After a moment that felt like a lifetime, the heavy door opened, and a beautiful – there really was no better word to describe him – tousle-haired youth stood there. He was dressed simply, in hose, breeches, and a tunic like Karl, but the youth's feet were bare, and there was no weapon in his belt. Not a knight or a guard, then. The youth's dark, heavy-lidded gaze raked over Karl from head to toes, then back up, and his smile was toothy and wide. Karl's skin crawled from the blatant invitation in the perusal. "Is your master in?" Karl asked, deliberately making his tone clipped and authoritative. "Of course. You must be our magnanimous host, please, come in," the other man replied, and stepped back. His half-bow was just short of mocking. Karl stepped inside, waited until the door shut behind him. The other man made no move to leave the room or to tell the Cardinal that he had a visitor. Instead, he leaned against the small washing table, ankles crossed, and gave Karl that same insouciant smile. "I'm Orlando," he said. "And you must be Lord Urban." "I suppose I must," Karl replied, and waited another heartbeat. Still, the youth – Orlando – did not move. "And your master...?" "Will be in by and by," Orlando shrugged, the movement innately graceful. He raked a hand through dark curls, which only served to muss them further. "I daresay he's making himself presentable for you." The words were innocuous enough, but the tone had the hairs on the back of Karl's neck rising. "The sentiment is appreciated, although we don't stand on ceremony here," he replied, forcing himself to play polite host. "Was your journey pleasant?" "It had its diversions." A quick tongue swiped along full lips, followed by another quick, wide grin. "His Eminence and I have developed a...mutually satisfactory way to pass the time." "I see," Karl murmured, afraid he really did see. Ironically enough, it had been Richard himself who had warned Karl about the Cardinal's rather voracious appetite for pretty, young boys. And Orlando, with his slender form and perfect countenance, more than fit the mold. Orlando pushed himself away from the table and started to circle Karl. Karl forced himself to hold still, but placed a reassuring hand upon the hilt of his short sword. Just in case. "Tell me, Lord Urban," Orlando's voice was far too close, air wafting across the back of Karl's neck, "what do your people do for amusement to wile away the cold winter nights?" "Same as most people, I expect," Karl replied, mystified. His eyes tracked Orlando's movement across the room. "I see," Orlando replied thoughtfully, turning to face Karl once more. Just then, the door to the bedchamber opened. His Eminence, Sean Bean, walked in, clad in breeches and a simple red tunic befitting his status. Karl noted he was also barefoot. And his hair was damp. "Ah, Lord Urban, forgive me for keeping you waiting," Sean said, and held out his hand. His ring glittered the same color as his tunic. "I trust my young acolyte has been pleasant company." "Your Eminence." Karl quickly dropped to one knee and kissed the ring, accepted the brief caress to his hair without comment. He straightened almost immediately. He and the Cardinal were of a height and build. Karl noted the strength in Sean's arms and chest, and remembered the rumors about the Cardinal's prowess in the art of combat. "I trust your journey was satisfactory." "Most assuredly," Sean replied with a magnanimous smile. He turned to Orlando, and they seemed to share some wordless communication, because Orlando slipped out of the room a moment later, coming back with a tray laden with a jug of wine and two mugs. "Will you sit with me?" "Of course," Karl replied, and waited until Sean had seated himself at the small table before settling across from him. Orlando stood just behind Sean's left shoulder at parade rest. Sean poured the wine and passed a cup to Karl, the touch lingering. Karl gritted his teeth and managed an empty smile. "To your good health." "And to yours," Sean replied, and took a long sip of his drink before offering the cup to Orlando. Karl noted that Orlando drank from the same spot as the Cardinal and, once again, he wondered about the nature of their relationship. "A duty like this would surely fall to the mistress of the house," Sean said, after taking back the cup. Orlando resumed his spot just behind Sean. "Is your wife at court?" "She died in childbirth last summer," Karl replied shortly. Had died giving him a son who had not lived to see his first birthday. "I am sorry to hear of your loss, but you would do well to remarry. A man of your status needs an heir." Dark green eyes glittered with amusement. "You must come to London and allow me to squire you around." "I would be honored," Karl replied, and cursed the fact that he had to play these games in order to secure his holdings. He was a warrior, not a politician, something he reminded Richard of constantly. "I am sure." Orlando leaned down and whispered something Karl could not hear into Sean's ear. Whatever was said, it seemed to amuse the Cardinal, because he threw his head back and laughed, the sound rich, filling the room. When Orlando straightened, he directed his own smile at Karl. There was nothing reassuring in the act. "Orlando wants to know if you are built all over." "I..." For a moment, Karl's mind went completely blank. They could not be suggesting...? He took a small sip to give himself a moment to think of an appropriately political response. Damn Richard for putting him into this mess. "I hardly think that's an appropriate question for a servant of our Lord, do you?" "My charge can be refreshingly honest at times," Sean replied, sounding not at all repentant or shocked. "You do have a formidable form." "Again, thank you." Karl set down the cup, still half-full, and stood. Whatever the Cardinal was playing at, Karl wanted no part of it. "Now, if you'll both excuse me, I must see how dinner preparations are coming." "Oh, surely your able staff can get along without you for just awhile longer," Sean said. He gestured at Karl's vacant seat. "Please. Sit." It wasn't a request. Karl sank back into the chair. A moment later, Orlando rounded the table and draped himself across Karl's lap, winding sinewy arms around his neck. Karl's entire body flushed with heat at both the unexpected weight and the intimacy of the gesture. "Your Eminence..." "Don't be coy, Lord Urban." Sean met Karl's gaze without flinching. He no longer sounded magnanimous. Now his voice carried the weight of his station behind it. "Surely you had to expect that I would ask for some sort of favor in return for the Church's blessing for your request." "A boon, yes, but..." Orlando's lips, surprisingly soft, touched the side of Karl's neck, and Karl's hands spasmed from the effort of not moving. He continued to look at the man across the table from him and not at the man currently draped over him like a cloak. "You cannot be serious about this." Sean waved a negligent hand in his direction and slouched, looking every inch the relaxed gentleman. "Orlando likes you. And I like indulging him." "Please, you cannot..." A small sound escaped him when Orlando traversed the grizzled line of his jaw with a whisper-soft caress. "Oh, yes, he definitely likes you," Sean murmured and, when Karl looked up, he could see that Sean was gazing upon Orlando with something that looked very much like love. If such an unholy thing could be called thus. "Tell me, Lord Urban." Orlando's voice was a seductive hum in Karl's ear. The heat of his body pressing against Karl's was almost unbearable. "Have you ever buggered a man before?" "No," he managed to choke out before Orlando ran a practiced, warm hand down his chest and surprisingly full lips covered his for a brief kiss. "How about the Italian art of fellatio?" "I don't--" "Lovely, let me show you," Orlando interrupted, grinning, and slid to his knees between Karl's thighs. Karl glanced down into dark, knowing eyes, then gave one last beseeching look to Sean. Who merely settled back into his chair and poured himself a refill. "His mouth, if I may be so bold as to say, is truly divine." Sean saluted him with his glass. "Shall I ask him to stop?" Orlando had already jerked on the sides of Karl's breeches, pulling them down, baring his cock to the cool air. Orlando looked up at him from under long eyelashes, each breath puffing moist air across his belly. Karl stared down, helpless, inert. It was madness to agree to this. It was suicide for Richard's mission if he did not. "My Lord?" Karl closed his eyes against the inevitable triumph in Sean's gaze, and buried his hands in Orlando's curls. It was answer enough.
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