Val's Memories and Heartaches

Five Years Prior Valerian:

Valerian sat in his private chambers, finishing up paperwork for pay increase for his men throughout the ranks of the military.  He would never forget how the whole of his men had rioted when he had been taken away to the healers.  

His lieutenant explained to Valerian that none of the men cared whatever lover he chose as he was the best commanding officer they had had for three millennia.  Better wages for his men, better living quarters and better weapons were the only things a commanding officer could give his men; and Val hoped that they would be happy with these things.

Banging knocks on his bedroom doors pulled Val's attention away from his papers as he slowly stood to answer the door.  Opening the doors, Val nearly missed catching Thanerick as he instantly fell into his lovers' arms, almost inconsoable.

"Val!  Val, you have to tell them I won't do it!  Tell Blaine and that damned Dorian I won't do it!  I won't leave you!"  Thanerick wailed as Valerian all but carried the younger man to his bed chambers off of his private living chambers; forgetting his paperwork for the time being.

"Love, what in the Seven are you on about?"  Val asked gently as he ushered Thane into his bedroom and had him sit down on the bed.  Thane continued to sniffle as they sat on the bed and Val waited patiently for him to explain.

"Dorian has made a ridiculous decree that we are to end all 'fraternizations' with all of the Taroc siblings.  He believes in this whole idea that Blaine and I have been 'poisoned' by you and Rena's charms."  Thane stated snidely as Val let him lay his head upon Val's lap.  

"Love, Dorian can't just throw away hundred's of years of peace between our kingdoms to hell for no reason."  Val reasoned calmly to his lover, but inside he worried about Dorian's true intentions to cause the sudden calamity.

Dorian taking the throne only meant trouble for them all if he so wished it, Dorian had proven that easily enough with the hell Val and Thane had already lived through.  Thane sighed as Val began running his hands through the younger man's hair.

"Whatever comes to pass Thanerick, I will never leave you."  Val promised as Thane blushed heavily.  Valerian looked lovingly upon his lover as he continued to stroke Thane's hair, causing the younger man to relax in his lap.

Thane lay there, holding Val's free hand when he noticed ink stains on Val's fingers.  Thanerick sat up suddenly as he recalled seeing stacks of papers upon Val's desk.

"Valerian!  Why hadn't you mentioned you were busy with work?  I shouldn't have interuppted you, you need to finish your work.  Come on, I'm so sorry love."  Thane said quietly while tugging on Val's hands to pull him up.

Valerian smiled and stood, silently shaking his head and moving to his wardrobe.  Valerian pulled his nightshirt out and laid it out for Thane, knowing it would be too long for his human lover.  Pulling out one for his self, he laid it out as well before turning to turn down his bed sheets; getting things ready for them to sleep.

"Love, my work can wait; you are much more important.  What wasn't completed today, can be completed in the morrow."  Val gently said as he stroked a finger down Thane's cheek.  Thane beamed up at him and turned his head to place a kiss on Val's palm.  The small gesture sent a jolt through Val as his heart hitched.  Valerian leaned down and kissed Thane deeply, an answer to his lover's small kiss.

The kiss turned from sweet and romantic to passionate and nearly crazed in seconds.  Both men groaned, nearly losing themselves to the passion and madness of it as they moved only inches from each other.

"Valerian, this may be the last night I'm allowed to spend with you..."  Thane's voice trailed off as fresh tears formed as he thought of what the morning would bring.  He couldn't bring his self to finish it, he wasn't able to bear it.

"We do not have to do anything Thanerick, but be together and enjoy each other.  I love you Thanerick, nothing will ever change that.  No matter how many healers they set upon me."  Valerian stated as he gently brushed the tears from Thane's face.  Thane sighed, leaning into his lover's gentle touch; memorizing the feel of Val's hands.  He knew no matter what they promised each other, that tonight would be their last together; for who knew how long.

Thane made a quick decision as he reached down and grabbed his tunic, pulling it up and over his head; leaving him topless as he discarded it carelessly onto the floor.  Thane grabbed Val's hand and placed it over his heart on his bare chest.

"My heart will always belong to you Valerian, and if this is to be my last night with you for the Seven only know how long; all I want is you."  Thane's voice was barely a whisper as he bravely proclaimed his love to Valerian, a blush deepening along his cheeks as he hoped Val knew what he had meant.

Val had been surprised by Thane's actions, but watching the younger man place Val's hand upon his bare chest, Val nearly chuckled at the blush that began to creep over Thane's cheeks.  Val slid his hand up to cup the back of Thane's neck, pulling Thane into a deep kiss.

