"Tomorrow we will fight," Nighteagle said eagerly as he threw himself down into his bed, looking at Ari, who remained in the center of the tent, tense.

"What is it White Demon? I have not tried to fuck you since you broke my ribs over a month ago, you have your sword, and Graysparrow sees that you have anything you desire," Nighteagle asked.

"I’m a warrior chained to you! I can’t fight, all I can do is follow behind you. Each time I try to challenge you, you disappear. I want to fight, to die," Ari said angrily.

"Then fight tomorrow, kill to your heart’s content, although I doubt you will die." Nighteagle shrugged.

"What do you mean? You will fight me tomorrow before the battle?" Ari asked hopefully.

"Of course not, we fight tomorrow, join us," Nighteagle said, looking up at the man’s tense form.

"I can’t, you are the enemy. I can’t fight for you," Ari said frustrated.

"Am I?" Nighteagle asked intently.

"You killed my people," Ari retorted.

"And you killed mine, in battle, as it should be."

"Your people survived."

"As did yours, White Demon," Nighteagle said, rising.

"Don’t call me that, I hate it," Ari said.

"We fought as warriors do. The battle between our two peoples is over, for this generation at least. You want to fight again, the only thing stopping you is your own blindness. Fight alongside me tomorrow and renew your honor once again in the blood of the enemy," Nighteagle said, walking past him.

"The enemy?"

"Any man that wished to stick a blade in your guts is your enemy," Nighteagle said, exiting the tent, leaving Ari alone.

"Then I am your enemy, Nighteagle," Ari whispered, wishing it were true.

Nighteagle had not touched him once since that night they both had paired almost as lovers instead of enemies. He had broken the man’s ribs when he had kicked him, and he was sure that the man was avoiding being injured again, for he often caught the man staring at him hungrily. Every time Nighteagle had come close enough to touch him he had tensed and prepared to fight, eventually he stopped trying, although a strange expression always came to his face that puzzled Ari.

Nighteagle had begun to sleep with his wives again, leaving Ari completely alone at night, staring up at the domed tent and wondering what he wanted. Try as he might, he wanted to believe Nighteagle was his enemy, but deep in his heart he couldn’t. The more time he spent with the man as they rode, the more he found himself drawn to him. He had even begun to tell the man a little about himself and his people, forgetting about who Nighteagle was. His body ached at night, his dreams filled with Nighteagle as he awakened wet with his desire.

He knew that Nighteagle was right, that the battle between their two peoples was over now. Nighteagle had given his people every respect to a fallen enemy. He wanted to fight, and the temptation of Nighteagle’s offer pulled at him. If he didn’t take up his sword and fight again he would be lessened.

Nighteagle entered his tent the next morning to find Ari standing completely naked before his wife as she held a brush against his skin, painting the man in blue. Nighteagle shook his head in wonder at the man who would enter battle completely naked.

"What are you doing wife?" Nighteagle asked lightly.

"Readying him for battle. Ari tells me it will not dishonor him to have a woman do this for him," Graysparrow said softly, her hand trembling a little as she looked at the picture on the ground and continued her work.

"You can’t be serious? You are going like that?" Nighteagle asked, feeling his body stir at the sight of the naked man decorated in the savage designs.

"Of course, armor is for the weak," Ari said, looking down at Graysparrow’s work.

"Oh, I’m weak?" Nighteagle asked sharply.

"You are a Horse Lord, not Iolair, it is different," Ari said with a shrug.

"Are you implying that the Iolair are better?" Nighteagle growled.

"Fifteen hundred of your armored mounted men died to kill five hundred of my people, Nighteagle," Ari stated, looking up at Nighteagle defiantly, surprised to hear the man laugh.

"You are right, still, I would prefer if you didn’t go naked," Nighteagle commented.

"You trust me to go? I could turn on you in the battle," Ari said seriously.

"You won’t. Your honor would not permit it. The others are worried, but I am not," Nighteagle replied casually.

