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In the Land of Arborea	By : Sweetsong22 Category: +S through Z > Tera Online Views: 6239 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Tera Online. All rights go to ENMASSE Entertainment and their collborators. There is no profit being earned from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
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Chapter 8
          It had been a long day, and Phaeos had been looking forward to completing this hearing and heading home for the night. However, the last thing she expected to hear from the defense were the words Consul Desmais had just said to her. "Can you repeat that for the record?" She glanced at the clerk sitting at her left to indicate she wanted this recorded and clearly.
          "General Luceus Magelus pleads guilty to all charges," Sarrion repeated. A part of him couldn't believe he was doing this, he'd rarely ever lost a trial and here he was now giving up on this one.
          Phaeos glanced past them to gaze at Luceus still sitting at the defense table. "General, approach the bench." She watched him slowly come to his full height before he used that confident swagger of his to stride forward. "Care to explain this to me?"
          "There is nothing to explain, your honor. I only hope that during the sentencing you will evoke Tenlis Culpas, and allow me settle my private affairs before my sentence begins."
          "In a time of war, losing a General such as yourself would be considered a great blow to the Federation. But alas, the charges against you are nothing to scoff at," Phaeos began. "Therefore, if you plead guilty now, I will be forced to sentence you to the full extent of the law for said crimes."
          Luceus nodded and regarded the dark-skinned woman calmly. "I understand, your honor."
          "Alright." The Velikan judge pounded her gavel once and cleared her throat as she prepared to issue the sentence. There were not many present in the court room, mostly other military officials, but they would all stand as witnesses for the sentencing.
          "General Luceus Magelus, I hereby strip you of your rank and sentence you to ten years hard labor in the crystal mines. I will grant you Tenlis Culpas of which you'll receive five days free on bond to settle your affairs. On the eve of that fifth day, you must report back to Velika and prepare for transport to the Crystal Isles. Is this quite understood?"
          "Yes, your honor," Luceus replied.
          "Good, and may Velik have mercy upon you." Phaeos pounded her gavel once more, indicating the hearing was over.
          Sarrion pulled Luceus aside after the hearing was over. "I won't be able to keep any of this a secret. So, if you're planning to head to Allemantheia -- they'll know you're coming."
          "Is that supposed to stop me from trying?" Luceus regarded Sarrion carefully. The man was not only his lawyer, but his friend as well. It had taken a lot of convincing to get Sarrion to see his point of view and go ahead with the guilty plea.
          "All I'm saying, is that if this doesn't work out, you truly will only have five days of freedom left before beginning a long sentence. And at that point I won't be able to do anything since you've already pleaded guilty."
          "I understand that, Sarrion. And I appreciate all you were willing to do to get me off. But now it's no longer necessary."
          "In case your plan fails, Lycineus should also be on your list of people to visit. It took some convincing to get him to testify for you and even then, it wouldn't have been genuine. What happened between you two four years ago, is as raw to him now as a fresh wound."
          Luceus sighed before gazing at his friend with a tired expression on his handsome face. "I can't wish to take back what happened, because Rosalinda and I would have died otherwise. I do wish that we'd told him right away, but sometimes I feel like he's using this as an excuse simply to punish both of us."
          "I hate to see you two at each other's throats like this. Especially when you both could have been doing such great things for the Federation before this -- mess. Is there truly nothing neither of you can do for compromise."
          "I fear I'm the last person my brother wants to listen to." Luceus paused as if to ponder a new idea. "However, there is someone else who could have better success. Are you planning to head back to Herald Fort?"
          "Yes, tomorrow morning," Sarrion replied.
          "Good, I need you to give Traviis a message for me."
OOO
          The huge cock embedded deep within Tristtan's ass threatened to split him in half. He was going to die, he was almost certain of it. Sharp nails from large hands bit into his bare flesh as he was held in a torturous death grip by the waist. His body rocked forward with each tumultuous thrust of the man dominating him. His hands clawed at the bed sheets as he bit his bottom lip until it bled. He wondered if he expired at this moment, if the inhuman male fucking him would even notice. Or would he continue to rape Tristtan's corpse until he grew cold? At that point, Tristtan would have ceased to care; his concerns would have been long over. Yet it seemed that the peace of death continued to elude him.
