Nikita held Erik close, nuzzling against the man's hair.  He'd had food sent up to the room and checked it for poison or spells.  After getting the edge off his hunger, he bit the guard, creating a third blood slave who would do his duty correctly.  He had left most of the food near the bed for Erik when he woke, but was reluctant to wake the man.

Erik made a small noise, turning slight in Nikita's dirrection and snuggling agaist him as if the boy was a teddy bear. He mumbled something inchohearent and sighed.

Nikita smiled delightedly and nuzzled Erik again, stroking the area between the man's wings as he did.

Erik gave a noise that was half a sigh and half something resembing a pur, sounding almost like a child. He mumbled Nikita's name, becoming slightly more awake.

"Master," Nikita whispered, leaning against Erik.

Erik's eyes slowly opened and lazily focused on the boy and he gave a small smile. "And I know I'm awake because I'm still in pain," he groaned, laying back on his back again, wincing slightly.

Nikita's eyes narrowed in concern.  "Does Master need anything?"

Erik rolled his shoulders slightly. "Probally, damned if I know what though." He gave a small goan and sigh. "Stupid idoits don't beleive in healing things to dull pain...."

There was a pause as Nikita thought.  After a moment he said, "They say that vampire blood helps people heal fast.  Maybe my blood... even though I'm tainted...."

Erik looked over, blinking slightly. "I don't quite follow what you mean," he said, rubbing his temple.

"Maybe if you take some of my blood... it will help you heal...?"

Erik blinked a bit more, squinting. "How?" he asked, looking slightly squeemish at the thought.

Nikita stopped, looking down.  "I'm sorry, Master.  I just want to help you," he said softly.

"No, no, I don't mean to..." Erik sat up, wincing slightly. "Do... do explaine..."

Nikita hurried to support Erik.  "Because... because vampires heal quickly, if you drink vampire blood you heal faster.  I'm not a full vampire, but... it might help you."  He looked up, anxiously hoping he hadn't sicked or angered his Master.

"Drink..."  Erik grimced. "That... I---" he shook his head slightly. "The thought... first of-- of DRINKING, and-- I mean..." he grimced again. "And you'd have to blead and I--" he shook his head again.

"I'm sorry, Master," Nikita repeated softly.  "I had food brought up.  You... I don't know when you ate last, but...."

Erik looked over and his stomach audable growled. "To be honest, neither do I..." he grimced. "Thank you...."  He paused and gently hugged Nikita.

Nikita smiled, relaxing at the touch.  He brought the food closer.  "I checked it, but I'm not very good."

Erik smiled. He lifted his hand to detox it and frowned. He consentrated a moment, then cursed softly.

"Master?" Nikita asked curiously.

"It's..." Erik looked uncomfortable. "Why isn't it working?" he asked, mostly to himself.

 Nikita recognised the lack of power from the arena.  "Master should rest," he said, taking Erik's hand in his.  "Maybe food will make you feel better?"

"But... if-- if I can't check it..." Erik was starting to sound upset.

"I did when it got in," Nikita reminded him.  "I'm not as good as you are, but I ate and I'm fine."

Erik looked over at Nikita, eyes almost vunerable a moment, then nodded. Hesitantly, he picked up the utenciles and began to eat slowly, looking deeply troubled and worried.

Nikita nuzzled against Erik comfortingly.

Erik finished his food and buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do, Nikita?" he asked in a small voice.

Nikita snuggled closely, rubbing against Erik like a cat.  "Master will be fine," he said softly.

"Will-- will it come back?" Erik asked, voice still small and vunerable sounding.

"It should," Nikita said uncertainly.  "If it's like what's done to arena slaves... but I don't know how long it takes."

Erik nodded and made a visable effort to pull himself together. "Do... do you know how they do this? Maybe... maybe if we know how it's done, we can reverse it..." His voice was almost desprate.

Nikita bit his lip and shook his head.  "I was never there.  It's always done just before a contest and they were always afraid I'd eat the slave first..."

