Page 93 of A Brat's Tale
“Of course not. I was under the palace looking forhim. I spoke with Mother and Father yesterday. This morning I was with Zelphar and his army. Training.”
Some training. Alrik’s wearing most of the warriors he trained with.
Even Corrik can’t speak anymore. He nods, pulling me closer.
When Alrik leaves, the door remains open for the first time since I’ve been here. Corrik is devastated. “Tahsen, I’m sorry. I’m onedisappointment to the next for you. But I will get better quickly, we will make you an Elf and we will marry again.”
“Honestly, Cor? I’m happy for the break. It sucks that we’re not married anymore, but I think the wedding this time will be better. I’m not marrying a stranger. I’m marrying my love.”
Corrik smiles. Then he frowns. “I lost the ring.”
“We’ll get a new one.”
“That was your wedding ring.”
I did wonder about it, but things were such a mess. “We’ll get a better one. Aren’t we super-wealthy?”
“I have a confession.”
“Oh?”
“When I lost you, I put a spell over the ring, I doubted if you loved me or not. The ring would tell me when you put it on if I was your one true love.”
I turn around and walk back to the bed.
“Tristan. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “It’s not that, I don’t blame you for doubting—I was breaking it off with us after all by sending that ring back, and I hadn’t even told you I loved you yet. But it’s time for us to deal with something that is between us.”
“I already told you, I accept your love for Bayaden,” he guesses.
“What if he were here right now?”
His jaw clenches. “I wouldn’t like it. But only because I am selfish with you and want you to love me best and I do not think you love me best.”
In a race of polyamorous creatures, mine had to be the most monogamous one, which still doesn’t make him monogamous by far, just more so than the other Elves. “I love you both the same for different and similar reasons. I can’t change that.”
“I know, Tristan. And you chose me anyway. That’s good enough. Soon, this will be a small blip on our timeline. Now, how about I order up breakfast, fuck you into the mattress, and then I finally show you around Mortouge, hmmmm?”
I smile. “Okay, Corrik.”
Corrik does not get cleared by the Elven healers which angers him. They tell him it will be at least two weeks. I distract him by saying we can make wedding preparations. “I hate not being your husband, Tahsen.”
I convince him to take me to see Jagarbendir and Aldagir, so we can check on little Salamir. He’s game for that. We’re pleased to hear he’s making a progress each day and that he’ll make a full recovery. “I think we should ask them to accompany us to see the Lady of the Lake,” I suggest. “They’re men we can trust.”
“You do not trust the warriors of the palace?”
“I do. But they’re not like our friends.”
Corrik smiles. I’ll bet he’s never made friends with commoners before.
Around the palace, I’m expected to follow etiquette even though we are suddenly unmarried. I did not lose any of the status I gained and still rate a seat at the table, unless I’m expected to sit at Corrik’s feet, which is not uncommon. The upside to the months I spent preparing for the marriage with Alrik, was my submissive training. I’m still noslave, but this much I can do. I know the kneeling posture and I’m conditioned for kneeling at least the duration of a meal. We’re expected to act as a couple courting, which is much different than a couple courting in Markaytia.
Markaytians are much more conservative; you don’t have sex before marriage. The Mortougian Elves are far more promiscuous, thankfully. We can have all the sex we want. My own Markaytian sensibilities have waned. I enjoy Corrik’s cock up my arse far too much to tell him I want to wait.
Something I did not enjoy was the punishment I got from the king and queen, or rather the punishment set by the king and queen. It was all quite formal. First Corrik had to bring me before them. “I had wanted to give this to you under other circumstances,” he said, “but you will need this.”
Corrik presented me with his collar for me. It’s white leather, withwhite gold rings fortified with Elven magic at the front and back. Set into the leather is a plate with the crest of Cyredanthem engraved into it. “I have something else for everyday wear, but you’ll need this due to the formality of the occasion.”
