"Arabian Nights"
Part 86
by Beryll
Karl wasn't quite sure what he felt as he followed Jared from the yard. It wasn't quite fear but something close to it. The knowledge that he was about to relinquish all control to the young slave who would, for this night, be his master. The knowledge that Jared had every reason to despise him, hurt him. Why would Jared show mercy after what Karl had done to him? On the other hand - what could Jared do to him that he had not yet endured in much worse versions. He was willingly accepting a punishment he deserved - that had to be better than submitting because he had no other option.
Still his hands were twitching nervously as he entered the Prince's office, just like he had done a few days ago. Then he had not really been able to feel fear either. He had been too confused, too many conflicting emotions crippling any kind of clear thought.
He had not really expected anything, his mind still dwelling on the fact that his father had so narrowly escaped them. But he had been shocked by the self-confident, cocky slave he had encountered. He couldn't help but feel betrayed. It was ridiculous really but he was angry at Jared. Had the slave been this strong at their last unfortunate encounter Karl was sure he wouldn't have been able to even touch him. It had been Jared's weakness then which had so fatally reminded him of the past. Had Jared fought back - even once, even just a tiny bit - Karl would have been able to regain control. Or so he tried to convince himself.
It didn't matter now. The deed was done and he was about to pay for it.
And it was worth paying. After all what he had most feared had not come to pass. He was not banned from the life and status he had fought so hard for. He might even regain the easy friendship he had shared with Sean and the Prince. That Sean would forgive him so readily still baffled Karl. What he had thought forever lost, Sean just offered with a smile. It was real and still Karl found himself unable to believe it. He needed to talk to Sean alone, to redefine their relationship, but between their various duties and the Caliph's birthday celebration there had been no time for that so far.
Even the kittens seemed willing to forgive him. They had been cool and reserved this evening - apart from Orli of course - but not hostile either. Well, except Dominic who still had nothing but unconditional hatred for him. But that was to be expected.
After the brightly lit yard the Prince's office was filled with shadows, the only illumination the light of the silvery moon, peeking in through the high windows. It took Karl's eyes a moment to adjust, to make out Jared, who was leaning against the desk, his arms crossed in front of him. He didn't look anything like a slave. Or a whore for that matter. He looked so much in control that Karl had to resist the urge to kneel.
Not sure what to do Karl just waited. He wasn't sure but it felt like Jared's eyes were trailing over him, evaluating him.
When he spoke his words were not at all what Karl had expected. "Orli tells me you are a good man." Jared said softly. "He says you saved him more times than he can count when he was still on the streets. That you protected him from slavers and brothel owners. That he does not understand how you could have ever hurt me. That it is not like you at all."
Of course Orli would have tried anything in his power to protect him, Karl realized. That was just what Orli was like.
"There are many things you can fault Orli with," Jared continued, "but he is a good judge of character. I trust him and I even agree with him. When you apologized to me I thought I was talking to a different man then the one who raped me and then left me bleeding on the floor."
Karl winced at the blunt words but there was nothing for him to say. It was true.
"I was kind of preoccupied in that particular moment," now Jared sounded almost bemused, "but thinking about it now I can't help but feel that even then you were sorry for what you had just done. So tell me, Karl," he asked, quite deliberately forgoing any kind of honorific, "why did you do it?"
Karl swallowed hard. He did not want to talk about it, did not want to go back there, bring those memories to the surface but this was not for his enjoyment, this was punishment.
"My father is a slave trader," he explained quietly, knowing full well that his voice conveyed all the deeper pain he felt, "He specializes in breaking pleasure slaves. He tried to teach me how to do it but I failed. I fell in love with a boy. When my father realized he... he had that boy killed, he wanted me to do it but I refused..." He closed his eyes tightly against the onslaught of memories but it didn't help. Words tumbled from his mouth that he hadn't even told Orli. "He had him tortured, raped by his men with me watching. The boy was begging for death, was begging me to do it but I... I just couldn't... I loved him... I was too weak... so it went on and on... he bled to death in the end."
Karl didn't open his eyes when he continued. "You look like him, very much so... when I first saw you I thought you were him, come back to taunt me. You were as weak as him... as me... when you came to my quarters I had just learned news of my father. I was confused... angry... I just lost it. I hated you for being weak... I so wanted you to fight back and you didn't..."
It was unfair to say this, unfair to blame Jared but Karl just hadn't been able to stop the words and now they were out.
"I'm sorry..." he whispered.
He looked up surprised when Jared's reaction was a dry chuckle. "That's funny, you know," he said, "because I really blame myself for not fighting back too. Be assured, should you ever try that again on me you will find yourself curled up on the floor, clutching your aching balls."
Karl gapped at him open mouthed, which made Jared laugh again.
"Now, Karl," Jared continued, "I want you to undress."
Of course he had suspected it would come to this but still Karl found himself shuddering at this cool command. Whatever Jared planned to do to him, he had obviously thought about it at length and knew exactly what he wanted.
For Karl there was nothing but to obey. With memories of his father still so close to the surface he couldn't help but wince as he took of his tunic. How often had his father ordered him to do this, the whip in his hand, sometimes cracking it to get a feel for it and instil additional fear into his son. Karl couldn't count the times he had been beaten for failing. It all melted together into one nightmare in his memories. There hadn't been a time when he had not been hurting all his youth until he had finally run away.
He suppressed those thoughts. He thought it unlikely that he would get away with a beating here. This was about rape after all. It made bile rise in his throat as he realized that his father had never succeeded in forcing Karl to rape one of his slaves in training. That the only time Karl had done that was to Jared. He really did deserve this.
He took of his weapons belt, dropping it on top of the tunic, then his boots, his pants, finally standing in front of Jared naked.
