The Royal Prisoner Chapter 22
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The Royal Prisoner
Chapter 22
General Perez was sitting in the back of the armoured vehicle that hurriedly drove the narrow streets of downtown Bologne, in northern Italy. The city had been damaged by the 10-days artillery shelling, and the General's escort had to weave between the brick building's rubbles scattered on the paved streets. Eventually, the vehicle halted in front of a large building and a soldier opened the door for General Perez to get out.
"Sir." An officer greeted the General in front of the building. "This way." He then gestured before walking inside of the building with General Perez. The two men made their way inside of the busy corridors and stairs, passing by the many soldiers rushing all over the place.
The officer finally halted in front of a door left ajar, guarded by two soldiers. General Perez sighed and pushed the door open before slowly walking in. The large study's floor was covered by sheets of paper scattered and flying from the air flowing through the room. In the middle of the study, by a large wooden desk, the Supreme General of the Rebellion laid dead, his head resting peacefully on his desk, dried blood pooling below his face as his hand still held the gun he used to take his own life.
General Perez looked at the corpse of the leader of the rebellion with a mixt of contempt and indifference and simply grabbed the letter carefully placed by the left corner of the desk.
"A call for the rebels to surrender." the General pointed out, reading the letter. "What a noble gesture. I'm sure the twelve soldiers he commanded at the time of his death must be grateful." General Perez sarcastically commented as the officer smirked. "Make sure his body is prepared for his transfer to Corsica." He then ordered.
"Shall we then prepare the study for you, Sir?" The officer inquired. The General raised his eyebrow and chuckled.
"There is no need, Captain. We are only keeping a small garrison here, the rest will be leaving for Port-Saïd with me in two days." General Perez announced before dismissing the officer with a gesture.
"Yes Sir." The captain answered before turning heels and walking out.
"Let's crush this rebellion once and for all." The General muttered to himself as he shot one last glance at the corpse of the Supreme General.
***
After the war came knocking on his door, Sasha had been dreaming of Corsica as a wonderland where everything was possible.
Feeling that the course of the war had now grown in the rebellion's disfavour, the recently conquered and occupied Jewish city-states were witnessing civil unrest and rioting. The repression was brutal, but the rebels really didn't have the power to snuff out the organised resistance.
Sasha was quick to leave Jerusalem after the fighting started, the prince's former servant left for the city of Tyre, where he struggled to find a new position as a domestic. Eventually, the Corsican Rebels sieged the city and Sasha jumped on the opportunity to hurriedly flee the city, and Judea altogether.
He arrived in Corsica after a stop by in Malta, and throughout the trip he was an illegal and clandestine passenger. When he finally reached Corsica, he was immediately spotted by the Coast Guards inspecting the ship. What was initially meant to be a dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
Sasha was detained, and interrogated, without any sort of gentleness. As soon as the boy told the Corsican authorities that he had been a servant for the rebellion, in their headquarters in Jerusalem, their interest in the boy peaked, and his daily life worsened.
The boy was exhausted, both mentally and physically, after the ill treatment he received from the Corsican soldiers in charge of his captivity and interrogations. Sasha quickly came to believe that a nice and peaceful life was simply not his destiny.
It had been roughly a month that the former servant boy was detained, when a certain Wednesday morning he was taken out of his cell, washed, dressed, and put into a car accompanied by a military officer without being told anything about his destination.
The boy was a nervous wreck, a million scenarios were eventualised in his mind, all of them worse than the other. For the first time since he arrived though, he was able to see for himself what Corsica looked like. It was nothing like what he had fantasised, he imagined it would look wealthier, or more grandiose in a way. But what struck him the most was how peaceful it looked, although Corsica was in the middle of a war that had torn the Mediterranean apart, people in its capital dealt with their day-to-day life as if nothing happened. Sasha felt both resentment and envy towards these people, responsible for his misery and yet living in comfort and tranquillity.
Eventually, the car reached a large gate in front of an enormous building sitting at the top of a hill in the centre of the city, the boy could only catch a glimpse of it from his window, especially since the trees by the gate were so tall. The vehicle stopped, and a guard from the gate came to the car.
"Good morning, Lieutenant, present your duty sheet please." The guard told the officer that accompanied Sasha. The officer got a paper out of his briefcase and handed it to the guard. The guard read it carefully and then looked at the terrorised boy. "That's him?" The guard asked, nodding at Sasha. "Get out of the car and follow me please." The guard then told Sasha after the officer confirmed.
The Jewish former servant got out of the car, shaking, and followed the guard. He was then searched extensively and once they were sure the poor Sasha wasn't carrying anything else than the clothes he had been given, the guard opened a human sized gate and asked the boy to follow him.
Walking through the building was long, and Sasha's apprehension grew as he watched the golden framed painting by which he passed, the marbled columns and the lavishly decorated corridors. Eventually, they arrived in front of a large door with a gilded frame.
"That's the boy from the retention centre?" A soldier in uniform asked the guard that had escorted Sasha.
"Yes, Sir!" The guard answered, being far less relaxed than he was back at the gate.
"Good, thank you." The soldier simply said, thus dismissing the guard that immediately turned around and left. The soldier looked at Sasha and scrutinised him for a second. "Ready?" He then asked the ginger boy.
"F... for what?" The former servant stuttered with worry and confusion. The soldier simply snickered and looked at Sasha as if he were completely stupid before shaking his head and knocking at the large door in front of him. Immediately after, he opened it, and Sasha nervously followed him inside of the room.
It was, once again, a very large and lavishly decorated room. Sasha scanned the room and spotted the large bookshelves covering the walls and, at the other end, right by the wide windows, a long office desk at which a young blond man eating a toasted baguette sandwich sat.
"Your Majesty." The soldier greeted before bowing. Sasha's blood ran cold when he finally realised whom he was seeing.
"Thank you, Martin." The emperor simply answered with his mouthful. The soldier turned around and left the room, closing the door behind himself. "Please take a seat Sasha, it's Sasha, right?" Hector casually asked while gesturing at the chair in front of his desk before taking another bite of his sandwich.
"Yes, yes Your Majesty." The terrorised Sasha timidly answered before sitting at the desk in front of the young sovereign. Hector looked so much like his younger brother, Sasha thought while discreetly looking at him.
"I've been told you've met my brother Victor." Hector inquired, as if he were able to read the poor Sasha's mind. The emperor scrutinised the ginger boy while eating his sandwich.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I was His Imperial Highness' servant when he stayed in Jerusalem." Sasha replied with a soft tone.
"Detained." Hector retorted. Sasha looked at the young sovereign confusedly, not sure what he meant. "When he was detained in Jerusalem." The emperor rectified with a stern face.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Sasha simply answered, still very much frightened. The ginger boy had been a servant his whole, albeit short, life. He had been in contact with people that considered themselves powerful, important, and that could cause Sasha a lot of trouble. However, whether it was successful politicians, high ranked military officers, or even heads of states back in Judea, compared to Hector, they were nothing, a bunch of nobodies.
