(This didn't crosspost the first time, so I'm trying again. And again. And again)
I came across this picture about a year ago and just found time to write the story. This painting by Eduard Charlemont was titled The Guardian of the Seraglio when it was originally shown, and since then the name has changed several times. The name that stuck is The Moorish Chief. The museum when it now resides (
) says that's because the guy has such a commanding presence, but my first thought was: Isn't it a little condescending of us to assume this guy was important just because he's well dressed? No, he's just a guy, standing guard duty over the women's quarters. (Important to the story, but not to the world)
The another name for this painting was the Alhambra Guard after the place the background was staged to look like (the Alhambra in Spain). That plus finding out the seraglio is another name for palace, not just what we call a harem, (Harem meant the women, nit the place) (Yet another name for the painting is the Harem Guard), made me decide to use seraglio for estate/palace.
Summary: Emirhan finds a reason to like his new home.
Uncle Ozan clapped Emirhan's back. "Everyone needs a rest now and then. Thinking too long on the loss of my most beloved brother weighs heavily on my chest. More so for you?"
Emirhan looked down. Fathers should live forever.
( Tell Mother Harun needs practice sleeping outside )
Laughter filled the courtyard. The women were happy. Mother was in the women's quarters, probably telling one of her stories. She'd never got the chance to play as much as Father would have liked. They'd travel too much. But here at Uncle Ozan's, she would have women around her and lovely gardens to sit in and, between visitors, she could walk freely without a veil, as everyone who lived in the seraglio was family.
"Is that your mother?" asked one of the others. Mother's laughter rose high. Emirhan nodded.
Aydin grinned. "I heard she is the most beautiful woman on the peninsula."
"I heard," said another boy, "she's the most beautiful woman in the world."
She was just his mother.
"We should go see her," said Aydin. "Introduce ourselves."
His younger brother, Isa, jumped to his feet. "She may have sweets."
Aydin grinned. "Mother always has sweets for you."
No. Mother needed a chance to laugh after the months of grieving. She needed the freedom the women's quarters gave her.
Father had said Uncle Ozan only had five sons, some older than Mother. These ten boys were all Emirhan's age or younger, so some of them had to be sons of Uncle Ozan's visitors. Why interrupt the happy women and make them put of their veils and leave their pretty rooms? If the others were bored, they could show Emirhan around Uncle Ozan's seraglio. He'd only been here a few hours and seen the baths, his new room, Uncle Ozan's office and the courtyard. He didn't even know where his horse was stabled and supposedly Uncle Ozan had gardens and orchards beyond one of these walls.
"Emirhan, come on!"
Emirhan sighed and followed the others.
The scroll-work on the women's quarters' windows were scenes. From stories? What was the one with the big fish?
A doorway on the ground floor led to a stairs. Light and laughter flowed from curtains at the top.
A beautiful man stood on the second step with a drawn sword. His skin was dark and his eyes bright. He was family, obviously, or he wouldn't be standing guard over the women's quarters. But he didn't look like Aydin, Uncle Ozan or Father. His mother might have married one of Ozan's cousins or his sister might be Uncle Ozan's newest bride.
Or he could be married to one of the ladies upstairs.
"Harun," Aydin stepped forward. "We are going to visit our mother."
"And our aunt," piped in Isa.
Harun looked them over and blinked slowly. "You are not."
"Yes, we are!" shouted the younger boy. "Mama! Mama!"
"Hush!" Harun took a step forward. Isa eeped and hid behind Aydin, but he had no real need to fear. Harun wouldn't kill the master's sons. Unless, maybe, they deserved it.
"No need to get upset, Harun. We're just showing Emirhan around."
Harun's heavy gaze shifted to Emirhan. Emirhan licked his lips. The man was even more beautiful when Emirhan had his full attention.
One of the others rushed the steps. Harun caught him one handed and booted him to the floor. "Begone and leave these women in peace."
