forum The Sound of War (oxo closed)

Started October 03, 2022 by @ElderGod-yellowqueen

tune

Thaddeus smirked in the regards of his blood dripping on the floor. Without another look, he turned on his heels and followed the attendant that appeared before him. He was led to the infirmary, where healers attended to him. The bathed and washed him before even attempting at his wounds. There was so much grime on him that it took almost an hour to rid his body completely of the blood and dirt. It revealed his platinum blonde hair, his muscular mody lined with old scars and new wounds. The healers worked quickly, healing his body of his wounds, many of them turning into new scars on his body.
When he was healed and well, he was led to his chambers for the time being. He pulled off the remaining rags on his body and collapsed in the bed, where he promptly fell asleep. He did not wake until a maid was shaking him awake, telling him it was time to get ready for his wedding.
He got up and let them dress him in fine clothes. He was happy the found the colors of his house, red and black, to dress him in. It was fine clothes, much finer than he would have ever chosen for himself. His hair was plaited out of his face and the remaining strands fell down his back. When he was dressed and ready and looking like a new man, he was led out of his chambers to the ceremony that had been put together in such a short time. His few men were already there, as most of the palace was. He bowed in front of the king and queen, showing his respect and gratitude.

I want to bite him.
Theo chuckled, a soft, sad sound. “Of course you do. He was covered in blood and wounds, all the better, right?”
The snake coiled around his hand, flicking her tongue at him. Do you like him, Theo?
They were quiet for a moment. “It’s too early to tell, I think,” he said. “But I do think he will be the one to liberate us. That’s the best I can hope for.”
Does that mean I can bite him? The snake’s eyes looked hungry, though not for food. For violence, perhaps.
Theo gave her a look. “No. He can’t liberate us if your venom kills him, Ko.”
Ko hissed in disappointment. Theo sighed, and pulled out a small cotton ball. Lightning fast, Ko struck and sank her fangs into it. “There you go,” he chuckled again.
It was at that moment that a maid entered their chambers and ushered them to prepare for the wedding. In his haste, Theo had to leave Ko and the other snake, Vivi, on the windowsill.

King Sareth and Queen Aditya sat on their cushions in the front of the room. On either side sat the wedding guests: nobles, palace residents, relatives, Thaddeus’s men. In the center stood a shaman, an older woman dressed in soft silks and her hair braided with gold and ribbon. A bowl of water and a ceremonial knife were laid on a table before her. In one corner, a musician played an uplifting melody on a bamboo flute.
As Prince Thaddeus entered from one end of the room, Prince Theo entered from the opposite. Though he had the same hairstyle and accessories from before, he now had a light touch of rouge to his lips and cheeks. They also wore a flowing dress of silks and sheer fabric, mainly of blue, green, and white. Intricate lace covered the sleeves and the edges of the garment. Although they could feel themself shaking slightly, the scene was familiar. He remembered this from his sister’s wedding, and the knowledge comforted him. He only wished his sister was here. When he saw Thaddeus, they studied him for a few moments as though seeing him for the first time.
When the princes had entered and came close enough, two of the shaman’s apprentices approached them and asked each prince for his hand. Thaddeus’s wrist was tied with a red ribbon, the Callistar crest sewn with gold thread. Theo’s wrist was tied with a blue ribbon, with Ilyani crest sewn in silver thread. The apprentices then directed them to the center of the room, where the shaman was waiting.

