11.| The True Cruelty Of Kings

For a moment, Yuè studied Marcellus' face, realizing he may have truly been contemplating on giving him away to some man he didn't even know. To some man who clearly didn't take no for an answer.

Yuè stood from his seat, face red in his anger. "I am not some whore you can sell off to the highest bidder." He spat finally, hands clenched in fists at his side. "How dare you treat me like some…some object to be had and traded? I am a person!" He glared at this Lord Peyton and then at Marcellus. "I am not for sale." He seethed.

"You will sit, and you will be silent." Marcellous cast his crimson eyes in Yuè's direction.

How could he just sit there and bargain him away, and after what had happened earlier? He just treated it like nothing happened. Like he had not looked Yuè in the eyes as he touched him so intimately. As he came by just one glance.

Lord Payton smirked, his golden teeth glinting in the candlelight. "Let us men talk, you'll be in much better hands soon enough. What do you say, Marcellus?"

Marcellus looked between his brother, Yuè who still angrily stared at him in disbelief, then Lord Payton once more. "Give me three weeks to think about it. There's been some trouble on the borders I must attend to."

Lord Payton clapped his hands together excitedly. "Splendid. We will talk in three weeks then."

"Three weeks." Marcellus assured him.

"Alright then, I hope you all have a fine evening. And," He rose from his seat, his green eyes finding Yuè's. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Once more, he licked his lips, this time not to collect crumbs, but almost as though he were tasting the rare beauty he craved so much.

"Three weeks!" Lord Payton called out as he headed toward the front of the mansion, a skip in his steps. Then he was gone.

Emery shot up and left without a word. Without so as even looking at Marcellus, leaving Yuè in the room with the man he was extremely angered with.

Yuè moved around the table until he stood before him. Then he slapped him hard across the face, jarring Marcellus' head to the side. "How dare you!" He hissed. "How dare you treat me this way." His words trembled in their anger, his blue and gold eyes filled with hurt and fear and humiliation.

Marcellous slowly turned his head back to glimpse upon Yuè, his crimson gaze harboring rage. "Don't," He growled out. "Do that again." His words ended in a deep growl.

Yuè let out an incredulous laugh that bordered on hysteria. Then he punched him in the nose. "You're trying to sell me!" He yelled enraged. "Yet you're mad at me. You may be entitled to this land, but you do not own me. I am not some trophy to be had. I am a person. Not some bargaining chip in whatever twisted politics you have here, you… You monster." He was shaking when he spat the word.

Marcellus held his nose, then removed his hand where blood was smeared on the tips of his fingers. He was the one laughing now, cold and chilling as he took one step forward, causing Yuè to take one step back. "It's about time you realized that. I am a monster!"

He drew his hand back and slapped Yuè. Hard.

Yuè stumbled back from, his cheek stinging from the pain as the coppery tang of blood coated his tongue. He felt tears welling in his eyes, but he refused to back down in front of this cruel man.

He glared at Marcellus, bloody lips trembling from rage and pain. "That's something you're so proud of?" His voice broke. "Then I feel sorry for you. You….you're a monster!" He repeated, blood dripping down his chin.

Marcellus smiled wickedly, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice. He advanced toward Yuè, his steps slow and deliberate. "Yes, I am." He reached out and yanked Yuè toward himself by his hair.

"But when you are in my lands, under my protection. You're mine. My beautiful prize. My precious toy, my lovely pet. I can do whatever I want with you." He leaned in then, Yuè frozen in place as he whispered in his ear. "You can't escape me. You can't resist me. You can't deny me. You belong to me, and if you want. I can bend you over that table and show you just how much of a monster I can be."

Although he hadn't mentioned it, it felt as though it were some jab at what he'd done to Yuè earlier. How even though he feared this man and despised the way he treated him, his touch had been what brought him pleasure.

"Wasn't that what you wanted, hm?" Marcellus cooed out, running his tongue along his earlobe, his teeth grazing his skin. Yuè pushed against his chest, but Marcellus was stronger and held him tight. He was mocking him. Mind fucking him.

"Let go of me." Yuè demanded. This felt similar to how Edgar was at times. Demanding things from him, possessive, demeaning. No this was worse. It was worse because a part of Yuè enjoyed the feeling of Marcellus' body close to his, his breath on his neck, his tongue on his skin.

And Marcellus knew it. If he decided to take what he deemed his, would Yuè just give in? Give in like he'd almost had with Gunter? Prove them right about how much of a whore he was?

"Let me go." Tears trailed down his cheeks. Of shame, of anger. Of disgust. At himself, at Marcellus. A swirl of emotions that left him feeling overwhelmed and all we wanted to do was go home. But he didn't have one of those anymore either.

Marcellus ran his tongue along Yuè's cheek to collect the tear, and his mouth opened like he'd say something, but before he could say anything, the front door opened and another man entered the room.

He looked older and much taller than Marcellus, with slicked back violet hair and a stern face. He wore leather armor and carried a sword at his side.

"Marcellus, what are you doing?" The man asked, frowning. "We have a situation at the border. Another attack."

