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"Really?" Nikto could barely keep from laughing.
Orel turned to him.
"You're laughing! At first you mutilated me, made me a laughing-stock and now you're amusing yourself!"
Nikto reached his arms. "Come here, come to me!"
Orel lowered his gaze and silently walked up to him. As soon as Nikto could reach to him he grabbed Orel and overturned him onto the bed.
"Enough!"
Orel didn't resist. Nikto put him onto his back, leaned over him, his eyes glittered merrily.
"I hear, you're angry," he said. "Prince Arel Chig is displeased with something again."
Orel kept silent.
Nikto patted his hair, pressed his lips to it, then blew at Orel's temple.
"Should I call for Mina to comb your hair?"
"No, I don't need Mina, I don't need anyone but you. But I'm afraid – you didn't particularly like me before, and now when I look like that, you'll like me even less."
"Indeed," Nikto said. "You're simply disgusting: one-eyed and – just imagine! – with dirty, not combed hair."
Orel laughed. "Uncombed!"
"Whatever. You understand me."
"No, I don't understand. Are you just keeping me company while I'm sick? Or do you really want to be with me?"
"What do you think?" Nikto moved away from him slightly, supporting himself on his elbow. His other hand fingered his earrings mechanically.
"I'm afraid even to think about it," Orel got pale. "If you're just playing with me and then will leave me, I'll die. No, I don't even want to think about it!"
"Calm down, it's all right, I'll stay with you," Nikto lowered his gaze. "And I accepted the idea that I have to be not only a warrior here but also you lover."
Orel shivered and sat up in bed.
"But you don't want that! You just submitted to me because you were cornered! I didn't leave you a choice from the very beginning. Right?"
"Arel, calm down."
"Enough of calming me down!"
"Are you not tired of discussing our relations? I am," Nikto took a cigarette and lit it.
"Why do I always start a quarrel with you?" Orel said, depressed. "I don't understand."
Nikto smoked silently. Suddenly Orel raised his head.
"Nik, get up and dress."
Nikto looked at him in surprise but didn't say anything. He stubbed the cigarette and started dressing. Then he looked at Orel questioningly.
"Should I take the weapon?"
Orel nodded. "Now take the armchair, move it to the bed and sit down."
Nikto did everything as Orel said. Now he sat in the armchair, Orel, on the bed.
"Shit. You're obedient," Orel laughed. "I like it."
Nikto shrugged silently. Orel stopped smiling. He seemed to gather his strength.
"Nik, I rendered you a service accepting you into the circle of humans. You thanked me fulfilling my wish. Now we are even. Maybe I said it wrong, it isn't really so but it doesn't matter. The main thing is that you don't owe me anything any more," he looked at Nikto. "Do you understand? No more gratitude, no nothing. You submitted to me, accepted my whim, gave me what I wanted – it's enough. Now you're free."
Orel looked at Nikto's face but couldn't understand what he was thinking at this moment, no matter how much he tried. He would like to know it so much! He lost the track of his thoughts, stammered, trying to express what he wanted to say.
"No, don't think I fell out of love with you, I think it's just impossible… and maybe because I love you even more I don't want to keep forcing you. I don't know if you understand me but I swear by all my ancestors that you will be just my friend. Do you think I won't be able to stand it? I'll stand it, don't doubt. You said it yourself that I handle pain well. You will be on the team, as before, we'll talk but there will be nothing else for my part, just friendship. Believe me, believe me, Nik, you're free from my love, and there will be no hard feelings from me. You know it's silly," he smiled sadly, "but I hoped that since I love you so much, you'll get to love me too," he paused.
"Yeah, I was too self-confident. Well, it's just that it never happened to me before. If I showed any interest about anyone, they were glad to respond to me. And for some reason I decided that it would be forever like that. Well, it didn't work – and to kiss you knowing that you just want to please me and you don't have any feelings towards me – I don't want that. It is humiliating me, and you too. I need everything or nothing – yes, that's it. I decided to make a choice like that. Enough of this illusion of relationship, it is stupid. That is why, Nik, leave – go to the Lower City, to the others. And when you come back, I won't be in your room, I'll go to mine. We'll forget everything that happened. I'll never remind you about it," he looked away. "Perhaps I've talked for too long but I wanted you to understand that I don't need your gratitude any more, you're free. Leave, Nik, it'll be right. I respect your choice and there are no hard feelings from me."
Nikto kept silent. At last he slowly got up from the armchair. Orel tensed all over but didn't look at him.
"Arel…" Nikto started.
Orel stopped him with a gesture.
"Don't. Don't explain anything, I'll be all right."
Nikto knelt down at the bed slowly, took Orel's hand.
"Nik, leave! For your gods' sake!" Orel said hoarsely.
"But I don't want to leave! I don't need your Lower City and your friends, I don't need anyone but you!"
Nikto pressed his face to Orel's hand.
