An Irresistible Force
Title: An Irresistible Force
Authors: BlackWidow & Isolde
Category: Alternate Universe, Slash, Crossover
Fandom: Highlander: The Raven & Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: André Korda / Eri-Kol Heth (OMC)
Rating: R
Warnings: Explicit m/m sex, violence
Feedback: Please, let us know what you think!
BlackWidow:
Isolde:
Disclaimer: The Highlander Universe is property of Panzer/Davis. The Jedi, the Force, and all other elements of the Star Wars universe are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. No profit to be gained from the writing of this fan fiction. This story features violence and material of a sexually explicit nature. If this isn't what you like to read or you're under legal age in your country, don't read it.
Do not link, post or archive without express permission.
Thanks to our beta reader, Cherna.
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Claye Souilly is a quiet town located in the Champagne Region of France, just northwest of Paris, which produces some of the world's finest wines. All around the countryside, the vineyard harvest was on. Warm southerly breezes had kept the past few days pleasant and summer-like even though it was fall; this fine weather had facilitated the harvest. There was big money in wine, and as he sat on the balcony watching the workers in the vineyards, André Korda genuinely smiled, confident that this year's vintage would be some of the finest his vineyards had ever produced.
Wine production was a small part of his empire, but one he enjoyed toying with. For one thing, it was legal, as were his nightclubs, scattered in various cities all over the globe. No matter that they'd originally been financed by illegal funds, they were now legitimate enterprises, making lots of legitimate money.
Playing with money was something Korda enjoyed, second only to playing with the lives of mortals. Unlike the fragile mortal beings that surrounded him; 'Sparrows', as he liked to refer to them, money was something that could be used for the future. Managed skillfully, money begets more money and it is always there when needed. Making more money was a game to him. It challenged his sharp intellect and gave him an occasion to dilute the boredom of the endless centuries of his existence. With his financial situation excessively comfortable, it was now time to consider a new venture, a new game, an intricate plan to acquire properties in some of the hottest up-and-coming areas for tourism. He and his partners were systematically eliminating their rivals through various means, either legal or otherwise, and moving in on several large land-holdings. Their plans well underway, he relaxed, sipping his drink and enjoying the warmth of the sun.
A laptop computer rested on the table, its soft chime indicating he had mail. Casually, he peered down at the screen and hit the receive button. The mailbox opened and he smiled faintly at the subject, 'About your kind invitation.' It was from Eri-Kol. "Perfect, your timing is splendid," he whispered, as a small wily grin curled the corners of his mouth. He sat back and took another sip of his drink and began to read the letter.
Dear Korda,
Words cannot describe my feelings when I received your invitation to join you for a time on your world. After all these months of letters exchanged, the thought of seeing you in person is like a dream to me. In my heart, I feel I already know so much about you. I realize this is not so, but I long so much to learn more. Your letters are a comfort to me when I am lonely. I re-read them all and feel that, despite everything, there is one person who understands me.
My world is far from yours and I've never traveled on my own before. I'm not frightened of this, though. I'm a skilled simulation pilot and I have the universe's strongest ally on my side: the Force. You see the Force led me to discover you, the shadowy man who haunted my dreams. It revealed to me the way to contact you. Now this same energy will guide me to your side.
I hope that this will be acceptable to you, but I would like to leave as soon as I am able. There are other forces at work in my life right now, and I fear I will not have this opportunity again if I hesitate now.
I eagerly await your next letter, my most cherished friend. I will sleep tonight knowing that in time I will be able to see you and hear your voice.
Fondly,
Eri-Kol
Closing the laptop, he picked it up and headed inside to his study. Once there, he sat down at his desk and took time to examine the letter at his leisure. His smile grew and he leaned further back in the chair and propped both feet upon the desk. He laced his fingers together and brought them to his lips. // So you accept my invitation, excellent! Eager to come -- that is even better. I think now *would* be a good time. //
He closed his eyes and thought back on the past six months of their correspondence, back to the way it had began. That first letter, unknown in origin, had somehow seeped through the cracks of what was supposedly an airtight security system. A thoughtful smile came to his face as he remembered examining the mail and the odd return address it contained, and then brushing it off as some nerdy computer technician with far too much time on his hands. But as he'd deleted it from the file, an uncomfortable feeling had come over him, leaving him ill at ease and shaken as if he'd done something wrong. When the second letter came, only a few days later, the uncomfortable feeling turned into defensiveness laced with a touch of curiosity. This time, after scanning the mail for viruses, he had opened it and upon reading, sat back and shook his head. Who was this person and how had they gotten into his mail?
The letter was short and to the point. No long-winded explanation or threats, just concerns as to whether the first letter had reached him and if so, why had he not answered it. As he'd started to make a call to his systems specialist for a trace on the mail, he'd experienced that feeling again, only stronger. He put the phone down and sat back, trying unsuccessfully to shake from his thoughts a sudden urge to answer the letter. Why had he felt this way? To this day, he was uncertain. The only thing he was sure about was that each time a new letter had come from Eri-Kol, the urgency and desire to meet him had grown. At times, it was erotic, at others it was nurturing. But always it was intense.
His technicians had never been able to trace where the mail came from, except that is was satellite-based. This is what Eri-Kol had told him, but he rarely trusted anyone, certainly not someone he had never met. So initially, he'd taken the word of his people on this matter; they'd felt it was a hoax.
As time went on, he learned that everything Eri-Kol told him seemed to be truthful. He also learned more about the stranger. He was young, around eighteen, and a student of some cult known as Jedi. Unhappy with his lot in life, he longed for adventure and freedom from his Temple. A chance to see and learn new things. He was clever; brilliant it seemed, in regards to high-tech electronics. In addition, he knew an enormous amount of highly advanced communications networking skills that none of his partners had access to. How he had such abilities and skills was something of a mystery. Korda decided how Eri knew was not important. Getting Eri to play along, to utilize these skills to Korda's advantage was what mattered. The one thing that could not be reasoned however, was where Eri came from - the stars!
From the moment Korda had finally given in to the strange urge to respond to the letters, Eri had said he was from another world. At first, he wrote this off as the boy's coy way of hiding his whereabouts. Then several events eroded his initial belief. The simple fact that no one could find the source of the transmissions was puzzling enough, but when the file came with Eri's holographic message, he again reassessed the value of the boy's word.
He smiled and pushed the button on the computer, accessing the Holo-file. The image flickered as it enlarged and came into focus, finally illuminating the dark study. Before him stood Eri-Kol Heth, dressed in old-fashioned robes and smiling gloriously back at him. The picture was as sharp as the day he had received it. The sound so clear that if he closed his eyes, he was certain the young man was actually standing in the room. The words spoken were sincere and he could not help but sense a touch of urgency in them.
The image produced the same response in him now as it had done the first time, amazement! Not only for the way it made him feel to actually see and hear this stranger, but also for the sheer technological advancement this file represented. Holographic imagery was not new, but to his knowledge, no one could produce something like this. There was no camera in his system to project it, nothing in his program applications to run it, but there he stood, real as life. From that moment on, André Korda believed in Eri-Kol. What he could do with his knowledge and abilities, the sky was the limit!
He reasoned that if Eri checked out as legitimate and a non-threat, then he would play on all his misgivings, show him all the things he was missing because of his cloistered life in the Temple. Give him anything he desired, and in return, gain the knowledge he possessed to further his empire. The things Eri had revealed about life in the Temple only reinforced that he was not happy there. The boy seemed lonely and at times desperate for companionship, and this is what Korda would prey on. Eri seemed sexually inclined towards men, this was not a concern for Korda, he'd done lots of things in his life and bedding an attractive young man was not high on his list of negatives, especially when there was so much to be gained. Besides, he could not deny the feelings he experienced every time he thought of him. Perhaps there was a desire and a need within himself, one he did not want to admit. He'd been alone for a long time and he yearned for a fresh soul, someone he could teach and mold for his own purposes. Perhaps Eri was that soul?
He thoughtfully watched the image until the message ended. He had done this dozens of times, never tiring of the beauty of it, or the pleasurable emotions it invoked deep within his psyche. Once it ended, he stretched, arching his back and turning his neck from side to side to relieve some of the stiffness that had settled in during the lazy afternoon. He leisurely reached for the headset and leaned back in his chair, contemplating what to say. After thoughtfully weighing all the implications this visit would entail, he dictated a letter of response to Eri.
Dear Eri-Kol,
I was delighted to receive your letter and to learn you have accepted my offer. I am currently working on clearing my schedule so that we may spend time together, undisturbed by matters of business.
If possible, you should leave immediately. I would not wish for uncontrollable elements at your Temple to detain you. It seems to me the sooner, the better, oui? From what you have told me in some of your other letters, the travel time to get here should set your arrival date on Sunday evening, September 23rd. I defer to your knowledge of the travel procedures and shall eagerly await you at our planned arrival site.
I am anxious as well, finally to have the pleasure of meeting you in the flesh, for even though I read your letters with great interest, it is not as rewarding an experience as actually speaking with *you*.
I do not claim to understand the Force you speak of, or how it initially led you to me. I am, however, certain that there is some reason for all of this. If the Force is truly as remarkable as you say, then it will guide you safely to my side. Until that moment, I shall wait patiently, trusting that no power is stronger than the attraction of kindred spirits, and as we seem to be of this nature - soon we shall be together. Take care, my friend, and have a safe journey.
Until we meet,
André
He pushed the send button and shut down the computer. It was a deliciously wonderful feeling when plans came together so perfectly. There would be no more work today, no more need for it. It was time to celebrate his newest venture and that could only be done in the city - Paris! Time to clean up and head out for the night. He ascended the stairs two at a time, jubilant in the knowledge that all was well, and would soon be even better.
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Eri-Kol sat back in his seat and shut down his datapad. An invitation had been issued, he had accepted, and now the plans were set into motion. He was leaving the Temple.
It had all started so suddenly. He'd seen visions of himself in his dreams with a man on a green and lush planet. For days he saw these images while he slept: of the two of them talking and laughing together. He always woke up from these dreams disoriented and with the Force urging him to take some action. He consulted with the masters, something he had never done before, and they prescribed a series of meditations to get in touch with the Force. It was then, during the midst of searching his feelings, he discovered that this man's name was André Korda, and he lived upon the planet Earth.
Earth was a world on the edge of a neighboring galaxy. The Trade Federation had been observing activities on this planet for nearly 70 standard years. It was a primitive, isolated world, but not technologically barren, the citizens had recently adopted atomic energy and networked binary systems. They had made limited ventures into space and had several orbiting satellites transmitting data to all regions of the planet. The Trade Federation had been covertly tied into Earth's Internet for only a few years, gaining knowledge about its economies and resources. It was fortunate for Eri-Kol that he just happened to know a secret way into the Federation's network. Within only a few days of trial and error, he figured out the way to send his first transmission to Korda. Now, months later and several letters exchanged, he was planning to take the first steps to actualize his vision through the Force.
Although Eri-Kol did not know everything about the man, he knew Korda was a self-employed businessman who had managed to acquire a great deal of wealth. He was an attractive man in his prime who enjoyed his cosmopolitan lifestyle. Eri had never known anyone like him before. The attraction was immediate and devastating for the Jedi. There hadn't been a moment passed where Korda was far from his mind. His dreams, which only intensified after exchanging letters with this man, soon became filled with erotic imagery. Eventually, Korda had become one of his biggest crushes, Eri thought with a wry grin.
This trip, he realized, meant far more than just the chance to meet Korda in person. It was an escape, a chance for freedom, if only for a short time. He would have the opportunity to see another world and how they lived first hand, something that his existence thus far had denied him. It would also free him from the demands and watchful eyes of others in his life that sought to control him. It would be, he realized, a time to truly relax and enjoy living. He looked forward to it with anticipation.
Eri-Kol reopened his datapad and logged himself into the Temple's central network. Using a stolen ID, he was able to reserve a JT-29, the fastest starship in the Jedi fleet, for his trip. With his Master on the other side of Coruscant on a weeklong mission, no one would notice him missing until his evening classes tomorrow. By that time, he would be halfway across the galaxy.
The Jedi was interrupted from his thoughts by the sound of his door chime. He blinked up at the chrono on the wall. Who would be paying him a visit at the twenty-second hour? He logged out of the system, powered down his datapad, then stood and walked into the sitting room. He used the Force to push the speaker on his comm. panel from across the room. "Who is it?"
"It's Jev," came the immediate reply.
He walked to the door and opened it. Jev-Ki, a newly minted knight, stood smiling in the hallway.
"I've been trying to contact you on the comm. for hours," he said. The knight drew a small, yellow flower from his robe and held it out to Eri. "I thought you forgot about our date."
"I had the comm. turned off," he replied, looking at the flower instead of the young man holding it. He had forgotten about their planned meeting with all that had happened with his correspondence with Korda in the past few months. Knight Jev had just returned from a four-month mission on the ice planet Hoth. Eri had joked when he left that if he survived the frigid assignment, he would save him a warm place in his bed upon his return. Now, he had returned, but Eri-Kol was not in the same generous mood he was four months ago. In fact, having him over for the night would seriously compromise his chances of making a quick escape from the Temple early the next morning.
"Well, I'm back, and contrary to your predictions, I did not freeze my balls off," he chuckled. "My accommodations were quite nice, actually, and… What's wrong, Eri?"
He looked up, startled. "Nothing!"
"Nothing? I get more reaction talking to a wall."
Eri sighed. "I'm really kind of tired tonight, I have an Astrophysics exam tomorrow, and my notes are incomplete. My 'pad corrupted last week and took two lectures with it, and-" he was cut off by Jev tugging on the end of his padawan braid. He closed his eyes and sighed again as the older man leaned in to capture his lips in a kiss.
"You worry too much," Jev whispered, his breath hot on Eri's neck. "I thought about you a lot while I was away. That last night before I left was amazing."
"Jev…" Gentle fingers stroking over his lips silenced Eri. A hot and demanding mouth replaced those fingers. Normally, this sensation could bring the Jedi to instant arousal, but not now. A shattering feeling of wrongness gripped him, shaking him to the core. He pulled away from the knight. "No."
"No?" Knight Jev-Ki took a step backward, disbelief in his eyes. "What in all Sith Hells is wrong with you?" Anger flared briefly in his gaze.
Eri-Kol shrugged, and looked away. He couldn't explain what he was feeling to himself, much less express it in words. It was if the Force, itself, was guiding his every thought and action.
"You know, if it wasn't such a stupid question, I'd ask you if you were seeing someone else," the knight spat. "I already know the answer to that one: One, maybe two dozen other knights and Padawans… am I close?"
Eri winced as if the words were a physical blow; they certainly hurt as bad as one. "Get out," he whispered, trying to keep his voice from trembling.
"You fucking whore," Jev hissed.
"Get out!" he shouted, Force-shoving the knight out of his quarters. He closed and bolted the door, then set the lock to 'no admittance'. Tears blurred his vision as he typed the security code into the panel. From the other side of the door, he could still sense Knight Jev's agitated presence. He knew he was trying to hold back his desire to continue shouting his displeasure. However, that would cause a scene, and Jev was not the type of Jedi that enjoyed being called before the Council. Within a few moments, he felt his departure through the Force. Only then, did he allow the tears to flow freely.
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Sunday, September 23: Claye Souilly, France
The day stretched longer than he had expected, minutes passed like hours and it seemed as though they dragged slower still, as the anticipated arrival time grew closer. His heart rate however, was not slow; it continued its steady acceleration, an exacting measure of his state of mind. Standing on the tarmac of the private heliport, Korda restlessly gazed up at the stars, his thoughts crystallizing on one moment, Eri-Kol's arrival, as everything else faded from his usually calculating reasoning. Although he had taken the head of another immortal the night before, an occurrence that usually lingered with him for days, the sensation of that experience had since faded, blotted out by the singular desire to finally be alone with this wondrous being called a Jedi.
A lone attendant stood off to the side, awaiting the arrival of this important VIP. The way his employer had prepared and strategized with everyone on his staff during the day indicated that this was someone of significant importance.
Scrutinizing his boss with a cautious glance, he noticed how preoccupied Korda seemed. An unusual occurrence, he thought, rarely did this man let distractions of any manner interfere with business plans. This day, however, had been the exception to this rule.
He continued to stare at his boss, who did not seem to notice. This also troubled the man for it was not like him to be unaware of his surroundings. He was dressed in black linen trousers and shirt with a finely tailored Armani jacket that fell to his knees. He was around 5'10", with the physique of a runner or dancer, but by no means a physically overpowering man. To think him weak would be a critical mistake as he was well trained in many forms of weaponry and martial arts. There was no doubt in his mind, his boss was deadly, accurate, and ruthless killer, one that did whatever it took to achieve his goals.
Standing anxiously awaiting his guest, he looked nothing like that imposing, ruthless underworld-businessman that he was. Even if one were to examine him closer, look into his piercing eyes, they would see little of his truer nature. For the way he acted tonight, they might think this man a collector, anticipating the acquisition of something of exceptional value. His eyes -- their sheer malevolence could halt and then subdue a person of even the most unyielding character -- now gazed innocuously up into the darkness. It was unsettling for him to see his employer this way. As long as he had worked for Korda, he'd never noted him to be so exuberantly happy and carefree.
A small sound caught the technician's attention, pulling him from his thoughts. As he followed the other man's eyes up into the starry sky, he saw something headed at incredible speed, directly towards the heliport area.
It only took a few seconds before that small sound turned into a roar. An aircraft, unlike any he had ever seen, hovered stationary above them. Both of the men had to shield their eyes from the blinding glow of the vehicle's twin rocket engines. The roar soon turned into a hum as the craft began its descent. It settled on the ground like a helicopter would, but this ship was no helicopter. It was painted a bright scarlet, with unfamiliar characters written along the side. The technician watched in amazement as the wide, triangular wings folded in on themselves to lie flat against the hull. Surely, this ship was a secret military project of some sort, the technician thought.
It took a few moments for the engines to finish their high-pitched humming. Finally, the air was silent except for the soft chirping of insects. A hatch opened near the rear of the aircraft, and a ladder dropped down. A brown-cloaked figure emerged and descended the ladder two steps at a time. The man once again threw a confused look at his employer. He had been expecting an officer of some sort to disembark.
"Korda!" A youthful voice rang out into the night.
The amazement of finally seeing this ship that he'd read so much about in Eri's letters was overshadowed by his unbridled delight in seeing its pilot. Korda walked briskly towards the cloaked man, his arms outstretched in greeting. "At last," he said warmly as they embraced. Tugging the hood off the taller man's head, he teasingly ruffled the curly mane of hair while smiling genuinely. Placing both hands firmly upon Eri's shoulders, he kissed first one side of his face then the other, welcoming him with ardor. "Bienvenue vers la France!"
"It has been a long journey. At times I never thought I'd get here," Eri said quietly. His stomach was aflutter with nervousness and excitement. "Your world is beautiful. Even from space, I could see the blue of the oceans." His eyes swept the entire area. It had been many standard years since he had stood on a real planet surface with grass beneath his feet and living creatures surrounding him. The smell of clean, unfiltered air was almost pleasant enough to make him moan aloud.
Suddenly, he noticed the second man observing him a few paces beyond Korda. Unsure of the stranger's rank or position, the Jedi immediately straightened before offering a formal bow. The technician's mouth dropped open in shock as he looked over at Korda with questioning eyes.
Smiling at Eri's reactive gesture, Korda placed an arm around his shoulder and softly chuckled as they walked nonchalantly away from the craft. "You don't have to do that here. This man works for me."
Glancing back he nodded and the technician jumped towards a control panel inside the small building just off the tarmac. He tapped away at the panel on the wall, punching in a code, and suddenly the humming of hydraulics disturbed the silence, flushing out several birds from their perches in the trees overhead. The surface around the ship started to move, slowly lowering the vessel below ground. "Just a security precaution," he hummed. "I believe in keeping my dealings private." His hand tightened for a moment on Eri's shoulder then relaxed. "Do you wish to see Paris?" His eyes sparkled like crystals, his smile matching them. "Perhaps freshen up… first?"
"Oh, a warm bath would be wonderful right now," Eri said honestly. "My ship has poor hygiene facilities." He took another sweeping glance at his surroundings, marveling at the vastness of it all. "The stars are beautiful from here," he murmured. "I can never see them on Coruscant. The city lights drown them out entirely," he frowned. His was a world of industry and technological marvel. He had always thought it was a shame that steel and machinery had strangled the last of his planet's natural beauty.
The darker man's eyes followed Eri's to the stars as he uttered almost silently, "They are timeless in their beauty."
A warm breeze drifted around them carrying the sweet smell of the grape and apple orchards upon it, and the robed youth swirled around to catch the aroma with vigorous effort. Gazing upon his guest's jubilant face, he smiled at the innocent wonder of his fathomless brown eyes. "They don't let you out much do they?" he asked sincerely and with a touch of concern. He did not know why he cared about this. Perhaps it was something about his seemingly naive nature that made him feel protective of the boy. Whatever the cause for his concern, it was a bit unsettling for him. Nevertheless, he wisely accepted it as an intuition not to be ignored.
"Only on account of my master. She's..." His voice wavered slightly. "She's not like other Jedi. She has missions, but I'm not to accompany her." He paused, deep in thought. The relationship between he and his master was far more complex than he could explain in the limited amount of time he had on this world. He wasn't entirely sure Korda would even understand if he tried. He met his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. "Let's not talk about her."
Dangerous discussion, Korda thought as a small frown wavered on his features. "Then let's not," he said firmly but with a subtle smile. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Running a hand up Eri's arm, he squeezed the lean shoulder while prompting him towards the house.
Leisurely walking through the softly lit grounds of Korda's estate, they stopped now and then to examine details that intrigued Eri. There was a cascading rock garden, with softly gurgling water, trickling down into a large pool. Lit from below, it glowed eerily in the warm night and the water teamed with multicolored koi, as they swam to the edge when the two men neared.
"They're always hungry," the immortal sighed. Flashing the tall youth a charming glance, he added softly, "But beautiful to look upon."
As they approached the front entrance, a tall, heavy-set man stepped from the darkness, his features gloomy and inert as he waited by the door. "You don't need to bow to him either," he whispered with a small chuckle as he waved the large guard aside and opened the door. "Bienvenue à mon à la maison," he said, gracefully bowing while ushering the younger man inside.
The front foyer was modestly decorated, with an off-white marble floor, and was larger than Eri had imagined. The walls were white as well and unadorned except for an oblong mirror that was framed in brass, and opposite this hung several exquisitely woven Chinese silk pictures. Each one was a small image, skillfully hand made in the ancient ways, with painted woven threads to create intricate scenes in brilliant details of color and clarity.
As Eri examined them, he noticed they appeared to be all of the same man involved in rituals and battle. They resembled the texts that laid out the timeless Jedi code. Ten years ago, he had sworn his apprenticeship upon those ancient scrolls. If only he had known then what his future would hold. He glanced over at Korda questioningly. "This is some sort of history of a knight?" he asked.
"Yes, a Samurai." Korda nodded. "They were commissioned by the Han Emperor Wu Di, to depict this warrior's life and heroic deeds to the Han dynasty. They're very old, priceless," he quietly added with a trace of attachment in his voice. He allowed the young man time to examine them briefly then gently nudged him forward.
Eri-Kol smiled as he took in his surroundings. He almost felt as if he were at home at the Temple. The sound of the fountain was as familiar as the hard marble under his boots and the ceiling soaring meters above his head. The young Jedi broke into a wide smile.
"This pleases you?" Korda asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"It's beautiful. It is as if it was built from all of the best parts of the Temple," he said reminiscently.
"Ah," he nodded in understanding and then captured Eri by the waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. "But unlike your Temple," he purred, "there are only my rules here, and those are few."
"That makes it even better," Eri whispered. He leaned closer and brushed his lips against Korda's. "I'm a rule breaker."
"Are you now?" he chuckled. "I'd have never thought this of you," he said with mock surprise. Leaning slightly into the touch, tightening his embrace. Through the robes, he could feel the lean waist and slender definition of muscles. He steadily pushed Eri against the wall capturing his mouth in a series of kisses, each longer than the last, delving deeper until he was lost, completely oblivious of anything but the hardness pressing tightly against him.
The young Jedi returned his kisses ardently, but with a deep sense of foreboding. This elegant house, this beautiful world, and this man... they were temporary. It would be so easy to lose himself entirely here, only to face the pain of going back. Eri drew away with a sigh. He was just being emotional from the stress of the journey. He offered Korda an apologetic smile.
"You're troubled." Korda smiled indulgently, and then placed several tender kisses on Eri's lips, trailing his warm tongue along the finely sculptured cheekbones until it brushed against the soft skin behind his ear. "You worry about things that have no place here." Cupping Eri's chin with a firm grasp, he lifted it and peered seductively into faltering eyes. "This is our time, I'll share it with no one." The tone in his voice was deep and throaty. "Not even those in your thoughts." As if to emphasize the seriousness of his desire, he slowly drew a hand down and firmly squeezed the bulge he knew lay hidden under the heavy wool robes. His eyes burned into Eri's, the fire in them a subtle warning that was slowly replaced with a lusty gleam.
Just then, a lovely redhead entered the hallway and blushed. "Y a-t-il toute autre chose monsieur?"
"Jeanette, mes souhaits d'invité à baigner," he said without taking his eyes from the Jedi.
"Oui monsieur," she nodded
"Mes salles," he added.
"Tout de suite monsieur," she softly replied and immediately headed up the stairs.
Eri-Kol groaned. The order was as effective as his equally firm hand. The hint of danger sent a ripple of excitement up his spine. This man would accept no refusal. It was exactly what he needed. His knees were weak as Korda released him.
"A bath, then other small pleasures, mon doux," Korda purred. The expression in Eri's eyes said all he needed to know; there would be no more hesitation tonight. If there was, he had ways to deal with this; after all, he'd centuries to master them. He smiled smugly and took his arm, leading him into the main hall then up the stairs. His eyes lingered over Eri as he ushered him forward.
At the top of the stairs, the young maid waited and as they reached her, she spoke. "Tout est dans monsieur de commande."
"Vous pouvez partir pour la nuit. Informez le reste du personnel de maison, excepté John, de la même chose. Je n'aurai pas besoin de leurs services plus loin ce soir." Korda nodded as the maid scurried down the stairs.
A delicious smile consumed every part of his features when he turned his full attention back upon the desired goal. Casually walking down the hall, he cupped a hand gently around the nape of Eri's neck while opening a door at the end of the corridor. "My rooms are at your disposal," he said easily.
They entered and Korda slowly shut the door. Leaning against it, a Cheshire cat grin crossed his features as his voice dropped to a deeper more sensual tone, he added, "I hope it is to your liking?" His meaning clearly not aimed entirely at the rooms; he carefully regarded Eri's reaction.
The boy nodded, his eyes wandering the spacious area before coming to rest on Korda. The suite was about five times the size of his rooms at the Temple, and decorated in simple, yet elegant fabrics. The bed was the centerpiece of the area, and it did not escape his scrutiny. A sudden rush of fresh excitement caused his heart to speed up.
Korda walked over to another door and opened it. "You'll need something besides those clothes, once you bathe," he said with a bit of brevity. Inside was a closet the size of a room from which he quickly emerged carrying a silk Yukata with a distinctive dragon design woven through it.
"Now!" He smiled while tossing the robe onto the bed. "Let's get you out of this..." he hesitated, "uniform?" His eyes narrowed on the younger man and a lascivious smile crept across his features as he slowly crooked a finger. "Come over here jeune homme," he said, forebodingly, engendering the impression that one should not disappoint, or keep him waiting.
Eri-Kol smiled teasingly, then shrugged out of his floor length robe with an exaggerated roll of his shoulders. Now, this, he could understand. There were no differences in the rules of pleasure on any world. He walked slowly across the distance separating them, nonchalantly reaching back to unlace the slim tie holding his short ponytail. The golden curls reached the nape of his neck when unbound.
Korda couldn't contain a small chuckle. The boy was playing with him. It was something he had expected, but he was still a delightful thing to see. As he came to him, he closely examined the seemingly endless layers of belts, and clothing. "Trop de couches," he growled.
Tackling the belt first, he undid it and was surprised by its sheer weight. His eyes flickered intriguingly at the device that appeared to him to be some sort of flashlight attached to the dark leather. Upon closer inspection, he saw that this was not the case. He would ask later about this, for now it could wait.
His hands slipped to the now undone curls, running both on either side of Eri's face he luxuriated in their softness. One hand traveled delicately down the long braid that trailed from behind the Jedi's right ear. He examined it with interest. "Why do you have this?" he asked and then nibbled at his graceful neck, letting his breath whisper across the already hot flesh.
"It's the outward sign of my rank." Among other things, he added silently. A leash marking him as his master's property, a constant reminder of his subordinate status. A Padawan braid signifies many things, Eri mused. He leaned into Korda's kisses, refusing to let the bitterness of his thoughts distract him from the moment. "The red band marks my fifth standard year as Padawan learner, the yellow represents my tenth," he explained, slightly breathless. "The braid is severed after the twelfth year. Whether I become a knight or not depends on my passing the trials."
Korda tugged gently at the braid. "So it *is* a sign of rank. I am not surprised. From what you have told me in your letters, regimentation is important at your Temple. Here, we also have ways to separate masters from pupils." He bit slightly into Eri's collarbone. "When I was a Temple monk, they'd mark the students with a brand." Looking swiftly up, his eyes flickered with a wild gleam. "Far more permanent than this braid."
Casually he let the braid drop from his hand as he moved behind Eri and leaned against his back. His excitement was readily apparent as he wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him closer. Untying the sash, he absently let it drop to the floor. Then he quickly removed the outer tunic, adding it to the ever-growing pile of discarded clothes.
"You are in here somewhere, I hope." He chuckled then skillfully lifted the next tunic over Eri's head finally exposing his upper body.
"Magnifique!" he exclaimed and stepped back in front of Eri, his face filled with a wickedly impish grin. "Presque là," he hummed. "I've waited a long time for this, to be with you." Korda's eyes moved slowly down the boy's form, lingering at the obvious bulge in his trousers before wandering back up to meet his passionate brown eyes. "Take off the boots," he commanded. His eyes narrowed and he leaned back casually against the wall, anticipating the graceful display.
Almost thoughtlessly, Eri prepared to use the Force to unfasten his boots. It was second nature to perform this mundane task with the aid of the Force at the Temple. It was small magic to him, little more than a convenience. To Korda, he realized, it would appear altogether different. Should he dare?
Eri gave him a challenging grin. It was not in his nature to hide his abilities. He extended his hand, palm down, toward the older man. With a single movement of his fingers and a generous application of the Force, every fastener on his dark leather boots fell open. The Jedi gracefully kicked both of the cumbersome items off his feet and into the pile of discarded clothes.
"In my business, wasting time can be deadly," he said saucily. "Besides, my bath is getting cold."
How he had done this was incalculable to Korda. He knew nothing of Jedi powers, but then, Eri knew little of him either. His expression, despite his years of controlled meditation, fell desperately short of hiding his amazement at such slight of hand, or what in the old days would have been aligned to witchcraft. These however, where not the old days and the stigmas of the past no longer applied. Still, he was keenly aware this was *power*, and that it seemed easily used by this young man. This fascinated him, and the thought of having such a power at his disposal was intriguing and exciting.
As he closed his mouth, which had dropped into an awkwardly stupefied expression, he stepped away from the wall and glanced at the boots then slyly towards Eri. What to do? Should he ask about this or leave it as part of the unknown between them? His curious and calculating mind wanted to know everything, now, but his body was begging for simpler answers and he swallowed hard, fighting back his questions. No, he thought, as he casually removed his coat and placed it on the chair, this can also wait.
Stretching his arm out in an offering of acceptance, his eyes softened as he took Eri into a gentle embrace. His tongue licked at his lips as one hand sensuously glided down his lean back and under the drawstring of the soft trousers. Slipping it deeper, he cupped the firm flesh and squeezed as his tongue hungrily pressed into Eri's mouth, devouring him with passion that he'd contained far too long. As their kiss deepened, both hands moved under the soft material, caressing and kneading the hot muscular flesh. The boy responded, falling effortlessly into his embrace.
Breaking off their kiss, he whispered lightheartedly, "Your bath is in there." Nodding towards the door on the far side of the room, he tugged down the trousers with one swift catlike motion.
As Eri stepped out of the tangled trousers legs, Korda nudged him towards the door as a playful smile subtly covered his features.
Eri-Kol threw a playful glance over his shoulder as he headed to the adjoining room. The Jedi was unconcerned by his sudden nudity. Actually, Korda thought smugly, he seemed quite proud of the impressive erection he was sporting. As if reading his mind, the boy turned in a slow circle and closely monitored Korda's expression, with amusement in his eyes. Everything about him was an invitation. "Join me?" his voice was low, sultry.
If Korda had learned one thing in his many centuries, it was never to turn down such an irresistible offer. He returned the sultry smile and slipped off his shoes while making his way to the doorway.
Not waiting for him to undress, Eri was already slowly sinking into the steamy bath. His face was completely relaxed as he slid down the side of the sunken tub. Korda frowned just a bit, he'd have enjoyed being unclothed by those exquisite hands but then it was more expedient this way, and he was an expedient man. He casually walked back over to the dresser and removed his ring and watch. After the last of his clothes were off, he entered the room that was now filled with steam from the heated tub.
Eri's eyes were shut and he seemed surreal, lying with only his head exposed above the oil-scented water. The steam drifted lazily about the room, as did the smell of Jasmine from the plants that lined the shelves around the bath. Korda groaned deep within himself, his desire steadily mounting, while moving to the side of the tub.
Taking a small ceramic bottle off the shelf, he sat down behind Eri, straddling either side of the younger man's head. The bottle contained rare oils from the Far East. Opening it, he poured a generous amount into his palm before placing it to one side. His strong hands worked the oil into stiff shoulders from travel. He bent over and rested his chin on top of the curly mane of soft blonde hair as he worked the oil thoroughly into warm skin.
Eri's eyes lazily opened as the skilled hands firmly messaged his shoulders. The warmth of the water and fragrant steam were incredibly relaxing. He could feel every trace of tension accumulated through travel slipping away.
"The water suits you, it's not too hot?" Korda asked as both hands manipulated the shoulder muscles then drew down over Eri's chest to linger lightly on his nipples. He chuckled and pinched them causing a swift reaction from his guest. Bending to nip Eri's ear, he added, "Je l'aime cette voie."
His heartbeat sped up as the boy ducked out of his grasp and turned to face him. When he rose to his knees, the water just lapped at the trim waist, the most tantalizing parts of his young guest were under the surface. Wet, slender hands started stroking up his legs. The boy pressed a single, sweet kiss on the inside of the immortal's knee. "Close your eyes," he ordered.
He resisted the urge to just grab the Jedi; instead, he complied. When he thought it was safe, he dared to peek under his lashes at what Eri was doing.
"No cheating!" Eri-Kol admonished, noticing that he had only partially lowered his lids. The Jedi stifled a giggle as the eyes closed again.
Eri took a few moments to examine the body seated before him. The finely muscled physique suggested a man as familiar with training as he was. His eyes trailed down his chest, its center, lightly peppered with dark hair, past the indentation of his navel to the fully erect shaft. He leaned closer until he could smell his scent mixing with the fragrant steam of the bath.
Korda smiled, and was about to make a comment when he felt something feather-light stroke against his lower stomach. It tickled, making his muscles tingle and twitch in response. That damnable braid! The boy was tracing slow circles around his navel with the tail of it! He moaned, keeping his eyes tightly closed - waiting. It moved lower, across his hip in a wide sweep, down to tickle his inner thigh. Such exquisite torture!
The immortal groaned deep within his throat. He could sense just how close the boy was to his straining erection. Then the braid was moving again, brushing against the sensitive skin, stealing his breath away. Shaking slightly in anticipation, he nearly opened his eyes and grabbed the boy but decided to indulge him for now, keeping both eyes shut.
He jerked in surprise when the tail moved again, unexpectedly making contact with the underside. "Ahhh..." His breath left him in a single moaned syllable as the braid made its way upward to tease the swollen head. It was too much. He opened his eyes and seized the boy's shoulders. "Enough," he grunted.
"Stop?" Eri whispered, mischief sparkling in his eyes.
"No!" his voice came out raspy but demanding as his eyes narrowed.
The Jedi shrugged and settled closer between Korda's splayed legs. The offending braid now fell wet and limp down the well-defined chest, past a nipple, and into the waist-deep water.
Korda smiled again. He planned to use that slim plait of hair to torment its owner very soon. Revenge would be sweet... for both of them.
Firm hands clasped either side of his tormentor's face and he smoothed his thumbs over the fine contours, admiring them, studying every detail as if seeing them for the first time. The eyes that returned his gaze were fathomless in their desire, mischief and danger, and he adored them. His own eyes mirrored nothing of his truer nature; his darker side. Their blue-green depths riveted back only desire, like shards of glass cutting deep but painlessly into soft flesh.
The hands gliding up Korda's thighs and the strong fingers needing him sent shivers of passion throughout him. His hands tenderly moved to the finely toned muscles of Eri's neck gently pressing him forward and down. "I said not to stop," his words hissed out with a touch of harshness, even cruelness.
A quick glance at him left no doubt to Eri what was desired. Although the words had been harsh, his eyes were soft, sensual, and almost passive. And a soft moan caught in his throat as a warm tongue seductively roamed up his inner thigh.
Excruciating moments and that tongue moved a winding path upward, finally plying hot, open-mouthed kisses. It seemed the young man was still in the mood for torture. Korda had to use all of his control not to grab onto the damp curls and guide that mouth exactly where he wanted it. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, as soft lips trailed from the base to the head.
Eri was not willing to give up his little game. Long, slow licks up his underside had the older man quivering in anticipation. The Jedi grinned softly as Korda let out an impatient moan, entwining his fingers a bit tighter into Eri's hair. He turned back to his prize, licking and kissing around the sensitive head.
Something close to a growl issued from Korda's throat. He'd been worked up and ready to come from almost the moment his young guest had started to strip. Now with the boy's hard body pressed against his and those teasing lips dancing around his most responsive spots, he was torn between agony and pleasure. "Do it!" he hissed.
Eri-Kol knew a command when he heard it. He adjusted the angle and slid the head past his lips, paused a moment to take a deep breath, then slid the rest of the way down.
