The Barbarian's Tale

Oh, sweet heavens!

The Shak was simply too cute! Ven’s head was throbbing as he led his little drunkard away.

“Ven, Ven. I’ve wanted to talk to you all day- no, longer!- ever since I got sick. I really-“

“Don’t say any more,” Ven said. He couldn’t hear it right now. His sweet voice was too tempting as it rambled on about whatever mistakes Rae thought he’d made. It took all of Ven’s self-control not to throw him over his shoulder, carry him off and have his way with him.

Ven took him to the kitchens, gripping his hand tightly. In Rae’s state, Ven could imagine him wandering off and hurting himself, or gorging on sweets.

“Ven,” Rae wined after the silence had dragged on for too long.

Ven thrust a cup of water into his hand.

“Sober up, then we’ll talk,”

Honestly, Ven thought about having a drink himself. But both of them being beyond reason was a disaster waiting to happen.

Rae, as quiet as a lamb, obediently sipped his water.

After a few minutes, Ven spoke.

“How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine,”

“What were you thinking, getting so drunk?”

“I’m not drunk,” Rae said, and Ven wanted to squeeze his rosy cheeks.

“You’re the drunkest person I’ve ever met. Is this your first time tasting wine?”

Rae’s face flushed even redder.

“It’s not that…”

“What is it?”

“I just wanted to talk to you…” Rae said and Ven shook his head.

What kind of an explanation was that? A laugh was half-formed on his lips when he saw the sincere desperation in Rae’s eyes.

Before now, Rae had never been so needy with him. His eyes had always been down-turned, or darting about like dragonflies. Now those dark, sparkling spheres were fixed only on him, boring into him.

It was all Ven had hoped for since they had met. Many a night, he had lay in bed imagining what it might be like, to have the Shak’s undivided attention.

“W-well-“ Ven stuttered, “you have my attention, so out with it,”

A perfect smile flashed across Rae’s face.

“Ven! The last time we met… I truly wanted to kiss you!”

Heavens help me.

That last few weeks had been one disaster after another, and now fate was mocking him. It was like he’d been squeezed into a barrel and thrown over the Saoshak Falls.

That day, after the Shak had left, Sebi had scolded Ven. His eyes were cold and piercing in a way Ven had found seductive a few seasons ago, but now he found only bothersome. They quarrelled for some time, which ended with Ven being punched in the jaw.

Just who do you think you are, laying your hands on the Shak?

Hmph! Since when are you his chaperone? I remember you saying you wanted no involvement in my depraved affairs… perhaps it’s because you too are harbouring some untoward feelings?

Shut your mouth!

Being reminded of that now, Ven rubbed the place where he’d been struck.

“Rae,” Ven said, noting the way the Shak melted at the address, “they’ll be no more talk of that until you’re sober,”

Suddenly Rae was pressed against him, pleading.

“I’m sorry, Ven. I’m sorry, Sebi blamed you. I’m sorry for not defending you,”

There were glistening teardrops forming in his eyes.

Ven wouldn’t be able to cope if the Shak started crying. The painfully hot press of their bodies side by side was already too much.

“Now, now. No need to get upset. We’ll talk in the morning. You get some rest,”

“We’ll talk in the morning?” Rae asks, finally releasing the tension in his body.

“Yes!” Ven said, and, against his better judgement, added “you can stay the night here, and we’ll talk over breakfast,”

Rae’s face bloomed like a sunflower. Open and trusting. Bright and innocent.

“I can sleep with you?”

Rae clung to Ven’s arm as he led him through the back halls of the hunting lodge.

The Ashem hunting lodge might have been a fine one, perhaps the finest in the whole valley. But it still was no palace. Ven had arranged a bedroom to be prepared for himself alone, the rest of the sleeping chambers laying bare until the next summer hunting expedition.

Ven’s party arrangements had already stretched the staff thin, and Ven dared not ask them to make up another bed.

Ven had every intention to conduct himself properly, despite how gleefully Rae smiled when he found out he would be sleeping in Ven’s bed. When they arrived in his chambers, Rae was almost vibrating with joy.

“Can I kiss you now?” he asked, swaying on his feet when Ven moved out of reach.

“If you still want to in the morning, I’ll kiss you then,” Ven said, fetching a few spare blankets from the cupboard, and laying them on the floor.

Rae threw off his outerwear and crawled into Ven’s bed. He sat cross-legged on the bed, staring down at Ven blearily.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Sleeping,” Ven replied.

“What’s wrong with you? You can’t sleep down there,” Rae said.

Ven sighed. He shut his eyes.

“I’m trying to restrain myself,”

“From what?”

“…”

“Ven, Ven. Come up here. Don’t be silly. I’m not afraid of anything you might do…”

So sweet… so tempting…

“Hush now, I’m going to sleep,” Ven rolled onto his side and pretended to sleep.

Rae complained for a few minutes, whispering arguments under his breath. A soft, frustrated lullaby… All for Ven alone.

