by Ginn Hale
By the time Kiram got to his feet everyone in the ballroom was laughing, even the musicians. Hashiem Kir-Naham stepped to Kiram's side and offered him a glass of mulled honey wine.
"You're quite quick," Hashiem commented.
"Thankyou," Kiram replied. He didn't know what else to say to the other man. He sipped his wine.
"Have you ever danced Cadeleonian style?"
"No, I've seen it done but never had the chance myself."
"I'll speak to the musicians." Hashiem touched his hand as if reassuring him. "Cadeleonian pair dancing has been quite popular lately, so I'm sure they'll know a few songs."
"There's no need to do that," Kiram said but Hashiem just smiled at him in an indulgent manner and then strode across the room to where the brilliantly-dressed musicians stood.
Just past the musicians Kiram caught sight of the young boy who kept watch at the front gate in the evening. Rainwater dribbled off his oiled hood and his expression was one of anxiety.
"Master Kiram!" the boy shouted and the entire ballroom went suddenly quiet. "There's a man at the gate and he's demanding to see you and he doesn't have an invitation and he won't go away!"
Kiram heard more than one voice hiss Musni's name. Kiram glanced to his mother and noted her scowl as well as his father's deep frown. Majdi just shook his head at Kiram.
"I'll take care of this," Kiram said, hoping that somehow everyone would return to the festivities and ignore him while he talked to Musni.
As Kiram strode out of the ballroom he heard footsteps behind him and knew that members of his family as well as curious guests followed him. He refused to look back. He borrowed the boy's lamp and rain cloak, then rushed out into the downpour, leaving a pack of witnesses peering after him from the doorway.
As he passed the reflecting pool, Kiram thought he made out a shadow moving near the gate. He wasn't sure but he called out anyway.
"I'm sorry that I didn't give you an invitation. I just assumed that the gate boy-" Kiram suddenly forgot everything he had been about to say as he drew closer to the iron gate. Behind the bars the imposing form of a cloaked Cadeleonian mounted on a huge, white stallion rose like a monument.
Chapter Nine
Javier?" Kiram asked, though he recognized that sharp profile even through the rain and shadows.
"Indeed, though apparently I don't have an invitation to show for it."
Kiram rushed to the gate and hauled it open. At once Javier swung down from Lunaluz's back and led his mount into the courtyard. Light from Kiram's lamp flashed over Javier's hooded cloak, dark and slick with rain. Stubble darkened the hard line of his jaw and stray strands of wet hair hung across his face. He shoved his hair back. He smiled warmly at Kiram and moved forward as if he would embrace him, but then his eyes narrowed at the dozen curious faces staring out from the Kir-Zaki doorway.
"We're having a celebration," Kiram told Javier, but the information didn't seem to ease him. "It's all right. They're friends and family and they'll be delighted to meet you. Come in"
"I can't leave Lunaluz out here"
"I'll take care of it." Kiram called to one of the house servants and directed the man take Lunaluz to Mother Kir-Mahoud's stables, giving the man a fistful of silver coins to ensure that Lunaluz would be well fed and closely attended. Javier hesitantly handed Lunaluz's reins to the servant.
"Mother Kir-Mahoud's stables are the best in the Haldiim district. Cadeleonians always keep their mounts there," Kiram assured Javier. "Lunaluz will be treated like a prince, I promise."
Javier simply nodded.
"Now come out of this rain or we'll both end up getting soaked." Kiram reached to take Javier's arm but Javier quickly shoved his hands beneath his cloak, watching the crowd at the door warily. Kiram realized that it didn't matter to Javier that they were in a Haldiim district. He still wouldn't be seen publicly taking Kiram's hand.
Inside the house, Kiram's mother greeted Javier warmly. Javier bowed, but still towered over her. Siamak immediately ordered a warm bath for Javier and Majdi went to find him a suitable change of clothes. Dauhd just stared at Javier as if he'd descended from the heavens in a fiery chariot. And she wasn't alone. Several other guests peered out from the ballroom to watch Javier and whisper about him in hushed tones.
