Teal's mouth dropped open. The Emperor chuckled and rubbed his hands over Teal's shoulders and then, up and down his arms. Teal glanced at Jale. He was watching quietly from where he stood.

"Him and me?" Teal asked, pointing to Jale. He looked over his shoulder at the Emperor towering above him.

"If you desire," the Emperor said, his hands giving Teal a firm, encouraging squeeze.

Teal blinked and looked back to Jale. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes," Jale answered. "And I'll admit that I also had a hand in it." Jale's expression remained calm, simple and open. "When the Emperor asked me what I wanted as a Midsummer Festival gift, I told him I wanted you first before anyone else, including him." Jale looked at the Emperor, and his eyes filled with emotion. "He said yes."

Teal swallowed, trying to move the lump in the back of his throat.

"Jale has been with me for a long time," the Emperor said. "He does not enjoy the company of the other consorts. By his choice, he only lays with me. I thought he made a fair ask. But first, I wanted to see if you would be loyal to me and willing to be with me."

The Emperor turned Teal to face him and leaned down so their faces were only inches apart.

"I will enjoy you," he said softly, "no doubt about that, but it won't be tonight. I will return tomorrow morning. You are free to leave at any time you want, Teal."

In shock, Teal couldn't reciprocate the gentle kiss the Emperor then placed on his lips. The Emperor pulled back, gave one last look at Jale where something unspoken was shared between them, and then, Teal was left standing in the little alcove with Jale alone.

Stunned, trying to process what had just occurred, Teal couldn’t speak.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Jale asked. "I can see that you are quite surprised." He waved to the servant behind him, and the servant instantly sprang into action.

"Yes," Teal managed.

"Yes, to the drink or to being surprised?" Jale pondered with amusement.

Teal floundered. "To both.”

Jale chuckled. "Are you bothered or displeased with my request?"

Teal took a moment to respond before he shook his head. "No, just, this is not what I had prepared myself for." Teal paused again, and Jale tilted his head as if he was expecting Teal to say more, so Teal continued, "I would never expect you to have such sway with the Emperor, and I didn't know you were.... interested?"

Jale glanced at the two cups now filled with wine on the table. Seeming to change his mind, he turned to Teal instead. "Can I?" he asked, waving to the heavy plate covering Teal's chest.

Teal nodded, and Jale approached. Jale's hand moved to work on the first buckle.

"You'll soon come to realise," Jale said, "that the Emperor is a very understanding man. I have always found you pleasurable to the eye and your company quite amicable. Some of us are just better at hiding our desires than others."

Their eyes met, and Teal shifted under the new scrutiny of Jale's gaze, a scrutiny that held a lot of intent.

"I believe I'm not wrong by saying there is a mutual attraction between us," Jale stated confidently.

Still processing the change in events, Teal remained quiet.

"Hmm," Jale smiled, and he moved behind Teal to allow him to slide the plating over Teal's head. Teal worked with him, and Jale pulled it free revealing Teal's shirt, damp and clinging to his skin. Jale set the plating aside and turned to face Teal again. "I have a feeling the Emperor had you in mind for me from the first moment we..."

Teal suddenly snatched his hand out and grabbed Jale by the wrist, cutting his words off. Jale stopped and dropped his gaze to Teal's hand, and Teal heard his two guards taking a step forward, but he ignored it.

Jale raised his eyes. They were silent, staring intently, lust and danger dancing precariously close to each other as each decided on their next move.

"You have never lain a harsh hand on me before," Jale said, almost accusingly.

"No, I haven't," Teal responded, calm and controlled.

"I do not believe you would intend to hurt me so why the sudden act? Are you testing me?"

"No," Teal said. "Are you testing me? Why are you really here? Are you here to see if I'm truly capable of copulation? In case in the throes of passion, I might kill?"

Jale suddenly let out a loud burst of laughter. "Do you really think the Emperor would risk my life like that?"

It was a valid point, and Teal reconsidered but came up empty handed.

"Then why? Why have you never been scared of me?" he asked. "From day one, you've never shown any worry or concern for your safety. People usually don't want to have anything to do with me. But you, you're willing to put yourself in a very dangerous and intimate position."

Jale turned, pulling his hand out of Teal's grasp as he did so. He picked up the cups that had been filled earlier and offered one to Teal.

Teal took it. There was amusement dancing around Jale’s eyes, as if he held a funny secret.

Jale took a large gulp before he spoke again. "You don't remember. When you were darted back at Cleaven Estate, I saw to your wounds. Do you know what the Ashkin poison does?"

"I know it kills."

