Randomness

Part 2

Posted: July 2003
Author: Estella Greenleaf

*****

After rearranging the furniture in Orlando's bedroom to make space for Viggo's colt, Karl lent the older man some clothes and took him shopping. The Mall was an eye-opener, a place where one could find anything from expensive jewelry to energy weapons. Two hours and ten huge shopping bags later, the chestnut-haired warrior decided they had all the necessary supplies for Viggo to settle in comfortably.

Karl proceeded to give his new ‘friend' a tour of the city. Sculptures, fountains and gardens mingled with skyscraper of glass and steel; the city was a perfect blend of modern technology and classic elegance. In the end, even Viggo had to reluctantly admit that Eryn Lasgalen, Metaricana's capital, was, indeed, an amazing achievement in urban development.

Now, dressed in his newly acquired black shirt, breeches and matching soft leather boots, the assassin paced in the living room of his new quarters. Karl lounged lazily in a comfy chair, watching his companion moved back and forth across the room. "Mind stopping that? Getting dizzy here."

"Sorry," said Viggo as he halted.

Viggo was nervous - his new master was supposed to be home soon. He was quite certain that dinner would be civil, since Dave and Karl would be with them. But spending the night in the same room with Orlando would be difficult, given how he felt in the matter. He had an epiphany during his shopping trip. Every time he picked a garment up, the first thought that popped into his mind was, "I wonder if Orlando will like it". Now, he knew without a doubt that he was extremely attracted to the Prince, and on more than just a physical level; which was very bad news since he had yet to find a way to be with Orlando without betraying his country.

"May I ask why a person who routinely stare death in the eyes is nervous about spending time with a sweet, beautiful young man?"

For an assassin, a show of emotions was a sign of weakness. To point out his nervousness was to question his professionalism and abilities. Offended, Viggo decided to strike back with a venomous question of his own. "And may I ask why a proud warrior is willing to throw away his honor and be a slave of another's desires."

To Viggo's surprise, the younger man merely grinned as he replied, "Ah, but how honorable can a man be if he will not even protect the one he loves? And what's the shame in being a slave, when you're bound by love? Dave already has my heart; I might as well stay and let him have the rest of me as well. Trust me, it's much more enjoyable that way."

"My heart is my own and I like to keep it that way," hissed Viggo, who could not think of a good rebuke to his companion's perfectly logical answer.

Karl let out a peal of rich, masculine laughter before asking with a devious smile, "Are you sure?"

Before the assassin could answer, Dave emerged from the private chambers he shared with Karl to join them. Flashing Viggo a small smile, he strolled to his lover and settled on the larger man's lap. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering how good a thief little Orli is," grinned Karl as he nuzzled the smaller man's ear.

A smirk immediately settled on Dave's face as he spoke, "We'll let Viggo be the judge of that."

Viggo was of a mind to wipe the matching, extremely infuriating smug grins off his two new companions' faces when the door opened to reveal a disheveled Prince and four large warriors. Before the High Priest could inquire what had occurred, Orlando announced, "We had an accident."

"And that's why your personal guards are with you?" asked Dave quietly, knowing the situation must be extremely serious for the warriors to accompany Orlando into their quarters. The only time it had happened before was when Raphael received a death threat from a group of rebels.

"The monorail exploded, your Excellency," stated the tawny-eyed captain of the unit softly, the implications of his statement clear.

"You and Lt. Bean are welcome to stay if you wish. But I fear our quarters can hold no more," said the High Priest, eyes fixed on the captain who had been Orlando's personal bodyguard for the past ten years. David could easily accommodate the two other guards, but he sensed that their first priority was their own career advancement, not the young Prince's safety. It was dangerous to keep such men around; the mastermind behind the attacks could easily buy their co-operation.

"Davie, I am sure I am perfectly safe within the Temple!" protested Orlando, who felt that his freedom was in jeopardy. Sure, he did not want to die; but he was not some meek little Prince who needed protection. He was a well-trained priest of the Hyrule Temple.

"Perhaps, but it's best not to take any chances," replied the High Priest in the quiet authoritative voice he used when handling Temple business.

The Prince knew better than to argue with Davie when the older man was in High Priest of Hyrule Temple mode. "Fine. I'm going to take a bath before dinner."

"Wait a minute, your Highness," said Harry as the young Prince turned towards his private chambers.

"I hope for your sake that you are NOT suggesting that you watch over me while I bath, captain," hissed Orli in cold fury, giving his bodyguard an icy glare that made the warrior shift on his feet.

