On his way to the Palace Eric made a side trip to a place he hadn't been to for sometime. He quickly found the place that he and his father had left some three years earlier. Quickly bringing the old chest out of it's hiding place he opened it and took out gold piece to the equivalent of the 4000 gold crowns. This he put into his leather saddlebags on his horse.
What was left in the chest was once again hidden.
At the Palace gate he was greeted with greater honour than he was when he had arrived with Duke Richard a couple days earlier. The gate keepers had been told he was coming and to give him every courtesy. A servant immediately came and helped him with his horse. He was then led by another up to the young duke's quarters. However before he went up he begged permission to see the Duke.
Moments later in the present of the older Duke John his saddle bags in hand he bowed low. "My Lord, I know that you have forgiven my debt and will not ask that it be repaid. You have done my Father and myself the greatest honour my Lord I thus ask you to accept this gift from me. A token of my vow to serve you with my dying breath."
He lay the saddlebags on the floor before him, and bowed himself low again.
The old Duke bade him rise. "Sir Eric, it is you that does me the honour, I accept your gift. You will be the knight of honour that your own father was. Would that my whole duchy was filled with men of honour such as you and your father.
Eric bowed and with permission left.
It was in Richards chambers moments later that he was really welcomed. They stripped and were in each other's arms, their hard, desire aroused members greeting each other between them. Eric quickly gorged himself on Richard's hot love seed, drinking it down as a man who had been starved of food. Richard quickly followed suit sucking Eric dry in rapid order.
They lay together for some time until there was a soft rap at the door.
They kissed and dressed quickly. Rikard had arranged for a worried Wilhelm to meet his new master. In the hours prior to Eric's arrival Richard himself had gone to the room in the prison where they had housed the young man from the time that they had apprehended him. The Old duke had given orders that he was to be treated with just the bare minimum of respect accorded to the youngest son of a less than loved courtier.
When Richard had gone to see the lad he made it clear that he and the Duke were not happy with the way that Master Eric had been treated. He further made it clear that he had better find some way to endear himself to the young Master, to somehow pay compensation for the ill treatment that the young son of a most loved Knight of the Duke had received at his family's hand.
Wilhelm had not been allowed to speak during the tirade that Richard had laid on him. When Richard was finished he simply left the young man to his terror.
As a result when his prison door opened again some hours later to reveal two stern looking men, namely Sir Eric and Duke Richard, Wilhelm was more than prepared to agree to anything that was proposed to him.
He knelt before Eric and humbly begged forgiveness.
"Wilhelm, you may rise, I have chosen to give you one chance to redeem yourself. In the past while you shared your mother's haughtiness and arrogance, you also showed me some modicum of kindness so I am willing to show you the same"
Wilhelm looked up at Eric and rose slowly to his feet. "How may I serve you Master Eric?"
You have the choice to join your Mother and Brother in eternal exile from this realm, or you will be my squire, my servant, under the authority of Johan and you are to accord him every courtesy and respect as my steward and your better. You will reside in the apartment above the stable. It is furnished well enough for a squire, and certainly far better than I was afforded in my own home as heir of the manor.
Wilhelm nodded, but said nothing.
Eric continued " I am the "Lord" of the manor Wilhelm and you will serve me as such. You will never, and I mean never make any contact with your mother or your brother again, they are dead to you if you choose to stay. You will never divulge anything that happens, that you will be privy to during your employ with me. If you violate the terms of your employment you will burn to the slow fires of Hell Wilhelm. Your employ will last as long as you live. How long that is depends entirely on you. Am I clear?
"Yes Er. Sir"
"Wilhelm" It was Richard who spoke
"yes my Lord"
"If you violate the trust of my friend and the friend of my father, and should my friend not find it in him to carry out the punishment because of the kindness of his heart, rest assured that I will supercede his order of clemency and carry out the order and the fires of Hell will be your fondest desire err you ever reach that place before my wrath is finished with you."
"Yes my Lord"
Turning to Eric, Wilhelm continued, his voice obviously showing his distress. "M'Lord, I do not deserve your kindness. I choose to serve you and will to the best of my ability all my life Sir."