          There was a brutish moan, almost a yowl as the man atop him began to come. Tristtan felt the man's semen burn a hot trail inside him as it filled him up. When his rapist suddenly pulled out of him, he was bequeathed with an intense hollow feeling coupled with the burning sensation of his still torn flesh. He was soon flipped on his back as a giant-sized cock still half covered with a mixture of semen and his blood was presented before him.
          "Clean me!" The man thundered.
          Tristtan struggled to raise his head to obey the order and had trouble wrapping his lips around the bulbous tip. When the cock was shoved down his throat and he began to gag, it almost felt as if he would suffocate. The man's angry, blue-veined penis had lost nothing of it's turgidity since release.
          "That's it, suck me clean. This is what you were born for. Did you really think you could ever be a real soldier?" The man cackled.
          Suddenly, Tristtan was no longer in that bed chamber with the faceless man that had just had his way with him. Instead, he was now naked on the banquet table of a large hall with a well-known General atop him still fully dressed. However, when he felt a large cock enter him, he knew the man had tugged it from his trousers without bothering to remove anymore of his clothing. His protests had died on his lips moments ago when his lusty General had laid those skilled hands upon him. He realized that sex with this man was much more pleasant, yet just as emasculating. He was considered beneath them, something they had proven with their actions.
          "You are not ready for Dawn Territory, you are not ready to be a soldier. And if you do not accept your place is at my side, as whore and consort, then I will have no further use for you." Luceus stated calmly.
          Tristtan was still in denial of what he knew to be true deep down. What Luceus wanted for him was the role of a stay-at-home wife, not a fellow soldier. He had to prove to Luceus that he could be useful if he'd only give him a chance. "Please, don't give up on me, I can be so much more than your lover."
          "I never believed in you in the first place, so how could I give up on you?"
          Tristtan shook his head in disbelief. "No, it's not true. Please, please Luceus, give me a chance."
          "You had your chance, and you lost it, you'll never work in the military again."
          "No, Luceus, please don't do this!"
          "Tristtan, Tristtan wake up!"
          "Luceus, please don't!" Tristtan bolted upright to find himself in his mother's arms. His night shirt was soaking wet as his eyes adjusted to the lamp light within his bed chambers. His bottom lip trembled as he managed to calm himself enough to realize he'd been dreaming. He'd had nightmares before of the random sometimes faceless men at Ulrikk's camp who had been allowed their fill of him. But for some reason, this nightmare had branched off to include a version of Luceus that was not real coupled with only snippets of truth. Yet apparently it had been so real to Tristtan that it had left him shaken to the core. The feel of Laeyla's warm body comforted him. It made him realize he was safe but just as miserable. He began to weep silently in her arms hoping that she would allow him to do so without questions. However, he was not so lucky.
          "Tell me Tristtan, what did he do to you? How did Luceus hurt you?"
          Tristtan immediately pulled away and wiped his eyes. "He didn't hurt me."
          Laeyla leveled her gaze at Tristtan and it broke her heart to see him in so much pain. "Your trauma in that camp is not the only cause of these nightmares, not if you're dreaming of Luceus too."
          "What do you want me to say, mother? Yes, that Luceus hurt me? You and father are already punishing him for that. And he doesn't deserve it!"
          It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was wrong. Laeyla could see it as clear as day. Her son was in love with Luceus, and whether or not the General felt the same was up in the air. Laeyla had believed that Luceus had indeed felt something judging from his desire to rescue Tristtan. But she once again began to question that devotion. If Luceus was capable of hurting her son on such an emotional level, then perhaps she'd been wrong about him.
          "I know a thing or two about men, and sometimes they want what they want and to hell with everything else. The thing is, if you ever find yourself in such a situation and he doesn't want to change, then you have to get out."
          "Like you did with father?" Tristtan didn't mean to throw that in her face but couldn't help it. His mother could be so hot and cold when it came to Luceus and he was tired of it.
          Laeyla had to admit deep down that it hurt to hear Tristtan say those words to her. She hadn't thought that he knew about hers and Reginaldd's agreement to stay together for political reasons while purporting the appearance of a happy family, but apparently he did. "Either way, I'm not putting if off anymore. I'm going to schedule your first therapy session this week." She was slightly surprised that he didn't protest, but soon realized that perhaps even Tristtan realized he'd need some help to get through this.
          Laeyla stood and straightened to her full height. "Would you like anything to eat or drink?"
          "No," Tristtan replied quickly. "I just want to be left alone."