Thaddeus' attention was on the small prince in front of him. Even when he stopped for the apprentice who tied a ribbon around his wrist, his eyes were steady on Theo. As they were led to the Shaman, his eyes watched Theo. At no point did he look away. Standing so close in front of him, he realized just how small the prince was compared to himself. Thaddeus towered at about six foot two and was pure muscle. He had a large build that was riddled with scars. His features were hardened by war and death. He was not a handsome man nor would he ever claim to be.
Theo was the opposite of him. While he was only a couple of inches shorter, they were vastly different. He was small and lean. He had soft features and a scholar's eye. He didn't think the prince in front of him had ever seen the battlefield before. Theo was vastly different than the men he typically bedded. They were soldiers, many of his own. They were hard and strong and understood the way of their lives. They wanted nothing more than a night with and vice versa. The women were different, but the women didn't matter either, not when he was about to marry a beautiful man. part of him worried he would be too rough. He was scared if he even touched him the wrong way, he would shatter in his touch. He would have to focus to be gentle with his touch, if Theo even wanted him to touch him. Besides the obvious of needing to consummate the marriage, he wasn't sure the prince would ever want Thaddeus to touch him.
It was no matter. Thaddeus was there for an army and an army only. If Theo did not want him, he would not force anything on him. It wouldn't bother him if the prince took on other lovers while he was gone at war. Someone would need to occupy him and it would not be Thaddeus. He had a war to win. And he would not stop until he won it. It was likely he wouldn't be around Theo very much. At least not when the war progresses. He would need to stay at the palace to asses the army and speak with the generals and make plans. But once everything was set, he would be gone for most of the time.

Suddenly, Theo was very aware that he was being watched. Their gaze drifted to the taller prince, and felt his shaking intensify. It was uncomfortable being watched like this, like he was some rare creature, a fairy. But all they could do was swallow and look away.
The shaman motioned them to come closer and stand on either side of her, giving each a calm smile. Taking their hands, she tied the trailing ribbon strings together, and by extension tying Theo and Thaddeus together as well. They stood around the bowl of water, the knot of ribbon hovering over it.
Theo might have zoned out a little; something in their perception blurred. He heard the shaman speak, a traditional speech announcing the union of two princes, of two families. They heard himself repeating vows, saying “I do,” when the shaman asked if he would take Thaddeus as their wedded husband. It did not seem real. Things were happening, but it did not mean anything to him at the moment. Only the gaze of Thaddeus and his parents on them gave them the sense that they were a participant, not a spectator.
And then, everything became painfully real. Theo came back to himself, realizing what was happening. The shaman had taken the ceremonial knife and sliced it into his wrist, making tiny carvings through the ribbon and into their skin. Theo remembered to breathe. As the shaman moved to do the same to Thaddeus, he gazed at his wrist. It was a character from an ancient language only shamans and other spiritual leaders were taught, but Theo knew it meant ‘bond’ or ‘link.’ Blood oozed from it, soaking the tips of the ribbon.
“You may now bond your blood,” the shaman said. Knowing what this meant, Theo took Thaddeus’s arm, aligning the insides of their wrists so that the blood from their wounds would mix. It stained the ribbons, and dripped onto where the ribbons were tied.

Thaddeus was hardly paying attention to the shaman. His entire focus was on the prince in front of him and his need for this to be over. He was ready to eat, drink, and sleep. He hadn't had a proper meal in a week and his stomach was hurting. He was ready to drink some good ale and wine. Then he would be ready for bed. He understood they were meant to consummate their marriage but he wasn't sure if Theo had any desire to. And Thaddeus found he didn't particularly care. He wouldn't force him into an act he did not wish to participate in. In time, it could be consummated, if not that night. or perhaps never. And if anyone questioned their marriage, he would cut out their tongues. He would not let another bash his marriage nor his husband. He did particularly love cutting things off people.
He repeated the vows the shaman said to him and said "I do" at the appropriate time. He didn't flinch as the knife sliced through his skin. It was nothing compared to what he had endured getting there. Thaddeus was still as the prince in front of him took his arm, aligning their wrists. Perhaps he had some spunk to him after all. Not many people put their hands on Thaddeus willingly. He was forced to be reckoned with, everyone knew that. Many people feared him. He needed to be feared.
Despite himself, he bent his head down and pressed his forehead to Theos. Their noses touched just slightly. "I promise to you, no harm shall ever come your way. You will want for nothing. I will do everything in my power to make sure you are happy." He promised. He would do just as that. He understood that this marriage was not Theo's choice. That he may not be happy about it. So he would do whatever he could to bring happiness to his life. He wasn't cruel to those undeserving of it.