Listening to them, Kiram was intensely aware of their assumptions of Javier's inability to understand Haldiim. Two younger women murmured about his thick thighs and wet, clinging pants. One of Kiram's aunts thought he looked as pale as a drowned corpse and he smelled like an animal. Several others agreed with her. Vashir came forward to comment that Javier might be an animal worth taking out for a ride.
"I doubt very much that you'd find a bridle that suited me, sir," Javier replied in Cadeleonian and his hand fell lightly over the hilt of his sheathed sword. Vashir flushed but then laughed.
"Very true." Vashir's Cadeleonian was heavily accented. "Kiram had not said that you were a master of so many tongues."
More than a few people glared at Kiram and his aunt pinched him on his back. Hard.
To Kiram's relief, his mother's unflappable secretary Fiez arrived. She tossed a towel to Kiram and then escorted Javier to his awaiting bath. Kiram almost followed them but decided that it would be too intimate an action. Instead he toweled his hair and followed the rest of the guests back into the ballroom.
The night blooming flowers woven through the garlands had opened fully and their perfume suffused the air. Sweet oil flames blazed gold and red from prism lamps and cast a warm glow over the embroidered seats, the flower-strewn banquet tables and the polished dance floor. Kiram took in the room and the faces of his guests and relations. He hoped that Javier would find it as welcoming and lovely a sight as he did. [or! of the white jell
"Javier Tornesal, the Duke of Rauma, has arrived," Kiram's mother announced to the few people who did not already know. She looked very pleased as the entire room filled with speculation and awed discussions of how well connected the Kir-Zakis had become.
"You could have mentioned that he spoke Haldiim!" Vashir muttered to Kiram.
"I didn't know anyone would be meeting him tonight," Kiram replied. "And he doesn't speak it all that well. But he understands a lot more than you'd expect."
"Obviously. Now he probably thinks I was slandering his birth." Vashir shook his head. "You'll explain that I meant what I said as a sexual overture, not a racial comment, won't you?"
"No." Kiram replied, laughing. "How could a man making sexual overtures to another man be better to a Cadeleonian?"
"Well, at least it would mean that I found him handsome."
"He's not easily offended. Don't worry." Kiram handed his used towel to a house servant and then retreated to a banquet table to warm himself with a cup of mulled honey wine.
Vashir followed him as did Hashiem and Dauhd. Kiram glanced to his sister and she offered him an encouraging smile. Kiram had no doubt that many of the wealthy mothers longed to ask him about Javier's presence but their need to maintain the appearance of worldliness restrained them from pursuing him. Though many watched Kiram over the rims of their wine glasses and some sent their sons to the table to refill their plates and make a few inquiries.
"I had no idea that the duke had been invited," Hashiem commented. Kiram took a drink of wine to buy himself a moment to think of a response. He didn't want to undermine his mother's impromtu claim.
"We didn't know if he would be able to find the time to come or not, so we didn't announce it." Dauhd helped herself to a fresh strawberry from one of the silver bowls.
Across the room the musicians struck up a merry melody and dozens of youths and children rushed out to have their turn on the dance floor. Kiram watched them absently, smiling from time to time at some comment his sister or Hashiem made.
Vashir excused himself when it became apparent that Kiram was not going to offer up any amusing gossip about Javier. The Lif-Zibhan twins looked far more appreciative of his attention. Kiram hardly noticed
his departure. All he could think of was that Javier was here with him in Anacleto. A breathless happiness filled Kiram's chest.
"He came alone?" Hashiem asked. "That's odd, isn't it? A duke traveling without guards or any escort."
Kiram started to tell him that Javier commanded the white hell and went where he pleased as he pleased, but then Javier himself stepped into the room.
His glossy, black hair stood out in sharp contrast to his pale, freshly shaven face. Majdi had given him the finest Haldiim clothes to wear and, though they did not drape loosely as they would have on a Haldiim youth, they suited Javier's long body quite well. The short gold vest displayed his broad shoulders, muscular arms, and lean abdomen appealingly. The red silk trousers hung on his slim hips and clung to the thick curves of his thighs. He stood in the doorway with an expression of uncertainty that Kiram had never seen on his face before. Kiram went to him at once before anyone else swooped in.
