Wine God's Sorcery: The Horse Lords

by Diana Drakulich

  Blue stags with fantastic curling antlers and intricate spirals were tattooed on the queen’s breasts and shoulders. Her long, blue hair was elaborately braided and piled in a circlet on her head. She wore a golden crown topped with delicate, leafy golden trees inlaid with gems.

  Sava noted that Queen Barkida held a golden thyrsus twisted with ivy and mounted with a pine cone. The queen must be a devotee of Dionysos.

  With the exception of Queen Toxaris, they all went down on one knee and did obeisance to the Agathyrsi queen. Spargapeithes and Barkida lifted their scepters in greeting.

  Taking a bold step forward Sava spoke: “Your Majesties, King Raymaxos of Sauromatia asks that you come to a council of war in Royal Skythia. There to discuss an alliance against Persia. My king sent this as a token of his good will.”

  With these words, Sava lifted from his neck an exquisitely crafted gold necklet of gryphons attacking wild horses. He offered it to the royal couple with both hands, palms up, head bowed. The chief guard took the golden necklace and handed it to Spargapeithes who nodded and gave it to Queen Barkida.

  “Your gift pleases us.” The queen smiled but her cold, glittering blue gaze studied Sava’s face for signs of duplicity.

  From her arch expression it was already clear to Sava that Queen Barkida feared being sucked into a war with Persia. However the king seemed more open to discussion.

  Sparks of tension were almost visible, leaping between the staff that each royal sovereign held. A battle royal between two opposing gods – Sabazius, who fought the demon reptiles and Dionysos, for whom the serpent was sacred.

  Naked but for a leopard skin wrapped around his loins, the royal soothsayer stood between the two thrones. His staff was a thyrsus with a twining serpent topped by a pine cone.

  Sava surmised he was the wine god’s Archiboukolos, `Most High Cattle Herder’. It is he who feeds the antagonism between the two rulers.

  Spargapeithes spoke a few quiet words to the queen and she nodded. He turned to Sava. “We will discuss this war council tonight at dinner. In the meantime, you will enjoy our hospitality. Surely you will stay with us a few days to rest your horses and let them graze on our good green grass?”

  Sava gazed at his friends who nodded assent. “With pleasure sire.”

  “My attendants will escort you to our hot spring baths where you will bathe and refresh yourselves. Tonight you will taste our famed Agathyrsi wine. Then we will discuss the alliance in more detail.”

  As they were led away toward the baths and their quarters, Sava assessed the situation – Two gods vying for power over a kingdom. A bad sign. If this kingdom is so divided, it will be difficult to bring Agathyrsia into the alliance against Persia.

  At the end of the hall, two massive doors swung open. A mild haze of fragrant steam billowed out. Inside was a spacious chamber in which several stone baths were lined against a wall.

  The high circular roof had an oculus at the top, open to light and blue sky. Scented herbal mists rose from the baths. A young man sat on a bench in the corner playing a lyre and singing.

  A petite, golden-haired, bare breasted young woman wearing only a bronze slave collar and a loincloth approached Sava. With a bow she held out her hands, palms up.

  “I am Dodona. I will be your bath attendant Kir, Lord.”

  “Good. I am Sava of Sauromatia.”

  “Anything you need, it is my pleasure to serve you.” Dodona’s voice was husky, lilting.

  Despite being a slave, the girl emanated a vibrant presence that compelled Sava to take her measure. She stood straight, chin lifted, eyes downcast. A slave brand was imprinted on her neck. Her back showed red welts and fading greenish yellow bruises.

  Why beat such a sweet girl? “Why does your master beat you?” Sava waved a hand at her back.

  “The Bathmaster says I deserve to be beaten every day - for my insolence.” She peeked up at him with a small sad grin, her blue eyes still holding the fading remnants of youthful mischief.

  Sava shook his head. I should like to beat your `Bathmaster’. See how HE likes it. I treat my horses better than that.

  “Come Kir.”

  Taking his hand in her warm fingers the slave girl led him to a stone bench built into an alcove. There she proceeded to strip off his clothes, her sensual fingers sliding slowly over his sensitive skin.

