Chapter Text
At the sound of the knock on the door, Beldaruit lowered the papers Lagrah had him looking through in bed, while Lagrah sat in a chair nearby for occasional discussion. Shortly, they heard the announcement that King Deanreldy was coming to visit.
It had been nearly a day since the meal with Zazamaiya, and Beldaruit was still unsure how to go about whatever he was planning to do. He’d spoken with Lagrah earlier to ask if the king was known to play around, just to try and reassure himself Zazamaiya wasn’t entirely pranking him.
Lagrah had been surprised and said that such a thing hadn’t come up in his research. “King Deanreldy is beloved generally, and his love of his wife is well-known. I have not heard much else.”
“I see,” Beldaruit had replied. Well, that answers nothing. It was possible that Deanreldy only took lovers of high rank, and they kept silent about it, after all. And the nobles would be suspicious of a witch asking questions about such things: after all, what were the witches hoping to gain with such information?
Beldaruit had reassured Lagrah when Lagrah had wondered why Beldaruit was asking such a question: “I simply heard something that might be of some concern… But I’ll let you know if I hear more. That’s all.”
Deanreldy arrived bright and bushy tailed as usual, smiling at Beldaruit like a man ready to devour food, and Beldaruit realized that Zazamaiya likely wasn’t playing a game. And he wondered why he hadn’t noticed this particular aspect of the king from the outset.
Probably because the idea is preposterous, Beldaruit thought as Deanreldy greeted him and walked around the bed. The indiscretion had used to exhaust himself to sleep felt carved on his skin, even as he’d done his best to clean up the evidence afterward. It was one thing to imagine a past lover or even one made purely of dream when he took his body in hand… but a king? A king Beldaruit had to work with? A king who was, hypothetically, flirting with Beldaruit already?
“Another check-up, Your Majesty?” Beldaruit asked, curtly. “I have not suddenly fallen ill.” He wondered if Zazamaiya made some comment about his own eating habits at their lunch… Beldaruit had neither over nor undereaten. He’d done his best to be polite.
“I am monitoring your recovery, o Wise One,” Deanreldy said with that warm smirk. “I have been told you wish to depart as soon as possible, and the sooner you are healed, the sooner you may do so.”
Beldaruit recalled his comments about missing home, and imagined Zazamaiya had said something after all. This then made him wonder even more about the rest of her comments to him. And Deanreldy’s bright gaze confirmed nothing at all.
Of course Deanreldy’s weren’t the only eyes that Beldaruit worried over.
“Lagrah,” Beldaruit said. “We can talk later. I’ll let you know when I’m free.”
“Of course,” Lagrah said with a nod. He nodded to Deanreldy before departing, leaving the two other men alone.
“Just us again, then,” Deanreldy said as he sat on the bed and held out his hand for Beldaruit’s arm.
Beldaruit carefully moved to allow him access. And there was a noted difference from before - Deanreldy was fully gentle this time.
“At least it’s healing,” Deanreldy said.
Beldaruit breathed a sigh of relief. The sooner he could leave this place and not have to worry about its politics and monarch, the better…
Deanreldy didn’t let go of Beldaruit’s arm, though. “You had lunch with my Queen yesterday. Was it enjoyable?”
Beldaruit knew that Deanreldy felt him tense. But he forced a smile anyway. “Yes. She is a lovely, vibrant woman. And she told me much of your city that I had not known.” Beldaruit hadn’t explored all that much since he arrived in Ezrest, even during the disaster. Zazamaiya talked about the city’s history and its people in ways Beldaruit enjoyed.
As for the rest, well…
“Good,” Deanreldy said as he carefully lowered Beldaruit’s arm and then let go.
Beldaruit’s arm felt cold afterward and he hated the thought. He had been just fine when no one was holding his arm before Deanreldy walked over.
“The city’s recovery is going well,” Deanreldy said. “And we are trying to ensure resources are spread to everyone who needs it, though the nobles are averse to sharing their luxury and those of the Muckpool are averse to trusting my people.” He smiled grimly. “Entitlement on the one hand and old wounds on the other. It is hard to overcome, but I have good people trying. And some of your witches, too.”
Beldaruit had the reports from Lagrah. The witches had to be careful, but efforts were being made to help wherever they could. The city was being treated like the site of a natural disaster, so there was some leniency.
“The city will hopefully return to some form of normalcy soon,” Deanreldy continued. “Like magic fading in the dark of night, for a new day.”
“A depressing image,” Beldaruit commented. He loved living around magic, and thinking of it vanishing was distasteful.
Deanreldy smiled and said, “Indeed. But to those of us without, such is how it is.”
Beldaruit grimaced, thinking this talk wasn’t useful, and then said, “Your wife made some comments that… I am unsure how to deal with.” There was no sense in avoiding it forever.
“Oh?” Deanreldy asked. There might have been a glint of interest in his eyes.
