Spirits of the Earth

It was a blustery, clear night at the beginning of spring, the wind cool but dry--and blowing pollen all around. Definitely not Jayari's favorite weather. It left her all sneezy and made her nose red and runny and eyes all sore, but just as she did every year, she bore it, even if it made her a bit moody.

And even moodier still that such weather had to occur when he would be here!

Ki'adan, prince of the White Wolf clan. Argh! It had been ages since she'd last seen him, and while Jayari wasn't normally big on vanity, there were exceptions! This being one of them, because the guy was fine. And that was a while ago! What would he look like now, even older--and no doubt handsomer and stronger?

Those were the thoughts running through her head as she braided her hair into their many small braids and fixed the beads and feathers woven into the strands. She checked her reflection in her mirror (one received from Essyrni traders passing through when she was a child) and scowled at herself. Her eyes were all puffy. Gods, why! She sniffed, hoping to clear her sinuses, took a cloth and dipped it into her wash basin, and pressed it to her eyes to try to bring down the swelling.

Dammit, weather, work with me here! I'm trying to make an impression! A positive one, that is.

Shit. What if the guy had a wife?!

Pushing the thought away, Jayari tossed the cloth aside and checked herself out once more. Aside from the red eyes, she thought she didn't look bad! She'd go so far as to say she looked pretty good! She had dressed up for the occasion, in garb befitting one who was both a warrior and heiress--though she had also made sure to choose the most attractive of her riding clothes: intricately embroidered breeches, clean leather boots, and a brightly patterned deel, topped off with a fur cap to keep her ears warm in the cold. It hugged her form snugly enough that she was sad to wear a coat over it.

Still, all things considered, she thought she looked pretty damned good!

Strong! Attractive! Confident! Yes! That was her! She looked like the sort of woman a man would leave his boring wife for, runny nose and all!

With a wink and a grin at her reflection to help keep her confidence bolstered, she rolled her shoulders back, grabbed her quiver and bow and sheathed her hunting knife, and strode out of her yurt, closing it up behind her.

The moon was bright tonight, lighting her way as she slipped away to fetch her mare, Zala, who seemed a little grumpy to be woken at such an hour, but who accepted it nonetheless with her usual patience. Part of her knew she shouldn't be going out alone this late, but it would be nice to meet up with him quietly at first, as prince and princess of their respective tribes, without the pressure of their parents--and their old grudges--bearing down on them. And so she had honored the request--and gladly, because she didn't mind being alone with him at all!

She lead Zala out quietly, and only once they were a safe distance away did she mount her and ride. It wasn't a far distance, and was still within her tribe's territory, and it wasn't long before she reached the broken tree that marked their meeting place, an old, massive thing that had long ago been split by lightning.

And it was there that she dismounted and waited.

Sniff.

Ki’adan eyed the distance across the planes, from where he was toward the lone hills far off toward the west.  This was not his home, he told himself.  Not anymore.  This was not the world he belonged too…and were it not for his father’s illness, he would not be back here.  If Dujarik expected him to take over the clan when he passed on, he was a fool.  Dujarik was always a fool!

Ki’adan growled to himself, feeling bitterness seep into him over such a stray thought.  Oh, but it could not be helped.  Dujarik would never see the forest for the trees, he would be blinded by the petty squabbles of small clans and never see there was a whole world so much bigger than these Plains of his. No, this was not his home.  And the first chance he had to leave, he would mount his horse and be as far as those lone hills.

And leave this foolish world behind him.

Inwardly he scoffed. 

He was here now however and there was nothing he could do about it.  Well, of course there was, but it was unbecoming of a man like him.  He did not run away from his obligations – the obligations that he cared about that was.  If Dujarik wanted to solidify an alliance with the Banyur, then  that was on him.  If he wanted to secure an alliance through marriage, he had another thing coming!  Ki’adan sniffed indignantly, to think his father would still try to par him off as if he were nothing more than cattle.

In fact he told Dujarik that very thing.  But no, he’d protested, he simply wanted to test the waters of alliance on equal ground.  Ki’adan had no intention making sure such a thing happened.  The Banyur were pig-herders if he ever saw one, and the White Wolf clan could do better…  Bah, what was he doing, he who wanted nothing to do with this stagnant life, and here he was passing judgment on who was or wasn’t good enough for the likes of his tribe?

Ki’adan mounted Akidu, the black stallion that he had since his youth, and looked over the horizon.  Unlike civilized men, Duhjari learned to see better at night, and their arrows could fly further and with greater accuracy in the dark than all the archers in Adela.  And at this fact, Ki’adan actually grinned, finding something to be proud of in his heritage.  By moonlight he could see a rider headed his way, and he could see the braids flying in the wind.

Akidu snorted and chuffed.  He nudged the horse into a canter and raised his arm as the rider approached.  He wondered if Jayari still had gangly legs and bucked teeth.

Jayari crossed the distance between she and Ki'adan on foot, leading Zala along by the reins, And as she walked, her heart pounded. Something about this felt all forbidden! Secret meetings with the prince of her tribe's former enemies! It was like the first verse of an epic ballad. She contained her excitement as best as she could, though, and reminded herself that thrilling or not, she still had to be careful. It wasn't long ago that another tribe, the Akara, had preyed on her. Unsuccessfully, but it still could have gone very bad.

But the Akara were still rivals. The White Wolf clan was a friend. At least tenuously. Still, a little caution was healthy, even though she felt she had nothing to fear from Ki'adan. She remembered him from when she was younger, and that was the memory she carried in her mind--along with all the childish feelings of awe and puppy love that came with a young girl's memory.

She hadn't been the warrior then that she was now, but she had been on her way.

"Ki'adan?" she finally said when she was within speaking distance. Wait. Shit. What was she supposed to say? She had not planned that part out! Something smooth and suave! Quick! She came to a stop and peered up at him.

"Heeey, long time no see! Looks like we're both a bit bigger now, huh?" she said with a grin, and wanted to kick herself. Or maybe have Zala kick her.

JAYARI???  THE JAYARI?? The same skinny Jayari with the nappy hair and gangly legs? It was hard to believe and when she approached he found himself staring at her, at a temporary loss for words.  She was not how he remembered her, in fact he was quite pleased to be disappointed.  It probably wouldn't show in his face however, as his eyes gave nothing more than a half-lidded glare.

After a long moment of heavy silence, before he too dismounted and presented a hand before her, clasping her wrist in greeting, and he smiled at her.  "You certainly have grown." And he made sure his grip was strong on her wrist.

Oof. Well, that fell flat on its face. Jayari felt heat rise to her face, and was glad for the darkness as she reached out and clasped wrists in greeting, her own grip firm rather than dainty. Oh man. Had she just made an ass of herself? But he was smiling! That was a good sign! Right? And dammit, but he had a good smile...

"Hah, yeah! All grown up and fighting Adelans!" she soldiered on as she released him, puffing up proudly. Hopefully he hadn't noticed her brief lapse in confidence. "It's good to see you again, truly. I didn't think you'd ever come back. What changed?" She paused. "Uh, if that's not too forward of me."

That smiled faded out when she posed her question.  But it should have been expected.  Their clans had been rivals since even when Ki'adan was a small child, and here a new age would come between them.  Not that it mattered since Ki'adan had no intention of staying here.  This was no longer his home after all. 

But he forced that smile back on and even chuckled lightly.  "You fighting Adelans?!  Your father would risk his only daughter in the face of such fierce combatants.  I think it's safe to assume then that he taught you well."  He eyed her bow and arrow and massive hunting knife.

Ah, yup, now that was the Jayari he remembered.  His eyes stayed on the knife for a lingering moment.  "I came back because my father is not well."  That was perhaps not the smartest thing to admit, but it wasn't as if it could remain a secret for long.  "I have...been away for many years.  I was not sure how my return would be received.  It seems you and I are not the only things that have changed."

For a moment, Jayari beamed beneath his praise. Oh, she was confident and she knew she was good at what she did, and she worked hard to get there, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy compliments! Especially when they came from someone she admired. But it was short-lived, for soon things shifted to a darker topic, and Jayari's face fell.

"Oh." She grimaced. His father must be very unwell for him to return after so long, then. "I'm sorry to hear that, and pray he'll recover."

Awkward, awkward! This was not the conversation she wanted to be having right now! "I'm sure he's very happy to see you, though! And, I mean, well, I'm sure everyone else was, too! No matter how long you're gone, family's family. And speaking of family, things haven't been so bad lately between ours." She mustered up a smile, playing absently with the hem of her coat.

"My father was actually pretty excited to hear you were back. I think he still has hopes, if you know what I mean."

And Jayari patted herself on her back for that one. Master of subtlety, that was her!

Ki'adan looked up at Jayari at her suggestion.  Well, that certainly got his attention.  How could Aharu be happy that he's back?  And, unable to help it, he was certain the Chieftain had some sort of ulterior motive for such a feeling.  Perhaps he wanted him to come back so that he could give his father some sort of early demise!  And then who would be in charge of this alliance?  His sister?

Ki'adan inwardly scowled and shook his head of it.

Instead he flashed her a grin and laughed.  "Hopes for what exactly?" he asked, baiting her.  "Are you sure you don't have some hulking warrior at home that you're promised to, just waiting to thrash me if he catches wind of us being out here?"  He laughed again and nudged her teasingly.  "I'm sure once you flourished, Aharu already had plenty waiting in line for your hand."

Hook, line, and sinker!

"Aaactually!" Jayari said, tossing her braids over her shoulders totally nonchalantly. "As it so turns out, I don't have anyone! Oh, sure, there's a line up and all," she added with a wave of her hand and roll of her eyes, as though it were nothing but an everyday annoyance. "But there's terms, see. I got pretty tired of father trying to set me up, so I made a deal with him and tricked him into making him think it's his idea. I don't marry anyone until they beat me in a sparring match. Only a person who can do that is worthy of my hand. If they can't beat me, they sure can't rule beside me."

She grinned up at Ki'adan and placed her hands on her hips. "No one's beat me yet. And they won't."

Ki'adan grinned, mostly from her haughtiness.  She was just so so...SO JAYARI!  Well, maybe she physically changed, but she was the same old scrapper from before.  Woe be to any man that tried to make her his wife!

If he were interested in fighting, he was certain he could have her on the ground in less than thirty seconds.  But seeing as they were here, he didn't want to stand around talking all day.  "I'll have to take your word for it.  We're not here to fight, after all, lest we start another war," he said, though he grinned smugly.  "How about a good night hunt?  That's something I certainly do miss."  Hunting animals that was, not people.

"Ohhh, I really wouldn't mind sparring with you like at all if that's a thing you ever wanted to do," Jayari said while kicking a loose rock, already imaging them rolling around together all sweaty and dirty and him all shirtless.

"But a hunt works for me! Sounds great!" she quickly added with a look his way, fighting hard against her own excitement, because she didn't want to look too eager even though she was bursting with it! After all, this just meant more time to hang around him and get to know him--and it was an opportunity to impress him! She could talk all day long about how awesome she was, but that meant nothing without proof to back it up.

Realizing she was still staring at him, flushed a little and turned quickly toward Zala. "Right! So, the hunt! Haven't been on a night hunt in ages. Are we taking the cooperative route, or do you like some friendly competition?"

Ki'adan's grin only widened. He laughed and snatched his bow from the saddle and pulled his quiver, strapping it to his waist.  "Friendly competition?" Oh she couldn't be serious.  Sure, he wouldn't doubt she had plenty of combat prowess.  But if she thought she could best him in a hunting competition, she had another thing coming.  He shrugged, amusement genuine.  "I don't see why not? But don't start crying when I beat you silly, gufu head."

And, like a giant child, he ran off toward the trees just off in the distance.

"Gufu head?! I was gonna go easy on you to preserve your ego, but it's ON now! No mercy!" Jayari said with a laugh, snatching up her bow and quiver. She left Zala to graze; the mare never went far and came when called, and it was safer for her than tying her to a tree, in case predators came.

Then she was off, racing after Ki'adan through the trees, though she slowed once she caught up to him and began to move more cautiously, careful of where she put her feet. She had this one in the bag, she was certain! Ki'adan didn't know this land like she did, and she knew where all the rabbit runs were.

Of course, she was hoping for something bigger than rabbits. A deer, now that would be way more impressive!

And as she crept along, she paused and crouched, checking a small scattering of dung.

Well. That was a happy coincidence! It wasn't absolutely fresh, but it wasn't that old, either.

"There's deer around here," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "And it's mine."

Ki'adan had been hunting for all his life.  Jayari would be putting that dung where her mouth was!  He crouched low in the longrass, when she pointed out the markings and he nodded to her.  "We'll just have to see about that!" he hissed as she went on ahead of him.  Oh, she was good, he watched her step lightly for a moment, and his eyes lingered on her ass.  He grinned.

There was rustling up ahead of them.  And in the dark, Ki'adan could make out the direction was to the right of them, moving quietly through the brush as the deer foraged for something to munch on.  As they moved, each going in their own direction, Ki'adan kept to the rear, and could see the deer much more clearly through the trees.

But it seemed the deer was much more alert than they both might have assumed and jumped at the sound of a cracking branch.  Ki'adan scowled at Jayari - though it had been he that stepped on the branch.

He put an index finger up to his lips.  When he approached Jayari, he hissed into her ear.  "Let's make this more interesting, shall we?  Loser has to strip naked and jump into the river!" he laughed again and bounded off after the deer as the animal sprung swiftly between the trees.

Jayari returned Ki'adan's scowl with a scowl to match, because she knew that hadn't been her! She didn't think. Crap.

Still, his dare turned her scowl into a smirk, and she let out a snort that was meant to be a laugh rather than laugh outright and spook their quarry more than it already was. "Hope you packed a change of clothes!" she whispered to him right before he bounded off, because if he was going to tromp around like that, it would be an easy win for her!

With pride no longer the highest stake and better stakes on the line (like, the stakes where she wanted to see him naked, dammit--she didn't care if she had to strip down and freeze, except that wasn't nearly as exciting), she let him take off and followed behind at a slower pace, crouched low and stalking like a predator. She didn't follow directly behind him, either; she veered off diagonally, hoping to cut both deer and Ki'adan off short. Slow and steady. Let Ki'adan spook the deer right into her arrow's sight!

And the hunt was on!

Ki'adan crouched low in the ground, stalking the deer more quickly than Jayari, but he figured he could gain on it and take it down faster than she could.  For the moment, he had to remind himself that he was not hunting slaves, but an animal that had greater sensitivity to the world around them.

And even more so at night.

He had learned in his years of hunting to keep his step swift and light, never to put ones full weight into it, more slam your heel into the ground. Avoid leaves when possible and  stick to the trees. When Jayari veered away from him, for a moment he watched her gait, that posture he had spent years perfecting.  And though Duhjari were master hunters upon horseback, they were no less competent on the ground.  He could see that practiced stride in her step.  One that could easily be underappreciated by all the years of her youth.

And maybe her ass too.

He didn't know how long he'd been staring at her, but when he saw the deer run out from the corner of his eye, his head snapped back into attention.  And their quarry quickly moved out of his shot. He cursed inwardly. No more distractions.

While Ki'adan spent more time observing her than the deer, Jayari was the picture of focus. She goofed off plenty and didn't take much seriously in her day to day life, but once she caught sight of the goal or was presented with a glorious incentive, she became a different person. She wanted to win. Impress Ki'adan, show off a lot little, and get a show out of it? There was nothing better! The person that wanted it most would win this, and she wanted it a lot.

She came to a stop behind a clumping of sage and took a moment to wait, patient and motionless. She hadn't seen the deer yet, but if she'd telegraphed its progress correctly, it should be heading this way; Ki'adan was still behind and off to the side, so she didn't think it would have changed directions--ah!

It trotted into sight, its tail up and alert like a flag, its ears erect and eyes wide and alarmed. It knew it was being hunted and it paused, sniffed the air, rotated its large ears. Moving as quietly as she could, Jayari raised her bow and lined up her shot, aiming through a small gap in the sage.

Her ass could only prove to be so distracting. Now his sights were set on the kill and he aimed for it to be his.  Not only to run it in Jayari's face but because he was a hunter and could not be satisfied with anything less than a perfect kill.  He was a little ways behind her and even farther away from the deer.

The animal was alert.  And when the arrows flew, the deer bolted and the arrows ibtersected, missing by mere centimeters. But already Ki'adan was on the move.

Her arrow flew, but another arrow flew with it, and the deer bolted away unscathed. Jayari hissed a curse under her breath and shot a look at Ki'adan from over her shoulder, mock-glaring at him.

Had he been aiming for reals, or had he just sabotaged her kill? The butt!

It wasn't too late yet, though!

Lurching to her feet, she bolted forward and retrieved her fallen arrow, and was then on the move, sticking her leg out when Ki'adan drew close to try and trip him up!

It pretty much worked, except he tumbled on top of her and he growled in frustration, before scampering to his feet and running off. Damn her if the deer got too far away.  He ran between trees, weaving swiftly and stepping over a fallen log, and barrel rolling over to another.

Already, he notched his arrow and pulled the bow string back, the sharp snapping, fwiiip! of the weapon darting through the air.

And hitting another tree.

"Oi!" Jayari grunted when her plan backfired and she went down with him, and for a moment it wasn't so terrible, because he had landed atop her (score!). Except for the part where he rolled right off and bounded away before she had the chance to insert a little playful innuendo.

Killjoy.

Rising to her feet, Jayari darted after him, now that much more determined to win. She wove through the trees, quickly gaining ground--and then jumped when an arrow hit a tree off to her right and front. She cut a look at Ki'adan, eyebrows raised.

It was like he wanted to lose!

Suited her just fine!

She had just nocked another arrow and was moving swiftly forward when the deer bolted ahead of her, white tail flashing as it wove through the trees a few dozen yards away, zigzagging swiftly. Jayari froze, pulled her bow taut and aimed, and waited, carefully telegraphing its progress--and then let fly.

It struck the animal's flank and it stumbled, then fell.

Ki'adan was positioned some places behind her. He didn't waste time pulling the arrow from the tree.  No he wanted that kill like a thrust for blood.  He held his breath, waiting until he released his second shot and the arrow struck true, landing smack beside Jayari's arrow.

He frowned.  "Mine struck first," he said quickly, standing, only then pulling the first arrow from the tree.

Jayari whirled on him, one hand gripping her bow and the other planting on her hip. "Uhhhhh, no? Mine clearly landed like a whole second before yours! Don't be a sore loser, loser!"

Ki'adan shook his head, trying to refrain from glowering.  He had to keep his cool, especially in front of her. He wasn't going to give her a chance to one up him. He had to defend his kill!

"Well, you would resort to cheating in a simple hunt of wild game."

