Hello all! This is my first venture into The Eagle so please be kind! I've been looking for fics for about a month because, my God, the slashiness is just wonderful! And Esca...just wow ^.^ I'm crap at sex scenes but gave it a try toward the end! Hope you all like it! :D

I own nothing!

Dark clouds hung low in the slate colored sky, a bitter wind slicing through the trees like a blade. It was late afternoon but the absence of the sun made the surrounding country side seem much dark and more foreign than it did when it was light out. The temperature had dropped rather dramatically during the day, a cold storm blowing in from the north and dusting the ground and the trees with a blanket of snow. It had been consistent for most of the day, the snow getting deeper and harder to pass through the farther north they got. Judging by the frozen branches on the trees and the layers of ice over still water, it seemed that the storm had been raging for a while.

Esca shivered and pulled his cloak around him a bit more tightly, wincing as a particularly strong gust of wind hit him from the side. The cold had been affecting Marcus's leg, causing the muscles to spasm and cramp, and they had been forced to stop for the evening in a shallow cave hidden along the riverbank. It was still cold inside the cave but it was dry and blocked the wind and they could at least start a fire to fight off the chill. He'd left Marcus to tend to the fire and had set out to find food for the evening. It seemed unlikely that he would be able to find anything, most sensible animals would be hiding away to avoid the fury of the storm like they were, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

He'd walked about two miles up the river before he caught sight of something darting to the edge of the riverbank. It was small, hard to make out in the dimming light, but it was most definitely alive. Trying to shoot an arrow in this wind would only end it it being tossed aside like a twig so he'd opted for a dagger instead. It required more skill and it was much messier than an arrow would be but it was a price he was willing to pay.

He slowed his walking, approaching the creature as the wind masked the sounds of his movements. It was a rabbit, larger than some of the others they'd seen throughout their trip, and its eyes were squinted against the gusting wind. Esca gripped his dagger tightly, forcing himself to hold onto it even if he couldn't feel his fingers anymore. All he needed was one good thrust and-

He lunged toward the rabbit, his foot catching on a slippery river rock and sending him sideways. He had just enough time to realize he was about end up in the river before a blast of nearly frozen water crashed over his head and enveloped him. It was like being stabbed a thousand times at once, every inch of his body crying out against the icy water. His head broke the surface and he gasped in a mixture of surprise and pain, and struggled to stand up in the rushing water. It was hard to regain his footing, a combination of slick rocks, overwhelming cold, and the current of the river making his wobble as he stood. He managed to make it back to the shore, belatedly realizing the rabbit was long gone by now, and cursed irritably into the wind.

He was soaked completely, from head to toe, and his cold clothing clung to his skin as an even colder wind began to blow around him. He looked up the river from where he'd come, crossing his arms over his thin chest in a desperate attempt to retain the heat that was rapidly leaving his body. Two miles. He'd walked close to two miles away from their camp and was going to have to walk those same two miles back only this time covered in water and freezing.

His teeth were chattering before he really realized it and another icy gust of wind threatened to bring him to his knees. Instead, he braced himself against the cold and began trudging back toward the camp, trying his best to ignore the howling winds and the frigidness sinking into his bones.

OOOOO

Time seemed to slow as he walked, the world shifting into a long and stretched out shadow with each step. He couldn't think about anything other than the cold and it was becoming harder to walk with each passing minute. He cursed himself for walking so far but could do nothing more than to trudge on through the darkness. It had begun to snow again, white flurries temporarily blinding him as he walked, and the only way he could tell he was still on the right path was the sound of the river rushing by beside him.

He passed a tree to his left, one he could barely make out in the darkness. It had been struck by lightning at some point in time leaving it split nearly in half and one side falling down toward the river. It had been a marking point to Esca, a sign that he was nearly back to camp and he pushed himself forward.

The ground beneath him shifted suddenly, the rock lined shore of the river now covered in a thin layer of ice, and he fell, landing heavily on stomach. It should have hurt but he was too numb to feel much of anything at that moment. He tried to get back up, weak arms pushing underneath him, but his strength had been completely stolen by the cold. He tried again, his hands sliding over the icy rocks and sending him crashing back down to the ground. He should have been frustrated or angry or terrified that he couldn't get up, but he couldn't think about any of those things at the moment. All he could think about was that if he laid there long enough, his body might eventually warm back up and he'd be able to move again.

