“Just plain good wine is what I’m offering. No trick,” he stared past her, as if he was disinterested in her comment. He tossed the wine back himself.
Supposed to show me it’s not poisoned, eh? she thought to herself. She quickly regretted not guarding herself as the green-eyed twinkle Maatkare possessed reminded her that he could sense her thoughts.
He re-filled the ladle and offered the wine to her again.
Ariennu sighed, sipped the ladle first, and then gulped the rest. The drink was smooth and rich; just what she needed. This day of misery had begun when the count toyed with her and had grown worse when Deka shunned her. When Naibe began her wondrous dance for Marai and Ari felt all of the young woman’s sadness at his death, her own wounds re-opened. Naibe-Ellit had filled the plaza with so much magic and must have still been weaving dreams around the throne. That she would miss the dance because she had planned to humiliate Deka seemed so childish now, but it wasn’t something she could stop. Ari knew her plan to mock Deka for her coldness and her prince’s eagerness to wander were about to meet head on.
Yeah, Naibe, you go dance your dance. I’ll drink with this one and then go do what I’ve been wanting to do for a while with him. Ari stared over the ladle at the prince’s confident smile and saw the flash of his dog teeth as he laughed at his ability to know her thoughts. Pride, she thought. So proud you are. Make me just a little sick. Would have been nice, but now any pleasure I might feel is just going to feel like work. She didn’t care if he heard her thoughts; he had demonstrated that skill often enough. She sent him the conscious message: What you don’t know is how much I can drink and still walk around to talk about it. Maybe I don’t really want you to crawl up and hunch my leg anymore. Did you ever think of that?
The situation wasn’t at all what she had hoped for. Now she wanted to humiliate both Deka and him. In order to do that Ari decided she would simply drink with him until he was too drunk to be of any good to her or any other woman in the plaza. His seductive gestures were an insult to his wife, to Deka and even to her as his intended partner for the evening. He was about to leave for some months and must have wanted to get something a little different on his last night in Ineb Hedj. If he had any regrets, she knew he could blame the wine, even though he didn’t seem to be the apologizing sort. This irked her. Keeping herself in that huff, she walked with him silently as they headed back out to the main plaza.
She had always used and enjoyed men without consequence, having learned to do so from years of desperate need. The prince was pampered and in no way suffered from want. Maybe I was that hungry once, to give my body up for food or a soft place to sleep, but that was in the alleys and gutters of Tyre. I was just a girl then. Now I’m not so fast, Your Highness, her thoughts went to the prince as he continued to move with her to another urn of wine in another part of the plaza. He looked at her out of the corner of one eye as he walked, so she continued her slightly disgusted but silent rant. I know how you think this is going to go. You’ll try to get me drunk, then drag me off somewhere, take me, and then leave me to sober up alone and sick as death while you sail off to Ta-Seti with your Deka. Ariennu paused and faced him for the last part: won’t happen that way though. It’s you who’ll be loaded on your boat while I’m on to my next good day and it’s Deka who will nurse your abandoned aches from the wine.
She noticed him fill the new ladle and offer her another drink, as if none of her deliberate message had made its mark or affected him in any way. “Hmmm… It’s good,” she grinned.
The prince silently took another drink and gave her a matching one from the ladle. So you want a game, then. His thoughts spoke after moments of silent drinking. It’s your turn, so have another one. He offered her the filled ladle again: You’re going to lose, you know. Each time she finished one and returned the ladle, he grabbed at her and tried to close her in his grasp.
Oh Goddess, would you look at those arms! Ariennu found herself distracted for a moment.
He surrounded her and embraced her, his hands cupped her breasts. He tucked his fingers tucking inside her kalasaris straps to stroke her nipples.
Hmm. Not bad at all, she thought, realizing with each passing moment that she really didn’t want to play the game of resistance. Every move he made felt so good that she thought she might have to start screaming just to distract herself if he continued. His skill in the art of pleasure clearly matched his beauty. I have to slow him down! This is happening too fast. In a moment he’ll have me to my knees and going for a taste right in front of his men.