"You're accusing me of cheating?" Jayari had been playfully teasing him before, but that got her back up! She straightened up, squaring her shoulders and scowling. "I hit it fair and square. The way you were shooting, you couldn't hit the broad side of a yurt! I--"

A sudden thought hit her before she could continue, and suddenly her scowl turned into a challenging grin. She shifted her weight, popping her hip out to the side. "Ohhhh, I get it. You're just afraid of getting naked, aren't you?"

Ki'adan actually gave a snorting laugh and it was his turn to put his hands on his hips.  As if she really couldn't be serious!  But he had been alive long enough to know a challenge when he saw one.

"Oh, you think that's the case?  I think you're the one that's shaking in her booties," he said with a scoff.  "Since we can't seem to agree on a clear winner, here, - that being me - why don't we call it a draw and both jump into the river?"

...Um, YES?

But even while Jayari mentally congratulated herself and did a little jump of joy (in her head, of course!), she just snorted and rolled her eyes. Totally unaffected and chill. Playing it cool. Like getting naked with him wasn't pretty much the best possible outcome of this situation, and she was just annoyed at having to call it a draw.

"Fiiiiine," she said with a sigh. "I get it. You need someone to hold your hand through your defeat. That's okay! If calling it a draw soothes your wounded pride, we can call it a draw despite the fact that I'm the clear winner here."

She stuck her tongue out at him and blew a raspberry.

"Also, you can carry the deer!"

And with that said, she turned swiftly and began to head toward the river.

Despite himself, Ki'adan laughed and watched her run off. Right, she would claim his kill and make him card it around!  It was No matter.  He moved to their kill and with some effort lifted the carcass over his neck and shoulders, the arrows still in it.  The deer was very heavy, but he'd lifted men that weighed more or less the same.  At least he could skin this one afterward.

Once at the river, he dropped the deer and pulled the arrows from the corpse.  "Well? What are you waiting for?  Go in then. Get naked."

"Gosh, so bossy. That's my job," Jayari said with a shake of her head. Maybe she should act a little reluctant? Like this was a punishment and not a reward?

With a small sigh, she shrugged out of her heavy coat (finally she got to show off her fancy clothes! Too bad she'd be taking them off soon), and took of her fur cap. With a smirk, she tossed it at Ki'adan's head.

"C'mon, you too. That's the deal, remember? I don't trust you not to let me go through all this only to wuss out."

Ki'adan looked at her with wide brows and turned back his head toward the deer.  But oh no, she did NOT just call him a chicken.  Or at the very least imply it. "Afraid? Of getting undressed?" He grinned at her and moved toward the river. No way was he going to let her one up her.  He dropped his now and gear, pulling a bone-and-leather tunic from his body.

He didn't waste any time pulling his shirt off from underneath and he peered at her and featured to that too.  "Don't be getting shy on me now."

"...Huh?"

Jayari blinked blankly at Ki'adan. She hadn't realized until the silence dragged on awkwardly that he'd been talking. She had been too busy staring at his chiseled torso and imagining what it would look like glistening with water, his hair all slicked back and--

She startled, her cheeks coloring as his words finally registered in her brain and she realized she'd been gawking like an unsubtle dolt. "Oh! Uh! Right! Hah, me? Shy? As if."

And just to prove that, she whipped her deel off and over her head, kicked off her boots, and wriggled out of her breeches.

Well that escalated quickly.  To think she was trying to get a ride out of him and then she  took off her pants and his eyes caught on her behind, well the side of it.  Oh but he wasn't going to get caught staring!

Ki'adan wasn't so swift as she, and took his time in removing his belt and then his boots, almost as if the task were laborious and boring.  He paused at the ties of his trousers, and reached his arms up to stretch. And then they came off, slowly again and folded nearly to the side. 

And then the loincloth.

While Ki'adan may have been determined not to stare, Jayari was shameless. She stared, and stared openly. He was sure taking his sweet ass time, but that wasn't so bad, because she still had a good view--even if she was intensely curious about the rest of him. Oh. Wow. The rest of him.

It occurred to her then, as he paused before untying his trousers, that this was actually happening. She was really about to see everything. Holy shit. Weird that it was less shocking, and a little less embarrassing, to bare her own skin than to see him bare--but maybe that was just because this was a guy she'd crushed on a lot when she was younger and her father was trying to make negotiations, so whoa. Intense! Was she ready to even see this?! What if he didn't measure up to her imagination? Worse, what if he did?!

His pants came off, and she wished he'd turn a little more so she could check out his ass--

And then went the loin cloth.

And Jayari just stared.

Jayari certainly wasn't a little brat anymore.  Well, she was still kind of a brat, but she blossomed.  No longer the girl he remembered, but now, quite clearly, a woman.  WHOA-MAN!  He did stare, but then caught her expression and he raised his brows expectantly.  He put his arms akimbo and tilted his head.

He was a blessed man, in a manner of speaking but never made a show of it.  "Time to take a dip. Unless...you're chicken."  His grin widened and he suddenly lunged toward her in the direction of the river and launched them both into the icy water.

Nothing healed lust faster than a cold dip in icy water.

Before Jayari could even register that he'd grabbed her, SPLASH! Into the water she went, the shock of it hitting her like a stampede of horses, and Jayari surfaced with a shriek. "SWEET HOLY GODS!" she cried, whipping her braids from her face and bobbing in the water, for she could just touch the bottom if she stood on her toes. It still came up above her chin, though.

"This is a LOT colder than I expected! Ahhh! I can't feel my nipples!"

Ki'adan howled just as much and burst from the surface with  more laughter than he thought he had in his life.  Why did he leave the Plains again when there were naked women to jump into cold water with and thrills to be had? Ki'adan waded closer to her in an effort to knock her off her toes when his hand accidentally brushed against her breasts.

"Oh your nipple feel perfectly fine to me," he said, playing it off as if it had been on purpose.  He splashed her anyway and laughed again.  "I don't know about you but I'm loving this.  The water I mean!  It's been a while since I took a dip in this very river."

"Pervert!" Jayari laughed through chattering teeth as she straightened her arm and swung it through the water, sending a wave at his face in retribution. "CRAZY pervert, at that!" It was freezing! How could he love this?!

And then she leaped at him, grabbing the top of his head and dunking his head under the water.

HOW DARE SHE TRY TO DROWN HIM!

Ki'adan took in a mouthful of water and floundered a little bit.  But his legs were still underneath him until his arms wrapped around her legs and pulled them out from under her.  He stayed underneath the water and tumbled with her with the force of the river.  And with the breath he had left in his lungs, he pressed his mouth to hers and forced air into her lungs.  Just in the event she was too startled being pulled under to breathe.

Then it was Jayari's turn to take in a mouthful of water. Served her right for laughing at him!

Under the water she went, her legs yanked out from under her, and the current took over from there. Fortunately, she was a strong swimmer and knew better than to panic when taken under--but that did little good to help her when, suddenly, Ki'adan's mouth was pressed to hers.

And while his intent may have been to give her air (HAH!), it sort of had the opposite effect.

Because it surprised Jayari, way more than anything else that could have happened, and she gasped--which, since she was underwater, meant she wound up choking on water, and then she did start to flail and kick and inadvertently beat him with her knees and elbows as bubbles churned around them.

The blows made him release her and he held his abdomen where her sharp, pointy knees were jamming sweetly into him.  He fumbled and rose up, trying to get his feet under him and wading water away from her.  "HEY!  What were you doing?" he coughed up, spitting out water.

"I was trying to give you some air, swamp gnat!"

Jayari gasped and spat up water (so attractive!) when she surfaced and touched her toes to the sandy river bottom, coughing and hacking as water leaked out her nose where she'd breathed it in. Blech! She held up a hand, signaling him to wait, and then pounded on her chest as she cleared her lungs.

Finally, she could breathe again (if not quite without coughing), and she sniffed and rubbed at her nose. Oh jeez. She hoped she hadn't beaten him too badly. Go her! He'd basically kissed her and she'd wound up kneeing him! Noooot the way she'd imagined that going!

"Sorry! You surprised me!" she said, flushing a bit in embarrassment, though her cheeks could have just as easily been flushed from the cold. She cleared her throat, coughed and cleared more water out, and pounded on her chest again. "Ugh! I don't think it worked, anyway. You might wanna try that again."

"Are you sure you won't knee me again?  Maybe miss my belly and hit my nuts?  That's what I get for lugging that big, heavy deer all the way over here for you?"  Ki'adan gave a forced scoff, but it was clear he wasn't set on letting her die.  Not yet anyway.  The last thing he needed was his father getting on his case for letting the daughter of the Banyur chieftain die from choking on water.

It could mean war.  And that wasn't very profitable for the slave business.  Everybody started to think they could run away and hide, and made his job more difficult.

"Oh all right, settle down!  I can't have you dying on me.  Just promise to keep your appendages from doing any lasting damage," he said and took a deep breath, stepping in close, his hands up in warning that he was about to invade her personal space.  And when he was close enough to pressed his mouth against her once more, pushing breath deep into her lungs.  Or that was the intention.

"Yes! Dying! You're absolutely right, I think I might be in my death throes right this instant. I'll try not to violently twitch at you but, you know, death throes."

Huh! Jayari hadn't really expected that to work! But he approached her, looking dead serious about this (did he really think she was in danger or was he in on the joke, too?), and then--

And then his mouth was on hers, and as she wasn't underwater, she could properly enjoy it this time.

It was an interesting sensation, and strangely intimate, to breathe in someone else's breath, but Jayari went with it--and let herself get caught up in it, shivering not just from cold now. Because shit, why not? When else was she going to get the chance to sortofkiss him, the former prince of their rival tribe? And something about that was so scandalous, which made it all the more exciting, and gods her father would murder them both if he knew about this, both of them naked and locking lips. Which, as always, made her just want to do the scandalous thing more.

The excitement made her bold, and Jayari casually slid her palms to his chest and leaned into Ki'adan for more, turning it from simply swapping air to an actual kiss.

When he felt that increased pressure on his lips, Ki'adan's eyes opened wide, looking at her oddly, even "hrmming" a bit - something that might have been construed as a moan, and maybe it was a moan, and he felt her tongue sliding into his mouth.  He wasn't going to lie, it sent an instant shiver down his spine and made his leg twitch.

How long since he kissed like this?  Maybe she was a little younger, but not by much and the fact that she kissed him made it all that much more intriguing. So he responded in kind, less shy than before - because the time to be demure was all ready passed them.  He slipped his tongue between her lips, running it alongside hers, tasting mouth as cold water rushed at their feet and made his body feel that much hotter.

His hands played at her waist, slipping around the small of her back and down toward that ass he'd been admiring all night and taking each cheek in one large hand, squeezing it hard.

Ki'adan wasn't the only one feeling hot-blooded. It had been a risk, kissing him like that--what if he'd hated it? But had he really just been trying to give her air, or had he been using that as an excuse to make his own sly play? Jayari liked to think the latter, because it was exactly the sort of thing she'd do. She pressed against him so he could feel her breasts against his skin, and the hard, cold metal of her piercings, and slid her hands over his chest and up along his shoulders--

Before her breath hitched in surprise and she let out a small squeak when she felt him squeeze her ass, and arched into him in response.

Damn! He was forward when he finally got to it!

She liked that.

A lot.

Maybe too much?

Nibbling at his bottom lip with her teeth and licking it after, she dragged her nails down his spine even as she broke the kiss, her breath coming fast and skin flushed with heat despite the cold. And then she grinned impishly and pinched his ass. "Cradle robber," she said, still grinning. "Coming onto your rival's heir. I oughta have you dragged behind a horse."

Ki'adan laughed, snorting a little at her threat.  "Why because you're a powerful, beautiful Duhjari princess, and I have stolen your virtue with a kiss?" His laugh grew louder, and he didn't know what amused him more: her haughtiness or the fact that she could really drag him behind a horse and be perfectly justified for it.  One did not just kiss a Chieftain's daughter and expect to just...get off.

He grinned. Did he plan to get off to something?  He couldn't say, except that he would just see where the night goes.  He reached down and grabbed her hands, pressing them into the skin of his behind and sliding them along his hips and pulled them up his lower belly, letting her feel the thin line of hair that grew there.

"And what would the great Banyur Chief say if he found with your hands a bit full with Dujarik's son?"

"Mmm..." The sound was half contemplative hum at his question, half appreciative moan as Ki'adan guided Jayari's hands over his skin. Her fingers twitched, for she'd wanted to linger on his ass, but then they were ghosting over his hips and then, boldly, along the thin line of hair that lead to even more exciting things. She bit her bottom lip, pulse hammering in her ears, and traced up and down the little hairs before fanning her fingers out so she could stroke along his hipbones.

"I don't think he'd say much of anything, actually," she said at last, flicking her eyes up to peer at his face. With a snort, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his collarbone, then the side of his neck, her breath coming out warm against his skin. "I think he'd be too busy murdering us both to speak!"

Boldly, she slipped her hands down further, nails dragging over his thighs and nibbling at his jaw. "Good thing he's not here, huh?"

But Jayari had gotten rather good at not getting caught over the years, after the first mortifying time it had happened when she'd gotten a little "tangled up" with a friend out in the long grass. Aharu had nearly killed the guy! Which made her feel pretty terrible, since it had been her idea. But it had never really felt fair, that men could have fun like that and she was expected to be "pure" until wed.

She figured she was still pure enough. Probably.

His skin turned to goosebumps when he felt her breath.  He wasn't going to lie, it felt wonderful.  It didn't hurt that she was willing to explore and that thought left his blood tingling.  He grinned at her.  "Well if we both die, it'd be worth it."  A laugh escaped him, coming out in a half-moaned breath as he leaned in and kissed the base of her throat.

"Good thing indeed," he said, snickering a little.  "But we still have that deer to skin and meat to cook.  The river will still be here."  He nipped at her lips, his own hands lingering down her backside and pulling her hips in close to his.  Despite his words, he remained where he was, fingers digging into her skin, committing her curves to memory.

"You have a strong supple body for a Chieftain's daughter, you hunt well, and shoot like a dream.  I imagine all those men you vested in combat must be kicking themselves for underestimating you."

Oi. The deer. Ki'adan did have a point there; they needed to clean and dress it before rigor set in or bugs got at the meat. It would be downright irresponsible and disrespectful to the creature's life and death to waste it. But Ki'adan wasn't moving, either, and Jayari found it difficult to think very responsibly when she had her hands full of a guy she'd crushed on since childhood, while he had his hands equally full of her. Finally. And while the river would still be there, what if he had to leave again?

She let out a little groan at the thought but covered it up with another kiss, grabbing him by the hair and pressing her lips to his.

"Of course they're kicking themselves," she said when she'd broke the kiss, though she kept her hand still tangled in his hair even as her hips pressed teasingly into his. "Not only am I smokin', but if they beat me, they marry me."

With her other hand, she gave his ass a firm squeeze. "I've whipped them all, of course. None of them were worthy."

He moaned against that kiss.  Damn she was good with her lips and part of it made him wonder what other body parts she was most proficient with.  He didn't really want to skin the deer but it wouldn't do to leave it there either.  It wasn't fair really, to leave her panting like this - or was it he was was doing most of the panting?

Let's get to the deer, my ass will still be right where you left it"

He pulled away first and climbed out of the water, pulling Jayari up with him, finally tended to the deer.  Naked.  Since they were probably going to get blood on them anyway.  Besides Ki'adan looked around to her ass should she bend over.  He grinned.

"I doubt you're in any hurry to marry. Am I right?"

Thank the gods he pulled away first, because she really, really hadn't wanted to!

As soon as he did, though, she splashed some water over her face to cool her blood, even as she watched him step from the water--because that gave her a rather lovely view of the muscles of his back and his nice, tight ass. She took her time, wringing out her hair as she watched him while fighting down all of her crazy, crazy thoughts, most of the inappropriate, before she finally let out a sigh and decided to join him.

Time to slice up a deer and get covered in guts! Sexy!

Noticing him watching her, she bent over rather deliberately (rather than kneel more modestly) as she picked through her clothes to find her hunting knife. She took a little longer than necessary, pretending she had trouble finding it even though she knew exactly where it was, then drew the blade and joined Ki'adan, taking a seat beside him--and going right for it. She plunged the knife into the deer's belly and began to saw down its middle, guts flopping out as soon as she opened it.

"Nope, no hurry at all. That's why they've all lost!" she said with a haughty smile and a toss of her head that flicked her braids out of the way. "As I said, all unworthy! When someone worthy shows himself, maybe then I'll be ready, but until then, I only fight harder. I assume you're still unwed, all things considered?" And she arched an eyebrow at that, looking him up and down.

Ki'adan wasn't sure he was comfortable talking about the whole marriage thing.  But it seemed this whole trip would be about being uncomfortable.  He'd come to the place that had once been his home, had spoken to the man he'd determined he'd never speak to again.  And was now dealing with the Banyur Chieftain's daughter in some midnight rendezvous.  But it wasn't quite all bad.

He hadn't expected or remembered her to have such an interesting personality.  In fact, he was half tempted to best her in some hand-to-hand competition if only the prize wasn't to marry her.  He had no intentions of settling down any time soon.

"Ah, me?" he said, raising brows at her as he helped her pull the entrails from their kill.  Cutting from the belly to the throat was always easier, and the skin wasn't so difficult to remove.  He worked thoughtfully and methodically, all those old instincts coming back to him.

"As of now, no one has been able to corner me yet.  I don't have any initial plans to be married.  Life is too interesting to settle down just yet.  I'm not sure I ever want to slow down enough, you know what I mean?  Dujarik is not happy with that answer.  But then again he's not happy with a lot of things, so that's nothing new.  In fact, do not be surprised if he offers a marriage proposal to you."  And at that he laughed.

"He sounds like my father," Jayari said with a wry but sympathetic smile. "Don't worry. If he sends a proposal, it's not like it means anything. I've set the terms and my father stands by it--you'd have to beat me in a formal sparring match to earn that right. And since neither of us are interested in settling down anytime soon, you'd only have to turn down the match--or accept your imminent defeat."

She wiped her nose, which was still stuffy from the water and allergies, without thinking--and grimaced as she smeared a bit of blood over her nose. Oh well. That's what the river was for.

She dug into the belly, removing the rest of the intestines like a long line of rope. "I get it, though, totally. I'm not really ready to settle down, make babies, and rule a tribe. Granted, the ruling won't happen until father's gone, but..." She shrugged. "I'm just having fun right now, you know? While I'm still young!"

"Right!?  Both of our fathers just don't get it.  Though they should.  You'd think they were never our age once.  Perhaps we should not run from duty.  But they must understand that we have our own lives to live.  There's a whole world out there beyond these Plains."

