The Great Hall of the Unions was a hall where alliances prevailed, not everyone could enter it; Although these alliances were not of love, it was a perfect setting for bonds. Although it was a stage of marble and white gold to fully display the elegance and power of each family, between that immense splendor filled with expensive jewelry glass and an easily breakable power, there was a tense air of perfumes, looks, and a diabolical precision of movement.
Sebastian Calloway and Maximilian Thorne were in an anxiety circuit, next to their parents; The dukes chatted with absolute calm, without noticing the anxiety of their children, who almost jumped out of their chairs when two young ladies approached them. They couldn't care less, but I needed to have a calm conversation.
This room, this meeting was like hunting for marriages and alliances, but in their minds, they only had Julian and Alistar. But the world knew that both young men were one of the most sought-after bachelors in the empire, for them that was nothing, their minds returned to their partners, there were only two people that day for them, and they were their lovers.
Sebastian still felt the sensation of Alistair's hands on his chest. She hoped to see him soon, and to undress him with her gaze, she needed him in her mind, and that in some way he was aware of this, that he understood her desire.
"Lord Calloway, it seems that your mind is somewhere else," murmured one of the ladies, who fanned herself innocently.
"My mind must be where it should be, miss." He responded with a sharp voice, his same tone of iron, which made the young lady retreat with slight fear.
Next to him Maximilian Thorne tried not to laugh at his firm cut, but his hand at the same time squeezed his same glass, the number of young people around him with those "economical" perfumes without "classes" made him nauseous, soon the doors of the Salon opened, revealing Alistair and Julian, who were both having a conversation between light blushes and an amused glow.
Beautiful. Both young people thought when they saw their respective lovers.
Both were dressed to match Maximilian and Sebastian, although it was a discreet outfit, observant people noticed it; among them the mothers of the young people, but none of them commented on this, since it was neither the place nor the time.
Sebastian, faithful to his promise, did not take his eyes off Alistar, who was trying with enormous strength to keep his face and not be embarrassed. While they shared that moment, Maximilian and Julian had a brush between their fingers when they passed their glasses. A soft, but notable act between them, while one look betrayed desire and possession if it was noticed, the other betrayed desire and deep longing, the raw intensity that was observed was broken by themselves, but doubt was sown. Especially in the hearts of four mothers, who recognized the love and passion of their own husbands.
—Love them, faithful friends of a lifetime. —Duke Thorne Sr. laughed, misinterpreting the tension. — There is still that competition about which Hera matches better, Calloway seems to want to devour Valerius. —
The laughter among the dukes echoed, but the glances between the mothers conveyed messages: "If only they knew what kind of hunger that was."
Minutes passed, and soon an hour. Too long, that's why when Maximilian intercepted Julian and took him to a balcony, both mothers were shields on that balcony. Even if they did not fully understand what was happening between her children, they were her children, and she would protect them with her life, even if they had to face their own husbands. They would need funds soon, they didn't want their children to be without any support when both parents found out.
Her heart as a mother hurt, she did not understand and it was difficult for her to understand, but her mind made her think further, the suffering they could have, and above all the most tragic end of all, a death by her own blood to maintain honor. Even if they don't fully understand those relationships, they will protect them, they are their children, they cried, sweated, bled and tore their bodies to bring them, they wouldn't let anyone touch them.
Not even the same crown.
Inside the balcony, Julian looked amused at Maximilian, who anxiously slid his arm around his waist and pulled him towards him. Bordering on the unseemly due to the closeness, but at the same time a unique warmth. Although they knew that the touch stage was some time away, they both decided to stay like that, Maximilian holding her body against him, and he affirmed it with complete confidence.
"You're late Julian," Maximilian exclaimed as he smelled his head, feeling the notes of the forest and humidity that his perfume had.
—Alistar was having a little fashion crisis. —Julian mocked.
—Julian…—the whisper was intimate, the looks soon connected, it was more than an experiment, in such a short time, just in a few weeks, the emotions completely collapsed. —I have lost.—
The words floated in the darkness of that balcony, you could feel, even behind the velvet curtains, the sound of the banquet, but even with that sound, that situation, Julian felt that it became his private universe. Maximilian was still patiently waiting for a sign of rejection or panic, but there was none of that, on the contrary Julian's fingers pressed against his arms, as if he was afraid of erasing what had been said.
