"Dark Stag" - Chapter 16

KIJUS:

            I paced back and forth, the marching guardsmen being the last thing I needed to see. Devari looked at me, not understanding the significance of what was going on.

“I’m going to need you to calm down…” He suggested.

“I can’t.. This is bad!” I responded, full of panic, “I will literally go to the front gates of the palace myself and slaughter anyone that hurts him!”

            Tears began to stream down my cheeks. Devari was confused.

“Hurt who?” He asked.

“Richard…” I said back. Devari took a congested breath, not too enthused about what I said.

“In that case, then really calm down… Think before you do something stupid…” He advised.

            All I could do was begin to make my way back to the brothel. Devari, frustrated with having to keep up with me, followed. He panted heavily, watching me as I whistled up to the sky. Seconds later, Bazahra’s return screeches echoed off the buildings. Her silver frame seemed to appear out thin air as she landed on the ledge. I got on my hands and knees, pulling pen and paper from her pouch. Swiftly, I wrote Richard a letter, folding it and handing it to the bird.

“Okay, I need you to give this to Richard…” I said to her. She chirped, nodding, taking off on stiff-shallow wingbeats.

            Again her silvery plumage melted into the sky. Devari watched in awe.

“She’s that well trained?” He asked.

“Yeah…” I said back, standing and waiting, my eyes scanning the sky line. It wasn’t even thirty minutes before she returned. She landed with a bound.

“Gone…” She said.

“Fuck… Search everywhere…” I said, so worried. She was hesitant to fly, seeing the worry in my eyes. The reluctant bird took off, riding the thermals high as her powerful eyes scanned the ground.

“You still love him?” Devari asked, looking at me intently. It made me concerned.

“Yeah…” I responded.

“And you think he still loves you?” Devari prodded.

“I’d hope so…” I shrugged.

“I’m going to be honest. I think things would have changed a bit since you last saw him. Extreme power can change someone so rapidly…” He said.

“Don’t say that.” I responded, clenching my head.

“He might not view you the same, anymore after this…” Devari sighed. Slowly my eyes fell upon him, with heaviness and frustration.

“What are you trying to do? He is everything to me! He’s one of the only few people I have left fighting for me! And need be, I’d fight for him!” I said firmly.

“Are you going to do something stupid?” Devari asked me plainly.

“I don’t know yet…” I said back, heading towards the stairs.

“I don’t mind if you do… Just make sure you don’t fuck us over in the process…” He said. I looked back at him, annoyed.

“Rest be assured, if I do something stupid, it’d have no affect on you.” I sighed.

            The boy followed me to my room. I don’t know why, but when ever he was around, he’d cling to me like glue. It was beyond odd. Still though, it was the lesser of issues. I sat down at the desk clenching my head. It was difficult to be rational right now. The only thing I could do was to begin pinning a letter:

‘Gou,

What the fuck is this? What happened? I heard that evil nobleman has taken over everything!I sent Richard a letter but Bazahra returned saying he was gone! I don’t know anything from here, what’s going on, ANYTHING! Before I do something stupid, please tell me Richard is okay, safe somewhere! I need to know… Please, I’ll give it three hours to see a response and if not, guarantee I’m looking for him!

I need to know what happened? It’s hard being here, putting up with the horrors of this brothel, being away from the man I love, having my own investigation going on, still being a wanted man, and having so many new and changing variables pop up. I don’t know if I’m close to quitting but, maybe we also need to rethink this strategy. It may have seemed like a decision from my heart to join this brothel in a search for my sister but, no!

This was a well plotted, pre-thought pre-coursed plan of option because it was my last resort! But with the slow pace of this operation, and the fast pace of what’s changing around me, I’m slowing things down and I don’t think that’s fair! What should I do, Gou? This all is weighing so heavy on me, like you don’t understand, I’m barely holding together… Just advise me, tell me if Richard is safe, and guide me through this… please!

Kijus’

“Wait,” Devari said, looking over my shoulder, “Kijus? Is that your real name?”

“You’re not helping…” I sighed.

“And this place isn’t that damn horrible…” Devari said, making light of this all. All I could do was roll my eyes, beyond irritated with the boy. He smiled, knowing it was getting under my skin. There was no point in even responding.

            I got up, heading out of the room, down the stairs, to the base level of the warehouse and up the stair chute to the roof. Again, Devari followed, this starting to become very annoying. I whistled loudly for Bazahra. In the distance, her battle screech could be heard. The low flying bird came from around the corner of an adjacent building, landing beside Devari and I.

“Still no find…” She said.

“Okay… Get this letter to Gou… Please hurry.” I said back. The bird chirped before taking off.

            It left me slowly pacing around, deep in thought, nearing tears. Devari watched intently for some reason. He probably was taking note of my worried state. This was literally the first time he saw me crack like this, saw me this vulnerable, this emotional. He sighed.

“Just get some rest. If you need anything, I’ll be in my office. I had you training pretty early and since I’m gonna be on a tight schedule…” He said, a bit apprehensive, “I might train you on something new later tonight.”
“Please...Please… No, don’t, not today…” I begged.

“It won’t be anywhere near as bad as the other shit. I promise!” Devari said. I looked at him intently, seeing he was genuine.

“Whatever…” I responded, still not too enthused. He nodded, leaving me on the rooftop.

            Something wasn’t right about that. Devari was probably the smartest person I knew. In some sick way, this felt like a game. However, with his rights to the brothel, my position and the way things were going, this could be expected. However, his disposition had changed substantially over the past few weeks and I couldn’t read him.

            With all the variables at play here, the change was understandable. The part I was concerned about was the relationship between Devari and I. He and I were quite close, a strange symbiotic relationship forming between us. He literally let me do whatever I wanted despite my murky history as long as I stayed here and continued with the training. It was a situation that was quite hard to make sense of but one that I didn’t want to jeopardize.

            I didn’t know what, but I could possibly use Devari for something useful if I continued to let him do what he did to me. It made me wonder precisely how Devari’s mind worked. He was obviously incredibly intelligent, but his life made him cutthroat and ruthless. He was guarded, only showing you a tiny fraction of who he was. Not only that but his way of judgement was very objective and every decision he made felt methodical and evenly weighed. His eyes showed this so clearly. They were so radiant and always calculating! It made even the most mundane of conversations with him feel tedious and nerve racking.

            Thinking about Devari made time go by swiftly. Bazahra returned within a few hours, exhausted from having to fly so fast. I hurried to read the letter, not happy to see it was from Gou:

‘There was a mutiny that started around three in the morning. Sir Socoshian mobilized his forces to take the upper ring but our sources gave us a marginal heads up which allowed us a narrow escape with Richard. He escaped through the service tunnels and aqueducts and was picked up by UCM forces and taken here.

There might still be a few battles going on. The initial battle was long and drawn out between the King’s Guard and Official Guard. As of this message, it is still uncertain who is winning the fight for the stronghold. What is important though, is that Richard is safe and reunited with his brother and sister. Hopefully this message gets to you in time before you go and do something reckless. Again, it is not fair for you to be in your current position and it is too late to change things so it is imperative that you stay rational at all times! Stay strong Kijus!

