Abyssal (ManxMan)

Torn Harness

For a brief second, their eyes connected across the distance. His skin pebbled and his heart tripped on itself. Kai loathed that he was made to put on a show for the Conqueror's amusement against his will a second time. He loathed how Marius seemed to be enjoying this.

"What are you doing? Restrain him!" One brother yelled to the other.

"I-I can't! He's too strong...!"

The gold harness tore with a distinctive ripping sound and Kai was finally free. Instead of running -or wading- in the opposite direction, he threw himself at the two with a roar. His blood roared in his ears and rushed through his veins, fueling his rage.

"Your Highness, no please!" Begged one of the triplets.

Kai didn't relent. He had to make a point now so that they wouldn't dare touch him ever again.

"Enough."

The single word echoed in the baths.

Kai's flying fist stilled, just mere inches from the slave's face.

"Leave."

They were gone in an instant, dragging their bleeding brother face-down out of the baths with them. All that indicated there had ever been a fight was the trail of watery blood the triplets had left behind them, and Kai's torn harness floating about his chest.

"That was expensive." Marius nodded at the harness.

"I'm sure you can afford it." Dryly. He was still panting from the exertion.

Marius smiled. He straightened and walked toward the biggest of the pools.

At the edge, he undressed, stripping completely.

Kai stared at Marius' back and couldn't help but admire his perfect physique. Really, how can anyone have such broad shoulders and a muscled back?

His eyes trailed downward against his will-

He averted his gaze quickly, inwardly embarrassed at his... his... He wasn't sure what to call it. Curiosity?

He heard a giant splash. He looked up to see that Marius had disappeared into the water. The biggest pool was clearly also the deepest. How deep?

When next he emerged, his hair was long, floating about him, and his eyes glowed an almost electric blue. A giant black tail arched out of the water and back in again, the black as midnight scales glistening under the blue-white light of the glowing jellyfish.

"Come attend me."

Kai blinked. "What does that mean?"

Marius sighed overly. "Come bathe me."

Kai's jaw hit the waterline. "Are you seriously asking me to come give you a bath? What, you can't wash up by yourself? Are you a child?"

"Either you come to me or I come to you."

"I really do not want to."

"I am not asking."

"I know you're not. God knows you're insane enough."

"Should I summon the slaves again?"

"Ugh."

Kai went to the edge and climbed out of the pool. His gauzy pants clung to his legs, utterly sheer now that they were all wet. Upon realizing this, his face flushed crimson and his heart skipped a beat.

But it wasn't like Marius hadn't seen all that there was to see of him before.

Sighing, he begrudgingly approached the pool, aware of Marius' skimming gaze on him the whole time.

"By that pool. Bring the soaps and sponges." The King made a fleeting gesture to a shelf near one of the farthest pools stocked fully with all sorts of oils, soaps, lotions, brushes, and sponges.

Kai went to the shelf, also aware of the King's gaze on his back, grabbed all that he could, and walked back to the pool. He kneeled by the edge and settled the items down. He was about to jump into the steaming water when Marius said, "Take off those torn clothes. Those are hardly a prince's attire."

"These are hardly a prince's attire, torn or not." Kai shot back, frowning. He already felt quite naked as it was.

Just a few minutes ago, he'd brought up the subject of changing his slave clothes, but Marius hadn't fully agreed.

We'll see. I rather like you in this, he'd said, off-character.

Could he get him to agree now?

Marius regarded him curiously. After a moment, he said, "You are right. Your wardrobe will be changed this evening while we're out visiting your mother.

Kai felt his chest inflate with the success. It was by no means his freedom, but it was a start.

"Now, come." Marius extended a hand out to Kai.

Kai stared at the outstretched palm of his hand, and then his eyes followed the water rivulets trailing down his hard biceps, after they travelled up his handsome dark face to meet the King's own eyes.

Once again, it was an invitation he could not refuse.

Kai straightened, reached down for the hem of his pants and pulled them down.

He was now completely naked.

He dropped into the water, grabbed a soap and a sponge and went to take Marius' hand. As the King's hand closed around his, Kai wondered if he could add 'Bathed a King' to his resume for when he followed in his mother's steps to becoming an ambassador.