The Case of the Commandery Princess and the Prime Minister’s Narrow Escape
Chapter 22
Please note: this story is an MM romance. This chapter contains NSFW content midway, including a sexual encounter between Raith and Azula. If this makes you uncomfortable, do not read it. For everyone else, enjoy!
The scent of roasted meat filled the night, mingling with herbs and spices that whetted the appetite. Laughter and lively music filled the courtyard. Raithion sipped the mild wine that had gotten Azula drunk the evening before. His gaze rested on Azula, who danced in the open space with Yulin and a small girl, laughing as they held hands and skipped to the string-and-drum music played by the musicians seated beneath a small tent.
Raithion smiled, unable to contain the warmth spreading through his chest. He had spent the past two hours showing Azula his woodworking shop, watching with quiet pride as Azula admired each piece of furniture and exclaimed over the craftsmanship. When Azula declared that he intended to commission a set for his bedroom, pleasure struck Raithion with startling force.
Azula’s enthusiasm felt genuine, untouched by courtesy or obligation, and Raithion had found himself wanting to show him everything. He had dragged Azula to the stables next, eager to introduce him to his prized horses and see that same wonder brighten his face again. Azula had even wanted to ride, but the evening feast was nearly upon them, and they both needed time to prepare. So Raithion had promised to take him in the morning.
Azula had become more approachable over the past two days. The high walls he had kept up on the island, and after arriving in Lyria, were slowly melting away. Well, not all the way down, but their height had diminished. After all, the weight of Azula’s task remained. It was visible in his eyes whenever he touched the smooth carnelian stone resting against his collarbone, and in his hair, now gathered into a tight ponytail with a gold clasp, the strawberry blonde strands falling down his back in a beautiful cascade.
Raithion wanted to touch it and feel its silken softness once again, as he had the night before, while Azula slept.
This evening, Azula had changed into a dark green tunic with long sleeves and gold embroidery along its hems and collar. He wore black trousers and handsome black boots. He looked carefree as he danced with Yulin in the balmy evening while the courtyard filled with cheerful music, laughter, and the appetizing scent of roasting meat.
The legion officers who traveled with Raithion and Haedor had planned a feast in the back courtyard behind the manor. Wives and children soon joined Azula in the open space, dancing and clapping with excitement.
There was no particular reason for the celebration, only the desire to gather after spending several days together. Food was passed around on plates while some of the men rested on long lounge chairs arranged along the edge of the open courtyard, talking, eating, drinking their fill, and teasing one another.
“You stare at him as though he’ll disappear the next minute,” Haedor said from his position on the long couch beside Raithion.
Haedor arranged the pillows behind his back, allowing himself to sit comfortably as he sipped wine from his goblet. He wore a simple gray tunic and dark trousers, with sandals on his feet. Haedor looked as relaxed as he ever allowed himself to become.
“I suppose I still can’t believe he’s willing to be here and mingle among us,” Raithion said.
Azula was the only member of the Sura Clan in the clearing. His guards preferred to spend their time in the lounge inside the main house or visit their families in the Sura village. One guard followed Azula discreetly, but he did not join the festivities.
“The existence of the Sura village has softened him,” Haedor said. “His losses must have weighed on him. You could see the relief on his face when he met his people that day. His heart is probably lighter now.”
“I know,” Raithion said, finishing his wine.
Azula was laughing as Yulin held on to his right hand and attempted to twirl in place. Raithion smiled when Azula picked Yulin up and held him securely as he danced around, making Yulin giggle with joy and stretch out his arms in exhilaration.
It had been so long since Raithion had seen Yulin this happy.
Suddenly, Raithion remembered Azula clinging to the doorjamb and refusing to let go, and his smile widened. It turned out Azula was still a child at heart.
Azula could be bright when he chose, and that brightness seemed to endear him to the children around him. He lit up the space around him. For a moment, Raithion remembered the carefree Azula who had once stolen his chess piece after winning a game by his own rules during a carriage ride.
A smile curved Raithion’s lips at the memory.
“Kailu sent a message,” Haedor said. “He says your father raised the matter of Prince Azula meeting with His Majesty. His Majesty agreed, but insisted upon full court attendance.”
Raithion let out a soft sigh. “A public meeting at court will paint a target on the Sura Clan. We’ll need to address the reopening of the forged-silver case immediately and present the evidence and witnesses at the same time. Then it will become a race to find the hidden truth. Gesi Ajai will do his best to stop Azula from closing this case the right way.”
“Why would the Basileus make such a decision?” Haedor asked.
Raithion’s gaze narrowed as he remembered Dio’s argument when Raithion had insisted upon leaving.
“The only reason Basileus Dio would make such a decision is that he wants to break the deadlock between the two political parties,” Raithion said. “Libert and Populi have been a thorn in his side since he took the throne. The forged-silver case will either break Gesi Ajai or break the stalemate between them at court.”
Raithion sighed.
“Azula’s people are once again caught in the middle of a power struggle. We need to find a way to win the Prime Minister’s support and close this case.”
Haedor drank his wine, shaking his head. “We still don’t know why Lady Naeri was poisoned.”
“Naeri’s poisoning is tied to Gesi Ajai,” Raithion said. “Before she drank her tea, she was going to tell me something. The driver’s testimony that she returned home in a hurry is suspicious enough. Rassa must have been asked to deal with Naeri, but she grew ambitious horns. The poisoner using silver malice must have another target.”
“Doesn’t that place Prince Azula in danger?” Haedor asked, his gaze on Azula, who was handing Yulin to his nanny and Sharian.
“Perhaps,” Raithion said. “Then again, the Sura were already in danger. Their existence in the capital will upset everyone who wants them gone.”
Haedor let out a long sigh and drank deeply from his goblet. “It will be another period of unrest in the capital.”
Raithion nodded, but his attention snagged on one of the young women from the legion officers’ families as she approached Azula.
Azula had finished speaking with Sharian and now stood beside the buffet, picking grapes from a platter. The young woman blushed as she stopped beside him and offered a greeting.
Azula turned to her with a full smile.