"You don't know why you're here, in front of me, do you?" Hector then asked with a somewhat kinder tone. The ginger boy simply shook his head timidly and the emperor chuckled. "You've said a lot of things since you arrived in Corsica, let's say some of them piqued my interest."
"I've told them everything I know, Your Majesty, I swear!" Sasha shyly lamented, desperate that no one seemed to believe or trust him. Hector smiled at the boy and stood up after he finished his sandwich.
"I know." Hector simply answered. "I'm not concerned about you Sasha; I'm concerned about my brother." The young sovereign said as he sat on his desk, right next to the ginger boy. "Sasha, I know a lot of things about my brother's treatment back there, most of them were unknown to the people that interrogated you, especially when it comes to Victor's uh... peculiar relation to General Ciabrini."
"I... I didn't tell them because they didn't ask and uh... I... I didn't want to get His Imperial Highness in trouble." Sasha stuttered, thinking he was in deep trouble himself for occulting part of the reality when interrogated and feeling tears building up.
"Thank you, Sasha, for your discretion, and for your loyalty to my brother." Hector said while he put his hand on the boy's shoulder to reassure him. Sasha looked up and his watery eyes met the young sovereign's gaze. He looked so much like Prince Victor, the ginger boy nodded timidly, and the emperor smiled. "What did it look like when they were not in public, Victor and the General?"
"I... well I think His Imperial Highness likes him but... but he..." The boy tentatively said, unsure what was appropriate and safe to disclose to the emperor.
"But?" Hector encouraged.
"The General, he is a wicked man." The boy eventually had the courage to say with a serious tone. He looked at the emperor who stared at him expectantly and gulped. "I think His Imperial Highness fears him. Most of the time he is behaving normally, but the General can suddenly be very angry, and then he turns into a different man."
"Was he ever violent with Victor?" The young sovereign inquired.
"I don't think he ever hit him, Your Majesty." Sasha answered, making Hector feel somehow relieved. "However, the General takes what he wants, even if it means by force." The boy added with a darker tone.
"You mean he would force himself on Victor?" The young sovereign asked, to which the boy nodded. "And you witnessed it?"
"No, Your Majesty." Sasha timidly confessed.
"How do you know then?" Hector asked softly, not doubting the servant's words but mostly wanting to understand. Sasha suddenly seemed uncomfortable and looked at his feet nervously. Then the emperor frowned and seemed to realise what the boy meant. "Did the General ever force himself on you?" He inquired tentatively. Sasha gulped and nodded without having the force to look up. "Thank you, Sasha." Hector concluded before straightening up and walking around his desk. The emperor pressed a button under his desk and a soldier walked in shortly after.
"Your Majesty." The soldier said before bowing.
"Tell the retention centre to give this boy his personal effects back." Hector told the soldier. "He is free to go, make sure they also give him the necessary permits for him to stay."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The soldier said before taking his leave and walking out.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Sasha said, trying hard to keep his composure even though the relief he suddenly felt overwhelmed him.
"What were your plans when coming to Corsica, Sasha?" The young sovereign inquired.
"I have been a servant all my life, Your Majesty, I thought I could maybe find a position here." Sasha truthfully answered.
"There are no servants in Corsica, Sasha." Hector pointed out with a smile. "But if you wanted, you could work at the Imperial Palace, as a staff." He added.
***
West of Jerash, Victor, Hadrien and the stranger had been walking for days in the Dibbeen forest. The trio had been marching north, but the many rebel patrols had prevented them from making much progress. Victor was the one struggling the most, unlike Hadrien and the stranger, he was not a highly trained soldier that could endure long days with rationed food and water, the prince was exhausted.
Hadrien, on the other hand, was very much lost in his thoughts. The young general was thinking about his future, over and over, and he was in a gloomy mood. He knew that nothing good was awaiting him in Corsica, despite what Victor seemed to believe. The two of them didn't find much time, or energy, to talk since they fled Jerash.
The stranger, however, was just very focused and not in any need to chat anyway. He never cared much for unnecessary blabbers and was simply trying to avoid being spotted by any of the numerous rebel patrols scattered in these woods.
After another long and warm day, the stranger decided to establish camp and Victor took the opportunity to finally sit after another exhausting walk.
"Drink." Hadrien said, handing his own tiny water bottle. Victor pushed Hadrien's back, refusing the water with a timid smile, but the General insisted. "Drink." He repeated.
"Thank you." The prince eventually said with a soft tone before drinking. "I'm looking forward to leaving this forest."
"You'll soon be back in Corsica, Victor." Hadrien tenderly answered. The prince frowned and scrutinised the general's face.
"We, we are soon going to be back in Corsica." Victor corrected.
"If your little friend doesn't kill me first." Hadrien retorted bitterly, nodding his head at the stranger that was preparing camp. "Besides, it's a prison cell that awaits me in Corsica, certainly not a palace." The general pointed out.
"We will find a way, you'll see." Victor said, grabbing Hadrien's hand in his and kissing the palm. The general sighed and looked at the sun setting on the hills in front of him.
"We won't, Victor, and you know that." Hadrien eventually replied.
"Hadrien, my brother..."
"Your brother is the emperor, Victor." Hadrien snapped, cutting the prince off. "He is the head of state, he does not simply do what he wants." The general added, looking at the young prince before closing his eyes. "Victor... I am a general, I know that duty makes decisions for you, even when that's not what you want. Your brother won't have a choice, they won't let him give me a favourable treatment." Hadrien explained with a softer voice. "Let alone see you ever again."
"But... Hadrien, they won't have a choice, I won't let them decide and..."
"I am a traitor, and you are the heir to the crown!" Hadrien exclaimed, interrupting Victor once more. He then shook his head and snorted. "Victor, it's already over for me, there is nothing you can do about it. You have a bright future in front of you, please don't ruin it for a lost cause like mine."
"You can't ask me that Hadrien, not after everything we went through." Victor pleaded with a lump in his throat.
"Yes. Yes, I can Victor, and I am." Hadrien answered before taking the prince's chin in his hand and resting his forehead against the prince's. "Promise me you will not let me ruin your life after we get out of this forest, Victor."
"Hadrien..."
"Promise me." Hadrien repeated with a serious tone. Victor closed his eyes as he felt tears build up.
"I promise." He eventually said after a long silence. "I promise, Hadrien."
"Thank you, Victor." Hadrien softly said. "Let us not be sad now, we will have our whole life for regrets."
"I love you, Hadrien, I really do." Victor murmured.
"I love you too Victor." Hadrien whispered back. "Unfortunately for both of us."
The prince then placed his hand on the general's nape and pressed their lips together.
