desire will love you even if you don’t have anything smart to say to her.”
Jandu frowned.
Mazar reached across the low table and touched Jandu’s shoulder. “You have a great heart. And you shouldn’t underestimate the appeal of a warrior to a woman.”
Mazar smiled, and Jandu smiled back at him. Mazar didn’t understand the situation, but it felt good to get the compliment nevertheless.
Mazar seemed satisfied with his own answer as well, and quickly swallowed the rest of Jandu’s sweets.
That afternoon, Jandu decided he would go for a walk. The sun hung low over the banks of the lazy Yaru River, and Jandu wandered along the water’s edge, singing to himself. He plucked at the bushy tops of high grasses as he walked, closing his eyes to the sun in his face.
“Jandu.”
He turned quickly, surprised to be discovered so far from the palace. Keshan Adaru came up to him, his smile enchanting. Nervous excitement coursed through Jandu.
“What are you doing here?” Jandu asked.
Keshan pulled a blade of grass from beside him and started munching on the end. “I wanted to find you.”
“Oh.” Jandu hoped Keshan couldn’t tell how fast his heart was beating.
“I was at the palace, discussing changes to the law with Darvad and Iyestar.” Keshan noticed Jandu’s wince, and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I forgot. No politics.”
“I’m just tired of hearing about it all the time.”
“Really?” Keshan said. “How relieving. That’s why I sought you out. I need to rest my mind for an hour or so.”
Jandu frowned. “So spending time with me is the equivalent of resting your mind? Am I an idiot or something?”
Keshan’s left eyebrow quirked up. “Did I say that?” He munched on his blade of grass thoughtfully, then said, “I enjoy being with you. You are what you are, and I find that refreshing.”
Jandu still felt slightly insulted, but he let the comment slide. “Surely you don’t talk about politics with your brother all the time, do you?” Jandu asked.
“Iyestar and I don’t really talk, we bicker.” Keshan hooked his arm with Jandu’s. “And you are far more pleasing to look at than my brother.”
Jandu’s pulse raced every time Keshan touched him. They walked together in silence until they rounded a bend in the river and approached the edge of the royal forest.
“There is a clear patch in the woods there where I used to practice archery as a boy,” Jandu said, motioning with his hands to the nearby woods.
“Show me,” Keshan said.
Jandu led the way through the tall grass, passing into the cool shade of the forest.
“Only Mazar knew about this spot,” Jandu said. “Once he followed me here, assuming I was up to no good, sneaking off away from the others to lurk in the forest by myself. He was surprised to discover I just came out here and practiced.”
“He probably expected to catch you jerking off.” Keshan laughed.
Jandu looked at Keshan, startled. “What?”
Keshan shook his head. “You Parans. You’ve been raised in a tower of purity. You really need to travel more, get out in the world.”
“I would love to see Tiwari one day,” Jandu said. He led Keshan through a gap in the tree line and towards a glade.
Keshan stopped Jandu by putting his hand on Jandu’s shoulder. Jandu’s shoulder heated where Keshan’s skin touched him.
“Promise me you’ll come, then,” Keshan said, staring deeply into Jandu’s eyes. “I would love to show you the city.”
Jandu felt his whole body stirring with the look Keshan gave him.
“I promise,” Jandu said weakly.
Keshan smiled widely. Then he continued his way into the forest.
Jandu followed a step behind, blushing furiously. Being alone with Keshan almost felt shameful.
But why should he be ashamed? They were just men going for a stroll together, talking about visiting each other in the future. Jandu forced himself to calm down.
“Is this it?” Keshan asked, stopping in an oval
Jandu frowned.
Mazar reached across the low table and touched Jandu’s shoulder. “You have a great heart. And you shouldn’t underestimate the appeal of a warrior to a woman.”
Mazar smiled, and Jandu smiled back at him. Mazar didn’t understand the situation, but it felt good to get the compliment nevertheless.
Mazar seemed satisfied with his own answer as well, and quickly swallowed the rest of Jandu’s sweets.
That afternoon, Jandu decided he would go for a walk. The sun hung low over the banks of the lazy Yaru River, and Jandu wandered along the water’s edge, singing to himself. He plucked at the bushy tops of high grasses as he walked, closing his eyes to the sun in his face.
“Jandu.”
He turned quickly, surprised to be discovered so far from the palace. Keshan Adaru came up to him, his smile enchanting. Nervous excitement coursed through Jandu.
“What are you doing here?” Jandu asked.
Keshan pulled a blade of grass from beside him and started munching on the end. “I wanted to find you.”
“Oh.” Jandu hoped Keshan couldn’t tell how fast his heart was beating.
“I was at the palace, discussing changes to the law with Darvad and Iyestar.” Keshan noticed Jandu’s wince, and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I forgot. No politics.”
“I’m just tired of hearing about it all the time.”
“Really?” Keshan said. “How relieving. That’s why I sought you out. I need to rest my mind for an hour or so.”
Jandu frowned. “So spending time with me is the equivalent of resting your mind? Am I an idiot or something?”
Keshan’s left eyebrow quirked up. “Did I say that?” He munched on his blade of grass thoughtfully, then said, “I enjoy being with you. You are what you are, and I find that refreshing.”
Jandu still felt slightly insulted, but he let the comment slide. “Surely you don’t talk about politics with your brother all the time, do you?” Jandu asked.
“Iyestar and I don’t really talk, we bicker.” Keshan hooked his arm with Jandu’s. “And you are far more pleasing to look at than my brother.”
Jandu’s pulse raced every time Keshan touched him. They walked together in silence until they rounded a bend in the river and approached the edge of the royal forest.
“There is a clear patch in the woods there where I used to practice archery as a boy,” Jandu said, motioning with his hands to the nearby woods.
“Show me,” Keshan said.
Jandu led the way through the tall grass, passing into the cool shade of the forest.
“Only Mazar knew about this spot,” Jandu said. “Once he followed me here, assuming I was up to no good, sneaking off away from the others to lurk in the forest by myself. He was surprised to discover I just came out here and practiced.”
“He probably expected to catch you jerking off.” Keshan laughed.
Jandu looked at Keshan, startled. “What?”
Keshan shook his head. “You Parans. You’ve been raised in a tower of purity. You really need to travel more, get out in the world.”
“I would love to see Tiwari one day,” Jandu said. He led Keshan through a gap in the tree line and towards a glade.
Keshan stopped Jandu by putting his hand on Jandu’s shoulder. Jandu’s shoulder heated where Keshan’s skin touched him.
“Promise me you’ll come, then,” Keshan said, staring deeply into Jandu’s eyes. “I would love to show you the city.”
Jandu felt his whole body stirring with the look Keshan gave him.
“I promise,” Jandu said weakly.
Keshan smiled widely. Then he continued his way into the forest.
Jandu followed a step behind, blushing furiously. Being alone with Keshan almost felt shameful.
But why should he be ashamed? They were just men going for a stroll together, talking about visiting each other in the future. Jandu forced himself to calm down.
“Is this it?” Keshan asked, stopping in an oval
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