Chapter Five #2
Cador muttered under his breath about mainlanders and turned back to the circle.
Along with the clerics’ bread and sweet cakes, the meat filled his belly.
People moved in and out, eating and drinking and telling tales.
Eventually, a few grunts and moans echoed from the sleeping furs laid out under the cloudy sky, the odd star twinkling through, the moon at quarter strength.
Jem asked, “Is someone ill?”
For a moment, Cador stared at him. Was he finally loosening up and attempting a jest? But, no, he seemed genuinely concerned as he squinted into the darkness beyond the fire’s glow. Cador shared a chuckle with Delen nearby.
She said, “That’s just Enyon fucking Senara. He sounds like a wounded byghan at the best of times.”
Jem stared. “He’s—they’re—” As Senara’s moan echoed, her pleasure clear, Jem opened and closed his mouth. He whispered, “They’re doing it right there?”
Cador had to laugh, Delen shaking her head as she left to find her own lover. He lowered his voice. “You really are an innocent. Good thing I’m not going to fuck you. You’re so squeamish you probably don’t even know where everything goes. Is everyone where you’re from this joyless?”
Jem pressed his lips together tightly, apparently offended. That only made Cador laugh harder. Jem hissed, “I know where it goes, and we enjoy coupling just as much! The difference being we do it in private and not out in the open with an audience like wild animals!”
“Oh, I’m wounded!” Cador clutched his chest. “Prince Jowan of Neuvella thinks us animals.” He picked up a byghan leg still warm by the fire and gnawed it. With his mouth full, he muttered, “Better a beast in the dirt than a pathetic prince who’s never wanted for a thing.”
Jem fell silent, poking at the bandage over his palm.
When Cador pissed later, Jem trailed behind. Then, as Cador spread out his furs on a patch of ground not too rocky and only a bit muddy, Jem still shadowed him. Considering he thought Cador was such a beast, why didn’t he go find a spot on his own?
“Where’s your fur?” Cador asked. It occurred to him there hadn’t been much at all in Jem’s trunk but the books. Perhaps he should have let them be, but the horses had enough load to pull.
“I don’t have any.”
“Where did you sleep on the journey to the Holy Place?” Did they sleep in their fancy carriages as well?
“In beds. We stayed at inns along the way. There aren’t any inns on Ergh?”
Cador wasn’t sure exactly what he meant, but was damn sure Ergh had none. “No.”
“Do you know where my things are? Which cart?”
“No idea.” Cador yawned, turning on his side and shutting his eyes. “Find a place.” A couple rutted nearby, a man moaning. The wind here didn’t howl, but the whistle of it was familiar enough to lull Cador.
“But…” the soft voice whispered.
Sighing, Cador cracked one eye open to find Jem still standing there. “Go to sleep,” he commanded.
“Where? With someone else?” Jem asked sharply.
“If you want. I don’t give a shit.”
“No.” Jem’s voice was low and urgent. “Please don’t make me.”
“What?” Cador frowned. “No one will make you.”
After a few beats of silence when Cador thought he might finally get to sleep, Jem whispered, “You won’t pass me to your friend?”
“Huh?” He opened an eye. Jem stood in the darkness, his trembling outline visible. Cador squirmed uncomfortably. He should have remembered the boy had no damn sense of humor. “Jory was only jesting.”
“Oh.” Jem exhaled noisily. “Truly?”
“Truly. Although he’s a good fuck if you change your mind. Clever tongue.”
“I—what? No.” Jem shook his head vigorously. “No.”
“Your loss.”
Jem stood there silently for so long that Cador closed his eyes and ignored him. Finally, Jem whispered, “How do you know? About Jory? I thought you were friends?”
Cador grumbled and opened his eyes. “Friends fuck sometimes.”
“Oh! You’re all very…” He glanced around the camp, the grunts and cries filling the night. “Uh, free.”
“What a dour place Neuvella must be.”
“You’re the ones who act like animals. No wonder the gods banished you.”
“Oh, you wound me deeply. Now go the fuck to sleep.” Tugging one of his furs free, he tossed it at Jem. “Wherever.” He motioned to the valley where their party was spread out, some sticking near the fire, others off on their own or in pairs. Or threesomes or foursomes. Distant guards stood watch.
There was plenty of space, but Jem didn’t go huddle off on his own. Instead, he gingerly spread the fur an arm’s length from Cador, wrapping himself in it. Fine. Now they could sleep. Cador shut his eyes, letting the faint buzz of ale and a day’s ride do its work and push him under.
He was almost there some time later, but… What the fuck was that noise?
It was a clicking that didn’t sound like any animal Cador knew. It was close and had to be coming from Jem. What was he doing? Tapping something? Was this some strange Southern sleep ritual?
“Stop that,” Cador ordered.
The clicking was now accompanied by breathy little pants. “I…can’t.”
“What the fuck are you doing?” Cador pushed himself up to sitting, squinting in the darkness. Jem was curled into a ball. He was still shaking, and he flinched when Cador leaned close to get a better view.
Cador realized Jem’s teeth were chattering. That he shivered with cold and not fright. Well, probably still some fright, but he was definitely cold, which seemed impossible. Cador exclaimed, “But the ground isn’t even frosted! Let alone frozen. How are you cold?”
“It’s…never…this cold…at home.”
“You truly have no winter?”
Jem shook his head, the motion barely visible. “And I don’t camp outside. Ever.”
Cador didn’t know how Jem could stand being so weak. But there was no way Cador could sleep with him carrying on, so he rolled to his side and yanked the fur from under him. He tossed it to Jem, the thick pelt hitting him with a soft whoomp.
“Thank you,” Jem whispered.
Cador grunted. “Just shut up and sleep.”
Even without his furs, it was good to sleep under the moon once more instead of in a feathery bed. Cador stretched out on his back, the sounds of fucking familiar, blending into a hum. He was almost asleep when guilt nagged him again like a stubborn mule kicking.
He raised himself on his elbow to check on Jem, making sure he wasn’t shaking or chattering anymore.
If the prince died on the way to Ergh, it wouldn’t help their cause, and Cador had vowed to protect him.
Even if he’d been forced into it, he’d given his word.
Yes, he’d break his word when the time came, but for now…
Jem slept curled under the furs. Starlight glowed just enough to see his parted lips, pretty face soft, honey eyes closed. There. Now Cador could slumber himself. His duty was done.
Yet he found himself awake for far too long until finally drifting into the dreamworld, where he ate juicy sevels and felled boars, his spear heavy and true in his grasp.