"General!" The stranger then called. They broke out the kiss and looked at the stranger, standing a little higher and looking back at the two of them disapprovingly. "I need your help to establish our itinerary."
Hadrien sighed and stood up, walking to the stranger. Victor decided to follow them and a few seconds later, they were gathered around a map of the region.
"From where we are, we need to head north until the Sea of Galilee. We will stay in the hills and then follow the eastern banks of the lake up north and then head towards Mount Meron." The stranger started explaining as Hadrien frowned in confusion.
"Why not cross the Jordan River near Beit She'an and head to Haifa from there, surely that would be much faster." Hadrien suggested with a slightly irritated tone.
"Because we are not going to Haifa, we are going to Tyre." The stranger retorted.
"Tyre? Why so far?" The general inquired.
"Because that's where we are expected, General." The stranger calmy announced even though a hint of annoyance could be sensed in his face.
"I see." Hadrien simply answered with a stern face. "Well, the longer the route, the higher the chance for us to get caught and killed. But I'm sure you know what you're doing." He added with a sarcastic tone.
"I do, indeed." The stranger replied. "Now, if you could be kind enough to tell me where you rebels have positioned your garrisons in the area." He asked while focusing his glance back to the map.
After Hadrien and the stranger established the best itinerary to avoid permanent garrisons, the three of them ate silently, Victor still thinking about his conversation with Hadrien, and the stranger took the first half of night watch.
Victor laid next to Hadrien and placed his arm on top of the general's chest, nesting his face in the small of his neck. Hadrien turned his head and kissed the prince's forehead tenderly. Victor gulped and held Hadrien tighter, knowing he had to enjoy it while he still could. Even though the stranger obviously didn't trust Hadrien, he woke him up in the night so he could take over the night watch. Victor had asked to also be included in the night watches, but Hadrien and the stranger both refused, arguing that the prince wasn't trained to detect threats anyway and that it wouldn't be very useful. Of course, they all knew that the truth was that they were worried Victor wouldn't cope as well during the day if he was sleep deprived, and they needed him alert and cooperative enough to limit the chances that this operation failed.
The next day, Hadrien woke Victor and the stranger up at dawn and they quickly got ready to depart. Because of the patrols looking for them, they had to be extra silent. Still, unlike the previous days, Victor and Hadrien would walk next to one another and whisper whenever it was safe to, both trying to fight the melancholy that was often gaining them.
As the day was fading and the strong winds were blowing through the forest, they reached large rock cliffs in which holes had been carved several ages ago. The stranger decided to establish camp at the nearby edge of the forest, close to a little stream. Despite the wind, it was still quite warm and Hadrien quickly got naked and washed himself in the stream.
The prince looked at his lover's naked body with lust and, despite the stranger's presence, quickly decided to join Hadrien. Victor shot a furtive glance at the stranger and got undressed before heading to the stream. The stranger didn't seem to be bothered and kept scrutinising the surroundings as the two lovers were now washing their bodies in the water. Victor and Hadrien smiled at each other, knowing quite well that their nakedness was turning them on.
After Victor emerged his whole body in the water and meticulously washed himself, he walked to the general and wrapped his arms around him before kissing him on the lips. What was initially a simple peck quickly turned into a full make out session. Hadrien wrapped his muscled arms around Victor and him tight. The prince felt his lover's cock growing against his tummy, and he was in turn becoming hard himself. Even though they wanted nothing more than having sex now, it would have been unwise, the stranger wasn't under Hadrien's command, and they both knew he wouldn't have put up with it.
Unwillingly, they broke the embrace and chuckled, witnessing each other's state of horniness betrayed by their hard cocks. They walked out of the stream and sat on a rock next to the stranger for a moment, waiting to dry, which considering the strong winds wouldn't be very long. The stranger then got up and quickly got undressed too. Hadrien was watching him undress with a bit of surprise, but Victor was watching with obvious lust. Indeed, the stranger was a very handsome man.
After he got completely naked, Victor and Hadrien watched his muscled butt walk to the stream where he washed himself. Eventually, what Victor awaited with great impatience happened and the stranger turned around, letting the prince scrutinise his soft cock with great attention. The prince's lust wasn't lost on Hadrien, and even though he felt a pang of jealousy inside of him, he also knew that Victor being a horny teenager wouldn't change the fact that a duty driven soldier, or whatever he was, like the stranger wouldn't indulge the prince's desires.
Victor kept staring at the stranger as he washed himself but, to his disappointment, it was quickly over. The stranger walked back to the two men, his dick bouncing between his thighs, and sat on a rock facing Victor and Hadrien.
"The wind will cover our noises tonight, but it will also cover theirs." The stranger eventually said, still drying buck naked. "We need to be very careful."
"I'll take the first half." Hadrien declared, to which the stranger simply nodded. Victor sighed and looked at the rock cliffs in front of them, it was a truly beautiful place and the prince wished he would have discovered it in better circumstances. He never imagined the hills of Jordan would be so lush and green.
"Where in Corsica are you from, Commander?" Victor eventually inquired. The stranger raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "Come on, what are you even afraid of?" The prince impatiently exclaimed, not understanding why the stranger was being so mysterious now that it was only the three of them in the middle of nowhere.
"I'm from Zonza." The stranger finally answered with an amused smirk.
"Oh, that's not far from the Castle of Quenza." Victor pointed out.
"That's where I've met your brother actually, when His Majesty was still just a prince." The stranger explained. "He was insufferable." He stated with a mischievous smile as Victor raised his eyebrow with surprise. "I had never witnessed such arrogance and entitlement before." The stranger concluded.
"I guess it runs in the family." Hadrien playfully commented, looking at Victor who shot him an offended glare.
"I think the feeling was mutual with Prince Hector, so when we ended up at the Academy together, I was a bit apprehensive." The stranger continued. "He made it crystal clear from the start that his feelings for me had not really changed, and we ended up avoiding each other at all costs. I don't know if it was the reason why the Academy paired us for ground training, but I think it was since this kind of rivalry between brothers in arms was prohibited." He remembered with a hint of nostalgia. "Anyway, I've always been a mountain boy. I grew up in Zonza and spent my time hiking and exploring the Bavella mountains, but most of the training we had been assigned to included coastal and maritime skills. I was really struggling, but way too proud to admit it. Your brother though, well..." The stranger said while shaking his head and snorting. "He was a fucking mermaid, always knew what to do, didn't even break a sweat."
"Hector always loved sailing; it was his favourite thing." Victor pointed out with a nostalgic smile.
"Well, I can tell he was enjoying seeing me struggle, and I think he was purposely pushing us even harder to get the satisfaction of making me beg to take it easy." The stranger told with a chuckle. "I was not going to give him this pleasure though, so I simply endured and kept going, until I couldn't take it anymore, and my body just gave up." He said as both Hadrien and Victor carefully listened. "I fell from the cliff and ended up caught in the waves crashing on the rocks below."