A sharp, irrational heat pierced Raithion’s chest. Raithion’s jaw clenched, a dark scowl instantly taking over his features. He had watched Azula dance with children and speak with officers and their wives all evening without complaint, but the sight of the young woman gazing up at him with such open admiration awakened something quite unreasonable in his heart.
Something possessive and frighteningly vulnerable.
“This time is different,” Raithion said to Haedor, though his gaze remained fixed on Azula. “No one will have the power to interfere with my decisions. I will protect who I want to protect, and I will chase down the culprit without fear.”
He made the promise about the investigation in the capital, but it was also about Azula.
Unable to sit back and watch for another second, Raithion stood up and placed his goblet on the table beside Haedor. He stepped down from the low stone platform where the lounge chairs had been arranged and crossed the courtyard.
Azula was smiling at the young woman with curiosity as he ate another grape. Raithion told himself there was no need to hurry, but every step carried him toward Azula with an urgency he could not deny.
“Are you single, Your Highness?” the young woman asked. “If so, would you dance with me with the intention of courtship?”
Azula grinned and looked up as Raithion stopped directly behind her.
Their gazes met.
“Beautiful lady,” Azula said, holding Raithion’s gaze, “I’m afraid I am spoken for. Though it saddens me to turn you away. If you had met me three days ago, I might have agreed to your dance.”
The words struck Raithion squarely in the chest.
Spoken for. He should not have taken so much satisfaction from hearing them, but warmth spread through him all the same.
“Oh.” The young woman glanced at Azula with regret. “Who has chosen you?”
Azula lifted an eyebrow at Raithion.
“It seems the jealous warrior behind you has come to guard his territory,” Azula said, amusement warming his voice. “Look at how green his eyes have gone with jealousy.”
The young woman turned and gaped when she recognized Raithion.
“Lord Raith.”
“Jhuni, I think I should tell your brother you’re here,” Raithion said.
“It’s only a dance,” Jhuni said confidently, her tone turning teasing. “I’m allowed to ask the most handsome man here to dance. He’s practically glowing with beauty. I had to try.”
“You’re too bold,” Raithion said, offering a mock scowl that barely masked his very real possessiveness.
“Why? Because I dared to steal your sweetheart?” Jhuni asked. “You haven’t marked him as yours, anyway. I don’t see a gold bangle on his wrist, staking your claim.”
The lack of gold on Azula’s wrist suddenly felt like an accusation.
“You’re too much,” Raithion grumbled.
Jhuni turned to Azula. “If he isn’t right for you, consider me. I’m willing.”
She rose onto her toes and kissed Azula’s cheek before darting off into the crowd, leaving Azula laughing softly at her audacity.
Raithion cursed under his breath. He took Azula’s right hand and pulled him closer, unable to resist the need to feel Azula against him. Azula came willingly, leaning into Raithion as he looked up at him. The warmth of Azula’s body against his own soothed the jagged edges of his jealousy.
“Don’t encourage her,” Raithion complained.
“I’m not, but it was entertaining to see you jealous over a sweet crush,” Azula said with a laugh.
Raithion should have denied it. Instead, he lowered his voice, unwilling to hide behind pride.
“Fine. I was jealous that she dared to ask you to dance.”
He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Azula’s cheek, directly over the place Jhuni’s lips had touched. The childish satisfaction it gave him should have been embarrassing.
It was not.
“Well, I’ll tell you a secret.” Azula’s laughter softened. “Unfortunately for her, I have only ever thought about, wanted, or dreamed of kissing you, Raithion Maenaor. What do you say to that?”
Raithion forgot the noise of the courtyard. For one suspended moment, the music, laughter, and conversations around them faded beneath the rush of blood in his ears.
Azula had chosen him. Despite their painful past, somewhere beneath all the emotional walls in Azula’s heart, Azula had wanted him. Only him.
Raithion slid a possessive hand around Azula’s waist, dragging him even closer until there was no space between them. Azula responded, sliding his hands up to rest on the broad span of Raithion’s shoulders, tilting his head back slightly so that they could continue looking into each other’s eyes.
“Will you dance with me?” Raithion asked, his heart hammering against his ribs. “This dance and all other dances we encounter.”
Azula’s smile faltered slightly, and a hint of hesitation shadowed his eyes.
“I don’t know about all the other dances, but you may have this one today.”
A faint ache moved through Raithion, but he did not allow it to sharpen into disappointment. One dance was not forever, but neither was it a refusal.
Azula was still here, still held within his arms, and still looking at him as though Raithion mattered.
Raithion nodded, brushing his thumb gently along the curve of Azula’s spine. “I’ll make sure you have many more dances in your future. I only hope you’ll let me share each one with you.”
“Are you using this moment to declare sovereignty over me?” Azula asked softly.
“What sovereignty?” Raithion asked.
The music changed to a slow, sweeping tune, perfectly suited for the moment.
Raithion held Azula securely, guiding him into a slow, lazy two-step rhythm right in the middle of the clearing. Their bodies moved in tandem, their closeness a bold, undeniable signal of their growing intimacy to anyone watching. Soon, other couples joined them, spinning around their secluded orbit.
“You’re so independent that half the time, I don’t know whether you need me at all,” Raithion continued. “I have to fight for your attention at every turn. Tell me, how many people have approached you wanting a dance?”
“Tonight or before on the island?” Azula asked.
Raithion sighed as the thought of Azula surrounded by people seeking his hand twisted through his chest.
“I suddenly don’t want to know. Your question is enough to tell me there have been plenty.”
Azula chuckled, a warm, rich sound, and surrendered to the music, resting his head directly over Raithion’s racing heart.
Raithion tightened his arm around him, treasuring the trusting weight of Azula’s body against his. He had spent so long wondering whether Azula would ever lower his defenses that even this simple closeness felt precious.
“Raith,” Azula murmured into the dark fabric of his tunic.
Then he spoke the one confession Raithion had never expected.
“I’ve been so busy helping my clan that I never spared much thought for romance. I’m—uh—a virgin.”
Raithion stopped in the middle of their dance, his arms tightening instinctively around Azula, holding him as if he were infinitely precious.