"Good, see that you do Wilhelm, in my absence you will be under the orders of Johan the Steward of the Manor, I repeat, see to it that you treat him with the same respect that you will accord me" Replied Eric.
"As you wish m'Lord"
"You may go, there is a horse in the stables waiting for you. Return to the manor. Report to Johan, he will instruct you."
Wilhelm backed away and quickly left. That he was both terrified and relieved at the outcome of this meeting was evident on his face.
After he was gone, Eric looked at Richard and laughed. "I think he was more frightened of being returned to his mother than the "fires of Hell"
They laughed and left the prison cell and back up to Richard's apartment. Once there Richard gave orders that they were not to be disturbed before the evening meal which they would eat in the apartment that evening.
As Richard drew the lock on the doors he turned and drew Eric into his arms. They kiss long and hard standing there for several minutes, making love on each other's mouths with their tongues. Eric was the first to speak as they slowly separated.
"I love you so much my Lord Richard, words can only just begin to describe my ardour and passion for you. I will love you with my life and my body as long as I have breath"
Richard took him into his arms again "And I you my dear Eric, you will never again lack for love, I too pledge to you my body, my life, my love"
Richard led Eric into the bed chamber where they helped each other off with their clothes. Fully naked they climbed onto the bed. Richard drew the bed curtains all around. And there in the privacy of his apartment, his bedchamber, of his bed he gave Eric his undying love.
At Richard's whispered bidding Eric lay back on the bed. Closing his eyes his love tortured body was washed in Richard's kisses and licking. Richard began at the crown of his head, gently kissing his forehead and brow, gently brushing his lips over Eric's closed eye lids.
Their lips met again, their tongues joining in a dance of erotic love for a few moments until Richard moved on.
Eric felt his lover's mouth lip nibble it's way down his throat and on to his chest. He jerked slightly as Richard in one movement suck firmly on one nipple and squeezed the other between his thumb and forefinger. He moaned out in the pleasure of the action that filled him with such erotic intensity.
As he moved from place to place on Eric's body Richard murmured his love for the boy. Just loud enough for Eric to hear, in tones that only those truly in love would whisper to the object of their intense emotion. "Ohhnnnn my Eric I love you so, I worship you with my love, I worship your body with my own."
Eric reached down and gently massaged his fingers through Richards hair, overwhelmed by the extreme passion that was coursing through his body and centering on his manhood. His member he knew was stone hard. It was aching with the anticipation of what was to come. He knew that he was not just oozing as he normally did but he was pouring that delectable slippery fluid that was always a precursor to the violent eruption of his manseed. He knew that the eruption this day would be violent one and he revelled in the thought that his dearest Richard would be savouring the hot fluid spewing down his thoat. That thought of it made his member pulse.
It was at that very moment in his erotic moment of euphoria that Richard engulfed his manhood into his hot wet mouth.
"OHHHnnn M' Lord Richard" screamed Eric in spite of himself. He felt Richard take the whole member deep into his mouth. It was more than he could take, and though he would have wished it to have lasted longer his hips jerked up to force his member even further into the young Lord's mouth and throat. He was completely overwhelmed in the moment and holding Richard's head tightly down onto his manhood, released a vast torrent of his love milk into his hot waiting mouth. Eric groaned out loud in his pleasure, his member pulsing immensely, like it had never done before.
"Oh. oh. ohnnnnn my Lord" he panted "Ohnnn Richard that was like nothing that I have ever experienced before." he let go of Richards head and his whole body as it were collapsed.
Richard for his part couldn't believe that force of Eric's explosion of love into his throat. He found himself gagging and choking as he tried to swallow the life force of his young lover down. His mouth filled quickly and he knew that some of the cum was dribbling out of his mouth onto his beard. His own member was on the verge of releasing it's own but the concentration he was forced to take on what was happening in his mouth had removed some of the intensity away from it.
When Eric's member stopped it pulsing Richard continued to milk the last of the seed from it before crawling up to lay on top of his lover. His member regained it's energy and solid form as they kissed. Eric lay panting for breath still. They shared the last of his seed that was still in Richard's mouth, coating his tongue.
