The rose of a desert. Volume 3. "Book of Flame" Chapter 6

Three days later, they again gathered in Arshad's office. From the faces of Gifar and Maksud, Arshad understood that they had learned news bordering on the truth about the creation of the world, no less.

Arshad even got scared to ask them what had happened. Gifar spoke himself.

"I've found out who he is."

"And who?" Arshad said in a frightened voice, looking at one, then at the other.

Gifar paused theatrical and said:

"He is Russian!"

There was silence. Maksud and Gifar already knew about this news and were now waiting for Arshad's reaction to it. Arshad was ready to hear anything, including a Lao or Vietnamese, but to find out that he was Russian ...

The first few minutes he stared at them blankly, then he just stared in front of him.

Then he laughed.

"Well, of course, how could I not have guessed at once by the amount of alcohol he had drunk! Only Russians can drink so much!" Arshad again laughed to tears in his eyes, remembering Kai, as he lay unconscious with a bottle of brandy in his hand.

Gifar pointed to the tablet.

"Here are some of his photographs."

Arshad took the tablet and sat down at the table, behind him stood Maksud and Gifar. Arshad ran his finger across the monitor. The screen came to life, and from it, Kai in military uniform was looking at Arshad. It was a standard photo from a personal file, ordinary, official, scrolling further, Arshad saw Kai sitting on an armored personnel carrier, with a submachine gun in his lap and with a scarf around his neck. Apparently, the photographer accidentally photographed him, since the main object of the photo was the passage of a convoy of armored personnel carriers. Turning a little more, Arshad saw Kai walking along the parade ground, in full dress, with orders on his chest. Again it was clear that they did not take a photo of him, he just got into the frame. Arshad brought the photo closer, the medals became more visible. And a few more shots, again random ones, where he got into the frame.

"Is it all?" Arshad raised his eyes to Gifar.

"Yes, it is. You don't know the main thing. He not only serves in the army, but he also works for special services, so all information about him is classified and there is nothing. Here are just these random shots. He is not a private, he is an officer. That's all I could find out about him.

Arshad automatically flipped through Kai's photos on the tablet monitor.

"But why! Why, of all nations, he turned out to be exactly Russian," finally exclaimed Arshad. " I do not understand them at all. This is a dark forest! They don't understand themselves. If he had been someone else, he would have jumped into my bed," Arshad flipped through the photos again. "Now I don't even have a chance."

"There are always chances, you said he liked it ..."

"Yes, he liked it, and then he lost his attraction. That's all because he is Russian. They are all like that. I do not understand them. I do not understand him!"

"Arshad, have you tried to talk to him about this?" Maksud smiled mysteriously again. "Of course, you are used to not talking with those you like, but here is another case. If this person is really important to you, talk to him frankly about your relationship."

Arshad got up from his chair and went to the window.

"Okay, you're right. I want to talk to him. By the way, what's his name?"

"Kai."

"How? Kai ... But this is not quite a Russian name."

"He was born in Moscow; his parents are Russian. He is Russian."

"That's what I'm talking about, that I don't understand them, Russians. I don't understand at all!" Arshad turned to Maksud. "Bring him to the garden today, when I smoke a hookah."

***

Kai lived a strangely calm life these days. He did not want to think about what had happened and did not want to think about what would be. He made the decision to just wait.

When Maksud said that Arshad was waiting for him in the garden, Kai knew that the waiting time had come to an end. He understood that he would find out his further destiny. It didn't scare him. It was much scarier to live in obscurity. The realization that now everything would be clarified filled him with inner joy and tranquility.

He walked through the beautiful fairy garden to the pavilion. Peacocks, smoothly shaking their magic tails, parted in front of him. The rose bushes were fragrant. Palm trees gave shade with their quaint crowns, and numerous fountains and ponds filled the air with freshness.

Arshad, as always, was reclining in the arbor and puffing on a hookah. He immediately noticed Kai and kept his eyes on him as he walked.

"Sit down, why are you standing?" Arshad pointed to the sofa opposite him.

Kai walked over to him and sat down.

"Hello, Kai."

Kai raised his eyes to Arshad. They looked at each other for a long time, Kai was the first to speak.

"You have found out everything about me."

"I've learned exactly as much as you can learn about a person working for the special services. Therefore, I want to know more about you. Are you really Russian?"

"Yes."

"And your name?"

"So my father decided."

"Why did you become a military man, why did you go to war?"

Kai shrugged vaguely. Arshad continued:

"Don't lie to me that you like it. I saw your face when you looked at the dead bird. I saw your eyes. Why are you in this war?"

"Becoming a military man is my father's choice. Everyone in our family was military."

"You are an obedient son. It's good. Or am I wrong?"

"Arshad, why do you need it? What do you want to know?"

Arshad took a drag on the hookah.

"I want to understand you. Our relationship. Perhaps I was wrong. I was in a hurry. But you ... I don't understand you ... why you don't want ... you don't want anything," Arshad tried to find the answer on Kai's face. "Just don't say that you were scared, I know that you stayed on the plane, allowing jumping off it to everyone. Did they know your parachute was torn?"

"Not."

"Did you know?"

"I knew."

"Why did you do it for them? Was there someone important to you?"

"Not. But this is what is usually done ..."

"Russians," Arshad interrupted him, "that's what I told Maksud that I was not lucky that you turned out to be Russian."

"If I were not Russian, you would have been hacked to death at your coup," said Kai angrily.

"Yes, you are right, only a Russian can, instead of running to the helicopter, save the one who dragged him across the desert for a horse. By the way, why did you help me?"

"You were alone. There were many of them. In such a position, I would help everyone."

"And I thought, or rather, hoped that I arouse you at least an ounce of sympathy."

Kai didn't answer. He poured the wine into a glass and took a sip.

"Let's continue our conversation," Arshad again took a drag on the hookah, then, looking at Kai, said. "I like you, you understand in what sense I say this. But why are you acting like that? What's wrong? Explain to me. I am ready not to force, not to rush you. I know that you have not slept with a man," Kai lowered his eyes. "I will be very gentle with you; I will not hurt you. Kai, look at me. I can't understand you," Arshad straightened up on the pillows. "Well, let's start with a simple explanation - am I unpleasant to you? Don't you like me?"

"Not! What are you, it is not so!"

Arshad looked at Kai's face and smiled, seeing that Kai said it too quickly, too emotionally, which meant he nevertheless liked him.

"Okay. Then what is it?" Arshad slightly moved to the table, looking at Kai point-blank. "You know; I never ask those whom I want about anything. I'm used to taking what I want. For the first time, I try to understand, although a wave of my hand is enough - and you will lie on that bed face down, butt up. Don't be silent, explain to me why you are behaving this way with me?"

Kai understood that Arshad was trying to give him a chance to say, although earlier he just took what he wanted.

Kai slipped his hand under the collar of his shirt and took out a cross on a chain hanging from his neck. He showed it to Arshad.

"I am a believer, baptized. According to the Orthodox faith, sodomy is a terrible sin. I will be damned and go to hell. I just live according to the laws of my faith," Kai put the cross back.

Arshad moved away from the table and lay down on the pillows again. He waved his hand, pointing to the burnt coals in the hookah. A servant ran up and fussed.

Kai and Arshad silently watched as the servant changed coals and re-inflated the hookah. Then Arshad dragged on again. It was seen that he was thinking. Kai did not bother him, occasionally bringing a glass of wine to his lips.

So twenty minutes passed.

Finally, Arshad spoke:

"I have deep respect for people who honor their faith. It doesn't matter if this belief contradicts mine. For me, any believer is worthy of respect. I realized that you are not hiding behind religion, you say what you have in your soul. That is why I have pondered your words for so long. Now I understand you and your behavior," Arshad looked into Kai's eyes. "Listen to my decision: I do not want to become the one who will send your soul to hell. I will not take such a sin upon myself, my God will punish me for it. Therefore, I want to come to a reasonable agreement with you in our relationship with you. I have already said that you have nothing to fear, I will not become the culprit of getting you into hell. It can be if only you make a decision for yourself to be with me. But if you decide to be with another man, then you must be with me. I want you to swear on your cross that you agree to such a treaty."

"Do you want me to swear on the cross that I will sleep with you if I sleep with someone else?!"

