saying nothing to that he continued to rub his fingers against ree's head. it was true that it was hard for him to make the effort but it did not mean he was unwilling and he already knew that they each fed off the happiness of the other even though he did his best not to think about why it was so. feeling the other move against him again he pulled himself from his thoughts and let his eyes fall on the page ree found for him before starting to read

He wasn't sure how long he had been listening to Kais voice but soon he drifted asleep. His dream made the far off places he would never see, real. Ree was brought out of his sleep by yet another knock on the door.

he was content in the story the ledger told as well as the repetition of running his hand over ree's scalp when there came a knock and the illusion of peace was shattered. halting in his reading he looked to the door even as ree shifted upwards into a sitting position

It was the same page from before carrying yet another tray. This time it held two papers. The boy quickly mumbled since the prince had taken up residence in Rees room, he was delivering notes here as well. Ree took the tray watching the young boy scamper away and closed his door. Once bore the seal of the Maialynn the other that of the Roux.

he recognized both seals right away and breaking the captain's first he found his ship leaving on a commission with no hope of returning before at least a week had passed even with good weather. the second one was just as sour though on a different note. the lady roux wanted to see him

Ree sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a twinge of anger at the name Roux. He closed his eyes knowing the other had to go and see her. "Would you like me to come with you?"

he let his eyes flicker from the words to the boy across from him. "if you go you must watch me act familiar with the woman i must take as my wife. could you manage to see me act as if i were with you with anyone else? especially given what you know about how little i enjoy being touched in such a way?"

Shifting uncomfortably Ree thought to lie but he could not. "No... but I am your body guard. Will you be safe?"

this time he sneered before letting the look fall. it was not for ree, "i will not risk bloodshed or bruising but i hardly call an engagement call 'safe'. i will be fine but not pleased." he sighed unhappily. "ree, will you do me a favor and hit me in the ankle? it has to be just hard enough to leave a bruise or a bit of swelling"

He moved away from the bed shaking his head in a firm no. It was one thing for him to be hit but he could not hit Kais, not after he had already hurt the other so much. "Kais, I can not, I can touch you with magic and make you ill but I can not purposefully hurt you."

"ree, ill can be faked, a mark is irrefutable, it would save me from my wife-to-be for t least another day and explain my inability to walk. nothing else will do and if you must i can let you salve and bandage it yourself." pulling aside the blanket he bared a leg. "ree, it is an order"

Taking a hesitant breath he moved away from the ankle. He balled his fingers into a tight fist and tested his aim before drawing back for the forceful blow. Closing his eyes he struck the ankle with most of his strength. He drew back quickly and opened his eyes to see silent teas falling from Kais eyes. His brows contorted in worry seeing his mark blossom over the pale skin. "Kais... " He looked around his room to find his medicine and a bandage.

he gritted his teeth as he saw ree pull back and the pain of it did not let down his expectations though he did not let ree put anything on the reddening spot. "n-not y-y-yet. l-led'it bruise"

Ree held his breath looking away from the spot. "Just tell me when I can do it Kais." He waited as long as Kais would allowed it and once given the command he quickly administered the cream and bandage.

he did not let ree touch his foot until it was starting to turn a dark purple and even then he called in a guard first to look at his ankle and have a note sent in reply that he turned it that morning and would not be able to come. when the man had left ree was allowed to bandage him up and he was free for at least another day

A horrible forbearance fell over Ree as he sank back into the bed beside Kais. "Kais are you sure that was wise? You cannot keep hurting yourself each time she summons you. What if here is some news about your child?"

"you act as if the health of the child is anything of my business. if it dies it would not be roux who would tell me and what would you have me do instead? tell them i have had an affair with my guard and must be carried because i am too weak to stand from the sheer girth of what my body consumed?"

