FIC: The Desert Prince 1

[lobelia321]

Title: The Desert Prince: A Fable
Part: 1 (Back to Prologue.)
Author: Lobelia; lobelia321@yahoo.com
Other info: See Prologue.

~~~~~

Fascicle the First

We rode into the citadel early in the evening, just at the hour of sunset. So it was not until the following day that I first beheld the Desert Prince, my doom, my destiny.

I was on my mule, and next to me rode my beloved companion, my Sean ben Bean. We rode through the gates of the citadel, with our bundles of cloth piled high on our mules and our merchants' cloaks stiff with dust. As we passed under the lofty gate and obtained passes from the guards, I glanced over at my friend and was filled with love for him. There had not been a moment of my life in which I had not known him. For I am an orphan and Sean ben Bean brought me up as his brother.

But we were more than brothers. So much more.

The last rays of sun were painting the towers of the fortress gold as we rode through the gate and the lanes of the citadel. All behind us was the empty blue expanse of the dusky desert, and before us the unknown splendour of the Prince's castle. I did not know what would await within. I was young, my heart was quick in my throat, and I gazed around me in wonder.

We dismounted. We gave up our mules to stable boys to water and unburden. We were shown to our lodgings, and they were more magnificent than any rooms I had ever stayed in. Kelims adorned the smooth clay walls, soft rugs lay scattered about the floor, and where there weren't rugs, there were cool azure-patterned tiles.

I looked at my beloved friend, my Sean ben Bean, and smiled. And he looked at me and clasped my hand to his bosom. But his brow was clouded and there was a darkness in his clear green eyes.

"What troubles you, my beloved friend?" I asked him.

"It is this castle, Orlando," he answered. "We shall sell many boles of cloth here. The Master of this place is rich beyond imagining, and he loves pomp and finery. But he is also cruel beyond imagining, and I am afraid for you, my dearest heart."

"Do not be afraid. I have you to look out for me, and no one will take much note of a lowly apprentice like myself."

"You speak sense. Still, I am afraid. There is some evil afoot in this place. I do not care for myself; you know I do not and that I care only for you. But I am afraid that my protection may not be enough here."

I smiled at that because my beloved friend was too modest. For had I not seen him slay a lion with one blow of his dagger and drive away a whole band of brigands with nothing but a whip and a club?

Sean leaned towards me and said in a low voice, looking about him although the chambers were quite empty, "I must warn you about something. Tomorrow we must pay our respects to the Desert Duke who rules this castle and all the lands round about. We must pay obeisance to the lord of this realm, and we must pay obeisance to his son, the Desert Prince. But listen, Orlando my heart, and listen carefully. Whatever you do tomorrow, you must not look into the Master's eyes. Do not meet his eyes! Will you promise me this?"

Because Sean was my guardian and friend and more-than-brother whom I trusted with my life and my love, I smiled at him and squeezed his arm.

But I did not say 'yes'. Note well that I did not say 'yes'. Note well and tremble but also remember that I was young and innocent. I did not know the perils that lurked within this fortress. I did not suspect that I would meet my doom and my destiny within these walls.

But know also this: I had a reason for not saying 'yes'. Because, much as I trusted and revered my beloved friend and guardian, there was one thing that I had never revealed to him.

It was my deepest secret and I kept it locked within my heart. And soon it was to save my life and slay my love.

TBC
------------

Comments

[freyafloyd.livejournal.com]

I have high hopes of this being a genuinely pornographic bit of fic. I just have high, high hopes. Desert harems are my favourite genre of slash.

Perhaps I'm just reactionary, but Lotrips is too much of a modern fandom. It is good to see someone returning to a more conservative, traditional slash story.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Your icon says 'Orli' but is that Jude lying on that bed?? *stares at Jude's sticky-uppy hair* (if it *is* Jude) Or have my Orli-recognition-antennae gone bung?

