(The Dark Servant)Midnight Matters

by A. C. Ellas

  “As long as they give it fair consideration,” Rak replied. The council turned to other matters, and he walked out.

  Chapter Eight: Dinner with Friends

  Okthåra Atålio, Tålyssa Fångari

  8th day, 2nd week, Telyssa’s moon “Captain Jisten told me that his matre was cooking dinner for us. To prevent any interference or interruption, this dinner will be in my suite. Do you think you can walk that far?”

  “For Despina’s food? I can walk to

  Okyro!” Jethain said. “I still remember her marinated ox, her cannoli, her pastina!”

  Rak chuckled and helped him to stand. “I will walk with you.” Jethain accepted a hand up. Morth shook himself and led the way. The death hound was effective at clearing hallways. They slowly walked to Rak’s suite. Slowly, but without incident. Whenever he felt the prince’s pulse pounding, Rak would pause and ask about a statue as a cover for letting Jethain rest.

  Tebber was keeping an eye out for them and had the door open before they arrived. Rak steered Jethain deftly into the parlor and over to a comfortable chair. It would be more accuracte to say that the prince collaspsed into the chair than that he sat in it. As a result, Jisten walked over and checked the prince’s pulse.

  “I’m not an old woman!” Jethain snapped at him. When Jisten retreated, the prince said, “I’m sorry, I had a visit from Father and I’m taking it out on you.”

  Rak rested a hand on Jisten’s arm, looking up at the man. “He did not mean to snap.”

  “No need to apologize,” Jisten said. “I understand.” “Oh, and Araken is son now while I am Jethain,” the prince said with great bitterness.

  Rak scowled at that, fiercely. “The man does not listen. I am not his heir.”

  “He thinks you’re the one not listening,” Jethain replied. “And he wants me to call him father. Father! He may have sired me, but no more than that!” Rak could feel his wings rustling in agitation and could see Jisten’s gaze drawn to them.

  “That is just as much for the nobles as for himself,” Jisten said. “He called for both the priestess of Evphora and Si’Yeni to declare you his son to pacify the nobles. Elenna came from Valer Square because Asfalea threatened to spit on Owain for marrying Jezaia.”

  “We should eat before the food gets cold,” said Rak, breaking the tension, although the mental image of an old lady spitting on the king did cheer him. He presented a bottle of wine with a flourish, and then sniffed at the basket. “That smells divine. What is in there?”

  “The pastina dish is for Jethain. There is marinated goat over seasoned grains, mushrooms sautéed in butter and wine, and cannoli for dessert.”

  “I can’t have the goat?” Jethain looked up at Rak. “You can try it,” Rak decided at the prince’s forlorn look. “We can use the pastina as a side dish.”

  “Ah, but wait!” Jisten dug in the basket and pulled out a cheese grater and a wedge of hard white cheese. He grated it over Rak’s portion. The tangy smell of the cheese mingled with the scent of the dish.

  “Stop teasing and let us eat,” said Rak. He served some of the pastina to all of them. Tebber took over the cheese grating. Jethain took a bite of the dish and closed his eyes in appreciation.

  “Your mother makes me this every time I’m sick,” Tebber said. “And the first year I was here, every time I cried, too.”

  Jisten smiled. “She bought extra chickens that year.” Tebber served the goat dish next. With the food all plated out, Rak served the dinner wine, a simple Okyran red, better than most wine in Koilatha. Tebber sipped it with an expression of astonishment. Rak tried the goat. “This meat melts on the tongue and does not have the usual strong taste.”

  “The secret is the long marination,” Jisten said. They amicably chatted about food over dinner.

  Once his plate had been mopped clean with the delicious bread, Rak glanced at the basket. “So, what are these can-ohlis Tebber has been telling me about?”

  Jethain sat up. “Cannolis?!” Jethain’s smile was so happy that Rak had to grin back. Tebber moaned in happy anticipation. Jisten dug into the basket and produced a plate of golden brown tubes with cream overflowing the ends, teasing the three drooling men. He carefully, if far too slowly, delivered a pastry to each man’s dish.

  Rak sampled his. His eyes closed in bliss. Then he retrieved a bottle of golden honey wine and served it. “The red is wrong for these. Try this.” It was a strong, but sweet, wine. The men ate and drank in utter silence.