“I mean no insult,” Beldaruit said, cautiously. “And truly she was the embodiment of kindness. But she said…” He was still unsure how to explain it. Especially to Deanreldy himself.
Deanreldy was unhelpful, unmoving as he was.
“She said you had interest in… me,” Beldaruit finally blurted out. He glanced at the door, which was thankfully clear of anyone else.
Deanreldy seemed unfazed by this. He replied, with a gentle smile, “That is correct.”
Beldaruit blinked at him, wondering if everyone in the castle had gone mad. “I mean in a non-medical or political context.” Of course Deanreldy had some interest in Beldaruit outside physicality, given he was here.
But… more?
Deanreldy merely smiled at him, apparently confirming it all.
Beldaruit’s face warmed. “That… Why?”
“Why not?” Deanreldy replied. “You are an attractive and interesting man, and a powerful one. There are many reasons to find you appealing.”
Then why not romance Lagrah? Beldaruit wondered in irritation. He has all that and you two don’t argue…
Deanreldy chuckled and said, “Even your nervousness now is appealing.”
“I am not one of your cats!” Beldaruit said, not bothering to mask his irritation. “And I am trying to approach this with an awareness of the situation we are in. And would you please… shut the door?”
Deanreldy stood up and walked over to the doorway, shutting it and putting a lock down, before walking back to the bed.
The room seemed so much quieter with just them in it.
“We are alone,” Deanreldy said as he sat back on the bed, perhaps slightly closer this time. He smirked then, as if he’d won something.
“I simply do not want more gossip to spread than already has,” Beldaruit said, snippily.
Deanreldy shrugged and replied, “My people already know I spend a great deal of time here. I’m sure whatever is in their imagination is far messier than anything we could actually do ourselves. People gossip in an enclosed space. And gossip travels.”
“Yes,” Beldaruit said. “I am aware.” He’d heard quite the amount of gossip over his years in the Great Hall.
“So you have me here,” Deanreldy said with a smirk. “And what is your next move, considering all this? Because I find it hard to believe you’d want the door closed for a rejection.”
“You’re so obnoxious,” Beldaruit muttered. “And you think it charm.”
“But you bristle so cutely,” Deanreldy teased. “I cannot help myself.”
Cat owner, Beldaruit thought, mutinously, even as his cheeks heated over being called cute. But he didn’t have an answer to the clear offer on the bed before them. He assumed he’d say no somehow. But the words dried on his tongue. Instead he asked, “But our arguments? We clearly do not get along.” Deanreldy was a fierce debater at the best of times.
“We worked together during Silver Eve, did we not?” Deanreldy pointed out with a smile. “Despite our ongoing issues, clearly when we work together, we can do marvelous things.” The implication there was heavy.
Beldaruit still felt unsure. Saving a city was different than intermingling their affairs even more than they already were.
Deanreldy watched him with those bright eyes, and then leaned forward to pluck at Beldaruit’s long hair with his own careful fingers. “O Wise One, the things we could do if you said yes.” He raised the loop of silver hair in his fingers to his lips, and gently kissed it.
Beldaruit had a full body shudder, and not in distaste. He could feel the heat of Deanreldy’s breath, the way the bed molded to the man… And Beldaruit didn’t know how to turn at all, whether towards Deanreldy or away. He felt caught by the small connection between them. And he was unsure whether he should demand release or not. It was like he’d spoken with Lagrah before: Deanreldy drew you in. And clearly, Deanreldy meant to keep what he collected.
“We treat you here,” Deanreldy said, unbothered by Beldaruit’s reaction, “but not all of you. And I would rather do that, if I could.” His right hand moved along the bedspread towards Beldaruit’s right knee, without touching Beldaruit’s body.
“And I’m meant to trust you?” Beldaruit asked, a bit hoarsely. “After that display in front of your people? In front of the world?” He only realized, belatedly, that this most definitely wasn’t a no. And Deanreldy, smart as he was, had definitely noticed.
“I knelt before you,” Deanreldy said, his voice deeper now. “Not anyone else. Not the world.” He leaned forward, and Beldaruit refused to back away. He was not a coward. “Only you, o Wise One.”
When Deanreldy’s lips touched Beldaruit’s, they were soft, and tasted faintly of some fruity substance the king must have used to keep them wet. Or perhaps whatever he’d drunk last. Beldaruit’s heart raced. He’d been kissed many a time before, but it had been a while. And he found he missed it. He shut his eyes and relaxed as much as he could, enjoying the kiss for what it was, and deciding he’d save his regrets for another time.
A warm hand reached up to card fingers through Beldaruit’s long hair near his ears. A gentle push pressed against Beldaruit’s chest, pushing him further against the pillows onto his back. Deanreldy’s long hair fell around them both, and those gentle fingers never left.
