Part XLIII

'Please bring some clean water and bandages for the lord." Joel asked the guard who obediently rushed back to the main house.

"I'm sorry my lord I didn't want to upset you. It's just I was so happy you gave me these earrings." Joel touched his ear and lowered his gaze to the ground.

"Hmm, I understand, but still you must be punished. You must learn never to smile like that at any other man than me." Lord Morrice lifted Joel's chin.

"I won't do it again my lord. I promise."

"When you get back take a bath and wait for me in the room, leave the earrings and your hair like that." He touched Joel's hair.

The guard was back and Joel cleaned the wound gently, bandaged it and even placed a kiss.

The lord was standing obediently during the whole procedure. Then he took his hand and looked at it carefully.

"You can go back. I will try to deal with my matters as soon as I can. Be obedient." The lord turned around and left leaving Joel in deep fear.

"I truly hate that motherfucker." Joel whispered to himself but apparently loud enough for the guard to hear.

"Now I know why he is so fond of you. You sure know how to control his anger."

"What?" Joel looked surprised.

"Man, I'm scared of him all the time." Joel honestly admitted.

"You should be, he has done horrible things to his … boys. Thanks to you I got lucky today. He only hit me once. I've seen it many times before. He even gave one of his boys to his guards to have fun with. The boy killed himself. One of the guards lost his eye for looking at the lord's property."

"I'm sorry man, I will be more careful next time." Joel shook his head and they both went back.

"Today was the first time I saw him stop. You acted smart, I must admit it. "

"How's your head?" Joel looked at the bruised temple.

"I will survive."

As they were walking slowly back the guard was looking at Joel from time to time.

"What is he doing to you? I mean in his room?"

Joel smiled a bit and looked up at the guard's face.

"Nothing much, he likes looking at me. Sometimes he touches me but that's all"

"Man you really got under his skin. I think you may survive here. I will root for you."

Joel lowered his head and mumbled - "Thanks." as he was entering the room.

The threat of punishment was hanging above his head and Joel wasn't afraid of pain as much as he disliked lord's touch. Still the servants brought him warm water and he took a long bath and even washed his hair. Deep in his heart Joel hoped that the lord will appear as late as possible. Dressed only in a long shirt with fucking earrings and pinned hair Joel snuggled to the warm fetherbed. At some point Joel fell asleep.

He felt it, a light touch on his lips, then along his jaw. Later his ears and then hair. Joel slowly opened his eyes only to see the lord leaning over him.

"My lord, you are finally back. I was waiting but I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry." Joel was trying to get up as he hated the lord being so close to him. Joel noticed that the lord has taken a bath too. Fuck, he only hoped he wasn't intending to have sex with Joel. He can't, he won't do it. Not with him.

"How's your hand my lord?" He reached for the wounded hand, it was still dressed, just as Joel left it. "Does it hurt my lord?"

"No, it's fine." The lord was still looming above him.

"Have you eaten my lord?" That was Joel's last chance to get out of the bed and away from the lord, even for a moment.

"I haven't but I'm not hungry."

"You shouldn't skip meals. Lay in bed my lord and I will bring you some food." Joel managed to crawl away and brought a plate with some cheese and meat slices as well as some vegetables.

"May I sit behind you my lord, you can lean against me." Joel suggested. That position was bearable, Joel sat down and Morrice leaned against him. The lord was eating from time to time; he was raising his hand for Joel to eat as well. As soon as Joe touched the bit of food with his fingers the lord said.

"Take it with your mouth." Joel did. The lord liked touching Joel's mouth with his fingers. At the same time Joel was massaging lord's temples and the whole head.

"How was your day my lord?" Joel didn't like sitting in silence as he didn't know what the other man was thinking.

"Nothing significant. There was a quarrel between two tenants and I acted as a judge."

"What were they quarreling about?" Joel inquired further.

"It was a matter of inheritance, I solved it according to the law. Nothing big."

"Well I guess that a lord must know the law as well as other stuff. It's much to learn." Joel kept massaging the lord's head in hope he would feel sleepy.

"My head is all right by now." Shit, that was a signal for Joel to move further.

"And how's the rest of your body?" Joel asked but he already knew the answer.

"Tense."

Joel slid from under the lord's back and took the bottle with oil. This time it took longer than yesterday, the lord wanted to enjoy Joel's touch as long as he could bear it. He came looking Joel straight in the eyes. He was breathing hard for a moment then calmed down. Still not even for a second did he break eye contact with Joel.

"I think I understand why the duke was so desperate to find and bring you back. You know how to bend a man to your will. Today you made me angry. I wanted to punish you. I wanted to use my whip on your back and your ass. I wanted to see you crying and begging for my mercy as your blood would stain my sheets."

Joel could feel how the cold tentacles of fear are slowly crawling up to his throat, making breathing really hard.