Page 18 of Consort of the Dragon King

With a final bow to Kitsuki, the mage hurried off to attend to his business. Auslin looked up at Kitsuki with a questioning gaze, completely unused to the silent side of the man he had known best as Kitaro. Auslin offered, “If you want to wait here, you can.”

“My place is by your side,” Kitsuki said.

The comment made Auslin want to hug Kitsuki, but his general air of aloofness and royal bearing as the king of Valzerna out in public stopped him from doing what had once been so natural. Auslin had another moment of regret that he had unwittingly caused such a wall to form between them, but he resolved to overcome it. Instead of saying anything, Auslin led the way into the main hall of the temple.

A young mage named Torondo stood in the entryway. “You’re seriously back!” Before Auslin could respond, the acolyte hugged him tightly. “We couldn’t believe it when Sephen told us you were coming back soon!”

“I’m sorry for leaving for such a long time,” Auslin apologized as he returned the embrace.

It was only when the young mage stepped back that he caught sight of Kitsuki and froze in fear. Auslin realized it must be because a shifter had never entered the temple in living memory. The young mage bowed respectfully as he said in a wavering voice, “Welcome, Your Majesty. We are honored by your presence here today.”

Once again silently nodding in acknowledgment, Kitsuki remained motionless behind Auslin. It intimidated the young mage into silence.

“Is my brother here?” Auslin asked.

“I don’t think he’s back from the bookshop yet,” the mage answered. “Elder Bancho is here, though.”

Bancho was the oldest mage at the temple, who had looked after Auslin since he was a child. He wanted to meet him almost as much as his brother. “Is he in service?”

“No, I’m pretty sure he’s still in the stone garden.”

“Thanks.” Auslin led the way deeper into the temple to meet with Bancho. Prince Kitaro had earned curious looks from the mages they passed in the past, but now their reactions to King Kitsuki were trepidatious.

They finally came upon a set of wooden doors. Auslin knocked loudly before sliding one open and softly calling out, “Elder Bancho?”

An elderly man sat on a simple wooden bench, overlooking a beautiful stone garden. He turned his head in the direction of Auslin’s voice. Bancho was a diminutive and heavyset man witha kind look to him despite his advanced age. What little hair Bancho had was pure white. His eyes were milky from cataracts that had blinded him long ago. Auslin had offered to heal him, but Bancho had refused. He gestured for Auslin to come closer as he warmly greeted him, “Welcome home, young Auslin.”

When Auslin was close enough, he hugged the man who had been his surrogate father. “It’s good to be back,” Auslin told him, overcome with a rush of emotions at finally being reunited.

Bancho looked at Kitsuki with unseeing eyes. “It appears you have brought interesting company.”

Gesturing for Kitsuki to come closer, Auslin made introductions. “This is Elder Bancho, the head mage of this temple. He raised me and my brother since we were sent here as children. Elder Bancho, this is King Kitsuki. He is a friend to us.”

“It seems he is more than a mere friend to you,” Bancho airily commented in a way. Auslin reflexively touched his claiming mark. The older mage may have been blind, but he saw more than any man with working eyes could. “A pleasure, Your Majesty.”

“Auslin is my intended,” Kitsuki replied to Bancho’s previous comment.

“Still?” Bancho hummed with interest. “You continue to be remarkable, Auslin. You have traveled farther than one can walk, farther than any one human could manage in six lifetimes.”

The switch in conversation topics confused Auslin. He got the impression Bancho was aware of his use of Fate’s Gate to travel back in time. “Elder Bancho?” Auslin uncertainly asked.

“Though you have lived through many lifetimes, you should not take this one for granted,” Bancho continued. “We are all glad you have finally returned to where you belong, Auslin.”

“So am I.” Auslin looked over at Kitsuki, hoping he understood that feeling extended to him as well.

Bancho leaned back against the bench. “There are many who mourned your long absence. Perhaps you would like to join them for lunch while us old men humor ourselves.”

Auslin looked at Kitsuki for permission, torn between not wanting to leave the shifter monarch alone and being reunited with his many friends at the temple.

Kitsuki nodded toward the door in silent permission for Auslin to leave him with the older monk. “We’ll talk soon, Elder Bancho,” Auslin promised. Before exiting, Auslin took Kitsuki’s hand in his and brought it up to kiss it in silent farewell before he left the two men behind to talk.

Chapter 12

Kitsuki

After Auslin left, Bancho gestured for Kitsuki to sit on the bench next to him. “Please make yourself comfortable, Your Majesty. It has been a long time since we last met.”

The latter comment puzzled Kitsuki. “This is the first time we’ve had occasion to meet.”

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