A nice morning, before Marcus has to face the truth

The young prince woke slowly, his eyes fluttering open to an unfamiliar ceiling. He smiled faintly as he realized where he was. This was Jack's room. In fact he was still lying nestled in the handsome older man's shoulder, cuddled against that big, muscled body he found so amazing. Jack still seemed to be asleep, so Marcus lay as still as he could, taking this chance to get a nice, long look. He really liked how the older man's face was so rough and grizzled, his square, tough jaw, all that prickly stubble on his cheeks and chin, even the faint wrinkles on his forehead. There were a couple scars the young prince hadn't noticed before, the largest one a faded white line all the way around Jack's thick neck. Marcus wriggled up a little, trying to get a closer look. What kind of injury could cause a scar like that?

Just then, he felt Jack stir against him. The older man took in a harsh, gasping breath that made his body shudder, then his eyes opened, his jaw clenched tight. He looked really tense and worried for a moment, so much so that Marcus froze against his shoulder, scared that something was wrong. Then Jack seemed to relax, slumping back into the bed with a sigh.

"Morning." He grunted, his dark eyes flickering down to the young prince still lying nestled in his shoulder. His lips curled into a small smile.

"Good morning." Marcus grinned back. Pleased Jack seemed to be happy, he couldn't stop himself from wriggling up and planting a little kiss right on the older man's cheek. Just the feeling of stubbled skin against his soft, tender lips made him shiver with longing. He tried to get even closer and find Jack's mouth as well, but before he could he felt a strong hand grab his shoulder under the blankets and hold him firmly

"Hey now, none of that just yet." Jack shook his head.

"Why not?" Marcus pouted. They'd just made love last night, hadn't they? He should be able to kiss Jack all he wanted! And he wanted to a lot!

"Fuck, this is hard enough as it is." The handsome older man sighed. Under the blankets, his hand stroked Marcus' shoulder, moving down to gently hold the young prince by the waist. "Listen, last night...was amazing. I'm never going to forget that, but I'm still Lyra's second-in-command, okay? And you're still the prince, no matter...how much I wish it could be different. We can spend a little more time together now, but then I'm going to have to take you back to her."

"No!" Marcus shook his head. "Not that, please!" In all the bliss and pleasure of last night, he'd almost let himself forget why this was happening! The awful reminder now, just when he'd felt comfortable and safe again, was like a dagger in his chest.

"I'm sorry." Jack murmured sadly. "You're a real sweetheart, Marcus." The young prince trembled, tears in his eyes, as the handsome older man said his name for the very first time. "I'll make sure Lyra understands she's got to treat you **** than she's been doing so far, but like I said yesterday, the people have to see someone punished for what your family's done or else what we're trying to do here just isn't going to hold itself together. There's things that are more important than you and me. This chance we have...to make a new kind of country we're everyone's got a chance, where no-one's treated better just because of their name or who their Father is. That's worth more than us." His voice rose as he spoke, trembling with real conviction like Marcus had never heard before. He really believed all this, believed in Lyra. Why though? He was such a kind, amazing man, and she was just some horrible brute! "Unfortunately it's going to take a few sacrifices, and it's just damned shitty luck that so many of them are falling on the shoulders of a boy like you."

"I don't care!" Marcus stammered helplessly. "I don't want to be **** to do this with anyone else! I just want you, Jack! Please..."

"Listen to me, Marcus." Jack's arm wrapped around him tighter, pulling his slender body against the older man's hard, muscled side. "It'll be a rough few weeks for you, that's all. Then your debt's going to be paid off, just like Lyra wants. Once that's all over with, you'll just be an ordinary boy and you can do whatever you want. And the two of us...we can see what happens then, together."

"Jack..." Marcus sobbed wetly, burying his sobbing face into older man's shoulder. "I can't do this. I can't..." The thought of sleeping with someone else, being **** into it by one of those cruel, horrible ruffians who hated him was just too much to bear.

"Yes you can." Jack stroked his back gently with one big, warm hand. "You may not look it, but you're tough, tougher than most pampered nobles I've met. The way you've held it together so far, even when Lyra had you locked in the pillory, showed me that. And I'm going to be here the whole time, okay? Anyone's too rough with you, anyone hurts you, come straight to me and I'll sort it out." Marcus nodded sadly. As much as he hated this, as much as he wished everything could be different, he knew he wasn't going to be able to persuade Jack to change things. This was the best he was going to get, while that horrible Lyra still had him in her grasp. If only...he'd met Jack in different circumstances, if only the handsome older man didn't hate nobles and royals so very much. But this was how things were, and he had to make the best of that. He didn't have any other choice.

"And when can we...be together again?" He asked, blinking away a few hot, painful tears. If he had to be passed around amongst Lyra's band of brutes, the only thing he could hope for was Jack getting a chance too.

"As soon as I can." Jack smiled gently down at him. "Next time Lyra allows it, I'll pay off more of your debt, and you can stay with me again. We don't have to do anything. We can just talk or something, whatever you want."

"And if I do want you...to have sex with me again?" Marcus asked shyly, nuzzling closer into the handsome older man's body even as tears dribbled down his cheeks. He was going to be **** by these other horrible people, there seemed to be no way to escape that. Even so, there was no way he'd miss out on a chance to feel what he had last night, with Jack. He'd suffer through as many nights with brutes and ruffians as it too to get that chance again.

"We can do that too." Jack smiled gently even as his big, strong hand wandered down the young prince's back. Marcus let out a little yip of shock as he felt the older man's callused fingers brush across his quivering butt. It still felt a little tender from what they'd done together last night, but as Jack squeezed one soft cheek in a gentle grip he felt his butthole tingle hotly, begging for more. His dick was hard too, the sensitive head aching as it pressed against Jack's muscled leg. "In fact, we've got a couple hours now. Lyra can wait for you a little longer, I think. If this is what you want?"

"Yes, it is, definitely." Marcus nodded hurriedly, blinking away the last of his tears. Jack's hand moved back up to his waist and gently pulled his slender body up. The young prince squealed in delight as he was lifted up over the handsome older man's body, lying across that massive, hard chest. His legs dangled down over Jack's pelvis, resting over toned muscle. Against his thighs, he could feel the older man's big, amazing cock twitching and stiffening up again, so hot and hard.

This time, when he craned his neck up and lent in for a kiss, Jack made no move to stop him. Sparks crackled across his aching skin as he pressed his soft lips gently over the older man's waiting mouth, slipping his own tongue inside. In the warmth of the hungry kiss, with two strong, muscled arms holding his little body tight, the young prince lost himself in pleasure, refusing to think about what the future held. It didn't matter right now anyway. There was just him and the handsome older man who'd taken his first time and been so kind to him, that was all.