“Azula,” he whispered, the tone carrying a world of awe and reverence.
The confession startled him, but the trust beneath it stole his breath.
Azula lifted his head from Raithion’s chest and met his gaze. His brown eyes were wide with anticipation, uncertainty, and a vulnerability so open that Raithion’s heart began pounding too fast.
He held Azula more securely, wanting to shield that trust rather than frighten it away.
“I’m sober tonight,” Azula said, his words clear and deliberate. “Are you?”
Raithion understood the question. More importantly, he understood what Azula was offering him.
Desire surged through him, hot and immediate, but tenderness filled him up faster than he could think. Azula was placing something precious in his hands, and Raithion would not treat it carelessly.
“I’m sober,” Raithion said, answering with a solemn note.
“Then…” Azula locked his arms securely around Raithion’s neck, a brilliant, breathtaking smile breaking across his face.
Raithion did not need a second invitation. He gently uncurled Azula’s right arm from his shoulder, tracing his fingers down the length of it until he found Azula’s hand. He held it tight, lifting it to press a soft, fervent kiss to his knuckles, allowing the touch to carry everything he could not yet say.
“I think we’ve spent enough time here,” Raithion said, his voice rougher than before, his gaze filled with promise. “Don’t you? Will you come with me?”
Azula nodded. “I’m happy to go wherever with you.”
The answer sent a wave of joy through Raithion. He tightened his hold on Azula’s hand and turned to seek out Haedor. He was so consumed by the man beside him that he even forgot to scowl at Haedor’s amused expression.
Raithion merely gave Haedor a nod, signaling for him to take over hosting the feast, and then led Azula away from the courtyard.
****
Azula sank into the hot water of the sunken bath in Raithion’s residence and closed his eyes as the heat wrapped around him. He lowered himself until the water covered his head and soaked his hair, then rose and pushed the wet strands away from his face.
His gaze settled on the handsome man seated on the submerged bench along the opposite side of the bath.
Raithion was naked, his dark hair wet and clinging to his shoulders. Years of training and fighting showed in the hard definition of his chest and arms.
Azula crossed the length of the bath, which was built like a small pool with smooth white tiles. Warm water brushed his waist and rippled around him as he moved.
Raithion watched him approach.
“Why did you want to come here?” Azula asked, stopping a few feet away. His smile widened when he met Raithion’s green, green eyes, and heat flooded his cheeks.
Raithion had led him to this room with the sunken bath straight from the feast in the courtyard, and had undressed, waiting for Azula to join him in the warm water. It had taken Azula a minute to gather the courage to remove his clothes, but now that he had, he was excited to discover what Raithion was planning.
“I’ve wanted to see you here,” Raithion said quietly.
He reached out and placed his hand against Azula’s stomach. His fingers moved slowly over the wet skin, making Azula’s muscles tighten beneath his touch.
“You’re so beautiful,” Raithion continued. “Every time I go to sleep, I dream about you diving into the lake. I want to run my fingers over your stomach and trace the tattoos on your back. Kiss them. Feel them with the tips of my fingers. Hold you so that you’re all mine.”
A small smile tugged at Azula’s lips. “That’s a very possessive dream.”
Raithion sighed.
“But I like it,” Azula said. “I only ever thought about kissing you. I didn’t know what else to want.”
Raithion’s expression changed. His smile faded into something more intense as he reached for Azula’s left hand. Raithion grinned and reached for Azula’s left hand.
Azula placed his hand in Raithion’s. A soft gasp escaped him when Raithion pulled him forward until Azula stood between his spread thighs. Their wet skin touched, chest to chest, and Azula’s breath caught as he looked into Raithion’s eyes.
Then Raithion kissed him.
His arms closed around Azula’s body and pulled him firmly against his chest. Water shifted in warm waves around them as Azula gripped Raithion’s shoulders.
A rush of need and nervous excitement surged through him. Raithion held him tightly, pressing their naked bodies together as his mouth moved over Azula’s.
The kiss was slow but certain. There was nothing hesitant in the way Raithion held him. His arms tightened as though he had no intention of letting Azula step away.
When Raithion finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against Azula’s. His green eyes were dark, intense, and full of everything he had not said.
Azula’s heart beat so hard in his chest he worried it would jump out. Raithion continued staring at him with an emotion Azula could not fully read. There was hunger in his eyes, but there was also disbelief, as though he could not quite believe they had reached this moment. In this sunken bath, they were naked, holding each other skin to skin. It was the most intimate, erotic thing Azula had ever done.
Azula bit his lower lip, unwilling to interrupt the strange silence between them. A surge of emotion filled his chest, rising inside him like an unstoppable typhoon, leaving him breathless. He blinked, and the moment his eyes closed, Raithion kissed him again.
This time, their kiss felt possessive.
Raithion’s arms locked around him as he took Azula’s mouth with more force. Azula’s lips tingled beneath the pressure, the intensity overwhelming, and a wave of sensation spread through his body in a sudden overwhelming rush. His knees weakened.
Raithion felt it immediately. His hold tightened, one strong arm supporting Azula while the other kept him pinned against his chest. The tip of Raithion’s tongue pressed against the seam of Azula’s lips, demanding entrance.
Azula opened for him.
The moment their tongues met, a shudder ran through him. Raithion kissed him with a hunger that made it seem as though he had been holding himself back for far too long.
Azula wrapped his arms around Raithion’s neck and pressed closer, surrendering to the heat of his mouth. Raithion’s tongue stroked against his, slow at first, then deeper and more demanding.
Azula kissed him back with everything he had not known how to ask for.
Raithion’s hands slid down Azula’s back, slick with water, until his fingers dug into Azula’s hips. Raithion held him there for a moment, fingers pressing firmly into his skin as though claiming the right to touch him. Then Raithion lifted him.
Azula clung to his shoulders as Raithion drew him onto his lap. Water rolled away from their bodies and splashed against the tiled edge of the bath.
Raithion shifted back against the wall, giving Azula room to brace his knees on the submerged bench. Azula settled astride his thighs, his legs on either side of Raithion’s hips.
