Chapter 20: At Friendship's End

The Lobby, The Hidenburk Hotel, Verdicci, Sicily, Italy...(1665)

 It had been an altogether somber afternoon when Athan Accardi had been forced to part with his future wife, he had been quite confused as to why that had been given his previous bitterness about having been forced to wed her to begin with. He had been even more shocked when Sergio had permitted him to venture about the town and have a bit of time to himself knowing all too well that he'd be shipped off to the Isle of Cantilena once the wedding had been concluded. Athan had thought it best to explain what had happened to Edmond and part with him officially to give him time to come to terms and leave Verdicci before Vincenzo had found a way to bring him to harm under the guise of it being under their father's orders. The handsome Italian noble had known all too well that his elder brother had been vile and capable of anything despite his growing reputation as a governor in the making as far as their father and Verdicci had been concerned. He had elected to write to Edmond and arrange a final meeting with him at The Hidenburk Hotel in their usual room. 

Athan had dressed in black from head to toe for the occasion as he'd been nearing the end of what had been the best relationship he had ever had in his young life as well as a friendship which had been longer lasting than that. While he had not known what life would be like for Edmond, he had known that with his father's decree, he would not be a part of it once he'd been sent away to Cantelina and Edmond could not follow. 

There was a lingering sadness that filled the air as Athan slowly made his way up the vast number of stairs and toward the all too familiar suite he had frequented for much of his time returned from his studies abroad. The memories of having spent a good deal of time in this rather charming establishment with his beloved best friend Edmond Reeves all the more bittersweet. 

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Suite Number 3, The Hidenburk Hotel, Verdicci, Sicily, Italy...(1665)

 The scent of sweet flowers in bloom filled Athan Accardi's nostrils as he entered his rather infamous suite. The sound of his heavy boots clicking against the hardwood floor had been something he would always recall when looking back on this rather tragic, but necessary afternoon. Athan had frequented this place quite a bit in his quest for privacy and distance from his family and noble heritage since his return from studying abroad. He had wished for the same amount of freedom to be himself or what he believed to have been himself without the constant shadow of his mother's death nor his family's accomplishments being lorded over him. He had even relished the idea of not having to be bothered by Vincenzo's constant meddling with the oceans between them. His relationship with the handsome blond Englishman Leonard Byron Mills and his twin sister Julia had opened up a world of pleasure and possibility for him. There had been more to living aside from duty to one's family and country and horror in the wake of said duty. 

Now here he was standing in his favorite hotel room overlooking the vast beauty of Verdicci and the harbor as well as the renovations. He had not seemed to mind the tourists nor the fact that they had been attracted to the area it had been a place famous for its lovely coastline and winemaking after all. Fishing had also been prominent, but the wine had been the main export from their side of the aisle. Athan took a moment and made himself more comfortable as this was to be one of the most difficult days of his life since his departure from home to study abroad. He and Edmond had not been on speaking terms then, but it had been equally difficult to part from him no matter what had gone on between them. 

Athan poured himself a glass of wine as the door to the suite had been knocked on. He sat down the bottles and approached the door seeing a rather relieved and still quite handsome Edmond on the other end. He stepped inside, his boyish-looking face covered in facial hair but still youthful aside from the bags beneath his eyes. His clothes had been disheveled due to his hurry to meet with his beloved Athan but he had not taken into account that he'd been rather sloppily dressed when in his presence. 

Athan turned and treated him to one of his trademark charming smiles. 

"Come, Edmond...we have much to discuss," said Athan attempting to get to the point. 

He turned back to pouring his wine and a second glass as Edmond Reeves closed and locked the door behind him before striping down every article of clothing and discarding them amid the hardwood floor beneath his now bare feet once he'd kicked off his boots. Athan had not paid any attention to it as he sipped and savored his glass of wine overlooking the city from his view and basking in the warm glow of the sun's rays that fell upon him. He had wanted to remember this place, and more happy times. 

Once he'd poured another glass and turned to face a now pale naked Edmond Reeves he had been at a loss for words. Edmond had been already hard, his pale cock throbbing as he stood before the Italian noble as brave as could be considering how their last encounter had turned out. 

