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The Wraith King's Bargain
By Sara Bell

The midsummer's night was thick and moonless, but Aswyn and the five canine sentries padding through the lush undergrowth behind him had no trouble finding their way back to the base of the hill. Once there, Aswyn gave the signal for the others to fall away as he alone climbed the rocky peak. He stayed in wolven form until he reached the copse of trees at the hill's crest, beginning the shift as soon as he stepped into the safety of the sheltering elms. As always, the jarring change from wiry animal sinew to corded human muscle took his breath away, causing Aswyn to stand panting in the shadows for a full minute while he recovered. Once assured his legs were strong enough to hold him, he winced away the last twinging pains of the transformation before striding naked and unashamed to the spot where his liege waited.

Courtesy commanded most vassals to fall on their knees at first sight of their king, but Aswyn made no such supplication. He and Xandor were more than king and commander. Having been raised together, they were as brothers--friends until the last breath parted them. For that reason, Aswyn greeted Xandor with nothing more than the words. "'Tis done."

Xandor's only response was a tense order thrown against the stillness of the night. "Tell me what you've found."

Aswyn hesitated. His next words would damn the governor beyond redemption, but there was no help for it. Oskar of Graywald had hung himself with his own misdeeds, and now he would pay the price.

"We found most of the items he stole from you tucked away in the cellar."

"Most?"

Aswyn nodded, knowing Xandor could see him despite the darkness. "Several substantial pieces were missing, but 'tis possible he has them hidden somewhere in the main house. My soldiers and I were unable to conduct a more thorough search without alerting the household to our presence, but we can go back and search anew if you so desire."

"There's no need. I imagine the varlet has already traded my family's treasures for coin, anyhow." Aswyn's keen night eyes caught the spark of outrage in the king's black gaze. "So I was right about his treachery, after all. I'd hoped perhaps I was mistaken, but now…" Xandor broke off and looked away, but not before Aswyn saw the flash of pain that creased his regal face.

It hurt Aswyn to see Xandor so wounded, and renewed anger towards the governor fired his blood. "You've only to say the word and my men and I will roust the villain from his bed to answer these charges."

Xandor was shaking his head before Aswyn even finished. "We'll move tomorrow, in full light of day. I want the entire village to bear witness to Oskar's arrest. Let his humiliation run so deep that even his ancestors feel the sorrow of his shame."

Aswyn tilted his head to the side, studying Xandor's face. "And what of Tynan? Do you seek to punish him for his father's misdeeds as well?"

"Tynan plays no part in this," Xandor said, his voice flat and emotionless. "Whatever happens tomorrow is between Oskar and me. I care not what Tynan thinks."

Aswyn snorted. "You might be able to peddle that tale to someone else, but I know you too well to buy it. And there's something else I know." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Tynan will not stand idly by while you call his father out as a common thief, evidence be damned."

Xandor shrugged. "So be it. Let Tynan wail and gnash his teeth to his heart's content. So long as he stays out of my way, that is."

Aswyn was fastly losing patience was Xandor's cool façade. "Creator's sake, man, you loved him once."

Xandor whirled on him then, eyes sparking with anger. "A love which he killed the day he refused what I offered."

Aswyn fought the urge to scream from pure frustration. "He was only ten and eight when you told him the truth about yourself, Xandor. A mere boy in all the ways that count. How could you expect him to embrace a full mating with you?"

"I would have done no less for him, and well he knew it. Instead, he turned his back on me. Me." Xandor jabbed a thumb against his own chest. "The man who loved him." His voice fell a full measure. "The man who would have died for him."

Aswyn ached for Xandor, but he'd seen enough to know that Tynan had suffered as well. "You could have given him time to come to terms with all you asked of him. Time to make up his mind instead of ordering him out of your life."

Xandor's face closed, then, the mask of iron control firmly back in place. "'Twas a long time ago, and I'll discuss this no longer." He turned his back on Aswyn and started down the backside of the hill. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, "Tell your men to report back to the keep. We'll descend on the governor at dawn."

Long after Xandor was gone, Aswyn stood in place, praying The Creator of All would give them all strength enough to greet the morrow. He had a feeling 'twould be a prayer much needed.

***

'Twas the thunder that woke him. Tynan blinked, coming awake by degrees. He groaned as he sat up in bed, even that slight movement causing a deep pain to stir within his chest. Willing it away, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and glanced out the window, surprised to see the sky clear and the sun rising. He frowned. If it hadn't been thunder he'd heard, then what? Struck by the need to investigate, Tynan dressed as quickly as he could manage, forcing his exhausted body to cooperate as he pulled on his hose and tunic. He'd just stuffed his feet into a pair of soft leather boots when the bedchamber door flew open and Jib, his father's manservant, skittered inside.

"Lord Tynan, you must come quick." Jib's wrinkled face was deathly pale as the old man wheezed and gasped for breath. "Your father, he needs you."

Tynan needed to hear no more. He followed Jib into the keeping room of the manor, thankful his father had seen fit to grant him a room on the main floor. Stairs were the last obstacle Tynan needed to deal with this morning. Not now, when the disease was so close to tearing him apart.

Shaking away the dark thoughts of his soon-to-be demise, Tynan glanced about the room, finding nary a trace of his father. Lifting puzzled brows to Jib, he said, "Where is he?"

"Outside, my lord." Jib lifted a trembling hand towards the door leading to the gardens. "They've come for him, Lord Tynan. You've got to help him, please."

Tynan could make little sense of what Jib was saying, but he dared not waste a second with more questions. After instructing the trembling servant to take a seat, Tynan made his way to the door, stepping into the early morning light and coming face to face with the image that had haunted his dreams every night these eight years past.

Xandor of Alden sat astride a charger as dark as his eyes, his muscular legs holding the horse's sides while keeping his back lance straight. The Wraith King, the villagers called him. Xandor's ability to glide through the night undetected made him the subject of tavern gossip the kingdom over, but Tynan knew his former lover was no ghost, but a man of flesh and blood.

