mlyn
in
13_warrior
Gods and Monsters, Part 5
I'm posting two parts today because this one is pretty short.
Gods and Monsters, Part 5
Rated R
Notes: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Archive: my LJ and 13_warrior
As the trip stretched on and Ahmed thought more about that first kiss, he felt himself yearning for privacy. The last thing he wanted was a dozen brutes watching his every move, waiting for an opportunity to slit his throat, when he only wanted to be home...or alone with Herger. But it could not be helped.
At one stop along the river, they were invited to supper at a nearby farm. The people spoke a different language and the children stared at Ahmed and whispered behind their hands, but they were treated hospitably and got along through hand signals and what little vocabulary the traders knew. Ahmed found the farmers to be a rough, coarse group of people, the men with their skin covered in permanent inked markings and the women with tangled, dirty hair. But he said nothing, because he was grateful for the hot meal.
After the meal, the travelers spread out to sleep for the night. Some stayed in the house with the family, while others went back to the boat. Ahmed chose the barn. He didn't relish sleeping with animals, but he'd done it before, and the sweet-smelling hay would be more comfortable and warm than the hard deck. Mostly he wanted the spot because it provided the most privacy he'd had in weeks.
Herger accompanied him to the barn, ostensibly to say goodnight before departing for the boat. Ahmed occupied himself by piling hay around and taking off his dagger. He then stretched out in a stall.
Herger crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the frame of the door. "We should find you some furs or a cloak. It will get cold soon."
Ahmed was cold all the time, but he knew that was because he was an Arab. The seasons were closer to changing by the day, and they were still too far north to travel safely without extra clothing. Ahmed wondered how far they'd get before the first freeze. They seemed to be making such poor progress, with the constant stops for trading. He merely nodded in agreement, too tired to talk about it.
His mind and body fought each other over sleep. On one hand his eyes drifted closed, while on the other, he wanted to remain awake until Herger left.
His eyelids flew open. It was completely dark out and he sensed he had been sleeping. Herger was no longer at the door. He pressed his head back into the hay and sighed.
"You should rest." Herger's voice made him jolt. He pushed a bit of hay away from his face.
"I thought you went back to the ship."
"The men are drunk; they did not notice me leaving. You need something to put your mind at ease?" Herger sounded like he was teasing, but Ahmed couldn't see him at all in the severe darkness. But he heard him kneel in the hay, saw a black shape against the shadowy roof.
Ahmed closed his eyes. The soft mouth touched his again, lips and breath hot against his cool features. This time Herger drew it out, playing his mouth against Ahmed's in long, luxurious kisses.
Ahmed sighed with pleasure, and Herger took that as permission to deepen the kiss. His warm, wet, agile tongue made Ahmed jerk in surprise, then moan as it tangled with his.
Herger slanted his head and covered Ahmed's mouth entirely, sealing it off, tongue thrusting and dueling. Small sounds continued to seep from Ahmed's throat, need, desire, and approval all making themselves known.
When Herger pulled away, Ahmed realized his whole body was tense and aching. He wanted more. Now.
"That did not help," he panted.
Herger laughed. "But it is enough. I must go back." He stood.
As Herger's footfalls faded away, Ahmed closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth seeping into his limbs, and slept.
As they continued on through Rus, Ahmed traded some gold coin for some necessities, including a wool cloak with rabbit fur lining and a new set of saddlebags. His purchases were not made a moment too soon, as frost began to appear on the farm grasses, and quickly it grew cold enough that it stayed all day, spiteful of the weak sun. Ahmed felt as though he was shivering constantly. His body ached with the cold. The traders paid him little attention, but he noticed that Herger watched him more closely.
It began raining on the thirty-fifth day of their journey, the day they reached Polotsk. Much to Ahmed's relief, they left the trading vessel to travel over land. Their destination was Gnëzdovo, a town on another river, where they hoped to join a new trading party and continue south.
They found a caravan of wagons heading to the city and joined it, paying for stowing their extra supplies aboard a wagon while they rode their horses. The wagons made traveling much faster than it would have taken them on foot, but the rain persisted the entire time, leaving Ahmed as miserable as when he'd been seasick.
The first night they created a shelter with some young trees trunks and the plentiful brush. With a small fire sputtering between them, they were still damp, but not quite as chilled.
