Part 6: Hesitation

DISCLAIMER: Nonconsensual scene(s).
Underage character(s) involved.


Note: This item has been rewritten and edited. All text in rose is BRAND NEW MATERIAL for this chapter of the story. In addition there are many minor changes to the original text itself. Please enjoy this new, expanded version of Part 6 and be on the lookout for updates to the next parts!


A SHARP RAPPING noise snapped Nehekhi to his senses. The Kana blinked groggily before rubbing his eyes and yawning. The human, Ameni, was curled up at his side, still sleeping; the rapping noise came again, followed by a muffled yet urgent whisper from behind the door.

"Lord Nehekhi! Wake up!"

Nehekhi grumbled in irritation, but pushed himself out of bed just the same. He slipped on his kilt and a pair of sandals as he made his way to the door, still yawning widely. He cast a glance back at his slumbering bedmate, curled up now in the sheets, and almost felt himself stir; then the knocking came again. He sighed and unlatched the door.

"Hush and keep your voice down!" he hissed at the lieutenant standing outside, before noticing it was not one of his own. He blinked and then scowled. "Do not tell me General Djiu wishes to see me this early in the day? I have barely anything left to say to him--"

"This is not it, Lord," the lieutenant said. He panted, as if he'd been running a great deal, though Nehekhi knew not from where. "I could not tell you beforehand as I had to accompany General Djiu, but I wished to tell you before you found out any other way--"

"Found out what?"

Even as he said this, his ears pricked at an odd sound that arose from outside the building, in the street. He could tell the lieutenant heard it too. It sounded like a scream.

Nehekhi gave the lieutenant a tense look.

"This is what I wished to inform you of, Lord," the younger Kana whispered. "There was a raid--"

"What! Why was the trumpet not sounded--?"

"Not upon us, Lord; by us upon others." The lieutenant made a face and waved his hands before Nehekhi could interrupt again. "Lord Djiu organized it just earlier in the evening, at nightfall, in fact, and called only his personal warriors to attend--"

"Why was I not called? Am I not one of Lord Djiu's closest men?"

"You are, Lord, yet he insisted we let you sleep; he said something about not wishing to bother you, or something. I do not understand all the details. I...I tend to think perhaps it had something to do with that."

He nodded over Nehekhi's shoulder, and the big Kana turned to look behind him. Ameni was sitting up in the bed now, having overheard their heated whispering, and though he had pulled the sheet up to his chest, the red tinge to his cheeks--and the fact that he was in bed--gave away his purpose there. Nehekhi's ears flicked and he turned back to the lieutenant, fully ready to warn him to keep silent, but the younger Kana waved at him again.

"I will not question. What you do in your bed is your own business, Lord. But I think this was why General Djiu did not want you along. I believe he thought you might jeopardize the raid."

Nehekhi's brow furrowed. "Exactly what sort of raid was this?" he said, just as another scream arose from outside, cutting itself off abruptly. The three of them glanced upwards, as if they could see the source above them; then the captain flared his nostrils and snorted.

"If I am right then that is a female crying out! What is happening out there, Lieutenant--?"

"I slipped away unnoticed; I am supposed to be pulling up the rear. But as you have been good to me in the past, I thought it only right that you should know. General Djiu staged a raid upon the nearest human settlement tonight. He could not mount a full-scale attack without tipping you or some of the others off, and so he waited until most of the men would be away tending to their fields or cattle. Most of the prisoners taken are females, women and children. He ordered most of the boys killed." The lieutenant made a pained face, as if he found this decision disagreeable.

Nehekhi's face went pale. "He did it?" he whispered. "He raided the humans?"

The lieutenant nodded. Ameni's fingers clenched at his sheet. "It was over in a matter of minutes. What few men there were...they did not stand a chance against us. We knew what Lord Djiu wished us there for, and we started to pull the boy-children from their homes after us, but he ordered us to kill them where they stood. What few survived, did so only because...only because some of the Kana's proclivities run that way." His muzzle wrinkled, then he grasped Nehekhi's wrist. "I managed to drag two young boys after me, away from the village. My friend keeps an eye upon them now. I wanted you to know that I did this only so they would live--I could not bear to kill them. I had to pretend I wished to take them to my bed if I wanted them to remain alive. I wanted you to know I do not intend to hurt them, ever. You believe me, right, Lord?"

Nehekhi nodded impatiently. "Yes, I believe you. I know you are a good Kana." The lieutenant's tensed features relaxed slightly, and he let go of Nehekhi's wrist. "General Djiu. Where is he now? What is he doing?"

