The Bars Between (MxM)

14

"What's this for again?" Adren's father himself had decided to come up and make sure his son was ready, judging his outfit and overall composure.

"Putting an end to something that's been hanging over me for years." Adren sighed, he wouldn't be getting any answers from him anytime soon. "Stand with your shoulders straighter and at least try to look royal." Adren suppressed his sigh this time. Today was going to be a long day.

He found himself sitting in an all-too-familiar chair an hour later. The throne he was forced to sit on never got any more comfortable, or any less cold. He had asked his father for solutions a while back, but had gotten no positive response. The cold, hard metal made it impossible for Adren to concentrate, which always made him end up getting in trouble.

The room had filled in with several higher-ups. It was then his father started speaking. Adren always tried to pay attention, he did, but most of the time his mind ended up thinking about something else. "Thank you for coming." Adren's father called out, bring all attention to him. "Today is a very special occasion, it marks the tenth anniversary of a horrible event. But now it's finally time to put that event to rest and bring justice to who was responsible!" Oh, something interesting for once, Adren felt his attention catch.

Although Adren wasn't sure what his father was referring to, all of the other people in the room nodded their heads and gave shouts of approval, showing that they got it. Even Adren's mother was nodding along.

"Bring him in!" Adren's father announced, causing the doors to open. Adren hated how dramatic his father tended to be, making those huge announcements, having the big dramatic revea-

No, this had to be a dream.

There was no way this was happening.

There was absolutely no chance that Ryion was standing there in-between the guards, being led forward in chains.

Or at least that's what Adren thought.

There were five guards surrounding him, forcing him forward, and his gaze was as cold as the first time Adren saw him, and focused entirely on his father.

Of course, this expression changed when he moved his eyes around a bit and saw Adren.

For a second, nothing existed but the two of them. Adren was in shock, never could he have guessed Ryion would come out. But perhaps what was more inappropriate was the fact that he was also shocked to see him clean in the bright light for the first time. He knew what he looked like, but this was so different than what Adren had seen. He looked even more beautiful, the blueish light highlighting every one of his features and making them look sharper than ever compared to the yellow light that softened him every time Adren had brought the torch down. He looked even more masculine and exotic, making Adren want more.

Unfortunately, shock only lasts so long and Adren came to his senses with a rush of paralyzing fear. Why was Ryion brought down? What would happen to him? Would Adren ever get to speak to him again? This fear was so great, he turned to his father to gauge his reaction, maybe get a hint of what was to happen, but his father's face remained emotionless, his eyes moving between his son and the criminal, trying to figure out what was going on.

Realizing his mistake and knowing that if he didn't fix it Ryion would only get in more trouble, Adren forced some of his muscles to relax a bit and put on the closest thing he could get to an emotionless mask before turning back to Ryion.

The emotion that rested solely in the man's eyes had left it, back to glaring at Adren's father.

"Ryion Acaine of Lokromli," His father started, bringing Adren's focus to that, trying to calm his racing heart, "ten years ago you used magic to not only cause harm, but to end life. This is one of Secos' most serious crimes and had to be fixed with the harshest of punishments." Adren could sense his father was extremely irritated about something, but couldn't tell what. "You were sentenced to ten years of complete isolation without your magic, which I can see didn't entirely work." Adren suddenly figured it out, Ryion was clean. Not only that, he was walking and didn't look nearly as unhealthy as he was when Adren first went down and saw him. "I am not sure how you were able to use magic against some of our best warding, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it now. Per your sentence, the ten years are now up and you will be executed tomorrow." Adren's heart stopped. "Luckily for you, we are not unkind people. You will spend your last day in a cell up here and will be able to eat whatever you want tonight. I suggest taking advantage of this offer because it will be the last thing you eat." With that, Adren's father stood and walked past Ryion and out the door.

Adren stayed glued to the seat. All that raced through his mind was that this couldn't be happening. He loved Ryion. He couldn't just die. Just the thought of him not being there anymore made him feel so empty and lonely inside he couldn't bear it. This couldn't happen.

He wouldn't let this happen.