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By Moonlight 1
Half-ish of one of the teaser stories. ^^ M named it. Yay M!
>.> .... *runs for her life now*
---
The twin moons were just beginning their slow descent toward the horizon. All the castle was fast asleep, save for those few who remained alert to guard against threats, and of those more than one could be seen slouching, nodding off, as the monotony of their duties wore on. It was the perfect time for one small slip of a boy to escape the confines of his lavish suite and make his way soundlessly down the wide, deserted hallways.
It was not the first time Prince Inkiza had slipped from his luxurious prison to wander alone, nor would it be the last, but this night would prove to be the most important of all of them. This night by chance there were servants trudging about with a late task in the corridor he normally took to visit the palace library, so the young prince was forced to choose an alternate path.
The path he chose led him around the southern palace wall and through a small, seldom-used courtyard. In the dead of the night such a place should be as empty as the halls themselves, and yet it was not. A lone figure could be seen, moving as fluidly as water and far more graceful, back and forth across the grass and stones with deliberate, perfect ease.
Silver moonlight flashed near his hands, above his head, thin crescents that moved in a dizzying pattern that the eyes could not quite follow. Beautiful. Dangerous. Inkiza hesitated in the occluding darkness of an archway, watching in silence as the man continued his deadly dance of swords.
He was taller than any man Inkiza had ever before seen, even his uncle's guards. Taller, and darker. Skin and hair both, made darker still by the night shadows. He wore the simple, plain uniform of a soldier. In the daylight it would be a grey-green; in the darkness it was only one more bit of shadow to cling to the twisting shape. The night itself come alive to take on mortal form.
There was no telling how long he watched, hypnotized, as the dark man dueled his invisible opponent. All thoughts of the library faded, overwhelmed by the flash of steel and the graceful economy of motion that comprised the warrior. Perhaps he would have watched all night, entranced, had not the subject of his single-minded regard not chanced to glance his way.
For a moment he could do nothing, caught in that startled gaze as they stared at one another, then the soldier took a step toward him and Inkiza promptly turned and ran. All his thoughts were consumed with fear; he must never be caught outside his rooms, or the guard would be increased and he would no longer be able to slip out in the dead of the night. To be seen was bad enough. He had to flee before the soldier realized what, exactly, he'd seen.
Or, more appropriately, who. Prince Inkiza had been locked in his personal suite 'for his own safety' since that terrible day in his fifth year of life when his father had been thrown from a horse and killed and his mother had chosen to take her own life rather than try to rule Cesim without her husband. The late king's brother, Inkiza's uncle, had been duly named Regent and from that moment on nothing had ever been the same again.
Should Uncle Fahrin find out that he'd managed to escape his gilded prison, that stolen freedom would be lost for good. The thought was almost too much to bear. And so he ran.
He heard nothing, no footsteps, no sounds of pursuit. Was it possible that the mysterious soldier was not following? Inkiza wished he could look over his shoulder to make sure, but then he ran the risk of running into something, or worse, someone. No, best to just keep darting down empty hallways until he was safe in his own-
Hands came out of nowhere, one wrapping around his mouth as the other caught his waist, jerking him back against a hard, muscled body. Inkiza tensed, going perfectly still. The powerful arms that had trapped him pulled him off to the side, into a small antechamber used on occasion for private meetings. He heard the click of the door shutting, then the arm around his waist slackened its grip.
"If I release you, do you promise not to make a sound?" Warm breath ghosted across Inkiza's ear, the voice low and melodious and rich like the fine chocolate he barely remembered from his childhood. He fought not to shiver, mostly failing, and nodded, once.
Slowly, cautiously, the hand clasped over his mouth slackened and pulled away. A moment later the one around his waist followed suit, and Inkiza drew in a slow, unsteady breath before turning around to face his captor. As he'd feared, it was the soldier from the courtyard, looming tall and imposing above him. In the dim light it was difficult to make out his features, but from what little Inkiza could see, the man almost seemed apprehensive.
Inkiza swallowed and took a step back, hands clenching nervously in his tunic. Now he was really in trouble. He should have just stayed in his rooms rather than risk the trip to the library. This was exactly the situation he'd always feared.
It was odd, though, how uneasy the soldier looked. Almost as uneasy as Inkiza himself. His gaze seemed jumpy, flitting around and taking Inkiza in a piece at a time rather than in one slow look like most people did. He did linger a little longer on Inkiza's clothing, dark brow furrowing slightly, the small beads of sweat at his temples glimmering in the faint light. This close, Inkiza could smell a musky scent, different from that of the usual guards outside his rooms. More pleasant.
"Who are you?" the soldier asked, and Inkiza shivered again, feeling decidedly strange. Words had never felt so tangible before, like the silks that he was still allowed on special occasions.
"I..." Inkiza swallowed. "Kiza... I'm Kiza."
"Kiza, then." Should his own name be able to sound like that? "Can I make a deal with you, Kiza?" the soldier asked quietly.
Inkiza blinked and opened his mouth before he had a chance to think. "A deal? What do you mean?"
The soldier smiled grimly, muscles rippling beneath his light tunic as he shrugged. "I'm guessing from your reaction that you weren't supposed to be out there either. So, if you don't tell anyone what you saw, then I won't either. Deal?"
Inkiza's mouth dropped open, then snapped shut a moment later. "But... but you're a soldier... why wouldn't you..." He closed his mouth again, blinking. "Inner courtyard. Regular soldiers don't come this far into the castle, only the palace guard."
Grimacing slightly, the soldier nodded. "Exactly. It's out of the way enough that I can practice in peace, but I'm not technically supposed to be here."
"Oh..." Inkiza thought a moment, then looked up cautiously. "So... you won't tell anyone I was out?" he asked hopefully.
The soldier shook his head. "If I did that, I'd be admitting I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be, wouldn't I?" A faint flicker of a smile touched his lips, then he frowned. "Though I find myself wondering about you... you're dressed far too well to be a servant, but I can't think of anyone else who would be in trouble for being... out." The frown deepened.
Inkiza flushed hotly, hoping the darkness would obscure most of it. "Um. I'm... I'm not really supposed to leave my rooms..." He tried not to fidget and wondered if it was safe to tell this man as much as he had. Too late now.
"Why not?" the soldier asked, surprised. "You don't seem the type to be prone to political uprisings and revolutions and the sort, and anyway, most folk of that ilk are tossed in the dungeons for a few days to get it out of their systems." Even in the darkness, his direct gaze proved to be unnerving. "So, Kiza, why are you confined to your rooms?"
Fidgeting, Inkiza carefully studied the knees of the soldier's uniform. "I... um... Uncle says it's for my safety..." he mumbled.
Dark brows shot up as the soldier repeated, "Uncle?" A moment later his eyes widened and he took a half step back. "Kiza... Prince Inkiza. You're the reclusive Crown Prince!" he breathed.
Inkiza shrugged and wished he could convince his body to quit fidgeting. "Yeah... I guess." Hard to be a Crown Prince of anything when you were confined to your rooms all the time.
