Vedran's Hand

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

With a groan, Dragon Knight dragged himself into wakefulness. His head pounded from the wine he'd drunk the night before and his nose wrinkled at the scent of stale sex that clung to his skin. He needed some khava and a bath to make him feel more himself.

Pulling the cord on the wall, he summoned a servant. "Bring me a pot of khava and a light meal to the baths," he ordered.

The woman bobbed a nod and hurried off while Dragon was slipping his arms into his blue silk robe and felt around for his slippers with his feet. He wondered if his nakedness had embarrassed her, but really didn't care.

Yawning, he made his way through the hallways and down the stairs to the palace baths. There were several men already there, but he ignored them. All he wanted was to be clean.

"Dragon Knight, so you're back, are you?" the affable voice of Lord Ferendal Sorcha boomed.

Dragon blinked and looked to find the man seated across from him in the largest bathing pool. With an internal shudder at having to deal with the man so soon after waking, Dragon shrugged out of his robe and toed off his slippers before stepping naked into the water, hissing a little as he became used to the heat.

"I enjoyed my time in the courts of Hyneria, but I thought that it was time I returned home as my duties were completed," Dragon said, laying down on the submerged bench.

"And what exactly were those duties?" Lord Herold Pendai asked suggestively.

"You know that I do not discuss my duties for the Empire with anyone but the Emperor," Dragon reminded them.

"Oh, but Dragon Knight, surely you can tell us some of the other things you did," Ferendal said. "Did you enjoy your time with the Hynerian king? It is said that he's a good looking man, just your sort."

Dragon's muscles had gone tense, but he kept anything from showing on his face. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think I quite understand what you're talking about. Please explain."

Ferendal waved a hand as though it didn't matter. "I was just curious about how you spent some of your extra time at the Hynerian courts, that is all. You don't have to answer if you don't want to... I just wondered if all the tales about the Hynerian king were true."

Not looking at the man, Dragon said, "King Noa des'Alvez was a very gracious host extending every courtesy for the representative of a foreign power."

"And did you extend every courtesy back?" Herold asked, the smirk obvious in his voice.

"I was polite," Dragon duly replied.

"Polite, eh?" Herold chuckled a little. "Why don't you slide over here and be polite to me?"

Dragon Knight sat up with a splash, glaring across the intervening space at the two laughing men. He could feel the other men in the back listening and watching, waiting to see how he would respond to the insults. "Would you care to clarify that sentiment a little more?" he asked, his voice almost painfully courteous even as his muscles trembled with the need to hurt. He could only be grateful that he hadn't brought Silva Morte or the pools would have been ruined forever.

Herold waved his hand with a laugh. "No need to get upset, just a simple joke." There was no fear in him; he truly didn't believe that Dragon Knight could hurt him.

Dragon just looked at the man for a long moment, trying to get his control back. He knew that Vedran didn't want him to fight with the lords of the Empire and he had always held to that. But Herold had insulted him and he wasn't sure he should forgive it or even if he wanted to forgive it. Finally he just lay back down, letting the water wash through his pale hair. He closed his eyes and lay his hands on his stomach comfortably.