Justin had stopped briefly to slip into his clothing before he left the cover of the forest. With the castle in his sights now, he continued on the small path along the outskirts of the village. It was a relief that McKinnon hadn't followed him. Though, he thought, the man might be just as horrified as he was. And that was probably the case.

McKinnon was a great warrior. He was brilliant and strong and...married to his best friend. It simply wasn't possible that he had actually approached him with the intention of doing what he had done. It just...wasn't possible.

Yet in the back of Justin's mind, he admitted that he could still feel the man's hands wrapped around him. Feel the heat of his skin. Feel the place where the man's sex had brushed the inside of his leg. He felt burned there, as if by a hot poker.

During battles, when the knights would be gone for long periods of time. Years and years. He had heard of men that had turned to other men for release, out of sheer necessity. Perhaps that could explain it. Confusion. He had been away too long. But that didn't account for Lord Brian's actions.

He stopped suddenly, a realization hitting him squarely in the chest. "Heavens! What if I am suffering from some sort of...illness. What if...what if I was the one that drew him to me? If that's true then..."

"I thought for sure you would grow out of that." Justin jumped at the sudden appearance of his friend at his side. He prayed that his words, spoken absently aloud, had not been overheard. "You still speak as if someone is with you at all times. I've often wondered if you were touched in the head."

"That is hardly funny, Ethan," he said, his smile showing that he was merely jesting.

"Enjoy the water?"

Justin bit his lip and tried to keep himself from giving his shock away. How in hell could Ethan have known? "What...how did you know I went to the stream?" Ethan arched an eyebrow, bemused, and fingered a strand of Justin's hair, still wet from the swim. Justin blushed slightly, feeling silly for overreacting. "Oh."

Concern lit Ethan's eyes. "Are you alright, my friend? You seem a bit out of sorts."

"Do I?" Ethan nodded and Justin sighed. "I'm fine." At least he hoped he was fine. In an attempt to change the subject he cleared his throat and asked, "Did you hear about Edward?"

"Actually I did. I was just about to go and check on him. Did Garrick really attack him?"

Justin though about the gust of wind that he had felt against his skin as the sword had sliced through the air near him, finding a target in Edward. "Garrick wounded him," he said, avoiding the original question.

Luckily, Ethan never noticed the misdirection. "I've always known that Garrick would do something like that. He's always been so damn quarrelsome and he keeps to himself far too much. It's as if he's just sitting there watching and waiting for something to happen." He looked thoughtfully at Justin before his face broke into a bright teasing smile. "Like you. Only you talk more."

Justin laughed. "To myself you mean?"

"Exactly. Maybe we should convince him to start talking to himself so that he might seem only somewhat strange."

"Are you saying that I'm strange?"

"Not at all. I'm saying you are somewhat strange. You must make the distinction."

The two laughed all the way to Edward's cottage.

***

"Melanie, would you help me out of this dress?"

"Yes miss," Melanie said from the doorway where she had been awaiting Lindsay's request.

The woman stood behind Lindsay and worked the catches on the simple gown. Simple but more than Melanie had ever really owned. The few dresses she had were handed down to her from her previous mistress, Lady Claire. Brian's sister had treated her horribly but she had always been kind enough to give her the dresses that she had grown out of. In all likelihood, it was simply because her mother had demanded it of her.

She watched as Lindsay stepped out of the dress and pulled the white night gown from the bed. The garb was loose and thick but as the woman moved in front of the ever burning fire, Melanie could make out the graceful form of the lady's body. The beautiful curves. She was all that Melanie had ever wanted to be. She had never had a beautiful, curvaceous body. She had always been flat in the chest and small in the waist. Much like a boy. She had even feared that she might never find a man that would be attracted to her. Yet...Justin didn't seem to mind her imperfection. In fact he seemed to revel in it.

"Braid my hair?"

Melanie's smile widened. She thought it wonderful that Lindsay always used questions. It never felt like a command when she asked. She could almost pretend that they were simply friends. And that she was simply acting as a friend would.