Theo stiffened, surprised by the prince’s move. He could only nod faintly in reply. No, this was not his choice, and no, they were not happy about it. If it was up to him, they would never marry at all. However, he did care about the his people and wanted to protect them. If this was the only way they could ensure that, then so be it. However, it seems that they hadn’t really understood just how much would change until now.
When the ribbon was bloodied enough, Theo let go of Thaddeus’s arm. At the shaman’s direction, they slipped the ribbon off of their wrist, letting the tied ends drop into the bowl of water, which glimmered slightly with magic. After a second or two, the colors seemed to bleed together, and the blood stains disappeared. A vibrant purple color appeared, creeping up the length of the ribbon. The shaman raised her hand, raising the water from the bowl and washing it over the princes’ wrists. When she let the water back into the bowl, it had stopped the wound’s bleeding and left a thin scar behind.
The shaman nodded and smiled. “You are now husbands,” she said simply. The wedding guests applauded, and Theo spared a glance at his mother and father. King Sareth looked impatient. Queen Aditya looked scrutinizing. And Theo started shaking again.

Thaddeus only broke his gaze to take off the ribbon around his wrist and watched the water. He stared at it as it changed colors and as the woman used her magic to heal them with the water. He flexed his wrist, testing it, and seeing how the scar stretched. It did no damage nor did it prevent any of his movement. That was good. He needed his mobility to be in top shape.
Looking back at his prince, husband now, he noticed he was shaking. He couldn't decipher the reasoning behind it but he noticed Theo was looking at his parents. A distraction, he decided, was what Theo needed. He offered his arm for his husband to take. "Come now, husband, let's go to our wedding feast and eat." He whispered the next part, "We do need to keep up appearances."
With his husband on his arm, he walked them into the main hall where the feast was prepared. As the newlyweds, their table was at the back of the hall, looking over the other tables. It was typically where the king would sit with his queen, but as the newlyweds, it would be their seat for the night. He heled Theo sit down on his cushion, making sure he was settled. He took the seat next to him and instantly signaled for a glass of wine.
"Are you wanting to do speeches, husband, or shall we forgo them?"

(Thanks)

Hearing Thaddeus’s words, Theo adjusted his posture and managed to steel themself. They couldn’t freeze up like this now. Focusing on his breathing, he took their new husband’s arm and walked to the main hall.
The tables were set, plates set out for each guest and the choicest foods in dishes in the center. Theo nodded his appreciation to Thaddeus and sat down, smoothing his dress out of the way. The guests followed inside after they were seated, the king and queen taking spots near the newlyweds. Theo looked around, trying to keep himself from zoning out again. He wished Ko and Vivi were here. In the corner of their vision, they saw a servant bring Thaddeus a wine bottle and fill his cup.
He turned to his husband and sighed. They knew their parents were expecting him to say something, but… “Perhaps we should forgo the speeches. I’m sure you are famished and would want to eat right away, and I don’t think I’m in the right headspace to speak. But, I won’t stop you if you want to say something.”

"Don't worry about a thing, husband. I will take care of it." Thaddeus stood, clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. he could keep this short and simple. Already his stomach was growling at the smell of the food. "Thank you, everyone, for joining us on such short notice. I am happy to be joining our two houses together to defeat my tyrant father. Together, we will rid the world of his evil." Cheers came from the tables and he paused for a moment until they subsided. "Now, I know you are all expecting a nice speech, but to be frank, I haven't had a proper meal in a week. So, let the feast begin."
He took his seat back on the cushion. He grabbed Theo's plate and put a little bit of everything on it before handing it back to his husband. He dished up his own food with monstrous amount of food. He truly was starving. After taking a sip of his wine, he dug into his food. He soldiers knew better than to come up while he was eating to congratulate him. They would wait until he had his fill. They were hungry as well. He would rather them eat now and they could speak afterwards.

