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The Royal family of Enchancia was visiting for a little over a week with the Royals of Tangu to discuss revisions to their trade agreement. Roland had taken Baileywick and Cedric with him, assuring the pair that this would be a vacation as much as it would be work.
A performance was held after dinner on the first night. Dancers in silks, crystals, and sparkling coins moved as if made of water, their bodies exposed to show the way the muscles moved under smooth skin. It left the Enchancians stunned, unused to such dancing in their own kingdom.
“That was beautiful,” Baileywick whispered, picking up his glass.
Cedric perked up, looking over at him. “You think so?”
“Those outfits! I wonder if they would let me see how they are made?” he wondered. “I must say I have never seen such dancing before. Do you think any magic was used?”
“No, there was no magic,” Cedric assured him. “That was all them.”
“Fascinating…”
Cedric blushed at the look on his boyfriend’s face. He seemed to have really enjoyed the performance. He chewed on the end of a finger as he thought and then stood up to excuse himself once he came to a decision. “I shall be back,” he murmured.
The sorcerer found one of the dancers standing out on one of the balconies. He cleared his throat to announce himself before stepping out, not wishing to surprise her or make her think he had ill intentions. “Hello…”
“You are one of the Enchancians, yes?” the dancer asked with a smile.
He bowed to her, “Cedric the Great, at your service,” he said.
She laughed, waving away the formality. “I am called Mehtap. It is nice to meet you, Cedric.”
“So...um...have you ever thought about visiting Enchancia?” Cedric inwardly cringed at the awkward question. Why was he so bad at things like this?
“You did not come to talk to me about such mundane things,” Mehtap laughed. “Tell me about the one you wish to impress.” She saw the confused look on his face and giggled as she explained, “you are not the first to ask for help in such things. We find it cute and appreciate you coming to us directly for help. Some of us placed bets on how long it would take for one of your people to approach us!”
“Hades’ Halibut…” he murmured, blushing a bright red.
“Your love must be amazing for you to be so bashful asking for help,” she noted.
“His name is Baileywick. He is the steward to our king.”
“The gray haired man who always walks with his back straight and tells people to ‘make it work’?”
Cedric nodded, trying not to laugh at the description of Baileywick. “That’s him.”
“He is cute!” she said. “A real gentleman it seems.”
“I love him more than anyone else and I know he feels the same way about me. I just...wish I could do things like you can to show him sometimes! Enchancian dancing is not nearly as sensual and fluid as yours,” he confessed, wringing his hands. “We don’t go any further in our relationship but the love is still deep and strong. I would like to show him my love in other ways like you can.”
“Come with me,” she said as she took Cedric’s hand.
“Are you sure?”
“More than sure! Everyone will be delighted to teach someone new!” she promised with a smile.
***
Mehtap clapped her hands over her head as soon as she and Cedric stepped into the large dressing room. The other dancers stopped their conversations to look over at her. “Everyone pay attention! We have something important to do for my friend here!”
Cedric blushed at the confused looks thrown his way. He shifted on his feet, telling himself not to run. He had been told that outsiders did not normally come in here and he worried that he had broken some kind of important rule.
“We are going to help Cedric to impress his boyfriend! Everyone is to help in some way!” she said.
He was surprised at the enthusiasm this announcement was met with. Mehtap had been telling the truth when she said they enjoyed teaching others their craft. Several of the dancers came forward, talking to him in excitement. Others grabbed him and started to take his measurements, discussing fabric colors and designs for his own outfit.
Mehtap caught his eye and smiled. “You’ll be fine. We will make sure you make him think the stars have fallen from the sky out of envy for you once we are done!”
***
Several Days Later
Cedric had still not come to bed. This was their last night in Tangu after spending several days serving the Enchancian Royal family. Baileywick sat on the bed waiting for him, wondering if he should go out and look for the younger man or not. Just as he came to a decision, the door opened and Cedric came inside, shutting the door softly behind him.
“Cedric?” Baileywick frowned in confusion at the way the sorcerer entered their bedroom, holding his robe close to himself and moving slowly. He noticed that the other was barefoot and he worried that something had happened to him. “Cedric, are you okay?”
“I am more than okay,” Cedric assured him.
“What is that jingling sound?” Baileywick asked, noticing it whenever Cedric moved.
“Sit down,” he said, nodding to a chair. He waited until Baileywick moved to sit in it before he let his robe slide to the floor, finally showing what he had been hiding from him.
“Oh…” Baileywick said, his eyes growing wide in surprise at what Cedric was wearing.
“Do you like it? They made it specially for me.” Instead of his usual clothes, Cedric was dressed in a bedlah. The only thing that remained from his usual clothing were his fingerless gloves. He wore a green tight cropped vest decorated with small crystals and beads. The top just barely covered the sorcerer’s nipples, leaving the rest of his slender and soft body exposed. Hanging low from his hips was a purple belt decorated with coins and more crystals. He wore a pair of black silk baggy pants that were tied at his ankles, the sides opened to show more of his legs to the other.
“...so that’s what you’ve been doing these last few days,” Baileywick murmured. “I thought you were sneaking away to play hooky!”
“I made friends with some of the dancers! They were more than willing to teach me a few things,” Cedric said, moving to stand in front of the other.
“A few things?” he asked.
Cedric smiled, moving his hips as he had been shown. He closed his eyes, focused on the music in his head as he danced to it. The jingling of the coins helped him to keep the rhythm and he risked a peek to see Baileywick’s reaction.
The royal steward of Enchancia was entranced. He could only watch as Cedric danced, knowing he was doing his best. Some of the moves the sorcerer was able to pull off, others...looked awkward, but not for lack of trying. He leaned back as Cedric moved closer, smiling up at him as Cedric braced himself on either side of him with the back of the chair.
He lowered his head, letting his lips brush over Baileywick’s. He smiled, pressing their foreheads together before climbing into his lap, hugging him around his neck. “Did you like that?” he asked.
The older man laughed, resting his hands on Cedric’s hips to keep him from falling. He nodded, kissing the other on the lips. “It was amazing. You learned all of that for me?” he asked.
“I wanted to do something special,” Cedric agreed. He giggled as Baileywick buried his face against his neck, kissing the sensitive flesh. “Ah! I’m going to fall!” he cried.
The couple moved to the bed and Baileywick pinned Cedric down, resuming his tender kisses over the other’s exposed body. “My beautiful dancer,” he hummed.
“Your beautiful dancer,” Cedric agreed, letting out a sharp laugh as Baileywick kissed his stomach. “Careful! I’m ticklish there!”
He raised an eyebrow at that, giving Cedric a wicked look. “Oh?”
“Baileywick, don’t you daaaahahahhaaha!” He thrashed as the steward started to tickle him, kicking out helplessly as he threw his head back. “Wicked man! This is the last time I do anything for you!” he shouted.
He laid down and hugged Cedric against his chest, kissing him on the lips, cutting off any more of his threats. “I love you,” he sighed.
He hummed, hugging Baileywick close. “I love you too.”