Favored one - Ch. 6

Story by MisterStallion on SoFurry

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#6 of Favored One


Here you go! Sorry it took so long, had some things going on. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of it!

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Dakkar led Boana down the hill and into the cozy village. The dirt streets were mostly empty, and the afternoon sun cast a warm, golden sort of glow on the rich wood of the collected houses. After they passed the first house, Dakkar broke into a jog, and then into a run, Boana following behind him. Dakkar wound his way between a pair of cabins and headed straight for one house. As soon as he reached the simple wooden door, he turned the knob and threw it open without knocking, throwing himself inside. Boana halted just outside, unsure if he should go in.

"Dakkar!" Came a surprised voice.

"Pa!"

Boana peered through the doorway. Inside he could glimpse a large living area, and a few comfortable wicker chairs facing each other, as well as doorways to other rooms, and in the center Dakkar stood with his arms thrown around a larger, older bull with a bigger set of horns, grey fur and large, broad and powerful shoulders marked with black tattoos of interconnecting, swirling knots. The bull stood there, wide-eyed for a moment, then returned the embrace, glancing at Boana through the doorway looking slightly bemused.

"What is it?" He asked. "What happened with the King?"

"It's...." He pulled back, staring into his father's eyes. "I'm not quite sure how to say it."

Dakkar's father's brow furrowed, and he glanced at Boana again.

"Who is this?" He asked.

Dakkar turned immediately, waving a hand for Boana to enter. Boana slowly did, stopping just past the threshold.

"This is Boana. A guard from the palace. He saved my life."

Dakkar's father's eyes widened.

"From what?" He demanded.

"From the King," Dakkar answered quietly.

Dakkar's father looked back and forth between his son and Boana, searching their faces, his jaw rigid. Then, he swept over to Boana and pulled him into a tight embrace. Surprised, Boana took a moment to return it.

"I know my son does not lie about such things," he said, pulling back. "Thank you Boana. My name is Teo. And I am forever in your debt. Now please," He gestured at the chairs that sat in a circle around the unlit stone hearth. "Sit. We have much to talk about."

The three sat down, and Dakkar began to tell his story starting from when he arrived at the palace. Boana sat in silence, preferring to listen. When Dakkar reached the point at which the king had first groped him in his chambers, Teo's back stiffened. And when he found that his son had been imprisoned for resisting, his eyes flashed and the very air about them burned with his outrage. When Dakkar told of when he was summoned before the King again, his throat closed, and he lowered his head, his face visibly flushing under his pale fur.

"What happened?" Teo pressed. "What did he do?"

Dakkar couldn't raise his head. He swallowed.

"You have to understand... the guards pinned my arms. I couldn't do anything to resist. And if I had... they still had their weapons. And..."

Boana sat frozen, wondering when his name would come up. Guilt squirmed in his stomach as he relived Dakkar's story with him, knowing that Dakkar's father would be none too pleased learning that Boana had helped the King do this to his son.

"What happened?" Teo repeated.

Dakkar kept his gaze to the floor, his eyes stony.

"He took off my loincloth. He exposed me to everyone."

Teo sat rigid in his chair, staring at Dakkar. No one in the room breathed. Suddenly Dakkar began taking panicked lungfuls of air and tears ran down his nose as he raised his head and met his father's eyes.

"And then he took my penis in his mouth, and- and he tried to...." Dakkar shook his head roughly, shuddering. Tao sat rigid, gripping the arms of his chair, the wood creaking under the strength of his hands, his shoulders taut as a drawn bow.

"Afterward, he sent be back to the dungeon," Dakkar continued, wiping his eyes. "And then Boana came, that night. He'd seen what the King had done, and wanted to set me free."

Boana's eyebrows went up, surprised, but relieved, that Dakkar had left out their night of mating in his quarters as well as the events of the following day where the King had raped him and forced Boana to watch.

"We also set free another prisoner, but he went off on his own," Dakkar added. "Boana and I escaped the palace and journeyed back here, together."

Teo stared at him for a moment, then jumped to his feet, raising a clenched fist, his thick muscles rippling with power.

