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 use 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 23/26 + Epilogue
Rating: NC17
Chapter: 23/26 + Epilogue
Rating NC17 Throughout
Spike returned to his spot between Xander and Drusilla, Gunn joined them and lounged on the other side of Drusilla and pulled her to him. Spike could see curiosity in Xander's eyes but he only smirked and pulled the boy to lay half across him, pulling up his doublet and rubbing circles on his stomach and now and again palming his crotch and chuckling when the boy squirmed.
Angelus butchered the dog, telling the others to stay back, he'd had Plague and that offered him some protection. Graham hovered looking perplexed, more so when Angelus set them to work building a small catapult, one that could be carried on a horse and put together by one or two men. He put the meat into a canvas bag and tied it to his saddle.
"But Captain, I don't see the purpose." Graham protested. "Why not wait until The Prince returns with more men?" Angelus snorted. "If and when he returns and there's no guarantee that Prince Hoffran will send soldiers, it's not his battle." Graham struggled to understand the Captain's purpose. "I really don't see what you hope to achieve? The young Prince is lost, what is to be harmed in waiting and seeing how this sad affair turns out?"
"Would you stay in a castle where you knew there was Plague?" Angelus questioned. "No of course not, but if they leave, we can't stop them." Graham reasoned. "I don't want to stop them, the rest can go I just want to kill Spike." Angelus spoke grimly. "Because I failed once Xander is dead, I won't fail in my duty again."
Graham sighed. "And if they don't leave or don't realize the dog died of Plague, what then?" Angelus shrugged. "They'll die of Plague, at least some of them and we'll wait until the Prince returns and finish them off." Graham shook his head. Angelus laid his hand on his shoulder. "I'm not asking you to come with me, you have no need to be part of this Graham, I can do this alone." Graham looked at him. "Of course I'll come."
The night wore on. The mercenaries lay around drinking while Andrew and Jonathan made up another play. Close to midnight Angelus and Graham made their way stealthily up the hill leading their horses carrying the bits of the catapult. Near the base of the castle, silently they assembled it.
Andrew was busily working one of the puppets when a piece of the meat flew over the wall and almost hit him. "Hey!" He protested. "Who threw that?" He rounded the sheet glaring. The mercenaries looked at one another. "What are you talking about?" Spike laughed. Another piece of meat flew over the wall and landed amongst them, they scattered. Forest prodded it with his sword. "It's meat, looks like a dog." More flew over and Darla picked up the dog's head. "Yep it's a dog alright." Spike frowned. "What the Hell?" Gunn looked at him. "Who would throw bits of dead dog over the wall and to what purpose?"
"Let's find out, bring the torches." Spike snapped. All the mercenaries ran to the battlements with torches except Xander and Drusilla. Xander was examining a piece of the dog, turning it over with a stick. Drusilla was nursing the dog's head, stroking and crooning to it. "When I say three, everyone throw their torches as high and far as you can." Spike instructed. "One, Two, Three."
The torches sailed into the air, arced and fell to earth, lighting up Angelus and Graham riding away on their horses. Spike frowned. "Angelus." Gunn shrugged. "Must have gone insane or something." Suddenly Drusilla screamed as Xander knocked the head out of her hands and shoved her away. "Don't touch it!" He snapped. "The dog died of Plague!" Spike and Gunn vaulted down the steps followed by the others. Spike stalked towards him. "What the hell do you think you're doing boy?" Xander held his ground. "The dog had Plague, must have died of it." Spike stopped. Darla snorted. "Dogs don't get Plague."
"Yes they do!" Xander snapped. "And cats too, it had Plague." Spike narrowed his eyes. "How do you know?"
"Look at the skin, see the pus filled lumps?" Spike looked and sighed. "Boy's right."
"You're lying." Forest growled. "Just trying to scare us." Xander shook his head. "Touch that and you're dead." Forest lunged at him. "Damn you!" Spike stepped in between them and pushed Forest back. "It's not his fault, he's as much at risk as the rest of us." Gunn embraced Drusilla. "God Spike, she touched it."
"It's all around us." Willow whispered hugging herself. "All over the place." Jonathan looked at Andrew. "Christ Andy, what shall we do?" Andrew shrugged. "Grab some gold and run."
"Everybody stays!" All eyes turned to Spike. "That's just what Angelus wants us to do, nothing to be afraid of."
"Afraid of? Christ Spike, this is Plague." Jonathan spat. "Look all we need to do, is burn the meat and our clothes. The boy knowing the dog died of Plague is a sign, isn't that right Dru.?" Spike prompted. Drusilla nodded. "Yes puppy knowing is a sign."
"Dear Lord in Heaven, another sign. Me dying like a fucking rat will be a sign!" Forest growled. Spike elbowed him sharply in the stomach, he doubled over. "Shut up!" Spike snapped.
"Fuck that," Darla hissed. "we've got to get out of here."
"No, Spike's right." Gunn interrupted. "If we go out there Angelus will be waiting for us. If we burn the meat and our clothes, we'll be alright."
There was general grumbling. "Collect the meat, take off your clothes and burn them." Spike began to pull off his doublet. They watched him for a second as he tossed it on the fire. Gunn speared a piece of meat and tossed it on the fire. One by one the mercenaries followed suit till all the meat was burned and then they stripped off their clothes and threw them on the fire, Xander hung back till Spike pulled him forward and began to strip him, he stood naked with the rest watching his clothes burn.
Graham rode back to the camp alone. Angelus found a spot overlooking the castle and wrapping a blanket round himself, settled down to wait.