Chapter 8

The arrival of a small squadron of E'ridian war airships flying toward Cosian in the morning was a sight to see. Unprompted cheers rose up from the ground crew around him in the airfield. Blaine remained on the pier, pressed up against the railing to stay out of the way as the ground crew tasked with anchoring the new arrivals got to work.

He kept an ear out as the engines all changed pitch for the final descent, pleased to note nothing sounded off. Blaine kept his eyes on the Celestial Sprite as it finally settled into its anchor berth, aeronauts and ground crew hurrying about to tie the ropes down. Minutes later, the gangplank was cranked out, two ground crew locking it into place on the pier.

Blaine pushed away from the railing when a familiar figure appeared at the top of the gangplank. Honovi cut a dashing figure in his kilt and formal jacket, most likely having discarded his flight clothes during the descent. He was returning as the official ambassador of E'ridia, which necessitated a certain need for formality. His boots were polished, the plaid hanging off his left shoulder and in his kilt carrying Clan Storm colors, and the ranking hair adornments were as Blaine remembered from Amari.

Despite the grim reason that had brought Honovi back to Cosian, his husband managed a smile when he swept Blaine off his feet. Blaine wrapped his arms around Honovi's neck, ignoring the sharp whistles directed their way as he welcomed his husband back with a fierce kiss. Honovi eventually broke the kiss and put Blaine back on his feet but didn't let go.

Blaine rested his hands on Honovi's shoulders, mindful of the grip he kept with his metal fingers. "You made good time."

"More squadrons will arrive within the next few days," Honovi said.

Blaine touched the edge of Honovi's jaw with his right hand for a moment before stepping out of the circle of his arms. "I wish it was under better circumstances."

But he knew, like Honovi, that nothing short of what had happened would've been enough to get the Comhairle nan Cinnidhean to join the war effort. The alliance with Ashion still needed to be signed, which Honovi had the authority to do now that he was an ambassador again as well as jarl.

"Better the agreement now than never," Honovi murmured.

Blaine could only nod at that before gesturing in the direction of the city walls. "Let's get through the gate, and I'll take you to Caris. She's waiting for us at her family's estate. The officers can make their way to where General Votil is stationed for their orders while we handle the treaty signing."

Honovi wrapped an arm around Blaine's waist, tugging him close as they started walking. "Does the general have a plan of attack already?"

"Yes, but we'll discuss it later." Blaine glanced sideways at him as a ground worker in coveralls jogged around them on the pier. "I don't think you're up to date on Ashion news."

"The front is holding."

"Yes, for now. But I am talking about Caris' parents."

Honovi's grip tightened on his hip. "What happened?"

"Eimarille has ordered a sham trial for them in Amari."

Honovi jerked to a halt midstride, staring at Blaine. "What are the charges?"

"Treason, amongst other ones." Blaine urged him to keep moving. "It was expected."

Honovi grimaced. "They'll be found guilty no matter their barrister's attempt to argue otherwise."

"Yes. For their supposed crimes, they will be sentenced to death."

"How did Caris take the news?"

"Not well. The only person who could calm her down was Nathaniel."

"How is he?"

Blaine thought of the way Nathaniel was so careful to never overhear battle plans or impromptu meetings at the old Dhemlan bloodline estate. How he never failed to cheer Caris up when she came home tired and depressed. Even with the clearance from the wardens, no one trusted him, but Nathaniel was nothing if not understanding of that.

"As well as can be expected, considering his condition."

They chatted a bit more about things that wouldn't get people killed if overheard. Honovi caught Blaine up on their clan, and it was nice to hear how everyone was doing. He missed them, couldn't wait to see everyone once he finally got home. He still had his duty to Caris, and she greeted them from Nathaniel's side when they finally made it inside the city walls and back to the estate.

"Welcome back," Caris said as she pulled away from Nathaniel to throw her arms around Honovi in a tight hug under the watchful eyes of the Royal Guard.

He returned the embrace with a smile, and Blaine couldn't help the fond look he gave them both. Honovi had taken on the role of older brother since his initial introduction to Caris, something Soren had never had an interest in being in the short time the warden had been in Cosian. Honovi never let it interfere with his duties to E'ridia, and Caris never used their relationship to try to extract more than was prudent from him.

Honovi could teach her about ruling in ways that Blaine could not, his outlook different from Meleri, and for that, Blaine was grateful. Caris needed other options, Blaine knew, other ways of viewing the world that weren't bound up in Meleri's ideal of what a queen should be.

