If my plan to become a wyvern rider failed, maybe I could trick a Nieth into killing me. I smiled at the thought. It would be painful to die and yet my time here would come to an end. Even my brother would be on his deathbed sometime. If only I could be the one to end his reign of torment.
If only.
The smell of cooked meat came from the vendors. They must not have sold enough during the day. The only thing Nieth cared to have at night were alcoholic beverages and delicacies. Some of the poorer Nieth did buy meat when it was cheaper, such as after dark. I looked at one who was disheveled and badly injured. She wasn't a good target for what I needed. It was unlikely she had enough rank to train me.
She glared at me as if afraid she would see pity in my eyes. The last think a Nieth wanted was to be thought of as an equal to humans. Even the poorest of our masters wouldn't want help from a human. Not just because of the disgust they felt for us, but because any support they had would vanish. Pride and fear were strong motivators.
My feet took me to where some bards were gathered. It was a odd group. This was due to the fact the human wasn't regulated to one of the instruments and was, instead, the singer. Most Nieth loathed the sound of a human's voice and found it grating. The young man looked at me and we exchanged nods. For awhile I stood there to listen to him and look for any useful Nieth. Sadly the majority of the crowd was human.
"We are taking a break." The oldest Nieth said. "We will begin playing again in an hour."
They hadn't made a lot of money. Humans didn't tend to carry money with them. Only the rare master allowed a human to carry any sort of wealth. A young male Nieth looked at me and I could see he was aroused. Yet he didn't make a move as my mission was clear. A human dressed like I was wouldn't offer herself to a lowly bard.
"You are a fighter." The man said. "I saw you a few months ago. I wouldn't last two minutes in the coliseum."
"You get used to it." I replied.
"That wouldn't happen for me. Hopefully my masters continues to like my voice."
He didn't say anymore and he didn't have to. If they ever tired of him then he could have my position. While his voice was that of a wyvern, his body seemed highly uncoordinated. If he were to appear in practice I wouldn't bother befriending him. He might not even last through training.
I walked away from him and prayed that I would find a willing Nieth. My clothing exposed my body just enough to attract some attention. A few of the masters merely looked at me to observe. Maybe they even observed me to reassure themselves that they were my betters. Some did look at me in lust but didn't walk towards me. Tis Lothis sharing my blood most likely made some unwilling to touch me.
The night air made me sweat. Soon even those Nieth that were interested in me wouldn't want to be near me now. They would take my scent as proof I was unclean. It would be bad enough fucking a clean human, one that smelled bad wouldn't be considered. Gadwall had lent me a few perfumes an admirer of his had given him. But those strong chemicals couldn't help to deal with the new scent on my skin.
When all hope was lost I saw a target. His eyes were going over my body and pausing on my tits. I smiled and walked over to him. He seemed like he had wealth. A few wyvern riders sat behind him and seemed more focused on their meal. This must be a sign. My eyes looked up when wyverns flew overhead. It could only be a matter of minutes until my training started. My outward appearance was calm but, inside, I couldn't be more excited.
A human waiter stopped me before I got close to the Nieth. This outside restaurant was situated between two buildings. Both contained the kitchens. I calmed myself down by focusing on those facts. If I messed this up then everything could be lost.
"I'm here to see him." I said and pointed at the Nieth.
The waiter looked at the Nieth. There were not many customers since it was popular for its daytime cuisine. The human could clearly tell that the master wanted me. Hopefully he wouldn't recognize me from the coliseum and would think I was a whore. That would make things easier.
"You don't look like a whore." The human said. "Aren't you Tis Lothis' sister?"
"Human!" The Nieth yelled out. "Bring me that woman. She is appealing to my eyes. If there is any problem I will deal with it."
The waiter looked extremely confused. Nieth were extremely unpredictable in their promises. 'Dealing with it' could mean having the human killed. A Nieth's word was always believed over a human's. Except in a few rare cases.
The human lead me to the Nieth and I sat down. For a few minutes we merely looked at each other. He opened his mouth a few times as if trying to figure out what to say. Hopefully we would fuck soon and my demands would be more easily accepted. Both of our species were prey to the illusions of love.
"You are Tis Lothis' sister." The Nieth said and drank his wine. "My name is Yushan Mistif. I assume there is nothing I need to explain about myself."
