"So it wasn't really Rithvik's spell that called upon a demon."
"No, but Manusia is always open to summons from Humans."
"Were you called to stop your twin?"
"There was a magic user at the castle already who managed to exorcise Rithvik by sending him to sleep."
"So you didn't do it."
"Not this time, no. Manusia was just using Rithvik's body and a Fajrulo was enough to stop him. But centuries ago I sent him back to his kingdom when he tried to come out. I cannot allow him to mingle with Humans. Or with members of the Magical Races. He is toxic."
"He's not!" Rithvik came forward, indignant. "He's very lonely!"
"He seduced you, but he never loved you," Belfi told him. "He doesn't have a heart."
"So the wizard sent Rithvik to sleep," Kerrien said. "Was it like King Conon?"
"Not really." Belfi wrinkled his nose. "Conon was tainted, not possessed. One century was enough to cleanse him. I admit I'd forgotten about Rithvik."
"So I could have slept forever?" Rithvik asked gloomily.
"Indeed." Belfi smiled at him. "But you're all clear now. Bright as a star. And it's not Manusia's gift."
"Well, thank you," Rithvik said a little stiffly, obviously not convinced by the half-blood's words.
"Why did my kiss wake up Rithvik?" Kerrien asked, frowning.
"Because it was meant to be," Belfi answered with a smile.
"So I'm condemned to be with him for the time being?" Kerrien crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the androgynous youth.
"Is it so bad?" Belfi replied. "Isn't he everything you've always dreamed of? You wouldn't have found him, if you weren't supposed to love him. He's been in that tower for almost two centuries, waiting..."
Rithvik exhaled in relief, but Kerrien stiffened.
"Damned spells," he muttered. "Is there anything I can do to get rid of this... curse?"
"As long as you fight it and consider it a curse, it will keep binding you with other means," Belfi answered. "Just follow your heart, and you'll be fine."
He winked at Rithvik and left, leaving Kerrien speechless.
Rithvik chuckled. "I was wrong to fear him. He's very nice!" Again he put his fingers in Kerrien's hand. "So? Where do we go from here?"
"Tavern," Kerrien said grumpily. He needed a drink. No, he needed to get drunk. To forget he had by his side the most gorgeous young man that ever lived. And that the young man said he wanted to spend his life with him.
Maybe Kerrien was just being stubborn. Maybe Rithvik wasn't tainted. Maybe it was meant to be.
The Sterling Star's wine was awful, but it did its job. Kerrien leaned heavily on Rithvik as the prince took him to bed, without commenting on his drunken state.
Kerrien collapsed to sleep as the town ended the celebrations with sparkling fireworks.
***
Everybody looked morose the next day. Going back to normality was tough on everyone. Kerrien was sick for about one hour, then felt better. Rithvik suggested they go to the baths to refresh themselves before lunch.
Too busy struggling with a receding headache, Kerrien nodded and followed him. He was usually in the lead, so he hadn't taken a good look at Rithvik's ass yet. Nice! he thought lazily. Rithvik was even more handsome than Braedick.
Soon they were both in a small pool in a secluded room. Kerrien had already been there with Braedick years earlier, or met with other men when he wanted company and privacy, but today was different. He couldn't keep his eyes off of Rithvik's body and struggled to keep his hands to himself.
And when the green eyes met his, he couldn't resist. He took Rithvik's clean-shaven face and pulled him closer, kissing him hungrily. Boy, the prince tasted good! Kerrien would never get enough of that mouth. Their tongues warred and their bodies slid closer underwater.
Both gasped for breath and lost themselves in each other's eyes. Kerrien pulled Rithvik out of the water and lay him down on the side of the pool. He explored Rithvik's body with mouth and fingers, making the prince moan in pleasure.
I've wanted him from the moment I laid my eyes on him in his abandoned castle, he thought, almost incredulous that his passion and desire for Rithvik were so strong. He shouldn't have held back. Belfi was right, he should have listened to his heart, instead of fearing old spells.
"I love you, Kerrien!" Rithvik groaned and came. Kerrien was aroused too by now. "Let me touch you, my love..."
