Dawn of the Unconquered Sun (Part 8 of the Ignaius-Saga)

Soft Landing

Back at the feast, Tanier spent his time with another drink and another flirt, until Vis returned. When he asked where Variel was, Tanier told him he was with someone else, but didn't elaborate and they spent the rest of the time chatting and joking, until suddenly the king noticed the councilman's son. Lekal-Kayla emerged with Variel cradled against his chest, as if to demonstrate that he knew how precious the boy was. Vis made eye-contact with the younger man - hard eye contact. A message was passed, but if Lekal-Kayla was intimidated, he didn't miss a step. Tanier couldn't help to admire the ease with wich he carried Variel. So he finally got his spoils and he was wearing them with pride.

"As I promised," Lekal-Kayla said when he reached Tanier. "Your boy, satisfied and unharmed. He sports a few bruises, but those are unavoidable and will fade in only a couple of days." He stood waiting then for the deal to be completed, for Tanier to take Variel and then return his sword. Well, and the collar, as Lekal-Kayla had assumed that removing it himself would be breaking some sort of code. He didn't understand these southerners.

As the young Auroran stood before Tanier, the king pulled out the sword, but didn't hand it over yet. Instead he ordered him to put Variel down. He needed to see that Variel was able to stand and move and was responsive, so he reached out for him as soon as he was down to the ground. He looked desoriented and walked gingerly, but he indeed didn't seem to be seriously hurt. He put his left arm - the right was still holding the sword - around him, pulled him closer, took another look and talked to Variel in a low voice: "Is he telling the truth?"

As Variel blushed and nodded, Tanier bowed down to kiss him. He recognized a strange smell on the boy as he did, but that was just what he had expected. The way Variel leaned into him and into the kiss told him that he was relaxed and exhausted and this was a good sign, so he held out the sword's hilt to the young warrior.

"I will leave the collar with one of the servants," he explained. He would need a little more time to get Variel out of this properly. And as the sword was taken, he added: "Next time I will bring my sword. And then you will really have to fight for what you want."

Then he simply turned, as he had to find a quiet place for him and Variel, plus it was a clear sign that the game was over for now.

When Lekal-Kayla heard the king's remark about his own sword, a small grin turned up the corners of his mouth. He liked the idea. He didn't say anything, however, and simply walked away when Tanier turned his back.

Once the king found the quiet place - the feast was more and more dying down anyway, as most people were either drunk or busy - he pulled Variel onto his lap and started to kiss and caress and praise him, everything to let him know that he was loved and safe and appreciated.

While sitting with Tanier, Variel gradually came down from his high, but it had left him thoroughly exhausted. He managed to smile in response to those praises, his eyes shining as he looked at the man he loved. His fingers found a loose enough part of the king's shirt to grasp and he held on.

Tanier could easily tell that Variel was indeed far out and that it would take a while to ground him. Allthough it was getting late, he didn't mind much, as he appreciated the closeness that developed between them as Variel was literally clinging to him, while he liberally showered him with love and affection. It allowed him to voice and express exactly those feelings that he often had to block out when he had to deal with Variel rationally or as part of their play. Being able to block or release those feelings at will was one thing that gave him his rush during those sessions, as it gave him the most powerful feeling of being in control.

When he felt like Variel was truly with him again, in this room, in his lap, in the solid reality that surrounded him, he removed the collar and after a few more kisses and hugs he asked: "Did I do the right thing by giving you to him?"

That question took Variel off-guard, even if he should have expected it. He blinked and looked back at Tanier in silence for a long time, trying to divine the answer. He had been afraid at first, and had almost felt betrayed, but now he understood the game. He understood that Tanier knew well what Variel still had trouble admitting to himself. The fear had been a part of it as much as the pleasure he received from such violence. The feeling of having his fate and his choice taken out of his hands had truly put him in on the blurred line between an amazing experience and a truly horrifying and traumatic one.

Variel closed his eyes to think for a few moments longer. Yes, that had been the difference: he'd been given by Tanier, not simply taken. As frightened as he'd been, he trusted this man and devoted himself to his wishes, all facts that Tanier was aware of and had used well. He remembered Lekal-Kayla's irritation and Tanier's reply; that one little scene had mattered.

At last, Variel opened his eyes again and gave the simple answer for all of his meandering thoughts. "...Yes."

"Good!" Tanier smiled. "Tell me, if you want to see him again, I think he likes the idea to cross swords with me. And I may have a worthy price to suggest. Let's find Vis and go home!"

He motioned Variel to stand and guided him to where they had left Vis, staying physically close to him all the time.

When they came back, Vis seemed to be entangled for the moment, his lips on the neck of a moaning young man. He murmured something in her ear and then drew away as she looked a bit disappointed, but gave him a smile and a wink that said he would see him again. Vis stood and met them near the table. "Ready to go?" He looked down at Variel. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

Variel bit his lip, then nodded shyly. Vis grinned and ruffled his hair, but the grin changed just a little when he looked at Tanier. "Not to order you around, but you might want to check with me the next time you leave him alone with a stranger, at least while we are here. Let us be grateful Lekal-Kayla is not too difficult to read and really does value his sword."

His tone wasn't scolding, but more of a suggestion. Still, the hint at caution was obvious.

"Point taken, but occasionally it might be difficult to find you. Like earlier tonight. Would you be able to tell me anything more about our young host?"

He knew that Vis had a point, so he did not outright contradict him. Yet he also felt that he was still very well able to make decisions on his own. He valued the Auroran's advice, but had no intentions to start depending on him.

They continued their discussion on their way out, picking up their guard on the way. The men looked tired and bored, no wonder, as they had spent hours watching others getting drunk and engaged in other pleasurable activity, while they were on duty and bound by it to stay sober and alert.

"To be honest, I did not expect you would do as you did," Vis admitted as they climbed into the litter. "Just remember that most here are not as open about their intentions as that man was."

Variel fell asleep on Tanier's chest to the sway of the litter as Vis changed topics to something more pleasant, namely the party itself. From the look of him, he hadn't actually drank much at all, and this was intentional. As occupied as he'd been, he still preferred to be alert.

Variel was roused when they returned to the Palace of the Sun and blearily walked with the two men up to their suite. He hardly managed to change out of his outfit before collapsing on the bed and starting to drift off again. Vis bid them goodnight and went to his own room to leave them alone.

Tanier watched Variel more closely than he let any of the other men know, trying to verify that he truly had not more than a few bruises. From what he could see, it was, and he had no intention to subject the poor boy to a proper examination.

It was late. It had been an exciting and eventful day. Still - or maybe because of this - he could not simply join Variel and sleep, so he picked up some of the reading material that had been delivered for him and reading helped to calm him down. Once he noticed that he was rereading a sentence for the third time, he got undressed himself and stretched out next to Variel, not surprised that the boy was all over him in no time. He seemed to do this insitictively, as he didn't even wake up. Pinned to his bed by the weight, he drifted into sleep quickly, yet his rest wasn't exactly peaceful, as he kept waking up, unsure, if it were uneasy dreams or Variel's movements that interrupted his sleep.