Tynan hadn't seen Xandor since his own return to Graywald village a year earlier, and if anything, the passing years had made the king more handsome, a feat Tynan would ne'er have thought possible. Xandor's midnight hair was bound with a leather tie at the nape of his neck, but the restraint did nothing to disguise the lush softness of the rippling waves. Tynan swallowed, remembering all too well how it felt to run his fingers through those silken locks. Against his will, Tynan's eyes drifted to Xandor's full lips, as sensual as the last time he'd kissed them, even pinched as they were in a hard frown. A spear of pain that had little to do with his illness knifed through Tynan's chest. It hurt to look at Xandor, to think of all his mother's curse had cost him. Swallowing, Tynan tore his eyes away from the beloved face and cleared his parched throat.

"What goes here?" Tynan glanced around the soldier-filled garden. At least fifteen mounted men and fourteen foot soldiers crowded the small space. Shielding his eyes against the rising glare with the flat of his hand, Tynan searched anew for his father. He found him a moment later, struggling to free himself from the two burly soldiers holding him captive. Tynan started forward to offer his father what feeble assistance he could, but Xandor's voice--still as smooth as honeyed ale--cut through the near silence of the courtyard, causing Tynan to stop short.

"Stay where you are, my lord." Xandor made the title sound like an insult. "Your father stands accused of the high crime of treason against his king." His dark brows came together in a hard line just above his rod-straight nose. "I'll accept no interference from you as the governor answers to these charges."

"Treason?" Tynan gave Xandor a long, searching look, half certain the man must be daft. "Surely you jest."

"Unfortunately for you and the cur who sired you, I'm stone serious." Xandor looked to his right where Aswyn sat astride a red roan. "Tell Lord Tynan the truth of what you found."

Tynan fastened his eyes on Aswyn, praying Xandor's commander could make sense of this all. He'd always liked Aswyn, had become rather fond of the man during his time with Xandor. If anyone would tell Tynan the truth, he would. Silently, he beseeched Aswyn to speak.

Aswyn cleared his throat, his wide neck flexing with the motion. "Lord Tynan, I…" He swallowed before beginning again. "Last eve, five of my men and I paid a visit here while the household slept. We had reason to believe someone from Graywald Manor has been stealing from Alden Castle." His raspy voice was laced with pity. "'Tis with a heavy heart I tell you that we found the ill gotten gains in yonder cellar." One thick finger pointed to a set of thatched doors leading underground. "As well you know, one of the governor's chief duties is reporting to the castle once each fortnight to update village records--"

"Meaning the bastard had ample opportunity to plunder my house." Xandor broke in and finished the sentence with heartless candor. Turning to look at a still struggling Oskar, Xandor said, "How could you betray the House of Alden? My family has entrusted the keeping of Graywald Village to yours for generations without measure. In return, you and your kin were given wealth, title, and privilege." Barely controlled rage simmered beneath the surface of his words. "Is this how you chose to repay our kindness, with treason against the very house that made you what you are?"

Tynan's eyes darted to his father's milky blue ones, silently begging him to deny it all. "Father, did you--"

Tynan never finished his sentence. Oskar stopped his struggles, his thin body sagging in the arms of his captors. With tears streaming down his dry, leathery cheeks, he gave Tynan a half nod.

Bile rose in Tynan's throat as the truth of it hit him full on. He need not ask Oskar why he'd done it, the answer all too clear. Oskar had stolen from Xandor to pay the cascade of leeches and healers who'd attempted to heal Tynan, all to no avail. Hands knotting into tight fists at his sides, Tynan once again lifted his eyes to Xandor's granite-set face.

"What punishment have you in mind for my father?"

"A full stripping of his wealth and title, for one."

Tynan fought the urge to laugh. Thanks to him, there was no wealth. "What else?"

"Your father will stand in the lower bailey of Castle Alden for two full hours each morn wearing a yoke upon his traitorous neck so that all who see him will know of his disgrace. And in the evenings, Oskar will toil the fields like a common laborer, turning the soil until the value of every last treasure he plundered from me has been repaid."

As soon as Xandor finished reciting the terms of Oskar's punishment, Tynan looked to his father. What little color was left on Oskar's face had slowly leeched away, the impact of the sentence hitting him full force. Oskar was an old man--too old to survive the grueling pace of a field hand. Another stab of guilt knifed through Tynan's chest. Oskar deserved to spend his remaining years at rest, not toiling his life away in the fields. It was then that Tynan made his choice. His father had committed a crime, yes, but the attempt to save Tynan's life had been earnest. Now was the time for Tynan to repay the debt he owed his sire.

"I won't beg you to spare my father this measure of justice," Tynan said, proud that his voice shook but slightly. "The Lords of Graywald stole from you, and 'tis the Lords of Graywald who owe you recompense. But my father is an old man, unable to give you the full measure of satisfaction you require."

Xandor dropped the reins he'd been holding onto the back of his stallion's neck and folded his hands together on the saddle, sitting in quiet contemplation for a full moment before asking, "How then do you suggest I harvest my pound of flesh?"

Tynan faced him down without so much as blinking. "I will serve the sentence in my father's stead."

As soon as the words left Tynan's lips, Oskar set up a violent protest, taking advantage of his captors' surprise to wrench free and rush to Tynan's side.

"You cannot do this, my son," he whispered so that only Tynan could hear. "I'll not allow you to sacrifice yourself for me this way."

"I can and I will." Putting a firm but loving arm around his father's shoulders to still their quaking, Tynan again looked to Xandor. "According to the laws of the Over Kingdom of Orielle as signed by High King Elwin himself, a son can bear the sins and punishment of his father if he so chooses."

"This cannot be." Oskar shook his head with such force Tynan could hear the faint rattle of his teeth. "You will not take my place. I'll not allow it."

"Silence, old man." Xandor studied the pair of them as if thinking, though Tynan was certain he'd already made his decision. True enough, a scant breath later Xandor said, "The choice is made. From hence forth, let it be known that Tynan of Graywald, lord no more, will be branded as thief and traitor and shall serve the sentence in his father's stead." He motioned to the guard standing closest to Tynan. "Henrick, take him away."

Oskar tried with all his might to hold onto his son, but he was no match for the henchman's strength. As Henrick pulled him away from his sobbing father, Tynan dared give voice to one last question. "What will happen to my father once I'm gone?"

Before Xandor could answer, Aswyn spoke up for the first time since Tynan made his choice. "Your father will be well cared for, Tynan. I promise you that." His earth-brown eyes shone with an emotion Tynan recognized as respect. "I'll see that he's well tended for the rest of his days. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."

