[Pride Awards 2023, hosted by official lgbtq , Romance Category Winner and 5th Place Grandwinner] The foster son of a former cupbearer marries the cursed king of Persia, becoming not only the first consort to survive after the wedding, but also a th...
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Swords clashed with a clank and arrows were fired mercilessly at the straw dummy. The ambience was coated with dirt and sweat and some accidental drops of blood. Shahrazad sniffed strength in the air.
He had come to the training grounds of the hundred bodyguards to meet with the third and fourth of the melophoroi– Naseer and Caspar respectively. It took him some time to search for them. The trainees present were visibly excited on seeing the royal consort. Shahrazad blushed upon realising that he had build a fame for himself by just surviving. But surviving in the palace, as a spouse to the Shah, was a daunting task.
The trainees guided him to a wrestling ring. Shahrazad was apparently late– a lean muscular man had fallen face flat on the sandy floor. The trainees informed him that he had missed the entertaining duel.
"Agility alone will not take you far. Perfect yourself in every aspect," the victor said. He was a man very dark, with a receding hairline and balmy warm eyes. Despite the bulging muscles and the overall gigantic appearance, he seemed to be quite calm and tranquil. There were cuts on his back, proudly flaunting themselves as marks of honor.
"Are you Naseer, the third of melophoroi?" Shahrazad asked.
The man turned. He was visibly awestruck on seeing the consort here, amidst blood and dirt and not in the flowery garden. A trainee quickly fetched him an overcoat and he slipped himself into it.
"Yes," he said, tying a belt around his waist, "I am Naseer. Glad to have the Shahamsar-am grace our humble abode." He gallantly bowed.
Shahrazad acknowledged the respect with a slight tilt of his head. "I thought of making acquaintances with the melophoroi. I have already met Firdaus and Adonis."
Naseer helped the other guy who had lost to get up. "This is Caspar, the fourth melophoroi."
Caspar, unlike Naseer, looked rogue and rough with an unkempt beard, messy hair and frowning eyes. He grunted when Naseer elbowed him. Caspar reluctantly bowed.
"Excuse me, I have to go and wash myself." Caspar strode away with an attitude. Naseer pursed his lips. "I am sorry for this display of behaviour, Shahamsar-am. He is just upset that I defeated him in front of the other lower bodyguards."
"Ah, happens. Such is the quality of men in general. It takes years to tame the ego within us."
"Is Shahamsar-am also a prey of vanity?" Naseer asked with a curvy smile.
"I won't deny that I may seem vain at times, but I assure you it's just unpolished faith in my abilities. I don't know why but people do assume I am conceited. And then they say, no smoke without fire!"
The two men headed to a secluded part of the training ground where a bench was present. They sat there to continue the conversation.
"When I had been selected as the melophoroi, I was over the cloud! It really came as a blow when I got repulsed by the power of Firdaus and Mahfuzur. They are indeed the best of us."