"I want you to swear that you will fulfill our agreement," seeing Kai's indignant face, Arshad continued. "Do not test my patience, it was very difficult for me to make such a decision. I don't usually suffer from heightened virtue for my ... those whom I want."

"You said that your god would punish you if you did it."

"This will be done with you by my guard in front of my eyes, and then I will continue."

Arshad was not joking. His eyes turned black as night.

"I agree to our contract with you. I will fulfill it," Kai took out the cross and kissed it. " I swear."

Arshad exhaled and smiled.

"There was the risk, I was ready to change my mind, but now you have sealed my words with your oath. Remember this. Remember our contract."

Arshad leaned back on the pillow and took a drag on the hookah.

"Now let's talk about the first clause of the agreement, according to which you've left me a chance to hear from you - yes," Kai averted his eyes. "Well, why are you embarrassed? Let me take care of you, maybe you want to yourself?"

Arshad smiled slyly, Kai drank his wine nervously. Arshad continued:

"I know your faith well. I will kiss you, even if they are between men, they are not a mortal sin, well, let's just say it is a sin, but you and I have many such minor sins. So let’s sin a little?" Arshad waved his hand. "Come to me. Kai, don't try my patience. Do you hear? We have a contract. You gave me a chance yourself to gallant you. How am I supposed to do this? At a distance, or what?"

Kai understood that it was better not to anger Arshad, and so now a miracle happened. Arshad would not touch him if he did not agree to this himself or there was no other man in his life, but Kai did not even think about such things. All this for him was from the realm of the unreal. Therefore, after thinking, he got up and, uncertainly walking around the table, walked over to Arshad.

He watched the guy's move, and then abruptly grabbed the floor of the brocade robe and pulled on himself. Kai lost his balance from surprise and fell directly into the arms of Arshad, who was waiting for this. Arshad immediately fell to his lips with a long kiss. At first, Kai jerked, and then decided not to, and relaxed, allowing himself to be kissed.

Arshad felt this change in him and instead of a greedy kiss, he slowly began to enjoy it, knowing that now he was his.

Arshad kissed now eagerly and passionately, now tenderly, but so skillfully. Kai felt that no one had ever kissed him like that in his life. He didn't even know that it was possible to kiss like that and that it could be so good when men kiss you ... - further Kai was afraid to voice this thought in his head. And then there were no more thoughts, only lips giving him this pleasure.

He woke up from the loss of those sweet lips, opened his eyes, and saw the dark, bottomless eyes of Arshad.

"I want wine," Kai whispered.

Arshad's lips stretched out in such a bewitching and forged smile. He stretched out his hand, took a glass of wine, drank, and, lifting Kai's head, pressed the guy's lips to his. Kai parted his lips and felt the taste of wine, which poured into him, penetrated and intoxicated.

"Do you want more?" Arshad breathed into his lips.

"Yes."

Arshad again drank wine and again fell to Kai's lips. How long the kiss lasted now, Kai did not remember. He did not remember himself, did not remember where he was and who, but he clearly understood that these were the lips of Arshad on his lips, and this was his embrace, in which he was now.

Once again waking up from strange oblivion, Kai met the eyes of Arshad, looking down at him.

"There are enough kisses for today," Arshad smiled slyly again. "Let's take a break. But I can show you another pleasure," seeing the lack of understanding in Kai's eyes, Arshad continued. "Did you smoke that?" he pointed to the hookah.

Kai nodded his head in the affirmative.

"Lie down," Arshad took a pillow and put it on his lap.

Kai did not argue, rested his head on the pillow, fully stretched out on the couch. Arshad reached for the hookah.

"I will now breathe in the smoke, and you open your lips, I will breathe it into you. Breathe it in and hold your breath."

"So what is next?" Kai felt Arshad's hand stroking his curls, tangling in them with his fingers and plunging into them.

"You will see."

Arshad sucked in the hookah smoke and bent down to Kai's lips, he did as Arshad said, and then the world spun into a motley merry-go-round. He felt like a butterfly fluttering over a flowering meadow. He flew, it was easy and good for him. Nothing darkened his consciousness. Around him flashed color pictures of beautiful fields, rivers, and fragrant gardens ...

Arshad continued to play with his curls, winding them around his fingers, then releasing them, watching the elastic curl slip, leaving the feeling of black silk. He saw that now Kai was well. He felt good too, probably for the first time in all these years. It was good with the man who was now lying on his lap - so handsome, young and so rebellious, unbroken, strong. Arshad admired and delighted him.

He heard footsteps and raised his eyes, Maksud and Gifar entered the arbor, who did not hide their joyful smiles, seeing this idealistic picture.

"Have you agreed"- Maksud smiled sincerely, seeing now the face of Arshad.

"Yes. We’ve made a contract."

"Even a contract? Is everything so serious?"

"Yes, it is very serious," seeing that his friends listen to him with attention, Arshad continued. " Kai is a believer, for him, relations with a man is a sin. I respect his faith and will not become the culprit of his fall. Only if he  changes his mind himself or if he has relations with another man - then he is mine."

Gifar and Maksud fell into a sludge from this, realizing that Arshad was ready to wait, and not to take by force what he so wanted.

Seeing their surprise, Arshad continued:

"This is not the version of a boy who cries theatrically for a couple of days and then consoles himself with a bank account."

"You have become wiser. I am proud that we have such a ruler," the eunuch bowed.

"The Almighty has sent me a test, I think I've made the right decision."

"I don’t understand, but why? After all, you like him," Gifar still could not believe the essence of what was said.

"That's exactly why. If I take what I want, he will hate me. Then I will lose him forever and ever. I do not want it. I want to be with him. Let it take time. I will be patient. Patience is a test and a gift. If a test of my patience is sent to me from above, then I will be rewarded for this ... someday," the Sheikh thought, continuing to caress these silky curls.

"You have a business," the eunuch interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes," the Sheikh began to get up, gently lifting Kai, and then put him back. He bent over him, kissed him on the lips, then stood up. "Now he won't come to himself soon, you will take care of him," he looked at Maksud.

"Don't worry, my master."

They went towards the palace, leaving Kai asleep in the arbor.

When he woke up from a dream, although it was not even a dream, but a transition to another reality, he realized that he was lying in the arbor in this Garden of Eden. Turning his head, Kai saw a peacock walking slowly along the path and fluffing its tail. Birds chirped over him. The incredibly beautiful butterfly sat on a glass of wine, and then flew up."

His soul was peaceful, calm, and quiet.  By this contract, he removed the tension and uncertainty in his fate. Even so, even if not everything was clear to the end, the main thing between him and Arshad had now been clarified. Life had acquired at least some stability, it was not so bad in his position. He understood that. Now he did not want to think about what had allowed Arshad, maybe in that distant world of his it caused condemnation, but here, when his life had no value, everything was completely different.

Kai smiled, feeling that his lips were swollen from kisses which were so sweet, delightful ...

The day passed quietly. There were also kisses, it was felt that Arshad was enjoying what he had wanted for so long. In the evening he sent him to bed, saying that in the morning they would go for a horse ride.

***

The next day brought with it even more pleasant surprises. First, they rode on horseback through the desert, overtaking the wind and each other.

Returning, Arshad drove up very close and, grabbing Kai by the silk belt, pulled him towards himself. Their lips met. He tore a long kiss from his beautiful lips, feeling his breath, either by a jump or by this kiss.

Kai was embarrassed, whispered that they were not alone. But then he saw that for Arshad, all the people around him did not matter.

Getting off the horses, Kai again fell into his arms when the Sheikh, jumping off first, was next to his horse. Kai did not expect this, staggered, and Arshad's strong arms hugged him, and his lips made him forget about everything again.

Unsaddling the horse and leading it to the stall, Kai was pinned down there by Arshad, and they kissed for a long time, listening to the tired horse crunching with pleasure with fresh hay at their feet. Arshad pressed him against the wall of the stall, grabbing the bars of the grate on both sides of his head with his hands and putting his knee between his legs. Kai tried to remember only one thing, that one should not touch the Sheikh. He held his hands down, grabbing the wall and the hem of his robe, and gasped at those demanding lips.

***

After breakfast, Arshad, taking him by the waist, led him to his office, telling Maksud and Gifar to follow them.