Satisfied that Oskar was in good hands, Tynan relaxed into Henrick's grasp and allowed himself to be dragged away, his ears ringing with Oskar's fevered protests.

***

Xandor gripped the stone wall of the parapet and stared down into the bailey, his keen eyes noting the pallor of Tynan's face. For three days now, he'd come each morning to watch as Tynan bore his father's punishment. Xandor's fingers tightened against the rough stone as yet another of his soldiers came to jeer at the fallen lord, laughing at his change in station and spitting on his bare feet. It shouldn't bother Xandor to see Tynan humbled this way. Tynan deserved to hurt, to bleed the way Xandor had bled the day Tynan rejected him. What did it matter to Xandor if Tynan was pounds too thin and visibly weak? So what if Tynan was clothed in rough peasant's rags instead of the fine linen he was used to? Xandor should be glad to see the mighty Lord Graywald taken down. He should be, but he wasn't.

Behind him, the door opened. Xandor turned to see Aswyn stepping onto the battlements. With a sigh, he turned to gaze back down at Tynan. "If you've come to lecture me again, you may as well save yourself the trouble. Tynan made his choice, and that choice will stand."

"You'll hear no more lectures from me." Aswyn snorted as he came to stand beside Xandor at the parapet wall. "My mother listens better than you do, and she's stone deaf."

From the corner of his eye, Xandor watched as Aswyn looked down at Tynan.

"He seems a mite pale to me," Aswyn said, pointing at Tynan's trembling figure. "Are you affording him full rations at each meal?"

Taking exception to the question, Xandor turned to look Aswyn full in the face. "How can you ask me that? I don't starve or abuse my prisoners, and well you know it."

"Perhaps, but you and I both know Tynan is no ordinary prisoner." Aswyn propped one thick hip on the parapet wall as he turned to meet Xandor's glare head on. "If he were, you wouldn't be out here every morning, watching him like some circling hawk."

"What I do with my time is no one's business save mine."

"True, but as commander and captain of your guard, prisoners fall under my care." Aswyn hesitated. "I received a report from the field captain this morning. It seems Tynan is unable to keep up with the other field hands."

Xandor made a face. "Unwilling, is more like. He's lived a live of privilege, Aswyn, coddled and spoiled from the day he stretched his mother's womb. No wonder he takes offense to doing an honest days work."

Aswyn frowned. "You have no idea where Tynan went after he left the Kingdom of Alden, do you?"

Xandor turned away, then, pretending interest in a loose stone on the ground beside his foot. "No, and I prefer not to hear it now."

"Well then, that's too damned bad because hear it you're going to." Aswyn's voice took on a hard edge. "When he left here, Tynan was heartbroken. You'd ordered him out of your life--"

Xandor's head whipped up as he interrupted. "Only because he refused to accept me."

Aswyn rolled his eyes. "Will you be silent long enough to listen?" When Xandor closed his mouth in a tight, angry line, Aswyn continued. "When Tynan left Alden, he traveled to Banning."

"The capitol city?" Xandor was surprised, but that feeling quickly turned to cynicism. "Probably hoping to hitch his handsome arse to one of High King Elwin's wealthy courtiers, I'd wager."

"'Tis one bet you'd lose," Aswyn said. "Tynan pledged his services to Elwin's southern army."

Xandor felt as if he'd been slapped. "You must be mistaken."

Aswyn shook his head. "I sent a messenger to Elwin, himself just last year when I heard Tynan had returned to Graywald village. The High King confirmed the truth of the story."

Xandor narrowed his eyes. "You sent a message to the High King? You, a lowly commander?"

Aswyn shrugged. "'Twas easy enough. I 'borrowed' the signet ring from the box in your chamber and pretended the message was from you. When the messenger came back from Banning, I intercepted him at the gate and told him I'd see that the missive was delivered to you, myself."

"But why? Why go to all that bother?"

"When I heard that the rumors in the village that Tynan had allied himself with the southern army, I was astounded. With over three hundred lesser kingdoms pledging fealty to King Elwin, Tynan could have chosen to serve any one of them. Why would he purposely join himself to the most savage band of warriors the Over Kingdom ever spawned? 'Tis a well known fact that most new recruits don't last the first year through. Why would Tynan punish himself so?" Aswyn stared Xandor down. "I could think of but one answer."

"If you mean to suggest Tynan felt guilt over his refusal to bond with me--"

"'Tis the only explanation that makes sense."

Xandor closed his eyes, the beat of his heart unsteady as he thought about what Aswyn was implying. If Tynan truly felt remorse over his decision not to mate with Xandor, then there might be hope for them after all. Then again, if Xandor went to Tynan with his heart on his sleeve only to be rejected again, Xandor wasn't certain he'd survive it. Head spinning, Xandor opened his eyes and lifted them to Aswyn's face. "I need time to think of all you've told me."

"I wouldn't take too much time if I were you." Aswyn pointed down and into the bailey. Xandor followed the direction of his finger and watched as two guards came to lift the yoke from Tynan's shoulders.

Tynan stumbled as the weight was removed, and the guard closest to him cuffed the back of Tynan's golden head with enough force to make his knees buckle. Xandor was at first outraged, but if Tynan was playing ill to shirk out of the bargain he'd made, 'twas no less than he deserved. Unsure whether or not to intervene, Xandor watched as Tynan righted himself before lifting defiant eyes to his tormentor and allowing himself to be led through the courtyard.

Pushing himself away from the wall, Xandor started for the door. Aswyn called, "Where are you going?" but Xandor ignored him. He needed to get away, to go somewhere he could think without risk of being interrupted. There was only one place he could find the isolation he needed. Destination set, Xandor headed for the stables.

***

Xandor dropped Shih's reins and allowed the big stallion to graze as he himself wandered to the clear brook where they'd stopped and bent to take a long, satisfying drink. The cool water was a boon to his parched throat, but in truth 'twas no less than he deserved for riding through the forest like a madman. He knew he'd ridden Shih too hard--a fact the horse reminded him of with a nip to the shoulder the moment he'd climbed off the beast's back--but Xandor had been unable to help himself. He'd needed the speed, the rush of the wind as they'd raced through the trees. Anything to clear the muddle from his head.

