Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 14. Chapter 14

As happy as Zek and Gabe were, I was okay with it, but Seth looked worried. “I appreciate the idea of a place where those of us that are in relationships like ours feel safe, but this isn’t the answer. Not here. None of us are safe here.”

Curt nodded. “We understand that, believe me. But we are safer here than any place in the world.”

Daryl nodded and began seriously. “I was raised in Seaside Vista in A’Dore. I went to Berl on business when Curt and I fell in love, but if we had been discovered there, we would have been beaten, flogged and publicly humiliated. Then killed. In that order.” He said sadly. Then he looked at Seth and me. “You two are the only two men that are legally married in the world! To be king, you got married to a man!” Daryl stressed looking at Seth but pointing at me.

Seth nodded. “But it could have been just for the alliance. Not a real marriage.”

Daryl smiled. “But it is a real marriage! And you were king! Without this marriage, you wouldn’t be. And your brother, who is now king, loves you.” He looked at me. “And I know King Christian loves you, doesn’t he?”

I nodded. “We just came from there. Yes, he loves me. And Seth is family.”

Curt nodded. “You see?” He waved at the surroundings. “Where could we go, but a town where the man was made king by his marriage to a man, that is a real marriage and loved as a couple, by the kings of two countries!? Where would be safer?”

Seth nodded. “I suppose.”

I took Seth’s hand. “It makes sense.”

“There are countries that will stone us,” Curt said, urging us to see his point. “But not here.”

Seth nodded but was cautious. “I get that. But it’s still illegal here. We could still be killed.”

Daryl smiled with a nod. “And therein lays the difference. Could be versus would be. Anywhere else, it’s a certain thing, death, but not here.”

“This country wouldn’t put up with an attack on you.” Curt nodded.

“Is it true?” Daryl asked looking at Seth’s face closer. “It must be because I don’t see any scars.”

Curt nodded. “All I see is a very handsome man.”

I watched Seth look a little unsettled by them talking about the scars. I squeezed his hand, but Seth should hear more before he got upset. “What did you hear?” I asked Curt and Daryl.

“That a man, cursed by an evil wizard, scarred and with love’s kiss from the man he loved, the scars magically went away,” Daryl replied smiled.

Curt nodded. “It’s spreading like crazy in our circles.”

“Even more than the story of Cinderella and Prince Charming.” Daryl waggled his eyebrows at me. “Which we know is about your brother and sister-in-law.”

Pulling Seth closer to me his presence next to me was to comfort Seth. “Well, Arthur was evil.” I grinned as Seth looked at me and slowly grinned. “We don’t have to tell anyone he was no wizard. The story will take a life of its own.”

Seth chuckled. “Yes, it will.” Then he looked at Curt and Daryl. “But can we call it Cinderfella?”

Daryl looked confused. “Cinderfella?”

I put my arm around Seth’s waist. “It’s a joke.” I waved as Zek and Gabe had been listening. “I had a fairy of my own, just like Ella to get my brother. A fairy godfather, he made the marriage of Seth and me possible.”

Seth looked startled. “Should you be telling them that?” He hissed in a whisper that could be heard by everyone. “Demetrius may not…”

“A fairy godfather!!” Gabe hit his forehead like he made some awesome discovery. “Of course! Now it makes sense!” He turned as he thought about it.

Zek nodded. “I wondered how that happened.” He pointed walking around Seth. He turned to Curt and Daryl. “He was really scarred. On his right side. I’ve known him all my life. Believe me, it was there.”

Zek nodded. “And Grace, the lady that worked the old Thorne place said he was spouting off about witchcraft and dark magic. He was so sure Darius was going to be king. No one dared to ask.”

Gabe was nodding in agreement. “But when Thorne got back, his was soooo mad!” He said with all the enthusiasm of my nephew when he was six!

I waved at our friends. “See?” I asked Seth. “It’ll take on a life of its own. Relax.”

Seth nodded. “Fine, but how are the people here going to react when more men like us arrive?” He asked incredulously.

“And women!” Curt added.

“What!?” Seth asked them.

Daryl nodded. “And those of us that want the world to see them as women?” He looked at us, and we were totally unprepared for that.

“Men that want the world to see them as women!?” That never occurred to me! A man that wants everyone to think he was a woman! “How do they do that!?”

Curt snickered. “You don’t have them here? I bet you do. As a matter of fact, I know you do. Men that wear dresses and wear their hair long like a woman.”

“And some of these women you’d be hard to tell they weren’t men!” Daryl laughed. “They’re big in Parisia.”

Parisia was another country near Germaina on the same continent. “How do they get by with that?” I asked. “With the threat of death, they wouldn’t dare!”

“They don’t do it in public.” Curt chuckled.

“Well, there are a few that are certain they’d pass as…whatever they want to portray and do so…fooling everyone!” Daryl nodded. “And sometimes they’re caught. That’s where the flogging comes before they’re killed.”

Curt nodded. “Mostly it’s done in private places. Locations known by only us, and watched carefully to make sure whoever comes in is one of us.”

Daryl nodded. “We had them in A’Dore.” Then he grinned. “In the capital city even. One near the palace!”

I threw my hands up in exasperation. “I never knew!”

Daryl laughed. “Of course you didn’t, how often did you leave the palace?”

My eye narrowed. “I left the palace,” I said in a growl.

Daryl nodded. “With an armed guard. You didn’t see the real capital. There are plenty of us there. A few worked in the palace. Two were guards.”

I wondered if the two I saw giving pleasure with their hands with each other were the ones he was mentioning, but that was so long ago. There were more!?

Seth shook his head. “Hey, the evil wizard had me trapped, I never knew they were in Blethos.” He grinned. Then he looked at me. “Maybe Sam should rule that we not be prosecuted. If there are as many as they say…This could be a problem when more and more show up here.”