THE CHAINED GIFT XIX: Two birds with a stone

Caradhar hadn't told Sül the whole truth about his interview with Lord Navhares; in fact, he barely had time to talk to him, the next morning, when two of the Maede's escorts came looking for him, by order of Their Lord; alone. The Shadow couldn't help but notice the cold gaze in his companion's eyes as he left the room; he felt extraordinarily tempted to follow them, but held himself back: it wouldn't make any good, neither to him, nor to Caradhar, to go against the nobility's wishes in the very palace of the Prince.

Not much later, those same escorts came back for him; they said that his services on the palace weren't necessary for the time being, and they would accompany him back to Elore'il, to where they had to make sure he arrived safe and sound. That was a wonderful euphemism: what they really meant was that he would get out of the way and, for his own good, stand still as ordered. Sül didn't accept the news calmly; he complained and demanded to meet his protégé before leaving the place. The guards lost their temper as well and decided that, if the young elf wasn't going to accompany them out of his own will, they'd drag him out, if needed. But it wasn't that easy to subdue a Shadow; specially, when one was a simple soldier... The elf slipped out of their hands.

To hell with diplomacy, thought Sül, as he headed to the Maede's chambers in search of Caradhar. He was unwilling to leave him alone, unless he asked him himself; besides, he wanted to know what happened between him and Lord Navhares the previous night. He managed to arrive to the rooms he was looking for without being stopped. And once in front of them, he found someone waiting for him.

'For your own good, I advise you to turn around and do as they commanded you, Sül.' Niliara's calmed and composed voice took him by surprise; the female elf showed a soft smile on her lips, but her eyes were shining with irony. 'Do yourself and your... protégé a favour.'

'I don't think it's too much to ask, a couple words before I clear off, right?' The Shadow frowned. 'Besides, I simply follow Dame Corail's orders: Not to lose sight of the ones I'm supposed to escort. So...'

'I remind you it's the Maede himself's orders what you're infringing; and believe me: he isn't in a very good mood, right now.'

'He may be the Maede,' the elf swallowed hard; he could feel his irritation growing by the minute, 'but we both know he's little more than a brat.'

'A brat that will take seat besides the Princes' throne. Listen, Sül, I'm going to speak clearly for once.' The young female elf crossed her arms and stopped smiling; she approached him and spoke very quietly. 'I know what you are, and you know what I am; and if only for our brotherhood bonds, I don't wish you any harm: in fact, I like you pretty much more than I like that... ward of yours, with the beautiful but inscrutable face. Obviously he's much more than a contract, but if I were you, I'd resign myself and take a step back, if that affection came into conflict with someone whose rank you can't compete with.'

Sül opened his eyes wide.

'A conflict for affection? I don't get what that has to do...'

'Oh, you get it perfectly; and it's right what you're thinking.' Sül went pale; he didn't even noticed that the two escorts after him were getting round the corner and walking towards them. 'Sül, go back to Elore'il willingly and wait there, because you can't do anything right now.' Raising her voice to be heard by the guards, she added: 'Calm down, it has been just a misunderstanding. It his His Excellence's wish that Sül arrives safely to our House, where he must take care of some important matters. Safely, sirs,' she emphasised, with a charming smile aimed to fascinate her audience.

The guards bowed their heads and carried out their duty; the Shadow allowed them to guide him without putting up any resistance: he was too astounded to react.

As for the gifted, be was standing in from of Lord Navhares, whose eyes looked at him, not even trying to hide his resentment.

'Good morning, Caradhar; did you sleep well? If you didn't, take the opportunity to rest, because it's probable that we can't sleep much tonight: I'm planning to fulfil my obligations without letting another day pass. I sent the rest of the gifted elves home, so you'll stay with me for the time being. If I have you, what do I need the others for? Don't you agree?'

'Do you want me to be at your service... on my own?' The gifted knit his eyebrows. 'How long?'

'As long as it takes. Normally, only the gifted elves in the palace would take care of the princess' chambers, but I'm sure there won't be any problems with you.' The Maede approached Caradhar. 'Ah, don't worry: I also sent your bodyguard back, so nothing will distract you.'

'I must have some words with the Maeda; if you allow me to leave for...'

'Didn't you hear me? You're the only one left to take care of my security; you can't leave my side.'

'Elore'il is just a few...'