Ahmed took the food Herger offered but was so tired he could hardly eat, and instead stared blankly at the fire with the dried meat in his hand. After some time Herger reached over and took the food out of his grasp, then got up and sat next to him.
"I see I need to revive you first."
Ahmed blinked just as Herger kissed him. His lips were cool, but his tongue and breath were warm. Ahmed felt like he melted inside, and turned his head to press back.
Herger pushed him to the ground with a thud, not breaking the kiss. He lay partly on top of Ahmed, and Ahmed was shocked to feel his hands wandering while the kiss intensified. Soon Herger found the edge of his shirt and tunic and pushed his hands underneath.
Ahmed sucked in a surprised breath at Herger's cold touch, but didn't stop the kiss. He was further shocked when Herger's hands stroked up his chest and found his nipples, rubbing them with calloused thumbs. Bolts of heat shot from his chest to his groin, quickly making him hard.
Ahmed gripped what fistfuls of Herger's clothing he could find and hung on. He hoped that Herger would never stop.
But he did. When he pulled away Ahmed's face was tingling from the rub of beard against his chin and lips, and his erect staff throbbed pleasantly. Herger let out a breath and they both sat up.
Ahmed straightened his clothes, knowing this was as far as they'd go for the evening. They couldn't risk getting caught by the rest of the travelers.
He still hadn't forgotten the terrible pain of a man forcing himself upon him, but at the same time, Herger made him ache for more. And Ahmed had seen Herger in pleasure, when it was obviously not an act for his sake.
His mind was confused, but his body was very certain about what it wanted.
His body had been the thing that had cast him out from Baghdad. Now he had no city to be cast out of, and only one companion. There seemed to be so little risk.
He realized then that he was famished. He retrieved his bit of meat and dug into it, making a satisfied sound as he chewed. Herger laughed and returned to his own meal.
The next morning Ahmed woke and tried to get up, only to find that every muscle in his body was stiff and sore from riding after so long of sitting on a boat. He groaned and struggled to his feet. Looking over, he saw that Herger was still asleep on the ground. His trousers were open.
He quickly averted his eyes, embarrassed. Keeping his back to Herger, he packed up their few possessions and restored the fire. Eventually he heard Herger stir, and murmured a greeting over his shoulder.
After a hasty breakfast, the caravan set off again. It had stopped raining during the night and they wanted to get as far as possible while the weather was clear. They reached Gnëzdovo in the middle of the night, a few hours after the rain started again.
Ahmed had hardly managed to find a stable for Asiya before hurrying into a public house and asking for a room. The owner was hesitant to rent to him and Herger, but persuaded by the sight of gold from Ahmed's purse. They supped next to the roaring fire and then headed straight to bed. Ahmed slept deeply and dreamlessly, happy to finally be on a decent pallet again.
In the morning, Ahmed woke to find Herger fingering his purse. He sat up quickly and reached out for it, scowling when Herger held it out of reach.
"We need food."
"You could ask before taking my money."
"I haven't left with it." But Herger drew his cloak on and fastened it at his shoulder. Ahmed began putting on his boots, blinking sleep out of his eyes.
"What if I had not woken? You would be gone without a word."
Herger merely opened the door. "Sleep more," he said cheerfully, as if solving the world's problems. "You have time."
Before Ahmed could argue further, Herger left the room. Ahmed stared at the door, irritated.
He had trusted Herger all along to know what provisions to buy, but never before had he just grabbed the money as if it was his.
Ahmed took a breath and lay back, toeing his boots off again and pulling the blanket over himself. Greed was a sin. He need not be so possessive of his purse, when they were traveling together.
He slept for a while longer, then awoke again when Herger returned. Herger brought him hot, black tea and returned his purse. Ahmed noticed appreciatively that the weight had not changed much. They dressed and went out into the town, looking for a way to pass the time while waiting for their next boat to set sail.
They wandered through town, finding that they'd arrived on a market day and tents were set up to show a variety of wares. Herger was distracted by someone offering used weapons and mail, while Ahmed wandered on and found a clothier's shop a short distance away. A pair of leather gloves took his interest, but he wasn't sure he could afford them when they had so much farther to go. He decided to pass on the gloves.
When he started to walk away, he looked around for Herger, and realized with exasperation that his companion was nowhere in sight.