Ree said nothing least more of his words be turned against him. He looked at the door hoping the guards were not clever enough to realize it was he that hurt the prince. He rose "You do not care about the child and yet you stopped me from killing it. I am going to go fetch your things to occupy your mind while you rest."

he did not mention that its usefulness was up and if she lost it now then it would be easy to find some servant with skin and hair like his to make her another one and that as long as she was able a child would be forthcoming no matter when it came

He slipped out of the room and past the guards that were now stationed infront of his quarters. He wandered inside Kais room finding what he needed and quickly retreated. Once back inside his room he set the books beside Kais. "Is there anything else you need?"

by the time ree had returned he was back under the blankets with the book in-hand as if the knock had never come and he lounged, waiting. "only for ree to come back over here so that i may finish reading."

they had been sailing under the captain's hand for nearly a month and already it felt like a year. from his perch up on deck covered in blankets he could look out over the great expanse of blue and when noone was looking he could watch ree work with the sailors and contemplate what the mate had said about ree and touching

Out of the shadows he could see the red haired Prince. The man seemed distracted with the sea. Taking his shirt off his back to wipe away the sweat on his brow he continued to secure the sails. Once they were finished he abandoned the labor for his most important job. Guarding the forlorn body. He couldn't help himself as his hands fell naturally to the prince waist. “If you like I am sure the Captain would let you swim.” He whispered playfully into the waiting ear.

pulling the hands off he snarled and tried to escape, "get off of me!" the command was heeded but not before a slick tongue found the side of his face and he had to whip his head away to hide the heat it left, "the water is too cold for swimming"

"I know ways of warming the water, you need only let me." With that his hands once again found Kais but this time they found the little rivets under hidden beneath the blouse close to the mans waistline. "Are you hungry?"

this was the second or third time ree had done it and he was as helpless to respond as he was the first time the damnable hand found him. saying nothing he shivered as his body froze under the cruel touch

His brow raised at the power his fingers held. Shifting he tenderly let the fingers pull the prince away from his perch. When he continued to get no answer he let his fingers delve deeper below the band caressing the mans hips.

the touch wreaked havoc on his mind but his body was freed by the virtue of reflex and his hands removed the offending touch before it could do more than ghost over a place it did not belong

This time he did nothing more then laugh and press his lips close to the prince asking his question again. "Are you hungry? If so the cook has said we must catch fish."

when he found his voice he used it to refuse the other on both accounts. he would not touch a live fish and he would not go about killing it either. ree and the others could do their work without him

Grinning, Ree nearly followed the man like a lost puppy until he realized there would be no dinner if he did. He let the prince be and took to the nets that rested near the bottom of the ship. His haul produced an assortment of sea life. He and the cook scaled and cleaned until there were more callouses on his palms and the smell of fish was soaked into his clothes. The sun dale had shifted and the sky was drifting towards its orange evening by the time he brought the two boils of broth and bread to his quarters. He kicked the door attempting to knock on it.

he was left alone for several hours and in that time he could not choose between being angry and sulking or remembering the way the sunlight moved off of the dark back leaving him both agitated and distressed. when his dilemma was interrupted by pounding he rolled over and deciding he was angry he rolled over to face the wall and ignore the noise he was certain was caused by the other boy

He growled when his kicking went unanswered. Pressing both the bowls to his chest he melted his body into the door and through its threshold. Once inside he found the prince curled up on the bed asleep. Silently he moved across the room to the table and once his hands were free he made his way to the bed, crawling on top of the soft blankets and over Kais. He pressed close to the prince ear. “Dinner is served.” He whispered with a playful licking across the lobe.

the action garnered the reverse of what he had been hoping for and pinned under the other he was unable to escape. whinily he commanded ree get off

He grinned dripping low so that he could nearly touch the prince's face with his lips. The whining did not stop him from stealing a kiss. "Then come and eat with me or I will find other things to sedate my hunger." He said.

he struggled at the words but could manage nothing until the mongrel got off and quickly he sat up, "you spend too much time with that lecherous captain. you sound just like him"