"Oui!" Korda moaned, stroking his hair, shoulders, and every part of him that he could reach. The young man was practically devouring him deeper with every single stroke. He knew he wasn't going to last long at this feverish pace, even after a few seconds he could feel the pressure building. The immortal glanced down and saw the boy staring back up at him with lust, his slick lips around him, cheeks flushed in arousal. It was all that he needed.
He felt Korda stiffen, bucking his hips upward. He allowed the motion, widening his stance to maintain his balance as the older man spent his passion.
The crest of pleasure ebbed slowly as warm lips lingered, sucking, drawing him further in, even as the last spasms involuntarily rocked his hips. Lying back against the tiles, cool in their contact upon his shoulders and head, Korda sighed almost sorrowfully as the breath he had held mercifully escaped him. Moments like this were to be enjoyed in the fullest, and the hot fleshy tongue circled leisurely about the tip of his head, was unquestionably enjoyable. He savored it with mastery matured from experience.
The coolness of wet locks of hair tangled around his fingers, gradually roused his body from its slumbering ecstasy and half opened satiated eyes peered down at this treasure from the stars. The eyes meeting his caused a shiver to creep over Korda's entire body as he savored the un-restrained message they sent. They existed as unfaltering pools of desire that fixed on their prey with the insatiability of a hungry, dangerous creature. The eyes were only part, however, of what caused his trembling hand to sooth over the matted blond curls. The hardness steadily pressing against his knee had also invoked an uncontrollable rush of blood, flushing his face and warming him once more, from deep within.
Eri slid himself seductively up onto Korda's knee as he teasingly moved in closer, grasping both shoulders and leaning all his weight upon the immortal's chest. Korda gasped at the contact of the achingly hot erection against his sweat-dampened skin.
Another gasp escaped as hot lips covered his with dangerous sweetness, the strong insistent tongue delving deeply past teeth, hungrily exploring his mouth, bringing with it the lingering salt of his own passion. His hands responded to this new assault, circling around the boy's taunt nipples, they lingered pinching and twisting them until Eri broke their kiss with a gasp of sheer delight.
Using the advantage the wall offered, Korda pushed himself back into a more comfortable position as both his hands wrapped around the lean back then under the squirming ass that straddled his thigh. Their lips met again and he smiled within the kiss, pushing downward with both arms as his leg shoved firmly against Eri's straining erection, causing a shocked look and low grunt from the excited young man.
Cocking an eyebrow at the hellion on his knee, he smiled wickedly. "You want a ride, eh?" Korda laughed and slid slowly into the delicious warmth of the water, taking his passenger with him. Without loosening his grip on the thrusting hips, he bent over him, nipping at a nipple, exposed just above the water.
Eri arched his back and moaned, eagerly pressing into the deliciously sharp bites while lifting himself slightly off Korda's leg.
One of Korda's hands gave up its firm hold, moving instead to stroke the hardness pressed insistently against his leg. His teeth raked over the tormented nipple, biting harder, twisting and pulling it.
A sharp sensation flowed outward from the source of delicious pain, mirroring the ripples on water. Another gasp escaped Eri's throat, this time agonizingly long as he pushed into the pain, luxuriating in it, asking for it. The response was misleading as the teeth released their grip and a warm tongue lapped at the swollen flesh but only teasingly, for as soon as the boy relaxed, the sharp teeth clamped down even harder.
Eri's fingers sank deep into the unyielding arms that held him. He shifted, trying to gain some balance and control over his splayed legs. As if sensing his intent, the older man's hand firmly tighten around his flesh, gliding insistently up and down, and building tantalizing pressure almost to its peak. Then, suddenly, the hand was gone.
"No!" the Jedi moaned as he pushed back down searching for the heated touch. Lips caught his throat trailing a path of warm kisses under and around his chin as the hand returned to stroking the hardening flesh. After several seductive glides, it slipped down to grasp around his balls.
Korda squeezed the captured flesh firmly as he asked seductively, dangerously, breathlessly, into the boy's ear, "No?" His tongue dipped teasingly into Eri's ear, eliciting a moan. "We both know you mean yes," his words silken vessels of promise, heating the flesh just behind the ear, before allowing the younger man to wiggle free.
Nodding his desire, Eri growled softly, playfully, while grabbing Korda's ears and gently shaking his head. A tightening of the grip around his balls immediately stopped the frolicsome movements. As their eyes met, the immortal presented him a wolfish grin while shoving his captive towards the other wall of the large bath. His hand firmly kept its hold on the tender flesh as his back bumped into the hard porcelain. A steady stream of hot water ushered from a small outlet and Korda shoved Eri's back against it while thrusting one leg and locking it around the other man's knee. He shifted just enough to separate Eri's firm thighs, allowing better access for his roaming hand.
Immediately covering his willing captive's mouth with demanding kisses, Korda's fingers petted and fondled the exposed erection. Sliding back the folds of skin, he exposed the sensitive head and ran his fingers over it, pushing, probing at the slit, and then firmly stroking all the way down to the base.
Small gasps escaped the younger man as his head fell back onto the tiled ledge. The sensation of the jetting water caught suddenly between his firm cheeks causing an involuntary spasm from his muscles. His hands roamed over Korda's shoulders then clasped around his neck as the pleasure started growing, engulfing his entire body in a heated blush.
The hand around him was skilled, persistent, and unpredictable as it played its symphony, concerned with nothing but giving its conductor pleasure. Steady strokes, unwavering in their intensity sent Eri deeper into their offering. His eyes fluttered and shut as Korda's mouth latched onto a nipple, sucking, biting and then lapping at its hardness, only to start all over again on the other. The rhythm of his hand moved independently of his tormenting mouth, its hold tightening slightly as it came to the head, then slipping easily back down. Increasing the pressure steadily, he repeated this movement over and over again until the flesh in his grasp was thrusting against his touch. Stoking up the underside then wrapping his fingers over the head, he pulled upward, forcing Eri's hips to shift partially out of the water.
It was exquisite pain, sharp and devastating as the strong fingers held him, kneading the hot flesh then slowly digging his nails into it. "Sith!" Eri hissed, a grimace of arousal and agony on his flushed faced. He was so close, so very close. He hung deliciously on the verge of ecstasy, where even pain felt glorious.
Korda took this perfect moment to indulgently bite down hard on one of the tormented nipples as his other hand grasped hold of the rocking hips, pushing them back under the water. The nerve-racking vice of fingers loosened from around the swollen flesh, replaced by soft whisper-like traces moving downward until they cupped around the tightening balls.
The multiple stimulations wracked Eri's body, his heart raced as his breath hissed out. Both his hands shot to the immortal's arms, clamping firmly around them and digging his nails deeply as he cried out his release. His head fell back hard against the tiles, eyes tightly shut as his breath exploded from his lungs.
Not giving in to the cries, which he knew were not entirely from pain yet rather the excruciating pleasure the right amount of pain could bring, he twisted the tight sacs, manipulating the flesh until the body under his touch quivered. Tightening leg muscles pushed against him and his hand quickly responded. Grasping hold of Eri, he let swift, hard strokes completely finish the boy off.
Eri whimpered softly as he slumped, boneless, back against the side of tub. Korda's hand still pumped his softening flesh gently, sending delightful aftershocks firing through his nerves. Vaguely, over the sound of his harsh breathing, he heard Korda's low chuckle.
"You look utterly spent, belle." He swirled his tongue once more across a nipple. "I plan on seeing you look this way many times while you are here."
Eri could do little more than utter an indecipherable moan at the sound of promise in those words. He still wasn't quite sure how he had gone from burning anticipation, to fervent arousal, to utter relaxation in only this short span of time. Not that he was complaining, especially when Korda was intently nibbling on his collarbone. The Jedi let out a contented sigh, arching his back in a cat-like stretch.
Taking him by the waist, Korda moved Eri onto his lap. For a while, he rested his chin on Eri's shoulder, the hot water swirling around them, its steam softening their flesh. Closing his eyes, he listened to the ragged breathing next to him gently fade away, replaced by steady, slumbering breaths. The long lean legs that covered his lap presented a beckoning vision but he had promised to show him Paris, so his hands worked subtly instead to rouse the young man from his dreamy state.
His head rested back on Korda's shoulder and the exposed neck was irresistibly beckoning him to tease it. The memory of that tantalizing braid and the exquisite torture it brought flashed across his features and he smiled mischievously. Stealthy fingers moved around the elegantly stretched neck, taking hold of the thin strand of hair, he lightly brushed it against Eri's parted lips. The body above him was still, so he continued to softly lay it over his skin. He ran it teasingly up the side of his neck, around his ear then feathering it down to circle a still erect nipple, Eri twitched as his eyes popped open.
"Hello," Korda softly chuckled. "Time to get up," he teased. Letting the braid drop, his fingers twisting the nipple, pinching it just enough to make the boy jump. "You do want to see more of my world, oui?"
Piercing eyes settled upon him with such allure the Jedi shivered. There was so much of this man he didn't know, so much he wanted to learn, yet once again his heart faltered, skipping, knowing their time was short. He nodded, unable to breach the gap of feelings and words.
The eyes gazing down on him flickered knowingly at the vainly hidden sorrow, then softened, their deepening blue tones fleshed out brightly as a genuinely sincere smile fluttered across his lips. "I know," he whispered. "At times like this… it's hard to find words."
For a fleeting moment, they just gazed at each other as if searching for some way to hold back the inevitable, then without any warning Korda kissed him gently. He maneuvered the younger man's legs off his lap and stood. Stretching his arms high above, he moaned, and arched his back. His lean body, a sculpture of finely toned muscles, bent leisurely. Stretching his neck from side to side, he stepped gracefully from the bath.
The Jedi watched the show with half-lidded eyes. A ghost of his recently spent passion tingled across his nerves. Korda was a man well versed in pleasure as well as pain, he thought as he scrambled to his feet. Lingering aches radiated from his groin and his reddened nipples. Good pain; the kind that he couldn't live without.
Tossing the Jedi a soft, thick towel, Korda grinned. "If you like, I have a friend in Paris with a shop. All the fashions, anything you desire," he paused, taking Eri in his arms, "can be yours." Nibbling playfully on the gracefully upturned neck, he sighed then stepped away.
"Paris is only a short drive from here, and it shouldn't take long to find something that suits you once we arrive." He glanced vaguely at the silken robe he had originally contemplated for Eri. That would be suitable for here, he smiled faintly, it wouldn't do for the outside. His eyes fell with distaste upon the pile of belts, tunics, robes and boots, left by their earlier game. He frowned at the discarded uniform. He could not let someone be seen in such a costume, not with him and certainly not in the city. He shrugged and grabbed a Nike running suit from a drawer.
"For now, I'm sure these will do." He grinned. "They're big on me and far too long. They'll cover those magical boots of yours," he added whimsically. Throwing them playfully at Eri, Korda toweled off and started to dress.
Eri-Kol took the clothes and examined them closely. They were simple fare without complicated ties or fastenings. The material was far softer than the coarse linen he was used to: smooth and tightly woven on the outside, and fluffy and soft on the inside. The sweat suit rode low on his slim hips when he pulled it up. He looked up and noticed how Korda was eyeing the waistband.
"Ahhh... too bad they're only temporary." The immortal moved closer to examine the sweat suit. "Facile accès," he added, reaching back and giving Eri a quick squeeze. "I'll be downstairs when you finish up. Don't be long."
"I won't," Eri responded, watching his host leave.
When Korda was out of sight, he grabbed his boots and utility belt from the pile of discarded clothes. He used the Force to refasten the multiple straps on each boot. It was just easier that way. He took a quick glance in the mirror, tied back his ponytail, and straightened his twisted braid. He was about ready to fasten his utility belt around his waist when he paused. Did he really need it? Inside the pouches were various items he might need on a dangerous mission, hardly required for a short trip such as this. He decided quickly to leave it behind.
As he approached the door, he turned back around and looked at his lightsaber. He had never left it behind in over ten years. He felt naked without it... vulnerable. He quickly paced back and unclipped the weapon from the belt.
"The night is wasting, garçon!" Korda's voice wafted up from the first floor.
"Coming!" he replied. He clipped the lightsaber on the waistband of his sweat suit. It wasn't entirely concealed when he lowered the soft sweatshirt. He frowned at the protruding weapon. It would have to do until he had different clothes to wear.
----------
When they arrived at the car, a classic Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, the driver opened the door for Eri and waited until he was seated comfortably before closing it. Korda went around the other side and settled himself in. As the driver started the car he spoke, "Paris, la Chambre de Statler. Informez Charles pour nous attendre." He grinned mischievously at his companion. "He'll be thrilled at our arrival at this time of night," he said with a mixture of sarcasm and mischief. The driver lowered a dark window separating him from the passengers and then placed a call to confirm they were on their way.
The car was spacious, comfortable and offered a splendid view of the surrounding countryside. A laptop computer and cell phone rested opposite them, as well as a bar containing a single bottle and two small-stemmed glasses. Eri peered at it and then sat back, he was somewhat overwhelmed by it all and gazed wide-eyed out the window.
"Something to drink?" Korda purred seductively in his ear while his hand gentled Eri's nervously twitching thigh.
Momentarily startled, Eri recovered quickly and managed to nod his acceptance. He watched Korda's hands as he poured a small amount from the bottle in one of the glasses and then passed it to him.
Eri gazed down into the amber liquid filling his glass. Even at a distance, he could smell that it was an intoxicating beverage. He had a choice: he could either drink and allow it to affect him, or he could use the Force to purge the alcohol before it entered his bloodstream. He knew that a Jedi Master's advice would be to take the second option. On a mission, he could not afford to have clouded judgment. However, this was no mission -- it was his trip for pleasure. A fine wine was a rare pleasure, indeed. He took a sip and savored the sweetness.
"Good?" Korda asked, his eyes shining in the dim light. "I chose it especially for you. It's called an aperitif." He smiled sweetly while glancing at the bottle. "I had a hard time finding this, it's rare. I waited long for it to arrive safely." His eyes glanced appreciatively at the small grin on the Jedi's face, admiring every nuance in his finely carved features, before he added, "But like all rare things…" He paused and set the bottle down resting his hand on Eri's thigh, "it was worth the effort and wait." He stole a leisurely kiss, nibbling the boy's lower lip, tenderly sucking it while slowly running a hand teasingly between Eri's thighs.
The body under him responded. A soft moan followed by gently thrusting hips greeted his efforts. "So eager," he hummed into the cleft of Eri's collarbone. His hot tongue slid slowly up the long neck. Suddenly his teeth nipped that soft spot he had marked earlier. The thrusts grew stronger and he massaged the growing erection, using the soft material to further seduce it.
"Korda," he moaned. Strong lips covered his mouth before he could release the next breath and the steady pressure on his hardness slid effortlessly away leaving him straining for it. Korda's feral smile was mirrored in his eyes as they greeted the younger man with a teasing sparkle. "Desire makes something valuable. Waiting… is what makes it priceless." His crystal eyes danced with mischief as he took up his drink.
Eri swallowed with difficulty. Here he was in this elegant vehicle with the taste of liquor on his tongue and an unabashed erection tenting his trousers. It was utterly forbidden... and undeniably exciting.
"Tell me, how is it you came to be cloistered in that Temple of yours?" Korda asked, not hinting he noticed his effect on the boy. He took a sip from his own glass, savoring the sight of Eri trying to regain his composure.
"Well, it is Republic law that all children be tested within two years after their birth. I was examined and found to have special skills and traits needed by the Jedi," he explained after a short pause. "Usually, when a child like that is found, a team of Jedi is sent to the home planet to take custody. When they return to the Temple with the child, he is renamed and all information regarding his family or heritage is hidden in encrypted data files. He is raised by the Jedi and instructed in all the ancient ways. If he is not chosen by a master by age thirteen, his skills are assessed and he is transferred to another apprenticeship program to be trained."
"So, you were chosen by a master at age thirteen," Korda said.
"I was chosen at eleven," Eri said with a small hint of pride. "That is very early. I only wish it had been a better decision."
"Because?" The immortal prompted.
Eri met his gaze with a wry smile. "We never developed an ideal Master/Padawan relationship." He took another quick sip of his drink. "We're two very different people and rarely agree."
// Master to Padawan like master to apprentice, I see. // Nodding understandingly, Korda glanced out the window at the changing countryside; briefly debating whether his own experiences with this type of relationship would be something Eri could understand. Although the youth's eyes showed little emotion towards this subject, he'd even said earlier that he didn't wish to talk of it; the tenor of his voice seemed to betray this. He knew from their letters that the Jedi student was not entirely satisfied with his situation at the Temple or his Master. Then again, he wasn't sure what a Jedi exactly was supposed to do. Nevertheless, he knew about masters and students, intimately, and decided this was the same conundrum, no matter the universe. Perhaps, he reasoned, there was a lesson he could teach.
On the other hand, perhaps not, for it seemed that this boy had been sheltered and could not know much of the true cruelties or injustices in life. It seemed to him that Eri viewed his relationship with his master as unjust and unfairly skewed. However, he knew that these small details, which Eri found cumbersome and restrictive, were far less than the realities of life outside a cloistered environment. To show him would be easy, but to teach him, to have him understand, this was the challenge, and one that Korda wasn't certain he wished to engage in. The boy is young, so very young, and naive, he thought. Could he comprehend such things? Probably not, however, he might be able to understand the balance of relationships, this Korda could guide him on.
Taking a deep breath, he turned, propping one leg lazily on the seat. He leaned against the door and took another sip from his glass. His eyes examined everything in front of him: The easy way Eri molded into the leather seat, the golden-brown eyes that gazed beguilingly back at him. One of his finer charms, he thought. Then there were the soft curls of blonde hair captured in the small leather tie. The way the sweatshirt hung loosely around his long neck. He gently smiled as his eyes traveled seductively down the long legs stretched out before him. Those legs, muscular but agile, like a runner. No, a swimmer's, he decided. Wrapped in the soft black fabric that tightened seductively around his hips, they presented an almost irresistible lure. What he could do with those legs, those hips! Eri's slightly nervous knee, twitched unconsciously from side to side and his narrowed, questioning eyes, dragged Korda out of his thoughts. He smiled brightly up at the inquisitive gaze, and sighed.
Taking the bottle from its resting place, he refilled the young man's glass then settled back into his spot. "By the time I was eleven I'd had two masters," he softly noted. Eri was silent but he sat up straight leaning a bit towards his host. He took another sip and waited with anticipation.
Korda arched an eyebrow, satisfied of Eri's interest, he continued, "One that understood much of life and looked upon it with hopeful promise." Pausing, he looked up and shrugged, "And one that didn't. The latter was my second teacher." The words caught on his tongue bitterly. "Everything I knew or had, came to me only if he allowed it. He killed the old man that had raised me, my first master if you wish to think of him this way," he said passionlessly.
"He stole me from my home when I was only eight or nine years of age." His eyes glittered suddenly in the first passing streetlamp's glow. "I think that was my age." He grinned. "It is hard to remember exactly. He taught me how to survive, kept me safe from everything and everyone, except himself."
He glanced momentarily out the window then back. "His methods were deliberately cruel, to the point, and done with much enthusiasm on his part," he chuckled. "I had no innocence of life's mysteries for long with him. He took everything from me that suited him, I was resigned to it." His head tilted to the side as he watched the young man's features. They reflected pondered and then uneasiness as he grasped the sharp, sudden understanding of the meaning in his words.
"It was all I knew," Korda added indifferently. "But I learned much from him. He took. I relinquished. Very two sided but… " His eyes widened and he paused as Eri placed a gentle touch on his arm.
"The dark side of the Force is everywhere." The hand around his arm tightened gently as Eri's features filled with concern. "This man, was he a Sith Lord?"
Patting Eri's hand Korda chuckled, "He was only a man." The Jedi's eyes were still concerned. "It was a long time ago," he smiled reassuringly. "It is not difficult to speak of. I learned a great lesson from those days, one I never forgot. As I was about to say it was two sided but… not equal. When there is no equity in a relationship, it will fail. Both must give. The master brings knowledge and the pupil the desire to learn. They are partners, equals. Both must give." He repeated the phrase and carefully eyed Eri, knowing this was perhaps not how the Jedi saw this.
His next words were spoken with calculating delivery but not forceful. Korda knew and understood the delicate balance of showing rather than forcing and he ushered his words carefully. "It's like a scale, Eri. When both sides are level, there is symmetry, balance. But if the two sides do not match each other... if one side takes away and does not give back, the delicate balance is lost and the scale tips. If you and your master are not equals in the relationship, it will never survive. You both shall fail in your goals."
To emphasize his point, Korda moved the boy's hand to the seat between them. Laying it flat against the cool leather, he grasped it tightly. The pressure was surprisingly sharp and sudden, and Eri flinched and tried to free himself from the hold. The immortal chuckled and steadily tightened it, watching every muscle in the younger man's face contort. Eri glared at him then his eyes softened, questioning this action, as he stilled. He thought to use the Force to break the hold, but as his hand ceased its resistance, the grip softened.
"You do not like that, so you instinctively resisted. A normal reaction." The older man smiled knowingly. "If I had used words to hold you instead of flesh, or a threat, you would feel the same way and resist me. Perhaps if I used persuasion, or a promise of something I knew you desired." The immortal's eyes sparkled and their icy gaze pierced into the boy. "What if it was my knowledge that comes from experience as your master that I chose to use, beckoning from you something I wanted you to do but you did not wish?"
Eri's eyes narrowed with caution and he slowly pulled his hand away, but Korda reclaimed it swiftly and smiled. "You would not like that either. You'd disagree with my judgment or reasoning, wouldn't you?"
Eri nodded but said nothing as the older man leaned into him and licked a small bead of sweat from his flushed cheek. Tracing his tongue over the tightened jaw-line up to his ear, he nibbled at the soft earlobe and whispered, "Resistance is useless. Disagreement… a luxury, dear boy, and one you cannot afford to exhaust. You may dispute your master's reasoning or decisions, your choice. However, never let pride or ignorance, either yours or hers, encumber you from learning from her."
The lesson over, Korda took a sip of his drink and rested his head back against the seat. Gazing lazily out the window, he pointed. "Ahh, Paris! Look!" He glanced briefly at Eri, and then turned back to the window. "You can see the lights of the Tower from here." His voice chimed with enthusiasm and cheer.
Eri seemed stunned by the abrupt end to his talk and his seemingly total change of mood; it was somewhat unsettling to him. The man sitting next to him resembled nothing of moments ago. He was lighthearted and whimsical as he pointed to the ever-growing skyline of Paris.
The Jedi listened politely to Korda's animated description of landmarks and buildings, but inside he was burning with questions. He wasn't entirely sure what the lesson was that Korda was trying to teach him. However, for the first time, he saw the seemingly unbridgeable gap between he and his master differently. Perhaps it was not only her coldness and unwillingness to trust that put it there. Perhaps his own refusal to submit to her will had played a part as well. It was an uncomfortable discovery... but then, he'd lived long enough to know that most truths were.
He looked back at his host and smiled. He was a valuable ally to have, he decided. The man seemed to have a vast amount of knowledge, but unlike other wise beings that Eri-Kol had known, he seemed willing to freely share it. If only he could have a master that he respected as much as Korda!
-----------
As the car turned onto a cobblestone street that was lined with beautiful old buildings and low lantern style lights, Korda suddenly peered around, his attention focused on something outside.
Eri sensed some disturbance in the current of the Force and looked out as well, following Korda's piercing eyes. His gaze fell on a man standing on the sidewalk a half block away. As they neared, Eri noticed Korda's tense posture relax as an easy smile came over his features. Satisfied that there seemed to be no danger, he relaxed back against the seat.
The car pulled up to a two-story brick-face building with an architectural style that placed its construction in the early 1700's. It was old but obviously painstakingly maintained. A tall, distinguished looking man with graying hair stood at the front entrance. Dressed in meticulously stunning attire, he nodded and waved a greeting as the driver opened the door.
"André," he said in a pleasant voice, "Il est été un long temps, André." They exchanged greetings warmly and enthusiastically. Korda threw a casual tilt of his head towards Eri. Releasing his embrace, the other man peered inquisitively at the young man standing awkwardly by. Stepping directly in front of the youth, his eyes gave a quick once-over and he gasped despite his obvious breeding. "Oh oui, le garçon a besoin de vêtements. Qu'est-ce que c'est que vous avez sur lui? Mon Dieu!" He glared at Korda, however a cheery smile erupted over his features at the sound of Korda's sigh.
"That, my *old friend*, is why we are here." Korda patted the other man on the back and smiled. "C'est Eri," he hesitated, deciding the entire name was not necessary before adding, "et il a besoin de votre expertise." Korda's eyes shot a sincere glance at the older man.
The tall man gave Eri a nodding bow, which was politely returned. He was not sure who this man was, but the way Korda had said *old friend* with such deliberateness, made it clear this man held a high status with him.
A firm hand on his shoulder and the immortal's familiar purr in his ear caused Eri to shiver, which elicited a knowing smile from both older men. Eri blushed and glanced into Korda's eyes. They were adoringly sweet, slightly possessive deep pools of shiny blue-green danger, and he indulged momentarily in them.
"Eri, this is Monsieur Statler," he said fondly and with some reverence. "He and I go a ways back. He's the best designer in Paris." Korda flashed Charles a sly grin. "It's one of his talents, among other things."
"Genre de vous, André." Charles said with some mocking sarcasm, which drew an easy chuckle from his friend.
"Charles, il ne parle pas Français," Korda smiled. "Soyez ainsi gentil."
The older man gave a genuinely pitiful glance towards Eri. "Vous ne parlez pas Français! Mon ami vous néglige alors," He glanced at Korda and sneered, "Il devrait vous enseigner ceci si vous devez rester à Paris."
"Il est en vacances, Charles." Korda frowned. "Besides, you are talented with so many things, the fine art of linguistics being just one of them." Korda's eyes sparkled mischievously. "I'm certain you can indulge him with your English."
Charles took gentle hold of Eri's arm as he chuckled, "Now, I'm sure this young man does not wish to stand out here and listen to you praise my many skills, mon cher." Charles spoke with a thick French accent as he smiled teasingly back at Korda. "Come, let's get you out of those rags," he said with bluster.
Just then, the driver approached and nodded. "Pardon je monsieur, vous avez un appel."
Sighing, Korda nodded and tapped Eri's shoulder. "Go on in and see if you can find anything you like. If not, we'll go somewhere else."
Charles' face went pale and his mouth dropped upon hearing such a thing. "André!" he gasped.
Gloating at how easy it was to aggravate Charles, Korda smiled wickedly and gently tugged on Eri's braid. "I'll be there shortly," he hummed.
As soon as he was back at the car, Charles nudged the young man. "Come, we'll get started." He smiled warmly and leaned in close to whisper. "Despite what he says," he threw a nasty glance over towards the car, "I'm sure you'll find everything you desire here. I have a shop that has both formal and," he dropped his voice adding with a touch of abhorrence, "informal attire for younger people as yourself. It is not my usual trade but I do cater to whatever is required." His smile brightened. "Venez, mon garcon, this way."
Looking back a bit uneasily at Korda, Eri shrugged as Charles led him into the store.
Wary eyes followed them into the shop. He'd not leave Eri long with Charles, Korda thought, smiling to himself. The man had always been a bit too genial for his own good and despite their long friendship, he'd no doubt try to weasel something, or take advantage of his unsuspecting guest. Charles' skills at persuasion were well understood and admired by Korda, and this made him nervous and perhaps a bit jealous.
Displeased by the interruption, the immortal slid into the car and quietly focused on the flashing red light of the cell phone. His eyes fixed on the driver warningly. "I said not to disturb me. This better be important."
"Yes sir, it is important," the driver said in a hushed voice, a grim expression dimming his features.
He waved a dismissive hand and picked up the phone. "Yes," he said dryly.
The voice at the other end responded quickly, "Mr. Korda, sir… Tanner is dead. The same way as Vicky."
Silence.
"Whoever this is, they know our routes, this is certain. This is the second courier today! It isn't the work of amateurs. There's no way anyone could have scoped the delivery out, sir, I'm certain of it!" The voice was agitated and nervous. "Do you wish us to move things back sir?"
"No," Korda responded calmly.
"But sir, if these people have somehow gotten hold of this information… "
"If *these* people have gotten hold of our route-maps then I disagree with you, it is the work of amateurs, and it seems I have them working for me!" Korda snapped into the phone.
The voice on the other end came back shaken, "I assure you sir, my people are the best! This will not happen again."
"It better not," the response came menacingly. "I don't appreciate incompetence, especially when things are almost in place. I want my money back. Find who's doing this. I don't have to remind you how I handle people who fail me."
The silence on the line was deafening.
"Do I?"
"No, sir. I'll see to it myself. You can count on it, Mr. Korda."
"I am counting on it, for your sake. I'd hate to have to take matters into my own hands." He hung the phone up and sat back against the coolness of leather. Second hit today, and this one was not a coincidence. The routes were secretly laid out, coded and unknown until the courier was dispatched. Something was wrong, and it was internal. Someone in his organization was playing a dangerous game: stealing from him.
He frowned, remembering events from last night. He had met with his partner Collins to formalize their agreement, but things had gone sour. The other immortal had wanted more than just his usual piece of things -- much more! Collins' declaration had taken Korda by surprise, something he rarely let happen. They had worked together for centuries, off and on, and equally reaped the rewards. Korda had always found Collins trustworthy in the past. His strange behavior of last night had to have been driven by more than greed. Perhaps, he thought, someone else pulled Collins' strings, or did!
From the bar, he took a bottle, poured a small amount into his glass and sipped it, thinking back on every word of their conversation. They had argued about percentages, something that had never happened between them with such earnest before. Collins was smug, cocky in his approach; this also was not like him. Korda had pushed him against the wall, threatening to take apart his organization piece by piece if he was not careful. What had he said?
---- "You want it all André, you always have. But things change," he'd said hastily. "You're not the only game in town." Collins had said nervously, as his eyes scanned the surrounding area. "Best keep that in mind." ----
The only game in town. Korda had no misconceptions about others who dabbled in his type of business, but none with such skills as he. He'd never worried about this, nor had Collins, until now. Who had Collins been talking about? Why hadn't he heeded the nervousness in his old partner's eyes? It was crystal clear to him now that Collins had been worried, and not because he presented Korda with demands. There had been something else eating at him. What?
Korda took another sip and looked over at the shop window. Eri's silhouette passed by and he smiled at the graceful poise it showed. Even this sight however, could not take his thoughts far from last nights events. There was no remorse in taking Collins' head, just a slight tinge of annoyance that he'd not gotten more information from him first, and a nagging memory of feeling the presence of another of his kind shortly after the quickening. He remembered getting shakily into the car and sensing it somewhere very near.
You're not the only game in town. His dead partner's words lingered disturbingly in his thoughts as he stepped from the car. "John, move the car around back," he said with a hint of caution, before headed inside.
----------
"Welcome to Statler's," Charles told Eri with a sweeping flourish of his arm. "Tonight, you are my only customer. My services are totally at your disposal."
Eri-Kol took an uncertain step forward. Nothing in this shop even remotely resembled the clothes he was used to. To his left was a table with neatly arranged silken items in a rainbow of colors. He reached out a tentative hand and touched the closest one. It was as red as a newly painted Republic starship.
"Ahh, before you pick out a tie, you must have a suit," Charles affably informed him. "A fine suit is the foundation of a fashionable wardrobe." He walked around a rack of jackets and came back around with a dress shirt. "Now, lets get rid of that sweatshirt and put this on."
Eri was careful to conceal his lightsaber within his shirt as he pulled it over his head. He placed the bundle on a nearby table and allowed Charles to assist him in donning the dress shirt.
"Oui. It is an adequate fit," Charles murmured as he adjusted Eri's collar. "You could be a model with your looks," he added with a small smile. "About six-two, no?"
Eri shook his head, confused.
"About 188 centimeters?" he clarified.
"Oh, Yes. Exactly." Eri nodded, finally realizing that he was being asked about his height. He watched the man disappear again behind the racks and return with two dark blue jackets.
"These are from my latest line. Genuine Italian wool," he said while assisting Eri into the jacket. "Mon Dieu! That is a perfect fit!" He stood back and looked Eri over. "The color suits you, as well."
Eri nodded. This was not much different from being fitted with Jedi uniforms, he thought. He patiently stood still while Charles measured him for trousers and then again when the man tucked and pinned for the hems. Then came the shoes. Charles recommended a pair made of soft Italian leather.
Standing behind Eri, a lazy smile crossed Korda's face as he watched the young man finger the soft leather of the shoes. "Supple and giving," he whispered with at touch of yearning, startling Eri from his examination of the shoes.
A glorious smile flashed over the boy's face as he turned towards the voice. "I didn't hear you come in," he said. Their eyes settled on each other in a moment of shared admiration and desire.
"Ah, he is like that!" Charles chimed in, breaking the unseen tie. "Always he sneaks about!" The older man laughed as he saw a bit of impatience flash in Korda's eyes and he moved by his side. "You are in a hurry, no?"
"Oui," he answered curtly.
"Ah, always the same with you André, business." Charles' voice was sarcastic and he dropped it to a low whisper while glancing over at Eri who had started browsing the racks. "You would indulge this one, but only for so long." Charles eyed him disparagingly.
"He…" Korda gazed towards Eri then flashed Charles a wily smile. "Is none of your concern."
The two men's eyes fixed on each other and Charles smiled knowingly. This was a matter of importance, he thought, and one to trod on carefully. He had known André for a very long time, enough to read the minuscule signs of his emotions let alone the obvious ones he presented tonight. André rarely showed such interest or affection, it was his greatest flaw as far as Charles was concerned. It seemed he was not in the mood to be played with anyway, and Charles knew not to push him too far when he was like this.
Shifting his weight slightly, Korda leaned closer to the taller man. Taking hold of his arm, he spoke in French with a hushed tone lest Eri may hear. "C'était un appel de Stewart, il semble qu'un autre courier a été détruit, qui est deux aujourd'hui." His eyes narrowed up at the other man as his grip tightened. "Je ne sais pas exactement qui les enlève, mais…" His eyes radiated impatience and suspicion as his entire face hardened like granite. "Je sais qu'il y avait une autre dernière nuit actuelle immortelle." It was an accusation and there was no mincing the meaning. "Dans la mesure où je sais, vous étiez le seul qui a su la réunion la nuit passée."
"Chéri, you think I would be so low as to spy on you?" Charles' voice was light, almost cheery, and his features matched it. "How long have we known each other?" His voice however, rose a bit out of annoyance as he went on. "Centuries! Have you ever known me to act in such a way?" His eyes narrowed as they hinted at his displeasure at being questioned.
Hearing the last part of Charles' remarks, Eri stopped his lazy inspection of a rack of shirts and peered up. There was a distinct tremor in the Force from the men's irritation. He had sensed it as soon as they had started speaking in hushed tones. The Jedi had done as he was trained: He made himself look distracted while focusing his full attention on the terse exchange. The sudden outburst from Charles had finally piqued his curiosity enough to glance up.
Meeting Eri's eyes with soft reassurance, Korda smiled and ushered Charles further into the back fitting room. He clenched at his arm, "Parlez l'ami Français et cher Ne jouez pas les jeux avec moi, pas maintenant."
"Vous habituellement comme mes jeux. Ampèreheure, mais vous soyez dans une humeur vile. Même me menaçant? Je vous dis que ce, je n'était pas là. Bien que je me sois inquiété pour vous," he frowned. "Comme j'ai toujours! "J'ai eu des billets à l'opéra," His eyes sparkled. "Vous savez que je manque l'opéra pour rien ou personne." Charles was clearly upset with Korda, but he kept himself in check, waiting for the younger man to realize his mistake and apologize.
Korda believed him, this was Charles. He would have made a show of it if he'd known about the quickening. He would have at least congratulated him on it, or scolded him for it, but he had done neither. Simple logic said he didn't know, and this was enough when dealing with this man. He removed his hand from the older immortal's arm. "Pardonnez-moi," he said sincerely.
Charles nodded as he fussed with his jacket. "Naturellement je vous pardonne, mon cher. Pas je toujours." He smiled affectionately then ran his hand tenderly over the younger man's arm, squeezing it at the wrist.
Korda's gaze moved from the sparkling eyes down to the hand around his wrist and he smiled warmly. Softly asking, "Dites-moi, qui est autrement en ville?"
"Hmm, je ne suis pas certain mais j'ai entendu que quelqu'un a nommé Jack, ou étais lui Jackie, je ne puis pas se rappeler." He frowned. "C'est mon vieil âge que je pense." He chuckled.
Korda smiled brilliantly and squeezed him on the shoulder. "C'est assez étroit, et..."
Charles' eyes flickered briefly at Korda's touch. "Et cette personne restait avec Collins pendant un certain temps. Mais je n'ai jamais vu Collins avec celui-ci, tellement là n'est pas beaucoup que je puis vous dire. Mais s' ils avaient été ensemble, peut-être puis qui était celui vous feutre? Il aurait été sage que vous de contrôler votre trempe et trouviez ces choses hors de... avant que vous l'ayez détruit!" Sighing, Charles looked sadly at the other immortal.
Korda frowned slightly. He had never heard of this person either. "Peut-être," he sighed, choosing not to delve into the last part of Charles' comment.
"Il pourrait être n'importe qui cependant. Je sais au moins de quatre autres dans la zone en ce moment." He chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Et ceux sont les justes que je sais de. Faites attention très, mon cher André. Rappelez-vous, là pouvez être seulement un." He clenched his hand protectively on Korda's wrist.
Eyeing Charles thoughtfully, he returned the squeeze then nodded towards the approaching youth. Both immortals quickly greeted Eri with sincere smiles.
Eri was taken aback by their sudden change in demeanor. Was everyone on this planet like this, one minute to the next so changeable in their emotions?
"Eri," Charles chimed. "You like my shop, no?"
Eri was confused. "Uhm, no. I mean yes! I do like it." He glanced at Korda for reassurance that he had understood Charles' unusual use of language.
Charles grinned, "Ah, it is my English, it is not so good at times. Now, excuse me for a few minutes and I will ready your suit." Gathering up the clothing, he turned and added cheerfully, "Feel free to browse around. Perhaps you can choose that tie, now," he smiled with a wink.
Eri returned to the table of silk ties. He again touched the vivid scarlet one curiously. He liked the bright color, so much different from dull Jedi attire. As he went to pick the red one up a gentle hand on his arm stopped him.