Unfortunately it hadn't worked. Xandor rose from the stream bank, as confused and alone as ever. There was a time when he'd have turned to Tynan with his troubles. A smile creased Xandor's lips as he remembered those days. They shouldn't have worked, the pair of them, what with Tynan the son of a lesser lord and Xandor heir to a powerful throne. Even so, the moment Xandor--six years Tynan's senior--had stopped seeing the governor's son as a gangly brat and started seeing him as a man full grown, he'd known they were destined for each other. Too bad Tynan hadn't shared those feelings.

Xandor was just turning back to Shih when the rattling of underbrush caught his attention. Whirling on his heel, he reached for his sword, relaxing only slightly as Aswyn rode into the clearing.

Allowing his sword to slide back into place at his side, Xandor said, "I assume you have a good reason for scaring the wits out of me." He gave his friend a smile. "You took no less than five years off my life. How did you find me anyway?"

Aswyn tapped his nose. "I always was better at scenting a trail than you, even in human form." He rode closer, giving Xandor a full view of the deep well of concern marring his face.

Xandor's pulse quickened. Something was wrong.

Aswyn swung from his mount. "I've just spoken with Oskar of Graywald. He tells me that he's been begging an audience with you for these three days past."

Xandor relaxed a fraction. "Is that what holds you so distraught?" He waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure 'twas nothing. Probably wanted to beg me to lift the punishment and restore his house."

"I wish that were the case." Aswyn drew a deep breath. "Creator knows I do." He took a step closer. "Xandor, Oskar came to plead all right, but not for his own pardon. He came to beg for his son's life."

"What are you talking about? Tynan hasn't been given a death sentence."

"But he has. That's what Oskar was trying to tell you." Aswyn's eyes shone bright with sorrow, even though the trees above them blocked the brunt of the midday sun. "Tynan is sick, wasting away from the same disease that claimed his mother."

"I don't understand." Xandor's response came out as little more than a whisper. "How could he have caught the same ailment as his mother? She's been gone these twelve years past."

"According to Oskar, 'tis a malady that affects each generation of his late wife's family. Not all her kin develop the disease, but once they do, 'tis always fatal. Why do you think Oskar stole from you? He needed the money to pay the healers he'd hired in a last attempt to save Tynan's life. When his own coin ran out, Oskar grew desperate and resorted to thievery." Aswyn bowed his head. "I'm sorry to say his efforts were all in vain. Even now, Tynan sickens. Soon his heart will grow too weak to sustain him, and then 'twill all be over."

Xandor stood in mute shock for a full moment before his fevered brain had sense enough to spurn him into action. Rushing to where Shih stood chewing on a patch of stubby grass, he said, "I must go to him. We'll find a healer who can save him. I'll--"

"Xandor, wait." Aswyn stepped up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "There's something else you have to know. 'Twill hurt you to hear it, but you have a right to know the full truth."

Xandor swallowed, certain nothing in all of Orielle could hurt worse than knowing the man he loved was dying. Still, he nodded his head, standing in silence as he waited for Aswyn to speak.

"The disease is slow but painful, taking a firm hold on its victim while slowly draining the life force from his body. 'Tis why Tynan joined Elwin's southern army to begin with."

Xandor's stomach rolled as he turned to look at Aswyn. "He was hoping to be killed before the disease progressed."

"Yes, and there's more." Aswyn sighed. "There is no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. When you told Tynan the truth of what we are--the day you asked him to bond with you--he'd already begun showing symptoms of the disease. Knowing that wolves mate for life, he was afraid to mate with you for fear his death would leave you devastated and alone for the rest of your days. Tynan was seeking a way to tell you why when you pushed him away." Aswyn gave his shoulder a squeeze. "He wasn't rejecting you, my friend. He was trying to save you."

Xandor felt as if someone had reached into his chest and squeezed the breath out of his lungs as he realized just what a fool he'd been. How he found the strength to remount, he couldn't say, but the next he knew he was on Shih's back racing towards Alden with Aswyn following close behind. The ride wasn't a long one by any measure, but to Xandor it felt as if he'd been riding for days by the time they reached the field where Tynan was working. Xandor arrived just in time to see Tynan stumble over a rock hidden in the dirt. A hard faced task master with a thick club in his hand gave Tynan a solid thump across the front of his chest, a blow that proved too much for Tynan's already struggling heart. As Xandor watched in horror, Tynan crumpled to the ground like a child's forgotten poppet.

***

Tynan woke to the sound of arguing. Though still too weak to open his eyes, this time he was certain he heard Xandor's voice. "Leave, damn you. I know what I must do, and I'll tolerate no more of your interference."

"Majesty, please, you must reconsider. You're pinning your hopes on a fairy's tale. You mustn't--"

"Out, healer," Xandor all but growled, "before I lose patience and throw you out myself."

Tynan heard the squeak of the door as the healer complied and then he was being gathered into a pair of sturdy arms. "Wake, my love," Xandor's husky voice entreated. "Wake so that I may again see those dazzling green eyes of yours."

Tynan forced his heavy lids open, surprised to see tears coursing down Xandor's cheeks. He tried to lift a hand--tried to wipe them away--but his fingers refused to cooperate. In the end, he was able to but utter one word. "Xandor."

Soft lips pressed to his. "Shh. You need not speak, only listen. I may know of way to reverse the effects of this disease that claims you. To save you, that is."

Tynan wanted to tell him 'twas of no use, but he was too exhausted to voice the words. Not that it would have mattered. He could hear Xandor's determination, could see it on his face as Xandor stared into his eyes.

"'Tis a legend among our people that the first of our kind was created when he crossed paths with a vengeful witch who then levied a curse upon him. 'Twas said that she poisoned his blood so that upon the full of each moon he'd be forced to answer the summons of the wolf." Xandor stroked Tynan's face with one finger before going on. "Because most of us can change whenever we so desire, my people have always dismissed the stories as nothing more than myth, but there's one part of the tale I'm not so quick to set aside. 'Tis said that the blood of a man-wolf, once tasted by a human, will turn the human so that he, too, must answer the moon's call." He leaned closer. "My kind is immune to human disease, Tynan. If you become as I am--if 'tis even possible for you to do so--then there's a chance the wolven blood will restore your heart to its former strength." Xandor hesitated. "Legend tells us that once one of my kind turns a mortal, that mortal is bound to him for all time. If you do this thing, the two of us will be linked until the day we die."