He resolved not to search the market, knowing that Herger would find him when he was ready. He was not the Northman's caretaker and need not look after him at all times. Instead he sipped his tea and went back to the public house, looking for something for breakfast.
He ate a hearty meal, then went out again without Herger. Taking a different direction through the market, he noticed a crowd in an alleyway. When he walked over, he realized people were watching a fight of some kind.
There was a flash of blond hair between a few shoulders of the bystanders. Ahmed moved closer.
It was Herger fighting, circling his opponent with focused concentration. Again exasperated, Ahmed called over the noise of the cheering group. "Northman!"
The blond head turned a fraction, and in the moment he was distracted, Herger's opponent hit him across the jaw. Herger went down to the crowd's doubled cheers. Money changed hands as people dispersed. Ahmed moved closer and crouched.
"Do not do that again," Herger grumbled. He wiped his mouth but was not bleeding, although his jaw and lip were quickly swelling.
"My apologies. I did not think." Ahmed took his arm and helped him stand, then tried brushing the mud off his back. Herger grumbled again and moved away, retrieving his cloak and walking out of the alley.
Ahmed was not so quick to let him go. "Why were you fighting?"
Herger touched his jaw again and scowled at the ground as he walked. "For sport, of course. Don't be stupid."
Ahmed was stung. He drew closer to Herger and lowered his voice. "Herger, please. Why are you here?"
Herger gave him a dark look. "Because we took a boat ride. Did all your senses rattle right out of your head yesterday?"
Fed up with Herger's attitude, Ahmed took his arm and pushed him off the street and against a building. "Stop it," he hissed while he still had the element of the surprise. Herger shook him off but stayed still to hear him out.
"Either soften your tongue when you speak to me, or leave me here now."
Herger said nothing. His gaze roamed over Ahmed's face, but his expression remained closed off.
Ahmed grew ever more frustrated. "Why have you come with me? Why not stay in your homeland with your people?"
At this, Herger seemed uncomfortable, and his response was harsh because of it. "I promised you I would take you to your home. I have nothing in the North. I have always traveled to make my fortune. It is what the gods have decided for me."
Ahmed's heartbeat slowed as he calmed. "Then why are you so unhappy?"
Herger only shook his head and stepped away from the wall. Ahmed let him go.
Part 6
Gods and Monsters, Part 5
Rated R
Notes: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Archive: my LJ and 13_warrior
As the trip stretched on and Ahmed thought more about that first kiss, he felt himself yearning for privacy. The last thing he wanted was a dozen brutes watching his every move, waiting for an opportunity to slit his throat, when he only wanted to be home...or alone with Herger. But it could not be helped.
At one stop along the river, they were invited to supper at a nearby farm. The people spoke a different language and the children stared at Ahmed and whispered behind their hands, but they were treated hospitably and got along through hand signals and what little vocabulary the traders knew. Ahmed found the farmers to be a rough, coarse group of people, the men with their skin covered in permanent inked markings and the women with tangled, dirty hair. But he said nothing, because he was grateful for the hot meal.
After the meal, the travelers spread out to sleep for the night. Some stayed in the house with the family, while others went back to the boat. Ahmed chose the barn. He didn't relish sleeping with animals, but he'd done it before, and the sweet-smelling hay would be more comfortable and warm than the hard deck. Mostly he wanted the spot because it provided the most privacy he'd had in weeks.
Herger accompanied him to the barn, ostensibly to say goodnight before departing for the boat. Ahmed occupied himself by piling hay around and taking off his dagger. He then stretched out in a stall.
Herger crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the frame of the door. "We should find you some furs or a cloak. It will get cold soon."
Ahmed was cold all the time, but he knew that was because he was an Arab. The seasons were closer to changing by the day, and they were still too far north to travel safely without extra clothing. Ahmed wondered how far they'd get before the first freeze. They seemed to be making such poor progress, with the constant stops for trading. He merely nodded in agreement, too tired to talk about it.
His mind and body fought each other over sleep. On one hand his eyes drifted closed, while on the other, he wanted to remain awake until Herger left.
His eyelids flew open. It was completely dark out and he sensed he had been sleeping. Herger was no longer at the door. He pressed his head back into the hay and sighed.
"You should rest." Herger's voice made him jolt. He pushed a bit of hay away from his face.
"I thought you went back to the ship."
