Part LIII

The duke looked scary in his rage, Joel suddenly felt uneasy. This might end up in something worse than just a quarrel.

"Joel, are you doing it on purpose? Do you want to humiliate me in front of all my men?" He finally said.

"What? How was I humiliating you?" Joel dropped the honorifics

"Walking around with that Gerd, holding hands, giggling and smiling at him. Everyone here knows you are mine, how does such behavior make me look?"

"I'm sorry I forgot how fake appearances are important to you, your grace. I understand I can't leave the inner ward. So much for my freedom." Joel turned around and was heading for the door when suddenly his hand was grabbed and he was pulled with the whole force onto the bed.

"Well I guess my fine lady must be taught some obedience." The duke was hovering over Joel in an instant as his hands slid under the green dress. For a brief moment Joel was speechless from the fall and from rage that was boiling inside of him. He was ready to shout his anger out when the duke's lips were pressed against his preventing him from saying anything. Joel was trying to push Michael away, but in vain. The duke was way stronger. Joel was struggling and the more he was fighting back the fiercer Michael became. He gripped both Joel's hands above his head and his hand slid under the dress and was now groping Joel's ass and pushing his fingers into Joel's hole.

Joel closed his eyes and went full ragdoll mode. He could feel the duke's hand under the dress and the kisses on his jawline and neck but Joel didn't move. He made no sound, he just lay there waiting for the duke to finish, whatever he wanted to do. But then he stopped.

"Joel?"

He heard Michael but he refused to open his eyes. Joel felt how tears were rolling down his cheeks.

"Joel, … I'm sorry." The duke was wiping his tears, still Joel didn't open his eyes.

"I'm sorry baby, I just lost it. I was so jealous when I saw you smiling and holding that jerks arm. I love you so much, I can't stand the thought that another man would be touching you, Joel please, talk to me. Please.'' The duke was sitting on the bed next to Joel and was now stroking his cheek.

Joel finally opened his eyes only to see the duke's guilty look.

"Are you done with me, your grace?" He asked cooly.

"Joel, no." The duke reached for his face. Joel flinched a bit, but then he closed his eyes again and turned his head to the side.

"Fuck!!!" The duke stood up abruptly and Joel heard the door slamming.

Joel sat down. How did it all happen? How come they ended like this? He liked the duke, he liked them having sex so why?The black lord was right after all. The duke was no different. He wasn't cruel like Morrice but still he could be forceful, enjoying submission and taking full control over Joel's life. Does he want to spend the rest of his life like that?

Joel stood up, he took some random clothes from the duke and changed. They were too big but Joel didn't give a fuck. He still had some money left from his short visit to the town so he took it. There were also the earrings he got from the lord, Joel took them as well. He might sell them for a reasonable price. Joel decided not to take anything that belonged to the duke. He wasn't a thief or a paid whore. He tightened his hair in a loose bun and went out.

Joel was walking straight to the inner gate, some servants were looking at him curiously and Joel noticed the duke standing close to the gate and talking with the guard. Joel wasn't looking at anybody, he felt his heart beating faster. It was suffocating, still Joel was walking. The duke noticed him and was now following Joel with his eyes, he didn't move. Not a single step. He just stood there.

The gate guard was trying to stop him but the duke nodded his head. Joel noticed that the duke's expression was grim, his fists were clenched. Joel looked at him for a moment and then crossed the gate. He was heading straight to the main gate. He had no horse, even his fucking saddle got lost. The amazing reward he wanted to boast with was taken by the lord or his men. It wasn't the first time Joel was in such deep shit, he will make it. He just needs to find a lift and get to the next bigger town or a city. He needs distance from the duke.

He knew he allowed himself to be swept away by the duke, then the lord, or the other way round. Anyway it's time for Joel to get back to what he was doing before.

Joel was walking, till he reached the town it was a bit of a distance. While he was on the way three horsemen rode past him. For a moment Joel thought they were sent by the duke to stop him. As they didn't stop him and just went past him he felt both relief and disappointment.

The town was less busy now, it was late afternoon and that was a good thing as some of the vendors were packing their stuff and about to head away. Joel decided to take advantage of one of them to get away from here. Soon he found an older knife seller, who was going to Musergrow. Joel knew the city was pretty big and he was sure he would find work there. Sitting in a shaky cart Joel was leaving the duke's grounds thinking about what happened and how he felt about it. His emotions were a mess and Joel had problems identifying them. Well he had a lot of time to figure out how he really felt about the duke.