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Justin shook his head grimly, obviously trying to put the battle behind him and failing miserably. "I am merely checking that your bandage is still in place."
Brian smirked. "Checking to see if I am fully clothed beneath the sheets is what you are doing."
A small smile appeared upon Justin's face and Brian took the opportunity to brush a light kiss upon Justin's hand as the younger man pulled the covering up over his chest. The smile spread to Justin's eyes and Brian lay back, satisfied that his lover was not so deep in despair that he should be overly concerned.
A day had gone by since the battle had ended and Joseph Winterberry had died at the hands of Brian's wife, Lindsay. Though Brian had been in and out of consciousness since the final battle, he knew that just over half of his men had walked away, unharmed for the most part. He knew that his wife seemed to be in high spirits despite the events that had occurred, as she had checked in on him several times. He also knew that Justin hadn't left his side for a moment, despite his own grief.
It made his heart swell, seeing his lover at his side each time he awakened. Though it was hardly the time or place for such thoughts, he could easily see himself being very happy waking up to Justin's presence each morning.
"Justin?"
"Yes m'lord?"
They stared at one another for a moment, Brian in uncertainty and Justin in patient curiosity. "You have tended to me long enough. I think it is time for you to rest." The words were spoken in such a tone, that there was no denying it was an order.
Justin nodded stiffly, the light gone from his eyes, and stood to leave the tent. A smile spread on Brian's face as he saw that the other man was saddened by the idea of leaving him.
"Come along," Brian said sofly, pulling the edge of his covering up.
Justin brightened once again, beaming like the sun as he hurried to Brian's side. Careful not to upset his wound, Justin moved into his arms and both men sighed at the feeling of being joined once again with their center. Their home.
"Are you sure?" Justin moved back to look into Brian's eyes. "Someone could come in."
"Who? No one exists but we two."
The younger man shook his head. "If only t'were true."
"Ah but it is. Close your eyes... Do you see anyone else?" Justin shook his head. "See?"
"It is a flawed argument at best. For when I close my eyes I no longer see you either."
"You feel me, do you not? I am here."
Eyes still closed, Justin shook his head stubbornly. "I cannot be so sure. I feel the warmth of skin, but how can I be certain that it is not only my imagination?"
Knowing exactly the proof that Justin needed, Brian gladly obliged him. Gently rolling them so that he was partially covering the other man, he softly nuzzled his neck, and trailed small kisses along his shoulder before moving up to capture his love's lips in a sweet, desperate kiss. A kiss that could have gone on forever. That may have never ended, had the two not heard a loud gasp from the tent's entrance.
From Lindsay's stance, it was clear that she was stunned. Her eyes wide, mouth gaping and hands over her heart, Brian wondered if his wife would withstand the shock.
"Lindsay..." he began, unsure of what to say.
She shook her head and slowly regained her composure. "I do...do apologize. I did not mean to... interrupt," she said, sounding as though she was choking on the words. "Justin...m-might I speak with you?"
Justin looked up at Brian, trying to decide upon the best course of action. He removed his weight from the man, indicating that he should go. Something told him that Lindsay meant them no harm.
Justin cas a nervous glance over his shoulder but Brian could only watch Justin go, offering with his own eyes, comfort and love and the promise that he went with him in spirit.
***
Justin followed his friend out of the tent, across the way and into Lindsay's tent.
As soon as they were in the enclosure, Lindsay rounded on him and stared him down.
"Lindsay..." he began, wondering if it would gain him anything to try and explain.
She put up a silencing hand and shook her head. "Justin...I only wish to ask for your forgiveness."
"Forgiveness? Lindsay, it is I that have committed the sin here."
"But...But Justin, I killed your..."
Only then did her true reasoning become clear to him. "Oh."
"I...I am so...so sorry my friend. I know that you were close..."
Lindsay, who had been sniffling, began to weep outright. Justin embraced her, smoothing her hair with his hand. "Yes. Once, my father and I were close, that is true. I adored him and he was the man that I wanted to grow to be." This made Lindsay cry all the harder. "But those days are gone. And my father...my father was no longer the man I knew and loved. He had become something else. Something evil."
Lindsay nodded, her tears retreating a bit. Still, she kept her face buried in the front of his shirt, unable to look him in the eye.
"Lindsay," he forced her chin up so that she would at least be looking into his face, if not his eyes. "Lindsay, you KNOW he killed your father. You had every right to see him dead. Me as well, as I could not prevent your father's death."
"Justin I have never blamed you for father's death. I will not start now. Besides, that does not excuse the fact that I took your father away. I killed him. With my own hands. I killed him in front of you. And I will...I will understand if you never wish to see or speak to me again."
Justin smiled sadly. Don't be silly. You are still my friend."
"And you mine." He wiped the last few stray tears from her cheeks and nodded. "I have more to tell you."
Justin tensed again and suddenly he wished that he could escape this room. He didn't want to hear anymore. Tiredness filled his bones and rooted him weakly to the spot.
"Joseph...while he held Melanie and I captive..." She sighed. "He pulled me aside and spoke with me."
"Did he... Did he hurt you?"