Kai was in Arshad's office for the first time. It was a large room, again in an oriental force, with carpets, stucco, gold candelabra, and magnificent mosaics. At the same time, there was modern expensive furniture for offices: a table with a huge armchair, a conference table and a sofa with armchairs against the wall. Everything was equipped with modern office equipment.

"You probably need to call, say that you are alive," said Arshad, watching as Kai is interested in examining his office.

Kai didn't even immediately grasp the meaning of what was said. He looked at Arshad in surprise.

"Here is the phone," he pointed to the table. "Only, please, speak on the speakerphone and in English, and you have only one call," he took Kai by the shoulders and led him to the phone on the table.

Gifar and Maksud also had no less surprised faces.

"Well, tell them that I'll let you go soon, let them not worry."

Hearing this, Kai was completely at a loss, leaning on the table. Then he forced himself to concentrate. He dialed the number. The signal passed, he spoke in English.

"How do you do, Pyotr Ivanovich. This is Kai."

At first, there was silence in the receiver, then Russian swearing, and only then a voice in English answered him.

"Alive! And we kept thinking ... so much time has passed since the disappearance of the plane. Likely alive? Is everything intact?"

"Don't worry, Pyotr Ivanovich, I'm safe and sound.  There was no way to inform about myself earlier."

"I understand ... and now I understand everything," the colonel guessed, if Kai spoke English, it meant that everything was not so simple.

"I have to return soon, I don't know for sure, but I will. You will inform the center about it."

"Yes, immediately. We will wait for your return."

"How is the aircraft commander? Did his mate and everyone else survive?"

"Yes, everyone is alive. Our people found them, they were all picked up. The commander has a very serious wound, but he will live. Those two are feeling better, they are already on the mend," the colonel thought, and then said very seriously. "You are great. I'm proud of you. Come back!"

"Thank you, Pyotr Ivanovich."

Kai hung up.

"Hero, then, " Arshad also looked at him very seriously, then waved towards the door. "Go."

Kai realized that he could go. He left the office and, still not believing in what was happening, went towards the library.

"Will you let him go?" Gifar sat down at the table.

"In what status can I leave him here? A boy for comfort? Unfortunately, he is not suitable for this role. I have nothing to offer him besides me. I want to remain his friend."

"You are becoming very wise, our ruler," Gifar bowed politely.

Then they moved on to the pressing issues of government in their country.

***

Kai was enthusiastically reading the next work of Arab philosophers when he felt hot hands on his shoulders and the burning heat of breath on his cheek.

Arshad bent over him, hugging him from behind, and began, slowly, covering his cheek, cheekbones, chin with light kisses, and then his ear, at the end biting his lobe. Kai groaned, clenching his hands on the table.

Arshad threw back his head and, raising his chin, fell to his lips.

"What are you reading?" through kisses, he asked.

"Philosophical views of Al-Farabi."

"Is it so interesting?" Arshad had already regained his breath and, going around the table, sat down in another chair. "What will you say? Share your opinion."

At first, Kai's thoughts were still confused, but gradually his mind gained clarity, and his voice - an even presentation. The Sheikh was a very educated and well-read person, and therefore it was interesting for them to talk to each other about such exclusive topics as the philosophical treatises of Al-Farabi of nine hundred years and the influence of the works of Plato on his philosophy. So gradually they found each other in conversation.

***

In the evening, Maksud, having dressed Kai in incredible clothes for its luxury and beauty, brought him to a huge hall, where Arshad was reclining on ottomans. They settled down comfortably next to them, a light supper was brought to them, which they had to eat reclining, and a show unfolded in front of them.

Acrobats and equilibrists performed. Then there were circus acts with animals. Later, when the snacks were replaced by sweets and the lights in the hall became more subdued, dancers came to the center of the hall. These were girls and boys who replaced each other. They danced in translucent dresses to oriental music. Their dances were erotic and frank.

Arshad beckoned Kai to him and he, feeling a kick from Maksud, moved to the Sheikh. Rather, he again found himself in his arms and, having settled comfortably, reclined with his back on his chest, allowing himself to be hugged. So they watched the performance. Kai sipped wine, the Sheikh - a hookah and regularly pressed close to his lips.

Arshad watched Kai through half-closed eyes how he looked at the dancers. When the girls danced, the Sheikh saw that Kai's eyes were looking at them, but it was rather an admiring look, as children look at outlandish animals in a zoo. When half-naked youths came out, Kai usually averted his eyes and was distracted, looking at his surroundings.

"Do you like girls who dance?" finally asked Arshad.

"Yes! They are like that, well, you will not see such girls on the street. I didn't even think that there are such, and there are so many. They are all incredible!"

"And young men, look at their bodies, they are also perfect."

"I've seen enough of these bodies in the barracks," Kai muttered.

Arshad burst into laughter, and then, seeing the frowning Kai began to kiss him until he forgot everything and melted in his arms.

From these embraces, Maksud took him and carefully led him to bed. Arshad remained to continue the fun, but already in the night apartments with those whom he had chosen in the dance.

Now, this was how their time passed. In the morning - a horse ride, or rather, a frantic race, then breakfast, then Arshad minded his own business and found Kai in the library, where they could talk, discuss, argue for hours, then an evening performance, which Kai mentally called for himself "folk amateur performance". But the most important thing in this pastime was the constant kissing of Arshad. He always did this, finding moments, drew Kai to himself and did not let him come to his senses, and then, smiling, he pulled back and continued to ride, walk, talk as if nothing had happened. But Kai for a long time then restored his breathing and calmed the heart leaping out of his chest.

The rose of a desert. Volume 3. "Book of Flame" Chapter 5

The next day Kai spent as usual. However, it was without horseback riding, but there was a full-fledged training session with Gifar and his warriors.

For lunch, Kai was invited to the Sheikh's table, where he did not take his eyes from him, blazing in the depths of the fire of passion. Kai saw it and now knew what that look, turned to him, expressed.

He didn't want to eat at all, but in order not to draw attention to himself, he ate a little and asked permission to go to the library. There he tried to focus on the text. It was the biography of the great Japanese military leader Takeda Katsuoria, whose years of life were fifteen forty-six -fifteen eighty-two. Kai understood that the lines floated before his eyes, the hieroglyphs jumped, their meaning escaped, but at the cost of great effort, he forced himself to read and even began to realize the essence of what was written. He was fascinated by the description of the Time of Troubles under Otate and that Takeda betrayed his allies from the Hojo clan and sided with Uesugi Kagekatsu.

Kai closed the book, realizing that he was tired of deceiving himself that he was now worried about Katsuori's problems. He leaned back in his chair, knowing that evening was approaching, and Arshad did not change his plans for him. And if last evening everything finished with a kiss, then it was stupid to hope for the same outcome of this evening. Arshad, of course, restrained himself, and he was amused by this game with him, like a cat with a mouse, but Kai knew that when a person was thirty, he would not remain at the level of the bouquet-candy period.

What then should he do? Standard plots from films and books about the behavior of girls in such a situation climbed into his head:

"It is poisoning with not clear what and then if you mistake with the dose, all this will result in vomiting and diarrhea," Kai winced, imagining how his stomach would be washed.

"To throw myself off the tower of the castle - I can, of course, try to climb somewhere and from there fall onto the rose bushes," the thorns in his ass did not attract him very much.

"To cut my face, but how much I have to booze in order to do it?"

To pierce theatrically the chest with a dagger! Well, I’m a doctor, perhaps it will be difficult to do, knowing the consequences of such injuries.

So what else is there? To drown myself, to hang myself ... Enough! Stop! I am a military officer, and I behave like a hysterical young lady. Such nonsense creeps into my head ... "

Kai found cigarettes from Maksud and lit up, knowing that he had not come up with anything reasonable in this unreasonable situation.

Maksud came for him came and took the dying cigarette butt from his hand, extinguished and led him, holding the hand as if he was a child.

"It necessary to start resisting, not to let them dress me up, put on makeup, combed my hair ... Stop! This is all suitable only for girls!"

Kai sighed, seeing that the X-hour was approaching, but he never made any decision.

When he was brought into the night apartments in his yesterday's outfit, which he mentally called for himself "for fuc*ing", he stopped in the middle in confusion. Maksud went out and returned a minute later. Gently took Kai by the hand, led him to the table with fruits, sweets, and drinks.

"Arshad will be a little late, don't be bored, eat something tasty."

Maksud bowed and left.

