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"The Crown"

by Calypso

CHAPTER FIVE

The next few days were especially difficult for the cougar. His chores were challenging when he was so sore all the time, and his wounds burned him by day's end. But more than that, he found it much more complicated to hold his tongue about Xeneth. Adam and Melanie were quickly becoming Yang-Wo's best friends in the castle, and he found it hard to make sure he let nothing slip and gave no indication that he had done anything more than the usual visit to the Prince. However, thankfully his efforts seemed to be proving successful, because neither asked about that night.

Prince Xeneth was particularly careful to circumvent requesting Yang-Wo's presence anywhere but his chambers, clearly wishing to avoid any more contact between his relatives and the cougar. This suited Yang-Wo, who couldn't be any less interested in serving the royal family of Zanat-Ven ever again.

The weeks sped by in this way, and Yang-Wo began to become fidgety and anxious. Much of his time was spent in the harem with the other slaves, and he'd nearly learned everyone's name and story by the end of his second week. As he continued to heal with the passing days, cleaning the Prince's chambers became the boring, effortless task it had been before his punishment, which left him much time to brood.

Nearly six weeks into Yang-Wo's enslavement, and he and Xeneth had not privately spoken since that eye-opening night. If they were in each other's presence, Xeneth kept his mask of indifference toward Yang-Wo, and was possibly even colder to the cougar for it. Yang-Wo did not take this personally, as he realized the truth behind Xeneth's cool exterior, and he sometimes had to fight to hold his tongue if one of the slaves complained about their indifferent master.

It didn't help matters any that the slaves, while generally trying to keep themselves happy and entertained, grew sulky and withdrawn frequently, worried about their own homes, their families and other loved ones, their people. Sometimes this would end in anger and fighting, or crying and hugging, or even all four. During these bouts of sorrow, Yang-Wo found himself missing his parents more than ever, and desperately wished to see them, to speak to them, to know that they were alive and all right. When he thought of them, he imagined cold, dank cells like the one he'd awoken in, and he cried softly, so worried about them he'd feel sick.

Adam and Melanie were helpful during this time; both were intuitive and sensitive, and both were extremely supportive. They had a way of communicating that made Yang-Wo think of a brother and a sister, how they knew each other's minds. And while Melanie was tender and sweet and caring, Adam... Yang-Wo wasn't sure what to think about his friend. The horse's embraces had begun to draw out longer and longer, and he always found some way to put a paw on Yang-Wo, or put an arm around him. The cougar blushed embarrassedly at the thought, but he was worried that Adam might be interested in more than just friendship with him, and he wasn't sure how to deal with the emotions that followed this thought. He had lived what now felt a child's life, a sexless, wholesome existence, and now it felt as though he were thrust into adulthood roughly, with nude bodies on display constantly and sex a continuous topic of conversation. This overwhelmingly uncomfortable revelation, paired with Adam's increasing desire for physical contact, made Yang-Wo feel silly, as though he should have asked questions about attraction and desire and sex before now.

It was getting chilly in the castle, the walls holding no heat, the draft seeming to seep through the bricks and the cracks under doors. The slaves were not permitted to wear anything extra, so most of them shivered when asked to leave the warm confines of the harem; Yang-Wo's country had always had very mild weather, the winters hardly different from the summers, so this approaching frost was really difficult for him.

One particularly frigid evening, Yang-Wo was huddled up next to Adam in the harem-secretly wondering whether he was leading the horse on by having such close contact, yet too cold to care-when the harem doors swung open, and Melnamourn walked in, bundled in furs and coats.

"His Highness requests Melanie and Yang-Wo tonight," he said huffily, always with the tone that he was thoroughly annoyed with being forced to even look at the slaves, much less speak to them.

Melanie and Yang-Wo stood abruptly and walked forward with their heads down; the feline had gotten much practice, and after the weeks it'd taken for him to heal from his last punishment, he wasn't keen to feel another any time soon.

By this time, Yang-Wo had also begun to disregard which slaves Xeneth called for. The majority of the time, he simply called them in what seemed to be rotation. They all served him about equally, and Yang-Wo supposed that this must be to keep appearances that he needed such an inordinate number of slaves.

When they made it to the great gilded double-doors and were permitted entrance, Xeneth's tired voice said softly, "You know, Melnamourn, I think just the one tonight. I'm sorry, could you return Melanie to the harem for me?"

"Certainly, Your Highness," Melnamourn acquiesced greasily, turning and stalking out the doors again, Melanie on his heels.

Those same doors closed with an ominous thud, and Yang-Wo was left standing and staring at the footboard, unsure of how to act now that he and Xeneth were alone for a second time. He remembered the warm, soft, cozy feeling he'd had in his heart when he'd last seen Xeneth, a feeling of friendship and understanding. Now, he waited for the Prince, anxious to see whether that bond really did exist, or if it had all been a dream.

"Yang-Wo, my friend!" Xeneth boomed happily, walking around his bed quickly and pulling the cougar into a warm hug.

