The king squinted into the distance, his eyes easily picking up the horse that was traveling at nearly a trot. Lifting the binoculars to his eyes, he could see it more clearly, deciding by the slow gait that the horse was lost... and sadly alone. This was a stallion of the purest breeding. There wasn't any doubt this was Justin's horse. An admiring smile twisted Brian's lips. He wasn't certain who he should admire - Justin... or the man perpetrating Justin's escape. A great attempt had been made to deceive him as to the direction Justin was taking. Not quite great enough, though. He was the master of the hunt. The desert was calm. Now, he could retrace the horse's tracks. For some reason, he found himself certain they would lead straight back to the Taylor stable. To a degree, it would be a dead end. But it was a start. He was certain other miscalculations would result.

Lowering the binoculars, he shouted to two of his guardsmen, clearly telling them to advance and retrieve the horse, leading them along whatever path the deep hoofprints indicated. He turned to Ben who looked at him in confusion. "That is Justin's horse. Obviously, his horse was sent off in a different direction to deceive me. If you look closely, you can see discernible tracks from the horse's progress. I am certain the tracks will stop at the Taylor home; however, it reduces the amount of territory to cover."

Ben nodded emphatically. "Yes, Your Highness. This changes things immensely. One direction leads directly to your palace. I doubt that they would take Justin in that direction... and the other is primarily the Arabian Desert. I'm sure we can't rule out the desert, but it stands to reason they are going in the only other available direction, away from the cities and toward the sea."

"My thoughts exactly. For now, we will head back toward Taylor's home and take the more logical path. I want us to switch over to one of the jeeps now. We have lost much time traveling so far away, and we will probably need to make camp tonight. I want to intercept them before that time."

Bowing his head in agreement, Ben concurred, "Of course, My King. The night could be very unfriendly to Justin. I doubt he is familiar with dealing with the harshness of the land... and who can say what type of men are traveling with him now. Although that note seemed like a clear case of admiration for Justin, the words could have been written merely to gain the young man's trust. These men could be enemies."

"They are already enemies for taking what belongs to their king!" Brian raged. "Now, it's a question of an enemy to what degree. That will be resolved. And I vow that it will be today!"

"Today?" Ben repeated. "We don't have many hours of daylight remaining, Your Highness. A camp will need to be made within a couple of hours."

"You don't think I realize that?" the king snapped. His impatience was growing, as was his unease. He hadn't expected Justin could disappear so quickly... with or without help. Speaking in Arabic, Brian shouted out his instructions to the other guards that flanked him, in the same breath, prodding Ben forward. "We will rest our horses in the Taylor stables. I should have used the jeep in the first place, even if some of the terrains are more difficult to traverse in. We probably would have found my little runaway by now."

Ben nodded. "Possibly, but it seems like Justin's rescuer was quite determined."

"Rescuer?" Brian sneered. "I mean the boy no harm. I was to offer him a life of pleasure and ease. Luxury beyond his wildest dreams. Now, it remains to be determined what his capacity will be..."

Turning his head away, smiling as he did so, he didn't voice any disagreement regarding the king's ridiculous statement. The king's actions today told a story all on its own. Justin Taylor had made an immediate impact on the monarch. There wasn't a doubt in his mind as to where his king planned on the blond's role being fulfilled. He expected the next meeting between the two men would be smoldering, with Justin's behavior indicating the tone of it. Justin was young and wouldn't know how to approach a very jealous and enraged king. That was something the young man would need to learn quickly. "I have every confidence in our trackers. Now that we have a more isolated path to search, it's only a matter of time."

"Exactly..." the king muttered in an almost ominous tone. "Once I have Justin back, atonement for this outrage will be swiftly carried out."

Riding alongside his king, Ben cast a sideways glance at the ruler's alert and tense posture, taking particular notice of the lines creasing his face. He couldn't help but pity the young and rebellious blond. The young man could have a rough road ahead, but in the face of that, Ben knew Justin would be safe. For some reason, he didn't believe he was in safe hands now. Should that prove to be the case, the king's rage and judgment would be merciless.

Tomas' eyes bored into the side of the closed tent, expecting to hear the blond scream out in outrage, yet even during the humiliation of a physical exam, remaining steadfast in his dignified and almost noble demeanor. Remembering Justin's lineage on his mother's side, he supposed that wasn't unexpected. To Sapperstein's credit... if any could be given, he had removed the guards from the tent, Sapperstein being the only one present with Justin and the doctor. The only sounds he could hear was when a body brushed against the inner walls of the tent, everything else unbelievably serene. He had been told once the exam was complete, he could come back inside. What happened after that would depend on the doctor's findings. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Sapperstein would relieve his lust in Justin if he wasn't pronounced to be pure.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could play Sapperstein's game. Going to him for help in rescuing Justin had been madness. He regretted that profusely. At the time, he felt he had no other choice. It wasn't that he hadn't meant some of the things he had said to Justin, and the lustful thoughts he had for him remained... but he wasn't the cold and callous partner of Gary Sapperstein that Justin now perceived him to be. Sir Taylor's offer to him had been very simple. If he wanted the money he so desperately needed for his family, he was the one that needed to find a way to sneak Justin away from the king's watchful eyes. He doubted he could have managed without help; however, he hadn't expected things to take a complete turn. Now, they had each taken Craig Taylor's money but planned on reneging on the deal. Taylor didn't want his son in the king's palace, because one thing had always been blatantly clear - Sir Craig Taylor devoutly hated queers of any sex or breed. He couldn't stomach the knowledge that his son was one of them.