Ari remained quiet as Graysparrow rose, gathering up the paint. Ari looked at the woman and smiled.

"Thank you, you did almost as well as my own wife would have," Ari said, watching the woman blush and leave the tent.

"You have a wife?" Nighteagle asked curiously.

"Yes," Ari said, picking up his sword.

"You never mentioned her, and what about that teacher of yours?" Nighteagle asked.

"She agreed to bear me a child, nothing more. As soon as she conceived she choose another, just as I had. She is strong and proud of her status as the mother of the clan chief’s child," Ari replied.

"She lives then?"

"Yes, with my son," Ari said neutrally.

"Is that why you reject me so fiercely?" Nighteagle asked, approaching Ari, wanting to touch the naked man.

"No," Ari said in an even voice.

Nighteagle reached out to touch the man’s painted chest as clear blue eyes stared at him.

"You could force me," Ari whispered.

"Yes, and you could break more of my ribs."

"That is why you stay away?"

"No. Come, it is time," Nighteagle said shakily as he turned and walked out of the tent, hearing the man follow behind him.

Ari looked down at his body and sighed at the mess, wishing there was a lake nearby where he could soak the gore, paint, and other nameless liquid off. Looking over, he watched as Nighteagle stripped off his light armor while Graysparrow waited patiently to work on the deep sword cut on his leg.

"You never answered my question, Nighteagle," Ari said as he grabbed up a towel and began the long process of cleaning up from the battle.

"What question?" Nighteagle hissed as Graysparrow pulled the cloth of his clothes away from his wound.

"Why do you stay away?" Ari asked, all his attention on cleaning.

"Do you want me to stay? Besides that, you didn’t answer my question either." Nighteagle said, irritated as he looked down at the large slash on his right leg.

"Nighteagle stays away because of me," Graysparrow broke into the conversation quietly, looking over at Ari.

"Hush Graysparrow," Nighteagle said gently.

"What does she mean?"

"It is nothing," Nighteagle replied testily.

"Raindance is angry with me for spending so much time here with you at my husband’s request, she tells others there is more between you two than is thought. I asked Nighteagle to stay with us to prove Raindance’s accusations wrong," Graysparrow explained.

The silence stretched out as they all remained quiet, focused on their tasks rather than a subject none were willing to touch too closely.

"Damn it woman, you could be more gentle," Nighteagle growled as Graysparrow scrubbed at the open wound.

"It must be cleaned, husband," Graysparrow said hesitantly, stopping.

"Stop being such a child, she is only trying to help you," Ari said, watching the two from across the tent as he washed the gore off of his body.

"How can you make it through a battle like that without a scratch?" Nighteagle demanded crossly, changing the subject.

Ari shrugged, remaining quiet. He had suspected that rumors of what they were doing alone in the same tent would eventually start, although he was surprised that one of Nighteagle’s wives would be the source of it. Men of the Horse Lords shared there tents with women alone, and for two men to stay together was unheard of. It was ironic that among his people this wouldn’t have been a problem, yet they weren’t among his people, but Nighteagles’s.

He had fought at Nighteagle’s side. The man had deliberately dismounted just to fight at his back. He had felt exhilaration as they both slashed their way through their opponents with a violent joy. For the first time in a month Ari had finally felt alive again. Nighteagle was right, the joy of battle was something he needed, and he was glad he hadn’t denied himself it. He had felt a savage delight as he tested his skills against the men that dared to attack him.

In the battle Ari had a revelation as he felt Nighteagle’s broad back almost against his own. He had over the course of the month come to love this enemy Horse Lord. As they fought together the term enemy slipped from his thoughts, replaced only by the word Nighteagle. Yet they were among a people that saw their relationship as weakness. He knew without a doubt things couldn’t stay the way they were. Something had to be done and soon.

"I want to fight you, Nighteagle," Ari said quietly.

"Not now you aren’t, if you haven’t noticed I’m getting my hide sewn shut again. I’m not as lucky as you" Nighteagle grimaced.

"Soon, Nighteagle," Ari said, undeterred.