The prince tittered a little, but responded with a thought. You slow yourself down, woman. You know what you started, and why. Maybe no one ever told you if you poke a wild animal with a stick, it will come at you fierce like this! But that’s what you like, isn’t it? Fierce?
Ariennu pulled away, leading him a little. I could do this, let my nature have the better of me, but there’d be no sport, she sobered herself. She wove the prince around the perimeter of the courtyard. They drank from various vessels, teasing each other and joking as they wandered back and forth through the crowd. The prince wasn’t terribly drunk, Ariennu noticed. He moved a little more casually among his men, bending stiffly toward them in his tightly laced and woven rib armor. From time to time he turned to include Ari in his conversation, but she remained a distant ornament mostly. Any time the conversation paused, he touched, held, and stroked every part of her his hands could reach, but only as a tease. It was, as he intimated earlier, a fine game of hunt and chase. She listened to him gossip about some of the guests below as they made the rounds of the upper levels, then he would turn to her to share filthy but hilarious bits as if she was one of his men.
Harmless! she thought. Dangerous stories I’ve heard so far. If he gets any more drunk someone will have to shut him up, prince or not. He’s just a strange rich young man. And yet, they treat him like some kind of young warrior-god, she giggled, suddenly beyond thrilled. Oh you’ve got wealth, Highness and I’ve been with wealthy men before. But you think you’re a god, or nearly so, I bet. Beat you there, too. Been with a god, and he liked me a lot… helped me become what I am t’day, she smiled as she sipped from the ladle again. Add a little sorcery, a little craft, she pulled him a little closer at one point then exhaled rapturously into his face. Like reading your thoughts, just as much as you like seeing into me. Maybe you’re even casting your heka on me to get me to loosen up, eh? Is that what you did to Deka? Hmmm?
He didn’t respond. At some point Ari wondered if she had imagined he could read thoughts, but reminded herself he could. He was ignoring her jabs. He was showing her she didn’t matter.
As the evening wore on, Ariennu meandered through the party, arm in arm with the prince, laughing and drinking as if they had become dearest friends. Despite her thoughts to remain somewhat distant from this prince; to relate to him on a physical level only, his natural seductiveness had begun to overtake her again. He wore the strange ring that seemed identical to his grandfather’s dangerous one, but whenever he grasped her hand or threw an arm around her affectionately she never felt any draining or other feelings from it. She did feel drunk and even confused; more than she should have felt at this point. First she had lusted and fantasized about him, then felt disgusted by him, and now she felt an agony of desire trying to return. Is it heka? No. The Children then? she laughed to herself. Of all the activities and emotions these little spirits encased in stone enjoyed, it was lovemaking. Perhaps it was her Child Stone controlling her response more than her wits, after all.
Well I wonder… she thought but stopped herself. This was supposed to be a way to shame Deka for not sending me any of her thoughts for the time we’ve been apart. I’ve been drinking a bit, but it hasn’t given me the wobbles, just… she grinned, but then sighed. And I’m going to get him drunk, and then what? Maybe Deka fell for him so hard she didn’t want us to know about it. Ariennu continued musing. Maybe she’s a little ashamed that all of Marai’s gentl
e, shepherd-y charm was never able to get to her that way.
She noticed the prince had finished some random chatter with one of his officers and had turned his attention back to her. Ari sensed this prince could make any woman feel like a goddess on his couch the first night, and desperate for more of him every night after. His fine treatment would continue until he got bored with whatever woman he had pursued and interested in something new. That he could take women with far too much ease, and for the way Deka had treated her tonight, Ariennu wanted to grow cold all over again: to tease Maatkare and turn him. I’ll get the pleasure I want from you soon enough, Highness, but it’s you who’ll be begging for me to come back for more, not me gasping for you. She chuckled, but noticed he had sensed her last thought by the sly and quizzical look on his face and the way his tongue slid over his lips just a little.
