Warnings: HAU, M/M sex, rape, violence, vague non graphic mentions of het sex, swearing, angst, harsh themes, mild Sub/Dom. OOC, varying chapter lengths, Unbeta'd, blatant used of movie dialogue.
Rating: NC17 Throughout
Pairing: 100% S/X
Author: Naughty_Fae
Comments: Comment if you want to, though it would be nice to know someone is reading it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything belongs to someone who is not me. I write for fun not profit.
Note1: This is Europe in 1501. Times and people were harsh. Life was cheap and plague rife. This is not a cuddly story and Spike is not a cuddly character. Some might find his treatment of Xander, questionable.
Note 2: My heartfelt thanks go out to my dear friend Bmblbee, for holding my hand through the writing and posting process. *Hugs*
Note 3: This is a plot driven story. What sex there is happens in the natural course of the plot and as part of Spike and Xander's relationship.
Note 4: This is a human/medieval Spike and Xander expect them to behave as such.
Summary: When Prince Rupert is usurped and ousted from his city, he lays siege. He decides to use a group of wandering mercenaries led by the charismatic but dangerous Spike to supplement his army. When he goes back on his word to allow the mercenaries 24 hours free hand to loot the City unopposed, Spike plots revenge. Unfortunately it is Rupert's 18 year old, scholarly son Xander who must pay the price.
Chapter 6/26 + Epilogue
Rating: NC17
Chapter: 6/26 + Epilogue
Rating NC17 Throughout
AN: This chapter fills in a bit of the background of the characters.
Xander leaned back against the wheel the hub pressing painfully into his back. The foul rag now had the metallic taste of his own blood, an ache blossomed in his bruised cheek and the arm that he'd fallen on, throbbed steadily and now and again shot through with agonizing pain. He sat quietly not wanting to draw the attention of either the other mercenaries or Spike, even so he noticed one or two looking at him strangely, especially Lindsey and Forest.
In the gathering darkness, they lit fires and went about inspecting and dividing up the contents of the wagons. The food and drink was brought out and the dresses and trinkets fought over. A vicious fight between Drusilla and Darla over a red and gold gown, was ended when Gunn snatched the gown and gave it to Drusilla, she waltzed away clutching it to her.
The tents were found and erected, a bed was made for Willow in one of the wagons. The men divided up the loot, Spike getting a slightly larger share. Then they settled by the campfires eating, drinking, arguing and gambling and pouring over their spoils.
Spike's camp was a little away from the others, he sat drinking whilst Gunn lounged on the ground with Drusilla tucked in at his side in her new gown. He watched the factions as they sat by their fires. Lindsey and Forest together with Sommer and Lars sat getting drunker by the minute and were his biggest worry. Lindsey wanted to be leader but lacked the skill and courage to make a challenge, Forest had both skill and courage but lacked Lindsey's intelligence and cunning so they formed an uneasy alliance. Sommer and Lars both dissatisfied with their share of the spoils had thrown themselves in with them. Then there were the two misfits Andrew and Jonathan a devoted Gay couple, hardly likely candidates to be mercenaries, they sat with the haughty Darla and if she were well enough Willow would have been with them.
Of the other groups sat around most were just mercenaries, seasoned, vicious fighters who didn't care who led them as long as their purses and bellies were kept full; but they respected a strong leader and any show of weakness and Spike knew they would fall on him like a pack of wolves.
Then there were Gunn and Drusilla. Gunn was his best friend as skilled and clever as Spike, but without the ambition, they'd been together a long time, picking up Drusilla on the way. Poor, damaged Drusilla lapsing into periods of childlike wonder when she talked to the stars, flowers or old statues, had visions and wild flights of fancy but she could be more vicious and cruel than any man. Spike was genuinely fond and protective of her but he didn't love her, Gunn did. Drusilla was pleased enough to share her bed and favors with them both, though she loved Spike. He'd offered to step aside but all Gunn cared about was that she was happy and if that meant sharing her with his best friend, he was quite amicable.
Then there was Spike himself. Handsome, charismatic, skilled, strong, clever, ambitious and totally ruthless, the bastard son of a nobleman and serving maid. His father refused to recognize him but was quite happy to see the boy tending the animals, cleaning the stables, working in the kitchen and fields and serving on table, until he was nine. Spike got into a fight with the son of the Duke, a bigger boy who enjoyed bullying him and was three years his senior. The Duke whipped Spike so severely it was thought he would die. When he at last recovered, he ran away and fell in with a group of mercenaries. One of them took him under his wing and taught him to fight. The irony of it pleased him, making the nobility pay through the nose for the skill of his sword, but he didn't want to remain a mercenary and in his thirtieth year time was running out.
What he'd said to Gunn was true, he'd hoped that fighting for Prince Rupert would be his last campaign. With his loot he'd intended to buy a farm and some animals and settle down. He hoped Gunn and Drusilla would join him, but if not he'd manage alone. All that had ended when Rupert went back on his word, now he had the chance again. Xander was that chance, a chance to make Rupert pay through the nose for the boy and set him up for the rest of his life. Still he wished it were Rupert tied to the wagon wheel and not the young Prince..
He felt no malice toward the boy, in fact he liked him. He'd obviously been bullied all his life by his father, seeking refuge in books and learning he had little knowledge or experience of the real world. Spike had expected Xander to take his capture quietly, posing little problem, instead he'd surprised him with a show of defiance and spirit. Under other circumstances he'd have welcomed it but now it was likely to jeopardize not only himself, but Spike as well and he couldn't allow that. If Spike didn't discipline the whelp others would and they'd see Spike as weak and it could cost him the leadership, if not his life.
So he'd do whatever had to be done.