This time, however, something happened. Afterward neither of them was ever certain just what it was, but when Basil's mouth touched Mairin's their senses ignited simultaneously. Her slender arms wound around him as she pressed the length of her body against his, suddenly needing his warmth. Beneath his lips hers softened. What had begun as an innocent kiss of congratulation became a kiss of unexpected pa.s.sion as his tongue slid easily past her teeth into her fragrant mouth. Mairin murmured contentedly, rubbing against him like a kitten. Her little tongue shyly teased at his. Suddenly he was pulling her sleeping chemise from her unresisting body, and laying her back upon the bed.

For a long moment he looked down upon her. Then he sighed deeply. She was unbelievably lovely, and really quite perfect with her creamy fair skin, and her delicate coloring. It wasn't just her innocence that aroused him. It was that aura of the unknown that surrounded her. All loves were unfamiliar for a time, but Basil sensed that his wife would always retain something of her own that she would never share with another. He wanted her very much, but it was still too soon. He had always planned to familiarize her with other paths to pleasure, and at this moment the time seemed right to begin her instruction. Though her eyes were tightly shut she neither struggled against him nor forbade him. Indeed she showed no fear of him, her calm acquiescence encouraging him onward.

Removing his undertunic he seated himself cross-legged above her. He began with gentleness to lightly stroke her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. After a few minutes the feathery touches caused her eyes to open, and she looked up at him. His fingers were now slowly encircling her rosy nipples with delicate, teasing caresses that as delicious as they felt were also becoming pure torture. Mairin made a small sound of obvious pleasure that brought a smile to her husband's lips.

"You like this," he said, making it a statement.

"Yes," she answered. "Why have you not touched me thusly before?"

"You were not ready," came the reply.

"What makes me ready now?" Her voice was a trifle breathless.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "You just are, my darling." His dark head dropped down to quickly kiss her lips. Then stretching out beside her he leaned over and his warm tongue began to slowly lick at the nipple of one breast. After a moment she shuddered. His hand began to fondle her other breast, cupping and kneading and stroking at it as he continued lapping at the now tight little bud of the first breast.

The warm wet on her flesh. The knowledge that it was his tongue touching her ignited something deep within Mairin. A heat that seemed to center itself between her thighs. She shifted anxiously, but when he lifted his head from her breast she whispered, "Oh, please don't stop, my lord!"

With a smile he transferred his mouth to her other nipple, closing his lips over the sensitive skin and drawing firmly upon it. She gasped with surprise! Then her fingers threaded themselves into his hair, and she held him hard against her, her voice crying urgently.

"Yes!"

He played with her for some time in this fashion. The soft globes of her tender b.r.e.a.s.t.s were wonderfully responsive to his touch. So much so that he wondered if the rest of her body would be as responsive. His hands began to feather downward over her slender torso. Her quivering, aching b.r.e.a.s.t.s silently cried out for the return of those hands. Her flat belly shrank beneath the fingers that gently kindled little flames within its depths, and smoothed hot desire over her perfumed skin. She could not suppress the pained moan that escaped her.

"Oh, Basil, my love! 'Tis so very sweet. How I burn! Oh, kiss me!"

Slowly he pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him back with intense pa.s.sion, her mouth pressing firmly upon his. Her pointed little tongue running quickly along his mouth to plunge within and stroke fervently at his own tongue. Her hands reached up to caress his lean body. Frantically her fingers sought him, sliding over his shoulders and down his back to caress his tight b.u.t.tocks. Her innocent touch caused an explosion of his own pa.s.sions. Shifting his body so that they lay side by side he took her slim hand and drew it down to his manhood. Without any hesitation her fingers fastened about the smooth warm shaft. She fondled him gently and lovingly. To his great surprise, for he had not believed himself so deeply roused, her touch caused his seed to spurt almost immediately over her warm hand. He groaned, half-shamed, but Mairin was delighted.

