The Lesser Evil - 2. The Visitor

Lying in bed, in his cozy bedroom above the shop, Edwin stared at the ceiling, sleepless. Outside, the sun was slowly setting on the horizon, painting the cloudy sky red and purple. Inside, three candles placed on a nearby wooden table cast warm light on the old wooden dresser and shelves stacked with books and crystals. Feeling nostalgic, Edwin shifted his gaze to look at the flames dance as the wax slowly melted.

As he got lost in thoughts of his childhood, spending time with Marcella and their parents, a faint red light flashed throughout the room. Was it from the sun, the candles, or a combination of both, the young man wondered. When he lifted himself up to get a better look, he realized he wasn’t alone anymore. There was a familiar figure sitting on the patterned rug strewn on the wooden floor. Edwin stared at the handsome man, their eyes locked onto each other. How did he manage to get inside the room? How did he even know where Edwin lived?

“You’re awake,” Florian said, his voice rich and pleasant. The man was finally there, in his room. Edwin had been fantasizing about him for so long, visiting the street market for a chance to talk to him, or even just to steal a glance from afar. But now, he was somehow there, within his grasp. He looked even more handsome than usual in the candlelight. The first few top buttons of his burgundy shirt were open, as if inviting Edwin to take a closer look and see what is underneath, undress him and explore his body with his fingers and lips.

“Florian… How did you get here?” the shopkeeper asked, sitting up, his eyes not moving from the other man’s face.

“Don’t you want me here?” the florist responded with a question of his own. He almost seemed offended.

“No, of course I want you. I’m glad you came,” Edwin was quick to reply. He didn’t want to scare him off, not when he finally had him so close.

That seemed to be enough for Florian, who slowly got up from the rug, all the while gazing at Edwin. He walked across the room and sat on the bed right next to the other man, their legs touching.

Edwin’s heart was beating faster, and he could feel himself starting to sweat. The florist was impossibly close, his body so warm and inviting. He looked different somehow, more confident, more seductive. Edwin could barely refrain himself from tearing off his clothes and making love to him right then and there. He wanted him so badly, and Florian seemed fully aware of it. At a frustratingly slow pace, the florist leaned in so that their faces were inches apart. Neither spoke a word, their heavy breathing the only sound in the room. Edwin took a deep breath, his nostrils filling with the other man’s scent, natural and manly. It was incredibly arousing.

Suddenly, Edwin felt the man’s gentle hand on his thigh, creeping up toward his waist. He shivered at the touch, feeling his erection starting to grow. Soon, he would no longer be able to hide it.

“What are you waiting for?” Florian whispered in his ear. The direct question, along with the man’s hot breath on his ear, made Edwin lose the last of his inhibitions. He had to have him.

Grabbing the florist by the shoulders, Edwin went in and planted a kiss on his lips. It was better than he ever could have imagined it. The man’s lips were soft and delicious, his kisses forceful and passionate. As fire coursed through his body, making him rock hard, Edwin hungrily kissed Florian as if he was trying to devour him. Their hands roamed each other’s bodies, undoing buttons and shedding every piece of clothing they could reach. In a matter of moments, they were both naked, their hot, sweaty bodies pressed close together.

With strong hands on his shoulders, Edwin was gently pushed down onto his back, as Florian got on top of him, looking into his eyes. It was a hungry, lustful look, penetrating deep inside his soul. Edwin could feel himself letting go, giving up control. At that moment, he would let the other man do whatever he wanted to. In fact, Edwin would beg him to do so.

As if reading his mind, the florist whispered again: “Will you let me inside?”

His body tense with arousal, Edwin could feel Florian’s hardness resting against his cheeks, ready to enter him. He had never wanted anything more.

“Open up for me,” the man pleaded. “Open up.”

Edwin closed his eyes, ready to surrender. His heart was banging loudly, he could hear it in his head.

“Open up.” The banging continued. “Open up.”

His eyes jerked open, and he was suddenly alone. There was no Florian, or anyone else in his room. It was early morning and he was dressed, lying in his bed, drenched in sweat.

With a frustrated sigh, Edwin ran his fingers through his hair, getting up. The banging noise, however, continued. It came from below, along with someone’s impatient voice.

“Open up! Edwin, are you home?”

The man ran over to the window and peered below, seeing a brown-haired girl he had not seen in months. Isolde.

“I’m coming down, hold your horses!” he yelled, and the girl looked up. She looked stressed out and tired. How could she not be, he thought, when her sister disappeared. She was probably worried sick. That must be why she came. She never visited Edwin, they were not friends. They only knew each other through Ida.

“Finally!” the girl stormed in as soon as he opened the door to his shop, not waiting for an invitation. She moved with confidence and strength, so unlike her younger sister. The only thing they had in common was hazelnut hair and soft facial features. Other than that, they were night and day. While Ida was gentle, feminine and carefree, Isolde was stern and loud. Soft breeze and hurricane.

