Ava

Edited

Ava Four

~~*~~*~~

The servants did bring food. They appeared at the side of Ava’s bed with almost magical speed. They carried with them more food than Ava had ever seen in his life. There were certainly more kinds of food here than Ava had ever been acquainted with before. There were fruits in a dozen different colors, fragrant breads with little tubs of butter and meat. So much meat and fish and poultry… Meat and tasty things in general had been a rare thing at the school: meat was expensive and difficult to come by often, and the Masters had horded it for themselves.

Ava fairly drooled with anticipation. He wasted no time digging in. He wrapped himself in a turquoise robe offered to him by one of the servants and sank into the heavily padded seat at the small round table the food was served upon. He had a hard time deciding what to eat first but finally settled on a juicy looking apple.

He was busy chewing the hell out of piece of delicious fish at a rate of speed just barely safe, when a soft voice interrupted his single-minded devouring, “May I touch your ears?” the voice asked timidly.

Ava turned around to see a young, dark haired servant boy about his own age standing behind him. He was staring at Ava’s ears, clearly fascinated.

“Uh…sure, go ahead.” Ava said, slightly muffled by his food. He didn’t want to offend any of his Master’s servants. They were his only source of food and all other necessities in this strange new place. The boy smiled and his freckled cheeks dimpled charmingly. Ava went back to munching his fish and purred despite himself as the freckled boy began to pet his ears carefully.

“They’re so soft!” He said, surprised. “Do you have a tail, too?”

Ava swallowed his mouthful of fish and nodded. He shifted his robe with his fish-empty hand and moved his tail from its cushiony confinement, swishing it slowly to work out the kinks.

The servant laughed with delight but didn’t ask to play with the slender appendage, for which Ava was glad. Whether they had meant too or not, Ava's mage creators had given the extra feline appendage more than its fair share of pleasure receptors and the young slave knew full well any sort of attention to said appendage ended up in sexual tension.

“You’re just like a cat!” He exclaimed, “I have a cat. Her name is Jinx. She likes fish, too! Do you like fish ‘cause you’re a cat?”

“I have no idea; I’ve never seen a cat.” Ava said and shrugged. He scooped up a butter-slathered piece of bread and nibbled it tentatively. “Is she pretty?”

“Oh, yes. She’s very clever. She can catch mice and birds and she even knows when you’re sad! She lies beside you and purrs and purrs until you’re not sad anymore.” The boy’s eyes lit up with inspiration, “Would you like to see her?”

Ava finished a fruit in several huge bites and nodded again, intrigued but wary. “You could bring her here?”

“I could…but it would be easier to just bring you to her. She likes to play in the gardens most of the time, so she’s probably there. I bet you’d like to have a look at the gardens since you just got here. They’re really pretty!” The young servant exclaimed, clearly pleased by the idea.

“You mean I can leave the room?” Ava asked excitedly.

The servant blinked. “Of course you can leave. Why wouldn’t you be able to?”

“I…wasn’t sure what kinds of things my Master expects from me…” Ava murmured, eyes lowered out of a sudden sense of shame. How much did this kind boy know about Ava's place in Kael's world? Once he knew Ava was nothing more than an extremely expensive whore would he be even half as eager to be friends?

“Expect? Kael doesn’t expect much. He just wants everyone to do their job. He wouldn’t confine you to your room or anything…what is your job, anyway? No one will tell me what you do. They just say to treat you like I would Master Kael and give you whatever you ask.”

Ava blushed. Of course he didn't know. Now how was he supposed to explain to this unbelievably innocent boy what service he did for their Master? “I’m, uh, his companion. I guess…”

“Oh!” The brunette’s eyes widened with realization. “You’re his lover. That explains why we’re supposed to be so careful with you.” He smiled at Ava without the slightest bit of disgust or superiority in his gaze.

Ava was mildly floored. “Guess you’re more perceptive than I thought. …You must think I’m disgusting.”

The servant laughed. “No way! If Kael likes you enough to take you as a lover, you must be a really nice person.” Ava's pretty mouth opened slightly in shock at this statement but his heart and mind became more at peace at the realization that this boy was being entirely serious.

