Please read the author's note at the end. Hope you enjoy the fic.
!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
Jim watched in smug satisfaction as his Vulcan t'hy'la, Spock, writhed in wanton abandon above him, Jim laying on their light blanket spread out on the sands of New Vulcan, privately thinking this was the most beautiful thing he would ever see. Nothing could ever compare to the sight of Spock riding him, except the joy and love that always lit up Spock's eyes when looking at Jim.
Thrusting harder, deeper, Jim felt the strong bite of Spock's hands clutching his shoulders tightly, riding hard. Spock, of course, arched after another minute, spine almost perfectly bowed from the pressure and pleasure that Jim could feel streaming through their blown-open bond and increased his pace, determined to give his bondmate release. True to form, the harsh pants Spock voiced gave way to a groaning growl-purr being ripped from his throat as they raced toward completion.
When Jim was sure Spock was almost there, he raised one of Spock's hands to his temple, silently asking for Spock to meld them as deep as possible, so they could experience their bliss as One. Spock could deny his t'hy'la nothing and firmly pressed his sensitive fingers into place. The meld deepen faster than thought and the ecstasy suddenly doubled and doubled again, forcing a united climax in a moment.
Their combined shout echoed and faded as Spock collapsed in complete bliss on top of his mate, causing Spock's fingers to slide through Jim's sweat-soaked hair. Grinning madly, Jim shifted a little to roll his mate onto his back and tuck himself into the crook of Spock's arm even though it, unfortunately, dislodged his cock from the clinging sheath of Spock's body.
Spock also shifted slightly to settle more comfortably into the blanket covered sand. "I must say," Spock's voice was quiet and hoarse in the dark that surrounded them, almost afraid to break the now peaceful quiet of the evening. "I think this was a wise idea, to spend the beginning of our shore leave thus."
Jim happily gazed up at the star-filled sky above New Vulcan, pleased to see both moons, one full and one nearly so, had risen since they'd set up their 'camp'. It had been a while, just shy of eleven months, since the last time the Enterprise was close enough to the new Homeworld to spend any time on it. And Jim loved it, even though it was only the first time he had really been on the surface for longer than a day without orders hanging over their heads. The last time they were here had started rather spectacularly, with his Warrior initiation. And after three more days of assisting the colonists, it had ended spectacularly too, locked in a guest room of Sarek's small villa for a whole day of loving on Spock. What a day that had been!
But this was a little different. No obligations of any sort to recall them to the city, no emergencies to interrupt them, no orders from Starfleet, nothing. Just two backpacks of food, water and the necessities, and three days of hiking and exploring and freedom on the eastern edge of the desert before going back and spending the last two days at Sarek's home, visiting.
It really had been a good idea. The desert had it's own austere sort of beauty, if one could survive the dangers. Even now, in what the Vulcans considering early spring on this new world, the night was very warm and the breeze a little strong. But during the day, the twin suns were hot enough to force a person to shelter during midday and the sand was scalding and blinding. Spock had taken him towards the foothills that the new city was surrounding on one side, thinking that the shadow of the mountain would offset some of the heat. It had and Jim was grateful his t'hy'la had thought of it.
Even better, the moons rose on the western side. They were just as beautiful as the rest of the world, in a different way. The nearest moon was a very pale and soft shade of indigo; the farther, full moon a vibrant teal; they seemed like rich, decadent jewels against the stark blackness of space. "The moons are beautiful tonight. Do you know if they always look like this?"
"I do not know, t'hy'la. As you recall we were very preoccupied when we were last here." Spock rumble-purred quietly in contentment and rubbed his cheek against Jim's hair and temple. "But your observation is quite accurate. They are most striking."
Jim chuckled quietly. "Striking is a good word for it. Personally, I like the Earth's moon best. She's not very fancy, but when I used to look up at her when I was very little, I always thought she was more beautiful because she was plain." Jim sighed, amused at his own childish idea. "Did Old Vulcan have a moon?"
He almost regretted asking when he felt a dull thread of longing wend through their bond. But then Spock pulled him closer, and nuzzled his hair some more. "No, it did not. There is, however, a legend as to why. Would you like to hear it?"
Smiling, Jim stretched a little, settling in for the tale. He loved learning about ancient Vulcan. Any time Spock was willing to share a small bit of his heritage was to be cherished and enjoyed. "I'm all ears, t'hy'la."