"You want to kill me that bad?" Nighteagle asked quietly as Graysparrow gasped, looking at Ari, distraught.

"I have kept my word Nighteagle, you must keep yours," Ari said, looking at Nighteagle intently. "I want to live again," Ari said softly.

"Very well, tomorrow we will cross blades," Nighteagle answered looking away from the man’s haunted eyes.

Ari quietly put on a pair of pants and carried his wash water out of the tent, dumping it in the waste area. He was almost back to the tent, lost in thought, and he didn’t notice the man coming towards him until the man grabbed his upper arm roughly. Looking up at the young man that he recognized as Starfall, he tried to pull away.

"Don’t even try it bitch. I want to see why you’re so special," Starfall snarled, trying to pull him.

Ari took one look at the man before easily breaking his grip and pushing Starfall away from him in disgust. Starfall charged him and Ari easily avoided him, tripping the angry youth and watching him crash to the ground even as a crowd started to form around them.

"What the hell is going on here?" Nighteagle shouted, approaching through the crowd that opened for him. Ari noted that five more holes in the crowd were created as more of the Lords of the Horse clan also approached.

"I tried to take this slave and he refused me," Starfall accused, looking at Ari angrily as he stood up.

"This man is no slave," said one of the Lords with steely gray hair and a hawk face.

"This is why we protest, Nighteagle" added yet another younger Lord.

"You thought to make this man submit to you before you have fought him Starfall, this is not of the old ways," Nighteagle said, deadly quiet as the crowd stood silent.

"He has already been defeated," Starfall spat.

"By me, Starfall, by me. You want to mount him, then defeat him," Nighteagle said, tossing Ari a sword.

Starfall unsheathed his sword angrily and charged at Ari.

"I can beat you. You’re just some filthy foreigner that fights naked like a barbarian," Starfall screamed.

Ari mentally sighed at the young warrior. Over the course of the month he had seen the boy many times as he rode next to Nighteagle. Although Ari had talked with very few other people from the horse clan, he had observed them as they often rode and talked to Nighteagle. Starfall was one of the few that had always glared fiercely at Ari and seemed to resent him. Ari had asked Nighteagle about it once only for the man to laugh and say the boy just wanted to be a bitch.

Now the meaning of Nighteagles’s words became clear by the young warrior’s actions. Starfall was jealous of Ari and the rumors that were circling about him and Nighteagle. The boy wanted to hurt and humiliate him. Ari tested Starfall, finding the limits of the young man’s talents, and was surprised by his skill. Although Ari had no trouble dealing with the man’s attacks, he knew that there were very few that would be able to say the same.

Finally he stepped up his pace and drove the young man back, disarming him with a move that would ordinarily dismember the boy’s fingers if done by someone with less skill than Ari. He watched the stunned disbelief appear on the boy’s face as the crowd around them roared in approval. Ari looked around in surprise at the response as Nighteagle moved to his side.

"We appreciate a good fight. Everyone knew Starfall was in the wrong. It is your right to take him now," Nighteagle said softly.

"You have got to be kidding! I’m not of the horse clan, I’m not going to fuck that boy," Ari said, appalled.

"Yes, you are. The Lords are watching you carefully, you must. If you don’t, I ride you myself in front of everyone here and now," Nighteagle said seriously.

Ari looked down at the angry young man and sighed.

"Fine, but not here in public," Ari relented.

"Get up Starfall, Ari is being generous, it seems," Nighteagle glared.

Ari could hear the disappointment in the crowd that the show was over. As he followed behind Nighteagle and Starfall he heard some of the men he passed congratulate him, look disapprovingly at Starfall.

Ari followed Nighteagle into a huge domed tent to find that seven of the Horse Lords were already seated, some of which he had seen at the battle only moments before. It appeared that they were to witness Starfall’s humiliation. Ari could only shake his head, he wasn’t part of the horse clan and he wasn’t about to hurt the young man, despite his actions.