"I have never seen a man's seed before," she said, her own pa.s.sion ebbing as her curiosity took over. "Imagine that a child comes from that!" Sitting up she released her hold upon him, and examined the sticky liquid.

There was nothing he could do but laugh and ruefully he did. "I'm afraid I have sinned by spilling my seed where it will not take root," he said.

"Is this the first time you have done such a thing, my lord? I thought that a man's seed could only be expelled into a woman's womb. I see now that it is not so."

"No, it is not so, my love. A man can release his seed anywhere when he is aroused. Only in a woman's womb will it take root, however, and grow into a child."

"Tell me of other places where a man might release his seed, Basil. I want to learn to give you pleasure as you have given me pleasure."

For a moment he considered her request, but realized she was still too inexperienced. "I would make no mystery of it, my darling," he said, "but I should prefer demonstrating to you all these delicious things. You must be patient, however. For now, I prefer to end our lessons. We must bathe for we are invited to take our evening meal with the emperor."

Mairin pouted. She lacked the wiles that would have helped her to get around her husband. "I will be glad," she said, "when we are in our own home, and separated from Constantinople by the Bosporus. The emperor and his meals are most inconvenient!"

"By late winter," he promised her. "The water supply for our palace was not as near as I had antic.i.p.ated. An aqueduct is being built, but it takes time."

"I want to be alone with you," Mairin complained, and he smiled.

She was suddenly very much in love with him, and jealous of every minute he spent away from her. He had given her a taste for pa.s.sion. Mairin wanted to drink deeply and often from that well. She took to lingering in her bath, and even purchased a slavegirl who was a skilled ma.s.seuse. Zoe spent several hours a day ministering to her mistress's body so that it would be flawless for the prince. Mairin found that she craved Basil's touch. She sought all sorts of ways to attract his attention, for the more he petted and caressed her, the more eager she was for his loving.

Basil did not disappoint his bride. Although he still believed her too young to completely consummate their union she was anxious to learn everything else that could give them pleasure. He knew that the time was drawing near when he would be unable to restrain his desire for this beautiful girl. If Mairin in her innocence craved total fulfillment, Basil ached with his knowledge of what their pa.s.sion could be.

When she was not at her lessons with Master Simeon or Peter the Musician, and Basil not at court attending on his cousin, they were in each other's arms. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s had thrived with his attention. They were now perfect smooth globes of lush flesh in whose deep valley he enjoyed slipping his hard length, being careful to remove it just before his crisis. She was not shy of playing with him. Indeed one day as they fondled each other she bent her head down and boldly took him into her mouth.

When he gasped with surprise she released him, and looking up asked, "Is such a thing forbidden?"

"Only by fools and hypocrites," he answered her, and gently pushed her head back down so she might continue pleasuring him. When she had driven him almost to the brink he bade her cease. Then laying her upon her back he slipped between her slender legs drawing them up and over his shoulders as he loved her in the same gentle fashion.

As his tongue plied its tender torture the gates of knowledge opened just a bit wider for Mairin. Until now she had believed that even their eventual consummation could be little better than the delightful pleasures they gave and received of one another during their long evenings together. Now in this blazing moment she knew how ignorant she really was of what lay ahead. She felt suddenly out of control. Unable to stop herself she soared amid the very stars and moon for what seemed like an eternity. Then once more she found herself within the safety of his strong arms, and he looked down upon her, smiling.

"I cannot wait much longer to possess you, my love," he whispered to her. "You have become life itself for me, Mairin."

"I don't want to wait either," she returned. "I love you, my prince. It has been eight months since our marriage was celebrated. I am now fourteen, and ready to be a woman, but let us wait just a few weeks longer. We will be moving into our palace soon. I do not want to consummate our marriage here in the Boucoleon, Basil. I want to consummate it on that first night in our own home. Would it not be a favorable omen for our future happiness to conceive our first child, our son, in our own home?"

Her words touched him. As deeply as he desired her the idea of celebrating their first pa.s.sion for one another in their own palace pleased him. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. His turquoise eyes were warm with his love and his admiration for her. She was indeed the perfect wife for him. Her sense of tradition was instinctive and admirable.

