Mistress-of-eternal-darkness- Lavoro eccellente! Parlate italiano, o avete usato un dizionario? Either way, kudos to you m'dear. Though I was going to make it a contest, and hand out a prize to the winner. Spoil sport. -
Game-kid17- Thanks for the suggestion, I took it, and am much pleased with the result.
For everybody that asked about the pairing- Patience my friends, patience. I'm trying something new here, i.e. this is going to be a long, somewhat drawn out plot. If I told you the pairings, that would spoil the game, wouldn't it? Though trust me, it will be fun, as games usually are.
Okay, so I know it's not much, but it just looked so sad, sitting on my desktop. 'Lessa, why have you left me? Don't you love me anymore?' And that is honestly what it said to me. No lie. So basically this is a set up for the next chapter, I suppose. Hopefully it won't take seven months, give or take a few days, for me to update again, no?
Liberato Dalle Catene- Chapter Two
Rei poked his head around the door, calling softly, "Tala?" No response met him, so he pushed the rest of the way into the empty room. "Tala?" Still nothing. Heaving a sigh, the neko-jin pulled in a deep breath and screamed "TALA!"
"Wha-at!" Only then did the prince notice that the door to the bathroom had been shut, and the muffled voice, along with the sound of falling water, was coming from the other side.
Bounding over, Rei jerked it open, steam pouring out to envelope his entire body in a warm, if slightly damp, cloud. "Tala? Are you in here?"
"No."
"Oh good," he grinned. Sticking his face around the curtain, he beheld his friend's unclad body, red hair soaked and falling around his face. He looked him up and down appreciatively before meeting his eyes.
"Have you no respect for privacy, Your Highness?" the youth asked severely, his tone belying the Cheshire grin that covered his features.
"No more than you do," was the retort, to which Tala had merely to shrug. They had seen each other's bodies many times before, so it really wasn't anything to worry about, now was it? "Lee and I are going to the market, and I thought you'd want to come."
The redhead wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Um, not so much. Though I'd just hate to miss spending time with Sir There's-a-stick-up-my-ass. Oh darn. Some other time then?"
Amber eyes rolled in slight annoyance. "You'd think you'd be over it by now."
"I'll tell you what. We'll all get together to have tea, and when he's done insulting everything about me, starting with my hair and ending with my life history, I'll offer to pull the branch out of his butt along with any splinters it may have left, and we'll be the best of friends for ever and ever. Sound good?"
"Alright, I get it. Need me to pick you up anything?"
A full lower lip protruded cutely and Tala made his best puppy face. "Somefing pwetty and shilky Wei, oh pwetty pwetty pwease?"
Rei grinned, knowing that Tala's near-obsession over "pretties" was only half a jest. The redhead loved fashion, clothes and accessories thrilled him to no end. His newest favorite had lasted a little less than a week, so it was about time that he would choose another. The evidence of his constantly changing "preferred outfit" was plain to see in the form of his full-to-bursting closet. "I'll see what I can do."
Tala quickly threw his arms around his friend, purposely drenching his shirt with the warm water that streamed down his body. "Fank you Wei-kitty."
Five Minutes Ago
As Rei walked away, Lee looped the end of the leather strap around his hand, securing his hold on the slave. He let his eyes drag slowly over the slender body, taking in the delicious details. Now he understood Rei's excitement. He would have loved to have a slave that beautiful for himself.
The wild-haired boy continued to wrap the length around his hand, subtly drawing the other youth closer. When Kai noticed that he was being pulled in, he turned to face the taller boy, red eyes wary. Cold amber ones smirked back as his tongue flitted out to run across his bottom lip suggestively. The slave cringed, trying to pull away.
"I don't think so," Lee admonished, pulling down on the leash. Kai was forced to remain close or strangle. He fought to breathe as the boy stepped up to him so their bodies pressed close together, running his knuckles softly along the blue markings on his face.
"Lee!"
His wild mane flipped around as he turned to respond to Tyson's call. "Yes?"
The cook strode over quickly, grinning as he did. "Mind if I borrow him for a second?" he chirped, grasping the leash.
"Actually . . ."
But Tyson had already unclipped the catch, grasping Kai's wrist to pull him away. "Thanks, we won't be long!" All Lee could do was stare after them, anger smoldering in his gaze.
Pulling Kai over the cobbled stones of the courtyard, Tyson halted in front of the little gate that led to his beloved herb garden. Picking up a basket that he had left there upon seeing the mess Kai had gotten into, he handed it to the boy.
Pointing into the garden as though explaining his wishes, he murmered to the slave, "Watch yourself around him. He's trouble, and no mistake." Glancing at the silent boy, he sighed. "Just wander around for a bit until the Master gets back. Pretend to pick something, but if you really do," he warned, "I'll use whatever you've picked to season you. Got it?"
Kai nodded, unlatching the gate and letting himself in. Positive the blunette couldn't see him, he mouthed a silent 'thank you' at as Tyson waddled back to the kitchens.
He wandered the paths of the garden, the plants arranged in differentiated circles, connected by carefully sculpted patches of ground ivy. Inhaling deeply, a soothing smell wafted over to him, and filled with a memory he only half-knew, followed it. Kneeling in the soft, rich soil that was spread thickly throughout the surprisingly extensive garden, he bent his face to the bunches of white and purple flowers, drinking in the scent of them. Basket laying forgotten next to him, he gently cupped the vibrant stalks, brushing his cheek along the soft petals.
He could almost feel her next to him, running her slender fingers through his wild bangs, singing to him the sweet songs of his milk-tongue that he hadn't heard spoken so kindly in what seemed an eternity.
"мать . . ."
Rei tread the path softly, searching for his slave where Lee had directed him. And he found him, crouched on the ground, surrounded by dusty mint, blue violets and lush miniature fans of ivy, his nose buried in bunches of lavender. "Kai?" he asked.
The boy started, his hand quickly and unobtrusively brushing something from his cheek, leaving a smear of dark earth on his pale skin. Grasping the handle of the basket he stood to face Rei.
The neko-jin mimed wiping his face and Kai obediently did so, his eyes fixed on the ground between himself and his master. Gesturing with his head, Rei indicated the path that lead to the gate. "Come Kai."