Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/4648125.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      Multi
  Fandom:
      黄金の太陽_|_Golden_Sun_Series
  Relationship:
      Karis/Amiti/Tyrell/Matthew/Rief
  Character:
      Karis, Harumani_|_Amiti, Terry_|_Tyrell, Mut_|_Matthew, Crown_|_Rief
  Additional Tags:
      Consensual_Underage_Sex, Miscommunication, Fivesome_-_F/M/M/M/M,
      Polyamory, Sex_Education, Drama, Bad_Dirty_Talk
  Stats:
      Published: 2015-08-24 Words: 8169
****** Immaculate Seduction ******
by Rozzlynn
Summary
     Amiti shares some fruit with Karis, and the evening soon descends
     into an orgy. Afterwards, Amiti's new friends show him how babies are
     made.
Notes
     First posted on the gs kink meme. (Where else?)
"What are you doing?" Karis asked, flopping down next to Amiti on the blanket
he'd laid out by the campfire.
"I'm peeling some fruit." Amiti looked up from the task and gave her a slightly
bemused look, as if this hardly needed explaining.
"I can see that. I guess the question is, why are you peeling grapes?"
"Because I do not expect any of you to do it for me." Amiti licked some of the
juice off his fingers, then started preparing another one. "I know I will have
to pull my weight on this journey. I am actually looking forward to cooking for
the rest of you, as soon as it is my turn. In the meantime, I am the one who
brought the fruit along, and I know as well as you do that it will not keep
forever."
"That's great, but... grapes don't need peeling."
"Don't they?" He added the one he'd finished preparing to the pile in the
wooden bowl by his lap. "I like them this way."
"Is it really worth the fuss?"
"Why don't you be the judge of that?"
He shifted closer, and gently pulled her into leaning back against his chest.
Though he'd gotten all dressed up earlier, he had stripped back down to the
waist as soon as they'd set up camp ("We haven't reached the mountains yet,
have we?"), and she blushed slightly, laying her hand over his as he rested it
on her shoulder. He slipped a grape into her mouth, his fingers ghosting across
her lips, and she laughed as she raised her hands to her mouth, slightly unable
to believe that he was really doing what he was doing. He stroked her arm idly
as she told herself to stop giggling and chew. Perhaps it was her imagination,
or the situation, but it tasted far better than she'd expected.
"I think I see your point. It's... juicy..."
"I told you so." He popped one into his own mouth, then held the bowl out for
her.
A wolfwhistle cut through the air. The two of them looked up to find themselves
the center of attention; Tyrell and Matthew had stopped sparring, and Rief was
staring at them over his book.
"Damn, you Ayuthay types really do move fast. I didn't realise you liked her,"
Tyrell added, leaning on his sword.
"I like all of you." Amiti looked around in confusion. "We are friends now,
aren't we?"
"Friends? So you'd do that for any of us?" Tyrell replied, wholly disbelieving.
"Oh, don't start! How is this any of your business?" Karis replied, shooting
him a shut-up-or-die glare.
Amiti leaned his head on her shoulder and patted the blanket beside them.
Tyrell stared for a moment, then gave them a brash grin and headed over.
"Hey, don't be mean." Karis kept up the death glare and grabbed Amiti's arm
protectively as Tyrell made a nuisance of himself, sprawling out on the blanket
and waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Who's being mean? We're all friends here, aren't we?" Tyrell asked, grinning
all the more.
"Indeed we are." Amiti shifted Karis across to one arm, leaned over Tyrell and
slipped a grape past his lips.
Tyrell nearly choked laughing, and Karis twisted round to face Amiti, her face
heating with a mixture of irritation and fresh embarrassment. "What are you
doing? Don't encourage him."
"Hey, Matthew, get over here!" Tyrell called out, before turning back to them
with a smile and a slightly wide-eyed look.
"You don't have to go along with them," Karis muttered to Amiti.
"Are grapes such a controversial food outside of Ayuthay? I am unsure of the
problem..."
"There's no problem," Matthew assured him, sitting down beside Tyrell at the
edge of the blanket. "Mind if I try one?"
"Not you too..." Karis groaned, shifting away from Amiti; maybe they could find
somewhere private later. Matthew shot her a hurt look, but ducked away from her
gaze as soon as she met his eyes.
Amiti leaned over Tyrell and tilted Matthew's chin up, then smiled and fed him
a piece of fruit, as requested. Tyrell took the opportunity to haul one of
Amiti's legs across him; caught off balance, Amiti fell onto the Mars Adept.
"Um..." Pushing himself to his hands and knees, Amiti stared down at Tyrell,
slightly flustered.
"Getting lonely here." Tyrell ran his hands over Amiti's legs, pretty happy
about lying between them.
"Oh? That is easily solved." Amiti laughed lightly and pulled the fruit bowl
closer.
"Eh? What?" Karis blinked and stared at the boys.
"You wanna take his place?" Tyrell asked, smirking up at her.
Why was he being so insufferable? There'd been an edge to his voice from the
moment he'd seen them sitting together, she was sure of it. Tyrell was always
trouble, but he didn't usually pick on anyone unless he'd misinterpreted
something as provocation. Would he really want her to take Amiti's place and
let him feel her up? Gods, did he have a thing for her? Surely not. If you
liked someone, you didn't show it by ignoring almost everything they said and
breaking their stuff. Did he have a thing for Amiti? Had he been jealous of
her? Maybe he'd made that comment about Ayuthayans moving fast because he'd
expected to have plenty more time to make a move on the new boy. It wasn't
fair, she was there first...
