Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  “Well… I’m not supposed to talk about that. I promised Nicolai and Sorel I wouldn’t. I’m sorry.”

  Val merely nodded and picked up another morsel from the tray. “I can’t task you for keeping your word. Are you going to have some of this food?”

  Ander picked up a piece of bread and pondered his hungry guest. Maybe this was an opportunity to learn something. He decided to risk a few questions.

  “I was just wondering what Thane’s like. I’ve never met a real sorcerer before.”

  “You know Sorel and Nicolai, don’t you?”

  Ander sipped the mulled cider, savoring the hints of clove and wine, before trying again. “It’s hard to think of them as sorcerers. They seem like ordinary people. Well, far from ordinary. But they aren’t frightening.”

  Val was craning his neck and looking around as if he’d lost something. “I thought I saw another mug around here,” he muttered. He turned back to Ander. “Did you want all that cider?”

  Ander wondered if Thane ever fed his servants. And if the server was a student of magic. The thought made him take more careful note of Val’s rugged sensuality. He got a shiver, feeling the same physical attraction he felt around Nicolai and Sorel. He offered his mug. “Here, we can share this cup.”

  Val took a drink, his eyes never leaving Ander’s, then handed the mug back. “Thanks. Don’t worry so much about sorcerers. The zamindar’s sorcerers are scary, but that’s because part of their job is to scare people. A sorcerer is mainly just somebody who has knowledge most people lack.” He settled back on the sofa, his expression full of curiosity. “What do you think of Nicolai and Sorel? Do you like them?”

  Ander wondered how candid he should be. But there was no reason to be evasive, and Val seemed friendly. “I think they’re incredible. I hope I get to know them better. A lot better.”

  Val nodded, grinning as Ander acknowledged his interest. “You don’t have to be coy around here. Maybe you can’t say anything because of your promise, but I can. Nicolai and Sorel usually don’t bring someone here unless they’ve already taken him to bed and liked what they found. So tell me, did you take a tumble with them?”

  Ander blushed, but Val’s candor was disarming. “We almost had the chance when we first met. But then… well, it’s a long story.” He paused, watching Val’s relaxed face. “I take it you’ve, um, gotten to know them pretty well?”

  Val snickered, then leaned toward Ander and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “They’re two of the best lovers I’ve ever bedded. And you should see them with each other. Nicolai has a way of going slow that drives Sorel crazy. And Sorel going crazy gets Nicolai all the more excited, so he slows even more. I’ve seen them make love for hours.” He nodded knowingly and reached for a slice of smoked ham. “You’re lucky to have met them.”

  “More lucky than you know. They saved my life.”

  Val looked up, eyes wide. “Where was this?”

  “At the house of companionship where I worked. We were just getting acquainted when an officer came in and started making trouble. There was a scuffle, and his arm got broken.” Ander’s face clouded at the recollection. “Things got complicated. We had to run, and they brought me here.”

  Val seemed to forget the food. “You worked in a house of companionship? You must be skilled in love.”

  “I learned a lot from Leif, a friend, but wasn’t much of a companion myself. I almost never accepted invitations from customers. Strangers make me uncomfortable. But Nicolai and Sorel were different. Seeing them filled me with happiness, somehow… and desire.” He shrugged helplessly. “It’s hard to explain.”

  Val was silent a few seconds, then reclaimed the mug and put it back on the tray before meeting Ander’s eyes in a searching gaze. “Would you have agreed to meet me, if I visited the house where you worked?” he asked softly. “Or do I make you uncomfortable?”

  The question’s openness was touching. A warm glow spread through Ander. Val’s innocent sensuality made his rugged beauty less imposing but no less attractive. And his earthy enthusiasm for sex was reminiscent of Leif.

  “I’d have gone with you in a heartbeat,” Ander confessed. “Even if you weren’t half so pleasing to the eye.”

  Val beamed. “Perhaps… could we taste what such a visit might be like? Would you like to share a kiss?”