"Try that one," Korda suggested, pointing to one with a black background and a sliver and blue paisley pattern. "But if you like this red one, take it as well," he said indulgently.
Eri selected the darker one that Korda had pointed out and eyed it with interest. He had no clue what the item was for. Charles had called it a tie. It was as long as his sash, yet asymmetrical. He wasn't entirely sure how it fastened. Still, he could always look to Korda to assist him with it if he had trouble. He draped the slim band of fabric over his arm, and moved on to the next rack.
Korda followed a few paces behind Eri as he browsed. He picked up various items that the boy took an interest in as they went along. Soon, the immortal's arms were full of clothing: everything from stonewashed jeans, to delicate silk shirts, to a buttery-soft leather jacket.
Korda's smile broadened when they came across the last table, covered with jewel-toned satin boxers. The boy touched a green pair in passing. Korda added three pair to the ever-growing pile of clothes.
Stepping from the back of the shop, carrying the finished suit, Charles started laughing at the sight greeting him. Korda stood in the center of an aisle, his face hidden behind a mountain of clothes, as Eri scanned over the table of underwear.
"Uh hmm," he cleared his throat. "Monsieur Eri, your suit is ready for your appraisal." He moved gracefully over to the altering area and held up the trousers. "Monsieur?"
Eri peered over at him and grinned. It had not taken long and he was glad to be able to try this new suit on, and then be on their way to see more of this city. "I'm coming," he said as he moved over to get a closer look at *his* suit.
Peering over the pile of clothes, Korda could not get a good look at what was going on, and not wanting to miss this show, he dumped the mound of clothes on the fabric table and sauntered over. Leaning against the wall, he blissfully watched the proceedings.
"Go in there and remove those rags, garçon." Charles pointed to a door. "I'll hand you the clothes as you require them."
The changing room was huge, with more room in it than his transport had. There were mirrors on all the walls. Turning at the door, Eri reached for the trousers but Korda's soft voice stopped him.
"Forget something?" he asked with seriousness but a small smile crept along the corners of his mouth and he failed at hiding his amusement. He handed the pair of boxers to Eri and winked. "You do know what these are for?"
"Of course I know what they're for." He grinned wickedly, grabbing them from Korda's hand. "I'll show you later," he whispered, and shut the door.
"We shall see." Korda leaned back against the wall, a wistful grin softening his features. "Nice suit Charles," he complimented, while running one hand seductively down the soft wool of the sleeve.
"Ah, it's a new line just in from Italy. You should come by when you have time in your busy schedule and I shall fit you." A hand reaching out of the door monetarily interrupted his offer and Charles handed Eri the jacket.
"He'll need this as well," Korda tossed a thin, finely hand made belt at Charles.
The older man chuckled wickedly, "Pourquoi? Il ne restera pas sur lui longtemps."
Shaking his head in mock disgust, Korda was just about to make a rebuttal when Eri-Kol stepped from the dressing room. Trying not to smile too much at the tie wrapped several times around the young man's neck, then haphazardly tucked into the front of the shirt, Korda went to him and started to unwrap it.
"It is something of an art," he said patiently. "It takes years of practice, for some." He grinned mischievously over his shoulder at Charles who was leaning on the counter tugging at his bow tie, as his other hand covered his mouth, stifling a chuckle. Korda's hands worked deliberately as he showed Eri, in a mirror, the proper way to loop, knot, and then tighten the tie. As he finished the last adjustments, he stepped a bit back and smiled reassuringly. "There, all done."
In the background, Charles was still chuckling but at the sharp glance from Korda, he cleared his throat and stood up from the counter. "It looks marvelous, monsieur Eri," he said, nodding in appreciation. "You look like you just stepped off the runway in Milan. Wonderful!"
Eri blushed at the compliment. He felt slightly uncomfortable in his new clothes, although he had to admit that he enjoyed the texture of the rich fabric. It was far softer than even the oldest uniforms he'd worn.
"Mettez toute la ceci sur mon compte, Charles," Korda said softly. Leaning on the counter where Charles was sorting through the selected items, he grinned seductively and added mischievously "Ajoutez ces derniers aussi bien."
"Où avez-vous trouvé ceux?" The older man's face filled with shock as he asked.
Korda chuckled, "Où vous les avez laissés, sur la table convenable. Vous devenez mouillé dans votre vieil âge." He winked.
"Bon je n'ai pas su que vous seriez un tel mouchard!" He shook his head and grabbed the tiny box from Korda's hand. "Vous ne pouvez pas les avoir pour le garçon! Je ceux-ci avaient fait pour vous. Est-ce que vous savez long il m'a pris pour trouver quelqu'un qui pourrait polycopier cet anneau ancien du vôtre?"
"Probablement un temps très long, mais Charles, ce qui est le temps à nous?" he asked gently.
"Il n'était pas simplement le temps! Il était la recherche, tout l'effort," the older man sneered.
Korda's eyes softened as he peered pathetically up at the older immortal. That is so sweet, I'm touched. But… you'd deny me this?" he said almost pitifully.
Charles' lip stiffened. "That game will not work on me my dear, I know you!"
"Well all right," Korda said with false dejection. "Je devrai simplement trouver autre chose pour lui." He sighed and glanced down into the case and frowned. "Perhaps those," he pointed to a pair of diamond links.
"Ceux sont lointains à raffiné pour lui, il est trop jeune." "Try again." Charles knew Korda was stalling, and not really interested in anything but the ones he'd asked for. He also knew he would never be able to get him to pick anything else out.
"Hmm… que diriez-vous de ceux?" Korda asked half-heartedly. Tapping the glass gently, while peering over his shoulder to make certain Eri was occupied.
"André, ceux sont des boucles d'oreille! Porte-t-il de telles choses?" he stifled a laugh knowing Korda was not paying attention nor would he be happy until he got his way. He was a spoiled brat and it was in no small part Charles' fault that he was.
"Hmm… est là rien autrement?" He peered hopefully up, a childlike innocence filling his beautiful eyes.
Charles could never say no to him, not when he wore that look. He'd have another set of cufflinks made, now that he knew an artisan that could create such exquisite work. Or he could just wait for the boy to die, as he eventually would, then the cufflinks would fall to André.
"Vous pouvez les avoir," he said softly. "Les saphirs apparient le garcon. Aucune charge André. Un cadeau."
Korda smiled warmly up as he patted the older man's hand and whispered, "You spoil me."
"Yes I do, and you know it, no?" the older man chuckled.
Korda smiled graciously and nodded. "Oui, Je vous payerai en arrière. His eyes flickered as a small grin crossed his lips.
Charles shook his head. "Oui. I know you will." His eyes darkened as he chuckled. "Mais maintenant vous aurez un garçon gâté sur vos mains. Ahh, il y choses est-ce que pires a des dans la vie, non?" Both men watch as Eri continued to browse the store.
"Oui," he chuckled. "It will be my pleasure to spoil him," Korda grinned. "He doesn't have fine things where he comes from."
"And where is that place that he comes from?" Charles asked, finishing the packing of the last article of clothing.
Korda arched an eyebrow. "Far away from Paris," he said mysteriously. "Farther than you could imagine." The younger immortal turned toward Eri. "We're nearly ready here, jeune." He called to the boy. "Leave the sweat suit here."
"I will be sure it gets placed in the nearest garbage pail," Charles chuckled. "I am surprised André would have such a thing."
Korda turned back to his friend and started an animated conversation in French. Eri-Kol took the perfect opportunity to extract his lightsaber from the crumpled shirt and conceal it in an inner pocket of his jacket. It was far better disguised in these clothes, he realized with relief. He walked up to the counter and the two laughing men and smiled. "I'm ready."
Charles met the boy's grin with his own. "It has been a pleasure to serve you," he said cheerfully. "Any time you're in Paris feel free to stop by again." He extended his hand to Eri but retracted it quickly when he noticed that the young man was unsure what the gesture meant. He bowed instead, then shot Korda an amused look with Eri promptly copying him. He made a promise then and there that he would find out where his old friend had discovered this charming boy. The world just wasn't full enough of such wide-eyed innocence. It was too bad André didn't deserve such things, he thought. Too bad he took them for granted.
"I had John move the car around back," Korda said, taking up one of the four boxes of clothing. "Now that Eri has suitable attire, we have dinner reservations to attend to."
Eri-Kol picked up another of the boxes and Charles took the last two from the counter. In the back alley, the driver had the trunk open and ready to receive the purchases. As soon as he caught sight of them carrying the items out of the store, he hurried over and relieved them of their burden.
"Eri?" Korda prompted, motioning the boy into the car.
As he sat back against the cool leather, Eri-Kol took a last look at the tall clothier. He and Korda were saying their good-byes, speaking in jovial tones. It had certainly been an interesting night so far. The Jedi rubbed the soft fabric of his jacket against his cheek. He liked the feel of these clothes. He was startled back to the present moment as the driver opened the opposite door and Korda sat down beside him.
"Hungry?" Korda asked, amusement triggering a sparkle in his eyes. "We have reservations at one of the finest establishments in Paris."
Eri-Kol nodded. Already so taken with everything thus far, he was unsure what to say.
"Oh, this simply won't do," Korda sat back, examining him. "We've forgotten a vital part of a fashionable suit!"
Eri looked down at himself, stunned. What more could there possibly be? Were they going back to the shop? His questions were cut short when a small box was held before him. He glanced questioningly at Korda, who nodded for him to take it. "A gift," he said sincerely.
Inside were small, white gold items in the shape of an avian-type creature with brilliant blue stones for eyes. Eri realized they matched exactly the ring worn by Korda. He smiled while examining one, as Korda picked up the other and grasped his wrist. He began to speak quietly as he fastened Eri's sleeve with the cufflink.
"They're called cufflinks. Some shirts require them, some don't. The one you have does, so let me fix them for you." He grinned up at Eri's puzzled features. "This is a hawk, a bird of prey." His finger brushed over the small golden wings then pulled away to give Eri a better look at it. Clipping the other one in its place, Korda lifted a hand up to the boy's face and cupped his chin. "Hawks are fast, agilely beautiful and accurately deadly creatures. Few others can match them in flight... or expedience," he said conceitedly. "I have studied them carefully and admire their ability to achieve results without complicated tactics." A dark grin crossed his features.
Looking from the jeweled eyes of the hawk, resting at his wrist, back to Korda's, it was not difficult for Eri to imagine just how similar in nature the two were. Beautiful and agile, he thought. Yes this was Korda. Expedient and deadly, could this also be him? His eyes flashed quickly back onto the cufflinks as he considered this but a soft lift of his chin and his eyes once more fell upon those sparkling pools, incalculably knowing in their gaze. Like phantoms, they passed through him, leaving a chill in their wake. Eri shivered but the hand on his chin brushed slowly down his neck, its fingers tucking just under his collar causing a wave of heat that dissolved his unsettled thoughts of the man into desire once again.
"You were pondering me again." Korda smiled but his eyes continued to pierce through Eri's very soul. "I wonder many things about you as well," he lingered on the sentence as his hand traveled steadily down the front of the suit, dabbling playfully with the tie then resting briefly on the belt. "I have been wondering about something in particular." His hand loosened the belt and unsnapped the top button of the fine wool trousers.
His heart raced and his breathing quickened, but Eri kept his eyes firmly focused on Korda's. Their golden tint was sparkling but controlled as he bestowed a small grin upon the other man. "What?" he asked leisurely. The second button opened and skilled fingers expertly dropped the zipper, but Eri's eyes never separated from the questioning gaze meeting them. Jedi control. It was the same lesson he'd been taught for years.
"Ah," Korda said in a hushed voice, as his fingers traced along the soft waistband of the silken shorts.
The younger man squirmed just a bit in response to the touch, sliding himself slightly down on the seat as he asked again, "What?"
Both Korda's hands took hold of the waistband and tugged it down just enough to expose the silk shorts, leaving his leg snugly caught in the trousers. Still, his eyes never left Eri's. Clear and brightly shining, they rattled the Jedi with their persistent intensity.
Eri glanced down at the hands that now slowly rubbed his hips, circling closer with each pass to the growing hardness between his restricted legs. "Korda," he said raggedly but his voice did not even seem like his own. He wondered how it was that this man could so easily make him so eager and hungry for his touch. His eyes widened as firm fingers tightened around him, rubbing the unfamiliarly soft material along his shaft and then cupping his flesh. He captured his lower lip between his teeth to hold back his moan. The driver was sitting less than a meter away!
One hand slid inside the boxers as the other cradled him with deliciously slow movements. Both hands working simultaneously to arouse every nerve, their purposeful movements steadily working him into a gentle pace.
Eri's thrusts came leisurely but his eyes widened and he had a hard time to keep them on Korda's. His head now rested against the seat, his legs stretched as far as the trousers would allow. He moved to pull them further down, to free himself from their constraint but those skillful hands moved precisely at the same time to pull his erection out of the shorts. Korda's knees settled on either side of Eri's. A small gulped moan escaped the boy's throat as he rested both hands on the legs that imprisoned him from further movement.
The expression on Korda's face didn't change, it was calculating and mildly amused at Eri-Kol's unsubtle attempts to lower the trousers and gain some movement in his legs. "I've often wondered what you taste like," he chimed in suddenly, a teasing smile growing slowly over his entire face, encompassing lastly his eyes.
Before the words even registered in the younger man, hot lips covered him, followed instantly by the luxuriance of a wet tongue wrapping around and licking every part of the captured flesh. Bracing both hands down on Korda's shoulders, the Jedi hissed and pulled back slightly out of the suddenness of this approach. But when he felt the tongue slowly work under his erection, lingering and probing at the head, a raspy moan escaped and he clenched his hands tightly around Korda's shoulders while raising his hips in gesturing approval.
The deliciously tormenting mouth continued its games, licking enough to let him know it was there. A gently nip now and then from teeth, then a slow lap of the warm tongue all the way down, then it would leave, forcing Eri to lift his hips to maintain contact.
The increasing deepness and frequency of moans and the pleasure of strong legs pressing against him proved delightfully enticing to the immortal. He chuckled around Eri's hardness, which elicited a jerking movement from under him. "Oouw…" Eri gasped with some disagreement, while both the younger man's hands clenched tighter on Korda's shoulders, trying to push him off.
A steadying hand rubbed slowly over the taunt, quivering muscles of Eri's abdomen, circling and gently relaxing them while lips tightened and sucked their way down his entire length. They moved up incredibly slow, before wrapping around his head and then back down. Then deliberately the pace increased, subtly at first, and before Eri's mind could catch up with his body, he was helplessly thrusting into the offered mouth.
He could feel himself stiffening, just ready to slide over that incredible edge when the hot, wet mouth was suddenly gone. A hand grasped firmly around the base of his aching shaft, squeezing tightly as the other hand massaged. Eri looked down; the man below him was watching him with piercing eyes. He seductively licked his lips and whispered, "Should I wait? I could keep you for my dessert." He bared his teeth in a devilish smile as both hands continued their manipulation.
"I don't think so," Eri said with surprising agitation. Darkening brown eyes narrowed down at Korda and an evil grin covered the younger man's face as both his hands grabbed hold of Korda's head and shoved him back down.
A gesture of false shock glided across Korda's features as he gasped, "Ah, appetizer it is, then!" He grinned wily before going back down on Eri with increased passion, allowing Eri complete access to him.
The young man responded by thrusting harder and deeper. Each thrust greeted with tightness as the lips sucked on his flesh causing incredibly delicious friction. One hand slid around Eri's hip and held it down with surprising force while the other cupped and twisted the tightening sac. The pace increased and Korda lifted his head against the steady hold, just enough to allow the boy a few harder thrusts. Quickly going back down on him as the strong body below jerked, pushing up in spasms of release.
A shattering growl escaped Eri as he came, then his breath caught as his hips rocking and jerking uncontrollably. The long legs pushed relentlessly at their unyielding situation and his hands wildly stroked Korda's short hair. The mouth around him clamped tightly down slowly working its way up, then back down again. With each repeat, Eri's muscles contracted involuntarily and he pushed gently up against the firm hold.
When the spasms finally ended, Eri let out a long, moaned breath as he slowly relaxed back against the soothingly cool leather. His fingers traced paths along the neck and head that rested on his thigh and he thought he heard a sweet moan escape Korda. This made him smile.
Korda traced his fingers over the spent flash, lazily admiring the occasional muscle spasms, before closing his eyes and quieting his own fluttering heart rate. He could hear Eri's breathing, sweet sound it was, he thought. However, the steady hum of noise from the city slowly roused him and he gently moved the younger man's legs onto the floor. He gazed thoughtfully at Eri, seeing the usually inquisitive eyes shut in peaceful bliss. The youthful face completely relaxed with lips parted slightly as he took in slow breaths. Pulling himself up, Korda hovered over the boy and kissed those lips, lingering in their heat and sweet lushness.
Strong arms wrapped around his neck as brown eyes flickered open and a warm sincere smile covered Eri's features. "You wonder about interesting things."
Returning the smile, Korda reached into a compartment below the bar and handed him a soft warm towel, "I do! It's my nature. I'm curious about some things," he said teasingly. He kept his eyes on the young man as he rose back to a sitting position. A mischievous grin accompanied his next words. "You taste far sweeter than I had imagined." He leaned back, his blue-green eyes happily watching as the boy tried to redress himself with poise in the confines of the car.
Eri's thoughts settled back on how much this man was like that bird, the hawk. Beautiful and agile, he thought, yes this was Korda. Expedient and deadly, he pondered this as he fumbled with his clothes. He was certainly devastating when it came to passion.
----------
The car pulled up in front of a six-story building that spanned from the corner of the block back as far as the eye could see. Eri-Kol stepped from the car and admired the detailed facade.
After a few words with the driver, Korda joined him in front of the building and pointed towards the top. "From up there, you can see much of Paris."
"What is this place called?" Eri asked, a wistful smile covering his features.
"La Tour D'Argent." Leaning closer Korda whispered, "The Tower." His eyes flashed at the taller man who seemed mystified. "This is an old place, built a little over 400 years ago. It is filled with history, some of it not so pleasant. It used to be a tower, built for those that dared to go against King Henri the 3rd. It was a place," he lingered on the words, "that few left alive." Taking Eri's arm, they headed inside past the doorman who nodded as he opened the massive wooden structure, and into the first hall, lined with small portraits.
"These are paintings of the past. Those people are long gone. But we here like to keep them in our thoughts, thus we hang pictures to remember." Korda stopped in front of one of a lovely woman, and sighed, "She is beautiful, oui?"
Tilting his gaze on the painting, Eri noted the elaborate clothing and jewels that hung from the woman's graceful neck. She had obviously been a person of great importance on this world -- perhaps royalty or the owner of a large corporation. He examined her features and nodded his agreement, "Yes she is very beautiful." Her soft red hair covered milky white shoulders and the green eyes that sparkled back were filled with joy.
Korda's genuine smile slackened away and his eyes clouded slightly seemingly moved by the mere sight of the woman. Eri got the distinct feeling that Korda knew this woman well, and he waited for him to enlighten upon it, in his way.
Korda sighed. "Ah, but they are all dead now." His tone was once more lighthearted. Without commenting further about the woman, he led Eri on down the hallway. "This is a theater now, within a theater. Its dining rooms afford a most incredible view of Paris. Come." They entered a small lift and a man inside smiled as he asked what floor.
"Cinquième," Korda replied. The man nodded and started the lift up.
When the door opened, they were in a dimly lit room. A short chubby man approached them and upon seeing him, Korda smiled. "Bonjour!"
"Monsieur Korda, je suis ainsi ravi vous sont venus. Il a été trop long lointain. Votre pièce est monsieur prêt. Denis vous verra là, à moins que vous vous inquiétiez pour visualiser la cave?"
"Non, pas ce soir. Nous avons plutôt faim. Je vous ferons confiance pour choisir quelque chose de special."
"Naturellement, ce serait mon monsieur de plaisir."
A young man about Eri's age stepped forward and ushered them towards a hallway that led around the south side of the building. Along the way, the windows offered a view of the city and Eri lingered at each of them as Korda pointed out the sights.
"There are the steeples of Notre-Dame," he paused to watch the young man. "After we sup, I'll take you to the garden floor where you will be able to see all Ile de la Cité."
Eri smiled. The architecture was beautiful. It rather resembled the elegant cities of Alderaan and Naboo. The closest he had ever come to seeing those lovely sights were holovids and photographic databooks. Although Coruscant was considered the Jewel of the Republic, Eri-Kol had often thought of its forest of mammoth skyscrapers rather dull in comparison to the more refined worlds he had read and dreamt about.
"Ah, but you have probably seen far greater than this," Korda smiled back at him. "Come let's dine." He stepped aside and let Eri take the lead behind the other boy.
The young man opened a door into a private room that had only one table. A set of doors opened out onto a small balcony overlooking the river. It was a breathtaking view and both men wandered out to take it in. The warm breeze still fluttered in the late night, and although in the heart of the busy city, it was surprisingly quiet where they stood.
"Merci," Korda nodded to their escort, and he courteously left to check on other things. "It is nice here; stillness in a sea of noise." His eyes softly looked out over the river he had known for so long. This place always made him sentimental and he was rather happy for those thoughts tonight. His mood was good, but he had the nagging reminder of unfinished business and the memories of past, simpler times soothed over the harshness of the present realities.
"You must be starving, mon diable?" Leaning against the rail, Korda's eyes caught the reflection of the candles in the room and sparkled for an instant with astonishing brilliance.
Eri-Kol was momentarily enthralled with his host's changeable eyes. He leaned forward, placing a chaste, yet lingering kiss on Korda's lips. The boy's face was alit with a faint blush as he moved away. He fingered the tail of his braid nervously. "I am hungry," he admitted. Unsure of what else to say, he started to turn back toward their room when Korda grasped his arm and pulled him into a far deeper kiss.
Holding him still with one hand, the immortal traced his fingers along the fine jaw line then down to his throat. His fingers rubbed slowly upwards until Eri's chin tilted slightly. A soft moan rose from Korda as Eri's body pressed closer to his and he reluctantly broke the kiss off as his hands settled down around the firm muscles of his lower back. "Mon Diable is a very good name for you," he whispered seductively as the younger man's eyes vicariously gleamed back. "It means devil -- my devil," he purred into Eri's ear then licked the soft flesh causing the younger man to squirm. A small chuckle rose from deep in his throat as he peered at his companion. "There are angels and devils in this world. You, Eri-Kol, are no angel… so…" Korda's eyes sparkled as he tightened his hold around the boy.
A knock at the door caused Eri to glance over but Korda's eyes never wavered in their rejuvenated lusty hues. "It's the waiter," he hummed sweetly into Eri's neck. "Should we let him in?"
"How long will he wait?" Eri murmured, tipping his head back to give Korda better access.
"As long as he has to," Korda replied, nipping at the Jedi's earlobe. A loud growl issuing from Eri-Kol's belly made Korda look down with a smile. "Your stomach is speaking, jeune homme. We should listen."
Reluctantly, the two parted from the balcony and took their seats.
"Yes." Korda said with an added playful sexual gesture towards Eri, as the waiter entered the room. The waiter froze at the obvious implication, then regained his composure and carefully started placing items on the table.
The entire time Korda smiled wickedly at Eri. At one instant he mouthed a single word, "Tease," which seemed to amuse and delight the Jedi.
After water, a cheese plate and small sticks of toasted bread, heavily smelling of garlic, were brought to the table. The waiter came back and asked if they would care for drinks before dinner. Korda shook his head negatively and inquired as to the specialties of the house that night.
The waiter rambled on in French and Eri concentrated on every word, showing great interest in what was being said except for several inquisitive glances at Korda now and then. Once he was through, the waiter stepped discretely out of the room, leaving the two, time to decide.
"Did you understand any of that?" Korda asked with a knowing smile.
Eri shook his head. He was picking up bits and pieces of French in the past few hours, but the waiter's words were spoken too quickly to decipher.
"Do you have any particular food you like?" Korda asked, taking a small sip from his glass of water.
Eri-Kol thought for a moment. His favorite food at the Temple was grilled kroyie and mashed metpoes with muja pie for dessert. He wasn't entirely sure whether those foods were common on this world. Kroyie was native to the planet Kashyyyk and had only recently been introduced to other worlds. "I like olmeer," he offered. Olmeer were marine animals used for food that were common on a number of different planets. Although he didn't see any droids harvesting olmeer, he did notice a lot of water in the vicinity.
The eyes gazing at Eri's were for the first time, truly puzzled as Korda sat back in his chair and thoughtfully rubbed his goatee. Taking a deep breath and letting it slowly out with a sigh, he looked back over at the young man who was nibbling on one of the bread sticks.
"Dip it in that, it's better that way." Korda pointed at the dip. The other man dipped the stick and munched on it greedily. He looked truly famished, Korda thought. For a brief moment, he wondered how long the boy had gone without food during his journey. That could be easily remedied, he thought, and went back to pondering what Eri might like to eat.
"I'm sorry to say that olmeer is not on the menu tonight, Eri," Korda said disappointedly. "It may not be in season," he chuckled, unwilling to admit he had no idea what the young man had asked for. Glancing thoughtfully, he offered a solution. "I'll order for you. There are several things offered tonight that are specialties of this country."
Eri nodded enthusiastically. He loved it when the Temple cooks tried out new recipes. Some of his friends and the older masters balked at new dishes being served in the dining hall, but Eri never did. He figured it was the chance he never had to experience new cultures. He grabbed another breadstick and watched Korda mull over the decision.
Before long, a gentle knock sounded on the door. "Oui," Korda said, still reading over the menu. The waiter stepped into the room and moved to the side of the table.
The waiter remained patiently, smiling now and then at Eri. He reasoned this man was either a wealthy aristocrat or model, maybe even a rock or movie star. Whoever he was, he'd never seen Monsieur Korda with him before, and he'd been a regular ever since the waiter had started working here. This enticingly seductive youth in a finely tailored suit was not Korda's usual dinning companion. Their subtle and not so subtle glances left little to the imagination as to what they were to each other and the young waiter grinned shamelessly at Eri whenever the chance arose, flashing him little flutters of eyelashes now and again. He wouldn't mind bedding this guy; he was gorgeous, stunning in every way and with such taste in attire. He figured what the hell; take a chance, if anything he might get a nice tip out of it as long as he was not too obvious.
Korda peered up at the waiter, ready to place the order and caught him in the act of flirting. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat.
"Vous êtes monsieur prêt?" the waiter asked, turning his full attention quickly to Korda.
"Oui, je suis," his voice was dangerously on-edge and the waiter stepped back and took on a professional posture.
"Pour des apéritifs apportez, hmm?" he looked a bit flustered, then finished with a decisive tone. "Un de tout!"
"Oui monsieur," the waiter said with a touch of surprise. "Et pour le repas?"
"Le canard pour mon ami ici." Korda looked mischievously at the waiter, "Ou peut-être les cuisses de grenouilles?"
The waiter looked over at Eri who's facial expression remained unchanged, "Monsieur, je recommanderais fortement le canard ce soir."
Eri nodded then quickly looked at Korda, who was grinning approvingly back at him. He returned the grin and reconfirmed his choice, "Yes that would be fine."
"An excellent choice sir!" Upon seeing Eri's surprise that he spoke English, the waiter flashed him a mischievous smile.
"Et vous monsieur?"
"Tournedos au Xeres," Korda said affirmably.
"Monsieur bien choisi très bon. L'administrateur de vin sera ici momentanément." He nodded and left the room, glancing back just before he closed the door to smile at Eri.
"Handsome boy, if somewhat brazen," Korda said, tilting his head toward the door.
Eri-Kol blushed as he picked up his glass of water. Korda had noticed the looks he'd given the attractive young waiter. Glancing over the rim of the glass, he noticed that Korda's eyes darkened with an emotion that resembled anger, but then seemed indifferent as they fixed solidly on him. The water, despite being deliciously cold, did very little to hinder the blush that was climbing his cheeks because of the scrutiny.
"I'd enjoy watching the two of you together," Korda said silkily. "You'd enjoy taking him in my bed, wouldn't you?"
Eri's cheeks were now burning with a fierce blush. Korda was only smiling back at him with that same unreadable expression in his eyes. A ripple of apprehension shivered along his spine. It was impossible to know if Korda was angry or not.
"I'd let you," Korda continued. "You could do whatever you wanted to him, but know this:" He leaned forward in his seat, his intense stare unwavering. "I'd kill him afterward. You are mine. Understand?"
Eri-Kol leaned forward in his seat as well. "Oui," he said huskily, grinning at the pleasure on Korda's face when he spoke in French.
The grin was not returned but Korda did ease back into his chair as the wine steward knocked and entered the room.
"Monsieur Renault a suggéré les vins suivants pour votre repas. Beaune pour les apéritifs, un cru Cote de Castillon," he hesitated seeming not certain if these wines were agreeable as Korda had not moved to acknowledge him. "Et, un Romanée 1874." Standing nervously, he glanced back and forth at both men and cleared his throat.
Korda's eyes fixed evenly on Eri's. Unmoved by the younger man's growing smile, he finally waved his approval, sending the steward hurriedly from the room.
"Voulez apprendre plus Français?" he said softly. "Then again, you already know the only word the counts: oui!" He chuckled and leaned further back in the chair watching Eri's pensive reaction.
The young man was doing everything save calling upon the Force to keep from squirming under the scrutiny. Why was it that he felt himself spiraling out of control with every passing moment he spent with this man? It felt dangerous, and utterly thrilling. He sat back, watching Korda's unwavering gaze. "I have a question for you," he said softly.
Korda sat up a bit straighter, and threaded his fingers together thoughtfully. "You may ask me anything you like."
Eri chewed on his bottom lip, trying to compose his thoughts. There were so many questions that he didn't know where to start. "You spoke of your masters earlier and how one was... very cruel. How is it that you..." he paused, trying to figure out the right wording for the question. "How is it that you came into so much wealth?" He shook his head. How incredibly rude of him to speak of material things so soon after their first meeting! "What I mean is, how is that you escaped his control to live so independently?"
It amused him that Eri found it so uncomfortable asking something like this, so he let the boy wait for several moments before acknowledging the question with a generous smile. There was no reason to tell him the truth, Korda thought, not now. Eri didn't know he was immortal and to reveal that this master had lost his head by his hand was not going to be easy to explain.
"He died," he finally answered. "And I inherited his possessions, so to speak. He left everything to me, so I guess my years of service paid off. He had no family. After all my years with him," his eyes softened, "I suppose he considered me his family. As I told you earlier, I learned much from him even though I did not approve or agree with all his methods. I used this knowledge," he spoke nonchalantly, "to gain what I have today."
Leaning back in the chair, his eyes reverted to their icy, aloof appearance. He tapped a finger on the table and grinned, waiting for the boy to digest his half-truth.
Eri mulled over the answer in silence. So this world's master and apprentice system involved inheritance and legacy. It was very different from what he knew from the Temple. From the earliest years of his life, he knew that he would never personally own anything of real value. Treasures, to the Jedi, were communal property that were partaken of by everyone. If something could not be shared, it was considered useless and shunned. This was one of his greatest disagreements with the Jedi code.
A knock upon the door broke the silence. The wine steward entered, carrying a bottle wrapped in white linen. He placed the bottle down to show Korda the label, before opening it. A brief glance at the bottle was as long as Korda's eyes left Eri's, until a glass was placed in front of him to await his approval. A brief sniff and taste, and he nodded, with this the steward filled both guest's glasses and then left the room.
Eri picked up his glass and repeated Korda's gesture of sniff then taste. He swallowed hard against the unfamiliar taste of alcohol in his mouth. This aspect of life on Earth would be hard to get used to. He looked up to notice Korda's eyes had not left him. He cleared his throat nervously, wondering if he should dare break this uncomfortable silence again. He quickly decided and spoke again. "I have another question."
Korda nodded slowly, giving permission.
"Have you taken an apprentice?" He asked quietly.
Amanda came to mind instantly, then several others followed. A slow procession of past students drudged across his thoughts leaving him a bit reminiscent. There had been many, some he still called allies and others he'd kill if he ever saw them again.
Taking a sip from his glass Korda set it down and ran one finger over the rim until it hummed out a high-pitched note. Peering over at Eri as the tone altered slightly and echoed in the room, he whispered, "Crystal sings like nothing else." He mused, "It's not that rare, but it takes a skilled artisan to make such a fine piece of work. Apprentices are not that rare, but like the artisan of crystal; it takes a skilled master to instill what they must know. It is just," he smiled, "a simple truth."
His smile broadened as he placed both hands back down on his lap, and closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I have had several apprentices, but," his eyes opened sharply peering back at Eri, "not now."
Eri sat back in his seat, a thoughtful furrow forming between his brows. Several apprentices. Masters like Yoda and Yaddle had several former apprentices. It was natural for them; they had life spans approaching a thousand standard years. For a human Jedi, the average was two, perhaps three depending on the health of the Master. The man sitting across from him didn't look nearly old enough to have taken several. Unless the length of apprenticeship was different on this world?
"You look troubled, mon diable," Korda purred. "Did I not answer your questions?"
Eri-Kol nodded, but the contemplative look didn't leave his face. There was so much he could learn from this man if he were permitted to partake of that wisdom. His mind again went back to the lesson in the car about balance. Did he have enough skill, enough strength of character, to offer anything in return for that knowledge? Would his asking result in an unbalanced relationship, one doomed to fail as with his Jedi master?
"You ask things of me, for some sort of reason. Comparison perhaps, of how it is for you in your world." Korda leaned an elbow onto the table and rested his chin upon an upturned palm. His eyes had lost their darker impassive edge, appearing more thoughtful and concerned. "But you *must* know that I am not like you? I can only offer you what it is like for me. Whether it is of use to you," he grinned, knowing that he hadn't really divulged anything more than hints, "only you can know. I do know by looking at you there is something…" Reaching over slowly, he cupped Eri's cheek, thumb rubbing slowly over his lips. "What is it you really wish to ask me?"
This time Eri-Kol did squirm under the scrutiny. Surely, what hopes he held in his heart for Korda to share with him couldn't be asked for... they must be offered. Still, their time together was short and would likely slip away if the issue wasn't addressed. For the first time on this trip, Eri was truly and completely unsure of how to proceed. To ask and be rejected was a terrifying and real possibility. Still, Korda had asked him to be honest. The eyes gazing back at him were friendly and interested. He took a deep breath and another sip of wine for courage.
"I've been thinking..." Eri began. "I want to leave the Jedi path." It was the first time he had ever spoken his inner thoughts aloud. It was terrifying, yet strangely liberating to do so.
Korda sat back, a slight elevation of an eyebrow the only reaction to Eri's words. He'd hinted at this in his letters, but to hear the words spoken, laid out bluntly, was what the immortal had truly desired. Still the timing surprised him. He'd reasoned this was something for a future talk, perhaps after Eri-Kol had seen more of the pleasures denied him at the Temple. Not wishing to disrupt this revelation, Korda stayed silent, his eyes filled with empathy.
"It's hard because... it's all I know," Eri admitted. "I've discovered my birth planet in the Temple records. It is a world ravaged by civil wars. I also discovered that my family has been dead for many years." He took another sip of wine. "I know that by taking me away, the Jedi saved my life but... I can't help feeling that I wasn't given a choice."
"Obviously, this is not something that I can confide in the masters with," Eri continued. "I really don't know anyone else outside the Temple and with no family..." He glanced up at Korda shyly. "If I am to strike out on my own, I need knowledge beyond the Jedi ways. I want to be a success and own the fine things denied to me now."
How oddly similar this boy's situation was to that of his own, so long ago. Its harsh certainty sent a shiver through Korda and his eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment of contemplation before he quietly spoke, "You were not given a choice, and in life you'll find this is often the case. But for every choice not made by your will, there shall be many that are, and in the end, they balance each other off. Balance is crucial in all things."
Eri nodded, understanding the return to the discussion of balance. Worriedly, he fidgeted in his seat, fingering the tablecloth absently. He had spoken his heart fully and discovered that the process wasn't as hard as he had feared. The difficult part, he realized, was finding out whether or not Korda would accept.
Leaning forward, Korda placed a reassuring hand over Eri's and in a soft, confident manner addressed the Jedi. "I am not entirely sure of what you seek from me, guidance or sanctuary."
Eri looked as if he would speak but Korda's hand went to his lips, hushing them with a gentle brush of fingers. Their eyes met. Brown eyes, painstakingly beautiful in their inquisitiveness to blue-green, exacting in their silent wisdom. Now was the time for disclosure, Korda reasoned, truth without shrouded illusion to shadow the sincerity of his feelings. "In your letters, you spoke of feelings, misgivings towards being cloistered. I read and knew that you wanted more than this life you are bound to, however, I also know the impatience of youth. You are fearful that if you take the final steps, to be what it is they have trained you for, you may let pass the many other things life can offer. You have just said this yourself, so my reasoning has been sound as far as this part of your nature is concerned." He sighed, and softly continued. "You see perhaps a chance to experience some of these things here with me," he paused noting the subtle glimmer of Eri's eyes.
Rising, Korda walked around the table and looked attentively at the young man. His hand leisurely tilted Eri's chin, until their eyes met. Korda's gaze was patient… hopeful for something he had not risked dreaming for in centuries, and utterly amazed it was going so smoothly, so easily with this boy. He'd planned for this opportunity but never thought it would come so soon after meeting Eri. His plan was working far better than he'd imagined.
"It is not true what you say. You do know one outside of the Temple -- me. And just as you, I have no family, so to speak. I shall restate what I said in my letters. Anything you desire, I shall willingly give to you. You need only ask and it is yours. Is this what you desire, sanctuary?" His hand entwining around Eri's and he placed lingering kisses on it.
Eri-Kol smiled with relief. It had gone far better than he had feared it might. He gazed up earnestly at Korda. "I want you to teach me about business... about the art of making money. I'm a good student. I have the skills taught to me by the Temple masters. I have…"
He was cut off by a short knock upon the door. Korda placed another kiss upon their joined hands. "Wait… think." He smiled down at Eri. "Entrent," Korda said unhesitatingly.
Two waiters entered, one carrying the food while the other removed the partially eaten cheese and breadsticks from the table. The food was placed on the serving stand and as one waiter re-filled the empty glasses, the other diligently laid the delicacies before them.
