Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

6.10.

"You could have let us know," Alva said dryly. "I have been worried, as it happens."

Kintaro felt a twinge of guilt. True, it never occurred to him to send anyone to Zeinab Street to warn he wasn't coming. In fact, he forgot about everything, except his dusky lithe lover.

"You don't look so good," he tried to change the subject. "Are you all right?"

"I slept poorly, and I am no spring chicken."

Kintaro glanced at him briefly. Did the poet guess? Although Alva's face showed nothing except annoyance.

Kintaro could not know that Alva was up half the night worrying, and refusing to listen to Ithildin's protestations that Kintaro could take care of himself. Then, in the morning, Alva noticed dark circles under his eyes, and that was the final straw.

Chevalier Ahayrre, the loveliest flower of Trianess nobility, would have never admitted to anyone that he feared old age. While those in the civilized countries tended to retain their youthfulness long enough, and there were still more years to the first grey hairs than Alva had lived already, thirty was no fresh youth barely come of age.

His worry was tinged with another fear, which he did not want to admit even to himself, let alone to others. So far, no lover had left him, and he very much hoped to do without the experience.

When Kintaro tried to put his arm around him, Chevalier Ahayrre pouted and pulled away. "Go wash," he said, and added, tartly, "Don't know who it was you were diddling, but you stink like a two-bit whore."

The Essanti's eyes flashed, but he went to bathe without a word.

At night, the altercation was forgotten, but it was not to be the last.

~~~

A lover like Kismet was the stuff of dreams: young, hot, wanton, and tireless, and utterly in love with Kintaro to boot. Khaliddin would often laugh, remembering their first night together; the night they had spent at a dive. Now they made love on soft cushions in that same secret chamber off the Khaliddin's bedroom that the mage had secured against all intrusions.

Kintaro got to wear the magic ring. Once it got put on the finger, it moved the wearer to the little room. Taken off, it returned you to where you started from. Darius's magical abilities were sufficient for this kind of stuff. The Khaliddin had long befriended the mage, and the friendship was further solidified by timely infusions of cash, with exactly this kind of services in mind. The Khaliddin had no desire to see the incident with the Creedan guard repeated.

...Sometimes, the night passes and they haven't even said a word... so intent on sharing the fire that consumes their bodies. In the mornings, the boy is playful as a kitten, cuddles up to Kintaro, pours out his tea, clings to him, asks at parting, "You coming back tonight?"

So Kintaro is the night watch now. Privileged to have his own sleeping place on the doormat. If anyone were to stop by tonight, he'd appear to be right there, the brave of the steppes, snoring away, while the Prince is resting after making love to one of his concubines (all illusions). The fake wall lets through neither the shaking of the bed, nor the passionate moaning.

When he comes home, Kintaro does not notice the shadow that passes over Alva's face. It's all the same at first, no sign of a rift between them, Alva is mild and pleasant. Perhaps it is that they are spending less time together now?

With just a tinge of regret, Kintaro thinks that he spends too much time in the palace, and not just in the Prince's bed, but he is busy in the guards' quarters, training, drinking hard. Alva misses him, probably... Oh, no, he thinks, irritated, enough here to keep him occupied.