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[This chapter contains a battle sequence that includes death. This chapter also includes a forced sexual encounter. As this story is fiction, none of the events are based in reality but can be triggering for some readers. Please proceed with caution and feel free to skip to the next chapter if you feel uncomfortable with the contents of this chapter.]
Chapter 5 - Catch and Release
The sun was high in the sky as Jace and Connor continued their journey, two days after their passionate encounter by the Halsken River. The memory of their heated night lingered, yet they had refrained from acting on their growing desire again. The tension between them was palpable, each glance and touch charged with unspoken longing.
The landscape around them grew denser as they approached Xylon Gate. The woods were thick with ancient trees and underbrush, making their progress slow and cautious. Suddenly, a rustle in the foliage alerted them, and before they could react, a band of Thornings surrounded them.
"Stay close," Jace commanded, drawing his sword as Connor reached for his own weapons. The Thornings were huge, burly men. Jace quickly sized them up, his instinct taking over. There were nine men in total, all clad in various forms of tanned leather and animal pelts. The majority were shirtless, and Jace noted their muscled forms. The Thornings each held some type of crude weapon--daggers, clubs, or even some swords, which Jace surmised to be belonging to slain noblemen.
Connor had grabbed his bow from his side and began to pull an arrow from its sleeve as Jace drew his sword, the sharp blade flickering with what little sunlight seeped through the thick forest overhead. Connor's first arrow sped through the air, striking a Thorning in the shoulder. Jace lunged for a man to his right, wielding a sword that appeared too small for him. The Thorning put up a decent fight, but was no match for Jace's combination of speed and power. He delivered a fatal stab into the Thorning's side and watched him collaps and into a lifeless heap.
"To your left!" Connor yelled as he drew another arrow and aimed for one of the larger men. Jace dodged his attacker and began his offense on the massive brute. Again, he triumphed over the Thorning man, this time slicing his head off in a strong, confident blow. He looked up and saw that Connor had dismounted and was finishing off the first Thorning he'd hit with his arrow.
"Three down and six to go!" Jace yelled, perhaps too cocky, as they were still very much outnumbered. He again engaged another man with a sword, leaving the men with more crude weapons for Connor, who had no sword of his own. As he delivered yet another fatal blow, he heard Connor grunt and struggle.
Jace turned to witness Connor take a jagged knife to his abdomen. Connor winced, but continued his battle with the Thorning.
"Connor!" Jace cried out as he darted towards his companion.
He was just within swinging distance when an arrow flew through the air, piercing his left shoulder. Jace fell to the ground but immediately jumped up, determined to come to Connor's defense. The Thornings seized their opportunity immediately. The remaining men swarmed Connor, beating him and tying ropes around his body. One man turned and swatted his club at Jace, giving the others just enough time to mount their horses with Connor in tow, tightly bound. Jace began to run after them, but arrows began flying directly at him. He stared longingly at Connor as angry tears began forming in his eyes. As quickly as they had appeared, they vanished into the depths of the forest.
Jace darted for cover behind some brush and reached around to feel the arrow he'd taken in his shoulder. "Not too deep," he thought, and he swiftly pulled it from his body, wincing in pain. He leaned against a large tree and slowly sank to the ground, trying to remain conscious and form a plan. His heart pounded with rage, so much so that he didn't notice his eyes were blinking slower and slower, until finally they ceased to open, and all went dark.
Jace awoke with a jolt. "How many hours has it been?" he wondered to himself. It was dark, but he looked around and spotted their horses after his eyes adjusted. His head immediately filled rage as the images of what they might do to Connor pushed him to get up. He gathered his dagger, Connor's bow, and the bag of arrows from the ground. He had to rescue Connor. He surmised that he could catch them off guard, pick off a few of the men with arrows, and then take the rest of them out in close combat with his blade.
He followed the signs left by the band of Thornings, thinking they must have assumed he was either too wounded to pursue them or didn't care enough about Connor to rescue him. Little did they know, every thoughtful step he took was fueled by his determination to save his companion. He was beginning to develop deep feelings for Connor--the way he smiled, his intelligence, and his handsome body, and Jace found himself eager to be wrapped tightly within his arms.
• • •
Meanwhile, the Thornings had taken Connor to a secluded glade, deep within the woods. They stripped him and tied him to a tree, his arms bound above his head, rendering him helpless. The leader of the Thornings approached, a wicked grin on his face. "Looks like we caught ourselves a fine prize," he sneered, his hand tracing a line down Connor's chest.
"What are we going to do with him, Reige?" one of the Thornings yelled out over the raucous jeers of the others.
"Whatever we likes, men," the leader replied. "We got us a right handsome fellow, seems like we should put him to good use."
The group of five looked Connor up and down, their eyes full of lust. Reige pulled a small dagger from his belt and brought it close to Connor's cheek.
"Would you rather we slice you up and carve steaks out of you, or give you what you really want?" he said as he gestured to his cock with his free hand.