Raithion kept one hand locked around Azula’s hip while the other pressed against the small of his back, holding him exactly where he wanted him.
Azula lowered his head and kissed Raithion with the same hunger, his fingers sliding into the wet hair at the back of Raithion’s neck. Raithion answered by tightening his grip.
Their bodies pressed tightly together, wet skin sliding against wet skin. The heat of the bath surrounded them, but it was nothing compared to the heat building between them.
Raithion kissed him harder, taking Azula’s mouth with a hunger that left his lips and tongue tender and overstimulated. Azula could barely catch his breath, but he refused to pull away. Raithion’s hand flexed against his hip, keeping him firmly seated on his lap. The possessive hold sent another wave of heat through Azula.
Still, neither of them stopped.
They kissed as though they had been denied each other for too long. Their hot breaths mingled between desperate kisses, hot and uneven. Every time Azula shifted, Raithion pulled him back into place, refusing to allow even an inch of distance between them.
Azula surrendered to the intoxicating taste of Raithion’s mouth and the possessive grip on his hips. His cock hardened, and his eyes closed when he felt Raithion’s cock rub against his, making him tremble with excitement.
In that moment, nothing existed beyond the warm water, Raithion’s solid body beneath him, and the certainty that Raithion wanted him. It was the headiest thing Azula had ever experienced.
Raithion sat on the submerged bench built into the sunken bath, with Azula straddling his lap and Raithion’s arms holding him securely against his chest. The warm water lapped around their waists as Raithion’s kisses moved down Azula’s neck and across his chest.
His hands caressed Azula’s wet back while his tongue circled one nipple. Azula gasped and arched into his mouth when Raithion drew the hardened peak between his lips and sucked. Hot pleasure raced from Azula’s chest to his aching cock.
Azula sank his fingers into Raithion’s damp hair as Raithion moved to his other nipple. One of Raithion’s hands slid down Azula’s back while the other caressed his stomach, his fingertips tracing a slow path beneath the water.
Azula bit his bottom lip when Raithion’s hand closed around his length.
Raithion released his nipple and looked up at him.
“Don’t,” Raithion said, his voice low and rough. “I really want to hear you moan, baby.”
The firm stroke of Raithion’s hand pulled a helpless sound from Azula. Water shifted around their bodies as Azula rocked against him, unable to remain still. Raithion tightened his arm around Azula’s waist, holding him close while his other hand worked him with slow, deliberate strokes.
There was no hesitation in Raithion’s touch. He held Azula as though Azula already belonged in his arms, open and trembling for him.
Azula gave up trying to restrain himself. His moans filled the bathing room as Raithion stroked him faster. Azula buried his face against Raithion’s shoulder, breathing in the clean scent of his wet skin while the pressure built inside him.
“Look at me,” Raithion ordered softly.
Azula lifted his head, his breath coming in harsh pants. Raithion watched him with possessive hunger as his hand tightened and stroked Azula from base to tip, and the pleasure broke through him without warning. Azula came with a broken cry, his body shuddering against Raithion’s as he spilled into the water. Raithion kissed him through it, swallowing every gasp and moan while his hand continued moving until Azula shook from the overstimulation.
Before the tremors had faded, Raithion stood. Azula locked his arms around Raithion’s shoulders as Raithion lifted him from the bath, one arm supporting his back and the other beneath his thigh. Water streamed from their bodies and splashed across the stone floor.
Raithion made sure Azula was anchored on him, then reached for the large towel waiting on a table beside the bath and wrapped it around Azula before carrying him into his bedroom.
He placed Azula in the center of his bed and used the towel to dry the water from his shoulders, chest, and stomach. Every pass of the rough fabric was followed by Raithion’s kisses. He kissed Azula’s collarbone, his ribs, and the sensitive skin below his navel.
Azula lay back against the sheets, still weak from his climax, while Raithion continued his maddening exploration. The cool bedding beneath him only made the heat of Raithion’s mouth on his skin feel more intense.
Raithion threw the towel away and spread Azula’s legs. He settled between them, his gaze fixed on Azula’s hardening cock.
Azula’s breath caught.
Raithion kissed the inside of one thigh and then the other, moving higher at an agonizing pace. When his tongue finally slid along Azula’s shaft from base to tip, Azula’s hips lifted from the mattress.
Raithion gripped them and pressed them back down.
“Stay still.”
Azula shivered at the command.
Raithion ran his tongue over him again, tasting every inch before closing his lips around the head. He sucked slowly, his tongue circling the sensitive ridge, and then released him with a soft pop.
Azula gripped the sheets.
Raithion took him into his mouth again, drawing in half his length before retreating to the tip. He repeated the motion, over and over, never giving Azula enough to satisfy the need building inside him.
“Raithion,” Azula pleaded.
Raithion looked up at him without releasing his cock, and the sight nearly destroyed Azula.
Raithion’s green eyes remained fixed on his face as he took him deeper. Azula tried to thrust, desperate for more, but Raithion’s hands tightened on his hips and held him firmly against the mattress.
Azula could not decide which affected him more, Raithion’s hot mouth or the possessive strength keeping him exactly where Raithion wanted him.
Raithion swallowed him to the base.
Azula cried out as Raithion held him there for several long seconds. His throat tightened around Azula’s cock before he slowly pulled back, his tongue dragging along the underside.
Then he swallowed him again.
Raithion found a steady rhythm, taking him deep before retreating to tease the head with his tongue. Each movement pushed Azula closer to the edge.
Azula moaned and whimpered, his fingers sinking into Raithion’s hair. He arched into the maddening heat of Raithion’s mouth, reaching for something more as his breath came in sharp, broken gasps.
Pleasure gathered inside him until there was nothing else.
“Raith,” he managed. “I’m going to…”
Raithion did not stop.
He held Azula’s hips in place and sucked harder, his tongue moving against him as Azula’s body tightened. The pressure climbed beyond anything Azula could control. He came with a violent, satisfying shudder, ecstasy blinding him.
A harsh cry escaped him as Raithion held him deep and swallowed. Azula’s fingers tightened in Raithion’s hair while wave after wave of pleasure tore through him, sweat coating their bodies as heat exploded around them.
