Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

to the bedside where he gently drew the hurting boy into his arms.
    "Shhhh hush boy, it's alright now, I'm here. I have you."
    Ren gave out another cry and then his eyes opened and frantically began to look about trying to make sense of where he was and who was holding him.
    "Con?"
    "That's right, Ren, it's me. Relax now it was just a dream. It'll be okay now. Here, lay back and lean against me; try to go back to sleep."
    "It was just a dream?"
    "That's right boy, just a dream."
    "But it was so real and, and… you were there. And I couldn't save you! Oh god, I-I-I couldn't save you, I tried, really I did. I tried so hard b-but it was so dark and so cold and there were chains on my arms and…"
    Ren's voice trailed off as his body began to shake uncontrollably and his eyes began to roll back in his head. Con recognized the seizure for what it was, sheer and complete panic. Biting back a curse at Anzel and damning his soul to hell, Con continued to hold the boy and rock him, all the time gently talking to him in a soothing tone. After what seemed like an eternity, Ren's body began to lose its rigidity.
    "No more Ren, that's all gone now, you're here with me. You're safe now. Do you hear me? You're home now and you're safe with me."
    "Safe?"
    "Yes, yes that's right, boy, safe…safe with me."
    Ren quieted, his trembling body gradually going still. As Con continued to rock him, Ren's arms slipped up around Con's neck and he laid his head on Con's shoulder. Con felt a hesitant kiss graze his neck and then another on his cheek and chin until, with the barest of touch, he felt Ren's soft lips touch his own. Murmuring gentle words of love, Con tilted his head down and took Ren in a deep kiss. Lips brushing against lips, mouths opening in surrender, tongues thrusting against one another in a duel as endless as time, the two men surrendered themselves to each other and to the love that flowed all around them.
    When they finally broke away from each other, Ren sighed and rested his head on Con's chest and then spoke quietly, asking a question that appeared to have been building within him for quite some time.
    "Why do you call me that?
    Con stroked the top of Ren's head, eliciting a sigh from the boy before answering. "Call you what?"
    "Your boy. Why do you call me your boy? "
    Con felt the breath catch in his throat. He knew why he had given the nickname to Ren but he was reluctant to share that knowledge with him. He'd begun calling Ren by the endearment shortly after he'd seen him in the stables saddling Con's warhorse. Ren had seemed so young, much younger than his 22 years. He remembered how Ren had never even hesitated when the huge horse reared and bit at him. He had laughed aloud at seeing him struggle with the mighty beast, watching as Ren cuffed the horse lightly on the nose saying, "Stop that you black devil!" So young and so fearless.
    From that point, every time Con spoke of Ren, he referred to him as the boy...slowly while in Gael's company, that had morphed into my boy. Con wasn't really sure when that had happened. It had been so gradual. All the emotions he now felt had crept up on his heart and slowly taken lodging there. Now, he couldn't remember a time that he'd considered Ren anything other than his...his Ren...his boy. Ren began to stir in his arms, reminding Con that he was patiently waiting for a response. Con nervously cleared his throat and tightened his hold before responding.
    "Do you remember that day in the stables?"
    Ren shook his head, looking up into Con's eyes with a puzzled look in his own.
    "Of course you don't remember, what am I thinking? God, boy, you have me so turned around it's amazing I can recall my own name."
    Ren smiled hesitantly, then seeing the glint of humor reflected in Con's eyes, he let his grin grow wider. Like a happy puppy he nestled back against Con and sighed contentedly. Con stroked his back, resting his chin atop Ren's head and let all the love he'd stored in his heart during those long hard months of separation color his voice.
    "I'm talking about that day when Charger, my horse, gave you such a rough time. I remember saying to Gael how I liked the new boy who was working in the stables. From that point on each time I saw you I would think to myself, 'now that's a fine boy, a brave boy...a beautiful boy.' I began to talk about you to the other officers and Gael. Damned men took to mocking me whenever I let slip the name I'd given you. After a while, that stopped and