The blacksmith eyed him with a little more respect. Jory didn't know why people took one look at him and assumed he'd want the flashy one. "Which one then? You choose."
Jory walked over to the set and picked them up randomly. He let his senses sink into the various weapons, imaging them in his lover's hands. A plain sword with a braided leather handle sang to him when he waved it around. "I'll take this one."
"I guess you're more than a pretty face with a deadly dragon."
"I guess I am."
The blacksmith pointed his finger towards the display of throwing knives, tilting an inquiring brow.
"I'll take the jeweled set in the dark brown leather."
He got a wide smile.
Okay, sometimes he did go for the pretty.
Haggling over the price took only a few moments. The blacksmith wrapped up each weapon separately and said he'd send them by messenger to the castle.
Jory left the stand pleased he had two out of three of his mating gifts and directions to a talented jeweler.
"Are we done?" Mal asked.
"Nope. We still need a jeweler." Ignoring the groans from his guards, Jory sauntered through the streets, following the directions he was given by the blacksmith until he reached a small brick building with a discreet sign announcing it was a jeweler.
Walking inside, Jory tried not to chuckle when his three guards lumbered in behind him, looking extremely uncomfortable. Poor dears. With a bit of nostalgia, Jory missed his own people. His lead soldier, Sandhurst, would never look discomforted no matter where Jory dragged him. He'd tried in the past, and even the gay brothel he took his very straight guard to didn't crack the man's stoic façade.
"How may I help you, sir?" An elegant man in a beautiful pearl gray suit approached. His smooth white hair lay in well-cut layers, giving him a highly polished look that fit his brilliant surroundings.
"I need mating gifts."
A frown marred the man's smooth brow for a moment. "Are you Talivvian?"
"Yes." Jory almost shouted in excitement. "Finally someone who understands."
"I am Stanvire. My family has been in this business for three hundred years, and we have dealt with most types. Now who is your mate?"
Jory blushed. He hoped it would get easier with time. "King Raiston and Lord Klarian are my mates."
If Stanvire was coolly friendly before he was glowing with pleasure now. "I'm sure we can do something to help you. What type of gifts are you looking for?"
"Rings. I want to have three rings designed that have three interlocking dragons along the band." The thought of the three of them wearing matching rings sent a giddy warmth through him. Finally, he was going to have the relationship he yearned for.
After extensive discussion and some preliminary sketches, Jory left the design in the hands of the jeweler. Despite his uptight appearance, Stanvire had an ingenious mind and some brilliant ideas on how to color each dragon to match his two mates' natural dragon color.
"Are you going with the traditional braids?"
Jory nodded. Wow. Stanvire really did know his stuff. "I'll need green and blue jewels for those."
Smiling, the jeweler reached behind the counter and came out with some stones that sparkled in the light.
"Perfect." They haggled briefly, but Jory's heart wasn't in it. He was too excited about finding exactly what he wanted. He left the building with a receipt for the rings and a handful of stones and the address for a hairdresser the jeweler swore would know what to do with his hair.
After a quick stop at the hairstylist's, Jory's hair was chin-length with two braids on the right side of his head that sparkled from the stones weaved into them as he moved.
Pleased, he didn't even fuss when the soldiers immediately surrounded him after he exited the stylist's or even when they shook their head at his new cut. He purchased a bunch of flowers from a wandering flower girl and stood up straighter. Shivers chased down his back as the air brushed against the skin of his newly bared neck.
"Now let's find ourselves a temple."
"What kind of temple are you looking for?"