On the other side of the room, Viggo looked about ready to maim the bodyguard for trying to ‘make a move' on his new master. He was Orlando's other half; if he had not got to see the dark-haired beauty naked, no one should!

Dave, who found the assassin's livid expression amusing, answered on Harry's behalf, "Don't be difficult, my Prince. The good captain is just trying to do his job. It's not safe for you to be alone."

Viggo balled his fist when his fellow Junian ‘slave' gave him a little nudge. He knew the couple was trying to play matchmaker for himself and Orlando, and decided that the best course of action was to take no action at all. However, when Karl winked at Dave with a conspiring smile, the assassin could not stop himself from letting out a menacing growl, which drew everyone's attention to him. Though Viggo would rather stay away from the tempting beauty, he could not stand the thought of Harry being alone with his Orlando. "I will watch over my Prince."

Harry was about to protest when the young Prince beamed, "Thank you, Viggo." Without another word, Orlando turned and returned to his room with his new ‘slave' on his heels.

*****

"Thanks," said the Prince as he walked to the Jacuzzi and turned the water on. A long relaxing bath while watching the city's lights was his greatest luxury; he was glad he did not have to relinquish that because of the threat on his life.

"It's nothing. I'm just returning the favor," replied the assassin quietly as he strolled to the window and began scanning the buildings outside. It was a habit of many years, to ascertain his position was safe from enemy sniper attacks. His caution, of course, had nothing to do with his ‘non-existent' affections for Orlando; nope, it was just practical to want to keep the Prince alive until he found a way to escape.

"Returning the favor?" asked Orlando as he began to disrobe. He was surprised at his own disappointment when Viggo continued to stare intently into the night-sky. He did not know why he liked the idea of the assassin watching him bathe. Chances were that Viggo would not find him anymore attractive naked than he was clothed.

"You saved my life. We may be enemies; but I always repay my debts," replied the assassin, using every ounce of his self-control to not turn and look at his new ‘master'.

Viggo could hear the soft splash of water as Orlando stepped into the tub. Before long, his imagination began to conjure images of the naked Prince, prompting his manhood to stiffen at an alarming rate. Sternly, he chastised the rebellious organ, but the prominent bulge in his breeches showed no sign of receding. His self-admonishment was interrupted, however, when he spotted a strange gleam in a window in the building opposite theirs.

Acting on instincts, the assassin turned and lunged at the Prince; both fell into the tub with a splash and Viggo immediately took hold of Orlando's head, bringing it below the water surface. A moment later, two shots broke through the glass walls of the Temple, hitting the concrete behind where the young man's head was. On impact, the bullets exploded, scorching the surrounding areas with intense flames. Debris from the blast rained into the tub; but luckily, nothing was large or sharp enough to harm the two men hiding in the safety of the water.

The sound of the blast brought everyone into the Prince's rooms. The sprinkler system had been triggered, putting the fire under control. Smoke made the air dense, but it was still breathable. Frightened for his Prince's safety, Harry yelled, "Your Highness?"

Viggo shielded the Prince with his body as they emerged from the water. He knew this was a professional hit; the danger had not yet passed. Their unknown enemy was still watching, waiting for a chance to finish the target. However, the older man was confident that the smoke would provide enough cover; as quick as he could, the Junian ‘slave' pushed Orlando back into the adjourning room away from the line of sight of the outer wall.

"What happened?" demanded the captain of the guards as Viggo came into view with a breathless Orlando in tow. The young Prince was not in as prime physical form as the Junian assassin; his stay under water had been so draining that he did not have the breath to tell Harry that Viggo had saved his life.

"Sniper, 61st floor, the blue-glass building opposite us. Tango-510, custom-made explosive hollow points," replied Viggo automatically.

"Harry, call this in. Send a team over to the trade federation building," commanded the High Priest without hesitation, trusting the experienced assassin's judgment implicitly. It was lucky that Viggo was around to save Orli; Dave knew no other bodyguard could have detected the danger in time.

"Are you certain the slave is to be trusted, your Excellency?" asked Harry doubtfully, remembering that the Junian was captured in an attempt to assassinate Prince Orlando earlier.

"Yes, Viggo is my Prince's other half," replied David quietly, holding the captain's eyes with his. Harry knew of the episode between himself and Karl a year ago; he was certain this information would be enough to set the bodyguard's mind at ease.

"I see. If that is the case, I owe you an apology. Please forgive my disrespect," said the captain, turning to bow to the Junian slave.

