The Way of Desire

The library was Talryn's refuge.

Dusky gray marble walls soared into a vast, midnight blue dome trimmed in gold leaf. At the very top a large telescope floated serenely on a wide disk. The powerful magicks placed by the tower's Master kept it in place. Bookshelves circled the entire perimeter of the atrium, broken up by the occasional open space. They reached all the way to the dome itself, with no apparent way to reach the higher volumes.

The scratching of a quill across parchment was the only sound in the vast chamber. Occasionally the scratching would stop, only to be followed by a brief rustling sound or the occasional sharp tapping of a leg on marble. A sigh, then the scratching resumed.

The Master of Twilight Tower sat at his desk, a hugely ornate piece worked in duskwood. A single glowlight lit his way as he pored over a text that had been ancient even when dragons first walked the land, taking copious notes. But even such intense study couldn't keep his mind entranced for long.

The Arachin Archmage put down his quill and sighed, rubbing at his temples. "I need to focus," he growled to himself. "But all I see is *you*, my apprentice. You. I could have you easily...I've seen how you look at me. Your admiration and desire." Sighing raggedly, he ran his hands through his thick, silvery hair. A legacy of his dark-elven mother.

"I could...but no. You are too young, too innocent, Izdreth." He smiled wryly.

Few arachins honestly cared how innocent their intended might be. If their playmate was willing or unwilling, male or female, it mattered not, as long as the victim was old enough to enjoy their attentions and attractive, it was good enough.

Talryn was a rare exception to the arachins' lustful depravities, something he sought to pass on to his student. So far, he'd taught him well. The bittersweet irony of the thought made Talryn rub at his temples once more. He'd raised Izdreth from birth, been both friend and teacher to the arachin. He'd never tried to deny that his pupil's beauty--both inner and outer--made his head spin. Not that he himself never felt desire, lust even. He had simply learned to control himself. Whether he had inherited this from his mortal mother or his arachin father--another exception to the arachin rule-- he didn't know. He only knew he was grateful for it.

He glanced down at his notes. 'Time will tell if I've kept my head on well enough that they make any sense,' he thought. He shivered, suddenly cold in spite of the heat from the fireplace. "Pull yourself together! You've fought this off for months now. What makes this so different?"

The other night, that's what.

***

"Ahh, Talryn. So nice of you to...come."

Only Talryn's upbringing stopped him from rolling his eyes at the sound of that unwelcome voice.

"Greetings, Ashryn. I came because Eshalla asked it of me. I decided I wasn't about to let you put me off."

The younger arachin mage laughed throatily. Much to Talryn's annoyance, the sound caused a brief flicker of interest in his groin. Talryn couldn't deny that Ashryn, for all his vileness, was as beautiful as most arachins, even moreso than others. This was especially true tonight.

Ashryn was always playing with his appearance, using magick to alter his hair and eyes at his whim. Tonight, his skin was creamy pale, set off by the blue-green silk tunic he wore. His long hair was chestnut brown this time, festooned with peacock feathers. His eyes were gold-flecked blue-green, same as his tunic, and the streaks on his spider's body were a pearlescent gold. The amount of jewelry on his person was just a thread short of vulgar. 'And I thought *I* overdid it at times,' Talryn thought wryly. He himself was no less magnificent in a cut-velvet tunic that matched the blue of his eyes, his hair as always woven in ornate braids, snowy white against his ebony skin. As for jewelry, he wore a subdued fortune in sapphires.

"You like?" Ashryn murmured, his slightly mocking tone telling Talryn that his old rival knew what he'd been thinking.

"You've outdone yourself, Ashryn," Talryn commented dryly. "And everyone else in the room as well." He was rewarded by a slight curling of the other arachin's full lip.

"Droll as ever. So tell me...does your lovely apprentice appreciate his Master's humour?" The barest hint of a leer crossed Ashryn's face as he said, "Mayhap he appreciates more...physical aspects of you."

Talryn bit back the sharp retort that came to his lips. "Whether he does or not is none of your business, Ashryn." The other mage had taunted him about his apprentice for months now...the barbs ranging from sly innuendo to outright obscenities...to threats of indulging his own lusts.

Ashryn smiled slyly. "Ahh. So the fruit is not yet ripe enough to suit you, I see. For Noctis' sake, Talryn. Izdreth is of age. He has been for months. "

Ashryn stepped closer, eyes dark with promise. Reaching out a slender hand, he caressed Talryn's smooth cheek. "It's been decades, Talryn. I think of you often, you know." Talryn groaned inwardly as desire flared inside him. He hated Ashryn with a passion, and though he controlled his urges, he couldn't deny his former lover's beauty...or the memories. Ashryn saw Talryn's response and pressed ahead. "What we shared. You and I...we could...teach him together."