Arshad really was a little late, his father called him, and he could not cancel or reschedule this conversation. And his father liked to talk with his son slowly and for a long time.

Kai stared blankly at the table in front of him, realizing the words of Maksud and realizing that his X-hour was not postponed for long. His throat was dry from tension and constant thoughts. He was thirsty.

Looking for water, he opened the wine and drank the glass. It relieved his thirst at least a little. He drank some more. It was expensive red dry French wine. He read all this on the label and drank the whole bottle being nervous.

He looked around the table. The abundance of various fruits did not attract him, he did not like oriental sweets at all, but his nerves demanded something else to chew or drink. He saw a bottle of champagne "Veuve Clicquot", pink, as he liked.

"There is a reason to drink!" Kai exclaimed, opening the bottle. The bung flew out with a bang. He filled his glass, "For the loss of anal virginity!" famously, in a hussar, he said a toast and drank.

The soft sparkling champagne tingled so pleasantly the tongue, that was just one "but": it was warm, and he liked to drink cold champagne.

"I must tell Arshad! There is such a significant event here, but I have to drink warm champagne," he drank another glass. Kai looked at the bottle through the light, saw that there was a little pink drink left in it, - Why should a good thing be wasted - it will die!" the guy poured the leftovers into his glass and drank it simply, without toast.

The champagne gave him a positive mood. Life seemed not to be so gloomy and hopeless anymore. He glanced around the table again. After the champagne, he wanted to eat something sweet.

"This one," Kai's hand reached for the bottle of Sheridan's liquor.

Kai took a clean liqueur glass and poured himself.

"It is delicious!" two colors, dark and white, were mixed in his glass. He drank, topped up more, licked the sweet sides of the glass with his tongue, smudged himself, smudged the table, some clothes on himself.

He got upset, tried to wipe it off, but only smeared everything worse, then left this occupation.

"Shit! How quickly it ended!" Kai licked the neck of the bottle and wiped his sweet fingers with napkins.

After such a sweet one, he realized that he urgently wanted to eat something savory. He looked around the table and saw what would come in handy now. His hand reached for the whiskey bottle.

"This is what I want. Otherwise, it turned out very sweet."

He reached for a bottle of Cathy Sark, a fifteen-year-old Scotch whiskey, found a glass with whiskey, generously splashed himself half of the glass. He breathed in its scent and drank it all in one gulp. Then, looking up, Kai saw that he was reflected in the mirror, sitting at the table, with an empty glass and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He winked dashingly at his image.

"Don't chicken out! We won't get drunk. We'll just remove the nervous stress," while pouring, he turned to his reflection in the mirror. "Prokhor taught me to drink. He's a real man. You know what he said: What is the most important thing to know when drinking?" the image in the mirror looked at him inquiringly but did not answer. "You do not know! And I know and will teach you. Remember! When you drink, the main thing is to increase in degree! Here, look here," Kai pointed to the drunk bottles, "first wine, then champagne, then liqueur, we slightly increased the degree with it and now we have increased it normally to forty!" he showed a bottle of whiskey.

The guy from the mirror nodded approvingly at such a reasonable speech of his interlocutor.

"Oh, and your glass is empty. Well, what is it I ... you've come to visit me, and I keep chatting and chatting. Put the glass down, now we'll drink one more."

Kai poured himself a glass, raised his glass, and turned his gaze to the mirror, making sure that he also had a bottle, he said:

"Well, what do we, like drunks, drink without toasts? It's wrong! Here, you know, let's drink to me ... not ... not like that. In short, I have an important day today, just don’t laugh," Kai saw the guy in the mirror writhing with laughter. "Well, don’t laugh. Listen. Today I will become a fag ***t, " he said almost clearly and loudly. "Let's drink to this."

The guy opposite supported this toast, clinked glasses with him, raising his glass, and drank everything to the bottom.

"Well, you drink a lot!" looking at the empty glass in the guy's hand, said Kai. "Now I will pour more. Put the glass on the table."

Kai poured, looked into the glass, then looked at the guy.

"Well, I haven't told you everything yet. Imagine, Arshad has a crush on me. Well ... well, don't laugh, listen!" Kai again saw how the guy in the mirror nickered, bending in half and splashing the whiskey from the glass. "Uh ... don't let it go to waste, let's have a drink, and then I'll tell you further," Kai raised his glass and, clinking glasses with the guy, drank. "So, he fancied me! He has a whole harem there, there are probably girls with such boobs and beautiful, well, and he wants to fuck me! Can you imagine? Well, stop laughing already, listen to me! So what did he find in me? Look, how beautiful you are, your eyes are so beautiful ... your hair is curly, and in general, I like you ... but I'm thin, bony, and what did he like when he had girls with boobs there? In short, I don't understand anything ..."

Kai looked up at the guy in the mirror.

"Uh, look here ... why are you so sad? Come on, prepare a glass, we'll have another drink now. It's me must be sad. Imagine what I'll tell Prokhor later, and the bros ... well, just guess. I’ll come and say - I’m a fag***t! Damn it ..."

Kai poured another one and drank in silence.

"Now I sadness came over my spirit, but you know, Prokhor told me right away, even if you became a fag***t, come anyway. Imagine what a great friend I have. He will not leave a friend, even if his friend is a fag***t."

Kai looked at the guy in the mirror again.

"Friend, you are something completely limp there. Come on, don't worry. I've seen how people become fag***ts. Prokhor showed me. Fuck, it probably hurts. That guy was yelling like that. In short, we need to drink to it. Oh - the whiskey is over."

Kai got up to see better the table and the bottles on it.

"Eh, where did you go?" he glanced at the guy in the mirror. "Well ... sit down ... look what I've found. Now we will drink some brandy! Here's what," and he stammered, "Albert de Montabert"," then added syllables, " X and O - in short, cool. Don’t think, I’m fooling you. Do you know how much it costs? It doesn't matter, Arshad pays for everything, I'm a kind of like his beloved woman here," Kai giggled again, and then poured brandy into a glass.

"Well, for me. I'm almost a fag***t," Kai giggled again, then showed the bottle to the guy opposite. "By the way, can you imagine, we drink the right way? We increase the degree. This cognac is forty-five degrees. This is what you need to drink for."

Having drunk one glass at a time with the guy, Kai remembered the important thing and began to pour the cognac into the glass again.

"Between the first and the second there is a small gap," he quickly clinked glasses with the reflection, drank some brandy, and immediately poured another one. "Well, now we can also talk, -uh ... just don't fall asleep there, okay? In short, I've chatted with you too much. He'll come to fuck me now, and I'm not in bed yet."

Kai looked at the bed in the middle of the room.

"Well, I'll go there," he waved in the direction of the bed, "and I'll take some booze with me for courage. Let's drink the last glass, as they say, for the road!" he clinked glasses with the guy, waved his hand and tried to get up.

He immediately realized that it would not be possible. Then, getting on all fours, he confidently moved towards the bed, not forgetting to hold the unfinished bottle of cognac in his hand, having carefully twisted it with the lid.

He managed to walk part of the way to bed like this, but then when he decided to stop and have a drink, as he explained, "during the way", he was led to the side, and therefore he crawled the rest of the way.

He was crawling along the luxurious red carpet with a bottle in his hand, as if across a field to the trenches of the Mujahideen with a grenade. When the bed was in front of him, on the fourth attempt he managed, pulling off the coverlet for which he was clinging, to climb onto the bed, having previously thrown a half-empty bottle of cognac onto it.

On the bed, he crawled to the bottle and sat down, unscrewed the cork, poured the rest of the cognac into himself, and then just fell off on his back, spreading his arms and legs in different directions.

It was in such a pose of a starfish, thrown out on the coastal rocks, with an empty bottle in his hand, Maksud found him.

Maksud looked at the cognac the guy had drunk, then at Kai, and then his gaze fell on the empty bottles lying at the table, and he realized that his legs were giving way from weakness. But there were footsteps in the corridor. Maksud rushed to the door and ran into Arshad, nearly knocking him down.

He fell at his feet and began to cling to the hem of his master's robe.

"Arshad, oh Great Arshad, oh Great Arshad," Maksud lamented.

"What's going on?" Arshad tried to unhook Maksud from his robe and go into the room. Finally, he succeeded.

He saw Kai's sprawled body on the bed, rushed to him in horror.