'I said NO!' The Maede clenched his jaw, trying to regain his composure; Caradhar cast a gelid gaze at him, but didn't reply. 'Just pray to the Moon Goddess so that my wife conceives soon and we can go back home, for some time; unless you changed your mind and will...'

Navhares raised his right hand and barely brushed a lock of the elf's vivid hair; he slowly moved his fingers, to stroke his cheek with the back, but Caradhar moved away when their skins were about to touch. The younger elf bit his lower lip; an expression of grief crossed his face.

'Caradhar... why not?' he asked quietly. 'I thought you liked me. My mother told me, even before you arrived, that you would be a very special someone; that I didn't remember you, but you had known me when I was born; that you would take care of me... Do you remember our first night together? You didn't allow me to hurt myself; you never did. And you never treated me in a different way, like the rest do, because I am the Maede, and they fear me; even Niliara takes good care not to upset me. You don't: you... always look me in the eye.'

'Once, while I was taking a bath... You didn't realise, but I was watching you through the mirror... And you were staring at me; you stared at me as if... as if your eyes were caressing me...'

The gifted sighed softly.

'Lord Navhares, it's impossible, failing to notice that you're beautiful; but despite the appearances, I'm well aware of your age: I could never stop seeing you as a child.'

The young elf stiffened.

'I never considered myself a child, nor the ones around me do it anymore; and you never talked to me as if I were a baby...'

'I wouldn't know how to talk to a baby. I talk to you as I would to anyone.'

'I'm married; tonight... tonight I'll stop being a child once and for all...' The young noble felt his cheeks reddening with irritation. 'And you will have to acknowledge it as well.'

'And I tell you, My Lord, that losing your virginity won't change what you are. I know that... first-hand.'

That night, the Maede didn't run away from the conjugal bedroom. From his position in the adjacent room, only separated by a curtain, Caradhar couldn't help but listening to the couple; Lord Navhares remained faithful to his word and consummated the marriage, yet certainly not in a gentle way... The princess' whimpers gradually increased their volume and acquired a distressed tone.

The gifted couldn't resist the temptation to take a peek through the curtains; by the light of the floating white candles he made out the young elf, roughly thrusting between his wife's legs; his hair covered his face, falling like a red cascade, and trapping the female like a spiderweb.

And, suddenly, Navhares threw back his head, and the really long mane flew, forming an aureole around his beautiful features, before it settled between his shoulder blades; and Caradhar sensed the dark eyes looking in his direction, as if they knew he was watching.

A disturbing smile curved the right corner of the Maede's lips; the gifted dropped the curtain and turned around, his gaze lost in the darkness.

Lord Navhares carefully studied his companion, between sips of his breakfast; he searched for some different detail, some signal of a change in the gifted's way of perceiving him; indirectly, he searched for a view of a new version of himself, reflected in Caradhar's face... Vain task, as that countenance was as unrevealing as usual.

'Come, Caradhar, have a seat with me and share my breakfast; I don't like to sit alone at the table.'

'I already had breakfast, My Lord.'

'Then come anyway.'

The elf obeyed; the Maede handed him his own cup, and Caradhar refused; since the young elf insisted, quietly, with his arm stretched, he gave up in the end, thinking it was useless to discuss every little order, and accepted a sip. He wondered where he would find the patience to stand a situation that could go on for weeks...

Then, the doors swung wide open, and the Prince himself entered the room. Both the Maede and his gifted hastened to stand up an bow, and the older redhead walked to a discreet position behind his Lord, from where he could observe his noble host; he reminded him of Lord Killien, his relative, yet more aged and with a slightly more benign expression. He was wearing his proverbial white attire; almost equally white was his hair, the fairest shade of blonde, and even the female gifted following him, a pale marmoreal figure with ghostly ice blue irides.

'Let's not stand on ceremony, my lad; sit down,' said His Highness, pointing at Lord Navhares' chair and following suit. 'I just came to express my pleasure, for now I can also call you son; I had my doubts, since yesterday, but... By the Goddess, after all you both are still young... But, unfortunately, your youth won't exempt you from the pressing duty resting upon your shoulders; you understand, don't you, my Son?'

'Yes, Your Highness...' the young elf answered, his cheeks a bit red for having to deal with intimate business in front of a stranger. But at the Palace, the gifted elves that followed the family everywhere were considered little more than furniture; he would have to get used to it.

