Authors: Tracy St. John
Clajak’s head fought the aftereffects
of the medication he hadn’t needed. Tidro had stayed behind to care
for him? That wouldn’t work. With the freedom of the day, Clajak
had plotted to visit Bevau.
He told Tidro, “Oh. Well. I think I’m
just going to sleep this off. I’ll work on getting some rest, you
know.”
Tidro nodded approval. “I’ll make sure
things are kept quiet here and that all is taken care of while you
sleep.”
It took all his self-control for Clajak
to not groan. An Imdiko to the hilt, his father loved to dote on
him. Tidro didn’t like for Clajak to be ill, but it gave him an
opportunity to take care of someone. The emperor was worse than a
nursemaid when given the opportunity to tend to a member of the
family. Tidro would fuss over Clajak like a baby to the point of
humiliation. Of all the outcomes the prince had anticipated when
playing sick, this was the last one he had expected to
happen.
Not wanting to hurt Tidro’s feelings,
Clajak said weakly, “It’s not necessary that you spend your day
looking after me.”
The Imdiko looked shocked. “Of course
it is! Zarl and Irdis are off to Joshada and Yuder is still on the
other continent trying to settle that stupid territorial dispute. I
have nothing to do but take care of my son. I’m all yours for
however long it takes until you feel better.”
Clajak looked to the silent Egilka for
help. His clanmate glanced away. Egilka suddenly found the corner
of the sleeping room interesting. He bit his lips together,
something he did when he tried to hide a smirk. Suspicion and then
certainty bloomed in Clajak’s head. He seethed.
Egilka would pay for this.
In a bright voice, the Imdiko prince
announced, “Well, things look settled around here. I guess I’d
better get going. I need to meet with my team before we go into the
zibger’s den.”
Tidro patted him on the back. “Don’t
worry about a thing, Egilka. I have things well in hand.” He turned
to Clajak. In a tone that should have been reserved to speaking to
a toddler, he asked, “How about some breakfast? I’ll make you a
nice creamed swalas egg. You can have sonbi with it. One link or
two?”
Knowing he wasn’t going to get out of
being babied, Clajak sunk deep into his pillow. He glared at
Egilka. The Imdiko’s smile peeked out despite his best efforts to
keep it leashed.
“Two.” Clajak didn’t try to mask the
surliness in his tone.
Tidro was delighted. “I’m glad you
still have an appetite. I’ll fry up some chafga bread too.” He
noted Clajak’s irritation. “Why are you pouting at Egilka? He can’t
help that he has to make his report today.”
“Yes, it’s going to be a long day for
him. An even longer night, too.”
“Really? Then he’d better get going.”
Tidro patted Egilka’s back again, somehow not noticing how the
Imdiko prince shook with repressed laughter. “Go on to your office,
my son. I have it all under control.”
Egilka swallowed. Managing an even tone
and a straight face, he said, “Thank you, Father Tidro. I am
grateful to you.” With saccharine sweetness, he addressed Clajak.
“Feel better, my Dramok. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Last night,
Pwaldur begged off the trip as well. He had business he couldn’t
avoid suddenly come up.”
Clajak’s jaw dropped. Egilka had known
last night that Pwaldur wasn’t going to Joshada? He could have gone
on holiday and avoided the councilman after all? It wouldn’t have
been so difficult to cope with Narpok without her awful Dramok
father around.
In short, Clajak had wasted his
mother’s last indulgence for little gain. He would be stuck in bed,
Tidro smothering him all day.
Egilka grinned and waved goodbye,
following the emperor out of the room. “Have a good day, my Dramok.
Don’t wait up for me if I get in late.”
You smug bastard. You knew
all along what I was playing at, and you pulled this trick on
me.
His Imdiko would pay. Clajak had all
day to figure out how dearly.
* * * *
Bevau frowned as he waited for someone
to answer his summons at the door of the Crown Princes’ suite.
Coming to Clajak and Egilka’s home, no matter how anticipated,
never failed to initially make him cranky.