Raithion continued until Azula sagged against the bed, breathless and shaking.
Then Raithion climbed over him. His mouth captured Azula’s in a hard, hungry kiss. Azula tasted himself on Raithion’s tongue and moaned, too overwhelmed to feel embarrassed by how much the knowledge aroused him.
Raithion took Azula’s hand and pressed it against his own hard length.
“Feel what you do to me,” he said against Azula’s mouth.
Azula wrapped his fingers around him, reveling in the raging heat of Raithion’s hard length. So strong and hot.
Raithion covered Azula’s hand with his own and guided the first stroke. His hips pushed forward, forcing himself through Azula’s grip. His control was already breaking, his breath hot and uneven against Azula’s lips.
Azula tightened his hand and stroked him faster, taking pleasure in the control he had over Raithion, so that he could make Raithion’s breath hitch with pleasure.
Raithion’s jaw clenched. He braced one arm beside Azula’s head and stared down at him, refusing to look away.
“Mine,” Raithion hissed.
The claim should have frightened Azula. Instead, it sent another pulse of pleasure through his exhausted body.
Raithion kissed him again as his movements became frantic, faster, and less controlled. He came into Azula’s hand with a rough groan, his body shuddering above him while Azula held him through every helpless thrust.
For several moments after, neither of them moved.
Raithion rested his forehead against Azula’s and struggled to catch his breath. Azula closed his eyes, surrounded by Raithion’s warmth, weight, and scent. He felt so completely claimed that his arms wrapped around Raithion tight, too, laying a claim of his own.
Then, Raithion moved and reached for the bath towel. By the time their breathing had settled, Raithion had cleaned them with the damp towel and pulled the white sheet over their legs.
****
Azula lay on his stomach, hugging a pillow beneath his chest. His eyes were half-closed, his body relaxed and heavy with satisfaction.
Raithion stretched out beside him and ran his palm slowly over Azula’s bare back. He did not touch him to arouse him again. He simply enjoyed the warmth of Azula’s skin beneath his hand. His fingers followed the delicate lines inked across Azula’s back. He traced each shape with quiet attention before pressing his lips to the soft, sensitive skin.
Azula shivered and settled more deeply into the pillow.
Raithion smiled, as though he liked knowing that even the gentlest touch could still affect him.
“After spending the day with you,” Azula said, his voice soft and lazy in the low gaslight, “I can imagine you living here. In a different circumstance, a different time, you’d be carefree and happy. Happy to build chairs, tables, and birdcages.”
Azula paused.
“Well, perhaps not birdcages. Cages hold small creatures prisoner, and you would set them free. You might build bird stands throughout the courtyard and fields instead. Every morning, the birds would make terrible chatter and wake you, but I don’t think you would mind.”
Raithion’s hand moved down Azula’s side and curved possessively around his hip.
Azula released a pleased breath beneath his touch.
“Raith,” Azula continued, “how did a soft soul like yours end up wielding blades and fighting wars?”
Raithion propped himself over Azula’s back. The fingers of his right hand continued tracing the shapes of the tattoos before he placed a gentle kiss on the small of Azula’s back.
“What about you?” Raithion asked. “Do you see yourself here with me, Azula?” His thumb stroked the curve of Azula’s hip. “Because I want you to see yourself here with me. I want us to imagine that we recovered all the time we lost being apart.”
“Perhaps,” Azula said with a smile. “I would still be the unruly second son of House Doriel. My greatest adventure would be teasing the Draeya heir and discovering how deeply I could fish in your lake before one of its unknown creatures found me.”
Raithion chuckled. “Then I love your imagination. In that reality, did we make promises to each other? Did I fulfill everyone?”
Azula sighed and turned over to face him.
Raithion immediately shifted closer, unwilling to surrender the contact between them. His hand slid across Azula’s stomach and rested against his waist.
“Maybe,” Azula said, lifting his hand to touch Raithion’s damp black hair. “If we had met and kissed back then, I might have filled your hair with a thousand braids.”
Azula sighed again. His brown eyes filled with a softness Raithion wanted to possess forever.
“But then you would not have that sweet, sweet boy, Yulin, or adorable little Skye.”
Raithion buried his face in the curve of Azula’s neck. “I have no defense against that observation.”
“Do you love them?” Azula asked softly. He stroked Raithion’s hair and wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders.
Raithion let out a slow breath, the warmth of it tickling Azula’s neck.
“I love them very much,” he said. “It is a different kind of love. It exists simply because they exist. After everything Yulin and I endured, I know I would do anything to keep both of them safe.”
“I understand,” Azula said, continuing to stroke his hair. He smiled when Raithion relaxed and allowed more of his weight to settle over him. “I feel the same way about Ruri.”
“When I first saw Ruri hug you, I thought he was yours,” Raithion confessed, his voice soft and muffled against Azula’s neck. “It made me crazy with jealousy. I couldn’t stand the thought of you having someone else. That was selfish. You should be angry with me for admitting it.”
Azula’s fingers paused in his hair.
“But I am Ruri’s father in every way that matters,” Azula said quietly. “Ruri’s dad died during the purge. His name was Yemin. He was imprisoned with my father.”
“When we escaped Lyria, the healers discovered that Alise was pregnant,” Azula continued. “She had been injured and worried about her pregnancy. So, I took on the mantle of leadership to protect her and Ruri. When Ruri was born, I promised to care for him in Yemin’s place. He is my son.”
“Then he is mine too,” Raithion said.
Azula’s fingers tightened in his hair. The reaction made Raithion smile against his skin.
“You,” Azula murmured. “What promises are you making in your bed?”
Raithion raised his head and looked directly into Azula’s eyes.
“You may have chosen to become a mourning chief, but I have not accepted that choice,” he said. “Azula, I am serious about you. Now that you have been with me, I want to give you everything I have.”
His hand moved over Azula’s waist again, stroking the warm skin as though he had every right to memorize it.
“I will make the promises,” Raithion continued, “and I will fulfill them. You cannot stop me.”
