original slash

Cynric Dallin
Julien Perot
Courtland Dallin (Father)
Chad (eldest son)
Edolie (youngest sister)
Terrel (youngest son [youngest])

Cynric halted his horse just outside of Burgess Cave, famed for housing bandits, thieves, or the weary traveler looking to spend the night in a safe place - a place used as a last resort for travelers, should they not be able to make it to the next town before dark. Burgess Cave was a sanctuary; anyone taking shelter there would be free of violence from each other and law enforcement.

It was inside this place that was rumored some bandits were keeping a French nobleman hostage. Normally Cynric and his father couldn’t be bothered with the affairs of the king and the foreigners, but the king offered a large reward to Cynric’s father to find the Frenchman and bring him back unharmed. Being the only son who was able to accomplish such a task, Cynric was ordered to go against his protests.

He knew it was a mistake to send someone like him to Burgess Cave, but Cynric couldn’t go against his father’s wishes. If his brother, Chad, hadn’t been entertaining his fiancée and her family, he’d be the one doing this meaningless task.

Sighing, Cynric dismounted and strode up to the gate, the only barrier keeping unwanted trouble out. He knocked three times, and waited for three seconds for the gatekeeper to open the peephole and demand who was knocking and what his business was.

“Cynric Dallin,” he announced. “My business is mine. Open the door, Grayson.”

Grayson, the old man behind the door, widened his eyes. “Yes, sir, right away, sir.” He opened the wooden door just enough for Cynric to fit through. Once the younger man was fully through the threshold, the old man closed the door and bowed.

“What is it today, sir?” the old man asked, offering to escort his guest to the main square. “Emmy isn’t in today, but I’m sure that old woman could find someone suitable for you.”

What Grayson meant by “that old woman” was the Mother of the whorehouse, able to take one look at any man or woman and know exactly what their fetish was. When Cynric first met her, she smiled and pushed the petite girl, Emmy, in front of him. He didn’t know that he liked the small, feeble looking partner, but after he spent one night with that girl, he held the old woman in high regards. She was simply a genius.

“I’m not here for that, Grayson.” Cynric removed his riding gloves, giving the old man a small smile.

“Then weaponry? Drink? Ah!” The old man stopped walking and leaned close to the younger man. “You wouldn’t by any chance want to try some of that new aphrodisiac Ginger got, would you? I hear it’s good, but dangerous.”

Cynric lifted an eyebrow. “Really? Ginger has something new?” He placed his fingers on his chin in thought. “I’m actually not here for that, but if you could get some for me while I do my business, I’ll be sure to pay you.”

Grayson bowed then continued on his way. The cave zigzagged for a ways before the whole thing opened up into a clearing, a large opening in the cave’s roof, letting in sunshine and fresh air, if one could really discern the fresh air from the corrupted air. Every resident of the main square smoked something, drank something, emitted something so foul that the plant life that once made its home around the rock was now dead.

The main square was a miniature black marketplace, with people selling illegal goods and other merchandise real cheap. It was a fair size for one trying to keep itself under the army’s radar, but still big enough for people to make a decent profit.

The pair stopped at the manmade stairs carved out of the stone of the cave. No one knew who carved the stairs, but they were there, and they were used. Cynric looked around, hoping to see his culprits, or the hostage in question, but he didn’t see anyone who could be linked to the crime.

“Go buy those things for me and meet me at the gate,” Cynric ordered. The old man bowed and left him. Cynric stood at the top of the steps, surveying the square. He knew exactly who he was looking for, and where to find them, but they could be anywhere in the daytime. He just wanted to make sure they weren’t out and about before making his grand entrance.

He made his way through the streets, pretending to be shopping. He’d stop by a stall and browse politely before refusing anything and moving on. He was almost to his destination when he felt someone wrap their slender arms around his torso, stopping him in the middle of the path.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” a low voice purred in his ear. Cynric turned around to see one of the many prostitutes of the Burgess Cave - it wasn’t one of his favorites, so he didn’t know her name, though he was sure he was with her once or twice.

“I’m just passing time, not going anywhere,” he replied.

The woman moved her hands up his arms and grasped his shoulders. “Want to pass the time with me? I’ll make it worth your while.”

“I was actually hoping to run into Emmy.” Cynric smiled as he glanced around, knowing the woman would think he was looking for the girl he mentioned, when he was really hoping for a spot of the man he was really looking for.

“Emmy isn’t in today. Surely that old man told you?” Cynric looked down at the girl. She was young, about as young as his sister, maybe fifteen or so. Though she and his sister shared the same age, the two were complete opposites in looks. Where his sister wouldn’t dress so…flashy, this woman wore a dress that had to be two sizes too small, accenting her small breasts and tiny waist. Her black hair was tied on top of her head, tufts of curly hair sticking out in all different places, almost as if she had just come from seeing to a customer. She also wore so much make up that she looked almost younger than she probably really was.

Cynric wasn’t one to go for a girl younger than him, especially one who reminded him of his sister. He sighed and placed his hands on her bare shoulders.

“No offense, but I only do it with Emmy and Ginger. If Emmy isn’t here, surely Ginger is?”

The girl’s face dropped, her seducing demeanor vanishing. She sighed and brushed his hands off her. “Ginger is here, but she’s with someone at the moment. If you want to wait, I’m sure she’ll be done in a few minutes.”

