Puppeteer

New chapter, yay! A lot of Sorr'an this time - that's good, isn't it? Thanks to Cassiopeia for betaing!

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First words

"Food, hmm? Well, I guess you must be hungry. Follow me; I think Gerald or Elise can fix you something to eat." I indicated Sorr'an to follow me but stopped in my tracks when my catboy got up. He was still stark naked. I should get him some clothes; not that I minded the sight but because of these narrow-minded and conservative social rules.

"Wait a moment." I went to my room and took a shirt and trousers from the closet; clothes I wore years ago when I was a little smaller. To complete the outfit I grabbed a pair of socks and returned to Sorr'an.

"Here you go!" I tossed him the clothing and he put on the shirt and trousers but perplexedly watched the socks. 'Well, it's working without them. We just don't want Elise to faint when you walk around naked, hmm?'

"Fine, leave the socks. Let's get you something to eat! Follow me!" I turned and went off to the kitchen with Sorr'an in tow. He warily watched his surroundings; his ears almost flat against his head, only the pointy tips peeking out of his hair and the fur of his tail all bristled. You could feel the cautiousness radiating from him.

We reached the kitchen where Gerald sat at a table, drinking wine and reading a book. He looked up when we entered the room. I heard a hiss from behind me and Gerald stood up, backing away a little. Turning around I saw my catboy crouching in a lurking position, baring his fangs at the servant with his talons protracted. Blinking in confusion I asked: "Okay, what's going on here?" I received no answer from Sorr'an and looked back at Gerald. "Gerald?"

The servant took another step back. "I don't know Master Niven. He reacted like this at noontide when I looked after him. He also clawed and growled incomprehensible sounds at me."

I furrowed my eyebrows. Sorr'an hadn't shown any signs of arbitrary hostility before. My gaze was fixed on my catboy, who was slowly approaching Gerald predatorily. "Sorr'an?" He took another step forward. "Sorr'an!" No reaction. "SORR'AN!" The addressed cathuman flicked his gaze shortly at me but didn't stop his advance. "Stop this, catboy!" I reached for his shoulder to hold him back. "He helped to heal you!"

Sorr'an halted in his tracks and cocked his head toward me. "What? Heal?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he and his master healed you after I brought you here. He's no danger to you." Smilingly I added: "If anything he'll make you food. So stop threatening him, he's a friend."

He looked intensely at me and after a few moments his stance relaxed slightly. "Ptransa helped me?"

I looked confused. "Ptransa?"

Sorr'an pointed at Gerald who watched the catboy suspiciously. "Ptransa is."

'Okay, that must be one of the words that aren't translatable.' I nudged Sorr'an gently towards the table. "Ptransa's name is Gerald. Sit down; Gerald will make you something to eat."

The catboy took a seat, still on alert. Gerald cleared his throat. "What would... he... like to eat? I fear we're out of stock of mice."

A smile stole on my face. "I think fish or meat would do. Oh wait a moment." I regarded Sorr'an. "Gerald would like to know what you want to eat. Tell him what you like."

"Meat or fish fine." Sorr'an said to Gerald. The servant lifted an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. 'Right, he can't understand Sorr'an because he doesn't wear a translation-necklace.'

"Meat or fish will be fine, Gerald."

"Fried or will it be enough to throw him a chunk of raw meat or a wriggly fish?"

I tried to keep my face impassive. "Fried will be okay, I think."

"Well, Master Niven. I will have to go to the market because we're out of fresh meat or fish. Would he like something to drink meanwhile?"

'Right, Sorr'an definitely needs something to drink!' Before I could reply, Sorr'an said: "Water, milk!"

"He wants water or milk."

Sorr'an looked in bewilderment at me. "Why you repeat me?"

Gerald cautiously put down a small bowl of milk in front of Sorr'an. "If he spills some milk while lapping it up I'll wipe it away when I'm back. I'm off to the market, it shouldn't take long." With this he took his leave.

I had to grin because of Gerald's words while my catboy hissed a little when Gerald almost invaded his personal space. "He can't understand you, that is why I repeat it to him."

"But you understand. Why?"

"Because of this necklace I gave you. When we both wear it, it makes it possible to understand each other."

"But I understand Ptransa."

'Ptransa? Oh, yes, Gerald.' "The necklace allows you to understand many languages but it doesn't give you the ability to speak all these languages. Because the two of us wear a pendant we can understand each other."

Sorr'an nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. But Ptransa weird. Feel bizarre."

"Really? Well, Arias is a Dhuran mage and..."

Sorr'an interrupted me. "Arias? Old man?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, old man. Old man is a Dhuran mage and they are specialized in alchemy and healing. A particular way of healing. They take energy of a third person, channel and enhance it with their magic and body and then use the refined energy to heal another person. Gerald is the current medium of Arias -- the old man -- and gives his energy to Arias, so he can do most of his magic. It affects Gerald in many ways, most apparently in his outward appearance. He looks like a surreal mixture of an old and a young man -- well, at least to me. It's like parts of him look a different age and sometimes they even seem to change."