"I will summon the village elders immediately," he thundered. "This means war! I will not rest until I tear that creature's head from his-"

"The King is dead," said Dakkar quietly.

Dakkar's father lowered his hand, the blaze in his eyes reducing to a cold simmer. His eyes narrowed.

"As we were escaping, we heard alarms," said Dakkar. "We thought, at first, that it was because someone had found the cages empty, but in a neighboring village we learned that an assassin had snuck into the king's chambers, stabbed him in the heart while he was sleeping and cut his throat. Boana and I think that it was the prisoner we had set free."

Teo nodded brusquely, letting out a satisfied snort.

"A death worthy of a coward," he muttered, lowering himself back into his chair.

"I'm so sorry this happened," Boana murmured.

"You had nothing to do with that," Dakkar murmured back, meeting him with a steady gaze. "Without you, I would still be there." Then he swallowed back and turned back to his father.

"My....I - ... I lost it, pa. Someone else saw... the marks of my manhood. Many did. I had... they took away my clothes. I'm afraid... I'm afraid that...Olana.... I'm afraid I'm no longer worthy."

Teo let out a surprised huff, looking affronted.

"Son, if a woman does not want you based on something you could not control, then she is not worthy of you." He lifted his chin. "And I am certain that Olana is worthy of you, Dakkar."

Dakkar lifted his head, his eyes wide with a sudden surge of hope.

"And, if I may say," Teo continued, leaning forward and looking at him pointedly. "You might be taking our traditions a little bit too seriously."

Dakkar let out a shuddering laugh, ducking his head.

"Perhaps so," he admitted.

"Go and see her," Teo commanded, nodding. "I think you should tell her as soon as you can. Tell her everything."

Dakkar swallowed, nodding.

"Now," said Teo, turning to Boana. "It seems we have a unique problem, here."

"What do you mean?" Boana asked.

"Obviously, you cannot return to the palace. You risked everything for my son. I will not let that go unrewarded. Did you have a wife back there? Family?"

Boana dropped his gaze, then shook his head.

"I... have no family. No one."

"Well," Teo murmured. "That is not true anymore."

Boana's head shot up, and his mouth fell open. For a while he could only stare back and forth from Dakkar to his father, speechless.

"I shall clear it with the rest of the village - everyone will want to hear this story - but my home is your home, Boana. And we are your people now."

Boana sat frozen, staring at him wide-eyed, unable to grasp what he'd just heard. Dakkar laughed. Teo shot him a look.

"What are you still doing here?" He asked gruffly. "Get off to Olana's. Go!"

Dakkar started at the sudden change of conversation, then, as though just remembering it, jumped to his feet and ran from the house, smacking Boana's shoulder as he passed him.

There was silence again. Teo cocked his head, watching him.

"Is that something you want? Is it something you would like?" He clarified quietly. Eventually boana closed his mouth and nodded.

"Very much," he managed.

********************

Dakkar stood still as a statue at Olana's doorstep for several minutes. The elation that had filled him previously had been replaced by the same nervousness and fear that he'd experienced earlier. Telling his father about his exposure had been one thing, but telling the woman he was going to marry.... And she would know if he left anything out. He would have to tell her everything - not only how he was raped, but also the things he had done of his own volition. He had to hope that she would understand.

"Don't make me come out there and get you, you clod," came a muffled voice from behind the door.

Dakkar jumped, then raised a hand and knocked on the door three times.

"Oh, for goodness sake," the voice muttered, stomping to the door and throwing it open. Olana stood framed in the doorway. Dakkar's heart skipped, as it always had when he saw her. Olana stood just shorter than him, her figure muscular and strong, her fur a deep cream fading to pale brown by her ankles and hands. A pair of small horns crowned her head, and all across her body ran ceremonial tattoos of a different style, of rivers, and floral patterns that ran across her arms, the sides of her torso, and her thighs and calves. Finely wrapped leather covered her breasts and her loins, leaving her midsection and her shoulders bare, beads and woven braids lacing the cloth. She had long, shining auburn hair pulled into a single ponytail behind her in an intricate braid.