The lieutenant's guarded look returned. "The last I saw of him he was headed back for his own household. There was very little ceremony to the entire thing; we did not even raid their food stores. He ordered the village burned! A waste! The smell was awful. Most of us did not enjoy this raid as we would have others, Lord..." He peered over Nehekhi's shoulder, in Ameni's direction, as if just realizing what he had said. "...Some of the men vomited, they found it so distasteful...but there was nothing we could do. We could not disobey Lord Djiu and hope to keep our positions. I can only pray that most of those who helped to drag the women away do not truly intend to bed them!" He looked at Ameni again. "Forgive me, Moru, but most of us do not find your type agreeable."

Ameni blinked as if caught off guard by the apology, and nodded.

Nehekhi grasped the lieutenant's arm now, forcing his attention. "Where is he going? What does he plan to do?" he asked again, more urgently.

"Oh. From what I understood, he has demanded the choicest females to be brought to his own household. He will choose from them which ones he wants to keep, and which ones he does not want. Those he discards are to be divided among the men, or else killed. There are some of them who are but little girls, Lord!" He grimaced. "I pray to the gods that they at least let them gain a year or two, before doing anything to them..."

He pulled his arm free and pressed it against his eyes. Even without looking at him, Nehekhi could sense Ameni's surprise at the other Kana's emotional reaction, and reached out to squeeze the lieutenant's shoulder. "Return to General Djiu before you are noticed missing," he ordered. "And see to it that these boys of yours are closely looked after. There are some swine who will attempt to snatch them out from beneath your nose if you are not careful! They would rather consider you a baby-rapist than a protector of humans!"

"Yes, Lord."

"And you and your friend say nothing of this meeting to anyone. Not to General Djiu, nor even to the other lieutenants. I pity you for what you had to do, but you had little choice. He is lucky I did not come along...my fingers itch right now to wrap around his neck!" Nehekhi paused to take several breaths when the lieutenant gave him a wide-eyed look. "Go and see to these humans and make certain they come to no harm. And Lieutenant?" The younger Kana paused from turning to the door to glance over his shoulder. Nehekhi gave him a grave look. "Thank you for telling me of this. I understand how difficult it was."

The lieutenant nodded and saluted, then vanished. Nehekhi latched the door behind him before turning and leaning against it, his wings slumping. He let out his breath and put a hand to his eyes.

"I cannot believe he actually did it," he growled under his breath. "I cannot believe that fool actually did it!"

Ameni leaned forward on the heel of one hand. "Lord...?"

Nehekhi lowered his hand to peer at the human, then strode toward the bed. He sat down on the edge and drew Ameni to him, holding him tight. Ameni looked confused but said nothing.

"I am sorry," Nehekhi said, grief cracking his voice. "I am sorry you had to hear. That he went and did this. If I had known..."

Ameni pushed against Nehekhi's chest, making the Kana let him go. "You did not know," he said. "Therefore you could have done nothing."

"But if I had only listened to my instincts on this one...he has been planning this for weeks, I know this, ever since I brought you back with me. I did not listen! If I had, then perhaps I..."

"If you had acted, Lord, you would not be here right now, and you would not be speaking to me. You could have done nothing and kept your own safety. Even the Moru know this, that the general is going mad. You could not have done a thing."

Nehekhi felt like dropping his head, but forced himself to meet Ameni's eyes. "I know what you think of us," he said. "What you were taught of us, back where you used to live. And now, seeing it come true...I know what you must be feeling right now." He grasped Ameni's hand. "You must know that most of the Kana, they are not like this. They are honorable men. They do not beat their Moru. They do not rape their females. They do not take mere pups as bedmates. Most of us have more honor than that." His grip on Ameni's hand faltered and he had to avert his eyes. "I...I would be lying to you, Ameni-friend, if I were to tell you I have never killed one of your kind. I have killed many." He felt the human's hand tremble within his own. "But when I did so, I did so quickly, so they would not suffer," he added. "I did not torment them, or humiliate them, or slash them through the back as they ran. I did not mutilate their bodies and I did not delight in their deaths." He pulled his hand away and folded it in his lap. "Whenever it was possible, I spared who I could, but this was not often possible. When I killed a child, I sought to kill its parents as well, just so they would not suffer its loss. And the other way around. It shames me to say it, but there were not many humans who protested this. If your kind show anything, it is devotion. There are some Kana who delight in bloodshed, but most of us know better. We have seen your kind's devotion and recognize it. There is no joy to be had in the deaths that come about from a raid." He clenched his fist, so his claws dug into his palm, drawing blood. "Would that the bastard knew this for himself...and did not bring dishonor on the rest of our heads!..."

"Lord..." Ameni's voice was pained. Nehekhi cut him off.

"I am not the only one, either, Ameni. Not the only one to have blood upon his hands. Thi'usa-Moru got his wing slashed the very day we attacked one of your villages. He killed many of your kind that day before he was wounded. My lieutenants, and my guards, we have all been in raids upon your people. But we do not celebrate in it. Thi'usa told me that the very first time he slew a human, he threw up upon the ground, yet had to continue as it was necessary. It always will be, unless our tribes grow to be more like your own, which I do not envision happening." He growled. "Still, the nights I spend thinking that if we only sought a way..."

