Ann Somerville Darshian Tales 1 Kei's Gift

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.He didn t know if Armanfelt the same way about Kei, but he sensed a genuine enjoyment of the task, for oncewithout any shadow of Arman s apparently ever-present grief.It was Arman, at last, who called a halt. Very good work.An excellent beginning.Kei blushed with delight at the praise, and then was annoyed at himself for being soeasily pleased. Thank you, my lord. You look pale, though.I think it s enough for today.I have to go to the palace and Isuggest you try to rest.I ll have some food sent in.Kei was suddenly afraid of being left alone in this house without a protector, but wastoo ashamed to say anything. Thank you, my lord, but I m not hungry.Sleep would help. As you wish.I should be back for supper.No one will molest you, you have myword. Yes, my lord.Thank you. Now that they d stopped, he felt exhausted again.He triedto rise from the chair but was forced to give up.His cheeks burned with humiliation. Uh.Arman s strong hands were already under his arms. I think you might be better lyingon the bed until I return. Your bed? Why not? You ll be able to get up from it without help while I m out, if you need to.Speechless with surprise, Kei let himself be led over to the bed and helped to lie on thecovers.Arman put a pillow put under his head. My lord.this kindness, I won t forget it.Arman s lips tightened.Kei had aroused anger, although not apparently directed athim. There would be no need for it if I d been doing my duty.Don t mention it again. No, my lord. I ll leave instructions you re not to be disturbed unless there s a fire.If you don tsmell smoke, don t open the door. No, my lord. Kei came to the astonishing realisation that the golden general thecold and apparently heartless murderer of Ai-Darbin had a dry and cutting sense ofhumour which expressed itself at the most unexpected times.Kei yearned to respond to itthe way he would with Reji, but he forced himself to be respectful.Arman was odd andvolatile.Arman pulled a blanket over him carefully. Take care you don t fall in my absence. No, my lord. I ll be back for supper.And then he was left in peace and in comfort, but more confused and unsettled thanever by the strange man who held him prisoner.He would never understand the Prij.~~~~~~~~Arman leaned his forehead briefly on the neck of his jesig, pretending to check thereins while he got his scattered thoughts together.What in the gods name was he doing?Asking an enemy for help? Enjoying his enemy s company? He betrayed his country andLoke with every word and action today.But even as the words formed in his head, he could imagine Loke s laughter if he dever said such a thing to his friend.All afternoon, Arman had kept thinking how muchLoke would have liked Kei, and Kei, Loke, and how cruel it was to be so reminded of hislost friend by someone of the very race that had killed him.But over that thought too, Lokewould have taken him gently to task.Kei had not killed Loke, had been nowhere nearDarbin, and disapproved of the act.Gods he had even apologised without the slightesttrace of mockery, and with every semblance of true sympathy.What was going on? Arman had only wanted to right a clear injustice, but instead, hehad gone beyond mere care for an injured man to actual.friendliness.Kindness, Kei hadcalled it, which made Arman ashamed and angry someone who d been abused by one of hispeople would see it that way, rather than simply as his due.Why?Why had he spent so long talking to the man? Why had he let himself enjoy it, andmake an effort to let Kei relax enough to enjoy it too? He had deliberately let theboundaries between them blur for those few hours, but he couldn t even hold anyresentment over Kei taking liberties with that relaxation, because he hadn t.Kei behavedlike a model servant, a model prisoner and still managed to be true to himself, retaininghis dignity and sense of pride.It would be easier if he was a spiteful little shit like Mykis.But he wasn t.Arman mounted quickly and gave orders to his escort to head towards the palace.Thiswasn t how it was supposed to go, at all.He had vowed to hate the Darshianese for the restof his life, to curse each and every one of them no matter where he found them, and yet hehad spent one of the most pleasant afternoons in months with Kei, even forgetting, for alittle while at least, that they were enemies.He rode on without seeing, letting his mount pick her path, led by the jesigs of hisescort around him.He couldn t allow it to continue, and yet a part of him had needed thatrespite, had yearned for the companionship of someone of similar intellect, a similar way oflooking at things, similar desires [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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