Tribal Relations

A/N – Ohhhh, I know some people are going to be very unhappy with me after this. Please remember that if you kill me, I can’t finish the story! Note the warnings, but then note the category; I do have reasons for everything. ::runs off to hide from thrown tomatoes::

(It is also the reason this took so long to write!)

Review replies are on the forum under original writing - slash

http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=16422

Thanks to everyone who reviewed/voted!
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Keil took a deep breath before entering the clearing where the communal dinners were held. He had to keep reminding himself things were different now. Once he had returned, he had gone to ‘his’ hut one last time – it was actually his father’s hut that he was currently sharing with his brother. When Crele had passed his own warrior’s trial, he had moved into his own hut, but with their father’s death, his brother had moved back. Now they would both move out, since Crele didn’t have ‘guardianship’ of him any longer, and their father’s hut would be left to stand or fall. It was unlikely that anyone would claim it, as not building your own was considered a sign of weakness. Keil didn’t particularly feel bad about watching it fall. Still, it would serve as a place to rest for one more night at least.

It hadn't been much of a surprise that he had fallen asleep for a few hours. Now that he was back in the village, he knew he was safe, and even before the trial Keil knew that his brother would never let harm come to him in their own hut. When he woke up from his impromptu nap, he quickly changed into his new loincloth – deerskin to show his new status as a hunter, and much shorter so there was less chance of it getting caught when he moved through the woods, although still unadorned since he didn’t have a woman to decorate it – and headed towards the meeting area.

The entire tribe was around the fire. Normally the men and boys would eat out here, while the women and girls would eat by themselves, either in small groups or in their men’s huts, but for big occasions, and especially when a boy passed his trial, the whole tribe would all eat together. It was a (normally) a good way for the newly passed men to look over available girls, and for their fathers to decide whether the young man was a decent prospect.

Keil didn't think he had to worry about anything like that tonight. However, he was able to get first choice on the meat, a novelty for him, and get to watch the expressions on certain faces as they congratulated him. It was obvious that most of them wanted to say something more unpleasant, but unsurprisingly, they kept their mouths shut. Most made it clear they felt he had gotten some sort of help from his brother, but if they had dared say something like that outright Crele would have challenged them on the spot. The men of the tribe may not like him, but they wouldn’t go so far as to make accusations against their leader.

He gratefully sat next to his brother; before this he had been restricted to the boy's section, further away from the fire than the men’s, which was always a very pleasant way to spend his meal. Now he was free to sit wherever he wanted, and right now he wanted to sit next to the only person in the tribe that even tried to accept him.

That earned him a few covert glares as well, but he pointedly ignored them. The boys were a little more obvious in their dislike, but he wasn’t worried about them anymore. Even the dumbest among them knew better than to try and attack a full member of the tribe, and that was only a small chance on the rare occasions he would be bothering to come into the village at all.
After the dinner was the last part of the celebration that he had to take part in. Most of the others would stay up late, eating and drinking, simply because they could. Keil had no desire to stay with people who despised him any longer than he needed to.

So, eager both because it meant he could leave, and for what it meant, he made his way over to where the records keeper was sitting, anxious to get his tattoo showing his new status. He would get a tattoo of antlers, to show his status as a hunter, three points to show he made it back three days before the limit. He grit his teeth as the small, delicate cuts were made, and the soot rubbed in. Looking at the finished product, he couldn’t really tell how it would look once it was healed, but there was little chance that the older man would allow his own reputation get tarnished just to give him a bad tattoo. He ignored the urge to scratch at it, knowing it would only make the inflamed skin itch worse, and that the men were carefully watching for any sign of weakness, he said a quick goodnight to his brother and headed back to the hut.