She stood watching for a moment, raising a sardonic eyebrow at him.

"What's the matter with you?" she wondered, giving him a sly smile. "I've never seen you so-"

He lunged forward and swept her up into his arms, pulling her to his chest and burying his head into her neck.

"...shy," she finished meekly, before wrapping her arms around his back.

"Olana," he breathed, taking in her scent, his eyes closed. She stroked her hand up and down, running her fingers through his fine fur.

"What's happened?" She asked after several seconds, Dakkar continuing to hold onto her as though she were a raft in a hurricane. He pulled back, keeping his arms encircled around her waist.

"Can I tell you a story?" He murmured.

Concern filled her eyes, but she nodded, turning and leading him inside. He followed her, eyes locked to her and blind to anything else, and they sat side by side on the floor before the fireplace.

And, though he knew the tide of emotion would surely return to the fore, he began to tell his story again. How the King had molested him and exposed him; how worthless and alone he had felt after that had been taken from him; how he had let go of everything and had sex with Yasef; how desperate for comfort he had been, and he had mated with Boana; how the King had raped him; and how Boana had helped him escape. All through the story she said nothing. He tried not to focus on the different expressions crossing her face as she watched and listened to him, almost unblinkingly.

When he reached the end of the tale, they sat in silence for a long time, listening to each other's breathing. Dakkar looked at the floor, not able to meet her eyes.

"How well do you know me, Dakkar?" She finally asked, her voice low and soft.

Dakkar frowned.

"Pretty well, I believe," he replied.

She put her finger under his chin, lifting his head.

"Then stop worrying about me," she said firmly. "Do you think that our traditions - that someone violating you is important to how I feel about you? Do you think I care that some pervert ripped off your loincloth and saw your private bits?"

Tears filled Dakkar's eyes as he gazed at her, his breath catching in his chest.

"I love you," she murmured. "And just because someone else has seen your 'manhood' doesn't make me any less excited to see it myself, one day soon."

She placed a gentle hand on his upper thigh, rubbing the muscle for a moment, her eyes, glistening like sapphires, never leaving his face.

"And... though it's hard for me to conceive how you did it... I understand why you mated with someone during all of this."

"I'm sorry," Dakkar whispered, his tears falling.

"There is no need for that, Dakkar," she replied. Olana scooted close to him, pressing her thigh against his and leaning against his torso, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "You needed comfort. It helped you survive. I'm glad that you found some."

Dakkar closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh, and they sat together, their hearts beating in unison, a soft calmness washing over his wounds.

"But....uh.... I am curious..." she asked. Dakkar opened his eyes, glancing at her sideways. She frowned at the floor, thinking. "How exactly do two men mate?"

Dakkar smiled, a trickle of amusement bubbling up in his chest.

"Well," he replied, "Males have tailholes, too!"

Olana lifted her head and stared at him askance.

"That..." she looked away. "Is weird."

Dakkar burst out laughing. Olana giggled, and the two fell backwards onto the floor, happy tears streaming from their eyes, clutching their aching bellies as their mirth and joy echoed through the house.

****************

As the afternoon began to draw to a close, Teo and Dakkar brought Boana before the village, meeting in a great circle around a large, burning fire pit in the center of the village. Teo , standing before the seven council members on the opposite side of the fire, told everyone in a loud voice a simplified version of the story of how Boana rescued Dakkar. When he asked for Boana to be accepted into the village, there was no hesitation - every single elder, warrior, wife and child raised their hands in assent. Boana, overcome with emotion, accepted their offer officially.

Cheers rang out, and the entire village swarmed him, warriors and elders shaking his hand and thanking him, women hugging him, and young calves, the only ones whose fur was pure-colored and had no tattoos, approaching him and running their hands through his fur, which was thicker than they'd ever seen on someone before.

Soon after, the council announced an impromptu feast to celebrate the new member of their village. As everyone rushed off to gather and prepare the food, an older woman with long braids interwoven with hundreds of beads and talismans, her face wrinkled with age and leaning on a tall staff approached Boana and lay a hand on his upper arm.

