The Meerkat

Ender arrived barely ahead of a sandstorm and took shelter in the first building he saw that was still open, which proved to be a wine café. "My pardon, good sir."

"No bother, no bother," the man replied. "Help me finish with these shutters. Divine, this was the last thing I needed today."

Laughing in sympathy and agreement, Ender helped him get all the shutters closed up tight and barred the door.

Just in time, as everything started to bang and clatter, sand descending on them worse than any rain shower. Not that he'd ever seen a rain shower, not since he was a child. He'd heard they were more common here, by the coast, and was eager to learn if that was true.

For the present, though, he pulled a coin from his purse. "Could I get some wine to clear the road dust from my throat, good sir?"

"Of course, of course." The man caught the coin as Ender tossed it. "Any preferences?"

"I trust you entirely." He was a student on scholarship; he drank whatever he could afford. Normally he wouldn't have money for such a self-indulgent splurge, but after the heart attack-inducing letter he'd received, had gone all the way home to open, since it had been delivered there rather than to the university, his parents had been… strange.

Quiet, far more quiet than he'd expected. Generous, alarmingly so, with food, money, supplies… Like they were eager to help him on his way—or apologizing for something.

To Master Ender Marongoz,

Son of Master and Mistress Marongoz

House of Green, Street of Stars

City of Basharin, Province of Fenn-Bar

Master Ender Marongoz,

His Royal Majesty King Shafiq Tavashta requests you come immediately to the Royal Palace of Tavamara for a private audience. If you cannot come, please notify the messenger at once of your reasons. If you require assistance in your journey, it will be provided. Otherwise, send by messenger the estimated date of your arrival.

Do not discuss this private matter further than you must. Should you run into trouble along the way, contact us via the royal guards or an official messenger.

We eagerly await your arrival.

Sincerely,

Lady Latif Uzun

Royal Steward of Tavamara

To say he was scared to death was putting it mildly.

He was the son of carpenters; was in school to earn a degree in architecture; and in his free time he wrote poetry and daydreamed about a life more exciting than designing shops and homes, a life of glamor and music, of dancing and poetry.

Now he was being summoned to a private audience with the king. He must have done something wrong, but in the two weeks he'd been traveling across the kingdom, he could not think of a single thing he'd done that would provoke this sort of response.

Right now, exhausted and frayed at the edges, he no longer had energy to spare on it. Instead, he thanked the café proprietor for the wine and snacks that were added in thanks for his assistance and enjoyed his moment of quiet.

The wine was a good one, though he wasn't experienced enough to know its name. Pale purple, on the bitter side, a perfect compliment for the sweet treats that accompanied it.

Wine was most often meant to be shared, but for the entirety of his adult life, Ender had always drunk alone. Too poor to go out with friends, too rural for all his polished city classmates.

He didn't mind though. It meant he could work on his poetry in peace, drink and eat what he wanted, didn't have to endure the noise and chaos of crowds…

Could be achingly lonely and miserable without witnesses.

However terrified he was of being summoned by King Shafiq, at least he'd get to see the royal city, the royal palace… the king himself, the royal court, the gardens, maybe even the library…

"So what brings you to Tavala? You sound as though you come from at least Fenn-Bar."

Ender smiled and lifted his cup in acknowledgement. "Just so, close to the border with Remm. I've been summoned to speak with some people on a matter they didn't bother to explain."

The man's brows shot up, and he gave up any pretense of tidying the café, sitting right down across from Ender. "Not one of those who's been summoned to the palace?"

"Are there are a lot of people being summoned to the palace?"

"Lately, yes, at least according to all the rumors. Nobody will say why, though. It's all very secretive. Some say it's related to that judge who was recently removed from her post and arrested alongside her husband. Everyone says she was taking bribes, threatening people, that sort of thing."

"I hope they don't have children."

"They did!" the man said with shocking eagerness. "Two daughters, supposedly, who were adopted by another family. A son, fully grown, who was taken into the king's harem. The first concubine he's ever taken, though there are rumors spinning now that he took the Jackal himself as concubine."

