I also have this version~

[Name] Rivers. Brother of Brynden. Brother of Bloodraven. He'd come to the Red Keep straight after the second Rebellion. Brynden had handed him over to Baelor and Maekar. Now that another Raven was in the castle, Dunk felt like he saw birds and black feathers everywhere.

Dunk felt, deep within himself, that [Name] was just like Bloodraven. There was something magical about him. Something dark and shadowy. Something locked behind his eyes. He was accompanied by ravens, and Duncan didn't know if they were Brynden's ravens or if [Name] could see through them as well. But they were there, he could hear the flapping of their wings, he knew them.

He pressed his hand to the window. The courtyard was flooded with rain, and he stood there. Dunk didn't know why. If he were a good guardsman, he would have gone, asked, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. The intensity with which [Name]'s eyes looked at him… as if all the truth in the world was contained within them.

The croak of a raven made him freeze. A black bird flew past the window, cawing loudly. When he looked at the window again, he froze. [Name]'s eyes were looking straight at him. Right at the window where he now stood. He was looking at him from the courtyard, his face calm. The rain was pouring down on him, running down his face, wet strands of hair peeking out from under his hood. He looked as if it didn't bother him.

He nodded. He responded in kind. Dunk couldn't put his finger on what it was about Rivers that was so fascinating. He was… like rain? Cold and cruelly calm.

A few days earlier.

After a long absence, it was good to be home. The house was the Red Keep, and it was enormous. Armor rattled softly as he walked. The castle was strangely empty after the departure of the king, his sons, and his lords and knights. The unrest surrounding the Blackfyres was growing. Another rebellion or mutiny loomed large. Only Dunk, Egg, his sisters, Matarys and [Name] remained in the castle, not counting the ladies-in-waiting, servants, and other lesser lords.

And the ravens. Dunk saw those birds everywhere. They flew by the windows, perched on the windowsills, on the balconies, in the trees, on the bushes. Everywhere. The ravens with letters even stopped flying to the maesters' tower. They flew straight to Rivers' balcony. (Was [Name] Lord Rivers?)

The servants whispered, feared him. Even Egg, a curious, questioning child, avoided him at all costs. So [Name] was alone, dressed mostly in black and other dark colors, and his cloak. If it was cold, he wandered the castle, accompanied by ravens and whispers.

"Lord… Rivers, requests that you come to his chamber." A terrified girl, a servant, a maid, came to him in the evening. He was about to go to bed; it was dark outside, it looked like it would rain that night, and he was already off duty. At first he was confused, then interested. What could Bloodraven's brother possibly want? From him, a knight-errant?

So he went. The chambers were in a side corridor, ending in a window. The door was closed. He knocked.

"Come in."

Dunk pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room looked… normal. The large, glass balcony doors were open. On the dresser stood a multitude of bottles, several drawers were open. On the table stood a decanter of wine and a bouquet of flowers. A large bouquet of wildflowers. Not the neatly trimmed garden kind. These looked wild, certainly not from royal gardens. A large four-poster bed made of a delicate, flowing material. The desk, near the terrace door, was strewn with papers. And another bouquet. A multitude of bird feathers, gathered together into a bouquet and placed in a vase. A few scattered on the furniture and floor, black, raven feathers were even on the bed. The room looked charming… quaint. Not strange, as the servants whispered. Full of trinkets, books, amulets, small bottles, glass ornaments, animal skulls. A charming mess.

Among them stood barefoot [Name] Rivers. He wore only a loose shirt, falling off his shoulder, and trousers.

"You summoned me, sir?" he asked, hiding his awkwardness.

"Yes, I need help. Someone strong." [Name]'s gaze swept over him, and a faint smile played on his lips. "Will you be so kind as to help me bring the table and chairs to the terrace. I can't do it myself. It's a marble-trimmed table, meant to be kept on the terrace."

Dunk looked at the lord. "Do you want to bring the table in here…?"

[Name]'s eyebrows furrowed. "Something wrong…?" He tilted his head to the side. Just like a bird.

"Oh, no, no! Just… maybe it's better if I… take care of it myself! I'll get someone to help and we'll bring the furniture in here." He quickly explained, awkwardly. He was surprised by this; Lord Rivers wanted to carry the furniture to his chambers himself (almost alone).