He hadn't realized it, but his actions turned angry toward the skinning of the deer.  Though the cutting was still methodical and the technique clear, he removed the skin with tense hands and didn't care that blood was getting all over his hands and arms.

"Have you ever thought about it?" he found himself asking.  "How big this world is I mean?"

Jayari's eyes dropped to the animal he was double-murdering, even if he managed to do it neatly and with finesse. She understood, though. The subject was frustrating enough when it came up, she too got edgy. She just had a slight benefit in that she'd managed to strike that deal with her father--mainly because he hadn't expected that she'd be able to uphold it as long as she had.

"All the time, actually," she said as she watched him work, admiring the dexterity of his hands and his skill in handling a blade. She was rather proud of her own skill, but she knew she still had far to go. She let him take over the skinning, not wanting to get in his way, and bent a knee so she could drape her arm over it.

"I wonder all the time about what's beyond those mountains over there--beside Adela, I mean, but those were our lands first, and I don't get why we don't just take them back. We're allowed to go there if we want, as far as I'm concerned. And what's beyond even Adela? Or the other way, if you keep walking the plains? Do they just...go on forever? Or is there an end? And what's at the end?" She looked thoughtfully at the sky. "Maybe the big waters? Though it sounds like a myth. Water as vast as the sky?"

She looked at him and cocked her head. "Do you believe that?"

Her musings actually soothed his momentary rage.  His actions had been so focused, methodical that by the time he rose up to answer her, the deer was largely skinned.  Now all they needed was to start portioning off the meat and fat and curing the skin.  Which was all still a lot of work, but it was a physical distraction that allowed him to think of his answer.

"I've seen lots of places in my travels.  You probably know I've been away for a while...a long while.  But I've heard those same stories.  People visit such places all the time, on large wooden vessels that take them across the....'oceans' as they say in Common.  I wonder if the water and sky become one at the end of it.  If you stare at those vessels long enough, they disappear in the distance.  I've never been on one."

He actually smiled at her, noting her expression.  But his eyes were somber.  "But this world we live in, the Duhjari...they will never see things like that.  They're too busy fighting each other and Adelans over land that is meaningless."

It was a few seconds before something he'd said clicked, but when it did, she stared at him with wide eyes. "Hold on, hold on--you've seen it?" Jayari said, blinking. "You've seen the...the oceans?"

The word felt unnatural on her tongue and came out heavily accented, and she had paused completely in her work--and hardly noticed how chilled she was getting. His words took her mind off that completely as she burst at the seams with a fresh flood of curiosity--and felt kind of stupid for not asking him earlier! She'd been so intent on flirting with him, she hadn't thought to ask the obvious: where had he gone all those years?

Way to go!

She leaned forward, enraptured. "Where did you go?"

Leaving his hands to work on the deer, getting them nice and bloody, Ki'adan hadn't noticed that what he'd said captured her attention at all.  When she questioned him, he just blinked at her stupidly for a few seconds, not remember what he'd said.  "Oh yeah.  I'd seen 'em.  I never went out to sail upon them though.  The ocean is very vast, a great body of water ready to swallow you up if you believe you can conquer it..."

He grinned a little at her wonderment, watching it play along her features.  Despite her haughty attitude, she was quite pretty, if he was any authority on the matter.  Which he wasn't, but opinions were like butts - everyone had one, and everyone thought theirs were better.

"I went all sorts of places," he said after a moment of consideration, hands still working deftly on the deer, sorting cuts of meat.  He wiped his brow, blood spreading across his forehead and eyes.  He was sweating a little from all the work, despite having just dipped into the river.

"I've seen deserts where an ocean of sand expands outward in all directions, and in-between small oases of water remain where people bathe and walk around in the nude.  It's all normal to them.  That it really is too hot to wear layers of furs.  There are jungles even further south full of so many trees and wild vegetation one wonders how it is even possible to walk through them.

"Adela holds many cities as well, and many smaller settlements that are just bigger versions of Duhjari tribes.  Each thinks it's better than the other...and then there's Ketra.  Ketra is an interesting city, if anything it has a lovely 'brothel' as they say."

Jayari had so. many. questions. About everything he was saying, each thing more wondrous and interesting than the next. People that traveled the oceans, oceans of sand, people that wandered about naked? She couldn't imagine a place so hot, though it did get warm in the plains, especially further south. And a place that had so many trees? It was hard to imagine.

But before she could ask several of the hundred new questions he'd given her, her mind latched onto yet another foreign, unfamiliar word.

She cocked her head. "What's a 'brothel'?"

Ki'adan blinked at her for a few long seconds.  Of course of all the things she latched onto, that was the one.  "Its, is a building. A special building.  Where people can pay to, er, relax.  It's nice."  The talking had passed enough time to finish the skinning and cutting of the deer and there was still a great deal to cart around.  They would eat well tonight.

Jayari stared at him, more confused now than before.

"People...pay to relax? That's it? It must be a very special building," she said, scratching the side of her head--and smearing deer blood into her hair as a result. "What kind of relaxing are they doing that they have to pay for a special building to do it in? Yeesh. Adela sounds weird. What other weird things do the people elsewhere do? Khulan swears in some places, people wear shoes on their hands and shake their heads to say yes and nod to say no. Is that true?"

Khulan was one of her sisters, and Aharu's second oldest child.

At her confusion, Ki'adan turned his eyes to the kill and then up to Jayari.  Then he grinned.  "Adelans are very strange.  What people pay for to 'relax' in such places, others might blush in offense.  It's a special kind of relaxation.  But people pay for all sorts of things - some at the very least want someone to talk to.  The workers there are being paid either way, so perhaps they are inclined to listen.  Some people have peculiar tastes they need fulfilled.  Others just need a place to wind-down."

Ki'adan leaned forward and licked the blood off her face, and let his face lingers near hers.  He kissed her swiftly, hotly, and deeply, and pulled his lips away with a smack.  "All sorts of ways to relax, lots of heavy, sweaty, hot, and hungry ways to relax that often involve penetration...  But not always."  His hand slid down between her breasts, dragging down along her belly and even lower, eyes searching her expression.

...They paid to have someone to talk to? Jayari's eyebrows knit together as Ki'adan spoke, a look of perplexed disgust twisting her lips, and part of her started to feel kind of sorry for these Adelans. Or at least pity them. No wonder they were so fucked up if they had to pay to find someone to talk to! Really? Were they so terrible their own people didn't want to hear their horseshit?

She was still trying to make sense of the things Ki'adan was telling her when he licked her--and then kissed her--and if she'd been getting chilled before, that made her blood run hotter as she tasted blood and him. Oh. Ohhhh. He hadn't really been talking about literal relaxation, had he? Ohdeargods.

Jayari stiffened in surprise at the feel of his hand, then relaxed beneath it, little tingles spreading beneath his fingers and raising goosebumps that had nothing to do with the cold. Her breathing hitched, her belly sucking in, and she stared back at him, face flushed, as his hand slipped further down.

"Oh," she breathed, voice a little smaller, because she felt rather sheepish for being so oblivious. She bit her lip and covered his hand with her own--but not to stop him. "But why would they have to pay for that, when it can be freely given?"

"Because some people enjoy making a profession out of it, in particular id they're quite good at it, or have a few tricks up their proverbial sleeves," he answered, grin turning sky as he let his fingers play along those hairs between her legs.  "Some might be willing to give it freely, but things are different in Adela.  They're all crazy up there."

Ki'adan leaned in again to kiss her, with greater force this time.  He pulled away and pursed his lips.  "Do you...give it away freely?"

"Ah..." Jayari bit the inside of her cheek, not quite sure how to answer that--and more than a little distracted as he tickled along her hair and made her hips squirm. She had fooled around with a few of her friends over the years, and she wasn't ashamed of that--yet she hesitated. As much as she hated to admit it, she was afraid of him judging her, and judging her badly. The world was filled with double standards, after all, and there were certain (very suffocating) standards she was expected to adhere to. It was one thing to fool around with a childhood friend that knew her and respected her and kept her secrets, or a guardian that likewise already respected her--and quite another to admit it to a man she'd admired and crushed on since she was young. There was a greater risk involved there.

She didn't want to lose his respect when she felt like she was finally just starting to earn it. And yet...maybe that was a silly concern? You know, since they were naked together with his hand down between her legs, and he hadn't seemed to mind her forwardness. But some men really wanted to be the first, too.

"I'm still a virgin, if that's what you mean," she breathlessly said, as nonchalantly as she could--and it wasn't a lie by the definition her people adhered to. She didn't give him much opportunity to process her answer, though, and roughly grabbed him by the hair and pulled him into another fierce kiss, tongue slipping into his mouth for a taste.

"And I'm not making you pay for this, am I?" she said against his lips, and gave them another nibble.

She was a very good kisser.  And nobody got that good unlrss they'd been kissing plenty of people.  Kiadanr wasn't complaining, it was just another perk about this little unplanned exchange.  He snickered at her implication.  He shook his head.  "I never pay for sex.  Well, except that one time with a Valu-vali dancer in Essyrn, and I got that weird rash afterward. But a few poutices and it was gone.  I'll never do that again, that's for sure."

He smiled against her lips, slipping bloody hands into her braids and pulling her in for another kiss.  He let his teeth snag into her bottom lip, pulling it a little until it snapped back.  "Brothels aren't all they're chopped up to be.  Only the real high class ones are worth going too.  But like I said before, I don't pay for sex.  If a partner is willing, I might be convinced to oblige."

A Valu-vali dancer? Jayari added that to the list of things she needed to ask him about--not because she was jealous of said dancer (maybe a little), but because she wanted to know what that was! But now wasn't the time, because their lips were joined and she'd lifted up onto her knees more so she could lean into him, pressing their bodies closer together and smearing blood down his back. It was a little gross if she thought about it, but right then she wasn't thinking about much beyond the excitement of the moment.

She whimpered when he tugged her lip, half pain, half pleasure, as she clawed at his back and left behind red welts.

"Aaand if I said I was willing," she breathed, pressing searing kisses along his neck before nibbling at his ear, "would you be convinced?"

The words tumbled out before she could stop them, but she didn't try to take them back.

"Words can mean lots of things, all sorts in fact," Ki'adan he said, letting his hands run up her sides now, drawing his own nails and painting her skin with that deer blood that had gotten all over him in its skinning.  He drew the White Wolf clan symbol on her ribs before splaying his palms over it and disheveling its design.  It meant nothing to him now.

There was something very primal about this moment in particular and if it so pleased him he'd throw her down and take her right then and there.  There were considerations to keep in mind however, considerations of ceremony and possibilities of accidental Duhjari.  He was thankful he was on the herb enough for that.  He had neither the patience or the mind for stupid children.

"Besides," he added, moaning softly at the kisses along his neck.  "Actions speak louder than words."

"True enough!" Jayari agreed, and pushed on his shoulders then to tip him onto his back. She smiled impishly down at him as she crawled atop him and touched his face lightly, leaving behind smears of blood where her fingers caressed, before she touched his lips with her thumb and drew a line of blood down the center to the tip of his chin.

It looked almost like ceremonial warpaint, and the idea amused her as she remembered that this was the prince of her peoples' rival tribe. This was definitely not an act of war--though if he took her, now that might very well be.

But that was fine, because Jayari didn't plan on taking things that far, anyway. She was adventurous in a lot of ways, but paranoid in others, and though she thought the customs stupid and unfair, it was the fear of being shamed that bound her to them. Cupping his face in her bloody hands, she kissed him again, long and hard, as she lightly straddled his legs.

"There are some things I can't do," she said, trailing those caresses down his chest and belly and teasing around his navel. "But that still leaves plenty of other fun things."

Ki'adan smiled up at her, appreciating her forwardness.  He had a healthy respect for people that went out get their way, to make choices for themselves rather than reply solely on wherever tradition would guide them.  Jayari seemed that type.  And he wondered if she had ever considered leaving this stagnant life.  What if she didn't have that choice?

"I think I like where this is heading, but what kind of fun do you know?" He asked, his hands running along her belly, drawing birds on either side of the ravine in her abdomen.

"Things involving mouths and hands and my body on your body," Jayari said with a sly smile, as she drew a sun around his navel, complete with squiggly rays radiating outward. She bit her lip to keep from laughing as her maturity really showed when she added a smiley face to the center, so his navel was the nose.

She was no artist. While he drew pretty designs, he got a smiley sun belly.

She met his eyes, looking quite pleased with herself, before she trailed her hand down further to brush her fingers along the thin hairs running down his belly--before tickling the thicker pubic hairs. Her hand ghosted along to the side before touching him to caress his inner thigh instead. "Or we could always finger paint."

Ki'adan visibly shivered when her fingers were leading to more interesting things.  He was content to let her explore as she pleased, even watching her hands idly.  Until it seemed the obvious trail was diverted and he chuckled.  Fingerpaints? Really?  What were they children?

"Actually that sounds like it would be fun," he added with a laugh.  He sat up, leaning more on his elbows and using an idle bloody hand to paint a face of her left breast.

Jayari shivered when he touched her breast, even if just to paint a face on it, and her body responded to the contact. It was distracting, and she wanted nothing more than for him to touch her, and yet...this was fun. Silly, and fun, and she liked that the man who'd seemed so refined and serious to her when she was younger was able to do things like this.  It was like a game to see who had the most restraint.

She glanced down to watch him--and let out a breathless laugh when she saw what he had painted. "Pfffft. Copy-cat," she teased, and she leaned past him briefly to dip her fingers in some of the pooled blood near the butchered deer.

Biting her lip to hold back more laughter, she started to trace bloody lines on his chest in a simple design. "Guess what I'm drawing now!" she said, voice sing-song, as the design quickly began to take the shape of a badly drawn penis.

Ki'adan already could tell what she was drawing - or trying to- just by feeling the trace of he hands on his chest.  He suddenly snorted laughter loudly.  "Of course you, the regal Banyur princess, would draw a cock on my chest," he laughed and proceeded to draw two testicles on her face, one on each cheek, and a penis along her neck.

"There, now you have your own cock and balls," he chuckled.  "Though, if I put dots on them, they become breasts.  Now you have a boobs on your face and a dick under your chin."

Jayari burst into fresh laughter, unable to keep it in any longer, and wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "We are so mature. The future leaders of two powerful tribes, right here! Our people are doomed," she said, and grinned. "Imagine if I went home looking like this."

Still snickering, she leaned in and cupped Ki'adan's face before pressing a hard kiss to his lips, tongue slipping between his lips, before she drew back with a nibble. "I hope the boobs you drew are at least smaller than mine, so mine can be the bigger pair for once!"

And, grasping his hands in hers, she brought them up to cover her breasts. "What do you think?"

"Oh they're much smaller," Ki'adan said with a great confidence, a smirk playing on his lips after that delicious kiss.  The light taste of blood remained.  "They're practically barely pubescent breasts, that weird stage where you were all gangly and had that awkward gait where you walked like a foal."

He laughed and squeezed his hands around her breasts when she pressed them against his hands.  "These are much nicer," he said, expression softening, just a little.  He massaged them gently in his hands, brushing thumbs over her nipples back and forth, and letting the blood that had coated his fingertips paint across her flesh.  "You feel very warm, Jayari.  Do you have a fever?"

[Slapped on a label to be safe. xD]

Jayari's blood was heating up, all right. If she had been cold before, she didn't feel it now, even though she was still shivering and covered in goosebumps. But she couldn't tell if she she was shivering from the cold, or from a combination of nerves and excitement as his hands explored her breasts and teased her nipples--and if her body was cold, her face was on fire.

She let out a shaky, controlled breath that misted in the air, for she'd gotten into the practice of keeping as quiet as she could during such encounters, and tried to think of a good retort to the foal comment except her mind didn't seem to want to work. Not when she was so gloriously distracted.

"I don't think that's a fever, no," she said, biting her lip. "I think that's more, uh...more 'I've maybe had a crush on a guy since forever and now he's playing with my boobs, finally'." And then she managed a teasing smile and pressed her hands to his pecs, trailing her fingers over his skin and leaning in to kiss down the side of his neck. "Can I play with yours?"

And then she wanted to kick herself. His hands were finally on her breasts and she didn't want to break the mood! But damn if she wasn't feeling uncharacteristically nervous. Maybe because this mattered to her more.

He felt that temperature spike through his hands.  He felt those nipples harden beneath his fingertips, hands continuing their slow and gentle ministrations over her breasts.  His own body grew hot and slowly began to ache. She wasn't gangly Jayari anymore, that was clear enough.  But what she said definitely caught him off guard.

"What? You had a crush on me? Get out of here," he mumbled, opening his neck for her.  "You can do as you please. You are the Banyur princess after all."  He snorted a little.  "Had a crush on me!  Pffft, why didn't you tell me before I left?"

One hand was content to explore her body, running along her side and gripping one cheek of that lovely behind he'd been admiring all night.

Jayari flushed red and she pressed her face against his shoulder in embarrassment. Not over what they were doing, but over the silliness of her confession, and how juvenile it was! "You always teased me so I didn't think you liked me," she mumbled, even as her breaths came out hot against his skin as his fingers worked their magic, her body arching into his as he gripped her ass.

"And you were so much older! So much more awesome. You were what I wanted to be so...uh...yeah. And I was younger and a lot more awkward about this stuff so...so don't laugh! I know it's dumb! Trust me, I kicked myself when you left! I didn't think you'd come back and...and shush!"

Sitting up straight again, she gave him a playful shove to push him down onto his back, grabbing his wrists to pin his hands above his head. And as though to prove she wasn't that shy little girl again, she slid up from his legs to straddle his hips, and sat fully to trap his cock between his belly and her sex.

She leaned down and kissed him again, longer than the others and more tender, but no less passionate, and when she spoke it was against his mouth. "I won't make that mistake again."

It was almost too hard to believe that Jayari of all people would be too shy to admit anything much less a crush.  What an odd word that was too to describe feelings of juvenile infatuation.  Whatever juvenile tendencies lingered in Jayari, this wasn't one of them.  Personally, he'd never considered the Banyur Chieftain's daughter in quite that way.  She was annoying and always itchy, and maybe he was just too distracted with trying to get away from this life to ever worry about that sort of thing.

Ki'adan didn't believe he had changed, but he realized now that much of him did.  Seeing what life was like beyond the tribes and Plains had opened his mind, and he knew he thought differently than he did when he was a boy that longed to leave.  And he knew he didn't quite see Jayari as that gangly foal as he did before.  She was her own person now; an adult.  Or as much an adult as Jayari could ever be.

