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LOVE'S FIERY TEMPEST
© 2001 By Rory V. Pascual©digitalblasphemy THE SECOND STORY ARC: The Tademait Plateau
CHAPTER TWELVE:
For four days, Methos pursued the bandits relentlessly across the Sahara. He would've gone onwards even at night, but he had the horses to consider. They needed the rest, despite his pressing need to catch up with the bandits.
Restless and guilt-ridden, the ancient would seek a moment's diversion by pouring himself into the pages of the journal, which he had decided at the last minute to bring along with him. Rather than write, however, Methos drew. Each page depicted every aspect of the Emir's concubine Shinno as he had known him -- as a whoremaster, as a ninja, as a whore dressed in an elegant djellabah or those thin, enticing robes at night. Pages were devoted to studies of that masked face, crowned by a glorious mane of brown silk. Four to six pages, however, concentrated on those beautiful doe eyes -- happy, angry, mischievous, tear-filled...
"You promised you would never hurt me!"
Those words never failed to pierce his heart. Methos had told Shinno that he wanted to save the younger man from Kamir's evil clutches and desires. But he had not saved the whoremaster from the one man who posed the greatest danger to him, namely the ancient himself. Methos remembered all too clearly how he had reveled in the rape of the helpless concubine, doing nothing to ease his pain. The drug that Kamir had placed in his wine was a flimsy excuse. Even without it, he would've plundered Shinno's beautiful body just as ruthlessly.
On the third night, after enduring a sirocco for most of the day, Methos made the first of several attempts to put Shinno's face -- without the mask -- on paper. But he could never get it right. Paper was only good for setting down two-dimensional images. Shinno was more than a flat image. In his mind's eye, he could imagine a high cheekbone, fine nose, flawless skin and full luscious lips. It was when he opened his eyes that Methos would realize that his hands had been moving of their own accord, tracing in the air the features of the concubine. Perhaps if he had some clay...
Frustrated, the ancient had slammed the journal shut. He had more important things to think about. The sirocco would have obliterated the bandits' tracks, making pursuit impossible. Undaunted, Methos visualized in his head the map of the Sahara that Kamir had shown him. Given the direction they had been going to, he had a hunch on where the bandits were headed -- the Tademait Plateau. There was a feeling in his gut that he would find the whoremaster there.
If Shinno WAS there, what next? Even if he himself were to be captured by the brigands, Methos had no doubt that they could be able to escape. It was the young man himself who would prove to be a problem. After what he had done to him, Shinno would be a fool to trust him. Hell with it, he wouldn't trust himself if he were in close proximity with the concubine.
Shinno had said that he hated Methos, going so far as to wish that the older man were dead. Since, according to the concubine, he had betrayed Shinno before, Methos knew what he needed to do. He would get down on his knees before the younger man and beg for forgiveness.
Then, Methos would offer him his sword and ask him to take his head. Yes, that would be best, for both of them.
The morning of the fifth day saw Methos looking down the face of the plateau to peer at the bandits' camp below -- a small tent village with makeshift enclosures for camels and horses at the northern end. There was no sign of Shinno. Seeing the armed men all over the camp, Methos knew that there was no way he could get in undetected.
Sighing, the ancient stood up and went towards the small hole he had dug through the side of the plateau. Getting down on his knees, he placed the pack of Shinno's weapons inside and covered the hole with rocks. No sense of losing good weapons upon his capture, when he had no doubt in his mind that they would be needing them. Better to keep them here where they would be safe. Just for show, his Ivanhoe would be enough.
Standing, Methos strode towards the two horses. He then climbed onto Thanatos' saddle. The ancient patted the stallion's neck and nodded to Denko.
"Come, boys!" he invited. "Let's get this show on the road."
The minute he was sighted, Methos was immediately captured and his sword taken. He was then ushered by two bandits to the meeting tent of the Bandit Chief, Abdullah Bakkar.
Abdullah was not the type of Bandit Chief the ancient expected. The man was corpulent from decades of gluttony and seeming debauchery, reminding him a lot of that English executioner, Bernie Crimmins. Abdullah, like Crimmins when he last saw him, was licking the juices of the calf leg he was eating off his fingers.
"I have to admire your tenacity, my friend," said the Bandit Chief, with a smack of his lips. "You're the first outsider to reach our camp."
