breath before he was penetrated roughly, his lover buried deep inside him at once. He moaned as well, his hands scrabbling against the wall for something to hold onto, finding a wall scone he really hoped was imbedded well as he grabbed hold. His hips thrust back, forcing his lover even deeper. “Gods, yes,” Faramir whimpered.

Rahl was gritting his teeth and thrusting so hard he was nearly lifting Faramir off the floor. He couldn’t help but notice just how wonderfully responsive his lover was, meeting him thrust for thrust. Faramir certainly played his part well, he thought, so convincing, so desperate in trying to make Rahl trust him. He thrust hard and deep, holding Faramir steady with one hand, as the other skated up his spine, leaving thin red lines behind where his fingernails dug just hard enough to be painful into sweat slicked skin. “You talk too much,” he hissed against his lover’s ear. “I only brought you here to spread your legs for me, not to give me more headaches than I already have!”

Faramir was forced up onto his toes and holding on desperately to the sconce above him as his lover pounded into his willing body. Rahl made Faramir almost crazy with lust it seemed, his body reacting to the man like he had to no other. He only wished that Rahl would really see the truth, would see that Faramir would be with him voluntarily if the man would only look. He startled a little at the thought. Voluntarily. He… he had begun to think of Rahl as a lover, truly a lover and not just his master. He swallowed hard at the realization and cried out when fingernails dug into him, burning a path up to his shoulders. He rocked back, widening his stance and offering Rahl even more access to his body. “Yes, my lord,” Faramir said softly, not sure continuing to fight would be a smart idea and at the moment it was hard enough remembering how to say his own name let alone much else.

Hands moving to Faramir’s shoulders to keep him in place, Rahl moaned loudly as he drove in even deeper thanks to the long legs that parted so willingly before him. He pressed forward, forcing Faramir flush against the wall, feeling every jar of his lover’s body as slender hips slammed against the molding that ran waist-high along the length of the room, thinking of little other than just how good it felt to at least be with someone who wasn’t terrified of him, someone he actually could respect. “I should put a silencing spell on you,” he growled. “Except that I love to hear you begging me to let you come.” His teeth scraped over Faramir’s neck as he spoke, then down next to his own fingers, where he buried his face against warm skin and bit down as he felt his release drawing closer.

When Rahl forced him against the wall, Faramir cried out from the pounding of his pelvic bones against the unforgiving molding that ran along the wall. He knew that would hurt for ages after but at the moment he didn’t really care. One of his hands released the sconce and pressed flat against the wall for a moment. He wanted to lower his hand and slip it between himself and the wall to cup his arousal, mostly to keep it from being rubbed raw against the wall. When sharp teeth bit into him, Faramir cried out again and bucked against his lover. “Please, let me touch myself. Please… let me come, my lord,” he whispered, knowing that the wilder Rahl became the closer he too was to orgasm.

Breathing hard, Rahl pulled away and seriously considered denying Faramir’s request. The thought of just how incredible it felt when they came together, when his lover’s gripping internal muscles contracted so hard around him it almost hurt, however, he gave in. Reaching down, he grabbed Faramir’s right leg and hiked it up in the air, simultaneously allowing him even more access and pulling Faramir away from the wall. Though Faramir was now forced to stand on only one leg, Rahl held him steady even as he continued to slam into him with renewed vigor. The new angle not only made the inner passage around him tighter, but changed his thrusts just enough so that he was literally slamming into the tiny bundle of nerves he knew would carry Faramir over the edge and drag him along shortly thereafter.

When Rahl didn’t give him permission to touch himself but maneuvered him into a different position, Faramir almost breathed a sigh of relief. He thought that he’d made him mad enough to deny his release, but thankfully he hadn’t pushed too far. The new angle made him forget all about touching himself, he grabbed the sconce with both hands again and was murmuring encouragement like ‘yes, oh gods, right there, perfect, so close’ to his lover as his sweet spot was slammed into over and over again, sending shockwaves rolling throughout his body. Within moments his muscles began to contract and he knew he was going to come even if Rahl didn’t give him permission. “Gods, I’m not sure I can hold back this time,” he warned, knowing he may be punished for it but though he had grown to have quite a lot of control it was dangerously slipping now.

Rahl changed his thrusts from deep to shallow and tightened his grip on his slave’s leg. He could feel just how close Faramir was and he himself was almost as desperate for release as his partner. He had just enough presence of mind to create an invisible hand like form that wrapped around the very tip of Faramir’s cock, then, as an added bonus (for his own sake only, or so he told himself), he made the hand warm and wet inside its grip, much like a lover’s mouth and began working it over the stiff flesh between wide spread legs. “Come then, and make it good,” he panted, sucking hard at Faramir’s neck. “Who knows how long it will be before I allow you to come again.”

