Warlord

Chapter Six

Once they were a few miles outside of camp Kakashi pulled his horse up and slowed to a walk, the general reining in his mount to pace him. “So, Rai,” the warlord began rather hesitantly, “it’s about ‘ruka . . . before him I never cared about sex, never even thought about it. I mean, I grew up in the barracks and I heard the talk but it never connected with me. And everyone was urging me to get a pleasure slave . . . but I just didn’t see the attraction . . . they all seemed so weak and soft and . . . useless. So I bought a scribe, my education’s not the best and he could help with the paperwork.”

The warlord stopped for a moment and tugged at his hair in frustration. “That first night, I had even forgotten I’d bought him . . . I came in and fell into a chair, didn’t even have the energy to get undressed and, all of a sudden, there he was all soft and gentle, and he rubbed my feet . . . and then he sucked my cock and my god, I had no idea anything could ever feel that good. But he only did it because he thought he had to.”

“Well, he is a slave.” the general remarked, “It’s not like he has much choice in anything.”

“But it just didn’t seem right like that . . . so I told him he didn’t have to unless he wanted to.” The proud man frowned, “And so, until last night we didn’t . . . but then last night he did it again, and it was sooooo good, Rai, you have no idea.” The general’s face was practically glowing with embarrassment at this point and he honestly wondered if he’d make it through this conversation without either having a stroke or coming in his pants.

“I wanted him to like it, to want to do it again so then I did it to him . . . and I think he liked it, but I’m not sure. How do you know if you’ve pleased someone?” he finished earnestly, suddenly appearing very young and ill at ease, definitely a new look for the stoic soldier.

“I don’t know what to tell you Kakashi,” the general began hesitantly, “I mean, he’s a slave . . . if it’s what you want just do it, why does it matter?”

“I don’t think of him that way, like an object, I can’t . . . he’s my companion and I like it when he’s happy.” the warlord explained seriously.

“Oh Kakashi, that’s . . . you can’t . . . if you want someone to be close to I’m sure there are lots of people who’d be interested.” like me, he thought, hit with the sudden realization and stopping dead, seriously considering his next words. “Like me, I mean, you’re very attractive, very sexy . . . hell, anyone would be better than a slave.”

The warlord pointedly decided to nip the declaration of interest in the bud. “Rai, I like you, you’re my right arm and I depend on your strength and your guidance . . . but I just can’t see you like that. I’ve never been able to see ANYONE like that before Iruka. What’s wrong with him anyway, he’s smart and he helps me and he likes me and I like him . . . I don’t get it.” he finally sighed, grasping his head in his hands as if to squeeze the offending thoughts out.

“He’s a slave Kakashi.” the general said bluntly, “and as long as he’s a slave he isn’t worthy of those feelings. If you honestly want him as a companion you have to set him free . . . and even then there aren’t many who’ll accept two men in a relationship. I mean sex is one thing, but what you’re talking about . . . it’s not natural.”

“But what if I set him free and he leaves me Rai . . . what would I do then?” The warlord worried his lower lip between his teeth, “Would you stay?”

The general wiped his brow with the back of his hand, this was definitely the most awkward conversation he’d ever had. “Yes, I would stay . . . but that doesn’t mean he would. There’s no way to predict these things. If you’re serious you need to talk to him about it, see if you can figure out some answers to your questions. But in the end, no matter how you cut it, it’s a risk.”

Kakashi frowned and the general could practically see the wall falling back down between himself and the rest of the world. He urged his horse to a gallop and headed toward the outpost, now anxious to complete his journey and return to camp.

Upon their arrival the warlord immediately met with the outpost commanders, instantly assessing the situation and laying out the strategy he wanted them to use to overcome any incursions into their territory. Several hours later the general was convinced that, at least, Kakashi’s madness didn’t affect his tactical skills.

The warlord slept fitfully, partly because his mind kept turning his questions and Raidou’s answers over and over, examining them from every angle, and partly because he missed having the tutor’s warm body in his bed. He snorted in disgust at how quickly he had become used to the pleasure of human contact.

The next day dawned raw and grey. Kakashi had risen even earlier than usual and trained in a frenzy, skipping breakfast to walk the camp, his face cold and stoic. Now he was impatiently waiting for the rest of his party to assemble so they could tour the border. The sooner they left, they sooner they’d return after all.

He stayed wrapped in his own thoughts for most of the day, only losing his haunted look when they stopped for the evening and began to prepare something to eat. Then he appeared to be his usual self, talking easily with the men as they lounged around the fire.

Kakashi relaxed for the first time all day. He had finally decided on a plan to convince Iruka to stay with him, and once he was sure of the outcome he’d free the tutor and they could be companions. That’s what I want, he told himself firmly, and I always get what I want. With a smile he joined in the banter as the embers crackled, at peace with the world for the moment.

They finally arrived back at the outpost late the next afternoon. All Kakashi and Raidou wanted to do was bathe and sleep, and since there were no bathing facilities it narrowed down to sleep, not even bothering to undress.

The warlord woke instantly and silently at the call of his name. “Commander . . . Commander Hatake . . .you need to wake up.”

He sat up and blinked. “Ah, Genma,” he began when he finally recognized the man next to his cot, “just leave the mail and I’ll look at it in a bit.” Immediately the courier backed up until he was hovering in the door of the tent.

“There’s something you need to know sir.” the courier began tentatively, “it’s about your slave.”

“‘ruka, what about him?” the warlord asked with a yawn, scrubbing his eyes with his hand as he tried to focus on the man speaking to him. “And why are you way over there, anyway?”

“I found him when I went to pick up the mail,” Genma hedged, he really didn’t want to do this . . . but he had no choice, “he’d been attacked.”

“What do you mean attacked?” Kakashi’s voice rose as he stood and advanced on the now shaking courier, “What exactly happened? Is he alright?” he finished, now nose to nose with a visibly shaking Genma.

“He’d . . .he’d. . . could you back up a little, you’re making it hard for me to think.” he finally squeaked out, trying to ease away from the angry warrior now towering over him.

“Tell. Me. Now.” the warlord ground out as he fisted his hand in the front of Genma’s shirt and lifted him until he was pinned under that fierce mismatched glare.

“He’d been raped . . . repeatedly . . . by what looked like a lot of people for a long time, alright. He was laying there in a pool of . . .” The courier’s answer was cut off when the support holding him in the air suddenly disappeared, hitting the ground hard as the warlord strode out of the tent.

“Rai, we’re leaving, NOW.” Kakashi roared, saddling his mount and swinging into the saddle with practiced ease. By the time the general stuck his head out of the tent all he could see was the cloud of dust left in his wake.

He spotted the courier staggering out of the warlord’s tent, looking shell-shocked. “Oi, Genma, what’s going on . . . was there an invasion? Quick give me the news while I grab my stuff, I have to hurry or I won’t catch him.”

“His slave was raped . . . I found him and got him to the medics, but it didn’t look good. I thought he was going to kill me.” Genma shuddered when he remembered the look in the warlord’s eyes. “I would not want to be the one who damaged his property . . . if he gets that pissed over a slave I can’t imagine what he’d be like if he was really angry.”

Raidou contemplated this turn of events. Kakashi was certainly going to kill someone over a slave . . . this was so not good. Quickly grabbing the rest of his things he saddled up and tore off after the warlord, hoping to catch him before things got out of control.