"Oh, wow!" The prince said, obviously invested in the story.
"Yeah... I honestly thought this was going to be the end for me." The stranger said with a sigh. "Hector plunged in the water and swam us out of there, he carried me for almost half an hour as my muscles had just given up, until we finally reached a sand beach. That was the first time I saw him struggling during this training, actually." He explained. "I expected him to taunt me, to make me feel like shit, or at least to see the satisfaction in his eyes, but that's not what happened. Your brother was obviously feeling guilty, even if he didn't say so. Our rivalry ended at that moment, and our friendship began. We completed the training together, partnering and discussing to find solutions, using each other's strengths and taking our weaknesses into account, teaching each other techniques and skills." The stranger told Victor. He then turned to Hadrien, and his face darkened a little. "The most important thing I learned during this training was that ambition, authority and skill will never take you as far as loyalty, respect and cooperation." He said, looking the general in the eye with defiance. "Alone, we go faster. Together, we go further." The stranger concluded, turning to look at the prince.
"Hector never told me that story." Victor said, still lost in his thoughts.
"He never told it to anyone actually, we didn't mention it in our reports either." The stranger answered, stranding up and picking his clothes to get dressed now that he was dry. Victor took this opportunity to give one last good look at the naked commander, and especially at his flaccid, yet rather large, cock. The prince was not hard anymore, but due to Hadrien being naked next to him, as well as his own nakedness, he was still not fully soft.
Hadrien followed the stranger's example and picked his clothes to get dressed and, with a hint of disappointment, the prince followed. The three of them ate and talked together as if they were friends for a little while before sleeping, and looking at them you could easily mistake them for a group of friends hiking in the mountains, and not fugitives tracked by patrols of soldiers.
Victor and the commander set up to sleep as Hadrien was taking the first half of night-watch, but despite the long walk the prince really wasn't sleepy. He tried to focus and empty his mind, but it didn't work and, finally, after a while, he gave up. The stranger was soundly sleeping next to him, lulled by the wind howling in the trees, which was understandable considering he only slept a few hours every night ever since they fled Jerash.
Victor straightened up and looked behind him, Hadrien was peacefully observing his surroundings, lost in his thoughts and fighting tiredness. The prince got up and slowly walked to his lover, sneaking behind him. He then jumped on his lover's back and the startled general jumped with surprise, his heart skipping a beat.
"Damn, Victor!" Hadrien lamented, his heart still beating fast. The prince chuckled and sat next to him.
"Well, if I had been a rebel, you'd be dead." The prince playfully teased. Hadrien smiled and looked at the prince mischievously. "I can't sleep." He then stated before snuggling against the general who opened his arms to embrace the prince. Hadrien kissed the prince's blond curls and sighed. Victor browsed his lover's chest with his hands and kissed his neck tenderly.
Their tender gestures towards one another however quickly took a different turn. Perhaps because Victor was a constantly horned up teenager, perhaps because they were still frustrated from their little foreplay while they washed in the stream, perhaps because of the accumulated lack of intimacy, and certainly due to a combination of all that, the two lovers were soon getting hard and turned on.
"Victor... I need to keep an eye on our surroundings." Hadrien tried to reason with little energy.
"Just keep looking then." The prince cheekily answered, kneeling in front of the general. Victor then unbuttoned his lover's trousers and with lustful hungry eyes massaged Hadrien's cock through his underwear before lowering them in a swift move. The general's hardening cock sprang free and bounced up and down, twitching in excitement. Victor then peeled the foreskin off slowly and opened his mouth before engulfing his lover's manhood.
Hadrien closed his eyes for a few seconds and sighed. Damn, the boy was good, he thought. Victor's faint gagging and choking could be heard, but thanks to the wind it was not loud enough to wake the stranger up. No doubt the commander would have lectured Hadrien for lowering his guard, only too happy to have an occasion to make sure the general was reminded of his fallen condition.
Victor was bobbing up and down on Hadrien's large cock while his hand gently kneaded his heavy balls. The prince was on cloud nine, despite the dire situation they were in, his hormones kept him constantly horny during these days they had spent on the run. The prince got his own cock out of his trousers and started jerking off as he looked up at his lover, who was still closing his eyes in blissful pleasure.
Suddenly, Hadrien grabbed Victor under his armpits and made him stand up, he manhandled the prince until he was facing a tree and bent him there. Victor knew what was coming and his heart was beating fast with excitement. The general presented the tip of his dick at the prince's hole and slowly pushed in, triggering a moan of pleasure from the boy.
"Fuck, I missed this!" Hadrien exclaimed.
***
Hector III was galloping fast in his estate of Quenza. The young emperor had been spending the day hunting boars who proliferated in these mountains and was on his way back to the castle. The sovereign's shotgun was bouncing up and down on his back as the horse was fast approaching the imperial residence. Unlike his brother Victor, Hector always had been fond of hunting, it was a very efficient way for him to blow off some steam, and God knows he needed it.
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is here to see you" A valet announced to the emperor as he arrived near the stables.
"I'll join her in the private lounge." Hector said before hopping off his horse.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The valet answered before rushing back to the castle. The sovereign walked his horse into the stable and handed the reins to the squire boy.
"Your Majesty." The head of government greeted before curtseying the sovereign as he walked in the lounge.
"Prime Minister." Hector greeted back. "Do sit." He added, gesturing at the sofa in front of him before sitting in his armchair.
"Your Majesty, I came here today because I received important news from our agents in the Middle East concerning the Rebel's headquarters in Jerash." The Prime Minister declared as the sovereign looked back at her expectantly. "It appears that, about a week ago, His Imperial Highness Prince Victor managed to escape the rebellion's headquarters where he was detained."
"What?" The sovereign exclaimed with a mixt of shock and warry.
"Furthermore, His Imperial Highness' attempt to escape was successful due to the help of an agent from the outside of the headquarters." The head of the government detailed. "Later on, the escape party encountered a rebel patrol, and the surviving soldiers were able to identify that His Imperial Highness was accompanied by what was most likely a trained Corsican soldier, as well as General Hadrien Ciabrini himself." She concluded. Hector was very confused and kept staring at the Prime Minister with an abashed expression.
"That's absurd, why would General Ciabrini flee his own headquarters?" The sovereign eventually questioned.
"This part of the story is still somewhat incoherent to our sources, but our guess is that General Ciabrini's officers turned against him and that he seized the occasion of His Imperial Highness' escape to bandwagon." The head of the government replied. "Your Majesty, the government has questioned the general staff to understand why a Corsican trained soldier would organise His Imperial Highness's escape and we came to the conclusion that he was unlikely acting alone." The Prime Minister said while looking the sovereign in the eye. "Is it possible that you have something to do with it?" She then questioned.
