Fortuna

Based on Ookami Arden’s “Puppy in the Middle”. Seth remembers a totally different Jou than Seto’s. So, while in the original story, Katsuya was the one in need, this one tortures Seth for a change in order to highlight Katsuya’s strength and virtues.

There you are, Arden, I hope you and sister enjoy it! You’ll see I tried to write in your style a bit, but it’s just not as great. Also hope you don’t get bored, it’s so damn long…

++++++++

Fortuna

*************************
Quod per sortem, sternit fortem
Mecum omnes plangite…
~Carmina Burana: O Fortuna**
*************************

The three bells signaling the end of a Shadow Game rang just as he was nearing the edge of the balcony. Placing a palm over the lid of the wine jar to avoid spills, the blond slave skipped the last few steps to the railing and looked down at the dueling arena with a smile. His eyes glimmered with pride and his lips curved in a knowing smirk as he watched the participants of the Shadow Game recall their monsters, lay their tablets to rest and bow to each other; his master had won again, just as he always did. At this point, the slave wondered why people even bothered challenging him anymore; Master Seth’s skill in games of power and magic was unrivaled by anyone except Pharaoh himself. But, these were nobles. They weren’t living if they weren’t out blowing hot air and making fools of themselves.

“Move, boy!”

The slave grimaced, but stepped aside nevertheless so two noblemen could take his viewing spot. One of them sneered at him for a moment and then went back to speaking to his companion in a foreign language. See, no shortage of egoism and entitlement around here.

When the blond looked down again, the moderator of the duel stepped heavily on to the arena to announce the victor and award the spoils of the game. He couldn’t see his master’s face, but the slave leaned forward eagerly to hear about the prize. Master Seth always celebrated with him after a victory and the bigger the prize, the greater their celebration. He leaned against a pillar and blushed slightly at memories of ‘celebrations’ past, hoping for this one to be another pearl on their golden string of desire.

‘The Shadow Game has ended and the Gods have chosen their victor!’

The blond clapped along with the few other spectators, though excitement and anticipation made him clap harder.

‘As per the conditions agreed upon prior to the duel, the loser shall concede seven days of his freedom to the victor.’

At the moderator’s words, the slave grinned openly. Seth had won a person, a nobleman! Usually, the blond wouldn’t appreciate someone else joining the household and horning in on Seth’s free time, especially when he had so little of it, but this would be different. First, it was only for seven days. Second, Seth wouldn’t cringe at any form of humiliation heaped on his opponent. High-born or not, the man who lost the duel would be treated exactly like a slave and ordering around a nobleman for seven days wasn’t exactly a pain.

‘As the draconic beasts of the High Priest’s arsenal could not fare against his opponent’s creatures of illusion, the challenger Pegasus is the winner of the Shadow Game!’

The slave’s smile disappeared and chill clenched around his heart. Seth…lost? How was that possible? As if he sensed the cold fear in his heart, the rude noble from before glanced and smirked at him before resuming his conversation.

“From sunrise tomorrow, High Priest Seth will concede seven days to Pegasus under a contract of servitude. The contract must be served in full and any breach of it will open the gates to the Shadow Realm where the oath-breaker shall be sentenced to a punishment worse than death.”

The wine jar crashed to the floor, red liquid staining the porous sandstone, but the slave barely noticed. With his heart wilting he watched his master, his dragon, Seth step off the arena, masking rage and humiliation with stoic impassivity.

“…no...”

-II-

*************************
“There is no worse sickness for the soul,
O you who are proud, than this pretense of perfection.”
~Rumi: Daylight
*************************

The High Priest of the Sennen Rod did not wish to see anyone tonight, not his colleagues, not his apprentice, not even his slaves. He made excuses about being tired, but judging by the sounds coming from his chamber, he was lying.

Outside the gilded doors, a blond slave and a dark-haired apprentice winced as another crash resounded in the air.

“Gods, Kasiya, that sounded expensive…and heavy.” Seth’s apprentice muttered nervously, biting his lower lip.

Kasiya looked at him sympathetically. He had forgotten that Menkaure had been sheltered most of his life and he had never seen his normally stoic master fly into such a rage. That was mostly because Seth never actually made his emotions public; the priest usually preferred to seethe for a few days before coming up with the perfect plan for revenge. But there was no revenge for this. He had lost a Shadow Game and come sunrise, all of Egypt would know of his disgrace.

Unacceptable!

“Alright, come on, Mokie.” Kasiya grasped the boy’s hand and led him away as more sounds of destruction resonated from Seth’s chamber.

“Where to?” Menkaure hurried to keep up the slave.

Kasiya didn’t answer, but Menkaure’s eyes widened when they approached a heavy door, fantastically decorated with symbols of the gods and pharaohs. Beyond these doors lay the Audience Chamber where Pharaoh and his High Priests convened.

“Kasiya, you can’t be serious!” The dark-haired boy hissed as his companion knocked firmly.

“We have to try.” The blond replied tightly as his stomach turned nervously at having to address the highest nobles of Egypt.

“But you heard Shimon at the Shadow Games.” Menkaure retorted. “The only alternative to the penalty is the Shadow Realm. Seth may be dishonored, but he is not suicidal!”

“I know, but that’s not what I’m—“

The two abruptly closed their mouths when the doors were pulled open and an elegant woman peered out at them.

Kasiya sighed in relief and bowed. “Lady Isis, there is something I must talk to you about.”

Isis smiled, but did not step back to invite them in. She already knew what they were here for anyway. “I’m sorry, Kasiya, Menkaure, but we cannot intervene in Seth’s affairs. Now, I understand you…”

“It’s not that!” Isis stopped and blinked at the slave who interrupted her so boldly. Kasiya stood up to his full height and spoke firmly. “He cheated.”

The priestess’s eyes widened in slight shock and behind her, the other priests looked up. Kasiya elaborated. “Pegasus won the Shadow Game by cheating. My master should not have to lose his freedom in an unfair duel!”

Menkaure stared at him in shock and Isis looked unsure. In the Chamber, a priest stood up. “Have you any proof, servant, besides your devotion to your lord?”

“I wouldn’t address the priesthood directly if I didn’t.” Kasiya replied and stepped into the Chamber on Isis’s gesture. The door closed securely behind him and Menkaure. “There were two nobles in the gallery when I came in. They didn’t bother lowering their voices before me because they thought I was an Egyptian slave, but I know their language. I know at least one of them was looking at Seth’s tablets and relaying the information to Pegasus.”

“You speak Greek?” Pharaoh asked curiously. The only foreign spectators in that duel could be Pegasus’s associates.

“From my birth, my king.” Kasiya replied respectfully.

“But how is it possible?” Mahaado asked, frowning. He looked genuinely concerned as monitoring the use of magic in the dueling arenas was his job. If someone had found a way to cheat, his security measures were in jeopardy. “I sensed no errant magic in the arenas and my mages were fully alert.”