Having been successfully robbed of her companion, Karis shuffled round to sit
next to Matthew. He didn't seem to know where to look as the others carried on
with the finger food.
"Are you okay?" Karis asked, wondering with a pang of guilt whether she really
had hurt his feelings.
Matthew hesitated, then reached out and clasped her hands. He met her gaze with
a very determined attempt at a confident expression. "You want me here too,
right?"
She squeezed his hands in return, trying to figure out what to say to such an
earnest question. Honestly, with Amiti moving at breakneck speed and Tyrell
being as annoying as ever, it was something of a relief to have Matthew here
right now, as familiar and sweet a friend as ever. Though he wasn't the only
cute boy she knew, she'd be lying if she said she hadn't sometimes daydreamed
about the possibility of the two of them ending up together someday. That
hadn't seemed to be what was happening tonight – at least, maybe, until about
ten seconds ago. She nodded, and he burst into a grin. She couldn't help but
smile too. He really was adorable, sometimes.
Karis took a grape from the bowl and pressed it against Matthew's lips. He
leaned in and sucked her fingers for a few seconds before pulling away with the
fruit and gracing her with another radiant smile. Then he bit down, and a spurt
of juice escaped and dripped down his chin. He looked utterly panicked for a
second, then folded over and buried his face in his sleeve.
"Aw, don't worry." Karis made damn sure not to laugh as she stroked his
shoulder. He unfolded and gave her a slightly sheepish smile, then turned to
grab the next bit of fruit.
Karis turned with him, and did a double take when she saw how far the others
were going. Tyrell was still squeezing Amiti's thigh with one hand, but he'd
started kneading his ass through the fabric of his outfit with the other, and
Amiti had closed his eyes, thoroughly distracted from the food.
Rief coughed loudly, providing them with a timely reminder of his presence. He
was still sitting with his book, but he didn't seem to be paying it much
attention.
Karis was about to yell at Tyrell for making Rief uncomfortable, when Amiti
glanced up and addressed the fifth wheel.
"Did you want some?" Amiti nudged the fruit bowl forwards, paying little mind
to Tyrell's attempts to reach round him and undo his belt.
Rief blushed several shades deeper, coughed again, and gave Amiti a fairly long
look before replying. "...Yes. I think, yes, I would like some of that."
"In that case, what are you waiting for?"
Rief stumbled over, knelt by the bowl, and gingerly picked up a grape. Matthew
pulled Karis in close, and she relaxed in his arms, seriously wondering why
they'd never done this before.
As Rief started to reach out, Tyrell gave up on Amiti's belt. "Damn it..."
"Hmm?" Amiti glanced down. "I will sort out the clasp in a minute. It is easy
enough once you know how it works."
"Not a chastity belt, then?" Matthew joked.
"Chastiti? What make is that? I have not heard the term."
Rief smiled, and tilted Amiti's face towards him before feeding him the fruit.
"Have you heard of irony?"
Amiti swallowed, then gave him a rather confused reply.
"Of course. He was my great-uncle."
"Did your great-uncle ever fuck you?" Tyrell asked, brazenly groping him again.
"Is that a slang term from your region? I swear you are making words up. This
is getting tiresome..."
Tyrell turned to Karis, smirking fiercely. "Hear that? Prince Amiti believes I
invented fucking. You can bet your ass I'll live up to that..."
"Language, Tyrell..." Karis muttered.
"His claim may be hyperbole, but his language is not substantially
inappropriate to the situation at hand," Rief replied in his defence.
"Yeah, you're making words up. Less gobbledygook, guys," Tyrell demanded.
"Thank you." Amiti stroked Tyrell's chest, his tone still clipped with slight
annoyance.
Karis looked round at the boys, and realised it was a miracle they all thought
they were getting their point across. Maybe jumping into bed together wasn't
the best idea they'd ever had...
Matthew grabbed a handful of grapes and mashed them in Tyrell's face.
Tyrell squeaked and shoved his arm away, taking a second to wipe off most of
the mess.
Amiti leaned down to lick his face clean.
Rief made a small sound in the back of his throat and shifted in place; Karis
caught sight of the tent in his tunic before he settled with his arms round his
knees.
Karis giggled, grabbed the last piece of fruit and offered it to Rief.
He blinked at her, then shuffled closer, and rested his hand over hers before
blushing again and sucking the fruit from her fingers, following Matthew's
earlier example. Karis beamed at him, feeling pretty certain now that this was
actually the best idea ever.
Matthew pressed a kiss to her lips, and she went with it, feeling her heartbeat
start to truly race. As soon as they parted, Rief ran his fingertips along her
chest, slightly below her collarbone; she met his gaze and smiled before
covering his hand with hers and guiding him to cup her breast. The five of them
couldn't immediately guess each other's comfort zones; she was glad these two
were willing to err on the side of caution.
"Empty..." Tyrell muttered. Karis and the others turned to see him letting go
of the fruit bowl.
"Are you hungry?" Amiti asked.
Tyrell tried to shrug, but it didn't quite work while he was flat on his back.
"Eh. More thirsty."
