#a scian is a single sided dagger worn by nobility in Celtic cultures

[moonythejedi394]

snippet of ch6 of my warlord/prince fic

Steve purrs and nuzzles into Bucky’s neck, seeking out his scent gland. Bucky tips his chin up to let him. Post-coital, Steve is drowsy.

“Nap, darling,” Bucky encourages. “I’ll wake you up in about an hour for the games.”

Steve nods and yawns. He snuggles closer to Bucky’s neck, but shivers a little. Bucky grabs a fur blanket and pulls it up, covering them. Steve sighs happily.

“Thank you, Daddy,” he mumbles.

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Steve dozes, content with the scent of his Alpha in his nose. Vaguely, he’s aware of Bucky slipping his cock from him at some point, after his knot released. Steve just presses closer, hands tucked between their bodies. 

Then, sometime after Bucky pulled out, Steve wakes to Bucky’s soft, deep voice.

“Time to get up, little one. We have games to attend.”

Steve yawns and nuzzles into Bucky’s scent gland. Bucky kisses the top of his head.

“You’ll enjoy watching,” he promises. “I’ll be in each fight.”

“Won’t get hurt, will you?” Steve asks.

“If I do, it’s the will of the gods.”

Steve scowls at that. He pushes up and catches Bucky in a kiss.

“If you get hurt, I’ll beat you,” he whispers boldly.

Bucky laughs, throwing his head back. Steve takes the opportunity to bite none-too-gently at his scent gland. Bucky laughs again and rolls them over to put Steve on his back, then kisses him soundly.

“Feisty little one, aren’t you?” Bucky purrs. “I swear, darling, I won’t get hurt. It’s bad luck, after all.”

Steve is satisfied by that. Bucky pushes up and pulls him into a sitting position, then lifts him off the bed. He puts Steve back on his feet, then picks up the discarded shift.

“Arms up,” he says.

Steve lifts his arms and Bucky pulls the shift onto him. Bucky then picks up the robe, unbuttons it the rest of the way, and helps him into it. Steve steps back into his slippers and Bucky puts back on his shirt and boots. Bucky guides him into the sitting room, and then out. They return to the first floor, then go through the grand front doors outside.

An arena has been set up in the courtyard. Spectators are already gathered, but the arena is empty. Bucky walks with Steve over to a tent, enters it with him, and they find Thor and Brunhilde waiting, wearing armor. 

“How was it?” Brunhilde asks with a grin.

“Oh, he’s a dream,” Bucky answers, swinging his arm over Steve’s shoulders. “Better than anyone I’ve ever fucked, and he has zero experience, even.”

Steve blushes. Thor and Brunhilde laugh.

“It’s the virginity,” Steve mutters under his breath.

Bucky, Thor, and Brunhilde still hear him and they all laugh again. Bucky yanks Steve against his side and kisses his braids.

Natasha then enters, her face painted with red warpaint and wearing armor, but no sleeves. Her armor is also decorated with teeth, but no human bones. 

“Looking forward to trying to cut you,” she says to Bucky. “But I’ve heard even demi-gods don’t bleed.”

“We don’t,” Bucky says with a feral grin.

Natasha snorts. Bucky crosses to a trunk and opens it, then, strangely, rips his shirt off. He dons the same sort of armor as the day before though without his shirt, and with a different vest that has less coverage; straps connecting metal-reinforced leather over heart, belly, and low back but exposing skin elsewhear. Steve is once again disconcerted by the jawbones that look very human. Bucky paints his face with black stripes and ties back his hair with a leather cord. He then reaches out for Steve and Steve immediately goes to him. Bucky grabs him by the waist and kisses him thoroughly. Steve forgets anyone else is in the tent and he whimpers, standing on his toes to press his clothed prick against Bucky’s tasset.

“He really is easy,” Natasha quips.

Steve jerks back and blushes, but Bucky laughs. He steps back and picks up a massive sword, made of black metal and sheathed in leather decorated with more animal teeth or claws, and gold. He straps it to his back, then picks up a helm made out of iron and a large, vicious looking skull, which he puts on. His eyes show through the empty sockets of the skull and the upper jaw frames his cheekbones. Bucky pauses, grabs Steve by the jaw, and roughly wipes his mouth with his thumb. It comes away black. Steve touches his lips.

“Good enough,” Bucky says. “Let’s go.”

They all exit the tent. The spectators see Bucky and cheer. Bucky raises a fist in triumph to them, then guides Steve to where his parents are standing, looking sour again.

“Spend a little quality time with your son,” Bucky says. “But not too much. I don’t want him distracted from the ring.”

Neither Sarah nor Joseph say anything. Bucky catches Steve’s waist and kisses him sharply but briefly, leaving more black on his mouth. He then turns and strides up to the arena, hopping the fence marking it. The spectators cheer louder. Bucky throws up both fists and circles the arena predatorily. He stops in the center, then throws his head back and howls like a wolf. The spectators fall silent.