Azula stared into his stunning, determined green eyes and wondered how he had captured the attention of such a possessive man.
Raithion’s thumb moved over his hip in slow, soothing passes.
Azula should have objected to the certainty in his voice. He should have reminded Raithion that one passionate night could not decide their future. Instead, Azula relaxed beneath his touch and allowed himself to enjoy being wanted.
“You…”
“Me,” Raithion said with a smile.
He kissed Azula’s forehead.
“Don’t overthink it. Let me hold you tonight to my heart’s content. Who knows when you will allow me to hold you again once we reach the capital?”
Azula chuckled.
Raithion captured his lips in a hungry, consuming kiss before Azula could answer. He wrapped both arms around him, tangled their legs together, and pushed the white sheets aside so that nothing remained between their bodies.
Azula surrendered to the kiss and decided he would examine the consequences of Raithion’s possessive claims in the morning.
******
On Friday morning, Azula woke in Raithion’s arms with the covers pulled over their shoulders. For several quiet seconds, he did not move. Raithion’s chest was warm against his back, one strong arm wrapped securely around his waist. After a wild, passionate night, being held so closely should have felt overwhelming. Instead, Azula felt safer than he ever had in his life.
Soft morning light drifted through the windows and spread across the bed. Azula shifted slightly, and Raithion’s arm tightened around him at once, as though even in sleep he refused to let Azula move too far away. The possessive gesture brought a smile to Azula’s lips.
Then Raithion kissed his forehead.
Azula turned in his arms and found Raithion watching him.
Raithion looked as though he had been awake for quite some time. His dark hair was loose and disordered around his face, and his green eyes moved slowly over Azula with open need, like a lover who had spent the night learning every part of him and already wanted more.
“Morning,” Raithion said, his voice low and rough from sleep.
Before Azula could answer, Raithion leaned in and kissed him on the lips. The kiss began softly, but Raithion’s hand slid to the back of Azula’s neck and held him there. His kiss lingered, warm and possessive, until Azula forgot that he had intended to say anything.
“Morning,” Azula finally managed when Raithion released him.
Raithion smiled. He brushed several strands of hair away from Azula’s face, then continued watching him.
Azula felt heat rise into his cheeks. He was suddenly aware that neither of them wore anything beneath the covers and that Raithion’s gaze held far too much knowledge of every inch of his skin.
“What?” Azula asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“I can’t help it.”
Raithion’s answer made Azula’s blush deepen. His hand slipped beneath the covers and settled against Azula’s bare back. He ran his palm slowly from Azula’s shoulders to the base of his spine and then back again. The touch was not hurried or demanding. Raithion simply seemed to enjoy the feel of Azula’s skin beneath his hand.
Azula shivered and moved closer. Raithion’s eyes darkened with pleasure. That look sent a quiet thrill through Azula.
Raithion did not hide what he wanted. Every touch carried the same certainty, as though waking with Azula in his arms was exactly where Raithion believed Azula belonged. Azula should have felt wary of such certainty; instead, he basked in it.
“This is the best morning of my life,” Raithion said. He pulled Azula fully into his arms and held him tightly against his chest.
Azula rested his head over Raithion’s heart. Its rapid beat made him smile. For all Raithion’s confidence and possessive claims, he was not unaffected. His heart was racing just as fast as Azula’s. Azula placed his palm against Raithion’s chest and felt the strong rhythm.
“I think you may be exaggerating,” Azula murmured.
“I’m not.” Raithion kissed the top of his head. “I woke up with you in my arms. Nothing has ever felt better.”
Warmth spread through Azula’s chest. Yes, it was the same for him, too. Lying there with Raithion, held beneath the covers and surrounded by his warmth, Azula felt no urge to retreat. He liked waking in Raithion’s arms, too.
Azula closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy it.
They remained in bed for a long while, exchanging slow kisses and quiet touches, neither willing to end the moment.
Eventually, they rose and washed together. Even then, Raithion kept finding reasons to touch him, a hand at Azula’s waist, fingers brushing Azula’s hair from his neck, a kiss pressed to his shoulder as though Raithion could not pass him without making contact.
After they dressed, Raithion insisted on taking him to the stables for a morning ride before breakfast. Azula agreed, eager to discover everything he could about Raithion’s world.
In the middle of the morning, Azula watched Raithion ride a massive black horse across the open field.
Raithion looked carefree. Happy. For a moment, Azula could almost believe he was looking at a different man, one untouched by duty or loss. He was also painfully handsome, despite still wearing those damnable black clothes. The black tunic, trousers, and boots complemented his powerful physique. After spending the night tracing every hard contour of Raithion’s body with his hands and mouth, Azula knew exactly what the dark fabric concealed.
He watched with a lover’s appreciation as Raithion moved with the horse. His strong thighs held the animal securely, his broad shoulders relaxed as he guided it across the field. The black ribbon securing his hair streamed behind him in the wind. Horse and rider moved together with effortless harmony.
Azula had seen Raithion beg for his son’s life. He had seen him command his legion officers, make difficult decisions, and carry burdens without complaint. Watching him ride through the morning sunlight with pleasure on his face felt more intimate than any of those moments. More precious than he had ever imagined. Last night, Raithion had belonged to him. This morning, Raithion was allowing Azula to be part of his personal world. The thought left a quiet warmth in his chest.
Azula rinsed the brush he held and helped the groom finish brushing the white horse beside him. He had loved how beautiful the white horse looked. Even though he didn’t want to ride, Raithion had allowed him to pet and spend time with the white horse. The groom was meticulous in his work, and Azula followed his instructions, brushing the white horse’s mane.
The nearby stable housed dozens of well-bred horses, each one carefully tended. Raithion had inspected them with meticulous attention earlier, speaking at length with the stable manager and stopping to examine anything that concerned him.
Azula found himself smiling at the memory. Raithion seemed to care about everything under his protection with a familiar, relentless focus. When they finished tending the white horse, Azula washed his hands. The groom thanked him for his help before leading the horse away.
