"I really like you," she said.
We were sitting near the river at a secluded spot where people seldom came. We felt comfortable there and time passed quickly in each other's company. "I mean I really, really like you. You treat me so much better than Oslo ever does. You take time to listen to me and you're gentler. He's such a brute you know; not just with me, but all the other girls as well."
She looked at me sincerely. I realise now that she was trying to tell me she loved me, but I just felt my hairs bristling. I didn't like to think of Oslo, especially not with Alice. I lived, breathed and dreamt of the day that I would take him down. Red mist would descend over my eyes and I would lust for violence, but I had the patience to bide my time. I knew that one day I would be harem leader.
I wouldn't have to bear the humiliation of fucking Alice in secret either. I hated the way she made certain no-one knew we were sexual partners. In public she barely acknowledged me and whenever we met we'd always have foolproof alibis. I sometimes wished that Oslo would find out so I'd get the chance to fight him.
"I like you too," I muttered absently. The sun was shining through the trees and the shadows danced with the breeze. The light caught her hair and suddenly she seemed very young and innocent. She was attractive and I could imagine her being my primary female, given time.
"Bend forward," I told her. She complied with a smile; she liked being fucked that way. I held her roughly, with my hand in her hair and my muscles taut. She cried out, but I wasn't in the mood for being gentle. When I'd finished I left without saying a word.
Later that week I met up with my friend Lester. He was from a different harem group and had come over to Oslo's to sell wares. We sat in the circular abode that I shared with some other males. There were several abodes, arranged in a circle around Oslo's hut. His was far bigger than the rest and the only people he shared with were the women that were in favour at the time.
"Lester, I have a confession to make," I said. I felt safe talking to him, he associated with different people and there was no-one else about.
"Sounds serious," Lester said. He was older than me, but scrawnier.
"I've been seeing a girl," I said.
"What? Are you crazy? You're nowhere near old enough to be thinking of challenging Oslo and you know that he'll probably kill you if he finds out. She'll be thrown out of the harem too and it's tough to survive on your own. What do you mean by 'seeing' anyway?"
I suppressed a twinge of guilt – it hadn't crossed my mind to think of what might happen to Alice. "Oslo's getting old, besides I'm not afraid of him. And what do you think I mean? I've been giving her the fucking of her life, that's what."
It annoyed me that Lester gave Oslo such respect and I choked back angry bile. We'd never spoken about it, but as the years went by it became obvious that Lester would never fuck. I liked that about him, except when he was subservient towards Oslo.
"Well, just be careful, that's all," said Lester. He looked sad and resigned as he left and I didn't see him again after that.
I was mending the side of my hut when Oslo came over. Most of the time I avoided him, but he'd gone out of his way to find me. He was taller and broader than me, but his hair was flecked with grey and his walk lacked the athleticism it once had. However, his presence still made me tense and I had to force a friendly nod.
"Lancey, just the boy I've been looking for. I need you to de-lice Teddy's, my son's, hair. He's waiting near my abode," Oslo said. I could feel him challenging me with his eyes.
"No problem Oslo, I'll do it right away," I replied. Inside I raged and was only thankful that no-one else was around to hear the exchange. There were several reasons for my annoyance: my name is Lance, not Lancey; I despised being called 'boy' and de-licing was a woman's job and an archaic, symbolic one at that. I may have been able to take him then, but the time wasn't right.
I finished fixing my hut and then strolled over to Oslo's abode. Teddy was sitting on a stool outside and he looked up at me with wide eyes. It was probably the first time he'd been de-liced by a man. I could hear the sound of girls tittering and my humiliation seethed like poison in the blood.
"Daddy says you've got a soft touch, that's why you're a de-licer man," said Teddy. I didn't reply, but instead dug my fingertips into his scalp until it looked like he'd cry.
I heard Oslo's voice coming from inside, "Mm, you're a good girl aren't you? A real dirty, little bitch. I think I might have to make you my primary female." He was fucking some girl and making sure that I heard.
She was moaning and making sex noises, but she was more muffled than Oslo. I listened, despite myself, and with quiet horror I realised that it was Alice. I felt sick and shocked and tears stung in my eyes as I absently massaged Teddy's scalp. I was angry at myself: I wanted to go in and kill him, but I was unable to move.
"Ah, Lancey, thanks for doing that, you can go now," said Oslo, as he came out of his abode, half-dressed. Alice followed in her nightie; she threw me a guilty glance before scurrying off. I stared at the floor and then walked back to my abode.
The days passed, the wind howled amongst the abodes, and I grew restless. Alice and I met once at the river but things had obviously changed. The leaves had dropped and the ground was cold and hard.
"I'm sorry Lance. You know I can't see you any more," she said. She looked older and tenser than before. I remembered what Lester had said about her being ostracised from the harem, but I didn't give a shit about that. I scowled and we sat in silence until it was too cold to sit still any longer.