Yang-Wo sighed audibly with relief and happiness, returning Xeneth's embrace tightly. When last they'd embraced, Xeneth had been naked and Yang-Wo nearly so. Now, with Xeneth in his royal finery, it was a different sensation for Yang-Wo; the fine silks and billowing cloak held the wolf's earthy, woodsy smell on them, and each piece of fabric felt like an old friend, so much so that Yang-Wo rubbed his face into Xeneth's shoulder, just to feel his soft shirt better.

"Xeneth," he said simply as a greeting, realizing that their hug was lasting in minutes rather than seconds.

Finally, it was the Prince who pulled back. "You are stunning, as usual," he complimented sweetly.

"Thank you," Yang-Wo attempted to say nonchalantly, but his blush gave him away.

"Come, come, sit down! I have been anxious for your company of late, but as you may have guessed, I've been limiting my time with you-and especially time alone-to continue with appearances. I'm afraid that after my outburst at dinner, my mother has been having me watched." Xeneth frowned a bit as he began unfastening his shirt buttons, having already removed his coat and cloak, both of which seemed to exert him slightly. He was obviously out of practice in dressing and undressing himself.

Yang-Wo had been intending on responding to the wolf, but he found his fidgeting distracting, and so stood again and began unfastening the buttons quickly, saying, "Allow me." As each fell open and more and more black fur became visible, Yang-Wo kept his eyes on Xeneth's chest, focusing on his work, not wanting to keep a constant flush in his ears the entire evening. "What makes you think you're being watched, Your Hi-I mean, Xeneth?"

"Even if I wasn't particularly accomplished at Spirit magic-which, if you'll forgive my lack of humility, I must admit I am-I know my mother well enough. She'll have wondered why I spoke out of turn for you specially. I can tell by the way she looks at me now that she's determined to find out, and I can also tell that she's infatuated with you for this reason." His frown deepened, and his brows drew together. "She hasn't asked for you yet, but when she does, and she will, I'll have no choice."

Yang-Wo pondered this a moment, then said, "I do not blame you, it isn't your fault," and helped ease off the Prince's fine, beautiful shirt. He found that with the wolf near, he really didn't feel afraid of the Queen, as formidable as she was.

"Ah...we shall agree to disagree, I think," Xeneth replied, but with a soft note of guilt and pain. He carried a terrible burden, and Yang-Wo was only beginning to fathom the depths of the Prince's shame.

There was silence for a moment or two, and eventually, Yang-Wo stared into Xeneth's stunning eyes, once again perplexed and entranced by their beauty. "Xeneth, you are too hard on yourself. You have no control over what nations your mother invades. Though, I have been wondering..." the cougar trailed off, unsure. Would the wolf know? Would he tell? Would it be asking too much? Would he be angry? "How was your mother able to invade Beldai? I've been going absolutely insane trying to find a way they could have penetrated our defenses, but..."

Yang-Wo trailed off again at the sight of Xeneth, who looked absolutely crushed.

"I am so, so sorry, Yang-Wo..." he choked out, tears coming to his eyes, and he turned his head away, not looking the cougar in the eye.

"It's alright, Xeneth, it is the Queen who is to blame, not you," Yang-Wo cooed, petting the wolf's shoulder. He felt awkward trying to comfort the enemy Prince, yet determined to do so.

"No," Xeneth replied simply, his voice sounding hollow. "It was I who provided the skill that led to Beldai's ambush and downfall."

Yang-Wo only stood motionless for several moments, unable to process what he was hearing. "What is your meaning?" he asked.

Xeneth sighed a heavy sigh. "I discovered an art that had been long forgotten...a form of Spirit magic that had been developed by my ancestors. The bending of darkness." He looked at Yang-Wo then, tears rolling down his cheeks, silent markers of his despair, and found the cougar looking confused, yet horrified.

"You can manipulate darkness?" Yang-Wo asked blankly.

"Yes. Through darkness, I found I could step into one shadow and appear clear across the castle into another. I discovered this quite by accident as a child, and hid the talent for many years...but my mother found out eventually, and forced me to teach the army how to do it. You can imagine that this power works best at night..." But, Xeneth never finished his sentence. He was distracted by his slave having a panic-attack.

Yang-Wo was choking on his own breath, hyperventilating from shock, and was clutching his chest with his paw, falling to his knees. If the cat had expected anything that night, it had not been discovering how his country had fallen. The overwhelming grief was swallowing him, the bald realization of his defeat made infinitely more powerful and poignant by the spear of truth now lodged in his heart.

Xeneth was beside himself, unsure how to act. His instinct was simply to get Yang-Wo breathing again, so he knelt to the ground and placed his paw on the cougar's shoulder, saying, "Yang-Wo, calm down, breathe! I give you permission to use your abilities to calm your breath, just breathe!"

Xeneth's words acted as a stimulant to the cougar, who manipulated the air in and out of his lungs at a steadier pace, allowing his breathing to slow to normal. When it did, however, he fell into a deep and miserable silence, unsure what to think or how to feel anymore.

"Yang-Wo, I am so sorry for my part in your country's defeat... You shall probably think I am a liar, or otherwise a fool, but I actually dreamed of visiting Beldai one day, of seeing its beautiful citadel and rolling green hills, the gorgeous ocean and the sunny days... It sounded like such an amazing place..." Xeneth smiled a little, his paw still on the cougar's shoulder.

