Sheriff Carter finds a sheltered spot on the trail in the mountains and decides to set up camp there for the night. The trail follows along a ledge high up, and the view is quite spectacular. They had been traveling most the day and cleared the border security patrolled by Soltan's men with little trouble. Carter had the forethought to gag Will and when asked who he was, he just said a prisoner being transported south, even though Will was screaming behind his gag, they didn't ask anymore questions.
Carter pulls Will from his horse and unties him, "Strip!" he shouts.
"Please let me go, why are you doing this?" Will pleas.
"Strip or I'll cut your clothes off you!" Carter yells brandishing his knife in front of Will.
Will obliges and is soon naked, the air is cold and he starts to shiver. Carter gets a rope from his horse then grabbing Will by the arm drags him to a tree.
"Please don't, I won't try to escape, please don't tie me," Will begs.
"Shut up!" Carter shouts as he binds Will to the tree.
Will starts to sob, as Carter walks away and sets up a camp fire. Fortunately he sets it up fairly close to Will and before long it's burning strong. He can feel the heat from it as it starts to roar. Carter sits down to makes something to eat and Will hopes that Carter will do something for him. But it soon becomes apparent he isn't as he sits down to eat just one plate.
Will's stomach growls with hunger, "Please may I have some?"
Carter looks at him and grunts, he gets up and feeds him what's left on his plate. Once the plate is empty he flings it on the ground. He stands back and looks at Will naked and vulnerable. He reaches out a begins to stroke the boy's body. Will whimpers. He begins playing with Wills nipple and Will closes his eyes. This time yesterday he would have welcomed Carters advances but now it's upsetting him.
"Please don't do that, please stop," Will Begs.
"You're a fag boy, fag boys like men playing with them," Carter grunts. Despite his best efforts he can't stop his cock from swelling. "See, I told you," Carter says slapping the growing member.
Carter grabs his cock and plays with the cock head, Will pushes his head back against the tree trunk. Phabian has a much nicer touch and he wishes he was here now, he would help him. Soon Will is fully erect.
"Oh yes, look at that big fucking faggot cock, you like this don't you fag boy, you like me making you hard," Carters voice has changed and sounds full of lust.
"Please stop, please don't do this." Will begs.
"I'm gonna make your big faggot cock cum, I'm gonna make it shoot everywhere. You'd like that wouldn't you, you'd like me to make you shoot your faggot load."
"No please, I don't, please stop."
"YOU FUCKING LIAR!" Carter shouts. He stands up and begins to lay into Will like a punching bag, knocking all the wind out of him. He tries to scream but he can't get his breath and he starts to go light headed when suddenly the punching stops. He finally gets a lungful of air and screams, his body now wracked with pain. As he draws another lungful of air he open's his eyes and standing in front of him is Phabian.
Carter finds himself several feet from Will, and on his ass, his head hurts where someone had grabbed his hair and flung him backwards. He looks up to see a huge man standing in front of Will. Rage takes him over at this invasion and pulling out his knife he runs for his attacker.
Phabian had seen the camp fire from a distance and dismounting approached quietly. What he saw shocked him yet elated him, as there was Will, bound to a tree naked, it was obvious he'd been kidnapped. For a fleeting moment Phabian was delighted that Will hadn't deserted him, that he hadn't lied about his feelings. But that was quickly replace with rage when he saw what Carter was doing to Will.
Phabian crept close without being detected and grabbing Carter by the hair, flings him out of the way. He looks at Will, his boy, his love, in pain. He turns to deal with Carter when he sees him lunge at him with a knife. Phabian's years of training and battle experience kicks in and he dodges Carter's attack, but Carter has too much momentum and can't stop and he crashes into Will. He backs away ready to try his attack again when he notices blood on the knife. He looks at Will and see's a knife wound in his stomach and blood is pouring out.
Phabian sees it too, "NOOOOOO!" he cries, and in a fit of rage promptly picks Carter up, and lifts him above his head like he's nothing more than a rag doll. He walks to ledge of the ravine. Carter struggles screaming to be put down as he knows what Phabian is about to do. With one big heave he tosses Carter over the edge. Carter sees the mountain flying past when suddenly there's a thud and everything goes black.
Phabian rushes back to Will.
"I'm sorry!" Will cries, "I tried to get away, but he kidnapped me"
"Don't talk," Phabian says as he quickly unties him
He gets some cloth from his horse and he puts together a makeshift bandage, Tears are in his eyes as he lifts Will onto his horse.
Will is feeling light headed, "I love you," he says to Phabian, tears streaming down his face as Phabian mounts his horse behind him.
Phabian wraps his big arms round him, "I love you too," but Will doesn't hear him, he's slipped into unconsciousness.
Phabian needs help fast, he's going to lose Will if he can't get him to a doctor. He can't go back to Hobleton, Soltan would have him executed for desertion, the only way is south. He's heard rumours about Aljeron being a sorcerer, maybe he could help, it's the only chance he has of saving Will.
The trail is difficult enough during the day but at night it's treacherous and the going is slow. It takes all of his concentration to keep them from slipping over the edge and into the ravines below.
It's almost dawn as he finally makes it through the pass but he's exhausted, his horse is too and it looses it's footing causing it to stumble. Phabian falls from his mount and as he lands his head hits a rock and knocks him out. Will falls too, landing next to Phabian. The fall fetches him out of unconsciousness and he sees Phabian lying very still next to him. He grabs his arm and tries to shake him, he's weak and can't shake him very hard.
"Phabian wake up," he shakes harder, "please wake up." He starts to think that Phabian is dead and tears fill his eyes. "PHABIAN WAKE UP!" he is sobbing now, believing his first true love has been taken from him. With what little strength he has, he climbs up and lies face down on top of Phabian. If he's going to die he will do so with the one he loves, he closes his eyes and drifts back into unconsciousness.
* * *
Vernon is the first to wake, he is lying next to Bain his front against Bain's back, his arms wrapped around him. Against Bain is Rafael in the same position. He has finally come to terms with his feelings for Bain and his own sexuality. His love for his son is definitely more than platonic, it's much deeper and as he watches him sleeping his heart is filled with joy at having him in his life. He pulls the blanket back to see Bain's naked body. The cool air of the cavern wakes Bain and he rolls on his back.