  Chapter 6 - The Golden Fleece

  The Agathyrsi dye both their bodies

  And their hair a blue color,

  The lower classes use a few small designs

  The nobles use broad designs,

  Close and thick, of a deeper hue -

  Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Getae (`Things Done’)

  Piece by piece the slave girl Dodona took off Sava’s clothes. Her warm knowing fingers lingered, sending tingles sliding across bare skin. Smooth glossy skin that loved to be touched. When the nomad was revealed in all his broad-shouldered male majesty, she gestured to a stool.

  “Sit Kir.”

  Delicious warm water was poured over his head. His hair was washed with rose scented soap. Rubbing and squeezing, the slave girl massaged the soap into his scalp and torso.

  Ahh… He released a low groan of pure pleasure. After long days in the saddle, her sensitive fingers felt so good…

  “Stand up.” Her supple fingers laved his groin, buttocks and legs, sliding, squeezing…almost caressing...

  “Sit down.” More warm water poured over his head to rinse him off.

  When the nomad was shining clean, Dodona motioned him toward a steaming stone bath, the surface sprinkled with rose petals. Reclining in hot water up to his chin, he groaned as the fullness of the heat seeped into taut muscles. The warmth permeating every pore until there was nothing else...but this…delicious melting heat…

  Ahhhh…such delicious ecstasy. Sava lay back and let his head sink under water, allowing the heat to permeate and relax the muscles around his eyes and face. It was the nomad’s first hot bath.

  Vuk, Borna, Marat, Spartak and Toxaris each lounged in their own baths. Sava’s smiling eyes met theirs. Such pleasure had no need for words. After a time, he climbed out and Dodona was there, drying his body with a soft thick cloth. She led him back to an alcove with a long wide stone bench layered with soft fleece.

  “Lie down on your belly Kir.”

  She pulled a privacy curtain across the entrance, then began massaging his back with a rich aromatic oil.

  “Hmmh …Smells good. What kind of oil is that?”

  “Olive oil, from Thrakia.”

  Her supple hands worked their magic, massaging every inch of him on both sides, even his eye sockets and genitals. Sava felt that familiar sweet ache, his phallus thickening, lengthening. Is she deliberately trying to arouse me?

  After seeing that the horses and dogs were well fed and secured, Brata returned to the palace. Escorted by a servant, the Black Cloak warrior strode toward the royal baths, images of Queen Toxaris’ lithe body dancing in his seething brain.

  He had not had a chance to be intimate with Toxaris since their idyllic swim in the river, days ago. Since then just being around her was sweet torture. Even the slightest brush of her skin caused his libido to surge. Being in her proximity caused pulsing lust to shoot through his veins like a wild river.

  `Beware - She is a black widow’. Sava’s warning against becoming entangled in the Neuri queen’s coils still reverberated at the back of Brata’s mind. He would never forget being lured into mating with a seductive priestess in the Dark House. Then at the moment of climax, his throat was cut in homage to Ah-Gin. Only a miracle had saved his life.

  So Brata was well aware of the potential cost of allowing himself to be blinded by feminine charms. But it was already too late. He was obsessed with Toxaris. For the hundredth time he reminded himself -

  I owe a blood debt of honor to Sava. My mission in life now is to aid him in his quest to save Skythia.

  Yet in his secret heart the Black Cloak gazed into Toxaris�
� golden-green gaze and craved her touch. Lusted to have her luscious body naked and writhing under him. He spent hours on horseback eyeing her swaying back with its long sinuous black braid…How he would tease and tantalize her until she begged for his intimate embrace.

  Was our joining at the river just a onetime thing for Her? An idle flirtation? I have nothing to offer. No wealth, no tribe, not even a name. And she a queen.

  Now that they were in Agathyrsia, did she still desire him as he wanted her? Other men, wealthy nobles, would desire a powerful statuesque queen like Toxaris. Mentally he smiled –

  No suitor would be mad enough to accept the Neuri marriage contract of `King for a Year and a Day’ at the end of which comes death. But then neither will I…Still, I can dally with her.

  Or so he told himself. Then the tall wooden doors of the bath hall swept open before him and Brata’s reverie broke apart, drifting away in a waft of warm, scented steam.