          Laeyla nodded her understanding. "Try to get some sleep." Even as she said those words she suspected he wouldn't sleep another wink that night. As she left his room she knew sleep would be difficult to come by as well. She'd lost Traviis and now if she wasn't careful, she'd also lose her son.
OOO
          "This is fucking ridiculous," Lycineus complained as he entered the walls of Herald Fort with Sarrion at his side. After being notified the previous night of Luceus' decision to plead guilty, he had been planning his trip back to the Argon front when Sarrion came to see him. Apparently Herald Fort would now need a permanent leader with Luceus soon to be shipped off the prison. Since Brie had only been a temporary sit-in for him she was one among a list of potential candidates. And it would seem that Lycineus was also on that list. He'd asked Sarrion to give his refusal to the powers that be, but the lawyer had stated that in order for him to refuse he'd have to do so in person. Therefore he was forced to attend the meeting if only to state his disinterest. The last thing Lycineus wanted was to be working with a bunch of Luceus' followers. They were people he once knew well, all of which had become strangers. Plus, there was one other major reason he couldn't work there. He only hoped to avoid her during his brief time here.
          "Watch your tone there, the residents here may think you're not happy to see them." There was as light smile on Sarrion's face as they entered the fort proper and were greeted by Brie and Traviis within the main hall.
          "Looking good Lycee," Brie winked at the Magelus brother.
          Lycineus scowled indicating how much he hated her use of that nickname. "I'm here, when does the fucking meeting start?"
          "Uh, that's the thing," There was a sheepish look on Brie's face. "Commander Seir was delayed and won't be here until tomorrow. So the meeting has been rescheduled. Until then, make yourself at home."
          "You've got to be kidding me." If possible, the displeasure on Lycineus' face increased.
          "Will you just relax, this isn't the end of the world, unless you want it to be." There was a look of indifference on Traviis' face as he spoke up. "Come on, I'll show you to your quarters. And if you want to lock yourself in like a hermit and don't come out until tomorrow, feel free. I can have a meal sent up to you."
          "Are you certain it won't be poisoned?" Lycineus asked with a frown on his face.
          "Only if you're into that." Traviis shrugged at him. "You know, you were almost my brother-in-law. And no matter how much of an asshole I think you are, I'm not going to try to kill you. Now let's get going." He turned and walked off not waiting to see if Lycineus followed. When he soon heard footsteps behind him he almost breathed an inward sigh of relief. He'd received the forwarded message from Sarrion and all was in readiness. The last thing he need was to tip Lycineus off in any way or the gig would be up. Rosie wasn't going to be too happy with him either, but he had to do what he had to do. This was to be Luceus' parting gift to them if his plan blew up in his face and he was indeed carted off to prison. Traviis didn't like the risks the General was taking but had little say in the matter. He could only hope for a positive outcome of both their encounters.
          Within moments, they arrived on the second floor of the fort that was lighted with glow lamps. Oil paintings of previous military leaders lined the walls, along with black rushes down the center of the isle. Traviis knew there was no one else staying in this particular section of the second floor which made it perfect for what he had in mind.
          "Here we are." Traviis pulled a key from his pocket and quickly unlocked the door of the room he'd chosen. He then stood aside and waited for Lycineus to enter with his single duffle bag. "You sure pack light, don't you?" Traviis realized he was a Castanic after all and this particular race were all about showing lots of skin. Although at current, Lycineus was wearing a sleeveless black tunic over matching trousers and boots; not too revealing an outfit, but his well-toned arms were still on display. "After you."
          "I can take it from here." Lycineus stretched his hand out to accept the key from Traviis.
          Traviis almost panicked but managed to keep his calm. "Go in and take a look first, let me know if it's acceptable, if not I can move you somewhere else."
          It was on the tip of Lycineus' tongue to suggest that it would be fine, but for some reason he decided to take Traviis' advice and entered the room. Aside from the standard issue military sized bed which was the focal point, there was also a side table with a lit lamp next to it, along with two chairs opposite them. With no windows and aside from a closet and a door which led to a rest room, there was no other way out. When he heard a low moan come from beyond the side of the bed he instantly knew something wasn't right. At that point, he heard the sliding of metal as a black iron gate slid down the entrance of the room. He recognized it as the lockdown gates that would trigger should the fort ever become compromised. However, he knew that was not the case and the fact that Traviis was now standing on the other side with a half smile on his face was very telling. He was about to lay into the human verbally when he heard the moan one more time. He glanced behind him to see Rosie come to a sitting position from the floor beyond the bed. Suddenly, he began to put two and two together.