"He is poisoned!" Arshad's voice sounded pain and fear from the realization of what had happened.

"No, he got drunk," the stern voice of Gifar sounded, who ran into this room, attracted by the cries of Maksud. "Yes, look for yourself," Gifar nodded towards the lying bottles.

Arshad walked to the empty bottles, rolled them with the toe of a slipper embroidered with gold, then returned to the bed, bent over Kai, and finally made sure that he was not just drunk - he was drunk completely out, absolutely hammered ... out of his mind!

Arshad took a bottle of cognac from his hands and turned it over. A pitiful drop of the drink came out of the bottle. Arshad began to laugh. Probably, neither Maksud nor Gifar had heard such a sincere laugh from their Sheikh for a long time. Arshad laughed, curled up with spasms of laughter, sitting on the bed, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

Gifar and Maksud also smiled, realizing that the storm had passed them, and Arshad reacted to this extraordinary event in his own way, as they had not expected.

Slightly suppressing his laughter, the Sheikh got out of bed.

"Tomorrow, when he wakes up, call me," he turned to Maksud. "First I will enjoy his sight, and then you will begin to save him."

"I think tomorrow it will be very bad for him," Gifar said pointedly.

Arshad and Gifar left the chambers, Maksud remained standing beside Kai. Oddly enough, he did not even take offense at him for this, although Arshad could have done anything to him for such an offense. But this amused Arshad, which meant that everything was going very well for everyone.

***

When Kai tried to open his eyes, he realized that the "Morning of the Shooting Execution" had already come for him. He felt sick, his head was splitting from a thousand hammers pounding in it, his temples throbbed with terrible pain, and everything floated before his eyes.

"My beautiful rose," he opened his eyes again, it was Arshad. "How do you feel?"

Arshad, indeed, now enjoyed the sight of the pale green Kai, who tried to open his eyes and relieve his headache, pressing his hands to his head.

"Maybe you shouldn't have been drinking like that?"

"Sorry, Arshad, can I talk to you later? .." Kai muttered through his teeth, trying to crawl out of bed. "I'm going to vomit now."

The servants quickly grabbed him from both sides and dragged him into the bath.

Arshad laughed again.

"Go and save him," Arshad continued to smile. Maksud bowed and went to the bath for Kai.

There, Kai was already hugging his "white brother". Maksud literally forcibly poured one of his tinctures into it. From its taste and smell, Kai began to spew again. So Maksud mocked him several times. Then he was stripped and shoved into a bath filled with fragrant herbs. And again Maksud made him drink the medicine brought in a cup. Kai did not resist, even when they took him out of the bathroom and smeared everything with a very smelly ointment, and when Maksud again forced him to drink warm tincture, and then, finally, he was left alone, laid on the bed and wrapped in blankets.

After sleep and all the procedures, by the evening Kai felt better. At night, Maksud again soaked him in a bath with herbs, rubbed him again with a strange ointment, and made him eat. Then he again gave his medicinal elixir to drink and put the guy to bed.

***

The next morning, Kai was like a reborn. He was awakened early by Maksud, saying that Arshad was waiting for him for a horse ride. Kai liked this occupation. Here Arshad was a normal guy, no problems. They rushed through the desert, overtaking each other and forgetting about everything.

Today he was not invited to dinner, Arshad had guests, obviously, these conversations were not intended for Kai's ears. Therefore, having dined under the supervision of Maksud, he went to the library, where he continued reading about Takeda Katsuori and his defeat in the battle with Oda.

In general, after all, Kai did not think about the future, he just lived. When in the evening he was again dressed in the appropriate clothes, "it oppressed him". Dejectedly, he walked after Maksud, who tried not to meet his gaze.

Entering the night chambers, Maksud brought him to bed.

"Lie down," again, without looking into his eyes, said Maksud.

Kai sighed and lay down. Immediately, four servants grabbed his arms and legs and, pressing him to the bed, began to hold him. Kai jerked, but they held tight.

Maksud without looking at him bowed and left.

Literally a minute later, Arshad entered.

He smiled, walked over to the bed, and sat down next to the sprawled Kai.

Then, without taking his eyes off him, he began to bend over him.

"What are you doing? .." Kai tried to pull his hands away.

"I want to kiss you."

"You're out of your mind, we're not alone!" Kai turned his gaze to the servants holding him.

"Oh, that. Never mind, they don't look. I didn't think such little things bother you."

He began to lean towards Kai's lips again.

Maybe Arshad was not bothered by such trifles, but it unbalanced Kai. He put up with it when all this happened between them alone. But when the servants were standing on four sides, Kai was horrified at the realization of what was happening. He started to twitch.

"Arshad, stop! Handcuffs were enough and to spare."

"You were twitching too much, handcuffs leave marks on your beautiful skin, and I don’t want that. Therefore, they will hold you."

Arshad again began to catch his face with his hands, showering his cheekbones, cheeks, chin, and neck with kisses.

"Arshad! Not! Please! Do you hear?!" Kai was beginning to have something in between panic and hysteria.

Even Arshad froze and pulled away, seeing how Kai was beating on the bed.

"Arshad. I will lie still. Do you hear! Just let them go. Please, Arshad!"

"Will you let me kiss you and not resist?"

"Yes. Just let them go!"

Arshad looked at Kai, then waved his hand, the servants immediately released him and, bowing silently, left.

Kai exhaled. He lay there, breathing heavily, like after a hundred-meter race.

"Can I have a drink?"

"You can," Arshad sat on the bed and watched as Kai rushed to the bottle of wine.

"Don't worry, I'm a little. I won't get drunk."

Arshad vaguely shrugged his shoulder, watching as Kai took a couple of sips of wine.

"I'll smoke."

Kai took the cigarettes and a lighter lying here on the table.

Arshad continued to silently watch the picture as Kai lit a cigarette, took a couple of nervous puffs, then put out his cigarette, drank wine. The guy took a couple of steps in his direction, then came back again, lit a cigarette again, inhaled, nervously put out a cigarette, finished his glass, and, with the air of a man walking on a scaffold, went to the bed. He resolutely flopped down on it, lifted his chin, and grabbed the sheets with both hands.

"My rose ... of a desert," having heard the voice of Arshad, Kai, who had previously screwed up his eyes, opened one eye, "you are not in the dentist's office. Let go of the sheet."

Kai forced himself to unclench his fingers, which were convulsively gripping the scarlet silk sheets.

"Maksud will come for you," Kai saw Arshad, getting out of bed, went to the exit from the chambers.

Then Maksud came in. Kai sat up on the bed.

"Arshad ordered to take you to sleep," said Maksud calmly.

Kai realized that he was being returned to his room.

Probably, if not for Maksud's tincture, he would not fall asleep today. But Maksud, at his request, brought him something stronger, and his sleep was calm and serene.

When Kai fell asleep, Maksud with the same strong tincture went to Arshad and, upon hearing his request, immediately gave him a miraculous drink for a restful sleep.

***

The next day there was no horseback riding, only training with Gifar, then meals in solitude, if it was possible to call the solitude when Maksud was standing next to him and five more servants. Then Kai went to the library.

Maksud went to Arshad. Gifar was already in his office. They heatedly discussed the vital issues of the life of their people. But from the look of Arshad Maksud understood that he was now worried about completely different problems. Finally, Arshad could not resist and started talking about it himself.

"I don’t understand him. I don’t understand him at all. What am I doing wrong? In general, what is wrong? I'm not in a hurry, I'm ready to wait, but he is not ready at all for a relationship with me. Maksud, why?" Arshad nervously walked around the office. "When I kissed him, I saw - he felt good, he liked it, he was mine, he responded to me ... and then again everything starts from scratch. Even worse ... I understand why he got drunk. He doesn't want this. Do you understand? He wants nothing. And yesterday, he lay there looking like this, clutching the sheets like a man awaiting torture. But I'm gentle with him. I do not understand him…"

"Maybe he is not ready for such a relationship?" Maksud watched Arshad walking around the room again.

"Don't tell me he's afraid. He who landed the plane in the desert. The plane that cannot be landed. Why, the plane, I know, there was a crew, and they all jumped off, but he stayed. He sacrificed himself for the sake of others, knowing that the last parachute was stitched with bullets," Gifar told Arshad this, having examined the plane. "He's not afraid of anything at all. He was dying a month in the desert, I arrived, and instead of throwing himself at my feet, he pretended to be a tough nut, and he is like that. Then he trudged through the desert on foot - if I had seen him then, I would never have allowed it," Arshad sighed.