"It's not without any difficulty," Methos remarked. "Your men covered their tracks very well. But I will pursue them to the ends of the Earth if I have to. They took something of value from my employer, the Emir Zaid al-Bahir, and I intend to get him back." The ancient's eyes narrowed. "I sincerely hope that you or your men have not...sullied...him in any way."
Abdullah burst into laughter at that remark. "In truth, we have not...yet. The man who employed us to abduct him did not want him touched as well. However, if my men's claims of that day they took him were true, then it seems you, my friend, have beaten us all to this delectable young creature."
"I'm not taking all the credit. I believe it was the Emir who took him first, and so many others before me. After all, he is a whore."
The Bandit Chief smiled knowingly. "Yes, that is true. So, I believe you will not be opposed to my playing with the Emir's precious slut."
Suddenly, two bandits entered the tent, holding on tightly to a struggling Shinno's arms. The whore's eyes were wide with shock, beholding the ancient. Methos was just as stunned. The Emir's concubine looked the same as when he was taken -- still wearing the same blood-stained robe.
The bandits pushed Shinno close to their leader. The young man was swift to brace his leg forward so that he didn't stumble into Abdullah's arms. Still, he was within easy reach of the Bandit Chief. Abdullah reached out and tore the flimsy garment from Shinno's lovely body, leaving him naked for all to see. Methos winced at the sight of the congealed blood between the concubine's legs.
Before Shinno could pull away, Abdullah yanked him down to his knees. With his greasy hands, he caressed the young man's face, fingers teasing the mask.
"Let me have a look at your face, Little Whore," Abdullah whispered suggestively.
"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME!" Shinno cried in disgust, giving the Bandit Chief a ringing slap to the face.
The two bandits quickly grabbed the whoremaster, twisting his arms behind his back, head held in place by fingers gripping his hair. One of the men was about to remove the mask.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned Methos, "unless you want your head parted from your shoulders. The Emir strictly forbade anyone from seeing his face."
The Bandit Chief put in, "But this is not the Emir's realm. This is my domain. I can do whatever I want with him."
"My face is not meant to be seen or touched by a pig like you," hissed Shinno.
Abdullah's eyes narrowed, his whole visage evoking an aura of menace. "A pig, am I? Let me show you what this pig can do."
With a clap of his hands, the servants brought a colt inside the tent. The poor thing was newborn, thin and weak with hunger. Its red coat had lost its luster, the tuft of white hair on its brow dry and spiky.
In answer to the questioning looks on the faces of the men, the Bandit Chief replied, "This is a delightful form of torture I've devised. After it was born, I gave the colt a taste of its mother's tits before having her killed. Starving as it is, it would nurse on anything that looked like an udder."
At these words, the bandits forced the whoremaster's legs wide apart, hips thrust forward that his cock and his scrotum dangled enticingly before the colt's eyes.
"No!" shouted Methos, going to the younger man's aid, but he was held back by his two guards. "You damned bastard! I'll kill you!"
Abdullah, however, simply ignored him. With a wave of his hand, he ordered in glee, "Set it free!"
The colt's knees trembled as it all but stumbled towards Shinno, its hunger-clouded black eyes focused on the concubine's cock.
As Methos looked helplessly at the whore, he saw that there was a strange expression on the young man's face. Tears were filling Shinno's eyes as he watched the emaciated colt's slow approach. His eyelids fluttering close, the concubine took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for the horse's bite upon his exposed member. Then, with a fierce tug, Shinno wrenched free from his captors. With aching grace, he fell to his knees, arms raised to the poor colt. As he pulled the animal close to him, Shinno's right hand went to his chest, kneading the area around his nipple. A cry escaped his lips as the colt's mouth closed around that bit of flesh. Although he was in pain, Shinno squeezed his chest, letting his milk flow into the starving colt's mouth.
Everyone's eyes were wide with shock and amazement as they watched the Emir's concubine nurse the colt from his own breast.
The tears were streaming down Shinno's lovely brown eyes as he gazed at the stunned Bandit Chief. "There is nothing more you can do to humiliate me," the whore said in deep sorrow. "I've been used in so many ways you just couldn't imagine. I've had men, and even women, force me to rut with animals. This...what you were planning to do...this is not new to me. But none of them was cruel enough to slaughter the mother of a newborn creature, and use the baby's weakness to perform a depraved thing as this. You could do anything you want with me. But don't do this to such an innocent creature." Sobbing, Shinno embraced the colt. "It's cruel, barbaric! No innocent deserves this fate!"