Thane returned Val's kiss while he grabbed at Val's tunic; pulling it up and over Val's head and throwing it onto the floor to join his own.  Valerian reclaimed Thane's lips on a chuckle from Thane; Valerian nearly groaned when Thane nipped at his bottom lip; Thane pulled on Val's lips as their kiss deepened.  

Thanerick moved a hand to Val's breeches, grabbing a hip and squeezing it gently; causing Val's breath to hitch as he ground out a curse.

"Thane, love...please..."  Val begged as Thane moved slow hands over the growing hardness of Val's erection.

Thane had heard tale of new things the brothel workers would try for their visitors.  He wondered how Val would react, and decided to take the gamble.  Valerian groaned as Thane  knelt down slowly; while grabbing Val's breeches and pulling them down as well, revealing Val's now throbbing erection.  Thane took Val into his hands as he glanced up at Val before taking Val into his hands.  Valerian gasped and began panting, the sensations Thane's mouth and tongue were sending Val into; were almost too much for him to take.

Thane kept his eyes on his lover but found it hard to keep up with the eye contact.  No wonder the brothel girls were so popular; Thane found that he loved the power he got from pleasuring his lover.  Val had closed his eyes and begun to whimper from the ecstasy Thane had thrown him into.

Thane loved the taste of his lover's body in his mouth, almost losing all control as the lust flew through him.  Val finally grabbed Thane's shoulders and pulled him up; causing Thane's mouth to make a popping sound off of his erection.

"Thane, I...need...I need...Love...please..."  Thane quirked a grin at the mess Valerian had become.  His tough military commanding elven prince, a puddle of lust melting in front of him.

"What do you need, my prince?"  Thanerick's voice had turned soft and sultry, eyes hooded as his own erectin throbbed in his breeches.

Valerian nearly jumped Thane, causing the younger man to laugh even as Val quieted the laughter with a passionate kiss.  Thane moaned as they sank into the bed, Valerian working his hand over Thane's breeches where Thane had grown hard and throbbing.  Val trailed kisses down Thane's jaw to his neck, down to his collarbone.

Thane cried out as Val nipped at the sensitive skin of Thane's upper chest; leaving his love mark on his lover.

"Are you sure you're ready to be with me fully love?"  Val was concerned with Thane getting hurt, Valerian had had a few lovers in the past; but he knew Thanerick hadn't been intimate before.  Thane only smirked as he rolled Val over so that he straddled him.

Thane stood up quickly and undid his breeches; a silent answer to Val's question.  He watched with relish as Val's eyes grew large as Val took in Thane's naked body for the first time.  Val grabbed Thane's hand and pulled him into his lap; settling Thane on his leg but nudging Thane from behind with his knee causing moans to escape from Thane as he rode on Val's leg.

"Ah!  Yes..yes!  Valerian!"  Thane cried out as each sensation hit him and caused his arousal to sky rocket.

"Gods Thane, you're beautiful love.  Let me love you properly, dearest."  Val whispered as he petted and massaged Thane's erection.

"Yes!  Oh gods yes, Valerian!  Oh love me properly my prince; yes!"  Thane moaned out in ecstasy as Val picked him up easily and laid Thane gently on the bed.  Valerian wanted to make sure his lover was ready for him and gently began to massage Thane's entrance with two fingers as Thane moaned and rocked his hips to Val's rhythm.

Thane's moans were slowly whittling away at Valerian's will-power, and after torturing his lover in the sweetest way; Valerian finally positioned his own erection at Thane's erection.

Slowly entering his lover, Valerian closed his eyes and groaned loudly at the wonderful, tight feeling.  Thanerick had gasped at the new feeling, slight pain but not a bad pain; more pressure Thane realized as the feeling quickly moved to a pleasurable ecstasy.

"Gods Thanerick, so good, so tight; feels so good love."  Valerian only rambled as he moaned, slowly speeding up his ministrations.  Thanerick quickly caught up on Val's movements and matched his lover's rhythm, soon causing both men to moan in unison.

Thanerick felt an odd pressure building and thought Valerian must have felt the same as Val picked up his speed on his movements.  Soon both men were very close to climaxing, lost in their ecstasy.

"Gods, so close Thane; don't stop...don't stop!  So good love, feels so good!"  Valerian was rambling with each thrust while Thane felt he would die from so many sensations hitting him but Thane didn't care.