Ender blinked. "The Jackal?"

"Oh, right, you're from out of town. He was a famous fighter; nobody could defeat him. Then he just vanished—some say he fell into drugs or too much wine, turned to criminal activity to pay for his habits. Now he's a royal concubine." He shrugged. "Some people have all the luck, eh?"

"I'm not sure anyone would describe becoming addicted to wine or drugs as lucky, but I take your meaning. My summons isn't nearly so glamorous, I'm afraid."

"Well, that's all right. Maybe a long-lost relative has left you a fortune, eh?"

Ender laughed. "Maybe. If that proves to be the case, I will return and spend a great deal of it."

"Good, good!" the man said cheerfully. "You do that, and I will make it worth every coin! Ha ha!" He stood up and bustled to the door, pulling back the curtain over the top half. "Looks like the storm has died down, my little friend."

"I should be on my way, then," Ender said with a sigh. "Thank you for the fine repast, good sir, and the divine bless your days."

"Good lad, good lad," the man said, patting his back. "Such nice manners. These city kids don't have them anymore, no discipline these days. You be careful out there."

"I will, thank you," Ender said, and finally escaped.

Straightening his clothes and resettling his bag, all that he'd had to bring with him beyond the food his mother had made for him, he pushed on through the city, eyes on the palace in the distance, sprawling across the top of a hill like a crown.

All his fear and worry came rushing back, urging him to run away, run away. But the only way to get answers was to keep going forward.

So forward he went, climbing the enormous, beautiful steps that led up the palace itself, with special ramps alongside for those who could not use steps.

At the top of the steps was a beautiful pavilion, enfolded on three sides by parts of the castle and enormous columns lining the open space facing the city. There was an enormous fountain in the center, water spilling from the various vessels held by dancing men and women. So much water, and all for decoration. His mother would shriek at such showy wastefulness.

Heart pounding in his ears, stomach tied into a thousand knots, Ender pulled out his letter and approached the scary-looking guards that stood on either side of the immense doors into the palace. "H-hello," he said slowly, holding the letter out. "I received this summons."

"Remove your head and face garments," the guards said tersely as he took the letter.

"Oh, of course, my apologies." Ender fumbled hastily to obey, unwinding the long strip of cloth that protected him from sun and dust.

"This looks to be in—" the guard stopped as he looked up, mouth dropping, the letter slipping from his fingers.

"Knock it off!" the guard next to him hissed, giving him a hard kick to the shin before stooping to retrieve the letter himself. He returned it to Ender and said, "Restore your wrappings. Follow me. Speak to no one. Understand?"

"Y-yes, sir," Ender said, covering his head again with trembling hands as he followed the guard into the palace.

Inside was refreshingly cool, and dark at first as his eyes adjusted. Once he could see properly, all he could do was quietly gawk at the beauty of it all. The mosaics. The treasures placed as decoration. The rows upon rows of guards lining the walls. All the hopelessly beautiful people in their ornate clothes dyed more colors than Ender had ever seen.

A sound caught his ear, the most beautiful laugh he'd ever heard, more musical than a single laugh had any right to be. Ender glanced around frantically for the source, breath hitching as it drew closer, and finally came around the corner.

His chest seized as he stared into his own face.

Leaner, sharper, paler… but most definitely his own face.

That. That couldn't be. How could someone look exactly like him?

The man with the beautiful laugh stopped, stared. The guards tried to haul Ender away, but he jerked away from them and rushed up to the stranger who wasn't a stranger, tearing away his face coverings. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Eyes widening, skin leeching of color, the man stared. "You can't— This isn't—" He covered his mouth with both hands. Around them the hall had gone deadly quiet.

This time, when the guards grabbed him up, Ender didn't resist, too numb, too bewildered.

They came to a stop in a small room beautifully appointed in greens and pinks, the back open to gardens that smelled of blooming flowers and fresh water he could just barely hear trickling. He dared a look at his… twin? No, that was too much right now. Shying away from the word and all that it implied, Ender focused on the other person involved in this mess.