Korda looked down at the table full of food with delight. He was sure his young guest would enjoy sampling from it. "C'est très bien," he murmured in dismissal.
Eri-Kol sat up straighter in his chair, watching the young waiter get ready to depart. He frowned, remembering how the attention this man had paid him earlier had caught Korda's attention. It was this and the lingering need to prove his abilities that prompted him to a quick decision. He shot an amused glance at Korda. "Sir," he said, motioning the waiter to come closer.
"Yes, sir?" he asked, slipping easily back into his thickly accented English. His eyes sparkled mischievously at the handsome Jedi.
With another challenging glance at Korda, who was casually sipping his wine, Eri leaned closer to the waiter. He gathered the Force around him then spoke. "Your jacket is on fire."
"Mon dieu!" the waiter gasped, and tore off his fine jacket, quickly dropping it on the floor and stomping on it.
Choking on the wine he'd just swallowed, Korda glared at the waiter then over at Eri. What had he done to cause this kind of reaction? He could not help but chuckle at the obviously hysterical waiter. He didn't like him anyway and seeing him jumping up and down on a perfectly normal coat, making a total fool of himself was amusing. He sat back and laughed, unable to contain his great pleasure at this show.
"Oh! Now your shirt as aflame as well," Eri continued, trying to contain his smile.
The waiter cried out in panic as he ripped off his shirt. He jumped around in a frenzy trying to extinguish imaginary flames.
Eri-Kol dropped the Force-control over the waiter's mind as quickly as he had seized it. He picked up his glass of wine and pretended to act shocked as the waiter looked down at his state of undress.
Looking mortified, he gathered up his discarded clothing hurriedly while muttering apologies in both French and English. He didn't stop asking for forgiveness until he had closed the door behind him.
Eri-Kol met Korda's gaze with unflinching attention. "Like I said, I have the skills taught to me by the masters," he murmured.
Recovering his composure, Korda wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes before narrowing them on Eri. "I see!" he chuckled. His delight was apparent and the soft trace of fingers along Eri's face added further proof. "You have many talents, first the boots and now this. These are things done with some power you hold." He peered over inquisitively. "If you stay here, and you are welcome to..." He paused, deep in thought.
There was the nagging question about this power of Eri's floating on the tip of his tongue; he wanted to know what it was and how it worked. Such a power could be beneficial in many ways for his business ventures as well as a tool against other immortals. Eri's staying made everything easier; he would gain what knowledge he could from him, and in return, he would teach Eri everything he knew about the fine science of making money. He smiled at the simplicity of this arrangement, the balance of it. He'd wait, before asking more about this power. There is time, he thought, be patient and careful. Best not to seem over-anxious for this knowledge.
Hesitating only for a moment, his eyes searched the boy's for something, finding that mask of innocence in them, he smiled then lowered his head before going on. "I would enjoy teaching you what I know." He looked back up with a calm gaze. "Perhaps, there are things you will share with me." He glanced musingly towards the door then back at Eri's smiling face. "I'm a fairly expeditious learner as well." His grin broadened as his hand trailed along the side of Eri's neck. "This is for you to decide. If you stay, it would be part of the bargain between us." Leaning back in his chair, he started to chuckle again. "I don't know if we shall see another waiter tonight." He peered lasciviously over the table. "Not that it's a bad thing."
Eri grinned. He was positive the young man would be too embarrassed to show his face at their table again. He knew what he had done was needlessly cruel and unseemly for a Jedi, but it had achieved his goal. He could sense Korda's newfound respect for his abilities and his increased willingness to train him.
"Now," Korda said, breaking Eri from his thoughts, "we eat!"
Eri-Kol looked down at the veritable feast covering the entire table. Truthfully, he didn't know where to start. He watched Korda pick up a plate close to him and sniff the steam rising from the food with obvious relish.
"These are stuffed mushrooms, filled with crabmeat and topped with cheese." Reaching over the table, feeding Eri one of the steaming morsels, Korda then sat back his hands upturned, "Good?"
Eri nodded his approval and eyed the next dish.
"Try this," Korda forked one of the snails and dipped it into the butter before offering it to Eri.
The boy's face scrunched up as he inspected the bit of unrecognizable food clinging to the fork. He opened up and took it but didn't like it and had a hard time getting it down. "The mushrooms were better," he said, grabbing his glass of wine and taking a large gulp to wash down the last of the taste.
"Hmm, let's see. Ah, now this you'll enjoy." A wily grin crossed Korda's face as he moved a metal plate in front of Eri. On it set several shells with something inside of them.
Eri peered down at them then back up at the immortal, "What are these?" his face whitened a bit upon closer inspection of this food. In all honesty, they looked like miniature space slugs with their slimy, boneless anatomy.
Sitting back in the chair chuckling at Eri's obvious leeriness towards the half-shelled mollusk, Korda sipped his wine and pointed to a small saucer of spicy." Huîtres, ah, Oysters." he grinned. "Put a little of that one them, then some of that lemon." Eri looked around the table and Korda pointed to the fruit. "Then pick it up and let it slide off the shell into your mouth."
The Jedi didn't move. Korda leaned forward and took one of the oysters, demonstrating how it was done. "They're really quite good," he smiled, sitting back to watch.
The young man's eyes wavered uneasily, but he prepared the oyster as he'd seen Korda do. He opened his mouth, his hand hovering just at the brink of letting the slimy mass slide in, and then he hesitated, looking down at it nervously.
"Don't look at it." Korda peered wickedly over the table. "Just eat. They are supposed to increase one's stamina."
As the cold mass slid into his mouth, Eri's eyes tightly shut, but as he tasted the mix of sweetness, hot and sour, he actual enjoyed it and let the oyster slide down his throat. "This is good!" he said honestly as he reached for another.
"Of course," Korda pushed the entire plate to him. "You have them, then." He grinned while smoothing some of the Paté and Truffles on a flat cracker.
For a few minutes, the pair dinned quietly. Eri devoured the oysters then took bites of everything on the table except the snails, while Korda nibbled on Paté and an occasional shrimp. Reaching over to top off the younger man's glass of wine, Korda grinned. "This is not the meal, by the way." His eyes sparkled cheerfully at the Jedi's surprised reaction.
"There's more?" Eri sat back and sipped the wine. "Really?" Such extravagances he thought, all this food, and there was still more to come!
"Really, these are just appetizers, pre entrees." His host stood and strolled over to the window. "The French enjoy their food and wine immensely," he chuckled. "Eating and drinking are second only to love." Turning to face his companion, he grinned, "Or lust, if that is the case."
Eri-Kol reached across the table for a shrimp, and stood up to join Korda at the window. Even at the late hour, the city was still bustling. It wasn't all that different from Coruscant, only that it lacked the swarms of buzzing air transports filling the skies.
"I hope you saved room for the entree." Korda regarded him with darkened eyes.
"And for dessert?" Eri whispered.
"We will make our own," Korda murmured, pulling the boy closer to him by his braid. The immortal nibbled on the boy's full, tempting lips, savoring the taste of wine and spice before delving deeper with his tongue. The tastes were richer there.... maddeningly delicious. The boy was devastating; he gave of himself completely, even in a kiss. Korda luxuriated in the feel of the long, hard body melting against his.
A knock on the door disrupted the moment, and Korda pulled away. He chuckled at the disappointed sound Eri made at the intrusion. "Oui!" he called over his shoulder, then drew the boy once again toward the table.
Entering the private dinning room, the wine steward carried two bottles wrapped in linen. He placed them on the table. "Messieurs, je fais confiance que le Beaune était agréable?"
A nod from Korda, and he went on, a diminutive smile indicating his relief. "Ce sont deux de nos meilleurs vins," he cleared the glasses and opened bottle from the table and replaced them with larger glasses. "Ce n'est pas souvent que je suis invité à présenter l'une ou l'autre de ceux-ci," He showed both bottles to Korda then Eri.
"Si vous, parler Anglais. Il est le Français d' étude juste." Korda nodded towards Eri with an indulgent smile.
Pouring a small amount in Eri's glass, he smiled and explained to him in broken English the history of the wine. "Here is now the ancestor of white Bordeaux, a Château d'Yquem vintage 1871, it is most delicate in flavor, a perfect match for the dinner you have selected.
Korda added softly in a voice filled with predilection, "1871, the year when gods and the heavens had favored the Sauternes quite particularly." His grin broadened when the steward nodded with fervent agreement.
Eri smiled up at the energetic server and then over at Korda. His hand went to the glass but the steward gently waved him away. "Oh no, please sir, let it breathe for a minute. It has been locked away in this bottle for over a century!"
"My friend is eager, he'll learn," glancing at the steward Korda chuckled.
The young Jedi's hand slipped quickly off the glass back to his lap and he looked up, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Ah sir, not to worry." the steward said patiently. "We all have to start someplace. Consider it a extravagance that you have such a extraordinary chance to start with this wine." He added with a touch of bravado, "You don't really have to wait, it is just best to."
Eri's smile easily returned and he gazed at Korda as the other bottle of wine was presented then poured. Korda's eyes met the steward's and he appeared to be quietly focused on what the man was telling him about the Romanée 1874. However, just as the wine steward was starting to tell Eri it was time to try the wine, he felt Korda's toes nudge on his leg and his attention drifted.
His dark brown eyes focused across the table, trying to ascertain what the immortal was up to. The steward repeated himself, "Sir, the wine, you may try it now!" His attention refocused to the wine and a small blush crossed his features as he sipped. All the time Korda's eyes flickered playfully back at him, focused and unwavering in their intensity.
The aroma of the vintage wine was intoxicating and he momentarily lingered over it. Sipping it slowly, he was surprised by its dry, semi-sweetness, not at all like the other wines he had tried this evening. A sudden pressure on his groin just as he was swallowing, caused him to choke and spit out some of the wine. As it dribbled down his chin Korda's foot slipped away. Leaning back in the chair, he showed only concern at Eri's apparent dislike of the fine drink.
The wine steward gasped, and handed Eri a fresh linen towel. "Ce n'est pas satisfaisant?" he asked, aghast at the thought of having to dispose of such an exceptional bottle of wine. He looked quickly over at Korda, then back down at the younger man. "Sir… perhaps… a sweeter wine?" he asked sheepishly.
Across the table, Korda sat quietly sipping his wine, a small evil grin creeping over his lips. He knew it was a petty thing to do but he'd been in a mischievous mood ever since Eri had tormented the waiter and it was priceless to see the shocked looks on both Eri's and the steward's faces.
As he wiped the wine from himself, Eri glared over at Korda noting his grin. "It's fine, really!" he glanced over at the nervous steward. "I just… "
Korda reached over, taking the glass from Eri and sipped the wine. He nodded at the steward and smiled back across the table, "As I said, he's just too eager." He chuckled while setting the glass down, his hand patting Eri's affectionately before moving away.
Nodding with some uncertainly the steward left the room rather uneasily.
"You're charming when flushed." The immortal purred then leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on Eri before he could react.
Eri's thought of making a witty retort died with the feel of Korda's lips on his own. So, he wasn't the only one that enjoyed playing pranks. "You're very funny," he muttered with mock annoyance as soon as the kiss ended.
----------
Downstairs, a heated discussion was underway. The waiter had approached the manager in the pantry and was vividly describing what had happened to him. His gesturing and tone left no doubt that he was not only mortified but also confused and displeased with the goings on. He shook his head negatively several times as the manager quietly asked questions, trying to determine what had happened.
"You are certain that your coat was on fire?" The manager turned his scrutinizing eyes downward, examining waiter's clothes.
"Yes, then my shirt!" He grabbed his shirtsleeve and nodded toward the place he was sure it had been on fire.
"Well," the manager cleared his throat while peering over at one of the sauté chefs who was smiling cheerfully at the entire discussion, obviously enjoying seeing the waiter sweat. "I'm not at all saying that you didn't believe this, but they are not on fire now and I see nothing to indicate they were." His tone changed to one of slight disbelief and soothing calmness. "You have not been nipping at Port again have you?"
The waiter's face flushed and he flung his arms up in the air waving them wildly. "No! I tell you I was on fire!"
The other men looked at each other and chuckled.
"I tell you, something odd is going on up there!" he insisted.
Just then, the wine steward came down the stairs mumbling to himself. "How can a bottle of our best wine not suit such a boy? It is outrageous." He looked up and saw the manager and frowned. "If Monsieur Korda was not a regular here…"
"You too?" the manager winced then glanced over to the sauté chef who was now laughing. "You, back to work!" The chef made a rude gesture with his finger and went back into the kitchen.
"Now as for you two, I have no clue as to why this is such a problem. Monsieur Korda has never been any trouble and he is a very good customer!"
The waiter jumped in to defend himself. "It is the boy with him, not Monsieur Korda. There is something not right… "
"Yes, it is the boy! He spit out Château d'Yquem!" the wine steward growled.
The other two men gasped.
"Yes, can you believe this? I have never been so embarrassed in all my years here. Monsieur Korda tactfully accepted the wine, but… "
The manager's eyes widened, "Oh, this cannot be! That is one of our best wines. I picked that wine out myself. You," he nodded towards the steward, "make certain it is satisfactory when the dinner is brought. As for you, you will serve the dinner, and I will hear nothing more of this flaming jacket or you can just draw your severance pay. Do you understand?"
The frazzled waiter nodded and headed into the kitchen where he was greeted by roars of laughter and chides from the chefs.
----------
"Do you know how they serve your meal here, Eri?" Korda asked despite knowing that Eri would have no clue.
Eri sipped the wine that he was growing extremely fond of and played along. "No. How?"
"They present it tableside." The immortal grinned. "The Chef prepares it almost to completion, but the waiter finishes it off so that you may watch. It's flambéed with brandy and orange liquor." Korda's grin widened.
"What is flambéed?" Eri questioned as he sipped his wine eagerly.
Korda dipped his finger into the wine and flicked it over the candle. The flame rose and he chuckled. "It is drenched with the liquor, and ignited."
Eri-Kol nearly choked on the wine again. Spluttering, he fumbled for the napkin he had used earlier. "Let's hope he doesn't set himself on fire!" He laughed as soon as he managed to compose himself.
"I'm sure you have some magic to prevent that from occurring, mon diable," Korda purred.
The familiar knock came once again upon the door, and two waiters entered. The wine steward followed, all looked a bit uncomfortable.
"We are under attack, oui!" Korda chuckled.
Eri laughed and sat back. It took all of his concentration to school his face into a calm mask while the assistant waiter went to business clearing away the half-eaten appetizers and replacing them with the next course. He turned to him and saw the slow, careful way he was preparing the bird.
While the wait staff was eyeing him warily, Eri noticed that Korda's eyes were glued on him as well. They looked pensive, almost expectant, waiting to see his next move. Eri picked up his wineglass, taking a sip to hide his smile as he called the Force to his aid again. This time he sent a vivid image to Korda's mind of himself only hours before, kneeling between his legs, worshiping his firm shaft with lips and tongue.
The image was enough to bring a gasp to Korda's lips. He set his glass down quickly before he dropped it. He could feel that hot mouth engulfing him again, the rising steam, Eri's wet hands stroking his thighs. He could smell the fine oils in the water. No wonder the waiter had reacted so violently to this boy's magic!
"Monsieur, êtes-vous bien?" Korda was jolted back to the moment by the waiter's question. The waiter had finished presenting Eri with his entree and now waiting for approval. The waiter was looking between the two men worriedly, very eager to depart the room.
"Oui, c'est bon." Korda replied, a bit hoarsely. He glared at Eri, who had begun already sampling from his entree.
What a very odd night it's been, the waiter thought as he closed the door behind him. The two men within were still locked in a silent stare down.
For agonizingly long moments, there was silence between them. Korda leaned back against his chair and Eri calmly ate his meal, now and again peering up through thick eyelashes at him. Knowing the effect his dabbling in the Force had on Korda he was having a hard time keeping a straight face and decided not to try. A sly grin crept across the corners of his mouth and he let the other man know he was enjoying this. "The food is very good!" he said cheerily. Then with a touch of concern added, "Aren't you hungry?"
For an instant Korda's face flushed then seemed to glower. He looked away, tapping his fingers absentmindedly on the table. Still feeling the effects of the younger man's power, he was a bit troubled and more than a little irritated that Eri had been able to use this so easily on him. Small game as it may be to the Jedi, it was bothersome to the immortal and he was perplexed as to what to do. It was brutally apparent to Korda that this power was something that he could not control or stop the boy from using. The idea of being able to alter another's thoughts even realities was intriguing, but also incisive as to its results. It was also crystal clear to Korda, that if this power could be learned, he would have such an advantage over other immortals.
He was suddenly keenly aware that his distraction was showing. Eri's piercing eyes were focused intently upon him, frustrating him even further. Taking a tentative breath, he smiled amiably at his dinning companion. Time to teach the boy something about his new master, he decided. Not here, during dinner, for the moment he'd sooth things over.
"I'm ravenous," Korda's voice hid the turbulence of his thoughts with a voracious tone. "And when we finish here, I plan to satisfy that hunger."
The eyes watching Eri were tempestuous, fiery, and completely focused on their prey, a look he had not seen in Korda until this moment. They silently invoked power and danger, the utter certainty that Korda was not a man who would accept being trifled with. He could sense the man's agitation in the Force, not to mention the quick, stabbing motions he made with his fork. Eri had toyed with Korda in jest, but he knew that he had overstepped his boundaries. The Force could have a powerful effect on those not trained to resist its influence. Abashed at the result of his behavior, Eri turned his full attention upon his meal.
----------
After dinner, Korda ordered them both Napoleon Brandy and took Eri up to the rooftop gardens. From there, île de la Cité and île St Louis, the Seine, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame could be viewed. The gardens offered a peacefully quiet place high above the city, their lush vegetation affording small crannies of privacy. After they had walked along the outer path Korda led Eri to one of the secluded spots and pointed out several of the more prominent landmarks.
"That is the Eiffel Tower, that river is called the Seine, and you have already seen the Cathedral," he spoke cheerfully. "This island is the oldest part of Paris, it was first settled over two thousand years ago. Those towers over there are the medieval towers of the Conciergerie. It used to be a prison. Marie Antoinette was held there during the Revolution. Ah, a nasty place," he chuckled. "And if you look over there, those arches," he slipped an arm around Eri's shoulder redirecting him, "are of the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris."
Eri peered out at the bridge, stepping down several tiered steps to get closer to the edge for a better look. Korda stood behind him and wrapped an arm around the front of his shoulders, gently squeezing him. He whispered secretly into the younger man's ear. "And there is île St. Louis, the most romantic part of Paris. I'll take you there." His hand gently brushed under Eri's jacket along his ribs. "But only if you promise to behave yourself."
Eri turned his head and was greeted by those same intense eyes from earlier. He shivered slightly at their compelling presence and Korda's short velvet laugh did little to ease a sudden edgy feeling that overtook the Jedi.
Slipping his hand a bit lower, he found the object Eri had been secretly carrying concealed within his jacket. "Or perhaps it's not in your nature to do as you're told?" Korda's hand left the lightsaber dismissively as he moved to face the boy. He smiled softly and took Eri's empty glass, placing it along side his own on the ledge. "You told me you are a rule breaker, however…" He took hold of the boy's arms, pulling him into an unyielding embrace. They stood so close their lips almost touched, but as Eri leaned closer to capture the sweetness of Korda's lips, the immortal leaned away. "I'll have you know that my rules you won't break… that is, if you wish to learn from me."
Korda's strong hand soothingly rubbed along Eri's neck, suddenly grasping him firmly under the chin, squeezing just enough to cause discomfort. In a low, intimidating voice, novel to this relationship, he stated, "First rule, never use your gift to toy with me like you did at dinner." A perverse smile materialized, then quickly disappeared from Korda's face as he finished, "I punish people when they break my rules." The hand loosened and he stepped away from the stunned boy but his eyes remained fixed like daggers cutting into Eri's soul.
For a moment, a flame of rebellion sparked in the boy's eyes, turning into narrow, spitting venom. The look disappeared as quickly as it came and a calm mask of acceptance settled over the young man's features. Powerful and frivolous, Korda mused. He had skill and talent beyond his tender years, but no will to control it. Like a wild stallion, his power would need to be contained and refined. The boy lacked a master willing to take a firm hand. Unlike that master, Korda would not be cowed by tricks and lies.
"I won't do it again," Eri murmured.
Korda regarded the boy thoughtfully. "Yes, you will," he replied. "I know you will." His eyes swept the Paris scenery. "You feel the need to test me. That is the nature of the relationship you seek with me. You will find that I am not an easy man to break. Can I expect the same of you?"
"I won't fail you."
"Good," he said simply. The true tests, he knew, were to come later. In time, he would know of Eri's true commitment. For now, words would have to stand on their own merit.
The manager from earlier came towards then, rushing past several other quests as they ambled down one of the rooftop paths. "Monsieur Korda, je suis très désolé de vous déranger," he said in a low but breathless voice. "Votre chauffeur m'a demandé de vous donner ce monsieur. Il dit que vous devez venir." He handed Korda a note and stepped back.
Korda's face showed no emotion as he read the note. His people had found the missing money but at a high cost, Charles was dead. The details weren't there, but it mattered little, it was enough to know his long time friend and mentor was gone. His heart sank, threatening to shatter the anger that was steadily encasing it.
Charles had brought him to Paris for the first time, centuries ago. He had shown Korda the city, its wealthy side and the endless potential within their ranks.
---- "The finer points of finance and investments, André, this is what you are good at." ---- Charles had told him in those early days when they had shared rooms over the D'Ermaunt Tavern.
Korda stared blindly at the note in his hand. // No Charles, it was always your forte really, and I just followed, absorbing everything that you taught me. //
It was Charles who had always been brilliant at this. He made an excellent teacher, patient and forgiving even when he learned of Korda's dabbling on the illegal side of business.
---- Charles had laughed it off lightly. "You shall get yourself into nothing but trouble, mon cher. But it is your way. You are a wolf amidst the flock, and there is no shepherd smart enough to catch you." ----
Korda always knew that he never approved of his shady dealings and that the older immortal always worried for him. It had been this way since their first meeting, centuries ago, when Charles had found him hiding-out on the fringes of western culture. Charles had come upon the younger immortal soon after Korda had left the Far East. He'd taken him under his guidance, never wavering in this responsibility in all the years that followed. It had been so long since anyone had cared, loved, and taken the time to share things, listened to his dreams; he'd done all these things and Korda owed him.
When Charles had finally retired from high finance, he'd set himself up nicely in his quiet shop. Yet, still he dealt with only the very rich of Europe. He knew Charles could have never lived a commonplace life, there had to be wealth around him. It clung to him like a fine garment; he attracted it, like a bee to honey.
Charles had always stayed away from the game, only fighting when necessary, this too he had taught Korda.
---- "Never fight when you can get someone else to do it for you, Chéri. It is a wise man who lets others do his work for him, no matter what the venture." ----
Though Charles pressed this point home always with quiet, unambiguous means by choosing to stay far away from the violent aspects of their world, he was a skilled swordsman, brilliant even on an off-day. Therefore, the news of his death had other ramifications. Korda was cognizant that this other immortal must have been either very skilled or extremely lucky. One thing was certain, whoever it was, they knew more about him than he felt comfortable with. For a moment he wondered if they had been followed to the shop. If so, then things were far worse than he had thought. Not only did he have to be concerned for himself but for Eri as well. This was a troubling situation.
Korda's hand tightened around the note, his knuckles turning white, and the only outward sign something was wrong. Looking over at the manager he nodded, then turned and walked over to the ledge. Taking a deep breath, his eyes wandered out over the city.
"Paris may not be the most beautiful place on this planet," he said quietly. "But it is a place I am fond of. It holds many memories for me. All of Paris lies below us, Eri. Paris of kings, Paris of riverbanks, Paris of a hundred steeples," he sighed. // Paris of happier memories. // "Shrouded in mist or gilded by the sunrise, the nave of la Cité seems anchored beneath. It sways gently on the river. The Seine holds it close and strokes its sides. The water, stone and sky of Paris form a harmony that seems untouched by the ravages of time. It is unlike anything else I have ever known." He was reminiscent and solemn as he spoke, and when he turned to face Eri, his eyes mirrored these emotions. "I planned to show you more of it, but… something has come up." Korda's tone was now determined, as he walked past Eri towards the lift. "We must leave now."
Eri-Kol followed in silence. Korda didn't speak a word during the short trip down the lift, out of the building and into the waiting car. He barked a terse order to the driver in French, then leaned back against the seat appearing lost in thought.
Eri wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but he could sense enough to know that it was tragic. He wanted to know what the note had said to abruptly cut their night so short. Selfishly, he thought it unfair that this man had agreed to teach him, yet refused to share what had happened.
Korda grabbed the cell phone in front of him and punched one of the keys. An agitated conversation in French, soon started, with Korda's voice sounding so angry at times, that Eri flinched. He rested back against the seat, watching the lights of the city slowly fade into the distance.
They were returning to Korda's home. Eri recognized the direction they were traveling, even though they were taking another route. The vehicle was also moving a great deal faster than it was on the way to the city. Were they being chased? He was pleased that his instincts had told him to carry his lightsaber tonight, although he was a bit concerned of his ability to use it after drinking so much wine.
The Jedi mulled these thoughts over as he watched the scenery fly by. Soon, they were driving amongst the rolling green expanses he remembered flying over when he arrived. They were near the house now. As if on cue, Korda abruptly stopped his conversation and placed the phone down with an utterance of something in a language Eri did not recognize.
The car pulled to a screeching halt in front of the house only seconds later.
As they stepped out of the car, the husky security man from earlier came out of the shadows. Unlike last time, however, there were several other men with him. Korda nodded reassuringly at them and they quickly went back to their positions around the house. He waited on the steps for Eri to come around the car and they walked into the house together.
"I'm sorry to have cut things short in Paris," he said sincerely. "You probably wish to know what it is that interrupted our evening, but I think it is something you are not ready to learn." He met Eri's gaze steadily. "It is unfortunate in the timing." His fingers ran over Eri's soft cheek. "But it's out of my control. There are things that are always out of our control Eri, c'est la vie. There is something I must do; it will only take a short time. You can look around the house, whatever you wish. My home is yours."
Eri stared at him, his lower lip quivering, torn between the desire to ask what was going on and to respect this man's wisdom. He decided to take the prudent route and let Korda leave. There would be time later to find out the answers that he wanted to know. For now, he had to be patient enough to wait.
Korda's hand traced lightly over those lips remembering how sweet they tasted and how devastating they could be. For a moment, he wished to lose himself in them, to forget everything, but the moment passed and he bowed slightly, walking into another room and silently shutting the door.
----------
Eri walked slowly around the entryway, noting the details of the fine artwork that he'd only glanced at before. For the first time on this world, he was alone and not sure of what to do with himself. The house around him was huge, and he worried about getting lost in its depths despite his Jedi senses.
He longed to return to Korda's side, but the man needed to attend to affairs that were none of his business. It brought a smile to the Jedi's lips to think that perhaps, in time, he would be trusted enough to assist in these secret matters. It was almost enough to ease his worry about the tense news that had so bothered Korda back in Paris.
The Jedi gazed at himself in the mirror momentarily and frowned. He looked a bit flushed, either from the wine or the heat of his new clothes, he wasn't sure. He tugged at the knot of his tie until he had loosened it somewhat, and unfastened the top two buttons of his shirt. He wasn't used to having such a tight, constricting collar. He breathed a sigh of relief when he could finally move his neck freely again.
He took another glance around. To the opposite of the door Korda disappeared behind, there was a wide hallway leading further into the house. He decided to start his exploration there. The hallway was as meticulous and decorated as the entranceway. The walls held a few works of art: paintings and fabrics in rich colors, symbols and creatures that were foreign to him.
He continued to walk, peeking in doors along the way until he found himself in a high-ceilinged room filled with shelves upon shelves of books. He had to blink several times before he could believe his eyes. Books made from real paper and scribed in ink! He had only seen holopics of the Temple library before all of its books where disposed of and replaced with datachips. That had taken place close to twelve millennia before his birth!
The Jedi spent several minutes walking along the shelves, touching the smooth leather bindings and examining the unfamiliar symbols that adorned them. If he were to become a student of Korda, he would need to learn to read these symbols. The challenge felt more than a little daunting. He pulled one of the volumes from its shelf and leafed through the pages. He liked the way the paper rustled under his fingers. He paused a while, just feeling the solid weight in his hands before replacing the book. He took great care to align it next to its neighbors with utter precision.
Wishing he could remain a while in this room just soaking in its accumulated knowledge, Eri-Kol reluctantly continued on his way. He closed the heavy door gently behind him, then turned to examine a half-meter high carving on the table opposite the room. It was of a human, sitting with legs crossed and a contemplative look on his face. He's meditating, he realized with a touch of wonder. It was not the position that the Jedi preferred to perform their meditation but that made little difference in the end, anyway.
Eri let out a relaxing breath. Apparently, things were not so different on this world after all. Perhaps he could truly learn to call this place home.
Continuing his exploration, he discovered the greenhouse filled with abundant species of flowers and small trees. Large, brightly feathered, avian creatures were allowed to freely move about. A large net protected them from flying through the high, transparent ceiling. They called loudly to the new visitor as soon as he entered, and were soon swarming about the Jedi to get a closer look.
He laughed at their inquisitive antics and curious nature. When he knelt down to smell one of the flowers, one of the larger green-feathered birds landed beside him, snatched the end of his braid and pulled. This led to a playful game of tug-of-war that left Eri laughing even harder. He spent several minutes in this room as well; feeding the birds nuts and small pieces of fruit and admiring their graceful flight from perch to perch, before he continued on his tour of the house.
He found the kitchen and a large dining area, but he was too full from dinner to even stop to consider food. Off the next corridor, he found the entertainment room with a wall-size projection screen and a ceiling-high shelf filled with objects he assumed were holovids.
Soon, he discovered himself back where he began. He had taken a full circle tour of the downstairs. He glanced upward to the top of the stairs and debated whether or not to continue his exploration.
----------
In the tranquility of the garden, Korda paced anxiously until he finally calmed enough to sit and close his eyes. Meditation was always fruitful, always comforting to him and he easily fell into it. His thoughts drifted slowly back to Charles. He thought back to their parting, when he had decided to return to the Far East. He recalled Charles' parting words, --- "There is always time, André, always more of it." ---
After Korda came back to France, they had planned to do so many things. They had never rushed. Why should they? Now, the one thing that immortals rarely worried about, the passing of time, was unmistakably real.
He was not as concerned for his own existence, which would go on, but for Eri's. Mortal life was short, marked by swift passages and glimpses of only a diminutive piece of what time had to offer. He had been delivered to Korda in the midst of that rare and fleeting bloom of youth that, once wilted, would never flower again. Their time together would be so short; he could not waste it, not for anyone. There would be time later to reflect on all of this, to take his revenge on Charles' killer. For now it was best to take what was being offered to its fullest promise.
He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting, but something disturbed his contemplation, a sound, breathing… he didn't need to open his eyes to know it was Eri-Kol. He could feel him, taste and smell him on the breeze, and he wanted him, now more than ever. He reached out a hand and it was taken, pulling him more than just physically, the silent touch saved him from a darker depth of loneliness.
They embraced and his lips covered every inch of the boy's face, marking it with warm softness. A long deep moan escaped him as he whispered, "You've come for me then, mischievous boy. Do I keep you from your lessons?" His tongue lapped gently at the soft skin under Eri's ear. "Or is it that you have something to teach me?" His teeth bit into the soft earlobe, piercing the skin just enough for a small trickle of blood to flow. Korda sucked at it, his tongue flickering over the sensitive flesh, as his strong hands moved down Eri's back, pulling him closer.
"Well?" he asked, his voice velvety smooth against the boy's heated flesh. "Do you think there is something you can teach me?"
"I disturbed you from your meditation," Eri whispered, sounding remorseful. "I only wanted to--"
"Shh..." Korda interrupted gently. "I was just ready to come find you." He smiled at Eri's still-unsure expression. "My meditations made me realize something," he continued. "I distinctly remember promising you dessert."
Eri-Kol's eyes widened with surprise. The man couldn't be serious! "Korda, I don't think I could eat another bite!" he exclaimed.
Korda's delighted laugh rang through the gardens. The shocked, guileless look on the boy's face was priceless. It quickly turned into a look of realization and embarrassment.
Still chuckling, Korda placed a gentle hand on his arm to keep him from turning away. "No, my sweet one, don't be ashamed," he said. "On your world, perhaps language is used more directly. I should not laugh at your misunderstanding." The immortal tugged on Eri's loosened tie until the knot fell open.
"I learned another thing through my meditation," Korda continued, his fingers moving swiftly to unfasten the remaining buttons on Eri's shirt. "I reflected on other things, how time can be an enemy. It enchants us and beguiles us; makes us believe that it is infinite. All of the while it ravages us, then slips away." He pushed the fabric from the boy's shoulders, baring Eri's chest to the cool air.
"There is no more tragic a man than the one who realizes that time has stolen his dreams." Korda murmured, continuing this lesson even as he turned his attention to what clothes still remained. He knelt down in front of Eri, pulling the finely tailored trousers down rubbing his cheek against the soft satin of the emerald green shorts as he removed Eri's shoes and socks. He pressed a single kiss on the quivering stomach muscle before gracefully rising to his feet again to take in the full sight before him.
To look upon this young man was a pleasure he'd long deprived himself, believing there was no time for such frivolous intoxication of mind and heart. He had left those things behind with other emotions, lest they hamper his dealings. The last time he dared to dream of someone to share his world had been a dismal failure and one he thought rested deep in the fathomless chasms of his soul. Now he could feel those emotions were not gone, only slumbering, dormant, waiting for the right spark. Eri-Kol was the spark that had awoken them, and for all his pretense towards his own selfish denial, he was hopelessly alert to just how much had been missed.
He moaned as the boy's hands reached out to him, seeking to reveal his body to the chill of the night air. Eri was far less graceful with the fastenings on his clothes, but he still managed to divest him of jacket and shirt. He tossed them casually aside, eager to touch and be touched without their hindrance.
The sweet softness of blond curls brushing against Korda's shoulder elicited shivers and an instinctive desire to run his fingers through them, tangle in the curls, and feel their silken touch on hands too used to the coldness of steel. The eyes greeting his flashed brightly, coalescing entire novels of feeling into one brilliant point. Hands roamed over his skin, soft traces pricking every nerve in their tireless wanderings. Strong yet agile muscles aligned themselves against his, commanding his body to respond. And if these things were not enough, the soft, wet mouth working effortlessly up his neck and along his jaw line left him with an aching desire for more.
Korda allowed himself these small luxuries, this precious, delicious time, without letting anything of the outside world enter his reasoning. From this point on, every moment of this night would be for one purpose, pleasure. No scheming for future plans or alliances, nothing to teach in this arena; simply the release of desires.
His hand slipped around one of those lean legs, pressed so effortlessly against his, tracing along the finely toned muscles. A twitch of reflex rushed along its center just under his hand as it moved gently, steadily making its way to the soft inner thigh. His hand lingered there, not wishing to leave the warmth, rubbing back and forth just inches from the heat of the younger man's desire.
"So soft," he whispered soothingly, his lips mouthing Eri's earlobe as his other hand steadily pulled at the blond curls.
The desire was strong to just take him right there, with only the stars of the night sky shining above as their witness. As Eri's body trembled against his, he knew it wasn't entirely from arousal. A gentle breeze rich with the scent of earth and blossom was also chilling.
"To my rooms, young Eri," Korda ordered then placed a lingering kiss against his lips. "Let's take our leave from Time and her thieving ways, at least for tonight." He held out his hand. "Join me?"
Eri nodded and took his hand.
Korda entered the room letting Eri's hand slip gently away. He stopped for a brief moment and peered reflectively over his shoulder at the young man now lingering in the doorway, looking somewhat hesitant to enter. Smiling reassuringly, Korda let him remain there, beckoning nothing from him. He slipped off his shoes and remaining clothes, then made his way silently over to the veranda doors. Opening them, he stepped out onto the balcony as a warm breath of air rushed into the room.
Eri-Kol didn't know why he was hesitating, there was nothing to fear, and yet he felt a silent tugging deep within his heart. A foreboding feeling of losing this experience before he had a chance to fully appreciate it, persistently wormed its way through his thoughts. He felt unsure of this situation, uncertain he could please this man. Was that it? Could he be so unconfident of himself, of his abilities?
It wasn't the physical aspects of the moment that jostled his nerves. Those butterflies were long gone, fluttering off on the warm mist of their earlier bath. It was far greater than that. He was stepping across the threshold of an entirely different universe, away from the relative peace of the Temple that had framed his life until this point. He was shrugging off those childhood decisions that he had come to regret with the last fiber of his being. He was starting over, with this man as his guide. He only hoped that he had what it took to make it work this time.
Surely, Korda wanted this as much as he did? Eri took a deep breath, realizing his anxiety was threatening to falter, even collapse his resolve to take trust in his instincts and desires. Leaning against the doorway, he struggled with his apprehension as the warm breeze wafted around the room. He let that fragrant wind lift his misgivings, whirling them far out of his mind's reach. He quietly shut the door and walked over to the bed. Settling himself down on the soft comforter, he gazed at Korda.
Standing with the moonlight flooding down upon him, Korda looked surreal, out of place. Then his very presence would suddenly alter becoming completely natural as if part of everything around him. It wasn't in the way he moved, Eri thought, for he had not moved for several minutes. It was as if the very air and light around him altered themselves, adapting, giving in to some unseen force emanating from him. The Jedi had sensed some power in this man, something he hadn't been able to pin down, and it seemed now as though this power spoke to nature itself. Was it Force-sensitivity within Korda that he was sensing?
He studied him closer, lingering over the finely toned muscle of his back and legs, etched by the moonlight, they seemed elegantly balanced as if sculptured by some ethereal hand. His innately powerful presence seemed indisputable to Eri but then he'd notice something else in the man, something subtly calm in its nature, inalterable and immeasurable.
The ever-changing sensations Eri felt from Korda's presence precipitated his desire to know more, beckoning from him without words or actions, his undivided attention. This silent summons drew far more than the base cravings of physical pleasure; it sparked Eri's unquenchable desire for knowledge, understanding and self-achievement. He sat silently on the bed with this profound realization the minute Korda turned his eyes upon him.
"Come." He held out a beckoning hand. "Look at the stars."
