A Noble Estate (2 page)

The Cha’Klatho people were nomads, following the herds of bison that ran across the southern plains to the Spraktys Mountains that separated the lands of men from mighty Thassos. The people of this town were not Cha'Klathon, but a mixture of slaves, mercenaries, traders and tribal men who'd been dishonored and kicked out of their clans. As a result, the town was a dirty, chaotic place.

There were three riverboats tied up at the pier.

Etsin dismounted and headed for the closest.

Baz signaled the rest to hang back, dismounted and followed Etsin up the gangplank. The ship’s captain was waiting on the top of the thing.
Deck, I think it’s called
. Baz had never been on a boat before. Night, he’d never seen so much
water
before. It stretched out to the north and spread east and west until it had swallowed all the land, and then, it vanished over the horizon.

“We seek passage for a score less one, plus mounts.”

“Where you heading?” asked the captain after a glance at the avtappi. “And why?”

“We are traveling to Koilatha. Chloi, I am told, is the interim port we need to reach first.”

“Well, that’d be a problem.”

“Oh?”

“We’ve heard tell that the Lythadi have been unified. The whole region up there’s a’broil. T’ain’t safe to port in Chloi.”

Baz pulled out the map he’d been given and perused it quickly. Chloi was the Lythadi trade city, but it was right in the midst of a bunch of Riverlands ports. “How close are you willing to get?”

The captain thought about it, stroking his wispy beard. Finally, he said, “Eidos. And it’d be ten imperials for each of you, plus another ten for each beast. Four hundred, let’s say.”

Etsin frowned. “That’s outrageous. Two hundred nomi and not a zalki more.”

“Nomi, eh?” The captain traced the wood grain of the railing. “Three hundred and fifty. Twenty men and mounts—I won’t have space for cargo, so it has to be worth my while.”

Baz leaned in and murmured in Okyran, “
Don’t haggle too hard. Speed is more important than cost.
”

Etsin glanced at him and nodded to the captain. “Three hundred fifty is acceptable.”

The captain raised an eyebrow at Baz, who shrugged. A moment later, the deal was shaken on. The captain led them to his quarters where they sat and drank café while the transport contract, a sacred document as far as the river people were concerned, was prepared. Next, Etsin and the captain counted the gold together, and they affixed their signatures and seals to the contract once the payment was made.

“We can set sail once your people are aboard.”

Єvmεra Ligo, Aoranz Fεngari

7th day, 1st week, Auranz’s moon

Harday, the 8th of Auranmon

Jisten woke to the sensation of lips dancing across his achingly erect cock. His dream, which had taken an erotic twist toward the end, fled his mind as the reality of the sensations penetrated. He moaned softly and spread his legs invitingly. Rak’s tongue wrapped around the base of his pole and slid upward, tugging at his flesh. When that tongue reached his head, he thrust upward in a silent demand. Rak’s mouth enveloped him and slid down, warm and wet and wonderful.

His hand came to rest on Rak’s head, and he stroked the short, silky hair as Rak sucked his cock. The intense sensations emanating from his groin were deeply pleasurable. “This feels wonderful, S’Rak. I wish I could wake up like this every morning.”

In reply, Rak swallowed him down to the base of his massive member and hummed.

Jisten gasped and clutched Rak’s head to his crotch. The smaller man didn’t try to pull back. Jisten could feel Rak’s nose pressing into his pubic hair, his chin resting on his scrotum. He could feel the throat surrounding his meat, rhythmically pulsating as Rak worked to pleasure him. Jisten pumped his hips without relinquishing his grip. He could sense that Rak wasn’t in any distress.

Rak pushed his face into Jisten’s thrusts, the humming strengthening to such a degree that Jisten couldn’t contain himself any longer. With a soft exclamation, Jisten pushed Rak’s head down hard into his last upward thrust and unloaded his seed down Rak’s convulsing throat. He held Rak against his crotch until he felt himself softening. Only then did he let go, and he smiled dreamily as Rak’s mouth slowly slid off his shaft, still sucking and licking as he went. He sighed when his cock fell free from Rak’s captivating mouth then gasped in happy pleasure as the mouth and tongue went to work on his balls.