"Sure, sure." Aydin turned around. "The apricots are ripe. Last one to the orchard…"
The rest of Aydin's words were lost in the stampede of feet.
"Will you follow them?" Harun asked. "Or would you rather taste my sword?"
His sword?
No. The sword in his hand. Stupid to think of other long, hard things. Emirhan shook his head, but the thought wouldn't dislodge. He could feel his face heating. Harun took a step closer, his hand out. Emirhan ran.
Shame enough, according to Father, to think such a thing. Worse yet to be caught doing so. He had to fit in here. These people were his only family.
Uncle Ozan waived him inside. "I fear it's time to talk."
The talking stopped at dinner. The details weren't yet hammer out, but Uncle Ozan was more than welcome to manage Father's affairs, like he'd been doing since before Emirhan was born. Emirhan's mind was fuzzy with numbers.
Emirhan had never had a meal with just family before. The food was good and the company better. Aunts and cousins he'd never met welcomed him and Mother into the fold, like they'd never lived anywhere else.
Too bad Harun was escorting the last of Uncle Ozan's visitors back to town.
Mother wore her best dress and Uncle Ozan's older two sons vied for her attentions. Their wives joined in the fun although half of the attributes they applied to their husbands were insults.
She would have no problem finding a new husband within the family. She had always insisted on being an only wife, but marrying into the family would keep her close to Emirhan. He didn't want to lose her so soon after losing Father.
Everyone agreed Emirhan looked just like Mother, but did that mean he looked nothing like the rest of the family?
After dinner Aydin begged Emirhan to come with him. Emirhan just wanted to rest. They'd traveled for weeks to get here. Mother kissed both Emirhan's cheeks and sent him on his way, so he went.
The view of city from the tower's balcony was spectacular. Hundreds of hills, covered in lights. They went out slowly. Aydin started a race to the fountain.
The stars were familiar. The sides of the tower was carved. Was that a shallow stair? Emirhan climbed up to the roof of the tower. It wasn't quite flat, but not too bad to lie on. Lights from the seraglio went out.
He was home. Wherever the stars were, was his home. Cities were too bright, but right here… Maybe he could stay here all night.
Feet on the stairs. Maybe whoever it was wouldn't look up. A small grunt came from not far below the roof. Emirhan sighed. So much for being alone.
The noise stopped, but whoever it was neither spoke nor went away. Emir turned his head.
Harun.
He looked Emirhan over then climbed up and sat an arm length away.
Emirhan shifted so he could watch Harun and the stars at the same time.
Harun met his eyes, looked up, back at Emirhan, then back at the sky. "What do you see?"
Emirhan looked back at the sky.
"Forever." The stars moved as often as Father's caravan, but they were still comfortably familiar. "You?"
Lights went out, brightening the stars.
Harun gazed out beyond the seraglio, maybe beyond the town. "I cannot see that far."
Calls from the women's quarters reminded Emirhan that he had yet to bid Mother goodnight.
Harun followed him down, but was nowhere to be found when Emirhan went to bed. Emirhan stayed up late staring out the window from his bed. Maybe living here among familiar strangers wouldn't be so bad.
The next morning he spent with Uncle Ozan and the afternoon with his younger cousins. At dinner Harun sat with a wife of Emirhan's second oldest cousin and her children. With his sister Harun was easy to laugh. Smiles looked right on his face.
But his frowns were just as handsome.
After dinner Emirhan climbed the tower to the balcony. Harun followed an eternity later. His hair fluttered in the breeze. So handsome.
Emirhan leaned against the tower. His cousins played a game in the courtyard until their mothers called them in to bathe. Harun stood beside him. The gentle breeze filled Emirhan's lungs with his scent. "What do you see tonight?"
Harun slowly grinned. Emirhan's mouth went dry. He licked his lips. Harun's gaze fixed on Emirhan's mouth then he turned toward the seraglio.
The last of the children were captured. Splashing and laughter echoed up from the buildings.
