Of Crows and Songbirds (Part 3)

"Yes sir." She dipped her head, smiling a little. Why was he acting like she was diseased? She wasn't going to attack him just because she was a whore.


"Yes, sir." Kaelan dipped his head. "...thank you, sir."

"Please just call me Emery." He rubbed his neck and returned the smile awkwardly.

Gaius nodded to him. "Good luck."

Talia nodded. "I'm... sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier," she said, deciding to get it out of the way. "I promise I won't attack you. I... made incorrect assumptions."


Kaelan nodded to him then turned to follow Captain Bay.

"I understand," he said with a shrug. "No need to apologize; I did something similar when I came here."

Bay led him down to the barracks again.

"Oh?"


Kaelan focused on tapping into how it would feel if Ash really wanted him as a sex slave instead of the girls. It made him blush and feel awkward.

Rifkin glanced up as they came in, and sat up, furrowing his brow.

Kaelan didn't make eye contact and instead shuffled back to his bunk.

He nodded. "Not here, though. On the way here. I'm from the East."

Bay glanced at the other soldiers, then left.

(Son I feel the same way)

"I see... and what brought you here?"



"So, uh..." Rifkin started.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Kaelan muttered into his pillow, flopping down face-first on his bunk.

"That's a new one," Rifkin scoffed. "You don't want to run your mouth?"

Kaelan shook his head.

"Shit... must be pretty bad, then."

"Gaius saved me from the Grand Reptuations," he replied.

Bay headed up to the fourth floor to get the Lieutenant and ambassador.

Talia looked at him curiously. “…they hurt you?”


They’d both settled in their rooms calmly, sitting by their respective fires.

He nodded. "There's a pleasure industry over there that's kind of huge." He pulled back the collar of his coat to show her the spiral tattoo on his neck.

He knocked on both doors.

Talia sobered, staring. “… they… you were… like me?” It hadn’t occurred to her that men could be abused, too. Not just abusers.


They both answered.

He nodded tightly, wrapping his arms around himself. "Yeah. I figured I might be good for you as an escort because of that but if you want me to go find another I can..."

"Gentlemen, Lord Ash would like to speak with you again."

“No sir.” She shook her head. “That… that’s okay.” She furrowed her brow. “They… it’s different here?”


They exchanged a glanced then dipped their heads. “Of course.” Borrond stepped out first, confident.

"Just Emery, please." He glanced at her. "That kind of thing is outlawed in most parts of the Northern Realm."

Bay led them down the stairs.

That was a non-answer. She looked at him uneasily. “…that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen…”


They followed quietly, not sure why they’d been summoned again so soon.