Today was different.
Tino didn't know why, but it just was.
Today was the sixth day and just like all the other mornings after Tino's body had been messed around by his captor, he was allowed to bathe in the big wooden tub, and just like all the other times, Berwald just sat and watched him go about it...
Intently.
Tino could barely stomach being in the water longer than he absolutely had to.
It's not that he didn't enjoy getting clean, especially after having unmentionable fluids rubbed into his skin the night before. It's just... that gaze was too unsettling!
The couple of beta servants had filled the tub with steaming water and left immediately, as always, and the blonde alpha watched Tino's every move as he bathed in it. Tino had his back to the man, in order to block that piercing gaze, but that did nothing to block the occasional jolts of what was clearly lust, satisfaction and a faint undertone of pride radiating from the mating bond.
So Tino usually endeavored to bathe quickly.
It's not that he didn't enjoy baths. In fact, back home, after a long day of work on his feet, Tino would go home to his flat and run himself a nice, hot, bubbly bath. Even in this world where people didn't seem to bathe daily, Tino liked to at least bathe every other day and have a wipe-down when he couldn't.
He was especially keen on getting clean after last night as well. Not that he could completely wash away what happened last night.
Hell, even the soap back in their world couldn't wash away the scent of pheromones on his skin, much less in this place where the closest thing to soap was a herbal mixture Yao whipped up.
No. He still smelled very much of the blonde alpha behind him, but at least he wasn't sticky anymore, so there's that...
Tino suppressed a shudder at the thought of that piercing, ice blue gaze raking along his bare back.
None of these things were a recent development though.
What caught Tino's attention about today was the fact that at dawn's first light of Tino's first day in this encampment, Berwald had set about packing away the few belongings inside the tent as Tino watched silently from the bedding.
When he thought about it, there also seemed to me a lot more noise from outside the tent too.
Tino wasn't certain... but he had a hunch that they were finally moving out like Berwald said, which meant he was moving out right along with them, and something told him that they weren't going back to the village...
Hence why he was taking his time getting clean despite the blonde alpha molesting him with his eyes.
Berwald hadn't jumped him while he was bathing yet, and Tino could only hope this theme continued, because he was currently willing the hot water to wash away his rampant anxiety and uncertainty for his future.
It couldn't though. It was almost full on winter, and the water got cold quickly so he soon had to get out of the tub. As soon as he did so, he grabbed the large cloth that was used for drying up and wrapped his naked body in it.
He headed for the bed where he would be infinitely more protected from the cold autumn air, but was halted by a large calloused hand on his shoulder. He squeaked and jerked to look at the towering alpha.
Tino was surprised, however, when a bundle of fabric was pressed into his hands and he took it reflexively.
He blinked down at the bundle. It was the same one Berwald had brought in the day before.
"Get dressed."
Tino jumped in Surprise at the alpha's rarely heard voice.
"Wer leavin' soon," The alpha continued.
Tino nodded in uncertainty before watching in slight awe as the alpha easily hefted the wooden tub filled with now cold water out of the tent.
He watched the tent flaps silently for a few moments before turning to examine the large bundle in his hands. He unfolded the fabric to see that it was a new set of clothes and a fur cloak.
The tunic was deep blue with white trim, and the leggings were black. A quick glance around the now almost empty tent showed Tino a pair of thick fur lined boots that were far too small to be Berwald's, and he grabbed those too before trying to get dressed as quickly as possible before said blonde alpha returned.
God, but it felt good to be fully clothed for the first time in six days. Nevermind the fact that the fabric and make of these clothes were so fine that they were incomparable to his dearly departed outfit from before at the village.
He just had to take a moment to take in the not-nudeness of it all. He never realized how freaking great clothes were until he was kept butt naked for almost a week.
With that done, Tino sat gingerly at the edge of the bedding, now painfully aware of how it smelled of sweat and sex, but determined to stay in a defensible position. An ounce of prevention and all that.
Movement at the tent flaps made him snap his gaze in that direction as Berwald ducked back into the tent with damp hair and a cloth slung over his shoulder that he was still using to rub the moisture from his feathery blonde hair.
He was completely shirtless. Tino cast his gaze away from the half-naked alpha with heated cheeks, despite the fact that he'd seen far more of Berwald than just his naked torso. He himself could barely stand the cold air after stepping out of the bath inside the tent! 'Did this man just bathe outside? Is he not afraid of catching his death of cold out there?!'
Tino looked back to see the alpha sitting in the only chair in the tent and slowly, steadily drawing the edge of a small but wicked-sharp blade across the fine blonde stubble on his jaw.
"..." Tino looked down at the hands fidgeting in his lap as the awkward (at least for him) silence that hung in the air, interrupted only by the rasp of the blade across Berwald's jaw.