"I shall see that our home is habitable as quickly as possible," he promised her. "In the meantime we shall keep from one another. It will put a fine edge upon our desire, Mairin. You are a skillful and natural student of pa.s.sion, my love. I want our consumption to be so perfect that you will remember it all of your life with joy."

"But I cannot do without your touch, my lord! You are necessary to my very survival!" She flattered him artlessly.

"Tonight I shall satisfy all your l.u.s.tful little cravings, my love, but come the dawn I shall take myself to another room and there remain, until we enter into our own home. I want you as hungry for me, my beautiful bride, as I am at this very moment for you!"

He took her into his arms, and kissed her. "You are delicious," he murmured against her mouth. "I think I am mad to make such a sacrifice as separating myself from you."

"Perhaps," she teased him, "it would be better if we began our celibacy now, my lord."

"Oh no, my fair enchantress, you shall not escape me this night!" he laughed. Then sweeping her up into his arms he carried her to their bed, and they lay naked together.

Ardently they caressed one another with hands and lips. He suckled upon her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and she sighed with contentment as the now familiar darts of excitement raced through her eager body. Then his hand was stroking the soft insides of her half-parted thighs. She quivered as for the very first time his fingers moved up to slip between the tender folds of pink flesh.

He felt her stiffen with resistance, and his voice soothed her. "No, Mairin, do not be afraid. I would only explore your sweetness a bit." A gentle finger rubbed her, and then was delicately inserted into her trembling body. "Ahh, my love, how I wish I might pierce you with my love-shaft instead of a finger," he whispered to her.

He moved the finger rhythmically within her and as her fear dissolved she felt a new excitement. Her body would not stay still, and she thrust her hips up to meet the movement of his hand. "Oh, Basil! It is good!" she sighed as suddenly a hot melting feeling suffused her entire being.

He bent his head, and kissed her pa.s.sionately. He was pleased that this first serious penetration had not frightened her. He had learned what he needed to know. Her maidenhead was lodged tight, and would, when the consummation of their union took place, require all his skill and patience to breach. Raising himself up he said, "As always, my love, you are perfection. How I adore you!"

Her spirits soared. She loved and was loved. She was desired and she desired in return. During the next few days there was a glow and an excitement about her that had not been there before. Eada saw it, and unable to help herself, questioned Mairin.

"Are you happy, my child?"

"Oh, yes, mother!"

Eada debated with herself a moment. Then she said, "Have you yet . . . ?" She hesitated, but Mairin read her mother's thoughts.

"Not yet, but I am ready, and Basil agrees, mother. We have decided to wait, however, until we move across the water into our own home. I want my son conceived beneath his own roof where he will first see the light of day."

"I have not yet spoken to you on what you should expect, my child," said Eada. "I would not have you unprepared now that your time is near."

"I do not think there is anything I have not already learned, mother. It is true we have not yet consummated our union, but Basil and I have played at all manner of bedsport these past months. I have found everything quite wonderful," Mairin said somewhat smugly.

"But has he warned you of the pain?" Eada asked her daughter.

"Pain?" Mairin looked somewhat startled. "What pain? There has been no mention of pain!"

Eada smiled softly. How just like a man, she thought, to stress only the pleasures of an initial encounter. "You could, Mairin, experience some pain upon first becoming a woman," she told her daughter. "It is nothing to be fearful of for it is quite natural, and to be expected. There will also be a slight bleeding when the virgin shield is pierced. It only happens the first time. After that there will be neither pain, nor bleeding. There should only be pleasures for you and Basil for you love one another."

"Is there still pleasure for you and father?" Mairin asked boldly. Then she blushed, and lowered her eyes.

Eada laughed. "Yes!" she said, and her blue eyes twinkled. "Even after all these years there is yet pleasure in the coupling for your father and me. We love each other, Mairin. There is the difference. One cannot sustain joy where there is no love. May there always be love between you and Basil as there is between your father and me."