          Lycineus golden eyes turned towards Traviis blazing with anger. "Traviis you bastard, what the hell is this?!"
          "Something that was long overdue." He turned to glance at his sister who was now wide awake with her eyes round as saucers. It'd been easy to slip the sleeping pill in her drink earlier, then bring her here under the guise of taking her to her room. He knew she'd be angry with him at first, but hopefully if this worked out then she'd be able to forgive him in the long run. "Sorry, sis."
          Rosalinda was immediately on her feet as she ran towards the gate, still ignoring Lycineus. "Traviis, wha -- what's going on?"
          "You two. That is the talk you need to have that's long overdue. Shout, scream -- be as loud as you want. This floor is currently off limits and no one will hear you."
          "So, was the meeting with Seir even real?" Lycineus kept his voice low although he was boiling mad at the moment.
          "You got me," Traviis said with a slight grin. "Was a pretty awesome plan don't you think? But I won't take up anymore of your time. I'll be back at some point. Don't worry, I won't let you starve." He winked at them then and turned to walk down the hall, ignoring his sisters' cries to let them out.
          Lycineus sighed as he realized even Sarrion must have been in on this. What a fool he'd been to fall for it so completely. However, judging from the manner in which Rosalinda clutched the iron bars until her fists were white knuckled, meant she'd had no clue on this either. This was the last thing Lycineus wanted, a conversation with this woman that made his heart ache every time he thought about her. Distance was the only thing that gave him any peace, but now that was all shot to hell.
          "I suppose I should apologize now, because I'm going to smash your brother's face in as soon as I get out of here. And he better pray he's not dating anyone at this time, cause he'll also have to deal with the worst outbreak of rashes all over his body." Not only could Lycineus heal, but as a mystic he also dealt with pestilences and could unleash the worst of flesh eating diseases on any unsuspecting prey with a simple spell.
          "You'll have to get in line." Rosalinda finally moved away from the door when she realized Traviis wasn't coming back, and positioned herself in the corner furthest away from Lycineus. She'd had half a thought to lock herself in the closet or bathroom and simply ignore him, but decided she'd wait for him to do that. He was the one that was good at putting up walls between them.
          Lycineus almost smiled at her comment knowing that Rosalinda only fought when she had to. And luckily her function at the fort was primarily as a healer. Yet there was no mistaking the fire he heard in her voice. She was just as upset about this situation they now found themselves in as he was. He shook his head. "What is Traviis thinking? Does he really believe this will accomplish anything?"
          Rosalinda ran a hand through her unbound chestnut colored hair. "I don't know why he's doing this."
          Lycineus glanced at her and felt his heart ache once again to see her in such distress. She was as lovely as ever, wearing a short olive green pant suit that was held together by ebony links running up and down the side of her torso. Her black boots were wedge heeled and came to her upper calves. He hadn't been around to see her body while it'd been distended in pregnancy with Luceus child. But he'd known that her figure had returned to it's almost perfect proportions not long afterward. The thought of Luceus and their child turned his mood black once more. He had to get out of here. "You don't suppose I would be slapped with a court martial for destroying Federation property?"
          Rosalinda got where he was coming from and quickly replied. "I suspect Traviis has this entire room in lockdown mode. If you attack any part of it, a gas will be secreted into the room and we'll both be unconscious in seconds."
          Lycineus frowned realizing he'd forgotten about that particular failsafe. "He really thought of everything, didn't he?"
          Rosalinda shrugged before sliding down the wall until she was in a seated position with her arms wrapped around her knees.
          Lycineus moved to the opposite corner and leaned against it while folding his arms across his chest. He said nothing for several minutes and noticed that Rosalinda was doing her best to ignore him. "Have you been well?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he could think them through.
          Rosalinda raised her head to look at him as if he was daft. She certainly hadn't expected that question. "All things considering, yes."
          "And what about your..." Lycineus couldn't bring himself to mention the boy's name, but Rosalinda seemed more than willing to do so for him.
          "Luke Leigh is just fine."
          "Leigh? I thought he'd be a Magelus. He'll probably be the only one to carry on the name."