“It had to be premeditated.” Kasiya responded. “I heard them talk about how the plan was so simple; only one man had to stand behind Seth to see his tablets and relay the information by any number of signals. There wouldn’t have been enough magic to sense and the few Egyptians educated enough to speak Greek would have been too distracted by the duel.”

“If so, they practiced well.” Atem murmured. “The duel went so smoothly and nobody noticed anything.”

“Speculation still won’t hold up.” Karim said pointedly. “If this goes to trial, it will be the word of a slave against the word of a foreign dignitary from a nation we would rather not offend.”

“So we throw Seth to the jackals?” Isis scowled at her companion, who blushed sheepishly. “He is one of us! Besides, his disgrace is a reflection of Egypt!”

“Dearest, I didn’t mean…”

“Can’t you use the Items?” Kasiya pleaded before the argument expanded into a fight. He was here on behalf of his master and taking a page from said master’s book, he would stick to the point. “Read Pegasus’s mind and see if he played honestly.”

There was a pause and Akunadin shook his head slowly. “We can’t invade his privacy without cause. And a player of Shadow Games will know if we tried to break into his mind.”

“So, there is nothing we can do?” The blond asked incredulously. He was stunned; was the royal priesthood really trapped in place by its own laws? No wonder Seth always came back from meetings in a bad mood; they were practically impotent.

“Not unless we have more time.” Mahaado confirmed depressingly. “The best we can do now is to begin an investigation and accuse Pegasus as soon as possible. Seth’s sentence may be cut short, but he will have to serve it.”

“No!”

Even Pharaoh looked up at the outburst, but Kasiya continued hotly. “You know he shouldn’t have to concede a single minute of his freedom and if you can’t help him, I must!”

The whole of the priesthood seemed to stifle a snort of laughter. Even Menkaure pretended to cough and look away.

Finally, it was Atem who spoke. “As always, we are astounded by your fidelity toward my cousin, whom most dismiss as a heartless tyrant. But you must understand, servant, that this is not a child’s dare. It is a contract made under a Shadow Game, which Seth lost…“

“Because his opponent –cheated-.” Kasiya emphasized. He swallowed to fight back the tears which were threatening to spill out of his eyes. He bowed low and backed away toward the doors. “I’m sorry, my lords, but even on the pain of death, I cannot allow this to continue.”

Menkaure looked pleadingly between his master’s colleagues and his slave. “Kasiya, please be reasonable. You can’t challenge Pegasus; you aren’t even legally allowed to play Shadow Games.”

The blond looked back once and said quietly. “The Gods didn’t just give us Shadow Games; there are plenty of other ways I can fix this.”

“He’s not going to stand a chance.” Menkaure stated once the slave slipped out the doors and hurried down the hallway.

“But he is a precocious little pet; I’m sure he can stand some suffering.” Akunadin smirked. “The longer he lasts, the more time we have to expose Pegasus.”

-II-

The Greek attendants who were ordered to ready the priest and present him to their master nearly wilted in horror, but Seth ignored them. All last night, he raged in his room instead of sleeping and today, his face looked terrible. The kohl smearing his eyelids and cheekbones only accented the dark circles of fatigue under his eyes. He was unshaven and unwashed so that a stranger could have mistaken him for a field laborer than the High Priest.

His normally immaculate hands were bloodied and bruised after smashing every bit of pottery he owned, his russet hair hung over his face in limp strings, his clothes were torn in places and overall, he was the personification of a caged dragon—unhappy, helpless and snappishly angry.

The attendants were irritated at the extra work and they had no problem showing it—he was bound to servitude for now, after all. Seth stood still as they stripped him and closed his eyes, suppressing a shiver as a bucketful of cold water crashed on his body. A woman’s calloused hands worked on his hair while a strange man grasped his chin to run the shaving blade across his jaw. A coarse washcloth scrubbed the last of the kohl from his eyes and finally, another rush of cold water enveloped him. He suspected this was a misguided attempt to wake him up, but how could he wake up when a sense of crushing failure kept beating his soul into a catatonic state? It wasn’t all bad, he supposed dully. At least, he was able to ignore their unabashed comments about his scarred skin, his lack of body hair and even his…size.

Yesterday’s duel kept replaying in his mind— the image of his dragons being sucked into the spell of the Thousand Eyes Sacrifice, Pegasus smirking as he decimated each of his traps and spells in a bout of uncanny foresight, and finally the image of his own dragon turning against him was the final blow. He would never let them spill, but tears surged up to the rim of his eyes. Vaguely, he was aware of the Greek cosmetician screeching about the kohl still being wet, but a small bell outside the dressing chamber chimed, signaling a visitor. Another slave, laden with enough fresh clothes and accessories to hide the upper half of his torso entered and spoke a few words in Greek.

“Master Pegasus makes his way here, prepare to receive him!”

Seth resisted the urge to cringe as the attendants rose in a flurry of linens and swept out. Soon, he was alone in the dim light of the chamber with his would-be dresser.

“Oh, master…”

Seth’s eyes flew open and rested on his own slave placing the clothes on a raised slab to keep them dry. “Kasiya…”

The priest could feel the warmth as the blond hugged him to his chest and slight anxiety when the gesture was not returned. Tentatively, he bought his hands up and wrapped them around his companion’s hips, feeling Kasiya press closer in happiness.

The blond looked up and made a face. “Master, what did you let them do to you?” He sifted his fingers through the oiled strands of russet hair. The attendants had taken his straight clean Egyptian style and so twisted his hair into tight ringlets to mimic Greek style. It looked terrible.

Seth tossed his head to pull away from the hand and frowned. “Kasiya, what are you doing here?”

“I would ask you the same.”

”What?”

Kasiya didn’t let go even as Seth tried to step back. “You shouldn’t be here, my priest. Not when Pegasus cheated in the Shadow Game.”

“What?!” This time, the priest’s voice was sharp and his eyes glinted dangerously, but Kasiya smiled to see the fire return to them. “Who said this?”

“I heard his men talking; it is possible that they were watching your tablets from behind you.”

Seth’s body tensed. So Pegasus hadn’t any skill or foresight, he had been receiving illegal information all along! A familiar rage twisted in his stomach as the humiliating loss replayed in his head. A small cry bought him back to the present and immediately, he loosened his death grip on Kasiya’s hip.

“I’m sorry, Kasiya, I was…oh, but you are a good and clever little iwiw, aren’t you?”

Kasiya frowned slightly as his master grabbed his head and pressed a nearly painful kiss across his lips. He didn’t appreciate being called a dog, but he supposed it was worth it to see Seth get back to his spirits. Once they separated for air, Seth stalked toward his clothes and put them on swiftly. He looked back to see the blond tying the last knot on his tunic with short angry movements. Kasiya hated these clothes which either fluttered loosely or clung to totally inappropriate parts of his priest’s body. They were undignified and perverse unlike Seth’s usual priestly robes that did nothing but exude beauty and power.

“Forget this, Kasiya.” Seth ordered. “He will be wearing even less when I throw him to Sekhmet’s mercy in the desert. Now, do you have evidence that he was cheating?”