Yushan's feeler went around the edge of his wine glass as he waited for my reply. Yushan Mistif was not a name I recognized. However, the name Mistif was extremely important to me. While wyvern riders rode and helped raise wyverns, there were special groups of Nieth that helped breed the creatures. Some families had been breeders for generations. The Mistif family was one of such families.
"No, there isn't." I replied. "But if you know who I am, why are you talking to me?"
"Honestly I don't know." Yushan replied. "I guess I wanted to look at you up close without a barrier between us."
I put a hand on his and our eyes met. He must want to die if he were talking to me. While other Nieth in Fero avoided me, they had no real need to. Only the masters who were connected to wyverns had anything to fear by talking to me. Tis was more than aware of my dreams. He wanted to make sure there was no loophole available to me.
"You are an amazing fighter." Yushan said and moved his hand from mine. "I can see why your brother doesn't want you to ride a wyvern. You would become unstoppable."
"You specialize in Kortan's, right?" I asked. "Aren't you working on a new breed?"
"Those are family secrets."
Yushan waved for the waiter and red wine was put in front of me. I drank some merely to be polite. Hopefully this conversation would go on long enough that he would become more compliant. It wouldn't do for him to have a wall up in his mind. It wouldn't do at all. If he bred wyverns then he would have wyvern rider contacts.
"I understand." I replied. "Do you have a wyvern rider or two picked out?"
"One that has lived up to five thousand years." He said proudly. "She has seen the rise and fall of many a wyvern breed. She consulted me about what has worked and failed in the past. Hopefully this breed succeeds."
It must be exciting to be chosen for a new breed. To ride a creature that no one had ridden before. I would like that test of skill. Though, with never having ridden before, it was unlikely that I was up to the challenge. Yushan must be aware of at least a few riders that would train me. If he could get me out of Tis' jurisdiction, I would have enough time to be a wyvern rider. And if he disagreed there would be enough laws in place to protect me long enough.
"Can't you give me even a little hint?" I asked and tried to sound sweet. "It means a lot that you're brave enough to test out a new breed. And a rider that is fearless enough to take control of two wyverns."
"She won't be the rider." Yushan replied with a dismissive wave of his tail. "She will only be connected to the wyvern until testing is complete. If the new breed is successful then...well...her current wyvern is close to death. He was in a battle and is injured."
So the rider was consulting as a last resort. Once she was a Ghost she would have protection. It was an extremely smart move. I would have to use the trick when I was close to being a Ghost. Though that wasn't always something a person could prepare for. Mont's wyvern had been killed in a skirmish. That was as much as he would tell me.
"If you were already a rider, the position would be yours." Yushan said and I saw where his eyes were.
Good, he wasn't thinking clearly. It would be disgusting, but necessary, to make love to him. I could only imagine what having sex with a Nieth would be like as this plan had never worked. Everything would seem to work out and then I would be rejected. Hopefully it worked this time.
"You think I could be that good?" I asked.
"Certainly." Yushan answered. "You are already a good fighter in the coliseum. The strength and skill you have before becoming a rider makes all the difference. An untrained Nieth or human will become extremely powerful over the course of training. Yet someone who is trained in some manner beforehand can make progress more quickly. I see you on a Bortok. You are a force to be reckoned with."
I stood up and went behind him. My arms went around him and my tits rested gently on his back. His feelers started going every which way. They wanted to feel me so I pulled his chair out and sat on his lap. Yushan's eyes never left mine as his feelers felt every inch of my tits that they could. He made a growl in the back of his throat and I felt hopeful.
"Humans are oddities." Yushan said and his feelers went away from me. "You are much too wild to be allowed to roam freely. Much too wild to be allowed control."
"One day the Nieth will control all of Jorn." I said softly. "All humans will one day be under your rule."
"Yes."
His lips went on mine and we kissed. I acted as if I was enjoying the sensation but I wasn't. His lips were human enough but there was something off. Nieth's lips were tougher than a humans but could be pleasurable to some. Just not to me. But if my dream of becoming a wyvern rider were to happen, I would have to push away my personal feelings. Just like what fighting in the coliseum required.
Yushan stopped and looked at me. There was pity in his eyes. He gripped my hips with his hands and I nearly yelped in pain. It wouldn't be wise for a human to react in any manner that might upset a Nieth. He might or mightnot want me to cry out. There wasn't enough clues to tell either way. At least not yet.