"You say you don't want my gratitude any more but I was not thanking you! I did only what I wanted myself. I kissed you not because I wanted to thank you but because I wanted to kiss you. Let me stay with you!"
"What? Gods, Nik, I can't believe my ears!"
Nikto raised his eyes at him.
"Orel, I want to stay with you. It's my choice."
"Nik, Nik!" Orel pulled him closer; Nikto readily leaned towards him, kissing his hands.
"Nik," Orel laughed, "stop kissing my hands, you silly! What a habit you have! I'm not your master and you're not a slave!" he hugged Nikto's shaggy head, pressed it to his chest. "You're not my slave, you're not my servant, we're equal, hear me?"
Nikto nodded.
"Nik, you won't regret your choice," Orel was shining with happiness. "I swear you! I'll do everything for that, you'll never regret staying with me!"
"I know," Nikto said, "I know."
In a fit of insanity Squint-Eye cuts off his long hair and bangs.
Lis tries to get friendly with Asa. He wants to use her to find out something about Nikto and to get to Tol by making her his lover.
Bey manages to find allies in his war against Orel. He attacks.
With enormous efforts and great losses Orel's soldiers hold the positions they recently acquired.
They manage to fight back the enemy but by paying a great price.
Chapter 4
After the Battle
"Everything will start tomorrow again! Do you understand it?" Lis said looking at Orel seriously. They returned to their rooms at 'Backara' to have some rest and lick their wounds. Orel sat in his armchair at the head of the table. His face was pale, he held his damaged eye with his right hand.
"I understand everything," he said tiredly.
Nikto and Asa talked quietly in Unclean over wounded Tol. Nikto said something pointing at the deep cut on Asa's side. She sat down on the sofa, at Tol's feet, and took off her ruined vest. The cut was not bleeding, it was smeared with the ointment in time; it looked much better than Tol's ragged wounds but still it wasn't too good. Not embarrassed at all that she was sitting with her breasts bare in front of them, Asa raised her arm for Nikto to examine her wound. He squatted in front of her, started preparing a thread and a needle.
"Now she'll have a scar on her side," Lis said. "Why don't you apply 'sama'?"
"She can't bear it. She still isn't restored after her overdose," Nikto said without looking aside.
He pierced Asa's dark beautiful skin and started sewing the cut neatly. Asa tensed with pain, screwed her eyes shut but didn't make a sound.
Lis turned to Orel again.
"Orel, what shall we do?" he asked.
"A stupid question, Lis. We'll fight." Orel poured a full glass of wine.
"Can you drink?"
"Of course I can, for fuck's sake! I'm not drinking with my eye!" Orel emptied the glass in a few gulps. "I don't know how Squint-Eye manages to fight but if not for Nikto standing by me, I wouldn't be sitting with you here! It would be my last fight today!"
"Arel, I'll finish with Asa and deal with you," Nikto turned to him.
"Don't hurry, I'm all right."
"Shit, I want to fuck Asa," Lis said. "This Unclean bitch arouses me."
"Do you want me to translate it?" Nikto laughed.
"No," Lis came up to them, squatted near to Nikto and passed his hand over Asa's arm gently. She flinched and opened her eyes. Lis looked at her with his eyes full of sympathy, his face was sad.
"I'm so sorry," he said in Unclean. He looked very upset. "You were very brave in the fight. You helped us so much!" He shook his head in distress. "I'm so sorry you are wounded."
"It's okay," Asa said, "don't worry about me."
"Yes, you're right," Lis smiled at her. "You're so beautiful no scar will spoil you." He reached and touched her dark-brown nipple with his lips gently. She laughed, pushed him away but did it lightly.
"Lis, I haven't done yet!" Nikto shouted at him.
"Finish quicker, I can't wait to do it," Lis laughed speaking in Black. Nikto didn't answer, he finished sewing the wound and smeared it with the ointment.
"Asa dear, let me dress your wound, I want to help you," Lis's voice was sweet like honey.
"No," Asa said.
"But why?" Lis was in despair. "Don't you trust me? Do you trust Nikto more, do you like him more? Tell me and I'll leave you alone."
"I like Tol," Asa said.
"But Tol is sleeping and he won't wake up soon, let me dress your wound, let me!"
"No."
Nikto prepared the bandage and Asa got up, raised her arms for him to be more comfortable to do it.
"You're so cruel!" Lis was getting angry. "I'm ready to do anything for you and I don't want to give me such a small joy."
"Lis, fuck off," Asa snorted.
"Shit!" Lis slammed his fist against the table. "Shit!"
Orel raised his head.
"Go get a wench if you need it so!" he growled. "Just don't make a noise, for gods' sake! My head is splitting!"
"I don't want a wench! I want this beast!"
Nikto laughed. "Hold back your tongue, she understands a little in Black."
"Oh fuck," Lis covered his mouth.
"Maybe I can be your friend," Asa drawled, "but you can't count on anything more."
"Fine, fine," Lis became submissive again. "I agree to anything, my queen!"
Asa smiled to him indulgently.