Theo nodded a bit as Thaddeus spoke, sighing with relief. Though, he was quite confused when he just grabbed his plate to fill it with food. It wasn’t like they couldn’t do it themself. He eyed Thaddeus as he wolfed his meal down, shook his head, then sneakily added and put away certain foods as they pleased. He then asked a servant to pour him a cup of tea, and he was set. They ate a few bites, sipped the tea and… stared. Unlike his husband, they didn’t feel like eating much. Was it just nerves? He just sipped his tea again. Maybe it would calm them.
A few distant relatives came up to him to give Theo their congratulations. He just nodded along to their talk, said something about restoring the kingdom with his marriage, and they were satisfied. They could feel his mother’s eyes on him, but she and his father were apparently speaking to a courtier, and could not come over themselves just yet.
Then, he felt something climb over their dress. Peeking under the table, they found a coffin shaped head and beady eyes looking back at him.
Prince.
It was Vivi. “What are you doing here?” He whispered.

Thaddeus had finished eating rather quickly and even gone for seconds. When he had eaten his fill, he only gave Theo a glance before he was getting up. He refilled his wine, now on his third cup. He walked over to his soldiers, who clamoring and laughing loudly. He was glad to see them having such a good time after the past week they had. They deserved to drink and enjoy themselves.
He sat down in the middle of then, instantly getting cheers and hands clapping on his back. He only waved them off and their previous conversation resumed. They drank and laughed and told old stories of each other, as warriors did at weddings, apparently. At least there was no bloodshed or fights.
By the time Thaddeus returned to Theo's side, he was stumbling and well on his way to being drunk. He only held out his hand to him. "Come, husband, it is time for bed, unless you would rather stay." He was thankful his words had not yet begun to slur. It meant he still had some control of his body.
But right now, his body was screaming at him to go to bed. He had eaten and drank his hearts content. And now he was ready for bed. To sleep nothing else, unless his husband decided to press on the matter.

I missed you.
Theo chuckled. “Aw, is that so? I missed you too.” He held out his hand, letting the snake climb onto it. She was beautiful, an inkmouth python, she was called. Her head was pure white, but her body became darker and darker until it was pure black at her tail. And, as the name suggested, she had a black mouth and a black tongue, which she flicked at Theo. They kept her hidden from sight, however. Inkmouth pythons were highly venomous, and it wouldn’t be good to cause alarm.
He didn’t mind that Ko wasn’t here. She must be doing her own thing somewhere else. So, Theo just tried to relax with Vivi while their husband was with his men. Her scaly body on his skin helped calm him somewhat.
When Thaddeus returned, he hid Vivi in the folds of his dress. Theo eyed him, seeing a flush in his cheeks and a stumble in his step. Just how much wine did he drink? They then felt someone watching him, and turned to find the queen staring at them and motioning for Theo to come to her. But he already knew what she was going to say, and didn’t need to hear it.
“Keep yourself out of sight,” he whispered to the snake, and set her down on the ground. Standing up and taking Thaddeus’s hand, they said, “Yes, I think I will retire for the night as well.”

Thaddeus helped him stand then offered his arm to him. A few of his soldiers hollered some inappropriate words that only had him looking back and glaring at them.
Once they were out of the hall, he leaned down to whisper to his husband. "It's a beautiful snake, you have. What's its name?" He was very observant and hadn't missed the snake. He found it curious and planned to ask him about it more, should they want to tell him about it. He wouldn't pressure them, however. He understood he was wary of Thaddeus. Anyone in their right mind should.
"I'm not quite sure where your bedroom is but I would much like to take you to your room, if you would guide me. What sort of a gentleman would I be if I didn't walk my husband to his rooms first?" He had no intention of going any further with Theo thank walking him to his room. He was tired. He wanted to sleep for the next week to recuperate. Unfortunately, there was much he would need to do tomorrow.