"Oh… if you say so, then fine." [Name] smiled. "The things have been left at the servants' entrance. It's a table and two chairs. Thank you for your help."

Dunk blinked. When he left the chambers he wasn't entirely sure if he had dreamed it or not.

He and two other guardsmen brought in a table and chairs. They weren't particularly heavy, but carrying them up the stairs was a hassle. Jared and Brian—guardsmen, his friends—left things by the door.

"Dude, there's no way I'm going in there," Jared whispered. "They say he's haunted."

Dunk looked at him like he was an idiot. "Don't exaggerate." He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not exaggerating!" Jared shouted in a strangled whisper. "The maids say there are skulls in his room! That he talks to ravens, that he can turn into a raven!"

Dunk didn't comment that the skulls were true.

"His brother is Bloodraven, apparently they're both sorcerers. Witches. And Garen, the one guarding the gate, said people saw him in the graveyard! At night! Apparently his eyes glow red at night!"

Dunk dismissed them with silence. He said he'd take care of the furniture himself. The two men quickly left the door. Dunk didn't deny it – he felt uneasy, but he didn't want to believe what he heard.

He opened the door and immediately scolded himself, forgetting to knock, but to his surprise, the room was empty. The large balcony doors were still open. Dunk picked up the table and carefully entered the room. Careful not to bump into anything, he walked it to the terrace. He set it down on the marble tiles. He returned to retrieve the chairs. They were large and a bit heavy, made of varnished wood. He carried one out and set it by the table.

When he returned to the balcony with the second and final chair, he almost dropped it. On the railing was a raven. A large raven, black, with a few white feathers. It was sitting on the balcony railing, staring at Dunk, bobbing its head in that characteristic birdlike manner. Dunk set down the chair. The bird was staring at him.

"Hello," he said softly. He took a step toward the railing, and the bird jumped but didn't fly away. "What are you doing here?" he asked quietly. He crouched down to get a better look at the bird. The raven was watching him closely.

The knight smiled slightly. "You're pretty, where did you get those white feathers?" He smiled as the bird flapped its wings.

"It's White."

Dunk quickly stood and turned. [Name] stood behind him, at the balcony door, his gaze gently fixed on the bird. "I have him from a chick. A gift from Brynden." He walked to the railing and held out his hand. The raven jumped onto his shoulder. Dunk blinked.

[Name] turned back into the room. Dunk followed him. "Forgive me, my lord, I didn't notice…"

"All right," [Name] said calmly. He walked over to the table. There was a small bowl of grains and a tray of sweet, dried fruits and nuts. [Name] took a handful of grains and offered them to the raven. The bird began pecking the grains from Rivers's hand.

"Amazing…" Dunk didn't finish. He blushed and muttered something awkwardly. "Anyway, the furniture is on the balcony."

[Name] smiled. "Thank you. I hope my feathered friend didn't scare you. He loves doing that."

Dunk felt a shiver run down his spine. "No… No. Maybe a little." He laughed, embarrassed.

"He's mean sometimes," he said tenderly, stroking the raven's wings. "Anyway, thank you. I don't know how to repay you. I thought something sweet would be in order."

He pushed the tray toward Duncan and told him to sit down. He even poured some wine. Duncan sits down in a chair and feels dizzy. [Name] sits only three steps away from him. He can smell his scent. There's nothing of blood or grave in it. Instead, there are herbs, mint, flowers. It smells like wind, a fleeting, wild scent. Something that comes with a raven's wings and the wind.

Dunk takes the dried figs. They're good, sweet. Just like grapes, an apple. White pinches [Name]'s fingers with his beak, demanding treats; he gives them to him, always with a smile and tender words for the raven.

"Besides, there's no need to address me in any way. My name will suffice. At least in private." He speaks lightly, as if it were nothing important.

Dunk doesn't know what to think. This isn't what he expected. Perhaps. Brynden was… cold. His brother, on the other hand… He was so… different. He didn't make him uneasy, as other servants or even lords said. He seemed… plucked from beyond the grave, but not in a bad way. Daeron had said so. Dunk didn't ask what he'd seen of [Name] in his dream. [Name] was loyal. Dunacan had been in the throne room when [Name] had bowed before Baelor and Daeron II. He didn't know if he was related to the king like Brynden, or if he simply shared a mother with Brynden; he didn't want to ask; it wasn't his business.