Gou’

“Boss trusts you too much…” Someone said. It was Mardee with a cast on his arm and a number of bruises.

“He doesn’t trust me…” I said, denying the fact.

“I’ve seen that boy put through hell. He’s never shown any type of leniency to anyone who’s lied to him the way he’s shown you. Maybe it’s because he’s in a hard spot and you are the perfect escape for him… I don’t know. He’s acting strange! You just better not backstab us! I don’t know how you walked out of that office alive, what you said to Devari to change his mind, but I’m not sold like him. To me, you’re a liar, a manipulative little imp who has some unseen motives. And I will let the truth come to the light!”

“You know,” I began, “When I beat you all, I made it clear I didn’t want to hurt any of you. I’ve been quite truthful with Devari! He’s been truthful with me. However, he hasn’t been honest with me which is not quite the same as being truthful. I won’t do the same! And you’re right! There are unseen motives and you don’t have to let the truth come to the light. When it comes, it’s going to blind us all!”

            A thin smile spread across my face. Mardee didn’t know what to say next so I continued.

“I’m not your enemy! I’m just a foreigner a long way from home, doing anything and everything in my power to make things right and get back home!” I said, still smiling.

“Just don’t hurt us!” He said.

“I’d just leave before I let harm come to this place…” I said honestly. Mardee sighed.

“Verywell…” He responded, leaving me to my own devices.

            I sighed as he headed towards the stairs. Mardee was concerned for the right reasons but his tryhard nature was annoying. It was hard to tell if he genuinely cared for this place or was looking after his own ass. All things considered, he probably thought I’d go back and tell Divari about this talk which in turn would make him look better in Devari’s eyes. But honestly, I could care less.

            Still though, I had to pen a response. I looked down at Bazahra, smiling.

“Get you some food.” I said to her. She chirped, taking off yet again. I returned down the stairs to my room, penning a response. I’d send it later in the day. As for now, it was time to go to breakfast and then later to the gym.

            Upon entering the lounge, everyone paused, looking at me in shock before carrying on. This would definitely get old fast. Nonetheless, I made myself breakfast, sitting at the most isolated table I could find. Within minutes, the Wolf and the Mammoth came over. Both had so much curiosity written across their face.

“What the hell is happening?” The Wolf asked.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I responded, there being quite a bit that has happened.

“Out there!” They asked, pointing out the window.

“Oh, there’s a battle… The Official Guard is facing off with the King’s Guard.” I answered plainly.

“Like… Mutiny?” The Wolf asked.

“Yeah.” I responded.

“Why’d you rush out of training like that?” The Wolf asked, concerned.

“I’ve got some… issues.” I smiled, not wanting to tell him much.

“And the way boss chased after you. Seriously though, he’s so lenient with you compared to the rest of us!” The wolf noted.

“Yeah… Some people don’t like how much freedom you’re getting here.” The Mammoth noted. I looked at him indifferently.

“I don’t care…” I shrugged. The Wolf smiled.

“That’s the attitude I want from you! When you start getting comfortable and learning how much you’re worth out there…” The Wolf teased with a nod.

“Shut up…” I said with an eyeroll and chuckle, “I don’t have a monetary value… I’m worth far more than that…”
“Well you’re in a brothel so, you do have a monetary value, Mr. High-horse…” The Wolf laughed.

“True…” I said, sipping from my water, “Devari said he’s gonna train me on intimacy or something along the likes…”

“Wait, he’s gonna train your or?” The Mammoth asked.

“I don’t know. I’m not excited…” I responded.

“Yeah, what if you like it?” The Wolf asked, jokingly. I looked at him vaguely.

“Seriously!” I said back.

“Well damn…” The Mammoth said, clenching his head, “Are you finally letting yourself loose, letting yourself enjoy this?”

“No… It’s just something about Devari. He’s been trying hard for the past few weeks to get on the same page as me. And now we finally are connecting and I just don’t like it…” I said back.

“Why don’t you like it?” The Wolf asked.

“Devari scares me…” I said honestly, “He’s methodical, well practiced… I’m not, I’m naive, don’t know any of this shit and can’t precisely see things the way he does. I can’t help but wonder if I’m being manipulated into something…”

“You fail to see how he takes care of us. You just haven’t spent enough time here, that’s all. Just let your guard down and let him take care of you.” The Mammoth advised.

“I’ll try but… It’s not the easiest thing to do.” I responded.

            The Mammoth dropped his big mitt on my shoulder, patting it.

“You’ll get there.” He smiled, getting up. The Wolf nodded as well, leaving with his friend. I gave them a nod as the two left. It was now time to hit the gym.

            The work out wouldn’t be too intensive considering I didn’t know what Devari had in store for me. It was mostly running on those strange stationary track machines for about fifty minutes. Then after that, I did power contortium for another hour. It was a bit more of a work out than I intended but nothing a warm shower couldn’t fix.

            That was also something I wasn’t accustomed too! Warm showers were probably the most trippy thing and I loved them! The hot jets of water... The steam... After a long work out, it was my favorite thing to do. It was an escape from this place and almost felt sacred! It was a place where I could remind myself why I was here and refocus on everything I needed to succeed in my goal.

            Soon, knocking on my door made me hurry my already prolonged time in the shower up. I grabbed a few towels wrapping myself up. Before I could answer the door, Mardee bombarded in followed by a number of assistants. It made me nervous.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Go to the training studio. Devari is waiting on you.” He said. He and his assistants turned, leaving. It was almost shocking how Mardee made it clear he didn’t like me. I couldn’t even respond to him. All I could do was finish drying off and throw on a robe.

            I headed down the stairs to the training studio. There, a few guards were posted at the door. Devari was sitting on the sectional in the rear. He looked so exhausted it was almost concerning. The boy sighed, scratching his head.

“There’s no one to train you on what I wanted. It’s a tough time and I can’t afford to just go off the training plan and add someone to the payroll so for this little stint, I’ll have to train you myself.” Devari said. He didn’t sound enthused, “But it is something you must learn…”

            His lack of enthusiasm was upsetting to my stomach. He always seemed so eager to pounce on me but not today. I blamed it on exhaustion, it being the only solution that could keep me sane in these fragile times.

“Come here…” He said.

            I did so a bit hesitantly, but I tried not to show it. Devari took my hand, sitting me down next to him. It wasn’t a move I was expecting. He slowly crept his hand up my thigh, crawling on top of me. His every touch was so gentle, so unlike anything he’d ever shown me! Somehow his hand managed to get itself into the arch of my back, pulling me closer to him.

            His and my lips grew dangerously close. It felt so wrong, so bad, so taboo! They connected, his lips being supple yet firm, the warmth of some type of dark liquor on his breath making it all the more alluring! It was only a short simple kiss, but it did a lot for me! We withdrew, left staring into each other’s eyes. He smiled boyishly at me, knowing what he did chipped away deeply at me.

“Your heart…” He began, “Was pounding so hard… Your cock, as solid as stone! All just from a single kiss…” I was so confused.

“Your point is?” I asked, growing defensive. This felt like a defeat. I let Devari seep a little too far into my head.