Normally, Spock would have made some quip about the how illogical Jim's idiom was, but he found himself eager to share his tale and decided not to comment. "Over one hundred generations ago, the Vulcan people had just started to form permanent settlements, leaving their nomadic ways behind. The Clans still fought each other for resources and honor. Of course, with Vulcan being a desert, water was a highly prized resource, an oasis more so. Two Clans found such an oasis, which would later become the center of ShiKahr.
"Both claimed to have rights of ownership, since both claimed to have found it first. It was unsurprising that talk soon devolved to battle. Ancient accounts say the fighting was so fierce, the sands hosted deep green rivers of blood stretching as far as the eye could see."
"That's pretty savage." And Jim could imagine such a scene. Tall, proud, wild Vulcan warriors locked in combat with trillpa swords and heavy lirpas, even using the thick and elegantly curved khaiya bows to fend off attackers. Emerald splotches of blood on every body, loud war cries and shouts of pain, the blazing Vulcan suns shining hot on the barren landscape and it's people.
"It was." Spock confirmed quietly, pulling Jim even closer. "In the midst of this, the two leaders, both heirs to the head of their respective Clans, found and engaged each other. Vorlen, heir to the S'Red-ukh Clan, was the epitome of what it is to be a Warrior. He was said to be the strongest, most lethal of Warriors at the time. His opponent, Makala, was heir to the Dav'nul Clan. Makala was lithe and small, but that lack was compensated for by his speed and grace. His skills were just as well known, so too were his great acts of mercy, nearly unheard of for such a violent people.
"Almost immediately, Makala drew first blood, attempting to disembowel Vorlen with a pair of lipitah, short daggers especially designed for close combat. Vorlen, in turn, tried and failed to decapitate him with a lirpa. They carried on in this fashion for a time, trading vicious strikes and scoring deep wounds upon each other. Their struggle even continued as the battle around them slowed to a halt, all of the Warriors present becoming enraptured by the contest of strength and skill Vorlen and Makala showed.
"It would have continued until one of them died, except Vorlen managed to capture one of Makala's hands."
Jim, enthralled by the story, waited for barely a heartbeat before asking, "Why was that so important?"
Spock hummed, happy that his tale had captivated Jim so thoroughly. "You must remember, t'hy'la, that Vulcans of the ancient past did not have the mental disciplines that we have now. Because of that, their minds were open to any being they came into physical contact with."
"Ah." Chuckling, Jim skimmed his nose along one of Spock's exposed nipples, nestled in black fuzz. "So, what happened?"
"Well, Makala had started to thrust at Vorlen's heart, but Vorlen noticed the move and caught Makala's hand, as I stated. In the first instant of contact, their katras recognized the other as the missing half of themselves and began to immediately merge into One.
"Vorlen, however, did not quite realize what was happening, his mind was so consumed by his battle lust, and dropped his lirpa, grabbing Makala's face to telepathically crush his mind."
"Whoa! Wait. Vulcans can actually do that?" Jim quickly leaned up on an elbow, blue eyes glittering with curiosity. "Can you?"
Spock nearly smiled, but cupped Jim's cheek instead, letting his amusement flow through to Jim. "Yes, on both counts. Though, I am compelled to add, there has not been a recorded eshak murder in four hundred years."
"Eshak, huh?" He rubbed his face against Spock's hand for a minute before settling back against him. "Ok. Keep talking. I want to know how this ends and what a moon has to do with it."
Allowing himself a small smile, he continued. "As Vorlen pushed himself into Makala's mind, he finally became aware of his katra twisting itself with Makala's in almost the same second Makala did and there was nothing that could be done to prevent it. Even though the term t'hy'la had not come into being yet, that type of bond was well known and both were surprised to find themselves in such a position.
"Instead, it was decided to disband their war parties and return to their Clans, none wanting to kill their now-kinsmen. Makala and Vorlen stayed behind and consummated their bond in the hot sands of the battlefield for three days before traveling to Vorlen's Clan, to announce their bond to his father and leader."
"That's really romantic, Spock, but I get the feeling that Vorlen's father didn't like him bonding with Makala."
"There was nothing the S'Red-ukh leader could do. Mate-bonds, especially t'hy'la bonds, can not be broken except by death. But I am once again compelled to say that even death might not break a bond. No one knows for certain."