"The men are drunk; they did not notice me leaving. You need something to put your mind at ease?" Herger sounded like he was teasing, but Ahmed couldn't see him at all in the severe darkness. But he heard him kneel in the hay, saw a black shape against the shadowy roof.
Ahmed closed his eyes. The soft mouth touched his again, lips and breath hot against his cool features. This time Herger drew it out, playing his mouth against Ahmed's in long, luxurious kisses.
Ahmed sighed with pleasure, and Herger took that as permission to deepen the kiss. His warm, wet, agile tongue made Ahmed jerk in surprise, then moan as it tangled with his.
Herger slanted his head and covered Ahmed's mouth entirely, sealing it off, tongue thrusting and dueling. Small sounds continued to seep from Ahmed's throat, need, desire, and approval all making themselves known.
When Herger pulled away, Ahmed realized his whole body was tense and aching. He wanted more. Now.
"That did not help," he panted.
Herger laughed. "But it is enough. I must go back." He stood.
As Herger's footfalls faded away, Ahmed closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth seeping into his limbs, and slept.
As they continued on through Rus, Ahmed traded some gold coin for some necessities, including a wool cloak with rabbit fur lining and a new set of saddlebags. His purchases were not made a moment too soon, as frost began to appear on the farm grasses, and quickly it grew cold enough that it stayed all day, spiteful of the weak sun. Ahmed felt as though he was shivering constantly. His body ached with the cold. The traders paid him little attention, but he noticed that Herger watched him more closely.
It began raining on the thirty-fifth day of their journey, the day they reached Polotsk. Much to Ahmed's relief, they left the trading vessel to travel over land. Their destination was Gnëzdovo, a town on another river, where they hoped to join a new trading party and continue south.
They found a caravan of wagons heading to the city and joined it, paying for stowing their extra supplies aboard a wagon while they rode their horses. The wagons made traveling much faster than it would have taken them on foot, but the rain persisted the entire time, leaving Ahmed as miserable as when he'd been seasick.
The first night they created a shelter with some young trees trunks and the plentiful brush. With a small fire sputtering between them, they were still damp, but not quite as chilled.
Ahmed took the food Herger offered but was so tired he could hardly eat, and instead stared blankly at the fire with the dried meat in his hand. After some time Herger reached over and took the food out of his grasp, then got up and sat next to him.
"I see I need to revive you first."
Ahmed blinked just as Herger kissed him. His lips were cool, but his tongue and breath were warm. Ahmed felt like he melted inside, and turned his head to press back.
Herger pushed him to the ground with a thud, not breaking the kiss. He lay partly on top of Ahmed, and Ahmed was shocked to feel his hands wandering while the kiss intensified. Soon Herger found the edge of his shirt and tunic and pushed his hands underneath.
Ahmed sucked in a surprised breath at Herger's cold touch, but didn't stop the kiss. He was further shocked when Herger's hands stroked up his chest and found his nipples, rubbing them with calloused thumbs. Bolts of heat shot from his chest to his groin, quickly making him hard.
Ahmed gripped what fistfuls of Herger's clothing he could find and hung on. He hoped that Herger would never stop.
But he did. When he pulled away Ahmed's face was tingling from the rub of beard against his chin and lips, and his erect staff throbbed pleasantly. Herger let out a breath and they both sat up.
Ahmed straightened his clothes, knowing this was as far as they'd go for the evening. They couldn't risk getting caught by the rest of the travelers.
He still hadn't forgotten the terrible pain of a man forcing himself upon him, but at the same time, Herger made him ache for more. And Ahmed had seen Herger in pleasure, when it was obviously not an act for his sake.
His mind was confused, but his body was very certain about what it wanted.
His body had been the thing that had cast him out from Baghdad. Now he had no city to be cast out of, and only one companion. There seemed to be so little risk.
He realized then that he was famished. He retrieved his bit of meat and dug into it, making a satisfied sound as he chewed. Herger laughed and returned to his own meal.
The next morning Ahmed woke and tried to get up, only to find that every muscle in his body was stiff and sore from riding after so long of sitting on a boat. He groaned and struggled to his feet. Looking over, he saw that Herger was still asleep on the ground. His trousers were open.
He quickly averted his eyes, embarrassed. Keeping his back to Herger, he packed up their few possessions and restored the fire. Eventually he heard Herger stir, and murmured a greeting over his shoulder.