Amiti held out his arms and summoned water into his cupped palms. Tyrell
propped himself up on one elbow and drank from Amiti's hands, letting his gaze
flicker across his face and chest between sips. He managed to work his free
hand under the front of Amiti's belt. The prince let out a short gasp of breath
and swayed ever so slightly, but kept his arms outstretched.
"And you're always this way?" Tyrell asked, starting to sound a little
appreciative. "I guess it's no wonder they call you a miracle."
"Thank you...?" Amiti offered in response, sounding unsure; doubtless it was
difficult to know what to say to that. Rief untangled himself from Karis and
Matthew, and tried his hand at undoing Amiti's belt. He freed him from it
without much trouble. Tyrell shoved down the layers of thin fabric beneath, and
Amiti rested his arms on his shoulders, still holding the remainder of the
water aloft. Matthew grinned, swiped at it and splashed it over Tyrell's neck.
"Shit, that's cold!" Tyrell turned to glare at Matthew, who smiled innocently,
already back to kneading Karis' breasts with both hands while she tried to
smother her laughter.
Rief made use of the distraction to sidle in and kiss Amiti, resting his hands
on his bare hips. Amiti tangled one hand in Rief's hair and laid the other
against his neck, jolting him slightly.
"They're still cold..." Rief explained.
Amiti smiled, but before he could answer, Tyrell pounced, knocking him onto his
back and pinning Rief between them. Pressing his advantage, Tyrell let his
hands explore; Rief gasped, fisting the blanket, and Amiti arched up, grinding
against them.
Matthew started unbuttoning Karis' clothing. "It wouldn't be fair on Amiti if
he remained the only one undressed..."
"I think you're right." Karis grinned and peeled off Matthew's jacket, pausing
to let him slip her tunic over her head. She took care of her vest and bra in
short order, keen to feel the warmth of his hands directly. Matthew promptly
gave up on undressing in favour of squeezing her breasts, as if he'd read her
mind. She kicked off her shoes, laid back alongside the others and pulled at
the fastenings of Matthew's top, reflecting happily that it was never going to
take much to direct him there.
She glanced over to see how the others were doing. Rief and Amiti were kissing
with abandon, still pressed together, and Tyrell had slipped one hand inside
Rief's leggings, though he'd freed his other hand to deal with his own clothes.
Matthew tilted her face up for a kiss, and she returned it eagerly, giving up
on tugging at his top in favour of wrapping her arms round his shoulders.
"Ah! I, I think we could use some oil," Amiti gasped; Karis looked over in time
to see Tyrell sitting up, while Rief ground his palm over Amiti's cock and
sucked at his neck. She suspected Tyrell had been the one to prompt that
outburst.
"In my bag... cooking oil..." Rief ordered, without budging.
"Alright, alright..." Tyrell muttered, heading off to fetch it.
Karis bit her lip to keep from giggling. Matthew gave her a curious look, and
she slid her hands down to the small of his back, pulling him into resting his
weight against her. "Well, it's a good idea. We could use some too..."
Matthew's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded vigorously. Karis slid her legs
round him as he ground his hips into her; it was good, but she was getting
desperate for something more. She'd only tried anal with toys before, but
maybe, with someone else, it could be really good...
"Okay, anyone else for oil?" Tyrell asked, standing nearby.
Matthew went to get some, and Karis used the opportunity to slip off her
leggings and underwear. Once Tyrell had poured out a palmful for Matthew, Rief
gestured for the bottle and took it from them without getting up. He poured a
generous amount of liquid onto Amiti, and proceeded to massage it across his
stomach and between his legs.
"How does that feel?" Rief asked, spreading it around with firm strokes.
"Mmmmh..." Amiti replied eloquently, stretching out beneath him.
Since Tyrell and Matthew were busy staring and sorting themselves out for the
moment, Karis leaned over and stroked Amiti's cock to get some oil on her
fingers. Amiti let out a gratifying little moan, making her smile as she laid
back again and made a start at preparing herself.
Rief started to slip his fingers inside Amiti, who lifted his hips, then sank
back with a shuddering breath. After squirming a little more, he rolled onto
his front. Rief stroked his back for a little while as he settled, then
continued stretching him out.
Amiti blinked down at Karis; they were lying close enough that she could feel
his breath stirring her hair. She gazed back, drinking in the sight of him all
happy and mussed up. He closed the distance, kissing her lightly all over her
face and neck. His hand snaked out to caress her chest, exploring the surface
and rubbing little circles in the soft skin. She laughed breathlessly and sunk
three fingers into herself, wondering when Matthew was going to stop staring
and get back here.
When she felt a hand on her knee, she looked up to see Tyrell grinning at her,
and... well, yeah, maybe it'd be worth feeling that inside her, just the once.
Was it only because she was so hot and bothered, or would she have noticed how
fit he was before now if he wasn't usually such a bother?
"Me first."
"Sure."
Karis slid her fingers out and rubbed them on the blanket as he grabbed her
hips. Except – no, that was not where she'd expected him to go.
"No, Tyrell, not there..."
He pulled out immediately and sat back, giving her a wounded look which was
completely unfair. Hadn't he seen her rubbing oil up her ass for the last few
minutes? What did he think she'd agreed to? Seeing her friend upset, she almost
wanted to spare his feelings, to tell him that she wasn't ready yet, but they
could do that too sometime... But, no. She didn't want to risk getting pregnant
by him, and she didn't want to end up in a relationship with him. Saying
something silly would only drag this out, when there was really no need for
excuses; she liked him as much as she liked him, and he'd listened, and this
was just awkward. Truly, incredibly awkward.