"I shall expect to see you in a few hours, young man," she said with a smile, her eyes twinkling. She patted him on the arm, giving him a wink, then turned and shuffled away into the dispersing crowd.

"Um... what was that about?" Boana muttered to Dakkar, who stood nearby.

"Great Mother Luan is our Healer and spiritual leader," Dakkar explained. "And she's also the one who does all of our tattoos."

Boana's eyebrows shot up in alarm.

"Tattoos?" He repeated.

"Of course," said Dakkar, nodding. "It will make you one of us."

"Even the ones... ah....?" Boana asked, gesturing vaguely at his own groin.

Dakkar laughed.

"Yes, those too."

Boana stared, then reflexively gripped his manhood through his kilt as though trying to protect it. Dakkar laughed even harder at that.

"I can go with you, if you want," he offered with a grin.

Still holding onto his privates in one hand, which drew a few knowing glances from passersby, Boana swallowed and said,

"I think you'd better."

***************

Far too soon, Dakkar led Boana through the village streets to Great Mother Luan's home. Dakkar, sensing Boana's nervousness, nudged his shoulder, smiling at him. Boana's expression didn't change.

"It's not as bad as you're thinking," Dakkar reassured him. "I think I've worked you up."

"Does it hurt?" Boana wondered.

Dakkar shook his head.

"Not nearly as much as you're worried about. There's a ritual. She has you breathe something in - makes it hurt a lot less than it normally would, I think. And she works carefully, which is better."

"She'd better be careful, or I'm not letting her close to my balls," Boana grumbled. Dakkar chuckled.

"Relax."

Dakkar led him to one cabin that stood apart from the others on the edge of town, larger and grander than the rest, with two stories, and a pair of doors guarding the front entrance instead of the usual single one. A large porch wrapped around the border of the house, lined with chairs - which Boana assumed was for villagers waiting to be healed.

The two men stepped up onto the porch and approached the double doors. Dakkar knocked firmly. Boana heard it resound in the room beyond. Shortly they heard the thump, thump, thump of the old healer's staff as she approached the door. With a creak, the door pulled inward, and Luan stood in the doorway to greet them. As soon as she laid eyes on them, she broke into a wide smile.

"Boana! Good, you're on time. And Dakkar. Just showing him where to go, I assume?"

"Actually," Dakkar said slowly, "I request to be present for the ritual."

The old healer frowned, cocking her head at him.

"That is... not standard, young one," she informed him.

"I know," said Dakkar, nodding quickly. "But- he is very nervous. He wasn't brought up in our ways, he doesn't know what to expect. What we went through together - what he did for me - it brought us very close together. I want to be here for him, so that it is as special as it should be."

Great mother Luan considered for a moment, putting a hand to her lips and tapping them with her finger.

"I see," she said. Then she raised her head and nodded. "Very well. I consent. Both of you, come in."

She stepped aside, and the two of them strode into her cabin. She shut the door behind them, plunging them into semidarkness.

Boana swept his gaze about the room, checking his surroundings.

The room was mostly dark, the only light coming from a large circle of candles set in the center of the room. Various bowls filled with dried herbs and colorful liquids lay about the edge of the flickering candles, in an order that he couldn't recognize but in an obvious pattern. Luan thumped the wooden floor once with her staff, Boana and Dakkar turned to her.

"The ceremony has officially begun," she intoned. "Since you do not know our ways, I shall guide you through it. Dakkar will remain by your side through everything." She swept her hand towards the circle of candles. "Come, young one, and sit in the center."

His heart pounding, Boana stepped forward, focused on the circle, feeling Dakkar follow close behind him. He stepped high over the candles, desperately trying not to knock one over and possibly burn the house down. That would definitely be a poor way to start off his life in the village of bulls.

He reached the center, then stuttered for a moment, unsure of how he was to sit.

"Cross-legged," Dakkar muttered. Boana squatted down and crossed his legs, sitting with his back up straight and resting his forearms on his thighs. Dakkar joined him, taking a spot next to him.