Viggo was surprised by the show of humility. He was a slave now; and before that, he was just someone to do the dirty work. In fact, his own government would not even publicly acknowledged his existence. No one had ever bowed to him or saluted him or even thanked him for doing his job before. Not knowing how to properly respond, the dark-haired man muttered, "Don't worry about it."

"Let's bring our discussion to the living room. Orlando must find it difficult to breathe in here," Karl suggested as he gathered the stunned youth into his arms. The chestnut-haired warrior was unsure whether Viggo was oblivious to the Prince's condition or simply decided to take no action. But Orli was Dave and his little darling as well; and he had enough of watching the poor baby shivered and struggle for breath. Without another word, Karl pulled a sheet from the bed, wrapped it around Orli's naked form and led him outside.

*****

Orli was surprised that his bodyguards were willing to leave him unguarded during dinner. But Harry seemed to believe that Viggo would keep him safe, having discovered that the older man was his other half. The young Prince, however, did not share the captain's enthusiasm. His ‘slave' had no tender feelings for him whatsoever as evident from the cold glare the older man continued casting his way all through dinner. Shuddering slightly, Orli found the arm around him tightened as a gentle hand began to rub his shoulder.

"You okay?" Karl had been doing one part of Viggo's job while Dave did the other. The larger man held the young Prince in a protective embrace while the blond one fed Orli spoonfuls of steaming stew and pasta. They both noticed the dark-haired man's icy, furious glare; they knew the possessive urges that must be wrecking through Viggo right now. But they would not stop pampering the Prince unless the ‘slave' took over, which he still stubbornly refused to do.

Orli nodded mutely as he opened his mouth to another spoonful of food. Chewing his food thoughtful, he noticed that his ‘slave' had not touched his dinner at all. Swallowing the mouthful with a gulp, the Prince gathered his courage to talk to Viggo. "You should eat before the food gets cold."

Seething at the sight of Orlando sitting relaxed in another man's arms, the assassin answered in a mock submissive voice, "Is that an order, master?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that you're my other half, not my slave?" exclaimed Orli as he sprung to his feet; his pent-up frustration at Viggo's attitude and the stress of being hunted finally taking its toll.

"I believe we've had this discussion before, master," replied Viggo, using all his resolve to stay angry and be cold, though the pain in Orlando's expressive coco orbs was putting him to shame.

With a defeated sigh, the Prince returned to his seat next to Karl. The chestnut haired man frowned at Viggo as he gathered Orli into a loose embrace. Hurt and very depressed, the Prince buried his face against Karl's neck and whispered, "Why can't you be my other half too?"

Viggo felt his heart broke into two at those words. A part of him had always relished in the fact that he had the dark-haired beauty's affections; but apparently, he was wrong. Orlando only wanted him because of a stupid thing called fate. Even his two self-appointed matchmakers, who had been annoyed at his pigheaded refusal to be nice to the Prince, now regarded him with a sympathetic expression. Hating the unfamiliar pain that tore through his heart, Viggo muttered, "That'll be nice, save us all a lot of problems."

Dave knew he needed to stop this conversation before irrevocable damage was done. Given how sensitive Orli was, it might already be too late. But, he would still try. "Orli-bear, do you know who's trying to kill you?"

The Prince decided that his personal troubles could wait. Sitting up straight, Orli blinked the unshed tears from his eyes as he answered, "Raphael."

"Are you sure? He may be ambitious, but he's still your brother," asked the High Priest, though he knew in his heart that it was true. The Prince Regent planned to murder Orli and blamed it on Junia. Given how popular the Second Prince was with the people, his assassination would galvanize the entire country against their enemy, giving Raphael the support he needed to wage an all-out war.

"Yes, he called after you did. He knows," said the young Prince quietly, intense coco eyes locked with deep azure ones in silent communication.

With a sigh, Dave said, "I don't think that is wise."

"It'll buy us time to track down the mystery assassin," replied Orli firmly, eyes still fixed on his mentor.

Though the very thought of agreeing to Bob's suit made him nauseous, the Prince knew they could not win this fight if they continued being on the defensive. If he promised himself to Bob, the Commander would be honor-bound to protect him. Meanwhile, Dave could look for the mystery assassin; if they could obtain a confession and bring it to the Emperor, Orlando was certain Raphael would be properly punished. If his brother were removed from power, this ongoing war with Junia would finally be over!

"Orli-bear, a vow is a vow; once said, there's no turning back. I don't want you to do this," argued the High Priest adamantly, casting a furtive glance in Viggo's direction which sent chills down the dark-haired man's spine. The Junian could feel his stomach tensed as an unreasonable fear assaulted him – someone was about to take his Orlando away.