"I'm not sure how it is the government's place to question the sovereign on matters of the State." The emperor answered, leaving no doubt in the Prime Minister's mind as to what his actual involvement was.
"Your Majesty, this was a very reckless and risky operation to make!" The head of government protested with an offended tone. "We are on the same side, and had I been informed of this ongoing operation I certainly would have discouraged you from engaging in such..."
"Prime Minister, you are a brilliant politician." The sovereign interrupted with a stern tone. "You have manoeuvred this country outside of a very difficult situation, you have restored imperial order and you have strengthened our position and control over the Mediterranean. You are indeed a brilliant woman." Hector said, his gaze never leaving the one of the Prime Minister. "However, despite my young age and inexperience, I am very aware of how a war must be won. I must thank you for putting sentimentality aside and putting Corsicans interests first, making cold calculations and taking measured risks. I know that you would rather have Victor in the hands of the rebellion in order to push them to feel like they have something to bargain, to encourage them to negotiate and thus avoid the costly military deployment we are about to undertake in Egypt before launching our assault on Judea and Jordan and crush the rebellion once and for all." He continued with a serious tone. "But Victor is nothing to you, I am a young healthy young man and he's just a spare to a crown that has plenty of heirs anyway. If he were to die at the hand of the rebellion as an act of desperation and panic, or as a result of their internal confusion and power-play, you wouldn't shed a tear."
"Your Majesty, I would never..." The Prime Minister exclaimed with a deeply shocked tone.
"I don't need you to care for Victor, Prime Minister. I'm expecting the head of government to make rational decisions, even when they seem cold-hearted, even when they make collateral damages." The sovereign interrupted. "Still, he is my brother, I care, and since I am head of state, commander in chief of our armed forces and head of the imperial household, the decision was mine to take."
"May I ask what instructions His Majesty gave, at least?" The Prime Minister asked, still a bit disgruntled to have been blindsided by the monarch.
"You may not." The sovereign declined with a polite smile. The Prime Minister was taken aback by the emperor's self-confidence, but she had noticed that whenever the subject of Prince Victor was on the table, the sovereign was very unwilling to make concessions, especially since he had not been fooled by the government's strategy concerning the prince's captivity. "Who's the head of the rebellion now?" The emperor eventually asked.
"The Earl of Ulmetu." The head of government answered as the sovereign shook his head and snorted in disbelief.
"Well, that certainly confirms that it was more than time for Victor to take his leave from them." The emperor concluded with a stern face. "Is there anything we can do to divert the rebels from their search for my brother?"
"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty." The head of government said. "We are going to land in Port-Saïd in about a week now, but the last thing we want is for the rebellion to be aware of that." She concluded. The sovereign sighed and nodded.
"I see." Hector eventually replied. "Well, let's keep them in our prayers then."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
***
Hadrien, Victor, and the commander had been silently walking in a tense atmosphere since dawn. Crossing this plain was certainly going to save them a lot of time, but the open terrain with sparse vegetation made it incredibly dangerous. Hadrien had been advising against it, and it led to a passionate argument between the general and the commander, but the commander made clear that he was the one making the final decision.
Victor was tired, and hungry. Unlike his two walking companions, the boy was too exhausted to be really careful of his surroundings and was silently dragging his feet, dreaming of their next break. Suddenly, the commander surged behind the prince and wrapped his arm around the boy before pressing him against his back and placing a hand over his mouth. The prince shot a panicked glance at the commander, and he momentarily unwrapped his arm from around his tummy to gesture the prince to keep silent before pointing at a spot a few metres from them.
The prince didn't see anything for a few seconds until, finally, a rebel soldier walked in his field of view. The boy's heart skipped a beat, and he watched as the rebel nonchalantly got a cigarette out of his pack and lit it. The prince was tense beyond measure and, frankly, a little panicked. The commander didn't lose his cool though, and after what felt like an eternity but was really just the time for the rebel soldier to finish smoking his cigarette, he walked on.
In a religious silence, the three walking companions snuck out of the area and hurried. When they were far enough, the commander put a hand on the prince's shoulder and gently pulled him close.
"Your Highness, this soldier certainly didn't come here alone." The commander murmured with a soft voice. "I know you are exhausted, but I beg you to be very careful and attentive to your surroundings until we reach the ruins of the fortress of Aljun, ok?"
"Yes, Commander." The prince whispered back, a little ashamed of himself.
For the rest of the day, luckily enough the three companions didn't find a single rebel soldier on their path. When they reached the ruins of the fortress of Aljun, they were all exhausted from their day walking in the plains, without much shade to protect them from either the burning sun or the patrolling rebels. Despite his state of tiredness, the prince was still very intrigued by the fortress. From there, you had a very clear point of view of the whole region, from the ruins of long-abandoned city of Aljun itself to the hills surrounding it, and even the opening that led to the Jordan River.
Hadrien walked behind the prince and wrapped his arms around him, kissing his neck tenderly and resting his chin on the prince's shoulder. Then, the commander joined them and leaned on the low brick wall before sighing. The three of them stayed in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the fading daylight bathing the landscape.
"Your Highness we..."
"Please call me Victor, Commander." The prince responded with a soft voice. The commander looked back at the prince with a surprised expression. "I would rather keep the protocolary titles for more formal occasions, if you don't mind. Besides, I've heard you calling my brother `Hector'." The prince smirked. The commander raised his eyebrow and seemed to think about it before slightly nodding.
"Victor, we have been walking very, very slow so far, because our priority was to avoid being detected, as well as confuse the rebels as to our position." The commander said. "We've barely walked 40 km in a week, but that's over. Tomorrow, we will walk 40km, in a single day." He added to the prince's aggrieved expression.
"It will be okay Victor." Hadrien whispered in his ear, holding the prince tight.
"We should reach the Sea of Galilee in two days." The commander announced. "Get a good night's sleep tonight."
These two days passed quite fast for the three companions. Victor was exhausted and slept like a rock during the night but walked without complaining too much during the day. They didn't spot a single rebel patrol on their way to the Sea of Galilee, and both Hadrien and the commander took it as a very positive sign.
Three days after leaving the fortress of Ajun, they reached Ramot. Ramot was a little city by the lake banks, at the entrance of the Golan Heights. They established camp by the lake banks, in a very remote place where it was unlikely anyone would see them.
The three of them waited for nightfall before getting naked and going skinny dipping in the lake. The temperatures were still quite high, as the summer was fast approaching, and they enjoyed the fresh water on their skin. They plunged their clothes in the water, to wash the accumulated sweat from them, and discretely bathed. Victor still had his gaze set upon Hadrien and the commander's naked body, but due to darkness of the night, he wasn't able to distinguish much.
