My Knight in Shining Armor

The guard heads over and unlocks Jamie’s cell door and then walks to Tyler’s and unlocks his door. Jamie instantly darts in and throws his arms around Tyler, who embraces him back. Jamie’s starts to manhandle Tyler, making out with him and eagerly caressing his barely clad chest. Tyler moans with pleasure and happiness.

Jonathan relaxes a little bit. “Why?”

“I swear, no tricks. I’m done with Taylor’s brutal ways. I now see all of this is just madness. She’s gone mad. I could handle a revenge scheme, but this...this is madness. She wants you all dead and then she was going to mount your heads on her wall.”

“Oh my God!” Patrick gasps.

“I can’t have it, so I’m letting you go.” The guard unlocks Jamie’s cell and then walks to Tyler’s.

Jamie instantly darts in and throws his arms around Tyler, who embraces him back. Jamie’s starts to manhandle Tyler, making out with him and eagerly caressing his barely clad chest. Tyler moans with pleasure and happiness.

Jonathan relaxes a little bit. “Why?”

“I swear, no tricks. I’m done with Taylor’s brutal ways. I now see all of this is just madness. She’s gone mad. I could handle a revenge scheme, but this...this is madness. She wants you all dead and then she was going to mount your heads on her wall.”

“Oh my God!” Patrick gasps.

“I can’t have it anymore, so I’m letting you go.” Brad looks at Tyler, wincing with a small shred of jealousy.

“Are you sure that’s the ONLY reason?” Patrick inquires. “I’d say there’s more behind it, Brad.”

Brad shoots him a look. But he nods. “Okay, the truth is, I care about Tyler. I can’t stand seeing him unhappy. I’ve really grown to care deeply about him.”

Patrick emerges behind Jonathan and walks forward toward the lead guard. The Knight grabs his wrist, halting him. Patrick blinks and lets Jonathan know it is okay. Reluctantly, the blond is released from the grip and he turns back to Brad.

“Hey, it’s alright, you’re doing the right thing Brad. Thank you,” Patrick says, putting a hand on Brad’s shoulder.

The guard nods. He withdraws a first aid kit and a damp cloth. “Uh, this is for the Russian. I’m really sorry about everything I did. I’m sorry for beating the little Russian there up, separating you both and chaining you up, Jonathan...and also, uh, raping you, Patrick.”

“You’re forgiven Brad. But if you ever lay a hand on me again like that, I’ll punch you in the throat.”

“Understood.”

Patrick takes the aid and cloth and walks to the bars at the back and passes them to Val, who is still uncomfortably eyeing the guard with distrust.

“Я не думаю, что могу доверять ему. Он мне больно. (I don't think I can trust him. He hurt me.)”

“It’s okay Val, he’s had a change of mind and heart.” Patrick pats the squire, who shakingly dabs at his bruises and his head and dresses the scars on his body from where he’d been cut. Patrick aids him kindly.

Tyler and Jamie break apart, chuckling and smiling. Tyler fixes his messed up white dress shirt and his tiara again. Jamie puts an arm around him and they walk out of the cell and into the main area of the dungeon room. Patrick, Val and Jonathan exit their cells as well. Val holds the cloth to his head, but he seems much better. Patrick then rejoins Jonathan, smiling at him.

Brad lets Patrick’s parents out and allows them to leave first. Then he waves Val, who sneaks out after them. They head back down the tunnel entrance that they’d come in from for the failed “attack” and soon only the four lovers remain. (Val is going to get the horses so they can escape quickly if the need came up.)

“Thanks Brad, we owe you one,” Jonathan says, as the remaining groups stands at ready. Brad continues to look out, in case someone comes to the scene.

“Well, I’d like to right my wrong. Now, once you all start to leave, you’ll have all but maybe ten seconds tops before the others arrive to come after you…”

“You’re not coming with us?” Patrick asks.

“No.”

“What if Taylor finds out?” Jamie inquires. “We can’t let you...stay here and get killed…”

Brad shrugs. “I won’t. Good luck Jonathan and Patrick...and I’m sorry to do this, but…” The guard whips out his sword and snatches Tyler by the wrist. The young man is yanked backward and the sword is placed against Tyler’s throat. “I have to keep at least one of you.”

“No, Jamie!” Tyler screams, kicking backward desperately. “Jamie, don’t let him take me!”

“Tyler!” Jamie shouts.

“Go! Now!” Brad snarls at them. “GUARDS! THE PRISONERS ARE ESCAPING!”

The tiara falls from Tyler’s head in the panic and clatters on the ground as he is dragged back into the dungeons by Brad. Jonathan and Patrick gasp, but they grab Jamie’s hand as he snatches up the crown and then they yank him with them, heading down the tunnel. They vanish out of sight.

“JAMIE!!” Tyler’s heart-wrenching screams echo down the tunnel after them.

Jamie tugs at the grasps of the Valencia prince and Knight. “Tyler! No! TYLER!!”

They burst out of the other end, to find Val with the horses. Jamie hops on Patrick’s horse after he is forced by Jonathan. Val and Jamie gallop off. Then Jonathan grabs Patrick and they make it onto Jonathan’s horse. Patrick flings his arms around the Knight's waist, clutching onto him for his dear life. They head after the other two, vanishing into the woods and not halting at all.

They soon make it to a hill clearing, which looks back at the castle. They pause and look back. Chaos has erupted and many guards launch from the palace riding into the kingdom, coming after them.

Jamie is on the verge of tears. “No. No. No...Tyler…”

Jonathan guides his horse to join Jamie’s. Val comes to Jamie’s other side. They all place their hands on the Jester’s shoulders, comfortingly. Then Val flicks the reins to his horse and launches off. Jonathan follows suit and Jamie turns to join them. He pauses though and turns back.

“I will come back for you Tyler. I’ll save you and then we’ll live happily ever after. I promise.” He clutched tight to the tiara in his hand and flicks the reins and launches after the others.

They continue on, heading farther and farther away from the chaos and the kingdom of Valencia. They find their way in another kingdom and are taken in.

There, they spend the next few months recovering and staying low.

Notes

Poor Jamie....