"Lord..." Ameni pulled closer and slipped his arm around Nehekhi's. "I know you are not at fault. Nor Thi'usa, or the lieutenants. There is only one I blame here, the same as you. I know that you are not all as he is. You have proven this to me, time and again. You are here right now, protecting me; this is proof enough."

"Yet you must think us horrid brutes, to do such things as we do to your people..."

"No, I do not. I did once, I will admit. But I see how different it is here. And remember that my own people are not so innocent, either. We have attacked your tribes in the recent past, and had to be just as ruthless to survive. The Kana are not monsters, Lord; only some of them."

"Djiu brings shame to his men," Nehekhi said, his lip curling back and his fists clenching again. His wings flared. "Would that I could just catch him alone...he will bring this tribe to ruin if this continues! We cannot afford to waste pointless raids seeking human slaves! I am the one responsible for this; I fueled his sick desires. I must be the one to set it straight or no one will. I cannot see more of your people subjected to this, by any means." He started to stand up, but Ameni grabbed at his elbow, stopping him.

"Please, Lord. Do not do this! Do not risk it!"

Nehekhi grimaced. "And let your people continue to suffer? What would you ask that I do, Ameni-mate? If he brings back even one more pup or female, I will go mad with rage!"

"Please, Lord," Ameni begged. "Please just think. If you go to your general, then what will become of me? And of Thi'usa? And Ikua and the rest?" Nehekhi's muscles relaxed just slightly. "You are the one who saved us, Lord. Saved us from fates we cannot even imagine. If you go to Djiu now, you will not come back to us. Think. You would abandon us all so? Leave us to the whims of the general's men?"

The Kana paused, then slowly sat down upon the bed again and hunched his wings. "Then what would you have me do?" he asked softly. "Let this happen to your people?"

Ameni lowered his eyes. "I understand your anger, Lord...but if you do what you say you want to...then it will benefit no one. Not you, not the tribe, not anyone. Even you know this. You had a good reason for delaying your rage for so long."

"And am I to delay it further? And know that every time I see him with his hands upon one of your kind's females, it will have been my fault?"

Ameni's fingers clenched at the bedsheets. "You are going to do something...aren't you?"

The comment was hardly a question, but Nehekhi nodded anyway. "You are relatively safe in your quarters," he said. "You do not have to see and hear what I do every day. Look what he put that poor lieutenant through! It's because of people like him that this bloodlust spreads in the first place. It can go on no longer." He trailed off, wishing to say more, but no words came to mind. Instead he looked down at the bed. Ameni's hand crept over his, and his gaze shifted toward it.

"Lord." Ameni's voice was set, quiet but forceful. Nehekhi's ears twitched immediately on hearing it. "Promise me something."

Nehekhi flared his nostrils. "I cannot promise not to--"

"You must promise me something!"

Nehekhi flinched. Ameni grasped his hand tighter and lifted it to chest level so the two of them had to look at each other. The intensity in Ameni's eyes surprised him.

"Be patient," Ameni said. "And just wait. Please...you have to promise me that you'll only wait. And then see."

Nehekhi frowned. "What...?"

"Think on it, Lord. You are not the only one, are you? The lieutenant you spoke to...and his friend...and who else? You said that most Kana are not like Djiu. Do you believe this?"

"Yes!" Nehekhi hated his beliefs being questioned, even by one he cared for. "Of course I do!"

"Then be patient," Ameni whispered forcefully. "Your own rage has shown--now wait for the others' to show. It's only a matter of time, isn't it? The longer Djiu continues, the angrier the Kana will grow. You will not be the only one with these thoughts."

"The longer I wait, the worse it will become!"

"Sometimes a thing must become worse before it can become better. Rage must build before it can best be acted upon. If you seek out Djiu on your own, you are guaranteed to fail. If you have others behind you, then you cannot help but succeed."

The Kana's frown grew deeper. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you advising me to..."

"Just think on it, Lord. And wait. Keep your ears open. If it's as bad as you believe it is, you will start to hear things in time. Listen to what the others say. And then...then, you can act." He squeezed Nehekhi's hand again. "Just promise me you will wait. Please, Nehekhi-Master?"

His eyes were pleading, yet not desperate, or afraid. Nehekhi stared at him, perplexed. He found it hard to believe that such comments could have come from a human's mouth...much less a Moru's...but hear them, he had.

His mouth twitched. "You truly advise me to do something so drastic? To plan it, ahead of time?" Ameni didn't answer, and Nehekhi gave a slight, wry smile. "You would have made a passing good soldier, Ameni-Moru."

Ameni blinked in surprise, then flushed and averted his eyes. Nehekhi's smile grew and he chuckled and stroked his cheek, leaning over to give him a quick kiss.

