The Harem Master (45 page)

It didn't take sunlight to see Kitt was washing away blood—a lot of it. His smile was sickly as he greeted them, like over-brewed tea with too much sugar. He looked at Sabah, then Demir, and the smile eased to something more genuine, though the lines of tension in his body were far from gone. "Sorry we took so long."

"Be quiet, you ridiculous heathen," Sabah replied, striding up to him, grabbing the rag and tossing it away before plastering himself against Kitt and kissing him hard. Kitt made a broken sound and held him tightly, returned the kiss feverishly.

Demir watched them for a moment, emotions a tangled mess, and then looked at Ihsan. "I do not understand why Rittu does such a thing."

"Every country has its dirty secrets, things we do to keep the peace and fund our clean facades," Ihsan said. "Havarin's greatest currency is people. Rittu has its Shadows. Tavamara is wealthy because we do not question too closely everything that goes on in our market." He shrugged. "None of us is any better than Havarin; we're just smart enough to be more discreet about it."

Demir said nothing, mostly because Ihsan wouldn't believe anything he said. Instead, he turned his attention back to Kitt, who was walking over to them hand-in-hand with Sabah. "Thank you for the rescue, Lord Kitt."

"Rescue," Kitt scoffed. "From what Sabah tells me we were not even needed. Disgraceful. We should all be punished."

"Like there's a single punishment you cannot turn into some lewd game," Haluk retorted.

Ihsan groaned. "I'm too tired even to listen to this. Let us go home, and you can discuss punishing each other later.
Go.
" He pushed them toward the horses waiting in the street, but reached out and reeled Kitt back in. Cupping his face, Ihsan said, "No more killing. I will not fail to keep that promise again. You're officially retired."

Kitt managed a weak smile and reached up to cover Ihsan's hands. "Yes, my prince. I want a retirement present, however. It's tradition in Rittu to give generous gifts to those who live to retirement, and in my area of expertise we rarely do."

"Whatever you want, Kitt, you know that," Ihsan said quietly.

Dropping his hands, Kitt fisted them in the sides of Ihsan's jacket and leaned in to kiss him hard, said something that Demir could not catch. Demir looked away, suddenly feeling like an intruder, and mounted the horse that a guard offered to him. "Thank you."

"My honor to serve, Harem Master," the guard said with a deep bow, then faded off to join his fellows in the house. Demir looked at Sabah and Haluk, who were close together on their own horses, speaking quietly.

The recent kisses had long since faded, but Demir could feel them all the same, like skin burned after far too many hours in the sun. It was long past time he returned to the shade.

He could feel eyes on him as conversation fell off, watched as Kitt and Ihsan mounted up, but remained silent as they all finally headed out. All he wanted was rest, and then maybe food. Then he had abandoned concubines to take care of and a harem hall to close down once and for all.

After that…

His eyes flicked briefly to Ihsan, riding at the head of their group, Haluk at his side, guards all around them.

After that, it was all up to Ihsan.

Ihsan dismissed the last of the merchants then lifted a hand to call for a break. The guards motioned people out of the courtroom to wait in the hall, the doors closing behind them with an echoing bang. "Merciful Divine, is it time to go to bed yet?"

Kitt chuckled from where he sat on a cushion immediately to the right of Ihsan's chair. "You've only been in court three hours, my beloved king. You've got a long way to go."

"I was afraid of that," Ihsan said with a smile. "How long do you think the merchants are going to hate me?"

"I'm sure they'll be more forgiving once they realize you're lifting some of the bans your grandfather put in place," Sabah said from Ihsan's left. He lifted up on his knees, leaning over the low-set chair to offer up a dish of sweet, pale orange wine. "Honestly, Ihsan, I think they're impressed with you at the end of it all. Paying fines is a part of life for merchants; it's often cheaper for them to do what they want and pay the fines than find means by which to dodge the law. You're hard but fair. That's entirely different from your father and grandfather, who tended toward unreasonable."

"Tended toward, that's one way to put it, I suppose," Ihsan muttered, rolling his eyes. He took a sip of wine, then another. "Thank you." He leaned down and stole a brief kiss. Traced the lines of Sabah's face. The bruises had finally faded, but Ihsan remembered them acutely.