"My love" said Richard "Where did that wildness come from? I have never seen such power coming from a man's member"
"You drew it out of me my dear Richard, I was unable to contain my self in your hands"
They lay there quietly enjoying each other's company for sometime when a soft knock came to the door. Richard looked up "Why would he disturb us when I told him I didn't want to be disturbed." He muttered getting up slowly.
When he opened the door he saw it Rikard. "What is it?" He said a little stiffly
"Begging your pardon M'Lord, His Lordship the Duke wishes to join you for the evening meal in your chambers this evening sir."
Though it message was given as a request Richard knew it was an order
"I have a guest Rikard, Sir Eric is here"
"My Lord wishes to dine with you both M'lord"
"What?"
"He will be here at Evening Vespers. The kitchen will bring the meal up to your dining room shortly before that sir"
"very well Rikard, uh. did my father tell you what he wanted to talk to us about?"
"Sir?"
"Rikard" Eric heard Richards' voice rise with a hint of annoyance "Do not play me for the fool, Father does not come and dine with me unless he has something to say."
"He did not say m'lord"
"You may go"
Richard came back from the door as Rikard bowed and left. "What is he up to? What does he want?"
Looking at Eric, "We will have to dress for dinner, I'm afraid Eric. Let us go and find something for us"
There was less time than they had hoped to have together. Richard was clearly preoccupied with his Father's visit.
Shortly before the church tolled the vespers they heard the bustle of the staff in the small dining room of Richard's apartment. The table was being set and as they watched several servants came in carrying huge steaming trays of food. The old Duke liked to eat and he like a lot of variety on his table.
Nothing was wasted of course because what the Duke sent back was served to the staff later.
The church bells chime the time and the Duke strode in. Richard followed by Eric met him in the hall. Eric bowed low to the Duke, who acknowledged him.
"Sit" The Duke said when they arrived in the dining room. All was ready.
"Richard I have come to a decision about your future" The old Duke never wasted time when he had something to say.
"Yes Father what is my future to be?" Richard had heard this many times before. That his father worried about him he knew, but if he would only let him decide for himself what his future was to be. He was the youngest of three sons and two daughters. As far as inheritance of title he had no illusions. The youngest sons and daughters were only there to cement allies with neighbouring principalities, kingdoms and duchies. There were no eligible young women for him within that group, for which he was grateful. So he was curious what his father had in mind. He glanced over at Eric who was sitting quietly.
The Duke looked at the young knight and then back to his son again. "I know about you and young Eric here. I know what you do together, while I find it despicable and disgusting, I have come to the conclusion there is not much that I can do about it. I love you my son, however we do need to do something about your future, you cannot continue to live here indefinitely. Your brother will not be as tolerant of your . uh. 'indiscretions' with Eric as I am. "No, it is time that we prepare a place for you. " The old duke said with finality
"Wulfgan's wife has begged relief from his estate that was forfeited to her when he left. You know it the Mark of East Phalia on the eastern border of the principality. With it come 5 villages, 53000 morgan of land. Wulfgan like his despicable mother let the estate fall into ruin and I have not received a crown of tax from it for several years. His wife by her own admission is not able to manage it. I expect you to reverse that sorry state of affairs. You will receive the title of Margrave of East Phalia"
With that the duke set to eating. Nothing more was said. No one spoke to the old Duke while he ate.
When the meal was ended, the duke stood up looked at both young men coolly. He walked to the door. Turning back as Rikard, bowing opened it to him, he said to Richard, "I love you my son, I wish for you to take a wife, to provide an heir, but of course that is up to you. However, you will take up the Mark of East Phalia"
Both men stood as if hit by cannon mortar.
"I have been exiled" said Richard sadly.
"Exiled? What does that mean?" asked Eric
"It means that we are no longer welcome here"
Moments later Rikard returned to the room and bowed as Richard acknowledged him. Eric noticed that Rikard had not knocked. "M'Lord, I have instruction to see to your leave taking.
"Yes Rikard, I am just gathering some garments to take with me. I will leave you to assemble the rest to send to my estate."
The old servant looked sadly at the young master. Of all the old Duke's children Richard had been his favourite.
"Please see that my horse and that of Sir Eric's have been made ready. We will leave this night"
Rikard bowed and left.
Moments later with a small sack containing some of Richard's personal effects they took their leave.