'Twas then that Tynan understood what was being asked of him. He wasn't just choosing between life and death. He was being asked to choose or reject Xandor. Once, a long time ago, Tynan had mistakenly chosen wrong and paid the price, but never again. If all he ever had with Xandor was his last dying moment, 'twould be enough. Summoning all his remaining strength, Tynan whispered, "Yes."

Xandor sagged with relief. "Thank the Creator above." With infinite care, he laid Tynan against the pillows before sitting back and pulling his own tunic over his head. Sick as he was, even Tynan was able to appreciate the corded display of rippling muscle and sun bronzed skin Xandor displayed. He watched, fascinated, as Xandor pulled a dirk from his belt and cut a small slit just below his collar bone. Tossing the dirk aside, Xandor again reached for Tynan, lifting him so that his mouth was pressed against the wound. Threading his fingers through Tynan's hair, Xandor said, "Drink, my love. Drink for both of us."

Closing his eyes as the coppery liquid filled his mouth, Tynan drank deep, never doubting that both their very lives depended on it.

***

Xandor eased Tynan back against the mattress but kept a firm hold on his hand waiting, though he knew not for what. To his alarm, Tynan's breathing grew even more labored. Frightened, Xandor ripped open his beloved's field-soiled tunic and pressed his ear to Tynan's chest. Tynan's heart was beating an erratic rhythm, and his skin was pale as death. Uncertain what to do, Xandor called for help.

Aswyn answered the summons, running into the bedchamber at top speed. "What's happening?"

Xandor shook his head, still holding tight to Tynan's hand. "I don't know. I gave him my blood," he pointed to his still-bleeding chest with his free hand, "but it only made things worse."

But Aswyn wasn't looking at Xandor's chest. His eyes were focused on the back of Tynan's free hand. "I don't think you made it worse. In fact, I'd say Tynan is about to go through his first change."

Xandor's eyes flew to the back of Tynan's hand just as he felt the first prickling of coarse hair tickling the skin where his fingers and Tynan's were entwined. Sure enough, a sprinkling of golden hair was sprouting through Tynan's pale flesh. Xandor had just leaned over to better see the new growth when Tynan's eyes flew open and he began to thrash. For better or worse, the change had begun.

Xandor stood, bending forward over Tynan and gaining a firm hold on his shoulders. Glancing back at Aswyn, he said, "Grab his legs and hold tight. If I remember my own first change correctly, 'twill be a long, painful journey before he reaches the wolf."

Aswyn nodded and had just taken hold of Tynan's legs when Tynan found his voice. "What's happening to me?" His scream echoed across the chamber, causing both Aswyn and Xandor to wince as the inhuman sound hit their sensitive ears.

Xandor tried to soothe Tynan as best he could without easing the grip he had on Tynan's shoulders. "It's the change, love. 'Tis always painful the first time. 'Twill be better in a moment, I swear."

Tynan shook his head, the movement blending in with the seizures racking his too-thin frame. Tears of agony filled his eyes. "Hurts."

Xandor felt ill, knowing there was nothing he could do to ease Tynan's pain. "I'm so sorry, my own. I'd have spared you this if I could. Please tell me you know that."

Tynan tired to answer, but the sound came out as nothing save a low growl. Beneath his hands, Xandor felt the telling crunch of bone and gristle as man became wolf. He watched with keen fascination as Tynan's button nose lengthened into a wolven snout and his luscious mouth gave way to row upon row of razor-edged teeth. Cloth ripped and tore as Tynan's human clothes became an obstacle, and Aswyn relinquish his hold long enough to pull the rags away while Xandor held tight. When at last Tynan was gone and only the wolf remained, Xandor and Aswyn stepped back, each giving Tynan a chance to adjust to the transformation.

Xandor stood beside the bed, looking down at a pair of sleepy green eyes. The wolf blinked up at him, and even though Tynan was incapable of human expression in this form, Xandor knew without having to be told what Tynan was feeling.

"'Tis normal to be addled, Tynan." He managed a weak smile. "Even though you've completed the change, wolf and man are still trying to reconcile. If it makes you feel better, in a moment you'll fall into a deep sleep and your body will once again become human. 'Tis the magic's way of completing the cycle."

The furry body tensed, but again, Xandor understood. "It won't hurt this time, love. Leastwise, you'll be in such a deep slumber you won't feel it." He reached out with one hand, lightly rubbing over the still-heaving canine body. "Rest now, Tynan. Let the magic overtake you."

The wolf blinked at him twice before closing his heavy lidded eyes. As soon as it seemed Tynan had reached the promised sleep, Aswyn sank down onto a bench at the foot of the bed and released a long held breath.

"Thank the Creator 'tis over. I don't think I've been this frightened since my own first change." Aswyn looked to Xandor. "Do you think I was right? Did the change reverse the damage done by his sickness?"

Xandor sat down in the bedside chair, studying the handsome gold wolf lying atop the satin coverlet. "Would that I knew." He sighed. "As soon as Tynan shifts back, we'll have the healer perform another examination." He leaned his weary head on the back of the chair. "Until then, all we can do is wait."

Aswyn snorted. "Waiting. The one thing neither of us is good at."

Normally, Xandor would have agreed with Aswyn, but not now. Xandor had been waiting for Tynan these eight years past, though at the time he'd dared not admit it to himself. And if he was forced to wait eight more, he would do it gladly. Xandor was praying like mad for a second chance with the man he loved, and if took patience and perseverance to get what he desired, then so be it.

***

Tynan opened his eyes as an odd sense of wellness pervaded his every extremity. So long had it been since he'd felt truly healthy, it took him a moment to recognize the feeling for what it was. He lifted his hand to his face, surprised to see his sallow skin once again alight with the blushing pink glow of well being. Lowering his hand, he moved his hips to gain a more comfortable position, and 'twas then he realized he was stark naked.

"My clothes." The words came out as little more than a raspy mumble, his raw throat sill smarting from the abuse of his screams. Even so, the moment the utterance left his mouth, Xandor was at his side.

