Black magic ficbit

For Alessandra, just because <3

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Koray dismounted, nearly falling to the stones of the ward as his knees gave out. Myst reached out to steady him, smiling in sympathy. "Good to be home, huh?" he shouted over the pouring rain.

"Yes," Koray replied fervently. "Thank you." He headed off into the keep, sighing as icy rain was replaced with warmth and dryness. The castle was always drafty, and he'd feel it soon enough, but for the moment it was the warmest he'd been all day.

Home, finally, after days away taking care of ghosts that resulted from an unexpected illness killing half a village. Thankfully whatever had struck them hadn't spread further, and he'd stay away a few extra days to ensure he wouldn't carry anything to the royal castle, but Goddess had he hated it.

Servants came bustling up, and Koray was happy to let them strip off the worst of his sodden clothes and pull on dry ones that must have been hanging by a fire in expectation of his return. "Thank you," he said. "Where is—" A familiar raucous laugh spilled out of the great hall. "Nevermind." The servants laughed and smiled as they hurried off.

Myst came up behind him, still in his armor, but given how efficiently it sluiced water he was a good deal less worse off than Koray had been. They walked together to the great hall, a smile already overtaking Koray's face in anticipation of seeing Sorin again after just over two weeks apart.

But he drew up short to see Sorin sitting with a beautiful, regal-looking woman at the high table. She'd rested a hand on his arm, was smiling at him fondly as he laughed at something she'd said. Anxiety soured Koray's happy anticipation.

Beside him, Myst whistled. "That's Lady Winesta."

"Who?" Koray asked frostily, running the name through his mind but finding no memory of her.

Myst grinned. "Lady Winesta. She used to live here in the palace, years and years ago, worked in the library." His grin widened. "His Highness was madly in love with her, followed her everywhere, was determined to win her heart." He started snickering.

Koray felt like someone had punched him in the face.

Myst's laughter abruptly died. "Oh, Goddess—Sorin is going to kill me—I didn't mean it like that!" He glanced in a panic toward Sorin, who chose that moment to look their way, and blanched at the angry look that overtook his features as he saw Koray watching them unhappily. "I'm dead, may the Goddess have pity and strike me where I stand before the High Paladin gets his hands on me." He rested a hand on Koray's shoulder and talked faster as Sorin stood and came toward them. "I meant when he was a boy. He was all of fourteen summers, and she has at least twelve years on hm. She's more like a big sister to all of us, but at least half the men in this place were once little boys madly in love with her. That's why it's funny."

"Oh," Koray said, but held back a smile as Sorin thundered their way. "You should run. I'll soothe the beast."

Myst didn't waste time thanking him, simply turned and bolted down the hallway.

Koray tossed his soggy braid and lifted his chin as Sorin reached him. "Good evening, My Lord High Paladin. I hope you've been enjoying yourself flirting with lost loves while I worked hard and struggled all day to get home to you in this wretched weather. Clearly I should have taken my time and accepted the offer to linger made to me by a very handsome farmer."

Dismay and confusion and jealousy filled Sorin's face, warring for dominance—and then it all cleared away, replaced by happy realization. "Farmer, is it, necromancer? I have it on good authority I have brains that resemble wet hay, surely that's close enough to farmer if that's where your tastes are leaning."

"You're still giving your brains too much credit," Koray retorted, and swept off past him down the hall, ignoring the grins and laughter of those familiar with their antics. Servants hastened to finish setting him a place at the high table. He wasn't surprised that Lady Winesta and Sorin were the only ones there; Cerant and Neikirk most often ate in the temple, and Brekk ate in his rooms with Emel. He and Sorin were the only ones who ate I the great hall regularly.

He'd made it halfway down the long length of the great hall when his wrist was grabbed and Sorin deftly spun him around and dragged him in close. "You forgot my kiss, necromancer."

"I didn't forget anything, you flirtatious lout," Koray replied, the smile harder to bite back that time. "You are the one who clearly forgot all about me, too busy flirting to pay attention when you were told I was on my home." He jerked his head away when Sorin leaned in, but didn't fight when Sorin's fingers threaded through his short braid and dragged him close, forced him to hold still as his mouth was plundered.

Koray shuddered against him, clung to the front of Sorin's tunic. He was so warm, it was like being embraced by a fire. If there was any better homecoming, Koray could not fathom it. Nothing was home like Sorin sweeping him up and kissing him breathless.

Even if they were once again making spectacles of themselves in the middle of the great hall. He would never figure out how he'd gone from a man who despised attention to always being the center of attention.

Finally drawing back, Sorin grinned, "Good evening and welcome home, My Lord High Necromancer. You've been sorely missed."