"All right; you convince me. If you had been any of my other Moru, except perhaps for Thi'usa, I do not think I would consider your words so deeply. I will bide my time and see. But I can hold my tongue and my sword arm for only so long, Ameni-mate. How many of your kind would you wish sacrificed before action is taken?"

"I am not Kemeti anymore," Ameni said quietly. "I am Moru. Your kind is my kind."

Nehekhi's eyes softened and he continued stroking the human's cheek. "Do not give yourself up so easily, Ameni-sweet. This is only because of ones like...him. And Siktu. You will always be Kemeti." He stood and stretched his wings. "I will speak with a few of my men...tell them to keep their eyes and ears open for word of things. I suspect they were kept as much in the dark about this as I was." He scowled. "No longer, though. Now that I know what to look for I will see it. And they will report to me much sooner than they would report to Djiu."

"Do you feel you can trust them so thoroughly, Lord? They do owe their primary allegiance to the general, do they not?"

"Yes, they do. This does not mean they will report to him first, however. You have yet to learn about how the military works, Ameni-mate. Lieutenants are odd creatures. They may swear allegiance to one, yet serve another yet more loyally. For the most part they do not care for captains, as we do not fight as much alongside the men as they do...our positions are seen as being soft and pampered...but all captains were lieutenants once, and I myself have managed to keep in good standing with their number. It is all about politics; the less there is of that involved, the more you may depend upon a good lieutenant. I will merely bring it up with them that they have been left out of things by their general and that should be enough to convince them whose side they should be upon." He lifted his chin in a superior gesture which appeared to amuse the human. "Djiu should know by now that fostering trust does much more than raise one's rank, and that failing to do so can do much more than lower one's rank. It was not just to make friends that I was open and truthful with every good lieutenant I ever met."

Ameni smiled. "Who is the one who makes a passing good soldier, Lord?"

Nehekhi gave a wide smile in return. "I am only as good as the ones in whose company I stand. I'm afraid I must take you back to the Moru quarters for now, Ameni-mate. Perhaps you can find something to keep you occupied there. I would let you sleep the rest of the day here, but..."

Ameni nodded. "I understand. It's not safe. If you trust me to find my own way back I'll not bother you to accompany me."

"I appreciate this, Ameni-Moru. It's early yet but this is one of the best times to find the lieutenants...perhaps they are right about us captains and we are soft." He yawned and stretched again and Ameni got up from the bed, seeking his kilt and wrapping it around himself. He paused to let the Kana give him another quick kiss before quietly exiting the room, the door shutting behind him. Nehekhi waited until all was silent again before letting out a sigh, wings sinking. He stared at the bed with a dull look on his face.

When did things become so complicated? Is this really all just because of me? Do the gods truly play games like that? What would have happened if I had just left him...?

He shook his head abruptly. "I will not think of that," he said aloud, into the empty room. "What Djiu does is what he does, not me. I will not take his blame." With this, he turned for the door and exited in the opposite direction from the human, his eyes cold and set.

* * * * *

Nehekhi was not one to frequent the taverns, as he found drinking dulled the senses; and at his age, he needed to keep as sharp as he could. It was true he was still in his prime, but every so often he felt the faint tuggings of age awaiting him in the not-too-distant future. Oddly, whenever he felt these, he found he worried most about his Moru and what should become of them once he was gone...but that would not be for many years...wouldn't it?

Nevertheless, the taverns were almost always crowded with the lower soldiers--the lieutenants and their men, sergeants and privates and civilians--and although he had to wait a good while, into the late afternoon, for the taverns to fill, still he found it worthwhile. He knew all the spots the different groups of soldiers liked to frequent; those known to be loyal to Djiu kept to one area, while those with different loyalties kept to another. It was the best way for them to avoid fights when they were deep in drink, though sometimes that couldn't be helped, especially if they crossed each other while heading home. Nehekhi made certain to head out before any of them could become too drunk...though he knew that a little beer could loosen the inhibitions just enough to keep the soldiers openminded to what he had to say.

Firstly he went to the tavern where his own men usually gathered, and was greeted with loud enthusiasm at the door. He smiled slightly and nodded at everyone who crowed and offered to buy him a drink, but accepted none but those a group of lieutenants in the corner ordered him. The rest of the patrons settled down somewhat when he sat with the blue-lappeted Kana in the corner; almost before he could tuck his feet under him, he found a cup being pressed into his hand.

"Welcome, Lord!" one of the lieutenants from his own house greeted. "You must tell us who we will have to bribe to get you to show up here again!"

"You do not come here nearly often enough, Lord."

"Try the beer, Captain! It's much better than that drek you keep in your cellar!"

Nehekhi grinned. "So this is how you spend your time when I am not around to keep track of you all! Here, fine; see? I'll take a drink."