“Let any who wish to challenge me cross the fence!” Bucky shouts. “By our laws, it is tradition I be put to the test before my mate before I wed him! Make it a good one, folks!”

The cheering starts up again. Immediately, Natasha jumps into the ring, drawing two short swords.

Bucky draws his greatsword, then the two begin to circle each other. The cheering doesn’t stop. Natasha and Bucky seem to be exchanging words, but they are not audible.

Suddenly, Joseph grabs Steve by the arm and hauls him close. Steve yelps and is startled, but Joseph slaps a hand over his mouth.

“Silence!” he hisses in Steve’s ear. “There is one thing left you are good for –”

He shoves a sheathed scian at Steve. Steve fumbles with it.

“Hide it,” Joseph growls in a command.

Steve finds himself obeying. He shoves it into his stockings and straightens up.

“Tonight,” Joseph continues to command, “you will rid us of this pagan usurper. Slit his throat and we will absolve your sins.”

Steve gasps.

“Silence!” Joseph commands. “You will not speak of this. You will do your duty by your people. When Barnes is dead, we can drive out his armies.”

Steve is distracted by Natasha charging on Bucky. Their swords collide and it rings in the air. 

“Do I make myself clear?” Joseph demands.

Steve just nods. He doesn’t know what to do.

Abruptly, he hears Bucky laughing. Natasha ducks under his sword and slashes at his legs, but Bucky jumps out of the way. Steve finds himself shaking. Joseph shoves him away again. Steve glances at Sarah, but she won’t look at him.

“But…” Steve whispers. “Isn’t – isn’t murder a sin?”

“You are already a sinner!” Joseph snarls. “You may find forgiveness after you do this. I will bite you so you do not suffer bondsickness. Then you will be sent away. Your mother will have another child.”

Steve looks at his mother again. She makes no expression. She’d only ever had one litter because it had nearly killed her and out of the the three pups she’d born, two were stillborn. He knows she’s refused to have another litter every time Joseph asked her to, which only worked because their personal physician recommended she didn’t try another litter. He can’t believe she’s caved to this.

“Speak no more,” Joseph demands. “Watch your… your Alpha,” he spits out.

Steve turns, shuffling. Bucky brings his sword down on Natasha and she catches it with both of hers, forming an X. Bucky then kicks her between the legs, but she darts back. Bucky charges on her and she ducks, circling around so Bucky puts his back to Steve. Steve, even from a distance, can see sweat dripping between Bucky’s bare shoulder blades. The two cross blades once more, then Bucky throws Natasha off and she stumbles. Bucky swings his sword and the tip catches her on the cheek. Blood immediately forms along the cut. She draws back, at once sheathing her swords.

The crowd cheers tenfold.

“FIRST BLOOD HAS BEEN DRAWN!” Bucky calls above the din, raising his fist to the air.

Natasha exits the ring. She’s followed by Brunhilde.

Steve shakes the rest of the morning. Bucky fights Thor, then Loki in trousers instead of his – their dress, then Rhodey, then even Wanda, and after her, a handful of warriors Steve doesn’t know the names of. Bucky wins each and every match, though Steve can tell his opponents are truly attempting to draw blood with how viciously they attack. The dagger under his robes is a heavy weight. Steve doesn’t know what to do.

The sun is high in the sky as Bucky jumps the fence again. He walks in a straight line to Steve and, still upset by the scian in his stocking, he lifts his hands for comfort. Bucky takes him by the waist, then lifts him and tucks him against his chest.

“To lunch,” Bucky says, a bit out of breath. “I’ve worked up an appetite.”

Steve nods. Bucky begins to walk again and Joseph and Sarah fall into step behind him. The captains including Domino  and chiefs and their partners then follow, and after them, the crowd of spectators. Servants open the front doors and Bucky strides through them. They go to the great hall and many people are already waiting. Bucky walks up to the high table, crosses behind it, then takes the center seat. Joseph sits at his left and Sarah beside him. There are nine seats, and beside Sarah sit Bruce and a woman Steve doesn’t know. On Bucky’s right, Natasha sits with Clint in her lap and Wanda, Darcy, and Jane at their right. Bucky pulls Steve across his lap and waves a hand. Servants stride up with food, then they serve it, holding each dish and putting food on their plates before going to the right to serve the next plate.

Bucky puts his hand on Steve’s leg and it lands on the knife.

“What’s this?” Bucky says, flipping Steve’s robe up. “Now, I didn’t give this to you, pet, where did you get it?”

Steve sucks in a breath. Joseph is staring straight ahead. Joseph had commanded him to tell no one, so he cannot speak. But Bucky’s word is his law. He feels compelled to answer.