'Good... Soon, if the gods allow it, I hope a happy even will be announced; and he will be a beautiful baby, no doubt: you have your mother's alluring appearance, Navhares.' The Prince's gaze rested upon the elf standing behind him. 'And you aren't the only exceptional one, from what I see... Come closer, young one: let me look at you.'

The Prince motioned to Caradhar, who had no choice but to obey and submit to His Highness' scrutiny.

'I say... Such remarkable eyes and hair... You brought fire to the palace of the white moons, my Son.' The Prince laughed quietly, and his fingers automatically moved to fiddle with a ruby-coloured lock; Navhares followed them with his eyes, containing himself not to make any comment. 'You should offer this gifted to your wife: I am certain she will be very pleased.'

Caradhar's face didn't betray any emotion; but the Maede couldn't suppress the alarm on his own.

'He is... my closest gifted, Your Highness; my wife will enjoy his company as much as me, since we'll be spending a lot of time together...'

'Are you afraid she might find consolation upon looking at his red tresses to remember yours, when you aren't by her side?' said the Prince, with a mocking smile.

'Your Highness... It's just...' The Maede bit his lower lip. 'This gifted was a present from House Llia'res to Elore'il; it's common courtesy that by no means we can give away something that has been previously given to us; am I wrong?'

'You are indeed right; what I didn't know,' the noble intensely stared at his son-in-law, 'was that maxim also applied to people. Ah: I'm afraid some State affairs need to be taken care of; I hope you'll join us for dinner, my Son.'

The Prince resealed Caradhar's hair and stroked his cheek, in the same manner he would have done it to a pet. Once he was outside the room, Navhares allowed himself to frown; his plan of keeping the gifted in the palace, outside the safety of Elore'il, was starting to look not so good... Then he realised that the young elf hadn't rejected the Prince's hand, as he had rejected his on the previous day; he thought the first thing he would do, is he was sent back home, was to carry on where he left off, with that bodyguard... He felt his cheeks burning with anger.

'Didn't you change your mind? Do you still see me as a boy, after...?'

'I can't see why I should have changed it, My Lord.'

'All right; we shall see...' His gaze became harsher. 'We have plenty of days and nights ahead.

The Maede's words were prophetic; day after day the same encounters were repeated, the same glances, the same questions... The same never-ending nights, wishing not having to hear those moans, while dissatisfaction became more and more unbearable. Not even in his dreams would have Caradhar ever imagined that young Navhares was just following his lady-in-waiting's advice: to undermine the gifted's resistance, nothing like making him drown in his own frustrated desire... And the words, the gestures, the boy's ever bolder touches... Caradhar got to the point in which he had to hold back from taking him by force and giving him something that would shut him up and, at the same time, quieten his own piercing throbbing...

And one morning, the court started to comment, in rejoiced whispers, that the princess was pregnant.

The Maede's retinue returned to Elore'il among shouts of welcome and cheering; the young elf would spend some time in his own House while the princess rested and prepared to bring her pregnancy to a successful conclusion. As soon as his carriage entered the courtyard and the Lord and his closest servants went down, Caradhar sighted Sül, a dark figure not missing any detail from behind the discreet corner where he was standing. Since Lord Navhares was the focus of attention, the gifted took advantage of it and got lost in the crowd, making his way, little by little, to his companion. Once he was within Sül's reach, the Shadow pulled his arm and and walked away from prying eyes; he held him against the wall, not daring to move, while his heart beat so fast that he could feel the buzzing of the blood in his ears. Caradhar broke the silence, making him moan by holding his cheeks tight and swapping positions, throwing him against the wall with a thud, while his tongue broke his mouth open like a ram, unstoppable and irresistible, and took possession of its domain once again, exploring every inch of hot, moist skin until the very back of his throat.

'Ah... Adhar...' called the Shadow when he recovered his voice, although his legs were shaking. 'What did you...? Oh, gods... I sent you messages often... I didn't have a clue about... I had no news about you in all this time... I thought...'

'I sent you messages too; I guess the Maede made sure we didn't receive them. But, Sül, believe me: I don't wish to talk now.' And to stat clearly what he wished, he sank the face in his clavicle hollow and rubbed their hips with lascivious intensity; his member, hard as a rock, pressing against the Shadow's muscled flesh.