The lieutenants booed. "That was hardly a sip! Swallow some more! You call that drinking? We can wet our tongues more if we lick the dusty hoof of a Sha!"

"Very well! See?" Nehekhi downed the cup and the soldiers cheered before handing him another one, which he sipped from before lowering. "I'm afraid I must let you all down; I had no inclination to come here and get myself soused among the likes of you." They booed again, but in a goodnatured way, and resumed finishing off their own drinks. "I actually came to speak with you about what happened early this morning."

"Yes, what was with all the noise?" the first lieutenant asked. "I was at the far end of the house so I did not see a thing. Was someone raising a fuss or something?"

"Some fuss!" a second one exclaimed. "It must have been a stray female for I am certain I heard a woman yelling! I did not even bother to go and check it out. I have better ways to waste my time than to chase someone's wandering whores."

"You are just jealous it was not your wandering whore."

"For all he knows, it WAS! Perhaps THAT is why he didn't bother to check!"

Nehekhi waited for the laughter to die down before speaking again. "Actually, it was not one of the Moru at all," he said. "Lord Djiu staged a raid early this morning, and I am afraid none of you were even informed."

This managed to quiet them down. They all gave Nehekhi a confused look, frowning and furrowing their brows.

"A raid?" the first one echoed. "This morning? And we missed it?"

Nehekhi nodded. "Why were we not told?" another one asked, and the rest nodded and started murmuring.

"Did we do something to displease Lord Djiu? Why would he hold that from us, Lord?"

"You did nothing to displease him, that I know of," Nehekhi said. "Rest easy that the problem lies not with you. You are in good company as no one within my household, nor within many other households, was informed. Not even I."

The looks of confusion turned to ones of bewilderment and disbelief. A few of the other soldiers not in Nehekhi's group had turned their attention to him and were looking over their shoulders and leaning forward with ears cocked. Nehekhi took another drink and set down his cup, wiping his mouth. All of his men stared at him, awaiting his explanation.

"Lord?" the first said quietly. "What are we missing?"

"Basically, you are missing a vulgar atrocity committed by..." Nehekhi very nearly said, "your general," but checked himself in time "...someone in a position that we had thought we could trust." He leaned forward and lowered his voice so only his own men could hear. "This morning, Lord Djiu ordered a raid upon the nearest human settlement, some distance to the south."

"I know this settlement!" the first lieutenant exclaimed. "We scouted it once and there was hardly anything worth raiding it for! Why would Lord Djiu be interested in it now?"

"Because food and goods are hardly what he is interested in now. The screaming you heard? It was a female, you are right. But it was not a Moru female. And she was not the only one of her kind, either."

Slight realization dawned on the Kana's faces, and their muzzles wrinkled. "You mean he brought back humans...?" the first lieutenant started, and the others made faces to match, seemingly forgetting about Nehekhi's own recent addition.

"Gods, Lord. What would he want with those things?"

"You have not been in a position to know as much as I. But I feel a hint is all you need anyway. There were very few males brought back from the raid, and what ones there were, were but only children. They will each be going to separate households tonight. At this very moment, they may be being put to use within the homes of their new masters."

"Masters--?" the first lieutenant said, then they all grimaced as they finally understood. "How vile!" he spat. "I fully understand why he would not want somebody to know, but--why us specifically, Lord? Did he think we would not go through with it?"

"In this case, he would be right!" a lieutenant near the back hissed. "I would not put my hands upon those dirty creatures!"

"Even if I were so inclined, which I am not," another said, "when has it become policy to raid settlements for human females and pups? Have I missed something?"

"If you have, it was the same as I have missed," Nehekhi replied. "For Djiu called only his most trusted men to take part in the raid. Even some of them do not seem happy with the outcome. I'm supposing he did not inform them ahead of time that this would not go as any other raid." He finished off his drink and stood. A few of the others followed suit, but he waved at them.

"If you follow me from here now, any of his men remaining will know we have spoken. They will be suspicious. I do not think this is best for us now."

"You told us this for a reason, Lord," the first lieutenant said. "Why are you informing us of this? Was there something you wished to do?"

"I am willing to do something!" somebody else growled. There were a few murmurs of assent, though nothing very clear and confident. Nehekhi's ear flicked but he shook his head just the same. The disappointed look that the lead lieutenant got gave him some hope, though he didn't dare voice it aloud just yet.

"There is nothing I wish to do. At the moment." At these words the soldiers' attention returned to him. "I wished only to let you know, in case you are kept uninformed in the future. Perhaps we will all keep our eyes and ears more closely open, yes?" The Kana nodded and Nehekhi continued. "If you wish to 'do' something...do only this." He pulled out a silver ring and set it upon the table, the lieutenants all looking down at it. It was more than enough to pay for their entire round, and they blinked in surprise on seeing it. "Perhaps you could all use another drink," Nehekhi added. "Though I should tell you not to let your foolishness get away with you. Drink can make a Kana do odd things. You'd best wait until the daylight...when everything is much clearer...before you go acting on your impulses. Do not let your drink get to you. At least until there is a much better occasion for drinking. Very well?"