"I am truly sorry, Liaban," Yushan said and stood up. "Tis Lothis' name brings fear into many of us. He is more controlling and ruthless than most. One does not stand up to him without a cause. You and your mother are to be pitied for having such a fate. But your cause is not great enough for me. It isn't something I would die over."
"Why don't people stand up to him?" I asked.
"He is extremely powerful and cruel. He sets most of his cruelty on humans and so we ignore his antics. We're not about to risk our lives for humans. Would you risk your life for a Nieth?"
Of course I wouldn't. Ever since my birth they had been tormentors of the highest order. No Nieth had ever appeared kind. Those that were considered gentle to humans still had their problems. It was as if they helped us to prove a point and not because they cared. Why would I care if one died? Why would I care if the whole species died?
"Why not kill him for your pride, Yushan?" I asked. "Wouldn't it be a great victory to kill him?"
"We do not betray our own kind for no reason." Yushan explained. "If we did then Horngul would quickly descend into chaos. When we attack one another we make sure there is a reason. If Tis was ever to disrupt the balance we have found, then we would go against him. Not before that."
Would my brother try to rule over all of Horngul? Would he then go to attack the rest of Jorn? He had his pride and so it was more than easy to imagine that destiny for him. If the Nieth didn't attack Tis until then, any offensive measures might be taken too late. Would me being a wyvern rider make any difference at that point?
"Is there anyone you know that would train me?" I asked him. "Or a wyvern rider that can take me under their wing?"
"None that come to mind." Yushan said after a moment. "The breeders and non-rider trainers would be unlikely to contradict your brother. If there is a rider looking to train someone, you will have to impress them. It is hard to impress a rider that isn't desperate."
Mont was desperate, he had to be. He was a Ghost and was treated as less than a human. He had to depend on the generosity of those around him. There was the problem of getting a wyvern, though. If the Ghost had easy access to one he wouldn't be a Ghost. He would be a wyvern rider once again.
"I understand." I said and stood up. "I knew this path wouldn't be easy. I knew it wouldn't be likely that I could ride a wyvern."
"Then you should learn to like your lot in life." Yushan replied. "You have to learn to accept that you are a human."
I act as if his words mean nothing to me, but that is a lie. As my feet take me back down the streets of Fero, my certainty fails. It could be that all of my yearning is useless. I had to accept my fate as my brother's plaything. To accept the fact that I would die without riding a wyvern.
"Liaban?" A voice asked and I turned to see Mont.
He was leaning against a wall. As always his height amazed me this close up. His cheekbones were like two mountains. If his eyes had been blue before they would've been mountain lakes. For one with such an old body, he seemed more desirable than Gadwall. Or maybe that was only because I admired him. He had rode a wyvern before while my feet had only been on the ground.
"Yes, Mont, it's me." I replied.
"I thought I recognized your footsteps." Mont said with a nod. "And is it safe to say you are not wearing much?"
His words nearly made me blush. His low tone indicated desire or maybe he was just teasing me. His face didn't reveal much to the point I wondered if he had any human emotions left. I decided to laugh to fill up the silence between us.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"For one, you're not usually out this late while wearing a lot of clothing." Mont explained. "Am I not reason enough for you to abandon your dream?"
"Wasn't riding a wyvern worth it?"
"Yes, that it was."
He smiled sadly. Was he remembering his wyverns? Or was he remembering his life before? We were friends but not to the point of him telling a complete history. He could have left a family behind to ride. Or maybe he was like me and had a cruel master. Those questions would never be answered as long as I valued my friendship with him.
"No one can resist the Wyvern's Call." Mont said. "If it is your destiny to become a rider, that will happen. Tis Lothis nor all of Horngul will be able to stop you. Even you won't be able to stop yourself if it is your destiny."
"Do you want me to be a rider?" I asked.
"The life of a rider is hard. It is not an easy one. Yet part of me can't wait for the day we ride side by side."
Mont's face looked like it was in pain but I must have imagined that. Right now it seemed as if he had never broken his stoic facade. If he had been pained then it was merely because he was thinking of the training. From all accounts training to become a wyvern rider was extremely difficult. If you failed training, death was in the realm of possibilities.