Sabah kissed him again before drawing back. "Stop fretting. It's over. The only thing you need to worry about right now is how out of hand the knife throwing contest is going to get at your wife's banquet in two weeks."

The reminder pulled a grin to Ihsan's face. "There's a lewd joke to be made in there somewhere, but I'm not foolish enough to make it while Euren is in the palace."

Kitt snickered and offered up a bite of food. "I'm sure she's making it herself, anyway."

"Mm," Ihsan agreed and kissed Kitt's fingers. "If only to keep her new council on their toes." Though they had worked together to approve all the people who tentatively formed the new council, assuming they passed the trial period, Euren so far had been the one to spend the most time with them. Cenk was rarely far from her side. The two were already becoming the most feared pair in the palace.

Ihsan, in the meantime, had taken over most of the court duties. Which suited him just fine. He was more than happy to listen to people and sort out their various problems. Even if he did hate it, anything was better than sitting and arguing with the council all day. "I suppose we should—" He broke off as a knock came at the door. A moment later it swung open, admitting Altan, Emre, and Ruth. That was odd. Why was Ruth with Emre and Altan?

Abandoning his seat, Ihsan climbed down the steps of the dais and met them halfway, embracing Altan tightly. "I assume from your dress that you are departing soon? I am sad to see you go, though I am eternally grateful you are taking up this duty. Merciful Divine willing, Havarin will have the sense not to argue with you. I hope your new wife will forgive me sending you away so soon after you've returned."

Grinning, Altan replied, "If Havarin had any sense, I would not have to escort bodies and prisoners and plan to take Havarin to task. As to Irmak, I think she will enjoy the peace and quiet. You will take care of her for me."

"I'm insulted you must ask," Ihsan replied. "Do not fear for her welfare, she'll be treated as the princess she's become. Have a care for yourself, and come home alive."

"I will," Altan replied. "And I plan to bring our sister home with me, so you may not see us for a long time."

Ihsan hugged him again. "I'll wait as long as it takes to see us all finally a happy family."

Pulling back, Altan clapped him on the arms. "So it shall be. I would apologize for stealing your Cobra friend here, but I'm not actually sorry at all."

"It's a good thing I wasn't expecting that apology, then," Ihsan replied. He beckoned Emre in and hugged him as tightly as he had Altan. "I will miss you as well, my brother of the sands. Lady guard your journey. I'll see to it your comrades make it home safely and your father informed of what's become of you and Meltem."

Emre nodded. "Thank you. Lady protect you all and shower you with her favor. Mind, body, soul, in all find harmony."

"Mind, body, soul," Ihsan repeated softly. Emre stepped back, and Ihsan turned his attention to Ruth. "Are you joining Altan's party, then, Lieutenant?"

Ruth nodded. "Yes, Majesty. With the harem hall closing, the harem guard is no longer needed. We are all being reassigned. Captain Fatih said Prince Altan's party required a bodyguard, and Lord Demir was gracious enough to recommend me for the position."

"Lord Demir would not have done so if he did not think you absolutely deserving of the post. I have every faith you will keep my brother safe. Thank you for taking up the task, Lieutenant."

Ruth bowed. "I am honored by your faith, Your Majesty, and will do all in my power to prove worthy."

Altan rested a hand on Ruth's shoulder, smiled at him briefly before turning back to Ihsan. "Speaking of Lord Demir, where is he? I wanted to thank him myself for recommending Ruth and say farewell, but he has been a hard man to pin down today, I vow."

"He asked for permission to go into the city to check on those concubines he returned to their families or recommended to various Houses last week," Ihsan replied. "I don't know when he'll be back."

"That is a shame." He gave Ihsan a quick, mischievous grin. "You'll just have to thank him for me."

Ihsan gave him a light shove. "Get to your ship already. Where is Lady Irmak, did she not want to make certain you got on the ship and out of her hair?"

Altan laughed. "She is waiting for me in the courtyard, fussing over the luggage." He shifted his gaze to Kitt and Sabah. "Take care of him for me."

"We will, Highness," Sabah said quietly. "Always."

"Good." Altan and Emre embraced Ihsan one last time, and then the trio departed, leaving them alone in the court room once more.

Ihsan sighed and returned to his seat. "Tell the guards court will resume." He needed the distraction, or he would spend the rest of the day fretting about Altan's journey and eventual confrontation with Havarin.