  With a warrior’s keen eye for potential threats his gaze shot around the massive bath chamber. Taking it all in he saw the nearly nude male and female bath attendants, the lyre player and the various lounging nude bodies.

  Beckoning pools of hot water emitted diaphanous clouds of scented steam. The hardened, conditioned paladin in Brata wanted to turn around and walk right out again. To participate in such wanton luxury made a man vulnerable. Weak. But another side of him called in a soft, soothing voice –

  Come in… Toxaris awaits you…Stay. Enjoy these few moments with her…

  And then his dark regard fell on Toxaris’ verdant gaze, alight with anticipation. She was reclining in one of the hot spring baths, her golden skin glowing. The other Neuri lounged in separate baths. He did not see Sava anywhere.

  Toxaris watched the Black Cloak prowl toward her, lean muscular body rippling with virile energy. Then his approach was cut off by one of the bath attendants. Bowing before him, the slave girl introduced herself as his personal servant who would fulfill all his desires.

  Not while I live. Toxaris rose from the stone bath in all her heated, dripping splendor. Taking a thick cloth from her bath attendant, she wrapped it around her hips, leaving her luscious breasts with their large succulent nipples prominently displayed.

  Hips swaying, her body flowed toward Brata of its own accord, drawn by his male allure.

  “Leave us. I will attend to the Black Cloak.” (Mine). She flicked an imperious hand, warning away the interfering servant.

  Lips quirked, Brata’s rich earthborn eyes glinted, appraising her attitude of command. He sent her a mental message – You always expect to have your way My Queen?

  Always. Her eyes glinted a smiling challenge.

  Don’t think you will always hold the reins in our relationship. His dominant male expression said.

  But Toxaris knew with a woman’s intuition that he throbbed for her. As her own body pulsated with need for him. Brata gazed around the room, black brows lifted in silent question.

  “Sava is in there, getting a `massage’.” Lips lifted in a knowing smile, Toxaris nodded toward the curtained alcove.

  So Brata could relax. For now.

  “Come Adoni, allow me to bathe you. We have traveled far in heat and dust.” The Vukari queen purred into the Black Cloak’s glittering dark eyes.

  Innately Toxaris understood his aloofness. His distrust of intimacy. His need to maintain the walls of fortress Brata, especially amid this strange civilized luxury. In response to her request, he simply closed his long-lashed eyes once in a slow blink of assent.

  Knowing how much her people delighted in juicy gossip, Toxaris turned to the Neuri lounging in the baths, all feigning disinterest. With a commanding glare she flicked her eyes toward the door - Out.

  Without a word her men rose from the steaming waters, dressed and left. Toxaris directed another imperious look and flick of the hand at the remaining bath attendants – Leave us.

  The slaves immediately slunk out. Now only the lyre singer remained to beguile their ears with sweet songs of heartfelt romance. And Sava was still somewhere around, enjoying the ministrations of his bath slave.

  Taking Brata’s strong callused hand in hers, Toxaris led him to a washing stool with soap and vessels of water. Her long flexible fingers set about removing his raiment. With calculated finesse the Vukari queen undid his scale armor and kurta to reveal smooth golden skin.

  A glance at the bulge in his leggings indicated his simmering libido. Brata was one of those men for whom lust increased his male allure. Humming with pleasure at the privilege of removing his clothes, piece by piece, her warm fingers slid over his skin.

  She ran her palms over his chest, lightly caressing his old battle scars and tenderly kissed each one, humming as she did so. The sound vibrated through his muscled body like licking tendrils of fire.

  Kneeling before him, Toxaris removed his boots. When her fingers touched his crotch to unlace his leggings, the Black Cloak grunted and reflexively thrust his hips against her hand.

  Uh-hh. Already his cock was rock hard and she had just begun.

  Placing a hand at the back of his leggings and one at the front so that one hand brushed sensuously over his swelling arousal and the other over his taut ass, Queen Toxaris pulled down Brata’s leggings and then lifted each foot to pull them off.

  Now at eye level with his tumescent phallus, she took the base of his fat cock in her supple fingers and placed her full lips on the broad head to give it a soft sensuous lick and kiss.