Hadrien would take the first half of night-watch, and the commander the second. This, of course, gave Victor some ideas. Not only was the prince very horny, but he was also very aware that they would soon be in Tyre, and that Hadrien would most likely be put to arrest on their way to Corsica, and that he would maybe not see him ever again. It filled the boy with dread and melancholy, but they had sworn to each other that they would keep regrets for later and make the most of the time they still had together.
Deep down, Victor still had some hope he would manage to convince his brother to find a solution that, if not ideal, would be more bearable for the both of them.
Victor waited for the commander to fall asleep, which wasn't long at all, and discreetly walked to Hadrien. The general smiled when he noticed the prince approach him, and soon Victor started making out with his partner. Hadrien was still feeling a little guilty to let his guard down, but considering they hadn't spotted a single rebel patrol for days, and that they were more than 100km away from Jerash, he guessed that it wouldn't be such a big deal.
Hadrien grabbed Victor by the waist and flipped him on his back, lying in the sand, before towering him and aggressively kissing his neck and jawline. Hadrien then hooked the prince's shirt and pulled to take it off as he kissed his lover's tummy. He then grabbed Victor's waistband and got rid of both his underwear and trousers at the same time, being presented with the boy's hard cock pointing straight at him. Hadrien dropped a kiss on the prince's dick before lifting his legs up in the air and getting his face closer to the boy's ass.
The general plunged his tongue in the prince's hole and started rimming him. Victor didn't have the wind to cover for his moans this time, so he had to focus hard to avoid being too loud, but he was on cloud nine. Hadrien skilfully tongue-fucked the boy, coating his hole with saliva and preparing it for what was to come.
Hadrien then straightened up and lowered his own trousers, letting his hard cock freely bounce and twitch. He got closer to the prince and aimed his rock-hard cock at the expecting hole. As he pushed in, he parted his mouth and pried his lover's mouth open, twirling and playfully rolling his tongue around Victor's. The two lovers tried to be as discreet as possible, suppressing their moans and grunts as much as possible and leaving the sole sound of Hadrien's heavy balls slapping against the prince's ass, but the commander eventually woke up.
At first the commander was wondering what was happening, but when he realised the prince and Hadrien were having sex, he rolled his eyes and straightened up. Someone had to keep an eye open for potential intruders, and since the general was too busy fucking the prince like a madman, the commander took a spot a little further and started watching out.
Hadrien and Victor's orgasm were fast approaching, as the general hands firmly gripped the boy's hips and slammed his cock inside of him at a fast pace. Eventually, in an ultimate powerful thrust, Hadrien's balls twitched, and the general sighed of pleasure while passionately kissing his lover. Victor pushed the general's torso, forcing him to straighten up, and gripped his own rock-hard cock, only tugging a few times before a torrent of cum sprang from his piss slip.
It was only after several long seconds that they noticed that the commander wasn't sleeping at his usual spot any longer. Panic seized them until they finally noticed him, keeping watch a few metres higher. The commander eventually saw them, shameful and naked, and shook his head disapprovingly. He stood up and walked to the two lovers.
"I would rather you let me know next time I need to step in to replace you, general." The commander said calmly but firmly. "If the two of you can't keep it in your pants, then at least don't get us killed for it."
"Apologies Commander, it was my fault." The prince shamefully said.
"Let's go back to sleep now, we have a long day ahead tomorrow."
The next day, at dawn, they headed in the direction of Mount Meron. The day was rather uneventful, and they had just arrived around the city of Safed and were about to pick somewhere to establish camp for the night when suddenly, a group of 10 rebel soldiers spotted them.
First, there was confusion, but quickly, one soldier grabbed his rifle and shot. He missed, and both Hadrien and the commander were quick to grab their own guns. The prince jumped onto the ground to avoid being caught in the shooting range, while Hadrien and the commander kept shooting. The shooting didn't last very long, but it felt like an eternity for the three of them.
When the guns eventually fell silent, the 10 soldiers of the rebellion laid dead. Hadrien and the commander were panting, as the prince still felt dizzy with nervousness, still lying on the ground on his stomach.
"General, your shoulder..." The commander eventually said. Victor and Hadrien both turned their heads to look as a large spot of blood was forming on Hadrien's shoulder. With the adrenaline, he had not even felt when the bullet passed through his shoulder. The general touched his shoulder and glanced at his blood-covered hand.
"That's okay, it's just my shoulder." Hadrien eventually said rather nonchalantly, as Victor's anxiousness skyrocketed.
"Let's get out of here quickly, the gunshot will have been heard hundreds of metres away." The commander exclaimed. "We'll patch your injury tonight."
Hadrien offered his good arm to the prince, helping him get up even though his legs felt like rubber now.
"Hadrien..." The prince weakly lamented, looking at his lover's wounded shoulder with warry.
"It's okay Victor, it's nothing." Hadrien brushed off with a faint smile. "Come on, there isn't a second to lose."
The three companions hurriedly fled the shooting scene and headed directly towards Mount Meron. They walked for at least two hours at a fast pace before deciding to settle camp. The commander was nervous, the rebellion now knew more or less where they were and if they weren't too stupid, they would also be able to find out where they were heading. They didn't have a choice though, their escape plan needed to go through Tyre, it was the only viable option.
The commander took the first half of night watch, and Victor helped Hadrien patch his wound. They didn't have much with them and therefore used one of Hadrien's shirt as bandage. It would do for now, they thought. Tyre was not very far after all, and they would get everything they needed from there.
Victor was still very much upset about the shooting, and so he cuddled against Hadrien and nested his head on his muscled torso, listening to his lover's heartbeat to tranquilise himself. Unlike what was planned, the commander didn't wake Hadrien up for his watch. First, he was far too paranoid about the rebels' patrols to actually sleep, and he considered the general most likely needed a proper night sleep after being shot in the shoulder.
When they woke up the next day, Hadrien was feeling quite feverous. They needed to move fast though, even more after the previous day's incident, and they left at dawn. The forest surrounding Mount Meron were thankfully dense enough to provide good cover and the three of them progressed rapidly when, three hours after leaving camp, Hadrien collapsed.
"Hadrien? Hadrien what's going on?" Victor worriedly asked, rushing to the general. "Oh my God, he is boiling hot!" The prince lamented as the commander kneeled next to Hadrien.
"Fuck..." The commander mumbled as the prince shot him an anxious glance. "I think he needs antibiotics; he has sepsis."
"Sepsis?" The prince asked, frowning.
"An infection, most likely because of the fact that we had nothing to clean the wound properly." The commander said with a serious tone.
"How serious is it?" Victor asked. "What can we do without antibiotics?" He added. The commander looked at the prince with a sorry expression and Victor knew straight away. "Commander, I need you to find antibiotics as fast as you can."
"Victor, we can't, the rebels are looking for us, they know where we are and..."