He vaguely wondering if Marcus was wondering where he was. He probably thought his slave had run off into the wilderness, never to be seen or heard from again and Esca was surprised to find that Marcus thinking that of him was upsetting. He would have thought on that longer but it was getting harder to concentrate. The wind howled above him and he waited for the feeling to return to his body so he could get up and walk again.

OOOOO

Marcus was beside himself and had been for more than an hour. The storm continued to get worse outside and the sun had set casting everything into darkness. He'd managed to build a fire in the cave, tucking it far enough against the one of the back walls so the wind didn't extinguish it, and it was doing its best to warm the interior of the cave. There was still no sign of Esca and Marcus was beginning to worry.

The smaller man had set off a few hours ago and had yet to return and with each moment of his absence, Marcus grew increasingly concerned. It wasn't that he doubted Esca's abilities but a storm like this could take down even the strongest man and Esca wasn't much in stature.

Marcus stood slowly, trying to ignore the way the muscles in his leg seized up in protest to the motion, and walked to the mouth of the cave. It didn't help his anxiety at all as a burst of cold wind sliced at him from outside. He hadn't realized how cold it had gotten after night fall and it increased his concern ten fold.

Esca had told him he would stay on the right side of the river, along the bank, and that he shouldn't be gone long. That had been hours ago and he was still gone. Marcus couldn't wait any longer. He wrapped his cloak tightly around himself and set off into the cold darkness, calling Esca's name over the howling wind.

OOOOO

The banks of the river were treacherous even on the best of days and today was not one of those days. There were several times when Marcus nearly slipped and fell into the river or nearly went to his knees from the ice-slicked rocks below him. It was amazing that Esca had managed to make it along the bank at all but now that it was dark it seemed nearly impossible. What if he hadn't followed the bank? What if he'd left and wasn't planning on returning?

Marcus shook those thought from his head and continued on. He trusted Esca and if that made him a fool then so be it but Esca had proved his loyalty on more than one occasion so he had little reason to doubt him now.

He was still troubling over his thoughts when he foot collided with something soft blocking the edge of the bank. Marcus crouched down slowly, squinting in the darkness to make out the figure. "Esca!" He gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

The smaller man was curled on one side, his cloak tangled around him, and he wasn't moving. Marcus felt a coldness settle in his chest that had nothing to do with the wind around them. "Esca!" He said again, shaking the smaller man's shoulder roughly. He noticed off-handedly that the cloth beneath his hand was wet but more than that Esca didn't move. He couldn't think about Esca being dead, it was not an option, so he grabbed a handful of the other man's cloak and pulled him into his arms, standing awkwardly as he leg shouted in protest. He ignored it and kept a tight grip on Esca, turning back toward the cave and walking along the bank once more.

OOOOO

By the time they got back to the cave, Marcus was so cold he could barely stand straight. He had no idea how far Esca had gone but if he'd gone any further than than that spot, he couldn't blame him for collapsing. His clothes were wet, clinging to pale skin like a second layer and he remembered nearly falling into the river himself. That must have been what happened to Esca.

He walked over to the fire, Esca still cradled in his arms, and set him down close to it, leaning over him anxiously. "Esca." He said, placing one hand against the other man's face desperately. "Esca, can you hear me?"

The small man didn't move but made a very soft sound in the back of his throat that was somewhere between a groan and whimper.

It was good enough. Marcus wasted no time stripping Esca of his clothes and tossing them with a wet slap against the other wall. He peeled off his own clothing and gathered the unconscious man in his arms, tucking him in his lap and wrapping his cloak around both of them. They'd had to share a cloak several times in their travels, shared body heat being the only thing that brought them any relief on cold nights. But this was different, this wasn't just for comfort it was for survival.

Esca's head had fallen back against Marcus's shoulder, his eyes closed and wet hair clinging to his forehead. Marcus brushed it away absently, bringing one hand down to press against the cold skin of Esca's chest. He could fell a faint rise and fall as he breathed, a slow, yet detectable heartbeat pulsing away beneath his hand. It brought some relief but not much.

He kept Esca bundled in his arms, giving him as much warmth as he could while the wind whipped outside. After a bit, the smaller man stirred, a weak moan escaping him that he probably wasn't aware of. "Marcus...?" His voice was nearly drowned by the storm outside but Marcus could hear him just fine.

"I've got you." Marcus assured him from behind, unable to suppress the sigh of relief upon hearing Esca's voice. "I'm trying to keep you warm. I found you collapsed along the river bank."