"Highness," the soldier said softly, dropping to one knee before Inkiza and bowing his head. "This humble soldier begs your forgiveness for his impertinence." From the new angle Inkiza could see that his dark hair was pulled back into a thick braid that trailed halfway down his back. That was odd. Most soldiers kept their hair cut short.
"Um." Inkiza waved his hands helplessly. "That's... that's okay. I'd just... as long as you don't tell anyone you saw me..." He bit his lip, more than a little discomfited at having the powerful warrior kneeling at his feet. "Please, um... please get up... nobody kneels to me..."
That unsettling gaze flashed up at him once, briefly, in surprise. "But you are the Crown Prince. All should kneel before you..."
This was just making him feel worse, on top of the butterflies that seemed to have taken up residence in his stomach. Inkiza swallowed. "I'm not of age yet... so... I'm just..."
A hand reached out and caught his, and Inkiza almost jumped in surprise. That rich, dark voice came again, quiet and solemn. "Regardless of age, the Crown Prince of Cesim should command respect. Even a lowly soldier such as myself knows this. Why is it that you do not understand your own authority?"
The words slipped out without his permission. "Because I have none," Inkiza whispered.
The hand holding his tightened briefly, then released it as the soldier stood. He drew out the twin blades he'd been using earlier, placing one on the floor and the other in Inkiza's startled hands. "Then, if you will have it, I, Ebedi, will pledge my sword and my loyalty to you. It is not worth much, the pledge of a halfblood, but even the loyalty of one such as myself is more than none at all."
Inkiza started again, Ebedi's blade shaking in his hands. "I... I don't... I'm..." He swallowed and drew in a soft breath. "I... thank you..." He looked down at the weapon, then shyly up at Ebedi. "I don't know what to do now..."
Ebedi chuckled quietly and held out his hands, palms up. "If you accept, you give it back. If not, then you drop it." He laughed again, rich and lilting, as Inkiza gingerly returned the weapon to his hands. "Thank you, my prince."
Gracefully he re-sheathed the blade and bent down briefly to retrieve the other one. Inkiza watched as that one was sheathed, then ventured gingerly, "Ah... I know I'm going to sound stupid again, but what's a halfblood?"
It was fortunate that Ebedi had already put away his weapons, for his hands jerked at the sound of the word. All his good humor faded, replaced by a weariness and dim determination. "Just as it sounds, highness," he replied. "My mother is a Cesim noblewoman. Scandalously she had an affair with a barbarian slave owned by her husband, and I was the result." He shrugged with painful nonchalance. "To lessen her 'shame' I was gifted to the king to be one of his soldiers."
"That's..." Inkiza flushed again. "That's why your skin is so dark? And your hair? I've never seen anyone who looked like you before..." Abruptly realizing what he'd said, Inkiza's already flushed face all but burned. "I mean... that is... I didn't mean... um."
Ebedi chuckled softly. "No apology necessary, your highness. I've had twenty years to get used to people's reactions to me. I've long since ceased to take offense."
Inkiza grimaced. "I really didn't mean... It's not a bad thing. It's just... different. It kind of gets boring when the people you see every day look just like you."
Dark eyes looked him over slowly, then Ebedi chuckled again and shook his head. "Not just like you," he murmured, "But thank you again. I suppose, as secluded as you are, you would not have picked up the common prejudices. That is rather... refreshing."
"Why is it bad?" Inkiza asked curiously, studying Ebedi a little more closely. "I mean, other than the sleeping with someone you're not married to part." He considered. "Why did your mother do that, anyway?"
Ebedi shrugged. "As far as I could ever tell, she didn't much care for the man she was married to. It's common enough, amongst the nobility, to marry for status or wealth."
"Oh." Inkiza fidgeted again, then jumped when Ebedi's hands gripped his shoulders, a startled "eep" escaping his lips.
"You need to learn not to look down," Ebedi announced softly, freeing one hand to tip Inkiza's chin up. "Hold your shoulders straight and your head high as befits a Crown Prince. Even in confinement, you outrank everyone in the land. Remember that."
Cheeks heating, Inkiza tried to do as bidden. It wasn't easy, but Ebedi's sure hands prodded him until he was more or less properly positioned. He felt ridiculous, pretending to a confidence he didn't possess, but it was impossible to refuse Ebedi. The man was like a force of nature. Firm and implacable.
"I feel silly," Inkiza mumbled.
Ebedi smiled. "You don't look it. Few are those who can see past the airs to the true feelings within. As long as you project a confident demeanor, no one will ever know that you're shaking inside."
Inkiza blinked up at him. "Do you do that?" he asked curiously.
"All the time." Ebedi nodded with a grim smile. "Because of the way I look, I always have to appear to be utterly confident. To be anything less is to invite more problems than I already have."
"Oh." He seemed to be saying that word an awful lot. "So, um... in the courtyard... you were... practicing?"
Ebedi smiled. "Yeah. It's... It works better for me if I practice at night." He considered, then offered, "So, if we're not going to turn each other in for being where we shouldn't be... did you want to watch?"
Smiling shyly, Inkiza nodded. "You move... different than the guards do. Do all soldiers... dance like that?"
The dark man laughed. "Not at all." He grinned. "Most soldiers don't ever bother to learn anything beyond the standard styles they're taught. That's all fine and good if you're fighting a war, but for one on one combat? The mercenaries and barbarians have it best. I've been sneaking lessons from whoever would teach me for years, bits and pieces here and there, and filling in the blanks on my own. Saved me a lot of pain and humiliation when everybody finally figured out I could hold my own."
Cracking open the door and peering out swiftly, Ebedi nodded once before stepping aside to hold the door open for Inkiza. They slipped out and made their way back to the deserted courtyard before Inkiza finally broke the silence.
"They mistreated you...? Because you're halfblood?"
Ebedi winced, then smiled faintly. "They tried. It's okay now. They don't do it anymore." He slipped his two swords from their sheaths, swinging them once, experimentally, then winking. "Threaten to remove a few important bits once or twice and they tend to leave you alone."
Inkiza considered, biting his lip. "But if there's more than one of them..."
Ebedi shrugged again, turning away before Inkiza could get a good look at his face. "Then I deal. And work at getting better." The swords flashed in a slow arc. "One day I'll be the best soldier in all of Cesim."
Smiling slightly, Inkiza stepped back a few paces to give Ebedi room to move. "When I'm king, I'll make you Captain of the Guard. That way, nobody will be able to pick on you any more," he announced firmly.
The dark man turned to regard him, then smiled. "I will do my best to be worthy of your highness's faith in me," he intoned, bowing low, then straightening and making a few practice strikes. After a moment he paused and regarded Inkiza consideringly. "Forgive me if I am being presumptuous, highness, but... Perhaps, in your situation, you might see the wisdom in learning how to defend yourself?"
Inkiza blinked. Twice. "Me? But I'm..." He stopped, closing his mouth. He wasn't nobody. He was the Crown Prince of Cesim. Just because he was more fond of books and scrolls than of wine and weapons was no reason to limit himself. "Do you think I can?" he asked instead.
