“Women should feel empowered,” he continued. “Which end of the leash she wants to be on to feel that power is up to her. I am happy to provide both options.”
“But you prefer to be on your knees,” she determined.
“For a woman? Yes.”
“And for a man?” Bala asked.
An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, and Dorian shifted. “That’s different,” he said softly.
“How so?”
“Men here have enough power. Why should I let them think they have any sort of dominance over me?”
There was such conviction in his tone, she was surprised lightning didn’t strike outside.
“A man will never bring me to my knees,” he swore. “In the bedroom nor in a Throne Room.”
Bala stared at him. “You’re telling me you’ve never pleasured any of the men you’ve brought into your bed?”
“Will you judge me if I say I enjoy men for my own pleasure and reward only the ones that deserve it?”
This brought a smile to her lips. “Considering that’s usually my approach to men as well, I say no. I will not judge you.”
“You know, it’s different for you,” he said. “It’s different in Venari culture—a woman’s position, I mean. How you should act if you should be allowed to lead or go into battle. Your approach to the persons you keep in your bed and how others view those acts. You are equals with your men. But here, there are very few women who have found their way to the top.”
Bala shifted as she listened to him, surprised to be hearing anything of that nature coming from his lips.
“Did you know the only reason Councilwoman Reid has a position is that it was her father’s dying wish?” he continued. “That he had been a councilman before her and only on his deathbed did he tell the rest of the Village that she would be taking his place. Those men had so much respect for him that they didn’t dare go against him, but they treated her as though she were vermin her first few years. The same with Councilwoman Ebonrath. She was the daughter of a Scribe and worked her way in until finally, it was her sitting in the Scribe chair instead of him because he could no longer write. She was accosted and terrorized by other Scribes, and she kept her mouth shut the entire time. She was rewarded for her ‘good behavior’ and promoted by Vasilis the week before his death.”
The information abated Bala, and Dorian wasn’t finished.
“Did you know Drae is the first Queen in our history to ever swing a blade or learn combat? That there are no Dreamer women in our armies and most of the males in our armies look at Drae and Nyssa as harlots simply because they picked up a sword and learned to defend themselves.”
“I didn’t realize you were so passionate about the status and well-being of women,” Bala said, actually impressed by his knowledge.
“Why shouldn’t I be?”
“It seems the rest of the men around you are not.”
Dorian stretched his hands in front of him. “My sisters have been fighting all their lives to be taken seriously. Drae has paved the way for women in the army, and men will one day bow at Nyssa’s feet.”
“And where will you be?”
His eyes rolled up to meet hers. “Executing anyone who doesn’t.”
Bala’s brow lifted as Dorian’s declaration filled the room, and she felt a smile across her lips. “You’re such a good brother,” she teased.
A darkness passed over his eyes, as though he were thinking about something that he was not ready to share. Bala almost went and sat beside him, but a quiet scoff left him, smile on his lips as he thought of something more amusing than what they had been speaking about.
“You know, these men call Drae a whore because she takes her pleasure whenever and with whoever she wants.” He chuckled under his breath and brought his other knee into his chest. “Jealous bastards,” he muttered.
“What about Nyssa?”
Dorian’s lips quirked higher. “No man has ever pleasured her so greatly that she was heard in the halls. The man that does will ruin her forever. She’ll be given worse names after, I’m sure.”
Bala laughed softly and pushed off the chair. “A lot of new blood is coming through your castle gates this week. Who knows… your sister’s reputation might finally take its hit.”
“Fuck, I hope so,” he bantered.