"Um, over here?" Rief offered, providing them with a welcome distraction.
Karis blinked when she noticed that Rief had entered Amiti; his caresses had
been constant enough that he hadn't let on when they'd started. Talk about
gentle...
"What?" Tyrell asked, sounding slightly lost.
"I, ah, I could suck you off..." Rief elaborated.
"You sure?" Tyrell asked, getting to his feet.
Rief nodded, and pulled at his legs to guide him to stand over Amiti, within
easy reach. As Rief gave him a preliminary stroke, he added, "I've been wanting
to try..."
Tyrell stared, but Rief followed through on his offer without further comment.
"Fucking hell," Tyrell muttered, grabbing Rief's shoulder. "You could have said
something."
Rief lifted his head and gazed at Tyrell in a way that made Karis suspect his
thoughts didn't entirely match his answer. "I'm saying something now."
"Can't argue with that," Tyrell laughed, sounding slightly overcome.
"I, um, are you ready?" Matthew asked, returning to Karis' side.
"Way ahead of you."
"Sorry. This is all..."
"It's all happening at once, isn't it?" Karis replied, making an effort to
watch her tone. She really didn't want to hear anyone making excuses.
Matthew smiled and ran a hand along her leg, getting things back on track. He
slipped a couple of fingers inside her, checking how well she'd loosened up.
She closed her eyes, wanting to stop thinking about all of this. More than
anything, she wanted to simply feel it, now, with him.
Karis felt Amiti land a couple of light, fleeting kisses on her eyelids as
Matthew slid into her. The heat was worth the ache, immediately worth it,
though it was a good thing he held still for a minute, giving it time improve.
When Matthew touched her hip lightly, she nodded, and he started to move,
keeping it slow and leaving her enough headspace to savour the sensation.
She loved listening to the others; she'd never before felt so wanted, glowing
with warmth wherever she was touched as they moved in synch. Her breath hitched
as Matthew slid further into her, and she couldn't bear the idea of parting
from him; she'd never been so sure that this was all fated, that she'd follow
him anywhere, and that she'd move mountains to keep him safe, no matter what
lay ahead. Amiti's hair tickled her skin as he kissed her chest; his hand
gradually slid down her body, stroking and pinching, until his fingers started
toying with her clit, racheting up the heat within her. She tightened her legs
around Matthew and twisted the blanket beneath her hands; he couldn't get any
deeper, and she needed more; even with friction everywhere, it wasn't enough.
Until suddenly, wonderfully, she had all she needed, and nothing beforehand had
ever come close...
She was still reeling when Matthew crashed out next to her, wrapping an arm
round her waist and snuggling up against her side. Amiti rested his hand on
Matthew's wrist for a moment, then returned to groping lightly at her breasts,
his movements losing focus. She blinked her eyes open, and noticed Tyrell was
down too. Rief was wiping his face; he'd gotten cum all over his glasses. Once
his fingers were too sticky to make a difference, he paused with his fingertips
against his lips for a moment, breathing in the scent. He took his time licking
his fingers clean, resting his other hand on Amiti's back and falling into a
slow, distracted rhythm.
Amiti let out a quiet whine from the back of his throat. Tyrell laughed,
watching avidly from his spot on the blanket next to them.
"Try me next time. I'll screw you senseless," Tyrell promised.
"We will have... plenty of time..." Amiti gasped, before slipping back into
breathless panting as he regained Rief's full attention.
If Karis had felt like speaking, she'd have warned Tyrell that he'd wear out
his face if he kept grinning that hard.
Rief licked his lips absently as he slid a hand round to stroke Amiti in time
with his redoubled efforts. Amiti hummed happily, leaning into his movements
and skimming his fingertips across Karis' chest in patterns informed by the new
rhythm.
At that pace, though, Rief didn't last long; he let out a groan that soon
devolved into senseless murmuring as he hit his peak and slid down to one side,
ending up on top of Tyrell. While Rief muttered sounds that weren't quite
words, Tyrell pulled him into his arms and ruffled his hair; Karis had never
seen him quite so grabby and affectionate before.
"Um...?" Amiti cast his gaze left and right, kneeling alone in the midst of his
fallen companions.
Karis covered her mouth to hide her smile; he looked so woefully abandoned, it
was unbearable. She kicked Matthew gently, trying to rouse him. "Hey, hero.
Help him out."
"Told you I'm next," Tyrell grumbled, laying Rief down on the blanket.
"My mistake." Karis kissed Matthew's cheek in apology as he opened his eyes,
and got properly comfy with him again, happy enough to have more to watch.
"Nnnhh..." Amiti groaned and squirmed as Tyrell entered him; he was a fair bit
larger than Rief, and they must have worn off a lot of oil. Karis bit her lip,
wondering whether she ought to tell them to apply some more. They seemed to be
managing well enough, though; Amiti's face was heating up, and Tyrell was
working his way in pretty smoothly. He leaned over and grabbed Amiti by the
hair, then shoved his head down into the blanket as he started to thrust. Amiti
moaned and stretched out his arms along the ground, curling his toes while
Tyrell set about living up to his word.