Jim lay silent for a minute, thoughtfully turning the idea over in his mind. Spock knew almost at once that whatever Jim had decided on made him feel more at peace. "I hope it never breaks, not even if we die. I can't think of anything I'd rather have than an eternity with you."
"That is my wish also, my love." Spock carded a hand through Jim's wheat-colored hair, sharing the peaceful feeling Jim was experiencing. "And you are right. Vorlen's father was not joyous of their union, but he could not break the bond without killing Makala. Since he knew Vorlen would defend his t'hy'la with his life, trying to murder Makala would serve no purpose except resulting either in Vorlen's death or driving him insane with rage. The S'Red-ukh leader acknowledged their bond with a reluctant blessing.
"The Clan ruler of Dav'nul, Makala's uncle, was even less pleased. Unbeknownst to Makala, he had been negotiating with one of the Houses in his Clan, pledging his nephew as betrothed to that Head of House's heir, Thuleren, in an effort to strengthen his power. Because of Makala's bonding to Vorlen, this could no longer happen. He also gave a very reluctant blessing before his Clan.
"Thuleren was furious, of course, for he had wanted Makala for years. So he accused Vorlen of mate-stealing, never mind that Makala was not Thuleren's mate. Knowing that he could not beat Vorlen in combat, Thuleren instead challenged him to an impossible task to prove his worth: retrieve a stone from Ek'wak-nikh, Vulcan's moon."
"Seriously?" Jim glanced up at Spock's face, thrown into sharp relief by the bright moonlight shining down on them. "I thought Vulcans could only challenge for a mate at the koon-ut-kalifee. And you never said anything about a quest being an acceptable alternative."
Spock petted Jim's hair again to calm him. "Patience, my Jim. I shall explain." He took a few minutes to order what he had to say. "You are correct about the koon-ut-kalifee, as it is practiced now. In ancient times, we would fight over a mate any time we wanted. It was one of many causes we killed for. When Surak came and we adopted his ideals, it was decided, to lessen the bloodshed, that Vulcans could only challenge during Pon Farr. Hence the creation of the Place of Marriage and Challenge, to hold such contests. Questing, however, is so old that it had fallen out of favor when the Reform took place. When teaching the subsequent generations, it was simply left out."
"Sounds almost like ecumenical politics to me." Laughing, Jim moved up long enough to give Spock a mind-melting kiss. Spock purred, enjoying Jim's taste and wrapped his arms to keep Jim from moving, wanting Jim to rest himself sprawled across his torso. Jim allowed it and put his head down on his bondmate's collar bone, throwing an arm around the slim chest and wedging a leg between Spock's. The faint purr pleasantly vibrated through Jim while also barely showing in Spock's voice. He loved it. "Much better. So, Thuleren basically told Vorlen he had to find a moonstone. What happened next?"
"Makala vehemently protested Thuleren's demand, saying that all challenges are to test the worthiness of the challenged, not to demand the absolutely impossible. Thuleren replied that if the bond between Makala and Vorlen was as strong as they claimed, then nothing was impossible. Vorlen agreed and stopped Makala from arguing further, asking Thuleren for one full day and night to complete the task.
"Thuleren generously agreed, certain that Vorlen would fail. Vorlen left the next morning for the desert, leaving Makala behind with a heavy heart.
"While traveling, Vorlen prayed nonstop for an answer, asking for any Deity to hear him and help with his task. He was most fortunate, for when he stopped for rest at the end of the day, the great Maiden Goddess Valdena was waiting."
"She just appeared?" Jim interrupted. Spock didn't have to feel through their bond or even see Jim's face to know what Jim was thinking. His tone absolutely dripped with skepticism. "One moment empty sand and the next, poof! She's there?"
He almost laughed at his bondmate again. "Yes, t'hy'la, that is exactly how the story is told. Besides, She is a Goddess. How else would She arrive?" Jim only grunted is dissatisfaction at Spock's answer and waved for him to start talking. "Vorlen was shocked to find a woman alone in the desert and even more so upon learning who She was. It seems that Valdena had heard Vorlen's prayers and was moved by the love that Vorlen already felt for his bondmate after so short a time. She knew that he could not give Her the full measure of his spiritual devotion, which was already divided between Khosaar, the War God, and now Makala. Instead, She asked that in exchange for the boon She would grant Vorlen, by giving him the moon, he and Makala would lay down their arms for three days in honor of Her. Vorlen agreed readily and She directed him to sleep, saying he would receive Her boon before the suns rose.
