Derash keep
Mavrik took the younger children and set out for his friend Tier-rah’s home. They had not seen each other for over a year span. He smiled as he recalled their first encounter.
Mavrik had accompanied his father to Derash keep. While his father was seeing to his business he had gone off with Bilnem, the son of the man who his father did business with. Naturally Bilnem had taken him to his friends. One of which was Tier-rah, and he was throwing a celebration that day. Tier-rah was a young man of pale blue and could be best described as delicate. He had light blue hair vulnerable blue-grey eyes and was so graceful he seemed to float where ever he went. He loved celebrations and having a good time, whilst Mavrik was a bookworm and something of a recluse. They hit it off immediately. Bilnem had taken Mavrik to the celebration at Tier-rah’s house. Mavrik had been instantly enchanted by him when Bilnem had pointed him out. He could barely contain his emotions as the blue vision drifted towards them. Tier-rah was a kent of the Phimroc Kentish group. He wore the flowing Kentish gowns which added to the illusion of his floating. One thing had led to another and they found themselves alone in Tier-rah’s reading room. After looking at a couple of books he was standing before the full length mirror. He looked at the reflection of the room against his. He looked drab in his farmer browns against the beautiful cream titri wood furniture and Tier-rah’s bright white robe and a silver band around his head with a clear opal piece at the middle.
“So what do you think so far of our keep?” Tier-rah asked as he came and stood beside Mavrik and placed a wine glass in his hand.
“It is beautiful. Far more interesting than Tamrip keep.”
“Oh. Do you think I am too short?” Tier-rah asked from the blue.
“What?”
“Do you think I am too short?”
“I ah I…”
“Come now. You must have an opinion. I saw you watching me all evening.”
Mavrik was embarrassed. He felt flustered. What could he say. Could Tier-rah have guessed what he had been thinking? Had he been that transparent? To think such things of him. A kent to top it all off.
“I did not mean to embarrass you I was just curious.” Tier-rah said, smiling coyly over the rim of his silver goblet as he took a sip.
“No… you are perfect.” Lon whispered slightly breathlessly. Tier-rah had to strain to hear him.
Tier-rah moved and was in front of Mavrik. He ran his hand across Mavrik’s chest. Feeling the coarse peese wool of his tunic. He stilled over Mavrik’s heart which was beating at a terrific speed. He grabbed a handful of Mavrik’s tunic and as he, Tier-rah, leaned towards Mavrik he also pulled Mavrik towards him.
“No. We cannot. Should not…” Mavrik protested very weakly.
It was but a token resistance. And Tier-rah kissed him full on the lips. This was not Mavrik’s first kiss but with the way it felt it might as well have been. The other people he had kissed had been female. He had always known how he was, never dared to make sure but now it had all been enchantingly proven true to him.
“Thank you. But I am hardly perfect.” Tier-rah said nonchalantly.
He went over and sat on the reading settee under the window. Placed there to take advantage of the natural light. Mavrik sensed that Tier-rah wanted him to follow him. He went and sat next to him.
It was Mavrik’s first carnal experience. It was not as awkward as Mavrik had feared it would be as Tier-rah was very experienced. Afterwards he had been very quiet which caused Tier-rah to ask how he was.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes it is just that…” He hesitated afraid what he wanted to ask would break the spell that held them.
“Just that what?”
“Well it is none off my business but…”
“But?”
“But are you not in a Kentish group?”
“Yes. The Phimro Kentish group. Worshipping the…”
“Demigod and goddess Phimroa and Phimroc of purity.”
“Yes purity. What a joke.”
“A joke? I want to join a Kentish group… what have we done.” Mavrik said regretfully.
Mavrik got up and began dressing. He stopped for a second to look at his guilty reflection in the mirror. Tier-rah stayed on the rug lying on his side smiling at Mavrik and watching him as he got dressed.
“Get up and get dressed someone might come in.” Mavrik said in a panicky voice.
“You did not seem to mind my being a kent a short while ago.” Tier-rah replied not moving an inch span.
“Well I… I… I...”
There was no excuse for what he had done.
“It is okay. There is nothing wrong with being the way we are. I am not going to not be in a Kentish group just because of it. It’s stupid and unfair.”
“We are nolande…”
“Do not say that ugly stupid word,’ Tier-rah cut in bitterly, ‘we have as much right to be kents as anyone else. Okay, maybe a Kentish Group of purity was not the best choice but it is the only one in Derash keep and I wish to remain in Derash keep.”
“But you have to live with it. Knowing you are lying to your kents.”
This did not anger Tier-rah for he had thought along very much the same lines once upon a time. He saw he would have to help the young man.
“You mean the same way you lie to yourself and others?”
“I…”
“Your desire or reason to become a kent is no more pure or noble than mine was. You, just like me, want to escape the world. The only difference being I do not deny who I am. You choose it as a way to make yourself feel better about a wrong you think you are committing whi…”
“It is not a way to…”
“Oh. Then which Kentish group do you want to join and why? Which do you feel spiritually in tune with?”
“I… I just want to be free.” Mavrik chocked out.
He fell to his knees before the beautiful blue sage. He had been tormented by this for so long, could it really be that simple. His head bowed as tears rolled down his face. Shaking with quiet sobs. Tier-rah got up and put his arms around him kissing his temple.
“There there,’ Tier-rah soothed, giving him a squeeze, ‘We are all who we are. We can either choose to accept it and be happy as arsheanly possible. Or we can spend the rest of our lives battling ourselves.”
Tier-ran began undressing him.
“Which do you choose Mavrik?”
His lack of resistance clearly stated which he chose. Any reservations about Tier-rah being a kent or the consequences of being a nolander and being caught seeped out of the pores of his mind. All that mattered was here and now. The bliss of here and now.
Mavrik was brought back to the present by someone tugging at his tunic.
“Mavrik. Mavrik…” Avené said.
“Oh ah wha… what?” Mavrik stammered.
“Are you okay Mavrik?” Avené asked looking at his face closely.
“Yes. Yes I am. Sorry I must have just gotten caught up in my thoughts.”
“I say,” a-a-Alorya said, “They must have been really good thoughts. You were a million mile spans away. Where were you?” a-a-Alorya added slyly sensing a good story.
“Oh I was just remembering my last visit here.”
“Really. Well it must have been a very pleasurable visit then.”
Mavrik was a little startled.
“Pleasurable? Why do you say that?”
“You were smiling and had this funny look on your face.” Manny joined in.
“Honestly you two. Now behave yourselves, we are almost at the home of my friend Tier-rah. And maybe I just have a funny face?”
“Yes you do.” Manny said laughing.
Mavrik could feel his pulse quickening despite himself. He had to get a grip. The last thing he needed was that. Especially with his brothers and sisters here.