Tomas was uncertain how long Sapperstein had been calling out his name, when his head peeked through the opening of the tent, ordering him inside. "What's your fucking problem, Tomas? You are supposed to be guarding the tent, not gawking at everything else in sight!"

"You have plenty of guards watching over the camp, Gary." He smirked coldly at the glowering man, certain of what the doctor's findings had been. "I guess you don't get to play tonight..."

"Shut the fuck up. Neither do you!" Gary snarled, his eyes hotly crawling over the blond that lay on the thick blankets on the floor of the tent, the fire in the blue eyes making his dick twitch painfully. "I have a mind to fuck him anyway. It's not like the king wouldn't still take him." He licked his lips as he watched Justin recoiling in response, his head nodding as he made his decision. "Look at him, Tomas. King Safar isn't going to turn him away in any condition."

"Stop it right now, Sapperstein!" Tomas yelled. "This isn't going to happen. I am not about to be a party to rape... and especially NOT with a man that belongs to the king!"

Sapperstein turned from his delectable temptation, and toward Tomas... a man that continued trying to thwart him at every turn. "I am getting sick of your attitude, Tomas. I have told you how things are going to be. You can either follow or get the hell out. I do not need you. All of your interference is only slowing me down!"

Justin looked back and forth between the two opposing forces. He didn't quite have Tomas figured out yet. He had thought he had, but as they had traveled this afternoon, he had been left with the feeling that much of Tomas' harshness was derived from him trying to fit in with Sapperstein. In fact, since his cruel declaration regarding his father's involvement in his disappearance, Tomas had extended some kindness... all coming when the leader's back had been turned. He had given him some fresh fruit that had been packed in his saddlebag, and he had given him extra provisions of water. Tomas had cautioned him to be silent when he had been prepared to thank him for the unexpected kindness, the other man's eyes wary on his partner in crime, knowing that Gary only took momentary breaks, realizing in the case of Justin, such stops would be fewer than normal. How he wished he could start this day over. There was so much he would have done differently. He wasn't certain he wouldn't have made his escape attempt, but he knew he shouldn't have trusted in strangers. That had been foolhardy at best.

"One of us needs to keep a clear head, Gary!" Tomas spat out, his eyes wild and filled with fear as he looked around the tent. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the doctor hurriedly throwing his medical supplies into his bag. "What's the rush, Doc? You got another house call to make?" He swallowed slowly as he heard sounds outside of the tent, unrecognizable ones, although ones that he knew were not Sapperstein's henchmen. "W-what's going on?"

The doctor lifted the flap of the tent, a slow smile spreading across his face. He shook his head as he stepped closer to it. "I feel no remorse for what is about to befall you, men." Inclining his head, he corrected himself, "Except for you Mr. Taylor. I am most sorrowful and embarrassed that I was forced to perform this exam on you. I was as quick as possible."

"It was painless, doctor. I don't hold you accountable..." Justin answered, his eyes wide as he watched the tent. There wasn't a doubt where this was leading. His heartbeat quickened as he heard the sounds of fighting outside of the tent. It sounded like a massacre, and the sounds were coming closer. "T-the king. He's here... isn't he? And somehow you are loyal to him."

"Fuck!" Sapperstein exploded. "I don't know how you tricked me, doctor... and I don't have the time to finish you, but one day I will find you. No one betrays Gary Sapperstein and lives to tell it. No one!"

"Do you hear yourself, Gary?" Tomas hissed. "We are both going to die here today, just as all of your men are now. There is no hope for us."

Justin snickered. "How's that rape attempt coming along, Sapperstein? I bet the king will love hearing about it."

In that instant, the walls of the tent were split open with what appeared to be a shiny machete. The doctor fled through the opening as the king and an army of guardsmen flanked him. The ruler's eyes touched on the two men in the room, his lip curling in contempt as he viewed Sapperstein's cowering form... and then, he looked at the man that stood closest to the bedding where Justin anxiously lay. There was no doubt this was the man that had written the deceptive love letter. He would take great pleasure in dealing with him.

The king savagely ordered, "Take them both to the prison. There will be no quick death for either of them."

Justin's eyes widened as the monarch moved closer. His time of reckoning was upon him. He lifted his chin, displaying strength in his moment of adversity. "I see you don't do sedate arrivals at any time..."

"Silence!" the king barked. The boy was attempting obstinance, or at the very least, sarcasm... after all that had transpired!? "I will deal with you when we reach home, my own."

Ben nodded to the guards that were now leading the two men away, knowing that these two villains could be about to face the most horrifying of tortures. He had never seen his king so out of control. Brian had single-handedly performed the execution over half of Sapperstein's men without a momentary pause or question asked. He had to wonder, if Justin had made such an impact on the primitive ruler after such a brief history... what would happen in the days, weeks, and months to come? Life was about to become both chaotic and unpredictable. As he observed the continued look of rebellion on young Justin's face, Ben realized the king's new possession wasn't going to make the process any easier.

TBC