"No. Of course not. He was a proper gentleman. We sat by the fire in his chamber and spoke of his plans. He explained to me that, all along, he had followed my father under the impression that he would succeed him. Apparently it was a promise that my father had given to him. The original plan was that they would see you and I married. So when I was promised to Brian, your father realized that it was to never happen. He...killed my father so that he might still see us wed. But by that time, I was already wed. He would have taken McKinnon down, through you I would assume, but he never counted upon you finding love with the man he wanted you to destroy."
"He always had such a strong attachment to the land. I never realized just how strong. How far he would be willing to go to claim it for his own."
"We will never know his reasoning now. And for that I am sorry, for your sake. I just could not let him destroy our lives anymore. I knew that he had to be..." She sniffled and looked to Justin. When she saw he was not upset with her and he did indeed understand, she went no further.
Once she had her tears in check, Lindsay pulled away from Justin and crossed her arms over the slight bulge in her stomach, her demeanor suddenly hardened. "Now...about you and my husband..."
Justin swallowed hard, having almost forgotten that she had seen he and Brian before. "Lindsay, I can explain."
"I have no doubt of that. And yet, I feel inclined to trust the judgement of my own eyes. You are lovers, are you not?"
Justin forced himself to hold Lindsay's stare. "Yes."
"I must admit, it was quite a surprise. Though I had heard tales of his experiences with men and women alike, in the days before our marriage, it never once occurred to me that he might search out a man now." She stared at him in silence for a long moment. "Do you...love him?"
He could not help the grin that appeared with the words. "I do. More than my own life."
Lindsay softened upon hearing this. "And he loves you, I would assume."
"He has said...although I supposed words mean little."
"Not to McKinnon. If he said it, he meant it. Tis one of the things I like about him. He leaves no room for you to doubt him."
"Then, yes. He loves me." As he admitted to this, Justin felt a swell of strength flowing through him from some unknown source. He had been tired from three sleepless days and the worry that had plagued him before, during and after the battle. Now he felt recharged as though he could easily carry on for another fortnight without so much as a heavy eye.
"Good," Lindsay said, interrupting his thoughts. "Then we shall say no more about it. Although I will say...I do understand, whether you believe it or not."
Just then, Melanie entered the tent, a handful of wild flowers cradled in the outer skirting of her dress. Her face was pink from exposure to the bright sun and her smile wide as her eyes alighted upon Lindsay.
Looking at Lindsay, seeing the look of love that must have been identical to the one he had for Brian, Justin knew then that Lindsay did indeed understand. More than any of them could have known.
He lifted his friend's hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. He smiled and nodded to Melanie and left the two, quickly making his way back to Brian.
***
"The count of McKinnon men was high, but the count of Englishmen was higher. They suffered many more losses than we.
"And what of my brother?"
Benjamin shook his head. He knew exactly what had happened to Aeden. He had no doubt run away before the first man's blood had been drawn. "We could not find him. It is my belief that he must have fled before the end of the battle."
"Aye. Comes as no surprise, that. I still do not trust him a wit. We shall have to keep a close eye on him. No doubt, if he felt strong enough hatred for me to join Winterberry's cause, it will not take much to sway him into action against me again."
Ben nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with his friend and was about to say so when Justin entered the tent. He saw the young man pause, looking a bit uncertain as to what he should do.
With a gesture from Brian, a simple incline of his head towards his bedroll, Justin moved with purpose to Brian's side, casting an uneasy glance at him. As Justin stayed seated, Brian moved so that his head rested comfortably in Justin's lap.
Benjamin smiled and caught Justin's eye. Justin's tension eased threefold when he realized that not only did Benjamin know what was happening, he also approved. Or...at least did not disapprove.
"I shall take my leave now, sir."
"Yes alright. We will speak further upon this at daybreak tomorrow."
"Aye." Benjamin nodded and left, finding himself turning back a moment later when he realized that he had forgotten the papers that he had taken in so that he might show Brian. As he was about to enter the shelter, he heard laughter. Brian's laughter.
He lifted one flap and peered in to see Justin hovering over Brian. His shirt cast to the side, as likely his breeches were as well, the boy lovingly stared down at his friend. Brian returned the look with equal fervor.
"Brian?"
"Hmm?" Brian asked, running his hands up and down the blonde's bare back.
"What's to become of us?"
Benjamin never heard an answer. Only saw Brian frown and struggle to sit up enough that he might reach Justin's lips with his own. As the two melted into a more intimate embrace, Ben backed away, leaving the two in peace.
***
EPILOGUE
Six months later...
"You are horrible at this."
Brian scoffed. "I carry both our weight!" He was floating on his back, Justin's back to his chest. He had been trying to keep both of them afloat, but it did not have the serene effect he had craved, as he kept struggling to keep them both from sinking like stones. "You are lucky I do not let you drown."
"You would never!"
Brian removed his arms from around Justin, but before the blonde could sink in the deep water, Brian pulled him quickly back to him only this time facing him. "I would never!" he swore solemnly.
Justin smiled and then giggled, wrapping his arms around Brian's shoulders and his legs around Brian's hips. He captured the man's lips with his own and sighed in contentment.