“Only what I heard.” Kasiya replied, biting his lip. As he expected, Seth paused and frowned. Of course, the blue-eyed priest was thinking what Karim already said; the word of a slave was worth nothing beside that of a noble. Even if he was fucking said slave and practically trusted him with his life.

But Seth didn’t become the youngest High Priest in Atem’s court by giving up. “Very well, recount everything to Mahaado, for he is closest to Pharaoh and…”

“I already have, master.” Kasiya replied, sliding his hands up Seth’s muscled arms even though his eyes looked at the rough tile floor. “They said they can’t do anything now…”

“They?” Seth looked at his slave at arm’s length. “You spoke to the whole priesthood?”
The priest of the Sennen Rod blinked in amazement at Kasiya’s shy nod. He was impressed; usually, a slave was only concerned about his position and comfort at the palace, but this one truly cared for his master with a fierceness found mostly in prized hounds. And Seth appreciated it, though he didn’t show it often enough, because he really did like his iwiw, maybe more than it was safe to like a slave.

“They said it would take more timmmph…!” Kasiya trailed off into a soft moan when Seth pulled him forward into another crushing kiss. He stood on his toes and wrapped his arms around the priest’s neck as their tongues dueled for dominance and surrendered in turn.

“I expected something along those lines.” Seth stated a little breathlessly before tapping another brief kiss on the blond’s forehead. “But don’t worry, as long as he has me, he must remain in Egypt. Seven days is a small price to pay if I can throw him to the shadows before that.”

Kasiya felt anger burn inside him again. “Master, no!” He growled, tightening his grip. But before he could say anything more, Seth looked up at the sound of footsteps nearing the chamber and gently pushed him away.

An older man entered the room and judging by how no one else crowded him, he was Pegasus. Kasiya pursed his lips, taking in the man’s form. He wasn’t terribly bad looking for someone his age, but the expression on his face beneath long silver hair was sardonic. Kasiya had served under enough men like these, who smiled like a spring day, and then bit like cobras.

Pegasus looked at the scene before him with raised eyebrows. “Ah, good morning, High Priest…and…” He looked questioningly at Kasiya, though it was obvious he knew what the boy was.

“A slave.” Seth provided flatly. “He is here to receive a few instructions regarding my household during my absence.”

“More than a few, if I heard correctly last night.” Pegasus’s lips twitched. “Why, high priest, I thought you would be excited. You set the wager, after all, and chose to honor it.”

Seth’s jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed, but he didn’t retort. The fact only made the blond more furious. How was there any justice in the world when eagles had to hold their tongue and bow before snakes like this?

“I don’t know what you are doing here.” Seth said quietly. “The sun has not risen yet, and my time is still mine. I will see you exactly at the appointed hour…if you will leave now and let me prepare my things.”

The silver-haired man only smiled and stepped closer to boldly reach up and stroke Seth’s cheekbone. “You spit fire just like your dragons, impotent though they were. You will make quite a different paidika than the ones I am used to.”

The priest tilted his head at the unfamiliar word, but he had no time to think it over when Kasiya growled fiercely. The slave stepped forward to give the foreigner a look that would have withered a charging elephant. “My master is nothing of the sort! He is a dragon tamer, not a bitch that exists for your pleasure.”

“Slave!” Seth called sharply, but there was not enough conviction in his tone. What had Pegasus called him? A tool for pleasure? The priest pulled at Kasiya’s golden locks and yanked him back. “Shut up, you fool!”

“No!” Kasiya didn’t even wince at the abuse. He freed himself from his master’s grasp and clenched his fists. “You’re a priest of Egypt! You should be responsible for holding up the laws of Ma’at!”

“Kasiya…” Seth’s tone fairly warned him to hold his tongue.

“Hit me all you like, you know it is true!” The blond directed a glare at Seth’s raised hand and then turned his fiery gaze toward Pegasus, who now watched him suspiciously. “And you, you aren’t even worth the dirt beneath his shoes!”

This time, the chamber echoed with the sharp strike of flesh against flesh. With a shuddering breath, Kasiya put a hand to his cheek where Seth slapped him. He knew the priest was furious; he had deliberately lost his temper and embarrassed them both.

“How dare you meddle in the affairs of your superiors?” Seth snarled, but there was a desperate edge to his voice. Whatever his slave was playing at, it was dangerous and heaven be damned if he was going to encourage such self-destructive behavior. The intensity of this desire to protect his slave surprised him for no one else in the world moved him so much.
It had to be the reciprocation. Out of all the pretty servants Seth had taken his pleasure with, Kasiya had been the most difficult to convince into bed. But once it happened, the blond reciprocated every bit of cherishment and protectiveness Seth had given him.

Now, Kasiya straightened nervously. His eyes darted between his master and the foreigner. Though they were dressed informally, they still looked so tall and regal compared to him. Maybe they were right, Menkaure, the priests, even Seth. Maybe he –was- in over his head. He thought about apologizing, but then something in Seth’s voice stopped him. The priest wasn’t angry, he was anxious. Anxious to remove his helpless iwiw from the midst of corrupt jackals.

All at once, Kasiya felt irritated. Why did Seth do this? Why did he insist on punishing himself for a failure that wasn’t even his fault?

The blond frowned. “A slave may be nothing, but the Gods gave even us the responsibility to uphold the law of Ma’at.”

“Touching.” Pegasus said sarcastically, but his expression was no longer mockingly amused. His eyes were like coals in his annoyance. “However, there is no injustice to correct here. The highest born in Egypt have sanctified this.”

“Because they don’t know what you did!”

“They know I won a duel.” Pegasus retorted coldly. “Now, get out with whatever dignity your have left and I will only order fifty lashes instead of a hundred.”

Seth turned swiftly. “You have no right to—“

“If I win another game against you, will you return my master’s freedom?”

Everyone in the room seemed to have paused in mid-breath. Seth was the first to recover and grab Kasiya’s shoulder, digging his nails into the already scarred flesh. “Iwiw, do not be absurd! For the sake of Egypt’s dignity, get the hell out, or I will be ordering the hundred lashes!”

Kasiya merely placed his hand over the priest’s and rubbed the tense fingers soothingly. He continued to look at Pegasus. “I want to challenge you to another game. If I win, I want Seth back and you will submit to the priesthood of Egypt. If I lose, you may have both of us; Seth for the seven days and me for eternity. What do you say?”

There was a long pause while everyone wrapped their mind around the insanity. Finally, Pegasus spoke. “I say yes. But then…Egypt does not allow slaves to duel.”

Kasiya smirked. He still felt Seth’s fingers on his shoulder and imagined his master’s strength and cool confidence flowing into him. “Then, it is lucky that Shadow Games aren’t all we have. If you are familiar with our Gods, then you will know Thoth played the very first game with Khons and won Nut’s freedom from Ra’s curse.”

Pegasus raised an eyebrow. “Senet? You’re challenging me to a child’s board game?”