Before Abdullah could speak, there were frantic cries of "Papa! Papa!" outside the tent. Then, a man barged inside, followed by another bandit much younger than him. Anyone could see that the first interloper had a strong resemblance to the Bandit Chief. However, unlike Abdullah, he was a bit thinner, though still chubby. His face was devoid of the guile present in the Bandit Chief's features. Instead, it was open and honest, clearly showing his worry and concern. The abnormal, involuntary side-to-side movement of his eyes confirmed a mental impairment. To Methos' surprise, this man was an Immortal.
On the other hand, the younger man was handsome, possessing black hair and sharp black eyes. However, just like his elder, there was concern on his face, particularly directed at the man he was with.
"Forgive me, my Lord, for this intrusion," the young bandit bowed. "But your son was worried about..."
"Where's my colt, Papa?" the older man demanded, stomping his feet like a petulant child. "You kept him from me long enough, and I must feed him. He's starving without his Mama."
"Mikael," Abdullah struggled to be patient. "I want you to go back to your tent. Your father is in conference right now."
"No, I won't leave! Not until I know what you've done with my horsey! I want to know where he is!"
"MIKAEL, GO WITH RASHAD RIGHT NOW, BEFORE I LOSE MY PATIENCE WITH YOU!"
"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE KILLED HIS MAMA! I WANT MY BABY HORSEY NOW!"
Shinno was about to interrupt the furious exchange between father and son. Despite his huge bulk, Abdullah swiftly got to his feet and struck his son in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. At once, Mikael broke into a wail.
Gesturing to the colt in the whoremaster's arms, the Bandit Chief ordered furiously, "KILL THE COLT!"
With righteous indignation, Shinno exclaimed, "NO! You will not harm this colt! Can't you see how much your son loves him? What kind of father are you to treat your son in this manner?"
Abdullah's hands clenched in a fist. Slowly, he looked into the stubborn concubine's eyes. "If I spare the colt's life, what would you give in exchange?"
"What could a whore like me offer in exchange except for my flesh? You may bed me, Abdullah Bakkar, as much as you want." Shinno gritted his teeth. "And I will show you my face."
The Bandit Chief thought for a moment. Nodding, he said, "Very well! We have a deal." To his guards, he commanded, "Take the colt back to its pen, and have a tent prepared for our guests."
"No," the concubine countered. "The colt stays with me and your son until he is strong enough. I will nurse him myself, play surrogate mother to him because he needs it for now. I shall go to your tent instead."
Methos couldn't believe what he was hearing. Wrenching free from his guards' grasp, he grabbed Shinno's arm. "I won't allow you to do this!"
Shinno, however, yanked his arm back, glaring fiercely at the ancient. "Better him than you!" His voice was filled with seething hatred.
The whoremaster's expression softened as he approached Mikael, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"It's all right now, Mikael," Shinno said reassuringly. "Your colt is fine."
Sniffling, Mikael peered into those pretty doe eyes. "Really? No one's going to hurt him anymore?"
"I swear it. In fact, I'll be staying with your and your father for awhile. Would you like that?"
Mikael eagerly nodded, his eyeballs moving at a more rapid pace in his excitement. "Yes, yes, I would like that very much." He embraced Shinno lovingly, although he stole a fearful glance at his father. "I don't think my Papa loves me anymore."
Abdullah was about to interrupt, guilty for having hit his son. To his surprise, however, his prisoner declared, "Of course your father loves you! But you barged right in the middle of an important...meeting, and your father was very tense and angry with something I said. You must believe me that he didn't mean to hurt you. We all lose our temper from time to time. Sometimes, we end up lashing out at the people we love. It's regrettable, but it does happen. Please believe me when I say that your father loves you, Mikael. Do not foster ill feelings inside your heart because of this."
Mikael's lower lip trembled as he turned to his father. "I'm sorry, Papa."
Abdullah didn't answer, giving his son a warm smile instead. "Son, why don't you show our guest to our tent?" Turning to his son's companion, he requested, "Would you stay for a moment, Rashad?"
Rashad replied, "If you wish it, my Lord."
