Kai’s face surprisingly gently in a huge, callused hand. “My people do not share those beliefs, Kai. We believe that a soul finds its mate regardless of whether it is male or female. If you prefer a man, there is no shame in it. Tomorrow, I’ll arrange for the unmated men of the village to visit. Perhaps you’ll find a mate among them.”
Kai tore his eyes away from Rayken’s mesmerizing stare, missing the warmth of that hand immediately when it released his cheek. “I told you, I don’t want a mate,” he mumbled stubbornly. Though relieved that he wasn’t about to be cast out, he still had no desire to leave Rayken’s tent -- ever. Or to see Rayken with another.
Rayken seemed genuinely surprised, and he sat down beside Kai, hands folded together in his lap. “You wish to live a solitary life and never know the joy of loving another?”
Kai’d always been taught to hide what he truly felt and to tell others what they wanted to hear.
For the first time in his life, when his mouth opened, out came the truth. “I want you, Rayken,” he said, eyes trained on the floor.
Bracing himself, he expected to hear laughter or reasons why he couldn’t have what he wanted.
After what seemed an endless wait, a soft rustling caused him to look up. There sat Rayken, arm raised. As he did each and every night, Kai slid underneath that arm, where he belonged.
The flames shot high into the night and Kai’s new tribe danced around the encampment, laughing and singing. The darkness hid the mountains and their mantle of snow, and here in the clearing, he was warm, safe, and protected. When the sun had dipped below the peaks, he’d left childhood behind. He was now a man, and despite Rayken’s earlier concerns over finding him a suitable mate, that, too, had been obtained, to his immense satisfaction.
Kai stood alone by the fire, watching and waiting in his new finery, lovingly sewn by his soon-to-be-mate’s clanswomen. Though he was not born of their tribe, they fawned over him and treated him well, never resisting a chance to fondle his blond curls or run fingers over his pale skin, so unlike their own. Tonight, they dressed him with care in leathers dyed to match his blue eyes, and then left him alone to join the dancing. From out of the flames stepped Rayken, clothed in fire, which slowly dwindled to nothing. At first, witnessing such a feat had alarmed Kai, now it was just Rayken and his friends, the flames.
Rayken smiled and held out his hand. There was no hesitation when Kai took it. The elders approached then, throwing a pale cloak over their leader’s shoulders before leading the two of them to the center of the winter encampment. One by one, the members of the tribe approached, placing one hand on each of them and offering their blessings.
When the last had murmured their kind words to the couple, then stepped away to prepare the joining feast, the elders encircled them, adding their own words of praise and wisdom. Then all assembled sat on the ground to eat the lavish meal that had taken the entire day to prepare.
When the feasting ended, Rayken took Kai to their tent. But instead of tucking him into his blankets with a brush of lips against his forehead, even though he wouldn’t stay there long, Kai had been led straight to Rayken’s pallet.
There, amidst of a mound of herb-scent blankets, Rayken entered Kai’s body for the very first time.
Kai fell asleep dreaming of his joining, the old scarred warrior holding him near. The sun was high in the sky when he awoke, and the elder said, “Look, lad,” pointing to the ground.
Scorched grass marred the earth where Rayken’s body had lain, the only sign that his love had ever existed at all. His heart gave a lurch at the reminder that the great man was gone and he was once more alone in the world. The old warrior smiled and pointed again. Kai looked to the spot indicated. There, in the middle of the darkened char, a tiny bit of green peeked through -- the delicate seedling of an oak.
Callused fingers gently dug it from the ground, and the man placed it reverently in Kai’s hand.
“You know what to do—you’ve heard the tales.”
Kai nodded. Hope soared through him as he recalled those stories told by the fire late at night. At first, he’d thought they were