Azula crossed to a sitting area beneath a tall shelter. Grapevines climbed the four pillars supporting the shelter’s thatched roof, casting shifting shadows over the chairs and low stools arranged beneath it. Earlier, they had had their breakfast here, and Sharian had replaced the morning meal with mid-morning snacks. Jugs of cool drinks, fruit, and small pastry snacks had been set out on a nearby table.
Azula smiled when he saw a bowl filled with hazelnut wafer sticks for him.
Skye’s nanny sat in the shade, helping the little girl enjoy the morning sun.
Skye wore a pretty green dress. Her wide brown eyes followed Raithion as he rode across the field, and her small hands waved with excitement whenever the horse changed direction. She smiled when Azula approached, and his heart melted.
The little girl had jet-black hair arranged in thick curls, bright brown eyes, rosy lips, and plump cheeks so soft that Azula immediately wanted to pinch them.
“May I hold her?” Azula asked.
The nanny nodded.
Azula carefully lifted Skye into his arms. She settled against him easily, warm and soft, and he smiled as he touched one rounded cheek.
“Why are you so cute?” Azula cooed. He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Still so sweet. I bet you ate a whole jar of sweet strawberries to become this sweet, didn’t you, cute little Skye?”
The nanny laughed.
Azula kissed Skye’s forehead, enjoying her softness and the trusting weight of her in his arms. Her bright eyes studied him for a moment before both small hands closed around sections of his hair. She pulled.
Azula laughed. “So, that is how you intend to treat me?”
Skye made a pleased sound and tugged harder.
Azula tried to free his hair without disturbing her, still laughing as she opened her mouth and attempted to bring a fistful of it toward her lips.
“Little princess, you’ll really do whatever you want. You can’t eat it,” he told her.
Skye disagreed with another determined pull.
Azula was still smiling when he glanced toward the field. He paused with Skye in his arms when he saw that Raithion stood only a few feet away.
Raithion had already dismounted his horse, and a groom was leading the black horse toward the stables. He slowly removed his riding gloves, but his attention never left Azula. His green eyes were fixed on the sight of Azula holding Skye.
Azula recognized the heat in that gaze. He had seen it throughout the night when Raithion had held him close, claimed his mouth with intoxicating kisses, and touched him as though he could never have enough. But this look felt different; it was deeper. More dangerous.
Raithion watched him with the possessive focus of a man seeing something he wanted to keep forever. Raithion’s gaze moved over the child resting against Azula’s chest, Azula’s hands supporting her small body, and the strands of strawberry blonde hair still trapped in her fingers.
Something in Raithion’s expression softened and intensified at the same time. “You and Skye look beautiful together,” he said.
Azula’s heart began to beat faster. The words were simple, but the emotion behind them was not.
Raithion was not merely admiring what he saw. He was imagining and wanting it. Wanting Azula beside him, holding his child as though he already belonged here in Draeya County in the Maeaner estate.
Azula cleared his throat and looked away before Raithion could see how deeply the thought affected him. He moved to sit beneath the shelter, keeping Skye securely against his chest. He could still feel Raithion’s gaze on him, far too pleased and possessive.
Azula told himself to ignore it. He did not succeed.
****
Raithion smiled as Azula sat down and pretended not to understand the connection between them. He enjoyed watching Azula blush, enjoyed seeing the faint red spread across his cheeks and the tips of his ears, whenever Raithion said something too honest.
More than that, he wanted to tear down every wall Azula still kept between them. One night had not been enough, and perhaps a lifetime would never be enough.
Raithion climbed the steps and joined Azula, Skye, and the nanny beneath the shelter. The nanny poured goblets of water for him and Azula.
Raithion thanked her and sat beside Azula. Close enough that their thighs touched.
Azula glanced at him but did not move away. That small acceptance pleased Raithion more than it should have.
They did not speak.
Azula continued teasing Skye, laughing when she pulled his hair and tried once again to put it in her mouth. The baby made contented noises as she rested against him, completely at ease.
Raithion watched them both. The sight struck him harder than he expected.
Azula looked wonderful with Skye in his arms. He fit beneath Raithion’s roof, surrounded by the horses, legion officers, fields, and quiet routines that made up Raithion’s life. He looked as though he had always belonged there. As though he was born to end up here in his world. The feeling that rose in Raithion was fierce enough to take his breath away. Suddenly, all the reasons why he had fought to save the Sura, to find them justice, to get Azula to forgive him, to look at him, made perfect sense.
He loved Azula. This truth had already taken root inside him when he watched Azula cry with joy at the sight of his lost people, but watching Azula hold Skye drove it deeper. It turned his desire into something heavier and more permanent. He wanted a thousand mornings like this. He wanted to watch Azula laughing while Skye pulled at his hair a million times. He wanted Azula in his home, in his bed, and at his side when the day began. He wanted Azula in every part of his life until no one could separate them, and the thought made him tremble with the possibility.
Raithion rested his arm along the back of Azula’s chair, touching Azula’s hair, itching to braid it as Azula’s people often did. Then, Azula gave him a knowing glance.
Raithion smiled, wondering if Azula understood him. He wanted Azula to recognize the claim in his eyes. He wanted Azula to understand that last night was not the end of their time together. It had only made him sure that he wanted more nights with him, more time, a lifetime.
The morning felt too perfect.
Raithion did not want it to end.
Then, Sennin found them.
His arrival broke the peaceful moment like a blade.
“Prince Azu,” Sennin said, “Torak and Oren have planned a memorial to honor the departed. We have completed the arrangements for those joining us in the capital, and communication has been established with the families on the island.”
The perfect dream Raithion imagined faded.
Skye still played with Azula’s hair. Sunlight continued to fall through the grape leaves. Yet the peaceful world they had occupied moments earlier was gone.
“Everyone hopes you will lead us in thanksgiving,” Sennin continued, “and conduct a small memorial ceremony this afternoon as we prepare to leave tomorrow morning.”
Azula looked down at Skye. For one brief moment, he did not answer Sennin.
Raithion watched Azula’s face as the soft expression that had graced his face for the better part of the morning vanished beneath the solemn control of a prince responsible for carrying his people’s grief.
Azula kissed Skye’s forehead, his touch lingering. Then he stood and carefully returned her to the nanny.
