The Vagrant King

Chapter 21

Gregory leaned in to speak to Julian over the deafening sound of the Great Hall. "Find the King," Gregory instructed. "No straying now."

Such a patronizing order immediately irked Julian.

"He cannot hear you. You will not earn more wages just because you act like a bootlicker," Julian snapped back, his lips curling into a contemptuous sneer.

Gregory clenched his jaw and glowered at Julian. Julian abandoned him to push through the crowds and find Regulus.

Julian was jostled a few times as he maneuvered through the crowds. He passed men in multi-colored costumes swallowed swords and juggling knives. Across the hall, a band of at least ten musicians were playing together on various string instruments. The tables had been cleared for the nobles to dance together. Layers of jewels adorning women's necks mirrored the bright colors of their gowns and the men's surcoats.

Julian joined a small crowd watching three women dancing. Each woman had a sharp knife balanced on her head, and their movements were slow and dreamlike. They never dropped the knife nor injured themselves, and Julian couldn't look away.

He felt an arm wrap around his chest. He smelled pine and smoke, a scent he had come to know very well.

"Darling, you came." Regulus said into his ear, a little slurred.

"Aye," Julian said, tearing his eyes away from the dancers and facing Regulus. He could smell the red wine on Regulus' breath too.

Regulus grinned at him. "Nice to see you," He greeted, his eyes twinkling. "Don't you look charming in that cloak? I'm glad you wore it."

"How long must I stay?"

Regulus laughed. His wedding ring glittered in the candlelight. "Such an attitude. Didn't you miss me?"

"We've been apart for one night." Julian replied, glancing back at the dancers. One woman had lit her knife on fire now, and she still carried it above her head.

Regulus smirked and grabbed Julian's elbow, pulling him closer. He leaned his head down to speak into Julian's ear. "You've been watching them for some time. Does my nightingale have a wandering eye?"

Julian glanced nervously around the Great Hall, embarrassed to have Regulus manhandle him in such a way in public. "No, I've simply never seen anything like it."

"Good." Regulus snickered. "You wouldn't want me to call them witches and send them to the stake, would you?"

Julian didn't laugh. Regulus was smiling like he was joking, and his tone was lighthearted, but Julian wondered how much of it was a serious threat.

Regulus tossed back the remainder of his wine and handed the empty cup to a passing servant, who bowed deeply and accepted the cup.

"Come with me," Regulus said, resting his hand on Julian's lower back and guiding him through the crowds. Even in their drunkenness, the crowds parted for them. Julian had felt invisible before. When he was with Regulus, he felt like everyone was looking at him.

"Is it appropriate for me to be here?" Julian asked, moving to his toes to speak into Regulus' ear.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Regulus asked, and he seemed genuinely perplexed. He plucked two gold cups of wine from a nearby platter and handed one to Julian.

"Adultery, Regulus." Julian said irritably, curling his fingers tightly around the cup of wine. Julian didn't like crowds, and he didn't like seeing the gluttony of the nobles in expensive furs, gambling their gold away, drinking their weight in red wine, and eating themselves sick despite the starvation outside. For such a wealthy and pretentious lot, Julian considered it all in bad taste. Perhaps he could convince Regulus to leave early.