by Pfantazm
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They rode much as Thom and Madoc had on their original quest, with Lennox
sitting behind Thom's saddle, tied to Thom with ropes to keep him from
falling off the horse. Thom wouldn't have thought anyone could sleep like
that, no matter how tired he was, but Thom had had to wake Lennox up
several times when they'd stopped.
That night the two men ate some of Thom's supplies, provided by the quartermaster. Lennox was grateful and ate all he could keep down, which wasn't very much. Thom promised better for the next day. When they'd bedded down for the night, Lennox had been unable to sleep again unless Thom was awake and keeping watch. So Thom sacrificed a night of sleep for his friend. No Marauders came upon them during the night. Finally, in the afternoon of the day after they'd found each other, Thom and Lennox arrived at a glade of trees. Thom undid the tie that kept Lennox upright and shook one of his shoulders. Lennox roused slightly. "C'mon, Lennox. Wake up. We're home." Lennox looked around blearily and climbed down off the horse. Thom dismounted as well. "Where is it?" Lennox asked. Thom smiled and pointed up. "Are you going to be able to climb?" "A tree? I think so." "Good. It's not difficult, but it's not obvious how to get up there. Follow my lead." Thom hoisted himself into the tree and enough out of the way to let Lennox up. The tree was an old one, of the sort that looks like several saplings had decided to team up and grew together. It had grown outwards almost as much as it had grown upwards. Branches spread out nicely to conceal the view from the ground of what was above. It was an easy climb going up and a logical spot for a hiding place. Thom's safehouse was not in this tree. The former thief climbed past where he needed to go and let Lennox catch up. Then Thom tapped one particularly thick branch with his foot. "It's across there." The branch of the tree they were in was lashed to one from the next tree over. That tree was almost impossible to climb without a rope, since it had no sturdy limbs near ground level. The foliage was even thicker then in the first tree. "Use the branches on your left to steady yourself as you cross. I'll be right behind you." Lennox stepped onto the tied limbs. They seemed steady enough. He inched forward. Thom stepped down to Lennox's level. The redheaded thief was almost beyond the reach of the branch he was using to balance. He took one more hesitant step forward. Thom gingerly placed one foot on the makeshift bridge. He wanted to keep his eye on Lennox. He was tired and his equilibrium wasn't at its best. "Use the next branch on your left to steady yourself, Lennox." Lennox faltered. His body gyrated wildly to compensate for his poor balance. Instinctively, he reached out with his right hand. "Don't use...!" Lennox leaned out onto the thinner branch to the right. It bent, carrying his upper body with it. "Whooooaa...!" he cried. He was stretched precariously over empty space, heels on the bridge and uselessly clutching the young twig that threatened to snap. Thom lunged forward and snagged the back of Lennox's tunic, while still straining to keep hold of the stronger limb behind him. The bridge bowed downwards with the extra weight, groaning ominously. Thom couldn't let go with either hand: if he released Lennox, Lennox would fall off, and if he released the branch, they'd both topple off. His grip on the tunic was slipping. "Lennox, on three, shift your weight as much as you can toward me, understand?" "Yes! Oh gods...." "Don't panic, Lennox, and try not to look down. Here we go. One, two, three!" Lennox pushed his backside slightly toward the knight-errant, who desperately made a second grab at his friend. He managed to hook his fingertips in the redhead's trousers. He wouldn't fall just yet. "Again, on three. One, two, three!" Lennox bounced slightly closer and Thom tugged on his trousers. The thief's weight was no longer supported by the branch in his hands, and Thom was holding him up. Thom said, "Let go and push back to me." Lennox flung the branch away from his body. Thom grunted and hauled on Lennox's pants once more. Finally, both men tipped backwards, where Thom braced himself against the limb. Lennox held Thom in a death grip. When it seemed everything was under control again, Lennox said, "I'm awake now." Thom chuckled. "Are you going to be able to cross?" Lennox nodded, let go of Thom and gripped the branch on the left. He moved very slowly, but he crossed safely. Thom followed. He stepped on the familiar planking on the floor of his safehouse. Lennox was looking around. There were various rather warped boards nailed down into a makeshift floor. A tattered piece of oilcloth acted as a ceiling. There were leather bags and cloth sacks stacked on one side of the floor. A folded-up blanket was draped over top. "Watch your step. The boards are rather uneven." "How did you come by all of this?" "The wood was scavenged. About seven years ago, I was on the Polyny shore. It looked like there had been a shipwreck. I collected it all, stashed it and carried it as I could here." "But who built it?" Thom