The very idea of someone as evil as Ashryn corrupting his student extinguished the small flame inside. Had they been alone, Talryn might have gleefully roasted the arrogant mage to a cinder. But this was Eshalla's retirement, and he would not ruin it for his former student. Instead, he leaned in close to whisper in his foe's ear. Talryn smiled wickedly at the shiver that passed through Ashryn. "I tell you truly, Ashryn. If I ever discover you have so much as flicked your rotten tongue in Izdreth's direction, I'll rip it out of your head. With my teeth." He punctuated his words with a sharp bite to the arachin's ear.

"I'll keep it in mind," Ashryn said, voice deceptively arch. Even so, his eyes showed his feelings--hatred, fear, and still the lust.

Talryn smiled with a sweetness he was far from feeling. "See that you do...old friend." He turned and moved gracefully away to find Izdreth.

***

Izdreth watched his Master talking with Ashryn and bit hard at his full lip. Talryn didn't seem to be enjoying the conversation one whit. Izdreth shook his head. Encountering Ashryn almost always put his teacher in a foul mood. Despite the festive occasion, the young arachin had no doubt it would be the case tonight as well.

He sipped his drink thoughtfully, watching the goings on from a distance. Izdreth was unschooled in the way of flesh, but the nature of his fellow arachins was clear enough. He had picked up enough about the relationship between his Master and Ashryn over the past two years of his life to know what was going on. They'd been close once, but when Ashryn's evil had gotten the better of him, Talryn had ended the relationship.

Izdreth's eyes widened a bit seeing his Master lean forward and bite Ahsryn's ear. He understood what had happened, however, when Talryn moved out of his field of vision. Ashryn was rubbing at his ear and glaring at the Archmage as he moved away. Izdreth was about to turn away when his eyes met Ashryn's. Before the young arachin could turn away, Ashryn favoured him with a wicked leer before prowling off.

Izdreth shuddered, but he couldn't deny that there was desire mixed with the revulsion. In spite of his noble principles, he was still an arachin, and had all the sexual urges that went with it. It was the result of a curse cast upon a mortal by an evil goddess spurned. Satira, The Spider Queen had fallen madly in lust with a beautiful mortal named Adriel. Adriel was as good and pure as he was beautiful and while the goddess too was lovely, her wickedness repulsed him, and he spurned her.

In her fury, she cursed him, allowing him to keep his beauty from the waist up, while giving him the body of a giant spider where his legs would be. To insure he would never spurn her again, she made sure his sexual desires were insatiable. And thus, when she became pregnant, were the first arachins born. All are as their progenitor had become so long ago--bizarre yet beautiful, intelligent yet impulsive, lustful, and often cruel. Every now and then...some small glimmer of what Adriel once was shines through in one exceptional specimen.

"Izdreth."

The young arachin turned gracefully, quite unaware of the admiring--and some lusting--eyes upon him. "Yes, Master?" His heart sank when he saw Talryn's expression. He was quite enjoying himself. It wasn't often he and Talryn got out into society. His eyes stole past Talryn to Eshalla. The aging Ashanti sorceress favored him with a kindly smile. "Talryn is very proud of you," Eshalla had told him earlier, her dark eyes bright with pleasure. Izdreth smiled back, seeing a glimmer of the once youthful beauty in her dusky face.

"Izdreth, if you please?" Talryn's tone was stern but not unkindly. When his pupil turned his attention back to him, he said, "Fetch our cloaks. We are leaving now."

Izdreth struggled to hide his disappointment. He'd quite enjoyed the party-- the food and drink, the beauty of the decorations and the guests, the intelligent conversations on all manner of things. He quite liked Eshalla as well. Not in a physical sense, but in the sense that since she was one of his Master's true friends, he knew she was special. Also, she was mortal, and mortals fascinated the young arachin.

Talryn saw the glimmer in his apprentice's eyes and smiled in spite of himself. Sighing inwardly, he gently touched Izdreth's silky raven hair. "There will be other times, my student. I do realise we do not go out much, but now that you are--older, I don't see why this cannot be so." Talryn had nearly strangled on his words when he realised he's nearly echoed Ashryn's earlier phrase. "Now fetch our cloaks, please."

Izdreth smiled a bit, the expression touching his beautiful iridescent black eyes. He turned and left to do his master's bidding.