Luan shuffled around the edge of the circle, her staff thumping with each side, until she came to face the pair of them at the head of it, the flickering golden light casting imperious shadows on her face.

"State your name, young one."

"Boana," he answered.

"And do you wish to take your place as a member of our family? Do you swear to love, honor, and defend your family, which is the whole village, even if it means laying down your life?"

"I swear it," Boana said firmly.

"By the blood of your fathers," Dakkar whispered.

"I swear it by the blood of my fathers," Boana added, louder.

Great Mother Luan nodded, then began mumbling an ancient-sounding chant under her breath, bending and picking up a wooden bowl filled with crumbled grey herbs. She leaned her staff against the wall, then, taking up a candle, stepped into the circle and knelt before him.

"Hold this in your lap," she said quietly, handing it to him. Boana took the bowl from her in both hands and set it where he was told. Then she tipped the candle, touching the flame to the herbs. At once, they began to glow, smoldering as the fire began to eat away at them, and a tongue of smoke swirled up toward's Boana's face.

"Breathe," she murmured.

Boana nodded, looking down at the bowl of smoking herbs, and closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

A bitter, herbal tang filled his nostrils as he breathed it in; not unpleasant, but very potent. At once a wave of calm overtook him, spreading from his head down his spine and through his limbs. He took in another deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent. And a sweet tingling sensation coursed through him, like the feeling of sitting down before a warm fire after a night in the cold. He couldn't help it - he let out a low hum. And every stressful thought, every worry, slipped away like dust in the wind. He opened his eyes, and Luan gently took the bowl from him.

"Now - please remove your Kilt, Boana."

A trickle of apprehension snaked through his chest. He glanced at Dakkar, who nodded reassuringly. Boana swallowed, his eyes beginning to feel heavy, and undid the knot of his kilt. He scooted it down, having to maneuver it to get it out from under his large backside, and pushed it down his legs, removing it completely and setting it down on the floor next to him. He sat cross-legged again, completely naked in front of the two of them, his sheath thankfully dormant thus far.

Luan shuffled to one side of the circle and picked up another bowl. When she brought it closer, Boana saw that it was filled with a jet black liquid, a wooden-shafted paintbrush already laying inside it, the brush deep in the liquid and the handle laying on the rim of the bowl. Luan withdrew it, brushing the sides of the elegant instrument on the sides of the bowl with a flourish. She raised the brush to the same level as Boana's face, and she closed her eyes and began to chant to herself.

They listened to her for a long time, the steady rhythm of her chanting lulling Boana into a drowsy state. She opened her eyes, and stared into his heavy-lidded gaze.

"Everyone in our village has a unique soul," she explained. "We express these with tattoos. I ask the spirits to show me how to express that uniqueness, and follow their guidance. And, though I have never done it on one who isn't our kind, you are no exception to this rule. I see what yours are."

And with that, she moved forward, deftly stroking the brush across one side of Boana's snout, running over the counter of his eyebrow and ending with a flourish. She began to work in earnest, periodically refilling her brush. Sometimes she made small dots, sometimes larger strokes, and sometimes small, detailed work. Boana vaguely wondered why painting his face would result in a permanent mark, but after a few minutes of her work he became conscious of a tingling sensation where she had marked him, which grew to an uncomfortable burning sensation. His brow furrowed, and Dakkar, noticing it, patted him gently on the forearm.

"It doesn't last long," he soothed.

She gradually worked her way down his chest and stomach and both of his arms, and now that she was away from his face Boana got to watch. Though the burning sensation distracted him, he was amazed at the skill in which she moved her brush, and the intricacy of the designs that were being painted into his fur and his skin. So different from the designs he had seen on Dakkar and the other bovines of the village - sharp, angular edges, like tongues of fire; deep, solid strokes surrounded by intricate, thin accents that brought life to the design. She even painted down to the backs of his hands and around his fingers.