"Val!  Yes, my prince; my love, yes!  So good, so good!  Yes, yes, yes!"  Thane cried out loudly as Val cried out Thane's name, climaxing as he emptied his self into his lover.  "Val!  Val!  Ah, gods yes!"  Val moaned as he thrust once more into Thane as Thane climaxed and his climax erupted and emptied onto both of them.

Both men lay panting, sweating from thier activity; Valerian pulled slowly and gently out of Thane and gathered Thane into his arms. Thane giggled as Val snuggled into his shoulders.

"Your prince, huh?"  Val asked as he raised an eyebrow, looking down at his lover.  Thane blushed heavily and hid his face in Val's shoulder.

"Well...I mean, technically Valerian; you are.  My beautiful, elven prince."  Thane stated as he sat up, a wide grin on his face as his eyes sparkled.  It was Val's turn to blush deeply, the Seven knew how much Valerian loved this man.  He stood up and held a hand out for Thane.

"Come my love, let's get you bathed and in bed."  Valerian said, adorationin his voice and in all of his facial features.

The lovers bathed in Valerian's expansive bath, talking and laughing with each other; while any thoughts of the coming morning far from their minds.  Sharing what would be their last hours together for the Seven only knew how long.  Valerian gathered Thane close to him in his large bed, burning the memory of how it felt to hold Thanerick in his arms deep into the memory banks of his mind as they slowly drifted into deep sleep.

Valerian awoke to loud, booming knocks upon the main door of his bedroom chamber.  He turned to see Thane still fast asleep and noticed dawn had barely begun it's slow ascent as it peeked through the windows.  The pounding knocks intensified as Valerian growled quietly, whoever felt it was urgent had better be dying.  He climbed from the bed and threw his breeches on, leaving them undone and hanging low along his hips; staying shirtless as he refused to put a tunic on.  Whoever it was, would simply deal with his manner of undress.

"Yes, yes; I'm coming, enough with that racket!"  Val growled as he moved to his bedroom door and swung it open.  A frown pulled his full lips down as he stared down Blaine; Thane's older cousin.  Blaine had a look of murder upon his fair features as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where the hell is he Valerian?!  And do not play coy with me, I am in no mood!'  Blaine all but shouted as he pushed past Valerian to stand in the common area of Val's chambers.

"Why yes Blaine, please, do; come in."  Val drawled sarcastically as he shut the door and rolled his eyes at the sheer audacity the human prince had to barge into his private quarters.

Val blatently ignored Blaine as he strode back into his bed chambers to fetch a tunic.  Thane still slept soundly and Val smiled gently as he brushed Thane's hair from his face.

Sensing Blaine standing in the doorway, Val swallowed any retort he had as to not wake his lover, but turning and finding Blaine had followed him; he waited for the torrent of fury as Blaine ground out a curse finding his younger cousin in the elf's bed.

"Damn the Seven Valerian!  You took him into your bed, have you lost all of your senses?!"  Blaine's voice rose with each accusatory sentence.  Val quickly threw a tunic on and grabbed Blaine by the arm and nearly hauled him from the bedchamber.

"Silence your insane rantings, Blaine!  And do please show some decorum, what Thanerick and I do in our private lives' is our business alone and none others."  Val stated, his patience waning with the human.  He fixed the collar of his tunic and began to straighten up his work space as Blaine grabbed his arm and spun him around quickly.

"The boy had an order to carry out Valerian, to come here last night and end all forms of relations with you!  Not be seduced into your bed as so many before him have!  I'll not have my cousin become another notch on your bedpost Elf!"  Blaine seethed at the thought of his young cousin being played with so casually.

Blaine's shouts and rants had finally stirred Thanerick from his deep sleep.  The younger man stood in a nightshirt far too large for his slight frame, the length of the shirt hitting well below his knees; as he watched the two older men argue from his spot in the doorway.

"Why dear Blaine, you sound almost jealous; almost as if you haven't been able to seduce my little sister so easily.  Or is it that your jealous that I chose your cousin and not you?"  Valerian sneered as Blaine simply saw red, moving quicker than Val gave him credit for; Blaine threw a punch hitting Val clean in the jaw.

"Stop it, stop it both of you!"  Thane yelled as he ran to Val's side, placing his body purposely between the two men.  Thane reached up and caressed Val's jawline, wiping a drop of blood from Val's mouth.