He reached down and gently pulled Rak’s wings up into easy reach, and as Rak sucked on his nuts, both pleasuring and revitalizing them, he indulged himself in long, languorous strokes of Rak’s wings. The membranes slid softly under his hands, supple and strong, in the peak of health. Through the bond, he could sense the tactile pleasure his wing stroking gave to Rak. He slid his hands around the leading edges of the wings to stroke the undersides of the sail membranes. Rak shuddered in response, moaning around his mouthful.

Jisten gently disengaged himself from Rak’s mouth and tugged the smaller man up. His erection slid against Rak’s hairless, muscular chest to the swelling lump of the belly. Jisten reached a hand down to Rak’s middle and stroked the kironi opening. It opened for him just as his cock reached the right area. Jisten speared it with an upward thrust before it could seal itself.

Rak made a small sound in the back of his throat. Not a whimper, but not a noise of pleasure, either. Jisten’s hands resumed stroking the underside of Rak’s wings and he could feel his mate relaxing bit by bit. He waited patiently for Rak to relax and start to enjoy it. Kironi sex was so wonderful, so much better than the regular way, and he didn’t want to deprive Rak of sharing that ecstasy with him.

When Rak finally started undulating against Jisten in time to the action of the hands on his wings, Jisten began to thrust. He stroked the walls of Rak’s insides with his member, trying to evoke as much pleasure as he could. Rak cried out softly, and through the bond, Jisten could sense his pleasure. Jisten smiled in victory and increased the depth and power of his thrusts but not the speed. Wave after wave of sensation crashed through him, and he didn’t want it to end. His rate was languorously slow in contrast to their power and depth. Just the way he liked it.

Even with a slow action, he could only stave off climax for so long, and Rak’s sweet body was skilled at milking his seed from him. Jisten pumped his way through the orgasm, gasping softly as the ecstasy briefly overwhelmed his senses. He held Rak through the smaller man’s dependent climax, catching it in his hand. He brought it to his lips and whispered a prayer to Si’Yeni. When he opened his hand again, the seed was gone.

Now, Jisten rolled Rak onto his back, careful not to dislodge himself. He positioned Rak’s cooperative body the way he wanted it and smiled down at his mate. “Beautiful,” he said.

“What is?” Rak asked, his body flexing against Jisten’s hard, impaling pole.

“You are,” said Jisten seriously. “And this is. You, beneath me, with my manhood fully sheathed in you. It is a very beautiful sight.”

“Thank you,” said Rak after several long, silent moments. He reached down and caressed Jisten’s balls. “Ride me hard.”

Jisten grinned in delight and did just that. He went from languid to pounding in an instant. Holding Rak pinned beneath him, he dominated Rak’s kironi opening with his meat, staring into Rak’s face the entire time. “So good,” he gasped as he hammered himself into Rak. “Love this.” He sank balls-deep with each inward thrust. On the backslide, he pulled out until the crown of his head tugged against Rak’s entrance. Abruptly, he changed his rhythm to prolong the contact. His inward thrust remained hard and fast, but he pulled out with extreme slowness, savoring the sensation of Rak’s opening grasping hungrily at his cock as if loathe to release it. “Your body wants this,” he told Rak.

“Yes, please, make love to me, Jisten,” Rak said between pants, one of the longest sentences he’d ever gotten out of Rak during sex.

Jisten kept his alternating rhythm going until the tension in his balls and back was more than he could bear. He gave a last few powerful thrusts and pulsated another load of his seed into Rak’s womb. Rak’s dependent orgasm splashed against Jisten’s thighs and he grimaced reflexively. He pulled out of Rak when he softened and lay down on his side, his upper hand idly stroking Rak’s bare body.

Rak scooted down and licked Jisten’s package clean with a deft, sensual tongue. Then, the Loftoni went between Jisten’s legs and licked him clean of the drying seed, too.

Jisten grunted in satisfaction but tugged Rak back up as soon as he was done. Once Rak was lying beside him again, Jisten rolled Rak’s soft scrotum in his hand.

Rak spread his legs to give Jisten better access. “Thank you,” Rak said softly.

“You’re welcome, but I wish you’d stop thanking me for that. I should be thanking you.” Jisten squeezed Rak’s nuts then went back to rolling them in his fingers.

“I am your slave,” Rak replied. He laid a hand atop Jisten’s and pressed the larger hand against his groin hard. “It would not be proper for you to thank me for enjoying what is yours by right to take. It
is
proper for me to thank you for enjoying me.”

“S’Raaak.” Jisten tried to pull his hand away, but Rak prevented it. “You’re my slave in name only. I love you.”