'But... ah... Niliara said you and Navhares... Adhar... I need to know... I couldn't sleep thinking you both...'

Caradhar froze for some seconds. Releasing a sigh of frustration, he moved away from Sül and leaned heavily on his own forearm.

'You... did you think I was going to lay my hands on a kid?'

'No! I mean... I thought you'd have no choice... Oh, bugger...' The young elf covered his face with his hands; at that point, when tension and relief were fighting to gain control of his body, his legs lost the strength to hold him and he slowly slipped down the stone wall. 'I know I'm behaving like a chick but you don't... you have no idea of the hell I've been through these last weeks... I even went as far as equipping myself to sneak into the palace, because...'

'And you, do you have any idea of what I have been through?' He squatted in front of the Shadow, their faces so close that they almost touched. 'Day after day of rejecting the Maede's advances, and every night, having to hear him in bed, making his wife whimper, until I felt so frustrated that I couldn't stand it anymore?' He placed his hands flanking his partner's head, his voice so hoarse that it almost cracked. 'I'm telling you that the only thing I want, right now, is hearing you scream; hearing you scream so loud that you forget your own name. And if I have to do it here, in this courtyard, in front of everybody, I don't give a damn.'

'I got another refuge in the Ditch.' Sül swallowed hard, his voice equally hoarse and hungry. 'The walls are thick enough...'

'Then I expect it isn't too far away.'

The walls of the refuge were thick, yet not enough: Sül's screams filtered through them. But it was the Ditch, after all; nobody would flinch for a bit of noise.

***

'You are too late, Vira.'

The accusing voice belonged to a male; the language, unknown to Argailians, had been heard, not so long ago, in the burial mounds to the South of the city.

'Too late for what? Did I miss something important, for a change?'

'Dainhaya was worried about your lateness and went into a trance; she has been holding the thread all this time; you know how exhausting it is.'

'It's fine, Ulmeh.' Dainhaya appeared behind their backs and walked towards them. 'It's been a while since I needed to do it, and it was a good practise; I'm fine, really. What happens is that you are nearly arrived to the city and unfamiliar with Vira's extravagances; it is not worth discussing.'

'Why did you have to go into a trance?' asked Vira. 'Don't you trust me?'

'After all those weeks in the Palace, I was anxious for some news, and you were taking far too long. So?'

'Your life is too monotonous, my dear Dainhaya: you should try to have some fun, as I do... Oh, all right, get out of my head... Right: the boy talked to his mother, as you must know; she became livid. I can't say I took pity on her, but I guess nobody wants to hear that your grandson has a soft spot for his own father.' Dainhaya didn't bat an eyelid, but Ulmeh grimaced with disgust. 'For the time being, she sent the boy to the human city to get him out of the way; she doesn't know what to do. It's the boy's opinion that she should tell Navhares the truth.'

'Why don't they simply ignore it?' asked Ulmeh ' He doesn't have to give up to his impure desires; he's just a kid, despite all. Who knows what he will do, if he finds out... He could speak too much and get the boy into trouble...'

'The princess is with child, do you remember? Navhares is planning to pride himself on his newly acquired 'maturity' and demand from his 'mother' the enjoyment of all the laboratory privileges... And I mean all.'

'Ah, yes: that damned potion... But the boy is immune to its effects: he can't be forced to anything... inappropriate.'

'Think further, Ulmeh, and I know it's hard for you: Don't you think the Maede will feel a bit puzzled when he realises his plan isn't successful as the boy doesn't bend the knees in front of him? He is no fool: he knows his supposed father was assassinated. Guess who will become the first suspect. Ah, the discussion with Corail did have its moments: the boy asked her if he should simply submit, pretend he wasn't immune to the commanding voice and allow Navhares to do with him what he so zealously has been doing with his wife, through all these weeks.' Vira smiled, much to Ulmeh's disgust. 'Don't look like that, my lad: if you had seen as much as Dainhaya and me, during all these years...'

'What you're suggesting is revolting... A father and his own child...'

'A union that can't bear fruit can't go against the rules of nature, my young friend.'

'Leave Ulmeh alone, Vira,' asked Dainhaya; 'He's just arrived and it's impossible that he can understand the customs of the cities; and by the Loom that I hope he won't have the time to do it. Hence, do you believe that Corail will talk to the Maede?'

'I do; you might want to scan her mind to be sure. We better get ready for any possible eventuality with Navhares.'