He seemed… pleasant. A shiver ran down Dunk's spine as he sat with him in his chamber.

He watched the man in the black cloak disappear from the courtyard. He disappeared into the castle, but Dunk guessed he'd reappear in the gardens any moment. [Name] liked walking in the rain; he'd noticed it. Dunk didn't knew why he did it. It was raining, and [Name] was sitting in the gardens or on his balcony.

There were definitely more ravens in the castle, too. He felt like he saw at least a few dozen a day, and each one was different. He began to observe them closely. He even saw White a few times.

[Name] was definitely not what others said. When the servants fled from him, Dunk wasn't. Lord Rivers greeted him in the hallway, exchanged a few words, and Dunk began to… like him. [Name] was… nice. Pretty, didn't treat him with contempt, smiled, smelled of flowers and wind, didn't laugh at him, and he talked to the horses too.

Dunk… liked him.

The sun hadn't quite risen when Dunk left his room. The smell of the world after the storm was incredible. He wanted to savor this peace. The neighing of a horse caught his attention. A snow-white horse stands by the stable. [Name] fastens the saddle girth next to him.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asks, taking a few steps toward him.

[Name] straightens up. Something cracks in his spine, and he winces painfully. "Yes, I'm going to the forest. I'm sick of the castle's stuffiness."

Dunk just nods. "Maybe… I'll go with you. You shouldn't go alone," he says confidently.

He'll be able to get back to his work on time. It's very, very early. Egg won't be up for at least a few more hours.

They ride out the gate together. The city streets are flooded with mud and puddles. A terrible storm had blown through the night. At least for a while, he won't smell the city's stench. At this hour, the streets are almost empty, so they quickly manage to leave the city and ride out of the city.

On the main trail, [Name] turns at a random point, entering meadows covered with tall, wet grass. Dunk follows him. The conversation is light, nothing in particular. They spur their horses on and race into the forest. The air is more receptive among the trees, but [Name] doesn't seem to notice, even though he's wearing only a loose, silk shirt that's falling off his shoulder again. It's outrageously thin, and Dunk freezes just thinking about how cold it must be. Especially when they're galloping, the dew hitting his face, and [Name] doesn't even have a coat.

Between the trees in the middle of the forest, [Name] slows his horse to a slow pace. He takes a few deep breaths. Dunk rides beside him, stealing a glance.

"I can finally breathe," he says, satisfied. He looks around, as if seeing things for the first time in ages. Maybe it was. Dunk isn't sure Rivers left the keep. "The castle is… so stuffy."

"Yes, that's true," Dunk says. "I hope the Blackfyre problem ends soon and I can get back on the trail with Egg."

[Name] sighs softly. "I don't want to worry you, but it doesn't look like the problems will end anytime soon." He says quietly, his gaze darting around the area, his eyes looking wet and unfocused as he looks at Dunk for a moment.

"You know that…"

He nods. "My brother writes to me. And I write to Prince Baelor and Maekar, to him mainly about the children, but the subject of rebellion still comes up."

Dunk thinks it's obvious. [Name] is somehow related to the king, certainly through Brynden. He must be in touch with them, otherwise it would be strange.

"They say you see with raven eyes," Dunk says awkwardly.

The man next to him laughs. It's a laugh between sadness and joy. "The truth is always hidden in the middle," he says mysteriously. He looks at Dunk from under his lashes, and the knight feels his blood boil. "It's true that spells can be useful." He adds with a small, mischievous smile.

The horses pull toward the river. It's small and shallow, but clean. [Name] nimbly dismounts. He lets the horse drink, then ties him to a branch a little further away, in the sun, and loosens his girth. Dunk does the same, then sits down on the wet grass by the river.

[Name] sits down next to him. He takes off his boots and puts his feet in the icy water. He trembles.. Dunk puts his hand in the water and curses. [Name] chuckles.

"Your feet will fall off," Dunk mutters.

[Name] smiles slightly. He raises his face to the sun, filtering through the leaves. He shivers. "Then I'll be able to fly more often." He says quietly, lightly, with joy. His voice trembles. "I'll fly…" He reaches out and raises his hand high, pointing at the treetops. Dunk sees goosebumps on his arms. His sleeves are rolled up.

