Four years ago, I was dragged to Rennes, a sex slave, and no longer in control of my mind, my heart and everything I knew was stripped from me. By chance or insidious design, I was elevated to the position of Prince. Not the royal kind of prince but the noble kind, like a duke or earl but called a prince, running a principality. It's all dull and unimpressive so I shall avoid the deep explanation. For what it's worth, I intended to stay as prince for no more than two years. I am a year beyond that with no hope of freedom in sight.
I'm not even certain I want that freedom anymore.
I looked up as one of my pages cleared his throat and waited for me to acknowledge his presence. He was lanky, blond and rather dull in appearance with a mind to match. It often took him a few moments to understand what I wanted but I am a patient man.
"Your Grace, your brother has arrived and he is demanding to see you. He has a rather large elf with him and I was not inclined to argue that you are..." Thalizar chose precisely that moment to come barging in, his face red and his long, black hair strangely disheveled for my usually vain sibling. Clearly, he was unhappy and unhappy with me in particular.
With a bland expression, I sat back in the chair of my audience room and waited for him to speak. This room, which resembled an office like any of my other official meeting places, contained my desk, a book shelf, a wooden puzzle on the desk to occupy me when I became bored and one chair. The idea was for the visitor to speak his mind and get out while I made my decision. I dare say it worked out well. "Open your mouth and let the words fall, Brother Mine," said I.
He stormed over to my desk and planted his gloved hands flat upon the surface then leaned forward, his face so close to mine that I was breathing in his breath as he exhaled. There was a curious scent to my half-brother, which was a combination of sandalwood and pine with a hint of mint that was unique to his person and always had been. I rather liked it. "You took over the thieves' and assassin guilds here in the city?" he yelled in my face, his spittle landing on my skin.
I shrugged and leaned back. I had wondered when he would find out that I was now running both the underground guilds here in the city. It clashed with my duties as prince but it also improved my information gathering by a thousand percent. Though the business I began with Ambrose was far away in time and space, I could never break out of it entirely and so I still hired people with the appropriate skills to do various jobs for me. The assassins' and thieves' guilds were a fine source of both information and hirelings as well as a steady influx of coin from those paying the guilds to do the jobs. Some money went to the city, some went to me. It was a very lucrative association and I was fond of it, something Thalizar clearly was not. I tried explaining this to him but he threw up his hands before slamming them down, in fists, upon the desk, rattling it and its contents.
Through my magic, my empathy, I could feel his rage and it touched something deep inside me. I enjoyed the emotions of others in small amounts but I shielded myself from them for the most part. Thal, who was usually controlled and cool, could lose his temper at times, the anger leeching through my shields and filling me with it due to our closeness, both personal and physical. I could never inspire him to love me as I wished he would but these moments of hatred were just as powerful. And just as erotic.
"Random, please ensure that we have privacy, as my brother and I have much to discuss," I said to the muscular young elf behind Thalizar.
My brother bristled and said, "He is not yours! You cannot order him around like he is a dog."
"Yes, Brother-Mine, he wears your collar but I am the prince of this city and that demands a level of respect, of which I am certain he appreciates." With a nod of my head, my eyes on the red-haired elf, I said, "Random? Please?"
The boy looked askance at Thal, who waved his hand dismissively and did not watch the boy's retreating back as he headed for the door. I loved Random like I loved living and watching him leave twisted me from within. We were soul-bound, he and I. Two hearts, two minds, one connection to bind us both through empathy and love. Thalizar's restrictions on his sexual activities meant that we could not make love as I desired but we would sometimes visit one another's dreams and make up for it.
It was enough for now.
Looking back to my brother, I said, "Now. Speak to me. What on earth is your problem with the way I am running things?"
"Because I need to visit the Guild Master for a specific job I am doing and..."
"...he is me?" I finished, a sly grin on my face.