"Oh, there will be, mother!" said Mairin with the deep a.s.surance of every bride who can see no further than tomorrow. "He says that his every thought both waking and sleeping is of me! I am so very fortunate that he loves me!"

"You love her?" Bellisarius' usually controlled voice sounded strangely high-pitched in the prince's ears as with his habitual restless energy he prowled about the magnificently furnished anteroom of his private apartments in the Boucoleon Palace. As Byzantium's most famous actor of the times it was his privilege to be housed there at the emperor's expense.

"Dear G.o.d, Basil! Why do you not simply take a dagger and stab me through the heart? When you announced your intentions to marry you swore to me that you would never stop loving me even if you did intend to wed to beget heirs for your family. In the eight months since that day you have not once visited me as my lover. Still I remained loyal to you for I have never known you to lie.

"Now you come to me and you tell me that you love the b.i.t.c.h! You have but come today to bid me farewell! I love you! Does that mean nothing to you at all? You are cruel! Cruel!" He flung himself upon a couch that was covered in red satin and cloth of gold. Clutching a green-and-gold-striped pillow to his chest he stared darkly at the prince with a look that was part anger, part jealousy, part hate.

"I am not like you, Bellisarius," Basil said quietly. "In my entire lifetime I have had but two male lovers. My first lover was as you know my cousin Eugenius Demertzis. We were both only thirteen and fearful of approaching a woman lest we be rebuffed. We experimented upon each other until we had enough confidence to tumble my aunt's slavegirl. Until you all my other lovers have been women. I have always enjoyed women. You are not like me. You have never loved a woman nor are you even capable of it. How many times have you admitted to me that the idea of making love to a woman repels you? Sometimes I believe you are a female soul caught within a man's body."

"Then why did you become involved with me?" demanded the actor petulantly.

"Do you remember when we first met, Bellisarius? I had been involved with three women, and had discovered that each of the b.i.t.c.hes had been playing me false while filling her jewel chests with my very generous baubles. Then to add insult to my injury Helena Monomachus attempted to p.a.w.n her b.a.s.t.a.r.d off upon me. I was angry. Maybe even bored with the female of the species. Perhaps I felt I needed a change, and a male lover was certainly a change. Besides, I liked you." He reached out and patted the actor's shoulder comfortingly. "You are my best friend, Bellisarius. Please, I beg you, try to understand my feelings. Mairin is everything I have ever sought in a woman. Oh yes, she is young, but she has such promise! Sometimes in the night I awaken, and fear that I shall not be able to keep up with her one day." He smiled to himself. "May G.o.d help me, but I am so in love with her! Can you not comprehend that, dear Bellisarius?"

"Love?" The actor sneered bitterly, his face a vicious mask. "You do not know how to love, Basil. You know only the pleasure in possessing a new toy, which is precisely what your precious bride is to you, my prince! Once the novelty of f.u.c.king her has worn off you will seek another pretty diversion! Poor little girl! I actually feel sympathy for her though I have never met her. They say she is a sweet thing, but when you have drained her sweetness away you will discard her for another new toy even as you are discarding me, Basil, and I hate you for it!"

"You are wrong! I love her!" said Basil, stung by Bellisarius' unkind words. "We have not yet even consummated our marriage. I believed her too young when we married, but now she is ready for love. In three days' time we will consummate our love in our own home."

Seating himself beside Bellisarius he flung his arm about the actor who shrank rather pointedly from this casual embrace. "Oh, come, my friend! Be happy for me! There are many who seek to be your lover. You cannot deny that to me of all people! How many times did we laugh over your lovesick swains? Tell me truly, Bellisarius. Have you not been approached at least a hundred times over these last few months?"

"Of course I have been approached," sniffed Bellisarius, "and by men of greater importance than you, Basil. I am greatly desired." He preened, unconsciously arching his neck, a faint smile upon his face which faded as quickly as it had come. "I, however, remained true to our love. You have not! I never even allowed myself one tiny tryst."