It had been five years since the older sister left home after a clash with her father. She had told him there was no chance she would follow in his footsteps and serve the Temple, calling it a waste of time. As if stabbed in the heart, Agilmar simply informed her she was no longer his daughter. She was to leave the house at once, and so that was what she did. Over the next five years, she had not visited the house or seen her father again, having moved to the other side of town, where she worked as a blacksmith. She did, however, maintain a close bond with her younger sister, which not even their father could prevent.

“Well, excuse me for trying to sleep!” Edwin let out his frustrations, especially after being woken up from that dream. It felt so real, so good. He didn’t want it to end.

“Ugh, I’m sorry,” the young woman let out a sigh, flopping down on a chair next to a shop window. “I just… I needed to see you.”

“Of course,” Edwin nodded, looking at her with concern. He felt bad for her, guilty for not thinking to seek her out and tell her the news himself. “I should’ve looked for you, I’m sorry. How did you find out?”

“One of the priests, Henry. He lives near my house,” she explained. “What the hell happened, Edwin? How can she be gone?”

The young man pulled up a chair and sat right next to her. He hated having to relive the whole experience all over again, but it couldn’t be helped. Starting from the beginning, he recounted the whole story of what happened that day to Isolde, sharing everything he could remember, not that there was much to say. He still had no idea where to start looking for the girl, but maybe Isolde could be of help.

“What about that strange man you said you saw at the Temple? Do you think he might’ve had something to do with it?”

“I have no inkling. It could be nothing, we could just be wasting our time,” he shrugged. He was desperate to be useful, but he had no solid clues to go on. “Do you think it’s worth seeking him out?”

“I say it’s better than doing nothing. We won’t find Ida sitting here moping around,” Isolde said, getting up. It looked as if she was ready to head out at once. Edwin followed suit. He wanted to find Ida as much as she did. “Come on, then, sailor boy,” she called out, stopping when he looked at her funny. “What, you think Ida doesn’t tell me stuff?”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Edwin chuckled. “I could be stuck with far worse nicknames than that, even though it’s hardly justified.”

“Well, you can tell that to my sister when we find her.”

The walk to the Temple of Dawn was spent in tense silence. It was still quite early in the morning, so not many people were outside. The only noise was the sound of their shoes on the cobbled streets. As they neared the town square, Edwin observed the empty stalls where the street market was. Merchants would be arriving in a few hours to set up their products. Florian would surely be there, Edwin thought, the man’s lovely face as clear as day in his mind. But he shouldn’t be thinking about that right now. He had to stay focused on the task at hand.

Edwin glanced over at Isolde a few times, but the young woman was quiet, with a look of absolute concentration on her face. She did not seem like the type that liked to engage in small talk, but the shopkeeper decided to give it a try nonetheless. He couldn’t stay silent, so he enquired about her life, friends, work. Just as he suspected, Isolde answered his questions in as few words as possible, not interested in opening up.

“We’ll probably see Agilmar there. Are you alright with that?” he asked as they approached the holy place, the morning sun making its golden arches stand out even more. He could feel pain in his heart and emptiness in his chest as he looked at Ida’s house next to it. How he wished the door would open and she would come out, smiling as if nothing had happened.

“I don’t care,” she shrugged, not bothering to look at Edwin. The man noticed her jaw clench at the mention of her father. “All I want is to find Ida. I don’t give a rat’s ass about that man.”

“Speaking of him, he told me not to look for her. Said he would get the royal guards to do it.”

“I’m not surprised, Ida was always his favorite. He’ll ask the king himself if he needs to. As if the guards are ever going to bother,” Isolde scoffed. “Lazy asses. You don’t plan to listen to him, do you?”

“When have I ever?” it was Edwin’s turn to scoff. The girl said nothing, but he could see a slight smirk on her face.

The pair passed the tall iron gates, entering the well manicured courtyard, with massive oak and walnut trees on each side of the building. A perfect cobblestone path led them to the grand ornate door, which they pushed open, entering the Temple with confidence. Despite his aversion to religion, Edwin couldn’t deny the place looked radiant, the spring sun casting its warm rays through the large windows on the eastern wall.

The place was empty, but with their loud steps echoing through the grand nave, Edwin had no doubt somebody would hear them and come to meet them in a matter of seconds.

“I just hope we don’t run into that… Oh, great,” Isolde rolled her eyes as a familiar figure appeared from one of the side chambers. Priestess Giselle.

“What can I do for…” the priestess started to greet them, when she noticed Isolde, her face instantly turning into a scowl. “What are you doing here?” The way she eyed the younger woman from head to toe left no doubt that there was no love lost between them. “Came for a morning prayer?”

“Yes, I came to pray that you would disappear,” Isolda replied flatly, glaring at the other woman. “Apparently, it’s not working.”

“I advise you to leave before I call the high priest.”

“Priestess, please, we just came to ask a question,” Edwin interrupted them, taking a step toward her.

“About what?”

“There was a man yesterday, creeping around the Temple, trying to enter through the back door. He wore a gray cloak, covering his face. We wondered if he might have something to do with Ida’s disappearance. Have you seen him by any chance? Maybe you have an idea as to who he is?”

