The Power of Love

Half an hour later, they were sitting at table. Alden had scrubbed it as carefully as he could but he knew it would have to be burned and a new one bought. The food was cold but good. Alden did his best to hide his dismay as Parker wolfed down his food, eating as though he hadn't eaten in a long time. <How many days has it been, William?> Alden's heart ached for his friend. "There's a chicken leg left. Would you like it?" Parker grabbed it without saying anything and tore into his fried flesh. "No!" Alden said sharply minutes later when Parker went to wipe his greasy hands on his clean clothing. "Don't you dare. Here . . . " He thrust a napkin at his friend. ". . . Use this." Scowling fiercely, Parker did. "Now, let's get this mess cleaned up and then I'll cut your hair."
"You can go now."
"No."
"You always were an irritating bastard."
"And you were always the best friend I've ever had."
Parker's throat worked convulsively. He rose and went back to sit on the floor by the fire. "The books are still in Hemispot's cellar. The fire destroyed the upper floors but didn't harm anything below ground."
"Books?"
"Sorcery, necromancy . . . black magic . . . "
"I see. Do you still go there and read them?"
A few seconds of silence passed, then: "No."
"Do you plan to?"
"I might . . . some day."
"You don't need them." Parker did not reply. "Let me cut your hair. I don't suppose you still have your mother's scissors do you?"
"I don't know."
Alden hunted for the small object but could not find it. "Maybe I could borrow a pair." A knock sounded at the door. "I wonder who that is?"
"The devil, " Parker said wearily. "He's come to claim his own. Run for your life, fair Raymond."
"Don't be an ignoramus." Alden opened the door. 
It was Hudson with clean bedding. "I thought you could use these. I would have sent my man but he was averse to come here. Can you use them?"
"We can. I tried washing what was here, but they're just tatters, not fit for use." He took the small mountain of blankets and sheets, placed them carefully on a chair. "I could make use of a pair of scissors as well, if I may."

"Aye, I have a pair I can lend. Hello, William; How are you?" 
Parker turned his head, faced the brightly burning fire. "Och, well, at least you look like a human being again. You'll look even better when that hair has been good. I'll bring the scissors tomorrow, Ray. Will you be needing anything else?"
"Not for awhile. Thank you, Mr. Hudson."
"Call me George."
Alden smiled. "Thank you."
"I'll be going but if you need anything, just ask."
"I will, and thank you, again." Hudson left. Alden turned to Parker and said in a hard voice. "You were very rude to him."
"I hate him."
"No, you don't."
Parker's eyes were wild. "I do! And I hate you! You bloody, interfering bastard!" Panic rang in his voice.
"If you say it enough, you might just begin to believe it." He made two make-shift beds on the floor close to the fireplace. When Parker refused to budge, Alden settled a heavy blanket around his friend's shoulder. "You'll get cold. I've made a bed for you. It won't be a soft one but at least it's clean."
It was over an hour later before Parker lay down. A tired sigh escaped as he turned over onto his side.
"Will? Why?"
"You wouldn't understand, Ray."
"I could try."
"Have you ever hated someone so much you wanted to kill him?"
"No."
"No, " Parker said in mild contempt, "you wouldn't."
Alden waited a moment then asked, "Who did you hate?"
"It was more than one person, Ray, more than one. There was always someone who's stronger than me, always someone there to hurt me." Parker turned over and refused to answer any more questions.
The sun was bright when Alden awoke with a jerk. Parker was sitting on his pallet beside him. 
"Will?" 
Parker adjusted his body until he was lying on top of the other man. There was a look similar to lust on Parker's face, in his blue eyes.
"Will! Don't!" 
Alden tried to shove Parker away but Parker, ready for the try, tightened his hold. He gripped his fingers into Alden's hair and forced a kiss on the other man.

