“But there are others!” the female pleaded, pulling again at the male. “I cannot go unclad with others within the tent! I must have my leathers!”
“Nonsense,” laughed Cimilan, closing one eye toward Lialt and Telion. “I am pleased to have other men see my good fortune. Stand here before me and give greeting to the Pathfinder and the High Rider’s chosen brother.”
“No!” wailed Famira, once again reduced to tears. “I cannot, I cannot, I cannot!”
Then did she whirl away from Cimilan and throw herself toward the back of the tent, in among the packs and provisions, in an attempt to bury herself among them. Telion and Lialt chuckled well as Cimilan, with a grin, followed after the female, Ceralt also watching the sport with amusement, I, alone, finding no humor in the matter. Shame touches each of us in different ways, yet even village slave-women were able, at times, to feel its pain. Famira had undoubtedly earned her shame, yet there need not have been such—complete amusement—in the giving of it. The original doing had not been through her efforts alone.
The male Cimilan, full bent upon his amusement, drew the female from her hiding place with an arm about her waist. Her voice rose in a wail of pleading, she kicked and fought to remain hidden, yet naught moved the male from his purpose. In no more than a moment was she placed upon her feet among the three males, they having made a loose circle about her, seeing that they gave her no place to run. She stood with head down, weeping, attempting to hide herself with her hands, making more of the thing than any save a city female would have done. The males examined her with their eyes, yet Cimilan found himself dissatisfied.
“Remove your hands from before you, satya,” he directed, his voice not unkind. “Should it be necessary, your wrists may be bound behind you.”
Famira raised her head to look upon Cimilan, her eyes widened in denial of belief, her arms slowly dropping from before her. The female now knew, beyond doubt, that she was bound to males, theirs to do with as they pleased. Should Cimilan wish it, she would be bound tightly with leather, displayed before others or left untouched in a corner, to pull at the leather and struggle in vain. She dared not disobey his commands, dared not even consider such, and I folded my arms beneath my life sign, struggling to see the matter as Famira saw it. It is possible for any to fall captive to males, yet how might one give over dignity and freedom with no more than token protest? Had Famira been beaten near to death her fear might be understandable, yet naught had been done to her save the suggestion of a possibility, and there she stood, fearful lest she be bound in leather, a fate too horrible to contemplate. Much did I struggle for understanding, yet such was not meant to come to me.
“A lovely morsel, Cimilan,” said Telion with a grin, causing Famira to redden further. “It is good of you to allow us to look upon her.”
Indeed,” agreed Lialt, also with much of a grin. “I had not known my cousin to be so much of a woman. My congratulations on your good fortune.”
“You are horrid, all of you!” wept Famira, her hands now before her face, her head lowered to them. “You shame me with every word and care naught for doing so! I shall never forgive you never!”
The males looked upon one another with a twinkle Famira saw naught of, and again I shook my head at her foolishness. To berate those with power over you may be done only when one cares naught for the consequences.
“So you feel you have been given shame,” said Cimilan with a sternness his eyes belied. “I think, my girl, you have not yet learned the meaning of shame. Men have complimented your appearance, and you have returned them discourteousness. The insult must be wiped away. Lialt, Telion, please take seat and make yourselves at ease.”
Cimilan did as he had bade the other males do, and all looked up toward a Famira who now stood warily apprehensive, her hands no longer before her face, the tears running unheeded down her cheeks. Ceralt came to stand beside me, his face expressionless, his eyes amused, yet Famira no longer looked upon him. She looked only upon Cimilan, sparing not even a glance for the other males.
“Now,” said Cimilan sternly. “Hold your arms away from your body and turn to face Lialt and Telion. Do not return your arms nor face away from them without my permission, else you shall be punished on the spot.”
A lack of understanding showed in Famira’s eyes as she slowly did as she was commanded, yet the movement was not lost upon the males she stood before. Her arms, bent at the elbows, held away from her body, beckoned the males toward the sweetness of her form, the large breasts, the small waist, the obvious presence of her womanhood. A murmur of approval arose all around, from Ceralt as well as the others, and startlement at last came to Famira, to see such desire in the eyes of males. She looked upon Telion, then upon Lialt, seeing the heat sight of her brought, and then a feeling came to her which I was able to recognize from also having felt it. When Ceralt looked upon me with pleasure and desire, I often found that I wished to show myself to him even though the heat rose high within me at his gaze. I wished to show myself to him yet did not wish it so, for the desire I felt then was near to crippling, nigh unto agony. Famira stood with her long legs at ease, the left one straight, the right one somewhat bent at the knee, gazing at Lialt and Telion as they gazed upon her, and then, as though in curiosity, her head turned to Cimilan where he sat. Naked desire shown from the male’s eyes, pleasure and heat and pride bound together, and Famira suddenly shuddered, drew her legs tightly together, then threw herself to the fur at his feet.
“Cimilan, take me back to our tent!” the female wept, clawing her way to his lap and arms. “I beg you, Cimilan, I cannot bear the pain!”
“There is a way your pain might be eased, satya,” the male murmured, drawing her close to his chest. “Here, now, without the need of returning to our tent.”
“No!” the female whispered, twisting about in his arms. “You could not use me before these others! You would not!”
“Do you feel the act would shame you?” the male asked, moving his hands upon her body. “As badly as you have thus far been shamed?”
“Oh, much more!” Famira moaned, knowing naught of where Cimilan’s hands went till she cried out as though in fear of her soul. Her screams rang out again and again as she attempted to force Cimilan’s stroking from the center of her being, yet the male was not to be denied—nor was her flesh. It took no more than the briefest moment before she began to beg her use, there, upon the spot they sat, out upon the snow, anywhere possible that it might be done immediately. Cimilan laughed to see the change in her, put her to her back in the fur, and soon had full, deep possession of her. Telion and Lialt chuckled as they rose to their feet, and Ceralt stirred beside me.
“So much for the shame of use,” said Ceralt, stretching his broad body hard. “How quickly a wench may be made to change her views.”
“From whom were such views learned?” I asked as Telion and Lialt stopped beside us. “Should all village females glory in their use by males, who might be left to instill such beliefs in those not yet touched?”
My question had been for Ceralt, yet he himself made no answer as he looked to Lialt and Telion, who quickly avoided his gaze as they coughed into their cupped hands. Ceralt glared upon the two he called brother, then returned his gaze to me.
“Famira had the ill luck to be daughter to one who delighted in the unhappiness of others,” said he, his voice showing difficulty with the words. “In his attempts to protect his daughter from men with no honor, he, perhaps inadvertently, instilled too great a mistrust in her. It is, after all, a man’s duty to protect his daughter from unwelcome advances. How else might she be protected save with cautions deeply instilled?”