The prince nudged her toward the steps to the private carved stone balcony areas outside the vacant royal bedchamber meant for the King’s wife. It was similar to the chamber for the king across a covered walkway that joined them. Both rooms overlooked the main plaza. Nearby, in the center of the two rooms, another narrower flight of brick steps led up to the kitchens. “This is strapped on a little tight,” he spoke aloud, with every intent to return all attention to himself, then fumbled with the tie-straps on his rib armor. “You can help me.”
Ari knew his bringing her up to this balcony that overlooked the plaza had been part of a stunt for the entire assembly of guests. He had planned to get a little drunk and then put on a show of his skill with the bow to prove his expertise. It would show his men that even full of wine, he would be able to spring into defensive action if a threat ever came at a celebration such as this one. She didn’t like being used as an accessory in order for him to make a point. The night was still young, however, and so she helped him.
With the prince’s armor removed, Ariennu found her eyes suddenly glued to the brutal-looking double row of muscle that had been hidden by it. Tight bulges extended from his chest into the gold-clad belt around his small and nipped in waist. Mercy on me, she shook her head, fingers extending forward to touch and inspect his belly.
He, nodded in approval, then quickly rolled the armor and set it out of the way. The prince turned with a little yawn and overhead stretch designed to show off every part of his exposed physique as she ran her hand down to his waist and then smoothed the decorated brocade apron flap over his shendyt.
“Mmm?” she cooed, arms surrounding him as she gently but suggestively thrust her hips against him, then stroked him to arouse him even more. Her head sank to his chest and her knees slowly bent as she kissed and lowered herself to his tight belly, then lapped at his naval.
“You think I’m drunk, don’t you,” he plucked her hand from his groin and dragged her up by the chin, then pushed her back against the balcony wall. “We’ll get to that part later, Red Sister. This show’s still mine, for now.” A wave of intoxication hit him. He staggered, but recovered quickly. “Um…not…drunk. This is how I can tell,” he slurred.
Red Sister. Charming. Say you’re not drunk but you’re so damned drunk you can’t even remember my name. Oh… she giggled, you never asked it. Ariennu felt a little tight in the cheeks and instinctively tapped the space above her brows where her Child Stone lay. She sensed its comforting purr rise to greet her fingertips. You in there, she started, you going to help me out tonight or get in the way? She remembered the night she sampled the king’s medicine and the way she had felt drunk that time. Didn’t help me then, did you? She sighed but understood her own irritation. Now that she’d started drinking her old instincts to self-obliterate had begun to whisper to her that she didn’t have to be so sober and responsible. She watched the prince sit on the rail, take the other ends of the leather straps in his hands then loop them over his ankles. What is he..? she sidled closer and continued to touch and stroke his arms. Some kind of trick on this rail?
“Watch…” the prince ordered her, then beckoned for her to hand him the bow and take one arrow from the quiver for him. When she did, he nocked it perfectly.
“See the tight little piece of ka’t that just went downstairs with the tray of bread on her head? Middle loaf, dead center, keep watching.” The prince studied the girl’s movement, turned his back to the plaza, sat on the rail, and raised himself until he was squatting on it. He dropped backward over the rail, so he swung slightly, suspended by the straps. With his body arched magnificently and he took aim. Before Ari could shriek a little in protest, he fired the overhead shot into the crowd. The arrow made its mark, but not without causing the serving girl who held the tray over her head to yelp and drop everything. The clot of people nearest her pointed and looked up while a roar erupted from any of Prince Maatkare’s men who noticed what he had done. The cheer continued to rise and ripple through the entire assembly while some of the people found and passed the bread around. Someone discovered the loaf he shot, lifted it by the arrow that pierced it and waved it overhead to even louder cheers.
Tight little piece? Is that what he called her? Ari leveled a dirty look over the rail at the prince, then gasped in delight as he crossed his arms in a funeral position, put the bow in his teeth, then with a deep breath, slowly crunched his belly until he curled up high enough to grasp the straps. He continued the feat of control and strength until he could grab the uprights, take the bow from his mouth, toss it over, and finally clamber over the stone rail. He stood, breathing heavily at first, then returned a smug stare. Ari licked her lips, then gestured a little “come hither” with the tip of her tongue.