Or he would dwell on Demir, whom he'd barely seen since they'd returned to the palace after rescuing Demir and Sabah two weeks ago. There'd been little chance to see him, between their various duties and the general chaos of a palace slowly recovering from betrayal, violence, and death.

But the chaos had settled in the last couple of days, and Ihsan had still caught little more than a glance. Their longest conversation had been Demir's asking permission to go into the city, and he'd done so while the court was packed and busy and there was no time for Ihsan to do anything but say yes.

"Stop fretting," Sabah said. "I know what you're worrying about, and I'm telling you, as I have already told you a hundred times: you worry for nothing." He settled on his cushion and poured wine into a dish, offering it up for Ihsan to drink as the doors opened and people filed back in. "He'll come," Sabah said, so softly the words were barely audible before withdrawing to settle on his cushion.

Ihsan wasn't sure he believed that, but he still hoped. Lifting a hand, he signaled the guard at the foot of the dais that he was ready to begin. The guard bowed, then turned and consulted the papers he held secured to a small board. "Number one hundred and six."

A small man, a farmer by the look of him, slowly separated from the crowd and approached the throne. Pushing aside personal worries, Ihsan smiled in greeting and bid the man state his problem. He fell into the rhythm of holding court, working steadily through the people waiting their turn until the bells rang to signal the closing hour.

Those few people remaining were given new numbers so they'd be attended first in the morning, then slowly were escorted out, either to the cart waiting to take them back to the city, or to rooms in the palace allotted to those who could not afford to go elsewhere.

Ihsan scrubbed at his face, then stood and stretched, his groans filling the room. "I want a bath and then I may just indulge in a nap." He rubbed his eyes then looked at Kitt and Sabah. "Shall we?"

They nodded, Kitt leading the way, Sabah falling into step beside Ihsan and tangling their fingers together. "Do you think Haluk is free yet?"

"If the council is still trying to keep Euren overlong, they're never going to live past their trial period." Since the council sessions had resumed, Ihsan had sent one of his men, rotated daily, to attend Euren during the sessions as a quiet, not-so-subtle reminder that everything she did had his support. There would be no playing queen against king or other such games.

He'd had all he could take of games, and while they would always be a necessary evil, he and Euren had every intention of keeping them to a minimum. "Do you suppose my beloved wife will kill me if I do not go to dinner tonight?"

"She was the one who said you looked exhausted at breakfast this morning," Kitt said, looking over his shoulder briefly, still talking as he turned to go down the hall that led to the royal suite Ihsan had finally moved into. "I'll tell the guards to send…"

Ihsan started to ask why he'd stopped, but the words slipped away as he saw the answer for himself. Demir, kneeling in front of his door, as though he had been there for some time patiently awaiting Ihsan's arrival. When he'd seen Demir earlier in the day, he'd already been dressed for the city, wrapped up in maroon and dark gold, beautiful but somehow untouchable. For a brief moment, Ihsan had been terrified Demir was running away. Not that Ihsan would have blamed him.

Demir was once again dressed in his harem finery, the pants and skirt shimmery and faintly, teasingly translucent. His eyes were lined with fine bands of black and red, flowing into tiny swirls at the sides of his face. A large, heavy gold choker set with rubies wrapped around his throat, connected by a chain to a belt of rubies around his waist. There were ruby and diamond bracelets at his wrists, ruby orchids hanging from his ears, gold hoops in his nipples. His hair was loosely bound, the tail falling over one shoulder, secured at intervals with ruby-studded gold bands.

He looked far too precious and important to be wasted on a new king still earning the trust of his kingdom—a king most people couldn't stand to look at very long, who still was recovering from the war that nearly killed him.

"Lord Demir," Ihsan greeted softly, fingers twitching with the urge to touch. "Join us, please."

Demir did not reply, save to rise smoothly and follow them into Ihsan's chambers.

Ihsan crossed the room to the sitting area and kicked off his slippers before sitting on his favorite cushion, Sabah beside him, Kitt close by. "How was your trip into the city?"

Demir knelt in front of them and bowed again. Sitting up, he said, "Well, Majesty. Thank you. I came to say that with this, my duties are concluded barring any further requests Your Majesty may have. Upon your word, the harem is officially closed."