Karis slid a little closer and reached in to help get him off. The least she
could do was return the favour, after all. Tyrell glanced at her, looking
slightly put out, but his gaze quickly wandered south, and he didn't end up
voicing any possessive sentiments. She smiled and ran a hand up his thigh
teasingly, then turned her attention back to the prince's pleasure.
Through their efforts combined, it didn't take long before Amiti was moaning
and shuddering in their arms. Tyrell let himself go, adding a second
contribution to the mess dripping onto the blanket. Karis raised her cummy hand
to her lips and took a tentative lick, wondering why Rief seemed to like it so
much. With Amiti watching through half-lidded eyes, she smiled and swallowed,
though she could only call it an acquired taste at best.
Amiti rolled clear of the damp spots and curled up next to Rief. Karis and
Tyrell joined them, tired enough to doze off together. Amiti shifted round to
rest his head on her chest, curling his fingers around her shoulder. She
stroked his back, happy to act as a human pillow for a while. Matthew crawled
over to join the dogpile, eliciting a squeak from Rief at the center before he
figured out where to rest his weight. Amiti entwined his legs with theirs,
sighing contentedly.
"This is lovely. I knew we would get along."
"We're more than getting along," Tyrell answered, letting slip a surprised
laugh. "Honestly, did your mom put out this fast?"
"Put what out?" Amiti asked, the meaning passing him by.
"Come on, don't ruin it..." Karis hissed.
"Is this how quickly your mom had sex with your dad when he sh– oww!" Tyrell
ignored Karis until she twisted his ear.
"They may have made their decision within a day or so. What is the point of
comparing it to the time it has taken us to become friends? We are hardly
comparing like for like."
Karis met Tyrell's gaze, and realised they could stand to probe a little deeper
here.
"Do you think it was different for them?" She asked carefully.
"I imagine life was different in every way. In those days, Ayuthay was on the
brink of desertification. Whatever part she played in enlisting his aid – "
"I think it's pretty clear how she got his attention," Tyrell interrupted.
"An appeal to his better nature...?"
"If you call this your better nature," Tyrell replied, groping Amiti until he
shoved his hand away.
"Stop that! Why would you suggest – there is no reason to assume they ever – "
"Didn't you say they probably did it within a day?" Rief asked, getting drawn
in despite himself.
"They tried for a child within a short span of time, but that does not mean – "
"Do you think they never did it for pleasure? Or that it doesn't count if I'm
not knocked up?" Karis asked, trying to figure it out.
"Knocked... where...?"
"I mean, this is sex too," she added.
"This...?" Amiti's gaze swept over the campsite.
"I mean, the stuff we just did. That was sex."
"I... N-now look here, I have never undertaken, nor would ever consent to
undertake such a momentous ritual without thoroughly consulting all of the
affected parties, and receiving proper training in the means and methods, so as
to avoid precipitating another tragedy such as claimed – "
"Amiti! Amiti, honey, what do you think sex is?" Karis asked him urgently.
"A sacred ritual undertaken by two or more people in order to summon a child."
"Well, that's one way of looking at it," Rief replied gently. "It's not always
about children, though."
"As I understand it, the summoning is not always successful."
"When you thought your mother had conceived you on her own, that meant...?"
Matthew checked.
"We believed she had figured out how to alter the ritual and perform it alone
through her prodigal powers. In case you have forgotten, I was not the only one
to believe the story that she was an Adept."
"Right, right. What would the ritual usually involve?" Karis asked.
"Magic circles, incense, repeated incantations..."
"Incense is not uncommon," Rief mused.
"Is 'yes, yes, yes' an incantation?" Tyrell wondered.
"Have you ever actually seen anyone perform that kind of summoning?" Karis
pressed on.
"Of course not. It is a private affair."
"You've seen women you know get pregnant, though, haven't you? People who you
knew were involved in... uh, close friendships... but who never said anything
to you about magic circles and chanting?"
Amiti kept quiet for a minute. His expression suggested he was having trouble
putting two and two together to make three, four, or any other number on the
scale.
"There are people who complain about the sacrifices involved in parenting,"
Amiti muttered. "I always hoped I would not have to sacrifice anything large,
such as a horse or a goat."
"Yeah, no, you needn't worry about that. Sex doesn't involve animal sacrifice,"
Matthew assured him. "At least, it's better if it doesn't."
"Are you speaking from experience there?" Rief asked.
"Wait, so you've been assuming your dad was a travelling magician who met your
mom, gave her the Luna mask, performed a few incantations and sacrificed a
goat? That's all?" Tyrell checked, cracking up.
"Maybe...?"
"No, no, Matthew's right. There were no goats involved," Rief told him. "Well,
probably."
"No horses, either," Tyrell added, "though he might've been hung like one."
"Eww. Don't even..."
"Stop it, that's enough," Karis warned the others.
"If a new soul is not summoned into being, where does it come from?" Amiti
asked, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"Here..." Karis held up her hand and rolled the thin coating of semen under her
thumb, then pointed towards her lower regions. "... And here."
"Kids are a mish-mash of their parents in all kinds of ways. They come from
them directly," Matthew added helpfully.
"What? But, we do that all the time... That cannot be..."
"Children are born all the time," Rief reminded him.
"Does that mean..." Amiti sat up, staring around the group with slightly
panicky eyes. "Are any of us pregnant?"