He knew the Royal House had many
security measures in place. All the entrances from the outside were
well guarded by the foreboding and capable Royal Guard staff. Yet
it bothered him that none of those armor-suited Nobeks guarded the
apartment’s inner door too. That wouldn’t be such a big deal if
Clajak and Egilka had a capable Nobek in their clan, ready to
protect them at any cost. Then again, if they had a Nobek he
wouldn’t be here.
The thought of another man standing
ready to defend the princely pair made him grumpier still. Bevau
didn’t want to think about Clajak and Egilka finding another Nobek.
Just because it was necessary didn’t mean he had to like
it.
The door opened and Bevau found himself
face to face with Imdiko Emperor Tidro. There was no mistaking that
kindly face, the creased smile lines etched around his mouth, the
corners of his eyes crinkling just inside the frame of snow-white
hair. Even wearing a casual loose-fitting tunic and trousers
instead of a ceremonial robe, Tidro was familiar from a lifetime of
news vids.
Bevau bowed deeply as the elder man
said, “You must be High Commander Bevau. Egilka told me you might
stop by. Come in.”
Egilka told me you might
stop by
. Bevau inwardly cursed the Imdiko
prince. Egilka had said nothing of Tidro’s presence when he’d
commed earlier. All Egilka had said was that Clajak was playing
sick and stuck in bed. “If you have the time and inclination, feel
free to stop in and give him hell for ducking out of his duties,”
the Imdiko had suggested.
Pretending nothing was amiss, Bevau
gave Tidro a polite smile. “Greetings, my emperor. Forgive me if I
am intruding. I was told Clajak was ill, but not that you would be
here.”
“No? Well, Egilka is under some
pressure today, what with that committee hearing. I’m not surprised
it slipped his mind.” Tidro looked him over, plainly curious about
the company his son was keeping these days.
Bevau’s teeth ground together. Not at
being examined by Tidro; the man had every right. However, this
felt like another play to push Bevau into considering himself a
candidate for Clan Clajak’s Nobek. One did not arrange meetings
with parents until a relationship was regarded as serious. Egilka
had overstepped his bounds on this one.
None of this was Tidro’s fault,
however, and the man was one of Bevau’s emperors. Making sure he
sounded agreeable, he said, “Completely understandable that Prince
Egilka would forget to mention it. How is Clajak
feeling?”
Tidro gave a little shrug. “I fear he’s
not in a very good frame of mind. Although he is unfailingly polite
to his dear father, there is some moodiness there. I don’t take it
personally. Being ill makes most people grouchy.”
“Indeed.” Hearing that helped some of
Bevau’s humor return. Egilka had taken delight in seeing to it that
Clajak wouldn’t get much enjoyment from avoiding the trip. The
Imdiko had an evil sense of justice.
Egilka was a crafty bastard too, a
quality Bevau appreciated even though he’d gotten caught in the
Imdiko’s snare. He’d managed to outwit Clajak and orchestrate a
meeting between Bevau and one of the emperors.
Giving Egilka his due put Bevau in a
better frame of mind. With complete sincerity he asked, “Is there
anything I can do to assist you with the Crown Prince, my
emperor?”
Tidro’s eyes lit. “As a matter of fact,
you can. I would like to go down to the kitchen and see to his
lunch myself. They tend to spice the food rather heavily. I don’t
think that will do when Clajak is feeling under the weather.
Perhaps you can keep him company while I deal with that? Keep him
off his feet? He has a restless nature, and I don’t want him
getting up and doing too much.”
Keeping Clajak on his back was a
delightful proposition. “I quite agree. The last thing we need is
for him to make himself sicker.”
“Exactly. If it’s no
bother?”
Bevau bowed with a smile. “I would be
honored to serve you, my emperor.”
“Thank you, High Commander. Or may I
call you Bevau?”
The Nobek’s stomach churned a little.
If any of the Imperial Clan showed an inkling of acceptance, Clajak
and Egilka would be emboldened to continue to pursue him as a
clanmate. By the ancestors, didn’t any of these people care that
the Empire wouldn’t want a dual-breed on the throne? The whole
bunch needed to be protected from themselves.