* * *
My mind was in anguish. Another attempt at becoming a wyvern rider made me truly believe my dream would never come to pass. That I could try all I wanted to but nothing would ever happen. It would be better for me to accept my place but I couldn't.
My body was also disturbed but for another reason. It remembered showering with Gadwall and wanted me to fulfill those desires. During my walk in Fero I had been able to push those needs to the back of my mind. But now, walking through the halls of the coliseum, they came to the forefront. There was only one person that I knew who would readily accept my advances now.
"Liaban?" Gadwall asked.
I closed the door behind me. Luckily for the two of us his roommate was out. Maybe he had committed suicide or was being used for the amusement of the Nieth. It didn't matter to me. All that mattered was my friend was looking at me. His eyes focusing on how my outfit made certain features more prominent.
Gadwall came over and put a hand on my neck. He looked at me and then started to kiss. Our kisses started out as passionate and only became more so. His lips went from my lips, to my neck, to the top of my tits. He gently removed my clothing and threw it on the floor. Each piece that was removed earned me another kiss. Some on the lips and others on my tits.
Once he was finished he slammed me against a wall. I moaned into his mouth as I undid his belt. Gadwall's hard cock could already be felt through his pants. The moment his cock was released, he entered me. I moaned loudly as the pleasure couldn't be described. My wetness allowed his cock an easy time to get deep inside.
He bit my neck as his thrusts became harder and faster. I felt myself about to cum and then he pulled out. My body roared in defiance as he smiled. This was our little game and he wouldn't win. He laughed as I tore off his clothing in anger for being right on the brink of climax. I would have experienced pure bliss if he had just done his job.
I pushed him onto the bed and straddled. My juices fell softly onto him and he looked up at me with a wide grin.
"Admit it, you wouldn't want an easy finish." Gadwall said.
"I hate it when you're right." I replied with a laugh that turned into a moan.
I lowered myself and closed my eyes when his dick went inside me. When I felt myself about to climax I leaned down and kissed him. I yelled into his mouth and my hands grabbed onto the sheets to steady myself. Yes! Yes! Yes! This was true bliss!
"You are good." Gadwall said the moment I rolled off of him.
"You didn't cum." I replied. "Give me a moment and I'll change that."
"Seeing you happy is enough."
"Quit it, you're acting like we're something more. We're not."
We were silent for a moment. Gadwall kept trying to break my boundaries. Didn't he see how dangerous that was? If we had to fight each other and were more than friends, it would be extremely painful. But if we looked at each other from enough of a distance we would be able to kill without a thought. At least that was the plan.
I kissed him gently and brought his mouth down to my tits. He flicked one of my nipples with his tongue and then took it between his teeth. Gadwall looked at me as he pulled it gently. A soft moan escaped my lips. He then went to sucking on my tits like a child would. I ran a hand through his hair and imagined a foolish dream.
Both of us would leave Horngul and live among humans. Live where we would be equals and free to love. Maybe with my new found freedom I would find it in me to love him. Or maybe I would find another to share my bed.
I came out of my dream when Gadwall lowered my hand to his cock. It was hard and felt right in my hand. Even though we were using each other, it felt right to be together like this. I let go of his cock as I knew something that would pleasure him much more than that. My lips quickly went around his cock and he let out a soft moan.
It was more than easy to give him pleasure when he tasted like me. I grabbed his legs to steady myself and made sure my teeth didn't touch his member. The fact that he was yelling out and his body was under someone else's control, indicated he was close. With a few more motions I was able to taste him.
I sat on the edge of the bed and wiped my mouth. Part of me wanted to lie down next to Gadwall but that would be crossing the line. Once that line was crossed I couldn't be rational anymore. I would be swayed by my emotions that could kill me. Besides, he might die any day and I didn't need the distraction.
"Thank you." Gadwall said as he joined me. "It's always a pleasure for you to be here."
"I am sure any woman or man could help you." I replied. "You don't need me."
"No, I don't. But you're one of the few friends I have here."
"That doesn't change what happens during sex."
"Well, you know what I like."
That was an extremely neutral answer. It wasn't admitting any feelings and only used an objective truth. We had fucked enough that we were attuned to what the other wanted. We could tell what moves to do on any given night. A stranger wouldn't be able to do that for either of us. Gadwall put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. It was a sign of comfort after a long day. That was all.