  Ander answered without words. He leaned toward Val. Their lips pressed together, lightly at first. They wrapped their arms around each other as the kiss grew more intense. Ander closed his eyes and let one hand brush over Val’s hip. The leather was warm and smooth beneath his fingers. In moments he was fully aroused. The urgency of the kiss told him that Val was having the same reaction.

  Ander was still lost in Val’s strong embrace when the door swung open. He didn’t hear it and didn’t realize they had company until somebody cleared his throat. Heart racing, he broke the kiss and turned to the door.

  Nicolai and Sorel stood just inside the room. No angry sorcerer accompanied them, to Ander’s great relief.

  “I see you’re making yourself at home,” Nicolai said.

  Ander nodded, pulling back from Val in embarrassment. “Did you find Thane?”

  “Yes,” Sorel answered. He walked across the room to stand by the fire and warm his hands. “So did you.”

  Ander was bewildered. “I did? But… nobody’s been here except Val.”

  Nicolai shook his head in mock disapproval. “Val is a devious scamp,” he said, joining Sorel by the fire. “And the creator of the art. I think he has some explaining to do.”

  Ander’s eyes grew huge. He turned back to Val, his body stiffening.

  Val shrugged. “I said I have lots of names, didn’t I? One of them is Val. Another is Thane. I’m still the same person, aren’t I?”

  Ander gaped, trying to decide if this was a joke. “How could you be Thane? Sorel said Thane was born thirty years ago.”

  “You can safely rely on anything Sorel says. But you’re not an initiate. So he didn’t mention that once you learn the art, you stop growing older.” He put a hand on Ander’s thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I wanted to see how you treated someone you thought was a servant. And I thought you might be more comfortable meeting me as Val instead of as Thane. Was I wrong?”

  “I… I guess not.” Ander gulped, wondering whether his intimacy a few moments before had been inappropriate. “I apologize if I offended you. I didn’t mean to—”

  “Offend me?” He gave Ander a dazzling smile. “You impressed me! The way that matters most for the art. See?” He leaned back and looked down. Ander followed his gaze and saw a long mound beneath the soft leather.

  Nicolai crouched beside Ander. “For all practical purposes, he stopped aging at nineteen. Can you imagine being an over-sexed nineteen-year-old for so long? No wonder he’s crazy.”

  Thane reached over and rubbed Nicolai’s thigh. “It has its advantages. As you well know.” He turned back to Ander. “Nicolai likes to think he can claim seniority, since he kept growing until he was twenty-two.”

  Ander was speechless. He looked at Thane’s face, the face of a randy teenager, and tried to guess what kind of person he might be. But whatever strange thoughts might have lain behind those mysterious eyes, there was no denying his appeal.

  Nicolai put an arm around Ander’s shoulder. “It’s not so hard to get used to. Take him as he is and you’ll be fine.”

  Thane picked up the mug and offered it to Ander. “Here, have some more. It’ll help you relax.”

  Ander took the mug and sipped hot cider. Gradually his tension ebbed. Thane’s unassuming demeanor made it impossible to find him threatening.

  Thane picked up an apple slice and shook it at Sorel. “You two have a talent for interrupting at the worst times. I ought to put bells around your necks.”

  “First things first,” Sorel replied. He snagged a chair and pulled it close to the sofa. “I think Ander has strong potential. I felt it immediately, though
we’d barely begun testing him. What do you think?”

  Thane leaned back and looked at Ander solemnly. “Before I say more, I need to know your intentions. You already know something of the art. Nicolai and Sorel told me that much. But that’s just a part of what we do here. We have a purpose in what we do. We share our knowledge only with those who share our purpose.”

  Ander nodded. “Yes, I remember. Sorel said you’re fighting the zamindar.”

  Thane’s expression hardened, determination mixed with bitterness. So much fierceness was disturbing in such a young face. “We’ve sworn to end the zamindar’s tyranny. And avenge those he’s killed.”

  Ander saw the anger coiled within him, waiting for a chance to escape. “I feel the same,” he said softly. “I’ve had loved ones hurt by the zamindar too.”