"What's the occasion for the party?" Javier asked quietly.
"My homecoming, actually," Kiram replied. He saw his mother start towards them with several influential council women beside her. "Let's join the dancing. Otherwise you're going to end up cornered by a flock of mothers intent upon discussing import taxes"
"You mean the Haldiim trade tax?" Javier asked as he followed Kiram to the dance floor.
"No idea," Kiram responded. "I always flee before they can inform me."
Javier smiled at this, looking far more at ease than he had earlier.
"What kind of dance is this?" Javier asked.
"It's called the red hands dance" Kiram said. "You just join one of the lines and clap the hands of the person across from you and then cross to the other side but two places down the line."
Javier frowned.
"Come on, it's fun and easy to pick up," Kiram assured him. "It's certainly nothing as tricky as ice skating."
Javier joined the dancers in the left line. Kiram joined those on the right. The girl next to Javier blinked nervously at him but the speed of the dance didn't allow for gaping. Javier picked up the simple steps easily. As the tempo of the dance increased, so did missed claps, collisions and embarrassed laughter. In the midst of the giddy chaos, Javier's mistakes were hardly notable.
Each time they passed, Kiram could see him relaxing into the movements more and more. His straight, squared stance gave way to loose strides and easy grace. His smile took on that familiar edge of arrogance and of course he began to show off. He added quick flourishes to the line crosses and bowed to the little girls who clapped his hands.
"How long does this go on?" Javier asked as he and Kiram rushed together to clap hands.
"One more pass at double time," Kiram replied. Then they both ran to their new partners, clapped hands and dashed off again. By the end of the dance Kiram's palms were hot and tingling. Javier's pale hands blazed red from all the slapping. He held them up and grinned at Kiram.
"Red hands dance," Javier said.
Kiram led him to the heavily laden banquet table where Javier sampled a few dishes cautiously and accepted a cup of warm mulled wine with a relieved expression. Kiram wanted to ask him what he thought of the vivid red pepper eggs but he didn't get the opportunity. Almost at once they were surrounded by Haldiim men and women, who all desired to be introduced to Javier and to engage him in discourse of some kind. Kiram made the introductions, perhaps a little more curtly than he should have, and Javier pretended to grasp almost nothing of the Haldiim tongue.
Soon several mothers realized that Kiram could serve as the ideal translator. So over and over, Kiram explained that Javier would be staying in Anacleto to attend Nestor Grunito's wedding and that he had never been to the Haldiim section of the city before, but that he found it charming so far. No, Javier didn't have any trade partners in the Haldiim district. Yes, he found Haldiim clothing comfortable. No, he hadn't been to the cloth market yet. Yes, he loved Kir-Zaki candies.
Kiram shot a pleading look to his sister Dauhd but she just raised her hands in a helpless shrug. Next to her Siamak stood, looking amused. But Majdi appeared troubled as he studied Javier, clearly understanding that this must be the Cadeleonian he had taken up with.
After a few niceties the majority of people moved on. They wanted to meet Javier but had no idea of how to engage him in a conversation of any depth. For his part Javier smiled but kept his responses short and polite. Soon only Hashiem remained.
After Kiram made the introduction, Javier studied Hashiem briefly and then gave him a hard smile.
"You sent the candied fruit," Javier said and Kiram translated his response, since Hashiem didn't speak any Cadeleonian.
"Early in the winter, yes." Hashiem looked just a little nervous. Kiram wondered if he was thinking of the poem he had included with the gift.
"It was a little too sweet for someone like Kiram, but then you probably don't know his tastes quite as intimately as I do," Javier commented and Kiram almost choked on his mulled wine.
"Kiram was kind, enough to share a little with me and it was delicious. Thank you so much for sending it," Kiram offered as a translation. Javier stepped on his foot. But Hashiem smiled broadly and clapped Javier on the shoulder.
"Kiram and I were discussing Cadeleonian pair dancing just before you arrived." Hashiem stepped a little closer to Kiram and touched his hand. "Now that you're here we really ought to perform one."
"Hashiem wants us to have a Cadeleonian dance in your honor," Kiram translated.
"That's not exactly what he said, is it?" Javier raised a dark brow. "He said your name."