“I thought the high priest had told you not to get involved,” Giselle stood firmly, cocking an eyebrow at the man. “Whoever that man is, it is none of your business.”

“Of course it’s my business, my best friend is missing and I’m not going to sit and do nothing. I don’t care what Agilmar says. Do you know who that man is or not?”

The priestess didn’t respond right away, but when she did, it was hardly convincing. “No.”

“See, I think you do, and you better tell us,” Isolde said, taking a threatening step toward her.

“Or what?”

“Or I’m going to break your jaw,” the blacksmith woman clenched her fingers into a fist.

Edwin could see Giselle was panicking, her eyes darting around the temple, as if looking for something, or someone. Once she realized she had no backup, she fixed her gaze back on Edwin.

“I believe the man you’ve described could be Reiff. He is a hermit that comes by every once in a while to get something to eat. We give him what food and clothes we can spare.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“He is homeless. But no, I don’t know where he stays. Would that be all?”

“Yes, thank you,” Edwin replied, glancing at Isolde. Without a word, she nodded to the man as she turned and walked out.

~~

After learning the identity of the strange man he saw at the Temple of Dawn, Edwin had spent the rest of the morning walking around town with Isolde, searching the streets and alleys close to the Temple. Unfortunately, their search yielded no results, so the two decided to part ways for the day. Both were tired and hungry, and had their jobs to go back to.

It was late in the evening when Edwin closed his shop. He had hoped Mildburg would stop by for a visit, but the old woman did not come that day, and he had no clue where she lived. Whatever skills or powers she had, Edwin was starting to become a believer. She had warned him something bad would happen, and it did. Perhaps she could aid him in finding Ida?

Hoping the old woman would visit him tomorrow, he locked his shop and climbed the narrow wooden staircase that led to his small apartment above, ready to get some much-needed rest after a tiring day. After stripping down to his undergarments, he lay in his bed and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come to him soon.

As if alerted by his own intuition, Edwin suddenly opened his eyes and realized he was not alone in the room. Once again, Florian was there, this time sitting in a worn out leather armchair next to a chest of drawers. As their eyes met, the florist cracked a smile, stirring up the well-known desire within Edwin.

“You’re back,” the shopkeeper stated, lifting himself up to rest on his elbows.

The fair-skinned man did not hesitate in rising from the armchair and walking towards the bed, giving Edwin a look of pure want. “Yes. I came to continue what we started last night. I hope we have no interruptions this time. And I hope that is what you desire as well.”

“It is,” Edwin replied instantly. “I’ve been wanting you for a long time. I always visit the market in the hopes of seeing you.” He couldn’t keep his eyes off of Florian, finding him stunning. Slowly, he reached out and took the florist’s hand, pulling him down onto the bed.

Florian wasted no time, placing a hand on the back of Edwin’s head. It felt warm but strong, and Edwin relished the touch. He needed more. The florist closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss, but Edwin suddenly moved back, as a sudden realization occurred to him.

“Wait…” he said, and Florian opened his eyes, looking confused. “Is this another dream? Am I going to open my eyes and you’ll disappear like last time?”

The other man took hold of Edwin’s hands in his own, gently stroking them with his thumbs. “Yes,” he nodded.

Edwin’s heart fell. Why did this have to be a dream? And why did he have to be aware of it? Couldn’t he just enjoy this wonderful fantasy while it lasted?

“But it doesn’t have to end like that,” the florist continued. “It doesn’t have to be just a dream. If you want me here, I will come and we can… deepen our bond. I know you feel it just as much as I do.”

Edwin nodded, trying to make sense of the other man’s words. He couldn’t deny the pull Florian had on him. Seeing him at the market from afar or sharing a few words here and there was one thing. But these dreams, fantasies, whatever they were, they convinced Edwin the two of them were destined to meet. Florian was handsome, alluring… almost magical.

“Just say the word, and I will be here. Say you want me to come into your world, and when you open your eyes, I will be here.”

“Yes, I want you here,” Edwin confirmed without a second thought. He didn’t want to have the florist only in his dreams. He wanted him in reality.

The two men leaned in and, closing their eyes, shared a gentle kiss, but even that was enough to spark a fire within Edwin. As their lips separated, he opened his eyes and gasped as he saw a figure sitting in the bed next to him. It was not Florian.

“Wh- who are you?” the shop owner bolted up, eyes on the young man sitting in his bed. Was he still dreaming? He could have sworn he had woken up, but he couldn’t be sure of anything anymore. The stranger was undoubtedly attractive, although unlike any man Edwin had ever seen. His hair was white, a stark contrast with his tanned skin and the red shirt he wore under a black leather jacket. His eyes were beautiful yet menacing at the same time, shining red like rubies.

“Thank you for inviting me here, Edwin,” the young man said, eyeing the shop owner. Was it with lust or malice? Edwin couldn’t be sure. “My name is Lothar.”