grinned. "My father was a tinker, and I'm not completely without talent. I built it myself." "It's a nice place." "Thank you. It's not much warmer than sleeping outside, but the sailcloth keeps the rain off. I built it myself from fairly scavenged materials. This place is completely mine." "On the King's lands." "Well, they're all his, now, aren't they? And he's welcome to try to take it back - if he can find it. That's the other thing," Thom said as he picked up the blanket. "It's completely safe. No one has found it in seven years, even when they've been looking for it twenty feet below us." He laid the blanket onto a piece of sailcloth hanging through a space in the floor. "You can sleep here and not have to worry." Lennox crawled gratefully into the hammock and curled up into the blanket. Thom dug out a small pouch from his supplies and stepped back over to the bridge. "Where are you going?" Lennox asked over his shoulder. "I promised you better food. I'll be back soon." "Okay." Lennox settled in and fell asleep before Thom made it to the ground again. He folded up the tabard, lifted his shirttail and tucked it into the back of his pants. He now looked like the average traveller. On foot, Thom set out for a small market nearby. The market was in a tiny village, a few meagre cottages built close together. It was little more than a meeting place for local farmers to trade goods. Thom had been coming here all the time he'd had his safehouse in the trees whenever he was near. As he approached today, he saw a woman, her greying hair in a bun, step out from behind her cart and run his way, arms wide. "Thom! I can't believe you're here!" she cried as she hugged him. Her blue dress swirled around their legs after it had caught up with them. "Marita, what are you doing here? Where's Ches? And why such a warm reception?" A lanky, balding man strode up to them. "I'm here. Marita just wanted to come to the village to gossip. How've you been? You said you'd probably be back a couple of weeks ago. We were worried." "Now, Ches, you know my business sometimes takes me longer than I expect." Thom looked at the couple's relieved faces. "What is it?" Ches spoke up. "Oh, Marita's been her usual self. Full of romantic ideas." He draped his arm casually around her shoulder. "I thought..." Marita began. "Well, with all your coming and going, and you living way out here in the middle of nowhere, and no one's ever seen where you live, and there was always a story about him when you're gone--" "She thought you were the Dark Rogue," Ches explained quietly. "And then we heard he was dead and you were two weeks late coming back.... It sounds so foolish now." "It's not so foolish," Thom assured her. "Let's go back to your stall." They walked back and settled in where there was more privacy. "If I tell you something, can you promise to keep it a secret?" Ches nodded soberly. Marita's eyes bugged out and her hands covered her mouth. "Oh, my! Do you mean--?" "Now, Marita, I need you to promise," Thom said. "This is important. I know it's going to be especially hard for you." She massaged her hands. "I may burst trying," she said, "but I won't tell a soul, Thom. I promise." "I was the Dark Rogue, but I'm retired now." He lifted his shirt and pulled out the green dragon tabard. "I'm a knight-errant now." Marita's hands flew up to her mouth again. "Oh my goodness! How did that happen?" "It's rather a long story, but the short answer is, I fell in love." "They say love can change the shape of the world, but this is something else again," said the farmer's wife. "Can you stay and tell the whole story?" "I really shouldn't. I have a friend waiting who I should look in on...." "Did you know that we had a son, Thom?" asked Ches, solemnly. "No, I didn't. I've known you folks for years and you've never mentioned him. Where is he?" "He entered the Guard about ten years ago. He was a patrolman in Aragon." Thom didn't like the low tone in which Ches was speaking. "When did he die?" "About three years later." Marita took Thom's hands in hers. "Can't you stay and talk, for just a little while?" Thom considered. Lennox really did need his sleep. "Alright. I'll stay a while. What was your son's name?" "Graham. But everyone always called him Gray." Thom made his way back through the trees feeling guilty for having left Lennox so long, but not feeling bad because Ches and Marita needed to talk. It was a paradox of emotion he was quite used to dealing with. His bag of supplies hanging from his shoulder, Thom climbed upwards into his hiding place, crossing the bridge in near darkness with ease. Lennox was still asleep. He was turned away from the bridge. Thom stepped carefully to put his bags away, but even though he was silent, any movements jostled the floor. He took down a battered lantern and lit it. Lennox was gently shaken awake. He saw a shadowy figure moving over him and struggled to stand up, but the oddly-constructed hammock had him flummoxed. He yelped. Thom kneeled at his side. "Lennox," he whispered, "calm down. It's only me, Thom. Stop it or you'll fall through." Lennox stilled. "How do I get out of this thing?" "Lift yourself with your arms