KARANTHIR:
That was fantastic. Although, it appears we fell off the bed.
ZYFAN:
Do you think we could do that again? And perhaps we could
remain here for the rest of the day?
KARANTHIR:
That’s fine with me, but - one might think you’re hiding.
ZYFAN:
But, there is no one to hide from. I mean, Washi, he has left, yes?
KARANTHIR:
Yes, but everyone seems to think he’ll return.
ZYFAN:
Why? He certainly did not come here in search of me.
KARANTHIR:
He wants his genie back. Are you aware that he’s accused
you of stealing Io from him? He claims you took the lamp.
ZYFAN:
He said that?
KARANTHIR:
Yes, he says you’re a thief. Now tell me everything you
remember about that lamp.
ZYFAN:
There is nothing to tell. The lamp was in the tent Washi and I shared. I did not even know it contained a genie! I had forgotten all about it until my things arrived and there it was.
ZYFAN:
… And, because I wanted nothing that reminded me of him
- I gave it to Grace.
KARANTHIR:
Think carefully on this. When you were packing your things
to leave him, could you have accidentally…
ZYFAN:
But I did not pack my things! They were waiting for me outside our tent when I returned with my patrol that day.
ZYFAN:
… Do you know the whole camp witnessed my humiliation?
Washi gave no explanation other than to say he no longer
needed me, and worse still, that he was returning to his wife.
ZYFAN:
… Wife. The word kept echoing in my head as he rode away.
I wanted to die and I tried too, I truly did.
ZYFAN:
… I volunteered for dangerous missions. I was first to meet any foe on the field. For this, I was awarded medals of honor.
ZYFAN:
…Oh if they only knew. Are you ashamed of me?
KARANTHIR:
Never. And honestly, I'm just grateful you didn’t succeed.
ZYFAN:
I may have but, my Uncle needed me so I was ordered back to court.
The odd thing is - once there I was never asked to do anything.
ZYFAN:
… I was so miserable. I no longer cared about anything. I let myself be ... available to anyone. You think me so innocent my love, but there were so many, yet I do not remember any of them.
ZYFAN:
… I would wake in someone else’s bed not knowing their name or how
I came to be there… Do you know what I came to realize?
KARANTHIR:
Tell me.
ZYFAN:
They did not want me. They wanted the Prince. I was so sick of the Prince. Then my father told me he and mother did not approve of my behavior. I was sent to Magick School, even though I did not possess the gift.
ZYFAN:
… During my journey there, Syrrah came to me in a dream. She told me to leave the Prince behind. When I arrived at school, I went directly to the head master and asked to be treated like any other student. That is how Racolo and I came to be room mates.
KARANTHIR:
Ah yes, magic boy …
ZYFAN:
He was the first human I ever met and nothing at all like I expected.
KARANTHIR:
And, quite easy on the eyes too.
ZYFAN:
Well, yes - but when I met him, he had just lost Es, and as for me, I was still ... not myself. I remember - we drowned our sorrows in drink.
KARANTHIR:
A common human remedy for a broken heart.
ZYFAN:
Of course, all that changed when Lithium blinked into his life, and
I was summoned back to court. Racolo was the first person
who liked me for me, and not because I was the Prince.
KARANTHIR:
So tell me, you and magic boy, did you and he … ever?
ZYFAN:
No, although I offered many times. I even tried to seduce him once - he refused me.
KARANTHIR:
Refused you? Amazing.
ZYFAN:
He and I lost touch after I left Magick School. I did not see him again until I moved here. The rest you know.
KARANTHIR:
You can’t stop now. You’re just getting to the best part.
ZYFAN:
The best part?
KARANTHIR:
When you met me.
ZYFAN:
Oh yes, that is the best part. Shall I tell you about the very first
time we met? You were sharing a room with your brothers.
KARANTHIR:
Truly a miserable time for me.
ZYFAN:
Fin had invited me to use his bed, and he would share yours with you.
I do not think you were very happy about that arrangement since you
offered to let me sleep with you, but Fin would not allow it.
KARANTHIR:
Ah yes, my dear brother always a kill-joy.
ZYFAN:
You and Fin were discussing why he was so … what was the word you used?
KARANTHIR:
Cranky.
ZYFAN:
Yes, cranky. You insisted this condition had much to do with his …
recent lack of sexual activity. Then you smiled at me. I had never
seen such confidence in a smile. It was then I knew you wanted me.
KARANTHIR:
Honestly my prince, I wanted to pounce on you the second
I gazed into those big, brown, puppy dog eyes of yours.
ZYFAN:
I do not have puppy dog eyes.
KARANTHIR:
Let us agree to disagree on that. Now tell me and be honest,
when did you first know you wanted me?
ZYFAN:
When you smiled at me. That is why I could not answer
the question you asked me, that night.
KARANTHIR:
What question was that?
ZYFAN:
If I ever found myself ... cranky from lack of ...
KARANTHIR:
Yes? Go on, say the word. I love how it sounds coming
from your lips.
ZYFAN:
Sex.
KARANTHIR:
And what's your answer?
ZYFAN:
Oh, I would not know ... as you have never let me go
without your touch for any length of time.
KARANTHIR:
Good answer! Didn't I tell you, this was the best part?
ZYFAN:
The very best.