Demon Child Ch. 04

"It was an easy trip. It is good to be back with the regiment. Where are we to make camp?"

"We are last to arrive so we are furthest down the edge of the lake. The horse herds are being kept on the far side of the lake." Kwal'kek nodded and barked orders at the young warriors and the wagons moved out toward the end of the encampment.

Kwal'kek reached up and pulled a length of rope from his saddle bag. He gently tied a loose circle around Neekah's neck, the loop big enough to fit easily over her head and then tied the end to his belt.

Jhardron watched as the girl froze and put her hand up to the rope. A look of confusion and rebellion flashed across her face. He knew that Kwal'kek was being careful to communicate her ownership by the Twisted Dagger.

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Neekah was shocked when Kwal'kek tied the rope around her neck. She wasn't going to run away. In fact she was keenly aware of feeling very shy of all these strangers. She had no intention of straying from his side.

The loop around her neck was loose. Obviously the rope was not a restraint as much as a message for her to stay close. He coiled the extra length up and handed it to her to carry so it would not drag on the ground.

Kwal'kek did not pull on the rope, he simple said for her to follow and turned to follow the wagons. Neekah noticed that her muscles were stiff from riding the horse and appreciated the chance to stretch her legs.

Neekah was keenly aware of the eyes of the strangers on her as she walked through the busy camp. She nervously kept her eyes turned down, staring at Kwal'kek's heels. She heard him greet many people as he moved along. At one point he stopped and vigorously pounded on the shoulder of another old warrior, roaring in laughter as they joked between themselves. She was relieved when no one spoke to her and Kwal'kek seemed to ignore her presence. She relaxed and began to look around a little as they moved through the camp.

"Demon!" The Ramaldi word rang sharp. Neekah froze; her shoulders came up tight around her ears. The coils of rope fell from her hand. A small Ramaldi woman stood in front of her, her hand raised, an accusing finger pointing at Neekah's face. Once more she screeched, "Demon!"

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Kwal'kek felt the rope tighten as he continued to walk. He turned and saw Neekah staring at the little woman pointing at her. He tugged on the rope and called for her to follow. She jumped and hurried to catch up to him.

The little dark woman sped after them and said to him, "She is a demon. Beware a demon will bring evil down on you."

Kwal'kek reached down and took the woman's arm. She was branded with the mark of the Broken Spear regiment. "What do you know of demons."

"This girl was the demon pet of the witch Kharthmah. She is the bastard of a demon and a whore from the grasslands. She brought evil luck to that village."

Kwal'kek had had enough of the evil screeches of this woman. "Ha'akh of the Broken Spear, go back to your duties. This girl is Twisted Dagger. We will make our own luck."

He walked away, aware of how his ha'akh's back was straight and proud as she marched behind him.

The boys had all the tents up and most of the supplies moved into Kwal'kek's tent when they arrived. Several fires were already burning and meat was roasting. Several warriors called out greetings as they entered into the camp. Neekah smiled, happy to see familiar faces. Kwal'kek removed the rope from her neck and pointed at the place in front of his tent. "Stay here."

Neekah looked uncomfortable. "Stent Ekh?"

Kwal'kek nodded and called to one of the young warriors. He handed the rope to her and motioned for her to put the rope around her neck. He handed the end of the rope to the boy. "Take her to the latrines. Don't leave her alone."

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Neekah followed the boy to the trenches. There were several people there and she felt self conscious. She could feel their curious stares. She hurried to finish. She practically ran back to the camp, the boy hurrying along behind her.

She moved to her place and removed the rope around her neck. Her stomach growled with hunger. The rations on the trip had been plentiful but were cold and bland. The roasting meat and stews smelled delicious.

Neekah looked around the camp. She watched as one warrior was carefully shaving the sides of the scalp of another warrior. Then they exchanged places and the newly shaved warrior returned the favor. They carefully rubbed a thick liquid into the crest of hair running down the centers of their heads, making the hair stand up stiff and shiny. One clipped a golden arching comb along of the crest of his hair.

Neekah notice most of the warriors were doing something to enhance their appearance; putting on clean garments, shaving, polishing their weapons, oiling their skins. She looked down at herself. Her shift was dusty and had a few stains. Her hands and feet were dirty.

She turned to Kwal'kek who was moving some things around his tent, talking to himself in grumbling tones. She approached him and asked, "Bath please," pointing toward the lake.

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He looked up frowning at being interrupted. He could see she was looking at her dress, scraping at a stain with a fingernail. He sighed, thinking girls can be as vain as young warriors. He dug through a box and held up a dress, not just a simple shift but a pretty cascade of patterned greens and yellows, with a complex yellow sash stitched in a crossing pattern across the bodice. She gasped audibly at the sight of the pretty fabric.