"I would not have suggested it if I didn't think you were capable of it," Ebedi replied. "Come, I'll show you some basics."
Obediently Inkiza joined him, feeling an odd sort of fearlessness. They could both get in serious trouble for this, and it was dangerous as well, but none of that was important. For the first time since his parents' deaths, Inkiza was beginning to feel as though his life meant something. He would learn, and he would no longer allow them to cow him, so that when he reached his majority and assumed the throne he would be worthy of Ebedi's loyalty.
They met every few nights, whenever both could slip away from duties and guardsmen to practice and talk in the sleeping courtyard. Inkiza learned about the life of a soldier, though he suspected it was being heavily edited for his sake, and in turn Inkiza shared whatever bits of information he'd managed to glean from his myriad books. Before, his choices had been rather sporadic, being whatever happened to catch his eye as he snuck through the darkened library. Now, he deliberately picked out old histories, war journals, and whatever else looked as though it might possess information that would be useful to Ebedi.
A little over four months after their initial meeting, Ebedi brought with him a cloth-wrapped bundle, presenting it to Inkiza with something of a rueful smile. He'd explained that after asking around he'd learned Inkiza's fifteenth birthday was coming up, though no one had been all too sure of the exact date. Inkiza had firmly told himself not to cry - no one had remembered his birthday in years, even if Ebedi was off by two days - then promptly did so anyway once he unwrapped the bundle to reveal a set of exquisitely fashioned knives with birds worked into the handles.
Five months later he got the chance to even things in the form of a handwritten tome encompassing the entire known history of the barbarian peoples that had taken him forever to research and organize. He'd been unsure of it up until he'd actually managed to give it to Ebedi, not really knowing what the soldier thought of his father's people, but the expression on Ebedi's face had been worth every cramp and endless hour of checking and rechecking to verify his facts.
He hadn't realized until that moment that Ebedi had never been given a birthday gift before in his life, and he silently swore that he'd make sure to get something every year henceforth. It was the least he could do for his only friend.
Though, sometimes, in the middle of those nights when he hadn't been able to sneak away, Inkiza guiltily wondered if perhaps he didn't wish for Ebedi to be more than just a loyal friend. It felt greedy, somehow, to want even more when Ebedi had already given him so much, but Inkiza couldn't help it. Every time his friend moved, Inkiza found himself watching the pure grace in those motions. Every time Ebedi dueled his invisible opponents, Inkiza's skin felt far too tight around his body. Every time Ebedi's touch lingered for whatever reason, there arose a burn so strong it was like flames setting his blood to boil.
He'd thought he could manage, to continue on behaving as if nothing was any different. Then, a little over three months past his sixteenth birthday, he made a mistake. It had been a harmless suggestion, to have Ebedi sneak into his rooms so Inkiza could show him some of his drawings, and he realized far too late how different it felt when they were out in the courtyard always on alert for someone who might catch them when compared to the warm security of his personal quarters.
"You're really good, Kiza. You did these from memory?"
Ebedi was sprawled out on one of Inkiza's lounges, looking slowly through the sheaf of papers containing Inkiza's charcoal sketches. His weapons rested on the floor in their sheaths, abandoned in favor of the far more intriguing artwork.
"Mmm, yeah." Inkiza had chosen to drag one of his chairs over near the lounger rather than tempt fate by sitting next to Ebedi. Not that the warrior really left much room, sprawled as he was. "I remember almost all of what I read, so it wasn't too hard to do the same for images..."
"Yeah, but..." Ebedi sat up, still intent upon the paper. "This one... this is completely the crane kick. You've even got the balance and foot positioning right. It's incredible."
Inkiza flushed and bit back on his automatic reply. He paid a lot of attention to Ebedi when the warrior was shadow-dueling. No, he paid a lot of attention to Ebedi all the time. He could faithfully reproduce every one of the soldier's smiles, the quirk of his brows when Inkiza had surprised him, the odd, alert look he got when he heard a sound. All of them, all of him, Inkiza had memorized.
"It's just... um... It's not hard," he managed lamely.
Ebedi looked up, deep sapphire eyes sparkling in the lantern light. "We need to work on that confidence issue of yours, highness. You're far too skilled - at everything - to be talking like that. Embrace your strengths, and make them flourish."
There was no time to formulate a reply. One moment Ebedi was sitting still on the lounge, the next he'd reached out and snagged Inkiza's wrist, tumbling the startled teen onto the lounge and half in Ebedi's lap with a startled yelp. "E-Ebedi!"
The soldier chuckled quietly and let him sit up, carefully setting the papers out of sight beneath the sofa so they wouldn't be damaged. "My apologies, highness," he announced cheerfully, prodding Inkiza until he was positioned to Ebedi's satisfaction. "Now then, repeat after me: I am a brilliant, magnificent person."
"Ebedi!" Inkiza protested, flushing hotly. "I'm not-"
Ebedi held a finger to Inkiza's lips. "Don't argue. Just say it."
Nervously Inkiza licked his lips, realizing too late that Ebedi hadn't removed his finger. He tasted salt and skin, and something else, and jerked backwards so hard he tumbled off the lounger and onto the floor in his embarrassment. He remained where he was for several long moments, willing the crimson away from his cheeks and feeling like many kinds of idiots. Was it even possible to be more obvious? Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.
"... Kiza?" Ebedi's rich voice still sent shivers through his body, even while he wallowed in misery. The soldier sounded worried, then verified it by gently touching Inkiza's shoulder. "Are you injured...?"
"Umf." Gingerly Inkiza got to his knees, looking up into Ebedi's concerned sapphire eyes. He loved Ebedi's eyes. No one else's could possibly rival those jewel-like orbs, especially when they were gazing at him with such obvious care and concern. "I'm okay..."
"You..." Ebedi hesitated. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to... ah..." To Inkiza's utmost astonishment, Ebedi actually blushed. It wasn't easy to make out with the soldier's dark skin, but nevertheless it was there. Inkiza found himself staring.
"I... um... ah... oh Marian's tits," Inkiza swore, knowing he was fully going to regret this and quite possibly lose the only friend he had, but unable to stop himself anyway as he grabbed Ebedi's tunic and pulled the man down, covering Ebedi's lips and kissing him in the awkward manner of one who has absolutely no idea what they're doing.
Ebedi froze, his lips moving slightly as he made a soft sound of surprise. His mouth was soft, softer than Inkiza would have expected considering that none of the rest of him was. He held almost perfectly still, his shock almost a tangible thing, and Inkiza bit back a pained sound. Now he'd done it. Ruined the one good thing in his life just because he couldn't manage to keep himself under control. He started to draw away, meaning to apologize, when suddenly hands wrapped around him. One around his waist, one clasping the back of his head, not letting him move away. Something shifted, arms and heads and lips and suddenly Ebedi was kissing him back, only it wasn't nearly so awkward anymore.