He kissed her back, deeply and tugging on her lip when she broke the kiss.  He was a little breathless, eyelids hanging low as she readjusted their bodies.  He knew that tainting a Duhjari princess was a devastating offense, and a rule he wasn't about to break.  He didn't know how the Banyur might punish him, but if he knew his father as well as he did - and he did - he'd very much like to keep his genitals intact.

"We all make mistakes," he murmured, feeling his groin aching eagerly beneath her.  "The point is that we learn from them."  He leaned up and kissed her, slipping his tongue between her lips, massaging lips sensually against hers. His cock sliding against her sex, his hips undulating slowly.

"I think I've learned from that one," Jayari said with a breathless laugh against Ki'adan's lips while her own still tingled from his kisses, a laugh that turned into a gasp when he began to move against her. She shuddered and clutched his wrists tighter, eyes fluttering shut as for a moment she just let herself get lost in his kisses and the slow, delicious slide of his cock against her, her breath hitching.

"Now I've got you riiight where I want you--" She punctuated her words with another searing kiss on the mouth before she trailed kisses to his jaw, his throat, and bit his shoulder a bit more roughly before soothing it over with her tongue. "--And I kinda wanna make up for lost time."

Unable to take his slow torture any longer, she released his wrists and sat up, her hands braced on his chest for balance as she took over for him. She rolled her hips and ground against him, back and forth, the slickness of her sex letting her glide easily over him, her breath catching every time he prodded against her entrance or rubbed against her clit. It hardly felt real that this was happening, and she knew it was dangerous--temptation, after all, was a powerful thing--but gods help her if she wasn't going to enjoy what she could get.

"Would...ah!...would things be different...if I'd told you?"

A low slow breath escaped him, one that was followed by a hitch and a lurch of his spine, as he continued to roll along with her.  The scent of her heat, for he was so close he could a mere twist of his hips and he'd slip inside her.  He was thankful however she was content to explore like thi, even as his body writhed beneath hers.

He laughed breathily, letting her hands use his chest for support.  "They might've been," he replied in another low slow hiss of exhalation.  "But I can't say for the better.  I mean, imagine fooling around and I wouldn't even know where what goes where?  I mean, gah, that'd be a little embarrassing on my part."

Ki'adan looked up at her, at the rise of her body when their hips rolled together.  Everything rather moist down there made the temptation to slip within all that much greater.  His face burned as did the rest of his body, as he did his best keep his cool.  Just slow and steady, that was the ace of pace.  Nobody liked a misfired arrowhead.

He let his hands return to her breasts, picking up where he left off, massaging them with powerful hands, and focusing attention on her nipples with index and thumbs.  "How...uh, do you imagine things might have been different?"

[Misfired arrowhead. xDDDD]

Jayari's breath came out in shuddering bursts, her body trembling as pleasure coursed through her and slowly built. Her fingers curled against his chest, her thighs squeezing against him a little, as she continued to rock and match him, measuring his movements and finding his rhythm. Gods, there was little better than having someone squirming beneath her--except that this time it was Ki'adan, and she couldn't help but feel some sense of smug satisfaction that for all those years he'd teased her, now it was her turn to tease him, and in a far more diabolical fashion.

Itchy and gangly Jayari, eh? Pah!

His hands found her breasts again and she arched into him, sighing her pleasure and biting her lip to keep from crying out as her body sang beneath his touch. There was nobody around, and they were miles from anyone who might hear, but it was paranoia and practice that kept her quiet and that was a hard habit to break.

"Y...yeah, I...I think it'd probably be something like that," she got out in a rush. "Though...maybe I would've gone with you, too. I dunno...I...I guess I didn't know that--oh gods--that...was an option. Maybe I would've done something crazy. I mean, I have! But...crazier." She knew she was rambling, knew maybe now wasn't the time to have this conversation (she tended to admit a lot of things in the throes of passion!) but still the words tumbled out between heated breaths.

"I could've been convinced, maybe. Either way, I-I'm not sad you missed my fumbling stages, though. Or how I...ah...giggled the first time I saw a cock..." That particular cock had gone quite flaccid shortly after, whoops. Wow. She should probably shut up. "Remind me where everything goes, though? Is it...here?"

And as she spoke she slid along him, boldly prodding him against her entrance, threatening to take him inside her--before slipping away and grinding on him again, meeting his eyes with a smug smile. Or as smug a smile as she could muster with her face flushed and lips parted breathlessly.

Ki'adan learned to live with no regrets and he certainly wasn't going to regret this.  Whether or not it would've been a good idea to have Jayari tag along was irrelevant and wasn't something he was going to think about during this kind of play.  In fact it was hard to muse of anything else with her making him all slick and slimy like this. 

"I don't have to remind you, do I?"  He tried to laugh, and it only turned into a moan and she'd see his eyes rolling back into his head at that smug grin of hers.  He leaned up into her, working his hips harder against hers.  He sat up and plastered his lips to her breasts, sucking hard and lathering his tongue all over.

He pulled her form against him, keeping his hips moving under her and he slipped his fingers under her leg and feeling along her sex.

Despite her best efforts, Jayari cried out and arched against him as Ki'adan worked her harder and put his mouth to her breasts, her piercings only heightening her pleasure as he licked and sucked along already sensitive skin. Gasping, she tangled her hands in his hair to hold him to her, pulling roughly in her urgency, and she had no good retort for his comment because he'd successfully stolen her words away.

And then she felt his fingers exploring between her legs, and she sucked in a shuddering breath and gripped his shoulders tightly, nails digging in before she slid her hands down his spine and right back up, nails leaving behind red lines that would--hopefully!--fade quickly.

"Put them inside me," she managed to demand through shaky, breathless pants, and she bucked against his hand harder, trying to urge him to go where she wanted him. Of course, it never occurred to her that doing that had the same result, really, as taking a cock. But she'd taken fingers before and enjoyed it, and she'd always figured it was safe.

Truth be told, she had no clue how anyone was supposed to even tell if she was a virgin or not. Seemed weird to her.

Ki'adan paused in his tasting of her tits, the taste of metal prevalent on his tongue.  He grinned up at her before returning to the task at hand.  He continued to lap at her breasts as his fingers slid around those folds in slow circles and he tested and teased entry.  "I have a better idea," he murmured and stopped what he was doing long enough to lay her on her back.

He crawled over her, sliding down her body and residing then between her legs.  Gazing down, he brought his tongue to her clit and, giving a slow lick before glancing back up at her.  He grinned wickedly before returning to the task and tasting her slowly.  His fingers that teased her folds soon followed and eased inside, gently feeling around.

Jayari decided she really, really liked it when Ki'adan had ideas. So far all of his ideas had been awesome.

Because soon she was stretched out onto her back and his face was between her legs, and she sucked in a sharp breath at that first slow lick. She also didn't miss that wicked grin. Ah, she saw what he was doing here, was it his turn to torment her?

If this was torture, though, then she never wanted it to stop because soon his mouth was on her and she felt his fingers pressing into her, stretching her even as she clamped tightly around him. She cried out and arched, one hand clutching at his arm for dear life and the other clapping over her mouth, biting at her knuckle, when she realized she might not be able to keep quiet at this rate.

"O-oh," she whimpered from behind her hand as she squirmed, toes curling into the grass as she tried not to move too much, because he was attacking just the right spot and she didn't want to knock him off course. "I-I like your ideas. A lot. Keep...idea-ing..."

Ki'adan indeed, was intent on tormenting her, at least for as long as this would last.  He kept his licks slow and deliberate, savoring every taste of her.  If it was any consolation, the fact that he couldn't make love to her in the traditional way made him only want to please her even more this way.  If he could make her squirm as much as possible, even better.  "Jayari, you taste like royalty."

Ki'adan chuckled against her sex, tongue taking slow deliberate circles to her clit, adding his lips to lightly suck on it.  His fingers wasted no time exploring her heat, massaging along a wall, and slowly thrusting it and out of her.  He focused on what made her writhe and squirm and wiggle to her pleasure.  Then he chuckled again.

"I have lots of good ideas.  But many of them would likely make your father red-faced with rage."

A breathless laugh escaped Jayari at that comment, that she tasted like royalty, but it soon turned into a whimper that sounded a lot like, "Oh gods..."

Because oh man, this was real. This was really happening. And it was, impossibly, better than anything she'd imagined all those times in the past when she'd been mooning over him in secret. Her hand tightened on his arm, nails leaving half-moon indents in his skin as she shuddered and sucked in sharp breaths between her moans. The combination of pleasure from inside and out was a potent one, and the slow thrusting of his fingers, massaging along just the right spot, only had her craving more, had her wishing for all of him. He was driving her mad, her hips rolling up to meet his thrusts and pressing more urgently against his mouth, the hand that wasn't clutching his arm tugging at one of her braids, her head tilted back as she cried out, no longer even trying to stifle her sounds because fuck it! Who was around to hear?

"Oh gods...oh gods you feel good..." she gasped, her thighs pressing against Ki'adan's head in her pleasure. "I...I like those ideas best. Those're the best ideas. We should do those ideas. But maybe--ah! Maybe don't...don't talk about my father right now?"

Her nails dug in deeper, her breathing growing harder as her pleasure only grew. "Gods, Ki'adan, I wish I could have you."

"I wish you could too," he panted, lapping against her eagerly.  The pressure only made his mouth explore deeper where his body could not.  "I want to.  Gods know I do."  Gods she did taste good, and he was happy to say that he didn't mind dying like this if this was how he was meant to go.  His hand slipped in deeper, palm-deep into her and pumping his hand faster until he couls feel her body tremble.

Ki'adan paused long enough to catch his breath before turning his lips to the inside of thigh and sucking hard on the skin there.  He made a dark hickey before returning to that succulent heat of hers.    He intended to finish what he started.  He paused only long enough to alternate, changing his hand to focus on her clit, rubbing in small circles, tongue turning to lap at her folds instead.

"Maybe," he mumbled against her.  "Maybe nobody..would...have to know.  I mean, how could they?"

Gods, she was close, the hard pounding of Ki'adan's hand and the sensation of his lips and tongue exploring her driving her insane. She cried out to the sky, muscles tense and legs spreading wider as she trembled with pleasure, her cries growing close to sobs as she clenched her eyes shut and struggled to breathe when he stole her breath away. The hand that clutched at his arm soon flailed blindly for his hair, then curled tightly in the locks and held on as though afraid he'd stop. She'd murder him if he stopped! Well. Maybe not murder. Probably more like jump him.

When he stopped to catch his breath, it gave Jayari a chance to catch hers--though not by much as he sucked on her thigh, drawing a sound that was half laugh, half moan from her, for it felt good but she was also quite ticklish. And then he was right back at it, giving her clit attention as his mouth explored her, and the pleasure that had already been tightening and building deep within her heightened, grew, and Jayari's whimpers grew more desperate. It didn't help that his words sent her imagination soaring with possibilities.

"You...you think so?"  she panted, glancing down at him curiously, before she dropped her head back and gasped, belly sucking in with her sharp breaths. Her body went taut, her breathing coming even faster, her squirming growing more urgent. "I-I dunno how they'd know. Just...always seemed weird to me, so...I...gods, Ki'adan, I don't care right now, I...oh gods...oh gods...!"

All the tension that had been building abruptly released and stole her breath away, crashing over her then as she trembled and spasmed, her free hand pressed to her mouth to hold in her scream.

Ki'adan felt her trembling and remained where he was true to the end.  He peeked up from between her legs, grinning wickedly.  But his body was ready and he crawled back over her, kissing up from her belly, leaving soft smacks until he was pulled back up to face her.  "We could try.  But it'd be important to remember certain parameters, like pulling out for one," he murmured to her, kissing against her neck.

"But we don't have to.  We still have a deer to tend to," he murmured.  But even as he said this, he still nursed at her neck, kissing one side then the other, enjoying the taste of blood and sweat on her body.  Then he looked down at her, grinning.  "You still have boobs on your face."

Jayari was left reeling, struggling to catch her breath in the wake of her release. Her eyes fluttered open when she felt Ki'adan move, and she managed a pleased smirk down at him to match his wicked smile. She couldn't yet form words, and she was still shaking a little, her body all flushed and warm and tingly and sensitive, and she delighted in his kisses as he moved back over her and finally reached her neck.

And then he mentioned the boobs on her face, right as his lips began to stoke the fire in her again.

Jayari blinked up at him, and then burst into laughter and touched her cheek. "Gods, how can you even look at me with a straight face!" she said, and smudged one of the "boobs", which only made it lopsided. Still laughing at how ridiculous it all was, she smashed her lips against his and trailed her nails down his chest.

"You've still got a dick on you, too. Well. Two dicks, technically," she added as her hand trailed lower, until she grasped him fully in her hand and stroked him slowly, thumb rolling over the tip. "Speaking of which, ah...I really do want you. I mean, if you think it'll be okay?" She kissed him again, tugging at his lip with her teeth. "If we're careful, and...no one has to know, right?"

Ki'adan wasn't going to lie, that kiss was delicious and he leaned into hers until she parted but a breath away.  He grinned, face hurting from all the smiling he was doing, but he couldn't help himself.  He was in a better mood than he thought he would be a night like this.  Seeing Duhjarik was always a surefire way to put a worm in that apple.

"We could.  And if we were caught, we'd both have hell to pay.  Well, maybe me more than you," he murmured between kisses and between soft breaths as she stroked him.  Her thumb on the tip made him shiver and moan against her lips, going in for a long, deep kiss, dragging teeth along her lip.  "I won't tell if you won't."

"Do I look like a snitch?" Jayari asked as she shivered from his kisses and pressed her own hungry ones to his lips, her tongue tasting and exploring his mouth. She tasted herself on him, and that only excited her more, for this whole thing was so scandalous and they were breaking so many rules, but gods! She didn't see why she couldn't have him if she wanted him. It wasn't fair that men got to play by different rules, and the rules didn't even make any sense.

She leaned in to nibble and suck at his earlobe, teasing it with her teeth even as her hand still moved over him, gently twisting along his shaft as she slid up and down along him. "How should we do this?" she asked as she nuzzled his neck before sucking lightly on the skin, careful not to mark him there. "Should I be on top? Felt like I could just slide you right in...it was really hard not to."

Ki'adan wasn't going to picky with positioning. Especially with a situation like this.  She was risking much by merely accepting the proposition of sex.  This was dangerous, this was exciting.  He half-closed , enjoying her touch and eager exploration.  "Let's just see where this goes," he murmured, grabbing her hand along his shaft and guiding it slowly around it.  Not that there was much to understanding a cock, the whole thing was rather sensitive and still somewhat moist from contact with her sex.  After a moment, he just left her hand to explore on its own.

"Well, I know where it goes. But I mean...you know what I mean," he snickered before leaning in against her, kissing her hotly.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her over him, coaxing her legs to straddle him.

Jayari barked a laugh at that, even as she finally released him and straddled his hips as he pulled her over him. She gave him a look, one eyebrow raised skeptically, head slightly cocked, and lips smirking. What a double entendre.

"You suuure?" she asked against his mouth, before biting his lip a bit more sharply. "Sounds like you're kinda rusty. Like you need a little refresher."

Even as she spoke, she was rolling her hips against him, letting his cock glide between her folds as each press of him against her clit made her breath shudder and catch, her heart pounding with anticipation and nerves. No one would know. They were miles from camp. No one would be around to see or hear, Ki'adan would pull out, so what evidence would there be for this transgression? Yet the thought of getting caught only made her blood hotter, made this all feel so much more risky and thrilling knowing she was doing something so forbidden with the one person she'd never dreamed she'd have a chance with, and she wasn't about to lose her nerve now. She was never one to back down from a dare of a challenge--only in this case, this was a dare with herself.

She rocked against him a little more, until he was nice and slick and her body was aching with desire, her breath coming out in little whimpers, and finally she could take no more. She reached down between them and grasped him, sliding him back and forth along her to tease them both before seating him at her entrance.

She met his eyes, face and neck flushed with passion and perspiration, and flashed him a cocky smile. "Last chance, if you're feeling chicken."

The teasing was almost too much to take.  Ki'adan had to let out a slow steady breath, fighting to keep his body under control.  Arrowheads remember.  He chuckled against her lips, softly moaning.  "Anything to make me squirm," he snorted.  He enjoyed her exploration, her initiative, and her daring.  Whether she knew it or not, it was wildly attractive.  For a man such as he, Ki'adan could only appreciate another with the same or similar fire that he

"You calling me chicken?  Didn't you learn to rise with crow of the morning cock?"  He laughed and soon sobered.  Bad penis joke.  Bad.  He watched her hands, feeling the tip prodding at that enrance, and he shifted his hips, bringing them up and gasping, cock slowly sliding into her.  His breath hitched, catching in his throat.  "Oh Jayari," was all he could breathe.

Jayari had no idea it was attractive. She'd always figured it was a rather unattractive quality, since so many men seemed to want chaste wives, apparently. But she'd never cared about that on a personal level, and maybe that was just something the older generation valued more than the younger ones. Her family had always stressed it to her, that it was especially important for a princess to be pure on her wedding night. See how well she'd listened to that! It had only made her more curious, if anything.

Besides, she didn't see what about this made her impure. How could trading pleasure and joy with another person be dirty? And when Ki'adan cracked his terrible, terrible joke, Jayari shot him an incredulous look--timing!--before bursting into laughter. "Oh my gods, you did not just--!"

She never finished her sentence, because that was when he pushed up into her, and her giggles turned into a gasping cry. She'd heard it could hurt the first time--her sister had had a horror story to tell about hers--but her body was wet and aroused, and he'd prepared her with his fingers and mouth, and aside from a slight discomfort as he went deeper than she was used to and stretched her a little a more than before, it was heaven. Whimpering, Jayari grabbed onto his shoulders tightly, nails indenting his skin, as she followed his lead and thrust her hips down to take him in deeper, hardly breathing until she was seated fully in his lap.

And when she opened her eyes again she just stared into his, even as she flexed experimentally around him. "Holyshit."

Ki'adan rolled his eyes deep into the back of his head.  Any experimentation she might have done left her impossibly tight never the less around him.  He gasped and peered up at her, one hand guiding on her hips in order to set a rhythm, the other gliding up her belly, fingers trailing through the hard muscle there until a hand grasped her left breast, squeezing with enticing pressure to ride him at her leisure.

He wasn't that kind of particular, that had to have his say in every way.  And no sex was any good, with a single partner demanding all the attention.  So he kept the pace teasing slow, working his hips in slow deliberations, letting her sex nurse on his cock and find pleasure in a pace of her own. When she found it he slipped his other hand from her hip and trailed along the hairs of her sex.

Ki'adan was by no means of inconsequential manhood, and it was from this very thought that he preferred to let Jayari find what was comfortable for her.  But he was more than willing to lend a helping hand here and there, and did so, slipping two fingers to rub at her clit.  He simply had to be careful lest his own eyes never bounce back from staring at his brain.

