A lone wolf's howl rolls through the silence of the night, startling both us and the birds in the nearby trees. I hear him stand up and move towards me, his footsteps echoing hollowly off the stone tiles. His arms encircle my waist and he gently kisses the back of my neck before burying his nose in my hair. A sigh conveys his contentment. Simple things like this loose embrace have always pleased him.

The babble of overdressed courtesans behind us is a constant reminder not to get too involved lest we be caught in a very compromising situation with blackmail being a very real possibility. What a juicy piece of gossip it would be: the prince's two closest advisors sleeping with each other. The so-called "nobles" of the court would be chewing on it for months. My hand instinctively waves away the troublesome thought. What a bunch of popinjays, not even worth my time.

I'm glad to be out here, away from prying eyes and able to drop my many masks. I know that my lover echoes my feelings as he seems set on making sure that we don't enter the crowded ballroom again. I smile and stroke his hands soothingly. Poor Darun. He never did like social activities. There were too many undercurrents, innuendoes, and lies floating about for his forthright and honest soul. "Give me a fight," he says. "Something I can deal with head-on. Not these foolish games with words. Why can't they just say what they mean instead of weaving these confusing webs?" Eloquence was simply not Darun--quite like the barbarian I sometimes accuse him of being.

"How is the prince?" he whispers in my ear. Ah, there he goes again, always concerned for Prince Arislan. I suppose I would do the same thing given the circumstances. Arislan just inspires that kind of loyalty.

"Besieged as usual," I droll. "Ironic, don't you think? They would not even tell him the time of day before. They were too concerned with Andragoras, never realizing the jewel that hid in his shadow." I stop before my tongue gets me in trouble yet again.

Angrily, I toss back most of my wine. I'm getting drunk again, but I couldn't care less. Wine, along with my art was my solace. Darun stops me with a grin, taking the glass from my unresisting hand. He sniffs it before downing the rest of it. I consider telling him off but he stops me, crushing his lips to mine.

I melt into him instinctively. He's always had the power to turn my bones to jelly; one of these days, I'm going to find out exactly why that is. No matter how much I want to stay, though, I've already decided that this was neither the place nor the time for such games. I twist myself out of his grasp and retreat to the far side of the balcony. It was best to keep temptation as far out of reach as possible.

Darun sits on the railing, his face in profile. "Are you going to join the hunt tomorrow?" The traditional hunt--a safe enough topic I suppose.

"No." I would dare say that he looked disappointed at my answer. "I shall stay here with my art. You can go out and murder the poor deer, ferocious creatures that they are." He frowns and my smirk grows larger. Darun was so sexy when he was angry--one of the reasons why I like to bait him so much. My teasing never goes to far, we have a mutual line drawn in the sand that we never cross. Well, not when we're on friendly terms at any rate. Our relationship was so unstable that I could never guarantee exactly when we would be getting along. One minute we're a team, the next we're at each other's throats and then before we know it, we've found our way into a bed. Not that I ever complain. It makes life interesting, actually. Without it or worse yet, without him, I would be as bored as I was back living on my "estate" in the woods.

"Darun? Narsus?" a silvery voice calls out. My head turns to look at the voice's owner, a genuine smile gracing my face, not one of the fake ones I save for the twittering nobles. "You are out here!" Arislan announces triumphantly, his face lighting up before a huge yawn takes over his face. He immediately covers it and blushes, ashamed of his lack of self-control. I admire him for a moment longer. He's so suited to the moonlight with his silver hair, almost as if he were a moonbeam himself. "I've been looking for you," he says wearily, calling my attention back.

"I'm sorry, my prince," I apologize. "Have the nobles been badgering you so unrelentlessly then?"

"We should have stayed by your side," Darun adds.

Arislan shakes his head, gently disagreeing. "Nonsense, Darun. I can handle them all just fine. Besides, you don't like these parties, I know."

I laugh at the chagrined look on Darun's face. "At any rate, my prince, let's get you to bed, hmm? You won't do anyone any good if you're too tired to ride tomorrow." Arislan nods, unable to even try hiding his fatigue anymore and leans up against Darun. The two move to enter the ballroom again. "Not that way," I playfully scold. "If we go that way, we won't get to bed until morning."

"What do you suggest then?" Darun asks, his head cocked. Arislan wasn't even listening. It was obvious that he'd been searching for Darun so he could just crash and let the warrior take care of everything. Darun was already being forced to carry him.

My finger points to the tree next to the balcony. We were only on the second story. It wouldn't be to great of a climb...or a fall depending on which way you looked at it. Darun regards me skeptically but follows nevertheless.

It was not as easy as I'd expected, due to the fact that Arislan was no help at all, but between Darun and I got him down safely. He'd only woken up once. Once we were on the ground, it was only a quick walk to re-enter the castle from the courtyard and climb the stairs to the prince's rooms.

I merely leaned against the stone wall as I watch Darun tenderly tuck the slumbering prince into bed. Arislan didn't stir, not even when Darun gently brush his hair back away from his face or when I approached and did the same. He was so sweet, so innocent, much like a kitten. We watched him for a time before deciding that we should seek our bed as well.

The next day would be dawning bright and early, much too early for my tastes but that was a fact of life. At least I didn't have to get up as soon as Darun, the poor man, because unlike him, I wouldn't be out trying to kill an innocent deer. I made a note to rub that in when he returned tomorrow. Darun may be a soldier but that didn't mean that he liked mornings any better than I did.

As I slip into bed beside my lover, I glance at the moon once more, wondering just how many more times I would be able to see it with Darun at my side. I quickly decide that it's not important because I will take what I have. The future comes soon enough. We'd wasted a lot of time before finally admitting our attraction and so we weren't disposed to lose what little we had left.

Darun wraps me in his arms and I forget my troubling thoughts, losing myself to him. After all, he's all that matters to me anymore.

No, that's not true. I think I'm starting to care about this country that we live in once more. It has a chance at succeeding if we can secure Arislan's rightful place. It was a pipe dream at best but it was also one I had given my word to see through.

I surprise Darun when I roughly take charge, kissing him passionately before flipping him onto his back when I have his attention successfully diverted. He tries to roll me over but I won't let him. I need to take the lead this time around, I need to show him.

Arislan may have given me hope but it was Darun who gave me my life.