“My point is that, it wasn’t just a kiss. It was a look, a touch, a mannerism, a compassionate gesture that made you melt like putty in my grasp! And it was all… fake!” He said, sounding so cocky. His words hit me like a train, making me realizing I was beginning to crack! My heart longed to be touched the way Devari touched me since Richard and I parted ways. And to have Devari do it was so magical until it came crashing down when I learned his affection wasn’t genuine.

            This place was definitely changing me. It turned me into a sex craving whore and there was no way around it. And to know Devari could make me feel this ecstasy and euphoria without feeling the same only made me withdraw into a shell. Devari could see it happen.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Can someone else train me on this… I just don’t feel comfortable doing it with you…” I said. It shocked Devari.

“I would if I could find some volunteers.” He said, seeing I was incredibly upset, “Very well…” He got to his feet.

            My words seemed to have dug into him as his did me. He left the room, looking back at me on his way out. As soon as that heavy door closed, tears cascaded down my cheeks. I felt truly disgusting and dishonorable like an infidel. Still, Richard had my heart on lock and being away from him was so hard! How Devari was building himself a place in my heart as well made this feel overwhelming. I couldn’t let this happen! I couldn’t be this weak!

            These tears had to stop. Just like that, they did. However, anything that would upset me might cause them to start again. The guards all looked at me, unsure why I was crying but said nothing. It was a long wait before Devari returned. He came back with a look of disappointment.

“No one volunteered, sadly.” He sighed.

            It just made me frustrated! He could see it building. It made him apprehensive as he came back over to the sectional. He sat down with that same boyish charm.

“I can’t be that awful, right?” He asked. There was nothing to say. The only thing that could be done was glare at him. He couldn’t know the profound effect he was having on me, “Just tell me what’s wrong…”

“Why are you catering to me like this?” I asked.

“I have to… You’re not being treated any more special than any other escort…” He shrugged. My eyes slowly drifted from him, down to the pillows on the floor as my mind went deep into thought. Devari could clearly see this. It seemed to worry him, “You’re not like anyone else I’ve worked with. I… I can’t quite read you.”

“Let’s just get this over with. Teach me what you got to teach me.” I said with an eye roll.

“Come on…” Devari smiled, crawling over to me. He placed a peck on my lips, “Don’t be like that!” He continued to kiss me, something subconsciously just letting him take over.

            He again wrapped me in his arms, holding me tightly as we kissed. It was as far as I was willing to go. He didn’t need to know how much I was enjoying this, how much I felt I needed this! He withdrew, looking at me in disappointment.

“At least kiss me back…” He sighed.

“I don’t really know how.” I said, being honest.

“Oh my god…” Devari said, shocked, “You’re truly like… so innocent yet so fucking bad!” My eyes darted around, unsure what to make of his note.

“Okay?” I shrugged.

“First rule. You want to pucker those lips lightly. Always start off soft. You don’t want to be too firm when doing it. Ease into it!” He leaned forward, demonstrating. The kiss was just melting my insides, but he didn’t need to know that, “Second rule… You want to go with the rhythm. When someone’s kissing you, you want to follow the pace they set. Third rule, don’t use a lot of spit. It’s gross… just gross…  Fourth rule? Your hands are secret weapons. Use them to explore! Lastly, don’t think… Let your imagination run wild. I kid you not, if you do this, it can make kissing last for forever…”

            Joy was written all over Devari’s face! It was clear he enjoyed kissing! Hell, I enjoyed it too, a lot but again, showing it wouldn’t exactly benefit these feelings. Devari could only see disgust on my face though. He rolled his eyes, leaning in to kiss me. I did what was told, except being imaginative. I didn’t want to get too lost in the kiss.

            Eventually Devari withdrew. He looked at me with a bit of disappointment.

“You’re not giving me much to work with right now. Why are you holding back?” He asked. It shocked me. How could he tell.

“I’m not holding back…” I argued.

“If a machine could kiss, it’d kiss like you! Yes you are holding back!” He said back. The insult made me want to push him off of me, but I just stared at him, “Kiss me, like I am the love of your life!”

            It made me so angry.

“Okay…” I responded. He dove in on me once again. This time, I imagined he was Richard. I imagined those supple lips and firm hands were Richard’s, that muscular body laying on top of mine, Richard’s! We stayed like this for a while. Soon, Devari withdrew and our eyes opened.

            The disappointment filled me upon remembering this was Devari not Richard. Nonetheless, I pouted and kept it rolling. Devari’s hand went under my leg, lifting it up as his cock grinded against my opening. To my shock, the boy was soft! His penis wasn’t even hard while mine was feeling as though it was going to burst through my shorts. It too made me sort of angry!

            He resumed kissing me, the anger subsiding as I got lost in his grasp. Soon his kisses went from my mouth down to my chin, to my neck, my chest, then to my core. I twitched and squirmed as he hit there. He laughed, looking up at me.

“Found your little weakness…” He said, looking devilishly good! It did nothing but make me want him more! I was so torn but too deep within it to quit. Soon he put his mouth around my cock, and began sucking it so slowly, with such intensity I couldn’t help but dig into the bedding of the sectional.

            Without warning, I kicked him off. I didn’t mean to but the guilt kept me from going all the way there with him. Devari could see this clearly, his eyes squinting as though he was seeing straight through me.

“Why the hell did you do that?” He asked.

“It was getting intense…” I said. A devious smile spread across Devari’s face. He flipped me onto my belly, going down on me from the rear. I screamed out, the sensations his tongue giving me being too intense to remain silent.

            Eventually it all came to an end. Devari didn’t go as far as I thought he would and it made me gracious. Sometimes, I wondered if he were psychic! He knew precisely what made me tick and wasn’t afraid to exploit it. But he also knew my limit. He sat next to me, looking at me intently.

“You,” He began, “Have a hard time separating the physical from the meaningful. It’s common amongst Illisians that turn into the brothel but with you, it’s intense! There were moments I could feel you almost letting go and letting your passion do it’s job. While at other times, you were holding back…”

“How can you feel this?” I asked, mindblown at just how nuanced his senses were. That addictive dark smile spread across his face.

“I’m a sexual empath.” He said plainly.

            It then made perfect sense! His keen sensitivity to intimacy was because he had an empathetic talent for just sex alone. There was no denying it was an admirable trait.

“Wow…” I said.

“One of these days, you have to let yourself loose, let yourself be one with yourself! That is the discipline taught here, to be one with your sexuality and quite frankly, you’re not doing so well! You are lovely! You have perfect everything but you don’t care for pleasing others and secondly you’re torn between shame and sexuality! You’re going to have to pick one day soon…” Devari said.

            It did nothing but make me upset. Everything he said was true! All I could do was nod. He got up, leaving. Soon I ended up back in my room. The only thing I could think about doing was taking another shower and having just a relaxing evening taking care of myself. It would be quite relaxing.

            After the second shower, I lathered myself down in deep penetrating oils. Then I put on the finest satin robe. My hair was growing out, my jet black roots visible beneath the bleached top. I was starting to look Illisian again. This gave me some piece of mind. I began mixing oils for my hair, sitting the container in nearly boiling hot water.