A rush of emotions swaying between lust and guilt had filled Athan and he swiftly approached Edmond after putting down his glass beside the one he'd poured for his oldest friend. A swift and passionate kiss passed between them and once more Athan's impressive larger cock began to swell and he pulled Edmond into his arms savoring each kiss and tangle of their collective tongues as he moved him toward the bed. 

Edmond moaned as Athan used his strength to lay him amid the bed and slowly began to take off his boots and shirt discarding them amid the hardwood floor before stepping out of his equally dark trousers. He hissed as Edmond crawled on his knees toward the edge of the bed as Athan stood before him. Their breath was heavy and rippled with excitement and anticipation with a blaze of lust between them as Athan's smooth hands moved along Edmond's slick brown locks as the younger lad bent down and suckled Athan's newly freed massive cock. 

A low groan escaped the lips of the handsome Italian nobleson as he continued to run his fingers through the messy dark brown locks of his younger Englishman lover for a moment his worst fears had not been realized and it had been just another pleasant afternoon between them. Edmond's warm wet mouth had been only part of the rather passionate experience and so Athan pulled back as the younger lad greedily suckled his thick cock and climbed into the bed, his larger longer body towered above Edmond as he pinned him to the mattress and kissed his neck. 

Athan could feel how aroused Edmond had been with the sensation of his hard cock pressing against the Italian noble's thigh and his none-too-subtle whimpering at the sensation of the older man gripping it in a firm hand as he stroked it getting a good deal of soft short moans to fall from Edmonds talented lips. A low hiss escaped Athan's lips as Edmond rolled onto his belly and spread his legs for his beloved handsome Italian noble as he embraced the rather beautiful chaos that would come of their rather spirited love-making. Athan kissed the back of his neck and shoulders as he moved to position himself behind him, his hand trailing along the shapely pale arse cheeks that had been on full display before his greedy hazel eyes. Edmond had been as perfect as always, thin, pale, and eager for his lover's thick cock as he arched his back against Athan's pelvis. 

As always their union had been quite a passionate affair, with Athan slowly easing his thick hard cock into the younger Englishman's tight pale arse making him whimper and moan in the process. It had been a bliss that Athan had and knew all too well that he would inevitably miss as far as he was concerned. He had felt it only fitting that he'd give Edmond one last thrill before their permanent parting as he had loved him and would probably always do so. 

Edmond gripped the bedding beneath them drowning out his initial shout when he felt Athan's thick cock split his rectum in two as he further pushed his way inside him. His firm grip on the pale arse cheeks of the younger lad gripping and pulling them as he slowly eased his way inside inch by exquisite inch. The moaning lad had been quite tight and very ready for him as Athan's sizeable appendage sunk deeper and deeper inside him. 

It had been an altogether bittersweet and wonderful as Athan began pumping his well-toned hips into the shapely pale arse of the gasping Englishborn lad. The sound of skin slapping against the skin in the wake of thrill-seeking pleasure had echoed through the hotel room as Edmond moaned and groaned amid the pillows and bedding beneath him as Athan began to set the pace as his thick cock delved in and out of his tight pale arse pumping and jolting as the minutes passed counting down to the time in which their secret relationship and their pleasure filled act in kind would come to a rather bitter end. 

Athan groaned as he felt Edmond's tight pale arse clench around him making him relish every exquisite pulse that moved through his thick cock as he pumped in and out of Edmond's smaller body jolting him rather unceremoniously along the bed tangled amid crisp white sheets and sweat-drenched limbs. Edmond had been quite numb to the ways of the world and even less interested in much of anything aside from the steady beating of Athan Accardi's heart and the rhythm of his lover's thick cock battering his prostate and making his toes curl. 

The pale lad arched his body into his lover's rising and falling in the wake of the older man's passion getting the better of him. Athan had been more or less dreading the end of this round with Edmond knowing all too well that he'd never again see his lovely young face before he'd been shipped off to Cantelina. The prospect of the impending heartbreak had not been enough to quell his ever-burning lust for the young English-born lad whose moans filled Athan's keen ears like a bittersweet song as he thrust deeply inside him. 

Edmond's soft moans continued to fill the hotel room as he felt Athan's strong grip on his slender hips and shapely arse cheeks pulling him closer as he eased away deeper inside with each jolt from passion-filled thrusts. 