What would make Harun talk? Emirhan pointed across the courtyard. "Do you see home?"
"Ozan is a generous man."
Well, he'd told Emirhan that the land the family farmed and the orchards they ate from and the seraglio they slept in had belonged to Father and now belonged to Emirhan. Uncle Ozan could have pretended that all he controlled was actually his. But that knowledge had only made
Emirhan feel even less like he fit in. "But is this home? Can I learn to feel at home?"
"My sister and her children are here. I was fifteen, my brothers six and twelve. Ozan welcomed us and made us family." With looks like his, Harun would be welcomed everywhere. "You are already family."
But was Emirhan?
"We share blood, that's true, but is that all family is? What about shared experiences? Similar interests?" Uncle Ozan and his older son loved numbers. The younger two wanted to play and have fun. Who here wanted to stand where the snow never melted? Where the mountains met the sky? To watch the land speed by while on the bow of a ship? To travel the rolling desert where the view was the same from the top of each dune?
But did he really want a life like that? Or was it just all he knew?
Harun adjusted the folds of his entari over his belt. "I'm glad you're here."
"Good." Emirhan leaned closer to Harun. "How long before I can make you laugh like your sister does?"
Harun grinned. Emirhan moved his hip against Harun's leg.
"Emirhan," Aydin shouted from the courtyard. "You promised my brother a story."
Emirhan sighed. "Coming."
He should never have promised anyone a single moment after dinner.
Harun had gone to his room by the time Emirhan was free again. Maybe tomorrow.
Only the next morning, Harun was gone. He was off on another mission to town for Uncle Ozan and once he was back the seraglio would have visitors.
Emirhan would just have to stay busy. After breakfast, he held ladders and picked apricots with his younger aunts and cousins then carried the full buckets to where Mother and a few aunts sat in the shade, getting the fruit ready to dry.
His uncles were setting up drying racks on the roof of the women's quarters, so the ladies wouldn't have to wait to finish the work until after Uncle Ozan's visitors left.
He sat a bucket by Mother. She picked an apricot, peeled it, sliced it in half, and dumped the pit into a jar. The halves went into sulfur water. He'd seem the process on his travels, but never been part of it. Mother patted the spot on the bench beside her. "Do you like it here?"
"Do you?" He sat down and peeled an apricot of his own. If she didn't, he'd have to find her a home she could love. But it probably wouldn't have him in it.
Mother smiled. "This seraglio has lots of handsome men in it."
One very handsome man.
"I'm sure you noticed the same thing."
Emirhan stared at the fruit in his hand. His mother always knew how he felt. But could he be himself here?
"Is that true?" Harun's sister looked back at the buildings then at Emirhan. "You like my brother?"
She had three. Emirhan licked his lips. Mother wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't safe to talk about. "Harun."
Harun's sister grabbed his arm. "You must keep him from leaving. What will we do without him? He is another brother to my husband, and other son to his father, but he is restless. You must give him a reason to stay.
The ladies in the orchard came into the shade and peeled fruit while they discussed the problem. Harun was loved by all, but his duties to town only seemed to make him more restless. Ozan's first wife looked Emirhan over. "You will stay with us."
Mother wrapped an arm around Emirhan. "He might have wandering feet like his father."
"Zekery didn't wander until after his beloved Leyla died."
Mother shrugged.
Harun's sister bit her lip. "I'm fine with his traveling, but he has to return. My children must know what he looks like."
Emirhan went back to picking. Father had led the caravan within a day's journey of the seraglio several times, but had never stopped for even a night. Mother said Father too many bad memories. Emirhan hadn't known what Uncle Ozan looked like other than a younger, rounder version of Father until he rode through the gate just days ago.
After lunch, Emirhan helped haul the fruit up to the roof. While they were laying it on the racks, the visitors arrived.
Harun looked handsome on his fine horse. The horse obeyed his every subtle movement. Would he like to race across the rolling hills? Beside Emirhan?
And at night they could share a bedroll to conserve heat.