The lieutenants looked back up at him, and he could tell they understood that he was not talking about beer. They nodded soberly, then called out an order for another round. Their talking was much more subdued than it had been before, but at least they did not seem to be getting any foolish ideas just yet. Nehekhi turned to exit the tavern and let out a sigh as he went out the door.

I do not think I like being a Kana anymore. This is far too risky for my health...what if I said too much? Will I find myself dead tomorrow? I suppose it will not matter, by then...

The captain shook his head to clear it of the ominous feeling. Most of Djiu's men were too busy at the moment to much care for what the lesser soldiers were thinking or doing. With a heavy step, Nehekhi turned and made his way back to his own household.

* * * * *

The grunting sounds and screaming coming from General Djiu's rooms that night were more appalling than usual. Even his two loyal guards cringed the entire time they stood watch outside his door, being called in every so often to fetch more cloths to replace the torn restraints the Kana used or to bring more oils to smooth their master's way. He had five new females of his own, and judging by the way the old one was escorted out and a new one escorted in after every frenzied coupling, he was determined to try them all out before the night was through. Each woman returned with torn clothes...if with any clothes left at all...and battered and bleeding flesh, her hair and skin clawed at and bruised. Each went in screaming and fighting; each came out silent and dazed. Except for the last one, whose presence made the guards themselves grimace and mutter under their breath. She looked to be merely a pup herself, having reached the mating age, almost definitely, but only by a minimum, and not nearly developed enough as was most desirable for carrying pups to term. As if Lord Djiu were interested in half-human whelps, though his guards had no clue what he was interested in. They simply escorted the frightened girl into his chambers as they'd been ordered, a mussed and flushed Djiu pulling her inside with a heated look in his eyes before closing the door; then, rather than stay to listen to the next hour of slapping and bouncing and panting and crying, interspersed with punches and grunts and whimpers, they left to fetch even more cloths and oils for whenever the two within should need them and then stood outside and waited until the horrid noises finally died down.

It turned out the cloth and oil were not needed after all, judging by the very dead state of the young girl as her battered body was silently carried from the room a short while later. And then Djiu yelled for more human women to be brought to him before daylight. They were to be wrested from their current captors, if necessary. The general's word could not be questioned.

And in two hearts, and in a few more later on, and yet a few more even after that, a deep-seated hatred began to grow, and spread. At first the Kana kept it to themselves, each thinking he was the only one to feel it; but in time they began to whisper, and the truth was slowly revealed, until it came back, in bits and pieces, to Nehekhi himself. He neither verified nor denied it, only listened, and took it all in.

And hoped that his human was somehow right on this matter.

* * * * *

In Nehekhi's absence, and unaware of the current goings-on among the Kana, Ameni had done very well to find something else to keep him occupied. In the Moru quarters he now pushed into Tai'ihet slowly but firmly, breath heavy. The Moru female trembled beneath him, whimpering softly; she was much used to sex, he could tell, and he favored her feel right now. She had placed her baby in the corner, where it slept, for now. Ameni was grateful for that. Her breasts were full and round and heavy with milk and he enjoyed that as well. As they shifted against each other he cupped one in his mouth, moaning and sucking, savoring the warm sweetness from within, enjoying Tai'ihet's answering whimpers.

He broke away just for a moment. "You...you're sure...Thi'usa won't...won't mind this...?"

"Thi...Thi'usa?" Tai'ihet managed to lift her head just a little, her eyes glazed. Although the Moru were often quite polyamorous Ameni still worried about the jealousy of the former Kana. "No...not as long as...as long as you do not try to...to claim his son as your own."

"I would...do no such thing to him..."

"Then...then this is fine...we may enjoy each other...we may enjoy nesakh'ai..." She moaned and dropped her head back, trembling against him.

Ameni gritted his teeth and picked up his pace, arms clutching her to him. Oh yes...oh yes. She felt very good. The same as Ki'amit, only not as tight...but wetter...much wetter...and fuller...full of milk. They were different, but each in their own wonderful ways. He had thought for several days about trying out one of the other mature females, or even Ki'amit's young friend, but had not asked yet...well, perhaps later...when he was not so preoccupied...he had plenty of time to spare among the slaves.

Tai'ihet opened her eyes and smiled at him desirously, only to then let out a little gasp of surprise. Ameni looked down at her with a question in his gaze before a hand grasped his shoulder roughly. He froze in his thrusting and looked back over his shoulder--only to relax.

"Dear Thi'usa-Moru..."

Thi'usa looked down at him sternly. "You pass your night with my mate, Ameni-human?"