[Name] basks his face in the sun. And Dunk stares at him. He can't tear his eyes away. The sun and the shadows of the leaves make his face look like a work of art. Duncan's gaze drifts lower, to his neck, to his shoulder, exposed by his falling shirt. And…

Dunk blushes. Not just on his face. He feels the warm blooming not only on his cheeks but also on his neck. Under the thin silk of his shirt, [Name's] nipples are visible. Hard, standing out under the thin, veil-like shirt.

Dunk feels himself burning. It's… incredibly arousing. Just like all of Rivers at that moment. Mouth parted, flesh exposed by the oversized shirt, dreamy eyes. Dunk feels he's looking at a signpost to hell.

If this were hell… he'd gladly go there. [Name] could lead him into temptation, and Dunk would follow. He thought about him. Often. Sometimes more often than he should, and in situations he shouldn't.

Sometimes he thought of [Name] Rivers, and his cock grew hard.

Sometimes it hurt so much that he had to… relieve himself. He had to, or he would probably go crazy. He thought of him then. Of his lips, his hair, his hands. Of all of him, with that graveyard calm and the scent of herbs, mint, and bones.

He had him next to him now. In such a sinful state. With his shoulder exposed, his neck relaxed, happy. Goosebumps on his body, his hard nipples. He could lean in, kiss him. Pull him close, kiss him. In his fantasies, Rivers kissed him back. He sighed softly, touched him, and crows cawed outside the window.

"Do you mind if I go pick some flowers and herbs before we go back?" [Name] asked, opening his eyes.

Dunk shook his head. "No, of course not. I'll help you."

"That's wonderful," he said quietly, standing up. "Let's go."

He didn't put on his shoes, but walked barefoot into the forest. Dunk obediently followed him. He walked barefoot, dew soaking his pants, drops from the bushes soaking his shirt. In a moment, he was soaked, his clothes stained. Just like Dunk's, but [Name] looked… Dunk prayed to all the gods that his penis wouldn't harden.

They emerged into a meadow. A large, colorful meadow full of flowers.

"What should I pick?"

"Pretty, colorful flowers."

They returned with two bouquets. The flowers, grasses, and herbs were still wet with dew, as were [Name's] bare feet. Dunk was beginning to suspect that Rivers had a serious aversion to shoes.

They entered the courtyard. And suddenly, flocks of ravens took flight. The flapping of wings and cawing were incredible. Dunk thought there must have been at least a hundred birds.

The courtyard was already crowded. The servants rose, the stable boys led the horses, wood was being chopped for the kitchen, the castle was coming to life. Their appearance caused a sensation. When the two horses entered the courtyard, people turned to look at them. They stared. Several of his friends from the Guard literally dropped their jaws.

[Name] finally put on his boots before dismounting. The stable boy took the horse. Without even looking at Rivers, the man extended his hand. Dunk offered him the bouquet.

"Thank you for the help. I'll go to my room. I should… get myself together." He smiled faintly. Dunk only nodded.

The knight just watched him walk into the castle. His boots were half-buttoned, his shirt and trousers damp with dew. The wet clothes clung to his skin.

The next few days… were quiet, strange, and pleasant. He was in [Name]'s rooms far more often than he should have. He saw him in thin shirts. He stood barefoot on the balcony, sometimes in the icy rain, and Dunk could admire the way his body shivered and his nipples hardened.Holy gods, Dunk would then masturbate in his room or while taking a bath with [Name] standing in the rain in his mind, his silk shirt soaked. All he could think of was his parted lips and the two small bulges, hard, on his chest.

Rivers asked him for various things, like fetching something, helping him move heavy boxes. He discovered the man was like a magpie. He collected pretty trinkets, figurines, books, knick-knacks. Pretty stones and feathers. He had a huge amount of jewelry, which he wore more and more often. Not just from Westeros. He also had some from Essos. Exotic… Just small chains entwined around his body. He couldn't get the thought of it out of his head afterward. The images that came to mind.

Rivers often asked him to simply keep him company. Others avoided him, servants hid in alcoves when he passed them in the corridor. Dunk felt a little sorry for him. [Name] was practically alone at times. He hadn't even managed to convince Egg to join [Name]. Girls began to look at him less and less with fear, and more and more with curiosity, but they refused to talk to him. They ran away when they saw him. Dunk suspected that any process of… socialization would take a long, long time.