The buttons down the front of his clothes were suddenly fascinating, and he examined them to distract himself from his anxiety of whatever was to come when he left this tent.
With some surprise, he noted how the buttons on these clothes were different from the ones he'd seen back in the village. Buttons were already expensive there, and even then, those were wooden. Lacing was much more common among the villagers than buttons.
These buttons seemed to be made of ivory, and each one had an intricate design featuring a cross on its shiny surface. Yeah, these clothes were definitely expensive.
He glanced back at Berwald to see him fastening his armor once again. He secured the metal and leather snugly before pulling on a blue surcoat a shade or two lighter than Tino's own tunic with a yellow design along the edges.
Berwald fastened his sword at his hip and drew his own fur cloak around his broad shoulders before turning his frost-blue gaze to the fidgeting Tino. He strode over to Tino and held a hand out to the nervous Fin.
Tino hesitated a moment before slowly taking it and allowing the alpha to pull him to his feet. He was nervous about whatever would happen from here on out, but he was also anxious to see Lukas and Emil, so he allowed Berwald to fuss with his cloak with a little embarrassment before the alpha put a large hand on the small of his back and lead him outside the tent for the first time since he was carried inside it over said alpha's shoulder.
Tino involuntarily breathes in the crisp morning air before Berwald lead him on without even a break in stride. He was lead past tents that were being taken down and covered wagons that were being hitched to horses. Everyone they passed deferred respectfully to the stoic alpha, and Tino tried to be as invisible as possible.
He was lead to the middle of a forming entourage of carts and wagons towards a well made carriage, the best Tino had seen since coming to this world.
His attention was quickly drawn from the carriage though as he spotted a painfully familiar blonde right near it.
"Lukas!" Tino cried out in relief as he took off towards his cousin. Lukas' gaze snapped to Tino from where he was glaring venomously at the smiling alpha that had an arm around his waist.
"Tino!" the older blonde omega wrenched away from the red clothed alpha and met Tino halfway in a fierce hug. They pulled back to look each other over with wet eyes. Tino found that Lukas was unharmed if a bit haggard-looking. That wasn't what the younger omega was worried about however, it was the matter of Lukas' heat that was bound to have started and ended already.
Tino wanted to ask about it, but he was fully conscious that they were still surrounded by unknowns like Berwald and the grinning alpha that Was with Lukas earlier.
"Friend of yours, Kitten?" Speak of the devil. The alpha in red asked of Lukas.
Lukas' response was a baleful glare in the alpha's direction. He was almost hissing at the unknown alpha, and it was frankly the angriest Tino had ever seen the normally calm and collected older omega.
The alpha that was the target of lukas' ire just chuckled good-naturedly and turned towards the silent alpha at Tino's back.
"Everything set, Berwald?" Asked the smiling alpha.
Berwald grunted and nodded in affirmation.
They fell into hushed conversation that was more of the smiling alpha talking and Berwald either grunting in acknowledgement or shaking his head in negative. This alpha seemed to be the only one to whom Berwald deferred in this camp, meaning this man was of higher standing than the stoic alpha.
Tino was stopped from trying to eavesdrop when he felt Lukas stiffen in his hold.
Tino turned to see that a beta guard had pulled open the door to the carriage invitingly. The interior was luxurious and heavily padded with benches on either side. The opulence wasn't what caught the attention of the two omega's however, it was the figure huddled in the other end of it that did.
"Emil!" Lukas all but threw himself into the carriage with Tino hot on his heels. The eldest omega practically crushed the youngest among them to his chest in Stark relief. None of them minded the door closing firmly behind them.
Lukas damn near strangled Emil in his haste to tug down the younger omega's high collar and check the nape of his neck.
The skin there turned out to be smooth and unmarred.
Lukas held Emil by the shoulders at arm's length and gave him another once over.
"They didn't... No one touched you right?" Lukas asked anxiously. Emil shook his head slowly.
"N-no. I was kept in a tent by myself. No one but a beta attendant was allowed inside." Emil said in a quiet voice.
All the tension bled from the two older omega's, especially Lukas. He'd been driving himself crazy with worry for the last week. He didn't know if he could trust that bastard's words about his brother being left alone. He could now see that although Emil's clothes were different like his and Tino's, he was untouched aside from being a little red-eyed and worn around the edges.
Now that Emil was in front of him, he could rest easily, it didn't matter what happened to him as long as his brother was fine. He hugged his little brother closer and was only slightly surprised that Emil didn't fight it like he did ever since he decided he was too old for it. Instead he buried his head in the crook of Lukas neck silently.
The silence hung in the air for a minute before Tino, sitting adjacent to the brothers, finally plucked up the courage to ask.