"Yes...I apologize if you had meant to be with her tonight...but I have been longing to be with her for ages, it seems, and she felt so pleasant to me, we lost track of time..."

It was a confession that, among humans, would probably lead to him being killed. Among the Moru, it was much different. Thi'usa simply gave a hearty laugh, throwing back his head.

"I see, dear Ameni-human..." he said as soon as he was able to speak again. "You have found in her that which I love as well, have you? Does she please you? How about you, dearest Tai'ihet, how do you find the human Moru?"

"She is very fine, very fine," Ameni murmured, leaning back down with a smile to place his mouth around her breast, at which she quivered again, and smiled up at her mate.

"He is talkative, but pleasing."

"Talkative!" The Moru laughed again. "Yes...that he is. Very much so. But he is a dear."

"Mm-mm," Ameni murmured, starting to push his hips again. Tai'ihet gasped. The human ground into her once more, becoming oblivious to their observer.

"OH!" Thi'usa said with mock offense. "So he will ignore me then...well...I guess I shall have to give him something to remember me by."

Tai'ihet tilted her head to the side. "Please, dear mate, be easy on him...he is merely filled with desire at the moment..."

"Hush, silly woman, you think I had plans to hurt him? I merely see you two enjoying yourselves and feel most left out. Why should I not enjoy myself as well?"

"Well, where is little Ki'amit?"

"With old Ikua. He has decided to try her out for himself. Knowing him, he will delight in her and keep her for hours. What is a Moru to do!"

"Foolish, Thi'usa...there are others here you may choose from...try one of them out."

"Nonsense, woman...I see what I want to 'try out' right here." He smiled and licked his lips, and took Ameni's shoulder again.

"Thi'usa..." Tai'ihet said, eyes growing wide as he stepped over the obliviously thrusting human's legs, straddling him and loosening and dropping his kilt and loincloth. He stroked himself a few times to get hard and his shaft emerged from its sheath, touching the human's back.

"Thi'usa, what are you doing!" Tai'ihet hissed in a whisper. "This is no way to--"

Too late; her mate had grabbed hold of Ameni's shoulders and bucked his hips forward with a yell. And instead of screaming with pain and anger, Ameni simply stiffened, a husky groan escaping him, buttocks clenching. He put back his head, panting.

"Dear Thi'usa-mate, I knew you could not keep from us long..."

Thi'usa smiled and nuzzled at him. "Silly Ameni-Moru, this is because you are so very welcoming to me..."

"Th...Thi'usa?" Tai'ihet murmured with surprise.

Ameni bent to lick her neck. "Do not be worried about us...Thi'usa and I have grown to love one another very deeply. We have bonded, have performed nesakh'ai already, several times..."

"Oh." The Moru still looked puzzled. "I had never heard of this."

"Oh? We have not tried to keep it secret...I first joined myself to him when he was with the master, and they were enjoying one another immensely..."

He trailed off, noticing that his lover no longer pushed within him. Looking back at Thi'usa's face, he saw the expression of horror. Then he looked down at Tai'ihet and while her expression wasn't the same, she still looked shocked.

Oh no...

"I..." he murmured, then sheepishly pulled himself back, almost out of Tai'ihet. "I'm sorry, I...I thought that you both knew..."

Thi'usa's hand went to cover his face; Ameni didn't doubt he would have used both hands, had the other not been occupied simply holding him up. His voice came out desperate sounding. "I am not sen'akha, dear mate, you must believe me..."

"Sen'akha?" Tai'ihet echoed, eyes getting even bigger. "You...you think that for letting the master take you, you are sen'akha?"

"Yes...this is exactly what I mean. If it were simply Ameni-human, it would be easy to explain. But...Master and I...we have known each other long. And...I have always loved him. Even before I met you, Tai'ihet." His look grew aggrieved. "Please, please do not feel I cannot love you...for I do...you and the master and Ki'amit and Ameni-human all equally...I cannot love one of you more than the other, please do not make me choose."

Tai'ihet blinked in surprise, then her eyes softened. "Thi'usa-mate," she coaxed. "If you love me, then you are not sen'akha. Even if you were, the only thing I would grieve is that you would not wish to be with me, nothing more."

Thi'usa looked at her from between his fingers. Ameni stayed still in his awkward position between the two, his arms propping him up over her. "You...you do not find me sen'akha? You do not wish for a better mate? One who does not play the part of a female?"

Tai'ihet clucked her tongue. "Of course not, silly Moru! Our babe rests in the corner! Remember the time before, when you placed a child within my belly? I could not bear it, but...you had placed it there, no one else. If you were sen'akha you would not have done this! You would not have loved Ki'amit either! So you love each of us. As long as you remember to come to me when I am needing, this I do not mind!"