Yang-Wo glared away from the Prince and said venomously, "Well, I suppose Beldai is yours now, so you may visit any time of your choosing."

The cougar could tell he had sunk a low blow against the Prince, for Xeneth removed his paw and stood up, seating himself on his bed and putting his face in his paws.

Feeling guilty, regretful, and ashamed, Yang-Wo got up and sat next to the forlorn wolf, tenderly wrapping his arm around his waist and leaning his head on his broad shoulder. "I am sorry," he said earnestly, nuzzling into the wolf's neck. "That was wrong, I know in my heart that you'd never hurt me or my people." Yang-Wo's heart was beating very fast now, being this intimate and close with his part-time master, but each sensation felt right, and every touch was electric.

Xeneth responded by wrapping his own arm around Yang-Wo, pulling them even closer together, the wolf resting his head atop the cougar's. "You are sweet, but what you said is true...if it weren't for me, your nation would be whole and happy, not under occupation..."

"Xeneth, if it weren't for you, I would be in prison still. If it weren't for you, I'd've been stabbed in the heart with a shard of jagged ice," Yang-Wo responded. "You've saved me more than once, and I can not thank you enough for your kindness."

"You are..." Xeneth mumbled, turning so that he could look the cougar in the eye, "You are...so remarkable." He smiled a little again, using his free paw to quickly wipe his tears away.

Yang-Wo blushed warmly, the sensation only adding to his growing nerves. "You flatter me...I am seventeen years old, and I'm barely learning how to work water to my advantage. I know nothing of fire, and I know nothing of abilities such as yours..." Yang-Wo sniffed, swallowing hard, his expression holding back his wave of emotion. "I couldn't do a thing to help my parents, or save my people...or save myself...I'm probably the most unremarkable Prince Beldai has ever had." His eyes fell into his lap, and his whole body cringed a little, holding in more tears. He'd had his fill of morose crying, but this was the first time he'd ever voiced this feeling aloud to anyone, and it was difficult to hold back.

Suddenly, the cougar felt a big, strong paw tuck under his chin and lift his face level with the wolf's again, their eyes meeting once more. The expression they shared then was a mutual ache, not of sadness but of confusion and frustration and longing.

With one fluid motion, Xeneth overpowered his own objections and pushed Yang-Wo's despair away. With one simple act, the wolf's mind knew a peace it hadn't felt in ages, and Yang-Wo's heart fluttered and skipped a few beats.

With their eyes closed and their bodies very close, Xeneth and Yang-Wo were sharing a very intimate kiss; in fact, it was each man's first kiss. Their lips were barely touching at first, then each turned his head just a little, leaned in a bit more, and gave himself over to the other, their mouths slowly beginning to open, tongues meeting.

Their paws began to subconsciously pull them together, Yang-Wo's arms encircling Xeneth's neck, Xeneth's paws pulling Yang-Wo closer by the waist. Each man's body twisted and contorted to feed this hungry kiss, regardless of the awkward side-by-side position in which they sat.

Yang-Wo pulled back abruptly, and his arms shot down into his lap, his face turning away from Xeneth's in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Xeneth, but I can't have sex with you, I just can't, I know you like to occasionally with your slaves, but you said we could be friends, and you said we were equals, and I just can't have sex with you, I'm really sorry, but I can't-"

"Sex?" Xeneth asked quizzically. "Who said anything about sex?" He chuckled heartily, and Yang-Wo felt the sound reverberate through him, filling him with ease and joy. "Yang..." he said tenderly, reaching for the feline's face again with his paw. "This doesn't automatically mean sex...this means I'm...finding..." he murmured, leaning close again, "that...I'm really...feeling..."

But, his sentence cut off as his lips met Yang-Wo's again. Something about the smooth, warm softness of Xeneth's mouth made Yang-Wo lose control; it had been a wonder that he'd even stopped the first kiss. The cougar's arms found their place around the wolf's neck again, and as the two shared what was for both the most intimately heartfelt moment of their lives, he couldn't help but sigh in contentment, happier than he'd been in a long time.

After the better part of an hour, during which time the two reclined on the bed and let their bodies fully embrace, Yang-Wo giggled against Xeneth's mouth.

"What?" the wolf asked, a warm and happy smile gracing his face.

"I can't believe we're...well, we're kissing!" the cat giggled.

"Believe it," Xeneth crooned, pushing his mouth against Yang-Wo's again briefly. "There's something about you that I can't describe, something incredible...I've never felt so peaceful as when I'm around you, so...at home."

Yang-Wo touched his nose to Xeneth's, smiling at him and looking him in his marvelous eyes, then returned the wolf's kiss with a small one of his own. "You make me feel as though I have nothing to hide, like I could tell you anything."

"You can, and I hope you will," the wolf replied. But, he clearly had something else on his mind, for he was fully embracing the cougar within seconds, their lips seeming never to tire of meeting.

And for the rest of the evening, the two only laughed and kissed and were content to simply be together.