          Rosalinda was stunned by his reply which presumed that Lycineus would never take another woman and start a family. This both delighted and saddened her at the same time. She did realize where he was coming from; with Luceus' clear interest in men and the fact that he was about to begin a long prison term which lowered his chances of having future offspring. She did manage to come up with a suitable answer. "Well, since I'm not married to either of the Magelus men, I see no reason why my son should take the name."
          Lycineus looked at her long and hard but said nothing, she did have a point after all.
          "I haven't seen him in several months," Rosalinda finally admitted.
          Lycineus stared at her but she did not return his gaze, instead her focus was on the carpeted floor. He waited for her to elaborate and eventually she did.
          "He lives with my parents. They've been providing a life for him almost since the very first day he was born."
          Lycineus had known the Leigh's well, and could only imagine that Symone and Titus were anything but pleased with him at the moment. He did know that they had already raised two fine children, with the exception of Traviis' given Lycineus' anger with him at the moment. But he knew that Luke was in good hands with them. He did suspect that they never would have imagined they'd be raising their own grandson, not after Lycineus had filled their heads with such high hopes of the wonderful life promised for all the children he was going to have with Rosalinda. However, the worst thing about this situation was that Luke was being kept away from his mother. "He should be with you."
          Rosalinda raised her head to look at him with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "Excuse me, are you trying to dictate how I live my life? You did dump me four years ago, Lycineus."
          Lycineus almost winced at her tone. "Am I really so unreasonable?"
          Rosalinda instantly jumped to her feet and began to close the distance between them. "Shall I count the ways? We were set to spend the rest of our lives together, yet now you can barely stomach to be in the same room with me."
          Lycineus realized she was gunning for a fight and he wasn't about to back down. "How do you expect me to get over the fact that you waited three months to tell me what had happened between you two. And if you hadn't gotten pregnant with Luceus son, then I'd have no way of knowing if you would have ever told me the truth. I can't be with someone that I can not trust."
          "If you were to fall ill where you stood, would you trust me to save your life? Or that of your men's?"
          Lycineus didn't get where she was coming from but answered truthfully knowing that Rosalinda was an exceptionally gifted healer. "Yes, of course I would."
          "That's a double standard Lycineus. Because if you can trust me with your life, then you are capable of trusting me once again with your love. I don't believe for one second that you are incapable of feeling what you felt for me four years ago." Rosalinda knew her eyes had glazed over with the glossy sheen of unshed tears. She had known that bringing up these painful memories would place her on the brink, but she intended to stem the flow for as long as she could. "Don't you see that no one wins from this. You're miserable, I'm miserable. Luceus was the only one who may have been happy, yet now misfortune has also befallen him."
          He knew she was right even as his frown deepened. "Rosa -- I was in a really bad place back then." He'd been passed over for promotions and kept seeing the glory and praise go to Luceus. And then the one thing that he'd considered his -- his precious Rosa had also fallen into his brother's clutches. It'd been too much for him although a part of him knew he was being unreasonable. "I just felt that you were somehow telling me that I wasn't good enough for you either."
          A silent tear trickled down Rosalinda's face as she came to stand directly before him. "I love you, Lycineus Magelus. I've never loved anyone else." She took a deep breath and continued even as her voice quivered. "And if you didn't know that then, you were a damn fool."
          The pain in Lycineus' chest was so great he feared his heart would burst. Here was this woman he'd loved for so long, standing before him pouring her heart out. And if he didn't take this opportunity to set things right between them, he knew he'd never have another chance to. "I'm so sorry, Rosa. I'm so sorry." He quickly grasped her face gently before bringing her lips to his. His mouth slanted across hers deepening the kiss as he sought to wipe away all the years of unhappiness between them. When he finally broke the kiss, he held his forehead against hers while keeping his eyes closed. A smile curved his lips as he felt her slender fingers brushing the hair out of his face. He'd always liked it when she did that. It was part of the reason he made certain that errant strands would fall into his eyes. She would try to make him neat and perfect, and it was a testament of her true feelings for him. What a fool he'd been to deny himself this woman for so long.
          "Did you think Traviis really meant it when he said he'd not be back for hours?" He waited for her to shake her head in agreement before continuing. "Good, because it's going to take about that long for me to sate myself on you. Make love with me Rosa, like we used to." He kissed her once more and soon heard an excited squeal escape her as he lifted her and carried her the short distance to the bed.