Anyway, thank you most kindly for these remarks. They are heartening. In fact, FOTA was heartening because it showed me that you can go ahead and start posting a long thing with no worries about regular-as-clockwork installments or when the hell it will be finished. It can just take its own sweet time.

Gads, and desert harems are favourite genre? Hang on, this must be because of Star Wars desert planet connection...??? I won't ask you to link any until I'm way into this one, I dont' want to be confused by harem fanon. I've only ever read one other one and that was so shite it didn't confuse me.

But what's a more traditional, conservative slash story? omg, worlds I know nought of. To me, *this* is the departure. Heh. The one thing I like about non-modern is that it allows me to go for more florid prose, as in Lotr fps or when I do Viggo first-person pov.

[freyafloyd.livejournal.com]

It is Jude. It is Jude's Orli, from RPG, but as Orli is currently ignoring Jude, I'm using the icon here, because otherwise Jude will feel lonely and unloved.

Anyway...

Don't listen to what I say about slash genres! I don't really know. I'm just making it up. I do think though, that this is a proper pornographic scenario. I have read harem slash fics before, both in and out of deserts. It is a classic traditional AU. Far preferable to all this eating disorder wrist cutting carry on IMO.

I really am very happy. I am telling Lazulus that I almost died of slash boredom, and was forced to read books about real gay men, but now you have saved me! Saved me!

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Get away. *flaps hand in embarrassment*

Here, have some hobbits.

[lazulus]

Oh! A secret! Exactly what one should have in a story like this!

In the words of freyafloyd (said in AIM just a few moments ago), "I am almost hysterical with over excitement."

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I want to know this. On the one hand, I quake with fears of too-high hopes. On the other hand, I feel fortified.

I'll just gird my loins and forge on. Thank you for liking it! It's a new thing for me.

[lazulus]

Can I watch you gird your loins on weds? I'll be quiet, I promise. *twitch*

Actually...

[freyafloyd.livejournal.com]

I am almost hysterical with over excitement.

I really shouldn't ask, but..

Can you put Hugh in, even if it is only for one line? I always have him and Orli as a harem pair. I know you can't pair them, but can't you just mention Hugh?

Re: Actually...

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

You're such a lunatic! I'm one page into this fable and already I'm taking orders for boys!

Hahhah!

I am a bit of a canon purist on this one so I may not be able to accommodate a cross-over Hugh. Unless he appears as an extra in RotK.

Re: Actually...

[lazulus]

Oh, go on Lobelia!! She'll only whine on about it if you don't! You can just give him a quick guest appearance as a camel driver or something.

[bunnysquee.livejournal.com]

You can just give him a quick guest appearance as a camel driver or something.

*crying with laughter*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I was thinking more along the lines of pantoufle salesman.

[shaenie.livejournal.com]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh

wantwantwantwantwantwantwantwantwantwantwantwantwant

lustlustlustlustlustlustlustlustlustlustlustlustlust

(beautiful, gorgeous language, btw)

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

As you may have noticed, this is not the fic I'm dedicating to you, either. No fear, however, there's another one in the wings for you. (Am on fic overdrive here.)

Thanks for going ooooooooo! As I said to natasha1805, this fic got very little response when I posted it last year which left me quite discouraged. So all of this fb is water on my writing mill! Thanks for liking the language, too. I thought maybe it was a bit too self-indulgent, all that florid prose, but I like writing it. It gives the whole thing a scaffold.

[cupiscent.livejournal.com]

*giggles a lot more*

I'm feeling faint with the melodrama. Quick, bring my smelling salts! This is fabulous!

*wallows in it*

(Narrator!Orli is simply superb. Oh! more, more!)

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

*adores you*

Thanks for liking narrator!Orli. I hadn't thought of him in that way but, of course, he is.

[childeproof.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! Sort of Angela-Carter-does-Lawrence-of-Arabia. And in FASCICLES. I am sexually excited by this fact alone.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

Ah yes, the perversity of the fascicle.

Thanks so much for reading and liking.