Ви Корс - The Mist and the Lightning. Part II

"You're in pain! I was away for too long," he pressed Orel's head to his chest. "It'll get better now, my poor Arel."

Orel clung to him. Nikto leaned to him and kissed his damaged eye.

"Let's go," Lis stubbed his cigarette.

Tol looked at Nikto and Orel grinning like a madman.

"Yes, I think we should leave," Enriki said.

"Really? What a pity," Tol said laughing. "I wouldn't mind staying and holding a candle for them."

They left.

Chapter 3

A New Set-up

Orel woke up and yawned with enjoyment. Still half-dreaming, he stretched lazily and covered his face with his palms, trying to rub his sleepy eyes.

"Oh gods!" he flinched feeling thick cloth of the bandage over his right eye and recalling everything. He shivered, his sleepiness gone without a trace. He sat up in bed abruptly trying to suppress trembling.

Nikto who slept next to him opened his eyes and reached his hand squeezing Orel's palm.

"Easy, easy, don't be afraid. Lie back," he said.

Orel lay down obediently.

Nikto didn't let his hand go, kept squeezing it. "Don't tremble, calm down," he smiled at Orel. "C-a-l-m d-o-w-n."

With his free hand Orel stroked Nikto's fingers, black with tattoos, and gently touched the short stump of his ring finger.

"Nik, you're here, with me," he said, moved.

"Yes," Nikto stopped clenching Orel's palm but didn't let it go. "Though it is you with me. It is my room." He laughed softly.

"What happened yesterday? I don't remember anything," Orel tensed again.

"I healed your eye and soon you will be able to see as before."

Orel touched the bandage on his face.

"You healed me."

"Yes, yes," Nikto took his hand off the bandage, "just don't touch it."

Orel turned to him.

"I won't be single-eyed, will I?"

Nikto smiled shaking his head.

"You won't. You'll have two eyes, like before."

Orel lay back in the pillows, relaxed.

"It's so good. But is it for sure, Nik?"

"For sure, don't worry. But you can't get up yet, do you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear. I won't make a step without your permission!"

Nikto laughed again but didn't say anything.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know," Nikto shrugged. "But your friends are gone."

"Why are they just *my* friends?"

Nikto rose slightly smoothening his hair.

"Well, they are mine, too," he grinned.

"I asked you not to quarrel again."

Nikto turned to Orel. "We didn't quarrel."

"And with Lis?"

"And with Lis."

"Do you resent him badly?"

"Arel, I don't want to talk about it now. I need a shot. Later, okay?"

Nikto got out of the bed, came up to the table, took his bag and started preparing a dose. He stood near to Orel, turned with his side to him; Nikto's bare feet were buried in the thick fur on the floor. Setting the syringe against his neck under the angle only he knew he injected the needle into his vein.

Orel turned away.

"You're doing it standing," he said. "You really are a finished man."

"Orel, it's ridiculous," Nikto said.

Orel passed his hand over Nikto's thigh.

"Nik, will you stay with me for a while longer?"

"As long as you want," Nikto returned to him. "I'm all yours."

Orel moved making some place for him. "Then sit down."

"Okay," Nikto took out a few pills from his casket and swallowed them washing them down with wine from a bottle. Orel swallowed hard.

"Nik, can I drink now?"

Nikto gave him the bottle. Orel grabbed it gratefully and gulped quickly. Having emptied it, he stretched happily.

"Gods! Can anything be better? I'll have my eye, I have my wine, and my Nik is with me!"

Nikto sat next to him, turned Orel's face to himself.

"I need to check if everything's all right."

Orel got pale.

"I'm scared."

"Don't be foolish. Besides, you take pain well, I noticed."

Nikto untied the knot and took the bandage off carefully. Orel froze submissively.

"Nik, you can't see well, how can you check my eye?" he said suddenly. Nikto covered Orel's mouth with his hand.

"Keep quiet. Don't worry, I'll always see what I need."

He passed his fingers over Orel's eye, just like he'd done many times before, then smiled.

"It looks fine!" he said at last, smiling. He covered Orel's good eye with his palm. "Look. Can you see?"

Orel blinked his damaged eye.

"Yes! A little…" he squinted, his eye was tearing with light. "Nik, thank you!"

"Not at all," Nikto again covered his eye with the cloth soaked in the healing ointment and tied the bandage.

"When can I take off this shit?" Orel asked.

"Well, wait a little, not everything at once."

Orel got up.

"Hey, where are you going to? I've just told you that you couldn't get up!"

"But Nik, I need to piss," Orel looked at him fearfully.

Nikto shrugged.

"As you wish. Choose yourself what is more important for you, a good eye or…"

"Nik, you're joking, I hope?"

Nikto lay down in the bed. "I'm joking."

Orel flushed. "Idiot!" He got up carefully and slowly walked to the bathroom door. At the door he turned to Nikto. "Did you hear what I said? You're an idiot!"

Nikto laughed and threw an empty bottle at him.

"All right, go!"

Orel barely managed to dodge; the bottle hit the wall and fell on the floor rattling. Thick glass resisted the fall and didn't break.

"Fuck you!" Orel yelled and hid behind the door. When he came back, Nikto was still in bed. Orel came up to the mirror.

"Oh gods! I look like shit!"

He tried to smoothen his twisted hair.

"Nik, what have you done to me? I've never looked shittier!"

"Really?" Nikto could barely keep from laughing.

Orel turned to him.

"You're laughing! At first you mutilated me, made me a laughing-stock and now you're amusing yourself!"

Nikto reached his arms. "Come here, come to me!"

Orel lowered his gaze and silently walked up to him. As soon as Nikto could reach to him he grabbed Orel and overturned him onto the bed.

"Enough!"

Orel didn't resist. Nikto put him onto his back, leaned over him, his eyes glittered merrily.

"I hear, you're angry," he said. "Prince Arel Chig is displeased with something again."

Orel kept silent.

Nikto patted his hair, pressed his lips to it, then blew at Orel's temple.

"Should I call for Mina to comb your hair?"

"No, I don't need Mina, I don't need anyone but you. But I'm afraid – you didn't particularly like me before, and now when I look like that, you'll like me even less."

"Indeed," Nikto said. "You're simply disgusting: one-eyed and – just imagine! – with dirty, not combed hair."

Orel laughed. "Uncombed!"

"Whatever. You understand me."

"No, I don't understand. Are you just keeping me company while I'm sick? Or do you really want to be with me?"

"What do you think?" Nikto moved away from him slightly, supporting himself on his elbow. His other hand fingered his earrings mechanically.

"I'm afraid even to think about it," Orel got pale. "If you're just playing with me and then will leave me, I'll die. No, I don't even want to think about it!"

"Calm down, it's all right, I'll stay with you," Nikto lowered his gaze. "And I accepted the idea that I have to be not only a warrior here but also you lover."

Orel shivered and sat up in bed.

"But you don't want that! You just submitted to me because you were cornered! I didn't leave you a choice from the very beginning. Right?"

"Arel, calm down."

"Enough of calming me down!"

"Are you not tired of discussing our relations? I am," Nikto took a cigarette and lit it.

"Why do I always start a quarrel with you?" Orel said, depressed. "I don't understand."