“A game is a game.” Kasiya replied. “All you have to do is accept the challenge and the conditions.”

Another smirk and Kasiya resisted the urge to swallow nervously. Pegasus was suddenly too relaxed as he replied. “It is an exaggeration to call it a challenge, but I accept nevertheless. Come to the Audience Chamber in an hour; we will play there. But, you understand slave, that there will be dreadful consequences to your loss?”

“If I do lose,” Kasiya replied. “I deserve everything I get.”

-II-

*************************
“Gamble everything for love,
If you are a true human being.”
~Rumi from The Story of the Three Fishes
*************************

“…master?”

Kasiya tiptoed around to the priest’s front to gaze into dull blue eyes that stared blankly at the soft sunrise beyond the balcony. After his act of defiance, Seth had turned and retreated to his chambers. His bedroom was still being cleaned, but the living space was quiet and warm in dawn’s golden light.

“Priest Seth.” The blond knelt before the couch where Seth was slouching and brushed a few strands of hair from his face. When the taller man didn’t respond, the slave sighed.

“You haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon. Would you like me to bring you something?”

Finally, he got a response. Well, perhaps not the response he wanted, but at least it was better than a moody gaze at the sun.

“What in the seven hells is wrong with you?” Kasiya’s eyes widened as Seth flattened him against the couch with his fingers wrapped around his neck. “You’re just fucking incorrigible! I mean, that was…no, what the hell was that, Kasiya? Please, enlighten me!”

“It had to be done.” The blond fairly choked again as the fingers tightened.

“Why?” Seth snarled. “Because we, the fucking Keepers of the Sennen Items, are incompetent? Did you listen to a thing I said?”

Kasiya only nodded, tears springing to his eyes as he struggled to breathe. “I did, but how could I let him take you away?”

“I can take care of myself!” Seth abandoned his neck and yanked at his hair, bringing them closer.

“He called you a paidika!” The younger of the two almost shrieked, voice rising from the pain. “Do you know what that is? A pleasure tool to be used and thrown away; a pretty young lover passed around at parties!”

Seth hesitated, but only for a moment before scowling. “Again, servant, I can take care of myself.”

“I am your servant and yours only.” Tears spilled over the boy’s eyes, spiking his lashes. “Is it wrong to want you as my master only?”

Seth sneered and separated himself from the body beneath him. “How long have you been deluding yourself, Kasiya? You are nothing but a well-fed dog who sometimes shares my bed. You have no rank, no skills, no education and you are of no advantage to me outside the bedchamber. Do you think I care about you anymore than that?”

The tiniest flicker of hurt passed through his heart and Kasiya hesitated. He sat up and peered into Seth’s furious eyes and to his surprise, they were glazed with tears. Silly priest probably didn’t even know they were there.

He reached up take Seth’s hand and place his forehead against the back. “Well, then I suppose I am the only one who cares. Consider me as doing the duty expected of my master’s dog. If I lose, the Gods will damn me for my insolence.”

A moment passed and more tears slid down his cheeks, but then he was astonished to feel strong arms pulling him in to a broad chest. “Kasiya...” The slave opened his mouth at his lord’s insistence and Seth kissed him deeply while his hands traveled downwards to brush his thighs.

Kasiya moaned quietly into the kiss, feeling Seth pull up his kilt and bring one hand to cup his bottom. The other one wandered over his bare chest to play with a nipple. Finally, they parted for air and Kasiya panted lightly as Seth leaned down to bite and suck at this neck. He pressed their bodies closer together, drawing a groan from his companion.

“For my sake, Kasiya, don’t do it.” Seth murmured and the blond quivered under the wisps of warm breath ghosting along his throat. The priest pushed up the rest of the kilt and gave his ass a squeeze while rolling his nipple between thumb and forefinger. Kasiya squirmed under the dual pleasures, but realized the distraction for what it was.

“If you don’t love me now, you’d downright hate me for giving up.” The blond replied and nipped at Seth’s ear.

All at once, the blue-eyed priest growled and Kasiya found himself back on the couch, draped over Seth’s lap. He yelped shrilly when he felt a sharp smack on the small of his back.

“Foolish little iwiw!” Seth snapped. “You overstep your boundaries!”

“You don’t command me, not as long as you belong to Pegasus!” Kasiya countered breathlessly and earned another smack, this time directly on his ass.

Seth pinched his inner thigh, causing him to squeak partly in pain and partly in pleasure. “You’ll go to the Red Lands, mongrel. I have no need for recalcitrant servants.”

Kasiya pressed his palms against the thigh he was draped over and tried to rise. He was thwarted by a hand forcing his head down and a few more resounding slaps to his ass. The flesh of his rear burned slightly because Seth did have quite a hand, but his resolve was no closer to breaking.

“As long as you aren’t dishonored, master, I will be happy wandering any desert.”

A moment passed and Kasiya opened his eyes tentatively. The slap he was expecting didn’t come, instead, Seth’s hand moved soothingly along his bottom. He gasped when he felt the priest lap at his spine and come up to nip at his neck. “You really are just like a loyal dog, aren’t you? Even after I let you and Menkaure down…”

Kasiya twisted on Seth’s lap so he lay face up. He hugged the man close. Even after all these years, it amazed him how a loss affected Seth. Certainly, it didn’t happen often, but when it did, it was like a personal failure. A veil of shame and hopelessness settled about him and he promptly reached for the wine flagon. Kasiya had spent enough nights finding ways to distract the priest before the alcohol poisoned him in his sleep.

“He. Cheat-ed! You didn’t let anyone down and I don’t want to hear it again!”

Seth twisted them again so he was atop his slave. Kasiya looked too delectable on his back, flushed, with his kilt pushed up to expose his manhood. Seth lowered his body so Kasiya could press up against his stiffening erection. The friction was amazing and the two moaned in rapture, lips seeking each other. The elder man rubbed his partner’s cock and slid his fingers down to circle his entrance. At Kasiya’s mewling insistence, he leaned down to lick at the wakening shaft, but a bell chimed outside his door.

Immediately, Seth withdrew and Kasiya straightened, pushing his kilt back down. They were barely sorted when a slender figure burst into their room.

Menkaure looked flushed, as if he ran here from the river itself. “Kasiya, I heard you…did you really…they’re say…”

“Woah, calm down, Mokie.” The blond held his hands up in a defensive posture.

Menkaure turned to his teacher. “Master Seth, is it true?” His grey eyes widened at Seth’s silent nod and he nearly wailed. “Kasiya, why?”
The apprentice stepped forward to kneel before Seth. “High priest, this isn’t fair! Kasiya hasn’t dealt with men like these, you have to let me go in his place!”

“Absolutely not!” Seth and Kasiya’s voices came in severe unison.

Seth rose, irritation evident on his face, and turned on the two. “Like I was telling this stubborn animal, this is no one’s fight but my own! If anything is to be fair, Kasiya will have the sense to resign and walk away.”