          As their clothes began to fall away, Rosalinda could hardly believe that this was the end result of Traviis' meddling in their lives. She'd been angry with her brother at first but now, when she saw him again, she'd have to offer him her thanks. Because if it wasn't for his interference then she would never have gotten her happy ending with Lycineus.
          OOO
When Luceus' booted feet made firm contact with the intricate tiles of the veranda, he thought perhaps he should have been more discreet less he alarm the High Elven female he'd already spotted from below. He'd made his way through the deeper currents of the man-made river in Allemantheia until he was right outside Stanhope manor. Knowing that he simply couldn't walk up to the front door and ask to see Tristtan, he'd opted for a different approach. Sarrion had warned him that they'd know he was coming, yet he hadn't expected to be refused even at the city gates. Therefore, he'd been forced to take another inconspicuous route of entry. This was the only balcony he could access, and when he'd recognized Laeyla Stanhope working in the garden, he hoped he'd be able to sell her to his cause. Tristtan's mother had seemed open to reason in the past. When the High Elf female spoke to him without turning around from her flower bed, he realized as he'd first suspected. Lady Stanhope had no doubt heard of his Tenlis Culpas and had been expecting him.
          "You're getting my balcony all wet," Laeyla stated before pulling three more weeds from between the lovely orange flowers. Eventually she got to her feet and turned around to face him. "I knew you'd come. The cowl was a nice touch." She indicated the black hood that half covered the General's face. However, he was still dressed like a flamboyant Castanic, if the black leather jacket with no shirt and the matching leather pants were any indication. But since he was soaking wet, the exposed areas of his skin glistened in the sunlight.
          "I thought we had an understanding Lady Stanhope, yet while I was under house arrest I was denied all contact with Tristtan. I'm going to assume your husband was responsible for the twisted message I received from him and is probably the reason I've been banned from Allemantheia," Luceus stated.
          Laeyla had been aware that Tristtan had sent Luceus a message but had not seen the finished product. If there had been something strange about it then she couldn't deny that it may have been Reginaldd's doing. However, she doubted that was the sole reason for Luceus' appearance. "If you were denied at the city gates, then perhaps you should have taken the hint."
          A frown soon marred Luceus' handsome face at her tone and words. Laeyla Stanhope now seemed as disapproving of him as her husband did. When they'd talked before Tristtan's rescue she'd seemed on board with their relationship, but now he was faced with this sudden about face. He had seen first hand that Laeyla did not allow Reginaldd to control her, then why now was she letting him pull the strings?
          "You lied to me," Laeyla stated calmly as she regarded the male Castanic who had so much of his father's features in him.
          "I have never lied to you," Luceus stated truthfully.
          "Oh? You'd told me you cared for my son, and I have reason to believe those words were hollow."
          "I feel I should explain. My pleading guilty to all charges was a strategy in order to allow me the freedom to move as I needed," Luceus explained. "I have reason to believe that --"
          "I could care less about that," She immediately cut him off.   "I was ready to give you the benefit of the doubt until --"
          "Until what?" Luceus assumed her hesitation had something to do with Tristtan's reaction to what had befallen him. Was the boy finally coming to terms with his trauma or was it threatening to overwhelm him? "Do you blame me for Ulrikk's grudge that lead to Tristtan's torture?" Luceus knew he was grasping at straws but what he feared most was that Laeyla would not even give him the answers he sought before sending him away.
          Laeyla scoffed. "Do you think me so petty? My husband does blame you for that also, but I know Ulrikk's hatred was not your fault."
          "Then what is it? What issues do you have with me?" Luceus wanted to know.
          "Have you ever hurt Tristtan?" She realized he may have been confused by the question and decided to elaborate. "On an emotional level. Would you even know if you had?" There was a certain look in his eyes that told her he definitely would.
          Luceus shouldn't have been surprised by her line of questioning. Yet he knew the greatest conflict of interest that existed between him and Tristtan had been their differing opinions on the archer's future. He remembered that day when Tristtan had cried genuine tears after they'd fucked upon the couch in his quarters. The boy had reached sexual gratification, but clearly it had been bittersweet because of the manner in which Luceus had taken him. He'd been rough and abrasive, seeking only his pleasure and not the talk Tristtan seemed set on. "We never got a chance to discuss it in any detail."