When they finally broke apart, Justin realized that Brian had managed to get them back towards the water's edge. This was good, as he had felt both of their warring organs come to life. He knew they would have drowned indeed, if they were to try making love in the deeper waters.
With a solid hold on him, Brian carried Justin out of the water and gently put him down upon one of the higher rocks. The large boulder was actually about the same height as Brian's waist and they had put that fact to good use over the past months.
When both were spent and sated, Brian moved them to the pile of their clothing upon the small bar of sand that was at the base of the pond. Usually this would have been the ideal time for a quick sleep. But today, both could sense that the other wanted no such thing.
Justin's head rested on Brian's chest and he began drawing small patterns upon his lover's skin. "I think I shall begin a new likeness today."
"How is this different from any other day?" Brian asked, only partially mocking. He smiled thinking of all the coal sketches that adorned the chamber they shared.
When they had returned from battle, Justin had insisted upon taking up the chore of nursing Brian back to health. This meant moving out of his Grandmother's home and into the main holding. Eventually all of Justin's belongings had found their way into Brian's room and, though this was known by most of their people, the fact that Melanie had also taken up residence with Lindsay made the arrangement seem a bit more innocent and less questionable.
"Tomorrow I think I shall do an etching of the family. The baby as well."
"But the baby has yet to be born. To draw a likeness of someone that does not yet breathe seems like it might bring about bad fortune."
"Lindsay says the baby will come soon."
"Deborah has said it will be at least another fortnight."
Justin shook his head stubbornly. "Though my grandmother is never wrong, Lindsay carries the child inside of her. I find myself inclined to believe her judgement on the matter."
Brian acquiesced. He had learned early on that Justin had developed a deep kinship with both Lindsay and Melanie and if his lover deemed it necessary, the three could quite easily form a committee against him.
After casually redressing each other, the two lovers walked hand in hand through the forest, their daily encounter with their special spot ending long before either wanted it to. Before they even made it out of the lines of trees, they heard the sound of rustling leaves. To Brian it sounded much like someone running. But that was impossible. Unless they were about to be attacked.
They both tensed for whatever might befall them and stayed this way until Benjamin came into sight. This confused and worried Brian. His second knew well not to allow anyone, even himself, near the area while he and his lover were there. Something had to be amiss.
"What has happened?" Brian called out, before Benjamin had even spotted them.
"T'is Lady Lindsay, sire," he said breathlessly. "She calls for you both. Melanie sent for Deborah earlier."
Justin and Brian shared a frightened look. "The baby," they said in unison, both already rushing past Benjamin and towards home.
***
As soon as they arrived, his grandmother's booming voice could be heard laughing jovially. "Come in, come in!" she urged as the two men stood in the doorway. "You both look as though you've crossed the entire country on foot. Come in, now! See your son!" She physically pulled Brian into the room by the elbow and led him to Lindsay's bedside, where Lindsay and Melanie both sat, staring down at the small bundle in his wife's arms.
Justin watched as Brian's expression changed from one of fear into one of soft awe. He stared hard at the face, especially as Brian lifted the small figure into his own arms. Justin swore that he would one day capture the beautiful sight on parchment.
"Brian, meet your son," Lindsay whispered. She looked overly tired as though she hadn't slept in a year's time. Melanie pulled the exhausted woman into her arms and they both smiled at the comfort garnered from merely being in one another's presence. The thought drew Justin to Brian's side. He put one hand on Brian's back and allowed the baby to wrap his tiny fingers around his bigger finger. He leaned his head against Brian's shoulder and smiled at the thought that his entire family was there in that moment. And it was a wonderful thing.
"What shall we name him?" Brian asked, looking down at his wife. "He needs a good, strong name."
The woman looked to be thinking, running through the choices in her mind. "I had names in mind, but none of them seem just right for him."
"Augustus," Justin cooed at the baby.
"What did you say?" Brian asked, tearing his eyes away from his son's small, pink face to look at Justin.
"I...Augustus. I do not know. The name only just occurred to me."
"It does seem to fit him," Melanie spoke up in agreement.
Lindsay and Brian shared a look before Lindsay finally fell into a soft slumber in Melanie's arms. "Augustus McKinnon," Brian announced in a whisper. "Hello Augustus. I'm your father."
When the two of them had retired for the night, the baby had been secured in Lindsay's chambers, Deborah taking care of him. The men slid into their bed and held one another for a long time in silence.
When Brian finally spoke, it was right as Justin had found the edge of sleep. "Hmm?" he asked sluggishly.
"I never thought I could ever find such happiness. Never in my life."
Justin pulled Brian to him and cradled the man in his arms. "Neither did I, my love."
"Thank you."
"Whatever for?"
"For all that you've done for me."
"I have done nothing."
"You have done everything. My forbidden fruit," Brian smiled as he gently bit and nipped at Justin's chest. "My life's love. My heart. You have given me everything."
"No, love. It is you that has given ME everything," he declared, thinking of his new family and the abundance of love he had been given.
"Perhaps we should call it a draw," Brian suggested.
Justin grinned into the darkness. "Perhaps."
The two settled back into silence and fell into a comforting sleep, nestled in each other's arms.
THE END
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