After a hasty breakfast, the caravan set off again. It had stopped raining during the night and they wanted to get as far as possible while the weather was clear. They reached Gnëzdovo in the middle of the night, a few hours after the rain started again.
Ahmed had hardly managed to find a stable for Asiya before hurrying into a public house and asking for a room. The owner was hesitant to rent to him and Herger, but persuaded by the sight of gold from Ahmed's purse. They supped next to the roaring fire and then headed straight to bed. Ahmed slept deeply and dreamlessly, happy to finally be on a decent pallet again.
In the morning, Ahmed woke to find Herger fingering his purse. He sat up quickly and reached out for it, scowling when Herger held it out of reach.
"We need food."
"You could ask before taking my money."
"I haven't left with it." But Herger drew his cloak on and fastened it at his shoulder. Ahmed began putting on his boots, blinking sleep out of his eyes.
"What if I had not woken? You would be gone without a word."
Herger merely opened the door. "Sleep more," he said cheerfully, as if solving the world's problems. "You have time."
Before Ahmed could argue further, Herger left the room. Ahmed stared at the door, irritated.
He had trusted Herger all along to know what provisions to buy, but never before had he just grabbed the money as if it was his.
Ahmed took a breath and lay back, toeing his boots off again and pulling the blanket over himself. Greed was a sin. He need not be so possessive of his purse, when they were traveling together.
He slept for a while longer, then awoke again when Herger returned. Herger brought him hot, black tea and returned his purse. Ahmed noticed appreciatively that the weight had not changed much. They dressed and went out into the town, looking for a way to pass the time while waiting for their next boat to set sail.
They wandered through town, finding that they'd arrived on a market day and tents were set up to show a variety of wares. Herger was distracted by someone offering used weapons and mail, while Ahmed wandered on and found a clothier's shop a short distance away. A pair of leather gloves took his interest, but he wasn't sure he could afford them when they had so much farther to go. He decided to pass on the gloves.
When he started to walk away, he looked around for Herger, and realized with exasperation that his companion was nowhere in sight.
He resolved not to search the market, knowing that Herger would find him when he was ready. He was not the Northman's caretaker and need not look after him at all times. Instead he sipped his tea and went back to the public house, looking for something for breakfast.
He ate a hearty meal, then went out again without Herger. Taking a different direction through the market, he noticed a crowd in an alleyway. When he walked over, he realized people were watching a fight of some kind.
There was a flash of blond hair between a few shoulders of the bystanders. Ahmed moved closer.
It was Herger fighting, circling his opponent with focused concentration. Again exasperated, Ahmed called over the noise of the cheering group. "Northman!"
The blond head turned a fraction, and in the moment he was distracted, Herger's opponent hit him across the jaw. Herger went down to the crowd's doubled cheers. Money changed hands as people dispersed. Ahmed moved closer and crouched.
"Do not do that again," Herger grumbled. He wiped his mouth but was not bleeding, although his jaw and lip were quickly swelling.
"My apologies. I did not think." Ahmed took his arm and helped him stand, then tried brushing the mud off his back. Herger grumbled again and moved away, retrieving his cloak and walking out of the alley.
Ahmed was not so quick to let him go. "Why were you fighting?"
Herger touched his jaw again and scowled at the ground as he walked. "For sport, of course. Don't be stupid."
Ahmed was stung. He drew closer to Herger and lowered his voice. "Herger, please. Why are you here?"
Herger gave him a dark look. "Because we took a boat ride. Did all your senses rattle right out of your head yesterday?"
Fed up with Herger's attitude, Ahmed took his arm and pushed him off the street and against a building. "Stop it," he hissed while he still had the element of the surprise. Herger shook him off but stayed still to hear him out.
"Either soften your tongue when you speak to me, or leave me here now."
Herger said nothing. His gaze roamed over Ahmed's face, but his expression remained closed off.
Ahmed grew ever more frustrated. "Why have you come with me? Why not stay in your homeland with your people?"
At this, Herger seemed uncomfortable, and his response was harsh because of it. "I promised you I would take you to your home. I have nothing in the North. I have always traveled to make my fortune. It is what the gods have decided for me."
Ahmed's heartbeat slowed as he calmed. "Then why are you so unhappy?"
Herger only shook his head and stepped away from the wall. Ahmed let him go.
Part 6