"He'd love to," Kiram told Hashiem and Javier stepped on his foot a second time.
While Hashiem went to the musicians to arrange the music, word spread through the room that they would be having a Cadeleonian pair dance in honor of the Lord Tornesal. Javier moved close to Kiram with an annoyed expression.
"Who the hell am I supposed to dance with?" Javier whispered.
"Well, I'm standing right here," Kiram pointed out. Javier looked shocked and shook his head.
"That girl there." Javier indicated Dauhd. "She's a relation of yours?"
"My sister," Kiram said. "Dauhd."
"She resembles you a little." Javier studied her for a moment longer and Kiram felt a sudden flare of jealousy, seeing the way Javier's expression softened. "I'll ask her to dance," Javier decided and then he strode across the room to do just that, leaving Kiram holding both their drinks.
When Hashiem returned, Kiram drained both his and Javier's mulled wine and then set the cups aside.
"Thank you for arranging the dance" Kiram smiled flirtatiously, hoping that Javier would notice. If he did, he gave no sign of it. Out of the corner of his eye Kiram watched Javier lift Dauhd's hand and politely kiss her fingers.
"It was no trouble at all." Hashiem's words brought Kiram's attention back to his own dance partner. "To be honest," Hashiem's voice dropped and he stepped even closer to Kiram. "I had the ulterior motive of claiming you for myself on the dance floor."
Kiram had to stop himself from laughing at the husky confession. Did Hashiem really think he hadn't known that?
"I'd be glad to dance with you." Kiram took Hashiem's hand. "Though I should warn you that I really haven't ever participated in a Cadeleonian dance before. I'm going to be pretty bad out on the floor."
"Don't worry." Hashiem squeezed his fingers. "Just follow my lead and you'll be fine. You're far too handsome a young man to fault for a few missteps."
Kiram found the assurance a little annoying, since he would have preferred a few instructions. But he still followed Hashiem onto the dance floor. His mother gave him an encouraging smile and Siamak nodded at him as if he'd made a very good choice. Javier and Dauhd partnered only a few feet away. The mulled wine rolled in Kiram's stomach, reminding him suddenly of the night he'd gone to the Goldenrod.
Other couples quickly filled the space. Some were pairs of men and women, a few of women and women, but most were eligible
young men making the most of each other's company and Kiram's party. Kiram saw the confusion in Javier's face as he took in the pairs of men all around him.
Then the woman leading the musicians announced that they would play the quaressa and music filled the air. Kiram concentrated on the footwork that Fedeles had shown him. Left foot out, back, and then a little kick. He was a taken off guard as Hashiem slid his arm around his back and pulled him so close that their faces almost touched.
"There is no need to look so startled, Kiram," Hashiem whispered in Kiram's ear. His breath was hot. "I know that you haven't had many suitors but I will be gentle with you."
Kiram would have rolled his eyes, but the combination of Hashiem's foot crushing his toes and the sight of Javier lifting Dauhd to his chest rendered him watery-eyed with pain and flushed with anger. Hashiem seemed to take this as a sign of desire or consent. He pressed against Kiram and sighed contentedly against his neck.
Across the dance floor from them, Javier predictably displayed his physical prowess, spinning and lifting Dauhd easily in time to the music. Dauhd stared wide-eyed at Javier. Kiram knew exactly what she must have been feeling: a giddy thrill of exhilaration in the grip of Javier's touch and attention. The thought enraged him. He wanted to lunge out and slap Javier, once for flirting so obviously in front of him and a second time for toying with his sister.
As the dance drew to a close, Javier glanced to Kiram with a smug smirk, as if he expected Kiram to be impressed with his performance. At the same moment Kiram felt Hashiem's hand slide up to catch the back of his head. Kiram didn't evade him, but instead when Hashiem thrust his mouth over Kiram's, Kiram kissed him back.
Hashiem's tongue pushed between his lips and Kiram recoiled, offering Hashiem a coy smile. All around them members of Kiram's family looked on in approval. Hashiem's mother was beaming.
Javier's smile vanished. He exchanged a few words with Dauhd, bowed curtly to her, and then strode from the room.