Warm and soft and entirely new, Inkiza's thoughts scattered in all directions as the hand behind his head shifted lower to stroke the back of his neck. He felt like he was melting, all his thought focused upon the impossible concept that Ebedi was kissing him. Kissing him. He never wanted it to end, though eventually they both had to breathe.
Inkiza blinked several times to focus his thoughts, absently wondering how he'd gotten into Ebedi's lap and deciding it didn't really matter. Though it did give him better access to Ebedi's mouth. Access he took blatant advantage of, twining his arms around Ebedi's neck and kissing him again without thought for his aching lungs or much of anything for that matter.
Lack of air forced them apart sooner this time, chests heaving and breaths mingling as neither seemed particularly willing to part too far, even if they did need to breathe. Inkiza rested his forehead lightly against Ebedi's, breathing steadily in and out for a moment before sorting his scattered thoughts into words.
"So... it is alright to do that after all..."
"Oh yes," Ebedi whispered softly. "Any time you like."
Inkiza licked his lips, wondering that they felt decidedly different, and deciding that he rather liked the tingly feeling. "Oh good," he managed. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Both moved at once, eliminating the scant distance between to fit their mouths together just perfectly again. The hand at Inkiza's back slid down, then deftly maneuvered beneath his tunic and up bare skin. He squeaked in surprise, then things changed again. Something invaded his open mouth, warm and wet and caressing and he moaned quietly even as he pressed himself closer to Ebedi.
Ebedi's tongue slowly explored his mouth, carrying several faint flavours that Inkiza couldn't quite identify as his mind seemed unable to focus on anything at all. Ebedi's hands kept stroking and teasing and leaving him hot and cold and entirely overwhelmed all at once. He was vaguely aware that he was trembling, but there was nothing he could do about it. His body moved without his permission, hands sliding slowly down Ebedi's chest, feeling the powerful muscles beneath the thin fabric.
This time, Inkiza broke the kiss to tug on Ebedi's shirt. He wanted it off. Wanted to feel the sleek lines of the soldier's body beneath. Ebedi obliged, pulling Inkiza's own tunic up and over his head as well, dark sapphire eyes caressing him with their gaze before Ebedi slowly lowered his head to suck gently upon newly bared skin.
Inkiza couldn't help the soft cry that escaped, though it swiftly turned into muted whimpers as Ebedi pressed a series of hot kisses down his chest. Teeth grazed one of his nipples and Inkiza cried out again, shaking as unfamiliar sensations burned through his body. This was nothing like the strange feelings that sometimes woke him in the middle of the night. Those could never hope to compare with the ecstasy that each of Ebedi's caresses awoke in him.
"Ebedi..." he whispered, barely managing to get the word out before it turned into a strangled moan.
The soldier lifted his head, sapphire eyes dark with desire and no small amount of disbelief at what was before him. "Kiza," he murmured, licking his lips slowly. "Not in my wildest dreams had I dared to hope..." Ebedi paused, swallowing... almost nervously, though the thought seemed out of place when applied to the confident, self-assured soldier. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, beautiful Kiza? How hard it has been to see you, touch you, and not..." He made a soft, strangled sound, then bent his head to claim Inkiza's lips once more.
His thoughts scattered beneath Ebedi's insistent kiss, though he did acknowledge one brief moment of surprise that the soldier had found their meetings to be as frustrating and wanting as Inkiza himself. Ebedi, apparently, was good at masking his desires. Though he certainly wasn't doing so now. Not with his tongue exploring every curve of Inkiza's mouth while his hands splayed over bared skin, teasing and caressing enough to make Inkiza squirm.
Sweet torture. He wished it could last forever, but the fates had never been inclined to show kindness before. Nor would they now. That much was agonizingly obvious with the faint sound of the door being shoved open, followed by the much more audible thump of heavy footsteps as people entered and more than one startled gasp.
"Inkiza!" a voice exclaimed, thick with surprise and something else. Something darker. Above him Ebedi jerked back, his hands automatically going to weapons that weren't there before vaulting off the sofa to place himself between Inkiza and the men who had interrupted them. One of whom was Inkiza's uncle, Lord Regent Fahrin.
Inkiza scrambled to sit up straight, flushing and trying not to look as disarrayed as he felt. Wisps of hair had escaped their ties and tickled his face in a vexing manner, several more trailing down over his bare shoulders. He wished he knew where his shirt was. Confronting his uncle was hard enough when he was fully dressed.
"Uncle Fahrin," Inkiza greeted as cordially as he could manage. "What... what are you doing here so late?"
Lord Regent Fahrin peered down his aquiline nose at Ebedi, though his words were for Inkiza. "One of the guards heard voices and thought you might be in danger. Apparently correctly so."
Inkiza licked his lips, imagining he could still taste Ebedi on them. The soldier was still between him and his uncle, every muscle in his body standing out in perfect definition as he held himself in readiness for whatever might come, despite being unarmed.
"I... I'm fine, uncle. Ebedi and I were..." He hesitated and bit his lip. "We were looking at my pictures..."
Fahrin's lips twisted up into a sneer. "Oh, is that what you were doing? It looked like something else entirely to me." He gestured imperiously at Ebedi. "Guards, seize that man."
"No!" Inkiza exclaimed, scrambling to get up even as the armed guards moved in to flank Ebedi.
Ebedi moved with all the grace of a wild creature, disabling four of the guards and dodging two more before one chanced to slip up behind him and hit him in the back of the head with a sword pommel. The soldier dropped without a sound, though Inkiza made up for it with his pained cry.
"Ebedi! Uncle, no! Please don't!" He lunged forward, trying to get to his fallen friend, though one of the guards caught his arm and held him back. "This is my fault! Please, leave Ebedi alone. Uncle!"
Lord Fahrin gestured again. "Take him to the dungeons. He will be punished accordingly for daring to touch one of the royal family." He waited until two of the guards had dragged Ebedi's unconscious form from the room before turning back to Inkiza, who was still struggling to get away from the guard who held him. "Inkiza."
"Please, Uncle," Inkiza begged. "Don't do this. I only wanted a friend. It isn't Ebedi's fault..."
"The barbarian will be dealt with," Fahrin announced coldly. "As for you, think for a while on your disgraceful behaviour, and be glad that I do not punish you as well. Consorting with barbarian filth, allowing such trash to... to..." He made a disgusted sound, then turned and strode for the door. "I will be doubling your guard so that such... incidents... do not occur again. Good night, Inkiza."
His uncle swept from the room, followed by the remaining guards. A few moments later there came the distinctive click of the door being locked and Inkiza slowly sank to the floor with a strangled sob. The last of his freedom, gone. Ebedi, gone, and who knew what his uncle would have done to the soldier. All of it, his fault.
Inkiza stared unseeingly at the carpeting, trembling in pain, wishing he'd never brought Ebedi back to his rooms. One moment of weakness, and now he'd cost a man his freedom. Or worse. He groped blindly for his shirt, fingers touching fabric that he pulled to him, whimpering when he realized it wasn't his shirt he held, but Ebedi's.
Clutching the fabric to him, Inkiza curled up in a ball and wept for the loss of everything.