"Valerian, quit baiting him, a fist fight between you won't help matters."  Thane reasoned with his lover, causing Valerian to chuckle at the sageness of the younger man.  Val placed a gently kiss upon Thane's forehead, glancing over the top of Thane's head to Blaine; who had remained silent during the lovers' small interaction.

"Blaine, you have to be at peace with the fact that Valerian is who I love and there will not be another to take his place."  Thane calmly said, trying to seem mature so his cousin wouldn't get angry again.

Blaine only sighed as he watched the tender exchange between the other two men, if only it were as easy as that.  Then he could have stayed with his Rena.

"Thanerick you know it's not that simple or easy.  Dorian has given us our orders and not only are we meant to follow them, but you know he doesn't condone of your relationship."  Blaine said as weariness crept into his voice, Valerian frowned; as he remembered all too well how Dorian abhored their relationship.

"Do you think I wanted to end things with Rena?  Especially how I was ordered to?  I would give anything to take back all of the things I said to her."  Blaine continued, not noticing the look of abject rage on Valerian's face as Blaine mentioned Val's baby sister.

Val's hands had frozen over a hair-tie as he turned toward Blaine, ready to murder the human.  Knowing that Blaine had indeed just sent his baby sister into a torrent of heartache; Val's blood began to boil.

"What exactly did you say to her Blaine?  And please, let's not be cheeky or else it'll only anger me more."  Val's voice had turned to ice as his eyes turned to a frosty-blue.  If Blaine ever thought he was protective of Thanerick; that feeling paled in comparison to how protective Valerian was over his baby sister.

Thane only groaned, Blaine really didn't use his brain well.  He stood where he was, more to keep Valerian from lunging for Blaine's throat.

Valerian usually kept a level head, his temper rarely breeching the surface.  It helped him in militant times when he needed level thinking to command his troops and keep them alive.  When his temper did flare and rage, it never boded well for the one intended as its target.

"Valerian, I had to make her believe my words.  If Dorian thought for an instant that Rena didn't believe me..."  Blaine tried reasoning with Valerian only to have Valerian cut him off in a fit of pure anger; lunging for Blaine only for Thane to hold him back.

"He'd have you thrown in the stocks?!  Flayed with whips and healing fire!?  So any and all 'impure' thoughts in your mind are burned from it forever?!  Or are those punishments only reserved for Thane and I?!  Our only crimes having fallen in love with each other?!"  Valerian roared as he strained against Thanerick's hold; tears of fury and pain falling from his eyes.  The image of Thane barely alive as they rushed him to the Valkyrie healers never leaving his mind.

Blaine couldn't look Val in the eyes, he'd never seen the elf so enraged.  Thane pulled the taller man down into his arms to calm him.  Thane too recalled all too well, the torture they had both gone through.  Thane still bore scars from the shackles on his wrists and Valerian still bore the scars from the "healing fires" along his back.

"Valerian, listen to me; even when I leave here I will not stop loving you.  No matter how much time goes by, I will be with you again one day.  The Seven themselves couldn't stop me; you are half of my soul Valerian Taroc."  Thane declared, tears falling from his eyes as he held onto Val's face gently declaring his love.  

Thanerick turned to his cousin, brows furrowed and a frown pulling his mouth down.

"Let Dorian know, that he's gotten his wish.  The so-called 'tryst' I had with Valerian will be no more.  But I swear to the Seven now Blaine; he tries to make Val's life hell after today, niether of you will know peace."  Thane ground out his promise to Blaine as he poked the older man in the chest, before shoving him out of the door and closing the chamber doors on Blaine as he continued to curse both of his cousins.

Thane sighed heavily as he turned back to Val, his heart shattering into a million pieces.  Valerian pulled Thane close as the younger man sniffled; trying his best to maintain his composure.

"It shouldn't be for too long, love."  Val promised quietly, his voice thick with his own tears.  

"I could always renounce and live as a hermit in between the Valkyrie wood and your kingdom."  Thane offered quietly as Val chuckled softly; both men knew that plan wouldn't bode well.  Dorian would still find Thane's actions treasonous and only use it as an excuse to begin a war between both kingdoms.

Thane slowly moved from Valerian's arms, fresh tears falling down his face as he purposely put space between them.  The only contact now, their hands as they held on still.

"It's alright love, go; before they cause you anymore trouble."  Val whispered gently, nodding his head as his  own tears fell.

Thane reluctantly let go of Valerian's hand as he quickly opened the chamber door and left.  

Valerian's vision blurred horribly as he finally broke down; falling to his knees as he felt his heart shatter into pieces.