"This is outrageous, he isn’t of our clan, he is the enemy. He obeys Nighteagle and follows him like a woman, and you’re going to let him humiliate me!" Starfall said desperately.

"He is a proven warrior, who is bound to Nighteagle by his honor, nothing more. His skills are undeniable and he fights with our clan now, not against it. He killed many this day in our name. His skills are undeniable, Starfall, it is his right for such an outrageous breach of honor," the steel haired Lord answered firmly.

Starfall looked among the assembled faces, seeing no help amidst them. Pulling down his pants angrily he knelt on the floor in front of Ari, his legs spread apart. Ari grimaced, looking down at the offered ass, feeling no desire.

"Get up Starfall, I’m not a Horse Lord," Ari said in disgust as the Lords murmured. "I’m not going to fuck you like a dog, you will be taken by an Iolair warrior. Strip and come here."

Starfall stood up, looking at Ari distrustfully as he removed his leather jerkin. Ari undid his pants and pushed the young warrior to the floor, facing his soft organ. Starfall tried to pull away in disgust as Ari held him firm.

"You are the loser, you must obey," Ari grated, angry at himself and the situation.

Starfall reluctantly opened his mouth and took him fully into his mouth. Ari kept his hand on the young man’s head as he slid his mouth inexpertly down the length of him. Ari felt himself grow slowly as he stroked the boy’s head, while his audience watched with expressionless faces. Ari finally felt himself completely hard as Starfall worked his mouth on the top half of his large member.

Ari pulled the young warrior to his feet and spun him to face the Lords and Nighteagle, who watched in surprise as he moved his hand down to lift the half erect organ for them to see. Ari molded his body to the young man’s back as he stroked the boy’s erection, while his other hand lightly teased the boy’s nipples to hardness in front of their audience.

Ari could see their shocked expressions at his actions as he played with Starfall’s body in front of them. Starfall turned his head to the side, avoiding the peering eyes, exposing the side of his neck for Ari, who slid his mouth down the coppery skin, leaving little bite marks even as he heard a gasps of shock come from his audience. Starfall gave a little moan as Ari noticed his hand getting wetter and wetter. Ari brought his wet hand around to the young man’s ass gently, inserting his slick fingers as the boy gasped. Looking around the room he saw a massive chest standing waist tall. He pulled Starfall over to the chest as he stripped his pants off and sat down, while the young man looked at him, his anger gone, replaced by lust.

"Sit on my lap," Ari commanded.

Starfall started to climb on him as Ari shook his head, turning the young man to face his audience. Ari remained motionless as Starfall grabbed him, and after a few fumbling attempts managed to get the tip of Ari’s leaking organ into him. Starfall panted as he slowly lowered himself onto Ari, while his audience watched avidly. Finally, the young man had taken his full girth into him as Ari brought his hand around to gently stroke his partner.

"Fuck me little warrior," Ari commanded, pushing his hips up a little.

Starfall began to move, sliding up and down on Ari. It wasn’t long before Starfall had lost all sense of dignity and was gasping and moaning continuously as Ari stroked his manhood, and he bounce wildly on the organ embedded in him. Starfall let out a loud cry as he shot a copious amount of seed down on the priceless rug beneath them.

Panting, the young man hung on Ari’s cock, limp, as he turned the young warrior around to face him. Ari looked at Nighteagle, who was staring at them fiercely, as he lowered his lips onto Starfall’s, kissing the man deeply as he thrust into the boy. He heard Nightfall gasp as Ari let go of Starfall to see the man completely tense and his eyes glazed. Ari knew that he had just had a powerful orgasm just by watching Ari’s performance, and Ari smiled a little.

Standing up with Starfall in his arms he felt his muscles quiver at the weight as he began to thrust, feeling arms wrap tightly around his neck. Starfall almost screamed, not in pain, but at the pleasure of what Ari was doing with him, lost completely in his lust. Looking directly at Nighteagle as he rammed himself into Starfall he let go of himself, throwing his head back in pleasure as he felt the seed flow into the young, defeated warrior as the man’s legs wrapped around him tightly.