To Part Two
>.> .... *runs for her life now*
---
The twin moons were just beginning their slow descent toward the horizon. All the castle was fast asleep, save for those few who remained alert to guard against threats, and of those more than one could be seen slouching, nodding off, as the monotony of their duties wore on. It was the perfect time for one small slip of a boy to escape the confines of his lavish suite and make his way soundlessly down the wide, deserted hallways.
It was not the first time Prince Inkiza had slipped from his luxurious prison to wander alone, nor would it be the last, but this night would prove to be the most important of all of them. This night by chance there were servants trudging about with a late task in the corridor he normally took to visit the palace library, so the young prince was forced to choose an alternate path.
The path he chose led him around the southern palace wall and through a small, seldom-used courtyard. In the dead of the night such a place should be as empty as the halls themselves, and yet it was not. A lone figure could be seen, moving as fluidly as water and far more graceful, back and forth across the grass and stones with deliberate, perfect ease.
Silver moonlight flashed near his hands, above his head, thin crescents that moved in a dizzying pattern that the eyes could not quite follow. Beautiful. Dangerous. Inkiza hesitated in the occluding darkness of an archway, watching in silence as the man continued his deadly dance of swords.
He was taller than any man Inkiza had ever before seen, even his uncle's guards. Taller, and darker. Skin and hair both, made darker still by the night shadows. He wore the simple, plain uniform of a soldier. In the daylight it would be a grey-green; in the darkness it was only one more bit of shadow to cling to the twisting shape. The night itself come alive to take on mortal form.
There was no telling how long he watched, hypnotized, as the dark man dueled his invisible opponent. All thoughts of the library faded, overwhelmed by the flash of steel and the graceful economy of motion that comprised the warrior. Perhaps he would have watched all night, entranced, had not the subject of his single-minded regard not chanced to glance his way.
For a moment he could do nothing, caught in that startled gaze as they stared at one another, then the soldier took a step toward him and Inkiza promptly turned and ran. All his thoughts were consumed with fear; he must never be caught outside his rooms, or the guard would be increased and he would no longer be able to slip out in the dead of the night. To be seen was bad enough. He had to flee before the soldier realized what, exactly, he'd seen.
Or, more appropriately, who. Prince Inkiza had been locked in his personal suite 'for his own safety' since that terrible day in his fifth year of life when his father had been thrown from a horse and killed and his mother had chosen to take her own life rather than try to rule Cesim without her husband. The late king's brother, Inkiza's uncle, had been duly named Regent and from that moment on nothing had ever been the same again.
Should Uncle Fahrin find out that he'd managed to escape his gilded prison, that stolen freedom would be lost for good. The thought was almost too much to bear. And so he ran.
He heard nothing, no footsteps, no sounds of pursuit. Was it possible that the mysterious soldier was not following? Inkiza wished he could look over his shoulder to make sure, but then he ran the risk of running into something, or worse, someone. No, best to just keep darting down empty hallways until he was safe in his own-
Hands came out of nowhere, one wrapping around his mouth as the other caught his waist, jerking him back against a hard, muscled body. Inkiza tensed, going perfectly still. The powerful arms that had trapped him pulled him off to the side, into a small antechamber used on occasion for private meetings. He heard the click of the door shutting, then the arm around his waist slackened its grip.
"If I release you, do you promise not to make a sound?" Warm breath ghosted across Inkiza's ear, the voice low and melodious and rich like the fine chocolate he barely remembered from his childhood. He fought not to shiver, mostly failing, and nodded, once.
Slowly, cautiously, the hand clasped over his mouth slackened and pulled away. A moment later the one around his waist followed suit, and Inkiza drew in a slow, unsteady breath before turning around to face his captor. As he'd feared, it was the soldier from the courtyard, looming tall and imposing above him. In the dim light it was difficult to make out his features, but from what little Inkiza could see, the man almost seemed apprehensive.
Inkiza swallowed and took a step back, hands clenching nervously in his tunic. Now he was really in trouble. He should have just stayed in his rooms rather than risk the trip to the library. This was exactly the situation he'd always feared.
It was odd, though, how uneasy the soldier looked. Almost as uneasy as Inkiza himself. His gaze seemed jumpy, flitting around and taking Inkiza in a piece at a time rather than in one slow look like most people did. He did linger a little longer on Inkiza's clothing, dark brow furrowing slightly, the small beads of sweat at his temples glimmering in the faint light. This close, Inkiza could smell a musky scent, different from that of the usual guards outside his rooms. More pleasant.
"Who are you?" the soldier asked, and Inkiza shivered again, feeling decidedly strange. Words had never felt so tangible before, like the silks that he was still allowed on special occasions.
"I..." Inkiza swallowed. "Kiza... I'm Kiza."
"Kiza, then." Should his own name be able to sound like that? "Can I make a deal with you, Kiza?" the soldier asked quietly.
Inkiza blinked and opened his mouth before he had a chance to think. "A deal? What do you mean?"
The soldier smiled grimly, muscles rippling beneath his light tunic as he shrugged. "I'm guessing from your reaction that you weren't supposed to be out there either. So, if you don't tell anyone what you saw, then I won't either. Deal?"
Inkiza's mouth dropped open, then snapped shut a moment later. "But... but you're a soldier... why wouldn't you..." He closed his mouth again, blinking. "Inner courtyard. Regular soldiers don't come this far into the castle, only the palace guard."
Grimacing slightly, the soldier nodded. "Exactly. It's out of the way enough that I can practice in peace, but I'm not technically supposed to be here."
"Oh..." Inkiza thought a moment, then looked up cautiously. "So... you won't tell anyone I was out?" he asked hopefully.
The soldier shook his head. "If I did that, I'd be admitting I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be, wouldn't I?" A faint flicker of a smile touched his lips, then he frowned. "Though I find myself wondering about you... you're dressed far too well to be a servant, but I can't think of anyone else who would be in trouble for being... out." The frown deepened.
Inkiza flushed hotly, hoping the darkness would obscure most of it. "Um. I'm... I'm not really supposed to leave my rooms..." He tried not to fidget and wondered if it was safe to tell this man as much as he had. Too late now.
"Why not?" the soldier asked, surprised. "You don't seem the type to be prone to political uprisings and revolutions and the sort, and anyway, most folk of that ilk are tossed in the dungeons for a few days to get it out of their systems." Even in the darkness, his direct gaze proved to be unnerving. "So, Kiza, why are you confined to your rooms?"
Fidgeting, Inkiza carefully studied the knees of the soldier's uniform. "I... um... Uncle says it's for my safety..." he mumbled.
Dark brows shot up as the soldier repeated, "Uncle?" A moment later his eyes widened and he took a half step back. "Kiza... Prince Inkiza. You're the reclusive Crown Prince!" he breathed.
Inkiza shrugged and wished he could convince his body to quit fidgeting. "Yeah... I guess." Hard to be a Crown Prince of anything when you were confined to your rooms all the time.