Standing behind Lindsay, as she sat on the small stool beside the fire, Melanie ran her fingers through the lady's long hair. It was as soft as silk. As white as gold. As sweet as sugarcane. It smelled like lavender, Melanie realized as she breathed in the scent.

"What has you so happy?"

"Pardon?"

Lindsay tilted her head back just enough to meet Melanie's eyes. "You seem...happier lately. Happier than I've seen you in the year you've been here. What has happened to cause this change?"

Melanie blushed. "I...I can't be sure."

"Of course you can. Have you perhaps...gotten a beau?"

If possible, her blush burned brighter. "Not a beau exactly."

"But you do have a suitor?" Lindsay jumped up, pulling her hair from Melanie's busy fingers. "This is wonderful! Dear girl...are you going to meet him tonight?"

She nodded slowly, somewhat hesitant about telling Lindsay about her interest in Justin. "He is supposed to meet with me a bit later."

"Oh goodness. Why did you not tell me? You must go. Go and ready yourself. Change into a nice gown. Here." Lindsay opened the trunk at the foot of the bed and pulled out a long blue gown, trimmed in white lace. "Wear this. It will look beautiful on you. Not that you need the help."

"Milady," Melanie shrank back from the woman. Her exuberance was quite amazing. Overwhelming to say the least. "I cannot possibly take your dress. It would never fit me."

Lindsay looked thoughtful. "We could..." She smiled and rushed out of the chamber. She returned a few moments later, one of the kitchen women in tow. "Theresa knows how to sew. She's brilliant with a needle and thread. We can have the dress altered in no time."

"But...Lady Lindsay-"

"You did say that you weren't meeting for a little while yet, did you not?" Melanie sighed and nodded, realizing that she was fighting a losing battle. "Good. Then it's agreed. Now come along. Let's get you ready."

***

Dressed once again, and feeling wonderfully exhausted from the water, Brian sat perched upon a great rock beside the pool, his knees drawn up to his chest and staring at the stars above.

When he was a boy, his mother had once told him that the stars were diamonds. That a great queen had wanted the entire world to sparkle just for her, and had cast the jewels from her crown into the sky.

Brian had thought the story magical and wonderful at the time. He had asked if he might go up and retrieve the sparkling jewels. His mother had laughed her beautiful laugh that twinkled far more than any heavenly star, and told him that it simply wouldn't do to take them. How would the world sparkle without them?

He wasn't sure why that story had occurred to him. Probably something to do with his disposition. He had been in quite the morose mood since the boy had run blindly towards home.

How the Hell had he let that happen? Usually...usually he was so in control of his needs. His desires. He had men in the village. Handsome young men that were more than willing to do as he asked. Never had he brought his craving into the fight. He was a lord. He was a fighter. A leader. He couldn't jeopardize that position by bringing harm and losing trust from one of his best men.

He hadn't known that Justin would be at the pool. He had heard of the place from Lindsay some weeks ago and had gone to the spot several times since. It was a peaceful place. Perfectly suited for his needs. The need for quiet. The need for tranquility. The need for a release that he could only receive in the midst of nature.

The thick trees around him swallowed up most of the sounds from the village and allowed little to no sound out of the area. He could growl, howl, bay at the moon, scream, groan...whatever it took to get rid of his weakening emotions - the downfall of every man in power. It seemed that he had been going there a great deal lately, though he wasn't sure if it was for lack of peace in his home or increase of frustration with the returned men. Probably both.

Yet Justin had been there. An interloper in his safe haven. He hadn't been able to control himself or his reaction to the boy. Hadn't been able to stop himself from moving into the water. He had gone straight into the water and had gravitated towards the warmth of the young man's slender, toned body.

Something about him...

Something in him that sparkled like the stars in the sky. Brian could see a light within Justin just as plain as the sun in the noonday sky. A light of innocence and passion that refused to be extinguished. No matter how many battles. How many betrayals.

The light drew Brian in. Captured him. And eventually like lights were wont to do, it would burn him. One way or another.

To Be Continued...