"I have lost"
Julian quickly understood what he meant. That man who unnerved him in a unique way, that man who could easily kill thousands with his verbal potions, had just admitted to him his vulnerability, something that was much more lethal than any weapon, the secret of what matters to him.
And…, it was him, he was the reason.
—I have also lost Maximilian...—I whisper with a broken voice—I lost completely, because I didn't stop analyzing, reading and looking at your letters. You looked forward to them every day, as if they were my oxygen, and I didn't know when it happened. I didn't know at what moment I let you enter my heart, and in such a chaotic way.—
—Julian, I feel the same as you, that longing for your letters, for your words, but above all there is something that I long for beyond...,— Maximilian leaned forward expecting a rejection, but he only found Julian waiting anxiously, breaking all severity and reserve of intimacy, he threw himself around his neck, sinking his fine fingers through the hair on the back of his neck.
The kiss was not an experiment; It was the most vulgar fucking collision of desire she had ever seen repressed. It was a kiss full of hunger, loaded with weeks of contained desire, hidden passion, and jealousy silenced at that same banquet. Maximilian's urgency corrupted Julian's sanity, Maximilian let out a low growl, an animalistic sound, of a man who had been forbidden from his desire, from the love he needed, that animalistic sound vibrated against Julian's mouth.
The kiss was messy, like Maximilian's hair whom Julian was ruined, the vulgar sound of clicking, and sighing between them could be heard on that balcony. Maximilian leaned against one of the pillars, hiding from the sharp eyes of another area.
"Damn, honey." —He escaped from Maximilian's lips in a gasp, while Julian took a light breath, Maximilian went down his neck, gently biting from his earlobe, along the nape of his neck and his neck, leaving a trail of "love" marks although they were vulgar bruises, which for the first time Julian did not refuse to have. —Julian, I don't care about the equation of this, I don't care about the twelve weeks of this experiment, if this is science, I want it to consume me like an addict. —
"Take everything, God, please take me." Julian gasped at Maximilian's touch, forgetting where they were, forgetting absolutely all decency and protocol, they wanted to undress and unite as one, Maximilian sought his lips again, with a renewed passion.
But soon they were interrupted, the balcony door scared them both, but only Maximilian Thorne's mother looked out, totally embarrassed. Both young men did not know what to do or say, Lady Thorne approached them both and with one shot took out Young Sterling's Maximilian.
—Don't you dare disrespect Young Sterling in this place. Especially with us outside. And young Sterling, his mother is outside, waiting for him. —Lady Thorne told her, while she was fixing Sterling's appearance, she observed how both young men were pale and nervous.
The mother's heart prevailed over the lady's, with absolute delicacy she took Sterling's hands and spoke directly to him.
—Welcome to the family. —surprising both young people. —But now we can't tell the public, I need more power, more control, otherwise I won't be able to protect them. —he whispered, looking at his son.
The silence was thick after those words, Lady Thorne had given her blessing. Julian felt his pulse in his ears, like gunshots, they had given him their blessing and he was about to hand over everything without a formal proposal, his heart felt agitated, but he still composed himself. Though for a moment lightly, he soon bowed and went to his mother, who had a mocking look on her face.
"Mother…" Maximilian managed to say, his voice still hoarse from that overwhelming desire.
"Silence, Maxi," he cut out affectionately, although his eyes reflected fear, there was something sweet about them. —I saw how you saw it, I could see it in your eyes. Your father used to be very similar, my dear son I will not let you be tamed or hurt by anyone, not even the crown or your father. But I want you to formally ask young Sterling for her hand, he won't allow you to take her chastity and then run away, because if that's the case - Lady Thorne's gaze sharpened with fury and she looked between her son's legs. —You will know how a eunuch lives.—
"Yes, mother." Maximilian swallowed nervously.
—And Maximilian. If you want to love each other, you must learn to lie first, then when mother has enough power, you can love him without a secret, mom will protect you from everything and everyone, just resist.—I speak softly.
The equation has just become dangerous, both Julian and Maximiliano should tell Alistar and Sebastian what happened. Although they would avoid the fiery parts; They were to report that they were quickly discovered by their mothers. Although there were now two mothers they were moving to care for and protect them. Two mothers will accept difficult decisions to protect their children from the crown and any idiot who was brave enough to attack them.