Lyra is angry and confused, but Marcus steps in

"Lyra, easy now, nothing to get mad about." Jack eased Marcus round to his side as he spoke, raising the other hand in front of him. She glared furiously back at him, her one good eye narrowed and her lip trembling. The young prince shrank nervously back into his lover's muscled body, more than a little anxious at the anger and confusion on the scarred woman's face.

"He was supposed to be serving my people." Lyra snarled, pointing a sharp finger at Marcus. "Getting a good taste of what all the maids and servants he had slaving after him his entire life had to go through every time his worthless Father threw a feast. And you, what, stole him away to this storeroom for a kiss and cuddle?"

"It's not like that." Jack protested evenly, but Marcus could feel the tension in the older man's muscled body. "Things were getting out of hand back there, so I figured I'd get him out before he got hurt or something. He's just a kid, Lyra."

"He's of age, old enough to take responsibility for what his family's done to this Kingdom." Lyra snapped. She paused a moment, her good eye flickering to Marcus and giving the cowering young prince a vicious glare. "Fuck's sake, you're getting even worse! Disobeying me now? Hiding things from me? What the fuck are you doing playing around with him like this, Jack, acting like the pair of you are sweethearts or something? He's one of them! A prince, remember? The son of the man who fucking ruined us! I'm starting to feel like one cute boy with pretty silver hair is making you turn your back on everything we fought for. Am I gonna wake up one day and find you've carried him off back to his family, is that it? Maybe I should just lock him back in the dungeons just to make sure."

"No!" Jack growled, anger rumbling in his own deep voice. "I'd never betray you! Fuck's sake, I bled for this cause, more than you ever did! And I damn well lost more than you have as well. Have you forgotten that?" He paused, holding Marcus tighter against his side. In the doorway, Lyra had frozen stiff, her lips curled into a bitter scowl. The young prince shivered, feeling the tension in the air like a weight on his back. He wanted to speak up, to say something that would fix this and stop her being so mad at Jack, only he couldn't think of the right words. "You hate his Father, and you've got damned good reason to. So do I." Jack continued, sounding calmer now, but leaning against him Marcus could feel how tense his lover still was. "You want them punished, I get it. This wasn't just about **** though, was it? Justice, remember, fairness, equality, those things you told me after you cut me down from the gallows all those years ago. That's why I joined you, not because you saved my life, but because I believed in what you were telling me. I still want to believe. But I don't know how many more fucking times I'm going to have to tell you this, Lyra, if you let this boy get hurt or killed just because of his parents are, you're as bad as they are in my mind."

"Don't you dare..." Lyra snarled. "Don't you dare...even say that! Comparing me to them again! You...treasonous...I should have you..." Her hand was twitching at her side, and Marcus felt a cold chill as he saw her fingers twitch towards one of the daggers at her belt.

"No!" The young prince screamed, tearing free of Jack's wavering grip. His lover grabbed for him with a shocked gasp, but he darted forward, throwing himself between them. He couldn't let Jack get hurt because of him! "Please!" He stammered, as Lyra's shocked gaze fell on him. "Please, don't be mad at Jack. It was all my fault. I...asked him to take me out of there. You...can punish me instead. Put me in the stocks again, or lock me up, just don't hurt him!" The scarred woman stared at him, her one good eye wide with shock. It looked like she could hardly believe what she was hearing. Her lips trembled like she was trying to speak, but only a hoarse gasp emerged.

"Marcus." Jack rumbled from behind him, and the young prince felt a large, strong hand land gently on his shoulder, guiding him back until he leant against his lover's larger body. Lyra just stood there stiffly for a few long moments, staring at the two of them, her mouth hanging open in shock. Then she sighed, her hands falling limply by her sides.

"Fucking hell...he really means it, doesn't he?" She tossed her hair with a dry chuckle, her gaze flickering up to Jack. "He'd happily let me throw him back in the stocks if it only meant I'd spare you. The prince of this Kingdom, begging for mercy on behalf of a traitor and rebel, offering up his own skin for yours. He really fucking likes you, doesn't he?"

"It's not just that." Jack replied gruffly, but he didn't sound angry or tense anymore. His warm hand rubbed the young prince's shoulder, fingers squeezing gently as he spoke. "He's got courage and a good heart. If he'd known what his family was doing to this Kingdom he wouldn't have stood by, but he didn't know, and that's not his fault. I'm not going to pretend he's entirely innocent. He's lived his life in luxury we couldn't imagine while so many starved, but he's not his Father or Mother, Lyra. He's better than them, far better. Why do you think Juliet and I both protected him tonight? You trust our judgement, don't you?"

"Maybe all that has more to do with how you've both bedded the brat." Lyra drawled, her gaze flickering down to Marcus. Her good eye traced down his body, and the young prince felt a nervous shiver run down his spine. "Makes me rather curious, I'll admit." She purred, sounding like a hungry cat. "What does the boy do when you get him naked in your bed that makes him so very charming? I think perhaps it's time I had my turn, enjoy a little of what made you like him so much. And before you jump down my throat, Jack, I'm not going to hurt him. You've made your point already. I just want to see what all the fuss is about. I'll even pay a handsome price for the privilege, knock a good large sum off that troublesome debt of his."

"Lyra, he's already been with Juliet already today." Jack protested. "Isn't that enough?"

"That was this morning." The scarred woman's full lips curled into a thin smile. "He can spend the night with me now, for one thousand crowns. A very generous price indeed for a night of pleasure with a former prince, even one as pretty as he is." Marcus bit his lip, trying not to shiver as she leered at him. One thousand crowns, for just a night with her. Of course he was afraid of what she'd do to him, but it'd help him pay off his debt so much faster! And then he could be together with Jack like his handsome lover had promised.

"Marcus..." Jack leant down closer with a rustle of clothes, whispering roughly in the young prince's ear. "You don't have to do this. If you can't...just say so and I'll talk her down."

"No, it's okay." Marcus shook his head, taking in a deep breath. He shrugged off his lover's hand and stepped forward, raising his head to look at Lyra's scarred face. "I'll do it, I'll go with you." His heart trembled anxiously inside his chest, but he tried to stay strong. For Jack...and for the future he longed for with his handsome older lover, free from her and her stupid debt.

"Excellent choice." The scarred woman nodded. "He'll be fine tomorrow Jack, stop glowering at me like that." She grinned, then held out her hand towards Marcus. "Now come with me, boy." She purred. "You're mine for the night."