  When Jethain began to drowse from the food and wine, Rak and Tebber shared a glance. They got Jethain up and moving, but it was a long, slow walk back to the prince’s suite. Jisten checked each corridor, but everyone was off at the evening entertainment, so their transit was unobserved.

  At long last, Rak tucked Jethain into bed after he removed the boots, but left the socks on at the prince’s request. Rak thought that strange, but let it pass. Perhaps his brother was prone to cold feet. Rak called his allies and three of the large thansymi materialized, then settled down around Jethain’s bed. The firemane appeared and sprawled on the hearth, gnawing a joint of beef it had found somewhere. Rak prayed the cat would stay all night, and not wander off as they were prone to do.

  “I’ll stay here with the prince,” Jisten declared. He sat down on the cot and stretched.

  “I have rites,” said Rak. “Send the mastigi if you need anything.”

  Chapter Nine: Midnight Turmoil Jethain opened his eyes when Murson and Avontos entered. This didn’t bother either priest, for they knew how to control him. Golden light flared from Murson’s hands and both Jisten and the death hounds slumped. The firemane was nowhere in sight, the joint of beef gnawed clean and abandoned.

  “Hey!” Jethain said and hauled himself to a sitting position in bed. “Those are my friends!”

  “You have been reduced to calling monsters friend?” sneered Murson. Avontos strode over to Jethain and tried to touch his forehead. Darkness flared around Avontos’ fingers. He shrieked in pain and stumbled back.

  “What are you doing?” Jethain scrambled further back on the bed. “Don’t touch me! Jisten!”

  Murson tried to grab Jethain’s shoulder. Again the darkness flared, and the sun priest snatched his hand back as if it had been burned. “What is this? Why can’t I touch you? Tell me!”

  Jethain focused on the priest. “I’m not telling you! Leave here! Guards!” Murson raised both hands and golden light flared, arching towards Jethain. Darkness formed a shield that the golden light splashed off of. “Impossible!” roared Murson. “What has the evil one done to you, prince?”

  “It’s called protection,” Jethain said. “Protection from purging.” “ Yo u must be purged,” declared Murson. “We must purge the evil out of your body so that you can bask in the glorious light.”

  Avontos crooned, “Come back to the light, our prince. You want us. You do. Listen to your heart.” He stroked Jethain’s thigh through the covers.

  “Stop that!” Jethain scooted away, horrified to feel attraction. His gaze fell on the captain. “Jisten!”

  Murson casually glanced at the captain, knocked out on his cot. “If you want him to wake up, you will remove whatever the dark one gave you.”

  Jethain made sure that Jisten’s chest was rising and falling. “Araken!” “It’s midnight. Your pet priest will not answer you now. His devotions to that foul excretion he calls his God are more important than you.” Murson passed his hands over Jethain from head to toe without touching him. He paused over Jethain’s chest and smiled coldly. He fished a square of golden silk out of a pocket and used it to grab the pendant, snapping the chain as he yanked it off.

  Bolts of green lighting cracked down upon Murson and Avontos as a roaring swirl of black fire covered the prince. The two sun priests were thrown against the wall by the power’s release. Avontos screamed in pain, but Murson grimly chanted, wrapping the pendant in layer after layer of golden silk. The lightning storm faded away until not even a wh
isper of the power remained.

  On the other side of the palace, Rak’s chant faltered in mid-refrain, his head turning towards Jethain’s suite. Black fire roared up, accepting an offering only partially ready, releasing Rak from his duty.

  Jethain lay limp, unconscious, and vulnerable. “Purging and blood-letting first this time,” ordered Murson. “We need to be done with that before the dark one arrives. I have a surprise planned for him.”

  Avontos shoved the tube down Jethain’s throat and poured the purging wine in as Murson nicked Jethain’s arm vein and let the blood pour into the collection vessel.

  The tube was extracted once the purging wine was in and Avontos positioned the basin skillfully as the prince upchucked the contents of his stomach. Murson let the collection vessel fill for a time, then pinched off the artery and held pressure. “Wipe him down and proceed with the purification. The prince needs our light more than ever.”

  Avontos wiped the traces of vomit from Jethain’s face, positioned the prince’s legs, adjusted his clothing, and thrust in. “He’s tight, but he doesn’t feel as good as the dark one. And it’s not as fun once he’s unconscious.”