Sitting down beside Tynan on the bed, Xandor gifted him with a brilliant smile. "If by clothes you mean those filthy rags you were wearing, I'm not sorry to say they didn't survive the change. I tossed what was left of them into the fire where they belonged. When next you dress, 'twill be in only the finest garments Alden has to offer."

That didn't make sense. Tynan stared up and into Xandor's haggard but radiant face. "What about the punishment?"

"Punishment? You mean for the task master who hit you in the chest?" Xandor's lips fell into a hard line. "You'll be happy to know the scum is going to be working the very fields he once patrolled for a long time to come. I'll not tolerate that kind of abuse being hefted upon my workers. All men deserve a measure of dignity, from the wealthiest king to the lowliest field hand."

Tynan shook his head. He was glad to hear the man would no longer be able to abuse the surfs, but that wasn't what he was talking about. "What about my punishment? Mine and my father's?"

Instead of answering straight away, Xandor stood and crossed the room to a low chest on the other side, coming back a moment later with a goblet in his hand. Setting it on the bedside table, Xandor slipped an arm under Tynan's shoulders and helped him sit up. The warm touch of Xandor's hands on his bare skin caused Tynan to flush, but if Xandor noticed, he said nothing. Once Tynan was sitting steady, Xandor handed him the goblet before reclaiming his place on the edge of the bed. "Drink that. Your voice sounds as scratchy as uncombed wool."

Tynan did as he was told, expecting the vessel to contain water. He was surprised when the honeyed flavor of mead exploded onto his tongue. He closed his eyes, allowing the blessedly cool liquid to caress the swollen tissues of his throat. Only after he'd drunk his fill and handed the empty goblet back to Xandor did he say, "Mead, my favorite drink. I can't believe you remembered."

Xandor's eyes bore into his with an intensity that made Tynan squirm. "I've forgotten nothing of our time together, Tynan. Not a single detail. Creator knows I've gone over every last moment again and again these eight years past, searching for the place where I went wrong."

Remorse and regret warred within Tynan, hating himself anew for the pain he'd caused. "Xandor, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you as I did." He sighed. "My only defense is to say that, at the time, I believed I was sparing you an upcoming grief."

"I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. We were lovers, Tynan. I should have known you were ill. And by the time you came back to Graywald, 'twas almost too late." He shuddered. "I died a thousand deaths when that bastard hit you across the chest and you collapsed. So many things I hadn't told you, so many--" He broke off, coming to his feet with a surge that startled Tynan and caused him to fall back against the pillows. "My wounded pride almost cost you your life."

"Xandor, don't--"

But Xandor wouldn't let Tynan speak. "I'll not allow you to absolve me of this. I know a fool when I lay eyes on one, and each time I look in the mirror 'tis a fool I see looking back at me." He took a deep, chest-shaking breath. "In answer to your question, there is no punishment. Your father and all his household have been reinstated to full title. And I've replaced every last coin he spent on those charlatans who promised they could heal you yet delivered nothing."

"Xandor, you don't have to--"

"Speaking of healers," Xandor kept talking as if Tynan hadn't interrupted, "as soon as your change cycle was completed, my own personal physician examined you." He paused, his eyes searching Tynan's face. "You're healed, love. Near as he can tell, your heart is beating a normal rhythm."

Tynan wasn't surprised. For the first time in almost eight years his own heartbeat wasn't ringing in his ears as it pounded out a pathetic, struggling cadence. Knowing that his entire life lay still ahead of him made the pain of the last hours more than worth it, but there were questions Tynan had yet to ask. Clearing his healing throat, he said, "The wolf. How often will I be forced to call it?"

"Should you so choose, you never have to change forms again." Xandor tilted his head to the side, a sad smile on his face. "Is it really so hard for you then, to embrace the creature you've become?"

"No. Xandor I--" A commotion from downstairs cut him off mid-sentence.

"I imagine that's your father, come to see what I've done to you." Xandor turned towards the door but stopped halfway there. Without turning around, he said, "I know it may be hard for you to accept that which you've become, and I realize now that you may not have known what I was asking of you when I told you to make a choice. But know this," he half-turned then, allowing Tynan to see the burning certainty written across his face. "If I had the choice to make again, I'd do the same thing without thinking twice. I'd rather have you alive and hating me than be left to mourn you the rest of my days. I may be a selfish bastard, but I love you, and damned if I was going to stand aside and watch you die." And before Tynan could respond, Xandor turned and walked out the door, leaving Tynan to ponder his next course.

***

"He loves you, you know. I'd be willing to wager he never stopped."

Xandor paused on his way past the stables, not surprised to see Aswyn lounging against the wall that divided the lower bailey from the stable yard. "Think so, do you?"

Aswyn nodded and pushed away from the wall, coming to a stop by Xandor's side. "'Tis obvious from the way he looks at you." When Xandor shrugged, Aswyn raised both brows so that they disappeared into the thick nest of his hair. "Don't tell me you doubt it?"

Xandor sighed. "Truth be told, I was so busy plotting a way to save Tynan's life, I never stopped to think how he would feel when 'twas over." He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. "You should have seen the look on his face when he asked me how often he'd be forced to call the wolf. He was well and truly terrified of what he's become."

"Give him time, Xandor. He's lived under a death sentence for so long, I imagine he's still reeling from the fact that he's going to live, much less the knowledge that he's no longer wholly human." Aswyn clapped a hand on Xandor's shoulder. "Don't make the same mistake you made last time. Don't push Tynan away before he has a chance to deal with all that's happened."

Xandor shook his head. Pushing Tynan away again was the last thing he'd ever do. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "You needn't worry about that. If Tynan will have me, I'm his for as long as my heart still beats." His lips twisted in a self-mocking half-smile. "In truth, I'm his whether he wants me or not." He exhaled sharply before moving out of Aswyn's grasp. "If you need me, I'll be at the lake. Perhaps a brisk swim will clear my head."

Aswyn nodded and Xandor continued on, traveling the rocky path that led just behind the castle walls to a small copse of trees at the base of a rolling hillside. No one just glancing at the clump of towering pines would guess at the treasure which lay inside: a clear bottom lake, small enough to be concealed but large enough so that a man could swim off his frustrations. With that thought in mind, Xandor stepped through the trees, made his way to the lake's edge, and stripped off his clothes. Once naked, he braced himself for the cool plunge and dove in.