A twinkle of light caught Cynric’s eye. He glanced behind the girl, and, sure enough, there was the only cleanly bald head of the man he was looking for. He thanked the girl, and left, careful not to seem in a hurry. Luckily for him, the man he was following wasn’t wasting any time. He was quickly making his way through the crowds, and Cynric was only happy enough to be led to that man’s hideout.

They left the main square, and traveled through another zigzagging corridor of the cave, Cynric careful not to make himself too obvious. He was quiet, and made sure he wasn’t being followed either.

There was a door on the wall that the man disappeared through, and Cynric believed this was the place. He waited a minute before approaching the door and knocking. He waited for a few minutes before knocking again just as the door opened to reveal the bald man he had been tailing.

“Ah, Master Cynric, to what do we owe the pleasure?” the bald man asked. He took a dirty rag and wiped his sweating brow.

Cynric smiled. “You went through with it.”

“Through with what? We haven’t been in any trouble.” The man glanced behind him.

“I’m sure. May I come in?” Without waiting for an answer, he pushed himself into the room. The man quickly closed the door.

“Sir, please, there is nothing here for you.”

Cynric held up his hand, silencing the bald man. His presence alerted two other men in the room, but they stayed where they were, sitting at a table in front of a fire, eating some sort of meat and drinking some foul ale. The two men paled, and stopped eating.

“I’m sure you’ve heard by now that an important diplomat of the King’s has mysteriously disappeared,” Cynric began. “Now, I know you guys have been planning on a hostage situation for some time now, and I am readily to accept whatever you do, except for when it inconveniences me.”

One of the men at the table stood up. “Listen, boss, it’s not what you think.” The man fell back against the table, sending the food and drinks scattered to the floor. The other man then stood up and backed as far from Cynric as he could.

Cynric stared at the man now backing away from him, his arm out, his entire body stilled. None of the men had seen his arm move, let alone the small blade that he threw at the previous man until he fell back, the blade’s handle sticking out of his chest. The two silent men barely moved an inch. Cynric Dallin wasn’t called king of the bandits for nothing, though he hated that name.

Cynric closed his hand and pointed at the other man. “Where is the foreigner?” he asked quietly.

“In the room.”

Cynric pointed to the bald man next to him. “Did you harm him?”

“We did not, sir.”

Nodding, Cynric lowered his arm, visibly relaxing. He smiled at the two men. “Show him to me then.”

The bald man opened the only other door in the room, leading to a bedroom. There was a single bed, a dresser, and a table. On the bed lay an unconscious man being tended to by another man, though this one was smaller and younger than the three Cynric questioned. On the small table lay a tray full of bottles, rags, and little medical tools.

Cynric widened his eyes and looked at the first man. “I thought you said you didn’t harm him?”

“He was like this when we found him.” The man started to shake and backed away again. “I promise you, all we did was put him there.” Cynric took two large steps and was in front of the man, and brought his fist to the man’s chin, sending the man flying against the nearest wall. He slid down, unconscious.

The bald man tried to pull out his sword, but Cynric was faster, unsheathing his sword and slicing the bald man before he could fully pull the sword out, then Cynric turned and quickly stabbed the second man, killing them both instantly.

The youngest man in the room, giving medical attention to the hostage, stood up and backed as far as he could away from Cynric.

“Cynric, I promise you --”

Cynric smiled at him and sheathed his sword. “I was getting tired of them, anyway. What happened, Terrel?”

Terrel gulped and slightly relaxed, the fear of his brother killing him slowly fading.

“Ah, I actually found him. He was already beat up, almost dead, and alone.” He sat down next to the dark haired foreigner and resumed wiping the dried blood off him. “He had been attacked and robbed, and probably would have died.”

The older brother stared down at the Frenchman, crossing his arms over his chest. “Has he woken up at all?”

“Just once, but just barely. He seemed frightened when he saw me, but he was only awake for two seconds.”

Cynric nodded. The Frenchman looked like a wreck - blood all over his noble’s clothing, hair, and skin. However, despite the blood and dirt, he looked like a handsome noblemen. There was no mistake the man was definitely a guest of the King’s.

“Julien Perot,” Terrel whispered. “Hard to imagine anyone would be stupid enough to attack a personal guest of the King’s.”

“Damn. I’m going to have some pretty angry royals if I return him like this. You think he’ll be okay?”

“I got to him just in time. His fever has gone down, and his sleeping doesn’t seem so strained. He’ll be up by morning, but I’m not sure if he’ll be about.”

“Damn.” Cynric began pacing, feeling the first wave of nerves about his situation. He couldn’t hand the foreigner in like this, he’d be punished and would probably end up looking worse than the foreigner. It was common knowledge that his great-grandfather founded the Burgess Cave sanctuary, and even more commonly known was that he, Cynric Dallin, was now the most highly respected man of the cave. He refused to be the leader.

“I hope he isn’t an arrogant bastard,” Terrel mumbled, bringing Cynric out of his thoughts. “He looks like one of those nobles.”

“What does it matter to you what he’s like?”

“Well, if he’s going to stay here until he’s all healed, I’ll have to be with him on an extended basis.” The younger of the two stopped cleaning the unconscious man and looked pointedly at the door behind Cynric. “Now that I’m going to be caring for him all by myself.”

“You won’t be here by yourself. I’ll help you whenever I can. Father warned me not to return until I’ve found him, anyway, so it’s not like I have anywhere else to go for the time being.” Cynric sighed and plopped himself in one of the chairs near the bed and watched his younger brother finish wiping the Frenchman.