"Emirhan, get away from the edge." Ozan's first wife gestured Emirhan back towards the racks. "You are taller than the wall."
He obeyed. Nothing more than his hair would show over the scroll work walls, but that would be too much had he been female.
"Forgive him." Harun's sister took Emirhan's arm. "My brother is a great horseman, isn't he?"
She pulled him low as they neared the wall.
Harun rode toward the stable with the horses, leaving several men with Uncle Ozan.
Uncle Ozan welcomed them, then looked up to the roof. "Emirhan, come greet our guests."
Emirhan sighed. He wanted to seek out Harun. Maybe one of these days they could ride to town together. Even brushing other people's horses down, a chore he hadn't liked while traveling, would be a good way of spending more time with Harun.
He stopped by his rooms for a quick change. He wanted to make a good impression without reminding the visitors of their own grit from traveling.
The men nodded to Emirhan as he entered. Harun's just younger brother was serving and offered him a glass of juice. He took a seat on the empty pillow while Uncle Ozan introduced him. These were men who made their money off the items Father had bought, sold, and traded. They wanted Uncle Ozan to send out other family members in Father's place.
No one could take Father's place.
By the way the men spoke, they considered the short jaunt from town to be a long journey.
Emirhan and Mother had traveled ten times that far every day while grieving Father's death. These men had no idea what they were talking about. "West is a bad direction this time of year if you go by land."
"How so," the man with the squint scowled. West was his idea.
Uncle Ozan smiled. "Emirhan has the most experience. West is bad?"
"By the time the caravan arrived in the mountains, the passes will be blocked by snow."
The scowling man shrugged. "Move the snow."
Snow deeper than a man is tall?
"Why are we listening to a boy anyway?" asked a man with a sharp nose. "I could go."
The others turned to him and shouted ideas. They wouldn't get as far as the sea, let alone the mountains. A longer route northwest, by way of the sea, or more profitably, south then west, then north across the straights and into the lands where no one dried fruit and princes would pay gold for figs and nuts. "Uncle Ozan, don't use any of my money in this venture."
Uncle Ozan pressed his lips together.
"We can do without his contribution," said the man in red. "First we'll need…"
He and the others leaned forward and made ridiculous plans.
Ozan refilled Emirhan's glass. "You think they'll fail?"
"I do." He wouldn't sacrifice a single one of Mother's jewels, a horse, or even a tent on this quest of fools.
"What if you went? Would it then succeed?"
"Make him come," said the squinter.
The sharp nosed man scowled from Uncle Ozan to Emirhan. "Why would I need a boy?"
Follow a bunch of men who wouldn't listen to reason? "Uncle Ozan, as it would be your duty to tell Mother how and why I died…"
The man in green leaned back. "So you truly think this will fail."
"If you hire someone experienced—I know a few names—and listen to him, it might succeed. But no one who knows what they are doing will agree to climb mountain passes until the snow is melted and the water has dried up."
"But–"
Emirhan raised a hand. "But there are many ways and directions, even this time of year, that don't involve mountains and snow."
Emirhan didn't get away until dinner. Harun was guarding the stairs to the women's quarters. Emirhan offered him slices of chicken pide from the platter he was taking inside. "How often do these men visit?"
Harun took a slice. "Every month or so."
"Do they ever bring their woman?"
Harun looked Emirhan up and down. "Why would they?"
"Here? For company for our women, their female hosts. Since travelers are trapping women in their quarters or behind veils, they should bring them news and company. If I go traveling again, I'll need a woman with me for company for other men's wives and daughters."
Harun's face lost all expression. "A woman."
"Yes. Why sell to only half of a community? Mother was invited into women's quarters where she made friends and money. Half the pretty trinkets Father sent to Uncle Ozan were gathered by Mother. She has a good eye." What had Emirhan said wrong? "A partner's wife, maybe. Or a cousin. Will the family insist she be married? Do you think?"
Harun didn't even pretend to eat to make the silence less awkward.