"We've tea and a light meal ready for you when you're hungry, but I'm sure you'll want to catch up with Blaine first," Caris said as she pulled back, tucking a lock of dark hair behind one ear. The summer heat had her dressed in a light, short-sleeved blouse and loose, wide trousers that allowed for better airflow. The outfit was one best suited for time spent at home or out and about in the city, not in an engineering lab or for fieldwork. Blaine knew she'd change for the treaty signing ceremony later in the day, but for now, she needn't dress up for them.

"Some time together would be lovely," Honovi agreed.

"We'll be downstairs when you're ready."

The motor carriage transporting Honovi's luggage pulled up behind the one that had driven them. A pair of Royal Guards stepped forward to assist in removing the luggage off the roof and taking everything inside.

Blaine waited for Honovi to finish saying hello to Nathaniel, hovering nearby. Being apart never got any easier, and Blaine relished each time Honovi returned to him. Blaine took him by the hand and led Honovi inside and upstairs to the room they'd claimed as theirs whenever they were in Cosian. It wasn't nearly as big as the one they shared back in Glencoe, but it was private, and Blaine was looking forward to sharing the bed again.

The Royal Guards had stacked Honovi's luggage near the wall, the pile rather more extensive than the last set he'd traveled with. Blaine assumed his duties as ambassador required far more accessories to do his job. Cosian didn't have a proper embassy building, and Blaine knew Meleri was still organizing space in an administrative one that already held the temporary embassy for Solaria.

All of that flew out of Blaine's mind when Honovi shut the door behind the departing soldiers and pushed Blaine up against it. He went easily, lips parting when Honovi's mouth slanted over his. Blaine groaned softly, the sound vibrating between them as he rocked against Honovi, seeking pressure for the sudden ache in his cock. Honovi settled his hands on Blaine's hips, fingers gripping tight as he deepened the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, Honovi turned his head to kiss his way over Blaine's jaw. Blaine reached around his torso to grab his husband's braid with his right hand, mindful of the metal ranking adornments woven and pinned throughout it.

"I missed you," Blaine confessed as he slid a leg between Honovi's and rocked up hard against him, the kilt bunching higher between them. "I slept poorly while you were gone."

Honovi sucked in a sharp breath as he undid Blaine's belt. "We'll sleep tonight. Right now, I want to see if this door will hold you."

Blaine let out a breathless little laugh as Honovi lifted his head, the air heated between them, in the room, summer a heavy weight all around them. Blaine stared into his husband's eyes, thankful he was still there to hold him, to have him like this. Honovi leaned in to steal a kiss, hands already undoing Blaine's belt. He tilted his head back, knocking it against the wooden door, moaning softly when Honovi moved to suck a bruise over the pulse in his throat.

The belt was yanked free and tossed aside, clattering to the floor. Blaine dragged his hands down Honovi's chest, the gears in the metal prosthetic clicking softly. He gripped the fabric of Honovi's kilt and yanked it up even as Honovi undid Blaine's trousers. A warm hand slid beneath his clothes to cup his half-hard cock, and Blaine pushed into the touch, rising onto the balls of his feet, trying to get more pressure.

"Don't tease," Blaine panted, feeling Honovi's teeth against his skin. "It's been weeks."

Honovi groaned, finally pulling away from the heated bruise he'd been sucking into Blaine's throat. He had a wild thought that he'd have to borrow a cravat from Nathaniel to hide it for all the upcoming meetings before Honovi abruptly pulled away. Before Blaine could protest, he was spun around by firm hands and shoved up against the door with a little more force than before.

The wood was cool beneath his right hand when he pressed them against the door for leverage. Honovi yanked his trousers and underwear down his thighs as far as they could go with his legs spread apart. The hem of his shirt fell past his hips, and when Blaine looked down, he could see the front parting around the hard length of his cock. The fabric moved as Honovi yanked it up. A startled noise coming from his husband had Blaine turning his head to look over his shoulder.

A warm finger slid between the crease of his ass, and Blaine shivered as Honovi pressed it inside him in one smooth, easy glide, the way already prepared for him. Honovi looked up to meet his gaze, eyes dark, more pupil than anything else with a lust that had never faded when they found themselves like this.

"Did you think of me when you got yourself ready?" Honovi asked in a gravelly voice.

"I always think of you," Blaine retorted, going for tart and ending up breathless when Honovi curled his finger and touched that spot that sent sparks singing through his nerves. His cock twitched in the air, blurting out a glob of stickiness.

"And what if we'd gone straight to the treaty signing table? You'd have sat for hours unfulfilled."