"Highness," the soldier said softly, dropping to one knee before Inkiza and bowing his head. "This humble soldier begs your forgiveness for his impertinence." From the new angle Inkiza could see that his dark hair was pulled back into a thick braid that trailed halfway down his back. That was odd. Most soldiers kept their hair cut short.
"Um." Inkiza waved his hands helplessly. "That's... that's okay. I'd just... as long as you don't tell anyone you saw me..." He bit his lip, more than a little discomfited at having the powerful warrior kneeling at his feet. "Please, um... please get up... nobody kneels to me..."
That unsettling gaze flashed up at him once, briefly, in surprise. "But you are the Crown Prince. All should kneel before you..."
This was just making him feel worse, on top of the butterflies that seemed to have taken up residence in his stomach. Inkiza swallowed. "I'm not of age yet... so... I'm just..."
A hand reached out and caught his, and Inkiza almost jumped in surprise. That rich, dark voice came again, quiet and solemn. "Regardless of age, the Crown Prince of Cesim should command respect. Even a lowly soldier such as myself knows this. Why is it that you do not understand your own authority?"
The words slipped out without his permission. "Because I have none," Inkiza whispered.
The hand holding his tightened briefly, then released it as the soldier stood. He drew out the twin blades he'd been using earlier, placing one on the floor and the other in Inkiza's startled hands. "Then, if you will have it, I, Ebedi, will pledge my sword and my loyalty to you. It is not worth much, the pledge of a halfblood, but even the loyalty of one such as myself is more than none at all."
Inkiza started again, Ebedi's blade shaking in his hands. "I... I don't... I'm..." He swallowed and drew in a soft breath. "I... thank you..." He looked down at the weapon, then shyly up at Ebedi. "I don't know what to do now..."
Ebedi chuckled quietly and held out his hands, palms up. "If you accept, you give it back. If not, then you drop it." He laughed again, rich and lilting, as Inkiza gingerly returned the weapon to his hands. "Thank you, my prince."
Gracefully he re-sheathed the blade and bent down briefly to retrieve the other one. Inkiza watched as that one was sheathed, then ventured gingerly, "Ah... I know I'm going to sound stupid again, but what's a halfblood?"
It was fortunate that Ebedi had already put away his weapons, for his hands jerked at the sound of the word. All his good humor faded, replaced by a weariness and dim determination. "Just as it sounds, highness," he replied. "My mother is a Cesim noblewoman. Scandalously she had an affair with a barbarian slave owned by her husband, and I was the result." He shrugged with painful nonchalance. "To lessen her 'shame' I was gifted to the king to be one of his soldiers."
"That's..." Inkiza flushed again. "That's why your skin is so dark? And your hair? I've never seen anyone who looked like you before..." Abruptly realizing what he'd said, Inkiza's already flushed face all but burned. "I mean... that is... I didn't mean... um."
Ebedi chuckled softly. "No apology necessary, your highness. I've had twenty years to get used to people's reactions to me. I've long since ceased to take offense."
Inkiza grimaced. "I really didn't mean... It's not a bad thing. It's just... different. It kind of gets boring when the people you see every day look just like you."
Dark eyes looked him over slowly, then Ebedi chuckled again and shook his head. "Not just like you," he murmured, "But thank you again. I suppose, as secluded as you are, you would not have picked up the common prejudices. That is rather... refreshing."
"Why is it bad?" Inkiza asked curiously, studying Ebedi a little more closely. "I mean, other than the sleeping with someone you're not married to part." He considered. "Why did your mother do that, anyway?"
Ebedi shrugged. "As far as I could ever tell, she didn't much care for the man she was married to. It's common enough, amongst the nobility, to marry for status or wealth."
"Oh." Inkiza fidgeted again, then jumped when Ebedi's hands gripped his shoulders, a startled "eep" escaping his lips.
"You need to learn not to look down," Ebedi announced softly, freeing one hand to tip Inkiza's chin up. "Hold your shoulders straight and your head high as befits a Crown Prince. Even in confinement, you outrank everyone in the land. Remember that."
Cheeks heating, Inkiza tried to do as bidden. It wasn't easy, but Ebedi's sure hands prodded him until he was more or less properly positioned. He felt ridiculous, pretending to a confidence he didn't possess, but it was impossible to refuse Ebedi. The man was like a force of nature. Firm and implacable.
"I feel silly," Inkiza mumbled.
Ebedi smiled. "You don't look it. Few are those who can see past the airs to the true feelings within. As long as you project a confident demeanor, no one will ever know that you're shaking inside."
Inkiza blinked up at him. "Do you do that?" he asked curiously.
"All the time." Ebedi nodded with a grim smile. "Because of the way I look, I always have to appear to be utterly confident. To be anything less is to invite more problems than I already have."
"Oh." He seemed to be saying that word an awful lot. "So, um... in the courtyard... you were... practicing?"
Ebedi smiled. "Yeah. It's... It works better for me if I practice at night." He considered, then offered, "So, if we're not going to turn each other in for being where we shouldn't be... did you want to watch?"
Smiling shyly, Inkiza nodded. "You move... different than the guards do. Do all soldiers... dance like that?"
The dark man laughed. "Not at all." He grinned. "Most soldiers don't ever bother to learn anything beyond the standard styles they're taught. That's all fine and good if you're fighting a war, but for one on one combat? The mercenaries and barbarians have it best. I've been sneaking lessons from whoever would teach me for years, bits and pieces here and there, and filling in the blanks on my own. Saved me a lot of pain and humiliation when everybody finally figured out I could hold my own."
Cracking open the door and peering out swiftly, Ebedi nodded once before stepping aside to hold the door open for Inkiza. They slipped out and made their way back to the deserted courtyard before Inkiza finally broke the silence.
"They mistreated you...? Because you're halfblood?"
Ebedi winced, then smiled faintly. "They tried. It's okay now. They don't do it anymore." He slipped his two swords from their sheaths, swinging them once, experimentally, then winking. "Threaten to remove a few important bits once or twice and they tend to leave you alone."
Inkiza considered, biting his lip. "But if there's more than one of them..."
Ebedi shrugged again, turning away before Inkiza could get a good look at his face. "Then I deal. And work at getting better." The swords flashed in a slow arc. "One day I'll be the best soldier in all of Cesim."
Smiling slightly, Inkiza stepped back a few paces to give Ebedi room to move. "When I'm king, I'll make you Captain of the Guard. That way, nobody will be able to pick on you any more," he announced firmly.
The dark man turned to regard him, then smiled. "I will do my best to be worthy of your highness's faith in me," he intoned, bowing low, then straightening and making a few practice strikes. After a moment he paused and regarded Inkiza consideringly. "Forgive me if I am being presumptuous, highness, but... Perhaps, in your situation, you might see the wisdom in learning how to defend yourself?"
Inkiza blinked. Twice. "Me? But I'm..." He stopped, closing his mouth. He wasn't nobody. He was the Crown Prince of Cesim. Just because he was more fond of books and scrolls than of wine and weapons was no reason to limit himself. "Do you think I can?" he asked instead.