Kerrien didn't want to let Rithvik go, though. He closed Rithvik's mouth with his again and pressed his hardness against Rithvik's belly. Rithvik's hands squeezed his buttocks and he came too, gasping for breath and staring into those green bedroom eyes.
Rithvik held him tight, whispering thanks and seemingly unwilling to let him go.
"I knew I'd love it," Rithvik said, sighing in bliss.
Startled, Kerrien pulled back. "You mean you had never done it with a man?"
"No." Rithvik grinned. "I was the prince. Nobody was allowed to touch me... Thank you for making me feel human at last! Will you let me explore you next time?"
"Sure," Kerrien answered, still a little incredulous. He should have known Rithvik was a virgin. He was glad things had progressed as they did. Anything else might have been too much at first for Rithvik. Now they had many other options to explore together. Which made him feel like a virgin again. Ten or fifteen years younger and horny.
Rithvik looked drowsy. "Can we find a room with a double bed?" he asked, nestling against Kerrien.
"Of course." Kerrien squeezed him. "Possibly one where we can have sex all night and scream in pleasure if we want to."
Rithvik chuckled. "I look forward to that!" And then he drifted off to sleep.
Kerrien was spent, but not sleepy. He listened to Rithvik's slowed breathing, gently caressing the relaxed body against his.
He didn't sleep. He could slide away and leave, and Rithvik wouldn't find him when he woke up... but he didn't want to.
He liked the thought of spending the rest of his life with Rithvik. Even though he'd probably never say "I love you."
6. Beautiful Barbarian
Rithvik awoke with his cheek against a naked, warm body. Memories of Kerrien making love to him filled him with the smell of soap and thermal water around him. He opened his eyes and moved slightly to meet Kerrien's eyes.
"Hello," Kerrien said. "How about we get off the floor and to a more comfortable position?"
"I kind of like this," Rithvik answered, squeezing Kerrien's chest. He liked the fact they were still naked and their limbs still entwined.
"Yeah, I'm a comfortable pillow, but my back is sick of these wet tiles." Kerrien smiled and squeezed back. "We can continue somewhere else."
Reluctantly, Rithvik rose and grabbed his towel. Kerrien was right, the baths were stuffy and uncomfortable. "We have single beds in our room," he said with a sigh as they grabbed their clothes.
"We can move them close so they make one double," Kerrien replied. "Or we can ask for another room."
Rithvik brightened and Kerrien winked. Rithvik dressed quickly, bursting with happiness. He wanted to sing and dance. Kerrien's smile was so sweet... the intimacy with his mentor was even better than anticipated.
"Did I sleep too much?" he asked.
"No, not really. I did drain you." Kerrien's grin was dazzling.
"And did you sleep?" Rithvik insisted, blushing under the tender stare of Kerrien's brown eyes.
"No. I watched you. Couldn't close my eyes for a moment."
Rithvik gasped. "You didn't fall asleep with me?" And you didn't leave while I was asleep?
Kerrien shook his head, still grinning from ear to ear. Rithvik smiled too and quickly hugged the mercenary. He felt shy, all of a sudden, and fearful that showing too much affection might drive Kerrien away again.
Kerrien squeezed him and let go.
As they left the public baths, Kerrien stopped to look at an alley cat grooming itself. Rithvik frowned, confused.
"What are you lookin
g at?" he asked.
"I was thinking... I'm so used to do everything myself..." Kerrien grinned. "It feels weird to have someone grooming me!"
Rithvik smiled. "Especially since it's a dog doing it?" he asked as they headed back to the inn and the stables.
Kerrien looked puzzled at him. He pretended to pant with his tongue out like a dog and said, "Woof!"
Kerrien laughed. "Especially since it's a lovely puppy dog that got to the heart of this stray cat," he said putting one arm around Rithvik's shoulder. "Tell me, puppy, are you hungry yet? Or do you want to go back to bed immediately?"
"Actually, I'm famished..." Rithvik admitted, feeling his stomach grumble. "Let's grab a bite, then we can continue what we were doing..."
Kerrien steered him towards another street.
"It's that way, in that case," he chided.
"I'm still quite lost in this big town," Rithvik said.