Marcellus turned to the man, though kept his gaze on Yuè, annoyed by the interruption. "Can't you see I'm busy?" He said. "I'm just having some fun with my new pet."

The hazel eyed man glanced at Yuè, who still stood there in fear, trembling and bleeding. His expression softened, as if he felt sorry for him. But he did not say anything to comfort him or to scold Marcellus. He just shook his head. "This is no time for games, Marcellus. We have to go."

Marcellus stepped away from Yuè, leaving him in the dining hall by himself.

A quiet sob left him and Yuè ran from the room, ignoring the call of his name as he exited through the back door. The air was cool against his heated skin as he ran blindly. His tears poured more freely now, unrestrained and he tripped but a strong hand kept him from falling flat on his face.

"Yuè!" Gunter voice. He pulled him upright and against his chest, an arm around Yuè's waist to support him. "Where are you going? Why are you crying? Is it because I picked you up and brought you into my room last night to cuddle?"

Yuè looked up at him, the concern he saw there making him cry even harder before burying his face into Gunter's chest.

He knew he was probably smearing his careful don't makeup, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. "M'sorry." He said, words muffled by Gunter's shirt. Sniffling, he pulled back, lip wobbling. "I-I'm fine. I'm not mad at you." He inhaled shakily.

Gunter didn't even seem to remember any of the other things that happened when Yuè was in his bed earlier. Or perhaps, like Marcellus, he was toying with him as well.

He didn't want to think that Gunter would do something like that. He had been nothing but kind, if not a little odd, but Yuè didn't want to believe he would be so cruel. Then again, Yuè didn't know him. He didn't know any of them to know what they would do.

He pulled away from Gunter, wiping his cheeks dry. His face still hurt from where Marcellus had stuck him, the skin feeling tight and hot to the touch. There were platters of blood in the front of the white dress he wore as well and he could feel that his lip was split. "I am fine Gunter." He said hollowly.

Gunter's face twisted in anger. "Who hit my husband?" He asked, running a single knuckle along Yuè's bottom lip. "Who made you cry?"

Yuè flinched away. "I said I'm fine, Gunter. It…it doesn't matter." Marcellus was the clear leader of all of them. The brothers listened to him. It didn't matter because it was what he wanted. "I just needed some air okay."

His words caused Gunter's brows to draw up. "You don't trust me. Do you? If you did, you wouldn't lie to me. You'd tell me how you really felt."

How he really felt? Yuè let out a bitter laugh.

"I feel humiliated. I feel trapped. I feel betrayed. I mourn the loss of my life. My father. I feel as though I am breaking at the seams and no one understands that!" He found himself shouting.

"I feel like I was thrown from my village. I feel like I was almost killed only to be saved by a man who sees me as no more than a pet! That's how I feel, Gunter. Is that what you wanted to hear? That I am confused by you, by Marcellus, by Emery. You do one thing and act another way. I just don't know anymore!"

He wanted to trust him, he really did. But he was afraid. Afraid of what Gunter would think if he knew the truth, if he remembered, If he knew how easily he folded in when Marcellus had touched him once. Yuè had lost nearly everything, and the thought of losing one of the only people that cared for him in this strange, terrifying place made him not want to understand what happened in Gunter's bedroom.

Yuè was panting by the time he was finished, shoulders sagging as he brought his hands up to bury his face in them. "I don't know. How can I trust anyone when it is clear I am disposable. He wants to sell me." He looked away, unable to look Gunter in the eyes.

Gunter's hand was on his chin, gently turning Yuè's face back to him. Once more there was a priceless sincerity in his dark gaze, warmth that rivaled that of Marcellus' cold and terrifying nature. "Yuè, please," A tender and compassion filled smile graced his lips.

"Don't shut me out. I won't let that ever happen. Never." He shook his head. "I want to help you. I want to make you happy." Gunter's voice was soft and Yuè found himself leaning into his touch. "You don't have to be afraid of me, or anything else. I'll protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you. Even Marcellus."

Yuè stared him in the eye and couldn't find any lies there. "I'm scared." He admitted. "I want to trust you but I am so scared, Gunter. The last person I trusted betrayed me so heinously."

His brows furrowed as Gunter leaned closer only let out a small gasp when his lips brushed against Yuè's. It was like a shock of something went through him, warming him inside as all of his thoughts of Marcellus and Edgar and the village melted away with the sweet press of Gunter's lips to his. His body relaxed, eyes fluttering closed as he pressed himself closer, arms reaching up to wrap themselves around his shoulders.

After a moment of the most simplest kiss, one that did not make Yuè feel as though he should be disgusted or ashamed with himself, Gunter pulled back and smiled. "If you don't trust me, then let me show you what scares me. I haven't been there since it happened, and maybe when I show you my fears you won't be so afraid to open up to your future husband."

He felt slightly blinded by that smile, mind feeling a bit dazed. His lips tingled and he could still take the natural taste that was Gunter there. "Oh, umm. O-okay." He said a bit breathlessly. "I don't want you to be somewhere that makes you afraid. That's not fair to you." He said with a frown.

"It's fair for us." Gunter grabbed his hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss, then let go and started taking off his shirt and pants. "I'll shift so we can get there faster."