"I would always remember," Thi'usa blurted out. He reached down to grasp her arm, pressing himself to Ameni. "You know this, you do!"

"Of course I do, sweet one. Always! You are never one to leave me unsatisfied, not once."

Ameni touched Thi'usa's arm, earning a slight gasp. The Moru both looked at him as if having forgotten he was even there, right between them. He tried to keep the embarrassment from his voice.

"Thi'usa-mate, I wouldn't intrude between you and Tai'ihet...please let me excuse myself, and I'll seek out one of the others. You two may be alone together."

Thi'usa sputtered, flushing. "A-Ameni-human! Please, forgive! But--I could never send you away so. To be so cruel to you! You are still hard!"

"Wish you not to complete nesakh'ai?" Tai'ihet inquired.

Ameni's ears burned. "Now...now is probably not the best time. Please, I wish for you two to spend this night together. I saw a young female near the other end of the room; perhaps she will be unoccupied and lonely tonight..."

"Nonsense, Ameni-mate!" Thi'usa exclaimed. "Please...while you are with us, I refuse for you to leave unsatisfied. I will treat you as well as I treat my Tai'ihet; 'tis only fair. Then you may seek out this female, if you are so inclined...but not until then. Please?"

"I'm not..."

He gasped and shut his eyes. Thi'usa had taken hold of his shoulders and pushed into him again, nuzzling at his neck. Tai'ihet smiled and took his arms, guiding him back inside her. Thi'usa's teeth gently seized Ameni's neck and he sagged against Tai'ihet, submitting; the former Kana took control, Tai'ihet following suit, both of them slowly moving against him, propelling him between them. His fingers clawed Tai'ihet's soft flesh; his belly pressed to hers, as he felt Thi'usa's hips meeting his backside. He arched, spreading his legs wider to straddle her, in effect allowing Thi'usa deeper access. He felt his own hardness slipping in and out of the female's sleek wetness, and he moaned.

Thi'usa's voice came to his ear, low and breathless. "See already, sweet Tai'ihet...he is a quick one to pleasure."

Tai'ihet's voice was just as faint with desire. "In...indeed he is, mate...this...this is one reason I enjoyed him so..."

A warm soft muzzle brushed against Ameni's neck, and he shivered. "Please, hold yourself on, sweet Ameni-mate..." Thi'usa panted. "Allow us to finish...you will not be disappointed..."

Ameni panted as well. His hips continually pressed between the two shifting bodies that made love to him; he couldn't contain his own moans of pleasure. He could sense some of the other Moru peering over at the three of them, so greatly enjoying each other, but he knew they would have nothing but smiles for the oblivious threesome. There had been times when he had been with more than just two of them...he thought of the time he and the twins Hiakh and Kiakh had taken Ki'amit all together, while Thi'usa had taken him from behind...what a most pleasurable experience it had been...

As was this, happening now...the shifting increased in speed, a soft moan emitting from Tai'ihet, a low growl from Thi'usa; he sensed their need, their desire to be one with each other, which he himself impeded. This was not proper. Gritting his teeth, he pushed and released with a forceful grunt, letting out his breath to feel his seed drain from his body, even though he had not reached his maximum satisfaction. Thi'usa reached his climax and came himself; Ameni felt he had been holding himself in, in order to wait for the human. As it was he gave an impatient groan and spurted deeply, and Tai'ihet gave a high-pitched whine, her thighs trembling. Ameni felt her silky walls enclose around him and sighed as she drained his last drop. The three of them slowly sank down over each other, panting.

Ameni did not remain long. He could sense their impatience, although they said nothing, did nothing to indicate they wished him to leave. He simply knew. Without a word, he kissed Tai'ihet, and lifted himself, feeling Thi'usa pull out from inside him; he turned to kiss him as well, lightly fingering his slick member as it retreated into its sheath. He then got unsteadily to his feet, dusting himself off, and stumbled his way to the other end of the room. As he went he could already hear the two moving close, Thi'usa murmuring and Tai'ihet giggling softly, their musk mingling in the air. When he turned a few moments later to look back at them he smiled to see the two dim forms, one crouched on all fours upon the ground, the other kneeling and thrusting from behind and groaning most magnificently. They had been meant for each other, he was sure.

He felt a light touch to his arm and turned. A young female face peered at him and smiled shyly but welcomingly. Ki'amit's friend. A moment later she was joined by another young female, just ripening in adolescence, and then by a young male, the down of youth still ringing his sheath. Ameni smiled at them all, and linked his arm about them, drawing them close. The females giggled and the male blushed; with no further word they went to find their own private corner, and it was not very long before the four of them, Ameni upon his back, the other three above him with arms and hips and legs and lips meeting and exploring tender new bodies, had become tangled in blissful desire.

The room became filled with the scent of musk and the sounds of soft panting and moans as each was sated that night.

Continue:

"Part 7: Delegation" 


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