Marcus has to serve her soldiers

Later that day, as evening fell, Marcus found himself in the Palace kitchens, awkwardly carrying a tray with some mugs of ale on top in his shivering hands. At least he was wearing clothes now, even if it was only a shirt and trousers Lyra had given him when she'd dropped him off here. He was still very nervous about stepping out into the dining hall where he could hear the hum of conversation among the ruffians who'd taken over his home.

After he'd done his best to clean his Father's study for the whole afternoon, earning a measly three crowns for all his effort, Lyra had taken him back through the castle and into the kitchens. She hadn't seemed to be in quite as bad a mood as usual, just sullen and silent rather than trying to do horrible things to him, not that it helped him much in the end. It seemed like she still wanted to put him to work doing the jobs the maids and servants had once done, because she'd coldly informed him that he was going to be serving her soldiers drinks tonight. To teach him that he wasn't better than anyone else, apparently. The thought of being helpless among all those ruffians terrified him, but he didn't have a choice. All he could hope for was that Jack was there to protect him, the thought of his handsome older lover just about enough to give him the courage to step forward.

With a sharp breath in, the young prince stepped gingerly through the doorway and into the large dining hall where his Father had once thrown so many feasts and banquets. It was much less grand now, of course. Just like the rest of the palace, the tapestries and paintings that had decorated the walls had been stripped away, along with the fancy table and chairs at the back of the room where Marcus had always sat with his Mother and Father. Instead of proud nobles and brave knights feasting and boasting together, Lyra's horrible ruffians filled the chairs, wearing grubby leather armor, their muddy boot-prints all over the floor. The young prince felt a sharp pang in his chest at the sight. Even if his family managed to retake the castle as he so dearly hoped for, would anything ever be the same again?

"Get over here, brat!" Lyra's sharp voice echoed across the room, making him jump and squeak in shock. She was sitting at the nearest table among some of her men, a cold sneer on her face as she glared at him. That shout had alerted everyone else in the room as well, and as Marcus scurried to her he felt a lot of gazes following him. "Our former prince has been generous enough to offer to serve us mere peasants drinks today." She continued, with a smirk. "He's trying very hard to be a good host." Marcus glanced down, blushing hot as the room echoed with mocking chuckles. Why did she have to be so horrible? He was doing everything she said already! He held out the tray miserably as she snatched a mug of ale from the top and took a long drink. "Now serve everyone else, you little shit." She snapped.

Marcus nodded frantically and moved down the table, holding out the tray as each ruffian in turn grabbed their own drink. He tried to ignore the mocking sneers, but it was so hard to stay strong while everyone in this room seemed to hate him for something that wasn't even his fault. He'd never chosen to be a prince! When all the mugs had been taken, he had to rush back into the kitchen and fetch more, pursued by impatient shouts and horrible comments about poor service and how useless he was. At least when the maids did this during his Father's feasts people weren't so mean to them!

He was on the verge of tears as he struggled along, getting berated at every turn. It just felt like the entire world had turned against him, no matter how hard he told himself that wasn't true. Then, as he moved round to another of the tables, resigned to even more awful sneers and mockery from these ignorant peasants, he nearly jumped out of his skin as a groping hand pinched him firmly on the butt. The young prince just about managed to balance the tray without spilling ale everywhere, which he was sure would make Lyra even madder at him.

He glanced up hurriedly, his shocked gaze finding Juliet sitting there and smiling toothily at him. Marcus blushed furiously as she waggled her fingers at him. Pinching his butt, right in front of everyone else! What was she doing? As the mute redhead grabbed her own drink from the tray, she reached her other hand over his shoulder and pointed down the hall. Marcus followed her finger, a little gasp of shock escaping his lips as he saw Jack sitting there alone at a table right where she was telling him to look. The handsome older man was staring right back at him too, with a sad look on his face. Juliet nodded towards Jack, taking the tray of drinks from the young prince's quivering fingers. For a moment, Marcus hesitated, before he realized he'd served nearly everyone already, and the redhead was handing out the last few mugs herself.

"Thank you." He whispered, giving her a shy little smile. She grinned back, but as he started forward towards Jack her hand slipped behind him and pinched him on the butt again! Marcus yelped shrilly, scurrying away before she could do it even more, his blush spreading to the roots of his silver hair. Just when he thought she was being nice too! The young prince darted to Jack's table, worried he was going to be shouted at by Lyra but **** to be close to his handsome older lover all the same. Even so, his horrible evening had left a sliver of awful doubt inside him that made him hang back. What if Jack was going to be mean to him too? He wasn't sure he could take that.

"Hey there." Jack smiled sympathetically. "Rough day, huh?" With a hoarse little sob, Marcus stumbled forward, not even caring any longer if any of those horrible people were watching him. He jumped at Jack and buried his face in the older man's muscled shoulder. Just the warmth of his lover's body against his own made him shudder with relief, and when he felt a big hand gently pat his back he started crying even harder, hardly able to bear the flood of feelings rushing through his trembling body. "Come, let's get you out of here." Jack murmured in his ear.

"Um...what about?" He glanced worriedly over his shoulder at where Lyra had been sitting. The horrible woman was chatting to the man beside her, and didn't seem to have noticed he was with Jack yet.

"Don't worry about Lyra." The older man replied. "I'll talk to her, and anyone else who has a problem." He rose to his feet, his big hand resting gently on the young prince's shivering back. Marcus nodded hurriedly. He was **** to get out of this horrible room, all the more so if it meant finally being alone again with his handsome older lover. The whole day they'd spent apart he'd been longing for that, and he wasn't about to miss his chance, no matter how angry it might make stupid Lyra. Guiding him along with that nice, warm hand, Jack led him towards a side door of the hall, and then out into the small room through it. The older man closed the door behind them, shutting out those horrible ruffians who'd been so mean. As soon as they were alone, the young prince leapt again on his handsome lover, wrapping his arms as tightly as he could round Jack's waist.

"Thank you." Marcus breathed, nuzzling into the older man's big, muscly body. All the awful feelings that had threatened to overwhelm him ebbed away, and a warm soothing relief filled him up instead. The young prince clutched at Jack's shirt, feeling the hard muscles of the man's back underneath. He wasn't letting go, ever!

"Sorry." Jack murmured above him. "I should have done something sooner."

"No, it's alright." Marcus shook his head, before burying himself back against his lover's muscly chest, breathing in the warm, spicy smell of the older man. None of that mattered anymore! He was alone with Jack again! Just the thought made him smile giddily, and he shuddered again with sheer relief as he felt one of those big, strong hands gently rub his shoulder. Everything was okay now!