  Surprise flashed across Thane’s face, followed quickly by grief. He looked away, breathing hard. When he turned back to Ander, his expression was carefully controlled. “I agree with Sorel. Your potential is strong. That doesn’t prove you’ll be able to master the art. Sensitivity isn’t enough. The art also requires strength and restraint. But if you have the ability, do you want to join us?”

  “Yes!” Ander was surprised by the intensity of his own desire. “I want to make a difference. And… and I want to learn the art.” He fought down embarrassment and looked Thane in the eye. “Seeing Sorel and Nicolai together changed me somehow. I want to learn what you’ve discovered. It feels like I need to.”

  Understanding softened Thane’s expression. “It’s another mark of potential that you’ve felt the forces just watching from a distance.” He stood up and stretched, his muscular body arching as he pulled his shoulders back. “I promised to help Erik with his training tomorrow. Nicolai, would you and Sorel like to finish what you started?” He looked at Ander, his expression playful. “If that’s all right with you. You haven’t changed your mind about wanting to bed them, have you?”

  Ander blushed furiously but shook his head. Sorel smirked and gave him a wink.

  Nicolai leaned close. “There’s no need for modesty. Love is cause only for joy.” Sliding an arm around Ander’s waist, he bent his head and lightly kissed the side of Ander’s neck. “We’d be honored if you choose to share yourself with us. It was true when we met, and it’s no less true now.”

  Ander turned his head and gazed into Nicolai’s sky-blue eyes. Hesitantly, he brought their lips together. The gallant northerner responded warmly, wrapping him in his arms.

  Ander forgot the onlookers, forgot everything except Nicolai’s tender embrace. Even with Leif, his only real lover in Pella, he had never felt such a powerful sense of connection. Sorel’s hand tousling his hair brought him back to his senses. He opened his eyes and saw Sorel watching with approval.

  “Time to get a hot meal and find you a room. You might not get loose for hours if we let this beast have his way.”

  Ander grinned, remembering Thane’s comment about Nicolai’s techniques. “I wouldn’t complain about that. But I’d like you to be with us too.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Sorel replied. “But we’re all weary from today’s travels. Tonight we rest. Come on, we’ll show you around a bit before you settle in. We call this place the lyceum.”

  Ander and Nicolai stood up.

  “Where’s Thane?” Ander asked, noticing his absence. “I didn’t hear him leave.”

  “You probably wouldn’t have heard a thunderclap,” Sorel said. “Nicolai can have that effect on people.”

  “Will I see Thane again tomorrow? I wanted to thank him.”

  Nicolai shrugged. “He can be hard to catch. But you’ll see him again if you pass the first test. Soon.”

  “Which means our first job is to get you through tomorrow,” Sorel said. “It will be a challenge unlike any you’ve known. For now, you get dinner and a bed. Alone.”

  “I want to thank you two. For taking a chance on me and bringing me here.”

  “We have confidence in you,” Sorel said. “Now let’s go. I’m starving.”

  They left the study and followed Sorel through an enclosed courtyard and into a weathered stone building three stories high. “The ground floor holds a kitchen, dining room, and washrooms,” Sorel explained. “Above are rooms for initiates. That’s where you’ll stay tonight.”

  Dinner was long past, but the cook was still in the kitchen and readily agreed to warm leftovers. They were soon served a meal of baked turkey, fresh cornbread, and a bottle of exceptional wine. The dining room was decorated with banners and was big enough for forty. The only light came from embers in a huge fireplace and a pair of candles on their table. During their meal Ander tried to learn what the test would entail, but Nicolai and Sorel refused to answer his questions except to say that he should be ready to meet them an hour after dawn.

  After the last of the wine was drunk, they showed Ander the rest of the initiates’ quarters. The marvel of indoor plumbing in the washrooms made a great impression; he could scarcely believe it when Nicolai explained how steaming water from nearby hot springs was piped to the castle and kept in a reservoir for use at any hour of the day or night. At last they showed him to a room on the second floor. Someone had left a candle burning on the table beside the bed.

  When Nicolai and Sorel had gone, he sat on his bed and pondered the turns his life had taken in two short days. The path would fork again in the morning. There was no way to know where the new path would lead.