"Mother might come with us. Do we have any married cousins who like to travel?"
"Us?"
"Emirhan." Mother peeked out of the curtain. "We can smell dinner from in here."
"Coming, Mother." Emirhan turned back to Harun. "I won't say anything until we've had a chance to talk."
He hurried up the stairs.
"About what, Emir?"
Emirhan turned. No one had called him by that nickname in ages. Mother pulled the curtain aside. "We're starved. When are those men leaving?"
"I don't know, Mother." He followed her inside as she complained about the other women's reluctance to simply throw on a veil and go about their day. If she'd waited for only family to be about, she'd never have gotten anything done. By the time Emirhan escaped with the empty platter, Ozan's second son had taken Harun's place.
Harun wasn't with his brothers or cousins and he wasn't with Uncle Ozan and his guests. Maybe the stables?
But Emirhan didn't get a chance to find out because the visitors wanted him to tell of his experiences. Uncle Ozan finally let him go long after the sun set.
The tower? No, the tower was empty. Harun wasn't in the baths or the stables. Emirhan spent some time with his horse, which had carried him faithfully since he was fifteen. Her coat gleamed and her hooves were clean and she looked thoroughly spoiled, just like she should. Emirhan gave her some extra attention then bid her goodnight.
He really should go to bed. The bed looked unappealing. The room looked unappealing. What did Harun's room look like? Was he laying there right now thinking of Emirhan?
Emirhan made a bedroll out of the carpets and pillows of his bed, then tucked his little jar of grease away in case he had a chance to use it. He hadn't been alone in forever. Since before Father died.
He carried his bedroll up onto the tower and laid it out on the balcony. Back when Father was alive, Emirhan could see his future as clearly as these bright stars. Now everything was dark and murky. Did he want to travel to prove himself to these men? Even if traveling was what he really wanted to do, would he be happy doing it for someone else?
Footsteps on the stairs.
Harun.
So much for time alone. But being with Harun was nice too, even if Emirhan would need alone time even more afterward. "On the islands we come across another group of merchants. One of them talked to me like I was an adult. He asked me to join his group. I never really considered it, but I loved that his smile was for me."
The wind blew Harun's scarf back, exposing more of his neck.
"That evening, around the fire, Levent teased me about it. He asked if I'd found what I was looking for, if not who. I had. I was attracted to men. I'd never marry, never father children. I came to terms with it that night with Mother and a few men I'd known most, or all of, my life."
Emirhan sat up and hugged his knees.
"When Father returned, I shared my new found knowledge with him. He told me to shut up and never mention it again, to lock it away in my heart, and that I would do my duty to my family when the time came. He'd start looking for me a wife."
Harun's hand tightened into a fist. Had anyone said the same thing to him?
"My heart was broken, of course. Mother insisted he was just trying to protect me. That didn't help. Even knowing I'd be free to choose my own path hurt. I wanted to travel with Father and Mother forever."
Harun wore that distant look again.
"The next morning, Levent and Kuzey went to Father. Levent was Mother's unofficial brother, taking care of her needs. Kuzey was like my older brother. He kept track of me while Father worked. Levent and Kuzey said that in all the time they'd traveled with Father, they'd had no idea how he really felt about them. But now they knew. They hugged me and Mother, and rode away."
Emirhan pulled at his cuffs of his entari. "They were like me. Someday, I too might have to leave the place I call home and the people I call family."
"Not this family." But he wasn't looking into the courtyard of the buildings. His eyes searched the distance for something Emirhan would never see. "Ozan took his latest wife after she couldn't bear to be parted from Aydin's mother. A son will be born for her, so she need never feel a man's touch. Ozan is generous."
But generosity did not mean family. If Harun felt at home, he would see things giving to him as the right of family.
"On your next journey to town, could you see if Levent and Kuzey still live there? Mother would be very happy to see them again."
"Is that what you were going to ask me?"