Mikael got to his feet, grinning in relief. He easily picked up the colt in his left arm. Before he could take the concubine's hand, he noticed Shinno's naked and bloodied form. Swiftly, he wrapped his cloak around Shinno's body, pulling the younger man close to him.
"I'll take care of you," Mikael said happily. "I'll give you a nice bath and some nice clothes." The Bandit Chief's son then led Shinno outside, chattering as he did so. As a precaution, the guards followed after the two men.
Abdullah motioned to the other two guards to leave them. At first, the bandits hesitated, eyeing Methos warily, but Rashad gave them a reassuring nod. In the end, with a bow, they obeyed their leader, leaving the three men alone.
With a sigh, Abdullah sagged onto his seat. "This has been a most unusual encounter."
"This is not unusual for me," the ancient remarked. "The Emir's whore is known for his kind heart. He was well-loved by the Sultan. Recently, he nursed a newborn baby girl when he learned that her mother didn't have milk in her breasts. I am not surprised that he would...do this...even for a starving colt."
"I could see that you are not pleased with our...arrangement," the Bandit Chief noted, seeing the sharp glare the Immortal was according him.
"I will not deny it," Methos said bluntly. "For the past month that I've traveled with the caravan, I've gotten to know Shinno very well. I will not allow that he be hurt anymore than he already has."
"But judging from the concubine's reaction towards you, it seems that you yourself have hurt him. Do you feel something for him, perhaps?"
The ancient felt uncomfortable at the bandit's astuteness. "What I feel for him is of no importance. He belongs to the Emir. But in the meantime, I will protect him from all who would treat him like a whore." Methos lowered his gaze to hide the anguish in his green gold eyes. "After what I did, it's the least I could do for him."
Abdullah looked at the Immortal before him. "I will not deter you from your task. Rashad, this man is our guest. See that he is treated well by all."
"Yes, my Lord." Rashad gestured towards the opening. "Would you please come with me?"
Despite his initial resentment towards the Bandit Chief, Methos accorded him a gracious bow and exited the tent with Rashad at his side.
As they walked through the camp, Rashad remarked, "Please do not be angry with my lord. I am certain that he did not mean any harm."
"Do you think keeping a young man captive and forcing him to bestiality is not 'any harm'?" Methos snapped back. "The man's evil, a debauched pig."
"I wish I could offer an excuse. Even I was surprised by what you revealed to me. But believe me when I say that he is not an evil man. It's just that, these past few days, things have been weighing heavily upon his shoulders. Not the least of his troubles is his son."
"Mikael... Yes, I could see that he is not right in the head."
"He was born this way -- a true innocent. His mother -- my Lord's beloved wife -- passed away after giving birth to Mikael. Mikael himself...he has also proven to be a mystery for all in this camp."
"What do you mean?" the ancient asked curiously.
"About the colt's mother..." Rashad began. "The mare was already ill when she gave birth to her little one. Mikael was inside her enclosure. The mare went berserk and trampled him. My Lord thought that his son was dead and, in his grief, he ordered the mare killed. But then, Mikael came back to life. Everyone thought it was a miracle of Allah." Hesitantly, Rashad volunteered, "However, I knew differently."
Methos glanced down at the hand gripping his. Tattooed on the bandit's left wrist was the insignia of the Watchers.
Smiling, the ancient said, "Because he is Immortal."
Rashad blushed a deep scarlet. "Yes, Mikael is Immortal."
"Does Abdullah know?"
The young man nodded. "I had to tell him. With Mikael's childlike mind, arrangements must be made to see to his welfare when my Lord is gone."
Methos found himself lapsing into deep thought. Despite his fears for Shinno's welfare, he discovered that his anger and resentment towards the Bandit Chief had vanished. With Mikael now an Immortal, he could understand the concerns that Abdullah held for his son. Once he's alone, the ancient doubted that the innocent Immortal would last long on this earth.
Methos laid his hand on Rashad's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do to help," he said in reassurance.
Rashad smiled. "Thank you. We shall be forever grateful for the assist of the great warrior, Methos."
The ancient's mind went back to the way Shinno had softened the Bandit Chief's heart with his kindness and concern for the colt and his mentally-impaired son. Now, he was doing the same thing. He wondered if goodness was contagious. It seemed it was. And it felt good.
Continued in Chapter Thirteen...Click "Next" below
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