His heart dropped into his stomach as he registered what he hadn't before: the man was bare-chested. Dressed in black. Costly jewels. He was a royal concubine. This one didn't look like a fighter, though, so he must be the son of the corrupt judge. Well, assuming the café proprietor's gossip had any truth to it.

Corrupt judge. His parents acting strange—acting guilty —as they helped him pack. A whole bunch of little things that had picked at him his whole life, but which he'd brushed aside.

He couldn't breathe . How could his parents not tell him.

"Bring us some wine, please," the other man said.

"Yes, Lord Nadir."

"Your name is Nadir?" Ender asked, then flinched, because he might be a country bumpkin to most, but he knew that much protocol. "My apologies, I should not have—"

"You can speak freely to me," Nadir said fiercely. "The guards are here to bear witness, and no one, absolutely no one , is going to forbid me speaking with my twin brother ."

Everyone in the room flinched, but the guards did not contest the words.

"What's your name?" Nadir asked more quietly.

He had the most beautiful voice. The most beautiful everything, really. Ender was finding it increasingly difficult to believe they were twins, because the few times he'd glimpsed his own reflection he had not been even half so pretty as the man before him. Their faces were alike, minus the differences accrued by very different lifestyles, but that was all.

Licking his lips, looking away, he finally replied, "My name is Ender."

"Ender," Nadir repeated softly.

An angry voice came from the hallway, followed by voices filled with apology and remorse. The angry voice did not seem remotely appeased.

A moment later the source of the angry voice blew into the room, and Ender froze, eyes widening, before he recalled himself and dropped to his knees and bowed low, remaining that way, heart thudding, eyes staring holes into the rug.

"Nadir," the angry man said. "Are you all right? I am so very—"

"How could you not tell me! How, Shafiq?"

Shafiq sighed. "You have every right to be angry with me, and we will discuss this properly, but can we do it later? Not here, not now, when you are not the only one who needs my attention and deserves answers."

There was silence, and then Nadir sighed softly. "As you wish, my king."

"Truly I am sorry, my jewel. This was not how I wanted you to find out. My guards were instructed—" He fell silent, and Ender didn't need to see him to know Shafiq was fighting his anger again.

Ender flinched. "It wasn't their fault! They told me to speak to no one, to keep my face covered, and they tried to stop me—" He stopped. Another breach of etiquette. "My apologies, Your Majesty, for speaking out of turn."

Shafiq's voice was softer, calmer, as he replied, "Rise, please. You cannot speak out of turn when it is your life that I and my guards have so cruelly upended."

Trembling, Ender obeyed, slowly rising to his feet, daring a quick glance up before staring at the floor again. "Are we really…"

"You may look up, you may look as you please," Shafiq said with a sigh. "Yes, you really are twins. It is a long story, though, and you look like you have been traveling all day. Let me call for some refreshment."

Even as he moved to do so, however, a knock came at the door. Shafiq frowned as Nadir went to open it, and servants stepped in bearing trays of food. "We were told you would want this, Your Majesty?"

Shafiq smiled ever so faintly. "Yes, thank you. Which soldier thought to request it?"

"Sergeant Akta, Your Majesty."

"So noted."

Once the food was set out and the servants gone, Shafiq motioned for Ender to sit.

He was having a meal with the king. He had a twin brother he'd never known about, who was beautiful and poised and everything Ender would never be. Who was a royal concubine, the first one His Majesty had ever taken.

Ender didn't belong here, but he couldn't tear his eyes from them, not as Shafiq brushed his knuckles down Nadir's cheek before kissing him softly, not as Nadir poured wine that he offered to Shafiq first before drinking the remaining sip himself.

He dropped his gaze, fiddling with his own small cup of wine, feeling alone and miserably out of place.

"Your name is Ender, correct?" Shafiq asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ender replied to his teacup.