“And I will tell you again that if I wanted to do that, I wouldn’t have challenged him in the first place.” Kasiya frowned in displeasure and in disbelief at the lengths Seth would go to dissuade him. “Give me some credit, master. I know how to play Senet.”

Seth glared back. “There is no playing Senet; it is a game of chance. You are gambling obscenely with your soul!”

Kasiya absently ruffled Menkaure’s hair. “Only because I can be obscenely lucky.”

Menkaure whimpered and backed away as Seth pinned the other against a pillar. “Don’t be idiotic! You are already a slave and without any freedom to offer him, he will take your life!”

The blond shrugged. “If so, you will save the time and effort of having to banish me.” His lips curved into a wistful smile as Seth narrowed his eyes. “Besides, I am a slave with no rank, no skills and no education; what more do I have to offer you?”

-II-

Unlike what Kasiya feared, Seth didn’t try to say anything and stop him from going to the Audience Chamber once the hour was up. Instead, he tightened his grip around his wrist as they got closer.

“Last chance, Kasiya. Let me and the other priests deal with this snake.” Seth entreated softly. “I will find a way, even if I have to take his men to the forbidden dungeons and force a confession.”

Kasiya closed his eyes, but resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. And the priest accused him of being incorrigible; talk about the pot calling the pan black. “You really think that’s it, don’t you? That I just want to correct some minor injustice?”

Seth frowned at him. “Cheating in a Shadow Game is not minor.”

“It is compared to what he is doing to you.” Kasiya retorted pointedly and stood on his toes to kiss the cleric’s lips. “I know, you think this is stupid, exactly something a low-born simpleton would do after reading too many romantic poems. But do remember I am human and…I care about you. Enough to gamble obscenely.”

The priest didn’t have time to react before the younger one let him go and entered the vast doors to the Chamber.

Kasiya nearly froze with sheer anxiety. Everyone was present: Pharaoh, the other priests, Pegasus and various other men whom he identified as the visiting foreigners. It was a little disquieting that he was for once the main guest as he walked to the table where the Senet board was set up, but he was careful not to let it turn to panic. Seth had taught him enough times how one’s psychic state affected the game.

“Welcome, boy.” Pegasus was already seated at the board and spread his arms in an amiable gesture. Kasiya merely nodded. The elder man was obviously trying to cow him by indicating his entourage behind him. The Greek dignitaries looked him over and raised their eyebrows, turning to whisper among themselves.

“It is I who should welcome you, my lord.” The blond inclined his head. “Since you are sitting before my Pharaoh.”

Pegasus’s smirk wavered as he saw Atem’s stoic face behind Kasiya’s seat. The slave was slightly overwhelmed by the size of the seat and the grandeur of the board before him. The Senet playing field was carved from ivory and ebony wood. The lucky squares were painted with gold to represent Isis and the unlucky ones were set with lapis lazuli to symbolize the First River Nun. The players’ pieces were of smooth malachite and carnelian while the nearly flat sticks that served as dice were polished to a bright white on one side and obsidian black on the other.

The Chamber door opened once again and Seth entered with his apprentice. Menkaure went to sit under Atem’s dais, and Seth strode toward Pegasus taking his place behind the man’s chair. Kasiya’s expression fell; was he to face the consequences of his loss even before the game began? But it cleared up as Seth had also taught him about schooling his emotions.

After a moment, Shimon stepped forward from the dais and declared in a flat voice. “The slave Kasiya shall face the diplomat Pegasus in a game of Senet, which is as dear to the Gods of Egypt as the Shadow Games. The stake in this duel is High Priest Seth’s freedom.”

Once he finished, Mahaado stepped forward with the Sennen Ring. Striding over to the table, he stood firmly behind Kasiya. The blond didn’t move, but he could feel the Item’s magic buzzing behind him. Suddenly, he was aware of a golden sheen of light dancing around him and looked up to see Seth’s lips curve into the smallest of smiles. In front of him, Pegasus was stuck looking at Mahaado. It was not as if said priest was all that imposing, but his piercing gaze was discomforting. Especially now that he was actually monitoring Pegasus for illegal activity.

“By the rules written by the Reed of Thoth, a player who tosses a four or a six shall move his first piece to the field and commence his journey to the Gates of Osiris. The first player whose five pieces have fully completed their journey is the winner.”

Kasiya felt his head nod in acknowledgement. He gathered the carnelian disks while Pegasus lined up the malachite pyramids. The dice went to the challenged first, so the other man picked them up and threw a practice toss. Three white sides faced up…a three. Only one more stick had to conform before a piece could be moved.

“Begin!”

The dice clattered across the table again, two white sides facing up. Kasiya sighed in relief and picked them up. With a brief look at Seth, he tossed. Three black sides up. He would have gotten a six if all four had been black, but neither of them would move this turn. Before him, Pegasus was more intensely focused on his opponent than on the board.

“You have such clever fingers, slave. Your master must be quite happy about that, yes?”

Kasiya tensed and suppressed a flare of anger. This was underhanded; talking about inappropriate things when Seth was right before him. Pegasus did not break his gaze even to glance at the dice, but it was no matter. He had only two white sides face up.

“My master has better things on his mind.” Kasiya scooped up the sticks and rolled them exaggeratedly between his fingers and tossed them almost lazily. He held his breath as three landed white side up and the fourth teetered noisily. However, it didn’t keep its promise and the ebony side landed up. Fuck!

Pegasus gathered the dice and looked at the board as if he were contemplating a move, even though none of his pieces made it to the board yet. “Hmm, my thoughts exactly. You don’t look all that attractive and judging by your temper, you haven’t an ounce of his famous control.”

The blond’s lips thinned and he focused on the sound of the dice rather than get distracted.

“I supposed it was possible that opposites attract, but is this really a misguided attempt to draw his attention to yourself?”

“Enough talk. Concentrate on the game.” It was a weak comeback; Kasiya knew it and Pegasus knew it. The elder man’s smirk widened as the dice settled and his opponent’s heart sank. Four white sides lay face up, and Pegasus moved a malachite pyramid on to the fourth square.

“Your move, little one.”

Kasiya didn’t dare look at Seth as he picked up the dice. His hand shook a little, and the dice clattered down. Shit! Still two whites up.
The foreigner swept them up next and rolled them in his palm before releasing them. The dice signaled only a three, which meant he could only advance the existing piece to the seventh square.

“Ooh, don’t fret, little iwiw.” The man’s agate brown eyes pierced him through the veil of silver hair. “Luck will smile on you soon enough.”

Kasiya’s teeth clenched and a snarl demanding he take the comment back was ready on his lips. If he didn’t like Seth calling him a dog, what made this prick think he was special? His mind swirled in agitation, though he tried hard to concentrate on the dice in his hand. The sight of his idle disks sickened him and he would have snapped at this opponent if – that – hadn’t happened.