"Commander, this was not a question. I am a prince of imperial blood, and I command that you go and fetch antibiotics." Victor ordered with a stern tone. The commander looked at the prince pleadingly, knowing deep down that the boy wouldn't change his mind. He wasn't willing to leave Hadrien in Jerash, he wouldn't be willing to leave him now. The prince was indeed entitled to give command to him, and he knew he wasn't allowed to refuse, even if it was madness.
"Fine, I'll help you carry him somewhere safer first." The commander eventually exclaimed with an irritated tone.
After leaving the prince and the still unconscious general somewhere safer. The commander walked away. It was the middle of the afternoon and he hoped to enjoy the night cover once he arrived in a nearby city to steal medication.
Victor was anxious, he was lying next to the general and holding him tight, his head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Sometime during the evening, Hadrien eventually woke up. His temperature was still very hot, and the general was confused.
"Hadrien, I'm here." Victor murmured softly, taking the general's hand in his.
"Victor." He simply answered before gulping. His breathing was fast and erratic. "Where are we?" Hadrien asked with a soft low voice.
"Somewhere safe, the commander will soon be back with antibiotics." Victor answered with a fainthearted smile.
"It looks like it's the end for real this time." Hadrien murmured.
"No, Hadrien don't say that!" The prince weakly protested, dropping a kiss on the general's hand.
"Victor, you remember what we said, you must not look back, you must not let me ruin your life once we leave this forest." Hadrien muttered as the prince was slowly feeling tears build up.
"The commander will be back with the medication, he will..."
"Victor, you promised." Hadrien repeated, using a lot of his remaining energy to say what he had to say. "I don't want you to look back, I don't want you to be unhappy because of me any longer."
"Yes, I promised." Victor answered with a wavy voice. "But we are getting out of this forest."
"Baby, listen to me." Hadrien said, his voice weakening. "I cannot say I have no regrets, but meeting you is not one of them. Thank you, for everything."
"Hadrien... don't do that. Don't leave me." The prince pleaded, begging with a soft tone. "Please don't leave me." He supplicated as tears poured down his cheeks.
"I love you, Victor." Hadrien whispered as the prince lowered his face on his lover's torso, crying. The prince didn't want to let go, holding the general's feverish body against his, his warmth radiating through his skin. Victor squeezed Hadrien's hand in his, but the general didn't squeeze it back.
"Hadrien..." The prince called in a desperate murmur, but Hadrien didn't answer. He closed his eyes, refusing to admit it, as his lover's body temperature slowly lowered. Victor was incapable of grasping the cruel concept that he would never hear Hadrien's voice again, that he would never feel his arms hugging him back. He was alone now, and Victor cried himself to sleep holding Hadrien's body close to his, whimpering.
When the commander finally came back, as the first lights of dawn peeked through the sky, the prince was sleeping snuggled against Hadrien's corpse.
The commander gently put his hand on Victor's shoulder, waking the prince up. Victor straightened up with puffy eyes, feeling like waking up in a bad dream, catching the sight of Hadrien's lifeless body next to his. He quickly looked away, deeply distraught.
"I am very sorry, Victor." The commander eventually said with a soft tone.
"You never cared about him; you don't need to pretend." Victor retorted, his distress way more distinguishable than his irritation.
"I care about you, and you cared about him." The commander replied with a tender tone. Victor couldn't help but to burst into tears, holding his face in his hand as tears ran down his cheeks. The commander held the boy close for a while, feeling a wave of sadness wash through his own self. "Can you help me bury him?" The prince eventually asked with a shaky voice.
"Of course, Victor." The commander answered.
In silence, they carried Hadrien's body to a clearing in the forest and dug for about an hour before gently disposing of the general in his resting place. Victor stayed several long minutes next to Hadrien's grave and then placed rocks around, to mark the tomb.
Eventually, Victor and the commander walked out and headed to Tyre. During the two days that it took them to reach the city, they exchanged very few words. The commander didn't know what to say, as his military skills were of no use to mend a shattered heart. As they approached the city of Tyre, Hadrien's words were very much in the prince's mind. He promised not to look back, he promised not to let Hadrien make him unhappy.
Even though the rebels lifted the siege of Tyre, they still maintained a blockade of the city, and therefore the commander and Victor had to be ingenuous and discreet to enter the city. They eventually managed, though, and they were able to embark into a small commercial ship to Cyprus.
Once they arrived at the port of Larnaca, they embarked into a small ship that took them off the coast of Cyprus, where a large imperial destroyer awaited them. When the prince embarked the H.M.S Prince Victor, he was taken to a luxurious cabin to wash and change into his flamboyant imperial uniform. He then headed to the deck where a guard of honour welcomed him and, at the end a tall woman in navy uniform awaited her.
"Welcome, Your Imperial Highness!" Admiral Fathia Ben Adjaoui greeted with a wide smile, offering her hand to shake.
"Thank you, Admiral." The prince answered, shaking her hand and politely smiling back.
"We shall reach Corsica in three days, Your Highness." The Admiral announced. "In the meantime, make yourself comfortable."
Two days later, Victor was on the deck, lost in his thoughts, when the commander suddenly leaned on the guardrail next to him.
"We will land in Corsica tomorrow in the morning." The commander announced, looking at the prince. Victor looked back at him and smiled timidly. "I suppose I could tell you my name now, Victor."
"I thought this moment would never come." Victor cheekily answered with a chuckle. The commander laughed and looked at the fading daylights on the horizon.
"My name is Auguste De Beauvoir. Commander in the Imperial Army's special forces." He announced.
"Nice to meet you, Auguste." Victor replied, offering his hand. "And thank you, for all that you've done for me, you saved my life." He added with a softer tone.
"I did my duty, to the crown, to the empire, and most importantly to Hector." Auguste told the prince. "I am very sorry about everything you had to endure, both at the hands of the rebellion and... and during our escape." He added as Victor shot him a fainthearted smile before squeezing his shoulder tenderly.
"Present Arms!" The imperial officer shouted, triggering the rows of soldiers on the docks to coordinatingly put themselves into position. As the H.M.S Prince Victor slowly sailed the gulf of Porto-Vecchio, the crowd gathered in large number in the streets, cheering and waving the imperial flag. A large black car with an escort drove to the docks and stopped right where the red carpet had been installed. The Prime Minister got out of the car and took position at the end of the red carpet.
Slowly, the H.M.S Prince Victor docked, and the side door eventually adjusted to where the red carpet had been placed. The crowd excitedly cheered as the door opened and when His Imperial Highness Prince Victor exited the destroyer, they acclaimed him, shouting his name and waving their flags. The soldiers formed a guard of honour, and a volley of fire was shot from the port's canons.
"Your Imperial Highness." The Prime Minister greeted with a wide smile, almost shouting to be heard above the cheering crowd. "Welcome back!"