"You're still quite lost in this new world," Kerrien replied. "But you'll learn."
"I know you will teach me everything." Rithvik stared at him adoringly. "And I'm looking forward to the next lesson!"
***
The inn with the stables had half the rooms vacant when they went back there. All the people who had come to town for the birth of the prince heir had gone back to wherever they came from, so the innkeeper had no trouble in changing the room for Kerrien and Rithvik. The price was the same, but he asked how long they intended to stay.
"Let's make it a full week, so the discount for long stays applies," Kerrien answered as he switched room keys. The innkeeper nodded, jotting down the change of room and the check out date. They had already paid the first week and gave him the money for the second.
"Where will we go then?" Rithvik asked as they grabbed their things in the old room and moved them to the new room.
"Haven't decided yet," Kerrien answered, looking around the new room, that was mostly like the previous one except for the double bed.
"I'd love to see the place where you were born," Rithvik said shyly.
"Really?" Kerrien took him into his arms, making his heart beat faster. "You want to see Caer Nittak?"
Rithvik nodded, gulping. He still couldn't believe Kerrien had surrendered.
Kerrien sighed deeply. "I guess it's time I go back there too..." he said, lowering his stare. "But now we have more important things to do," he added, smiling again.
"Like what?" Rithvik managed to ask, still breathless from the proximity of Kerrien's body to his.
"Like taking your clothes off and continuing what we were doing," Kerrien whispered, gently biting his earlobe. Rithvik yelped, taken by surprise. "Did that hurt?" Kerrien teased.
"No... no! Just... wasn't expecting it!" he assured.
Kerrien chuckled and let him go. "Here's what we'll do, then. You take the lead. You do what you've always wanted to do. I'll play along."
"Really?" Rithvik asked, incredulous.
"Yes, really." Kerrien's smile was tantalizing.
Rithvik threw his arms around Kerrien's neck and kissed him hungrily. Kisses wouldn't be enough, but they were a great start.
Exploring Kerrien's body was another great experience. He wanted to ask questions about every single scar he found, but at some point he stopped counting and wondering. Kerrien had a warrior's body. Asking too many questions might make the mercenary grumpy again.
Light faded in the room as the sun went down, but Rithvik couldn't let go. And then Kerrien held him close, cuddling him, and asking again if he was hungry.
"I'm hungry for love, your love," he answered, holding Kerrien tight. "You kept me at bay for a full month!"
"And don't you need a break now?" Kerrien teased. "I'm not going anywhere, you know? You won't discover everything right now anyway..."
"I know! But here we're alone and out there I don't think I can stick to you like I'm doing right now!" Rithvik huffed. He really didn't want to let go of the mercenary.
"Salamar is more open than Caer Nittak, but I don't like to display my relationships in public," Kerrien said, thoughtful. "So let's make it clear now. If I don't touch you in public, it's because I think it must be kept private, not because I don't want you anymore."
"Fine. Agreed. I'll keep my hands to myself out there."
"Good. Of course people will know or assume that we're a couple, but let's not be too obvious about it, shall we?"
"Yes, my love. As you wish. I'll do anything you tell me to do."
"Really? Anything?" Kerrien squeezed his buttocks, again taking him by surprise.
"Yes, anything," he answered eagerly.
"Good. But not today." Kerrien grinned and disentangled himself from Rithvik. "Let's grab a bite and get some sleep. Let's leave something for tomorrow..."
***
The rest of the week was spent mostly inside the room, exploring each other in a very physical manner. In spite of the hints that first day, Kerrien never tried to put something up Rithvik's ass, saying it was too early and they had plenty of other things to do before getting to that. And his hands and lips kept Rithvik breathless already, so he didn't complain.
One last trip to the public baths – with sex included – and one last meal at the Star and they recovered their horses to head out of the walls of Salamar. Rithvik was happy to be out of the crowded town. In spite of the commodities available in cities, he looked forward to sleeping under the stars with Kerrien, now that things between them had changed.
When they were on their own, they didn't need to hide how they felt. As they followed the river Ondan towards the north, Rithvik started worrying. What would happen when they found the next job?