Crele’s belongings were gone, his mate must have collected them at some point before coming to the fire, and it seemed even emptier. He only had a few things, a couple loincloths that he wouldn’t even be able to use any more, and his bow. Just as well, as he wouldn’t have any place to keep them until he built his own hut. Still, those were worries for tomorrow, and for now, he just wanted to sleep, knowing that for this one night at least, he was safe.
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The next day, Keil headed out early. He had saved some of the feast from the previous night for his meal, which he ate quickly before leaving his father’s hut for good. The new hunter had decided that he’d head out into the woods for a week or so, maybe longer, and wait for the gossip over his trial to die down before attempting to build his own hut. Right now it was too fresh in people’s minds that he could no longer be used as the tribal punching bag and he didn’t want them taking their aggravation out on his hut. It wasn’t like he was planning on building anything extravagant, just someplace that was ‘his’ that he could stay at on the rare occasions he was even in the village. As long as it kept out the rain and unwelcome visitors, that was all he needed.

He had already decided on the perfect location – a small plot that was on the edges of the camp, and closer to mostly other hunters rather than the warriors. The closest huts to his were owned by others who preferred to be in the woods, and didn’t have families of their own, either because they preferred the solitude, or because their sons were already grown. Most of the hunters chose not to bond - they lived a more solitary life than hunters did, and there was also a reluctance to give women as mates to men who may one day just not return. If he gathered everything he would need for it, and left it hidden someplace close to his chosen spot, he could probably get the work done in a few days – or at least quick enough that there wouldn’t be time to sabotage his efforts. It’s not like he was going for anything fancy; it didn’t even need to be pretty. He also was going to bother making it big, or expandable, as Keil didn’t expect to be bonding anytime soon, so he wouldn’t have to worry about space for a woman or children.

Keil left his childhood behind in his father’s now empty hut; he didn’t have many belongings he would take. He had the bow that had been made with Grael, and the arrows, plus a knife. All that a hunter needed. He would make his own knife eventually as well, but it wasn’t an urgent need at this point. Right now his only urgent need was to get away from the tribe that despised him. He reached the end of the trees just as the sun broke free from the horizon, and not for the first time since returning from Grael’s tribe, wished he was leaving for good.
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“Nephew.” Keil looked up, shocked that his father’s brother was actually speaking to him.
Keil’s father had spread his disdain for his son to both his brother and nephew, and both actively regarded him with scorn. It wouldn’t surprise him if Derk had gotten the dress idea from his father.

Thankfully, he hadn't seen either his uncle or cousin in weeks, thanks to his extended hunting trips. This time he had actually been in the village for two whole days, the first time that had happened since his trial, and probably the reason his uncle had managed to catch him. He supposed it was too much to hope for to never seen them.

“Yes Uncle?” The older man came all the way into Keil’s mostly finished hut, looking around with barely contained disgust. Keil ignored it; he could build the most elaborate hut in the tribe and the older man would still find something to look down on him for.

“It has been two seasons since you completed your manhood trial, yet you have not asked any of the warriors to take their daughters as yours. Now, I know there were...rumours...of what happened when you were with the other tribe but that’s all they were, correct? I wouldn’t want to think that my beloved nephew actually preferred to be treated like a woman.”

Keil sighed inwardly, but was careful to not let anything show on his face. He should have expected this. Deril couldn’t care less what happened to him, but he wouldn’t want it to be a mark against their family. The man probably wished he had never come back – in fact that might have been the plan from the start. If he had been killed during his trial, the embarrassing weakling in the family would be gone, and his father as head of the tribe, could have easily covered up the fact that he was sent out ill-equipped. He hid the smirk that wanted to form at the thought of messing up their plan. “No, Uncle, I didn’t ask anyone because I wanted to prove myself further so that I had a chance one of them would say yes.”

His uncle nodded, not looking at all convinced, but apparently willing to take the explanation for what it was. It wasn’t like the answer mattered when nothing could be proven.

“Well then, you'll be happy to know that I have arranged for you to bond to Friya. She will be waiting with your brother in the meeting circle.”