Ignoring all but the adoring crowd of soldiers, the prince tore the restraining straps loose from his ankles and shoved both his fists, the war bow now clutched in one, into the air, then paraded around in a tight circle on the balcony.
“Yee-oooo… Aoooo…” he cried out like a hound howling loud and long, directing the sound down to his men. They sent up and admiring cheer, some returning the hoots and howling in response. Something in that exchange chilled Ariennu’s heart to the point of instant sobriety. It was the cry. It didn’t sound like a man imitating a wolf, it sounded like a wolf imitating a man. “Haa… ooooo… Ayoooooo…” he cried again, then dropped his bow to the balcony floor with a clatter. He turned to Ari and swamped her with several frenzied and wild kisses. Another light cheer went up from some of the men on the perimeter. Ari’s feet left the ground as he lifted her and devoured her with more passionate kisses. Suddenly, he stopped and set her down, amused at the way she staggered and tried to find her feet beneath her lust-melted knees.
“See? Not drunk,” he paused before launching another tirade of savage kisses and bites. “Had to do at least one trick, though. My men expect it,” he panted, suddenly much more inebriated as he wiped a little spit from his lips. “Better not do another one, though. Old man’ll be whining. Too many people here. Damn good wine this is,” Prince Maatkare tucked Ariennu tightly in one arm and clambered back down the steps to the wine room to get more drink to share with her.
The dance Naibe had been doing crossed the older woman’s thoughts. She wondered why the raucous demonstration of archery skills by the prince hadn’t overtaken it. Is she still dancing? I don’t see how anyone could go on through all of that noise his Highness and the men just made. Ariennu strained to see. The music had slowed. A little bit of mournful sing-chanting that sounded like a sad dirge came from some of the women, then rose a little in tempo. This must have been the part in the drama where Ashera arrived in the Underworld to implore of Ereshkigal if she might see her beloved Dumuzi. It was a pretty part, if acted properly.
Ariennu thought if she strained far enough she would be able to see how Naibe performed it. Unfortunately, the prince pawed at her, more insistent than before. His fingers outlined the gentle curve of her belly, moved over the top of her hip sash, and settled far too comfortably between her legs, stroking and insistent. She felt the blinding sensation of the pleasure as his fingers played a
gainst the soft fabric of her shift; the heaviness of arousal, followed by the sudden awareness of a spark-like charge from his dark ring. She struggled with him suddenly, staggering, and pushing him away as she realized she had all but succumbed to the moment. “I told you I will not be forced by that ring! I felt it that time,” she hissed under her breath.
He took a swing at her, mostly to get her attention, but barely clipped her jaw.
In return he got her fist in his mouth.
He paused, dumbfounded, licked his lip, and tasted blood. “Oooh Red Sister, so fierce you are! I like that!” he stood silently for a moment again. “Nothing makes me hotter than a good fight and bite,” he teased, noticing that some of his men had widened into a circle to watch him. He seized the back of her head by the hair, wrestled her to him and kissed her again, harder, his sharp dog teeth stabbing at her lips. “You want a taste of me? You taste me, then!” he hissed at her, kissing and groping wildly.
Ariennu only made a half-hearted attempt to stop him. She gasped and laughed, then licked his blood and her own from her lips. He was desperately exciting to her and she was just drunk enough to completely rid herself of her plan to humiliate him. A quick grind in a dark corner might be the perfect cure for such a dismal day, she thought. Ari felt the reddest lust building in her. All night she had felt it build and had suppressed it again and again. Why is it now that I’m pushing him away? she wondered. Is it really the heka ring? No, I’m dreaming it has power over me. I know he has to think of compelling me and he’s getting too drunk to use it. Is it because he belongs to Deka? Oh blessed be, that’s even more of a reason. If there wasn’t such a crowd, I’d like to drag this pretty man out to the floor in front of her, mount him and ride him to madness just for revenge. Make her to look at me do it, too… Her and his wretch of a grandfather!
Going Forth By Day Page 36