Sunshine and Roses

1533. . .King Henry VIII, angered because the Church would not grant him absolution to his marriage to Katherine of Argon, abolished the monasteries. He then proceeded to replace the current religious system with his own idea of what it should be. . .and divorced Katherine.
Justin knew where Lowry had gone. He had searched for the Hunter's son when he had not returned home over a year before. At first, he had thought bandits had waylaid him and then the servants admitted the truth and that was when Justin had realized he and Sean had not only been seen but their affair was known to the servants. Justin had actually ridden to the Monastery but had not gone in, had not even asked to see Ray Lowry. If this was Lowry's way of finding peace, then so be it. In the days and weeks that passed, Justin was forced to face yet another truth: He loved Ray Lowry. He had never truly loved anyone before. It was always touch and depart, spend a little time with them and break off the associa-tion, hopefully with good will between them both. Love, he found, hurt. It hurt like hell. He was positive he didn't like that.
When the monasteries were discontinued, Justin went back to Whiteford Church to let Lowry know he had a home to go back to. . . if he wanted to.
Ray Lowry had already gone, months before.
"But where did he go? Why did he leave?" Justin asked. (And. . . why didn't he come back to me?) No one knew. 
"Why does finding him mean so much?" Mystified, Robert de Grippe inquired when their search, temporarily aborted, was still kept alive by Justin. "You do not owe him anything, not really. If anyone does, it would be the king, and I cannot see him doing anything for him, can you?"
"Nay. Let us ride to Beckett. He might have taken a post in the boy's school there."
"William, why do you continue this search? What is it about this man that brings this out of you?"
"There is something about me you do not know, Robert."
"I doubt it, " the other man said dryly. "We've traveled side by side for fifteen years."
"I have more in common with Sir Richard than you think."
"I know you like making love with men, William." Justin stared at him, stupefied. "I cannot claim I understand it nor you, for I do not, but I am aware of it. I have been for over ten years."
"Robert. . ."
"You are who you are. You have saved my life more than once. I trust you. That is all that matters." An impish grin appeared on his lined, craggy face. "That and the fact that you have never propositioned me."
"Robert!"
"Why haven't you?" He pretended to be offended but the sparkle of mirth in his gray eyes belyesd his tone.
Justin coughed back a laugh. "I know you like a plump woman's breast and not a plump backside, dolt. How many times have you told me that?"
"I wanted to make sure you did not forget."
"I have not, and I guarantee you I will not." They laughed together, clasped each other's arms in true friendship.
"I have seen you love and leave many, William. What makes this one so special you seek him? I know you never slept with him. He was so clearly untouched. Sometimes I wondered if he were real."
"You are right, no one has ever aroused him, neither male nor female."
"Is that why you want him?" de Grippe demanded bluntly.
"Nay."
"Then why?"
"I love him, Robert." The words, plain ones and unadorned, were spoken simply
"Love?"
"I realize it is difficult to understand how one man can love another, but that is what I feel for Ray Lowry."
"Nay, I do not fathom love between the same sexes though I know it occurs, but if this is the case, why did you let him remain in this place? Why did you not come for him the day you discovered his attendance here?"
"If he found peace within these walls, what right had I to take it from him?"
"If it were a woman I loved and craved, and I assume you do crave him?"
"I do."
"If it were a woman I loved and craved, I would not allow her to remain in here without a fight."
"It is not the same."
Robert de Grippe scowled fiercely. "One minute you state it is the same and the next you say it is. It cannot be both, William, not even for you."
"It can, and you know it. No one would be shocked to see you ride up and demand to speak to her, yet if I had done that with Ray, I would have offended many."
"Oh, yes, that you would. So now we ride to Beckett and seek him?"
"Yes."
"And if you find him, what?"
"I will ask him to come back."
"And. . .?"
"And what?"
"If he says no?"
"I will trouble him no further."
"And you call me dolt? All right, then, if he agrees to come back home with you, then what?"
"And then nothing."
"Nothing? Nothing!? You are going to stare at him night and day, wanting him, loving him, and not say anything?"
"He would not understand, Robert. Lowry is pure, untouched."
"You have taken virginities before, " de Grippe remarked crudely. "Surely his is not sacrosanct." He watched the dark flush come to his friend and companion's face. "Well, at least you have thought of that."
"Many times, " Justin admitted truthfully. He thought of Lowry's nudity and the flush grew. Robert laughed and rode off.