Title: An Irresistible Force
Authors: BlackWidow & Isolde
Category: Alternate Universe, Slash, Crossover
Fandom: Highlander: The Raven & Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: André Korda / Eri-Kol Heth (OMC)
Rating: R
Warnings: Explicit m/m sex, violence
Feedback: Please, let us know what you think!
BlackWidow:
Isolde:
Disclaimer: The Highlander Universe is property of Panzer/Davis. The Jedi, the Force, and all other elements of the Star Wars universe are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. No profit to be gained from the writing of this fan fiction. This story features violence and material of a sexually explicit nature. If this isn't what you like to read or you're under legal age in your country, don't read it.
Do not link, post or archive without express permission.
Thanks to our beta reader, Cherna.
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Claye Souilly is a quiet town located in the Champagne Region of France, just northwest of Paris, which produces some of the world's finest wines. All around the countryside, the vineyard harvest was on. Warm southerly breezes had kept the past few days pleasant and summer-like even though it was fall; this fine weather had facilitated the harvest. There was big money in wine, and as he sat on the balcony watching the workers in the vineyards, André Korda genuinely smiled, confident that this year's vintage would be some of the finest his vineyards had ever produced.
Wine production was a small part of his empire, but one he enjoyed toying with. For one thing, it was legal, as were his nightclubs, scattered in various cities all over the globe. No matter that they'd originally been financed by illegal funds, they were now legitimate enterprises, making lots of legitimate money.
Playing with money was something Korda enjoyed, second only to playing with the lives of mortals. Unlike the fragile mortal beings that surrounded him; 'Sparrows', as he liked to refer to them, money was something that could be used for the future. Managed skillfully, money begets more money and it is always there when needed. Making more money was a game to him. It challenged his sharp intellect and gave him an occasion to dilute the boredom of the endless centuries of his existence. With his financial situation excessively comfortable, it was now time to consider a new venture, a new game, an intricate plan to acquire properties in some of the hottest up-and-coming areas for tourism. He and his partners were systematically eliminating their rivals through various means, either legal or otherwise, and moving in on several large land-holdings. Their plans well underway, he relaxed, sipping his drink and enjoying the warmth of the sun.
A laptop computer rested on the table, its soft chime indicating he had mail. Casually, he peered down at the screen and hit the receive button. The mailbox opened and he smiled faintly at the subject, 'About your kind invitation.' It was from Eri-Kol. "Perfect, your timing is splendid," he whispered, as a small wily grin curled the corners of his mouth. He sat back and took another sip of his drink and began to read the letter.
Dear Korda,
Words cannot describe my feelings when I received your invitation to join you for a time on your world. After all these months of letters exchanged, the thought of seeing you in person is like a dream to me. In my heart, I feel I already know so much about you. I realize this is not so, but I long so much to learn more. Your letters are a comfort to me when I am lonely. I re-read them all and feel that, despite everything, there is one person who understands me.
My world is far from yours and I've never traveled on my own before. I'm not frightened of this, though. I'm a skilled simulation pilot and I have the universe's strongest ally on my side: the Force. You see the Force led me to discover you, the shadowy man who haunted my dreams. It revealed to me the way to contact you. Now this same energy will guide me to your side.
I hope that this will be acceptable to you, but I would like to leave as soon as I am able. There are other forces at work in my life right now, and I fear I will not have this opportunity again if I hesitate now.
I eagerly await your next letter, my most cherished friend. I will sleep tonight knowing that in time I will be able to see you and hear your voice.
Fondly,
Eri-Kol
Closing the laptop, he picked it up and headed inside to his study. Once there, he sat down at his desk and took time to examine the letter at his leisure. His smile grew and he leaned further back in the chair and propped both feet upon the desk. He laced his fingers together and brought them to his lips. // So you accept my invitation, excellent! Eager to come -- that is even better. I think now *would* be a good time. //
He closed his eyes and thought back on the past six months of their correspondence, back to the way it had began. That first letter, unknown in origin, had somehow seeped through the cracks of what was supposedly an airtight security system. A thoughtful smile came to his face as he remembered examining the mail and the odd return address it contained, and then brushing it off as some nerdy computer technician with far too much time on his hands. But as he'd deleted it from the file, an uncomfortable feeling had come over him, leaving him ill at ease and shaken as if he'd done something wrong. When the second letter came, only a few days later, the uncomfortable feeling turned into defensiveness laced with a touch of curiosity. This time, after scanning the mail for viruses, he had opened it and upon reading, sat back and shook his head. Who was this person and how had they gotten into his mail?
The letter was short and to the point. No long-winded explanation or threats, just concerns as to whether the first letter had reached him and if so, why had he not answered it. As he'd started to make a call to his systems specialist for a trace on the mail, he'd experienced that feeling again, only stronger. He put the phone down and sat back, trying unsuccessfully to shake from his thoughts a sudden urge to answer the letter. Why had he felt this way? To this day, he was uncertain. The only thing he was sure about was that each time a new letter had come from Eri-Kol, the urgency and desire to meet him had grown. At times, it was erotic, at others it was nurturing. But always it was intense.
His technicians had never been able to trace where the mail came from, except that is was satellite-based. This is what Eri-Kol had told him, but he rarely trusted anyone, certainly not someone he had never met. So initially, he'd taken the word of his people on this matter; they'd felt it was a hoax.
As time went on, he learned that everything Eri-Kol told him seemed to be truthful. He also learned more about the stranger. He was young, around eighteen, and a student of some cult known as Jedi. Unhappy with his lot in life, he longed for adventure and freedom from his Temple. A chance to see and learn new things. He was clever; brilliant it seemed, in regards to high-tech electronics. In addition, he knew an enormous amount of highly advanced communications networking skills that none of his partners had access to. How he had such abilities and skills was something of a mystery. Korda decided how Eri knew was not important. Getting Eri to play along, to utilize these skills to Korda's advantage was what mattered. The one thing that could not be reasoned however, was where Eri came from - the stars!
From the moment Korda had finally given in to the strange urge to respond to the letters, Eri had said he was from another world. At first, he wrote this off as the boy's coy way of hiding his whereabouts. Then several events eroded his initial belief. The simple fact that no one could find the source of the transmissions was puzzling enough, but when the file came with Eri's holographic message, he again reassessed the value of the boy's word.
He smiled and pushed the button on the computer, accessing the Holo-file. The image flickered as it enlarged and came into focus, finally illuminating the dark study. Before him stood Eri-Kol Heth, dressed in old-fashioned robes and smiling gloriously back at him. The picture was as sharp as the day he had received it. The sound so clear that if he closed his eyes, he was certain the young man was actually standing in the room. The words spoken were sincere and he could not help but sense a touch of urgency in them.
The image produced the same response in him now as it had done the first time, amazement! Not only for the way it made him feel to actually see and hear this stranger, but also for the sheer technological advancement this file represented. Holographic imagery was not new, but to his knowledge, no one could produce something like this. There was no camera in his system to project it, nothing in his program applications to run it, but there he stood, real as life. From that moment on, André Korda believed in Eri-Kol. What he could do with his knowledge and abilities, the sky was the limit!
He reasoned that if Eri checked out as legitimate and a non-threat, then he would play on all his misgivings, show him all the things he was missing because of his cloistered life in the Temple. Give him anything he desired, and in return, gain the knowledge he possessed to further his empire. The things Eri had revealed about life in the Temple only reinforced that he was not happy there. The boy seemed lonely and at times desperate for companionship, and this is what Korda would prey on. Eri seemed sexually inclined towards men, this was not a concern for Korda, he'd done lots of things in his life and bedding an attractive young man was not high on his list of negatives, especially when there was so much to be gained. Besides, he could not deny the feelings he experienced every time he thought of him. Perhaps there was a desire and a need within himself, one he did not want to admit. He'd been alone for a long time and he yearned for a fresh soul, someone he could teach and mold for his own purposes. Perhaps Eri was that soul?
He thoughtfully watched the image until the message ended. He had done this dozens of times, never tiring of the beauty of it, or the pleasurable emotions it invoked deep within his psyche. Once it ended, he stretched, arching his back and turning his neck from side to side to relieve some of the stiffness that had settled in during the lazy afternoon. He leisurely reached for the headset and leaned back in his chair, contemplating what to say. After thoughtfully weighing all the implications this visit would entail, he dictated a letter of response to Eri.
Dear Eri-Kol,
I was delighted to receive your letter and to learn you have accepted my offer. I am currently working on clearing my schedule so that we may spend time together, undisturbed by matters of business.
If possible, you should leave immediately. I would not wish for uncontrollable elements at your Temple to detain you. It seems to me the sooner, the better, oui? From what you have told me in some of your other letters, the travel time to get here should set your arrival date on Sunday evening, September 23rd. I defer to your knowledge of the travel procedures and shall eagerly await you at our planned arrival site.
I am anxious as well, finally to have the pleasure of meeting you in the flesh, for even though I read your letters with great interest, it is not as rewarding an experience as actually speaking with *you*.
I do not claim to understand the Force you speak of, or how it initially led you to me. I am, however, certain that there is some reason for all of this. If the Force is truly as remarkable as you say, then it will guide you safely to my side. Until that moment, I shall wait patiently, trusting that no power is stronger than the attraction of kindred spirits, and as we seem to be of this nature - soon we shall be together. Take care, my friend, and have a safe journey.
Until we meet,
André
He pushed the send button and shut down the computer. It was a deliciously wonderful feeling when plans came together so perfectly. There would be no more work today, no more need for it. It was time to celebrate his newest venture and that could only be done in the city - Paris! Time to clean up and head out for the night. He ascended the stairs two at a time, jubilant in the knowledge that all was well, and would soon be even better.
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Eri-Kol sat back in his seat and shut down his datapad. An invitation had been issued, he had accepted, and now the plans were set into motion. He was leaving the Temple.
It had all started so suddenly. He'd seen visions of himself in his dreams with a man on a green and lush planet. For days he saw these images while he slept: of the two of them talking and laughing together. He always woke up from these dreams disoriented and with the Force urging him to take some action. He consulted with the masters, something he had never done before, and they prescribed a series of meditations to get in touch with the Force. It was then, during the midst of searching his feelings, he discovered that this man's name was André Korda, and he lived upon the planet Earth.
Earth was a world on the edge of a neighboring galaxy. The Trade Federation had been observing activities on this planet for nearly 70 standard years. It was a primitive, isolated world, but not technologically barren, the citizens had recently adopted atomic energy and networked binary systems. They had made limited ventures into space and had several orbiting satellites transmitting data to all regions of the planet. The Trade Federation had been covertly tied into Earth's Internet for only a few years, gaining knowledge about its economies and resources. It was fortunate for Eri-Kol that he just happened to know a secret way into the Federation's network. Within only a few days of trial and error, he figured out the way to send his first transmission to Korda. Now, months later and several letters exchanged, he was planning to take the first steps to actualize his vision through the Force.
Although Eri-Kol did not know everything about the man, he knew Korda was a self-employed businessman who had managed to acquire a great deal of wealth. He was an attractive man in his prime who enjoyed his cosmopolitan lifestyle. Eri had never known anyone like him before. The attraction was immediate and devastating for the Jedi. There hadn't been a moment passed where Korda was far from his mind. His dreams, which only intensified after exchanging letters with this man, soon became filled with erotic imagery. Eventually, Korda had become one of his biggest crushes, Eri thought with a wry grin.
This trip, he realized, meant far more than just the chance to meet Korda in person. It was an escape, a chance for freedom, if only for a short time. He would have the opportunity to see another world and how they lived first hand, something that his existence thus far had denied him. It would also free him from the demands and watchful eyes of others in his life that sought to control him. It would be, he realized, a time to truly relax and enjoy living. He looked forward to it with anticipation.
Eri-Kol reopened his datapad and logged himself into the Temple's central network. Using a stolen ID, he was able to reserve a JT-29, the fastest starship in the Jedi fleet, for his trip. With his Master on the other side of Coruscant on a weeklong mission, no one would notice him missing until his evening classes tomorrow. By that time, he would be halfway across the galaxy.
The Jedi was interrupted from his thoughts by the sound of his door chime. He blinked up at the chrono on the wall. Who would be paying him a visit at the twenty-second hour? He logged out of the system, powered down his datapad, then stood and walked into the sitting room. He used the Force to push the speaker on his comm. panel from across the room. "Who is it?"
"It's Jev," came the immediate reply.
He walked to the door and opened it. Jev-Ki, a newly minted knight, stood smiling in the hallway.
"I've been trying to contact you on the comm. for hours," he said. The knight drew a small, yellow flower from his robe and held it out to Eri. "I thought you forgot about our date."
"I had the comm. turned off," he replied, looking at the flower instead of the young man holding it. He had forgotten about their planned meeting with all that had happened with his correspondence with Korda in the past few months. Knight Jev had just returned from a four-month mission on the ice planet Hoth. Eri had joked when he left that if he survived the frigid assignment, he would save him a warm place in his bed upon his return. Now, he had returned, but Eri-Kol was not in the same generous mood he was four months ago. In fact, having him over for the night would seriously compromise his chances of making a quick escape from the Temple early the next morning.
"Well, I'm back, and contrary to your predictions, I did not freeze my balls off," he chuckled. "My accommodations were quite nice, actually, and… What's wrong, Eri?"
He looked up, startled. "Nothing!"
"Nothing? I get more reaction talking to a wall."
Eri sighed. "I'm really kind of tired tonight, I have an Astrophysics exam tomorrow, and my notes are incomplete. My 'pad corrupted last week and took two lectures with it, and-" he was cut off by Jev tugging on the end of his padawan braid. He closed his eyes and sighed again as the older man leaned in to capture his lips in a kiss.
"You worry too much," Jev whispered, his breath hot on Eri's neck. "I thought about you a lot while I was away. That last night before I left was amazing."
"Jev…" Gentle fingers stroking over his lips silenced Eri. A hot and demanding mouth replaced those fingers. Normally, this sensation could bring the Jedi to instant arousal, but not now. A shattering feeling of wrongness gripped him, shaking him to the core. He pulled away from the knight. "No."
"No?" Knight Jev-Ki took a step backward, disbelief in his eyes. "What in all Sith Hells is wrong with you?" Anger flared briefly in his gaze.
Eri-Kol shrugged, and looked away. He couldn't explain what he was feeling to himself, much less express it in words. It was if the Force, itself, was guiding his every thought and action.
"You know, if it wasn't such a stupid question, I'd ask you if you were seeing someone else," the knight spat. "I already know the answer to that one: One, maybe two dozen other knights and Padawans… am I close?"
Eri winced as if the words were a physical blow; they certainly hurt as bad as one. "Get out," he whispered, trying to keep his voice from trembling.
"You fucking whore," Jev hissed.
"Get out!" he shouted, Force-shoving the knight out of his quarters. He closed and bolted the door, then set the lock to 'no admittance'. Tears blurred his vision as he typed the security code into the panel. From the other side of the door, he could still sense Knight Jev's agitated presence. He knew he was trying to hold back his desire to continue shouting his displeasure. However, that would cause a scene, and Jev was not the type of Jedi that enjoyed being called before the Council. Within a few moments, he felt his departure through the Force. Only then, did he allow the tears to flow freely.
==========
Sunday, September 23: Claye Souilly, France
The day stretched longer than he had expected, minutes passed like hours and it seemed as though they dragged slower still, as the anticipated arrival time grew closer. His heart rate however, was not slow; it continued its steady acceleration, an exacting measure of his state of mind. Standing on the tarmac of the private heliport, Korda restlessly gazed up at the stars, his thoughts crystallizing on one moment, Eri-Kol's arrival, as everything else faded from his usually calculating reasoning. Although he had taken the head of another immortal the night before, an occurrence that usually lingered with him for days, the sensation of that experience had since faded, blotted out by the singular desire to finally be alone with this wondrous being called a Jedi.
A lone attendant stood off to the side, awaiting the arrival of this important VIP. The way his employer had prepared and strategized with everyone on his staff during the day indicated that this was someone of significant importance.
Scrutinizing his boss with a cautious glance, he noticed how preoccupied Korda seemed. An unusual occurrence, he thought, rarely did this man let distractions of any manner interfere with business plans. This day, however, had been the exception to this rule.
He continued to stare at his boss, who did not seem to notice. This also troubled the man for it was not like him to be unaware of his surroundings. He was dressed in black linen trousers and shirt with a finely tailored Armani jacket that fell to his knees. He was around 5'10", with the physique of a runner or dancer, but by no means a physically overpowering man. To think him weak would be a critical mistake as he was well trained in many forms of weaponry and martial arts. There was no doubt in his mind, his boss was deadly, accurate, and ruthless killer, one that did whatever it took to achieve his goals.
Standing anxiously awaiting his guest, he looked nothing like that imposing, ruthless underworld-businessman that he was. Even if one were to examine him closer, look into his piercing eyes, they would see little of his truer nature. For the way he acted tonight, they might think this man a collector, anticipating the acquisition of something of exceptional value. His eyes -- their sheer malevolence could halt and then subdue a person of even the most unyielding character -- now gazed innocuously up into the darkness. It was unsettling for him to see his employer this way. As long as he had worked for Korda, he'd never noted him to be so exuberantly happy and carefree.
A small sound caught the technician's attention, pulling him from his thoughts. As he followed the other man's eyes up into the starry sky, he saw something headed at incredible speed, directly towards the heliport area.
It only took a few seconds before that small sound turned into a roar. An aircraft, unlike any he had ever seen, hovered stationary above them. Both of the men had to shield their eyes from the blinding glow of the vehicle's twin rocket engines. The roar soon turned into a hum as the craft began its descent. It settled on the ground like a helicopter would, but this ship was no helicopter. It was painted a bright scarlet, with unfamiliar characters written along the side. The technician watched in amazement as the wide, triangular wings folded in on themselves to lie flat against the hull. Surely, this ship was a secret military project of some sort, the technician thought.
It took a few moments for the engines to finish their high-pitched humming. Finally, the air was silent except for the soft chirping of insects. A hatch opened near the rear of the aircraft, and a ladder dropped down. A brown-cloaked figure emerged and descended the ladder two steps at a time. The man once again threw a confused look at his employer. He had been expecting an officer of some sort to disembark.
"Korda!" A youthful voice rang out into the night.
The amazement of finally seeing this ship that he'd read so much about in Eri's letters was overshadowed by his unbridled delight in seeing its pilot. Korda walked briskly towards the cloaked man, his arms outstretched in greeting. "At last," he said warmly as they embraced. Tugging the hood off the taller man's head, he teasingly ruffled the curly mane of hair while smiling genuinely. Placing both hands firmly upon Eri's shoulders, he kissed first one side of his face then the other, welcoming him with ardor. "Bienvenue vers la France!"
"It has been a long journey. At times I never thought I'd get here," Eri said quietly. His stomach was aflutter with nervousness and excitement. "Your world is beautiful. Even from space, I could see the blue of the oceans." His eyes swept the entire area. It had been many standard years since he had stood on a real planet surface with grass beneath his feet and living creatures surrounding him. The smell of clean, unfiltered air was almost pleasant enough to make him moan aloud.
Suddenly, he noticed the second man observing him a few paces beyond Korda. Unsure of the stranger's rank or position, the Jedi immediately straightened before offering a formal bow. The technician's mouth dropped open in shock as he looked over at Korda with questioning eyes.
Smiling at Eri's reactive gesture, Korda placed an arm around his shoulder and softly chuckled as they walked nonchalantly away from the craft. "You don't have to do that here. This man works for me."
Glancing back he nodded and the technician jumped towards a control panel inside the small building just off the tarmac. He tapped away at the panel on the wall, punching in a code, and suddenly the humming of hydraulics disturbed the silence, flushing out several birds from their perches in the trees overhead. The surface around the ship started to move, slowly lowering the vessel below ground. "Just a security precaution," he hummed. "I believe in keeping my dealings private." His hand tightened for a moment on Eri's shoulder then relaxed. "Do you wish to see Paris?" His eyes sparkled like crystals, his smile matching them. "Perhaps freshen up… first?"
"Oh, a warm bath would be wonderful right now," Eri said honestly. "My ship has poor hygiene facilities." He took another sweeping glance at his surroundings, marveling at the vastness of it all. "The stars are beautiful from here," he murmured. "I can never see them on Coruscant. The city lights drown them out entirely," he frowned. His was a world of industry and technological marvel. He had always thought it was a shame that steel and machinery had strangled the last of his planet's natural beauty.
The darker man's eyes followed Eri's to the stars as he uttered almost silently, "They are timeless in their beauty."
A warm breeze drifted around them carrying the sweet smell of the grape and apple orchards upon it, and the robed youth swirled around to catch the aroma with vigorous effort. Gazing upon his guest's jubilant face, he smiled at the innocent wonder of his fathomless brown eyes. "They don't let you out much do they?" he asked sincerely and with a touch of concern. He did not know why he cared about this. Perhaps it was something about his seemingly naive nature that made him feel protective of the boy. Whatever the cause for his concern, it was a bit unsettling for him. Nevertheless, he wisely accepted it as an intuition not to be ignored.
"Only on account of my master. She's..." His voice wavered slightly. "She's not like other Jedi. She has missions, but I'm not to accompany her." He paused, deep in thought. The relationship between he and his master was far more complex than he could explain in the limited amount of time he had on this world. He wasn't entirely sure Korda would even understand if he tried. He met his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. "Let's not talk about her."
Dangerous discussion, Korda thought as a small frown wavered on his features. "Then let's not," he said firmly but with a subtle smile. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Running a hand up Eri's arm, he squeezed the lean shoulder while prompting him towards the house.
Leisurely walking through the softly lit grounds of Korda's estate, they stopped now and then to examine details that intrigued Eri. There was a cascading rock garden, with softly gurgling water, trickling down into a large pool. Lit from below, it glowed eerily in the warm night and the water teamed with multicolored koi, as they swam to the edge when the two men neared.
"They're always hungry," the immortal sighed. Flashing the tall youth a charming glance, he added softly, "But beautiful to look upon."
As they approached the front entrance, a tall, heavy-set man stepped from the darkness, his features gloomy and inert as he waited by the door. "You don't need to bow to him either," he whispered with a small chuckle as he waved the large guard aside and opened the door. "Bienvenue à mon à la maison," he said, gracefully bowing while ushering the younger man inside.
The front foyer was modestly decorated, with an off-white marble floor, and was larger than Eri had imagined. The walls were white as well and unadorned except for an oblong mirror that was framed in brass, and opposite this hung several exquisitely woven Chinese silk pictures. Each one was a small image, skillfully hand made in the ancient ways, with painted woven threads to create intricate scenes in brilliant details of color and clarity.
As Eri examined them, he noticed they appeared to be all of the same man involved in rituals and battle. They resembled the texts that laid out the timeless Jedi code. Ten years ago, he had sworn his apprenticeship upon those ancient scrolls. If only he had known then what his future would hold. He glanced over at Korda questioningly. "This is some sort of history of a knight?" he asked.
"Yes, a Samurai." Korda nodded. "They were commissioned by the Han Emperor Wu Di, to depict this warrior's life and heroic deeds to the Han dynasty. They're very old, priceless," he quietly added with a trace of attachment in his voice. He allowed the young man time to examine them briefly then gently nudged him forward.
Eri-Kol smiled as he took in his surroundings. He almost felt as if he were at home at the Temple. The sound of the fountain was as familiar as the hard marble under his boots and the ceiling soaring meters above his head. The young Jedi broke into a wide smile.
"This pleases you?" Korda asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"It's beautiful. It is as if it was built from all of the best parts of the Temple," he said reminiscently.
"Ah," he nodded in understanding and then captured Eri by the waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. "But unlike your Temple," he purred, "there are only my rules here, and those are few."
"That makes it even better," Eri whispered. He leaned closer and brushed his lips against Korda's. "I'm a rule breaker."
"Are you now?" he chuckled. "I'd have never thought this of you," he said with mock surprise. Leaning slightly into the touch, tightening his embrace. Through the robes, he could feel the lean waist and slender definition of muscles. He steadily pushed Eri against the wall capturing his mouth in a series of kisses, each longer than the last, delving deeper until he was lost, completely oblivious of anything but the hardness pressing tightly against him.
The young Jedi returned his kisses ardently, but with a deep sense of foreboding. This elegant house, this beautiful world, and this man... they were temporary. It would be so easy to lose himself entirely here, only to face the pain of going back. Eri drew away with a sigh. He was just being emotional from the stress of the journey. He offered Korda an apologetic smile.
"You're troubled." Korda smiled indulgently, and then placed several tender kisses on Eri's lips, trailing his warm tongue along the finely sculptured cheekbones until it brushed against the soft skin behind his ear. "You worry about things that have no place here." Cupping Eri's chin with a firm grasp, he lifted it and peered seductively into faltering eyes. "This is our time, I'll share it with no one." The tone in his voice was deep and throaty. "Not even those in your thoughts." As if to emphasize the seriousness of his desire, he slowly drew a hand down and firmly squeezed the bulge he knew lay hidden under the heavy wool robes. His eyes burned into Eri's, the fire in them a subtle warning that was slowly replaced with a lusty gleam.
Just then, a lovely redhead entered the hallway and blushed. "Y a-t-il toute autre chose monsieur?"
"Jeanette, mes souhaits d'invité à baigner," he said without taking his eyes from the Jedi.
"Oui monsieur," she nodded
"Mes salles," he added.
"Tout de suite monsieur," she softly replied and immediately headed up the stairs.
Eri-Kol groaned. The order was as effective as his equally firm hand. The hint of danger sent a ripple of excitement up his spine. This man would accept no refusal. It was exactly what he needed. His knees were weak as Korda released him.
"A bath, then other small pleasures, mon doux," Korda purred. The expression in Eri's eyes said all he needed to know; there would be no more hesitation tonight. If there was, he had ways to deal with this; after all, he'd centuries to master them. He smiled smugly and took his arm, leading him into the main hall then up the stairs. His eyes lingered over Eri as he ushered him forward.
At the top of the stairs, the young maid waited and as they reached her, she spoke. "Tout est dans monsieur de commande."
"Vous pouvez partir pour la nuit. Informez le reste du personnel de maison, excepté John, de la même chose. Je n'aurai pas besoin de leurs services plus loin ce soir." Korda nodded as the maid scurried down the stairs.
A delicious smile consumed every part of his features when he turned his full attention back upon the desired goal. Casually walking down the hall, he cupped a hand gently around the nape of Eri's neck while opening a door at the end of the corridor. "My rooms are at your disposal," he said easily.
They entered and Korda slowly shut the door. Leaning against it, a Cheshire cat grin crossed his features as his voice dropped to a deeper more sensual tone, he added, "I hope it is to your liking?" His meaning clearly not aimed entirely at the rooms; he carefully regarded Eri's reaction.
The boy nodded, his eyes wandering the spacious area before coming to rest on Korda. The suite was about five times the size of his rooms at the Temple, and decorated in simple, yet elegant fabrics. The bed was the centerpiece of the area, and it did not escape his scrutiny. A sudden rush of fresh excitement caused his heart to speed up.
Korda walked over to another door and opened it. "You'll need something besides those clothes, once you bathe," he said with a bit of brevity. Inside was a closet the size of a room from which he quickly emerged carrying a silk Yukata with a distinctive dragon design woven through it.
"Now!" He smiled while tossing the robe onto the bed. "Let's get you out of this..." he hesitated, "uniform?" His eyes narrowed on the younger man and a lascivious smile crept across his features as he slowly crooked a finger. "Come over here jeune homme," he said, forebodingly, engendering the impression that one should not disappoint, or keep him waiting.
Eri-Kol smiled teasingly, then shrugged out of his floor length robe with an exaggerated roll of his shoulders. Now, this, he could understand. There were no differences in the rules of pleasure on any world. He walked slowly across the distance separating them, nonchalantly reaching back to unlace the slim tie holding his short ponytail. The golden curls reached the nape of his neck when unbound.
Korda couldn't contain a small chuckle. The boy was playing with him. It was something he had expected, but he was still a delightful thing to see. As he came to him, he closely examined the seemingly endless layers of belts, and clothing. "Trop de couches," he growled.
Tackling the belt first, he undid it and was surprised by its sheer weight. His eyes flickered intriguingly at the device that appeared to him to be some sort of flashlight attached to the dark leather. Upon closer inspection, he saw that this was not the case. He would ask later about this, for now it could wait.
His hands slipped to the now undone curls, running both on either side of Eri's face he luxuriated in their softness. One hand traveled delicately down the long braid that trailed from behind the Jedi's right ear. He examined it with interest. "Why do you have this?" he asked and then nibbled at his graceful neck, letting his breath whisper across the already hot flesh.
"It's the outward sign of my rank." Among other things, he added silently. A leash marking him as his master's property, a constant reminder of his subordinate status. A Padawan braid signifies many things, Eri mused. He leaned into Korda's kisses, refusing to let the bitterness of his thoughts distract him from the moment. "The red band marks my fifth standard year as Padawan learner, the yellow represents my tenth," he explained, slightly breathless. "The braid is severed after the twelfth year. Whether I become a knight or not depends on my passing the trials."
Korda tugged gently at the braid. "So it *is* a sign of rank. I am not surprised. From what you have told me in your letters, regimentation is important at your Temple. Here, we also have ways to separate masters from pupils." He bit slightly into Eri's collarbone. "When I was a Temple monk, they'd mark the students with a brand." Looking swiftly up, his eyes flickered with a wild gleam. "Far more permanent than this braid."
Casually he let the braid drop from his hand as he moved behind Eri and leaned against his back. His excitement was readily apparent as he wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him closer. Untying the sash, he absently let it drop to the floor. Then he quickly removed the outer tunic, adding it to the ever-growing pile of discarded clothes.
"You are in here somewhere, I hope." He chuckled then skillfully lifted the next tunic over Eri's head finally exposing his upper body.
"Magnifique!" he exclaimed and stepped back in front of Eri, his face filled with a wickedly impish grin. "Presque là," he hummed. "I've waited a long time for this, to be with you." Korda's eyes moved slowly down the boy's form, lingering at the obvious bulge in his trousers before wandering back up to meet his passionate brown eyes. "Take off the boots," he commanded. His eyes narrowed and he leaned back casually against the wall, anticipating the graceful display.
Almost thoughtlessly, Eri prepared to use the Force to unfasten his boots. It was second nature to perform this mundane task with the aid of the Force at the Temple. It was small magic to him, little more than a convenience. To Korda, he realized, it would appear altogether different. Should he dare?
Eri gave him a challenging grin. It was not in his nature to hide his abilities. He extended his hand, palm down, toward the older man. With a single movement of his fingers and a generous application of the Force, every fastener on his dark leather boots fell open. The Jedi gracefully kicked both of the cumbersome items off his feet and into the pile of discarded clothes.
"In my business, wasting time can be deadly," he said saucily. "Besides, my bath is getting cold."
How he had done this was incalculable to Korda. He knew nothing of Jedi powers, but then, Eri knew little of him either. His expression, despite his years of controlled meditation, fell desperately short of hiding his amazement at such slight of hand, or what in the old days would have been aligned to witchcraft. These however, where not the old days and the stigmas of the past no longer applied. Still, he was keenly aware this was *power*, and that it seemed easily used by this young man. This fascinated him, and the thought of having such a power at his disposal was intriguing and exciting.
As he closed his mouth, which had dropped into an awkwardly stupefied expression, he stepped away from the wall and glanced at the boots then slyly towards Eri. What to do? Should he ask about this or leave it as part of the unknown between them? His curious and calculating mind wanted to know everything, now, but his body was begging for simpler answers and he swallowed hard, fighting back his questions. No, he thought, as he casually removed his coat and placed it on the chair, this can also wait.
Stretching his arm out in an offering of acceptance, his eyes softened as he took Eri into a gentle embrace. His tongue licked at his lips as one hand sensuously glided down his lean back and under the drawstring of the soft trousers. Slipping it deeper, he cupped the firm flesh and squeezed as his tongue hungrily pressed into Eri's mouth, devouring him with passion that he'd contained far too long. As their kiss deepened, both hands moved under the soft material, caressing and kneading the hot muscular flesh. The boy responded, falling effortlessly into his embrace.
Breaking off their kiss, he whispered lightheartedly, "Your bath is in there." Nodding towards the door on the far side of the room, he tugged down the trousers with one swift catlike motion.
As Eri stepped out of the tangled trousers legs, Korda nudged him towards the door as a playful smile subtly covered his features.
Eri-Kol threw a playful glance over his shoulder as he headed to the adjoining room. The Jedi was unconcerned by his sudden nudity. Actually, Korda thought smugly, he seemed quite proud of the impressive erection he was sporting. As if reading his mind, the boy turned in a slow circle and closely monitored Korda's expression, with amusement in his eyes. Everything about him was an invitation. "Join me?" his voice was low, sultry.
If Korda had learned one thing in his many centuries, it was never to turn down such an irresistible offer. He returned the sultry smile and slipped off his shoes while making his way to the doorway.
Not waiting for him to undress, Eri was already slowly sinking into the steamy bath. His face was completely relaxed as he slid down the side of the sunken tub. Korda frowned just a bit, he'd have enjoyed being unclothed by those exquisite hands but then it was more expedient this way, and he was an expedient man. He casually walked back over to the dresser and removed his ring and watch. After the last of his clothes were off, he entered the room that was now filled with steam from the heated tub.
Eri's eyes were shut and he seemed surreal, lying with only his head exposed above the oil-scented water. The steam drifted lazily about the room, as did the smell of Jasmine from the plants that lined the shelves around the bath. Korda groaned deep within himself, his desire steadily mounting, while moving to the side of the tub.
Taking a small ceramic bottle off the shelf, he sat down behind Eri, straddling either side of the younger man's head. The bottle contained rare oils from the Far East. Opening it, he poured a generous amount into his palm before placing it to one side. His strong hands worked the oil into stiff shoulders from travel. He bent over and rested his chin on top of the curly mane of soft blonde hair as he worked the oil thoroughly into warm skin.
Eri's eyes lazily opened as the skilled hands firmly messaged his shoulders. The warmth of the water and fragrant steam were incredibly relaxing. He could feel every trace of tension accumulated through travel slipping away.
"The water suits you, it's not too hot?" Korda asked as both hands manipulated the shoulder muscles then drew down over Eri's chest to linger lightly on his nipples. He chuckled and pinched them causing a swift reaction from his guest. Bending to nip Eri's ear, he added, "Je l'aime cette voie."
His heartbeat sped up as the boy ducked out of his grasp and turned to face him. When he rose to his knees, the water just lapped at the trim waist, the most tantalizing parts of his young guest were under the surface. Wet, slender hands started stroking up his legs. The boy pressed a single, sweet kiss on the inside of the immortal's knee. "Close your eyes," he ordered.
He resisted the urge to just grab the Jedi; instead, he complied. When he thought it was safe, he dared to peek under his lashes at what Eri was doing.
"No cheating!" Eri-Kol admonished, noticing that he had only partially lowered his lids. The Jedi stifled a giggle as the eyes closed again.
Eri took a few moments to examine the body seated before him. The finely muscled physique suggested a man as familiar with training as he was. His eyes trailed down his chest, its center, lightly peppered with dark hair, past the indentation of his navel to the fully erect shaft. He leaned closer until he could smell his scent mixing with the fragrant steam of the bath.
Korda smiled, and was about to make a comment when he felt something feather-light stroke against his lower stomach. It tickled, making his muscles tingle and twitch in response. That damnable braid! The boy was tracing slow circles around his navel with the tail of it! He moaned, keeping his eyes tightly closed - waiting. It moved lower, across his hip in a wide sweep, down to tickle his inner thigh. Such exquisite torture!
The immortal groaned deep within his throat. He could sense just how close the boy was to his straining erection. Then the braid was moving again, brushing against the sensitive skin, stealing his breath away. Shaking slightly in anticipation, he nearly opened his eyes and grabbed the boy but decided to indulge him for now, keeping both eyes shut.
He jerked in surprise when the tail moved again, unexpectedly making contact with the underside. "Ahhh..." His breath left him in a single moaned syllable as the braid made its way upward to tease the swollen head. It was too much. He opened his eyes and seized the boy's shoulders. "Enough," he grunted.
"Stop?" Eri whispered, mischief sparkling in his eyes.
"No!" his voice came out raspy but demanding as his eyes narrowed.
The Jedi shrugged and settled closer between Korda's splayed legs. The offending braid now fell wet and limp down the well-defined chest, past a nipple, and into the waist-deep water.
Korda smiled again. He planned to use that slim plait of hair to torment its owner very soon. Revenge would be sweet... for both of them.
Firm hands clasped either side of his tormentor's face and he smoothed his thumbs over the fine contours, admiring them, studying every detail as if seeing them for the first time. The eyes that returned his gaze were fathomless in their desire, mischief and danger, and he adored them. His own eyes mirrored nothing of his truer nature; his darker side. Their blue-green depths riveted back only desire, like shards of glass cutting deep but painlessly into soft flesh.
The hands gliding up Korda's thighs and the strong fingers needing him sent shivers of passion throughout him. His hands tenderly moved to the finely toned muscles of Eri's neck gently pressing him forward and down. "I said not to stop," his words hissed out with a touch of harshness, even cruelness.
A quick glance at him left no doubt to Eri what was desired. Although the words had been harsh, his eyes were soft, sensual, and almost passive. And a soft moan caught in his throat as a warm tongue seductively roamed up his inner thigh.
Excruciating moments and that tongue moved a winding path upward, finally plying hot, open-mouthed kisses. It seemed the young man was still in the mood for torture. Korda had to use all of his control not to grab onto the damp curls and guide that mouth exactly where he wanted it. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, as soft lips trailed from the base to the head.
Eri was not willing to give up his little game. Long, slow licks up his underside had the older man quivering in anticipation. The Jedi grinned softly as Korda let out an impatient moan, entwining his fingers a bit tighter into Eri's hair. He turned back to his prize, licking and kissing around the sensitive head.
Something close to a growl issued from Korda's throat. He'd been worked up and ready to come from almost the moment his young guest had started to strip. Now with the boy's hard body pressed against his and those teasing lips dancing around his most responsive spots, he was torn between agony and pleasure. "Do it!" he hissed.
Eri-Kol knew a command when he heard it. He adjusted the angle and slid the head past his lips, paused a moment to take a deep breath, then slid the rest of the way down.