            While doing that, I began mixing oils for my hands and feet, also placing them in the boiling water. I was missing quite a few ingredients. Oils were nice but I needed something deeper penetrating, like lotion. Back home, my little sister would make the finest, sweetest lotions for us. However, in this brothel, I had to work with what I got.

            One thing they did have that I loved were salt scrubs. These too were dropped into the scalding water. Next were the cold items. I had somehow managed to make a bromeliad and melon face mask from some food down in the lounge. The night was spent scrubbing and revitalizing areas of my body that needed it. It was always fun taking care of yourself.

“So, you do have to work for your beauty?” Someone said, startling me.

            I turned, shocked to see the Wolf standing there.

“Yeah… It’s fun taking care of yourself, you know…” I said, trimming my toenails with some sheers. He looked around at all the things I had on my vanity.

“This is a lot.” He noted.

“I know.” I chuckled, “And to be honest, it’s still not enough…”

“What more possibly could you need?” The Wolf asked.

“Beeswax, vanilla oil, vinegar, detritus, egg, fish oil and banana just to name a few things.” I shrugged.

“What all would you need that for?” He asked.   

“Do you really want to know?” I responded.

“Sure.” The Wolf said, taking a seat as I continued to groom my toes.

“The beeswax would be to help me make lotions. The vanilla oil, just for fragrance and scalp care. The vinegar is a good natural astringent for pores. The eggs are quite beneficial for skin masks and the fish oil is full of vitamins to consume…” I said.

“How precisely would you make lotion?” The Wolf asked shocked.

“You use beeswax as your base and mix in core minerals, essential oils and boil the fuck out of it” I shrugged.

“It’s that simple?”

“It’s literally that simple,” I responded, “Why are you here, exactly?”

“I’m bored and you have one of the nicer rooms.” The Wolf said plainly.

“Leave.” I said.

“Really? Can we just relax in here?” He asked, “I’m not trying to do anything perverse, I just want to relax. You realize you actually need to make friends in here right?”

“Whatever…” I dismissed.

“You say that like you don’t plan on being here for forever! I don’t think you know how awesome you got it! You get free food, water, shelter, amenities, spoils and riches and not only that, but you’re already the favorite of the boss and haven’t even gotten your first job yet.” The Wolf smiled.

“I mean…” I began, unsure what I was supposed to say to that. Truthfully I didn’t care, “I kind of just want to be left alone and disappear into my own little world for the night. You’re awesome but I like my alone time…”

“Alright…” The Wolf sighed sadly, getting to his feet, “Just let me know if you need anything.”

            I rolled my eyes as he left, hating the slight guilt he made me feel. Nonetheless, I continued on with my leisure filled night. In the back of my mind, the things The Wolf said to me lingered. He was right. Even if I wasn’t planning on staying here long, I did need to make more friends. People did need to like me! Being the odd man out meant that if things hit the fan, I’d be the first one thrown to the wolves! This was a harsh but true reality.

            As the night came in, I slept. The next day rolled in after some pretty restless sleep. I got up, getting ready for this day. The only thing I could think about was trying to improve my relationship with people in this place, but how? There was no relationship with people here. People would see me and almost panic, it seemed. Truly I wasn’t that terrible of a person.

            I sighed, leaving the room, heading down to breakfast. It went as normal, no one talking to me, just the isolated stare and constant ignoring. It was almost frustrating not being acknowledged but what could I expect? I did it to myself.

            The day continued to drag on, even with the private training with Devari. It was almost an exact repeat of the way things went yesterday. It seemed to infuriate him as we lay across each other. He just stared, and stared.

“I know I’m terrible at sex…” I sighed, staring at the ceiling.

“You’re not terrible, you just don’t give a fuck! But you will… We can keep trying everyday until you get it right.” He said. It made me look at him.

“Seriously?” I asked.

“You better learn how to fake it at least!” He said, getting up, “See you tomorrow.”

            All I could do was just roar out from frustration as I lay there. It left me to my thoughts. For this being our second session, it made me concerned as to why Devari and I hadn’t had penetrative sex yet. Was he holding back in some strange way, this being some odd little game of his? Considering the thing Devari has had to do in the past, and his very devilish nature, it was truly hard to tell.

            One thing that did change though, was the fact that his complaints didn’t get to me any more. It was almost liberating, the feeling of not caring about being good at sex! The next day rolled in, and it was time for the third day of training. Devari and I went back at it. This day, I just sat stiff like a robot as he kissed and tongued me.

            He paused, looking at me intently. His face grew so red.

“I can FUCKING punch you right now!” He said, very upset. All I could do was laugh, “You think this is funny?”

“It kind of is…” I said, looking at the pitiful boy. He just stared at me, fists clenched. Oddly, this was gratifying. He seemed so frustrated, at his wits end with me, at a loss for words.

            His anger gave way to the most devious smile. My heart began to race as I knew his evil mind was devising a way to get back at me. He reached over pulling out a bottle of lube. My breath ceased as my heart sank to my stomach. For the first time since we did anything with each other, his member was solid like a rock.

            This put a fear in my unlike anything I ever felt before. It was kind of like an excitement. Deep down, there was anticipation for this moment. Devari began to chuckle.

“I’m going to hate fuck you into oblivion!” He said plainly. All I could do was stare at the ceiling. Despite wanting this deep down, I felt icky, as if this was the ultimate betrayal to Richard.

            Firm hands grabbed my left leg, pushing it up. A finger slid between my cheeks, causing me to draw up with sharp pain.

“Shit, you’re like a clamp back here!” He noted, smiling in anticipation. He rested my leg across his shoulder as he poured lube into my ass. His finger began to slide in with far less pain and more ease. It almost felt good.

            The whole time Devari eyed me like he was a demon of lust. It did something to me, moved me in ways I didn’t know I could be moved. My cock lay across my belly, throbbing with urges as Devari continued to finger my hole. His eyes and mine seemed to lock on each other, blocking out all that was around.

            Soon, he looked down, placing his cock at my entry point. He then slowly looked me in the face, letting me know the inevitable was about to happen. I didn’t want to watch at this point. Slowly I closed my eyes, bracing for that oh so familiar ripping and spreading feeling. The head of Devari’s shaft began to enter my walls. Inch by inch it crept forth. Soon, the intensity made me grab the blankets on the sectional! My eyes jolted open, as I gasped, realizing he still had more cock to plunge into my depths.

            Soon, the only thing hanging out of me was his balls. He looked down at his work, wiggling around as if he was trying to make room in there. He seized up, his face wadding up tightly as he did it. He then slowly began to pump in and out. The intensity almost made me want to scream! Devari wasn’t small by any means, and his dick was in deep!

“Fuck!” He said, leaning over top me.

            He began to pump harder and harder. Within a few seconds, his body seized.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” He said, seemingly angry. He pulled out, white ooze dripping from his member. Slowly, he looked at me. My heart raced, the boy looking so angry. He shook his head, nostrils flared and teeth gritted.