The grip of Rahl’s hand on Faramir’s leg was almost painful and sure to leave a deep bruise but Faramir seemed to hardly notice it now. Everything he would notice later when the fog of lust and desire wore off, but for the moment he felt nothing but want and need. When Rahl used his magic to make something wrap around his cock, Faramir screamed. It felt like a mouth on him, wonderfully wet and warm and sucking at his flesh. “Oh gods!” When Rahl told him to come, Faramir barely had to even give it a thought before his already tense muscles constricted painfully, drawing his body tight as a drum for what seemed like forever but was merely seconds. Within the span of a heartbeat Faramir cried out, thrusting his hips back to take Rahl in as deeply as he could as his muscles clamped down and his cock spilled hot and slick against the wall. His inner passage tightened and milked his lover, coaxing him to follow him over the edge.

Tilting his head so that his cries were muffled between broad shoulders, Rahl spilled hot and wet inside his lover’s depths. He leaned forward, pushing Faramir hard against the wall, but the hand that had been stroking him protected his more sensitive organs from harm, something Rahl did without even thinking. He held on to Faramir tightly, one hand still supporting a now trembling leg, the other having somehow worked its way up and over Faramir’s as it held on to the scone above their heads. It took him nearly a full minute to catch his breath, and he only realized he was possibly really hurting Faramir when his legs started trembling. If his own were so strained, he could only imagine Faramir’s, with all his weight having been forced onto one limb. He carefully released the leg he was supporting and rested both hands on his lover’s hips to steady him. “Faramir?”

Rahl’s muffled cries against his back and the feeling of his cock throbbing and pumping its release inside Faramir, made him whimper. Gods, what this man did to him. Rahl truly had no idea. He was trembling from head to toe and the leg supporting him threatened to collapse on him, but he held tighter to the sconce even as the muscles in his arms screamed at him. Though he couldn’t help but smile when he realized that Rahl’s hand was covering his own and the magic was still between him and the wall, protecting his softening arousal from the hard stone. He gulped in air trying to catch his breath too, his vision dark around the edges and sparkles of light danced across his vision. He almost lost his balance when Rahl released his leg and he realized as he put weight on it that it was tingling. “Ngh,” Faramir murmured trying to get his tongue to work. He swallowed, his throat dry from panting and crying out and licked his lips. “Yes, my lord?”

Rahl’s anger had completely disappeared. He shifted his hips back, slowly slipping from inside Faramir’s warmth and let his hand slide down the arm still held up high on the wall. He folded Faramir’s arm beneath his own and wrapped both arms around him, sighing contentedly. His chest molded against his lover’s back, their sweat mingling, their breathing synchronizing, as their bodies seemed to melt together. The mouth that had just bitten Faramir was now kissing the reddened skin and he had to smile at the deference Faramir still showed even though he must have been exhausted and sore. “See what happens when you anger me?” he murmured teasingly, licking his way up his lover’s neck. “Was it worth it?”

Faramir sighed regretfully as Rahl slipped from inside him, and then found himself wrapped in a tender embrace. His fingers ached where he’d held so tightly to the sconce and he simply leaned back against him, feeling their breath begin to fall into sync and their heartbeats begin to match in pace. He murmured in contentment as Rahl’s mouth kissed his shoulder and closed his eyes as a warm tongue worked its way up his neck. He shivered and chuckled a little. “Would you be angry if I said that yes, actually it was?” Faramir asked softly.

Laughing softly, Rahl closed his eyes for a moment, charmed in spite of himself. His hand moved to lie flat over his slave’s stomach and rubbed small, soothing circles just below his navel. “I think you might have just exhausted my anger for the afternoon,” he sighed, pulling away and turning Faramir easily in his arms. His expression was relaxed, and he actually gave Faramir a rueful smile. “Though you do have a knack for making it snap back to life. Now that I know you enjoy it, I shall have to try harder and make you really work for it.”

Faramir smiled although a little tiredly as he was turned in Rahl’s arms. He might have stumbled in exhaustion if the man hadn’t had such a good hold of him. “I should not have pushed you,” Faramir said softly wishing he could touch Rahl in return. Faramir’s eyes were serious as he looked into Rahl’s for a moment. “S… some of the things you said earlier. I want you to know something because I think it is important. I do not pity you for what your father did. I pity him, it was wrong and he was a coward to use you as a shield… but I also understand how it must have felt. I have told you how my father views me, and I suspect were it he and I in a similar situation he would do the same thing. So I can understand, have sympathy for how that feels… but never pity you. So if I offer you compassion, please do not be offended and think it is born out of anything other than true empathy because I know exactly what it feels like to be made a tool of my father but not really a son. It is why I became so angry at the governor earlier.”