"Master Ender, I apologize once more that you are learning all of this in such a crude and cruel manner. I wanted to speak with you privately, and explain everything to you, and let you and Nadir meet if you chose to."

"I don't understand how this is possible," Ender said, the words barely above a whisper. "Did my parents give you away when I was a child?"

Shafiq sighed, tired and sad. "The brutal truth is that we will probably never really know. Your birth parents are long dead, we have already confirmed that. They sold you, or you were kidnapped, when you were babes. One child went to the people that raised Nadir, and you of course went to the couple who raised you."

Ender's stomach lurched hard, threatening to release all the wine he'd drunk since arriving in the city. He'd just assumed… It had never occurred to him… "So my parents aren't really my parents." They'd participated in trafficking . "Did… did my parents know we were twins?"

"We don't know," Shafiq replied. "Only your parents can answer that question. I will have them summoned eventually, but I wanted to speak with you alone first, in case…"

Ender frowned, slowly bringing his gaze up. "In case what?"

"Nadir was severely abused by his parents. They did not just wrongfully obtain him, they actively helped with the trafficking, arranging children of all ages to go to… other places. Most often families, but not always. We are still unraveling the web. I wanted to be sure you were not also a victim—more of a victim, I should say."

The tears Ender had been holding back finally slipped free. "My parents are good people. I thought they were. Strict, but loving. Carpenters. Didn't mind I wanted to go to university so long as they didn't have to pay for it, since we don't… don't have that kind of money. I earned scholarships… I… I…"

He'd been normal. Perfectly ordinary, even boring, normal.

Now he didn't know what he was, or what he could have been, why his parents who weren't really his parents…

Anything. He didn't know anything.

Oblivious to everything but his own inner tumult, Ender buried his face in his hands and cried. He barely noticed at first when warm, slender arms wrapped around him. When he did finally notice them properly, he looked up to find his own face staring back at him, just as tear-streaked and miserable.

Bells clanged in his head, a warning about all the protocol he was breeching, but Ender didn't give a damn right now. This was his brother , his twin brother. They'd never known. Nobody had ever wanted them to know.

When the tears had finally eased, at least for a time, Ender accepted the kerchief someone pushed into his hand and cleaned up his face. He stared at Nadir and blurted, "You're so beautiful. I know we look alike, but it doesn't feel like it."

Nadir laughed. "Here I was thinking you look so refreshingly pretty, instead of all perfectly polished like I've had to be my whole life. That's not a backhanded compliment!" he added hastily. "No, it sounds awful no matter how I try to say it."

"I take your meaning, and no offense," Ender replied with a smile. "Refreshingly pretty is much nicer than country dullard."

Across the table, in an odd tone of voice, Shafiq replied, "I can assure you that you are both breathtaking, and very much alike."

Ender's face burned, though he couldn't say precisely why. Next to him, Nadir made a rough, ragged noise in his ear and abruptly pushed away. "When did you first know about him? About us?"

Shafiq sighed and dragged a hand down his face. "Not long after we arrested your parents and started asking questions. Your father…let us say, began cooperating…first. He told us much. We figured out the rest, or persuaded it out of your mother, eventually. I wanted to tell you, but then I feared perhaps your brother was dead, and then what would be the point of causing you more pain? So first I set out to see if he was alive. Once I knew that… I thought to bring him here, and speak with each of you in turn, and see what you wanted to do, and proceed from there. I am sorry. I should have simply told you from the beginning."

Nadir sighed. "I wish you had, but I understand. You're lucky, though, that it's illegal to clobber you."

"Believe me, my jewel, I am well aware how much the law protects me, from my concubines and the council," Shafiq said with a chuckle. "I swear, I had only your best interests at heart, and truly I am sorry I made such a mess of the matter."

"Well, you brought me family I never knew I had, so that counts for much," Nadir replied.