"Athan....my love..." moaned Edmond causing Athan to trail a series of long slow kisses along the back of his neck and spine once more.

The handsome Italian noble had been at a loss for words knowing all too well that this was the last time he'd ever hear his beloved Edmond say such sweet things to him. 

When their act had come to an end, it had been rather bittersweet in the sense that Athan had known it would be the last time. His thick cock pulsed inside the tight confines of Edmond's clenched pale arse milking him for every last drop of his seed as he filled him with the all too familiar thick warmth that spread inside the handsome young lad making him moan all the more in pleasurable bliss as a result of the final thrust against his rather sensitive prostate. 

Drenched in sweat and panting from their recent exchange, Athan Accardi and Edmond took a few moments to catch their collective breath. Athan planted one last kiss on Edmond's pale arse cheek after he'd unceremoniously slipped out of him reluctant, but knowing all too well the reason he'd made this arranged meeting. 

Athan got to his feet and ventured toward the wine drinking down his glass and pouring another as he stood naked amid the cool breeze that filled the room as Edmond watched him with curious and lust-filled eyes. 

"We should speak," said Athan gathering himself in a bid to do what must be done. 

Edmond seemed a bit concerned by the tone in which his lover had addressed him, it had been very curt and professional despite their collective nakedness and what they had just done. 

"Is something wrong?" he asked with an arched brow and a bit of concern in his expression. 

Athan took another drink and then began gathering his attire and redressing as he directed the conversation in a less-than-casual manner. 

"It has come to my attention that my father has arranged for me to be wed to a bride of his choosing," admitted Athan buttoning his shirt after pulling on his trousers and boots. "It was not my intention to end up in bed with you before informing you of this turn of events but old habits die hard it seems."

Edmond had not liked the way this discussion was going. 

"Athan...beloved..." he began with tears swelling in his eyes. 

"I am sorry Edmond but it is my father's decree," replied Athan. "I am to be wed and sent to live on the isle of Cantilena for the remainder of my days, I shall never again see Verdicci nor you."

Edmond had not been expecting this as the tears began to cascade down his handsome pale face. 

"There must be some way to change his mind or maybe we can run away together..." he attempted to reason. 

"There is no changing my Father's mind, and the arrangements have been made I leave for Cantilena this afternoon, he has allowed me this once to relay this information to you, for old times sake, but our association is at an end." continued Athan sadly. 

He took up another glass of wine once he'd been fully dressed and approached the end of the bed handing the other glass to the now heartbroken Edmond. 

"I will love you for the rest of my life, Edmond Reeves, but I must do what my father wishes for I fear if I should falter Vincenzo will no doubt do something drastic to bring either you or my father to harm," Athan explained as his own eyes filled with tears. 

Edmond took the glass and drank some of the wine. 

"Does she have a name, this woman you are leaving me for?" he asked upset. 

"She is called Audra De Savoy," replied Athan. 

"You love her?" asked Edmond looking Athan over. 

"I haven't spoken to her much," replied Athan honestly. 

Edmond sobbed. He was losing the man he loved all over again and this time permanently so. 

Athan closed his eyes and kissed Edmond on the top of the head as he sat beside him on the edge of the bed. 

"You were the best thing about my life here in Verdicci, Edmond...never forget that," he said softly. 

Athan finished off his wine and placed the glass on the nearby table as he headed toward the door. 

Edmond got up causing the sheet that covered his naked body to fall to the floor as he rushed toward Athan in desperation knowing all too well that he'd never see him again once he'd been shipped off for the isle. 

There were no words as Athan had caught the smaller younger lad in his arms and kissed his lips one last time. Then he took his leave of him, the bittersweet silence lingering between them as neither had the will to speak words of parting. As the door closed behind him, Athan could hear Edmond's cries of despair but steeled himself from moving to comfort him. He had known all too well that there was no comfort to be had given their situation only a long lingering ache from their forced parting. Athan fixed his attire and slicked back his hair before making his way out of the hotel never looking back as he returned to his family estate. 

Vincenzo had watched from afar pleased with the outcome despite his delay in parting with the young Reeves lad. Athan had kept his word and ended his relationship as his father had commanded of him.

 As the ever-vile Vincenzo had willed it.