'I think he's mature enough to know he mustn't talk; I'm scared of what those potions did to him, but I also cannot help but being marvelled. Are you following the boy to Therendanar?'

'Of course; anything to escape from tedium.' Vira winked.

'I have a premonition that something is gong to happen; I hope so, because I don't have much time left...'

'What is the matter?' Ulmeh was alarmed; in the short period he had spent in Argailias, the elf had come to admire the beautiful and sweet Dainhaya in a special way.

'Nothing important; Father decided that Dainhaya can't delay further the moment to bring children into the world.' Vira giggled before the male elf's evident disillusionment. 'Her handsome fiancé must be impatient, after such a long wait...'

'Vira...'

'Oh, well,' Vira knew it wasn't good to annoy the female elf; 'I hope it will be so, and you don't have to miss the end of the story. I'm taking a little nap before embarking on my journey...'

'By the way: since you witnessed the talk between the boy and his mother, three hours passed. Where have you been?'

'About that... I'm afraid his reunion with the Darshi'nai was suggestive indeed; I never heard him screaming that way before, and despite his howls,' Ulmeh opened his eyes wide before the turn that the conversation had taken, 'I'd swear he cocked his head in my direction, if just for a second. I underestimated the Darshi'nai's capacities in general, and his ones in particular: it's the second time he perceives me. Although it might be my own carelessness, for it isn't unforgivable that your concentration breaks when you attend certain shows. Nevertheless, the image was still so vivid in my head that I had to go back to the Ditch to procure myself some healthy amusement with a couple of boys before I came to report. There isn't any problem, is there?'

'Vira,' Dainhaya's voice sounded calmed and emotionless, 'at this stage, you aren't very different from any whore.'

Ulmeh got startled: such rude words coming from such delicate lips were unexpected; as for Vira, he didn't feel offended at all; he smiled and almost purred, like a satisfied panther.

***

'By Therendas... I wasn't expecting the Maeda Corail would send again our old young acquaintance... Welcome back, Caradhar.'

The gifted and Sül were in Verella Dep'Attedern's office, while the knight Lenkares, their ambassador in Argailias' right hand, did the honours. As it was convenient to send her son away for some days, the Dame Corail had tried to kill two birds with a stone and had commissioned him to perform a certain diplomatic mission. Lenkares had raised an eyebrow when he didn't meet the usual agents, but no comments were made; Dep'Attedern was unabashed, as usual, and had welcomed them with a faint smile.

'I hope the road wasn't tortuous; as you can imagine, security is our greatest concern, in these ominous days, and the number of patrols tripled.' Caradhar nodded; Lenkares found himself thinking that elf had to be, undoubtedly, the less talkative diplomat across any known land.

'My most sincere congratulations,' Verella interrupted, 'for the Maede's fatherhood. It's encouraging to know it isn't all bad news; and we're happy since Lord Navhares is in good health, obviously...'

The lady's smile became broader; Sül knew that, although not often, the intelligence service members liked to show they weren't sitting back, arms crossed; there you had: a boasting and a 'you're welcome' in the same sentence. Oh, well: he had his doubts about the possibility of learning anything from that woman; except, maybe, some tactics to please another women...

'I'll return to Argailias with you, in several days; I suppose by then our alchemists will be done with our... forced guest.'

Caradhar didn't say anything; it looked like he wasn't paying attention. Sül had to poke his back to make him react.

'That... They only informed me that we have to escort a prisoner to Elore'il,' he finally said.

'An elf from Misselas; as you know, we used to do business with them before the Northern coalition declared themselves hostile. The last delegation in the city departed long time ago, but somehow, one of them remained behind; at least, that's what we believe, since we can't think of any other way he could possibly sneak into Therendanar. Our alchemists were deeply engaged in efforts to obtain information but...'

'... He won't let a word slip out,' finished the spy. ' Annoying... But the laboratory of your House earned a well-deserved fame for keeping some effective formulas to stimulate loquacity. I can't say it doesn't hurt my department self-esteem, however; there was a time when interrogations weren't carried out in a room packed with little bottles...'

'We are not barbarians, Verella. Besides, it's possible that the prisoner will be more receptive with members of his same race. I trust our alchemists' colleagues in Argailias will be luckier than us. In any case, our guests must be tired; we'll let them retire for now.'