"Thank you, Prime Minister." Victor replied before shaking her hand and turning to face the photographers so they could get a good picture. The prince then turned to the crowd and waved at them with a bright smile. It was all faked, of course, even though Victor was deeply moved by his popularity with the public. He never had liked public appearances as they made him very nervous. This day was no exception, especially after more than a year without any similar experiences.
Victor then hopped in the car next to the Prime Minister and they drove through the capital, waving at the crowd gathered on their way to the Imperial palace from their seats. Victor was feeling excited to be back in Corsica, his homeland, after so long, and he felt a little emotional.
Eventually, the car passed the Imperial Palace's gate and parked by the main doors. As he hurried up the grand marble staircase and by the columned corridors, his impatience grew.
Finally, the prince reached that famous door and the guard knocked before walking in.
"Your Majesty." The guard said before bowing. "His Imperial Highness Prince Victor." He announced before walking out and closing the door.
Victor, who had been able to keep his composure until that moment, had now tears building up in his eyes and practically ran to his brother before jumping in his arms.
"Hector!" He whimpered, locking the sovereign in his arms.
"Thank God." Hector was able to whisper after a while, holding his brother tight against him. "Thank God." He repeated before breaking the embrace and dropping several kisses on the prince's wet cheeks. Victor's eyes were puffy and red, and he couldn't contain his emotion, but he was smiling while he looked at his brother. "You scared the shit out of me!" The emperor exclaimed, triggering a laughter from his baby brother. "Let's eat something and then head to Quenza, ok?"
"Yes, I'm starving actually!" Victor replied with a chuckle, drying the tears from his cheeks with the back of his sleeve. The two brothers collapsed on the sofas facing each other. Hector then pressed a button and the guard walked in again.
"We are going to have breakfast here." The emperor announced to the guard. "We then will head back to Quenza Castle together."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard answered before bowing and walking out.
"I have so much to tell you." Victor eventually said with a soft and tender tone. His brother looked back at him and smiled.
"I want to know everything, but let's save it for Quenza." The sovereign answered. "You're tanned now." He then pointed out with a chuckle.
"Well, I walked for two weeks under the sun in the middle east." Victor laughed right before the door opened and two valets walked in with trays of food. "Sasha?" The prince exclaimed with utter surprise.
"Your Highness!" Sasha said with a mixt of confusion and excitement. The prince then stood up and grabbed the ginger boy's shoulder before broadly smiling.
"You're here!" Victor pointed out the obvious, triggering a laugh from his brother as the second valet walked out of the room, confused.
"Sasha arrived in Corsica several weeks ago." Hector said to his brother. "I offered him to work here, I wanted to move him to your staff, if you agreed."
"Of course I agree!" Victor exclaimed enthusiastically. "It's so nice to see you." He then said to Sasha who genuinely smiled at the prince before taking his leave and walking out.
After having breakfast together, chatting and laughing, the two brothers left the palace and headed to the mountains in their car. They arrived at Quenza Castle around noon and Victor was immediately very happy to be there. He had always loved that place so much. He walked inside of the Castle, remembering all the good memories he had there, when his brother patted him on the back and gestured to him to follow.
The sovereign headed upstairs and knocked at the library's door before walking in. Victor thought it was odd to knock but followed his brother inside. Inside of the library, sat around a round table, were an old man and a little boy. When the little boy caught the sight of Hector, he jumped out of his chair and ran to hug him.
"Hello little buddy!" The emperor exclaimed. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor."
"Your Majesty." The teacher greeted, quickly standing up before bowing. "Your Imperial Highness." He then greeted, turning to Victor. The little boy then turned to Victor too and the two of them looked at each other with equal confusion and curiosity.
"Maël, this is my baby brother, Victor." Hector told the little boy, crouching to be on his level.
"But... that's not a baby!" The little boy answered timidly. Hector laughed and shook his head.
"Well, you're right." He conceded. "But to me he will always be my baby brother anyway." Hector added tenderly.
"Hello Maël." Victor said, looking at the little boy with a smile.
"Hello Victor." Maël answered shyly.
"I'll leave you with your professor, behave." The sovereign chuckled before ruffling the little boy's hair and walking out with Victor.
The two brothers then headed to the stables and hopped on their horses before galloping away from the castle, towards the forest surrounding the mountains. Victor had always loved horses, and he felt truly back home as he felt the horses' powerful muscles taking him to the mountains. They stopped by a stream and got off the horse, tying their reins to a large tree.
"Hector, I have a favour to ask you." Victor then said with a serious tone. The emperor turned to his brother and scrutinised him, encouraging him to go on. "I would like Hadrien's body to be recovered from Mount Meron and brought back here, in Quenza."
"Victor..." Hector said with a soft tone before putting his hand on his shoulder. "Victor, he was your captor, and a rebel. He used you for political gain and treated you horribly." He continued looking at his brother with a compassionate expression.
"I know, Hector." The prince answered, looking back at his brother pleadingly. "But I loved him."
"Oh, Victor..." The emperor whispered before taking his younger brother in his arms.
"I am not asking that for Hadrien's sake, but for mine." Victor explained, wrapping his arms around his brother's back. "I need it, to find peace. I can't stand the idea that he's there, all alone." The prince added with a wavy voice. Victor then started crying in his brother's arms and they hugged for several long minutes. When they broke the embrace, the prince noticed that his brother had cried too.
"Ok, I will bring him back here." The sovereign accepted before using his thumb to wipe his brother's tears from his cheeks.
"I want to be the one to pay for his shrine." Victor added, to which the emperor simply nodded his agreement.
***
"That's here." Auguste De Beauvoir exclaimed to the imperial soldiers, pointing at the rocks disposed around Hadrien Ciabrini's tomb. The soldiers grabbed the shelves from their truck and started digging.
It had been several weeks since the Rebellion was swept away by the Imperial Army. If it hadn't been for the massive troop landing, the rebels would have ended up killing each other anyway. The Imperial flag had replaced the rebel's one on the Arc of Hadrian in Jerash, and the whole region was now back under Corsican rule, including Judea which had been conquered by General Hadrien Ciabrini.
The Earl of Ulmetu was sent straight to prison in Corsica and ended up stripped of all his titles and possessions, as most of the high ranked rebels were. Lieutenant Paul Timond was pardoned, at the special request of the emperor Hector III, and the Prime Minister started her plan of national reconciliation.
The soldiers gently placed Hadrien Ciabrini's body in a wooden coffin under Auguste's supervision and put the coffin at the back of the truck before securing it with ropes. The soldiers then jumped back on the truck and headed to the city of Acre where the coffin was loaded into an Imperial Navy's ship.
***
Victor was galloping on his horse in his estate of the Quenza Castle. The young prince then stopped by a small white marble round monument, tied his horse's reins to one of the marble columns and walked inside. The prince sat on the floor cross legged and sighed. In front of him, a pink granite tomb on which a plaque read:
"Hadrien Ciabrini, 2060-2088.
-Filius Patriae"