Winds of Change [Liooon!] [M]

Rhindeer · June 30, 2015, 01:19:35 AM

"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."

Lion · June 30, 2015, 01:29:44 AM

"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?"

Rhindeer · July 01, 2015, 08:49:46 AM

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."

Lion · July 01, 2015, 01:36:09 PM

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."

Rhindeer · July 06, 2015, 09:38:24 PM

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?"

Lion · July 06, 2015, 11:34:47 PM

"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?"

Rhindeer · July 07, 2015, 10:47:24 PM

Jayari's shoulders slumped, her head dropping low.

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

Lion · July 08, 2015, 12:51:33 AM

"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."

Rhindeer · July 08, 2015, 01:16:13 AM

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

Lion · July 08, 2015, 01:25:07 AM

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.

Rhindeer · July 08, 2015, 06:55:22 PM

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.

Lion · July 08, 2015, 07:42:24 PM

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

Rhindeer · July 16, 2015, 10:17:18 AM

"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.

Lion · July 17, 2015, 11:12:09 PM

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."

Rhindeer · July 19, 2015, 10:10:28 AM

...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.

Lion · July 20, 2015, 12:14:55 AM

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.

Rhindeer · September 17, 2015, 09:12:27 PM

[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.

Lion · September 18, 2015, 12:18:52 AM

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."

Rhindeer · October 07, 2015, 07:37:43 PM

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.

Lion · October 07, 2015, 10:57:13 PM

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."