Emirhan patted the bedroll. "Have you ever seen the sea?"
Harun sat down against the tower wall, but at least he was sitting. "Once, when I was young, my father took me up a tall hill. He said the far off shimmer was the sea."
That was more than Harun normally said. Maybe he was in a talkative mood. "What else did you see? Up on that hill?"
Harun balled his hands into fists where they rested on his knees.
Emirhan scooted over to the wall beside him. "Do you want to see, to touch and taste and smell? Wiggle your toes in the sand as warm saltwater laps at your legs? Hear the birds squawk as they fight over fish? Smell the water, the sand, the air? Taste fish, fresh from the sea? Cuddle next to someone warm as the wind howls through your tent?"
Harun rubbed the silk of Emirhan's salvar leg between his fingers. "Someone warm?"
Emirhan leaned against him. Once Harun saw all the other handsome men in the world, he'd probably break Emirhan's heart. But for now…
Emirhan took Harun's hand. "Would you like to experience the sea? With me?"
Harun tucked his fingers between Emirhan's.
"If Levent and Kuzey are available, we could get there before the winter storms."
Harun's hand tightened.
"Maybe go on a boat around the bay? See if you get sea sick. Father didn't take us to the islands very often, but they are beautiful and the merchants going north will pay well for dried fruit and nuts that don't grow in the cold. We could even take a river to the frozen north. I was born up there in a long house. Mother had just Levent and a midwife who didn't speak our language. Father wouldn't have taken her there if he'd known sooner I was coming, but he just had to show his pretty new wife the world. I think I know how he felt."
Harun traced Emirhan's palm. Was that a yes? Had Emirhan even asked the question?
"Will you? Come with me?" Emirhan got on his knees in front of Harun. "We can see the world together then come home with stories and gifts and things to sell. Although I'm not yet a man, if we get Levent and Kuzey to guide us, we can go places and come home with full pockets, enough to keep our family living as well as Father did."
Harun tugged gently on Emirhan's hand. "You are a man."
Emirhan slid his knees between Harun's legs. Harun's stopped pulling but didn't let go. Emirhan leaned closer. Harun met him halfway.
Footsteps on the stairs.
Harun pulled back. Emirhan leaned closer. He wasn't losing this kiss for anything.
The peck was quick and Emirhan was seated again by the time little Isa's head poked through the floor.
Isa looked at Emirhan, then at Harun. "You found him."
Harun nodded.
"You didn't come back." Isa frowned.
Emirhan got to his knees. "Tell Mother Harun needs practice sleeping outside."
Harun looked away.
Isa bit his lip. None of this was his fault. It was all Mother's fault. Emirhan wasn't a child who could get lost within a guarded gate. Had she sent someone to check his bed? Was that why Harun had come? Not to see Emirhan on his own, but because Emirhan hadn't been where Mother expected him? So much for Harun thinking of his as a man. "If I talk to her, will you go back to bed?"
Isa nodded.
"All right." Emirhan hurried down the steps and across the courtyard to the women's quarters. He stopped under the window. A lamp was lit inside. Ozan's third son looked out from the doorway. Emirhan cleared his throat. "Mother."
A dark shape came up to the window. "Yes, my dove."
"How am I supposed to seduce Harun properly if you interrupt every time we're alone?"
Ozan's son shot a grin behind Emirhan—at Harun—who looked away. Little Isa frowned. Maybe Emirhan should just have gone up and talked to her alone.
But he wasn't ashamed of wanting to lay his hands on Harun. At least not if his family wasn't ashamed of him. He'd know tomorrow. Ozan's third son didn't look like he could keep a secret.
But the Emirhan hadn't wanted this to be a secret. Still he should have talked to Harun first.
"Every time, my beloved son?"
"No, you are right like always, Mother mine. Once was Uncle Ozan and once Isa."
Isa ducked his head.
"Only all the rest were you."
Mother laughed.
Shapes appeared by the men's rooms. Was no one sleeping tonight?
