Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

6.4.

So, in some ways, Chevalier Ahayrre even sympathized with Kintaro. It was only to be expected. On that memorable day they had gone to the market together. God Almighty, Kintaro looked so hot in the traditional Arislani garb of black silk, Alva would have bedded him then and there. Since the chief no longer wanted to draw attention, he had stepped out of his usual leather pants and mocassins, tied his hair into a civilized single braid, and put on canvas shoes, loose pants and a belted jacket that lay so prettily against his wide chest.

Alva salivated every time he looked at Kintaro. He could barely stick to the shopping list. His thoughts kept turning to what they would do once they got home. So he barely heard the horns that heralded the arrival of some Arislani top knob. When one of those passed, you had to move out of the way and bow, or, at least, lower your gaze. Distracted, Alva had almost stepped on his skirt, and barely managed to pull on Kintaro's sleeve to get him to step aside. Kintaro stood tall, and looked to the side, presenting a rather half-hearted display of deference. Alva regretted that they had not turned into a side street and now stuck out in this crowd like a raven and a parrot in a flock of sparrows.

Just as he had expected! Alva, eyes still lowered, heard the passenger of the litter order the bearers to stop right in front of them.

Please let it not be the Vizier, anybody but him! he prayed silently.

The Grand Vizier of the Khalid of Arislan was in the habit of inviting all foreign lady visitors to the palace. He was determined to see his ruler married; understandable, since the forty-year old Khalid had no sons. Even daughters, he had only one − a wild oat sowed in his youth. It appeared that, since then, Khalid had no great interest in women. But the Grand Vizier did not give up hope that, one day, one of those loose and lovely Northern women might stir the Khalid to producing an heir.

Alva took a peek at the litter's occupant, and at first heaved a sigh of relief − it was not the Vizier. But once he realized who the veiled youth, observing Kintaro so openly, was, Alva became uneasy. The Chevalier was no expert in Arislani heraldry, and would not have been able to tell the colors of the ruling family from those of the Council, but... a guard this numerous, a litter this rich and the eyes this pretty − even a moron would have known that this was the heir to the throne. The prince was the Khalid's half-brother, answered to the name of Kismet, and was reckoned the most beautiful youth in Arislan. Alva would have given anything to see the boy without a veil over half his face.

As Alva scrambled for something to say, the Khaliddin spoke himself, and addressed Kintaro in passable Common Tongue, "Welcome to our great city of Iskenderun, noble warrior of the steppes."

The noble warrior of the steppes bowed, and then looked at the Khaliddin so lewdly, Alva nearly snorted. But the high-born youth did not bat an eyelid. Quite the contrary, he looked Kintaro up and down with deliberate slowness and obvious interest.

"If honorable service for good pay appeals to you, get yourself to the Small Palace tomorrow morning. Rulers need seasoned warriors," he said, tearing his gaze away from the Essanti's broad shoulders with evident effort. Then he ordered his bearers to go on.

Back home, Alva had a ball: fairly howling with laughter, he gave the elf the blow by blow. How the prince was trying to pick up the nomad in the market-place, like he were a two-bit whore. The taunting had gone so far, that Kintaro went off sulking, something he had never done before. Might be that the Chevalier's jibes had reminded Kintaro that he was living here at Alva's expense. Or he might have felt bored without a purpose. Either way, the next day Kintaro had gone to the palace, and came back with a badge of the Khaliddin's personal guard.

* * *

Takeshi Kaneshiro in the movie House of Flying Daggers  - this is how Kintaro could have looked like in his Arislani attire, his traditional braids made inot a ponytail or a single braid. Yummy!