"Uh, no. Not a chance," Karis answered.
"You're good, princess," Tyrell added, patting him on the back.
"You must have noticed that only women ever get pregnant," Karis continued,
heading off the confusion in Amiti's expression.
"The mere fact that something has not happened in living memory does not mean
it could not happen under the proper circumstances. Many things occur without
known precedent. Even if my mother's Psynergy was not a specific example, the
rule still holds."
"You will never, ever get pregnant," Karis insisted. "Not unless there's a
Psynergy that can grant you a complete set of female reproductive organs."
"Organs...?" Amiti echoed, staring at her cunt as if it might sprout wings.
"There's a lot going on in here," Karis answered, before turning to the others
with an idea. "Rief, show him the diagrams."
"I'm on it." Rief squirmed free of the group to go search his bag.
"Diagrams." Amiti blinked, and failed to come up with anything more to say.
"You sound disappointed," Tyrell noted.
"I had hoped to build on my mother's work, and figure out a way to amend the
ritual further. If it were possible to do so safely – " Amiti's voice caught,
and he closed his eyes before continuing with the softly spoken confession. "I
wanted to bear at least one of my own children, in order to feel what she felt.
To feel closer to her. I suppose it sounds silly..."
"No, not at all," Karis assured him, wrapping an arm round his shoulders. When
she caught sight of Tyrell's expression, she gave him an ultra serious warning
look. Don't you dare say anything...
"For what it's worth, I think you'd make a great mom, and a great dad," Matthew
told him.
"Thank you, but no, I would not," Amiti replied, steadily losing volume.
"Everything I have ever known has been a distortion of the truth. I do not
possess the insight required to guide anyone through this world. That is why I
am here. I must improve myself in order to serve my people."
"We're all grateful to you for making such a brave decision," Karis replied,
stroking his shoulder. "We're relying on you to put the Insight Glass to good
use. No doubt it will aid you in seeing clear past those distortions."
"Perhaps that is why it chose me," Amiti continued, barely audible even to
Karis. "It recognised how far short of the mark I fall, and pitied me..."
"No, sweetie, don't start thinking that way. It won't do you any good," Karis
advised. "Remember what we discussed earlier? It chose you because you're a
child of Ayuthay, and a descendant of the Jenei."
"Do you still want this?" Rief asked, holding up a dog-eared old book.
Karis bit her lip, figuring this probably wasn't the right moment, but Amiti
nodded and held out his hand. Rief flipped the book open to one of the early
pages, passed it over, and sat down to watch him read. Matthew and Tyrell
shuffled round to see.
Amiti traced his finger along the curve of a fallopian tube, and spent a minute
reading the text beneath. "...Did she know?"
"Your mother?" Karis checked.
Amiti nodded. His gaze remained fixed on the page. "If that is all it takes,
and if she did not know – if she thought it merely an expression of feeling –
did she want a child?"
"I'm sure she did," Karis answered, swearing to herself that the next time she
saw someone preparing a snack, she wouldn't ask questions. "She told everyone
that you were a miracle, and she loved your father. It's clear enough that she
either wanted you from the start, or loved you from the moment she realised you
were there."
"If my family wished to credit my mother with the activation of the Alchemy
Well, they would have had little choice but to describe me as another of her
accomplishments. Whatever the true circumstances, they would only ever have
told me that she loved me very much. What else could they say? Even if I was a
happy accident, that would only have been the case while she believed... If she
would not have expected her work to cost her dearly, she would certainly not
have expected to lose her life over mere happenstance."
"Still..." Karis kept her arm round him, debating whether to divert him with a
hug, until he twisted round to face her.
"If someone dies in an accident, it is not a miracle. It is a tragedy. I... I
am n-not a..." Amiti clung to her, resting his head on her shoulder as he broke
into sobs.
"Shhh, it's alright..." She stroked his back, figuring this was something he
needed to get out of his system.
"Hey, you're totally a miracle. Didn't I tell you so? You can take my word for
it," Tyrell offered.
"I don't think you're the one he wants to hear it from," Matthew ventured.
"Is there anything we can do?" Rief asked, sounding the calmest out of the
three of them.
"Could you set up the tents? And, um, maybe find a washcloth." Karis kept her
tone light and soothing, trying not to let on that it was at all an
inconvenience to wind up with the prince of Ayuthay crying on her shoulder
while they were both naked and filthy.
"Of course." Rief nodded, and let them be.
Tyrell lingered, looking worried, until Matthew touched his arm. "Come on,
she's got this."
"Ah... I..." Amiti sniffed and shifted his hands as if to try to push himself
away.
"It's alright, sweetie, I'm here for as long as you want me here," Karis told
him, keeping up the contact but loosening her grip in case he did want to
leave.
He stayed, gasping and hiccuping until he managed to subdue the sobbing and
breathe slowly and evenly against her neck. When Rief passed her a damp
flannel, she wiped her hands and kept hold of it without breaking the embrace.
"Ah... the others... Do you think they know?" Amiti asked, his voice hoarse.
"The girls always seem to know where they want it, but I thought it was simply
a matter of what they felt like at the time, a matter of personal
preference..."
"It is, to an extent, but it ought to be an informed choice on the part of
everyone involved. If they knew, they probably assumed you did too. Either way,
your people adore you. I bet if you ask any of your girlfriends, they'll tell
you they'd be delighted to have you as the father of their children."
