Page 48 of The Concubine King
Ethyr took a few tentative steps inside, self-conscious of his jewelry clinking together.“Are you busy?I was hoping we could… talk.”
“Not busy at all!Please.”He grabbed a chair by the window and brought it to the front of his desk before returning to stand behind it.“What is the topic to be discussed?”
Ethyr glanced over his shoulder at Poyut.She kept her chin down and gaze on the floor, though she closed the door and stationed herself in front of it.So he sat in the chair, Lyrian taking his own as soon as Ethyr was seated.
He folded his hands in his lap and tucked his legs under the chair, trying not to fidget and failing.“You weren’t at the inauguration feast, were you?”
Lyrian settled back a little more into his seat, but it wasn’t from relaxation.He watched Ethyr with a cautious interest.“Unfortunately not, Your Divinity.I was keeping on top of city security.Having nearly every government official in one place, getting drunk, tends to incite… well, more opportunistic insurrection.”
Ethyr nodded slowly, pretending he knew what that meant.It didn’t matter, he’d gotten the answer he needed.
“I’ve come to… understand… that my welcome was a bit different from previous kings.”He dared a glance up at Lyrian.The man watched him with no change of expression.When it was clear he wouldn’t offer any additional information, Ethyr had to ask directly.“What usually happens when a new king is chosen?”
Lyrian laced his fingers, eyebrows raised, but Ethyr couldn’t decipher what it might have meant.It wasn’t surprise.
“There are city-wide festivities, lasting from dawn to dusk.The king is presented to the people from the raised amphitheater, and officially consecrated and crowned.The name of the new era is declared.After that is the inauguration feast in the palace with officials and important civilians, lasting all night, as I’m sure you learned.Then, the following evening, the entire city is invited to follow the king to the temple and greet the priests waiting for him; one of the few times ordinary civilians are allowed to see the priests.”
That sure was different, and a lot of new information to wrap his head around.Ethyr was glad he hadn’t had the entire city following him to the temple, though.It had been nerve-wracking enough as it was.
He didn’t know what to ask first.He settled on, “No one is allowed to see priests?”
“Not the order of priests, no.The High and Head Priests are the only ones allowed to interact with civilians or go into the city.”
“Why?”
“Because it could distract them from their true purpose.”Lyrian said curtly.“Dedication to the gods.”He leaned forward, lifting his laced fingers to rest his elbows on the desk.“Are you here for cultural lessons, Your Divinity?I can’t imagine I’d be your first choice as teacher.”
Ethyr pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath.“I… may have overheard a conversation between you and Yorith,” he confessed.Lyrian’s eyebrows rose.“No person I’ve met is willing to stand up to him.But it sounded like you would.”
Lyrian leaned back again, an incredulous smile tugging the corner of his lips.“Are you asking me to help incite a rebellion?”
“No!”Ethyr's gaze snapped back to his, horrified.“No, no, of course not!”He sighed, closing his eyes.“I just… if I have to be here, I want to be more than a decorated prisoner.But Yorith won’t let me, and he has everyone else under his thumb too.I thought if I had someone on my side who isn’t, I could get out from under it as well.”
“And how exactly did you imagine I could help you with that?”
“I don’t know!”It came out as a whine.Ethyr grit his teeth with a frustrated exhale and steadied his voice.“I don’t know how any of this works or how it’s even supposed to be.I just… I need connections with someone other than Yorith and palace workers.I thought I’d start there.”
“Hm.”Lyrian watched him another few seconds before his eyes drifted down to his desk.“Well, Your Divinity, I understand your concerns.I hope you will allow me time to consider them before I make any promises.”
“Of course,” Ethyr said earnestly.“I’m not asking you to do anything, just… be open to associating with me.”
Lyrian nodded and stood.“I appreciate the extension of friendship, Your Divinity.Know that you have mine, whether or not we can form a concrete alliance.”He extended a hand.
Ethyr stood and accepted it with a smile.Lyrian’s palm was calloused and warm and nearly engulfed his.“Thank you.And thank you for talking with me.”
“Of course.Any time.”
He was quite pleased when he left.It had gone better than he had hoped, and he thought he had done quite well for not knowing what to say in the first place.He didn’t understand the troubled look on Poyut’s face as they made their way back through the building.
CHAPTER TWELVE
He knew he would be seeing the gods not because he was told, but because no one woke him in the morning.It had been a while; he wondered if they had asked for him or if a month had passed.He still hadn’t gotten the hang of keeping track of time.It didn’t help that the season did not seem to progress at all; it remained pleasantly warm day in and day out, the only change being an occasional passing rain.If he had been here as long as it felt he had, the Linwoods would be changing color and the village was probably wearing sleeved tunics to handle the growing chill.
He lazed in bed as long as he could, but grew bored of that and sat in front of the mirror to try on different necklaces and earrings.He had a few now.After a heated, days-long argument with Gionan, the attendant had finally surrendered to Ethyr having his ears pierced.Yorith gave indifferent permission, to Gionan’s visible annoyance, so he was brought to the palace physician to do it.Gionan, evidently resigned to the futility of being opposed to it, subsequently brought Ethyr more earrings to “round out his collection.”
Ethyr much preferred long dangling ones.They emphasized his slender neck.
He was dressed in the purple-blue translucent pants and a silvery purple split-side tunic, though the split didn’t end at his hips, instead going all the way up to his armpits and leaving only crisscrossed ribbons to keep it closed at the sides.Pure silver bangles adorned his wrists and one ankle, sandals were placed on his feet, and no belt but a delicate silver choker around his neck was the finishing touch.