"Oui!" Korda moaned, stroking his hair, shoulders, and every part of him that he could reach. The young man was practically devouring him deeper with every single stroke. He knew he wasn't going to last long at this feverish pace, even after a few seconds he could feel the pressure building. The immortal glanced down and saw the boy staring back up at him with lust, his slick lips around him, cheeks flushed in arousal. It was all that he needed.
He felt Korda stiffen, bucking his hips upward. He allowed the motion, widening his stance to maintain his balance as the older man spent his passion.
The crest of pleasure ebbed slowly as warm lips lingered, sucking, drawing him further in, even as the last spasms involuntarily rocked his hips. Lying back against the tiles, cool in their contact upon his shoulders and head, Korda sighed almost sorrowfully as the breath he had held mercifully escaped him. Moments like this were to be enjoyed in the fullest, and the hot fleshy tongue circled leisurely about the tip of his head, was unquestionably enjoyable. He savored it with mastery matured from experience.
The coolness of wet locks of hair tangled around his fingers, gradually roused his body from its slumbering ecstasy and half opened satiated eyes peered down at this treasure from the stars. The eyes meeting his caused a shiver to creep over Korda's entire body as he savored the un-restrained message they sent. They existed as unfaltering pools of desire that fixed on their prey with the insatiability of a hungry, dangerous creature. The eyes were only part, however, of what caused his trembling hand to sooth over the matted blond curls. The hardness steadily pressing against his knee had also invoked an uncontrollable rush of blood, flushing his face and warming him once more, from deep within.
Eri slid himself seductively up onto Korda's knee as he teasingly moved in closer, grasping both shoulders and leaning all his weight upon the immortal's chest. Korda gasped at the contact of the achingly hot erection against his sweat-dampened skin.
Another gasp escaped as hot lips covered his with dangerous sweetness, the strong insistent tongue delving deeply past teeth, hungrily exploring his mouth, bringing with it the lingering salt of his own passion. His hands responded to this new assault, circling around the boy's taunt nipples, they lingered pinching and twisting them until Eri broke their kiss with a gasp of sheer delight.
Using the advantage the wall offered, Korda pushed himself back into a more comfortable position as both his hands wrapped around the lean back then under the squirming ass that straddled his thigh. Their lips met again and he smiled within the kiss, pushing downward with both arms as his leg shoved firmly against Eri's straining erection, causing a shocked look and low grunt from the excited young man.
Cocking an eyebrow at the hellion on his knee, he smiled wickedly. "You want a ride, eh?" Korda laughed and slid slowly into the delicious warmth of the water, taking his passenger with him. Without loosening his grip on the thrusting hips, he bent over him, nipping at a nipple, exposed just above the water.
Eri arched his back and moaned, eagerly pressing into the deliciously sharp bites while lifting himself slightly off Korda's leg.
One of Korda's hands gave up its firm hold, moving instead to stroke the hardness pressed insistently against his leg. His teeth raked over the tormented nipple, biting harder, twisting and pulling it.
A sharp sensation flowed outward from the source of delicious pain, mirroring the ripples on water. Another gasp escaped Eri's throat, this time agonizingly long as he pushed into the pain, luxuriating in it, asking for it. The response was misleading as the teeth released their grip and a warm tongue lapped at the swollen flesh but only teasingly, for as soon as the boy relaxed, the sharp teeth clamped down even harder.
Eri's fingers sank deep into the unyielding arms that held him. He shifted, trying to gain some balance and control over his splayed legs. As if sensing his intent, the older man's hand firmly tighten around his flesh, gliding insistently up and down, and building tantalizing pressure almost to its peak. Then, suddenly, the hand was gone.
"No!" the Jedi moaned as he pushed back down searching for the heated touch. Lips caught his throat trailing a path of warm kisses under and around his chin as the hand returned to stroking the hardening flesh. After several seductive glides, it slipped down to grasp around his balls.
Korda squeezed the captured flesh firmly as he asked seductively, dangerously, breathlessly, into the boy's ear, "No?" His tongue dipped teasingly into Eri's ear, eliciting a moan. "We both know you mean yes," his words silken vessels of promise, heating the flesh just behind the ear, before allowing the younger man to wiggle free.
Nodding his desire, Eri growled softly, playfully, while grabbing Korda's ears and gently shaking his head. A tightening of the grip around his balls immediately stopped the frolicsome movements. As their eyes met, the immortal presented him a wolfish grin while shoving his captive towards the other wall of the large bath. His hand firmly kept its hold on the tender flesh as his back bumped into the hard porcelain. A steady stream of hot water ushered from a small outlet and Korda shoved Eri's back against it while thrusting one leg and locking it around the other man's knee. He shifted just enough to separate Eri's firm thighs, allowing better access for his roaming hand.
Immediately covering his willing captive's mouth with demanding kisses, Korda's fingers petted and fondled the exposed erection. Sliding back the folds of skin, he exposed the sensitive head and ran his fingers over it, pushing, probing at the slit, and then firmly stroking all the way down to the base.
Small gasps escaped the younger man as his head fell back onto the tiled ledge. The sensation of the jetting water caught suddenly between his firm cheeks causing an involuntary spasm from his muscles. His hands roamed over Korda's shoulders then clasped around his neck as the pleasure started growing, engulfing his entire body in a heated blush.
The hand around him was skilled, persistent, and unpredictable as it played its symphony, concerned with nothing but giving its conductor pleasure. Steady strokes, unwavering in their intensity sent Eri deeper into their offering. His eyes fluttered and shut as Korda's mouth latched onto a nipple, sucking, biting and then lapping at its hardness, only to start all over again on the other. The rhythm of his hand moved independently of his tormenting mouth, its hold tightening slightly as it came to the head, then slipping easily back down. Increasing the pressure steadily, he repeated this movement over and over again until the flesh in his grasp was thrusting against his touch. Stoking up the underside then wrapping his fingers over the head, he pulled upward, forcing Eri's hips to shift partially out of the water.
It was exquisite pain, sharp and devastating as the strong fingers held him, kneading the hot flesh then slowly digging his nails into it. "Sith!" Eri hissed, a grimace of arousal and agony on his flushed faced. He was so close, so very close. He hung deliciously on the verge of ecstasy, where even pain felt glorious.
Korda took this perfect moment to indulgently bite down hard on one of the tormented nipples as his other hand grasped hold of the rocking hips, pushing them back under the water. The nerve-racking vice of fingers loosened from around the swollen flesh, replaced by soft whisper-like traces moving downward until they cupped around the tightening balls.
The multiple stimulations wracked Eri's body, his heart raced as his breath hissed out. Both his hands shot to the immortal's arms, clamping firmly around them and digging his nails deeply as he cried out his release. His head fell back hard against the tiles, eyes tightly shut as his breath exploded from his lungs.
Not giving in to the cries, which he knew were not entirely from pain yet rather the excruciating pleasure the right amount of pain could bring, he twisted the tight sacs, manipulating the flesh until the body under his touch quivered. Tightening leg muscles pushed against him and his hand quickly responded. Grasping hold of Eri, he let swift, hard strokes completely finish the boy off.
Eri whimpered softly as he slumped, boneless, back against the side of tub. Korda's hand still pumped his softening flesh gently, sending delightful aftershocks firing through his nerves. Vaguely, over the sound of his harsh breathing, he heard Korda's low chuckle.
"You look utterly spent, belle." He swirled his tongue once more across a nipple. "I plan on seeing you look this way many times while you are here."
Eri could do little more than utter an indecipherable moan at the sound of promise in those words. He still wasn't quite sure how he had gone from burning anticipation, to fervent arousal, to utter relaxation in only this short span of time. Not that he was complaining, especially when Korda was intently nibbling on his collarbone. The Jedi let out a contented sigh, arching his back in a cat-like stretch.
Taking him by the waist, Korda moved Eri onto his lap. For a while, he rested his chin on Eri's shoulder, the hot water swirling around them, its steam softening their flesh. Closing his eyes, he listened to the ragged breathing next to him gently fade away, replaced by steady, slumbering breaths. The long lean legs that covered his lap presented a beckoning vision but he had promised to show him Paris, so his hands worked subtly instead to rouse the young man from his dreamy state.
His head rested back on Korda's shoulder and the exposed neck was irresistibly beckoning him to tease it. The memory of that tantalizing braid and the exquisite torture it brought flashed across his features and he smiled mischievously. Stealthy fingers moved around the elegantly stretched neck, taking hold of the thin strand of hair, he lightly brushed it against Eri's parted lips. The body above him was still, so he continued to softly lay it over his skin. He ran it teasingly up the side of his neck, around his ear then feathering it down to circle a still erect nipple, Eri twitched as his eyes popped open.
"Hello," Korda softly chuckled. "Time to get up," he teased. Letting the braid drop, his fingers twisting the nipple, pinching it just enough to make the boy jump. "You do want to see more of my world, oui?"
Piercing eyes settled upon him with such allure the Jedi shivered. There was so much of this man he didn't know, so much he wanted to learn, yet once again his heart faltered, skipping, knowing their time was short. He nodded, unable to breach the gap of feelings and words.
The eyes gazing down on him flickered knowingly at the vainly hidden sorrow, then softened, their deepening blue tones fleshed out brightly as a genuinely sincere smile fluttered across his lips. "I know," he whispered. "At times like this… it's hard to find words."
For a fleeting moment, they just gazed at each other as if searching for some way to hold back the inevitable, then without any warning Korda kissed him gently. He maneuvered the younger man's legs off his lap and stood. Stretching his arms high above, he moaned, and arched his back. His lean body, a sculpture of finely toned muscles, bent leisurely. Stretching his neck from side to side, he stepped gracefully from the bath.
The Jedi watched the show with half-lidded eyes. A ghost of his recently spent passion tingled across his nerves. Korda was a man well versed in pleasure as well as pain, he thought as he scrambled to his feet. Lingering aches radiated from his groin and his reddened nipples. Good pain; the kind that he couldn't live without.
Tossing the Jedi a soft, thick towel, Korda grinned. "If you like, I have a friend in Paris with a shop. All the fashions, anything you desire," he paused, taking Eri in his arms, "can be yours." Nibbling playfully on the gracefully upturned neck, he sighed then stepped away.
"Paris is only a short drive from here, and it shouldn't take long to find something that suits you once we arrive." He glanced vaguely at the silken robe he had originally contemplated for Eri. That would be suitable for here, he smiled faintly, it wouldn't do for the outside. His eyes fell with distaste upon the pile of belts, tunics, robes and boots, left by their earlier game. He frowned at the discarded uniform. He could not let someone be seen in such a costume, not with him and certainly not in the city. He shrugged and grabbed a Nike running suit from a drawer.
"For now, I'm sure these will do." He grinned. "They're big on me and far too long. They'll cover those magical boots of yours," he added whimsically. Throwing them playfully at Eri, Korda toweled off and started to dress.
Eri-Kol took the clothes and examined them closely. They were simple fare without complicated ties or fastenings. The material was far softer than the coarse linen he was used to: smooth and tightly woven on the outside, and fluffy and soft on the inside. The sweat suit rode low on his slim hips when he pulled it up. He looked up and noticed how Korda was eyeing the waistband.
"Ahhh... too bad they're only temporary." The immortal moved closer to examine the sweat suit. "Facile accès," he added, reaching back and giving Eri a quick squeeze. "I'll be downstairs when you finish up. Don't be long."
"I won't," Eri responded, watching his host leave.
When Korda was out of sight, he grabbed his boots and utility belt from the pile of discarded clothes. He used the Force to refasten the multiple straps on each boot. It was just easier that way. He took a quick glance in the mirror, tied back his ponytail, and straightened his twisted braid. He was about ready to fasten his utility belt around his waist when he paused. Did he really need it? Inside the pouches were various items he might need on a dangerous mission, hardly required for a short trip such as this. He decided quickly to leave it behind.
As he approached the door, he turned back around and looked at his lightsaber. He had never left it behind in over ten years. He felt naked without it... vulnerable. He quickly paced back and unclipped the weapon from the belt.
"The night is wasting, garçon!" Korda's voice wafted up from the first floor.
"Coming!" he replied. He clipped the lightsaber on the waistband of his sweat suit. It wasn't entirely concealed when he lowered the soft sweatshirt. He frowned at the protruding weapon. It would have to do until he had different clothes to wear.
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When they arrived at the car, a classic Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, the driver opened the door for Eri and waited until he was seated comfortably before closing it. Korda went around the other side and settled himself in. As the driver started the car he spoke, "Paris, la Chambre de Statler. Informez Charles pour nous attendre." He grinned mischievously at his companion. "He'll be thrilled at our arrival at this time of night," he said with a mixture of sarcasm and mischief. The driver lowered a dark window separating him from the passengers and then placed a call to confirm they were on their way.
The car was spacious, comfortable and offered a splendid view of the surrounding countryside. A laptop computer and cell phone rested opposite them, as well as a bar containing a single bottle and two small-stemmed glasses. Eri peered at it and then sat back, he was somewhat overwhelmed by it all and gazed wide-eyed out the window.
"Something to drink?" Korda purred seductively in his ear while his hand gentled Eri's nervously twitching thigh.
Momentarily startled, Eri recovered quickly and managed to nod his acceptance. He watched Korda's hands as he poured a small amount from the bottle in one of the glasses and then passed it to him.
Eri gazed down into the amber liquid filling his glass. Even at a distance, he could smell that it was an intoxicating beverage. He had a choice: he could either drink and allow it to affect him, or he could use the Force to purge the alcohol before it entered his bloodstream. He knew that a Jedi Master's advice would be to take the second option. On a mission, he could not afford to have clouded judgment. However, this was no mission -- it was his trip for pleasure. A fine wine was a rare pleasure, indeed. He took a sip and savored the sweetness.
"Good?" Korda asked, his eyes shining in the dim light. "I chose it especially for you. It's called an aperitif." He smiled sweetly while glancing at the bottle. "I had a hard time finding this, it's rare. I waited long for it to arrive safely." His eyes glanced appreciatively at the small grin on the Jedi's face, admiring every nuance in his finely carved features, before he added, "But like all rare things…" He paused and set the bottle down resting his hand on Eri's thigh, "it was worth the effort and wait." He stole a leisurely kiss, nibbling the boy's lower lip, tenderly sucking it while slowly running a hand teasingly between Eri's thighs.
The body under him responded. A soft moan followed by gently thrusting hips greeted his efforts. "So eager," he hummed into the cleft of Eri's collarbone. His hot tongue slid slowly up the long neck. Suddenly his teeth nipped that soft spot he had marked earlier. The thrusts grew stronger and he massaged the growing erection, using the soft material to further seduce it.
"Korda," he moaned. Strong lips covered his mouth before he could release the next breath and the steady pressure on his hardness slid effortlessly away leaving him straining for it. Korda's feral smile was mirrored in his eyes as they greeted the younger man with a teasing sparkle. "Desire makes something valuable. Waiting… is what makes it priceless." His crystal eyes danced with mischief as he took up his drink.
Eri swallowed with difficulty. Here he was in this elegant vehicle with the taste of liquor on his tongue and an unabashed erection tenting his trousers. It was utterly forbidden... and undeniably exciting.
"Tell me, how is it you came to be cloistered in that Temple of yours?" Korda asked, not hinting he noticed his effect on the boy. He took a sip from his own glass, savoring the sight of Eri trying to regain his composure.
"Well, it is Republic law that all children be tested within two years after their birth. I was examined and found to have special skills and traits needed by the Jedi," he explained after a short pause. "Usually, when a child like that is found, a team of Jedi is sent to the home planet to take custody. When they return to the Temple with the child, he is renamed and all information regarding his family or heritage is hidden in encrypted data files. He is raised by the Jedi and instructed in all the ancient ways. If he is not chosen by a master by age thirteen, his skills are assessed and he is transferred to another apprenticeship program to be trained."
"So, you were chosen by a master at age thirteen," Korda said.
"I was chosen at eleven," Eri said with a small hint of pride. "That is very early. I only wish it had been a better decision."
"Because?" The immortal prompted.
Eri met his gaze with a wry smile. "We never developed an ideal Master/Padawan relationship." He took another quick sip of his drink. "We're two very different people and rarely agree."
// Master to Padawan like master to apprentice, I see. // Nodding understandingly, Korda glanced out the window at the changing countryside; briefly debating whether his own experiences with this type of relationship would be something Eri could understand. Although the youth's eyes showed little emotion towards this subject, he'd even said earlier that he didn't wish to talk of it; the tenor of his voice seemed to betray this. He knew from their letters that the Jedi student was not entirely satisfied with his situation at the Temple or his Master. Then again, he wasn't sure what a Jedi exactly was supposed to do. Nevertheless, he knew about masters and students, intimately, and decided this was the same conundrum, no matter the universe. Perhaps, he reasoned, there was a lesson he could teach.
On the other hand, perhaps not, for it seemed that this boy had been sheltered and could not know much of the true cruelties or injustices in life. It seemed to him that Eri viewed his relationship with his master as unjust and unfairly skewed. However, he knew that these small details, which Eri found cumbersome and restrictive, were far less than the realities of life outside a cloistered environment. To show him would be easy, but to teach him, to have him understand, this was the challenge, and one that Korda wasn't certain he wished to engage in. The boy is young, so very young, and naive, he thought. Could he comprehend such things? Probably not, however, he might be able to understand the balance of relationships, this Korda could guide him on.
Taking a deep breath, he turned, propping one leg lazily on the seat. He leaned against the door and took another sip from his glass. His eyes examined everything in front of him: The easy way Eri molded into the leather seat, the golden-brown eyes that gazed beguilingly back at him. One of his finer charms, he thought. Then there were the soft curls of blonde hair captured in the small leather tie. The way the sweatshirt hung loosely around his long neck. He gently smiled as his eyes traveled seductively down the long legs stretched out before him. Those legs, muscular but agile, like a runner. No, a swimmer's, he decided. Wrapped in the soft black fabric that tightened seductively around his hips, they presented an almost irresistible lure. What he could do with those legs, those hips! Eri's slightly nervous knee, twitched unconsciously from side to side and his narrowed, questioning eyes, dragged Korda out of his thoughts. He smiled brightly up at the inquisitive gaze, and sighed.
Taking the bottle from its resting place, he refilled the young man's glass then settled back into his spot. "By the time I was eleven I'd had two masters," he softly noted. Eri was silent but he sat up straight leaning a bit towards his host. He took another sip and waited with anticipation.
Korda arched an eyebrow, satisfied of Eri's interest, he continued, "One that understood much of life and looked upon it with hopeful promise." Pausing, he looked up and shrugged, "And one that didn't. The latter was my second teacher." The words caught on his tongue bitterly. "Everything I knew or had, came to me only if he allowed it. He killed the old man that had raised me, my first master if you wish to think of him this way," he said passionlessly.
"He stole me from my home when I was only eight or nine years of age." His eyes glittered suddenly in the first passing streetlamp's glow. "I think that was my age." He grinned. "It is hard to remember exactly. He taught me how to survive, kept me safe from everything and everyone, except himself."
He glanced momentarily out the window then back. "His methods were deliberately cruel, to the point, and done with much enthusiasm on his part," he chuckled. "I had no innocence of life's mysteries for long with him. He took everything from me that suited him, I was resigned to it." His head tilted to the side as he watched the young man's features. They reflected pondered and then uneasiness as he grasped the sharp, sudden understanding of the meaning in his words.
"It was all I knew," Korda added indifferently. "But I learned much from him. He took. I relinquished. Very two sided but… " His eyes widened and he paused as Eri placed a gentle touch on his arm.
"The dark side of the Force is everywhere." The hand around his arm tightened gently as Eri's features filled with concern. "This man, was he a Sith Lord?"
Patting Eri's hand Korda chuckled, "He was only a man." The Jedi's eyes were still concerned. "It was a long time ago," he smiled reassuringly. "It is not difficult to speak of. I learned a great lesson from those days, one I never forgot. As I was about to say it was two sided but… not equal. When there is no equity in a relationship, it will fail. Both must give. The master brings knowledge and the pupil the desire to learn. They are partners, equals. Both must give." He repeated the phrase and carefully eyed Eri, knowing this was perhaps not how the Jedi saw this.
His next words were spoken with calculating delivery but not forceful. Korda knew and understood the delicate balance of showing rather than forcing and he ushered his words carefully. "It's like a scale, Eri. When both sides are level, there is symmetry, balance. But if the two sides do not match each other... if one side takes away and does not give back, the delicate balance is lost and the scale tips. If you and your master are not equals in the relationship, it will never survive. You both shall fail in your goals."
To emphasize his point, Korda moved the boy's hand to the seat between them. Laying it flat against the cool leather, he grasped it tightly. The pressure was surprisingly sharp and sudden, and Eri flinched and tried to free himself from the hold. The immortal chuckled and steadily tightened it, watching every muscle in the younger man's face contort. Eri glared at him then his eyes softened, questioning this action, as he stilled. He thought to use the Force to break the hold, but as his hand ceased its resistance, the grip softened.
"You do not like that, so you instinctively resisted. A normal reaction." The older man smiled knowingly. "If I had used words to hold you instead of flesh, or a threat, you would feel the same way and resist me. Perhaps if I used persuasion, or a promise of something I knew you desired." The immortal's eyes sparkled and their icy gaze pierced into the boy. "What if it was my knowledge that comes from experience as your master that I chose to use, beckoning from you something I wanted you to do but you did not wish?"
Eri's eyes narrowed with caution and he slowly pulled his hand away, but Korda reclaimed it swiftly and smiled. "You would not like that either. You'd disagree with my judgment or reasoning, wouldn't you?"
Eri nodded but said nothing as the older man leaned into him and licked a small bead of sweat from his flushed cheek. Tracing his tongue over the tightened jaw-line up to his ear, he nibbled at the soft earlobe and whispered, "Resistance is useless. Disagreement… a luxury, dear boy, and one you cannot afford to exhaust. You may dispute your master's reasoning or decisions, your choice. However, never let pride or ignorance, either yours or hers, encumber you from learning from her."
The lesson over, Korda took a sip of his drink and rested his head back against the seat. Gazing lazily out the window, he pointed. "Ahh, Paris! Look!" He glanced briefly at Eri, and then turned back to the window. "You can see the lights of the Tower from here." His voice chimed with enthusiasm and cheer.
Eri seemed stunned by the abrupt end to his talk and his seemingly total change of mood; it was somewhat unsettling to him. The man sitting next to him resembled nothing of moments ago. He was lighthearted and whimsical as he pointed to the ever-growing skyline of Paris.
The Jedi listened politely to Korda's animated description of landmarks and buildings, but inside he was burning with questions. He wasn't entirely sure what the lesson was that Korda was trying to teach him. However, for the first time, he saw the seemingly unbridgeable gap between he and his master differently. Perhaps it was not only her coldness and unwillingness to trust that put it there. Perhaps his own refusal to submit to her will had played a part as well. It was an uncomfortable discovery... but then, he'd lived long enough to know that most truths were.
He looked back at his host and smiled. He was a valuable ally to have, he decided. The man seemed to have a vast amount of knowledge, but unlike other wise beings that Eri-Kol had known, he seemed willing to freely share it. If only he could have a master that he respected as much as Korda!
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As the car turned onto a cobblestone street that was lined with beautiful old buildings and low lantern style lights, Korda suddenly peered around, his attention focused on something outside.
Eri sensed some disturbance in the current of the Force and looked out as well, following Korda's piercing eyes. His gaze fell on a man standing on the sidewalk a half block away. As they neared, Eri noticed Korda's tense posture relax as an easy smile came over his features. Satisfied that there seemed to be no danger, he relaxed back against the seat.
The car pulled up to a two-story brick-face building with an architectural style that placed its construction in the early 1700's. It was old but obviously painstakingly maintained. A tall, distinguished looking man with graying hair stood at the front entrance. Dressed in meticulously stunning attire, he nodded and waved a greeting as the driver opened the door.
"André," he said in a pleasant voice, "Il est été un long temps, André." They exchanged greetings warmly and enthusiastically. Korda threw a casual tilt of his head towards Eri. Releasing his embrace, the other man peered inquisitively at the young man standing awkwardly by. Stepping directly in front of the youth, his eyes gave a quick once-over and he gasped despite his obvious breeding. "Oh oui, le garçon a besoin de vêtements. Qu'est-ce que c'est que vous avez sur lui? Mon Dieu!" He glared at Korda, however a cheery smile erupted over his features at the sound of Korda's sigh.
"That, my *old friend*, is why we are here." Korda patted the other man on the back and smiled. "C'est Eri," he hesitated, deciding the entire name was not necessary before adding, "et il a besoin de votre expertise." Korda's eyes shot a sincere glance at the older man.
The tall man gave Eri a nodding bow, which was politely returned. He was not sure who this man was, but the way Korda had said *old friend* with such deliberateness, made it clear this man held a high status with him.
A firm hand on his shoulder and the immortal's familiar purr in his ear caused Eri to shiver, which elicited a knowing smile from both older men. Eri blushed and glanced into Korda's eyes. They were adoringly sweet, slightly possessive deep pools of shiny blue-green danger, and he indulged momentarily in them.
"Eri, this is Monsieur Statler," he said fondly and with some reverence. "He and I go a ways back. He's the best designer in Paris." Korda flashed Charles a sly grin. "It's one of his talents, among other things."
"Genre de vous, André." Charles said with some mocking sarcasm, which drew an easy chuckle from his friend.
"Charles, il ne parle pas Français," Korda smiled. "Soyez ainsi gentil."
The older man gave a genuinely pitiful glance towards Eri. "Vous ne parlez pas Français! Mon ami vous néglige alors," He glanced at Korda and sneered, "Il devrait vous enseigner ceci si vous devez rester à Paris."
"Il est en vacances, Charles." Korda frowned. "Besides, you are talented with so many things, the fine art of linguistics being just one of them." Korda's eyes sparkled mischievously. "I'm certain you can indulge him with your English."
Charles took gentle hold of Eri's arm as he chuckled, "Now, I'm sure this young man does not wish to stand out here and listen to you praise my many skills, mon cher." Charles spoke with a thick French accent as he smiled teasingly back at Korda. "Come, let's get you out of those rags," he said with bluster.
Just then, the driver approached and nodded. "Pardon je monsieur, vous avez un appel."
Sighing, Korda nodded and tapped Eri's shoulder. "Go on in and see if you can find anything you like. If not, we'll go somewhere else."
Charles' face went pale and his mouth dropped upon hearing such a thing. "André!" he gasped.
Gloating at how easy it was to aggravate Charles, Korda smiled wickedly and gently tugged on Eri's braid. "I'll be there shortly," he hummed.
As soon as he was back at the car, Charles nudged the young man. "Come, we'll get started." He smiled warmly and leaned in close to whisper. "Despite what he says," he threw a nasty glance over towards the car, "I'm sure you'll find everything you desire here. I have a shop that has both formal and," he dropped his voice adding with a touch of abhorrence, "informal attire for younger people as yourself. It is not my usual trade but I do cater to whatever is required." His smile brightened. "Venez, mon garcon, this way."
Looking back a bit uneasily at Korda, Eri shrugged as Charles led him into the store.
Wary eyes followed them into the shop. He'd not leave Eri long with Charles, Korda thought, smiling to himself. The man had always been a bit too genial for his own good and despite their long friendship, he'd no doubt try to weasel something, or take advantage of his unsuspecting guest. Charles' skills at persuasion were well understood and admired by Korda, and this made him nervous and perhaps a bit jealous.
Displeased by the interruption, the immortal slid into the car and quietly focused on the flashing red light of the cell phone. His eyes fixed on the driver warningly. "I said not to disturb me. This better be important."
"Yes sir, it is important," the driver said in a hushed voice, a grim expression dimming his features.
He waved a dismissive hand and picked up the phone. "Yes," he said dryly.
The voice at the other end responded quickly, "Mr. Korda, sir… Tanner is dead. The same way as Vicky."
Silence.
"Whoever this is, they know our routes, this is certain. This is the second courier today! It isn't the work of amateurs. There's no way anyone could have scoped the delivery out, sir, I'm certain of it!" The voice was agitated and nervous. "Do you wish us to move things back sir?"
"No," Korda responded calmly.
"But sir, if these people have somehow gotten hold of this information… "
"If *these* people have gotten hold of our route-maps then I disagree with you, it is the work of amateurs, and it seems I have them working for me!" Korda snapped into the phone.
The voice on the other end came back shaken, "I assure you sir, my people are the best! This will not happen again."
"It better not," the response came menacingly. "I don't appreciate incompetence, especially when things are almost in place. I want my money back. Find who's doing this. I don't have to remind you how I handle people who fail me."
The silence on the line was deafening.
"Do I?"
"No, sir. I'll see to it myself. You can count on it, Mr. Korda."
"I am counting on it, for your sake. I'd hate to have to take matters into my own hands." He hung the phone up and sat back against the coolness of leather. Second hit today, and this one was not a coincidence. The routes were secretly laid out, coded and unknown until the courier was dispatched. Something was wrong, and it was internal. Someone in his organization was playing a dangerous game: stealing from him.
He frowned, remembering events from last night. He had met with his partner Collins to formalize their agreement, but things had gone sour. The other immortal had wanted more than just his usual piece of things -- much more! Collins' declaration had taken Korda by surprise, something he rarely let happen. They had worked together for centuries, off and on, and equally reaped the rewards. Korda had always found Collins trustworthy in the past. His strange behavior of last night had to have been driven by more than greed. Perhaps, he thought, someone else pulled Collins' strings, or did!
From the bar, he took a bottle, poured a small amount into his glass and sipped it, thinking back on every word of their conversation. They had argued about percentages, something that had never happened between them with such earnest before. Collins was smug, cocky in his approach; this also was not like him. Korda had pushed him against the wall, threatening to take apart his organization piece by piece if he was not careful. What had he said?
---- "You want it all André, you always have. But things change," he'd said hastily. "You're not the only game in town." Collins had said nervously, as his eyes scanned the surrounding area. "Best keep that in mind." ----
The only game in town. Korda had no misconceptions about others who dabbled in his type of business, but none with such skills as he. He'd never worried about this, nor had Collins, until now. Who had Collins been talking about? Why hadn't he heeded the nervousness in his old partner's eyes? It was crystal clear to him now that Collins had been worried, and not because he presented Korda with demands. There had been something else eating at him. What?
Korda took another sip and looked over at the shop window. Eri's silhouette passed by and he smiled at the graceful poise it showed. Even this sight however, could not take his thoughts far from last nights events. There was no remorse in taking Collins' head, just a slight tinge of annoyance that he'd not gotten more information from him first, and a nagging memory of feeling the presence of another of his kind shortly after the quickening. He remembered getting shakily into the car and sensing it somewhere very near.
You're not the only game in town. His dead partner's words lingered disturbingly in his thoughts as he stepped from the car. "John, move the car around back," he said with a hint of caution, before headed inside.
----------
"Welcome to Statler's," Charles told Eri with a sweeping flourish of his arm. "Tonight, you are my only customer. My services are totally at your disposal."
Eri-Kol took an uncertain step forward. Nothing in this shop even remotely resembled the clothes he was used to. To his left was a table with neatly arranged silken items in a rainbow of colors. He reached out a tentative hand and touched the closest one. It was as red as a newly painted Republic starship.
"Ahh, before you pick out a tie, you must have a suit," Charles affably informed him. "A fine suit is the foundation of a fashionable wardrobe." He walked around a rack of jackets and came back around with a dress shirt. "Now, lets get rid of that sweatshirt and put this on."
Eri was careful to conceal his lightsaber within his shirt as he pulled it over his head. He placed the bundle on a nearby table and allowed Charles to assist him in donning the dress shirt.
"Oui. It is an adequate fit," Charles murmured as he adjusted Eri's collar. "You could be a model with your looks," he added with a small smile. "About six-two, no?"
Eri shook his head, confused.
"About 188 centimeters?" he clarified.
"Oh, Yes. Exactly." Eri nodded, finally realizing that he was being asked about his height. He watched the man disappear again behind the racks and return with two dark blue jackets.
"These are from my latest line. Genuine Italian wool," he said while assisting Eri into the jacket. "Mon Dieu! That is a perfect fit!" He stood back and looked Eri over. "The color suits you, as well."
Eri nodded. This was not much different from being fitted with Jedi uniforms, he thought. He patiently stood still while Charles measured him for trousers and then again when the man tucked and pinned for the hems. Then came the shoes. Charles recommended a pair made of soft Italian leather.
Standing behind Eri, a lazy smile crossed Korda's face as he watched the young man finger the soft leather of the shoes. "Supple and giving," he whispered with at touch of yearning, startling Eri from his examination of the shoes.
A glorious smile flashed over the boy's face as he turned towards the voice. "I didn't hear you come in," he said. Their eyes settled on each other in a moment of shared admiration and desire.
"Ah, he is like that!" Charles chimed in, breaking the unseen tie. "Always he sneaks about!" The older man laughed as he saw a bit of impatience flash in Korda's eyes and he moved by his side. "You are in a hurry, no?"
"Oui," he answered curtly.
"Ah, always the same with you André, business." Charles' voice was sarcastic and he dropped it to a low whisper while glancing over at Eri who had started browsing the racks. "You would indulge this one, but only for so long." Charles eyed him disparagingly.
"He…" Korda gazed towards Eri then flashed Charles a wily smile. "Is none of your concern."
The two men's eyes fixed on each other and Charles smiled knowingly. This was a matter of importance, he thought, and one to trod on carefully. He had known André for a very long time, enough to read the minuscule signs of his emotions let alone the obvious ones he presented tonight. André rarely showed such interest or affection, it was his greatest flaw as far as Charles was concerned. It seemed he was not in the mood to be played with anyway, and Charles knew not to push him too far when he was like this.
Shifting his weight slightly, Korda leaned closer to the taller man. Taking hold of his arm, he spoke in French with a hushed tone lest Eri may hear. "C'était un appel de Stewart, il semble qu'un autre courier a été détruit, qui est deux aujourd'hui." His eyes narrowed up at the other man as his grip tightened. "Je ne sais pas exactement qui les enlève, mais…" His eyes radiated impatience and suspicion as his entire face hardened like granite. "Je sais qu'il y avait une autre dernière nuit actuelle immortelle." It was an accusation and there was no mincing the meaning. "Dans la mesure où je sais, vous étiez le seul qui a su la réunion la nuit passée."
"Chéri, you think I would be so low as to spy on you?" Charles' voice was light, almost cheery, and his features matched it. "How long have we known each other?" His voice however, rose a bit out of annoyance as he went on. "Centuries! Have you ever known me to act in such a way?" His eyes narrowed as they hinted at his displeasure at being questioned.
Hearing the last part of Charles' remarks, Eri stopped his lazy inspection of a rack of shirts and peered up. There was a distinct tremor in the Force from the men's irritation. He had sensed it as soon as they had started speaking in hushed tones. The Jedi had done as he was trained: He made himself look distracted while focusing his full attention on the terse exchange. The sudden outburst from Charles had finally piqued his curiosity enough to glance up.
Meeting Eri's eyes with soft reassurance, Korda smiled and ushered Charles further into the back fitting room. He clenched at his arm, "Parlez l'ami Français et cher Ne jouez pas les jeux avec moi, pas maintenant."
"Vous habituellement comme mes jeux. Ampèreheure, mais vous soyez dans une humeur vile. Même me menaçant? Je vous dis que ce, je n'était pas là. Bien que je me sois inquiété pour vous," he frowned. "Comme j'ai toujours! "J'ai eu des billets à l'opéra," His eyes sparkled. "Vous savez que je manque l'opéra pour rien ou personne." Charles was clearly upset with Korda, but he kept himself in check, waiting for the younger man to realize his mistake and apologize.
Korda believed him, this was Charles. He would have made a show of it if he'd known about the quickening. He would have at least congratulated him on it, or scolded him for it, but he had done neither. Simple logic said he didn't know, and this was enough when dealing with this man. He removed his hand from the older immortal's arm. "Pardonnez-moi," he said sincerely.
Charles nodded as he fussed with his jacket. "Naturellement je vous pardonne, mon cher. Pas je toujours." He smiled affectionately then ran his hand tenderly over the younger man's arm, squeezing it at the wrist.
Korda's gaze moved from the sparkling eyes down to the hand around his wrist and he smiled warmly. Softly asking, "Dites-moi, qui est autrement en ville?"
"Hmm, je ne suis pas certain mais j'ai entendu que quelqu'un a nommé Jack, ou étais lui Jackie, je ne puis pas se rappeler." He frowned. "C'est mon vieil âge que je pense." He chuckled.
Korda smiled brilliantly and squeezed him on the shoulder. "C'est assez étroit, et..."
Charles' eyes flickered briefly at Korda's touch. "Et cette personne restait avec Collins pendant un certain temps. Mais je n'ai jamais vu Collins avec celui-ci, tellement là n'est pas beaucoup que je puis vous dire. Mais s' ils avaient été ensemble, peut-être puis qui était celui vous feutre? Il aurait été sage que vous de contrôler votre trempe et trouviez ces choses hors de... avant que vous l'ayez détruit!" Sighing, Charles looked sadly at the other immortal.
Korda frowned slightly. He had never heard of this person either. "Peut-être," he sighed, choosing not to delve into the last part of Charles' comment.
"Il pourrait être n'importe qui cependant. Je sais au moins de quatre autres dans la zone en ce moment." He chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Et ceux sont les justes que je sais de. Faites attention très, mon cher André. Rappelez-vous, là pouvez être seulement un." He clenched his hand protectively on Korda's wrist.
Eyeing Charles thoughtfully, he returned the squeeze then nodded towards the approaching youth. Both immortals quickly greeted Eri with sincere smiles.
Eri was taken aback by their sudden change in demeanor. Was everyone on this planet like this, one minute to the next so changeable in their emotions?
"Eri," Charles chimed. "You like my shop, no?"
Eri was confused. "Uhm, no. I mean yes! I do like it." He glanced at Korda for reassurance that he had understood Charles' unusual use of language.
Charles grinned, "Ah, it is my English, it is not so good at times. Now, excuse me for a few minutes and I will ready your suit." Gathering up the clothing, he turned and added cheerfully, "Feel free to browse around. Perhaps you can choose that tie, now," he smiled with a wink.
Eri returned to the table of silk ties. He again touched the vivid scarlet one curiously. He liked the bright color, so much different from dull Jedi attire. As he went to pick the red one up a gentle hand on his arm stopped him.