and feet and shift your backside onto the floor," Thom instructed. Lennox did as he was instructed. He pulled the blanket back around himself. "You can't live like this," Thom said, putting his arm around the redhead's shoulders. "You have to put them behind you. By now, Kraid won't still be looking for you." "I know," Lennox said miserably, "but - I mean, that makes sense, but I keep thinking I can see one of them or...." Lennox shivered. "Let me tell you why I'm here, my friend." Thom gave Lennox a brief description of what their assignment was. "By the gods, Thom, no! They'll kill you both!" "We haven't completely decided whether that's the King's idea or not. We're supposed to meet up with this wizard who's going to be helping us, but I took this side trip to find you." Thom moved to face Lennox. "Madoc and I would like whatever help you can give us to catch them. We'll take anything: names, descriptions, skills, where they're likely to be, but what I'd like to see is you right there with us. You'd be able to give us your advice as we need it, but you'd have to face them down, once and for all. You'd know they were gone and that they would never be able to hurt you. Will you help us?" "I'll tell you everything I know about them, but... I don't know..." Lennox said. "You don't have to decide right now. I'll be staying here for the night and leaving in the morning to catch up to Madoc. For now, let's eat. I'm starving." Thom brought out the sack of food he'd bought at the market. There was some meat, cheese, and of course, apples. Thom watched as Lennox ate. His appetite seemed to be returning and that was a good sign. He still seemed nervous, as though some horror would jump out from the rustling leaves around them. Thom had his dinner in silence and wondered what he could do for his friend. When they were done, Thom passed his new stretchable blanket to Lennox. They needed the one Lennox had been using to lay on the floor. That hammock couldn't support two. Thom stashed the remaining food and hung it up, and then gathered the apple cores to be disposed of in the morning. Together, the two friends opened up the blanket enough for both of them. They undressed for bed. Thom knew that Lennox was slender, but now he looked painfully thin. The redhead looked down at himself. It was as if he was truly seeing himself like this for the first time. Lennox looked at Thom with big, green eyes, quaking. Thom, wrapped in the blanket embraced him. The former thief held him close, rubbed his back to warm him up and whispered, "It'll be alright. We'll take care of you." Thom lowered Lennox to the floor, allowing him to sit in his lap. Lennox gripped him tightly. Thom continued to murmur comforting words and rocked him from side to side. After a while, Lennox stopped shivering. His head was resting on Thom's shoulder. He kissed his neck gently. He began to lick at it. Thom felt Lennox's erection grow, burning hot against his hip. He knew what was about to happen. He knew Madoc would be okay with it. Even if they hadn't discussed the idea that this would be rather likely, he would approve. In the state Lennox was in he needed all the love and security he could get. Thom still stroked Lennox's back, but now he did it slowly, lingering at his sides, at the small of his back, tracing the bones of his spine, near his neck, in all the sensitive places that never get touched. One of Lennox's hands snaked in between them. His fingers found both their cocks, standing straight up. Lennox was dribbling precum freely. He gathered it on his fingers and smeared it onto Thom's member. It twitched in Lennox's hand. The redhead brought his other hand in and grabbed both men's cocks. He stroked them in tandem, slowly, rubbing them each against the other. Thom kissed his friend and held him close with arms and legs. Lennox dug his ankles into Thom's back. Thom began to lick and kiss at Lennox's neck and clavicle. The thief's head rolled to the side and he moaned. Lennox sped up on their cocks, squeezing them gently. He humped forward a little, brushing their balls together. Sweat trailed tauntingly down his body, rolling down his skin, then pausing momentarily before trickling further downward. Thom nipped and sucked playfully at his ear. He groaned at the stimulation. Thom felt he was close. He licked at Lennox's jawline on his way to his mouth. He kissed him once more, filling Lennox's mouth with his tongue before his seed splashed against their chests. Lennox felt the sticky wetness smack against his front and dribble down his stomach, and it drove him to the brink. He thrust upward, drenching them once again. Thom shifted his legs and laid Lennox back on the ground, on all fours above him. He lay back down on top of him, pressing their spent juices between them. He kissed Lennox once more before getting back on his hands and knees. Over to the side was a clean rag which Thom reached over to fetch. He wiped up most of the mess between them, then extinguished the lantern. Thom nudged Lennox over, then nestled in behind him, cradling him in his arms. They both fell into a peaceful sleep. | ||
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