He held it up to measure it against her frame. It would be short on her, reaching only to her knees but seemed like it would fit around her.

He laid it carefully down and said, "Yes, bath now." He stopped and picked up the rope and handed it to her, she nodded and dropped the loop over her head and followed him as he led her to the water. He removed her rope and showed her how to pick a handful of the coarse reeds growing along the edge to scrub with. She carefully pulled off her shift and waded out into the water. The bottom of the lake was soft and muddy. Kwal'kek pulled off his tunic and loin cloth and joined her in the water.

There were several other warriors from the Twisted Dagger bathing in the water as well as some others from other regiments. Kwal'kek heard them commenting to each other about her strange appearance. One of the warriors said that he had heard she was a demon. One of the Twisted Dagger warriors responded sharply that she was ha'akh of the Twisted Dagger and he expected that the Broken Spear warrior should be more careful about making such insulting comments.

Kwal'kek was becoming increasingly disturbed by this talk of demons. He did not believe much in demons and this girl had not done anything to cause him to think she was evil or bad luck. His thoughts drifted back to her odd behavior when she went into some kind of a trance in the wagon, her voice had not been her own when she spoke. He shuddered and made a sign against evil. He decided he should talk to Jhardron about this.

The ha'akh seemed very aware of the eyes of the strangers on her as she walked from the water. She quickly pulled on her shift, covered her head and pulled the loop of rope over her neck. She fidgeted as he pulled on his clothes. Kwal'kek wasn't sure if she was nervous around strangers or excited to get back to the pretty dress. He laughed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the tent, her eyes big and round as she looked at the pretty garment.

He picked it up and handed it to her. She squealed with delight and quickly stripped off the old shift and slipped the new dress over her head. It fit smoothly along her frame, the cross tied bodice emphasized her small breasts; the skirt clung to her hips and legs.

She started to wrap the blue cloth back around her head but then stopped. She had a thoughtful look in her eye. She reached up and touched the shaved part of his head and then ran her hand over her head. She made a shaving motion along her scalp. Kwal'kek laughed and shook his head, "No, girls cannot have the crest of a warrior." She sighed and tied the cloth around her head.

She carefully picked up her old shift and folded it and placed it back in her sleeping area.

Kwal'kek watched the reactions of the warriors as Neekah came out and took her usual seat on the mat next to his chair. Several of the warriors stopped and stood still, their eyes measuring.

Many of the warriors were eating and Kwal'kek directed her to get him some food. She brought him a bowl of steamed grains and a piece of meat. She helped herself to a similar meal and came back to join him. She ate carefully, neatly spooning up the grains to avoid spilling anything on her new dress, taking small bites of the meat. She carefully washed her hands in a small amount of water as she rinsed their bowls.

Kwal'kek stood and approached Jhardron. "Khan, I would speak to you about the ha'akh."

Jhardron looked up from his meal and nodded. "Sit"

"Twice now people from the Broken Spear regiment have made statements about our ha'akh. They have said she is a demon. They have a ha'akh from the same tribe and that woman has said that this girl is a demon. She named her and accused her of being bad luck."

Jhardron looked at the girl across the camp. She was seated quietly but he could tell her eyes were on him. "I know little of demons but I know a wild color mare can bring luck to a herd. This wild color girl will bring good luck to the Twisted Dagger."

Jhardron stood and spoke to the camp. "The Broken Spear say that this girl is a demon. What say you warriors of the Twisted Dagger, you have all lain with this ha'akh. Is it a venya of a demon or a human woman?"

The warriors all roared with laughter. Harnum spoke up. "Khan I have fucked a lot of women and not a few I thought were demons. This girl is no demon. I have had her twice and I walked away thinking she was a gift sent by the goddess. If this girl be a demon I would beg my Khan to find ten more like her so that I would not have to wait so long to dip my jhombar in that little piece of heaven again."

Jhardron was surprised to see Tim'kah stand up. First years usually keep a low profile. "She works hard. She is nice."

Not a few warriors jeered, one even calling out, "Tim'kah, are you in love? You will have to wait a long time to feel her legs around you."

Jhardron spoke up, "Well said, Tim'kah. You are a hard worker. I appreciate your opinion. Warriors of the Twisted Dagger are we going to let the Broken Spear speak evil of our ha'akh?"

"No!" They roared in unison. Several drew their swords held them in the air.

"I remind you that any fighting outside the games and formal challenges are strictly against the rules. Do not dishonor the name of the Twisted Dagger."

