“Your Divinity, we welcome the honor of your presence.Master Verusias will be most pleased to know you’ve arrived safe and well.Please follow me.”As she walked past the other attendants, she made a gesture and they hurried to the carriage to take out Ethyr’s chest and lead the driver to the stable.
Poyut walked behind Ethyr, as usual, and the second guard she had chosen to accompany them fell into step a little farther away.
The floors were a soft, sanded stone that was gentler under the soles of Ethyr’s sandals than the palace stone.The walls’ elegant, even stonework from outside was covered with plaster on the inside, and painted with the same looping, braided, colorful patterns as at the palace, vibrant reds and blues and greens everywhere one looked.
The attendant brought them to a room that was like a mini version of the palace sun room, except, somehow, even more extravagant, and it captivated Ethyr immediately.The walls were lined with climbing plants, and exotic flowers bloomed from pots throughout the room.Water poured from decorative spouts popping out of the wall between the plants, splashing with delicate burbles into small fountain dishes on the ground below them.The open rooftop let in copious amounts of light and offered a view of the blue sky and wandering clouds.He wished the sun room in the palace was as verdant and full of life.
There was one reclining sofa in the middle of it all, and lounging across it with carefree ease was, without a doubt, Verusias.He certainly wasn’t the muscular man sitting on one end, a brown arm stretched across the back of the seat with the lounging man’s slender legs tossed over his lap.
Verusias, though mostly horizontal, was lazily sketching what appeared to be his view of the side of the man’s face.He was paler than Ethyr, though lacking the freckles that often accompanied pale skin, and his light brown hair was straighter, longer, and braided into an elaborate bun at the nape of his neck.
“Divine Verusias,” the attendant said, and his attention pulled to the entrance.She gave another deep bow.“Divine Ethyr has graced the estate with a visit.”
Verusias sat up, eyes passing over Ethyr as a grin spread across his face.
“Why!”he exclaimed, swinging his legs off his companion to sit properly.“The murderous peasant-king himself!”
Ethyr stiffened.Poyut’s hand went to the hilt of her sword.
The man beside Verusias swiped the scabbard that had been propped against the side of the sofa, standing and yanking the blade a few degrees from its casing.
Verusias laughed, the sound as light and bubbling as the water fountains, and popped to his feet, leaning into the man’s back and hugging an arm over his shoulders.
“Calm down, Ithen,” he chastised, pushing the man’s hand so the sword slid back into its sheath and pressing a sweet kiss against his jaw.He turned to Ethyr with an amused eye roll.“King’s Guards, so excitable, aren’t they?”
Ethyr didn’t know what to say to that.
Verusias patted Ithen’s arm as he skirted past him, and Ethyr boldly stepped forward as well.
“I appreciate you having me—”
Verusias gripped his chin, startling him to silence, and the man turned his face, examining him with a quiet hum.“You don’t look like a Northerner.”
“I’m aware,” Ethyr replied coldly.
“Usually they are the ones moving down here.I’ve never heard of anyone from the south willingly going north.”
Ethyr, having recently learned that what he’d always believed to be his origins were a lie, said nothing, because he couldn’t explain it either.
“You’re prettier than me,” Verusias said, with the kind of annoyed resignation that came with an unpleasant but objective fact.
“Er… thank you.”Ethyr thought so too, but he wouldn’t say it.Not that Verusias was plain by any measure; he had perfect proportions and a lovely white smile.His short pants and long tunic of gauzy pink fabric left little to the imagination, revealing a nicely sculpted body as well.
“Hm.”Verusias gave him one last glance over, then let his face go and snapped his fingers.“Myra.”The attendant quickly stepped forward.“Have Herith prepare a full course meal for our guests.And heat up a bath to soak while we wait.”
She bowed and hurried off.
Verusias spread his arms with a smile and a teasing dip of his torso.“Welcome to my humble estate, Your Divinity.”
Well, it was a little late for a proper welcome, but Ethyr supposed he was happy to get one at all.“Thank you,” he said hesitantly.“And thank you for allowing me to stay here.”
“Of course!It is my pleasure to host you, Your Divinity.”
“Call me Ethyr,” he said.“I will call you Verusias.”
He lifted his head, smile undimmed.“Certainly, Ethyr.Would you like to see your quarters, maybe rest a little?You must be tired after your journey.”
“N–no, actually, I’m okay.But… if you could show my guards where they can sleep, I would appreciate it.They haven’t slept all night.”