His master for this night had not moved. He was still leaning against the desk, arms crossed coolly, his face in shadow as the moon was behind him.
"Come here and kneel." Jared commanded and again Karl obeyed. It was easy, really, Karl realized. Letting go of control meant he would not be able to hurt anyone, here, in this particular night. He didn't even have to be told to lower his head or lace his fingers behind his back. He knew the posture of an obedient pleasure slave by heart, had watched his father teach it to slaves all his youth.
Silence stretched but it did not matter now. Whatever his master decided to dish out Karl would accept. That was his place.
Some small voice in the back of his head chuckled at the irony of how easily he slipped into this. So that had been his father's mistake really: he should have trained his son to be a pleasure slave, not to try and make him a slave trader.
What would be first? Sucking his master, probably, to get him hard. Then get down on hands and knees, spread you legs, arch into your master's touch as if you like it, cry out as he enters you roughly, without any preparation, to let him know that he owns you, that he may do with you as he pleases. Push back even though it hurts, this is all about his pleasure, not yours. Even if he tears you, even if your stomach cramps up with the pain...
His dark thoughts were interrupted as Jared knelt opposite of him, taking his face in both hands, raising his head so they were eye to eye.
There was no harsh lust in those eyes, no cruel sneer on his face. Just gentle understanding.
"I won't hurt you Karl. Not now, not ever. You don't deserve it."
The words seemed alien, coming from far away. Why would Jared say that?
The thoughts were drowned out as Jared leaned forward and kissed him. Not forcing him, taking him but gentle touching lips to lips, coaxing him, kindling sparks. Their tongues met without Karl even realizing his mouth had opened to admit Jared entry. Shivers ran through him, Jared's hands still holding his face didn't give him much room to lean into his touch but he tried.
Then Jared mouth left his and trailed kisses along his jaw. Karl didn't resist as his head was tipped back, as his throat was kissed and nipped at. His body all tense with what he had feared was oversensitive to every touch. He could not prevent a soft moan from escaping him as Jared bit his shoulder gently and he felt Jared's mouth draw into a smile against his skin.
Jared's hands left his face to follow the curve of his neck downward, then ghost over his shoulders, his flanks to then find his cock. It had been soft with fear only moment before but now Karl felt blood rush through his veins at Jared's skilled touch, his cock hardening rapidly.
His eyes slipped close, his head still tipped back, his fingers clenching on each other. This felt good. Jared knew exactly how to touch a man, Karl suddenly remembered. And he was using every trick in the book to make Karl forget the world and all his worries. And there was nothing Karl could do to resist. He moaned again, louder this time, unable to help himself.
Still Jared's face was against Karl's shoulder, he could feel Jared's breath quicken with his own rising passion. It had been a long time this Karl had raped Jared and he had not touched anyone since. It didn't take Jared long to take him to the edge and only a few more hard strokes to push him over it. Karl came with a strangled cry and then slumped against Jared, who caught him in a gentle embrace.
"Shh," Jared's voice was soft, right next to his ear, "it's all right, it will all be all right."
Karl shuddered. He didn't resist when Jared reached behind him, when gentle but firm hands, disentangled his tense fingers.
"You are not my slave," Jared continued, "I have never had a slave nor wanted one." He fluidly rose to his feet and pulled Karl upward with him. "Come."
Gently he led Karl over to the low divan that the Prince sometimes used to receive guests. Karl let himself be laid down, his head spinning, trying to grasp the fact that there was no pain, no horror awaiting him.
"Why?" he managed to ask, as Jared slipped onto the divan next to him, now without clothing, "Why are you not punishing me?"
"Because I don't want to." Jared replied, amusement sparkling in his voice.
Then he kissed Karl again and coherent thought fled. It was hard to keep track of what Jared was doing, his hands seemed to be everywhere, his touch arousing Karl wherever it lingered. His mind was muddled with all the sensations and emotions. He only realized what Jared was doing when his lithe form straddled him, when his cock was suddenly firmly grasped and then the tight heat of Jared's body swallowed him.
He cried out, his hands grabbing at Jared's hips, his head thrown back. This was all wrong. He should have been the one to submit to Jared, not the other way around. And still it felt so right. He couldn't help but thrust upward but was stilled by a firm palm pressed against his stomach.
"Don't move." Jared commanded.
Shudder after shudder ran through Karl and a small yelp escaped him. He felt his mind corrode with the urge to move but he hung on with the rest of his will, trying to obey.
Slowly Jared lowered himself, impaling himself on Karl, sighing with pleasure. It was sweetest torture to Karl. His fingers flexed on Jared's hips but he kept still, every muscle taunt with the effort. The tight friction of Jared raising himself, then the heat of his body closing on Karl again - it seemed to continue forever. It was more delicious than anything Karl had ever felt and at the same time it was hell, as Jared picked up speed, at he set an ever increasing rhythm that was for his pleasure. He was using Karl, but in a whole different way than Karl had expected.
It was perfect.
He could feel passion build in Jared, felt how Jared clenched on him, how his motions drew jerky, his fingers clawing at Karl's chest, his thighs grabbing Karl tightly. And then Jared came, the only sounds he made a low groan of pleasure.
Karl felt like a bowstring ready to snap.
"Now you may." Jared whispered breathlessly.
Karl slammed into him hard, his hands grabbing at Jared. One thrust, two - and he came as well with a low, keening cry, his worlds collapsing into a myriad splinters of light and then just fading.
When his senses returned he found himself under a soft blanket with Jared snuggled against him, using his chest as a pillow.
As he moved Jared grumbled slightly. His voice was slurred with sleepiness when he spoke. "I have one last order for you tonight: Rest."
Karl obeyed gladly.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Beryll
go to PART 87