Page 13 of A Brat's Tale
“Right, and I’m king of the ninth realm,” the guard had said because itwasunbelievable. I didn’t know it at the time, but Bayaden had never had a manservant before me and telling the guard he suddenly had one, was as believable as talking frogs.
Even when I had the pendant, not everyone cared about it at first, but once they knew I was Bayaden’s manservant, they eventually left me alone. Never stopped looking upon me with contempt, but they didn’t apprehend me. Before that, there were a few times Baya wasforced to retrieve me from the Aldrien dungeons and I was grateful for my father’s harsh ways, preparing me for such an experience.
“Tell me, what fun would that have been? Besides, you would have learned nothing. You, my little human, need a firm hand.”
I can’t deny it. “So, are you going to tell me why you were a jealous idiot earlier?”
He hardens. “No.”
I look at the ground.
“Tristan, I’m sorry. Please don’t do that. I don’t want to talk about it because I don’t want to say his name.”
His name is already on my tongue, so I do it for him. Only now there’s a discussion, which brings him sentience. “Corrik.”
“Yes.”
“Corrik is an ex-boyfriend. The past. You said so yourself that in time he will be but a memory.”
“I was wrong. When Elves are connected to someone, like in the way you and I are—”
“—the loyalty bond?”
“No Tristan, I mean through here,” he says putting his hand over my heart. “We can sense the other. Your heart still reaches out to him, even if your head does not. It’s subconscious. I don’t think you realize it’s happening.”
I tear up. “No. But I loveyou.”
He smiles all the way to his eyes. “You do. It’s possible to have more than one love. I know this. Your love for him does not change your love for me.”
Elves are this way. More are polyamorous than not, but it is not something that I as a Markaytian am used to even though I suspect more and more that I too am this way.
I love the way Bayaden’s so sure. Would Corrik say the same though? I recall how possessive he was. I’m not sure he could understand my love for Bayaden, despite what Diekin’s said, despite the usual nature of Elves.
Because I don’t think Corrik falls into any of the usual boxes.
He’s different from them all and sometimes I wonder if it was hismysteriousness I loved more than him—I was always a sucker for adventure, especially dangerous adventure and it didn’t take long to figure out Corrik was both those things.
“Then why can’t you say his name?”
“I told you, idiotic jealousy. We Elves can’t help it from time to time.”
They can’t. It’s irrational. It’s also not the first time this has come up; it’s just that the last time was a long time ago.
Bayaden spins me around and smacks my arse. “Hey!”
“Get back to work. I won’t have you shirking your duties.”
“But I thought we were talking.” In other words, I thought we were leading our way up to sex. He knows. I glare at him.
“Pout all you want. Get to work.”
I try to stay mad and it should be easy for me, but it’s hard when his authoritative voice soothes me so damn much. “Yes, your liege.” I’m a sarcastic little fuck.
“You can do it with a sore bottom, and if I get anymore lip from you, that’s what’s going to happen.” His right ear rises in time with his brow.
That only relaxes me further and I have the choice at this point, continue my snark and definitely get spanked, or be a good boy and maybe get spanked. “I’ll behave myself, sir.”
And I do,for now.