Instead of saying any of that, Bevau
stuck to respect. “I would be delighted for you to call me by my
given name, sir.”
Tidro nodded. “Wonderful. Well, let me
take care of lunch. It might take a while.”
“I’m here for as long as you require,
my emperor.”
“How kind. What can I have them make
you? They do concoct a wonderful wedi and chafga stew.”
Bevau heard the order underlying the
innocent-sounding question. Tidro might be the ruler of an entire
Empire, but he was also dedicated to taking care of others. He
would not appreciate being thwarted in that mission. Knowing his
own Imdiko tendencies in that regard, Bevau decided to give in with
grace.
He bowed his head in gratitude for the
kindness. “Thank you, my emperor. That sounds
wonderful.”
Tidro took his leave, humming a happy
tune as if he was having the best day of his life. As soon as the
door closed behind him, Bevau closed his eyes and laughed quietly
to himself.
Clajak had been the one pushing hardest
for the Nobek to meet their parent clans. Bevau had never expected
it would be Egilka to pull a stunt like this.
“You amazing, cunning Imdiko,” he
muttered to himself. “And to think you believe me worthy of
you.”
Bevau’s respect grew as he thought of
the trick Egilka had pulled on Clajak, the one who was supposed to
be so sly. The Dramok prince was no doubt stewing, having to submit
to a coddling by Tidro. Seeing Clajak brought low by Egilka was
almost worth having been maneuvered himself.
As Bevau set off down the hallway in
search of the prince, he murmured, “Egilka, you are a fiend of
mastermind proportions. Right after I wear your ass out for this,
I’ll tell you how impressed I am.”
But first, there was a certain Dramok
ass he was looking forward to seeing. Bevau had Egilka to thank for
that too.
Bevau knew his way around the suite,
having visited several times now. He couldn’t get enough of Clajak
and Egilka. Staying away from them was damned near impossible.
Again the specter of giving them up to another Nobek rose before
him, making his lips wrinkle back in a snarl. He forced himself to
calm. The best protection for his lovers was for them to clan a
certified full Nobek, one who would not excite any resistance from
the Royal Council or Empire. He had to come to terms with
that.
For now however, there was no such man
in sight. Bevau could enjoy the Dramok and Imdiko who were perfect
for him, had they not been future emperors.
He reached the sleeping room and peered
in. There lay Clajak, utterly delicious as he sprawled on the huge
mat made for four. A sheet covered him from the waist down, but his
muscular torso was bare. He stared at his reflection in the mirror
above, his handsome face wearing a bored frown. The steel-toned
hair was mussed, making him sexier than ever. Bevau’s cocks gave
agreeable surges, well pleased with the view.
The Nobek sauntered in, taking a good
look at how the thin linen covering Clajak outlined his strong
thighs. Bevau fancied he could see the slight bulge of the prince’s
cocks, lying soft and blameless beneath their covering. He thought
of taking Clajak in his mouth like that, of feeling the flesh firm
and swell against his tongue.
Clajak sat up, his expression
brightening at Bevau’s entrance. “Well, look who’s here. Hello,
Nobek.”
Bevau grinned. “Hello, Clajak. I heard
you were convalescing. You know that your Imdiko needs to be turned
over a bench for a good strapping, don’t you?”
Clajak made a face. “You’re preaching
to the choir on that count, my friend. So you’ve been swindled into
meeting one of my fathers. About damned time.”
Bevau came over to sit on the edge of
the bed. Clajak scooted across the mat to be close. The Nobek
inhaled, taking in the musky, somehow mysterious scent of the
prince. Damn, he could take a bite out of the man. Maybe he
would.
First he needed to deal with his
lover’s desire for more than just friendship and sex. “So what if I
met Emperor Tidro? It changes nothing. I’m still not a candidate
for your clan.”
He kissed Clajak to soften the harsh
words. For whatever reason, the Dramok had his heart set on Bevau.
It was probably the same emotion that make the Nobek angry every
time he contemplated his permanent successor to the prince’s
bed.