"I'm sure I could have convinced you to take care of me where no one could find us."

Honovi pressed in close, the hard length of his cock sliding between Blaine's thighs, the wet tip of it nudging against his balls. Blaine swallowed thickly, fingers pressing hard against the door. "You'd have had to be quiet. I wouldn't have wanted anyone to walk in and see you like this."

"I can be quiet."

Honovi nipped at his ear, one hand coming around to wrap around Blaine's cock and stroke it with pointed intent. Blaine let out a strangled moan, rocking between the hand on his cock and the finger in his ass, heat pooling in his gut. "Let's see if you can, shall we?"

Blaine hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut as Honovi removed his hands before he felt them again, gripping his hips to yank him backward a little. His fingers scraped down the door as his spine curved, Honovi's thumbs digging into the muscles of his ass to spread him apart. Blaine panted, the sound terribly loud in his ears, as he tried not to tense up in anticipation. But Honovi never made him wait, the blunt head of his cock pressing against his entrance and pushing inside with slow pressure that didn't stop, making room for himself inside Blaine.

Getting filled by his husband's cock made Blaine moan, and he remembered too late he needed to be quiet. Honovi laughed when the sound became strangled as his husband finally slid all the way home, pressed flush against Blaine's ass. Blaine felt the way his cock throbbed inside, the stretch a lovely sort of ache that made his eyes flutter shut.

Honovi's grip gentled somewhat, the brush of fabric from his kilt and Blaine's shirt skimming across his back and upper thighs. Blaine shivered when Honovi pulled out halfway before rocking forward with intent. The force of it had Blaine bracing himself against the door, fingers scratching at the wood, the metal ones gouging deeper than he meant to. He had half a thought to remember to apologize to Caris when Honovi drove all thoughts but those for pleasure out of his mind with his next thrust.

It was so good to be held like this, filled like this, loved like this. Blaine's mouth dropped open on the next thrust, a whine escaping, high and needy, that he choked off lest someone hear it through the door. Honovi's hands wandered away from his hips, sliding around to grip his cock with dry fingers. Blaine jerked forward at the first touch, Honovi following with a thrust that made him pant for more.

"Honovi," he got out, fingers sliding down the door as it creaked on the hinges with the force of them moving against it.

Warm lips brushed against the side of his neck. "Let me take care of you."

Blaine tipped his head back, swallowing around a moan as Honovi angled his next thrust just right, catching that spot inside that lit up everything in his body. Honovi pressed even closer, forcing Blaine fully up against the door, cheek pressed to the cool wood, chest heaving against it as Honovi thrust hard into him. He couldn't spread his legs any more than they already were, trousers tangled around his knees, but it didn't matter, not with the way Honovi was thrusting into him with fierce intent.

While Blaine managed to keep quiet, to bite his tongue against the noises that crawled up his throat, he could do nothing about the sound of the door rattling on its hinges with every forceful thrust of Honovi's cock inside him. The sound was almost like a heartbeat, mingling with the slap of skin coming together, Honovi's ragged breath a match for Blaine's.

Blaine didn't last long, tipping over into orgasm on a particularly hard thrust, spilling into the loose circle of Honovi's fingers. His husband made a pleased sound as he caught the mess, fingers tightening now that his release made the glide easier. Blaine shuddered at the touch, at the way Honovi chased his own release for another minute or two, finally coming with several sharp thrusts that lost their rhythm.

The hinges protested with one final loud creak before Honovi stilled, pressed so close that Blaine could feel the line of his body from shoulders to feet. Only when wetness started to trickle down his inner thighs from where they were joined did Honovi finally pull out.

"Wait here," he murmured.

Blaine pressed his forehead to the door, trying to leach some of the coolness there into his overheated skin. He listened as Honovi ran the faucet in their attached washroom and didn't flinch too much when Honovi returned to clean up the mess they'd both made. Blaine's trousers were salvageable, but he'd need to change his shirt. Honovi, when he finally turned around to meet his husband's gaze, didn't look nearly as ruffled as he felt.

"I don't think they heard you, but they certainly heard us," Honovi said with a faint smirk, glancing aside at the top hinge.

"You were impatient," Blaine replied.

Honovi kissed him softly, tugging at his ruined shirt. "With good reason. But now I am hungry, so let's get you dressed and head downstairs for Caris' tea."

Blaine hummed agreement before easing past his husband to get ready again.

When they made it downstairs, with Blaine in a changed shirt and Honovi looking far too satisfied, Caris didn't say anything, merely raised an eyebrow and smiled softly as she served them some tea.