  Chapter 6

  WISPY clouds blazed brilliant red. Ander gazed out a small arched window without noticing the spectacle. Even the marvel of hot running water hadn’t been able to distract him for long. Excitement at the prospect of making love with Sorel and Nicolai fought against fear of failing the test and losing his chance to join Thane’s band of mages.

  Someone had visited his room while he was in the washroom; tea, fruit, and a sweet roll waited for him on the bedside table. He sipped the tea and looked out at the forested landscape. The valley seemed to be sheltered from the cold north winds. Trees around the castle were free of snow, though white powder dusted the surrounding hills. Another marvel sparkled among the trees a short distance from the castle—a long, high building that appeared to be made entirely of glass.

  Soft knocking jarred him out of his reverie. He jumped up and opened the door. As expected, it was Nicolai and Sorel.

  “Are you ready?” Nicolai asked in a husky voice. He was already aroused and made no attempt to conceal the bulge beneath his leathers.

  Ander’s heart raced at the sight of the pair. “Is this where we, um, do the test?”

  Sorel chuckled. “He’s as eager as we are, Nicolai. The heart of a rutting stag lies beneath that bashful exterior.” He stepped away from the door, beckoning for Ander to follow. “We go to the tower. The test can be performed anywhere. But as long as we’re at the lyceum, we should take advantage of its comforts.”

  They went downstairs and into the courtyard. Frost coated the plants and flagstones, making the herb garden glisten like jewels. The smell of baking bread wafted out of the kitchen. They crossed the courtyard and entered the castle at the base of its great tower, then descended a spiral staircase. Sorel opened a heavy oak door and stood aside to let Ander enter.

  Warm air, humidity, and the sound of splashing water caught him by surprise. A high chamber tiled in rosy marble appeared as his vision adjusted to the dim light. An oil lamp burned in one corner, illuminating three terraced pools. Broad stairs made of tan sandstone provided access to each level. The splashing sound came from sheets of water flowing over broad marble slabs protruding from a side of each terrace. Each sluice created a curtain of water some seven feet high near one end of the next pool down. It felt like a sultry summer night inside the chamber. The scent of eucalyptus lingered in the air.

  “We begin here,” Sorel said as he closed the door and secured it with a latch.

  Nicolai stepped in front of Ander and put a hand on each shoulder
. “Are you sure about this? Do you commit yourself to our goals, if you have the ability to join us?”

  Ander felt no doubt. “Yes! I want to do this, and to join your fight against the zamindar.”

  A solid body pressed against his back. Sorel reached around Ander’s waist and pressed palms against his flat belly. “I have faith in you. Now we begin.” Sliding his hands under the waistband of Ander’s pants, he took hold of the shirt’s bottom edge and pulled it up. Ander lifted his arms, and Sorel peeled the shirt off.

  Nicolai knelt at his feet and grasped a boot. He pulled his foot out, and they repeated the process with his other boot.

  Only his pants remained. Once again Sorel’s fingers slipped under the waistband. Ander’s breath caught at his gentle touch. Sorel slid his hands down and then moved them forward until his fingers touched the hard cock.

  Ander trembled as Sorel’s fingers traced the length of his erection before pressing it against his abdomen so Nicolai could slide the pants off. Moist air flowed over his bare skin, and the marble was warm beneath his bare feet.

  Nicolai rose from his crouch, and Sorel moved around to join him. They quickly removed one another’s clothes. Powerful muscles rippled in the soft light as their arms flexed and torsos twisted. In seconds they were nude. Their cocks were already thick, arching out heavily from their bodies.

  “The art melds mind and flesh,” Sorel explained as he clasped Ander’s hand. “Both function best when free of interference. Cleansing the body is a good first step.”

  Nicolai pointed at the terraced pools. “The hottest water flows into the pool at the top. It cools as it flows to lower pools.” He extended a hand to Ander. “Let us show you.”

  Nicolai held Ander’s other hand, and the couple led him up the steps to the middle pool. They stepped in near the place where water fell from above and drew Ander with them. Pleasantly warm water swirled around his feet. This end of the pool was just a few inches deep. The other end looked deep enough to immerse in.