"Fell in the water..." Esca mumbled drunkenly, his voice getting a bit stronger as he came to. "I couldn't catch anything."

"I'm not worried about that." It was true; Marcus had tried to talk him out of going out in search of food but Esca had insisted since they'd been walking all day. He felt guilty about not being able to accompany him because of his leg and that feeling had only intensified when he'd found Esca along the river bank.

The smaller man shivered, pressing closer to him in a desperate attempt to get warm. Marcus felt his breath hitch a bit as the movement caused Esca to wiggle himself further into Marcus's lap and rub against his equally naked form. He'd already been fighting an arousal due to the close proximity but the sudden increase in contact was making it a losing battle.

He rubbed his hands briskly over Esca's arms and chest, trying to bring circulation back into the frozen muscles. "What are you doing?" Esca asked softly, somewhat confused by Marcus's actions.

"I'm getting you warm." Marcus mumbled next to his ear, his breath warm and welcome as it brushed against Esca's frozen skin. His hands trailed down, over the muscles of his stomach and coming to rest just above his hips. He stopped, feeling Esca go still against him, and swallowed sharply. "Do you trust me?" He asked even though he already knew the answer.

Esca hesitated for a second before nodding slightly, leaning into Marcus's arms and accepting his warmth. Marcus took the motion as a signal to continue and let his hands travel further down, dipping between Esca's legs. The smaller man let out a hitched gasp but said nothing as Marcus's hand curled and squeezed around him. He started slow, long and deep strokes, and was rewarded by Esca pressing himself further into him, his still-cold hands gripping his thighs.

He breathed against the smaller man's neck, continuing his stroke and pressing hot kisses along the curve of his throat. Esca let out another gasp, rocking back against him and letting his head fall to the side so he captured Marcus's lips with his own. The kiss was deep and full of lust and Marcus had never been more aroused than when Esca let out a shaky, desperate breath against his lips, his name lingering for a second in the air.

He couldn't take it anymore and wrapped his arms around Esca, lowering them both to the ground and easing himself on top of the smaller man. Esca looked briefly surprised but the expression disappeared when Marcus kissed him again, capturing his mouth and claiming it. The kiss became more desperate, neither worried about passion any longer, and they nipped and bit at each other hungrily.

Marcus swept a hand over Esca's chest, his fingers brushing over his nipple and the smaller man jerked beneath him. It was too much to take. He shifted a bit, lifting Esca's hips and sliding into him slowly. The smaller man gasped, his eyes squeezing closed and face pinched a bit but he didn't say a word.

"Are you alright?" Marcus asked above him, worried about hurting him but also unable to stop what they had already begun.

Esca nodded once, his breathing a bit faster than before. "Yes."

Marcus nodded in return and thrust into him deeply. He tried to keep the pace slow, tried to avoid hurting the smaller man below him, but a voice in the back of his head reminded him that the faster the heart pumped, the warmer they both would be. It seemed reason enough to increase his speed.

Esca tossed his head back against the cave floor, a low moan forming in the back of his throat. He wrapped his legs around Marcus's back, retaining as much skin-to-skin contact as he could. He wasn't cold anymore, all he could think was Marcus, Marcus, Marcus like a prayer in his mind. He didn't trust his voice so he didn't speak but it was impossible to keep the moans of pleasure at bay. He pressed himself against Marcus as much as he could, his body close to tipping over the edge.

Marcus thrust more quickly, his movements almost animal in a way. He could hear Esca moaning beneath him and he could honestly say he'd never been more turned on in his life. His body contracted sharply and he gasped as he felt himself release, Esca only a few seconds after him.

They stayed like that for about a minute, both breathing heavily and sated. Finally, Marcus pulled himself out and joined Esca on the floor, pulling the smaller man into his arms and covering them both with the cloak again. He kept most of Esca's body covered with his own, knowing the cold wind would probably still affect him. In return, Esca simply wiggled and shuffled so he was pressed firmly against Marcus, nearly every part of them touching. Marcus was silently amazed at how well their bodies fit together, like a key and a lock that had been joined together. He certainly wasn't opposed to the idea.

The storm continued to rage outside, wind slicing through the trees and flurries of snow blanketing the ground, but neither of them cared. They were safe and warm in the cave, wrapped around each other, comfortable and content.

Woo? Hope you guys liked it! :D