“Uh, thank you…my name is Ava, by the way. I, uh, would like to be friends?” He asked, only a tiny bit afraid of the answer.

“I’m Mawth and you don’t have to sound so unsure of yourself. I’d love to be your friend. There aren’t many people our age around for me to be with. We’ll be best friends!”

“If you say so, I’ve never really had friends…” Ava decided that would be a very good topic of discussion to pursue and changed the subject. “When do you think Master Kael will return, anyway?”

“Oh, well, he said a day or so…He’s usually means what he says, so he should be back tomorrow afternoon.” Mawth grabbed Ava’s hand and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go to the garden now!”

Ava allowed himself to be dragged out the door by the excited servant. “Shouldn’t I find some clothing first?” Ava asked. The robe he was wearing was pretty, but not very practical.

“Naw, we can do that later. I want you to meet Jinx.” Mawth hurried him down a dozen seemingly endless and twisted corridors. “The castle layout is really simple. All you gotta do is follow the mosaics. They show which halls lead where.” Mawth indicated the intricate patterns inlaid into the stone floors of the corridors. They were very pretty but Ava had no idea what they were supposed to mean.

Ava just hummed agreement and followed Mawth obediently. Quite suddenly the stone walled corridor turned into a lattice roofed dirt path. It was still night, but the moon shone brightly on the sleeping garden. Moonlight shimmered on dark green leaves and reflected from water filled pools. Ava gasped when he realized there were brightly colored fish circling sluggishly in the artfully placed ponds.

He hesitantly stepped to the edge of the nearest pond and stared into it. “They’re so pretty…they are fish, right?”

“Of course they’re fish! What else would they be? These aren’t the kind of fish you eat, though. They’re for decoration only.” Mawth giggled, “Jinx has problems with that sometimes.”

“Where is she, your Jinx?” Ava glanced around the moonlit garden, interested.

“Oh, she’s here. Jinx! Come out, kitty, Jinx!”

Shadowy foliage rustled in a far corner of the garden and Ava tried to no avail to stare through the darkness. Suddenly a black shape as big as Ava himself burst from the bushes and rushed towards them. Ava cried out and stumbled backwards. He tripped over Mawth who was directly behind him and they fell backwards in a jumble of arms and legs.

Ava flailed wildly, trying to get to his feet to defend against this unknown enemy. He’d barely managed to struggle to a sitting position when skinny arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back down. Mawth laughed in his pointed ear and held on to him tightly.

“It’s just Jinx, Ava. I suppose I should have warned you about her size. See, look, she’s perfectly harmless.”

A huge head imposed itself above Ava’s and warm pink tongue slid over his cheek. Ava tentatively reached up to touch the face of the magnificent creature before him. So this was a ‘cat’. His Masters had been right, he did resemble a cat in some ways. He gently touched the soft ears and slid his hand down the sleekly furred back to pet the soft, slim tail. A tail that was just like his own.

“She is lovely. How did you get her?” Ava breathed, awed.

“Master Kael gave her to me! He raises big cats and trains them. I guess you could call it his hobby?”

“So not all cats are of her size, then?” Ava asked, only mildly disappointed.

“Of course not! Most kitties are much smaller. There are plenty of normal kitties running around, too! You can see the rest of them sometime soon…I think you had better head back to room for now, though. It’s very late. Master Kael would probably be angry at me for keeping you up to all hours and such.”

Mawth led Ava back to his room, explaining again the importance of the beautiful mosaics covering the floors, and left him with instructions to get a good night sleep. He told Ava not to hesitate to call for someone if he needed something and that Mawth himself would be back for him in the morning to take him to the tailors’.

Ava snuggled happily into Kael’s enormous, wonderful bed. He couldn’t believe how well things were turning out for him here. He hadn’t thought his life could possible improve after his existence in the school, but now he had small hope for a better future. He prayed his Master…his Kael would return soon so they could bond further.

~~*~~*~~

Meanwhile, as Ava slipped into dreamy slumber, General Kael Zarchast arrived at the sight of his former commander’s murder. And it was, indeed, a murder. He was assured of that upon his arrival at the camp.

