Gods of Malcea ✔️

S E V E N

"Leave him be, Analia! One day, he may kill you as you sleep the way you pester him!"The voice of Fariel made his eyes widen.

"Nonsense. He and I are like older sister and younger brother to one another. Is that not ri—" He pushed her so hard she fell into Fariel's arms causing him to laugh.

"I cannot be your sweet, little brother simply because I am older, you imbecile."

"He lies to the public eye, but, through closed doors and quiet walls, him and I are quite close."

"I am sure that is so. By Gods, how I missed this," Fariel laughed.

Just as Fariel was approaching him, Ake pushed him behind him and gave him a glare. It was as if he wanted to say something, but his mouth stayed close-lipped. Fariel continued to look at him with an amused expression before smirking with that lascivious grin Karos had grown so use to seeing.

"And who is this... lovely friend of yours?" He saw the glint in his eyes causing him to scoff.

"His name is Ake and, no, he is not a servant you can do what you will with, Fariel."

"Well, surely, he cannot be a soldier from your battalion. He is rather small for that laborious kind of work. Delicate, almost," Fariel said with a playfulness about him as if Ake could understand. Karos shook his head at the utterance as a light smile covered his lips. If only he knew the horrors he could do. He would not see him as this lovely flower.

"Your whorish ways will be the end of you," Analia said with disgust.

"I am a lover of fine, beautiful things, unlike yourself. And if I am not mistaken, you are quite whorish yourself."

"Ah yes, because I am a woman and you are a man. I cannot be this 'lover of fine things'. I must be a whore."

They went on to bicker some more causing Karos to grab Ake's arm and push him forward towards the nearing town. Though he knew Ake could take care of himself, more than well, he did not want him going on a murderous rampage because of wandering hands and misplaced sighs. He would have to keep an eye on both him and Fariel, he gathered. He wanted to be in a warm bed and eat food from tables again, not to hear the bickering of fools.

"Ah, Karos, I do not believe you have your papers... to get into Ganash's border town do you?" That utterance from Analia stopped him in his tracks.

"It will be quite hard to get into the town without them, soldier or not." Karos cut his eyes to Fariel's brown, studied ones before sighing out with anger. He heard Analia laugh before tilting her head and flashed him a charming smile that would make any man swoon.

"In the meantime, let me get to know your friend... more intimately." Karos could only sneer at her lewd suggestion causing him to hold onto to Ake's arm tighter.

"He is not yours is he? I thought you were not so fond of men?"

He was quick to release Ake's arm then slightly enervated by his subconscious show of protection for him. "Neither of you will touch him, do I find myself clear with you both?" Karos watched for Ake's expression and all he saw from him was animosity directed towards Fariel.

"Fair enough. Come now, let us be kind friends to one another."

As they reached the border, Karos noticed two men checking papers from travelers, merchants, and the like just as Fariel and Analia had said. He had forgotten all about the procedures of getting back into Ganash. All that was on his mind was going home.

Their turn soon approached causing Fariel to give him a soft smile. "Let me handle this."

Karos eyed him with a mix of scorn and gratitude. The man always had a way with words which served him better in his private chambers than anywhere else. He was always dressed in well-tailored clothing adorned with golds and cremes. Sometimes in the dark, navy blues of royalty. His hair, that was usually tied in a bow, hung loosely down his back drawing his attention further.