It was the gentle guiding of Ki'adan's hand on her hip that snapped Jayari out of her shock--a sort of holy shit we're actually doing this this is actually happening oh my gods revelation as she marveled at how he felt inside her, filling her so completely. She moved with his hand, rocking her hips forward experimentally and gasping as he slid within her, stroking new places for the first time, and though it was a little uncomfortable still, it wasn't nearly enough for her to stop--and the more she moved, the more that discomfort faded and the pleasure built.

"Gods, Ki'adan," she breathed, clutching at the hand that played with her breast while her hips rolled against his, awkwardly at first as she grew used to the sensation and and gauged his rhythm before building in confidence, soon matching him. She moved slowly at first, content with that easy pace as she learned his body and marveled at how he moved within her, but as the heat grew between them, so did the urgency--

Which was only helped along when his fingers found her clit.

She cried out, a sound close to a shuddering sob, and began to move in earnest, still clutching his hand in hers as her back arched and her hips rolled, riding him like a stallion. Ever experimental, she played with the rhythm and the motions, alternating between lifting and thrusting down onto him and grinding in circular motions, sussing out what felt best and watching his face through hooded eyes for his reactions even as she panted and whimpered, her body trembling.

"Gods," she cried out, and fell forward against his chest so she could kiss him greedily, her moans muffled by his lips. "You feel like royalty..."

The way she rode him, one might never know she was technically a virgin simply by watching them.  Which Ki'adan admittedly hoped no one was watching them.  That would put a damper on this mood that he wouldn't be able to recover from.  After all, it would seem as if he was the one that had talked Jayari into such tempestuous behavior.  It could mean more than the maiming of his person, it could lead to war.

Ki'adan shook his mind free of such thoughts.  He looked up at her expressions, his own pleasure clearly written in the clenching of his eyes, and the continued roll if his hips beneath her.  He kept his hands along her body, and when she leaned forward, he caught her and turned them over onto thei sides, hiking up her, rolling his hips like a crashing wave, pushing into her with greater boldness.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he unleashed a breathless laugh.  "I'm a wayward son.  YOU are still the princess," he muttered.  "But we don't have to keep quite, gods, like this..."  As hard as he was panting, Ki'adan managed to roll them around again, coaxing her to her knees, and speading her legs just so.  He pulled out to move behind her affixing his cock just at the lips of her sex and sliding within with a pull back on her thighs to sit once more on his lap. This time her back was to him, and he was on his knees, holding her hips to his and rolling once again.

While Jayari knew there were a lot of risks involved here, the possibility of war hadn't occurred to her. She was a lot of things, and thought herself wise and worldly and courageous, but she was still young. She wasn't really aware of the full extent of possible consequences here.

And right then, consequences were the furthest thing from her mind as Ki'adan rolled them to their sides and took her harder, making her yelp and claw at his back, biting his shoulder hard enough to leave a dark mark. It was amazing, the warm sensation of skin against skin, his heart beating rapidly against hers, his sharp breathing, his hips crashing against hers hard enough she could feel her thighs bruising, but that only made her hotter.

"Then...does that  make you...my subject?" Jayari managed to gasp out, once again managing a smug smile that quickly faded when, suddenly, he was rolling her over again, and she found herself on her knees. Her face flushed with heat when she realized, gods, was he going to mount her like a mare? And she'd barely finished the thought when he pulled her into his lap and plunged into her again.

She cried out, leaning against his chest and grasping behind her to hold onto his ass even as she rode him, feeling him stroke her from a new angle that had her squirming as he hit against that sensitive spot his fingers had earlier teased. She trembled and tightened around him, begging him with her body for more as she grabbed for his hands and brought them to her breasts--and then with her words.

"Ki'adan...oh gods, Ki'adan, don't stop..." she sobbed, and when her thighs began to burn she leaned forward, hands pressed to the grass, to give herself leverage as she pushed back against him.

Ki'adan moved without reservation, or thought to consequence.  He was in the moment.  And Jayari was not  Duhjari Princess, or a member ofscreamanyur tribe.  And neither was he the prodigal son of the White Wolf clan.  Here they were just two people enjoying each other in body, mind, and spirit, sharing body heat to stave off the evening chill.  To him, she was simply Jayari.

He leaned over her back, hands holding onto the ground as he pushed deep into her, hitting that spot he favored so, the one that made her scream much as she was doing now.  His own body couldn't hold out much longer, but he didn't dare stop lest she turn around and kill him.  Pushing back on him like she did, allowed for greater range of motion, allowing every stroke, to stoke that growing fire between them.

"Gods, Jayari!" He panted hard, moaning deeply and nearly biting into her back.  Something on the horizon caught his attention.  "What did you say?"

But he heard it again and he looked up.  By moonlight, he could see three figures approaching their position. "J-Jayari," he panted, but he couldn't quite get the words out that they had company.

[I love your phone. xDDD Screamanyur. Ahahahaha!]

Whatever Ki'adan saw, Jayari didn't notice it, because right then all she could focus on was his cock slamming into her again and again, her cries soon turning to screams with her hands clutching the grass and nothing to muffle her sounds. Each thrust drove her closer and closer to the edge, building toward something that promised to steal her breath away, and her muscles worked powerfully as she pushed back to meet him, their skin slapping together with the force of their joining.

Shaking with passion, her arms finally gave out and she fell forward onto her elbows, her spine arched and ass still raised. It felt so lewd, being taken like that, but right then it only excited her more as she sobbed her enjoyment, surprising herself with her own volume.

"I said fuck me!" she cried, tearing grass out in clumps, unaware of the rider that had now picked up their pace to gallop down the hill toward them. "Oh gods, Ki'adan, harder! Ki'adan!"

And it was at that moment, just when she heard the sound of hoof-beats drumming the earth--"Oh fuck!"--that she came with a breathless scream, trembling and clenching hard around his cock.

[Lol.  Sometimes the marker thing jumps around and puts words in weird places. I can't always keep track of where it is. XD]

Ki'adan rolled around off of Jayari just as she came and stared up at the Banyur horseman that abruptly dismounted and took out a dirk from his belt.  "You dare taint the Chieftain's daughter!"  He jammed a knee down into his gut, slamming the breath out of him and pressing the blade hard against his throat.  "I will skin you!"

[It gives me a giggle every time! xDD]

Horrified, Jayari scrambled around as soon as Ki'adan rolled off of her, face pale as she covered herself, but it was a pointless effort. They'd seen. They knew. But clearly they hadn't heard, because they attacked Ki'adan as though he were a brute, and she realized with building horror that they thought he'd assaulted her.

If she claimed he had, she could maintain her innocence. If she defended him, she was just as guilty--and gods knew what that would mean for her. But she wouldn't ever do that to him--couldn't imagine sink so low, not for anyone much more someone she cared about--and when the man held a knife to his throat, she launched herself at him without thinking.

"No, no! Stop!" Jayari cried, grabbing for his arm, but he knocked her away even as another man grabbed her by the arms. She struggled, twisting wildly and even biting him. "Don't touch me!" she shouted. "Release him at once! He tainted no one!"

And then, seeing the men were unconvinced, hardly listening to her, she did the only crazy, panicked thing she could think to do.

"He beat me!" she said, squirming to try to free herself even as her heart felt about to explode. Her cheeks burned even as she said it. "He beat me sparring! Fair and square! We were...we were...consummating that."

Seeing the whites of his eyes was all he needed to feel the primal urge kick in, but any movement would have his neck smiling from ear to ear.  He choked a little and when the man on him turned his head at Jayari's distraction, Ki'adan struck him with the butt of his palm ,slamming it into his nose and turning him over, exchanging the blade when it was dropped.  He bashed his head into the grass, only to be tackled by the third man, who kicked Ki'adan to the ground.

"Be still, aduwal.  You pissant bastard!  The Chieftain will be your judge!  What say you?"

Ki'adan only spit in his face.  "Jayari, be quiet!  Do what you will you son of a bitch!"

If those men thought anything of what she'd said, they didn't show it, and Jayari realized with frustration that they still weren't listening to her. She was the princess! They were supposed to listen! Then again, Ki'adan was given them one hell of a distraction as he got in a few blows before getting taken down again.

He was definitely not helping the situation!

Still, she shut her mouth and stopped her fighting. Not that she had been fighting very hard. It felt awkward to do while she was naked after being caught mid-coitus, and the mortification of that and what it all meant had her freezing up.

With a growl, the man pinning Ki'adan bound his wrists with rope, and jerked him roughly to his feet while the one he'd slugged climbed back upright--and promptly punched Ki'adan hard in the face. "Fucker," he snarled thickly as his nose was clogged with blood.

Yep, that's what he did, Jayari thought, freaked out enough she just felt like laughing. Or crying. Maybe a combination of both, though she didn't cry. That was for children, not warriors, and not leaders. The man holding her finally let her go, and a few moments later came the weight of his coat falling around her shoulders. She drew it closed but kept her head held high and didn't shy from eye contact.

You have nothing to be ashamed of.

As two of the men dragged Ki'adan toward one of their horses, the third took Jayari's arm and lead her toward his. "Are you, uh...okay to ride?" he asked, and Jayari looked up at him incredulously before, cheeks heating, his meaning hit.

"Of course I am!" she snapped, though now that she was pulled out of the moment, she could feel the soreness of her thighs and a slight ache between her legs. Pulling away from him, she marched to his horse and made a show of mounting it herself.

...Though, gods be damned. That was really uncomfortable.

Ki'adan knew his words would not have helped the situation.  But it was more for Jayari's sake than for his. She still deserved her dignity, regardless of what might happen to him.  He was a fool, perhaps, in this endeavor. He would noy however give words to the men that bound him, except, perhaps:

"Can I at least gather my things?  And the deer meat.  Don't let that go to waste."

The one that held him directed the other to gather his clothes and weapons, and the meat was wrapped and taken.  Ki'adan was dragged behind, working to keep up with the horsemen, as they brought them both back to the Banyur camp.

As Ki'adan was lead away, Jayari and her rider made a stop to gather up her own items, and fetch Zala, and Jayari took a moment to dress before insisting she ride her own horse. She was not about to ride back home naked, and she was not about to ride back home on someone else's horse like a wayward child brought home from being naughty--which, was exactly how she felt, and sort of exactly what was happening.

Only the stakes were far more dangerous, and her stomach clenched as it all sank in.

Ki'adan could be seriously punished. He could be maimed or worse. He was son to the chieftain of their rival tribe! Gods. How stupid was she?

And what did this mean for her? If the chieftain's daughter was meant to be chaste until marriage...well...what if she wasn't?

Desperately, she wanted to talk to Ki'adan. She wanted to apologize to him. This was her fault, for she'd flirted and teased and told him she wanted him, all of him, when she should have stopped. He'd made sure she wanted it, said they didn't have to, and she'd still insisted. How could she be such an idiot!

And when, finally, they arrived back home, Ki'adan and his captors just ahead of them, Jayari saw with horror that her father was waiting for them, pacing anxiously--and then going still when his eyes landed on Ki'adan, his eyebrows rising. Then, slowly, they moved to Jayari--disheveled, her hair wet, and...

...Fuck her life.

Boobs painted on her cheeks, and a penis on her neck.

Jayari remembered that as soon as he looked at her and she saw his expression evolve to that "I am so busted forever" expression she was so familiar with, and she ducked her head as though wishing she could just melt into Zala and vanish forever. Oh. My. Gods!

The bloody-nosed man dismounted his horse and bowed low. "We found her, sir," he said. "And we found...him." Then he paused, and cleared his throat. "Together."

Ki'adan had no words for his captors. But he was not given the opportunity to come forth.  Instead, he was pulled by the cord that wrapped his wrists. Ki'adan stumbled forward and crashed down into the dirt, scraping his chin against rock. The blood-nosed lieutenant pulled Ki'adan up by his hair, dragging him to his feet and up to Aharu.  "You will kneel swine!"

"You've dishonored my daughter, Ki'adan.  When you dishonor her, you dishonor my clan!  You'll pay the price for your lust," Aharu growled, but would not deign to touch him.  "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ki'adan just stared at him until he brought his eyes back to Jayari.  Aharu growled loudly and before Ki'adan knew it, a heel came crashing into his face, knocking him backwards into the dirt.

"You will not look at my daughter!!"

"Father, please!" Jayari yelped when Ki'adan got a kick in the face just for looking at her! She gripped Zala's mane tightly until the mare made a sound of complaint and tossed her head, and she promptly loosened her grip even as tension seized her. "Don't hurt him! It's not his fault, it's...it's not what it looks like! It--!"

"Silence, Jayari!" Aharu snapped, taking her aback completely as the color drained from her face. She'd rarely heard him speak in such a tone--especially not to her. And that tone meant trouble. Deep trouble. "We'll discuss this later."

And then he turned his eyes back onto Ki'adan, eyes cold as winter steel. "Do you know the penalty for such a transgression?"

Ki'adan met those eyes unrelentingly.  "I do.  Do you know the penalty for capturing the son of the Chief of the White Wolf tribe!?"  He spat at Aharu's face and that's when he struck him again.  Ki'adan spat out blood onto the soil and Aharu gestured to the men that captured him.

"Take him to the prisoner's tent!  Now!"

Ki'adan was dragged away, and Aharu turned then to his daughter.  "And I will deal with you now!"

Jayari was still staring after Ki'adan as he was hauled roughly away, heart beating fast in panic and palms sweaty, hands shaky. Fuck. This was all her fault. She shouldn't have...no! This wasn't just her fault, dammit! Ki'adan had come onto her, too! He knew better just as well as she did!

She tried to convince herself of that even as Aharu rounded on her. Swallowing hard, she dismounted Zala and rubbed self-consciously at the boobs on her face that she knew were still there.

Aharu didn't say anything for a while. Instead, he just looked at her until she dropped her eyes, feeling like a child. Finally, he motioned for her to follow him to his yurt.

In which commenced the most awkward, terrible discussion of her young life. Where "discussion" was more "one-sided dressing-down".

---

Later that night, when Jayari was freshly bathed and clean, after undergoing the most mortifying discussion in history and a subsequently mortifying discussion and examination by a midwife, she was left alone in her own yurt, though her sister, Khulan, was staying with her to keep an eye on her--Khulan and her infant, both of whom were dead asleep now. Of course, Jayari couldn't sleep with the anxiety gnawing at her, and soon it was long past midnight, morning but still disgustingly early. Everyone would be asleep.

Hopefully even the guard at Ki'adan's tent. After all, it had been ages since they'd taken prisoners.

Dressing quietly, eyes on the infant the whole while (please don't wake up!), Jayari slipped from her yurt and picked her way quietly through the grounds. There were a few sentries here and there, but she knew their routes and how to avoid them, and soon she reached the little tent on the edge of camp.

Indeed, Ki'adan's guard was dozing, and Jayari threw a rock at his feet to test him. When that only got a grunt, she stole in closer, crept in quietly--and boldly slipped right into the tent.

It was madness. But they needed to talk.

[MADNESS? THESE ARE DUHJARI!]

Ki'adan heard that rock plopping outside, leaving a dull resonance that stirred him from focusing on his pain.  He looked up at the tent flap, face bloodied from where his "guard" had taken the liberty of delivering what he thought about Ki'adan's transgression.  It was a despicable crime, and he'd have hia judgment come dawn.

"Jayari?" he murmured, his whisper barely audible once he saw her. 

[*SANDAL TO THE FACE, RIGHT INTO THE HOLE!*]

Jayari winced visibly when her eyes adjusted enough that she could make out his face--though the smell of blood told her ahead of time that it wouldn't be...good. Gods. He looked worse than he did when he'd been dragged away, and she felt guilt twist her guts into a tight, nauseated knot.

"Fuck," she whispered, and crept closer to him, knowing if they were caught like this it would be beyond bad, but not caring at the moment. She lightly touched his face. "I am so sorry, Ki'adan...I...gods."

Ki'adan looked up at her, well, with what he could through his non-swollen eye.  "Jayari?  What are you doing here!?"

"Lower your voice!" Jayari hissed, and looked toward the tent's opening before looking back to Ki'adan. "I came to see you, of course! Make sure you weren't dead. Apologize, and..."

She took a deep breath. "Maybe try to figure this thing out?"

Ki'adan looked up to Jayari and spat out some of the blood that had been building in his mouth.  "Jayari, say it was my fault.  You deserve your honor.  Of all things, keep that.  So few people in this world have any at all."

"And how honorable would that make me, lying like that and setting you up for a fall?" Jayari whispered, taken aback. "There's no honor in that."

"And your father will shun you!  And you will never be able to marry, or be considered respectable.  Perhaps that was not what I desired in my life, but far be it from me to take it away from someone else."  Ki'adan sighed, knowing that convincing Jayari to say it was his fault relieved her of all sexual responsibility, as if she couldn't be trusted to make her own decisions.  And he didn't know if he could live with that either.

He bit his lip hard and shook his head.  "So what do you suggest?"

Would her father really shun her? Would he do that to her? He'd been angry, and worried, and angry again, and she'd got the dressing down of a lifetime that she just took in shamed silence before he dismissed her in frustration since she would give no answers, but...would he really turn his back on her? She loved her father dearly, and she knew he loved her, had always been there to support her even when things took a turn for the unconventional. He defended her choice concerning marriage by claiming it was his own, even.

Would he really...abandon her? Would her family abandon her?

The thought made her stomach hurt.

"I...I still can't just lie and let you get hurt," she said, tugging anxiously on one of her long braids as her mind raced. They didn't have many options. "Unless...Ki'adan, my father and I made a deal when I was younger and first learned about marriage and duty. That I wouldn't marry until someone was worthy enough to beat me sparring. We could just say you did. I mean..." She gave an awkward shrug. "Then we'd have to get married, but uh...maybe you could just quietly leave then."

Ki'adan sighed and shook his head.  "How would he believe that? That kind of thing is dripping with ceremony.  Whose to say who won what?  The only witnesses would be the men that found us.  And I think we all know what their testimony will be."

Jayari's cheeks burned at that statement. Yeah, she knew exactly what their statement would be, and would have preferred not to think about it! She had been so upset and afraid at the time, that the shame and embarrassment of being discovered like that hadn't yet registered. Now it was beginning to.

She sank her face into her hand and rubbed at her temples. "Right..." she muttered, before drawing in a deep breath and sitting up straight again. No shame. She was a warrior. A future leader...hopefully. Shame was not supposed to be in her vocabulary! She rolled her shoulders back.

"So...what, then? Just..." She threw her hands up. "Let you take all the blame? Just like that? Like a coward? Like I'm just some poor, helpless damsel overcome by your seductive spell or something and you're some awful brute?"