“We were unable to find the Killer, General, and the means of the assassination are unclear. We thought you would like to observe the scene before we disturbed the body.” One of Zarchast’s officers briefed Kael on the incident as he led him to the commander’s tent.

A strange sense of unease settled over the General as he entered the outwardly unassuming tent. A strange, cloying scent hung heavy in the air and made the General cough as he entered. “What is that smell?” He demanded.

“We’re not sure. It wasn’t noticed until the commander was found dead.”

Zarchast’s eyes narrowed. There was something familiar about this… The sense of familiarity grew as he approached the body. The commander, whose name had been Sarth, lay sprawled across his camp desk his face a garish blue. Kael groaned: this was becoming all too familiar for comfort. He carefully lifted his dead subordinates hand and checked his nails. As he had suspected, they were black. Sarth had been poisoned and Kael had a feeling he knew by whom.

And he was not pleased.

The General turned slowly; expecting the person he knew was there to appear at any moment. A soft, breathy laugh sounded from the direction of Sarth’s abandoned bed. Kael’s head jerked to stare at the standard issue cot and hissed with displeasure.

Lying on the deep blue blanket, clad in complex mage robes, was Kael Zarchast’s worst enemy, and his creator.

~~*~~*~~

Kael felt his wings rise in agitation and his less obvious demonic attributes roused as well. The small, curved horns he usually managed to keep hidden as well as his vicious claws took the opportunity his shock and anger gave them and shimmered into view, their illusions forgotten. The figure on the bed laughed again and beckoned to him.

“Why do you not come to me, Kael? Do you forget your Master? I know I have been away long…but surely you remember me?” The slender Mage shifted on the bed and began to move seductively towards the rigid demon. “I certainly remember you…Kael.” The Mage purred.

The Mage reached for him with perfect pale hands and stroked Kael’s face. The horrid touch broke the demon from his stupor and he jumped back. “Do not touch me, vile beast!” He shouted, enraged. “You have killed one of my finest leaders and defiled this camp with your presence, be gone!”

The Mage laughed again. “Oh, my darling Kael, you do not mean this! I can see you desire for me easily… Do not hide from me…your creator…” He reached for Kael a second time and wound his arms around his neck. “I have missed you, my darling, ever since you ran away… Will you tell me how you managed to break the bindings I had on you, hmmm?”

Kael stood stock still in the middle of the tent, unable to react. He recognized the smell, now. It was an incense that dulled the senses of those who inhaled it. It also forced arousal, if he remembered correctly. If only he had not repressed the memories of his past so entirely…he would have realized the trap he was walking into sooner.

“I will not tell you anything, Mar.” Kael growled.

“Ah! You said my name! You do not know how happy that makes me, darling.” He pulled away from Kael slightly and looked up at him, smiling. “I would love to play pretty games of questioning with you, beloved, but it really has been so long since we’ve been together…” Mar toyed with the ties of Kael’s tunic and licked his lips suggestively. To his shame and horror Kael’s groin throbbed.

The demon knew it was over then. Mar had trapped him just as he had in the past, and Kael had no choice but to give in. The sender Mage pulled him towards the bed and stopped before it. He tugged briefly at Kael’s tunic before giving up with a sigh and murmuring a spell. Kael’s clothing vanished. Mar smiled and roamed the demon’s body with his ice blue eyes.

“I truly did make you well… Your wings are magnificent and those horns…a shame for you to hide them. Yes, you have matured nicely since I last saw you. I think I would very much like to feel you inside me.”

Kael could feel Mar manipulating his body and mind but was unable to push the intrusions away because of the numbing effects of the smoke. Against his will his hands moved over Mar’s body, pushing away the silky robes. They slid to the floor of the tent with barely a rustle and the Great Mage Mar was revealed in all his terrible, beautiful glory.

Mar was fully as exotic as Ava was, if a little less catty. His hair was shimmering silver and waist length. His skin was as flawless and pale as a child’s. But his eyes…his eyes were hard and cold as sapphires with none of a sapphire’s depth. Those dead eyes stared up at Kael as he slid his hands caressingly up and down the Mage’s perfect body.