Within seconds, he was thrusting his tongue into the Alden's mouth. Alden adjusted his body and shoved, harder this time. Engrossed as he was, Parker was unprepared for the launch. He landed back onto the hard floor. Alden rose swiftly. "Don't ever do that again."
"Ever fuck a man, Ray?" Parker demanded in a hard, cold voice. He stood up.
"Don't ever do that again, " Alden repeated in an odd voice.
"Are you going to leave now?"
"Oh, no, you're not going to get rid of me that easily."
"If you stay . . . one night . . . I will rape you."
"Am I one of those you hate?"
Parker shivered. He turned away "No."
"Then don't do it. Hate can work both ways; Don't forget that."
Parker whirled. His features were twisted with rage. "I'm evil!"
"No, you're not." The other man began to shudder violently. "William?" He took a step forward, but Parker stepped away.
"I killed my father."
"Hudson said a tree fell on him."
Parker laughed in bitterness. "A tree! I placed a curse on him! I made that tree fall!"
"That's balderdash and you know it."
"You're a fool!"
"Maybe. Did you hate your father that much?"
Sadness fought with hatred. "Yes."
"Why?"
Parker faced the fire place. A tiny flame still burned within its blackened depths. "Did you know he used to rape me when I was a child?"
Sickness made it hard for Alden to swallow. "No."
"Some of those bruises came when I tried to fight him off."
"Why didn't you tell someone?"
"Who? And what would they have done? Tell him to stop? Take me away from him? No one would have cared."
"I would have."
"You!? Would you have gone to him, stopped him?"
"No."
"You were such an innocent." How sad Parker sounded. "I couldn't bear the thought of taking that away from you. It meant so much to me; it was so beautiful, so clean."
"William..."

Rage exploded again. "I don't want your damned pity!" He moved rapidly forward, fists tight. "Get out! Get out!" He stood tense and stiff in front of Ray Alden.
"Don't send me away." He lifted his hand slowly and cupped the Parker's face. Parker's rage vanished rapidly. "Don't send me away, Will. Let me stay with you." 
Panic ripped at Parker's soul. He ran out of his home. He was still gone when Hudson came with the scissors and another basket of food. "Is something wrong?"
"Just a slight disagreement with Parker."
"Are you all right?" the old man inquired.
"Yes, at least, I will be."
"It'll nay be easy, this course you've set for yourself."
"No."
"You're a good man."
"For helping a friend?"
"Aye."
"Parker's a good person too."
"It's well hidden."
"The rage?"
"Aye. It's taken him over."
"Some of that hostility and hatred is legitimate."
"Oh?"
"What he told me was said in confidence."
"Then I'll not ask." He contemplated his next words before speaking them. "They're saying in the village that he's hexed you, that you're here against your will."
"How can people be so stupid!?"
"The village is attached to the past since it has very little contact with the future. Take care, Raymond."
"I will."

"I'll be going now, and Raymond, don't be too trusting."
"He won't hurt me."
"You've been apart too many years; He's changed."
"Not that much."
"Just take care."
It was late afternoon before Parker returned. Alden had the house as clean as he could by then. Soup was hot on the hearth. 
"Hudson brought the scissors. Sit and I'll cut your hair." Alden fully expected obstinacy but Parker only sat. He shivered a couple of times when Alden's fingers brushed his neck. Bit by bit, the long, black hair fell to the floor. When the cutting was done, Alden said in triumph, "Now you look more like yourself." 
Parker rose and caught Alden's eyes with his. Awareness tingled between them. Alden grew disconcerted. "Let's go into the village and buy our own food. We can't live off Hudson. He doesn't make that much money." He hurried to the door.
"You always were a coward," the dark haired man whispered in derision.
"Don't be too sure of that, William Parker."
The villagers stared at Parker in stupefied and at Alden in awe as Alden bossed Parker around, making him carry what he bought. When Parker gazed in hunger at the ale house, Alden said firmly, "You don't need that, " and Parker forced his eyes away from the one place in town he had visited frequently.
"Why?" Parker asked as they walked home.
"You're my friend."
"You don't know me."
"Don't I?"
"No."
"All right, tell me all about William Parker."
"I fuck men." His voice was hard, daring.
"I figured that out by myself. What else?"
"I wanna fuck you."
Blushing slightly, Alden managed to say in a reasonably calm voice, "I know that. Tell me about the sea."
"It's got salt in it."
"Don't be an arse. You know what I mean."
"You want to hear that every man on board that ship had me?"
"I'm sorry."