Spoils for the Victor [TALLY!!!]

[Nix]

Mahvash had no qualms about keeping his prized gladiator in the same sort of accommodations as his concubines. His wives thought it odd though, in fact his first wife even questioned why he would allow a virile man like Hawk to be quartered in close proximity to Mahvash's concubines. He laughed a bit and shook his head dismissing the question entirely. Hawk had his own room, but he did not have the freedom to come and go as he pleased. The question was absurd because Mahvash would know what the gladiator was up to. Implying that he would not know the happenings of his own home? How ridiculous!

Besides, he wanted the gladiator close at hand.

Mahvash walked into the fighter's room at late morning, a young slave boy in tow carrying a long item wrapped in cloth, an item that could only be a blade. "I have a gift for you Hawk." Mahvash said with a slanted grin.

[Tally]

Hawk found his accommodations garish unto the point of nauseating.  How Mahvash could live in such gaudy excess he would never understand.  Crow should be here instead of him.  Hawk's little brother would find it all so amusing, he was sure.

He was reading when his master entered.  Nothing terribly exciting, a history book on the founding of Essyrn.  He did not look up from it.  Far be it from he to pass on any opportunity to disrespect Mahvash.

"Is it news of some excruciating and incurable disease you've contracted?  Because I would cherish that gift indeed."

[Nix]

The slave boy noticeably stiffened at Hawk's words, but the master simply laughed them off."No, no... but do not give up hope! Though the stars to not point in that direction now it does not mean it is an impossibility. Come, look at this blade."

Mahvash took the sword from the slave and removed the cloth covering, inspecting it briefly himself before placing it on top of the book Hawk had been reading. The hilt was gold and encrusted with purple jewels, the blade itself was exquisitely tempered steel but the edges and point were dulled.

"What do you think?"

[Tally]

Hawk was interested in what manner of blade a man of Mahvash's means might procure, but he wasn't about to clue Mahvash in on that.  He pretended to read until the man placed the sword upon his book.

He would have called it impressive at first glance, if needlessly embellished.  Good steel, crafted well.  That said, the thing was blunt and useless.  "I think you've missed the purpose of a sword.  Do you mean me to bludgeon my opponents with this?"

[Nix]

Mahvash dismissed the slave boy and helped himself to sitting on the edge of Hawk's bed. "In fact, I do." He grinned more and played with one of his little braids as if he were so bored in talking to Hawk and that his own hair was far more interesting. Actually it was quite beautiful.

"It is for a special tournament I had arranged, unfortunately one of the requirements of it is special dulled blades such as that. Still, I believe you would be able to kill with such a weapon. Sadly, killing the opponents is not the point of these matches."

[Tally]

A match with blunted blades?  That would be a wide awake nightmare.  Not for Hawk, as he had no intention of allowing himself to lose, but for his opponents.

Mahvash apparently wanted to make a visit of it, so Hawk set the sword aside and snapped the book shut.  He glared at Mahvash on his bed, before he reminded himself that it wasn't his bed.  It was Mahvash's.  Mahvash's bed, in Mahvash's room, and Mahvash's home.  Nothing here belonged to Hawk, not even his own body.

"Not the point, but a welcome show?"  To suggest that the people of Essyrn did not enjoy watching men kill each other was to lie right to his face.

[Nix]

"Well of course~!" Mahvash fell back against the bed and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "...but the point of these particular matches is to inflict as much harm as possible without killing. The point is to take champion gladiators and have them battle till they give up. Till one of them simply surrenders and admits defeat, that's it. Of course if no one surrenders then someone would have to die to end the match... the whole point of the dulled blades is to draw out the matches and to see who is truly the strongest."

He looked up at the ceiling and grinned more. "You will win though."

[Tally]

"Mm."  That he would win he took as a given.  There was little space in his mind for doubt—so had it always been with he and his brothers.  Oh, to have Raven here!  He would happily have given years off of the end of his life to see Mahvash attempt to corral that one.

He waved a hand, dismissive.  "Of course I'll win.  And with blunted blades there should be gore enough to satisfy your coinpurse and your cock alike."

[Nix]

"That is all I wanted to hear~" He smirked happily, propping himself up a bit to look at the gladiator. No one had ever managed to bring him as much satisfaction as this man did. "It might be hard to watch in public." He chuckled.

"Sit with me a bit Hawk." Mahvash shifted on the bed again, now propped on his side, and patted the space next to him.

