Pleasure slaves were status symbols in Myksos.
Twenty-three years ago, Ramses could have own half a dozen, while seal-bearers would only be allowed one. In the demon country, owners liked to compare their slaves and the slave with a more beautiful face, lither body and longer hair brought their master honor. Presently, at the entrance of Tyné's ballroom, the seal-bearer was too busy staring -first at Aloysius, now at Ramses- to introduce the boy kneeling behind him.
"Khasek," said Aloysius. "I trust that you enjoyed hunting with my brother. This is Ramses. I named him after the Spirit of the Sun."
Aloysius nodded at the performance on the stage. In the middle of the ballroom, in a blend of Myksos's bold, colorful simplicity and Tyné's serpentine …show more content…
There was a quick tap of fingers against Ramses's cheek. "Your companion is magnificent."
"Pet," said Aloysius. When Khasek couldn't resist a questioning look at Ramses, who stood a full head taller than Aloysius and at least twice as broad, Aloysius added, "He's a combat familiar. Your Orchid is lovely."
Finally acknowledged, the slave with an orchid on his wrist cuff slid an inch further on his knees and, after Aloysius held out his hand, Orchid lifted his head to kiss the prince's knuckles, one by one. As Aloysius leaned to pet the slave's hair, the pin with the clusters of delphiniums fell to the ground next to Khasek's feet.
They both reached; Aloysius closed his hand around his pin and Khasek's fingers found Aloysius's wrist.
The shift in Aloysius's body language, from ordinary to complaisant, was instinctive and obvious. When Khasek reached for Aloysius's chin, a muscle jumped in Ramses's neck and his shoulders tensed up. Khasek, with a hungry gaze that felt like a violation, appraised the sight before him and said, huskily, "I heard that you are the most beautiful man across the four kingdoms."
Aloysius surrendered his hairpin when Khasek's fingers danced on his palm. "In our tongue, beautiful and poisonous share the same …show more content…
Unlike Myksos's dances, Tyné's dances involved a partner, complicated feet movements and intimate body alignments. "You want to gyrate against my body while I'm hard and trapped in your little configurations? I, too, will be looking at you like I want to bend, spread and fuck you, little prince."
"If I were you, I'd instead think of ways to make the situation easier for myself," said Aloysius. "Not harder."
They started slow. His foot moved forward and Aloysius's foot moved back. The music didn't stop when Emperor Leroy appeared on one of the balconies that rose above the ballroom. The cardinal stood behind him. Emperor Leroy said, "Here are our answers."
Steel-clad imperial guards spilled into the room, weaving between the dancing couples to the six Myksosian seal-bearers and their personal retinues. Golden hieroglyphs swirled in the room with a low hum, joined by the echoes of Emperor Leroy's laughter. Demons were physically stronger than humans, but the soldiers outnumbered the seal-bearers like ants on a morsel.
From Ramses's right came the sound of a sword hacking through bones and
Twenty-three years ago, Ramses could have own half a dozen, while seal-bearers would only be allowed one. In the demon country, owners liked to compare their slaves and the slave with a more beautiful face, lither body and longer hair brought their master honor. Presently, at the entrance of Tyné's ballroom, the seal-bearer was too busy staring -first at Aloysius, now at Ramses- to introduce the boy kneeling behind him.
"Khasek," said Aloysius. "I trust that you enjoyed hunting with my brother. This is Ramses. I named him after the Spirit of the Sun."
Aloysius nodded at the performance on the stage. In the middle of the ballroom, in a blend of Myksos's bold, colorful simplicity and Tyné's serpentine …show more content…
There was a quick tap of fingers against Ramses's cheek. "Your companion is magnificent."
"Pet," said Aloysius. When Khasek couldn't resist a questioning look at Ramses, who stood a full head taller than Aloysius and at least twice as broad, Aloysius added, "He's a combat familiar. Your Orchid is lovely."
Finally acknowledged, the slave with an orchid on his wrist cuff slid an inch further on his knees and, after Aloysius held out his hand, Orchid lifted his head to kiss the prince's knuckles, one by one. As Aloysius leaned to pet the slave's hair, the pin with the clusters of delphiniums fell to the ground next to Khasek's feet.
They both reached; Aloysius closed his hand around his pin and Khasek's fingers found Aloysius's wrist.
The shift in Aloysius's body language, from ordinary to complaisant, was instinctive and obvious. When Khasek reached for Aloysius's chin, a muscle jumped in Ramses's neck and his shoulders tensed up. Khasek, with a hungry gaze that felt like a violation, appraised the sight before him and said, huskily, "I heard that you are the most beautiful man across the four kingdoms."
Aloysius surrendered his hairpin when Khasek's fingers danced on his palm. "In our tongue, beautiful and poisonous share the same …show more content…
Unlike Myksos's dances, Tyné's dances involved a partner, complicated feet movements and intimate body alignments. "You want to gyrate against my body while I'm hard and trapped in your little configurations? I, too, will be looking at you like I want to bend, spread and fuck you, little prince."
"If I were you, I'd instead think of ways to make the situation easier for myself," said Aloysius. "Not harder."
They started slow. His foot moved forward and Aloysius's foot moved back. The music didn't stop when Emperor Leroy appeared on one of the balconies that rose above the ballroom. The cardinal stood behind him. Emperor Leroy said, "Here are our answers."
Steel-clad imperial guards spilled into the room, weaving between the dancing couples to the six Myksosian seal-bearers and their personal retinues. Golden hieroglyphs swirled in the room with a low hum, joined by the echoes of Emperor Leroy's laughter. Demons were physically stronger than humans, but the soldiers outnumbered the seal-bearers like ants on a morsel.
From Ramses's right came the sound of a sword hacking through bones and