You come to me in the darkness, a lover with no face. You hide in the shadows, and I know, when I go to sleep and extinguish the lamp with me, I will find you beside me.

You frightened me the first time you came here, so suddenly did I feel your caress as I woke from my slumbers. You silenced my protests with a finger against my lips, whispering softly of admiration from afar. Your voice echoed in me, reminding me of someone, and yet I cannot match the huskiness in it with anyone I knew. You teased me, telling me I shouldn't be afraid, that I should realize that with my beauty it wasn't going to be rare that men would admire me too, except that he was obviously the first to have dared to come to me. You told me that I was even more beautiful than any Crane maiden you have seen, and I knew only of few who could speak with such poetry, such praise....

Only two clans had made praising into an artform, and I have a feeling you were no Crane, for I would have known you before you even spoke if you were. So I knew you can only be a Scorpion, sent to tempt me to betray secrets of the Empire.

But there was no deception as you kissed me, teasing, light, innocent. You told me so much in those kisses, told me of seduction, how to toy and tease and play, to make me relax in your company. That was all you did in the first night you came to me, but you went on the next night, and the night after, to seduce my senses completely with the taste of you, the touch of your hands, the sound of your husky moans, the scent of musk following you. But those words you said in between were more precious to me.

You spoke of us never going to be allowed to be together, except here, in secret, because of us being of different clans, of different positions. Of me being so highly regarded as a courtier. You spoke to me of my grace in the tea ceremony, of my voice, of my eyes, kissing, drugging me into acquisence with your voice and touch. You were enough to daze me, as I explored you as well, in response to your husky whispers. I taste the sweat sheening your skin, learned to explore love between men, because of you. Your warm skin, your hot mouth, enclosing me, until I knew not where I was, who I was, didn't care if anyone heard us, making love through the night.

And you taught me how to fully complete our love, to join each other in a union I would never want to share, except with you. You only had to touch me to make me experience that unusual bliss, and I cling to you, lost, breathless with amazement as you came deep inside of me.

And after you would embrace me, and brush away the tears of pain and joy from my eyes, telling me I will learn to forget the pain as you teach me more of the enjoyment we could share. And you'd play with my hair, stroking it, running your fingers through its length. Sometimes you would recite poetry, from the classics, of forbidden love. Sometimes you would play scenes with me, where we are two lovers, teasing each other, speaking love poetry to each other. You knew what I liked, knew what would please me. And every time the dawn starts to tint the sky with lighter hues you would speak of regrets, of leaving me alone, of not losing yourself in me in the daylight. But I did not mind so much, knowing that at night you will come back to me. You dress, haphazardly, tucking your fan into your jacket as you tuck in a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. I would never be able to stand after our nights, too spent and too sated to move. It is too dark to see, but you find your way, silent, to the door, and with a glance to me, you would disappear into the still dark halls, promising to be back in the night, when all are asleep.

I never saw your face, though I have traced them so many times, as you drew the moans and sighs of passions from me. I couldn't believe you could be so skilled in judging what I wanted. And I wanted you more and more, each night, as you loved me more and more. And I learned to love you, my shadow lover, appearing only at night.

You told me you would leave the moment I try to find out who you are, and so here I am, clinging to the promise I made to you, that I will never try to find out who you truly are. I await the night you will tell me, so I can enjoy you, as you enjoy me, with full knowledge of who we are, and with whom I share myself with. I sit here, waiting, on the futon where we sleep, dressed in a white sleeping kimono, listening to the musicians playing in the gardens. I am patient, knowing you will slip away, knowing you cared not for this celebration, like I did. I hold a fan you gave me between my fingers, gently plying it to create a soft breeze to cool me as time seemed to expand to last for eons. And when the music has finally ended, I extinguish the light from my lamps, and await for you...

Come to me, my lover, for it is night. It is our time, our only time together. Do not betray me to my waiting, for I will fade at the thought of your non-appearance.

At last I hear you footsteps, and lie down, pretending to be sleeping. I feel your touch on my cheek as you press a kiss to my lips, seeking the promise of another night in my company.

And now, I am fulfilled.