Theo blinked in surprise. Well, at least the sight of an inkmouth python did not alarm Thaddeus. “Her name is Vivi,” he said quietly. “She’s a good friend of mine.”
At the mention of his bedroom, Theo got scared. They remembered their mother’s look, and hoped what he thought was coming wouldn’t come. Technically, they didn’t have to consummate the marriage. The symbols on their wrists were proof that their marriage was legitimate, most people wouldn’t question it. However, Theo knew his parents wanted them to consummate anyway, to be sure that this marriage, this alliance, was a done deal. Even if they didn’t do it tonight, the king and queen would pressure him to do it soon enough.
They just took a breath. “I’ll show you the way, Prince Thaddeus. You are very kind to walk with me.”
He took him to a separate wing of the maze-like castle and eventually arrived at their room. “Here it is.” They placed their hand on the door handle, and looked back at his husband, unsure if he would go to his own rooms or if he would ask to go inside.

"A lovely name for a lovely snake. I am glad you have such friends." Thaddeus wasn't sure how someone had such a relationship with a snake but he did not question it. "Do you have any other friends like Vivi." Perhaps it was the alcohol that made hik so talkative. He wasn't the most spoken person, prefering to observe. He only truly spoke to his friends and council.
He tried to memorize the halls as a passage to his husband's room but he feared he was a little too drunk for it to be put to memory. As they stopped in front of the door, he turned to face Theo. He took his hand it brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss.
"This is where I leave you, husband, unless you would prefer I come inside." He could see the indecisiveness in his face. "If you would like, I could always come in and we could jump on the bed a bit, bang on the walls, and make some moaning sounds so they don't question us."

Theo nodded, pleasantly surprised that Thaddeus was interested in the snake. “I do. Another snake, a beaded adder named Ko. And I met a black gecko in the gardens recently.” They tended to prefer animals over humans. Vivi and Ko were his closest friends, and he’d known them for a long time. They had befriended a few of the children of the council, but it was mostly surface-level.
He watched as Thaddeus kissed their hand, and allowed a smile to show on his face at the suggestion. Some of the fear died away. “You are drunk, prince, and we are both tired. I would not want to keep either of us from our rest.” If they were honest, they just liked the idea of going in and talking. He did not really know who his husband was, and so far had just assumed he was one of those warrior princes who was all the things Theo was not. Their conversation had been pleasant enough, and he wouldn’t mind if it continued.
However, they could still see the way Thaddeus swayed where he stood. He could feel himself trying to suppress a yawn as well. Even if they stayed and had a chat, they wouldn’t be talking for very long.

Thaddeus listened as he talked about his scaly friends and gave him what could be considered a smile. It was strange to him but he didn't voice his opinion. As long as his husband was happy.
"Yes, you are quite right," he agreed. Even now, he could feeling the aching in his bones tugging him towards sleep. "However, I must confess, I'm not quite sure how to get back to my rooms. Your palace is a bit more labyrinth like than I'm used too."
The truth of it was, he had exceptional memory, but he had drunk to much to remember the way back to the main hall and to his room. It would be quote contradictory if Theo had to walk him to his own rooms when Thaddeus had just walked him to his. A bit embarrassing, to be sure. Something that would hit him in the morning.
Tomorrow, work had to be done. There was so much to do and so little time. And he wanted to visit his dragon. He had sent her ahead of them. It would have been dangerous to have her at his home when everything went down and it was likely he wouldn't have been able to reach her in time. This was safest option.

Theo sighed, also realizing that he couldn’t show the way to Thaddeus’s room for various reasons. They hesitated, then pulled the door handle and opened the door. “Come in.” They were husbands now. It should be fine.
His room was spacious, with bamboo flooring and rugs on top, similar to the other rooms. The bed was large, and would hopefully fit both of them on it. Otherwise, someone was sleeping on the floor, and Theo did not plan for it to be him. There was a desk in one corner, a dresser and changing curtain in another, and bookshelves along one wall. There was a window on another wall. Vivi was coiled up on the bed, and Theo walked over to her.
Prince.
He smiled, and scooped her up. “We’re going to bed, you can’t take up all the room.”
The snake’s eyes caught sight of Thaddeus. Why is he here?
Theo looked at his husband, then glanced back to Vivi. “He has no where else to go,” they yawned, putting a hand to their mouth. He went over to the desk and placed Vivi on it.