"I would not have suggested it if I didn't think you were capable of it," Ebedi replied. "Come, I'll show you some basics."
Obediently Inkiza joined him, feeling an odd sort of fearlessness. They could both get in serious trouble for this, and it was dangerous as well, but none of that was important. For the first time since his parents' deaths, Inkiza was beginning to feel as though his life meant something. He would learn, and he would no longer allow them to cow him, so that when he reached his majority and assumed the throne he would be worthy of Ebedi's loyalty.
They met every few nights, whenever both could slip away from duties and guardsmen to practice and talk in the sleeping courtyard. Inkiza learned about the life of a soldier, though he suspected it was being heavily edited for his sake, and in turn Inkiza shared whatever bits of information he'd managed to glean from his myriad books. Before, his choices had been rather sporadic, being whatever happened to catch his eye as he snuck through the darkened library. Now, he deliberately picked out old histories, war journals, and whatever else looked as though it might possess information that would be useful to Ebedi.
A little over four months after their initial meeting, Ebedi brought with him a cloth-wrapped bundle, presenting it to Inkiza with something of a rueful smile. He'd explained that after asking around he'd learned Inkiza's fifteenth birthday was coming up, though no one had been all too sure of the exact date. Inkiza had firmly told himself not to cry - no one had remembered his birthday in years, even if Ebedi was off by two days - then promptly did so anyway once he unwrapped the bundle to reveal a set of exquisitely fashioned knives with birds worked into the handles.
Five months later he got the chance to even things in the form of a handwritten tome encompassing the entire known history of the barbarian peoples that had taken him forever to research and organize. He'd been unsure of it up until he'd actually managed to give it to Ebedi, not really knowing what the soldier thought of his father's people, but the expression on Ebedi's face had been worth every cramp and endless hour of checking and rechecking to verify his facts.
He hadn't realized until that moment that Ebedi had never been given a birthday gift before in his life, and he silently swore that he'd make sure to get something every year henceforth. It was the least he could do for his only friend.
Though, sometimes, in the middle of those nights when he hadn't been able to sneak away, Inkiza guiltily wondered if perhaps he didn't wish for Ebedi to be more than just a loyal friend. It felt greedy, somehow, to want even more when Ebedi had already given him so much, but Inkiza couldn't help it. Every time his friend moved, Inkiza found himself watching the pure grace in those motions. Every time Ebedi dueled his invisible opponents, Inkiza's skin felt far too tight around his body. Every time Ebedi's touch lingered for whatever reason, there arose a burn so strong it was like flames setting his blood to boil.
He'd thought he could manage, to continue on behaving as if nothing was any different. Then, a little over three months past his sixteenth birthday, he made a mistake. It had been a harmless suggestion, to have Ebedi sneak into his rooms so Inkiza could show him some of his drawings, and he realized far too late how different it felt when they were out in the courtyard always on alert for someone who might catch them when compared to the warm security of his personal quarters.
"You're really good, Kiza. You did these from memory?"
Ebedi was sprawled out on one of Inkiza's lounges, looking slowly through the sheaf of papers containing Inkiza's charcoal sketches. His weapons rested on the floor in their sheaths, abandoned in favor of the far more intriguing artwork.
"Mmm, yeah." Inkiza had chosen to drag one of his chairs over near the lounger rather than tempt fate by sitting next to Ebedi. Not that the warrior really left much room, sprawled as he was. "I remember almost all of what I read, so it wasn't too hard to do the same for images..."
"Yeah, but..." Ebedi sat up, still intent upon the paper. "This one... this is completely the crane kick. You've even got the balance and foot positioning right. It's incredible."
Inkiza flushed and bit back on his automatic reply. He paid a lot of attention to Ebedi when the warrior was shadow-dueling. No, he paid a lot of attention to Ebedi all the time. He could faithfully reproduce every one of the soldier's smiles, the quirk of his brows when Inkiza had surprised him, the odd, alert look he got when he heard a sound. All of them, all of him, Inkiza had memorized.
"It's just... um... It's not hard," he managed lamely.
Ebedi looked up, deep sapphire eyes sparkling in the lantern light. "We need to work on that confidence issue of yours, highness. You're far too skilled - at everything - to be talking like that. Embrace your strengths, and make them flourish."
There was no time to formulate a reply. One moment Ebedi was sitting still on the lounge, the next he'd reached out and snagged Inkiza's wrist, tumbling the startled teen onto the lounge and half in Ebedi's lap with a startled yelp. "E-Ebedi!"
The soldier chuckled quietly and let him sit up, carefully setting the papers out of sight beneath the sofa so they wouldn't be damaged. "My apologies, highness," he announced cheerfully, prodding Inkiza until he was positioned to Ebedi's satisfaction. "Now then, repeat after me: I am a brilliant, magnificent person."
"Ebedi!" Inkiza protested, flushing hotly. "I'm not-"
Ebedi held a finger to Inkiza's lips. "Don't argue. Just say it."
Nervously Inkiza licked his lips, realizing too late that Ebedi hadn't removed his finger. He tasted salt and skin, and something else, and jerked backwards so hard he tumbled off the lounger and onto the floor in his embarrassment. He remained where he was for several long moments, willing the crimson away from his cheeks and feeling like many kinds of idiots. Was it even possible to be more obvious? Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.
"... Kiza?" Ebedi's rich voice still sent shivers through his body, even while he wallowed in misery. The soldier sounded worried, then verified it by gently touching Inkiza's shoulder. "Are you injured...?"
"Umf." Gingerly Inkiza got to his knees, looking up into Ebedi's concerned sapphire eyes. He loved Ebedi's eyes. No one else's could possibly rival those jewel-like orbs, especially when they were gazing at him with such obvious care and concern. "I'm okay..."
"You..." Ebedi hesitated. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to... ah..." To Inkiza's utmost astonishment, Ebedi actually blushed. It wasn't easy to make out with the soldier's dark skin, but nevertheless it was there. Inkiza found himself staring.
"I... um... ah... oh Marian's tits," Inkiza swore, knowing he was fully going to regret this and quite possibly lose the only friend he had, but unable to stop himself anyway as he grabbed Ebedi's tunic and pulled the man down, covering Ebedi's lips and kissing him in the awkward manner of one who has absolutely no idea what they're doing.
Ebedi froze, his lips moving slightly as he made a soft sound of surprise. His mouth was soft, softer than Inkiza would have expected considering that none of the rest of him was. He held almost perfectly still, his shock almost a tangible thing, and Inkiza bit back a pained sound. Now he'd done it. Ruined the one good thing in his life just because he couldn't manage to keep himself under control. He started to draw away, meaning to apologize, when suddenly hands wrapped around him. One around his waist, one clasping the back of his head, not letting him move away. Something shifted, arms and heads and lips and suddenly Ebedi was kissing him back, only it wasn't nearly so awkward anymore.
