Nothing, for a while

Jack's bedroom was up near the top of the castle, one of the old guest rooms. The silk tapestries and beautiful paintings had been stripped out, leaving just bare stone walls and a few pieces of simple furniture. Of those, the largest was the double-bed against the far wall. Marcus stared anxiously at the mussed-up sheets. He didn't know what Jack was planning yet, but that looming bed was sending his thoughts in some worrying directions.

"Here, kid, take a seat if you want." The brawny man grunted, waving a hand at a stool in the corner. Grateful for the chance to get off his aching feet, Marcus scurried over and sat down awkwardly on top, wriggling a little until his bare butt was perched comfortably. He swallowed, feeling the collar round his neck shift against his throat. The chain attached to it was still held in Jack's huge hand. With just a tug, the older man could yank him over and grab him at any moment. The thought made him shiver as that same strange fluttering feeling started in his belly. "You hungry?" Jack asked suddenly, making him jump.

"Yes." Marcus nodded. He hadn't had a thing to eat all day, and his stomach kind of felt like it was twisting itself into knots.

"On the table next to you, have as much as you want." The older man pointed. Marcus glanced over his shoulder. There was a plate with some bread and dried meat there. It wasn't exactly what he was used to, but he was so hungry right now he'd have eaten almost anything. As he chewed on a piece of dry bread, he watched Jack sit on the end of the bed, looking thoughtful. Every now and then, the brawny man's gaze would flicker over him, lingering down by his bare legs and thighs. It made him blush even more, and it got rather hard to focus on the food.

What was Jack thinking? Marcus knew the older man found him pretty, a thought that made his head go all hot. Now they were in a bedroom together and Jack was so much stronger too. The young prince knew if the brawny rebel tried to do well...something to him, he wouldn't be able to stop it at all. But Jack didn't do anything. He just sat there as Marcus ate, not yanking on the chain and pulling the young prince to him, or grabbing him in one massive hand and throwing him helpless on the bed. Somehow that was making him restless...maybe even a little annoyed, but he had no idea why.

At last Jack rose to his feet, making Marcus jump and squeal in shock on the stool. He blushed even hotter at how silly that had been, especially when the older man gave him a surprised look. Biting his lip, the young prince glanced down at the floor. So embarrassing! Then Jack stepped over to him, looming over the sitting prince, all his strong muscles right there to stare at. Marcus swallowed anxiously, frozen to his stool. He didn't even move when the older man reached down with a massive hand towards his throat, his skin tingling with a strange anticipation.

"Here, you've been wearing that long enough." Jack sighed, unfastening the collar round Marcus' neck. "I'm guessing you're smart enough to know there's not much point trying to escape." The young prince nodded awkwardly. He didn't have anywhere to go and the older man was the only person who'd been nice to him. If he was silly and tried to run, he'd probably end up with someone much worse. "Good." Jack pulled the collar away and Marcus sighed with relief, reaching up to rub at the skin of his neck. He'd somehow gotten used to the weight of that horrible thing, but now it was gone he felt so much better. Still, just taking of his collar...that had been a little disappointing somehow.

"Thank you." The young prince whispered, staring shyly up at Jack through his long lashes. "And thanks for...earlier as well, when you spoke to Lyra for me." Jack paused, staring down at him with an unreadable expression.

"You're not much like I thought you'd be, kid." The brawny man sighed at last, setting the open collar down on the table. "I was expecting the prince to be this arrogant shit, fighting us tooth and nail and screaming about how much better he is than us worthless peasants. You're just some scared kid. I don't think you even know why your family's so hated, do you?"

"No." Marcus whispered, his gaze falling to the floor.

"Fuck, open your eyes for once." Jack grunted, sounding annoyed now. "Look around you, at this huge castle. At all that gold we dug out of the vaults. Half the Kingdom starved so you could live like this. It's not exactly your fault, kid, but if you'd looked out the window every once in a while you might have noticed how much suffering was happening just outside these walls. That's why Lyra's put that debt on your head, and why she's so insistent you pay it back." The young prince bit his lip. Was that really true? He was starting to believe it. Jack wasn't a bad person...so why else would he be so angry? Marcus really wanted to talk to his Father, ask what was going on, but he doubted anyone was going to let him. If the King was even still alive anymore. If these people hadn't killed him already.

"So I owe this money to her, I understand that." He whispered, wishing it wasn't true but seeing no way out. There were other questions he really needed answered anyway. "Why does she want me to...sleep with people to pay it off?"

"She has her reasons. It's...really a story she should tell." Jack sighed, sitting back down on the end of the bed. "Only if the likes of you ever asked her, she'd probably clobber you to within an inch of your life." He paused for a moment, his lips curled, before continuing with a tired voice. "Lyra's mother was a whore, working a brothel in the South. Not one of those grubby places either, this was high-end. Where your kind, nobles, go when they want something exotic. From what she tells me, if you paid enough you could do pretty much anything you wanted to the girls there. Course that means her Father was likely noble too, though I'd never say as much to her. So to her, I guess this is kind of **** on him and the others who abused her Mother. She did the same to a few other nobles we captured." He shook his head again, frowning faintly. "It's not what I would choose, but without her I'd be dead in a ditch somewhere. She's the reason this rebellion succeeded. Listen kid, you can stay here safe for the night and I'll pay her off, a good thousand crowns or so. I'll not say anything and let her think what she wants. That should get you started on paying her back."

Marcus raised his head, looking at the brawny man again. The one person who'd shown him any kindness since all these awful things had started happening, who'd spoken out and protected him from a far worse fate. This strong, older man with a big, muscled body that made his belly flutter and his cheeks flush. Lyra was going to **** him to do this with someone anyway, tomorrow probably. Maybe it was better he get it done on his own terms first, with a man he actually kind of liked, despite everything.

"I...want to do it anyway, with you." The young prince murmured, looking Jack right in the eye even as his cheeks burned red-hot.