25 - We Are Going to Tell Him

It was a credit to his training that Shiadan didn’t just stand there, blinking at her stupidly.  He shook his head.  “I would never betray His Resplendence like that.”

She nodded.  “I honour you for that, Emir-al… may I call you Shiadan?”

He coughed again.  “Her Almost Radiance may call me what she wishes.”

Mariush looked down.  “Shiadan.  I am not Her Radiance.  The Emperor is not so cruel to put me in that position.”

He raised his hand and rubbed his lip under his veil, looking down.  “You mean it would be too dangerous at this stage in His life to make you a greater target… m’Lady.” 

Dark above, he realizes.  Why can’t he just take what I’m offering?  Light below, I knew he wasn’t just a rutting bakon or I couldn’t have done this.  He’s handsome.  Honourable.  Oh Light and Dark, he’s honourable and smart too.  I liked him before.  But I’ve never sat down to talk to the man.

“Please call me Mariush.”  Her eyes met his.  In the long silence between them he slowly reached up and removed his own veil.

“If we are going to speak this frankly, let us at least be on equal face.”

Her hands were still in her lap, but he could hear her breath catch.  “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“Should your Mother not be deciding who should be your zardukaro?”

“She is.”         

He sat down in the opening, right on the stone path.  “So I am your next choice once the inevitable happens?” She must know that if the Immutable is offended, I’m dead.

“I would prefer to not be zardukar forever.  And I… don’t like feeling like I’m abandoning Diryish.  He’s hurtling towards death, despite all he can do and he does not want to drag everyone close to him down with him.”

“I think I see. It’s starting to look like nesting hives here, honeycomb within honeycomb and no telling if it’s honey or assassin bees in each.” He sighed. Sweet and loving Light, what did I do to ever be put in such a position? “Mariush.  M’lady… beautiful woman.  I… dislike finding out that I am a pawn your politics.  I’m also unhappy that my dreams are so used.” I was admiring her and controlling my lusts well enough, I thought.  How and why did she choose me for this? Am I so obvious?

“Shiadan.”  Her sigh disturbed the bees in the greenery all around them and they buzzed a moment before settling into the flowers again.  “I… hope that all our dreams may become reality.” I’ve been… wondering what it would be like to practice what Diryish and I have done… with a young man.  This young man. Since Mother suggested it.

“I’m not stupid, Mariush.  I would not be placed to guard you in this court if I were stupid.  His Resplendence… how much time does he have?”

“Mother thinks less than five years.” I will not try and shame him by trying to ‘seduce’ him, unknowing.  He’s figuring out some of it, fast.  Honesty. Her gut unclenched. At least some honesty will be so much better.

“Light and Dark choose that he have more.”  He rubbed a hand over his face, looked at the damp on it.  “It’s so odd to have enough water in the air that it makes one sweaty.”

She nodded.  “It feels nice.  My teachers used to say that the Milari and the Trovi have the closest to the home star’s air.”

“Well, then aren’t we just the luckiest people on the planet.”  His voice was dry.  “You want to give the old one a child, a little queen bee larva, before he dies.”

She hesitated.  “Yes.”

“My child, born as the Siwion of Lainz.  That’s a perilous place these days.”  He rose, and paced outside the bower, thinking, turned on his heel and stared at her.  “I will do this, for my own dreams, not for a possible child for Lainz.” he said and looked her in the eyes, smiling slightly.  “I will accept the risk.  But I will not lie.  You and I will tell His Radiance what we have done, and let Him decide.”

The silence after his statement was the longest yet.  Then she smiled back at him.  “I think Diryish will understand.”

He rose to his feet and sat down next to her.  Her dampened silks made no sound as he leaned forward and gently, softly pressed his lips to hers.  Her mouth opened and he raised his hand to cup the back of her head and hold her tightly as his tongue found hers, slid over the wildly exciting roughness of her teeth.

They broke the kiss, both panting, staring at each other.  “I’m… surprised,” she said.

“So am I,” he answered.  “I thought only I was having dreams like this.”

“No.  Me too.”  This time she seized his sarband on either side of his head, and pulled him into such a passionate kiss that their teeth clicked, un-noticed by either of them.  He seized her and she pulled him over onto her heavy veil.  His hands tangled in her hair and she began unlacing his clothing.

“This is too wild!” He said, not slowing in the slightest, gasping and drawing her shalvar down over her hips.

“Too fast,” she agreed, panting, raising her hips. Their shirts floated down onto the floor as they wound their naked limbs together.  “I’ve been wet all morning.”

“Slower… later…” he moaned and she caught his lower lip between her teeth as he cupped her breasts.

“I… think… I love you,” she gasped, catching his penis where he pressed against her thigh, he already thrusting, rubbing against her, and she clutched him tightly.  He wasn’t beyond hearing, quite, and set his hands on either side of her head stopping through main will.

“What?”

“Oh, don’t stop there!”  Mariush drew her nails up his sides and he thrashed and her hips rose to meet him, he slid into her, clutching her to him as she locked her ankles around his back, moaning.

Her cries and his as he thrust into her, disturbed the bees who rose, buzzing and the tiniest of sweat bees gathered around them.

“Oh, Light and Dark!” Mariush cried out, raising him right off the chaise with her first climax and he managed to hang on, barely.  He began to quiver, the climax rising from his planted toes, thrust, paused, and as she screamed for him not to stop, thrashed and let his own orgasm tumble them together into joy.