"Leaving so soon?"

Talryn smiled tiredly at his former student. Eshalla looked elegant in vivd red and blue silks, her graying black hair woven much as Talryn's was into dozens of tiny braids. The gray and the crow's feet around her eyes were the only clues to her true age. Eshalla had seen one hundred-twenty summers, but through use of powerful magick appeared no older than her sixties.

"Madame." He took the still-smooth brown hand in his and kissed it. "Have I told you how beautiful you are?"

She swatted playfully at his arm. "Flatterer. You've come to tell me that you must leave, and take that charmer you're teaching with you."

He sighed. "Alas, this is so, Eshalla. I fear I am not well."

Her brown eyes travelled past him, and he knew without turning she was looking at Ashryn. "I did not wish to invite *him*, Talryn. But the Council would not hear of me snubbing such a powerful wizard."

The warmth in his blue eyes reassured her. "Understood, Madame Chancellor." She snorted. "I no longer hold that title, Talryn. It would be passed to you--you are the most deserving--but we respected your wishes in this."

Talryn nodded. "My thanks. Though I must admit--Izdreth has brought much of me to life again."

Eshalla did not need to ask her former Master to elaborate. She had seen the way he looked at his student, heard the pride in his voice. She smiled. "I suppose the fact that you have not thrown him out of your tower and you no longer brood for months at a time has something to do with that."

Talryn allowed himself a sheepish grin. "This is so." Suddenly, a shadow of concern crossed his beautiful features. "Izdreth should have returned by now."

***

Izdreth reached the cloakroom. It didn't take him long to sort through the dozens of wraps hanging from silver hooks on the walls. He quickly located his black velvet cloak with its silver trim, and his Master's more ornate blue silk. He slung on his own, drawing up the hood, and draped Talryn's over one slender arm.

A beautiful cape--teal silk trimmed with golden peacock feathers caught his eye. Unable to resist, Izdreth reached out to caress the rich finery. A scent came to him--incense and the black roses that grew in the Shadowlands. He wanted to bury his face in it, inhale it. Taste it. He released it reluctantly. Taking a step back, he jumped when a voice said "Lovely, isn't it?"

Izdreth turned to see Ashryn smiling wickedly at him. 'I should have guessed,' Izdreth thought wryly. He suppressed a shiver, thinking of the flare of desire he'd felt at that scent. 'It's *all* over him,' the young arachin thought, head spinning a bit.

"Would you like to try it on, Izdreth? I'm sure it would suit you well. It would bring out your eyes." Ashryn's words and tone were friendly enough, but Izdreth was not so innocent that he couldn't see the lust in the older arachin's eyes.

"Maybe some other time," Izdreth said politely. "It's beautiful, yes. But my Master is waiting for me. I must go, Ashryn." Part of him didn't want to leave. He wanted to try the cloak on...and smell that incredible scent again. And maybe...something more...

Ashryn smiled. He took a delicate step forward. When Izdreth didn't back away, he reached up to caress Izdreth's cheek. "Yes, you must." He smiled a bit more when a delicate shudder rippled through the young one. 'Despite what you think, Talryn, this one is most certainly of age.' His hand stroked down one creamy cheek to cup the pointed chin.

Izdreth shivered. In spite of his growing desire and his growing interest in physical pleasures, Ashryn frightened him. It wasn't merely his Master's warnings about the older arachin--it was his instincts telling him to stay away. Ashryn radiated evil and depravity the way a gloworb radiated light. He tried to back away, but his legs refused to move.

"A pity, isn't it?" Ashryn taunted. His tongue darted out to lick at his full lips, chuckling inwardly when he saw the slight glazed look in Izdreth's eyes. This would be *so* good...

When the time came.

Ashryn stepped back from the puzzled apprentice. "Go on...your Master is waiting. Talryn might seek you out, and I am sure you wouldn't care to have him find you here...wrapped in a heated embrace with me." He smiled slyly upon seeing Izdreth's eyes darken ever so slightly. Ashryn chuckled as Izdreth scurried away. The young arachin was more than ready to learn the ways of pleasure.

Oh yes.

Still trembling, Izdreth joined Talryn and Eshalla outside once more. "Apologies for the delay, Master," Izdreth told him. "I had difficulties...locating our cloaks."

Talryn nodded. He had a very good idea of what had occured, but that was to be discussed later. He turned to Shalara instead, saying "Once again, our thanks for a wonderful evening." His eyes grew solemn as he added "We are losing one of our greatest."

