Valentine

by Vicky H

Orlando Cristofori wandered through the streets of the White City his crushed velvet skirts swishing about his heels and his arm wrapped around his husband's, pulling his body close. The best part of a bottle of blushing champagne in his belly rushed up to his brain making him light-headed and a little capricious. He felt the airy bubbles rush through his head and allowed them to take hold and causing him to feel as if he were taking to the air on the cold, yet gentle, winter breeze. He wondered if great-granddaddy might be out this evening playing some of his old games with some of the White City's more gullible denizens. He dearly hoped so. His wild blue eyes darted about playfully and alighted upon a lively looking tavern, the rowdy music catching his playful imagination. He begged his lover to go in and giggled as the Shining Order Knight tried to put as delicately as possible that he might have had enough already.

“Oh come on, Ulrych, just one more drink. Then I'll let you take me home and take advantage of me in my compromised state of mind!”

He grinned even wider as the Light Mage turned the most delightful shade of pink. Of course it did not take him long to talk him round. Orlando always won their arguments.

The atmosphere of the place was jubilant, almost bawdy. It was late in the evening and most of the patrons were already drunk. Orlando sidled up to his husband flirtatiously and placed one arm round his shoulders, holding in the other a rather large glass of wine. Ulrych looked adorably embarrassed as he placed kisses down his neck.

“Oy! You!”

Orlando looked up to see they had caught the attention of one of the bar's fouler smelling patrons. The man was obviously drunk as all hell and began to slurringly explain how he didn't like to see their sort in his bar.

“Piss off, you old pie-”

“Orlando!” cut off Ulrych, his voice sounded more disappointed than angry.

“I'm sorry, love, it's just we have every right to be here as much as he does.”

It was at that point that the man caught sight of Ulrych's blackened eye sockets.

“Oh! Shining Order Knight is it? Stuck up there on your high horse. Well don't think any of us have forgotten-”

“That's out of line!” retorted Orlando, the alcohol in his belly now fuelling his annoyance. He felt the uncomfortable burning sensation in the back of his eyes, which since his curse had started to arise whenever he was upset or angry, or even just pretending.

“Look, Orlando, let's just go.”

Orlando was about to open his mouth to protest but he caught the look of resignation in his husband's face.

“Sure, love,” he answered, feigning a smile, “No need to spoil what has been otherwise a lovely evening.”

* Bill wandered hap-hazardly in to the alleyway behind the Rotting Badger. That last shot of rum had been the final straw and now, in retrospect, a rather terrible mistake. He emptied the contents of his stomach in to the gutter and wiped the back of his sleeve against his thinning beard. It was then that he felt panic shoot through him as he realised that there was a dark cloaked figure standing behind him. He opened his mouth to cry out but was too slow, as almost as quickly a black-gloved hand clamped down over it. “Listen you piece of shit, nobody talks to my husband like that.” His mind shot back to the Light Mage and his queer little friend from earlier. He tried to murmur his apologies that he was drunk and he hadn't meant those things but the stranger's hand blocked out his words. It wouldn't have done any good anyway; Orlando wasn't interested in hearing his excuses. “Now I'm going to make you pay for that. I know places about this city that you couldn't have dreamed of. Trust me, they'll never find what's left of you.” A flash of blade opened the man's throat and a deep crimson trickle poured down Orlando's black-gloved fingers. *

Orlando crept in as quietly as possible, taking care to try and not wake his slumbering lover. Earlier he had made sure to pleasure him until he was exhausted.

“Where have you been?” came a soft whisper.

It seemed like Ulrych was awake already. Orlando wondered briefly whether his husband could turn off his sight whilst he was sleeping and if not if that was the reason he had noticed him come in. It must be awful, he thought, to have to see everything all the time.

“Ah sorry, love, thought I forgot to close the gate. It was driving me mad and I couldn't sleep.”

“Well, come back to bed.”

Orlando pulled of his clothes, taking care to hide away those that were stained still with blood. He clambered under the covers and pulled his naked body close to his husband's.

“You're freezing cold,” came a concerned sounding voice.

“Sssshhh, love, go back to sleep. I've taken care of everything.”