The blond slave blinked bemusedly. Where only a few moments ago, darkness was taking over his mind, a golden light flared up like a little flame. Kasiya’s jaw relaxed as his mind’s eye perceived a little yellow moth fluttering toward the light. The moth touched the flame and ricocheted back in a nearly comical fashion. Instead of catching fire, the moth glowed and continued fluttering joyously. For some reason the blond wanted to laugh at such a trivial scene, but there was a message there. If it didn’t kill you, it has only made you stronger.

He was only half aware of the dice rolling across the table, but he heard the crowd’s collective gasp. Four black sides landed up. A six! He could move! Happily, he placed a carnelian disk on the sixth square. It was unfortunate that he didn’t land on Pegasus’s previous token and take it off the board, but there were other advantages.

“Oh no, a six permits another turn.” Kasiya smirked and tossed. Almost immediately, he clapped in childish delight when the dice landed four whites up. His first disk moved forward and a second one entered the board. Behind him, Mahaado’s magic took on a pleasant trill meaning the priest was pleased. But most importantly, Seth smiled at him and the Sennen Rod glowed, scattering the light into the shape of a thousand moth wings.

Heart quickening in gladness, the blond looked at his opponent and flashed him a grin. “When luck smiles, she certainly shines. Your move.”

Pegasus didn’t seem to see the humor.

-II-

It was getting to be lunchtime because servants were entering discreetly to place bowls of food at peoples’ sides. Kasiya tossed his head weakly not due to hunger, but due to sheer fatigue. Turns out there were a few side effects to a shadow game. Whenever he fell too far behind, the golden light which usually comforted him began to strangle him. No doubt, if he lost, the light would consume him and toss him into the Shadow Realm.

Currently, three of his pieces had completed their journey compared to Pegasus’s four. The other man’s last pyramid had only one more row to traverse and one of Kasiya’s disks were right behind it. The other disk had been bumped off the board at one point and had to restart its journey. It wasn’t as if the game was completely hopeless, so why was he feeling so out of breath? The blond straightened in an effort to open his chest more and breathe, but it was in vain.

Pegasus clicked his tongue in disappointment as his dice showed a zero and pushed them forward. “All yours, little one. Perhaps the Gods pity you for now.”

Kasiya barely had the strength to retort, much less to pick up the dice. His fingers curled around them weakly. He didn’t want to admit it, but it was getting bad—physically, not game-wise. At first, he thought he could handle the stress of the magic and waved away Seth’s concern, but then the voices started. They were like malicious demons whispering in his ear each time he failed to move.

He heard his mother scold him sharply for messing up something yet again…and his little sister crying in the background.

He heard his father scream at him in an intoxicated rage that he was a worthless bitch, who didn’t learn, who didn’t listen, who didn’t…

/…think, Kasiya. You never think!/ He nearly jumped out of his skin, hearing Seth’s clipped tones. /Where did you think luck was going to get you?/

The dice tapped down. A mere two.

/How did you think this was going to end, iwiw?/ The blue-eyed priest sneered in disgust. /Couldn’t you have left this up to the priests? My equals, who are above children’s’ games? /

His next roll was another two.

/Thank you, slave, for gambling obscenely with my soul./

“I’m sorry, master.” A low whimper crept from his throat. “Please don’t…”

He saw a movement out of the corner of his blurring eyes. “…Kasiya?” It sounded like Seth, but so far away. And suddenly, the voices were gone and all he saw was the familiar golden light of Seth and Mahaado’s magic.

“What did you say?” Seth inquired warily.

The blond nearly slapped himself for his weakness. “N…nothing…sire.”

“I heard nothing.” Pegasus pushed the dice toward him quickly. “Go on.”

“Kasiya, repeat what you said!” This time, Seth’s voice was harsh and Mahaado leaned forward.

Kasiya resisted another urge to whimper. “I…imagined things…I was hearing voices.”

“And you told me to concentrate on the game?” Pegasus raised an eyebrow, but there was an edge to his voice. “I didn’t know you were skilled enough to daydream during a challenge.”

“It’s gone now…” The slave began, but the reigning priests stepped forward. Seth hooked an arm around his waist and pulled him up.

“Get up, Kasiya.” The priest commanded. “This game is over now.”

Kasiya looked around wildly, expecting Mahaado or anyone else to protest. Surprisingly, it was Pegasus who quipped up. “Why, high priest, you’re conceding for him?”

Conceding? Kasiya twisted violently in Seth’s arms. “No! Master please, I can do this! The shadows don’t—“

“This isn’t a Shadow Game.” Seth growled in his ear. “The only magic we used created a light to illuminate the board.”

“What?” Kasiya whispered, feet barely planted on the ground. Seth pressed him close protectively and pointed the Rod at Pegasus, who made to get up.

“Sit down,” The brunet priest’s voice dripped venom. “You used illicit black magic to affect my Kasiya’s mind. This misconduct opens inquiry into any other games you played in Egypt.”

“Preposterous!” The silver haired man growled. “You’re making excuses for your slave’s lack of mental fortitude. Am I to believe him when he accuses me of making him hear voices?”

“He didn’t accuse you of anything.” Seth replied icily. “You made the mistake of thinking we were engaging you in a Shadow Game and tried to disguise your magic under its affects.”

“What…?”

“It is the truth.” Mahaado chimed in, his eyes narrowed in disgust. “We knew Kasiya wouldn’t last among the shadows, so we didn’t summon them. We thought you must have sensed the fact, but obviously you are a worse mage than you are a duelist.”

There was an immediate uproar as Pegasus’s attendants surged about him, only to be countered by Pharaoh’s own priests and attendants. In the chaos, Seth pulled Kasiya toward the doors, Menkaure at his heels. Once outside, he propped the slave against a sandstone pillar.

Kasiya touched his cheek to the cool stone and closed his eyes to relieve the nausea. He felt Seth’s hand rub his back and soft lips brush on his shoulder. “Go and rest, Kasiya. You did very well.”

The blond reached back blindly to pull the priest back. “Seth, where are you going?”
This couldn’t possibly be the end; he didn’t even win! How could he be sure anything he did counted?

“I must be with the others.” Seth looked back toward the hectic Chamber with a triumphant smirk. “All six high priests must be present when the Items pass judgment.”

“…but…!” Kasiya felt panic flare up in him again. What if he was wrong? What if he misheard before and the Items found nothing in Pegasus’s mind? What if…?

“Kasiya, rest assured.” Seth spoke to him confidently, eyes flashing. “I will be coming to you tonight, no one else.”

-II-

*************************
“All day I think about it, at night, I say it.
…my soul is from elsewhere, I am sure of that, and I intend to reach there.”
~Rumi: The Tavern
*************************

Again the sky was a wash of soft violets and reds and once again, he rested a wine jar against his hip. Only this time, it was sunset.

Kasiya sighed and turned from the balcony back to the living room in Seth’s chambers. The trial by the Sennen Items were probably still going on; after Pegasus, every single one of the silver-haired man’s associates were put on the chopping block. The one instance he dared to go down to the Audience Chamber, he was greeted by soul-rending screams and bestial growls as the priests delved into their prisoners’ minds and extracted malevolent ka.