Erik swore softly. He look a large breath. "I won't let this stop me..." he said, mostly to himself. He clentched his fists a moment.
 
 

Erik sighed miserably, nearly floping on the couch, his mask of authority and compitance desolving to a dejected one of depression. "I think they're starting to realzie..." he said in a tired voice, head slumping.

Nikita curled up next to him, rubbing his face against Erik's shoulder.  He held up a glass of wine for the man.

Erik took it and reflexivly tryed to detox it. He swore when it didn't work and put the glass back down, looking almost as if he was going to cry. "I've been declawed," he lamented miserably. "Castrated, defanged, rendered helpless...."

Nikita nuzzled against Erik more, eyes tearing in empathy.  He picked up the glass to purify it but paused before he did.  Master always complained that the wine was horrible.  Somehow, Nikita knew, there was a way to make it better.  Biting his lip in concentration, he focussed on the wine in the glass to the exclusion of all else.

Erik blinked at the boy, watching curiously.

After another moment, Nikita slumped heavily against Erik's side, breathing fast.  He held out the glass, watching Erik's face anxiously for his reaction to the wine.

Erik looked at the boy conserned, putting the wine aside. "Are you all right?" he asked pulling the boy onto his lap and supporting him. "Was there something in it? What happened?"

Nikita snuggled against Erik's chest, smiling, letting his Master's warmth surround him.  After a moment, he reached out for the glass, holding it up to Erik's lips, expression anxious to please.  "Drink it?"

Erik took the glass and sipped it. His eyes widened and he moved the glass away to stare at it.  "You... purified... it..." He said, eyes wide as his brain considered the implications of it. "Nikita!" he exclaimed, turning, placing the glass down. "You-- could you--" He took the boys hand and placed it over his heart. "Purify me..." he said, voice almost begging. "So... so my magic will come back...."

Nikita looked up at Erik dazedly a moment.  He placed his hands on Erik's chest closing his eyes in concentration.  After a long moment he collapsed limply in Erik's arms, breathing heavily.

Erik cradled the boy closely. Taking a deep breath he consentrated and tried to form a ball of light in his free hand.

He nearly wept with relef when it appeared.

Banishing it again, he hugged Nikita again, repeating thanks over and over.

Nikita nuzzled Erik tiredly, a small smile on his face.

Erik kissed the boy before gently picking him up and going over to the bed so he could rest.  He lay down next to him, still holding him, releif almost pouring out from him in waves.

Nikita snuggled close, smiling.  "Glad I could make Master happy."

Erik smiled, stoking Nikita's hair.   He closed his eyes breifly and reverted forms, sighing in releif before snuggling close to Nikita again, gently wrapping his wings around him. "I can protect us both again..." he said softly with a smile of contentment. "And I can feel you again..." He closed his eyes breifly and mentaly touched the astral mark he had made on Nikita.

Nikita arched slightly as the mark burned his Master's warmth through him.  "Master," he breathed, nuzzling against Erik's wings.

Erik smiled. "Rest now... I'll watch over you," he said gently.

Cuddling closer to Erik, the boy swiftly fell asleep.
 
 

Erik woke early and gently disengaged from Nikita's embrace to go stand by the window.  Now that they were both recovered from the proxy king's attempt to destory them both, Erik's mind was dwelling on ways to prevent anything similar from happening again.

One of the largest problems was that there was noone on Erik's council or staff that respected him as king. Most barly masked their distain for him, while others openly defied him, and the previous day had been worse then usial, as even the slow witted noticed Erik's lack of magic.

He opened his fist and called a ball of energy to him, smiling as it crackled to life in his palm.

He was used to the constant attacks on him. It was something that came with kinghood, doubled by the fact he was an unpopular king.

But they had tried to hurt Nikita as well.

And that was unforgivable.

He cletched his fist, abosorbing the energy.  He would make sure what had happened to them was never repeated.