Tentatively, Ender said, "Yes, but what kind of family might have shown up? I could have been a criminal. A thief. A greedy schemer who would twist this situation to my every advantage. I could have been at least as awful as your parents sound. I cannot say I would have behaved differently than His Majesty were I in his position. Too many questions, too many mysteries, and far too many possible unhappy answers. I have discovered a newfound hatred for having secrets kept from me, it's true, but… but his reasoning is sound." He glowered at the table. "That does not excuse my parents, who could have at least revealed everything to me before I came here, as they clearly suspected what the summons pertained to. Instead, they left me to find all this out…" He waved a hand in the air, abruptly out of words.

Shafiq smiled, soft and gentle, and Ender couldn't help the way his stomach flipped. Who wouldn't be flustered and a little pleased to receive such a smile from the king himself? "Eat, please, do not let the food go to waste. Once you've eaten, I will have you escorted to your rooms, so you can rest properly. Tonight, you can dine with me and my concubines, and we'll speak more." He stopped, face falling. "Alas, no, I misspeak. There's a banquet tonight that I cannot skip. Tomorrow, though, and in the meantime, you and Nadir have leave to speak as much as you like. It will have to be under guard supervision, of course, I cannot simply ignore the laws, but I will clear Nadir's schedule, so he may spend time with you."

"The gossip is going to be truly ridiculous." Nadir laughed, the sound even prettier up close than it had been at a distance the first time Ender heard it. They might be twins, which despite everything, Ender still had a hard time comprehending, but Nadir was far more beautiful, in a hundred ways, than Ender would ever be.

He didn't feel like a brother, but more like… an aspiration. Someone Ender would rather be… or have… the sort of person he only got to be or enjoy being with in hopeless daydreams or far more illicit bed dreams.

Especially with the way he looked at Shafiq, the way Shafiq looked back, like they were the only two in the room. Just that single look showed so much love, affection, passion…

Cheeks hot, Ender sipped at his wine, which didn't really help anything, but at least gave him something to do. "You don't have to interrupt your days on my account. I am happy to attend between obligations. I've never been to Tavala, and I never thought I'd get to see the royal palace…" His cheeks burned anew. "Sorry, that probably sounds as stupid and countrified as I'm always accused of being."

"The cities flourish from the efforts of the country," Shafiq said. "Every part of Tavamara is equally important and vital. Do the city folk think their crops appear out of thin air? That the many fruits that become their precious wines grow on city streets? They should have more respect for the hard lives that make theirs easier."

Ender slowly looked up and smiled, stomach flipping hopelessly again. If he'd ever thought about it at all, he would never have guessed that the king himself, the most powerful man in the kingdom, who had probably never known anything but every luxury Tavamara could offer, would be so understanding, would defend him and his peers so. If only all the asses at school could hear him. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"It is I who thank you, for coming so far on such little notice, only to have your life thrown into disarray and still be unfailingly kind and understanding. Your parents should be proud of the son they raised, and your birth parents, were they still alive, would have been happy to know you grew into such a fine person." He motioned to one of the guards standing against the wall, so silent and still that until this moment, Ender had forgotten they were there.

He backed away from the table and bowed low, then rose and bowed again, before following the guard from the room. If he couldn't resist a last glance back at Shafiq and Nadir, couldn't help the slight curl of longing and envy as he watched them embrace, well, that was his problem to deal with. Who knew, maybe now he was here in Tavala, in the royal palace of all places, he'd find someone.

In the hallway, the guard spoke briefly with two others and a servant before motioning for Ender to once again follow him.

Ender didn't know what he'd expected. A room in the palace, certainly, given the circumstances, but something more akin to… oh, he didn't even know. His dorm room at university. Something even more general than that, where he had a bunk in a large room.

He certainly did not expect to be led through not one, but two sets of locked and guarded doors, through halls that put the rest of the palace to shame, and to come to a stop in front of a door carved with all sorts of flora and fauna further accented with gold leaf.

This seemed more like something that belonged to a noble.

"Is this…" He hesitated, not wanting to be rude, but surely this was a mistake. "Is this the right room?"

