Abyssal (ManxMan)

The Amphitheater

He felt the blood rush up his neck and suffuse his cheeks when every pair of eyes in the amphitheater turned to look at him with interest.

God, kill me now.

"Is that-?!"

"Yes; he's the half-blood prince!"

"Oh, my. I want one."

Two females courtiers surreptitiously whispered, but in the quiet space every word was plainly heard.

If he had a jinni in a lamp at his disposal, he'd wish for the earth to crack open and swallow him whole right about now. Once again, the same unpleasant feeling of being on display he'd felt when he was locked in the cage surrounded by merpeople assailed him.

Dread unfurled in his gut.

Tonight as well, would he be put on display, sexually assaulted by a horny monster and made a mockery of?

"Come," King Marius beckoned.

Reluctantly, he followed the King to one of the alcoves, which at a cursory glance looked to be the fanciest and most extravagant, with gold piping on the cushions and silken, fluffy pillows. It was a seating area fit for a king.

Marius, in his magnificent build, filled most of it. Leaning against a cushion, he propped one arm over his raised knee and threw his other arm over the cushions.

Like a fool, Kai stood at the foot of the alcove, unsure what to do -or what was expected of him.

Marius pinned him with an indecipherable look.

Frowning softly, he glanced over his shoulder to see that the slaves -or pets like that butler had referred to them- were either sitting at their masters' feet, across their laps, or were engaged in... indecent activity.

He decided he'd opt for the first option and sat on the ground with his legs tucked beneath him

Without warning, King Marius reached out and wrapped his branch-like, muscled arm around Kai's waist. In one effortless tug, he pulled Kai to him so that he was squished against King Marius' chest, one hand on either one of the King's shoulders.

When Kai looked up, their noses brushed -that's how close he was! Electricity sizzled between them from the slight point of contact, fraying Kai's already worn nerves. With his heart lodged firmly in his throat, he reflexively pushed away, but Marius' arm still circled his body, keeping him from going anywhere.

Gritting his teeth, Kai splayed his hands against Marius' muscled chest and shoved. It was a waste of strength; neither of them budged from our positions.

"Sit." Marius tugged Kai down and splayed him against his side, the way a lover would hug their beloved. The band of steel that had wrapped around his waist wrapped around his side instead.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kai hissed, alarm bells sounding in his head like the deafening sirens of the apocalypse.

Marius chuckled amusedly, but said nothing in reply.

In his sheer 'outfit' that didn't even warrant the title, Kai could feel the steady rise and fall of the merman king's chest (his in comparison was erratic), and he could feel every muscle and ridge in his stone-hard body. The merman didn't have an ounce of fat on him, and he emitted unbearable warmth like a radiator.

The unwanted contact was sending him into overdrive. Chills skittered up and down his spine, tingling at his bare toes. He wondered if Marius could hear the sound of his galloping heart; it pounded so angrily against his chest that Kai genuinely feared for his life.

Marius leaned close.

Kai froze, the breath hitched in his throat.

The King whispered against the side of Kai's head, "Relax and enjoy the show."

Kai's anger surfaced. "I don't know what game you're playing at, but I want you to know that I don't trust you one bit, and never will, so whatever game you're playing at, stop."

Kai stole a glance at Marius to see the King regarding him pensively. If Kai didn't know better, then he'd say that managed to surprise the King with his imprudent honesty.

Then, the King faced forward, though his grip did not loosen.

A day ago, what he just said would have earned him a punch to the gut.

Oh yeah, there was something definitely going on with him. People didn't change so quickly and drastically, and he was willing to bet the same applied to merpeople.

The butler appeared. "Shall we begin, m'Lord?"

Marius waived a hand of consent.

The butler whirled around on one foot and shouted a series of orders to the servants. "Get those two out of there. Bring them. Guards, lighting!"

A rustle passed over the crowd. Kai witnessed with his own eyes how the mood abruptly changed. A terrifying, predatory glint appeared in the courtiers' eyes. Even the pets at their feet had unpretty eager expressions on their cherub-like and angelic faces. The air became charged.

Kai shivered.

The lights dimmed as braziers were snuffed until it was practically too dark to make out anything but what was near you. Then, a beam of light flashed onto the arena, illuminating only that space. Servants carrying gold thuribles in which something burned and smoked circled the arena. That same sickly-sweet scent wafted from the swinging thuribles into Kai's nostrils, permeating the air.

He coughed, unused to the smoke-filled air.

"My Lord and Lady." The butler turned to respectfully address who I assumed were Lord Luka and Lady Ezaioi. "Please bring forth your contenders."

The two members of Nostraza nobility motioned for their slaves to enter the arena. Both of them wore almost more gold than Kai. Both were male and well-built. One had on face-paint. The other-

Kai gaped and immediately averted his gaze from the slave's pierced cock. There were so many gold piercings lining both sides of his-! Kai shook his head hard, meaning to banish the disturbing image from his head. He was never one for piercings worn in delicate spots of the body.

The two slaves stood facing each other, their stances wary and their bodies tense.

"What's happening?" he couldn't help but ask, his heart fluttering.

The butler -and everyone present for that matter- looked to Marius.

Lazily, Marius raised his hand, then let it drop.

The two slaves charged each other.