Nikita rolled into the warm spot left by Erik getting up.  After a moment he realized that he was alone in the bed and blinked quickly awake, looking around almost desperately for Erik.  When he saw the man at the window he hurried over, sitting at his feet and nuzzling against his leg.

Erik looked down and smiled. "Nikita..." he said in a soft and warm voice. "You don't have to act like a pet, you know..." he said, kneeling down to gently pull the boy to his feet.

Nikita rose, leaning against Erik.  "Nikita is Master's pet."  He rubbed his cheek against Erik's shoulder.  "Nikita is Master's anything."

Erik smiled, putting his arm around the boy. "No... You are my EVERYthing," he corrected gently.

Nikita melted against Erik.  "Master," he whispered, tears in his voice.

Erik hugged him closely. "I was thinking," he said, voice still soft.  "Since I am king, whatever I decree is law, which means that ultimatly, I am above the entire system... so if I wanted to apoint my personal servent and companion to be my offical second in comand, noone could object..." He looked at Nikita.

Nikita's eyes widened.  "Master would..."  He nearly gaped.  "But the advisers... the council..."

"They all suported the proxy agaist me. You were the only person who beleived that I would return." He smiled. "You are also the only person who has ever stopped an assaination atempt becides myself.  I am alowed to reward the loyal."

Slowly, Nikita returned the smile.  "Master...." he said in wonder.  He raised himself to kiss the man gently.

Erik kissed him back, holding him closely.  "It may be a bit difficult to make the council accept this, but don't worry, I will keep you safe. What happened before will never occur again. I promice."

"I trust my Master," Nikita said, voice warm as he basked in Erik's embrace.

Erik smiled and kissed the boy on the forhead.
 
 

Erik walked into the thone room, Nikita at his side and smiled internaly at the shock that rippled through the court.

He sat in this throne, taking care that his wings did not get tangled and were still visable.   He had made the feathers a blood red, making them stand out even more agaist his black robes and hair.

He looked over to where the 2nd throne had been sitting, dust covered.  It had been orginaly for the queen, which there had not been for centuries. Peroidicaly it had been occupied by the kings second in comand, but those were rare as well.  He cleared his throat, calling for a servent, noting with satisfaction it was one of his former gaurds whom Nikita had bitten who answered.

"Do attend to the second throne and prepare it to be occupied."

Another ripple of low voices and shock ran through out the court.

Nikita stood next to Erik, shifting uncomfortably at the low-voiced conversation running through the room.  He watched with satisfaction as the guard didn't question the order, but just set to work cleaning the throne.  Before long it was ready to use.

Erik nodded to the servent. "Now push it foward."

The servant tried to push the throne but it didn't budge, seeming to have merged with the floor in it's peroid of neglect.

"Never mind, move yourself," Erik dismissed. With a very casual gesture he cast a spell.

The throne levetated slowly and moved foward, coming to rest as a mirror or Erik's throne.

The noise in the crowd grew slightly and Erik had to restrain himself from laughing or throwing an insult to the masses.

"Nikita," he adressed the boy kindly. "Do have a seat."

The noise grew to a roar as Nikita approached the second throne.  He looked through the crowd and the glare on the Harem Master's face nearly made him jump away from the seat as if it were fire.  He looked away and sat carefully, glance flickering over the angry room.

Even as he caught sight of the Harem Master again, face drawn this time in thought, a voice rang out above the hubbub.

"You can't do this!" one of the advisors shouted.  "Are you giong to suggest we take the orders of a slave?"

Erik smiled smoothly. "If it is a slave who has the loyalty to enforce my will in my absence, then yes. If it is that same slave who is the ONLY one of my court to have foiled an assination attempt rather then have abetted one, then yes."  He rose to his feet, letting his energy become slightly visible and billow up behind him. "I am king and my word is law. Therefor you will respect my desisions. Is this understood?"

His stance and eyes made it very clear what would happen to anyone who answered negitavly.

The roar slowly dwindled to a murmur.