Does It Matter?

Chapter 41

Bug woke up in bed with Brayan after having the same dream he always had, but it was light out and Brayan's arm wasn't around him so it didn't trick him into embarrassing himself again. Not that he would have entirely minded going down that avenue again now that circumstances were different but, well, he had made a promise to Dara. Dara had started healing the scarring, but he hadn't yet finished.

Would he finish it now that the prince knew about it? Would he allow Dara to finish what he had started? From what Brayan had described their relationship wasn't exactly typical, but the prince hadn't seemed happy with what he had witnessed.

Brayan rolled over and stretched out. He was always a handsome man, but there was something about him out of his uniform with his hair all mussed from sleep that was just downright cute. He probably wouldn't have appreciated being described that way, but that was how Bug felt. When everything else was stripped away he was just a soft, sleepy man.

Brayan sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Mm. I slept in."

"Did you sleep at all the night before this?"

"No," Brayan admitted. "But that's how it is sometimes. I can go longer without sleep than that."

"So can I," Bug said. He wanted to reach up and touch Brayan's cheek. Right now he looked like the type of man who would be okay with that, though he didn't usually. "At least, when I'm healthy. Up in the mountains the wolves rove in packs. They'll take livestock any time of the day or night, and they're bold. Half a dozen of us would sit and watch with bows at the ready, day and night until the pack moved on."

"You're handy with a bow?"

"A hunting bow," Bug clarified. "I don't think I could even draw your bow. Or, I mean, I definitely couldn't in the condition I'm in now, but..."

"Did you do much hunting?"

"Yes. We kept goats, but there were wild ones too that made good game. And some rabbits and snakes and birds."

"Hm," Brayan said. "I'd like to do more game hunting."

"Maybe... maybe once I regain a bit more strength, we could go together? I could probably make a bow..."

Brayan's eyebrows lifted and suddenly the illusion of him being nothing more than a sleepy man was broken. "Letting a slave have a weapon, and around the prince no less? I don't think you're an assassin, Bug, but you have to realise that's not going to be okay."

Bug dropped his head. "I— oh— yes, of course. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"I know you didn't mean any harm by it, but we don't want you getting into trouble because someone caught you trying to make a weapon and misunderstood your intentions, do we?"

Bug nodded. "No, of course not, sir. I won't do it. I promise."

"Good." Brayan climbed off the bed and went to get his clothes. "Will you be okay on your own for a while? I need to get to work."

"Yes, sir," Bug said.

"Good. I'll have someone send up food."

#

Dara awoke, his naked body pressed safe and warm against Maric's. He couldn't remember when he'd last felt this at peace. When he was a child, before he had become a slave? But a child could never feel the way he did now.

"Good morning," Maric murmured against Dara's hair. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm," Dara confirmed. "I've missed you."