Despite the fact that he was the reason for this mass exorcism, Kasiya had not been permitted into the Chamber. Oh well, it wasn’t as if there was going to be a parade for him the next day either. He was still a slave and as far as anyone was concerned, he was nothing but a pawn in Seth and Mahaado’s plans to trap Pegasus. Logically thinking, maybe he was. After all, a powerful sorcerer like Seth couldn’t possibly have been fooled…

The blond set down the wine jar next to the matching cup and turned his eyes to the huge mural on the southern wall. Seth was the biggest figure on it, of course, seated on a grand chair with his hands extended like a roof over all he commanded. He was surrounded by smaller images of his vassals and holy symbols, but Kasiya’s eyes were always drawn to the almost unnoticeable spot by Seth’s feet. He remembered when Menkaure got his hands on some yellow paint and then painted a little golden dog there as a joke. It wasn’t as regal as the hunting hounds depicted on Pharaoh’s walls, rather it was a silly little thing with wide eyes and a too big head. But, Kasiya noted with relish, while nothing else in the mural touched Seth’s image, the little dog sat right on his feet.

The sound of rustling linen snapped the blond out of his reverie. Turning, he nearly smacked into a hard chest only to be gathered into a pair of strong arms and twirled around.

“Mmm, it was all so perfect, Kasiya.” Seth told him excitedly after setting him down. The priest was back in his traditional regalia, a vision in blue and white and gold. His eyes glittered in light of his latest victory. “Every Item found him guilty of enough crimes for us to punish him as we saw fit.”

“How did he die?” The slave asked nonchalantly while pouring the wine. If it were any one else, he would have felt sick or horrified at a death sentence, but considering what Pegasus was about to do, death was probably too good.

“None of us has crossed into the Shadow Realm to see yet.” The priest said casually, but his tone was colored with delectable satisfaction.

Taking the offered cup, Seth sipped at the cool liquid and closed his eyes in bliss. He turned to the blond. “You know, his body is still here, maybe you can find a use for it. Teach it to wash dishes or do any of your other chores.”

Kasiya was unconcerned about the flippancy as he wrapped Seth’s free arm around his own waist and led them to the now cleaned bedchamber. “I could, but what would I do with all the free time after that?”

“Hmm, I can think of a few things…”

Kasiya grinned widely as he latched the bedroom door and Seth pressed him up against it impatiently. The blond felt teeth scrape against his ear and wander down to his neck while Seth’s fingers busily undid the catches that held the sleeves of his tunic.

“Mmm…gods…” The slave grasped the doorframe and moaned as the top part of his tunic fell around his belt and a warm tanned hand slid up his chest to tease his nipple. Seth licked at the curved length of his spine, simultaneously pinching down on his nipple. With a gasp, Kasiya turned and arched his back, groaning when he felt cool wine splash over his chest. Seth still had the wine cup and the ruby fluid had sloshed over the rim. Immediately, the elder man replaced his fingers with his mouth.

The sight of the priest sucking on the bronzed flesh was surprisingly erotic. He’d never really seen his master pleasure him so eagerly in such bright light. Usually, when they fucked, it was close to midnight when Seth finally made it to his chambers and needed to release the day’s stress.

Now, his fingers sifted through his master’s straight russet hair as Seth got down to one knee and dipped his tongue into his navel.

“Oooh…!” Kasiya yelped when a hand closed around his wakening shaft under his tunic. He thrust forward lightly in a silent plea for more, but Seth stood up with a smile.

He kissed his slave full on the mouth, enjoying the mewling sounds he made. “I don’t say this enough, Kasiya, but I do love you for everything you do.”

“Anytime, master.” Kasiya hid his blush by burying his head in Seth’s neck.

“And you have more to offer than just your life.” With one arm, Seth lifted the body plastered to his and walked toward the vast bed. Drawing the mesh aside, he dropped his precious burden among the pillows and leaned down to whisper. “Where would I be without such an insubordinate, annoying, hot-headed, insane little iwiw?”

Kasiya opened his mouth to make a comment as to how un-flattered he was, but it turned into a shuddering keen when Seth pushed up his kilt and tipped the cup to sprinkle more wine between his thighs, causing them to part abruptly.

“Do you –know- how many things remind me of you in a single day?” The dragon tamer undid the slave’s beaded belt and proceeded to remove the last piece of cloth on his body. “I can’t look at the sunrise without thinking of your eyes nor listen to the Nile without thinking of you babbling incessantly.”

Kasiya grinned weakly. Now, he –was- a little flattered. He wrapped his red-stained leg around Seth’s waist and pulled him closer. “Perhaps I’ll try to be less conspicuous.”

“Oh, it gets worse.” Seth murmured, lapping at the wine, making his way down from navel to waiting cock. “Now, imagine I’m sitting in council…”

“Huh…ahhh..!” The blond arched up when he felt a warm wetness glide over him, eyes slitting in pleasure.

“…and you come swaying in…pretending to serve refreshments.”

“Nnngh…” Kasiya squirmed though Seth’s hands stilled his hips. The priest licked the underside of his cock leisurely, driving him nearly wild with want. “Ahh, master, please…I wasn’t…pretending…”

Seth ignored him. “And all these sinful desires go through my head…”

Kasiya spread his legs further as Seth plied his erection with more wine and the stuff coursed down over his sac and then his entrance. He bit back a desperate groan and asked huskily instead, “Sinful desires? What does the high priest count as sinful?”

“Plenty.” Seth removed the Sennen Rod from his belt and drizzled the last of wine over it. With a dark smile, he trailed the smooth gold handle along his slave’s inner thigh.

Kasiya’s breath caught in his throat when he felt the object go lower and probe in secret places. “M…ma…master?”

“Ooh my gods!” Golden eyes widened and Kasiya’s fists clenched the off-white sheets as he felt the Rod slide into him. It was such an odd feeling…hell, it was downright terrifying when he considered the fact that a fucking Sennen Item was up his ass. His body quivered while adjusting to the intrusion, but the thing was slender enough that it didn’t long. Meanwhile, the priest’s mouth was busy around the head of his cock.

Seth sucked greedily, taking him into his throat in a matter of seconds. He enjoyed hearing those pleading moans coming from his slave as the slick muscles at the back of his throat squeezed at the throbbing length. Smiling deviously around the organ, he jerked his hand forward and Kasiya cried out shrilly when the tip of the Rod nudged at his prostate.

“Ohh, oh, yes! So good…” All previous awkwardness forgotten in the wake of ecstasy, Kasiya twisted on the mattress in response to the dual pleasures. He thrust down in time with the Sennen Item, taking the thing in deeper so it scraped mercilessly at his pleasure spot and his cock drove up into the priest’s mouth, already wet with precome.

Ecstasy gathered at the base of his spine and his muscles twitched and tightened in anticipation of release. Seth hollowed his cheeks and withdrew infuriatingly slowly from his cock and let the head slide out of his mouth.