Beldaruit reached up to rest his left hand on Deanreldy’s back. He could feel the way the man’s muscles flexed over him. And Beldaruit’s own dreams of how the man looked fully shirtless came to mind. Seeming him kneeling, knowing it was for Beldaruit in particular…
When Deanreldy’s fingers finally moved, they began undoing Beldaruit’s robe, pushing the lapels aside so that when Deanreldy finally moved his lips to allow Beldaruit to breathe, those lips moved down to Beldaruit’s neck and skin, sucking and licking his way down.
“You like the smell of your own medicine?” Beldaruit asked, still with his eyes closed as Deanreldy’s lips kept moving. His nurses had been applying what they could of Deanreldy’s medicine to Beldaruit’s still troubled back. The smell had to be worse nearer his chest.
“I like the perfume you put have on your clothes,” Deanreldy replied as he sat up and grinned, like a, well… contented cat.
“I hope you don’t treat all your patients this way,” Beldaruit muttered, only imagining under what circumstances Deanreldy made his other conquests. Though he supposed there was chance enough at balls and weddings and the like.
“Just you,” Deanreldy said as he leaned back to pull up Beldaruit’s robe over his legs.
“What are you doing?” Beldaruit asked, confused. The air was cold against his lower body.
“I can’t imagine anyone’s been around to pleasure you while you’ve been here,” Deanreldy replied as he reached up to tug Beldaruit’s undergarments aside. “And that seems an injustice to me.”
“I can manage,” Beldaruit protested, recalling how poorly he’d managed the previous evening. “I have managed, thank you very much.”
Deanreldy looked up at him with a burning gaze, and Beldaruit felt it in his entire body, somehow. And then Deanreldy smiled and said, “Good. But I also wish to taste you.”
Beldaruit’s lips parted, but not before Deanreldy ducked down and wrapped his lips around Beldaruit’s cock.
Beldaruit pressed his head back into the pillows, and he gasped as Deanreldy swallowed more. Deanreldy’s position didn’t look comfortable, bent over Beldaruit as he was, but he didn’t protest, and gently bobbed his head up and down Beldaruit’s cock, filling the air with wet sucking sounds.
“Your… Your…” Beldaruit reached out to grasp Deanreldy’s blonde hair, needing balance. Truly, it had been too long. And Beldaruit’s last partner preferred hand jobs more than anything else. Not that Beldaruit ever pushed for this, but… it was nice, all the same.
Beldaruit put a hand over his mouth, not wanting to attract the guards with his moaning. Pleasure was slow but sharp as it worked through his torso, and he felt hot from where his robe rested in extra layers over his skin.
Deanreldy’s tongue was a wicked thing, working Beldaruit over, and those lips… Practiced at argument, and equally at this, apparently. Deanreldy’s nose occasionally bumped the pale hairs at the base of Beldaruit’s cock, before moving back up and lathering attention on the glans, making Beldaruit bite his own lip. Deanreldy’s hands gently pressed against Beldaruit’s bare hips, massaging the skin there and sometimes along Beldaruit’s back, sending flashes of tickling surprise through Beldaruit’s body. Beldaruit was not a huge man, but a human mouth was only so large, and Deanreldy’s lips were sometimes visible, stretched around Beldaruit’s cock.
Beldaruit imagined talking to Deanreldy after this and his face burned, making him squeeze Deanreldy’s blonde hair even harder. Not to tug him in any particular direction, but to hold on, lest he collapse. He only pulled back his hand from his lips to hiss, “I’m going to come soon, Your Majesty, you should… You should move!”
Deanreldy hummed happily around Beldaruit’s cock, but did not move away. If he heard, which he seemingly did, he didn’t care.
Beldaruit murmured, more desperately, “Your… Ah!!!” He shut his eyes as he came, and swirls and bursts of pleasure went through him. He had to work to keep his right arm still, and there was a slight pain in his hips, but it was nothing in the wake of his release.
Deanreldy swallowed it all, and only pulled off of Beldaruit’s cock a while later, wiping his lips with a satisfied smile as he looked up at Beldaruit. “Now that is a handsome face…”
Beldaruit didn’t want to imagine how he looked in the moment as his chest worked for air. His hair was also likely a mess and he’d drooled on his fingers.
He was hardly a wise anything, though he’d certainly learned something… if he could figure out what. That those lips were powerful in more ways than discussion? That Beldaruit truly didn’t want those fingers to leave him, and Deanreldy seemed aware of this to some extent, because those hands were still on Beldaruit.
Beldaruit cleared his throat and tried to master himself before finally saying, “Thank you. For that.” He looked away, feeling embarrassed. “It has unfortunately been a while.” And Beldaruit, damn him, didn’t regret it, either. The excursion had only made his own interest worse.
“A shame,” Deanreldy said. “But it is my boon to enjoy.” He leaned in closer. “And if you’ll permit me, o Wise One, I intend to indulge.”