Honorbound

Fanfiction
Title:	Honorbound
Author(s):	Ciana Mitchell
Date(s):	1993
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Honorbound is a K/S story by Ciana Mitchell.

It was published in the print zine Scattered Stars #5.

Summary

"Kirk is rescued by a band of Vulcan warriors and discovers their leader, the prince, Spock, is the son of the Vulcan who owns the land Kirkʼs people live on."

Reactions and Reviews

1993

Kirk, from a Human settlement on a pre-reform Vulcan, is rescued from a band of marauders by Spock and his band (who are protecting Sarek's land). (Legend is that the Humans came from space, but not even they know the truth of it.)

I like most alternate universe stories, and this one. in a zine full of stories I liked. I really enjoyed. It had almost everything I like in a story - - misunderstanding, reconciliation, good relationships (not just between Kirk and Spock, but involving all of Spock's band). I would have liked the marauders to have had another motive than (apparently) greed or hatred -- for example, say, their land had been badly affected by drought -- but that's not a vital point.

I could wish, though -- and this is just nitpicking -- that Ciana had said what happened to Kirk's mount (and that she did escape the sandstorm), instead of them just saying "I hope she's all right'-- it would have been in character for a domesticated 'horse' to head for home after losing her rider(s), so she could just have turned up at her stable. I'm really concerned about that animal!

Definitely a new story on my list of favorites!

A novella that takes us along to ancient Vulcan and I enjoyed every moment I was there! The author wrote so gripping that I wasn't able to stop reading. The dialogues were wonderful. Sometimes Spock and his men reminded me of wise old Indians sitting around a campfire and talking bout honor and battles. The characters were so vivid! I loved Sarnon and I had tears in my eyes when he died. Also the following discussion between Kirk and Spock about love was so touching.

"Hmmm... and Spock: "... the Vulcan looked like some ancient king riding to battle, fearless and determined." (p. 135).

Yes, I would (like Sarnon) leave everything behind me to follow this man! This story is absolutely perfect - I love it!!!

By the way: I missed a guard. Perhaps it's my poor English, but I read the pages again and again and couldn't find him. On p. 172 is the sentence.

"Kirk was not so naive as to think Spock's disappearance and the dead guard would not go undiscovered."

But everywhere you can read that there were no guards!?

1994

This Pre-Reform novelette shows us Vulcans who seem a great deal like Terran Bedouins. They also view both wells and hospitality as sacred. This is a good extrapolation. Any desert culture would very likely have similar institutions dictated by the rigors of the environment.

I always look forward to anything written by this author, and "Honorbound" delivers fully what we have come to expect from Ciana. The story contains a myriad of details about Pre-Reform Vulcan life that sound so absolutely realistic, the reader immediately believes in her premise.

Among the many things I liked: The strong characterizations of Kirk and Spock. Spock, especially, as a young warrior who defends those under his father's protection from ravaging bands of barbarians, is wonderfully drawn. A strong character who will kill if the necessity arises, he is still capable of much tenderness, and despite having lost someone he loves, he retains the ability to love again.

And this Kirk, while in difficult circumstances, always retains the courage, dignity, and personality that would make him a leader in whatever time he found himself.

The customs surrounding the use and value water has on a desert world ring absolutely true, as do the concepts a warrior race would evolve concerning duty and honor.

Even minor characters, such as Sorrak, Spock's second-in-command, and Stykan, the healer, have fully formed distinct personalities. And Sarnon, the young warrior who loves Spock, is particularly well-written.

The only false note I came across was the mention of a dead guard when as far as I could tell, Kirk managed Spock's rescue without killing anyone. Did I miss something here?

I am partial to Pre-Reform stories and enjoyed this one very much. Definitely on my re-read list. More please, Ciana?

A thoroughly enjoyable pre-Reform tale. The story unfolds at a satisfying pace, and I easily got pulled into the pre-Reform aura. The characterizations felt perfectly apt. And plenty of quite fine language, very beautiful images. Everything underlying the tale, the infrastructure of the story, is done really well. I know the author must have worked out a lot of detail in her head, far beyond what might actually get said in the story. The uneasy alliance of the humans under Sarek's protection; the dynamics within and between the various bands of warriors and the marauders; the actual lav of the land; small touches such as the peaceniks who till the soil, etc. All of this was really excellent. I like the dialogue; Spock's in particular was somewhat Olde English style.

Spock is lord of a small band of warriors who regularly go out on patrol of Sarek's clan's lands. There are bands of marauders, slaughtering humans and Vulcans. In their travels. Spock's band comes across the aftermaths of battles, destroyed villages, and also comes up against other bands. They find Kirk, bound, in a tent after killing off one of these bands (in self-defense of course).

I love this: Kirk and the other humans wear the IDIC. These humans live under Sarek's protection. They were enemies way back when, but then had at one time formed an uneasy alliance against a common enemy.

It was very interesting to feel how vast these lands are. They travel for days back to ShiKahr, to return Kirk, to honor the clan's vow of protection. I like the other characters, the members of Spock's band. Young Sarnon who idolizes, and loves, Spock. It gave me chills when Sarnon died to protect Spock, and spoke his love with his dying breath.... I love how Kirk pushes Spock with prying questions about love, etc., and this Spock gets to respond much more colorfully than "our" Spock. To all appearances. Spock and Kirk do not like each other much. But they are actually very drawn to each other, of course.

Kirk feels he is a burden, so he leaves by himself, but through this and that circumstance, it seems he and Spock will continue to be together.

Finally, at Spock's place in ShiKahr, they are clean, fed, rested, at leisure. A fascinating image of Spock's physical appearance: Spock the prince in his luxury vs. Spock the warrior in his earthiness. And it rang very true that Spock would see Kirk differently now that the dangerous journey was over and the vow had been served. Spock wishes Kirk to stay one more day...one more night before going on his way.