Without telling his body to do so, Kael pushed Mar back onto the small bed and slid on top of him. Kael kissed Mar passionately, pushing his tongue into the others mouth and biting gently at his lips. Mar sighed with pleasure and arched beneath his creation happily.

“You’re a wonderful creature, Kael. You’ve lost none of your skill," the mage purred, greatly pleased with himself.

Kael ignored him and began to assault the pale flesh of his former master’s neck. He continued down to Mar’s navel and dipped his tongue inside before insistent hands pushed him to the mage’s waiting member. “Hurry up, dear, I don’t have all day,” Mar sighed. Kael obediently slid his mouth over the mage’s cock, which was a pale and perfect as the rest of him, nestled in a bed of soft silver hair. Ava didn’t have hair there. The thought was erased by mystical smoke and magic as soon as it arose.

It had been a long time since Kael had performed this act on anyone in earnest. Giving oral pleasure to another male was another memory brutally suppressed. Evidently Kael wasn’t as rusty as he had expected as Mar moaned and purred with pleasure above him.

Another mental push from the Mage had Kael preparing Mar’s body for his entrance with oil, which had appeared out of nowhere. Mar sighed again with pleasure and moved beneath Kael sinuously. “I think I’m more than ready for you, beloved…”

Obeying another mental command, Kael lifted Mar’s slender legs onto his shoulders and pressed his own shamefully hard member against his creator. With a careful push he seated himself inside the mage and waited for further instructions.

Mar moaned softly. “Gods…I had forgotten how large you were… Or perhaps you have grown. You may move.”

Kael did as he was told and began to fuck his most hated of enemies with a care he had never wished to bestow upon such a hateful and malicious creature.

~~*~~*~~

Kael spent what seemed like hours, and probably was, playing to every whim of his former master. He obeyed Mar’s every command with the single mindedness of a slave until, finally, Mar had his fill.

He lay with Mar on the rickety cot, hating himself as he stroked the Mage’s silky hair. He couldn’t yet stop himself from obeying, but he could feel the Mage’s influence waning. The magical smoke was losing its potency and soon he would be free.

Even as Mar cuddled against him with deceptive lovingness Kael felt his body come back to him. He gathered his strength and shoved himself away from the Twisted Mage and fell from the cot to the floor with a crash. He leapt to his feet and slammed his mental shields back down around his mind.

Mar sat up, disgruntled. “What in heavens name do you think you’re doing, Kael? Get back in bed this instant! I don’t plan on leaving for home until I’m fully rested, fool.”

Kael just glared at him. Rage boiled inside him. He seethed with self hatred and hatred for his former master. “Get. Out.”

Mar blinked at him and cocked his head to the side. “How did you possible managed to break my control again? You have changed so much, darling. You confuse me. Now be a good boy and stop this nonsense. I would like to sleep.”

Kael felt himself snap. He lunged and Mar and grasped him around his pretty, slim throat. He felt bone give way beneath his punishing grip and snarled in triumph. His glee turned to horror, however, when the body in his hands continued to move.

Mar’s pretty face twisted in anger and he spat at Kael. As blood began to seep from the corners of this mouth a blue haze surrounded him and, abruptly, he disappeared.

Kael howled in rage and slashed the empty air where his foe had been moments before. He should have expected something of the sort from a mage of Mar’s caliber, but still…

The proverbial demons from his past had returned to haunt him and now it seemed they were here to stay. There was only one thing to do: wait. He would kill Mar another day. He would… at least that was what he had to tell himself.

He stalked from the tent to find his entire camp in an enchanted slumber. That only served to increase Kael’s rage, even though he knew he should be grateful that no enemy had not come upon the camp and wreaked havoc among his sleeping troops.

As Kael went about rousing the camp his terrified mind continued to dash about in horrified circles.

Mar had returned. Not only that, Kael had lain with him, something he had sworn never to do again.

His past memories were pounding against his mind, threatening to tear through the fragile walls he’d put around them. He had to return to his stronghold and devise a plan before it was too late.

~~*~~*~~