"Let the five who are next to lie with this girl come forward." Five warriors stood and stepped forward. "This ha'akh is blessed by the goddess. Her cries of panshasham ring loud as a mare's whinny seeking her stallion. I want you to serenade the Broken Spear with her calls to the goddess."

Laughter roared across the camp again. Jhardron called to the girl. "Ha'akh, come here." She stood and walked across the camp. He could see a definite sway to her hips as she approached. He took her hand and placed it in the hand of the most senior officer. Her eyes flashed from his face to the man who held her hand. She nodded and smiled a soft smile, her eyes bright with excitement. He picked her up and carried her from the camp.

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Neekah had watched as Jhardron had spoken to the camp. She did not understand a lot of what he said but she could tell he was talking about her. She could feel the eyes of the warriors of the camp on her. She could sense their approval. When he called up the warriors she heard him clearly use the word 'panshasham'. She knew that he was speaking of her and the ecstasy she felt when she lay with the warriors. A rush of excitement made her heart race.

When Jhardron called to her she knew that she was being called to lay with the five warriors standing in the center of the camp. She could feel their lust and a heat of her own rose to meet it. Already she craved to have their hands on her.

As the warrior carried her she leaned close and inhaled deeply the rich smell of his skin. She gave in to an impulse and gently bit his neck, reveling in the shudder she felt course through his frame. When he put her down they were on the hill overlooking the camp, she could see the fires and people moving below.

She looked up into the faces of the men around her and pulled her dress off and carefully folded it. She wrapped it carefully in the blue head cloth. Carefully placing the small bundle on one side of the sleeping skins the warriors had spread in the grass.

She stood nude and proud. The warriors closed around her. She sighed and leaned back against the chest of the one behind her. She gave herself to their hands, letting them lower her down to the skins. She shuddered and squealed in pleasure as they slowly explored her body, their hands and mouths touching, probing, their teeth sending small shocks of sensation though her.

One warrior seemed to be obsessed with her venya. Kneeling between her legs, he lifted her hips to his face. His fingers probing deeply, his breath hot on her flesh as he nibbled and sucked endlessly on the scarlet lips of her opening. She squealed and moaned, her hips twisting and jerking. She began to wail as he gently bit into the soft petals of her venya and pulled in a long soft tug, stretching her tender flesh. Neekah arched and opened herself as these new sensations tore through her sanity. She began to plead softly, "Please, Please, Please." Releasing her he moved up and entered her with his jhombar, his hands gripping her hips and pulling her tight against the very root of his manhood. Neekah let out a loud keening call as she began to convulse in panshasham, her hips lunging and surging to meet his thrusts. Her mind echoing with the growing lust of the warriors she surrendered to the waves of sensation cascading over her. Each warrior pushed her to higher planes of ecstasy. Her cries rang loud out over the grass and the camps below.

Neekah gradually became aware of the men around her. She was cuddled to the chest of one of the warriors, his arms around her warm and safe. She sighed and turned her head and stiffened as she noticed large number of men standing in a circle around her and the warrior that held her. These were not the warriors that had come up the hill with her. They were not Twisted Dagger. They were making loud comments and laughing raucously. One or two even had their jhombars out and in their hands, shaking them in some sort of taunting gesture.

At first she was afraid that these men were here to use her and somehow she did not want them. They seemed threatening and strange to her. A Twisted Dagger warrior laughed and pointed at one of the men's exposed jhombars and made some disparaging comment. The Twisted Dagger warriors stood and made a safe circle around her. Together they walked to the lake and helped her wash. She pulled her dress over her head.

As she entered into the camp, all the warriors of the Twisted Dagger stood up and shrilled a long triumphant war cry. They laughed and slapped the five warriors in rowdy congratulations. Harnum stepped in front of her and bowed low. She grinned from ear to ear, and began to laugh along with the warriors.

Neekah wasn't sure why they were so happy with her. But she knew she was one of them. The five warriors that lay with her that night gave her a simple gift of two small amber beads. She strung them proudly on her necklace, one on each side of the carved agate in the center.

Neekah did not wear her new dress to sleep in. She changed into her shift, carefully folding the dress and wrapping it in the blue scarf. She ran her fingers over the necklace around her neck and then touched the half healed burn on her arm. For the first time in her life she felt wanted and valued. She was Twisted Dagger.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

This story I one I have been working on for a while. It contains many words from the language of the Bak culture that I have created. The meaning of most of these words is easily inferred from their context. A ha'akh is the lowest rank of female slave assigned to serve a regiment of warriors. Tet is come, Ha is yes, Abak is no, venya is a woman's sexual organ, jhambar is a man's.

Please do me the kindness of rating and leaving me feedback. Constructive and/or critical, public or private, raving or troll; I love to hear from you.

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xantu