"Lukas... what about your heat?" Tino's question drew Emil out of the melancholic mood that the younger seemed to be drowning in.
Lukas' hand flew to his own nape for a moment before he jerked it away as if he'd been burned and determinedly folded them in his lap where they shook lightly. Lukas' tight expression said it all, and if he really was mounted by an alpha in that state then the chance he might already be pregnant skyrocketed.
Tino grimaced sympathetically and rubbed at the back of his own neck. Even now he could sense Berwald's placid emotions at the edge of his consciousness. It wasn't really intrusive, but.. it was just there.
Lukas caught the action and gave Tino a worried searching look. The younger omega was quick to reassure him.
"He bonded me..." Tino conceded, and even now the words felt odd coming from his mouth, "but he didn't..." Tino blushed furiously. "He didn't mount me, but... he... he marked me." Tino blurted out the ending.
Lukas seemed relieved though his frown deepened at the end.
Tino's face was positively steaming by now. It was one thing to have it done to him, but it was infinitely worse having to admit that he was subjected to the barbaric tactic of having that man ejaculate over his naked body! He couldn't meet Lukas and Emil's eyes.
He cleared his throat and tried to shake of his embarrassment before looking to both his cousins.
"Do either of you have any idea what's going on?" Tino asked. "The alpha that brought me here isn't much of a talker, so I'm still in the dark here."
Emil shook his head apologetically.
Lukas snorted. "I wish the asshole that had me would shut up. That idiot is actually the Lord of the Kohler clan, believe it or not. We seem to have become 'spoils of war'." The last three words were spat with fury and distaste." All the omega's and betas that caught someone's eye were snatched up and we're all to be carted back to the heart of the Kohler lands. This whole campaign was to finally spark a war with the Winter clan and the village along with many more near the border were pillaged and burned to the ground." Tino paled at Lukas' words.
"But what about Yao and Leon?!" He asked with wide eyes.
Emil suddenly let out a mournful wail and started to sob uncontrollably.
That reaction caused cold dread to settle in Tino's stomach. His gaze flew to Lukas who tugged his brother closer. The eldest omega swallowed thickly before responding to the question in Tino's gaze with a forcefully calm voice.
"I don't know about Yao." He stated. "The house is a bit far from the village, and that could be a really good thing or a really bad thing but... we saw Leon go down right in front of us."
Tino's hand flew to his mouth and his breath hitched. Emil sobbed harder.
"No!" Tino reflexively denied, but Lukas nodded gravely.
"Three arrows to the chest," was Lukas' stiff response.
Tino couldn't imagine that gruff but kind younger alpha dying just like that, but then he was assaulted by the previously repressed memories of carnage he'd seen that day as villagers were cut down right before his eyes, and he tasted bile. He managed to swallow thickly as his mind went back to every time Berwald came back to the tent smelling of fire and... and blood. Tino dry heaved for a moment but managed to keep hold of his light breakfast from earlier.
The inside of the carriage was as silent as a graveyard with Emil's weeping only adding to the grave atmosphere.
There was suddenly a large commotion outside the carriage.
Both the older omegas looked at each other before Tino hesitantly slid open the panel covering the window so they could see outside. There they could see countless mounted men clad in armor standing neatly and ramrod straight before Matthias who was mounted upon his horse once more. Berwald was also mounted on his own black behemoth behind Matthias like a silent sentinel.
"Men!" Came the shout from the blonde Lord before the mounted cavalry. "Upon this day, a debt of blood has been repaid!"
The mounted warriors roared in approval.
"We finally struck back at the Winter clan for their transgressions!"
More shouts. Matthias' grin became roguish.
"And many of you, like myself, have earned quite the prize from this counterattack."
There were wolf-whistles along with the shouts this time, and Tino could hear Lukas growl dangerously beside him as his own eyes narrowed.
"And they were well deserved!" Matthias continued when they quieted. "And if it's war the Winters want... Let them come!"
This bold statement was meet with even louder roars of triumph.
"Let's head out!" Matthias ordered and spurred his horse onward towards the front of their carriage while the mounted warriors headed towards the back, still cheering.
Tino slid the panel closed just as the carriage jerked into motion. It seemed that the whole procession was on the move now towards the heart of Kohler lands.
The omegas inside the carriage were silent for a while before Lukas finally made a sound between a growl and a groan.
"Fuck..."
.
.
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I admit that I've been a bad ruler. I haven't updated this story for so long that it's not funny, but this chapter fought me every step of the way. I was uncertain which direction to come at this part from. It even put a stall to Venus Rouge.
Anyway. The other sorry should be updated within the week barring any last minute illustrations.
I'll see you when I see you.
P.S. Bunny rules you!