"Yes," said back with a heavy sigh, dropping his head down.   "I am already a pariah.  What more damage would that do?  You on the other hand must salvage what you can of yourself, of your life.  Your father may never trust you again, but if he believes that even you breached the parameters of your agreement, he may just decide to marry you off to the farthest chieftain this side of the Vishaad River.  Would you want that to happen?"

Jayari's shoulders slumped, her head dropping low.

"...No," she admitted in barely a whisper, her eyes cast downward as she avoided his.

"Straighten yourself, Jayari," Ki'adan whispered.  "You must do this, not for me.  But for you.  I know you don't want to.  But this is the only way to preserve your dignity."

Jayari raised her eyes at that, though the look in them was pained, torn. "You're sure this is what you want?"

Ki'adan had never been so selfless.  Not when that was all that mattered in this world.  But far be it from him if he'd let one rash decision ruin your life.  "Don't get soft on me now.  You're still the little foal-legged Jayari."  He stuck his tongue out at her.

Jayari wasn't sure why, but that made it hurt all the more. Seeing Ki'adan like that, battered and beaten, and teasing her like old times all the same, like she hadn't just ruined his life and damned him to an unknown fate. She laughed quietly, a choked sound as emotion welled up in her chest, and turned her face away so he couldn't see her being weak.

"I'm not soft, gufu head," she said, and brushed away a tear while she pushed a braid back over her shoulder, hoping that would disguise the fact that she wanted to cry.

"I'm not a gufu head. You're a gufu head!  No, you're a poodoo head!"

"Poodoo head? Ohhh, I'm gonna remember that, and I'm going to beat your chiseled ass the next time I see you," Jayari said with another quiet laugh, finally turning to poke her tongue out at him when she thought her emotions were under control. "I'd do it now but it'd just be like smacking a baby."

Next time she saw him. The words had just slipped out, but she hoped beyond hope they were true.

As did he.  Ki'adan gave her a blood-mouthed smile and gave a soft laugh.  "Yes.  We will.  I always make good on my promises, Jayari.  I wouldn't be a damn good hunter if I didn't.  Now, you ought to get out of here before that guard wakes up."

...Ack. She may have briefly forgotten about the guard.

With a small grimace, Jayari glanced back to the tent flap, then to Ki'adan, and darted in fast to press a quick kiss to his bloody mouth. "Just...stay alive," she said, licking blood from her lips, before she turned and carefully slipped out of the tent.

The dawn came, and so did the moment of truth.  Ki'adan was given a simple meal that morning, but he did not feel as if he could keep anything down.  He simply stared at the piece of bread and berries and some strips of venison offered.  And his stomach only grew colder.

He knew he was going to be punished, and badly for what had happened.  There was no other alternative, not one that would leave neither of them unscathed.  Jayari did not deserve to have her life ruined simply from one foolish mistake.  He knew she had made her choice, as did he.  She had her own life to live.

When he was dragged out of the tent, the sun was barely rising overhead and his eyes were blinded by the morning glare.  He hissed, only to be dragged along by his guard and thrown to his knees, at the tribunal set before him.  With a glare, he stared up at his guard, and managed to climb to his feet.  He wasn't about to die on his knees.

[Omg. I thought I posted. DDD8 BUT APPARENTLY MY POST NEVER SUBMITTED ALDGFGAIHLAKJHNSOBS.]

Jayari was there.

She'd been there as the tribunal set up in the center of the Banyur camp, where half the tribe had gathered in a semi-circle. At the circle's opening, Aharu and several other tribal leaders were gathered: the elders and respected warriors that served as his council. Ki'adan was forced into the center with the guard, who stood watch over him without compassion--

And standing next to her father was Jayari, who looked and felt oddly small right then. Usually so proud and straight-backed, she stood with one hand holding the opposite arm, her shoulders slightly rounded and head low.

Quite frankly, she would have been happy to take an arrow between the eyes right then.

Just put me out of my misery. Not only was half the tribe staring at her in judgment, not only had she had to endure her father's judgment, but now Ki'adan was there.

And she had to endure the guilt of what she'd agreed to doing.

Even though he'd said this was what he wanted, she still felt like she was condemning him.

Aharu took a step forward, face hard and cold. "Ki'adan, son of Dujarik, heir to the White Wolf Clan, you stand accused today of defiling Jayari, daughter of Aharu, heir to the Banyur tribe. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Jayari's face heated with mortification. She might not be shy at all about sex, at least not when she was around someone she wanted to be with like that, but hearing her father talk about it like that? After getting caught in the act by some of her tribesmen?

This was so, so painful already, and it was going to get worse, she knew.

They had managed to spare him some dignity.  It was the only sympathy he was afforded.  Old clothing drapped across his form, but his things they had taken, his blade, his bow, his horse.  He was still a criminal, even if a dignified one.  The least they could do was cloth him.  A duhjari prince was still a prince.  Even if he was a bastard.

Ki'adan stood before Aharu with squared shoulders, pride hard-pressed to be taken from him.  All the blood from the previous night was not cleaned, but nor did his wounds spurt anymore.  He was prepared to face his sentencing, whatever it was.  Ki'adan stared Aharu in the eyes, silent, until the turn came to him to speak.

"I did.  And I would do it again," he said, smiling at her father.  "She tastes surprisingly like mangos."

It did get worse. In all the worst ways.

Jayari's face went red at Ki'adan's words, while her father's face went red for an entirely different reason. Oh my godssss! He DIDN'T!

At a signal from Aharu, one of Ki'adan's guards backhanded him hard enough to snap his head back. Even Jayari winced, though she was forced to regain her composure when her father turned to her.

"You've heard his confession. Now answer truthfully. Did you lay with this man?"

Jayari licked her lips, still red-faced. This was nooot a conversation she wanted to be having with ehr father, much less in front of her tribe with Ki'adan's fate on the line!

She shifted her eyes away. "...Yes."

"Willingly?"

An awkward look Ki'adan's way. "Ah...yes." She was not going to lie about that part, at least. She had, however, made a promise. "But..."

"Go on."

Jayari fidgeted, shifting nervously. "He, uh...he...it wasn't my idea, he was...he was persuasive."

"He seduced you?"

Gods, she felt like such a cowardly liar. Jayari nodded and rubbed her arms. "It just...it seemed harmless at first, and then it just happened so fast, I thought...I didn't...I didn't want it to go that far, but then the next thing I knew, um..."

She trailed off miserably, and hoped her acting would be sufficient.

Ki'adan had been grinning despite being smacked so hard in the face.  That was until Jayari started to speak.  And immediately he felt as if this whole thing would begin to unravel.  He wanted to tell her to shut up.  What the hell was she thinking?

He seduced her?  No, no.  Was it not that he forced her instead!?

Ki'adan grit his teeth.  "Chief Aharu, I forced myself upon your daughter.  She is still delirious with passion, as you can see.  She doesn't know what she's saying."

Ancestors help her! Jayari shot him a look, caught somewhere between mortification and exasperation, but forced herself to bite her tongue. It was too late, now. He'd said the words and given her a look of his own, but she still hated this. Hated it. And she hated the way everyone was looking at her now, with shock and pity alike.

She hated feeling victimized, and she hadn't even been hurt! But they looked at her like a victim nonetheless, and she grit her teeth. She hated this. Hated accusing him of such a horrible crime, even if it was what he wanted.

Aharu looked at her, face going pale, and then at Ki'adan with fresh fury. "Is that true, Jayari?" he asked quietly, and looked at her again, softening his expression as he did. There was real worry there, and it hurt her all the more, twisted her gut up into an awful knot. Ki'adan was asking her to lie about a very real thing that happened to other people, and yet her story had been much happier. She'd wanted it. She'd loved it. It felt cheap to lie about something so real, something others in her tribe had been through, and she could practically feel the weight of her ancestors watching her and judging from the grave.

"...Y...yes," she managed to say, voice a little choked as though her very body was trying to hold back the lie. She lowered her eyes in shame, and it worked in her favor, lending credence to her acting. "He...he did..."

There. She'd said it. And there was no going back.

Her father snapped a look at Ki'adan, fire in his eyes. "Take him away," he snarled. "Geld him, cauterize it, and throw him into the field. If he tries to return, shoot him."

[There's no worse punishment than being judged by the dead. Poor Jayari.]

Ki'adan turned his eyes away.  And when the soldier's dragged him off, he walked with his head held high, straight, prideful.  Although he was not entirely thrilled at the thought of being gelded.  Was it a fairer punishment than his own tribe?  Would there be war?  Would Dujarik even care?  Oh, he would, in the sense that his action would threaten the future of his tribe.  However, would he give a damn as to the fate of his own son?

He swallowed, realizing now the fear that lingered in his belly, and the regret.  Was this the right decision? Perhaps not...but why should he ruin Jayari's life in the process of all this?  What if, even after all they discussed, he still did?

[Them and their judgy eyessss.]

Oh GODS.

As i it couldn't get worse, now they were going to...going to...

Jayari went pale as Ki'adan was dragged off, feeling ill even as her father drew her into a hug and told her he was sorry, so sorry for his harsh words the night before, sorry for making her face her attacker like this. She reeled, feeling a little dizzy--stress, no doubt, the weight of her deception laying heavy on her shoulders along with the knowledge of what was to happen to Ki'adan. He was going to be mutilated because of her.

Gods, why was she so stupid! She'd ruined his life for a few minutes of pleasure!

Just because she liked him, and still had a dumb childish crush on him, and look where that got them both.

She was surprised when she found herself crying against her father's chest as he consoled her, not quite sure when that had happened--and the shame only intensified her when she realized he was comforting her for all the wrong reasons, comforting her over something that had never happened.

Gods, she was such a fool.

Meanwhile, Ki'adan's guards were busily dragging him off to the edges of camp, to conduct business somewhat discreetly. They were rough with him, and extra rough now that he was a rapist in their eyes.

"You filthy sack of goat shit," one growled as he hauled him along, half by the arm and half by his hair. "You got off easy. Usual punishment lets you bleed out after your dick's cut off, but we'll make up for that. We'll make it nice and slow. That's more than you deserve, doing what you did!"

As much as Ki'adan thought he could just sit by and take it, it was a notion that immediately started to break down after the meeting with Aharu.  And if these men thought they could get the best of him, they were going to see it shortly.  Ki'adan growled as they dragged him off, his hair almost tearing out at the grip of one of their hands.

He howled with rage, and slammed his shoulder hard against the first guard's ribs.  With the wind knocked out of him, he released his grip and staggered backwards.  Still, he was not alone.  The second man had his arms around Ki'adan's neck. Ki'adan choked, but flipped back, throwing all his weight into the hold that the second guard stumbled backwards.

He released the prisoner to catch himself.  Ki'adan tumbled forward, coughing hard.  There was only so much that could be done with his hands bound behind him.  And there was little time to do it in when the first man recovered and kicked him hard in the ribs.  The air was thrown out of his lungs, Ki'adan coughing harder than before.

"Get a hold of him! Let's hurry it up!" the first man growled as he slammed a knee into his back and shoved him to his knees. But from the way he panted it was clear he was not fully okay yet, though anger lent him strength.

The second drew a sharp hunting blade from his belt, and then wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Why do I have to do it?" he grumbled, and flicked a glance down at Ki'adan's groin, then back up. Despite his bluster as they'd hauled Ki'adan away, it was...fairly clear he wasn't all too keen on the actual act of slicing off another man's genitals.

"Just hurry up and get it over with! And you, don't struggle. You struggle, and he might cut off more than you bargained for!" Another look at his friend and he growled, "Hurry up, Nashoba!"

[Don't forget Jayari has to have a change of heart D:]

Ki'adan wasn't keen on becoming a eunuch, or having his manhood sliced clean off.  They would have to kill him to keep him under control, he determined.  And despite being kneed in the back and gasping for breath, Ki'adan screamed again and tore away from the guard's grip.

"Karim hold him still!" Nashoba griped, trying to center the blade. 

Ki'adan threw his body backwards and kicked at Nashoba's hand.  The knife flung away in a shining twirl into the tall grass.  A minor distraction when a fist came flying into Ki'adan's face.

[NOPE. HE'S LOSING HIS BALLS, SORRY KI'ADAN. 8D]

It seemed to Karim and Nashoba that they would be having to do this the hard way. One way or another, Ki'adan's punishment would be carried out, whether he was awake to feel it or not.

Karim shook his hand out after slamming his fist into the guy's face (a prince, at that! He could hardly believe it, for all his vileness!) and growled out, "Nashoba, forget the knife. Help me subdue him." And from the way he cracked his knuckles, it was pretty clear what that meant.

At least it would be a small mercy, knocking him out before they gelded him. It was a mercy he didn't deserve, as far as Karim saw it.

The two rounded on Ki'adan, blocking off his escape paths, and looked about ready to grab him and wail on him when the sound of frantic footfalls made Nashoba look up past Karim--and blanched.

"STOP!"

"What're you doing here?"

"It doesn't matter, just stop!" Jayari yelled, and she'd almost made it to Ki'adan, but Karim reached her first.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"Oh gods, you didn't do it, did you?" Jayari gasped, panting for breath, and shot a panicked look at Ki'adan, her own face pale. He looked pretty beat up, but he wasn't...gushing blood down there, so she let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Thank gods. Listen, please, don't do it. It's a mistake, it's all a really bad mistake, you gotta let him go, please!"

[Ki'adan: NOooooooooooooOooooOoo!]

Ki'adan was dazed, bloodied, and struggling to keep up his fight. But even two to one was trying.  He growled, fighting against the bonds of his own, hoping to free at least one hand to fight back.  He looked up, vision blurry when he saw Jayari, or a blob that looked like her.

[MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!]

At the very least, Jayari's sudden intervention had startled the two men into inaction. Karim released Ki'adan, shoving him away from him with a derisive growl. Jayari was quick to take his place, though, pushing past the man (who wouldn't dare touch her to stop her, anyway) before dropping down onto her knees beside him.

"Where's your father?" Karim demanded, but Jayari ignored him and instead reached a hand out to Ki'adan.

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I didn't...shit...I'm so sorry."

Ki'adan barely stirred as he heard Jayari's familiar voice.  His head pounded heavily, and he felt skin parted somewhere on his scalp.  If he wasn't bleeding his last now, he was sure it would happen sometime soon.  He would rather die than allow them to do this to him.  Eyes blinked hard, trying desperately to focus.  "Jayari!" he coughed, spitting up blood.

"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed, surprised that he was capable of anger even in this state.

"Saving your balls! And your life, probably!" Jayari snapped back as she grabbed his shoulders and tried to steady him. She tossed Karim and Nashoba a look, eyes narrowed to slits.

"I'm letting him go. And if you dare touch him again, I'll have the hand that touched him. Ki'adan!"

She looked at him again as those words still hung heavy in the air, bringing her face down to his level. "Ki'adan, can you stand? You need to leave, now."

It wasn't because she was saving him.  It was because she was throwing away her entire future for his sake!  Ki'adan felt his face grow red.  He frowned and jerked up when his strength returned to him. He stood, holding onto her, or leaning rather, and whirled around on her.

"Don't be stupid!  You're throwing your life away!" He hissed.  But already the men would be on him if he didn't act fast.  He base her to untie him and when his hands were free, he snatched her by the waist and bolted off as Karim and Nashoba see what he was doing and would not allow him to escape.

That was unexpected.

The plan was for him to run away while she served as the distraction!

Not for him to haul her along with him!

"Whoa! Ki'adan! Wait!" she yelped as he pulled her along, surprisingly strong even injured, and she stumbled along after him as Nashoba and Karim realized a second too late just what he had done. With angry shouts, they took off after them at a run, and Jayari's heart sank as she had no choice but to run with him.

"What--what are you doing?!"

What was he doing?  Ki'adan didn't have much time to think.  And his actions were spured from heat, anger, and desperation where he wanted only to survive.  "You're a fool, Jayari!" he hissed, panting hard as his heart was already ready to burst from his chest.

He pulled her along until he whirled around picked her up, throwing her onto his shoulder.  "You wish to throw your life away?  Fine!  Then it is now mine!!"

Ki'adan unleashed a sharp whistle, and there was neighing echoing loudly from the edges of the Banyur camp.  The horse fought hard against his captors, surging on when he broke free.  Ki'adan ran alongside the steed until he was level with them.  With a heavy grunt, he threw Jayari on the animal's back, and soon followed suit.

Jayari pried at Ki'adan's arm as they ran, trying to find a way to shake him off of her so she could actually be a distraction. But his grip was firm and his voice was angry--pissed--and then...

Then the world tilted sharply and she yelped, then grunted as she flopped over his shoulder, the wind knocked out of her. It was a delayed few seconds before she realized what had happened when she suddenly found herself staring down at Ki'adan's back.

"Wh...what?!" she sputtered, gasping for breath. WHAT? Her life was now his?? What was he--whaaaat?!

She grabbed at him, squirming. "Have you lost your MIND?! Put me down! Ah!"

She got the wind knocked out of her yet again as she was slung over the back of a horse, and then Ki'adan was in the saddle after her and they were taking off through the field while her head still spun--and while the saddle drove up into her gut with the horse's every stride. She grabbed at the saddle for purchase, trying to pull herself up even as her heart raced to the point of bursting as a new sort of panic grabbed her.

"Ki'adan, stop! Let me off!"

Maybe he'd regret all of this later.  He hadn't meant to hurt Jayari.  They were old friends that had stumbled into an unfortunate scenario.  Perhaps in that moment he had convinced himself that he was somehow doing this for her own good.  That even if somehow he managed to get away, her life here would be for naught.  It would be her word against Karim's and Nashoba's, but who would her father be most inclined to believe?

Was Ki'adan still trying to be the monster he portrayed himself as?  What did it matter now that he was running hard on the horse, the steed beneath them.  "You're coming with me!" he said, and remained steady, grabbing her around the waist and snatching another in the mane of the horse, spurring the animal onward.

"Don't be crazy! Ki'adan! Lemme go right now!" Jayari snapped, some of the shock leaving her voice as it was instead replaced by incredulous anger. Was he...was he really doing this? Was he actually thinking to kidnap her?!

She squirmed, prying at the hand on her waist, but his grip was surprisingly firm and she knew it would be crazy to fight with him here, on the back of a horse, where falling off could mean serious injury with how fast he was driving his steed. And he was already badly hurt. Hurting him in a struggle would defeat the purpose of saving him in the first place!

Gods be damned!

She shifted a little to look behind them, but no one was coming yet; Nashoba and Karim's horses were likely grazing near the camp, and it would take time to fetch them, and time to sound the alarm, and Ki'adan had already gained a healthy head start.