I find Spock's admission to Kirk that he feels attraction kind of sudden, and that he admits he would wish to "seduce." Then, he doesn't exactly think it proper, so Kirk seduces him. Nice, gentle sex.

I have an idea that the sex could be written better, though, by not having it chopped up into short paragraphs. The words were right, the feelings were right, but would have read/felt better to flow the sentences together more with "ands" and more sentences per paragraph.

I like that the ending of this sojourn in Spock's bed was not the end of the story.

Spock's band invites Kirk to join them. They ride with him back to Kirk's settlement, only to find it destroyed. Kirk feels he should have been there, not rolling on the pillows with Spock. He's angry with himself and with Spock. and Spock leaves. A month (months? on Vulcan?) later, Kirk finally has to leave his old settlement; he does not feel a place for himself there anymore. The warrior life has gotten into his blood. Seeking Spock again, he finds he has been captured out on patrol.

The whole rescue scene is marvelous. Kirk searches for days..-whisks Spock away...they're being tracked...the capturers almost on them... then a sandstorm—exciting! A wonderful wild force of nature. They find refuge in a small cave, raging sand and wind and lightening, etc. Thinking they might die, a gorgeous moment of speaking their love.

There were a lot more interesting details, but I am trying for brevity—honest.

Really an interesting odyssey and vivid mood; a wonderful read.

A novella that could have continued into a novel. A bit of a repeat of subject matter, but since it was written by Ciana, it entertained immensely. Always great to read her work, even far and in between.

1995

Anyone who thinks that Alternate Universe stories are not their thing, has GOT to read this one.

Wonderful beginning—fast paced, engaging and nicely set-up as we meet Prince Spock, a leader of a band of warriors. They find a village that had been plundered and burned to the ground by renegades. Spock finds a survivor of the attack—Kirk, a human who eventually joins with the warriors.

This story is a fine example of how to impart information to the reader without long lectures, telling, lengthy expositional dialogue or narrative. All the information—the Vulcan culture, the warriors' beliefs, their code of honor, families, religion, attitudes—everything we need to know to round out this terrific story, is all incorporated into the dialogue and action. This is the story to read to see how that can be done, and done extremely well. The reader learns gradually, along with Kirk, all about the Vulcans.

This kind of writing never once bogs the story down or makes the reader lose interest. The story moves along at a nice pace and it's really fun to read. Just one example of how skillfully the author accomplished this was when Kirk wanted his fallen comrades buried. Spock didn't understand it at first, as his people cremated their dead, but the ensuing conversation showed us both belief systems and moved the story forward.

A neat little mystery—Kirk wears the same medallion, an IDIC, that the murdered humans wore and means that they lived under the protection of Sarek.

Another creative scene to show the Vulcan society had Spock noticing Kirk's short (shoulder-length) hair which is explained is the mark of a barbarian that Spock's ancestors had once looked down on. Spock and his warriors wear waist-length hair and still consider the shorter hair déclassé!

So many details and delightful touches such as Kirk thinking about the name of Spock and how that was the name of an ancient Vulcan hero that many still named their sons after. And the history of Amanda—Spock's human mother who had rejected her own kind to be with Sarek. She was honored for her nobility of spirit, Spock tells Kirk, and questions Kirk whether his people would have treated a worthy Vulcan woman in the same manner, since humans and Vulcans have been hostile with each other for a long time.

So much richness of detail—and all of it shown within the story, not apart from it.

One minor difficulty was with the Vulcan names. They are all men and they all start with "S". So unless someone was identified by a description, such as "young boy" or "assistant warrior" or something, I often had to go back to find out who it was.

What a very sad and poignant scene as one of the adoring young warriors dies in Spock's arms. Not an easy task, as we know, to make us care deeply about others besides Kirk and Spock. The last thing he says is: "'I love thee.'" Oh boy—so sad!

Spock says to Kirk: M 'I would take no woman as mate. I have sworn the ancient warrior oath.'

The author incorporates so much of the society into just the dialogue. As an example, Spock says: "'Why in all the Wastes of the Forge is that important to you?'"

Lots more action, including a wonderfully done battle scene, complete with all the raging emotions that Kirk feels as he fights valiantly. Of course.

I just adored the romance of this story. It is filled with romantic style, sweeping vistas and grand emotions. So much fun!

Neat lines like: "Sarnon walks with his ancestors" about someone who had died. And a wonderful scene where Kirk and Spock are having dinner next to a "musical splashing fountain" "beneath the evening stars" and talk about Spock's future and who will be his mate. There's a great bit of dialogue: "'I hope he's worthy," Kirk whispered without thinking. Dark eyes looked straight. "And may I be worthy of him.'"

Spock looks incredibly gorgeous with his robe "black with gold embroidered borders. It was open from throat to waist and belted with tooled leather. One could see the fine chest hair and line of muscle." Their lovemaking becomes very slow and sensual and Kirk stands up and turns around as Spock is kneeling before him and.... You can guess what he did and did he ever!

One minor thing was I wasn't convinced at all that Kirk would want to go back to his settlement and leave Spock and his band of merry Vulcans. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist!) There really wasn't one reason for any doubts at all.

Lines like: "Then he walked away, taking Spock's heart with him." And at one point, in perfect simplicity, all Spock says is: "'Stay.'" So romantic!

So many inventive details to love— like naming a sandstorm, the Khamar, that comes up suddenly.

Such a satisfyingly long story, too. Which is not something I often feel. I didn't want it to end, and that, is definitely an accomplishment with my collection of countless unread zines.

How can anyone resist a story that has Spock saying to Kirk who is asleep in his arms: " 'You shall stay with me now, for even if you wish to leave me, I would not let you go?"