"Yes, in large doses but in tiny quantities, it is also a truth serum. You, obviously, for some reason we don't know why, have a large tolerance for it. You were quite...honest with me when I tended to you. Enough so, I knew that inside you were a person of goodwill."

Teal's face drained of color. "What did I say?"

Jale chuckled at the memory. "Let's put it this way, you were quite determined that you were going to treat me to a marvellous evening meal on the banks of the river near your hometown Hulena. You spent a great deal of time trying to persuade me that the sunset from one of the trees you liked to climb had a quite magnificent view and that you, well, you get the idea."

Red-faced, Teal could only stare.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, the Emperor thought you were rather endearing and passionate. You never gave him a second glance."

"I said that in front of the Emperor!"

Jale nodded, clearly amused by Teal's horror.

"I don't remember any of that," Teal said weakly.

"We know," Jale said, smiling now. "Come," he said kindly. "Let's sit and talk." Jale lowered himself to one of the large cushions. "Now that our little misunderstanding is past us. Do you trust me?"

"I think so," Teal said honestly.

"Aaah," Jale said. "You fear I might hurt you?"

Seeing Teal's hesitation, Jale patted the cushion beside him unconcerned by Teal's hesitation. "Relax Teal," Jale said. "Do you remember what I said earlier? About only doing what you want to do this evening. I meant that. It applies to me also."

"Kind of puts that whole conversation into a new perspective," Teal said. "You knew you were going to meet me here, and you put the gold plate on me knowing that you would take it off."

"Well, I didn't, but I hoped."

"Also explains your questions on my sexual experience and preferences," Teal carried on. "I thought you were asking on behalf of the Emperor."

Jale smiled in acknowledgement, took another mouthful of wine and patted the cushions beside him again. "Come on, I don't bite."

A smile managed to creep onto the edges of Teal's lips, and he moved to sit beside Jale.

"I have a proposition for you," Jale said, leaning his body in towards Teal. "I would like for tonight to not be a one off. In fact, I would like to be able to invite you to my private quarters whenever I desire.”

Teal's cup stopped halfway to his mouth.

"Of course," Jale continued casually, "the Emperor would still have the right to ask for you at any time, but you would also be available to me."

"Does the Emperor know about this?" Teal blurted.

"Yes, yes, he does." Jale watched Teal closely. "I believe that I could make you very happy."

"I bet you could," Teal laughed. He shifted on the cushion, fiddling with his cup. He felt completely out of his depth.

"Would you mind?" Jale asked, his voice silky smooth. He reached out and gave Teal's bicep a soft squeeze and then, ran his finger down the length of Teal's arm gathering droplets of Teal's sweat under his finger.

"I guess not," Teal swallowed deeply, unable to say more due to the sheer fact that Jale was touching him.

Jale tilted his head, making a decision. "Why don't you see how we go tonight, hey?" He began to run his fingers back up Teal's arm. "No need to rush into things."

Teal didn't answer. He instead lifted his gaze to look at Jale. "May I ask why you have never been with anyone else?"

"Why would I when I have the Emperor?" Jale answered simply.

Teal let out a laugh at Jale's blunt answer. "True. Why would you want anyone else?"

"I like it when you laugh and when you smile," Jale suddenly said and then, without skipping a beat, Jale added. "Take off your shirt. The Emperor has little time for clothes in his personal chambers, and I am of the same mind."

Teal paused but then pulled at his shirt, up and over the back of his shoulders and head, ignoring all of the tedious ties that Jale had attended to earlier. "I'm sweaty," he said apologetically.

Relaxed once more, Jale threw his arm behind Teal, a pose Teal was beginning to realize was Jale's signature relaxed position. "There's nothing I like more than a healthy, sweaty man. They are always nice to look at."

"Yes, I guess they are," Teal laughed.

"So, what do you think?" Jale asked, edging even closer to Teal. "Would you like to spend the evening with me up here? The Emperor has ensured a large spread has been provided or we could enjoy the Emperor's personal bathing area or we could simply sit and continue to..."

Teal suddenly dove forward and brought his lips to Jale's. "Or we could kiss!" Jale said, his words muffled by Teal's sudden eagerness.

Despite Teal's rushed enthusiasm, their lips found comfortable purchase. Teal's wariness of Jale's intentions faded, his need taking over. He had always desired Jale and now suddenly, unexpectedly, here Jale was. It was a kiss that Teal had not allowed himself to experience or role play in his imagination. It was a kiss that he had not allowed himself to think of when Jale had been teaching him on palace life, and it was a kiss he had not allowed himself to hope for. He had always tried to keep his mind so dutifully focused on the Emperor but, this was a kiss he had always wanted.