"Ki'adan, c'mon! Just lemme down, alright? You've got a good head start, you'll be home free, just...don't do this. Don't be ridiculous! Where are you even gonna take me, anyway? I'll just leave and go back home when you stop! You can't ride forever!"

His balls were  not feeling well with the speed of the headway we were making.  But the pain down there was secondary with the one burning along his arm.  Flesh was raw with friction and blood, and yet he managed to hold on.  He didn't stop, only slowed the horse, long enough for the animal to catch it's breath.  "Jayari!  If you go back they'll kill you!  You'll be a slave to some lowly chieftain for the rest of your life.  You didn't listen when I told you to leave me be!  If you choose to throw away your life, then I'll take you away from it."

And with that smacked the hind quarters of his horse hard, the animal bolted.

"Kill me?!" Jayari repeated, voice rising in alarm. She twisted to look back at him, brows drawn down in a piercing glare, and shouted over the wind, "What are you talking about, kill me? My father wouldn't kill me! Or enslave me! Or...or...what are you talking about?! You're talking crazy! I think you got hit too hard!"

But even as she said it, a crippling note of uncertainty entered her voice, which got quieter with each word she spoke.

"...You're exaggerating, right?"

"If Duhjari are anything, they are set in their ways.  I don't know if he will kill you...but it's your word against those men...  Who will your father believe?" Ki'adan countered, his face was flush, exhausted, and the bruises along his face were starting to swell.

...Who would her father believe?

Those words snapped her mouth shut, because she couldn't answer that. She wanted to think her father would believe her, because he loved her and would take the word of his daughter over the words of his men, but...

But he was her father, and he knew her. Knew she was a troublemaker, and she'd gotten into trouble with boys before.

Maybe he wouldn't believe her. And maybe...maybe it wasn't even a matter of believing her, but of tradition and custom and religion.

And according to tradition, she was...

Jayari felt her chest tighten as she looked away from Ki'adan and stared ahead of them, at the back of his horse's neck. What she and Ki'adan had done, she wanted that, but it didn't change the fact that in the eyes of her tribe, she was no longer their pure princess; she was nothing more than spoiled goods.

She bit her lip, fingers curling in the horse's mane, and her shoulders shook as she fought hard against her tears.

There was a sudden change in her.  Ki'adan felt it against his chest but kept on moving through the glades where they'd come across the river where thy made their kill.  The deer had been collected, and all that was left was a bloody print of a carcass.  One his likely would have been beside. He didn't know if what he was doing was right, and perhaps it was too late to think on it.

"Jayari," he found himself saying as the horse  cantered.  "You are crying?"

"No!" Jayari snapped, still not looking at him--but her voice was thick and choked and by then, hot tears were rolling down her cheeks no matter how she tried to blink them back.

Hooves clopped to a halt and Ki'adan gripped tightly around the horse's mane.  Already the animal was huffing, exhausted and pouring steam forth from powerful nostrils.

"Jayari..."  He didn't know what more to say.  He couldn't shake the nearly overwhelming feeling of guilt, and that very sensation sickened him.  Was it solely because of her that a feeling he'd never before entertained poured forth?

He was silent and he slipped from the horse's back and peered up at her.  "I'm sorry."

They stopped, and Ki'adan slipped off the horse, but Jayari hardly noticed. She was too busy fighting back her tears and shame and embarrassment.

Of course, she did notice when he spoke, and a quick glance down showed him looking up at her with...sympathy? Regret? She didn't know, but it made her chest and throat tighten all the more and she quickly looked away, wiping at the tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"D-don't be," she got out hoarsely, and bit her lip hard to bite back a sob, making her hiccup instead. "It's...it's my own fucking fault..."

And though she hated herself for it, though it embarrassed her all the more, those words were like opening up a floodgate. Her breath caught, a shudder went through her, and she covered her face as soon she couldn't stop the sobs from wracking her.

He hated watching her fight back the tears.  He hated watching her declare her guilt in this endeavor.  He hated that he hated himself most of all.  Ki'adan pulled himself back up onto the horse, snatched hold of the reins and nudged the horse into a canter.  While tired, it had recovered enough to keep going at a gentle pace.

"We keep moving," he said over Jayari's shoulder.  "And you'll stop feeling sorry for yourself.  We keep the ground underneath us.  Understand?"

Jayari felt Ki'adan settle down behind her, but was too numb to do much more than nod at his words. She sniffled again, feeling utterly pathetic for dissolving into tears in front of him, and furiously rubbed at her eyes. Stupid, stupid, crying like a damned baby like that. She was nineteen! A warrior! She was way too old to be crying like an idiot. Crying in front of Ki'adan, of all people.

And yet she couldn't quite shake the emotion welling up in her chest, threatening to choke her. She swallowed hard against it and kept her head down, staring at the horse's mane.

"Understood," she muttered, and bit her lip hard.

"I'm...I'm sorry."

She had nothing to be sorry for.  For taking charge of her own life? Condemned for choosing who she wished to embrace?  The life they led, perhaps it wasn't for her, but she deserved the chance to decide that, not them.  Ki'adan didn't think on it anymore.  His arm reached out and embraced her across the chest, pulling her back against him, as they rode on.  He trusted the horse to guide them, hand gripped deep in the mane.

He buried his head against her shoulder, resting it there for a moment.

Jayari was still feeling sorry for herself--and feeling stupid for feeling sorry for herself, and guilty for it, too--when she felt Ki'adan's arm go around her, and felt his head drop against her shoulder. For a moment she stiffened, surprised and jolted out of her dark thoughts even as a sick feeling curled in her belly because she liked his touch, but it was her liking his touch that got them into this mess. But then she let out a slow breath through her nose and relaxed again, bringing her free hand up and squeezing his arm.

As childish as it was, she needed a hug right then, more than she realized.

For a few moments she was quiet, not quite knowing what else to say. Where did she go from here? Where did they go from here? Where were they even going and what would her life be now? Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, because all she had ever known was life among her tribe, but...

She pushed the thoughts away and swallowed back her fear.

"Are you okay?" was what she finally asked instead as she still held onto him.

He'd looked awful when she'd intervened, to put it lightly, so...so maybe this wasn't a hug after all, but more holding on?

He hadn't really given any consideration for himself in all that progressed.  Whether she was simply using him as an excuse to keep from having to deal with her reality, he couldn't say.  He was still throbbing from the beating, and thankfully the chill wind numbed most of that pain.  "I don't think I'll die any time soon," he said, sighing against her shoulder.  He pulled away long enough to look ahead of them.

"But I am okay.  Thank you for saving me.  But...we must decide something.  I...I took you in anger.  You saved me after I told you not to. I can't stay as you know.  If you wish to continue with me, then now is the time to decide."

A long silence followed Ki'adan's words as Jayari studied the landscape around them and let her thoughts drift. She had a choice here. Ki'adan wasn't just kidnapping her like she'd initially felt. Maybe she could make a good case if she went home, claim she was still very confused over her "ordeal", and use him "abducting" her a good example of how messed up their situation was, that she was scared of him, and other such horseshit. She could probably convince them it was all his fault.

But she would be lying about something horrific, lying about Ki'adan doing those things, and...

She couldn't keep that sort of lie going about anyone. Much less someone she liked and respected and...well...still lusted after.

And if she went home, no matter what story she told, she...she would still be damaged goods, wouldn't she? People would look at her differently. She might be forced to marry now that she was ruined. And...would she actually be killed if she told the truth? That it was consensual, her choice?

Another little shudder went through her and she rubbed at her eyes, a flash of fear chilling her.

"I'll go with you," she said quietly. "If...if that's okay with you?"

Ki'adan heard those words sink into him like a dagger.  He didn't miss the pain those words evoked and held within them.  And he ached for a long moment, silent before grunting affirmatively.  "You can stay with me as long as you like," he said, his voice somber but trying to remain hopeful.

"We'll head to a camp I made not far from where we..." He stopped there.  "My ass is awfully chapped in this saddle."

"Where we...hunted," Jayari finished helpfully, letting out a soft snort at his hesitation. It was a sore subject right now, sure, but she saw no reason to beat around the bush and pretend it hadn't happened. And it was a good memory. She'd wanted to share that with him.

But if she'd known she was about to ruin both their lives, she wouldn't have. Spirits above. She'd almost gotten him killed.

Her stomach twisted at the thoughts, guilt gnawing away as her mind rolled out a nice, long list of "should haves" and "shouldn't haves" and "things that could have happened" and "might happen still". Oh gods. It wasn't just her life she'd wrecked. What about Ki'adan? Surely her father would confront his father about this and...

She felt like she could vomit. Instead, she swallowed hard and focused on Ki'adan's voice, using it to keep her grounded. Focus on the joke! Haha! Chapped ass!

Heh...

She managed a ghost of a chuckle. "If you've got blisters there, don't expect me to nurse them. I'm a terrible healer."

They were making good headway.  And the more tired his horse became, the closer he feared the riders of her tribe were no doubt getting in their pursuit.  They had said all that was needed to say for the moment and all that mattered was making sure both escaped with their lives.

That included not darkening the mood any further.  He laughed, dryly.

"Good thing I know the cure for chapped butt cheeks then," he said. 

He smiled, if only slightly before the remnants of his camp came into view in the center of a copse that sprouted between the weeds.  His father would no doubt be unhappy at getting the news of his premature departure, but he also knew he'd be enraged at learning what he had done to the Banyur Chief's daughter.  There could still be war...  And Ki'adan hadn't decided if he cared enough to worry about it.

He vaulted from the horse, moving toward a bag he had stashed at the base of a tree and  rummaged around for some clothes.  "Help me dash the ashes of the fire would you?  I don't need any more traces of where we'd been."

Jayari slid off the horse after Ki'adan and trotted to the fire. Moving quickly, she dropped to her knees and gathered handfuls of soil, moist from the nearby river, and dumped it over the fire pit, then covered it with brush and leaves for good measure, and scattered the stones that lined the pit. She arranged a few details here and there, trying to hide it while making it look as natural as possible, and then rose to her feet and brushed dirt off her knees.

"Think that's okay?" she asked, and swiped the back of her hand across her brow--and smeared a bit of mud there in the process. "And, uh...where are we going again, exactly?"

The supplies he'd thought to leave behind were a godsend.  Before he dressed, he looked at his own state.  Blood coated him and his body was purpled with bruises, cuts that were scabbing, scrapes that chaffed his skin.  The calluses on his hands did little to save him.  He'd fought off when he could, but he'd been on the cusp of death.  This was the closest he'd been, truly, and if it were not for Jayari's intervention he would be.

Pride would not let him openly acknowledge such a feat.  Not now.  Not because she was a woman, not because she was a chieftain's daughter.  Not because this was her fault too.  He was still Duhjari, no matter how he tried to shake the feeling, that he could not face his death with the pride of his clan.  And that pride only seemed to come when he refused to admit that...he owed her.  Was it the thought of debt?  Or shame of himself?

"Oh, uh, it's fine," he said, turning to look at her work on the fire.  It was well done, as he would have and should have expected.  Leathers were slipped back on, a hide set of trousers and tunic before he wrapped an indigo cloak around his shoulders, treasures taken from the desert beyond.

"I can't say.  Anywhere but here.  I do have business in Essyrn I have to deal with.  That is one destination."

"Essyrn?" Jayari repeated, the foreign name awkward on her tongue. "The...the sandy place?"

Her eyes were wide as she stared at Ki'adan, mouth gaping. She didn't know much about Essyrn beyond what she had heard in stories and learned from travelers, and it had always sounded like some mystical, impossibly far away place. She had certainly never believed she would visit there--or anywhere, really, beyond the plains.

Some of the grief in her eyes faded, just a little, replaced by wonder. "Is it true they ride lizards there?"

Ki'adan noted the change in her tone.  A flicker of a smile and he nodded.  "It's a beautiful city, in the heart of a oasis.  The people there are as fascinating.  Some of them wear next to nothing on the streets because it's just breezy enough to do so.  Any more clothing and you'll pass out from the heat," he explained.

"Kaadir," he went on.  "They're revered in Essyrn.  In fact to hurt or kill one is a punishable offense.  Not the Kaadir couldn't just eat you."

"...That sounds like my kind of place, actually," Jayari said after a pause, letting Ki'adan's words sink in. A slow grin spread across her face as she clung to that thread of hope and humor like a star in the night. "A place where people just go around naked and ride these...these kaadir things? Count me in!"

She flicked her braids back over her shoulder. She chewed her lip in thought. "Is it...a better place, though? How are its people?"

"Many travelers come and go, some from lands as far north as Serendipity," Ki'adan explained, speaking softly.  Just about finishing up and packing up the saddle.  He pulled his hair back in a pony tail.  "They are welcoming as long as you obey their laws and respect their cutsoms.  We will be fine.  We might even pass for Essyrni if we wished."

"You'll have to teach me their laws so I don't accidentally offend the wrong person. I don't wanna wave 'hi' at someone and get stabbed 'cause that means 'you smell like horse dick' to them," Jayari said with a wrinkle of her nose.

"I'll make sure you aren't lashed or collared," he said with a smile and reached for her hands, cupping th.between his hands.  "If you're ready to continue, I'm ready as well."

"Whoa, wait, what?! Lashed or collared? That's a thing they do there?" Jayari said, mouth agape as she stared at Ki'adan in budding horror, her hands tight around his.

And then, realizing what a cowardly reaction that was, she puffed out her chest and sniffed.

"I'd skewer the person who tried." With a firm nod, she released his hands and turned toward his horse. "Let's go, I was born ready!"

Ki'adan was just staring at her, wide-eyed, a  small smirk gradually grew and he chuckled lightly.  "I'm sure you will. Woe be to anyone that tries to tangle with you."

They stood and strode over to the horse.  As tired as the mount was, he was ready to continue on their journey.  Ki'adan hopped onto his back and pulled Jayari up after him.

Jayari couldn't tell if he was being sincere or sarcastic, but she decided to take it at face value! Pulled up onto the horse with him, she poked him in the side.

"That includes you," she teased. "Which reminds me, you owe me a sparring match."

"If I lash and collar you, I promise it's because you deserve it," Ki'adan laughed and rode on.  "I think you know who'd win that match anyway."

"Well, duh. Me," Jayari said without missing a beat.

"And a princess never misses an opportunity to flaunt her...assets as it were," Ki'adan laughed.  "You would win only because I am injured and weakened."

The horizon came closer the more the steed trotted on, but these small conversations kept his mind from what they had done.  And he hoped so for her sake as well.

Jayari snorted at that and rolled her eyes at his back. Assets, indeed!

"I wouldn't spar you wounded," she said. "I'd let you heal up first, so it'll feel more like a fight and less like punching a baby. And, you know...to let you believe you've got even the ghost of a chance against me." And she flipped her braids as she said it, eyelashes fluttering.

Just keep talking, just keep talking! The banter was working to keep her mind off other things, things she had yet to process and likely wouldn't even begin to accept as real for a bit. Haughty boasting and teasing had always been her best coping method and best distraction.

She knew that, eventually, she would have to face reality.

She just hoped by then she wouldn't feel quite so much like screaming.

It was better than dwelling on the past. It would catch up with them anyway.  For now however, it was just the two of them.

"Jayari I would put you down so hard, you'd skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three days because you'd eat so much dirt," he laughed.  "When I'm all healed up, I'll prove it to you."

"Pfffft! As if! I've got youth and beauty over you. I'll bet your joints are already starting to creak and pop!" Not that he was much older than her really, and certainly well into his prime, but...poking fun at age differences always seemed to get folks riled up.

"Hey! I'm not an old man.  I've lived a full life that's all," he murmured, cutting her a playful look.  "Besides that would mean you jumped an old man's bones.  Blagh!"

"Which would mean you robbed the cradle!" Jayari shot back with a smirk. "Perv."

"No!  Don't try to turn this one me," he cackled.  "Or I'll have you on the ground faster than you can blink."

"Oh, you'll have me on the ground, will you?" Jayari said and leaned against his back, chin propping on his shoulder so her lips were near his ear.

"I think you already did. Peeeeeeerv."

"Hey!  I'm warning you.  Don't push it," he said, trying to ignore the chill that coursed down his spine from her whisper.

"You say that like it's an incentive to stop," Jayari said with a light laugh that likely tickled along his skin. She gave his ear a quick nip.

"If you were feeling better, I might keep pushing and see where it landed me!" After all, it wasn't like such dalliance mattered anymore, she realized with a sharp pang.

"I'm too dignified to respond to that in the way I'd be most pleased to do so,"  Ki'adan said with a haughty laugh.  "Let's find a place to make camp soon.  The horse is tiring and I'm on the verge of collapse."  Words that were followed by a yawn.

Jayari decided to take that as a win, and she leaned against him and held on as they continued over the plains.

She pointed over Ki'adan's shoulder to a sparse cluster of trees. "What about over there?" she asked, and frowned. "Or is that too exposed?"

"That will do, for now.  Even a temporary camp there will be better than trying to lay low in the grasses," Ki'adan said and pushed his horse off in that direction.  Feeling the animal move underneath him, even tiredly made him reach down and pat Jayari's leg.

"I'm sorry we left behind your mare.  If I had the choice, I'd have her here with us.  No Duhjari should be parted from their horse.  That's what my father used to say anyway," he said with a sigh.

Ouch.

Jayari stiffened at his words. Until this moment, she hadn't even stopped to consider her mare. All of this was still a confusing, overwhelming mess in her head, and she had yet to come to grips with everything she would be losing--

And all the people she would be leaving behind.

She hadn't even thought about her horse. Her horse, that she had helped birth and trained herself, who was as much of a friend and companion to her as any person. Her throat tightened, and she sucked in a slow breath.

"Oh...it's...it's okay," she said slowly, steeling herself. Be strong, Jayari. She'd already cried enough, and she didn't want Ki'adan to think her weak. "It'll be fine. She's a good horse. My father will take good care of her and...and it'll be fine."

Ki'adan could feel her pain.  Hitama was as precious to him as her horse had been for her.  A horse was more than just a mount for a Duhjari.  Where they were useful beasts that could haul plows or wagons or carry a man far into battle, to the Duhjari they were apart of them in nearly every essence of being.  They were as essential to life as the very beat of their hearts and breath in their lungs.

He said nothing to the matter and instead kept going until they found a suitable spot in that copse to make camp.  It would give them a concealed location long enough to at least get some rest for the time being.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" he asked, settling down and finishing the fire.

"Equal parts both, I think," Jayari said tiredly as she joined Ki'adan at the fire, plopping down onto her butt with a small puff of stirring dust. "But I don't think you're in any condition to hunt right now, and me? I didn't have time to grab anything. Considering I didn't know I was going on a trip," she added with a wry smile.