"To understand a person, you need to learn more about him," Maksud uttered, looking at the Sheikh's torment.

Arshad perked up.

"Gifar, did you find out anything about him?"

"No," seeing the darkened face of Arshad, Gifar began to make excuses. "Usually you are not very interested in the biographies of your boys."

"Do you say that about him?"

"Sorry, Arshad. I'm not talking about him, but about the fact that you have never been interested in knowing the details of the lives of those who are in your bed."

"You're right, Gifar. But here is another case. I want to know everything about him. You hear, everything! And as quickly as possible," Arshad walked briskly around the room. "By the way, what do you think is his nationality?"

"American, English, German?" Gifar suggested.

"With such a brilliant education and at the same time he is so lively, real ..." doubt slipped through Maksud's voice.

"Spaniard, Italian, French ... " Gifar suggested thinking about a more "lively" nation.

"Not! There is something about him ... I can't explain it yet ... but this is definitely not Spanish, not Italian or French."

"Australian, Canadian, Latino," - to all enumerations, Gifar received a convincing answer from both - no.

"Stop guessing. I want to know who he is!" Arshad stopped at the window, then looked at Maksud. "Until I find out everything about him, I do not want to see him. Does he get bored?"

"No, in the morning he has a training session with Gifar, then he spends time in the library, in the evening he plays the console."

"What does he play?" Arshad's eyes widened.

"Didn't I say?" Maksud smiled slyly, who liked to leave in stock different news for Arshad. "He loves to play, you know, there in all sorts of adventure games, shooters. I'm not very good at this. There are some freaks, he fights with them."

Arshad sat down exhaustedly on the sofa.

"A person who sacrifices himself to save his comrades plays a video game."

"He's still a child!" Gifar blurted out.

"Well, in general, you are right," Arshad thought. "Probably, too much has fallen on him. And he doesn't even complain, he carries everything in himself. It must be hard for him."

"He feels good when you are riding horses, haven't you seen his happy eyes?" Maksud tried not to let Arshad get bogged down in self-flagellation.

"Maksud, what do I not know about him yet?"

"He is very fond of chocolate and cocoa."

"And you have been silent!"

"Arshad, do not be offended, but Gifar is right, having told you that before you were not interested in those with whom you sleep."

"With him everything is different ... well, Gifar, go! You have a lot to do. You hear - I want to know everything about him!"

The rose of a desert. Volume 3. "Book of Flame" Chapter 4

It was a great day - a day of falconry. They left before dawn. The falcon was carried separately in a cage tied to the saddle. We were not going fast. The desert was just beginning to wake up from sleep. The sun was rising in the east. The sky was colored by its rays.

Arshad put on a large leather glove on his right hand, they brought him a falcon with a cap on his head and a chain on his leg, which was fastened to the glove.

Having put the falcon on his glove, Arshad moved forward, all the others followed him. Kai kept to the right, slightly behind, realizing that he should not go in front of the Sheikh.

There were about thirty riders in total, at first they rode at a trot, then went into a gallop. Arshad vigilantly scanned the space ahead, at last, he saw a point in the already blue sky. Without stopping the horse, he unfastened the chain on the bird's leg and took off the cap from it. The falcon instantly saw the victim and soared up. It was beautiful and so exciting.

They spurred their horses, trying not to lose sight of the falcon flying towards its prey.

An eternal drama unfolded in the azure blue of the sky: the hunter and the victim. Here the chances were equal. The victim also saw the falcon and soared upward, and then began to maneuver, changing the angles of flight. The falcon kept up with it, took aim, and finally made a throw. Together they fell from heaven.

The riders screamed and rushed to the place of their fall. There, a falcon was sitting on the sand, clutching still the warm body of its prey. The riders whirled around them, continuing to scream. There was noise and chaos.

Arshad jumped off the horse, put a cap on the falcon, and put it on his arm, fastening a chain on its leg, then bent down and lifted the carcass of a bird by its paws, from whose chest a scarlet trickle of blood was flowing. Arshad triumphantly lifted it, everyone around again shouted in a greeting. Arshad's eyes were burning, he was in the heat of the race and the adrenaline because of the caught prey. He looked with his eyes for the one whose eyes he wanted to see now and saw - these eyes were sad, the face bewildered. The young man lowered his gaze and turned his horse away from Arshad, immediately hiding behind the backs of the other riders.

Arshad was confused, froze, then called the servants, handed them the falcon from his hand, and jumped on his horse. He found him a little to the side, looking into the distance of the desert.

"What's wrong?" Arshad drove up close to him and looked into those sad eyes.

"You know, I read so much about such a hunt and really wanted to see everything myself ... but now when I've seen the red blood on a dying bird ... I've realized that I do not want this. Sorry…"

Kai touched the sides of the horse and walked slowly to the side. Arshad looked at him, realizing the meaning of what he had said.

"Wait!" he caught up with him, their legs were touching, so close now their horses were walking with each other.

Arshad suddenly hugged him around the waist and held his hand there. Kai threw up his head and faced the very strange look that Arshad was looking at him with. In those impenetrable dark eyes, there was something that frightened Kai.

He tried to move away, but the hand at his waist was holding him too tightly.

Arshad saw this fear in his eyes, but he also saw his lips, which were too close, his breath, his smell - intoxicating vanilla with chocolate. Arshad inhaled and touched his lips with his lips.

Just a fleeting touch. Arshad removed his hand and pulled away from him.

"If you don’t like it, I don’t want to force you to be present on such a hunt. Don't worry, I'll hunt without you. Do you mind just riding?"

"Yes."

Kai was still in a strange state, not understanding how to evaluate what Arshad had done now. It was too difficult for him to understand. He clearly could not attribute this to a friendly action. What then?..

Kai saw Arshad spur his horse and galloped forward. He followed him. This galloping - flying over the desert - made it possible for him to forget about everything! They galloped, overtaking each other, laughing and fooling around. Now everything was clear and understandable to Kai, but he forbade himself to think about what had happened before ...

On this day, after returning from the hunt, they had lunch, and then Kai was taken by Maksud to make him beautiful. However, he allowed him to spend several hours in the library, then before going to bed, Kai played with the console and fell fast asleep after such an active day.

***

The next morning, Maksud woke him up and said that Arshad was waiting for him for a horse ride. Kai jumped out of bed with joy and, hurrying and scolding Maksud for his careful dressing, finally went towards the stables.

Now their escort was not so numerous. There were ten riders in total. Immediately leaving the gates of the palace, they took a very fast pace of riding. Basically, they walked at a gallop, moving a little to a trot, then they walked, giving the horses a rest, then again they made them move in a gallop.

Kai realized that Arshad loved such intense horseback riding in the morning. It was a joy to him. Therefore, they briskly galloped in a race or stirrup to stirrup. Having met the morning so well, they returned before the onset of the heat.

Kai unsaddled his horse himself. Arshad did not interfere with him, on the contrary, he was there. They again discussed their favorite topic - horses. After completing everything with the horse, Kai took it into the stall, where the hay lay. The horse rushed to it and, crunching, began to swallow.

Kai turned to leave the stall and saw that Arshad was standing right in front of him. He stepped back, but immediately rested his back against the wall of the stall. Instantly Arshad's hands were on both sides of him, and Arshad's face began to approach. Kai froze, unable to look into his burning eyes and see in them what he was so afraid to see. He watched the horse eating hay at their feet. He felt Arshad's breath on his temple, the imperceptible touch of his lips cracked from sand to his cheek, then again his breath on the earlobe, then again on his cheek, and a light touch to his lips.

Kai didn't know what to do. He just stood there, forgetting to even breathe.

Arshad's hand lay on his shoulder and very slowly crawled down his arm, then felt his palm. He took his hand in his, squeezed it.

"Well, why have you petrified? Come on, let's have breakfast!"

Arshad went to the exit from the stall, dragging Kai by the hand.

Kai again forbade himself to think about it, he just walked, and then, sitting at the table, ate, trying not to meet Arshad's eyes.

Then the Sheikh, referring to the deeds, left, and Kai followed Maksud, who noticed his strange detached condition.