Connor stared at the man intensely. He looked deep into Reige's eyes and then spoke confidently. "I want nothing to do with you, but I imagine you've heard that quite a few times in your lifetime."
Reige smirked, looking back over his shoulder to the other four men. "Seems like he's got quite the mouth on him, right boys? Maybe we should put it to good use..." he sneered as he dragged the dagger lightly over Connor's large chest and taut abs. The men came in closer, forming a half-circle around Reige and Connor.
"Drop him to his knees," Reige barked at his lackies. They cut the ropes that tied his arms above his head and shoved him down onto his knees. One of the men tied Connor's hands behind his back, leaving him kneeling helplessly in front of the group.
Reige reached forward and took a firm grasp of Connor's hair, knotting it in his hand. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" Connor refused to make eye contact. It didn't matter; Reige didn't need Connor's eyes. He unfastened his pants and let them fall to the ground, freeing his large, turgid cock. Connor remained stoic, but knew what was coming next. Reige pumped his cock in his own hand briefly before placing its head against Connor's pursed lips. When he didn't react, one of the other Thornings pressed a knife against his throat.
"I think it would make more sense to open your sweet little mouth," the Thorning said, as he pressed the blade up against Connor's neck.
As much as he hated doing it, Connor took a deep breath and parted his lips, opening his mouth to Reige's cock. Before he could take a second breath, Connor felt the slab of meat hitting the back of his throat, triggering his gag reflex.
"Don't worry there, boy, we won't go too hard on you," Reige said, slapping a hand on Connor's cheek. He began to trust in and out of Connor's mouth, ramming him harder and harder each time. Connor's eyes began to fill with tears as the man continued to assault his mouth, in and out and in and out. His thrusts grew more ferocious until finally he slammed his cock as deep as he could, shooting ropes of cum deep into Connor's throat.
"Thats a good boy," Reige said, slapping Connor on the cheek again. "Now who's next?"
"Give him to me," the largest of the men said. "I'll treat him just right," he snickered as he placed his huge hand on Connor's throat and squeezed, eliciting a gasp from Connor.
As he tried to take a breath, Connor felt the man's thick cock invade his mouth and he gagged instantly. The man began to thrust rapidly while squeezing his throat at the same time. The other men cheered, enjoying the sight of this young man from Crown's Keep being demoralized by the band of Thornings. The large man continued to fuck Connor's face until his body tensed, and he too deposited a large load of Thorning cum into Connor's mouth.
"Seems like we made the right choice with you," the man said, releasing Connor's throat as he removed his cock.
Connor struggled against his bonds, his heart racing. "Let me go," he demanded, but the Thornings only laughed. One smaller man reached down to Connor's waist and began to tease his cock with rough, unyielding hands. Connor's body betrayed him, responding to their touch.
"Such a pretty little thing," the small Thorning mocked, untying his breeches and pushing his own member into Connor's face. "Suck it," he commanded, pressing the tip against Connor's lips.
Connor reluctantly opened, allowing another Thorning cock inside his mouth. He closed his eyes, not wanting the men to see the tears forming. He tried to transport himself somewhere else. He thought if he could just hold on a little longer, maybe Jace would find him.
"Jace," he thought, instantly feeling a speck of hope. Jace could put an end to all this. The more he thought of Jace, the harder his own cock grew. He started to pretend that inside his mouth--although thrusting relentlessly hard--it was Jace instead of this Thorning brute.
"Methinks he's beginning to come around," the fifth Thorning sneered, pointing at Connor's now leaking cock. "Give it to him good, Caegan!" he said to man currently using Connor.
With his eyes still closed, Connor tried to block out their voices, imagining Jace instead of these ingrates. He could do this. He could hold out for his rescuer.
• • •
Elsewhere in the forest, Jace was tracking the group. He came upon a clearing, his relentless determination finally paying off, and he crouched down behind some brush to scan the area and take in the scene before him.
Jace's blood began to boil at the sight of Connor, bound and violated with reckless abandon by the smallest of the pack. He saw the four other Thornings standing around him. Two men cheered on with half-hard members as the small man thrust his slick cock into Connor's mouth. The other men leered on, stroking their own hard cocks, most likely waiting for their own turn with the object of their desires.
Jace felt pain in his heart at the thought of Connor being forced to pleasure these men against his will. Pain turned to anger and raw aggression, his body filling with fiery heat. He could not allow this to continue a moment longer.
Jace sprang from the bushes and charged toward the men. He moved so swiftly that--had they not been entirely focused on the show before them--they would still have found themselves defenseless. Jace drew his sword from his side, the blade slicing through the neck of the largest Thorning. The others barely saw what happened, turning around in horror. Jace brought his sword up again and pierced the chest of another man, fatally wounding him instantly.
Caegan pulled his cock out of Connor's mouth and attempted to reach for a club lying on the ground, but Jace moved much faster. He sliced clean through the man's arm, causing Caegan to fall to the ground in pain. Reige, the Thorning leader, reached for a sword and swung at Jace, but he was immediately met with Jace's sword slitting his throat, killing him instantly.