[Name] sometimes read letters to him. From Baelor and Maekar, which Egg had passed on. He read the few letters from Brynden. Dunk couldn't hide the fact that they sounded surprisingly normal. No unclear sentences, whispers, or anything strange. Two brothers, writing about what was happening, teasing each other, mocking each other. Brothers, normal brothers, close.

"Brynden used to have nightmares when he was little. We often slept together. We always woke up in the morning in some crazy position. With our legs on pillows or across the bed."

Dunk couldn't help but laugh.

It was also increasingly difficult to keep his hands off [Name]. They went for drives, often in the morning, and they certainly went when it rained at night. Rivers loved the world after rain or storms. He raced with crows, with Duke on dirt roads, basked in the sun, and soaked his feet in streams. Rivers took almost childlike joy in running through wet grass, the forest, or wading through a sea of ​​flowers in the meadows. He gathered them into bouquets and kept them in his room, so it always smelled of flowers. He returned with twigs in his hair, wet, and out of breath.

He looked like a sin Dunk increasingly desperately wanted to commit.

Even when they sat in his rooms late at night, dressed in a black shirt but still barefoot, [Name] would tidy up the mess, but in practice, it meant moving things from one place to another. He showed him a beautiful, ornate box full of pebbles.

"I brought this from the North." He pulled out one of the white stones.

“Why do you need the pebbles?” Dunk frowned. “Besides, didn’t you say it was something from Bravos?”

“They’re nice.” He shrugged. “The box, yes, is from Essos, but the stones are from the North,” he said smugly.

Dunk snorted softly. He looked around the room, which he was becoming increasingly familiar with. In which drawers did [Name] keep his herbs in bottles, which held dried flowers, where was the deck of cards from Lys, and where were the dragon figurines from Volantis.

“The skulls are nice too?” Dunk asked suddenly. “What do you need them for?” He walked over to the large dresser and stood next to Rivers. It was by far the biggest thing in the room, besides the bed. Skulls were displayed on it. Horses, a cow, a boar, deer, and stags. Birds.

[Name] stiffened. He straightened carefully. Two of the three horse skulls were exquisitely carved, as were the doe and the stag. The bones were carved like lace.

"They're useful…" He began quietly. "For all sorts of things."

Dunk's face became serious. He glanced at the man. Rivers took a step to his side, standing almost between him and the chest of drawers. He carefully touched one. The raven. He turned it so that it was more visible from the front. Between the empty eye sockets, something was carved into the bone. A symbol. A magical symbol. Maybe blood magic. Dunk didn't know.

"If this has anything to do with magic, I don't want to hear about it," he said quietly. He felt the warmth of [Name]'s body next to you, so close.

[Name]'s hand, which had been stroking the bone, froze. "Do you find me disgusting?" he asked quietly. Dunk could feel the sadness in his voice.

The knight didn't answer immediately. "No. I'm not disgusting," he finally said. He spoke honestly. "I'm an orphan from Flea Bottom. I don't know anything about magic, I don't know if I want to know. I don't understand." He glanced at Rivers for a moment. "But that doesn't change the fact that… I don't think you're evil, disgusting, or anything else. I just don't understand it. You, your brother, and your magic. I don't know if I ever will."

Rivers nodded. That explanation had to be enough. He wanted to pull away, but instead, he stepped awkwardly and bumped into Dunk. The knight felt himself bump into him. He apologized quietly and quickly returned to his work.

Dunk then masturbated twice in a row. The mere memory of the warm body next to his gave him a fever. He had no idea where it was coming from. He was no stranger to desire, but [Name] stirred something different within him. Something… more intimate than sex itself.

Dunk knew that some men were attracted to other men, just as some women were attracted to other women. Could one desire both a woman's body and a man's? [Name] was so… different from other men. He was like a secret from beyond the grave, one Dunk wanted to discover and keep only to himself. A whisper heard on the wind. A song in the storm. [Name] Rivers was all of these things. Dunk wondered with fear if… he could love him? He shouldn't have. He had taken knightly vows. But…

A few days later, he and Egg returned from a short trip. He arrived late for dinner, but the hall off the kitchen where the guards and servants dined was still full and bustling. As always, the castle buzzed with gossip. Several guards greeted him with shouts.

Dunk sat down at their table, eating slowly and listening to the latest gossip.