[Tally]

Hawk glared, but he could not disobey an order from Mahvash.  It was less that he minded sitting with the man and more that he had no choice in the matter.  That, and he suspected Mahvash found it amusing to command him.

"Nothing would please me more," he droned, tossing the book on the floor next to that ridiculous sword.  He joined Mahvash on the bed, one that had been meant for a concubine and looked it.  It was too large and too lavish a thing.  Hawk would almost have rather stayed in the slave barracks.

"What?"

[Nix]

"Hmmm...." Mahvash looked at Hawk briefly before letting his eyes close again. "Tell me a story."

He found Hawk very amusing, something he did not try and hide either. The man was much more amusing and interesting than the pretty concubines in the other rooms. Hawk was strong and deadly, and his. Mahvash was in control of Hawk, and of course he got enjoyment out of that.

[Tally]

Hawk rubbed the bridge of his nose.  Demons take this fool!

"A story."  Hell if he knew any stories.  He supposed he could tell the man about one of the many demon hunts he'd been on, but he disliked the idea of sharing anything genuine about his life with Mahvash.

"I could tell you about my idiot brothers.  There's Crow.  He's the competent one who thinks he knows everything.  And Raven.  He's the one who can melt a man's eyes out of his sockets but can't tell left from right even on a good day.  Ey!"

He nudged Mahvash.  "You're not falling asleep in my bed, are you?"

[Nix]

Mahvash opened one eye to look at Hawk. "No, I'm listening. Not sleeping." He was rather comfortable though. He shifted a bit and laid his head down on one of the many pillows instead of keeping it propped up in his palm. He closed his eye again and grinned at Hawk.

"Are they your older brothers or younger brothers? Please continue."

[Tally]

The fights and the arena he could take.  That was Mahvash's livelihood.  But this lingering about on his bed and talking at him like they were friends, this got to his nerves.  Hawk thought he could have endured this enslavement were it not for Mahvash imposing himself on Hawk's time outside the arena.

"Younger," he said, wondering why he had to be on the bed to say all this.  The command was satisfied now.  He might return to the chair just to spite the man.  "What more is there to say?  They're little brothers, and they're aggravating.  I hope you get the chance to meet them some day."

It was the most dire curse he could think of.

[Nix]

"Mhmmm perhaps one day I will." He opened his eyes again to give Hawk a tired and almost pouting look. "That isn't much of a story though... perhaps I should ask you to tell me a secret instead?"

The slave had so many of those, perhaps that would be easier for him to think of. "Here, I will tell you a secret first if it will help... I hate my second wife."

[Tally]

Hawk sighed and leaned back on the bed post.  He would stay, for the moment.  Maybe for once he would see if he could resist the urge to try Mahvash's patience.

"I think that secret cost you nothing to admit."

[Nix]

He chuckled at that. "Are you sure? She has no idea how much I despise her... I have become very adept at playing nice." He grinned slyly.

"So tell me one of your secrets." He shifted again, sitting up a bit again. Hawk was being difficult but sometimes it was part of what made him so interesting.

[Tally]

"Someday I want to meet this pleasant and not at all infuriating version of you."

Hawk sighed.  So Mahvash wanted a secret did he?  Fine.  Hawk had secrets aplenty, no few of them trite, boring things the likes of which Mahvash was not looking for, he'd wager.

"A secret.  Very well."  He pretended to ponder the matter at length.  "When I was six, I let all the horses out of our corral.  No one ever did find out it was I who caused so much extra work that day in rounding them all back up again."

[Nix]

That certainly was trite and boring! What was this a lover's reminiscing of childhood shenanigans? There were several problems with that scenario.

"Well that is just adorable Hawk." Mahvash chuckled. "You won't meet my 'pleasant, non-infuriating' side if you try to infuriate me in return. Though I am good to you aren't I? Would it be better if I were harsher with you? If I have you lashed for every insolent thing that passes through your lips? Maybe that would please my cock as much as your fighting. Should we try it?"

[Tally]

It always took him by surprise when Mahvash stopped playing around and decided to wield the power he held over him.  They jabbed at each other, he and Mahvash, but for all the jesting, occasionally his master found the need to remind him of his place.

Now, as always, it wounded his pride to endure Mahvash speaking to him like that.  Now, as always, he considered tipping their mild antagonism into true hatred.  It would be so easy to force Mahvash's hand, but what would that gain Hawk?  Pride and misery and little else—besides the poisonous knowledge that Mahvash would enjoy his pain all too much.

All this passed through his head as he glared at Mahvash before, finally, dropping his eyes.  "No."