“Your father must be a fool,” Rahl whispered, pressing a gentle kiss against soft lips. He gave a somewhat haunted smile and pulled away, though he kept a firm hold on his lover. As usual, he uttered a spell and cleaned them both, then, rather than try and move, he willed the couch across the room. A moment later, he was lowering Faramir onto the couch and laying nearly on top of him, his thick robes, wet with both their sweat, laying heavy between them. “Surely you exaggerate? I cannot imagine someone truly not caring if you lived or died. My circumstances were… different. I deserved what I got, but you… you are a good man. You proved that earlier with the girl’s father.”

As was yours. Faramir thought as Rahl kissed him. He shivered as the cleaning spell washed over him and was only mildly startled when the couch came to them. He laid down carefully and was surprised and happy that Rahl joined him this time. “My father believes that my compassion is a weakness, my love of books rather than hours training with weapons another weakness. He only allowed my education because he discovered I was quite good at strategy,” he whispered. “But I do not believe anyone deserves having their family, their blood turn on them that way. Parents are supposed to care for us, love us and protect us, not use us for their own means.”

Leaning up on one elbow, Rahl regarded Faramir silently for a moment, then shook his head. “I am not sure what parents are supposed to be like,” he confessed, “but I would hope yours were nothing like mine.” As he spoke, he trailed his hand over his lover’s body, enjoying the silky feel of still damp skin beneath his fingers, though he was starting to get uncomfortable with just how normal their coupling and touching afterward felt. It felt nice, being next to Faramir like this, his anger and their sex having combined to exhaust him, but, he realized, it also made him feel intensely, insanely vulnerable. As soon as he realized that had to be what that odd feeling in his gut was, he pulled back, quickly got to his feet and adjusted his robes. “I… Gods…” His eyes widened and he had the grace to look somewhat appalled. He’d hurt his slaves before, hurt them badly, but he’d never really felt remorseful about it. He leaned over and ran a finger lightly over the darkest bruise on his lover’s hip. “You bruise easily. Look at you. Do they hurt?”

It felt nice being held and touched this way, his body relaxed and satisfied even if sore. Rahl could be so very gentle with him sometimes after being very rough and Faramir always enjoyed that dichotomy. When Rahl pulled away and got up quickly, Faramir’s brows drew together as he looked up at his lover. “Yes, I do bruise easily,” Faramir agreed. “I… yes, the ones here hurt,” Faramir whispered as Rahl’s finger moved over one of the bruises. “I will live but may be sore for a few days… they were still worth it,” Faramir grinned.

Rahl frowned and ran the pad of his thumb over Faramir’s hip, noting with satisfaction that every bruise on his body disappeared nearly instantly. “Worth it indeed,” he smiled. “Though, I would not be so quick to speak your mind next time. I was angry with you, but not furious. Even I don’t want to see how you look if you make me feel that way. I might… I sometimes lose control.” He looked across the room as he spoke, and willed the remnants of Faramir’s robe to him. He’d hurt slaves in the past, but the very idea that Faramir at least claimed to trust him made it very hard for him to even imagine letting himself go too far, no matter how angry he might be. The robe mended itself and folded neatly on the couch beside Faramir’s feet. “I think I am done for the day. We are going back to my rooms with a few books and perhaps even a nap.”

Faramir gasped when the magic rolled over him and took away the bruises immediately and along with that the muscle pain. Now that he knew what it cost Rahl to do such things, Faramir was touched. “I… will be more careful, I have what my brother calls a simmering temper. Something that angers me I may not speak on it for a long time before I finally cannot take it anymore. I particularly do not like being accused of lies, we all have our little reasons for things like that,” Faramir said softly. His father was his reason for a great many of the negative things in his life, that being yet another one. He sat up and pulled on his robe and stood, feeling much less exhausted than before but still tired. “My lord?” When Rahl looked at him, Faramir smiled. “Thank you for healing me… again.”

Rahl nodded and waved off Faramir’s thanks. “The last thing I need is a slave who can barely move,” he shrugged, nearly believing the lie himself. “Besides, little injuries like this barely affect me. Just be careful that you never get really hurt, because I am unwilling to put myself at risk if you are clumsy.”

Faramir laughed. “I am graceful as a swan,” Faramir teased and then purposefully bumped the end of the couch with his knee. “A swan with a bucket on my head perhaps,” he grinned, enjoying the look on Rahl’s face from his joke.

Though he tried not to laugh, Rahl couldn’t contain himself and nearly snorted with the effort holding it in even as he thought he much he appreciated someone actually joking with him. Most people were too terrified of him to even speak but Faramir – Faramir had never been one to hold his tongue, obviously. “Come on, then, my handsome swan. Choose a few books and let’s get out of here. You have worn me out with your stubbornness and that ridiculously delicious body of yours.”

Faramir was smiling as he followed Rahl to the door, picking up the books he’d chosen before the Governor had arrived. He made sure to clear his face to a neutral expression by the time Rahl unlocked the door and followed his master ‘meekly’ as he always had.

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