"You have seen that I live and breathe, may I now return to my former occupation?"
Mother laughed again. The watching men stirred. Emirhan was not marrying Mother off to any of those men no matter what they offered. He was going to keep her in the family if he could.
"Yes, my beloved son. Goodnight." The lamp went out, darkening the window.
Emirhan turned to Isa. "Now go to bed."
"You'll go to bed too?"
"I was in bed, or nearly so. I brought my bed with me." Emirhan pointed to the tower. "Now off with you."
He waited until he heard Isa's footsteps on the stairs to the women's quarters, then stepped toward the tower. Harun wasn't following. Emirhan turned. "You're coming?"
Harun turned away. They still had an unwanted audience. Couldn't those men just go back to bed?
"Harun, please. Just for a few minutes."
Harun nodded once, but didn't look at Emirhan.
"I'm sorry." Emirhan hoped the words didn't get as far as those annoying men, now talking among themselves.
"You have no reason to be." Harun walked to the bottom of the stairs. Emirhan looked him over before going up. Something was wrong. Probably what Emirhan had done.
He sat back against the tower. Semi privacy at last. Harun stared down the stairs with his hand on some boards pegged together. "This door can be closed and latched."
They should have done that earlier. "Only if this is where you want to be."
Harun closed the door, but he didn't hook the latches over the bolts in the floor. He wasn't staying long. But at least Emirhan had his grease. He'd need it after coming so close to touching Harun.
Harun sat by Emirhan and stared into the distance.
Emirhan took his hand. "Is this where you want to be?"
"Here, with you, not sleeping?"
Emirhan liked the sound of that. Only by the look on his face Harun wasn't thinking of pleasure. "We could practice for our trip to the sea. You'll come to the sea with me?"
"Why me? Picked for seduction? as a fellow traveler? what else?"
"As a life companion. And why not you? You are strong and handsome and your smile makes my knees weak."
"But how can you know? So soon? That I'm not just an afternoon man?"
Harun was a forever man. "I've travel led my entire life. A week here, a month there, or even a day. A few hours. When wares are shown, decisions must be made in a heartbeat. This jewel, that bracelet, these spices, those fruit. A good deal will be gone the moment you turn your back."
He put his hand on Harun's knee. "I wanted you before you first spoke, before you noticed me, before I knew it was safe to do so. You are the treasure I would sell my fortune to acquire. But all I did was come home and there you were."
"You offer so much." Harun rubbed his face. "But I will want more."
"What have I not offered?" Emirhan got on his knees and tugged on Harun's wrists. "My home is yours, my tent, all my adventures. Let us spend our days close and our nights closer."
"You will not tire of me? In a month or a week? Tomorrow?"
Harun's pain stabbed him though the heart. Whichever man or men had hurt Harun so did not deserve to walk the earth. "You are not an afternoon tryst or a week's dalliance. Nor a secret I hide in my heart. Mother knows. And you sister. All the women do and any boy picking fruit with us. If Uncle Ozan doesn't know, he will by morning. I will ask for your hand if I must, but you are old enough to make the decision on your own."
"Is that what you want? My heart's desire in exchange for giving myself to you?"
Emirhan slid his arms onto Harun's shoulders. "If you aren't comfortable with that," he leaned forward until his lips were a breath away from Harun's, "we can start by me giving myself to you."
"I will want more than a kiss."
"As will I."
Harun's mouth was warm and firm and his hands were paradise. They didn't remember the latches on the door until late in the proceedings, but they weren't interrupted. Emirhan's alone time grease came in handy and Harun's warm body was nice to fall asleep against.
Bird chattered and a horse whinnied. Emirhan shifted. Cold morning air invaded the bedroll. Emirhan pulled up the covers and snuggled against Harun. He was so warm and hard.
The rhythm of Harun's breath changed. Emirhan ran a hand up Harun's thigh. "Morning."
Harun sat up. Yummy.
He leaned down and kissed Emirhan. "I check on the horses first thing."