“You are one tight ass motherfukcer!” He said, “Never has anyone made me cum this fast! And you still don’t fucking understand how amazing this makes you!” He began to crawl back over onto me. He slid his member in me once again, “Like, you…” His face wadded up tightly as he stroked away, “Are… so… perfect…”

            He pounded away until all I could feel was numbing bliss. He pressed my leg so tightly to my chest it caused friction as he pounded. He kissed my chest and neck, making his way up to my mouth. I didn’t want to return these kisses. The euphoria wasn’t greater than the guilt. My eyes opened, seeing Devari looking deep into them with so much concern and longing. He continued to pound me down for a quite a while. Soon, he dug his nails into the blankets, letting out a guttural groan. He fell on top of me, panting heavily. We both were covered in sweat.

            Slowly, he crawled from on me, seeming to withdraw into himself.

“You know,” He began, “I wish you enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed you.”

“If I wasn’t in love, maybe.” I said. He looked at me with bitterness before sighing and getting to his feet. It honestly made me feel terrible. I was so torn between wanting to give myself to Devari and holding out for Richard.

            It was tear inducing feeling this low. I grabbed a robe, heading out of the studio up to my room. As I did, a shadow passed over the windows in the upper warehouse. It was either Bazahra or Silver. This made me excited! I went to the roof, seeing it was Bazahra.

“Hey, girl.” I asked. She ignored me, preening like she always did. I ruffled her feathers a bit before taking the letter out from her pouch. There was no hesitation with reading it:

‘You…

I don’t want there to be anything between us any more! I’ve been thinking and come to realize that everything that has happened to me happened after you came into my life… And those things are not good! You’ve started a chain reaction that ruined everything! Not only that, but there was trust between us and you went behind my back and slept with Mercury… That is a betrayal I just can’t forgive!

Not only that, but you’re living a low life that you’ve shamed before! How, hypocritical! You’re being whored around and fucked senseless while I wait for you to return. Why must I put myself through that for someone like you? You’re not this pristine and perfect individual. You are facetious, manipulative, just down right cunning. Well I caught on! You played me well enough, got my kingdom lost, my parents killed, and everything I ever cherished gone! This will be the last time I write you, the last time I support you, the last time you ever hear from me.

We. Are. Finished!

Richard Bourgion…’

           

The air was still, my breathe ceased! What the fuck did I just read? So many emotions began to flood me as I processed what the letter meant. I had to sit down. Standing was not the wisest idea at the moment! I had to reread the letter for to be sure this was what I was reading! Was this even Richard’s handwriting? Surely it couldn’t be! He could never think this way!

But it was his handwriting… This made me feel sick to my stomach. I felt like I betrayed him, this unrelenting shame forming a hazy aura around me. If I could, I’f rush back to him and make this right. However, the only thing I could do was write a response. I looked at Bazahra.

“I’ll be back.” I told her. She continued to preen as I made my way down the stairs.

            Tears of desperation and frustration began to well up in my eyes, but not escaping. The shock held the tears in place. I sat down at my desk, finally a tear escaping as I leaned forward to grab pen and paper. It was time to write:

‘Richard,

I don’t understand where you are coming from here! When I left, we both agreed we wouldn’t pursuit a relationship further yet your writing makes it seem like we are committed to each other. Don’t get me wrong! I love you! Being here feels wrong and every awful day I spend here, I think of you!

You have to understand how horrible this place is! I’ll never be able to wrap my head around it nor be comfortable here! I have to wake up extremely early every morning, be subjected to degrading rules and train for hours and hours a day. If I disobey an order I get beat and put in holding, my training prolonged! If I don’t meet the standards of my training, which I’ve been struggling to do, I get more and more training. This is not easy. The only way I can get through this is to think that one day I’ll get to see you again! But now…

I’m incredibly saddened by what happened to your family and kingdom! But you can’t blame me for this! I was taken from my home thousands of miles away and you know this! I didn’t ask to be here! I didn’t ask to be taken away from my family! I didn’t ask to be forced to be the animal trainer of your father! I didn’t ask to discover what I discovered which led to this! It happened and there’s nothing I can do about it! Do you see me pointing the finger at anyone? No! I refuse!

We have to cope with changes and make best of them. I can’t be blamed for the death of your father or mother! I had nothing to do with it! Your father was on drugs long before I got here and was on a spiral downward. Your mother, truly a great woman and I’m saddened she’s gone! But it was not my fault! Your kingdom? I understand you had the Ziggurat for about two weeks. I can’t be blamed for you losing it either.

Again, I’m sorry all of this is happening to you but blaming me for it doesn’t make an ounce of sense! You took a foreigner out of his habitat and forced him to exist in one strange to him! There was already shit going on long before I got here and you know it! I don’t know what bug got into your ear but get it out, now! I love you Richard, love you more than you can understand! But I’m not the one to blame here…

Yours always,

Kijus’

            This was so strange. Maybe he had gotten comfortable for those two weeks on the throne. I don’t know, but this wasn’t the same Richard writing me that I fell in love with. This was one who had changed and I wanted that old one back! I folded the letter, making my way up to Bazahra. She took the letter as I watched her fly off into the horizon with baited breathe.

            I waited and waited, the bird never returning. Those pent up tears stayed until the night came. Regardless, I stayed all night until the sun rose again. The midday eventually arrived and the bird still hadn’t returned. My heart began to tear as I realized there might not be any getting through to Richard. His heart could have been set on what he felt. He may had been telling the truth when he said that was his last letter to me.

            There were no words to describe the despair I was feeling. To know the person you loved turned there back on you for something you couldn’t help is devastating. It was almost infuriating. What could possibly have made Richard think like this? What compelled him to write this letter without merit or thought? I wanted to know!

            The squeaking of the latch broke the miserable silence. It was Devari looking furious.

“Why the fuck are you up here? You’re late…” He said, storming over. I clenched my head, getting to my feet.

“I’m sorry.” I said. He suddenly paused, looking at me.

“Have you been out here all night?” He asked. I didn’t respond, just walking past him to the stairs, “What’s wrong? What happened? Did you get another letter?” Still I didn’t respond, “Well, take a quick shower and fragrance up because I want you to meet someone…”

“Okay.” I finally responded.

            I did as was told, eventually heading to the studio. There Devari was sitting, looking nervous for some reason. I just stood there, eyeing him in confusion. Devari’s eyes darted around, as if he were unsure of who I was. This boy was acting damn strange!

“Okay…” Someone said coming in the door. It was Devari. My mind was blown. I looked back and forth between the two men.

“You have a twin?” I asked.

“We’re not twins. We’re actually six years apart. He’s still a kid.” Devari smiled.

“You two look just a like…” I said, shaking my head.

“Well in about a month’s time, my little brother will be taking over this place. Unfortunately, he’s a virgin with virtually no experience…” Devari smiled.

“Dude.” His brother frowned. Devari looked at his brother unpleased.

“Shut up!” Devari snarled before glaring at me, “You’re taking his virginity…”

“No…” I said plainly, “I can’t do that…”
“Mukir, tell him…” Devari smiled.

“It’s just, I remember you from a few weeks ago. You were walking with this really tall Illisian. I was at the back of a warehouse sitting on some crates with some friends. You were just…” Mukir blushed heavily, unable to look me in the eye.

“How old are you?” He asked.

“Eighteen! I swear!” The boy smiled. I slowly turned to Devari.

“So you’re twenty four?” I asked. 

“Why does it matter?” Devari retorted, blushing as well. All I could do was roll my eyes.

