"Arabian Nights"
Part 30
by Beryll
The caliph's palace lay quiet and mostly dark. The darkest hour of night had already come and gone. Only the sounds of the regular footsteps of the guards patrolling the long corridors disturbed the night along with the cries of some nightbird circling above.
Orlando was wide awake.
Like any good slave should he had rolled up on his pallet after yet another day of hard training but sleep had eluded him.
Three weeks had past since he and Elijah had started training with master Ian. Three weeks of working harder than they ever had in their young lives. Three weeks of learning all about being a slave.
And each night Orlando had dropped onto his pallet and fallen asleep as soon as his eyes closed.
But not this night. His thoughts circled restlessly around the news that master Ian had revealed to them after they had shared their supper. That this had been their last day of training. That tomorrow morning they would be returned to Prince Viggo's suite.
And now he was still trying to figure out what he thought about that. He had tried really hard to hang on to the anger he had felt towards the prince when Viggo had ordered him beaten. But the more the marks faded on his back, the more he learned about the duties and tasks of a favored slave and - most importantly - the longer he was separated from the prince, the more his grudge gave way and all that really remained now was the intense feeling of missing the prince.
With a soft sigh he turned over on his pallet yet again, only then noticing with surprise that Elijah had gotten up soundlessly and was now sitting on the wide sill of one of the windows overlooking the training yard. He had his blanket wrapped around himself, his head leaned against the window frame. Orlando couldn't see his face but his posture looked sad.
In the last few days they had been rather cool towards each other. Elijah's constant complaints about prince Viggo had made Orlando upset. Probably even more so because he still wanted to be angry with the prince for ordering him beaten. Because he should have been the one who complained, not Elijah. Because he constantly had to protect what he perceived as Prince Viggo's honor.
"Lijh?" Orlando asked softly.
"I'm fine, Orli, just go back to sleep." Elijah answered just as quietly.
Of course Orlando didn't listen, as he couldn't sleep anyway. He got up as well and padded over to the former prince now turned slave.
He sat down opposite Elijah. "You're not fine." he observed. "Are you angry at me?"
Elijah huddled deeper into his blanket. "No. But I thought you were angry at me?" He sounded miserable.
Orlando quietly admonished himself. He knew full well how easily Elijah withdrew into a shell of aloof unhappiness. He should really have addressed this right when it came up.
"I... I was angry. Because you keep insulting the prince. I like Lord Viggo, you know that."
Elijah nodded slowly, blinked at Orlando under long lashes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm just... nervous. That's all."
"Nervous? Because we are going back to the prince?"
Elijah nodded. "Yes..."
"But he's a good man, Lijh. He really is. Just give him a chance to prove it." Orlando nudged Elijah with his foot and the other boy glanced at him, trying hard not to let his fear show.
"I'm scared, Orli." Elijah admitted. "The prince scares me. I... you know what master Ian said... that we are to serve him in any way he demands... I just don't know if I can bring myself to... well... you know..." A blush crept into his face.
Suddenly Orlando was able to understand much better what had his friend so skittish. "Well... I don't think the prince would force you. And," he reached over and reassuringly patted Elijah's knee, "I promise to distract him, if he gets to interested in you, okay?"
Elijah blinked at him with huge blue eyes. "You would? But... I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me..."
Now Orlando laughed. "It's no sacrifice, Lijh. Remember what I told you the first time we met? That I don't want to share him? I meant that."
That made Elijah smile. "He's all yours." he said, looking a little less troubled. Then he started chewing his lower lip thoughtfully. "So... what is it like?" he asked.
"What is what like?" Orlando asked back.
"Well... you know... IT..." Elijah's blush returned full strength.
For a moment Orlando had no idea what his friend was talking about but then understanding set in and he turned red as well. "I... uhm... nice... I suppose..."
Elijah blinked at him in surprise. "But I thought you had... with the prince..."
Orlando shook his head, trying to fight down his blush and look at least remotely dignified. "No... not yet. I... I've never..."
Suddenly he was starting to feel Elijah's nervousness as well. He hadn't really thought about THAT yet. But the prince surely would want to. And thinking how his hard, muscled body had pressed against Orlando's, the young slave felt searing heat gather in his groin. Maybe he never had, but he realized that he certainly wasn't adverse to trying. Even though it was kind of scary.
"I'm sure the prince knows all about it." he said to Elijah, to reassure himself as much as to reassure his friend.
Elijah snorted sarcastically. "Yeah, I bet he does."
Orlando slapped him playfully. "Hey, don't talk like that about our master. He's a great man." he admonished with a lot less venom than on previous occasions and after a moment of thought added, "And he feels damn good."
Elijah just shrugged. "He still scares me." he said in a small voice.
Orlando again patted his knee. "I told you I'll protect you. And I will. You are my friend."
They sat in silence for a moment. Then Orlando asked: "What about Sean? You seem to like him a lot..."
Elijah blushed yet again. "Yes." he answered, snuggling deeper into his blanket. "But... I think, he's not... I don't know..."
"He seems to like you too." Orlando said.
Elijah shrugged unsure. "You think so? He is so... reserved... I don't want to bother him, you know. He probably just sees me as a little boy anyway."
Orlando grinned. "Maybe you need to convince him otherwise?" he suggested.
"I... uhm... I don't know, if I'm that bold." Elijah muttered.
Orlando grinned wider. "I guess you're not interested enough, then." he said.
Elijah kicked him gently. "Am too." he replied, pouting prettily.
Orlando just smiled back in quiet satisfaction at having made his friend admit to his feelings.
For a long moment the two boys looked at each other. Then Elijah reached out and laced his fingers with Orlando's. "Thank you." he whispered.
"For what?" Orlando asked back a little confused.
"For everything. For being my friend. I've never had a friend and it feels wonderful."
Orlando smiled happily. "You're welcome."
---
"I have taught you everything you need to know to be proper slaves now. I hope you will make me proud, boys."
Orlando and Elijah were kneeling before him, eyes downcast just like they had been taught, but now both of them looked up with a bit of insecurity written on their faces.
Ian smiled benevolently. "Don't worry, boys, you'll do fine."
"What if we do something wrong, master?" Orlando asked, nervously chewing on his lower lip.
Ian chuckled. "You can't possibly do worse than you did before your training." he said. "And don't think we are done, boys. You will still continue your dancing lessons with me. So if there are any questions..."
Both boys looked reassured by that.
"I will see you tomorrow morning for your next lesson then." Ian said. Then he leaned forward and in a rare gesture of affection tousled first Orlando's then Elijah's hair. "Now run along. The prince is already waiting for you."
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Beryll
go to PART 31