Chapter 18 The Gift

When he came around, Kari found himself lying flat on his back against something cool and hard. He opened his eyes as he forced himself to sit up and groaned at the headache thumping behind his eyes.

A bleary look around showed him what appeared to be jewelers shop and he was sitting on the polished stone floor near the back of the shop. Prue sat next to him and held out a large green, round object. The top was cut away and he could make out something fleshy and white lining the inside. Inside that appeared to be water.

“What is this?”

“It’s a coconut. This is a young one, good for drinking as it has lots of water inside. You passed out from the heat so you need to drink to make sure you recover.”

“A young coconut?” He stared down at the object in his hands in confusion.

“Coconuts are fruit. The young coconuts are green and have lots of water inside so it’s good for drinking, especially in this heat. There’s lots of good nutrients in it as well to help you recover. The older coconuts are brown and kind of hairy, they don’t have as much water inside but they have more of the white flesh that used in cooking and to make oils.”

“All right, enough of the lesson. Drink up!” Nevis appeared on the other side of Kari and was making impatient noises while he stared at the odd fruit in his hands.

With a small shrug, he brought it up to his face. It smelt amazing. He took a few sips and savored the taste. It was a sweet, nutty flavour but it was faint, especially compared to the overwhelming smell.

He didn’t realize just how thirsty he was until he started to drink and was soon gulping the liquid down. The sweet juice trickled down his chin and he quickly polished it off. He felt a little better already, but that was no doubt due to being out of the hot sun and sitting on the nice cool floor. The omega kind of wanted to lie back down on the stone but figured that would be rude now he was awake.

“Where are we?”

“A jeweler's shop. The owner offered her shop to let you cool down out of the sun. Master orders quite a few things through her and I’ve had to pick up things from here before. She has a present for us to deliver to him as well. She saw us in the market and was on her way to meet us when you collapsed.”

“Oh.” He felt so tired all of a sudden and just wanted to be back in the manor, in that bed seemingly made of clouds to sleep away the rest of the afternoon. Both Nevis and Prue stared at him worriedly.

“We’ll have to get Laret to check you over once we are back.”

Kari groaned but his protest of being fine was cut short when a small omegan woman approached with a number of silver chains in her hands. She gave a meek little bow and beckoned them all closer.

Kari let himself be helped to his feet by the two betas, Prue taking the empty coconut, and the woman set her handful down on a nearby display cabinet before selecting one from the pile. She turned to the other omega and reached out for his hand.

“If I may?” Her voice was soft and sweet, a quiet caress you couldn’t help but want to trust.

He cautiously put his hand out and she fastened the chain around his left wrist. A delicate arrangement of smaller chains dangled off that one and covered his hand in sparkling silver. Demurely, she fastened other glittering arrangements of silver chains to his other hand and ankles. She stood back and looked over Kari with a critical eye. She gave a small, decisive nod and asked them to wait while she fetched something else.

“I thought this was supposed to be a present for Lezzker?” he hissed to the betas.

“Prince Lezzker! We are in public, remember! And it is.”

“Yeah, yeah, prince and all that. But how is it a present to him when she’s putting the stuff on me?!”

The other two slaves stared at him incredulously and it was Prue who answered.

“Because she’s dressing you up for him?”

Kari opened his mouth to protest and clicked it shut once it sunk in that she was prettying him up like a doll for the alpha. He flushed and scowled. “What’s the point anyway? Why do this as a gift?”

“Are you daft? If Master likes it, then he will come back and buy more.”

“Oh.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the return of the small woman. She carried four solid bands of silver and proceeded to slip two up each arm so they sat an inch apart across the meat of his arm above the elbow. All three stood back to admire the scowling omega. She seemed satisfied this time and gave them all another small bow.

“Please inform His Highness that this is a gift from Brier of The Glittering Chain. We would welcome his patronage if our specialty chains are to his liking.”

The three slaves nodded and returned the polite bow although Kari was still scowling. He didn’t want to be treated like some pretty doll but he couldn’t be rude after she let him recover from the heat outside on her shop floor. They grabbed their discarded baskets and made their way back out into the marketplace. Kari was far more aware of the sticky heat now than he had been in his excitement before.

He would have to be a little more cautious, since his body could deal with the temperatures for a while, but not extended periods of time it seemed. This sticky heat that clung to your skin and seemed to bury itself into your body to leech your strength was the opposite of what he was used to.

All in all, it made him miss the soft blankets of snow from his homeland. Being one with ice, he was far more relaxed and in tune with nature during the winter. The soft natural snow extended his senses and boosted his power tenfold. The looming mountain of home felt like it was on the other side of the world from here. He looked around the sea of unfamiliar sights and sounds and felt a pang of homesickness. Kari trailed after the betas with none of his earlier enthusiasm.

Thankfully all that was left was one last bunch of fresh herbs and then they would head back to the manor.

*****

Kari felt much better after being forced to down copious amounts of water then sent for a nap by Laret. Both Prue and Nevis were scolded for not knowing better with someone new to the heat and the omega was given a lecture on proper water consumption when going out in the sun. It made him feel like a child all over again, but he could look after himself.

He stretched, feeling much like a lazy house cat. He checked the jewellery that still adorned him and breathed a sigh of relief when it was all still in place. The silver chains were so thin he was sure they could be easily snapped and he had just fallen into bed, virtually passing out without a thought to what he wore.

He hauled himself of the bed and padded to the doorway. He stepped out to be greeted by a still slightly sheepish Nevis.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Better, thanks.”

“Good. Sorry about earlier again. I should have warned you. But now that you’re awake, I have to go get Master. You wait right there!”

“Wait, why?!”

Nevis was already scurrying across the room and yelled back over his shoulder, “Because he wants to see his present.”

Kari was left floundering in the bedroom doorway. Of course the alpha wanted to see him all dolled up for his viewing pleasure. He backed into the bedroom and paced around.

Why was he suddenly so nervous about this? All the alpha wanted to do was look at him, something he had been doing a lot already. It wasn’t like Kari wanted to be all prettied up for the alpha.

He lifted his face to the early evening breeze that floated through the open balcony doors and let it wash over him, soothing his nerves while he waited. He heard the soft footfalls of the alpha approaching and found his body tensing up all over again.

Turning, Kari looked straight into golden eyes. They held his own for a few moments before sweeping over his attire. A small smirk adorned his lips and Ryedir sat down on the edge of the bed, beckoning the little omega forward.

The slave walked forward until he stood in the indicated spot between the alpha’s legs and let the man run his hands over the glinting silver. His fingers were warm and gentle, dancing over his arms in a soft caress that had the omega unconsciously relaxing.

His eyes followed where his hands trailed and they were soon running over the lines of the tattoo across his wrist.

The alpha picked up Kari’s left hand, turning it over and comparing the delicate silver chains with the pattern etched into his skin. “They match.”

They locked eyes, and the alpha brought his hand to his lips to press a soft kiss to his knuckles and Kari’s breathing hitched. He fought the impulse to lean in and ask for more.

Yhieris, this man is dangerous.

That was the last thought he had before the alpha’s eyes widened as he looked at something behind Kari and suddenly. The omega found himself flung backwards by the alpha. He hit the floor with a thud that knocked the wind from his chest and he wheezed as he tried to pick himself up.