“Why do you want me to have sex with your brother?” I asked.

“See, my brother’s not really gay. He’s a bit curious and wants to explore somethings. But I remember him telling me about you a few weeks ago and then it being pure coincidence you just show up. All I could hear was him saying, oh my god, Dev, I saw the most gorgeous guy… like, I’d go gay for him… And other bullshit.” Devari shrugged.

“You realize I’m right here right?” Mukir said.

“I really don’t want to do this. Can you find someone else?” I asked.

“Not many people fit the bill. Some too masculine, some too feminine, some too hairy, too hairless, too short, too tall, too broad, too narrow… you, perfect! Your disposition in bed, perfect…” He said.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It means I trust you more than anyone else to take care of my brother.” Devari said, heading to the door, “I gotta go… I’ll be back in a few hours…”

“Don’t leave me with this kid!” I begged. Devari didn’t listen, heading to the door. He left, just leaving me staring at the door in contempt.

“You know,” Mukir said, the sound of him getting up from the sectional not even making me turn around, “He’s pretty busy and for him to be doing what he does for you means he must really like you.”

“Can,” I said turning around only to see Mukir towering over me, “Can you even get aroused by a man…?”

“You must wanna find out?” He asked, sharing that same devious smile as his brother.  On Mukir’s taller frame, it was quite ominous though. I didn’t want to do shit with him!

“No…” I said firmly.

            He still smiled, looking me up and down, edging closer and closer.

“Come on.” He nudged. I wanted to hit him for being so persistent, so invasive, but this was Devari’s brother and he seemed quite protective over the kid. It seemed I’d have no choice but to comply. I rolled my eyes, the boy stopping.

“What’s wrong?” Mukir asked.

“What’s wrong? I don’t want to do this!” I snarled. Mukir sighed, steadily looking me up and down.

“Okay,” He said, taking my hand, leading me back to the sectional. We sat down, both of our frames nearly disappearing into the plush fabric, “What would I have to do to change your mind?”

            I just stared at him bitterly before rolling my eyes.

“Let’s just get this over with…” I sighed, crawling over to him, “Were you previously into girls?”

“I guess… I’ve done a few things with girls but to be honest, I’ve been too afraid to go all the way there.” He shrugged.

“So, again, do you think you can get it up for a guy?” I asked.

“I don’t know yet.” He shrugged.

“You don’t mind if I…” I said, pointing to his crotch.

“No, go ahead! Do anything you want to it! I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, so” He said, giving me full leeway.

“I’m not too different from you, to be honest.” I laughed, reaching for his trousers. Slowly I slid my hand into his trousers, gently caressing his member. Mukir watched my hand with uncertainty. He was definitely flaccid.

            I gently rubbed his member, continuing to crawl closer and closer until our lips were within a pull of each other. Mukir looked at my lips intently, biting his. The proximity seemed to get his blood flowing…

“Please, let me kiss you.” He begged. There was some apprehension at first but it slowly went away as I crawled onto him. My bum sat on his growing member, as our faces came closer and closer. I planted a soft kiss on his lips, then another. We began kissing more and more, the boy’s beefy arms and large hands not hesitating to creep inside my robe.

            Our kissing intensified, the boy pulling me closer and closer until we were chest to chest. My fingers gently caressed his jaw as our kissing continued. I don’t know how long this lasted but for some reason, I could kiss him for hours! His lips were soft and caring, not concerned with his own pleasure as much as they were mine.

            It seemed he was happy with just the intimacy of our kissing but lingering in the back of my mind was the fact that I was supposed to take his virginity. The boy came up for air, breathing quite hard.

“Okay, I can definitely get a hard on from a guy…” He smiled.

“You want to explore more?” I asked.

“Yes!” He said, with bright enthusiasm. It made me smile, the boy being so adorable.

            I dove back in for a few more kisses, before these kisses ran down his neck. We both began to unbutton his blouse, revealing a body I would not assume an eighteen year old would have! He was built like a warrior! Not only that, but he was covered in Syu tattoos. The way they contoured to his body did something to me.

            The kisses went lower and lower, down to the boy’s trousers. As soon as my hand reached for the buckle, the boy began scrambling to take off his pants. It was funny how excited he was. His cock sprung to his belly with an audible plop. He smiled at me, blushing realizing he couldn’t hide his eagerness.

            I took a gentle hand around his cock, slowly stroking it. I kissed the head of it, looking him directly in the eye before placing my warm tongue on the underside. The boy jolted from the sensation. Soon, I slowly engulfed it in my mouth moving up and down. The shock in the boy’s eyes as well as the tension that filled the boy as I went up and down on his cock made this moment feel surreal. I was actually taking this boy’s virginity, the very first experience he had…  It felt wrong but so empowering!

            I performed every trick I knew how on the boy’s member, making eye contact and smiling every now and a again. He eventually closed his eyes and just let the sensations do him in. Soon, he sprung up, clenching the sheets as this look of almost worry came across his face!

“I’m about to…” He began but it was too late. My mouth was filled with his spunk but it tasted sweeter than anyone else's. It was strange!

            I got up from my knees.

“You want to do more?” I asked.

“Do you?” He asked.

“No…” I laughed.
“I mean, I kind of want to feel what it’s like to be inside someone.” He said, sounding disappointed.

“Stay right here.” I said, getting up to retrieve some lube. I returned the boy just staring at the ceiling. I lubed up his shaft copiously because he wasn’t small at all. He didn’t seem as big as Devari but he was still substantial, “Be warned. It might be intense at first. I’ve been told it’s very tight…”

“Okay.” Mukir said, slowly leaning up to see what was happening.

            I crawled over him, taking off my robes all together. I picked up his member leaning back on it. It danced around my entry point before I let it in. I seized from the thickness of his cock, not expecting it to be so full. The boy’s physical stature made his cock seem smaller than it was. Still though, I went down on it, letting it fill my ass. Mukir’s face scrunched up as if he were unsure about this.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“It is tight!” He nodded.

“It’s not too bad is it?” I asked. A bit concerned for the kid.

“It kind of hurts but whatever.” He said.

“All right.” I shrugged, beginning to slow roll. The discomfort on the boy’s face began to disappear as we continued.

            He leaned up, matching my rhythm with his very own thrusts. He laid his head on my chest, placing his hands on my back. To him, it seemed like we couldn’t get close enough. This boy loved his tenderness, loved his intimacy. He looked up at me deep into my eyes. He kissed me with such heat and passion, only one other person ever matched the intensity. There was something about Mukir that made me not mind having sex with him. It felt real with him.

“Okay…” He began, adjusting himself to be more comfortable. Somehow, I ended up on my back, pulling the boy on top of me. He seemed surprised by the gesture. I grabbed his cock, placing it in me once again. There was an audible slush from the lube as it entered.

            He paused, unsure what was next.

“Do your will.” I smiled. It filled the boy with excitement as he began to roll his hips in and out of me. Soon his confidence rocketed and he was pounding away at me. It was intense! The boy had a lot of power behind his thrusts but it was something about it that made it all worth it.

            Minutes later, the boy tensed up grunting out. He panted, crawling off of me. His penis dripped of his seed as he lay next to me.

“So…?” I asked.