"We must go back. I must know if anyone is already... affected..." Amiti
insisted, rubbing his eyes. "I do not want anyone else to die for my sake..."
"You've only been gone a few hours. Nothing will have changed."
"Oh, right... Still, to see them again, in this light..."
"Why don't we go back and top up with a few more supplies in the morning? You
could have a proper talk with your nearest and dearest while we do the
shopping."
He nodded, hugging her a little tighter.
"I'm sure it'll set your mind at rest." She kissed his hair, wondering
privately whether it would settle the matter, or open up a can of worms right
before he had to run off.
How many lovers did he have? Considering the way he'd been acting, how many of
them were the same age as him, and how many were a fair bit older? What would
the people of Ayuthay think of their future king if he spent the morning
grabbing them one by one and asking them all "Do you realise how babies are
made?"
Well, they were in for an interesting morning, at the very least. If they knew
and loved their prince, they'd get through it without her fussing around after
him.
"Oh... I've been..." He sat up, sniffing and rubbing his eyes rather
vigorously. "I've been crying on you... Is that...?"
"It's fine. I'm here for you."
"Oh, then it's safe?"
"Safe?"
"It doesn't... do anything...?" He checked, turning ever so slightly red.
"No, you can't get me pregnant by crying on me. I mean, if that's what you're
asking."
"Tears are another fluid, and another expression of emotion..."
"Yes, and that's all they are. No special effects." She stroked his hair,
trying to imagine how it would feel to be unsure of something like that, and to
ask for a partner's sake no matter how ignorant it sounded. In a weird way, it
was one of the sweetest questions imaginable. "Thank you for worrying about
me."
"Your folks really pulled one over on you, didn't they?" Tyrell weighed in, as
he and Matthew joined them on the blanket once again. "Chores are done."
Judging by his expression, Amiti didn't recognise the colloquialism.
"You should borrow this," Karis added, nudging the book closer. "The rest of us
have all read it. Check with Rief, though. Kraden gave it to him a while ago."
"You are welcome to borrow it and read it at your leisure," Rief told him,
handing over a couple of blankets. "Do you mind if I wash this now?" He tugged
at the blanket beneath them.
"Thanks, that's definitely a good idea." Karis stepped clear with the others
and wrapped her new blanket round her waist. The evening was still stiflingly
hot, but she should probably go and wash before it got much later.
"I will treasure it for as long as it remains in my possession," Amiti solemnly
assured him. "Is this how the rest of you learned...?"
"Pretty much," Matthew replied, watching him flick through pages of anatomical
drawings and dense text. "I asked my dad about the facts of life when I was
younger, but I didn't learn the details until that time I asked Rief what he
was reading."
"What did your father tell you?" Amiti asked, looking up in curiosity.
"When adults have strong feelings for each other, they can join together in a
special way that allows their bodies and souls to mingle, and if a male and a
female are involved, they'll sometimes create something new as a result,"
Matthew recounted. "It's best if those strong feelings include love, because
you're left with more good memories that way, and because it's easier to look
after each other and raise a child if everyone involved cares about each other
deeply. Dad told me I'd know when I started to feel that way about certain
people, once I got older, and I should speak to him again then, and in the
meantime keep in mind that it's not something anyone ever has a right to demand
of anyone else against their will. I borrowed the book while I was still trying
to work up the nerve to ask him for that part two. It's just as well. There are
a lot of details in there which I wouldn't want to hear from my parents."
"Did you receive a similar lesson?" Amiti asked Tyrell.
"Uh, sort of. Whenever I asked, my dad got embarrassed and said I wasn't old
enough to know. In the end, Matthew told me what Isaac had told him, and we've
shared our information ever since."
"Not that you've had much to share," Matthew added.
"Hey! I warned you that those recipes on page forty-nine were no good," Tyrell
protested.
"Maybe you'd have had more luck if you'd learned to cook beforehand," Matthew
replied.
"Aphrodisiacs...?" Amiti mused, reading the page in question. "The prawn soup
sounds nice."
"Why don't you give them another go?" Karis asked, reading over his shoulder.
"I've always wanted to try some of these."
"Oh? Yeah, sure, no problem," Tyrell answered, sounding happy, though slightly
surprised.
"See? Girls love it when you cook for them," Matthew told him.
Amiti glanced at Matthew as if he was unsure whether he should be offended.
"Who doesn't?" Karis replied, trying to move the conversation smoothly on. "In
any case, my parents gave me a fairly similar talk. There was more of an
emphasis on staying safe and being careful, although the book was far clearer
about what I was supposed to be careful of and with. You'll find there's
abundant advice in there about more or less everything."
"Everything?" Amiti turned a page to find a chapter on the interpretation of
erotic dreams. "It certainly seems comprehensive."
"Well, almost everything," Karis answered, taking a moment to consider its
limits. "It doesn't offer the slightest bit of advice about getting into orgies
with foreign royalty, but I'd say we navigated that one well enough by
ourselves."
Karis smiled as Amiti adjusted his diadem self-consciously.
"I could tell you any number of horror stories from the Sanctum," Rief chimed
in, laying the wet blanket on the grass to dry. "The biology of intimacy holds
little mystery for members of my Clan."