Only reading books in the library helped Kai to distract himself from what he was afraid to remember.

In the evening, Maksud informed Kai that tomorrow morning he would have another horse ride in the company of Arshad.

***

Riding on horseback, Kai forgot about the sad thoughts that began to visit him after such a strange behavior of the Sheikh. On horseback, he generally forgot about everything. Returning to the stable, this time he did not occupy himself with the horse, immediately went with everyone towards the palace, Arshad caught this change but did not say anything, only said that he was waiting for him at the table.

After breakfast in the company of Gifar and Maksud, Arshad again left to do business. Kai went to the library and became interested in reading.

Now he was reading Imagawa Yoshimoto, the commander of Suruga, who in 1560 with an army of twenty-seven thousand went to Kyoto and was defeated by Oda Nobunaga at the Battle of Okehazama, where he died. All this was written in hieroglyphs; Kai was carried away so that only the touch of hands on his shoulders took him out of the battlefield at Okehazama.

Kai shuddered.

"I didn't mean to scare you," hot breath burned the guy's ear.

Arshad bent over him, standing behind his chair.

"Oh," Arshad saw the hieroglyphs in front of Kai, "is it interesting?"

"Yes. Extremely."

"And what is it about?" Arshad again approached Kai's ear and now slightly touched the lobe with his lips, then transferred light touches to the neck.

"About Warlord Surugi, who subdued Hojo in Sagami and Oda in Owari," Kai felt the breath, a strange shiver ran through his body.

"I’m glad you’re attracted to such things. And what else is interesting there?" Arshad continued to touch him with light kisses.

"These are the best days of the Imagawa clan during their alliance with the Hojo," Kai's voice broke off as he felt the heat of a kiss on his neck, which sent goosebumps down his body.

"Go on," whispered Arshad, now touching his lips to the guy's ear.

"You’re not interested," Kai didn’t know what to do now, so he just sat holding on to the table.

"Yes, maybe now I'm a little indifferent..." he touched his lips to Kai's hair, inhaled its aroma, then straightened. That was a cocoa smell, how it inebriated him! Because of it, Arshad's voice was now hoarse and low.

Then Kai felt the fingers touch his hair again, very gently, neatly.

"I thought it was soft, silky," Arshad passed Kai's elusive curls through his fingers, which again took the form of curls.

Kai sat, felt Arshad's hand caressing his curls, twisting them around the fingers, and then letting go.

Then he squeezed the hair and pulled it towards himself, Kai's head lifted, and Arshad, bending down sharply, touched the lips.

Kai shook his head and lowered his face.

Arshad froze, then laughed and left the library.

Kai looked at the open book in front of him and realized that he did not see the inscriptions, he put his hands on it and dropped his head.

Now everything was so obvious that deceiving himself was already foolish. He got up, left the library, went to his room, wandered aimlessly onto the veranda, and, feeling that his legs were not supporting him, sat down on the floor, pressing himself against the wall. He found cigarettes and a lighter in the pocket.

Maksud was against his smoking, but at the same time brought cigarettes for him at his request. Kai practically did not smoke, but now he needed it.

He dragged on, trying to calm the complete mess in his head and deal with what was happening.

So, what became clear as day was Arshad's intentions towards him.

"But what are the intentions?"

When Kai tried to remember everything he knew about such a relationship, an illustrative picture, arranged for him by Prokhor, when his boys raped a guy, emerged in his mind. But there was something completely different! No one then kissed that guy so tenderly and breathed in his ear, they violated him there, harshly, roughly, without preludes.

What Arshad was doing now was incomprehensible to him. After all, if he wanted to deal with him, like the guys of Prokhor with that guy, then Arshad only needed to give the order, and he would be undressed and tied with his ass up.

Then why did Arshad do all this if he only needed his ass?

Kai realized that his head was a complete mess. On the one hand, like in a kaleidoscope, pictures of rape that he had seen appeared, on the other hand, Arshad, his actions were not unpleasant to him. They were rather incomprehensible.

Kai tried to combine rape pictures with the image of Arshad, it meant ... it meant nothing!

He lit a cigarette again.

"Maybe Arshad thinks I'm a girl? Of course, all these earrings, eyes, brocade, silk. No, do I believe myself? Who is the girl? Arshad is not a moron to think that ... "

He started another cigarette.

"But why does he pay attention to me as if I am a girl?" Kai finally said what he was afraid to voice even mentally for himself.

"Arshad pays attention to me! That is, he is going after me, seduces. But I'm a guy! And he's a guy! What stupidity!"

Kai heard footsteps. Maksud came out onto the veranda. He saw Kai, went up to him, squatted down, lifted the chin with his hand, looked into the eyes.

Kai saw that Maksud knew a lot. But he could not be angry with Maksud. In this man's eyes, he saw sincerity and kindness to himself.

"Come with me," Maksud took his hand and pulled him up. "Now there are two not very pleasant things for you. But you have to find out about them."

Kai tensed. In addition to everything that had already happened, there were two more unpleasant things - in one day it was too much!

"Well, don't be so scared. It's not so scary. Let's go. Now you will understand everything yourself."

Maksud walked down the corridors, holding Kai by the elbow.

Passing numerous halls and stairs, they went out to the inner courtyard, there they went down the stairs to another one, then to another, and there Kai saw three people sitting on the ground, one boy and two girls.

He realized what attracted him to them. They were beautiful, very beautiful, but they had no hands. Instead, there were bandaged stumps.

Kai froze. Maksud took his elbow tighter and began to speak in a slightly strange, distant voice:

"The great Sheikh Arshad is the son of the great and almighty Sheikh Harib, may Allah prolong his years. Just like his father, he is a representative of the ancient clan of sheiks. The Almighty Himself blessed this clan for reign. No mortal can touch the Great Sheikh Arshad. Those who violate this law are punished by cutting off their hands! Only in this way can they wash away the sacrilege that they have committed!" Maksud waited for a pause and added more calmly. "Great Arshad can be touched only if he permits it himself."

Now Kai understood everything: who these beautiful young people were and why they did not have hands. He felt sick, Maksud squeezed his elbow harder, feeling that the guy was shaking.

"And what will happen to them now?" Kai turned to Maksud.

"The helicopter will take them to the city. Their fate has already been decided. There are brothels where clients like these cripples. They have everything else to work there."

Kai began to turn deathly pale in front of Maksud's eyes. The man pulled him to himself and, hugging him around the waist, led him back.

Kai didn't resist. He walked, realizing that he was not ready to learn and see this.

Then he remembered that Maksud spoke about the second not very pleasant news for him.

"And what is the second thing?"

"You will find out now."

Maksud finally led him to the inner chambers and, passing through the next corridors and halls, they entered a room that corresponded to a well-equipped medical office.

Maksud sat Kai in a chair and sat down next to him. The doctor came in, judging by the white coat he was wearing. He greeted them and immediately, without any explanation, turned on the plasma panel on the wall, where the video went, which he began to comment on, leading the pointer over the screen.

Kai turned from pale to red from a rush of blood to his face after the first seconds of this video. There they showed a detailed section of the male anus, from a medical point of view they explained the passage of food through the stomach, then its accumulation in the intestines and exit in processed form.

Further, he spoke in great detail about the function of the enema, how it works, and how long this effect lasts afterward.

It was a medical film, but Kai guessed why he was shown it.

The screen went blank. The doctor turned his gaze to Kai.

"I will help you with bowel flushing."

Kai wanted to jump up, but Maksud restrained him.

"You can do it yourself if you promise me that you will do it."

"Are you going to check?" Kai asked in a trembling voice."

"I am glad that you still have a sense of humor," this made Maksud laugh, then he became very serious. "If you promise me to do this, I will believe you and will not check."

By the tone in which it was said, Kai knew that, despite the absurdity of what was happening, Maksud was not joking. He tried to imagine Maksud's verification of the fulfillment of his promise, and he again felt bad. And then he remembered the guy who was raped by the bros of Prokhor, who then from his ass, in addition to blood and sperm, also sh*t flowed out. Now he knew why and what kind of flushing the thug was talking about then.

It would be better for him to do this enema to himself than the sh*t would flow from the *ss.

"I promise I will do it."

"Regularly! Your bathroom will have everything for this. You must always be clean. It is useful for hygienic purposes."