The guard's mouth curved in the briefest, barest hint of smile. "His Majesty has declared you are his personal guest and to be treated accordingly. This is the right room, Master Ender. You will also have a personal servant assigned, and if they've not arrived ahead of you, they will arrive shortly. The royal wing also has staff on duty at all hours, should you require anything at any time." He bowed, handed over a small, beautiful key affixed with a teal and gold tassel, and departed.

Not certain what to make of anything anymore, feeling very much a country bumpkin, Ender opened the door and stepped inside.

The first thing that struck him was the scent of water. Both fresh water, just like the fountain in the pavilion, and also the sharper, mineral heavy water used for baths. Mixed with it was the scent of fresh flowers, which was nearly as shocking as the water. Back home, only the temple boasted flowers, and not in this profusion. He didn't know where to look first: the room overall was decorated in greens and blues, with accents of orange and pink. The room was enormous, bigger than his parents' entire house. The back half had a bed, lounging area, and an open archway that led to gardens, where he could just see the fountain responsible for the fresh-water scent.

The front half had a working area, with table, chest, drawers, shelves for scrolls and books. In the other corner was a bathing area, the bath itself as large as the bed. So much space. All for one person? All for him ? What was he supposed to do with it all?

He stood in front of the door, feeling every speck of dust, every smudge of dirt, every patch in his old clothes and the grime caked in his travel-worn boots. What was someone like him doing in a room like this? Being the long-lost twin brother of a royal concubine really didn't seem explanation enough.

On the other hand, even he knew that politics were a deadly game, and he was a sudden, expected vulnerability. How to hurt the king? Hurt his concubines. How to hurt them? Hurt the brother one of them hadn't even known he'd had until an hour or two ago.

Suddenly exhausted, Ender mustered the dregs of his energy to strip out of his dirty clothes and scrub thoroughly clean before sliding into the wonderfully hot bath. His soap smelled like jasmine, his hair soap like roses and honey, both softer and creamier than any soap he'd ever used in his life.

All this because he looked like a royal concubine.

It was only as he started to climb out of the bath that he realized he didn't have anything to change into. He'd only brought the bare necessities, mostly because he didn't have much more than that, and he hadn't thought he'd be staying long. What could a king possibly need of him that took more than a few minutes?

If only he'd known.

Thankfully, the momentary problem was solved as he looked around and noted the trio of robes hanging at the edge of the bathing area. He'd just shrugged into one when the door opened, making him freeze, as though caught out at something.

"Good afternoon, Master Ender! My apologies for arriving so late," the man said, bowing low. "His Majesty charged me with securing clothes for you, so I went to attend that first, and it took longer than I expected. I am sorry."

"No reason to be sorry," Ender replied. "I appreciate all the help I can get. Did you say clothes?"

"Yes, sir. I've obtained these—" He motioned to the bundles of colorful fabric clutched in one arm, "—for the interim, and arranged for a royal seamster to come take your measurements for more suitable clothes."

"That seems… an awful lot of effort for a mere guest."

"You are His Majesty's personal guest," the servant replied, as though that explained everything. Which it did, really.

"Thank you, then. What's your name?"

"Raia, Master Ender, and it is my honor to serve you. Let me just set these aside, and I'll attend your hair if you like."

Ender didn't have the courage to ask what was wrong with his hair.

As it turned out, his hair was only the start. Once that was trimmed and brushed and oiled and whatever else to Raia's satisfaction, his nails were attacked, hands and feet, though he couldn't deny he liked the beautiful blue lacquer Raia applied. He'd never worn anything like it. After that was creams, oils, and Raia muttering to himself as he took notes on things that mystified Ender.

By the time Raia was satisfied with all his efforts to polish Ender up, or so Ender assumed that was the goal, he could barely keep his eyes open. It wasn't even dinner time, or was only just, but he was too exhausted to be hungry.

Raia faded off, leaving Ender to discard his robe and crawl into the softest, warmest bed he'd ever experienced in his life. He would do whatever was asked of him if it meant he got to sleep in beds like this every…

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