"Your uncle did teach you how to take care of yourself, didn't he?" Karis asked
Amiti, worrying about him again as she remembered some of Rief's cautionary
tales. "I mean, you've never felt pushed into anything that you didn't really
want to do...?"
"He has always supported me in both my decisions and my efforts to look after
myself. There was an instance, a few years ago, when a family friend became far
too insistent, even after I warned him that I would not brook such presumptuous
behaviour. I'm afraid I rather lost my temper." Amiti looked down and slightly
mumbled his next words. "Paith said it's alright; the scars will teach him not
to try it again."
"Oh. I'm glad he steered you right, in that respect," Karis replied, in lieu of
a better answer.
"Remind me never to mess with you." Tyrell sounded quite heartfelt about that.
"Remind you?" Amiti turned on him, absolutely indignant. "Why would you even
want to in the first place?"
"Because he's a terrible person, clearly," Rief told them, kissing Tyrell on
the cheek to visibly belie the comment.
Karis fought back a grin as Tyrell and Amiti each gave Rief a look which said
as clearly as words, I hope you're not having a laugh at my expense. If she'd
inherited the power of telepathy, she doubted she'd have seen anything wildly
different by reading their minds. If they were all telepaths, she knew exactly
what she'd be tempted to tell them in reply. I am, but I love you anyway.
The intensity of the sentiment caught her by surprise. No matter that they
would not all be able to keep hold of each other for long, no matter that she
felt differently and wanted different things with each of them – these boys had
somehow managed to become an indelible part of her life. Today was a day she
would always remember, no matter how long she lived, whether she liked it or
not. What's more, that would have been the case if it had been perfectly
flawless, or an unmitigated disaster. They still would've had to look each
other in the eye the next day, and carry the memories with them throughout
everything that lay ahead in life. Matthew's dad was right; they really did
have to take care to give each other good memories. Maybe the affection between
them wouldn't be enough to keep it all from ending in tears a few weeks or
months down the line, but it was real enough. We're the Adepts of prophecy, and
we're going to forge a bond that will go down in history along with our deeds.
That is, once we figure out exactly what we're meant to be doing, according to
the ancients, and how to get there, and how to talk to each other...
"Come on, now. We're all in this together," Karis told the others, giving up on
holding back her smile.
"Is everyone happy to do this again?" Matthew checked.
"Perhaps not every night," Rief replied cautiously.
"Would morning and afternoon be enough, on some days?" Amiti asked him
dubiously.
Tyrell broke into a coughing fit.
"Let's play it by ear," Matthew suggested.
"I do not know many positions that involve the ears." Amiti frowned, flicking
through the book for reference.
"That's not - "
"Oh! I like that one," Amiti announced, stopping on a page with the caption
'Reverse Corona'. His gaze shifted to the page opposite. "This one does not
work unless you move your elbows here," he added, sliding his finger across the
paper.
"Really? Why don't you give us a demonstration?" Rief suggested.
"Not tonight."
"I think I can safely say we've all had enough for one day," Karis assured him.
"I'm going to get washed and get some sleep, and I recommend the rest of you do
the same."
"Amiti, you're sharing a tent with Rief," Matthew told him, pointing him in the
right direction. "They're all two-person models. Karis has the girls' tent to
herself."
"How lonely." Amiti turned to Karis and took hold of her hand. "If you desire
company during the night, no matter the hour, please feel free to come and see
us."
"Maybe not in that order," Tyrell added.
"Uh, thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Karis got the impression that despite
Amiti's seemingly naive manner, he and Tyrell had just described more or less
the exact same offer.
"How do you prefer to be woken?" Rief asked, taking Amiti's hand and guiding
him towards the river to wash.
"Call my name a few times, I suppose. Shake me if it looks as though I will
miss breakfast," Amiti answered, sounding mildly puzzled by the question.
"Might I be so bold as to suggest a better way?" Rief offered, slipping his arm
round his waist as they walked.
"I am always open to suggestions."
"Lucky devil," Tyrell muttered under his breath.
"You know you can go see them anytime," Matthew reminded him.
"It's not the same as waking up together," Tyrell grumbled.
"Are you saying you don't get a kick out of waking up next to me?" Matthew
asked, hitting him in the arm.
"Are you saying you want to play house?" Tyrell asked, raising his eyebrows as
he looked him over.
Matthew rolled his eyes and headed for the tent.
"Fine, don't answer." Tyrell pulled a face at his back. "I swear, he's
inscrutable sometimes."
"Why don't you offer to wake him up a different way? Take a hint from the
others," Karis advised.
"Nah, he's always up first. I've got first watch tonight, anyway."
"You're missing the point."
"Which is...?"
"Think on it. I'll see you in the morning."
"What, no goodnight kiss?"
"How about a goodnight hug? Things are getting... complicated..."
"You can say that again."
"Mmh. That's a good hug."
"Sleep well."
"Thanks."
"You really mean it? We're in this together?"
"Whatever this is."
"Karis the cougar cub? Matthew's sex party? Prince Amiti's harem?"
"Oh, for the love of – what if he asks me to move to Ayuthay and join his
harem, for real?"
"Does he even have one, officially? Or does he just sleep around?"
"I don't know."
"Is that what you want?"
"Only if the rest of you come with me. We'll drink sweet wine and swim in the
Barai Pond all day."
"Don't forget the peeled grapes."
"With sherbet and spices..."
"Sounds like a plan."
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