“That was amazing!” He smiled, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Now that we’re finished,” I said gently removing his arm from around my waist, “I gotta go…”

“Wait…” He said, “What’s your name?”

            I didn’t care to respond, only grabbing my robe and rushing out the door. I headed to the roof where hopefully Bazahra was. Upon arriving, it was saddening to see she wasn’t there. I whistled out, hoping the bird would show. Several minutes elapsed before I realized she wasn’t coming. I sighed, heading back towards the stairs.

            Suddenly, that all too familiar shriek rang through the narrow alleys of the building. I turned, seeing the bird coming in for a landing. She rushed over to me, happy for a rub down.

“How are you this morning?” I asked her.

“Good.” She said.

“How’s Richard?”
“Bad… Not, talking to anyone. He read letter, threw fit and stopped talking to all.” She said. It struck me as odd.

“So no new letter?” I asked.

“No…” She responded.

“Stay near here. I might be writing Gou really soon.” I said.

“When can fly me gain? I want hunt!” She said, nuzzling up against my leg.

“One day soon we’ll be able to hunt again! I promise.” I smiled at the bird.

            She then looked past me, chirping cautiously. I turned seeing Mukir standing there looking amazed.

“Cool, what is this?” He asked, rushing over. Bazahra shrieked, puffing up quite large.

“Don’t approach her.” I warned.

“My bad…” He said, backing away. The bird locked eyes with him, defleating her plumage as she rested her head on my knee, “I’m guessing she doesn’t like me?”

“She just misses the way things were.” I said, steadily rubbing her.

“Is she some type of eagle?” He asked.

“No. Her molt pattern is most similar to falcons but she behaves more like a parrot than any raptor, to be honest. She is far more sociable than any bird of prey you’ll meet.” I said.

“She’s big as fuck!” Mukir noted.

“Thanks for stating the obvious.” I said with an eyeroll.

“Just how big is she?” He asked.

“She’s about seven and a half feet long, thirty pounds and has a sixteen foot wingspan.” I said.

“Damn so does that mean she can bring down big game?”

“Oh yes! She’s brought down prey up to three hundred pounds!”

“That’s scary. I usually spend most of my time in the lower city aviary with the raptors there but with my brother needing me here I can’t really go anymore.” He shrugged.

“It seems everyone here loves their birds…” I noted before whistling out. Bazahra took off, disappearing behind the buildings. I got up, heading back to my room.

“So,” Mukir began, following, “Why… why does she come here?”

“Let’s not worry about all of that… thank you.” I said, heading down the stairs to the base level of the warehouse.

“I mean, where do you even get a bird like that?” He persisted.

“She was a gift.” I shrugged, walking across the long floor of the warehouse.

“From who?”
“I forgot who. I think some merchants gave her away and I was fascinated by her size when she was a chick. As a chick she literally was the size of a grouse…” I chuckled.

“How long did it take her to grow?”

“A pretty long time compared to smaller raptors. She would double in size every month for a while. Then she started fledging and her flight feathers came in.” I responded, growing tired of talking.

“How did you manage to teach her how to fly?”

“I made sure she was hungry and made her chase after my stag which had food being dragged behind it. She caught on quick.”

            Just as we turned the hall, we saw no one other than Devari.

“Well, well…” Devari smiled, “How’d it go?” All I could do was roll my eyes and head up the stairs.

“He was really, really good! He wasn’t as in his head as you said he’d be. I think it was because you told him I was a virgin, it gave him security to fall back on. It wasn’t like I was expecting.” Mukir said. It made me pause and turn to look at them.

“So did you get him to be intimate in return?” Devari asked.

“Yes… It was damn decent!” Mukir smiled.

            I slowly came back down the stairs, looking at both men.

“You tricked me?” I asked, glaring at them both.

“Let’s not say tricked. More like, got you to do what you need to do by changing things up a bit.” Devari blushed.

“If I had a club I bludgeon you both…” I sighed.    

“The next part of your training will definitely be threesomes… I’m thinking later today actually.” Devari said, that evil grin of his returning.

“I like that…” Mukir added, rubbing his hands together deviously.

“Don’t destroy me…” I sighed, knowing there was no way of getting out of it.

“Don’t worry. We won’t…” Devari smiled.

            It was a tantalizing wait, to be honest. In the time for the call, I showered and cleaned myself good. I warmed up oils and fragrances to rub over my body so they’d seep in different. Richard’s letter sat on my desk still. I still didn’t know what to make of it and longed for him back but as long as he was safe and out of harm’s way I couldn’t be too concerned with it.

            Soon, knocking on the door caught my attention. Before I could answer it, Mardee barged in.

“The brothers have called for you…” He didn’t wait for me to respond. He just left. It was damn near comical how this guy didn’t like me. I still didn’t know his end game. He was up to something.

            I made my way down the stairs to the studio. There Devari and Mukir were, both boys eyeing me with a predatory gaze. It felt daunting walking over towards them but it was now or never! Devari looked at me peculiarly, his brother looking back and forth between us both. Devari’s strange look subsided as I came into grabbing distance.

            He slowly put his hands within my robes, caressing my waist. I looked down at him, daring him to make the next move. The suspense seemed to do us all in! The boy seemed lost, staring deep into my eyes. Mukuir wanted to know what would happen next. I just wanted to taste him… I crawled onto him, sitting on his lap as we stared eye to eye. That lost look in his eye went away as his cockiness returned. He slowly leaned in to kiss me, our lips locking in a fluid, soft exchange. It began to grow hot as I pushed back against him, kissing him with the same intensity that he kissed me with.

            I let loose, let all my passion I’ve been holding in for the boy out! My tongue slipped into his mouth, as I caressed his face. He suddenly withdrew, looking at me in shock.

“Wh...Whoa…” He said before pulling me back to him. We resumed kissing, Devari continuing to pull me down over him. He gently put me on my back, his kisses moving down to my chest and belly.

            Mukir wasted no time in coming over to join the fray. He began to kiss me as well. Devari’s warm lips made their way around my cock, servicing me in body tensing delight while his brother kissed me more and more. Soon, Devari’s mouth moved from my member to my butthole. He began eating to his heart’s content. The gentle tickles made me moan out in joy. It wasn’t long before my legs were splayed apart and Devari’s manhood was knocking at my door.

            Mukir climbed over my chest, whipping out his cock.

“Open wide…” He said, tapping my jaws. I did so. He shoved his cock down my throat and began fucking me orally. His broad cock wasn’t too much too handle and I let him do what he wanted. Devari then slipped his cock into my hole. He wasted no time in getting the motion rolling. I wanted to moan but my mouth was stuffed with Mukir’s manhood. He looked back at his brother, giving him a high five.

            Minutes later, I was filled with cum in both holes. Devari pulled out his member, climbing over mine. Mukir went around back, sliding his cock in. He groaned out.

“FUCK, this tightness can never get old…” He began to pound me so hard that Devari, sitting on top of me, moved.

            Devari chuckled, grabbing the lube and pouring it over my dick. I had to look to see what he was doing. He looked at me, seeing the shock in my eyes. He grabbed my throbbing organ and placed it at his back door. He slid it in, seizing a bit as he began rolling his hips. This was completely new ground! Never would I have imagined myself penetrating someone!