She fiddled with a braid, rubbing her fingers along the beads in a self-soothing sort of gesture. "If you've got any weapons on you, lemme borrow them. I can fetch us something. I'm the better shot anyway."

And her grin was impish as she said it, hearkening back to their earlier hunt. "I clearly won last time, after all."

What a snide little remark, and made a time like this?

He gave her a sharp look but the grin that played on his lips was more than evident.  "Yes.  You won.  And your prize was to ride the loser," he said with a wink and pulled his bow out before him.  He handed them to her, knowing he didn't have to teach her much of anything.  If one thing was for sure was that the Chief taught his daughter well.

"Just don't shoot me, okay?  I'm still recovering.  And it wouldn't be much of a victory," he chuckled.

Jayari snorted a laugh at that, her face heating. Ride the loser she had, and boy had he been a loser. She'd ridden him, all right, and what had he gotten out of it but a beating? But once again she shoved the negative thoughts from her head. If she went hunting with a cloud of negativity around her, she would catch no game. She would be her own bad luck charm.

"I'll try not to. Tasty as you look..." And with a saucy grin his way, she winked at him and tossed her braids, then turned and tromped out through the grass with her his bow in hand and a quiver slung across her back.

She wasn't gone too long. The plains were plentiful, and soon enough, she returned carrying a slain, fat rabbit by the ears. She slung it down at Ki'adan's feet.

"What do I win this time?"

Ki'adan, honestly hadn't been expecting much.  Oh he had no doubt she was an excellent hunter, but just out of spite he wanted to starve.  And yet somehow, he was so so glad he was proven wrong.  Would he ever concede she was the better hunter?

Hell.  No.

He could, however, be an excellent loser. 

Ki'adan looked at her and took the fat rabbit in hand.  "Win?  This wasn't a competition," he said smugly. 

"Everything's a competition!" Jayari announced, hands on her hips. "After all, life's one big game, one big challenge full of smaller challenges. And I won at this one! Admit it. I'm amazing. And a winner. So what do I get?"

Ki'adan just stared at her with a raised brow and set the rabbit down beside him.  Goodness she wouldn't let this go, now would she?
Despite rolling his eyes he looked her over and kept his smug expression.  "How about my appreciation and some dinner?  That's good enough yes?"

"Nope!" Jayari said, and she plopped down next to him.

"I killed that deer, saved your butt, and got us dinner. So admit I'm amazing! And the best."

Ki'adan made an audible sigh, loud and obnoxious just as he intended.

"You're the best.  And amazing," he droned, not sounding like he at all meant it.  "There?  Happy now?"

Jayari let out an exaggerated huff and crossed her arms, bottom lip poking out.

"Nope," she said. "You're not very convincing."

He chewed idly on his bottom lip.  And rose to his knees, shuffling a little closer to her.  He leg a hand touch her leg.  "And what do I have to do to convince you?" he asked, looking up at her.

Jayari glanced down at his hand, and fiercely shoved back the small, subtle thrill that went through her. Stupid, stupid, to get all excited just at a mere touch. But she hadn't lied to him; she'd fawned over him before, and she still did. Even after everything.

Instead, she feigned nonchalance and gave a shrug. "A little enthusiasm would be nice."

Ki'adan snaked a hand up at the back of her leg and grinned up at her. "Oh thank you, Jayari.  You are truly my savior!" And dramatically threw his arms around her thigh and kissed at her hip.

...Well, that was a definite improvement!

Jayari stared down at the top of his head in surprise, and then bit her lip hard to hold in the bubbling laughter wanting to burst out. Her shoulders shook with the effort, and her breaths came out sharp through her nose like repressed laughter, but finally she cleared her throat, lifted her chin regally, and gave him a singe pat on the top of his head.

"That is acceptable," she said in her most arrogant voice.

Oh he knew she was being condescending.  And when she pat his head he leaned his head in and planted lips firmly on her thigh and blew hard, forcing the air out in a farting noise.

The act crumbled instantly.

Jayari collapsed into squealing, flailing laughter, gasping for air and thrashing to get away. Gods be damned, that was NOT FAIR! That was one of her most ticklish spots!

"You BUTT! Ahaha, stoppit!" she wheezed, giving him a playful shove.

Ki'adan didn't let her go, not before giving her another one on the same thigh and keeping persistent.  His lips stayed there until it turned into a sucking kiss, leaving a trail of hickies along her sensitive skin.

He leered up at her, lips still wounded, face still very much bruised, but persistent nonetheless.

...Oh!

Jayari's struggles soon stilled when those raspberries turned into something else, something a little less ticklish and far more pleasant. And soon she was squirming for an entirely different reason as his lips left behind kisses and darker marks, her giggles turning into a breathy gasp.

That...that wasn't fair at all!

"Ki'adan, what...?" She dug her fingers into his hair, staring down at him as her face went hot. And that look! Oh, he was a demon, all right.

She squirmed again, this time to try and free her leg. "That's just mean!" she said with a huff.

"What's mean? I just wanted to show my appreciation is all," he breathed, gently lapping his tongue in wet kisses closer to her inner thigh.  He paused and glanced up at her expectantly.  "Why did you want me to stop?"

Evil, evil, evil...

Jayari shivered under his kisses, and had to command her brain to function. Her fingers curled in his hair and her toes curled in delight, and by gods, she definitely did NOT want him to stop.

But...

"You're injured," she managed to gasp, biting her lip.

"I am."  It wasn't like he disagreed with her. Ki'adan grinned against her skin and kept his attention light and delicate, getting closer to her heat, but keeping a tempestuous distance.  "But maybe we can reserve this kind of attention for another time then?"

He pulled away long enough to lick his lips and reached up to pull her down with him.  He brought lips to her ears, to her neck as he felt for her pulse, growling a little when his teeth met to her skin.  "After we eat?  If we both don't just asleep afterward."  A chuckle followed.  But despite every ache and protest in his body, he wasn't really sure he wanted to stop.  Or where he was going with this if he continued.  Even if she was recipient of such attention, he could feel his own heart racing at the contact.

Jayari was both grateful and regretful that she had worn a dress that day when Ki'adan stood trial, a simple, homespun one dyed in reds and blues that tied at the waist with a sash. Grateful because it meant he could do that--pants were far more of a barrier--but regretful because it also meant he could do that, and he was far too injured for this sort of thing! Which meant he could be an awful tease, and that she should be the responsible one for once and put a stop to it before he hurt himself.

She bit her lip, trying not to squirm as he worked his way ever closer to the junction of her thighs, her body aching for more while her mind screamed for her to use her head. But then he stopped and pulled her down, and she stretched out onto her side next to him--and let out a restless whimper when his lips and teeth teased her skin. Bastard! She found herself arching into his touch, head tilting to give him access, and he would no doubt feel her pulse spike.

Think, think, think! He was wounded! Pretty bad! And...and was this really the sort of thing they should be doing after...everything that had happened? Considering where it had landed them? Considering all she'd lost--her entire family--and how she'd nearly gotten Ki'adan killed?

Or did it even matter at this point.

Jayari stiffened for a moment, her stomach knotting and throat constricting, but then she turned into his touches and captured his mouth with her own in a fierce kiss, not minding that he tasted of old blood. Maybe there was no better time to do this than now, since it really didn't even matter what she did anymore.

Maybe she could use a distraction.

"I still think you're too hurt for this," she said against his lips.  "But I'm fine. So why don't you just lay back and relax and I'll give you the release I owe you?" She winked at him and sat up, hands reaching for his pants.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Ki'adan murmured, nodding and obeying.  As hungry as he was, his appetite had a taste for something else.  He breathed gently, lips sore and throbbing.  But his bruises were secondary as he  leaned back, his hand assisting hers in the removal of his trousers.

"You don't owe me anything," he said with a grin.  Ki'adan lifted his hips to shuffle out of hIs clothing, carefully as it were and exhaling with relief when his hardness was released.  "This is my appreciation, remember?"
He guided her over him, mindful of his wounds and pushed fingers into her braids.  He leaned up, sealing her lips in a fierce hungered kiss.

Jayari blinked in surprise when he pulled her over him, for she had had other ideas in mind. She had planned only to use her mouth on him. Was he well enough for this? He was so bruised and beaten; she didn't want to hurt him!

Her face flushed as she found herself straddling him, his hands in her braids, his lips muffling her weak protest, and she spirits she had no self control, because she couldn't help answering his hungry kiss with hunger--though she softened it when she felt the scabs on his lips and the hints of old blood. Gentle, gentle. Her fingers trailed over his shoulders, her touch feather-light as she traced bruises and his tattoos before curving inward and running along his chest, her nails grazing and teasing.

"You were beaten and humiliated because of me," she murmured. "And you lied for me. Ruined your reputation for me...I should be showing you appreciation."

With another soft kiss, tongue trailing along his lips, she reached down and lifted her skirts until it was bunched up around her waist and out of the way. Then, carefully, she lowered back down and let out a soft, breathy sigh when she began to slide their sexes together, grinding against him and shivering when his cock rubbed along her clit. Spirits, she was already wet; it was almost embarrassing how easily Ki'adan got to her, how little he had to do before she was craving him, and as ill-fated as their earlier encounter had been--it had only left her wanting more.

Even after everything.

She should be ashamed.

Yet she shoved it out of her mind, and focused instead on the man she had beneath her, her lips trailing down to his neck to suck lightly at his skin. "Though I guess in our case our way of showing appreciation leaves us both winners, eh?"

With a sly smile, she pulled back to meet his eyes, her own face hot and eyes hooded as she continued to move, to tease, her breathing growing heavier. "This is okay? I don't wanna hurt you."

Shame was the furthest thing from his mind in that moment.  Among it were the words family, honor, tradition, and heritage.  Because beyond surviving the real world, none of those things really mattered.  In this moment, all that mattered was what was here, what was now, what was real.  And the fire that burned in his loins and the ache that stemmed from his belly and the increased rate of his heart, the feel of Jayari skin to skin with him, that was real.

Ki'adan moaned deeply, unable to contain the tremors that stemmed when she pressed her body against him.  Despite the pain of his wounds, all of that was secondary, and he focused instead on the feel of her heat, how they moved together with such ease.  His hands found their way to her hips, a groan coming from deep within his throat. 

"Jayari, you tease me...you cruel woman," he gasped, grinning up at her and pulling her down to kiss him softly.  Lips were bruised and cut, but her kept his mouth palpable against hers, tasting her gently and gripped his hand deep within her braids.

"Cruel? I'd say I'm being pretty sweet and generous right now," Jayari said with a cocky smirk as she continued to grind on him, her cheeks flushed with passion. Despite the cool air around them, she was warming up, and soon enough she gave a frustrated huff, bunched her dress up in her hands, and tossed it off over her head, leaving herself completely bare. It was getting in the way--and she wanted his skin against hers.

She should feel ashamed. But right now she just felt utterly shameless.

"Don't act like you don't like the teasing," she added with a gentle, playful lick at his lips, moaning lightly as his hand tangled in her braids--and shivering as she imagined him pulling them. She slipped a hand down between them, stroking along him even as she rubbed against him, and met his eyes as she finally lifted her hips and aligned him against her, biting her lip as she lowered until they were touching. "It's reeeally obvious that you do."

And then she thrust her hips down and let out a sharp cry as he filled her, still a little tender from their first time--but she savored the feeling, and savored the ache, and it only made her hotter because it was him inside her. Grabbing onto his shoulders, she captured his lips again in another fierce kiss, forgetting in the moment that he was hurt, and pressed down until she was seated in his lap and he was deep inside her.

"Gods," she gasped, even as she began to move, rocking on him and shuddering all around him.

For this kind of contact, he could endure the pain.  The sensation was building in little shudders, hitches and breath, and soft groans that erupted from his lips.  His eyes rolled back deep in his head, and he was forced to breath when he thought he was going to pass out from holding in his moan.  Ki'adan knew she was well aware of what she was doing, and it didn't matter what he tried, he couldn't resist.  And frankly, he would enjoy this, wounds be damned.

He grew stock still, observing her entrance hovering over his cock.  "Really? How can you tell?"  He eas riveted in that moment. Eyes clenched shut, and he threw his head back, moaning deeply as she sunk down onto him.  "Damn, Jayari!  Whatever you do, don't be gentle."

A soft gasp and he wrapped arms around her, holding her fierce, and he kissed her hungrily, lips sore and bruised as he could taste the confines of her mouth.  Another moan between kisses as she rocked on him.  Gods this was brutal, but he didn't want her to stop.  "It isn't fair," he found himself saying. 

Don't be gentle? That she could definitely manage, as gentle was not her most familiar setting. Roughness, she was used to. Roughhousing, wrestling, fighting...biting, scratching. She craved it, and was curious about it in this context--but what if she hurt him badly, even if he told her not to go easy on him? She didn't normally worry about opponents in a sparring match, since she knew her own strength and if they came into the ring, they were prepared for what they got. But this was different! She may have fooled around, but she was still new to much of it, and hadn't gotten a chance to test or learn her limits.

Or Ki'adan's.

But he'd let her know if it was too much, right?

She let out a gasp against his lips, a sharp, needy moan as she nibbled his bruised lips and thrust her hips down onto him, again and again, her skin hot against his. She clung to him and bit at his neck, at his jaw, and tangled her hands in his hair and held on tightly as she rode him,. She bit her lip to hold back her cries, letting her breath out in shaky whimpers, because even though he made her want to scream, she was so used to having to be quiet and careful and alert.

"W-what's not fa--ah! What's not fair?" she asked breathlessly, before she gave him a wicked little smile between panted breaths and grabbed his wrists--quickly shoving him flat onto his back with his hands pinned beside his head. She grinned down at him, her braids framing her face, and began to rock on him anew--and her wicked grin soon melted to pleasure as she took him at a new angle, her eyes fluttering shut and face flushing as she moved, taking her sweet time in learning him.

"Th-that I'm on top?" And she stuck her tongue out playfully at him. In her tribe, at least, men would often make jabs at each other about "being on the bottom", considering it womanly.

He gave a cry when she pierced herself upon him time and again, but the steady rhythm soon set aside the pain and Ki'adan rolled his eyes back into his head.  He gasped, feeling all of her, and even amid the wounds, his sheer vulnerability, he murmured quiet pleas for her not to stop.  He didn't care when her hands came around his wrists pinning him back.

"No," he muttered.  "Its...gods, not fair that I can't fuck you back just as good...  Besides, I get...fuck... A great view of your chest from here."  He chuckled amid a thrust upon him and he threw his head back.  "You're lucky I'm beaten, it'd be...the only way you could..keep me pinned."

"We'll just...we'll have to put that to the test later," Jayari gasped out, dipping down to kiss his lips, his jaw, and then his throat when he threw his head back, suckling gently at his skin. "'Cause I don't believe you. You'll win only when I--ah! When I want to lose..."

With a playful smile she captured his lips again, nibbling and licking, and released his wrists only so she could straighten back up, her hands braced on his chest as she rocked on him, her body trembling as the pleasure built and spiked. She slid her hands over his skin and to her own thighs, caressing up her body until she cupped her breasts, kneading them even as she rode him. He said he liked the view, after all, so she decided to give him a show, tugging lightly at her piercings before trailing one hand down to where they were joined, curiously feeling at them and gasping as she stroked him even as she rode him.

"Gods, Ki'adan..." she whimpered, trembling. "You feel so good..."

The visual teasing was grating enough.

Ki'adan gasped deeply, moaning with little in the way of yielding.  Even unable as he was to move, he still tried here and there to stroke her with upward motions of his hips. He wasn't going to skimp out on giving as good as he got. It was just hard to concentrate when she was doing things like she was when he opened his eyes, watching her through half-lidded eyes.

He bit his lip, reaching up to firmly grasp at one of the piercings on her nipples.  He rubbed at her breast, thumb rolling over it.  "I can't," he panted, "Take all the credit."

Ki'adan gave a grunt and forced his body to sit up, grunting with effort until he was able to take a flick of his tongue to her piercing, tasting the cool metal against his tongue.  He could come right now if she kept this up.

"Maybe just a liiiittle credit," Jayari gasped out with a slow, deliberate roll of her hips. But her gasp soon turned into a sharp whimper when he grasped  her piercing, her spine arching and body tensing all around him in pleasure. She was sensitive there, and the piercings made the pleasure even sharper, made the slight pain all the more exquisite when it twisted a little. And when he sat up and teased her with his tongue, she could have melted against him--if he wasn't driving her so damned wild, pleasure and heat shooting straight to her groin.

"Gods," she cried with a toss of her head, whipping her braids back, as she grabbed at his shoulders for purchase and began to truly ride him, forgetting to be gentle with him as she plunged onto him again and again, their bodies slapping together. They didn't have to be careful now, and this time, she wanted him to find pleasure and release just as she had. This time, there was nothing to interrupt them.

Hopefully.

"Oh Ki'adan," she gasped, crying out each time he filled her, feeling that familiar heat and pressure build as her body clenched around him and trembled. "Oh gods, Ki'adan, I'm close...!" She captured his lips in another fierce kiss, needy moans muffled against his mouth, and rocked more urgently against him, breath coming out in sharp bursts through her nose. "Oh gods, oh gods, fuck me!"

And with a sharp cry, a near scream, she came hard, shuddering all around him and clinging to him hard. But even then she still moved, milking it for all it was worth--and hoping he would join her in bliss, too.

Nothing to stop them. Finally. Nothing to hold them back, or keep them from doing what it was that was only natural for them to do.  Ki'adan, even in his injury, wasn't going to let that get in the way of finally being free to have Jayari with no inhibitions. He wanted her as much then as he ever did. Ki'adan had once freed himself from the ways of his tribe, but some things you just couldn't leave behind.

He didn't care if she was careful anymore and as he braced his arms at her hips, body rocking to the rhythm he set, letting her ride him out to her pleasure, he began to feel his own building. He could have burst then and there, panting hard. "Gods!" he hissed, moaning loudly, unafraid and unabashed as he thrust his hips up to meet hers.

And then he felt her cum and that slick wet heat made his body shudder and jerk heavily. Ki'adan clenched his eyes shut, and smashed his lips against hers, exchanging breaths and deepthroated moans as she continued on. He was pretty sure he reopened the wounds on his back as he wrapped arms around her, clutching her tightly to him as he cried out and came at last, biting down hard on her lower lip, his left hand gripping into her hair and tugging at it.

"I'll fuck you good and proper, I promise," he panted, his body wracking with leftover shivers. "I make good on my promises....  Fuck, I love you. When I'm all better, we'll see just how flexible we both are."

He just rested his forehead against hers, half-dazed and delirious, really having little grasp on what he just said, and his hands reached down cup cup the muscles of her ass and lower back, his chest pressed against her piercings.