"Vorlen slept and woke at dawn with the most beautiful necklace of blue stones he had ever seen wrapped in his fist. Elated, he rushed back to the settlements and found Makala waiting for him just beyond the camp, along with Makala's uncle and Thuleren. When shown the moonstones, Makala was just as overjoyed as Vorlen, for the challenge had been won and nothing could separate them, not even Thuleren.
"When asked how Vorlen acquired the necklace, he told of meeting Valdena in the desert and the promise he made to Her. Makala believed him.
"You see, Makala, in his wish for his t'hy'la to succeed in his task, also prayed, staying awake the entire time Vorlen was gone. He noticed a strange phenomenon during the darkest part of the night. Ek'wak-nikh, which had been shining brightly that night, had slowly broken apart and the pieces simply disappeared. Their bond was officially recognized by all after that. And I believe the correct Human phrase is: 'They lived happily ever after. The end.'"
Jim waited. And waited.
It finally dawned on him that Spock wasn't just leaving him in suspense, that it was actually the end of the tale! "That's it?" Jim planted his hands on either side of Spock's head and heaved himself far enough up to give an astonished look to his t'hy'la. "Nothing about what happens to them after?"
Spock cupped his mate's bright, expressive face in both hands, nearly laughing at the obvious look of disappointment. He couldn't, however, keep a smile from his lips. "My Jim, it is simply a tale. At one time, approximately twenty-five thousand years ago, Vulcan did have a natural satellite that was destroyed and yes, Vorlen and Makala existed during that time. Even the challenge issued by Thuleren happened. No one knows for a scientific fact what happened to Ek'wak-nikh, even though there is a great deal of speculation. Did Valdena appear and gift the moon to Vorlen? It is unknown because records from that time are almost impossible to decipher. Even when keeping that in mind it is highly doubtful."
"Still could've happened like that though. Valdena could have been from one of the very ancient species that seeded the galaxy, like the Preservers, coming back to check on Vulcan."
Rubbing his thumbs along Jim's cheekbones, Spock hummed in agreement, but already his attention shifted to focus on the length of his t'hy'la's body pressed against him. "Perhaps. It is an academic argument which I do not feel the need to discuss at this time." He leveled Jim with an absolutely scorching and sultry look. "Might I suggest a different activity to pass the remainder of our evening?"
Jim flashed an equally lusty smile and slithered a hand down Spock's dense body, which ended it's journey once it found it's prize, and gripped the hot shaft firmly. Before Jim started playing with it though, a strangely earnest look crossed his face. "You know I love you right? Not just because of this large piece of equipment you're carrying either."
The teasing tone Jim tried to inject into his voice when referring to his phallus didn't distract from what Spock heard underneath the unexpected statement: that Jim loved him for all he was, not just for the benefits he could give to Jim. And even though Spock was caught somewhat off-guard by Jim's remark, he knew that sometimes Jim needed to tell Spock just what he meant to Jim. "As I love you, my own. Do not doubt it."
"I don't." Now that Jim had gotten that out of the way, he returned his attention to Spock's beautiful double-ridged cock and smiled. "Now, what were you saying about a different activity?"
Just as Spock opened his mouth to answer, Jim gave him a generous squeeze, causing Spock throw his head back in ecstasy and groan before answering. "I wanted to suggest something of this nature, but much more rigorous."
"More rigorous, you say?" Jim's smile when from warm to wicked in a heartbeat and he slid down his t'hy'la's body, relishing in the feel of Spock's soft, dry skin against his own. Once he reached the prize his hand was still wrapped around, Jim flicked his tongue out, just barely touching the tip. "I think I can accommodate you."
"Only if it is not an inconvenience," Spock teased.
"Never," Jim whispered and bent to his task.
The spent the remainder of that night wildly loving each other under the bright moons of the New Vulcan, unknowingly following a tradition set thousands of years ago but forgotten through time.
End.
A/N: This is the last story I am posting for this site. I will be getting a AO3 account around the 25th of August and will be posting all my work there and on my livejournal, which you can find the link to in my profile after this. I make this move in protest of FFN policies and with a very heavy heart, after being a good standing member for over ten years. Thank you to all those who have read and reviewed my work over all that time.