  Murson stepped to an advantageous position by the doorway. “I know, it’s unavoidable this time, but I hope you’ll agree it was worth it in the end,” he said. He had a golden slip leash ready, the collar part extra-large for the moment. “I am going to collar the sex slave, so we’ll have him to pleasure us when we’re done with the prince. Now, be noisy with the prince, so the dark one’s attention is on you.”

  “The slave trainer ordered him to obey you the same as he, and ordered him to allow me to purify his mouth whenever I wanted to.” Avontos thrust with extra vigor, reaching the place that made Jethain gasp and moan.

  “Agreed, but I don’t know how long that order remains in place. Such things tend to fade with time.”

  “If he disobeys you, we can beat him again. I greatly enjoyed that.” “I’ll let you have first turn,” Murson promised. “Now calm yourself so you don’t climax too soon.”

  Rak ran from his suite to Jethain’s, the path between the two memorized now. He stopped in shock at the sight of Avontos between Jethain’s legs, pumping vigorously. The prince had a blank expression on his face while Jisten and the death hounds were unmoving lumps. The firemane was nowhere to be seen. Rak called his staff and launched himself at Avontos.

  Murson expertly tossed the golden lasso. Rak’s lunge was aborted as the noose snapped tight around his neck. The staff which had just appeared in his hands vanished again as his powers were cut off. He turned to attack his captor.

  “Kneel, slave,” Murson ordered. Rak’s eyes widened at the sight of Murson. He trembled with rage, but he did kneel, stiffly obeying Hasaviz’s control-spell reinforced commands.

  “Strip.” Rak began to undress, but several difficulties presented themselves. “May I stand?” he asked. “And will you release the leash?”

  Murson’s laugh was nasal. “You may stand but I will not release the leash.” Rak pulled off his boots, socks and pants and then got his robes off over his head. He pushed the fabric off himself and it settled heavily on the golden leash. Lastly, he removed his wrap and knelt once more. The robes slid back along the leash and rested against his torso, covering him down to his genitals. Murson carefully removed the robes from the leash.

  Jethain cried out in pleasure at the same time as Avontos. The junior priest slid off the bed and walked over to Murson and Rak. “Can he clean me, sir?”

  “Excellent idea, Avontos. Slave, clean the young lightness. He has been purifying your half-brother of your pollution.”

  Rak’s face was an expressionless mask as he shuffled over to Avontos and licked the junior priest’s package clean.

  “Avontos shall purify your mouth while I purify your brother.” Murson handed Avontos the leash.

  Rak wasn’t happy about it, but Jethain’s pelvis lifted up towards Murson in clear desire, so he made no move to interfere. Murson adjusted his robes and thrust into the prince. Jethain cried out in pleasure, his back arching.

  Avontos pushed himself into Rak’s mouth. “Pay attention to me, slave.” Rak’s attention snapped back to the young priest. Avontos grabbed his hair. “Do good job, too. Your brother is boring.”

  Rak sucked on the skinny pole, first massaging it with his tongue, then he deep throated Avontos and reached out with his tongue to lap at the youth’s balls. When he pulled back to breathe, Avontos yanked on Rak’s hair. “Hey! I didn’t tell you to stop!” He pulled Rak forward.

  Rak repeated the deep throating and tonguing, but stubbornly insisted on pulling back to breathe every twenty seconds or so. When he pulled back, his lips and tongue stimulated the sensitive skin of the cock. Then he’d slide forward once more.

  Avontos hummed a sun hymn off-key.

  “You’re flat,” snapped Murson.

  “You always say that,” Avontos sighed.

  “You need to practice your key signatures some more.”

  “You always say that, too.” Murson grunted as he climaxed. “May the sweet light of the sun purge the evil within you,” he intoned. He pulled out, then pushed the usual plug into the prince.

  “I want to climax too,” Avontos whined. “Oral service takes longer, and should be stretched out for proper appreciation,” said Murson. “Think of this way. It humbles him as he offers this service to you, and that is a good thing, as good as your actions in purifying him.”

  Avontos smiled down at Rak, taking Murson’s words to heart. He watched Rak service him for several more minutes, savoring the sweet scene. The young acolyte mashed himself against Rak’s face when he finally orgasmed. Rak swallowed the young priest’s seed, trying not to choke on the shaft in his throat, and when Avontos finally backed out, he kissed the young priest’s cock and said, “Thank you, master.”