Friya? Keil really, really didn’t want to bond with her – the woman was miserable to be around. He guessed that his uncle either didn’t know who she was (very possible) or that he was counting in Keil to not know. The woman had been injured as a child, and as a result both walked with a permanent limp, had a long gash up what would have been a pretty face, and a temper that would scare a grizzly bear. Part of him couldn’t blame her – she had gotten a bad deal out of life, not only being the ‘lesser’ gender, but also being damaged to the point where no man wanted to claim her and the women wanted nothing to do with her because of her low status. Her father had been killed a few years after that, so she had no one to speak for her, which meant it was up to the leader of the tribe to decide on a bonding for her. As it stood now, she was relegated the worst jobs, the ones that none of the other women wanted to do, such as cleaning out the communal fire pit. Keil couldn’t honestly say he’d be any more pleasant.

But that didn’t mean he wanted to bond with her. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any choice in the matter. If he refused, not only would he cause his uncle to scorn him even more, but the rumours that had persisted ever since his return (and before) would flare back up. He had gained some protection as a hunter, but not enough if the rest got ‘proof’ that he preferred to submit. His brother wouldn’t be able to protect him, and the rest of the tribe would consider his trial null and void. After all, a man didn’t submit to another man, so therefore, if he had submitted, he clearly couldn’t be a man. The hunter didn’t like the logic, but that was the way it was. Keil had to give his uncle credit – he got two problems out of the way with one action. Once Keil had her with child; the rumours, while they would never go away would become mostly harmless - mentioned in passing but not really believed. The rest of his family could stop worrying about him shaming them. And Friya would no longer be the responsibility of the tribe; Keil would now be responsible for her. The women might not be happy to lose their drudge, but none of the men really listened to them anyway.

Keil sighed, and thanked his uncle for the opportunity. He was upset at losing the simple life he had led for the last couple of seasons, spending most of that time in the woods. Now, while he would have someone to take care of things around the hut, that meant he would also have to take care of her, which meant returning to the hut at least several times a week, and if she could even have children, it was unlikely she could bear them safely because of her injury. Laughing bitterly to himself, he figured this is what Grael probably felt like when he realized the ugly ‘wanderer female’ was really a male.

Bondings in his tribe were done quickly and without ceremony, much the way Grael’s tribe did them. He put his knife and bow away, and went to meet his uncle and brother in the meeting circle. At least Crele had picked a less public place for the bonding – he knew, even though he had been blindfolded, that there had been most of the tribe present for his bonding with Grael, and he was glad he wasn’t going to have to go through that again, even if he was on the opposite – and acceptable - end of it this time.

It appeared that it was only himself, Crele, his uncle, and Friya present. Technically, as long as it was witnessed by another tribe member, the bonding was valid, but Deril probably wanted to see with his own eyes proof of Keil’s ‘manliness’. He was watching Keil carefully, and the younger man knew he would have to make it look like he wanted this – even if, truthfully, none of his reasons for not wanting it had to do with her gender. Crele looked bored, and Friya looked sullen. He could see the underlying worry, however, and he couldn’t blame her. As bad as she had it now, as soon as the bonding was over, he would literally have the power of life and death over her. For all her faults, she was smart enough to know that this could turn out very badly for her.

Keil glanced again at Crele who returned his gaze with one of resignation. He knew that normally his brother wouldn’t push him into something like this; he had been a hunter less than a year, so there wasn’t any rush – normally. His brother, even though he cared for him more than any other member of the tribe – would still want the rumours silenced. And looking at Crele now, Keil realized that he knew. The older man had only gotten a quick glimpse of the hut he and Grael had shared, but apparently it had been enough for the warrior to guess the truth. One word from him – even before he had been the leader – would have condemned Keil, but he had not said anything. And now, his brother was begging him with his eyes to hide it; put that chapter of his life to rest, to pretend it had just never happened. The truth would remain between the two of them. Keil was well aware that having Friya as his mate would be much better for him than anything that would happen if that truth came out.