"Try that one," Korda suggested, pointing to one with a black background and a sliver and blue paisley pattern. "But if you like this red one, take it as well," he said indulgently.
Eri selected the darker one that Korda had pointed out and eyed it with interest. He had no clue what the item was for. Charles had called it a tie. It was as long as his sash, yet asymmetrical. He wasn't entirely sure how it fastened. Still, he could always look to Korda to assist him with it if he had trouble. He draped the slim band of fabric over his arm, and moved on to the next rack.
Korda followed a few paces behind Eri as he browsed. He picked up various items that the boy took an interest in as they went along. Soon, the immortal's arms were full of clothing: everything from stonewashed jeans, to delicate silk shirts, to a buttery-soft leather jacket.
Korda's smile broadened when they came across the last table, covered with jewel-toned satin boxers. The boy touched a green pair in passing. Korda added three pair to the ever-growing pile of clothes.
Stepping from the back of the shop, carrying the finished suit, Charles started laughing at the sight greeting him. Korda stood in the center of an aisle, his face hidden behind a mountain of clothes, as Eri scanned over the table of underwear.
"Uh hmm," he cleared his throat. "Monsieur Eri, your suit is ready for your appraisal." He moved gracefully over to the altering area and held up the trousers. "Monsieur?"
Eri peered over at him and grinned. It had not taken long and he was glad to be able to try this new suit on, and then be on their way to see more of this city. "I'm coming," he said as he moved over to get a closer look at *his* suit.
Peering over the pile of clothes, Korda could not get a good look at what was going on, and not wanting to miss this show, he dumped the mound of clothes on the fabric table and sauntered over. Leaning against the wall, he blissfully watched the proceedings.
"Go in there and remove those rags, garçon." Charles pointed to a door. "I'll hand you the clothes as you require them."
The changing room was huge, with more room in it than his transport had. There were mirrors on all the walls. Turning at the door, Eri reached for the trousers but Korda's soft voice stopped him.
"Forget something?" he asked with seriousness but a small smile crept along the corners of his mouth and he failed at hiding his amusement. He handed the pair of boxers to Eri and winked. "You do know what these are for?"
"Of course I know what they're for." He grinned wickedly, grabbing them from Korda's hand. "I'll show you later," he whispered, and shut the door.
"We shall see." Korda leaned back against the wall, a wistful grin softening his features. "Nice suit Charles," he complimented, while running one hand seductively down the soft wool of the sleeve.
"Ah, it's a new line just in from Italy. You should come by when you have time in your busy schedule and I shall fit you." A hand reaching out of the door monetarily interrupted his offer and Charles handed Eri the jacket.
"He'll need this as well," Korda tossed a thin, finely hand made belt at Charles.
The older man chuckled wickedly, "Pourquoi? Il ne restera pas sur lui longtemps."
Shaking his head in mock disgust, Korda was just about to make a rebuttal when Eri-Kol stepped from the dressing room. Trying not to smile too much at the tie wrapped several times around the young man's neck, then haphazardly tucked into the front of the shirt, Korda went to him and started to unwrap it.
"It is something of an art," he said patiently. "It takes years of practice, for some." He grinned mischievously over his shoulder at Charles who was leaning on the counter tugging at his bow tie, as his other hand covered his mouth, stifling a chuckle. Korda's hands worked deliberately as he showed Eri, in a mirror, the proper way to loop, knot, and then tighten the tie. As he finished the last adjustments, he stepped a bit back and smiled reassuringly. "There, all done."
In the background, Charles was still chuckling but at the sharp glance from Korda, he cleared his throat and stood up from the counter. "It looks marvelous, monsieur Eri," he said, nodding in appreciation. "You look like you just stepped off the runway in Milan. Wonderful!"
Eri blushed at the compliment. He felt slightly uncomfortable in his new clothes, although he had to admit that he enjoyed the texture of the rich fabric. It was far softer than even the oldest uniforms he'd worn.
"Mettez toute la ceci sur mon compte, Charles," Korda said softly. Leaning on the counter where Charles was sorting through the selected items, he grinned seductively and added mischievously "Ajoutez ces derniers aussi bien."
"Où avez-vous trouvé ceux?" The older man's face filled with shock as he asked.
Korda chuckled, "Où vous les avez laissés, sur la table convenable. Vous devenez mouillé dans votre vieil âge." He winked.
"Bon je n'ai pas su que vous seriez un tel mouchard!" He shook his head and grabbed the tiny box from Korda's hand. "Vous ne pouvez pas les avoir pour le garçon! Je ceux-ci avaient fait pour vous. Est-ce que vous savez long il m'a pris pour trouver quelqu'un qui pourrait polycopier cet anneau ancien du vôtre?"
"Probablement un temps très long, mais Charles, ce qui est le temps à nous?" he asked gently.
"Il n'était pas simplement le temps! Il était la recherche, tout l'effort," the older man sneered.
Korda's eyes softened as he peered pathetically up at the older immortal. That is so sweet, I'm touched. But… you'd deny me this?" he said almost pitifully.
Charles' lip stiffened. "That game will not work on me my dear, I know you!"
"Well all right," Korda said with false dejection. "Je devrai simplement trouver autre chose pour lui." He sighed and glanced down into the case and frowned. "Perhaps those," he pointed to a pair of diamond links.
"Ceux sont lointains à raffiné pour lui, il est trop jeune." "Try again." Charles knew Korda was stalling, and not really interested in anything but the ones he'd asked for. He also knew he would never be able to get him to pick anything else out.
"Hmm… que diriez-vous de ceux?" Korda asked half-heartedly. Tapping the glass gently, while peering over his shoulder to make certain Eri was occupied.
"André, ceux sont des boucles d'oreille! Porte-t-il de telles choses?" he stifled a laugh knowing Korda was not paying attention nor would he be happy until he got his way. He was a spoiled brat and it was in no small part Charles' fault that he was.
"Hmm… est là rien autrement?" He peered hopefully up, a childlike innocence filling his beautiful eyes.
Charles could never say no to him, not when he wore that look. He'd have another set of cufflinks made, now that he knew an artisan that could create such exquisite work. Or he could just wait for the boy to die, as he eventually would, then the cufflinks would fall to André.
"Vous pouvez les avoir," he said softly. "Les saphirs apparient le garcon. Aucune charge André. Un cadeau."
Korda smiled warmly up as he patted the older man's hand and whispered, "You spoil me."
"Yes I do, and you know it, no?" the older man chuckled.
Korda smiled graciously and nodded. "Oui, Je vous payerai en arrière. His eyes flickered as a small grin crossed his lips.
Charles shook his head. "Oui. I know you will." His eyes darkened as he chuckled. "Mais maintenant vous aurez un garçon gâté sur vos mains. Ahh, il y choses est-ce que pires a des dans la vie, non?" Both men watch as Eri continued to browse the store.
"Oui," he chuckled. "It will be my pleasure to spoil him," Korda grinned. "He doesn't have fine things where he comes from."
"And where is that place that he comes from?" Charles asked, finishing the packing of the last article of clothing.
Korda arched an eyebrow. "Far away from Paris," he said mysteriously. "Farther than you could imagine." The younger immortal turned toward Eri. "We're nearly ready here, jeune." He called to the boy. "Leave the sweat suit here."
"I will be sure it gets placed in the nearest garbage pail," Charles chuckled. "I am surprised André would have such a thing."
Korda turned back to his friend and started an animated conversation in French. Eri-Kol took the perfect opportunity to extract his lightsaber from the crumpled shirt and conceal it in an inner pocket of his jacket. It was far better disguised in these clothes, he realized with relief. He walked up to the counter and the two laughing men and smiled. "I'm ready."
Charles met the boy's grin with his own. "It has been a pleasure to serve you," he said cheerfully. "Any time you're in Paris feel free to stop by again." He extended his hand to Eri but retracted it quickly when he noticed that the young man was unsure what the gesture meant. He bowed instead, then shot Korda an amused look with Eri promptly copying him. He made a promise then and there that he would find out where his old friend had discovered this charming boy. The world just wasn't full enough of such wide-eyed innocence. It was too bad André didn't deserve such things, he thought. Too bad he took them for granted.
"I had John move the car around back," Korda said, taking up one of the four boxes of clothing. "Now that Eri has suitable attire, we have dinner reservations to attend to."
Eri-Kol picked up another of the boxes and Charles took the last two from the counter. In the back alley, the driver had the trunk open and ready to receive the purchases. As soon as he caught sight of them carrying the items out of the store, he hurried over and relieved them of their burden.
"Eri?" Korda prompted, motioning the boy into the car.
As he sat back against the cool leather, Eri-Kol took a last look at the tall clothier. He and Korda were saying their good-byes, speaking in jovial tones. It had certainly been an interesting night so far. The Jedi rubbed the soft fabric of his jacket against his cheek. He liked the feel of these clothes. He was startled back to the present moment as the driver opened the opposite door and Korda sat down beside him.
"Hungry?" Korda asked, amusement triggering a sparkle in his eyes. "We have reservations at one of the finest establishments in Paris."
Eri-Kol nodded. Already so taken with everything thus far, he was unsure what to say.
"Oh, this simply won't do," Korda sat back, examining him. "We've forgotten a vital part of a fashionable suit!"
Eri looked down at himself, stunned. What more could there possibly be? Were they going back to the shop? His questions were cut short when a small box was held before him. He glanced questioningly at Korda, who nodded for him to take it. "A gift," he said sincerely.
Inside were small, white gold items in the shape of an avian-type creature with brilliant blue stones for eyes. Eri realized they matched exactly the ring worn by Korda. He smiled while examining one, as Korda picked up the other and grasped his wrist. He began to speak quietly as he fastened Eri's sleeve with the cufflink.
"They're called cufflinks. Some shirts require them, some don't. The one you have does, so let me fix them for you." He grinned up at Eri's puzzled features. "This is a hawk, a bird of prey." His finger brushed over the small golden wings then pulled away to give Eri a better look at it. Clipping the other one in its place, Korda lifted a hand up to the boy's face and cupped his chin. "Hawks are fast, agilely beautiful and accurately deadly creatures. Few others can match them in flight... or expedience," he said conceitedly. "I have studied them carefully and admire their ability to achieve results without complicated tactics." A dark grin crossed his features.
Looking from the jeweled eyes of the hawk, resting at his wrist, back to Korda's, it was not difficult for Eri to imagine just how similar in nature the two were. Beautiful and agile, he thought. Yes this was Korda. Expedient and deadly, could this also be him? His eyes flashed quickly back onto the cufflinks as he considered this but a soft lift of his chin and his eyes once more fell upon those sparkling pools, incalculably knowing in their gaze. Like phantoms, they passed through him, leaving a chill in their wake. Eri shivered but the hand on his chin brushed slowly down his neck, its fingers tucking just under his collar causing a wave of heat that dissolved his unsettled thoughts of the man into desire once again.
"You were pondering me again." Korda smiled but his eyes continued to pierce through Eri's very soul. "I wonder many things about you as well," he lingered on the sentence as his hand traveled steadily down the front of the suit, dabbling playfully with the tie then resting briefly on the belt. "I have been wondering about something in particular." His hand loosened the belt and unsnapped the top button of the fine wool trousers.
His heart raced and his breathing quickened, but Eri kept his eyes firmly focused on Korda's. Their golden tint was sparkling but controlled as he bestowed a small grin upon the other man. "What?" he asked leisurely. The second button opened and skilled fingers expertly dropped the zipper, but Eri's eyes never separated from the questioning gaze meeting them. Jedi control. It was the same lesson he'd been taught for years.
"Ah," Korda said in a hushed voice, as his fingers traced along the soft waistband of the silken shorts.
The younger man squirmed just a bit in response to the touch, sliding himself slightly down on the seat as he asked again, "What?"
Both Korda's hands took hold of the waistband and tugged it down just enough to expose the silk shorts, leaving his leg snugly caught in the trousers. Still, his eyes never left Eri's. Clear and brightly shining, they rattled the Jedi with their persistent intensity.
Eri glanced down at the hands that now slowly rubbed his hips, circling closer with each pass to the growing hardness between his restricted legs. "Korda," he said raggedly but his voice did not even seem like his own. He wondered how it was that this man could so easily make him so eager and hungry for his touch. His eyes widened as firm fingers tightened around him, rubbing the unfamiliarly soft material along his shaft and then cupping his flesh. He captured his lower lip between his teeth to hold back his moan. The driver was sitting less than a meter away!
One hand slid inside the boxers as the other cradled him with deliciously slow movements. Both hands working simultaneously to arouse every nerve, their purposeful movements steadily working him into a gentle pace.
Eri's thrusts came leisurely but his eyes widened and he had a hard time to keep them on Korda's. His head now rested against the seat, his legs stretched as far as the trousers would allow. He moved to pull them further down, to free himself from their constraint but those skillful hands moved precisely at the same time to pull his erection out of the shorts. Korda's knees settled on either side of Eri's. A small gulped moan escaped the boy's throat as he rested both hands on the legs that imprisoned him from further movement.
The expression on Korda's face didn't change, it was calculating and mildly amused at Eri-Kol's unsubtle attempts to lower the trousers and gain some movement in his legs. "I've often wondered what you taste like," he chimed in suddenly, a teasing smile growing slowly over his entire face, encompassing lastly his eyes.
Before the words even registered in the younger man, hot lips covered him, followed instantly by the luxuriance of a wet tongue wrapping around and licking every part of the captured flesh. Bracing both hands down on Korda's shoulders, the Jedi hissed and pulled back slightly out of the suddenness of this approach. But when he felt the tongue slowly work under his erection, lingering and probing at the head, a raspy moan escaped and he clenched his hands tightly around Korda's shoulders while raising his hips in gesturing approval.
The deliciously tormenting mouth continued its games, licking enough to let him know it was there. A gently nip now and then from teeth, then a slow lap of the warm tongue all the way down, then it would leave, forcing Eri to lift his hips to maintain contact.
The increasing deepness and frequency of moans and the pleasure of strong legs pressing against him proved delightfully enticing to the immortal. He chuckled around Eri's hardness, which elicited a jerking movement from under him. "Oouw…" Eri gasped with some disagreement, while both the younger man's hands clenched tighter on Korda's shoulders, trying to push him off.
A steadying hand rubbed slowly over the taunt, quivering muscles of Eri's abdomen, circling and gently relaxing them while lips tightened and sucked their way down his entire length. They moved up incredibly slow, before wrapping around his head and then back down. Then deliberately the pace increased, subtly at first, and before Eri's mind could catch up with his body, he was helplessly thrusting into the offered mouth.
He could feel himself stiffening, just ready to slide over that incredible edge when the hot, wet mouth was suddenly gone. A hand grasped firmly around the base of his aching shaft, squeezing tightly as the other hand massaged. Eri looked down; the man below him was watching him with piercing eyes. He seductively licked his lips and whispered, "Should I wait? I could keep you for my dessert." He bared his teeth in a devilish smile as both hands continued their manipulation.
"I don't think so," Eri said with surprising agitation. Darkening brown eyes narrowed down at Korda and an evil grin covered the younger man's face as both his hands grabbed hold of Korda's head and shoved him back down.
A gesture of false shock glided across Korda's features as he gasped, "Ah, appetizer it is, then!" He grinned wily before going back down on Eri with increased passion, allowing Eri complete access to him.
The young man responded by thrusting harder and deeper. Each thrust greeted with tightness as the lips sucked on his flesh causing incredibly delicious friction. One hand slid around Eri's hip and held it down with surprising force while the other cupped and twisted the tightening sac. The pace increased and Korda lifted his head against the steady hold, just enough to allow the boy a few harder thrusts. Quickly going back down on him as the strong body below jerked, pushing up in spasms of release.
A shattering growl escaped Eri as he came, then his breath caught as his hips rocking and jerking uncontrollably. The long legs pushed relentlessly at their unyielding situation and his hands wildly stroked Korda's short hair. The mouth around him clamped tightly down slowly working its way up, then back down again. With each repeat, Eri's muscles contracted involuntarily and he pushed gently up against the firm hold.
When the spasms finally ended, Eri let out a long, moaned breath as he slowly relaxed back against the soothingly cool leather. His fingers traced paths along the neck and head that rested on his thigh and he thought he heard a sweet moan escape Korda. This made him smile.
Korda traced his fingers over the spent flash, lazily admiring the occasional muscle spasms, before closing his eyes and quieting his own fluttering heart rate. He could hear Eri's breathing, sweet sound it was, he thought. However, the steady hum of noise from the city slowly roused him and he gently moved the younger man's legs onto the floor. He gazed thoughtfully at Eri, seeing the usually inquisitive eyes shut in peaceful bliss. The youthful face completely relaxed with lips parted slightly as he took in slow breaths. Pulling himself up, Korda hovered over the boy and kissed those lips, lingering in their heat and sweet lushness.
Strong arms wrapped around his neck as brown eyes flickered open and a warm sincere smile covered Eri's features. "You wonder about interesting things."
Returning the smile, Korda reached into a compartment below the bar and handed him a soft warm towel, "I do! It's my nature. I'm curious about some things," he said teasingly. He kept his eyes on the young man as he rose back to a sitting position. A mischievous grin accompanied his next words. "You taste far sweeter than I had imagined." He leaned back, his blue-green eyes happily watching as the boy tried to redress himself with poise in the confines of the car.
Eri's thoughts settled back on how much this man was like that bird, the hawk. Beautiful and agile, he thought, yes this was Korda. Expedient and deadly, he pondered this as he fumbled with his clothes. He was certainly devastating when it came to passion.
----------
The car pulled up in front of a six-story building that spanned from the corner of the block back as far as the eye could see. Eri-Kol stepped from the car and admired the detailed facade.
After a few words with the driver, Korda joined him in front of the building and pointed towards the top. "From up there, you can see much of Paris."
"What is this place called?" Eri asked, a wistful smile covering his features.
"La Tour D'Argent." Leaning closer Korda whispered, "The Tower." His eyes flashed at the taller man who seemed mystified. "This is an old place, built a little over 400 years ago. It is filled with history, some of it not so pleasant. It used to be a tower, built for those that dared to go against King Henri the 3rd. It was a place," he lingered on the words, "that few left alive." Taking Eri's arm, they headed inside past the doorman who nodded as he opened the massive wooden structure, and into the first hall, lined with small portraits.
"These are paintings of the past. Those people are long gone. But we here like to keep them in our thoughts, thus we hang pictures to remember." Korda stopped in front of one of a lovely woman, and sighed, "She is beautiful, oui?"
Tilting his gaze on the painting, Eri noted the elaborate clothing and jewels that hung from the woman's graceful neck. She had obviously been a person of great importance on this world -- perhaps royalty or the owner of a large corporation. He examined her features and nodded his agreement, "Yes she is very beautiful." Her soft red hair covered milky white shoulders and the green eyes that sparkled back were filled with joy.
Korda's genuine smile slackened away and his eyes clouded slightly seemingly moved by the mere sight of the woman. Eri got the distinct feeling that Korda knew this woman well, and he waited for him to enlighten upon it, in his way.
Korda sighed. "Ah, but they are all dead now." His tone was once more lighthearted. Without commenting further about the woman, he led Eri on down the hallway. "This is a theater now, within a theater. Its dining rooms afford a most incredible view of Paris. Come." They entered a small lift and a man inside smiled as he asked what floor.
"Cinquième," Korda replied. The man nodded and started the lift up.
When the door opened, they were in a dimly lit room. A short chubby man approached them and upon seeing him, Korda smiled. "Bonjour!"
"Monsieur Korda, je suis ainsi ravi vous sont venus. Il a été trop long lointain. Votre pièce est monsieur prêt. Denis vous verra là, à moins que vous vous inquiétiez pour visualiser la cave?"
"Non, pas ce soir. Nous avons plutôt faim. Je vous ferons confiance pour choisir quelque chose de special."
"Naturellement, ce serait mon monsieur de plaisir."
A young man about Eri's age stepped forward and ushered them towards a hallway that led around the south side of the building. Along the way, the windows offered a view of the city and Eri lingered at each of them as Korda pointed out the sights.
"There are the steeples of Notre-Dame," he paused to watch the young man. "After we sup, I'll take you to the garden floor where you will be able to see all Ile de la Cité."
Eri smiled. The architecture was beautiful. It rather resembled the elegant cities of Alderaan and Naboo. The closest he had ever come to seeing those lovely sights were holovids and photographic databooks. Although Coruscant was considered the Jewel of the Republic, Eri-Kol had often thought of its forest of mammoth skyscrapers rather dull in comparison to the more refined worlds he had read and dreamt about.
"Ah, but you have probably seen far greater than this," Korda smiled back at him. "Come let's dine." He stepped aside and let Eri take the lead behind the other boy.
The young man opened a door into a private room that had only one table. A set of doors opened out onto a small balcony overlooking the river. It was a breathtaking view and both men wandered out to take it in. The warm breeze still fluttered in the late night, and although in the heart of the busy city, it was surprisingly quiet where they stood.
"Merci," Korda nodded to their escort, and he courteously left to check on other things. "It is nice here; stillness in a sea of noise." His eyes softly looked out over the river he had known for so long. This place always made him sentimental and he was rather happy for those thoughts tonight. His mood was good, but he had the nagging reminder of unfinished business and the memories of past, simpler times soothed over the harshness of the present realities.
"You must be starving, mon diable?" Leaning against the rail, Korda's eyes caught the reflection of the candles in the room and sparkled for an instant with astonishing brilliance.
Eri-Kol was momentarily enthralled with his host's changeable eyes. He leaned forward, placing a chaste, yet lingering kiss on Korda's lips. The boy's face was alit with a faint blush as he moved away. He fingered the tail of his braid nervously. "I am hungry," he admitted. Unsure of what else to say, he started to turn back toward their room when Korda grasped his arm and pulled him into a far deeper kiss.
Holding him still with one hand, the immortal traced his fingers along the fine jaw line then down to his throat. His fingers rubbed slowly upwards until Eri's chin tilted slightly. A soft moan rose from Korda as Eri's body pressed closer to his and he reluctantly broke the kiss off as his hands settled down around the firm muscles of his lower back. "Mon Diable is a very good name for you," he whispered seductively as the younger man's eyes vicariously gleamed back. "It means devil -- my devil," he purred into Eri's ear then licked the soft flesh causing the younger man to squirm. A small chuckle rose from deep in his throat as he peered at his companion. "There are angels and devils in this world. You, Eri-Kol, are no angel… so…" Korda's eyes sparkled as he tightened his hold around the boy.
A knock at the door caused Eri to glance over but Korda's eyes never wavered in their rejuvenated lusty hues. "It's the waiter," he hummed sweetly into Eri's neck. "Should we let him in?"
"How long will he wait?" Eri murmured, tipping his head back to give Korda better access.
"As long as he has to," Korda replied, nipping at the Jedi's earlobe. A loud growl issuing from Eri-Kol's belly made Korda look down with a smile. "Your stomach is speaking, jeune homme. We should listen."
Reluctantly, the two parted from the balcony and took their seats.
"Yes." Korda said with an added playful sexual gesture towards Eri, as the waiter entered the room. The waiter froze at the obvious implication, then regained his composure and carefully started placing items on the table.
The entire time Korda smiled wickedly at Eri. At one instant he mouthed a single word, "Tease," which seemed to amuse and delight the Jedi.
After water, a cheese plate and small sticks of toasted bread, heavily smelling of garlic, were brought to the table. The waiter came back and asked if they would care for drinks before dinner. Korda shook his head negatively and inquired as to the specialties of the house that night.
The waiter rambled on in French and Eri concentrated on every word, showing great interest in what was being said except for several inquisitive glances at Korda now and then. Once he was through, the waiter stepped discretely out of the room, leaving the two, time to decide.
"Did you understand any of that?" Korda asked with a knowing smile.
Eri shook his head. He was picking up bits and pieces of French in the past few hours, but the waiter's words were spoken too quickly to decipher.
"Do you have any particular food you like?" Korda asked, taking a small sip from his glass of water.
Eri-Kol thought for a moment. His favorite food at the Temple was grilled kroyie and mashed metpoes with muja pie for dessert. He wasn't entirely sure whether those foods were common on this world. Kroyie was native to the planet Kashyyyk and had only recently been introduced to other worlds. "I like olmeer," he offered. Olmeer were marine animals used for food that were common on a number of different planets. Although he didn't see any droids harvesting olmeer, he did notice a lot of water in the vicinity.
The eyes gazing at Eri's were for the first time, truly puzzled as Korda sat back in his chair and thoughtfully rubbed his goatee. Taking a deep breath and letting it slowly out with a sigh, he looked back over at the young man who was nibbling on one of the bread sticks.
"Dip it in that, it's better that way." Korda pointed at the dip. The other man dipped the stick and munched on it greedily. He looked truly famished, Korda thought. For a brief moment, he wondered how long the boy had gone without food during his journey. That could be easily remedied, he thought, and went back to pondering what Eri might like to eat.
"I'm sorry to say that olmeer is not on the menu tonight, Eri," Korda said disappointedly. "It may not be in season," he chuckled, unwilling to admit he had no idea what the young man had asked for. Glancing thoughtfully, he offered a solution. "I'll order for you. There are several things offered tonight that are specialties of this country."
Eri nodded enthusiastically. He loved it when the Temple cooks tried out new recipes. Some of his friends and the older masters balked at new dishes being served in the dining hall, but Eri never did. He figured it was the chance he never had to experience new cultures. He grabbed another breadstick and watched Korda mull over the decision.
Before long, a gentle knock sounded on the door. "Oui," Korda said, still reading over the menu. The waiter stepped into the room and moved to the side of the table.
The waiter remained patiently, smiling now and then at Eri. He reasoned this man was either a wealthy aristocrat or model, maybe even a rock or movie star. Whoever he was, he'd never seen Monsieur Korda with him before, and he'd been a regular ever since the waiter had started working here. This enticingly seductive youth in a finely tailored suit was not Korda's usual dinning companion. Their subtle and not so subtle glances left little to the imagination as to what they were to each other and the young waiter grinned shamelessly at Eri whenever the chance arose, flashing him little flutters of eyelashes now and again. He wouldn't mind bedding this guy; he was gorgeous, stunning in every way and with such taste in attire. He figured what the hell; take a chance, if anything he might get a nice tip out of it as long as he was not too obvious.
Korda peered up at the waiter, ready to place the order and caught him in the act of flirting. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat.
"Vous êtes monsieur prêt?" the waiter asked, turning his full attention quickly to Korda.
"Oui, je suis," his voice was dangerously on-edge and the waiter stepped back and took on a professional posture.
"Pour des apéritifs apportez, hmm?" he looked a bit flustered, then finished with a decisive tone. "Un de tout!"
"Oui monsieur," the waiter said with a touch of surprise. "Et pour le repas?"
"Le canard pour mon ami ici." Korda looked mischievously at the waiter, "Ou peut-être les cuisses de grenouilles?"
The waiter looked over at Eri who's facial expression remained unchanged, "Monsieur, je recommanderais fortement le canard ce soir."
Eri nodded then quickly looked at Korda, who was grinning approvingly back at him. He returned the grin and reconfirmed his choice, "Yes that would be fine."
"An excellent choice sir!" Upon seeing Eri's surprise that he spoke English, the waiter flashed him a mischievous smile.
"Et vous monsieur?"
"Tournedos au Xeres," Korda said affirmably.
"Monsieur bien choisi très bon. L'administrateur de vin sera ici momentanément." He nodded and left the room, glancing back just before he closed the door to smile at Eri.
"Handsome boy, if somewhat brazen," Korda said, tilting his head toward the door.
Eri-Kol blushed as he picked up his glass of water. Korda had noticed the looks he'd given the attractive young waiter. Glancing over the rim of the glass, he noticed that Korda's eyes darkened with an emotion that resembled anger, but then seemed indifferent as they fixed solidly on him. The water, despite being deliciously cold, did very little to hinder the blush that was climbing his cheeks because of the scrutiny.
"I'd enjoy watching the two of you together," Korda said silkily. "You'd enjoy taking him in my bed, wouldn't you?"
Eri's cheeks were now burning with a fierce blush. Korda was only smiling back at him with that same unreadable expression in his eyes. A ripple of apprehension shivered along his spine. It was impossible to know if Korda was angry or not.
"I'd let you," Korda continued. "You could do whatever you wanted to him, but know this:" He leaned forward in his seat, his intense stare unwavering. "I'd kill him afterward. You are mine. Understand?"
Eri-Kol leaned forward in his seat as well. "Oui," he said huskily, grinning at the pleasure on Korda's face when he spoke in French.
The grin was not returned but Korda did ease back into his chair as the wine steward knocked and entered the room.
"Monsieur Renault a suggéré les vins suivants pour votre repas. Beaune pour les apéritifs, un cru Cote de Castillon," he hesitated seeming not certain if these wines were agreeable as Korda had not moved to acknowledge him. "Et, un Romanée 1874." Standing nervously, he glanced back and forth at both men and cleared his throat.
Korda's eyes fixed evenly on Eri's. Unmoved by the younger man's growing smile, he finally waved his approval, sending the steward hurriedly from the room.
"Voulez apprendre plus Français?" he said softly. "Then again, you already know the only word the counts: oui!" He chuckled and leaned further back in the chair watching Eri's pensive reaction.
The young man was doing everything save calling upon the Force to keep from squirming under the scrutiny. Why was it that he felt himself spiraling out of control with every passing moment he spent with this man? It felt dangerous, and utterly thrilling. He sat back, watching Korda's unwavering gaze. "I have a question for you," he said softly.
Korda sat up a bit straighter, and threaded his fingers together thoughtfully. "You may ask me anything you like."
Eri chewed on his bottom lip, trying to compose his thoughts. There were so many questions that he didn't know where to start. "You spoke of your masters earlier and how one was... very cruel. How is it that you..." he paused, trying to figure out the right wording for the question. "How is it that you came into so much wealth?" He shook his head. How incredibly rude of him to speak of material things so soon after their first meeting! "What I mean is, how is that you escaped his control to live so independently?"
It amused him that Eri found it so uncomfortable asking something like this, so he let the boy wait for several moments before acknowledging the question with a generous smile. There was no reason to tell him the truth, Korda thought, not now. Eri didn't know he was immortal and to reveal that this master had lost his head by his hand was not going to be easy to explain.
"He died," he finally answered. "And I inherited his possessions, so to speak. He left everything to me, so I guess my years of service paid off. He had no family. After all my years with him," his eyes softened, "I suppose he considered me his family. As I told you earlier, I learned much from him even though I did not approve or agree with all his methods. I used this knowledge," he spoke nonchalantly, "to gain what I have today."
Leaning back in the chair, his eyes reverted to their icy, aloof appearance. He tapped a finger on the table and grinned, waiting for the boy to digest his half-truth.
Eri mulled over the answer in silence. So this world's master and apprentice system involved inheritance and legacy. It was very different from what he knew from the Temple. From the earliest years of his life, he knew that he would never personally own anything of real value. Treasures, to the Jedi, were communal property that were partaken of by everyone. If something could not be shared, it was considered useless and shunned. This was one of his greatest disagreements with the Jedi code.
A knock upon the door broke the silence. The wine steward entered, carrying a bottle wrapped in white linen. He placed the bottle down to show Korda the label, before opening it. A brief glance at the bottle was as long as Korda's eyes left Eri's, until a glass was placed in front of him to await his approval. A brief sniff and taste, and he nodded, with this the steward filled both guest's glasses and then left the room.
Eri picked up his glass and repeated Korda's gesture of sniff then taste. He swallowed hard against the unfamiliar taste of alcohol in his mouth. This aspect of life on Earth would be hard to get used to. He looked up to notice Korda's eyes had not left him. He cleared his throat nervously, wondering if he should dare break this uncomfortable silence again. He quickly decided and spoke again. "I have another question."
Korda nodded slowly, giving permission.
"Have you taken an apprentice?" He asked quietly.
Amanda came to mind instantly, then several others followed. A slow procession of past students drudged across his thoughts leaving him a bit reminiscent. There had been many, some he still called allies and others he'd kill if he ever saw them again.
Taking a sip from his glass Korda set it down and ran one finger over the rim until it hummed out a high-pitched note. Peering over at Eri as the tone altered slightly and echoed in the room, he whispered, "Crystal sings like nothing else." He mused, "It's not that rare, but it takes a skilled artisan to make such a fine piece of work. Apprentices are not that rare, but like the artisan of crystal; it takes a skilled master to instill what they must know. It is just," he smiled, "a simple truth."
His smile broadened as he placed both hands back down on his lap, and closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I have had several apprentices, but," his eyes opened sharply peering back at Eri, "not now."
Eri sat back in his seat, a thoughtful furrow forming between his brows. Several apprentices. Masters like Yoda and Yaddle had several former apprentices. It was natural for them; they had life spans approaching a thousand standard years. For a human Jedi, the average was two, perhaps three depending on the health of the Master. The man sitting across from him didn't look nearly old enough to have taken several. Unless the length of apprenticeship was different on this world?
"You look troubled, mon diable," Korda purred. "Did I not answer your questions?"
Eri-Kol nodded, but the contemplative look didn't leave his face. There was so much he could learn from this man if he were permitted to partake of that wisdom. His mind again went back to the lesson in the car about balance. Did he have enough skill, enough strength of character, to offer anything in return for that knowledge? Would his asking result in an unbalanced relationship, one doomed to fail as with his Jedi master?
"You ask things of me, for some sort of reason. Comparison perhaps, of how it is for you in your world." Korda leaned an elbow onto the table and rested his chin upon an upturned palm. His eyes had lost their darker impassive edge, appearing more thoughtful and concerned. "But you *must* know that I am not like you? I can only offer you what it is like for me. Whether it is of use to you," he grinned, knowing that he hadn't really divulged anything more than hints, "only you can know. I do know by looking at you there is something…" Reaching over slowly, he cupped Eri's cheek, thumb rubbing slowly over his lips. "What is it you really wish to ask me?"
This time Eri-Kol did squirm under the scrutiny. Surely, what hopes he held in his heart for Korda to share with him couldn't be asked for... they must be offered. Still, their time together was short and would likely slip away if the issue wasn't addressed. For the first time on this trip, Eri was truly and completely unsure of how to proceed. To ask and be rejected was a terrifying and real possibility. Still, Korda had asked him to be honest. The eyes gazing back at him were friendly and interested. He took a deep breath and another sip of wine for courage.
"I've been thinking..." Eri began. "I want to leave the Jedi path." It was the first time he had ever spoken his inner thoughts aloud. It was terrifying, yet strangely liberating to do so.
Korda sat back, a slight elevation of an eyebrow the only reaction to Eri's words. He'd hinted at this in his letters, but to hear the words spoken, laid out bluntly, was what the immortal had truly desired. Still the timing surprised him. He'd reasoned this was something for a future talk, perhaps after Eri-Kol had seen more of the pleasures denied him at the Temple. Not wishing to disrupt this revelation, Korda stayed silent, his eyes filled with empathy.
"It's hard because... it's all I know," Eri admitted. "I've discovered my birth planet in the Temple records. It is a world ravaged by civil wars. I also discovered that my family has been dead for many years." He took another sip of wine. "I know that by taking me away, the Jedi saved my life but... I can't help feeling that I wasn't given a choice."
"Obviously, this is not something that I can confide in the masters with," Eri continued. "I really don't know anyone else outside the Temple and with no family..." He glanced up at Korda shyly. "If I am to strike out on my own, I need knowledge beyond the Jedi ways. I want to be a success and own the fine things denied to me now."
How oddly similar this boy's situation was to that of his own, so long ago. Its harsh certainty sent a shiver through Korda and his eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment of contemplation before he quietly spoke, "You were not given a choice, and in life you'll find this is often the case. But for every choice not made by your will, there shall be many that are, and in the end, they balance each other off. Balance is crucial in all things."
Eri nodded, understanding the return to the discussion of balance. Worriedly, he fidgeted in his seat, fingering the tablecloth absently. He had spoken his heart fully and discovered that the process wasn't as hard as he had feared. The difficult part, he realized, was finding out whether or not Korda would accept.
Leaning forward, Korda placed a reassuring hand over Eri's and in a soft, confident manner addressed the Jedi. "I am not entirely sure of what you seek from me, guidance or sanctuary."
Eri looked as if he would speak but Korda's hand went to his lips, hushing them with a gentle brush of fingers. Their eyes met. Brown eyes, painstakingly beautiful in their inquisitiveness to blue-green, exacting in their silent wisdom. Now was the time for disclosure, Korda reasoned, truth without shrouded illusion to shadow the sincerity of his feelings. "In your letters, you spoke of feelings, misgivings towards being cloistered. I read and knew that you wanted more than this life you are bound to, however, I also know the impatience of youth. You are fearful that if you take the final steps, to be what it is they have trained you for, you may let pass the many other things life can offer. You have just said this yourself, so my reasoning has been sound as far as this part of your nature is concerned." He sighed, and softly continued. "You see perhaps a chance to experience some of these things here with me," he paused noting the subtle glimmer of Eri's eyes.
Rising, Korda walked around the table and looked attentively at the young man. His hand leisurely tilted Eri's chin, until their eyes met. Korda's gaze was patient… hopeful for something he had not risked dreaming for in centuries, and utterly amazed it was going so smoothly, so easily with this boy. He'd planned for this opportunity but never thought it would come so soon after meeting Eri. His plan was working far better than he'd imagined.
"It is not true what you say. You do know one outside of the Temple -- me. And just as you, I have no family, so to speak. I shall restate what I said in my letters. Anything you desire, I shall willingly give to you. You need only ask and it is yours. Is this what you desire, sanctuary?" His hand entwining around Eri's and he placed lingering kisses on it.
Eri-Kol smiled with relief. It had gone far better than he had feared it might. He gazed up earnestly at Korda. "I want you to teach me about business... about the art of making money. I'm a good student. I have the skills taught to me by the Temple masters. I have…"
He was cut off by a short knock upon the door. Korda placed another kiss upon their joined hands. "Wait… think." He smiled down at Eri. "Entrent," Korda said unhesitatingly.
Two waiters entered, one carrying the food while the other removed the partially eaten cheese and breadsticks from the table. The food was placed on the serving stand and as one waiter re-filled the empty glasses, the other diligently laid the delicacies before them.