Teal felt one of Jale's hands rake through his hair, Jale's presence so familiar but his tender touch not. Teal allowed himself the same delight and travelled his hands up and over Jale's arms, over the contours of his carved muscles and flesh. A hand rested on Teal's hips, fingertips edging round to the flesh on top of Teal's buttocks before Jale's hand eased forward and glided over the front of Teal's body. Teal's body involuntarily shuddered, and Jale pulled back.

"Need to slow down already?" Jale asked in a tone that implied no sympathy at all. "It has been a while now, hasn't it?" he added and dropped his eyes to the eagerness in Teal's shorts.

Teal nodded, short of breath. "But can we," he looked at the guards, "can we have some privacy?"

Jale didn't look at the guards, he kept his eyes trained on Teal's body. "They are here at the Emperor's orders."

"But..." Teal paused, "could they at least not stand so close?"

"Move to the outside of the alcove," Jale ordered, his eyes still on Teal.

The guards didn't move, but with one quick stern look from Jale, a look that indicated he was not happy to have to cast this amount attention on them, the guards quietly moved to the edge of the alcove.

"You do have a lot of sway," Teal said.

"Only figuring it out now?" Jale asked, amused. "The only people who I take orders from are the Emperor and the Empress. Anyone else, they answer to me."

"Including me?" Teal asked.

The top corner of Jale's mouth twitched. "Take off your shorts."

Without another word, Teal's hands dropped to the tassels on his shorts. He rose when they were loose and pulled them down, eager to be naked in front of Jale once again. The man had seen him without clothes on many occasions.

Jale simply stared, still in his pose and managed to take another gulp of his drink without taking his eyes off of Teal's body. He was a man who looked satisfied with his prize, with his bounty for the night. Teal watched Jale gaze at his broad shoulders, chest and the rest of his naked body; all were absorbed by Jale's gaze, his appreciation more than visible.

Jale cast his cup aside and signaled for Teal to move closer. "At least now I can tell you what I really think." He hands rose to Teal's waist where he laid his palm and stroked firmly across Teal's stomach.

The touch and mere knowledge that it was Jale's fingers on him, caused Teal's knees to almost buckle. He quickly sat down and despite the fact that he was sitting on cushions, his body still managed to sway at the contact, gasping in pleasure at the firm, controlled touch.

"You would not believe my pleasure when we conducted your health checks, and I saw that your silver and black hair were not only to be found on your head," Jale said, coy and full of mirth, his warm hand sliding over Teal as he spoke, assessing and judging what Teal enjoyed.

Before Teal could even think of whether he could or should respond, Jale leaned forward and the wet, warm feel of Jale's mouth closed around him, overpowering every other sensation.

Teal moaned, and he reached out for support in Jale's shoulders, gripping tightly. The only other person to have ever conducted such an act had been Cokrin. Cokrin who had always been successful in getting Teal off, but this was something else, although Teal was not so naïve to know that the feelings were most likely exasperated by nearly three months’ worth of waiting.

Sure enough, all his unreleased sexual energy shot to the brink of release. Teal's head fell back when Jale's mouth returned to take him whole again. He moaned once more, uninhibitedly. Jale's mouth so moist and his tongue delightfully persistent. Teal closed his eyes and breathed. All of his senses heightened, projecting out and absorbing everything, the night, the cool air, the breeze, the heat of Jale's body in front of him, the smell of his scent coupled with the fragrance of spices he used on his skin, and Jale's mouth, his mouth so warm and wet, so warm and wet...

Teal's fingers dug into Jale's shoulder in warning, and he moved to pull back. Instead, Jale's hands grasped Teal's hips tightly, and he continued using his mouth in the most delectable way. Unable to withstand Jale's skill, Teal came hard, moaning his pleasure embarrassingly loud. He was sure that whoever was still in the tower would have heard no matter where they stood.

Jale lifted his head, licking his lips. He reached for his cup with one hand and leaned back leisurely. Lazily, eyes still on Teal, Jale took a mouthful of his wine.

Dizzy with relief, Teal leaned back on the cushions and took the cup that Jale passed his way.

"Better?" Jale enquired politely after a few moments.

Teal nodded and drank the contents of the cup in one go, a sweet strong wine. The servant was before him again, refilling it, and Teal tried to ignore that they would have been privy to what had just taken place. He shoved it to the back of his brain, not keen to dwell on that uncomfortable fact. He shifted his attention instead to Jale's crotch. "Can I, for you?" he suddenly asked.

Jale drummed his fingers on the cushion behind Teal. "Maybe we can move to a more comfortable arrangement," Jale suggested, rising to his feet and capturing Teal's hand in his. He tugged Teal to his feet and started to guide Teal towards the Emperor's bed.