Once outside the office, Caradhar made haste towards the laboratories area.

'What's wrong, Adhar? I thought one more minute inside there and you'd start yawning,' commented Sül, ironically. 'Is it because of what that apprentice told you before entering? And, by the way, what did he tell you?'

'My master is sick; somebody told him I'm here and he wants to see me. In all these years, he hasn't been sick at all; potions took care of that.'

'Ah... I'm sorry; I hope it isn't serious...'

'We'll see.'

They allowed them into the room vaguely considered by Master Jaexias as his bedroom. There wasn't a big difference between the place and any of the other laboratories, because every surface was crammed full of books, alchemical instruments and dust, in large amounts. But certainly, there was a bed; and in the bed, the alchemist's small frame.

Maese Jaexias had always been skinny, but now he was nothing more than a bag of bones, that his skin held together; the old human's complexion looked less healthy than usual, if that was possible, and life seemed to have abandoned him almost completely. Only his watery eyes shone with a sparkle of intelligence.

Sül frowned; from the corner of his eye, he looked at his companion, whose face didn't betray any emotion; the gifted sat down at the patient's bedside and leaned over him.

'Old Fox.'

'I'm damned if it isn't Caradhar; I must say, it's such a remarkable coincidence: the one person I wanted to talk to, appearing by my side; by Therendas, such a remarkable coincidence...'

'What's the matter with you, Old Fox?' asked the redhead with soft voice, before his master started to ramble for endless minutes.

'What's the matter with me? What do you think, boy? I'm dying; my hour has come, the potions can't stretch me any longer... Oh, I'm not complaining, sure they did... But these old bones refuse to bear me any more...'

'I'll search in Elore'il lab; it's possible that they have something you haven't tried yet...'

'Of course not, boy... Listen: I lived more than enough; I spent many years...' The old man coughed; he had lost the habit of talking for so long and his throat got dry; Caradhar served him a cup of water and helped him to hold it. 'I spent many years postponing what it was bound to be... There were always new possibilities, new things to discover... But even we humans get tired in the end, boy... I'm tired...'

The three of them remained silent for a moment; it could only be heard the stertorous sound of the air coming in and going out of the old man's lungs, for whom the task of breathing was extremely exhausting. Sül was feeling a knot in his stomach, and the overwhelming need of placing a hand on his partner's shoulder; but he didn't dare to move a muscle.

'But... I didn't call you for that, oh, no... I have something very important to tell you,' said the alchemist, 'and I want to be sure that nobody else is listening...'

Caradhar turned to Sül, who nodded and thoroughly inspected the room before leaving and watching the entrance. Only then Maese Jaexias continued.

'I managed to synthesise the formula... You know which one... That one your House is so proud of... All these time leaving clues in front of my nose... You're such a cheeky boy, I must say...' Caradhar raised an eyebrow. 'Well... I did it, but... It was more intended as an exercise of self-indulgence than anything else, I admit it. I had no intention of prejudicing you, so I didn't show it to anyone...'

'I know they all think my system to classify my knick-knacks is a mess, but that isn't true: they don't call me Old Fox for no reason. Well, then: I'd put my head on the block that someone rummaged through my papers. Although they'll need an expert to make the most of them, Therendas knows they put their hands on the formula. I'm so sorry, boy; it's been an unforgivable negligence and I don't know how to fix it...'

'Don't worry about that now.' Caradhar meditated for some instants. 'It would be logical to think that another alchemist would try to offer the formula to the Grand Alchemist and the Prince as their own, or to use it in their own benefit...'

'If that's the case, they're taking their time, I must say; either that, or they are too inexpert to reproduce it...'

The old man fished something from his lean chest; he took the elf's hand and slipped some papers inside. In doing so, he kept his bony fingers pressing on the elf's ones for some seconds.

'Here you are: do as you like with it... I wish I had some more time to sort out my bodge. You were always the best of my disciples, Caradhar: nothing would had pleased me more than keeping you at my side. And now... get out; go away, cheeky boy, and may the gods favour you.'

'If you aren't going to allow me to help you, let me, at least, stay with you, Old Fox.'

'No way; it's bad enough that you're going to remember me half-dead... No, boy: I don't want you to take with you the image of a corpse. Get out of my sight; and remember Old Fox, from time to time.'