            Devari closed his eyes, getting lost in the rapid motion. His brother continued to pound me fast and hard, as Devari rode me. Mukir grabbed his brother’s member jacking him off as he rode me up and down. This was the most thrilling moment I had ever felt. At all came together in one explosion of an orgasm! Things afterwards were kind of a blur. I just remember Devari kissing me and Mukir finishing his second load deep inside of me.

            The three of us lay with each other, silent. It was pure bliss.

“What made you give in? I thought you’d just never do it.” Devari said.

“Nothing…” I shrugged. Devari leaned up to look at me.

“In case you haven’t noticed. You’re not a slave… You’re more so an asset. I use you, you use me! This was our agreement. You can tell me… I know when something’s wrong.” Devari noted.

“There’s nothing wrong…” I sighed, not wanting to reveal to him just how heartbroken I was, inside.

“Is it something we should be concerned about?” Devari persisted to prod.

“No…” I sighed, leaning up, “I’m going to my room…”
“I didn’t mean to make you leave…” Devari said.

“Well you did…” I responded, getting to my feet.

            I returned to my room, just tired. For the third time that day, I showered. It was nice! The warm steam readied me for bed! Upon exiting, it shocked me to the core to see Devari sitting at my desk, looking at me in disappointment.

“So, you’re upset over that dethroned king?” He asked. My blood began to boil!

“Get out!” I demanded, pointing to the door.

“No! You let that little boy get inside you! You let him control your way of thinking!” Devari said, picking up the letter and slamming it down.

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” I retorted.

“That spoiled punk doesn’t need you! And the fact that you wasted so much time holding onto him while in here…”
“Well, I LOVED THAT SPOILED PUNK! He was my very FIRST! And I wanted him to be my LAST! I never had anyone outside of my family stick up for me the way he has so you don’t know what it did to me to read that! It’s not that simple! This boy advocated for me in everyway! We loved each other!” I said, the tears I was trying to hold in for the past few days finally escaping. It put so much into perspective for Devari.

“I can just look at you and tell that you’ve been through magnitudes more than what that punk has. It’s not worth it being that upset over him. I don’t know why you’re here but it doesn’t sound like it’s for him so be conscious of your end mission! Fuck him! He doesn’t matter. Do what you got to do.” Devari said.

“Just get out…” I begged at this point.

            Reluctance was all over his face as he refused. He was seeing the cracks in my veil of perfection and I couldn’t handle it! I was on the verge of flipping out.

“GET OUT!” I screamed, pointing to the door. He still sat, fear beginning to creep into his mind as I grew more and more upset with his stubbornness.

            Before I could rationalize, I rushed towards the boy. He sprung to his feet as I drew my fists. He embraced me tightly, pulling me in close for the most passionate kiss imaginable! I melted like wax to his flame, unable to think at all under his magic. Our kiss drew to an end, frustration unlike any other thing setting in.

“I don’t know why I did that…” Devari sighed.

“NO, this is not what I need…” I said, shaking my head, “I don’t need these complications, these feelings!”

“I didn’t mean to make you upset… I just… You’re actually a lot of firsts for me...let’s… Let’s just pretend like none of this ever happened… This night… It never happened.” Devari said.

“I can do that.” I said, beginning to calm down.

            Devari finally left. He left one confused heart in his wake. I didn’t know what to make of my feelings for Devari but I refused to let them get in the way of my end goal. He cared far more deeply for me than I ever previously thought. However it was still incredibly difficult to put trust in him. I couldn’t tell him why I was really here. I had to keep using him like a pawn in my game but truthfully, I knew it was going to backfire. Just like Richard, he would end up hurting because of my actions.

            However, Devari spoke it himself. He said put my end game first and all else second and that included him. I don’t think he knew that he wasn’t all of that important to me. Sure there were feelings for him but would I feel anything for him if I had to do something awful to him or his brother? Not at all.

            These thoughts lasted from the night to the morning. There was no sleeping. I got up, heading to breakfast unsure what this day would have in store. As I made my way down in the early morning, a strange man was walking around the factory with a clipboard. I hadn’t seen him before but he seemed quite important.

            I paused to look at him, realizing he was not apart of this brothel chain.

“Move along slave or you’ll be marked for resale too.” He said. It shocked me! He was a debtor! Why was he here? What were his reasons!

            I didn’t bother to ask him questions. I rushed straight to Devari’s office, knocking hard. He answered slowly, not happy to see me.

“What!” He demanded.

“There’s a debtor here sizing up the place.” I said.

“What?” He said, suddenly awoken by the news, “Why didn’t my guards tell me of this?” He scrambled to get dressed, heading in and out of the rear room where his living quarters were. He went in for one last time, coming out with a shotgun.

            He looked furious, storming out of the room with the gun in hand.

“Lead me to him!” Devari demanded. I did so, showing him the man on the center floor, looking up at the numerous crates the warehouse had.

“All of the merchandise will have to go… It’ll be sent to auction…” The man said.

“You’re not sending shit to auction. You’re gonna leave my home! Who let you in here?!” Devari said, aiming his shotgun at the man.

“I got the proper paperwork and warrants to inspect this place. If you have a problem you can talk to the council…” The debtor responded, unfazed.

“GET. THE. FUCK. OUUUTTTTT!” Devari demanded once again.

            His roaring woke up the entire warehouse, his guards standing watch not able to do much due to the debtor’s paperwork.

“You won’t shoot me, child. You know what’s the penalty for that…” The debtor said confidently.

“I won’t?” Devari responded, rushing over to the man. He forcefully shoved the barrel in the man’s face causing him to stagger. The metal left a big bruise across the man’s face.

“ANIMAL!” The debtor shouted.

“Devari…” I said calmly, pushing the barrel from the debtors face. Devari’s slow burning gaze softened as he looked towards me.

            Without warning, I kicked the debtor in the chest, sending him flying into the fan grates behind us. The man hit the ground, staggered by the blow. He scrambled to get to his feet only to find himself flung towards the long corridor towards the exit. He steadily tried to get to his feet, but I continued to push him forward.

            It was better this way than Devari killing the man. We eventually got the man to the front

Lobby. I kicked him out of the door throwing his clipboard after him. A number of official guards were posted outside in case anything got serious. Devari rushed out after them. I snatched his gun before he went out and made a mess of himself.

“I’ve been in court for the past two weeks getting the transfer paperwork done! There’s NO reason my warehouse should be getting inspected for auction! My paperwork got approved days ago! This is my brothel, my keep! If any of you come back here again we’ll all go down in flames!” Devari snarled.

            Before the debtor could respond, he went back into the warehouse, slamming the door. He clenched his head, before looking at me.

“Thank you for that… I was about to do something stupid.” He sighed.

“No problem…” I said.

“We’re still fucked…” Devari slowly looked to the desk where Mardee was sitting, “What the hell man?”

“I’m sorry, boss but he had those guards, all that paperwork to back him up and you know I’m not the best reader.” Mardee pleaded.

“Next time, you better fucking remember whose side you’re on!” Devari threatened.

            He walked away, heading deep into the winding halls of the warehouse...