"That's why I agreed to go to Caer Nittak first," Kerrien answered when he expressed his doubts. "To give us both time to cool down. This fire won't burn like this forever. Passion will turn to something deeper and more lasting and we'll be able to pretend we're just friends in public without straining to keep control."
"Oh!" Rithvik was amazed. "Sorry, everything is so new to me..."
"I know. It's something I haven't felt in a long time. Not like this."
Kerrien smiled and Rithvik blew him a kiss.
"So how did you do?" he asked then. "I mean, in the past fifteen years... was it just Braedick or were there others?"
"There were others, Braedick is the one who lasted longer," Kerrien answered without stiffening or avoiding the question. Obviously seeing Braedick again had helped him to let go. Braedick was history now. "That's why I know what I'm saying. Although it's been more than ten years since I fell in love with him, I still remember what it was like at the beginning."
Rithvik's smile slowly vanished.
"And then what happened?" he asked, frowning. "Why did you grow apart?"
"I don't know." Kerrien shrugged. "He changed. Wanted different things. I guess he's happy now."
"I could never be happy like him," Rithvik said with a shiver at the thought of a wife and children like the ones he'd seen clinging to Braedick. Definitely not for him. Obviously not for Kerrien either. Which made them perfect for each other!
"You'll change, Rithvik," Kerrien said, thoughtful. "When you get used to this..."
"I'd never leave you!"
Kerrien smiled. "Never say never, Rithvik. You never know what might happen."
"It's more likely you'll dump me when you find someone younger," Rithvik muttered, frowning.
"So you think that's what attracted me to you?" Kerrien asked, raising his eyebrows. "Your youth? Your pretty green eyes?"
Rithvik blushed. "I don't know... what attracted you?" He glanced at Kerrien's profile and waited.
The answer came after some pondering.
"I can't deny you're beautiful," Kerrien said. "When I saw you lying there... I had to kiss you because you were just... kissable! But I thought that was all, kiss a beautiful sleeper and forget him. And then you woke up, you started following me around like a pup, I couldn't get rid of you and started to get to know you..."
Rithvik realized he was holding his breath. His eyes met Kerrien's, and he exhaled, relaxing his grip on Sharixen's reins.
"Belfi was right, I denied my true feelings because I thought you had spellbound me. But love is a spell, something that happens only every once in a while... I guess you took me by surprise." Kerrien smiled sheepishly.
Rithvik brightened. "Maybe I was a little rash," he said. "But..."
"You're a spoiled prince, that's how you do things." Kerrien smiled and winked.
Rithvik chuckled. "That's why I badly needed someone like you! A father, a brother and a lover!"
"Yeah, well, I don't think I can be a father, but I've tried to be a brother until I became a lover..."
"The most tender and wonderful lover." Rithvik sighed in bliss and closed his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered to the wind.
"Which god are you thanking?" Kerrien asked, curious.
"The god of love, who else?" Rithvik grinned. "Do you have a god of love?"
"We have Maire, goddess of love." Kerrien nodded. "Then there's Ciaran, father of all the gods and god of the sun. Noel, goddess of life, earth, fertility. Bridin, the god of the dead. Padraig, the god of water. Declan, the god of war and fire. And Dunklermann, god of demons."
"That would be Manusia," Rithvik said. "Although we too gave him another name. I don't think anyone knows he's actually called Manusia..."
"Except you and his twin." Kerrien smiled.
"And you now," Rithvik added. "So, is there a temple in Caer Nittak?"
"No, not really. We're barbarian warriors, we don't worship in temples. We have shrines in the house for our favorite god and our ancestors, but no temples."
"So no priest caste." Rithvik nodded, thoughtful. "I remember my father had trouble with the high priest who wanted to govern earthly things. My father said he should stick to spiritual things, but Awdald was often in his face!"
"Did he request that the king gave his riches to the poor?" Kerrien asked.
"No, he requested that the king gave more money to the temple that supposedly fed the poor, except they didn't, really. I don't know, I hate politics. That was another reason to wish not to be a prince anymore."
"So you don't feel like a charismatic leader."
"Not with a father like mine, no. He's the charismatic leader. I'm only his pale shadow."
Fairy Tales Revisited on Silvery Earth Page 24