Once those were completed, she moved around to his back and he could no longer see - only feel the stroke of the brush through his fur, and the burning sensation that followed. He attempted to imagine the shape of the designs based on how it felt, but he knew he was probably completely wrong. So many designs were now laid into his upper body, his whole torso and arms had begun to throb, pulsing with his heartbeat.

"Lay back, she commanded quietly. Boana did, uncrossing his legs and laying prone on the wood. The drug working its way through his body made him drowsy, and his eyes fell closed. He felt the brush dance through the fur on both of his legs, tracing large, broad strokes, and they too began to burn. Fortunately, he now realized that the marks on his face no longer hurt, and the pain in his chest and stomach was beginning to fade.

After she finished with his feet, she had him roll over again, and more designs were added to the backs of his thighs and calves. Then, she rolled him onto his back again.

"It's time now for the intimate parts," she said, a smile in her voice. "Dakkar, look away if you please, for our new friend's modesty."

"No need, Great Mother," Dakkar said quietly, his tone becoming serious. "I have seen it."

Boana opened his eyes, sitting up on his elbows. Great Mother Luan blinked at Dakkar.

"Something... more happened between the two of you, didn't it?" she asked.

Dakkar gave her a small smile, but didn't answer. He looked at Boana, asking a question with his eyes.

"It's okay. He can see," said Boana quietly.

Great Mother Luan slowly nodded.

"Yes... it seems.... well, yes," she said finally. Then she raised her brush. "Your testicles, my dear, are much furrier than I am used to," she said, all business, and making both Dakkar and Boana blush heavily. "So I shall not use the same tattoo style on them as I usually do on our men. Please don't tell me you also have a fur-covered penis."

Boana choked on his words, then managed,

"No, I don't."

"Good. That would be a shame." She bent forward, lowering the brush towards his groin. "I know you can't resist keeping your eyes on me, but make sure you stay very still. Any mistake is permanent, and I won't stand for that.

And then, with a twirl of her wrist, she made her first stroke. Spinning lines of elegant fire she drew in black across his orbs, perfect, impossibly thin strokes in the short fur. She lifted his balls in one hand and traced the brush across the back side of them as well, apparently matching the pattern, then brought it up to his sheath, tracing lines back and forth across it with practiced even strokes and a steady hand. Boana winced. His testicles were already burning.

She drew the pattern outward on his groin, moving it upward, until it made a flower whose layers of outward-reaching petals were spinning tongues of flame. Even though it hurt, Boana couldn't believe the intricacy and beauty that was being placed on his body - she was turning him into a work of art.

When the last details had been put in place, she sat down and began to wait. Boana wondered for a moment what was happening, but he soon became preoccupied with how much his groin hurt. He closed his eyes, huffing briefly in the silence. After a few minutes, however, the pain subsided, leaving only a mild soreness behind.

"Is it gone?" She asked quietly.

Boana nodded, opening his eyes.

"Good!" she exclaimed, rising slowly to her feet again and striding over to the right side of the circle. "I always wait until the burning has stopped before I do anything to she shaft."

Boana's heart shot into his throat. He remembered the detailed lines all along Boana's penis- she was going to do that to him!

"It's okay," Dakkar soothed, meeting his eyes and nodding. "Remember what I said. Just wait."

Boana nodded, grudgingly, as Great Mother Luan returned, holding a bowl full of what looked like black thorns. He gulped.

"If you would," she said, sitting down in front of him again, "Please let your manhood emerge. This is the last step."

Boana didn't move for a long moment. Then, figuring that he might as well have it done with, reached down and began massaging his sore sheath. After a few moments, he felt his maleness begin to stir, and soon the pink member began to slide out of his now-tattooed sheath. He took hold of it and stroked it up and down, feeling it pulse in his grip, until it reached full hardness. Then he let go, resting back on his elbows, and let it sit against his stomach, watching the old healer.

"Very good," she said quietly. She picked out a thorn from the bowl and held it like a pen in her hand, then grasped Boana's hard shaft in the other, pulling it up to point at the ceiling. Then, drawing close to it, she touched the point of the thorn to the skin and traced a line horizontally across the flesh.

Boana grunted, his legs clenching as he felt the thorn cut a line through his skin. Dakkar took his hand and squeezed it.