"Have I? Because you looked plenty pleased—" He grunted as Sorin bit his bottom lip. "It's good to be home, paladin. Now put me down."

"If you insist." Sorin stole another quick kiss then let Koray slide back down to the floor. "Come and meet an old friend while you eat. When we got the notice you were close, I had the cooks prepare your favorite."

Koray did smile then, and curled a hand around one of Sorin's massive arms as they approached the high table. The woman, Lady Winesta, rose and swept him a beautiful bow as they approached. "Your Highness, it's an honor to make your acquaintance. Sorin has told me much about you."

Flushing, Koray waved her back to her seat. "The honor is mine, and I am sorry this rock-headed idiot can find nothing more interesting to talk about."

She frowned slightly, but took her seat and picked up her cup of wine.

Sorin reclaim his seat between them, sprawling out in that way of his. Koray ached to drag him to bed, as much for the simple pleasure of curling up against him and sleeping for hours as for the needs that kissing Sorin had stirred despite his exhaustion. "So how was the village?"

"Many died, and we were worried the illness had spread, but the priests who accompanied us says they think there was something foul in the food many of them ate, though we were cautious and lingered a few spare days to be certain none of us became sick as well. But the village is purified, though that's of little comfort to those who survived."

"I'm sorry," Sorin said. His fingers trailed over Koray's hair as he silently looked for new streaks of gray or white.

Koray batted his hand away. "Stop your fussing and let me eat."

"Telling me to stop fussing over you is like—"

"Expecting you to use your brains," Koray cut in. "Believe me, My Lord High Paladin, I am well aware of the futility, but I am informed that replacing you would be more difficult than simply continuing to endure you."

Sorin's eyes glittered with amusement and challenge.

"Sorin is one of the smartest people I know," Winesta said sharply. "I thought you were his lover."

"He is—"

"I am," Koray said at the same time.

Winesta's mouth pinched. "Why would you speak so rudely—so meanly—to and about a man you claim to care about? Are you always so dismissive of him? Especially after all I know he's done for and because of you."

"It's not like that," Sorin said.

The look she gave him could only be described as pitying. Koray's appetite withered and died. "I'm not mean."

"Really? Because you seem to me to be exactly the worst kind of lover: You provoke him to jealous fits, you call him names and insult his intelligence, you demand he pay you attention to the point of making unseemly spectacles of yourselves. I would think a man who has suffered the way I've heard you had, High Necromancer, would be less mean and manipulative a lover. I'd heard rumors, but I had hoped they were wrong. Clearly they were not.

Koray was going to be sick. Was that what everyone thought of him? He'd thought it was obvious—

He rose and stormed from the great hall, grateful that he and Sorin had long ago moved back into what had been the king's solar. He threw up what little he'd eaten, then washed his mouth out with brandy from the table in the far corner. Then he drank more, hoping the burn of it would sear away the shame that filled him.

The door slammed open and Koray jumped, the glass slipped from his fingers to clatter to the table, spilling brandy everywhere before it rolled off. He barely caught it in time to avoid it shattering, and set it on the table with trembling fingers as Sorin strode toward him. "I'm—I'm sorry, I didn't—"

Sorin's mouth slammed down over his. He kissed Koray so hard his mouth hurt, and the fingers in his hair gripped so tightly he whined, but when Sorin started to pull away Koray clung to his wrists and chased his mouth.

Eventually, though, Sorin pulled away, and Koray had to face reality again. "Is that really what everyone thinks?"

"No," Sorin said fiercely. "If you had stayed a moment longer you would have seen the entirety of the great hall lose their temper on your behalf. Lady Winesta is currently hiding in her room, as she damn well should. She wanted to apologize to you, but I said there wasn't a chance she'd see you before tomorrow. I'm sorry."

Koray sniffled, hated that tears threatened. "I can't believe that's what people think."

"There's nothing more exciting to bored, discontent fools than malicious gossip," Sorin replied. "Trust me, the list of ugly rumors surrounding me would take days to read off. I'm accounted everything from a murderer to secretly to a demon. I'm also well-documented as a bed-hopping slut." He smiled crookedly as Koray scowled. "So really this is just one more stupid rumor that will sweep along for a little while then fall to the wayside when something newer and more entertaining comes long." He cupped Koray's face, wiped away stray tears with his thumb. "I promise nobody who matters believes such a stupid rumor. As I said, the entire castle just roared to your defense."