          Laeyla was quite surprised that he was admitting wrong doing, so she went for the jugular. "And then, Tristtan leaves the fort that day in response, and Ulrikk captures him" She knew Tristtan had been taught better than to leave a military fort alone in the middle of dangerous territory, therefore why had he done it? There was only one explanation, when it came to matters of the heart, love was not always wise. It had been obvious from Tristtan's unconscious ramblings that the person he'd wanted acceptance from was Luceus, and this was where it got him.
          "I take full responsibility for that. I should have listened to him and I --" Luceus felt his heart ache when he realized that everything which had happened over the past week could have easily been avoided if he'd simply listened to Tristtan.
          "I went out on the line for you, I defended you against my husband who'd made the most vile accusations -- " And now unfortunately, she owed Reginaldd one. Their own relationship was much like a diplomatic debate some of which she'd win, other's she concede to him. "He was right, you're a carbon copy of Winstone."
          Luceus' eyes narrowed at the mention of his father. "You knew my father?"
          Laeyla tilted her chin upwards as she gazed at him with her haughtiest demeanor. "You've over stayed your welcome, leave."
          Luceus ignored her order. "My father never mentioned knowing you -- yet you stand there and imply there was something between you."
          "I implied nothing, you assumed," Laeyla snapped.
          "Fine, keep your secrets! But allow me to see Tristtan for that is the reason I came here."
          "Now you're making demands, how very Castanic of you." She tilted her head backwards before shouting, "In here!" Within seconds, half a dozen High Elven guards decked out in leather and plate armor entered onto the balcony. Their weapons were already drawn and pointed at Luceus.
          "I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt at first, General. But after certain facts surfaced, I could no longer stay true to that."
          "I've been sentenced to ten years. Please, there must be some way you'll allow me to see Tristtan before I'm locked away." Luceus rarely pleaded with anyone, but he knew Laeyla was holding all the cards here.
          "I'm sorry, General. My answer is no." She then turned to the head of the guards. "Take him."
          Suddenly, the two guards on either side of him had their heads slammed together. Luceus then kicked out at the one in front of him hitting him directly in the chest before turning to the last two left standing. He had left his sword on the bank of the river below so as not to enter the Stanhope's home armed knowing it would give the wrong impression. But now he wished he'd taken it with him. When the head guard slashed out at him with his long sword, Luceus dodged and managed to land an uppercut on the man's pointed chin. He was preparing for his next attack when suddenly, what felt like a flower pot being slammed atop his skull soon laid him out cold on the tiled floor.
          Laeyla stood above Luceus' unconscious form slightly irked that she had to take matters into her own hands or Luceus would have gotten free to have the run of her bloody home. She glanced at her injured bodyguards and couldn't really blame them for their shortcomings, not when going up against a skilled General. She had clearly only gotten the drop on him because he hadn't expected her to attack him. "Take him to the outskirts of Allemantheia and leave him. And make certain that the cities' guards are watching the waterways so he can't try this again."
          "Understood, my lady." The head guard bowed despite his bleeding lip and immediately saw to her instructions. However, on the way out of Stanhope Manor, they ran into Lord Stanhope who had just returned from a council meeting.
          Reginaldd gazed at Luceus' unconscious form propped up between two soldiers as a sinister smile crossed his lips. Velik herself must have smiled upon him to have offered him such a prize on a silver platter. "Where are you taking him?"
          "Outside the city gates, per her lady's orders," The guard replied.
          "Scratch that, there's somewhere else he needs to go first." Suddenly, Luceus looked very much like Winstone to Reginaldd, and he was stoked that he was about to do to Luceus, something he'd always wanted to do to the vindictive senior Magelus while he'd still lived. Indeed, fortune had smiled upon him.
          OOO
          Luceus didn't know how long he was out, but didn't believe it could have been that long. His head was still throbbing from the blow it'd received and he could feel the grit of dried blood still lingering on his forehead. He could hear low murmurs around him and knew he wasn't alone. Soon, his eyes blinked open slowly before adjusting to the well lighted room.   He immediately felt the cool rush of air against his bare skin and was surprised to find that he'd been stripped to his underwear, a pair of black, fitted shorts. However, that was the least of his worries. Both his hands were bound before him by thick, iron shackles.
          He'd been unable to see anything due to the spotlight that was upon him, but in moments the tall slender figure of a man came into view. A scowl crossed his face as he recognized the man as Juleus Truth. When at least half a dozen more men strode up behind Juleus, some wearing knuckle guards, he knew what he was in for. "And who do I owe the honor for this?"