Even at this time of year, the water was cold enough to momentarily numb his senses, exactly what Xandor was hoping for. Enjoying a quiet moment of not feeling--of just being--Xandor swam to the end of the lake and back again, over and over until his arms ached with the strain of it. He lost track of the number of times he repeated the course, but by the time he paddled to the bank where he'd left his clothes, Xandor's every muscle throbbed with the pleasant hum of exhaustion. It was as he pushed himself out of the water that he got the feeling of being watched. The soft clearing of a throat as Xandor again stood on solid ground confirmed it.

He turned to look into Tynan's openly admiring eyes. Though not a modest man by any means, Xandor blushed under the appraisal as Tynan studied every inch of his body with unashamed appreciation. Xandor thought he was supposed to say something, but his sluggish brain couldn't find the words.

In the end, 'twas Tynan who first broke the silence. "You may claim to be half man and half wolf, but I vow there's a bit of fish blood in you, as well. I've ne'er seen anyone as graceful as you are when you swim."

Xandor found his tongue, then. "How long have you been watching me?"

Tynan shrugged. "For a while now. I sought you out, hoping to talk to you, but when I caught sight of you gliding through the water like that," he gave Xandor a sheepish smile, "I fear I lost the ability to speak at all."

Uncomfortable as always with praise, Xandor changed the subject. "You shouldn't be out of bed. You've yet to recover fully from your ordeal." He eyed the dark blue tunic and hose Tynan was wearing. His own favorite garments. He and Tynan were about the same height, but because of the sickness, Tynan was far thinner, and the clothing dwarfed him. "I told you I would attire you in the finest cloth Alden has to offer," he said. "You've no reason to wear any man's hand-me-downs, mine included."

Tynan shook his head before taking a step closer. "My father brought some of my own things from Graywald, including these boots." He lifted one leg for Xandor to see before lowering his foot to take yet another step towards closing the distance between them. "But these," he plucked at the tunic with two fingers, "these I found in the chest at the base of your bed. They smelled like you, so I put them on." This time Tynan came close enough so that the two of them were almost touching. "'Tis what I miss most about our time together, you know."

Xandor swallowed. "What's that?"

Tynan looked at him with unblinking honesty. "Being bathed in your scent. You'd make love to me all day and hold me all night, wrapping me in both your arms and your scent." With one finger, Tynan reached out and traced the straight slope of Xandor's nose. "Know what you smell like, Xandor?"

Xandor could do nothing more than shake his head.

"Wild, like the mountains and the dells. Solid, like the walls of Alden Castle." Tynan leaned forward to press a soft kiss at the base of Xandor's throat before pulling back to say, "Mine, Xandor. You smell like mine."

Xandor shivered, his uncovered cock hardening until he thought sure 'twould break. He wanted nothing more than to take Tynan into his arms and never let go, but first he had to be certain Tynan understood what he was doing.

"You still want me then, even after what I did to you, what I turned you into?"

"You saved my life, Xandor." Tynan cupped Xandor's cheek in his hand. "You gave me the chance to live, to love you again." He smiled. "How could I ever regret that?"

"But you said--"

"I know what I said, and if you'd bothered to let me explain, you'd know I meant only that the transformation burned like fire and I was hoping 'twould not hurt so every time." He sighed. "I've had so much pain these last years, Xandor. I fear I was a coward."

"Coward?" Xandor almost laughed. "You're the bravest man I know. You faced down death and disease with more fortitude than most men ever possess. And as for the wolf, if any man can come to terms with it 'tis you. I'll not lie to you and say that there isn't a spot of pain with each change, but the first change is always the worst. 'Twill only get easier from here on in." When Tynan still looked doubtful, Xandor took a step back and said, "Want me to show you?"

"Yes." Tynan smiled as Xandor's bobbing prick swayed with the movement. "I don't think he wants to wait, though."

Xandor grinned. "They'll be plenty of time to deal with him later." The grin faded a fraction. "I won't be able to rest until I know you've made peace with this."

Tynan nodded, and Xandor took yet another step back, beginning the change as he went. So used to it was he, Xandor barely noticed the jarring crunch of the shift. Besides, he was too busy watching Tynan, who was staring in wide eyed amazement. Once the shift was completed, Xandor sat back on his haunches and waited for Tynan to follow his lead.

Tynan didn't disappoint. Though Xandor could smell his fear, Tynan overcame it, just as Xandor had known he would. "I'm not certain I know how to call the wolf forth, but I suppose there's only one way to find out." And with that Tynan reached for the hem of the borrowed tunic, pulling it over his head and dropping it onto the ground. His boots and hose soon followed until at last Tynan was standing nude before him.

A low growl rumbled from Xandor's throat as his sharp, wolven eyes took in Tynan's nude beauty. Thin as he was, Tynan was still the most glorious creature Xandor had ever seen. He wanted nothing more than to shift back and lay Tynan on the ground, kissing every delectable inch of his flesh, but he knew that isn't what Tynan needed. Not yet. For that reason, Xandor kept still as Tynan readied himself.

Stretching out his right arm, Tynan swallowed and said, "Here's to it, then." Closing his eyes, he called forth the beast within.

As Xandor had known it would, Tynan's second shift went far easier than the first. Within moments, a sleek, golden wolf was sitting in the place where Tynan had stood. After resting a moment, Tynan rose on four shaky legs and padded over to Xandor, nuzzling him muzzle to muzzle in a show of acceptance. Then, to Xandor's amazement, Tynan lay down belly-up on the grass, sprawling himself before Xandor in a show of submission. Xandor understood the gesture. Tynan was giving himself freely into Xandor's keeping. Not only had Tynan accepted himself as a wolf, he was accepting Xandor as his mate.

Unable to contain the rapture of the moment, Xandor threw back his head and let loose a joyous howl, the sound echoing through the trees and bouncing off the water. Tynan soon joined in, the two of them setting up a noisy chorus that startled birds to flight and sent small animals scampering for cover. With a canine wink, Tynan jumped to his feet and took off running.

Heart pumping with sheer exhilaration, Xandor gave chase, racing through the trees at top speed and easily gaining on the still recovering Tynan. Cautious of Tynan's fragile state, Xandor tackled him with infinite care, catching him just as he'd quit the tree line and darted up the slope of a short hill. The two of them wrestled and rolled, coming to a stop once again by the side of the lake.