Starfall let go of his tight hold and slid off of Ari’s body. He grabbed the young man and turned him to directly face the Lords, to show them Starfall’s new erection. Ari stroked the man, looking at his audience, noticing that each one of the men had a huge bulge that their tight leather pants could not hide. He felt Starfall shudder intensely, his white liquid spilling into Ari’s hand as he moaned softly.

Ari brought his hand up to Starfall’s mouth and the boy licked tentatively at the liquid until Ari drew his hand away and brought it to his own mouth. Looking directly at the Horse Lords he slowly licked the white cream from his fingers as a couple of the men groaned, obviously lost within their own orgasms at the sight of Ari’s actions.

Once his hand was clean he let go of Starfall to let the man sink to the ground, panting. Ari looked at the stunned faces of his audience, his face serious as he stood before them naked.

"Among my people there is no shame to loving a man or woman. It is the greatest gift to be able to give your partner pleasure and hear them moan delight at your actions, no matter the gender. You wanted me here to shame this man, I came here to show you that there is no shame in uniting your body with another, only pleasure," Ari said in a firm, uncompromising tone that made the men in font of his squirm in discomfort.

Ari retrieved his pants and went over to the young warrior looking dazed on the ground. Ari knelt down and kissed the young man gently.

"Thank you for the gift of your body young one, I bear no grudge against you and hope that you felt the same," Ari said as he rose from the ground and looked at the men in front of him.

"I’m not a dog or a woman. I am a warrior, if you doubt that cross swords with me, and see who is better," Ari threatened and turned, walking out of the tent.

"I think I would rather lose to him than win," said one of the Lords softly, looking at the exit.

"Yes," another agreed looking at Starfall.

"You must free him Nighteagle," the steel haired Horse Lord said firmly.

"No, I will never free him," Nighteagle said in a shaky voice, staring at Starfall, shaking his head in denial. "I can’t."

Before any could answer Nighteagle almost ran from the tent. When he arrived at his own he found Ari in the center of the tent. With five quick strides he grabbed the man, pressing his mouth to Ari’s only to once again feel resistance.

Ari jerked his head away from him, pushing against his chest. Nighteagle let go of Ari, confused as he looked at the man.

"Why, you kissed Starfall? Why," Nighteagle asked desperately.

"I will not kiss my captor, you hold my freedom, Nighteagle," Ari said sadly.

"I love you," Nighteagle blurted out, unthinking.

"Then fight me Nighteagle, free me." Ari said, staring at him with clear blue eyes.

"I can’t! I can’t do that," Nighteagle said angrily, pushing Ari down to the ground.

Ari lay on the ground, motionless, staring up at Nighteagle sadly as Nighteagle stripped him of his clothes.

"Why aren’t you fighting me? Nighteagle demanded.

"Fight me, damn you," Nighteagle said as he looked down at Ari’s limp naked body.

"Only with my sword, Nighteagle. Do what you want to me," Ari said as he closed his eyes.

Nighteagle backed away from the man, all desire flowing out of him. Ari didn’t understand, he couldn’t free him and lose him. If Ari was free he would leave, and Nighteagle couldn’t bear it. He wanted this man with him forever. He hadn’t stayed away because of the rumors, he had stayed away because Ari hadn’t wanted him. He knew that he could force the man’s body, but he wanted more than that from the White Demon of the Iolair. He wanted this man’s heart, he wanted his acceptance. He couldn’t fight Ari, he might lose. He didn’t care if Ari killed him, but he did care if the man left him. He couldn’t bear that thought, this man who matched him so perfectly.

"Nighteagle," came a high pitched female voice from outside the tent.

"Raindance? What is it?" Nighteagle asked shakily, looking at Ari.

"It’s Graysparrow, she is in labor and it does not go well," Raindance’s frantic voice penetrated Nighteagle’s mind.

Getting up, he walked out of the tent, leaving the Ari on the ground, tears leaking out of his closed eyes.

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