"It's good that you're back," Jorel said with relief. "Maybe that damned sorcerer will calm down," he said, almost spitting, and the guards at the table's faces darkened.

Dunk glanced at their faces in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, swallowing hard.

"The scavenger ordered Joanne, one of the maids, to be whipped," explained Denis, another guard. The other knights nodded.

"Why? What happened?" he asked quietly. "I don't believe he did it without reason." He said, and the other knights looked at him strangely.

"He accused her of stealing some trinket, a ruby ​​or some other precious stone." Jorel snorted. "Even if she did, and he had to punish her, he didn't have to beat her like that."

"He beat her himself?" Dunk asked, confused. Everyone nodded again.

"He dragged her out into the courtyard, and a lot of crows immediately flew down. We were afraid he'd have them eat her or something, but he ordered to bring a whip and beat her."

Dunk listened, his heart trembling with nerves. [Name] was cruel, he knew it. He could be just as cruel and vile as Brynden, but would he do something like that without a reason…

"Maybe she took something… magical. Who knows what he keeps in his drawers," Dunk said cautiously. He felt everyone's eyes on him.

Ulric laughed mockingly. "Yeah, Dunk, you know exactly what he keeps in his drawers. Dunk is the only one who tamed a wild raven."

The knights smiled mockingly, provokingly. Vulgarly. Dunk looked at him, concerned.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act surprised. We know you're fucking him." Jorel said it as if it were obvious. Dunk felt the air escape his lungs. "What?"

"Don't act surprised." Denis elbowed him under the ribs, a huge smile on his face. "We don't blame you, he may be a sorcerer, but he's cute. And he has a nice ass."

"I don't… fuck him." Dunk felt a blush spread across his face and neck. Instead, I mentally screwed him in every possible way, everywhere I could, however I could.

Ulric laughed bawdily. "Am I supposed to believe that when you come back from a ride and he looks like he's been well-fucked in that forest… what are you doing there? Don't lie to me so brazenly."

We do everything but not that. Even though it was one of Dunk's fantasies.

"No, fuck you," he said firmly. Or at least he tried. Denis just looked at him like he was crazy.

"I won't believe it. I saw what he looked like when you came back from the forest. You can't tell me you refused him, he has a nice ass. Even I would…" Everyone else was drowned in laughter.

He couldn't say anything more. The guards joked and made vulgar comments, but Dunk didn't listen. He ate quickly and went to change. He didn't want to go to [Name] covered in mud and sweat.

As usual, there was no one at his door. He knocked loudly and waited for a loud "come in." He opened the door and closed it quietly. The room was empty, lit with candles, smelling of flowers and incense. And hot soapy water. The bathtub behind the screen was still full of hot water. Clothes were thrown carelessly on the floor.

"Dunk. Glad you're back." The voice came from the balcony. The door to the balloon was open again. He went there.

He froze. Rivers was sitting in his chair, his legs propped up on the table, his book in his hand. His legs were… bare. And naked. He was wearing only a silk robe. His hair was still damp from his bath. White and another raven were sitting on the table. Both sat almost still, only moving their heads.

"How did you know I was back?"

[Name] looked at him with a small, mischievous smile. "The ravens told me."

Dunk rolled his eyes. "Nothing can be hidden," he muttered.

"You came about… the maid, right? They told you." It didn't sound like a question, more like a statement.

For a moment, Dunk was afraid he'd heard their entire conversation, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He simply nodded.

[Name] hummed. He rose from his chair. The crows flew away, leaving them alone on the balcony.

"I had to. Otherwise, she would have hurt herself with it. Jewelry isn't just for decoration. I wanted to scare others away."

Dunk said nothing. He could understand. He really could. [Name] might have done something terrible, but did Dunk and the maid realize what the necklace, ruby, or whatever it was, really was? And wouldn't the consequences be worse? He didn't know. Neither did she.

"I believe you did what had to be done," he said quietly.

[Name] turned to him, leaning back against the railing. A light breeze caressed his skin and the fabric of his robe. Dunk felt his blood begin to boil.

"Dunk… do you like me?" He asked cautiously. "Do you like my body?" Dunk felt his boiling blood turn to ice in a split second. He knew. He knew what the guards were talking about.

"You… you know… Did you hear?"

From somewhere, a raven's scolding echoed. [Name] just looked at him with concern in his eyes. The ravens took flight.