  Murson took the leash back from Avontos. “Clean me, slave. Avontos, you may purify his other opening now.”

  Rak’s tongue slid around Murson’s package. At the same time, he snuck a glance at the prince, who seemed no worse for wear, and then at the captain, who appeared to be breathing.

  Murson followed his gaze and chuckled nastily. “When we are done purifying you, I shall permit you to offer oral service to those two. Why should they be denied the sweet pleasure of your cleansed slave mouth?”

  Avontos gripped Rak’s hips and shoved in with his thin pole. “This is better than the prince, too,” he said as Rak pushed back into him with a moan stifled by the cock in his mouth.

  Murson’s cock was too thick to permit Rak the tonguing trick he’d used on Avontos. The penis was shorter, but it filled Rak’s mouth. Every time he thrust in, Rak choked, so he sucked with a will and massaged only the shaft with his tongue and lips.

  Avontos pumped away, grunting with the effort even though Rak was working his body in counterpoint. Rak’s internal muscles clenched rhythmically against him. It was a lot harder to work the slender tool, but at least the length was long enough to hit his special spot every time, for which Rak was profoundly grateful.

  Avontos orgasmed vigorously, pumping a large load of seed deep into Rak, setting off his climax in turn. Murson pulled back so only the head of his manhood was in Rak’s mouth, then filled it with his seed. Rak swallowed every drop, licked Murson clean, and whispered, “Thank you, masters.”

  “Give the prince your oral service while I rest,” ordered Murson.

  “Please do not make me do this.” Rak stared at Murson pleadingly. Murson covered himself. “You defiled him, you should clean him. Now, slave.”

  Rak hung his head, dropped to all fours, and crawled to the bed.

  “Can I beat him?” Avontos asked, tucking himself away.

  “Yes, he hesitated about obeying my command.” Avontos pulled out the flogger that Hasaviz had let him keep. He pounced on Rak, grabbed the collar, and lashed his buttocks. “How many, sir?”

  “Golden ten,” Murson said. “Tha
t was one,” Avontos told Rak. The next strike went between Rak’s legs, causing the slave to cry out. “Two.” Three went on Rak’s butt again, but four and five went between the legs and Rak climaxed from the pain. Avontos absorbed the energy and six went on Rak’s butt.

  “Good, good,” Murson said. “You aren’t wasting his pain.” Avontos pulled Rak into a kneeling position, almost displaying him for Jethain and seven and eight went on Rak’s lower belly and groin. Rak was erect again by the time the eighth blow landed.

  “Make sure he climaxes,” Murson said. “As you taught me, sir,” said Avontos. Nine and ten struck Rak’s package and inner thighs. There was no orgasm, so Avontos gave him one more, and this time, Rak’s seed spurted out of his reddened, welt-covered member.

  “Now give the prince oral service like you were told, slave.” Murson crossed his arms and watched, expression sour but eyes glittering.

  Rak crawled onto the bed between Jethain’s spread legs. He didn’t so much as peek up at the prince’s face as he reached the exposed target. His tongue caressed Jethain’s balls and the cock came erect. Rak licked that as well, then took it into his mouth.

  Avontos grinned. “Too bad my father can’t see this.” “I agree. Lord Kion must suffer the presence of the dark one at the council meetings. Perhaps we can arrange for the dark one to give him oral service as well.”

  The prince moaned, his body pushing up into Rak’s mouth. He deep throated the royal cock, massaging the shaft with his tongue and lips. Jethain’s hips moved in time with Rak’s head bobbing action.

  “His Highness is enjoying your purified mouth,” observed Murson. “Do not let him climax until I give you leave. I want him thoroughly cleaned.”

  Avontos reached between Rak’s legs and squeezed his balls hard. When Rak moaned around his mouthful of Jethain, Avontos pushed a finger into the slave’s exposed opening. Rak pushed himself back into Avontos’ hand. The young priest squeezed Rak’s balls with his left hand and added more fingers to Rak’s hole with his right. He pumped his fingers in and out, grinning as Rak’s hips worked with his rhythm helplessly. Rak focused on the cock in his mouth and tried to ignore the incredibly pleasurable sensations Avontos was evoking in him.