Rian was pushing Brindle hard to reach the Gypsy encampment. The great black stallion carried them down the winding trail, the thunder of his hooves muffled by the thick undergrowth. Corey clung to Rian’s back, trusting he knew where they were going. They continued to ride hard and fast for the next twenty minutes.
When Rian finally reined Brindle in, bringing the black stallion to a halt on a hilltop overlooking a dense valley, he said, “We’ve veered too far to the south of the Gypsy encampment.”
He gestured to the thick copse of trees below them. “The home I shared with my mother lies just beyond that line of pine trees. White Star Chapel may prove to be a safe haven until morning.”
Jasper came swooping down from above them, landing with a flap of his wings on Rian’s outstretched wrist. Frantically, he sent through the link, *Beware! White beasts lie in wait for you ahead! They are stalking you!*
Seated there on the hilltop, Rian and Corey looked at the dozens of luminous eyes in the line of trees before them. Rian drew his sword, and the blade shone brightly with golden light. “Hold on tight,” he said, glancing back at Corey. “I shall cut a pathway through them.”
Corey hooked one hand about his waist, reaching for the dagger sheathed at Rian’s belt. “At least arm me,” he said, his sights fixed on the sets of glowing red eyes within the black trees. “I can be of some assistance, Rian. I am not helpless with a blade.”
Rian said, “No, plain steel will not harm these beasts. The sword that I wield is one crafted by the Fairis, and may prove lethal to these foul beasts. Just hold tight, and let me do the fighting, Corey.”
As he kicked Brindle into a run down the hillside, Jasper launched himself from his wrist and took to the air. The small barn owl soared down over the clearing below, then banked before entering the tree line. *Help unlooked for!* he excitedly sent back through the mind link. *A company of Elven horsemen is riding in behind these ape-faced creatures blocking our path!*
Rian had no time to respond. He simply rode on, driving his glowing golden blade through the breast of a beast lunging out of the trees toward them. The apish creature wailed and died, falling to one side. Rian ripped his blade free and whipped it around to lop off the head of yet another beast springing up at Brindle from the other side.
And the wild ride became one long kaleidoscope of blurred images as Rian raced headlong between the black trees. On either side of them, the silver steeds of the Elven riders carried them into the ranks of the white beasts. Bright, luminous blades rose and fell. White-furred apes wheeled round, falling to left and right. Flickering blades swept through their ranks. White-blond hair trailed over the shoulders of the Elven riders. It all happened in a matter of swift seconds.
With Jasper leading the way, Rian and Corey broke from the other side of the forest of pines trees and entered the moonlit clearing before the white walls of White Star Chapel. The small monastery had long been abandoned by monks of the Order of the Sacred Lady, and Rian’s mother, Rose, had made it their home for the past eighteen years. It was built like a small fortress with four strong walls and a sturdy gate. The round turrets of four towers stood up from the rear of the small keep, and four more turrets stood at the four corners of its high walls.
Brindle’s rapid hoof beats sounded like thunder as the steed carried them through the covered gateway of the small walled-in chapel. Rian and Corey were quick to dismount. Rian ran back inside the gateway, drawing the twin gates closed. He barred them, and led Corey to the walkway along the top of the front wall. As Jasper joined them, he sent to Rian,*Elves of the Fairis Dayan!*
Nodding at him, Rian looked out to the line of pine trees beyond the greenway of the chapel. There, a company of white-clad riders sat upon silver steeds, swords glowing in their grasp. One of the Elven riders rode out from the dark pines, his golden hair swept back from his shoulders in the slight evening breeze. He offered Rian a respectful nod.
“Blackthorn,” he said, “you are known among the Fairis. Know that we intervened on your behalf, allowing you to reach this haven of temporary safety. We serve Prince Tannen, and we go now to retrieve him. Remain here, for there are hundreds of Scartan war bands scattered throughout the lower Kestrel. We shall return first light of morning.”
The entire company of Elves turned and vanished in the forest of pines, the thunder of their galloping horses fading away among the trees.
Corey asked, “What were riders of the Fairis doing this far south of the Vale of Seven Rivers?”
Shaking his head, Rian said, “Not a clue.”
*
Leaving Jasper perched along the front wall to keep a sharp eye on the dark forest beyond, Rian and Cory unsaddled Brindle and stabled him in the small stable within the walls of the chapel.
They made their way to the stone manor house beside the two-story chapel of the White Star. Once inside, Rian discovered a note penned by his mother. He picked it up from the center of the dining room table situated before the cold stones of a large hearth. Moving to an open window, he held it up in the moonlight and read the message.