Traveling wouldn't be hard for him if he was already used to the chores.
"I'll help." Emirhan gathered his clothes and dressed quickly. His clothes were cooler than the air. The stable was warm and his horse wanted attention. Emirhan grinned at Harun's handsome backside. "You've taken good care of Cemile. Because she was mine?"
Harun turned to him and blushed. He looked at Cemile. "She's a good beast."
She was.
Isa hopped out into the courtyard. "Mother needs her breakfast."
"Maybe it's you that needs yours." Uncle Ozan's second son scooped the boy up and carted him to the kitchen. "Father can probably hear your belly from there."
Isa laughed. A few visitors milled around. They should leave the seraglio to the family. Maybe next time Uncle Ozan could visit one of them. Mother had worn her veil long enough.
Emirhan washed up and helped Ozan's oldest son in the kitchen. Isa was filling a tray with figs and nuts. Aydin rubbed his eyes between putting tomatoes, cheese, and green peppers between layers of egg his cousin was frying for the kaygana. His second oldest brother removed a bit of feta from Aydin's nose. "What kept you up?"
Aydin yawned. "I was waiting to see if Emirhan would come to bed."
Everyone looked at Emirhan. He shrugged. "I made a bed in the tower. What? None of you camped out before? The stars are beautiful."
"Something else is beautiful." Ozan's third son winked.
"Why was Harun there?" Aydin yawned again.
"Emirhan was seducing him." Isa put a flower at the center the tray he was working on. He looked up, his eyes wide. "That's what he said. What's seduce?"
The men laughed. Isa pouted. Emirhan patted his shoulder. "Harun is now my very special friend. We're taking a trip to the sea in a few weeks. When you grow up, would you like to come with us?"
Isa bit his lip. "That's far, far away."
Emirhan shook his head. "The frozen north is far, far away. The ocean beyond the sea is pretty far away too. The jungle is a long journey from here. The land of silk is even further. Do you think our mothers are waiting for breakfast?"
Isa nodded. Emirhan picked up a tray, but had to hand if off when one of the cousins said Uncle Ozan wanted to talk to him. He waited until another tray of kaygana and sausages was finished and carried it into Uncle Ozan's study. A few of his visitors were already there. They had somehow heard of his idea for a trip. If they'd been hanging around outside the kitchens, they could have lent a hand.
His uncle looked at him, the visitors, and then back at him. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of anyone not family. He turned the talk to his journey. He explained what and who he needed. At least one man recognized each name. All had heard of Levent.
"When Harun returns you to your homes, we will visit him."
"We can go with you," said the man in green.
No. "Levent is an uncle to me, my mother's dear brother."
"Then–"
"If I go as his beloved nephew, he may bring up a journey on his own."
"But–"
The man in red waved his hand. "Levent is notorious for his stubbornness. If he thinks we are using his connection with Emirhan, he will never agree to work for us."
Levent wouldn't be working for them any more than Father had been.
"But what if he refuses anyway?"
Emirhan sat through the rest of the conversation then used the empty tray as a reason to escape. Harun was in the kitchen. Emirhan grabbed a piece of baklava and rested his free hand on Harun's shoulder. Harun squeezed Emirhan's fingers.
Uncle Ozan entered, frowning. "They are not forcing you, are they?"
"I'm not doing anything I don't want." He slid his hand down Harun's chest.
"I don't want you to feel you have to…"
"I am not used to staying anywhere for more than a few weeks. And Harun hasn't yet seen the world."
Harun grinned.
"But…"
"Thank you, uncle, for bringing Harun into our family, so that I could meet him when I was ready."
"As long as," Uncle Ozan sighed. "I don't want you to feel pushed away. We survive without the extra money. And you are welcome here. As are you Harun."
"I know." Harun stood up.
He was so handsome. He touched Emirhan's cheek then went off to do whatever he did all day.
Emirhan sighed. "I miss Father, but I'm glad to be home."
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