"Try to stay still," he said quietly. Boana closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, and Luana set to her work, quickly cutting the thin lines up and down his shaft, changing angles quickly, tracing around the underside and the top portion, thankfully leaving only the head untouched - Boana doubted he could have taken it if she'd done anything to a part of him that was so sensitive.

"Done!" She announced, letting go of his penis. Boana opened his eyes, letting out a breath, and looked down at his shaft. All the lines that she had drawn with the thorn were bleeding slightly, and had swollen into thin, raised lines just like Dakkar's, though the pattern was different - the strokes were jagged as they followed around his shaft, keeping with the motif of fire.

He got to his feet, losing his balance slightly as the blood drained from his head. Dakkar caught him, steading him.

"If you want to see, I have a mirror upstairs," Great Mother Luan offered.

Boana nodded and turned towards the staircase on the left side of the room, which he had not paid attention to when he'd first stepped in. With Dakkar keeping him steady with an arm about his shoulders, the pair of them strode up the flight of stairs to the second floor while Luan began blowing out the candles.

Upstairs was obviously Luan's living quarters, a simple bed stood in one corner, as well as a wooden nightstand, upon which stood a lamp. A window stood open in one corner, evening light streaming in, and a floor-length mirror of polished silver stood opposite the bed. Boana stepped toward it, his equilibrium returning, Dakkar letting his arm drop, and stepped into the mirror's line of sight.

And his breath left him.

As he had figured out, the theme had been fire. Small, thin swirls adorned his nose and his cheeks, running up to accent his eyebrows and the contour of his ears. The patterns grew thicker and more detailed across his chest and arms, and the fire flower circling his groin stood as a magnificent, infinitely intricate centerpiece of the entire design - Thankfully, though, she had not overdone the designs so much that he didn't look like himself any longer - they were accents, not masks. The only thing to detract from it was his swollen penis that hung limply - though, he was sure, it would not be that way for very long. In fact, he though his maleness would look very good in the act of mating.

"It's amazing," he said after a few long moments.

"It is," Dakkar agreed. "Don't worry - it won't be as black as this for long. After you bathe a couple times it fades a bit."

"Um..." He took his penis in his hand, looking away from the mirror to Dakkar. "How long until this is... well, usable?"

Dakkar laughed, wrapping his arm around his shoulders.

"Day after tomorrow, you'll be good as new."

And after a few minutes more of admiring the work, Boana spending a long while looking over his shoulder at the designs on his shoulders, back, and rump, the two of them made their way back downstairs. Great Mother Luan presented Boana with a new loincloth, and Dakkar tied it on for him, though Boana winced, as his penis was still sore.

As soon as they were done, Dakkar flung open the doors and Boana stepped out to find the entire village waiting for him, cheering as they saw his new tattoos. They came close to him, admiring the designs - apparently they had never seen someone come out with shapes like this before. And Boana couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Because it was clear that these people didn't just see him as a novelty. He had never before felt so accepted, as part of something greater that truly mattered, truly cared.

Later that night, as the people feasted, Dakkar surprised everyone by insisting that the elders perform a marriage ceremony - his own, to his fiancee, Olana. Everyone was shocked for a moment, and the elders protested that the marriage wasn't to be for another month, but eventually Teo won them over. They exchanged vows before the whole village, and with Boana and a host of warriors standing next to Dakkar and an assembly of beautiful young women beside Olana, they were married to the tune of a thousand cheers and thunderous applause. Dakkar immediately threw his arms around Boana and whispered in his ear,

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

The feast lasted deep into the night - a dual celebration of both wedding and of welcoming a new brother into the village. And when it was all over, Dakkar insisted that Boana come with him and stay in the new house that had been set aside for him and his wife, at least until one could be built for him. Boana ruefully accepted, and found himself grinning as he fell asleep to the sounds of Dakkar and his new wife's laughter and pleasurable moans as they mated for the first time.

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There it is! Hope you enjoyed this story. PLEASE comment! Let me know what you think. I really love that :D