Nervously, knowing both his and Crele’s reputation was riding on this now, he urged Friya into a kneeling position in front of him. He wasn’t aroused – there were far too many thoughts flying through his head for that – but he stroked himself until he was erect, forcing the thoughts and fears out of his head, and focusing, ironically enough, on Grael. Not wanting to waste any time, he moved Friya’s dress up just enough to expose her private areas, attempting to protect her modesty from the other two men – or at least his uncle, because he knew Deril would be watching carefully. Keil didn’t bother looking more than it took to line himself up with her entrance; he could, if he wanted to, look as much as he wanted later, and he didn’t want to let himself think about the situation any more. He placed his hand o Friya’s hip as he pushed in, and felt miserable when he could feel her shaking beneath him. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to ignore that, and push the memories of his first time from his mind, and focus on the feelings around his erection. ‘Tight’ and ‘hot’ were the first two words to come to his mind, and even if he was only reluctantly aroused before, the sensations surrounding him now had him almost dripping. There was resistance keeping him from getting his cock all the way into her, but he continued to push; gently at first, and then firmer, until he felt something give and heard Friya gasp. Still, she didn’t seem to be in too much pain, certainly less than he had been in, so he continued. He sank easily the rest of the way in, and rested there a minute, surprisingly enjoying the warmth and the feel of her body around him. Stifling a groan, he started thrusting, easily ignoring what - and who - was involved, and just enjoying the sensations. He could now see why Grael insisted on taking him each night, if it felt the same as this. Quicker than he expected, it was over, and he came with a low moan, his hands gripping her tight enough to bruise as he rode out his orgasm. Pulling out, he grimaced at the sight of spots of blood on his cock and the ground, but he knew it was expected, and quickly tucked himself back into the loincloth, before helping Friya to her feet. He had done what they wanted; he could afford to treat her decently now at least. Crele nodded to him and walked away, and while he was sure his uncle had something nasty to say, he ignored the other man and led Friya in the direction of his hut.

There was silence when they first returned back to his – their – hut. Keil was a bit at a loss as to wait to do, or say. Friya stood, her head held high, but he could tell she was just as nervous. She was tall for a woman, nearly his height, and he liked that they were nearly on level. Keil supposed it could be worse - if he had gotten one of the younger, prettier women, he would have had all the young warriors and even some hunters, out for his blood for taking the woman they wanted. The nasty and derogatory remarks they were sure to make would hardly faze him.

He cleared his throat self-consciously. “Well, I can’t say I was expecting this today. I...don’t like being in the village too much, so I hope you’ll be alright on your own most of the time.”

“What do you expect of me?” Her voice was quiet, but still held the tone of bitterness that he remembered from the few times he had seen her before.

Keil shrugged. While he didn’t want the tribe to think he was weak and let his woman run roughshod over him, he also had no desire to prove himself by being unnecessarily cruel to her either. He thought of how Grael had treated him, but those had been extenuating circumstances - the hunter had treated Keil (aside from at night) closer to an equal than any man typically treated a female.

“Just the normal tasks. I could use a few decorative loincloths, and we’ll need more furs for the hut. Do you have a garden?”

Friya shook her head. “No, the other women said I didn’t need it, so there was no reason to waste land.”

That didn’t really surprise Keil, so he just nodded. “There is some space behind the hunter’s huts. I don’t know if it will work, but no one should bother you if you use that area.”

She looked surprised at the offer, but gave Keil a small smile. “Thank you. I’ll look tomorrow.”

“Good. I’ll have dinner here tonight; I’m sure you know I’m not well liked among the men, and I don’t feel like spending more time than I have to with them. I doubt they’d expect me to leave the hut tonight anyway.”

Friya blushed and muttered something about water for the fire before slipping out of the hut. Keil watched her leave with a bemused grin on his face. Maybe being bonded to her wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. There was no way he could have Grael, so a woman he could at least get along with was better than he expected. Sighing, he went back to cleaning the rabbit he had caught for dinner. Hopefully that would be enough for tonight; he tended to only kill enough for himself, only contributing to the tribal meal when required, but with a woman in his hut he would have to bring more home to feed them both. Soon enough, he may need to bring home enough for three, which was a scary and sobering thought.