While he read, Corey joined him. “Now that we are alone…”
The prince reached down and unlaced the front of Rian’s leather slacks. “We might as well make the best of our time…”
Rian paused in his reading to glance down as Corey lowered his slacks and gently began to fondle his slowly hardening cock. While Corey played, Rian continued to read.
Now breathing a little more heavily, Rian said, “My mother left here weeks ago.”
Corey removed Rian’s slacks, his boots, and his shirt. “It appears,” Rian said, still reading as he settled into a high-backed chair, “she rode to seek aid from my father, who resides in an ancient fortress deep within the Vale. She claims he is the leader of a band of war-priests, outlaws, and heroes fallen from grace, who call him the Outlaw King of the Banished.”
Corey stripped out of his clothes, taking a few seconds to pump his cock. “Living out here alone,” Rian said, “she learned the Scartans were uniting under one banner, and rode to the Vale seeking my father, in hopes she could persuade him to ride to the Five Kingdoms, bringing with him his small army who reside with him at the ancient fortress of Dun Glayden.”
Corey kneeled down, slipping Rian’s head inside his mouth. He gave it a good slippery, slopping working over, flicking the tip of his tongue down beneath the round head, tenderly grazing his sperm duct.
With a soft moan, Rian said, “I do not know whether she found my father, but I would like to think that Talas Winter now rides here, bringing his company to the kingdoms to aid us in this war.”
“War?” Corey said, puzzled.
Rian shared the message Dax Storm had delivered to his father before the gates of Brystyn. It left no doubt in Corey’s mind the Scart invasion would lead to a full-scale war.
“Is there anything more?” Corey said. “Or can we simply enjoy each other’s company now for the next few hours?”
Rian looked down as Corey took him inside his mouth. He gripped the arms of the chair. Finally, overcome, Rian placed both hands on either side of Corey’s head and laced his fingers through the long strands of his white-blond hair.
It was the closest Corey had ever brought him to a consensual sexual encounter between them, and just the touch of Rian’s fingers turned him on even more. He sucked with vigor and passion. Tears came to his eyes.
Still, Corey was groaning and moaning now that he had seven inches inside his mouth and down his throat. Corey wormed the middle finger of his right hand into Rian’s ass ring. He rammed his entire finger all the way up inside.
“Ohhhhh!” came from Rian, his hands now cupped tightly around the back of Corey’s head. “Unnhh! Unnhhhh!” he muttered, his head turning from side to side.
“You’ve not felt anything yet!” Corey whispered. He reached down and spun Rian around in the chair.
“I will enter you very slowly,” Corey whispered. “I shall apply lotion to make it go smoothly.”
Corey reached down into his belt pouch and retrieved a tube of lotion.
“I’m going in now, Rian,” he said with a throaty whisper. “Slow at first, but then…”
“Ahhh.” Rian let out one long exhale as Corey’s head slid in past his tight ring. Corey continued on, pushing his way into Rian’s upraised ass. He stopped about four inches in. “Go deeper,” Rian said, sensing what Corey was doing as he kneeled on the chair behind him.
Corey gripped him by his lean hips, lifting him. He lunged and plunged, shoving his hardened manhood deep inside Rian.
“Ooohhhh!” escaped from Rian’s lips.
“Ready for this?” Corey gasped.
“Go for it!” Rian panted breathlessly. “Fuck me like a madman!”
With one quick move, Corey lifted Rian up and out of the chair. With his dick slipping free, he managed to lower Rian down to the carpeted floor. Rian settled there, his head resting on his crossed arms, his ass pointed up. Corey wasted no time. Sweat dripped from his brow, sprinkling down onto Rian’s bare back. Just when it came time for him to cum, Rian pulled himself free, spun over onto his back, and cried, “Shove yourself back inside, Corey! Look into my eyes as you cum!”
Struggling to hold back, Corey grunted as he nailed Rian. “Unnhhh!” they both mouthed at the same time.
“Cum now, Corey! Blast away!”
Corey peered into Rian’s eyes. He remained that way, and with a fevered look began to hump him madly.
“Uunnnnnnh!” burst from Corey as he burst inside Rian. A dreamy look came over his face.
Rian raised his head to give Corey a long, wet kiss. Neither broke off the kiss for a long time.
When they broke the kiss, both grinned, and as Corey slowly withdrew from Rian, it was Rian who reared up and planted one more long, slow kiss on Corey’s lips.