"Still, I don't want anyone to think that I actually believe you're stupid and incompetent, or that I take pleasure—"

"Of course you take pleasure in calling me an idiot," Sorin cut off with a laugh. He dragged Koray with him over to the oversize chair by the fire, drew him down so he was straddling Sorin's lap, legs pinned between Sorin's legs and the sides of the chair, his arms with nowhere to go but around Sorin's neck. "But I would have to be an actual idiot to miss the affection in your tone when you say it. Everyone in this place, and many well beyond, know it's a game we play. If we hadn't mocked-argued over my boyhood infatuation it would have been over something else. I like you prickly. I always have, even when you were actually questioning my intelligence."

He closed the space between them and kissed Koray softly, sweetly, eventually drawing back only just enough to say, "You may not use conventional means, necromancer mine, but I know 'I love you' when I hear it, and everyone knows you are my sun and moon."

"You're an idiot," Koray said, and kissed him until his sore lips throbbed in protest.

Sorin smiled. "Shall I call for supper since you didn't finish yours in the hall? You must be hungry."

"I can eat later. I'd rather satisfy a different need right now," Koray replied, stubbornly ignoring his own flushed cheeks.

"I see." Sorin's soft expression turned into something sharper and hungrier. His large hands splayed under Koray's thighs and then he was standing, carrying Koray along like he weighed nothing. Koray shivered and held on tighter, nibbled lazily at Sorin throat, at the point where jaw and throat connected that always made Sorin shiver and moan.

He was dumped on the bed and quickly relieved of his clothes. There was a chill in the air despite the fire, but as usual cold air was no match for the heat Sorin put out, those huge hands skimming over Koray's skin and setting him on fire.

"I have missed you, necromancer," Sorin said, stripping off most of his clothes and casting them aside. He retrieved the jar of oil from the table beside the bed, then returned to stand between Koray's spread thighs. Setting the jar on the bed, he returned to running his hands over Koray's body, stroking and pinching and caressing, moving down to tease his cock before shifting away again, easily batting Koray's hands aside whenever he tried to stop Sorin or touch in his turn. "I intend to have my fill of you, necromancer."

Koray tried to squirm free, but only got his hands pinned together against his chest for his effort while Sorin's free hand wrapped around his cock. "What if I want my fill of you?"

Sorin leered, let go of his cock to slick his fingers. "You'll be filled with me soon, don't worry."

"Idiot," Koray said with a huff.

Chuckling, Sorin release his hands, but only so he could continue stroking and teasing while his other hand steadily worked Koray open. "You're tight."

"That doesn't sound like a complaint," Koray said, then gasped and clung to the sheets, writhing at the stretch, the slight burn. Constantly surrounded by other people, seldom left alone long enough to sleep for than a couple of hours, he hadn't had opportunity even to tend himself.

Sorin's free hand fumbled at Koray's hair, until he finally got it free. Koray huffed again, but reached up to come the strands out himself. His hair still wasn't as long as it had once been, but it was slowly reaching that point.

"Satisfied?" he asked. "No new streaks."

"Good," Sorin replied, and withdrew his fingers. Koray whimpered, but didn't have to wait long as Sorin quickly slicked his cock and pushed inside him with infuriatingly slow movements. He groaned, head dipping, arms bracing on either side of Koray as he worked in deeper and deeper.

Koray clung to his sweaty back as Sorin held still for a few moments. Eventually, though, Koray grew tired of the overly cautious treatment. He dug his nails into Sorin's shoulders and bit his ear. "I've waited long enough, paladin, and despite your insistence otherwise I am not in fact made of glass. Fuck me or I'll just return to that handsome farmer—" he broke off with a ragged cry as that got him exactly what he wanted.

It was almost too much, which just made it perfect. Koray could do little more than hold tight and take it, but that also suited him just fine. He'd never admit it aloud, but there was nothing better than all that heat and strength and fierceness given over to the sole purpose of pleasing the two of them.

His nails dug in deeper as he came, but his hands slid away as he slowly calmed. Sorin gave a last few stuttering thrusts, and kissed Koray through his climax. Koray lifted his suddenly heavy arms again to wrap around Sorin, holding him close as they both slowly calmed.

Sorin rose and gently withdrew, scooped Koray up and settled him properly on the bed. Then he slipped away to clean up, and returned to clean Koray as well. "Shall I have food brought now?"

"Come to bed, paladin. If I know the palace staff, which I do, they will bring food all on their own eventually. I'm tired and getting cold again."

Smiling, Sorin went around the room to put out the lights and throw more wood on the fire. Then he crawled naked into bed and pulled Koray close.

And Koray really wasn't surprised that Sorin fell asleep first; the idiot had probably barely bothered to sleep the whole time he was gone. Cuddling a bit closer, Koray closed his eyes and slept.