The elder man tilted his head and looked down at his lover panting and moaning so wantonly beneath him. “Ready?”

“Huh…ahh…wha?” Kasiya asked breathlessly. Ready for what?

“You’ve been through hell today.” Seth’s voice was a near moan. “Let me show you, there can be good magic as well.”

If Kasiya’s eyes widened any further, they probably would never close again. And, Gods as his witness, he would never complain, not after this. Seth only had to concentrate for a second before the Sennen Rod began to vibrate inside the blond.

The first thing to flee was inhibition, though eyesight was following fast. “Oh, oh, oh! Nnnahh…Seth, yes! Harder!”

The younger one’s hips lifted off the bed and he drew his knees up for better leverage as he thrust down violently so the vibrations touched his core. If it hurt, he wasn’t feeling it above the mind-numbing pleasure that shot through every vein.

“Master, please…so good!” Kasiya whined and squirmed in an effort to use any trick of Isis to keep the Rod buzzing at his prostate. His mouth lay open and his eyes narrowed to slits as the world shattered around him and the pleasure surging through his body exploded out in a burst of white.

Seth groaned, seeing the blond shoot his seed all over himself and still desperately impale himself on the Rod. He unclenched his hand around the thing and the vibrations tapered off.

Kasiya opened his eyes and let out a whine of protest. He sat up to wrap his arms around Seth’s neck and grind against the priest’s clothed groin. “Seth, no... Please don’t stop! …was amazing!”

“Hmm, I thought you’d like it.” Seth took his lips in a kiss, urging him to calm down. His voice became dark. “See, my iwiw, how horribly sinful I can be?”

“Oh, master, we’ll go to hell together.” Kasiya lapped at his lover’s neck while his hands fumbled with Seth’s belt. The catch loosened and the kilt fell away, revealing the priest’s arousal. Kasiya jerked forward and moaned as their erections rubbed against each other in delicious friction.

“We’ll do so many sinful things in hell.” The blond breathed. “You’d have me however you want…”

“…and you’d be a good little slut.” Seth nipped at his lover’s collarbone. “Maybe in hell, there will be dragons…bad dragons that’d love to pound into you, make you scream, stain you with their seed.”

“Uhhnn, maybe.” Kasiya replied breathlessly and reached down to stroke Seth’s rapidly hardening cock. “But then again, I have my dragon right here, no?”

The blue-eyed priest growled and grasped at Kasiya’s hips pulling him forward. The blond immediately raised himself up on his knees and lowered himself down over his master’s swollen cock, groaning in pleasure. Seth thrust up into the tight heat of his lover’s smooth passage and his tongue swirled around a sandy nipple.

Kasiya keened as he felt himself growing hard again. He increased the pace of his thrusts to keep up with Seth until he was practically bouncing on his master’s lap. Maybe it was passion or maybe Seth still had shadow magics buzzing in his veins, but Kasiya swore they were going fast enough for it to feel like the Sennen Rod’s magic again.
Seth kept a nearly bruising grip on his hips as he pistoned in and out of his slave, eyes darkening in lust and possessiveness seeing said slave ride him enthusiastically.

Kasiya arched his back to press his palms on Seth’s knees to support himself as he impaled himself over and over again on the man’s cock. He lifted his chin and moaned articulately when the length scraped against his now hypersensitive prostate. Gods, yes, it was good…more than good, it was fucking amazing what Seth came up with….knowing it would make his little blond scream, leave him debauched like the lewdest whore and still make him love each second…

“Mmnn, my Kasiya…so beautiful…” The cleric’s words were like dark honey, cascading from his lips. Seth leaned forward to place a sloppy, off-center kiss on his mouth before whispering. “Touch yourself…let me see you…”
Feeling his muscles clamp down on Seth’s pulsing cock, Kasiya reached down to stroke himself. In moments, the priest’s hand joined his in order to push him over the edge of reason.

The blond tossed his head back and cried out at the building ecstasy. His moans became louder and more saturated with desire. “Ahh, Seth…so close…so…close! Harder, please! Mark me as yours, come inside me!”

“All mine,” Seth latched his lips and teeth on to his lover’s neck, intent on leaving a mark. “And only mine!”

“Oh yes, master, yes!” Kasiya’s voice rose to a fevered pitch as his body tightened around the hard shaft thrusting into his ass. “Hah! Seth, come!...yes!”

The blond shot to his climax for the second time, semen violently splashing over his fist and on to both their abdomens. Seth drove into him one last time with extra force and pitched forward, raising up off his haunches. Kasiya’s back hit the headboard and he groaned, feeling hot semen wash inside him and trail down his thighs.

Seth shivered lightly before withdrawing. Crawling over his blond lover, he claimed the boy’s lips in a passionate kiss. They explored each other languidly for a moment and Kasiya broke away, sighing.

He sank back on to the pillows, suddenly exhausted from the day. He felt something heavy rest on his breastbone and wrapped his hands around Seth to pull the priest up. From his niche under Seth’s chin, he looked outside the balcony to see the evening had faded into dark blue night. To think, if he hadn’t acted, Seth would have been with Pegasus and he would have spent tonight alone in his dismal cell in the slaves’ quarters.

No, he much preferred spending time on Seth’s warm plushy bed, with Seth of course. He nuzzled at the priest’s shoulder affectionately.

“I’m so happy to have you, master.” He said softly.

There was a long pause and just as the blond began to think the priest hadn’t heard him, Seth shifted his body and spoke sleepily.

“…sleep now, meryt.”

It was a wholly inadequate response…well, to a stranger, that is. As for Kasiya, he blushed with a happiness that would give him good dreams all night…all because his master had called him beloved.

END

-II-
** Quod per sortem, sternit fortem – Since fate strikes down even the strong
Mecum omnes plangite – everyone come and weep with me
Carl Orf’s O Fortuna, ftw!

Review, my darlings, and good things shall come to you.

Notes: So, you’ll notice I get sappy when I write puppyshipping…really, really sappy. From my other fics, you can tell that I have a notion in my head that Seth is a closet poet, but this one was just…wow, out of the closet and everything. I commend Kasiya/Katsuya because I sure as hell would have burst out laughing at his lines about the sunrise and the Nile…;p

So, if you haven’t figured it out yet, iwiw means dog and a paidika is a young male lover in Ancient Greece. As far as I know, these can range from pleasure slaves to casual boyfriend sorts. Different from the erastes/eromenos relationship in the upper classes. Wikipedia it if curious.

Menkaure is Mokuba, because he doesn’t get enough consideration (not that he gets more here)
“Teach it to wash dishes…” hehe, karma is a bitch, isn’t it Seto?

Also, I feel I should address this, though it is really awkward. Kasiya’s reaction to the Rod, the Sennen Rod seems a bit over the top. But keep in mind, ancient Egyptians had no…vibrators…so feeling it for the very first time is a little rattling. I guess, I really would not know. Anyways, don’t try it at home and all that…

TMI…I know…u_u