Sorr'an looked into space ruminatively. He took a tentative lick of milk and then started to sip at it. He put the bowl back down on the table. "So, Ptransa give energy to heal me?"

"Yes, Arias took life energy from Gerald to heal you here." I touched his shoulder. "And your other wounds, too."

Sorr'an seemed deep in thought. Minutes later Gerald returned with a small package in his hands. "There was no fresh fish anymore at the market but I got some steaks. I took the liberty to bring a steak for you, too, Master Niven."

"Thank you Gerald, I actually am hungry." The servant went to the hearth, put a pan on it and started to fry the meat, strewing spices on it. A delicious scent drifted through the kitchen.

Sorr'an startled us when he raised his voice. "Gerald?" The addressed one looked up from his cooking. "I don't know your task. Don't know you help me. You feel weird, smell unnatural. I sorry I attack you. Hiss at you. Will not do again. I sorry." With these words he scratched the back of his head embarrassedly.

Gerald tilted his head and then Sorr'an and he looked at me expectantly. With a smile I translated. "Sorr'an is sorry that he attacked and threatened you. He didn't know that you're the medium of Arias and that you gave your energy to heal him. You apparently smell and feel weird to him because of your task and that is why he reacted the way he did. He is sorry."

Gerald lifted an eyebrow. "Okay. No hard feelings. I know I can scare people for just what I am and look like. You're forgiven, cat."

Sorr'an smiled widely. "Thanks. Name Sorr'an!"

Again I translated. "He says thank you and that his name is Sorr'an."

"You're welcome Soran." Gerald flipped the steaks in the pan.

"Sorr'an!" My catboy pronounced every syllable.

"Uh?" Gerald looked at me enquiringly.

"You have to roll the 'r' a little more, even use your throat and make a small break before the 'an'."

"So-rr-an?" Gerald tried again.

Sorr'an beamed and nodded. "Sorr'an!"

I saw a hint of a smile on Gerald's face and it amazed me. The medium rarely ever smiled! Gerald prepared two plates, a thick slice of bread and a steak together with some pickled salad. He put them down in front of us together with cutlery and returned with milk. This time Sorr'an got a normal cup.

Sorr'an sniffed at the steak, then took it in his hands and took a hearty bite. Gerald and I looked at each other; I chuckled and he rolled his eyes but the corner of his lips twitched. I started to dig in, too.

"I will retreat for the night, Master Niven, if you don't need me anymore."

"Good night Gerald, thank you for all your help."

Gerald nodded. "Master Niven, So-rr-an." With this he left the kitchen.

We finished our meals; Sorr'an munching appreciatively, taking a sip from his milk from time to time -- apparently he knew how to handle a cup. When a small burp from the catboy signaled the end of our meal, I got up and put the plates into the sink. Stifling a yawn I realized that I was quite exhausted. The job for Belathia took its toll on my body.

"I go to bed, Sorr'an. I think you should go, too. The poison was removed and you were healed but your body needs its time to recover from the injuries and magic."

Sorr'an nodded. "Bed. Sleep. Niven go, show me?"

'Show you? Oh hell, how I want to show you some things.' My wanton thoughts were interrupted when Sorr'an got up and looked expectantly at me. I took the lead and guided us through the floors to the small examination room we slept in last night. There was only one bed in my room and I wasn't sure Sorr'an would appreciate sharing one. Hell, I was sure he wouldn't enjoy me trying to molest him all night and remembering his claws I definitely was sure I wouldn't enjoy his reactions to my advances, so I decided for the room with two beds.

When we arrived at the room he went to his bed and without any signs of modesty undressed and slipped under the covers. I followed suit, but took the empty bed after dousing the lights. Shortly before fell completely asleep my catboy roused me. "Niven?"

"Um... yeah..."

"How I come here?"

I shifted on my side, presenting my back to Sorr'an. "I tell you tomorrow, kitten, I'm really tired."

The reply was a hissed "No kitten!"

"Okay catboy, but I still am tired."

Something quite heavy pounced on me and a furious Sorr'an snarled in my ear. "No cat, no boy. Name Sorr'an! Man is!"

I froze. Partly because of a claw that was pushed against my neck, partly because of a naked catboy pressed against my back. I gulped. "I'm sorry Sorr'an."

Luckily the claw retreated; sadly the body did so, too, but the weight remained on my bed. I rolled on my back and saw that Sorr'an sat cross-legged on the side of the mattress. After this incident I was wide awake and decided to answer some of his questions. With a snap of my fingers a few candles inflamed. The guttering light cast a warm glance on Sorr'an's body and face. His mien showed only small traces of irritation; it mostly held a mixture of confusion and forlornness.

I sighed. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

Sorr'an looked down at me. "Here! What this place? How I come here?"