Eshalla laid a still-smooth hand on her former teacher's cheek. "Not entirely. I'll be speaking to classes, doing projects of my own. I simply won't be head of the Council any longer." Her eyes sparkled as she added "You can't be rid of me so easily!"

Talryn chuckled softly. "We wouldn't have it any other way. Goodnight, Eshalla." He kissed her hand then, drawing Izdreth close to him, spoke the word to take them home.

***

Talryn thought at first to take them to the central chamber, but decided his own chambers seemed somehow more appropriate for their conversation. Within seconds, the pair appeared in Talryn's private suite.

The ceiling held an enormous skylight, a powerful feat of magick considering Talryn's chambers were in the middle of the tower. A large window ran the length of the west wall, giving a fine view of the courtyard below. At the moment, the purple velvet draperies were drawn tightly shut, enveloping the chamber in shadows.

The fireplace was unlit, but a stack of applewood logs awaited a gesture from Talryn to ignite them. Over the mantel was a painting of a beautiful, shadow-swathed forest.

Various objets d'art were placed about the chamber in a pleasing manner. Izdreth especially liked a small sculpture of a sleek, black panther, reclining on its side. The cat was worked in onyx, with green gems for eyes.

"Whenever you are ready, Apprentice."

The touch of wry humour in Talryn's voice brought Izdreth back with a start. He saw that his Master had settled amongst the silk cushions, his legs spread out gracefully around him. At a gesture from Talryn, Izdreth took a seat opposite the older arachin, legs stretching out.

They regarded each other in silence for a long moment. 'He's beautiful,' Izdreth thought of his teacher.'How did I never notice before?' Ashryn too, was beautiful but his soul, where Talryn had taught him true beauty dwelled, was corrupt and evil.

Talryn nearly groaned. It was all he could do to not make Izdreth his own lately, and his apprentice sat before him, drinking him in with his eyes. "I will come to the point, Izdreth. I speak not as your teacher, but as your friend. Tell me, what detained you in the cloakroom?"

Izdreth shifted nervously. He realised that his Master already knew or at least suspected the truth. What had happened earlier both excited and frightened him. He licked his lush lips and began. "I had found our cloaks when another garment caught my eye." His fingers stroked the soft furs he rested on. "It was very..." He paused, remembering it's splendid beauty, that haunting scent. "Very beautiful"

"I see. Go on."

"I was looking at it. I touched it, smelled it. The scent, it..." He swallowed hard. "It was most enticing." A brief flicker of desire touched him at the memory. "I went to move away and found Ashryn blocking my way."

Talryn nodded. Though he was outwardly calm, he was a seething cauldron within. "I thought so," he said, forcing his voice to remain neutral. "What did he say to you, Izdreth?"

Izdreth shuddered. Ashryn hadn't said much--it had been what he had inferred. "He--he commented on the cloak. It *was* beautiful. He asked me if I wanted to try it on. I'll admit that I wanted to, yes. I've never seen the like."

Talryn favoured him with a gently indulgent smile. Had he been there, no doubt he too would have admired the cloak. Ashryn, evil or no, had exquisite tastes.

Encouraged, Izdreth told the flow of the conversation, halting only when he reached the point where Ashryn had touched him. "Then he--I mean--"

"He touched you," Talryn stated softly. When Izdreth nodded he asked "Where? How?"

"Like this, Master." Without thinking of it, Izdreth reached out and caressed Talryn's smooth, ebony face, nearly gasping at its softness.

As for Talryn it was all he could do not to lean into the young arachin's touch. It was all he could do not to turn to press his lips to Izdreth's smooth hand. "Thank you, Izdreth," he said softly. "That...could not have been easy."

"It was very hard, yes," he agreed.

Talryn shifted slightly, hoping that his student wouldn't notice what else was hard at the moment. "Quite. You--you may go now, if you wish."

Had a flicker of disappointment crossed Izdreth's face? Talryn opened his mouth to stop him, but Izdreth had already risen to his feet. He bowed low, saying "Goodnight, Master."

"Goodnight, Izdreth...pleasant dreams." Talryn watched as Izdreth spoke a word of magick and vanished. Sleep would be a long time coming this night for Talryn.

*****

Back in the present, Talryn sighed deeply. Izdreth was physically matured. He was ready for the delights of the flesh. He was a gifted mage with great potential. And it was all too obvious why Ashryn lusted for him.

'I'll not allow you to corrupt him, old friend,' Talryn thought. 'I know you desire to taste his innocence, Ashryn. It won't happen at your hands, I swear it!'