"I am sorry," said the prince. "You are my friend, and I never meant to hurt you. I thought I could love you both, but I cannot," he finished honestly.

"And so you chose her over me," Bellisarius said. Suddenly there was a note of deep sadness in his voice as if he had resigned himself to the prince's words. "Why?" he asked plaintively.

"I could not help myself," said Basil. "I know now that I was hers from the very first moment I saw her."

Bellisarius sighed. It was a sound of such infinite pain that Basil felt tears p.r.i.c.king at the back of his eyelids. "All the love I have for you cannot bind you to me if you do not wish to be held, my prince. You have broken my heart as you will one day break hers, but I am no fool. Loving you as I do I want your happiness even if it means that you are leaving me." He arose from the couch. "Come! We will drink a last goblet of wine together. Then you must go, and return to your innocent wife." With slow mincing steps he walked across the room. A silver tray with goblets and decanters sat upon a round marble-and-gold table with great claw feet of green agate. "She has never known about us, has she?" he said thoughtfully.

"No," answered the prince. "Mairin is a true innocent. A love such as is sometimes shared between two men is not within her scope of knowledge. She would be shocked by it. She was not brought up here in Constantinople where such things are not considered unusual."

Bellisarius had reached the table. He nodded as if in agreement with Basil. Upon the first finger of his right hand was a large ruby. His body shielding the tray with its goblets and decanter from the prince, he flipped open a secret catch upon the dark red stone revealing in its hollowed interior a fine black powder. Skillfully he spilled half the powder into each of the two silver-chased goblets, quickly pouring atop it a blood-red Grecian vintage. The powder instantly dissolved, disappearing into a swirl of sweet wine. The actor swung smilingly about to come forward with the two goblets.

Gracefully he offered one to the prince. "To what shall we drink?" he said. "Since it is to be the last toast we shall ever share between us it should be a special one."

"Let us drink that we each find true happiness," said Basil, "for, dear Bellisarius, it saddens me to think that I have caused you any pain. I would have you as happy this very minute as I am."

Bellisarius smiled broadly. "Suddenly I am, my prince," he said, and raising the goblet to his lips he drank it down. Basil followed suit.

When the cups had been placed upon the table again the actor said with sudden and surprising venom in his voice, "Your precious princess will soon learn of how easily you betray someone you claim to love, my prince! She will shortly know the terrible pain you have visited upon me, and she will be forced to live with that pain for the rest of her life which I pray will be a long one! When we are found together, Basil, there will be those only too willing to reveal our relationship, and all its attendant gossip, to your wife. For me the greatest revenge I will have upon you both is the knowledge that she will never, ever be completely certain that you really loved her! You see, my prince, you will not be alive to either comfort her, or to deny the rumors!" He laughed a sharp high cackle of mirth. Then he staggered suddenly and fell to his knees.

As he did Basil felt a cruel, sharp pain knife through his own guts. "Bellisarius," he cried, "what have you done?" Then he, too, fell to his knees to find himself facing the actor whose face was a mask of vengeful triumph.

"Done?" Bellisarius was fast growing pale. "I have done nothing more than to insure that you will always be with me, my darling! She cannot have you for you are mine, Basil! Mine for now and all eternity! Mine!" And so saying he fell forward into the prince's arms quite dead. His weight tumbled the weakened man backward onto the magnificent thick red-and-black wool carpet.

Basil's whole body felt numb. Unable to move he lay upon his back, Bellisarius clasped within his helpless embrace, his blond head as if in sleep upon the prince's chest. As his murderer's words penetrated his befogged brain Basil felt his own heart slowly coming to a stop. With a last burst of energy he cried out but one word, "Mairin!" and then he died.

For several long minutes there was silence within the beautiful room. Then slowly the door to the antechamber opened, and a young boy hurried in. Seeing the bodies upon the floor he stopped, gasping, then bravely he made his way to where the bodies lay. Being careful not to disturb them, he reached into his tunic and drew out a small mirror which he placed first beneath the prince's nostrils, and then the actor's. The gla.s.s remained clear.