Xandor licked at Tynan's muzzle, nuzzling and relishing the feeling of having him so close. Tynan returned the favor, but soon it wasn't enough, and fur melded back into skin as licking muzzles gave way to frenzied, human mouths. A moment later, Xandor was holding Tynan in his arms at last.

"So long," he whispered as he rolled Tynan beneath him on the grass of the bank. "So long since I've held you."

"A lifetime." Tynan kissed the base of his throat. "I used to lie awake at night, listening to the snores of my fellow soldiers, remembering the weight of you on top of me. You'll never know how I prayed that one day you'd hold me again."

Xandor traced the shell of Tynan's ear with the tip of his tongue. "Must have been hard for you, serving with that forsaken army of Elwin's."

"Nothing compared to losing you, Xandor." Tynan's eyes burned into his. "Nothing could be worse than that."

"Don't think of that now." Xandor licked a trail down the thin column of his neck. "Indeed, I can think of much more pleasurable pursuits to focus on." He rose above Tynan, balancing himself with his arms. "Give yourself to me, Tynan. Become my mate. Stand before the Creator and say you'll be my husband rightly wed. The High King himself will bless the union and--"

Tynan pressed a slender finger to Xandor's lips. "I'm already yours, Xandor. Yours for the taking."

Xandor needn't be told twice. First, though, was to make Tynan ready to receive him, a task Xandor intended to savor. Rising onto his knees, Xandor backed up a space before reaching for Tynan's legs and spreading them wide. The beauty of Tynan's thick erection lay open to him, a temptation Xandor was beyond resisting. Lowering his head with quiet reverence, Xandor took Tynan fully into his mouth.

Tynan gasped and arched his back, a low moan spilling from the back of his throat. The sound was music to Xandor's ears as he reached up and lifted a finger to Tynan's mouth. Tynan took it willingly, suckling Xandor's finger with the same zeal Xandor gave to Tynan's cock. A moment later, Xandor slipped his finger free and brought it to Tynan's waiting entrance. Careful not to rush it, Xandor slid the finger slowly inside, all the while keeping Tynan's rigid prick securely in his mouth.

Tynan whimpered, letting free with a stream of incoherent babble. "So good. Xandor…please, so long. Need too…"

Knowing exactly what Tynan needed, Xandor increased his efforts, taking Tynan all the way down his throat until Tynan's beautiful balls grew heavier and his body clasped tighter around Xandor's finger. Tynan all but screamed, and a moment later Xandor's mouth was flooded with a sweetness he'd dreamed about since the day he'd pushed Tynan away. Not willing to waste a single drop of the precious essence, Xandor released Tynan from his mouth and movedlower, showering the warm liquid onto Tynan's opening and slicking him up before adding a second finger to the first.

Still reeling from the pleasures of his release, Tynan lay catching his breath as Xandor stretched him wide. Lifting himself, Xandor looked into Tynan's eyes and said, "Are you ready for me, love? I pray the answer is yes because Creator knows I don't believe I can wait any longer."

Tynan opened his arms in invitation. "I've waited a lifetime for you, Xandor. I've never been more ready."

'Twas all Xandor needed to hear. Lining himself up carefully, he slid inside Tynan's welcoming body at the same time as he claimed his beloved's mouth. He stilled as he reached bottom, plying Tynan with tender kisses until he was certain 'twas safe to move. Once assured Tynan was ready, Xandor began a delicate rhythm, thrusting short and shallow, then alternating to long and smooth, all within the space of a heartbeat. Tynan was tighter than he remembered--hotter and deeper than any man had a right to be--and though Xandor had hopped to bring Tynan to release once more before taking his own pleasure, he soon realized he hadn't the stamina. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Sorry, love, but this isn't going to last."

Even as he said it, though, Tynan was tensing beneath him, and to Xandor's relief, his nails bit into Xandor's back and he cried out his release just as Xandor collapsed on top of him with a triumphant shout.

                                                                  ***

Oskar smiled as Tynan again adjusted the elaborate tunic he was wearing. "My son, you look exactly the same as you did the last time you fiddled with that shirt. I declare you're as nervous as your mother was the day she and I said our vows." His eyes glittered with misty remembrance. "Ne'er have I seen a more beautiful sight than she as she stood before the priest and vowed to love me the rest of her days."

Tynan stepped away from the mirror and sat down beside his father on the bed. "You miss her still, don't you?"

Oskar sighed. "Every day of my life." He patted Tynan's hand. "Let us not dwell on that today. I know your mother is smiling down on you right now, wishing you and Xandor a lifetime of happiness. Feeling her presence as I do--and having you hale and hearty again--is comfort enough." Oskar stood. "Come. We mustn't keep Xandor waiting. In truth, I'm surprised he's let you out of his sight for this long. In the fortnight since your healing, I swear this to be the first time I've seen one of you without the other."

As if to punctuate Oskar's words, Xandor stuck his head through the door. "What's keeping you? The priest is ready and the guests are assembled."

Oskar winked at Tynan. "I'd best go downstairs and seat myself," he said. "Try not to get…delayed."

As Oskar look his leave, Tynan rose to his feet. "My father and I were talking and I lost track of time."

Xandor smiled. "'Tis all right, though in truth, I was afraid perhaps you'd changed your mind and decided not to marry me after all."

Though Xandor made the statement in jest, Tynan knew that a part of Xandor was still afraid of losing him. As he took Xandor's hand and the two of them headed down the hall, Tynan vowed to spend every day of the next fifty years erasing Xandor's worries. Planting a soft kiss on Xandor's cheek, Tynan said, "Sorry, love. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"I'd wait a lifetime for you." Xandor's eyes burned with conviction. "Two lifetimes, in fact."

Tynan believed him. In essence, Xandor already had. As the two of them walked down the stairs, Tynan said, "I've a new life standing before me now. A life with you. Let us not waste a moment of it by looking back."

"You're right, as always." Xandor tugged him towards the door as they made their way to the great hall. "Come on, then, and we'll make sure this new life of ours begins with a rousing start."

Tynan was right beside him all the way, not having to be told twice.

                                                             The End



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