Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

8.8

A slender white tower rising from a heap of black rocks looked like the fang of a gigantic beast. The sea waves raged around it, breaking on the rocks, spraying foam all around. "That's a cursed place," the fisherman said who sold them the boat. "There was often mysterious music heard, and lights were seen, and lightning struck the tower from the sky, and the waves boiled around it, even without any wind at all. And sometimes there were monsters swarming in the sea, and my father had seen a sea dragon coiled around the white walls, and Lago had caught a fish there with a human face and two pupils in every eye..."

But all of that was before, and now Dame Tallian's tower was empty and desolate, abandoned years, if not decades ago. Broken windows were dark and mournful like empty eye-sockets of a skull. Inside albatrosses and seagulls made their nests in dozens, and their droppings marked the floors and windowsills. Decrepit inner walls crumbled, staircases slanted, tapestries rotted, carpets faded and fell into pieces, floors collapsed. It was a realm of dust and decay.

Nevertheless, they thoroughly searched the whole tower from top to bottom, trying to find some clue, but all their efforts were in vain. Chevalier Ahayrre had never set foot in here, same as any other person, for a very long time.

The evening shadows deepened. The sea grumbled menacingly, sending fog and spray through the windows. The horizon flashed with distant lightning. They made a fire out of broken chairs, lacquered screens and dressing tables; dragged a few dusty carpets into one place, covered them with a cloak, lay down holding each other tight, both sad and silent. They had no desire to talk or sleep.

Kintaro pressed his palm to Ithildin's neck under the ear, and his thumb wandered over the elf's jaw line.

Ithildin's cheeks grew pink. He averted his gaze.

"Stop it," he said, his voice dusky.

"Stop what?"

"Remembering how... you took me for the first time."

"Why would I? It's always like the first time with you."

Ithildin blushed deeper, detecting the slightly obscene meaning of the nomad's words.

"No, that's not what I mean," Kintaro smirked. "Not that you are tight and shy as a virgin. I mean you are delicate and gentle, and always trembling under me, and your sighs are ever so sweet..."

"Stop it," the elf whispered, feeling shivers going down his spine and his buttocks clenching with desire.

"It's not that way with the redhead. He is like a thousand different lovers in one. Always fickle, hard to catch. He likes something today, the whole new thing tomorrow. You never know where to have him."

The elf couldn't help smiling.

"I'd never guess. You are always straightforward like a battering ram."

Kintaro didn't argue. His palm went lower, on Ithildin's chest, and his thumb caressed his nipple, as slowly and gently as before.

"You speak about him so calmly! As if he left for a moment to fetch some wine from a corner shop! What if we never..." the elf couldn't finish the sentence. His eyes filled with tears.

Kintaro propped himself on his elbow and leaned over him.

"I believe that we are destined for each other. And we'll be together again, no matter what. If he were in danger, we would have known."

"I yearn for him so much!" The words escaped Ithildin almost against his will. "Like a flower yearns for the sun. I am withering away without him."

"The sun is always there, even if it's hidden behind a cloud or set behind the horizon. The sun is always with us, doll-face, remember that. I never told, but our tribe also had stories, like real novels, about love, travels, fights and stuff. There was one about a warrior who fell in love with the Sun. Since he was a little boy he thought of nothing else, he looked at nothing else, he could even look at the Sun without blinking. His name was Asato. One day he decided to go east and reach the end of the earth from where the Sun rises in the morning. It was his reasoning that in the morning the Sun would be easier to catch unawares. So he went on his long journey to the east, crossed the steppes, the plains and the AncientForest, facing countless dangers on his way. Finally he reached the end of the earth.

"He saw a huge palace richly inlaid with gems. Suddenly a young man came out of it, and he was shining so brightly that anyone would have closed his eyes tight − anyone but Asato. Asato stared at the young man without blinking and saw that he was fair of face and slender of waist. Every inch of his skin was the colour of gold, and no inch of his skin was covered with clothes. It was the Sun, Asato guessed. In an instant he was burning with desire. He took the Sun into his arms, kissed him fervently and inflamed him with the same passion. They lay down together and made love, and the Sun rose only at noon that day. From that time on Asato lived in the Sun's palace, and every night they spent in lovemaking. That's why in winter the nights are longer, because the Sun doesn't want to leave his hot-blooded lover and go out into the cold. Sometimes the Sun takes Asato to the sky with him, and that's why an eclipse occurs, because Asato covers the Sun with his body."

"Ignorant barbarians. Everyone knows that an eclipse occurs because of the Moon covering the Sun. The Moon hardly looks like a dusky nomad. More like an elf."

"That's my story, doll-face," Kintaro grinned. "And you've got what I wanted to say."

In the morning Ithildin went through the usual ritual of picking up his garments, scattered everywhere by the nomad's impatient hand, and somehow found his usual presence of mind and ability to think straight. He touched a tapestry which crumbled to dust under his fingers.

"You know, it would require about a hundred years for a human dwelling to reach such a state. Maybe more. So the fishermen wouldn't have witnessed all those strange things we had been told about. Dame Tallian had been living here, and not very long ago."

"What are you getting at, doll-face? Now only birds live here."

"She is a Water Sorceress, right? I read about the Water magic. A powerful mage can make time flow backwards. Before leaving, she made her tower age a hundred years, and upon returning she will simply restore it. It takes an enormous amount of magical energy, but she is a First-ranked mage after all."

"It means she has another lair unknown to anyone. And this is just a summer house. Thanks, doll-face, now I am feeling much better," Kintaro said grimly. He obviously wasn't very glad to hear how powerful Dame Tallian was.

"Up until now we tried to find the sorceress and failed. She is too powerful and can easily cover her tracks. But every power has a weak side. If Alva wants us to find him, we will."

"How? By reading the tea-leaves?"

"We have Alva's belongings. Any village witch, who can find lost sheep, can at least show us the direction. Maybe my sister will be able to help."

"You never said you had a sister."

"You never asked."

"So what are you suggesting, to go into the GreatForest and ask your sister the elf to help you find your mortal lover which was the cause of them turning you out of your home?" Kintaro quirked a brow.

"Something like that," Ithildin echoed. "Only it will be you alone going into the GreatForest. I will be killed on the spot. You, on the other hand, have a chance to live slightly longer."

The nomad's face brightened.

"Fuck the Ancients over? I like the idea."

"I knew you would."

Faith can move mountains and drain rivers − that was written in some philosophical treatise. If love is a torch lightening up a dark forest, then faith is a path through the forest leading to happiness.

The End of Chapter 8

To be continued