The boy sighed, and rising left the room to hurry off through the maze of corridors that connected the various sections of the palace with one another. Reaching Basil's apartments he smoothed his tunic neatly, and boldly entering, asked to speak with the princess.

"She is with her lady mother," said Nara, thinking this boy seemed of little importance. "She cannot be disturbed."

"I must speak with her!" the boy insisted. "I must!"

"Well you can't, my lad, and that is that," replied Nara bossily.

Suddenly the boy who was no more than ten began to cry. "My master is dead, and the prince with him," he sobbed. "I do not know what to do. I thought the princess could help," he sniveled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"What?" Nara screeched. "What is this you say? Dagda! Dagda, come quickly!" She reached out with a strong hand yanking the boy into the center of the room where he suddenly found himself facing a giant with shoulder-length white hair. The boy quailed with fright.

"Don't be afraid, lad," said Dagda, his deep kindly voice belying his fierce appearance. "What is the matter, and who are you?"

"I am Paul. I belong to Bellisarius, the great actor. I have just come from my master's apartments. He and Prince Basil are lying upon the floor. Both are quite dead, sir."

"Lord have mercy upon us all!" cried Nara, only to be silenced by a look from Dagda.

"You are quite certain that they are dead, lad?" Dagda gently questioned the boy.

"Yes, my lord. I took my mirror and held it to their nostrils. There was no fog upon the gla.s.s. It was my master's bath time. I only entered the room to remind him, for if the water was not the proper temperature he would beat me. I was not spying upon them!" The boy now began to tremble in fear as he realized how very serious a matter this really was.

"Why did you come here, lad?" said Dagda.

"Is not this the apartment of Prince Basil and his wife, sir? It is Prince Basil who lies dead with my master. Where else would I have gone?"

"Woman!" Dagda pierced Nara with a cold look. "Keep your wits about you and your mouth shut until I see this tragedy."

Nara nodded, very frightened.

Bidding the boy remain where he stood by Nara, the Irishman ran back through the corridors to Bellisarius' apartments. Looking quickly about to be certain he wasn't observed, he entered. Dagda knew the rumors of the prince's relationship with the actor. He also knew that it had ended with Basil's marriage to Mairin. Now as he saw the two men clasped in their obscene and deathly embrace, his lip curled scornfully.

Then he began to a.s.sess the situation more clearly. It became important that the bodies be moved so that the scandal not hurt Mairin. Pulling Bellisarius off the prince, he wrinkled his nose in distaste as the actor's cloying perfume rose to a.s.sail him. He moved Basil's body over to the red-and-gold couch and laid it back amid the pillows. It was the best he could do. At least the two men weren't entwined in that perversion of an embrace any longer. With a sigh he departed the room, hurrying through the palace corridors to the rooms of the court physician, Demetrios.

Over the many months he had lived in Constantinople Dagda had made friends with Demetrios. The two played at chess in the evenings. Now Dagda needed that friendship. Unhindered he entered into the physician's chambers, and finding his friend alone quickly explained his need. Demetrios followed Dagda back to the apartments of Bellisarius. Shaking his head at the futility of it all he moved to examine the two bodies.

"Poison," he said quietly, sniffing first at the region about the prince's lips, and then moving across the room to check first the dregs in the cups and the decanter. "It's not in the decanter. It was put into the cups itself."

"What is it?" demanded Dagda. "Do you know? How was it administered, and by whom?"

"I can't be certain of what it is," said Demetrios, "except probably some particularly virulent and highly distilled form of nightshade for which there is no antidote. It worked almost instantly, Dagda. That I can tell for there is virtually no distortion of the bodies. It would have been either powder or a liquid. We'll never know now as we will never know whether it was a suicide pact between the prince and his lover, or a suicide and murder. We cannot even know which one of them initiated it."