Dave's next words solidified Viggo's fears. "Besides, didn't you already reject Bob? They will know you're up to something if you suddenly change your mind."

"Yes, but that's before I got burnt. Remember, Davie, even you gave up; it only makes sense that I do the same, and sooner," whispered Orli with downcast eyes. Viggo had cut his heart out and trampled on it each time they met. Maybe his ‘slave' would grow to love him; but it's more likely that he would not. Given the situation, the Prince was willing to sacrifice this slim chance at happiness for peace. The High Priest had once done a similar thing.

Before another word was said, Viggo jumped from his seat and grabbed the young Prince's arm, pulling the smaller man from his seat. "I won't let you go to Bob!"

With a bitter laugh, Orli shrugged free of the older man's hold. "You won't let me? Aren't you the one who's always insisting you're just my slave?"

Viggo was at a lost for words. All he knew was the icy prick of raw panic at the thought of losing Orlando. Without thought, he wrapped the Prince in a tight embrace and captured the dark-haired beauty's lips in a fiery kiss. His questing tongue urged the youth's plush lips apart, slithering inside to claim the hot cavern as his property; his experienced mouth stealing Orlando's breath away as their tongues danced to the primal rhythm of lust. The intimate touch sparked wildfires within their veins, melting away the icicles of fear and doubts that resided in their hearts. This was how things should be between them – it was that simple.

All too soon, the need for breath drove them apart. Though for a long moment, all they could do was to gaze at each other in wonder, marveling at how perfect it felt when they were ‘together'. In a breathless whisper, Viggo staked his claim before he fully realized what he was doing. "Mine"

"Yes, yours," replied Orlando as he leaned into the larger man and buried his face on Viggo's shoulder.

"Wow, that's a record. Five days, and two meetings," chuckled Dave, deciding it was time to remind his two companions that they were not alone. He knew Orli was the ‘shy type' and Viggo the ‘private type'. The High Priest had no doubt that if those two continued with their current activities, they would ‘die of embarrassment' when they ‘discovered' their audience.

Viggo's immediate reaction was to command his arms to push the Prince away, but his limbs refused to obey him. Now that his rebellious body had a taste of Orlando's warmth, it would not relinquish this newfound treasure so easily. With both his heart and body against him, there was naught the Junian could do, except glare at the offending High Priest.

"Come on, Dave. Be nice, and stop teasing Viggo," grinned Karl as he pulled the blond man into his lap.

"Alright, back to serious business then. I suppose it's safe to assume that the ‘seducing Bob idea' is out," sighed the High Priest as he motioned the new couple to take a seat. He was pleased to notice that Viggo had kept one arm on the little one's shoulder when they took their places on the opposite couch.

"Yes. Let's think of something else," replied the ‘slave' before anyone could make a sound. The sooner he forgot that he almost lost his Prince, the better. Though he still did not how he could make his relationship with Orlando work, he was past the stage where he could deny his feelings. For now, he would concentrate on neutralizing the threat on Orlando's life; other things could wait.

"Orli is right. We have to go on offensive," said the High Priest as he shifted on Karl's lap to look into the little one's eyes directly.

During this silent conversation between mentor and protégé, the astute Junians figured out what the two priests were planning. The indignant words "I won't allow this!" and "You can't use Orli as bait!" simultaneously reverberated in the quiet chamber.

The two magic-users did not answer until several minutes later. With matching sly grins, they replied, "Don't worry. We have everything under control."

"Under control?! Orlando almost got shot tonight in his own bathing room!" thundered Viggo at the two smaller men's smugness. Overconfidence could be deadly in a game of survival; and now that his affections for the Prince was no longer ‘nonexistent', he could not help but worry that the priests had underestimated their enemies.

"But you saved him," replied Dave with a thankful, charming smile.

On cue, Orlando turned towards Viggo with his sweetest puppy dog eyes and added, "I trust you, Viggo."

While the dark-haired Junian was certain there was a better way, he could not flat-out refuse their idea when they looked at him like this. He would reserve his judgment until after he heard their plans. "Alright, tell me what you're thinking, and I'll tell you what I think."

Seeing that Viggo would at least give their plan a chance, the two magic users turned their attention to Karl. But before they put on their act, the chestnut-haired warrior chuckled, "You both know I can't resist the puppy-dog eyes and the pout. So, I'll save my objections for later as well. Now tell us what were your devious little minds planning?"

*****

previous | Chapter Index | next

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Estella Greenleaf