Azula looked at Raithion. Neither of them needed to speak.
Raithion saw the apology in Azula’s eyes. They both understood that Azula could not refuse. No matter how much Azula wanted to remain in this quiet place, he would answer when his people called. Raithion understood it. He hated it, but he understood.
“I’ll be happy to lead the memorial,” Azula said. His voice had changed. The warmth and playfulness were gone, replaced by solemn authority.
Sennin nodded and stepped down from the steps, ready to lead the way.
Raithion let out a slow breath. Their happy morning had ended. So had the private world they had created through the night and carried with them into the day.
Duty now called, and Azula was ready to follow it.
Before Azula stepped away, Raithion reached for his right hand and held it for one brief, deliberate moment.
Azula looked at him.
Raithion tightened his fingers around Azula’s, hoping to make the gesture a fierce enough claim on the Sura prince. Raithion hoped that even though Azula left to be there for his people, he would remember that Raithion was waiting for him.
Azula gave him a slight smile in reassurance, then let go of his hand and followed Sennin.
Raithio sighed as he watched Azula walk away, a deep ache filling his chest as he mourned the end of their time in Draeya County.
*****
An hour later, Azula arrived at the hidden Sura village, accompanied this time by the entire Sura guard, Raithion, Haedor, and Sharian. He followed every rite Torak and Oren insisted upon, including washing and dressing as the Sura prince. His red overcoat felt magnificent and heavy as he walked among his people.
They gathered in the broad clearing where the ancient baobab tree stood, the same place where Azula had first discovered the missing Sura people still existed. Every able-bodied member of the hidden village had attended. Though they called the occasion small, the clearing looked grand and crowded to him.
Azula stopped before the baobab tree and stared at the red strings tied to its thick trunk and hanging on the branches, each one holding a wooden token carved with a wish. Some of those wishes had been fulfilled within the past three days. Others, such as returning home to the island, would have to wait until his trip to the capital yielded results.
The weight of that responsibility settled over him as heavily as the overcoat on his shoulders.
Azula shifted and adjusted the stiff collar, then caught sight of Raithion and Haedor standing at the edge of the crowd. His heart stuttered.
The memory of Raithion’s hands on him, and his kisses, came back with startling clarity, along with the heat of their bodies and the pleasure that had stripped Azula of every guarded thought. They had made love until his soul seemed to revel in it. He regretted none of it. The certainty of that truth should have calmed him, but it did not.
Azula turned toward the eager faces of the Sura people watching him. He still had unfinished business, duties that extended far beyond his own desires. The knowledge left him uneasy.
Promises to Raithion would have to wait. For the first time in a long time, he looked forward to shedding his existence as a mourning chief.
A soft sigh escaped him as Oren led forward a monk who had survived the purge and brought him to the front of the gathering to begin the ceremony.
****
Raithion stood at the edge of the clearing and watched as the Sura people settled on the ground, their attention fixed on Azula, who sat upon a round cushion at the front of the gathering.
Azula held a silver pitcher filled with pure water while the monk chanted a prayer. He poured the water slowly into a bowl, listening to every word with solemn attention. When the monk finished chanting, Azula thanked him with a respectful dip of his head, then rose and carried the bowl to the base of the great tree.
There, he poured the water over the roots, offering the wishes and merits of the living to those who had departed, in the hope that their souls would find peace in the afterlife.
Raithion watched in silence. There was something steady and reverent in the way Azula performed the ritual, as though he carried the grief of every Sura who had died alongside the hopes of those who remained. The sight tightened something in Raithion’s chest. Azula had already accepted a burden large enough to crush most men, yet he stood before his people without allowing the weight of it to bend him.
When the ritual ended, Sennin and Wolfe helped Azula put away the pitcher and bowl. Azula then turned to face his people.
“Fate has been kind and brought us all together again,” Azula said. “I, Azula Doriel, sailed from Sura Island to Lyria on a mission. I must clear our clan’s name, restore honor to those who died, and reclaim our standing in this kingdom. I do not know whether I will succeed, but I promise to keep fighting until the very end.”
Azula paused and looked over the people gathered before him.
Raithion followed his gaze. Hope shone on their faces, fierce and fragile in equal measure. They were placing their trust in Azula, and Raithion understood how dangerous that trust could become.
“Be patient,” Azula continued, his tone imploring. “When I return from the capital, I will help everyone who wishes to return to the island. That is my vow.”
Cheers erupted throughout the clearing.
Azula smiled and inclined his head as his people cried out in celebration, but Raithion could not surrender himself to their joy so easily. He wanted Azula to fulfill every promise he had made. More than that, he wanted Azula to survive the attempt. The capital would not welcome a Sura prince seeking to overturn old cases and expose hidden crimes. Every step Azula took toward restoring his clan’s honor placed him in greater danger.
As though sensing Raithion’s concern, Azula turned toward him.
Their gazes met across the clearing.
The slight smile curving Azula’s lips carried no trace of doubt. It was quiet, confident, and meant for Raithion alone. Something warm stirred beneath Raithion’s unease. In that moment, he believed Azula might truly accomplish everything he had set out to do.
Early Saturday morning, just before dawn, Azula’s carriages rolled out of the Maenaer Estate after a tearful farewell with Yulin. Three ordinary carriages accompanied them. One carried ten Sura clan members who would staff the old Doriel manor in the capital. Two others, guarded by both legion officers and members of Azula’s guard, transported the ore thief, Huga, and the assayer, Sinsa, and Sinsa’s apprentice, Lachan.
The convoy was large enough to astonish everyone they passed on the road.
Raithion had expected it to attract notice, but the attention intensified as they drew closer to Genad City, the capital of the Kingdom of Lyria, and traffic on the main road increased.
Citizens recognized the legion officers belonging to the Draeya Commandery Prince. Curious gazes followed the carriages, each observer plainly eager to discover who traveled inside them and why the Draeya prince was escorting such an imposing convoy into the capital.
Raithion worried that by the time they reached Genad City, half the capital might already be whispering about Azula’s arrival.
*****
Sui Writes 