          Juleus chuckled before grinning wickedly at Luceus. "Well I'll give you one thing, you are Mr. Calm. But that won't save you here. What's about to happen to you, is courtesy of Lord Stanhope."
          "Excellent, sounds just like Lord Stanhope to even the odds by sending seven of you to take me down."
          "Ham it up, but I can guarantee you won't be punning in about ten minutes."
          Luceus used his upper body strength to hop to his feet before swinging his bound hands at Juleus' face. He feared his attack would be unsuccessful when he felt a deep lethargy begin to flow through his body. However, he did manage to strike Juleus in the jaw flinging the man backward a few feet. He would have continued to use the element of surprise he'd gained against the remaining men but realized that there was something seriously wrong with him. For suddenly, he felt as if he could barely retain consciousness, much less fight off half a dozen men.
          The feel of a solid fist smashing into his cheek was all it took to lay him out on the concrete floor once more. He didn't move for almost a full minute until he felt Juleus grasping him by the horn and forcing him to look upwards. "Didn't see that one coming did you?"
          Luceus yanked his horn out of the Elven man's grasp as he felt the perspiration begin to bead on his forehead. Either the room had grown extremely warm, or whatever they had drugged him with was fast acting. "So, seven guys plus this. Doesn't seem like Stanhope had much faith in you being able to do your job."
          "Lord Stanhope only wanted to ascertain that you wouldn't be weaseling your way out of this one." There was a sinister look on Juleus face before he kicked Luceus in the chest laying him out flat on the ground. He had to admit the man was well built and as someone who took both male and female lovers, Juleus imagined the General would be well-endowed. His gaze moved to the bulge beneath those enticing black shorts. He then did the unthinkable. Raising his booted foot, Juleus stomped Luceus in the crotch. Hearing the man scream in response was worth it for all his earlier barbs. "Oh dear, we may have to get you to a healer, or I don't believe you'll be capable of fathering anymore children."
          Luceus curled into a fetal position with his hands covering his damaged groin. The pain was so intense he began to see flashes of light against his squeezed tight eyelids. It was clear to him that from the beginning, Juleus never intended to fight fair. But this was going too far. It felt as if his scrotum had been crushed and even if he hadn't been bound or drugged, he may have been done for anyways with this particular injury.
          "I'd like to spend more time with you, but unfortunately we have to get this over with." Juleus retrieved silver knuckle guards from his pocket before placing them on his right fist. He then turned to the men with him and nodded. It was time to begin.
          The sound of solid blows making firm impact upon bare skin soon filled the abandoned warehouse. However, no more cries of pain were forthcoming from the General. Juleus realized that the man's pride had forced him to hold it all in. Which meant he'd been given a rare reward earlier by hearing Luceus scream. His fist was dyed crimson by time he lifted it from the unconscious pulp that was the former General. He knew that at some point during the beating that Luceus no longer felt the successive blows. Yet he continued, knowing the man would be in a world of pain when next he woke.
          Juleus removed the knuckle guards before taking a handkerchief from another pocket he began to clean the blood stains off his hands. "We have our orders, be prepared to transport him outside the city gates."
          "We can handle this from here, Commander," Selik, a soldier who'd worked under Juleus for many years spoke up.
          "Appreciated, I believe I've spent enough time in the company of trash." Juleus took one last glance at the male Castanic who lay in a pool of his own blood, before heading towards the exit.
          Selik took charge after Juleus departed. They quickly wrapped Luceus' body with a black sheet before placing him on a stretcher. Bodies were transported through Allemantheia all the time and there would be no reason for anyone to suspect that the man who lay on the stretcher was still alive. However, as they exited the city, Selik decided to change the plan slightly.
          "After all he did, he still only got ten years. I personally feel he should have gotten life," Selik commented.
          "Then let's make certain his sentence is extended," another soldier suggested.
          "Riku, I like the way you think." There was a vicious smile on Selik's face as he issued their new standing orders.
          On the southern bridge in the aqueduct leading out of the city, Luceus' body was dumped in the briny depths. Even a conscious person would have suffered injury upon impact from that height. But Luceus who was no doubt near death, would drown before he even awoke. And as a result, Selik was certain that justice would be served.
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In the Land of Arborea