“I am yours in law, Jisten, and I love you, too.” Rak rubbed himself against Jisten’s trapped hand, then he reached for Jisten’s flaccid genitals and slowly rubbed both his hands over Jisten’s cock and balls in a submissive display.

Jisten pursed his lips, glancing down at Rak. “I still don’t like it.”

Rak turned around, careful to leave his balls pressed into Jisten’s hand, until he could reach Jisten with his head. He proceeded to rub his face against Jisten’s sex, kissing strategically, until every bit of his face had been touched by Jisten’s cock and balls. “Please permit me to pleasure you orally.”

“Not now,” Jisten replied. “We need to get up already—much to do today.”

“What if it’s a girl?” Owain abruptly asked, his forkful of ham hovering halfway between plate and mouth.

“Pardon? If
what
’s a girl?” Virien glanced at his brother sleepily from over the rim of his café mug.

“Marea’s child. What if it’s a girl?”

“We rebreed the slave,” said Virien, shrugging. “Of course, it would be easier if we
had
the slave.”

“The justicers ruled in Jisten’s favor.” Owain took another bite of the ham steak. “Face it, brother, you lost fairly.”

Virien waved that off as unimportant although he seethed internally. “So what? Jisten doesn’t deserve a slave like that. He can’t protect it. We should buy the slave from him—after all, the slave has royal blood. You don’t want him falling into just anyone’s hands. And if Jisten proves unreasonable…well, accidents do happen.”

“No, I won’t be a party to murder,” stated Owain. “But, yes, I think you’re right. I’ll make Jisten a generous offer for Araken. I’d sleep better knowing he was safe as crown property.”

“I’m sure Jisten will see your wisdom.” Virien somehow managed not to roll his eyes.

“I’ll write up an offer after breakfast,” Owain declared.

Virien was grateful to return his attention to his café.
A girl, indeed
, he snorted to himself.
My Marea knows her duty. She’d not dare to give me a girl baby.

True to his word, once he’d finished eating, Owain pulled out pen and parchment and started to think. This process was occasionally interrupted by short spates of furious scribbling.

Virien didn’t hurry himself but lingered over a last mug of café and some fresh, perfectly ripe fruit. He wanted to see what Owain would offer for his son.

Finally, the monarch stopped writing and looked over the page. He nodded and handed it over. “What do you think?”

Virien scanned it quickly. Five thousand gold royals, an increase in rank from baron to earl and an expansion of lands to include some prime northern real estate and the Valer district in Karpos City. “Exceedingly generous, brother. Jisten won’t have the wit to appreciate this, mark my words.”

“If he doesn’t, we’ll claim the slave anyway. It’s a matter of national security, after all.” Owain took the paper back. “I’ll be in my study. Please inform the captain that I wish to speak to him.”

* * * *

Jisten read the note the page brought him. Virien had written it, but the orders were for him to report to Owain. He was pretty sure it was legitimate, so he straightened his uniform and marched across the sprawling complex of the summer palace to the royal wing.

He found the monarch waiting in his office with a platter of cookies before him. “Ah, Captain,” he said. “Honey or chocolate?”

“No, thank you, Sire. I have bad memories of my last encounter with a cookie,” Jisten said.

“Your loss,” said Owain. He selected a honey disk and bit in. “They’re still warm and gooey inside,” he mumbled. “You really should...”

Jisten’s eyes widened slightly and he shook his head.

Owain took a long drink of the glass of milk at his elbow. “Now, Captain, I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked to speak with you, other than my desire to share cookies with you.”

“Yes, Sire.” Jisten still stood at attention.

“Have a seat, Captain.” Owain picked up a piece of paper and offered it. “I think you might like this.”

Jisten sat down on the edge of the chair, posture straight. He accepted the paper and read it. It was an offer for Rak. A lot of money and expansion of lands to include the entire Valer district. “Ah, thank you, Sire, most generous. But S’Rak is bonded to me. The justicers confirmed that he’s mine. I could never part with him.” Jisten stood.

“It is improper for a low noble to own a slave like Araken. You will spend more than he’s worth trying to keep him safe from those who’d take him away from you. He is of royal blood, Captain. Please be reasonable here. Sell him to the crown, and I will keep him safe. You can even stay with him, if that’s what you want. In fact, that would be best, since Araken has…needs.”