All of this happened so fast that Connor was barely processing it. One moment his eyes had been closed tightly, trying to disassociate from his turmoil, and then everything had changed. Jace pulled a small dagger from his belt and cut through the ropes, releasing Connor from bondage. Helping him to his feet, Jace handed him the dagger and whispered "get to safety!" as he turned his attention to the fifth man who was struggling to locate a weapon amidst the chaos.
"Don't bother," Jace called out to the man as he stepped forward. The Thorning had managed to pull Reige's sword from his lifeless body. The two clashed, their swords moving swiftly.
Caegan lay on the ground and stretched his remaining arm out, reaching for a dagger. Connor recognized his intent and ran to him, kicking him and flipping him onto his back. Looking down at his most recent assailant, Connor let out a vindicated cry as he threw his own dagger into the man's chest, piercing his heart. Connor sank to his knees, feeling the emotion hit him in waves.
Jace delivered a fatal jab to the final Thorning man and scanned the area to make certain that all threats were eliminated. He saw Connor, on his knees, beside the lifeless body of Caegan. Jace ran to him, scooping him up and into his arms, and began to cry.
"I thought I'd lost you," Jace wept, clinging to Connor. "I couldn't bear it. I need you."
Connor leaned back, inhaling deeply and finding resolve in the safety of Jace's arms. "And I need you, Ser," he said, smiling as he drew closer and kissed Jace emotionally.
Jace led Connor away from the clearing and back to their horses. They had been nearly silent since departing the ghastly scene, and now as they sat around their fire, he reached for Connor's hand and squeezed it tightly, as if to let him know that he was safe now.
"I won't ever let something like that happen again," Jace whispered.
"I know, Ser," Connor said, a faint smile forming on his face. He didn't know how, but just being near Jace was bringing a sense of peace to him. Though the fire was plenty warm, he moved closer to Jace, nestling his head into the the knight's chest, inhaling his scent. Jace put his arm around Connor and held him tightly, allowing him to breathe him in even more.
Connor closed his eyes, getting lost in his senses. In his mind, he saw Jace appearing in the clearing, coming to his rescue. He thought of how heroic he had looked, wielding his sword in his defense. The strength and courage he had displayed was selfless. He inhaled again, clinging to Jace tightly as he felt enveloped in his strong arms.
Jace rubbed Connor's bare shoulder. Both men were sitting shirtless, airing out their bodies' wounds from the day's events. His eyes made their way from Connor's wavy locks down to his muscular chest. He had a few bruises on his torso, but they appeared to be little more than surface wounds. Jace placed his hand on Connor's thigh and began to lightly rub it back and forth, eliciting a quiet moan. He started to pull back, fearing he had hurt him somehow.
"Don't stop," Connor spoke, longingly. "Please don't stop, I need you," he said as he looked up into Jace's eyes.
"I need you too, Connor," Jace said as he met the man's gaze, the dancing flames of the fire reflecting in his eyes.
Their lips met in a searing kiss, as if all the events of the day were combined with the pent up desires of each man. Jace took Connor in his arms and laid him down into the grass beside the fire, gently yet urgently moving over him. He began to rub Connor's body, memorizing each curve of every muscle.
He felt Connor's cock throb between them, aching to be set free. He slowly kissed his way down Connor's body, pausing to take his hardened nipples in his mouth before continuing his journey down to his stiff cock. In one movement, Jace took the entire pole into his mouth, his tongue and lips working it with expert skill. Connor moaned, his hands gripping Jace's hair as he thrust up into his mouth. "Jace, please," he begged, his voice raw with desire.
Jace pulled back, drinking in the sight of Connor's body. "I want you inside of me, Connor."
Connor's face lit up with excitement. He nodded, leaning up and planting a kiss onto Jace's lips. Jace turned around and faced the fire, giving Connor a view of his muscular ass. As if drawn by magnetic force, Connor's cock was lined up with Jace's hole in an instant. He slowly pushed the head in, in awe of the tight suction. Their bodies joined, the intensity of their connection was overwhelming. Jace gasped as he felt Connor fully inside him--the sensation was electrifying. They began to move together at a frenzied pace.
"Jace," Connor moaned as his thrusts became even more urgent. "I'm close."
"Me too," Jace managed to reply while bracing himself in the dirt, arching his back and meeting Connor's rhythm with powerful thrusts of his own.
The two men came at the same time with a final, shuddering cry. They collapsed on the ground. The powerful release left them spent, but Connor clung to Jace with all his remaining strength.
As they lay together, their hearts pounding in unison, Jace rolled over so he could look into Connor's eyes. The dangers of their journey were likely far from over, but in that moment, they found strength and solace in each other. He stared at Connor, beginning to realize that perhaps he was something other than a companion for the quest. Maybe he was more.