  Brata’s beast roared, his body pulsing with raw, seething desire. Looking up, she saw the fire smoldering in his dark eyes. The fierce intensity of his regard – I want you.

  “Sit, Adoni.” She gestured toward the stool. Her voice husky, seductive.

  Without taking his hungry, heated eyes off her, Brata complied. Now delicious, soap-slick hands slid over his shoulders and down his chest. Fingers lightly pinched his nipples, sending shots of delight straight to his groin. She washed his shoulder length hair, massaged his scalp, then rinsed until his thick black mane glistened.

  “Stand up.”

  UH. He grunted. You love command.

  Toxaris only smiled as she lathered his groin. Her luxurious soapy fingers sliding down along his ass crack to lean muscled thighs. Sliding her hands to his heavy balls swollen with desire, she soaped and tickled tenderly, as if privileged to touch these founts of new life. Grasping his swollen phallus, her supple fingers carefully soaped it, gently squeezing.

  “Adoni, in my eyes you are a King without a throne.” Her breath and lips tickling his ear. “I will always remember that day we swam together in the river. It was one of the happiest days of my life.”

  Thwack! Smack! She cracked his ass with the flat of her hand.

  Uh! He grunted, reflexively arching his back, butt cheeks clenching, cock swelling harder.

  Chapter 7 – Forgive Your Humble Servant

  Lie here naked with your legs apart

  Stir up his lust

  When he approaches touch him, excite him

  Take his breath with your kisses

  Show him what a woman is -

  Epic of Gilgamesh 1500 BC

  “Please - Forgive your humble servant Adoni.” Toxaris’ smile was mischievous. Her fingers caressing his ass with luxurious ease. “Hmmh? I find I cannot resist the temptation to smack your seductive butt.”

  He rewarded her with a rare, incandescent grin but his eyes flickered a wicked warning – Rest assured My Queen your time will come.

  “Brata, are we destined to have only this little time together?” Toxaris’ verdant gaze suddenly turned nostalgic.

  In answer the look in his molten eyes revealed his intense longing for her. But he shook his head – It will never work.

  “So Brata will not go to Holy Mountain and Holy Mountain cannot come to Brata? Is that what you think?” Pursing her lips Toxaris made a pleading face.

  A surge of hilarity vibrated through his soul at the queen’s plaintive look. An
d then he actually barked a hoarse laugh out loud, shaking his head at her naive persistence. The thought that they could find a way to be together, not for a year and a day but for a lifetime struck him with an irrepressible kind of joy.

  It was the first time Toxaris had ever heard the Black Cloak laugh. Filled with sudden delight she laughed along with him. Their mutual surge of happiness resulted in a lingering kiss. A kiss as gentle and profound as a glorious sunrise framed in pink and orange clouds.

  A low moan escaped Toxaris’ lips as a shower of hot sparks shot through her throbbing yoni. Sizzling on the inside, on the outside she felt herself sinking into some kind of languid erotic dream state.

  Widening his stance and thrusting his hips, Brata pulled her close to push his thick tongue into the hot wet mystery of her mouth. Their tongues greedily twisting, sucking. His long strong fingers gripped and stretched her ass cheeks as he ground his rigid, hungry erection against her mound.

  “Your bath is not finished yet Adoni.” She pulled away.

  He knew this was a ploy to keep control, but he went along with it. I will bide my time.

  She took him by the hand and led him to her bath. He tested the steaming water with a suspicious finger, then looked at her, dark brow lifted.

  “Aye the water is hot. At first it feels strange on your skin, but you will get used to it. The hot water will help you to relax and to …forget.”

  Ah. To be relieved of his mental pain for a little while. To know nothing but the Now. Slowly Brata sank down into the bubbling scented water, letting his body adjust to the heat.

  Releasing a deep sigh he opened his arms. Come here.

  Rejoicing, Toxaris took off her towel and settled down between his spread thighs into the fragrant bubbling water. Reclining with her back against his living chest, she laid her head on his broad shoulder. His muscular arms closed over her breast, squeezed. Ah!

  Now was the time to say her piece, knowing that Brata would remember and ponder her concerns for him. He would inscribe her words upon his heart. And so she took care to choose her words well -