Korda looked down at the table full of food with delight. He was sure his young guest would enjoy sampling from it. "C'est très bien," he murmured in dismissal.
Eri-Kol sat up straighter in his chair, watching the young waiter get ready to depart. He frowned, remembering how the attention this man had paid him earlier had caught Korda's attention. It was this and the lingering need to prove his abilities that prompted him to a quick decision. He shot an amused glance at Korda. "Sir," he said, motioning the waiter to come closer.
"Yes, sir?" he asked, slipping easily back into his thickly accented English. His eyes sparkled mischievously at the handsome Jedi.
With another challenging glance at Korda, who was casually sipping his wine, Eri leaned closer to the waiter. He gathered the Force around him then spoke. "Your jacket is on fire."
"Mon dieu!" the waiter gasped, and tore off his fine jacket, quickly dropping it on the floor and stomping on it.
Choking on the wine he'd just swallowed, Korda glared at the waiter then over at Eri. What had he done to cause this kind of reaction? He could not help but chuckle at the obviously hysterical waiter. He didn't like him anyway and seeing him jumping up and down on a perfectly normal coat, making a total fool of himself was amusing. He sat back and laughed, unable to contain his great pleasure at this show.
"Oh! Now your shirt as aflame as well," Eri continued, trying to contain his smile.
The waiter cried out in panic as he ripped off his shirt. He jumped around in a frenzy trying to extinguish imaginary flames.
Eri-Kol dropped the Force-control over the waiter's mind as quickly as he had seized it. He picked up his glass of wine and pretended to act shocked as the waiter looked down at his state of undress.
Looking mortified, he gathered up his discarded clothing hurriedly while muttering apologies in both French and English. He didn't stop asking for forgiveness until he had closed the door behind him.
Eri-Kol met Korda's gaze with unflinching attention. "Like I said, I have the skills taught to me by the masters," he murmured.
Recovering his composure, Korda wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes before narrowing them on Eri. "I see!" he chuckled. His delight was apparent and the soft trace of fingers along Eri's face added further proof. "You have many talents, first the boots and now this. These are things done with some power you hold." He peered over inquisitively. "If you stay here, and you are welcome to..." He paused, deep in thought.
There was the nagging question about this power of Eri's floating on the tip of his tongue; he wanted to know what it was and how it worked. Such a power could be beneficial in many ways for his business ventures as well as a tool against other immortals. Eri's staying made everything easier; he would gain what knowledge he could from him, and in return, he would teach Eri everything he knew about the fine science of making money. He smiled at the simplicity of this arrangement, the balance of it. He'd wait, before asking more about this power. There is time, he thought, be patient and careful. Best not to seem over-anxious for this knowledge.
Hesitating only for a moment, his eyes searched the boy's for something, finding that mask of innocence in them, he smiled then lowered his head before going on. "I would enjoy teaching you what I know." He looked back up with a calm gaze. "Perhaps, there are things you will share with me." He glanced musingly towards the door then back at Eri's smiling face. "I'm a fairly expeditious learner as well." His grin broadened as his hand trailed along the side of Eri's neck. "This is for you to decide. If you stay, it would be part of the bargain between us." Leaning back in his chair, he started to chuckle again. "I don't know if we shall see another waiter tonight." He peered lasciviously over the table. "Not that it's a bad thing."
Eri grinned. He was positive the young man would be too embarrassed to show his face at their table again. He knew what he had done was needlessly cruel and unseemly for a Jedi, but it had achieved his goal. He could sense Korda's newfound respect for his abilities and his increased willingness to train him.
"Now," Korda said, breaking Eri from his thoughts, "we eat!"
Eri-Kol looked down at the veritable feast covering the entire table. Truthfully, he didn't know where to start. He watched Korda pick up a plate close to him and sniff the steam rising from the food with obvious relish.
"These are stuffed mushrooms, filled with crabmeat and topped with cheese." Reaching over the table, feeding Eri one of the steaming morsels, Korda then sat back his hands upturned, "Good?"
Eri nodded his approval and eyed the next dish.
"Try this," Korda forked one of the snails and dipped it into the butter before offering it to Eri.
The boy's face scrunched up as he inspected the bit of unrecognizable food clinging to the fork. He opened up and took it but didn't like it and had a hard time getting it down. "The mushrooms were better," he said, grabbing his glass of wine and taking a large gulp to wash down the last of the taste.
"Hmm, let's see. Ah, now this you'll enjoy." A wily grin crossed Korda's face as he moved a metal plate in front of Eri. On it set several shells with something inside of them.
Eri peered down at them then back up at the immortal, "What are these?" his face whitened a bit upon closer inspection of this food. In all honesty, they looked like miniature space slugs with their slimy, boneless anatomy.
Sitting back in the chair chuckling at Eri's obvious leeriness towards the half-shelled mollusk, Korda sipped his wine and pointed to a small saucer of spicy." Huîtres, ah, Oysters." he grinned. "Put a little of that one them, then some of that lemon." Eri looked around the table and Korda pointed to the fruit. "Then pick it up and let it slide off the shell into your mouth."
The Jedi didn't move. Korda leaned forward and took one of the oysters, demonstrating how it was done. "They're really quite good," he smiled, sitting back to watch.
The young man's eyes wavered uneasily, but he prepared the oyster as he'd seen Korda do. He opened his mouth, his hand hovering just at the brink of letting the slimy mass slide in, and then he hesitated, looking down at it nervously.
"Don't look at it." Korda peered wickedly over the table. "Just eat. They are supposed to increase one's stamina."
As the cold mass slid into his mouth, Eri's eyes tightly shut, but as he tasted the mix of sweetness, hot and sour, he actual enjoyed it and let the oyster slide down his throat. "This is good!" he said honestly as he reached for another.
"Of course," Korda pushed the entire plate to him. "You have them, then." He grinned while smoothing some of the Paté and Truffles on a flat cracker.
For a few minutes, the pair dinned quietly. Eri devoured the oysters then took bites of everything on the table except the snails, while Korda nibbled on Paté and an occasional shrimp. Reaching over to top off the younger man's glass of wine, Korda grinned. "This is not the meal, by the way." His eyes sparkled cheerfully at the Jedi's surprised reaction.
"There's more?" Eri sat back and sipped the wine. "Really?" Such extravagances he thought, all this food, and there was still more to come!
"Really, these are just appetizers, pre entrees." His host stood and strolled over to the window. "The French enjoy their food and wine immensely," he chuckled. "Eating and drinking are second only to love." Turning to face his companion, he grinned, "Or lust, if that is the case."
Eri-Kol reached across the table for a shrimp, and stood up to join Korda at the window. Even at the late hour, the city was still bustling. It wasn't all that different from Coruscant, only that it lacked the swarms of buzzing air transports filling the skies.
"I hope you saved room for the entree." Korda regarded him with darkened eyes.
"And for dessert?" Eri whispered.
"We will make our own," Korda murmured, pulling the boy closer to him by his braid. The immortal nibbled on the boy's full, tempting lips, savoring the taste of wine and spice before delving deeper with his tongue. The tastes were richer there.... maddeningly delicious. The boy was devastating; he gave of himself completely, even in a kiss. Korda luxuriated in the feel of the long, hard body melting against his.
A knock on the door disrupted the moment, and Korda pulled away. He chuckled at the disappointed sound Eri made at the intrusion. "Oui!" he called over his shoulder, then drew the boy once again toward the table.
Entering the private dinning room, the wine steward carried two bottles wrapped in linen. He placed them on the table. "Messieurs, je fais confiance que le Beaune était agréable?"
A nod from Korda, and he went on, a diminutive smile indicating his relief. "Ce sont deux de nos meilleurs vins," he cleared the glasses and opened bottle from the table and replaced them with larger glasses. "Ce n'est pas souvent que je suis invité à présenter l'une ou l'autre de ceux-ci," He showed both bottles to Korda then Eri.
"Si vous, parler Anglais. Il est le Français d' étude juste." Korda nodded towards Eri with an indulgent smile.
Pouring a small amount in Eri's glass, he smiled and explained to him in broken English the history of the wine. "Here is now the ancestor of white Bordeaux, a Château d'Yquem vintage 1871, it is most delicate in flavor, a perfect match for the dinner you have selected.
Korda added softly in a voice filled with predilection, "1871, the year when gods and the heavens had favored the Sauternes quite particularly." His grin broadened when the steward nodded with fervent agreement.
Eri smiled up at the energetic server and then over at Korda. His hand went to the glass but the steward gently waved him away. "Oh no, please sir, let it breathe for a minute. It has been locked away in this bottle for over a century!"
"My friend is eager, he'll learn," glancing at the steward Korda chuckled.
The young Jedi's hand slipped quickly off the glass back to his lap and he looked up, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Ah sir, not to worry." the steward said patiently. "We all have to start someplace. Consider it a extravagance that you have such a extraordinary chance to start with this wine." He added with a touch of bravado, "You don't really have to wait, it is just best to."
Eri's smile easily returned and he gazed at Korda as the other bottle of wine was presented then poured. Korda's eyes met the steward's and he appeared to be quietly focused on what the man was telling him about the Romanée 1874. However, just as the wine steward was starting to tell Eri it was time to try the wine, he felt Korda's toes nudge on his leg and his attention drifted.
His dark brown eyes focused across the table, trying to ascertain what the immortal was up to. The steward repeated himself, "Sir, the wine, you may try it now!" His attention refocused to the wine and a small blush crossed his features as he sipped. All the time Korda's eyes flickered playfully back at him, focused and unwavering in their intensity.
The aroma of the vintage wine was intoxicating and he momentarily lingered over it. Sipping it slowly, he was surprised by its dry, semi-sweetness, not at all like the other wines he had tried this evening. A sudden pressure on his groin just as he was swallowing, caused him to choke and spit out some of the wine. As it dribbled down his chin Korda's foot slipped away. Leaning back in the chair, he showed only concern at Eri's apparent dislike of the fine drink.
The wine steward gasped, and handed Eri a fresh linen towel. "Ce n'est pas satisfaisant?" he asked, aghast at the thought of having to dispose of such an exceptional bottle of wine. He looked quickly over at Korda, then back down at the younger man. "Sir… perhaps… a sweeter wine?" he asked sheepishly.
Across the table, Korda sat quietly sipping his wine, a small evil grin creeping over his lips. He knew it was a petty thing to do but he'd been in a mischievous mood ever since Eri had tormented the waiter and it was priceless to see the shocked looks on both Eri's and the steward's faces.
As he wiped the wine from himself, Eri glared over at Korda noting his grin. "It's fine, really!" he glanced over at the nervous steward. "I just… "
Korda reached over, taking the glass from Eri and sipped the wine. He nodded at the steward and smiled back across the table, "As I said, he's just too eager." He chuckled while setting the glass down, his hand patting Eri's affectionately before moving away.
Nodding with some uncertainly the steward left the room rather uneasily.
"You're charming when flushed." The immortal purred then leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on Eri before he could react.
Eri's thought of making a witty retort died with the feel of Korda's lips on his own. So, he wasn't the only one that enjoyed playing pranks. "You're very funny," he muttered with mock annoyance as soon as the kiss ended.
----------
Downstairs, a heated discussion was underway. The waiter had approached the manager in the pantry and was vividly describing what had happened to him. His gesturing and tone left no doubt that he was not only mortified but also confused and displeased with the goings on. He shook his head negatively several times as the manager quietly asked questions, trying to determine what had happened.
"You are certain that your coat was on fire?" The manager turned his scrutinizing eyes downward, examining waiter's clothes.
"Yes, then my shirt!" He grabbed his shirtsleeve and nodded toward the place he was sure it had been on fire.
"Well," the manager cleared his throat while peering over at one of the sauté chefs who was smiling cheerfully at the entire discussion, obviously enjoying seeing the waiter sweat. "I'm not at all saying that you didn't believe this, but they are not on fire now and I see nothing to indicate they were." His tone changed to one of slight disbelief and soothing calmness. "You have not been nipping at Port again have you?"
The waiter's face flushed and he flung his arms up in the air waving them wildly. "No! I tell you I was on fire!"
The other men looked at each other and chuckled.
"I tell you, something odd is going on up there!" he insisted.
Just then, the wine steward came down the stairs mumbling to himself. "How can a bottle of our best wine not suit such a boy? It is outrageous." He looked up and saw the manager and frowned. "If Monsieur Korda was not a regular here…"
"You too?" the manager winced then glanced over to the sauté chef who was now laughing. "You, back to work!" The chef made a rude gesture with his finger and went back into the kitchen.
"Now as for you two, I have no clue as to why this is such a problem. Monsieur Korda has never been any trouble and he is a very good customer!"
The waiter jumped in to defend himself. "It is the boy with him, not Monsieur Korda. There is something not right… "
"Yes, it is the boy! He spit out Château d'Yquem!" the wine steward growled.
The other two men gasped.
"Yes, can you believe this? I have never been so embarrassed in all my years here. Monsieur Korda tactfully accepted the wine, but… "
The manager's eyes widened, "Oh, this cannot be! That is one of our best wines. I picked that wine out myself. You," he nodded towards the steward, "make certain it is satisfactory when the dinner is brought. As for you, you will serve the dinner, and I will hear nothing more of this flaming jacket or you can just draw your severance pay. Do you understand?"
The frazzled waiter nodded and headed into the kitchen where he was greeted by roars of laughter and chides from the chefs.
----------
"Do you know how they serve your meal here, Eri?" Korda asked despite knowing that Eri would have no clue.
Eri sipped the wine that he was growing extremely fond of and played along. "No. How?"
"They present it tableside." The immortal grinned. "The Chef prepares it almost to completion, but the waiter finishes it off so that you may watch. It's flambéed with brandy and orange liquor." Korda's grin widened.
"What is flambéed?" Eri questioned as he sipped his wine eagerly.
Korda dipped his finger into the wine and flicked it over the candle. The flame rose and he chuckled. "It is drenched with the liquor, and ignited."
Eri-Kol nearly choked on the wine again. Spluttering, he fumbled for the napkin he had used earlier. "Let's hope he doesn't set himself on fire!" He laughed as soon as he managed to compose himself.
"I'm sure you have some magic to prevent that from occurring, mon diable," Korda purred.
The familiar knock came once again upon the door, and two waiters entered. The wine steward followed, all looked a bit uncomfortable.
"We are under attack, oui!" Korda chuckled.
Eri laughed and sat back. It took all of his concentration to school his face into a calm mask while the assistant waiter went to business clearing away the half-eaten appetizers and replacing them with the next course. He turned to him and saw the slow, careful way he was preparing the bird.
While the wait staff was eyeing him warily, Eri noticed that Korda's eyes were glued on him as well. They looked pensive, almost expectant, waiting to see his next move. Eri picked up his wineglass, taking a sip to hide his smile as he called the Force to his aid again. This time he sent a vivid image to Korda's mind of himself only hours before, kneeling between his legs, worshiping his firm shaft with lips and tongue.
The image was enough to bring a gasp to Korda's lips. He set his glass down quickly before he dropped it. He could feel that hot mouth engulfing him again, the rising steam, Eri's wet hands stroking his thighs. He could smell the fine oils in the water. No wonder the waiter had reacted so violently to this boy's magic!
"Monsieur, êtes-vous bien?" Korda was jolted back to the moment by the waiter's question. The waiter had finished presenting Eri with his entree and now waiting for approval. The waiter was looking between the two men worriedly, very eager to depart the room.
"Oui, c'est bon." Korda replied, a bit hoarsely. He glared at Eri, who had begun already sampling from his entree.
What a very odd night it's been, the waiter thought as he closed the door behind him. The two men within were still locked in a silent stare down.
For agonizingly long moments, there was silence between them. Korda leaned back against his chair and Eri calmly ate his meal, now and again peering up through thick eyelashes at him. Knowing the effect his dabbling in the Force had on Korda he was having a hard time keeping a straight face and decided not to try. A sly grin crept across the corners of his mouth and he let the other man know he was enjoying this. "The food is very good!" he said cheerily. Then with a touch of concern added, "Aren't you hungry?"
For an instant Korda's face flushed then seemed to glower. He looked away, tapping his fingers absentmindedly on the table. Still feeling the effects of the younger man's power, he was a bit troubled and more than a little irritated that Eri had been able to use this so easily on him. Small game as it may be to the Jedi, it was bothersome to the immortal and he was perplexed as to what to do. It was brutally apparent to Korda that this power was something that he could not control or stop the boy from using. The idea of being able to alter another's thoughts even realities was intriguing, but also incisive as to its results. It was also crystal clear to Korda, that if this power could be learned, he would have such an advantage over other immortals.
He was suddenly keenly aware that his distraction was showing. Eri's piercing eyes were focused intently upon him, frustrating him even further. Taking a tentative breath, he smiled amiably at his dinning companion. Time to teach the boy something about his new master, he decided. Not here, during dinner, for the moment he'd sooth things over.
"I'm ravenous," Korda's voice hid the turbulence of his thoughts with a voracious tone. "And when we finish here, I plan to satisfy that hunger."
The eyes watching Eri were tempestuous, fiery, and completely focused on their prey, a look he had not seen in Korda until this moment. They silently invoked power and danger, the utter certainty that Korda was not a man who would accept being trifled with. He could sense the man's agitation in the Force, not to mention the quick, stabbing motions he made with his fork. Eri had toyed with Korda in jest, but he knew that he had overstepped his boundaries. The Force could have a powerful effect on those not trained to resist its influence. Abashed at the result of his behavior, Eri turned his full attention upon his meal.
----------
After dinner, Korda ordered them both Napoleon Brandy and took Eri up to the rooftop gardens. From there, île de la Cité and île St Louis, the Seine, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame could be viewed. The gardens offered a peacefully quiet place high above the city, their lush vegetation affording small crannies of privacy. After they had walked along the outer path Korda led Eri to one of the secluded spots and pointed out several of the more prominent landmarks.
"That is the Eiffel Tower, that river is called the Seine, and you have already seen the Cathedral," he spoke cheerfully. "This island is the oldest part of Paris, it was first settled over two thousand years ago. Those towers over there are the medieval towers of the Conciergerie. It used to be a prison. Marie Antoinette was held there during the Revolution. Ah, a nasty place," he chuckled. "And if you look over there, those arches," he slipped an arm around Eri's shoulder redirecting him, "are of the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris."
Eri peered out at the bridge, stepping down several tiered steps to get closer to the edge for a better look. Korda stood behind him and wrapped an arm around the front of his shoulders, gently squeezing him. He whispered secretly into the younger man's ear. "And there is île St. Louis, the most romantic part of Paris. I'll take you there." His hand gently brushed under Eri's jacket along his ribs. "But only if you promise to behave yourself."
Eri turned his head and was greeted by those same intense eyes from earlier. He shivered slightly at their compelling presence and Korda's short velvet laugh did little to ease a sudden edgy feeling that overtook the Jedi.
Slipping his hand a bit lower, he found the object Eri had been secretly carrying concealed within his jacket. "Or perhaps it's not in your nature to do as you're told?" Korda's hand left the lightsaber dismissively as he moved to face the boy. He smiled softly and took Eri's empty glass, placing it along side his own on the ledge. "You told me you are a rule breaker, however…" He took hold of the boy's arms, pulling him into an unyielding embrace. They stood so close their lips almost touched, but as Eri leaned closer to capture the sweetness of Korda's lips, the immortal leaned away. "I'll have you know that my rules you won't break… that is, if you wish to learn from me."
Korda's strong hand soothingly rubbed along Eri's neck, suddenly grasping him firmly under the chin, squeezing just enough to cause discomfort. In a low, intimidating voice, novel to this relationship, he stated, "First rule, never use your gift to toy with me like you did at dinner." A perverse smile materialized, then quickly disappeared from Korda's face as he finished, "I punish people when they break my rules." The hand loosened and he stepped away from the stunned boy but his eyes remained fixed like daggers cutting into Eri's soul.
For a moment, a flame of rebellion sparked in the boy's eyes, turning into narrow, spitting venom. The look disappeared as quickly as it came and a calm mask of acceptance settled over the young man's features. Powerful and frivolous, Korda mused. He had skill and talent beyond his tender years, but no will to control it. Like a wild stallion, his power would need to be contained and refined. The boy lacked a master willing to take a firm hand. Unlike that master, Korda would not be cowed by tricks and lies.
"I won't do it again," Eri murmured.
Korda regarded the boy thoughtfully. "Yes, you will," he replied. "I know you will." His eyes swept the Paris scenery. "You feel the need to test me. That is the nature of the relationship you seek with me. You will find that I am not an easy man to break. Can I expect the same of you?"
"I won't fail you."
"Good," he said simply. The true tests, he knew, were to come later. In time, he would know of Eri's true commitment. For now, words would have to stand on their own merit.
The manager from earlier came towards then, rushing past several other quests as they ambled down one of the rooftop paths. "Monsieur Korda, je suis très désolé de vous déranger," he said in a low but breathless voice. "Votre chauffeur m'a demandé de vous donner ce monsieur. Il dit que vous devez venir." He handed Korda a note and stepped back.
Korda's face showed no emotion as he read the note. His people had found the missing money but at a high cost, Charles was dead. The details weren't there, but it mattered little, it was enough to know his long time friend and mentor was gone. His heart sank, threatening to shatter the anger that was steadily encasing it.
Charles had brought him to Paris for the first time, centuries ago. He had shown Korda the city, its wealthy side and the endless potential within their ranks.
---- "The finer points of finance and investments, André, this is what you are good at." ---- Charles had told him in those early days when they had shared rooms over the D'Ermaunt Tavern.
Korda stared blindly at the note in his hand. // No Charles, it was always your forte really, and I just followed, absorbing everything that you taught me. //
It was Charles who had always been brilliant at this. He made an excellent teacher, patient and forgiving even when he learned of Korda's dabbling on the illegal side of business.
---- Charles had laughed it off lightly. "You shall get yourself into nothing but trouble, mon cher. But it is your way. You are a wolf amidst the flock, and there is no shepherd smart enough to catch you." ----
Korda always knew that he never approved of his shady dealings and that the older immortal always worried for him. It had been this way since their first meeting, centuries ago, when Charles had found him hiding-out on the fringes of western culture. Charles had come upon the younger immortal soon after Korda had left the Far East. He'd taken him under his guidance, never wavering in this responsibility in all the years that followed. It had been so long since anyone had cared, loved, and taken the time to share things, listened to his dreams; he'd done all these things and Korda owed him.
When Charles had finally retired from high finance, he'd set himself up nicely in his quiet shop. Yet, still he dealt with only the very rich of Europe. He knew Charles could have never lived a commonplace life, there had to be wealth around him. It clung to him like a fine garment; he attracted it, like a bee to honey.
Charles had always stayed away from the game, only fighting when necessary, this too he had taught Korda.
---- "Never fight when you can get someone else to do it for you, Chéri. It is a wise man who lets others do his work for him, no matter what the venture." ----
Though Charles pressed this point home always with quiet, unambiguous means by choosing to stay far away from the violent aspects of their world, he was a skilled swordsman, brilliant even on an off-day. Therefore, the news of his death had other ramifications. Korda was cognizant that this other immortal must have been either very skilled or extremely lucky. One thing was certain, whoever it was, they knew more about him than he felt comfortable with. For a moment he wondered if they had been followed to the shop. If so, then things were far worse than he had thought. Not only did he have to be concerned for himself but for Eri as well. This was a troubling situation.
Korda's hand tightened around the note, his knuckles turning white, and the only outward sign something was wrong. Looking over at the manager he nodded, then turned and walked over to the ledge. Taking a deep breath, his eyes wandered out over the city.
"Paris may not be the most beautiful place on this planet," he said quietly. "But it is a place I am fond of. It holds many memories for me. All of Paris lies below us, Eri. Paris of kings, Paris of riverbanks, Paris of a hundred steeples," he sighed. // Paris of happier memories. // "Shrouded in mist or gilded by the sunrise, the nave of la Cité seems anchored beneath. It sways gently on the river. The Seine holds it close and strokes its sides. The water, stone and sky of Paris form a harmony that seems untouched by the ravages of time. It is unlike anything else I have ever known." He was reminiscent and solemn as he spoke, and when he turned to face Eri, his eyes mirrored these emotions. "I planned to show you more of it, but… something has come up." Korda's tone was now determined, as he walked past Eri towards the lift. "We must leave now."
Eri-Kol followed in silence. Korda didn't speak a word during the short trip down the lift, out of the building and into the waiting car. He barked a terse order to the driver in French, then leaned back against the seat appearing lost in thought.
Eri wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but he could sense enough to know that it was tragic. He wanted to know what the note had said to abruptly cut their night so short. Selfishly, he thought it unfair that this man had agreed to teach him, yet refused to share what had happened.
Korda grabbed the cell phone in front of him and punched one of the keys. An agitated conversation in French, soon started, with Korda's voice sounding so angry at times, that Eri flinched. He rested back against the seat, watching the lights of the city slowly fade into the distance.
They were returning to Korda's home. Eri recognized the direction they were traveling, even though they were taking another route. The vehicle was also moving a great deal faster than it was on the way to the city. Were they being chased? He was pleased that his instincts had told him to carry his lightsaber tonight, although he was a bit concerned of his ability to use it after drinking so much wine.
The Jedi mulled these thoughts over as he watched the scenery fly by. Soon, they were driving amongst the rolling green expanses he remembered flying over when he arrived. They were near the house now. As if on cue, Korda abruptly stopped his conversation and placed the phone down with an utterance of something in a language Eri did not recognize.
The car pulled to a screeching halt in front of the house only seconds later.
As they stepped out of the car, the husky security man from earlier came out of the shadows. Unlike last time, however, there were several other men with him. Korda nodded reassuringly at them and they quickly went back to their positions around the house. He waited on the steps for Eri to come around the car and they walked into the house together.
"I'm sorry to have cut things short in Paris," he said sincerely. "You probably wish to know what it is that interrupted our evening, but I think it is something you are not ready to learn." He met Eri's gaze steadily. "It is unfortunate in the timing." His fingers ran over Eri's soft cheek. "But it's out of my control. There are things that are always out of our control Eri, c'est la vie. There is something I must do; it will only take a short time. You can look around the house, whatever you wish. My home is yours."
Eri stared at him, his lower lip quivering, torn between the desire to ask what was going on and to respect this man's wisdom. He decided to take the prudent route and let Korda leave. There would be time later to find out the answers that he wanted to know. For now, he had to be patient enough to wait.
Korda's hand traced lightly over those lips remembering how sweet they tasted and how devastating they could be. For a moment, he wished to lose himself in them, to forget everything, but the moment passed and he bowed slightly, walking into another room and silently shutting the door.
----------
Eri walked slowly around the entryway, noting the details of the fine artwork that he'd only glanced at before. For the first time on this world, he was alone and not sure of what to do with himself. The house around him was huge, and he worried about getting lost in its depths despite his Jedi senses.
He longed to return to Korda's side, but the man needed to attend to affairs that were none of his business. It brought a smile to the Jedi's lips to think that perhaps, in time, he would be trusted enough to assist in these secret matters. It was almost enough to ease his worry about the tense news that had so bothered Korda back in Paris.
The Jedi gazed at himself in the mirror momentarily and frowned. He looked a bit flushed, either from the wine or the heat of his new clothes, he wasn't sure. He tugged at the knot of his tie until he had loosened it somewhat, and unfastened the top two buttons of his shirt. He wasn't used to having such a tight, constricting collar. He breathed a sigh of relief when he could finally move his neck freely again.
He took another glance around. To the opposite of the door Korda disappeared behind, there was a wide hallway leading further into the house. He decided to start his exploration there. The hallway was as meticulous and decorated as the entranceway. The walls held a few works of art: paintings and fabrics in rich colors, symbols and creatures that were foreign to him.
He continued to walk, peeking in doors along the way until he found himself in a high-ceilinged room filled with shelves upon shelves of books. He had to blink several times before he could believe his eyes. Books made from real paper and scribed in ink! He had only seen holopics of the Temple library before all of its books where disposed of and replaced with datachips. That had taken place close to twelve millennia before his birth!
The Jedi spent several minutes walking along the shelves, touching the smooth leather bindings and examining the unfamiliar symbols that adorned them. If he were to become a student of Korda, he would need to learn to read these symbols. The challenge felt more than a little daunting. He pulled one of the volumes from its shelf and leafed through the pages. He liked the way the paper rustled under his fingers. He paused a while, just feeling the solid weight in his hands before replacing the book. He took great care to align it next to its neighbors with utter precision.
Wishing he could remain a while in this room just soaking in its accumulated knowledge, Eri-Kol reluctantly continued on his way. He closed the heavy door gently behind him, then turned to examine a half-meter high carving on the table opposite the room. It was of a human, sitting with legs crossed and a contemplative look on his face. He's meditating, he realized with a touch of wonder. It was not the position that the Jedi preferred to perform their meditation but that made little difference in the end, anyway.
Eri let out a relaxing breath. Apparently, things were not so different on this world after all. Perhaps he could truly learn to call this place home.
Continuing his exploration, he discovered the greenhouse filled with abundant species of flowers and small trees. Large, brightly feathered, avian creatures were allowed to freely move about. A large net protected them from flying through the high, transparent ceiling. They called loudly to the new visitor as soon as he entered, and were soon swarming about the Jedi to get a closer look.
He laughed at their inquisitive antics and curious nature. When he knelt down to smell one of the flowers, one of the larger green-feathered birds landed beside him, snatched the end of his braid and pulled. This led to a playful game of tug-of-war that left Eri laughing even harder. He spent several minutes in this room as well; feeding the birds nuts and small pieces of fruit and admiring their graceful flight from perch to perch, before he continued on his tour of the house.
He found the kitchen and a large dining area, but he was too full from dinner to even stop to consider food. Off the next corridor, he found the entertainment room with a wall-size projection screen and a ceiling-high shelf filled with objects he assumed were holovids.
Soon, he discovered himself back where he began. He had taken a full circle tour of the downstairs. He glanced upward to the top of the stairs and debated whether or not to continue his exploration.
----------
In the tranquility of the garden, Korda paced anxiously until he finally calmed enough to sit and close his eyes. Meditation was always fruitful, always comforting to him and he easily fell into it. His thoughts drifted slowly back to Charles. He thought back to their parting, when he had decided to return to the Far East. He recalled Charles' parting words, --- "There is always time, André, always more of it." ---
After Korda came back to France, they had planned to do so many things. They had never rushed. Why should they? Now, the one thing that immortals rarely worried about, the passing of time, was unmistakably real.
He was not as concerned for his own existence, which would go on, but for Eri's. Mortal life was short, marked by swift passages and glimpses of only a diminutive piece of what time had to offer. He had been delivered to Korda in the midst of that rare and fleeting bloom of youth that, once wilted, would never flower again. Their time together would be so short; he could not waste it, not for anyone. There would be time later to reflect on all of this, to take his revenge on Charles' killer. For now it was best to take what was being offered to its fullest promise.
He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting, but something disturbed his contemplation, a sound, breathing… he didn't need to open his eyes to know it was Eri-Kol. He could feel him, taste and smell him on the breeze, and he wanted him, now more than ever. He reached out a hand and it was taken, pulling him more than just physically, the silent touch saved him from a darker depth of loneliness.
They embraced and his lips covered every inch of the boy's face, marking it with warm softness. A long deep moan escaped him as he whispered, "You've come for me then, mischievous boy. Do I keep you from your lessons?" His tongue lapped gently at the soft skin under Eri's ear. "Or is it that you have something to teach me?" His teeth bit into the soft earlobe, piercing the skin just enough for a small trickle of blood to flow. Korda sucked at it, his tongue flickering over the sensitive flesh, as his strong hands moved down Eri's back, pulling him closer.
"Well?" he asked, his voice velvety smooth against the boy's heated flesh. "Do you think there is something you can teach me?"
"I disturbed you from your meditation," Eri whispered, sounding remorseful. "I only wanted to--"
"Shh..." Korda interrupted gently. "I was just ready to come find you." He smiled at Eri's still-unsure expression. "My meditations made me realize something," he continued. "I distinctly remember promising you dessert."
Eri-Kol's eyes widened with surprise. The man couldn't be serious! "Korda, I don't think I could eat another bite!" he exclaimed.
Korda's delighted laugh rang through the gardens. The shocked, guileless look on the boy's face was priceless. It quickly turned into a look of realization and embarrassment.
Still chuckling, Korda placed a gentle hand on his arm to keep him from turning away. "No, my sweet one, don't be ashamed," he said. "On your world, perhaps language is used more directly. I should not laugh at your misunderstanding." The immortal tugged on Eri's loosened tie until the knot fell open.
"I learned another thing through my meditation," Korda continued, his fingers moving swiftly to unfasten the remaining buttons on Eri's shirt. "I reflected on other things, how time can be an enemy. It enchants us and beguiles us; makes us believe that it is infinite. All of the while it ravages us, then slips away." He pushed the fabric from the boy's shoulders, baring Eri's chest to the cool air.
"There is no more tragic a man than the one who realizes that time has stolen his dreams." Korda murmured, continuing this lesson even as he turned his attention to what clothes still remained. He knelt down in front of Eri, pulling the finely tailored trousers down rubbing his cheek against the soft satin of the emerald green shorts as he removed Eri's shoes and socks. He pressed a single kiss on the quivering stomach muscle before gracefully rising to his feet again to take in the full sight before him.
To look upon this young man was a pleasure he'd long deprived himself, believing there was no time for such frivolous intoxication of mind and heart. He had left those things behind with other emotions, lest they hamper his dealings. The last time he dared to dream of someone to share his world had been a dismal failure and one he thought rested deep in the fathomless chasms of his soul. Now he could feel those emotions were not gone, only slumbering, dormant, waiting for the right spark. Eri-Kol was the spark that had awoken them, and for all his pretense towards his own selfish denial, he was hopelessly alert to just how much had been missed.
He moaned as the boy's hands reached out to him, seeking to reveal his body to the chill of the night air. Eri was far less graceful with the fastenings on his clothes, but he still managed to divest him of jacket and shirt. He tossed them casually aside, eager to touch and be touched without their hindrance.
The sweet softness of blond curls brushing against Korda's shoulder elicited shivers and an instinctive desire to run his fingers through them, tangle in the curls, and feel their silken touch on hands too used to the coldness of steel. The eyes greeting his flashed brightly, coalescing entire novels of feeling into one brilliant point. Hands roamed over his skin, soft traces pricking every nerve in their tireless wanderings. Strong yet agile muscles aligned themselves against his, commanding his body to respond. And if these things were not enough, the soft, wet mouth working effortlessly up his neck and along his jaw line left him with an aching desire for more.
Korda allowed himself these small luxuries, this precious, delicious time, without letting anything of the outside world enter his reasoning. From this point on, every moment of this night would be for one purpose, pleasure. No scheming for future plans or alliances, nothing to teach in this arena; simply the release of desires.
His hand slipped around one of those lean legs, pressed so effortlessly against his, tracing along the finely toned muscles. A twitch of reflex rushed along its center just under his hand as it moved gently, steadily making its way to the soft inner thigh. His hand lingered there, not wishing to leave the warmth, rubbing back and forth just inches from the heat of the younger man's desire.
"So soft," he whispered soothingly, his lips mouthing Eri's earlobe as his other hand steadily pulled at the blond curls.
The desire was strong to just take him right there, with only the stars of the night sky shining above as their witness. As Eri's body trembled against his, he knew it wasn't entirely from arousal. A gentle breeze rich with the scent of earth and blossom was also chilling.
"To my rooms, young Eri," Korda ordered then placed a lingering kiss against his lips. "Let's take our leave from Time and her thieving ways, at least for tonight." He held out his hand. "Join me?"
Eri nodded and took his hand.
Korda entered the room letting Eri's hand slip gently away. He stopped for a brief moment and peered reflectively over his shoulder at the young man now lingering in the doorway, looking somewhat hesitant to enter. Smiling reassuringly, Korda let him remain there, beckoning nothing from him. He slipped off his shoes and remaining clothes, then made his way silently over to the veranda doors. Opening them, he stepped out onto the balcony as a warm breath of air rushed into the room.
Eri-Kol didn't know why he was hesitating, there was nothing to fear, and yet he felt a silent tugging deep within his heart. A foreboding feeling of losing this experience before he had a chance to fully appreciate it, persistently wormed its way through his thoughts. He felt unsure of this situation, uncertain he could please this man. Was that it? Could he be so unconfident of himself, of his abilities?
It wasn't the physical aspects of the moment that jostled his nerves. Those butterflies were long gone, fluttering off on the warm mist of their earlier bath. It was far greater than that. He was stepping across the threshold of an entirely different universe, away from the relative peace of the Temple that had framed his life until this point. He was shrugging off those childhood decisions that he had come to regret with the last fiber of his being. He was starting over, with this man as his guide. He only hoped that he had what it took to make it work this time.
Surely, Korda wanted this as much as he did? Eri took a deep breath, realizing his anxiety was threatening to falter, even collapse his resolve to take trust in his instincts and desires. Leaning against the doorway, he struggled with his apprehension as the warm breeze wafted around the room. He let that fragrant wind lift his misgivings, whirling them far out of his mind's reach. He quietly shut the door and walked over to the bed. Settling himself down on the soft comforter, he gazed at Korda.
Standing with the moonlight flooding down upon him, Korda looked surreal, out of place. Then his very presence would suddenly alter becoming completely natural as if part of everything around him. It wasn't in the way he moved, Eri thought, for he had not moved for several minutes. It was as if the very air and light around him altered themselves, adapting, giving in to some unseen force emanating from him. The Jedi had sensed some power in this man, something he hadn't been able to pin down, and it seemed now as though this power spoke to nature itself. Was it Force-sensitivity within Korda that he was sensing?
He studied him closer, lingering over the finely toned muscle of his back and legs, etched by the moonlight, they seemed elegantly balanced as if sculptured by some ethereal hand. His innately powerful presence seemed indisputable to Eri but then he'd notice something else in the man, something subtly calm in its nature, inalterable and immeasurable.
The ever-changing sensations Eri felt from Korda's presence precipitated his desire to know more, beckoning from him without words or actions, his undivided attention. This silent summons drew far more than the base cravings of physical pleasure; it sparked Eri's unquenchable desire for knowledge, understanding and self-achievement. He sat silently on the bed with this profound realization the minute Korda turned his eyes upon him.
"Come." He held out a beckoning hand. "Look at the stars."
