A Royal Obligation
Chapter 41: He Deserves Better

Chapter 41: He Deserves Better

The heavy silence of the night wrapped around the Valeidio royal palace like a cloak, broken only by the soft rustle of silk sheets and the distant sounds of the wind against the high windows. The royal chambers, bathed in the dim glow of flickering candlelight, were far from peaceful.

The current occupants were very much engrossed in their primal act. Their moans echoed off the intricately carved walls, growing louder and more desperate by the second.

Julian, his face flushed, hair clinging to his sweat-drenched forehead, was lost in the throes of passion, riding the male servant beneath him with a relentless pace.

The servant, Amarok, was young, well-defined, and clearly enjoying the attentions of the prince, if his gasping pleas for Julian to go harder were any indication. Julian’s body moved with a feral rhythm, as if trying to drown out the thoughts that plagued him, his hands gripping Amarok’s hips with a force that left marks on his skin.

"Yes, my Lord, harder!" Amarok urged, his voice breathless, filled with raw need. His back arched to meet Julian’s relentless thrusts.

Julian didn’t need much encouragement. He ride Amarok as if his very life depended on it, seeking release not just of the body, but of the mind.

He gritted his teeth, his hands gripping the servant’s hips even tighter. "You like it like that?" he growled, his voice hoarse, almost feral.

"Yes, my Lord... please, don’t stop!"

The words spurred Julian on, pushing him to the edge, where he teetered between the mindless pleasure and the crushing weight of everything he was trying to forget. Every thrust was an attempt to drown out the gnawing ache in his chest.

Moans of ecstasy echoed off the walls, filling the room with the sounds of their intense coupling. The door to the chambers suddenly burst open, but Julian did not falter. Neither did Amarok.

They didn’t even flinch, It was as if the interruption did not even exist, as if they both knew who had just stormed into the room and decided it didn’t matter.

Lucian, Julian’s identical twin, stormed into the room, his face a mask of irritation that did little to hide the deep concern in his eyes. His jaw tightened at the sight before him, but he didn’t speak immediately, watching as his brother continued his frenzied movements. Lucian’s presence in the room was heavy, charged with the tension he brought with him.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Lucian crossed the room in a few swift strides and grabbed Julian’s arm, pulling him off the servant with a forceful yank. Amarok gasped, and let out a protesting whine, his eyes glazed with desire, but he obediently quieted at the sharp look Lucian gave him.

"Amarok, get dress and leave us," Lucian commanded, his voice stern but not unkind. There was a warmth in the way he spoke to the servant, a stark contrast to the frustration he held for his twin. "We will see to your needs later, alright? "

Amarok hesitated only for a moment before nodding. He gathered his clothes, still flushed from the intensity of the encounter, and quickly slipped out of the room, leaving the two brothers alone in the aftermath of Julian’s reckless indulgence. The scent of sex lingered in the air, a stark reminder of Julian’s attempts to lose himself in physical pleasure.

Julian, still breathing heavily, turned to Lucian, a mix of anger and weariness etched on his face. "Why did you stop me?" he snapped, though his voice lacked its usual bite. "You have no right to...."

"Do you want to kill the poor boy?" Lucian interrupted, his voice stern, but softened by a layer of concern. He looked his brother up and down, noting the exhaustion in Julian’s eyes, the tension in his shoulders. "You’ve been bedding him nonstop since Eirik left. This isn’t healthy, Julian."

Julian scoffed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I didn’t hear him complained about it," he muttered, but there was a hint of vulnerability in his voice, a crack in the armor he had been trying to maintain. He turned away from his brother and grabbed a discarded shirt, pulling it over his head.

Lucian sighed deeply, his irritation giving way to a profound sadness as he approached his brother. "Julian, sex isn’t going help you forget," he said gently, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. "It will just distract you, make you feel numb for a while, but then what? The pain will still be there."

Julian’s shoulders slumped, and for a moment, he just stood there, staring at the floor. Finally, he turned to Lucian, his voice cracking with the weight of his emotions. "What else am I supposed to do, Lucian? I miss him. I miss Eirik so damn much."

Lucian’s heart ached at the sight of his brother, usually so strong and composed, now looking so lost. He pulled Julian into a tight embrace, holding him close as if trying to shield him from the pain. "We all miss him," Lucian murmured, resting his chin on Julian’s shoulder. "But we have to respect his decision."

Julian let out a bitter laugh, his eyes filled with resentment. "His decision? It wasn’t his decision, Lucian! It was the council’s decision! Those cowards sold him off the moment they were faced with a threat. They sold our brother like he was some pawn in their political game! We didn’t even fight for him, Lucian!"

Lucian’s own anger flared at the truth in Julian’s words, but he knew that feeding into that anger would only make things worse. He reached out, pulling Julian into a tight embrace, holding him as his brother’s anger gave way to deep, unrelenting sorrow.

"I know Julian. But do you really think Eirik would have agreed to this if he was so against it?" Lucian whispered, his voice gentle but firm. "He’s doing this for all of us, Julian. For Valeidio. To keep our kingdom safe. We have to trust him, we have to believe in him."

Julian’s body trembled in Lucian’s arms, and finally, the dam of his emotions broke. He started to weep, clutching onto Lucian as if he were the only thing keeping him from falling apart completely. "But what if they hurt him, Lucian?" he sobbed, his voice breaking. "What if they don’t treat him right? He’s alone out there, surrounded by strangers..."

Lucian hold on his brother tighten, letting Julian’s tears soak into his shoulder. "Eirik is strong," he whispered, trying to keep his own voice steady. "He’s always been strong. And he’s not alone. Sadiki is there with him, Uncle Cedric despatched some of the Sentinels to watch over him as well."

Julian wept quietly, his hands clutching Lucian’s shirt as if it were the only thing anchoring him. "I miss him, Lucian," he whispered, his voice broken. "I miss him so much. He deserves so much better than this...he deserves to be happy."

Lucian felt his own tears welling up, but he held them back, focusing instead on comforting his twin. "I know," he murmured, stroking Julian’s hair soothingly. "I know, Julian. But have you forgotten what he’s capable of? Let’s just support him in whatever way we can, even from here. "

Julian’s sobs gradually subsided, but the sadness in his eyes remained. He pulled back slightly, wiping at his tear-streaked face, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "You’re right," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I just... I feel so helpless. I don’t know what to do."

"We’ll write to him," Lucian suggested softly. "We’ll make sure he knows he’s not alone, that we’re with him every step of the way, even if we can’t be there physically. And when the time comes, we’ll be ready to fight for him if we need to."

Julian nodded, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Thank you, Lucian," he whispered. "For being here. For being the stronger one."

Lucian shook his head, a tear finally escaping down his cheek. "We’re both strong, Julian. We have to be. For Eirik."

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