"Oh, right… the ravens told you," he said quietly. He sat down in the chair Rivers had been sitting in earlier. "I could have guessed they'd… tell you that too."

"Don't you want me?" Rivers's quiet voice sounded like the patter of rain. It was going to rain. This summer was exceptionally rainy. Dark clouds were gathering over the city.

Dunk really didn't know what to say. "Why… are you asking?" he asked, and immediately felt like an idiot.

"Dunk." [Name] began to get serious. "I like you. A lot. I… I'd like to be with you…" His voice trembles.

"I… [Name]… yes," he finally admits. "I like you. I do. But… I can't. I shouldn't. I took vows."

Rivers blinks slowly. He looks at him. Dunk feels drunk, even though he hasn't had anything to drink. He watches as [Name]'s hands slowly move towards the silk waistband of his robe. He unties it, and before Dunk can stop him, the material slips from [Name]'s shoulders.

[Name] Rivers stands naked before him. Naked. He can admire the skin he's dreamed of for weeks. He's standing on this balcony, and ravens fly overhead. The flapping of their wings and cawing is like a deafening roar.

Rivers approaches him. Dunk can only watch as he settles on his lap, keeping his eyes locked. He sits on his thighs, wraps his arms around his neck. He brushes his fingers against the nape of his neck. He leans in, so close… their lips almost touch.

"I'm not a woman. And I won't give you children. I won't give you land, I'm a bastard. Dunk, what's holding back?"

He asks in a whisper, whispering the words against his lips.

Nothing. Dunk connects their lips in a kiss. He pours into him all his longings, all the nights he dreamed of him, all the times he masturbated. [Name]'s body is wonderfully warm. It smells of soap and flowers. Secrets. Everything, Dunk. Wants.

Dunk takes him for the first time on the balcony. He stands, grabbing his ass and bracing his ass on the marble railing. He tucks the silk fabric of his robe under his ass. He kisses him until they both almost suffocate.

Rivers slips his hand down his pants, caressing him with slow, cruel movements. After endless minutes of torment, [Name] pulls his pants down. Dunk puts his fingers to his mouth.

He moans softly, as if whispering as he enters him. Slowly, with cruel reverence. Savoring every whispered sigh. Every louder moan that escapes.

A flock of ravens flies overhead. A black chuura silently blocks out the sun. He makes love to him in the darkness, provided by the raven's wings. He doesn't know if [Name] or Bloodraven sees what's happening on the balcony. He doesn't care. Let him watch.

Dunk shudders, starting to move faster and faster. Until finally, [Name] comes with a soft gasp.

For the second time that night, they make love on [Name's] large bed. Under the pillow, Dunk finds oil, as well as feathers and dried flowers. [Name] draped over the pillows looks like something out of a dream. A nightmare. A fever dream.

They kiss, caress… Dunk feels like an infinite amount of time. Then he takes him again. He moves painfully slowly, and [Name] sighs softly.

He calls out his name with each thrust. He whimpers softly. A scream dies in his nipples when Dunk hits that sweet spot.

He'll never get tired of this. Never.

Six months later, they return. Everyone. King Daeron, Baelor, Maekar.Princes Valarr, Daeron and Aerion. And Brynden. After greetings, they enter the castle. Brynden scrutinizes him from the start, eyes so intense that Dunk feels a shiver of unease.

Bloodraven enters the castle last. He stops beside Dunk and murmurs softly.

"If you harm him, the ravens will feast on your flesh."

He looks at him with his eyes, those terrifyingly white ones. Dunk returns the gaze. He doesn't even wonder how he knows. It's Brynden. He would tear the secret from dead lips.

"If I harmed him, [Name] would throw me to the ravens himself." He says seriously.

Brynden looks at him carefully. After a moment, his lips lift in a small, subtle smile.

"Really, sir?"

"But what?" Dunk asks, confused.

"There weren't any other guys but this one?" Egg shrugs. He grimaces, and Dunk wants to laugh.

[Name] is nowhere nearby, but ravens are circling the courtyard. Soon he and his squire will be off on their next adventures. He regrets not being able to say goodbye to his River here, but both Raven Brothers are at the council meeting. Dunk doesn't like to leave [Name] here, but he couldn't stay because of Egg, and [Name] can't go with them. He's on the council now; he and Brynden keep an eye on the Blackfyres.