When Sül heard about the news, he didn't know how to react. Knowing there was an unknown person familiar with Elore'il's best kept formula was a very serious matter, that they couldn't even share with anyone else; but right then he was more worried about Caradhar's feelings concerning his master's fate. He knew how important he was for him; he wished, so to say, to give him his shoulder to cry... And yet, Caradhar's face remained as unemotional as ever.

They walked quietly along the dark corridors until they stood in front of a decrepit door; the redhead opened it and they entered his room for more than eight years. The few pieces of furniture had been replaced with shelves and tables covered with equipment; the elf left his lamp on the floor and walked slowly around his former domain, while Sül closed the door and leaned against it. He still thought it was a rats' nest, but for a long time it had been a safe place for the young elf with the Gift; he understood his longing.

'You... have known him for many years, haven't you? That alchemist, I mean,' said the Shadow, finally.

'Since I was just a kid.'

'How... how does a gifted from Llia'res end in a laboratory in Therendanar?'

'There were occasions when Darial had to come, and sometimes apprentices accompanied the official alchemists.' Upon hearing Darial's name, Sül became tense. 'He didn't like to leave me behind, if possible, so I also visited the labs. On the first occasion I could, I walked away from the group and wandered until I found Old Fox's; I think he'd tolerate me at first because a human could seldom approach a gifted. Later on... my visits would become usual. The first time Darial made pay dearly for being as bold as to leave on my own; but that was the only time I showed obstinacy and, in the end, he turned a blind eye: maybe he feared I might speak too much about what he did to me when we were alone, and wanted to ingratiate himself. Don't look like that,' said the redhead when he saw Sül clenching his jaw and his fists. 'Had it not been for that, I might have never known this city; and I like Therendanar: it never brought me bad feelings.'

'Yes... You seem to feel at ease with humans. I barely had contact with them; I don't trust them.'

'They are more straightforward and don't stand on ceremony; I'm pleased with that.'

'Did you ever... you know.... get laid with a human?'

Sül looked down, slightly embarrassed; but he felt a strong curiosity, and the occasions in which Caradhar felt communicative were so scarce that he couldn't let them pass. The gifted smiled faintly and turned to him.

'In fact, it was my first time going to bed with someone on my own initiative; it was my first time doing so many things.'

'Oh... And... how did it happen?'

'One day, Old Fox was too busy to have me around;' the elf approached one of the tables, put some stuff aside and sat; 'I covered my face with a hood and managed to go out and look around the city. For me, it was something new: the first time I walked in the open air, without being watched. I walked very far away from the castle and ended lost in the unfamiliar little streets; I guess that worried me, because I would surely be punished with severity if they had to come for me.'

'And then I saw them; they were a couple of humans, fairly young, according to my little experience. They were holding each other, so tight I couldn't tell where one ended and the other started, besides the back door of a house facing the alley; they couldn't even wait to enter before starting to devour each other... They both had dark, shiny hair, and the girl's curls covered his partner's shoulders; he had her cornered against the wall, though she accepted it willingly, because her arms firmly trapped him as well.'

'They discovered me observing them; the boy turned around towards me, with the clear intention of kicking me out; my hood slipped...'

'I suppose they weren't used to see elves, as they didn't know how to react; most probably, they didn't even know if I was a male or a female, and the gaze that the boy gave me was anything, but indifferent. As for me, I had never seen a couple of both sexes becoming intimate; although I was far from ignorant: it had been long since Darial had taken care of that.'

'The male asked me if I was lost; the female looked at me with a mix of interest and suspicion, as if I were a rival; once she heard me speaking and understood I wasn't a female myself, her attitude changed...'

'It didn't take much for me to find myself inside the house and outside my clothes. I think the male was shocked when he checked that the... equipment I had under my waist was similar to his; for the rest, when he sank his nose into my hair, and slipped his tongue along the skin of my shoulders, I know he liked it; and when I guided mine to the girl's nipples and licked them, peering at him, he reached for his groin, crowned with that hair humans have, and rubbed it with real anxiety.'

'She allowed me to take her, and he, even if reluctantly at first, finally accepted me to do some of the things I had learnt from Darial ... with the difference that I wished him to feel pleasure. And I felt it too: I knew what it was reaching the peak in someone else's arms.'

