Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

5.8.

The next day, Lord Bakhriyar Tamani, in response to a letter he had received from Lady Aldis Alanis, arrived at the "Akhmani-al-Ryad" inn to escort in person the noble Creedan and her companions to his estate.

Lady Alanis had with her a letter from Chevalier Ahayrre (written in his lovely flowing calligraphy so well known to Bakhriyar Tamani). The Creedan poet and the Arislani philologist have been corresponding for a good three or four years, ever since Bakhriyar had elected to translate Alva's poetry into Faris. He had always admired Alva's work in particular and Creedan literature in general. Even though the two had never met in person, they were fond of each other. They had traded portraits at one point, and so Bakhriyar instantly saw the resemblance that Lady Alanis bore her cousin, Chevalier Ahayrre. Even her hair was the same gorgeous fall of red, only slightly longer than her cousin's.

Also Bakhriyar couldn't help but notice the exceptional beauty of Lady Alanis. To be precise, he formed an impression that he had never seen a more beautiful woman in his entire life. Although, this impression might have only been the consequence of the elation that the learned Arislani felt at receiving a letter from his idol and meeting someone related to him. And, in part, Bakhriyar's worship of the Northern culture and Northern beauty, so rare in Arislan, must have played a role as well.

Bakhriyar rarely traveled out of his country; he was rather a homebody and was content to learn from books and travelers' tales. That is exactly why he was so fond of having visitors over to his estate that lay a few hours away from Isfahan, in a picturesque green valley. The invitation was inevitably extended to any educated foreigner whose presence became known to Bakhriyar. Not that anybody ever declined, as Lord Tamani was deservedly known as a welcoming host and interesting companion.

After bending over the ladies' hands in a ceremonious kiss, Bakhriyar said, "Such a pity that Chevalier Ahayrre had never mentioned having a cousin. We could have become acquainted long ago, my dear lady!"

Lady Alanis answered gaily, not put out in the least, "Our Creedan Bard is not keen to recall my existence to mind. He cannot stand that gossips consider me far more attractive and lucky in love than he is. Couldn't possibly think why that is." She smiled prettily, and Bakhriyar felt his heart melting like wax in the fire.

It was probably at this moment that he thought, for the first time, that he would be delighted to have Lady Alanis stay with him, rather than merely visit. Perhaps even stay for good.

The journey over had been short and sweet; the estate was large and comfortable. This was the first time Ithildin had come to a house that had an inner courtyard with a fountain, and found the architectural detail quite impressive. Beyond the large marble-white house lay orchards, vineyards, corn fields, connected by a complex irrigation network. The thicket along the riverbanks promised excellent hunting. The house held everything for work or play, including a huge library, a wine cellar, Arislani baths and Northern-style bathrooms, excellent cooks, spry servants, a theater and a small observatory.

Their host took entertaining seriously, and wanted to amuse them in new ways the entire time. One day, they would ride Bakhriyar's thoroughbreds out to hunt, another time they would pass the evening with a glass of wine in scholarly conversation, next, they would go visiting all over the estate – in short, they got to sample all the pleasures Bakhriyar's household had to offer.

Ithildin, acting the aggrieved widow with flair, loosened up in Bakhriyar's company a bit, and now acted as only a somewhat sad widow. Lord Tamani was charming. He was a kind man, and generous, pleasant, cultivated, well-read. Once, the elf had spent three hours in his erudite company, absorbed in discussing the treatises of two learned men, a Creedan and an Arislani, on the art of war. All while Lady Alanis was strolling through the gardens with her bodyguard (or, perhaps, rolling in the hay with him). Ithildin explained his interest, so unusual in a woman, by claiming (and not batting an eyelid as he did so) that he came from the mountainous Haelghira, and belonged to a noble line of highlanders who praised warring skill above all else. Bakhriyar was beside himself with delight.

Ithildin would have been hard pressed to tell their host's age, but Alva told him Bakhriyar was nearing forty. He looked like a typical Arislani: slim and taut, with a chiseled face, skin the color of creamy coffee, a faintly aquiline nose, winged eyebrows, sparkling dark eyes and curly black hair. And, he had a trim little beard. Ithildin, who had never seen beards before, found it quite amusing. Alva had explained that the Creedans and the nomads had no body hair except pubic. The northerners whose ancestors came from the South, might sprout facial hair or armpit growth, but it got mercilessly shaved off. In Arislan, on the other hand, it was traditional for men over thirty to wear a beard. The older a man was here, the longer his beard. They had some chest hair too, if Bakhriyar was at all representative. Not that he paraded naked in front of the ladies, of course, but sometimes the heat made him undo a button or two on his shirt.

During his first week on the Tamani estate, Ithildin was constantly uneasy. He kept thinking they were sitting ducks here. He told Alva about it.

"What if the Enqin spies find out that you speak Faris and are friends with Bakhriyar Tamani? They will guess who his guests are right away!"

"Oh, come off it," Lielle smiled. "Bakhriyar would drag in any visiting Northerner; the man is famous here for the love he bears the Creedan culture. Besides, who would possibly guess we had gone to Arislan, where love among men is made criminal?"

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Erol Sanders (the Persian prince in Oliver Stone's Alexander) as Bakhriyar Tamani