"I promise," Kai realized that the hygiene goals here were very different. But he did not say anything to Maksud. He wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. "You've said that there are only two bad pieces of news, I hope that's all."

"Yes, all. Let's go."

Maksud got up and as if nothing had happened left the office, also leading Kai under the elbow.

"Where are we going?"

"It's time for you to take a bath."

Kai didn't argue. Now he didn't care. There were too many things. But most importantly, he was never able to figure out and understand for himself what was happening in his life.

***

That evening, after all the baths and rubbing, Kai was dressed strangely. Previously, he had not been dressed like that: too thin trousers, a translucent tunic on top, then a thin belt, then a dressing gown, again too thin and transparent, then again a belt, again a dressing gown, a little denser. They put on beautiful, oriental-style sandals without heels. There were bracelets on his hands, earrings in his ears, and strings of pearls hung around his neck. A young man came and began to put on mascara, shadows, gloss on his lips.

"Maksud, am I going somewhere?"

"Yes. You will find out everything," Maksud answered calmly, watching the process of the guy's transformation.

Kai first decided to ask again, but what for? If soon he found out everything himself. Trying to resist such dressing was also stupid - with so many servants and wonderful tinctures of Maksud, they would tie him up, give him a drink, and then he definitely would be trapped. Better to be conscious and remember everything.

When Maksud was convinced of the guy's beauty, as he called it himself, they walked along the corridors in the direction of the night half of the palace.

Kai didn't allow himself to think about it ... he just walked.

Maksud led him into a room too large for a bedroom, but in the center was a huge bed with red canopies hanging from it. A luxurious red carpet covered the entire space. On it there lay cushions of silk with gold ornaments. Low soft armchairs and sofas stood against the walls. On an elegant table, there were fruits, oriental sweets, and various drinks. Half of the wall was decorated with a mirror, and another one was on the ceiling.

In general, the situation did not inspire optimistic thoughts about what they were doing here.

Maksud led him to the center of the room and bowed out.

Kai drove all thoughts away again. He just stood there and waited. He heard footsteps, turned around.

It was Arshad. The Sheikh was wearing clothes similar to those that were now on Kaya. Kai decided that this was some variation of the nightgown adopted here.

At first, Arshad froze, looking him from head to toe, then began to approach - softly, smoothly.

Kai was frightened by Arshad's eyes, they were too frank in his desire. He retreated, but Arshad made a dash and embraced him. The man hugged, felt that the guy was not twitching, let go. Arshad moved his hands from the guy's back to the shoulders, then began stroking them, then going down to the elbows, then again rising to the shoulders.

He touched Kai's chin with his hand, ran over it, lifted it, and began to lean towards his lips.

"Arshad, don't," Kai breathed into his lips.

"You are so beautiful, my Desert Rose," Arshad's lips touched his lips.

"Don't," Kai tried to twitch, but immediately felt that he was enclosed in an iron embrace.

"A beautiful Rose of the Desert ..." Arshad's lips almost covered his lips.

Kai put two hands forward and rested on Arshad's chest, and then remembered that he had done something that these same hands must be cut off for.

He turned pale, looked up. Arshad's gaze was deathly black.

"Do you know how it is punished?"

"Yes," Kai whispered, dropping his hands, trying not to touch him anymore.

Arshad released him, took a step back, and continued to look. Kai stood pale and confused, realizing that losing two hands when you just start living was very scary.

"Lay on the bed!"

Kai, in a state of frustration, wandered over to the side of the bed and lay down on it.

Arshad sat down next to him, took the guy's hand in his.

"You have very beautiful hands," - he examined Kai's hand, "such thin fingers," then the Sheikh brought the guy's hand up and fastened the handcuff on the wrist. He did the same with the second hand.

Kai did not notice that this bed was also equipped with all sorts of devices in advance.

"I will forgive you for your act. But remember - this is the first and last time," then Arshad's voice softened, "for this, you will give me a kiss."

"I cannot."

"Why?"

Kai turned away. Arshad turned his chin.

"Why?" he looked into Kai's eyes.

"Men cannot kiss each other."

"Why? You are saying nonsense."

"Arshad, I'm not a girl. Why don't you kiss a girl?"

"I want to kiss you."

"It is not right. I can't kiss you."

Arshad caught the guy's chin again, turned the face towards himself.

"Have you ever kissed a guy?"

Seeing the answer in Kai's eyes, Arshad let go of his chin, his face expressed amazement.

"You are so handsome. Why haven't you ever kissed a guy?"

"You mustn't kiss guys," Kai replied stubbornly again.

"Have you been brought up in a monastery?"

"No."

Arshad fell silent again, thoughtfully began to run his fingers over Kai's face, traced the thin line of his nervously compressed lips.

"Okay, but you're interested in trying how it happens?"

"No. Not interested."

"How intractable you are. Then it is even more interesting for me to kiss you for the first time in your life."

Arshad bent down sharply, Kai turned away, twitched, feeling that the handcuffs were holding him tightly.

Arshad laughed. Apparently, the whole situation amused him very much. He began to catch the face of Kai, who turned away from his lips now to the right, then to the left, and then Arshad's lips fell into his cheeks, cheekbones, neck, and the man kissed him and then again resumed trying to catch his lips.

Kai knew that if Arshad wanted, he would just do it. But, apparently, Arshad was amused by this game.

Then Arshad climbed onto the bed and sat on top of Kai's thighs, thereby completely depriving him of the opportunity to wriggle on the bed. Now it was much more comfortable for him, hanging over his face, catching his lips.

Arshad was in no hurry, he liked it. Kai, on the other hand, was already tired of this pointless game.

"Are you tired of spinning around and running away from me?"

Kai threw a haunted look at Arshad.

"But I'm not tired. The night is long - let's play some more," and Arshad again began to hunt for his lips.

Having tortured Kai in this way, he straightened up again and looked at him.

"Give me just one kiss and I'll let you go today. Let's come to an agreement?"

Kai understood that if he did not agree now, then Arshad would simply take this kiss himself. But the prospect that this was all for today pleased Kai very much.

"Will you let me go?" he asked hopefully.

"Do you doubt the words of the Great Sheikh?"

"Kiss!" Kai breathed doom and, closing his eyes, prepared his lips for the kiss with the look of a man who decided on a desperate act.

Arshad again ran his fingers over the guy's lips and slowly approached them, then began to gently bite them. Kai felt his breath, then his tongue, which penetrated between his teeth and began to touch his tongue very gently - it was pleasant to Kai, strange, unexpected ...

Kai, without even realizing it, opened his mouth, and then Arshad hungrily kissed him with such passion, with such desire ...

Kai gasped at the kiss, his body twisted from the wave of heat he felt inside him. No one had ever kissed him in such a way, and he had never kissed anyone like that, he did not even know that this was possible.

The room began to blur, a strange wave went through the body again, the muscles became amorphous, it seemed to him that he was melting in the sun and spreading into a shapeless mass.

Arshad was kissing, coming off only for breaths of air, and then falling to his lips with a renewed passion ...

How long this went on, he did not remember. Everything suddenly disappeared and dissolved in his mind, only these lips remained, which were so hot and gave forbidden caresses, and then everything disappeared. And something like a groan of disappointment flew from Kai's lips ...

He opened his eyes, suddenly feeling that he no longer felt those lips, which turned out to be so intoxicating.

Arshad looked at him with a strange smile. Then he unfastened the handcuffs, examined the guy's wrists, there were traces of metal on them.

"And was it worth it to twitch? A silly boy ... you felt good," he breathed into his lips.

Then he got up and left the room.

Kai just lay, it seemed to him that he was a jellyfish in the sand, an amorphous mass. Moreover, the same mass was in the head. Or rather, there was nothing there at all.

He heard footsteps - it was Maksud who helped him to get up. Then he detachedly followed Maksud along the corridors of the palace.

Already going to bed, he looked at Maksud for the first time with a meaningful look.

- Give me, please, something from your wonderful tinctures to sleep.

Maksud, as always, smiled knowingly.

Making sure that Kai fell asleep, Maksud went to Arshad.

"Great Arshad, whom would you wish for your chambers today?"

"That's enough, Maksud! Nobody's here. Can you talk normally?" Arshad said this with mock irritation. " I would not wish anyone. I'll go to sleep. By the way, please give me one of your wonderful tinctures for sleep.

Maksud, as always, smiled at understanding.