Sül swallowed: Caradhar had never talked that much about himself; he had listened quietly, avoiding to interrupt him at any price. But upon hearing those words, it became impossible for him to keep his hands away from that white skin; and, at the mention of his lips, had felt the urge to place his on any part of the gifted's body... He approached slowly and stood in front of the elf sitting on the table; his right hand reached for his collar and pulled, uncovering little by little a path of soft skin that he sowed with light kisses; the cords of the shirt loosened and opened the way to one of his small and pink nipples, that his lips captured and his tongue brushed until it turned hard; with his free hand he stretched the cords even more, exposing its companion, and the tongue moved towards it, always savouring his skin, to bestow the same treatment upon it.

Since no complaint came forth from Caradhar's mouth, just his intense breathing, Sül's one became more daring and went down, across the well defined muscles of his abdomen, to the waist of his trousers. He took his time with the navel, dancing inside; meanwhile, the Shadow's hands gently spread the redhead's legs and glided up again, over the inner side of his thighs, to untie the fasteners and release the pink and white flesh, already awakened.

Caradhar gasped when Sül nibbled the skin covering his testicles, and the pale creamy area around them, until he reached the base of his member, whose girth he traced with the tip of the tongue, before devoting his attentions to the sensible underside; every time his cheek brushed the point, a shiver of desire ran through the gifted; and when his tongue finally arrived to the rosy slit and tasted the nectar crowning it, the redhead's hand moved, almost on its own, to dive into the dark hair and keep that skilful mouth close to his body.

Sül glanced up, divided between the pleasure of enjoying the excited flesh inside his mouth and his curiosity about the expression his partner would be displaying right then. But the red tresses hid his face, like a curtain, slightly waving with the panting breath. The Shadow focused his attention then on pleasing his lover; on covering the alluring sting that he had had so many times inside with his warm saliva; on licking the transparent liquor, ceaselessly flowing from its extreme, and spread it along the furrow. He noticed, satisfied, his hips rhythmically thrusting inside him, and stretched his hand to stroke the taut bag and the soft skin of his perineum; and when he felt the tightness, and the heat, and Caradhar's fingers turning into demanding claws over the nape of his neck, he completely swallowed the member about to burst, determined not to leave a single drop. The gifted would never climax in his mouth: he would always pull out, in search of another cavity to release his seed; it was his first time drinking his essence and he found it sweet and delicious, as everything coming from that body he had into his arms... He waited for the quivering flesh to relax and licked his lips.

Once he stood up, he could finally move the long locks aside and observe his face; his expression was different, with his blushed cheeks, his slightly arched eyebrows and his closed eyes; he looked even younger, and undoubtedly more vulnerable. Sül experienced a sudden vertigo: an impulse of rocking him and, at the same time, a blind craving for possessing him... Then, the crimson irides were revealed, and the Shadow tried to read from them a new way to satisfy his lover; Caradhar didn't say a thing, trying to get his breath back, but started at him; very slowly, he spread his legs further.

The dark-haired elf grew even more aware of the accumulated need he had between his own ones. Sinking his thumbs inside the waist of his partner's trousers he pulled down; the gifted answered raising his hips a bit so that he could get rid of the annoying fabric, along with the boots. The Shadow's fingers travelled in two directions: towards the fasteners of his own breeches and to the moist length he had just feasted on; and they continued to the passage he was about to cross, penetrating it smoothly, quickly finding the right key to press and playing a mute note on Caradhar's lips, fully opened, his desire aroused again. And the note was sustained, with more gasps, while the young elf lay on his back and Sül entered him, with intentions of gentleness that his body discarded as he lost himself more and more in bliss. With each push, the table creaked; some jars rolled and fell to the floor, with a crash that both elves ignored; they couldn't hear beyond his moans.

Sül looked down, to the gifted's stretched arms: one hand barely reached to caress his back with the tips of the fingers; the other was entangled in his loose black hair. He leaned over him and held him tight, and trapped his lips so hungrily that they could barely breath; Caradhar answered with equal passion, and quickly bathed the muscled stomach with his seed.

The Shadow remained buried inside until his own pleasure stopped making his body shake; but he didn't let go of him: instead, he pressed his face against the white neck and whispered:

'I love you... Gods, Adhar, I love you... I love you so much...'

Caradhar didn't reply. Sül hadn't expected as much; but, deep inside, he had cherished a sparkle of hope to get a little confirmation from those lips. He continued embracing his beloved, his heart suddenly heavy.

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