"I wish your brother would start treating you with respect." Gadwall said angrily. "You are one of the best fighters and he keeps trying to kill you in the arena."
"I'd be more worried if he changed his ways." I said and we laughed.
"I wish you would change your ways."
Even though there was concern in his voice, I wanted to hit him. It seemed that we always ended up having this conversation. The words would be different but the meaning was always the same. He couldn't just accept the fact that I would attempt to become a wyvern rider until the day I died.
He watched me as I put my clothes back on and then started heading for the door. Try as I might I couldn't make myself turn the door knob. Gadwall was one of the very few people I considered a friend. To keep that friendship meant having conversations that weren't all that pleasant. With a sigh I turned around.
"And what ways are those?" I asked.
"You need to stop trying to become a rider." Gadwall replied. "You will become happier once you accept your place."
"You mean spend my days as a plaything for my brother? You mean spend my days not helping my fellow human? Is that what you mean?"
"Your brother will never let you."
My friend's words were true. Tis would never allow me to escape his grasp. Becoming a rider meant not being under the control of any Nieth. It meant a kind of freedom not many would ever experience. Not even the most powerful master. I kicked part of Gadwall's outfit as I tried to put my thoughts into words.
The night air picked up and it sounded as if an army was attacking. When I had first arrived the sound had scared me and kept me up. But I had quickly adapted to my new life. Soon enough others feared me more than I feared them. Fighting in the arena was simple compared to explaining myself.
"I don't know why I can't stop trying, Gadwall." I told him. "All I know is that every day it seems like my destiny. It seems if I keep waiting and trying that I will have a wyvern. Whenever I think of not being able to, the sense of doubt is always replaced with certainty. I can't stop this and I don't want to."
Gadwall stood up and walked over to me. He took my hands in his and squeezed them. He stayed just far enough back to make the gesture appear friendly. My friend kept opening his mouth as if he wanted to speak. He was much more emotional than I ever was. Unless I had an extremely bad day.
"You're talking about the Wyvern's Call." Gadwall said and shook his head. "That is pure lunacy, Liaban, and you know it."
"Yes I am." I replied. "It is affecting me and you know it. It's not something to run away from but to accept."
"The Nieth only created that myth to control us."
"Goodnight, Gadwall."
I hadn't meant to sound so angry. But his words had affected me to the core. He looked ashamed and said nothing as I left. The walk to my room was nearly silent except for the angry wind. Bits of dust and dirt were thrown into the air. When I reached my room it was nearly impossible to see. Tis had made sure that I was in one of the most exposed rooms.
I took one last glance at the huge hole in the wall before closing my door. Nerys had never repaired it due to it not being a means of escape. If you ran a short distance away you'd end up in prime wyvern feeding grounds. So even if you managed to flee it wouldn't be for very long. Especially if a rider was patrolling the area.
"You look exhausted." My roommate said as she sat up in her bed. "Did you find a Nieth?"
"No," I replied as I started to change. "I found a gladiator, though. Was decent."
"Decent."
My roommate smiled. With her childish demeanor, it didn't seem like she would last that long. Before her first fight I swore I'd never see her again. Yet she walked in our room late that night just grinning. The scent of alcohol had been on her breath and she spent the entire night talking about her fight. Ever since then I'd learn not to underestimate her.
"I heard about your fight today." She said with a grin. "I'd have loved to have seen it. I'd have loved even more to have participated in it. Maybe I could have gone into the arena with no weapons."
My roommate was insane. If she didn't control that insanity then it could mean the end for her. I could use that if she ever had to battle me. The only time we had fought was in a training session. Her main weapon was speed and if you let the fight go long enough then she'd wear herself out. It was surviving that long that tended to be a challenge.
"Maybe you will later." I said and laid on my bed. "I was supposed to win the fight without a weapon."
"Why didn't you?" She asked. "Were you scared?"
"My fight today was an attempt by my brother to kill me. I was not going to let him win. If I die it won't be by a scheme of his."
"If you become a wyvern rider then you won't have to worry about him."
"Do you think I can be?"
"I think you're angry enough."
She seemed to be very excited about the prospect. Of course she tended to be excited about anything that was insane. That must be the only reason she wanted me to become a rider. Did she also want me to come back and free her or was she comfortable as a gladiator?
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The Wyvern's Call Table of Contents
The Thief and the Ghost Table of Contents
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