Chapter 17 The Prince Of War

A week of good food and rest had done wonders for Kari’s appearance.

His skin glowed with health, his ribs no longer stood out starkly against the thin material of his clothing, and he was brimming with boundless energy. He was everything that had been hinted at under the pallor of sickness and more. As he improved and become more and more himself, he only became more and more distracting to Ryedir.

The little omega was an intriguing mix of confidence and defiance with those fiery blue eyes and short temper, yet he would almost purr in delight over sweets. When caught in the embrace of sleep, he would be as pliant and cuddly as a little kitten, yet any mere mention of sex or nudity would leave the slave an embarrassed, stuttering mess.

It all seemed so contradictory, and what a delicious combination it made. Add in the drool worthy appearance, Daiyan power, and possibility of bearing children and Ryedir Lezzker was sold.

Kari was bent over, trying to scrub the stains out from the carpet where he spilt some wine when attempting to deliver Ryedir’s lunch.

The omega was appallingly clumsy although very cute with his attempts to appear graceful. The alpha had had Nevis as an attendant for long enough now that he had forgotten that most people weren’t as deft and graceful as the practised young beta.

He had been pleased to note the quick friendship between the beta and omega, since it would help Kari settle in faster with fewer hiccups along the way. So far, he only had brief interactions with the omega, preferring to watch while he rested and blossomed back into a healthy young man. But right now, he was stretching his limits of just watching.

No doubt the omega would eventually realize that the way he was bent over was giving Ryedir an excellent view of his plump ass against those tight fitting trousers. The wardrobe had been a most excellent purchase, covering the omega enough that he would often relax just enough to forget what he wore and give Ryedir the most appetizing views.

The soft pink fabric of today’s trouser framed his ass nicely as though presenting it for maximum viewing pleasure. He watched, eyes roving over the exposed skin of his arms and legs. It was almost torture to sit there just watching the oblivious omega work and not go over there to sink his teeth into the soft flesh of his neck.

Any other slave and Ryedir would assume they were doing it on purpose but he was damn sure Kari was completely oblivious to the alpha’s hungry gaze right now.

It was particularly amusing that this innocent little omega was quite possibly a killer and part of the reason for the destruction of an entire brigade of the Niamrean army, halting their forward march into Aithyean territory. The image seemed so at odds with the one in front of him right now but people could change drastically if pushed into a corner.

Ryedir had been looking into reports from the war efforts in a new light and trying to track down any information that could link the Daiyan to the war.

Daiyans were forbidden from entering the Aithyean army in order to protect them and keep them away from Niamrean capture but that didn’t mean that there weren’t rogues who snuck in and superiors who turned a blind eye. Hell, if Ryedir had someone approach him about such a force of power wanting to join on the sly, he wouldn’t turn them away.

So far not one report showed anything concrete. The front-line generals attributed the attack to a band of rogue Daiyans that had banded together before turning tail and running back to safety, as not a single Aithyean corpse was officially found.

But yet a nearly dead Aithyean omega had been found in the general vicinity and illegally trafficked back into the Niamrean mainland.

Kari had been more than half dead yet there was not a single scratch on his body, no signs of injury and no signs of a specific illness. Oran had also mentioned Kari’s tattoo was scarring until he began to heal and that healing had taken weeks.

Once the army started advancing into enemy territory again, they had discovered a large town just beyond the battlefield had recently emptied.

Was it really a band of Daiyans that attacked or just one with nothing to lose and everything to protect?

The sheer difference in size and intricacy of Kari’s Daiyan tattoo versus the others that Ryedir had seen must mean something. Was he really strong enough to wipe out an entire brigade all on his own?

What was this feisty little omega capable of when his back was against the wall?

Kari moved again, and Ryedir couldn’t hold back the growl that rumbled in his throat in approval. The omega jumped and looked around with wide innocent eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments before realization darkened Kari’s cheeks in a blush.

The alpha just wanted to eat him right up. But he had given his word- the omega had to choose. There was no point having a dead eyed little slave because his will was broken when his choice was removed.

Still, the longer he stayed, the more likely he was to choose Ryedir. He had caught the blushing looks and the scent of arousal coming off the omega more than once. He was clearly just stubborn.

Ryedir had thought the little omega would be begging for him to take him within a week but had been pleasantly surprised over Kari’s backbone. It would only heighten the satisfaction to be had once he could finally take him as his mate.

The omega sat back on his knees, ass now firmly hidden from view while he continued to scrub at the stains with renewed vigour, no doubt fueled by embarrassment.

Ryedir sighed in disappointment. Still, he had reports to complete and Trois assigned Kari enough extra chores to keep him from distracting Ryedir. He didn’t want to give the beta any more excuse than he already had.

*****

Kari gasped as he walked beside Prue and Nevis through the town.

He had finally been given permission, along with a lecture about not doing anything stupid, to go with the two betas to the main markets to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables for the kitchen. They were due a big delivery by cart tomorrow but needed a few things for this evening’s dinner. They were each carrying a large wicker basket and Anhia made each of them repeat the list over and over until she was satisfied that they wouldn’t forget anything.

The city seemed even larger up close like this than it did from the manor’s balcony. The walls of houses and shops alike loomed overhead as they made their way down the gentle slope into the city itself. He had been too nervous on their way in during the night initially to notice that the manor was built on a small hill that apparently got even steeper the closer you went to the shoreline. Being able to look around in curiosity without the impending stress looming over his head showed the city in an even more bustling light.

The omega’s jaw dropped at the sheer amount of people when they entered the market proper. There were so many and they were all so different. He felt both under and over dressed in his current attire. It was still far too tight and feels more revealing than he would prefer but the cloak help hide his figure.

At least the soft boots protected his feet from the burning cobblestone of the market. A few people looked their way but when they did, their eyes would catch on the leather slave collars at their throats and most would quickly lose interest.

Kari had learned that different colors of collars meant different things and often corresponded with the way people were dressed. Nevis’s brown leather collar showed that he was part of the household staff, normally attendants but also used for maids.

Prue’s black collar indicated that he had a trade of some kind, himself being a baker but also used for any trade from cooking to building to smithing. Grey collars indicated a highly educated slave; stewards, book keepers and the like. White was reserved for slaves of a sexual nature, normally pleasure slaves but also those purchased to be bred.

It was a clear sign to keep your hands off.

Unlike the relatively polite staff of Lezzker’s household, he could still feel eyes on his skin as they moved deeper into the press of people and he swore someone tried to grope him but when he whirled around, no one was paying them any attention. He was soon being grabbed by the arm and dragged off to follow Nevis to a hawker selling bundles of fresh herbs.

He gaped in surprise at the amount of different looking herbs and Prue had to elbow him in the ribs to get him to stop staring. He ducked his head in embarrassment but the seller didn’t seem offended thankfully.

They moved from stall to stall looking in wonder at all the produce and trinkets on display. The utter abundance of fresh produce on display was astounding, all of it ripe and ready for eating.

The omega had to be bodily hauled away from a stall selling mangoes that all looked mouth-wateringly delicious.

Kari wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he was beginning to feel uncomfortably sticky from the humid heat and his vision swam when he moved his head too fast. The loud voices of the markets seemed rather muffled and indistinct too.

He could blearily make out Nevis’s concerned face swimming in front of him with Prue peering worriedly over his shoulder. He stumbled over his feet as he was tugged somewhere and the basket was grabbed from his hands. He followed the best he could on unsteady legs as the world spun about him before he was swallowed by darkness.