Thaddeus walked into the room as he was welcomed in. He took a small glance around, observing his husband's room. He made a silent vow to himself, that when he won his kingdom back, he would spare no expense in decorating Theo's room. They would have separate chambers. It was just how it was done. It didn't mean they couldn't share a bed together but they had their own space.
He noted the snake but made no comment on it. He was too tired to question anything. He just bent down, carefully unlaced his shoes, and pulled them off, placing them by the door. Grabbing his shirt by the back of his nape, he pulled it off in one swift motion. He dropped it on the ground and his trousers followed quickly, leaving him in just his undergarments.
The bed was large though he wasn't sure they would both fit without their limbs touching each other. It wasn't something that bothered him but he wasn't sure about Theo. His husband might not be so accepting of his touch. He was about to find out.
Thaddeus peeled back the covers and promptly fell into the bed. He lay on his stomach, his arms holding the pillow as he laid his head on it. "Come to bed, husband, I won't bite, unless you ask me too."

Theo turned to see their husband in the bed, and a pile of clothes on the floor, and sighed. “I will, but not yet.”
Indeed, they were nothing alike. Theo had a routine that he went through each night before bed, and even though he was tired, they weren’t going to make this night the exception. He went behind the changing curtain to get out of his dress, not because he was embarrassed, but because it was just what they always did. They put on a grey night tunic with black lacing, then moved to the dresser. After taking off his accessories and undoing his topknot, they put the jewelry in one of the drawers, then went through another drawer and took out a comb to comb his hair with. The repetitive motion, as well as the familiarity of doing this routine helped calm them.
Soon they were finished and placed the comb in the drawer. He then went to a small door, hidden between the bookshelf and the window, and opened it. Theo entered a bathroom, found a bowl of water, and used it to wash the rouge still on his face. And with that, they were ready.
He returned to the bedroom and studied Thaddeus in the bed. With a yawn, they crawled in. There was enough room, but Theo laid close to the edge. He already hated this. Sharing his space with someone was weird, and they weren’t used to it. Thaddeus was warm though, he could feel his body heat even though he tried not to touch his skin.
“Goodnight,” they said simply, and closed his eyes.

Thaddeus turned his head to watch his husband. It wasn't in a creepy, perverted way. He was just observing. He wasn't able to watch him change due to the curtain but he did watch as Theo carefully took off all the accessories he had on and put them away. He admired the way their hair fell down their back as it was pulled out of its updo. A filthy thought flashed through his head, sending blood and heat straight to his groin but he had no urge to act on it. He was a man after all and his husband certainly was beautiful. He couldn't help but notice it. He would not act on any of his thoughts, not without his husband reciprocating the same feelings. Besides, he was drunk and they were both tired. Sleep was what was best for them both.
By the time Theo had emerged from the bathroom, his eyes were shut and he was halfway to sleep. He felt the dip of the bed as they climbed in and felt the heat of his body. In his sleep stupor, he moved closer to his husband and slung an arm over him. It was a habit whenever he shared a bed with others. Despite his cold personality, he never kicked anyone out straight after sex. He didn't mind them sleeping with him as long as they understood it was just casual.

Theo stiffened when he felt an arm go over him. They were finally in bed, but they couldn’t make himself go to sleep. They started to get scared again. Thaddeus’s size had not been lost on him, and added with the fact that he was drunk, it wasn’t impossible that something could happen. Theo’s tired brain started to spiral into dark thoughts. Maybe Thaddeus wasn’t as tired as he seemed. Maybe, out of nowhere, he would turn him over on his back, hold them down, and ravish them. But immediately Theo pushed those thoughts away. There was plenty of evidence to the contrary.
The arm that laid over his torso was warm, and heavy. They could feel his husband’s skin on his back. He tried to relax, take deep breaths. They weren’t going to get any sleep if they were constantly paranoid. Eventually, his mind drifted, and sleep took over his body.