The Fairies' Tales

Kisses and Swords - Kinabra (Cobra/Kinana)

Kinana had escaped once again, and she was to see the gladiator she laid eyes on that first day she was brought into slavery. He was brave and strong, and his muscles left little to the imagination. His shirts were tight around his taut abdomen, and even his armor was fitted to his rippling physique.

Kinana sighed softly and rested her arms on the rigid stone balcony. His name was Cobra, and today he was making target practice with apples and a bow and arrow. His arms pulled back and fired the arrow to on top of his assistant's head, and he pumped his fist slightly when he hit the apple right into the tree.

But what most amazed Kinana about the man was that he didn't have a care in the world. With a slight smirk he sliced up lions with one single swipe, and he conquered his opponents and had them begging for mercy as he pointed his sword directly at them. But his hubris seemed to be that whenever he rode a chariot, he would become sick quite quickly. Kinana had heard of the other warriors that had the same curse, but had yet to see any of them.

Cobra looked up to the rafters where she was sitting with a lazy look and lifted a hand in greeting. Shocked, she wiggled her fingers back with a smile. He looked at her!

"Kinana! What are you doing out here?" her master exclaimed from behind her and began to yank on the girl's purple hair.

"I'm so sorry! I just wanted to see him again!" Kinana cowered and covered her face with her hands.

"I'll make sure you never come up to this place ever again!" the woman yelled as pulled a knife from her robes and held it menacingly over Kinana's feet.

"Please, no!" Kinana shouted and braced herself for the pain that was coming. This was it. Her feet were to be gone forever, and that was the end of seeing the handsome gladiator that she admired. She shut her eyes and tensed her body, ready for the agony.

But the gladiator had a different idea. Cobra was at Kinana's side with a hand on the knife blade that her master was due to push down on her feet.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Cobra told the woman gruffly, "but I will put a claim on that slave you have there."

Kinana opened her eyes and saw that Cobra was defending her. His hand holding the blade ease now gushing with blood, and her eyes widened at the liquid streaming down his arm.

"What do you mean? She's my slave! If I want her feet to be gone, I can do that!" the slave owner said to Cobra, drawing the blade back into the sheath when she saw how much blood she was drawing from the famed victor's hand.

"With all due respect," Cobra grasped his hand and bit down on the words sarcastically, "you don't seem to be taking care of the slaves, especially this one. I'll take her and teach her some good lessons. How much do you want for her?"

"Very well. I disliked her anyway. Good luck with this brat. I will be taking my 100 aureus now," the old woman held out her hand grumpily, and Cobra handed the money to her. The woman then turned around and walked away.

"Figures," Cobra said, and Kinana got up to help him with his hand. She ripped a piece of cloth from her pant leg and wrapped it around his hand.

They sat in silence then, the wind blowing against them and lifting Kinana's hair into the breeze. Her natural scent of violets blew into Cobra's nose, and that is when he noticed the green of her eyes for the first time. Emerald green, they were, and they were so bright that it shocked him into staring at her lovely face for several seconds.

"Thank you for saving me," Kinana said after a few moments, dipping her head low. He was her master now. It would be imperative to be respectful.

"It's not a big deal," Cobra tsked and stood up, grasping his hurt hand.

"Oh, but it is! You saved my life! How can I ever repay you?"

"Lemme ask you this. Would you do the same if it were me?" Cobra asked, crossing his arms over his shoulders.

"Of course! I would definitely save your life, my lord," she told him, and he barked out a laugh.

"Don't call me that again. You can call me Erik," he said with a soft bite to his words, and his fingertips with his good hand grazed her jaw. To Kinana, it felt like little sparks were in his fingers, and she relished in the moment as he stared into her eyes.

Green on brown, they stared at each other. A smile here, a gaze there, and an attraction blooming in the blustery air. Slowly, they inched towards each other with uncertainty and their lips met in a lustful way. Their teeth clacked and their tongues collided, and heat pooled in both of their bellies. Kinana bit down on Cobra's bottom lip and he responded with a sharp growl that made the heat pool in Kinana's stomach even faster.

When they broke apart, Kinana smiled at her friend, and Cobra even managed a small upturn of his lips.

"Let's go home," Cobra said to Kinana, and he grabbed her hand and began to walk with her.

"Yes, Erik."