Warm and soft and entirely new, Inkiza's thoughts scattered in all directions as the hand behind his head shifted lower to stroke the back of his neck. He felt like he was melting, all his thought focused upon the impossible concept that Ebedi was kissing him. Kissing him. He never wanted it to end, though eventually they both had to breathe.
Inkiza blinked several times to focus his thoughts, absently wondering how he'd gotten into Ebedi's lap and deciding it didn't really matter. Though it did give him better access to Ebedi's mouth. Access he took blatant advantage of, twining his arms around Ebedi's neck and kissing him again without thought for his aching lungs or much of anything for that matter.
Lack of air forced them apart sooner this time, chests heaving and breaths mingling as neither seemed particularly willing to part too far, even if they did need to breathe. Inkiza rested his forehead lightly against Ebedi's, breathing steadily in and out for a moment before sorting his scattered thoughts into words.
"So... it is alright to do that after all..."
"Oh yes," Ebedi whispered softly. "Any time you like."
Inkiza licked his lips, wondering that they felt decidedly different, and deciding that he rather liked the tingly feeling. "Oh good," he managed. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Both moved at once, eliminating the scant distance between to fit their mouths together just perfectly again. The hand at Inkiza's back slid down, then deftly maneuvered beneath his tunic and up bare skin. He squeaked in surprise, then things changed again. Something invaded his open mouth, warm and wet and caressing and he moaned quietly even as he pressed himself closer to Ebedi.
Ebedi's tongue slowly explored his mouth, carrying several faint flavours that Inkiza couldn't quite identify as his mind seemed unable to focus on anything at all. Ebedi's hands kept stroking and teasing and leaving him hot and cold and entirely overwhelmed all at once. He was vaguely aware that he was trembling, but there was nothing he could do about it. His body moved without his permission, hands sliding slowly down Ebedi's chest, feeling the powerful muscles beneath the thin fabric.
This time, Inkiza broke the kiss to tug on Ebedi's shirt. He wanted it off. Wanted to feel the sleek lines of the soldier's body beneath. Ebedi obliged, pulling Inkiza's own tunic up and over his head as well, dark sapphire eyes caressing him with their gaze before Ebedi slowly lowered his head to suck gently upon newly bared skin.
Inkiza couldn't help the soft cry that escaped, though it swiftly turned into muted whimpers as Ebedi pressed a series of hot kisses down his chest. Teeth grazed one of his nipples and Inkiza cried out again, shaking as unfamiliar sensations burned through his body. This was nothing like the strange feelings that sometimes woke him in the middle of the night. Those could never hope to compare with the ecstasy that each of Ebedi's caresses awoke in him.
"Ebedi..." he whispered, barely managing to get the word out before it turned into a strangled moan.
The soldier lifted his head, sapphire eyes dark with desire and no small amount of disbelief at what was before him. "Kiza," he murmured, licking his lips slowly. "Not in my wildest dreams had I dared to hope..." Ebedi paused, swallowing... almost nervously, though the thought seemed out of place when applied to the confident, self-assured soldier. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, beautiful Kiza? How hard it has been to see you, touch you, and not..." He made a soft, strangled sound, then bent his head to claim Inkiza's lips once more.
His thoughts scattered beneath Ebedi's insistent kiss, though he did acknowledge one brief moment of surprise that the soldier had found their meetings to be as frustrating and wanting as Inkiza himself. Ebedi, apparently, was good at masking his desires. Though he certainly wasn't doing so now. Not with his tongue exploring every curve of Inkiza's mouth while his hands splayed over bared skin, teasing and caressing enough to make Inkiza squirm.
Sweet torture. He wished it could last forever, but the fates had never been inclined to show kindness before. Nor would they now. That much was agonizingly obvious with the faint sound of the door being shoved open, followed by the much more audible thump of heavy footsteps as people entered and more than one startled gasp.
"Inkiza!" a voice exclaimed, thick with surprise and something else. Something darker. Above him Ebedi jerked back, his hands automatically going to weapons that weren't there before vaulting off the sofa to place himself between Inkiza and the men who had interrupted them. One of whom was Inkiza's uncle, Lord Regent Fahrin.
Inkiza scrambled to sit up straight, flushing and trying not to look as disarrayed as he felt. Wisps of hair had escaped their ties and tickled his face in a vexing manner, several more trailing down over his bare shoulders. He wished he knew where his shirt was. Confronting his uncle was hard enough when he was fully dressed.
"Uncle Fahrin," Inkiza greeted as cordially as he could manage. "What... what are you doing here so late?"
Lord Regent Fahrin peered down his aquiline nose at Ebedi, though his words were for Inkiza. "One of the guards heard voices and thought you might be in danger. Apparently correctly so."
Inkiza licked his lips, imagining he could still taste Ebedi on them. The soldier was still between him and his uncle, every muscle in his body standing out in perfect definition as he held himself in readiness for whatever might come, despite being unarmed.
"I... I'm fine, uncle. Ebedi and I were..." He hesitated and bit his lip. "We were looking at my pictures..."
Fahrin's lips twisted up into a sneer. "Oh, is that what you were doing? It looked like something else entirely to me." He gestured imperiously at Ebedi. "Guards, seize that man."
"No!" Inkiza exclaimed, scrambling to get up even as the armed guards moved in to flank Ebedi.
Ebedi moved with all the grace of a wild creature, disabling four of the guards and dodging two more before one chanced to slip up behind him and hit him in the back of the head with a sword pommel. The soldier dropped without a sound, though Inkiza made up for it with his pained cry.
"Ebedi! Uncle, no! Please don't!" He lunged forward, trying to get to his fallen friend, though one of the guards caught his arm and held him back. "This is my fault! Please, leave Ebedi alone. Uncle!"
Lord Fahrin gestured again. "Take him to the dungeons. He will be punished accordingly for daring to touch one of the royal family." He waited until two of the guards had dragged Ebedi's unconscious form from the room before turning back to Inkiza, who was still struggling to get away from the guard who held him. "Inkiza."
"Please, Uncle," Inkiza begged. "Don't do this. I only wanted a friend. It isn't Ebedi's fault..."
"The barbarian will be dealt with," Fahrin announced coldly. "As for you, think for a while on your disgraceful behaviour, and be glad that I do not punish you as well. Consorting with barbarian filth, allowing such trash to... to..." He made a disgusted sound, then turned and strode for the door. "I will be doubling your guard so that such... incidents... do not occur again. Good night, Inkiza."
His uncle swept from the room, followed by the remaining guards. A few moments later there came the distinctive click of the door being locked and Inkiza slowly sank to the floor with a strangled sob. The last of his freedom, gone. Ebedi, gone, and who knew what his uncle would have done to the soldier. All of it, his fault.
Inkiza stared unseeingly at the carpeting, trembling in pain, wishing he'd never brought Ebedi back to his rooms. One moment of weakness, and now he'd cost a man his freedom. Or worse. He groped blindly for his shirt, fingers touching fabric that he pulled to him, whimpering when he realized it wasn't his shirt he held, but Ebedi's.
Clutching the fabric to him, Inkiza curled up in a ball and wept for the loss of everything.
To Part Two