Rae fell quiet, and Ven started to relax until he felt a warm weight press against his back.

An almost imperceptible murmur, “Sleep well, Ven…”

Ven lay in exasperated silence, feeling a warm breath on his neck and listening to quiet snores, for up to an hour.

At last, he rolled over and looked upon Rae’s sleeping form. Soft moonlight on pale skin, long eyelashes quivering with each exhale, hands curled neatly under his cheek.

How had Ven ever had eyes for any others?

The floor was hard and cold. After a minute deliberation, Ven gently lifted the sleeping Shak into his arms and returned him to the bed. He didn’t stir, sinking into the pillows. Ven, noticing the porcelain coolness of his skin, wrapped him in a wool blanket. In his sleep, Rae murmured something incomprehensible and Ven smiled down at him.

He would not cross any lines tonight, he was content to enjoy his precious lamb just as he was. But, Rae had insisted so much that he wanted a kiss… Unable to sleep until he had set things right, he brushed his lips against Rae’s cool forehead.

“Sleep well, my beauty,”

Ven didn’t often dream, but the night’s excitement wasn’t limited to the waking world. He saw himself, showering affection and hot passion on his willing beauty. Tasting every inch of him… wringing out sounds he had never made before…

When Ven woke, drenched in sweat, his beauty was still nuzzled against his side. Ven pressed a kiss to his temple, and he didn’t stir. Ven sighed, shutting his eyes and relaxing back into the covers.

Just as he was starting to drift into another dream, there was a quiet knock at his door.

“What is it?” he asked, praying his beauty wouldn’t be woken. He wasn’t.

“Young master, forgive my rudeness, but I thought it best to notify you as soon as possible…” the steward stammered, rattling a few apologies and excuses.

What could possibly be so urgent as to risk interrupting me in the arms of a lover? Ven internally grumbled, pulling the covers over Rae’s ears.

“Just tell me what the matter is,” he ordered and the steward finally relented.

“Young master, I’ve just received word from the palace, his excellency and the Shana have decided to pay the hunting lodge a visit. They could be here any moment!” he said, and Ven hugged the body beside him even tighter.

Rae still in a dream, murmured something undecipherable, and pressed himself closer still.

“Understood. Do not let them find out about my guest. I’ll find a way for him to leave discreetly,”

“Yes, sir,”

Ven listened to the servant’s retreating footsteps, as he leaned into Rae’s hair. So soft, and smelling slightly of flowers… He pressed a kiss to his head.

At last, his beauty began to stir.

When he returned to consciousness, Rae’s whole body tensed.

“Oh! Sorry,” Ven said. He hadn’t realised how tightly he’d been holding him.

“Ven…” Rae rubbed his forehead, wincing as he glanced around the room, “Where are we?

”

“Still at the hunting lodge, do you remember last night?”

Ven had hoped the reminder would set Rae off where they last were, begging him for kisses. Instead, his heart fell as horror dawned on Rae’s face.

“Last night- did I?- did you?- did you do something strange?”

Ven looked at his beauty, sleep in his eyes, hair mussed, pink in his cheeks.

He had been given a choice: reassure his beauty, or rile him up even more…

“Something strange? Rae… you’re hurting my feelings…”

Ven chose the wicked option. He couldn’t help himself. Plus, he felt a little aggrieved that Rae didn’t remember anything.

“You-!” Rae said through gritted teeth.

“You’re the one who dragged me away from my own party, begging me to take you to bed,”

Ven allowed Rae to yank him closer by the collar of his shirt, “what in the hell are you talking about?”

Sweet, sweet Rae. His brows pressed into thin black lines, his forehead mired by tension lines. His white-knuckled grip, so close to Ven’s throat… the rich brown of his eyes…

Rae believed him, Ven realised with a strangled laugh—poor, sweet thing.

“There, there. I lied to you… truly, nothing happened at all,”

Rae flushed red, “you- you lied?”

Ven eyed him carefully.

“I was the utmost gentleman,”

“Then why am I here?”

“You were quite unwell last night, almost hysterical. I offered you my bed, but you refused to go to sleep if I didn’t join you,”

Rae brought his hands up to his face.

“You mean… I really said that?”

Ven didn’t have the heart for teasing anymore. He took Rae’s hands in his, gently lowering them.

“Do you remember anything?” he asked.

Rae worried his lower lip but didn’t answer.

“If you don’t remember what you said, don’t worry. You were drunk and confused, I won’t dwell on it. But for the record, it made me very happy,”

He watched Rae’s intake of breath, and felt his grip on his hands as he searched for words.

“It made you happy?” at last, Rae whispered.

Ven leaned closer until their breaths were intermingling, his heart pounding like an innocent maiden’s.

Rae’s hands were on his chest again, fingers tangled in his shirt.

“Ven, I-“

Ven was distracted from Rae’s pink lips by the sound of heavy boots. Thud. Thud, thud. A familiar rhythm…

Ven pulled Rae flush against his chest, covering his with the blankets. Half a second later, Ven’s father opened the door.