"Oh my, that's going to be a long story. Well this here is the mansion of Arias in Arrandar, which is the capital of Tamspod, the western province of Meygran." I looked into a blank face. "You didn't understand one word, hmm?"

Sorr'an shook his head. I explained: "Okay, there are different realms on this continent. One of them is Meygran; it's a huge and powerful one and is divided into five provinces. Tamspod is the western province and this city here, Arrandar, is its capital."

Sorr'an nodded. "Like plains where many tribes roam around and groups of the clans with their own hunting grounds."

I blinked amazedly. "Yeah, kinda." Then it hit me. "You talk better!"

The catboy grinned at me. "No, you better!"

'Okay, so much for better talking.'

"But how do I come here?"

I told Sorr'an the story of our escape without skipping the part when he crawled on top of me during the night. It didn't faze him one bit; he looked curiously and thoughtfully the whole time. I spared the part where I undressed him, though. While relating the story to him my eyes wandered over his upper body, the flickering candlelight illuminated it beguilingly. 'Damn, if all this is over these images will give me a lot of inspiration.'

"Well, and then Arias healed you with the help of Gerald. That's the whole story."

Sorr'an was silent for a few moments. "I thank them. Old man and Gerald. And I thank you, you save my life."

"You're welcome, my catboy." Sorr'an narrowed his eyes and growled menacingly in the back of his throat. I quickly added. "Hey, it's meant as an endearment!"

Sorr'an furrowed his brows. "Oh really, my humanboy?"

I blinked and then laughed. "Okay, I get it, cheeky one. But you know I don't mind much if you call me humanboy." I lifted an eyebrow and added with a grin. "Especially if you call me 'my humanboy', kitten!"

Sorr'an didn't look overly amused. "Toddler!" was his short and snappish reply.

I smiled. "Okay, I don't like the sound of this, so no more 'kitten', I promise it."

"Yes. Sorr'an is good name, strong name." I nodded smilingly and before I could reply he added. "Where are my clothes?"

I blinked owlishly. "Your clothes?"

"Yes, Sorr'an's clothes. I had when we run away from men."

Gulping I took a deep breath. Why I was embarrassed I didn't know. "Well, the Versetzer is a great mystery to everybody and few know how to make it work, but it takes a whole lot more energy to transport an inanimate object then a living being. Seeing as I already had to transport two persons and my magic vest and was already quite exhausted from the flight I had to strip you and me down. So your clothes lay somewhere far southeast from here. Hopefully they aren't important to you?"

Sorr'an waved the question aside. "You undressed me?"

"Um yeah, you weren't in the state to do so yourself."

"Did you like it?"

This question hit me like a sledgehammer. "What?!"

"Did you like take off my clothes?"

I open-mouthed gaped like a fish at the catboy. Of all questions I would not have expected this one. "Erm, I..."

Sorr'an leaned forward. "I am not dumb. I see how you look me." He grinned. "Eyes almost fall out." From the corner of my eyes I could see his tail swishing to and fro.

I shut my mouth with a click. "I... maybe..." When did I turn into a stammering idiot?

"So you liked make me naked?"

I blushed a little but pulled myself together. "Well, I was exhausted, but I did enjoy it. But you weren't that innocent either, snuggling against me at night."

Sorr'an brought his face a little closer to mine. "I wounded and you felt like protection and help. I remember I like it." There was a twinkle in his eyes. "What do you like?"

'Is this catboy playing with me? Well, this then let us play!' I looked him into his eyes. "Well, you do have really beautiful eyes." I raised my hand and ran my knuckles gently over his cheekbone and jaw line. "Your face is cute and sexy. And..." I fondled his cat ears which twitched between my fingers. "On top of your head are the most amazing ears I've ever seen. They are just exceeded by..." I ran the finger down the back of his head and neck along his spine to the base of his tail, circled it and dipped the tip of my index finger into the crack of his butt but then stroked his furry appendage. "This marvelous tail."

The light wasn't bright enough but I could swear Sorr'an's cheeks were a little flushed. Suddenly he sat upright and pulled back my covers. My eyes bulged at this unexpected action because all the touching did have some effect on me. His eyes roamed over my body for a few seconds then he rolled me onto my side.

"Erm, Sorr'an?" I rolled back on my back frowning and my catboy looked at me.

"You real human?"

"Yes, I'm a real human. Why?"

"I looked to make sure." He leaned closer again. "Your eyes look..."

My facial expression froze and I abruptly pushed the catboy away, pulling the covers over my body and snapped my fingers hard to douse the lights. "I'm tired, go to sleep." I turned away from the confused boy.

"Niven? I... Sorry?"

"Good night, Sorr'an." I replied with a cold voice.

After a few moments I could feel and hear the catboy leave my bed and enter his own.

Sleep didn't come easy.

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Thank you to all my readers for... well reading, of course!

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